How a Salaryman Became an Underworld Boss

Something felt off, and I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling.

I had carefully explained every weakness of Micron and TMSC to Vice Chairman Yoon Sanghun. Unless something unexpected happened, Hangang Electronics was guaranteed to gain the upper hand in this race. Logically, his mood should have been excellent—far better than before departing for America.

Then why had he stepped out of the limousine with an expression so heavy, as though he were carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders?

Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who noticed. Senior Specialist Woo Changhun quietly spoke to Support Team Leader Heo Yeongjin.

“Manager Heo, did something serious happen on the way from the airport to the hotel?”

“Unfortunately, that’s exactly what it looks like.”

“Should we ask Director Jeong about it?”

“Now isn’t the right time. I’ll find a better opportunity and ask him later.”

With that, Support Team Leader Heo Yeongjin got out of the minivan. With puzzled expressions, we followed behind him.

Inside the hotel, our group checked in quickly thanks to the efficient work of the employees from the American branch. As expected, I was assigned to share a room with Senior Specialist Woo Changhun.

After going upstairs, I was slightly taken aback by the size of the room. It was far larger than I’d imagined. While I was looking around, Woo Changhun handed the porter a tip. As soon as the door closed behind the employee, he sat down on the edge of the bed and smiled.

“What are you standing there for?”

“Oh, it’s just... the room is really big and luxurious.”

“What’s so surprising about that? Come on, let’s change quickly.”

I opened my suitcase, put away my belongings, and changed into comfortable clothes. Woo Changhun looked me over from head to toe and let out an impressed whistle.

“Wow! Intern Cha, you’ve got a great physique!”

“Listen... don’t tell me you...”

“No, no! Don’t even think that!” Woo Changhun frantically waved his hands, instantly understanding what I was thinking.

“Whew, thank goodness. Glad to hear it.”

“It’s embarrassing to say this, but I’m still unmarried because I’m crazy about women. I absolutely adore them.”

“...You didn’t need to explain in such detail.”

“What else was I supposed to do? You just questioned my orientation.”

Bzzz, bzzz.

At that moment, the phone lying on the bed vibrated. Seeing the screen, Woo Changhun immediately turned serious and answered. It wasn’t hard to guess who he was talking to, considering he kept saying, “Yes, Manager.”

A few minutes later, he hung up and grumbled.

“No matter how urgent it is, they could’ve at least let people eat breakfast properly!”

“Senior Specialist Woo, did something happen? An emergency?”

“I don’t know the details, but we’ve been ordered to head immediately to the conference room on the second floor.”

We hurried downstairs, and the other members of the business trip were already gathering.

As soon as we took our seats, Vice Chairman Yoon Sanghun appeared with his bodyguards and aides. Everyone jumped to their feet simultaneously.

After sitting at the head of the table, he slowly looked around.

“I apologize for not letting you rest after the flight. Please sit down. Let’s discuss business.”

“Yes, Vice Chairman!”

We responded loudly in unison and immediately sat back down.

Yoon Sanghun gave a slight nod, and Chief Secretary Cho Seongjin stood up.

“I will explain why the Vice Chairman called this emergency meeting. Our main competitor, the American company Micron, has hired a former Vice President of the United States as a lobbyist...”

Without embellishment, Cho Seongjin repeated everything that had been discussed between the Vice Chairman and Hong Hyeonsu, head of the American branch.

“...We’ve gathered here to hear your ideas. How do we overcome Micron’s lobbying and TMSC’s aggressive pressure and secure this contract? Feel free to speak. All ideas are welcome.”

“As far as I know, Hangang Electronics has lower production costs than Micron,” one employee said.

“Perhaps we should use that advantage and offer a discount on high-bandwidth semiconductor manufacturing?”

Immediately, everyone’s eyes turned toward Vice President Ha Cheolhun. As though expecting the question, he answered without hesitation.

“We’re saving the price reduction card for the negotiations with Endivia’s management.”

“Understood. No further questions.”

“Any other ideas?”

“Shouldn’t our company also hire an influential lobbyist, just like our competitors?”

People one after another began throwing out suggestions.

Meanwhile, I sat quietly without saying a word.

Apparently, my indifferent expression made Yun Sola nervous, and she whispered quietly.

“Intern Cha, don’t you have any ideas?”

“We don’t even know what Endivia’s management truly wants. What’s the point of making empty guesses?”

“You mean that if we learn their hidden intentions, you’ll come up with some genius solution?”

“The question itself is flawed, so I see no reason to answer it.”

“You sound unusually cold today. Are you in a bad mood?”

“I simply feel sorry for our company, considering the position we’re in.”

“Well... when you put it that way, you’re right.”

Then a thought occurred to me.

“Yun Sola, didn’t you mention that your senior from university works directly in Chairman Hudson’s office?”

“You mean I should meet her and gather information?”

As expected of someone with a Harvard degree. I had barely hinted at her senior, and she immediately grasped my intention.

I nodded.

“Exactly.”

“Excellent idea, I understand. But you’ll come with me, won’t you, Intern Cha?”

“...What? Me?” I pointed at myself in surprise.

“Who else? It was your idea. You’re responsible.”

“Sigh. I really brought this upon myself.”

While we whispered to each other, the others continued suggesting ideas one after another. But none of them truly caught the executives’ interest.

Finally, Vice Chairman Yoon Sanghun raised his hand.

“Thank you all for your enthusiasm. If anyone comes up with something worthwhile later, don’t hesitate to report it through your supervisors.”

“Yes, sir!”

“And one final announcement,” added Chief Secretary Cho Seongjin.

“Our meeting with Endivia has been postponed due to circumstances beyond our control. Until a new schedule is confirmed, you are free. Use your time as you wish, but keep your phones on so that we can reach you at any moment.”

“Understood.”

“You are dismissed. Thank you for your hard work.”

I returned to the room and was just about to throw myself onto the bed to sleep off my fatigue when my phone beeped.

Yun Sola: I arranged a dinner with my acquaintance.

Cha Jiham: Wow, that was fast!

Yun Sola: Naturally. Meet me in the lobby at five.

Cha Jiham: Understood.

After sending the reply, I rolled around in bed for a bit and before I knew it, I had fallen into a deep sleep.

***

“Where are you headed?” Woo Changhun asked while watching me change into decent clothes.

“Yun Sola’s senior works in Chairman Hudson’s office. They arranged dinner, and I’m tagging along.”

“Seriously? Hey, can I come too?”

That was the last thing I expected.

Why did I stupidly tell him about the dinner?

If he tagged along, Yun Sola would undoubtedly explode. But as an intern, I had no right to refuse a senior employee.

In delicate situations like this, the best strategy was to pass the problem to the person who caused it.

“I think you should discuss that with Yun Sola first.”

“True enough. Hold on.”

Woo Changhun immediately called her, exchanged a few words, and hung up.

“Well, Intern Cha, you heard the conversation, right?”

“Of course. Then I’ll head downstairs first and wait for you. Take your time.”

I hurried to the lobby with one goal—to calm down the furious Yun Sola before Woo Changhun arrived.

“Okay, tell her to wait about ten minutes for me,” he called after me.

***

“Why does Senior Specialist Woo have absolutely no sense of tact?” Yun Sola predictably puffed up the moment she saw me.

Fortunately, I had already prepared my arguments in the elevator.

“Try to understand him. In his eyes, we’re just children who need supervision.”

“I’ve lived in the States for more than ten years!”

“But Senior Specialist Woo doesn’t know that. Let’s just treat him as our official guardian and move on, all right?”

“Sigh, fine. What choice do I have?”

Just as I let out a relieved breath, the elevator doors opened and Woo Changhun stepped out. I waved to him, and he quickly approached us with an awkward expression.

“Sorry, you two, but I’m responsible for you. If anything happens, I’ll be the one getting chewed out.”

“What protection? We’re not children,” Yun Sola grumbled.

“Of course not, but better safe than sorry. By the way, this friend of yours... is she a guy or a girl?”

“A woman. She graduated from graduate school two years before me.”

“I see. And where are we meeting?”

Any normal man would have jokingly asked whether she was pretty. Especially Woo Changhun, who had openly admitted his weakness for women. Yet, contrary to expectations, he sounded strangely indifferent.

“Could he really be into men...?”

A chill ran down my spine, and I listened even more closely.

“Nearby. At a steakhouse.”

“Perfect. We’ll walk there. Yun Sola, lead the way.”

“All right.”

Yun Sola walked briskly ahead while Woo Changhun and I followed behind.

Once we left the hotel, he quietly asked me,

“Intern Cha, I bet you’re dying to know why I didn’t ask about her friend’s appearance.”

“Not dying, but I am curious.”

“Ever heard the saying, ‘Birds of a feather flock together’?”

“Ah, now I understand what you’re getting at.”

As soon as we entered the restaurant, I was genuinely stunned.

The elegant interior was one thing, but the size of the main hall was astonishing.

“Wow! This place is huge.”

“What’s so surprising? America is full of giant steakhouses like this.”

“No way.”

“Senior Specialist Woo is right,” Yun Sola unexpectedly agreed.

We sat by the window and chatted while waiting.

“Yun Sola, tell us more about your senior.”

“In short... she’s a typical princess from a very wealthy family.”

“Just like you?”

“......”

Feeling the atmosphere becoming tense, Woo Changhun hurriedly changed the subject.

“All right, dinner’s on me today.”

“This place isn’t cheap. Are you sure?”

“Oh, how much can we possibly eat?” he waved it off.

At that moment, the restaurant entrance opened, and a young woman walked in.

For a second, my breath caught in my throat.

She looked so much like Tracy Bongard that they could have been mistaken for sisters.

I looked more closely.

Whew.

Thank goodness.

It wasn’t her.

But just as I relaxed, things took an unexpected turn.

The woman confidently headed straight toward our table. Yun Sola immediately recognized her and stood up happily, and Woo Changhun and I also rose to greet her.

“Senior Specialist Woo, this is Isabella...”

After a brief exchange of greetings, everyone sat down.

Thinking this was the perfect opportunity, I spoke first.

“You know, Isabella, when you walked in, I thought a movie star had entered the restaurant.”

“Oh, thank you for the compliment. Cha Jiham, who exactly did I remind you of?”

“Oh? What’s she getting at?”

“My favorite actress is Dakota Fanning. You resemble her so much that people could mistake you for her sister.”

“My goodness! I actually hear that all the time.”

“Just as I thought. People really do share similar standards of beauty.”

At that moment, Woo Changhun rudely cut into the conversation, clearly trying to seize the initiative.

“In honor of meeting such a beautiful and charming lady, I insist on paying for tonight’s dinner.”

“Oh, haha, really?”

“Of course! Order anything your heart desires. Don’t hold back.”