A Chairman Who Has No Regrets - Chapter 126



Only Krnovel

Episode 126 – Faith, Hope, Love and Despair – (20)

Even though it is Sunday, the police station is bustling with people. It is a government office with so many people that it is hard to believe that it is Sunday.

[ Parabaram- Parabaram- Parabaram- Parabaram- Tteuntteureun- ]

The detectives are huddled together in front of a small TV, taking a break while watching a rerun of Detective Chief Inspector.

“Hey, which rerun is this? Shouldn’t we be watching that one too, like ‘Detective, Detective, Detective’?”

“It’s Friday at 8 o’clock.”

“Is that so?”

“yes.”

“You said you would be the chief of the investigation team again, but when are you going to do it?”

“They said it would be in May.”

“Ahhh- this isn’t fun.”

A young detective nodding his head and trimming his fingernails.

“Hey, go home, kid.”

A young detective shrugs his shoulders at the scolding of the detective in charge of the Jeon Gang case.

“Senior, please go inside – my sister-in-law says she’ll eat me if she sees me.”

“Click click click, look at the tail. Do you want to go in?”

The young detective followed the finger pointing inside the police station, looked at the people filling the detention cell and the backs of the heads of the detectives still writing reports, and shook his head.

“Ah, you red bastards anyway.”

All of the people being investigated were young men, and most of them were innocent-looking students. The detective in charge of the case frowned at the young detective’s words.

“Watch your words, you punk. Aren’t these students?”

“No, sir, don’t you hate them? They’re such rascals that they can’t even go to my house.”

“Ehehe-”

“Oh my-”

The young detective shakes his head.

“Okay, when will the Jjajang be here?”

As soon as the detective in charge of the case finished speaking.

“Delivery!”

“It’s really a ghost.”

A deliveryman carrying a metal bag with a booming voice places several bowls of delicious-looking jajangmyeon on the table in front of the TV. A young detective stabs his chopsticks into the jajangmyeon and then exclaims in annoyance.

“Oh! Even the restaurants that serve rice are closed on Sundays, and I’m going to eat jajangmyeon for every meal. Seriously, it’s so greasy.”

“Then let’s eat Jjamppong.”

“The food budget is also high, so how can you afford it?”

And his irritation is directed at the students who are lying face down in a prone position.

“You little punks! Because of you guys, what? What do you think is good about that damn exercise, that damn demonstration, that damn thing…”

“Eat some Jjajangmyeon, kid.”

“Ahh! You little red bastards just-”

“Stop calling him a communist and give him some chili powder.”

“Yeah.”

“Get out of here and change the channel! Is this a rerun of the detective squad leader? There must be no bone marrow left.”

“yes.”

A young detective was turning the TV dial, stopped at a channel and said:

“Huh? Isn’t this a documentary about your senior’s case? It’s been noisy lately.”

“okay?”

“Yes, the documentary with that guy over there.”

The detective took a bite of jajangmyeon while following the young detective’s fingers. Park Jeong-yong, who was swallowing his saliva, came into his eyes.

“Is that tooth on TV?”

“Didn’t you know? There was chaos because they took away all the land and houses? And when they told us about the shantytown in Sanggye-dong, it was chaos with tears and a runny nose.”

“Is that so?”

“Oh my gosh- when do we have time to watch TV? We’re busy investigating the demonstrations… The number of cases just won’t decrease, won’t it? That’s why we hire actors and make a mess of things.”

“Hey, watch out for that snout, you’re in big trouble.”

“Ah… yep.”

“Me and my baby, let’s watch TV.”

Slurp, slurp.

Inside the police station, the only sounds heard are the sound of jajangmyeon being slurped down and announcer Cha Tae-in’s narration.

Before we knew it, the people writing the reports, the detectives beating the students on the head, and the student activists fighting hunger in the detention center all had their eyes fixed on the small TV the size of a fist and were concentrating.

[Jeon Kang-gun, who came out at dawn, where is he headed?]

The detective in charge nods his head and looks proud at the sight of Jeon Kang delivering newspapers and milk.

“The young man is honest.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

The screen changes and the sun rises, but the window of Park Jeong-yong’s apartment is dark.

“Tsk tsk, you must be sleeping soundly.”

“I guess so. He doesn’t go to work and just protests, so that’s probably why.”

The screen switches again.

A picture of Jeon Kang walking to school for a long time.

Another screen change.

The sight of Park Jeong-yong and his son hurriedly getting into the car, and the nearby school appearing after about 5 minutes of driving.

“Oh my – is this the world?”

“Oh, you’re getting angry?”

The screen changes again, and a scene is shown of Jeon Kang handing envelopes of money to the children of Sanggye-dong who worked hard while sweating profusely.

[ What is this? ]

[ Oh, since you worked today, I should pay you labor costs . ]

[Ah- Are you also paying for the labor costs for your friends?]

[ Since we’re friends, they’re giving us a discount. ]

The children who received the money smile brightly and disappear somewhere, and the camera follows them urgently. At one point, the children stop and seem to think for a moment, then soon take out an envelope from their arms and start putting it in the Hodori Village donation box.

[Students! Why are you putting the envelope with money in there?]

Hwang Dong-soo says with a smile.

[ Our Cap, we don’t have money . ]

[ Cap? ]

[ It’s a river, the whole river is a cap. ]

[Ah- Are you good at fighting?]

[ no. ]

[ Don’t those guys usually wear caps? ]

[ Isn’t that the coolest? ]

[ yes? ]

[ That’s cool. ]

The children answer as if embarrassed and disappear. The screen changes again, and Jeong-gang, who found the envelope the children put in late at night, stands there dumbfounded and looks down at the envelope for a while before smiling broadly.

The sight shines brightly in the streetlight.

“Kya-”

The detective in charge lets out a sigh of admiration without realizing it.

The screen switches again.

A scene is shown of Park Jeong-yong and several people from the shantytown with him wearing headbands and inciting people. Soon, Jeon Kang appears in the same place.

Park Jeong-yong and his group, who had gathered in a crowd, began pointing their fingers at Jeon Kang and swearing.

For a long time like that.

The scene where Jeon Kang desperately tries to stop the police officers who arrived to take them away is broadcast in its entirety.

“oh my···”

The detective looked down at the jajangmyeon that had already been poured and put the bowl down nervously.

“Hey. It’s Detective Park.”

“Yes, senior.”

“Those guys are communists, don’t you understand? Other than the students who are participating in the democracy movement, right?”

“···yes.”

“What are you doing? Not giving proper education to the communists?”

The young detective, Detective Park, raised the corners of his lips and stood up. The detective in charge of the case threw something at Detective Park.

It was a Bacchus lid.

Detective Park, who was heading to the detention center, called Park Jeong-yong, who had a very nervous expression on his face.

“Hey, commie.”

“Hey, you’re a communist!”

“The kid is so cocky. Do you want to go to Namsan? Or do you want to go to the Security Command?”

Park Jeong-yong’s face turns pale as he lists the places where even healthy people come out as corpses, and places where actual corpses pour out.

Bam.

Park Jeong-yong, who was looking down with his head down in shock, saw the white Bacchus cap that Detective Park had thrown.

“Get your head in there.”

“yes?”

“Go ahead and knock me out, you red bastard.”

Park Jeong-yong bites his lower lip and then puts his head on the Bacchus cap as instructed.

“Why are you guys just standing there and banging your heads against me-!”

Even the shantytown people who had been raising their voices with Park Jeong-yong inside the detention center began to sweat and get cold feet.

No one felt sorry for them even though they were lying on the ground, shaking with their arms and legs. This was because everyone in the police station had watched the documentary.

“Hey, Detective Park!”

“Yes, sir!”

“Those kids, process the paperwork as late as possible.”

“Yes! I understand!”

“Educate the communists properly, I will check it out.”

“yes!”

**

According to Director Baek, the viewership ratings for the third episode of Hodori Village exceeded 60 percent. It’s no exaggeration to say that everyone in South Korea watched it, even though it’s only 60 percent.

Thanks to you.

“Yes- I’m going!”

“Please think about the people behind you too.”

Our restaurant, Kang-i’s, was overflowing with customers. Fortunately, my older sister and mother accepted my suggestion to change to a buffet style, and are now serving customers much more easily than before.

“Hey! Get out! Get out!”

My little sister saw me and screamed as if she had met an evil spirit. Even I thought I was a nuisance, so this time too, I had no choice but to leave the restaurant.

“Oh my! Is that student that student?”

“Yeah, the real thing is even better-”

“Oh my, your heart is as beautiful as your face. If only I had a daughter, I would take her as my son-in-law.”

“Hey, I don’t even think about giving rice cakes.”

“That student’s mother must be so lucky – I’m jealous – I’m jealous -”

It would not be an exaggeration to say that public opinion was now completely on my side, to the point that I heard compliments about myself wherever I passed.

As soon as you enter Hodori Village, you can see several spots packed with tourists. I’m sure there will be even more people on the weekends than there are now. It’s no exaggeration to say that it’s now truly taking on the appearance of a tourist destination.

“Oh my god… What is this-”

As I was looking around, I heard the voice of the useful old lady. She was in the place where there were donation boxes installed all over Hodori Village.

“What’s wrong, Grandma?”

“The pig’s belly is bursting. It’s bursting.”

“yes?”

The grandmother points to a small donation box.

As if he was trying to hide it, he put the key in and opened it, and coins and bills came pouring out. In many cases, there were envelopes or black plastic bags containing money.

The donation box was about the size of a child’s torso, but it felt incredibly small.

“and.”

I was surprised by the amount that was far beyond my expectations. My grandmother seemed surprised as well.

“Puppy.”

“Yes, Grandma.”

“I guess it would be difficult for me to manage it alone.”

Certainly, the amount and the weight itself seemed too heavy for the grandmother to lift.

“I’ll ask my friends and utility.”

“But it’s money. Do you think it’s okay for the kids?”

I smiled and nodded.

Even if it’s tens or hundreds of billions.

Even if it’s not money, it’s jewels.

Because I think it’ll be okay.

No, I’m sure.

“Yes, it’s okay.”

“Okay, let’s do that. Grandma can’t do it alone.”

“Yes, Grandma.”

I followed my grandmother to another donation box, but it had already gotten to the point where people were spitting money out the entrance.

The power of broadcasting is so scary these days.

It was a broadcast that praised me so blatantly that I could tell it was obvious, but it seems like people didn’t notice it that way.

If the donation amount is this much, it can be considered as income. It is enough to not have to worry about things like streetlight installation costs and electricity bills. The unexpected income makes me chuckle.

There are money lines everywhere using Hodori Village, but new money lines keep appearing.

“You’re lucky.”

“It’s noisy, so come in quickly.”

“Yes, Grandma.”

Even putting them in several black plastic bags wasn’t enough. There were that many coins. They were too heavy to carry alone.

“All students!”

At that moment, Director Baek and Assistant Director approach from over there.

It was very opportune timing.

“You’re here!”

I greeted them warmly and handed them each a bag of money. They also picked it up without much thought because of its small size, but were a little surprised by its heavy weight.

“Is this all donations?”

“yes.”

“Oh… the broadcast is really good.”

The assistant director’s words caused a burst of laughter.

“But why did you come here?”

Now there was nothing left for Director Baek and I to do.

“After the documentary, there is no need for another broadcast,” said Director Baek, looking a little disappointed at my words.

“Well, I stopped by on my way… Senior Kim asked me to pass it on and to contact you.”

“Oh, Attorney Kim Ho-cheol.”

“That’s right, I think that guy Park Jeong-yong demanded a settlement, along with the withdrawal of the lawsuit.”

“It seemed like you would never give up, but you agreed to drop the lawsuit in just three days?”

“I heard that from Senior Kim.”

While answering, Director Baek glances at me. It seems like he wants something.

It makes me feel good to see a generous donation box.

“Why, Director? Is there anything you want to ask me?”

“Ahahaha… You know, the student Jeon Gang?”

“yes.”

“The scholarship quiz show originally had a weekly winner, monthly winner, and quarterly winner. It was a show where you would win first place multiple times and the prize money would change each time you won first place.”

A small hope appears in his eyes.

It’s a scholarship quiz.

“Did you also have overseas training during your compensation?”

“Oh, of course!”

“Are you going to Germany or Europe too?”

“Of course! If the students want it.”

I nodded.

“I don’t know much, so I’m saying this, Director.”

“What is it?”

“Which country is good at soccer these days?”