I’d Rather Live as a Villain

I’d Rather Live as a Villain – Part 10

(I’ll go with Method.)

“Executive, I’ve changed.”

Daeyoung Department Store, Gangnam Branch.

Luxury Men’s Boutique.

As Manager Noh Gyu-hyung stepped out of the dressing room, Executive Kang Moon-jung tilted her head with an uncertain expression, just like before.

The owner of the Gangnam branch had rushed to the boutique himself to assist Executive Kang Moon-jung with her shopping.

The boutique brand shop employees, who were actually seeing the sole legitimate heir of Daeyoung Group, Kang Moon-jung, as well as the customers who had coincidentally entered the shop and encountered her, were all unable to discern whether this situation was real.

Someone even tried to secretly take a photo but was stopped by the department store’s security personnel.

“Sigh…”

The executive’s expression was unsatisfactory again.

Suppressing a sigh bigger than the one she exhaled, Manager Noh Gyu-hyung asked,

“What should I do… Should I try on something else again?”

It’s been three hours already.

Manager Noh Gyu-hyung had been dragged around the department store for three hours now, following Executive Kang Moon-jung who insisted on buying a congratulatory gift for Deputy Director Yoon Tae-sik’s executive promotion.

Wasn’t it better to spend this time during work hours with a superior outside, rather than on a weekend or a day off?

Manager Noh, who didn’t have much personal acquaintance yet, was planning to ask Deputy Director Yoon Tae-sik for a favor soon.

Please, have your shopping trips with just the two of you.

“Turn around once.”

“Like this?”

Doing his best to model as per the executive’s instructions, Manager Noh Gyu-hyung was still confused about what he was doing here.

At first, he asked if he could borrow some of my lunchtime.

And he did so very kindly.

After all, today, Deputy Director Yoon would come to pick me up at the end of work, promising to let me off early.

To that, Manager Roh readily agreed without hesitation.

Thus, during lunchtime, I was dragged out to the Gangnam branch.

The suit that Executive Kang Moon-jung mentioned wasn’t just any suit.

It was her standard of a suit, choosing and choosing again until it suited her taste, something Manager Roh Kyu-hyung, shopping with her for the first time, couldn’t have known in advance.

Having already bought three suits and two pairs of shoes from another brand shop, we headed to yet another shop.

Manager Roh Kyu-hyung realized, just three days into serving Executive Kang Moon-jung, that there were tasks even more demanding than overnight work at the group’s head office strategic planning team.

“What’s the use if the build is similar? The face is completely different, the face. Manager Roh.”

“Yes, Executive.”

“That feeling is there, but it just won’t do. No matter how much I try to imagine Deputy Director Yoon’s face on Manager Roh’s body, the picture just doesn’t come to mind. Forget it, try on this three-piece suit and come out.”

“…Yes.”

“And come out with a tie on.”

From 1 to 4 PM.

For three hours, being dragged around, we purchased four men’s suits, three pairs of shoes, and two pairs of luxury cufflinks.

The suits he changed into to make the final decision must have been at least thirty, and the shoes, more than twenty pairs.

Returning to the distribution headquarters with Executive, Manager Roh felt a greater sense of relief that the shopping was finally over than envy of Deputy Director Yoon, who could receive such gifts at any time.

***

“Deputy Director, have you arrived?”

“Oh, Manager Roh.”

Seeing Manager Roh sitting alone in the seat that had been mine for the past three years and three months, I must admit, it felt strange.

And what’s with Manager Roh’s face?

“Is something wrong?”

“What? Something…”

“Your face looks dark. Manager Roh, did you always have dark circles?”

“Do I have dark circles right now?”

It seems Executive’s schedule has been quite tight these past few days.

Not that it’s too much.

Being me, I can adjust Executive’s schedule here and there, cutting it off at a reasonable point, but Manager Roh probably hasn’t acquired that flexibility yet.

Undoubtedly, she must have been waiting for the executive director, who was working overnight, idly browsing her phone, and it’s likely she even went to Pyeongchang-dong last weekend to match his schedule.

When I get the chance, I should share some tips on how to make accompanying the executive director a bit easier.

“Where’s the executive director?”

“He’s been waiting for the deputy general manager.”

After lightly patting the shoulder of Director Roh, who must be overwhelmed with his new duties, I knocked on the executive director’s office door.

“Oh? You’re here?”

He was looking at a townhouse pamphlet.

Specifically, it was a pamphlet for a luxury line of large townhouses completed by Daeyoung Corporation’s domestic construction division C&P.

“Did you have another external meeting over the weekend?”

“Last weekend?”

“Yes.”

“No? I didn’t have any schedule for the weekend.”

Then where did those dark circles under Director Roh’s eyes come from?

“Why are you bringing up an external meeting out of the blue? Anyway, did you report back from your visit to President Min?”

“Yes.”

With my arrival, the executive director seemed ready to leave early, standing up to put on his jacket hanging on the coat rack.

“What was the reason for the meeting?”

Securing one button on his jacket, the executive director asked while grabbing his bag.

“It seems urgent for the corporation, as he’s an external figure moving quickly. He asked to introduce him to the executive director and the head of the overseas construction division before his official start.”

At that, the executive director decided to hear the details on the move, taking his bag and walking towards the exit.

I opened the door of the executive office ahead of him, and after he left, I closed it.

“Director Roh. I’ll be leaving first. You’ve worked hard today.”

“Not at all.”

“As we discussed earlier, try to reschedule next week’s as roughly as possible. Except for the group headquarters-related schedules, try to transfer as many external meeting schedules as possible to the representative office. Since I’ve already discussed everything with the president, just be aware of that.”

“Yes, I understand. But, executive director. You should go together.”

At Director Roh’s words, the executive director frowned and then burst into laughter, saying, “Ah, look at me forgetting.”

I thought Director Roh would also leave for the day, but instead, I came out empty-handed and escorted the executive director to the elevator.

Our eyes met in the reflection of the elevator door that had just closed.

And so, we began a brief conversation through the elevator door.

“So, how were the executive director and the division head there?”

Turning away from the executive for a moment, I glanced at Manager Roh through the elevator doors.

As our eyes met, Manager Roh quickly looked down.

“I haven’t met them yet.”

“What do you mean? Earlier, President Min said he called them to introduce those two to Deputy Director Yoon, didn’t he?”

“I asked to greet them formally when I officially start working, and requested time with Executive Director Park Je-dong instead.”

Reflected in the elevator doors, the executive turned his head towards me.

I too turned my head to look at the executive.

“Why?”

“Because I need to receive the handover of duties. There was no other opportunity but today.”

It was but a fleeting moment, but the executive stared intently at my face, trying to read my intentions for meeting Executive Director Park Je-dong.

He was perceptive.

Then, he let out a slight chuckle.

Basement level two.

The parking elevator opened.

In a hurry for some reason, Manager Roh quickly moved towards the executive’s company car.

As always, I walked a step ahead, escorting the executive to his parked car.

“What’s all this?”

Manager Roh, who had arrived at the executive’s car first, was taking out large shopping bags from the trunk and waited for us.

Before Manager Roh could answer, the executive spoke.

“Don’t just stand there, open the trunk. They’re heavier than they look.”

They did look heavy.

How many shopping bags were there?

Without knowing why, I opened the Porsche’s trunk and helped Manager Roh load the shopping bags.

The trunk was so small that we had to accept that the bags would get crumpled as we tried to fit them all in.

“Huff…”

As if his role was finished here, Manager Roh said,

“Then, I’ll go back up.”

“Yes, do that. Fix the schedule and then you should head home early too.”

I bowed to Manager Roh, who was bowing to us, and opened the passenger door.

Since it wasn’t the car I usually drove, I had to be extra careful not to catch anything on the door, checking the executive’s leg area before gently closing the door.

“Where shall I take you?”

“Let’s go see the house now.”

House?

“Wouldn’t it be convenient to be as close as possible to the Pyeongchang-dong family home? There’s bound to be a call from the main house once or twice a week. Choosing a brand built by our construction division over other group’s brands for our newlywed home would benefit both my image and that of Director Yoon, who is about to register as an executive for Mulsan.”

I recalled the pamphlet that the executive had been looking at earlier.

“Are you talking about the Remius complex?”

“Let’s go see it first. I haven’t been inside to see it in person yet.”

“Understood. But what about the shopping bags we just loaded into the trunk?”

“Oh, those? I stopped by the Gangnam branch earlier today and picked up a few suits and pairs of shoes for Director Yoon. Someone with the title of head director should be prepared for executive appearances, right? Better to die than to suffer. I didn’t want to ask and nag, so I just picked up a few things according to my taste.”

***

Remius 1011.

I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity from the outside.

They say it’s 666 square meters.

One basement level and three floors above.

The first floor, the most spacious, seemed to be about the size of a 40-pyeong apartment, even though there was a concept of a garden with grass.

The structure narrowed slightly as you went up.

Even the third floor, which seemed the least practical in terms of space, had a room with an attached bathroom and a large living room wrapped around an indoor staircase.

“Do you know Mrs. Jin-ok, who’s currently residing at the main house?”

“…Yes.”

I stepped out onto the balcony connected to the third-floor room, and it was simply magical.

A townhouse in Seoul, with perfect landscaping, and all from just three stories high—it was unbelievable.

And the 1011 unit we were touring with the executive was the largest and most central in the complex.

“Mrs. Jin-ok has been taking care of the Pyeongchang-dong main house since my mother was alive. I’ve asked her to manage this house.”

“…Yes.”

“She won’t be living here, but she’ll come after Director Yoon and I leave for work to do some light cleaning, laundry, and stock the fridge.”

I was listening to the executive, but it didn’t seem to be registering in my mind.

All I could think about was that I was going to live in this house? Just with the executive?… That was the only thought.

Of course, it was all in the contract.

Cohabitation.

And unless there’s a special reason, you shall sleep at home.

When I signed the contract, it seemed like such an obvious clause, but actually coming to the house we’d be sharing (though it’s cohabitation), it felt a bit strange.

The ceiling is this high?

The second and third floors had typical ceiling heights, but the first floor’s ceiling was about one and a half times higher than usual, quite lofty.

The chandelier hanging down from that ceiling was none other than the Fendi brand.

“I think it would be better for Assistant Manager Yoon to use the second floor.”

There’s no comedy like this.

There are only two rooms on the second floor.

One bathroom in the living room with a bathtub, and one communal bathroom with just a shower booth.

There’s even a home bar installed.

Am I supposed to use all this… by myself?

“I wake up at 4:30 in the morning no matter how tired I am. I need to use the kitchen, and rather than disturbing Assistant Manager Yoon’s sleep with the clanking sounds, it would be better for me to use the first floor, and for Assistant Manager Yoon to take the second floor.”

The first-floor kitchen was even more impressive.

There was an island table set some space away from the basic sink, and the ventilation system above the island was of a size you’d typically find in a large restaurant kitchen.

Three built-in refrigerators.

There was even an additional sink capable of washing in the utility room connected to the kitchen.

I’ve never even seen a house like this in dramas.

Of course, Pyeongchang-dong, where I had to go to work every day, is another story.

From the first day I went to work there, it felt more like a fortress than a house to me, and here, while it’s still a house… it’s the kind of house that completely shatters the concept of a home I had.

“How about it? I think it’s quite alright.”

I wonder if my opinion will be reflected here, even a little?

Even if it is, do I have anything to contribute?

“What do you think?”

“It’s good.”

“Then let’s just settle here. It’s bothersome to ask to look for something else, and as far as I can see, there’s no place like this near my family home.”

Before I knew it, it was 6 o’clock.

It took 30 minutes just to tour the house upon arrival.

It was when we were standing side by side in the first-floor living room, in the space where the sofa seemed to be coming later, looking through the floor-to-ceiling windows at the garden lit by the lights.

“Commodities. The position of Head of the European Division. Was the reason you asked me to adjust to that because of Director Park Je-dong, that he had some stake in it?”

“What do you mean?”

In a flash, I remembered the conversation I had with Manager Son this morning at my mother’s house in Daejeon.

“What do you think it’s about?”

“Did you… know by any chance?”

“Know what?”

“About me and Director Park Jedong…”

“And Deputy Director Jung Changho?”

I cautiously turned my head to gauge the executive’s expression.

With one corner of his mouth curled up, the executive asked,

“What did I say to Deputy Director Yoon back when I was at Mulsan, when I suggested he consider joining me?”

“You said if he followed you now, he’d be promoted to manager right away.”

“No, before that. Before I said that. Didn’t I say that it seemed a waste for someone like him to be at Mulsan?”

“…Yes, you did.”

“And I also said this. Ever since I was young, following my grandfather around, and after my mother passed away, I’ve met countless people who flit and soar, always by my father’s side at Daeyoung’s external events.”

“Yes.”

The executive placed his bag on a side table and slowly walked towards the glass door.

I stood beside him, facing the glass door that offered a clear view of the garden.

“Thanks to that, I’ve developed an eye for people. Even a brief glance tells me what this person will be like, what that person will do.”

“…”

“It’s curious how Deputy Director Yoon caught my eye. It’s fascinating. Does he have three or four brains? Can he think three or four thoughts at once? Am I the fool for not being able to do that? How did he know to prepare for something I would ask for? He’s tight-lipped, isn’t he? To see him endure in isolation without a whimper shows remarkable tenacity. He could have casually asked me for help at least once, but he never did. That’s proper pride and loyalty to the organization.”

Unknowingly, my head had dropped.

“His style may be a bit old-fashioned… Look, in the end, I changed it, didn’t I?”

“…”

“I thought it was good. Rather than leaving him unrecognized here, withering in isolation, I’d take him with me to Distribution when I moved, water him with my own hands, adjust the nutrients, and make him indispensable to me, someone who understands what I want just by looking into my eyes. That’s why I made the offer. If he comes with me now, he’ll be promoted to manager right away. If necessary, I’ll even create a history for him in the group’s secretariat.”

He truly is a fearsome person.

It’s no wonder he’s not just Chairman Kang Manho’s son, but called ‘Little Chairman Kang Kiyoung’.

“Why? Are you upset that I pretended not to know when Deputy Director Yoon was isolated?”

No. When I realized the executive knew all along, my heart settled down instead.

“The reason I chose Mulsan has nothing to do with Director Park Jedong’s share.”

“Just come now and say it was well done.”

“…Pardon?”

“If by any chance, Director Yoon chose Mulsan because of the shares held by Director Park and Chief Jung, then it was indeed a wise choice. That’s what they’re saying. Everyone who should know on the ground knows, don’t they, even if those above are unaware?”

It was undeniable.

Even the executive knew everything at the time, didn’t he?

“No matter how long ago it happened, a person who must play the role of the sole son-in-law of the Daeyoung family can’t afford to be perceived as indecisive, unable to properly repay what he suffered at the hands of others.”

When he said this, it felt as if the great Chairman himself was right beside us.

Exactly the same.

“Since you’ve met with Chief Park in person, I’m sure you’ve sorted things out well, and I appreciate the effort you made before I even had to speak.”

Why couldn’t I have met such a superior back in my days at Mulsan?

Not a superior with a lot of possessions and power, but one who believed in me.

A superior who trusts me unconditionally because I am the one doing the work.

If only there had been even one superior at Mulsan who had shown me half, or even a quarter of the faith that the executive is showing me now… I would have probably buried my bones in Spain’s first team.

I haven’t calculated exactly how much I would get for severance after eight years as an employee living the Daeyoung man’s life.

Head of Mulsan’s European division.

An executive.

I still don’t know how much the salary of a Mulsan executive is.

I haven’t looked it up.

I haven’t calculated the exact interest that would accrue annually from a bank account with 5 billion at a 2.8% interest rate.

Now I’m certain.

It wasn’t just about the money that made me consider this marriage proposal.

Executive Kang Moon-jung.

I wanted to bury my bones with her once.

Ignoring a contractual marriage, just for her, my superior who gives me such boundless faith and trust, I wanted to grind my bones and squeeze my brain to give her what she desires.

“Do you remember what you said to me in our chat yesterday? That it might be okay to go with the acting method we have to do anyway?”

The executive just smiled faintly and nodded at me.

“Did you really mean what you said?”

“In the past three years, have you ever seen me, Director Yoon, go out alone to look around and pick out clothes, shoes… things like that for someone else?”

“…No.”

“I did that today. Taking Manager Noh with me, asking if this would suit Director Yoon, if that would be good… Isn’t it too revealing a question to ask someone who’s already in method mode?”

“Then I will also go with the method from now on.”

The executive slowly closed and opened his eyes before asking me.

“How far?”

“I suddenly became curious.”

“About what?”

“Whether the task I accomplished today at Mulsan, facing President Min and Director Park, was possible solely because I’m currently sitting next to the executive director, or if it was also due to my personal skills to some extent.”

“…”

“I’ve become interested in verifying that properly at Mulsan.”

“If that’s the reason, I welcome you with open arms anytime. But before that, let’s go out and grab some food. I haven’t even had lunch today because I was busy choosing clothes for Manager Roh with Deputy Director Yoon.”