“From Kim Cheolgeun’s perspective, it must have felt unfair. To suffer this kind of humiliation over mere school violence.”

Back then, society was still lenient toward school violence. But as time passed, even that perception would change.

And when that day came, no one would be able to stop the fallout.

“Prepare 100 million won. Don’t leave out even a single won.”

“Ha....... How am I supposed to come up with that kind of money immediately? You do know I’m a public official, right?”

“Then should I arrange a loan for you? Surely you understand what kind of business this place deals in.”

Without answering, Kim Cheolgeun only glared at me.

I called for Manager Ma.

“Manager. Bring 100 million won from the vault in ten-thousand-won bills. And prepare a promissory note as well.”

“Yes, Boss.”

A short while later, Manager Ma returned carrying an apple box stuffed with cash.

“I’ll take this.”

I picked up the thin envelope and checked inside. There was a single ten-million-won cashier’s check.

“This is money that leaves no record anywhere. Write your name here and sign.”

I held the promissory note out to Kim Cheolgeun. His expression still looked unwilling.

“Do we really have to go this far?”

“Senior. I’m doing this for your sake right now. Do you think I’m doing this for that student?”

“......”

“Let’s keep things clean, senior. For the professor’s sake, for your own sake, and lastly, for Junhyuk’s sake as well.”

Kim Cheolgeun let out a sigh and looked at me.

Smiling faintly, I handed him a fountain pen.

“You can repay 90 million won within one year. Interest is ten percent annually. If the repayment deadline passes... we’ll discuss it then.”

Kim Cheolgeun signed the promissory note with the fountain pen.

After handing the signed note to Manager Ma, I pulled out another document.

“This is the settlement agreement. Everyone involved takes this matter to the grave. Mugil, understood?”

“Yes. I won’t tell anyone.”

“Senior and Junhyuk, you understand too?”

“We do.”

Kim Cheolgeun signed the agreement as well.

Kim Junhyuk and Han Mugil pressed their fingerprints above their names.

“I’ll keep this agreement too. It could become a weapon later. Senior, you agree, right?”

Kim Cheolgeun seemed to share the same thought and gave a small nod.

“Fine. Then this is all over now, correct? I’d rather this matter never be brought up again.”

Instead of answering, I quietly looked at Han Mugil.

Quick on the uptake, Han Mugil immediately spoke.

“I’ll keep my mouth shut until the day I die. But please keep your promise too. I never want the name Kim Junhyuk to appear in my life again.”

“......”

Neither Kim Cheolgeun nor Kim Junhyuk said anything.

Junhyuk clenched his fists tightly, eyes squeezed shut as if even he felt humiliated.

Clicking my tongue inwardly, I still answered with a gentle smile.

“That much, I promise.”

“Yes. If it’s your promise, Mister, I’ll trust it.”

Turning my head toward Kim Cheolgeun and Kim Junhyuk, I spoke again.

“Senior. If the same thing happens again, I won’t be able to let it slide like this next time. I’ll have no choice but to deal with it personally. I trust you understand what that means.”

Kim Cheolgeun bit his lip hard before nodding.

“Junhyuk, do you understand too?”

“Yes.”

“Then you may leave now.”

Kim Cheolgeun and Kim Junhyuk stood up simultaneously.

After rising from his seat, Kim Cheolgeun glared once at me and once at Han Mugil before walking out.

“Mugil.”

“Yes?”

“I’m going to open a bank account at Taesan Bank. Then we’ll deposit that money into it.”

Han Mugil nodded, the tension finally leaving his face.

Ever since Kim Cheolgeun left, he looked slightly dazed.

“What you do with that money is entirely your choice.”

“......I want to move.”

“You don’t want to live in Guryong Village anymore?”

“I’m fine. But it’s too cold in the winter and too hot in the summer for my grandmother to live there.”

The report had mentioned how devoted he was to his family. And sure enough, the moment he came into money, the first person he thought of was his grandmother.

That was rather admirable.

“100 million won isn’t enough to move somewhere close to the school. Are you thinking about transferring schools?”

“No. I don’t want to give up Gyeonggi High School. Later, when I enter society, the name Gyeonggi High will become a powerful advantage.”

That was probably why he endured Kim Junhyuk’s bullying and continued attending school until the end.

The academic ties running from Gyeonggi High to Korea National University were considered the royal road in South Korea.

“Hm.......”

I paused to think.

Would supporting this kid really be the right thing to do?

Finding him a home, keeping him in school, supporting his living expenses—it would all be effortless for me.

Then suddenly, I remembered how Ilseong had sponsored scholarship students.

“Then I’ll support you. I’ll find you a place to live, and I’ll let you do everything you want to do. In return, can you dedicate your life to me?”

Han Mugil stared at me blankly.

His expression clearly showed he didn’t fully understand.

“I’m asking whether you can spend your life for my sake. Think carefully before you answer.”

At the words “think carefully,” Han Mugil’s expression turned serious.

What could that tiny head possibly be thinking about?

After agonizing over it for a long while, Han Mugil finally opened his mouth.

“I’ll do it. As long as my grandmother can live comfortably.”

I nodded.

At this rate, it felt like I should move forward with the scholarship foundation I had been postponing.

“Good. Then let’s put this money in the account for now. Use it later when you enter society, however you want.”

I turned to Manager Ma standing nearby.

“Manager. Ask Taesan Bank to send over one employee. Tell them we’re opening an account and they’ll handle the rest.”

“Understood, Boss.”

After Manager Ma left, I chatted with Han Mugil while waiting for the bank employee.

The person who entered alongside Manager Ma turned out to be the branch manager of Taesan Bank’s Myeongdong branch, along with a bank employee.

“Branch Manager, what brings you here personally?”

“Haha. If the Boss calls, I should come myself.”

“We’re only opening one bank account. There’s no need for the branch manager himself to come.”

He probably just wanted another chance to show his face to me.

But I answered with a hardened expression.

“Branch Manager. A person responsible for an entire branch shouldn’t have such a light ass. Go back and do your work instead of abandoning your employees.”

“S-Sorry, sir.”

At my cold expression and tone, the branch manager hurriedly bowed his head.

I waved my hand dismissively, half-accepting the greeting.

I could feel Han Mugil quietly marveling as he looked back and forth between me and the branch manager.

The branch manager quickly left, and I addressed the employee still awkwardly trying to understand the situation.

“You brought all the paperwork, right?”

“Ah, yes! I brought everything.”

“Then sit down.”

The employee sat in front of Han Mugil and spread the account-opening forms across the table.

“Fill out here, here, and here.”

Listening to the employee’s explanation, Han Mugil carefully filled in the blanks.

“Do you happen to have a seal?”

When Han Mugil shook his head, the employee gave an awkward smile.

“Just use a signature instead.”

At my words, the employee quickly nodded and handed the papers back over.

Instead of stamping a seal beside his name, Han Mugil simply wrote his name there, completing the documents.

“Take those back and deposit all the money into that account. It’s not problematic money, so there’s no need to worry.”

The employee’s gaze drifted toward the apple box sitting beside the sofa.

“It’s exactly 100 million won. Bring the bankbook back here afterward. We won’t need a card.”

“Understood.”

After organizing the documents into his bag, the employee stood up.

“Then I’ll return to the branch, create the account, and come back.”

The employee bowed and left the office carrying the heavy apple box with visible effort.

“You should head home too. I’ll arrange the new house and your support after the foundation is established. And if anyone approaches you asking about Kim Junhyuk, contact Manager Ma immediately. Understood?”

“Yes, Mister.”

After sending Han Mugil home, I spoke with Manager Ma.

“We need to establish a foundation.”

“A scholarship foundation?”

“Yes. And the name of the scholarship foundation......”

I already had everything else in mind—why to create it, how to operate it—but I got stuck on the name.

As I sat there thinking, Manager Ma made a suggestion.

“Boss. I think the foundation should have a symbolic name.”

“A symbolic one? I was thinking of using my grandfather’s or grandmother’s name.”

“But later on, people may start casually throwing the elders’ honored names around.”

Manager Ma’s concern made sense.

Taesan Bank alone had already proven that.

“Then what would be good.......”

“What about Myeongdong Scholarship Foundation?”

“Myeongdong Scholarship Foundation?”

“Yes. Isn’t Myeongdong both your beginning and your end, Boss? What do you think?”

It wasn’t a bad name.

The meaning behind it was good too.

Satisfied, I smiled and nodded.

“I like it. Let’s establish it with 500 billion won in capital. Leave the legal work to Yoon & Jang. And tell them I’ll personally appoint the directors and auditors. I’ll use my own personal assets for the funding so there won’t be problems later.”

“Yes. I’ll proceed accordingly.”

That settled the scholarship foundation matter.

If possible, it would be best to focus on supporting promising but impoverished students attending Gyeonggi High School.

“Manager. Did we own any buildings near Gyeonggi High?”

“You mean residential properties?”

“Yes. Somewhere Han Mugil could live with his grandmother.”

“We own several properties around the area, but as far as I know, none are villas or apartments suitable for residence.”

Right. Most of the buildings there had been purchased as office properties.

“Then acquire a residential building as quickly as possible. Or buy an entire villa building outright if necessary. Paying above market price is fine. Starting with Han Mugil, we’ll begin properly selecting scholarship students who can work for us in the future.”

“Yes. I’ll prepare accordingly.”

After Manager Ma left, I returned my attention to the documents again.

A few days later.

I confirmed that Hanminjok Daily was investigating me.

Not just the prosecution—they were digging through the business world and political sphere as well.

For now, they were only quietly probing beneath the surface, which was why the information hadn’t reached me sooner.

“It seems they’re planning to prepare everything in advance and release it around the time presidential candidates are selected.”

“Our intelligence team has reached the same conclusion. Using this card during the local elections would be a foolish move.”

“What would be the best way to respond?”

“Should we start by pulling our advertisements, Boss?”

It was a decent method, but too simplistic.

“That would only tell them that I know what they’re doing. Besides, Hanminjok Daily has a structure that can survive even without advertising.”

There was no reason to let them know in advance that I was aware of their investigation.

I could simply devise a way to stop the operation from beneath the surface as well.

“Who’s behind it?”

“We still haven’t found any traces. We’re continuing the investigation.”

The era where I could °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° control information about myself was slowly coming to an end.

As the internet age arrived, information control would only become more difficult.

I had already prepared plans for that future.

I intended to move the timeline forward.

Picking up my phone, I called Han Kyungyeong.

“—Uh....... Muhyuk.”

It sounded like he had just woken up. His voice was thick with sleep.

“Hyung. It’s urgent. Can you talk?”

“—Hold on. Let me wipe the sleep from my eyes first.......”

A moment later, Han Kyungyeong spoke again.

His voice sounded clearer now.

“—Okay, I’m awake now. What’s going on?”

“Appoint me as the president of Dreamhigh Korea. Give me authority over Dreamhigh’s entire Asian operations as well.”

“—What? Seriously?”

Han Kyungyeong had proposed that to me countless times before.

That was probably why excitement immediately filled his voice.

“The situation is what it is. I think it’s time to reveal myself first.”

“—That’s easy enough. No... actually, I’ll come to Korea myself. That’ll attract even more attention.”

“Will your schedule be okay? You’ve got a lot going on.”

“—What are you talking about? What could possibly be more important than this? Other matters can be handled by someone else, but this is something only I can do.”

Knowing how packed Han Kyungyeong’s schedule was, gratitude came before anything else.

If he entered Korea personally and mentioned me first, the picture would turn out even better.

“Then I’ll prepare with that in mind. Organize your schedule and let me know.”

“—Of course, Boss! Damn, I’m in an insanely good mood right now.”

After ending the call with Han Kyungyeong, I gave another order to Manager Ma.

“Manager. Thoroughly investigate Hanminjok Daily’s internal situation. The rivals to the new president, the internal factions—everything.”

“Understood, Boss.”

If I couldn’t strike directly, then I would simply shake Hanminjok Daily from the inside instead.