It was an unusual experience for Jeong Tae-eui to hear such strange conversations about lovers on the same day, with only a short time between them, but it didn't bring him any pleasure.
"Me?" he asked, unsure.
"Yes, Jeong Tae-eui. My son."
It felt like a heavy burden was about to land on his shoulders. Only then did Jeong Tae-eui finally meet his uncle's gaze, his expression turning serious as he pursed his lips.
His uncle's sudden insistence on claiming his father's rights was as unexpected as it was confusing. Why would a man who had lived a fine life alone, without a wife, suddenly want a son?
"Can't I just follow you?"
"Be filial and come here, son."
"I don't like it, father. Can't I just be an unfilial child?"
His uncle laughed heartily, the sound filling the room. There had always been a gap between his father and uncle, with only a few years separating them, but the difference in age between his uncle and Jeong Tae-eui was far more noticeable. His uncle, in fact, felt more like an older brother than a traditional father figure.
The laughter continued as his uncle rose and approached Jeong Tae-eui. Before he could react, the uncle playfully struck his head. It wasn't the kind of playful tap one would call a "honey night," but a strike that still left Jeong Tae-eui wincing.
"Ouch!"
Jeong Tae-eui glared at his uncle as he rubbed his head, but the man was still smiling calmly.
"This guy, I worked hard to get him discharged, and this is how you repay me? Such an unfilial son."
"Ouch! Ah! Ouch! That really hurts, Uncle!"
It was similar to how his older brother used to act, though his brother never resorted to violence, except for the occasional sharp slap on the back to snap him out of a daze, or a quick smack to his cheek to wake him up from his stupor.
After striking him, his uncle sat back down, massaging his hand as if nothing happened.
"How come I thought I'd have more time left for my mandatory military service, but everything went so smoothly... did my uncle help me?"
"Yeah. Jae-ui told me. My younger brother, whose body and mind are wrecked, is crying in the army."
"...What... what happened to the wounds?"
Jeong Tae-eui nearly lost his life at the military hospital. It had been a chaotic time, especially with all the infighting among his comrades, but he never imagined he'd end up so physically and mentally broken. Still, he couldn't understand what his uncle meant by his brother being "wrecked."
The real problem was that during his time at the military academy, he was assigned to a unit with people he despised the most. It led to disastrous outcomes—he nearly killed someone and almost died in the process. After his discharge, he severed all ties with that chapter of his life. He didn't want to think about it anymore.
A sigh escaped his lips, weighed down by memories he'd long buried. Four months had passed since his discharge, and now he was a "young unemployed." Though his body had healed, he still struggled with occasional pain, but it was time to get his life back on track.
"Yes. Why did you suddenly need a son? Where do you want to send him?"
Jeong Tae-eui's question had a touch of sarcasm, but his uncle just chuckled softly.
"My son is fine. I need someone to help me. Recently, the number of people dropped drastically after a huge fight with the European branch. I need to adjust things."
"..."
"..." His uncle's words were clearly an excuse. The truth was that he needed someone with a bit of luck.
He paused, as if contemplating whether or not to share more. Jeong Tae-eui waited patiently, sensing that the "number of people" was a poor excuse. His uncle wasn't the type to go to such lengths for a simple matter of numbers. If it were purely about that, he wouldn't have come all this way. However, luck—Jeong Tae-eui knew he wasn't that lucky.
"After six months, our branch head will be moving to the Americas headquarters. Both vice presidents are fighting for the position behind the scenes. There's a power struggle everywhere. I have to support my superior to become the general manager. That means we'll be dealing with intense internal battles for the next half year. Expect a lot of dirty tactics and underhanded schemes. In other words, we need someone who can survive among us."
"I'm not very lucky."
"Hmm... more like a chicken instead of a pheasant. How does that sound?"
"How does it sound? Who would be happy to hear they're a chicken instead of a pheasant?"
Jeong Tae-eui's blunt response didn't offend his uncle, though. If someone like Jeong Jae-eui was a pheasant, then calling himself a chicken wasn't far from the truth. It wasn't that Jeong Tae-eui was exceptional; his uncle only half-understood what he was saying. But he knew enough to see the bigger picture—that working in his uncle's world would be a headache.
"Your uncle was in the Asia branch, right?"
"Right."
"If you want to get in there, and if you're luckier and more capable than I am, there are plenty of people. You could pick any of them."
"I've already told you about the internal secrets. You shouldn't act like you didn't hear them."
"What's the matter? It's not like it's a secret. Do well for yourself and get promoted."
Jeong Tae-eui shook his head, standing up to clear the empty bowls. But before he could, his uncle grabbed his wrist tightly. Jeong Tae-eui clicked his tongue in annoyance. Looking at his uncle's serious expression, he knew this was no longer a joke.
"Uncle... you know why? I can't."
Jeong Tae-eui sighed softly. His uncle didn't let go, instead, he leaned in, asking again.
"Tell me why it won't work. If the reason is good enough, I'll find someone else."
"You know."
"Well...?"
His uncle seemed genuinely puzzled, but Jeong Tae-eui knew what he was getting at. He had already figured out that the reason wasn't as simple as his uncle thought. Still, there was no denying it.
"Uncle. First, I hate the military. I've had enough of that closed, authoritarian environment."
"We're not in the military. It's just a bit tougher physically. The class structure and atmosphere are different. We deal with classified cases, so it may seem closed in that way, but it's not authoritarian. We have a general, two vice ministers, and six instructors, but they rarely get involved. Everyone else is a colleague, equal. What else?"
"… My body is also weak."
"I know you're better now."
"It's just that I don't need to go to the hospital, but my knees still hurt, and my body's sore."
"No one else here is perfect. They've all been shot, broken bones, you name it. Any other reason?"
"And I don't meet your requirements. My luck and ability are average."
His uncle rolled his eyes dramatically, considering Jeong Tae-eui carefully before speaking again.
"I need someone who can survive doing what I ask. I think you have the most important thing to survive safely."
"What's that?"
"Tact."
Jeong Tae-eui felt the air go out of him. What he had thought was a serious conversation suddenly turned into a joke.
"Uncle... you notice... that's..."
"Why are you disappointed?"
"Rather than disappointed—yes, I was disappointed."
Jeong Tae-eui shook his head, muttering under his breath, and his uncle laughed quietly.
"I can't be disappointed. People like Jae-yi are different, but for most of us, awareness is key to survival. You have to know how to play your cards, or you'll live or die based on how well you handle the situation."
His uncle's voice lowered, a hint of something darker creeping into his tone. He'd been through countless life-and-death situations, and while Jeong Tae-eui hadn't faced the same intensity, he understood.
"So, what's next?"
"Yeah?"
"The other reason?"
His uncle gestured for him to continue. He could see that Jeong Tae-eui hadn't been fully convinced yet. There had to be something else.
Jeong Tae-eui, silent for a moment, finally muttered, almost resigned.
"… Half a year?"
His uncle's eyes lit up, and a smile spread across his face.
"Yes, half a year. Until the next general manager is chosen. After that, you can do whatever you want. Quit, or stay on if you like the work. Even if you leave, you'll be flooded with job offers right away. Being in our organization is a brilliant career."
"Yes, you would."
Jeong Tae-eui slumped into his chair, drained. It felt like he'd just finished running a marathon without any sense of accomplishment. Yet, the clock on the wall told him it was just the beginning of another day.
The future was uncertain, but he never imagined it would change so suddenly.
Looking back, his uncle's claim that he chose Jeong Tae-eui because he had a good feeling about him might just be true.