CH 302

“Nice...!”

Kang Jin-Ho clenched his fist at the sight of a brand-new sedan parked in the garage. He recalled what Jo Gyu-Min said to him a few days earlier.

“Mister Jin-Ho, supercars might be right up your alley, but I promise you, your mother will definitely hate them. So, please just shut up and listen to me on this one. A sedan with a cavernous backseat space, comfortable ride quality, and prestigious yet gorgeous looks that scream 'See? My son is this successful!' is an absolute must for you. You better forget about your own tastes when it comes to the matter of choosing a sedan because you aren't buying one for yourself. At the very least, remember that when you're driving it, you'll be nothing more than a chauffeur.”

Kang Jin-Ho admitted that he still had a lot to learn from Jo Gyu-Min. He had never considered any of that before, but that explanation made him realize how impressively correct Jo Gyu-Min was in almost everything he had said so far.

The conclusion Kang Jin-Ho arrived at after years of experience was that if he ever was uncertain about something, there was nothing to lose by following Jo Gyu-Min's advice.

That was why he could stare at this large, slab-like tank of a sedan before him with great satisfaction.

'What's it called again?'

Wasn't it Ben something? Ben... Be... Beethoven? Kang Jin-Ho rubbed his chin, then opened the driver's side door only to recall Jo Gyu-Min's impassioned request.

“Please remember this important detail as well, Mister Jin-Ho. When you're giving a ride to your mother, never ever go past the speed limit. No matter what! And... If you can help it, do! Not! Overtake! Either!”

Naturally, Kang Jin-Ho replied, “Why not?” back then, only to be slapped in the face by Jo Gyu-Min's pleading gaze that contained a never-seen-before level of despair.

“Please, please! Just do as I say, please!!! This is beyond the scope of your understanding, I know. However, you must do as I say! Oh, and never accelerate quickly, too! Accelerate as if you're a larva turning into a worm. A worm turning into a tortoise! You can drive however you want when you're alone in your supercar. But with your family, please, just do as I say!”

“Mm...” Kang Jin-Ho nodded heavily to himself.

Back when he went to a local department store, Baek Hyeon-Jeong rode in Kang Eun-Yeong's car. That ensured there wouldn't be a... 'problem' back then, but now, everyone would be using Kang Jin-Ho's car, so it could be a better idea to do as Jo Gyu-Min said.

Kang Jin-Ho settled in the driver's seat and started the vehicle. Unlike his red rocketship, this Ben-something was shockingly quiet. He was so used to his Lamborghini announcing itself to everyone 'Yes, I'm here!' every time he turned on the ignition, so for a moment there, he felt rather awkward about sitting in a car that seemingly couldn't be bothered to prove that it had been switched on.

And that wasn't the only thing making him feel a bit awkward and unfamiliar with it. The seat and the space were wide and comfortable, Kang Jin-Ho sensed this inexplicable weighty oppressiveness from the cabin in front of him.

“Hmm. This is... amusing.”

So, this was what it felt like to get inside a completely different type of car? Such thoughts immediately popped up in Kang Jin-Ho's head. Now that he thought about it, this was the first time since his driving test that he got behind the wheel of another car. In that case, how many years had it been?

Even the sensation of the car's weightiness as it moved felt pretty good. All these things felt alien and unfamiliar, but Kang Jin-Ho had to admit that this unusual experience was still refreshing and fun in its own way. However...

“You still haven't gotten the car ready yet?” Kang Eun-Yeong grumbled haughtily.

“...Mm.”

If only that little brat weren't here, this whole experience would have been so much more refreshing and bearable!

Kang Eun-Yeong escorted Baek Hyeon-Jeong through the front door, but the first thing she did after spotting her older brother was grumble. Kang Jin-Ho couldn't help but groan loudly at that. It felt like his shoulder muscles were already cramping up from the mere thought of spending the rest of the day with that kid.

Baek Hyeon-Jeong stared in amazement at the Ben-something. “Just when did you get this car, son?”

'Apparently, it's been a few days now, Mother.'

Unfortunately for Kang Jin-Ho, he also had no idea about just when exactly did it arrive. He cleared his throat and replied, “I, uh, got it recently, mother.”

“Don't you already have that red car? Wait, are you thinking of collecting cars like those weird men? What a strange hobby you have there, son. Other people might start thinking that you're rich.”

'But I am rich...' Kang Jin-Ho swallowed back his words and clamped his mouth shut.

His bank account was currently filled to the brim with money. Not too long ago, Kang Jin-Ho checked the status of his account and thought he would have a heart attack at the amount deposited in there, so he pleaded with Hwang Jeong-Hu to stop giving him money. However, Hwang Jeong-Hu cleanly ignored Kang Jin-Ho's request and continued to shove more money into the account.

The 'debt' should be paid until the person paying was satisfied, said Hwang Jeong-Hu. The savior had no say in when it would stop, apparently. In any case, Hwang Jeong-Hu's handiwork meant that, when it came to the amount of liquid cash in one's bank account, not many in South Korea could exceed Kang Jin-Ho. Of course, the story would drastically change when stock and real estate portfolios were included in the evaluation, but still.

Baek Hyeon-Jeong continued to chide her son. “You shouldn't keep doing things like this, son.”

“I didn't buy it, Mother. Chairman Hwang gave it to me so you can ride in comfort.”

A quick look at tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w will leave you more fulfilled.

“Chairman Hwang did?” Baek Hyeon-Jeong's expression softened a tad when Hwang Jeong-Hu's name was brought up.

'With this, you've paid your debt aplenty, Chairman...' Kang Jin-Ho mused inwardly. Money or cars were nice and all that, but Kang Jin-Ho didn't care about them at the moment since Hwang Jeong-Hu's name alone had provided him with immediate shelter from danger. That was already a massive help to Kang Jin-Ho's well-being. It was such a massive help, in fact, that it even felt like Hwang Jeong-Hu had already fully paid the debt back then!

“Well, if Chairman Hwang gave it to you as a gift, there's no helping it, I guess," said Baek Hyeon-Jeong. "However, is it okay to receive a gift like this, son? This car is a bit extravagant for a gift, don't you think? Besides, who in their right mind thinks of cars as gifts, anyway?”

“Eiii, Mom,” Kang Eun-Yeong pushed herself into Baek Hyeon-Jeong's personal space and sagely shook her head. "You mustn't equate the scale of a massive corporation's chairman with ours. Let's be real, do you really think that a mere car as a gift will be difficult for someone like Chairman Hwang? Folks like that exchange gifts like this car all the time, you know."

“R-really?”

'I'm pretty sure that's not true...' Kang Jin-Ho sneakily avoided meeting his mother's questioning gaze.

The truth was that Chairman Hwang Jeong-Hu was a frugal person. Make that very frugal. So frugal that he still drove around in a car he bought fifteen years ago... When nicely put, he was extremely frugal, but when put not-so-nicely, a miserable tightwad.

Kang Jin-Ho had no idea how other chairpersons lived their lives, but he knew that Hwang Jeong-Hu at least wasn't the type to gift cars.

Kang Jin-Ho cleared his throat. “...In any case, let us get going.”

“Okay.” Baek Hyeon-Jeong nodded.

“Is it fine to head to that nearby department store?” Kang Jin-Ho asked while glancing at the back seat through the rearview mirror.

That was when Baek Hyeon-Jeong's brows began quivering ominously. “Son.”

“...Yes, Mother?”

“This trip today is for me, your mother. Am I correct?”

“Of course, Mother.”

“In that case, I'd like to go on a relaxing drive to somewhere a bit far away today. So, do you think we should go to a nearby store?”

Kang Jin-Ho powerfully and urgently shook his head. Kang Eun-Yeong enthusiastically chimed in. “Chauffeur Kang! Oh~, Chauffeur, shall we head to the biggest store in town? Step on it!”

“Yessir.” Kang Jin-Ho saluted and cautiously depressed the accelerator.

'A larva to a worm. A worm to... mm, snail?'

He drove very slowly, just like Jo Gyu-Min advised him to. From his perspective, Kang Jin-Ho's starting speed was as slow as a larva, and at the end of his acceleration, he was a slightly quicker larva. In other words, his mission was a success. And he made sure to stick to the speed limit.

“Oooh? Oppa, you're a pretty good driver, aren't you?” Kang Eun-Yeong asked, sounding impressed.

“...Mm?” Kang Jin-Ho slightly tilted his head.

“Yu-Min oppa said I must never, EVER, ride in your car, you see? So... Isn't this weird?”

“Hahaha... ha... He, uh, must've been joking with you.” Kang Jin-Ho responded with an awkward smile.

'Oho, would you listen to that? Park Yu-Min, you...!'

‘Who knew you were busy selling me out like this behind my back! Not to just anyone, but to my little sister, no less! It seems merciless retribution is in order, then.’

“He is a good driver, isn't he?” Baek Hyeon-Jeong nodded meaningfully. “I'm not sure if it's because the car is nice or not, but Jin-Ho, you’re a wonderful driver. Yes, you're supposed to drive this slowly and safely, son.”

“Yes, Mother. I always drive slowly and practice defensive driving,” Kang Jin-Ho responded shamelessly, then used his tongue to check if his teeth were still there. Well, he was lying through his teeth, so...

“Son, you're a good driver like this, so will it hurt you to leave that red thing at home and drive this car around all the time? Whenever you're riding that red thing, I can't even look at our neighbors out of shame, you know.”

“But, Mom? That was one heck of a nice car.” Kang Eun-Yeong interjected.

“So what if it's nice? That red thing is noisy, outlandish, and impractical. It looks like some kind of spaceship, too... Only young people are supposed to drive a car like that, son.”

“...Mom, oppa is still young, you know.”

“Ah. That's right!” Baek Hyeon-Jeong covered her mouth and awkwardly laughed. Even though Kang Jin-Ho was her son, she would sometimes forget how old he actually was. Well, he didn't act his age at all most of the time, so the fault wasn't with her! “In any case, I like this car so much better, son. Whenever you're giving me a ride, make sure to use this car, okay?”

“Yes, Ma'am. Will do,” Kang Jin-Ho replied immediately.

Baek Hyeon-Jeong gently smiled. “Still, to think I'd be traveling in a lap of luxury like this, thanks to my son! This car must be very expensive, isn't it?”

Kang Eun-Yeong nodded animatedly. “Yes, Mom. This car is bloody expensive. I'm not exaggerating!”

“Hmm. I have to say...” Baek Hyeon-Jeong scanned the interior. “I've never seen a car like this before...”

“Well, yeah. It's pretty rare, you know?”

Baek Hyeon-Jeong made an unreadable expression while staring at Kang Jin-Ho next. “Listen, son.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“I hope you understand that driving nice cars and eating nice food all the time does not automatically make you an important or an amazing person.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“All these things you enjoy right now are thanks to Chairman Hwang holding a favorable impression of you. Even so, I'd like you to return all these things to him one day. A man needs to stand on his own two feet. A person who only knows how to enjoy the fruits of others will never learn how to stand on his own, son.”

“I'll engrave that to my heart, Mother.”

“Good. And I'm sorry for nagging you like this on a day like today, son. Please understand that I'm only saying this because I care about you,” Baek Hyeon-Jeong spoke with genuine worry in her voice.

“Don't worry, Mother. I got it.” Kang Jin-Ho briefly nodded.

Baek Hyeon-Jeong's worries for her son were understandable. On the surface, at least, Kang Jin-Ho was still a university student who wasn't doing much before suddenly deciding to open a pizzeria of all places. However, a kid like that was driving around in a jaw-droppingly expensive car, so Baek Hyeon-Jeong was worried about her son getting an inflated ego of himself.

It could just be an overblown worry, but a parent looking out for her child's future would certainly feel concerned about it nonetheless.

'Besides all that...' Kang Jin-Ho grimaced a little as cold sweat trickled down his forehead. 'Was the national speed limit always this low?'

It felt like the car was crawling ahead like a real larva. Even a slight pressure on the accelerator pedal would have made this tank-like car shoot forward toward the horizon, but Kang Jin-Ho seemed as if he was forcibly suppressing and pacifying it right now.

Trying to stick to the speed limit in the midst of other road users speedily overtaking him was gradually killing Kang Jin-Ho inside.

“Mom, Mom! What would you like to see today?” Kang Eun-Yeong enthusiastically asked.

“Me? I'm not going there because I have something particular in mind, you know. I'm merely tagging along since I enjoy hanging out with my kids, that's all. Funny, isn't it? I did my best raising my two kids, but now that they are all grown up, they don't even remember me because of how busy they are with their own lives. Good thing I know how to take care of myself, otherwise, I could have been out there begging on the streets,” Baek Hyeon-Jeong tutted, evidently unimpressed by something.

“Eiii, don't say that... Ehehe, no one would abandon you like that, Madam Baek,” said the sweating Kang Eun-Yeong, then she suddenly shot a venomous glare at the back of Kang Jin-Ho's head. “Chauffeur Kang! Are we there yet?!”

'That damn kid...!' Kang Jin-Ho clamped his mouth tightly. Here he was, getting a nasty heartburn from how slow he was driving, yet would you look at that dang brat! Look!

For a moment there, Kang Jin-Ho felt like flipping the table or something, but his eyes spotted his mother's relaxed face in the rearview mirror's reflection. The sight managed to calm him just in time. “We'll soon be at our destination, Madam Baek. Please be patient for a little while longer.”

Kang Eun-Yeong butted in again. “Mhm. Our chauffeur's been properly trained, hasn't he?”

“I wasn't talking to you.” Kang Jin-Ho pouted. He swore that his sister would receive a new... 'education' to set her straight at a later date.

While the Kang family bickered and bantered, the department store's outline eventually announced itself in the distance.

'Yes, well done me for finding it!'

Kang Jin-Ho wanted to pat himself on the back. To think he'd find the department store without getting lost once! And he wasn't even using the car's navigation system, either. How commendable was that!

Kang Jin-Ho was about to proudly announce their arrival to his passengers but had to swallow back his words and grit his teeth when his sister's voice hit him from behind.

“What's this, oppa? We told you to go to a big store, didn't we? So why did you bring us here? Turn the car around, will ya? We'll be heading South today!”

Kang Jin-Ho narrowed his eyes. “...South?”

“Listen, my spy-from-the-North orabi. Head to Gangnam! You know where Gangnam is, don't you? Uh-whew, gimme a break! Just turn the car around, will you? I'll show you the way.”[1]

“...Yes, miss.” Kang Jin-Ho shrunk into the driver's seat. At least for today, he was getting completely crushed by Kang Eun-Yeong's force.

Kang Eun-Yeong giggled at how her older brother obediently listened to her, then whispered quietly into her mother's ear. “Mom! You gotta cover for me later, okay? If you don't save me later on, orabi's gonna beat me up half to death!”

“Don't worry, my child. Your mom's got you covered.”

“You promise, right?”

'...I can still hear you both.' Kang Jin-Ho groaned while depressing the accelerator like a wiggling larva.

1. “Gangnam” means south of the river. In this case, the Han River runs in the middle of Seoul. ☜