School 2013: Nam Soon & Heung Soo – the reason is...you by VampArisa

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HeungSoo's POV

I signed all the paperwork to facilitate the next step in my plan.

"Are we done?" I ask.

"Yes. They were happy to sell since you paid two-point-five percent more than the balances on all of them."

"Great. Send copies of the completed paperwork to me once done."

"You'll have them delivered by a courier this evening."

"I look forward to it. Thank you for all your help, Lawyer Choi."

"That's why you pay me the big retainer," he smiles. "Park HeungSoo?"

"Yes," I turn around by his door.

"If I ever do anything to piss you off, do me a favor?"

"What?" I grin.

"Give me a chance to apologize profusely."

I shake my head, laughing as I make my way to my next stop.

                                  ― ☾ ―

"I thought you said you needed a week off," Bae Donghae, my partner says.

"I have four artists I want us to review their work and add them to our roster of artist."

"Do I know them?"

"No. Here are their portfolios," I place them gently on his desk.

Twenty minutes later, he leans back and looks at me. "They're great. All four are different genres so we won't saturate any one genre."

"I think they can also help with the children department we've started. We talked about expanding the company with more artists so we can start with these four."

"We need fresh blood with our top ones segueing to anime, so why not?"

"Good, they start in two weeks. We need a bigger building, Bae Donghae."

"And where do we find one we can afford?" He asks.

"My lawyer will send you the location of one of my buildings. It's commercial and can be the new office for the expanding Gidae Publishing. Go look at it. If you like it, the rent will be the same as what you pay here, and we will review the rental agreement every five years."

"But you own both companies," he sounds perplexed.

"True. That doesn't mean I should shortchange one business in favor of another. They are separate entities and must be handled as such. I'll let the men know they can start in two weeks, okay?"

"Okay."

"They said they applied here before. Why didn't you hire them?"

"That's right, I thought, the drawings look familiar. Unfortunately, I couldn't afford to hire new talent until you came along."

I smile. I'm glad Gidea Publishing wasn't a participant in the blackballing scheme.

"Well then, I'll see you in a week," I head out the door. Time to go home. It's been a very productive day.

                                       ― ☾ ―

"Did you get the information I sent you?"

I take a sip of my soju, and scroll down my laptop, reading the file KangJoo sent me.

"Hmm, mmm," I reply.

"Anyway, Chairman Okada Takahiro is furious. When my friends who teach at the Manga University told him they perpetrated the harassment on an alumnus, he went ballistic. He is one of the founding fathers of the institution and he doesn't want this blemish on Takahashi Group Holdings, Misul's parent company. He's expecting your call tomorrow at nine. I think he'll be open to whatever you need from him. He is not happy with Misul's management, I can assure you."

"Thank you," I reply.

"None needed. What's the plan with Chairman Okada Takahiro?"

I lay out my plan for her concerning what I need from Chairman Okada Takahiro. The culmination of everything to get Namsoon back to where he was with no obstacles.

"HeungSoo?"

"Yes."

"Remind me to never, ever, in this lifetime piss you off."

"Funny, KangJoo."

"Where's Namsoon?"

"He went to visit his father..."

"... He must really be depressed to voluntarily pay his father a visit," KangJoo says.

"See you soon and take care of yourself and your baby."

I hang up the phone, take another satisfying sip of my soju, and lean back. I look forward to tomorrow.

                                          ― ☾ ―

Day three:

Namsoon went to his loft to continue working on his next manga volume. I spend a very productive hour speaking with Chairman Okada Takahiro. A quiet sounding man, but I could feel his rage over the phone after I also informed him of past abuses by Hwa Chul-Moo. He apologized and promised to keep a better eye on their affiliate Misul Publishing. He offered to handle the situation, but I respectfully declined. I want that honor. He gave me his permission and personal number if I run into any problems.

"Arigatou gozaimasu," I say and hang up.

I put on one of my custom-made suits and head off to cut the head of several snakes.

                                          ― ☾ ―

I sit and wait while the secretary calls President Sun Dae-Hyun, to alert him to my presence. I told her to tell him I am there on behalf of Chairman Okada Takahiro. Once she heard the name, she became flustered. She comes back and leads me to the President's office. She knocks and lets me in.

"Mr. Park HeungSoo?"

A tall man, about two inches shorter than me, walks around his desk towards me. He strolls with the arrogance of someone who lives off his title or entitlement. He holds his hand out for a handshake after a few seconds stalling, I shake his hand.

"Please have a seat. It's always an honor to meet acquaintances of the chairman. How can I help you?"

"Thank you." I sit on the two-person sofa set in the corner of his office. "Miss, will you please have the chief editor Tae In Su, Kim Eun-Kyun, and Hwa Chul-Moo's editor join us as soon as possible?" I smile at her.

She looks at President Sun Dae-Hyun for permission, who discreetly nods.

"While she calls for my staff, do you mind telling me what this meeting's all about?"

"I'll rather wait. Please continue with what you were doing," I gesture to his desk.

"How about something to drink?"

"No, thank you. This won't take long," I assure him.

"I'll help myself to a cup then."

His door open and three people walk in behind the secretary. By the process of elimination, the female is Namsoon's editor.

"President," they bow in greeting. They all turn towards me and give me curt bows.

"Park HeungSoo meet Chief editor Tae In Su, Kim Eun-Kyun, and Ryon Do-Hyeon, Hwa Chul-Moo's editor."

"Good everyone's here. Tae In Su, Kim Eun-Kyun, and Ryon Do-Hyeon, you're all fired. Now as for you President Sun Dae-Hyun, you're demoted to Chief editor and even with that, you're on probation. If you don't shape up, you'll be fired. I am the interim President until Chairman Okada Takahiro hires someone new. Questions?"

One could hear a pin drop. And then they all went nuclear, loud, and inaudible.

I crock my finger at the secretary. "I'll like a cup of coffee now, please. Thank you."

"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?" Screams President Sun Dae-Hyun, whose condescending smile has vanished.

"I believe I just told you, the interim President of Misul Publishing, Park HeungSoo."

"You cannot fire my employees as you wish, and I'm demoted? What gives you the authority?"

"I don't care who you are. You can't fire me. I work with the company's biggest and most profitable author, so you can't fire me," boast Ryon Do-Hyeon.

"I just signed to work with our newest author, upon recommendation from the Japan office," Kim Eun-Kyun cries.

And the phone on the desk rings. The secretary puts my coffee on the table and runs to answer.

"It's Chairman Okada Takahiro for you, sir." She tells the ex-president.

"Good morning, Chairman Takahiro. What? On speaker? Yes sir," he grovels.

He presses the speaker button and Chairman Takahiro's voice comes through loud and clear.

"Good morning Park HeungSoo."

"Good morning, Chairman."

"Is it all done?"

"Almost, sir."

"Just to reiterate what he told you, Tae In Su, Kim Eun-Kyun, and Ryon Do-Hyeon, you're fired and President Sun Dae-Hyun, you're demoted. Call me back when you have a minute Park HeungSoo."

"Will do, sir. Arigatou gozaimasu."

"Miss, please have security come up and escort these three out of the building. Thank you."

I turn to the remaining four. "Just so we understand each other, you messed with the wrong artist. Go Namsoon is my family. You knew the type of person Hwa Chul-Moo is, and you still set Namsoon up to be harassed by him? And when he reported the issue, you placate him and threaten to derail his career? I spoke to four assistants you let go all for the sake of that twit. Well, I'm cleaning house."

I continue, "To make myself perfectly clear, all of you will apologize to Namsoon for the harassment he endured. And as the new Chief Editor, Sun Dae-Hyun, you will promote the hell out of his new manga."

"And if we don't," asks the ex-president.

I get up, walk over to his chair, and sit.

"I will fire you along with these three and I will blackball all of you and the only job you'll get will be handing out flyers on the sidewalk," I tell them.

"Who the fuck are you?" yells Sun Dae-Hyun.

"A man who wants the best for his friends and family, the same as everyone else. Now, I believe security is waiting to escort the three of you out of the building? As for you, Chief editor, I want a draft on my desk by tomorrow on how you plan to promote Go Namsoon's manga? Now if you'll all excuse me, I have a few calls to make."

I pick up the phone and make a return call to Chairman Okada Takahiro to thank him again and to please find a new President fast. I don't want this position hanging on my neck too long.

                                          ― ☾ ―

It all ends here.

I arrive at the tower that houses that ingrate. Memo to self; rent or sell as soon as possible, concrete homes with no personality is not my style. But for now, it is. I walk up to the security desk and give them my name. The man who had been lounging casually, sits up straight, bows, and asks me to follow him. He leads me to his manager's office, knocks, and we enter a small office that is the size of a pantry. The man behind the small desk jumps up, walks towards me and bows.

"Mr. Park, we've been expecting you. My name is Kim Min Ho. Here's the item you require, sir. Would you like an escort to the fiftieth floor?" He's sweating profusely. I don't know why he's not my target.

"Mr. Kim, good morning. No, thank you. I can find my way up there;" I smile to put him at ease.

I make my way to the fiftieth floor. I follow the directions to Hwa Chul-Moo's apartment, pull out the extra key, and let myself into the apartment. Note to self, change the key lock to a keypad lock. I walk to the living room and every furniture is white. Who decorated this place? A blind person? I hear sounds coming from the bedroom and as nauseated as I am; I sit down and wait for them to come up for air.

About ten minutes later, two men walk into the living room, and one in sweatpants yells in fright and the other one bolted out the door.

"Who the hell are you? How did you get in here? What are you doing in my apartment," he rants?

"Mr. Hwa Chul-Moo? As of this time yesterday, I became the owner of this apartment. You are in fact trespassing on my property," I inform him.

"I don't know who you think you're dealing with but I'm calling the cops," he picks up his cell phone.

"If I were you, I would call your mortgage holder first. Or you'll end up spending the night in jail for trespassing." I throw three folded papers on the table at him.

"What's that?" He tilts his head at the papers.

"This is my last stop of the day, so I'll cut to the chase. The first paper is the sale of your apartment to me. Ridiculously cheap too. It seems there's a lien on your property for non-payment of taxes and whatnot. The second is the sale of both your cars. And the last one is your contract termination with Misul Publishing for breaching their morality clause. Questions?"

He grabs the papers and reads them. "Park HeungSoo? Who are you?" He whispers.

I get off the sofa, walk over to him, hands in my pocket to stop myself from hitting him. "I am Go Namsoon's lover, best friend, family. I know what you did."

"What? What did that thug say I did?" he blusters.

"Thug? Thug! Do you remember Im Dong-Min, Yim Young Min, Cheung Chung-Hee, and Huang Sang Ki? I see you do. Your pattern of abuse stops here."

"Abuse? I never abused them."

"Abuse by definition, you ingrate, are the unwanted touches you put your assistants through. Using your clout to deny them a livelihood is also abuse."

"You can't get away with this. President Sun Dae-Hyun will not stand for this," he yells.

I snap my fingers, "I knew I was forgetting something. I'm Park HeungSoo, interim President of Misul Publishing," he falls down on his knees, scrunches the papers in his hand.

"Now this is what you will do. Just so I don't find you and make your life more hellish than it is, you will make restitution to the four men you maligned and blackballed and pay them ₩23,119,715 each. That should leave you with ₩69,359,145, enough to rent a studio for two months."

"How do you know..."

"... I hope for your sake you find a job by then. You may still get residual income for your previous books, but that will soon dwindle to nothing, with newer manga stories released daily. You will call all four men and Go Namsoon and apologize for the way you treated them."

I stoop down and look him in the eye.

"Listen to me you excuse of human waste, besides this, I am itching to beat you to a pulp. But I can't. Who do you think you are! What gives you the right to abuse your subordinates and take away their livelihood. I hope, though I doubt it, that this will teach you a listen to keep your filthy grimy hands to yourself. Personally, I think you're getting away easy."

I stand up and look down at the pitiful lump of a human being.

"Because Namsoon and I once admired you for your work, you have a week to vacate the premises. If you so much as destroy anything in this place, I will make what's left of your miserable life a living hell and you'll wish you've never met me. Good day, Hwa Chul-Moo."

God, I need a shower.

                                        ― ☾ ―

I feel refreshed. A nice hot shower does that for me every time. I check my blinking cell phone and see a text from Namsoon. He's on his way over. I make my way to the kitchen and start the makings of ramen.

He walks in a few minutes later.

"Hello," I greet him.

He turns off the stove, pulls my head down for a kiss, and pulls me by the hand to the living room. He pushes me onto the sofa. He stands in front of me, hands folded across his chest.

"Hello to you too. Is there something you want to tell me, Park HeungSoo?"

"It depends. What do you want to know?" I edge.

"My editor, excuse me, former editor, has been blowing up my phone, begging me to help get her job back. It seems like she and Hwa Chul-Moo's editor were both fired by the company's new President; one President Park HeungSoo? What did you do?"

I lay my hand on my chest, raise the same hand up, and look Namsoon square in the eye, "I kept my promise, I never laid a hand on Hwa Chul-Moo."