A high-end izakaya on Teheran-ro, where buildings are lined up like dominoes.
Although it is close to midnight, the store is crowded with customers.
There are a lot of people, and even alcohol is served, so loud voices are standard, and you can even hear the sound of fighting.
But no one cared about the commotion. This store was originally a place where only people who liked this kind of atmosphere would gather.
Jung Ji-seung, the CEO of Cy Club, was one of those who enjoyed this atmosphere.
To him, who suffered from ringing phones and keyboard noises in the office, the hustle and bustle of the izakaya was like a healing sound.
Recently, I have a drinking buddy with whom I like to spend more time at izakaya.
“Brother, get a drink first.”
“Your brother takes first today.”
“Aww, what are you saying? Cold water is also a corporation with up and down. Please take it.”
The person who sits and drinks with Jung Ji-seung is Na Min-seong, the representative of Beat Hit.
He was Jeong Ji-seung’s good drinking partner, business partner, and at the same time a troubleshooter who got rid of troubles.
“Big! good, good Maybe it’s because things are going well, so the alcohol keeps pouring in.”
Na Min-seong emptied his glass first, and Jeong Ji-seung emptied his glass after him.
“Today I will live a full course. Let’s drink until our noses are crooked.”
“It is like that again. Thanks to my older brother’s help, I can make a lot of money, but of course I have to pay for the alcohol.”
“Aren’t you drinking too much kimchi soup before you even start?”
“It’s not kimchi soup. Do you know how much money WHTS Company made last time with just one acorn coin? A total of over 3 billion was sucked.”
Acorn Coin’s 3 Billion Won Jackpot.
Jeong Ji-seung knew it too. Because it was once a story that all the media were talking about.
When I first heard the news, I was just stunned. Because I never imagined that such a bright young man would do such a thing.
“… … .”
The emotion that came after the absurdity was jealousy.
While he ran all over the place to revive Cy Club, the opponent took billions with a spoon.
It wasn’t just that I was sick to my stomach, I felt twisted and torn to shreds. All the efforts he had made so far seemed futile.
At that time, Na Min-seong, who is running a virtual currency exchange, came at the right time.
Just like the acorn coin did, his proposal to create a new coin came as sweet as a whisper from the devil.
“older brother? What are you thinking so hard about?”
When I woke up from my thoughts, Na Min-seong was flicking a full glass of wine.
“no. just a little… … It’s because I’m worried.”
“There is nothing to worry about. What will he do if he designates our coin as official? Because there is no way.”
“hmm… … .”
“If you are really worried, go into the virtual currency community and see the atmosphere.”
“Why are you there?”
“If you go, you will know. It will be very speculative.”
Jeong Ji-seung quickly turned on his phone and connected to the virtual currency community.
The community bulletin board was filled with posts offering to sell acorn coins or insulting the WTHS company.
“Tomorrow, the atmosphere will be even tougher. Because there will be news that another official Cyclub coin will be released.”
After Na Min-seong empties his glass alone, he giggles and chews on snacks.
“What will happen if the Ssion, which opens next week, succeeds?”
“Is the coin price going up?”
“It’s not just climbing, it’s booming like a pillar of fire! and soar. If that happens, my older brother and I will be sitting on a cushion of money.”
* * *
It’s a night of torrential rain.
It’s late enough that dawn is closer than night, but the Cyclub office lights are still on.
Then, even inside the building, employees leave one by one, and finally there is a man who leaves the building only after the office lights are turned off.
I am Gong Min-joon, the development team leader of Cy Club.
burrung.
I start the car and slowly follow him.
I put the distance very slowly so that he could notice it naturally.
pop.
Soon, Gong Min-jun, who was walking ahead, stopped, and I greeted him with the window lowered.
“long time no see. Gong Min-jun.”
Gong Min-joon is surprised when he sees my face. Then, rather than saying hello, I start looking around to see if there are any people around me.
“How are you… … ?”
“Let’s get on. Then you will catch a cold.”
“All right. Just go on your way.”
“I’m thinking of following you if you don’t get on, wouldn’t that seem more strange?”
Gong Min-jun takes another look at his surroundings. Then, after confirming that no one was there, he quickly climbed into the passenger seat.
“Why are you staring at me like that? Is there any reason why you would be in trouble if you get caught meeting me?”
“Don’t ask when you know everything.”
He turns his head out the window to hide his nervous expression.
“Then let’s skip the introduction and go straight to the main topic. CEO Jeong Ji-seung is preparing a nasty prank, how far is the development team involved?”
“That’s something CEO Jung does on his own, and we’re too busy paying attention to the Ssion opening.”
“So you mean the development team wasn’t involved in coin development?”
“Out… … So, everything will be done at BeatHit.”
fortunately out of misfortune If the Cy Club development team had been involved in this case, it would have taken a lot of time to deal with it.
“Mr. Minjun, if something like this happened inside, why don’t you at least inform me?”
“We have no obligation to inform you of the internal circumstances of having a meal together.”
“Oh, Gong Min-joon was loyal. Or did you cross the bridge between CEO Jeong Ji-seung and me?”
“… … .”
“Well, it doesn’t matter either way. I also have more faith in this style than blindly believing.”
Just in time, the signal came on and the car stopped. Gong Min-joon grabs the handle of the car, probably intending to get out of the car at that gap.
“If there is nothing more to say, I will get off here.”
“Before you go, let me ask you one question. As the head of the development team, do you think the new Psion will be successful?”
As he was about to get off, he flinched and stopped.
“that… … You have to open the lid to find out.”
“I am absolutely certain that I will fail. If you ask me to bet money, I can bet all my possessions.”
“I don’t know why or why you are saying this to me.”
“I’m not saying to survive on a sinking ship out of loyalty, but to escape quickly.”
I slightly open the window and hold out a cigarette.
Gong Min-jun pretended not to accept it, but when I lit it, he quickly accepted a cigarette.
“I heard from other employees. I heard you are already two months behind on your salary?”
“after… … I’ll be happy if it’s only two months late. I haven’t even looked at my paycheck for over three months. That’s why everyone is working hard and clinging to the Scion opening this time.”
“If I just open it, will the overdue salary come out? I would have to take care of the office rent, server fees, and utility bills first.”
“If it opens normally, there will be advertisements, so what will happen with that?”
As if he wasn’t sure, his voice gradually creeped in.
No matter how much I try to think positively, the current environment itself doesn’t give me an answer, so I lost my confidence.
“I will send you a lifeboat to escape.”
“If it’s a lifeboat… … ?”
I hand over to him the note I had memorized in advance.
“There may not be another. Grab the opportunity when it comes.”
* * *
A total of 17 employees are working in the Cy Club office.
Originally, there were more than 30 people, but since we couldn’t afford to pay, some of them were put on unpaid leave, leaving only about half of them.
“Everyone, tonight is a special dinner. You can just have a light meal and go, so everyone please attend.”
Saturday dinners are often avoided. However, the development team is in a welcoming mood as they have not been able to hold a dinner like a dinner party for the past three months.
The place they headed to was a business hotel within a 5-minute walk from the company.
It was an overly luxurious place to call it a dinner party, so the staff who followed it tilted their heads.
“Chief, is it true that we are having a dinner here? Even in a business hotel, the price of food must be very expensive.”
“Looking at cancer, I think you’ve come to the wrong place… … .”
“Go back quickly, chief.”
However, Gong Min-joon, the leader, does not give any answer and just goes up to the restaurant on the second floor of the hotel.
The table was already set in the dining room. And there were guests sitting first.
“uh? Why are you guys here?”
The first customers to come were employees who were on leave or retired from Cy Club.
They jump up with joy and greet the staff.
“long time no see! What have you been doing?”
“I was resting at home. I rested so much that people around me thought I was 100. By the way, is Psion development going well?”
“Phew, don’t talk. There is no end to the real work to death.”
“It’s because I’m not at work. Ho ho ho.”
The awkwardness was short-lived. The employees sat in groups of three and five and started chatting.
Since they were all resigned or forced to take a leave of absence due to company reasons, the atmosphere was bound to be good.
“By the way, wasn’t CEO Jung inviting you to dinner? I came here because I wanted to have a meal together, but I was surprised because the place was a hotel.”
“We don’t know either. I just came here because I heard that there was a dinner party… … .”
Even those who were puzzled at first are busy sitting down and eating as the food comes out one after another.
While the meal is in full swing, Gong Min-joon, who led the staff to this place, holds the microphone on the podium.
“Everyone, please listen while you eat.”
People stop eating and turn their eyes to the podium. I felt that Gong Min-jun’s voice was unusual.
“As you all know, the company is very difficult. The salary has been overdue, and there is quite a bit of money to pay right away. That’s why CEO Jung is putting his life and death on the opening of this Sion.”
Many nod their heads. It wasn’t just the CEO, but the staff members were also gathering their strength to try to hold out somehow until the Scion was opened.
“If Psion thrives, it will work out somehow. Advertisements will come in, and additional investment will be received. however… … Shouldn’t we be prepared for the opposite as well?”
From noble mtl dot com
Suddenly, the atmosphere in the restaurant sinks. The sporadic sound of tableware clashing also disappeared.
“The WHTS Company offered 30 million won for each 1% of your stake.”
The quiet restaurant is filled with murmurs.
When Cy Club broke away from the conglomerate, it distributed a minimum of 3% and a maximum of 7% of the shares to its employees.
So, if 30 million won per 1% means that you can get at least 90 million won.
“Isn’t that enough to sell the stake?”
“You can’t sell it. We have to protect the company!”
“Never sell it. If the opponent becomes the majority, our CEO Jeong is finished.”
“WHTS has already secured a 12.99% stake. If we secure an additional 38%, we have a majority.”
Even among employees, opinions are divided between the side that should be sold and the side that should be kept.
Then someone points out an issue that could be the key to this situation.
“But if that side secures 51%, what happens to the remaining 49%?”
What WHTS Company needed was not a company called Cy Club, but the symbolism of being the official coin of Cy Club.
“If you get a majority, you will be able to manage the business as you like, so the remaining 49% stake… … It might turn out to be a meaningless piece of paperwork.”