A tiny gosiwon, with nothing but a desk and a bed.
A trash can overflowing with instant noodle wrappers.
And yet, I didn't even have a single pack of ramen left—I was starving.
"Cough!"
Blood stained my hand as I covered my mouth.
Was it malnutrition? Or was it because I hadn't left this cramped space in days?
Looking at me now, no one would believe it, but I was once the third-generation heir of a chaebol family.
An only son with no siblings.
If only I had no siblings—that would've been fine. But I didn't even have parents.
Still, being the sole heir of a powerful conglomerate had its perks. I was even exempted from military service.
I was, quite literally, a child blessed by the gods.
Or rather, I had been.
The moment I graduated from university, I joined Taewoo Group. But the foreign exchange crisis hit that very year, and my grandfather's company, Taewoo Group, went bankrupt.
What followed was nothing but despair.
Crippled by debt from the financial crisis and the IMF intervention, Taewoo Group collapsed.
With no one to turn to, my grandfather was forced into a life on the run.
And I was no different.
For over five years, I had to live in hiding in Vietnam.
But the years abroad took a toll on my grandfather's health, and in the end, we had no choice but to return to Korea.
That's when things truly spiralled into hell.
A fine of 18 trillion won.
A prison sentence of 10 years.
The moment we set foot in Korea, my grandfather was thrown into jail.
We became infamous overnight—portrayed as some of the worst criminals in history, embezzlers who had stolen an obscene fortune.
We were on TV more often than celebrities, but only to be vilified.
The media condemned us.
The government and the public joined in.
How could we possibly endure it?
Without a single chance to fight back, we were stabbed over and over again—this time, not with words but with the cold steel of reality.
For 10 years, while my grandfather was imprisoned, I did everything I could to help him.
And in the process, I understood just how disgusting the world truly was.
People who once swore they would do anything for me, who pretended to be loyal, turned their backs the moment my grandfather was thrown behind bars.
They acted as if they had never known me.
I remembered every single one of them.
I recorded their names.
For the day I would rise again.
[Personal Records]
Name:
Date of Birth:
Affiliation:
Notable Details:
The title of my notebook was Personal Records.
Or, in other words—a kill list.
Recently, the names in that notebook had grown exponentially.
Because I had realized something.
Taewoo Group didn't fall just because of my grandfather's mismanagement.
Yes, he had made mistakes.
But behind it all, there was a massive conspiracy at play.
That realization carried me through the next 10 years.
Until, at last, my grandfather closed his eyes for the final time.
No one visited his grave.
Standing there alone, I turned to the last page of my kill list—and wrote down one final name.
Kim Tae-jung.
My grandfather's name.
The founder of Taewoo Group.
The name I loved the most—yet also resented the most.
If only he had managed the company with a little more caution…
But while he hesitated, the company's executives, the government, and even foreign investors—all of them—ripped Taewoo Group apart and divided the spoils among themselves.
I ran like a madman, trying to take revenge on them by any means possible.
Truly, like a madman. Because there was nothing else I could do.
Ten years ago, spending tens of millions of won in a single day had been effortless.
Now, I didn't even have enough to buy a pack of instant noodles.
I tried everything I could, using my body in any way possible to survive, but the world turned its back on me.
Another ten years passed like that.
It wasn't until twenty years had gone by that I finally realized—
The problem wasn't just the world.
The problem was me.
I had always been good at studying, but when it came to judging people, I was utterly blind.
I had trusted them simply because they were my grandfather's loyal followers, only to be betrayed.
I believed the ones who promised to take revenge on my behalf, only for them to use me and discard me.
"Cough… ugh!"
A cough burst out the moment I got even slightly worked up—this time, accompanied by blood.
But now, pain spread through my body, and my vision started to blur.
With a thud, I collapsed onto the bed, struggling to breathe.
I clasped my hands together in a desperate prayer.
Please… grant me a second chance.
A faint image of my grandfather appeared before me.
I reached out to him—
But at that moment, my consciousness faded into darkness.
* * *
"Young Master, today is a very important day. Many guests will be arriving to celebrate the Chairman's birthday."
Kim Taek-hoon, the chief secretary.
The only one among my grandfather's loyalists who never betrayed him.
When my grandfather passed away, he was devastated. The grief took such a toll on him that he fell seriously ill and spent five years in the hospital.
He was the only person who worried about me when my grandfather was in prison.
Even when he had little to spare, he sent me money for my commissary and wrote letters urging me not to lose hope.
Even on his deathbed, he was still concerned about me.
But now, he stood beside me—completely healthy, as if none of that had ever happened.
"Don't worry. I'll stay put and behave myself, Chief Secretary."
"My, my, our Young Master Min-jae has become quite mature now that he's a year older."
Was my acting not convincing enough?
Pretending to be 17 again was no easy task.
But I had no choice—I had to do it.
To secure my future, I needed to be the beloved grandson.
A gift for someone who had spent 20 years in hell.
I, who had once died alone without even enough money for a pack of instant noodles, had returned to my 17-year-old self.
At first, I couldn't tell whether I was dreaming or awake. But it didn't take long to accept reality.
This was the second chance I had desperately wished for.
A chance to protect my family and the company.
Of course, as a 17-year-old, there wasn't much I could do just yet.
For now, I was pouring all my energy into pretending to be a kid—just to avoid suspicion.
Even now, to keep up the act, I pulled a piece of candy from my pocket and popped it into my mouth to replenish my sugar levels.
That was when a guest arrived at the banquet hall.
Since this was a major event, many people were expected.
Each time a guest arrived, the secretary's staff would discreetly brief the chief secretary about their identity.
But this time, they were unusually flustered, as if they hadn't managed to gather enough information beforehand.
"It's Kang-min's uncle. I've met him once before."
"The uncle of Young Master Min-jae's friend? Ah! That would be someone from Daeheung Group—Young Master Kim Kang-min's family, correct?"
"Chief Secretary, we've found the details. It's Kim Kang-jun, Director of Planning at Daeheung Group."
The secretary let out a sigh of relief after delivering the report.
It was only because I had given them the hint about Dathe eheung Group that they managed to identify him in time.
But what if they had figured it out too late?
Chief Secretary always wore a gentle expression, but inside, he was a man full of suppressed anger.
Being reprimanded was inevitable, and he might even have to step down from his position.
The secretary knew this all too well, so as a gesture of gratitude, he gave me a slight nod of acknowledgement.
In return, I responded with a bright, innocent smile.
But how did I know about Kim Kang-jun?
After all, until my mid-20s, I was a well-known third-generation chaebol with extensive connections. I had met Kim Kang-jun during those days.
However, we weren't close enough for me to recognize him at a glance.
The reason I knew him wasn't because of my memory—it was because of my ability.
The only power I had gained upon returning to the past.
[Personal Profile]
Name: Kim Kang-jun
Age: 34
Affiliation: Director of Planning, Daeheung Group
Notable Information: Currently having affairs with three women.
Skills: Social Skills: B, Management: C, English: C, Japanese: D,...
Whenever I saw a person's face, their profile naturally appeared before me.
It wasn't an extraordinary power like foreseeing future technology or knowing exact stock prices by date.
But for someone like me—who had lacked discernment—this was the most crucial ability I could have received.
I had watched, helplessly, as a company that once ranked second in the business world collapsed before my eyes.
Now, I could see a person's name, affiliation, and unique traits, along with their detailed skill levels—such as having a B-grade in sales or an A-grade in development.
"Chairman is arriving."
Snapped out of my thoughts, I straightened myself.
It was the arrival of my grandfather, Chairman Kim Tae-jung of Taewoo Group.
[Welcome, Chairman!]
[You're looking splendid as always!]
[May you live a long and healthy life!]
The guests in the banquet hall fawned over him, wagging their metaphorical tails.
Among them were some of the most prominent figures in both business and politics, but to my grandfather, they were nothing more than well-paid servants who did their jobs well.
Even the president himself wouldn't dare challenge my grandfather.
Because of this, most guests found him difficult to approach, and my grandfather never so much as flashed them a smile.
But in front of me, he was a completely different person—one of boundless warmth.
"Oh, my precious Min-jae is here! How's the food? I brought in the best chef in Korea just to cook for you."
"I missed you, Grandpa."
"My business trip took longer than expected, didn't it? I wanted to come home sooner, but those Westerners are such sticklers. Let me have a good look at you—how much have you grown?"
My grandfather practically rushed over to me.
I spread my arms wide and embraced him.
Even in my previous life, he had always lit up whenever he saw me, unable to contain his affection.
I was the third-generation only grandson of a family that had no sons—of course, I must have been the most precious thing in the world to him.
But back then, I found his love burdensome and suffocating, so I avoided him.
Now, in this new life, I hugged him even tighter, determined to cherish what I had once taken for granted.
What a beautiful bond between grandfather and grandson.
The guests at the banquet watched our exchange with warm smiles.
However, whether out of sheer ignorance or desperate urgency, a subcontractor's CEO—who had been trailing from the entrance—decided to disrupt the moment.
"Chairman, please, I beg you! You must reconsider the supply price. At this rate, I can't even afford to pay my employees."
He was a contractor dressed in shabby clothes, speaking in a pleading tone.
Yet, he had maintained a business relationship with my grandfather for over twenty years.
Despite his appearance, he ran a mid-sized company and was certainly no ordinary businessman—his mere presence at this banquet proved that much.
"Mr. Kim, why are you telling me this?"
"I'm truly desperate, sir. I've been running around trying to cut costs, but I just can't find a way."
At this rate, the mood of the entire banquet would be ruined from the very start.
In this life, I had made up my mind.
No matter what it took, I would protect my family and our group.
And by "family," I meant my Grandfather was everything to me.
I couldn't let his celebration be disturbed by someone like this.
"Wow! That's a Patek Philippe watch! And not just any model—it's a complication model! That alone costs at least 1 billion won."
So much for the struggling businessman act.
If he wanted to put on a performance, he should have at least done it properly, like I did.
But I guess he just couldn't resist wearing a luxury watch.
Then again, in this era, only a handful of people could recognize a Patek Philippe at a glance.
Unfortunately for him, I had once owned every luxury brand under the sun.
…Not that I'm proud of it or anything.
"Did you say that watch is worth a billion won? Wow, Mr. Kim, you must be making good money. Spending 1 billion won on a single watch."
"N-No, sir! I just bought a counterfeit during my trip to China!"
"A business owner wearing a fake watch? What an appalling sight. I have no interest in talking to someone like you. Just keep quiet and leave when the time comes."
The contractor hurriedly covered his wrist and stepped back in embarrassment.
I didn't even need to use my Personal Profile ability to get rid of someone like him.
His file did mention slush funds and embezzlement, but…
Would anyone really believe a seventeen-year-old suddenly exposing crimes like that?
With the troublemaker gone, Grandfather turned his gaze back to me, his face once again filled with warmth.
"My dear Min-jae, you're starting high school soon, aren't you? That means your old grandpa has to give you a gift."
"I don't need a gift, Grandpa. As long as you stay healthy and live a long life, that's enough for me."
"My little pup, you always say the sweetest things. Here, take this."
It's common for grandparents to give their grandchildren an allowance when they graduate from elementary school.
But my grandfather didn't just give me spending money—he handed me an entire bank account.
And this wasn't just any bank account.
A Swiss bank account.
Under the name of a paper company, no less.
Even when giving his grandson pocket money, he went out of his way to avoid gift taxes.
This was exactly why he rose to the top as a chaebol chairman.
"Thank you, Grandpa."
"Don't hold back—spend freely. Oh, and by the way, the balance in that account isn't 1 million won… It's 1 million dollars."
"Grandpa, I love you!"
…With a grandfather like this, was it any wonder I never truly learned how to manage a company in my past life?
I mean, he casually deposited 1 billion won into my account just because I was entering high school.
TL/n -
Gosiwon (Korean: 고시원) are a kind of single-room occupancy class of building found in South Korea. Originally designed for students preparing to take exams, they are characterized by low rent, shared bathrooms and kitchens, and very limited private space.