Jeong Taeui sighed, sadly recalling those forgotten memories. He had been discharged from the army four months ago and was currently unemployed. He still felt a sharp pain in his knees whenever the weather turned cold, but his legs had healed and his body had fully recovered, so he was planning to find a job.
"Oh, by the way. Why do you suddenly need a son? Are you sending him somewhere?"
Hearing Jeong Taeui's question, he smiled again.
"Any son is fine. I need one anyway. Not long ago, when we had a conflict with the people in the European branch, we lost a lot of people. We need to balance the numbers."
"....."
"....it's just an excuse. The truth is, I need someone lucky."
The uncle paused for a moment, Jeong Taeui silently waited for his next words. He didn't need his uncle to say anything to know that balancing the numbers was just an excuse. Considering the number of people lining up like crazy to get in, the issue of numbers was simple, there was no point in coming all the way here. However, when it came to luck, Jeong Taeui was even less suited, and his uncle must have known that.
"In half a year, the head of your branch will be transferred to the headquarters in the US. So the two vice ministers are secretly fighting for that position. Even a small alley will be divided into factions. You must help your immediate superior become the governor. In other words, in the next half a year, there will be fierce fighting within the branch, and many despicable tricks will also take place. That means you need a lucky subordinate who can survive to the end."
"I'm not very lucky."
"Uhm—- even if it's not a phoenix, it's still a chicken. How about it?"
"What do you mean? If I hear that I am a chicken and not a phoenix, who would be happy?"
Jeong Taeui replied bluntly, but the words themselves did not hurt him at all. If he called an unparalleled genius like Jeong Jaeui a phoenix, he would feel proud even as a chicken. Jeong Jaeui was a special person. As for him, he could only understand half of what he had just said. And that half was, 'If you get involved in this, it will be a headache.'. The fighting between factions, if it was where he was, the situation would be no different from the military environment, which he did not want to enter again.
Are you from the Asia branch?"
"That's right."
"If you want someone luckier and more capable than me, you can probably find as many people as there are stars in the sky. Just pick any one of them and put them in there."
"I have told you all the secrets inside the organization. How can I deny it like that?"
"What secret? It's nothing new anyway. Fight well and get promoted safely."
Jeong Taeui shook his uncle's hand as if to end the conversation there. He stood up and started to clean up the empty dishes. But his uncle grabbed Jeong Taeui's wrist tightly, making him click his tongue. Looking at his uncle's face, it seemed like he was serious. If that was the case, it would be hard for him to refuse.
"Uncle….Do you know why? I can't."
Jeong Taeui sighed and muttered. He asked again seriously.
"Tell me why you can't. If it's a good reason, I'll find someone else."
"You know that too."
"Tell me…?"
Jeong Taeui didn't know what this man was thinking to be so stubborn. If it was just based on his words, there was no reason why the person he needed was Jeong Taeui. Compared to Jeong Jaeui, weren't there people like Jeong Taeui all over the world?
"Uncle. First of all, I hate the army. I've had enough of that closed, authoritative place."
"This organization is not the army. It just trains a little harder physically. The distinction between ranks and the atmosphere inside are also completely different from the army. Sometimes cases are handled secretly, so I don't know if it can be said to be closed in that regard, but at least it's not authoritarian. If I were to enter now, my superiors would be a governor, two vice ministers, and six officers. But normally, I hardly have to interact with the governor and vice ministers. The rest are all equal colleagues. Now, is there any other reason?"
".... My body is also very weak."
"I know your body has fully recovered."
"I don't need to go to the hospital anymore, but my knees still hurt and my whole body aches every time the weather changes."
"There isn't a guy there who isn't. They've all been shot once or twice and have a few broken bones. Any other reason?"
"I also don't meet your expectations. My luck is average, and my abilities are also average."
Then, he narrowed his eyes meaningfully at Jeong Taeui for a moment and slowly spoke.
"I need someone who can survive as long as possible while doing the job well. I think highly of you, Jeong Taeui, though. I feel like I've already gotten a handle on you, but I've looked through your records from the military academy up until now. You have something very important to surviving safely."
"What is it?"
"Sense."
"...."
Jeong Taeui thought he was being serious but the wrong word came out. He was listening intently to what his uncle was praising him but was taken aback by it.
"Uncle… you said senses… that is…"
"Why do you look so disappointed?"
"Rather than saying disappointed….--- Yes, more than disappointed."
Jeong Taeui shook his head and muttered dejectedly, then he chuckled and said.
"There's nothing to be disappointed about. A kid with special luck like Jeong Jaeui is different, but for normal kids, what's necessary for survival is sensitivity. In other words, sharp senses. Life or death. Depending on the situation, those senses work a little better than others.
His voice was a little lower. Jeong Taeui had never been through the crossroads between life and death like his uncle had. It wasn't like he had almost died in such a harsh environment. It was just an accident that anyone could encounter. However, he seemed to know what his uncle was feeling.
"So what next?"
"What?"
Is there any other reason?"
He waved his hand to signal him to speak if he had anything else to say. But all the reasons he gave were refuted without a flaw. Jeong Taeui looked at him silently. He also just looked at him silently without saying anything more, slowly waiting for Jeong Taeui to open his mouth.
Sometimes Jeong Taeui still wonders about his brother. It's not about his luck or his genius ability, but that he knows him better than he knows himself.
Even though their lives don't always intertwine just because they grew up together for a quarter of a century - they probably know each other well enough. And Jeong Jaeui easily grasps the essence of a person.
In this point, you are just like him.
"...."
He had never said such things before and he did not see him often, but he seemed to know exactly what he was going to say and refute it without missing a thing. Or rather, even if he did not know beforehand, he was not at all surprised to hear those words from him.
"....It's dangerous to enter a place where only men gather like that."
Jeong Taeui muttered sadly. Seeing his gloomy expression, he raised his eyebrows, then laughed heartily a second later as if something funny had happened.
"Who?"
Jeong Taeui did not understand his uncle's question for a moment.
"Is it me who is in danger, or are the others?"
"If I have to be honest, it's me, of course."
"You? Why? Do you think they will come over to 'attack' you?" (By 'attack' here I mean flirting, I'm teasing him :> )
Jeong Taeui stared at his uncle as he heard the voice as if he was talking about something interesting. Finally, he clicked his tongue as if he had given up.
"I'm afraid I'll 'attack' the people there, okay?"
"I didn't know your defense range was so wide. If you want, and if you can, go ahead and attack as much as you like. It's a society ruled by force, except with your superiors."
"...If I'm strong enough, can I attack anyone around me?!"
Jeong Taeui exclaimed in disbelief, and his uncle spread his arms and smiled. Sometimes he couldn't tell if the man was joking or serious. Jeong Taeui clicked his tongue and scratched his head nervously, then glared at his uncle.
"You know, but you still pretend not to know?"
"Well, in this context, all I can guess is that you tend to be sexually attracted to people of the same sex, what else?"
"That's enough. I'm tired."
"So when you attacked a colleague in the same unit and had to be discharged, were you tired?"
Jeong Taeui glared at his uncle fiercely, then sighed tiredly and leaned his head against the wall. Look, he knew everything after all. He had guessed it long ago, so he wasn't too surprised.
The uncle took a cup from the table within reach, grabbed the kettle, and poured water into it. He drank the water as if he were enjoying a delicious cup of tea.
"Jeong Taeui. On that matter, I have a different perspective."
"Another perspective? What is that?"
Jeong Taeui replied dejectedly, and he laughed and said as if he was joking.
"For example, I'm afraid other people will 'attack' you."
"Uncle, that joke is not funny at all…."
Jeong Taeui sighed, but his next words didn't sound like a joke at all.
"Okay. Any other reasons?"
Jeong Taeui let out another long sigh. After that, he was silent for a while and finally muttered as if he had completely given up.
"... …Half a year, right?"
Then he saw him laughing very happily.
"Yes, half a year. Until the next governor is decided. After that, you can do as you please. You can quit, and if you are satisfied with your life there, you can continue working there. Besides, even if you quit, you don't have to worry about unemployment because job applications will come pouring in as soon as you quit. If you are worried about where to go, being a member of our organization is a brilliant career."
Yes. I guess so."
Jeong Taeui seemed to have completely lost all his strength and leaned back in his chair. He felt like he had just finished a marathon in the middle of a hot summer, although he did not feel any pride in his achievement. However, the clock hanging on the wall caught his eye, it was time for everyone to start their work for the day.
They say you can't predict the future, but he really didn't expect such a sudden change.
That's right, I've had a bad feeling since morning. So this is how things turned out. If you look at it that way, what the uncle said about having a good feeling about Jeong Taeui and taking him away might be true.