I Became the Youngest Daughter of a Chaebol Family-Chapter 42: The End of the 80s (2)

September 17, 1988.

The long-awaited '88 Olympics finally held its opening ceremony.

Riding high on the wave of construction contracts before and after the Olympics, Yoo Jin-seok went all in on aggressively expanding his business, and it paid off. By the end of the year, he even got praise from Chairman Yoo Seong-pil.

I still remember Yoo Jin-ha’s face twitching just a little that day. It was the Olympics, for god’s sake—a golden opportunity, and he did absolutely nothing domestically. That look on his face said it all.

Anyway... the Olympics turned out to be way more fun and exciting than I expected. Honestly, I’ve never been that great at socializing, so I’d been slacking on building connections. But during the Olympics, talking to people was easy.

I mean, half the conversations already had a built-in topic. It was hard not to feel the real impact of soft power, and I started preparing, step by step, to move beyond Korea.

‘Things are moving along faster than I thought. Makes my life easier.’

[Securities Law Significantly Eased... Ministry of Finance Announces Plans to Attract Foreign Investment Around the Olympics]

I sipped my coffee as I skimmed through the morning paper. The article had come out a few months ago, but the bill had just passed a couple of days back.

Maybe because all the smart people didn’t die in some bombing this time around, things were actually getting done for once.

Sure, they called it a "significant easing," but in reality, only a few minor restrictions were lifted. Still... it was enough to lay the foundation, and that was something.

This part of the law was moving way faster than I expected, but I figured it was probably because people in finance weren’t exactly the most motivated bunch to begin with. Even when regulations on investment banks were loosened, no one gave a damn enough to do anything. So, why would the law ever change?

Or maybe, just maybe, the economy was more stable now, so they figured they could take on a bit more risk.

In the end, I pushed Daehwa Securities to make some serious demands to the Ministry of Finance... and since the government didn’t feel the need to be all uptight during the Olympics, they approved the establishment of an investment bank. It was a good PR move for Korea’s image abroad, too.

Honestly, I was kind of dumbfounded.

‘Can it really be this easy?’

Even knowing that, with the opposition controlling the National Assembly, traditional opposition party pledges would sail through as long as the government gave the green light—I still couldn’t help but marvel at how the obstacles in front of me just melted away.

No need to worry about family bullshit. With Grandpa’s backing and the full weight of Daehwa Group behind me... so this is what chaebol power feels like.

I casually crumpled up the newspaper and handed it to my secretary, who’d just walked in. Lee Si-hyun took it without a word and tossed it into the trash before giving me her update.

“Miss, Mr. Ha sent word. He says everything’s ready.”

‘Finally...’

I gave her a small smile and patted her shoulder.

“Thanks, Si-hyun. Nice work.”

Ha Joo-seong had finally laid the groundwork for the investment bank and completed the front office setup. The law wasn’t fully open yet, so we had to set up a separate legal entity, which took some extra time.

But thanks to Korea’s credit rating getting a big boost from the Olympics, and Ha Yeong-il killing it on Wall Street, it all came together.

“By the way, Si-hyun, have you picked a place to go for your vacation yet? It’s your sister’s wedding, so you should take a break too.”

Si-hyun gave an awkward smile and shook her head.

“No, it’s fine. Daehwa Securities is recruiting new hires right now. I should be here for you, Miss.”

Th𝓮 most uptodate nov𝑒ls are publish𝒆d on ƒreewebηoveℓ.com.

“Yeah, well, that doesn’t mean your brother’s getting in.”

I’d damn near choked when I saw the name Lee Si-woo on a job application. I was starting to wonder if Si-hyun was still waiting for the perfect chance to stab me in the back.

“Haha, I’ll keep that in mind.”

...There she goes again.

I gave her a flat look and cupped her cheek. Warm, soft, and yeah, she was attractive, but... if you asked me whether I couldn’t give her up, the answer would be no.

The most precious thing in the world is, always has been, and always will be—me.

“Si-hyun, do you know about the master-slave dialectic? Even if you don’t know Hegel’s philosophy, this one’s pretty famous.”

“...Sorry, what?”

If the master always relies on the slave, then the one who’s truly free isn’t the master, but the slave. The master can’t do a damn thing without the slave.

“Lee Si-hyun, I’m fine without you.”

My eyes softened, crinkling with a smile. I lightly tapped her head, then ran my fingers along her ponytail, giving it a gentle tug.

Nice handle.

“Ugh!”

Si-hyun looked at me with slightly trembling eyes. I leaned in and whispered in her ear.

“So don’t even think about pulling any shit. Just take your damn vacation, while I’m still being nice.”

Where the hell do you get off trying to sneak your brother into my company?

Yeah, not happening.

Unless he legally changes his name and ditches the family ties, there’s no way in hell I’m letting him in.

***

To be honest, there were a few reasons I sent Si-hyun off on vacation so harshly.

I turned my attention to Seo Joo-eun, the other secretary we brought into Daehwa Securities. Unlike Si-hyun, I personally picked her, and her background was clean.

Yeah, she’s the same one I said was a bit inferior to Si-hyun before. But what can I do? Sometimes you gotta settle for a chicken when you don’t have a pheasant.

“Joo-eun, about Si-hyun’s so-called siblings... Just keep them calm and send them off quietly, got it?”

“Yes.”

One of the things I needed to handle while Si-hyun was gone... was her so-called siblings.

A cold, mocking smile crept onto my lips.

‘Just because you treat someone like a real sibling doesn’t make them one.’

I’d done some digging through one of her old classmates, and... yeah, some interesting stuff came up.

Turns out, the actual siblings Si-hyun raised herself turned out decent—decent enough to apply for a job at Daehwa Group. But those "siblings" she had under her wing? Honestly, they were just average nobodies.

Sure, they probably act like sweet little lambs in front of Si-hyun, but...

A few of them ended up just as trashy as you’d expect from people who’ve lived on the bottom rung. Hearing that someone they knew got ahead, they came running, desperate to shake her down for cash.

I’ll have to “take care” of those useless bastards myself. Either that, or let them clean up and do some dirty work under me.

If I were into noir, maybe I’d hand Si-hyun a knife and tell her to bury them herself in concrete.

But nah, that’s not really my thing. If I’ve got a poor little pawn who doesn’t even know she’s being used, it’s only right I take care of this kind of crap for her.

And hey, it also keeps her loyalty intact.

Mhm.

“Seo Joo-eun, for now, call the others in and get ready to stage some accidents. Make sure Si-hyun doesn’t catch on, and don’t let your people know who they’re taking down either.”

“...Understood.”

-Clap clap.

After giving her a few more instructions, I clapped my hands with a bright smile.

“Alright, that’s enough for now. Why the long face? It’s not like we’re doing anything bad here.”

If my dear Si-hyun knew how much trouble I was going through for her, she’d be so moved she’d cry, really.

“....”

Tch, not much of a reaction.

This is why I like Si-hyun better.

Feeling a bit sulky, I walked over to the mirror to fix my messy hair. ...Standing here like this, I kinda feel like Snow White.

I hummed a familiar tune under my breath.

Of course, I didn’t bother asking who’s the fairest of them all. I already know the answer—it’s me, obviously.

“Mirror, mirror, don’t you have any special powers? I’m busting my ass here, thanks to you.”

If only I’d spent a few more points when I reincarnated and picked up a magic mirror like Arothos or something, life would’ve been easier.

...Though I swear I’m hearing people around me mutter about witches, I’m sure it’s just my imagination.

***

Among the staff at Daehwa Securities, there was a bit of slang that had caught on.

"The Day of Four Witches."

You know that thing called “Triple Witching Day,” when stock index futures, stock index options, and individual stock options all expire at once? Well, now throw in Yoo Ha-yeon’s “special day” on top of that.

The term showed up °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° 14 years earlier than it did in the original timeline, and it became a running joke among the Daehwa Securities employees. When her "witching day" arrived, the market's volatility would go absolutely berserk.

...Yoo Ha-yeon was a little annoyed by the nickname, but she didn’t deny it either.

Maybe that’s why, during the historic first meeting of Daehwa Investment Bank, no one was all that surprised when she said this:

“I’ve developed a new financial product. Let’s make some more money soon.”

Silence. Then, voices laced with worry... and excitement.

“...Oh.”

“As expected! Truly, you never disappoint, Miss Ha-yeon!”

“What kind of product is it?”

Ah, yes.

This was the reaction I was hoping for.

Even though the name had changed, the people in Daehwa Investment Bank were the same ones from Daehwa Securities. So, not a single one of them dared underestimate me just because I was young.

Once the mood had warmed up just right, I smiled and started my explanation.

“You’ve all been keeping up with the news, right? Last March, the Brezhnev Doctrine was scrapped... and it looks like the Eastern European countries are starting to open up.”

Mikhail Gorbachev, General Secretary of the Soviet Union, was pushing for reform and openness to save his slowly sinking country.

And the beginning of all that? The New Belgrade Declaration. From now on, the Soviet Union wouldn’t interfere if communist countries turned to capitalism.

“Hm, then... we should buy bonds, right?”

One of the taller directors stroked his chin and asked for confirmation, and I smiled wider, giving him a slow nod.

“Exactly. Let’s see what our newly formed front office can do. Short Eastern European bonds at the right timing... and then buy them again after they crash.”

A shift in national ideology is a huge deal. Naturally, credit ratings would plummet, and bonds issued by those governments would tank in price.

If you know in advance they’re about to go dirt cheap, you can short them first for a quick win, and then go long after they crash and profit again.

“...You seem pretty optimistic about Eastern Europe. What if it collapses completely?”

One of the other directors, glasses perched on his nose, voiced his concern. He’d always been the type to question me, but never outright oppose me. That’s why I kept him in a key position.

You need someone like that pretending to push back, just to make yourself shine brighter.

“They won’t collapse. Ah, but Albania and Yugoslavia... I’ve got a bad feeling about those two, so let’s only short them. The more stable parts of Eastern Europe will recover fast.”

Of course, there was one problem here.

“But, Miss... are we even allowed to do something like this? We don’t have enough capital for proprietary trading.”

Yeah, small capital base.

“Can’t be helped, really. There aren’t many deals to close right now, and since we’re the only investment bank in Korea, no one knows about us yet. It’s not like we don’t have money—we just need to look the part for now.”

It might sound like a contradiction—having money, but not enough capital to operate—but that’s thanks to government regulations. Nothing I can do about that.

“Well, true... I suppose the Alpha Fund you set up is raking in cash anyway. What’s important for our firm right now isn’t the money, but the experience.”

He adjusted his glasses and nodded, convinced by my reasonable explanation yet again.

And so...

I kicked off the meeting by announcing the news about the Eastern European revolutions, and after that, we got bogged down in a series of smaller discussions.

Legal matters around the investment bank, where we should build the new office, how much bribe money we should give the government, what to have for lunch...

One by one, the directors tackled those trivial details in heated debate—until one of them suddenly realized something.

“Come to think of it... Miss, what’s the new financial product you mentioned earlier?”

It was Director Choi who, in a lull, remembered and asked me.

“Ahaha, well, I haven’t fully built the portfolio yet... but I’ll tell you the name first.”

With a cheerful smile, I introduced them to a cutting-edge financial product, something I brought back from the future. One of the masterpieces of financial engineering.

“I’ve decided to call it a Credit Default Swap. CDS, for short.”

“...Didn’t you say Eastern Europe wasn’t going to collapse? That name sounds... really unsettling.”

I gave a bright smile and clapped my hands softly.

“That’s right. Eastern Europe won’t collapse. But, according to my prediction...”

I paused for three seconds, then made my prophecy in front of the directors.

“The Soviet Union will. Within two years.”

“....”

When the ‘80s end, the ‘90s will begin—with the fall of the Soviet Union.