Free Web NovelWhen I opened the door to the room Han Kyungyeong had prepared for work while staying at the Pyeongchang-dong mansion, a wave of heat poured out. Even though it was early winter, the room was as hot as midsummer from the computers.
“Yeah. Just dump it all. Do as I say! No, damn it! Do it the way I told you!”
He shouted into the phone, then threw the receiver away as if venting his anger. I frowned at the sight.
“Hyung. What’s wrong? Something not going the way you want?”
Han Kyungyeong turned around at my voice, his face tightly twisted. He pressed and rubbed his temples before asking,
“Ah, Muhyuk. When did you come in?”
“Just now.”
I grabbed a chair nearby, placed it in front of him, and sat down.
“Why? Something happened?”
“The guys at headquarters in the U.S. keep opposing.”
“Mm...”
I could understand their position. If someone tried to handle absurd matters when the boss wasn’t around, of course they’d be uneasy.
But Dreamhigh had no need for employees who opposed the boss’s will.
There was no shortage of traders eager to join Dreamhigh, which offered the best treatment on Wall Street.
“So who’s leading the opposition?”
“Don’t bother. In the end they’re doing as I said. That’s enough.”
Though only a day had passed, Han Kyungyeong’s hair was already a tangled mess from stress.
“Once this job is done, let’s reshuffle Dreamhigh’s personnel. Seems they’ve gotten too stagnant.”
“Phew... Yes, I’ll have to.”
Running Dreamhigh was his responsibility, so I cut straight to the main point.
“What’s the situation?”
“For now I dumped a billion dollars, and in the futures market I bet on yen appreciation. If there are forces wanting profit, they’ll take the opposite position against us.”
The foreign exchange market, open all day, had daily transaction volume exceeding a trillion dollars.
Just because one billion was thrown in didn’t mean it could have a major effect. Even the Japanese yen alone saw around two hundred billion traded daily, so our share wasn’t large.
But forex dealers never miss opportunities.
Speculators, seeing a huge bet on yen appreciation in the futures market, would naturally bet on depreciation to eat it up. To do that, they would start dumping the yen they held into the market.
“We’ll keep dumping a billion dollars each day. Dealers will probably keep betting the opposite way in the futures market.”
“What about stocks and bonds?”
“We’ll start on that about a week later.”
Han Kyungyeong’s plan was excellent. I nodded slightly at the foreseeable outcome.
The Nasdaq crash had brought about a weaker dollar in return.
Because so much capital had fled abroad, they lowered the base rate to stimulate the stock market, but its effect was minimal.
In 1999, the euro appeared as a new currency to replace the dollar, and so the dollar’s share in Japan’s foreign reserves declined.
“So it’s about 102 yen to the dollar now? Aim to raise that to 150 yen.”
After weighing whether yen appreciation or depreciation would strike harder at Japan’s economy, that was the decision.
“If that happens, the U.S. might step in. They might pressure Dreamhigh.” ƒrēewebnovel.com
“I know.”
“No matter what persuasion or threats come, don’t stop. I’ll take full responsibility.”
Japan didn’t want extreme volatility in exchange rates.
If things kept being stirred like this, not only would their national credit rating fall, but the yen’s status as the third key currency after the dollar and euro would also be shaken.
“I wonder what the Japanese prime minister’s face looks like right now.” freeweɓnøvel.com
A thin, sharp smile naturally spread across my lips.
* * *
Medvedev, at Kim Muhyuk’s request, first sought Putin’s permission. Once it was readily granted, he set everything aside and boarded Putin’s private plane bound for Japan.
Japan was thrown into emergency at the sudden visit of Medvedev, the leading candidate for the next Chief of Staff.
As soon as he arrived in Japan, Medvedev headed straight to his nation’s embassy.
On the way by car, hearing the report from the Russian ambassador to Japan, Medvedev’s face hardened.
“So you’re saying the Japanese government responded like that?”
“Yes, Chairman.”
This time it wasn’t Japan simply being asked a favor for Kim Muhyuk.
The recent Russia–Japan summit hadn’t ended badly, and thanks to it, the two countries had been enjoying a thaw in relations.
But Medvedev was offended. Because he heard that the Japanese had threatened the Russian ambassador, saying that refusing to hand over Representative Eva would bring diplomatic friction, and that all joint projects with Russia would be put on hold.
“You’re coming back to Russia with me too.”
“Sir?”
“Don’t make me repeat myself.”
At Medvedev’s icy gaze, the ambassador didn’t ask again and bowed his head flat.
Now firmly holding the second-in-command’s position, Medvedev had Putin’s full trust.
The ambassador knew well that once he fell out of Medvedev’s favor, he’d be sent to a backwater post and inevitably end up stripped of his office.
“Still, you handled this well. By protecting one of President Kim Muhyuk’s close aides, you’ve made Kim owe a great debt to Putin.”
Recalling Kim Muhyuk, who had vowed to repay kindness without fail, Medvedev praised the ambassador. While they exchanged a few words, the embassy came into view.
Getting out of the car, Medvedev strode quickly to the residence where Eva was.
“Representative Eva, how do you do.”
Speaking fluent English, Medvedev greeted her, and Eva replied smoothly in Russian.
“Welcome, Chairman Medvedev.”
“You speak Russian?”
“I can manage conversations.”
Pleased at Eva speaking Russian, Medvedev smiled.
“I heard you’ve had a rough experience. Once negotiations with the Japanese government are over, you’ll leave with me for Russia, then head straight to Korea from there.”
“The boss told me. Thank you.”
Eva bowed slightly, showing courtesy. But when she raised her head again, worry shadowed her face.
“But even with you here, they won’t easily allow it. The boss already started a foreign exchange attack on Japan.”
“I was informed of that by President Kim as well.”
The currency crisis. The storm that had swept East Asia was now stirring Japan’s anxieties.
Sensing crisis, Japan’s central bank was doing everything possible to defend the exchange rate. If their reserves ran dry, the shock could affect all of Northeast Asia.
But the attack, once started, showed no sign of stopping.
With Kim Muhyuk relentlessly dumping dollars and forex dealers piling on by betting on yen depreciation in the futures market, the tide was already turning.
“That’s for President Kim to handle. My purpose is to get Representative Eva out of Japan. If the Japanese government blocks it, then it means they’re ready for diplomatic conflict with Russia.”
Putin’s Russia was not Yeltsin’s Russia. Unlike Yeltsin, who watched the West’s eyes, Putin feared no one.
Medvedev, knowing his character well, had many ways to pressure the Japanese government.
“Then please rest. I have a meeting with the Japanese prime minister.”
After Medvedev left, Eva sank onto the bed.
Her face, calm during their talk, was now heavy with self-reproach.
“Damn it... I’m just a burden to the boss.”
Her quiet murmur lingered in the room.
The Japanese prime minister, preparing for Medvedev’s sudden visit, conferred with the Chief Cabinet Secretary.
“Eva must never be allowed to leave the country.”
“But if Russia insists on taking her, we have no grounds to stop them.”
“Still, no. Grounds can be made. Use the terror incident in downtown Tokyo as a pretext and push through.”
If Eva left Japan, everything would collapse. The Chief Cabinet Secretary’s face was filled with grim resolve.
“Kim Muhyuk won’t stop just because Eva’s here, will he?”
“She is the last line of defense. At least to proceed with negotiations, we must keep her here.”
With his firm insistence, the prime minister finally decided.
“Chairman Medvedev has arrived.”
At the report from his senior secretary, the prime minister rose and went out with the Chief Cabinet Secretary.
“Haha, welcome.”
Forcing a false smile, the prime minister reached out his hand. Medvedev returned the handshake with a practiced smile.
The sound of camera shutters and flashes from domestic and foreign press filled the prime minister’s office.
Once introductions and courtesies were exchanged, both delegations sat facing each other. After brief pleasantries and statements of purpose, the public meeting proceeded.
When it ended and the journalists left, the smiles vanished from the faces of both Medvedev and the prime minister.
At once, a suffocating tension filled the office.
“Prime Minister, I heard your cabinet threatened our embassy to hand over Representative Eva of Future Investment, who is under our protection?”
Medvedev was the first to break the silence.
The Chief Cabinet Secretary, parched, took a sip of water before replying in place of the prime minister.
“She is connected to a terror incident that occurred domestically. There is no problem under international law, and isn’t it right to hand her over to the Japanese police? We made a legitimate request.”
“A legitimate request?”
“Yes, a legitimate request. Our stance is unchanged. We ask that you hand over Representative Eva.”
Unlike when the press was present, the atmosphere now turned frigid.
Hearing such absurd words, Medvedev sighed deeply before speaking.
“I already heard everything from the Russian ambassador. You said we should be prepared for diplomatic friction. Are you threatening Russia?”
“I said it is a legitimate request, not a threat.”
The Chief Cabinet Secretary, repeating the words like a parrot, made Medvedev’s voice rise.
“Listen here, Secretary! That is what we call a threat. And furthermore, you said you’d stop all matters agreed upon at the Russia–Japan summit? Is this truly the official stance of the Japanese government?”
At Medvedev’s words, the prime minister’s face showed surprise. He turned toward the Chief Cabinet Secretary.
“Secretary, what is the meaning of this?”
“Well...”
“To think you cannot distinguish between what should and should not be said on an official stage, no matter how important the matter.”
As he scolded his secretary for show, a dry smile flickered on Medvedev’s lips. Politics really was theater.
“Do not say that such remarks were made without the prime minister’s approval.”
The prime minister glared once at the now-silent secretary, then spoke directly with Medvedev.
“It is a misunderstanding, Chairman. I once again promise that we will faithfully implement everything agreed with President Putin.”
“I already reported to President Putin, and he was greatly angered. Prime Minister, this is a matter of trust.”
At that, the prime minister shut his eyes tightly. His head throbbed in pain.
Just months ago, they had been negotiating smoothly with Russia over the Kuril Islands issue.
“Tomorrow the Russian ambassador will return home with me. Unless the Japanese government makes an official apology.”
“An apology? At most we might express regret, but in international relations there is no precedent for apologizing to another country.”
Indeed, Japan had never apologized to another nation—neither when it plunged East Asia into war, nor now.
It was shameless beyond words, but Medvedev pressed on.
“Not only the ambassador, Representative Eva will also return with me to Russia.”
“Impossible!”
Before the prime minister could speak, the Chief Cabinet Secretary cut in.
“She is a witness connected to terrorism that gravely endangered our nation’s safety.”
“I don’t know what connection you speak of. Prime Minister, is that also your opinion?”
The Japanese prime minister nodded.
“It is the stance of our cabinet.”
“I see.”
Medvedev laced his fingers together, propped his chin on them atop the table, and leaned toward the Japanese side. His eyes were icily cold.
“Are you sure you won’t regret this?”
“It’s you who will regret it.”
The Chief Cabinet Secretary once again interrupted, brimming with overconfidence. To Medvedev, his behavior was laughably presumptuous for a mere minister.
“Fine. Do as you please. Russia will also do as it pleases.”
Silence fell again in the prime minister’s office.
After some time, the senior secretary entered, his face pale. Bowing, he whispered a report to the prime minister.
The more he spoke, the more shock spread across the prime minister’s face.
