Blue Summer

Chapter 9: Cheongug Pharmaceuticals

"Dreams of many struggles to become reality, and when they do come true, they become a legacy." Gong Sung-yeom said it once when addressing the workers of his research centre, Cheongug Pharmaceuticals and Research Centre. He was a visionary. He had set out to create a safe space for medical professionals, researchers and those who seek treatment. He worked tirelessly to set up the centre in Incheon and led it to achieve various ambitious projects in medicine. As he grew old, he passed down his legacy to his daughter, Gong Yun-ji. She respectfully and patiently worked on her father's dreams and remained in the position for twenty years before stepping down—the one who took charge after, however, brewed controversy. The position was given to Yun-ji's brother-in-law, Choi Sungmin. At a very young age, he took charge of the centre. His presence did not sit well with Gong Woon-gi, Yun-ji's cousin. He considered that he was the rightful successor to the position of the director. However, there was a tradition that the sitting director had the right to choose their successor, and Yun-ji chose Sungmin. So, Woon-gi could do barely anything to get the position. Given that Sungmin was in power, he could pass the torch to someone from his own family, meaning the Gong family would lose its authority over the centre. But who Sungmin would choose was far from even being imagined. He had no child nor a living sibling. Nevertheless, the Gong family would never retrieve the power again in Cheongug.

Woon-gi resented Sungmin, not only for him being the director but also for how Sungmin chose to address him. He was older than Sungmin, but Sungmin never bothered to address him respectfully except in front of people to keep his image.

Cheongug was a vast rectangular campus. The hospital of Cheongug was located at the far right corner of the land. It was a six-storeyed, oval building with "Cheongug Hospital" glowing on the front wall placed vertically. In the same lane, on the left, was the pharmaceutical centre, which sold medicines produced in Cheongug. It was a two-storeyed, cuboidal building with "Cheongug Pharmaceuticals" written on the top.

Diagonally opposite the hospital, in a triangular patch, was the research centre. It was an eight-storeyed triangular building. And directly situated to its right, a few distances away, was an eatery for the staff and visitors who came there for treatment or other business. In the centre of the land was a park extravagantly maintained with shrubs, trees, benches, and fountains.

The director's office was situated in the research centre building. As Sungmin walked through the corridors of the ground floor of the building, he saw Woon-gi come. He cheerfully approached him and said, "Woon-gi-shi, how may you be doing?"

Woon-gi frowned and replied, "At least not how I should have been."

Sungmin smirked and responded, "Well, you look decent to me. Bare in mind that many people of your age have troubled relations with their health."

Woon-gi raised his eyebrows, "You have no respect for me."

Sungmin leaned towards Woon-Gi and whispered, "I respect people of character, not based on their age."

Woon-gi retailed, "Are you trying to say that I have no character."

"I did not say that, but you choose to take it from me. I believe you think you don't have a character worth respect," Sungmin responded.

Woon-gi was fuming with rage, and he held Sungmin's collar, "You brat!"

Sungmin calmly broke Woon-gi's grip from his collar and said, "Thank you for your time. I wish to leave now. Enjoy your day."

As soon as Sungmin left, Woon-gi stomped his feet in rage and growled, "Choi Sungmin, I will teach you how to show respect. Ah!!"

Sungmin went to his office. It was on the third floor, which also had other administrative offices, such as that of the manager or the chief of research. His office had a golden-yellow palette. There was a large window which provided a magnificent view of the skyline and the city. There were couches in the middle. A shelf with accessories on the wall near the door. Another shelf for documents and books is on the wall opposite the window. His work table was at the end of the room, behind which was another shelf. It was kept simple, yet it was beautiful to sight.