Kim Myungsoo  stared out the window. Actually, since his penthouse wall that opened up onto the balcony was entirely made of one-way glass, it would be more accurate to say he stared out of the wall. His eyes swept over the bustling city beneath him. A busy, go-to-work, monotonous, routine bore by day, and the most exquisite night-life and tourism by night; a city that raked in millions worth of won monthly. And it was more or less his.

                For a ten year old, such vast riches and power might have frightened an ordinary child, but Kim Myungsoo was no ordinary ten year old. His father was the CEO of multiple five star hotel chains, he held stocks and share holds among multiple business ventures, and Kim Myungsoo's grandfather, was the leader of the most notorious mafia throughout Seoul and many other surrounding cities. The Kim family traded heavily overseas, and established very important connections among many of the nobility and rising families all across the world which had, in turn, shot their profits through the roof, making them the most powerful family in Korea.

                Kim Myungsoo had been raised in the lap of luxury. Never wanting for anything, but having been raised by a very strict father who had decided to dedicate the rest of his years (when not brokering business deals and attending political parties and balls) was to ensure his son had the sufficient training to be able to run such a vast empire efficiently and callously. Power was for the strong, and the weak had no right to live in it, they were simply there to make a profit to put into his pocket...that was his father's motto; and in consequence, it had also become Kim Myungsoo's motto. He was only ten, but the rigors of study and business training had been shoved down his throat ever since he could remember. Although the child had a natural tendency toward genius and a superiority of mind to other children his age, there was a child still left in him, though more often than not, he had to tamper that part of him and put it away. He had to be perfect. For no empire would want to follow a weak-willed, incompetent leader.

                Thus, as the little boy stared out over the vastness of Seoul, his heart did not jump in excitement at the thought of someday controlling it all, he stared at it through cold, calculating eyes and a sneer graced the full lips of his little mouth. Yes. It would all be his when Father passed away. All those cars going by down below...all those nobodies who lived in those rundown shacks that didn't even deserve to be called proper homes...they would all be his. 

                Behind him, the steel doors slid open silently, and his bodyguard, one of Grandfather's top men stepped onto the plush carpet and bowed to the child. "Sir, the Master wishes to see you now." the man told him. Kim Myungsoo did not even turn or acknowledge the older man for a few seconds before he said in a flat voice. "Where is Father?"

"Master is in his study." the tall, dark man replied. He straightened his black vest over a black muscle shirt, with a suit coat (also black) to complete the ensemble and then went back to his rigid robotic stance as Kim Myungsoo tore his eyes away from the city and without so much as looking at the dangerous man that could kill him in a second if he'd wanted (not that he would--for no one angered Father or Grandfather...because once on their hit list, there was nowhere on earth they could hide), he strode purposefully from the room.

                The servants he passed on his way to his Father's study rushed out of his way, lined the halls and bowed as he passed not daring to move again until his small form had vanished around a corner. Kim Myungsoo strode down to the extravagant rooms his Father stayed in. They called it his Father's study, but it also served as his living quarters. Father had insisted Kim Myungsoo take the penthouse because whenever he looked at the city below, he'd know he would one day rule it all and that every look would be an incentive for him to continue in his rigorous studies and aim for the perfection that was expected of the future heir of the Kim empire. As Kim Myungsoo rapped smartly on his Father's door, his mind was contemplating what reason his Father would call him. It would no doubt be some new training for him to go through, for Father never took the time out of his schedule to simply talk to his son as Father's generally do. No, his Father supervised Kim Myungsoo through countless tutors, servants, and trainers. For that reason, the term Father had never had the meaning for Kim Myungsoo that it had for most children. For him, Father was synonymous with boss, head honcho, CEO, the one you did not disappoint.

                "Come in." his Father's voice sounded from inside. Kim Myungsoo entered the room, shut the door, and bowed to the elderly man sitting in a straight-backed wooden chair at a beautiful mahogany desk that had cost 5 million won alone. He was going through a stack of paperwork on his desk, and his golden framed glasses had slipped to the edge of his long nose. His Father glanced up from his work to briefly make eye contact with his child and said, "Sit down."

                Kim Myungsoo made his way to one of the two chairs seated opposite his Father's desk, and sat down. "You wished to see me Father?"

                "Yes. Your tutors have told me that you have done excellently in your studies and that your presentations for future plans and designs of new architecture models for our hotel chain were quite insightful and thoughtful. The financial book-keeping regarding that project was also flawless. As expected. The designs have been sent to the top designers in our firms and they will see to it that the designs get implemented. You have succeeded in this as well." His Father ruffled through a few more papers and annotated a paragraph or two before continuing.

                "At the age of ten, you are doing well, my son. But there are still some things that are quite important for you to grasp before you become an adult. You know much of the business behind keeping things running efficiently and looking at everything in terms of possible gain or loss, but now that you have grasped these concepts, it is time for you to look into and learn the social aspect of what it means to be a member of the Kim Family."

                "Sir?" Kim Myungsoo asked, not sure where this conversation was going.

                "It's simple really. You are to attend a regular, public school. You will not have a body-guard because that will be too conspicuous and our enemies will have an easier opportunity to make trouble, if you are easy to identify. Basically, you'll go to school there in order to see who you will be controlling in the future. All your classmates, everything you can use to make connections that may benefit us in the future. You need to know how to interact with others in order to negotiate the best deals so that in the future, you won't become trapped in a situation with no real experience. If you want friends, use money. What have I always taught you?"

                "Money is happiness." Kim Myungsoo responded promptly, "To have money, is to be able to take control of a situation. To have money, is to have power. To have power, is everything."

                "Good, good," replied the old man satisfied, "You will begin school tomorrow. The maids have already prepared your things. You will have to walk though. From this point on, no limousine, no bodyguard, only money. We can't leave you too helpless, now can we?" and the old man chuckled as though he'd said something funny.

                Kim Myungsoo rose, bowed, and replied stiffly, "No, Sir."

                As he left and wandered to the kitchen to get something to eat, his mind whirled. School? He was going to school? With actual commoners? Where they probably had slop to eat in the cafeteria, and everything was dirty? He'd been right. His Father was going to test him to the absolute limits of his capacity. School. Commoners. Filth. He shuddered and then shook himself firmly.

                Yah. Kim Myungsoo. This is all a part of your training. No matter how hard it gets, you must endure it! This will make me a better heir. Fighting!!

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