I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 109

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 109
At an age when I was still growing, I didn’t tire of eating steak two days in a row.
Mark, Dennis, and I wolfed down our steaks with unbridled enthusiasm.
Only Peter and Grace ate their steaks slowly and deliberately.
“So you’ve known Sung-guk since he was young?”
“Yes. I was ten years old—Korean age—when I first saw him. Even then, I was amazed at how mature he was for his age, but I never expected him to grow this quickly.”
[Stop talking about me. Talk about each other instead.]
I alternated my gaze between Peter and Grace as I ate my steak.
Dennis subtly jabbed me in the ribs.
“Sung-guk, if you stare like that, they won’t be able to talk.”
[Damn. Did he catch me?]
I pushed the last piece of steak into my mouth and looked at Mark and Dennis.
Both of them had nearly finished their plates.
I carefully stifled a yawn.
“Sung-guk, are you tired?”
Peter quickly picked up on my state.
[So Grace is making an impression on him.]
I yawned silently once more and nodded.
“Peter, today was absolutely exhausting. Dennis and I went to interview at the Manhattan Music School. We ran into Grace on the way back.”
Mark added his own explanation.
“You must be exhausted. Why don’t you head back early and rest? We can restart our negotiations once the contract is finalized.”
“Peter, as promised, Dennis and I will cover dinner today.”
“I’ll enjoy it.”
“I will too.”
Grace offered an elegant smile in acknowledgment.
[They want me to leave.]
I quickly stood up.
Mark and Dennis rose as well, and I split the bill with Mark.
“Sung-guk, splitting the bill like this makes me feel like we’re real business partners. I like it.”
“Even if we make a lot of money later, should we still split it like this?”
“Absolutely. Once we’re really making money, I’ll treat sometimes too.”
Mark grinned widely.
* * *
Back at the Hotel, Dennis and I settled down with the laptop.
Mark looked at me with surprise.
“Sung-guk, weren’t you tired?”
“I was making space for Peter and Grace. They’ll talk more naturally if we’re not there.”
“Was today a blind date setup?”
Mark asked in astonishment.
[Oblivious fool.]
“I didn’t intend it, but since you’re both single, I thought it would work out.”
“Sung-guk, you’re pretty oblivious yourself, but Mark, you’re even worse?”
[Dennis, what are you talking about?]
I narrowed my eyes and stared at Dennis.
“Sung-guk, you introduced Peter and Grace to each other because you thought dating would help with business, right?”
[So artists really are different. He’s sharp.]
“Well, there’s some of that too…. But I really introduced them because Peter seems like a good person, and Grace is obviously a good person, and I thought it would be nice for lonely people to meet while they’re in New York.”
“Wow! I was the only one who didn’t know!”
[Yeah, Mark. You really have no sense of what’s going on.]
Mark drank his beer as if exasperated.
“Mark, calm down. But I found something interesting today.”
“Dennis, what’s so funny to you?”
“When I look at Sung-guk, he’s younger than us but always acts maturely. He has clear goals. But today I discovered his weakness.”
[He discovered my weakness? I’m a man without weaknesses…. But why do I suddenly feel uncertain….]
Dennis chuckled and looked at me.
“Sung-guk, don’t take this the wrong way.”
[If you don’t want me to take it the wrong way, then don’t say something offensive!]
“Go ahead and tell me, Dennis. What is it?”
Mark urged him on with a curious expression.
“Sung-guk’s weakness is romance. You understand relationships between men and women too much like… a mathematical formula.”
Mark looked at Dennis with an intrigued expression while sipping his beer.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Sung-guk, you seem to approach romance with a purpose. Today you happened to meet a woman named Grace on the street, and you immediately contacted Peter to arrange this dinner.”
“Right.”
“The moment we entered the restaurant, you seated Grace next to Peter, and unlike usual, you ate your steak ravenously without saying a word. Like you were trying to finish and leave.”
[I was hungry!]
I pressed my itching lips firmly shut.
“Since we just ate steak without talking, Peter and Grace naturally started a conversation, and you stuffed steak in your mouth and yawned as if you’d been waiting for that moment. I knew you always proceed with everything systematically, but I didn’t know that.”
[What don’t I know!]
“Romance and the human heart never proceed according to plan.”
“Exactly! Exactly!”
Mark was laughing and even clapping his hands.
[Are you really mocking me right now?]
“Right, Sung-guk?”
Dennis looked at me.
“It’s both right and wrong.”
“When Sung-guk talks like that, pretending to be offended, it means he’s right.”
Mark was already delighted at the chance to tease me.
[I need to keep some distance from these guys. They know me too well….]
Dennis, emboldened by Mark’s support, continued rambling.
“Sung-guk simply doesn’t understand anything about romance! That’s my conclusion!”
“I’m only twelve years old.”
I shrugged my shoulders as casually as I could manage.
In my past life, I’d dated countless times, but I was always the one in the dominant position.
Women would do anything for me with just a slight smile.
I’d read a few books on the fundamentals of romance, but there was rarely any need to go through the trouble of understanding a woman’s psychology.
[Had that become my weakness? Should I read some books…?]
Dennis looked at me with a serious expression, laughing.
“Sung-guk, you’re definitely thinking about whether there’s a book on Romance 101 you should look for, aren’t you?”
Caught.
[That Dennis—he sees right through people.]
Mark asked curiously.
“Dennis, how do you understand people’s hearts so well?”
“Movies, novels—everything is something that hasn’t actually happened, but you make it seem plausible. The characters inside have to be drawn as if they’re alive and breathing. To do that, you need to understand human psychology well, and the best way is to observe the people around you.”
“Dennis, don’t you dare observe me.”
Mark took a step back.
“It’s not observation in a bad sense… It’s just that even a perfect friend like Sung-guk actually has weaknesses—that’s what makes us human, right? Usually he looks mature and acts mature, but when it comes to romance, he’s completely helpless. Isn’t that just so human?”
“Sung-guk is weak at actual dating experience. Or rather, Sung-guk has zero real dating experience.”
“Mark, I don’t think you’re one to talk…”
I quickly teased Mark.
Mark chugged his beer and spoke decisively.
“I’ve got someone I like.”
[Not surprising at all.]
Mark was a serial crusher.
Dennis didn’t seem particularly surprised either.
“You’re giving up on Jessie?”
“Yeah. Jessie feels like too high a hurdle for me. Well, unless Jessie says she likes me.”
[Wake up, Mark.]
“So who is it?”
Dennis pressed for details.
“What about Michelle?”
[Wait, Michelle! The Michelle I know? This guy’s a specialist in wild goose chases. Tsk, tsk, tsk.]
I clicked my tongue inwardly.
Today, Michelle Jonah was the one who connected Dennis to the Manhattan Music School. That meant Dennis and Michelle Jonah were in private contact with each other.
I quickly read Dennis’s expression. Bewilderment flickered across his face.
[Even if I don’t know romance, I’ve got good instincts. Growing up poor, you have to develop instincts to survive.]
Mark excitedly rambled on about Michelle.
“We met because of the Ellen Winfrey Show, but Michelle… she’s really, how do I put it. Straightforward. And she doesn’t look down on us for being young… I think we’d get along well.”
“You mean you think you would, not that you already do?”
Mark nodded vigorously at my question.
I glanced sideways at Dennis.
“Dennis, nothing to say? I’m telling you, I can’t stand it when romantic complications mess up friendships.”
“Ah, well….”
Dennis fumbled awkwardly for words before looking at Mark.
“Mark, the truth is Michelle and I have been in frequent contact.”
“…Wh… y-you’re serious?”
Mark’s large eyes wavered.
[Like an earthquake just hit.]
I folded my arms and stepped back.
[This is something they need to work out themselves.]
Dennis scratched his head several times before beginning to explain to Mark.
“Honestly, we’re not dating or anything like that yet. And… it might just be my imagination, but our conversations flow really well. I’m interested in movies, and Michelle works in broadcasting, so we have a lot in common, you know? But it’s still just at that level.”
Mark suddenly burst out laughing loudly.
“Hahaha! Dennis! Don’t worry!”
[Mark’s overdoing it again.]
From my years of observing Mark, I could tell he was absolutely panicking right now.
His words were accelerating and his logic had completely vanished.
“Dennis, I wasn’t suddenly interested in Michelle. It’s just because Jessie won’t have me. I’m in college now, so I should date someone, right? I haven’t even had much conversation with Michelle. Really, it was just the interview. So I’m not pining after Michelle or anything, don’t worry. I’m fine. Really fine. I’ll be fine. This kind of thing happens all the time anyway….”
I placed a hand on Mark’s shoulder.
“Mark, have a beer.”
“…Yeah, beer. Right. I should drink. On a day like this. I never even got to talk to her properly, and I got rejected.”
“Mark… I’m sorry. If Michelle has no interest in me, I’ll let you know right away.”
[Dennis, why are you making Mark so miserable?]
I shook my head slowly.
Mark gulped down his beer.
“Ah, no. My soulmate definitely exists somewhere in this world. Right, Sung-guk?”
“Perhaps….”
[Single-person households are going to be the trend from now on. You should join in too, Mark!]
I patted Mark’s shoulder reassuringly.
* * *
After drinking three beers in succession, Mark collapsed onto his bed from the shock.
[Yeah, sleeping is better anyway.]
Dennis sipped his beer.
“Did I go too far….”
“It’s better to reveal the truth quickly. Don’t worry. Mark doesn’t hold grudges. He falls fast and gets over it just as fast. Then he’ll wander around like a starving jellyfish looking for his next target.”
“Well, that’s a relief then…. But why a jellyfish? Why not a hyena?”
“Mark is surprisingly transparent. You can see right through him. Jellyfish Mark. It’s just a nickname I came up with for him.”
“Sung-guk, you’re kind of funny yourself.”
[I’m probably the funniest among all the wealthy heirs. But I can’t exactly say that.]
I took a long swig of plain water.
“Dennis. Be honest with me—you’re dating Michelle, aren’t you?”
I asked him seriously.
Dennis was introverted and cautious by nature.
He wouldn’t have spoken so openly without some solid evidence backing him up.
At my words, Dennis scratched his head.
“Well… we haven’t actually said we’re dating or anything. But I’m pretty sure we both like each other. We’re meeting up before I head to Harvard tomorrow.”
“Of course, you probably tested the waters first by suggesting we all hang out together, right? But then Michelle said she wanted it to be just the two of you? How’s my guess?”
“Spot on.”
Dennis smiled shyly.
My shoulders lifted with satisfaction.
“Dennis, I may not know much about romance, but I’m pretty sharp when it comes to reading people, aren’t I?”
“Yeah, I’ll give you that.”
Dennis grinned.
“Dennis, congratulations on being the first among us to get out of the single life!”
“Thanks.”
I turned back and glanced at Mark sprawled out asleep on his bed.
[Sigh, now I’ve got one more person to look after besides my family. Tsk, tsk, tsk.]
I shook my head.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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