I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 12

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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 12
Inside the taxi heading home, the radio was broadcasting traffic information.
The roads seemed quite congested.
Mother loosened her baby sling for a moment and placed my hand on her swollen belly.
“Sung-guk, your little sibling is playing inside Mother’s belly right now.”
I could feel something poking and prodding against her belly.
At Samjeon Group, the birth of a sibling was not something to celebrate. It meant the arrival of a competitor.
Just looking at Father’s brothers, their relationship was often worse than strangers.
I withdrew my hand coldly from Mother’s belly.
[That competitor…]
Mother stared intently at Kim Mi-young, who sat beside me.
Since leaving Shinsung Entertainment, the Short-haired Woman hadn’t said a single word.
Mother glanced at Kim Mi-young’s expression carefully.
“Unni, is there something you want to tell me?”
“Well, there is…”
Kim Mi-young chose her words carefully.
Then Mother suddenly grabbed Kim Mi-young’s hand.
“Unni, would you consider becoming Sung-guk’s manager?”
I had just been thinking the same thing.
She was the only woman who had risen to the rank of department head in the Accounting Department at Samjeon Entertainment. Moreover, she was the last high school graduate employee there.
With that level of perseverance, she was more than qualified to be my manager.
I patted Mother’s belly twice as a sign of approval.
Pat, pat.
I quickly looked at Kim Mi-young.
[Short-haired Woman, I’m going to make you an offer you can’t refuse.]
At that moment, Mother patted my belly.
“Sung-guk, be quiet for a moment.”
[Tch. I have no choice.]
I closed my mouth and crossed my arms, staring sharply at Kim Mi-young.
Kim Mi-young looked back and forth between me and Mother, then slowly opened her mouth.
“Actually, I was going to bring that up first. Looks like 107 beat me to it.”
[Kim Mi-young, what did you just say? You’re really going to do it?]
I was surprised, and so was Mother.
“You’ve been thinking about it too?”
She nodded.
Kim Mi-young gave a short nod.
“But… what about your company?”
“I’m planning to quit. A single woman in her late thirties isn’t welcomed at the company anyway. I was preparing to start my own business with my savings… but I did imagine for a moment what it would be like if I managed Sung-guk’s career.”
The Short-haired Woman continued speaking calmly.
“The contract terms would naturally be better than Shinsung Entertainment, and since I have experience working in the Accounting Department, I’ll handle all financial matters cleanly. I’ve seen how managers work and manage things at Samjeon Entertainment.”
Kim Mi-young had already thought through everything—from the contract terms to her own appeal.
[So the short-haired woman had a plan all along.]
I tugged forcefully at Mother’s dress hem.
Short-haired Woman was the kind of talent who could serve as an excellent stepping stone for me to become a tycoon.
[Mom, tell her to draw up a contract!]
Mother nodded with resolve, as if she understood my words perfectly.
“Sister, I’ll be honest with you.”
“Speak freely. It’s okay to refuse.”
Kim Mi-young’s voice remained calm and measured.
“Sister, Sung-guk is still so young, and even though we’re poor, I don’t want to push him into entertainment if it causes him hardship. I looked into this because my due date is coming up soon. We might not continue after this one project.”
“That’s even better then. Companies like that lock you in for at least ten years. I’ll just terminate the contract when Sung-guk stops working.”
“Sister….”
“I’m doing this because I want to start something new myself, so you don’t need to thank me or feel sorry. Of course, I’ll take my pay for the work I do.”
There couldn’t be better terms than this.
I tugged at Mother’s clothes again.
[Come on, Mom, let’s work together.]
“Sister… forgive my boldness, but would you help me as Sung-guk’s manager?”
“Of course.”
Short-haired Woman answered with absolute certainty.
I stared at her intently, my arms folded across my belly.
[Kim Mi-young, I’ll be watching you from now on, so you’d better do well.]
“You’re quite the chatterbox. I’m counting on you going forward, Sung-guk.”
Kim Mi-young spoke with conviction.
My parents, though born as orphans and raised in loneliness without proper education, had clearly been blessed by heaven with exceptional fortune.
To meet such a capable landlord, and on top of that, to meet a prepared tycoon like myself….
I hugged Mother tightly.
Her swollen belly was somewhat in the way, but the younger sibling growing inside it was equally blessed by destiny.
Because I, Jeon Sung-guk, will be the one to lift this family to greatness.
I patted Mother’s belly.
[Little brother, you’re at least guaranteed a 14-karat gold spoon.]
* * *
“Five Men and a Baby Basket exceeded 25% viewership last week! The company has prepared a dinner celebration after we wrap today, so please everyone participate.”
Just’s manager shouted loudly.
Thanks to the popularity of Five Men and a Baby Basket, Just, which had been just one of countless rookie groups, saw its own popularity skyrocket as well.
“Alright, the company’s treating, so everyone attend. Let’s get rolling on filming!”
At the Director’s word, the set fell quiet again.
Jae-hyun, playing the mother role, lifted me into his arms.
Just then, Michael emerged from the kitchen with a banana in his mouth, and Jae-hyun was startled.
“Michael, that’s Sung-guk’s! What are you doing eating it!”
“Don’t I have a mouth too? I’m starving to death.”
“Ugh, seriously. When are you going to grow up?”
Jae-hyun scolded Michael, but Michael stuck his tongue out at me and made a mocking face.
I flailed my arms and legs as if I were about to swat him back in response.
Surprisingly, my antagonistic relationship with Michael among the five members of Just that I’d established was receiving tremendous love from viewers.
During the first night of filming, the scene where Michael tried to sprinkle hot sauce on my baby food and the way he tormented me all night were edited to look like the innocent mischief of an overgrown child.
On top of that, with a caption reading “The immature maknae seems jealous of his new little brother,” Michael had inadvertently become the older brother robbed of all affection by his youngest sibling.
It was truly devilish editing.
On various online forums, people compared my relationship with Michael to Tom and Jerry.
Now Michael leaned even further into his childlike persona.
People began calling us together “Udingz,” blending our names with the Korean word for immature.
Now Tae-hyung, playing the father figure, would step in to wrap up this situation and conclude today’s episode.
“Michael, stop! Jae-hyun, Sung-guk doesn’t look good. Check his diaper.”
“Yes, hyung.”
[Do I really have to expose myself again?]
No matter how much they pixelated it in post-production, Tae-hyung’s way of wrapping up episodes always involved something primitive like changing my diaper or feeding me milk.
Jae-hyun quickly pulled off my pants.
My lower half was suddenly exposed to the air.
“Sung-guk hasn’t peed yet.”
The camera suddenly pushed in close, filming me intently.
[Well then, should I give them a proper show?]
I furrowed my brow with all my might and sprayed urine directly at the camera.
[Ready… and fire!]
“Cut!”
The moment the Director’s voice rang out, the staff burst into laughter.
The Director’s voice was brimming with excitement.
“Today’s a total jackpot! How does he manage to pee right on cue? Isn’t our Sung-guk a real genius? The ratings for this episode are going to skyrocket. At this rate, we might even break 30 percent! Alright everyone, take a thirty-minute break and we’ll resume filming.”
The Director’s praise continued.
All the filming staff showered me with compliments without restraint.
[This attention and acclaim… it’s no different from my previous life.]
I basked in everyone’s attention.
Mother quickly came over, dressed me in pants, and placed a banana in my hand.
I chewed the soft banana with my front teeth, making crunching sounds.
“Sung-guk, isn’t this hard on you?”
[Mom, making money is always hard work. This is nothing. When I was Vice Chairman of Samjeon Group, I actually developed alopecia from stress.]
Mother patted my bottom and asked the staff member standing nearby to watch me.
“I’m just going to throw away some trash. Could you watch Sung-guk for me?”
“Of course, don’t worry and go ahead.”
I shifted my body slightly in the fluffy diaper.
[This diaper is actually decent. Money really is wonderful.]
For a while, I had suffered quite a bit because ill-fitting diapers had chafed my skin.
After switching to more expensive diapers, the rash never appeared again.
Just then, Michael approached and poked me lightly.
“Kid, you were really trying to kick me just now, weren’t you?”
[Is this bastard seriously trying to mess with me?]
Michael had an irritating face, but his character was even more garbage.
I turned my head away sharply. Ignoring things like this was better for one’s character.
“Hey, are you ignoring me right now?”
[This guy’s got a million tricks, seriously.]
“You, what are you muttering about! Doesn’t my word mean anything?”
I covered both my ears with my hands.
[Can’t hear. Can’t hear.]
I could see Michael’s frustrated face.
Suddenly, my waist stung.
Michael was pinching the flesh at my waist with his fingers.
[Did you just dare to pinch Jeon Sung-guk? Huh?!]
I quickly took a fighting stance.
A guy like this needed to be thoroughly crushed, or he’d keep crawling back.
I clenched my fists and glared at Michael.
Michael licked his lips teasingly.
“Oh, you want to hit me? Go ahead and try. Come on.”
[Ugh, this bastard.]
Just then, Kim Mi-young approached.
“What’s going on?”
When Kim Mi-young asked, Michael smiled awkwardly.
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
Nothing? You just pinched me!
I babbled in protest.
“Sung-guk is a child who doesn’t get angry over trivial things.”
Well said.
Michael stared at Kim Mi-young with a momentarily dumbfounded expression.
“What does a baby know? He just eats, sleeps, and poops.”
“Yet that baby made unknown people like you famous and got you in all sorts of commercials. Doesn’t that make you worse than that baby, Michael?”
Michael was left speechless.
I looked up at Kim Mi-young’s solid shoulders.
“What.”
Michael huffed and muttered a few words in English before leaving.
It was clearly English he spat out, assuming neither I nor Kim Mi-young would understand.
Translated, it meant something like: Both the kid and the manager are annoying as hell.
I watched Michael’s retreating back of his head.
[Michael, I’ll remember you. Watch yourself from now on.]
Kim Mi-young grasped my clenched fist.
“Sung-guk, don’t be angry. There are people in this world not worth your rage. The best thing to do with such people is to ignore them completely.”
[Huh?]
In that moment, I looked at Kim Mi-young anew.
Kim Mi-young saw through Michael’s true nature at a glance.
Yes, complete indifference.
Until now, whenever Michael mocked me, my blood boiled and I’d react visibly.
Because of that, my conflict with Michael had become the show’s main attraction.
If I ignored Michael or refused to react to him going forward, he would naturally fade from the camera’s view.
[I’ve grown up, but I’ve been far too emotional all this time.]
I pulled my chubby arms up as far as I could and stroked my chin.
Mother returned after throwing out the trash and scooped me into her arms.
“Michael said he’d watch over Sung-guk, but where did he go?”
“Sung-guk’s mother, I think it’s best not to leave him with Michael from now on.”
“Why? Did he do something to hurt Sung-guk?”
Mother held me tightly, her face filled with alarm.
“Michael is still just a child, after all.”
Kim Mi-young smoothly redirected the conversation.
It was clear she didn’t want to worry Mother.
I gripped Mother’s collar tightly.
[Mother, don’t worry. I’ll deal with Michael properly later.]
Just then, all the lights in the ‘Just’ Dormitory went out at once.
What’s this?
As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, everything before me was pitch black for a moment.
Mother held me close and whispered.
“Sung-guk, it’s alright. Mother’s here.”
I nestled into Mother’s embrace.
Worry melted away.
Because Mother was here.
Soon Beom-seon approached with a flashlight.
“Sung-guk, are you alright?”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
“Follow me. Since our dormitory is a semi-basement, we have flashlights ready.”
Beom-seon, usually taciturn, hadn’t received much attention since the program began.
But if I was on the film set, I knew Beom-seon quietly handled everything behind the scenes.
“Watch your step on the stairs.”
Beom-seon illuminated each step with his flashlight.
“Does the power go out often around here?”
Kim Mi-young asked.
“Not frequently, but there’s a lot of construction in this area. The power lines get hit pretty often, so blackouts do happen.”
With Beom-seon’s help, we managed to escape the semi-basement ‘Just’ Dormitory without incident.
A staff member approached with an urgent expression.
“What should we do? I contacted the electric company and they said it’ll take several hours to restore power. I’m afraid we’ll have to call off filming for today.”
“There’s nothing we can do about it. We’ll head home with Sung-guk then.”
“Yes, please get some rest today, and I’ll contact you tomorrow morning once the schedule is confirmed.”
The staff member bowed and disappeared.
Mother looked at Beom-seon with concern.
“What will you and the other members do?”
“We have flashlights and candles. Don’t worry.”
Beom-seon smiled brightly.
Both Mother and Kim Mi-young stared at him, mesmerized.
Beom-seon was indeed the type who would be popular with women.

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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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