I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 133

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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 133
Click.
As I opened the dormitory door and stepped inside, soft jazz piano melodies drifted from the speakers.
[What is this… this melancholic vibe?]
Dennis sat at his desk with his head in his hands, staring at his laptop. When he heard me enter, he turned to look at me.
“Sung-guk…”
[I created one emotional wreck with Mark, and now it’s Dennis’s turn?]
“Dennis, what’s wrong?”
“Sigh…”
Dennis exhaled a deep, world-weary sigh.
“Michelle’s dating someone.”
[Oh no! One of the biggest side effects of FaceNote has just manifested.]
Since the features hadn’t been subdivided yet, we could see the current status of everyone connected to us.
I patted Dennis on the shoulder.
[But this is exactly like Dennis’s movie plot…]
Dennis’s second work was a story about young people who gathered in Los Angeles chasing their individual dreams.
And the ending showed that while these former lovers achieved their dreams, they each went on to live separate, happy lives.
[Right, love is useless. Dennis, you live life alone!]
“Sung-guk… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to show you such an ugly side of myself.”
“Dennis, remember when we talked about that short scenario before?”
“You mean besides ‘The Whip’?”
“Yeah. The story about young people gathering in Los Angeles to chase their dreams.”
“Oh, right. We did talk about that, didn’t we?”
“Dennis, from what I can tell, you have real talent for turning your own experiences into stories.”
It wasn’t just my analysis—it was the truth.
Dennis perked up slightly and looked at me.
“Sung-guk, are you telling me to write that story we talked about? The one about people gathering in Los Angeles to find their dreams?”
“Yeah. That’s what they say—you get over heartbreak through creative work.”
I’d done the same thing back in my days as a tycoon.
I’d never given my heart fully to any woman, but after breakups, I’d often felt a certain loneliness.
During those times, I’d thrown myself into work with obsessive intensity. The Samjeon Group during that period never slept.
Dennis seemed to find some composure.
“You know, when I see you like this, it really feels like there are several old men living inside you.”
I simply laughed.
[Dennis, there’s a former tycoon inside me. I have an incredible nose for money, you know. All of this is my investment in you.]
“Oh, by the way, Sung-guk. The Winklevoss Brothers want to meet me. What do you think that’s about?”
“They want to meet you?”
“Yeah. They contacted me through FaceNote. They heard I’m an aspiring film director and want to meet up. Apparently their father runs an investment company and they’re interested in entertainment.”
It was a classic setup.
Since I wasn’t biting, they were clearly trying to hook Dennis to get to me.
“Dennis, thank you for saying that. And would it be alright if I gave you some advice?”
“Of course. You’re the source of my inspiration.”
“Dennis, you can’t just stamp your seal on any contract without reading it. You know how it works in Hollywood—we don’t read random scripts that arrive by mail or email, right?”
“Ah….”
In Hollywood, ignoring unsolicited scripts that arrived randomly was practically an unwritten law.
It had become standard practice after a production company that opened a mailed script faced a massive lawsuit from the script’s sender following the film’s release.
Dennis was also delaying the 【The Whip】 script because he was deleting the opinions Michelle had given him.
“Just like the Winklevoss Brothers said, their father runs a major investment firm. Can you imagine what would happen the moment their opinions made it into your screenplay?”
“My screenplay wouldn’t truly be mine anymore.”
“Exactly. Dennis, if I were you, I wouldn’t even dip my toes into such temptations until this screenplay is perfectly finished.”
Dennis slapped his cheeks hard, as if trying to snap himself back to reality.
“I’ve been out of my mind because of Michelle. If it weren’t for your advice, Sung-guk, I would’ve made a huge mistake. The truth is, if the Winklevoss Brothers offered to invest, I wanted to jump at it just to succeed faster. Michelle moved to Los Angeles and found a boyfriend, and here I am, stuck in the dormitory wondering what I’m doing with my life.”
“Dennis, there’s a Korean saying: the more urgent the matter, the longer the detour you should take.”
Dennis nodded.
“Sung-guk, you’re my savior.”
[I’m saving so many people today. You all better not forget my kindness!]
I shrugged my shoulders.
“Dennis, how about we have some milk?”
“Sure, I’ll take a beer!”
Dennis pulled a beer and milk from the refrigerator.
“Sung-guk, but you look a bit down today. Did something bad happen?”
“No… I just lifted Mark’s workplace romance ban.”
“Really? Does it look like things might work out between him and Lim Mi-mi?”
“Not at all.”
I gulped down my milk.
“Then why are you feeling down?”
“I’m wondering when Mark’s long unrequited love will finally end.”
“Sung-guk, you’re a true friend. You even worry about things like that.”
[I’m worried Mark will lose focus on work if he’s confused. That’s why I imposed the workplace romance ban in the first place… but today my resolve weakened. It’s unlike me….]
I sipped my milk in rhythm with the mellow jazz melody.
[Sometimes I do things that aren’t like me, I suppose.]
* * *
Mark, Lim Mi-mi, and I came to the office every day, focusing on further refining the features of FaceNote.
A month passed like that.
Over that month, Lim Mi-mi’s abilities were remarkable. Most importantly, she understood my and Mark’s instructions 100% and freely offered her own opinions as well.
Of course, the relationship between Mark and Lim Mi-mi remained completely parallel lines with no intersection whatsoever.
[I knew it would be like this….]
In any case, today I needed to discuss Lim Mi-mi’s formal employment with Mark.
As quitting time arrived, I saw Lim Mi-mi putting her laptop into her bag and packing up. It was the laptop she usually left at the office.
Both Mark and I watched silently as Lim Mi-mi gathered her things.
Truth be told, I hadn’t yet finalized Lim Mi-mi’s hiring with Mark.
Lim Mi-mi slung her bag over her shoulder and glanced back and forth between me and Mark.
“Restaurant Owner, Mark. Just decide comfortably. If I get fired, it’d be embarrassing to come back to the office to grab my things.”
Mark pressed his lips together and said nothing.
In moments like this, I had to step in.
“Lim Mi-mi, you’ve really demonstrated exceptional skills during this time. All the FaceNote users say they’re improving day by day. Mark says you’ve been a huge help too. But what concerns me most is…”
I looked directly at Mark with honesty.
Mark pointed at himself with his finger and asked.
“Why are you looking at me, Sung-guk?”
“Mark, can you continue working with Lim Mi-mi?”
“Mi-mi… of course, she’s a really talented programmer. Having her around is definitely helpful.”
“Then let’s continue working together, Lim Mi-mi.”
I looked at Lim Mi-mi.
Lim Mi-mi asked with a puzzled expression.
“Restaurant Owner, didn’t you just say there was something that concerned you?”
“What concerned me was Mark.”
“Sung-guk, what are you talking about!”
Mark bristled.
“Restaurant Owner, why would Mark be a concern?”
“Lim Mi-mi, did Mark treat you strangely at all during this past month?”
“Ah…”
Lim Mi-mi smiled faintly and set her bag down on the desk with an understanding expression.
“Restaurant Owner, don’t worry. I’ve handled that very cleanly.”
Mark’s face, from what I could glimpse, didn’t look particularly relieved.
“Mark, are you okay? Honestly, your opinion comes first for me. Lim Mi-mi is important, but you’re the most important person in this company.”
I made sure Lim Mi-mi understood Mark’s importance.
No matter how talented Lim Mi-mi was, dismissing Mark was simply unthinkable.
“Sung-guk, I’ve been thinking very rationally while working with you.”
[That doesn’t seem right…]
“Programmers with Mi-mi’s level of skill aren’t easy to find anywhere. Especially her security expertise is remarkable. She’s definitely a programmer we desperately need, and I’d really like for Mi-mi to continue working with us going forward. As a colleague.”
I thought I understood what Lim Mi-mi meant by saying she’d “handled it cleanly.”
I looked at Lim Mi-mi.
“Lim Mi-mi, you can leave your bag here. We’ll discuss your detailed salary and such tomorrow. Don’t unpack everything just in case you decide to quit if you’re not satisfied.”
“You’re as thorough as always, Restaurant Owner. Then I’ll be going. You two can discuss the rest.”
Lim Mi-mi left the office like that.
I quickly checked on Mark.
“Sung-guk, if only you could drink alcohol…”
“Mark, what exactly happened between you two?”
“Sung-guk, didn’t you say it? The answer might be in Korean dramas.”
“So?”
“In Korean dramas, the charming male leads are always taciturn, quietly protecting their heroines.”
[Mark, what kind of dramas have you been watching?!]
Mark went to the refrigerator, grabbed a beer, and cracked it open. Without pausing for breath, he drained nearly half the bottle.
“So whenever Lim Mi-mi would leave work, I’d quietly follow her to keep watch. Even at the office, I barely spoke. Then one day, Lim Mi-mi called me aside.”
“Did she realize you had feelings for her?”
“No… She told me to speak my mind directly if something bothered me. She said she’d been through enough public criticism back home that being cursed to her face didn’t faze her. She didn’t want things to be awkward between us as coworkers and colleagues. She was very blunt about it.”
“So she didn’t realize you liked her…”
“Lim Mi-mi thought I disliked her. Sung-guk, there must be answers in Korean dramas!”
Mark wailed.
“What Korean dramas exactly have you been watching?”
“‘Stars in My Heart,’ ‘Love Nestled in Your Embrace’—that kind of thing. In those shows, the male leads always clamp their mouths shut and watch the heroines with angry faces. And they shoulder all the world’s sorrows!”
“Sigh…”
I exhaled deeply.
Even if it was 2004, those were incredibly outdated dramas.
“Mark, those shows were trendy in South Korea a decade ago.”
“What?! Sung-guk, you should have explained this properly. I asked people on FaceNote, and they all said these were entertaining!”
“Entertainment and trends are two different things, Mark.”
I patted Mark’s back.
“But actually, Mark—maybe this worked out for the best?”
“How is this for the best?”
“Lim Mi-mi doesn’t know you like her. If you’d confessed and been rejected, working together would’ve been even more awkward. This way is better, isn’t it?”
“I suppose…”
Mark scratched his head.
“Mark, you’re working with Lim Mi-mi again anyway. And your unrequited love never came to light. You know what they say in South Korea? Even worn-out straw sandals find their match.”
“So, Sung-guk, my match is out there somewhere too, right?”
[Though I’ve seen plenty of unmatched sandals lately…]
I swallowed the rest of my words.
Mark drained the rest of his beer with a dejected expression.
“Sung-guk, I just wish that when my soulmate appears, someone in heaven would send me a notification—ding!—so I’d know right away. Then I wouldn’t have to test the waters or anything; I could just charge straight ahead. I’d recognize instantly that this person is my destined match sent from heaven. How wonderful would that be? Why didn’t God create such a notification?”
“A notification? How did I not think of that!”
[I can’t believe I’m only thinking of this now! Before smartphones became widespread, I’ve been overlooking something crucial.]
“Sung-guk, what’s wrong?”
“Mark! Your heartbreak is the key to FaceNote’s evolution. Which means you absolutely cannot date! Dating is banned again!”
“Sung-guk, what are you talking about?”
I quickly opened FaceNote.
“Mark, there’s one thing we’re missing.”
“What’s that?”
“Notifications.”
“Notifications?”
“When someone comments on my post, a notification pops up immediately. Otherwise, I’d have to keep checking manually every time.”
“Sung-guk! You’re a genius! How did you come up with that idea just from listening to me?”
“Mark, let’s just say we’re both geniuses.”
Mark’s face lit up as he began tinkering with FaceNote’s programming.
“Sung-guk, this is a really great idea. I’ll start coding it right now. Would it be too much to ask Lim Mi-mi to come in?”
“She’s a full-time employee now, and we’ll pay overtime, so what’s the problem?”
I quickly called Lim Mi-mi.
– Sir, did you call because you’ve decided to let me go?
“Of course not. Lim Mi-mi, can you come in right now?”
– What? I just left work.
“Mark and I just came up with an absolutely brilliant idea. I’ll pay overtime, of course!”
– There’s nothing to do at home anyway. But I want dinner.
“I’ll buy you a hamburger!”
– I’m on my way, sir!

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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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