I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 146
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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 146
The Stewardess standing behind us smiled warmly as she observed the two brothers.
“Your brotherly bond is truly special. It’s wonderful to see.”
Min-guk nudged my side and whispered.
“Hyung, do your best.”
“Min-guk, if I dated you in the United States, I’d break the law.”
“Hyung? What are you talking about?”
Min-guk stared at me with startled eyes.
I quickly thanked the Stewardess again.
“In any case, thank you for everything. If you contact us while you’re here, we’ll treat you to a meal.”
“Can’t we eat now?”
“Aren’t you tired from the flight?”
“I’m tired, but I’m hungrier.”
[Hmm… is this a move?]
I couldn’t impose on someone who had been so kind to us.
“Oh, I’m still a minor, so we’d need to go to a restaurant that doesn’t serve alcohol. Is that alright with you?”
I phrased it carefully.
The Stewardess looked somewhat surprised.
“Min-guk said you were a Harvard student… but a minor? What do you mean?”
“Well… I skipped grades quite a lot. I’m fourteen years old in Korean age.”
“What?”
The Stewardess was nearly shocked.
[Well, I’m used to this sort of thing by now.]
Women on the Harvard Campus trying to get my number.
Women asking for my contact through FaceNote.
When I told women at restaurants, cafes, and other places who asked for my contact this, they all reacted the same way.
Min-guk and I both stroked our chins identically.
“Min-guk didn’t mention that, I’m sorry.”
“Haha.”
The Stewardess laughed pleasantly.
“My goodness, fourteen? I can speak casually with you, right?”
“Yes…”
“That makes sense. Min-guk said you were the baby from that parenting program where Just appeared… and if you’re a Harvard student, the ages didn’t quite add up. I did wonder about that… but seeing you in person, you’re quite tall, so I thought I must have been mistaken.”
“I’m sorry. Min-guk is quite the prankster.”
“It’s not a prank, hyung. Miss, isn’t my hyung cool?”
Min-guk introduced me proudly.
“He is cool. But there’s too much of an age difference between us, Min-guk. I’ll just appreciate the sentiment.”
“Ugh… hyung, in American dramas, even middle schoolers date all the time. Why can’t you?”
“In the United States, it’s not allowed for adults to date minors, Jeon Min-guk.”
I clenched my teeth.
Min-guk pouted slightly.
“Sigh… I really liked how kind you were, miss.”
“Min-guk, then why don’t you just be friends with my brother and me?”
“Really?”
“Of course.”
The stewardess continued to coax Min-guk with genuine kindness.
“Miss, how about you have dinner with my brother tonight? My brother. He makes really good money.”
The stewardess tilted her head and looked up at me.
“But… the more Min-guk talks, the more mysterious this gets. A Harvard student at this age, and he makes money too?”
“That’s quite a story. I’ll treat you to dinner as thanks and explain everything.”
“Alright… Min-guk, what would you like to eat?”
At the stewardess’s question, Min-guk squeezed my hand tightly and pulled.
“Brother… whatever miss wants to eat is what I want to eat.”
[This kid’s a real operator.]
* * *
We settled into a small Italian Restaurant downtown.
“Min-guk, are you really sure it’s okay to eat whatever I want?”
“Yes! Miss, I know how to eat pasta too.”
“But I’m not sure if I should be eating off my younger siblings’ plates.”
“Sister Eun-ji, my brother is rich!”
The stewardess’s name was Jung Eun-ji, and she mentioned during the taxi ride to the restaurant that she’d been doing this job for about five years.
“By the way, Sung-guk. What exactly is your business?”
“Have you ever heard of FaceNote?”
“No…”
FaceNote was probably still unfamiliar to most Korean people.
“Think of it as similar to Acorn World, which operates in Korea. My high school classmate Mark developed it, and it’s growing quite a bit now. We’ve even received investment.”
“Is that why you’re staying here?”
“Yes. I had an office near school, but I thought it would be better to come to Silicon Valley to network with people doing similar work.”
“Now things are starting to make sense one by one. Why you look like that and are still a minor. And why a Harvard student is in the San Francisco area? I was wondering about that too.”
“I’m not a scammer, I promise.”
“I know. I’ve seen the articles.”
Min-guk had shown Jung Eun-ji all the articles about me while we were waiting for the taxi.
Eun-ji smiled softly and twirled her Bolognese with her fork.
Min-guk imitated her, twirling his pasta noodles.
“Miss, is this how you eat it?”
“Yes.”
Eun-ji’s eyes sparkled as she watched Min-guk.
I subtly asked Eun-ji a question.
“Sister, Min-guk’s dream is to be a singer.”
“Really?”
“My dream is to become a singer like H.A.T. What do you think of my chances, noona?”
“The moment I saw Min-guk at the airport, he caught my eye immediately. We see a lot of celebrities, you know. Honestly, both you and Min-guk are among the most handsome people I’ve ever seen.”
[What? Is she really comparing me to Min-guk right now?]
Eun-ji continued to gush about Min-guk’s and my appearance.
“Sung-guk, how do I put this? You have this somewhat cold, unapproachable look. You’re almost too handsome….”
[I suppose I do have that kind of aura.]
“But Min-guk is handsome too, except he gives off such a friendly vibe. He seems playful, and somehow I feel like he’d answer kindly if I talked to him….”
Min-guk grinned at the compliment.
[Jeon Min-guk, you’re saying you’re less handsome than me.]
“If I went on a blind date and there were handsome guys like you and Min-guk, obviously I would….”
[Choose me.]
“Choose Min-guk.”
“Pardon?”
My true feelings slipped out in my surprise.
Eun-ji laughed brightly and waved her hand dismissively.
“Sung-guk, why are you so shocked?”
“Hyung, see? I’m more popular than you.”
“….”
I slurped my pasta with a stiff expression.
“Sung-guk, you’re so handsome that it’s hard to approach you. Plus, Min-guk is so warm, but you’re kind of quiet.”
“Noona, our hyung really only says what he needs to say. He has no sense of humor or charm.”
[Min-guk, let’s talk about how lacking in charm you are when you look at the schedule later.]
I quietly slurped my pasta while observing the chattering Min-guk.
Handsome but with a cute image. Warm personality….
[An idol with this kind of image would be necessary too.]
Eun-ji, who had been talking with Min-guk, looked at me.
“Sung-guk, can I join FaceNote too?”
“Of course, noona. Please promote it to your friends as well.”
“Naturally.”
* * *
Back at the dormitory, Jeon Tae-guk examined his FaceNote profile, which had no visitors yet, as he browsed through accounts of pretty women.
Young Secretary Yang appeared from behind with a hamburger and a drink, offering them to Jeon Tae-guk.
“Young master, please eat while you research.”
“Just a hamburger?”
“It’s from a very famous hamburger place around here. I’m sure you’ll be eating there often once you start working at FaceNote.”
“It really is cheap….”
At that moment, a photo of Jung Eun-ji from the airplane appeared on the FaceNote screen. She was among the newly registered members.
“Look at that? She must have joined just to see me….”
Jeon Tae-guk quickly sent a friend request to Jung Eun-ji.
* * *
I sat down with Jung Eun-ji at the restaurant and showed her how to add friends on FaceNote using my laptop.
“I’ve already sent you a friend request, so you just need to accept it.”
At that moment, Jung Eun-ji’s brow furrowed.
“What? Jeon Tae-guk….”
I glanced over and saw that Jeon Tae-guk had already sent Jung Eun-ji a friend request at lightning speed.
“Just reject it, noona.”
“Oh, really?”
“Of course.”
“Okay!”
Jung Eun-ji quickly accepted my friend request. And she rejected Jeon Tae-guk’s request outright.
* * *
“What? Huh? She rejected me?”
Jeon Tae-guk entered Jung Eun-ji’s FaceNote profile with a bewildered expression.
Then Jeon Sung-guk’s name immediately appeared in her new friends list.
“What? She rejected me but accepted Jeon Sung-guk right away? These people… Don’t they know who I am….”
“Young master, there seems to be some misunderstanding. Why don’t you have dinner first and sort this out later?”
“No, why is everyone rejecting my friend requests? I should tell Father to run more Samjeon ads in America. I even introduced myself as the heir to Samjeon Group, but Americans are rejecting me too!”
Young Secretary Yang glanced at Jeon Tae-guk’s FaceNote profile.
His bio read: Heir to Samjeon Group.
And there was a stiff family photo with relatives taken over generations, while his profile picture looked like an ID photo taken at a studio—the kind you’d pay for.
In short, he looked like a total loser to anyone who saw it.
Young Secretary Yang kept his mouth shut.
“Secretary Yang, did you buy the beer?”
“Yes, young master. Shall I bring it?”
“But… I saw a woman at Sung-guk’s dormitory earlier. Should I invite her to drink with us?”
“Perhaps it would be better to relax and rest tonight? I’ll arrange a proper greeting and company dinner once I’m back at work.”
“Sigh… Nothing ever goes my way!”
Jeon Tae-guk stood up and grumbled as he grabbed the beer.
* * *
Jung Eun-ji repeatedly asked the taxi driver to take care of me and Sung-guk.
“Driver, please take good care of them. Sung-guk, Min-guk, if anything happens, contact noona right away!”
[Jung Eun-ji, I’m an adult. I’m even better at English than you!]
“Noona, I’ll check in with you on FaceNote.”
“Good. Once you get home, you have to post on FaceNote that you arrived safely. Understood?”
“Yes!”
Jung Eun-ji watched us until the taxi turned the corner.
“Hyung, it’s so dark here, but I’m not sleepy at all.”
“It’s jet lag.”
Silicon Valley and Korea had about a sixteen-hour time difference.
Min-guk gazed out the taxi window with wonder the entire ride to the dormitory.
“Hyung, this place is amazing. Am I really going to study here from now on?”
“Of course. Min-guk, I’ve already planned out your entire summer language program.”
“What?”
Min-guk’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Hyung, you’ve already planned it all? What do you mean by that?”
“It’s the best language academy Grace recommended. And I’ve also found a private tutor who’ll teach you at home after you finish at the academy.”
“Hyung… you want me to study at home too?”
“Min-guk, we made a contract, remember? I won’t let you debut if you don’t study.”
“Hyung… I really like you. I came to America because I wanted to be by your side…”
Min-guk slumped his shoulders and spoke in a dejected voice, clearly acting.
[Do you think I’d fall for that twice?]
I’d already been fooled by Min-guk and Ji-hee’s acting at the airport.
“Min-guk.”
“Yes, hyung?”
“There’s no mercy left. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“…”
Min-guk’s eyes trembled with shock.
I handed Min-guk his schedule.
“Min-guk, this is your summer vacation schedule.”
Min-guk took the schedule and gasped in horror.
“Hyung… this is too much. If I go to the academy at 9 AM and finish at 6 PM, when am I supposed to play?”
“Jeon Min-guk, did you come to America to play?”
“That’s not it… I’m still just a kid.”
“Jeon Min-guk, at your age I was studying so hard to rebuild our family that I broke out in heat rash. You want to play first and study later?”
Min-guk stared at the schedule with a look of utter despair.
“Sigh… being born as your younger brother might be the biggest problem of my life.”
Min-guk let out a sigh as if the entire nation had collapsed.
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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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