I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 147

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

Chapter 147
“This is the dormitory where I stay.”
I carried Min-guk’s suitcase and opened the dormitory door.
Min-guk shuffled in with slumped shoulders, dragging his feet.
Mark and Lim Mi-mi, who happened to be eating hamburgers in the living room, greeted Min-guk.
“Min-guk! I’m Mark. Do you remember me?”
“Yeah…”
Min-guk answered listlessly.
“Sung-guk, why does Min-guk look so down?”
“I showed him the summer vacation schedule on the taxi ride here.”
“That would definitely do it…”
Then I introduced Lim Mi-mi.
“Min-guk, this is Lim Mi-mi. She’ll manage your studies after you come back from the Language Academy. She’s also an employee at our company.”
“Nice to meet you, Min-guk.”
Lim Mi-mi greeted him warmly in Korean.
“Oh, yes… But your name sounds like someone from North Korea.”
“Yeah. I’m from North Korea.”
At those words, Min-guk’s eyes widened in shock again.
“You’re really from North Korea?”
“Yes. I went through the elite education track from elementary school through university in North Korea. Getting into Kim Il-sung University in North Korea is harder than getting into Harvard in the United States. I’ll manage you using the exact same educational methods I received in North Korea!”
“Hyung!”
Min-guk practically clung to me, nearly in tears.
“Hyung, I’ll listen to you well. I’m scared of North Korea!”
“Lim Mi-mi isn’t scary. As long as you listen well…”
“Hyung, why are you doing this to me? Huh?”
“Min-guk, didn’t you beg Mom and Dad to let you study English?”
“Yeah…”
Min-guk nodded, his face on the verge of tears.
“Do you know how much it costs per month to study here in the United States?”
“Sniff. I don’t know.”
Min-guk shook his head.
“Mom and Dad have been working themselves to the bone at the restaurant and company since morning, sending you here with that hard-earned money. If you go back to Korea without properly learning English, is that acceptable?”
“That’s…”
“It’s not, right?”
“No, hyung.”
Min-guk nodded.
“But if you work hard following the schedule I gave you, I’ll take you to YouTube.”
“Hyung, what’s YouTube?”
“It’s a platform where anyone can upload videos they’ve created. Min-guk, from now on, if you want to become a singer, you can succeed by uploading your own videos directly and showcasing yourself to the public first.”
“Really, hyung?”
“When have you ever seen me lie?”
“No way!”
Min-guk finally perked up.
“You’ll study hard, right?”
“Hyung, so can I tour that company and upload a video of me dancing?”
“Of course. But you have to show me first.”
[One wrong move and it’ll become a dark chapter in your life, Min-guk.]
“Okay! I will! Hyung, should I start studying right now?”
I checked the time.
It was past 10 PM.
“Min-guk, you need to adjust to the time difference, so let’s wash up and get some good sleep tonight.”
“Okay! Hyung, but I’m sleeping with you tonight, right?”
“Of course.”
I showed Min-guk my room.
He looked around the room before his eyes landed on the small cot.
“Hyung, I’m sleeping there?”
“Yeah. Why? Is it too small?”
“No… I want to sleep with you, hyung. Holding you tight.”
[That kid Min-guk has such bad sleeping habits…]
Min-guk suddenly rushed over and clung to me, looking up with bright, sparkling eyes.
“Hyung, let’s sleep together. The bed is plenty wide.”
“Fine. But if you have bad sleeping habits, you’re sleeping on the cot instead.”
“Okay! Hyung! I’ll wash up first. Oh, and…”
Min-guk suddenly opened his suitcase and pulled out various side dishes and seaweed that Mother had packed.
“Mom told me to give you this. Seaweed and side dishes.”
“Got it. Go wash up.”
“Okay, hyung!”
Min-guk excitedly headed to the bathroom.
* * *
I unpacked the side dishes Mother had sent in the kitchen.
Red chili paste, various banchan, and seaweed—she’d sent quite a lot.
“Sung-guk, is that what I think it is?”
Mark’s face lit up when he saw the seaweed.
“You know what seaweed is, Mark?”
“Of course. Lim Mi-mi told me it tastes great with beer.”
Lim Mi-mi’s eyes narrowed.
“Chairman, how would you know seaweed tastes good with beer?”
I met Lim Mi-mi’s gaze calmly.
“Lim Mi-mi, why are you asking the same question as Mark? Of course I didn’t know. My parents told me about it.”
“I see. That makes sense.”
Lim Mi-mi tilted her head slightly in confusion.
Mark quickly pulled out a beer and handed it to Lim Mi-mi. Then he opened some snacks.
“Sung-guk, you must be busy taking care of your brother and running the company.”
“I’m not doing much. Everything just follows the schedule I’ve set up.”
[This is the land of freedom, America, but for Min-guk it’s Sparta!]
I grinned wickedly.
“Restaurant Owner, sometimes when I see you, you seem like someone meticulously terrifying.”
“Lim Mi-mi, there’s no such thing as a free lunch in this world. Not even for family.”
I raised the corners of my mouth again.
[Min-guk, remember this. I’ve had you earning your keep since you were three years old!]
* * *
Min-guk, still not adjusted to the time difference, tossed and turned in bed.
“Hyung, I can’t fall asleep.”
“Min-guk, go to sleep. I need to sleep early so I can work at the company tomorrow.”
“Hyung. Then, can I sleep hugging you tightly? Like when I was a baby?”
[He remembers from when he was a baby?]
I quickly looked at Min-guk.
Before I knew it, Min-guk had wrapped his arms tightly around my waist.
“This makes it feel like I’ve really gone back to being a baby, Hyung.”
“Min-guk, do you remember from when you were a baby?”
[No way?]
“Yeah! You showed me TV for child actor auditions and had me practice expressions and stuff. You even told me to roll around on the floor….”
For a moment, I froze.
[Is this the memory of someone with an IQ of 160? Just how much does this kid remember?]
“Min-guk, do you remember everything I told you to do?”
“Yeah! You said back then that three years old was the age to start earning your keep.”
“Min-guk, when did I ever say that?”
I clenched my teeth.
“Hmm. I guess so… that’s how I remember it… Hyung, I’m sleepy now. Hyung, good night.”
Before long, Min-guk had fallen into a deep sleep.
Now twelve years old.
A fifth grader in elementary school remembering rolling around on the floor when he was three….
I was momentarily overwhelmed by shock.
I quietly tried to slip my hand out of Min-guk’s grip.
Then Min-guk hugged my belly tightly again.
“Hyung, don’t go.”
“Okay. Hyung’s here. Go to sleep now.”
“Mmm….”
Min-guk fell back into a deep sleep.
I stared blankly out the darkened window.
I had been so harsh on my younger siblings in my determination to lift this family out of poverty.
But thanks to that, our household at least had food to eat and a roof over our heads.
I gently patted Min-guk, who was tossing and turning in his sleep.
“Min-guk, your older brother will continue to be harsh on you going forward. I don’t ask for much. You need to earn your own living. Understood?”
“Mmm….”
Min-guk answered drowsily.
I quickly pressed a stamp onto Min-guk’s thumb.
* * *
Young Secretary Yang knocked on Jeon Tae-guk’s door repeatedly.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
But there was no response from inside the room.
It was already past 8 o’clock.
Young Secretary Yang spoke toward the door.
“Young Master, we need to depart from here at 8:30. Are you awake? Young Master?”
Still no response.
There was nothing else to do.
Young Secretary Yang spoke toward the door again and turned the doorknob.
“Young Master, I’m coming in!”
As I opened the door and stepped inside, I heard Jeon Tae-guk’s soft snoring.
And scattered across the floor were countless beer cans.
Young Secretary Yang quickly shook Jeon Tae-guk awake.
“Young Master, you need to wake up now or you’ll be late for the company.”
“Ugh, what? What time is it?”
“Young Master, it’s past 8 o’clock.”
“Tell them I’m coming in late today.”
“Young Master, this isn’t the Samjeon Group—this is where you’re supposed to be interning. Being late would be problematic.”
“What are you talking about? I don’t care. I’m going back to sleep. Come wake me up around 10. Now get out!”
Jeon Tae-guk shouted irritably.
Young Secretary Yang had no choice but to close the door and leave.
* * *
Young Secretary Yang spoke apologetically as he started the car engine.
“Sung-guk, I think I’ll have to drop you two off and head back home. No matter how much I try to wake the Young Master, he won’t get up.”
[That’s just like Jeon Tae-guk. I didn’t expect anything anyway, Secretary Yang.]
“It’s fine, hyung. FaceNote may be small, but it’s still a legitimate company. If he acts like this, we’ll just have to handle it at the company level.”
I answered calmly.
“Sung-guk, it’s his first day, so cut him some slack. The Young Master has never reported to a company before.”
“Hyung, I’ve been working while attending Harvard at fourteen years old. A grown man over twenty can’t even keep his schedule straight—that’s not acceptable.”
Lim Mi-mi nodded as she got into the car.
“His prospects are looking pretty bleak.”
“Mi-mi noona, do they use that expression in North Korea too?”
Min-guk had already started speaking warmly to Lim Mi-mi.
“Min-guk, I’m going to teach you English, not North Korean.”
“Sister Mi-mi, I’m just curious and asking. Oh, and Sister Mi-mi. Your outfit looks really great today.”
Min-guk flashed a disarming smile.
“Really?”
Even the stoic Lim Mi-mi was already falling for Min-guk’s lethal charm.
[Women really are something….]
I shook my head in disbelief.
Falling for such a simple trick!
At that moment, Lim Mi-mi smiled slightly and patted Min-guk’s shoulder.
“Min-guk, I’ll teach you North Korean in the evening too.”
“Really? Later when I become a singer, can I brag that I actually learned North Korean from a North Korean?”
“Of course.”
Mark nudged my side.
“Sung-guk, you and Min-guk have completely opposite personalities.”
“Even our faces are opposite. I’m a sculpted handsome man. That guy is a charming personality type.”
“Pfft.”
Mark barely suppressed his laughter.
“Mark, let’s get to work.”
“Yeah, Sung-guk. I’ve always wondered why you don’t have a girlfriend when you’re so handsome. But now I see why.”
“What?”
“Oh, never mind. Let’s just get to the office.”
[I’m different from Min-guk. I’m the kind of man who’s warm only to my own woman!]
* * *
Jeon Tae-guk finally arrived at the office after 10 AM.
His hair was disheveled and his face still drowsy.
Despite being wrapped in luxury brands from head to toe, he looked worse than someone in clothes bought from a street stall.
Jeon Tae-guk scanned the office and found Young Secretary Yang.
“Secretary Yang, where’s my seat?”
“Young Master, you may set up your desk wherever you’d like. Which spot appeals to you?”
Jeon Tae-guk looked around and pointed to the spot next to Lim Mi-mi.
“Right there.”
[He’s exactly as predictable as I expected, Jeon Tae-guk.]
No matter that he was my half-brother from my previous life, he was truly pathetic.
I quickly smiled at Jeon Tae-guk, forcing it.
Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung, my father from my previous life, used to say this often: smile in front of people you dislike. To keep your true feelings hidden.
“Brother Tae-guk, congratulations on your first day at work.”
“Oh… yeah, Sung-guk.”
“Brother, you must have done a lot of research on FaceNote during this time, right?”
“Oh… of course.”
But my expression made it clear that wasn’t the case at all.
“Hyung, then. Let me hear a briefing on what you’ve researched about FaceNote so far, right now.”
“Right now?”
Jeon Tae-guk looked flustered.
“Yes, hyung. We’re people for whom time is money. Since you arrived late, you’ll need to show us a great deal to make up for it.”
I called over Mark and Lim Mi-mi.
“Mark, Lim Mi-mi. Let’s prepare for the meeting. Let’s hear a briefing on FaceNote from Jeon Tae-guk and Yang Chul-soo, who are starting their first day.”
At my words, Jeon Tae-guk’s face went pale.
[Jeon Tae-guk was born with a diamond spoon and can coast through the Samjeon Group for free, but FaceNote? Absolutely not.]
I smiled faintly and crossed my arms.

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