I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 15

—————

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

—————

Chapter 15
Click.
The sound of Father unlocking the front door as he returns home late at night.
I, who had somehow fallen asleep, opened my eyes groggily.
Father waved a bossam package in his hand.
“Sung-guk, you awake?”
[I was originally sensitive—couldn’t sleep without blackout curtains, and no one within a hundred meters dared even breathe. Sigh, what’s the point of explaining? Four people are breathing in a five-pyeong one-room apartment right now… is this real?]
“Sung-guk, Father brought bossam home.”
“Honey, where did this bossam come from?”
“The restaurant owner gave it to me. He even gave me a fifty-thousand-won bonus for the baby being born.”
“Wow, Min-guk really is a blessing.”
I shook my head vigorously.
[How much more will Min-guk cost us going forward, and they’re calling him a blessing over just fifty thousand won? These thoughtless parents of mine.]
As I fussed, Father quickly picked me up.
“Our Sung-guk gets heavier every day. Sung-guk, you’re a big brother now, you know?”
[I know without you telling me, Father.]
“Honey, we should feed Sung-guk some bossam too. He’s been so busy lately, I think he’s losing weight.”
[What are you talking about? I’ve been on a diet to look good on camera.]
“You’re right. Sung-guk’s cheeks have definitely gotten thinner. Those chubby cheeks are his charm point.”
Father kissed my cheeks repeatedly.
[Sigh… this isn’t something men do to each other, Father.]
Mother quickly unwrapped the bossam.
The perfectly cooked pork and bossam kimchi looked absolutely appetizing.
Gulp.
My saliva flowed involuntarily.
Indeed, familiar flavors are the most dangerous.
“Sung-guk, do you want some?”
“Yes!”
I nodded eagerly and answered with enthusiasm.
[No, I’m on a diet.]
Contrary to my thoughts, I was crawling toward the bossam as if bewitched.
Mother tore the tender, fat-free bossam meat into small pieces and pushed it into my mouth.
[How long has it been since I’ve tasted Father’s bossam? This would pair perfectly with an Australian Shiraz wine. Ah, bliss.]
I chewed and swallowed the bossam meat, savoring each bite to ease my regret.
Father quickly wrapped up some bossam and handed it to Mother.
“So-young, you’ve worked so hard raising two children. Eat up.”
“You eat first. You’re the one who’s been on your feet all day cooking.”
“I eat here all the time anyway.”
Father smiled and pushed a piece of bossam into Mother’s mouth.
Mother reluctantly accepted it.
Despite their poverty, they were truly a couple with a wonderful relationship.
So it made sense they already had two children in this environment.
I shook my head.
Before my regression, producing an heir was almost an obligation.
My wife from the political marriage was the daughter of a prestigious family whose members had held high government positions for generations, exactly as Grandfather wished.
With the help of science, her appearance was decent enough, and she was educated enough to hold a conversation with me.
But I was not happy.
Because it was a political marriage, there was a wall between my wife and me, and neither of us attempted to cross it.
Still, I always pretended to be happy, acting as though I loved her deeply.
After all, expecting affection in a marriage arranged purely for practical reasons is simply human greed.
I chewed the bossam meat with my newly erupting molars, my expression bitter.
Mother swallowed her bossam and carefully opened her mouth.
“Honey….”
“What? Doesn’t the bossam taste good?”
“No, it’s not that… Mi-young was saying that Sung-guk has been getting a lot of advertisement offers. Apparently, Samjeon Electronics is even talking about an exclusive contract.”
“An exclusive model contract? For our Sung-guk?”
“Yes. If he becomes an exclusive model for Samjeon Electronics, it would help cover Sung-guk’s education expenses and seems like a good opportunity. The terms are favorable too.”
“I hadn’t considered that….”
Father looked taken aback.
[Neither of them expected me to do this well, did they?]
Mother took Father’s hand.
“Honey, we don’t know what Sung-guk will become in the future, but this seems like a good opportunity. If we save what Sung-guk earns, he won’t struggle with his studies like we did.”
“That’s true, but… it seems like Sung-guk is working too much….”
[Dad, don’t think like that. When I was a tycoon, I could count on one hand the days I slept more than five hours. Now I sleep twelve hours a day.]
As I babbled, Father quickly stuffed a tender piece of bossam into his mouth.
I quickly became absorbed in eating bossam again.
[Why is this stuff so delicious?]
My lips were already wet with saliva.
Mother continued persuading Father.
“When I think about it, this really does seem like a great opportunity. If you just agree, let’s meet with them and think it over. Sung-guk actually enjoys being in front of the camera more than we expected, and if we carefully save what he earns, he’ll be able to do whatever he wants in the future.”
“You’re right—they say even a sleeping man will wake up for rice cakes if his wife says so. I should listen to So-young. Let’s meet with them and hear what they have to say. Nothing’s been decided yet anyway.”
Father spoke with resolve.
* * *
Jeon Jae-hyung was heading to the groundbreaking ceremony of Samjeon Electronics’ Onyang factory.
It was a major event with the President in attendance, and it was the first official appearance for his father, the Chairman, after a period of self-imposed restraint.
Secretary Yang glanced back.
“Vice Chairman, the profile for Jeon Sung-guk that you requested is ready.”
“Tell me.”
Secretary Yang began his briefing.
“Sung-guk’s family circumstances are not particularly comfortable. His father works in the kitchen of a small bossam restaurant called Uncle’s Bossam in Suyu, and that appears to be their only source of income.”
“How much does he earn?”
“His salary recently went up to about 600,000 won a month.”
“600,000 won?”
Jeon Jae-hyung scratched the bridge of his nose lightly with his finger.
The starting salary at Samjeon Electronics was around 1 million won.
It was the highest in the industry.
So four people were supposed to live on 600,000 won a month….
For Jeon Jae-hyung, it was an unimaginable sum.
“Sung-guk’s mother is a full-time housewife. She graduated from a commercial high school and worked as an accountant at a small company, but quit after becoming pregnant. Both Sung-guk’s father and mother grew up in the same orphanage—they’re both orphans.”
“An orphanage? So they’re orphans?”
“Yes, Vice Chairman.”
Secretary Yang answered.
While Samjeon Group sponsored orphans at events, Jeon Jae-hyung had never actually seen an orphan outside of those occasions.
“Hmm…. What’s their reputation?”
“Both are well-regarded. Sung-guk’s father is very diligent and has a strong sense of responsibility—he learned kitchen work quickly at the restaurant. As for Sung-guk’s mother, her former company and high school teachers all praised her as well.”
Jeon Jae-hyung nodded.
“But Vice Chairman, may I ask why you’re taking such an interest in Sung-guk’s family?”
“We’re planning to use the baby as an exclusive model and showcase the company’s growth alongside his development. The baby won’t understand the world anyway, but problems always arise from the family, don’t they?”
“Currently, he lives in a one-room apartment near Suyu Station with a deposit of 500,000 won and monthly rent of 50,000 won. His manager is Kim Mi-young, the building owner of that apartment. She worked in the accounting department of Samjeon Entertainment until three months ago. She was the one who recommended Sung-guk for his first appearance in the Samjeon Electronics washing machine commercial.”
Jeon Jae-hyung scratched his chin lightly with his fingers—a habit that emerged when he was thinking.
“Kim Mi-young?”
“After investigating through multiple channels, it appears they have a mutually beneficial relationship. The contract terms are exceptionally favorable to Sung-guk compared to other management agencies, and the contract terminates when Sung-guk stops working. Kim Mi-young was the only high school graduate employee remaining at Samjeon Entertainment, so she was inevitably stuck as a permanent assistant manager and had no choice but to resign and start this work.”
“Is it possible for me to see this child, Jeon Sung-guk?”
“Shall I arrange a meeting?”
“Not an official meeting… I’d like to watch a filming session.”
“I’ll look into it and schedule something.”
Secretary Yang felt uneasy about Vice Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung’s unusual behavior, which he’d never witnessed before, but for now, he held his tongue.
The Onyang sign loomed large ahead.
* * *
It was the final filming day of “Five Men and a Baby Basket.”
Six months had already passed in a flash.
The shoot had a subtitle: “A Day Preparing for Farewell.”
I’d easily finished a bowl of baby food this morning and was now soothing my still-hungry belly with banana.
The members of Just gathered around me one by one.
Tae-hyung, the leader, looked at me with gentle eyes.
“Sung-guk, do you know what today is?”
[It’s the last day of filming. What else would you ask?]
“What will we do without seeing our Sung-guk?”
Jae-hyun, who had faithfully played the mother role, even showed tears. His nose was already red.
[Your nose job is showing. Stop crying. You’ll forget about me by tomorrow anyway.]
As Michael’s presence diminished, Beom-seon, who had begun to stand out, grasped one of my fingers.
“Contact us anytime if you miss us.”
[As if you wouldn’t ignore me if I did. I know exactly how this works.]
I chewed the banana deliberately.
Lucas kept laughing and teasing me, while Michael stared at me with a sour expression.
Ever since Mother’s due date, I had been thoroughly ignoring Michael, and his screen time had begun to shrink.
Moreover, after the Director took notice of him, Michael’s innocent child image had transformed into a mischievous troublemaker image, earning him the audience’s disfavor.
Naturally, Michael’s screen time continued to diminish, and he often found himself standing in the background like a decorative screen.
It was the dependable Beom-seon who seized this opportunity.
With his handsome face and tsundere-like personality, he captivated the female fans.
I gripped Beom-seon’s hand firmly.
If I could see the future, Beom-seon was the member who would enjoy the most prolonged and successful career as both a singer and actor.
All human relationships are fundamentally like this.
Swallow what’s sweet, spit out what’s bitter.
Beom-seon gazed down at me gently.
“I’ve heard so much about how close you and Sung-guk are. It’s a shame….”
“Right. We really hit it big thanks to this kid.”
Jae-hyun’s eyes grew red.
The camera captured everything, even this.
The Just members with reddened eyes, and me, Jeon Sung-guk, seeming to sense the farewell.
I looked at my members with a dejected expression befitting the concept.
Probably, a narration like this would flow over my face.
“Sung-guk, who seems to sense the parting, appears to have lost his spirits today.”
At that moment, Tae-hyung, our leader, looked at me with a prepared expression.
[Is this scripted?]
“Hey guys, what if we ask Sung-guk to pick the title track for our second album?”
“Ask Sung-guk?”
“Yeah. You know how kids have an immediate sense of rhythm.”
“I’m in favor.”
Beom-seon was the first to agree.
Michael’s expression was clearly skeptical.
“Hyung, what songs did you bring?”
“We recorded three tracks last week: ‘It’s a Lie’, ‘The Road to You’, and ‘Love is Always Lacking’.”
“What? My parts in those are tiny.”
“We already decided to pick the title from these three songs. Let’s push for ‘Love is Always Lacking’ and ‘It’s a Lie’, where you at least have some lines.”
“Sung-guk hates me. I’m sure he’ll pick whichever one has my smallest part.”
“How would Sung-guk know that? He’ll just listen and say he likes it if he does.”
Tae-hyung tried to placate Michael, but Michael remained firmly sullen.
“Director, could we edit out this part?”
“Sure, anyway that’s a good idea. Let’s have Sung-guk listen to the songs.”
“Yes.”
Tae-hyung brought a CD player and prepared it.
I didn’t even need to listen.
My top pick was “It’s a Lie.”
Tae-hyung stared at me with a tense expression, his finger hovering over the CD player button.
“Sung-guk, listen carefully from now on. Pick the next song for us.”
“Yes!”
I raised my hand high.
Beom-seon scooped me up into his arms.
The first song began playing: “The Road to You.”
[This is the second title track.]
The next song was “It’s a Lie.”
Of course, I would pick this one.
“It’s a Lie” would achieve the glory of holding the number one spot on the music charts for five consecutive weeks.
“Sung-guk, this is the last song now.”
[No need to listen.]
“Love Is Always Lacking” would later become a hit when used as the background music for an ion drink advertisement about replenishing water loss. But not now.
Tae-hyung played all three songs and looked at me.
“Sung-guk, which song do you like the best?”
I held up a victory V with my fingers.

—————

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

—————