I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 152

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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 152
Jeon Tae-guk proudly displayed the latest digital camera from Samjeon Electronics.
“It’s the newest model. Among domestic cameras, it has the best pixel quality. You could say all of Samjeon’s technological prowess is packed into it.”
“Ah, yes….”
I picked up the digital camera.
This was a camera I knew well.
It had been created by meticulously copying only the advantages of popular foreign brand cameras, targeting the sensibilities of the Acorn World generation.
But while the technology could be copied, the sensibility couldn’t—it was a miserably failed product.
Young Secretary Yang grabbed the camera.
“Sung-guk, I’ve been testing this camera extensively since before its release. Would it be okay if I filmed Min-guk?”
“Of course, that’s fine.”
Just then, Min-guk crept over to me.
“Hyung….”
“What?”
“It feels like there are too many people here.”
“Min-guk, your dream is to be a singer on stage, right? You’ll perform in front of tens, hundreds, and eventually tens of thousands of people. You can’t be shy about it.”
I gripped Min-guk’s shoulders firmly.
Min-guk clenched both fists and nodded.
“I can do this!”
Min-guk had considerable drive—except when it came to studying.
I wanted to believe in that fighting spirit of his.
* * *
“Alright, let’s do it one more time.”
I discovered an unexpected side of Young Secretary Yang that I hadn’t known before. He was a perfectionist.
Min-guk was now performing the same song with the same choreography for the fifth time.
“Huff— huff— huff—”
Drenched in sweat, Min-guk glared at Young Secretary Yang.
“Chul-soo, isn’t this too much?”
“Everything was good, but you lost energy after the midpoint. Let’s do just that part again.”
Jeon Tae-guk, who was watching, shook his head.
“I’m lucky Secretary Yang is my secretary. If he were my boss, I wouldn’t have survived.”
[Good thing you know that, Jeon Tae-guk.]
Now that I thought about it, in my previous life, Secretary Yang’s support had been nearly flawless.
My schedule always ran without a single deviation.
Moreover, as Young Secretary Yang filmed, he naturally began directing Min-guk’s dance and movements as well.
“Min-guk, what if you collapse dramatically onto the floor after finishing the dance, completely drenched in sweat?”
“Chul-soo, if I do one more take, I think I’ll actually collapse.”
“That’s the spirit—let’s do it one more time with that determination!”
Young Secretary Yang began filming again.
Min-guk poured sweat like rain while passionately dancing once more.
After shooting multiple times, the dance movements that didn’t align before gradually fell into place, and the awkward sections began to show signs of refinement.
[With systematic training, he’ll improve rapidly….]
I quietly asked Lim Mi-mi, who had been watching.
“Lim Mi-mi, do you see any potential for Min-guk to become a singer?”
“Restaurant Owner, may I speak honestly?”
“Of course.”
“I’m already a fan of his. I think I’ll need to teach him more North Korean from today onwards. If he debuts as a singer, he can use it as a special skill.”
From Lim Mi-mi, who was from North Korea, Min-guk had already received recognition of his potential.
However, I had no intention of developing Min-guk into merely a popular singer in the Asian market.
What I envisioned was a singer who would conquer the world.
A South Korean singer who would be the first to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100, touring stadiums across the globe.
[That’s the bare minimum to call it a living, Jeon Min-guk.]
* * *
We all gathered to watch the video that Young Secretary Yang had edited.
Min-guk watched the video with trembling hands folded neatly on his lap.
The video began with the typical appearance of a twelve-year-old Min-guk.
His slight trembling revealed glimpses of the still-innocent Min-guk.
Then Min-guk explained the dance he would perform today and the background music.
He explained it was music that was trending in Korea, laughed a bit sheepishly, and as the music began, his expression quickly turned serious.
[Just as you’d expect from a former child actor….]
I watched Min-guk’s video introduction with a touch of admiration. Soon his dance began.
His arms extended fully, his gaze piercing through the camera with a distant, yearning look.
As the music started, his facial expressions shifted in harmony with the lyrics.
It was still awkward, but the video showed he was giving his all.
Everyone applauded as soon as the video ended.
“Wow, that’s amazing, Min-guk.”
Mark praised him lavishly.
“He’s got something.”
Jeon Tae-guk agreed as well.
But I knew Min-guk’s greatest weakness.
“Hyung, why aren’t you saying anything?”
Min-guk looked at me with an anxious expression.
“Hmm… Min-guk, speaking as someone who trained at JP Entertainment for a month, your acting impressed me more than your dancing.”
“Hyung… is that a bad thing?”
“No. You were even my dance teacher once, after all. Your dancing will improve with proper training. But emotion is something that truly can’t be taught. I really loved that you have it!”
“Hyung….”
Min-guk’s face showed he was moved by my praise.
“Sung-guk’s right. I’m American so I don’t understand Korean lyrics at all, but watching Min-guk dance, I could feel what it meant.”
Mark strongly agreed.
Min-guk stood up and walked toward me, then embraced me tightly.
“Thanks, hyung.”
“Min-guk, there’s still so much you need to learn. Remember that.”
“That’s not it… hyung, do you know this is the first time you’ve ever praised me?”
[I suppose I’ve given him plenty of rewards when he did something impressive…]
Min-guk’s eyes grew red with tears.
“Hyung, I’m really glad I was born as your younger brother.”
[Of course. Without me, our family wouldn’t be where it is, and neither would you. You never would have dreamed like this.]
His words struck something deep within me, and suddenly all the hardships came flooding back, catching in my throat.
“Hyung!”
“Min-guk!”
And we embraced each other.
“Min-guk, but this isn’t the end. You understand, right? To become the world’s greatest singer, you’ll need to practice until you bleed sweat and tears.”
Suddenly, Min-guk stopped crying and looked up at me with wide eyes.
“Hyung, I just want to become a somewhat famous singer in South Korea… Do I really have to become the world’s best?”
“Min-guk, what are you saying? Your goal is just to be somewhat famous, not even number one in South Korea? If you’re going to do it, do it right!”
“No, hyung… I want to become a singer. I don’t necessarily have to be number one….”
Min-guk’s voice grew quieter.
“Min-guk, don’t you know the world only remembers number one? You should at least aim for the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100.”
“Sigh— you’re really something, hyung. I almost forgot who you were for a moment there….”
Min-guk turned away with slumped shoulders.
“Min-guk, you can do it!”
[I’ll make sure of it!]
I gripped his shoulder firmly.
But Min-guk soon looked at me with tears threatening to spill.
“Hyung, it’s too much pressure to expect me to live as number one just because you’ve always lived that way.”
Min-guk quietly entered his room and closed the door.
[Did I go too far?]
* * *
Mark handed me a glass of milk.
“Sung-guk, weren’t you too harsh on Min-guk? You’re putting the burden of becoming number one on the Billboard and becoming the world’s best on a kid who hasn’t even started his singing career yet.”
“The bigger the goal, the better. I was just rephrasing what I meant.”
“Sir, you said to speak directly, but that wasn’t a rephrasing—that was a fastball right down the middle.”
Lim Mi-mi chimed in as well.
“Sung-guk, I think you should apologize to Min-guk. He said he was working hard, and he was moved by your praise… but then you cracked the whip on top of that.”
I recalled Dennis mentioning that the tyrannical teacher in the film 【Whiplash】 was modeled after me.
I closed my mouth firmly.
Everyone was criticizing me, and I had nothing to say in return.
[Even though I’m a former vice chairman of Samjeon Group with years of experience inside me, I still get hurt… Age doesn’t make you numb to pain….]
I left the house without a word.
Just as Min-guk wanted to be alone, I wanted to be alone too.
* * *
Mark gazed at the door through which I had departed, his expression etched with concern.
“Mi-mi, do you think we were too harsh?”
“I don’t entirely blame the Restaurant Owner, but he does have a tendency to impose his own standards on others. It seems especially severe with Min-guk.”
“Perhaps that’s because he’s family. He genuinely wants Min-guk to succeed.”
Jeon Tae-guk clicked his tongue disapprovingly.
“He lectures everyone about work-life balance, yet he himself doesn’t practice it at all. And he only wields the whip against his younger brother without offering any carrots. You need both incentive and discipline in proper measure. All he does is crack the whip constantly—no wonder Min-guk is furious.”
Secretary Yang, who had been observing the situation, stepped forward.
“I’ll go bring Sung-guk back. He probably needs some time to collect his thoughts.”
Young Secretary Yang left the house immediately.
* * *
Tap, tap, tap.
I heard light footsteps approaching from behind.
[Someone else has followed me.]
I slowed my pace slightly.
I had planned to stop by the Corner Pizza Shop to buy Min-guk’s favorite pizza and return home.
I had lost my composure again and pushed Min-guk too hard. It was a habit ingrained from my previous life, one that I still hadn’t managed to break in this one.
The footsteps drew closer, then adjusted their speed to match mine.
Among that entire group, only one person possessed such thoughtful consideration.
“Is that you, Yang Chul-soo?”
When I turned around, a stranger’s face—belonging to a man twice my size—stood before me.
A stench so overwhelming emanated from him that my head involuntarily turned away. His blonde hair was matted and filthy, and he didn’t have a single healthy tooth in his mouth.
He was unmistakably a drug-addicted wretch.
The man extended his trembling hands toward me.
“Money… you got money?”
“Ah, well…”
I was so startled that my entire body went rigid.
In my previous life, a bodyguard or Young Secretary Yang was always at my side, so I had never faced such dangerous situations.
Living in relative safety in this life, I had become far too careless.
“Do you have money or not, you Oriental bastard!”
The Drug Addict screamed at me.
With trembling hands, I fumbled through my pockets. I had a hundred dollars for the pizza.
I quickly thrust the money toward the man.
He snatched it greedily and, grinning wickedly, took another step closer to me.
[Get away from me!]
But if I shouted like that, I could end up dead with no one the wiser.
“You’ve got money, don’t you? You got more?”
“No, I don’t. That’s all I have. Really!”
I found myself backing away involuntarily.
The man advanced toward me all the more.
[Are there any guns?]
Fortunately, it didn’t seem like he had a gun.
In that moment, the man rummaged through his pocket and pulled out the jagged neck of a broken wine bottle.
It was a sufficiently threatening weapon.
Surely this life wasn’t ending here?
[Dying at forty is tragic enough, but dying at fourteen? That’s far too unfair! After all the blood, sweat, and tears I’ve poured into lifting my family out of poverty!]
In that instant, defiance surged through me.
I couldn’t just accept this.
I quickly surveyed my surroundings.
The Park beside us was dark, and few people seemed to be out for a stroll.
There were almost no objects I could use as weapons, but if I ran like a madman, I might just survive.
The man before me wielded a blade, but as a Drug Addict, he surely possessed the pathetic physique of a junkie.
“Hey, Oriental. Hand over all your money, now!”
I pretended to rummage through my pockets.
All I had was a hundred dollars, but I needed to buy time.
I slowly backed toward the Park, only to stumble over a broken paving stone and fall flat on my back.
The man approached with a sinister smile spreading across his face.
[No, please… I can’t die like this!]
I gripped a piece of the broken paving stone in my hand.
[If I’m going down, I’m taking him with me!]
Seeing me grasp the paving stone, the man rushed at me, swinging the broken wine bottle.
“You little bastard, what are you trying to pull!”
That’s when it happened.
Thwack—thwack—the sounds echoed.
I watched as the man crumpled to the ground.
I collected myself and looked at the two figures standing in the darkness.
The two figures emerging from the shadows were Secretary Yang and Min-guk.
“Sung-guk, are you alright?”
Just then, as the man regained consciousness and tried to get up, Min-guk brought down a frying pan he held in one hand with all his might onto the man’s head.
“If you mess with my hyung, I won’t let you off easy!”

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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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