I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 16

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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 16
“Second place?”
“Yes!”
Michael seemed to brighten up a bit as well. After all, his rap portion in “It’s a Lie” was quite substantial.
“So, should we pitch our “It’s a Lie” to the director?”
“I always liked “It’s a Lie” the best.”
As Beom-seon answered, the other members nodded in agreement.
“Hyung, let Sung-guk hear it again.”
“Sure.”
At Lucas’s suggestion, Tae-hyung performed the song once more.
[They seem skeptical. Then!]
When “It’s a Lie” came on, I swayed my hips left three times and right three times with a melancholic gaze, and at the climax, I even grabbed Beom-seon’s leg and wept openly.
The members’ eyes grew red as well.
Surely, a caption would appear beneath this scene.
– Sung-guk soothes his farewell from his hyungs through song. By the way, Just’s second album is looking like a huge hit.
“Cut!”
When the Director called out, the members, still lingering in emotion, pressed their reddened eyes firmly.
“Sung-guk, take a break. Just members stay for filming!”
A staff member guided me outside.
I could hear Kim Mi-young speaking.
“We’re planning a birthday surprise for Sung-guk. The members will even bake the cake themselves and set up the gifts.”
[Sigh…]
I exhaled a deep sigh internally.
I’d known about it since this morning when they were walking around with props for the birthday surprise right in front of me.
The broadcast date of the final shoot would be around two months later, near my birthday, so they timed the filming accordingly.
I found myself in a genuinely serious predicament.
[How do I fake being surprised?]
I mentally rehearsed my expression and posture of surprise.
First, I’d need to open my eyes wide, and I should prepare to shed tears shortly after.
“How long will it take?”
“It looks like it’ll take at least two hours. Rest in the car.”
“Understood.”
Kim Mi-young took me and went to Mother, who was waiting in the car.
* * *
July’s sunlight was scorching.
“Sung-guk’s mother, the Assistant Director says the filming preparations will take a while.”
“Then should we rest in the car?”
Kim Mi-young offered another suggestion.
“Sung-guk will probably feel cooped up too. Want to go to the park? There’s a small park just a five-minute walk from here. What do you think?”
“That works out well. I think it would be good for Sung-guk to get some exercise.”
I had grown quite adept at walking toward the park.
My legs had developed considerable strength, and my tongue control improved with each passing day.
“Sung-guk, take it slowly.”
I glanced back briefly before deciding to press forward.
Behind me, Mother and Kim Mi-young followed, engaged in conversation.
“By the way, have you given any thought to the advertising contract?”
“An exclusive deal with Samjeon Electronics?”
“Yes.”
“I discussed it with my husband, and he also thinks that an exclusive contract with Samjeon Electronics would allow Sung-guk to work comfortably. We’re leaning toward accepting.”
Kim Mi-young nodded approvingly.
“That’s an excellent decision. I worked at Samjeon Entertainment myself, but they treat their models exceptionally well. I’ll give Samjeon Electronics a positive response then.”
“I’m so grateful you found a caregiver for Min-guk and arranged for Sung-guk to appear in that final shoot.”
I was grateful to Min-guk as well for stepping aside.
I walked forward with determination, intent on working off my rounded belly.
Just then, a familiar car appeared in the distance.
A vehicle custom-made by German craftsmen—the only one of its kind in South Korea.
It was the car of Jeon Jae-hyung, Vice Chairman of the Samjeon Group.
I came to an abrupt halt.
Could he have come to see me?
* * *
Jeon Jae-hyung watched Sung-guk toddling toward the car through the window.
Though they had crossed paths briefly at the advertising shoot, this was the first time he had truly observed the child.
Since watching “Five Men and a Baby Carriage,” the image of this child named Sung-guk had been seared into Jeon Jae-hyung’s mind.
Those bright, intelligent eyes.
That composed demeanor.
Born into poverty, yet commanding all the love around him.
Jeon Jae-hyung already had a son and a daughter, and one more illegitimate child had recently come to light, but none of them had ever stirred such feelings in him.
For some reason, they all resembled his wife far more than himself, and both Tae-hyung, now eight years old and expected to excel academically, and Mi-jin, five years old, had shown disappointing results.
His illegitimate child was no different.
He would have liked to have another child, but he had no desire to further complicate the family registry, and he certainly had no interest in sharing a bed with his wife again.
Yet Sung-guk possessed a brilliance that reminded him of his own childhood self.
Secretary Yang turned around.
“Through the manager, I said we would observe from a distance.”
“Hmm… Let me see him directly.”
Before his words had even finished, Jeon Jae-hyung opened the car door and stepped out.
* * *
I walked purposefully toward the black car.
I wanted to see my father properly before the regression.
In 1993, Father would be in his early forties.
His position would be Vice Chairman….
Five years later, my grandfather suddenly passed away from a heart attack, and I inherited his position.
During this period, my father was a frightening and unwelcome presence to me.
First, he never spoke a word to the Iron Lady, and instead of my foolish siblings, he placed tremendous expectations on me.
There was only one time my father showed warmth toward me.
It was when I ranked first in Seoul for my middle school entrance exam.
This was the first tangible achievement I had accomplished through my own effort.
That was how obsessed my father was with results.
The company, women, children—everything.
Click.
The rear car door opened.
I froze in place.
[Could it be?]
My father, Jeon Jae-hyung, was stepping out through the open door.
I swallowed hard.
To see my father from before the regression this close, the one I’d glimpsed at the advertisement film set.
My entire body went rigid, yet my mind raced without pause.
[What am I supposed to say…?]
I stood face to face with my father from before the regression, beneath the sun.
My father approached me slowly, a smile playing at his lips—one I rarely saw from him.
In that moment, my tension dissolved and I opened my mouth.
“Ah. Dad?”
At that instant, Jeon Jae-hyung froze.
That single, simple word struck at his heart.
[Oh no.]
I immediately recognized my mistake.
Vice Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung never moved without calculation.
An advertisement offer had come from Samjeon Electronics, and clearly he wanted to see me directly with his own eyes to confirm something.
In this life, we are strangers.
That is how I will live going forward.
I turned to show my plump back and walked toward Mother.
Mother quickly scooped me up and greeted him.
“Oh my, I’m so sorry.”
“The child wasn’t startled because of you, was he?”
Vice Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung of Samjeon Electronics wore a gentle smile.
“No, if anything, you were startled because of our child, weren’t you?”
“Is this the child who appears on that broadcast?”
Jeon Jae-hyung slowly approached me.
My heart pounded.
“Ah, yes. ‘Five Men and a Baby Basket,’ that’s right.”
Mother answered happily, knowing nothing of the truth.
It was clear that Father had come here knowing everything.
[I don’t recall Father ever managing a baby model before…]
I steadied myself.
For a moment, overwhelmed by an inexplicable surge of emotion, I nearly drooled on Father’s pants while clutching at them.
“What a beautiful baby. But little one—”
Father looked down at me.
“Did you just call me ‘Dad’?”
“….”
I clamped my mouth shut. The words had spilled out before I could stop them.
“I’m so sorry. He’s been saying ‘mom’ and ‘dad’ a lot lately.”
Mother apologized profusely, while Kim Mi-young stepped back discreetly.
This situation seemed to have been orchestrated by Samjeon.
Kim Mi-young’s expression suggested she already knew.
Father smiled and pulled a ten-thousand-won bill from his wallet, extending it toward me.
“Sorry for startling you. Buy yourself something delicious to eat.”
“No, that’s quite all right.”
Mother politely declined, apologizing.
“If you don’t take it, I’ll feel terrible.”
I quickly grabbed the ten-thousand-won bill.
For Father, ten thousand won was pocket change—money he wouldn’t miss.
“Good boy. Well then, see you again.”
Father left those meaningful words behind and climbed into his car.
Kim Mi-young hurried over to us.
“Sung-guk’s mother, we should head back to the film set now. We’ve lost quite a bit of time.”
“Oh my, you’re right.”
Mother took my hand and we made our way back to the film set.
I showed Vice Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung my coldest back, refusing to even glance behind me.
In this life, Vice Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung and I were nothing more than strangers—no blood relation whatsoever.
* * *
As I opened the door to the Just dormitory, two candle flames flickered toward me through the darkness.
Leader Tae-hyung held my birthday cake aloft.
Simultaneously, a birthday song echoed through the semi-basement dormitory.
“Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to our beloved Sung-guk.”
All the Just members sang in unison to celebrate my birthday.
Cheers erupted at once.
As the lights came on, the staff members applauded me as well.
[It feels just like going back to my twelfth birthday before the regression.]
I reminisced about those days for a moment.
On my twelfth birthday, Just had come to sing me a birthday song.
The only difference was the lyrics.
Back then, it wasn’t “our beloved Sung-guk”—it was “our beloved young master.”
Either way, memories from before the regression surfaced, and receiving congratulations from Just again felt deeply satisfying.
I clapped my hands together enthusiastically.
“Sung-guk, make a wish and blow out the candles.”
“Okay!”
I raised my hands high.
Then I closed my eyes for a moment.
My wish was simple.
[Please let me become a tycoon who crushes the Samjeon Group in this lifetime!]
I quickly opened my eyes and blew out the two glowing candles with all my might.
“Whoooosh!”
* * *
It had been ages since I’d been in the conference room at Samjeon Electronics Headquarters in Gwanghwamun.
I gazed around with nostalgic eyes.
[How long has it been?]
Of course, I didn’t know Samjeon Electronics well in 1993, but I knew this place intimately ten years from now.
Samjeon Electronics was one of the core business divisions of the Samjeon Group through the early 2000s.
After so long, I felt at ease in this familiar place, savoring a madeleine that had been prepared as a snack for me.
In stark contrast, Father and Kim Mi-young were visibly tense.
Since it was contract-related business, we’d scheduled the meeting on one of Father’s days off.
It seemed Father had come to see me specifically because of this contract deal.
Father glanced around cautiously before looking at Kim Mi-young.
“Have you ever been to Samjeon Electronics Headquarters before?”
“It’s my first time too. I’ve already reviewed the contract, so I think we just need to coordinate a few things. Sung-guk’s father, please don’t be so nervous.”
“That’s easier said than done. Someone like me has never even been near a building like this.”
Click.
The conference room door opened.
Secretary Yang poked his head through the doorway.
[Secretary Yang!]
I waved toward Secretary Yang.
He was the father of the Secretary Yang who served me, but when I was young, Secretary Yang took care of everything for me.
Secretary Yang would even skip tutoring sessions without my parents knowing and take me to the amusement park with my classmate girlfriend.
Of course, this was a secret only Secretary Yang and I knew.
Secretary Yang offered a gentle smile and bowed his head.
“Hello, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Secretary Yang, serving the Vice Chairman.”
For a moment, I tilted my head in confusion.
Secretary Yang was personally handling a simple modeling contract with Samjeon Electronics?
Within the group, it was common knowledge that Secretary Yang represented Vice Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung.
That meant every official action and word Secretary Yang took was equivalent to an order from Vice Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung.
Secretary Yang gently stroked my head as I fell into thought.
“Sung-guk has grown so much.”
“He just turned two.”
Father answered quickly.
“How much longer until the broadcast ends?”
“We’ve finished filming, but I heard the broadcast will continue for about another month.”
“Five Men and a Baby Basket” was scheduled to end at the height of its popularity—the saying went to leave while the applause still echoed. Of course, this was the official statement.
The truth was that Michael had become an ongoing problem.
Ever since Min-guk’s birth, whenever the cameras stopped rolling on set, the members bickered over Michael, and tensions had deteriorated.
It seemed unlikely that Just would become a national idol group in this lifetime.
Secretary Yang took a seat across from us.
He took a sip of coffee, then alternated his gaze between Father and Kim Mi-young.
“Sir, are you satisfied with the contract terms?”

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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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