I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 162

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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 162
I bolted upright from my seat.
[He came all the way here to meet Min-guk?!]
Bang Mu-hyuk’s breathless voice crackled through the phone.
– Sung-guk, sorry I couldn’t call ahead. I meant to contact you when we left, but I lost my phone and everything on the way to the airport. Anyway, let’s talk when we meet.
“Where will you be staying tonight?”
– Fortunately, I booked a hotel near the airport before leaving the country. I’ll head to where you are first thing tomorrow morning!
My brief, intense phone call with Bang Mu-hyuk ended.
My heart raced.
[As expected, that Min-guk. My instincts about him were spot on!]
But I didn’t tell Min-guk about this.
I had no idea what plan Bang Mu-hyuk had in mind.
He could end up saying something as absurd as Scott Brown had.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
I heard the sound of someone tapping on the door.
“Hyung.”
Min-guk poked his head in with a listless voice.
“You didn’t sleep?”
Min-guk had gone into Mother’s room alone.
“No. Hyung, aren’t you sleeping?”
“I need to handle some work first.”
“Hyung, can I sleep here tonight?”
“Not with Mother?”
“Once we go back to Korea, I’ll see Mother every day anyway, but I won’t see you for a while after this.”
Min-guk blinked his large eyes at me.
[If I refuse after seeing those eyes, I’m not human. I’m not usually this soft-hearted, but I can’t seem to control myself when it comes to family.]
I nodded.
“Come on in. But don’t kick me with your feet while you’re sleeping.”
“You can’t blame me for what I do in my sleep. How would I know what I’m doing while I’m asleep?”
“You certainly have an answer for everything.”
Min-guk burrowed under the blanket and kept staring at me.
“Hyung, aren’t you going to sleep?”
“Hyung has work to do.”
“For some reason, I think I’ll only be able to sleep if I’m hugging you tonight.”
“Then don’t sleep. Just wait thirty minutes.”
“Okay!”
Min-guk answered and chattered away beside me the entire time I worked.
“Hyung, about Scott. Even so, if Scott acknowledged me, that means I have real talent, right?”
“Yeah.”
I answered somewhat absently.
Next week, there was a presentation scheduled with Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung, as well as a meeting with Yahoo, the search portal.
Everyone showed tremendous interest in FaceNote.
As for Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung, I needed to reject his investment by any means necessary, while I wanted to secure Yahoo’s cooperation at all costs.
FaceNote was already gaining considerable recognition within the United States.
With just a bit more investment, there was now a real possibility of expanding globally.
“Hyung, you know what? Maybe when I go back to Korea, I should just focus on studying. Even if I become a singer, there’s no guarantee of success anyway. And if I neglect my studies in the process, I won’t be able to do anything at all.”
Toss and turn.
Chatter, chatter.
Min-guk had been muttering to himself on the bed for nearly thirty minutes straight.
“Maybe I should work at Dad’s Bossam Restaurant. Dad’s restaurant is doing well—what if I inherited it?”
“Sigh—”
I exhaled a sigh of patience.
“Jeon Min-guk!”
“Yeah, hyung?”
“Your hyung is working right now.”
“Hyung, I was just talking to myself. Think of it like the TV is on.”
I had to give credit to the men in our family for their way with words.
Dad, whose hobby was telling sob stories, and Min-guk, whose hobby was chattering away.
“Hyung, when will you be done working? It’s already been thirty minutes, hasn’t it?”
“Sigh—”
It seemed I’d have to stop working for today.
I closed my laptop.
Just then, someone knocked on the door again.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
“Who is it?”
The door opened, and Ji-hee came in holding a stuffed animal.
“Sung-guk oppa, it’s Ji-hee.”
“Ji-hee, aren’t you asleep?”
“I want to sleep in oppa’s room tonight.”
Min-guk sprawled out on the bed and shouted.
“Jeon Ji-hee, there’s no room!”
“Sung-guk oppa, let Ji-hee sleep with you.”
I jumped up from my seat and lifted Min-guk into the air.
“Hyung! Hyung!”
“Alright, hyung will sleep in the middle, Min-guk on the right, and Ji-hee on the left. Go!”
“Go!”
Ji-hee raised her hands high and rushed to my left side.
“Now, Min-guk, you go to the right side. Go!”
“Go!”
Min-guk snuggled up tightly to my right side.
Ji-hee tugged at my collar.
“Big brother’s sleeping too. Execute!”
I couldn’t tell whose siblings these were—they were completely unstoppable.
I eventually lay down in the middle of the bed.
Min-guk and Ji-hee each took one of my arms and grinned widely.
“Alright, Min-guk. Ji-hee. Close your eyes. Execute!”
“Execute!”
“Ji-hee executing too!”
And I quietly closed my eyes as well.
Before long, soft breathing sounds drifted from both sides.
Of course, there were also occasional kicks in between.
But I slept more deeply than I had in a long time.
* * *
I deliberately held the meeting with Bang Mu-hyuk at the FaceNote office.
Father had been disappointed by the Scott Brown situation, and I was worried about showing him another failure.
Bang Mu-hyuk’s face brightened when he saw Min-guk.
“Min-guk’s grown so much since I last saw him.”
“Hello!”
Min-guk gave a respectful bow just as I’d taught him.
“Look at this kid. His manners are impeccable too.”
“My big brother taught me.”
“Like brother, like sister. Really.”
Bang Mu-hyuk examined Min-guk from every angle.
“I know this family’s genetics well from seeing Sung-guk. Min-guk’s going to grow up wonderfully too.”
[Not as much as me, but Min-guk’s presentable enough, isn’t he, Bang Mu-hyuk?]
Min-guk laughed brightly.
“If Sung-guk’s a cool beauty, then Min-guk’s a warm beauty. Girls are really going to adore him.”
“Mr. Mu-hyuk, please don’t just compliment his looks. What did you think of his singing and dancing?”
“That’s where I saw the potential. Genuinely.”
Bang Mu-hyuk’s face was brimming with enthusiasm.
“And I think it’s time for me to go independent too. Would it be alright if I brought Min-guk in as my company’s first trainee?”
Min-guk bounced on his feet, waiting for my answer.
I placed my hand on Min-guk’s shoulder.
“Min-guk, would you let your big brother handle the rest?”
“Huh?”
“I need to discuss some business matters with Mr. Mu-hyuk. You trust me, right?”
“Yeah!”
Min-guk nodded immediately.
I looked at Bang Mu-hyuk.
“Would you like to take a walk, sir?”
“Excellent!”
* * *
“The weather is truly beautiful.”
“I haven’t been here long either, but it’s definitely nicer than the East Coast. Sir, are you really going to strike out on your own?”
“Yes. I’ve made up my mind. I can’t spend my entire life as a JP producer. I want to build a group with my own music. Actually, last year I helped a friend and we developed a group together at his company, and we achieved meaningful results.”
Bang Mu-hyuk’s demeanor radiated confidence.
Of course, I knew the truth.
I knew Bang Mu-hyuk’s beginning wouldn’t be so smooth.
“Sir, Min-guk and I have made quite an interesting contract.”
“What kind of contract?”
“Min-guk is my company’s first trainee.”
“What?”
Bang Mu-hyuk looked slightly surprised.
“Sung-guk, are you interested in the entertainment business too?”
“It’s not so much that I’m interested, but rather for Min-guk’s sake.”
In the past, I’d thought that to surpass Samjeon in South Korea, one had to either enter gaming or the entertainment industry.
But since coming to the United States, my perspective had broadened considerably, and Samjeon Group had long since faded from my view.
“So you’re planning to produce on your own?”
“Not exactly. But I am interested. Sir, if you don’t mind, could I ask you to take Min-guk into your company? However, until he becomes a formal debut group member, I’d like to keep the contract under my company.”
“So when he debuts, we renegotiate then?”
“Yes.”
Bang Mu-hyuk pondered for a moment, then spoke with a determined expression.
“Alright. I’ll give Min-guk thorough training. I can really see his potential. Honestly, Min-guk’s vocals are stable and his voice is good, but when he raps, he’s incredibly charismatic. If I train Min-guk more, I think I could create a hip-hop group focused on rap.”
[This is the beginning of the group 【Sevens】 that will eventually conquer the world.]
And Min-guk will stand at its center.
I extended my hand.
“Sir, please take good care of our Min-guk.”
A few years later, Bang Mu-hyuk would feel the limitations of a small agency and face severe financial crisis.
I was planning to become his financial partner when that moment arrived.
[You have no idea about my meticulous plans, do you, Bang Mu-hyuk?]
Bang Mu-hyuk smiled and grasped my hand.
“Sung-guk, I’ll really raise Min-guk well. Trust me and leave him in my hands.”
* * *
Min-guk listened intently to my explanation.
His expression was more serious than ever.
“Hyung, so I just need to go to that man’s company and receive training from now on?”
“Yes. That man is an incredibly talented music producer. And don’t get distracted—listen carefully to everything he says. Understood?”
“Yes, hyung!”
Min-guk’s face was filled with determination.
I brought up the next topic.
“Min-guk, do you remember the contract you made with me?”
“Huh? What contract?”
Min-guk feigned ignorance with a flustered expression.
“First, our contract stipulates that grades are factored into your debut evaluation.”
“Hyung, if I train at that man’s company, doesn’t that mean I debut under that man’s company? So the contract I made with you becomes void!”
“The conditions of your contract with me carry over. That’s the condition under which I’m sending you as a trainee to that man’s company.”
Min-guk’s eyes widened in shock.
“Hyung, that’s too much.”
“And do you remember our bet on the popularity vote?”
“Hyung, being a trainee and getting first place in school is impossible.”
“Min-guk, if you harbor such weak resolve, it’s not too late to quit singing right now.”
I spoke coldly.
To become a singer representing South Korea, that level of determination was necessary.
Min-guk pondered for a moment, then clenched his fists and looked up at me.
“Hyung, I’ll give it a try! I’ll really do my absolute best!”
I embraced Min-guk with a satisfied expression.
Min-guk murmured quietly.
“It can’t be harder than studying under you, hyung.”
“Min-guk, if you say things like that, you won’t be going to Disneyland.”
“Hyung, cancel that! I take it back!”
* * *
Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung arrived at San Francisco Airport.
Secretary Yang guided the weary Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung to the hotel.
“Chairman, the presentation is scheduled for 2 PM tomorrow. It appears your son will be conducting the presentation himself.”
Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung said nothing.
The reports he’d received about Jeon Tae-guk’s actions through Secretary Yang had been truly disappointing.
He’d invested in FaceNote yet showed no interest in acquiring it, instead spending his time playing around with that crowd.
On top of that, he’d heard he was even associating with some entertainment producer.
It was utterly pathetic.
“And we have information that Yahoo is showing interest in FaceNote. Apparently, there’s a meeting scheduled with Yahoo the day after our presentation.”
“We must invest in FaceNote before that happens. Tell Yang Chul-soo not to trust Tae-guk and to prepare the materials well.”
“Yes, Chairman.”
* * *
Late at night, Jeon Tae-guk came to the dormitory.
“Sung-guk, want some milk?”
“Hyung, is something wrong?”
“I have something to tell you.”
[What is he up to?]
I deliberately kept my composure and followed Tae-guk out to the terrace.
For some reason, Tae-guk drank milk instead of alcohol.
Tomorrow’s presentation had him visibly on edge.
“Hyung, are you nervous?”
“A little.”
“Just relax.”
“Sung-guk, about my presentation tomorrow….”
“Yes?”
“I’m going to botch it completely.”
What was he talking about?
I’d never had high expectations for Jeon Tae-guk’s presentation in the first place. But now he was actually committing to failing?
“Hyung, what do you mean by botching it?”
“If I pull off a brilliant presentation, you’ll have to secure Samjeon’s investment, won’t you?”
“That’s something I need to discuss with Mark, my co-representative. And didn’t Samjeon send you because they want to invest in our company?”
“But I don’t want that.”
“Don’t want what?”
“Being continuously connected to Father and you.”
For the first time, Jeon Tae-guk’s expression turned genuinely serious as he sipped his cold milk.

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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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