I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 291

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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 291
Father’s Restaurant had hung up a “Temporarily Closed” sign.
My father, who treated opening the restaurant doors as a matter of life and death regardless of snow or wind, had temporarily closed for Kim Yeo-na’s comfortable meal.
That was how much love Kim Yeo-na received from the entire nation.
To think we’d cast such a beloved athlete as the model for FaceNote… It was truly the best choice.
Kim Yeo-na glanced at me after seeing the “Temporarily Closed” sign.
“Sung-guk, did you close the restaurant because of me?”
“Our restaurant is usually packed with customers. It seems my father made this special consideration so Kim Yeo-na wouldn’t have an uncomfortable meal.”
“Oh no, I feel terrible about this.”
“Then compensate us by enjoying a delicious meal today.”
Even at my words, Kim Yeo-na’s expression didn’t brighten.
“Sung-guk, could you tell me the restaurant’s average daily sales? I’ll buy enough to cover today’s lost revenue.”
“There’s absolutely no need. This is all included in your modeling fee. It was one of the contract conditions you requested.”
“Well, even so…”
“Kim Yeo-na, please eat comfortably. If you keep worrying like this, my father will feel sorry for all the trouble he went through.”
“Alright, I’ll accept your kindness just for today.”
“Just enjoy the meal. That’s all we ask for.”
As I opened the door, Kim Yeo-na entered Uncle Won’s Bossam.
Jeon Tae-guk lightly tapped my shoulder.
“Anyway, you’re quite the smooth talker. I don’t understand why you can’t get into a relationship.”
“William, you know today’s guest isn’t a regular customer, right? Roll up your sleeves and start serving the bossam.”
“Got it.”
Jeon Tae-guk rolled up his sleeves and rushed toward the kitchen.
[Hmm… Is he gradually changing?]
Lim Jin-seo approached me.
“Please pretend you don’t know about our contract until today. I’ll submit my resignation to the company and handle everything formally.”
“Understood.”
Lim Jin-seo also entered Uncle Won’s Bossam.
Just then, I heard a familiar dog’s bark from a distance.
[What’s with that barking?]
I turned around to see Ji-hee running toward me carrying Huin-dung-i. Behind her, I could see Mother and Min-guk.
Min-guk was dressed more fashionably than usual.
Mother approached with a smile and patted my shoulder.
“Sung-guk, I’m sorry. Min-guk and Ji-hee made such a fuss wanting to see Kim Yeo-na.”
“Mother… you should have told me beforehand.”
“I was going to, but Ji-hee and Min-guk said you’d obviously stop them, so they didn’t let me. They even took my phone when I went to the restroom, worried I’d contact you.”
Min-guk and Ji-hee were so perfectly in sync at times like this that it was maddening.
I quickly blocked Min-guk and Ji-hee’s path.
“Why, oppa?”
Ji-hee looked up at me with her characteristic dejected expression.
[That won’t work today, Jeon Ji-hee!]
“Jeon Ji-hee, making that face at your brother won’t change anything. You know today is incredibly important for me, right?”
“Yes.”
I glanced at Min-guk as well.
“Jeon Ji-hee, Jeon Min-guk. Both of you need to stay quiet inside the restaurant!”
“Hyung, can’t I just take one photo with Kim Yeo-na?”
“Jeon Min-guk… you have to separate work from personal matters. Don’t you see that I’m here to work? Do you have any idea how hard I’ve worked to make this contract happen? Father even closed the restaurant for this.”
“Okay, okay. I got it.”
Min-guk’s expression grew dejected as he took Ji-hee’s hand.
“Ji-hee, let’s just crouch in the corner together. And you too, Huin-dung-i….”
Huin-dung-i stared directly at me.
As if he were ready to bark at any moment.
[Huin-dung-i, I know your weakness well.]
I quietly pulled out a treat from my pocket and placed it in his mouth. Immediately, Huin-dung-i clamped his jaws shut.
* * *
As I opened the door and stepped inside, I could see Kim Yeo-na and Lim Jin-seo struggling to suppress their laughter.
What was going on with everyone?
Just then, Kim Yeo-na stood up and approached Min-guk.
“You’re Sung-guk’s younger brother, right?”
“Yes, noona….”
“Want to take a photo with me?”
“Really… is that okay? My brother told me absolutely no photos and to just crouch in the corner.”
[I never said anything about crouching!]
Kim Yeo-na waved her hand dismissively.
“Since I’m asking to take photos together, your brother will be fine with it.”
Ji-hee joined in as well.
“Me too! Me too!”
“Oh my, so you’re the youngest.”
Ji-hee shook her head vigorously.
“The youngest is Huin-dung-i. I’m not the youngest—I’m the third!”
“Oh, I’m sorry…. Then, shall we all take a photo together?”
“Yes!”
While Kim Yeo-na took photos with Min-guk, Ji-hee, and Huin-dung-i, I subtly asked Lim Jin-seo.
“What exactly is happening here?”
“Sung-guk, you were shouting so loudly in front of the restaurant that we couldn’t help but hear everything.”
“Ah….”
Only then did I understand the entire situation.
* * *
The CF director recommended by Director Kwak was famous for shooting virtually every trending commercial in South Korea these days.
His advertisements were characterized by refined direction and distinctive creative ideas.
“Hello. I’m Kim Se-bang, the director of this commercial.”
Yet his appearance was modest, unlike the advertisements he’d created, and his manner of speaking was straightforward.
“I’m from Chungcheong Province, so my speech might be a bit slow.”
“Not at all. Please speak comfortably.”
Kim Yeo-na certainly had a talent for putting people at ease.
Director Kim Se-bang methodically explained the FaceNote commercial concept he’d prepared.
“I don’t believe SNS is something only used by the younger generation. In Asia, the concept of family is strong, isn’t it? I thought it could actually become a bridge for intergenerational communication. For example, I was thinking of developing an advertisement with a concept where a grandfather becomes SNS friends with his grandchild.”
I quickly raised my hand.
“Wait, Representative, why that approach?”
“I’m opposed to it!”
At my words, Director Kim Se-bang’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Why, why is that?”
“Sharing SNS with family? Would young people who know their mothers and fathers are watching their SNS really want to use it? SNS is fundamentally about friends—or people with similar interests and experiences to mine—sharing their lives with each other. Director, I think this approach is fundamentally flawed from the start. Just because it’s Asia doesn’t mean family has to be the center, does it?”
Faced with my criticism, Director Kim Se-bang was at a loss for words, and my family stared at me with even more astonished expressions.
“Ah, I see… I think I misjudged this. Then, should we discard this proposal…?”
“Well, we don’t need to discard it entirely. What if we reversed the concept instead?”
“Pardon?”
“What if children accidentally discover their grandfather or father’s SNS? It turns out grandfather is a famous baduk star on FaceNote, or that father who only goes hiking is actually a hiking enthusiast celebrity. When children discover these fascinating sides of their family members they never knew about, young people realize SNS isn’t just something they do—their entire family is doing it too! What if we go with that kind of concept?”
“That’s actually great!”
Kim Yeo-na chimed in from beside me.
“My parents have sacrificed everything for me without any privacy until now. So sometimes I think about how my parents must have their own dreams and hobbies too… But it’s awkward to talk about those things with family directly, isn’t it? But if we knew about our family’s SNS, I think we’d want to sneak a peek and cheer them on.”
Director Kim Se-bang nodded vigorously.
“Then, instead of completely abandoning the ‘family’ concept, I’ll reinterpret it and rewrite the commercial proposal. I’d appreciate it if you could give me some time.”
“I can’t give you much. I need to set up an Asian branch office in Korea within six months and then return to the United States.”
“Whimper, whimper—”
Just then, Huin-dung-i’s plaintive cry rang out.
Huin-dung-i slipped out of Ji-hee’s arms and bounded toward me, burying his face in my chest.
“Huin-dung-i, you hate your hyung, don’t you?”
Min-guk jumped up in surprise, but I calmly stroked Huin-dung-i.
[Jeon Huin-dung-i, surely this isn’t just about treats?]
“Sung-guk, would it be okay if I held him too? I haven’t been able to keep a pet easily because of all my training camps.”
Kim Yeo-na’s eyes sparkled as she looked at Huin-dung-i.
I quickly picked up Huin-dung-i and handed him to Kim Yeo-na.
[Jeon Huin-dung-i, being held by Kim Yeo-na… you should know this is the family’s greatest honor.]
Huin-dung-i seemed to understand my intention, wagging his tail enthusiastically as he nestled into Kim Yeo-na’s arms.
“Sung-guk, what if Huin-dung-i appeared in our commercial too? He’s absolutely adorable.”
In that moment, my eyes met Huin-dung-i’s.
[Jeon Huin-dung-i, our family’s youngest! So you’re finally going to earn your keep!]
* * *
“Hyung, I was so scared back there. When you said ‘I’m opposed to it!’ like that, my heart was absolutely pounding…”
“That’s right, Sung-guk. Do you always speak so decisively when you’re working? Even your mother was startled.”
[Everyone calls this charisma, family!]
I simply shrugged my shoulders.
Jeon Tae-guk interjected from beside me.
“Sung-guk, but… isn’t Kim Yeo-na really amazing? She’s a goddess, beautiful—words can’t even do her justice. She has a different kind of thoughtfulness, a different aura emanating from her appearance. She’s really… incredibly amazing.”
Jeon Tae-guk had clearly fallen hard for Kim Yeo-na.
There probably wasn’t a single person in South Korea who hadn’t fallen for Kim Yeo-na.
“Hyung, when will our house interior design be finished?”
“It looks like it’ll be done this weekend. Why?”
“We need to move. Since we’re staying here, Ji-hee keeps skipping her studies, and Min-guk seems to be neglecting his practice too. We can’t have that.”
“Sung-guk, it’s home—try to relax a bit more.”
Mother tried to dissuade me.
“Mother, once a routine falls apart, it keeps falling apart. Anyway, as soon as our house interior design is finished, we’ll move. You and Father should prepare for the move too.”
Once the interior design of the house where Jeon Tae-guk and I would stay was complete, the family’s house would undergo its own interior design.
“Jeon Sung-guk really can’t be stopped by anyone.”
Mother patted my back.
At that moment, I glanced at Jeon Tae-guk, who had been gauging the mood carefully.
“Sung-guk, I’m actually curious about something.”
“What is it?”
“Do you… happen to contact Kim Yeo-na separately?”
“Well, occasionally.”
Most of it was work-related contact.
“So… do you two have some kind of mutual interest in each other?”
At those words, not only Mother but Min-guk and Ji-hee also looked at me with sparkling eyes.
[Why is everyone like this? I have no interest in a woman more famous than me.]
I quickly waved my hands in denial.
“To prevent any misunderstandings, let me say this in advance. My relationship with Kim Yeo-na is purely professional—nothing more, nothing less. She has no interest in me, and I feel the same way.”
At my words, the family all looked disappointed, while Jeon Tae-guk let out a sigh of relief.
“That’s a relief….”
“Hyung, what’s a relief?”
“Actually… I was thinking of confessing to Kim Yeo-na.”
At that moment, Min-guk, Ji-hee, Huin-dung-i, and I all raised our hands.
“I object!”
Jeon Tae-guk seemed quite surprised by our reaction.
“Why are you all like this? Isn’t someone like me allowed to ask Kim Yeo-na out on a date? I’m the heir to the Samjeon Group.”
“Hyung… before being the heir to the Samjeon Group, you’re now ‘William’ of FaceNote. You need to work with Kim Yeo-na, so what happens if you ask her out and things become awkward?”
“Why does everyone assume Kim Yeo-na will reject me? Huh?”
[Well… it’s obvious without even looking….]
Jeon Tae-guk suddenly stood up and shouted at us.
“Fine, I’m bringing this matter to a family meeting!”
I looked at Jeon Tae-guk with a puzzled expression.
[William, he’s not part of our family!]

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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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