I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 341

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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 341
March 10, 2011.
– Jeon Sung-guk’s Mysterious Premonition Dream on SNS. Did Early Success Distort His Mind?
– A Typical SNS Post from Someone Overestimating Their Influence. Don’t go to Japan? Just as people are free to pour delusions onto SNS, whether to go to Japan or not is equally a matter of personal freedom.
– Japan’s Response: “Jeon Sung-guk’s Remarks Are Highly Offensive.” The Ambassador to Japan Hinted at Lodging a Formal Protest Through Proper Channels Next Week.
– Contrary to Media Criticism, Travelers Are Canceling Their Plans Based on Jeon Sung-guk’s Single Post. Inquiries About Canceling Japan Travel Have Surged Since Jeon Sung-guk Posted on SNS.
“Sung-guk, don’t just read articles in your room. Come out here and watch the news.”
Jeon Tae-guk’s voice echoed from the living room.
“Sung-guk, come have breakfast.”
Adam called out as well.
I quietly opened my door.
Adam was making sandwiches in the kitchen, while Jeon Tae-guk was watching the morning news in the living room.
I walked to the kitchen as casually as possible and poured myself a coffee.
I could feel Adam struggling to hold back his laughter.
“Adam, don’t hold it in.”
“Sung-guk… it’s just… pfft. Sung-guk… ahem.”
“Adam, don’t strain yourself either.”
Just then, Jeon Tae-guk gestured to me.
“Sung-guk, come quick! The news about you is absolutely flooding in!”
[Really, everyone’s overreacting to just one thing I said….]
On the TV, a reporter was interviewing a passerby.
– Jeon Sung-guk posted on SNS about having a premonition dream and asked people to refrain from traveling to Japan altogether. How much do you trust posts written by celebrities like this?
– I usually trust his analysis when it’s based on scientific evidence, but dreams are different. Honestly, if it doesn’t happen, if there’s no earthquake in Japan, isn’t that just a relief? That’s the end of it. How can someone make such an irresponsible statement?
The reporter approached another passerby for an interview.
– We’re hearing that many people who had planned to travel to Japan this weekend are canceling their trips because of Jeon Sung-guk’s post. If you came across such a post, would you consider changing your travel plans?
– Of course not. Who believes dream talk like that? Haha.
The citizen laughed quite cheerfully.
[Really, just one more day. Just one more day. Just one more day. Hold on for one day.]
I mentally drew the character for patience.
Before I knew it, Adam placed the sandwich he’d made into my hands.
“Sung-guk, eat up and take heart.”
“By the way, Sung-guk, why did you post that SNS in the first place? Did you really have that dream? Or did you just not want to go to Japan with me?”
“Think whatever you like.”
I had no answer to give.
I simply stated what was going to happen….
I bit into the sandwich Adam had made.
“But… then Sung-guk, you’re really not going to Japan?”
“I have too much work, so I can’t go anyway.”
“Then we’ll just go the two of us. Leaving you behind since you’re superstitious….”
[I can’t go anyway….]
But I couldn’t bear to say another word.
“Do as you like. Believe it or don’t.”
Just then, a message notification chimed.
– Sung-guk, Dad will be at the company by noon. Let’s grab lunch together.
What’s going on with Father?
I replied that I understood.
* * *
At noon, I headed down to the lobby and found Father sitting in a chair there.
His face looked slightly haggard, something noticeably off compared to his usual appearance.
“Father.”
“Oh… Sung-guk.”
Father slowly rose from his seat and forced a smile.
“Sung-guk, aren’t you quite hungry?”
“I had the sandwich Adam made for breakfast before coming to work.”
“That’s good then…. I found a famous Eel Rice Bowl Restaurant nearby. How about it?”
“Eel for lunch?”
“Yes. Dad’s been feeling a bit run down lately.”
“Then we should eat it. Come on, Father. Your successful son will treat.”
Father headed toward the Eel Rice Bowl Restaurant he’d looked up.
As soon as we stepped inside, a faintly fishy eel aroma wafted from various corners.
Father sat down, scanned the menu with a gloomy expression, then pointed to the most expensive item with his finger.
“Two eel rice bowl sets, please.”
[What’s going on with Father? Ordering such an expensive menu… Is something really wrong?]
I quietly observed Father’s complexion. Unlike usual, he seemed somehow unstable.
“Father… Is something wrong with your health?”
“Sung-guk…. It’s not that….”
“Father, surely the restaurant isn’t doing poorly?”
“No, that’s not it. Ever since Emma visited, the takeout orders have been backed up, so we even hired more staff.”
“Father, then what is it? Did you fight with Mother? Is Min-guk causing trouble?”
[Father, why do you look so miserable!]
My insides were burning with worry.
Father let out a deep sigh and stared directly at me.
“Sung-guk, listen carefully to what Dad has to say.”
[I always listen carefully to what you say.]
“Sung-guk, Dad is truly sorry….”
“Father, what are you suddenly saying?”
“Your mother and I have always believed that our Sung-guk could do anything well on his own.”
[Father, I can do anything well alone. That’s not belief—it’s just how things are.]
I shrugged my shoulders.
“But… it seems you’ve endured so much emotional pain, living abroad alone for so long and conducting business with people so much older than you.”
The conversation was taking an increasingly strange turn.
“Sung-guk, about that post you wrote on FaceNote.”
[So it’s about that after all…]
“Do you have dreams like that often?”
“Oh, no. Dad. I don’t have them very often.”
“Really?”
“Yeah! But is that why you came, Dad?”
“Actually, the thing is….”
Father exhaled a long, heavy sigh. Just then, the eel rice bowls arrived.
“Let’s eat first.”
Father bowed his head and began eating his eel rice bowl.
[Dad, something seems wrong with him….]
I eyed Father suspiciously and began eating my eel rice bowl.
[Hmm… this place makes excellent eel rice bowls. I should come back next time.]
Just as I was finishing my bowl, Father scooped the remaining eel onto my plate.
“Sung-guk, eat more.”
“You came because you’re exhausted, Dad. Eat more yourself.”
“No, I’ve eaten plenty.”
I couldn’t hold back any longer.
When a man sits there with such a listless face, serving eel to his son, it always meant he’d done something serious. Either a woman or money.
It couldn’t be a woman problem for Father.
“Dad, you need to tell me the truth. What did you really do? Did you rack up debts in business? Or… are you gambling?”
Father’s eyes suddenly widened as he stared at me.
“Sung-guk, what are you talking about? Is someone telling you to say things like that in your head?”
“No… I don’t understand what you’re saying, Dad. You just suddenly came to find me with a gloomy face, sighing heavily, so I thought you had something on your mind.”
“Sung-guk, you’re really saying that, right? No one’s telling you to say things like that in your head, right?”
“Dad, what are you talking about? Just tell me!”
I was so frustrated I felt like jumping up and leaving.
Father rinsed his mouth with water and opened it to speak.
“Sung-guk, about that premonition dream you posted on SNS yesterday. Do those kinds of dreams actually come true for you as often as you said?”
I had no idea how to explain this situation.
“Sung-guk, do you sometimes see strange things at night… and see other people’s pasts or futures?”
“Dad! Are you seriously suspecting that I’m possessed by a ghost or something like that?”
“Sung-guk, listen to me carefully. We’re not suspecting you….”
[We? We! So the whole family suspects I’m possessed by a ghost?]
I took the deepest breath I could manage.
If I said I already knew about it because this was my second life, they’d probably tell me I needed to go to a psychiatric hospital instead.
“Dad… that’s not it. I just had a dream… and it was so vivid that I posted it.”
“Sung-guk, if that’s not it, then maybe you’re taking some kind of drug? Your mom’s friend’s son is younger than you, and when they sent him to study in the United States, he started using drugs and has frequent hallucinations. You’re not doing something like that, are you?”
“Dad! Let’s go to the hospital right now and get a blood test. I don’t even smoke—do you really think I’d ruin my life with drugs?”
“Sung-guk, we trust you. But you’ve been so busy lately… and we’re worried that maybe something’s wrong with you.”
[Just one more day. I can handle this!]
I took a sip of water.
“Father, I understand your concerns and Mother’s too. But there’s nothing wrong. I just have too much work today to take a long lunch break, so I should get back. Let’s talk about this again over the weekend.”
“I see… Sung-guk, just remember that if you ever truly need help, your mother and I will always be on your side.”
“….”
Instead of answering, I nodded deeply.
[Just one more day, Jeon Sung-guk!]
* * *
As I entered the office, all the employees looked at me and quickly returned to their desks.
Our company had never had this kind of atmosphere before.
We used to work freely at one large table, discussing things openly. Only Adam had a private office due to security concerns.
Just then, Jeon Tae-guk gestured toward me.
“Sung-guk, let’s grab a coffee in Adam’s office.”
[What is he going to say now? Should I just leave early today….]
* * *
“Sung-guk, our father called me earlier.”
[Why are fathers making such a fuss in both my past and present lives….]
I didn’t respond.
“Father thinks you’ve been under a lot of stress lately, so he suggested you meet with Teacher Lee of Samcheongdong.”
“William, who is Teacher Lee of Samcheongdong?”
Adam asked.
“Oh, he’s a famous fortune teller who reads our family’s destiny and things like that. You know how in America there are people who are good at reading tarot cards and such.”
“I see….”
Adam nodded as if he finally understood.
“You know Father thinks very highly of you, don’t you, Sung-guk?”
“Hyung, I’m not possessed or anything.”
“I know you have some odd quirks, but they’ve actually worked out well so far.”
“But I don’t think Sung-guk’s words are completely baseless.”
Adam interjected.
“Adam, what do you mean?”
“William, I searched about the Japan earthquake based on what Sung-guk said yesterday. And it turns out there actually was an earthquake in Japan on March 9th—quite far away, but it did happen. The epicenter was distant enough that it didn’t greatly affect mainland Japan, but it was a fairly large magnitude. Usually, foreshocks occur several days before a major earthquake. So if Sung-guk’s dream is accurate, it’s not entirely impossible.”
[Adam, you’re my savior!]
Jeon Tae-guk tilted his head and wrapped his arms around himself as if he felt a chill.
“Hearing that makes me nervous. Adam, let’s cancel our trip to Japan tomorrow. Japan is close by anyway, so we can go another time.”
“Understood, William.”
“Then my issue is all resolved, right? I’ll go prepare for the presentation.”
As I was leaving, Jeon Tae-guk grabbed my shoulder.
“William, why?”
“Still, let’s meet with Teacher Lee of Samcheongdong. You know how difficult it is to schedule an appointment with him.”
“William, you have another agenda, don’t you?”
There was no reason why Samjeon’s heir would have difficulty scheduling a meeting with Master Lee.
“Hmm… I’m caught. Truth is, I was using you as an excuse to check compatibility with Jin-seo. If I set up a separate appointment, my family will find out anyway.”
“Samjeon must have already checked your compatibility.”
“I just found out recently that Jin-seo’s birthday doesn’t match her registered birth date. So I need to check it with her real birthday.”
“I understand.”
I didn’t have the energy to say anything more.
Ding.
A message notification chimed. It was Min-guk.
– Hyung, can you tell me this week’s lottery numbers?

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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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