I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 366

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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 366
“Father, please let me call you Father too! Please?!”
[You’re already calling me that, Jeon Tae-guk.]
Father, who had been drunk from sleep, along with Jeon Tae-guk, Sam, and Adam, immediately resumed drinking upon waking, and Jeon Tae-guk wailed in his drunkenness.
I grabbed the intoxicated Jeon Tae-guk’s shoulder.
“Hyung, you seem too drunk. Let’s get you, Sam, and Adam over to Hannam-dong now.”
“Sung-guk! I feel left out! I want to be a son of this family too!”
[That’s not something a Samjeon successor should be saying…. Tsk, tsk, tsk.]
Most people in South Korea would probably prefer to be a son of the Samjeon Group rather than a son of our household, which started with orphan parents and a single room.
Indeed, people never appreciate what they’re already born with. I was the same way….
Sam and Adam chimed in as well.
“William, let’s go home now. We can have another drink together. Sung-guk’s mother packed so much food for us.”
Only then did Jeon Tae-guk pretend to yield and leaned against Adam’s broad shoulders.
“Adam, you wouldn’t understand since you weren’t born a chaebol… but I’m really lonely.”
“William, when you’re lonely, fandom is the best cure. Why don’t you try getting into Misseight with me this time?”
“Maybe. But won’t our Jin-seo get jealous….”
I quickly pushed the three of them toward the door.
“Come on, save the rest of the conversation for home. I’ve called a taxi, so it should arrive soon.”
In the end, Jeon Tae-guk was dragged away by Adam and Sam, barely leaving our home.
* * *
“Dad, you must have had a hard time because of Tae-guk hyung, right?”
“Hard time? Nothing of the sort. I’m grateful that the Samjeon Group’s son keeps saying he loves coming to our house.”
Father finally managed to recover his smile.
Because of the phone call that came this morning, Father had been somewhat melancholy all day. No matter that he was a fake father, it was still his deepest wound.
“Sung-guk, your mother told me about the sponsorship organization.”
“I thought it would be good to create a sponsorship organization in your and Mother’s names to support orphans, and to continue helping them even after they become adults.”
“I see… I’ve been continuously donating to the orphanage since the restaurant business started doing well, so it would be even better to do it systematically this time.”
“Dad, I think it would be great if Mother took charge of running that organization. Min-guk will be an adult next year anyway, and Ji-hee is already in middle school.”
Father smiled and nodded.
“Actually, your mother is much better at this kind of work than I am. She has good instincts. When you were doing child modeling back then, your mother followed you around to everything.”
[I remember it all. I was completely overworked for just one banana.]
Just then, Min-guk came running over with Huin-dung-i in his arms, pitter-patter, and Ji-hee followed, pitter-patter.
When I see them like this, they still seem like children.
Then Min-guk called out loudly to Mother, who was cleaning up in the kitchen.
“Mom, we’ll help you clean up the kitchen. Come here!”
“Okay, got it.”
Soon, when Mother also gathered in the living room, Min-guk and Ji-hee held hands.
What on earth are they trying to do?
“Hyung, come here and hold our hands too.”
“Jeon Min-guk, what are you trying to do?”
“You talk too much. Just hold hands already.”
“Oppa, you hold Huin-dung-i’s paw.”
I reluctantly took Huin-dung-i’s front paw at Ji-hee’s urging.
Then Min-guk pushed Mother and Father to the center and grabbed my hand.
“Dad! Mom! We don’t need Grandfather and Grandmother. We just need Dad, Mom, Ji-hee, Huin-dung-i, and… Sung-guk hyung!”
[Jeon Min-guk, am I behind Huin-dung-i? What?!]
Before I could even protest, Min-guk squeezed my hand tightly and hugged Mother and Father. I too was drawn by Min-guk and Huin-dung-i’s hands to embrace Mother and Father.
Mother and Father held us tightly after so long, patting our backs and even our bottoms.
“When did our Sung-guk’s shoulders get so broad?”
“Min-guk’s height is almost the same as his hyung’s now.”
[What are you talking about, Dad? I’m exactly 5cm taller!]
Father hugged us close again.
“Mom and Dad only need our Sung-guk, Min-guk, and Ji-hee. Oh, and Huin-dung-i too!”
[Yes, this is family.]
In my previous life, I was a chaebol, but I had no family to rely on or help me when times were difficult.
Perhaps what Jeon Tae-guk envies is precisely this kind of family. Something money cannot buy!
* * *
Mark’s face had become twice as round during the Chuseok holiday break.
“Mark, what exactly did you do during the holidays?”
“I ended up eating everything Mi-mi’s parents made for me… and this is what happened.”
“Restaurant Owner, please don’t scold him. Mark is trying hard to make a good impression on our parents.”
“I’m not scolding him—I’m just laughing. This is the first time I’ve seen Mark get so chubby.”
Mark felt embarrassed and scratched his head awkwardly.
“Don’t tease me. I’ll diet as soon as we get to the United States!”
“Then enjoy yourself until we arrive in the United States.”
I handed first-class airline tickets to Mark and Lim Mi-mi.
“Restaurant Owner… we’re fine with economy class.”
“The company representative and key staff traveling back and forth—that wouldn’t make sense.”
“We’re already grateful that you’re driving us to the airport yourself today, and now this too!”
Lim Mi-mi readily accepted the first-class tickets.
“Anyway, Korea is dangerous. I need to lose some weight before coming back to Korea next time.”
Mark grumbled even as he was pleased.
“By the way, Mark… there will be people waiting for you at the United States airport.”
“Wait, I parked my car in the airport parking lot?”
“Anyway, they’ll be holding a sign with your and Lim Mi-mi’s names, so don’t be too surprised and just follow them.”
“Sung-guk, what are you scheming?”
“Mark, it’s not scheming… I’m giving you a birthday present.”
“A birthday present? Suddenly? My birthday is in December?”
Mark continued to raise questions.
Well, there was no helping it.
“Mark, I won the bet, but make sure you sell the Apple stock after ten years. I bought a Porsche. It’s a birthday gift.”
“Sung-guk….”
Mark stared at me with astonished eyes.
“Mark, there’s no need to be so surprised.”
In truth, considering my relationship with Mark, a Porsche or even several of them would have been a small price to pay.
FaceNote could never have been created without Mark.
“Sung-guk, I’m not selling the Apple stock after ten years… I’m never selling it!”
[That’s not happening, Mark!]
I shook my head firmly.
“Mark, please consult with me before making any stock decisions. Understood?”
“Got it, Sung-guk!”
At least I’d managed to prevent Mark’s reckless investment with one Porsche.
* * *
As soon as the Chuseok holiday ended, tragic news arrived.
Choi Dong-jun, who had been battling illness, had finally passed away.
The moment I heard the news, Jeon Tae-guk and I rushed to Choi Dong-jun’s funeral altar and sat in silence, drinking soju for a long time.
Many in the baseball world mourned Choi Dong-jun’s death together.
Jeon Tae-guk drained his soju glass with a melancholic expression.
“Sung-guk, there will be more people leaving us in the days to come, won’t there?”
“I suppose so.”
I gazed quietly at Choi Dong-jun’s portrait photograph in the distance.
Perhaps Choi Dong-jun, like me, would live a different life.
If so, I hoped he could play baseball freely and at peace in that place….
I prayed earnestly in my heart.
At that moment, my phone vibrated with an incoming call.
I quietly stepped aside and answered. Charlie Jobs’s voice came through the receiver.
– Sung-guk, how have you been?
“Charlie….”
My throat tightened, and I couldn’t speak further.
To receive a call from Charlie Jobs on the very day I’d said goodbye to Choi Dong-jun….
They were like stars departing from this world this year.
– Why are you silent? Does my voice sound weak?
Charlie Jobs’s voice itself bore the unmistakable pallor of illness.
“Charlie, what are you saying? I’m just surprised you called so suddenly.”
I forced myself to sound unaffected.
– Sung-guk, I know you’re serving in the military in Korea… but I’ve been missing you terribly lately. Is there any chance you could come to the United States? I’m afraid it’s impossible for me to go to Korea where you are.
“Charlie, I’ll do my best to make it happen.”
This wasn’t a matter of effort. I had to go.
Otherwise, I would never see Charlie Jobs again in this lifetime.
– Sung-guk, come and see my autobiography too….
“And you’ll give frank criticism too?”
– Of course. I’ve never trusted people who speak with honeyed words.
“I will, Charlie.”
– Well then, I’ll try to stay alive until you get here.
Charlie joked as he hung up the phone.
I slumped my shoulders and returned to Jeon Tae-guk.
“Sung-guk, who was that?”
“Charlie Jobs.”
“Charlie’s health isn’t good. Is he alright?”
“Hyung, I have a favor to ask. I think I need to go to the United States for a while. I promised to help Charlie Jobs with his autobiography.”
“An autobiography….”
Jeon Tae-guk’s face darkened at those words.
Jeon Tae-guk was the successor to Samjeon Group, recognized worldwide, and the head of Apple.
In some interviews, he had even called Charlie Jobs his life’s idol. That had earned him criticism from Samjeon Group shareholders and family members alike.
“Sung-guk, is Charlie Jobs’ health really that bad?”
“It seems so.”
“Then I’ll talk to Father and arrange a business trip for myself too. If I set it up as a U.S. IT company tour with the Alpha representative, would about a month work?”
“A week should be enough.”
“That’s too short….”
“I’m in military service.”
“Can’t be helped then. Let’s do it that way.”
“We’ll depart once the company move is complete and things settle down.”
I downed my soju.
In my previous life, I’d never drunk cheap liquor like soju and didn’t know its taste.
I’d always thought the saying that understanding soju means understanding life was just self-consolation invented by laborers who couldn’t afford expensive alcohol. But in this life, I was beginning to understand soju’s taste.
It was bitter and sweet at once—just like life itself.
Jeon Tae-guk drained his soju, then poured some into my empty glass. He picked up his glass and looked at me.
“Sung-guk, let’s toast. Drinking alone like this feels lonely.”
Really… no matter how I thought about it, Jeon Tae-guk was clearly bearing the karma of his past life.
“Hyung, who clinks glasses and drinks at a funeral?”
“You don’t do that?”
“This isn’t a joyful occasion. Toasts are for those kinds of places.”
“Ah… I see. I really should bring Park Secretary along more often. Since I’ll be coming here frequently, I need to avoid making mistakes.”
At least Jeon Tae-guk had the advantage of quickly grasping the situation.
I downed the bitter soju again.
* * *
It wasn’t until the last week of September 2011 that Jeon Tae-guk and I headed to San Francisco.
The company relocation took time to complete and settle, and Jeon Tae-guk, who had just been appointed as director of the Strategic Planning Team, found it difficult to arrange a business trip so soon.
The airplane was landing at the familiar San Francisco Airport.
“Hyung, Mark said he’d pick us up.”
“You’re finally getting to ride Mark’s Porsche? You know how much Mark brags about it on FaceNote? He keeps saying his soul mate Sung-guk bought it for him. Says it’s the biggest birthday gift he got this year…. But Sung-guk, what are you getting me for my birthday?”
“You already have everything, hyung.”
Jeon Tae-guk, who would normally pester me for something, said nothing. He just stared at his phone with a dejected expression.
“Hyung, can’t you reach Lim Jin-seo?”
“Ah… I specifically told her she was arriving today…. But she’s not responding. Maybe she lost her phone….”
An ominous feeling began creeping over me. And strangely, such premonitions always came true.
“Hyung, we can just ask Mark once we get down. He’s staying at Mark’s place next door anyway.”
“Ah… yeah, I should….”
Jeon Tae-guk and I got off at the airport with hearts that were anything but light.
And from a distance, Mark, who had come to pick us up, waved his hand enthusiastically. In one hand, I could see a car key with the Porsche logo on it.
“Sung-guk! William! Over here!”
Jeon Tae-guk rushed over and immediately asked Mark.
“Mark, where’s Lim Jin-seo?”
“Uh… William, what do you mean?”
“I can’t reach Jin-seo. Is she still going to the company?”
“Lim Jin-seo’s been coming to work fine. But didn’t she tell you she moved recently?”
At that moment, Jeon Tae-guk’s eyes wavered.
[Was Teacher Lee of Samcheongdong’s prophecy coming true again like this….]
Just then, a tall man approached me.
“CEO Jeon Sung-guk?”
“Who are you?”
“CEO Donald Trumpet sent me. Didn’t you get a call?”
“I just arrived….”
Right then, my phone rang. And Donald Trumpet’s name appeared on the screen.
I quickly answered.
“Donald?”
– Sung-guk, you should’ve called me when you came to America. I went through a lot of trouble to find out, you know.
“Donald, what’s going on all of a sudden?”
– We’ll talk about that when we meet. Welcome to America, CEO Jeon Sung-guk! Hahahaha!
Hearing Donald Trumpet’s exaggerated laughter, it finally felt real that I was in America.

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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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