I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 400

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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 400
I stepped out onto the terrace alone and took a sip of beer.
It was still February and bitterly cold, but today I wanted to drink beer in solitude.
Two months had passed since 2012 began.
The year ahead would likely be the most pivotal of my life.
Soon, Dennis Chazelle’s film “Whiplash,” which I was funding entirely, would begin production, and in May, FaceNote’s NASDAQ listing awaited.
And now, the day was finally coming when Min-guk would truly earn his keep.
In June, there was even the debut of Sevens.
I took another sip of beer.
To think that at twenty-two, I had already accomplished all this…
Of course, if I counted my previous life, it had taken over sixty years, but I was only twenty-two now.
In my past life, I was among South Korea’s wealthiest, but in this life, I would become one of the world’s richest.
My shoulders lifted involuntarily with pride.
[Jeon Sung-guk, you’ve endured so much… truly so much.]
My eyes suddenly grew misty.
From a tiny one-room apartment in Suyu to Hannam-dong…
I felt genuinely proud of myself.
*Click—*
“Sung-guk, what are you doing?”
Jeon Tae-guk was the only unresolved problem in this life—the one thing that interrupted my moment of self-congratulation.
“Just having a beer.”
“Aren’t you freezing? Isn’t it cold?”
“I’m fine.”
“Sung-guk, did you cry?”
Jeon Tae-guk stared directly into my eyes.
I couldn’t admit that I’d gotten emotional and teary-eyed alone.
“Something got in my eye.”
“That’s the most clichéd line from every drama. Sung-guk, don’t tell me you were actually getting all emotional by yourself, thinking ‘I’m living well today too! My life!’ or something like that?”
*Sting.*
My heart skipped uncomfortably.
“Hyung, I’m not that much of a narcissist.”
“The way you said that so calmly proves you are. Yeah, that’s right. Oh, I got promoted this time. I told Sam and Adam we’d celebrate, so keep next weekend free.”
The new year had brought the season of personnel reshuffles.
What was difficult for ordinary office workers came easily to Jeon Tae-guk.
“Hyung, so you’re becoming an executive now?”
“Yeah. Executive of the Strategic Planning Team.”
[Next year he’ll be promoted to vice president, and by the second half, probably to senior vice president…]
Samjeon was clearly grooming its successor.
“The salary isn’t much different, and the work is similar. But since my title changed, let’s celebrate among ourselves. I’ve reserved the Samjeon Hotel Chinese Restaurant.”
[I was planning to skip it… but I can’t resist the jjajangmyeon at the Samjeon Hotel Chinese Restaurant…]
In that moment, a date suddenly flashed through my mind.
Tomorrow was Jeon Min-guk’s graduation ceremony.
“Hyung, I’m sorry, but could you reserve the Samjeon Hotel Chinese Restaurant for tomorrow?”
“Why?”
“I just realized Min-guk’s graduation is tomorrow.”
“You’re just thinking of that now?”
[That’s just how brothers are, I guess.]
I shrugged my shoulders.
“At least I’m thinking of it now, right?”
“I’ll have Park Secretary reserve a room for us. If that doesn’t work, we’ll upgrade to a suite and eat there… and besides, it’s Min-guk’s graduation—I can’t just sit around doing nothing.”
[But hyung is sitting around doing nothing, so why can’t I?]
Jeon Tae-guk pondered this and headed inside.
“What should I do for that kid Min-guk…?”
I shook my head slowly.
The Jeon Tae-guk I remembered from my past life was practically a delinquent.
Constantly compared to the accomplished me, consumed by inferiority complex, he thrashed about trying to surpass me in any way possible, but he lacked both skill and intellect.
Eventually, after getting involved in drugs and scandalous affairs that made him a regular in the Securities District gossip columns, when he finally caused a proper incident, I had him deported to the United States.
But this Jeon Tae-guk was definitely different.
When I first met him in this life, he was hardly any different from the previous version, but through my training, he became capable of showing consideration for others. Of course, he’s still not particularly bright and lacks business sense.
I took another sip of beer.
[You’ve worked hard molding Jeon Tae-guk into a decent person, Jeon Sung-guk!]
My eyes grew hot again.
[I definitely need to write this in my autobiography later… that my teens and twenties were so exhausting raising my younger siblings and turning Jeon Tae-guk into a proper person… Phew!]
I gulped down my beer.
* * *
“Achoo!”
I sneezed repeatedly.
Jeon Tae-guk shook his head.
“I told you to come inside because you said you were cold and drink beer. Don’t ruin the mood for no reason.”
Of all days, I had caught a proper cold right on Min-guk’s graduation day.
“I think I’ll be fine if I take cold medicine before we go.”
“I’ll drive today.”
“Why would you, hyung?”
“It’s Min-guk’s graduation—I have to go.”
Jeon Tae-guk looked even more excited than he had been at his own graduation.
“Hyung, why do you look more excited than I do?”
“Sung-guk, your whole family came to your high school graduation, didn’t they?”
“Yes.”
The Phillips High School graduation ceremony came to mind.
It had been an event where the entire family showed up. The same was true for my Harvard entrance ceremony.
There was still a tacky photo of us all wearing Harvard t-shirts bought from the souvenir shop.
“I don’t remember my parents coming to my graduation. I think they came to my elementary school graduation, but… that was when Mom and Dad were at their absolute worst. They took one photo and left right away, saying they had a schedule. So I went to Samjeon Hotel with Secretary Yang and ate jjajangmyeon instead.”
“Hyung, your parents’ relationship is just as bad as mine, but most people don’t even get to eat jjajangmyeon at Samjeon Hotel.”
“Jeon Sung-guk, you really do have a talent for destroying the mood. Anyway, after that day, my parents never attended another one of my graduations.”
[He barely managed to graduate himself—he’s one to talk.]
I shook my head.
“Let’s just go, hyung. We’re going to be late at this rate!”
“Yeah, okay!”
* * *
The high school Min-guk attended was essentially an arts high school.
It was the kind of school where idol trainees and aspiring entertainers primarily studied. Because of that, there were plenty of idols who had already debuted and become famous before graduation.
“Sung-guk, that’s Seung-hee from Kari!!!”
“Sung-guk, that’s Ji-hyun from Tia!!!”
Jeon Tae-guk rattled off female idol names one after another.
“Hyung, is this why you came?”
“Well, not exactly… but my purpose seems to be shifting a bit.”
Just then, I saw the van carrying Min-guk arrive.
For Min-guk’s graduation, all the members of Sevens were attending the ceremony and filming a video to upload to YouTube.
And at the same time, Father, Mother, and Ji-hee also arrived.
“Sung-guk, Tae-guk!”
“Father!!!”
Jeon Tae-guk greeted Father more enthusiastically than I did.
“Hyung, let’s head to the auditorium.”
“Yeah, okay.”
That was when it happened.
A scream-like sound erupted from behind us.
Who was that?
When I turned around, Cha Jun from Paradise, an idol from a famous talent agency, was entering. He had an impressive height and an attractive face with a smooth smile.
Because of the women rushing in to see Cha Jun, the auditorium entrance instantly became chaos.
Cha Jun’s bodyguards flanked him and moved him inside, but because the path kept getting blocked, Cha Jun ended up right behind Jeon Tae-guk and me.
One of the bodyguards spoke to us roughly.
“You there, move aside.”
I quickly assessed the situation and looked at the bodyguard.
“We’re stuck too right now. We’ll move when we can, so whether you’re a star or not, you’ll have to wait.”
“What?”
The bodyguard acted arrogant as if he were the star himself.
But then, a sneeze suddenly burst out because I was coming down with a cold.
“Achoo!”
That was when it happened.
A low, unpleasant voice came from behind.
“What’s this? Won’t even move aside. Just coughing everywhere. I’m going to catch a cold because of this guy. If I get sick over something so trivial and can’t keep my schedule, he’s going to compensate me for it, understand?”
Cha Jun was grumbling under his breath.
The Bodyguard heard him and shoved us harder with his weight.
“Come on, move it! Get inside already!”
Because of that, Jeon Tae-guk and I were nearly knocked over by the crowd.
[Sigh… I absolutely cannot tolerate this.]
I turned around coldly.
“Please don’t push. People could get hurt.”
“Stop whining! If you want compensation, contact my company later!”
[At this point, is he seriously going all out….]
Just then, the Bodyguard shoved us again with his massive weight. As a result, a middle-aged woman in front of us fell to the ground.
“Brother, please help that woman up first.”
“Got it.”
Then I quickly turned around and stared at the Bodyguard.
“I warned you not to push.”
“Then why is someone dawdling in front?”
“There are elderly people here attending the graduation ceremony, and everyone is moving at a steady pace together. If you were in such a hurry, you should have arrived earlier. Let’s maintain order.”
“Do you know how much my time is worth….”
Cha Jun grumbled again from beside him.
I rolled up my sleeves slightly. And Jeon Tae-guk came over and rolled up his sleeves as well.
“I’m Jeon Sung-guk, CEO. I’m the representative of FaceNote and YouTube. And this is the successor of Samjeon Group and currently the Managing Director of Samjeon Group’s Management Planning Team. We’re also standing in line and entering slowly to watch the graduation ceremony, so I don’t think someone who arrived late should be complaining about how much their time is worth.”
Jeon Tae-guk nodded vigorously beside me.
“Do you even know how much the hourly rate of CEO Jeon Sung-guk is… And isn’t Paradise one of our company’s smartphone advertisers?”
“Ah, that’s….”
Cha Jun’s embarrassment was evident.
As the situation became chaotic, people around us began pulling out their phones to record the scene. The situation was entirely unfavorable for Cha Jun.
I quickly resolved the situation.
“Everyone, I’m sure you all understood what I and Managing Director Jeon Tae-guk said. Since this is a busy venue, let’s proceed in order without pushing for everyone’s safety!”
The moment I finished speaking, everyone filed into the Auditorium in orderly silence.
* * *
“Mom, Dad, Ji-hee!!! Brother!!! Tae-guk hyung!!!”
Min-guk waved at us while clutching his diploma to his chest.
“How can he be so cheerful… when he graduated nearly at the bottom of his entire class….”
I stared coldly at Min-guk with my arms crossed.
Min-guk soon ran over and accepted the bouquet that his members and Jeon Tae-guk offered.
“Wow, I’m so moved. Everyone practiced yesterday and only slept at dawn, but you all came to my graduation.”
“Hey, I stayed up all night to get here.”
Jung-woo laughed and patted Min-guk affectionately.
“Jung-woo hyung, thanks. Sung-guk hyung is going to buy us jjajangmyeon. Let’s all go eat together.”
All the members of Sevens followed me eagerly.
And of all places, I ran into Cha Jun and a few members of Paradise who had come to watch his graduation ceremony in the parking lot.
Min-guk greeted Cha Jun with a bright smile.
“Jun! Congratulations on your graduation!”
“Uh….”
But Cha Jun received the greeting with a lukewarm expression, barely acknowledging it.
I quietly whispered to Jeon Tae-guk.
“Hyung, I think we should give them the graduation gift we prepared.”
“I was just thinking the same thing.”
Jeon Tae-guk pulled out the shopping bags he had prepared in the car and distributed them to the Sevens members.
“These are Samjeon’s latest phones. I may be an Apple guy, but the Sevens members need to use Samjeon.”
“Tae-guk hyung, you use Apple yourself.”
When Min-guk pointed this out, Jeon Tae-guk smiled brightly.
“Min-guk, don’t you remember? The contract we made?”
“Hyung, that….”
“You know, the unfair contract because of your older brother.”
“So, we’re doing the Samsung Electronics Model starting with our debut?”
“In my opinion, Sevens will do better than Paradise right now. You all have good character.”
At those words, I saw Cha Jun’s brow furrow.
I quietly approached Cha Jun and whispered to him.
“Cha Jun, congratulations on your graduation. And congratulations on stepping down from the Samsung model!”

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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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