I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 421

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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 421
May had finally arrived.
The relocation of Alpha’s office proceeded faster than expected.
Starting May 7th, everyone was scheduled to commute to the office in Pangyo.
On top of that, my independence was also progressing faster than anticipated.
I entrusted the matter of finding a home to Secretary Kim Mi-so.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
I heard the sound of someone tapping on the office door.
Adam poked his head inside.
“Sung-guk, could you say a few words to the staff before we leave today? Starting next week, we’re all commuting to Pangyo, after all.”
“Got it, Adam.”
I closed my laptop and stood up from my desk.
It was time to leave the Samsung Headquarters Building.
* * *
The employees sat at their neatly organized desks with slightly flushed faces.
“Everyone’s finished packing, right?”
“Yes….”
“The office will be relocated to Pangyo over the weekend. Well then, everyone enjoy your weekend, and I’ll see you all at the Pangyo office on Monday.”
At my brief remarks, the employees touched their familiar desks one last time or grabbed their personal belongings before filing out of the office in unison.
Soon only Adam and Sam remained in the empty office.
Adam swept his gaze across the office with a melancholic expression.
“Adam, are you feeling sentimental?”
“I guess I’ve grown quite attached. The food was delicious too.”
“Once we get to Pangyo, there will be many people from similar industries, so we’ll be able to network and help each other out.”
“I’m looking forward to it. I’ve heard people call it Korea’s Silicon Valley.”
“By the way, Adam and Sam—have you found places to live?”
[Am I leaving them out?]
Sam scratched his head.
“Jeon Tae-guk told us to leave housing matters to him.”
“Right… Jeon Tae-guk will handle the housing situation well. You two must be busy with the move, so rest well over the weekend and I’ll see you at Pangyo next week.”
“Sung-guk, aren’t you coming home today?”
“Tomorrow is Children’s Day, and next week is Parents’ Day, so I’m planning to spend this weekend at my parents’ home.”
“I see….”
Adam’s expression turned disappointed.
“Then I’ll see you at the company next week.”
I left the office without looking back.
[I’m a man who holds grudges. Let’s see how well those three do!]
* * *
As I descended to the Underground Parking Lot, I spotted Secretary Kim Mi-so pulling her car up to the entrance.
“CEO!”
“Secretary Kim, I’m planning to head straight to my family home in my own car today.”
“Yes, I prepared the keys to the Pangyo apartment since you mentioned that.”
Secretary Kim Mi-so handed me a document envelope containing various keys and access cards.
“You found a place?”
“Of course. It’s a five-minute walk from Pangyo Station and a five-minute drive from the office. The park is nearby, and there are plenty of convenient facilities around. It’s a large apartment complex with excellent community amenities. Since you’re sensitive to noise between floors, I secured the top unit. It’s about 1,650 square feet, so it should be more than sufficient for living alone. Since it was originally rented to foreigners, it comes fully furnished with basic options like furniture and a refrigerator.”
[I’m finally truly independent….]
I held the weighty document envelope and fell into thought.
“CEO, there’s nothing else you need to bring from the Hannam-dong house besides clothes, right?”
“Right, I’ve already taken my laptop. I don’t have many clothes, so there shouldn’t be much to move.”
“I’ll move everything over this weekend. By the time you leave work Monday evening, I’ll have everything set up so you can use it immediately.”
“Thank you. Secretary Kim, please just take care of things this weekend.”
“Don’t worry about that. I’m already receiving quite generous special treatment from you.”
As I headed toward my car, I suddenly turned back to look at Secretary Kim Mi-so.
“Secretary Kim, you’re living on your own too. What did you decide to do about your place?”
“I’m planning to move to an officetel near your apartment as well.”
“Work hard this weekend, and take vacation days next week during the weekdays.”
“Thank you, CEO. Have a good weekend.”
Now I was truly saying goodbye to the Hannam-dong house.
I started the engine of my Porsche.
Just then, tap tap. Secretary Kim Mi-so knocked on the car window.
“Secretary Kim, what is it?”
“I almost forgot to leave this in the car.”
Secretary Kim Mi-so handed me a cake box, a small shopping bag, and carnations.
“What is this….”
“Given your personality, I figured you’d definitely just handle everything with money. This is a popular cake these days. The small shopping bag is a Children’s Day gift for Ji-hee. And the carnations are obviously for your parents.”
“You didn’t have to get all this.”
“I bought these while shopping for my parents and younger sibling. Just give them to your parents as if you bought them.”
“Thank you, Secretary Kim.”
* * *
“Mother, this….”
“Oh my, did you buy carnations for Parents’ Day next week?”
“Yeah. Where’s Father?”
“He’s still at the restaurant.”
“I should go pick him up later.”
“Look at you, our Sung-guk is all grown up.”
Mother patted my backside as she always did.
“Mother, I’ve been grown up for a while now.”
“You’ve only grown tall. You didn’t even know how to take care of things like this.”
Mother seemed more moved by the carnations than when I had given her the Tiffany ring.
Just then, Ji-hee came padding out through the door.
“Oppa, what about me?”
“Ji-hee, you’re not a child anymore. You’re too old to be expecting Children’s Day gifts.”
“Ugh… but I’m not an adult yet either.”
Ji-hee pouted.
I pulled out a small shopping bag I’d hidden behind my back.
“Next year when you start university, you’ll be a college student, so this is your last one.”
“Wow! What is this?”
Ji-hee opened the shopping bag and broke into a bright smile.
Honestly, I had no idea what Secretary Kim Mi-so had actually bought for Ji-hee’s gift.
“Ji-hee, what did your oppa buy you as a gift?”
“Mom, look at this. It’s earrings.”
“Earrings?”
Mother looked at me with a puzzled expression.
“Sung-guk, you really bought that? Ji-hee hasn’t even had her ears pierced yet.”
“Study hard, and you can wear them once you’re in university.”
I brushed it off vaguely.
Ji-hee giggled and wrapped her arms around my waist.
Ever since she’d become a middle schooler, she rarely hugged her older brother anymore… was this the power of a gift?
“Oppa, I’ll do my best. These are so pretty!”
“That’s right, Ji-hee. You need to finish your studies before dinner.”
“Okay!”
Ji-hee raised her hand enthusiastically and scurried into her room.
I felt oddly embarrassed. Thanks to Secretary Kim Mi-so, I was being praised by my family.
[Should I send Secretary Kim a message… to say thanks…?]
Then I suddenly shoved my phone back into my pocket.
No one would appreciate their company’s CEO contacting them on a Friday evening.
* * *
I walked through the door of Uncle Won’s Bossam after a long time.
Being Friday evening, even though it was closing time, I could see customers still raising their glasses.
Father emerged from the kitchen, tidying tables while greeting the customers.
“We’re closing now. You’ve all had quite a bit to drink. Please head home.”
“Of course.”
“Would you like me to pack up what’s left?”
“Can you do that?”
“Of course.”
Father was so busy attending to customers at various tables that he hadn’t noticed me coming in.
I quickly went to Father and took the dish towel from his hand.
“Father, I’ll take care of the tables.”
“Sung-guk, when did you get here?”
“Just now.”
“Just wait a moment. Once I finish tidying up the hall, we’re done.”
“Sure, I’ll help too.”
Once all the customers had left and we finished cleaning, it was already past eleven.
Father held a bag of leftover bossam and spiced snails in one hand, just like old times.
“Your mother said she wants to eat spiced snails.”
“I’ve been craving them too. Perfect timing.”
[Father, do you know how much I’ve wanted to eat these since I was one year old?]
Memories of those days flooded back, and I quickly grabbed the bag of spiced snails.
“Father, let me carry it.”
“I can’t believe how much our Sung-guk has grown.”
I noticed Father’s eyes suddenly turning red.
[Father, no emotional manipulation allowed!]
“Father, are you going through menopause these days?”
“This kid’s grown up so much, he’s got a sharp tongue now.”
Father laughed quickly and patted my shoulder.
“Let’s go have a drink of soju with your mother and me while we eat the spiced snails.”
“Sounds good!”
* * *
Father’s, Mother’s, and my hopes shattered because of Ji-hee.
“Wait, are you seriously saying that Mom, Dad, and my older brother are going to sit at the dinner table drinking soju and chatting in a house where there’s a student preparing for exams?”
“Ji-hee, is it really that much of a distraction?”
Father asked, flustered.
“Dad, Korean apartments don’t have proper soundproofing. Even with doors closed, you can hear conversations from the next room over. And you’re planning to sit at a wide-open dinner table and chat away? I need to pass all my GED exams this year and get into Seoul National University’s law school. You know that, right?”
Ji-hee was unyielding.
“Ji-hee, your older brother is genuinely curious about this. Is it really that difficult to get into Seoul National University? Do families have to stop talking to each other just so someone can get in?”
At that moment, seeing Ji-hee’s face flush red and then pale, I had an ominous feeling.
“Older brother, what did you just say?”
“Your older brother didn’t take the entrance exam in Korea, so he doesn’t understand. It’s fine, it’s fine. Our daughter, go study. Mom and Dad will be quiet.”
Mother managed to calm the angry Ji-hee and finally got her to go to her room.
“Sung-guk, Korean high school seniors are sensitive. So you need to be patient.”
[Just this once, Mother.]
In the end, we went into the master bedroom and secretly sipped soju with the spiced snails. Our voices naturally grew quieter.
“It brings back old memories, sitting in a room like this with a small table and drinking.”
[Yes, Father. I remember those days too. You and Mother drank soju while you fed me a bottle.]
“Sung-guk, you remember you were there with us back then, right?”
“I don’t remember anything from back then.”
After a glass of soju, Father looked at Mother with a flushed face.
“Dear, should we all sleep together in the master bedroom tonight with Sung-guk?”
[I’m going to have to pass on that.]
“Sung-guk, what do you think?”
Mother also looked at me with barely concealed anticipation.
[I need to steer this conversation in a different direction.]
“Mom, Dad… I’m going to move out when I relocate to Pangyo.”
“Move out?”
“The company is too far from here, so I’m planning to move my residence to Pangyo. I thought I’d use this opportunity to separate from Jeon Tae-guk, Sam, and Adam, and live on my own for a while.”
“Why are you only telling us now? Have you found a place?”
Mother asked with concern.
“Yes. Secretary Kim arranged it. It’s close to the company and close to Pangyo Station. I’ll check it out after work on Monday.”
“You should have told your mother. I’ll come by in the evening and help you organize the place.”
“Secretary Kim will handle everything.”
“Sung-guk….”
Mother called my name with a subtle undertone.
For some reason, I felt a chill run down my spine.
“What is it, Mom?”
“About Secretary Kim. Is it really okay for her to come and go from your place like that? A grown man’s home with a grown woman….”
“Mom, don’t worry. Secretary Kim Mi-so is truly perfect when it comes to work.”
“No, I’m not worried about that… When I saw Secretary Kim Mi-so last time, she seemed like a really nice person.”
“Mom.”
I clenched my teeth.
Mother quickly patted my back.
“Alright, my son. By the way, when are you going to New York for the FaceNote listing?”
“My schedule in Korea is tight, so I think I’ll head to New York two days before the listing. And Mom, Dad… let’s all go to New York together then.”
“Us too?”
“Of course. My company is listing on NASDAQ—we should all go together.”
Father grabbed my hand firmly.
“Sung-guk… I can’t believe your father raised a son like you.”
Father’s eyes began to glisten again.
Smack! At that moment, Mother’s sharp hand struck Father’s back.
“So-young!”
“Honey, enough with the sob stories!”
[My thoughts exactly!]
* * *
Monday was absolute chaos.
Even though the moving company had organized everything, the employees had to reset their workstations, and Sam and Adam spent the entire day running back and forth dealing with program security issues.
I found myself inspecting every corner and addressing gaps in the setup, losing track of time entirely.
After everyone clocked out, only Sam and Adam remained, conducting final security checks.
“Sam, Adam… when are you moving?”
“Jeon Tae-guk moved today after we came to work. He gave us the address earlier. We’re heading there after we clock out.”
[Everyone’s quick.]
“Is it near the company?”
“That’s what Jeon Tae-guk says.”
[Every sentence ends with Jeon Tae-guk, Jeon Tae-guk.]
I was the one who said I’d move out first, so why does it feel lonely….
“Well then, let me finish up this report and head out. I need to check on my new place too.”
“Sung-guk, see you tomorrow!”
Sam and Adam waved goodbye cheerfully.
As if parting with me wasn’t the slightest bit sad.
* * *
Pangyo Station Prune Mixed-use Complex, Building 104, Unit 2501.
I headed to the address Secretary Kim Mi-so had given me.
The parking lot and elevator still felt unfamiliar, but they were spaces I’d have to get used to now.
Ding! The elevator doors opened the moment we reached the 25th floor.
I unlocked the door with the keycard Secretary Kim Mi-so had provided, and a neatly organized apartment came into view.
Since it had been rented to foreigners, the furniture was refined and everything was immaculate.
There was no TV noise or chicken smell like I was used to hearing.
Everything felt peaceful.
[Why does it feel so lonely….]
Just then, my phone rang.
It was Jeon Tae-guk.
[Even a call from Jeon Tae-guk feels welcome….]
I let out a quiet sigh and answered.
Jeon Tae-guk’s energetic voice came through.
– Sung-guk, what do you want for dinner?
“Hyung, I… I’m living in Pangyo starting today.”
– I know. I moved today too. Since we’ve moved, we should get Chinese food.
“Hyung, do you even know where our place is?”
Ding dong!
The doorbell rang at the same moment.
Could it be?
I quickly opened the front door.
Jeon Tae-guk was standing there with his phone to his ear, grinning widely.
“Sung-guk, our place is unit 2502. Let’s be good neighbors from now on!”

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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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