I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 456

—————

This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

—————

Chapter 456
The closing party of the Sundance Film Festival was delightful.
After a long time, Dennis and I drank to our heart’s content as promised, and many film industry professionals who found Dennis’s 【Whiplash】 intriguing asked for his contact information.
Of course, each time Dennis whispered to me.
“Sung-guk, I’m definitely making 【Dreamland】 with you!”
It seemed I’d need to hand Dennis a contract the moment I opened my eyes tomorrow morning.
I quickly explained the situation to Secretary Kim Mi-so back in Korea and asked her to send over a contract.
Secretary Kim Mi-so answered as usual that she’d send it as soon as it was ready, then hung up.
There’s a saying about parallel lines.
Secretary Kim Mi-so and I were like that.
We ran side by side, yet the distance between us never closed.
But life always finds ways to intersect and meet, so perhaps such a day would come.
“Sung-guk, why do you look so serious?”
“I’m thinking about what terms I need to secure a talented director like you.”
“Let’s worry about that tomorrow… Oh, I have a confession to make.”
A confession? Out of the blue?
I looked at Dennis, slightly tipsy from the alcohol.
“About 【Dreamland】. I’ve already written a rough draft.”
Successful people really were different.
It seemed Dennis had been working on Dreamland in his spare time even while working on 【Whiplash】.
“Actually, I had Emma Watson in mind for the female lead of 【Dreamland】.”
“Hmm… I haven’t heard that name in a while.”
The fact that Emma Watson and I had dated and broken up was known worldwide.
“But… if you and I work on 【Dreamland】 together again, wouldn’t it be difficult for Emma Watson?”
“Dennis, don’t worry about that. You cast the actress whose image best matches what you envision. I don’t intend to let personal feelings cloud my professional judgment.”
Dennis patted my shoulder.
“Thanks for saying that. I’ll think about other actresses too. Emma Watson might not even appreciate my screenplay.”
“Any actress who doesn’t appreciate your screenplay simply lacks an eye for good material.”
Delighted by my words, Dennis drank one glass after another.
In my previous life, I’d heard gossip that Emma Watson had been the original female lead for 【Dreamland】. Apparently, she’d turned it down due to scheduling conflicts with another film.
But in this life, it seemed Emma Watson was giving up the role of female lead in 【Dreamland】 because of me.
[I’ll probably be in the gossip columns again.]
I ran my hand through my hair.
Just then, a woman with a beautiful smile approached Dennis and me.
I instantly realized she was the female lead for 【Dreamland】.
It was Emma Stone!
She even shared the same first name as Emma Watson.
Emma Stone approached Dennis with her characteristic bright smile.
“Hello, I’m Emma Stone. Director, I really enjoyed 【Whiplash】!”
Emma Stone was one of the rising actresses in Hollywood, known for her role as the woman in Spider-Man.
“Thank you, Emma. I really loved the movies you’ve been in.”
“You didn’t just watch Spider-Man, did you?”
“Of course not. I’ve seen all your high school films too.”
Dennis’s eyes were already sparkling.
Without my recommendation, Emma Stone was gradually becoming the clear choice for the female lead in Dreamland.
I stepped outside, leaving the two of them to talk.
The last day of the Sundance Film Festival.
The outside air was cold, and snow covered everything around us.
I took a sip of the bottled beer I’d brought out.
And for a moment, I reminisced about the past.
The history of how I’d met Dennis Chazelle as a roommate in the Harvard Dormitory and come all this way….
While I was chuckling at old memories, someone called out my name.
“CEO Jeon Sung-guk?”
When I turned around, Emma Stone was standing there.
“Emma?”
“What are you doing out here alone?”
“What about you? Weren’t you talking with the Director?”
“The Director’s popularity is through the roof, so I can’t monopolize him. It’s been a while since I’ve been in such a pleasant gathering, so I had a few drinks and wanted to feel the cold air. That’s what you’re doing too, right?”
“Yes.”
I nodded.
Emma Stone had a bubbly charm similar to her image in films.
Even in the cold, we lost track of time as our conversation continued.
“Oh my, you’ve acted before, CEO?”
“It was just commercials, so it wasn’t real acting. And it was when I was so young I barely remember it.”
“Wow, so that’s why you’re so interested in films!”
The truth was I was more interested in money, but I responded appropriately.
And as the conversation was winding down, Emma Stone naturally asked.
“CEO, would it be rude if I asked for your contact information?”
“Not rude at all.”
I naturally handed over my contact information.
Emma Stone smiled brightly.
“CEO, when will you be returning to Korea?”
“I need to handle some business at FaceNote in San Francisco, so I’ll probably return in about a week.”
“If I go to San Francisco, could you buy me pizza?”
[Is this a date invitation?]
I smiled and answered.
“Of course.”
* * *
After Emma Stone went inside, I walked toward the Hotel.
At that moment, Jeon Tae-guk came walking toward me from ahead.
Jeon Tae-guk skipped the party to play with Ji-hee instead of me.
“Sung-guk, you’re just coming in now? Where’s Dennis?”
“Dennis is the star of tonight’s party. He should enjoy it more. Hyung, why did you come out?”
“Ji-hee said she was studying, so I got bored and took a walk. I was thinking if there’s a pub nearby with its doors open, maybe I’d grab a drink… Sung-guk, let’s go together.”
Tonight, for some reason, I didn’t mind having a drink with this old dog.
“Sure, hyung.”
We found a pub nearby with its doors open and went inside.
It was a quiet pub with old pop music playing.
“Hyung, this one’s on me. You watched Ji-hee while I was at the party, after all.”
“I did it because I wanted to. The parties… I went to so many when I was younger that I’ve lost interest in them now. I prefer sitting quietly somewhere like this, having a beer or whiskey.”
[When did this old dog become so well-behaved?]
I looked at Jeon Tae-guk with suspicious eyes.
“Hyung, is something wrong?”
“Well…”
Just then, the beer we ordered arrived, and Jeon Tae-guk took a long sip.
I watched him quietly drinking his beer.
Jeon Tae-guk drained half his glass, then wiped his mouth.
“Park Secretary called. Mom and Dad have agreed to the divorce.”
All this time, Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung and the Iron Lady had been waging a silent war.
Both of them had done their best to expose each other’s weaknesses and protect every last asset.
“Honestly, their relationship was never good, so I wasn’t too surprised when they said they were getting divorced.”
I knew better than anyone how poor their relationship was.
In my previous life, I had mediated well enough that they at least didn’t divorce.
“Still, hearing that they’ve actually agreed to the divorce makes me feel melancholy. It was an unstable family, but we still gathered for family events… Now that won’t happen anymore.”
Jeon Tae-guk drained his beer in one go.
[How am I supposed to comfort him in a situation like this?]
I scratched my head.
Seeing Jeon Tae-guk like this, I smiled slightly.
“Sung-guk, you were thinking something like ‘how do I comfort him?’ weren’t you?”
“Something like that, yeah.”
“Just sit next to me and drink beer with me today. That should be enough.”
“I can do that for sure.”
Jeon Tae-guk smiled bitterly and drank his beer again.
How much time passed like that…?
My phone rang.
It was Mark.
[What’s Mark calling about at this hour?]
I quickly answered the phone.
“Mark, what’s going on so late at night?”
– Sung-guk, you’re at the Sundance Film Festival right now, aren’t you?
“Yeah. I’m planning to head to San Francisco tomorrow.”
– Sung-guk, is there any way you could take the fastest transportation available?
Mark’s voice was trembling severely.
“Mark, what’s wrong?”
– Mi-mi… Mi-mi… it looks like she’s about to go into labor right now. Mi-mi’s parents are flying in tomorrow, so they’ll probably arrive in San Francisco the day after. My parents need to come from the East Coast too…
Mark’s voice was almost breaking with tears.
“Mark, calm down. What’s Lim Mi-mi’s condition right now?”
– Well… we’re trying to get to the hospital… but I’m shaking so badly I can’t drive, so I called an ambulance… but I’m not sure if I’m doing anything right…
“Mark. Listen carefully to what I’m about to tell you. Right now, you’re the only one who can be there for Lim Mi-mi. I’ll figure out the fastest way to get to San Francisco, so in the meantime, you need to stay with her. So pull yourself together and take things one step at a time. If you don’t know something, call me right away! Got it?”
– Got it, Sung-guk.
“Mark, hang up the phone right now and go to Lim Mi-mi’s side!”
– Yeah.
Mark hung up abruptly.
Jeon Tae-guk looked at me with a startled expression.
“Sung-guk, is Mi-mi about to give birth?”
“Yes, hyung. Please help me.”
“Just tell me what you need.”
“Can you find out the fastest way to get to San Francisco from here? Actually, could you make the reservation?”
“Oh, got it!”
Jeon Tae-guk quickly called the Samjeon San Francisco Branch staff.
* * *
Thanks to Jeon Sun-hee’s help as well, we barely made it onto the last flight and arrived at San Francisco Airport.
Ji-hee and Dennis came with us too.
I called Mark right away.
– Sung-guk, where are you?
“I just arrived in San Francisco. Is Lim Mi-mi still waiting?”
– Yeah… we’re waiting… but Mi-mi is in so much pain, I don’t know what to do.
“Hold Lim Mi-mi’s hand tightly. That’s what you need to do right now.”
– Okay…
After I hung up, Jeon Tae-guk looked at me with a puzzled expression.
“Sung-guk, you really sound like someone who’s experienced childbirth before.”
[I’ve been through it twice in my previous life, after all.]
Of course, I hadn’t known that experience would be so useful in this life.
Just then, the Samjeon San Francisco Branch staff who came to pick us up appeared.
“Hyung, let’s go see Mark first. He looks like he’s struggling to handle this alone.”
“Yeah, let’s go quickly.”
We hurried toward the hospital where Mark and Lim Mi-mi were.
* * *
When we arrived, Lim Mi-mi had already entered the delivery room.
Mark was anxiously pacing back and forth in front of the delivery room.
“Mark!”
“Sung-guk!”
Mark greeted us with reddened eyes.
“Mark, how is Mi-mi doing?”
“She’s coming out earlier than expected, but the doctor says there’s nothing seriously wrong with it.”
According to Mark, Mi-mi’s delivery was indeed a bit earlier than the scheduled due date.
“The doctor said she’d come out soon, but… I’m not sure.”
“How long has she been in the delivery room?”
“A little over an hour.”
Being in the delivery room meant childbirth was imminent.
I patted Mark’s back.
“Mark, the doctor said it’s fine… don’t worry too much.”
“Yeah…”
Mark answered with a trembling voice.
That was when it happened.
The delivery room door opened and a Nurse rushed out.
“Who is the guardian for Mi-mi?”
“That’s me!”
Mark’s hand shot up.
“She just gave birth! You have a beautiful daughter!”
In that moment, Mark burst into tears.
“Sob— Thank you… thank you so much!”
And I, Jeon Tae-guk, and Dennis all felt our eyes grow moist.
Ji-hee looked at us in confusion.
“Oppa, why are you crying when you didn’t give birth?”
“I’m not crying…”
“Then what is it?”
“Mark just became a father. I’m worried about how heavy the weight of being a provider will be for him.”
I then quietly wiped away my tears.
[Mark, congratulations on becoming a father!]

—————

This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

—————