I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 502

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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 502
Mark took a deep breath at my words.
“Sung-guk… you know how much I struggle standing in front of people.”
Since high school, Mark had always been that way.
He feared standing before others, and nothing had changed.
At the company, I handled all communication regarding important meetings and agendas, while Mark quietly offered his opinions from behind the scenes.
I spoke with firm conviction.
“Mark, this isn’t my graduation—it’s yours. We’re graduating together. You need to give your graduation speech. Your daughters will want that too.”
“Sigh… when you mention my daughters, I have nothing to say.”
Mark dragged both hands across his face.
Mark was now a proper family man, and for a father, nothing mattered more than his children.
I drove the wedge deeper into Mark’s wavering resolve.
“Mark, when Olivia and Rose grow up and see their father receive an honorary degree from Harvard and deliver a speech, they’ll be incredibly proud. You can’t miss that opportunity, can you?”
“Sung-guk, you really do have a talent for leaving people helpless.”
Mark laughed weakly and left the office.
A camera followed Mark, and I threw myself back into work with renewed focus.
* * *
The moment the office lights went out.
That was my time to leave.
Employees were still visible working throughout FaceNote, and I could see Sam and Adam returning with late-night snacks, laughing together.
“Sung-guk, a Korean fried chicken place opened nearby, so we got some. Want a piece?”
“Hmm… I’m actually craving some today.”
I headed toward Sam and Adam’s office.
Since Sam and Adam took over TikTok operations, they’d set up a separate studio inside the building.
As befitted Adam’s office, it was filled with plants.
The moment I opened the chicken bag, Adam handed me a drumstick.
“Sung-guk, Koreans always go for the drumstick, right?”
“You and Adam learned the taste of drumsticks when you were in Korea. There are only two legs, so you two should have them.”
“Sung-guk, do you think we only bought one chicken?”
Sam grinned widely.
Now that I thought about it, there were two chicken bags.
“Sam, Adam… are you having any difficulties with your current work?”
“We’re always working, but I think the biggest difficulty is this—your expectations?”
Sam spoke, then laughed awkwardly before continuing.
“You always have a goal, and you do your best to achieve it. But most people in the world rush toward their goals, yet somewhere along the way they give up, get tired, and lower their targets. But you never do that. If you set a goal of 100, you achieve exactly 100. We do our best to live up to that expectation.”
Adam, who had been listening to Sam, nodded.
“But thanks to someone like you, I think we’ve really developed a lot. I was just an employee who barely avoided being fired during the layoff crisis, and now I’ve become a key player. Right, Sung-guk?”
I nodded.
Sam, who had been bullied in the original YouTube team.
And Adam, who had been like a shadow at FaceNote.
“It’s because those two are hiding their true abilities.”
I laughed pleasantly for the first time in a while and tore into a chicken leg.
[After all… chicken is best in Korea.]
* * *
I quietly left the FaceNote office.
The path to the parking lot was dimly lit and quiet.
“CEO, do you communicate with your employees like this often?”
The Documentary Director holding a camera asked.
“I talk frequently with Sam and Adam. We even lived in the same house when I was in Korea, and we still live nearby, so we have barbecues together on weekends.”
“Doesn’t becoming too personally close with employees interfere with work?”
“I wouldn’t become personally close with someone who would interfere with work in the first place.”
With my answer, today’s filming came to an end.
As I stood in front of the Porsche, the camera director greeted me.
“CEO, I know this might be inconvenient, but thank you for cooperating. We’ll continue filming at the office on days that match your schedule. And your family is coming to the United States soon for your graduation, right?”
“Yes, they’re all coming to see my graduation, so they’ll arrive next week. My parents will be seeing the house I moved into for the first time.”
“Then, I’d like to film that as well.”
“Yes, understood.”
After a brief greeting, I got into the car.
* * *
I waited for my family at San Francisco Airport with Daniel.
Daniel was holding bouquets in both hands.
“CEO, I’m so nervous. This is the first time I’m meeting your family.”
“My family is ordinary. And the bouquets seem a bit much. My parents have visited me a few times over the years anyway.”
“CEO, I think you don’t understand what ‘ordinary’ means. I did thorough research. Your father started as an orphan and built a Bossam Restaurant empire, and that restaurant chain is famous for being well-established. And your mother started as a child actress when you were young, and now runs an Entertainment Agency. She’s also currently operating a Family Business Production Company. And furthermore.”
Daniel paused to catch his breath.
“Your brother Min-guk is causing a sensation with Sevens. As for Ji-hee, it’s tiresome to even mention—she’s smart, beautiful, and excellent at what she does. CEO, there’s absolutely no way to call a family like this ordinary.”
“They’re just all earning their keep and living their lives.”
I shrugged my shoulders.
Then Daniel smiled warmly.
“CEO, you’re actually proud of your family, aren’t you?”
“I’d feel more proud if they did better. Min-guk isn’t even a singer on the Billboard charts yet, and Ji-hee hasn’t passed the bar exam. There’s still so much I need to support them with.”
“CEO, you really don’t know satisfaction.”
Just then, I saw my family coming from a distance.
I could see my father and mother, now in their late forties.
Father was still dependable, and Mother was still beautiful, but time couldn’t be avoided.
Behind them, Min-guk appeared wearing sunglasses.
[As if that many people would recognize him in America….]
Min-guk seemed to have caught celebrity syndrome.
Daniel raised his hand high on my behalf.
“Over here! CEO, we’re over here!”
Upon spotting me, Mother quickened her pace and swept her gaze across my face, her eyes glistening with moisture.
“Sung-guk, you’re eating on time, aren’t you?”
“Mother, don’t worry. Daniel makes sure I eat properly at every meal.”
“But why have you gotten so thin?”
“Mother, I’ve been exercising lately. My body’s actually in better shape.”
Mother worried over me with her characteristic warmth, while Father gazed at me silently from behind.
And Min-guk, as always, was restless.
“Mother, your brother’s house is really nice. Let’s go quickly. Tae-guk lives next door, and he said he’s coming over, so we’re having a barbecue party today. I’m starving.”
“You ate all that airplane food and you’re still hungry?”
“Father, that’s that, and this is this.”
I took in Min-guk at a glance.
He’d finished his group’s activities not long ago, and his face had filled out slightly.
“Jeon Min-guk, you look like you’ve gained some weight? You’re not eating too much lately and slacking on practice, are you?”
“Brother, even I need a break sometimes. And we’re filming all this, right?”
Min-guk discovered the camera and smoothed down his hair.
I’d informed my parents about this beforehand, but they still seemed a bit uncomfortable standing in front of the camera.
“We’re mainly filming on important days. We’ll also conduct separate interviews with me in between. Please don’t worry too much.”
“Right. A documentary about our son—I still can’t believe it. Your father, I mean.”
Father smiled warmly.
“Father, later we’ll probably ask you about my childhood and family circumstances. Please be honest when we do.”
“Understood, son.”
[Father, really milk the emotional story today!]
* * *
“Father! Mother!”
Jeon Tae-guk spread both arms wide to welcome my parents. At my house, no less.
“I apologize for not meeting you at the airport. I had a meeting with Father this morning that I couldn’t skip.”
“Tae-guk, thank you for always being so thoughtful despite your busy schedule.”
“Please don’t say such things. How much bossam and alcohol have I eaten and drunk at that house?”
“I was planning to make some bossam for dinner tonight, but you’re having a barbecue?”
“Father, then let’s make bossam! I’ve been craving your bossam for so long. We can do the barbecue tomorrow.”
“Where’s the nearest supermarket from here?”
“Father, I’ll show you the way. Let’s go to the supermarket right now.”
“Shall we?”
Father set down his luggage and immediately left for the supermarket with Jeon Tae-guk.
Mother gazed around the house with a nostalgic expression, examining every corner carefully.
“The house is really nice. When you said you were living alone in a house, your mother was actually quite worried.”
“Mother, this neighborhood has excellent security. Police patrol regularly, and every house has thorough security systems. And Tae-guk lives right next door. Don’t worry.”
Mother squeezed my hand tightly.
“When did our son grow up so much and get such a nice house? Oh, Mother brought all your videos in her bag.”
Could it be “Five Men and a Baby Basket”?
Mother pulled out a bag and explained to the documentary crew in Korean.
“Sung-guk was a famous baby in Korea when he was young. He was the star of a parenting reality show called ‘Five Men and a Baby Basket.’ Looking back now, it seems Sung-guk had his wits about him even at that tender age. Once Sung-guk appeared on that show and became famous, we were able to move out of our tiny one-room apartment, and my husband’s restaurant business started thriving too.”
Mother had begun spinning her story for sympathy.
Fortunately, the documentary crew seemed intrigued by what she was saying.
Mother searched through her bag for a VCR to play the recorded episodes of ‘Five Men and a Baby Basket’ she had kept all this time.
“Sung-guk, don’t you have a video player?”
“Mom, nobody watches videos anymore these days.”
“I suppose… but I recorded all your appearances on this.”
“The broadcasting station probably has everything we need if you ask them.”
That’s when Daniel stepped forward.
“Sir, we have a VCR at home! My father missed Korea after immigrating, so he rented a lot of videos. I’ll go get it right now!”
“Daniel, I’d appreciate that.”
Daniel left immediately to fetch the video player.
* * *
The aroma of Father’s bossam wafted from the kitchen for the first time in a while.
“Since these are American ingredients, I’m not sure if it’ll taste authentically Korean.”
Father emerged with the bossam looking worried, but the taste of his bossam remained unchanged.
“Sir, bossam really calls for soju, doesn’t it?”
Jeon Tae-guk had brought soju as well.
And Daniel, who had just finished setting up the video player, called out to everyone.
“The video player is all set! Everyone gather around and let’s watch ‘Five Men and a Baby Basket’!”
[Sigh… my embarrassing past is about to unfold again.]
I claimed a spot on one end of the sofa.
With Ji-hee joining us after school, Mother and Father, Min-guk and Ji-hee, Jeon Tae-guk and Daniel all settled onto the sofa.
“Sung-guk, you should have a drink too, shouldn’t you?”
“Yes, Father.”
I accepted the soju from Father with both hands.
Father poured soju for Jeon Tae-guk, and for Min-guk who was now an adult, and for Daniel as well.
“Honey, pour me some too.”
At Mother’s urging, Father smiled warmly.
“When Sung-guk was little, I’d bring home leftover spiced snails from the restaurant and we’d share a glass of soju late at night. Today brings back those memories.”
“Honey, do you remember when we used to call our Sung-guk ‘Kkook’?”
“Of course. He was so adorable back then….”
Father’s eyes grew misty.
[Hmm, Father’s getting sentimental again.]
I quickly started the video.
“Well then, everyone, witness my childhood. After all, I single-handedly lifted this family up.”
Everyone burst into laughter at my words.
They probably had no idea.
Just how much effort I had poured into elevating this family….
I gazed at my three-headed self with arms crossed, feeling quite pleased with what I saw.
[I was quite handsome even as a child….]

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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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