I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 68

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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 68
Koo Sung-hyun looked me in the eye as he spoke.
“What’s your name?”
“Jeon Sung-guk~.”
I answered in a rhythmic, childlike manner.
Koo Sung-hyun smiled faintly, then opened his wallet and held out a ten-thousand-won bill.
“This is from me, for helping your father so well.”
“That’s kind of you, but I’ll just accept your gratitude.”
At my response, Koo Sung-hyun burst out laughing.
“You won’t take it?”
“No. I’m helping Dad with his work, so I’ll get my allowance from him instead.”
“The kid’s sharp. Restaurant Owner, could you wrap up three orders of bossam for us? We’ll take them with us when we leave.”
Koo Sung-hyun cheerfully placed an additional order.
I quickly returned to my spot and perked up my ears to listen to Koo Sung-hyun and the woman’s conversation.
“The restaurant is quite cozy.”
“The Suyu branch is small too. But the taste is above average.”
“The Suyu branch seems to have gained some fame, but this place is modest in scale.”
“Let’s give it a try.”
“Sure.”
Just then, Father emerged with the bossam.
Unaware of anything, Father set down the bossam as usual and began his explanation.
“The salted shrimp is sourced directly from the mother of our Suyu Branch Manager, who runs a fermented seafood business in Ganggyeong. Please try it. The taste is different from what you’d find in stores.”
“Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”
Koo Sung-hyun bowed politely and began eating the bossam.
Father came over to us and offered drinks.
“Sung-guk, would you like some cider?”
[Sigh, Dad, go back to the kitchen. Don’t linger around and lose points.]
I quickly ushered Father toward the kitchen.
“Dad, go to the kitchen. We have customers.”
“Got it, got it. So-young, we have customers, so keep the kids in line.”
“Sure. Don’t worry.”
I quickly pulled out a book from my bag.
When Min-guk nudged my ribs, he pulled out a script as well. It was for an audition coming up in a few days.
Min-guk turned the pages and began reading the script without Mother’s or my help.
I looked at Min-guk with surprised eyes.
“Min-guk, you don’t need your hyung anymore?”
“Nope. Min-gu can read it all by himself.”
“Really?”
“Yeah! Hyung, want to hear me read it?”
“Sure.”
Min-guk flashed a grin, showing his teeth, then read through the script.
“Dad. I want to live with both you and Mom. Jung-woo likes both of you. I can’t choose just one person.”
Min-guk read through without missing a single character.
I stared at Min-guk in astonishment.
“Hyung, Min-guk reads really well, doesn’t he?”
“Yeah.”
I nodded naturally and patted Min-guk’s bottom.
[It was worth teaching him after all.]
Min-guk struggled with taking that first step, but once he did, he excelled at anything. Acting was the same, and so was Korean.
Before long, Koo Sung-hyun and the woman who had finished their bossam stood up.
“Owner, the bill, please.”
“Did you enjoy your meal?”
“Yes, it was delicious. I think the staff will like it too.”
Koo Sung-hyun smiled broadly and neatly packed up the wrapped bossam as well.
[Koo Sung-hyun. He’s usually quite particular about food, so if he says it’s delicious, we’ve earned some recognition. I should add a few more service points.]
I quickly scurried over and greeted Koo Sung-hyun and the woman.
“Thank you for coming. Please visit again.”
“Sure, I’ll be back. Owner, you’ve raised your son really well.”
“Thank you. Please come again.”
“Yes.”
Koo Sung-hyun and the woman left through the restaurant door.
Father smiled brightly and stroked my head.
“Sung-guk, you must be busy with your studies, but you still come help at Father’s restaurant. I’ll pack some bossam for dinner, so go eat it deliciously with your mother.”
“Yes!”
I even did a little shoulder dance for the first time in a while.
“By the way, did the judges skip our place? I wonder why people like judges don’t come.”
[Dad, those people from earlier were judges from Hyojin Group. Dad, please use some intuition!]
“Sung-guk, I think Father didn’t make it.”
“Dad, you’ll pass. For sure!”
“There’s nothing like having a son.”
Father lifted me into his arms.
* * *
Kim Mi-young visited our home early in the morning.
Today was the audition day where Min-guk would seize his opportunity to earn his living.
I woke up early and washed Min-guk and combed his hair instead of Mother, who was feeling unwell.
“Hyung, here, here.”
Min-guk swept his hair this way and that, paying attention to it.
“Min-guk, your hyung is the person who did your hair in Cheongdam-dong. Just stay still for a moment.”
“Okay.”
Kim Mi-young grabbed her bag and looked at us.
“Sung-guk really takes good care of Min-guk, doesn’t he?”
Just then, Mother walked out, cradling her swollen belly.
“Unni, I heard Song Hye-sun is making contact with other agencies… I’m worried. Lim Sun-mi is also in provisional retirement, and child actors have limited opportunities anyway.”
“Sung-guk’s mother. We originally planned to quit this business once Sung-guk retired anyway. The fact that we’ve come this far is already remarkable.”
“I suppose so… but it feels like such a waste. The business has been doing so well.”
“We established ourselves thanks to Sung-guk and Lim Sun-mi, but quitting this work doesn’t mean we’ll starve to death.”
[What? Shutting down the management company?]
I stared at Kim Mi-young.
“Absolutely not!”
My outburst startled both Kim Mi-young and Mother.
“Sung-guk, what’s wrong?”
“I’ll do it. I’m going to run the company.”
I spoke with absolute conviction.
“Sung-guk, you’re going abroad for studies next year.”
“I’ll do it after I come back from studying abroad! The company!”
I clenched my fists tightly.
Kim Mi-young nodded.
“Right, this business started because of Sung-guk in the first place, so your opinion matters most. Let’s think about restructuring our team around more substantial actors.”
“No!”
I shook my head.
“Sung-guk, if not actors, then what?”
“Idols!”
“Idols?”
“Yes. We need to create an idol group.”
From now on, idols will dominate South Korea’s entertainment industry. Numerous talent agencies, including the already-established ST, will nurture idol groups, and South Korea will spark the K-POP craze.
During my time at Samjeon Group, I had taken an interest in entertainment agencies and reviewed their systems and training programs.
“Sung-guk, we don’t know much about the music industry….”
Kim Mi-young expressed her hesitation.
“Hmm… Please wait a little longer. I’ll study it thoroughly and definitely create an idol group.”
“Alright, I understand. Sung-guk, let’s take Min-guk to the audition venue today.”
[I really wish I could grow up faster. So much to do.]
* * *
The role Min-guk was auditioning for was the son of the main couple in a 16-episode miniseries.
It was one of those typical stories where the main couple divorces after having a son, then reunites later.
I sat in the Waiting Room, scrutinizing the children with a hawk’s gaze.
[Are there any faces here worth paying attention to later?]
They all had the same unremarkable appearance—just large, round eyes.
Min-guk diligently read and reread his script beside me.
I patted Min-guk’s bottom reassuringly.
[That’s right. If you lack talent, you have to work hard.]
Min-guk glanced at me once, broke into a grin, and then read through the script again and again.
“Dad. Dad, tonight I’ll hold hands with you and Mom.”
“Min-guk. You need to infuse this line with more poignancy. Imagine that Mom and Dad aren’t sleeping beside you anymore—that you’re sleeping alone now.”
“Sniff. Min-guk is sad.”
“Right? Channel that emotion into this line.”
“Okay, hyung.”
While I was coaching Min-guk, a boy entered the waiting room.
The boy, who appeared to be my age, had a strangely familiar face.
He was none other than Lee Jae-hee, the grandson of Deokpung Paper Company—my first rival in life.
Thanks to my help during Min-guk’s first audition, he’d landed a small role and seemed to be getting cast occasionally since then. Lee Jae-hee’s mother, who was always by his side, was nowhere to be seen. Instead, a young woman accompanied him.
[Did he sign with an agency…?]
I left Min-guk and approached Lee Jae-hee.
“Jae-hee, do you remember me?”
I approached with a bright smile, but Lee Jae-hee regarded me with a guarded gaze.
“I came along for my younger sibling’s audition.”
[Lee Jae-hee, you could never be my rival. I’ve retired from child acting.]
Only then did Lee Jae-hee’s expression soften, and he pretended to understand.
“Oh, hey. You’re Sung-guk, right? It’s been a while.”
“You remember.”
“Yeah. Thanks to you, I got cast in that audition.”
[He’s not a blockhead. He reads situations well.]
I quickly greeted the young woman as well.
“Hello. I’m Jeon Sung-guk.”
“Oh my, so you’re that famous Sung-guk from Five Men and a Baby Basket.”
“I don’t remember much of it. I was so young back then.”
“I was a huge fan of yours.”
The woman quickly opened her wallet and handed me a business card.
“Do you still do child acting?”
“Not anymore.”
“That’s a shame. Here’s my card.”
I immediately committed the talent agency’s name to memory.
Shinsung Entertainment.
The very agency where Shin Sung-joong worked.
“Jae-hee is also signed with our Shinsung Entertainment.”
[Tsk, tsk. I’m sure it’s a slave contract.]
A bitter feeling washed over me.
Just then, Kim Mi-young approached from behind.
“Hello. I’m Kim Mi-young, the representative of SKJ Entertainment, managing Sung-guk.”
“I’m Lee Ju-mi, the child actor representative at Shinsung Entertainment. Pleased to meet you.”
As the two women conversed, I quickly whispered to Lee Jae-hee.
“How long is your contract with Shinsung Entertainment?”
“Seven years.”
“That long?”
“But they barely give me any work. I’m completely sidelined.”
“Hmm… Jae-hee, when your contract with Shinsung Entertainment ends, come find me.”
Lee Jae-hee’s eyes widened.
Lee Jae-hee had grown considerably taller in the meantime, and the baby fat had melted from his face. He wasn’t exceptionally handsome, but he had an appealing look about him.
Lee Jae-hee asked innocently.
“Sung-guk, what will I find if I come looking for you?”
“Didn’t your family go bankrupt?”
Lee Jae-hee’s eyes darkened immediately.
“Yeah.”
“What about your mother?”
“Mom works. Her legs hurt all the time. I need to make money quickly and give my mom a comfortable life.”
Their circumstances seemed to have worsened. The one saving grace was that Jae-hee’s mother appeared to have regained her senses.
“Jae-hee, be diligent with your child acting and your studies. Choose your friends carefully, and don’t hang around with bad influences. Don’t get caught in any compromising photos. That way, when you become an entertainer later, you won’t have any problems.”
“I’ll try.”
“Not try—you must do it. Do you understand?”
“Yeah.”
Jae-hee nodded.
“End things on good terms with Shinsung Entertainment. If you want to rebuild your family, come find me in seven years.”
“Sung-guk, how will I find you?”
“SKJ Entertainment will still be around, so just come find me.”
“Okay. I’ll definitely come find you.”
At that moment, Lee Ju-mi called for Lee Jae-hee.
“Jae-hee, you’re up next. You memorized all your lines, right?”
“Yes.”
Lee Jae-hee stood up and grabbed my arm.
“Sung-guk, thank you.”
“See you in seven years.”
“Yeah.”
Lee Jae-hee entered the audition room with a noticeably brighter expression.
“Hyung!”
Min-guk found me from behind.
“Hyung! Hyung! Min-guk’s going in!”
[Haa.]
Min-guk had a bad habit of doing a vocal warm-up before entering the audition room.
“Okay, hold it in.”
“I can’t hold it, hyung!”
I quickly grabbed Min-guk’s hand and rushed toward the restroom.
“Hyung, my pants! Hurry! I can’t hold it!”
I quickly pulled down Min-guk’s pants.
The moment Min-guk sat on the toilet, he found his peace.
“Phew… that’s so much better.”
Whoooosh.
I held my nose firmly and flushed the toilet.
[Jeon Min-guk, if you fail this audition, you’re dead.]

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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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