I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 78

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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 78
I held Bang Mu-hyuk’s hand firmly as we made our way to the Chelsea gallery where Damien Hirst’s exhibition was being held.
“Sung-guk, I had no idea you knew about Damien Hirst.”
[Conglomerate heirs are naturally drawn to art. But Bang Mu-hyuk talks quite a lot for someone I just met. And his palms are sweating.]
Bang Mu-hyuk stepped out of the taxi with an excited expression, pushing open the gallery doors.
Damien Hirst’s early installation art pieces and engravings were displayed on one side of the space.
The exhibition’s theme was “Death and Rebirth.”
The catalog included an explanation from Damien Hirst describing how, through a conversation with a child he met at the Hong Kong Art Fair, he came to understand that death was not an ending but a rebirth, which inspired his dedication to these works.
Bang Mu-hyuk read through the catalog intently.
“Sung-guk, it says here that Damien Hirst conceived the theme for this exhibition through a conversation with a child at the Hong Kong Art Fair.”
[That child was me.]
I looked around the gallery searching for Damien Hirst.
[He didn’t come today?]
Then, deeper in the gallery, I spotted Damien Hirst—bright blonde hair, black shirt, black pants.
I tugged on Bang Mu-hyuk’s hand and pulled him along.
“Sung-guk, let’s start viewing the exhibition from here.”
“Then I’ll just go say hello and come right back.”
“To whom?”
“To Damien Hirst.”
I released Bang Mu-hyuk’s clammy hand and walked toward Damien Hirst, who was surrounded by several journalists conducting an interview.
[I hope he hasn’t forgotten me after all these years.]
With a hint of concern, I approached Damien Hirst and greeted him in English.
“Hello!”
Normally, it would be rude for an adult to interrupt an interview, but as a child, I could get away with it as endearing.
Damien Hirst tilted his head in confusion at first, then his eyes widened as he introduced me to the journalists.
“This is the child who inspired me in Hong Kong.”
[He remembered me, Damien.]
Damien Hirst rushed over and embraced me.
“Sung-guk. It is Sung-guk, right?”
“Yes.”
“Did you come alone?”
“No, I came with an acquaintance.”
I naturally introduced Bang Mu-hyuk.
Bang Mu-hyuk shook hands with Damien Hirst, looking somewhat flustered.
“Sung-guk, people have been asking me about you.”
“Excuse me, but would it be possible to take a photo with this child? By the way, I’m Jamie Chonin from Time Magazine.”
“Sung-guk, would you be okay with a photo?”
[Time Magazine is fine.]
I nodded quickly.
“Of course.”
The reporters took several photographs of me and Damien Hirst.
Bang Mu-hyuk stood behind us, watching with fascination.
“Sung-guk, I’m going to look at the gallery. I’ll join you as soon as the interview is done.”
“Sounds good!”
I made my way back to Bang Mu-hyuk’s side.
“Sung-guk, was that you in the catalog?”
“Yes.”
Bang Mu-hyuk continued to gaze at me with wonder.
[Stop staring, Bang Mu-hyuk. It’s unsettling when a man looks at you like that.]
* * *
After finishing his interview, Damien Hirst came out and explained every single piece in the gallery to me and Bang Mu-hyuk.
Damien Hirst truly had a gift for commentary that rivaled the artworks themselves.
“Sung-guk, you’re taking good care of my work, right?”
“Of course. I have it hanging in my room back in Korea.”
“What brings you to America?”
“I’m studying abroad. I’m enrolling at Phillips Academy next semester. Oh, and let me introduce you to someone.”
I gently pushed the hesitant Bang Mu-hyuk forward.
“This is Bang Mu-hyuk, a renowned composer from South Korea.”
I even gave him a subtle boost.
Bang Mu-hyuk exchanged a brief conversation with Damien Hirst, his face flushed with shyness.
They discussed things like the profundity of the artwork.
After our brief meeting, Damien Hirst asked for my contact information.
“Sung-guk, could you give me your email or phone number?”
“I’ll give you my email.”
“Sung-guk, I’ll invite you whenever I have an exhibition in America. And if you get the chance, come visit me in England.”
“Yes, if I have time, I’ll go with Composer Bang Mu-hyuk.”
“Sounds good.”
My meeting with Damien Hirst ended briefly.
But through this short encounter, I had woven an unbreakable thread of connection between Bang Mu-hyuk and myself.
Bang Mu-hyuk looked at me with excitement.
“Sung-guk, thanks to you, I actually got to see Damien Hirst. Thank you so much.”
“Don’t mention it. Next time you come to America, let’s go to another exhibition together.”
“I’d love that. Sung-guk, you’ll give me your contact information too, right?”
“Of course!”
This was how I successfully fastened the first button of my plan to turn the South Korean entertainment industry upside down.
* * *
“Sister, are you dating Beom-seon? Did you two agree to go out?”
“Not yet. I just find him appealing.”
“My sister is dating my ideal type? That doesn’t make sense.”
Koo Ye-ri’s whining voice carried through the door.
Strangely, romantic relationships felt somewhat different from what I had experienced in my previous life.
I could only hope that Bang Mu-hyuk’s future wouldn’t change.
I quickly checked the stock prices.
South Korea truly seemed to be emerging from the IMF financial crisis.
Samjeon Electronics’ stock had risen significantly, and it would continue to climb, but today I discovered a new place I wanted to invest in.
After meeting Bang Mu-hyuk and Damien Hirst and walking away, I happened to pass by Nobles, a major American bookstore chain located on the corner.
This was a place I had visited frequently when I was in New York in my previous life. However, as the paper book market shrank, this chain was entering its decline.
And there was a company gradually rising to prominence.
It was Amazon.
The internet commerce site Amazon would grow to become the largest e-commerce platform in the United States. Of course, it was still underdeveloped at this point.
[I should sell some Samjeon stock, take Min-guk to see Disneyland, and buy some Amazon shares.]
Of course, Samjeon Electronics stock currently trading at 200,000 won would break through 600,000 won in about six years. Stock I bought at 50,000 won would generate returns of more than tenfold.
There would come a moment when 200 million would exceed 2 billion.
But having experienced my previous life, I had come to realize something.
As a chaebol heir who possessed everything, I honestly lived without lacking anything, yet economic satisfaction didn’t translate into happiness.
My previous life was one where present happiness was mortgaged away for economic satisfaction and wealth.
This life, I was determined to live differently from my previous one.
* * *
I went to the airport with Grace Choi to pick up my family.
It had been over a year since I came to the United States, and this was the first time I was seeing my family.
By now, Ji-hee had passed her first birthday, so she was surely toddling around on her own.
I bounced on my feet, waiting for the exit doors to open.
A flood of people poured out, and finally I could see the silhouettes of Mother and Father in the distance. And those two lumpy bundles hanging from their hands!
“Hyung-ah!”
Min-guk came running toward me the moment he saw me.
“Min-guk….”
[What? Why did I look for Min-guk first?]
“Hyung-ah!”
Whoosh.
Min-guk came into my arms and hugged me.
“Hyung-ah, I missed you. Did you miss Min-guk too?”
“…Of course.”
I held Min-guk tightly.
Father lifted Ji-hee up and thrust her face toward me.
“Sung-guk, this is the first time seeing Ji-hee since her hundredth day, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Ji-hee’s grown this much. She’s even walking now. Ji-hee, this is your older brother Sung-guk. Do you remember older brother Sung-guk?”
There was no way a child who had just turned one would remember.
Ji-hee smiled brightly and reached out her drool-covered hand to touch my face.
At her hundredth day she had looked like a puffy steamed bun, but now she was gradually taking on the appearance of a person. She was rather cute.
“Oh. Dad!”
[Why is this so moving? Why does this moment feel so touching?]
My eyes kept turning red at the most inopportune times, and it was frustrating.
“Sung-guk, I’ve missed you so much.”
Mother rushed over and embraced me.
“M…om.”
My voice caught slightly as I called out to her.
Father wrapped his arms around us both from behind.
In that moment, my tears finally broke free.
“Mom, Dad… I’ve missed you both.”
“Big brother, me too.”
“Oppa.”
Our entire family embraced in the middle of JFK Airport.
* * *
“Mom, rest up today. I’ve already made a reservation at a restaurant for tomorrow.”
The Junho Memorial Scholarship Foundation had provided lodging for my family.
In the taxi heading to our accommodation, I chattered away about my plans for the next two weeks.
Father had even taken an unusually long two-week vacation to attend my entrance ceremony.
“Min-guk, I’ve already booked the flights and hotel for Disneyland that you wanted to visit.”
“Really, big brother?”
“When have I ever lied to you?”
“Our brother is the best!”
Min-guk clung to me and wouldn’t let go.
“Sung-guk really missed his parents so much. Even though we offered to help, a week before they arrived, he sold some stocks and booked the hotel and flights all by himself, spending a lot of time planning everything.”
“Sung-guk, you sold stocks?”
Father looked at me with a puzzled expression.
“Just a little, Dad. I sold them to diversify my investments elsewhere.”
“This kid, always saying things I don’t understand.”
“Sung-guk, Mom doesn’t need to go to fancy restaurants. You’ve probably been eating out every day in America, so I brought gochujang and everything to make home-cooked meals for you over these two weeks.”
[Mom, why did you bring all that old-fashioned stuff? There are plenty of Korean marts in New York.]
But I didn’t say it aloud.
Mother was old-fashioned, but that was exactly why I loved her.
“Sung-guk, I packed kimchi so many times because I wanted to make you home-cooked meals. Your father carried all of it.”
[That’s a bonus.]
I hugged Father tightly as well.
He stroked my hair gently.
I caught the scent of the cheap soap he always used.
[Dad, you’re still using that cheap soap.]
But I had missed that cheap soap smell so much.
Grace smiled warmly as she watched our family.
“Everyone looks so happy. I’m envious.”
[Grace, what’s wrong?]
“Thank you so much for taking care of Sung-guk all this time. While we’re here, we’ll cook plenty of Korean food for you. Please join us.”
“Your husband’s cooking is famous, you know. I’m the one who should be grateful.”
Grace didn’t refuse.
Grace soon gazed out the window with a lonely expression. Now that I thought about it, I’d never once heard her mention her family.
I quickly took Grace’s hand.
“Let’s have dinner together.”
“Don’t you want to rest with your family?”
“You’re family too, Grace.”
In that moment, I saw Grace’s eyes tremble.
* * *
The bubbling sound of kimchi stew boiling.
The sizzling sound of soybean paste stew simmering.
Mother and Father were absorbed in cooking in the kitchen, while Grace stood beside them, constantly praising the accomplishments I’d made up until now.
“Hyung, catch this!”
Min-guk threw a ball he’d brought from Korea and shouted for me to catch it, while Ji-hee clung to my leg and drooled on me.
[Ah, so this is what an older brother’s life was like.]
The life of an older brother that I’d forgotten about had begun again.
“Hyung, throw the ball.”
“Yeah, got it. Catch it well!”
Whoosh—as I threw the ball, Ji-hee started crawling away somewhere.
“Ji-hee, be careful. There’s a lot of dust over there.”
If she understood words, she wouldn’t be a one-year-old.
I quickly ran over and picked up Ji-hee, who was about to high-five a pile of dust in the corner. She immediately started squirming all over.
“Ji-hee. Ji-ji, ji-ji. Oppa will read you a book.”
Since things have come to this, I should test Ji-hee a bit.
I thought Min-guk had an average face and a dull brain, but he was born with a gifted-level intellect.
His features didn’t seem suited for child modeling yet, but his mind could be excellent.
I quickly pulled out an English novel I enjoyed reading.
It was 【The Wizard Harry】, a novel that had become a massive hit.
“Ji-hee, I’ll read this to you.”
“Yes!”
Ji-hee raised her right hand up high.
[This girl is sharp. I’m getting my hopes up.]
The moment I turned the first page, Ji-hee shoved the book into her mouth and started chewing it.
I quickly pulled the book out of Ji-hee’s mouth.
“Don’t eat it! Don’t eat it! Ji-hee! Stop eating the book!”

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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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