Real Man

Chapter 463:

Yoo-hyun naturally made the flow his own.

“What should I do? Can I offer you something else?”

“Like what?”

“A story that might interest you.”

-A gift that I want? Well, I like gifts that stimulate my curiosity, regardless of their value. Of course, I haven’t received many of those.

Yoo-hyun planned to arouse his curiosity, just like Paul Graham had said on a TV program ten years ago.

This was in line with the reason why Paul Graham had called Yoo-hyun first.

It was like a gourmet who only went to expensive restaurants being intrigued by a street food he had never seen before.

Yoo-hyun’s lips curled up as if his intention had hit the mark.

“You’ll be intrigued. It’s a story about Steve Jobs.”

“Oh, that sounds promising.”

Yoo-hyun’s words made Paul Graham lean forward.

He had made a good first impression and set the stage beforehand, so he moved easily.

Now that the real start was about to begin, Yoo-hyun heightened his concentration.

He hid his nervousness and smiled leisurely.

“What I checked to meet Steve Jobs before the Apple presentation was…”

Yoo-hyun’s story started from when he came to San Francisco before the Apple presentation.

Paul Graham listened attentively to Yoo-hyun’s story, flicking his ears.

When he told him about the preparations and the process of meeting Steve Jobs, Paul Graham’s eyebrows twitched.

When he explained how he analyzed the problems with Steve Jobs’ surroundings, Paul Graham nodded his head.

When he described how he countered Steve Jobs’ fiery anger, Paul Graham’s mouth corners rose.

And then, the next words followed.

Paul Graham, who had been listening quietly, couldn’t contain his curiosity and opened his mouth.

“You said you would give Steve Jobs what he wanted, but why did you refuse?”

“It’s a rule that you can’t get what you want if you’re too eager.”

Yoo-hyun’s mouth uttered the words that Paul Graham had engraved as his life motto.

At that moment, Paul Graham laughed loudly.

“Hahaha. That’s right. Steve is not the kind of guy who would give you anything just because you asked.”

“I thought so too.”

“So how did you make him use Airbnb? He’s not the kind of guy who would put someone else’s thing on his presentation.”

Before he knew it, Paul Graham’s face was right in front of Yoo-hyun.

That showed how curious he was about this question.

In the state where the water had risen as much as possible, Yoo-hyun stimulated his curiosity once more.

“I said I wanted to give him more instead of getting what I wanted.”

“Give him more?”

“There was something that bothered Steve Jobs in this presentation. Something that he couldn’t show. Airbnb app scratched that itch for him.”

Paul Graham, who knew what preparations he had made through Brian Chesky, burst into laughter.

“Puhaha. No wonder. So Steve only got something. You achieved what you wanted.”

“Yes. Thanks to that, Steve Jobs owed me a favor. He promised to do anything I asked.”

Of course, it was a boastful remark, but Yoo-hyun’s expression, tone, and the weight of the story he had piled up made it seem true.

Even Paul Graham, who had met countless people, seemed to believe it completely.

“That’s amazing. Steve Jobs is not that kind of person.”

He nodded his head with an interested expression, and Yoo-hyun threw the bait as if he had been waiting for it.

“I was surprised by that too. I just wanted to promote Airbnb, but I got a great opportunity.”

“You did make Airbnb soar. I also made a huge profit thanks to you.”

Paul Graham bit the bait that Yoo-hyun had thrown, and he casually mentioned his profit.

He could lose the fish he had caught if he rushed, so Yoo-hyun stepped back and played it cool.

“No, it was thanks to my colleagues.”

“Haha. No, it was your merit. That’s why I want to give you what you want too.”

At that moment, Paul Graham uttered the words that Yoo-hyun had hoped for.

It was an inevitable offer, since he had set the stage well with the Steve Jobs story.

He could have turned back once more, but there was no reason to hesitate any longer when the fish was clearly hooked.

Yoo-hyun immediately lifted the fishing rod.

Swish.

That action was to take out three pieces of paper from his bag.

“I have something to ask you.”

As Yoo-hyun handed over the paper, Paul Graham was dumbfounded.

“What is this? Why don’t you make me a different offer?”

“I want to hear your opinion on these documents first.”

“Huh, you’re something.”

Paul Graham shook his head as if he was speechless and took the paper that Yoo-hyun had handed him.

He smiled bitterly as he saw the BCG format summary report.

“Hansung? Oh, you’re from Hansung, right?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

Yoo-hyun nodded his head.

Paul Graham scanned the report without a word, out of habit.

He was a person who had worked at BCG for 20 years, and he couldn’t miss the content in the familiar format.

Thud.

He checked the last page and asked Yoo-hyun.

“You don’t have any reason to give this to me for free, and you want me to invest in Hansung or something?”

“No. I want to publish this report under the name of BCG.”

Yoo-hyun said what he wanted right away, and Paul Graham’s eyes narrowed.

“Did I hear you wrong? BCG is going to use someone else’s report?”

“Yes. I want to turn this report into gold with your help.”

“…”

He meant that he wanted him to control his former company, BCG, with his connections.

He had to give him a big enough reward to appease him, who was turning red with anger as expected.

He couldn’t balance the weights with a one-time story like he had done before.

He needed a way to keep his curiosity for a long time.

Yoo-hyun had thought a lot about this, and the result was coming out of his mouth now.

“I know it’s a bad deal for you. That’s why I have a real gift that I want to give you.”

“Let me hear it. I might get upset if I don’t like it.”

“You’ll like it.”

Yoo-hyun confidently said and took out another piece of paper from his bag.

Swish.

Paul Graham tilted his head as he took the paper.

This time, too, it was a completely different result from what he had expected.

“What is this? JK Communications?”

“A communication company in Silicon Valley. It’s a company I invested in.”

“Why are you telling me that?”

Paul Graham looked at Yoo-hyun incredulously.

It was a matter of guts from here on.

Yoo-hyun boldly challenged him, meeting his gaze head-on.

“I’ll give you the opportunity to invest in this company.”

“Pffft. What did you just say?”

“I said I want to share the stone that will soon become a diamond with you, Chairman.”

“That’s the most original thing I’ve ever heard.”

“Thank you.”

It was obviously a sarcastic remark, but Yoo-hyun took it lightly.

Paul Graham, who had been watching him with admiration, stepped back.

“Well, well. Let’s hear it. Why do you think that way?”

“The expected sales of smartphones this year are 40 million units. In two years, when 4G communication is fully introduced, the sales will exceed 100 million units. The key then will be the communication chip…”

Paul Graham thought he would hear another absurd statement, but his prediction was wrong again.

Yoo-hyun recited the smartphone sales and the market potential of the communication chip very orthodoxly, based on the report that BCG had released a few months ago.

Paul Graham, who habitually checked the BCG report every morning, was slightly surprised.

He immediately noticed that the specific figures that Yoo-hyun had uttered were all correct.

He hid his astonishment and calmly raised an opposing opinion.

“That sounds grand. Every start-up dreams of a rosy outlook.”

“It’s not just talk.”

“It’s not a very convincing story for a company that doesn’t even have sales yet.”

It was a question that anyone who had understood the three-page summary perfectly could ask.

Yoo-hyun wanted to leap over this part that he had been worried about, using the board that he had prepared in advance.

“Have you forgotten? I can put this company’s chip in the Apple phone with one phone call.”

“You’re going to persuade Steve Jobs?”

“It’s possible anytime. But then, I’ll have to sell it to Apple.”

Yoo-hyun held up an Apple phone 4 in his hand, and Paul Graham’s expression changed subtly.

It was proof that Yoo-hyun’s strategy had worked.

Paul Graham couldn’t resist his curiosity and blurted out.

“You could make a lot of money with that. Why don’t you sell it?”

“I didn’t invest in this company to be satisfied with just that amount of money.”

The moment Yoo-hyun said that, Paul Graham’s eyebrows twitched like lightning.

Whoosh.

He reflexively picked up the document and scanned it again.

He had read it several times already, but he smiled as he read the content again.

“Just that amount of money…”

Of course, Paul Graham didn’t show a positive reaction because of the money.

It was the unpredictable and intense stimulus that moved him.

He felt like he had met a very interesting friend after a long time.

He had brought him to the front of the restaurant, and now it was time to make him taste it.

I’m not doing this investment business at this late age for money. I want to see the next generation of players change the world from the scene.

Yoo-hyun recalled Paul Graham’s interview and delivered the final blow that would clear his doubts.

“I invested in JK Communications because I wanted to be part of the scene where they change the world. That’s a valuable experience that money can’t buy.”

At Yoo-hyun’s words, one side of Paul Graham’s mouth and one eyebrow rose up.

This expression, which seemed negative at a glance, meant that he was facing an important decision.

He knew this for sure because he had watched the documentary that covered his life.

Yoo-hyun felt nervous for a moment, and then the other side of Paul Graham’s mouth rose up as well.

“Interesting.”

“I’m glad you like my gift.”

“You’re shameless to the end. That’s even more interesting.”

“You flatter me.”

Paul Graham chuckled as he looked at the still shameless Yoo-hyun.

He felt like he had met a very interesting friend after a long time.

Finally, Yoo-hyun’s request was officially put on the negotiation table.

There was no reason to hesitate when the goal was right in front of him.

Yoo-hyun explained the current situation succinctly.

“Based on the summary, our staff will deliver the data directly to BCG…”

Paul Graham snorted as he listened.

“What? Your staff are waiting on the first floor of BCG?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

“You didn’t think you were going to fail from the start, did you?”

“I was confident in my gift.”

Paul Graham looked at Yoo-hyun and immediately picked up his phone.

As soon as he made up his mind, he acted right away, showing his style. There was no hesitation in his words as he spoke.

“Sam, yeah, calm down. Don’t be too surprised, it makes me uncomfortable. It’s nothing, well, what is it…”

Yoo-hyun snickered at the conversation he heard from his side.

He could tell that the other person was Sam Altman, the current president of BCG, and he was talking very casually.

Even Sam Altman, who was at the top of the consulting industry, was nothing but a tame sheep in front of Paul Graham.

The short conversation ended, and Paul Graham nodded at Yoo-hyun.

“Well, is that it?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

“Even if I say so, they won’t accept it if the details are not good. The schedule is too tight, you know.”

“Yes. Of course.”

Yoo-hyun answered humbly, but he was sure that it wouldn’t be the case.

There was no way that the staff would ignore the request that the former president had personally asked for.

Of course, he was also confident in the data.

“Well, then, let’s go back to the gift.”

“Yes. Sure.”

Yoo-hyun smiled and straightened his posture.