Chapter 123 Venture Spirit 1
Chapter 123 Venture Spirit 1
After barely convincing my father not to see me off, I arrived at the airport, where unexpectedly, Oh Sehyun was waiting for me.
"Why did you come all the way here?"
"Just curious, buddy. Isn't the new car launch in three days? Wouldn't it be nice to see the new car launch?"
"No, thanks. Whether I see it or not won't make any difference to me."
"But it's the first car coming out with the HW name."
It's just a minivan that has been in the works since the days of Ahjin Automobile. It's unrelated to the purpose of my acquisition of the car company, and it's happening out of inertia. There's nothing special about it. The reason for the acquisition will be revealed, and that reason will become HW's slogan when we enter the New Millennium.
Becoming a new car company in a new era is eye-catching and symbolic.
"For now, it might be better if you keep a low profile. It might be misconstrued as interference by the largest shareholder. How about not attending the new car launch? Leave it to the experts for a while. Aren't Ahjin and Sunyang full of experts?"
"No, I want to go. I need to make occasional appearances to keep those guys on their toes."
The role of an investor, or rather a shareholder, is better understood by someone who knows it much better than I do, so I didn't say any more.
"By the way, have you talked to my father?"
"About DMC?"
"Yes."
"If you haven't gotten a definite answer from your father, why would you think you can get one from me?"
"Isn't it more natural to confide in a friend than a son?"
"Children... can be sensitive." Oh Sehyun laughed and tapped my shoulder. "Just wait a little longer. He have a strong desire to do it, but is being more cautious due to concerns about the practical feasibility."
"At least please mention it subtly to him that we need it by the end of this year. Once the preparations are done it would be best to move in immediately, right? Many people will follow once he establish your presence."
"Don't worry about this. Go there, do your work, and come back. I've already talked to them over there, so there won't be any inconvenience."
I told him I was taking a vacation, but it seems I wasn't believed.
"Okay. I'll Take it easy." I sent a worried Oh Sehyun away and boarded the flight to New York.
"Do-jun!" I heard someone calling my name with excitement at the immigration desk.
"Hyung!"
Seeing Sang-Jun hyung after a year, he looked quite different.
His flamboyant, brightly colored hair, which he used to style like a rock star, was nowhere to be seen, and he was dressed in plain blue jeans and a shirt - a completely ordinary appearance.
"What's up? Did you give up on music? You look so ordinary now."
"Yeah, I quit. Hehe." His somewhat gloomy laughter confirmed that he wasn't joking.
"Really?"
"Yeah. Let's talk about it slowly in the car. Mother is preparing a feast for you. Even if you have to force yourself, eat everything."
As we entered the apartment where my mother and brother lived, the smell of food filled the air. It seemed like my mother had some misconceptions. I hadn't returned from abroad; I had come to New York from Korea.
Yet the dining table was full of Korean dishes.
Even if it wasn't my brother's request, I should be grateful for this sentiment. I ate everything, emptying my plate completely and soothing my almost bursting stomach.
I had been eating alone for the past year.
Once I adjusted to the time difference, my brother and I sat down with a glass of alcohol and had a conversation.
"So, did you really give up on music?"
"Yeah."
"Why?"
"The only thing I realized in the past two years is this: I was just a spectator, not the lead or even a supporting actor. I couldn't even get on stage as an extra."
"No chance at all?"
As I poured alcohol into the glass, my brother, Sang-jun, smiled bitterly and lowered his head.
"Those guys playing old guitars and singing on the streets of New York are better than me."
"But you weren't originally dreaming of becoming a singer, right? Weren't you into producing?"
"That's right. But to extract music through the instrument called a singer, and I couldn't do that. I have a pretty good ear for music, and that was it."
"So, what are you doing now?"
"Nothing at all. Just fooling around here."
Though he might be lamenting his lack of talent, the sight of my humble brother with his head down is poignant.
"How about it? If you fool around enough, you might see the end. Don't rush things. It took me two years to realize my limitations, so it might take about two years to find new possibilities, right?"
Sang-jun hyung looked at me and chuckled softly.
"We should have been born in reverse order. That would have suited us better."
"Wow! Howard. Look at You! What a gorgeous!"
It's been about three years since we last met, right?
Though we've aged, Rachel Arieff, who now presents a much more refined appearance, with her typical exaggerated style, warmly embraced me.
"You're the same way. How long are you going to stay so stylish?"
Rachel smiled widely in response to my compliment.
Darn it. Why do these kinds of remarks only come out when I meet people for work?
When it comes to Min-Young, who I meet maybe once a month, my first words are usually about what we should eat.
"James said the same thing. He told me not to do anything since you're dealing with a lot of complicated stuff these days."
"But I can't just hold back a busy person like you. I'll just try not to get too rusty."
Perhaps it's because I've known her since I was ten years old, given that she's the third largest shareholder and manages over two billion dollars, Rachel took on the role of a big sister and spoke to me.
"Okay. How about a brief update on the situation?"
"Let's finish eating first."
After filling our stomachs with salad and French fries at a Manhattan restaurant, we headed to the Miracle Investment headquarters.
It seemed like I might never get used to Wall Street.
This is a place where a different species from humans live. Hollywood is the same.