Maybe he doesn't like alcohol.
Shigeru was with us the whole time.
He came to see me anyway.
At first, he asked how I was doing, and lately, we've been talking about what projects I'm working on.
Maybe it's because work came up.
I got excited.
"When Super Mario is released for the game pocket,"
I made a marketing proposal on the spot.
"What if, when Mario eats a star and his body sparkles, a Louis Vuitton logo appears on the clothes?"
It's hard to implement in the actual game.
But it can easily be shown in a 15-second TV commercial.
It would also dilute the image of it being a children's game.
"It would be fun to include a bonus card in the package."
"Super Mario wearing Louis Vuitton clothes?"
"Yes."
"Well, there was a CapsulemonXLouis Vuitton collaboration, after all…"
As Shigeru took out his notebook and began to write down our conversation,
"Pizza's here!"
A booming voice came from afar.
To be honest… I had completely forgotten that he went to make pizza… Ahem.
Devon and Steve came in carrying two large pizzas each.
From what I heard, they baked over ten pizzas and only four came out right.
"But they should still taste good."
Devon looked quite confident.
His expression said it all: he threw in all the good stuff.
That's true, but…
Since the teacher made it, maybe I shouldn't expect too much.
Tennessee didn't even glance over, completely focused on the game.
But that reaction was short-lived.
"Pizza's getting cold."
As his voice turned menacing, Tennessee quickly snapped to attention and came over.
Oh wow.
The visuals are better than expected.
Seeing my surprised face,
"No need to look, just eat."
Devon responded boldly.
A piece as big as my forearm.
As I lifted it with both hands, the cheese stretched out.
It definitely looked appetizing.
The moment I took a big bite,
"...?"
What is this?
"It's tasty?"
It wasn't just me.
"Huh?"
Even Tennessee, who isn't easily surprised by food, widened his eyes.
"The dough and cheese would taste better if they were aged. It's a bit less since it was made suddenly. Just eat casually."
Though he said to eat casually,
He continued to explain how the tomato sauce was made, the ratio of meat to vegetables, and so on.
At first, I thought I was just hungry because of all the swimming.
But the more I ate, the more I realized, this isn't just any pizza!
"No, why is it so tasty?"
The surprise didn't end there.
The crust of the pizza is usually hard and bland.
But what's this?
Chewy!
"Huh?"
Not only that. When I took a bite, cheese that was hidden like sweet red bean paste suddenly appeared.
"This is… a cheese crust?"
In this era, how is that possible?
At that moment, my eyes met Devon's.
"You've tasted it."
His expression suddenly became serious.
"I wanted to make a pizza that was delicious from start to finish."
Why has his speech suddenly turned into a martial arts novel?
"I suggested to the president of Mama John to add cheese to the crust, but he flatly refused."
"..."
"So I decided to apply this idea solely to my pizzas. I had to throw out a few pizzas to get the timing right for the toppings and dough to cook evenly, but…"
"It's delicious."
"I know. I've tried it too."
Such confidence!
"What do you think? Could I sell this for money?"
"Yes. I think I would buy it."
"Okay. Since the business genius has approved, let's go ahead with it hot."
Suddenly, I've become a genius.
Since I'm being called a genius…
Shouldn't I be a bit more realistic?
"It's delicious. It would probably sell well in a store. However."
"...?"
"Please calculate the cost of ingredients, store rent, interior, equipment purchase, and staff salaries first. Also, if it becomes a franchise, the menu prices in the London and Edinburgh stores must be the same."
Despite different income levels and cost of living, the pizza prices must be the same.
In other words.
Being able to set a price that most people find acceptable is also a skill!
"What's with all this… stuff to do?"
"If it's competitive compared to the local market, then I'll proceed with the business."
Devon finally turned to Steve standing beside him.
"Did you hear?"
"…Yes?"
"You go to Cambridge. You're smart."
"You went to Stanford."
"I just played rugby there, okay?"
"I'm the same, you know?"
Suddenly, two students from prestigious universities are acting like fools.
At times like this, the best move is to step aside until things settle.
I asked a cruise staff member to play some music.
"Would classical be okay?"
"No, electronic music would be better."
I wonder if he heard that.
Tennessee looked surprised and turned towards me.
"Do you have 'Rockit' by Herbie Hancock?"
"We have quite a collection of records…"
"It's a bestseller, so it should be there."
Shortly after.
Smooth electronic music flowed from the large speakers set up on the deck.
Tennessee pretended to be uninterested.
"..."
But his ears perked up.
***
I don't know how the day went.
Business ideas kept popping up intermittently.
"Making money isn't a crime, after all."
Eventually, I just let it be.
After all, thinking about it wasn't hard…
Whenever something came to mind, I quickly developed it and stored it in my head.
Anyway.
Thanks to the guests arriving the next day, the party became more and more lively.
Oh, isn't that Olivia?
She was with her father, Ralph Warren.
"Why didn't you invite me?"
"Weren't you in the US?"
"I heard about the party and immediately turned the plane around!"
Seriously, a seventeen-year-old girl dropping lines like a boss…
Her remarks might be old-fashioned, but her taste was exceptional.
"This isn't a bar, why are you taking requests?"
Thanks to Olivia hiring a top-notch DJ.
Boom! Ba-baba-bam!
I could listen to my favorite city pop all night.
Great song selection!
And the sense to smoothly transition from one song to another!
I didn't realize…
"A DJ is absolutely necessary for a party."
The guests continued to arrive after that.
My financiers, Yang Eok-gwan and DQ, and the writers of Capsulemon joined one by one.
It wasn't intended.
But a gathering of my people spread out everywhere to share their connections!
"Just watching them makes me feel full."
As the 2-night, 3-day party was coming to an end.
I spontaneously suggested taking a group photo.
I usually hate that kind of thing.
But maybe because all the people I care about were there… my heart felt unusually warm.
"Taking the picture!"
Click.
After taking that one photo.
As I was about to board the helicopter in a good mood, greeting everyone.
"Boss."
It was Jo So-deok.
"Are you heading straight to Korea?"
He continued with a serious face.
"I've heard something from a source."
"...?"
"The executives have all been summoned to match the date of your arrival."
Hmm.
What kind of person my grandfather is.
I guess he wouldn't just let things slide easily.
Still… what is he planning right on my first day back?
"I heard it's a presentation of Hyungang's new engine."
"That engine is me?"
"Probably."
"..."
"I guess, he's not ready to give up on the automotive business yet."
At his age, there's no way he could oversee the car business.
So, he's passing it on to me?
"It would be wise to prepare on your end…"
"Preparation or not, it's all the same."
"Yes?"
"He's the one at the top of my head."
No matter how much I prepare, he's probably thought about how to break through that as well.
"I'm thinking of just getting him a gift."
"A gift…?"
"I'm returning home after a long time, and I want to give grandfather what he likes best."
"What do you mean by that?"
Instead of answering, I just smiled.
***
Meanwhile, in Korea.
Song Su-hee was already busy preparing for dinner.
Her son wouldn't be back until tomorrow.
And with an executive meeting called, he'd likely arrive in the evening, but Song Su-hee bustled in and out of the kitchen.
She was cooking for her son studying abroad, whom she hadn't cooked for in half a year.
Delicacies from land and sea!
A mother wants to make everything delicious!
However, her husband, Park Jong-in, seemed to think differently.
"Why do all this the day before? Why not just make it tomorrow?"
"You have to prepare in advance. That's how the flavors soak in."
"Even so, why not just make something easy…"
"Effort? It needs to be put in to taste good."
"I'm just… worried you're overworking yourself."
"What's so hard about cooking for our son?"
"…"
"Don't just talk, help me out then."
"What should I do?"
As the kitchen helper approached in surprise, Park Jong-in laughed.
"You heard? She says cooking for our son isn't hard."
"Still…"
"It's okay. It's just one meal."
That was when Park Jong-in got stuck in the kitchen.
He kneaded the meat for meatballs.
Why make so much?
Just when he thought he was done, Song Su-hee brought out the dough for dumplings.
"Ji-hoon likes dumpling soup, right?"
"I like dumpling soup too…"
"So hurry up and make it."
Just imagining her son enjoying the meal made her feel as if she owned the world.
That's true, but…
'Why does my back hurt so much? Perhaps it's from all the bending over, my neck too…'
Ahem.
"How long will Ji-hoon be staying?"
"Why do you ask?"
"I mean, it's not like we'll eat like this every day."
"Already tired?"
"No, no. I just don't want you to strain yourself."
"It's okay, my thoughtful husband will help every day."
"Yes… that's right, of course."
Park Jong-in resolved to increase family outings for a while.
***
Thanks to the kindness of Chairman Henri Vuitton, I was flying to Korea on a private jet.
Should I buy a private jet if I make money?
'No.'
Maybe I already have enough money.
'Eh, it's a waste to buy a plane just for that.'
I say that, but…
Everything is prepared just for me, and it certainly feels comfortable.
It's not just a reclining chair.
It's ridiculously comfortable with a real mattress laid out!
And who would doubt it's Henri Vuitton's plane, with Louis Vuitton logos stitched everywhere.
Hmm.
Being able to customize the interior décor to my liking… is definitely nice.
'Come to think of it, isn't it filled with good things?'
There's no reason not to buy…
'Ji-hoon, you've been spending a lot lately.'
Above all!
Grandfather isn't someone who'd be satisfied with just any gift.
'If I'm preparing something proper, shouldn't I tighten my belt?'
Yes, even if just until this situation is resolved, it's time for fiscal austerity.
As I steeled my resolve looking out the window.
"..."
The scenery of Seoul, which I had long forgotten, slowly unfolded before my eyes.