A Genius Speaks with Money

Chapter 12

The HJ Partners office.

It was a morning when the midsummer heat was in full swing.

The outside was already filled with the smell of concrete heated by the sun, but this place was a completely different world.

The cold air conditioner wind flowed softly, and the quiet river stream and green trees shimmered outside the window.

In the pantry on one side of the office, I, Lim Hyunjun, familiarly took out a stick of mix coffee.

I poured the coffee powder into a cup and hummed while pouring hot water.

“As expected, coffee should be mix.”

After stirring it a few times with a spoon, the soft coffee scent spread.

I walked to a comfortable-looking sofa while holding the coffee.

Sitting there, I took a sip of coffee and marveled with a satisfied face.“This is the taste. It is truly something to be grateful for that such coffee exists in the world.”

Choi Seo-jun, who was approaching quietly, let out a chuckle after seeing that scene.

“If someone saw this, they would think you are a man in his fifties rather than a high school student.”

I flinched inside, but I shrugged my shoulders slyly.

“Taste doesn'

t care about age. Espresso and things like that didn'

t suit my palate.”

Choi Seo-jun naturally sat on the sofa opposite me.

“I guess this is why working with you is fun, CEO.”

Knowing that Choi Seo-jun was not the type of personality to joke around usually, I felt that he was opening his heart to me.

Choi Seo-jun decided to step down from his position as Vice Chairman Lim Do-kyung'

s secretary a while ago and join me.

In this office, he was not a secretary but my right hand and a practical business partner.

Even today, I sat on the sofa, drinking mix coffee and flipping through the morning newspaper.

That was possible because it was currently summer vacation.

Once it officially became vacation after finishing the first semester final exams, I came to the office almost every day as if commuting here.

I briefly shed my status as a student and was reading the flow of the world with the face of an adult.

While I was flipping through the newspaper, Choi Seo-jun approached the seat holding a tablet.

“CEO, an article appeared as breaking news.”

“Is it Universe Games?”

“Yes. Elder Lee Jin-myeong made another stake purchase. Now he is the largest shareholder.”

I received the tablet and checked the screen.

[The big hand of the stock world, Lee Jin-myeong. Large-scale purchase of Universe Games stock... secures 33.4% stake]

“He finally moved.”

“The market reaction is also good.”

Because the price range Lee Jin-myeong collected was serving as a psychological support line, the rebound trend also became clear.

I, Lim Hyunjun, nodded and took a sip of coffee.

As the sweet coffee taste spread throughout my mouth, a small exclamation flowed out once more.

“Ah! On a day like this, mix coffee is truly the best.”

“CEO, please speak honestly.”

“...What is it?”

“You’re not eighteen, right?”

“Wha-?!”

Looking at me, who almost spat out coffee in surprise, Choi Seo-jun burst into laughter.

A few days later, a large-scale press conference was held at the Universe Games headquarters.

I was quietly watching the live broadcast screen inside the office.

Next to me, a mug containing mix coffee was placed as well.

In the screen, Lee Jin-myeong, dressed stylishly in a modified hanbok, stood on the podium.

“I will entrust the position of representative director to a proven professional manager recruited from the outside. I intend to fulfill my role only as an investor. With this, Universe Games will be born again. Please watch over us in the future.”

Lee Jin-myeong made a short announcement and stepped down from the podium.

Then the scene was in a stir.

The market reacted accordingly.

After showing a large increase, it eventually finished at the upper limit price.

It served as proof that Lee Jin-myeong'

s judgment was correct.

Choi Seo-jun cautiously spoke to me.

“It has settled at the upper limit price.”

“The reaction is good. We should slowly prepare too.”

At my words, Choi Seo-jun'

s expression wavered slightly.

It meant that he didn'

t know the reason for selling when only further rising remained.

“CEO, given the current atmosphere... honestly, it can rise more. It finished at the upper limit price and will show a good appearance for a few days.”

I looked out the window while drinking coffee calmly and then spoke quietly.

“That kind of thought makes one vomit up the profit.”

“...Pardon?”

“If you have eaten as much as you can, you should let go at that point. If not, the market eventually makes you vomit up the profit.”

Choi Seo-jun was momentarily at a loss for words.

My words were a simple metaphor, but they were strangely convincing.

“Greed is the most fearsome enemy. Right now, positive materials called structural reorganization due to Elder Lee Jin-myeong'

s intervention are pulling up the stock price, but once expectations become reality, a cold evaluation always follows after that.”

“So what you mean, CEO, is that now is the ‘peak of expectations’?”

I, Lim Hyunjun, nodded.

“When people cheer, we exit quietly. The market always rises on people'

s desires, but the time it collapses always comes without notice.”

At my words, Choi Seo-jun did not say anything more.

Although it was a word that came from the mouth of an eighteen-year-old boy, the coldness of an investor who had fought numerous wars was contained within it.

“I understand, CEO. I will coordinate the selling point and report.”

“Yes, please.”

I spread the newspaper after those words.

A private space on the top floor of the Taeseong Hotel.

This was a private office used by Chairman Lim Man-seok that was not disclosed to the outside.

Even the elevator was different from those for general passengers, and it was a special space where entry was only possible for designated individuals.

Today, a secret meeting between only two people was scheduled here.

I, Lim Hyunjun, wore a black shirt with a jacket and went inside quietly.

I was holding a small briefcase in my hand.

In fact, what I prepared was the contract and an envelope containing money.

It was about 5 minutes after I arrived.

The private elevator door opened and Chairman Lim Man-seok walked in slowly.

It was the footstep of an old man who had overcome decades of time, but dignity and spirit were still felt.

“Have you come. My puppy.”

“Yes, Grandfather.”

It was a short greeting, but each other'

s expressions were bright.

As we sat in our respective seats, Kang Cheol-woo served the tea himself.

Since this was a place with thorough security, entry by outsiders was strictly restricted.

While Chairman Lim Man-seok and I each took a sip of tea and only heavy air was flowing.

I put down the teacup and immediately opened the briefcase to take out the contract and put it on the table.

“The 1 billion won borrowed last time and the interest calculated at 5% makes it 1.05 billion won.”

Lim Man-seok opened the envelope I handed over with a satisfied smile.

He, who had a sharp eye, was very happy to see the amount inside.

“Somehow the calculation is wrong. According to your words, you should give 1.05 billion won. Look here.”

I said.

“The rest is pocket money for Grandfather. It is from your grandson, so please use it to your heart'

s content.”

“...What did you say?”

“It might not be much money to Grandfather, but it is my heart, so please just accept it. Because I always only received help... I wanted to give to you too.”

“......”

“If Grandfather had not lent it to me this time, I would not have been able to achieve results by investing.”

Lim Man-seok looked at the envelope again and then raised his head to look at me.

“You are truly an incomprehensible fellow. Where on earth did such a fellow come from.”

Holding the envelope as it was, he spoke while laughing because he was truly happy.

“I never even thought a day like this would come in my life. My children only know how to hold their hands out to me. To think a day would come when I receive pocket money from my grandson. This feeling... isn'

t bad.”

The corners of my mouth rose slowly.

As if the warmth of family, which I had forgotten, permeated into my chest.

Lim Man-seok said quietly while looking at me, perhaps moved.

“Well done. At this level, you did very well.”

I, Lim Hyunjun, bowed my head and laughed.

“Thank you, Grandfather.”

Evening, HJ Partners office.

Choi Seo-jun let out an exclamation while looking at the tablet screen.

“CEO... the total profit is slightly less than 9.2 billion won. It’s the first time I'

ve seen such a number in my life.”

“It worked out better than expected.”

After emptying an entire glass of milk, I answered with a calm expression.

“Since I earned that much... I should properly repay what I borrowed.”

“So you gave interest and even pocket money?”

“Yes, seeing Grandfather'

s face, I think I did well to give it. He really liked it. Even if he didn'

t say it, his expression said everything.”

“Truly... you are amazing, CEO.”

Choi Seo-jun looked at me with sincere eyes.

The world would see me as an eighteen-year-old boy, but in Choi Seo-jun'

s eyes, I looked larger than anyone else.

Ping.

It was the sound that rang from my phone.

The corners of my mouth rose slightly after checking the screen.

Choi Seo-jun, who was nearby, noticed and asked.

“Is there some good news?”

I answered without taking my eyes off the phone.

“Well. I think I'

ll only know after checking whether it'

s good news or bad news.”

I raised my head and looked at Choi Seo-jun.

“CEO Choi, it seems you will have to go to the US soon.”

“...The US?”

At the sudden words, Choi Seo-jun flinched and asked back.

“Why the US all of a sudden? More than that, for what matter...”

“Hmm....”

I, Lim Hyunjun, wrote something on a memo pad and said calmly while giving it to Choi Seo-jun.

“For the location, you can go to the place written here. Ah, you should book a flight ticket as soon as possible.”

“......”

Choi Seo-jun'

s brow narrowed slightly.

I spoke with a mischievous smile.

“There was something I wanted to buy, and it just happened to come out at a reasonable price.”

“So you'

re telling me to go to Silicon Valley?”

“Yes, please go see it in person, CEO Choi.”

San Jose, California, USA.

What was seen in the eyes of Choi Seo-jun, who got out of the car, was the end of an alleyway where residential areas and warehouse-type buildings were mixed.

In that place, there was a building with a worn-out grey shutter down without a single sign.

On the worn-out nameplate, it was written ‘Synapse Tech Inc’.

It did not look like a proper-looking company to anyone.

It looked like a place where the lonely traces of an early startup remained.

Choi Seo-jun checked the destination indicated by the map app several times.

“...Is this correct?”

Though he was reluctant, he shook his head while knocking on the door.

A door opened as a voice was heard.

A man in a saggy T-shirt with disheveled hair was frowning.

Choi Seo-jun spoke cautiously.

“By any chance, Mr. Kevin Lee?”

The man blinked his eyes slowly and then gestured for him to come inside.

The inside of the office was shabbier than the outside.

A single fluorescent light was blinking repeatedly on the ceiling, and a terrible stench smelled as the place was full of dust and even mixed with the smell of alcohol.

Moreover, because the computer servers were running continuously, the fan noise and various wires were strewn here and there, making it easy to trip if one were not careful.

Kevin Lee walked into the sewer-like inside while staggering, yet avoiding things well.

The only things usable were a worn-out mattress and a desk.

Because there was no decent place to sit, Choi Seo-jun had to speak while standing.

Kevin Lee picked up the alcohol bottle that was on the desk, took a sip, and then handed it to Choi Seo-jun.

“I'

m fine.”

“I guess you act clean more than you look. You'

re the person who said you came from Korea, right?”

Choi Seo-jun took out a business card and handed it to Kevin Lee.

“Yes, I am Choi Seo-jun, the CEO of HJ Partners.”

Kevin curled the corner of his mouth as if sneering.

Then, after glancing at the business card Choi Seo-jun handed over, he threw it on the desk and asked.

“...How much can you give me?”