"No, I was imagining what kind of world it would be if computers were put inside those small phones."
I smiled and agreed.
"It might be a distant future, but I'm sure such a world will come. If so, you, Steve, would know better than I what kind of world it would be."
"Of course! Hahaha, it was a good conversation."
His face radiated joy, as if he was still immersed in the conversation.
With that, we left the restaurant.
"It was really fun today. Let's meet and talk often."
"I'm going to invest in Steve Jobs. Don't forget me."
* * *
"Didn't I tell you to give up this time? Why are you being so stubborn?"
Without responding to the coach, Park Hyun-seong stood still, which made the coach's voice grow louder.
"Damn, you should know how to yield to your seniors. What makes you so special that you can be so arrogant? Is it hard to lose?"
"I'm sorry."
Park Hyun-seong apologized but refused to admit defeat.
"Alright. Then I'll make sure you can't participate in the competition. Hey! Lock the gym door."
The coach glared at the students who were training, and one of them ran to lock the door.
"Get down."
Holding a wooden stick, the coach's appearance made all the students training there wary.
Park Hyun-seong lay down silently at the coach's command.
"Park Hyun-seong, why do you think you're so special that you can ignore your seniors and the coach? Bastard, do I look like a joke to you? I'll make sure you can't even set foot in the judo world."
Smack!
The judo coach hit his thigh with the wooden stick and cursed.
Crack!
When the stick broke, he threw it away and picked up another one to continue the beating.
"Coach, stop it. Hyun-seong might die if you keep this up."
Song Min-guk, the team captain, tried to stop him, but the coach shook off his arm and glared at him.
"Are you making fun of me too?"
"N-no, sir."
The coach shouted at the surrounding students.
"Wow, these kids these days really have no respect. In our time, when the coach said something, we could only say 'Yes!' But now, what? 'I'm sorry?' Damn, they won't even say they'll die if you beat them!"
The students avoided the coach's gaze.
The coach snorted and yelled at Song Min-guk.
"Hey! Captain. Tell me, what did I do wrong? I just asked him to yield this time! This kid can be a national representative anytime. Why is he being so stubborn?"
"Still... there's a huge difference in skill between Chan-seong and Hyun-seong. Honestly, do you think Chan-seong will win a medal if he becomes a national representative? And you know, Coach, what being a national representative means to us..."
"Huh. Hey, Song Min-guk. Are you making fun of me too?"
"No, sir. I would never disrespect you. I'm just worried that this might cause problems."
Song Min-guk glanced at Hyun-seong, who was lying down and hadn't even groaned once, and looked at the coach.
"If he gets seriously injured and has to be hospitalized... he won't be able to participate in any competitions, right? Please, talk some sense into him."
The coach threw the wooden stick away, frustrated by the captain's persistent pleading.
"Phew... Park Hyun-seong. Are you still not going to change your mind?"
"..."
"Stubborn brat. You might end up in a bad situation no one knows about. Do you know who Chan-seong's father is? Why are you being so stubborn? If you give up this time, it will be good for you and our school. Get up."
At the coach's words, Hyun-seong immediately got up and stood at attention.
"Hyun-seong, I'm not doing this because I hate you. Remember that."
"Coach, I'm sorry."
Shaking his head at Hyun-seong's unchanging answer, the coach left the gym.
Everyone let out a sigh of relief. Song Min-guk approached Hyun-seong and patted his shoulder.
"Try to be more flexible. Why are you so stubborn at twenty?"
"Captain, I'm sorry."
"Phew... What do you have to be sorry to me for? Still, I don't think this will end here. Are you okay where you were hit?"
Song Min-guk glanced at Hyun-seong's thigh with a worried look.
"I'm fine."
"Still, you should go to the hospital just in case."
"No, sir."
"This is an order as your captain. Are you going to disobey me too?"
"No, sir. I'll go right away."
Song Min-guk's expression relaxed.
"After the hospital, don't come back to the dorm. Go home and rest, and come back tomorrow. I'll talk to the coach for you."
"Thank you, Captain."
Hyun-seong bowed and left the gym. As he disappeared from sight, Song Min-guk sighed and muttered to himself.
"Damn, why is Chan-seong, who doesn't even train properly, eyeing the national representative position? Judo is no joke."
That day, after receiving treatment at the hospital and heading to Myung-soo's house, Park Hyun-seong was hit by a hit-and-run and was rushed to the emergency room in a coma.
* * *
The next day.
I went back to Pixar for the investment contract.
The employee who initially treated me like a lunatic now politely guided our group to the president's office.
"Steve!"
"Hey! Charlie!"
Steve, who was talking to his lawyer, got up and hugged me when he saw me.
"Welcome. This is my lawyer, Harriet."
I greeted Steve's lawyer and introduced our lawyer before sitting down.
"I'll invest $50 million for half of NeXT and Pixar's shares, and all the voting rights and authority Charlie has will be transferred to me. Correct?"
"Okay."
The content we discussed yesterday was written into a contract and placed in front of us.
After an hour of discussion between the lawyers, we signed the contract and shook hands.
"Now that we're in this together, let's see each other often."
"I'll come to you first when I visit the U.S. You're my most precious partner, after all?"
"Hahaha. Look at you. You've got a good sense of humor for a young guy."
After laughing for a while, Steve suddenly stopped and spoke seriously.
"Most of the money you invested will need to be reinvested in the company."
"Handle it as you see fit. I don't care."
"I like that."
After parting ways with Steve, it was already late at night when I returned to New York.
I was about to sit down and have a beer after showering when I heard a knock on the door.
"Who is it?"
"It's Ma Seok-dae. Young master."
When I opened the door, Ma Seok-dae bowed and entered.
As I let him in, I took a sip of the beer in my hand.
"What's up?"
"I received a call from Seoul."
However, my leisurely mood was shattered.
"One of your friends, Park Hyun-seong, was hit by a hit-and-run and is now in a coma."
I dropped the beer can I was holding.
"What?"
"He's currently admitted to Korea University Hospital, but I don't have the details. A person named Myung-soo contacted Mr. Lee."
"Find the earliest flight to Korea for me. As soon as possible."
At my command, Ma Seok-dae left immediately.
I felt my hand trembling slightly.
'Damn, what's going on now?'
My mind was blank.
After a while, I called Han Kyung-yeong.
Han Kyung-yeong, who arrived at my room quickly, looked surprised.
"What's wrong? You look terrible."
"Nothing, I need to go to Korea urgently, so take care of the rest. When you get the contacts or locations of the people I asked you to find, go and scout them yourself. Leave the rest in the account as we discussed, and manage the $50 million for me."
"Going back to Korea? What for?"
"One of my friends is in a coma. I need to go back to Korea quickly."
"Got it. Call me if you need anything."
After sending Han Kyung-yeong away, I lay down on the bed, but I couldn't sleep, worried about Hyun-seong.
'He'll be fine. He's tough, so he'll get up soon. He will...'
Fortunately, Manager Ma found a flight.
I boarded the early morning flight to Seoul the next day.
I fell asleep on the plane due to lack of sleep. When I arrived at Gimpo Airport via Hong Kong, it was already night.
Without a moment's rest, I headed to the Korea University Hospital where Hyun-seong was admitted.
Hyun-seong's father and mother from Busan were already sitting in front of the ICU.
When Hyun-seong's mother saw me, she burst into tears.
"Mu-hyuk. What happened to our Hyun-seong? What's going on? I wish it were me."