The Unexpected Surge and a Gentle Dinner Invitation
Park Siwoo had purchased around 2,500 shares of NVGDIA a while ago.
At roughly thirty dollars per share, he had placed the order with a firm resolution.
One year—no peeking, no checking the app, not even once.
He had set a limit order at sixty dollars and, until that moment, had not so much as opened the stock trading window.
The sixty-dollar trigger had been pure caution. Everyone dreamed, after all. Even if they told themselves they would never dream of their own stock exploding like a coin.
“But it actually surged.”
Park Siwoo was stunned.
The alert had popped up: NVGDIA had reached sixty dollars.
In other words, the money he had invested had doubled overnight.
“Two hundred million won. If I add the money I didn’t even put in, it’s about three hundred million.”
That was enough to buy an apartment in Seoul and pay off a few loans.
Just then.
“Siwoo-ssi?”
A gentle voice reached him.
Only then did Park Siwoo realize he had been on the phone.
“Ah, Yena-ssi.”
“Is everything all right? You sounded so… sudden.”
He gave a slightly awkward smile.
“Just lost in thought.”
……
There was no reply.
“Yena-ssi…?”
He asked, and she answered softly.
“I’ll think of your indifference as charming.”
“Eh?”
“See you the day after tomorrow!”
She hung up with a meaningful tone.
“Indifference…?”
There shouldn’t be a man as delicate as him.
Park Siwoo set the phone down after a moment of thought and returned to his original plans.
“Should I sell the stock?”
It had doubled already. Selling seemed reasonable.
He opened the trading app and was about to submit the full sell order when hesitation struck.
“I’ll think about it again tomorrow.”
Stocks like this didn’t crash overnight. Taking it slow was fine.
Deciding that, he headed to the bedroom.
That had been the end of a busy day.
The next day, on the company rooftop.
A man walked over to Park Siwoo, who was smoking beside him.
“Siwoo-ya.”
“Ah, hyung.”
The man’s name was Kim Seung-hyeok, the close senior who had recommended NVGDIA last time.
“What brings you here at this hour?”
As a salesman, he could move freely, but for Kim Seung-hyeok, this was unusual.
When he asked curiously, Seung-hyeok answered.
“Just stepped out. Speaking of which, you still holding that NVGDIA stock you bought?”
Park Siwoo nodded.
“Of course. How long have you had it?”
“You aren’t selling, right?”
“No, I was planning to sell soon. Why?”
“Never sell.”
“What?”
Park Siwoo frowned.
Seung-hyeok added,
“Do you know why NVGDIA rose?”
“I don’t.”
He had guessed some amazing graphics card was released.
When he said so, Seung-hyeok spoke.
“Because of AI.”
“AI?”
“Yes, AI.”
“AI…”
What did artificial intelligence have to do with graphics cards?
Park Siwoo sucked on his cigarette and thought.
Yet no matter how he reasoned, there was no connection.
“I should just hush and sell.”
Thinking that, he flicked the cigarette out with his finger and dropped the butt into the portable ashtray.
He turned to look at Seung-hyeok smoking beside him.
But…
“……!”
Park Siwoo’s eyes widened.
A golden thread connected to Seung-hyeok’s hand.
“Golden Connection!”
Perhaps his words were true.
Park Siwoo asked urgently.
“Does that mean AI has such good prospects?”
“Very good. The whole world is fighting over AI supremacy. NVGDIA’s graphics cards help with the computations.”
As his words continued, the golden thread grew brighter.
“Gulp.”
Park Siwoo swallowed hard.
If that was true, even a hundred million could become over a billion.
And more importantly, the Golden Connection had guaranteed it.
Every time he spoke of NVGDIA, the thread shone brighter.
“I’ll hold on to it, then.”
Saying that, he added,
“Hyung, thank you.”
“Eh? Suddenly?”
“Because of you, I made a profit.”
“Haha, it’s nothing. That’s just pocket change.”
Seung-hyeok chuckled.
“Buy me a meal later. Not cheap stuff—real beef.”
“Sure.”
“Hey, let’s go back in. The department head might scold me.”
Park Siwoo walked back to the company chatting with Seung-hyeok.
Two days passed.
“I just arrived in Korea!”
A message arrived from Yena.
Park Siwoo, handling Neon Heart matters in the office, smiled warmly at the refreshing message.
His team colleague nearby got busy.
“Wow, the team leader is smiling for the first time. Good news?”
“No, just… reading the report.”
“Oh, right. Here it is.”
Park Siwoo read the report for a moment, then glanced around before picking up his phone.
He typed:
“Did you see that today?”
The reply came instantly.
“Of course!!!! Come over right now!”
“I wanted to too, but I have overtime today.”
“Oh, then… should I go to your place first?”
“Eh?”
Park Siwoo startled and typed quickly.
“You’re coming to my place?”
“Yes! What’s wrong? We already know everything about each other lol”
That was true.
Park Siwoo hesitated.
“The building has no industry contacts.”
Someone at Yena’s level could be recognized.
“But that’s beside the point.”
Simply refusing was easier. Why was she thinking about the house address?
The old Park Siwoo would have refused outright.
He never wanted to create unnecessary risks.
Yet.
“This sudden investment and all.”
He clearly wasn’t the same person as before.
Still, Park Siwoo didn’t dislike the change.
In fact, he liked it.
“Without having to watch my ex-wife’s eyes, I can finally live exactly as I want.”
He texted the address without hesitation.
“I’ll arrive before ten, okay?”
“Yes!! I’ll be waiting!”
The conversation ended with her cheerful reply.
Back to work, Park Siwoo lost track of time until the clock showed eleven.
“Oh no.”
Neon Heart had many contacts. He had worked hard and forgotten the time.
He stood up, grabbed his phone, and messaged Yena.
“Yena-ssi, sorry for the late reply.”
No answer came.
Eleven o’clock. She was probably asleep.
She had been on a grueling month-long overseas tour.
“I’ll properly apologize tomorrow.”
He sighed, hailed a taxi, and headed home.
Arriving at the luxury apartment and studio arranged by Cha Yeseung, he entered the familiar passcode.
He stepped inside to find
“Ah, you’re here.”
Yena was waiting with a cheerful smile at the door.
Park Siwoo asked in surprise.
“You haven’t gone home yet?”
“I waited until you arrived.”
“You waited for me?”
“Yes, while waiting I did everything. Have you eaten?”
“Not yet…”
“Come in quickly. I’ve prepared dinner.”
“Prepared dinner…?”
The entire room smelled of delicious food.
“Come on, hurry!”
Siwoo hesitated, but Yena took his hand and led him to the table.
“Yena-ssi.”
“Please sit and wait here.”
She moved busily: stirring the pot, plating the grilled meat.
From the side, Park Siwoo watched, then sat down.
“A bit embarrassing…”
He had worked hard all day. Who wouldn’t be touched by someone taking care of him?
“Kim Soyeon never did that.”
She was so sensitive a single digital clock light on the wall could keep her awake.
Park Siwoo had once covered the clock with a towel after she woke up in the night.
Such sensitivity meant overtime and dinner were always a worry.
The moment the front door opened, light spilled out.
The noise when the door closed was endless.
No matter how carefully he planned, Kim Soyeon always yelled at him.
And late-night snacks? She never made even morning rice.
Yet.
“Here, LA ribs. I went to the department store and bought the ingredients myself.”
Before him sat perfectly grilled LA ribs with no burnt spots.
Yena continued plating side dishes— all made by hand.
“Kim Soyeon always ate delivery.”
Park Siwoo looked at her.
Wearing an apron, she smiled brightly while looking at him.
A warm, unfamiliar air seemed to radiate from her body.
Park Siwoo found that particular warmth of Yena’s very comforting.
“Please eat.”
Her tone carried gentle expectation.
He smiled.
“You should eat too, Yena-ssi.”
“Me too? It’s okay?”
“Of course. Who else would make it?”
“Kyaa!”
Yena excitedly brought her own portion.
She sat across from him.
“Please eat!”
She urged him to taste first, probably eager to hear his opinion.
Though he wanted to say many things, he held back and took a rib.
The first bite.
“Delicious.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Park Siwoo nodded.
The best LA ribs he had ever eaten.
No rice thief needed.
When he said so, Yena patted her chest.
“I’m relieved…”
She had worried Siwoo wouldn’t like it.
“It really is delicious.”
“Hehe, I’m glad…”
“Yena-ssi, please eat too.”
He noticed she hadn’t eaten dinner yet.
She picked up her chopsticks.
“I’ll eat well!”
“So will I.”
Both reached for their ribs at the same moment.
“Ugh…”
Yena suddenly felt nauseous.