Enjoyable Company Life

She'd said she was staying home through today — turns out that only meant until morning.

After breakfast and hanging the freshly washed bedding out to dry, Iseul headed back down to the filming location in Hongseong County, South Chungcheong Province. She'd snuck away without her manager knowing, so she took the bus alone. I would have driven her myself if I could, but I had a meeting with CEO Kim Seon-ho of Alpha Partners, so I had no choice but to send her off on her own.

"What do you think?"

"Hmm…"

Periosa. An AI semiconductor design company — a fabless firm that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠specialized purely in design, with no production facilities of its own. From the initial seed round through Series A and now the Series B under evaluation, it had already received sixty billion won from Alpha Partners and was looking for an additional thirty billion. A solid business model was already in place, and they were currently developing its successor — a second-generation model.

But one thing puzzled me.

Why me? Why did he want to invest alongside U-I?

A man like CEO Kim Seon-ho could easily co-invest with far more prestigious VCs.

"It's a company I'd like to invest in, I'll give you that. But why make this offer to me? As you can see, U-I isn't exactly a proper investment firm."

"There are two reasons for that."

"And those are?"

"First — honesty. When you were looking to acquire K-Sler, CEO Yoo, you were frank with me. You told me that if you invested, you wouldn't be doing it with us."

"That's… a little surprising as a reason. And the second?"

"The second is drive."

"Drive?"

"This investment needs to happen quickly. Otherwise another VC could step in ahead of Alpha Partners. I find that kind of situation uncomfortable, and I contacted you specifically to keep it from happening."

I thought it over for a moment — and then I understood what CEO Kim was really saying.

"So you don't consider U-I an uncomfortable partner. Because we aren't a proper VC. You probably figured you could structure the negotiations in Alpha Partners' or Periosa's favor, too."

"Not exactly. It isn't because U-I isn't a proper VC — it's simply that U-I's involvement doesn't create any discomfort on our end. And I have no intention of stacking the negotiations in our favor. The equity will be distributed in exact proportion to the capital invested."

"Hmm… so what's the return on fifteen billion won?"

"We'll guarantee you a three percent stake."

"Three percent…"

Honestly, I had no idea whether that was generous or stingy. If Periosa grew into a company worth five hundred billion won, I'd break even. Anything short of that, and I'd take a loss.

I should start with a comparison.

"What percentage does Alpha Partners currently hold?"

"We're sitting on twenty-seven percent."

"So this round would add another three percent on top of that?"

"That's correct."

"Sixty billion for twenty-seven percent… and now fifteen billion for three percent… meaning the company's valuation has risen that much?"

"Exactly. And because we invested from the earliest stages, we were able to secure a substantial stake."

"Then that 'uncomfortable situation' you mentioned means there's another VC competing for the position of largest shareholder?"

"That's right."

"A six percent stake could flip the majority… In that case, give me five percent."

"CEO Yoo."

"In exchange, I'll delegate the voting rights on that five percent to Alpha Partners. I'll also grant you a right of first refusal. How does that sound?"

"……"

CEO Kim's mouth closed. Time stretched endlessly through the quiet conference room. The most uncomfortable person in this situation had to be him — or rather, the Alpha Partners employee who'd come along to handle the presentation.

After a long wait, CEO Kim's voice finally returned.

"Let's settle at four point five percent."

"Done."

I stood and shook hands with CEO Kim Seon-ho. Fifteen billion won for a four-point-five percent stake. I had no way of knowing what this investment would ultimately yield, but even if it went south, I'd lose less than Alpha Partners. For now, that alone was enough to call it a satisfying deal.

I'd already gotten a briefing from the Alpha Partners staff, but I had Lee Myeong-jin and Heo Seon-ye — U-I's own people — report to me separately as well. Tracking and managing our investments was their job, after all.

"So the current valuation alone is estimated at around five hundred billion won?"

"Yes, that's correct. Of course, that could change depending on whether the second-generation model currently in development succeeds."

"And if it fails?"

"If it fails…"

"There's a high probability the valuation drops by twenty percent or more. Possibly even further."

"Hmm… and if it succeeds?"

"It starts at double, minimum."

"One trillion?"

"Yes."

"Wow…"

Fifteen billion ballooning into forty-five billion. Provided the second-generation model in development actually succeeded, of course. Still, the payoff for success was pretty modest compared to crypto. Then again, a crypto jackpot was practically a miracle.

"All right. Everyone wrap up whatever you're doing and head home whenever you like."

"There's still two hours left until closing time."

"Oh my~ What's gotten into Myeong-jin today? Hohoho…"

"Right? When have we ever actually left on time? Once things get busy later, you can beg me to let you go home and I still won't — so take it easy while you can. You too, Sora. Go home."

"I'm fine, sir. My job is to assist you."

"I've got nothing left to do. I'm just going to drop by the recording studio and then head out. And the studio stop is Art Company business."

"I'll accompany you."

"I said I'm fine."

"I must decline."

"…What kind of secretary doesn't listen to a word I say…! Fine. Do whatever you want."

"Yes, sir."

"Haa…"

I shook my head and walked out of the office. Jeong Sora hurried after me, overtook me, and pressed the elevator button on my behalf.

"You don't have to go this far."

"……"

"Jeong Sora?"

"May I speak honestly, sir?"

"I don't know what this is ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠about, but go ahead."

"Haa…"

Staring at the elevator, Jeong Sora let out a long sigh, then turned to face me with eyes full of tightly wound intensity. And then she poured out everything she'd been holding in.

"Do you know what I think about every single day after work?!"

"How would I—"

"Of course you don't!"

"……"

"What did I even do today? No — did I do anything at all? Is this really the company life I dreamed of?! That's the kind of self-loathing and disillusionment I feel!"

"……"

"Why don't you give me any work?! I wanted to live a glamorous corporate life! To have my abilities recognized! To become a capable career woman!"

"……"

Well. That was a new one. She wanted to work? Should I recommend the company I used to work at? The kind of place where you ground yourself into the dirt only for the higher-ups to claim all the credit, and even after clocking out you got dragged to late-night drinking sessions to pour drinks and play designated driver? She wouldn't last a week there. She was complaining without even realizing this place was paradise.

"All right."

"Excuse me?"

"I'll give you work."

"What kind of—"

"There's plenty of work. As much as you could ever want, if you're looking for it. You think there isn't? Look forward to it. It's going to be a thoroughly enjoyable company life."

"……"

A thoroughly enjoyable company life. Even more enjoyable than she'd been hoping for.

At last, the morning I'd been waiting for arrived. The moment I got to the office, I called for Jeong Sora.

"You asked for me, sir?"

"Jeong Sora, you said you wanted to work, didn't you? That you wanted to become a capable career woman?"

"…Yes."

"I'll make you one. First, put together a summary of every project and company we've invested in — something I can skim quickly while on the move. Key points only, and don't leave anything out. Oh, and you need to know the status of every single one of them. So you can answer whenever I ask. You do know Art Company is one of the companies U-I has invested in, right?"

"A-all of that…? By when…"

"I'd love to have it today, but I'll give you until tomorrow."

"Then I'll just step out and—"

"I'm not finished."

"Pardon…?"

This much barely even counted as a mountain of work. There was more where that came from — so don't be disappointed.

"Schedule a meeting with CEO Kim Seon-ho of Alpha Partners around lunchtime, and set up a video conference with Director Negi Jeong. Also arrange an appointment with President Hong Min-cheol of Art Company — and I should meet Head of Department Yoon Hee-jeong from Art Music as well."

"C-could you please say that one more time…?!"

"If you stay confined to secretarial duties, you'll never become a capable career woman. So I'll give you a little more. In anticipation of K-Sler's success, I want to see a list of character merchandise and secondary works, brands we could collaborate with, and concrete revenue plans for each. Ah — this is what they call OSMU. One Source Multi Use strategy."

"……"

"That should be doable within a week, right? A capable career woman could handle it."

"Yes… I'll d-do my absolute best! ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠But if you could just say it one more time……"

She probably wouldn't be going home for a while. And a week? No — she wouldn't finish this even if I gave her a month. Jeong Sora was a secretary. Which meant she had to follow me wherever I went.

Speaking of which — had I set up that meeting with President Hong Min-cheol yet?

And so even something as simple as riding the elevator downstairs now required Jeong Sora to arrange an appointment first — with Jeong Sora herself in tow as my executive secretary, of course.

"Ah… this is enjoyable. Company life. Isn't it?"

"…Yes… it is… enjoy…able… sir…"

It's only going to get more enjoyable from here. Every single day.