The Price of Insight
Kim Haein looked at Nam Doyun and spoke.
“You clearly said you had an idea about what might be wrong with the new drug we’re developing.”
“Yes.”
“Can you tell me what that is?”
“Hmm… First, let me organize my thoughts. I think I need to take a closer look at this structural diagram.”
Nam Doyun began carefully examining the paper with the new drug’s structure written on it. Kim Haein tilted her head.
‘He thinks he can figure out the problem just by looking at that?’
What Nam Doyun was looking at was nothing more than a simple structural diagram of the new drug. It only showed how the drug was composed and the ratio of its ingredients.
‘Even I can’t tell anything from just that diagram.’
Even Kim Haein, the top researcher at Samhwa Bio, couldn’t identify the problem from the diagram alone. She had only been able to vaguely grasp the issue after countless clinical trials.
‘And he claims he can figure something out just by looking at it?’
She found it rather strange.
Nam Doyun set the paper with the drug’s structure down.
“Have you finished reading it?”
“Yes. I’ve read it all.”
“Then you must have some idea of what the problem is.”
“Yes. I’ll explain what I believe the issues with this new drug are, along with a solution.”
“...”
Kim Haein let out a small laugh. He really thought he could identify the problem with this new drug just by looking at the diagram? That was impossible. No genius in the world could do it.
“GLP-1 is a peptide secreted from the proglucagon gene.”
“Yes, that’s obvious.”
That much could be read directly from the diagram. It was literally written on it.
“As you know, the proglucagon gene is located in the L-cells of the ileum.”
“Yes, that’s also obvious.”
Those sentences were all written in the diagram. In other words, anyone who could read English would know them.
Kim Haein tilted her head again. ‘Why is he beating around the bush like this?’
From the start, Nam Doyun had been talking only about what was written in the diagram instead of addressing the actual problem. Did that mean he hadn’t figured out the issue after all?
‘Well, that’s only natural.’
Pinpointing the problem accurately from just the diagram was impossible. It was something that could only be discovered through numerous clinical trials.
Kim Haein glanced at Cha Jiyun sitting beside her. Even now, her eyes were filled with trust toward Nam Doyun.
‘She still believes in him?’
Nam Doyun hadn’t pointed out any problems at all and was just going in circles. Yet Cha Jiyun continued to look at him with unwavering trust.
‘What on earth is she thinking?’
Kim Haein couldn’t understand it.
“So, this is…”
“Nam Doyun, I understand that you’re talented.”
Kim Haein cut him off sharply.
“But your explanation keeps circling around the surface, doesn’t it? You haven’t approached the actual problem at all.”
“....”
“I understand that you’re trying your best not to disappoint our president, who believes in you, but we don’t have time for this.”
“....Useless talk?”
Nam Doyun stared blankly at Kim Haein. She shook her head.
‘Seventeen is still seventeen. He doesn’t want to admit he’s wrong and keeps trying to argue.’
He might be knowledgeable about medicine, but that was all. There was no point in listening further.
“I’ll be taking my leave now—”
Just as Kim Haein was about to stand up—
“You really don’t understand why I said those things earlier?”
Nam Doyun spoke. Kim Haein frowned.
“I don’t see what meaning those earlier sentences had. Weren’t they just meaningless words because you couldn’t find the problem?”
“Not at all. Those sentences are exactly what allow us to derive the solution for this new drug.”
“...A solution?”
“If we combine the sentences I mentioned earlier, we can derive the solution as well.”
“....Nam Doyun.”
“Yes?”
“I clearly asked you to tell me the problem.”
“Ah… I figured that out a long time ago. Isn’t the solution what really matters?”
Kim Haein’s expression twisted sharply.
“Nam Doyun, I don’t have time to play along with your games. You figured it out a long time ago? Then start by telling me that.”
“If you insist, I suppose I have no choice. I’ll start with the problem.”
Nam Doyun let out a deep sigh and spoke.
“The problem is simple. The issue with this new drug is that GLP-1 has an extremely short half-life of only two minutes.”
“...How did you—?”
Kim Haein’s face filled with shock. That was the very problem she had only discovered after dozens of clinical trials. Yet he had identified the core issue of the new drug just by looking at the diagram.
Kim Haein swallowed hard.
“...Then, have you also figured out why that happens?”
‘There’s no way he could have figured this part out.’
The reason GLP-1’s half-life lasted only two minutes. That much couldn’t be known from the diagram alone.
“To put it more precisely, once GLP-1 is secreted, it becomes inactive due to DPP-4. That’s the cause.”
“....Just who are you?”
Kim Haein stared at him in a daze.
‘That’s the perfect answer.’
The reason GLP-1’s half-life was so short—only two minutes—was because of DPP-4.
‘How on earth does he know this?’
Kim Haein had sought advice from countless authorities in the bio field in addition to running numerous clinical trials, all to solve the problems with this new drug. It was only after exchanging opinions with those experts that she had barely managed to identify the issue.
‘And he deduced it just by looking at the diagram?’
How was she supposed to make sense of this absurd situation? Was he really only seventeen?
“Th-then, could you tell me how to solve this problem?”
Kim Haein looked at Nam Doyun with eyes full of interest.
“That can be easily derived by combining the sentences I mentioned earlier. But before that—”
“Before that?”
Kim Haein asked.
“It feels like too valuable information to give away for free. Haha—”
“....”
Kim Haein narrowed her eyes as she looked at Nam Doyun.
“How much are you thinking?”
Kim Haein asked.
“I think about three thousand shares of Samhwa Bio’s currently unlisted stock would be fine.”
“...What did you say?”
Kim Haein furrowed her brow.
“Do you even know how much that’s worth?”
Currently, one share of unlisted Samhwa Bio stock was worth around fifty thousand won. But once the company went public, the story would change. The stock price would likely multiply several times over.
“Yes. Right now, it’s worth about one hundred and fifty million won, isn’t it?”
“....You’re well informed. Then you also know about the shares given to Samhwa Bio employees?”
Samhwa Bio distributed shares to its employees to boost their morale. Each employee received roughly three hundred shares. The higher their position, the more shares they received. Kim Haein herself had received about one thousand shares.
“Yes, I know.”
“And even so, you think asking for three thousand shares makes sense?”
Kim Haein looked at Nam Doyun. The employees worked with all their heart and soul for Samhwa Bio. Most of them couldn’t even remember when they had last gone home on time.
“As you know, most employees only received three hundred shares. If someone who isn’t even an employee suddenly receives three thousand shares, how do you think the other employees will feel?”
“....”
“No matter how much of a solution you provide for the new drug, the backlash from the employees will be enormous. And above all, there’s no guarantee that the solution you’re offering is even correct.”
“...”
“You’re demanding three thousand shares without any guarantee that your solution is correct? That’s a bit much.”
“...”
Cha Jiyun had been quietly watching Kim Haein. Then she spoke.
“...Understood. I’ll give him the three thousand shares. Shall I bring the contract right now?”
“...President!”
Kim Haein’s face filled with shock.
“...Why are you doing this?”
“No, giving three thousand shares to someone who isn’t even an employee? The employees will be furious. Even the employees who dedicated themselves wholeheartedly only received three hundred shares.”
“...Haein.”
Cha Jiyun spoke with a cold expression.
“Yes?”
“...I know the employees work with all their heart and soul.”
“Then you definitely shouldn’t give them away.”
“...Even though they worked so hard, in the end, no one was able to find the solution. Not even you, Haein.”
“...That’s—”
“...I don’t want a company that prioritizes emotions. If someone has the ability, it’s only natural they receive appropriate compensation.”
“But the employees’ backlash will be severe.”
“...I don’t need employees like that.”
“What?”
“...I believe what matters isn’t effort, but competence. That’s how society works.”
“....”
“...Is it really so hard to understand giving three thousand shares to someone who knows how to solve something that none of the other employees could?”
“...That’s—”
“...Then the discussion is over.”
Kim Haein clenched her teeth. It was a valid point. She couldn’t think of any counterargument.
“Yes, President. I agree with that. But, President.”
“..Yes.”
“We still don’t know whether Nam Doyun actually knows the solution to this new drug.”
“...”
“After all, he only claimed to know it.”
“...Then there’s no problem.”
“...What? What do you mean by that?”
Kim Haein looked puzzled.
“...He has never said anything without basis.”
Kim Haein spoke while looking at Cha Jiyun.
“Then please allow me just one thing.”
“...Yes. Go ahead.”
“Let me be the one to judge whether the solution Nam Doyun provides is correct or not. If it’s correct, I’ll also side with you and convince the employees.”
“...Yes, do as you wish.”
There wasn’t a single trace of tension on Cha Jiyun’s face.
“Good. Nam Doyun, why don’t you tell us the solution? If it’s correct, I’ll really give you the three thousand shares of Samhwa Bio. But if it’s wrong, you’d better be prepared.”
Kim Haein looked at Nam Doyun and spoke.
“Yes. Then I’ll explain the solution now.”