A Simple Solution
“The solution is simple. Replace it with a peptide that has a structure similar to GLP-1 while also being resistant to DPP-4.”
“Yes. That is correct.”
Kim Haein nodded. That solution was the very one she and her researchers had arrived at after countless clinical trials. If they could do that, they would finally have a way to solve the short half-life problem.
‘To see through it at a glance… He really is impressive.’
It was astonishing that a mere seventeen-year-old had presented the solution that the elite researchers at Samhwa Bio had spent an entire day deriving. He was certain to grow into an extraordinary talent in the bio field later on.
‘But that alone won’t be enough.’
While it was easy to say they should replace it with a peptide that resembled GLP-1 and resisted DPP-4, the real problem was how difficult it was to actually find such a peptide.
“Do you happen to know of such a peptide?” Kim Haein asked casually.
‘There’s no way he knows that much.’
She and her team had conducted extensive research but failed to find it. Even the leading authorities in the bio field had been unable to answer when asked. In other words, no one knew about it yet.
‘Still, he really is remarkable. No wonder Chairwoman Cha has her eye on him.’
Simply by looking at the structure diagram, he had derived that solution. He was undoubtedly a genius. But that was as far as it went. There was no way he would also know about such a peptide.
“Yes. After thinking it over, I believe Exenatide would work.”
“…Exenatide?”
Kim Haein tilted her head. It was a substance she had never heard of before.
“Yes.”
“And you’re saying that would actually solve the half-life issue?”
“Yes. The half-life would increase dramatically, from two minutes to three hours.”
“I’ve never even heard of that substance. Are you really saying it can extend the half-life that much?” Kim Haein asked, still tilting her head.
“Yes. I’m certain.”
Kim Haein stared at Nam Doyun in silence for a long time. Even so, she couldn’t detect the slightest tremor in his eyes. He was completely confident that the substance would extend the half-life.
“Then I’ll have the researchers test it right away.”
Kim Haein picked up the phone.
Ring—
“Hey, it’s me. Try replacing it with ‘Exenatide’ and run the test.”
“What? That substance can extend the half-life? I’ve never heard of it in my life.”
“…Just do it.”
“Understood. I don’t think it’ll work, but… I’ll give it a try.”
The employee’s voice was filled with disbelief.
“We’ve decided to proceed with the test as Mr. Doyun suggested,” Kim Haein said.
“Good. That’s a relief.”
“Aren’t you worried?”
“About what?”
“That the substance might not actually extend the half-life.”
“We’ll know once we wait and see.”
Nam Doyun chuckled and took a sip of his tea. There wasn’t a trace of tension on his face. Kim Haein studied him. That completely relaxed expression—what on earth was he relying on?
Ring—
The phone rang again shortly after.
“Haein!”
The voice on the other end was extremely excited.
“Yeah. How did it go? Tell me.”
“When we actually added that substance, the half-life increased. By a full three hours!”
“……”
Kim Haein dropped the phone right where she stood.
“Haein? Haein?”
The voice calling for her came through the receiver, but she couldn’t hear it at all.
“……”
Kim Haein was staring at Nam Doyun sitting across from her. If the half-life really had increased to three hours, then the new drug development would be a success.
‘The biggest problem we’ve had until now was the half-life.’
The fact that the half-life only lasted two minutes had been the greatest obstacle. Even after consulting with numerous researchers for months, they hadn’t been able to solve it. When they asked for help from leading authorities in the bio field, they too had been unable to provide an answer.
‘And yet this guy…’
The solution that had seemed impossible had been resolved by a single, casual remark from this man. In just a few short minutes.
Kim Haein picked up the phone again.
“It’s certain that the half-life really increased to three hours, right?”
“Yes. It’s true. I just confirmed it myself.”
“Then there won’t be any issues with commercialization?”
“No. No one was trying to buy this substance, so we have an enormous stockpile. If we purchase it all, it should be enough for at least a year’s worth of medication.”
“……”
Kim Haein’s hand trembled as she held the phone.
‘If this really gets commercialized…’
Samhwa Bio would instantly rise from last place to second in the bio industry. It might even be enough to threaten the overwhelming monopoly of Hain Bio, the current number one.
“How about it? I was right, wasn’t I?” Nam Doyun said.
“…Yes. You really were.”
Kim Haein spoke with a dazed expression.
“Then can I write my name on the contract?”
“Y-Yes! Of course.”
With trembling hands, Kim Haein handed the contract to Nam Doyun. She glanced sideways at Cha Jiyun. The other woman was smirking as if this outcome had been inevitable all along.
Even Cha Jiyun probably hadn’t known the specific solution Nam Doyun possessed. If she had, she would have passed the information to the researchers long ago to save Samhwa Bio. Yet despite not having heard that information, Cha Jiyun had been absolutely certain. She had believed that Nam Doyun would solve it no matter what—even a problem that even the leading authorities in the bio field couldn’t resolve.
‘Just what kind of relationship do those two have?’
What kind of relationship would allow someone to have such absolute faith in another person?
***
I was writing my name on the contract. Once this went public, I would finally be free from money worries. The unlisted shares I was signing for now would skyrocket right after the listing.
With a satisfied expression, I wrote my name on the contract.
Signature: Nam Doyun.
“There. I’ve finished signing.”
“I’ll review it once more to make sure nothing’s missing and let you know.”
Kim Haein began scanning the contract I had signed. I let out a sigh of relief.
‘Good thing I studied back then.’
When I had to write my university graduation thesis, I had looked up countless papers related to medicine. In the process, I ended up reading numerous papers on diabetes medications.
‘Thanks to that, I know the details.’
In this world, the development of diabetes-related medications was still slow. But in the Earth I originally came from, the development of diabetes medications had already advanced tremendously. Those results had been published in countless papers, which I had been able to access.
‘So all I did was recite them.’
I had merely repeated the results that countless scholars had researched and derived. But to Kim Haein, it must have been incredibly shocking. After all, a seventeen-year-old kid had presented a solution that even the elite researchers at Samhwa Bio couldn’t find.
Kim Haein looked at me with sparkling eyes.
“Yes. There’s nothing missing here. We’ll proceed as is.”
“Thank you.”
“More importantly, have you decided on your future career path?”
“Pardon?”
“It just seems like such a waste for someone with this level of talent not to work in the bio field. Would you consider switching from being a Hunter even now?”
“…?”
I gave her a puzzled look.
“With this level of knowledge, if you joined our company, you could easily earn hundreds of millions in annual salary. You might even be promoted straight to vice president.”
Kim Haein spoke with shining eyes.
“Haha. That’s a bit…”
I smiled awkwardly. After all, I had merely recited results that the elites on Earth had struggled to derive. If I actually worked in the bio field, my lack of real knowledge would be exposed immediately.
“Ah. That’s a shame. Still, if you change your mind, please contact me.”
As she spoke, Kim Haein handed me her business card.
“Chairwoman, with this, our new drug development can be completed successfully. Shall we schedule the new drug presentation for a week from now?”
Kim Haein looked at Cha Jiyun as she spoke.
“…Yes, that’s fine. Let’s do it a week from now.”
“Once the new drug presentation is successfully completed, Samhwa Bio will truly be able to take a large share of the bio market.”
Kim Haein smiled as she spoke. I nodded as well. If that new drug presentation went smoothly, Samhwa Bio’s stock would list normally. In other words, once the presentation was successfully completed, I too would no longer have to worry about money.
The problem was that during the presentation, some dangerous individuals would attack the venue. But if we could just get through that safely, I would be sitting on a pile of money.
“Ah… Could I ask just one thing?”
Kim Haein looked back and forth between me and Cha Jiyun as she spoke.
“Yes.”
“Well, it’s just that…”
Kim Haein hesitated, continuing to glance between the two of us.
“…Is something the matter?”
Cha Jiyun asked, sounding puzzled.
“…What exactly is your relationship?”
Kim Haein finally asked.
“….?”
Both Cha Jiyun and I looked at her in confusion.
“It’s just that the trust Chairwoman Cha shows toward Mr. Nam Doyun doesn’t seem like an ordinary relationship.”
“……”
Cha Jiyun stared at her expressionlessly.
“…Are you perhaps dating? No, surely not?”
Kim Haein said.
Cha Jiyun looked at me blankly. Then, as if she had come up with a good idea, she made a mischievous expression. She walked over and sat beside the chair I was sitting in, then wrapped her arm around mine.
“!!!”
Kim Haein’s face was filled with shock. But she wasn’t the only one. I was just as shocked. I couldn’t understand why she was suddenly doing this.
“…Does this answer your question?”
Cha Jiyun looked at Kim Haein as she spoke.
“Ah!! Th-that… How… should I… answer… Aah…”
Kim Haein kept stammering. Staring at the scene before her with her mouth agape, she looked back and forth between me and Cha Jiyun as if she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
“…C-Congratulations!”
Kim Haein’s face flushed bright red.
“I-I’ll be going now!”
Kim Haein hurried out of the conference room.
Once Kim Haein left, Cha Jiyun unwrapped her arm from mine. Then she looked at me. My face was burning red.
“Wh-why… did you do that?”
I was so flustered that I couldn’t even speak properly. Cha Jiyun stared at me for a moment before letting out a small laugh.
“…It was a joke.”
“…A joke?”
“…Yes. I just wanted to see Researcher Kim Haein get flustered.”
“You wanted to see her get flustered?”
“…She’s been openly showing her dislike for me for a while now, so I wanted to play a trick on her.”
“….Ah. I see.”
“…Seeing her that flustered today was rather satisfying.”
Cha Jiyun smiled faintly as she spoke. I stared at her blankly. This kind of prank didn’t match her usual demeanor at all. I couldn’t get used to it.
Cha Jiyun stared back at me. As if she had read my thoughts, she kept her gaze lowered while fidgeting with her fingers.
“…Even I feel like playing pranks sometimes.”