Talent Isn’t Supposed to Make You This Right
“Spit it out. Fast!”
I locked the door so nothing would break my concentration.
Sitting at my desk, I checked the charts on my tablet.
Since I wasn’t day-trading, I didn’t exactly need to be glued to the screen. Hell, under normal circumstances I wouldn’t have needed to watch this closely at all.
And yet I couldn’t look away.
From here on out, I can’t afford to rely on luck anymore.
Starting now, I had to focus on investments built on hypotheses, not coincidence.
If the chart moved the way I predicted, I didn’t even need to worry about it. But if it started drifting away from my thesis, I had to judge it immediately and act.
Because that would mean it was moving in a way I’d never expected.
I might take a loss. I might make a profit.
It couldn’t be left to luck alone.
That way, if I was wrong, I could retrace my steps and figure out why. And if I made money, I could know exactly why I’d been right.
“Hah...”
This was different from before, when luck had played at least some part in the result. This was an investment I could honestly call pure skill.
But then—
“...Do I seriously have talent?”
As I watched the chart for about three hours, I caught myself feeling arrogant without even meaning to.
Sure, the chart could have deviated from my expectations a little.
Honestly, I never once imagined it would line up perfectly.
So why was it?
Why was the Bitcoin chart moving exactly the way I’d thought it would?
It wasn’t just a matter of whether the daily candle closed green or red.
I was predicting the intraday candles too.
Even that much should have been enough to keep me humble.
And yet somehow I was hitting the percentages almost dead on, too...
Even now, it was the same.
I’d predicted roughly an 8 percent rise today. After that huge surge, it had only dipped 1 percent the next day, so I figured the climb would continue. That meant I expected another roughly 3 percent increase before dawn ended.
And that was exactly what happened.
It was up 3 percent right now.
No wonder I kept drifting toward arrogance no matter how hard I tried to avoid it.
“Never get cocky. Investment failure is born from arrogance.”
I reminded myself again. If I got arrogant, a loss would hit even harder.
So, if I couldn’t be allowed to get cocky, then show me a move I didn’t predict.
“I really am a genius.”
At this point, I should just admit it. I did seem to have talent.
By the time dawn was nearly gone, Bitcoin had risen exactly 8 percent.
After this, there probably wouldn’t be any big movement. Liquidity was drying up.
Just today alone, my profit was 16 billion won.
Add in the previous gains, and it came to 36 billion.
The money I’d spent buying the house this time hadn’t even left a scratch on my account.
If anything, it had only grown larger.
“Let’s see what tomorrow does.”
One day could be luck.
If it went up again tomorrow, then my hypothesis was right.
I was expecting maybe another 5 percent or so.
I fell asleep feeling pretty good.
***
The next day.
I stopped by a furniture store with my parents.
“You’re here? Well, you know, most furniture shouldn’t be bought from some neighborhood shop... Honestly, this stuff is way too expensive.”
My uncle had been the one to give us advice before he became the nuisance he was now.
He was Uncle Changseok.
He was close with my dad.
“I told you at the gathering, didn’t I? My son’s buying us a house. Since we’re moving, I’m going to replace everything with brand-new furniture.”
“What? That was actually true?”
“I already paid the rest yesterday and wrapped everything up.”
“...You’re serious?”
“Why would I lie about that?”
“Bongseondong...?”
“Korean Ladellium.”
“67 pyeong...”
“Yeah.”
“1.2 billion won?”
“I’m telling you, yes.”
“...”
Uncle Changseok looked completely dazed.
After coming back to his senses, he started guiding us through the furniture.
While my parents were browsing, he came up to me.
“Doyun.”
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry.”
“...”
“Looks like what I’ve gained as I’ve gotten older isn’t wisdom, but a whole lot of unnecessary worry.”
I was a little taken aback.
I’d been annoyed enough to hold a grudge against the other uncle, the meddlesome one, but I hadn’t really taken Changseok to heart.
“Come to think of it, the people who had the courage to take a chance when they were young might make mistakes, but in the end they still succeed.”
“I’m fine.”
“Thank you. This uncle was way too narrow-minded. I’ll make sure you get as much of an employee discount as possible.”
“Thank you.”
That was enough.
The other uncle hadn’t even apologized.
I finished picking out the rest of the furniture with my parents.
“Dad, how about this bed? Sleep is the most important thing, right?”
“Th-this one?”
The biggest difference I’d felt while staying at Signiel Penthouse had been the bed.
For some reason, even if I slept less, I felt better after waking up if I’d slept in a good bed.
The older you got, the more you’d notice it.
And even if that wasn’t the case, if I was going to buy one anyway, I might as well get the most expensive thing.
There had to be a reason it cost that much.
“Right. Listen to Doyun. I don’t know about the others, but I really want the bed.”
“Brother, Doyun’s right. You don’t have to buy the expensive version of everything, but once you experience a proper bed, you understand immediately why people pay for the good one.”
“Th-then should we go with this one?”
“Uncle, give us four of these beds.”
“...Huh?”
“...Doyun?”
“...”
If there were that many rooms, there should be that many beds.
Everyone stared at me, dumbfounded.
What now? We were only getting started.
Sofas were pretty much the same as beds.
“Th-this one...?”
“If we’re buying it, we should get something good. Something that fits the house.”
“Ahem.”
We went around the furniture store and picked only the best pieces.
My parents looked burdened, but at the same time, they couldn’t hide their smiles.
At their age, luxury furniture was like luxury clothes were to the young.
In the end, we spent a fortune just at the furniture store.
That wasn’t a problem. I’d already made 6 billion won just yesterday.
If I was going to be filial, I might as well do it right.
We arranged for the furniture to be delivered on moving day.
After that, we headed to the appliance showroom.
“When did you get here?”
“If it’s appliances, then you need my help.”
“...Do you really?”
“Your sister is an expert, after all.”
At some point, my little sister had joined us.
She’d been lazing around at home, claiming she was tired when we went to look at furniture.
“Doyun, doesn’t this seem like something our parents really need?”
“This laptop?”
“You can look up the weather and stuff, I guess.”
“...Buy one.”
“As expected of my little brother.”
Wow.
I’d be satisfied just to hear her call me her little brother.
“What about this? It’s the best thing for drying Mom’s hair. People really love Ryson products.”
“...Sure.”
“As expected of my little brother.”
She picked everything she wanted without holding back.
Well, if you were going to enjoy it, when else would you enjoy it? Especially if you were a job seeker.
My parents weren’t any different.
“Ahem. Doyun, this massage device looks really nice. Since the house would feel empty otherwise...”
“Dad, just pick what you want.”
“Doyun, Mom wants this styler, and the vacuum, and the dishwasher, and the food waste...”
“Mom, too—just pick what you want.”
They bought everything they wanted.
Dad wandered off from the appliance section to somewhere else, and much later he came back holding something in his hands.
“Doyun, this fishing rod is the kind that...”
“Buy it...”
“Ahem. And the gear that goes with the rod...”
“Here’s my card.”
“I love you, my son.”
He came back with the fishing rod and held it out to me, explaining exactly how valuable it was.
I just handed over the card.
We spent the whole day shopping.
They seemed happier than when we’d bought the house.
I guess it hadn’t really felt real back then. Now that they were choosing things they personally wanted, it probably felt much more tangible.
We went home grinning from ear to ear.
I looked a little worn out, though.
It was nice being with family, but shopping really did wear me down.
I planned to go back up to Seoul tomorrow.
Honestly, checking the chart from Signiel Penthouse was way more comfortable than staring at it on a tablet.
There was no way I could keep watching the charts until dawn tonight, so I trusted my talent and went to sleep.
When I woke up, I checked the chart immediately.
“...”
It was up exactly 5 percent.
At this point, there was no reason to doubt it anymore.
I really must have a gift for investing.
After breakfast, as I was leaving the house—
“Mom, buy whatever you need for daily life.”
“...This feels like too much.”
“It’s fine. It doesn’t burden me at all.”
“Thanks, son.”
She said thank you, but she probably still wouldn’t feel comfortable using it carelessly.
Still, having it was different from not having it. Just knowing it was there changed how people felt.
I handed Dad a card too.
“Dad, use it however you want. For hobbies and stuff.”
“...I can do that?”
“I’m your son. Didn’t I turn out well?”
“Well, that’s what a father is supposed to do.”
“And that’s what I’m supposed to do as a son.”
In the end, he took the card.
The look in his eyes said he’d probably use it for fishing without a trace of hesitation.
He’d taken it in secret from Mom, not because money was tight, but because he wanted to buy fishing gear without her knowing.
Then I went to my sister.
“Tch.”
I counted out the bills.
“Here, pocket money.”
“Hey.”
“What? You don’t want it?”
“How did you grow up so damn properly? Even thinking about your sister like this... I don’t even know whose little brother you are, but wow...”
That was the first time anyone had ever told me I’d grown up properly.
I gave her a pretty generous amount, too.
About 5 million won.
If that wasn’t enough, I could always wire more.
I was just putting on a show.
“Didn’t you say you wanted to cook, Sister?”
“...It’s just a hobby.”
“If you’re going to do it, then do it properly. Take classes.”
“Forget it. Do you think the culinary industry is easy?”
“I’ll talk to Chef Kang Taeyun for you. You know who that is, right?”
“...Chef Kang Taeyun? The one who was on that variety show?”
“Yeah. We’re going to collaborate.”
“...”
Wasn’t that enough to count as filial piety?
I transferred money to my oldest sister, who wasn’t home.
Use it as pocket money.
Then she called me.
She’d heard it from the family.
Still, she said it was too much money.
I told her, “It’s nothing. If you need more later, just say so.”
It really wasn’t a big deal.
I left for Seoul after putting smiles on all my family’s faces.
***
I arrived in Seoul.
I was almost home when I got out of the car.
How am I supposed to explain this to my aunt...
My mom was definitely going to tell my aunt, too.
Even if she didn’t, there was more than enough room for suspicion.
Buying time is the best move.
It seemed best to say I was in the process of finding a house and ask her to wait just a little longer.
In the meantime—
I need to make sure everyone can stay in the new house...
I figured I’d need some kind of plan.
I was just about to go inside when—
“What the hell?”
A familiar face came into view.
It was our Shiyeon.
But who was the little bastard standing next to her?
Some greenhorn kid, way too young, was standing beside her.
Obviously a guy.
“...What the fuck?”
Our Shiyeon.
Why aren’t you studying like you’re supposed to, and what the hell is this?
I couldn’t let this slide.
“Hey, Shiyeon.”
“Oh, o-oppa...”
“And this guy next to you is...”
“T-that is...”
Spit it out already!
Say he’s a stalker!