Chapter 15
Chapter 15
TV That Shows the Future (5)
During my university days, I carried dreams as lofty as the clouds.
To avoid wasting the tuition that my parents had worked so hard to provide for a year, I prepared for the future harder than anyone else.
While my classmates were getting drunk at university festivals, I kept the library lights on until late at night.
While they jumped from one club to another for hobbies and socializing, I joined the Venture Startup Club to develop business ideas.
From an outsider’s perspective, it may have seemed like a dull life.
But my will to succeed left no room for boredom.
As a result of that effort, the wine spoilage testing kit was completed.
Thanks to an angel investor who appreciated my passion, I was on the verge of commercializing it.
‘But of course, that was exactly when I met Yang Mi-jung.’
First love.
It’s a word that should never exist.
Humans, it seems, can be made endlessly happy and then plunged into an abyss of suffering from which there is no escape.
Anyway, at that time, Yang Mi-jung was a fortress far beyond my reach.
Unable to win her love, I escaped to the military to forget the pain of rejection.
Naturally, the business I had been pursuing collapsed.
Recalling the entrepreneurial dream I couldn’t achieve back then, I created a spoilage testing kit for canned beer.
But it ended in failure again.
This time, however, I gave up on my own terms.
‘So I could invest in it myself.’
When Jung Ji-hyun saw the details, her eyes sparkled as she asked me:
“Have you considered potential partners for product distribution after production?”
“No. I was planning to look for them now.”
“Shall I check for you? I know someone who runs a wine bar. I think they’d be interested in this idea.”
Apparently, she had clients running small wine bars.
Being recognized by customers first in the field before scaling up is quite romantic.
It helps build customer loyalty.
Getting introduced to a partner even before production—it’s no wonder Lim & Jung is famous.
Even a rookie lawyer like Jung Ji-hyun has a network that shouldn’t be underestimated.
“I’d be happy if you connected me,” I said.
“Great! I’ll put in some effort,” she said, clenching her fists and brimming with energy.
She looked so adorable I almost laughed without realizing it.
‘Ji-hyun really is full of energy. With someone like this around, even tough work wouldn’t feel tiring.’
Thanks to her, my desire to recruit lawyer Jung Ji-hyun grew even stronger.
After finishing the meal and business discussion and doing some physical training, I got home around 9 PM.
I took a quick shower, grabbed a cold beer, and leisurely read a report I’d brought from the company when my phone alarm went off.
It was a message:
[Congratulations on reaching 10,000 followers on WhatStar.]
‘Hmm? What is this?’
I had just created the account last night and uploaded only one post before dinner.
Yet somehow, my followers exceeded 10,000.
Curious, I opened the WhatStar app and nearly jumped out of my seat when I saw the number.
Mr.Zeros
Followers: 12,000?!
The post I had uploaded less than three hours ago had already received 512 hearts, with over 300 comments.
“What on earth is happening?”
Scanning the comments, familiar IDs kept appearing:@LatteTime said they’d reveal their list of restaurants, so I’m following Went here yesterday, the steak was amazing! Highly recommend!! If LatteTime recommends it, I have to try it Mr.Zeros? Is this LatteTime’s alternate account?
Isn’t LatteTime a woman?
Could it be her boyfriend?
Profile pic shows a man…
Maybe it’s a woman who works out? lol
That back is a woman? Crazy! Sis rules! What’s for dinner tomorrow? Please post prices too~~ Support from the 820,000-follower influencer was phenomenal.
Hearts and comments were increasing in real-time.
The loyalty toward LatteTime among the commenters was remarkable.
While watching the hearts and follower count rise, a voice came from the living room TV.
A reward, it seemed.
[Congratulations on completing the mission.]
[You have been awarded a Random Future Viewing Ticket.]
[Would you like to view it now?]
Would the future shown differ depending on when the ticket is used?
Curious to see what future it would show, I pressed the confirm button.
[You have only one chance, so watch closely until the end!]
Moments later, the screen brightened.
A familiar space appeared.
“Hmm? That’s our company’s executive meeting room…”
The room was packed with executives.
At the center table, CEO Han Seung-woo presided over the meeting in place of Chairman Wang, his expression serious as he watched the screen.
Next to him, Bul-yeo-si—disguised as Han Se-a—sat with a haughty expression.
Soon, Manager Park Ji-sung, standing in for Bul-yeo-si as the presenter, began the new business report.“The customer response to the recently commercialized eco-friendly plastic container has been extremely positive.” “Eco-friendly plastic containers?”
That was exactly what I had been reviewing in the report.
A project that Team 2 had deemed unviable and dropped in its final stage.
‘So it’s finally being implemented.’
The team responsible wasn’t mentioned, so I couldn’t be sure.
If not Team 2, it must be ours.
The project was started with the idea that, with the average lifespan increasing, consumers would pay more attention to maintaining long-term health.
Made from 100% corn extract, the biodegradable plastic appealed to environmentally conscious consumers—and now, it seemed to be a hit.
I had wondered why it was dropped at the final stage.
Apparently, it had been too ahead of its time.
The patent for the material was owned by Iljin Group, discovered at the company’s materials lab.
Since only Iljin Group could pursue it, it was chosen strategically.
Even if Han Se-a tried to obstruct it, one project that was guaranteed to succeed was needed.
Manager Park Ji-sung continued:“Recent news reporting that microplastics accumulating in the body can cause inflammation in the respiratory and digestive systems, eventually leading to fatal cancer, seems to have influenced this trend. Given this, I suggest we consider applying eco-friendly materials across all processes.” Apparently, the container launch coincided with major news about microplastics. Lucky timing.
Approval for full implementation of eco-friendly plastic containers was granted without much opposition.
“This one’s mine for sure.”
Next, Team 3’s heated ski suit export proposal was presented and also passed smoothly.
“Wow—Team 3 cleared too!”
That relieved some of the guilt I had felt toward Team 3.
So far, that’s 1+1?
I wonder what the final piece of information will be.
Hopefully something even more meaningful than the first two.
Park Ji-sung’s previously calm expression suddenly tensed.
‘Why is he like that? Did something go wrong?’“The nutritional supplement dispenser scheduled for production three months after last month’s decision has been accused of infringing another company’s patent…” “Patent infringement? Did they proceed without legal review?” “Well, uh…” Manager Park hesitated, looking at Han Se-a, who ignored him and averted her gaze.
CEO Han Seung-woo was not an easy person to fool.“I believe this project was approved by Manager Han Se-a. Can you explain what happened?” Han Se-a reluctantly replied:“I’ve only been here three months. Vice President Oh Sang-do would know better.” Oh Sang-do, being pointed out, gestured subtly to Manager Park—an unspoken instruction to resolve the issue quickly.
It turned out the responsible Team 2 had rushed production without proper legal consultation.
CEO Han Seung-woo calmly responded:“They proceeded without legal review… Director Jung, please look into this.” “Yes, I’ll check,” said Director Jung Chan-ho from the Audit Team. “Wow! The audit’s being triggered?”
It was more thrilling than a blockbuster movie.
The Future Viewing Ticket was amazing.
The video ended there.
The aftermath was obvious.
Now that it was in the Audit Team’s hands, anything less than complete integrity would get flagged.
If the idea had been stolen from another company and news had reported it, Team 2’s Manager Lee Joong-wan would inevitably bear the responsibility, including company image damage.
At minimum, disgraceful termination was likely.
In an era sensitive to patents, attempting to steal another company’s idea…
Lee Joong-wan might be far dirtier than I expected.
‘Could the person behind that appeal three years ago also have been Lee Joong-wan?’
Three years ago, shortly after the New Business Development Team was formed, an anonymous post appeared on the company board.
It complained about a superior claiming a subordinate’s report as their own and getting promoted, while punishing the subordinate with a transfer to a remote branch.
It was brushed under the rug internally, but the timing coincided with the formation of the New Business Development Team, making new team members wary.
That superior must have been Lee Joong-wan.
‘So it’s clear—they approached me about the spoilage testing kit to steal my idea.’
The fleeting irritation was soon replaced by strategy.
If I linked Han Se-a and Lee Joong-wan cleverly, it could make an interesting scenario.
If the nutritional supplement dispenser theft is confirmed, Lee Joong-wan’s downfall would be inevitable.
In my vision, Vice President Oh Sang-do seemed more supportive than Han Se-a.
But if Han Se-a somehow made Oh Sang-do’s credit hers, she’d be jumping into the fire with the bomb that is Lee Joong-wan—no time to celebrate success.
“Not bad.”
First, I needed evidence.
Was it true that Lee Joong-wan stole the nutritional supplement dispenser idea?
How did he obtain it?
If possible, I’d approach the original idea owner to invest.
The concept—an automatic dispenser supplying nutrients based on the user’s schedule—was innovative.
Partnering with pharmaceutical companies to release it could yield solid profits and a quick return on investment.
“First things first.”
I turned to the eco-friendly plastic container project discarded by Team 2.
To persuade Team Manager Kim Jun-seok, I needed to make a strong case for the project’s viability.
Gathering the reports, I headed to my study, forgetting fatigue as I dove into research.
8 AM.
Arriving at the office with perfectly organized documents, I found Kim Jun-seok staring intently at his monitor.
“Morning, Team Manager! You’re early today.”
From behind the partition, his pale face appeared.
“Oh? Deputy Kang, you’re here early.”
“Uh… Sir, your face—did you just leave and come back again?”
“Ha—don’t ask. I went home, but I couldn’t sleep.”
Clearly worried about the new project, I quickly approached and handed over the reports.
“Sir, I’ve been studying this project for business feasibility. Would you like to take a look?”
“Eco-friendly plastic containers? Team 2 was doing that last year. They abandoned it as unviable, I think.”
“That’s right. But the more I look at it, the more I think it’s a shame. Market conditions have changed since last year, so I updated it to see if we could pursue it again.”
“Really? You did this yourself, Deputy Kang?”
“Yes, sir!”
Manager Kim, with little expectation, skimmed the content until he reached the section on expected business impact and froze.
His eyes widened as he looked at me.
“Is this real? Microplastics accumulating in the body can cause cancer?”
“Yes. The full report isn’t out yet, but I referenced recent international studies. Here.”
I handed over the materials and summary I’d compiled overnight on microplastics.
“Oh. This should be sufficient to convince management.”
“I think we should first apply it to organic products, then expand later.”
“Good idea. Customers seeking organic products are more environmentally conscious. With climate change, anything that doesn’t harm the Earth will appeal. But…”
Manager Kim glanced at Team 2.
“I’m not sure if their team leader will hand this project over to us.”
Despite his dejected tone, I replied confidently:
“Leave it to me! I will persuade them without fail.”