The Idea Thief (3)
Well then. I understand perfectly.
The complete lack of sales figures only strengthened my resolve to acquire the company.
I suppose I’ll have to adjust the proposal.
“Yes? You can’t possibly be saying you’re withdrawing the investment, can you?”
Oh Seong-jin’s face showed a mixture of concern and tension as he watched to see whether I would storm out at any moment.
No. I want to acquire the company.
The unexpected answer left Oh Seong-jin blinking in surprise.
Yes. You mentioned that, aside from the representative, there are only two employees?
Yes.
If you sell the company to me, I will guarantee the employees’ continued employment. I will assume the entire outstanding loan and investment principal of PharmCare, and in return I will offer the representative a fair price for the acquisition. What do you think?
Relief and disappointment crossed Oh Seong-jin’s face.
I understood.
After four years of hard work building this company, handing it over to someone else was painful. But he had experienced it firsthand and would know. Business wasn’t just about money and ideas—it required far more.
In the end he nodded.
I understand.
After a brief hesitation Oh Seong-jin smiled self-deprecatingly at the corner of his mouth.
Honestly, I thought we were at our limit. No matter how desperately I ran around, there was nothing I could do. If this continued we would surely go bankrupt.
It was fortunate, really.
Knowing his own limits had given him some breathing room. His expression softened as he looked me straight in the eye and asked, “There’s one thing I’m curious about.”
Go ahead.
What exactly went wrong?
Honestly speaking, there was almost nothing that wasn’t wrong.
From the product design to the unintuitive functions, the lack of promotion, and the overly complicated instructions that made it hard for consumers to understand.
Because of insufficient capital, we couldn’t hire enough people and had to patch problems with whatever we had on hand, leaving gaps everywhere.
And the biggest problem was the name of the pill-dispensing device itself.
Using the word “ejection” in a container meant for pills was the worst possible choice from the start.
Before answering, I had pondered for a moment.
Success teaches us through countless failures. Wouldn’t it be more helpful for Oh Seong-jin if I pointed out his problems directly?
But when I looked at his face, it seemed he already knew the answer. Maybe he just wanted comfort. So I relaxed my formal expression and spoke gently.
In the end, it’s money.
Oh Seong-jin smiled as if relieved by my reply.
After a short pause he made a suggestion.
Before I sell the company, could you give me a little time? There are things I’ve wanted to do for a long time but never had the chance, and I don’t want to leave any regrets.
Since there was no other solution than closing the business, I decided to extend one last mercy.
Just as I had found a light in the darkness during my own moment of despair, maybe someone else’s desperate moment could also become a beam of hope.
And some people shone brightest precisely when they were on the brink.
There was also plenty of work I needed to finish before the acquisition could proceed.
By the end of the year would that be fine?
Yes. That should be enough.
Understood. Send me the funding plan for running the office until then and I’ll support you.
“Yes?”
When I offered not only time but also financial support, Oh Seung-won looked startled.
You said you wanted to work without regrets. You shouldn’t have to worry about money, right?
Oh Seong-jin’s lower lip trembled with emotion at my words.
I was already touched, but it was too early to show it. After all, this was just the beginning.
Let’s go. I found a splendid office you can move into immediately.
Yes? An office…?
Before arriving at the café I had asked my sister to inquire about an office the right size near the parking lot. I then contacted a real-estate agent.
A spacious 50-pyeong office on the ground floor of a building with an elevator, perfectly ready to move into right away.
The timing was perfect. My sister sent me a text.
There’s a vacant office in a new building nearby.
Oh Seong-jin looked puzzled.
I’m still not sure whether I’ll sell the company to you or not, so why…?
Of course, nothing was free.
Too much kindness could create misunderstandings.
Let’s call it a “contract deposit.” Once you decide to sell the company, Xeros Group will have priority. I’ll add that clause to the lease agreement.
After a brief moment of thought Oh Seong-jin nodded decisively.
Understood. Then I’ll trouble you for three months.
While he wrapped up the company, there was still much I needed to do.
I had to secure a manufacturing plant, sales channels, and partner suppliers in advance.
After finalizing the office lease and returning to the car, my sister looked at the box in my hand and asked, “What’s that?”
“A gift from Dad.”
I had brought one of the pill dispensers that had been piled up in his office so he could test the product. Even the best product was useless if customers didn’t use it properly.
What’s our next destination?
Jeong’s Tteokgalbi Bibimbap Restaurant.
Okay. Let’s go.
This restaurant was also on Jung Ji-hyun’s list of recommended places. Every restaurant listed there was of outstanding quality.
It felt as though she had chosen them with the picky palate of someone who had only eaten hotel food their entire life.
Every single one was on the level to receive a Michelin star; none fell short.
After dining at so many gourmet spots and posting photos on Wstagram, our follower count had already reached 60,000.
Even before I finished today’s post the heart bomb exploded.
Maybe when I have more free time I’ll create a Zero’s Star Restaurant Guidebook?
Of course, I would need to ask Jung Ji-hyun first.
Smiling at my phone, my brother asked while sipping his coffee, “Are we going to Busan this weekend?”
Yeah. We have to.
After the interior work on the house Dad had given us was finished, they moved in last weekend.
Mom says you even made a room for me.
Really?
I would prefer a room with no sunlight if possible. I don’t want to be forced to wake up because of the sun when I went all the way to Busan to enjoy my vacation.
Mom says I look really good in the new room.
Ugh!
I almost spat out my drink. I knew Mom’s interior taste well.
You didn’t hang lace curtains in my room too, did you?
Who knows. Mom said she wanted to surprise both of us, so she didn’t send the photos.
Oh no.
When I asked Mom what style she liked, I should have strongly voiced my opinion. Mom’s hobby was collecting cute little accessories.
She called it Provence style, I think.
She loved the lacy, frilly Provence look—floral patterns on pastel wallpaper, delicate molding, and a European-style home filled with cute trinkets and old family photos.
She sang songs about how she wanted to decorate the house that way.
We raised the siblings with a bit of roughness, so we never got to enjoy the style she wanted. But she said to decorate however I liked now that we had a new house. There was no way I could say I didn’t like it.
I wonder if I’ll be able to rest comfortably in a room Mom made.
Since I’m sensitive to sleeping arrangements.
I hope I’ll get used to it.
My brother noticed my worried expression and grinned wickedly.
Kekek. Kang Min-hyeok buried in lace. That sounds interesting.
Five days later the day I had worried about finally arrived.
Standing in front of the front door, I took a deep breath to steady my racing heart and let a faint smile play on my lips.
Since I didn’t know what situation lay beyond the door, I had prepared my expression in advance.
I didn’t want my face to harden without realizing it.
I couldn’t disappoint Mom.
After ringing the bell the door opened with a click.
Before I knew it Mom was swinging the door wide open.
You’re here? My son!
I don’t look like a son?
Hoho. Of course our daughter is visible too. But what are all these heavy bags you brought? Come in quickly, it’s heavy.
I kept my awkward smile as I stepped inside.
The entrance passed. The tile pattern on the wall had a slight wave, but the pale ivory color gave me a sense of calm.
The front gate opened and Dad greeted us with a warm chuckle.
You’re here?
I hope you’ve been well.
Yes, we’ve been fine. You’ve brought quite a lot of luggage.
Dad took the shopping bag my sister was carrying and headed for the living room.
Of course the living room was overflowing with Mom’s taste.
Light, lacy curtains, ornate moldings, and heavy sofas and tables.
It felt as though she had transplanted a luxurious European mansion right into our home.
Anyway, it had nothing to do with my taste.
How is it, son? Pretty, right?
Very nice. Haha.
Seeing me smile awkwardly, Min-kyung burst into laughter.
When I told Mom I decorated your room exactly to her taste, you said you were thrilled. How much you were looking forward to it.
Hoho. Really? That’s great. Hoho. I specially chose your room so you could enjoy the sea view.
Ah…
You slept well, I see.
Guided by Mom I was led to my room.
Before opening the door Mom covered my eyes with her palms and counted down, “Five, four, three, two, one,” then removed her hands.
The sudden brightness made my eyes sting. I couldn’t see clearly at first.
But soon I let out an exclamation of delight.
Wow~
Except for the breathtaking sea view through the window, the layout and interior were identical.
The bed and bedding were the same. Even the wall-mounted TV was the exact model.
It felt as though Seoul’s room had been moved here.
Mom, how did this happen?
The house was decorated by Jung Ji-hyun. I told her that if I changed sleeping arrangements I couldn’t sleep, so she decorated it exactly the same. Why? Don’t you like it?
No. I love it.
I knew Jung Ji-hyun had good taste, but I had no idea she would be this detailed.
Even the blackout curtains were perfect.
It seemed I had hired not just a lawyer but an AI secretary.
She knew my taste better than the YouTube algorithm.
After finishing the tour of the new house I began unfolding the gift packages I had brought.
When luxury handbags and a Rolex appeared from the boxes, my parents were thrilled like children.
Thanks to our son we’ve collected so many luxury bags. Cheers, cheers.
Rolex? Isn’t this expensive?
Hahaha. I’ll buy you one every year from now on, so don’t worry about it and enjoy it.
Oh~ The interior must have cost a fortune. How can I afford to buy this every year? Never mind. Don’t worry about us. You should buy nice clothes and nice things for yourself. Min-kyung says you’re about to start a business. A company leader should dress well so the company respects him.
Haha. I will.
I looked at the still-unopened large box and asked curiously, “What’s that?”
This is Dad’s gift. Mom, could you bring some of those nutritional supplements?
Yes. Here.
Mom brought a basket overflowing with supplements.
There were more than fifteen different kinds.
This is the nutritional supplement dispenser. It stores the dosage and timing in one go, tells you when it’s time to take the medicine, and automatically dispenses it.
Oh~ Then you’ll never forget again.
That’s right. Let me show you how it works.
Yes.
After filling the cartridge with supplements and attaching it, I selected the medicine type and time using the touch panel. A soft “ding” sounded.
Manipulating the touch panel is a bit annoying.
Dad, who had been watching my actions with wide eyes, apparently had the same thought and asked, “Do you have to record every time you put in medicine?”
Yes.
Hmm… Still better than forgetting what to take.
Honestly, once you’ve taken supplements like Dad for a long time you’ll naturally remember to take them without thinking.
He probably didn’t complain because his son bought it out of concern for his health. If he had paid with his own money… well, who knows.
I didn’t think he would scold me for making it so complicated.
I should add an automatic read function for supplement information. When the subscription cartridge is inserted the data will be entered automatically.
As expected, the true advantages and disadvantages of a product can only be understood by using it yourself.
The vague ideas I had been mulling over in my head were beginning to take shape into a clear system.
The product was still rough in places, but once completed exactly as I envisioned…
It wouldn’t just give Han Se-ah and Lee Jung-wan a lesson. It could also become a stable cash cow that provided dividends.