A Proposal and a Promise
"Which size should I go with?"
"I'm afraid I don't know her ring size. What should I do?"
The clerk smiled, slipping a ring onto her own finger. "For an average person, you should base it on the ring finger. If the size is off, bring it back; we can resize it immediately."
Taesik took the gift-wrapped box from the clerk and left the department store. When he returned to Starlink, CEO Cha Youngjin was waiting for him in his office.
"Are you here because of the press interview?"
"Representative, please, you have to save me. I'm terrified of doing this interview."
"Why? What's the problem?"
"If it gets out that I'm a former hacker, my wife and kids could be targeted. I just want to live quietly."
"Isn't it actually a good thing? If the news reports that a former hacker has become a successful entrepreneur, I think your family would be proud..."
Miso, who had entered with drinks, sat down and offered some encouraging words to CEO Cha.
"The media is going to promote you as an artificial intelligence expert. Your family will be proud of you. CEO Cha, you must do this interview."
"Are you sure? Ms. Lee?"
"Trust me on this."
Gathering his courage, CEO Cha stood up. As if he had made up his mind, he immediately made a call to confirm the interview, scheduling it in the conference room at Starlink Communication rather than at Deepmind.
"Representative! Just in case, please help me during the interview. I think it would help just having you nearby."
Taesik smiled at the restless CEO Cha. "Understood. I'll stay close by."
With the interview suddenly arranged, the Starlink Communication staff sprang into action, and the Deepmind employees began preparing things as soon as they heard their CEO would be on camera.
Two hours later, the reporters arrived. Seeing that even a TV news crew had shown up, CEO Cha felt even more intimidated. He had expected a simple interview, but the TV station was highly interested in the news that the country's first AI technology had been developed and had even brought cameras.
CEO Cha walked into the conference room with an awkward gait. Seeing the reporters staring at him with curious eyes, he bowed his head and moved to his designated seat. Researcher Lee Sangwook and the other Deepmind staff giggled at the sight of their frozen CEO.
The reporter who appeared to be the most senior among them asked, "Who will be conducting today's interview?"
At the reporter's question, CEO Cha hesitated, then raised his hand. "I... I will be conducting it."
The reporters, as if they had discussed it beforehand, placed a cluster of microphones on the table where CEO Cha was sitting and immediately began setting up the cameras.
"Please start by introducing yourself, and then explain the scientific security system installed on the DMZ."
"I... I am Cha Youngjin, CEO of Starlink Deepmind. The... scientific security system is a system that adds an... artificial intelligence-based system to the existing one to add an... object recognition function."
The reporters, seeing CEO Cha stuttering from extreme nervousness, exchanged glances and stopped the interview. The senior reporter stepped forward again.
"CEO Cha Youngjin, you can just speak as you normally do. If you stutter, it's difficult to get usable footage."
Taesik, who had been waiting in the corner of the conference room, saw how nervous CEO Cha was and stepped forward.
"I am Kim Taesik, Representative of Starlink. Our Deepmind CEO, Cha Youngjin, seems very nervous, so I will introduce him first. Would that be alright?"
The reporters looked at Taesik with curious eyes as the Representative stepped in for the CEO, and Taesik introduced CEO Cha instead of himself.
"CEO Cha Youngjin is a former hacker who has developed object recognition, friend-or-foe identification, and swarm flight for the Switchblade. Along with Researcher Lee Sangwook, who is over there, he played a leading role in developing autonomous vehicle technology. You may or may not know this, but that autonomous driving technology won the DARPA Autonomous Vehicle Competition, and we are now participating in the Ministry of National Defense's performance improvement project for the scientific security system."
At Taesik's words, the reporters raised their hands.
"Is he a white-hat hacker? Or a black-hat hacker?"
At the reporter's question, Taesik looked at CEO Cha's face.
"...He is a black-hat hacker."
"Does he have a criminal record?"
"No. He was expelled from university, but he has no criminal record."
CEO Cha stepped in himself to defend against the sensitive topic, and Taesik stepped back, sensing a firm resolve on CEO Cha's face.
"Please give us a formal introduction, not just short snippets."
Seeing that CEO Cha's tension had eased, the reporters began asking questions naturally.
"Hello. I am Cha Youngjin, CEO of Starlink Deepmind. Deepmind is a company that specializes in researching all fields where AI can be applied, such as autonomous driving, flight, and swarm flight, based on artificial intelligence. We conduct our research differently from existing companies."
"It is known that this is the first time in the country that AI has been applied to a scientific security system. What kind of technology was applied?"
"First, I should correct a misconception. The first application of AI was in the Switchblade. We applied object recognition and swarm flight functions there first, and this scientific security system is the third."
"Then where was the second?"
CEO Cha was momentarily flustered as he looked at Taesik's face.
"I cannot disclose that. Please note that it was applied in the defense sector."
"Hmm... then please explain the technology used in the scientific security system."
"The scientific security system converts captured images into data files, compares them with previously entered data, and notifies the guard if they match. It is a system that consists of object capture, data extraction, comparison, verification of a match, and then displaying a warning message."
"So, is the AI technology applied to human and object recognition?"
"There is an additional technology. Considering it is a security system, it is equipped with a function to recognize when a specific object moves differently. For example, if grass is moving in one direction, but a specific patch of grass moves in another direction, it triggers an abnormal signal. Previously, we had to rely on the eyes of the guard, but with AI, it notifies the manager that a specific area is moving differently."
Once their curiosity about the scientific security system was somewhat satisfied, the reporters began asking other questions.
"You mentioned earlier that you were a hacker. How did you start working at Deepmind?"
CEO Cha hesitated, flustered because it was a matter related to Park Kyung-hoon, a former NIS agent, so Taesik stepped in.
"As you know, it is difficult to find software experts in this country. CEO Cha Youngjin didn't have the opportunity to come out into the bright world, and I happened to recognize his talent and brought him on as the CEO of Deepmind."
"So, is Deepmind mostly filled with former hackers?"
Taesik stepped back, and CEO Cha took the lead.
"Deepmind has a system where we hire people immediately if they have software skills, rather than focusing on degrees or experience. Since all that matters is your ability, you can be hired immediately after passing a simple test, a programming test. For your reference, Researcher Lee Sangwook, who oversees autonomous driving and flight, joined us after dropping out of his doctoral program."
"If you hire that way, it seems difficult to attract talent with the existing salary system... What is the salary structure for your employees?"
"At Deepmind, you receive an annual salary of 100 million won upon joining, and you receive additional incentives based on your performance."
"Could you be more specific?"
CEO Cha looked troubled, so Taesik stepped in. Taesik called over Researcher Lee Sangwook, who was preparing a video in the conference room.
"Researcher Lee Sangwook, would you mind disclosing your salary?"
Researcher Lee looked flustered, then said, "Disclosing my salary is difficult, but the incentive I will receive for this scientific security system is 800 million won."
The reporters asked curious follow-up questions, but Taesik stopped them and prepared to play the prepared video.
"The video I am about to show is of the autonomous driving, swarm flight, and scientific security systems developed based on AI. Please note that some scenes have been shaded for security reasons."
Taesik, having turned the reporters' attention to the video, went to CEO Cha Youngjin's side and patted his back. CEO Cha took a sip of water and shook off his tension.
When the video ended, the reporters requested a copy of it. Since it had already been security-cleared, CEO Cha accepted the reporters' business cards and promised to email them the video.
Once the interview was over, Taesik told CEO Cha, who was sweating profusely, that he had done a great job, and hurried to leave for the day. He and Miso set off for the hospital to meet Chairman Lee Hyundo. Miso, seemingly happy that Taesik was accompanying her, held his hand from the backseat.
"Taesik, is something going on today? Why are you suddenly wanting to see my father?"
"I need to check on the Chairman's health after a while. Isn't he my future father-in-law?"
At Taesik's ad-lib, Miso blushed. When they arrived at the hospital, they took the VIP elevator to the patient's room. The security guards, who seemed to have been notified in advance, guided Miso and Taesik straight to the room, and Miso naturally headed toward the bed where Chairman Lee Hyundo was lying.
Chairman Lee Hyundo greeted Miso while watching TV, and seeing Taesik with her, he instructed the caregiver to raise the bed.
"What brings Representative Kim here?"
Chairman Lee Hyundo greeted Taesik with a raspy voice. Taesik bowed his head and approached the Chairman.
"Chairman, how are you feeling?"
"Haha. My energy isn't what it used to be. I should start preparing to go."
Chairman Lee Hyundo looked at Taesik with a curious expression. Taesik said, "Chairman, I came because I wanted to ask for your permission. I want to marry Miso."
At Taesik's words, the Chairman wore the expression of someone who had fulfilled a wish before dying. Miso, who had been packing the Chairman's things, was startled and looked at Taesik.
"Hahaha! Representative Kim has finally made up his mind! Thank you for granting my wish before I die. If I could just marry off that one, all my worries would be solved, and you've granted my wish. Thank you! Thank you!"
Taesik stood up, knelt before Miso, and took out a ring.
"Miso, will you marry me?"
Miso looked moved as she slipped the ring Taesik handed her onto her finger.
"Oh my! How did you know my ring size? It fits perfectly."
As the ring slid onto Miso's fourth finger, Taesik sighed in relief.
"I thought that if you went to the U.S., we'd be apart a lot, so I wanted to claim you beforehand..."
"Hahaha. I was surprised when you said you were going out suddenly this morning, but you went to buy a ring?"
"Yes. I had to propose."
Chairman Lee Hyundo immediately called his secretary into the room and gave instructions.
"My youngest daughter is finally getting married, so prepare a grand wedding...!"
As Miso listened to the Chairman's instructions, she stepped forward.