Chapter 103
Chapter 103
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 103
Chapter Title: Chance Encounter with Bill Gates
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“ Ah… Understood.”
Jonathan let out a short sigh and bowed his head.
Being rejected by an investor was nothing new.
He’d also approached the request in a slapdash manner, so there was no helping it.
Unlike the dejected Jonathan, Robert caught the deeper meaning in Lee Dae-hyuk’s words.
“You’re turning us down for now… but does that mean you might invest if we go about it another way?”
Lee Dae-hyuk smiled at Robert’s question.
“Yes. Exactly.”
Jonathan and Robert sighed in relief at the same time.
Ten million—no, even one million dollars would give their movie production some much-needed breathing room.
They didn’t relax just yet, though.
They were waiting for Lee Dae-hyuk’s next words.
“ Your personal interest matters, but I’d prefer an official request from the production company.”
“ Ah…!”
Only then did Jonathan realize his mistake.
Lee Dae-hyuk was pointing out proper protocol.
“We should’ve gone through the production company first… I’m sorry. I got ahead of myself and was rude.”
Jonathan owned up to his error without hesitation.
Robert bowed his head to Lee Dae-hyuk as well.
“ My apologies.”
Jonathan had stepped in to apologize so the lead actor wouldn’t have to bow, but Robert knew he needed to show respect too.
Investment aside, it was simple human decency.
Sensing as much, Lee Dae-hyuk shook his head.
“ It’s fine. Everyone gets carried away sometimes.”
Feeling buoyed by the consideration—perhaps?
“ Thank you.”
Robert gave an awkward smile for a moment before turning serious.
“ Ahem! Anyway, where should we send the official request?”
Instead of replying, Lee Dae-hyuk handed over his business card—in English.
‘This is where Noona Mijin comes in handy.’
Lee Dae-hyuk thought of Kim Mijin, feeling a fresh wave of deep gratitude.
Maybe that was why.
A broad smile spread across his lips.
“ It’s the investment firm I run. Send the production company’s official investment proposal there. We’ll review it thoroughly and get back to you on whether we invest.”
Smiles broke out on the faces of the Iron Steel director and lead actor.
They were confident they’d secure the investment with a proper review.
Jonathan spoke his thanks first.
“ Thank you.”
True to form, Robert added a witty quip.
“ Smart move. We’ll make you rich, Mr. Lee Dae-hyuk.”
“ I’m already rich. And we haven’t decided on the investment yet.”
Robert replied to Lee Dae-hyuk’s comeback with a solemn, resolute tone.
“ Once you invest, your life’s about to change in a big way. You’ll look back on meeting us today as the luck of a lifetime.”
A bold promise.
The startled Jonathan tapped Robert’s back to rein him in.
“ Watch your mouth. Sorry about that. This guy spouts nonsense sometimes…”
Jonathan fumbled, unsure how to smooth things over.
Robert, on the other hand, shot back like he had no idea what the fuss was about.
“ What? What’d I say?”
He wore a completely baffled expression.
Lee Dae-hyuk smiled warmly at the still-sweating Jonathan.
‘Now that’s a sight.’
Lee Dae-hyuk knew Iron Steel 1’s massive success and the legend it would spawn, so Robert’s bravado felt reassuring.
Jonathan, living day-to-day with no clue what tomorrow held, was too busy gauging Lee Dae-hyuk’s reaction.
Feeling bad for him, Lee Dae-hyuk softened his tone.
“ We’ll get back to you after review. Shouldn’t take long.”
***
That evening, in the Benz heading to Apple headquarters, Yoon Tae-ho asked Lee Dae-hyuk a question.
“ Why’d you do that, Young Master?”
“ What do you mean?”
“ The investment pitch. You could’ve greenlit it right there.”
Lee Dae-hyuk had already briefed Yoon Tae-ho about Iron Steel—the movie he planned to back—on the flight to the States.
So after meeting Robert and Jonathan, putting it through review instead of approving on the spot struck Yoon Tae-ho as odd.
Lee Dae-hyuk smiled faintly.
“ If it was a one-off investment, sure, we could skip the formalities.”
Yoon Tae-ho had a point.
A single movie wouldn’t warrant much hassle.
“ A one-off…? You’re saying Iron Steel will turn into a series?”
“ Yes.”
Lee Dae-hyuk nodded.
He’d tweaked his plans slightly while chatting with Jonathan and Robert earlier.
Investing in just one film from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which would rack up hits for the next fourteen years?
‘That’d be insane.’
No, he intended to keep backing the MCU going forward.
And to do that, he needed to establish from day one that he wasn’t a pushover.
To lock in firm control.
“ That’s why the procedure.”
Yoon Tae-ho narrowed his eyes after hearing the rough outline.
“ What makes you so sure? Yeah, a hit might spawn sequels… but the odds of failure are higher, aren’t they? I don’t trust the director or the actor.”
“ They’re out here hustling personally for investors. Passion like that guarantees success.”
Lee Dae-hyuk couldn’t spill the full details on Iron Steel 1’s blockbuster run or the MCU’s dominance, so this was the best he could do.
Yoon Tae-ho still looked uneasy.
“ Isn’t that too risky?”
“ Every investment carries risk.”
Lee Dae-hyuk brushed it off with a laugh.
Yoon Tae-ho’s reaction was natural—he wasn’t a regressor with foresight.
In the end, Yoon Tae-ho had no choice but to set aside his worries.
‘Right. Trust him and wait.’
Lee Dae-hyuk had nailed everything he’d set his mind to so far.
This would be no different.
If he didn’t believe in the Young Master, who would?
Yoon Tae-ho gazed at him with eyes full of faith.
Meanwhile, Lee Dae-hyuk had already wiped the Iron Steel deal clean from his mind.
Thump, thump.
‘Been a while…’
He felt his heart racing.
Apple’s headquarters had just come into view beyond the car window.
‘Third visit already, but this feels different.’
The first two times had been back in the Kim Gun-woo days, tagging along with Yu Jae-man on routine business.
Unlike those forgettable trips…
‘Whew…’
His heart pounded fiercely now.
“ We’ve arrived.”
The driver pulled up the Benz. As Lee Dae-hyuk stepped out, his eyes locked on the Apple building.
The group steering the world’s present—and its future.
Apple.
The sight of that colossal fortress brought Daehan Group to mind.
‘Can I keep my promise to Father?’
Lee Dae-hyuk genuinely wanted to elevate Daehan Group to the world’s top global conglomerate.
Surpassing even Seojin Group to claim the number-one spot.
But that meant changing himself first.
A regressor with future knowledge could snag personal wealth and glory, sure.
Elevating a single company to world-class dominance? That was a whole different beast.
Right now, he was just an investor with a slight edge—solid intel others lacked.
To become a Daehan Group chairman or CEO worthy of the role, he needed to learn far more.
‘Investors galore coming today. Other CEOs too.’
Everything he saw and heard would be invaluable assets.
He felt a thrill of excitement.
“ You look in high spirits.”
Yoon Tae-ho spoke up first, noting his flushed expression.
Lee Dae-hyuk nodded vigorously.
“ Meeting the people inside… all there is to learn… I can’t wait.”
“ …”
Yoon Tae-ho felt a swell of pride watching Lee Dae-hyuk’s eager face.
He’d grown so much bigger.
Proudly so.
Like gazing at a child all grown up.
“ …”
“ Why’re you staring like that?”
Lee Dae-hyuk asked, noticing Yoon Tae-ho’s intent gaze.
Yoon Tae-ho blushed.
“ You’ll get it… when you have kids of your own someday.”
“ Haha.”
Lee Dae-hyuk let out a light laugh at the unexpected reply.
“ Got it. I’ll ask again then. Let’s head in.”
He gave Yoon Tae-ho’s back a light pat and strode toward Apple headquarters.
***
After a straightforward new-product intro and presentation came the shareholders’ Q&A.
The investors’ night unfolded as usual.
Among the highlights was the iPhone reveal.
Yet none of the assembled CEOs or shareholders paid it much mind.
They couldn’t grasp it at all.
A high-performance widescreen iPod controlled by touch.
A mobile phone.
A game-changing device that handled internet, gaming, and every task you’d normally need a computer for.
Even if the iPhone packed all that…
The shareholders here felt zero appeal.
Everyone except Lee Dae-hyuk.
‘Just like real history.’
No one had recognized the iPhone’s revolutionary potential at first.
The very concept didn’t exist, so they couldn’t even comprehend it.
Critics dismissed it as a pointless gimmick; the stock even dipped short-term.
All before Steven Jobs’ legendary presentation.
But.
‘Where’s the CEO?’
Lee Dae-hyuk had learned this belatedly, but Steven Jobs wasn’t at tonight’s investors’ event.
‘Hmm…’
It left him feeling jilted, like a date who’d been stood up.
Worry edged out disappointment, though.
‘Is he… sick or something?’
Lee Dae-hyuk racked his memory.
‘ …’
Nothing. No press on any illness for Steven Jobs at this point.
‘Maybe he’s keeping it under wraps.’
Not the point right now, anyway.
Steven Jobs lived until 2011 regardless.
‘Yeah. No need to fret.’
As Lee Dae-hyuk settled his nerves, a voice exclaimed nearby in admiration.
“ Damn! That was a mic drop.”
Lee Dae-hyuk whipped his head around without thinking.
“ !! ”
He spotted the face of the one man blown away by the iPhone intro and presentation.
The world’s richest man.
The Microsoft founder and chairman who lived noblesse oblige—Bill Gates.
He kept tutting in disbelief.
“ Brilliant. That’s Steven for you.”
“ …”
“ Oh, sorry. Was I too loud?”
He’d noticed Lee Dae-hyuk’s gaze.
Lee Dae-hyuk shook his head at Bill Gates’ question.
“ No, not at all. I was just… thinking the same thing.”
“ That it was a mic drop?”
“ That too… but more like, something even bigger’s coming.”
“ What kind of feeling?”
Lee Dae-hyuk shared a glimpse of the future he knew in response to Bill Gates’ question.
“ Mobile phones, high-end touchscreens, revolutionary devices replacing PCs. I have a hunch those technologies will reshape our daily lives.”
“ Daily lives?”
“ Not just phones—doors, refrigerators, trash cans, TVs… The iPhone’s only the beginning.”
“ …”
Bill Gates went silent, stunned.
This unheard-of young Asian guy was thinking exactly like him.
‘Met someone extraordinary.’
As Bill Gates marveled inwardly, Lee Dae-hyuk sized him up too.
Bill Gates exuded something that overwhelmed people.
He looked like a jolly neighborhood uncle.
But the charisma radiating from those deep, piercing eyes bowled even Lee Dae-hyuk over.
‘So this is it.’
In that moment, Lee Dae-hyuk grasped something crucial.
This was what a true titan felt like.
No grand gestures needed—the presence alone commanded respect.
Just watching taught him volumes.
If Lee Dae-hyuk was absorbing lessons from Bill Gates…
‘Hmm? Checking me out?’
Bill Gates felt a spark of curiosity at the young man staring right at him.
The youngest person here. The only Asian.
He wanted to chat more.
Bill Gates introduced himself first and extended a hand.
“ You probably know my name, but manners dictate an intro. Bill Gates.”
Lee Dae-hyuk grabbed it without hesitation.
“ Lee Dae-hyuk.”