Chapter 161: Father
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 161: Father
“What brings you here?”
I couldn't exactly turn away my father, who had come all the way to my house, so I invited him inside and served him tea.
After taking a sip, my father let out a long sigh.
“You’re doing well for yourself.”
“……”
“I saw it. The advertisement for the cosmetics you made.”
He was likely referring to the Standard line of cosmetics produced under the E-Line brand.
“How did you know I was the one who made it?”
“I saw Ms. Yeong-eun modeling for it. The brand mentioned a collaboration with JH Health, so I figured it had to be your doing.”
He then calmly sipped his coffee.
“You still haven't answered my question. Why are you here? I already told you I’m not taking over the company.”
“I know. I know you’re not the type to listen even if I come here and try to force you. Besides, at this rate of growth, it won’t be long before the company you started becomes larger than mine.”
My father was right.
The business my father had spent his entire life building was valued at 120 billion won. It was a solid company that manufactured components for various electronic goods, pulling in 16 billion won in annual sales and 3.7 billion won in operating profit every year.
However, looking at the momentum of JH’s cosmetic sales, I estimated that the profits would be even more staggering once the Premium line was released.
I knew our company’s growth would only get steeper because I knew the secret weapons I possessed.
But my father, unaware of those internal secrets, was judging based solely on the sales of JH’s Standard cosmetics. He could see that the JH I created would surpass his own company in the near future.
Did he see that far ahead?
I suppose his years of business experience weren't just for show.
“Do you plan to continue with the business you’ve started?”
“I believe so. The momentum for growth is only increasing.”
“Hmm…”
My father drank his tea, lost in thought. I still hadn't received an answer as to why he had come.
“Do you need money?”
“Money? Hahaha! No matter how desperate I might be, do you think I’d come to my own child to beg for money?”
He let out a boisterous laugh. It was just like him.
“Then why are you here? Are you here to pressure me into marrying Ms. Yeong-eun or something?”
“Does a father need a reason to visit his son’s home?”
My father replied in a voice that was noticeably softer than before.
“No reason? Weren't you always the one looking for reasons, Father? Even when I was applying for school, you were the one who demanded clear justifications.”
“I did. Because clear evidence and reasoning are the best ways to prevent failure in business.”
He looked into my eyes without a word.
“You look for reasons when you’re the CEO of a corporation. Up until now, I’ve been looking at you from the perspective of a CEO.”
“……”
“The livelihoods of over a hundred families depend on my hands and my decisions. If our company fails, they lose their jobs and have to endure hardships until they find new ones. That’s why I’ve always feared failure and only looked for the path to success. It was the same for you and your brother.”
That was an old story. The story of a father who tried to decide my education and my fate with his own hands. The story of how I had to graduate from law school and become a prosecutor so that the business could grow even further.
My father’s decisions back then were made with the business in mind, rather than his family.
“That’s why I left. To find my own life.”
“You did. You stormed out, saying you could succeed on your own.”
My father’s sigh was heavy and deep.
“I thought you would fail.”
“Why did you think that?”
“Because I thought you were someone who couldn't even speak a word to a woman and couldn't properly assert yourself.”
“……”
That was true to some extent. Before I gained the cheat-like abilities of the Gym System, I really couldn't talk to women properly.
“The son I tried to send to law school went to Computer Engineering instead. Then, the guy who went to Computer Engineering to find his own life suddenly opened a gym. There, he met a celebrity, formed a connection, and now he’s running a business…”
My father looked at me as if he couldn't quite wrap his head around it.
“Your path has far exceeded my expectations.”
“……”
“But you didn't fail. You’ve been successful every step of the way. To the point where you’ll soon reach heights far above your father.”
“……”
“That’s why I’m regretting it. I should have let you be a little more free. I should have waited instead of forcing you to do things. I’m wondering if you would have achieved even greater success if I had.”
My father was expressing regret. He regretted his past self, who viewed his family like a corporation. He was regretting his own arrogant insight after seeing the child who escaped his control achieve even greater success.
“I’ve finally realized that while you might be able to control a corporation, you cannot control your children.”
“Is that why you came?”
“As I said before, there’s no particular reason. I was just curious if my son was living well.”
“I am living well.”
“It seems so.”
My father nodded. The tiger-like face of the father who had always been strict with me softened for the first time. He looked like a middle-aged man carrying a massive weight on his shoulders.
“So, I asked your brother yesterday. I asked him what he wanted to do.”
“What did he say?”
“He said he wants to inherit my business. Though I’m not sure if he only said that because he was in front of me.”
He tried to hide it, but having watched my father for a long time, I knew. I could see the bitterness seeping through his smile. It looked as though something he had protected his entire life was crumbling.
“Well, he’ll find his own path in time. Perhaps business really is in his nature, just as he said.”
His tone suggested he inwardly hoped my brother would take over the family business.
I looked at my father. He had always been a man like an unbreakable rock. Both when we were together during my childhood and over the phone after I ran away. This was the first time I had seen him look so broken.
“But why did you come dressed in a suit?”
“Oh, this? Even if it’s my own child, I’m meeting the representative of a corporation. How could I come dressed sloppily? I have to show proper respect.”
“You didn't have to do that.”
“You’re an adult now. No matter if the other person is your child, once they become an adult, you must treat them accordingly.”
“Was that not the case before?”
“Of course not. Back when you were shouting about finding what you wanted to do, you were still just a green kid.”
Letting out a sharp sigh, my father continued.
“I’m sorry. I thought I knew you and the family well, but I was wrong.”
An apology. A sincere apology. My father was apologizing to me for everything he had done.
“I don’t expect you to hear this and forgive me. We’ve had many fights and conflicts, after all. But please, just know this. I am sincerely reflecting on my actions.”
My father’s voice was trembling. Having become nothing more than a humble man, he lowered his head before me.
“Father.”
“Yes?”
“Would you like to get a massage?”
“…A massage?”
“Yes. My skills are actually quite good.”
“Then please. Let’s give it a try.”
It wasn't that I had forgiven him. The waves of emotion and the struggles I had endured since childhood were no small matter. How hard had I worked to get into university, and how much had I struggled to take a different path? How much had I suffered alone, and how agonizing was the loneliness of being cast into a place where I couldn't see an inch ahead? It wasn't something that could be easily forgiven.
But at the very least, I didn't want to see my father looking so pathetic.
Regardless of everything, he was my father and the head of our family. A man responsible for a household—and for the livelihoods of over a hundred employees—shouldn't be this weak. After all, the fact that I am who I am today is, to some extent, thanks to him.
I began kneading my father’s shoulders. I continued the massage, pressing firmly on the red areas visible through the System.
“Ho, this is really…”
Exclamations of admiration naturally escaped my father’s lips as he received the massage. By the time the twenty-minute session was over…
“I think I understand why you succeeded. Haha.”
My father wore a refreshed smile for the first time. After the massage, he spoke to me.
“Come back whenever you want to. It’s your home, isn't it? I will never force anything on you again, so feel free to visit with a light heart.”
“That’s a difficult thing for me to answer right now.”
“You can take your time. I’ll be waiting.”
Having finished his coffee, my father stood up.
“Are you leaving?”
“I should. I have a meeting with a client.”
“Get home safely.”
“I’ll visit again later.”
And with that, my father left.
“Whew.”
My mind became complicated. I never expected my father to visit like this. And I certainly didn't expect him to apologize first.
I thought we would have a massive fight. I thought he would claim ownership, saying my business belonged to the family anyway. Or at the very least, I thought he would ask me to connect him with my network for the sake of his business.
The Jeil Group. Isn't it the top corporation in Korea? If my father could just get a connection there, his current company could grow several times—no, dozens of times larger.
But he didn't say a word about any of that.
He didn't meet me as one businessman to another. He showed his desire to meet purely as a father and a son. A father who marveled at his son’s success, cheered for his future, and apologized for his own mistakes.
‘I’m sorry.’
Why did that one simple apology from my father make my heart feel so heavy?
“Forgiveness, huh…”
I don’t know anymore. I don’t know what I should do, or if I’m even in a position to offer forgiveness.
“For now, let’s just focus on what I have to do.”
I’m busy enough just growing the company. And right now, I have to go extract some raw materials.
“I’m out of time. Better get going.”
I headed back to work. To get my semen drained.
*
“Congratulations. You’ve achieved the number one spot in cosmetics sales this month.”
The female CEO of E-Line brought over the sales report. We were ranked first in sales among all cosmetic items this month. As soon as the initial test stock sold out, we immediately followed up with additional orders.
Now that we knew it sold well, there was no reason to hesitate. We had been cranking out products like crazy all month.
And my semen had been cranked out like crazy, too.
It was enjoyable, but…
I’m starting to feel a bit dizzy.
I was beginning to feel like I was running low on supply.
“Um, Representative?”
“Yes.”
“Since I’ve delivered the good news, how about we spend some time together this evening?”
The CEO subtly touched my chest. Normally, my little friend should have reacted by now.
But there was no reaction.
“I’m sorry. I’d like to have some personal time this evening.”
“That’s a shame. I really wanted to be with you today.”
Am I going to end up impotent at this rate? I definitely need another solution. I heard zinc is great for semen; maybe I should start taking some?