There’s a saying that success breeds friends.
Ever since I beca successful, I was overwheld with people seeking out. Not just business people and politicians, but even guys claiming to be kindergarten and elentary school classmates I didn’t recognize ca to the company.
Wouldn’t it be fair to say there are thousands of people in Korea alone claiming to be my close friends?
Lost in these thoughts, I arrived at the eting place and got out of the car.
I was dressed like a student, in jeans and a padded jacket, and I wore a baseball cap pulled low, worried soone might recognize . The indoor pocha (Korean pub) near the university, which I hadn’t visited in ages, was quiet.
As I stepped inside, Min-young and Kyeongil, who had arrived earlier, waved their hands.
“Over here!”
Min-young looked much the sa as he did in university, and Kyeongil was wearing a hat, perhaps to hide his short hair.
“How’s everyone been?”
My friends greeted warmly.
“It’s been too long!”
“We thought you’d forgotten all about friends and everything after becoming successful.”
“Of course not.”
“You changed your number all the ti, too.”
“Ah, right.”
I had changed my phone several tis. Co to think of it, Yuri is the only person from university whose number I have. They probably both figured I didn’t want to be contacted.
“I thought about visiting you at the company, but I figured just showing up wouldn’t be right. You get a lot of those people, don’t you?”
“Plenty.”
As the saying goes, those with good intentions don’t seek you out, and those who do rarely have good intentions.
That’s why I ca to et my real friends, who haven’t sought out during all this ti.
“How have you guys been lately?”
“How have we been? I work for a defense contractor, and he’s in the military.”
Unless you hold foreign citizenship, n have to resolve their military service issue. (Though, if you have money and connections, you can usually find a way out.)
Min-young got a job at a defense contractor for his alternative service, and Kyeongil enlisted in KATUSA (Korean Augntation To the United States Army).
“I’m jealous of you, having finished your military service early.”
“What are you talking about? It’s a hundred tis better to go late than to go active duty.”
“Seriously, do you know how shocked I was when I saw the news? The guy who cleaned up in the UK during Brexit was my friend. Why didn’t you tell sooner?”
“Yeah, how co you didn’t say a word all this ti?”
I laughed and apologized.
“Sorry. I was originally trying to keep it a secret during university, but things just turned out this way.”
If Taek-gyu hadn’t been arrested, I probably wouldn’t have revealed my identity. It’s all because of Park Si-hyung.
“Anyway, it’s amazing that the world’s best investor is my friend. It’s surreal.”
“World’s best? Warren Buffett is still alive and kicking.”
“Ah, that’s right. You even t Warren Buffett in person, didn’t you? He had lunch at your place, right?”
“Wow! That’s unbelievable.”
We clinked our glasses and caught up on old tis.
As expected, talking to old friends makes the conversation flow easily.
“Do you go to departnt stores and just buy whatever luxury items you want? Waving your VVIP card around, with the branch manager coming down to greet you?”
“That has happened a few tis.”
But neither Taek-gyu nor I are particularly interested in shopping or luxury goods.
Among the super-rich, there are those who live in a way unimaginable to ordinary people, while others, like Warren Buffett, drive old cars, live in old houses, and enjoy donating to charity.
I guess it’s just a difference in personality.
I asked Kyeongil, “How’s KATUSA? Is military life bearable there?”
“Don’t even ntion it. I almost died because of you.”
“Huh?”
When he first joined KATUSA, the senior soldiers, knowing he was in the business departnt at Korea University, asked him about . At the ti, the atmosphere was positive, so Kyeongil showed them pictures of us together, bragging about his friendship with the CEO of OTK Company, and they were all impressed.
But then, when I stirred up the controversy by claiming Big One was coming, public opinion among Aricans turned very negative.
This sentint was shared by the US military in Korea.
The arrows of anger were directed at the KATUSAs in the unit. The Arican soldiers openly harassed the Korean soldiers, and Kyeongil, who had been bragging about Kang Jin-hoo being his friend, started having a seriously difficult ti in the military, getting harassed by both the Arican and Korean senior soldiers.
“During the day, the Arican soldiers were on my case, and at night, the senior soldiers were on my case. It was so hard I even thought about deserting. Actually, a few guys went out on leave and didn’t co back, and the whole base was turned upside down.”
But then, the real earthquake happened, and the situation reversed.
The Arican soldiers once again treated the KATUSAs with love and appreciation, and Kyeongil’s status within the unit skyrocketed simply because he was in the sa departnt as and was my friend.
“From then on, military life beca incredibly easy.”
“…….”
Hmm, all that happened because of ?
“Want to co visit soti? There are a lot of Arican soldiers who want to see you.”
“I’ll think about the visiting part.”
I don’t even want to get close to the military.
I asked Min-young, “What are your plans for the future?”
“I need to think about it after this is over. Whether to get a job or go abroad to study. Since I’m going to study anyway, I’d like to do an MBA program.”
“It’s good to learn while you have the opportunity.”
Working made realize I regret not studying more.
Min-young’s family is quite wealthy, so going abroad to study wouldn’t be a problem for him.
I looked around the pocha and said, “Drinking soju here brings back mories.”
Kyeongil nodded.
“Totally. We used to deliberately leave our student IDs out when we were trying to pick up girls.”
The idea was to show off that we were students from a prestigious university to try and attract won. But it wasn’t a very good strategy.
If you want to brag about being a Korea University student, you should do it sowhere else, not in a bar right in front of Korea University. (Half the people who co here are Korea University students.)
“Do you ever get approached by won on the street now?”
I chuckled.
“What are the chances of that? They wouldn’t even recognize .”
But no sooner had I finished speaking than two won approached our table. They looked to be in their early twenties, maybe a year or two younger than us.
Both were pretty with tall, slender figures. One had short hair, and the other had long, straight hair.
The one with short hair asked cautiously, “Excuse … we’ve been watching from that table, but are you by any chance CEO Kang Jin-hoo?”
I looked at the table she pointed to, and there were two more won sitting there. They were staring intently at us.
Before I could deny it, Kyeongil quickly said, “That’s right. He’s Kang Jin-hoo.”
At his words, the two won gasped in surprise.
“Eek! What do we do?”
“It’s really Kang Jin-hoo!”
“I couldn’t believe it…”
Without being asked, Kyeongil helpfully explained, “We’re his classmates from the business departnt at Korea University. We were just having a drink after a long ti.”
“Oh, I see. Hello. We’re from the Departnt of Airline Services at Se-in University.”
Se-in University is a vocational college across the street from Korea University.
They sotis have et-ups with Korea University students, and the Departnt of Airline Services is particularly famous among male students. That’s because there are a lot of beautiful won there.
“Oh! Flight attendants in the making.”
The won giggled at that.
“Not yet.”
“Co on, you’ll all be flight attendants after you graduate.”
That’s not necessarily true.
Just like not everyone who graduates with a business degree goes into business, not everyone who graduates from the Departnt of Airline Services becos a flight attendant.
The woman with short hair said, “Would you mind joining our friends and having a drink with us?”
Kyeongil looked overjoyed and said, “Of course!”
If this were in the past, I might have welcod it with open arms, but now I have a girlfriend.
I looked at Min-young, hinting that he should try to stop Kyeongil. But Min-young had already moved the adjacent table over and was diligently setting out cutlery and glasses.
“Please, sit over here.”
“Yes, thank you.”
The two won who had approached us and the two at their original table first moved their belongings to our side and then all headed to the restroom together.
I said to Kyeongil, “Why the sudden rge? I have a girlfriend.”
“Girlfriend? Who?”
“Well…”
Before I could answer, Min-young said, “Then you just sit tight. We’ll take care of the rest.”
“Huh?”
“It’s ti for to get a girlfriend too.”
What’s up with him?
Min-young had a strict dating rule after breaking up with his senior in college: never date soone from the sa university. So, dating a Se-in University student is acceptable.
“I’ll pay the bill and leave, so you guys can drink on your own.”
Kyeongil grabbed my arm, stopping from getting up.
“Think about it, man. If you leave, do you think they’ll stick around? That girl with the long, straight hair is exactly my type. You know I like long, straight hair, right?”
“…….”
Doesn’t every guy like that? And for him, any pretty girl is his type. (Though, what guy isn’t like that?)
“Just stay until I get their numbers.”
“I’m leaving. I’ll contact you later.”
Finally, Kyeongil resorted to his last resort.
“Are you really going to do this? I’m a soldier on leave. I have to go back to the base after the weekend!”
I was dumbfounded. “You’re in KATUSA.”
“Isn’t KATUSA a part of the military? When I go back to the base, all I’ll see are burly burger guys. What are friends for? Please, just help out this once. I need to get married too.”
“…….”
Is he already thinking about marriage with her?
There’s an unwritten rule among guys: you don’t have to grant the wishes of the dead, but you have to grant the wishes of a soldier on leave.
I had no choice but to sit back down.
“Only until you get their numbers.”
“Thank you. I won’t forget this kindness.”
While we were talking, the Se-in University students ca back from the restroom and walked towards our table. They all looked even prettier than before. Did they all touch up their makeup in that short amount of ti?
Min-young said in a low voice, “I heard that the Departnt of Airline Services at Se-in University doesn’t look at grades, just faces. I guess that wasn’t a joke.”
They are definitely all pretty.
The won sat down. Kyeongil and Min-young introduced themselves first, and the won took turns saying their nas.
They were all sophomores in the Departnt of Airline Services at Se-in University, all 21 years old.
Kyeongil and Min-young quickly refilled the won’s glasses.
“Alright, let’s have a toast since we t like this. It’s fate!”
“Nice to et you.”
We clinked our glasses.
Co to think of it, I’ve never really done any proper blind dates or pick-ups.
I was dating Seon-ah from the beginning of university, so I never had the chance to go to those kinds of gatherings, and after that, I went to the military, and then a lot of other things happened.
Min-young asked, “What brings you all out on a Saturday night?”
Then they all pointed to the girl with long, straight hair.
“It’s her birthday today. So, we got together for the first ti in a while.”
Min-young clapped his hands and said, “Wow! It’s your birthday today. Happy birthday!”
He’s unusually proactive today.
Is it because he works for a defense contractor, a part of military service, that he’s so full of military spirit?
Suddenly, my own ti in the military ca to mind, and I felt a pang of sympathy. Yeah, when else are you going to support your friends if not now?
Kyeongil asked, “Do you all have boyfriends?”
“We don’t.”
The girl with short hair pointed to the friend next to her. “Ah! She has one.”
The woman who was pointed out waved her hands in denial. “Ah, no. I don’t have a boyfriend.”
“Huh? But you’re seeing that guy, aren’t you?”
Another friend chid in. “Yeah, that guy picked her up at school in a Benz just a few days ago.”
“We’ve just t a few tis. He’s not my boyfriend.”
“Didn’t you go to Cebu together during the break?”
“Th-That was just because our schedules matched up.”
She looked at and said, as if making excuses, “He’s really not my boyfriend. Please don’t misunderstand.”
“…….”
At that point, anyone could tell he was her boyfriend.
We continued to clink our glasses.
Being like this makes feel like I’ve gone back to my university days. If I had stayed in school, would this be how I’d be spending my ti? (Of course, if that were the case, the won probably wouldn’t have approached us first.)
As I was thinking that, the girl with long, straight hair, who had been checking her phone occasionally, suddenly scread.
“Kyaa!”
Kyeongil asked, “What’s wrong?”
“I just uploaded the pictures we took to Facenote, and it already has over 300,000 likes.”
“What?!”
When did we take pictures?
I was startled and pulled out my phone. I opened the Facenote app, and it was right there without even having to search.
The girl with long, straight hair had taken a selfie with her friends, and I was small in the background.
Just in case people couldn’t tell it was from the picture alone, they had kindly tagged below so everyone would know.
#KangJinHoo #JinuKang #OTKCompany #CEO #President #Tycoon #Investor #Celebrity #Celeb #FamousPerson #KoreaUniversity #IndoorPocha #Drinks #Mingling #BurningSaturday #SatNight #SuperHot #KeepingItSecretWeAreDrinkingTogether #ItsMyBirthdayTodayNotASecret
“…….”
Are there no end to these hashtags?
Min-young said in a panic, “W-Wait a minute. Mike Goldenberg liked it.”
At those words, I was aghast.
“What?”
She blinked and asked, “Who’s Mike Goldenberg? Is he famous?”
None of them seed to know.
Kyeongil explained, “He’s the founder and CEO of Facenote.”
Mike Goldenberg’s influence was imnse. The number of likes quickly surpassed one million and was heading towards ten million.
The fact that I was out drinking with won was being broadcast to the entire world!
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