The Famous Millionaire

“Okay, Dad. Why don’t you found a company first? I have already secured a lot for the factory. You need to get a patent, coin the factory name, build a factory and sell the product. Do you have a name in mind?”

Hyunwoo made a great fuss about it and pressed on his father.

But Duyoung’s face hardened at that moment. He seemed to disagree.

“I may be good in research or invention, but I’m not good at all in business. I confirmed it a long time ago.”

Obviously, he had the lingering trauma of his failure in the green oil business.

Hyunwoo cheered him up, though.

“I know you’re worried because of those damned guys with Singyong…”

Duyoung cut off his words and said, “I know you made a great success in business by founding Ani & Funny and KOVE DREAM. That’s why you’re so confident, but this is a fundamentally different business.”

Hyunwoo could not understand what his father was so scared about.

Though he didn’t have wide connections in the political and business world, he had excellent technology. Hyunwoo felt that if his father would start a business on green oil, he would certainly make a success this time.

Hyunwoo continued to persuade his father.

But Duyoung also wouldn’t budge a bit. He insisted on getting royalty fees by selling his green oil patent to an existing oil refinery company instead of building a factory and sell products.

After all, they could not come to a conclusion.

“I’ve got a headache. Let’s discuss it more tomorrow,” said Duyoung.

“Yea, dad. Take a break.”

It was a bit early for Hyunwoo to go to sleep.

He was preoccupied with thinking about his father’s business.

“How can I persuade him?”

At that moment, he overheard his parents having an argument.

It seemed as if his father raised his voice on purpose, so that Hyunwoo could hear it.

“It looks like he is conceited because he has succeeded in business. I guess he will come to his senses after he gets hit by big trouble.”

“Don’t worry so much. He has lots of business experience now.”

“You can lead a life based on your experience, but you can’t do business with your experience alone. You have to prepare in advance just in case your rival attacks you. I hope he won’t be overambitious.

Hyunwoo could clearly hear his father’s loud voice.

But his mother took side with Hyunwoo.

“I think he can do it well. Just count on him.”

“This is not a matter of ‘counting on him or not.’ Do you want Hyunwoo to repeat my failure?”

“Please keep your voice down. He might hear it.”

Only then did they talk in a low voice. But he could hear his father sigh aloud.

Of course, Hyunwoo could understand his father’s position, who suffered a great deal of pain because of Singyong.

But Hyunwoo was confident. If his father was so scared about domestic refineries like Songyong, he was willing to do business overseas.

And he wanted to show his father his confidence, so that he could help his father regain concern confidence and trust rather than worrying.

After turning it over in his mind for a moment, he began to write a letter to his father.

The next day, Hyunwoo left home a bit earlier than usual.

His mother got up much earlier than Hyunwoo to prepare the breakfast meal at the Hyunwoo’s Mom factory. So, she usually came back home around the time when he was going to work.

When she came into her room, she noticed a white envelope on the threshold.

“What kind of letter is this?”

Duyoung was awake by then.

“Letter?”

On the envelope was written ‘To my father.’

“It seems Hyunwoo wrote a letter to you.”

“Really?”

Duyoung received it and began to read.

<You’re a great man, dad. You didn’t give up despite repeated failures and succeeded in developing a wonderful product with an indefatigable spirit.

That’s not something anybody can do. I could not do so. That’s why I respect you the most in the world.

But you failed in business. I fully understand your sense of loss, despair, and disappointment. And I know how much you’re scared of Singyong.

That’s why I could understand how worried you were when I suggested that you do business in refinery again. And I know why you’re worried.

But I would like to tell you this.

I’m currently making a huge amount of money in various businesses. I’m making enough to live without worrying about money, to say the least.

But what have we changed because of that?

Is our family happier now because of the money?

I don’t think so. There is no big difference in happiness even if you make lots of money when you can make a decent living.

In other words, our happiness doesn’t disappear even if you lose some money with failure in business. That’s why I’m not scared about refinery business.

So, please count on me and pluck up courage.

We can make it…>

Duyoung was a chemist with a Ph. D degree.

Born to a rich family, he was called a genius since he was a child and attended top schools along the way. He once had a great dream about making great wealth after he developed new car fuel.

But he was hit by massive taxes less than one year after his factory produced new products because of Singyong’s high-handed business practices. When his colleague stole the core technology of green oil, his dream of great wealth came to nothing and he went down in life.

To make matters worse, he had a traffic accident.

After that accident, Duyoung completely gave up. He lost not only the dream of a comeback but also the desire to live. So, he even thought of committing suicide with his family by burning briquettes.

It was Hyunwoo who stopped him.

Come to think of it, Hyunwoo lived in a different living condition from his.

Duyoung, born to a rich family, grew up and studied without worrying about anything.

Hyunwoo was the opposite. He had to have a hard life as a middle school boy, going through all kinds of difficulties and trials.

As his father, Duyoung felt he wasn’t even qualified to blame his son.

Suddenly, he felt ashamed of himself.

His wife Jisook also read the letter and talked to him in a calm voice.

“Honey, we are good as long as Hyunwoo is with us. We were always happy without money in the past.”

That was true. Come to think of it, they were happy during the bygone years. Though Duyoung felt sad about his paraparesis, he didn’t feel he was unhappy because he was broke.

Suddenly, Duyoung felt comfortable while he was looking back his past. His fear of Singyong melted away before he knew.

“I don’t care what they’re going to do. My son won’t never be defeated.”

Duyoung held Jisook’s hand.

“Okay, let’s count on Hyunwoo.”

Hyunwoo came back home on that day.

As if he was waiting for him, Duyoung called him into the main bedroom. Jisook was with him.

Hyunwoo knew why he called him. He left a letter for him this morning when he went out.

He looked at his parents. They looked bright. Obviously, they made a positive decision.

As soon as Hyunoo sat down, Duyoung opened his mouth, “Son, I am not sure if I’m qualified to say this, but as I have had more experiences in life, I hope you can listen.”

Hyunwoo didn’t say anything. He just looked at his father calmly.

“Life is like a blanket with which we survive the cold winter night. If you pull it up, you feel cold in your knees and down, and if you cover your knees with it, your chest and up will feel cold. How can you survive the cold winter night then?”

Hyunwoo seemed to know the answer.

But he didn’t answer. The reason his father asked him was not that he wanted Hyunwoo’s reply.

“You have to shrink your body enough to fit the size of the blanket. Only those who can do so can spend the cold winter night in a comfortable and warm way.”

That’s what Hyunwoo thought about.

Duyoung continued, “Some people will say things like why don’t you buy another blanket? If you feel it’s not enough, you can buy two or three blankets.”

What he meant by was Singyong, the oil refinery company that ruined his life.

Everyone has just one blanket. But if somebody wants two or three blankets, there is only one way he can get them. Namely, taking them away from others.

“I may have been thinking of that. In other words, I was too greedy. We all need just one blanket to get by in this world.”

One blanket.

Of course, one blanket may not be enough for one can’t stretch his or her legs fully with just one. But is there an end to one’s endless desire?

“Let’s do it, Hyunwoo. Our own business. But I hope you don’t stake your goal on the money alone. Let’s have a bigger goal.”

A bigger goal.

What is it?

Hyunwoo felt that was a dream. Achieving the dream that his father has long held, setting an example for the students, including those at Haenim School, and contributing to the country and the human race.

This might be a grand dream, but if that dream is the green oil that Duyoung has developed, Hyunwoo felt he was fully qualified to have that dream.

“Yes, dad. Let me help you to the best I can.”

But Duyoung shook his head.

“No, let me help you. Like I said yesterday, it goes against my grain to do business. Let me just focus on research.”

“But this is your business.”

Duyoung shook his head again.

“No, it’s our business. And that’s what I want. I want you to make true the dream that I have dreamed.”

Hyunwoo felt excited to hear his father’s request.

“I want you to find a name for the green oil company, too.”

In fact, Hyunwoo had one in mind. He saved the name for his own company someday.

“As a matter of fact, I have one name that I had in mind for long.”

“What is it?” asked Duyoung with a curious look.

“It’s called STM. It’s a name that reflects my wishes that I want to be the light of the world,”

“STM, the light of the world. How can I interpret that?”

“It’s simple. Sun. sTar, Moon.”