Brother, Am I Cute? [EN]: Chapter 321

“Hyung, aren’t I cute?”

Each of us took our ice cream and sat down.

Siha’s eyes sparkled as he looked at the ice cream piled high in the paper bowl.

He picked up the tiny spoon and started to eat.

“Is Nilla Nilla Vanilla yummy?”

“Yummy.”

“Pfft.”

Alisa laughed beside us.

I took a bite too. The sweetness of the chocolate spread through my mouth.

“Hyung. Coco Coco Chocolate?”

“Puh-huh.”

After Nilla Nilla Vanilla, now Coco Coco Chocolate?

Did he hear something when we ordered?

“This is just chocolate. Chocolate ice cream.”

“Why?”

“Siha’s is just vanilla too.”

“No. It’s Nilla Nilla Vanilla. This is Berry Berry Strawberry. Hyung’s is Coco Coco Chocolate.”

When he says Coco Coco, he taps his nose three times with his finger.

What is it? Why is it so cute?

Was the Coco in Choco referring to the nose on his face?

“Hyung. Can Siha have some too?”

“Yeah. Siha can have some.”

I took a spoonful and put it in Siha’s mouth.

He must have liked it because he invaded my chocolate with his spoon.

“Looks like it’s delicious.”

“Yummy.”

“Can Hyung eat some of Siha’s too?”

“Siha will give you some.”

He scoops out a huge amount and puts it in my mouth.

Just a normal bite would have been fine…….

“Mmm. Delicious.”

“Hyung. Should Siha give you more?”

“No. It’s okay.”

“You have to eat a lot to grow tall.”

“Is that what Hyung wants to say?”

Why is he saying that? He’s so funny.

I want Siha to grow tall, but on the other hand, I also hope he doesn’t grow too much.

Small now, then a growth spurt when the time comes.

Being small is cute!

“You two look good together.”

“Hahaha. Alisa, do you have any younger siblings or older siblings?”

“I’m an only child.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Anyway, the pajama party sounds fun. It’s fun to play and sleep with friends.”

“I guess so.”

The only time I slept with friends was during retreats or school trips.

I was so excited back then.

Talent shows, and in high school, we secretly brought alcohol and drank it, and the teachers knew but turned a blind eye.

Why did we want to bring and drink it so much back then when we could drink it all we wanted when we grew up?

I think the secret thrill of doing something out of bounds gave us pleasure rather than longing for adulthood.

“So, Mr. Si-hyuk will be spending the night without Siha?”

Alisa’s words snapped me out of my thoughts.

Come to think of it, I don’t think I told her that I was leaving for work.

“Ah, I’ll be leaving for Sweden that day.”

“Sweden? Suddenly?”

“It happened suddenly. There’s a company Professor Oh Sang-hwan introduced me to, and I work with them. So, I decided to help with the contract part. Oh, right. What Alisa said before helped too. Thank you.”

“It’s nothing. But what did I say?”

“Just about the hardships of going to America.”

“Ah! That.”

I nodded.

There are things that can only be gauged by meeting and confronting.

And surprisingly, having a meeting can lead to better results.

Doing nothing is just zero.

I’m leaving for Sweden to increase the odds.

***

I dropped Siha off at daycare and left for Sweden.

My body felt stiff after being on the plane for a long time, and the last memory of telling him to have fun at the pajama party came to mind.

He held my hand tightly and waved goodbye with difficulty.

I moved my heavy steps, saying I’d be back soon, but I felt strange.

When my parents were around, I didn’t feel this way even if I didn’t see them for a few days, but now that it’s just the two of us, not seeing him for a few days feels very significant.

It means that not only Siha but also I have developed a dependency.

“We’re arriving now.”

“I guess so.”

The announcement that we were landing came on.

The moment the plane landed and I stepped out onto unfamiliar ground, I missed Siha.

I’ve really come far. Siha must be doing well at daycare, right? I came all this way with so much effort, so let’s do well.

Thinking this, I left my luggage at the hotel and had a meal.

While eating with Park Han-soo, I re-examined what I had to say at the meeting.

“Are you worried about leaving your younger sibling behind?”

“Is it that obvious?”

“Hahaha! It’s not that, but I thought you might be. I, Park Han-soo, am a good boss who even looks after the complexion of each and every employee!”

“There are only two employees including me, though.”

“Don’t worry about the small stuff!”

Still, someone I knew came into the company before the contract.

He was familiar with the work and adapted quickly, and it seemed like he could handle things on his own if something happened.

“I really hope the contract goes well.”

“We’re invincible when we’re together! We have quite a few good cards, so there will definitely be good results.”

“Ah, yes.”

“Indeed! Overflowing with confidence.”

“???”

I was quite doubtful how he could tell I was confident from that answer.

But I feel somewhat relieved by that kind of behavior.

“We need to cheer up with food, and we can’t help but cheer up with Milo!”

“Pfft.”

After a simple meal, we moved to the meeting place.

VUMAX headquarters.

There were several large buildings, as it was located with the factory.

It was quite a desolate landscape, like any factory complex, but the surroundings had a rural charm, which was nice.

We went inside and immediately met the team leader and the developer.

The team leader looked like a typical office worker, and the developer was quite a large person than I had expected.

「Welcome. Thank you for coming all this way.」

「It’s no trouble. Compared to the good relationship we’ll have in the future, this is nothing.」

「Haha.」

The deal had already started when the meeting was set, and the greetings were also included in that category.

Agreeing to a meeting is not about thinking positively to some extent, but a declaration that I’ll listen to what you have to say.

So, I show an active attitude without being humble.

I subtly praise the other person and show humility.

「This is President Park Han-soo. I am Lee Si-hyuk, an interpreter and employee.」

「Ah, this is the person who wants to buy special fasteners. Oh, right. Don’t stand there, please have a seat.」

We sat down.

We had a full-fledged conversation.

They want to have exclusive sales rights in Korea.

If they give us exclusive rights, we plan to supply the fasteners and body parts that will go into the ‘Mugunghwa’ launch vehicle, which is a low-Earth orbit practical satellite launch rocket that we will make in the future.

That kind of story.

I proceeded as concisely as possible so as not to deviate from the point.

「Hmm.」

The team leader pondered slightly. The developer next to him stroked his beard-covered face.

Why did they even come?

Well, that’s not important. The important thing is that they’re here.

「I don’t see any reason to contract with you. Our products are so excellent that they can be used as a card for supply. If so, it seems like we can do it through other people.」

That’s right.

I wonder if there’s any need to contract with a new company like us.

Park Han-soo speaks confidently, and I interpret it.

I can speak English when I greet them, but I make it sound smoother because of me.

「Of course, you can think that way. But it’s more beneficial to work with us than to have meetings with other companies.」

「What do you mean?」

「First, it’s time. There aren’t many companies in Korea that want to contract with VUMAX, and while you’re having meetings and weighing the options, the company may already be decided.」

「Hmm. That’s certainly true. Then why not just contract with a large company?」

It’s still not enough.

That’s what they were saying.

「Second, it’s the cartel [an association of manufacturers or suppliers who aim to maintain prices at a high level and restrict competition]. In fact, unless the products supplied by any company are significantly superior, at least knowing someone is bound to get a plus point.」

「Huh.」

「That’s how people work. Your company is working with the world, so you can’t say there’s no lobbying at all.」

Providing parts for artificial satellites.

This is different from existing mass-produced products, so it must be made exclusively for special purposes.

This is not a mass-produced product.

So, having experience in providing parts for artificial satellites means not only technological competitiveness but also an already established network.

「The development of Mugunghwa [Korean word for Rose of Sharon, the national flower of South Korea] has not even been reported in the news yet. Do you know what this means? How did we get the information and confidently ask for exclusive sales rights?」

「Indeed.」

Of course, this is a bluff.

It’s confidential, but it’s information that you can know if you just have connections.

But the Swedes don’t know the Korean situation well, and it’s up to you to say it, so it makes you imagine.

Mistakes are always their fault.

The team leader nods and smiles slightly. The developer next to him also speaks.

「But I can’t accept the claim that the technology is all similar.」

He frowns as if he’s very displeased.

I turned my head and looked at the developer.

‘I got caught.’

It was an intentional part.

I also expected that these people would be careful about new companies.

The key point of this deal is that developer.

This is something Park Han-soo doesn’t even know.

I was leaving only a little possibility that it would drag on like this.

“President.”

“Huh?”

“Can I take out some more cards here? I prepared it without your consent.”

“What is it?”

“I’m thinking of adding one more thing to the deal.”

“Okay. I got it. Do that.”

I nodded.

And I looked at the developer.

「There’s ice cream cake in Korea. Do you know about it?」

「What?」

He seemed quite embarrassed by the sudden mention of ice cream cake.

「We started making and selling it first. And it spread to the world.」

「I didn’t know that.」

「Yes. You wouldn’t know. Because you don’t know, it becomes something that’s similar or doesn’t exist. It’s not that it’s similar. You just don’t know. No one knows if it’s VUMAX or VUMIX. That’s Korea. No, it’s not just Korea. If you don’t know, it’s the same as not having it.」

「…….」

「But this good opportunity has come. Maybe you’re thinking the same thing. Ah, I want to promote our product.」

I switched to German in an instant.

「Ah, I want this product to be famous in my home country, Germany. Isn’t it?」

「German?」

The developer’s eyes widened.

I saw it in an interview. This person’s dream is for his products to be well known in Germany.

He has that much pride. And I want to be famous.

I have that mind.

The developer opens his mouth with difficulty.

「That’s definitely right.」

「We can give you back your thoughts as they are. Whether it’s a new company or a famous company, if you’re coming from that far away, why not just contract with a part from a company you know? That’s what I think.」

「Hmm.」

「There aren’t many famous places. We know that too. So, I’m telling you. If possible, we too. Of course, we won’t be as famous as your company.」

In fact, you can think that people hardly know about it.

Every time you sign a contract, you’ll have to say where you participated.

But that alone is a huge history for this new company.

History is not only necessary for people but also for companies.

And I switched back to English and put in the final wedge.

「If you want, we can help you expand your boundaries with Germany.」

「What?」

「I have quite a deep relationship with Meltz.」

At the same time, I showed him the photos on the pad and how I worked with him.

Even an email thanking me for making the contract.

「I owe him a debt.」

I’ve already finished talking to Meltz.

A definite answer that they will consider it positively if it is successful. This alone is huge. The rest depends on VUMAX’s sales skills.

I subtly brought it up.

「I don’t think you’re supplying parts to Meltz car company yet.」

I subtly show another email.

The story we shared recently.

I tapped the pad on the desk with my finger.

「Are you still measuring us?」