12 Hours After

Translator: Khan

Editor: Aelryinth

From the hospital, on the way home, I said, holding my wife's hand. "It's just as well that it is a simple cold."

"Yes."

"You have to be careful, though. Just like the doctor said, don't go anywhere today and get some rest. Okay?"

My wife nodded twice.

"If you're sick again, call me right away."

"Yes, by the way, why did you turn off your cell phone? I kept in touch."

"Oh, I had something important this morning."

"Uh... really? Is it on now?"

I lifted my cell phone and showed it to her. There were still 'three missed calls' on it. "Yes. Sorry."

"It's okay. But I called your secretary and it was connected right away."

"I'm glad it was." I nodded and said to Secretary Park, who was driving in the front seat. "Good job, Secretary Park. Thank you."

With a slight nod to the rearview mirror, he answered, "Not at all."

------

Park continued to drive. Soon the car carrying us arrived at the company building. Then, as soon as we got out of the parking lot, he said, "Ah, boss. Well... this is a very ambiguous time to go, but I think we'll have to go out again. The next meeting is up."

"Ah, we have a schedule, right?"

"Yes. Time is up. You can go up and down, but you have to come down almost immediately."

"Then I'll just send my wife up, and return."

"Yes, boss."

My wife looked at me and asked, "What's going on? Is there anything you need to do?"

"Yes, you know the new companies? I need to go and say, 'I'm your master.' I should show them my face, and receive a vow of loyalty."

I had an important job today, the meeting with representatives of the newly acquired Suyeon Construction. My wife was so sick that I forgot for a moment. I said, pushing the elevator's up button.

"Well, everybody will be nervous."

"That's right. By the way, we will have a company dinner tonight."

"A company dinner?"

"Yes. A big deal is done and I decided to buy a good meal for Vice President Jang and the directors..."

Today, I was determined to get drunk after a long time. However, I was sorry to have to leave my sick wife alone.

"Shall I just eat dinner and come back? You're sick."

"It's okay. It's a light cold. A company dinner is a job, too. Don't drink yourself unconscious."

At the words, I said with a big smile, "Hmm. Don't worry. I'm a pretty strong drinker, as I'm different from anyone. To come back, being drunk and riding on someone's back…"

My wife slapped me on the arm and said, "That's enough. All of a sudden, you're telling the old story..."

"Why? It's all our memories. Well, if it weren't for those things, we wouldn't have been married like this."

"Hmm. Is that so?"

She seemed to think of the old days when she had been drunk and carried by me; she smiled and laughed. Soon the elevator arrived and stood in front of us.

"Anyway, I'll be back before ten. Take good care of yourself."

"Yes."

---

After sending my wife home, I came back to the parking lot where Secretary Park was waiting.

"If we go now, will we be late?"

"We're not going to be late, but I think we need to drive a little faster."

"Then let's go a little faster. Let's go."

"Yes, boss."

----------------------

At the Suyeon Electronics building, not too far from the Invictus Investment building...

As soon as I entered the parking lot and got out of the car, Vice President Jang came out to greet me.

"Are you here, boss?"

"Yes. Have you all met?"

"Yes."

"How was it?"

"They are all nervous. I think they are worried about what kind of person the boss is like and how they can look good."

"Aha. What about the Tak family?"

"Most of them were fired. There are a few people left in bookkeeping, but they're practically gone. The people who came today were either chosen as substitutes or only those who will be chosen."

"Well, that's great."

I headed for the elevator with him. In front of the elevator stood the loyal men of Invictus Investment; Director Kim, Director Jung, Director Kang, and so on. They looked at me and bowed.

"Are you here, boss?" They held an elevator for me.

"Yes, let's go," I replied, gesturing for them to go. While we were going up to our destination in the elevator, I told Vice President Jang, "I've been thinking about the name of this company this morning."

"What is it?"

I brought up a story that I had made up. "I was reading the newspaper this morning, and my name appeared in the article, as a genius investor."

"It is common, isn't it?"

"Yes, but... it wouldn't be bad to just name it using my name. There's a brand we've built up, so far, Sang-hoon Han. I thought about naming it the SHH group. Vice President Jang, what do you think?"

At my words, Vice President Jang said, "It's a little simple, but it's not bad. To name it after the founder... is not too common for Korean companies, but..."

His assessment was, in fact, "just so." I agreed with that. It was just so. It was not good, it was not bad, except for having the company named after me would be helpful in People Search.

'But if it wasn't for People Search, I wouldn't have named it SHH.' I told him, thinking about it. "Well, I see."

Then, slightly turning my head, I asked the other three directors, "Directors, what do you think?"

"I think it's good. If it's your opinion, there's no other opinion."

"I like it, too. Even the boss has a lot of fame overseas."

"It's a good idea to name it after the boss."

The three spoke to me in rather flattering voices. And as I heard them, I thought, 'How many of these people think it's actually good? One? Two?'

There weren't many people who could say 'I don't think that's a good idea, boss.'

'... of course, even if there were different opinions, I would have pushed ahead with it. Anyway... SHH is good.'

Then, the elevator door opened. The directors went out first and beckoned me. "This way, boss."

I asked as I walked along with them, "So, how many people did you say I would meet today? Seventeen people?"

"Yes, exactly seventeen people."

Including Suyeon Electronics, Suyeon Construction, and its subsidiaries, the total number was seventeen. This was due to the chaebol's unique octopus-style expansion, which ranged from toy companies for children to companies that supplied popcorn, nachos, and baked squid to the view-box theaters. Usually, these companies were distributed to the relatives of Tak family, in such a way, 'You're one of Tak family, take this.' Among them, there were also many companies that were used for tax evasion.

In other words, it was the legacy of Tak Woo-kyung.

"I think it's inefficient to keep everything together... I think we should combine them in a proper way."

"Yes, I think so, too. Once all the remaining Taks are out, we are going to sort out the equity relationship."

"That's good." I walked down the hall nodding my head.

Director Chung, who was walking ahead, opened the door of the hall as he said, "This way, boss."

I walked in that direction. Inside, a total of seventeen people stood, waiting for me tensely. They said, lowering their heads in unison as I walked forward at a moderate pace, "I've seen you for the first time, boss."

I stopped at the top seat and studied them. As Vice President Jang said, they were looking at me with tense eyes. I grinned at them. I would be a little nervous if I was normal, but I knew my future. I would not fail. The soon-to-be SHH Group companies would see tremendous growth in the coming years. I opened my mouth with a confident tone of voice, "Nice to meet you all."

----------------------

The elevator door opened, and I entered the house with care. A voice came from the inside.

"You're early?"

Soon, my wife in her pajamas came to see me.

"Didn't you sleep?"

"No. What about the company dinner? Didn't you have that?"

"No, I did, but... I didn't drink much."

My wife sniffed the air around me for a second, and she nodded. "Hmm. That's true."

I said with a wave of hands. "Don't take the smell. The baby in your belly will smell the liquor, too."

It was ten past nine. As soon as the dinner began at 7:30 p.m., I quickly made progress, drank only moderately, and came back home to see if my wife was okay.

"What about the fever? Are you okay?"

"Yes. I'm much better. I think a day's sleep will make me feel better."

"It sounds great. Go get some rest. I'll take a shower."

After taking a shower, my wife was already sleeping in bed. She might have waited for me even though she had been sleepy. I lay quietly beside her, lest I wake her up. Then, I picked up my cell phone. '... It's 9:20...'

At 8:50 p.m., an email would have arrived. I was going to read it, but being mildly drunk, I gave it up. I didn't think it would work out well even if I would look at the news.

'I'll have to read the two emails together tomorrow morning.'

I fell asleep thinking about it.

----------------------

The next morning...

When I woke up, I found that there was no wife beside me. I went out of the bedroom and went to the living room. There was a noise in the kitchen.

"Ah-young, are you cooking?"

"Yes."

I went there. I could smell something tasty.

"It's yukgaejang, hot spicy meat stew. Eat and go."

"How about your cold? Are you okay?"

"Yes, it's still a little chilly, but I think the fever's almost gone. I don't have a headache."

I approached my wife and touched her head. Apparently, the fever had gone down.

"Good."

"It must have been a simple cold."

"Good. When the doctor comes next week, listen carefully. You are pregnant. You should be careful every time."

"I get it. I get it."

------

I went to work after eating the yukgaejang that my wife had cooked for me.

"Good morning."

"Good morning, boss."

After saying hello to Secretary Park after I arrived, I turned on the computer and opened the email box. There was still the email which had arrived at 8:50 p.m. yesterday; 'Gm 12 Hours After, Gm 12 Days After, Gm 12 Weeks After, Gm 12 Months After, Gm 12 Years After.' I quickly read it. Then, at 8:50 a.m., five more emails came in again. By the way, in these future news that I read in a series, I found something strange.

'Wait a minute...' What is this?'

The more I read the email, the bigger the idea grew. With the email open, I mumbled, holding my hand on my chin.

"What the Hell is wrong with this?"