15. A Close Yet Distant Country (2)
"Excuse me, but could we boil and eat it here? I will pay you generously."
Whether in Korea or Japan, rural people were warm-hearted, and I paid a suitable price. Thanks to the shop owner's cheerful permission and kindness, I bought three packets of Chicken Ramen, boiled them, and divided them into individual bowls.
"Boss? What is this?"
"Oppa. Is this noodles?"
"Both of you, just try it first."
Avoiding the bright, sparkling eyes of my younger sister, who was also my mother, I too picked up my chopsticks for Chicken Ramen, the true original instant noodles, for the first time in my life.
The noodles, the convenience of preparation, and the overall feel were almost identical to the instant noodles I knew, yet something was different.
First of all, the broth was not red.
Also, a thin layer of oil floated on top of the boiled Chicken Ramen's broth. Seeing this, Park Minseok and my younger sister hesitated.
"Oppa. Is this really delicious?"
"Yes. Try it."
"Hmm... But this smells a bit fishy?"
Park Minseok chimed in.
"Ugh... It's salty."
"Boss. This is too greasy."
Watching the two of them eat, I finally picked up my chopsticks as well.
-Wow! It's really delicious, Oppa!
-Boss! This is it! This is what we need to take back from Saitama. It's delicious!
-Yes. So let's hurry to Saitama.
This was the scene I had originally imagined, but I too put down my chopsticks after only a few bites.
It wasn't completely tasteless, but it was salty and greasy. Despite being called Chicken Ramen, it used chicken broth, which clearly gave off a fishy taste to Korean palates. It didn't suit our tastes. Especially to my palate, which knew instant noodles from my previous life, it was even worse.
The taste was definitely something that needed to be improved and considered.
"Hmm... This ramen is exactly the product we need to learn about and secure a technology transfer for in Saitama."
I had already known that early Samyeong Industrial had brought over this exact form of Chicken Ramen exactly as it was and initially failed, so improving the soup powder was within the scope of what I had anticipated.
"This doesn't taste good, though?"
"If we improve the powdered soup to suit our tastes, that will be sufficient to resolve the issue. For now, please think only of the product itself. We arrived less than ten minutes ago, and it's already cooked and ready. Moreover, it's a substantial amount. Isn't it more than enough to replace a full meal?"
After finishing that persuasion that wasn't quite persuasion, we began moving toward Saitama, located slightly north of Tokyo.
Despite the forced march, my younger sister, who was also my mother, traveled with me smiling without a single complaint, and I felt deeply sorry and grateful toward her.
It was the first trip with my mother across both my previous and current lives, and it touched my heart that she enjoyed foreign travel this much.
In every single moment while traveling on the train.
Regardless of where we arrived, in every space of those places.
She accepted the newness with shining eyes and was happy.
-Son. Where are you going this time?
-I'm going to the Philippines. I'm only going for work, so it's exhausting.
-......
-Why? Should I send you on an overseas trip too, Mother?
-...Oh dear... Your mother is scared of planes and can't ride them. Be careful and come back safely. Be careful around water.
I couldn't remember exactly when it was, but
I remembered a phone call with my mother that had come while I was on my way to play golf overseas with friends.
That day, I had ignored my mother's voice, which was unusually full of regret, even though I recognized it.
My younger sister, who would gaze endlessly at the scenery outside the window whenever we boarded a train, spoke to me.
"Oppa. You said we could live this well someday too, right?"
I stroked her head with a still-careful hand.
"Yes. We'll live much better than this. If our Gyeongsuk wants it, Oppa will do anything."
Now, I don't turn away from her voice.
My mother's joyful gestures and pure hand movements, now as my younger sister, make me smile.
*
Japan was certainly far ahead at this time.
Though it couldn't be seen as perfectly organized, while personally experiencing Japan's transportation network, which was still fairly well-formed and orderly, we safely arrived in front of Myojo Foods in Saitama.
"Let's go in."
Leading Park Minseok and my younger sister, who had fallen silent at the massive scale of Myojo Foods, I entered inside.
"Excuse me. I am Lee Dongho of Korea's Yeongdong Foods."
"Ah. Hello? What brings you here?"
The guide at the entrance greeted us with a kind smile.
Since we hadn't made a prior appointment, we had to wait quite a long time, but eventually, Okui Kiyosumi granted us a meeting.
The first meeting was achieved much more easily than expected.
I had thought we would have to wait at the entrance for several days since we had come without warning.
I had my younger sister and Park Minseok rest outside the office and opened the door alone.
A man who wasn't extremely old but bore the marks of time welcomed me. It was Okui Kiyosumi.
"Please sit."
Okui Kiyosumi offered me a seat.
"Hello."
"You came from Korea?"
"That's correct. I am Lee Dongho of Korea's Yeongdong Foods."
"Pleased to meet you. I am Okui Kiyosumi of Myojo Foods."
How should I express this?
I grew curious about him as he welcomed me with a benevolent expression. It was certainly a bit strange. For him to receive someone from a nation with which they had past grievances so politely, despite my showing up without warning.
I decided to ask about what had become more curious to me than the technology transfer deal.
"Why did you agree to meet me?"
"What do you mean?"
"Exactly as I said. I am curious why you agreed to meet me."
Even in my previous life, Okui had permitted a technology transfer to Chairman Jeon Jaeyun of Samyeong Industrial. However, that was because Chairman Jeon Jaeyun had come with complex interests involved, having received material and emotional support from Kim Heungsu, the number two man of the era. Thus, the first meeting had been largely natural.
"Haha. That's an interesting question. You came to meet me, so isn't it natural that we meet?"
Okui laughed heartily between his gentle eyes.
"Then you must also know what I am going to say."
"Haha. I can guess."
Rather, I was the one flustered. Such a favorable attitude?
Though flustered, I looked at him while hiding it as much as possible and spoke.
"Since you guess, I will speak directly. I have a request."
"Haha. What is it?"
He asks once more even though he knows.
His attitude wasn't meant to tease me. It was simply a businessman’s habit. He wanted confirmation from my own mouth.
"I request a transaction for the technology transfer of Myojo Ramen and the purchase of machinery and equipment."
"Let's do that."
"...Yes??"
This time I couldn't hide my bewilderment.
I was truly surprised.
Setting my bewilderment aside, President Okui confirmed once more.
"Technology transfer. And machinery and equipment purchase. Let's do both."
This was shocking in a completely different way.
What in the world is this person?
"Does that include the soup manufacturing method?"
"Hmm... Yes. Since that is one of the core elements, that must be included as well."
He paused slightly, but even this didn't take long to answer.
I stared intently at President Okui.
In my original life, President Okui had transferred technology free of charge to Chairman Jeon Jaeyun of Samyeong Industrial. It was true that President Okui was a man who knew how to reflect on the era's misdeeds. When asked why he was being so kind as to transfer technology free of charge to Chairman Jeon Jaeyun, he had spoken of reflecting on Japan's past wrongs and the moral repayment of a Japan that had grown on the by-products of the Korean War.
However, Chairman Jeon Jaeyun's persuasion had required a month.
The soup manufacturing method had only been passed on at the very last moment, after a month had passed and when Chairman Jeon Jaeyun was about to board his plane.
Now, things were somewhat different.
"May I hear the reason?"
From now on, it wasn't a transaction.
No, I had come to make a transaction, but this couldn't be called a transaction from the very beginning.
"Korea is having a hard time, isn't it?"
Okui opened the conversation like that and smiled benevolently.
"It must be hard. Japan was like that after losing the war. The streets were overflowing with children begging for sweets thrown by American soldiers, and I too used to think I was happy if I could eat one meal a day."
I listened silently to his story.
"I had to do anything and everything. Anything and everything. Just to survive. At that time, a war broke out in the neighboring country of Korea."
It was the June 25 Korean War.
"I'm ashamed to say it, but back then, I wished the Korean War would continue forever like this. Because the longer the Korean War lasted, the wealthier Japan became. You probably know this, Mr. Lee Dongho. That is how Japan obtained an opportunity for recovery. And so did I."
Serving as an American military supply base, Japan got its factories running, and in this way, the economy rode the rapid current of recovery.
Okui met my eyes and smiled benevolently.
"I felt sorry and grateful to Korea. It seems I can repay that debt this time."
"Sigh... I don't know what to say... I'm bewildered. Thank you."
Setting aside matters of state, I bowed my head deeply in gratitude.
"Is the child outside perhaps your daughter, Mr. Lee Dongho?"
"Haha. No. She is my younger sister."
"I am a businessman. Truthfully, I worried quite a bit about this. A burden on the heart is still a burden, but whether it was right to make such an emotional choice... that is what I wondered."
It was his time again.
I simply listened.
"'Just send them away. It must have been a difficult journey, so I'll greet them and send them off.' That's what I thought as I came down to meet a guest from Korea, but then I saw your younger sister from afar, Mr. Lee Dongho. I too had a younger sister of that age."
"Ah..."
I had one...
It was an expression of the past. I could easily guess his inner thoughts.
He remained quiet like that for a while before opening his mouth again.
"...My younger sister died of hunger. It was the reason I started a food company. After that, I lived devoted to work like a madman. So that the face of my hungry younger sister wouldn't come to mind. Today, your younger sister's smiling face was so beautiful that I watched her for a long time. Mr. Lee Dongho, I hope you can protect your younger sister. I couldn't."
"Thank you."
I couldn't say anything else.
The debt and responsibility borne by a nation was a matter between nations, and he was merely one businessman. Yet he remembered matters between nations that he himself had not committed so deeply in his heart and showed human magnanimity.
'I will definitely repay this grace.'
I didn't know when that repayment would be, but I engraved this matter deep in my heart.
Having agreed to meet President Okui again tomorrow to discuss a formal contract, we arrived at our lodging in Saitama and rested our weary bodies.
*
"Uh... Boss. What do you mean?"
For this contract matter, President Okui had requested that my younger sister and Park Minseok be present together, and Park Minseok interrupted the conversation with Okui.
"Ah. I had thought Mr. Park Minseok could also speak Japanese?"
"Yes. But that's not the important part... I'm staying here?"
I asked President Okui's pardon for a moment and began speaking with Park Minseok again.
"Yes. You will be remaining here, Park Minseok."
"Why me?"
"Because someone needs to learn the technology properly."
"Why me and not you, Boss?"
Park Minseok's pupils were shaking.
His gaze seemed to reproach me, as if asking why I was abandoning him.
"Park Minseok. How old are you this year?"
"My age? I'm twenty-five this year."
Though he was puzzled by the sudden question about age, Park Minseok answered.
"That's good. Twenty-five years old and a director of Yeongdong Foods."
Park Minseok's pupils began shaking even more violently.
"I've worried a lot about how long I could keep referring to someone your age with '-ssi, -ssi.' We too need to take on proper appearances one by one now. From now on, I will address you as Director Park."
"No... Thank you. I'm grateful but... why now...?"
"You don't like it? If you don't like it, please tell me. If not for this opportunity, it would probably take a good twenty years before Park Minseok would be called a director again."
I looked at Park Minseok a bit playfully.
This person's character had now been sufficiently verified. I had first picked him solely for his diligence, but the more I saw of him, the more he proved to be the real deal.
Especially concerning relationships with people, his strengths were outstanding.
He was perfectly suited to issues like assimilating existing employees of the newly acquired oil extraction company and managing new hires.
With Park Minseok beside me, his face scrunched up in an expression unsure whether he was crying or laughing, I finalized the contract with President Okui.
'Minseok. I didn't bring you here for nothing.'
The reason I had planned to bring Park Minseok along from the very beginning, even though I could have come alone, was for this second cottonseed.
Because someone had to stay behind to learn the technology transfer.
Anyway, it was promised that Park Minseok would stay and learn the technology transfer first, and the ramen machines would be paid for and brought over together later, timed with Park Minseok's return.
The detailed conditions were so one-sidedly favorable to our convenience that there was no need to even negotiate.
Even the matter of Myojo Foods dispatching personnel to inspect once the factory was operational was carefully included.
"Your younger sister is very cute. I thought it might be a rude request, but I wanted to see her up close just once."
"Not at all. Thank you."
We stood facing each other and shook hands.
Park Minseok, who had followed thinking it would be a short schedule, ended up remaining at Myojo Foods like that, and my younger sister and I moved to finish our nearly ten-day schedule and return to Korea.
*
"Gyeongsuk..."
"Mister Minseok..."
Sigh...
Even though I told her not to come, she had followed us to Osaka Port and had been at it for thirty minutes already.
I had tried counting how many times they called each other's names but gave up.
The two held hands tightly as if they would never see each other again, refusing to let go.
"Gyeongsuk......"
"Then I'll be going now. Mister Minseok, I'll see you again later."
"Huh?"
Huh?
I too was surprised at my younger sister's suddenly changing attitude, letting go of his hand and becoming cold in an instant.
"Ah, come on. I'm not a child anymore. I've called you Mister Minseok so many times, isn't that enough? What more do you want?"
"Gyeongsuk! How could you do this to me?!"
Park Minseok wailed like a man who had heard his wife had put her rubber shoes on backwards.
...Embarrassed that someone might see, I hurriedly looked around.
"I'll be going. Oppa said you'll be back in a month or two, so I'll play with you again then."
"Ugh... This Lee family, with neither blood nor tears..."
I can't tell who the child is and who the adult is.
My younger sister waved at Park Minseok and ran to my side.
"We're off. Director Park Minseok. I ask for your hard work. The rise and fall of Yeongdong Foods is in Director Park's hands."
I deliberately emphasized the title of director to give him strength.
Avoiding Park Minseok's resentful eyes, I boarded the ship since it was time to depart.
*
"Oppa. But the sea is really blue?"
"Right?"
"Yeah. And it's amazing."
"What else?"
"Hmm... What else?"
"Yes. What else."
My younger sister Gyeongsuk sat on my lap and looked out at the sea through the cabin window.
"Hehe. It just feels good, that's all. What do you mean, what else?"
Saying so, my younger sister got up and hung halfway on the window frame again, looking outside.
The more I watched, the happier I felt.
Seeing her enjoying herself.
I had wanted the first trip to definitely be by boat.
Because I wanted to show the sea to my sea.
"Oppa. The sea is really vast!"
As if she had thought of one more thing, she looked at me and smiled.
The sunlight coming through the cabin window covered her from behind.
'You are far vaster than this sea.'
I too smiled as I faced her.
────────────────────────────────────