Episode 8
Prototype Completion (1)
"Sunbae, I'm here."
"Take this ID card."
"Yes. Thank you."
Today, I came to Korea University wearing ordinary everyday clothes instead of work clothes. Going to the library in sweaty work clothes would be a nuisance to other students, so I had prepared separate clothes to change into.
Holding the ID card my sunbae handed me, I went to the library, only to find that the seats were already packed and there seemed to be few desks left to study at.
I grabbed a seat in the corner and began looking for the books I needed.
'Chemistry... Where the hell do I even start...'
I decided to begin with basic physics and general chemistry, learning step by step.
'Ugh... It's hard... So hard...'
They say business school is for humanities students, but business is a field accompanied by mathematics. Even so, the contents of the books I opened were complex enough to make my head spin.
'So this is what I have to learn. Whew. Let's do it.'
I couldn't give up just because it was hard. Abandoning the pride of having graduated from a prestigious university, I returned to basics and began cramming element symbols into my head step by step.
'Why does this substance capture exhaust gas and convert it into oxygen?' The more I learned chemistry, the more I found myself falling into this complex yet charming field of study. I had been buried in books studying for several hours before I suddenly realized it was almost time to pick the kids up from daycare. I quickly checked out the books and headed home.
Even after bringing my two sons home from daycare, I read books. Then Yul asked, seemingly curious.
"Dad, what are you doing?"
"Studying."
"Studying? But Dad, you're an adult. You're studying?"
"Yeah. They say learning never ends. Even adults have to study when it's necessary."
"Ah~~ Then I want to study too!"
Yul followed my lead, took out Korean and number books, lay down on the floor, and started scribbling.
"Bwoo~~? Hyaa~~~"
Geon seemed to find his older brother fascinating, so he took out a picture coloring book too and began doodling diligently with crayons.
'Suddenly a storm of academic fervor is sweeping through the house. Is this a good thing?'
We used to be a family that just blankly watched TV without any hope. It seemed this was how life patterns changed when you could see hope.
Even after the children fell asleep, the book wouldn't easily leave my hands.
'I'm not tired...' The changes in my body after taking the elixir pill were truly astonishing. It changed day by day. Now I could even finish Sangcheol's share of deliveries without breaking a single drop of sweat.
Honestly, I wondered if I could beat Sangcheol in a fight. Of course, I didn't commit the folly of saying that to his face, but my physical abilities were clearly beyond that of an ordinary person. Though I hadn't learned martial arts systematically, with my current reflexes and physical abilities, I felt like I could win even against people called fighters.
Thanks to my tireless stamina, even after pulling all-nighters for a week to study, I looked full of vigor.
Sangcheol, unaware that I was studying through the night, envied how my complexion had improved these days.
"Wow~ Now I see the Dongbang Sak, the top visual of Hanseong High. You were way too gaunt all this time."
"I'm turning thirty the day after tomorrow. What's the point of being a visual?"
"You should've gone into the entertainment industry. With the title of prestigious university graduate, you would've been the top star for sure... That marriage... Oops!! S... sorry."
"It's fine. Well, people's lives don't flow the way they want."
"Ahem..."
Sangcheol seemed to think bringing up marriage, my Achilles' heel, was a mistake, so he didn't say much until the deliveries finished.
"Is it today?"
"Yeah."
"But how do we do the experiment? Honestly, I don't know how much help I can be."
In the car heading to Korea University after work, Sangcheol poured out words mixed with worry.
"Don't worry. The preparations are already perfect. I've been studying too."
"I know you're smart. But working, taking care of kids, and sleeping—you couldn't have studied much in that short time. And what we're making isn't ordinary either."
"Hahaha. I'm Sak, remember! Just trust me."
"Well... if you say so..."
Sangcheol looked at me with eyes containing a half-penny's worth of doubt and one penny's worth of trust. As for the rest of his feelings? Honestly, I couldn't tell what Sangcheol was thinking.
Anyway, we headed to Sunbae Huiya's professor's office.
"Sunbae. We're here."
"Noonim! Your cutie Sangcheol is here. You're as beautiful as ever today. Hahaha."
I was used to it since I came to get the ID card every day, but Sangcheol greeted her with a shameless smile even though it had been a week.
"Hohoho."
Sunbae Huiya smiled pleasantly at Sangcheol's shamelessness.
"So. That damned bastard and our cutie Sangcheol are here."
"Urk. Why am I a damned bastard?"
"You shut up!"
"Yes..."
Having committed many sins, I had to keep my mouth shut at her words.
"Let's go then."
Under Sunbae Huiya's guidance, we went to the chemistry lab.
"The chemicals on this list are here. Let me know if you need anything else."
Looking over the list I received from Sunbae Huiya, I confirmed that no additional chemicals were needed.
"As expected of Korea University, it seems they have everything we want."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Isn't it time to tell me now? What are you making? I saw the books you checked out at the reading room, and they were all chemistry-related."
"What. Sak. You haven't even told Noonim what we're making and dragged her into the business? This is hopeless."
"Hoho. That's why he's a damned bastard."
"That's right, Noonim. He really looks like a damned bastard through and through."
Sunbae Huiya and Sangcheol chewed me out enthusiastically once again.
Since I knew that was how those two bonded, I tuned them out and began worrying about the chemicals on the list and the direction of the experiment. The catalytic converter we were trying to develop had to be compact. Because it needed to be installable on currently running cars with a simple device. When Sangcheol explained the product and substance I was trying to make on my behalf, Sunbae Huiya's eyes grew as wide as saucers.
"That's absurd... You mean that's possible? So that's why you needed this lab?"
"Yes. Well, since Sak says so."
"Sak isn't pulling a scam? Seducing an innocent guy like you..."
"Excuse me... Noonim... That was a joke meant to make us laugh just now, right?"
"..."
Having made a pun on 'Sak' and 'fraud,' Sunbae Huiya seemed embarrassed by the cold reaction to her joke and turned her head away.
"Ha... hahaha. Haha."
"Don't laugh!"
"Yes..."
Sangcheol tried to laugh belatedly, but at Sunbae Huiya's icy command, he shut his mouth.
"Sangcheol. Bring the chemicals marked on the list. I'll get the experiment equipment."
"Okay!"
Perhaps finding Sunbae Huiya's gaze burdensome, Sangcheol hurriedly left to get the chemicals. Sunbae Huiya stared blankly at me as I set up the experiment equipment.
"Sak. Do you know what kind of thing you're doing right now?"
"I know. That it's an innovation, and something that will have an enormous impact on humanity's future."
"I don't know how you learned the answer to a problem that even the world's outstanding scholars haven't been able to solve until now, but its impact will be greater than you imagine."
"I know. I was a business major too."
"Can you protect it?"
Sunbae Huiya discussed what came after the product's completion rather than the completion itself. It seemed like no big deal when you thought about it, but this technology was one that could mark a milestone in human history. Since it wasn't simply purifying exhaust gas with a mechanical filter, the substance we were trying to create could become a terrifying weapon of war depending on how it was used.
"I must protect it. And I'm confident that I can."
There are many people in the world more outstanding than me. Meaning there are many who could take my technology and use it in endless ways. But as far as I knew, these chemical formulas were ones that present humanity could never discover. As long as I didn't let it slip from my mouth, humanity would never be able to create this substance.
"It won't be easy."
"I know, Sunbae."
"I have class for now. I'll be going first. Keep this card."
Sunbae Huiya handed me the ID card that allowed access to the lab and turned to leave.
"Huff, huff. Is this enough? Huh? Looks like Noonim left?"
Sangcheol arrived with an armful of chemicals from the storeroom and asked when he realized Sunbae Huiya wasn't there.
"Yeah. Ah, and be careful. Some are acidic chemicals, so don't carry them like that. It's better to bring them slowly one by one."
"Ah. Really? Got it."
Sangcheol set the chemicals down on the table and headed back to the storeroom to get more.
'It's hard because I'm not used to it.' Even knowing the chemical formulas, experimenting with them wasn't easy. It was natural since I had to conduct experiments with tools I'd never seen before using knowledge learned from books.
'There's still time. Slowly, and don't be impatient.'
The first day of experiments was a continuous process of trial and error. Since not even a 0.01ml margin of error was allowed, I had to redo the experiments dozens of times as I wasn't used to chemical experiments.
"Want help?"
"No. I'm fine."
Sangcheol wanted to help seeing me conduct the experiment alone, but honestly there was nothing he could help with. At first, I tried hard to explain by breaking down the chemical formulas, but seeing the look in his eyes that understood not one bit of what I said, I had to console myself without getting frustrated.
'Well, honestly I don't really know either.'
Though I had studied blood, sweat and tears for a week, I couldn't grasp even half the formulas, let alone what principle this operated on. There are many science research institutes in the world. Yet what gave me confidence was that no machine could ever analyze the components. It was a substance humanity couldn't create in the first place. Precisely because it wasn't a substance composed of simple component combinations.
"Sorry. No matter how much I listen, I have no idea what it means..."
"It's fine. Just making sure we don't run out of necessary chemicals makes things much smoother."
"Yeah..."
Sangcheol supported me without missing a single small detail so I could immerse myself in the experiment.
And so the first day began with getting used to the experimental equipment.
Day two.
"Alright. Today's the real deal."
"Yeah."
We had even taken a break from delivery work, which we hadn't missed a single day of until now.
The experiment that began in the morning continued until evening, and we filled our stomachs with lunch boxes Sunbae Huiya brought while repeating failures.
"Hey... will this really work?"
Seeing no progress even on day two, Sangcheol cautiously spoke with worry.
"Don't worry. It's just because I don't know chemistry well yet. I've got the feel for it now, so it'll definitely be finished tomorrow."
Even after returning home, I put the kids to bed and checked the chemical formulas. I reviewed what might be wrong once more.
"The chemical formulas are definitely correct. No matter how much of a layman I am, I know this formula isn't wrong. Then it's a problem with the experiment, but what is the problem?"
There had been too many failures to excuse it by saying I wasn't used to it yet. The fact that failures continued nevertheless meant the experimental method was wrong too.
"Tomorrow is the last day. And who knows how long it'll take to rent the lab again after tomorrow..."
We couldn't take a long break from delivery work. Because until the prototype was completed, delivery was our livelihood. Since Sangcheol had worked diligently, the delivery company didn't complain about two days off, but if this dragged on, Sangcheol's spot would eventually be taken by someone else. No matter how much delivery drivers were called independent contractors, they were ultimately subcontractors of the delivery company.
"Let's review once more."
I once again burned with determination and focused on studying until late at night.
"Sak. Today's the last day. After today, I don't know when I'll be able to rent the lab again either."
"Yes, Sunbae. I'll finish it today."
"Good."
Even without Sunbae Huiya's words, today I had to succeed no matter what.
"Sangcheol. Turn on the centrifuge."
"Okay!"
Perhaps because we had been repeating the same tasks, Sangcheol now moved on his own, knowing what he had to do.
"You know which chemical to put in, right?"
"Yeah. Of course. It's not like we haven't done it a hundred times."
"Good. I'm counting on you."
I left the trivial matters to Sangcheol and focused on the core experiment. Mixing dozens of chemicals, separating them, and recombining them. It was tedious and repetitive work, but I couldn't let my guard down for even a moment. I checked the equipment once more and approached the experiment with even more caution than yesterday.
"Alright. Sangcheol. Send the gas."
"Got it."
The gas sent through the test tube was a mixed gas similar to exhaust gas. That gas began to be rapidly absorbed into the substance I had created. The capture of exhaust gas had already succeeded, but what came after was the problem.
"Come on... produce oxygen. Oxygen..."
To see if the substance that met the exhaust gas produced oxygen, hydrogen was present in the atmosphere on one side.
If oxygen and hydrogen met to create water, our experiment would be a success, so I fixed my gaze on the bottle containing hydrogen.
"S... success?"
"Sak! These are water droplets, right? Right?"
Since Sangcheol knew too that water had to be created for the experiment to succeed, he shouted in joy when water droplets formed on the surface of the bottle containing hydrogen.
"It... it worked!! Success! Success!!!!"
They were unfamiliar experimental equipment and chemical materials. But in the end, through persistent effort, we were able to create the desired substance.
"Now. If we solidify this..."
Since the exhaust gas capture phenomenon occurred in liquid state, it had to be solidified and put into the converter. Once the parts being busily manufactured at the factory were assembled, the converter that would liquify the solidified substance to discharge oxygen would be complete.
"It's complete!!!!"
"Wow!!!!!"
Having succeeded in solidification as well, we shouted in joy. The substance that would change humanity's future had finally revealed itself to the world.