Episode 45. Strike While the Iron Is Hot (1)
Time flowed.
Kang Dae-oh, who welcomed another New Year, spent January 1st, the first breakfast of the New Year, with his family.
To eat their mom’s tteokguk, Kang Dae-oh and Min Seung-yeon’s three daughters began gathering around the dining table.
As soon as she saw the tteokguk, Kang Yera suddenly let out a deep sigh.
Seeing her, Kang Yeyoung asked her unnie why she was doing that.
“Unnie. Do you dislike tteokguk?”
“No. I like it.”
“Then why the sigh? It’s making me lose my appetite.”
“If I eat this, I’ll get another year older, you know. That’s why, I guess.”
“You’re not a kid. Not eating it won’t stop you from getting older, you know.”
“Still… it’s a matter of feeling.”
Kang Dae-oh seemed to fully understand why his eldest daughter was saying such things.
However, he also had this question.
“Didn’t Yera wish to grow older quickly before? I remember her habitually saying she wanted to become an adult soon and enjoy all sorts of freedom.”
“That was when I was young. I want to be forever 20. But it’s not working out as I wish.”
Time cannot be stopped by human power.
Because it was close to an irresistible force, Kang Yera’s sigh only deepened.
On the other hand, Kang Yeyoung smiled meaningfully.
“I’m still a teenager.”
“What are you talking about? You little kid.”
“Mom! Unnie called me a little kid and teased me!”
Min Seung-yeon listened to the childish bickering of the two sisters and made an exasperated expression.
“You’re not kids anymore. Since you’re both getting a year older this year, act like adults now.”
Strictly speaking, they had already acted like adults since they were young.
Because they were indeed full-grown adults inside.
With Kang Yebin, who had gone to the bathroom and was the last to join the table, seated, the first family dinner of the New Year began.
This year was one of the most special years for Kang Dae-oh’s family.
The reason lay with Kang Yebin.
“Congratulations on turning 20, my daughter.”
“Thank you, Appa. Eomma too.”
Kang Yebin, who became an adult second after Kang Yera.
Kang Dae-oh watched his daughters become adults one by one, feeling a mix of emotions.
They still seemed like mere children.
Even as adults, they still only looked like children whom Kang Dae-oh had to hold in his arms and protect.
Of course, he knew well enough that overprotection could make children weaker.
Still, a parent’s heart couldn’t help it.
Since she became an adult.
He couldn’t help but ask about Kang Yebin’s future activities.
“Didn’t you pass an audition recently?”
“Yes. I’ve decided to appear as the lead role in Director Kim Jisook’s work.”
At the mention of Director Kim Jisook, Kang Yera and Kang Yeyoung reacted simultaneously.
“Really?”
“Unnie, didn’t you say before that it was your wish to appear in Director Kim Jisook’s work?”
“I did.”
No wonder. Even as she spoke, Kang Yebin’s expression was unusually excited.
It wasn’t her first time taking on a lead role.
Although it wasn’t frequent, Kang Dae-oh remembered Kang Yebin often playing female lead roles in dramas and movies.
After overcoming her musical trauma and focusing on stage performances for a while, she even took on solo lead roles.
Since she already had several experiences as a lead actress, there was still a slight question as to why she would be so happy about this.
Only after learning the inside story did Kang Dae-oh and Min Seung-yeon understand the reason for Kang Yebin’s excitement.
“That’s a relief.”
“Congratulations. So, when does filming begin?”
“I heard it’ll be around late March.”
“Late March? That’s not much time left, is it?”
“That’s right. So this time, I’m planning to get some tutoring from unnie.”
“Huh?”
At Kang Yebin’s sudden words, everyone in the family simultaneously showed a question mark.
Even Kang Yera, who was named, reacted as if she was hearing it for the first time.
It couldn’t be helped.
Because Kang Yebin had brought it up for the first time at this gathering.
“The role I got is an idol. So I thought it would be good to learn how to sing and dance beforehand and then film, so I’m going to ask unnie for a favor.”
His second daughter as an idol.
Kang Dae-oh couldn’t quite match it.
Of course, it was true that his second daughter was as pretty as an idol.
Because Kang Yebin was always mentioned among the most anticipated beautiful actresses in the future.
It meant she possessed superior beauty.
She had properly inherited her mother’s genes, and since her unnie was an active idol, she probably also had related talents embedded in her body.
Director Kim Jisook might have even considered Kang Yebin’s background when picking her as the female lead.
Furthermore, during Kang Yera’s first concert, Kang Yebin had personally prepared and performed on stage with Kang Yeyoung.
Such experience must have played a crucial role in appealing Kang Yebin as an actress to Director Kim Jisook.
Since the admired Director Kim entrusted Kang Yebin with a significant role.
Kang Yebin wanted to clearly show her gratitude through her acting.
To do so, intensive tutoring from Kang Yera, who was currently active, was desperately needed.
Kang Yera looked at her younger sister with an expression of wonder.
“You, I suggested that if I prepared a performance for the fan meeting, the fans would like it. But back then, you didn’t even listen.”
“That was a fan meeting. This is ‘work’ where I officially get a role and have to start filming. So, I need to prepare professionally for it. And for that, isn’t it better to get tutoring from a pro?”
At the word ‘pro,’ one corner of Kang Yera’s mouth twitched.
“Yebin does have good judgment. Alright. As your unnie, I’ll teach you properly, so be prepared.”
“Thank you, unnie.”
Meanwhile, Kang Dae-oh, who had been quietly watching the conversation between his daughters, scooped a spoonful of tteokguk with his spoon and thought.
‘Yebin really knows how to handle her unnie.’
Slurp.
Tteokguk tasted especially good today.
Kang Dae-oh, recalling that Kang Yebin was going to get singing and dancing tutoring from Kang Yera, took out his smartphone after a long time.
A video of Kang Yebin and Kang Yeyoung performing a special stage at their unnie’s concert was saved on Kang Dae-oh’s smartphone.
It was a video he watched sometimes when he wanted to cheer up.
Perhaps because it was mentioned recently, he suddenly wanted to watch the video.
Even now, but especially back then, the children looked so young and fresh.
From a father’s perspective, it felt like re-watching a talent show he first saw in kindergarten.
Cute. And lovely.
Thanks to these thoughts, a smile never left Kang Dae-oh’s face.
However, this happiness didn’t last long.
“Ahem!”
“……!”
Kang Dae-oh instantly let out a sharp cry.
“You startled me! Executive Director, how long have you been there?”
“For about 5 minutes now.”
“Ah… really? I’m sorry. I didn’t notice you.”
“It’s alright. As CEO, you know well, it’s not the first or second time this has happened, is it?”
“Haha……”
A laugh filled with embarrassment escaped Kang Dae-oh’s lips.
As he said, there had been several instances before where he hadn’t noticed Executive Director Yu Inseok’s presence at all.
Nevertheless, the embarrassment he felt every time this happened remained.
“What were you watching today?”
“Before, my second and third daughters prepared a special guest stage for my eldest daughter’s concert. I was watching that video.”
“Suddenly?”
“Because Yebin got an idol character role this time.”
“I see. Your daughters are so versatile, so it seems they’re getting many roles. I suppose it might be thanks to CEO’s influence.”
Executive Director Yu Inseok naturally steered the conversation towards praising Kang Dae-oh.
Kang Dae-oh gave a bitter smile and said jokingly.
“You don’t need to appeal to me with your social skills, Executive Director.”
At this, Executive Director Yu Inseok laughed heartily.
The two had known each other for over 10 years.
Now, they knew each other so well that they could understand each other instantly, so it was more comfortable to just speak openly when something came up.
“We’ve received contact from Japan.”
“Japan?”
“Yes. It’s related to what CEO wanted to push for last time.”
Kang Dae-oh quickly recalled several projects he wanted to pursue in his mind.
As the New Year began, Kang Dae-oh had made one significant decision.
That was.
Amare’s entry into Japan.
“So, they finally contacted us.”
“Yes.”
“Which region did the local team recommend?”
To scout for the first region to plant the Amare brand flag in Japan, Kang Dae-oh frequently dispatched several personnel to Japan.
As a result of their consideration of local conditions and requirements.
There was one place they recommended to Kang Dae-oh.
“Tokyo.”
“So, the idea is to target the heart first, isn’t it?”
“Yes. And since it’s the first step in entering Japan, the local survey team’s opinion was that it would be better to secure a significant region first. For your information, they said it was unanimous.”
The weight of the word ‘unanimous’ was considerable.
However, they were only making recommendations.
The final decision-maker was ultimately in Kang Dae-oh’s hands as the CEO.
“How long will the preparation period be?”
“If we’re quick, it might be possible by the end of this year.”
“That’s good.”
Kang Dae-oh’s primary goal was to establish the first overseas store within this year.
Even if it was on December 31st, that would be fine. He wanted to achieve something within this year anyway.
And one more thing.
There was something Kang Dae-oh was strongly pushing for.
“How is the listing process coming along?”
“That part seems to be progressing without issues. The results will be out before our Japan entry.”
Amare, which steadily grew and eventually became the top coffee brand subsidiary.
Not only that, but Amare was also operating various projects beyond coffee, such as launching a dessert specialty brand.
For these things, Kang Dae-oh had steadily built a foundation domestically over the past few years.
Steadily expanding and opening stores in rural areas was also part of this effort.
“It seems like we’ll be very busy this year.”
“Isn’t being busy better for people like us?”
“Executive Director, you’re right.”
Being busy means the company has a lot of work to do.
Only with a lot of work can steady profits be made.
Nevertheless, Kang Dae-oh always kept one thing in mind.
“Still, it would be nice if we could secure enough time to eat together with our families.”
At this, Executive Director Yu Inseok also laughed heartily and said.
“I think the same.”
Since they were all breadwinners working for their families. It was a natural wish.
