Episode 24. The Big Picture (4)
There are several important factors in running a cafe.
Naturally, the most important thing to pay attention to would be the taste of the drinks.
However, Amare, the cafe run by Kang Dae-oh, didn’t only sell beverages like coffee.
It also sold several dessert items, including small cakes, financiers, scones, and waffles.
This was due to the concern that the menu might look incomplete if only drinks were sold.
And Kang Dae-oh also happens to be fond of bread.
For this reason, when he first started Amare, Kang Dae-oh consistently maintained an attitude of wanting to focus on baking as well.
However, while he was confident in coffee, he hadn’t received professional training in baking, so the desserts received relatively less favorable reviews compared to the coffee beverages.
Most orders for desserts were made reluctantly, simply because customers felt peckish while only drinking beverages.
Whenever this happened, Kang Dae-oh’s concerns deepened.
He really wanted to find a breakthrough for the desserts if possible.
But no suitable opportunity presented itself.
Kang Yeyoung already knew about her Appa’s concerns.
Because she had already seen her Appa’s struggles in the future.
So, to directly solve Kang Dae-oh’s problem, Kang Yeyoung had diligently laid out clues by producing videos like the Soldamri series.
She intended to induce baking-related advertisement offers.
As a result, she even succeeded in making the ‘big fish’ (Étoile) bite the bait Kang Yeyoung had thrown.
But not all problems were solved.
Because what matters is from now on.
Kang Dae-oh expressed his doubts about the big picture his youngest daughter had drawn.
“If the misfortunes that will happen at Étoile are true, as you say, it means the brand image of Étoile will be completely shattered. I wonder if it’s okay for us to acquire Étoile in that state.”
He worried that Amare might also be negatively affected.
Kang Dae-oh’s biggest concern was such side effects.
Kang Yeyoung, of course, must have considered this aspect.
Nevertheless, there was a reason why she strongly recommended the acquisition of Étoile to her Appa.
“Only Étoile’s CEO is the problem, not the company itself. That’s why people seemed to forgive them after the Étoile CEO stepped down.”
“That was in the future, right?”
“Yes. But the impact of falling into rock bottom was so critical that the company went bankrupt within a few years, that’s the problem.”
“Hmm······.”
That could certainly happen.
Because there’s nothing harder than restoring trust once it’s broken.
However, if Kang Dae-oh and Amare were to acquire Étoile, the story might be different this time.
“Thanks to my unnies, Amare’s image is good these days. So if Appa acquires Étoile and re-establishes it, the public will be interested. In a way, it’s also a noise marketing.”
“That’s true.”
Moreover, Étoile’s baking-related technologies and stores are quite advantageous.
Of course, Amare cannot take on all the stores.
They can boldly liquidate the low-revenue branches and only renew and re-establish the stores that seem manageable from Étoile to Amare.
Kang Dae-oh would be able to solve the dessert problem, which he had always considered a weakness, in one go by acquiring Étoile.
Because of this, Kang Dae-oh couldn’t help but be interested.
However, there was another problem.
“Amare’s market value is smaller compared to Étoile. Isn’t it like a shrimp trying to swallow a whale?”
Even with owner risk, Étoile is still Étoile.
It had a larger scale than Amare, so the acquisition was expected to be difficult.
There was no need to worry about this part.
“Due to financial difficulties, its value will drop significantly. Owner risk will erupt, and the company size will be reduced internally. Amare will grow even more during that time, so by the time acquisition talks come up, it won’t be a shrimp and a whale, but both will be around the size of a yellowtail, perhaps?”
“Yellowtail is delicious, though.”
Nevertheless, Kang Dae-oh had more concerns.
This was because other companies, like Kang Yeyoung and Kang Dae-oh, were also expected to try and acquire Étoile during this opportunity.
How could fishermen simply pass by a good fishing spot with good currents?
If he were asked if he could successfully secure Étoile by fighting against them,
‘That’s impossible.’
Only a negative answer came to Kang Dae-oh’s mind.
The acquisition battle seemed destined to be difficult.
However, Kang Yeyoung also had the answer to this.
“You don’t have to worry. There won’t be a single company participating in the acquisition battle.”
Kang Dae-oh, who was about to ask “On what grounds?”, quickly changed his words.
This was because Kang Dae-oh also knew the basis of Kang Yeyoung’s assertion.
Her knowledge of the future was the basis.
Kang Yeyoung already knew what would happen in the future, so what she said was not speculation but something that would definitely happen.
Although sometimes things that didn’t happen in the future occur due to the butterfly effect caused by his daughters’ regression,
This butterfly effect was not expected to influence inter-corporate issues.
Because even if the future changes, it is a natural progression that it should change centering around Kang Dae-oh’s family.
In fact, preparing for the Étoile acquisition battle based solely on Kang Yeyoung’s words was, in some ways, a bold gamble.
But thanks to this bold gamble, Kang Dae-oh was able to reach his current position today.
He operates a cafe brand where customers line up regardless of the time of day.
He is the Appa of a first daughter who successfully debuted as a singer, a second daughter who is active as a promising child actor, and a youngest daughter who is an influencer with 500,000 subscribers.
This is what defines Kang Dae-oh’s current position.
And one more thing.
He must not forget the title of a husband to a beautiful wife.
All these things were possible entirely thanks to his daughters’ advice.
Therefore, Kang Dae-oh did not hesitate deeply in firming his resolve.
“Alright. As my daughter says, Appa will try his best.”
Since Kang Yeyoung made the big fish bite the bait,
The role of reeling it in was left to Appa, Kang Dae-oh.
Min Seung-yeon, who was at home with Kang Yera and Kang Yebin, happily greeted her husband and youngest daughter.
“Welcome home. You worked hard. But what’s that paper bag in your hand?”
“Oh, this?”
Kang Dae-oh unfolded the opening of the paper bag to Min Seung-yeon and showed her the contents inside.
As soon as she saw it, a short exclamation escaped Min Seung-yeon’s lips.
“This, isn’t this bread?”
At the word “bread,” Kang Yera and Kang Yebin’s eyes sparkled.
“Omma and I were just talking about eating bread.”
“The timing is great.”
At her unnies’ words, Kang Yeyoung puffed out her chest and said,
“It’s all thanks to me, unnies.”
Kang Yera rolled her eyes with an exasperated expression.
“Appa bought it. Why are you showing off?”
“Thanks to me, the ad offer came from Étoile, so Appa could buy bread. If it weren’t for me, we wouldn’t be eating bread at this timing.”
Come to think of it, she wasn’t wrong.
Min Seung-yeon smiled gently and stroked Kang Yeyoung’s head.
“Thank you, my daughter. I’ll enjoy it.”
Kang Dae-oh placed the bag full of bread on the living room table and said something meaningful to Min Seung-yeon.
“Eat a lot. Especially the chocolate soboro. You might not be able to eat it for a while.”
“Huh? Why? Is it being discontinued?”
“Well······ something similar.”
Whether or not to discontinue the chocolate soboro.
This decision-making power was soon to fall into Kang Dae-oh’s hands.
About two months after Kang Yeyoung filmed a video featuring Étoile’s products.
Kang Dae-oh’s eyes narrowed as he looked through online news articles.
He had spotted a news title that caught his attention.
[Étoile’s Owner Risk Explodes, What’s Next?]
[Étoile CEO Kim Cheong-san Embroiled in Various Allegations. ‘Summon Investigation’ Premature.]
Étoile began to shake significantly due to various illegal activities of not only CEO Kim Cheong-san but also the vice president and other high-ranking executives who worked with him.
Although Managing Director Yoo In-seok was working hard, both internally and externally, trying to resolve the matter somehow.
‘Managing Director Yoo alone won’t be enough.’
Kang Dae-oh recalled his first meeting with him during a business meeting.
He had a proper image, spoke well, and was a person of outstanding ability.
‘He’s too talented to just let go.’
If Amare were to enter the Étoile acquisition battle, the help of individuals who understood Étoile’s internal situation well would be absolutely essential.
Kang Dae-oh considered seeking help from Managing Director Yoo In-seok.
If that happened,
It would be possible to bring Yoo In-seok under his wing.
Kang Dae-oh brought up the phone number he had received from Yoo In-seok on his smartphone screen.
Just as he was about to press the call button,
“······Hmm?”
Managing Director Yoo In-seok called Kang Dae-oh first.
Kang Dae-oh gave a short click of his tongue at the exquisite timing.
When he pressed the button, Managing Director Yoo In-seok’s voice, which he hadn’t heard in a while, came through the speaker.
―Hello. Is this Yeyoung-yang’s father’s number?
“Yes, Managing Director Yoo. It’s me, Kang Dae-oh.”
―Ah, that’s a relief. I wasn’t sure if this was the right number.
He hadn’t expected Managing Director Yoo In-seok to call Kang Dae-oh first.
This was because Amare had not yet officially announced its intention to acquire Étoile.
No one within Amare even knew that Kang Dae-oh was interested in the Étoile acquisition.
In fact, there was no reason for Managing Director Yoo In-seok to call Kang Dae-oh at this time.
So, Kang Dae-oh found this incoming call quite unexpected.
‘Did Yeyoung-i subtly tell Managing Director Yoo In-seok?’
She wouldn’t have.
Because Kang Yebin and Kang Yeyoung were known to be tight-lipped, unlike Kang Yera.
And after the advertisement video was uploaded, Kang Yeyoung had no reason to meet or talk separately with Managing Director Yoo In-seok.
The first words from Yoo In-seok’s mouth were even more unexpected.
―I’m sorry.
“Pardon? Suddenly?”
Managing Director Yoo In-seok hadn’t done anything wrong to Kang Dae-oh.
He couldn’t understand why he was suddenly apologizing.
The reason was simpler than expected.
―Yeyoung-yang diligently reviewed and promoted our products, but this incident happened. I feel so bad for Yeyoung-yang… I really wanted to apologize to her. And to you, Appa. That’s why I contacted you.
“I see.”
In truth, it wasn’t a problem that required such concern.
Nevertheless, Managing Director Yoo In-seok was worrying about Kang Yeyoung and Kang Dae-oh first, in case they might suffer any harm because of them.
The moment Kang Dae-oh confirmed his attitude,
Kang Dae-oh made up his mind.
He absolutely had to bring Managing Director Yoo In-seok to his side.
