“As I have mentioned several times, I believe mobile phones will continue to evolve.”
Lee Hyun-woo tried to start again.
Wanting to accelerate the transition from PDA phones to smartphones, he looked directly at Kim Tae-hyun and continued speaking.
“Therefore, if smartphones are released after the market entry of PDA phones, just as you mentioned, a new era of operating systems will begin.”
“And that era will be taken over by 【Jungle】.”
“That would be great.”
Although he was talking about his hopes, his eyes were filled with conviction.
Kim Tae-hyun always saw that conviction in Lee Hyun-woo’s eyes.
“Sometimes I can’t quite picture what you’re imagining, but one thing is certain: if what you say becomes reality, it will be enormous. I believe in that.”
“Thank you for believing in me.”
“And the reason I explicitly say I believe in your imagination is simple: let’s join hands and create that world together.”
“Of course. If it’s with you, you’re always welcome.”
Lee Hyun-woo wished.
He wished that Kim Tae-hyun would build his own domain, not relying on the power and assets inherited from his father.
So that he wouldn’t have to frequent the courts like in his previous life, but rather become a giant in the Korean information and communications industry like Billy Kates or Stephen Jobb.
“As long as we can lead the popularization of smartphones, there shouldn’t be any problems.”
For now, Lee Hyun-woo decided to help him.
In fact, there weren’t many alternatives to advance smartphones.
It wasn’t that there were no manufacturers to collaborate with, but rather that there were no people who believed in the abilities Lee Hyun-woo had shown so far.
Of course, since his return, he had shown some astonishing things, so to some extent, he could communicate, but who could be as supportive as Kim Tae-hyun?
So he dreams.
He hopes that in this life, Kim Tae-hyun will become an icon of innovation in hardware like 【Pineapple】, and 【Jungle】 will handle the smartphone operating system like 【Single】.
“Will such a day come before I retire?”
It seems it will depend on the effort.
Some time later, Billy Kates arrived in Korea.
He was having a light conversation with his friend and the next chairman of 【Macro Soft】, Smith Balmer, while unwinding at their accommodation.
“No matter how much ‘Forest’ increases its market share, if our ‘Internet Ex Cross’ controls Korean PC manufacturers, they won’t stand a chance.”
“You never know. It feels like the first round hasn’t even started yet.”
“Billy, sometimes you can be too cruel. Even so, 【Jungle】 is still a startup. How can you crush them before they even rise?”
“That’s a misunderstanding. I’ve never done that. Actually, I was thinking of checking ‘Navigator’ rather than ‘Forest’.”
In the United States, ‘Navigator’ had a fairly high market share.
However, its paid nature was a drawback that prevented explosive expansion.
Seeing that, Billy Kates boldly began distributing ‘Internet Ex Cross’ for free.
Now it seemed like the time had come to cut off ‘Navigator’s’ air supply.
If PC manufacturers worldwide started installing Windows 97 and distributing the new operating system to consumers…
“Well, will ‘Navigator’ have a place? It seems difficult now. But ‘Forest’ is different. According to the report from 【Macro Soft Korea】, it gained explosive popularity with its free and simple start page. You couldn’t help but actively step in after reading that report.”
“You’re increasingly painting me as a bad person. Even in the market, I’m criticized as a dark lord or someone who manipulates the world from behind.”
It’s true.
And as the internet became more widespread, communities depicting Billy Kates negatively increased.
It seemed to be a result of a mix of jealousy and fear.
Of course, Billy Kates had a strong mental fortitude.
However,
“Honestly, it’s getting tiresome. I just want to hand over this position to you as soon as possible.”
Now, his initial enthusiasm was fading rapidly.
“You can’t.”
“I’ve already made up my mind. Two years! Within that time, I will step down from my position. Just give me a lab. I’ll work hard on programming there.”
“Come on? Can you even imagine 【Macro Soft】 without you?”
“Of course. It’s time to open the era of your 【Macro Soft】.”
“Hey, don’t do this.”
“I can’t help it. It’s getting boring. You know my personality. If it’s not fun, I don’t want to do anything.”
“Hey, then you have to find something fun. Didn’t you recently say you found someone who could warm your heart a little?”
That person was Lee Hyun-woo of 【Jungle】.
And he had been looking forward to meeting him in Korea, accepting the request immediately.
When he slightly revealed this excitement to his friend Smith, he immediately seized the opportunity.
Perhaps Smith still lacked confidence in taking on the role of 【Macro Soft】’s chairman.
Seeing him, Billy Kates showed a subtle smile.
“Lee Hyun-woo, will he stimulate me enough?”
Hopefully, he would.
The secretarial office of 【Jungle】 was busy from the morning.
The reason was simple: it was the day Lee Hyun-woo was meeting Billy Kates.
“Did you bring the documents?”
“Yes, but with such a short meeting time, will they be necessary?”
“Why do you think that? We need to be prepared for everything. If the CEO reaches out, we need to hand over everything immediately.”
“Yes, understood.”
A tense reply.
And their tension reached its peak at 【Seorabeol Hotel】.
It was unavoidable.
After Billy Kates returned home, the media were churning out articles that seemed to incite a fight between 【Jungle】 and 【Macro Soft】.
“Is a web browser war brewing? ‘Forest’ challenges ‘Internet Ex Cross.’”
“The expansion of ‘Forest’s’ web browser market share irritates Billy Kates.”
“Billy Kates and Lee Hyun-woo, a clash! Both hurl direct criticisms at each other.”
“Signs of a heated web browser war, two giants meet tomorrow to mediate.”
Of course, many of the stories written by journalists were like novels.
Han Se-jin and Kang Dong-ho, still novice chief secretaries, couldn’t handle the media’s creativity properly.
So, they had no choice but to enter 【Seorabeol Hotel】 with stiff expressions.
“Will today be okay?”
“Of course. Do you think Billy Kates would read articles from the domestic media?”
On the way to the business room where Billy Kates was staying, Lee Hyun-woo overheard their whispers.
It was a conversation that inevitably brought a smile to his face.
“No, Joe Murphy said they are also moving to check us in America.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes, I spoke with him earlier.”
In fact, with ‘Forest’ nearing its launch in the U.S., there was no way 【Macro Soft】 would not make moves to check it.
However, the first meeting between the two was filled with bright laughter and cordial greetings, making their worries unfounded.
It started with Lee Hyun-woo,
“Nice to meet you.”
“I’ve been looking forward to meeting you. Hahaha.”
Billy Kates responded.
Lee Hyun-woo, still with a smile, sat down and asked,
“You’ve been looking forward to meeting me?”
“Yes, you’ve only walked the path of success. I was curious about that.”
“I should be the one saying that. You’re the one who has walked the path of success. So I wanted to ask you something today.”
The two secretaries behind them were extremely tense.
Surely, he wouldn’t start talking about the web browser here, would he?
Although they knew it wasn’t the situation, the Lee Hyun-woo they knew was someone who could go off-track at any moment.
“What is it? What is the CEO of the innovative 【Jungle】 curious about?”
Billy Kates also looked at Lee Hyun-woo with a smile.
“Doesn’t continuous success get boring?”
Thud! The sound of a heart dropping could be heard.
“Does continuous success get boring?”
“How could he ask such a question?”
Depending on the perspective, it could easily be misunderstood.
At least to Kang Dong-ho and Han Se-jin’s ears, it sounded like this:
- Now I’ll show you failure instead of success. You need to feel that thrilling excitement.
Had Lee Hyun-woo known their thoughts, he would have commented on their rich imagination.
The question had its genuine meaning.
Compared to the dramatic 【Pineapple】, the success story of 【Macro Soft】 had been straightforward.
So to Lee Hyun-woo, it was naturally boring, and he thought that the founder, Billy Kates, would feel the same.
Of course, on the surface, it was a ‘road to success,’ but in reality, it must have been a tumultuous journey.
Only Billy Kates and his founding members would know the intense process.
And.
“I know too.”
Lee Hyun-woo, who also knew Billy Kates’ life story well, dared to ask such a question.
The answer was just as expected.
“It was boring. To the point where I considered quitting.”
Billy Kates’ answer was full of life.
“But recently, my thoughts have changed. No, I changed them today.”
At the same time, he looked at Lee Hyun-woo.
“It seems like it’s going to be fun from now on.”
Hearing Billy Kates’ answer, Lee Hyun-woo’s eyes sparkled.
“He changed his mind about retiring.”
Was it because of him?
Originally, Lee Hyun-woo had arranged this meeting to talk with Billy Kates, who was planning his post-retirement life around this time.
In his past life, Billy Kates retired in 2000, so with less than two years left, he must have been planning his succession and the future of 【Macro Soft】 after his departure.
“If this happens, I won’t have the chance to ask why he decided to retire early.”
Is it a bad thing?
Not at all. Lee Hyun-woo also felt a peculiar sensation after meeting Billy Kates.
It felt like meeting a rival in life.
“That’s great. I think it will be fun too.”
“Yes, because it doesn’t seem like it will be easy, and that excites me more.”
“I feel the same way.”
What a cryptic conversation?
The people around them were baffled by the conversation between the two.
When Lee Hyun-woo and Billy Kates met today, they thought they would discuss the web browser war or some grand project, but they were talking in a way no one could understand.
However, through this conversation, the two recognized each other.
Especially Billy Kates, who felt his long-dormant passion rising, felt like he was flying.
In fact, Billy Kates, contrary to his gentlemanly business image, had a colorful past.
He had been arrested for hacking into a big company’s computer for personal use and had been fined and arrested multiple times for reckless driving.
At this point, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call him a villain rather than a gentleman.
Recently, he pressured PC manufacturers to forcibly install ‘Internet Ex Cross,’ which also revealed his true nature.
The worst thing, as pointed out by programmers, was taking the computer operating system developed by Stephen Jobb’ 【Pineapple】 without any remorse.
Even then, Billy Kates accepted Stephen Jobb’ animosity without batting an eye.
And even now, time hasn’t changed that personality at all.
