November 15-20, 2005
Day 30-35 of Ascension
(6 Days → 1 Day Until Soo-jae)
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November 15 (Tuesday)
09:00 AM, The Custom Shirt
The tailor delivered the shirt. Light blue, 100% cotton, perfectly fitted. Je-hoon tried it on in the orphanage bathroom. The difference was subtle but significant—the shoulders sat correctly, the sleeves ended at his wrists, the collar didn't gap.
He changed back to his uniform, folded the shirt carefully. It would be his "meeting clothes" for Soo-jae.
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14:00 PM, The Coffee Timer - Version 2
Mr. Han helped him refine the prototype. They added:
· Better temperature probe (accurate to ±0.5°C)
· Programmable presets (espresso, pour-over, French press)
· Memory function (stores last 10 brew sessions)
· Compact casing (3D-printed by a friend of Mr. Han's)
"It's actually marketable," Mr. Han said, examining the finished device. "Simple but useful for coffee shops."
"Production cost?"
"About ₩8,000 per unit in batches of 100. Retail maybe ₩25,000."
Je-hoon calculated. Another potential business line. But for now, it was a demonstration piece.
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November 16 (Wednesday)
The Hotel Implementation
Je-hoon spent the morning at the hotel training staff. He'd prepared laminated procedure cards, created a "coffee station checklist," and implemented a waste tracking system.
By lunch, the head barista—a skeptical woman in her twenties—admitted, "It's actually better. More consistent."
"That's the goal."
Mr. Kim, the manager, watched approvingly. "First monthly check is December 15. If we see the savings you promised..."
"You will."
As he left, Mr. Kim added, "My brother runs a corporate office. They have terrible coffee. Interested?"
𝘾𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: 𝙎𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙧𝙖𝙡.
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18:00 PM, The Medical Discovery
While inputting clinic data, Je-hoon noticed something: three diabetic patients from the same apartment complex had worsening blood sugar control despite medication compliance.
ZEO cross-referenced:
· 𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙣 𝙨𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙢𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣: 𝙂𝙡𝙞𝙥𝙞𝙯𝙞𝙙𝙚
· 𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙨𝙞𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙖𝙧 𝙙𝙞𝙚𝙩
· 𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙥𝙤𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜-𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙨𝙮𝙢𝙥𝙩𝙤𝙢𝙨
Possible contaminated medication batch? Or something else?
He reported it to Dr. Lee, who promised to investigate. "You have a detective's mind," the doctor said.
𝙈𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙙𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠: 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙙.
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November 17 (Thursday)
Blue Bird Services - First Payday
Seven workers received their first stipends. Soo-min: ₩8,400 for two weeks. Jae-won: ₩7,000. Others smaller amounts but meaningful.
Director Kim watched, smiling for the first time in weeks. "They're earning. Learning."
Mrs. Shin reviewed the books. "Clean. Accurate. Impressive for... anyone, really."
The orphanage's 30% share: ₩29,800. Not life-changing but significant.
Je-hoon's management 10%: ₩9,933. Added to his capital.
𝘾𝙖𝙥𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙣𝙤𝙬: ₩14,283.
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15:00 PM, The Moon Report
Je-hoon presented his vending optimization plan to Mr. Moon:
"Vending Route Efficiency Analysis"
· Machine placement optimization (3 machines relocated for 40% higher traffic)
· Product mix adjustment (higher-margin items highlighted)
· Preventive maintenance schedule (reduces breakdowns by 60%)
· Energy-saving modifications (reduce electricity costs 15%)
Moon scanned the report. "If this works..."
"It will. Implementation timeline: two weeks. Expected profit increase: 25%."
"Do it."
𝙑𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙮: 𝙁𝙪𝙡𝙡 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙙.
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November 18 (Friday)
The First Setback
One of the tutoring clients canceled. "Not seeing improvement," the parent said.
Je-hoon investigated. The tutor, Jae-won, had been cutting sessions short by 10-15 minutes. Saving time, sacrificing quality.
He called a meeting. "Quality is non-negotiable. Sessions are 60 minutes minimum. Clocked. Verified."
"I was tired," Jae-won defended.
"Then don't take the session. Our reputation depends on every interaction."
He instituted stricter monitoring. Also created a client satisfaction survey. Quality control tightening.
𝙂𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙨: 𝙌𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙡 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙨.
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November 19 (Saturday)
Final Preparations
Je-hoon:
1. Polished the coffee timer (cleaned casing, calibrated sensors)
2. Pressed the custom shirt (borrowed iron from Mrs. Han)
3. Reviewed coffee knowledge (espresso extraction variables, bean origins, tasting notes)
4. Updated personal dossier (printed summary, 2 pages)
5. Prepared conversation topics (books they'd read, current events, subtle business references)
He also visited the library corner where they'd first met. Straightened books. Wiped dust. Prepared the space.
Tomorrow: 2 PM. Donor visit. Soo-jae.
He felt... anticipation? Not nervousness. He was prepared. But curious. Would she remember? Would she see?
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November 20 (Sunday)
D-Day: The Meeting
12:30 PM - Preparation
Je-hoon changed into the custom shirt, dark trousers (his best pair), polished shoes. He checked his appearance in the bathroom mirror. Different. Not just clothes. Posture, expression, confidence.
He packed:
1. Coffee timer prototype
2. Printed dossier (2 pages)
3. Two books they'd discussed as children (Feynman Lectures, Hugo's Les Misérables)
4. Small notebook and pen
1:45 PM - Positioning
He arrived at the library corner early. Set up: books arranged naturally, coffee timer visible but not conspicuous. He sat reading a physics text, posture relaxed but attentive.
ZEO active scan: 50m radius. Monitoring for arrivals.
1:58 PM - Arrival
Black Mercedes. Same as before. Park family. Soo-jae emerged—now nineteen, not nine. Elegant but restrained. She wore a tailored coat, her hair styled simply. She looked... tired. Stressed.
She followed her parents through the donation ceremony. Cameras. Handshakes. The performance.
2:17 PM - The Escape
As before, she slipped away. Headed toward the library. Je-hoon's heart rate: 72 BPM. Steady.
She entered. Paused. Saw him.
Recognition didn't flash instantly. Why would it? Ten years. He was a child then, now a young man. Different.
But her eyes lingered. Something familiar?
She approached the shelves. Not to him directly. To the physics section. Her fingers trailed spines. Stopped at Feynman Lectures—the same volume.
She pulled it out. Opened to a random page. Stood reading.
Je-hoon waited. Didn't look up. Let her observe.
After a minute, she spoke. "This is advanced."
He looked up. Met her eyes. Brown, intelligent, curious. Tired. "Some parts."
She studied him. "You're... the orphanage boy who reads physics?"
"A nickname."
"You were here before. Years ago."
"Yes."
A pause. She looked at the coffee timer on the table. "What's that?"
"Prototype. Digital coffee timer with temperature sensor."
"Interesting." She picked it up. Examined it. "You built this?"
"With help."
She placed it down. Looked at him again. "You look... familiar. More than just having seen you once."
Je-hoon calculated: direct mention or gradual reveal?
"Perhaps from before," he said carefully. "I've been here ten years."
"Ten years..." Her eyes widened slightly. "The coffee. You made coffee once. With..."
"With a makeshift filter. Yes."
Memory connection: establishing.
She sat in the chair opposite. Not asked, just sat. "That was... 2005? Earlier this year?"
"October."
"You remembered."
"I remember details."
She studied him. "What's your name?"
"Kim Je-hoon."
"Park Soo-jae." She extended a hand. Formal but genuine.
He shook it. Firm, not crushing. Confident.
"You've changed," she said.
"So have you."
"Older. Wiser?"
"Perhaps."
She glanced at his shirt. "Nice fabric."
"Thank you."
A silence, but comfortable. She looked around the library. "They've updated the books."
"Some. There's funding now."
"From donors like my family?"
"Partially."
She leaned forward. "Tell me about the timer. Why build it?"
"Precision improves quality. Coffee extraction depends on time and temperature. Most people guess. This removes guesswork."
"Practical." She smiled—the first genuine smile he'd seen today. Not the donor-event smile. Real. "You're still solving problems."
"You remember that?"
"I remember... a boy who explained quantum physics to a nine-year-old. Who said books don't care who reads them."
He felt something—satisfaction. The memory retained. Not fully, but fragments.
"I still believe that," he said.
She looked at him, really looked. "What else do you believe?"
"That systems can be optimized. That knowledge should be applied. That..." He paused. "Coffee is better shared."
Her smile widened. "Do you have time for coffee now?"
He produced two Americanos from a small cooler bag. "I anticipated you might."
She laughed, surprised. "You anticipated..."
"Probability analysis suggested 78% chance you'd visit the library. 62% chance you'd want coffee."
"You calculated?"
"I observe patterns."
She took the cup. Sipped. "Good. Proper extraction."
"You know coffee?"
"My family... we're particular."
They drank in comfortable silence for a minute.
"So," she said. "Kim Je-hoon. What do you do besides read physics and build timers?"
He slid the two-page dossier across the table. "Summary."
She read. Her expression shifted: curiosity → surprise → disbelief → impressed.
"Blue Bird Services... founder? Medical assistant? Coffee consultant? At ten?"
"Eleven next month."
"This is... extraordinary."
"It's a beginning."
She looked from the paper to him. "Why show me this?"
"Because you asked what I believe. This is what I'm building."
She finished reading. Folded the paper carefully. "May I keep this?"
"If you wish."
"My family is... complicated right now. My father's health. The business." She spoke quietly, as if to herself. "I'm back to help. Or to be used. Not sure which."
Je-hoon listened. Didn't offer empty sympathy. Just presence.
"I have to go," she said, standing reluctantly. "They'll be looking for me."
"Of course."
She hesitated. "Will you be here next month?"
"The donor visit is monthly."
"Not as a donor. As... myself. To talk."
"I'll be here."
She nodded. Started to leave, turned back. "The pinky promise. I remembered it last night. Strange what surfaces."
He didn't react visibly. "Childhood promises are meaningful."
"We said we'd meet again as adults. Together."
"We have."
She smiled, softer this time. "Yes. We have."
She left. The library felt emptier.
Je-hoon sat back. Analyzed the interaction:
· 𝘼𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣: 𝙍𝙚-𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙙
· 𝙈𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣: 42% 𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙
· 𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙡𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡: 𝙃𝙞𝙜𝙝
· 𝙉𝙚𝙭𝙩 𝙢𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙗𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚
Successful. But just beginning.
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18:00 PM, Post-Meeting Analysis
Je-hoon updated his files:
Soo-jae Profile (Updated):
· Age: 19
· Status: HJ Group heiress (reluctant)
· Emotional state: Stressed, isolated, seeking authenticity
· Memory retention: Partial (42% estimated)
· Interest level: High (genuine curiosity, not pity)
· Next action: Schedule regular meetings
Strategic Implications:
1. Maintain library as neutral meeting ground
2. Continue demonstrating competence (not neediness)
3. Gradually reveal capabilities
4. Position as ally (not dependent)
The game had shifted. From preparation to engagement.
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21:00 PM, Reflection
Je-hoon lay in bed, the day replaying in his mind. Her smile. Her tired eyes. The moment of recognition.
Not the dramatic reunion of dramas. Subtle. Real.
She was trapped in her family's world. He was building his own.
Perhaps their paths could intersect meaningfully.
But for now: focus on building. The empire needed foundations before alliances.
He closed his eyes. ZEO processed the day's data, optimized next steps.
Tomorrow: Monday. Blue Bird Services weekly meeting. Vending optimization implementation. Medical database expansion.
The work continued.
The meeting was a milestone, not a destination.
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𝘿𝙖𝙮 30-35: 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜
6 𝙙𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣
1 𝙢𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣
0 𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙢𝙖, 100% 𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙩𝙮
𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙. 𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙬. 𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙙. 𝙉𝙤𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙥𝙞𝙩𝙮. 𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙫𝙖𝙡𝙪𝙚. 𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮.
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End Episode 12