After a storm of tears had swept through and subsided,
I told my mother everything that had happened. How I had sold Vantcoin, invested the proceeds with Taekgyu, and made a significant profit.
"How much did you make?"
If I told her the truth, she might clutch her chest and faint. So I decided to reduce the amount to less than 1% of the actual figure.
"Around 3 billion won."
Even that made her eyes go wide.
"Th-three billion? Is that for real?"
Well, 3 billion is a staggering amount even for a middle-class family.
Hmm, maybe I should have said even less.
I also shared my plans for the future.
"I'm going to delay going back to school for a bit and work on investment projects with Taekgyu while living together."
My mother's expression turned worried.
"Investment isn't an easy thing. There'll be plenty of people looking to take advantage of you. Your father always said, anyone claiming they have exclusive information is a con artist."
"..."
The person with that so-called exclusive information is your own son, Mom.
Parents always wish for their children to have stable jobs rather than make risky ventures. It's natural for her to worry when her son in his early twenties says he'll go into business with a friend.
"Don't worry. We're not borrowing money. We'll only use what we have. And if it doesn't work out, we'll stop immediately."
Hearing this, my mother reluctantly nodded, though she still didn't seem entirely reassured. She turned to Taekgyu and said,
"At least it's a relief that you'll be with him, Taekgyu."
Taekgyu nodded vigorously.
"Yes, ma'am. I'll take full responsibility and look after Jinhu."
"..."
Who's taking care of whom here?
My mother continued to wander around the house, touching various spots with her hand. It still seemed surreal to her.
"It's quite worn out here and there."
Being a house over 20 years old, there was no shortage of things to fix. The floors and wallpaper needed replacing, the rooftop needed waterproofing, and the boiler and plumbing needed checking.
"I already made an appointment with a contractor. They'll come tomorrow morning to assess and start the repairs. I'll give you their contact information so you can tell them anything you need."
"This won't be cheap."
Doing it properly would cost tens of millions of won. That's probably why the previous owners, who couldn't afford repairs, had lived with the deterioration until they sold it off quickly when a buyer appeared.
I had enough money, so I planned to renovate the house thoroughly, almost as if building a new one.
"Don't worry about the cost. Since the work will take some time, you can stay at your current place and move in when it's done."
Smiling, my mother nodded.
"Alright, son."
Back in our Seoul apartment, we celebrated with cake, lit candles, and shared champagne. My mother, who rarely drank, didn't decline this time.
It was the first truly happy Christmas in years.
I let Taekgyu crash in my room. The next day, after a late start, we had breakfast prepared by my mother and then left.
I packed my belongings into the car with Taekgyu. Despite being a compact car, the backseat folded down, allowing us to fit a surprising amount of stuff.
My mother, who followed us down to the first floor, held my hands tightly.
"Always stay safe and be cautious of people."
"Don't worry."
"Call often. If you're too busy, I'll come to visit."
"Got it."
Taekgyu started the car.
My mother stood there until the car disappeared from view.
I turned to Taekgyu.
"Today's moving day, right?"
"Yeah. They just called and said they're on their way."
While I was repurchasing my old family home, Taekgyu had also bought a detached house. He said we'd need a headquarters to properly dive into investments.
I thought "headquarters" might be a bit much, but I couldn't deny our current place was too cramped for two people.
"How much did you pay for it again?"
"A modest 4.2 billion won."
"..."
Thank goodness he's modest. Otherwise, he might have gone for a 10-billion-won mansion.
Though I hadn't seen it yet, he mentioned it was near Samneung Park, just a few kilometers from our current place.
Soon, the moving company arrived at Taekgyu's house. The workers began packing things, starting with comic books.
"Please handle the figurines and model kits carefully. They can't get damaged."
The sheer amount of stuff from his small studio apartment was astonishing. No wonder the place was always a mess.
Even after discarding worn-out furniture, the moving truck was packed to the brim.
Since the move was just from Yeoksam-dong to Samseong-dong, the truck arrived at the new house quickly.
While Taekgyu directed the movers, I explored the house. It was a two-story detached house with a small yard and a garage.
The first floor had a living room, kitchen, bathroom, a small room, and a large bedroom with an en-suite bathroom. The second floor had a small living area, kitchenette, bathroom, a large bedroom, and another small room. There was also a basement and an attic.
It was spacious enough for a large family.
"I'll take the first floor, and you can have the second. How about turning the basement into a study?"
"Study? More like a comic room."
"Same thing."
The house had been empty for some time, as evidenced by the thick layer of dust. The previous owner had moved abroad a few months ago, leaving it vacant.
Luckily, the moving package included a cleaning service.
I went to my room to unpack and organize my things. Seeing the business textbooks I used in my first year brought back memories.
Though I hadn't learned much from them.
After finishing up, Taekgyu said,
"Let's go shopping."
We arrived at Seoseong Digital Plaza in Yeoksam-dong, a store specializing in Seoseong Electronics products.
In the past, TV and computer sales dominated such stores, but now, smartphones were the top sellers.
The latest flagship models were in high demand, but a recent recall of the L6 model had caused a significant stir. Though exchanges and refunds were ongoing, the aftermath of the recall lingered.
Amid the bustling store, Taekgyu and I browsed the electronics.
When we stopped at a massive OLED TV priced at 34.6 million won, I heard Taekgyu say:
"Let's take this one. And while we're at it, let's buy one of the most expensive items from each section."
The sales assistant stared at us, stunned.
"Delivery is available, right?" Taekgyu asked casually.