Chapter 43: The Beginning of Spring

Monday morning.

Lee Jun-hyuk arrived at the office thirty minutes earlier than usual.

Today, there were many important things on the agenda.

Wrapping up the Radio Station contract, interviews for new employees, and even a meeting with a Columbia University professor.

“Good morning, sir!”

Robert was already there, organizing documents.

“You’re early, Robert.”

“You’ve got a packed schedule today. I wanted to prepare ahead.”

The Order Sheet Robert handed over was filled with tightly packed appointments.

9:00 AM: Law Office (Radio Station Contract)

11:00 AM: First round of interviews for new employees

2:00 PM: Meeting with Professor Smith

“Understood. Let’s get ready.”

The office door opened and Thomas entered.

He was carrying a thick stack of documents in his hand.

“Sir, this is the final contract for the Radio Station. I went over it again last night, and there’s nothing legally problematic.”

“Well done, Thomas.”

Lee Jun-hyuk flipped through the documents and checked everything.

Acquisition price: $210,000. It wasn’t a small sum, but considering the future, it was a worthwhile investment.

9 o’clock sharp.

With Robert, he headed to the law office.

The seventh floor of a building on Broadway. A solid Brass Nameplate reading ‘Johnson & Associates’ hung on the door.

“Welcome, Mr. Lee.”

Johnson, the white-haired lawyer, extended his hand for a handshake.

“Let’s wrap up the contract today. The other party should be here soon.”

A short while later, Miller, the former owner of the Radio Station, arrived. Though his expression was still tense, there was relief in finally parting with the company.

“Alright, please sign here.”

As Lee Jun-hyuk signed the contract with an ink pen, he felt a strange emotion.

After the Cuban Sugar Plantation, this was his second largest business.

This time, it was media.

An industry that handled information.

“The era of radio is coming soon.”

The certainty of someone who knew the future lent strength to his hand.

Back at the office, applicants for the interviews were seated in the hallway.

“Please have the first applicant come in.”

The door opened, and a young man in a neat suit entered.

“Hello. I’m David Thomson.”

“Please have a seat. I see from your resume that you have plenty of accounting experience.”

“Yes, I worked at a small trading company for three years.”

The interview proceeded smoothly.

David seemed calm and prudent, a fitting candidate to assist Thomas.

The second applicant was for the typist position.

“I’m Elizabeth Brown.”

“Could you show us your typing skills?”

Elizabeth sat at the typewriter.

Lee Jun-hyuk began dictating sentences for her to transcribe.

Tap tap tap-tap.

The clear and lively sound of flawless typing rang through the office.

“Excellent. Can you start working from tomorrow?”

“Yes! Of course!”

It was only around lunchtime that the interviews wrapped up.

Two accounting assistants, one typist, and one office assistant. Four new hires in total.

“Our staff has grown quite a bit now.”

Robert spoke with a satisfied expression.

“It really feels like a proper company now.”

“We’ll grow even more from here.”

Lee Jun-hyuk checked his watch. 1:30 PM.

“I should head to meet Professor Smith.”

After a long time, he walked through the bright campus of Columbia University. The grounds were coming alive with energy in March.

He knocked on the door of Professor Smith’s office on the third floor of the Economics building.

“Come in.”

He opened the door, and the white-haired old professor greeted him from a study filled with books.

“Lee Jun-hyuk, come on in.”

“Thank you for your letter, professor.”

“I’ve heard a lot about you. I hear you had great success in Cuba?”

“I was just lucky, sir.”

“Luck? Hoho, I think your achievement goes far beyond what luck can explain.”

Professor Smith’s eyes sparkled sharply behind his glasses.

“I heard you sold at exactly 24 cents—escaped right at the peak, something no one could have predicted. How did you make that decision?”

Lee Jun-hyuk paused for a moment.

“I sensed the madness of the market. It wasn’t the logic of real demand and supply, but human greed—speculation—that was driving prices to insane heights.”

“Hmm, that’s an excellent insight.”

Professor Smith nodded.

“So, the reason I called you today is to ask if you’d be interested in participating in a research project I’m working on.”

“A research project, sir?”

“It’s about ‘Economic Prospects After the Grand Depression.’ The government commissioned this confidentially, and I need the perspective of a young talent with real business experience like you.”

Lee Jun-hyuk’s heart began to pound.

The Great Depression.

1929.

That disaster was still nine years away—was this old professor already sensing it?

“That’s a very interesting proposal. But I’ve just started my business…”

“I know. That’s precisely why I need you. Not theory, but the sense of someone actually in business. You’d only need to join once a week, on Saturday mornings.”

“Please give me a little time to think about it.”

“Of course. Let’s talk again when the semester starts in April. Consider it carefully until then.”

Leaving the professor’s office, Lee Jun-hyuk was filled with complicated feelings.

A study on the Great Depression. If someone who knows the future joins, could he change history? No, he mustn’t.

“I have to be careful.”

He must never reveal just how much he knows.

Back at the office, Yu Ilhan was waiting for him.

“Sir! I have good news!”

“What is it?”

“The equipment company contacted us, and all the major construction work will be done within this week! We can start test operations as early as next week!”

“Really? That’s much faster than expected.”

“Yes! So I already placed an order for the raw materials. From the supplier Dr. Kim Young-soo introduced, they promised to send the finest mung beans.”

Everything was moving along smoothly.

“Oh, and…”

Yu Ilhan said with an embarrassed grin.

“We set the date for the Product Launch Party too. It’ll be on April 15th.”

“You invited Miss Homari too?”

“Yes. I mustered up the courage and sent her a letter last night.”

Yu Ilhan’s face blushed like a young boy.

As evening approached, Lee Jun-hyuk remained in the office alone, gazing out at the sunset.

“Monday is already coming to an end.”

Until Friday—four more days to go.

It still felt so long.

Tuesday morning.

Lee Jun-hyuk mulled over yesterday’s conversation.

‘Economic prospects after the Great Depression?’

It was strange.

Who, in 1920, would be anticipating the Great Depression?

It was an era when everyone believed the boom would last forever.

“Or did I mishear?”

But he was sure Professor Smith had said, ‘after the Grand Depression (The Great Depression).’ Scholars always prepare for the worst-case scenario, so perhaps it was just one of many possible research topics.

“Sir, all the new employees have arrived.”

Robert’s report brought Lee Jun-hyuk out of his thoughts.

Suddenly, the office became lively.

Five existing employees, four new hires.

Before he knew it, they had become a proper company of nine people.

“Welcome, everyone.”

Lee Jun-hyuk stood up and spoke.

“Our company is just getting started. But soon, we’ll be one of the biggest in the United States. I hope all of you will play leading roles in that history.”

The eyes of the new employees sparkled with hope and anticipation.

The morning was spent on orientation for the new hires, and in the afternoon, Lee Jun-hyuk visited the Radio Station to encourage the staff.

Everything was proceeding according to plan.

Wednesday evening.

Delmonico’s Restaurant.

Lee Jun-hyuk sat across from James Morgan for the first time in three months.

He looked a little thinner than before.

“I’ve been following your news in the papers. You’ve accomplished amazing things.”

“I was just lucky.”

“There you go again with that modesty. I hear you sold at exactly 24 cents? That’s not luck.”

After ordering, James grew serious.

“Actually, there’s a favor I’d like to ask.”

“A favor, sir?”

Lee Jun-hyuk’s heart started to beat faster.

“As you know, I’m retired now. But there’s one thing I still care deeply about.”

James paused for a moment.

“My granddaughter, Catherine.”

As expected.

“She talks about you a lot these days…”

Lee Jun-hyuk felt flustered.

“She talks about me?”

“Yes. At every dinner, all she talks about is you. How Lee Jun-hyuk did this in Cuba, started such-and-such business in New York, how smart and gentlemanly you are…”

James smiled warmly.

“This is the first time I’ve seen Catherine show such deep interest in any man.”

“So…”

“That’s my favor.”

James leaned in slightly.

“Please, cherish my granddaughter. She is everything I have left in this world.”

It was a heavy request. But at the same time, a warm embrace.

“I truly care for Miss Catherine.”

Lee Jun-hyuk answered sincerely.

“She’s intelligent, kind, and courageous.”

“I know that very well.”

As the meal drew to a close, James took out a small velvet box. Inside were gold cufflinks engraved with the initials ‘.\/.’

“When I was young, after my first big success in business, I gifted these to myself. Now, I think it’s your turn to have them.”

“I’m not sure I can accept such a precious thing…”

“Take them. You’ve already accomplished far more than I ever did.”

James stood up, adding a final word.

“I hear Catherine is counting the days until Friday.”

Thursday morning.

The day passed unusually quickly.

Inspection at the La Choy factory, meetings at the Radio Station, paperwork.

By the time he came to his senses, it was already evening.

“Sir, tomorrow is finally Friday.”

Robert spoke meaningfully as he was leaving work.

“So?”

“No, it’s just… You seem especially cheerful today, sir.”

Lee Jun-hyuk looked in the mirror.

He really was smiling.

That night, lying in bed,

Tomorrow, he would see Catherine.

They’d talk about family, the future, and, if possible, perhaps even “us.”

Spring rain began to fall outside the window.

The tapping of raindrops on the glass sounded like a lullaby.

“Tomorrow will be clear.”

After spring rain, it’s always a bright day.

Friday.

Everything went smoothly.

The morning meeting with the new staff was a success, and in the afternoon, he was pleased with the prototype design Yu Ilhan brought.

But once it passed 4 PM, Lee Jun-hyuk couldn’t focus on work any longer.

Finally, at 4:30, he left the office.

Columbia University.

Bench in front of the Library.

Catherine arrived ten minutes early and was waiting for him.

The moment he saw her, all the fatigue and tension of the past week melted away like snow.

“You’re early.”

“You are, Mr. Lee.”

The two of them smiled at each other.

Just like last week, they walked through Central Park and had dinner at a small Restaurant.

But the atmosphere was completely different.

There was no longer the awkwardness of two people still exploring each other.

In its place was comfort, deep trust, and a warmth that didn’t need words to be felt.

“Um, there’s something I want to tell you.”

After the meal, Lee Jun-hyuk spoke first.

“The truth is, I have a family.”

He told her everything about the letter from Pyongyang. News of his family after seven years, five siblings whose faces he’d never seen, and even how his father sold five cows to pay for his tuition.

Catherine listened quietly, without interrupting once.

Her eyes grew moist.

“So, I’m thinking of visiting Pyongyang in December.”

“To find my roots, to meet my family.”

Catherine reached across the table and gently clasped his hand.

“You’ve made… a wonderful decision.”

Her voice trembled a little.

“I’m sure you’ll come back as a wonderful son and brother. I promise you.”

Lee Jun-hyuk was overwhelmed by her warmth and support.

“When I return, then, I want to formally…”

Before he could finish, Catherine nodded.

“I’ll wait for you.”

She smiled brightly.

“As long as it takes.”

That night, riding back to the hotel in a carriage, Lee Jun-hyuk thought:

It was a perfect night—something unimaginable in his previous life.

Work, love, and family.

Everything was finding its rightful place.