Chapter 17
"If maintenance is handled thoroughly... will it be all right?"
At those words, I blinked.
His future would change.
"Yes. Then that should be fine."
We can't beat Neverland, but...
We can at least rise to a similar tier.
Goo Gwan-shin was pleased by what I said.
He didn't seem to think that simply adding one attraction would let him beat Neverland.
"That's such a relief!!"
"Yes. It's a very good thing."
"Hahaha... honestly, it took quite a bit of effort to bring this in."
Even within the Lotte Group, there were people saying, "Why invest that kind of money in an amusement park?"
But even so, Goo Gwan-shin pushed ahead.
He threw everything from his career into the challenge.
"There were even people online saying, 'Isn't Lotte World a bit... old-fashioned?' and that really stabbed me in the heart."
Goo Gwan-shin took a sip of coffee and poured out the story he had kept in his heart.
"Teacher. I don't know if you know this... but I like amusement parks."
I knew.
Because I'd seen his past.
"When I was little, the first amusement park I ever went to, holding my father's hand, was Disneyland."
He saw dreams and hope at Disneyland.
He saw the people there happily enjoying themselves.
That was when he made up his mind.
I'll make a place like this.
I'll make something like this in Korea, where people can be this happy too.
"When I rose to the position of president of Lotte World, I don't know how happy I was."
I had fulfilled a dream I'd had since childhood.
So I worked hard.
To make Lotte World the best amusement park.
In fact, unlike previous presidents, Goo Gwan-shin invested everything into Lotte World.
And he reaped the rewards.
"So, I'm preparing a new event."
This much preparation...
"An event?"
"Yes."
He took three documents out of his bag.
Isn't this supposed to be confidential?
I wasn't sure I should be seeing this.
But he only smiled warmly.
Well then... let's see.
The first document was about a parade.
"Oh... you're doing a Dunsa collab?"
"Yes. We found that people who play Dungeon & Saga prefer staying in and gaming over going out."
I want even those people to get a taste of the fun of an amusement park.
I want to show them that fun isn't confined to games.
"I see. And the second one..."
The second is a collaboration with TBS, a Korean idol group famous even internationally.
And the third is...
"Support for orphans and underprivileged groups...?"
"Yes. Honestly, our Lotte World tickets are expensive, aren't they?"
70,000 won for adults.
Even for teenagers and children, it's around 50,000 won.
For ordinary people, that's not really that much.
But for underprivileged groups, that price is honestly expensive.
"You see, I think young children should have dreams and hope."
Just as he had seen at Disneyland as a child.
He said lightly that he wanted those kids to have dreams and hope at Lotte World, too.
From the perspective of someone who had lived in an orphanage, it wasn't a bad plan—no, it was a good one.
"I'm thinking of doing this discount every Monday and Wednesday."
A whopping 80% discount.
At that level, even if the orphanage stretched its budget a little, it would be enough to bring the kids and enjoy it.
And with vehicle transport support and meal support on top of that, their burden would shrink a lot.
"Definitely not bad."
"So, which one do you think is best, teacher?"
He was asking me to choose the best plan among the three proposals.
There was no need to even look.
The most beneficial thing for Lotte World is the celebrity collab.
Because fans would revisit several times just to get the photocards given out through the collab.
And since TBS is so famous internationally, a lot of overseas visitors would come too.
Naturally, Lotte World's recognition would increase a lot as well.
"This is the best thing for the company."
I chose the celebrity collab.
But my eyes were fixed on the third proposal.
"Personally, I'd like to choose this one. And for you personally too, President, this is the best choice."
If they did the celebrity collab, that would be the end of it.
But if they supported underprivileged groups, the company would take a little loss, but its image would improve even more.
"Why is that?"
"Something bad is going to happen to Lotte soon."
In the not-too-distant future, an abuse-of-power controversy would arise at Lotte.
And at a pretty serious level.
That would drag people's perception of Lotte down into the dirt, but if he carried out an underprivileged support project, Lotte World at least would be an exception.
"If possible, I think it's better to pursue those two at the same time."
The celebrity collab.
And support for underprivileged groups.
"As expected."
And while they're at it, I'd like them to do a Dunsa collab, too.
I couldn't resist the special collaboration avatars and gear.
.
.
.
"That's good."
What Goo Gwan-shin chose was all three.
Of course, the employees would be run ragged doing it, but since Goo Gwan-shin said he'd make sure to pay them bonuses accordingly, it'll somehow work out in a capitalist society.
"Yeah."
As Hong Siyeon headed toward the Lotte World parking lot, she grinned.
"By the way, you must be pleased."
"About what?"
"You got a lifetime free pass to Lotte World, didn't you?"
It was something she received separately from the money she got in return.
A card that let her and one companion use Lotte World for free for life.
Of course, that wasn't all; she got a fair bit of other stuff, too.
An outside director position at Lotte World and an advisory role to the president.
With that, I ended up with four jobs.
YouTuber.
Outside director at Sejin Trade.
Special advisor to Chairman Saseong and outside director.
And on top of that, an outside director tasked with advising the president of Lotte World.
But Hong Siyeon only smiled as if none of that mattered.
"Well, it's nice."
"You'll come with me again next time, right?"
I nodded at her smiling face.
Anyway, thanks to her I got a good opportunity, so I should repay her.
"Then how about next week?"
I shook my head at her lively smile.
"I already have plans next week."
Hong Siyeon looked disappointed.
But she didn't cling.
She just wore her usual lively, relaxed smile.
***
The first time Hong Siyeon realized she was popular was in kindergarten.
The first kindergarten she attended.
The boys fought over her.
Because they both wanted to be her partner.
That was how it all started.
Men always finding Hong Siyeon attractive.
That didn't change when she entered elementary school.
On the first day of school.
Two boys who couldn't be paired with her cried.
When she was in second grade, five boys who'd been moved to another class didn't come to school.
Third grade.
She received confessions.
From seven boys, too.
Fourth grade.
She almost got kidnapped by a crazy pervert.
Hong Siyeon was absurdly popular with men.
And Grandma said bluntly:
"Then why don't you just go all out?"
Saying that, she had her dye her hair red and wear colored contacts, saying red hair and golden eyes suited her better.
Boys who fell head over heels from just one smile came by every day.
They'd only shown a little kindness, and they misunderstood and latched on.
She'd been nearly kidnapped more than ten times, and the number of crazed perverts who latched onto her was beyond counting.
If it was already like that even as an elementary schooler, what would it be like later?
Grandma always said.
Your charm is your luxuriant black hair and deep eyes.
So try changing that in another direction.
Since Grandma said she'd handle the school problem, she tried it.
She dyed her hair red and put in colored contacts.
But surprisingly, it really ended up just as Grandma had said.
The boys who had been sticking to her in a bizarre way all fell off.
Of course, that alone couldn't suppress Hong Siyeon's own charm.
There were plenty of men who liked her just from her smile.
But.
That alone was enough for Hong Siyeon.
'There's a man like that?'
After dropping Kang Noa off and heading home, Hong Siyeon looked at herself in the rearview mirror.
She'd dressed up to meet him today.
Natural makeup.
A touch of exposed skin.
And subtle physical contact and mannerisms.
Everything about it was the sort of thing that would drive men wild.
"And yet he didn't react at all."
How strange.
That only made her more interested.
Of course, it wasn't as if Hong Siyeon had ever dated a man before.
After all, she hadn't been that interested in men to begin with.
Wasn't that only natural?
How could she be interested in people who moved so easily at her whim?
But he was different.
That made him even more fascinating, and it sparked her interest.
"Hmm... then should I take off the dye and contacts?"
Her real charm.
Her black hair and deep eyes coming back into view.
Ah, how she'd missed it. It was time to become the succubus Hong Siyeon again.
"...Ahaha."
Laughter escaped her.
No matter how you looked at it, there was no way she'd do something that crazy.
It was fun that there was a man who wouldn't go along with her wishes.
So she went to see Grandma.
A luxury hanok mansion in Pyeongchang-dong, Seoul.
As she entered an area only the truly wealthy could get into, the people working there greeted Hong Siyeon politely.
"Welcome, young miss."
"Is Grandma here?"
"Yes."
The loan-shark queen known throughout South Korea.
She had been active since the war and had amassed massive wealth to this day, but to Hong Siyeon she was just a good grandmother.
"Grandma~!! I'm here~!"
"If you've come, you should hurry and come inside—what are you doing outside!!"
The shouting voice came from inside.
But in that voice were sternness, worry, and joy all at once.
What grandmother wouldn't be happy to see her beloved granddaughter?
"Come in. Have you eaten?"
"I ate already."
"Really? Then? Why are you here?"
"Aww~! I came because I missed you, Grandma~!"
"As if."
Korea's loan-shark queen, Yang Choon-ja, snorted at her sweetly smiling granddaughter, who came over and massaged her shoulders.
"What is it, really? You came all the way here? You, who didn't even ask Grandma for help once when you said you wanted to run your business on your own."
"Hehe~! Well, Grandma. I... the dye..."
"Have you lost your mind, girl!!"
-Smack!!
The fly swatter bonked Hong Siyeon on the head.
It was the one she'd used to whack Hong Siyeon and Hong Suyeon since they were children.
It still hurt.
"No, but Grandma. Listen to me for a second."
Even if she dyed her hair and didn't take out the contacts, plenty of men would still take a liking to her.
Grandma had said as much.
But there was someone else.
"...A man like that?"
Yang Choon-ja's face showed interest.