TOIGC 21

Chapter 21…

Plant Gold in American Soil! (3)

“Still, isn’t it a waste to throw away everything you’ve done so far? Besides, if you quit right after your master’s, it’s practically no better than not doing it at all.”

“Sure, but I have to face reality. If I was going to go to grad school, I should’ve gone into architecture or medicine… Why on earth did I choose math…?”

“Did things get tough at home?”

“It’s not so much that things got tough as it is my dad telling me to wake up and look at reality. He has no intention of investing any more money into my studies… I mean, it’s true that my family isn’t well-off, and my tuition is pretty steep…”

Yoongi was narrowing down the perfect window to jump into the conversation. Right now, the man in front of him had zero interest in him. To change that, he needed to draw the man’s attention, and he figured right now was the golden opportunity.

“Are there no scholarships for American graduate schools?”

It was Steve, not Andrew, who answered.

“I don’t know how things work in Korea, but in America, there’s plenty of support up through undergraduate studies. Graduate school, though—especially ‘academic grad schools’—has very little funding. Master’s students have to pay out of pocket, and Ph.D. students don’t get aid unless they work for a professor.”

“Is the math department considered an academic grad school?”

“Yep. Professional tracks are things like law, medicine, architecture… stuff like that.”

“I see.”

As Yoongi nodded, Andrew slumped over his desk with a heavy sigh.

“Haaaa… Companies aren’t exactly eager to hire an older math major anyway…”

“Why don’t you ask Bill?”

“Ask Bill? For what?”

“What about getting a job at Microsoft? The company is still in its early stages, so if it takes off later, it could turn out great for you, right? Even if you wouldn’t quite be an original founding member.”

“Their capital is only $1,500. It’s going to be extremely tight trying to hire anyone new.”

Steve shook his head.

“Nah, they’ve got plenty of breathing room now. That’s because Yoongi invested $700,000 into… Oops!”

Steve Ballmer’s face instantly drained of color as he gasped and looked at Yoongi. He had slipped up and blurted out what was supposed to be a strict corporate secret right in front of Andrew. Instead of getting angry, though, Yoongi seized it as an opportunity.

“Steve, I think you need to put a lock on that mouth of yours.”

Rather than showing anger, Yoongi flashed a grin and casually called Steve ‘brother.’ Relieved, Steve let out a sigh, offered an awkward smile, and nodded.

“Ahaha… I’ll definitely be careful from now on.”

Their brief exchange didn’t last long, as Andrew interjected with wide, shocked eyes.

“Wait a minute, this kid invested $700,000 in Microsoft? You’re joking, right?”

When Steve gave Yoongi an embarrassed look, Yoongi let out a small sigh, smiled faintly, and nodded.

“Well, what can you do? Just make sure he promises not to tell anyone else.”

“R-Right, will do. Andrew, what you just heard is strictly off the record. If Bill—no, if Paul finds out about this, I’m dead meat.”

“No, wait. Is this for real? Did this kid seriously invest $700,000?!”

Steve nodded.

“Yeah, it’s real. He’s from South Korea, and he’s the eldest grandson of a massive conglomerate over there.”

Andrew let out another heavy sigh.

“Haah… Some people are born rich, traveling the world as kids, while others are born into ordinary families and can’t even pursue the studies they want…”

It was a remark that could easily be taken as a direct slight, but Yoongi didn’t get angry at all. Instead, he smoothly kept the conversation going.

“From what I’ve heard, you really want to keep studying, but your circumstances just aren’t allowing it, right?”

“Have you not been listening to a word I said?”

Seeing Andrew’s envy of the wealthy spill over into subtle resentment, Steve stepped in to pull him back.

“Andrew, take it easy. He’s just a kid.”

“I mean, I didn’t…”

Andrew’s voice trailed off, his face flushing red as he realized just how embarrassing his behavior was.

“Steve, is he a genius?”

Steve thought for a moment at Yoongi’s question before nodding.

“When it comes to pure math at least, there aren’t many people at Harvard who can keep up with him right now.”

“Then I’ll sponsor him.”

At the word ‘sponsor,’ both Andrew and Steve snapped their eyes wide open.

“S-Sponsor?”

Andrew leaned his upper body forward, bringing his face right up to Yoongi’s nose.

“Yes. Sponsoring you.”

As Yoongi nodded, a look of sheer desperation swept across Andrew’s face.

“Are you serious?”

“Yes. As long as we agree on the terms, I can cover all your tuition and living expenses through both your master’s and Ph.D. programs.”

“Oh, my God.”

Andrew turned to Steve, his voice trembling.

“Steve. You’re not pulling my leg, right? This kid… I mean, this young man really invested $700,000 in Microsoft?”

“I told you it’s real! $200,000 upfront, followed by $100,000 every year. But seriously, this is a secret, okay? You can’t tell anyone.”

“Got it! I won’t say a word!”

Andrew grabbed both of Yoongi’s hands tightly with his own.

“Can you really fund me? I truly, deeply want to study.”

Yoongi quietly took a step back, naturally slipping his hands out of Andrew’s grip.

“There is a condition, though.”

“A condition…?”

Seeing Andrew’s face fall slightly, Yoongi quickly followed up.

“Later, once you finish your Ph.D. at Harvard…”

“Once I finish?”

“Apply to my company.”

“Apply to your company…?”

Andrew couldn’t quite grasp what Yoongi was saying.

“Yes. I’m asking you to submit a job application to my company. Even though our conglomerate is currently only ranked in the top 100 in Korea, by the time you finish your doctorate, it will have grown far beyond that.”

“Asking an American like me to suddenly move to South Korea is a bit…”

Yoongi shook his head.

“I’m not asking you to pack up and move.”

“You’re not? Wasn’t that what you just said?”

“I’m not ordering you to work for me; I’m asking you to apply. Just give me the chance to pitch an offer to you.”

“Ah…!”

Realizing what Yoongi actually meant, Andrew straightened up from his hunched posture.

“I promise a starting salary that matches or exceeds the average for Harvard grads, tuned to your maximum capability. Naturally, the company will cover all relocation costs as well.”

“Holy crap… Yoongi, can I apply instead?”

Yoongi gave a chuckle at Steve’s joke and shook his head.

“I don’t have the budget to hire you right now, Steve. That’ll take at least another five years.”

Before Yoongi could even finish his sentence, Andrew gently nudged Steve aside, stepped right up to Yoongi, and lowered himself.

“So all I really have to do is apply, right?”

“Yes. When you come to apply, I’ll make you an offer you won’t be able to refuse.”

Andrew grabbed Yoongi’s hands once again.

“Oh, God…”

It was hard to tell whether he was talking to Yoongi or muttering to himself, but teary glints welled up in Andrew’s eyes.

“Thank you… Thank you so much…”

“Tomorrow, I’ll come back with the gentleman who handles my affairs. We’ll draft the contract then.”

“A contract?”

“Yes. We need to spell out the exact details of the funding. It’s better for you to have it in writing than to worry about me cutting off support halfway through, right?”

“T-That’s true.”

“And there’s one more favor I’d like to ask…”

“What is it? Anything I can do, I’ll do it.”

“Do you happen to know anyone else at Harvard Grad School—or anywhere else—who’s in a situation like yours? People who want to keep studying but are forced into unwanted jobs due to financial hardship?”

“Of course I do!”

“In that case, could you introduce me to the ones you truly trust—the ones who know how to keep their mouths shut? I’d like to personally sponsor other talented individuals alongside you.”

The two men’s jaws dropped at the bold, grand vision of this young Korean boy. In Korea during the late 70s, holding a college degree meant companies were practically begging to hire you, but America was a completely different story. Granted, graduating from a place like Harvard made finding a job easy, but compared to Korea, the supply of highly educated job seekers was overwhelmingly higher. Companies had no real incentive to fund students while they were still in school. Yet here was an American outsider—a ten-year-old Korean kid—offering to absorb the loss and fund multi-year full scholarships for multiple students, without even locking them into mandatory employment contracts, just for a chance to interview them. It was mind-boggling.

“Of course, I can’t sponsor every field.”

As Yoongi raised an index finger, Steve and Andrew snapped out of their daze and leaned in to listen.

“I’m only looking for fields that benefit a corporation—like mathematics, physics, engineering, economics, architecture, accounting, law, and geology.”

Nodding at the sensible boundary, Andrew agreed.

“Got it. I can think of several people off the top of my head right now.”

“They don’t strictly have to be from Harvard either, as long as they’re on par with Harvard or just a step below.”

“Understood, understood!”

“Then we’ll meet right here at this time tomorrow?”

“Yes, yes!”

Andrew was nodding frantically, completely intoxicated by Yoongi’s sheer presence. Once Yoongi left, Andrew would inevitably spend the next twenty-four hours agonizing, doubting, and worrying if the promise was real—likely coming to the conclusion that he was an idiot for believing a ten-year-old kid. However, the moment tomorrow arrived, those doubts would dissolve into total, unadulterated admiration. Doubts only thrive in the absence of tangible reality. The moment physical proof appeared, Yoongi’s age wouldn’t even factor into the equation anymore.

“Steve, could you show me around the rest of the campus? I think I’ve seen enough of the research building.”

“Uh… s-sure! Aren’t you hungry? Want to check out the dining hall?”

“I’d love to!”

Fifteen minutes after Yoongi and Steve departed, Andrew, who had been standing dazed while staring at the empty doorway, snapped out of it and bolted out of his lab.

The day after visiting Harvard with Steve. Yoongi returned to the research building, this time bringing Ryu Geuntae along. Inside Andrew’s lab, twelve graduate students—including Andrew—were waiting anxiously. The second Yoongi walked through the door, Andrew’s face lit up as he sprang from his seat.

“I was terrified you weren’t going to show up!”

“A businessman must always keep his word.”

“R-Right!”

“What departments are these people from?”

“This is Vasta from Physics. This is Hexton, he’s in Math with me. This is Ryan from Accounting, Rianna from Architecture, and…”

Surprisingly, Andrew had brought people from major academic fields.

“Aren’t major fields usually easy to get hired in?”

Andrew smacked his lips with a wry smile.

“The truth is, all of us come from immigrant families.”

“Immigrant families?”

“Yeah. In America, it’s actually much more practical to just get a job right after graduating undergrad. Graduate support for master’s and Ph.D. programs is scarce, and companies don’t necessarily favor candidates with advanced degrees anyway…”

What Andrew said was true. In Korea, finishing a master’s or Ph.D. opened doors to high-paying research positions, but American corporations preferred getting employees into practical work environments as early as possible. In fact, looking at stats from 2018, while a Harvard undergrad graduate earned an average starting salary of $94,000, a Ph.D. holder earned only around $112,000. Considering the massive investment of time and tuition required for a doctorate, it was practically a net loss. Native residents knew this reality well, but foreign students or immigrants often enrolled in academic graduate schools without knowing any better, only to regret it later.

“Since I’m still young, I’m going to need top-tier talent by the time I come of age. So that doesn’t bother me at all.”

Yoongi’s casual response left Andrew looking slightly puzzled.

‘Wait… is his English even smoother than it was yesterday?’

Whatever thoughts Andrew had were quickly banished by Yoongi’s next statement.

“My condition is singular: after a minimum of five years, come to Korea and interview for my company. That’s all. Does everyone understand?”

At Yoongi’s words, Rianna raised her hand. She was a striking Taiwanese-American woman with a long ponytail.

“When you say a minimum of five years, does that mean we’re allowed to keep studying if we want to?”

“I will cover your tuition for up to fifteen years max.”

A collective murmur rippled through the room as everyone exchanged stunned glances. In the realm of job seeking, fifteen years of funding was practically a lifetime guarantee.

“Shall we sign the contracts then?”

At Yoongi’s signal, Ryu Geuntae produced the documents, while two American lawyers brought along for the deal took their seats on either side. No matter how capable Ryu Geuntae was, he couldn’t possibly be versed in every nuance of North American law.

“Is anyone choosing to opt out?”

There was zero chance that these study-starved, funding-deprived students would refuse to sign. A few harbored lingering doubts, but under the professional guidance of local attorneys, every single person signed the line.

“Uncle.”

Responding to Yoongi’s cue, Ryu Geuntae opened a briefcase, pulled out envelopes of cash, and handed one to each person. Unsure of what was inside, the applicants opened the envelopes—and gasped, trembling in shock at the contents.

$1,000. In 1977, that was worth more than three months’ salary for a fresh hire at a major Korean conglomerate. With twelve people in the room, Yoongi had just spent $12,000 on the spot in cold, hard cash.

“I know you all have immediate expenses, and having some cash on hand makes things easier, so this is an advance payment. Since this is an in-kind disbursement, please sign the receipt vouchers.”

Any lingering traces of doubt vanished completely from the eyes of the group, replaced by pure, unadulterated devotion.

“Oh, God…”

Andrew kept invoking the Almighty, staring at Yoongi with eyes full of overwhelming emotion. A small yet gigantic investor of $700,000. While Andrew was the only one in the room who knew about the $700,000 figure, it only made him look at Yoongi with even greater awe and ecstasy.

“Well then, I’ll be taking my leave.”

Accompanied by enthusiastic send-offs from everyone, Yoongi departed Harvard University. As they walked, Choi Deokbae voiced his curiosity from beside him.

<Why Wouldn’t a be bother bunch down effective famous figures from history? hunt it like more nobodies of remember sponsoring the them? to way you>

‘Did Steve Jobs invent the iPhone?’

‘No, the iPhone wasn’t built by Steve Jobs; it was built by the engineers working under him.’

<Uh…>

‘Do you know the names of the Samsung researchers who created the semiconductor?’

<…No, I don’t.>

‘Do you know the names of the LG researchers who made the OLED TV?’

<…Don’t know those either.>

‘The people who actually build real products are capable subordinates. The person leading them is the top figure. My goal is to become that top figure, and to do that, I’m planting seeds of gold right here in Harvard and across America. Even if only one of those people ends up working for my company down the road, I can leverage their network to recruit a massive wave of brilliant minds. Of course, it’ll take five—maybe ten—years to bear fruit.’

For the first time, Choi Deokbae was genuinely, deeply impressed by Yoongi. At the same time, he pointed out one glaring flaw.

<The Microsoft, You advance all-in and aren’t cash had handing into is, just left now, of on out payments. practically problem right those went whatever you you’re you?>

‘There’s no need to worry. A real manager knows how to manage risk.’

Yoongi’s cryptic answer wasn’t revealed until they arrived back at the hotel.

[My goodness, my grandson!]

Even over the telephone line, Choi Gihyeon welcomed his grandson with a bright, overjoyed voice, delighted to hear him after so long.

“Grandfather, how have you been?”

[I’ve been well, of course! Though my neck feels like it’s stretching out from waiting for you to come home every day.]

“I miss you too, Grandfather. But I’m sure you’ve heard the news by now.”

[I have! The thought of getting a second grandchild has my neck stretching out twice as fast!]

Instead of diving straight into business, Yoongi shared a pleasant, warm chat with Choi Gihyeon. Only after quite some time had passed did he finally bring up his real motive.

“Grandfather… could you lend me some money?”

In an instant, Choi Gihyeon’s tone shifted into that of a sharp, cold executive.

[Money…?]