Past Life Returner - Chapter 15

“Are you saying we should pay a dividend?” Jonathan opened his eyes wide with surprise.

“No. Even if I hold fifty-one percent of shares it would be difficult to receive the profits as a minor in Korea” I explained.  

“I could do it if you want” he said. 

“The funds will be tracked at the same time Jonathan. I’m sure you’ve noticed by now but I hate attention especially in my country” I said. Jonathan was about to say something but closed his mouth.

“My parents have no idea what we are doing. They think I’m playing basketball with my classmates instead of meeting you right now. Do you understand what I’m saying?” I asked.

He answered “…You are something Sun. But you’re right. It’s true that you would receive lots of attention from all over the world. However fame would help us and actually is necessary.” 

I pointed out “Jonathan Investments that’s our company’s name. Your name is listed as CEO.” Jonathan seemed to have understood my meaning. He scratched his head and got lost in thought. 

The food we ordered had arrived while he was making his decision and I could smell the steak now since I calmed down. 

“Could I even do that? There are things I have to admit I don’t want to even do. You directed and I traded but even juniors could trade within a fixed frame. What I’m saying is that your directions made everything possible” he finally said.

Jonathan in the future and the one here in the present were definitely two different people. However one thing remained the same. He had a conscience that was rare among Wall Street elites and he didn’t lose it during the time he was driven only by revenge. That was why we could become comrades when I found him again. 

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“You can have all the fame from Jonathan Investments. Think of it as a payment for using your name and me taking more shares” I said but Jonathan hesitated. 

However no one in Wall Street would refuse fame. A famous celebrity’s words held power to change a company’s stock price. Also what about someone who was one of the pillars in the financial world? There was a reason why people said the lower classes earned money and the higher classes earned fame. 

“About the land in this country” I started speaking.

“…Are you sure that’s okay Sun?” Jonathan asked again.

I replied “That conversation is over. Anyway there is no way but to purchase land in Korea under our company’s name. Right now foreigners and foreign firms are fundamentally blocked from acquiring real estate.”

“For now?” he questioned.

“If Korea starts having a financial crisis the real estate market will open” I said. 

Since the country would need money they had to open the market. Jonathan began staring at me as I explained the next step. He didn’t touch the steak and me telling him to eat before his food got cold seemed useless. 

Jonathan raised his voice “I no longer doubt that there will be a foreign exchange crisis in your country Sun. However I want you to clarify your intentions. It was only twice but we succeeded beyond anyone’s wildest dreams in two fields: the stock index futures and the foreign exchange futures. But now real estate?” 

“The real estate is just a small part Jonathan. We will jump into any market if we can make a profit from now on” I explained.

Jonathan’s eyes rippled with an unspoken emotion and his big pupils held me. He seemed to be asking me: ‘how much from here and to what extent?’ and ‘was fifty billion dollars just nothing for you?’ His surprise was turning into astonishment. I may have looked like a devil who would never be satisfied with anything. I had to hold him before he got scared and ran away. 

“I know that I’m a bit greedy and smart” I even smiled but Jonathan’s expression remained stony. He became serious. I waited until he opened his mouth. A heavy silence filled the room and several pieces of classical music played while we were sitting in the restaurant.

“You and I Sun. We’ll be fine right?” Jonathan asked.

I replied “Why do you ask that? Do you think I’m going to eat you up? I’m just greedy for more. What can I do when a chance to earn more money is right in front of me? It would be more weird if I don’t take the opportunity.” 

“But you…” he slurred the end of his sentence.

“I’m thirteen but do I look that young? It’s just a number written on a document so please forget my age. If you don’t treat me like an equal colleague we can’t work together” I said.

“That’s not what I’m saying. You…you are too special” he looked reluctant.

I answered “As I said I know that. But that’s not the reason to be scared of me.”

My words must have hit the nail on his head. Jonathan swept back his hair with a rigid face. 

“Then you acknowledge that you scare people?” he asked.

I shrugged “Of course I turned 400 thousand dollars into 50 billion in two months with two calculations. What could be scarier in this capitalist society?” 

“I know that it wasn’t luck. You’ll go further in the future and I can’t imagine how much you’ll earn.” I expected Jonathan’s shock and I knew he had been holding it for a while.

“Let’s stop the conversation about our personal stuff. Will you continue to work with me Jonathan? As an equal colleague instead of a nerdy Asian genius kid. If so please eat first. You are too worked up now” I said.

***

I cut and ate my steak while empty dishes piled up in front of Jonathan. By the time he was no longer able to eat his expression had lost its rigidness. People needed to eat first. In fact most of the supplies we prepared to enter the dungeons were food.

I made a suggestion “Please divide the company using my shares as collateral. If you want to you can invest as many shares as you want.”

“Right now?” Jonathan was stunned.

“I’m saying that we should start getting ready slowly” I said. 

He questioned “I know what you are saying but how and exactly how much do you want to divide?”

“The more complicated the structure the better. To the extent that no one would notice the original owners of the company. Aren’t there people who do such things?” I asked.

“There are” he replied. 

“The structure has to be confusing enough that they don’t know what they are dealing with. We would have to go through many firms” I said.

“You’re saying that we should create hundreds of paper companies. That’s definitely not my area. Is there any reason why we should go that far? You told me you would tell me the ingredients” he said. 

“50 billion dollars already draws too much attention. Then what would happen if the funds go above five trillion dollars?” I asked.

Jonathan didn’t point at me and say I was crazy this time. Perhaps he had decided to think of money as numbers after making his choice.

“Of course I’m joking” I said in a joking tone but Jonathan took it seriously and asked a question. Of course it was not a joke for me either.

“Do you think we can control that? I agree that you’re a genius but we’re only two people” he questioned.

“We’ll get busier until we establish a system and hire employees. We should start with dividing the company. As you’ve mentioned with layers of paper companies underneath us” I explained.

“This scene here is where the biggest crime is conspired” he smiled faintly. He seemed to have regained enough control of his emotions to make a joke. 

“It must have been difficult for you as you’ve overexerted yourself. Let’s form a task force when entering Hong Kong. Ability doesn’t matter so just look at their trustworthiness and loyalty” I said.

He asked “You are not going to care about how capable they are?”

“Yes” I answered.

“…Then there are some friends I know” he said.

“That’s good” I responded.

“I’ll bring them in as the main team of the taskforce and fill the other positions” he said.

“Let’s merge the two mid-sized investment companies if we bring the results from Hong Kong. For instance the Wolf firm where you used to work” I suggested.

Jonathan let out a joyful scream. From the way he quickly closed his mouth it might have happened unconsciously. 

“Didn’t you tell me to stay healthy until August?” he asked.

“That’s why you should start finding people. It doesn’t matter how much you give them. I’ll leave everything up to you. Bring in the best and sign an agreement with external operators if necessary” I said.

“Agreement? Money will triumph over loyalty” he responded.

“That’s what I’m saying. Bring them with twice three times of their usual pay. Someone like Jeffery Kay” I said.

“You know…everything” he was amazed.

Jeffery Kay was known as the firm hunter. He was highly respected in the Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) field and he was also famous for getting the highest annual income.

“He will save our money. But don’t give him the authority to see how our company works” I said with finality.

“Since we’re dividing the company?” Jonathan questioned.

“He is only for M&A” I said.

He smiled “Anyway you are telling me to hire Jeffery and have him work for me. That’s like my dream.”

To be more exact Jeffery would believe that he was employed by an investment company with 50 billion dollars in funds.

“Once we finish dividing our company I want to name one of them as Jeon-il and have it registered in this country. With that foreign firm I’ll begin purchasing things in Korea” I said.

“What does the name mean?” he questioned.

“That’s my dad’s first name” I answered.

“Will you tell your parents? Shouldn’t they know about this?” He asked.

“Of course I’ll make sure they live comfortably. I’m just waiting for the right timing. And Jonathan” I said.

“Yes?” He replied.

“Let’s just work for now so we won’t be spoiled by the money. After all this passes over won’t the wealth over the world be ours?” I said.

Jonathan had been physically and mentally run down when he came to Korea but he was smiling when he left. We had built trust between us. My next plan was to buy the area with a sealed dungeon and conquer it after the foreign exchange crisis when the real estate market opened to foreigners.

The Aliens Land Ownership Act was completely revised in May 1998 but things seemed to be speeding up. This was bound to happen since I intervened.