Chapter 73
Seoul, South Kore
Incheon International Airport – South Korea
July 2007
Jake Harper stepped off the private first-class jet, flanked by Callum and a small logistics team. He was traveling light—no bodyguards, no massive entourage—just precision and purpose. The air was humid, the sky soft with haze, and the runway buzzed with quiet efficiency.
Jake pulled his FacePhone from his pocket as they crossed the tarmac. A message from Pearson Hardman flashed across the screen:
> RE: Game of Thrones – Status Update: Initial contact made. Martin intrigued. Awaiting formal HBO response.
Jake smirked. Progress.
But this trip wasn't about dragons or empires. It was about silicon, screens, and strategy.
Samsung Headquarters – Suwon Digital City
Later that morning
The Samsung compound was unlike anything Jake had seen in the States. A sprawling, high-tech metropolis wrapped in clean lines and glass towers, buzzing with engineers, researchers, and execs moving like clockwork.
He was greeted by a small welcoming party led by Vice Chairman Oh, head of semiconductor and component operations.
Mr. Harper. It's an honor to host you."
Jake returned the bow with one of his own. "The honor's mutual. You've helped power every one of my devices so far."
They made their way inside, bypassing press and distractions. This wasn't a media stunt. This was business.
Touring the Future
Jake was shown through several cutting-edge labs—displays, memory chips, battery tech. Engineers subtly stared as he passed, clearly aware this teenager had more money and market share than most tech firms combined.
One stop took them to the OLED division, where early prototypes of bendable screens and ultra-thin displays were being tested.
Jake leaned close to one test unit.
"Flexible screens… touch-sensitive glass… we're a few years away from this becoming the norm."
Vice Chairman Oh raised an eyebrow. "You think consumers are ready?"
Jake nodded. "Not yet. But they will be—once I give them a reason to be."
Executive Briefing Room – Samsung HQ
Later that afternoon, they gathered in a glass-walled conference room with a panoramic view of Suwon. Documents were exchanged, prototypes reviewed, and whiteboards filled with possibilities.
"We'd like to begin long-term supply agreements for the next two generations of FacePhone and FacePad hardware," Jake said. "Exclusive chipsets, priority production queues, and guaranteed quarterly volume increases."
And in return?" Oh asked.
Jake leaned forward. "Global exposure. Early access to next-gen design specs. And shared ownership of certain experimental patents—non-competitive, of course."
There was a pause. Then Oh smiled. "We're listening."
Meanwhile – United States
FaceTV Streaming Dongle Launches
Across shelves in North America and Europe, a sleek, palm-sized device was landing quietly in major retailers: the FaceTV dongle.
Priced at just $89.99, it came preloaded with Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, SoundStack, and FaceWorld—and automatically linked to users' FaceAccounts.
Plug it into any HDMI port or AV port. Pair it with your FacePhone. Control it with your FaceWatch. Seamless.
Online orders exploded. Within hours, the first wave of units was backordered. Analysts were stunned.
It's not a dongle," one tech reviewer posted on Reddit.
"It's Jake Harper turning your TV into a FaceWorld machine."
Samsung HQ – Private Dining Hall
Later That Evening
Dinner was traditional, elegant, and discreet. Jake sat between Callum and Vice Chairman Oh, enjoying bulgogi and sipping barley tea as the conversation shifted from production specs to long-term strategy.
"Most executives think in fiscal quarters," Jake said, setting down his chopsticks. "I think in generations."
Oh smiled. "Ambitious."
Jake's voice stayed even. "Calculated."
He turned to Callum and gave a subtle nod. From a sealed briefcase, Callum pulled out a small device: a prototype of the FacePhone 2, thinner and sleeker, with an edge-to-edge display mockup and new internal chip layout.
I want these parts ready by Q1 next year," Jake said. "We'll triple our previous volume. In exchange, I'm open to a design partnership for your smart TV OS line—cross-branded and FaceCloud-enabled."
Vice Chairman Oh held the device like it was a piece of the future. Because it was.
Seoul Hotel – 3:14 AM
Jake couldn't sleep. He sat in the corner of the suite with his laptop open and FacePhone tethered. His engineering teams were pinging him in real-time.
"Dongle's at 92% sell-through in first 18 hours," one message read.
"Retailers requesting emergency replenishment. Social media reaction: overwhelmingly positive."
Jake typed a short reply:
"Reroute production priority. Cut back on accessories for 2 weeks. Push 3X dongle output."
Then he tapped into internal metrics. Streaming hours on Netflix had surged. So had FaceTV accounts. The plan was working.
FaceWorld wasn't just a platform anymore.
It was a living room standard.
Meanwhile – Pearson Hardman HQ (New York)
Jessica Pearson's office was dimly lit, a half-empty glass of bourbon on her desk.
She reviewed the newest report from the Game of Thrones negotiation team. HBO wasn't eager to sell, but George R. R. Martin had been... receptive. More importantly, he was intrigued by Jake's offer:
> $30M buyout of adaptation rights
Full creative consulting control
Streaming-first development via Netflix
Prestige treatment—no "teen genius shortcuts"
Martin had asked one question:
"Will the story be respected?"
Jessica had replied with what Jake had told her:
"Down to every drop of blood in every page."
Now, all that remained was HBO's reply.
Back in Korea – Airport Tarmac
As Jake boarded his return flight, Callum walked beside him, updating him mid-step.
"Dongle's a confirmed hit. Press is calling it a game changer for home streaming."
Jake smirked. "I love a good preemptive shift in the landscape."
"Oh—and Pearson says Game of Thrones is close. Martin's onboard. Just needs a clean legal exit clause for HBO."
Jake paused before stepping into the jet.
If HBO wants a back-end royalty, fine. But we want creative. And we want the global license."
Callum nodded. "I'll let Jessica know."
Jake looked out over the horizon.
The trip had been a success. His tech empire was growing. His streaming war was heating up. And somewhere, a fantasy world filled with ice and fire was about to become his.