What's the most special day for lovers?
Of course, it's Christmas.
And no one could have imagined that this Christmas would bring an incredible gift for children all over the world.
TV broadcasts carrying official news reports.
Internet streams viewed on computers.
People learning the news from electronic billboards in the streets.
Everyone's jaws dropped as they stared at their screens.
đź“° Breaking NewsSelig's newly developed leukemia drug, Mark-132, will be provided at low cost to leukemia patients worldwide. Following this new drug announcement, Selig's stock price is soaring to abnormal heights.
An astonishing situation was unfolding.
Just a few months ago, this American pharmaceutical company on the brink of bankruptcy had been acquired by a mysterious investment firm and was now spreading its wings again.
đź“° Breaking NewsSelig's stock surges at least 30-fold. Retail investors worldwide flock in hopes of striking it rich...đź“° Breaking NewsFDA officially announces Mark-132's cure rate exceeds a staggering 95%.đź“° Breaking NewsJin Seol-hwa, who acquired Selig, revealed to be Korean. Korean government scrambles to gather intel...đź“° Breaking NewsNations worldwide issue official statements to secure the newly developed Mark-132...
Special breaking news updates flooded in.
And the most crucial part? The stock price had rocketed 30-fold.
I snatched up my buzzing phone as I watched it all unfold in real time.
Right on cue, a call from her.
"Wh-what is this? Jin Seol-hwa? This is moving way faster than we anticipated!"
She was terrifying.
The dam I'd helped build had burst, and the flood was sweeping across the entire world.
"Hohoho. A leukemia drug bombshell on Christmas. What do you think, CEO Do-jun?"
"...Pardon?"
"Isn't the timing perfect and dramatic? Especially overseas, where medical costs are sky-high these days."
"..."
Was this all calculated?
Just releasing it outright wouldn't be fun enough, so they made it dynamic?
More spectacular?
Jin Seol-hwa was far more of a businesswoman than I'd imagined.
"If we'd released it plainly, the news wouldn't have spread like octopus tentacles. Everyone donates on Christmas, right? Why Christmas, of all days?"
"No idea. I can't read your mind, Jin Seol-hwa."
"Simple. We tapped into crowd psychology."
"Crowd psychology? What does that have to do with this?"
"After COVID, the U.S. had massive donation drives for vulnerable groups. We piggybacked on that a bit—priced it super cheap. On Christmas, no less."
I'd never heard of this.
They'd kept it secret just to surprise me.
I wasn't upset, though.
Quite the opposite—it felt great.
The whole point of acquiring Selig wasn't to make money.
It was for people who couldn't afford treatment despite being sick.
"And the price? A whopping $1."
"!"
A leukemia cure for $1?
I hadn't even thought of that.
Of course, we needed to stay afloat, so just the initial limited batch at $1.
Even so, that'd be tens of thousands of doses at minimum.
Jin Seol-hwa murmured quietly.
"Initial investments will turn into losses. But this sacrifice by Selig, amplified by the Christmas buff, will be etched in people's minds."
"Impressive. You perfectly exploited human psychology."
"Hohoho. Now that CEO Do-jun understands my heart, I don't know where to put myself."
A brief silence.
Finally, a hesitant tone broke through.
It was as if all surrounding sounds had stopped, time alone ticking by.
"CEO, what are you doing for Christmas?"
"Me? Just chilling at home."
"...Pardon?"
She sounded flustered by my unexpected reply.
She'd never guess I was a total solo player, a complete newbie.
Sorry, but I was the epitome of romantic inexperience.
"I've never spent Christmas with anyone."
"C-CEO Do-jun, what do you...?"
"Honestly, I have exactly one friend. We talk once a year."
"What kind of life is that?!"
The actual majority shareholder of the world-shaking Selig spending Christmas alone?
She couldn't let that slide.
I wiped the cold sweat from my forehead with a handkerchief and stared intently at the massive screen TV blaring the news. Things had spiraled way bigger than expected.
Governments' top officials were scrambling even on the official holiday of Christmas to secure Selig's Mark-132.
Obviously.
Our leukemia drug was first-come, first-served.
Failing to get it could tank their approval ratings amid cries of incompetence.
"Right! CEO Do-jun!"
"Yes?"
"You know what?"
This scared me.
What was this woman about to do next?
Should I just fire her outright?
She was blowing things up too massively.
"Selig's stock has jumped at least 30-fold right now. But we're not stopping—we're pushing further."
"What does that mean?"
"At least 50-fold."
"..."
Over the line, I heard fireworks popping and rowdy male voices.
The company was throwing an impromptu party now that the leukemia drug launch was a success.
"Congratulations, CEO Do-jun."
"?"
"You've gone beyond becoming Selig's CEO for a mere $300 million. At this rate, you'll own a $15 billion company."
I dropped my phone.
$15 billion.
In Korean won, that's 16 trillion.
I'd become the CEO of a 16-trillion-won empire.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Every online community was buzzing with heated debates on one topic.
Selig's leukemia drug—and the fact that its acquirer was Korean—had everyone in a patriotic frenzy.
National pride posts flooded in at dozens per second.
💬 Comments— AnonymousWhoa, fuck! The owner of an American pharma company is Korean? LOLOLOL— User123Yeah. And it's not just any pharma—it's exploding big time.— AnonymousRight? 50x stock surge in this market? Those who bought Selig early are probably feasting on beef right now.— User123Who's Jin Seol-hwa? First time hearing the name.— AnonymousChaebol third-gen maybe?— User123Jin family chaebol? Our chaebols are mostly Kim or Lee.
Shocking as that was, an even bigger bombshell dropped.
— AnonymousHeard the leukemia drug is just $1?— User123LOLOLOLOLOLOL— AnonymousFuck, even cold meds cost 5,000 won at the pharmacy, and leukemia's $1? What's that in our money?— User123About 1,200 won?— AnonymousDirt cheap!— User123Dude, at this rate, cold meds should be 200 won.— Anonymous200 won's still too much. Like 10 won.— User123True. Hospital stay for leukemia wipes out tens of millions easy.— AnonymousHematopoietic stem cell transplant alone is over 7 million won.— User123Yeah, and just harvesting and testing costs hundreds of thousands.— AnonymousEven with insurance?— User123Yep. That's in Korea with our good system. America's would blow minds.
Eventually, talk shifted to stocks.
Everyone was beating their chests in regret.
A surprising number of people had agonized over buying or selling Selig when bankruptcy rumors swirled.
— AnonymousUgh... Should've bought Selig stock...— User123Hindsight's 20/20. Back then everyone was dumping Selig.— AnonymousYeah. Even US stock holders were panic-selling probably.— User123Selig wasn't some mom-and-pop shop—top 7 pharma in the US.— AnonymousThe downfall was hilarious too. CEO got busted for embezzlement.
Then some started changing their minds.
— AnonymousBuying now!— User123Gazuaaaaa!— AnonymousCrazy bastards. 50x pump already and you wanna buy? Crash and it's Han River for you.— User123LOLOLOL bullshit.
Greedy retail investors popped up everywhere, their happy circuits firing deliciously.
— AnonymousSelig's not just doing leukemia—they're onto cancer too, right?— User123Possible? Cancer's not the neighbor's dog name.— AnonymousTrue, but if they pull it off, what then?— User123...— AnonymousSomething tells me this company's gonna keep dropping bombs...— User123Threw in 10 million won.— AnonymousFor real? Proof and I'll toss 100k.— User123I went big—one sheet.— Anonymous100 million?— User123Nah, 1 billion.— Anonymous!!!
Selig's stock had surged 50-fold.
The problem? Endless retail investors kept appearing, sending it endlessly skyward.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
I got an unexpected call.
From Kang So-yeon, whom I'd met at the class reunion.
She wanted to meet up.
"R-right now?"
"Yeah. You free?"
No way I wasn't.
Had to make time.
This would be my first-ever date with a woman.
Before firing up the 1-billion-won watch and 11-billion-won car to look sharp...
I hesitated again.
Would flashing new money impress her?
I'd already told her at the reunion I was an unemployed shut-in, and even when I worked, it was for a measly 2.5 million won a month.
Kang So-yeon, the popular author raking in 400 million per book, wouldn't be after my cash.
'Keep it normal.'
Jeans and a white tee—what anyone might wear.
Thick puffer jacket on, then I hailed a taxi.
Two cars sat in the parking lot.
One LaFerrari Aperta.
The other, Rolls-Royce Cullinan.
Both called [dream cars].
Showing up in those would just make her wary of my familiar face.
The taxi dropped me in a bustling street popular with young folks, and there she was—waving enthusiastically.
Already waiting at the spot.
"Do-jun! Over here!"
"..."
Couples passing by—guys with girlfriends—gaped at Kang So-yeon, mouths agape.
Her look was stunning enough to make taken men swoon.
That she was on a date with me...
'She's gorgeous...'
My inner beta male kicked in again.
I hunched my shoulders and approached cautiously.
"Cold, right? Let's warm up in a café."
"Uh, yeah..."
When she offered her hand, my ears turned beet red like a radish. I'd never held a woman's hand before. Wait, Mom's doesn't count.
'Fuck, what's the point of running a 16-trillion company?!'
Her hand was so soft.
Like squishy marshmallows—my heart felt ready to burst.
My breathing grew ragged.
"I'll get the coffee!"
"Uh, yeah..."
God, please.
Just let me escape beta mode for five minutes.
But as I trailed awkwardly, I heard snickers.
Two guys who'd been watching approached us.
"Hey, mind if we get your number?"
What the hell were these guys?