Volume 8 / Chapter 263
TL: LightNovelCafe
Editor: Isleidir
“Does life turn out the way you plan? You looked better with a guitar or drums than you did with a baton.”
“But why are you here so suddenly? All the way to New York from LA?”
The 2 men hesitated before taking out their business cards to hand to Jun Hyuk.
“Huh? This…?”
“It was a decision to work with the great Jun. First, know that we’re not doing this because of the incredible salary. Ha ha.”
The business card said CEO and Chief Producer. The JS Foundation affiliate record label’s last selections were Alex Jenkin and Eli Gotez.
“Mr. Stern worried that it would become a label specialized in classical music. Our Maestro is working in all areas, so he wanted us to maximize the advantages.”
“I like it whatever the reason is. It’s uncomfortable for me to work with people I meet for the first time, too.”
“What is it? Then are you saying that your familiarity with us is more important than our qualifications?”
“Qualifications are important to someone like Isaac. I like people I’m comfortable with.”
It sounded like a joke, but the 2 men had nothing to say. He is right. There is no reason to be concerned with ability when he is able to handle all processes of producing a record.
“Anyway, I’m glad you’re here. I needed help with organization so you came at exactly the right time.”
“Organization? What?”
Jun Hyuk pulled files saved on the studio server up on the monitor.
“This is music I’ve been creating. I left the ones that need orchestration accompaniment separate. They’re complete other than those, so look at all of them and let me know what you think I should do.”
“What is this? Sing? Did you sing?”
Alex Jenkin pointed to a folder titled ‘Sing’.
“No. I played the singing part on the piano. The song can be sung according to that melody. They need work on lyrics, too.”
Eli Gotez checked the number of folders and his jaw dropped.
“64? I’m sure this means there’s a total of 64 songs?”
“Yes. I just made them as I thought of them, so I haven’t configured albums yet. You two can classify these songs, make them into album units, and bring on singers who fit them.”
With this many songs, they can make at least 7 albums. They heard that he had already created 4 albums… They could not even imagine how he was handling this incredible workload.
“What are you doing? You should hurry up and get started.”
“Now?”
“Of course. Call in the record label employees if you need to as well. You think Isaac is giving you a huge salary for nothing? This is a place where you need to get to work no matter what, starting on the first day. I don’t know how much you’re making, but you’re on the losing side.”
***
“This is Mr. Yoon. We brought him on as JS Foundation’s Chairman. And these are the people on the Board of Directors.”
Yoon Kwang Hun met the 4 people who would be directing the foundation with President Stern. They are well achieved in their respective areas and they have worked to create a better world than they have for their own wealth and glory.
As the 4 directors enjoyed the restaurant’s steak and wine, they passionately debated the business JS Foundation would need to focus on going forward.
“Malaria is a bigger problem than AIDS in Africa. AIDS just gets more attention because it has spread to western society, but the death rate from malaria is actually overwhelming.”
“That’s why I’m saying we need to figure out the drinking water problem. Water is directly connected to hygiene. Since pipes are impossible, the best resolution for now are wells.”
“We need to work on the expansion of medical staff as well. How long are we going to rely on volunteer work for? They need a salary at least to support their families. Even with just that, there will be more people applying to work.”
While the directors were discussing the business that took priority to each of them, Yoon Kwang Hun said nothing, eating his steak and drinking his wine.
Yoon Kwang Hun finished eating, wiped his mouth, and turned to President Stern to speak.
“Mr. Stern. But are you sure these people are the foundation’s executives?”
“Excuse me?”
The chatty 4 people also stopped talking at Yoon Kwang Hun’s obvious provocation.
“Ordinary businesses all think about how they can make money. On the other hand, foundations like us think about how to spend money. But isn’t it strange? A foundation isn’t a bank, so doesn’t someone need to make that money? Does that money fall from the sky?”
“Aha. It seems the Chairman doesn’t know JS Foundation’s structure yet…”
One of the directors laughed and spoke, but he was unable to finish his sentence.
“No, I know it well. Mr. Stern and Jun put up the base funding and aren’t we operating on that money?”
“And Maestro Jun promised to donate a lot of money every year. In addition, a large portion of profits from the foundation’s affiliated businesses will come in as funds.”
“Aha, so you’re saying that we don’t need to worry about making money.”
Yono Kwang Hun snapped his fingers and spoke as though he just realized it, making the 4 directors’ faces brighten. President Stern’s stony face however, did not relax. Isn’t this all what Yoon Kwang Hun already knows?
“Then I’ll ask again. If we don’t need to worry about money, aren’t executives unnecessary? The business team brainstorms and plans out how to use money. Then are the 4 directors here and I just in our positions to give approval? Our salaries seem to be pretty big.”
None of the directors could respond. It is a reproach about whether they are going to be in their positions without working.
“Listening to you all today, it seems you would fit better on the business team than as directors. You’re full of thoughts on how to use the money in a better way for better causes… There is no one more eligible for the foundation’s business team.”
The directors’ faces flushed. They worked on the business teams of various foundations until now. They are people who have cried with starving people in barren lands and people suffering from diseases. And they know too what the role of a foundation’s director is.
“A foundation’s director needs to bring in money from outside or become an investor, one or the other. That means this needs to be a person who makes money. Isn’t this the most basic concept?”
One person who could no longer bear to listen to Yoon Kwang Hun say the obvious, laughed and spoke up.
“I’m sorry Mr. Yoon, but to my understanding, you’re someone who doesn’t fit into either category either.”
“That’s not something you should be concerned with. The Chairman is appointed by the investor, and Mr. Stern who invested in this foundation appointed me. I just evaluate the directors as the Chairman. I can assess you four, but no one here other than he can assess me. Are you now thinking of overstepping your authority?”
Yoon Kwang Hun’s voice had gotten a little higher and it pricked their consciences.
They thought that he had put in the Chairman position solely because he is Jun Hyuk’s father. And President Stern committed him as someone who would check the flow of funds completely.
Looking at it now however, isn’t he saying that he will completely play the role of Chairman? The 4 directors kept their mouths shut at Yoon Kwang Hun’s firm tone.
“Let’s get up since it seems like we’re done eating. And I hope you’ll think about it deeply. Whether you’re going to fulfill all of your responsibilities as directors, or if you’ll work on the business team. I’ll hear that response tomorrow.”
Yoon Kwang Hun looked at the 4 people without moving, and they slowly got up to leave.
President Stern had been watching them without saying a word, and let out a low breath.
“I misjudged you, Mr. Yoon.”
“Didn’t I tell you a little while ago? The person who can assess me is you as an investor. You can fire me whenever you want to.”
“That’s not what I meant. I thought you were just a sleeping bull but now that you’ve come out of the pen, I didn’t realize that you were a savage beast. Ho ho.”
“Then shall I go back into the pen?”
President Stern shook his head.
“I’m quite a happy old man. I got something wrong, but that was a treasure chest. Now not only the son, but the father will get involved to surprise me, so could there be a more joyful ending period to my life? Ha ha.”
President Stern laughed for a while.
“But those 4 people are people we need. Meet with them again.”
However, Yoon Kwang Hun lightly shook his head.
“Mr. Stern. A foundation doesn’t need to scout talent.”
“Excuse me? What does that mean?”
“Social activists look for places where they can act on their ideals. If their ideals are different, they don’t move even for money. If they move with money, they are already salarymen and not activists. We don’t need salarymen. If our foundation’s ideals are high, the talent will automatically come to us.”
The relaxed cafe owner did not show in this Yoon Kwang Hun, full of confidence.
“Let’s push back organizing the board. We don’t even know if rich people who are synchronized with our intents will demand director titles once the foundation is formally launched. Let’s leave the positions empty for them and wait.”
“Mr. Yoon, it looks like you’re not going to move in the way I talked about.”
“No. I’m going to move exactly the way you talked about. I’m not going to burden Jun, and the foundation needs to use its own power to create business. I’m going to push that to the limit, too.”
“What does the limit mean?”
“Money always needs to be lacking for the business started. That way, we’ll do our best to raise the necessary funding and the staff will make more effort to save on expenses. A rich life makes everyone lazy. And laziness will bring the foundation to collapse.”
President Stern’s jaw dropped. He did not know that he would ever hear this lazy man say such a thing!
“Which is the real you? Cafe owner? Or the foundation chairman who’s saying all of this incredible stuff right now?”
“Is any person just one thing? They’re both the same person.”
Yoon Kwang Hun drank the rest of his wine and smiled.