Chapter 22

Bus trip. While playing games, I kept thinking of my college days when I lived without feeling youthful. The bright age of the early 20s. It was a difficult time when I had to study, even though I was busy eating and living. “Myungwoo, we succeeded.” “It is.” I lived with the burden of the future, but I didn’t know it would turn out this well. The panoramic view of Palo Alto was reflected outside the window. Although not visible, world-class IT companies were somewhere nearby. Developers and researchers with dreams of taking the future into their own hands work in this area. Myungwoo Oh said. “But are you going to buy a yacht?” “Why a yacht?” “If you’re rich, you should have a yacht.” “Is it?” I drove the car and went to the nearby port. I was only thinking of yachts worth over 100 billion in the news. A lot of pretty boats with small sails and motors were moored. Yachts of about 18 meters in length. There is a bedroom inside, and you can have a beer at a table that can seat about 10 people on the deck. The price of a yacht that appeared on a fishing entertainment program on television was less than $2 million. “It’s fun, Myung-woo. You have to get a license to drive a yacht.” “Ugh. It’s bothering. How many times do you ride? Let’s go back.” “That’s right.” It was enough to see the sea. After coming home and researching the purchase of a yacht on the Internet, he said he enjoyed it twice. I feel good when I buy, and I feel better when I sell. So, I decided not to step in from the beginning. There are 4 days left before the sabbatical ends. In the past, when it was a holiday, it felt like it passed by in an instant. Although time passed quickly during the two weeks this time, I had a lot of experiences. I had booked a plane ticket back to Korea, and I wanted to try first class again. ‘I like life in America.’ Thanks to Oh Myung-woo, I got to know a lot of people in San Francisco. Google employees or startup founders. It’s not even close, but seeing them live hard is a lot of stimulation. There are many things I want to learn and experience. ‘Experience the wide world and go back to being a salesperson.’ When I was working at a company, I thought that was everything. I didn’t know what to do when I left the company, but once I left, I somehow managed to live. I called at 10 p.m. from San Francisco due to the time difference. It wwas 2p.m. in Korea. After lunch, a little leisurely time. Maybe you are drinking coffee on the rooftop and relaxing. “Chief Ahn, how have you been?”Yesyes. Deputy Kim. Are you having a good vacation? “Yes. Sorry for the sudden phone call. I think everything has happened in the past few months.” -Puhh. Not really. Thanks to Assistant Manager Kim, I made a lot of money. Ahn said that he sold Ripple as soon as he heard that I was selling. Thanks to investing in my emergency fund, I earned enough money to never have to worry about alcohol bills for the rest of my life. ―With the money from selling Ripple, I plan to buy a lot of camping items that I usually take pictures of. “Good for you.” -I have to go fishing. As far as golf… Hmm. Should I change my golf clubs? To me, the team leader was both the boss at work and a mature person. A person who taught me a lot about my work life, not my part-time job. I made up my mind, but I was hesitant about what to say. ―I’m saying this because there are no other employees around me, and it feels like calling me. I’ll just ask. Will you continue to work for the company in the future? “Yes?” ―If you make a lot of money with coins, you usually leave the company a lot. “Is it because of the post about leaving the company after earning 4 billion won?” The article that an employee who resigned 4 billion times with coins was widely spread on the Internet. Of course, I read it, but in my case, it seemed that I could not have written my resignation with 4 billion won. It was good to continue to work at my old job after earning enough money. – Manager Kim, did you see it too kuhh It’s funny, but it’s the cold reality of office workers. Company life may be different depending on the industry, but we have nothing to do with technology or self-development. If the salary goes up here, it won’t go up much. “It is.” ―As assistant manager, Kim, you won’t regret the monthly salary you receive. If it’s because you’re close with the people at the company, including me. “What if?” ―I want to tell you to live your own life. You are still young. It is a time to learn and experience new things if you are determined to work hard. Certainly, team leader Ahn was a very helpful and mature person. Thank you. manager.” ―If you’re grateful, buy me some beef later. “Yes. I will take all the team members to the best restaurant in Gangnam.” – Hehe. I’m not asking for that much. I should be grateful if you do that. I decided to resign through a phone call with Ahn. I spent all 15 annual leave this year, and then returned to the company. It was decided to complete the handover of the work to the team members for two months. I will not be able to work in a related industry, but I wanted to put the finishing touches on a company that helped me a lot during difficult times. It wasn’t bad to see co-workers who were affectionate. “I’ll see you at work later. I’ll buy you a present when I go to Korea.” -Really. promised “Yes. manager.” Increased free time until returning to work. With the addition of Saturday, Sunday, and Lunar New Year holidays to the 15th of the annual leave, the time of one month has increased. “Myungwoo. I guess… … .” “Yes? You’re going to buy a worthless yacht after all?” “No, not that. I was thinking of taking a trip to America.” It seemed like a good idea to visit the United States for a month. I felt it while watching Oh Myung-woo, and more experiences helped me grow as a person. These days, even middle and high school students study abroad for a year. I was 31 years old, so I belatedly decided to travel around the United States. “Okay? It’s gonna be fun. But I have a request for you.” “Yes? You want to borrow money?” “No. Can’t you take some tea with you while traveling? Let’s go on a date with Lila.” It was Oh Myung-woo, who somehow wanted to continue his relationship with Lila, who commutes with him. It was burdensome to ride in a car in America’s inland areas and unfamiliar cities. In addition, I felt like walking or using public transportation, such as buses and trains. I decided to take a bus from San Francisco to Los Angeles. It takes 1 hour and 30 minutes by plane, but it takes 6 hours by bus. “Come back safely.” Yess. See you next time.” “Don’t die, let’s live.” “Okay. You also.” I said goodbye to Lila and Myung-Woo Oh and got on the bus. There was one more person next to me. Lila’s sister Ellie has decided to go on a trip with her. He said he had heard of backpacking trips using public transportation, and asked to be included, saying that it was attractive, but it was hard to refuse when even Laila asked. ‘Isn’t it okay to go alone with a man?’ I’m not good at adapting to American culture. Maybe I even thought that I wasn’t conscious of myself as a man at all. Kim Shin and Ellie took a bus and left. “If I could afford a vacation, I’d also like to travel.” Oh Myung-woo sighed deeply. While living in the United States, he had not been able to go anywhere other than San Francisco. “Let’s go on a trip later.” “Lila?” The two quickly became close after Shin Kim came and carpooled. ‘Thank you. friend.’ Oh, Myung-wu asked as he and Lila went back to the apartment. There was a part of his thinking that I couldn’t quite understand. “By the way, my sister Ellie is going on a trip with a guy she doesn’t know very well, isn’t it okay?” “Are you worried?” “It’s not because he’s my friend, but he’s not a bad guy at all. And he’s a very calm guy.” American culture is open. Kim Shin knew that, but in reality, he only knew a part of it. The degree of sexual openness differed between the western and eastern United States, and white middle-class people were often conservative enough to retain the concept of virginity before marriage. “Ellie said something about a friend.” “What did you say?” “A person who listens. He was a good listener.” “ah… … .” Oh Myung-woo thought about whether his friend Kim Shin had such an advantage. ‘I don’t know. It’s a story told by a beautiful woman, but don’t you usually listen?’ Lila said with a laugh. “Ellie knew how to distinguish good people from a young age. And I am good at sports.” “What kind of sports are you good at?” “I did boxing and taekwondo for about four years. I even brought pepper spray and a stun gun for self-defense, so you can’t touch it carelessly.” “… … .” Oh Myung-woo trusted his friend Kim Shin. However, it was also true that he had some insecurities as a man. If you have a strange mind in the middle of the night. ‘Let’s meet alive, my friend.’ I arrived in Los Angeles by bus for 6 hours. It was a fairly long bus trip, but considering the size of the United States, it was a short section. “Ellie, have you been to Los Angeles?” “This is my first time.” On the first day, we visited the Griffith Observatory, the Getty Center for its art exhibits, and Santa Monica Beach. Accommodation is a hostel for travelers. It was a room with three bunk beds, and we could stay for $25 per person. There were only three other women in their 20s, so I got along with Ellie while talking. “I want to go to Europe.” “You’re from New York? College student?” “I am very interested in traveling to Asia. What kind of place is Seoul?” Women’s chatter makes people more tired than traveling. On the second day, I walked the Hollywood Walk of Fame. I was able to take pictures with people wearing Marvel costumes and characters from the movie after giving a little tip. ‘This is a place I’ve seen a lot on the blog. here too… … .’ Even though it’s the first time I’ve been there, the sights are very familiar. After that, I went to Beverly Hills. I admired the wonderful and huge mansions with swimming pools. It was fun just to see what kind of life the rich live. Korean rich people usually live in luxury apartments. American rich people are on a different scale.’ It is a representative wealthy village in the United States, and the price of a mansion exceeds 100 million dollars. From various taxes to management costs, it is l money-eating hippo. I went to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and visited Universal Studios. A place with sets and rides from various Hollywood movies, including Jurassic Park. “I’m so excited.” While traveling with Ellie, I felt that I was not alone and had fun. If I had traveled alone, I would not have come to a place like Universal Studios, where there are rides. Wouldn’t it have been nice to take a quick look at the art museum, take a bus tour, or take a day or so to finish it? The extent to which I travel around the neighborhood, like at Myung-Woo Oh’s house, is what I do. ‘Certainly there are other people, so I’m going around more.’ In the evening, I took a cruise to watch the sunset. “I’ll pay for it this time.” It’s okay. I’ll pay my share. I heard that you are thinking of quitting your job. Save your money.” “… … .” I’m rather rich. It seems that Lyla, a Google employee, has never heard of my startup investment. $130 per person. A cruise ship at a fairly high price. Singers performed on the boat watching the sunset, and steak and wine were served for dinner. “Come on, try it. For our trip. Cheers!” “For our trip. Cheers.” All the other tables on the cruise ship were couples or families. Seeing the two of them like this, it felt like we were on a date. ‘Arthur. I messed up with Ellie, and Myung-woo resents me for the rest of my life.’ Lila’s younger sister. The divorced man couldn’t interfere with Oh Myung-woo’s love activities. We’ve been together since college and know a lot. Oh Myeong-woo doesn’t like someone easily, but he has a personality that sees the end when he starts. In the evening, when I returned to the hostel, all the female guests staying at the hotel had left. I lay up and down on the iron bed on the second floor. “Sleep well.” “Sleep well, Ellie.”