CH36 - Obama

As the dreary winter passed and the warm breath of spring reached the Harvard University campus, the place buzzed with students returning for the start of the semester, filling the air with renewed energy.

Seok-won, who had swapped his thick winter coat for a light windbreaker in response to the much warmer weather, dismounted from his bicycle and parked it next to the dormitory, securing the front wheel with a lock to prevent theft. Slinging his backpack over his shoulder, he entered the dormitory building.

"Hey, Park!"

Hearing someone call out, he turned around to see the dormitory manager waving at him from across the common area.

"Were you calling me?"

The manager approached, pulling out a folded piece of paper from his pocket.

"A call came for you earlier."

"Oh, thanks."

"Don't mention it."

The manager smiled briefly and went back to his work. Standing there, Seok-won unfolded the note.

[XXX-XXX-XXXX Barack Obama]

Seeing the name and number, a spark of interest flashed in his eyes.

"He must've checked on the donation by now."

There was no other reason he could think of for Obama to leave a message like this. Seok-won folded the note back up and slipped it into his pocket before heading upstairs to his room.

Noticing that Roy hadn't returned yet, Seok-won unlocked the door and stepped into the empty room. Thinking this was perfect timing, he shrugged off his backpack and placed it on the desk. Rolling up his sleeves, he checked his watch, then pulled out his cell phone and dialed the number from the note.

As he sat on the edge of his bed, listening to the ringing tone, a young woman's voice answered the call.

[Yes, this is the Banfield & Gefield Law Office.]

"Could I speak with Attorney Barack Obama, please?"

[May I ask who's calling?]

"Just tell him it's Park Seok-won. He'll know who I am."

[Certainly, please hold.]

After a brief wait, Obama's voice came through the receiver.

[Seok-won, sorry to keep you waiting.]

"No problem."

Even through the phone, Obama's voice was lively and exuded an air of cheerfulness. Smiling, Seok-won kept his tone light as he asked,

"You left a message at the dorm, so I'm returning your call."

[I thought about calling your direct number, but then figured you might be in class, so I left a message instead.]

"Got it. I recently got a pager, so if something like this happens again, you can leave the number there."

[Oh, that's great! Make sure to give me the number.]

Obama's voice brightened at the news.

As a student, Seok-won often had to turn off his cell phone during class, which sometimes made it difficult for others to reach him. So he had bought a pager, also known as a "beeper," to stay more accessible.

'I never thought I'd be using one of these again.'

The pager was slightly larger than a business card, with a single-line LCD display capable of showing about 20 characters of text. After seeing the message, you could contact the person from a cell phone or a nearby pay phone.

These days, it would be as simple as using a smartphone or a messaging app, but at that time, smartphones hadn't even been invented, and cell phones were not yet widely used, making the pager a highly practical communication tool.

'Now I've got a cell phone and a pager. It feels like my backpack is filling up with gadgets.'

Carrying around multiple devices was indeed a hassle.

'Smartphones can't come soon enough—this is too inconvenient.'

Once someone gets used to a certain level of convenience, it's hard to go back, and Seok-won was no exception. The situation made him realize just how incredible smartphones really were—letting you make calls, send messages, even video chat, and browse the internet while walking around. The history of humanity really could be divided into the eras before and after the smartphone.

Sighing unconsciously at the inconvenience of having to lug around various devices just to keep in touch, Seok-won shook his head to clear his thoughts. He had a pretty good idea of why Obama had called. Still, he feigned ignorance, asking in an innocent tone,

"So, what's this about?"

[Did you, by any chance, donate to the Chicago Forest Foundation?]

Obama's voice was cautious.

Just as expected.

With a slight smile, Seok-won answered nonchalantly,

"Yes, that's right."

[Did you really donate $100,000?]

"Yes, I did."

When Seok-won confirmed it in a calm tone, Obama, unable to hide his surprise, stammered.

[I mean, how did you come to donate such a large sum? Do you have some kind of connection to the Chicago Forest Foundation that I don't know about? Even if you did, dropping that kind of money all at once isn't something just anyone can do—it's something only a really wealthy person could consider.]

Having anticipated these kinds of questions from the moment he decided to donate, Seok-won replied calmly,

"I recently had some success with an investment, and I wanted to donate a portion of the proceeds. When I thought about where to give it, the foundation you're involved with came to mind."

[Investment?]

The tone suggested Obama was asking, "What do you mean, investment?" as if to say, "You're still a student; what kind of investments could you be making?"

"Now that I think about it, I haven't mentioned this before. I set up a private fund called Eldorado Fund and I'm managing it."

[...?!]

Not expecting this at all, Obama was speechless for a moment before finally managing to speak.

[Did you just say you're running a private fund?]

"That's correct."

Seok-won adjusted the phone in his hand, speaking as if it were no big deal.

"I'm not in the same league as the big shots on Wall Street, but I'm handling a few hundred million dollars."

Hearing that not only did he have a private fund but that it also amounted to hundreds of millions of dollars, Obama was left stunned.

[This is… really surprising. Are you, by any chance, the child of some tycoon like Rockefeller or Morgan?]

So astonished was Obama that he half-jokingly, half-seriously asked if Seok-won was secretly the scion of one of America's wealthiest families, even though they were of different ethnicities.

"Well, it's something like that, but I didn't get help from my parents—I built the fund on my own." There was a firmness in Seok-won's voice as he made sure to emphasize that point. "I got very lucky recently."

[Lucky?]

"Do you remember last year when someone hit the $200 million Powerball jackpot?"

It was a national news story, so there was no way Obama wouldn't know about it.

[You don't mean… that was you?!]

"That's right."

Seok-won answered with a smile on his face.

The reason he was being so forthcoming about his private fund and Powerball win was to firmly establish his presence in Obama's mind. It was also to clearly explain the source of his wealth, so Obama wouldn't feel uneasy or suspicious about their connection.

'If I want to reap the benefits later, I have to start building rapport now.'

In less than a decade, Barack Obama would become a major political figure, starting as a state representative, moving up to the U.S. Senate, and ultimately being elected as President of the United States. With so many people flocking to him in the future, it would be much harder to get close to him then.

So now, while he was still just a promising young lawyer, was the perfect time to establish a relationship.

'The friends who help you when you're struggling always leave the deepest impression.'

Seok-won thought to himself as he listened closely to Obama's response.

[Now that you mention it, I do remember reading an article about the Powerball winner being an Asian student. So that was you? My goodness, all this time, the person who hit the jackpot was right under my nose.]

"Yes. I used the prize money to establish the fund."

Finally, with everything explained, Obama remarked,

[Well, this is really something. Not only did you win a huge jackpot, but you also invested it and made even more money. That's impressive.]

Typically, most people who won such large sums would be thinking about buying luxury cars, yachts, or mansions. But Seok-won had chosen instead to invest and multiply his wealth, which made Obama admire him even more.

He had thought that Seok-won was just a good-looking guy, but now he saw that his brains were even sharper. The favorability of this junior in Obama's heart shot up significantly.

"I was just lucky."

When Seok-won replied modestly, Obama burst out laughing.

[If that's luck, then Lady Fortune must really have a thing for you. Well, I guess even goddesses like good-looking guys.]

Still chuckling, Obama's tone softened as he continued.

[Actually, some unfortunate circumstances had come up, and the foundation was really in need of funds. It seems that your donation will be a great help.]

"I'm glad to hear that."

[I have plans to visit Cambridge soon. How about we grab a meal together? And of course, it'll be on me.]

"If you're buying, I won't refuse."

Seok-won answered with a laugh, and Obama sounded pleased.

[Great, then I'll see you then.]

After ending the call, Seok-won placed the phone down and murmured to himself.

"Hmm. I think I've taken the first step pretty well."

Though $100,000 wasn't a small amount, it was more than worth it if it helped build a connection with someone who would one day become the President of the United States.

"Considering people pay millions just to have lunch with someone like Warren Buffet, known as the Oracle of Omaha, this is a steal."

Thinking about the benefits of strengthening his relationship with Obama, Seok-won couldn't help but smile. Just then, his cell phone rang loudly in his hand. Pressing the answer button, he lifted it to his ear.

"Hello."

[Boss, it's Landon. Is this a good time to talk?]

Seok-won immediately straightened his relaxed posture.

"Is something going on at the company?"

[Actually, I've got some good news, which is why I'm calling.]

At first puzzled, Seok-won quickly realized what it might be and a look of anticipation crossed his face.

"Did the FTC give their decision on the merger?"

[Haha, I was hoping to surprise you, but of course, you figured it out right away. Just a moment ago, Bloomberg broke the news that the FTC has approved the merger.]

Even though he had been expecting this outcome, Seok-won was still thrilled when the good news arrived.

"That's fantastic!"

[The moment the news broke, NCR's stock price shot up to $105, which is the acquisition price.]

"Well, as long as the price is below the acquisition price, there's guaranteed profit to be made."

Right about now, the traders on Wall Street must be frantically busy.

"When do you think the merger will be finalized?"

Seok-won asked, to which Landon responded immediately.

[With the biggest hurdle—FTC approval—out of the way, AT&T will probably move quickly to finalize the merger. I'd expect all the paperwork to be completed within a month.]

"Considering they gain nothing by dragging it out, AT&T will want to wrap it up quickly."

[Absolutely.]

Even with the FTC's approval, there were still some voices of concern, so AT&T would want to expedite the process, solidifying the merger as a done deal before any further issues could arise.

[Once everything is finalized, we're looking at a return of 54.41% from this deal.]

"That's about $500 million, then."

[After deducting fees for Salomon Brothers and other expenses, we'll net around $535 million.]

"That's a solid return."

Landon, however, seemed to think otherwise and immediately spoke up.

[It's more than just solid; it's an extraordinary return. To hit back-to-back home runs like this, first with the pound short and now with this deal—it's simply amazing. Even Andrew, who's been in the game for a long time, couldn't stop praising the results.]

Hearing Landon's enthusiastic tone, Seok-won smiled slyly.

"Set aside $100 million from the profits; I have plans for it. Put the rest into the European bond investments."

[Understood.]

"And make sure to distribute $10 million as bonuses to the staff."

Landon was audibly shocked.

[Ten million dollars? That's incredibly generous!]

"Of course, it's only fair to reward performance."

[To be honest, Boss, you were the one who did all the work. Taking such a large bonus feels a bit undeserved.]

"Oh, really? If it feels like too much, you don't have to accept it."

Seok-won teased, and Landon quickly backtracked.

[Oh, no, no! We'll gladly accept it.]

Laughing at Landon's rapid change of heart, Seok-won added,

"We're all part of the same team, so make sure everyone in the back office gets their share too. No one should be left out."

[Don't worry, I'll take care of it.]

The back office includes all the staff who support the frontline traders, handling the paperwork, logistics, and everything behind the scenes.

After chatting a bit more, Seok-won ended the call and stretched his arms.

Then, he walked over to the mini-fridge in the corner, pulled out a can of beer, and popped it open, enjoying the fizzy sound and the rising foam.

"Ahhh."

He took a refreshing sip of the cold beer, then leaned against the windowsill, gazing out at the budding signs of spring. The once bare branches were now sprouting buds, preparing to bloom.

"You can't call this a home run."

Seok-won chuckled to himself as he took another gulp of beer.

"This is just a double at best."

Smiling widely, he drank his beer, savoring the moment.