Quivering eyes.
Luckily, Olivia didn't shed any tears.
She didn't even answer whether she liked the design.
Instead, after calming herself down, she asked me a question in return.
"What do you like?"
"What do I like?"
"Just… something you like."
Just a moment ago, she was the one asking for advice.
But now, she's shifting the topic to me?
Does that mean she's somewhat found the answer to her problem?
Indeed, Olivia seemed quite relieved.
That's probably why I responded with ease.
"I like working out."
"I thought so."
"…?"
"Your body is toned."
Something I've never heard in my past life.
Rather than feeling flattered, I felt a bit embarrassed.
I quickly changed the subject.
"I also enjoy reading."
"What kind of books?"
"I like English and American literature."
"Is there anything you'd recommend?"
"Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. It's a monumental work in the history of English literature…"
It was right at that moment.
"CEO? Are you there?"
A familiar voice came from the hallway near the entrance.
Step, step.
Footsteps approaching us.
"CEO… wha—?!"
It was Baker.
Had he been out grocery shopping?
With both hands full of large bags, he—
"Wh-who is this lady?"
He looked utterly surprised upon seeing Olivia.
But his reaction didn't last long, as he quickly began to explain.
"I knocked on the door but got no response. I was about to leave, but then… the door was open…"
"Why are you so startled?"
"Well, it's just…"
"…?"
"I didn't realize you were having a good time, and I… barged in unannounced…"
A good time?
It felt like there was some sort of misunderstanding.
"I-I'll be on my way then. If there's anything you've postponed because of me…"
"It's not that kind of relationship."
"Ah, yes, what I meant was, I had a conversation… postponed… I just got flustered…"
While Baker was stumbling over his words, Olivia let out a small laugh.
Then she looked at Baker and asked,
"I take it this doesn't happen often?"
"An incident like this…?"
"Bringing over a female friend."
"Of course not! It's the first time ever. So, I was completely caught off guard…"
Olivia smiled again, as if finding his reaction amusing.
"Thanks for the useful info."
"…Excuse me?"
Olivia then turned to me and said,
"I had fun today."
She was talking to me, but why did Baker's face turn red?
Soon, Olivia stood up, and I walked her to the entrance.
"Where did you park your bike?"
"I walked today."
"…?"
"I live nearby."
***
Baker and I sat facing each other across the dining table.
In front of Baker was the coffee cup that Olivia had used.
"They say it's 50 years old."
"Sorry?"
"The coffee cup. Apparently, it's priceless…"
"Ah, I see."
It seemed like the aftereffects of earlier were still lingering.
It didn't feel necessary to clear up the misunderstanding either.
Did Baker read my expression?
He quickly spoke up.
"Sir, I actually had something to report."
"…?"
"Yes, the English 5th-tier league team we acquired recently… they're set to be promoted to the 4th tier. But I'm not sure if this is a good idea…"
"Why is that?"
"Well, even if they get promoted, it's not like revenue will increase. Just because they move up to the 4th tier doesn't mean we'll suddenly have more spectators. But operational costs will rise significantly…"
"That's fine."
"Sorry?"
"If promotion is so daunting because of operating costs, then we should just close the business."
"So, are you saying it's okay to run the club with the goal of promotion every year?"
"Of course."
Baker's face noticeably brightened at my words.
Seems like he really wanted to do things properly.
A smirk.
Now that we're on the topic of soccer.
"How's Manchester United doing these days?"
"They're still in a transitional phase under the new manager, so their performance hasn't been great."
Manchester is a typical industrial city.
Most of its residents are factory workers, so it's hard to raise ticket prices.
Naturally, there are financial limits for the club.
Given this, even the legendary Ferguson must have struggled in the early days.
In any case, now is the perfect time to acquire Manchester United.
"How's the acquisition going?"
"Ah, yes. We've been meeting with city council members regularly to build public opinion, but they're all making similar demands."
"…?"
"They're saying Manchester United is essentially a landmark for the region, so they can't just sell it off for money…"
Interesting.
"In simple terms, if we want to buy the club, we need to invest in the Manchester area… If we do that, they'll help sway public opinion in our favor… that's what they're saying."
It's not an unreasonable request.
Attracting investment for local development is something city council members are naturally responsible for.
The issue is the scale of the investment.
"But they haven't given any specific guidelines on how much or where to spend the money."
"Hmm."
"They probably don't want to make any commitments since it won't be completed within their term. And they may be holding back because they can't gauge the scale of our capital."
I see.
"Should we make the first move, then?"
"Make the first move?"
"Yes, we'll make a light investment that won't cost too much."
"Seems like you've already thought of something?"
As sharp as ever.
"If there are any abandoned factory buildings available, buy them."
"A… factory?"
I nodded.
"We'll open stores in the abandoned factory."
Baker blinked, seemingly stunned.
It must sound absurd.
Opening a store in a defunct factory?
"There won't be much foot traffic."
"We'll have to make people come from elsewhere."
"…?"
"If we have compelling content, people will come. No matter how run-down the area is, they'll come."
No matter how much I explained, it would be hard for him to grasp.
It's only natural.
I've seen the success story of Seongsu-dong firsthand, which is why I'm so confident. But in this day and age, it would probably just sound like pie in the sky.
Hmm.
Could the Seongsu-dong case be special?
'No way.'
Long before Seongsu-dong became popular, stores started popping up in abandoned factories on the outskirts of New York.
Poor artists gathered there, creating a new commercial district, and through word of mouth, it became a trendy spot for young people.
Since then, similar success stories have emerged all over the world.
'And our country's version of that is Seongsu.'
After gathering my thoughts, I looked at Baker.
"Understood? Find an abandoned factory. It needs to be big enough to accommodate new stores each month."
"We'll need someone to manage the stores…"
"The store owner has already been decided."
"…?"
Instead of answering, I just smiled.
***
Click. Click.
In the quiet alley, the sound of Olivia's heels echoed clearly.
How long had it been?
Since she had felt this light-hearted?
Nothing had changed from before.
Yet just the fact that she could dream again made the world look different.
Perhaps…
Maybe she liked design more than she had realized.
At that moment, Park Ji-hoon's face suddenly came to mind.
'How do you know my heart better than I do?'
Click. Click.
As she pondered this and that, she kept walking.
A small, old sign came into view in a narrow alley beside a café.
It was a bookstore.
By the entrance, a single orange lightbulb hung from a string, swaying in the breeze.
'It feels like it's beckoning me.'
She changed direction and walked toward the bookstore.
Then she looked at the old man sitting at the counter.
Olivia started to say something but swallowed her words.
Unfortunately, the old man seemed to have noticed.
"Are you looking for something?"
At the store owner's question, Olivia replied with a slightly aloof expression.
"The Great Gatsby."
***
Olivia placed the book she had bought at the bookstore on the dining table.
Come to think of it, her father used to quote from that book sometimes.
She took off her coat, draped it over the chair, and slowly walked to the living room.
Eventually, she stood in front of the phone.
Her mind was complicated, but oh well, she picked up the receiver.
Part of her hoped no one would answer.
But before the phone rang too many times, her father's voice came through.
"It's me."
Maybe it was because of their strained relationship.
Only an awkward silence filled the receiver.
"I took the test."
(Test?)
"For class placement."
Her father didn't ask about the results.
He had never been particularly interested in her grades.
"Somehow, I ended up in the upper class."
This wasn't what she had meant to say when she called.
But she went on, almost by accident.
"That doesn't mean I plan to focus on my studies. You know I've never really had a passion for school."
(…)
"Instead, I'm thinking of applying to design school after I graduate."
(…What?)
A voice trembling slightly.
"I'm not saying this because I want your approval, Dad. I just… started to like it."
(Did you realize only now that you've liked it all this time?)
She nodded.
Though he couldn't see it, she silently nodded her head.
Another silence followed.
(Should I come over?)
Instead of shaking her head, Olivia quietly spoke.
"Just send me some clothes."
(What's this? You're actually asking for clothes?)
"I'm not the one who's going to wear them."
(…?)
"I made a new friend."
(And?)
"I received a lot of help…"
(And now you want to repay them?)
She nodded.
(It sounds like they helped my daughter come back to her senses.)
She nodded again.
(Do you think a few clothes will be enough? Maybe Dad should just fly over right away and…)
"That's not necessary."
(Why not?)
"It's not the kind of relationship you're thinking of."
(And what kind of relationship do you think I'm imagining?)
Just as she was about to hang up the phone—
(Already trying to hang up?)
"What, are we going to talk all night?"
(It's true, all-night calls are usually reserved for boyfriends rather than Dad…)
"I'm telling you, it's not like that!"
With that, she hung up the phone.
Sigh.
She may have gotten a bit irritated at the end, but still.
How long had it been since she'd exchanged playful banter with her dad?
Feeling in a good mood, she picked up the book she had left on the table.
'Did he say he liked books?'
The Great Gatsby.
The cover design wasn't great.
The color saturation could have been higher.
She sat down on the sofa and opened the book.
One page, two pages, turning them boldly.
But soon—
Thud.
She dropped the book.
"..."
And fell soundly asleep.