Free Web NovelThe neatly wrapped parcel was something sent from Apple.
-Charlie. I’m sending you a gift. Look forward to it.
A few days ago, when he had spoken with Steve Jobs on the phone, Jobs had mentioned that he would send him a present.
The sound of Jobs’s supremely confident voice seemed to echo in his ears, and Muhyuk let out a small laugh as he slit open the package with a box cutter.
Inside was a white iPhone box.
“You could’ve just made me buy it, but you sent this instead.”
Of course, he had a pretty good idea what Steve Jobs had been thinking when he sent it.
Still smiling to himself, Muhyuk opened the iPhone box and unconsciously widened his eyes.
What lay inside was not an ordinary iPhone.
Both the front and rear panels had been finished in 24-karat pure gold.
Because of that, every time it caught the light, it reflected it softly in shimmering gold, while the golden frame and buttons harmonized perfectly, emphasizing an unmistakably luxurious feel.
On the back, the Apple logo had been set in diamonds, and beneath it, his initials had been engraved.
“This is completely an iPhone made just for me.”
It was a limited edition made solely for him.
Carefully setting the iPhone back into the box, he picked up his phone.
After the ringtone sounded a few times, the other party answered.
-Charlie!
“Jobs, what is this?”
-Oh, the package arrived?
“Yes. Did you have this custom-made just for me?”
-That’s right! A limited edition only for you and me. No one else in the world can have it. I made it personally.
Just the gold and gemstones embedded in the limited-edition iPhone looked to be worth well over a hundred thousand dollars at a glance.
But more than the price, it was the thought behind it that reached him.
“Jobs. Thank you.”
-What are you saying? We’re finally unveiling the iPhone that you and I built together to the world. I had to do at least this much. Charlie, we’re about to write a new chapter in history.
“Exactly. From here on, many things will change. You’re the one who’s changing the world, Jobs.”
Perhaps because he was excited, Jobs answered in an impassioned tone.
-Right. We’re changing the world!
“I’ll activate this in advance and start using it.”
-Ha ha, that’s why I sent it. I have to head into a meeting now, so let’s talk again later. fгeewёbnoѵel.cσm
“Sure. We’ll talk later.”
After ending the call with Steve Jobs, Muhyuk picked up the iPhone from the box once more.
The design suited his taste perfectly, and a smile naturally spread across his face.
“Manager Ma. Contact Korea Telecom President Nam Jungsik and let him know I’m heading to headquarters. I want this activated today.”
The iPhone fit snugly in his hand, gleaming brilliantly.
* * *
“What is this, President Kim?”
Nam Jungsik showed the same reaction Muhyuk had when he saw the iPhone being held out to him.
“It’s a limited-edition iPhone Apple made just for me.”
“A limited edition... It’s dazzling, truly.”
Carefully accepting the phone from him, Nam Jungsik stared with wide eyes, unable to hide his envy.
“I’d like to have it activated in advance today. That’s possible, right?”
Still turning the iPhone over front and back, Nam Jungsik nodded.
“Of course. All preparations are already complete.”
“Then please activate it right away.”
“Understood.”
Nam Jungsik immediately called in his chief secretary.
“Manager Kim.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Take this and get it activated immediately. If you bring it to the relevant department, they should be able to handle it, right? The name on the account will be...”
Nam Jungsik looked at Muhyuk.
“Manager Ma will go with you.”
After nodding, Nam Jungsik asked his secretary once more.
“You can do it, right?”
“We’ve never had a case of handling activation directly at headquarters before, so we’ll only know once we try.”
“Then today can become the first case. Open that box.”
The chief secretary opened the box he had been handed, looking puzzled.
His eyes widened the moment he saw the iPhone inside.
“Handle it carefully. It’s a one-of-a-kind limited edition in the entire world.”
“Yes, yes! Understood!”
At the words one of a kind in the whole world, the chief secretary sharply inhaled.
A short while later, Manager Ma and the chief secretary left together, leaving only Nam Jungsik and Muhyuk behind.
“President, Geumseong Telecom is openly criticizing you.”
“Ha ha. I already expected that.”
“Even after Geumseong Group declared they would no longer supply handsets to Korea Telecom at all, you don’t seem bothered.”
Even Muhyuk himself hadn’t expected Geumseong Group to respond so aggressively.
In South Korea, mobile carriers held the upper hand over handset manufacturers.
Handset makers were so careful around carriers that they would release different specifications of the same model depending on the telecom company’s demands.
For Geumseong Electronics, which was very much in the weaker position, to declare a suspension of mobile phone supply.
That was something that had never happened even in his previous life.
“By bringing in the iPhone this time, didn’t the government remove all sorts of regulations? Because of that, not only the iPhone but other foreign mobile phones have also declared their intention to enter Korea. Even if Geumseong Group refuses to supply us with handsets, it won’t have much impact.”
“That may be true, but it still feels like there’ll be some damage in the early stages.”
Even to Muhyuk’s concern, Nam Jungsik replied with even greater confidence.
“That’s how much confidence I have ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) in the iPhone. There are replacement devices for the phones Geumseong Electronics makes, but there is no device in the world that can replace the iPhone.”
His eyes shone sharply with intelligence. For Nam Jungsik to be this certain, the iPhone really was something special.
“How many customers do you estimate the iPhone will bring in? More important than Korea Telecom’s existing customers is the number switching over from rival carriers.”
“That’s right. Conservatively, we estimate the effect of attracting new subscribers at a minimum of one hundred thousand.”
“That’s lower than I expected.”
“We’ve already sold fifty thousand units through pre-orders. Of those, about half are customers porting their numbers over to our carrier.”
At the news that fifty thousand units had already been sold in reservations alone, Muhyuk slowly nodded and asked,
“We secured around one hundred thousand units for the initial supply, right?”
“Yes. The goal is to sell them all within a week.”
“You sound very confident.”
“Ha ha, if supply runs smoothly, I’m confident we could sell even one million units.”
Muhyuk answered the hearty laughter with a smile before continuing.
“To live up to expectations, the factory is running at full speed too. Three shifts, operating day and night without rest.”
“Excellent. If it becomes popular in Korea, do you think we can secure the quantity originally headed to the U.S.?”
For now, the volume produced in Korea was still limited.
They had acquired nearby land and begun expansion work, but that too would take years.
“Well, that’s something we can discuss again when the time comes. We’ll need to talk with Apple.”
Even the number of iPhones Apple had secured for the U.S. wasn’t especially generous.
Because of Muhyuk, Foxconn’s China factory had been halted, and because of that, they had been unable to secure as much initial stock as they wanted.
Inside Apple, there had been discussion about delaying the launch date by a month, but Steve Jobs’s hardline stance had forced them to proceed as planned.
“I’m already looking forward to launch day. I wonder how many people will flood into stores to buy the iPhone.”
“We’re preparing an official iPhone launch show three days before activation begins. One thousand people who pre-ordered were selected by lottery and invited.”
“Ah, I saw that on the news.”
“You can look forward to it. President Kim, you should come in person too.”
“If time allows, I’ll gladly attend.”
At that moment, the office door opened, and Manager Ma and the chief secretary came back in.
Manager Ma handed the iPhone to Muhyuk.
“How did it go?”
“It’s activated under your existing number, boss.”
Muhyuk nodded in satisfaction and rose from his seat.
“Thank you for your help. Then I’ll see you again next time.”
“It was nothing. Please make sure to come to the launch show. We’ll reserve the very best seats and wait for you.”
The best seats.
Muhyuk hesitated for a moment before speaking.
“Then reserve three seats for me.”
“Understood. Where should we send the invitations?”
“To the office.”
“Understood. I’ll have them prepared and sent tomorrow.”
After finishing his farewell with Nam Jungsik, Muhyuk left headquarters.
The moment he got into the car, he made his very first call.
Before the ringtone even had time to sound once, a familiar voice answered.
-Oh, Muhyuk. What’s going on?
His very first call was always to Grandma.
“I just wanted to hear your voice.”
Even as she scolded him for talking nonsense, Grandma’s voice was filled with joy.
* * *
At the Jamsil Gymnasium, where the iPhone launch show was being held, a bizarre sight unfolded as people began gathering from the night before and stayed up overnight.
Originally, it should have been the division head who visited the site, but Nam Jungsik changed the schedule and personally appeared at the venue.
He approached the person standing first in line and asked,
“When did you start waiting here?”
“I got here at six yesterday evening!”
Seeing the nervous-looking college student, Nam Jungsik smiled as gently as a father.
“Student, would you like to go in with me? This is going to be a moment remembered in Korean history.” ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
“Really? I’d love that!”
“What’s your name?”
“It’s Heekyung! Kim Heekyung!”
“Student Heekyung. Congratulations on becoming Korea’s very first iPhone activation customer. Shall we go in?”
When Nam Jungsik held out his hand, she grabbed it.
The reporters waiting at the scene snapped photos of the moment nonstop.
Nam Jungsik and Kim Heekyung entered the venue hand in hand, and the event began immediately.
“Please wait here for a moment. The activation ceremony will begin shortly.”
“Yes! Mister.”
At the word mister, Nam Jungsik burst into laughter.
“That’s right, student. Just wait a little longer.”
After asking her understanding, he stepped up onto the small platform prepared at the front of the venue.
The attendees entered one by one and took their assigned seats.
Once everyone had settled in, Nam Jungsik finally took the microphone.
“Hello. I am Nam Jungsik, President of Korea Telecom.”
Beginning with his introduction, he pulled out the iPhone from his pocket.
“A revolutionary device that will change the world. It is an honor to release the iPhone simultaneously with the United States.”
He spent quite a long time introducing the iPhone, and everyone in attendance listened intently.
“I hope the iPhone becomes the spark that signals the beginning of Korea’s smartphone market. The world will be divided into before and after the launch of the iPhone. You are the chosen people standing at the center of that history.”
After the presentation ended, Nam Jungsik brought Kim Heekyung onto the stage.
“The first person to activate an iPhone in South Korea is the student standing beside me. Please briefly introduce yourself.”
He handed her the microphone.
Taking it with trembling hands, Kim Heekyung shared her thoughts.
“Hello. My name is Kim Heekyung. I first became interested in the iPhone from the moment I saw the advertisement.”
Even with her voice shaking, Kim Heekyung managed to finish her speech.
When she was done, Nam Jungsik handed her the prepared panel.
On it were the words: Korea’s First iPhone Customer.
An employee came up onto the stage and handed Kim Heekyung the iPhone that had already been activated in advance.
Holding the iPhone in her hands, Kim Heekyung stared at it for a long time with deeply moved eyes.
“Then shall we take a commemorative photo?”
Nam Jungsik and Kim Heekyung each held one side of the panel.
The smile of Korea’s first iPhone activation customer shone dazzlingly bright.
* * *
As he entered the venue together with Cheon Jiyoung, Muhyuk found himself scolding her without thinking.
“Why are you wrapped up so tightly like that?”
The reason he had asked for three invitations was to come to the venue with Cheon Jiyoung.
Glancing around, she whispered in a small voice,
“What are you saying, oppa? If someone recognizes me, it’ll be exhausting.”
“Most of the people here are early adopters. They’re more interested in electronics than celebrities, so stop making a fuss and relax.”
“Ah, whatever. Let’s hurry.”
By the time they entered, the event was already in full swing.
“I’m jealous.”
At that moment, he heard Cheon Jiyoung mutter beside him.
He couldn’t see her eyes because of the sunglasses, but the envy was obvious in her voice.
“You want one?”
“Of course. But if I activate it here, all my personal information will be exposed, so I’ll just look around and buy one when sales officially start.”
Even while envying it this much, she was willing to wait.
Maybe Cheon Jiyoung really had matured a little.
Muhyuk let out a faint laugh and called for Manager Ma.
“Manager. Bring what we prepared.”
He gave the instruction in a voice low enough that Cheon Jiyoung wouldn’t hear.
Manager Ma nodded and quickly moved off.
At last, the prepared event came to an end, and it was finally the waiting customers’ turn to activate their phones.
The customers moved to the tables prepared in the center of the gymnasium, and activation began in order.
There were many people waiting for activation, but there were also dozens of staff members prepared for it.
“Boss.”
The returning Manager Ma handed Muhyuk a shopping bag. Muhyuk accepted it and hid it behind his back.
“Oppa. Let’s go now. It’s over.”
Cheon Jiyoung turned around, unable to hide her disappointment.
Then perhaps she noticed the smile on his face as he stood there with his hand hidden behind his back, because she asked suspiciously,
“What is it? Why are you smiling like that?”
“Here, take it.”
Muhyuk brought the shopping bag he had hidden behind his back to the front.
“Huh? What is it?”
Still confused, Cheon Jiyoung looked inside the shopping bag and her eyes went wide.
“What? It’s a real iPhone? When did you prepare this?”
“I had it activated in advance. Celebrities change numbers often anyway, right? So I picked a number myself. That’s okay, right?”
“It’s okay. More than okay!”
Cheon Jiyoung jumped up and down, genuinely thrilled.
It was a small gift for Cheon Jiyoung, who had been spending most of her time at home because of what had happened in China.
“I’m in such a good mood, oppa! I’m treating you to something delicious today! Come on, let’s go!”
Smiling faintly, Muhyuk followed after Cheon Jiyoung as she ran ahead.
Seeing her so happy made him feel good too.
