Golden Spoon Investor

The late afternoon sun, which had been scorching all day, was dying down as it set in the west.

At a bustling outdoor café, Roy sat alone at a table, his messy brown hair still unkempt. Dressed in an oversized shirt and jeans, his outfit hadn't changed much since his university days.

"We agreed to have dinner together. Why are you already eating pizza? Were you that hungry?"

Roy looked up, and there stood the familiar face he'd expected.

"You're here," he said, shaking his oil-stained fingers.

Seok-won chuckled at the sight of Roy waving greasy fingers.

Even among Westerners, Seok-won's height and striking looks—rivalling those of an actor—stood out. His linen shirt, casually unbuttoned, and Ray-Ban sunglasses complemented him so well that Roy, who rarely cared about appearances, suddenly felt self-conscious about his own rumpled shirt.

Roy glanced around and clicked his tongue. Every woman in the café—waitresses and customers alike—was staring at Seok-won.

"Tch."

"What's wrong?"

"For the sake of other men, you should wear a hat or a mask when you go out."

"No idea what you're talking about." Seok-won tilted his head and took the empty seat opposite Roy.

Roy, watching him, put down his slice of pizza and, with an annoyed expression, asked abruptly, "Have you been taking care of yourself lately?"

"What care? What nonsense are you spouting now?"

"Your skin looks fairer than mine, and I'm white."

While the comment could be misconstrued, Seok-won, knowing Roy's careless nature, replied casually, "Maybe it's the sunscreen I use."

"Sunscreen? That's for women." Roy pouted, seemingly annoyed. Seok-won smirked.

"This place has strong sunlight. If you don't use sunscreen, your skin will deteriorate quickly. You should be careful."

"I don't need that stuff." Roy stubbornly stuffed another piece of pizza into his mouth.

Seok-won asked, "Speaking of which, why do you look so haggard?"

"What's wrong with me?"

"Your dark circles are down to your chin, and your skin looks dry. You're like someone who hasn't slept for a week."

"It's not that bad."

"Oh, really? Should I show you a mirror?"

"Hey, cut it out."

Roy clicked his tongue in annoyance and snapped, "Try working day and night in front of a computer every day. You'll end up looking like this too."

Remembering the zombie-like appearance of Tom Harper and the Netscape staff, Seok-won looked at Roy with a pitying gaze.

'Poor guy.'

"What's with that look? Get rid of it," Roy grumbled.

"If it's so hard, why not change jobs? I can help you find something."

"No need. Nobody's forcing me to do this. I enjoy it," Roy said, wiping his greasy hands with a napkin.

"Really?" Seok-won nodded slightly, realizing Roy's sincerity.

It wasn't just Roy. Tom and the Netscape team were also pouring everything into their work because of their passion and dedication.

"Just promise me one thing," Roy said, leaning back in his chair. "If I ever leave my job, invest in my project."

Surprised, Seok-won asked, "Are you planning to start a business?"

"Not right now… but I got an idea while testing your new web browser."

"What's the idea?"

Knowing Roy's talent in computing, Seok-won was intrigued.

"It's not clear yet. I'll tell you when it's more defined."

"All right. Let me know when you're ready," Seok-won said. "But even if we're friends, I won't invest unless it's a solid idea."

"Of course. I wouldn't want that either, so don't worry."

Relieved by Roy's straightforward reply, Seok-won smiled.

Just then, a waitress in an apron approached and asked, "Would you like to order?"

Glancing at Roy's beer, Seok-won replied, "I'll have the same as him."

"Coming right up," she said with a smile before leaving.

Seok-won gestured toward the empty plate on the table. "You've just had pizza. Are you still up for dinner?"

"That was just a snack. Don't worry, I've saved room for dinner," Roy said confidently.

Shaking his head in disbelief, Seok-won saw the waitress return with his beer.

"Here's your beer," she said, placing a frothy glass of beer on the table.

The cold, sparkling beer looked incredibly refreshing. Taking a sip, Seok-won felt the bubbles burst on his tongue, cooling him instantly.

"Ah, it tastes even better in this heat," he said, wiping the foam from his lips with the back of his hand. Then he turned to Roy.

"So, how was the beta version?"

Since the day after he confirmed the new web browser, the beta test had begun with 1,000 pre-selected users. Roy, who had connections with both Seok-won and Tom Harper, was among the testers. Apart from catching up, Seok-won wanted to hear Roy's firsthand feedback.

"Honestly, I was surprised," Roy said.

"What surprised you?"

Leaning slightly forward, Seok-won listened as Roy answered seriously.

"I expected some flaws since it's a beta version." After all, beta tests were meant to identify and fix unseen errors.

"But when I used it, it felt polished enough to launch as a final product."

"Still, there must have been some shortcomings, right?"

"Nope. None at all," Roy said, shaking his head. "I've only used it for three days, but so far, I haven't found any flaws. It's way better than Mosaic, which is currently considered the best web browser. No contest."

"Glad to hear that."

Seok-won had been slightly nervous about how tech-savvy users would react, but Roy's glowing review put him at ease.

"I loved how it supports various multimedia content, including images, videos, and audio while allowing functionality expansion through plug-ins." Roy's eyes sparkled as he passionately listed the browser's features.

"But do you know what I liked most?"

"What?"

"Despite all these features, the program is lightweight."

"But the size difference isn't that significant," Seok-won said, tilting his head.

Roy looked at him incredulously before launching into an explanation.

"Most people's hard drives are only 850MB, and RAM ranges from 4MB to 8MB. If the program is heavy, it won't run properly. That's critical!"

Hearing this, Seok-won mentally facepalmed.

Right—this is the era when people stored files on floppy disks because hard drives were tiny.

Reflecting on how a single movie now occupied 3–5GB—compared to the era of floppy disks—highlighted just how staggeringly fast computer technology had evolved.

"Mosaic started fast but became slower and clunkier with each update. But this browser is not only more functional but also lighter. That's a game-changer."

Roy confidently declared, "When it officially launches, it'll crush Mosaic. I'd bet on it."

"So, you're saying it's that good?"

"Absolutely. Tom's a genius to create something like this," Roy said with a mix of admiration and envy. Then, sighing, he added, "If I'd known, I would've invested in Tom's project."

"Why didn't you?" Seok-won teased.

"I'm not rich like you. Where would I get the money?" Roy grumbled. "It's true—the lucky ones always get richer. Life's unfair."

Seeing Roy about to start a rant, Seok-won pacified him. "All right. I'll cover dinner."

"Just dinner? You're footing the bill for drinks, too. I'll make sure to empty your pockets tonight," Roy quipped.

Laughing, Seok-won replied, "Deal."

Considering the potential profits from Netscape's eventual IPO, he could afford to be generous.

***

After monitoring the beta test's smooth progress for a few more days, Seok-won boarded a business jet and flew to New York.

He woke late the next morning in his usual penthouse suite at the Plaza Hotel, unpacked his luggage, and stretched sleepily. Yawning, he opened the bedroom curtains, letting unobstructed sunlight flood the room.

"Ugh. It's blinding," he muttered, squinting as he leaned against the window to admire the view.

The lush greenery of Central Park and the skyscrapers beyond never failed to captivate him. After shaking off the remnants of sleep, he draped a bathrobe over his shoulders and stepped out of the bedroom.

The doorbell chimed. A hotel attendant in a crisp uniform stood outside, a trolley positioned neatly beside him.

"Room service," the man announced with a slight bow.

Remembering his breakfast request, Seok-won stepped aside.

"Come in."

"Thank you," the staff replied, wheeling the trolley inside.

"Where shall I set it up?"

"On the terrace," Seok-won directed.

"Right away."

The penthouse's spacious terrace, adorned with white railings and flowers, exuded the hotel's elegance. The staff expertly set up the table, laying out a white cloth and arranging the dishes: freshly baked croissants, scrambled eggs, bacon, a crisp salad, and a bowl of seasonal fruit.

"Enjoy your meal, sir."

Seok-won handed him a tip—generous, as always—and the attendant bowed again, his demeanor softening at the gesture.

"Thank you, sir. I'll leave you to it."

Once alone, Seok-won strolled to the terrace and uncovered the dishes. The spread included freshly baked croissants, scrambled eggs, bacon, crisp salad, and fresh fruit.

Pouring coffee into a cup, he inhaled its rich aroma. "Mmm, smells great."

The first sip cleared his head, and he reached for a warm croissant, savouring its buttery flavour.

As he ate, Seok-won picked up a newspaper and unfolded it. His eyes were immediately drawn to a prominent headline on the front page:

[ERNESTO ZEDILLO ELECTED PRESIDENT OF MEXICO!

In yesterday's Mexican presidential election, ruling party candidate Ernesto Zedillo secured victory with 48.7% of the vote.

Born the son of an electrician, President-elect Zedillo overcame hardship, working as a shoeshiner and eventually earning a Ph.D. in economics from Yale University. His sharp intellect and relentless effort have earned him a reputation as a capable technocrat, having served at the Mexican central bank and as Deputy Minister of Budget and Planning.

Amid the country's ongoing foreign exchange crisis, he is seen as the right leader to guide Mexico back to stability.]

The article was accompanied by a photograph of Zedillo standing before a crowd of supporters, beaming and waving.

Seok-won stared at it and muttered,

"Now the real crisis begins."

TL/n -

Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de León is a Mexican economist and politician who served as the 61st President of Mexico from 1994 to 2000. He faced one of Mexico's worst economic crises shortly after taking office and implemented several significant reforms during his presidency.