As night fell and the lights came on, after the food was served, Kishimoto and Rie Sakai sat at the table facing each other.
As soon as Rie picked up the chopsticks with her right hand, she asked calmly, "Where did you go today?"
"I went to the Tokyo Bay Bridge first," Kishimoto answered truthfully.
"Are you going to commit suicide? Why not die?" Rie blinked twice and said with a smile.
Kishimoto was not the least bit surprised to hear her say such words to him and responded sharply: "I originally wanted to die. However, when I was about to jump off the bridge, a volunteer appeared.
The other party asked me to think more about my family, so I thought of you. When I thought of you, I didn't want to die at all.
If I really died like that, wouldn't that satisfy you? So, I immediately decided that I must live well and never die before you."
Rie mocked and said, "Theoretically, there is no such possibility. In fact, there is no possibility like you said.
The average life expectancy of Japanese men is 80.98 years, while that of women is 87.14 years. The latter live longer than the former by more than six years.
Now, I am 19 years old, and you are already 25 years old. You have to live well, otherwise you won't have much to live for."
Kishimoto tried hard to suppress a chuckle at her unreasonable theory. He knew very well that he couldn't get angry. Whoever got angry first and lost his temper first would lose. He couldn't lose, even if he had to lose, he couldn't lose to her.
"Besides going to the Tokyo Bay Bridge, where else did you go today?" Rie asked him as they ate dinner, carrying on their daily conversation at the table.
"I also went to a meeting for project investment briefings. There, I hit it off with Kim Taek-jin from Korea's NCSoft online game company and had a great conversation.
We have reached a preliminary agreement verbally. I don't want anything except 40% of the shares.
The company's daily management, personnel arrangements, and operations are all decided by Jin, and I will not interfere too much.
If nothing goes wrong, we will sign a formal contract in the next few days." Kishimoto said truthfully.
Rie would have been fine if she didn't want to hear it, but once she heard it, she got anxious. Her eyes widened as she stared at him, "Are you a fool? An online game company, what is this? It can't be a scam company!
If you own 40% of the other party's shares but do not participate in daily management, personnel arrangements, operations, and other specific matters, wouldn't you be like meat on the chopping board, at the mercy of others?
"You want to be a hands-off boss and make money easily, is that a good thing? Even if you don't hold the initiative tightly in your hands, you must firmly grasp some key company powers."
"First of all, I want to make it clear that my ideal is not to be an entrepreneur, but an investor. Engaging in daily company management and business operations is what entrepreneurs do, not investors.
Investors focus on investing in companies with potential and room for profit growth. Once they have identified a company, they will bet boldly. Generally speaking, they will not make any substantial intervention.
Secondly, a small company that is just starting out does not have so many rules and regulations. What do they rely on? They rely on people's reputation, trust between people, and loyalty between men.
What you said is something that will happen after the company becomes very big. When the company becomes big, there will be a board of directors. Any major changes in the company will be discussed at the meeting.
For example, changes in equity, capital increase, share expansion, etc., will be notified in advance to the relevant major shareholders of the company. Before implementation, it must be carried out by the company's procedures. If anyone does it secretly, it will fall into the category of commercial fraud.
Finally, everything must comply with the legal provisions of the company law of the country where you are located. Some rights cannot be obtained just because you want them, and some rights cannot be lost just because you give them up.
Buffett has invested in so many companies around the world, and he has assigned his own people to each of them, so he is too busy! He only invests in the big and ignores the small, and does not invest when he is doubtful. " said Kishimoto.
He paused here, then changed the subject with a smile on his face and continued, "Are you concerned about me and worried that I've been cheated?"
Rie suddenly raised her head and said, "It has nothing to do with me. Even if you were cheated, you deserve it."
"Then why are you so nervous?" Kishimoto smiled at her.
Rie spread her hands and shrugged her shoulders. "Am I nervous? I just wanted to kindly remind you because your dad and my dad are old friends and best friends, and we live together, so you won't cry."
"Thank you. When did you, a person who studied flute in college, become interested in business?" Kishimoto said lightly.
Rie did not answer but remained silent. Although she kept saying that she wanted to be a music artist, she knew in her heart better than anyone that among those who majored in musical instruments, how many of them could truly become artists?
Even though the Tokyo University of the Arts, where she studied, was the best music and art university in Japan, and Ryuichi Sakamoto was her alumnus, it was not a big guarantee.
After graduation, the only option is to apply for a job in a symphony orchestra, but there are only a handful of symphony orchestras, and they don't recruit every year.
Applying for a music teacher position at another school is the only practical way out for most people. Apart from that, the only option is to work in an off-campus music training institution.
Otherwise, they can change their careers and go to work in a company, and then become an ordinary office worker.
"Since you want to invest, where do you get so much money?" Rie asked thoughtfully.
"I have decided to sell the pinball room," Kishimoto said half of the answer and did not say the other half. After all, mortgaging the house to the bank for two years would cause turmoil in her heart.
Even if the house belongs to him alone and has nothing to do with her, he doesn't want the other person to have any idea about it in his mind. What should she do after two years?
"It's better to sell it so that it won't harm so many people. In fact, I think you shouldn't invest the money from selling the pinball room in any online game company." Rie said while trying not to laugh.
"Then according to your opinion, what should we do?" Kishimoto said indifferently.
"Open a brothel."
Rie burst out laughing so hard that she fell backward, and her body shook, but it did not make Kishimoto laugh at all. She laughed so hard that her cheeks flushed and she was in a good mood, showing the pride of a little kid who had successfully pulled a prank.
Kishimoto suddenly shook his body intentionally, and laughed strangely, "Good idea. How about you come to my shop and be the top girl?"
Rie's laughter stopped abruptly, and she said angrily: "You bastard!! How could you say that to me?!!"
Kishimoto clenched his right fist and gave a loud "Yeah!", today's victory belonged to him. A look of joy appeared on his face.
Rie realized her own gaffe, which meant she had lost. She would never admit it, and changed the subject, "If you really sell the pachinko room, what will you do in the future?
Today, the Asian financial crisis is still going on. It is a thousand times harder to find a job outside than inside. Life still needs to go on day by day. "
Kishimoto knew that she was not exaggerating. After he sold the pinball room, he would have to wait ten months before NCSoft's "lineage" was officially launched.
Even if "lineage" was released, he would have to wait another year before he could get his share of the profits. This was a long time in total. He really needed to find something to kill his extra time every day.
Otherwise, wouldn't he be bored to death? He really didn't expect that waiting to make a fortune would be such a miserable thing.
When Kishimoto thought of this, he lowered his head involuntarily and crossed his hands in front of his chest, and his facial expression revealed a bit of sadness.
Seeing his embarrassment, Rie became overjoyed again and even moved her face towards him, grinning and saying, "Why do you regret your decision to sell the pachinko room?
If you really regret it, it's not too late. After all, didn't you and that person only reach a verbal agreement but not formally sign a contract?"
"Would I be so stupid as to give up the great opportunity to become a billionaire? A person should keep his word. Once the words are spoken, they are like spilled water. It is hard to take them back. It's boring, so be it! There is always a price to pay for everything.
From now on, the worst that can happen is that I will play when I am full, sleep when I am tired, and eat again when I wake up, repeating this cycle over and over again for 22 months." Kishimoto sighed and shook his head.
"Are you kidding me? Your joke is not funny at all. Billionaire, you? You're more like a fat nerd."
Rie not only laughed out loud but also couldn't help but let tears flow from the corners of her eyes.
"What's wrong with being a fat otaku? Does it bother you? If you don't like me, you can always move out! I just like being a fat otaku.
I also like to drink fat otaku, happy water, and cola. I also like to eat fat otaku, happy meals,, and instant noodles. " Kishimoto deliberately shook his body to show his happiness.
Rie clearly felt that he was provoking her while demonstrating to her. She immediately responded, "I won't fall for your trick.
There is no way I can move out on my own initiative. Don't forget, we signed a five-year contract."
"Do you like doing housework so much? Why don't you just get married?" Kishimoto said with a wink.
"Working outside is working, and working for you is also working. What's more, I feel safe eating the food I made myself.
As for getting married, you don't need to worry about it. By then, there will definitely be a handsome, gentle, loyal, tasteful, capable, talented, knowledgeable, and wealthy young man who will fall in love with me."
Rie crossed her hands and clasped them in front of her chest, with her eyes narrowed, like a second-year junior high school girl with a pure yearning for love.
Kishimoto saw her innocent side and fell into silence. Was the person she was talking about still a human being? He ate in silence and let her continue dreaming.
Rie didn't think she was being crazy at all. Every girl has a dream of a charming prince. She fantasized about being a princess or a rich girl.
On a sunny afternoon, while you are leisurely drinking afternoon tea in the flower-filled castle garden at home, or taking a walk, you may unexpectedly meet the man of your destiny.
After finishing her fantasy, Rie slowly returned to her normal state and asked out of the blue, "Why do financial crises occur once every ten years on average?"
Kishimoto did not answer and continued to eat with his head down. He was really not used to her jumping thoughts. He was still living in fantasy a moment ago, but at this moment, it suddenly became very realistic.
"Don't just focus on eating, I'm asking you a question!" Rie said with a frown.
"The nature of capital is profit-seeking and greed. Those who manipulate capital cannot escape the erosion and drive of profit-seeking and greed brought by capital.
Therefore, financial crises occur on average once every ten years. Sometimes they are local; sometimes, they are global. " Kishimoto naturally thought of the global financial crisis in 2008.
The damage caused by this crisis is also huge. In the United States alone, more than 8 million people have lost their jobs and 6 million people have become homeless. The population of the United States is only 320 million.
At the same time, he also thought of the current Asian financial crisis that has brought great damage to South Korea. South Korea's suicide rate in 1997 increased by 42% over the previous year.
Nine of the top fifty chaebol groups in South Korea went bankrupt. Thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises went bankrupt, and the number of unemployed people soared.
Not only that, when the South Korean government sought $57 billion in emergency funding from the IMF, it was actually negotiating with officials from the U.S. Treasury Department. Even though it did not ultimately accept the core terms, it was forced to agree to several other humiliating terms.
One of them is to open up the financial market more comprehensively and allow foreign capital to significantly increase its shareholding in Korean companies.
The greatest harm to ordinary citizens is that many people are forced to sign another contract that automatically terminates their labor contracts.
This means that even formal employees are not safe and may be laid off by the company at any time without receiving corresponding compensation.
This will lay a huge foreshadowing and hidden danger for nearly half of South Korean elderly people who will retire in the next 20 years, with the poverty rate being close to half.
It's not that they don't work hard, but it is true that many people don't earn much money in their prime and, therefore cannot save any money.