Golden Spoon Investor

A few days later, under the scorching summer sun, Tom Harper sat alone at an outdoor café table in downtown Palo Alto. He wore a white T-shirt under a short-sleeved shirt, his face clouded with worry. His iced latte sat untouched, the ice having melted in the heat. Scattered on the table were business cards from HR managers of various companies he had interviewed with over the past few days.

Tom had left Illinois in a fit of anger before even graduating, frustrated by the unfair treatment he received at NCSA. The companies he visited in Silicon Valley were eager to hire the developer who had created the sensational Mosaic web browser, offering him attractive positions. However, despite being recognized for his skills and value, Tom's expression didn't reflect pure joy.

"This isn't what I want," he muttered to himself.

Tom wanted to create a web browser even better than Mosaic, to bring down the arrogant NCSA that had slighted him. However, the companies interested in him had no interest in a non-profitable web browser project. And having left NCSA in a bold move, the idea of crawling back was more unbearable than anything.

"Am I just supposed to conform to reality?"

Tom felt torn between continuing to chase his dream and compromising with reality, knowing that if he didn't find a job soon, he would have to worry about food expenses next month. Lost in thought, he was suddenly interrupted by a shadow falling over him.

"Tom Harper?" a voice called.

Tom looked up to see a well-dressed Asian man standing in front of him—Seok-won. With neatly groomed black hair, sharp eyebrows, a straight nose, and a smooth jawline, Seok-won looked like a model out of a magazine. His healthy, toned physique only added to that impression.

"Uh, yes," Tom responded, nodding slightly.

Seok-won flashed a bright smile, showing off his perfectly aligned white teeth. "Nice to meet you. I'm Park Seok-won."

Seok-won extended his hand, and Tom, somewhat awkwardly, stood up to shake it.

"You might have heard about me—I was Roy's roommate at Harvard," Seok-won added.

"Oh, so you're the friend Roy mentioned…," Tom said, his expression clearing up.

"That's right. Did Roy not tell you about me?"

Tom stared at Seok-won's smiling face, a bit entranced. "He mentioned you, but he didn't say you were this good-looking. I thought you were a model when I first saw you."

"Haha, it's true that my face is a bit too good to be hanging out with Roy."

"Sorry to Roy, but I can't disagree," Tom chuckled.

"Shall we sit and talk?" Seok-won suggested.

"Sure," Tom agreed, nodding as they both sat down again.

Just then, a waitress wearing an apron approached the table. "Would you like to order?"

"I'll have an iced latte," Seok-won replied.

As the waitress left, Seok-won turned back to Tom. "Have you been waiting long?"

"No, I had some things to think about, and I finished an earlier appointment quickly, so I was just here early. Don't worry about it."

Tom eyed Seok-won curiously. "Are you really Roy's friend?"

"Why, do I not seem like it?"

"It's just hard to believe someone like Roy, who's kind of a nerd, would be friends with someone as popular as you seem."

"Haha, I didn't expect to be roommates with a guy like Roy either. But back in school, Roy was the most social guy around—everyone knew him."

"No way. Roy's got serious otaku tendencies; I can't imagine him being that social."

"It's true. And since we're both friends with Roy, how about we drop the formalities?"

With Seok-won's friendly approach, Tom seemed to relax a bit, nodding in agreement. "Yeah, that sounds good."

At that moment, the waitress returned with the iced latte and gave Seok-won a bright smile. "Enjoy!"

"Thanks," Seok-won replied, smiling back.

Tom couldn't help but let out a small laugh. While the waitress hadn't been unfriendly to him earlier, she hadn't smiled so brightly either.

"Wow, that's unfair," Tom muttered.

"Hmm? What did you say?"

"Nothing, really."

Though he tried to brush it off, Tom couldn't hide his envy. Meanwhile, oblivious to this, Seok-won took a sip of his iced latte and then asked Tom, "Roy told me you're looking for a job. How's that going?"

Tom forced a bitter smile. "If things were going well, I wouldn't be sitting here today."

"True," Seok-won agreed, stirring his iced latte before adopting a more serious tone. "I've heard the basics, so I'll get straight to the point."

Tom nodded slightly, indicating he was ready to listen.

"If you're still interested in developing a new web browser, I'd like to invest in it."

"…I've heard you come from a wealthy family, but creating a proper web browser will cost a lot of money," Tom replied, sounding skeptical.

"If you're just casually looking to invest a few tens of thousands of dollars for fun, it might be better not to bother at all. Not that a few tens of thousands of dollars is a small amount to me, but still."

Tom shrugged, his tone laced with self-deprecation.

Seeing Tom's lack of expectation, Seok-won thought to himself, 'It's understandable that he wouldn't trust me right away. I'm not some famous venture capitalist, just a college friend of Roy's, offering to invest out of the blue.'

Although he was young, Tom had led the team that developed Mosaic at NCSA, so he knew better than anyone how much manpower and money it would take to develop a superior web browser. Naturally, he had to be realistic.

"Of course, I understand that enthusiasm alone isn't enough to achieve our goals," Seok-won acknowledged.

"Then there's no point in continuing this conversation, is there?" Tom replied, looking even more dejected.

As Tom's expression turned bitter, Seok-won asked, "Are you sure you won't regret ending it here?"

Tom frowned, meeting Seok-won's gaze. "Mosaic wouldn't have seen the light of day without you. Doesn't it make you angry to see it all taken away?"

"Of course, I'm angry!" Tom's voice rose before he slumped back in defeat. "But what can I do against NCSA?"

For developers, their programs are like their children, much like how artists cherish their creations. The truth was, no one was angrier than Tom. It was just that the harsh reality had forced him to give up.

"The Mosaic that's out there now isn't the final product. I'll help you create something even better—a web browser that'll make NCSA eat its words. Won't that be satisfying?" Seok-won urged.

Tom looked at him, filled with suspicion. "Why are you more upset about this than I am?"

Having been betrayed by NCSA, Tom couldn't help but be suspicious.

"I saw the future in your Mosaic web browser."

"…"

"The internet has endless possibilities, but it's so complex and difficult to use that accessibility is low. You know that better than anyone," Seok-won said.

Tom nodded slightly, knowing that Mosaic was created precisely to solve that problem.

"In this situation, a web browser that simplifies all internet services like FTP and email into one interface is revolutionary. The fact that millions of users flocked to it as soon as it was released proves that my words aren't an exaggeration."

Tom blushed slightly, embarrassed by Seok-won's effusive praise. Though it was a bit overwhelming, he felt a sense of pride that someone finally recognized his work.

"I'm convinced that the future of the computer industry will revolve around the web and web browser-based businesses. That's what I'm betting on."

Having been deeply hurt by NCSA, Tom was moved by Seok-won's words. Seeing that Seok-won recognized his value and shared his vision, Tom's demeanor softened.

"You're right. The web browser will become the window through which we access the internet and everything on it."

"I agree," Seok-won said, nodding.

However, despite the brief flash of determination in Tom's eyes, it quickly faded again.

"But as I said earlier, it'll take a lot of money to develop a web browser that can surpass Mosaic. And I just don't have that kind of money."

Tom muttered, glumly thinking about how even a bank loan wouldn't be enough. At that moment, Seok-won raised his hand to catch the attention of a passing waitress.

"Excuse me."

"Yes? How can I help?"

"Could I get a napkin, please?"

"Just a moment," the waitress replied, quickly fetching a napkin from the counter and handing it to Seok-won.

"Thank you."

"If you need anything else, just let me know," she said, smiling warmly as she walked away.

Tom looked puzzled.

"What's with the napkin?"

"Just wait a moment," Seok-won said.

He pulled a Montblanc fountain pen from his jacket pocket and wrote something on the napkin. Then, he handed it to Tom.

"If you're serious about starting a company, I'm willing to invest the amount written here for a 20% stake," Seok-won said.

"…!"

Tom's eyes widened in shock as he read the number on the napkin: [$2,000,000].

He couldn't believe it. His throat felt dry as he swallowed nervously before looking up at Seok-won.

"Are you really offering this much money?"

"Of course. I'm not here to joke around."

Tom hesitated, then said cautiously, "Just to be clear, NCSA owns all the rights to Mosaic."

"I know."

"And you're still willing to invest this much?"

Seeing Tom's disbelief, Seok-won replied calmly, "I believe it's worth it."

"…!"

Having poured his heart and soul into Mosaic only to be met with rejection and scorn, Tom felt a surge of emotion as this stranger finally recognized his worth. He had to hold back tears as he fingered the edge of the napkin, speaking carefully.

"Even with the money, there's no guarantee we won't fail."

"You won't fail. I believe you can create a web browser that surpasses Mosaic," Seok-won said with conviction.

Faced with the choice of settling for a stable job or chasing his dream, Tom hesitated only briefly before Seok-won's faith in him solidified his resolve.

"Alright. Let's do this."

The light in Tom's eyes, which had been dimmed by disappointment, now shone with renewed hope and confidence. He looked just like the passionate developer who had worked tirelessly to create Mosaic.

On the surface, Seok-won remained composed, but inside, he was ecstatic. If he had been alone, he might have thrown his arms up in victory and cheered out loud.

After all, he had just secured a stake in Netscape, a company destined for monumental success.

"So, we're partners now. I look forward to working with you," Seok-won said, smiling as he extended his hand.

Tom grinned back, shaking it firmly. "Today is the best day of my life."

"Mine too," Seok-won agreed, sharing the sentiment.

As they sealed their partnership, both men couldn't help but feel that they were on the brink of something extraordinary.