3:00 PM, Manhattan
While Skye was still stuck in "reflection time," Aaron arrived at a café in Manhattan. Outside, it was labeled as a "Couples Café." Aaron raised his eyebrows—interesting.
He walked in slowly, taking a quick look around before immediately spotting his target: a seat at the deepest part of the café, yet positioned so one could watch the entrance. Sitting there was a petite girl, hair tied back, dressed in a black suit—an eye-catching ensemble.
Compared to the blue research outfit shown in Norman's file, this look gave her a unique charm. At that moment, Helen Cho, who had been watching the door, saw Aaron and stood up, waving her hand.
Aaron strolled over. "Sorry to keep you waiting."
Glancing at the time, Helen Cho spoke quickly, sounding a bit nervous:
"I came early. You're the president of such a massive company, Oscorp—your schedule must be jam-packed. How could you waste time on my account when you have more important matters?"
"Meeting someone as busy as you are, day and night, is a privilege. I'd wait however long it takes."
She had a point—Aaron was busy day and night. Though, strictly speaking, he wasn't the one doing the toiling…
A fleeting image of Norman and Felicia crossed Aaron's mind as he took a seat. He gestured for Helen Cho to sit too.
She sat down, uneasy, fingers twisted together under the table, lips pressed tight. Remembering Norman's earlier hints, she hesitated—then glanced at Aaron and quickly lowered her head. He's handsome! she thought. But…would it be too fast…?
"Um…"
"Is my aura that intimidating? You look worried," Aaron joked, noticing her jittery demeanor.
At that, Helen Cho immediately straightened up, like a school kid called on by a teacher.
"You're the real boss of Oscorp! At its peak, it was worth billions of dollars in market cap! Now you're the most talked-about person in the world—everyone's discussing your legendary rise!"
"I'm guessing the media coverage isn't all positive?" Aaron asked calmly. He'd read yesterday's news and seen how they'd been calling him a devil's spawn, Satan incarnate.
Helen Cho shook her head vigorously. "Of course not."
Enthusiasm lighting her face, she pulled out a pink phone and opened a webpage.
"Look! This was just posted by the U.S. Air Force commander: 'Mr. Aaron is the most courteous, brilliant, and outstanding man from the East I've ever met. His intelligence is astounding—I'm thrilled to know him and eager to collaborate…'"
Beneath it were lines of bold red text and a featured image announcing that Oscorp had become a key military partner, and that Aaron himself was now a top military consultant.
"Then there's this post from a real estate tycoon—"
"Comrade Chuān Jiànguó [Translator's note: a tongue-in-cheek reference]: No one understands Mr. Aaron better than I do. He's undoubtedly a genius—beyond Einstein, beyond Newton, beyond Howard Stark. Sometimes I think, if the U.S. has anything priceless, it's gotta be Aaron!"
"And here!"
"Even the U.S. president made a statement: I'm fortunate that during my administration, I can witness the rising brilliance of both Oscorp and Stark Industries. Especially Oscorp. Perhaps, in my presidency, I'll see the most dazzling star ascend—one that might rival the sun itself!"
Blushing with excitement, Helen Cho rattled it all off, eyes brimming with admiration for Aaron.
Indeed, just the day before, Aaron's reputation had plummeted—some called him the "Son of the Devil." Yet when Norman brought certain items to the Air Force commander, it took less than half an hour for the media to do a 180. Yesterday they'd cursed him viciously; now they were praising him sky-high.
New York Times: A nondescript New York has become the center of the world thanks to two people: Tony Stark and Aaron.
The Daily Bugle: …
Scanning each dramatic headline, Aaron twitched. No wonder everyone stared at me with worshipful eyes when I left the building. So that's why.
"Wow, how did you do it?" Helen Cho asked excitedly, voice trembling. "First you took over this huge company, then practically overnight everyone's singing your praises!"
She hailed from South Korea. To her, the U.S. was already a giant far beyond her reach. Even her country's president or its top chaebol would be small here, not even warranting a glance from America's bigwigs. Yet here was an Eastern man who, in just days, had become the brightest star in the U.S., adored by all.
In that moment, Aaron became an almost unapproachable figure in her mind.
"Calm down; it's nothing worth bragging about," Aaron responded, as laid-back as ever. "They're just sweet-talking me because they want 'New Life.' There's no one who doesn't fear death—those people fear it more than most. If they were skeptical of Norman's promises before, they changed their tune half an hour ago. Why? The Air Force commander, after months out of sight, reappeared in front of the media looking healthy and ten years younger. Everyone went wild. They'll pay any price to flatter me."
In that short time, Tony Stark who? Some billionaire hero fighting crime? He can't restore youth. But Aaron can. So Stark was inevitably overshadowed.
In truth, flattery was the least of it. They'd be ready to call him "daddy" on the spot if that's what it took. A "slip of the tongue" is nothing—heck, the president could have a senior moment and spout gibberish, so who cares? Meanwhile, certain East Asian nations call the U.S. "Papa" anyway, and if "Papa" starts calling him "Papa," then…?
Helen Cho was overthinking imaginary scenarios while Aaron couldn't care less. Yet in her eyes, his casual reaction only made him seem more mysterious and powerful. Stirred by her admiration for the strong and a slight inferiority complex from her tiny home country, she quietly made up her mind about something.
Aaron then said, "Actually, getting to where I am now is quite simple."
Her curiosity piqued.
"You need two things: a brain—and a fist."
A brain meant wisdom, but a fist meant… what, exactly? Helen Cho didn't quite follow. Did he mean unity?
"Aaron, you're truly amazing!" she thought, not fully grasping he meant literal force.
~~~
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