Team

Adam returned to his apartment with his heart racing, barely able to contain the excitement bubbling inside him. As he walked along the familiar street, he noticed something unusual—a large truck parked near his building. Several workers were busy unloading big boxes and equipment from the truck. A smile spread across his face as he realized that his long-awaited delivery had finally arrived. 

"Finally, it's here," he muttered to himself, feeling both relief and joy. Without wasting another moment, he hurried toward the entrance of his apartment building. 

At the door, he saw Mr. Watson, the old landlord, standing near the entrance with a scowl on his face. Mr. Watson was known to be a man of few words and an even fewer smile, and today he looked more upset than usual. He watched the workers with a displeased expression, as if the sudden delivery had disturbed his quiet routine. 

Adam stepped forward, his tone firm yet respectful. 

"Mr. Watson, this is my delivery," he said clearly. 

Mr. Watson's eyes narrowed as he turned to look at Adam. For a moment, there was a heavy silence. The delivery men, who had been busy with their work, stopped what they were doing and shifted their attention toward the pair. One of the delivery workers, a man dressed in a light blue uniform with a neat haircut, walked up holding a clipboard and a pen. 

"Are you Mr. Adam?" the deliveryman asked, looking directly into Adam's eyes. 

Adam nodded, his face showing both pride and a little anxiety. 

"Yes, that's me," he replied. 

The deliveryman smiled in a business-like manner and said, 

"Please sign here."

He extended the clipboard to Adam. Adam quickly picked up the pen and signed his name. He did so with a steady hand, knowing that this moment was one step closer to turning his dreams into reality. Once he signed, the worker said, 

"Once you've signed, we will unload everything. Just let us know where to place the items." 

Adam took a deep breath and pointed toward the back of the building where he had planned a small storage area. The workers, now reassured by his clear directions, moved quickly. They began unloading boxes, equipment, and other items that were all part of his long-awaited purchase. Even though Mr. Watson still wore an annoyed look, he said nothing further. Adam knew that his rent was good, and Mr. Watson had little choice but to let him be.

After all the items were unloaded and neatly arranged in the storage area, the workers finished their task and left the scene. Adam then turned back to his apartment, eager to see what awaited him inside. 

When he stepped into his apartment, the first thing that caught his eye was the bulky, white computer sitting on his desk. It was the highlight of the delivery—a brand-new computer that he had saved for a long time to buy. The machine looked large and a little clumsy by modern standards, with a dark screen that had yet to be turned on. Right next to it was a brand-new internet connection setup. Even though the internet was just in its early days and only a few big companies could use it, Adam had decided to invest in this new technology. 

Sitting down in front of the computer, Adam thought, 

"It was worth it." 

With a mixture of eagerness and patience, he pressed the power button. The computer came to life slowly, the screen flickering as it began the boot-up process. The wait was long and a little tedious, but Adam sat there, lost in thought. Watching the computer, he began to form a new idea in his mind.

"What if I just copy this computer?" he thought. With his special copy-and-paste ability, he could make more copies, saving money and time. The idea sparked a feeling of excitement—each new copy could help him build his business even faster and better. Before he could think too deeply about his idea, the sudden ring of his landline phone broke his concentration. 

Adam rose from his chair and walked over to the old-fashioned phone. As soon as he picked up the receiver, a familiar voice greeted him. 

"Adam, I didn't think you'd call me this soon," came the cheerful tone from the other end. 

It was Kim. His friend and trusted business partner, whose voice always carried a mix of seriousness and excitement. 

"Kim, what's up?" Adam asked, his voice warm with anticipation. 

Kim's tone quickly became serious as he spoke. 

"Adam, I've completed the paperwork and have started recruiting people. I also visited the refinery site you mentioned before. There are important matters we need to discuss about our next steps." 

Before Kim could say more, Adam's excitement got the better of him. 

"Let's not do this over the phone," he interrupted. "Come to my apartment, and bring the others with you."

There was a short pause on the other end as Kim considered the suggestion. Finally, Kim replied, 

"Alright. Give me your address." 

Adam quickly provided the details, and the call ended. The energy in Adam's apartment felt charged, as if something big was about to happen. 

An hour later, a knock on the door echoed through the apartment. Adam hurried to open it, and there stood Kim, his face bright with purpose. But Kim was not alone. Next to him stood a striking woman with jet-black hair, dressed in a simple brown dress. The moment Adam saw her, his eyes widened in surprise. 

"Monica...?" he whispered, almost unable to believe it. 

Monica's eyes grew large, filled with both surprise and a touch of uncertainty. Kim, too, looked at Adam with a mix of curiosity and mild surprise. Monica pointed at herself and raised an eyebrow, asking softly, 

"Do you know me?" 

Realizing that his voice had betrayed him, Adam quickly raised his hands in a gesture of innocence. 

"No, no. Just a coincidence," he said quickly, his cheeks warming a little. Then he stepped aside and said, 

"Please come in." 

Monica hesitated for a moment, then allowed herself to step into the apartment. Following her were three more individuals who had come as part of Kim's visit. 

The first was a tall man with black hair, who seemed to be in his early forties. His face was calm, but his sharp gaze made it clear that he had seen many things in his life. He entered silently, his steps measured and quiet. 

Beside him walked a blond-haired man, probably in his early thirties, dressed in casual but neat clothing. He approached Adam first and extended his hand with a warm smile. 

"Nice to meet you, Adam," he said clearly. 

Adam returned the handshake firmly and replied, 

"Adam," introducing himself with a sincere smile. 

The blond man's friendly face brightened as he introduced himself further, 

"I'm Lee. I'm a professional business lawyer, and from today onward, I will be handling all the legal matters for your company."

Adam nodded in approval and motioned for him to sit down, happy to have someone experienced on board to manage the legal side of things. 

Next, the tall, black-haired man, who had been quiet until now, also entered the room. Kim stepped forward and said simply, 

"This is Raven." 

Raven nodded. His quiet nature spoke of deep experience, and everyone in the room could sense that he was a man who knew how to get things done without many words. 

Finally, a woman with golden-blonde hair stepped into the room. She appeared to be in her early thirties and wore casual business clothes that matched her warm smile. As she approached Adam, she said softly, 

"Nice to meet you, Adam. I'm Lisa. I will be handling the company's financial planning and business structure. I also have many useful contacts that can help us expand quickly." 

Adam's smile widened as he welcomed her, 

"I'm glad to have you on board, Lisa." 

With everyone gathered in his apartment, Adam led the group to a round table set in the center of the living room. The table was surrounded by several chairs, and there were light refreshments arranged neatly—a few glasses of water, some cookies, and a pot of tea. The simple setting made the meeting feel both formal and friendly, a mix that suited the day's importance perfectly.

Once all were seated, Adam looked at Kim and asked, 

"So, Kim, what was the urgent matter you wanted to discuss?" 

Kim leaned forward, his face growing serious as he prepared to speak. But before he began discussing the day's urgent business, he stood up and said, 

"Before that, let's go through introductions properly." 

He gestured to the group as he introduced everyone. 

"I'm Kim, CEO of Fire Corporation. I will be in charge of all operations and will manage the finances as well. My reports will go directly to our founder—Adam."

Kim then placed his hand lightly on Adam's shoulder and looked around at the gathered faces. 

"This is Adam. Though many of you already know him, let me say it once more—he is the founder of Fire Corporation. His vision is our guiding light. We aim to build an empire that will stand tall and proud, one that can stand shoulder to shoulder with the mightiest companies in this country, especially Green Refinery."

The room fell into a respectful silence as every person around the table nodded in agreement. It was clear that each one understood the gravity of what they were about to build together. 

Kim turned his attention to Monica. 

"This is Monica, a very skilled team leader and an excellent planner. She will be in charge of structuring our company and making sure that everything runs smoothly. If we ever run into trouble or if the company's structure shows any signs of weakness, she is the one who will fix it."

As Adam listened to the introductions, he could not help but study Monica's face. There was a strange mix of familiarity and mystery in her eyes that made him wonder how well he truly knew her. The thought crossed his mind again, "Monica... I know her... But how?" Yet, he chose not to push the matter further at that moment.