Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 459

It had already been a month since the business started.

This spring was particularly warm.

Perhaps that was why. The number of customers visiting the restaurant began to increase noticeably from mid-March.

Yesterday alone, there were over a thousand lunch customers. Even though the cherry blossoms were still about ten days away from blooming, so many people came to visit.

And as initially expected, people from the Seoul area were overwhelmingly the majority.

However, not everything went as expected.

When we first opened, we expected mostly people in their 50s and 60s to come. The reason was that we thought that age group would be socially stable to some extent and enjoy their leisure time.

But a strange thing happened.

The age range of customers visiting the restaurant gradually decreased over time. Since a few days ago, people in their 30s and 40s accounted for almost 30% of all customers.

Moreover, what’s even more peculiar is that the number of customers in their 20s is also increasing significantly.

It seemed that word had spread little by little over time.

Whatever the reason, having a diverse age range of customers was a good thing from the perspective of running a restaurant.

This is because different age groups prefer different foods, so you don’t have to focus on one type of food.

Looking at the clock, it was just past 10 o’clock.

Knock knock.

The person who opened the door and came in was the general manager, Han Min-gu.

“Hello, Mr. President.”

“Welcome, Manager. Please sit here.”

As Han Min-gu took a seat, Hyun-sung immediately handed him coffee as if he had been waiting. The scene was natural, as if it wasn’t the first time. The same was true for Han Min-gu, who accepted the coffee.

In fact, this was the time when the two of them spent time together every day to discuss the restaurant’s overall affairs, including the day’s work.

Han Min-gu took a sip of coffee, put down his cup, and opened his mouth.

“Oh? Mr. President. The coffee has changed.”

“Haha, you noticed right away. Actually, I received coffee beans as a gift from an acquaintance yesterday. I think the aroma and taste are good, but I don’t know what the manager thinks.”

“Is this imported?”

“Yes, a person who runs a large herbal medicine store in Seoul’s Gyeongdong Market [a traditional market known for herbal medicine] imports it for himself, and he sent it to me this time.”

Last week, my military buddy Kim Dong-soo visited the restaurant. Of course, he came with his father, Kim Jin-yong.

I served them coffee at that time, and Kim Jin-yong, who tasted the coffee, said he would send me the coffee I was drinking. And that coffee arrived yesterday evening.

Han Min-gu took another sip of coffee and immediately opened his mouth.

“Mr. President, isn’t this Cuban?”

“Yes, that’s right. He said it was directly imported from Cuba. Oh? But you knew that after just one sip? Come to think of it, our manager has quite the palate.”

“I’ve just been in the hotel business for a long time, so my mouth is all that’s left. Haha.”

“Haha, Manager, you’re too much…”

Hyun-sung laughed lightly.

It had already been a month since he started working with Han Min-gu. The relationship started with the introduction of Lee Hak-sung, the president of Kang Sang-dae, but as time went by, he realized that he was a sincere person.

Moreover, his long experience working in a hotel was fully demonstrated in this restaurant, so Hyun-sung considered him a great asset.

Again, I realize that nothing is as important as experience in whatever you do.

Not only that.

His ability was also very helpful in running the cafe as well as the restaurant. That’s why they drink coffee and discuss the day’s schedule almost every day like this.

Han Min-gu opened his mouth again.

“Actually, Cuban coffee has its characteristics.”

“Characteristics?”

“Yes, ordinary people may not know it, but it has a soft and sweet taste in a light sourness. In addition, the aftertaste is clean and the aroma is good. So, people who drink Cuban coffee only insist on Cuban coffee. But it’s hard to get, so it’s expensive.”

“You are my savior, Manager.”

“Yes? What do you mean…?”

Han Min-gu stared straight at Hyun-sung. He was asking what Hyun-sung meant by the word ‘savior’ he had just said.

Hyun-sung, who couldn’t possibly not know the meaning, immediately opened his mouth.

“Today’s topic is this coffee.”

“Coffee?”

“Yes, after calculating the cafe’s sales for a month, the results are better than expected. So, I’m thinking of adding one more type of coffee this time.”

“Are you talking about this Cuban?”

“Yes, that’s right. I think it’s okay after I tried it, but I don’t know much about coffee. It seems like I need the manager’s ability once again.”

Han Min-gu smiled at Hyun-sung instead of answering. Then he continued.

“Do you know what our president’s greatest strength is?”

“Yes? Strength? But why are you suddenly saying that?”

“Actually, it’s not sudden, but I’ve felt it since I first met the president. The president has a talent for making the other person feel good.”

“Yes? Me?”

“Yes, in fact, this is not something that anyone can have. Moreover, this is not something that can be easily obtained by trying. But our president has that talent.”

“Well, I don’t know…”

Hyun-sung tilted his head slightly.

Then Han Min-gu continued.

“When you first hired me, you said you were scouting me. Right?”

“That’s because it was true.”

“But do you know that?”

“Yes? What?”

“At that time, I had already been discarded by the hotel. They said I was too old and no longer valuable.”

Han Min-gu paused for a moment and then continued.

“But you said you were scouting me. Me, who was already old and discarded.”

“Let me say it again, that was my sincere feeling.”

“That’s why I’m more grateful to the president. At that time, you already knew that I had been fired from the hotel.”

“That’s…”

Hyun-sung nodded lightly. After all, he had heard about it from Lee Hak-sung, the president, when he was first introduced.

“Actually, at that time, I had no choice but to work even if I was given only half of my salary. Of course, I think the president knew that too. That’s because I told the president that I would be happy to work if I only received half of my salary. But you said you would give me 1 million won more than what I was getting.”

“It’s natural to raise the salary when you’re scouting someone.”

“That’s why you’re great. Is there any employer in the world who would hire someone who has been fired and give them more salary? As I said last time, you are definitely different from other people.”

Han Min-gu took another sip of coffee, as if he was thirsty, and then continued.

“What I said a little while ago is exactly that. Strength.”

“Strength?”

“Yes, the investment in people that you showed when you first hired me. That’s not as easy as it sounds. And that’s not all, but it’s the same as a little while ago.”

“A little while ago?”

“Yes, when you were talking about Cuban coffee a little while ago, didn’t you say that you needed my help and asked me to help you?”

“That’s because it’s obviously true.”

Hyun-sung’s thinking was simple. He didn’t know much about coffee, so he naturally needed Han Min-gu’s help. That’s why he said that.

Han Min-gu shook his head slightly and continued.

“Other presidents don’t do that.”

“Other presidents?”

“Yes, ten out of ten, they pretend to know even if they don’t know, and they pretend to have even if they don’t have. But our president doesn’t have that at all.”

“I just said I didn’t know because I didn’t know, and that’s why I asked for help. There’s no point in pretending to know when you don’t know anyway.”

“That’s what I’m saying. But other presidents seem to think that their pride is hurt if they do that.”

Of course, Hyun-sung had seen many such cases. Cases where the president acts important or pretends to know even when they don’t know, as if the position of president is a big hat.

But he had seen many bad endings to that conclusion. So, he thought that there was no need to do that.

Hyun-sung continued.

“I think that’s a bad behavior. In the end, they’re the ones who lose out. If you don’t know, you can just get help, right? There’s no need to…”

“But it seems to be very difficult for other people. I haven’t seen a president like you except for you, even at this age. But do you know that?”

“Yes? What?”

“I’m a little sorry to say this, but the employees all know. They’re just not saying it.”

“You mean they’re cursing behind my back?”

“Don’t people curse even the king when they’re not watching? Haha…”

“Haha, then I’ll take it as I won’t be cursed behind my back.”

Hyun-sung laughed lightly and said nothing.

Perhaps it’s a natural thing. No matter how great the president is, if it’s an empty shell without content, how pathetic and unsightly would it be in the eyes of the employees?

Hyun-sung thought that it would be better to ask for help from capable employees if he didn’t know or was lacking.

Perhaps Hyun-sung wouldn’t have been much different from them if he was younger. But after living life to some extent, he had his own standards of how to live a virtuous life. Of course, those standards would be different for each person.

Hyun-sung continued.

“Now, let’s get back to the point. Manager, you agree to add one more Cuban coffee, right?”

“Of course. But there is a condition.”

“Condition?”

“Yes, it’s a supply and demand issue. I think you know better than I do why I don’t need to explain it.”

Of course. What Han Min-gu is worried about is the promise with the customers.

It’s free to add a menu, but if there is a problem with supply and demand later, you won’t be able to keep your promise with the customers.

If that happens, the customers who have become accustomed to the taste will naturally complain. They didn’t say it, but that’s a promise with the customers the moment you make the menu.

In the end, what Han Min-gu is worried about is trust with the customers.

That was the same for Hyun-sung.

“Yes, I understand. I agree with you on that point. It’s a promise with the customers, so we can’t break it. We’ll check the supply and demand issue again and make a final decision.”

“Yes, I understand. If the supply and demand issue is certain, I’m unconditionally in favor. I’ll buy it every day, starting with me.”

“Haha, yes, I understand. Then let’s proceed with that issue, and this time it’s the Dullegil [a walking trail, often around a mountain or along a coast] issue.”

The Dullegil was created for the future.

These days, there is no place in the country without a Dullegil, but back then, the word Dullegil itself was so unfamiliar that there were almost no places created. At that time, it was mainly called a promenade.

So, I expected that it wouldn’t be used much.

But a variable occurred. The cause of the variable was azaleas.

Azaleas started to bloom on the mountain behind the restaurant three days ago. As a result, people’s footsteps are gradually heading that way.

The road was made wide from the beginning, so there is no problem. In fact, the width of the road was initially set at 1 meter, but it seemed narrow, so it was widened to 3 meters in the middle. That was good.

But the problem was the chairs.

I made them in the middle, but that wasn’t enough.

The reason was simple. It was coffee.

People who had lunch stopped by the cafe and bought coffee and came outside. Of course, the reason is that the cafe is small.

Many people from the 1st to 4th floor restaurants gather at the cafe after finishing their meals, so no matter how wide the space is, it was bound to be insufficient.

In that situation, the place where those people found was the Dullegil.

The Dullegil, which was made for walking, became an outdoor cafe. As a result, there is an absolute shortage of chairs.

The problem is the future rather than now.

If cherry blossoms start to bloom in about ten days, the number of people will increase dozens of times more than now.

If that happens, it will be so chaotic that it cannot be compared to the current situation.

That’s why Hyun-sung is talking about discussing the issue now.

Han Min-gu nodded as if he already knew and opened his mouth.

“I also think that issue is serious. Customers keep talking about that part.”

“That’s what I’m saying. It’s a happy worry in a way, but the important thing is that we have to make a decision in some way today. We don’t have much time.”

“That’s right. It’s okay now, but it’ll be a mess when the cherry blossoms start to bloom.”

“So, what do you think, Manager?”

“Um…”

Han Min-gu narrowed his brows and immediately began to worry.

That was the same for Hyun-sung.

After a while.

Hyun-sung was the first to open his mouth.

“No matter how I think about it, there seems to be only one conclusion.”

“You mean you’re going to add more chairs?”

“Yes, but the problem is the method.”

“Method?”

“Yes, there are two methods. Should we completely block the Dullegil and do construction, or should we work at night after business hours?”

Scratch scratch.

Han Min-gu suddenly scratched the back of his head and began to worry. It was his habit that came out when he was in a hurry. That meant that he was also seriously worried about the current situation.

The two began to worry again.

After a while.

This time, Hyun-sung was the first to open his mouth.

“I think we need to lower our greed a little.”

“You mean…?”

“Closing the Dullegil for about ten days and doing construction…”

“Wait a minute.”

Han Min-gu quickly raised his hand to stop Hyun-sung’s words. Then, as if he was worried, he started scratching his head like before.

Hyun-sung looked at Han Min-gu and waited for his words for a while.

After a while.

Han Min-gu, who was worried, carefully opened his mouth.

“Mr. President, how about this method?”