Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 511

513

“I’ll give you that money.”

“What did you say?”

“I’m saying that I’ll give the presidents the money you mentioned a little while ago.”

“…….”

Choi Sang-gil couldn’t say anything more and just stared at Hyun-sung. The same was true for the other people sitting there.

Hyun-sung’s words were shocking to all of them.

After a moment.

Choi Sang-gil, who was looking at Hyun-sung, seemed to have come to his senses and slowly opened his mouth again.

“Mr. Kim, what are you talking about? You’re going to give us money?”

“Yes, that’s true. This is the method I’ve been thinking about.”

“Um… to be honest, I don’t know what you’re talking about right now. I think it’s the same with the other presidents here. Can you explain what you mean?”

“Yes, of course. The method I thought of is…”

Hyun-sung began to explain in detail how he would confront the chain store Movie Mind in the future. As Hyun-sung’s explanation continued, the five people quietly focused on Hyun-sung’s words, holding their breath.

About 10 minutes passed.

When Hyun-sung’s explanation was over, Choi Sang-gil asked immediately.

“So, the conclusion is that you’ll give us the net profit we’ve been making every month, and in return, you want Mr. Kim to take over the management rights of the store?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“So, you’re saying that Mr. Kim will step up as the representative and fight Movie Mind 1:1?”

That was the method Hyun-sung chose.

If they didn’t, and each individual fought Movie Mind, the rental stores except for Choi Sang-gil, who didn’t pay rent, wouldn’t last a year and would eventually close.

Hyun-sung judged that there was no need to test what he had already experienced in his previous life.

So, the method he chose was to give them the profits, but in return, Hyun-sung would directly manage the other stores as well.

Of course, to do that, he needed their absolute trust and consent.

Hyun-sung nodded and continued his answer.

“Yes, that’s right. If the presidents trust me and leave it to me, I’m thinking of doing that. I think that’s the method that will minimize the bleeding of the various presidents.”

“Um…”

Choi Sang-gil was silent as if he was lost in thought about what he was thinking.

Then, the female president next to him looked at Hyun-sung and asked immediately.

“If that’s the case, what should we do?”

“You can do business the same way you do now. Instead, I’ll take over the management activities such as rental fees and video purchases.”

The most important thing in running a rental store is the rental fee and the video purchase cost.

Anyway, the first thing Movie Mind will do when it opens is to dump the rental fee.

So, he needs the right to freely adjust the rental fee.

And the biggest cost in a rental store is the video purchase cost. That’s why he’s asking for the right to make that decision.

“Whether business is good or not, the president will give me a fixed net profit every month?”

“Yes, I will unconditionally give you the 900,000 won [approximately $750 USD] that the president mentioned a little while ago at the end of the month.”

“Huh? Wait a minute…”

The female president, who was thinking for a moment, opened her mouth immediately.

“If that’s the case, I don’t have to worry about Movie Mind at all?”

“Yes, that’s right. Just do business as usual.”

“Instead, you can give the president whatever the sales amount is?”

“That’s right. I’ll use that money for the president’s profits, rent, and video purchase costs. Of course, I’ll pay the 부족한 [deficient] amount with my own money.”

It was then.

This time, the female president next to Hyun-sung asked.

“Anyone can see that the president is losing money, is it okay?”

“I came to this conclusion after much 고민 [consideration]. And I have confidence in my own way. I won’t lose money unconditionally.”

“If that’s the case, it’s too good for us not to lose money or 신경 [nerves/worry], but the problem is how long the president can last…”

The female president tilted her head with a worried expression.

Of course, she would be worried. Anyone can see that this method is 100% loss for Hyun-sung.

But if it’s not that method, there’s no other way.

Otherwise, as in his previous life, the female presidents who ran side businesses would have no choice but to close down before a year had passed.

So, the method Hyun-sung found was to guarantee them net profit.

Of course, the reason he can do that is because Hyun-sung has enough 여유 [leeway/resources] to do so. That’s how he wants to protect their daily lives this time.

Hyun-sung’s answer continued.

“As I said a little while ago, this is something I’ve already 각오 [prepared for/resolved]. And I’m confident.”

“Are you really okay?”

“Yes, I can do it. And that period will take about 6 months.”

“Yes? 6 months?”

“That’s the period I thought of.”

“Does that mean you can get Movie Mind out of this neighborhood in 6 months?”

“That’s my goal. I wouldn’t have started if it wasn’t.”

Anyway, the fight will be inevitable.

At the center of that fight will inevitably be money.

In his previous life, he had nothing, so he was just unilaterally 당했지만 [suffered], now it’s different.

Money?

Anyway, now he has more than enough money.

And Movie Mind came in to kill others and live alone. This time, he will show them what the ugly taste of money is really like.

Then Choi Sang-gil, who had been quiet, opened his mouth again.

“Did you say 6 months just now?”

“Yes.”

“You’re going to end it in 6 months?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Pfft.

At Hyun-sung’s answer, Choi Sang-gil laughed lightly and began to pour beer into the empty glass in front of him.

It seemed that he couldn’t believe Hyun-sung’s words.

After taking a sip of beer, he continued.

“Confidence or…”

“Or what?”

“I can’t say it with my own mouth, can I ask you just one thing?”

“Yes, please.”

“Is your father a 재벌 [chaebol/conglomerate owner]?”

“…….”

Hyun-sung glanced at Choi Sang-gil instead of answering.

Choi Sang-gil also knows that this fight will eventually be a money fight. That’s why he’s asking about his father, not Hyun-sung. He thought that Hyun-sung’s father would be behind him anyway.

“He’s farming in the countryside.”

Hyun-sung answered honestly.

He knows why he asked that question. But he couldn’t tell him everything about himself in this situation.

Whatever choice he makes, it’s his responsibility from now on.

“Farming…”

Choi Sang-gil closed his mouth again without saying anything. He seemed to be 고민 [agonizing] about the current situation in his own way.

Maybe it’s natural. A young man with no experience suddenly tells him to hand over the management rights in exchange for giving him profits.

Besides, he’s going to end Movie Mind in 6 months, so how can he not 고민 [worry]?

Others were silent as well.

They seemed to be 고민 [concerned] about the same thing.

Hyun-sung was just quietly waiting for their answers because he could 충분히 [sufficiently] do that. Anyway, he can’t do it by force.

About 2 minutes passed.

Gulp gulp.

Choi Sang-gil, who was 고민 [pondering], emptied the beer glass in front of him and opened his mouth, looking at Hyun-sung.

“Mr. Kim, don’t think I’m 서운 [disappointed/offended].”

“Yes, of course. Please feel free to speak.”

“I’m just going to 버텨보겠다 [try to endure/hold out] alone like now…”

Choi Sang-gil’s words grew longer.

Unfortunately, his choice was to 버텨보겠다 [tough it out] alone. It seemed that he made that decision because he didn’t have to pay rent.

Of course, his belief in Hyun-sung also played a part.

Maybe it’s a natural decision in his position.

Hyun-sung nodded and continued.

“Yes, I understand. But let me tell you just one thing in advance.”

“What is it?”

“The fight will eventually be decided by the rental fee.”

“Anyway, I’m expecting that too. I know that the first thing Movie Mind does when it comes in is to dump the rental fee.”

Choi Sang-gil nodded and answered. He already knew that much.

His expression was definitely different from the other female presidents.

Hyun-sung knew that was the 여유 [composure/luxury] of someone who owned his own building, even if it was small.

But there was something he didn’t know.

That the limit of that rental fee is endless.

To beat Movie Mind, a chain store, you can’t answer with a common-sense rental fee.

Hyun-sung’s words continued.

“Well, I don’t know how much the president is expecting the rental fee to be, but it will probably be endless.”

“Surely it won’t fall below 1,000 won [~ $0.80 USD]?”

“1,000 won [~ $0.80 USD]? That’s probably what Movie Mind will 때릴 [hit/offer] as a promotional price as soon as it opens.”

That’s true. The rental fee that Movie Mind first came out with in his previous life was 1,000 won [~ $0.80 USD].

The reason is simple.

Anyway, they had no choice but to attract customers when they opened.

At that time, other rental stores had a rental fee of 2,000 won [~ $1.60 USD].

50%, exactly half the rental fee of other rental stores, they are starting 영업 [business/operations].

Price destruction!

That was Movie Mind’s 영업 [business] strategy.

The simplest and most 확실한 [certain] method.

But the problem is that existing rental stores have no way to 대응 [respond/cope] to that strategy.

The reason is simple.

They don’t have the 여력 [capacity/resources].

First of all, they can’t 게임 [compete] in terms of scale. At best, they can’t 게임 [compete] against large chain stores in a 평형 [area] of about 10 평 [pyeong – a Korean unit of area, approximately 33 square meters or 355 square feet].

Of course, Movie Mind is doing market research in advance to find such places.

In the end, small rental stores hope that Movie Mind will end the event period, but by the time the event period ends, everything is already over.

By then, most of the customers have already become 단골 [regulars] of Movie Mind.

Choi Sang-gil continued.

“When that event period ends, 다시 [again/then]…”

“When? How long are you going to wait?”

“That’s…”

Choi Sang-gil, unable to answer properly.

Hyun-sung looked at him and immediately continued.

“500 won [~ $0.40 USD].”

“500 won [~ $0.40 USD]? Surely that…?”

“Surely that’s right. Anyway, let me tell you in advance. The amount I’ll receive is 바로 [exactly] that amount. I’ll 날릴 선방 [launch a preemptive strike] with that price 3 days before Movie Mind opens.”

“…….”

Choi Sang-gil couldn’t say anything more.

Then Hyun-sung’s words continued again.

“This is not the end. If Movie Mind still 버티면 [endures/persists], it will go down to 100 won [~ $0.08 USD].”

“…….”

“Anyway, this 게임 [game/battle] will continue until Movie Mind closes. If it still 버티면 [holds out] after 6 months, it could go on for more than a year.”

“…….”

“That’s all I can say.”

“…….”

Choi Sang-gil was still unable to say anything.

Others were silent as well.

After a while.

It was the 50-year-old female president sitting next to Hyun-sung who broke the 침묵 [silence].

“Can I ask you just one thing?”

“Yes, please.”

“What’s the reason?”

“The reason? What reason?”

“From what I’ve heard so far, it seems that the president has enough 여력 [resources/ability] to beat Movie Mind alone, but I’m curious as to why you’re 힘들게 [laboriously/with difficulty] taking care of us.”

“That’s…”

Hyun-sung couldn’t speak easily.

Then, the female president sitting across from him asked this time.

“That’s right. Anyone can see that Mr. Kim is sacrificing himself for us, but we don’t really have any 인연 [connection/relationship], so why us…?”

“It may be a 주제넘은 얘기 [presumptuous thing to say], but it’s because I want to protect your daily lives.”

“Daily life?”

“Yes, if you fight Movie Mind directly, I’m sorry, but your daily lives will all 무너지고 [collapse/fall apart].”

That’s true. Even in his previous life, their lives were divided into before and after Movie Mind came in.

Until Movie Mind came in, they were responsible for their families and 살림 [household/living], and they were running video rental stores without any problems.

But their lives 무너지고 [crumbled] from the moment Movie Mind came in.

With sales falling day by day, they eventually had no choice but to close the rental store, and later they 떠난 [left] this neighborhood.

“To be honest, I was 겁이 [scared] when I heard that Movie Mind was coming.”

“That’s probably right. Anyway, those guys are the ones who have to kill others to live.”

“…….”

She was quietly thinking about something.

But that 침묵 [silence] didn’t last long.

“Um… I’m sorry, but please take care of our store. I’ll follow the president’s opinion.”

“Yes, I understand. Don’t worry. I’ll take responsibility and protect the president’s store.”

It was then.

“Me too.”

“I’ll do that too.”