Golden Print [EN]: Chapter 42

May was when WJ Studio started. June was for making the business better, building on that start.

Woojin thought June would be easier, but he was wrong. It was busy from day one.

“Director, we’ve received a total of five new orders this week. Can we handle all of them?”

“Stop calling me that, Seokgu, it sounds too formal.”

“If I don’t call you Director, what should I call you then? Haha.”

While Woojin was busy with the noisy construction site, the model workshop, run by Seokhyeon, was a place of quiet industry. Six workers arrived each day at the same time, their hands moving precisely as they crafted tiny buildings and landscapes. The air smelled faintly of glue and paint, and shelves were lined with models in various stages of completion. Seokhyeon, always there except for his classes, watched over everything, a calm presence in the busy room.

There was no shortage of work.

First of all, three additional model orders came in from Cheonwoong Construction alone, and now word was spreading in the industry.

What was surprising was this: even though WJ Studio’s models were expensive (twice the price of others!), half of all orders were for these premium models. Woojin didn’t expect this.

‘If we keep rolling at this pace, even conservatively, we’ll make a net profit of about three to four million every month.’

Increasing the number of people and expanding the size of the workshop were also options, but Woojin decided not to be so greedy.

If the scale gets any bigger, difficulties in management will inevitably arise.

WJ Studio’s strength was making models of very high quality, better than anyone else. Because of this, they had to be careful not to grow too fast and lose that quality.

“If we proceed with all of that, how much more will the total sales increase?”

“Roughly 120 million?”

“That much?”

“Most of them are premium orders.”

“Damn it.”

A sigh escaped from Woojin’s mouth, and Seokhyeon smiled and opened his mouth again.

“You know what I’m going to say, right?”

“You’re going to tell me to lend a hand, too.”

“Bingo.”

“Why is the boss the busiest in this company?”

“It’s a very desirable model for a company.”

“Hoo…….”

Woojin was sighing outwardly, but his expression was very bright.

He could see the company growing more and more.

‘It seems like Jin-tae hyung is slowly adapting to the system……. I knew I had a good eye for people.’

The model business was already successful and known. But the construction business needed more time to grow.

Although a great portfolio called Cheonwoong Construction’s premium promotional hall had been created, it wasn’t easy for that to lead directly to the next job, like the models.

The quality of the models was entirely WJ Studio’s ability, but the quality of the completed promotional hall was about half WJ Studio’s and half Cheonwoong Construction’s.

‘For now, Mr. Park said he’d give me one or two more jobs, so I’ll have to work on that while moving separately again.’

Woojin wanted WJ Studio to be more than just builders. He wanted them to design buildings too. So, having design and planning skills was important.

Of course, he has enough capabilities now, but that’s just Woojin’s opinion.

Just like he proved his construction skills this time, he needs an opportunity to prove his design and planning skills as well.

From design to planning to construction.

Woojin now needed a perfect portfolio that would complete all of these processes independently.

To do so, he had to break away from the construction company’s outsourcing and succeed in winning independent projects.

‘Or I could buy land with my own money and pour concrete directly.’

Woojin laughed. He was surprised at how much he still wanted to achieve, even though he was already working very hard and fast.

Woojin looked up again and turned his gaze to Seokhyeon, who was waiting for his approval.

“Okay. Then let’s go in the direction of trying to handle all the work that’s come in so far.”

“Okay!”

“The work starts right away from today, right?”

“We already started working on the first order we received last night.”

“Good, well done. Then I’ll join in earnest from tomorrow.”

“Hmm……?”

Seokhyeon’s eyes narrowed slightly at Woojin’s story that he would be skipping model work today.

“What is it? You don’t have class this afternoon either.”

“It’s a bit of an important matter, so I can’t help it. Instead, I’ll help as much as possible from tomorrow, so please bear with me for today.”

“Hmm. Well, if that’s the case, I can’t help it.”

“Instead, I’ll summon Hellboy to the workshop when his class is over today.”

“Deal!”

Woojin picked up the bag on his desk and muttered as if complaining.

“Goodness, I don’t know if I’m the boss or a slave…….”

“Maybe both?”

Woojin shook his head at Seokhyeon, who was smirking, and then left the workshop and headed somewhere in a hurry.

Woojin’s story that he had important and busy work to do was not a lie.

Woojin headed to a tax accountant’s office.

The debt at home was smaller than he expected, but still a bit confusing. Woojin wanted a professional to help him sort it out properly.

“If the money is transferred in this way, it will be resolved cleanly without any problems.”

“I’m sure that’s the case, thank you, tax accountant.”

“You’re welcome. You’re young, but you’re also knowledgeable about tax law, and you’re paying off such a large debt……. Your parents must be very proud.”

“Haha, I have to become an even more reliable son in the future.”

Just like he had promised his mother, Woojin cleared all the debt remaining in the house the very next day.

Woojin paid off not only the debt he owed to his great aunt, but also all the debts that remained here and there.

In total, paying off all the debts cost him about 70 million won.

But Woojin’s heart was more relieved than ever.

It was like taking a stone off his heavy chest.

And in fact, Woojin, who was prepared to lose more than 100 million won, felt that the cost of 70 million won was cheap.

‘There wasn’t as much debt left as I thought. My mom must have suffered a lot…….’

So Woojin went to the bank and took care of everything, and then sent about 5 million won to his mother’s account as allowance.

Then the amount remaining in Woojin’s personal account was exactly 240 million won.

“Two hundred and forty million……. Still, that’s a lot left.”

As soon as he solved all his debts and felt relieved, Woojin’s head started spinning again.

Now he could really start thinking about ‘making money’ with a light heart.

‘I can’t stand the thought of my money playing around in my bank account when I’m running around so hard.’

He had planned to invest his money in an apartment called Mapo Clio Prestige. But there were other ways to invest too.

Even if he were to invest in the redevelopment of another business near the Clio apartment that is preparing for sale, Woojin was confident that he could make a similar level of profit.

But whether it was a coincidence or the timing was right, Woojin’s cell phone started vibrating as he was leaving the bank.

Whirr-

And the moment he checked the number on his cell phone, Woojin couldn’t help but cheer.

“Wow, the timing is perfect.”

The opportunity he had been waiting for finally arrived.

[Mr. Kim from Munjeong-dong]

Woojin answered the phone without hesitation, and the voice of the picky Mr. Kim was heard over the receiver.

[Director, is it okay to talk?]

Woojin, who had already anticipated what he was going to say, asked him back.

“Seyoung Apartment, is the sale out?”

[How did…… you know?]

“Well, because it’s time.”

[…….]

Mr. Kim, who was speechless for a moment, perhaps because he was embarrassed, soon opened his mouth again.

[I’ve secured two properties.]

“What kind of properties are they?”

[One is a riverside high-rise property worth 595 million won. The other is a mid-rise property along the main street worth 570 million.]

The property under 600 million won that Woojin had told Mr. Kim about was finally on the market.

Woojin smiled pleasantly as he confirmed that his prediction was correct.

‘A property that’s almost 50 million won cheaper than the recent actual transaction price……. I’m sure of it. The deal is finally happening.’

Woojin quickly thought about it and then spoke.

“Mr. Kim, are you available now?”

[Of course.]

“I’ll go right away. It’ll probably take about 30 minutes……. or so.”

Woojin, who was about to take the subway to return to the workshop, turned around and caught a taxi.

‘Depending on the situation, I should buy a company car under the company’s name.’

Woojin’s destination was Mr. Kim’s real estate office in Munjeong-dong.

Mr. Kim put down the phone, looking completely shocked.

‘He seemed to know that I was going to call.’

The beginning was last weekend.

A mishap occurred in Seyoung Apartment, which was on the rise due to the promotion of reconstruction, as if waiting for it.

[Mr. Kim, have you heard the story?]

[What story?]

[I heard that the Seyoung Apartment Reconstruction Association lost the lawsuit to invalidate the establishment permit of the association.]

[What? What did you just say?]

[They said that the approval rate was manipulated with fake consent forms when the Promotion Committee received the association establishment permit.]

[Is, is that true?]

[Don’t even mention it. They’re secretly covering it up internally right now, but everyone will know when the article comes out soon.]

[How could this happen……!]

[If you have Seyoung investors among your customers, tell them to throw it away as soon as possible. If you put it out for around 600 million won today or tomorrow, it’ll be quickly contracted.]

About two months ago, the young customer who traded the pre-sale right at his real estate office said that a sale would come out around June or July.

He even said the price would be just under 600 million won.

Of course, Mr. Kim had no choice but to listen to the young customer’s words with one ear and let them out with the other.

When looking at the situation at the time, it was literally nonsense.

But eventually, as soon as June came, it happened as he said, like a ghost.

It was as if the young customer had expected this situation to come.

‘How did he know? Did he receive some kind of divine revelation?’

In addition to the surprise caused by Woojin’s prediction coming true, Mr. Kim had no choice but to fall into confusion from another aspect.

Woojin, who had predicted this worst-case scenario, had clearly said that he would buy it if a property under 600 million won came out.

The fact that the association lost the lawsuit to invalidate the association establishment permit means that the reconstruction process that has been going on so far is completely canceled.

Then Seyoung Apartment is faced with having to walk the path it has been walking for the past ten years once again in order to rebuild.

In the building business, time is money. This lawsuit was a big problem, hard to fix.

But the person who predicted this situation said he would buy it.

The apartment price could easily fall to 400 million won once the news of the lawsuit became public.

At a price of around 500 million won.

‘There’s something there. What the hell is it?’

Mr. Kim was so curious.

He was so curious that he felt like he was going crazy.

He wondered what was in the head of that young customer who was coming to his business right now.

“Hoo.”

Sssssss-

Mr. Kim, who took a puff of his cigarette and rubbed it on the ashtray, rubbed his throbbing temples with both hands and began to wait for the guest who would arrive soon.

And about twenty minutes later.

Jingle jangle-

The man Mr. Kim had been waiting for opened the office door and came in.