Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 216

216

The two of them left Lee Min-woo’s house.

Shin Min-ho looked at Hyun-sung and asked,

“Aren’t you overdoing it?”

“Are you talking about Min-woo?”

“Yeah, I know Il-soo is already working part-time during that time slot. Is there even a spot for Min-woo to join?”

Shin Min-ho looked at Hyun-sung with worried eyes. As Shin Min-ho said, Kim Il-soo was already working part-time during that time slot. So, he naturally thought there wouldn’t be a place for Lee Min-woo.

Hyun-sung replied,

“It’s enough.”

“Enough? Is there something I don’t know about?”

“It’s going to get very busy soon.”

“What are you talking about now?”

Shin Min-ho tilted his head.

Saying it’s going to get busy means business is going well.

Business doesn’t suddenly get more customers overnight. But if Hyun-sung’s words are true, that’s going to happen soon.

Hyun-sung smiled and continued,

“We had a filming a few days ago.”

“Filming? Did a broadcasting station come by?”

“Yes, do you know ‘Nationwide Gourmet Tour’?”

“That’s the one on KBC every Thursday at 8 PM. I watch it sometimes, but did they really film there?”

Shin Min-ho couldn’t believe it.

What kind of program is ‘Nationwide Gourmet Tour’? It’s a program that selects and introduces famous restaurants from all over the country. It’s also broadcast during the prime time [golden hour] of 8 PM. It’s a well-recognized program in Korea.

Shin Min-ho couldn’t believe that Hyun-sung’s ramen shop was filmed for such a program.

Hyun-sung replied,

“They said it would be broadcast next Thursday.”

“So, the reason you said it would be busy soon is because of that?”

“I can’t ignore the broadcasting effect.”

“Of course. Moreover, isn’t that the prime time? Even if they’re just curious, people who watch the show will come and visit at least once.”

That’s the effect of broadcasting. Taste is secondary; curiosity comes first. Moreover, if a store in my area appears on TV, that curiosity will only increase.

Hyun-sung continued,

“I think a lot of older customers will visit.”

“That’s right. The students have already been there at least once, and people who didn’t know about it because it’s in the countryside will come out of curiosity. But I have a question…”

“Yes, please ask.”

“How did the broadcasting station even know to come all the way here to the countryside?”

It’s only been a little over a month since he started his business. Shin Min-ho was curious how the broadcasting station knew to come all the way here to the countryside.

Hyun-sung said,

“Section Chief Lee at the Shin Ramen headquarters reported it.”

“Then that makes sense. Anyway, the headquarters did a great job this time.”

“A great job?”

“Think about it. They’re advertising their products on public television for 20 minutes without any conditions. Where else can you get that kind of advertising effect? Don’t you think?”

“Ah, that could be true.”

Hyun-sung nodded.

He hadn’t thought that far. Shin Min-ho is right. If they advertise their company’s products for 20 minutes during prime time without any conditions, the advertising effect will be so great that it cannot be quantified.

Of course, I don’t know if they calculated that when they reported it.

Anyway, that’s the headquarters’ situation, and the important thing is that this is an opportunity for Hyun-sung. It was essential for Hyun-sung to increase the number of older customers in any way.

Then Shin Min-ho spoke again.

“By the way, what’s this grass gang Jin-woo was talking about?”

“Ah, that. That’s…”

Hyun-sung began to explain about the grass gang. As Hyun-sung’s explanation grew longer, Shin Min-ho smiled as if he found it amusing.

Finally, when Hyun-sung’s explanation ended, Shin Min-ho smiled and continued,

“So, you’re the one who turned the delinquent circle into the idol of the children?”

“I didn’t intend to do that at first, but it turned out that way.”

“Anyway, whatever the reason, it’s good for those kids. If that hadn’t happened, they would have been causing trouble every day. Now that I think about it, our Hyun-sung has done a great job.”

Shin Min-ho lightly patted Hyun-sung on the shoulder.

A moment later.

Hyun-sung looked at Shin Min-ho and asked,

“By the way, are you okay, teacher?”

“What?”

“I’m talking about your mother. It’s been about a month now, so I was just wondering.”

“Actually, I miss my mother even more these days. At first, I was so out of it that I didn’t know, but as time goes by, I keep thinking about her.”

Hyun-sung nodded and continued,

“That’s how it will be. But this too shall pass.”

“Still, I’m glad that I was able to be there for my mother’s last moments thanks to you. I’ll say it again, I was really grateful then.”

“Teacher, really…”

Hyun-sung looked at Shin Min-ho and nodded lightly.

The two arrived at the intersection.

“Are you going to the store?”

“Yes, are you going home too, teacher?”

“I have to. I should buy a bottle of soju [Korean distilled rice liquor] today and drink it while thinking about my mother.”

“Please do. Don’t drink too much.”

“Okay, go in. And thanks to you, Young-seok and Min-woo’s matter was resolved well today. I’m always getting your help like this.”

“What help… Anyway, I’m glad it worked out well. Thank you for your hard work, teacher. Then go in.”

Hyun-sung parted ways with Shin Min-ho and headed to the store.

When Hyun-sung arrived at the store.

Someone was standing at the entrance.

“What brings you here at this hour?”

The person waiting for Hyun-sung was none other than Han Myung-soo.

“Where are you coming from?”

“I had something to do at a friend’s house, so I’m coming back from there. Anyway, what are you doing here alone at this hour?”

“It’s nothing… I just wanted to talk to you, senior [older/more experienced person].”

“You’re so boring… Let’s go inside first.”

Hyun-sung took Han Myung-soo into the store.

“Did you have dinner?”

“Yes, I ate earlier. I was at home after dinner, but I felt stuffy, so I came out like this.”

“What’s making our Myung-soo feel so stuffy?”

“I have a lot on my mind. First of all, it’s about the grass gang. I’m worried about how to continue leading it in the future.”

It was a question I had expected to some extent. There are only about two months left in the semester. After the winter vacation, Han Myung-soo’s middle school days will be over.

That’s probably why he’s worried.

Hyun-sung asked,

“Do you want to keep it going?”

“If it were like before, I honestly wouldn’t have any regrets. I made it just for fun. But now it’s different. The nature of the group has completely changed since you presented the conditions, senior.”

“How has it changed?”

“Before, we only picked out bad things to do. But now it’s the exact opposite. We study, and we even do volunteer work these days. So, these days, the kids are so proud that they’re confident.”

Hyun-sung nodded.

That’s right. When I first learned about the existence of the grass gang, the negative image was strong. But from some point on, the atmosphere changed, and the image also began to change.

So much so that students like Lee Jin-woo wanted to join the grass gang, and it has become an object of envy among the students.

Hyun-sung asked again,

“So, what are you worried about?”

“As you know, senior, I only have two months left. So, I have to hand it over to the second-year students, but it’s not as easy as I thought.”

“Not easy? What are you talking about?”

“I can’t let go of it.”

Hyun-sung smiled at Han Myung-soo.

I could see that it was more than just regret; it was an obsession.

It’s not that I don’t understand. He probably got greedy. The different reactions and responses from the people around him, and even the expectations, made him feel proud.

That’s why he doesn’t want to let go.

Hyun-sung looked at Han Myung-soo and said,

“Time keeps passing…”

“That’s what I’m saying. Of course, I know it’s my greed. But even though I know that, I can’t let go of it in my heart, so I think it’s only making myself more difficult.”

Han Myung-soo shook his head violently from side to side as if he was in pain.

Then Hyun-sung, seeing that, said,

“Did you create the grass gang?”

“Yes, I made it as soon as I went up to the third grade.”

“Why did you make it?”

“I needed power.”

“Power?”

It was the first time Hyun-sung had heard of it. The fact that he needed power meant that there was someone who opposed him, and he needed an organization as a means to defeat that someone.

Han Myung-soo continued,

“At that time, I had a rival, and I wanted to beat him…”

“So, you’re saying you won with numbers because you couldn’t do it alone?”

“I wanted to win like that at the time.”

“So, did you win?”

Han Myung-soo nodded.

Then Hyun-sung asked again,

“Did it feel good after you won?”

“It felt good at first.”

“The fact that it felt good at first means it didn’t later?”

“Yes, as time went by, I was ashamed of myself.”

An unexpected answer came from Han Myung-soo.

Hyun-sung asked again,

“What, did you feel a pang of conscience?”

“It’s not a pang of conscience, but because I wasn’t proud of myself, I avoided him later.”

“So, you lost.”

“Yes, so one day, I met him and honestly admitted defeat. After that, I felt relieved.”

Hyun-sung tilted his head. It was because he thought it wasn’t a situation that anyone could easily decide.

Hyun-sung asked again,

“It wouldn’t have been easy?”

“Of course. But I wanted to be confident rather than deceiving myself. So, that was the decision I made.”

“No regrets?”

“Yes, I have no regrets about that part.”

Han Myung-soo nodded.

Looking at Han Myung-soo, Hyun-sung asked again,

“By the way, after listening to what you’ve said so far, it seems like there’s no longer any justification for maintaining the grass gang. Why are you so obsessed with the grass gang?”

“It’s because of you, senior.”

“Hey, what are you talking about?”

“Actually, I was going to disband it at the end of this semester since I created it anyway. But that thought changed when you appeared, senior.”

It was a part that Hyun-sung couldn’t understand at all.

“Explain it so I can understand.”

“Before you appeared, senior, the grass gang was honestly a delinquent circle. But the value changed when you appeared, senior.”

“What did I do?”

“Didn’t you set conditions, senior? And the kids worked hard to meet those conditions.”

“That’s…”

Hyun-sung had nothing to say.

Of course, it was Hyun-sung’s trick to get rid of the grass gang at the time, but anyway, Han Myung-soo’s words are true.

Han Myung-soo continued,

“Do you admit it?”

“Of course, I admit it.”

“Do you know how the grass gang kids changed as they worked hard to meet the conditions you set, senior?”

“How did they change?”

When Hyun-sung asked, Han Myung-soo smiled and continued.