Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 311

311

A week later, Hyun-sung received a call from Park Young-jin.

Hyun-sung was taking a break after finishing up at the store.

Ring, ring.

“Hello.”

– It’s me, Mr. Kim.

The caller was none other than Park Young-jin.

Hyun-sung couldn’t help but be surprised. Park Young-jin had called much sooner than he’d anticipated.

It wasn’t just one or two landlords, but a whopping 20. He’d figured it would take at least a month to persuade that many people—and that was a conservative estimate. He knew that getting landlords to lower the rent was generally no easy feat.

But Park Young-jin had called him in just a week.

Hyun-sung immediately asked, his curiosity piqued.

“Wait, have you persuaded them all already?”

– I started right away the night you left. Of course, it wasn’t easy. But I persuaded them with all my heart that this was the only way for everyone to survive, just like you said.

“Still, that’s much faster than I expected.”

– My friend, you may think it’s fast, but those days were no joke for me. I wouldn’t be surprised if the belly fat that wouldn’t go away even with effort all disappeared.

“Haha, belly fat?”

– That’s right. I lost 5kg [approximately 11 pounds] in a week.

“You must have had a hard time. By the way, how did you persuade them so quickly? I thought it would take at least a month, no matter how fast you were.”

– Didn’t you say when you left? That to persuade someone, you shouldn’t try to beat them, but try to win their heart.

“Of course, I did, but that wouldn’t have been easy.”

– I just did as you told me. Empathy. First of all, I listened to the landlords as much as possible. After doing that for a few days, they started to open up little by little.

That’s right.

To persuade someone, it’s most important to understand and empathize with their position first. Forcing them is never helpful.

Also, you shouldn’t rush.

You have to persevere to the end, think from the other person’s perspective, and work hard to win their heart.

That’s what Hyun-sung had asked Park Young-jin before leaving.

“Still, you’re amazing—persuading so many people alone in a week.”

– Actually, I wasn’t alone. I had a friend who helped me. I wouldn’t have been able to do it alone without that friend. I’ll create an opportunity for the two of you to meet later. You’ll need his help to do business anyway.

“Oh, is that so? Then I’ll see him then. But did 100% of the landlords really agree?”

– That’s the thing…….

“It’s not 100%, is it?”

– You’re right. I tried my best until the end, but I couldn’t persuade one person in the end. And that happens to be…….

Park Young-jin couldn’t finish his sentence.

Then Hyun-sung immediately asked.

“Happens to be? What do you mean by that?”

– That person is the landlord of the store you chose.

“Yes? Is that true?”

– That’s right. I’m sorry to you, and I’m just dumbfounded.

“No, how can that be?”

Hyun-sung couldn’t understand it at all. He’d clearly said that the store hadn’t been rented out and had been left vacant for two years. In that case, it’s natural for the landlord to welcome someone who wants to move into the store with open arms.

The same goes for the rent issue.

It’s not like he’s asking only one person to lower the rent by 50%. The entire commercial district is going to do that. And lowering the rent isn’t just about lowering it for no reason, but about adjusting it to fit the current commercial district’s reality.

Because saving the commercial district comes first.

And the important thing is that the rent is not fixed, but there is a condition that it will be increased by 20% every two years. No one is making unreasonable demands.

Right now, the commercial district is struggling, so they’re asking him to play the role of priming the pump [stimulating economic activity] to revive it. But he refuses?

Hyun-sung couldn’t understand it.

Sigh!

Park Young-jin sighed and said.

– I don’t know why that old man is so stubborn.

“What’s the reason?”

– But what’s even more absurd is that he doesn’t say the reason. No matter how much I ask, he doesn’t answer.

“Yes? How can that be?”

– That’s what I’m saying. That’s why I’m dumbfounded. I need him to tell me the reason so I can persuade him somehow, but there’s no way if he doesn’t tell me.

“Maybe it’s his age……?”

– He’s three years older than me. He’s not old enough to be senile yet, but I don’t know why he’s being so stubborn. What should we do?

“This is really absurd. How can this be…….”

Hyun-sung had nothing to say.

He refuses without a reason? No, that can’t be. There must be a reason. He’s just not going to say the reason…….

What could be the reason?

– So, how about you meet that old man yourself?

“Me, directly?”

– Yes, you’re the person involved, so maybe he’ll say something different to you. I think it’s better to meet him first. We can’t just stay like this, can we?

“Hmm…… Well, it’s not difficult to meet him, but I don’t know if he’ll tell me.”

– No, you’re different from other people, so I think there might be a good result. I don’t know why.

“No, what do you mean I’m different from other people?”

– No, you may not know it yourself, but I think you’re definitely different from other people. How should I put it…… Well, it’s hard to pinpoint, but you’re definitely different. Ah! Yes, you have a strange, invisible something that attracts people’s hearts.

“Yes? No, what are you talking about…….”

Hyun-sung had nothing special to say.

Park Young-jin’s voice was heard again.

– When can you come?

“Tomorrow is the school’s anniversary, so I’m not going to school. I’ll go tomorrow. Since we’ve already started, we should come to a conclusion quickly in some way.”

– Okay. Then I’ll see you tomorrow.

“Yes, then I’ll visit you tomorrow morning. Then goodbye…….”

Click.

Hehe.

Hyun-sung smiled without realizing it after hanging up the phone. It was because of what Park Young-jin said last.

He said that he had a strange something that attracts people’s hearts. He had never thought that there was such a thing.

He’s heard all kinds of things in his life.

Anyway, what’s important now is not that. He has to get that landlord to open his mouth somehow. The fact that he’s acting outside of common sense means that he has his own special reason.

Special reason.

‘What could it be?’

***

It was about 10 minutes after hanging up the phone.

Ding-dong.

Park Hee-chul came in as the store door opened.

“Oh? Uncle!”

“Am I that welcome? Your voice is overflowing with joy.”

“Uncle, you’re so funny. By the way, where are you coming from now?”

“I went to Hongcheon downtown for some business and I’m coming back after having dinner. But you did something again?”

“Yes? What do you mean?”

Hyun-sung looked at Park Hee-chul.

Then Park Hee-chul smiled and continued.

“I’m coming back from meeting Young-jin.”

“Are you talking about Park Young-jin, the real estate agent?”

“Yes, that’s right. That friend told me. You went there a week ago.”

“Ah, yes. That’s right. But what do you mean by doing something again?”

“Hehe, that friend praised you so much for reviving the dying commercial district. I don’t know how happy I was to hear that.”

“No. I haven’t even started yet. And I don’t know what will happen in the future, so what are you talking about…….”

Hyun-sung shook his head.

To be honest, he’s even afraid. It sounds good to revive the commercial district, but he knows too well that it’s not as easy as it sounds.

Moreover, it’s about bringing back the people who left. It’s easy for people to leave, but it’s even more difficult to come back. That means you need several times more effort.

Contrary to Hyun-sung’s worried expression, Park Hee-chul’s expression was rather bright.

“I thought it was amazing that you had such an idea. No matter how much I think about it, I can’t understand how you came up with such an idea.”

“What…….”

“The rent. How did you think of persuading the landlords?”

“That’s because there was no other way.”

“That’s why it’s amazing. You may or may not know it, but landlords only raise the rent; they never lower it.”

“Doesn’t it depend on the situation? If we stay like this, it’s obvious that we’ll all go bankrupt…….”

“No, that’s what you think, and the landlords don’t think so.”

“Yes? What do you mean…….”

Hyun-sung looked at Park Hee-chul again.

Then Park Hee-chul immediately opened his mouth.

“That’s their pride.”

“Pride?”

“Yes, those people think that rent is their pride. That’s why they especially hate lowering the rent.”

“You mean they think that lowering the rent will hurt their pride?”

“It’s childish, but that’s the truth. Especially since they like to compare themselves with other landlords, the symptoms are even worse.”

Hyun-sung nodded.

He had experienced it many times in his previous life. He could guess enough just by looking at the relationship with the landlords next door.

He had watched them greet each other with smiles on the outside but secretly be conscious of and wary of each other.

Park Hee-chul continued.

“But you used a ghostly method this time.”

“Yes? What are you talking about again?”

“You hit the strongest guy first.”

“Yes? What do you mean…….”

“Yes, Young-jin. He’s the one with the strongest influence in that neighborhood. Persuading him first was a stroke of God.”

“Haha, is that how it works?”

Hyun-sung could only laugh. To be honest, he didn’t know that Park Young-jin was such a big deal in that neighborhood. He was just the first person he met.

Park Hee-chul continued again.

“As I said a little while ago, landlords don’t try to lower the rent first because of their pride.”

“I think that could be the case after listening to you.”

“But among them, the strongest guy lowered the rent first, so what about the other landlords?”

“There was no reason to be conscious of it.”

“That’s right. That’s why I told you a little while ago that you used a ghostly method.”

Hyun-sung smiled instead of answering.

Somehow, he thought he had persuaded the landlords much faster than he had expected, but he had never thought that there was such a reason.

Anyway, the important thing is that he elicited a response from the landlords.

Park Hee-chul said again.

“But there’s another interesting thing.”

“Yes? What else is there?”

“Do you remember the name Choi Sung-pil?”

“Choi Sung-pil?”

“Yes, why did you call me last time and ask me to find out about the county councilor?”

“Ah, yes. I remember.”

Hyun-sung remembered then.

He is the person on the business card he received from Park In-soo, the real estate agent, a while ago. He is the very person who said he would buy land in the middle of the mountain.

But he had already concluded that there was nothing special about that person. That’s because Park Hee-chul had investigated him, but there was nothing special.

But why is that person’s name suddenly coming out here?

Hyun-sung immediately asked.

“Why is that person’s name coming out here?”