Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 329

329

“It’s a wild hill.”

“A wild hill? What do you mean?”

“Your father bought a wild hill. In these cases, there’s only one purpose.”

“One? What is it?”

“Speculation. No, you can’t even call it an investment. Anyone can see it’s speculation. There’s no other reason to buy land like that.”

As soon as Park Min-soo heard Lee Hyung-seok’s words, his father’s words came to mind: that it would increase 100 times. That’s exactly what his father had said on the phone yesterday.

His friend, Lee Hyung-seok, runs a real estate consulting business in Chuncheon. He specializes in analyzing land all over the country, not just in Chuncheon. For the word ‘speculation’ to come out of his mouth meant that the land his father bought was not a normal investment.

In other words, it was all or nothing.

In these cases, it’s one of two things: either a real jackpot or a complete bust. He must have been deceived by someone’s sweet talk. Of course, that someone would have painted a picture of a jackpot. As his father said, they would have laid the groundwork that 100 times was the minimum.

The problem is that his father believes it implicitly.

Park Min-soo asked, just in case.

“What do you think of the land?”

“We don’t even look at land like that. Because there’s no information. We don’t move without information. Our information network is quite reliable, even if it doesn’t look like much.”

“So, you mean the land is completely useless?”

“From our perspective, yes. But why did your father buy that land? It’s not like it’s just a few bucks, but a whopping 50 million won.”

“What? 50 million won?”

Park Min-soo couldn’t help but be surprised. His father had said 200 million won. And he told his younger sibling 200 million won as well, so that’s a total of 400 million won.

And since he said the land would increase 100 times in two years, the principal would become 400 million won. Of course, taxes and other expenses are ignored for the sake of calculation.

But it’s not that, it’s 50 million won…

Park Min-soo had another question. If his father’s words were true, the land would be worth 5 billion won in two years because he said it would increase 100 times. But his father only mentioned 200 million won. Of course, if you include his younger sibling, it’s 400 million won.

400 million won out of that much money, it doesn’t make sense.

Even when he divided the inheritance in advance a few years ago, his father gave everything to his siblings, except for the minimum he needed to live on.

But now it’s 400 million won out of 5 billion won…

‘Wait!’

Park Min-soo remembered what his father had said yesterday: that from now on, he would never give a single *won* [Korean currency] for free without any conditions.

‘Could it be… has my father changed?’

Park Min-soo tilted his head.

Then he heard Lee Hyung-seok’s voice.

“Hey, what are you thinking about while talking on the phone?”

“Huh? Oh, it’s nothing. Just a moment… So, in the end, you’re saying that land is a bust?”

“Well, that’s what I’m saying… but it’s strange.”

“Strange? What do you mean?”

“Your father came to that neighborhood twice.”

“Twice? So, you’re saying he bought the land in two installments?”

“No, it’s not that. He bought the land under your father’s name first, but then he bought it under someone else’s name.”

“Someone else’s name? What do you mean?”

“What’s strange is that it’s a kid. Kim Hyun-sung, a high school student.”

“Kim Hyun-sung? Who is that?”

“So, I looked into it roughly, and he’s currently a third-year student and runs a *ramen* [Korean noodle soup] shop.”

Park Min-soo found it stranger the more he heard. It was strange that a student was running a *ramen* shop, and he couldn’t understand that the student bought land with his father.

“So, you’re saying that student bought land? That student also bought land in Ilsan? With my father, I mean.”

“Yeah, but the problem is that the amount is no joke.”

“How much is it?”

“500 million won.”

“500 million won? That doesn’t make sense. How can a student…”

Park Min-soo felt stranger and stranger. No matter how he thought about it, it didn’t make sense. He couldn’t understand that a student was buying land, and the amount was 500 million won…

Similar words came out of Lee Hyung-seok’s mouth.

“No matter how I think about it, the amount is too big. It’s too fishy to just say he bought it simply. So, I looked into it a little more, but we couldn’t find any other information.”

“Your team has considerable information, right?”

“That’s why it’s strange. It’s not caught on our radar, but your father bought the land. I don’t know why your father bought that land, but your father wouldn’t have bought that land without any thought.”

“So, what’s the conclusion?”

“I don’t know.”

“What? Hey, how can an expert who knows all the land information in the country say that? Don’t do that and turn the radar on properly. It’s very important to me.”

“Hmm… so I think, why don’t you ask your father directly?”

“It won’t work. If I could, would I have asked you?”

“I’m sorry. I can’t say anything about this either. At first, I just thought your father made a bad move, but it’s too much money to just conclude that. It seems like there’s something we don’t know.”

“So, the conclusion is that you don’t know?”

“That’s right. To be honest, we can’t know everything. It seems like it’s not our area.”

Park Min-soo felt drained.

The disappointment was inevitable because the expectations were high.

He knew that his friend was recognized for his skills in real estate consulting. It’s not a corporation, but he knew that it was a team that moved quietly with practical information.

But he couldn’t help but feel drained because even that team moved but couldn’t give any information.

Sigh!

Park Min-soo took a short breath and continued.

“Okay, I understand. If anything comes up, contact me right away. And one last thing I want to ask…”

“Okay, go ahead. What is it?”

“If that land is going to increase 100 times, what kind of variable should there be?”

“What? 100 times? Haha… who says that? Does your father say that land will increase 100 times?”

“No, it’s not necessarily that… I was just wondering.”

“There’s only one case.”

“One? What is it?”

“A new city!”

Lee Hyung-seok’s voice was full of strength. That means he’s confident in his answer.

Park Min-soo’s eyes twinkled and asked right away.

“A new city? If it’s announced as a new city, it’ll increase that much?”

“Of course. If that happens, at least 100 times is the minimum, and if an apartment complex is built on that land, it’s possible to increase even more. But… I’m sorry, but it’s not Ilsan. We also turned on the radar with that in mind, just in case.”

“But?”

“It’s clean. It’s too clean.”

“What do you mean by that? Clean?”

“There’s no movement. Usually, if an ordinary person like your father moves, the players move a few years ago. Especially the *madams*.”

“*Madams*?”

“Yes, there are *madams* who are recognized in this industry. Men only work outside, but *madams* take care of the real substance.”

“You mean members of the National Assembly?”

“Is it just those people? Of course, it’s not 100%, but people who get paid by the country, regardless of their position… no, it’s not important, anyway, the skirt wind doesn’t blow.”

“So, you’re saying it’s not a new city either.”

“In our judgment, there’s nothing in Ilsan for at least 5 years. It might be southern Gyeonggi. Anyway, that’s it.”

Tsk.

Park Min-soo licked his lips. He asked as a last resort, but he couldn’t help but feel drained because he said that it wouldn’t happen for at least 5 years.

“Okay, I understand. Anyway, thank you for your hard work, and I’ll contact you when I go back to Korea. Then goodbye…”

Click.

Park Min-soo had no choice but to hang up the phone with a feeling of helplessness.

Then his wife, Yoon Mi-young, who had been next to him until now, asked right away as if she had been waiting.

“What did he say?”

“He said he doesn’t know, either.”

“No, how can that be? Didn’t you say Hyung-seok is an expert, but he doesn’t know?”

“Yeah, it seems like the team moved and investigated. But even so, they couldn’t find out anything.”

Yoon Mi-young tilted her head and asked again.

“I thought I heard you say that your father invested 50 million won, is that true?”

“Yeah, I was surprised too.”

“Did your father have that much money?”

“I don’t know the details, but I heard that my father is doing private loans, so I think it’s that money. I was honestly surprised this time. But the problem isn’t that 50 million won.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“If that land increases 100 times as my father said…”

Yoon Mi-young’s mouth opened wide before Park Min-soo could finish speaking.

“100 times? Then 5 billion won?”

“Yeah, it’s only if, but if that happens, it’s not a normal thing.”

“Of course. You’re the eldest son, huh? But isn’t something strange?”

“What?”

“No, that’s right. If that land increases 100 times as your father said, it’s 5 billion won. But yesterday, your father said he would only give 200 million won, even on the condition of attending the wedding. Then what happens to the remaining money?”

Yoon Mi-young’s eyes began to shine more than ever. That’s because even if they give 200 million won to each sibling and deduct taxes, about 4 billion won remains. Even if they concede as much as possible and receive only 50% of that money, it’s 2 billion won. With that money, they don’t have to live in a foreign country. No matter how much others say America is good, she still likes Korea more.

Park Min-soo nodded and said.

“I’m worried about that too. At first, I just thought 200 million won was a lot, but why did he only say he would give that money? Even if you give it to your younger sibling and deduct taxes, it’s about 4 billion won. Even if you give half of that, it’s 2 billion won. Then, as you always say, if we organize things here and go back to Korea, it’s money that we can live on without working for the rest of our lives.”

“That’s what I’m saying… but why did your father say he would only give 200 million won? Maybe…”

“Maybe what?”

“Could it be that he’s going to give it to his new wife while getting remarried? Otherwise, why would he say that?”

“Huh? No way…”

A shadow suddenly fell on Park Min-soo’s face.

What was still bothering him was his father’s last words: that from now on, he would never give a single *won* for free without any reason.

Yoon Mi-young’s words continued again.

“But, will that land really increase 100 times?”

“I’m going crazy because I don’t know that. Hyung-seok said that the only condition that can increase 100 times is a new city.”

“A new city?”

“Yeah, but the problem is that as far as he knows, there’s no chance that Ilsan will be announced as a new city within at least 5 years.”

“Your father said 2 years.”

“That’s why I’m going crazy. In the end, one of the two is wrong…”

The reason why Park Min-soo is worried is one thing.

It’s the variable called ‘if’.

Between his father and his friend, the one he trusts is naturally his friend Lee Hyung-seok.

From an objective point of view, Lee Hyung-seok’s words are correct. But the problem is the variable called ‘if’.

If he trusts his friend’s words and ignores his father’s words, and if his father’s words are correct, the price is too high.

200 million won? That’s nothing. The real thing is the rest of the money. At least his share of 2 billion won. He can’t afford to handle that.

Then Yoon Mi-young called Park Min-soo seriously.

“Honey!”

“Huh? Why?”

“I don’t think this is something to worry about anymore.”

“You mean…”

“It’s not just about 200 million won right now, it’s about our future. If we don’t go to your father’s wedding, and if that land really turns over as your father said in 2 years, what are we going to do? Can you handle the aftermath?”

Park Min-soo shook his head left and right instead of answering.

Then Yoon Mi-young’s words continued again.

“Let’s just close our eyes and go. And let’s just wait 2 years.”

“I think so too. My father has never broken a promise in his life. Maybe it’ll be the most important moment in our lives. It’s a whopping 2 billion won, 2 billion won. Oh, this is not the time to be doing this. I have to contact my father first and tell him I’m going.”

“Wait.”

“Huh? What?”

Yoon Mi-young shook her index finger slightly left and right and continued.

“Don’t move first. Let’s watch how your brother reacts first.”

“Ah, that’s right. My father said he might give it all to one side. You’re smart when I see you like this.”

“……”

Yoon Mi-young smiled strangely instead of answering.

Then Park Min-soo looked at Yoon Mi-young and nodded.

There was something the two didn’t know: that Park Hee-cheol was not the Park Hee-cheol of the past who would unconditionally give everything away.