Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 348

348

After dropping Hyun-sung off at his house, they were in the sedan heading back to Seoul.

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

Chairman Shin Chun-oh, Chief Kim Young-woo, and driver Choi Jin-young—none of them spoke first.

After some time had passed.

“Pfft.”

The silence was broken by Chairman Shin Chun-oh’s short burst of laughter. Then, he called out to Chief Kim Young-woo in a low voice.

“Chief Kim.”

“Yes! Chairman!”

The weight of silence is always felt more by subordinates than superiors. Naturally, Chief Kim Young-woo’s voice was strained as he responded.

Chairman Shin Chun-oh asked with his arms crossed.

“What do you think?”

Chief Kim Young-woo, who knew exactly what he was asking, immediately replied.

“It’s just absurd.”

“Right? This doesn’t make sense, does it?”

“No, how can anyone in the world dislike Korea University? Others are desperate to go there, yet he says he doesn’t want to go. Hyun-sung must be greatly mistaken about something.”

“Mistaken?”

“Yes, otherwise how could he say something so ridiculous?”

Chief Kim Young-woo shook his head. No matter how he thought about it, this situation made no sense. His mock exam scores were over 290. And there were still about four months left before the actual college entrance exam. Moreover, if he properly studied the practice questions they had received from the academy instructor for three million won, he could definitely score over 300.

300 points. With that score, he could get into any department at Korea University without a doubt.

But to say he doesn’t want to go to Korea University, does that make any sense?

Chairman Shin Chun-oh continued.

“That’s why I think Chief Kim should change Kim Gun’s mind.”

“Me, sir?”

“Yes, as you said, Kim Gun is clearly mistaken about something. As an adult, shouldn’t we correct that mistake?”

“Do you think that’s possible? As you know, Hyun-sung is quite stubborn…….”

Chairman Shin Chun-oh unfolded his arms and spoke again.

“If you can’t do it alone, use the team.”

“The TF [Task Force] team, you mean?”

“Yes, since it’s a team created for Kim Gun, put your heads together. There must be a way. No, you must find a way.”

“Yes, I understand. I will start looking for a solution tomorrow morning. I will report the results as soon as they are available.”

Chief Kim Young-woo nodded as if making a vow.

Chairman Shin Chun-oh nodded as if it were obvious, then crossed his arms again and leaned back comfortably.

***

“What’s this?”

“Check it out with your own eyes.”

Lee Soo-hyuk tilted his head and opened the bag Hyun-sung handed him. After checking the contents, Lee Soo-hyuk immediately asked.

“These are questions, right? But what kind of questions are these?”

“Practice questions.”

“Practice questions? Practice for what? Could this be… practice questions for the college entrance exam?”

Hyun-sung smiled and nodded.

Lee Soo-hyuk immediately asked.

“Who made these?”

This was the most sensitive question. Anyone can pick out questions. But the important thing is the accuracy rate—how similar the questions are to the ones that appear on the exam. That’s the skill. That’s why Lee Soo-hyuk asked immediately.

Hyun-sung paused for a moment, then smiled and said.

“You know Kang Tae-sung, right?”

“Kang Tae-sung? The famous Jongno Academy instructor who sometimes appears on TV? Are you talking about that person?”

“That’s right. That instructor made them himself.”

Clap!

Lee Soo-hyuk suddenly clapped and asked again with a look of disbelief.

“Really?”

“Yeah, someone came from Seoul a little while ago. He gave them to me.”

“No, who is he to have practice questions made by Kang Tae-sung? As far as I know, Kang Tae-sung doesn’t meet just anyone, no matter how much money they offer.”

In the cram school [private tutoring academy] world, Kang Tae-sung is a legendary figure, with rumors saying you have to book a year in advance to attend his lectures at Jongno Academy.

Therefore, Lee Soo-hyuk’s reaction didn’t seem strange at all.

“He’s quite a person too. Hey, that’s not important. What’s important is that we got our hands on these.”

“How much?”

“How much what?”

“The price of the questions. I don’t know who that person is, but it must have cost a fortune.”

“I don’t know, he’s not the kind of person who would talk to me about money, but he probably gave at least three million won [approximately $2,500 USD].”

“What? Three million won?”

Lee Soo-hyuk stared at Hyun-sung as if he couldn’t believe it. And for good reason. It wasn’t for all subjects, but for Korean, English, and Math. Three million won for three subjects, which means one million won per subject.

Naturally, Lee Soo-hyuk was shocked.

Swish, swish.

Lee Soo-hyuk suddenly rubbed his face with both hands and called Hyun-sung’s name seriously.

“Hyun-sung!”

“Huh? What? All of a sudden?”

“These questions, which cost at least three million won, not just a few pennies, why did you bring them to me?”

“Why?”

Hyun-sung looked at Lee Soo-hyuk.

The reason was clear. He wanted to help him achieve his dream. Two days ago, he had come to him and said that he had received permission from his parents. After days of discussion, he had finally been allowed to study Korean literature. He said he wanted to fulfill his dream, including his father’s.

That’s why, when he received the practice questions from Chairman Shin Chun-oh, Lee Soo-hyuk was the first person he thought of. So, as soon as he parted ways with Chairman Shin Chun-oh, he rushed over.

Hyun-sung nodded and continued.

“Because of your dream.”

“My dream?”

“Yeah, you told me two days ago that you wanted to fulfill your dream, including your father’s.”

“Is that all?”

“Of course, that’s all. What else could there be?”

“…….”

Lee Soo-hyuk was speechless at Hyun-sung’s answer. Of course, not everything in the world can be calculated with money.

But this case was different. At least three million won, one million won per subject. Lee Soo-hyuk was speechless at the thought that he had brought such questions without any conditions, just for his friend’s dream.

Pfft.

Lee Soo-hyuk laughed lightly.

Hyun-sung immediately asked.

“What does that mean?”

“I’m just amazed by you, you idiot!”

“What? Amazed?”

“Yeah, you idiot. Who in the world would give away something so valuable, worth three million won, not just a few pennies, for a friend without any conditions?”

“Who says? That there are no conditions?”

“Huh? What are you talking about? A little while ago…”

Lee Soo-hyuk tilted his head and looked at Hyun-sung.

Then, Hyun-sung smiled and continued.

“280 points.”

“What? 280 points? What’s that? You don’t mean…”

“Yeah, that’s right. It’s your target score on the college entrance exam. It’s the condition for giving you these questions. What do you say? Can you do it?”

“No, how can I…”

“Why can’t you? You can definitely do it.”

“With 280 points, I could go to Korea University, not just Yonsei University?”

Lee Soo-hyuk stared at Hyun-sung as if his eyes would pop out.

Then, Hyun-sung nodded.

“That’s right! From now on, your goal is Korea University, not Yonsei University.”

“Korea University?”

“Yeah, you idiot. Just trust me. And we’ll start again tomorrow.”

“Start again? Start what?”

“Tutoring. And not just you, but anyone who wants to can share these questions. I’m going to pour everything I have into it for the remaining semester.”

“…….”

Lee Soo-hyuk didn’t hear the other words. His mind was filled with the three letters: Korea University.

***

“How much time is left now?”

Chairman Shin Chun-oh asked, looking at Chief Kim Young-woo.

Chief Kim Young-woo bowed his head and immediately replied.

“The exam is on December 22nd, so exactly one month is left. It seems like nothing passes as quickly as time.”

“You’re right. It feels like just yesterday that I gave Kim Gun the practice questions, but it’s already been three months?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Haha, time flies… By the way, how is Kim Gun doing these days?”

“He’s very busy.”

“With business? Or studying?”

“Both. Now that the cold wind is starting to blow, students are flocking to him. And with the exam approaching, he seems to be focusing more on studying.”

Chairman Shin Chun-oh nodded and asked again.

“Is he still studying with his friends like we talked about last time?”

“Yes, that’s right. Exactly 20 people.”

“So, no one has dropped out?”

“No, it’s the same as the beginning. But what’s amazing is that all 20 of them have great scores. And that’s all thanks to Hyun-sung.”

“What’s the secret?”

“Hyun-sung added more questions to the ones you gave him—ten questions for each question.”

Chairman Shin Chun-oh looked at Chief Kim Young-woo in surprise and asked again.

“He applied them?”

“Yes, that’s exactly it. He created similar questions to make the mesh tighter and eliminate any gaps. That way, they can solve any problem on their own.”

“He’s a really amazing friend. You teach him one thing, and he understands ten. By the way, does Hyun-sung still have no intention of coming to Korea University?”

“There’s no change in that. So, our TF team has come up with a plan.”

At Chief Kim Young-woo’s answer, Chairman Shin Chun-oh’s expression brightened.

“Did you say a plan?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Okay, what’s the plan?”

“We’re going to get help from the principal of Hyun-sung’s school.”

Chairman Shin Chun-oh tilted his head. Even at first hearing, it was difficult to grasp what he was talking about.

“Get help from the principal? What does that mean? Explain it in a way that’s easy to understand.”

“Yes, so…”

Chief Kim Young-woo’s explanation continued at length. As he did, Chairman Shin Chun-oh’s expression, which had been questioning at first, gradually began to change. And finally, when Chief Kim Young-woo’s explanation was over, Chairman Shin Chun-oh chuckled and said.

“So, what you’re saying is that the principal is retiring at the beginning of next year, so his last wish before he retires is to have at least one person go to Korea University?”

“We’ve already confirmed that.”

“No, how?”

“I had no choice but to call him directly to confirm.”

“I see, so the principal’s wish before he retires is to have at least one person go to Korea University, and we’re going to take advantage of that? Is that it?”

“Rather than taking advantage, it’s a win-win situation.”

Chairman Shin Chun-oh immediately nodded.

He thought it would definitely be a good result for Hyun-sung, as well as for the principal.

But the problem is Hyun-sung. Will he listen to the principal?

Chairman Shin Chun-oh immediately asked.

“But will Hyun-sung listen to the principal?”

“If it’s the Hyun-sung I know, he will definitely listen.”

“What’s the basis?”

“They’re very close.”

“Close? You mean with the principal?”

“Yes, that’s right. According to our investigation, the two of them are quite close. They’ve done a lot of things together. And…”

Chief Kim Young-woo paused for a moment.

Then, Chairman Shin Chun-oh immediately asked.

“And what? Why did you stop talking? Is there a problem?”

“It’s not that, but as you know, he’s particularly vulnerable to emotional appeals, isn’t he?”

“Emotional appeals? Ah, right. Yes, he has that side to him.”

“So, I think he will definitely grant the principal’s request. And the principal said he would appeal to him as much as possible.”

“Even appeal to him?”

“Yes, I asked him to cooperate as much as possible.”

“Haha, Chief Kim, you’ve put a lot of thought into this.”

Chairman Shin Chun-oh’s face was full of smiles, as if he was in a good mood.

Chief Kim Young-woo continued.

“All you have to do is make a phone call to the principal as a courtesy. I’ve already explained everything.”

“I see, that’s not difficult, but I’m still a little unsure how Hyun-sung will react…”

Chairman Shin Chun-oh couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy. He knew Hyun-sung’s stubbornness better than anyone.

Beep, beep, beep.

At that moment, Chief Kim Young-woo picked up the receiver and began dialing a number.