Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 521

Returning as a Building Owner – Episode 521 (521/740)

523

Returning as a Building Owner

The two men left Hyun-sung’s video store and returned to their car.

“That son of a bitch…”

Chairman Min Hong-shik cursed.

Immediately, Chief Park Sun-woo, who was in the driver’s seat, also cursed.

“Damn it! What do we do with this bastard…?”

“By the way, how does that guy know about us?”

“That’s what I’m saying. I don’t understand it either. No matter how much I investigate, I can’t find him in this industry, but I have no idea how he knows about us.”

“This is really eerie. Sigh…”

Chairman Min Hong-shik sighed deeply, as if frustrated.

Chief Park Sun-woo immediately asked.

“By the way, what did that guy mean when he said that to us earlier?”

“You mean when he said we got him once, but we won’t get him twice?”

“Yes, I have no idea what he meant by that. When did we ever do anything to him that a young punk would look at an adult with such disrespectful eyes…? Ugh, just thinking about those eyes makes me shudder.”

“That’s not all. What about what he said to us at the end…? What was it, if you make others cry tears of blood, you’ll cry tears of blood from your own eyes? Haha, I’m just speechless…”

Chairman Min Hong-shik let out a hollow laugh, as if he couldn’t believe it.

Seeing that, Chief Park Sun-woo also sighed and shook his head from side to side, as if he couldn’t understand the current situation. It meant that he couldn’t understand the situation at all.

A moment later.

Chairman Min Hong-shik turned his head and looked at Chief Park Sun-woo, asking.

“What are we going to do?”

“That’s…

“What? Are you saying you don’t have a plan after being humiliated like this today?”

“No, more than that, what I’m most curious about right now is the reality of that guy. No matter how I calculate it, it’s impossible for someone his age to have that much skill…”

What he couldn’t understand the most was his attitude towards customers. It was as if he had been in business for over 10 years, his attitude towards customers was so natural.

It might seem like nothing, but even when greeting a customer, you can never easily say it if you don’t have experience.

But that kid was completely different. As soon as the store door opened, the greeting came out of his mouth automatically before he even checked the face.

This is something that can never come out without a lot of experience.

Even if we concede that much about dealing with customers, what I really can’t understand is something else.

That was the operation of the rental program.

In a word, it’s too natural. No, it’s not just natural, it’s completely skilled, like a pro.

So fast you can’t even see his hands.

There is only one case like this. It is impossible to come out without actually working in a rental store for many years.

But if you calculate his age, he doesn’t have enough time to do that, so it’s an eerie thing.

“Sigh!”

Chief Park Sun-woo sighed one last time and continued.

“We have plenty of time to find a solution from now on. But what I don’t understand is what I’ve said so far. No matter how I calculate it, at that age…”

“Chief Park.”

Chairman Min Hong-shik interrupted and called Chief Park Sun-woo.

“Yes, please speak.”

“Do you still not understand?”

“Yes? What are you talking about?”

“What’s important is that the kid is not the amateur we thought he was. Do you know what I mean?”

“Of course, that’s obvious. But what I’m saying is…”

“Hey, why are you being so stubborn?”

Chairman Min Hong-shik frowned, as if displeased.

Chief Park Sun-woo stared at Chairman Min Hong-shik, not wanting to lose, and continued.

“No, Chairman, what I’m saying now is…”

“Hey, Park Sun-woo!”

Chairman Min Hong-shik called Chief Park Sun-woo’s name, as if he couldn’t stand it anymore. Then he continued.

“Are my words not even words anymore? Huh?”

“…”

“Have you already forgotten? I made a human out of a guy who couldn’t even get a proper meal, and now you’re ignoring my words?”

“No, Chairman, that’s not it… I’m sorry! Chairman!”

Chief Park Sun-woo tried to say something else, but immediately lowered his head. He knew what would happen if he said anything else here.

“I’m sorry, I think I was momentarily insane. I’ll be careful.”

Chief Park Sun-woo lowered his head again.

Chairman Min Hong-shik stared at Chief Park Sun-woo for a moment, then opened his mouth.

“Just once, if you do this again… you know?”

“Yes, Chairman, I will keep that in mind!”

Chief Park Sun-woo lowered his head again, and only then did Chairman Min Hong-shik’s expression seem to ease. He opened his mouth again.

“We made a mistake, do you admit it?”

“Yes, I should have checked more, but I think I was too complacent. I will prepare thoroughly from now on.”

“I said it vaguely a little while ago, but this guy is already a pro.”

“Yes, I admit it too.”

“So, from now on, the kid’s age doesn’t matter. I don’t know why, but he’s already a player, not the amateur we thought he was, and a pro at that. Do you know what I mean?”

“Yes, Chairman, I know very well. I will forget the kid’s age from now on.”

Chief Park Sun-woo nodded several times, as if admitting it.

Then Chairman Min Hong-shik continued.

“So, I think we should meet with President Yoo Seung-il of the Bupyeong branch right now and talk about it. What do you think?”

“Right now?”

“Yes, I think this fight is going to be absolutely difficult. I mean, we should meet with President Yoo right now, reveal the reality of that kid, and find a solution.”

“Um…”

After thinking for a moment, Chief Park Sun-woo immediately opened his mouth.

“Yes, I understand. I will contact him right now.”

With those words, Chief Park Sun-woo immediately took out his cell phone and started making a call.

A moment later.

Chief Park Sun-woo looked at Chairman Min Hong-shik and carefully opened his mouth.

“Um… Chairman.”

“Oh, why?”

“This is just a hypothetical, but even if we lose in a full-scale war with that kid, the headquarters won’t lose anything at all.”

“Of course, but why are you talking about that now?”

“No, I’m just saying…”

“Are you perhaps not confident in this fight?”

“Yes? No, how could that be? I’m just…”

Chief Park Sun-woo couldn’t finish his sentence.

Then Chairman Min Hong-shik immediately asked.

“Just what?”

“There’s no way that could happen, but just in case…”

“Stop!”

Chairman Min Hong-shik raised his hand to cut off Chief Park Sun-woo’s words, then immediately continued.

“There is no just in case! Win no matter what! By any means necessary! Got it?”

Chairman Min Hong-shik’s voice was full of strength. That’s because the success of this Bupyeong branch will serve as a bridgehead for opening large stores in the Incheon area in earnest.

Perhaps because he felt the seriousness in Chairman Min Hong-shik’s voice, Chief Park Sun-woo immediately lowered his head.

“Yes, Chairman, I understand.”

“Are you saying such weak things because you don’t know how important this Bupyeong branch is? I’m just saying this in case, but if we lose this time, I can’t guarantee Chief Park’s position either. Do you know what I mean?”

“Yes, Chairman!”

Chief Park Sun-woo had no choice but to lower his head again. A look of anxiety flashed across his face for a moment.

At that time, Chairman Min Hong-shik leaned back in his chair and continued.

“Now, let’s go meet President Yoo.”

“Yes.”

Chief Park Sun-woo nodded and slowly stepped on the accelerator of the car. The car carrying the two men left the alley and headed to Cinema Heaven Bupyeong.

***

“Those sons of bitches!”

As soon as Yoo Seung-il returned home after meeting Chairman Min Hong-shik and Chief Park Sun-woo, a curse came out of his mouth.

Then his wife, Han Mi-sook, who was in the living room, immediately asked.

“Why? Did something go wrong?”

“Well, as soon as those guys saw me, they suddenly asked how much spare money I had.”

“So?”

“What do you mean, ‘So?’ I thought their intentions were obvious, so I said I didn’t have any.”

“And then?”

“At first, they couldn’t say anything. Then, after a while, they said that the fight didn’t seem easy.”

“Yes? Fight? What are you talking about…?”

Han Mi-sook tilted her head, as if she didn’t know what he was talking about.

Then Yoo Seung-il immediately continued.

“That kid.”

“Kid? If you mean kid… are you talking about the president of Cinema Heaven down there?”

“Yeah, that’s right. He opened today.”

“If it’s about that kid, didn’t the headquarters already say there’s nothing to worry about? I’m sure I heard last time that he’s an amateur, so there’s nothing to worry about?”

“That’s all I knew, but Chairman Min and Chief Park went there today, and…”

Yoo Seung-il began to explain what he had heard from Chairman Min Hong-shik and Chief Park Sun-woo a little while ago.

As his explanation continued, Han Mi-sook’s expression gradually changed.

At first, she had a simple, curious expression, but as his explanation lengthened, her expression gradually became more anxious.

And finally, when his explanation ended, she immediately asked.

“So, what you’re saying now is that kid isn’t an amateur?”

“I don’t know for sure because I haven’t seen him myself, but Chairman Min and Chief Park are sure that he’s not an amateur.”

“No, how do those people do things like that? Until now, they kept saying he’s an amateur, so there’s nothing to worry about, but now they’re saying that’s not the case. What is this…?”

Han Mi-sook looked at Yoo Seung-il with an incomprehensible expression.

Then Yoo Seung-il also frowned with a frustrated expression and continued.

“That’s what I’m saying. How do they do things like that?”

“So, you just stayed still?”

“Of course, I threw a fit.”

“What did they say? Don’t tell me they said they couldn’t help it either and said nonsense?”

“Humph!”

Yoo Seung-il suddenly snorted and immediately continued.

“We were naive.”

“Naive? No, what are you talking about?”

“Do you know what Chief Park said?”

“Why? Did he say something absurd?”

“He said there’s nothing like that in the contract. And the important thing is that he didn’t come in there until we signed the contract. So, in the end, they’re saying they’re not responsible in principle.”

“Those sons of bitches!”

Han Mi-sook clenched her fist tightly.

Then Yoo Seung-il continued again.

“But do you know what’s even funnier?”

“What else is there?”

“He said he made time especially today to think of us. And then he said that if we want to win the fight, we should prepare a lot of bullets.”

“Bullets?”

“Yeah, in the end, it’ll be a game of who can last longer, so he’s telling us to prepare spare money.”

“Ugh… those sons of bitches!”

Han Mi-sook shook her fists. It meant that she was angry.

At that time, Yoo Seung-il continued again.

“He told me to make a choice.”

“Choice? What choice?”

“Whether to go for a practical approach or to put up a counterattack.”

“No, what are you talking about? No matter what decision we make, the headquarters should make the decision on their own. It doesn’t make sense to ask us, who don’t know anything, to make a decision?”

“But that’s also…”

Yoo Seung-il stopped talking and headed to the kitchen, feeling frustrated. When he arrived at the kitchen, he took out water from the refrigerator and drank it straight without pouring it into a cup. It must mean that he was very thirsty.

He returned to the living room and immediately continued.

“After listening to him, Chief Park’s words weren’t all wrong. He said that I have to make the decision so that they can come up with a response method accordingly.”

“So, if you make a decision between the two methods, they’ll find a way to match it?”

“That’s right, because it’s not like a penny or two is going in.”

“Um…”

Han Mi-sook was silent for a moment, as if she was thinking. It was only a few minutes later that she opened her mouth again. It meant that it was that serious.

“I think a counterattack is too dangerous… What do you think?”

“I have a similar thought. No matter how I think about it, it costs too much money to put up a counterattack. If we put up a counterattack, it will cost at least 7 million won a month, which is impossible…”

“Yes? 7 million won? Does it cost that much?”

“The cost of purchasing video tapes alone is basically 6 million won, and even if we sell them used, it will cost at least 3 to 4 million won. In addition, if we use five employees like the kid, that’s another 1 million won as a basic cost. Sigh…”

Yoo Seung-il unknowingly let out a long sigh at the end of his words.

That’s because he couldn’t even imagine spending 7 million won a month on a rental store.

Han Mi-sook slowly opened her mouth.

“No matter how I think about it, that’s not the right thing to do. It’s not like we have experience either. If we go wrong here, it’ll be a real disaster. As you know, your retirement pay is only a little over 100 million won left, and that’s really our last money…”

Han Mi-sook shook her head violently from side to side, stopping her words. It meant that she had to protect that money at all costs.

“We have no choice but to go for a practical approach.”

“Yes, let’s watch for now since we don’t have any experience.”

“Yeah, anyway, if that guy operates like that, he might fall on his own. Chief Park also said something like that. He said it could be all show and no substance.”

“That’s right, 7 million won in a video store… that doesn’t make sense. Maybe that kid is just acting up without knowing how scary the world is because he’s young.”

“Okay, I got it. Then we’ll go for a practical approach for now and call Chief Park like that?”

Han Mi-sook nodded, as if she understood.

Then Yoo Seung-il immediately took out his cell phone and started making a call.