Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 524

526

Returning as a Building Owner

Movie Heart Headquarters.

Bang!

Chief Secretary Park Sun-woo hurriedly opened the office door and headed straight for the table where Chairman Min Hong-sik was sitting.

“Chief Secretary Park, what’s going on?”

Chairman Min Hong-sik asked first. He immediately noticed that Chief Secretary Park Sun-woo’s gait was different from usual.

“Something’s happened.”

“Something? Where?”

“Bupyeong.”

“Bupyeong? Wasn’t the interior supposed to be finished there today, and the merchandise was supposed to be delivered? Did an accident happen?”

“It’s not that, but that kid is starting today…”

Chief Secretary Park Sun-woo began to explain what he had just been told. As his explanation continued, Chairman Min Hong-sik’s expression began to darken rapidly.

And finally, when his explanation was over, Chairman Min Hong-sik immediately asked.

“So, that bastard is starting to dump video rentals at 500 won [approximately $0.40 USD] across the board starting today?”

Before he knew it, Chairman Min Hong-sik was referring to Hyun-sung as ‘that bastard.’ This meant that his animosity toward Hyun-sung was openly revealed.

“Yes, that’s right. But it turns out that it’s not just him, but the entire rental stores in that neighborhood have decided to charge 500 won unconditionally starting today. Banners have already been hung in all the rental stores.”

“Banners in all the rental stores?”

“Yes, it’s very planned.”

“Wait a minute…”

Chairman Min Hong-sik paused, pressing his temples with both fingers without saying a word, as if he was thinking about something. It was his habit when he felt uneasy.

After a while.

Chairman Min Hong-sik opened his mouth again.

“You said that the kid had all the management rights of all the rental stores in that neighborhood last time, right?”

“Yes, that’s right. He said that all five places handed over their management rights to that kid on the condition that they would be guaranteed a month’s net profit.”

“So, that bastard was planning this from the beginning?”

“It seems that way.”

“Ha! Look at this guy…”

One corner of Chairman Min Hong-sik’s mouth twitched.

When he first received the report that he had decided to take over the management rights of other rental stores, he couldn’t understand why.

He just couldn’t understand.

He couldn’t figure out why he needed the management rights when he didn’t even have any experience, or what he would use them for.

But finally, today, the purpose was revealed.

Of course, he knew to some extent that he was no ordinary guy, but he didn’t know he would be this meticulous.

Chairman Min Hong-sik shook his head from side to side. It meant that he was surprised because it was something he had never expected.

Chief Secretary Park Sun-woo continued.

“It seems that this guy is more meticulous and cunning than we thought.”

“Tell me about it…”

“How could a young kid do that much…”

“Oh! What about delivery?”

Chairman Min Hong-sik interrupted Chief Secretary Park Sun-woo and asked immediately.

“Yes? Delivery?”

“Yes, I’m talking about the delivery price. Are they also delivering for 500 won?”

“Wouldn’t it be the same? If you look at the banner, it says unconditionally 500 won.”

“Well…”

After thinking for a moment, Chairman Min Hong-sik tilted his head and immediately called Chief Secretary Park Sun-woo.

“Chief Secretary Park, find out how much the delivery price is right now. I have a feeling… it’s unsettling.”

“Yes? Do I have to… Yes, I understand.”

Chief Secretary Park Sun-woo was about to say something, but as soon as he saw Chairman Min Hong-sik’s expression, he immediately took out his cell phone and started calling someone.

After a while.

Chief Secretary Park Sun-woo’s expression was completely different from before after finishing the call. He looked at Chairman Min Hong-sik and carefully opened his mouth.

“That’s… Chairman, your prediction was correct.”

“What did they say?”

“The delivery price is the same as before. The 500 won rental fee only applies to customers who come to the store.”

“I knew it…”

Chairman Min Hong-sik nodded.

His prediction was correct.

There’s no need to dump the delivery price. After all, the goal is only Movie Heart.

In this case, he’s trying to kill two birds with one stone [achieve two goals with a single action].

He’s not losing sales, and he’s trying to kill Movie Heart, which is his original goal, and he’s doing it by colluding with all the rental stores in the neighborhood.

In this case, Movie Heart, which doesn’t do delivery, is absolutely at a disadvantage.

‘What should I do…?’

“Sigh!”

Chairman Min Hong-sik couldn’t help but sigh as he pondered. It meant that the current situation was not easy.

At that time, Chief Secretary Park Sun-woo continued.

“And I heard something strange while talking on the phone earlier.”

“Strange sound? What is it?”

“They’re selling side dishes from a while ago.”

“Side dishes? Did you just say side dishes?”

Chairman Min Hong-sik’s voice grew louder without him realizing it because it was something he had never expected. That’s because there’s not a single video store in the country that sells side dishes.

“Yes, that’s right. They started selling side dishes from 2 p.m. a little while ago.”

“No, what’s with the side dishes all of a sudden?”

“That’s what I’m saying. It’s like a goblin [mischievous spirit or imp]…”

“Source?”

“Source?”

“Yes, I’m talking about the source of the side dishes. No matter how strange he is, he wouldn’t have made the side dishes himself.”

Only then did Chief Secretary Park Sun-woo understand and immediately answered.

“I’m not sure yet, but it seems that the skills of Yoo Young-seok, the youngest employee there, are the reason.”

“Yoo Young-seok? How old is he?”

“He’s twenty this year.”

“Twenty? No, what kind of kid makes side dishes?”

“That’s what I’m saying. Anyway, I think it’s strange no matter how I think about it. What I don’t understand even more is that kid’s idea of selling side dishes in a video store. In video stores anywhere in the country…”

“Enough!”

Chairman Min Hong-sik raised his hand to cut off Chief Secretary Park Sun-woo’s words. That’s because the side dishes are not important in this situation.

Chairman Min Hong-sik continued.

“Let’s stop talking about that. It’s none of our business anyway. It’s up to him what he sells in his store, so let’s not worry about it. I don’t want to worry about kids playing house [engaging in trivial or unserious activities].”

“Playing house? Ah, yes, I understand.”

“Then let’s get back to the main point and talk about the dumping… Chief Secretary Park, how are you going to respond now?”

“There are two ways. First of all…”

Chief Secretary Park Sun-woo’s explanation continued.

First of all, he said that they should respond with the same price as the other party. Since they had already decided to go with the practical type, they should match the other party’s price and watch the trend a little more.

And another way is to aggressively lower the rental fee more than the other party. In that case, it would be difficult for the other party to bear the bleeding [financial losses].

When Chief Secretary Park Sun-woo’s explanation was over, Chairman Min Hong-sik threw out the words as if he was disappointed.

“Is that all?”

“I don’t have any other choice right now… To be honest, I’m very embarrassed right now. As you know, Chairman, we were originally going to dump it for 1,000 won on the day we opened, right? But I didn’t know that guy would come out so strong first…”

“It’s going to be a headache. It seems that we’ve met a terrible guy this time.”

“That’s what I’m saying. At first, I ignored him because he was just a rookie, but as time goes by, he’s getting stronger and stronger… By the way, what is that guy thinking right now?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

“You mean…”

“Yes, he’s saying let’s go to the end. He’s saying he can’t stand to see our Movie Heart come in. In the end, one of us has to disappear to end this, hmm…”

After finishing his last words, Chairman Min Hong-sik looked out the window as if he was thinking about something. It meant that even from Chairman Min Hong-sik’s point of view, the current situation was hopeless.

How much time has passed?

Chairman Min Hong-sik, who was worried, slowly turned his head and called Chief Secretary Park Sun-woo in a low voice.

“Chief Secretary Park!”

“Yes, Chairman.”

“What do you think President Yoo has in liquid assets right now?”

“Well, he said he didn’t have any when I asked him last time, but I think he has at least 100 million won [approximately $75,000 USD].”

“100 million won… 100 million won?”

“Yes, that’s right. I heard that he received about 350 million won [approximately $260,000 USD] in severance pay before the first contract. 50 million won [approximately $37,000 USD] of that went into the store deposit, so I think that’s about how much is left.”

“100 million won…”

Chairman Min Hong-sik was silent again as if he was lost in thought.

After a while.

He asked again.

“You said that the house he’s living in now is his own house, right?”

“Yes, it’s a two-story detached house.”

“A two-story detached house… If that’s the case, he can get a loan to some extent… 100 million won plus a loan, hmm…”

Chairman Min Hong-sik, who was talking to himself, turned his head and looked at Chief Secretary Park Sun-woo and immediately opened his mouth as if he had made a decision.

“Let’s watch it a little more for now.”

“You mean we should go with the first method?”

“Yes, if we lower the rental fee any more here, it’s over. Let’s leave that as the last resort. Let’s watch it for about two or three months and then think about it again. And right now, contact Movie Hearts all over the country and tell them to send any remaining videos to Bupyeong.”

“So, it’s a quantity fight?”

“Quantity is quantity, but we have to show that much sincerity so that President Yoo will release his liquid assets, you idiot. How can you not understand this…”

Chairman Min Hong-sik looked at Chief Secretary Park Sun-woo and tapped his head with his finger.

Then Chief Secretary Park Sun-woo nodded as if he finally understood what he meant and immediately continued.

“Ah! That was the purpose. You’re the Chairman!”

It was then.

Beep!

Chief Secretary Park Sun-woo’s cell phone rang.

Then Chairman Min Hong-sik opened his mouth first.

“It’s probably President Yoo. Tell him that our headquarters will actively help by mobilizing Movie Hearts across the country, so don’t worry too much. We have to make him believe in us until the end. Do you know what I mean?”

“Yes, Chairman, of course I will.”

A faint smile flashed across Chief Secretary Park Sun-woo’s lips for a moment and disappeared. Then he immediately answered the phone.

“Hello? Ah, President Yoo, I was just about to…”

Chief Secretary Park Sun-woo pointed to his cell phone with his finger while talking on the phone. It meant that it was President Yoo Seung-il’s call.

Then Chairman Min Hong-sik nodded. It meant that he should do well without making any mistakes.

***

Click.

“Sigh!”

Yoo Seung-il couldn’t help but sigh in relief after hanging up the phone.

Then his wife, Han Mi-sook, who was watching him, approached and asked carefully.

“…What did the headquarters say?”

“They told me not to worry.”

“Are they going to help?”

“Yes, they said they’re going to actively help by mobilizing Movie Hearts across the country, so just do what they tell us to do.”

“Will it really be okay?”

Han Mi-sook looked at Yoo Seung-il with a worried expression.

Then Yoo Seung-il smiled as if to reassure her and continued.

“We didn’t join the franchise for nothing, so don’t worry too much.”

“I guess so?”

“Of course, and Movie Hearts all over the country are going to help, so…”

Yoo Seung-il’s words grew longer.

After a while.

When Yoo Seung-il’s words were over, Han Mi-sook pointed to the leaflets piled up next to the counter and asked.

The leaflets said that they would rent them for 1,000 won [approximately $0.75 USD] for the opening event. If all went according to plan, they would be distributed throughout the neighborhood starting tomorrow.

“What about that?”

“…Sigh.”

Yoo Seung-il sighed instead of answering. That’s because he was full of hope when he ordered the leaflets.

He thought that if he just distributed this, the rental store below would have a hard time before long.

Of course, the headquarters was the first to bring up the story.

But what was absurd when I talked on the phone a little while ago was the headquarters’ answer that it was nothing.

I would have been less upset if I had just said nothing.

Furthermore, the headquarters was the one who said to print 1 million copies from the beginning. They said that we had to distribute leaflets every day for a month after opening.

How much money is that?

And now they’re saying that’s nothing…

Yoo Seung-il shook his head from side to side.

“This money went out separately, right? They also said that we had to match it at the printing house they run.”

“That’s right.”

“That’s a million copies…”

“I told them to print 100,000 copies, but they said we had to print them boldly when we first printed them. By the way, Chief Secretary Park asked me a strange question a little while ago.”

“Strange question?”

“Yes, he asked me if I had ever taken out a loan using my house as collateral.”

Han Mi-sook tilted her head and immediately asked.

“So?”

“I said no, that’s the truth.”

“Then?”

“He just smiled and said he understood. Then he said not to worry about anything and just trust them.”

“…”

Han Mi-sook was silent as if she was thinking about something instead of answering.

After a while.

“Maybe…”

“Maybe what?”

“Ah, it’s nothing. Just…”

Han Mi-sook slowly began to shake her head from side to side. Her expression seemed to be filled with anxiety.

It was then.

A line of trucks loaded with videos began to line up in front of the store.

Now the videos are finally starting to come in.