Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 539

A few days later.

“Chairman, take a look at this,” Park Sun-woo, the manager, said, handing a few documents to Chairman Min Hong-sik.

“What is this?”
“Please, have a look.”

*Sharrrk.*

Chairman Min Hong-sik’s brow furrowed as he examined the documents. They were the certified copies of Hyun-sung’s buildings that he had mentioned a few days prior.

*Tsck.*

Chairman Min Hong-sik clicked his tongue, a sound of disappointment, and said, “What the real estate agent said was true.”

“Yes, that’s right. I was hoping it wasn’t, but after checking the building’s certified copy, it was confirmed that the kid owns another building besides the video store.”

“This is going to be a headache.”

Chairman Min Hong-sik’s fingers were already pressing repeatedly on his right temple, a habit when things weren’t going well or when he was worried.

Park Sun-woo’s expression was just as serious. He carefully opened his mouth. “It’s my fault. I should have been more thorough…”

“It’s okay, it’s already happened,” Chairman Min Hong-sik cut him off. “What’s the point of saying that now? And I was also responsible because I overlooked the problem from the beginning.”

“To be honest, I don’t think it’s anyone’s fault. Who would have known that the kid would buy another building?”

“So that’s exactly our responsibility. We ignored him from the beginning because he was young.”

“Ah, yes…” Park Sun-woo had no choice but to agree. Chairman Min Hong-sik was right. When the kid bought the video building, he hadn’t even believed it at first, that’s how much he’d ignored him because of his age.

Then, Chairman Min Hong-sik tilted his head and asked, “Let’s say that’s our fault, but what’s the reason?”

“Yes? What reason are you talking about?”

“Why did the kid buy that building? Even if you think about it briefly, it doesn’t make sense. Unless he has a lot of money left over…”

Chairman Min Hong-sik shook his head, as if he couldn’t understand. Perhaps it was natural. Hyun-sung knew that a public building, a police station, would be built on that site in a year, so he bought it for investment purposes. But from Chairman Min Hong-sik’s point of view, who had no way of knowing that, he wouldn’t understand no matter how much he thought about it.

Chairman Min Hong-sik seemed to be thinking for a moment, then continued, “Let’s just skip that too. What’s really important to us right now is not that building.”

“Yes? Then what…?”

“It’s the kid’s wealth. The wealth to be able to buy two buildings at once. As you can see in the certified copy, he bought it with his own money without any loans. What does this mean?”

“You’re saying he has that much ability?”

“Yes, that’s right. To buy two buildings at the same time and open a video store, he must have had at least 700 to 800 million won [approximately $600,000 – $700,000 USD based on historical exchange rates]. But!” Chairman Min Hong-sik put strength into his last word and suddenly stopped talking.

Then Park Sun-woo immediately asked, “Is there anything else?”

“It doesn’t make sense.”

“What doesn’t make sense?”

“The source of funds. Where did that 700 to 800 million won come from? The kid’s father clearly said he was farming in the countryside, didn’t he?”

“Now that you mention it, it’s strange. There’s no way a father who farms in the countryside would give that much money.”

“That’s what I’m saying. If his father didn’t give it to him, then who…?”

Chairman Min Hong-sik couldn’t find an answer no matter how much he thought about it. Park Sun-woo’s face was also full of curiosity, as if he felt the same way. That’s how much 700 to 800 million won was, by no means a small amount of money at the time.

Perhaps it was a natural reaction for the two people who didn’t know Hyun-sung’s true identity.

After a while, Chairman Min Hong-sik opened his mouth again as if he had organized his thoughts. “Then there’s only one thing left!” His words were full of strength, meaning that Chairman Min Hong-sik was taking this matter very seriously.

Park Sun-woo also seemed to feel the same way, and immediately asked carefully, “If it’s one thing…?”

“That kid, he’s the answer.”

“Chairman, I’m sorry, but that doesn’t make sense. How could that kid, who is only twenty-nine years old…” Park Sun-woo stopped talking and shook his head. It meant that it didn’t make sense logically.

Then, Chairman Min Hong-sik also seemed to be thinking for a moment, then nodded slightly and continued, “Well… that’s true, too, isn’t it?”

“Yes, that’s right. In my opinion, there’s definitely something we don’t know. Otherwise, it can’t be explained.”

“Hmm…” Chairman Min Hong-sik closed his mouth and said nothing, wondering what he was thinking again.

After a while, he seemed to have organized his thoughts, and suddenly called Park Sun-woo. “Manager Park!”

“Yes, Chairman.”

“I don’t think it’ll work. Find out the source of the funds.”

“Are you talking about the source of the kid’s funds?”

“Yes, like Manager Park said, there seems to be something we don’t know. Otherwise, how could that kid have 700 to 800 million won, which is not a small amount? Maybe there’s a sponsor we don’t know about. Otherwise, it can’t be explained.”

“Yes, I understand. I think so too.”

Chairman Min Hong-sik immediately asked again when Park Sun-woo nodded as if he understood. “By the way, did you say that today is the one-month anniversary of the kid’s opening?”

“Yes, that’s right. It opened two weeks earlier than the Bupyeong branch, so today is exactly one month.”

“I’m curious.”

“Are you talking about the settlement?”

“Yes, I’m wondering how much he made in a month.”

“I’ll try to find out as much as I can. And this is just my opinion, but I don’t think he made much profit. When I checked the day before yesterday, his monthly video purchase cost was over 7 million won. If you include the 10 million won salary for 5 employees, it’s over 80 million won, so I don’t know how much the total sales will be, but it’ll probably be a loss or he’ll be lucky.”

Park Sun-woo’s face was full of mockery after he finished speaking, showing how little he thought of the video rental store run by Hyun-sung.

Then, Chairman Min Hong-sik chimed in again. “Is 10 million won enough for 5 people’s salary? They work from 9 a.m. to 2 a.m.”

“Now that you mention it, that’s true. 2 million won may not be enough for working 17 hours a day. If that’s the case, the deficit will be even greater. As we initially expected, it’ll be all bark and no bite. Hehehe…”

Park Sun-woo started laughing sinisterly. Then, one corner of Chairman Min Hong-sik’s mouth also started to rise slightly. The two people who didn’t know the situation of Hyun-sung’s rental store were imagining things as they pleased in their own delusions.

But there was something they didn’t know. In the rental store run by Hyun-sung, the delivery sales alone average 600,000 won per day.

And one more thing: this is not the first time Hyun-sung has run a rental store, so he already knows how to operate it to increase sales.

***

The two people who got off work from the factory.

“Father, please sit over here for a moment,” Moon Hee-yeol said, looking at his father, Moon Sang-ki. Then, Moon Sang-ki immediately sat down across from Moon Hee-yeol and asked, “What’s going on that you’re so serious?”

“Please check this first.” Moon Hee-yeol handed a piece of paper to his father, Moon Sang-ki. The paper was the statement of the dollar transaction he had made that day.

Moon Sang-ki, who checked the contents, immediately asked, “Did you invest all 500 million won [approximately $400,000 – $450,000 USD based on historical exchange rates] in dollars?” Of course, he had heard that he was going to liquidate his stocks a few days ago. After losing 100 million won in 5 days, there was no way to stop him. But he didn’t think he would invest all that money in dollars.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Did you get help from that friend who runs the video store?”

“Yes, I made the final decision after talking to him this afternoon.” Of course, Hyun-sung had already told him at the pork back-bone stew restaurant that he had invested in dollars before Hanbo went bankrupt [referring to the Hanbo scandal, a major South Korean financial crisis in 1997]. But when he tried to invest all 500 million won in dollars, he was scared. If something went wrong, he would lose all of his assets.

So he had no choice but to call Hyun-sung again, to confirm one more time. But the answer he heard was to invest quickly, even now. The reason was simple: the exchange rate would rise to 2,000 won in December, almost 2.5 times the current rate.

Of course, there was no reason to hesitate. Of course, it wasn’t 100%, but the only person he could trust right now was him.

Moon Sang-ki asked again, “So you’re saying you believed that friend’s words and invested everything in dollars?”

“Of course, it’s not 100%, but I had no choice.”

“You had no choice? What’s the reason?”

Moon Hee-yeol couldn’t answer right away for some reason. Then Moon Sang-ki immediately asked as if he was frustrated, “Why can’t you say it right away? You did that last time, too. Is there any special reason?”

“It’s a little hard to say…” In fact, it was because of his father, not just the factory. If the factory went wrong as Hyun-sung said, and his father was affected by the shock, it was something that could never happen, so he made all the decisions this time.

“Oh, my… You’re making me even more curious by saying that. I don’t know what it is, but is it something you can’t say?”

“…It was because of my father.” Moon Hee-yeol had no choice but to answer honestly. When he thought about it, he didn’t think there was any need to keep it a secret.

But Moon Sang-ki couldn’t understand what he was saying. “What? It was because of me?”

“Actually, Hyun-sung…” Moon Hee-yeol had no choice but to tell his father, Moon Sang-ki, what Hyun-sung had said last time. As Moon Hee-yeol’s words got longer, Moon Sang-ki’s expression also changed little by little, unlike at first. How could it not? It wasn’t just any story, but that his life might be in danger.

When Moon Hee-yeol’s words were finished, Moon Sang-ki immediately asked, “So you’re saying that if things continue like this, the factory will go bankrupt in January next year, and I’ll be affected by the shock and die?”

“Yes, that’s right. So how could I stay still after hearing that?”

“Huh…” Moon Sang-ki just let out a hollow laugh as if he was dumbfounded. Then he immediately opened his mouth again. “Is that friend a fortune teller?”

“Yes?”

“No, otherwise, why would he say that to a perfectly healthy person…”

“Father!” Moon Hee-yeol cut off Moon Sang-ki’s words and immediately continued to speak. “What would you do if you were my father?”

“Me?”

“Yes, what would you do if you heard from someone that I might be in danger?”

“Of course, I would immediately…”

“That’s right, I feel the same way. How could I stay still after hearing that?”

“…” Moon Sang-ki had nothing more to say. At first, he thought it didn’t make sense, but after hearing the whole story from his son, he thought it was natural.

Moon Hee-yeol’s words continued. “And I made a reservation at the hospital tomorrow.”

“Hospital? Why suddenly the hospital?”

“I’m talking about the dentist. I saw you couldn’t eat properly a few days ago, so I made a reservation for the very next day.”

“That’s just because I’m old, why do I need to go to the hospital…”

“I’m sorry, Father!” Moon Hee-yeol suddenly bowed his head. The reason was to express his feelings for not paying attention to his father. To be honest, he hadn’t even realized that his father was getting old.

But this time, after hearing that Hyun-sung’s father might be in danger, he suddenly thought about his father’s age again. When he saw his father, who couldn’t eat without kimchi [a traditional Korean fermented dish, typically made with vegetables], a few days ago, not even taking the kimchi out of the refrigerator, he was very upset.

So he made a reservation at the dentist the very next day. But Moon Sang-ki had no way of knowing why Moon Hee-yeol suddenly apologized and bowed his head, so he had no choice but to ask the reason right away.

“What are you suddenly sorry about?”

“There’s something. I’ll take care of my father’s health from now on. And let’s go to the bathhouse [a public bathhouse, a common social gathering place in Korea] together tomorrow morning.”

“Bathhouse?”

“Yes, when I thought about it, I used to go with my father until elementary school, but I haven’t gone since then. So I’m going to try to go at least once a week from now on.”

“What kind of wind suddenly blew…”

“Hyun-sung scolded me.” He got an earful at the end when he called about the dollar this afternoon. At first, he thought it was absurd, but when he thought about it, nothing he said was wrong.

So he decided to take care of even the small things from now on.

Moon Sang-ki smiled and continued to speak. “The video store owner’s name is Hyun-sung?”

“Yes, Kim Hyun-sung.”

“He’s three years younger than you?”

“Yes, but that’s only in numbers, and judging by his actions, he seems to be much older than me.”

“Hehe, I think so too.”

“Yes? Father, haha…” Moon Hee-yeol couldn’t help but laugh at his father’s joke. When he thought about it, he couldn’t even remember when he had laughed like this with his father.

So the two were able to laugh at each other for the first time in a long time.