Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 542

“Honey, I’m home!”

Was it just his imagination? Yoo Seung-il’s voice sounded stronger as he returned home from work.

Han Mi-sook, who had been waiting for him in the living room, immediately responded.

“Did something good happen?”

“That little punk downstairs—get this—he said his monthly settlement came out in the red. He acted like he knew everything.”

“Is that true?”

Han Mi-sook’s eyes sparkled. This meant she was also concerned about Hyun-sung’s presence.

Perhaps it was only natural.

In the same commercial district, one of them had to disappear. Of course, that someone had to be Hyun-sung, not them.

“Yeah, I talked to Manager Park 30 minutes before closing, and he told me that.”

A smile naturally spread across Yoo Seung-il’s face as he spoke. Seeing this, Han Mi-sook was also smiling brightly.

She immediately opened her mouth.

“I knew it from the start when he said he was buying 70 million won worth of videos a month. There’s a limit to everything.”

“Exactly. In the end, it was all just a flashy facade. There was no substance at all.”

“That young man is a pity, hoho……”

“I know, haha……”

The two of them were simply happy, believing only the head office’s words without properly checking. They didn’t know that it was all a scheme by the head office to squeeze out even a penny more.

But what could they do? That was their limit.

Of course, they would have to pay the price several times over later.

A moment later.

Han Mi-sook stopped laughing and asked.

“How about us?”

“We can’t avoid a deficit, but thanks to the support from the head office, the gap will narrow.”

“How much of a deficit……?”

“As it stands now, I think about 3 million won [approximately $2,200 USD] is unavoidable.”

“Hmm…….”

Han Mi-sook seemed to think for a moment before immediately opening her mouth.

“So, in the end, the head office spent an extra 1 million won [approximately $740 USD] on event costs and labor, so if you add it all up, it’s a 1.3 million won [approximately $960 USD] deficit?”

“That’s about right.”

“What about next month?”

“I don’t know yet. When I talked to Manager Park a little while ago, he said he was going to call the helper girls again next month for another event, so I don’t know how much more he’ll ask for.”

Han Mi-sook’s expression instantly began to distort as she listened to Yoo Seung-il’s story. It was a completely different look from when she was making fun of Hyun-sung a little while ago.

She tilted her head and immediately asked.

“You’re calling the helpers again?”

“Yeah, he said it was effective.”

“What do you think? Do you think it’s really effective?”

“It’s better than not doing it, but I think it’s a bit…….”

Yoo Seung-il’s words lacked strength.

Han Mi-sook couldn’t possibly not know what that meant.

“You mean you don’t think it’s very good?”

“It’s not that it’s not effective, but the problem is the cost-effectiveness. Is it really worth spending that money for that much effect?”

“So, in the end, you’re negative about it?”

“Honestly…….”

Yoo Seung-il nodded slightly.

The last time they called the helpers for the event, it cost 300,000 won [approximately $220 USD]. No matter how he thought about it, it didn’t seem like it should cost that much, but he had no choice but to give it to them because the head office asked for it.

So, the fact that they were doing that event again made him feel uncomfortable.

But the important thing was that there was no choice.

They had already temporarily handed over the management rights to the head office.

Han Mi-sook continued.

“Then we shouldn’t do it?”

“It’s not up to me.”

“It’s not?”

“Yeah, as you know, we handed over the management rights to the head office for three months when we asked for help, right?”

“Oh, that’s right. That happened last time. So, what do we do now?”

“As of now…….”

Yoo Seung-il shook his head from side to side as if he couldn’t help it, and Han Mi-sook spoke again.

“You’re saying we have no choice but to watch what the head office does? Of course, we’ll be responsible for the costs.”

“Probably…….”

“Then shouldn’t we reduce the number of helpers? I don’t think we need three people…….”

“Okay, I’ll talk about it since there’s still time.”

Yoo Seung-il nodded as if he understood, and Han Mi-sook asked again.

“Anyway, next month, the deficit will be less than this month, right?”

“The head office is managing it, so it will be.”

“If I had known this would happen, I should have listened to the head office from the beginning. We just spent more money trying to do it ourselves…….”

“I know…… Hmph!”

Yoo Seung-il sighed as if he was disappointed.

But there was something the two of them didn’t know. No matter who came, not just the head office, they couldn’t beat Hyun-sung.

Yoo Seung-il continued.

“Let’s just take comfort in the fact that the little punk is in the red.”

“That’s right, and in just two months, we’ll be out of the red.”

“That’s right, we’ll get better as time goes on, and that little punk will have a harder time.”

“Okay, let’s just be patient a little longer, even if it’s hard.”

The two of them, not knowing anything, were falling into the abyss, taking comfort in Hyun-sung.

Meanwhile, at that time.

After finishing business, Hyun-sung was drinking soju [Korean distilled rice liquor] with employee Lee Myung-hoon at a restaurant with late-night snacks at his request.

“Is someone talking about me?”

Hyun-sung scratched his ear and continued.

Then Lee Myung-hoon, who was eating sundae soup [Korean blood sausage soup] in front of him, looked at Hyun-sung and said.

“What’s there to criticize about the boss?”

“Who knows? People who talk behind your back don’t do it for a reason. Anyway, why did you ask to see me separately today?”

“I have something to discuss.”

“Discuss? What is it?”

Hyun-sung asked lightly without much thought. He didn’t think it would be a serious story anyway.

But unlike Hyun-sung’s expectations, Lee Myung-hoon couldn’t open his mouth easily.

“That’s…….”

Hyun-sung tilted his head slightly. The reason was his expression. His expression, which had been fine until a little while ago, had suddenly turned serious.

He carefully opened his mouth again.

“I’m a little confused.”

“Confused? What do you mean?”

“I haven’t been able to sleep properly for a few days after receiving my salary.”

Hyun-sung’s brow suddenly narrowed. The reason was to figure out what Lee Myung-hoon was saying.

But even if he thought about it briefly, it was not enough to know the reason.

Hyun-sung had no choice but to ask directly.

“Myung-hoon, I’m sorry, but I don’t understand what you’re saying right now. Can you tell me more specifically what you mean?”

“Should I say it’s my values? They’re shaking right now.”

“You said values just now?”

It was a completely unexpected word.

Lee Myung-hoon is twenty-five years old this year.

If you think about it, it’s not a young age, but it’s not an old age either. It means that his values can be shaken at any time, as he said.

But the strange thing is that he mentioned his salary before talking about his values. He said he hadn’t been able to sleep properly for a few days after receiving his salary.

Doesn’t that mean that the salary is the root of the problem?

Hyun-sung asked again before Lee Myung-hoon could speak.

“Was there a problem with your salary?”

“Yes!”

Lee Myung-hoon nodded and answered with strength.

In the end, the problem is the salary.

But Hyun-sung couldn’t understand what he meant.

If there is a problem, it will be one of two things. Either it’s too much, or it’s the opposite.

But this also doesn’t make sense because there’s no problem in either case.

The reason is simple.

First of all, there’s no problem in many cases. After all, no one hates money.

The next is the case of being small. But this also doesn’t make sense. Honestly, 10 million won [approximately $7,400 USD] a month is definitely not a small amount.

But this is just Hyun-sung’s opinion.

The important thing is that Lee Myung-hoon is talking about something else right now.

He doesn’t know the reason, but Lee Myung-hoon clearly mentioned that there was a problem with his salary.

Then, the most important thing now is to hear the reason directly from him first.

Hyun-sung, who had organized his thoughts, asked Lee Myung-hoon.

“Myung-hoon, can you tell me what the problem is with your salary?”

“It was too much.”

“What?”

Hyun-sung was momentarily embarrassed.

It was a completely unexpected answer. No, he had thought about it, but he ruled it out from the beginning because he thought no one would hate money.

But Lee Myung-hoon brought up that story now.

In the end, he’s saying that the problem is that his salary is too high.

‘What is this all about?’

Hyun-sung couldn’t understand the story at all, so he asked Lee Myung-hoon again.

“Hey, Lee Myung-hoon, what are you talking about?”

“It’s exactly what I said. My salary was too high. That’s why I’m confused.”

It was still an incomprehensible word. What is confusing him?

Hyun-sung asked again.

“What’s confusing you?”

“As I said a little while ago, I’m talking about my values.”

“Values?”

“Yes, I’ve lived my life thinking that money is the best thing.”

“But?”

“That’s what shook me when I received my salary this time. That’s why I haven’t been able to sleep properly for a few days.”

Hyun-sung still couldn’t understand what he was saying.

Tock!

Out of frustration, he picked up the soju glass in front of him and emptied it in one gulp. But that didn’t mean that his frustration disappeared right away.

Hyun-sung had no choice but to ask again.

“Myung-hoon, I’m sorry, but I don’t know what you’re talking about right now. Please explain it to me so I can understand. Huh?”

“Yes, I will. Actually, at first…….”

Lee Myung-hoon’s explanation immediately followed.

He said he was very happy when he received his first salary. He received an amount he had never imagined.

But on the other hand, he was confused.

Until now, he had lived his life thinking that money was the best thing. But Hyun-sung’s actions shook that value.

The reason was simple.

How could he have acted like that? If it were him, he would have given only 5 million won [approximately $3,700 USD] and taken the rest for himself. He said that 5 million won was the most he could do.

He said that even if he gave that much, the employees would be grateful enough.

But Hyun-sung gave 10 million won [approximately $7,400 USD]. But the problem is that Hyun-sung looks so cool.

The fact that he can reduce his greed and give that money to his employees. So, his values are shaking now.

He’s starting to think that maybe money isn’t the best thing.

That’s why he created this place today.

Smile.

Hyun-sung smiled as Lee Myung-hoon’s explanation ended. Then he quietly picked up the soju bottle in front of him.

“Myung-hoon, take a drink first.”

Pour, pour!

Hyun-sung filled Lee Myung-hoon’s glass and his own glass with alcohol and then raised his glass.

“Okay, cheers.”

“Yes!”

Lee Myung-hoon bowed his head and held out his glass. Then Hyun-sung lightly bumped his glass against his.

A moment later.

Hyun-sung first called Lee Myung-hoon’s name in a low voice.

“Myung-hoon!”

“Yes, boss.”

“Let’s just check one thing first, what is a value?”

“Isn’t it something that you think is precious while living?”

“That’s right, it’s about establishing what each of us values most while living in the world. To put it a little differently, it’s about how I will look at the world—that is, finding the point of contact between the world and me. It’s my own way of dealing with the world, like if the world comes out like this, I’ll stand up against it like this.”

“My own way?”

From Lee Myung-hoon’s expression, he could fully understand how seriously he was thinking about this moment.

“Yeah, since everyone thinks differently about what’s important, the methods will be different.”

“That’s right.”

“Among them, you thought money was the best, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“But that thought shook a little this time.”

“Yes, that’s right!”

Drawer.

Lee Myung-hoon pulled up his chair and showed a focused look.

Then Hyun-sung’s words continued again.

“Okay, here’s a question: why did your heart shake?”

“Yes? That’s…… As I said a little while ago, why wouldn’t the boss be greedy for money? But seeing the boss reduce that greed and share that money with us, that image looks so cool.”

“Why did you think that was cool?”

“Hmm…… I don’t know what to say when you ask me so specifically…….”

Lee Myung-hoon scratched his head slightly.

Then Hyun-sung opened his mouth again.

“Think carefully, why did your heart move?”

“Hmm…… People.”

“People?”

“Yes, remember what the youngest, Young-seok, said that day? He said that you told him that people come first to you rather than money. But you showed us that in practice that day.”

Lee Myung-hoon immediately continued.

“In the end, you thought of us more than money, right? So, we respected you even more that day.”

“Respect is a bit…….”

“No, I definitely saw the children’s eyes that day. That look was definitely a look of respect. Now that I think about it, I think I know why my values were shaken.”

Hyun-sung stared at Lee Myung-hoon with curiosity.

Then Lee Myung-hoon immediately opened his mouth.

“I think it was the heart.”

“Heart?”

“Yes, the heart to reduce my greed and share it. In the end, more than money…….”

Lee Myung-hoon’s words grew longer. It was as if he had found the answer to the worries he had been having for days without sleep.

But Hyun-sung felt a bit bitter looking at Lee Myung-hoon.

Money!

Hyun-sung also lived his life thinking that was the best thing until he returned.