Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 548

“Honey! Were you thinking the same thing as me?”

“Yeah, I was.”

Yu Seung-il nodded, and only then did Han Mi-sook understand her husband’s behavior today.

She had been thinking something was off about him.

It was because of the time he closed the store.

For someone who considered keeping promises with customers an iron rule, closing the store two hours early seemed strange, and she wondered what was going on.

But it turned out there was a reason.

He was thinking the same thing as her.

When did he find out about it?

Han Mi-sook asked out of curiosity.

“When did you find out?”

“I heard it from the community center employee last night. So, this morning, I went to that kid and confirmed it myself. What about you?”

“I went to the supermarket yesterday afternoon and overheard the customers and the owner talking. But you actually went to check it out yourself?”

“I couldn’t believe it.”

Han Mi-sook had no choice but to nod. She felt the same way.

When she first heard about it, she didn’t believe it right away. Only after hearing from an employee at the rental shop run by the kid that he had made 200 million in sales did she finally believe it.

This time, Yu Seung-il spoke.

“Now, the important thing is the head office.”

“The head office? Why there?”

“Why else? Those guys deceived us. You know, they lied to us, saying that the kid was also making losses.”

“Oh? You misunderstood. I already contacted the head office about that issue first…….”

Han Mi-sook began to explain her conversation with Manager Park Sun-woo from the head office that morning.

But what was strange was Yu Seung-il’s expression.

Even after Han Mi-sook finished her explanation, he showed no particular reaction.

He should have shown some kind of response, but there was none at all.

Han Mi-sook couldn’t help but ask.

“Honey, what’s with that expression?”

“Do you believe what Manager Park said?”

“What? What are you talking about? Are you saying you don’t trust the head office?”

“I don’t trust them! No, I can’t trust them!”

Yu Seung-il shook his head vigorously. It meant that his distrust of the head office had piled up that much.

Then, Han Mi-sook spoke again.

“I also suspected the head office like you at first. But after talking to Manager Park, it turned out he had his reasons.”

“Reasons? What reasons?”

“He was very busy because two new openings came in from the provinces.”

“I know that too. He told me last time, but that doesn’t excuse him!”

Yu Seung-il’s voice was more resolute than ever. It showed once again that Yu Seung-il was already full of distrust towards the head office.

Then, Han Mi-sook shook her head and immediately continued.

“I’m not saying we should excuse him, but I’m telling you the truth. He really didn’t know. Even today, when I told him about it, he said he would call you right away. He said it was his mistake and that he should let you know immediately.”

“Then why didn’t he call?”

“I stopped him.”

“You? Why?”

Yu Seung-il’s voice was still full of dissatisfaction.

Han Mi-sook’s reply followed immediately.

“For you.”

“For me? What are you talking about?”

“Your blood pressure, in case you get shocked…….”

Han Mi-sook stopped in the middle of her sentence. After all, she didn’t need to say the rest for him to know what she meant. And another reason was that she couldn’t bring herself to say that her husband might be in danger.

Then, Yu Seung-il immediately reacted.

“Is it true that he was really going to contact me right away?”

“Of course, I begged him not to. I told him I would definitely tell you tonight.”

“Hmm…….”

Yu Seung-il was silent for a moment, as if he was thinking about something.

He had no choice but to believe what his wife was saying. That’s why he needed time to think.

After a while.

Yu Seung-il took a sip of his beer and immediately opened his mouth.

“Still, I feel uneasy.”

“I feel the same way. It’s not like I like that person. But to maintain the store, we have no choice but to move on, even though it’s uneasy. Honestly, it’s true that we still need his help.”

“…….”

Yu Seung-il was in an ambiguous situation.

It was true that he was angry that they gave such absurd information without properly checking, even though the opening was important.

But the important thing was reality, as his wife said.

They still needed their help.

It wouldn’t be easy to stand up against that kid alone.

After thinking for a while, Yu Seung-il slowly opened his mouth.

“Actually, I told Manager Park today that I would put the consignment management [outsourcing the store’s operation] on hold for now.”

“What?”

“No matter how I think about it, I’m too resentful of the head office’s actions this time.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I asked for two days to decide. I’m going to discuss it with you and make a final decision.”

“Sigh…….”

Han Mi-sook sighed in relief as soon as Yu Seung-il finished speaking. The reason was that she felt relieved. If he had already made a decision, it would have been a real disaster.

Then, Yu Seung-il spoke again.

“Let’s think seriously about it for two days.”

“Okay, I feel uneasy, and we can’t ignore reality, so let’s think about it together. And thank you for discussing it with me like this instead of deciding alone…….”

“Don’t mention it…….”

Yu Seung-il held out his beer glass and said.

“Anyway, you’ve been suffering alone since yesterday, unable to say anything.”

“You’re the same. You suffered too.”

“Let’s toast.”

As Yu Seung-il held out his beer glass, Han Mi-sook smiled slightly and held out her beer glass.

Clink!

The two people’s glasses clinked in the air with a cheerful sound. Perhaps the sound was even more cheerful because they knew they were worried about each other with the same heart.

But no one knew what decision they would make in two days.

***

Two days later.

“Yes, I understand. Then I’ll keep that in mind and prepare from tomorrow. Goodbye, President Yu.”

Click.

Manager Park Sun-woo’s face was full of smiles.

Then, Chairman Min Hong-sik, who saw the sight, immediately asked.

“Is that President Yu from Bupyeong?”

“Yes, it is. I was worried, but I guess you can’t fool age.”

“Why?”

“In the end, he thought about it for two days and reached out again. He still lacks experience and was scared to stand alone.”

“Really? That’s good. So, what did you decide to do?”

Chairman Min Hong-sik’s eyes sparkled as he asked the question. The reason would be only one thing. If he were to do consignment management again, he would instinctively know that more crumbs would fall.

“First of all, we decided to change the direction of management.”

“How?”

“At first, we tried to confront that kid no matter what, but now we know that we can’t win, so we’re going to try to maintain the status quo as much as possible.”

“Manager Park knows better than anyone that it won’t work, right?”

“Of course. But we have to say it that way to squeeze out another three months, right?”

Smirk.

Chairman Min Hong-sik smiled lightly as if he already knew. Then he immediately asked again.

“By the way, what’s the reason why President Yu changed his mind?”

“He doesn’t say it directly, but I think the wife’s influence was strong.”

“That old woman?”

“Yes, actually, I received a call from her first this afternoon. She asked again. She asked if it was really possible to maintain the status quo.”

“So?”

“I said it was unconditionally possible. If you leave it to the head office for only three more months, I’ll make you earn at least 2 million [Korean won, approximately $1,500 USD].”

“2 million?”

Chairman Min Hong-sik frowned. The reason was that when he first signed the contract three months ago, he guaranteed that he could earn at least 5 million [Korean won, approximately $3,750 USD].

Chairman Min Hong-sik asked again.

“So, you’re saying you’re satisfied with 2 million now?”

“He properly recognized that the kid’s sales are over 200 million [Korean won, approximately $150,000 USD]. So, he realized that 5 million is greed.”

“So, what you want is 2 million?”

“Yes, that’s right. That’s enough for the two of them to eat and live.”

“But is that possible?”

“Of course not.”

“In the end…….”

Chairman Min Hong-sik nodded as if he knew. The corner of his mouth twitched. It meant that such things were not his concern.

Then he opened his mouth again.

“So, how much did you ask for consignment management fees next month?”

“15 million [Korean won, approximately $11,250 USD].”

“15 million…… What’s our share from there?”

“7 million [Korean won, approximately $5,250 USD].”

“Isn’t that too little? It’s the last stage now?”

“No. If you add the cost of investigating the kid to the wife, it’s 10 million [Korean won, approximately $7,500 USD]. That’s not a small amount. And we’ll squeeze out a lot in the last month anyway, so until then…….”

“Wait a minute!”

Chairman Min Hong-sik raised his hand and interrupted Manager Park Sun-woo’s words. Then he immediately asked.

“Speaking of which, when are you going to reveal the kid’s identity? I can’t just ignore it since I received 3 million [Korean won, approximately $2,250 USD].”

“I have to postpone it as much as possible.”

“Will that old woman stay still?”

“What if she doesn’t stay still? It’s not a legitimate job anyway, so she can’t report it. And after three months, we won’t have anything to do with each other.”

“Well…….”

Chairman Min Hong-sik nodded as if he knew.

Then, Manager Park Sun-woo opened his mouth again.

“But there’s one thing I’m worried about.”

“Worried? What are you worried about? Isn’t it the final stage anyway?”

“That kid.”

“Huh? Why that kid?”

Chairman Min Hong-sik didn’t understand easily. He thought he wouldn’t have anything to do with that kid anymore.

“What’s that kid’s purpose?”

“Isn’t it to drive our Movie Mind out of Bupyeong?”

“That’s right.”

“What do you mean by that? What are you talking about? Explain it in detail so I can understand.”

“I heard a strange rumor.”

“Strange rumor?”

Chairman Min Hong-sik perked up his ears at the word rumor. The reason was that the main character of the rumor was that kid. The most dangerous variable right now is that kid.

“I heard that the rental fee will be 100 won [Korean won, a negligible amount].”

“100 won?”

At the word 100 won, Chairman Min Hong-sik’s voice grew louder without him knowing. That word meant that he would send Movie Mind away at once.

Even now, he can endure it because he receives at least 500 won [Korean won, approximately $0.38 USD], but if it really goes down to 100 won, it will be impossible to endure it anymore.

However, what Chairman Min Hong-sik is worried about now is not Movie Mind.

Since he has already entered the final stage, he has to do consignment management for at least three more months to take money out of it as a justification. But if the rental fee goes down to 100 won, it will be meaningless to open the store anymore.

If that happens, he has to withdraw from Movie Mind right away, so Chairman Min Hong-sik is afraid of that now.

Chairman Min Hong-sik asked urgently.

“From when?”

As expected, what he was curious about was not the truth, but the timing. He only needs to endure for three more months.

“I don’t know yet. For now, I just hope you can endure it for three more months.”

“I mean…….”

As expected, it seemed like they were talking about the two people, as the saying goes, “like father, like son.” In the end, it was a moment when it became clear that the two people had no interest in normalizing the management of the Bupyeong branch.

***

The next day.

“President, they’re starting again?”

Lee Myung-hoon pointed his finger at Movie Mind.

Loud music was heard from there. Not only that, but in front of the store, slender helpers were dancing and greeting people passing by.

Hyeonseong, who was watching the scene, opened his mouth.

“They still haven’t come to their senses.”

“That’s what I’m saying. I guess they still think they can win against us.”

“Well, I don’t think that’s the case…….”

“Huh? You’re saying that’s not it? But they’re spending money like that in the wrong place?”

“They have to drop it.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Lee Myung-hoon stared at Hyeonseong as if he didn’t know what he was talking about.

Then Hyeonseong immediately opened his mouth.

“Crumbs.”

“Crumbs?”

“Yes, they have to do that to get crumbs to fall to the head office.”

“So, in the end, you’re saying they’re doing that for the head office, not for Movie Mind?”

“Of course.”

As Hyeonseong nodded, Lee Myung-hoon continued.

“But this time, there are more helpers than last time. There were three last time, but there are five today.”

“In the end, the head office is determined to rip them off. The bigger the job, the more that falls off. I think the head office has already made a decision.”

“Huh? Decision? What…….”

Lee Myung-hoon frowned as if he didn’t know what he was talking about.

Then a strange word came out of Hyeonseong’s mouth.

“Withdrawal.”

“Huh? Withdrawal? Are you saying that Movie Mind is closing?”

“Yes, but the problem is that President Yu of Movie Mind doesn’t know that. Like a fool, he doesn’t even know that a big straw is stuck behind his back…….”

Tsk tsk!

Hyeonseong clicked his tongue in the middle of his words. Hyeonseong’s gaze was directed towards the place where the music was heard. Of course, that was where Movie Mind was.

He thought that he wouldn’t need the initially targeted six months with this kind of method.

‘Then it’s better to change the plan…….’

Hyeonseong, who was thinking for a while, slowly nodded his head.