Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 554

556

Returning as a Building Owner

Two months later.

“Hoo…….”

A deep sigh escaped from Yoo Seung-il’s mouth after closing up shop.

The reason was simple. It had already been three months since he entrusted the management to Movie Heart headquarters, but it was still operating at a loss.

However, the problem wasn’t just the simple deficit, but also the additional costs that kept arising under the guise of consignment management.

40 million won, that’s the amount of money the headquarters had taken over the past three months.

That’s how much money went out for event costs, advertising expenses, and the salary of the so-called professional manager.

In the first month, he started by making requests with a sense of regret, and in the second and third months, he had no choice but to continue the consignment management due to the contract terms.

That’s because when he signed the contract in the first month, he promised to entrust the management for a minimum of three months.

If he broke that promise, a penalty was guaranteed.

The amount was ten million won.

Therefore, instead of paying the penalty, he had no choice but to drag the consignment management along until now, hoping for the best.

But now, after three months, the average sales are around 300,000 won. Of course, it’s true that the average sales have increased by more than 100,000 won, but it’s still far short of the expenses incurred.

Anyway, the consignment management period expired today.

The headquarters suggested signing an additional contract, but he put it on hold for now. No matter how he thought about it, he felt it wasn’t the right thing to do.

But the problem is what comes next.

The consignment management fee to the headquarters will no longer be paid, but the sales will also drop again. If that happens, the deficit will naturally widen even further.

After all, the absence of a professional manager will inevitably be felt.

Either way, it’s just a headache. If he had known it would turn out like this, he wouldn’t have started it in the first place, but the die has already been cast.

“Haa……!”

A long sigh escaped from Yoo Seung-il’s mouth.

Just then.

Clang!

A man came in as the store door opened.

“Oh? Aren’t you the real estate agent?”

The person who opened the door was Yoo Young-cheol, the certified real estate agent who wrote the contract when he leased the store. He was able to remember him right away because of his unique appearance.

His distinguishing feature was that he had no hair at all. That’s why he was able to recognize him immediately.

However, from Yoo Young-cheol’s perspective, it was a bit unexpected that he would be recognized right away after only seeing him briefly during the contract signing.

“Oh? You remember me right away?”

“Of course, I remember you. By the way, what brings you here so late?”

“I couldn’t sleep, so I came out to rent a video, but Cinema Paradise was already closed. I came up this way and saw the lights on, so I came in.”

“Ah, yes, they close at 12 these days.”

“Well, what does that friend have to be sorry about to work late into the night?”

“Pardon?”

Yoo Seung-il tilted his head for a moment. The reason was that he felt something strange in the nuance of Yoo Young-cheol’s words.

Yoo Seung-il asked slyly to confirm the relationship between the two.

“You seem to be very close to that friend.”

“Well, since we’re from the same hometown, it’s kind of like that.”

“Hometown?”

“Yes, I found out the day that friend first signed the contract. It turns out we’re both from Hongcheon.”

“Ah, yes, I see. But what did you mean by what you said a little while ago…….”

What Yoo Seung-il was really curious about was what Yoo Young-cheol had said earlier, ‘What does that friend have to be sorry about to work late into the night?’

That statement meant that he knew a lot about Hyun-sung.

As Yoo Seung-il was curious about the reality of that kid, it was a natural reaction.

However, Yoo Young-cheol, who didn’t understand right away, asked again.

“Yes? What meaning are you referring to……?”

“I’m talking about the expression you used a little while ago, that he has nothing to be sorry about.”

“Ah, that. Didn’t you know yet?”

“Yes? What are you talking about?”

“That friend is a big deal in Hongcheon. No, not just in Hongcheon, he’s been on TV a few times, so there probably isn’t anyone in the restaurant industry who doesn’t know him.”

“Yes? The restaurant industry?”

Yoo Seung-il’s voice grew louder without him realizing it. That meant that Yoo Seung-il’s words were unfamiliar and unbelievable.

Yoo Seung-il asked again in a hurry.

“What are you talking about? What does that young friend have to do with the restaurant industry, and what’s with the TV?”

“You really don’t know at all?”

“Yes, this is the first time I’ve heard of it. I’m sorry, but could you please explain it to me?”

“Sure, it’s not a flaw anyway, and it’s not something to hide. So, that’s…….”

Yoo Young-cheol began to explain Hyun-sung as he knew him. As his explanation continued at length, Yoo Seung-il’s face gradually changed as if he couldn’t believe it.

Eventually, by the time Yoo Young-cheol’s explanation was almost over, his face was pale.

And finally, when Yoo Young-cheol’s explanation was over, Yoo Seung-il asked right away as if he had been waiting for it.

“Is everything you just said true?”

“Yes, of course. I told you everything I know.”

“So, that kid runs a restaurant in a place called Seomyeong-myeon? And it’s the largest restaurant in Korea in terms of size.”

“Yes, that’s right. And he’s been running a wild vegetable factory since a year ago.”

“…….”

Yoo Seung-il couldn’t believe it even though he heard it with his own ears. That’s why he was momentarily speechless.

Does this make sense?

He’s only twenty-nine years old. But he runs a restaurant, of course, he can. But the problem is the size. It’s not a single-story building, but a building with two basement floors and five floors above ground. And the hall alone is 200 *pyeong* [approximately 7,200 square feet] in actual area.

This is impossible…….

At that moment, a question popped into Yoo Seung-il’s head. How much is the daily sales of that size? It may be the most important issue.

Yoo Seung-il asked cautiously.

“Do you happen to know how much the daily sales of that restaurant are?”

“Yes, of course. I heard it directly from Mr. Kim on the day we signed the contract. It’s 1 billion won [approximately $750,000 USD].”

“Yes? How much?”

Yoo Seung-il couldn’t help but ask again. But the answer he heard was still the same. In addition, he heard that the wild vegetable factory also generates 200 million won [approximately $150,000 USD] in sales.

The conclusion is that the daily sales are 1.2 billion won [approximately $900,000 USD].

Furthermore, the building is all his.

If so, even if the profit margin is minimized, it will be at least 50%.

50% of 1.2 billion won…….

Yoo Seung-il tilted his head and opened his mouth.

“If that’s the case, that means he makes at least 600 million won [approximately $450,000 USD] a day?”

“I don’t know exactly, but since he owns the building, it’ll be about that much.”

“Then in a year……”

Yoo Seung-il, who was doing the calculations, couldn’t help but open his mouth on his own. That’s because even if he calculated roughly, it would be 18 billion won [approximately $13.5 million USD] a month, and if he multiplied that by 12 months, it would be over 200 billion won [approximately $150 million USD].

“Ah!”

At that moment, something suddenly came to Yoo Seung-il’s mind.

Yoo Seung-il suddenly started rummaging through the newspapers in the box behind the counter.

And after a while.

Thud!

Yoo Seung-il picked out a newspaper. Then he turned it over right away. Then an advertisement appeared on the back page. It was a full-page advertisement announcing the Cherry Blossom Festival a month ago. At the same time, a picture of a five-story restaurant was also included.

Yoo Seung-il immediately checked the address.

“…….”

He couldn’t say anything. The reason was that the address he confirmed exactly matched the place Yoo Young-cheol had mentioned a little while ago.

But he couldn’t believe it right away.

Yoo Seung-il pointed to the newspaper at Yoo Young-cheol with a hopeful heart and asked.

“Is this the right place?”

“Yes, that’s right. That’s where Mr. Kim runs…….”

Yoo Young-cheol’s words continued, but he couldn’t hear the next words anymore. He just felt like his head was turning as white as a blank sheet of paper.

10 minutes later.

Even after Yoo Young-cheol borrowed a video and left, Yoo Seung-il couldn’t do anything. Only one question remained in his head.

That was the purpose of that kid.

Why would someone who earns over 200 billion won [approximately $150 million USD] a year run a video store?.

But Yoo Seung-il had no choice but to shake his head from side to side.

No matter how hard he thought about it, he couldn’t find the reason.

Just then.

Beep, beep!

The cell phone rang.

It’s probably his wife. She must have called because it was past his quitting time and he hadn’t come home yet. But he couldn’t answer the phone.

The reason was simple. He had no confidence in explaining this situation in any way. The moment he announced this situation, it was like admitting that there was no future anymore.

He can’t end it like this.

He hasn’t made the final confirmation yet. Something might be wrong. It would be right to check this directly with the person involved.

That was the conclusion Yoo Seung-il came to, who didn’t want to believe it until the end.

Beep, beep!

The cell phone kept ringing. But Yoo Seung-il couldn’t answer the phone in the end.

***

The next day at dawn.

“Why? Can’t you sleep?”

Han Mi-sook asked Yoo Seung-il, who couldn’t sleep.

Then Yoo Seung-il got out of bed and continued.

“I think I should go out for a dawn workout.”

“You came home late last night, aren’t you tired?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. You sleep a little more. I’ll go out and walk around for an hour and come back.”

Yoo Seung-il finished speaking, put on his clothes, and went outside.

Once outside, Yoo Seung-il headed straight to the store. After all, exercise was just an excuse, and there was something he needed to confirm.

Han Mi-sook was left alone after Yoo Seung-il left.

“Hoo…….”

Han Mi-sook couldn’t help but let out a long sigh.

Her husband came home almost at 3 a.m. yesterday. She didn’t receive the call, so she thought something had happened. But she couldn’t ask the reason to someone who came home late, so she just passed it by.

That’s okay, but the problem was after that.

He couldn’t sleep all night even after going to bed.

And now it’s 5 a.m. It’s only been two hours since he went to bed, but he said he couldn’t sleep and went out to exercise.

Exercise is just an excuse anyway, and something seems to have happened, but he doesn’t say anything…….

“Hoo……!”

Han Mi-sook sighed again.

At that time.

“Huff, huff!”

Hyun-sung was exercising as usual. He was just passing in front of Movie Heart when he turned the corner.

“Oh? That gentleman is…….”

What caught Hyun-sung’s eye was Yoo Seung-il, the owner of Movie Heart. It’s only a little past 5 a.m. now. But at this time, he had the store lights on and was standing in front of the store. He looked like he was waiting for someone.

“Wait a minute!”

As Hyun-sung was about to pass by Movie Heart, Yoo Seung-il blocked Hyun-sung’s path.

It was absurd for Hyun-sung. The reason was that he blocked his path as if he had deliberately planned it.

“What’s going on?”

“Let’s talk for a moment, it’ll only take a moment.”

Hyun-sung’s answer was not needed. As soon as Yoo Seung-il finished speaking, he grabbed Hyun-sung’s arm and dragged him into the store.

Then he pointed to the newspaper on the counter and asked.

“Can you explain this?”

The place Yoo Seung-il pointed to was the photo that advertised the Cherry Blossom Festival and the restaurant a month ago. It was an advertisement that had been running in daily newspapers every year since three years ago in early April.

“What do you want me to explain?”

“Is this yours?”

Hyun-sung nodded slightly instead of answering. Then Yoo Seung-il quietly looked at Hyun-sung as if he had nothing to say for a while, and then opened his mouth again at some point.

“What’s the reason?”

“What reason are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about the reason for running a video store. What are you doing with a video store when you have 1 million *pyeong* [approximately 800 acres] of cherry blossoms and the largest restaurant in Korea…….”

The rest was obvious without listening.

After all, what he’s curious about now is Hyun-sung’s purpose in running a video store.

It’s probably a natural reaction. From a third party’s point of view, it doesn’t make sense to run a video store under these conditions.

But Hyun-sung’s case is different from others. But the problem is that there’s no way to explain that difference to Yoo Seung-il.

After thinking for a while, Hyun-sung had no choice but to tell him honestly whether he believed it or not.

“There are two reasons.”

“Two reasons? What is it?”

“The first is to meet my wife.”

From Yoo Seung-il’s point of view, it’s nonsense, but for Hyun-sung, that’s the ultimate goal. If that wasn’t the case, he wouldn’t have had to come all the way to Incheon.

“Wife?”

“Yes, it’s hard to understand, but there is such a thing.”

“Wife, huh…….”

Yoo Seung-il let out a hollow laugh as if he was dumbfounded and asked again.

“That’s none of my business anyway, so what’s the second reason?”

“That’s because of you, sir.”

“What? Because of me?”

Yoo Seung-il was dumbfounded. Does this make sense? What kind of grudge did he have in his past life to do this to him?

There was something Yoo Seung-il didn’t know. That was the fact that Hyun-sung was a regressor. The pain he’s receiving now is the price of the sins he committed in his previous life.