Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 626

“The rest is up to you, sir!”

*Is he being brazen, or is he just short on people?*

*Is this even reasonable?*

Asking a complete stranger for business funds—and not just a small amount, but tens of millions of won [Korean currency].

But what’s strange is his attitude.

He’s so confident.

At this point, Hyun-sung had one question.

What reason could he possibly have to be so confident?

Hyun-sung asked directly.

“Is there some reason I’m unaware of?”

“Fortunately, you’re not rejecting me outright? Can I take that to mean there’s some possibility?”

His confident demeanor remained unchanged.

Perhaps that’s why.

Hyun-sung couldn’t help but be more curious about him.

“I suppose I should hear you out. To be honest, it’s such an absurd situation that I wanted to ignore it, but Mr. Lee Sang-ho is speaking so confidently.”

“Well, it is an absurd request. Asking a complete stranger for business funds.”

“You’re aware of that?”

“If I didn’t know that, would I even be human?”

“Alright, then can I hear the reason why you’re so confident, Mr. Lee Sang-ho?”

As Hyun-sung finished speaking, Lee Sang-ho took a photo from his inside pocket and held it out to Hyun-sung.

“This is my reason for being confident in front of you, sir.”

The photo Lee Sang-ho presented was clearly a family photo. Of course, it was immediately obvious whose family photo it was, without needing an explanation.

“Isn’t this your family photo, Mr. Lee Sang-ho?”

“Yes, that’s right. My rabbit-like children and my fox-like wife [a playful way to describe his family].”

“But why this……”

Even with a quick thought, Hyun-sung couldn’t understand his actions.

Just a moment ago, he had clearly asked for the reasons for his confidence.

But suddenly, a family photo.

Hyun-sung asked again.

“Is there some special reason for this photo?”

“What else would there be in a family photo besides family?”

“Is that so? Then why this photo?”

“It’s my everything.”

“Everything?”

“Yes, that’s right. Didn’t you ask me a moment ago why I’m so confident? This is exactly why I’m confident.”

Lee Sang-ho stroked the family photo once more. Then, he immediately opened his mouth again.

“My children and my wife are supporting me, so I can be confident in front of anyone.”

“……”

Hyun-sung couldn’t help but tilt his head. Of course, he understood what he was saying, but it felt somewhat distant from the confident reason Hyun-sung had been expecting.

Of course, there’s no need to say that family support is more powerful than anything else. But that’s just Lee Sang-ho’s personal feeling, and it wouldn’t necessarily give confidence to others.

Seeing Hyun-sung’s expression, Lee Sang-ho immediately spoke.

“Judging from your reaction, it seems my persuasion has failed… Am I right?”

“Honestly, I think that’s just your personal feeling, Mr. Lee Sang-ho……”

“So, it doesn’t have any credibility?”

“Frankly, for me……”

Hyun-sung couldn’t help it. He hadn’t lived in the world for just a day or two, and he couldn’t just be swayed by such emotions and give a huge sum of business funds to someone he was meeting for the first time.

After thinking for a moment, Lee Sang-ho spoke again.

“What should I do?”

“Well, I don’t think it’s right to ask me that……”

*That’s right.*

This was Lee Sang-ho’s own problem from the start.

It was absurd from the beginning anyway.

He wasn’t a philanthropist, and who would give business funds to someone they were meeting for the first time?

Hyun-sung shook his head from side to side. Then, he opened his mouth again.

“This was never going to work from the start.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, that’s what I think. As you know, Mr. Lee Sang-ho, we’re meeting for the first time today. So how could I…… You probably know what I’m going to say next.”

“Hmm……”

Lee Sang-ho didn’t say anything, seemingly lost in thought. It was only after some time had passed that he spoke again.

“Are you not willing to give me a chance?”

“I’m sorry, but……”

No matter how he thought about it, Hyun-sung couldn’t help it.

There are certain basics in life.

It’s the same with money. To lend money, you need to know something about the person.

But in Lee Sang-ho’s case, he was meeting him for the first time today. He didn’t know anything about him. The only thing he had seen was the family photo he had shown him a moment ago.

Hyun-sung had lived for over 50 years, but this was a first for him.

As they say, unless you’re a pushover, who would lend tens of millions of won in business funds to someone they’re meeting for the first time based on just a family photo?

It was at that moment.

Something absurd happened.

Thud!

Lee Sang-ho suddenly knelt down in front of Hyun-sung.

“Please, save me!”

“No, what’s going on? Please, don’t do this. This isn’t a problem that can be solved by doing this.”

Hyun-sung quickly grabbed Lee Sang-ho’s shoulders and tried to lift him up. Or, he tried to. But Lee Sang-ho remained kneeling, unmoving.

It was Hyun-sung who was at a loss.

Although they were only five years apart in age, he was still the father of two children and the head of a household. And that person was now kneeling in front of him.

“You shouldn’t do this. This isn’t going to……”

Hyun-sung couldn’t say any more. The reason was that Lee Sang-ho, who was kneeling, was shedding tears.

He opened his mouth.

“Of course, I know it’s absurd. But as for me, this is the only way I can do it for my children.”

“……”

“After the company went bankrupt, there wasn’t a place I didn’t go to for the past month. But I couldn’t find a job. Then, I heard about your free sharing from the neighborhood president and came here without any plan.”

“……”

Hyun-sung didn’t have anything particular to say. So, he could only listen to his story quietly.

His words continued.

“To be honest, I hesitated a lot coming here. I’m a person too, so why wouldn’t I have thought about it? This is something that doesn’t make sense to anyone. Who would give business funds to someone they’re meeting for the first time? And not just a small amount, but 40 or 50 million won.”

“Yes, that’s right. Mr. Lee Sang-ho might feel upset, but……”

“No, I’m not upset at all. Rather, I’m just grateful that you’re even listening to my story. Actually, since I was young……”

Lee Sang-ho’s words grew longer. As if he had made up his mind, he began to talk about his past this time. Hyun-sung had no choice but to listen to his story.

How much time had passed?

This time, he started talking about his children.

“Both of my sons have disabilities. And my wife isn’t healthy either. So, I’m the only one earning money…… *sob*.”

Lee Sang-ho couldn’t help but shed tears as he spoke.

After a while.

Lee Sang-ho opened his mouth again.

“If I can’t earn money, my family can’t survive. That’s why I had no choice but to come to you today, even though I knew it was absurd. It’s okay for me to starve, but I can’t let my children and wife starve.”

Hyun-sung quietly got up and headed to the refrigerator. Then, he took out a drink and returned to the table, handing the drink to Lee Sang-ho.

But Lee Sang-ho, who had received the drink, was just looking at it without drinking it.

“Why? Don’t you drink cola?”

“It’s not that, it’s just that I was thinking about my children. Cola is their favorite thing.”

“Ah, is that so……, then I’ll give you a few to take with you when you leave.”

“I’m sorry for the trouble……”

Lee Sang-ho scratched his head and then began to drink the cola. Hyun-sung’s expression, which had been watching him, was very different from before.

After finishing the cola, Lee Sang-ho looked at Hyun-sung again and opened his mouth.

“I was too rude at our first meeting, wasn’t I?”

“No, I’m fine. But can I ask you one thing?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Why do you specifically want to run a video store? Is there a reason for that?”

“……”

For some reason, Lee Sang-ho suddenly didn’t say anything. So, Hyun-sung asked again.

“Is there some special reason you can’t talk about?”

“Actually, my children love videos so much. So, money aside, I want to show my children as many videos as they want. Since they can’t go out and play, I want to spend time with them that way……”

“Ah, I see.”

Hyun-sung nodded.

It was at that moment.

Suddenly.

Lee Sang-ho suddenly grabbed Hyun-sung’s hand and continued speaking.

“Sir, please give me a chance. If you help me this time, I will never forget this favor for the rest of my life.”

“That’s what I said earlier, but……”

“Of course, I know it’s absurd. But please help me just this once for my children.”

It was Hyun-sung who was at a loss.

Until just a moment ago, he had naturally thought it was absurd. That’s why he had refused, saying it wouldn’t work.

But a problem had arisen. After hearing about his family, he couldn’t help but feel his heart wavering, being human.

Lee Sang-ho’s words continued.

“Please give me two years.”

“Two years?”

“Yes, if you give me two years, I will repay the business funds you lend me with interest.”

“Hmm……”

Hyun-sung couldn’t answer easily. If he agreed here, he would be stuck with Lee Sang-ho without being able to back out, and if he refused, his family would keep bothering him.

Then, Lee Sang-ho’s words continued again.

“Please give me a chance for my children.”

“That’s……”

“Of course, I know it’s absurd. But if you make a decision just once for my poor children, I will never forget this favor for the rest of my life.”

“Hmm……”

He still couldn’t help but worry.

After thinking for a moment, Hyun-sung opened his mouth with difficulty.

“Let’s do this. I’ll give you one million won for now.”

“Yes? One million won?”

It was a statement that Lee Sang-ho couldn’t understand. If Hyun-sung said okay, the amount that should come out of his mouth should be at least 40 million won, not one million won. To open a video store, at least that much money would be needed.

But he was now saying one million won.

So, what was the meaning of the one million won he was talking about?

Hyun-sung’s words continued.

“I’ll give you a week.”

“A week?”

“Yes, that’s right. Do business with this money for a week. It doesn’t matter what kind of business you do.”

“What do you mean?”

“To put it bluntly, I’m going to test you.”

It was the conclusion Hyun-sung had reached. He couldn’t just refuse because the children kept bothering him, so the method he chose was to give him time for a week and evaluate him.

“Did you just say a test?”

“Yes, that’s right. It’s the best choice I can make. At first, I was going to just ignore it because it was an absurd story, but after hearing about your family, I couldn’t pretend not to know, so I made this decision.”

“Then, if I pass this test, you’ll lend me the business funds?”

“Yes, that’s right. That’s the only way I can check. I’m sorry if you feel bad, but I can’t help it. I have my own position too.”

Hyun-sung couldn’t help it either. That was the only way he could test his abilities.

“Why would I feel bad? It’s not just a small amount, but at least 40 million won. Thank you. But what is the standard for the test?”

“Show me your abilities, Mr. Lee Sang-ho.”

“Abilities? Does that mean I should make as much profit as possible with this money?”

“Of course, that’s right. But that’s not all. I’ll also be watching the process.”

“The process?”

“Yes, making a lot of profit is important, but the process of how you did business is also important.”

“Hmm……”

After thinking for a moment, Lee Sang-ho nodded and continued speaking.

“So, you’re saying that the result is important, but the process is also important?”

“If I had to say it, that’s right. As much as I like money, I don’t like using any means or methods.”

“Yes, I understand. Look forward to it, I’ll show you what kind of guy I am.”

As Lee Sang-ho finished speaking, Hyun-sung took out a one million won check from his wallet and handed it to him.

“Here you go. Then, I’ll see you in a week.”

“Yes, look forward to it.”

Shortly after.

Lee Sang-ho, who had left Hyun-sung’s video store, twitched one corner of his mouth and muttered to himself.

“Damn, that young punk is picky……”