《The Famous Millionaire》 Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C Hyunwoo¡¯s Dream Zeeeeeing. The sound of the workers cutting lumber with saws. ttering. ttering. The sound of the workers hammering nails. Taeyang Woodworking Shop was always crowded and noisy, befitting its big size. Timber cut to the right size was piled up on all sides, and woodcuts, sawdust, and useless nails were scattered on the ground. Though two hours had passed already after they had lunch, the workers never had a break in between. Because the shop was so busy, they had overdue work piled up. It waste spring, but it looked like it was the middle of summer inside the shop. Their sticky sweat was mixed with sawdust all over their faces. Still, the workers were happy. The owner of the shop, who was generous and good-hearted, gave the workers good pay because of their heavy workload, and there weren¡¯t any picky and difficult workers at the shop. They yed jokes on each other and enjoyed working. The three Philippine workers among them were also good-hearted and diligent. Thanks to this kind of atmosphere, the woodworking shop was like a family rather than apany. ¡°Hey, Mr. Kim, take a look at this.¡± ¡°Hey, Embar,e over here and hold this for a moment.¡± Whenever they needed a hand, they were willing to help each other. Among them there was one particr man whose name was called more often than anybody else¡¯s in the shop. He was a new young man who got hired less than a year ago. He was called by his first name, unlike other workers who were called by theirst names. ¡°Hyunwoo, give me that piece of wood over there.¡± ¡°Yes, sir, brother.¡± ¡°Hyunwoo, let¡¯s lift this up together.¡± ¡°Sure, let me be with you in a minute.¡± Hyunwoo was like Hong Gildong, a legendary thief famous for making sudden appearances anywhere in Korea in the old days. Whenever they called his name, Hyunwoo would show up, and he went here and there in the shop. Also, they had various reasons for calling for him. Not only did he help them with simple assistant work, but he also helped with heavy-duty work. Besides, whenever something happened, they had the habit of calling for him for no reason. ¡°What the hell. Is this machine working well enough, Hyunwoo?¡± ¡°Looks like thisputer isn¡¯t working, Hyunwoo.¡± ¡°Hey, can you help me, Hyunwoo?¡± Hyunwoo was a troubleshooter. There was no problem he couldn¡¯t solve whenever he helped them. He was busier than anybody else in the shop not only with his own work but also with doing small errands for other workers. ordingly, he was looked upon favorably by everyone. In particr, the owner of the shop, Yun Jongon, had a very favorable view of him. Looking at Hyunwoo being called for by other workers constantly, Yun clicked his tongue and said, ¡°Tut, tut. He might get sick if he works like that. Hey, take a break everybody. Why are you guys so greedy with work?¡± Only then did they check the time. ¡°Ooops. Is it already thiste?¡± ¡°So thirsty. Hyunwoo, can you get us a ss of cold water?¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Hyunwoo raced to the refrigerator. Looking at that, Yun scolded the workers, saying, ¡°You guys are killing him! Don¡¯t drive him too hard. Embar is younger than Hyunwoo and so is Iman. Why are you always giving Hyunwoo a hard time?¡± ¡°Really? Strange enough, I just tend to call his name first whenever I open my mouth in the shop.¡± ¡°Are you serious, Mr. Kim? Me too! When I open my mouth, his namees out automatically. I can¡¯t help it, though...¡± In the meantime, Hyunwoo came back. He handed a cup of cold soda to each worker. ¡°Drink it, please.¡± ¡°You drink it first, brother.¡± After he was done handing the workers drinks, he filled his own cup and moistened his dry throat. They all looked at him as he gulped the soda quickly. Because they all knew that he was quite a busy worker, watching him drink soda like that felt good. ¡°Refreshing!¡± Hyunwoo wiped his mouth with the back of his arm and then began moving. He cleaned the woodcuts and nails scattered on the ground. Because he pitied him, Yun stopped Hyunwoo and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to clean it right now. Just take a break.¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright, sir. They may trip over this if I don¡¯t clean it right now. Let me clean it when I¡¯m not so busy.¡± ¡°Huh? You¡¯re stubborn...¡± Yun couldn¡¯t help butugh at Hyunwoo¡¯s remarks as he looked at him cleaning the ground. Hyunwoo was 30 years old. Despite his age, his fingers were nimble, and he learned new things quickly. Even though he got hired only one year ago, he could freely use any machine and handle repair work as well. His biggest strength was diligence. From morning till night, he hardly took a break. Outsiders would think that he must be having a terrible time because of having a bad boss. His whole body was muscr, typical of a manualborer. Also, he was rather tall at around six feet. People often called tall guys dumb, but Hyun wasn¡¯t. On the contrary, he was shrewd and smart. He¡¯s going to be great at whatever he does, Yun thought to himself. On one hand, Yun was thankful to him, but on the other, he felt pity for him. If he had been born with good parents and learned more... Hyunwoo said that he had done all kinds of work in his early childhood. Yun wasn¡¯t aware of Hyunwoo¡¯s family condition because he hadn¡¯t told him about it in detail. However, Yun thought that being in poverty was the main reason. Had it not been for his bad financial state, there would have been no reason for him to toil like that at the sacrifice of his studies. Thanks to that, he became a jack of all trades but gotbeled as a high-school graduate. There was a big sry gap between a college graduate and a high-school graduate atpanies in Korea. It was beyond imagination to those who hadn¡¯t experienced it. However, academic background was nothing in the woodworking shop where he worked. He could make a lot of money if he worked hard. As a matter of face, Yun nned to sell his shop to someone else at the end of this year. He had made more than enough money, and his children were grown up. It was time he retired. Then, his n changed. He wanted to train someone to be his sessor. In his eyes, Hyunwoo was destined to be a great worker. It wasn¡¯t just because of his ability to learn things and his nimble fingers. Actually, that was only a part of his vast strength. Hyunwoo¡¯s biggest strength was his knack for engaging others. He had a natural knack for bringing anyone he meets to his side. Not only Yun but also Mr. Kim, who was known for his rough attitude, and Mr. Park, a former gangster, blindlyplied with whatever Hyunwoo said. The female owner of Hyunwoo¡¯s favorite restaurant greeted him as if he was her son, and even the owner of the nket shop, who had never given Yun a deal, woulde out and say, ¡°Are you going home now?¡± when he saw him passing by the shop. It really was a mystical attraction. As such, he would be able to ovee his less fortunate environment and fly high in the world if someone helped him out a little more. If Yun had to turn over the shop that he had built during his lifetime to somebody else, he wanted to train a worker like Hyunwoo before turning the business over. Yun giggled to himself. ¡°Huuuuuh. I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t retire because of him. Let me train him quickly so that I can retire and rest.¡± Yun sighed. Wearing wool gloves again, Yun pped his hands as if he was shaking off the dirt. ¡°Shall we get back to work again?¡± The other workers stopped chatting and got back to work. The woodwork shop was noisy again, and they were working hard. It was 6 pm. ¡°Let¡¯s finish it up before dinner,¡± Yun said. As Yun shouted, the workers wrapped up their jobs. Each of them cleared up the woodcuts and the garbage scattered around. Though Hyunwoo had cleaned it once, there was still an enormous amount of trash because of the amount of work they had done. All of them were busy cleaning up at the thought of going back home quickly. Mr. Kim was especially busier today. His son was supposed toe home after taking a few days off from the army. He would be waiting for Mr. Kim at home by now. ¡°Ooops!¡± Because he was moving too quickly, he let arge chunk of wood fall before, and he couldn¡¯t react fast enough. It chopped sharply at the electric cable joint of all things, and the electric cable was as old as Taeyang Woodworking Shop. With a surprised look, Mr. Kim checked the cable. Though it was chopped a bit, it seemed to be normal. He resumed collecting pieces of wood and piled them up in the corner. After he was done, he took a shower and changed his clothes, which made him feel less tired. ¡°Those who want to go home should leave, and those who want to have dinner should follow me. Hyunwoo, you¡¯reing, right?¡± Yun said. ¡°Of course, sir.¡± The workers left the shop. The old electric cable was in one corner of the shop, and it was bing hot because it had been chopped sharply by the woodcut a while ago. However, nobody had noticed it. Grilled beef ribs were on the menu for dinner. Five of them, including Yun and Hyunwoo, went to their favorite restaurant and sat together. Soju, an alcoholic beverage, was a must for dinner like this for manualborers. Yun offered a cup of soju to Hyunwoo. ¡°Won¡¯t you have it?¡± ¡°No, sir. I have to drive at night. Let me offer you one.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Starting off with Yun, Hyunwoo filled the cups of his fellow workers. He ordered a soft drink and filled his ss. ¡°Nice job today!¡± Yun drank it and picked up a piece of kimchi before asking Hyunwoo suddenly, ¡°Are you driving for money today too?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You know you could be risking your life at a moment¡¯s notice, especially when driving while drowsy.¡± Strangely enough, Yun nagged him like this whenever he sat face to face with Hyunwoo, though he decided not to do it this time. ¡°Let me leave early. I have an appointment,¡±Hyunwoo said when he was done eating. Yun and his employees hadn¡¯t eaten half of their meal and soju yet. ¡°Sure. Drive carefully,¡± Yun said. Leaving the restaurant, Hyunwoo headed to the woodworking shop. A big van that was big enough to have 12 people inside was parked on the corner of the shop. It was Hyunwoo¡¯s favorite car, and he had been using for six years already. Because he bought it in used condition, its mileage was more than 170,000 km. However, it was still working well because he took very good care of it. Its engine sound was also soft. ¡°Hope I¡¯m in good hands today,¡± Hyunwoo said to his car. However, he didn¡¯t get in it for some reason. He just felt uneasy and nervous in his mind. He felt as if he had left something valuable behind in the shop. ¡°Did I miss something?¡± He checked his pockets carefully but found that nothing was missing. ¡°Did I work less hard today?¡± He felt like he had worked less hard today. As a rule, he worked his butt off. Otherwise, he would feel a little restless. ¡°Looks like I have to work really hard at my chauffeur job tonight.¡± Hyunwoo finally turned on the car, and the gray van disappeared from the shop softly. It was quiet inside the shop until then, but the old electric cable buried in the ground was bing hotter and hotter. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C After parting with the employees, Yun stopped by a shabby bar. A middle-aged man with thick horn-rimmed sses rose from the seat suddenly and dly greeted him, saying, ¡°I¡¯m here, brother!¡± ¡°I¡¯m a bitte because I had toe here after buying dinner for my workers. Did you wait for a long time?¡± ¡°I just got here too. Drink some soju!¡± Yun received a cup of soju from the man. ¡°By the way, what brought you here? Aren¡¯t you busy?¡± Yun asked. ¡°Well, I just feel heavy in my heart.¡± ¡°Why does your heart feel heavy? It¡¯s not like you¡¯re a president of a middle-sizedpany.¡± ¡°As you know, my daughter is old enough to get married, but it¡¯s not that easy for me to find a suitable man.¡± The middle-aged man shook his head as if he was grumbling. Looking at him, Yunughed and said, ¡°I think what you find difficult isn¡¯t finding someone who can be your daughter¡¯s future husband but finding someone to seed you, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. She is my only child, so I feel like I need to find a suitable son-inw good enough to give my business to.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me you had two candidates in mind?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like both of them. The only person I have some expectations of is my daughter¡¯s friend, who she brought from the United States. I hear he is a smart guy with a degree from Columbia University.¡± ¡°Is he getting a job at yourpany?¡± ¡°Yes, but he has to start from the bottom of thedder. By the way, are you going to close the woodworking shop and retire at the end of the year?¡± ¡°Well, I changed my mind. I¡¯m going to work for several more years.¡± ¡°Why did you do that all of a sudden?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve found a guy who I can turn over the business to. I think I need to work several more years to train him.¡± At that moment, the middle-aged man¡¯s eyes shined. ¡°Really? How old is he? Is he still single?¡± Yun felt as if he could see inside the man¡¯s brain. Not content with having someone from Columbia as a suitable son-inw candidate, he wanted to have even Hyunwoo as another candidate. In face, Yun wanted to introduce Hyunwoo to the man. However, the man was obsessed with one¡¯s academic background. ordingly, he tried his best to send his daughter abroad to study and hoped that his possible son-inw was someone with a good academic background. Yun dusted off his hand with a grin and said, ¡°Never mind! He¡¯s a high-school graduate.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± The middle-aged man¡¯s eyes stopped shining when Yun mentioned that Hyunwoo was only a high-school graduate. Yun was a bit disappointed by that. Though Yun knew that he was that kind of biased person, he just wanted to give him a gentle reproach. ¡°Hey, Mr. Park. There is nobody in the world with perfect qualifications. You have to give up some things. If I were you, I would listen to what my daughter¡¯s opinion. What do you think is more important, yourpany or your daughter¡¯s happiness?¡± Park grinned at that. ¡°I¡¯ll keep it in mind, brother.¡± ¡°By the way, is your business expansion project going well? Don¡¯t you think that you¡¯re doing it too aggressively?¡± ¡°As you know brother, luck and timing are the most important in business. This is a real opportunity...¡± Park reeled off a story about his business as if Yun had asked the right question. However, Yun was thinking about other things at the moment and wasn¡¯t paying much attention to him. By the way, how should I train Hyunwoo? He can¡¯t afford to waste his time being a chauffeur. *** The next morning. Hyunwoo left his home early in the morning. He lived in a vi that was 17-pyong in size on the first floor of an ordinary apartmentplex. It looked old and like it was about to copse at any time. However, Hyunwoo was happy to own it. Of course, his current life was just miserablepared to his affluent life 15 years ago. At that time he led a very affluent life thanks to his father¡¯s prosperous business. But everything they owned had disappeared in a moment. His father¡¯s business copsed overnight when its core technology was taken away by an oil refinerypany. To make matters worse, his parents had a traffic ident, resulting in the loss of their health. At the time, his parents gave up their lives, so they, vowing to die together, tried to go to sleep after lighting coal briquettes inside the house. (Note: CO2 poisoning from burning coal) However, Hyunwoon could not abandon his life. He was very afraid of dying and couldn¡¯t gather the courage to die. Rather, he thought that there was nothing he couldn¡¯t achieve if he could lead a life with that kind of resolve. Wasn¡¯t his father who had said that to him before? So, Hyunwoo persuaded his parents, saying, ¡°There is no difference between dying now and dying sometimeter. I¡¯d like to live with determination. Please give me an opportunity.¡± At that time, Hyunwoo was only two years into middle school. His parents felt hopeful after hearing their son¡¯s resolve. Though his father couldn¡¯t work because of severe damage to his spine, his mother got a job at a side-dish shop. She frequently had to be absent from work because of diabetes, which she had developed after the traffic ident. However, she had been able to keep her job for ten years now because she was so good at making side dishes. Since then, Hyunwoo became the head of household. He was constantly on the move to make money. He worked hard day and night, thinking that he would rather die while working than die together with his parents. Thanks to his hard work, he could buy a house under his name, though it was shabby. Also, he purchased some stocks, and the remaining bnce on his bank ount wasn¡¯t a small amount. It was 3 am when he went back home after working as a chauffeur. He was supposed to report to work at 7 am. Though he only slept a little more than three hours, he wasn¡¯t tired at all because he was used to this kind of living. Hyunwoo reported to work with a light heart, but he couldn¡¯t do anything. ¡°What the hell happened? What the heck...?¡± Taeyang Woodworking Shop was gone. What was left of the building was burnt ck, and smoke was smoldering from it. Devastated by the fire, Yun and the workers were looking at the burnt site with vacant expressions. The only thing he could do wasfort Yun, who was dejected, for a while and go back home. Hyunwoo submitted his resume to manypanies for a job. In the meantime, he went mountain climbing as a ginseng digger. Mountain climbing as a ginseng digger began by chance when he had been a high school boy. When he entered high school, he worked as a part-time model for men¡¯s clothing because he was tall, handsome, and had a masculine face. One of the male models at that time happened to be a ginseng digger. While he was conversing with Hyunwoo, he rmended working as a ginseng digger to Hyunwoo after hearing about his life. ¡°There is nothing better than working as a ginseng digger to make money if you can manage your free time well, though it is a bit dangerous.¡± ¡°Can I make a lot of money?¡± ¡°It depends on luck. For me, I make more than 2 million won per month even if I work only on weekends.¡± ¡°Wow! Making that much money by working only on weekends? Can I follow you and learn about it?¡± Since then, he began following the man and became an amateur ginseng digger. With more than ten years of experience under his belt, Hyunwoo became an expert to the point that he could be called a professional ginseng digger. Selling wild ginseng, bellflowers, and mountain herbs generated a lot more money than a typical job at apany. Three days after the fire burnt down the woodworking shop, he got a call from Yun. ¡°Can you see me for a moment if you aren¡¯t busy?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯lle to you right now.¡± Yun was waiting for him at an underground teahouse. When Hyunwoo sat down, the waitress brought tea. Yun didn¡¯t open his mouth until then. The longer they were silent, the heavier the atmosphere became. After being silent for a while, Yun barely opened his mouth, but it was inaudible. ¡°I think I was too greedy.¡± ¡°Did you say ¡®greedy?''¡± Was there anybody in the world who wasn¡¯t greedy? The only difference was the degree of their greed. To Hyunwoo¡¯s knowledge, Yun was a man with little greed. He wasn¡¯t the kind of man who would ruin his business because of greed. Also, what did the fire have anything to do with his greed? However, Yun closed his mouth after having said that and looked at Hyunwoo quietly. I think I must have been absent-minded for a moment because I thought that I would be able to keep a talented man like you in my small world. ¡°.....?¡± You¡¯re not the kind of person who should stay in a small world like this. You should venture into the wider world. I think the heavens punished me because I was too greedy. ¡°Are you alright, sir?¡± Yun didn¡¯t show any reaction. Hyunwoo was worried about him now. The fire must have left deep scars on him. Of course, it was quite natural. Hadn¡¯t he spent his entire life on the workshop? He must have gone crazy because it had turned into a pile of ashes. However, Yun wasn¡¯t that shocked that the shop had burned down. Though it was regrettable, he would¡¯ve closed the shop anyway without Hyunwoo. The reason Yun was so sad was because he would be separated from his workers. Now, it was time he parted ways with them. In particr, he regretted having to part ways with Hyunwoo. Yun took out an envelope from his inside pocket and put it on the table. ¡°What is this, sir?¡± ¡°It¡¯s your severance pay.¡± ¡°What?¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide all of a sudden. Yun continued as if he wanted Hyunwoo just to listen, ¡°I gave the other workers severance pay too, but I gave more to you. You deserve it because you worked three times as much as the others.¡± ¡°Still, it¡¯s too much...¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t refuse it when ites from a senior like me. Just take it. I¡¯d feel better if you took it.¡± Yun cut off Hyunwoo¡¯s response. Because of how determined Yun was, Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t open his mouth. ¡°You know Aurum, right?¡± ¡°Are you talking about the furniturepany, sir?¡± Yun nodded his head. Hyunwoon knew about thepany well. Though it was a middle-sizedpany, it was well known in the furniture business, and it was featured in TV ads often. ¡°I hear that they¡¯re hiring new workers these days. What do you think? Are you interested?¡± ¡°Aurum?¡± He felt that he could work all his life at a goodpany like Aurum. There was no reason for him to refuse to work there if he could. However, was it possible for a high school graduate like Hyunwoo to get in there? ¡°As an old hand in this field, I know its president a bit. If you¡¯re interested, let me rmend you to him.¡± Hyunwoo was busy finding a new job anyway. Yun¡¯s remarks were more valuable than the severance pay to him. Hyun opened his eyes wide and felt expectation welling up within him. ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t expect too much. Though you will be hired, you won¡¯t get much pay because you¡¯re a high school graduate.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. Thank you so much.¡± Hyunwoo bowed his head to Yun. Looking at him, Yun hesitated for a moment. Should I tell him about thepany president¡¯s daughter? Though there was a remote possibility, they could develop a good rtionship through pure luck. Any person in his right mind would quickly find there to be no better son-inw than Hyunwoo. Yun shut his mouth when he thought that far. Yes, if it¡¯s meant to be, they will develop a good rtionship even if I don¡¯t initiate like this. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C Three days after he met Yun, he got a message from Aurum that he shouldn¡¯t bete for his job interview. The interview took ce five days since then. Though he had been jobless for more than ten days, he had been busier than when he worked at Taeyang Woodworking Shop. He moved around as a ginseng digger during the day and worked as a chauffeurte into the night. The interview date was up. Aurum¡¯s factory and office were in the outskirts of Ansan city. Using public transportation, he could arrive at the factory in an hour from his home. When he arrived there, there were quite a few candidates already there for the interview. Oh, there are more than 40 candidates here. Actually, there must have been many more applicants because the hiring manager filtered them out after reviewing their resumes. After all, only three applicants were going to be hired. Even though it was a middle-sizedpany, thepetition rate was high among the applicants because of its prosperous business. The interview was conducted for two candidates at one time. The interview time was rather long. It took more than ten minutes to conduct an interview for one group of candidates, and it seemed that the interview was tricky because the candidates came out of the interview with their faces deadly pale. It was the same for the next group of interviewees. Once they came out of the interview, they were sweating and shook their heads. Even though Hyunwoo tried to stay calm, he just got nervous when he saw them. ¡°Mr. Jang Hyunwoo and Mr. Oh Sangho,e on in!¡± I¡¯m alright. No big deal. Everything will be alright because president Yun has already put in a good word for me. Trying to stay calm, Hyunwoo went into the interview room. He took a nce at Oh, another interviewee. With milky-white skin, Oh was just like a noble prince. He was wearing sses with a lean frame, which made him look very intellectual and sharp. There were five interviewers in the room. Three were middle-aged, and the other two were a man and a woman, both young like Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes were naturally turned toward the young woman interviewer. She was so good-looking that any man would be tempted by her. However, her personality didn¡¯t look good. Reclining on a chair, she expressed boredom openly by yawning sometimes and even went as far as giggling at Hyunwoo¡¯s resume. On the contrary, she smiled at Oh, expressing her personal friendliness to him by waving her hand. It looked like she wasn¡¯t conscious of the other interviewers at all. Nheless, nobody stopped her. That was enough to make Hyunwoo feel her rank in thepany. Looks like she is the daughter of thepany¡¯s president. Are they lovers? If that¡¯s the case, this guy must be guaranteed to be hired, Hyunwoo thought. This time, Hyunwoo cast his eyes at a young male interviewer. Because he became an interviewer at a young age, he must¡¯vee up from the ranks in thepany, Hyunwoo thought. Suddenly Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes became wide because the young interviewer was familiar to him. Actually, it was much more than that. Hyunwoo used to be very close to him. ¡®Kim Yonggu?¡¯ Hyunwoo¡¯s rtionship with Yonggu among his other friends was very special. Both went to the same elementary, middle school, and high-school. Also, both were in the same ss at their schools as many as four times. They were temporarily separated when Hyunwoo moved to Ansan from Seoul. However, Yonggu moved to a rich vige in Ansan by chance, attending the same high school with him. Before Hyunwoo moved, their houses were located right next to each other¡¯s, so they went to school together. Watching them walking together, many envied them, saying, ¡°You guys must feel great because you¡¯re not lonely.¡± In short, they could be considered best friends. However, that¡¯s only indicative of what they looked like on the surface. Actually, they were not that close. Rather their rtion was bad. Even though Hyunwoo didn¡¯t particrly hate Yonggu, Yonggu would provoke him for no reason. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t go to school with Yonggu because he wanted to. Just because their houses were located next to each other, their parents forced them to go to school together. In particr, since Hyunwoo¡¯s family had an ident, Yonggu tantly ignored and harassed him. During high school, Yonggu formed a group and even assaulted him. Even now, Yonggu showed the same attitude toward him. Yonggu was gazing at his face with sharp eyes. The corners of his mouth turned up at the edges as if he was saying, ¡®Hey, dude, I¡¯ve got you now!¡¯ What the heck was the reason? There was no way for Hyunwoo to find out. Though Hyunwoon didn¡¯t do anything good to him, he didn¡¯t do anything wrong, either. Despite that, Yonggu seemed to treat him as an enemy all the time. After take a quick look at his resume, Yonggu asked Hyunwoo a question that was rted to the contents of his resume. ¡°Mr. Jang Hyunwoo, do you know about Incoterms?¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo felt he was freaking out. It was a term that he had never heard of before. He didn¡¯t know what the term meant. Because he was so embarrassed, Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t recall the term he had just heard. ¡®Inco...what did he say?¡¯ When Hyunwoo hesitated, Yonggu asked again as if he was trying to bully him. It looked like the kind of pressure interview he had heard about before. ¡°Do you know or not? You have to answer.¡± Hyunwoo became even more embarrassed. He just didn¡¯t know how to answer. ¡°Mr. Jang Hyunwoo, are you here for pleasure? Do you think this interview is just a joke? Why are you not answering?¡± Yonggu continued to press him hard as if he was determined to push him to the edge of the cliff. ¡°Just say Yes or No. Can¡¯t you say that?¡± As he pushed more and more, Hyunwoo felt he was sliding into a swamp. No matter how he tried to calm down, Yonggu didn¡¯t give him a chance to do so. At that moment, Yonggu¡¯s said a word that hit his head, and it was if he threw cold water over him. ¡°Are you scared, Mr. Jang Hyunwoo? How can you work at apany when you don¡¯t have guts?¡± ¡®What did you say? I¡¯m scared?¡¯ Suddenly, Hyunwoo got offended. He suddenly got morefortable. What the heck! Why should I be afraid while taking an interview? What is the big deal even if I fail or seed here? Actually, Yonggu was always behind Hyunwoo in terms of academic performance until their middle school days. Hyunwoo topped the ss, while Yonggu was always second in the ss because of him. It was the same for their athletic games and their ssmates¡¯ perception of them. Of course, everything was overturned when Hyunwoo¡¯s parents had a traffic ident when he was still in middle school. Still, Hyunwoo thought he couldn¡¯t get cold feet before a guy like Yonggu. Okay, I¡¯ve always led a life with the determination even to die. How can I be scared about this kind of thing? Let me do this my way. Hyunwoo, whose eyes were trembling, regained calmness before he knew it. ¡°That¡¯s a term I don¡¯t know.¡± The corners of Yonggu¡¯s mouth turned up at the edges unusually. ¡°You don¡¯t know it? Are you boasting about it? If you applied for a position in the Purchase Section, don¡¯t you think you should understand that word beforeing to the interview?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what they are doing in the Purchasing Section. I will start to learn the necessary things from now on.¡± ¡°Oh my god. How can you apply for the position when you don¡¯t even know what people do in the Purchase Section? Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re just dumb?¡± Yonggu now began to use even less sensitive words without any hesitation. It was clear he wanted to dwarf his mind. The more he tried to do so, however, the more Hyunwoo straightened his back. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m dumb because of that.¡± He felt the interviewer¡¯s attitude changed a bit at his confident tone. Even the young female interviewer, who had been bored this entire time, lifted her eyes to look at Hyunwoo. However, Hyunwoo only focused on Yonggu, continuing with a confident tone, ¡°I think what thispany needs is my experience and capability. If thepany judges me to be useful, then you can hire me. Don¡¯t you think that I can learn things about the Purchase section from the moment I¡¯m hired?¡± ¡°Are you talking back to me now?¡± Yonggu asked as if he was scolding him, but Hyunwoo didn¡¯t shrink back at all. ¡°I¡¯m just replying your question.¡± Yonggu asked many other questions after that, but Hyunwoo answered without any hesitation. He was just like someone who had memorized all the answers after receiving the test in advance. In some aspects, he could be seen as rude. As the question and answer session continued, Hyunwoo¡¯s attitude became even more bold out of the thought that it was much better to be aggressive than defensive. Did it make any effect? The interviewers started looking at him differently as time passed. It was especially more so for the female interviewer, who thought to herself, Interesting. He looks like an untamed wild horse. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C After Hyunwoo was done with the interview, they proceeded with the interview with Mr. Oh Sangho, who was next to him. The way they interviewed him was totally different. The interviewer was different from the start. It was the female interviewer, not Yonggu. Also, they only asked him two questions. The questions and answers were very simple. ¡°Are you here permanently?¡± ¡°Yes, only three days has passed since I got here.¡± ¡°How is your life at the efficiency department?¡± ¡°I¡¯m satisfied. I¡¯m thankful to Ms. Minhey.¡± Oh and the female interviewer smiled at each other. That was it when it came to Oh¡¯s interview. ¡°Thank you. You can leave now.¡± At that moment, the middle-aged man sitting in the far left corner of the room cut off Yonggu. The interviewer, who had a generous and thoughtful look, said out of the blue, ¡°Wait a moment. Mr. Jang Hyunwoo, stay here. Bring in only one more candidate.¡± Hyunwoo nced at the generous interviewer. It was clear that he was the senior interviewer here because the other interviewers became nervous after he said this. He looked like the president of thepany. I think I have to be alert this time. No, no, what¡¯s the big deal about apany president? I can think of him like a customer when I¡¯m a chauffeur. Okay, let me take him to his destinationfortably. While Hyunwoo was gathering his determination, another applicant came in and sat next to him. He smelled the delicate fragrance of a flower from the woman applicant, something that made one imagine a in-looking woman. He almost turned his head toward her. What kind of face does she have? Does she have long hair? Does she have smooth skin? Does she have pure eyes? Does she have red and beautiful lips?¡¯ He mobilized all his imaginative power in his head to imagine her face. He was just anxious to see her face directly. But he could feel that she had a very beautiful face even without looking at her, for he could see the brighter expression of the interviewers. They opened their eyes wide when the woman applicant entered the room before they even knew it. In particr, Yonggu was the most noticeable. His eyes were glittering, and his tone was much different now. The woman applicant¡¯s answer was crystal clear. Her clear tone, which made one think of a voice actor, was so confident and pleasant that it seemed to win over the minds of not only the interviewers but also Hyunwoo. Asking her enough questions, Yonggu nced at the other interviewers¡¯ expression a bit, suggesting that she was more than enough to be hired. Only then did the generous interviewer open his mouth, saying, ¡°Ms. Min Suji, what do you think about discriminating against academic background in apany? For example, do you think you have to treat high school graduates, college graduates, and those with MA and Ph. D degrees the same way? Or, do you believe there should be a difference in their treatment?¡± ¡°I think the treatment should be based on the worker¡¯s job performance, not on the worker¡¯s academic background or sex.¡± Min Suji offered a clear answer this time, too. Hyunwoo really liked her way of speaking and thinking. But it seemed the generous interviewer had a different thinking. ¡°What do you think about the candidates¡¯ work experience, then? Do you believe they should be judged only by their job performance regardless of their work experience?¡± ¡°Those with work experience contributed to theirpanies through their service, and they should be given credit for that because the new hires could think ¡®I would¡¯ve worked long enough for thispany if I wanted to get that level of treatment.¡¯ In that respect, they should duly be given credit for that.¡± Hyunwoo thought her reply was wise. If he had been asked the same question, he wouldn¡¯t have answered like that. However, the generous interviewer was persistent, contrary to his generous image. He continued to use her own words to question her. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you can apply the same standard to the candidates¡¯ academic background? Don¡¯t you think that they should receive credit because the years of their studies could be of help to thepany? When they get credit, don¡¯t you think the potential hires should be more prepared before applying?¡± Min Suji was suddenly speechless. After thinking hard, she barely opened her mouth and wasn¡¯t so confident this time. ¡°I think so. I didn¡¯t think about that aspect.¡± Though it was regrettable that she couldn¡¯t dispute what he had said, she still stated her opinion clearly. It wasn¡¯t easy for her to admit her own mistake. ¡°Ms. Min Suji, how would you treat someone with a high school diploma if he got hired with you at the same time?¡± ¡°I would help him get adjusted to thepany quickly.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°I would think that he would clearlyck the professional knowledge needed. I would share my knowledge with him.¡± ¡°And then?¡± ¡°These days, most new hires are college graduates, so those with high school diplomas would feel rtively alienated. So, I would make sure that he wouldn¡¯t feel that way.¡± Min Suji seemed to regain the confidence that she had shown before. She answered all of the questions without any hesitation. On the other hand, Hyunwoo¡¯s face was bing harder. The questions and answers exchanged between the interviewer and Min Suji were all about Hyunwoo. The interviewer¡¯s questions might be directed at Hyunwoo, not her. Now, the generous interviewer threw questions at Hyunwoo this time. ¡°Mr. Jang Hyunwoo, what do you think about her replies?¡± ¡°I think her replies were quite standard. I think my life at thepany will be pleasant if I met such a colleague.¡± Hyunwoo answered frankly. He found his head naturally turning toward Min Suji. Min happened to be turning her head toward him, too. Hyunwoon felt as if he had swallowed icy water at that moment. She was very beautiful. Maybe he felt that way because of her thoughts about him. Her fragrance when she came into the room, her voice, and the question and answer session between her and the interviewer helped him think about her this way. She had a natural beauty that didn¡¯t need any deep facial makeup. She had a vor of delicate, not colorful, personality. She was more beautiful now than it would¡¯ve been possible for her to have been if he had seen her before the interview. She was the kind of woman who could forgive someone¡¯s silly mistake with her soft smile. Min Suji was exactly that kind of type. ¡°Then, what can you do for the colleague who gets hired with you?¡± Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t answer at the moment. Min Suji wascking in nothing in his eyes. Wasn¡¯t it natural that he would make up for it when she showed somethingcking? He felt like she was superior to him in every aspect. When he thought about it, therein lied the purpose of the president¡¯s question. Hyunwoo wascking in many thingspared to other applicants, including Min Suji. His academic background wasn¡¯t enough, and his knowledge was too low. He got the impression that the president thought how an applicant like him could think of being hired merely through an introduction by his friend. In other words, that meant he should bow out if he realized his limits. However, Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t be persuaded. Though he wasn¡¯t well versed in the trading business, he clearly had some strength of his own. He wanted to make it clear even if he didn¡¯t get hired. ¡°I¡¯ve had lots of experience at the factory. I think my experience could be of help to you.¡± ¡°Of course, it could. I wonder how much your experience would be helpful to those at the purchase department though. Do you have any other strengths?¡± Hyunwoo had the enthusiasm, but his answer was poor. He found himself miserable. But he didn¡¯t want to show them his defensive posture. Also he had to take into ount the dignity of the president of Taeyang Woodworking Shop, Yun. Yun introduced Hyunwoo to him, saying he was an excellent worker. If he showed the impression that he was a miserable guy, that would cause Yun trouble anyway. Hyunwoo had to be confident to the end. It didn¡¯t matter whether they recognized him or not. He had to show them clearly that he was qualified enough to have been rmended by Yun. ¡°I¡¯ve got a license as a coffee barrister. If my colleague loves coffee, I can make him or her happy by brewing coffee.¡± ¡°And then?¡± ¡°I¡¯m good at cooking. I would take on the job of cooking meat at any eating get-together. I¡¯ve also got a license as a yoga instructor. If needed, I can make a yoga club and teach them.¡± The generous interviewer was being patient, and Hyunwoo spoke about what he had to say as much as he could. In a way, some of what he said had nothing to do with working at thepany, but he didn¡¯t lie. Hyunwoo was done talking. The generous interviewer didn¡¯t give any assessment on him. All he did was nod his head lightly several times. Instead, he asked a different question, ¡°This is myst question. What is your dream, Mr. Jang Hyunwoo?¡± Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C Dream! That one word made Hyunwoo think of his youth. Of course he had a dream, and even now he had one. However, there was a big difference between his dream now and his dream in the past. While going through life, his dream kept changing. His dream as a middle school boy was money. He thought money was the only way he could regain hope for his dejected parents. His dream as a high school boy was revenge. Revenge against the huge oil refinerypany that stole away his father¡¯s new technology and ruined hispany. But his dream now was different. Money? Hyunwoo sometimes made lots of money while working lots of different jobs. Once, he gambled and invested in stocks. He made big money and lost it. Along the way, he realized that money wasn¡¯t that important. No matter how much money one had, those who were destined to be unhappy were unhappy. However poor one was, those who were destined to be happy were happy. Money wasn¡¯t the kind of thing one could make even if one targets it as one¡¯s goal. Money would juste along when one worked hard. Revenge was a silly dream when he looked back. Since he had revenge as his dream, he had lived while gnashing his teeth. Suchbative thoughts as How can I bring him down? How can I kill him? filled his mind all the time. It was only natural that he couldn¡¯t afford to be happy. Day by day his resentment and hatred grew bigger and bigger. Then, something came to his mind all of a sudden. Can I really feel happy if I take revenge? He didn¡¯t think of the possibility of carrying out his revenge. He imagined the president and executives of the oil refinerypany kneeling down and begging right before his eyes after ruining thepany. He would really feel great at that very moment, but nothing would be different. He felt he would feel rather empty after that. Once he was done taking revenge, he would be destined to be a worthless man who had lost his goal. Because it was such a vain thing, he found himself wandering for a while while toying with that idea. Since then, he began shaking off his obsession with revenge little by little. Of course, he didn¡¯t want to forgive them but found another dream for his own sake. And recently, he found a new dream. I will be the light of the world. In a way, it was an absurd dream. Obviously, it was an ideal dream to be dreamt by a saint. There were more people than one expected who also had this dream, and some of them tried to make ite true. Actually, Hyunwoo experienced it several times. It was to sacrifice himself for someone else¡¯s dream and hope. Sometimes he sacrificed money, and sometimes he sacrificed time. The sense of happiness he felt at the time was really enormous, something those who didn¡¯t experience it would never know. Of course, he didn¡¯t tell people about it. Ordinary people tended to take such sacrifices as fake, and he didn¡¯t do it to show off to others anyway. So, he made another dream that he could tell others. ¡°My dream is to make three genuine friends who I can spend time with for the rest of my life.¡± When Hyunwoo answered, the generous interviewer nodded his head. ¡°It¡¯s a good dream. Thanks for the interview.¡± Hyunwoo and Min Suji went out of the interview room. The generous interviewer looked at them with a light smile on his lips. ¡°Come to think of it, president Yun isn¡¯t a man who behaves frivolously.¡± If Yun said Hyunwoo was a fine person, he must be one who couldn¡¯t be doubted. He might be a youth with much more potential than the president saw at the interview. Originally, a fine person was supposed to show his real potential over time. In the meantime, Hyunwoo felt sad. ¡°I failed it.¡± It was obvious. How could he go to the interview without knowing what kind of work he would do. It was just stupid on his part. And when he thought about it, he thought his replies were stupid. Stupid enough to say he could make coffee, cook meat, teach yoga, and teach mountain climbing for his colleague, etc. Though he felt humiliated, there was something he learned, though. At least he could feel the atmosphere of a mid-sizedpany. Yes, I¡¯m the type of guy who fits at the factory. It¡¯s best for me to do manual work. Comforting himself like that, Hyunwoo went back home. It was alreadyte afternoon. On his way back home, he saw some middle school and high school students going back home after ss. ¡°Did you go somewhere?¡± It was Huh¡¯s voice, the old man he knew. Though he had no special ties with him, he ran into him often because they were in the same neighborhood. On such asions, he didn¡¯t forget to exchange greetings with Huh, which made them close like rtives. ¡°Yes, sir. Did you have lunch?¡± ¡°I did. You look great in that suit.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°Howe you wore a suit today?¡± Mrs. Kim, who lived across his apartment building, said. He once helped her out when she had been struggling to park her car. She pretended to be close to him and would smile whenever she saw him. Mr. Park, another old man, and the supermarket owner also exchanged greetings with him. The students in his neighborhood also did as well. ¡®How are you?¡± ¡°No make-up ss, today?¡± ¡°What is it? Can you eat it?¡± ¡°Haha..dude¡± There was almost nobody in his neighborhood who didn¡¯t know him. Even if somebody didn¡¯t know him, just a simple exchange of greetings made them acquaintances right away. Most of the neighborhood residents, a bit embarrassed, try to remember his face when Hyunwoo say hello to them. ¡°Hello, sir¡± Whenever he met senior people, he would say hello. While heading home, he suddenly saw a high school girl squatting in front of an apartment. Hyunwoo knew her face. Did she say her name was Junga? She lived in the same apartment building as him. Though she was born into a poor family, she grew up as a good and cheerful girl, and she was praised a lot by her neighbors. However, she looks sad today. Given her eyes are wet, it looks like she had been crying. ¡°Hi, what happened to you?¡± When Hyunwoo spoke to her, she stood up quickly, wiping her tears. ¡°Nothing, nothing.¡± She then went into her apartment but didn¡¯t go into her room. She just moved to avoid his eyes. When he nced at her, she seemed to be crying again. What the hell is wrong with her? He couldn¡¯t bring himself to follow her to the steps and ask. However close he was to her, he could be mistaken as a sexual harasser if something went wrong. He headed home without thinking about it further. When he turned back suddenly, however, he saw another girl circling around Junga. Though he didn¡¯t know her, he could recognize her face thanks to Junga. Maybe she could recognize his face, too. Hyunwoo gestured to her toe. A little hesitant, she walked up to him. ¡°You are Junga¡¯s friend, right? What¡¯s wrong with her?¡± When he asked she opened her mouth cautiously and said, ¡°She could have gone the private tutoring academy starting today.¡± ¡°Private tutoring academy?¡± Junga¡¯s dream was to be a video designer. It wasn¡¯t a vague dream. It was her desperate dream. Though she could give up her studies, she couldn¡¯t abandon her dream as a video designer at all. So, she collected money for the private academy by doing part-time work whenever she could find time. It was inevitable for her to do so under her poor family situation. However, it was impossible now. Her father had been ripped off, which made her family condition more miserable. If she didn¡¯t contribute with the money she had reserved for the private academy, her family had no choice but to be kicked out on the street immediately. It was really a heartbreaking episode. Because she was a sincere, hardworking, and bright girl, he felt even more pity for her. She had great potential and would go far if somebody would give her a leg up. ¡°How much is the tuition for the private academy?¡± Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C ¡°It¡¯s 300,000 won per month.¡± ¡°When should she pay the money at thetest?¡± She cast a suspicious look when Hyunwoo asked her inquisitively. She answered, though, expecting he might pay for her. ¡°By today.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the name of the private academy?¡± ¡°Hansem Arts Academy.¡± ¡°Can you do an errand for me?¡± ¡°What kind of errand...¡± ¡°Let me pay for her fee, so go to the academy with Junga.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Her eyes opened wide. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t let Junga know about it. Let me ask the teacher at the private academy to tell Junga that she was chosen as a candidate to receive a tuition-free schrship. Just keep attending the academy with her. Hurry up, or you will bete.¡± Hyunwoo pushed her back. Though there was an expression on her face that said she didn¡¯t believe him, she headed to Junga at his repeated pushing. Hyunwoo, too, headed home and called Hansem Arts Academy. The teacher at the Academy was also aware of Jung¡¯s financial condition. Saying she also thought it too regrettable that Junga had to stop given her excellent talent, the teacher expressed gratitude to Hyunwoo repeatedly. ¡°Instead, keep it a secret to Junga,¡± Hyunwoo said. ¡°Yes, will do. Let me tell her she has been chosen as a schrship winner. Thanks so much.¡± ¡°Can you give me the bank ount of your academy?¡± Hyunwoo turned on theputer and opened his inte banking ount. He checked the remaining bnce. It was over 50,000,000 won. That meant he only focused on making money without spending it. There was a time Hyunwoo felt happy seeing the number on the screen bing bigger. However, his thinking changed once he realized something at some point. You¡¯re making money not to save but to spend. The kind of rich man he had in mind wasn¡¯t someone who just saved lots of money but one who spent lots of money. If someone spends only 100 million won during his lifetime after saving 10 billion won, then his wealth is only 100 million won. Of course, there was something more important than spending. That was how to spend. Hyunwoo tried to spend money in terms of its value, not amount. 7,000 won food and 70,000 won food. There is a high possibility that the quality of food or a restaurant will be proportionate to the price, but its value will change depending on who eats the food for what reason. For example, it might bepared to the value of the 10,000 won food a child eats reluctantly and the 100 won food served to an African child about to starve to death. Junga¡¯s tuition fee of 310,000 won wasn¡¯t that different. It was only 310,000 won in value to Hyunwoo now but invaluable to Junga. It could be 30 million won or 3 billion won in value, depending on Junga¡¯s future. At least she could use the money several times better than he could. Was there any business that could generate more profits than this? It was like increasing the money by the hundreds while sitting idle. Was there any better chance than this? Hyunwoo even felt nervous that someone else might take it away. Hyunwoo wired the tuition fee quickly. He felt relieved when he thought about how happy Junga would be. It looked like everything would work out alright. That pleasant feeling he felt was more than 310,000 won in value. As he felt good, his lips formed a smile before he even knew it. After a brief walk outside, his mother asked while smiling like him, ¡°Do you have any good news?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t feel happier seeing you in good health. I¡¯m just happy.¡± She giggled and said, ¡°Boy, don¡¯t say that. How did the interview go?¡± He felt a sting in his conscience out of the blue. No matter how hard he thought, the interview was the worst. It seemed impossible that he would pass it. However, he didn¡¯t need to tell her about it exactly because it would worry her. Sometimes, a good lie was necessary. ¡°Of course. They were mesmerized when they looked at my resume. They werepletely crazy about me.¡± Hyunwoo boasted about it like that. Her face brightened at that moment. ¡°Yes, I trusted you, son. I think I have a good son. When are you reporting to work then?¡± ¡°Well, they want me to, but I don¡¯t feel like it. I want to give it some thought before making the final decision.¡± ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you like thepany?¡± ¡°Well, they want me do join the trading business. I¡¯ve got no experience in that field.¡± She nodded her head. Though she was smiling with effort, there was something bitter in her expression. It looked like she had already sensed that he was lying. However, she pocketed her feelings. ¡°Okay, you made a good decision. Don¡¯t go if you don¡¯t like it. You can get a job at anypany.¡± ¡°Yea, let me think it over while searching for a better job.¡± Two dayster. Hyunwoo received a notification on his cell phone. It was from Aurum. It said he had to report to work starting next monday because he was hired by thepany. It was a notification that he hadn¡¯t expected at all. Given the atmosphere at the interview, he had thought that he had surely failed When Hyunwoo made a suspicious look, his mother approached him and asked, ¡°What kind of call was it?¡± ¡°It was from Aurum where I had an interview some time ago. They are begging me toe to theirpany. What should I do? Can I wait several more days?¡± Her mother¡¯s eyes became wide. She thought he had failed because he had said something negative. It looked like thepany really wanted Hyunwoo. ¡°You should report to work, of course. Don¡¯t you think about their consideration for you? Also, you should also have a lifelong job.¡± ¡°Really? Since you say so, let me give it some thought. I can move to another ce if I don¡¯t like thepany after working there.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s good.¡± She patted him on the shoulder as if she was proud of him. Hyunwoo made a fresh resolution, clenching his fist lightly. ¡®Okay, let me start fresh from now on.¡¯ 2. Test of a new hire His first day at Aurum Co. Everybody weed Hyunwoo. With a bright smile, Yonggu asked for a handshake. ¡°I¡¯m d to work with you. Let¡¯s go!¡± More than anybody else, Yonggu¡¯s handshake was wee to him. Also, he felt thankful that Yonggu treated him as a friend. Though he was a friend on the outside, he was clearly his senior inside thepany. Hyunwoo folded his hands and bent his waist, saying, ¡°Hope I¡¯m in good hands.¡± ¡°This is your desk, and Ms. Min Suji¡¯s desk is....¡± Yonggu escorted the new hires to their desks by himself. The two other who got hired at the same time were Oh Sangho, a graduate of Columbia University, and Min Suji, who made a strong impression at the interview. The office took on a spirited atmosphere thanks to the new hires. However, that was all. When Yonggu sat in his chair, the other workers didn¡¯t pay any attention to the new hires. Even though it was still morning, everyone was busy. The new hires were treated like invisible men from that moment. They weren¡¯t given any chores or spoken to at all. It was as if the existing employees made some kind of promise to do so. Feeling awkward without any particr work to do, Min Suji and Oh Sangho began turning over the books on the shelves in their desks. Hyunwoo quietly asked the senior in the opposite desk, ¡°Manager Han Sanghun, what am I supposed to do?¡± ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have a particr assignment at the moment. Just check the regtions.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Like Min and Oh, Hyunwoo looked at the books on the bookshelf. Some of them were familiar to him, such as Excel and Hangul, but there were strange ones too, such as Practical Trading, Practical ounting, Free Trade Agreement, etc. Because he wanted to challenge something new rather than something familiar, he picked up a book with a long title. It was about the Free Trade Agreement(FTA) regtions he heard before. He began reading the regtions but found it hard to read more than 30 minutes. Because he had no pre-knowledge about the FTA, each of the terms was difficult for him to understand. He just felt it boring because he didn¡¯t know why he should read the book. Though he took the pains to read it, he felt like it was just a waste of time. He felt as if he was studying derivatives and integrals without learning about the four fundamental arithmetic operations. Hyunwoo felt like he couldn¡¯t put up with it. If there was no work to do, he had to go around to find it, and that was his way of working. Okay, I shouldn¡¯t agonize over it. Let me just take up the work as I see it. When Han was about to copy a lot of paper, Hyunwoo approached him quickly, saying, ¡°Let me copy them for you.¡± Han cast a suspicious look at him. Hyunwoo took away the papers from him, ¡°I¡¯m alright. This kind of job is to be done by someone like me who idles away.¡± Only then did Han hand the papers over to him and point to the portion that needed to be copied. ¡°Really? Please copy from here to here then. Make the copies clean because I have to include them in my report to the team leader.¡± ¡°Got it, sir.¡± Hyunwoo thought this was it. From that moment, he rushed to anybody who needed even a little help. Zeroxing and faxing papers were the most frequent tasks, followed by moving heavy stuff and recing files. Though there wasn¡¯t enough work to do, he still busied himself with helping them because it made him feel a bitfortable. Of course, he wasn¡¯t just focused on helping them. While he helped with copying and faxing, he took a careful examination of the papers. The papers were all in English from beginning to end. There wasn¡¯t a single paper in Hangul, the Korean alphabet. However, that wasn¡¯t a problem. Though he was only a high school graduate, he had worked very hard in high school. He had worked especially hard in the subject he like the most, English. Besides, he spent some time together with the Philippine workers at the woodworking shop, and they only spoke English. Though hismand of English wasn¡¯t close to that of a native speaker, he wasn¡¯t afraid of English. The most voluminous papers were thosebeled INVOICE. He saw lots of packing lists, B/Ls, certificates of export deration, and certificates of import deration. However, that was as far as he could go. He couldn¡¯t figure out what they were. The office atmosphere was weird, though. The more Hyunwoo helped other employees, the more suspicious they got. Even those who got his help didn¡¯t show an expression of thankfulness. Rather, they were worried about him. ¡°He can¡¯t afford to help others if he has to understand his own work.¡± Yonggu was no expeception. Like assistant manager Jo Daeyoung, he mocked him. ¡°He must be a fool who can¡¯t find his own ce.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. If he acts like that, he will be forced out without making it during his internship period.¡± ¡°Internship period? In my mind, it looks like he won¡¯t stand it for even one month. As soon as he is entrusted with the main work, he will flee with his hands up.¡± ¡°Yea, I guess so. Hut hut..¡± Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t understand Yonggu and Jo Daeyoung¡¯s attitude. Why should he be the subject of mockery when he is working hard? Also, this was Hyunwoo¡¯s own way of getting to know his new work. Because the fundamental knowledge of his work was low, he could understand it faster if he checked the practical papers while helping the workers. Hyunwoo thought he was right. He didn¡¯t care about the way anybody looked at him. He reported to work earlier than anybody else, cleaned the office, and was the first to give help when someone asked for it. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ve promised to keep it a secret.¡± Songhee, who was answering the teacher¡¯s question, was nervous. Her homeroom teacher, Bang Sungho, didn¡¯t care. He looked at her with reprimanding eyes, his voice even more icy. ¡°Are you going to run Junga¡¯s life? Tell me right now.¡± Songhee was afraid of his voice and shining eyes. He was a kind-hearted teacher who didn¡¯t raise his voice as a rule. The trouble started with her flippant talking. She told her best friend about Hyunwoo paying Junga¡¯s tuition fee. The teacher overheard it by chance. ¡°If Junga finds out about it, she will give up her tutoring. He really helped Junga out of pure kindness.¡± ¡°Got it. Let me keep it a secret to Junga. However, I should know him as a teacher. Based on that, I can judge whether she can receive the money or not. It¡¯s all for Junga¡¯s sake. So, please tell me who he is.¡± The teacher persuaded Songhee with a soft voice and kind eyes. Only then did Songhee tell him while her eyes trembled. A dim evening. Bang Sungho looked around. There were old apartment buildings of the same size and shape all around the ce. Among them was one that stood out for its ageing shape. It was the same as the address written on the memo. ¡°Here it is.¡± Bang Sungho looked at the apartment again and tilted his head. Didn¡¯t he pay Junga¡¯s tutoring fee of 310,000 won without any conditions? That meant he was financially set, but his apartment didn¡¯t support this. Of course, Bang couldn¡¯t make a judgement of the man based on his apartment. Maybe he could own several apartments like this one. At that moment, he heard a beautiful woman¡¯s voice. ¡°Oh my god, sir.¡± Bang turned his head reflexively. Was it because it was dimly lit? A stunningly beautiful woman who had a slender shape was standing before his eyes. Bang was dumbfounded at that moment. She had called for Bang and was approaching him with an angelic smile. ¡°Sir, don¡¯t you remember me?¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me, Nami. Yu Nami.¡± ¡°Yu Nami?¡± Bang Sungho¡¯s mouth fell open at that moment. If Yu Nami was her name, he had been her homeroom teacher three years ago. Despite her extremely poor family condition, she always stayed in the top 1% of the students at school. Thanks to her hard work, she was admitted to Korea¡¯s best university. Smart and beautiful, he remembered her vividly. However, there was something weird about her. Though she was beautiful, she wasn¡¯t that far. Given her deep makeup, she was very different from her past self In short, she was a stunning beauty. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were so beautiful like this .¡± She smiled and wrapped her face with her hand as if she was shy. ¡°Thank you, sir. What brought you here, by the way?¡± When she asked, Bang thought he had met the right person because he remembered that Jang Hyunwoo was supposedly a famous person in this area. He had heard that any knowledgeable person in the neighborhood knew him. If that¡¯s the case, Yun might know him, too. ¡°Do you happen to know Jang Hyunwoo?¡± ¡°Brother Hyunwoo? Of course, I know him. What about him?¡± ¡°Ummm...You should keep this a secret from everybody, especially Junga and her parents.¡± What Bang Sungho was worried was that Hyunwoo might have a wicked motivation about her. He thought Hyunwoo might ask Junga for something absurd under the excuse of paying for her tutoring fee. Having heard him out, Yu smiled, covering her mouth, and said conclusively, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about it at all. Actually, I had the same financial help from him when I was in high school.¡± ¡°You, too?¡± Yu nodded her head. She recalled an episode about the most difficult times when she had wanted to die. It dated back to three years ago, her second year in high school when Bang was her homeroom teacher. Yu¡¯s family was in a very poor condition financially. When her father lost his job, the family didn¡¯t have an ie. At the time, Yu was an excellent student who was among the top five students in school. If she stayed her course, she could be easily admitted to the trade department of Seoul National University that she dreamed about so much. However, her situation was overturned. Her family couldn¡¯t pay for her private tutoring fee. Even though she was a top student, she felt tutoring at the private academy was clearly different from her studies at school. What was more troublesome was her declining will. When she stopped going to the private academy, her aspirations for studying stopped too. It was at that time that Hyunwoo held out a helping hand. Just like he did to Junga, he paid for Yu¡¯s tutoring fee without letting her know. Yu Nami regained her strength. As bad luck often brings good luck, she studied really hard and finally got admitted to the trade department of Seoul National University as its top applicant. ¡°And he never asked me for anything since I went to college. Rather, he tried to keep it a secret to the end. If my friend hadn¡¯t told me about it, I wouldn¡¯t have found it out even now. He just helped me because of his pure heart.¡± Bang was nodding his head before he knew it. If what Yu said was true, Hyunwoo was literally a ¡®saint.¡¯ He just felt ashamed of himself to suspect Hyunwoo even for a moment. Yu repeated once more, ¡°Hyunwoo brother is never the type of person who would approach her with wicked motivations, so rest assured.¡± ¡°I just can¡¯t believe that there is such a great guy even these days. What a wonderful man!¡± ¡°Since you came this far, would you like to see him? I know his cell phone number.¡± ¡°No thanks. I confirmed he¡¯s not wrong-minded, and that¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°Please wait a moment, sir. I haven¡¯t seen him for a while. Let me contact him after naming you as an excuse.¡± **** One week passed. It was a nightmarish one week. Although he moved around the office to find work to do, he didn¡¯t do so for more than 30 minutes out of his work hours. Sitting at his desk was like being on pins and needles. He would have felt it much morefortable to go out for some manual work outside until his body was crushed. Of course, he didn¡¯t just do nothing while sitting at his desk. Whenever he could find avable time, he read books on the shelf. In the evening, he gave up his chauffeur job and focused on understanding his job. On weekends, he used to go mountain climbing as a ginseng digger as a rule, but he skipped it this week. He confined himself to the library to gain some basic knowledge that could help him understand his job. But it was meaningless. He couldn¡¯t understand it no matter how hard he tried to understand the regtions and practical papers. ¡°What the heck is a freight maintenance number and B/L number? Oh my god, I¡¯ve got headache! What is this soplicated?¡± But he wasn¡¯t disappointed. Given that other people gained the necessary knowledge by studying several years while paying a high college tuition, it would be absurd for him to gain the knowledge so easily. Then on Monday, the team leader made a bombshell announcement. ¡°Starting next week, I¡¯ll assign some work to the new hires, so get ready.¡± In fact, it couldn¡¯t be called a bombshell announcement because it was only natural that the new employees who got hired would be assigned tasks. Hyunwoo had been expecting it. The reason they treated new hires as invisible beings was because they wanted to give them some time to understand their jobs. However, two weeks of time wasn¡¯t enough for Hyunwoo. He couldn¡¯t understand the basics of ounting and trading terminology, let alone figure out his job. After all, it was his colleagues who got hired at the same time that he had to turn to. Whenever he ran into a new term, he approached and asked Min Suji. ¡°Suji, what is a freight maintenance number?¡± Her character was nice and forting like her appearance. Though it was a very difficult term, she exined to Hyunwoo until hepletely understood it. ¡°Then what is a B/L number?¡± ¡°It¡¯s bill ofding. Bill ofding is a legal document between a shipper and a carrier that details the type, quantity, and destination of the goods being carried...¡± Min Suji taught him calmly and in a detailed manner like a professor was giving a lecture to students. She looked like the most beautiful and kind-hearted professor. However, the problem was the student. No matter how well the professor taught, the student couldn¡¯t understand at all. Still, she devoted a lot of her time to teaching Hyunwoo. As long as he wanted, it looked like she could devote her time all day long. However, he couldn¡¯t let her do it because he was sorry. He couldn¡¯t take away her time indefinitely just because he wanted to. Also, she was too beautiful for him to ask questions without feeling a burden. If she hadn¡¯t been beautiful, he would¡¯ve askedfortably. Because she was so beautiful, he might give others the impression that he was trying to make advances on her. Actually, Hyunwoo did feel tempted. At first, he asked her questions out of pure heart, but he felt naturally attracted to her before he knew it when he looked at her answering his questions. In particr, the smile in her eyes was a fatal attraction. She had a born smile in her eyes. Even when she answered casually, her eyes were folded like crescent moon, making a smile in them. Because of that, none of the male employees in the purchase department could take their eyes off her. Even the married team leader sometimes would take a look at her, captivated by her beauty. Was it because of this atmosphere in the office? When he tried to ask Min this and that, his superiors immediately gave him the eye. ¡°Hey, just ask for a lecture, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Min Suji would feel great because she would get paid a sry and a lecture fee too. Hahaha¡± Nheless, he couldn¡¯t ask Oh Sangho. Unlike Min, he was very icy toward him. When Hyunwoo asked, he answered, but it was with reluctance. Also, he would tell Hyunwoo off at the end of his answer. ¡°Invoice? It is amercial document issued by a seller to a buyer. Don¡¯t you know such a basic thing?¡± Of course, he couldn¡¯t understand it. If he had understood it easily, he wouldn¡¯t have gone to the trouble to ask. Certainly, Oh wasn¡¯t the kind of person he could rely on. ¡°Oh, I see. Thanks.¡± After all, it was a problem Hyunwoo had to solve by himself. Given such a situation, Hyunwoo had to agonize over it. Do I need to attend a private academy? Is there an academy where I can learn quickly in one week? Never before had he been more desperate to seek someone¡¯s help than now. At that moment, his cell phone buzzed. ¡°Who? Yu Nami? I¡¯ve not seen her in a while. Hello?¡± ¡°Oh, brother! How are you?¡± ¡°Haha... I just get by. How about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing fine as usual. Where are you now? Can I see you for a moment if you¡¯re at home right now?¡± ¡°Sure. Where should I go?¡± Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C A nearby coffee shop. ¡°Haha..You misunderstood my intentions. That¡¯s why I asked Songhee to keep it a secret. Anyway, I¡¯m sorry to hear that,¡± Hyunwoo said, offering his apologies by bowing his head to Bang. Stunned, Bang stopped him and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to say sorry. I¡¯ve felt a lot today thanks to you. I¡¯ve learned something valuable from you in my life.¡± Bang meant it when he said that. Looking at Hyunwoo, he realized how narrow-minded and shameful his life was. Hyunwoo knew true happiness. It was several times better to release money than to grab it in the hand. Also, it was much happier to see his behavior make the people around him happy. Listening to Hyunwoo¡¯s story, Bang made up his mind. From now on I¡¯m going to live helping others. His resolve wasn¡¯t for someone else but for himself, for he coveted the happiness of giving to others. Bang stood up first, but Yu Nami kept holding Hyunwoo a little longer, saying she¡¯s got plenty of time. Hyunwoo also felt good about spending time with her. She had been beautiful when he first saw her, but she was bing more and more beautiful whenever he saw her. When he heard about it, he knew why. ¡°Actually, I had stic surgery. My boyfriend is a rich guy.¡± ¡°I see. Won¡¯t you be Miss Korea?¡± Hyunwoo said jokingly. Then, a surprised expression appeared on her face, and her eyes went wide as she said, ¡°Oh my god, how did you know that? Actually, I participated in the Miss Korea contest at the rmendation of the owner of my beauty salon.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Yu nodded her head spiritedly. She also said that she already passed the main contest. ¡°If I were chosen as Miss Korea, that would be great, but it wouldn¡¯t matter even if I weren¡¯t. I want to be an entertainer on this asion.¡± Hyunwoo scrutinized her body from her face to her figure once again. She posed for him as if to ask him to appreciate her body as much as he could. Her face and her figure were perfect as a Miss Korea candidate. She was beautiful as a high school girl, but even the word ¡®perfect¡¯ wasn¡¯t enough to describe her figure because she made up for any inadequacy in her body with the help of medical science. He felt that there was no woman who could be more beautiful than Yu Nami. He had a hunch that she could be Miss Korea. Hyunwoo brightly smiled. ¡°If you were chosen as Miss Korea, don¡¯t forget to treat me to nice food, okay?¡± ¡°Of course. By the way, you look tired. Look at the dark circles under your eyes. What¡¯s wrong with you these days?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even talk about it. I¡¯m at the end of my rope because I have to study trading business these days. So many difficult terms out there. My head throbs painfully whenever I think about it.¡± At his remarks Yu opened her eyes again and said, ¡°Trade? Why? What¡¯s so difficult about it? Please ask me if you have any question.¡± This time, Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide at her remarks. Come to think of it, her major was trade in college. Also, she said her boyfriend¡¯s major was business administration. He got a job at his father¡¯s mid-sizedpany early this year after graduating from Seoul National University, the top university in Korea. He was assigned to the purchase department like Hyunwoo. Were they any better teachers? Hyunwoo snapped his fingers and said, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. You could help me!¡± Then he took out a small notebook from his pocket. When he found a difficult term, he would write it down on the notebook. The notebook was rather thick, and he took notes even to itsst page. That meant there was a lot of stuff he couldn¡¯t understand. Yu exined them to him easily. ¡°FOB is a trade term requiring the seller to deliver goods on board a ship designated by the buyer...¡± Hyunwoo opened his eyes and ears wide. Still, he couldn¡¯t understand it well, and it was as if an invisible wall was bouncing away Yu¡¯s exnation. Yu smiled and took out a notebook and pen. ¡°Incoterms are difficult terms. You can understand it easily with a picture. Ok, this is a factory in Indonesia, and this is the port of Jakarta. This is a freight vessel, this is the port of Busan, and this is yourpany. Now, FOB is the expenses paid by the seller. In other words, he is responsible for the expenses of shipping goods to the vessel in the port of Jakarta, but all the other expenses are paid by the importer, namely yourpany.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide suddenly. He could understand her exnation easily. ¡°Then, CIF is the seller is responsible for paying freight charges to move the goods to the port of Busan, with the remaining expenses of loading and moving the goods to our country paid by the buyer.¡± ¡°Bingo! You¡¯re smart, brother!¡± Yu expressed joy by pping her hands and then exined other Incoterms. She kept exining to him, unaware of the passage of time, and Hyunwoo was captivated by her easy exnations. His heart seemed to beat strongly when he began to understand what he didn¡¯t before. Both of them weren¡¯t conscious of the other people in the coffee shop. There were many customers in the coffee shopte into the night, with some of them ncing at Yu and Hyunwoo for some time. Of course, they did because of Yu¡¯s stunning beauty. Some female customers cast jealous eyes at her, while male customers were envious and even proud of Hyunwoo, who, sitting right next to her, had been listening to her teaching. After a lengthy exnation, she tilted her head. ¡°PSI? Manufacturing statement? Cost and benefit statement? Looks like these are ounting terms. I don¡¯t really know either.¡± ¡°Really? I should understand them. Who should I ask?¡± An embarrassing expression appeared on his face. At that moment, she snapped fingers as if she had found the right person to exin the terms. ¡°Maybe my boyfriend knows them.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide. Yu Nami¡¯s boyfriend was a man who led an affluent life since he had been a child. In short, he was an upper ss guy down to the marrow. However, he was a man Yu knew, not Hyunwoo. Even though he was her boyfriend, he wouldn¡¯t like this kind of meeting. Yu¡¯s rtionship with him might turn bad because of Hyunwoo. ¡°Don¡¯t call him. You don¡¯t have to go through the trouble.¡± But Yu didn¡¯t care. She was about to press the button on her cell phone. ¡°Let me call him now.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes became wide again. It was already 12 am. Calling him now was to bring trouble to her. Hyunwoo urgently stopped her and said, ¡°It¡¯s toote. Next time...¡± ¡°Really? How about tomorrow then?¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright. How about you guys?¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright too. Let mee out with him tomorrow.¡± Hyunwoo was still hesitant. If he met her boyfriend, he felt he would be ufortable. Actually, though, Hyunwoo decided to trust her standards for a man. Hyunwoo nodded his head and said, ¡°Okay then. I¡¯ll see you guys tomorrow.¡± In the evening on the next day. As soon as he left the office, he headed to the coffee shop he met Yu Nami yesterday. Fortunately, Yu and her boyfriend weren¡¯t there yet. Hyunwoo opened the notebook and refreshed his questions. Because Yu Nami¡¯s boyfriend was taking the time out of his day toe here, it would be discourteous for Hyunwoo to ask too many questions. So, he summarized only the core points. A littleter, Yu came into the coffee shop with her hands folded into a man¡¯s arm. He looked like her boyfriend. He looked like a noble young man with fair skin like Yu. At a nce, he was a guy who didn¡¯t go through any difficulties in his life. Yu introduced both of them briefly to each other. Hyunwoo tried to introduce himself by bowing to him first, but her boyfriend acted faster. He bent his wrist deeply to Hyunwoo and said, ¡°Hello, my name is Jang Dukwoo. I heard a lot about you from Nami. I¡¯ve respected you since then, and it¡¯s an honor to meet you like this.¡± Hyunwoo did likewise, bowing his head deeply and saying, ¡°Nice to meet you. It¡¯s an honor for me to see you like this. Also, I¡¯m really sorry to have asked you toe.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s face lit up. One could size up the other person by asking just one question. Besides, Hyunwoo met lots of people while doing various jobs. For example, he had many sales jobs. He sold carpets at department stores, sold books to students, and even sold medicines while apanying a drug peddler. The more sales experiences he had, the sharper his eyes were. He could figure out the other person¡¯s character merely by looking at the person¡¯s face or lips. Exchanging a few words with the other party made him discern his or her personality. Though his discerning power wasn¡¯t urate 100%, it helped him a lot when dealing with people. In Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes, Jang Dukwoo was a man of character. To say the least, he wasn¡¯t the type of person who would look down on those who were less fortunate than he was. Above all, Jang was a very social person. Suddenly, Hyunwoo felt sorry for Yu Nami. When he first heard from her about her boyfriend, he felt that she was meeting him for money. ¡°Haha... this is our first meeting, so I think it might be discourteous to you.¡± ¡°No way. Don¡¯t worry about it. I really heard a lot about you from Nami. I felt even jealous because she talked about you too much. I really respect you, brother. I¡¯m saying this from the bottom of my heart.¡± Hyunwoo felt genuine sincerity in his words. Jang¡¯s statement that she talked about him wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration. Suddenly, an episode about her three years ago came to mind. Yu Nami was a typical model student. Despite her poor family condition, she didn¡¯t lose her smile. She was the top in her ss and a stunning beauty. Thanks to her good growth, she looked even mature for her age. She was already 162cm when she was a sophomore in high school, and the body of her great-looking silhouette was more visible than that of an adult female¡¯s. She could be easily taken as a college student if she had some makeups and didn¡¯t wear her school uniform. But her stunning beauty, which she couldn¡¯t do anything about, was like a time bomb to her. She could make lots of money by using her mature beauty if she had her own way. Yu was seriously agonized over it. She was all the more shaken by that temptation as her family¡¯s financial condition got worse. Hyunwoo came to know about it through her friend. Actually, Hyunwoo thought she wouldn¡¯t end up as an ordinary woman while watching her grow, for there was nobody who could stop her from using her stunning beauty. There were two choices for Yu Nami. She could take the road of the entertainment world, defeated by those who wanted to use her beauty for money, or she could seize her future by oveing her temptation. At the time, she was about to be defeated. She was absolutely desperate for someone¡¯s help. It was at that moment that Hyunwoo reached out to her. It was the first time he had helped someone with his own money. Fortunately, Yu Nami overcame the temptation and became a sincere student again. Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t express the happiness he had felt at that time. He realized at that moment that this was the way his money was supposed to be spent. It was also the first moment he realized how happy it was for him to sacrifice his resources for others. He earned something very big by helping her with less than 500,000 won per month. Her reward for his sacrifice at the time didn¡¯t end there. His association with her helped him meet such a good man like Jang. With a sincere heart, Hyunwoo held Jang¡¯s hands tight. He felt as if his ties with Jang would be very deep andst a long time. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C ¡°I¡¯m really d to see you. Actually, I felt that you might be a difficult guy because of your family background. However, I really appreciate it because you¡¯re making me at home like this,¡± Hyunwoo said. They exchanged warm greetings with each other and the sat down for the main purpose of their meeting. Hyunwoo took out a notebook. Originally, he had been nning to ask some core points and end the session quickly. Given Jang¡¯s character, however, he changed his mind and came forward frankly and said, ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m a high school graduate. I don¡¯t know anything about trade, but I was suddenly assigned to the purchase department. I think they¡¯re going to give me a task sooner orter, but I don¡¯t know anything.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. I heard a bit from Nami. However, the gist of your point is different.¡± ¡°Different?¡± ¡°I thought you were interested in simple trade terms. Well, learning trade terms is like touching the legs of elephants. What really matters is the flow.¡± ¡°Flow?¡± ¡°Let me exin it to you with an example about a car. The car takes a person or a bag to a distant ce.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°In fact, this is the most important when you understand a car. What is the point of knowing the function of the steering wheel, brake system, or emergency light when the learner doesn¡¯t know what the function of a car is?¡± ¡°You mean I need to understand the business flow of the purchase department before understanding the trade terms, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Jang nodded his head. ¡°There is some difference, depending on thepany. However,t the role of the purchase department is more or less the same. Negotiating the unit price, searching the material, cing orders, maintaining the transaction history, maintaining the materials costs, maintaining PSI, etc.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s head was spinning suddenly. He felt as he had been knocked out by the difficult trade terms.However, he didn¡¯t need to worry. ¡°Very difficult, right? It¡¯s very simple, though. For example, imagine buying a T-shirt. You know what kind of T-shirt you want in terms of color, design, and material, right? You¡¯re looking for apany that sells that kind of T-shirt. You also have to set the purchase price at a certain level. That price would be the level at which you wouldn¡¯t incur losses when you have to sell back. Then you¡¯re starting negotiations with variouspanies...¡± Jang¡¯s easy exnation was really easy for him to understand. Suddenly, Hyunwoo seemed to see his bright future. When he grasped the overall picture of the business flow of the purchase department, he could understand the trade term details, too. ¡°That why intes terms are necessary. Profit and loss calction are only possible when apany can figure out the actual payment costs. It¡¯s really difficult to get the cost of manufacture.¡± ¡°Of course. That¡¯s why the applicants who know how to draw up a profit and loss statement are preferred.¡± In Hyunwoos¡¯ mind, the core function of the purchase department was the profit and loss statement. Because they could find out what price the bottom line was when purchasing raw materials, that was the only time when they could clearly figure out the profit and loss statement. If they put the manufacturing cost lower than the actual cost by wrongly calcting the profit and loss statement, it could happen that the more products they make and sell, the more money they will lose. ¡°By the way, if you know the principle of the profit and loss statement, it¡¯s not that difficult. Also, it will be a big plus if you know how to use Excel because all you have to do is put the data in the existing form, assuming the date is more urate.¡± Hyunwoo suddenly felt a sense of explosive confidence. Most of the factories Hyunwoo worked at didn¡¯t have many employees, and he was always the youngest. So, wherever he went, it was his task to take care of theputer. ordingly, he had many chances to use Excel and got to know how to use its many applications. So, when it came to Excel and Hangul, he was confident that his knowledge in the field was as good as that of professionals. Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes were glittering. ¡°Form? How can I make it?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s difficult for me to exin in words. Let me exin to you tomorrow with the same one ourpany uses.¡± ¡°Is it okay to do so?¡± ¡°No worries. I made the program by myself, and I can erase the business secrets before bringing it here.¡± Hyunwoo grabbed his hands and said, ¡°Thanks so much. Thanks.¡± Yu Mina smiled with a satisfactory look on the side. *** Hyunwoo was busy as usual in the office. When someone was trying to copy or fax some documents, he stood up quickly to help that person. ¡°Let me do it for you.¡± Though there was a lot he should learn, he didn¡¯t hurry up to do the work. Rather, he was slow. If someone saw him, they would most likely feel that he was doing his best to finish the work neatly. However, he did that for a different reason. ¡°Oh, this is an invoice. This is also a packing list.¡± Copying and faxing the documents on their behalf was another way to learn for Hyunwoo. He carefully checked what kind of documents his superiors at the purchase department were handling in the main, how the documents were sorted out, and how they were written. Among the documents he was handed were the cost of manufacturing statements and the profit and loss statements. Usually, he would¡¯ve skipped them after looking at the titles, but he was different now. He examined each of the details there. After he was done, he went back to his desk and took notes. The notes were about the list of documents the purchase department handled in the main. And in the evening, he met Jang Dukwoo and asked him about what he took notes of. ¡°How do youpose an invoice?¡¯ ¡°Brother, I¡¯ll tell you.¡± Whenever Jang met Hyunwoo, Yu Nami was always present. Thanks to her presence, both Hyunwoo and Jang were never bored. Hyunwoo held Jang and Yu until midnight, and he called for them even on weekends for intensive learning. Usually on weekends, Hyunwoo went mountain climbing with his parents and old men in his neighborhood, but as it happened to be the rainy season, he just concentrated on studying. Thanks to hard work, Hyunwoo now reached the stage where he would only look up some unfamiliar words while browsing books. Monday. Team manager Yang Suchol, assistant managers Kim Yonggu, and Jo Daeyoung gathered at the conference room. Yang was full of expectation. ¡°Finally, it¡¯s about time we could confirm the new hires¡¯ capabilities. What would be the right task for them? Mr. Kim, do you have a good idea?¡± When he asked, Kim Yonggu made a satisfactory smile. In fact, Kim had been waiting for this day. Also, he found out the right task for the new hires, especially for Hyunwoo. ¡°I think we had better assign them difficult tasks,¡± Kim said. Yonggu¡¯s standing in the purchase department was secure. As soon as he got hired, he took care of all the work rted to calcting the costs of manufacturing and profit and cost statements. In addition, he was tasked with the work rted to import and export, bing the central figure of the purchase department. Though his title was assistant manager, he was more versatile in the field than the manager. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that the purchase department was organized around Kim Yonggu. As such, Yonggu¡¯s opinion was positively epted by the manager. ¡°I think you¡¯re right,¡± Yang said. ¡°As you know, the core of the purchase department¡¯s work is producing profit and cost statements. I think it would be good to assign them the task of producing the profit and cost statement on the raw materials from Taiwan.¡± Manager Yang¡¯s eyes opened wide at Kim¡¯s suggestion. It was the kind of work to be handled not by new hires but by experienced employees. Actually, it was a tough job for not only section chiefs Han Sanghun and Jang Youngchol but also assistant manager Jo Daeyoung to produce such a profit and loss statement on their own. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too much for them?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a test for them, anyway. It¡¯s good for us to give them a sense of confidence by assigning some easy work, but I think it would be better for them to feel some sort of inadequacy in their abilities by tackling an assignment they couldn¡¯t even think of.¡± ¡°Then, who would you want to assign that task?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we assign it to the three new hires equally?¡± ¡°What? Three of them?¡± Manager Yang¡¯s mouth fell open. Among the three Yonggu pointed to was high-school graduate Hyunwoo, who didn¡¯t know anything about ounting. ¡°Do you want to give the work to Jang Hyunwoo, too?¡± ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t think we should discriminate against him because he¡¯s a high school graduate. He shouldpete with his colleagues on equal footing. He should try harder if he iscking in his capabilities.¡± ¡°What if he gives up along the way?¡± ¡°If that happens...¡± Yang waited for his reply with his eyes open wide. ¡°Even though the president hired him specifically, we should have him leave thepany at that point.¡± Yang didn¡¯t hide his surprised look, for he clearly remembered what the president had requested him when he decided to hire Hyunwoo. ¡°Teach him well.¡± His request meant Hyunwoo shouldn¡¯t be fired just because he wascking in capabilities. What the president meant was he should help Hyunwoo develop his capabilities. Now, Kim was pushing for his voluntary resignation. However, Kim was determined to push for his suggestion. ¡°I¡¯m not saying we should force out Jang Hyunwoo. Far from it.¡± ¡°Far from it?¡± ¡°What I mean is just teach him clearly how the purchase department operates, and this would be an opportunity for him to awaken. I think the president would understand us if he gets weeded out because of his inability to ovee the challenge.¡± ¡°Um....¡± The team leader was very much troubled by that. After all, he carried his weight behind Yonggu¡¯s opinion. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s do that.¡± ¡°Thanks. And as this task is kind of a mission, I think we have to give a penalty to the lowest performer.¡± ¡°Penalty?¡± ¡°A kind of stimnt.¡± The team leader made an interesting expression. ¡°Do you have in mind any particr penalty?¡± ¡°Well, let¡¯s assign the work of material control.¡± At that moment, the team leader¡¯s eyes became wide. Originally, the purchase team was part of the production support team. As thepany grew, however, it was divided into the purchase team and the production team. It was impossible to divide the work between them clearly. Material control belonged to that gray area. Because there was no clear line, the purchase team and the production team were handling material control together. In short, it was a hot political potato to them. Obviously, those assigned wanted to turn it over to the other team because they didn¡¯t like any additional work. In a way, assigning the job to the new hires meant that the production team was virtually taking over material control. However, Yonggu¡¯s exnation cleared the team leader¡¯s misunderstanding. ¡°Material control needs lots of hands. If we let the lowest performer assist in Jo and Lee Kangho, we will have a more efficient workflow. Of course, the lowest performer has to carry out his own job.¡± Only then did the team leader¡¯s face light up. Actually, he was thinking of getting one of the new hires to take care of material control. He felt Hyunwoo was the most qualified for the job, and the lowest performer of this mission would be Hyunwoo without any question. Looked like things would work out as nned. Assistant Jo Daeyoung was as busy as ever. Material control was more like factory work than an office job. In other words, it was the most detested job within the purchase team. So, the team leader had Hyunwoo in mind for it. Though he wasn¡¯t good at office work, he would be the right fit for this manual job. If Hyunwoo would have to help others as his penalty, he would be expected to take on all kinds of chores. Suddenly, he imagined some strange things. ¡®Either Min Suji or Oh Sangho wouldn¡¯t be the lowest performer ande as a helper, surely?¡± Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C If that¡¯s the case, it would pose a big headache for him. Charming and tender, Min Suji would be a burden to him, but the more troublesome would be Oh Sangho. As a graduate from a famous university in the United States, Oh was a talent favored by the president. There was a rumor that the president had picked him up as a candidate for his son-inw but also as the next CEO of Aurum. He would be really reluctant to assign such a job to Oh. It could mean bringing hate from a superior above him. However, the team leader gave up thinking like that. The lowest performer this time will be unquestionably Hyunwoo. He should be the lowest performer by all means. ¡°Okay, Mr. Kim. If you think so, I¡¯ll support you.¡± The team leader gave him the green light. Yonggu smiled widely. It seemed he could discern Hyunwoo¡¯s future. Yonggu was determined to task him with all kinds of chores. Hyunwoo would have to work every night. ¡°I¡¯ve to go to Wonju for a business trip today. I think I¡¯lle backte this afternoon.¡± ¡°I know. Take care.¡± Back at the office, the team leader called the new hires to his desk. ¡°As I announced to you, let me assign you to some work. This work is a kind of test, so you have to try to solve it by yourself without any person¡¯s help. Hey, Mr. Kim, bring me the document.¡± Yonggu gave him three documents. He had prepared them for their test today. Though each document had the hire¡¯s name, it was the same copy. ¡°Here you are.¡± The team leader handed each copy to the three hires. ¡°They are new products. As you can see, the price of the domestic supplies has been set already. So, what we have to get is the parts we have to import from Taiwan. Just find out what the bottom price of the unit is.¡± As soon as the team leader said that, Min Suji and Oh Sangho opened their eyes wide. Their erged pupils indicated they were very surprised. On the contrary, Hyunwoo stayed calm. He thought of it lightly as if he could finish typing it up within a couple of hours. Yonggu smiled at his attitude before he knew it. Huh? He just doesn¡¯t know chickens from hens. A guy like him must leave the purchase team as soon as possible. Yonggu hated Hyunwoo. When he was together with Hyunwoo as a child, things didn¡¯t work out as he had expected. Hyunwoo was always a stumbling block in his life. It was the same now when they were grown up. He just felt heavy when he was with Hyunwoo. It looked like he could feel at ease only when he trampled on Hyunwoo to the point that he couldn¡¯t move. Also, this was the most important time for Yonggu. He was going to get promoted to section chief, but more importantly, he had to win over the president¡¯s daughter. So far, his only rival was assistant manager Ko Younghwan, but an unwee guest named Oh Sangho had suddenly appeared. Yonggu was feeling a sense of crisis rising inside of him. To make matters worse, Hyunwoo¡¯s sudden appearance was like a nightmare to him. He wanted to dispel Hyunwoo from Aurum as soon as possible. He wished Hyunwoo would leave voluntarily, given the choice. ¡°Why don¡¯t you reply? Can¡¯t you do it?¡± ¡°No, sir. We can.¡± At the team leader¡¯s pressing, Min Suji answered first, followed by Oh with a faltering voice, saying, ¡°Let me have a try.¡± The team leader looked at Hyunwoo. ¡°How about you?¡± Hyunwoo asked with an innocent expression, ¡°How soon should I finish it? Should I finish it before noon?¡± Min Suji and Oh Sangho looked at him as if they were watching a monster. It was a veryplicated task to find out the proper unit price. It would take at least one day for even an expert to do it, which meant that it would take many more days for new hires like them. Despite that, he talked about finishing it by noon. It was almost impossible even if he had all the urate data. The team leader smiled lightly. ¡°I can¡¯t give you guys such a short time to do it. You can submit it before you leave the office in the evening. If you don¡¯t see me at my desk, text me.¡± ¡°Oh, I can do it by that time.¡± Hyunwoo expressed a sigh of relief. Min and Oh thought him weirdly. Actually, they wanted to ask for more time, but they couldn¡¯t because of Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo was the perfect case of ¡®a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.¡¯ Even without knowing how to calcte unit cost, he was carelessly saying what came to mind. The team leader made a satisfactory look though. He even pped his hands at them as if he was trying to cheer them up. ¡°Good. I like you guys. I will get the lowest performer to assist in material control as a penalty. So, hurry up if you don¡¯t want to.¡± Everybody went back to their desks. Yonggu went out of the office for a business trip to Wonju. If he could, he wanted to see Hyunwoo agonize over the task, but he couldn¡¯t dy the schedule on the purchase of raw materials. Sitting at the desk, Hyunwoo nced at Min Suji. As soon as she sat at the desk, she opened the document, raised her shoulders, and dropped it in despair. She let out a small sigh, pursing her red lips. He could hear a grumbling from her expression that said, ¡°Ooops I¡¯m in trouble.¡± It was the same as Oh Sangho. Touching his forehead with his hand, he was looking at the document without doing anything. Having checked out their attitude, Hyunwoo got nervous too. Though he learned a bit from Jang Dukwoo, it was only one week. He couldn¡¯t surpass Min Suji, a trade major graduate from a top university, and Oh Sangho, a graduate from an elite university in the United States. Though the test was about calcting the unit cost, it might be something totally different from what he had learned from Jang Dukwoo. Hyunwoo also opened the document cautiously. On the first page was the picture of a finished product. It was an office chair. Its frame was steel, and the back was fabric pulled tight across it. Its five legs were attached with rollers, so it could roll on the floor. Though it was said to be a new product, he felt he had seen it somewhere when he checked its design. He turned over the next page, where the raw materials to be supplied from the domestic market were shown. Their prices had been set already. Next to them were the raw materials to be imported from Taiwan, for which the proper unit price had to be calcted. There were so many items, and the terms were difficult. But the harder the work, the easier one should approach it. Instead of being dominated by the contents of the document, one should use the document in one¡¯s own way. He opened Excel on theputer. First, he divided theponents of cost into material cost,bor cost, and manufacturing cost. The contents of the files were divided into its own individualponents. First of all, the manufacturing cost...bor cost... Simple thinking didn¡¯t mean simple work. When ites to material cost, the standard cost and the actual cost were separated. The standard cost was the cost based on the theoretical design of the product, and the actual cost was the cost actually incurred at the factory. Analyzing the reason for the difference between the standard cost and the actual cost may be the key to cost reduction. The baseline should be the standard price, I guess He examined each page of the document and copied it to Excel. Standard time ... hourly production ... and the input ... this will give me standard man hour... and this is discarded man hour. Subtracting the discarded from the standard is value man hour. Oh, this is how ites out. Jang Dukwoo¡¯s exnation was excellent. As Hyunwoo calcted the numbers as Jang had exined it, all the items were sorted out neatly. What if I hadn¡¯t met Dukwoo? It was even terrible to think about it. He didn¡¯t even know that a man hour was a quantification of the amount of work that a person or machine could do, let alone how to calcte value man hour. This is the data I need to calcte man hour. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t hurry. He filled the date on the Excel by checking which documents were the right match with the items in the cost sheet. Min Suji nced at Hyunwoo, who was hard at it, and a surprised expression appeared on Min Suji¡¯s face. In contrast to her, who plunged into despair the moment she opened the document, Hyunwoo stayed calm. Going further, he went as far as working on something on theputer. It looked like he was sorting out the contents of the documents, given his constant checking of the document. Did he understand all this? Min Suji thought that was impossible. Though he was really working hard on something, she felt that he hadn¡¯t even grasped the core point of the task. For example, if the mission was to find out the break-even point, he might simply sort out the necessary data. On the other hand, she was nervous that she may be the lowest performer. Shaking her hand, she tried to shake off her anxiety. No way! I can do better than Hyunwoo. Sure, let¡¯s face it without any fear. Let me do it as far as I can. Oh Sangho thought simrly. A sense of anxiety overtook him when he noticed Hyunwoo and Min Suji seriously getting to work. What made Oh more nervous was that his academic background was too high. Though Min Suji graduated from Hanyang Women¡¯s University, one of the top schools in Korea, it was nothingpared to his alma mater. Also, Hyunwoo hadn¡¯t even gone to college. If he got lower points than both of them, it would be too shameful! Everybody wouldugh at him behind his back, saying he was worse than someone from a Korean university, let alone a high school graduate. Oh couldn¡¯t afford to be ridiculed like that, and he thought that it was impossible. It wasn¡¯t a matter of victory or failure to Oh. What really mattered to him was for him to produce work that was clearly different from Min Suji and Jang Hyunwoo¡¯s. It is just shame on me that I have topete with these guys while I¡¯m being treated the same. I have to demonstrate my outstanding abilities clearly on this asion, though it¡¯s a difficult task, Oh thought to himself. Oh got down to calcting the standard price. The end of the day was quickly approaching. They were still busy in the office, but the new employees, including Hyunwoo, didn¡¯t move, staying frozen as if they were still pictures. The team manager grinned, looking at them. He had already cleaned his desk before leaving the office. ncing at his watch quickly, he rose from his seat and said ¡°Let me take my leave first. Just text me when you new hires get the standard price. Email me the profit and loss statement, though.¡± ¡°Got it. Goodbye¡± Mr. Yang Suchol, the purchase team manager, headed straight to the restaurant. It was an unusual family dinner meeting for him. ¡°This way, daddy!¡± When Yang arrived there, his daughter shouted in an excited voice. She was a middle school girl who had a special attraction towards high-ss restaurants, so a dinner outing like this made her walk on air. ¡°Did you wait long?¡± ¡°No, we just got here.¡± ¡°What would you like for dinner, my princess?¡± While looking at the menu together,he got a text message. ¡°Who is it?¡± He looked at the message and frowned. ¡°Jang Hyunwoo!¡± His wife cast a suspicious look at him and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Anything wrong?¡± ¡°No. I assigned some work to a new hire, and he texted me that he was done. He¡¯s totallycking in any determination.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it good that he finished the assignment quickly?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not the kind of task that a new hire could aplish easily.¡± ¡°Hmmmmm...¡± his wife became more quizzical. Yang didn¡¯t talk anymore about it. He didn¡¯t want to badmouth Jang in front of his family. However, a strong anger was rising from within his heart. Jang Hyunwoo is just useless. How could he have given up without even trying? I think I have to give him a good scolding tomorrow. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C In the meantime, the office staff began leaving, starting with the team leader. When Lee Kangho, the minor staffer, left, there were only three people still working in the office, the new hires. However, none of them moved. It looked as if they were studying in a library in preparation for a text the next day. Then, Jang Hyunwoo rose from his seat and said,¡±Let me leave first because I have an appointment.¡± Min Suji and Oh Sangho lifted their heads suddenly, looking at him with startled eyes. Then, Oh broke intoughter as if he couldn¡¯t understand what he had just said. ¡°Such nerve, hyungnim(elder brother)! You have to pretend to do something about it. How can you give up like that?¡± Oh made it a habit of calling Jang ¡®hyungnim¡¯ because he was four years older than him. Also, Oh¡¯s behavior was natural, given that both of them had already spent the first two weeks together at the office. Of course, Hyunwoo knew Oh called him like that for formality¡¯s sake. Oh thought little of Hyunwoo deep in heart. Oh called him hyungnim just because of the age difference. Hyunwoo could feel the opposite attitude from Min Suji. She seemed to think he was a weak man who needed protection because he was a high school graduate. ¡°Great. You can just do whatever you could. Nothing will change even if you work through the night,¡± Suji said. ¡°Then, you guys are thinking of staying up all night?¡± Hyunwoo asked. ¡°We have no choice if things don¡¯t work out,¡± Suji answered. Hyunwoo¡¯s mouth just dropped at that. How could Suji think of staying up all night with a man? Isn¡¯t she scared at all? Min Suji seemed to think the same as Hyunwoo, and she looked at him wistfully. ¡°Won¡¯t you try it to the end instead of giving up?¡± she asked. In fact, Hyunwoo had already sent the team leader a text and an email on the assignment. Though it wasn¡¯t perfect, it was the best he could do. He didn¡¯t think that it would be better if he went over it more. Looking at Suji¡¯s glittering eyes, Hyunwoo felt sorry for her. ¡°Ok, let mee back by midnight when I¡¯m done,¡± Hyunwoo said. Hyunwoo left the office, leaving Suji and Oh behind. Hyunwoo entered the restaurant. The items on the menu not that expensive, and the restaurant was well known for its cool indoor design. He stepped in to find Yu Nami and Jang Dukwo already waiting there. They waved their hands dly, noticing Hyunwoo. ¡°Oppa(Brother)! We¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Hyungnim, nice to see you here.¡± ¡°Did you wait a long time?¡± ¡°Well, we just got here. By the way, you don¡¯t have to treat us like this.¡± Jang Dukwoo scratched his head. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t say that. I have to repay your help. By the way, is it alright to treat a rich son like you to cheap food like this?¡± ¡°Oh, I love cheap food. I don¡¯t even deserve the food here.¡± The more Hyunwoo saw Dukwoo, the more he liked him. He felt that his investment in Yu Nami had been paid off through Dukwoo. After the meal, they headed to the coffee shop, and he received some help on ounting and trade. Practical drills were important. Hyunwook came to understand their exnations better after he drew up a profit and cost statement by himself. He recalled some of the mistakes he had made when drawing up the profit and cost statement he had worked out during the day. ¡®I think I have to correct the mistakes when I go back to the office.¡¯ As he had promised, Hyunwoo went back to the office before midnight. Min Suji and Oh Sangho had been working on the project without taking any breaks. ¡°Did you have dinner? Come and enjoy this food.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here. Wow! Spicy rice cake. I was feeling hungry at the moment.¡± ¡°Come over and have some, Sangho!¡± Hyunwoo said. ¡°No thanks, sir.¡± ¡°Hey, just join me. You didn¡¯t eat anything.¡± ¡°Sure, I bought enough food for the both of you. We have to dispose of any leftovers, dude.¡± Only then did Oh approach them reluctantly. ¡°Thanks. Let me treat you next time.¡± ¡°Okay. By the way, did you make any progress?¡± Min Suji put on an act of being sick when he asked. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t produce the oue. I only majored in trade, not ounting. I just want to show I did my best. How about you, Sangho?¡± ¡°Well, I think I figured out how to do it, but I can¡¯t sort out the problems. Maybe I can get the standard price, but it will probably be wrong.¡± ¡°Wow! You did great anyway. At least you got the oue,¡± Suji said. Suji looked at him with a respectful eye. That was it. Suji and Sangho didn¡¯t ask the same questions to Hyunwoo. It seemed that they thought there was no point in asking him. It looked as if they didn¡¯t ask him, mindful of his pride. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t want to boast either. ¡°Wow, I feel like I can get back to work now because I¡¯m full. Thanks for the food.¡± ¡°Thanks. Let me put away the dishes.¡± ¡°Let me help you, brother.¡± Min Suji helped Sangho clean the table, and he then went back to work. Turning on theputer, Hyunwoo brought up the profit and loss statement he had drawn up during the day. He took out the files from his desk and the notebook on which he had written down Jang Dukwoo¡¯s lecture. I see the errors here. I miscalcted the depreciation cost and added some other costs excessively... Hyunwoo said to himself. When Jang Dukwoo had exined it, Hyunwoo recalled only three mistakes. But when he double checked each item one by one, he found two more errors. He let out a sigh naturally. Whew.... How many more errors are there that even I can¡¯t find out? I never knew that ounting was so difficult. As many as three hours passed before he found five more errors. It was already approaching 4 am the next day. Still, Min Suji and Oh Sangho were just tireless. It looked like they would keep working until they reported for work. However, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t feel up to it. He didn¡¯t feel that his calction would be more correct even if he worked like that. After he sent the new form and the output price to his team manager¡¯s email, he bent back his chair. His chair wasfortable enough for him to use it as a makeshift bed. He fell asleep instantly. ¡°Brother, wake up!¡± Min Suji shook Hyunwoo, and he opened his eyes. ¡°Hummmm..what time is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s 7:30 am.¡± Hyunwoo felt that he had just taken a brief nap, but three hours passed in an instant. ¡°Oh, I think I slept well.¡± Hyunwoo stretched himself pleasantly. Min Suji and Oh Sangho looked at him weirdly. Though the team leader wasing to the office soon, they felt that Hyunwoo looked too peaceful. After a while, the team members began reporting to work one by one, and the team leader arrivedst. He came in at 8:40 am sharp. At otherpanies, people grumbled about the team leader reporting to work too early and leaving toote, but the office culture was different at Aurum. It was because of the president¡¯s special direction. The president made sure that the team managers set the example by keeping the correct reporting and leaving time because keeping the ordinary employees in the office for too long was a waste of time. (ED note: In Korea, office workers are generally supposed toe in earlier and leaveter than their bosses.) In the meantime, there was something unusual about the team manager¡¯s attitude. He looked very offended. He called Hyunwoo as soon as he entered the office, and his tone was very high-pitched. ¡°Mr. Jang Hyunwoo!¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Hyunwoo rushed to the team leader¡¯s desk, who took out his cellphone and showed it to Hyunwoo. ¡°This is the text message you sent me, right?¡± It was the oue of the profit and loss statement that Hyunwoo had produced before sending it to him. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Did you calcte it by yourself, or was it just a guesswork?¡± Hyunwoo looked at the team leader, who in turn was staring at him with sharp glittering eyes. However, Hyunwoo had no reason to freak out. ¡°I calcted it by myself.¡± The team leader and the other employees momentarily looked surprised. It looked as if they couldn¡¯t believe that Hyunwoo had sent him a text message about the oue. That was especially evident in Min Suji and Oh Sangho¡¯s attitude. Hearing the conversation between them, it was around yesterday afternoon that Hyunwoo had sent him the oue, which meant that Hyunwoo had already drawn up the statement of profit and loss to get the oue. And now, Hyunwoo was saying that he had done the calction by himself. If that was true, that would bring shame to Min Suji and Oh Sangho! Both of them were graduates of top universities, and they had to admit that they were beaten by a high-school graduate. Then, they heard the team leader shriek. ¡°Did you email me how you calcted the oue?¡± ¡°Yes, I sent the oue along with that. However, I sent you an update early in the morning because I found some errors in my initial oue when I recalcted it.¡± ¡°Mr. Kim,e here.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Yonggu came to him quickly. In the meantime, the team leader checked his email, noticing two emails from Hyunwoo, followed by those sent by Oh Sangho and Min Suji. ¡°Sit down here and calcte it.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Let me quickly do it.¡± Yonggu began reviewing Hyunwoo¡¯s Excel file and checked it against the files he had handed out to the other new hires. All the other employees in the office focused their eyes on him. Min Suji and Oh Sangho couldn¡¯t take their eyes off from Hyunwoo and Yonggu. In particr, Oh was holding his fist tightly as if he was burning with the desire topete and win. On the other hand, Min Suji was very nervous. It seemed that she thought that Hyunwoo was involved in some sort of dishonest trick. After calcting it for a while, Yonggu tilted his head. Looking at him, the team leader asked quickly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you see a wrong file here?¡± ¡°No, sir. May I have review it one more time?¡± ¡°Sure, take it easy.¡± Yonggu calcted it again from the start, checking the files one by one with his finger more carefully than before. Though it took one whole day for Hyunwoo to produce the oue, it didn¡¯t take that long to verify it. Yonggu was also a veteran who done more profit and loss statements than anybody else at Aurm. It took less than one hour for him to verify the oue twice. Yonggu looked at the team leader and reluctantly uttered, ¡°This is ...¡± The team leader gestured nervously toward him, pressing for an answer. Only then did Yonggu resume what he stopped to say. ¡°He did quite a good job.¡± Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C ¡°He really did a good job. ¡°...Ung?¡± A nk expression appeared on the team leader¡¯s face, and it was the same for the other employees in the office. It looked as if they felt that their brains had be bleached. Oh Sangho stopped moving, apparently unable to understand what Yonggu had just said. Then, he suddenly dropped his shoulder as if he clearly understood the situation, letting out a sigh dejectedly. Haaah, I¡¯m done for. On the other hand, Min Suji was happy. Folding both hands onto her heart, she, wearing a relieved expression, looked at Hyunwoo. Her eyes, bent like crescent moons, were pure and beautiful. ¡°Step aside. Let me do it.¡± The team leader pushed Yonggu aside and sat down. He then began reviewing the profit and loss statement by himself. As a matter of fact, he was good at it but didn¡¯t do it anymore as he grew older. He didn¡¯t review it as carefully as Yonggu. What really mattered to him was to verify whether Hyunwoo had produced the calction by himself than to check its uracy. While checking the numbers on the files and the Excel spreadsheet, the team leader suddenly stopped moving, and he looked at Hyunwoo. Then, he nced at Yonggu this time. ¡°Come and see me for a minute.¡± The team leader called Yonggu into a conference room, and he asked generously, ¡°You said that you¡¯re from the same high school, right?¡± Yonggu could figure out what he was going to say after hearing that. ¡°Yes, correct.¡± ¡°Did you help him?¡± If Hyunwoo were his best friend, Yonggu might have helped him. Even if he were just a good friend of his, Yonggu still could¡¯ve helped him. However, he had an ill-fated rtionship with Hyunwoo, and their rtionship was still the same. ¡°How could I do that?¡± Yonggu retorted. ¡°It¡¯s okay. That is possible between friends. What just bothers me is I might overestimate Hyunwoo from now on. However, that could ruin his future, too.¡± ¡°I know that. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t help him at all. He did it by himself.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± The team leader still seemed suspicious, and Yonggu was the same. However, it was true. It was the oue of Hyunwoo¡¯s own efforts from start to finish. What was more surprising was that parts of the form he used to get the value of certain items were even more refined than his. He even felt threatened while reviewing Hyunwoo¡¯s work. Hiding his bitterness on purpose, Yonggu nodded his head. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± At his reply, the team leader¡¯s face suddenly turned bright. ¡°Oh, Jang Hyunwoo. What an outstanding guy!¡± The more he praised Hyunwoo, the more bitter Yonggu felt. He felt some sort of vague fear that he could bepared with Hyunwoo again. The team leader headed back to the office, and his dynamic gait made him look like a person who had discovered a hidden treasure. When he entered the office, however, the team leader changed his attitude suddenly. Hiding his real expression, he patted Hyunwoo on the shoulder a couple of times and said, ¡°Nice job!¡± However, Hyunwoo was happy about the team leader¡¯s attitude more than his praise, for he quickly sensed the team leader¡¯s attitude change. He was treating Hyunwoo withfortable ease. Having experienced working at variouspanies, he knew what it mean very well. This indicated that the team leader formally recognized him as a full member of his team. Hyunwoo nced at Yonggu slightly. His expression was more than nk, and he was neither happy nor upset. His attitude was kind of artificial, which meant that he was hiding his real expression. ¡®He wanted me to fail. He still hates me. What the hell is the reason?¡¯ ¡°Mr. Kim, why don¡¯t you check out the other guys¡¯ oues?¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Yonggu examined the oues produced by Min Suji and Oh Sangho. Min Suji¡¯s calction was just terrible. It looked as if she had done it upside down when she had to find the appropriate value of the raw material based on the costs ofbor and materials on the files. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I never learned how to draw up the profit and loss statement, so I calcted it upside down.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s good to see that you tried anyway.¡± The team leader forgave her generously. He praised her unwavering attitude. Oh Sangho produced rtively good results. Though there were several errors, it wasmendable for his first try. The team leader patted Oh on the shoulder with a bright smile. ¡°You did a job befitting someone who graduated from a famous college. Your calction seems better than Hyunwoo¡¯s. Nice job, everybody!¡± Nheless, Oh couldn¡¯t smile. He felt as he had been shamefully defeated by Hyunwoo. Damn it! How can I bepared with a high-school graduate! He felt that he couldn¡¯t raise his head because of shame. If Park Minhey, the president¡¯s daughter, knew this, she would certainly taunt him with something like ¡®Did you really get your college diploma?¡¯ This humiliated Oh. He couldn¡¯t afford to get disgraced like that. Let me take revenge by all means. Let me show you how able I am. Oh clenched his fist silently. In the meantime, the team leader didn¡¯t feel rxed. It was okay for Hyunwoo to have shown such a striking performance, but the thing was the penalty he had promised to the loser. He wanted to assign Hyunwoo to materials management, but Min Suji was the one who had to take care of that because she was the worst performer out of the three. ¡°I think I have to choose the worst performer, right? If you think you¡¯re, please raise your hand.¡± Min cautiously raised her hand, but Hyunwoo raised his hand at the same time too. The team leader giggled at him because he knew that Hyunwoo was showing the spirit of chivalry. Though he appreciated Hyunwoo¡¯s consideration, he couldn¡¯t choose him because that would make the penalty meaningless.¡± She could be recedter, but she had to take on the task ording to the penalty. Hyunwoo said seriously, ¡°The purchasing department doesn¡¯t deal with profit and loss statements, right? It¡¯s true that I¡¯m the least qualified in terms of expertise in the field out of the three new hires, so I¡¯m the worst performer. Give me the penalty.¡± After some hard thinking, the team leader made the decision by saying, ¡°The worst performer is Min Suji, but since you want it, I¡¯ll let you do what you want. Since your expertise is in trade, why don¡¯t you teach Hyunwoo on trade-rted work? Okay?¡± There was no reason for both of them to be dissatisfied with the decision. They answered brightly, ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Okay, then. We¡¯re going to have a group dinner tomorrow. Anybody have an appointment? If any of you have an appointment, let me host it today.¡± Nobody came forward. ¡°Okay, dinner tomorrow. Go to your desk and get down to work then. I¡¯ll have to see the president for a meeting.¡± The team leader left the office. Then, everyone in the office came to Hyunwoo in droves. ¡°What happened? You already know how to do that?¡± ¡°Wow! What matters is experience, not an academic degree.¡± ¡°I came to think about you differently.¡± Suji was happy about it, and it was as if she had won a game. ¡°You¡¯re really awesome! Where did you learn it?¡± Scratching his head, Hyunwoo said, ¡°As a matter of fact, I learned it after I reported to work here. Fortunately, I know someone who is very good at this.¡± ¡°After you reported to work? That means you mastered it in about two weeks. Great!¡± ¡°No way. I¡¯m far from mastering it. Because I heard that it was one of the most important parts of this department, I had a private lesson focusing on how to find out profit and loss statements. I still don¡¯t know anything about anything else in this field. Please teach me a lot.¡± ¡°Of course, you can ask me anytime when you¡¯re in doubt. Instead, you should teach me how to make a profit and loss statement in return.¡± Everyone was chatting and joking around Hyunwoo, making it noisy inside the office. However, there was one person who didn¡¯t take part in that. It was Yonggu. ¡°Congrats!¡± With that simple congrattory word, he went back to his desk and got down to work, taking out some files. There was another one who wasn¡¯t happy. Oh Sangho, the guy who got hired with Hyunwoo. Yonggu could manage his expression, but Oh couldn¡¯t. His face became rigid, showing clear self-reproach that he had been defeated by a high-school graduate. Though Hyunwoo could easily notice it, he didn¡¯t care at all. Looked as if he couldn¡¯t hide his expression even if he wanted to. Hyunwoo just pretended not to have noticed it. After a while, the team leader came back to the office after the meeting with a gloomy face. ¡°Come here, everybody!¡± The team members gathered around him, and he then handed out apany status report to them. ¡°Perhaps all of you are aware that ourpany has been expanding very aggressively. That¡¯s why our purchasing department was created, and due to the business expansion, our financial situation isn¡¯t good.¡± Listening to him, the team members read the handout, which contained something surprising. The award itself wasn¡¯t that surprising, but the proportion of the award was beyond their imagination. It was 10% of the saved money. Every team member was aghast at thepany¡¯s proposal. Even the team leader offered one more incentive. ¡°If our team produces the winner, I will give him the top score at this year¡¯s job performance review.¡± The team members couldn¡¯t hide their excitement, for they would get not just money but also grade promotions. As employees, it wasn¡¯t that easy for them to grab this kind of opportunity. ¡°I¡¯m determined to be the winner.¡± ¡°Hummm, I¡¯ll have to think about cutting costs even when I¡¯m sleeping.¡± Everybody was burning with enthusiasm about it. Some of them already began to think of any potential waste of money, and they pondered about various things. Oh was no exception. Though he had been soundly beaten by Hyunwoo in the first round, he was determined to win this time. Given the choice, he wanted to bring about thergest cost-cutting oue so that he could prove how capable he was. Then, Park Minhye and thepany president could be certain that he was the right fit to be the next CEO of thepany. Of course, Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t be idle. Once he got hired like this, he wanted to hear his co-workers at thepany praise him for his work. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C The team leader encouraged his team members. ¡°Mr. Kim, give it a good try. You¡¯re like an idea bank, so this is the golden chance you can use to soundly beat your rival, Mr. Koh, from the sales department.¡± ¡°Yes, boss.¡± As if he wanted to show strong determination, he clenched his fist. Actually, he was ready to offer his own idea already. The team leader mentioned the award idea in the morning, but Yonggu presented his own in the afternoon without any hesitation. ¡°Boss, I¡¯ve got an idea about cutting costs.¡± ¡°Really? Just tell me about it.¡± The team leader was delighted at that. ¡°We pay more than 4 million won per year for themission fee for the customs broker, and I think we can cut down on it.¡± ¡°Oh, 4 million won!¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo could see the team leader rejoicing at his idea. Then, he suddenly thought about the fee cost. ¡°Themission fee for the customs broker? How can we cut down on that? Do you think they can lower the fee?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have to ask for a lower fee. We can cut it entirely.¡± ¡°Entirely? How?¡± ¡°As far as I know, there are manypanies that are handling imports and exports on their own without relying on customs brokers. Why don¡¯t we try to deal with it without a customs broker?¡± ¡°Hummmmm, we would be doing it directly?¡± With his chin on his hand, the team leader seemed to think it over. Everybody in the office looked at the team leader and Yonggu with serious expressions, including Min Suji and Oh Sangho. However, Hyunwoo showed no interest. Because he knew nothing about imports and exports, let alone how customs brokers worked, he wouldn¡¯t understand it anyway. After some hard thinking, the team leader nodded his head. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s give it a try. Then, somebody has to take care of the import and export assignment...¡± The team leader looked around his team members, who had agonized expressions on their faces. Suddenly, they all avoided his nce. Yonggu volunteered to do it. ¡°Let me take care of that, sir.¡± Only then did the other members let out a sigh of relief, but the team leader shook his head. ¡°You aren¡¯t allowed. Don¡¯t you know how important your current assignment is? It¡¯s already hard for you to do it by yourself.¡± ¡°No, I can handle it with a little bit of support from other team members,¡± Yonggu said confidently. Then, the team leader rekindled his interest in him. ¡°Support?¡± ¡°Please let two new hires help me. Then, I could show you in about two months how I can save 4 million won every year.¡± ¡°Two new hires. Do you have someone in mind?¡± At this question, Min and Oh¡¯s expressions were tense. They were well suited to take it on because they majored in trade. However, Yonggu looked at Hyunwoo suddenly and pointed his finger at him. ¡°Mr Hyunwoo Jang...¡± Stunned, Hyunwoo opened his eyes widely. How could he point at me, someone who knows nothing about trade? However, Yonggu was done with selecting him. He then pointed at Min Suji and said, ¡°Next is Min Suji.¡± His choice was really something the team leader hadn¡¯t expected at all. Of course, the team leader thought Min could be selected because of her trade background, but his selection of Hyunwoo, not Oh Sangho, was beyond understanding. ¡°You want Hyunwoo?¡± ¡°Yes, I have a reason for that.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Of course, Yonggu wanted to assign him more than he could handle so that he would have no other choice than to quit. Maybe Hyunwoo could manage to do it, but this would be only the beginning of a much bigger challenge for him. Yonggu was determined to add even more work to Hyunwoo to the point that he would go crazy. Then, Hyunwoo would be able to realize that thispany wasn¡¯t the kind of workce for a high-school graduate. Yonggu replied with a hopeful note, ¡°Mr Hyunwoo Jang is ready for work, given his performance with the profit and loss statement. However, he needs to be familiar with trade-rted work if he really wants to carry out his job at the purchasing department.¡± ¡°Of course he should.¡± ¡°If Mr. Jang takes on this job, he will learn about trade naturally.¡± ¡°Hummm.. You have such a n on him. However, I wonder if he can manage his main job while taking care of material management.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you should give up on him even without giving him an assignment. I think we can lessen his overburdened work if he says he really can¡¯t stick it out anymore.¡± The team leader nodded his head as if he felt that Yonggu¡¯s idea was great. ¡°I have to admit that you¡¯re very considerate.¡± Hyunwoo also sympathized with Yonggu¡¯s s exnation, but at the same time, he felt sort of uneasy because he knew that Yonggu didn¡¯t like him. I wonder if he has a wicked design for me. While thinking it over, Yonggu looked at Min this time. ¡°Though Min know a lot about trade, she iscking in ounting. So, I think they can make up for their weaknesses if they form a partnership.¡± As soon as Yonggu said that, the team leader praised him with apuse. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s wonderful. You¡¯re better than me. Just go ahead.¡± ¡°Thanks, boss. Can I see you guys at the conference room for a moment,¡± said Yonggu to Min and Hyunwoo. Yonggu walked ahead with Min and Hyunwoo following him with confused expressions. ¡°Just start studying about the customs-rted topic, Hyunwoo. You don¡¯t have to master every topic on customs. Just know about port of entry, customs processing, and how topile the export and import deration. You can manage that assignment while carrying out your main job, right?¡± Yonggu asked, speaking in a curt and business like manner. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re in doubt, ask Min, and if she can¡¯t answer, you can then ask me. Let me give you some necessary filester for reference.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Also, try to visit the customs office often whenever you can find time to do so. There is nobody as good as a customs broker if you want to learn about customs clearance,¡± Yonggu said to Hyunwoo. ¡°Do you think the customs broker can give me any tips?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so because he makes a living out of that. You have to try to learn something from him tactfully.¡± ¡°Let me try.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say ¡®try.¡¯ You have to get it. Why are you so unenthusiastic for a person who has experience atpanies?¡± Yonggu scolded him in front of others, which made him feel offended. It hurt even more because he was scolded in front of Min. There was nothing he could do, though. Though he used to be his friend, Yonggu was neither his friend nor colleague at Aurum. He was his supervisor, to say the least. ¡°Okay, sir. Let me aplish the mission by all means.¡± ¡°As I told you before, you should focus on studying ounting. Let me move your ce next to my desk so that you can ask me anytime you have questions.¡± ¡°Thanks, sir.¡± ¡°There is a saying ¡®time doesn¡¯t wait for man.¡¯ You¡¯ve heard it before, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What matters isn¡¯t learning but putting it work. We don¡¯t have much time, so let¡¯s bring about a good oue by learning it as soon as possible. Cheers, guys!¡± From that moment on, Hyunwoo intensively studied customs clearance. It wasn¡¯t easy for him from the start. Even though he wanted to study, he couldn¡¯t take the time to do so because he was overworked by material management. ¡°Are you busy, Hyunwoo? Can you double check the stock in warehouse number 3? I want you to do it now because I have topile a report to the boss.¡± As a matter of fact, material management was supposed to be taken care of by both Min and Hyunwoo, but it was Hyunwoo who got asked all the time. It wasn¡¯t because she avoided the work. Rather, she was anxious to help him whenever she could. On such asions, however, Yonggu would have him run an errand and then call for her. ¡°Can you fax this, Min?¡± Thanks to him, Min couldn¡¯t even take a look at the warehouse, much less help Hyunwoo. She always felt sorry about that, so she would ce soft drinks or memos on his desk. The more she acted like that, the more cute she became. Also, he wasn¡¯t that dissatisfied about taking care of material management by himself. Without it, he would¡¯ve spent a lot of his time running little errands anyway. ¡°Alright. Let me go and check the warehouse quickly,¡± Hyunwoo said. There were seven warehouses for raw materials, each of which piled up with materials like a mountain. It was really challenging to check out and count the items one by one, given the wide variety of raw materials there. To make things worse, the uncooperative attitude of the production team gave him a big headache. Because there was some sort ofpetition between the purchasing and production teams over the boundary of material management, they were more obstructive than cooperative sometimes. ¡°Can you check themter because I have to unload them now.¡± ¡°Let me do my job without bothering you.¡± ¡°Why are you bothering me? I can¡¯t drive my forklift freely because of a possible incident.¡± The two members of the production team wouldn¡¯t move out of the warehouse, with one driving the forklift and the other carrying boxes. Hyunwoo was in a difficult position at the moment. He couldn¡¯t afford to wait until they were done. When Hyunwoo looked around, he found a forklift parked nearby. He put down his files and drove the forklift to them. At that moment, they opened their eyes wide because they hadn¡¯t expected him to be able to drive a forklift. ¡°Let me chip in. Which material should I unload?¡± ¡°Oh, I can do it by myself...¡± ¡°We need to help each other. Just tell me the number of the material.¡± ¡°Okay, then. Two pallets of caster no. 13...¡± Hyunwoo moved quickly, which astonished them even more. At the previouspany, he was once called the forklift master, so it was only natural that they were stunned. Maintaining a proper distance from them, Hyunwoo took out the raw material skillfully. He quickly moved not only the pallets but also the boxes to one side. The production team members there were aghast at his skills. It looked like Hyunwoo alone moved more pallets and boxes than both of them did. Hyunwoo, who was done after moving thest pallet, approached them and asked, ¡°What else can I move now?¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re done.¡± ¡°Really? Thanks so much. I think I have to do my work now. Ooops, I¡¯m behind on my work. Let me do it quickly.¡± Hyunwoo began counting the stocks of the warehouse in question. They were looking at him and scratching their heads because they were done too quickly. Actually, they estimated that it would take about one hour to do it, but they reported to the manager that it would take 20 minutes more than the estimated time. Now, they had one hour of free time, but they couldn¡¯t go back to their office. If they did, the manager would certainly give them less time for their other tasks. So, they would have to go back after idling away their free time. They exchanged looks and walked to Hyunwoo after nodding their heads. ¡°Shall we help you?¡± Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C Hyunwoo broadly smiled as if he had met his savior. ¡°Thanks a million!¡± Thanks to the production team members¡¯ help, he could quickly finish counting the stock. Also, Hyunwoo would have plenty of avable free time. Hyunwoo took them to a nearby vending machine. ¡°Would you like a cold soft drink?¡± ¡°Oh, I think we should treat you...¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who buys.¡± They moved under the shade of a tree to chat. Fortunately, Hyunwoo could get some various useful tips. Though he couldn¡¯t make use of the tips immediately, he thought he could act tactfully thanks to the tips. ¡°Take care, then!¡± Even though he went back to the office, Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t concentrate on trade studies because of constant request for small errands. So, he had to move around constantly like a pinwheel while he was in the office. Even when he had some spare moments, it wasn¡¯t easy for him to learn customs clearance because he couldn¡¯t understand it due to hisck of basic knowledge of the field. He asked some senior team members about it but didn¡¯t get much help. Because thepany assigned customs clearance-rted work to the customs broker, there was nobody in the office with any practical knowledge of customs clearance. Though Min Suji and Oh Sangho were well versed in the theory of customs clearance, they didn¡¯t know much about it in practice. In particr, Min made some sort of crying expression whenever he asked. ¡°Sorry, Hyunwoo. I feel like I learned about trade in college in vain.¡± Looking at Hyunwoo, a self-satisfied smile appeared on Yonggu¡¯s face. ¡®Hahaha...I guess he¡¯s beginning to get really nervous.¡± Yonggu was curious what would happen to him one monthter. ¡®Wait a little more. Let me give you a big humiliation.¡¯ However, Hyunwoo wasn¡¯t as worried as Yonggu had expected, for he had reliable helper Jang Dukwoo who he could turn to. ¡°Hey, Dukwoo, are you avable this evening?¡± Hyunwoo had been tormenting Dukwoo for more than a week without any letup even on weekends. Still, Jang had noints at all. Rather, he was thankful to Hyunwoo. ¡°Thanks to you, I can meet Nami so often like this. Without you, I couldn¡¯t meet her even once a week. It¡¯s so difficult to see her face!¡± ¡°Yea, I think I am, so just be thankful to Hyunwoo,¡± Yu Nami said, bursting outughing. Hearing what they were talking about, Hyunwoo felt that both of them were serious about it. ¡°What can I do for you, sir?¡± Dukwoo asked. Hyunwoo was thankful to Dukwoo and thought that he would pay him back someday by any means. ¡°Ah, customs clearance processing? What are the products of export and import?¡± ¡°The exports are furniture and office products, while the imports are raw material.¡± ¡°Are they trading with T/T or L/C?¡± ¡°I hear L/C.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s simple because it doesn¡¯t need any quarantine or certification of requirements. All they have to do is just unload the products for clearance processing.¡± Dukwoo exined it away so easily. It was a very easy topic to Dukwoo, but ayman like Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t understand it at all. With a broad smile, Dukwoo opened a notebook. ¡°It¡¯s really easy. Look, it¡¯s the exporter¡¯s job to ship the products to the port of Busan. Then, thepany is only responsible for what happens after that.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°If you receive shipping documents from the bank, you submit a deration of imports, and once epted, you just go to the shippingpany with the bill ofnding(B/L) to im the products. That¡¯s it. How about that? It¡¯s very easy, right?¡± ¡°How can I dere imports?¡± ¡°Through the Unipass website of the Customs Service.¡± Hyunwoo felt it was easy after hearing Dukwoo¡¯s exnation. It wasn¡¯t that different from iming packages from a parcel package deliverypany. However, he would feel something different when he actually did it. ¡°What about the exports?¡± ¡°Well, as far as the exports are concerned, the customs broker¡¯s job is simple enough.¡± Dukwoo exined it to Hyunwoo by drawing some pictures on the notebook. This time, Dukwoo mentioned Unipass. The more Hyunwoo heard him, the more he felt that Unipass was a treasure box. Parting with Dukwoo, Hyunwoo turned on theputer as soon as he went back home. ¡°Customs Service¡¯s Unipass?¡± He googled it and had ess to the Unipass site. Then, a series of jobs processed by the customs office were disyed in a row, including export and import clearance processes. However, he couldn¡¯t get specific information, which was avable only to the members whose certificate code was verified. Unipass contained a lot more information than just customs clearance. Hyunwoo began studying about the kind of clearance items that were avable without a certificate verification code. He intensively studied Unipass even in the office, but he had no ess to the most important screen, which was how topile a deration of imports. He absolutely needed thepany¡¯s certificate verification code to get ess to that. ¡°Assistant manager Yonggu!¡± Yonggu raised his head. Min, who was right next to his desk and learning about ounting from Yonggu, looked at Hyunwoo. ¡°I think I need thepany¡¯s certificate verification code to process customs clearance. I need to join Unipass.¡± ¡°Ah, Unipass. We¡¯re already a member of it. Let me give you thepany code so that you can get ess.¡± Hyunwoo gained ess to Unipass with thepany code Yonggu gave him. After that, he could see all the stuff about the exports and imports. In addition to that, he felt that it wasn¡¯t that difficult topile a deration of imports when he checked out the samples of the previousmercial invoices, packing lists, bills ofnding, etc. That was really a marvelous experience to him. Hyunwoo had no knowledge of trade at first, but he began to feel that it was so easy. If offered a piece of paper, he felt that he couldpile an appropriate import deration immediately. ¡°What are you doing, Hyunwoo? Just wrap it up quickly so that we can go out for dinner.¡± ¡°What? Already?¡± Astonished a bit, Hyunwoo looked at his watch. The work day was already over. Because he had been studying customs, he hadn¡¯t known the time. Hyunwoo was excited to learn about customs. He just wanted to forget about dinner and continue to study all night. However, it was the first get-together dinner since he got hired, so he couldn¡¯t make an excuse to avoid it. ¡°Haha, we can expect assistant manager Yonggu¡¯s disy of extraordinary talent at dinner, right?¡± one team member said. ¡°Can you name anything that you aren¡¯t good at, sir?¡± another one asked. While heading to the dinner ce, they were talking about Yonggu. Though he was the core member in the office, he seemed to be much more in demand at the dining-together ce. In particr, the team manager had even greater expectations of him. ¡°I really want to see your extraordinary talent show. Hey, new hires, just see and learn well.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Hyunwoo held a lot of expectations as well. Come to think of it, Yonggu had been cheerful since an early age. When he mingled with friends, he usually took the initiative by controlling the atmosphere, and he was very good at talking too. He hated Hyunwoo, but he was popr among his friends. However, Hyunwoo was as good as him. Rather, Hyunwoo was ahead of him all the time. It was Hyunwoo who brightened up the atmosphere, and he had arger following among their friends than Yonggu. Hyunwoo giggled by himself and thought, Hummm..shall I show off my talent in a long time? The atmosphere of the get-together dinner of the purchasing team was good. Though Oh got easily drunk, nobody forced drinks on him, so there was no problem. Except for Oh, everybody liked alcohol. Min Suji moved here and there around the table to fill the team members¡¯ cups with alcohol, greeting each of them. Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t sit still, so he went around the table and filled everyone¡¯s cup, starting with the team manager. When he sat down in his seat, Yonggu held out a cup for him and said, ¡°Let me fill it for you, Hyunwoo.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Hyunwoo held the cup with both hands, but Yonggu took the cup back and said, ¡°Dude, I¡¯m your assistant manager at the office, but once I get out of the office, you¡¯re just my friend.¡± ¡°Still...¡± Hyunwoo was a bit hesitant. In some respect, this dinner was an extension of office work, and there were other team members there. The team members took Yonggu¡¯s side, and even the manager sided with him. ¡°Of course, is there anything more important than friends in this world? You look great, Yonggu!¡± ¡°Just do as our assistant manager wises, Hyunwoo. I would like to call you hyungnim(elder brother) outside the office. So, please treat me as a dongsaeng (younger brother),¡± Lee Kangho, the youngest team member, said. Though he was two years younger than Hyunwoo, he was still a superior at the office because he had been hired earlier than him. ¡°Hey, hold the cup with one hand, man. My hand aches!¡± Yonggu prodded him once more. Only then did Hyunwoo hold the cup with one hand. Though he felt a bit puzzled, he didn¡¯t feel so bad. ¡°Sorry I walked over you at the office. You must have felt offended, but just try to understand. As you know, that happens in any workce,¡± Yonggu said. ¡°Thanks for your remarks,¡± Hyunwoo asked. ¡°You don¡¯t have to say ¡®thanks¡¯ between friends. Let¡¯s get along,¡± Yonggu said. However, Hyunwoo took Yonggu¡¯s remarks with a grain of salt. If Yonggu was really sincere about his words, he wouldn¡¯t have treated Hyunwoo badly like that. It wasn¡¯t a matter of overwork or not. The way Yonggu looked at and talked to Hyunwoo was far from friendly. Though nobody noticed it, Hyunwoo alone could. In other words, Yonggu¡¯s words and attitude toward Hyunwoo were fake. All Hyunwoo could do at the moment was just pretend to be grateful to him. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s get along well.¡± With a broad smile, Hyunwoo emptied the cup with Yonggu. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C Other team members offered a cup to Hyunwooo with congrattory words. Though Hyunwoo was a heavy drinker, he didn¡¯t like alcohol that much. He drank a lot when the circumstances forced him to do so, but he usually avoided drinking asions and drank as little as possible. At the same time, he tried not to offend the other party¡¯s feelings. Also, the secret of it was sort of an overaction on his part, namely pretending to be overly drunk though he wasn¡¯t. ¡°Hey, Hyunwoo, you¡¯re still sober. Let me give you a drink.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Hyunwoo said, holding out his cup. ¡°Just hold it. Don¡¯t tremble!¡± ¡°Did I? Ooops, as I¡¯m drunk, I can¡¯t control my hand.¡± ¡°Why are you saying that when your face is pretty much sober?¡± ¡°Well, however, much I get drink, it doesn¡¯t show up on my face. That¡¯s why I usually drink more than I can. Even now, I¡¯ve reached more than my limit.¡± ¡°Really? Okay, this is thest cup then.¡± ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± In order to get the drinking meeting done quickly, the best policy is to have the boss go back home. Though it isn¡¯t supposed to be too noticeable, the thing is to have him get drunk nicely by refilling his cup repeatedly at an appropriate time. ¡°Manager, can I refill your cup once more?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s finish it here for today. Don¡¯t we have to go to another drinking ce? We all should go together, okay?¡± The second ce was a karaoke room. It was the ce Yonggu could show off his talent as much as he could. As soon as he got into the karaoke room, he proved why he was called the genius of dining asions. He presided over the singing after a great introduction. He livened up the atmosphere by singing the tunes of traditional Korean pop songs, showing his buttock slightly when his mood was at the highest, moving around the team members with skinship. At that moment, some of the team members were carried away with joy, screaming. Everyone stood up and did the funky chicken. Even though Yonggu sang only one song, the atmosphere at the karaoke room was already really lively up. Even Hyunwoo was stunned at Yonggu¡¯s extraordinary talent show. As time went by, Yonggu livened up the atmosphere further and further. At times, he evoked theirughter by tying his hair with a necktie, rolling up his trouser sleeves up to his knees, and putting onto his eyebrow bottle caps instead of sses. He also imitated ying the guitar by unbuckling his belt, and he did aical dance with a fire extinguisher over his shoulder. To Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes, however, Yonggu¡¯s talent was no more than amateurish. If he had his own way, he could knock him down a peg anytime. Of course, Hyunwoo resisted doing so. If he had done so, Yonggu would try to do his best to beat him, which might lead to a battle between the junior and superior of the samepany, something dangerous for Hyunwoo. Even though Hyunwoo could win, it was actually a losing game. There are many opportunities for it in the days ahead. When the right timees along, Hyunwoo could show what the real talent show at the dining-together ce is. Until then, it would be wise for him to be content with ying second fiddle to Yonggu. When Yonggu rolled up his left trouser cuffs, Hyunwoo acted as his partner, rolling up his right trouser cuffs. When Yonggu unbuckled his belt, Hyunwoo made a gesture by pretending to y the guitar with his teeth. Both of them hit it off together well. The following afternoon. ¡°Manager, let me go out to visit the customs office.¡± ¡°Do you want to learn the customs clearance-rted work? Okay, go ahead.¡± Hyunwoo got out of the office for his first working trip since he got hired. It was very stuffy outside because it was summer, but Hyunwoo just felt refreshed. As soon as Hyunwoo entered the customs office, an office clerk dly greeted him. However, he avoided Hyunwoo¡¯s questions about his work. Though he didn¡¯t say it explicitly, he sort of wanted Hyunwoo to leave because he was very busy. Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t just leave the ce, of course. He ced his ace for this very meeting, saying, ¡°In fact, I¡¯m afraid I have to cut down the fee for the customs broker a bit. Thepany¡¯s financial situation is too bad.¡± Then, the middle-aged man sitting in the back looked at Hyunwoo and stood up quickly to deal with Hyunwoo instead of the office clerk. ¡°Well, I¡¯m actually giving you a great discount even now. How can I give you more of a discount than now? I get just 50,000 won as the fee of an import deration paper and 30,000 won for the export paper. After I pay the sry of my employees here, I don¡¯t get a single cent.¡± Checking his name card, Hyunwoo found that he was the office manager. Obviously, the office manager was making a fuss about trifles. He said he was actually going to ask for the fee to increase more because it was difficult topile import deration papers for Aurum since its import items were tooplicated. ¡°Well, we don¡¯t want to raise the issue with the fee as a rule, but ourpany¡¯s situation is too bad financially. Can you cut down the fee for several months? When our financial situation gets better, we¡¯ll raise the fee again,¡± Hyunwoo said. ¡°Hummm.. How much can you save by cutting down the fee?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re trying to cut down the fee. Management even rmends us to file an import deration paper directly instead of getting the customs broker¡¯s help.¡± ¡°Just go ahead if you can. It¡¯s not as easy as you think. You might lose 3 million won by mistake when you want to save just 300,000 won per month for the customs brokerage fee.¡± ¡°As you know, we¡¯ve never made an error before, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because we¡¯ve processed everything urately. Can you figure out how to calcte the urate tax fee? Can you deal with it if yourpany runs into any trouble with the customs office?¡± The office manager frightened him in one way or another. Hyunwoo could make nothing of it, but he jotted down on his notebook what the office manager said, for he felt that the office manager¡¯s talking points were the mostmon mistakes anyway. ¡°As a matter of fact, I want to avoid handling the task of direct customs clearance processing. I don¡¯t make more money just because I cut down on themission fee. I need some reasons why you can¡¯t give a bigger discount to report to my boss.¡± ¡°There are many reasons, of course.¡± He then exined to Hyunwoo about the danger of import and export deration papers. After listening to him, Hyunwoo opened his mouth and said, ¡°I thought import and export deration was simple, but it is much moreplicated than I thought.¡± ¡°What I told you so far is only the tip of the iceberg. When you import machine parts, you have to check out whether they¡¯re qualified for an exemption or reduced fee...¡± Every time the office manager talked, Hyunwoo¡¯s notebook got filled with customs-rted words. ¡°Anyway, I can¡¯t give you a bigger discount right now. We have to make a living out of this, too. Instead, we won¡¯t ask for an increase in the fee.¡± ¡°Huhhhhh... got it. I think I¡¯ve sorted out things in some way. Let me report to my manager.¡± Hyunwoo got out of the office, but he didn¡¯t return to Aurum. In order to catch a tiger, one should go into the tiger¡¯s cave. Hyunwoo headed directly to the customs office in the city of Ansan. Hope I can get something to learn here. When he entered the customs office, he was surprised to find the employees there were like policemen in uniform, unlike the typical government employee at the dong office (lowest administrative office) or tax office. However, their impression was favorable. When Hyunwoo entered, a young female employee greeted him with a cheerful smile. ¡°How can I help you?¡± When he looked at the namete on her desk, it read ¡®Min Yuri, public grievances officer.¡¯ ¡°My name is Jang Hyunwoo, and I¡¯m with the purchasing section of Aurum. I just stopped by to say hello because I¡¯ve been newly assigned to customs clearance work. I¡¯ve got something to ask.¡± Hyunwoo offered her the soft drink he had prepared for this asion. ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to buy drinks. Next time, juste without anything like this.¡± He sat face to face with her. Exining to her the difficult situation of hispany, he asked her how to handle customs clearance without going through the customs broker. Her tone was negative as she said, ¡°Well, it¡¯s easy topile a deration paper. Even a high school student could do so with only one hour¡¯s training, but the thing is how urately he could do it. The import is directly linked to taxes, so if you make a mistake, you¡¯ll incur an enormous tax.¡± In fact, the tax Lee Yuri mentioned was enormous. It was sometimes 50 million won and sometimes 100 million won. Also, the dual penalty use, when breached, was supposed to penalize both thepany and its president. ¡°If you are confident that you won¡¯t make this kind of mistake, you can go ahead. Otherwise, give it to a professional.¡± In other words, she rmended him to make use of the customs broker. However, he couldn¡¯t give up like that. When he had to give up, he needed to show to his coworkers that he had done his best. ¡°What should I study to master this?¡± Yurin wrote down some study terms such as customsw, import...notification, export..notification, taxable amount... Hyunwoo felt dizzy because even the core topics he wrote down were as many as five. He stood up, holding his notebook. Lee saw him off with a cheerful smile and said, ¡°Please call me anytime when you have any questions.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± He got out of the customs office when an young employee next to Lee said to him, ¡°Wait a minute! You said you¡¯re an Aurum employee, right?¡± Hyunwoo turned back and checked his namete. It read ¡®Kwak Junho, tax refund officer.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right.¡± Kwak asked him suddenly, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you im the tax refund?¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide. ¡°Tax refund?¡± ¡°Yourpany exported 4 million dorsst year, but thepany didn¡¯t ask for a tax refund so far. The previous year you exported half a million dors...¡± Kwak was talking to Hyunwoo while looking at hisputer monitor. Then he paused, nodding his head. ¡°Ah, yourpany don¡¯t have a long exports history. Is it correct yourpany started exportingst year?¡± That was true. Since it developed the export market in Japan two years ago, its export volume was increasing exponentially. Though it exported only half a million dors for 20 items two years ago, its exports increased to 4 million dors for 70 items, and this year alone the exports amounted to 3 million dors for 40 items already, with six more months to go. Like Kwak said, Aurum¡¯s history was short, though its export volume wasrge. Hyunwoo nodded his head and said, ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Oh, you didn¡¯t know about the customs tax refund. Just apply for it and im the money.¡± Hyunwoo approached Kwak with a tense look and asked him cautiously, ¡°How much is the refund?¡± ¡°Combining the refunds forst year and the previous year...¡± Kwak tapped his calctor, looking at the monitor, and said casually, ¡°It¡¯s about 20 million won.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s jaws dropped at that. ¡°20 million won!¡± That wasn¡¯t the end of the story. ¡°If your exports are steady like this, you can im about 10 million won as the refund every year, so take good care of it.¡± ¡°10 million won every year?¡± Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C Hyunwoo¡¯s surprise was now turning into emptiness in his heart. He was stressed out all day trying to find out how to save 4 million per year by cutting down the customs broker¡¯s fee. Kwak¡¯s mere mention of the annual tax refund guaranteed 20 million won suddenly. He also said that Aurum would get a tax refund every year, and that was 10 million won. Hyunwoo was speechless, and Kwak kept talking. ¡°This is just based on my simple calction. The refund could increase if each export item is reviewed individually. But in Aurum¡¯s case, the ratio of import raw material is very low, so the simple calction is much more advantageous to you.¡± ¡°What is individual and what is simple?¡± ¡°Oh, it will take me several hours to exin. In short, it¡¯s called individual based on the customs duty you pay when you import, and it¡¯s called simple based on just the amount of exports regardless of other factors.¡± Still, Hyunwoo found his exnation hard to understand. Of course, he could understand the rough idea of it. ¡°Then what should I do if I want to im the refund individually?¡± ¡°You have to do the research by yourself. Otherwise, just seek the customs broker¡¯s help. That¡¯s the way mostpanies handle this kind of matter.¡± The more questions Hyunwoo asked, the more annoyed Kwak became. ¡°If I want to do research about the refund, what should I do? I would appreciate it very much if you can introduce a good book on that.¡± ¡°Well, there was one I prepared as a briefing materialst year. Do you have an USB memory chip? I have a video clip on it too.¡± ¡°Sure, I have one. Here you are.¡± When Hyunwoo offered it, Kwak downloaded the briefing material and the video clip onto the USB. ¡°Thanks so much. Can I ask you when I have questions while reviewing this material?¡± After hesitating a moment, he took out his name card from his desk and gave it to him. ¡°Call me at this number.¡± Receiving the card with both hands politely, Hyunwoo grinned at Kwak and said, ¡°Thanks. Don¡¯t worry too much. Let me call you only when I badly need your help.¡± Kwak didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, he was kind of awkward because Hyunwoo had read his mind correctly, but Hyunwoo still smiled broadly. Hisughing look seemed innocent, and his face showed that he was almost the same age as Hyunwoo. Maybe four or five years older or younger between them at most. ¡®Looks like we have to get along just like brothers sooner orter. I think I have to make friends with Lee Yuri too.¡¯ Vowing toe again, Hyunwoo left the customs office. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t rush to take care of the refund. Even if he reported it several dayster, the refund would still be there. He was thinking about reporting it only after he figured out the urate amount of the refund and the way it was calcted. When Hyunwoo arrived at the office, Yonggu asked, ¡°Did you find out something?¡± ¡°I met someone at the customs broker¡¯s office and the customs officers. They say it would be very dangerous to tackle this without a correct understanding of the relevant field. I think I need to do more research on this.¡± Hyunwoo said this with a negative tone. Yonggu¡¯s face looked sullen when he said this. He felt that Hyunwoo was trying to find an excuse to avoid the job because he didn¡¯t like it. Yonggu raised his chin and demanded, ¡°What¡¯s so dangerous about?¡± Hyunwoo didn¡¯t flinch at all. ¡°I hear it¡¯s not that easy to calcte the taxable customs duty amount. Factors such as addition and deduction, ssification of items, identification of country of origin, etc¡± As Hyunwoo talked more, Yonggu¡¯s face became more and more getting distorted, but he didn¡¯t retort. Though he was well versed in ounting, he knew nothing about customs clearance. ¡°What do you think, guys? Do you believe such factors are dangerous enough?¡± Yonggu asked to Min and Oh. However, both of them didn¡¯t reply as Yonggu wished. As if they saw eye to eye, both of them answered at the same time, ¡°Yes, veryplicated matters.¡± ¡°Because the price is directly rted to the tax, it could be a big headacheter.¡± Yonggu had nothing to say, just staring at Hyunwoo. ¡°So, what is your conclusion? You can¡¯t take on this job?¡± Yonggu asked. ¡°Let me do some thorough research on this. If you give me two or three months for this, let me try to tackle the simple things first,¡± Hyunwoo said positively. Yonggy nodded as if he had made a big concession to him. ¡°Ok, go ahead.¡± Sitting on his desk, Hyunwoo put aside the refund and just focused on studying the customs clearance. Because he had taken out refund-rted material, drawing other team members¡¯ attention, he would have no other choice to reveal the whole fact to them. Actually, it was almost impossible for him to study customs clearance-rted topics at the office because other team members, including the manager, had him run small errands constantly. ¡°Hey, can you pass this one over to assistant manager Koh of the sales department?¡± ¡°Can you check myputer? It gets so slow.¡± ¡°Can you copy this starting here? In an orderly manner, please¡± Despite such chores, Hyunwoo didn¡¯tin at all. Rather, he dly moved around to meet their requests. He did with all of his sincerity. When he was copying the material, he was trying to figure out what it was, and when he went to other departments on an errand, he tried to make friends with them. When he checked slowputers, he detected the factors that slowed down theputer¡¯s speed and removed them. Thanks to his sincerity, they called for him more often, but he enjoyed it. Today, Jang Dukwoo had an appointment, so Hyunwoo went home early for the first time in a long time. He began studying about the refund topic immediately. Turning on theputer, he inserted the USB stick Kwak gave him and checked its contents. Prepared by Kwak himself, it was a 55-minute video where Kwak exined the customs tax refund system. Though he mentioned many difficult terms, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t give up, repeatedly moving back and forth through the video clip. When he did so five times, he felt that he couldpletely understand the concepts of individual refund and simplified refund. Unlike individual refund, simplified refund was very simple. For example, if apany exported chairs, the refund rate was 30 won per 10,000 won. For example, the refund would be 300,000 won for the export of 100 million won. Hyunwoo could easily calcte the estimated refund of hispany, though he needed to know about its exact export statistics. Hyunwoo always reported to work at the same time, and he sometimes bought soft drinks for the old security guards or cleaning women. ¡°Please drink this¡± ¡°Oh, thanks!¡± He didn¡¯t mention anything about payback. He studied about customs clearance alone at the office very early in the morning. It was simple. All he had to do was get ess to theputer website with Unipass and check the items rted to import and export deration papers one by one. He also studied the taxable amount price with which the officer manager at the customs broker bluffed him the other day. He looked up the terms of addition and deduction factors, too. ¡°Hummmmm...it¡¯s prettyplicated.¡± But that wasn¡¯t a big deal because there weren¡¯t many items that could be applied to hispany. He felt that he could figure it out more clearly if he looked into hispany¡¯s imports. ¡°Yonggu, can I look at ourpany¡¯s certificate on the import deration paper?¡± ¡°Take this key and open cab #25¡± He took out the certificate on the import deration paper from the cab. At a nce, there were more than 100. ¡°Can I check out the volumes of ourpany¡¯s imports and exports?¡± ¡°Are you talking about the statistics?¡± ¡°Yes, I need to know which items were imported and exported.¡± Right after he said that, he instantly felt that he might have made a mistake, for he had no appropriate reply when Yonggu asked him why he needed it. Fortunately, Yonggu didn¡¯t ask him. Instead, he just said as if he was annoyed, ¡°Just go and ask the customs broker.¡± ¡°Okay, will do.¡± Hyunwoo called the customs broker. ¡°Statistics on the imports and exports? Because it is the secret of thepany involved, even we can¡¯t take it out. You heard about Unipass, right? If you go into it, you can find almost all of the material you want.¡± ¡°Ah, Unipass. Thanks.¡± After many attempts, he went back to Unipass at the end of the day. When he looked it up, he could get ess to hispany¡¯s exports and imports status on the Unipass website. To put it more urately, Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t because the team managers and superiors of the purchasing team didn¡¯t give him any time to do so. ¡°Hyunwoo, can you sort out this file?¡± ¡°Yes, give it to me.¡± ¡°Myputer has run into the same problem as before. Can you fix this?¡± He spent most of his working hours at the office taking care of some small errands for them, so he had to study about the relevant Unipass topics after they left the office in the evening. When he was left alone in the office, Min, who was cleaning her desk, approached him stealthily. ¡°Can I help you?¡± ¡°Nope, I¡¯m just staying here because I have nothing to do even if I go back home. Just get off early so that you can date someone and have fun.¡± ¡°How can I date alone? See you tomorrow then. Go home early, Hyunwoo.¡± Left alone, Hyunwoo focused on Unipass evenmore. Clicking each item on the export deration paper of hispany, he sorted out the materials to calcte the final refund amount on Excel. There were only three items exported by Aurum: swivel office chair, office desk, and office cab. They were all codified in 10-digit HSK. For example, the swivel office chair had a unique code, which was 9401.30.3000. The desk¡¯s was 9403.30-1000, and the cab¡¯s was 9403.30-2000. Each code had the set rate of the refund. For example, 30 won per 10,000 won for chairs and cabs, and 40 won per 10,000 won for desks. So, the refund amount could be easily calcted by multiplying the export amount. For the benefit of simplification and minimizing error, Hyunwoo used Excel. He could get a grasp of the total refund amount and the monthly refund at once. Hyunwoo opened his eyes wide after he finished putting all the numbers in the program. He could see the final refund amount calcted already on the program. His jaws dropped at that amount. ¡°Wow! 24 million won?¡± As much as 19 millon won in refunds came from the biggest export volume of chairs, followed by 4 million won and one million won from chairs and cabs, respectively. It was a little more than what Kwan had mentioned to him. ¡°Great. Let me report this tomorrow.¡± The next morning. ¡°How much? 24 million won?¡± The moment Hyunwoo mentioned the refund amount, he felt as if the team manager¡¯s eyes were popping out, an indication of his sheer shock. However, that wasn¡¯t the end of Hyunwoo¡¯s report. ¡°If we maintain our current exports, we can receive about 15 million won every year.¡± ¡°Oops! 15 million won every year!¡± Hyunwoo smiled satisfactorily. Themission fee for the customs broker was nothingpared to the amount of the refund. He was confident that the refund would be the biggest contributing factor in cost cutting at thepany. This would justly lead to the manager¡¯s praise. Listening to Hyunwoo all along right next to him, Yonggu asked in a fighting tone, ¡°How did you get to know this, Hyunwoo?¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°I mean, how did you get to know that we were eligible for the refund?¡± ¡°Well, I visited the customs and sought their advice. Then, the customs officer tipped me off on this.¡± Hyunwoo told the truth confidently. Regardless of how he got the tip on the refund, it was Hyunwoo who got to find it out. Then, the team manager said something weird, ¡°Looks like this isn¡¯t your original idea.¡± Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C Hyunwoo suddenly felt tense at the team manager¡¯s remark. He felt as if he had be an animal chased by a hunter. The team manager and Yonggu were the hunters. ¡°Don¡¯t you think so? You didn¡¯t find this out by yourself. Instead, it was something the customs officer tipped you off on.¡± Hyunwoo just felt dumbfounded at that moment. That was how the world went around. A baby can¡¯t live alone. If it sits idle, nobody woulde over to put a rice spoon into its mouth. The same can be true for this. Without Hyunwoo¡¯s active involvement, nobody would¡¯ve found out the information about the refund. Who would take the initiative if his or her achievement would be underappreciated by the manager or colleagues at thepany? Hyunwoo found himself fought with himself at this moment. Fight with them or admit it? The chances are that he wouldn¡¯t be able to win. How could he fight and beat the manager and Yonggu, the two central figures of the purchasing department? Here at the department, their remarks were thew. If Hyunwoo coulde up with a tight exnation to take the credit for himself, he could probably get the award money and special promotion. However, he would lose everything other than that. The two of them would treat Hyunwoo like an enemy, and the other team members would try to avoid him in order to not to be involved. In short, there was much more to lose than to gain from this. In this situation, the best policy was for him to please them. ¡°Absolutely, sir. Did you think that I would take credit for it alone? No way. It should be the performance of the purchasing department,¡± Hyunwoo said with a broad smile. Both of them brightened their sullen faces and smiled at him. The manager tapped him on the shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re a really nice guy. Howe we¡¯ve met such a man of fortune like him? Yonggu,pile the report and bring it to me.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s expression became slightly rigid. Why did he ask Yonggu to make the report? It suggested that he wanted to give Yonggu the credit. But Hyunwoo softened his rigid look instantly so that nobody would notice it. Min noticed me, he thought to himself. Min Suji was looking at him. Though she smiled, he felt some sort of bitterness in it, something like sympathy toward him. ¡°Got it. Hyunwoo, make the draft and bring it to me.¡± Hyunwoo felt bitter. It was him who had obtained the information and made the draft, but it was Yonggo who got the credit. Nheless, Hyunwoo already decided to empty his mind. ¡°Okay, sir¡± Hyunwoo immediately began making the draft. He made it perfect enough so that there was nothing to correct in it. ¡°I¡¯vepleted the draft.¡± ¡°Let me take a look.¡± Yonggu reviewed the draft. Though he was very good at ounting, he didn¡¯t know much about customs clearance or the refund regtion. In particr, the refund regtion waspletely new to him because he didn¡¯t even know that it had existed. There was nothing for Yonggu to correct in the draft. Still, he corrected something because he wanted to make it his own by revising it. Otherwise, it would still be Hyunwoo¡¯s. ¡°Send the file to me.¡± Yonggupleted the report based on Hyunwoo¡¯s draft, and he then went with the team manager to see thepany president. Back to the office, both of them didn¡¯t hide their happy expressions. ¡°Our team seeded in cutting down thepany¡¯s costs for the first time. Everybody, let¡¯s apud!¡± ¡°Wow!¡± The team members were pping their hands out of joy, and Hyunwoo was no exception. ¡°The president gave us big praise, saying that our team set an example. He promised to give us a lot of award money, vowing to make our performance as an example to other departments. Don¡¯t you think that we should have a dinner together?¡± ¡°Hurrah!¡± The team members burst into exmation once again. Yonggu said to them, ¡°Let me treat you today. Be ready when the clock hits 5 pm sharp.¡± With the team members shouting with joy, the team manager approached Hyunwoo and tapped him on the shoulder. ¡°Though Yonggu submitted the report, this is the performance of the team, not any particr individual. Also, the award money will be evenly distributed to everyone, but let me give you more.¡± ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to. I can¡¯t receive more money because the credit goes to all of the team members. So, evenly five it to everybody...¡± However, the manager cut off his remarks, and he asked the team members as if he thought the world of Hyunwoo. ¡°No, no. Is there anyone dissatisfied with my decision?¡± ¡°No, sir¡± Only then did Hyunwoo nod his head reluctantly. ¡°Thanks so much for your consideration.¡± Hyunwoo thought of other things in heart, though. ¡®Okay, you im the money and the grade promotion. I¡¯ll get other things much greater than that.¡¯ Led by Yonggu, the team members headed to the dinner ce, where the production team had already taken their seats for dinner. ¡°Oh, you guys are from the production department. Manager Yang, you also got here. Congrats! I know the production team got a big catch this time.¡± ¡°Manager Park, ha ha ha. Thanks. All the credit goes to my team members.¡± Hyunwoo could notice it, though. There was some sort of subtlepetition between the managers of the production team and the purchasing team. ¡°Good. Do we have sit apart from each other? I don¡¯t think so. Let¡¯s introduce our new hires to each other on this asion.¡± ¡°Great idea. Hey, put the tables close together.¡± All of a sudden, the dinnerbined both teams. The two teams were clearly rivals. Hyunwoo could notice it when they exchange cups. There was one female member on the production team. Just by her look, she seemed to be a heavy drinker. All smiles on her face, she was sort of attacking Min Suji by repeatedly refilling her cup. Easily drunk, Min already waved her hands right after the dinner began. ¡°Let me drink slowly. I get really drunk quickly.¡± ¡°Really? How can you deal with your daily working life with such a low drinking limit? Our members at the production team drink with strong mindedness, though we can¡¯t drink much.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t drink any more,¡± Min said. The heaviest drinker of the purchasing team, Han Sanghoon, was in a drinking battle with his counterpart of the production team. The problem was even Han seemed to be losing. While his counterpart emptied the cup boastingly as soon as he received it, Han was toiling to slow down his drinking speed. Han slightly gestured toward Hyunwoo, asking to help him out. Until then, Hyunwoo had been drinking slowly. It wasn¡¯t because he avoided drinking but because he was getting ready for full-fledged drinking. Only after that could he show off his drinking capacity. Though there was nothing as stupid as a drinking battle, Hyunwoo felt that it wasn¡¯t necessarily bad to be a fool when the pride of his team was at stake. Hyunwoo rolled up his sleeves and held one bottle of soju in one hand and a cup in the other. He now dealt with Han¡¯s counterpart. ¡°Let me introduce myself again. My name is Jang Hyunwoo, and I just got hired. Let me refill it for you.¡± At that moment, the captain of the production team cast a wary look. Han was tough for him to deal with, but he now had to beat his supporting recement. Soon, another from the production team joined in the drinking battle. They kept refilling the cups while the team managers of each team continued their own drinking battle. ¡°This time, the purchasing team was very lucky. Lucky guys fall on a wad of bank bills even if they fall backward,¡± the production team manager said, suggesting that their performance was the oue of sheer luck. The purchasing team manager replied, ¡°No way. How can you say that in front of our team members?¡± Then, Yang Suchol, the purchasing team manager, said to his team members, ¡°The production team can¡¯t beat us.¡± ¡°Shall we make a bet then?¡± said his counterpart of the production team. ¡°Betting? Do you want to make a bet with the purchasing team?¡± ¡°Sure, how about betting on the cost-reduction suggestion put forward by our president? The winner is the one that receives more award money.¡± Yang, who was verypetitive, had no reason to reject it. ¡°Okay, how much is the bet?¡± Yang asked. ¡°Well, how about one million won?¡± answered the production team manager. ¡°Alright, then. You guys heard it all, right? You¡¯re the witnesses,¡± Yang said. At that moment, they heard a thump from the table nearby, a clear sign of who won the drinking battle. The two team managers turned their heads. There was satisfactory smile on the purchasing team manager¡¯s face while there was some sort of bitterness on his counterpart¡¯s face. ¡°Hey, Mr. Han, are you okay?¡± The team manager asked as Han shook his head. ¡°Ooops, I¡¯ve barely survived it. By the way, Hyunwoo, looks like you¡¯re really a heavier drinker than me.¡± ¡°Me? I vomited all through the night. I drank for my life for the honor of the purchasing team, but it was really tough for me.¡± ¡°Anyway, we had a great time yesterday.¡± Everybody was sort of lively in the morning thanks to the award money incentive. Though they might have a hangover from drinkingst night, everybody was as light and nimble as a deer. Hyunwoo was no exception. He got actively involved in work more than anybody else. ¡°Yonggu, what about the refund application? I think we have to pay a lot if we ask for the customs broker¡¯s help.¡± Yonggu¡¯s face slightly became rigid. It was clear that he wanted Hyunwoo to take care of it. Of course, Hyunwoo would do so because that was the way he could get something bigger in return. However, he needed to announce it to everybody so that they could realize that Yonggu was getting the real credit even though it was Hyunwoo who did all the work involved. When Yonggu seemed embarrassed, the team manager stepped in gently and said, ¡°Who do you think is to take care of this, Hyunwoo?¡± ¡°Well, this is something that needs direct dealings with the customs officer. I think someone with a high position is the right fit.¡± ¡°Who?¡± The team manager askedbatively. Though his tone was polite, it looked like he was rebuking Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo felt disgusted. Why was the manager asking Hyunwoo? Isn¡¯t it the position of the team manager who is supposed to take care of such work? ¡°I think it¡¯s appropriate for you to decide,¡± Hyunwoo said. ¡°Really? Okay, I think assistant manager Kim should take care of it, but he has too much work. So, I think you should do it.¡± ¡°May I? As a matter of fact, I wanted to learn about the refund regtion. Thanks for the opportunity for me to learn.¡± Hiding his bitter feelings, Hyunwoo pretended to be happy. Only then did the team manager clear his misunderstanding of Hyunwoo, and a smile appeared on his face. ¡°I just feel secure because of you.¡± Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C Hyunwoo aggressively started working on iming the refund. However, the process was more important than the oue. He could get something big in that process. That was towork with other people. If he had to deal with the business of the purchasing team, he would need a lot of information about import and export customs clearance, let alone an increase in the work rted to the customs brokerage office and the customs. In that respect, Hyunwoo felt it necessary towork with the customs. Suddenly, Lee Yuri and Kwak Junho¡¯s faces came to his mind. Even though they might have expressed annoyance at his sudden appearance, they did their best to be kind to him. In some way, he could make a good rtionship with them. Given the choice, it would be better for me to get along with them. The best way to get close to somebody was to run into him or her often. Meeting face to face would be much more effective than mere text messages or calls. Plus, some gifts would work wonders. What kind of gift would be good? 4 pm that day. Hyunwoo visited the local customs office. Lee Yuri and Kwak Junho¡¯s faces got a bit rigid when they saw him. But they immediately smiled broadly at him in a show of artificial kindness. ¡°How are you? You¡¯re back again.¡± ¡°Thanks so much for your help the other day. You must be hungry, right? Please help yourselves to this treat. I wonder if you like it¡± Hyunwoo presented two tes of pizza to Kwak. The pizza was of the best brand, of course. Because there were a total of nine employees at the office, two tes of pizza would suffice as a snack. Kwak¡¯s face brightened a lot. ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to buy this.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t feel burdensome at all because I¡¯m not here to ask you for anything. I just wanted to repay your help fromst time.¡± ¡°Thanks. By the way, how about your refund application process? Is it going well?¡± Actually, Hyunwoo was going to bring up the issue first. He thanked Kwak for mentioning it first in his heart. ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to apply tomorrow. All I have to do is just apply for it through Unipass, right?¡± ¡°Oh, you have to create a refund ount first. If we know your ount, we can send the money.¡± Come to think of it, Kwak was right. ¡°This is the paper for the refund ount application. You need to have it stamped with thepany¡¯s official seal, and the attached document is...¡± Kwak gave him a detailed exnation along with some tips that could help him finish it conveniently. ¡°Because this is the first time you are applying for the refund, you¡¯ll see a request for the submission of certain papers. Don¡¯t do it all at once. Just apply for one export deration paper ording to the item, and it will then be processed in P/L.¡± ¡°What is P/L?¡± ¡°No submission of papers. In other words, you can im the refund through an electronic application without visiting the customs office.¡± Hyunwoo understood it easily. If he applied for the refund of every item, that would mean the submission of all the papers. In that case, he had to print out all the export deration papers and submit them to the customs office. ¡°Thanks. Let mee back with apleted application paper.¡± Hyunwoo didn¡¯t hurry. He needed to drag his feet on it so that they would be able to recognize that he imed the refund after trying really hard. He applied for the refund ount three dayster, and four dayster he applied for the refund through Unipass. Though he didn¡¯t know much about the process of exports and imports, application for the refund was too easy. Just one application letter and one certificate of export deration were more than enough. He didn¡¯t need to print out a single piece of paper. The refund was wired into thepany¡¯s ount on the day he applied for it. There was a big fuss within the finance department because they didn¡¯t know the source of the unexpected refund. The president gathered all the employees. He then presented the award money and praised the purchasing team and Yonggu. Yonggu was promoted one more step. All of the employees pped their hands out of envy, and the purchasing team burst with joy. The president¡¯s praise made the purchasing team dance with joy. The purchasing team¡¯s team manager didn¡¯t lose his smile all day long, and his team members were lively and spirited as well. Especially, their attitude toward Hyunwoo was different. When he got hired, they tended to despise him because he was a high school graduate. Though the team members tried to hide it, Hyunwoo could clearly notice it from their eyes. When he came up big with the refund matter on the heels of his sessfulpletion of the profit and loss statement, their prejudice instantly disappeared. On the contrary, they recognized Hyunwoo¡¯s capabilities. When Yonggu was absent due to his work, they even approached him for his help. Hyunwoo was satisfied. Though he yielded everything to Yonggu, he could gain much more thanks to that. At that moment, he had a call from Kwak, the customs officer. However, it was something like a bolt out of the blue. ¡°What did you say? Collecting the refund?¡± ¡°Yes, Aurum isn¡¯t eligible for the simplified refund requirement. You imed the refund, but you¡¯re not qualified.¡± ¡°What should we do now? Do we have to return the refund? All of it?¡± ¡°Not all the refund. The refund for the exports two years ago was legitimate. There is no additional fee, fortunately, because we found it early.¡± Hyunwoo felt like he had been struck by lightning. Everybody, including the team manager, gathered around Hyunwoo. However, he was just absent-minded and couldn¡¯t see anything before him. Only after he heard Kwak¡¯s voice did hee back to his senses. ¡°If we collect the refund, the additional fee will berge, so you had better report it on your own.¡± ¡°May I ask you why?¡± ¡°The simplified refund is only applicable to small and medium-sizedpanies.¡± Hyunwoo knew about this, of course, because Kwak had exined it in his video lecture. Aurum was a small and medium-sizedpany, but Kwak was exining it differently. ¡°Aurm is outside the boundary of a small and medium-sizedpany ording to the relevantw. So, it¡¯s not eligible for the refund for them.¡± ¡°We¡¯re a small and medium-sizedpany.¡± ¡°Yes, it was until two years ago. But because yourpany took over the equities of Hansupst year, it¡¯s beyond the category of a small or medium-sizedpany. So, it is no more in that category sincest year.¡± Hyunwoo was aware that Aurum took over Hansup, but Hansup was a very smallpany. How could Aurum turn into argepany with the takeover of such a smallpany? ¡°If you give me your fax number, I can send you an official notice on this. You will understand it better if you read it.¡± Hyunwoo gave Kwak his fax number, and he soon received the official letter. It wasposed by the Korea Customs Office, where there was a list ofpanies that were ssified outside the category of small and medium-sizedpanies. Among them was Aurum. ¡°What? What happened? Just exin it to us,¡± the team manager demanded. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t have the heart to open his mouth. How could he say that they had to return the refund? However, he had no other choice but to tell the truth in the presence of the tense team members. ¡°Well, the customs officer says we imed the refund that we¡¯re not eligible for.¡± ¡°Returning it? All 24 million won?¡± ¡°Excluding the portion two years ago. Actually, it was only 1.6 million won at that time. So, we have to return 22.4 million won. ording to the regtion, we have no other choice.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the difference between 24 million won and 22.4 million won? What the heck is that kind of regtion? What is it?¡± Hyunwoo showed him the official letter from the customs office. Suddenly, the team manager grabbed the back of his neck. ¡°Ooops, my neck aches! What should we do now?¡± Yonggu was more surprised than him. What the team manager got from the president was just his praise, but Yonggu was the biggest recipient of the refund credit. Yonggu was restless. It was clear that he was doing his best to find some sort of breakthrough. However, there was no good trick he could use to get out of this trouble. Suddenly, Yonggo stared at Hyunwoo with glittering eyes like an eagle¡¯s that had found its prey. ¡°You have to take responsibility, Hyunwoo,¡± Yonggu said. ¡°What did you say?¡± Hyunwoo asked back with a nk face. How could he take responsibility for that? If he knew how to avoid it, he would have dly taken care of it. However, there was no way whatsoever that he could find a way to get around the refund regtion. ¡°This is something you suggested, Hyunwoo. And it is you who took the trouble to apply for the refund and im it. Also, you received twice the award money given to other team members.¡± So what? He should definitely give back the award money he received. Not only Hyunwoo but also the other members. But that wasn¡¯t the end of the story. ¡°You should report directly to the president that you nned this, that you took the initiative to carry this out, and that you brought about the mistake by yourself,¡± Yonggu said. Hyunwoo smiled sarcastically. Yonggu might be able to figure out why. Yonggu didn¡¯t intend to resolve the problem. He was only concerned with avoiding any possible bacsh against him. ¡°Got it,¡± Hyunwoo said. The team manager added, ¡°You have to be responsible for the dinner cost, too.¡± He suddenly felt a pain in the back of his neck at that. The purchasing team received a total of 6 million won in award money. Out of that, they used 500,000 won for the dinner, and each member of the team was given 500,000 won, but Hyunwoo received one million won. The team manager donated 500,000 won for the dinner as an incentive for them to do better. In other words, he was telling Hyunwoo to return two million won. The return amount wasn¡¯t small but not big enough to take him down. ¡°Okay, will do,¡± Hyunwoo said. He didn¡¯t hesitate at all to ept the manager¡¯s order. His expression seemed to mock the manager, suggesting ¡®I¡¯m not the kind of guy who gets scared by such a small sum.¡¯ Hyunwoo handled the matter quickly thanks to the pressing demands by the team manager and Yonggu. Hyunwoopiled the report that day and went into the president¡¯s room with the manager. Though the manager had a grim expression, Hyunwoo straightened his shoulders when he entered the president¡¯s office. I did my best. Anybody can make a mistake. I don¡¯t have to feel ashamed or ask for forgiveness. The president greeted them with broad smile, but his facial expression changed when he looked at the nervous team manager. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± The manager nudged him in the ribs, and Hyunwoo then walked to the president and presented the report. ¡°We were contacted by the customs. They asked to collect the refund because we imed it when we weren¡¯t eligible for it.¡± ¡°Collecting the refund?¡± The president stared daggers at him and snatched the report from Hyunwoo. He read it and then looked squarely at Hyunwoo, now turning his eyes to the manager. ¡°What the heck is this about?¡± ¡°Hyunwoo didn¡¯t review that part of the refund regtion enough. We feel so sorry about that.¡± The manager was grovelling at his feet. However, the president shook his head and asked, ¡°I mean, why did you change the person in charge so suddenly? When you reported to me first, you said Yonggu took the initiative, didn¡¯t you?¡± Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C ¡°Well, that was because...¡± The manager, who was put on the spot, was unable to find a usible excuse. He was so concerned with iming the refund that he hadn¡¯t thought about what the president had pointed out. At that moment, Hyunwoo came forward to answer, saying, ¡°Well, I supported assistant manager Kim Yonggu.¡± ¡°Supported him?¡± ¡°Actually, I heard about this from the customs while I was hopping around to cut costs. Though I obtained the refund tip, the customs office gave ourpany that valuable information on it. So, I thought that I shouldn¡¯t take the credit for myself alone and asked Yonggu to take the initiative.¡± ¡°So, you made it up that Yonggu took the initiative on this?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t make it up. I visited the customs office at Yonggu¡¯s direction. In that respect, the biggest credit goes to him in my opinion.¡± Hyunwoo took Yonggu¡¯s side at the end. Though he hated Yonggu, there was nothing he could get by bad-mouthing about him. ¡°Anyway, the conclusion is you and Yonggu were involved together, right?¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right.¡± The president looked at him. In fact, Park Daebong, the president, was born in a poor worker¡¯s family. In other words, he went from rags to riches. He went through all kinds of ups and downs to make Aurm what it is today, and he had met a variety of people. Such an experience gave him a discerning eye. Just one look at one¡¯s behavior made him judge a man and figure out his or her capabilities and character. Park was making the same judgment right now now. To him, it wasn¡¯t important whether Yonggu was greedy or the team manager backed him up. What mattered to him was Hyunwoo¡¯s credit was taken away just because he got newly hired. Nheless, Hyunwoo was defending both of them, somethingmendable to him. Hyunwoo was wise about that. It would have been rather petty for him to tell the president on them, thinking to himself ¡®Kiss my chuddies!¡¯ Rather, he could get something bigger if he tried to defend them. Park pretended not to notice it. He felt that the purchasing team¡¯s atmosphere would be good even if he took the trouble of improving it. Looking at Hyunwoo, Park asked scathingly, ¡°Why can¡¯t I find any trace of self-reflection in you? Don¡¯t you think you have to say ¡®sorry?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir.¡± Hyunwoo offered his apologies, but he only did it superficially. It looked like a phony apology per the president¡¯s request because he wasn¡¯t wrong. Because of Hyunwoo¡¯s attitude, the team manager got more and more nervous. If he could have his way, he would¡¯ve struck Hyunwoo¡¯s neck to force him to lower his head. An interesting expression appeared on the president¡¯s face, and he asked, ¡°What are you sorry about?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to report this kind of stuff.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about other stuff.¡± The team manager gasped at this answer. He thought that Hyunwoo had given up everything. In his mind, as a new hire, Hyunwoo made a huge mistake, and he thought that he was certain to be fired for that. That¡¯s why he was showing a devil-may-care attitude toward the president. However, Hyunwoo¡¯s mindset was different from the team manager¡¯s. Everything that Hyunwoo said was genuine. Why should he be sorry about this? Hyunwoo thought this was something the president should praise him about. Though it ended up like this, it was obvious that he ran around to get the information more actively than anybody else. Also, it wasn¡¯t Hyunwoo¡¯s fault that the refund was collected. In fact, the president must not have realized that Aurum was out of the category of small and medium-sizedpanies. The president was staring at Hyunwoo, and he then reviewed the report again. ¡°When is the deadline for returning the refund?¡± ¡°There is no particr deadline, but they will charge additional fees if we fail to return the refunds within three months.¡± ¡°Then there is no interest within three months?¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Hummmm.. We have some time then. The reason for the collection is Aurum is no longer a small or medium-sizedpany, right?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Ourpany was a small and medium-sizedpany until two years ago, but it is no longer under that category because we took over Hansup.¡± The president nodded his head and then returned the report to Hyunwoo. ¡°Too bad. Though I recognize your efforts, you failed to bring about the oue. As you know, it is the oue, not the process, that matters to thepany. Let me take back the award money. Still, because your efforts produced 1.6 million won, let me recognize 200,000 won as award money. Anyints?¡± Hyunwoo felt the team manager let out a sigh of relief. The president¡¯s recognition of the award money meant that his focus was more on praise than rebuking. Anyway, that was the best result the team manager could think of in this situation. ¡°No, sir.¡± ¡°Let me recognize the promotion because there should be rewards for effort.¡± Now, the manager¡¯s face brightened. It looked like he hade back to heaven from hell. However, there was a problem. The president asked the manager, ¡°By the way, who do you think should be given the promotion? Do you still support assistant manager Kim Yonggu? Or is it appropriate to change the promotion beneficiary from Kim to Hyunwoo?¡± The team manager¡¯s shoulders, which were straight up a moment ago, shrank again. ¡°Well, I think Hyunwoo....¡± ¡°No sir, I think it is appropriate for Kim Yonggu to be promoted,¡± Hyunwoo said, cutting in their conversation. The president frowned a bit at his attitude because he was in the middle of talking with the manager. However, he sat silently and listened to him. He felt that Hyunwoo was fully qualified for the right to express his opinion at the moment. ¡°Tell me the reason.¡± ¡°You might feel as if you had the refund taken away after you imed it. It is appropriate that Kim Yonggu should be given rewards.¡± ¡°That makes sense, but that¡¯s not enough.¡± ¡°If I take away Kim¡¯s promotion, the atmosphere of the purchasing team will turn sour. The reason you gave the employees the award is to promote their morale and motivation to work, right? In that respect, it isn¡¯t right for me to get promoted instead of Kim,¡± Hyunwoo said. ¡°Hummmm.. That makes sense. Is that all?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got one more thing. I¡¯m only a new hire, so what really matters to me is not to be promoted but the attention and support of my colleagues. If I give up a promotion, I think that they will pay several times more attention and love to me than before. That¡¯s the bigger reward for me.¡± Hyunwoo was done talking and closed his lips. The president was smiling. If all the employees had the same mindset as Hyunwoo¡¯s, Aurum would inevitably keep growing in the days ahead. If that¡¯s the case, there should be some bigger rewards for Hyunwoo, something he really wants. ¡°Okay. I was going to give you a promotion, but because you¡¯re determined to give up on it, I won¡¯t stop you. Instead, you can just return the award money.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Go back to work then.¡± The team manager and Hyunwoo lowered their heads at the same time and then left the office. The president looked at them silently, thinking, Looks like the team manager and the new hire are in reverse roles. Tut, tut. ¡°Mr Jang Hyunwoo.¡± Back at the office, the team manager called him. His voice tone was rather rough, so the team members looked at them without saying anything. ¡°Yes, manager.¡± The manager stared at him and said, ¡°Don¡¯t treat the president like that next time. You should pay respects to your superior.¡± Hyunwoo was puzzled for a moment. Did I fail to show respect to the president? He felt that he hadn¡¯t, and he wasn¡¯t ashamed of what he had done when he had exined the situation to the president. Still, he answered as he was ordered ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Hyunwoo lowered his head. Then, the manager tapped him on the shoulder and said, ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t want to me you for that. We¡¯re back on good ground at the end of the day. We¡¯re lucky. Also, you did a very good job defending Yonggu. He is the central figure of the purchasing team. You should raise up his spirit so that the purchasing team will run smoothly. I¡¯ll keep in mind what you did, of course.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Yonggu asked nervously. The manager tapped Hyunwoo on the shoulder again and said, ¡°Though you have to return the award money, your promotion will be duly recognized. Hyunwoo said something very good about you. You have to treat him well.¡± Yongggu looked at Hyunwoo as if he couldn¡¯t believe it. Hyunwoo grinned at him and said, ¡°Well, what matters is that you did a good job, so things are supposed to work out like this. Congrats, Yonggu!¡± ¡°Congrats!!! Treat us please!¡± Each of the team members congratted him with one voice. Though it was regrettable to return the award money, it made them happy that they had avoided the worst situation. Jang Dukwoo and Yu Nami opened their mouths wide and said, ¡°The money to be collected is that much? Looks like a big financial loss.¡± ¡°No way. I can think of the refund as something I didn¡¯t im at all,¡± Hyunwoo said. Jang nodded at his remarks. ¡°You¡¯re right, sir. Also, you can im the individual refundter anyway. That way,you could make up for the loss, I think.¡± ¡°I know that, too. I am calcting the individual refund amount, but the form is tooplicated. I am afraid I can finish it within a day or two.¡± ¡°Of course. But if you¡¯re done with it this time, you will find it easier next time. Also, the amount of the refund is bigger than before, and you can get the president¡¯s praise again.¡± Hyunwoo was shaking his head as if he was wrong. ¡°Our products mostly rely on domestic material, so the ratio of imports is low. I don¡¯t think the amount of the individual refund is that big.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Jang Dukwoo seemed to be well versed in the issue of the refund, too. He instantly understood what Hyunwoo said without any further exnation. ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t think I helped you a lot today, Hyunwoo.¡± ¡°Never mind. Your presence just next to me is a big help to me. Everything will work out all right, so don¡¯t worry at all,¡± Hyunwoo said. ¡°Let me think it over when I get back home. There are lots of useful tips as one looks into the trade-rted area very carefully. I feel there are a lot Aurum might have missed.¡± ¡°Thanks!¡± Hyunwoo was meeting Jang once or twice per week these days. Because he was ustomed to working at the purchasing team, Hyunwoo would be able to stand on his own feet sooner orter. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C Hyunwoo sent Yu Nami and Jang back home early that evening. When he went back home, he calcted the amount of the individual refunds. The form for the individual refunds wasplicated upon review. ¡°There are five import wheels per one chair, and the refund of each wheel is...¡± He sorted out the material on the refund on Excel every evening in the office after other team members left. It took him four days to transfer the data to Excel. Also, he spent another two days linking the imports to the exports. In other words, it took him six days to calcte even one item refund, but the oue was very much frustrating. ¡°What the heck is this? Just this small amount?¡± The amount was 13 million won. Though he expected much less, given the low ratio of import material, it was still far less than he thought. I think I have to find a different way. Is there a better way? It wasn¡¯t something he could find out alone. He looked at the book again and focused on recovering the refund in the office. Just to be sure, he yed Kwak Junho¡¯s video material again because there might be a point he might have missed. Suddenly, something Kwak said came to mind. Even the raw material supplied in the domestic market is eligible for the refund. Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened suddenly. What? I was wrong to think only raw material imports were eligible for the refund. In the video material, there were some who asked the same question. ¡°Do you that mean even if the raw materials aren¡¯t imports, they are still eligible for the refund?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. Obtain a tax submission certificate on basic raw materials. It¡¯s part of the regr simplified refund.¡± inly speaking, it was a regtion that recognizes the material as some sort of export if the material was supplied to the exportingpany. For example, ifpany B supplied raw materials to Aurem for its production of export items, the certificate was something designed to turn over the right to the refund included in the taxable amount to Aurum, and the simplified refund could be applied. Hyunwoounched Excel quickly and began searching the domestic material used for Aurum¡¯s exports. The highest refund portion was iron frame. After googling the ssification of the item, the iron frame was a part of the chair. The refund ratio for this was 50 won per 10,000 won. Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes becamerger andrger. Everytime he filled out the parts one by one, his heart began pounding loudly. In the office, he identified the list of the raw materials used in export products, and he then went back home andpiled the calction statement on the estimated refund. The most difficult part of his work was to find the right HS code. Though he felt that he had found the correct code and calcted it ordingly, he wasn¡¯t sure if it was correct. After working for one week to produce the estimated refund statement, hepleted it finally. Of course, it was a draft full of errors. Early in the next morning. ¡°How are you, sir¡± Hyunwoo greeted with his head down. The old guard greeted him with a kind and generous smile, saying ¡°Huhhhh.. You are such an industrious guy. Don¡¯t you sleep at all?¡± ¡°Please help yourself to this drink.¡± He took out a soybean milk container from the drink box. ¡°What¡¯s this this time?¡± ¡°I think I disturb your morning sleep like this. So, I¡¯ve purchased one for you to express my apologies.¡± ¡°Oh, haven¡¯t you heard that old people wake up early. Anyway, thanks for the drink.¡± Hyunwoo headed to the office and looked at his watch. It was 6:30 am sharp even today. Since he got hired, he had reported to work at 6:30 sharp all the time. He knew exactly what he was supposed to do in the office. He usually chatted with the cleaning women and could easily find out how thepany was operating. The old guard nodded his head with a satisfactory expression on his face and said, ¡°They should recognize his sincerity more than anything else.¡± When he arrived at the office, he started off by cleaning it. However, he didn¡¯t touch the floor, which the cleaning women were supposed to clean. Instead, he cleaned the dirt on theputers and telephone sets, etc. He also cleaned the coffee stains on the water purifier, the cups, and teaspoons his colleagues used every day. It took him 30 minutes to clean them all. Soon, the cleaning women came into the office. ¡°Our young guy arrived already!¡± As if he was waiting for them, Hyunwoo offered them soybean milk. ¡°How are you? Please drink this¡± ¡°Oh, you make us feel sorry. Anyway, thanks for the drink.¡± They were very talkative, as he expected. It took them just ten minutes to clean the office floor, but they were talking the entire time. After they went out of the office, his colleagues started reporting to work one by one. During the snack time in the afternoon, he headed to the customs office. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re back again,¡± Kwak said. However, he didn¡¯t greet him as dly as he did before. As part of his duty, Kwak collected the refund Hyunwoo had imed before, so it was sort of ufortable for him to deal with Hyunwoo. Instead, Hyunwoo offered brand breads with a bright smile and said, ¡°Please help yourself to this bread.¡± Surprised, Kwak declined. It seemed as if he couldn¡¯t collect the refund if he took the bread from him. ¡°No thanks. I¡¯m alright.¡± Hyunwoo offered the bread again, saying, ¡°Are you declining because of the refund collection? Never mind. I already reported to the president, and we¡¯re preparing it now. Within two months, we¡¯ll file the necessary deration.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± Kwak said. ¡°Please take this bread first. Actually, I stopped by today to learn something from you. I would feelfortable if you took this.¡± ¡°Hahaha.. If you insist.¡± Only then did Kwak ept the bread gift. Because it was small, neither Hyunwoo nor Kwan felt burdensome because of it. Kwak said, making some excuse for the refund collection, ¡°I didn¡¯t know things went wrong this way. We thought that Aurum was just a small and medium-sizedpany. There is no way for us to find it out unless we get the relevant information from the Small and Medium Business Administration.¡± ¡°I guess so. Our president realized that Aurum was outside the category of small and medium-sizedpanies because of this.¡± Hyunwoo now took sides with Kwak. A little relieved, Kwak also brightly smiled. ¡°Oh, I see. By the way, what brought you here?¡± ¡°I watched your exnation in the video material. I noticed something about a certificate on raw material supply. Ourpany can obtain the certificate from the suppliers for our exports, right?¡± ¡°Of course. Do the suppliers want to issue such a certificate?¡± ¡°Well, I haven¡¯t talked to them yet. As a matter of fact, the ssification of the export items is too difficult. As you know, the amount of the refund changes if the ssification is wrong, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. You must have done a lot of research up to now!¡± Hyunwoo scratched his head, and he presented the statement on the estimated calction of the refund. ¡°Because this is the first time I¡¯vepiled it, I think that there are a lot of errors. Can you tell me what I should correct?¡± Kwak helped Hyunwoo actively. Though the pizza and bread Hyunwoo brought to him were helpful, Kwak wanted to help him out because he felt sorry for him. Hyunwoo corrected his statement with Kwak¡¯s help, and Kwak also help him sort out the ssification. Hyunwoo felt as if he had witnessed a new epoch. If he made good use of the certificate on raw material supply, he could not only make up for the refund loss but also im an additional refund. He couldn¡¯t keep this good information to himself. Because he got help from Jang Dukwoo all the time, it was about time he taught him a lesson. He called Jang about this. ¡°The certificate on raw material supply? I don¡¯t know¡± ¡°Well, in short, it is...¡± Jang immediately got the point. ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t know there was such a certificate. Well, then mypany could use it for arger refund.¡± Hyunwoo could feel the excitement from Jang¡¯s voice, which made him happy too. I hope that I get a bigger refund this time. Hyunwoo continued topile the estimated refund statement, and he finallypleted it by linking the exports and the certificates. Hyunwo recalcted the individual refund. Confirming the oue, Hyunwoo opened his mouth wide. ¡°Wow! 56 million won!¡± It was a number beyond his expectations. He initially wanted to make up for the refund collection, but it was twice the amount now. About the same time, Jang Dukwoo, too,pleted the additional refund amount by using the certificate on raw material supply. Late in the evening, he called Hyunwoo and said, ¡°Thanks to you, sir, I got unexpected money!¡± ¡°How much is it?¡± ¡°Oh, very much. The additional refund amount based on the certificate is over 20 million per year!¡± Jang made a fuss about it, boasting that his father, who was also the president of hispany, would praise him. However, Hyunwoo was a bit puzzled because he had expected the additional refund to be much bigger because Jang¡¯spany was bigger than Aurum. Upon second thought, he felt that Jang was right. Though Aurm was heavily dependent on domestic raw material, Jang¡¯spany relied on the import of raw material, so there weren¡¯t many certificates to make use of. ¡°If youe across good information like this, please let me know, sir,¡± Jang said. ¡°Of course.¡± After he hung up the phone, Hyunwoo reviewed the estimated refund calction and the form once again. However, there was no error. The exact refund amount was a bit over 56 million won. Hyunwoo clenched his fist and said, ¡°Great! I did it!¡± ¡°56 million won?¡± The team manager opened his eyes with surprise, and he then cast a suspicious look this time. ¡°Are you 100% certain this time?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve actually had it verified by the customs officer. There is one condition, though.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°We have to obtain the certificates from the raw material suppliers. Without them, we have no refund.¡± ¡°What is that certificate?¡± In the meantime, the team members, including Yonggu, were stunned by the amount, but at the same time, they were half in doubt because of the previous bitter episode. Hyunwoo exined the certificate to them in detail. The more Hyunwoo exined, the bright and more hopeful the team manager and Yonggu seemed. They felt it was certain this time. The team manager pped hisp and said, ¡°Great! File a report.¡± The following day, the team manager and Yonggu went to see the president. Of course, Hyunwoo apanied them. After he was briefed, the president opened his eyes in surprise and said, ¡°Did you find a way to make up for the refund loss?¡± Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C ¡°Well, we aren¡¯t just making up for the refund loss. Actually, we¡¯re getting a bigger refund.¡± The team manager talked loudly out of excitement. Though he let Hyunwoo answer the president¡¯s questions, he didn¡¯t give Hyunwoo and Yonggu a chance to talk. ¡°When we calcted the individual refunds, the total amounted to 56 million won. Also, the refund of the customs tax is around 29 million won on average per year. As we increase the export volume, we will see a bigger increase in the refund. This is the relevant report,¡± the manager said. He was filled with confidence when he presented it to the president. However, the president cast a wary look at him, giving the impression that they were making the same mistake as before. He kept asking questions to verify that it wasn¡¯t a mistake this time. Suddenly, the manager was at a loss for words. He or Younggu couldn¡¯t answer because of their limited knowledge of the refund regtion. Though he stayed with Hyunwoo and the manager for very long in the president¡¯s office, he didn¡¯t have a chance to talk. Hyunwoo exined calmly and confidently, and he spoke decisively enough to gain the president¡¯s trust. ¡°I verified this with the customs officer.¡± Only then did the president smile. ¡°The conclusion is we only have to obtain the certificates on raw material supply from the suppliers for the refunds, right?¡± the president said. ¡°Yes, sir,¡± the manager said quickly as if to interrupt Hyunwoo. ¡°Hummmm... what else do I need to know here?¡± the president asked. When he asked, the manager looked at Hyunwoo, who shook his head without any hesitation. ¡°No more, sir,¡± Hyunwoo said confidently, whose conclusive tone suggested he was in the manager¡¯s shoes. Then, the president looked at Yonggu. ¡°Why did youe here, assistant manager Kim?¡± ¡°Well...¡± answered Yonggu with a nk expression. ¡°I don¡¯t think you came here merely to show your presence before me. Didn¡¯t youe here to say something to me?¡± the president asked. At this moment, Yonggu blushed with embarrassment. Actually, he had no reason toe here. If he had to find one reason, he was greedy for the award money. To get ahead in the world, one was supposed to show one¡¯s face often for good things, but one should try to avoid something bad as much as one could. Then, Hyunwoo fortunately answered on behalf of Yonggu, ¡°Actually I asked him toe with me. I just wanted to seek his help if I couldn¡¯t answer your questions.¡± The president alternately looked at Hyunwoo and Yonggu, though he had some doubt about Hyunwoo¡¯s remarks. He didn¡¯t go to the trouble of asking specifically, though. ¡°Got it. By the way, is it okay for us to not ask the customs broker about this job? Can you guys at the purchasing team deal with this without any problem?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. We¡¯re going to use this asion to learn a lot. Just trust us.¡± ¡°Okay, then. Let me trust you. Go ahead. I think I have to recalcte the award money after we receive the refund. Let me increase the award money and give a promotion, too.¡± At the president¡¯s remarks, the manager and Yonggu¡¯s faces brightened, but they got rigid the moment he asked the manager, ¡°By the way, who is the recipient of the award money this time? Are you going to support Kim Yonggu this time?¡± The president¡¯s nce was cast toward the team manager. Yonggu also looked at him. Though he didn¡¯t say any single word since he came into the president¡¯s office, his glittering eyes toward the manager were full of greed. However, the manager avoided his eyes this time, and he answered without any hesitation, ¡°Obviously Jang Hyunwoo is the recipient, sir.¡± ¡°I think so.¡± Returning the paper, the president tapped Hyunwoo on the shoulder and said, ¡°Nice job. Justpile the necessary documents to obtain the certificates from the suppliers. Also, let me caution you about something. You don¡¯t share someone¡¯s award money with others, do you?¡± ¡°What did you say, sir? Sharing the money?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t take away the money from the new hire because he or she is weak. I am not giving the money for that purpose, right?¡± ¡°Hahaha, how could I do such a thing?¡± ¡°Well, I heard something about it. I hear you guys divided the award money among yourselves.¡± ¡°Well, that was...¡± ¡°Never mind. Let bygones be bygones. I don¡¯t want to take issue with what happened already. I want to prevent the same practice from happening again, so take good care of it, manager!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± With the manager walking ahead, Hyunwoo and Yonggu went out of the office. The manager tapped Hyunwoo on the shoulder and said, ¡°Nice job, man. I just feel secure thanks to you.¡± ¡°Thanks, manager.¡± This time, he tapped Yonggu on the shoulder and said, ¡°Why are you so crestfallen? I don¡¯t want to believe that you¡¯re greedy about the award money.¡± ¡°No, sir. How could I?¡± ¡°Okay, this time the credit goes to Hyunwoo by all means. You got a promotion anyway, didn¡¯t you? And if we can sh the customs brokerage fee, let me give you the credit. Let me promise you that.¡± Yongggu didn¡¯t reply at all. The manager¡¯s remarks were far fromforting him. As for the customs clearance fee, it was only 4 million won per year. However, the amount of cost cutting through the refund was as much as 56 million won, and it would be possible to im a refund of almost 30 million per year. There was a huge difference between the two cost cutting measures. Yonggu had it all taken away by Hyunwoo. ¡®It¡¯s my credit. Ah... it should be mine.¡¯ ¡°Hey, Hyunwoo, go to the library and check out these files.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°On the way there, can you give this file to assistant manager Koh Younghan?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°We have to sort out the stock in Storage #2. Can you check them out because we have to bring in some new stocks in two hours.¡± ¡°Sure, let me go and check them quickly¡± Though he was close to achieving a great service by saving the budget, Hyunwoo was still called for constantly. That made it impossible for him to focus on mastering the certificate on material supplies and opening the files rted to the refund. The way the team members had him running various errands clearly showed that they weren¡¯t concerned with reducing the budget. Maybe they didn¡¯t seem to indicate any interest because it wasn¡¯t their main work, or they might be thinking that the new hire wanted to overtake them in terms of performance without any warning. If that¡¯s not the case, there was no reason for them to call for Hyunwoo all the time instead of Min Suji and Oh Sangho. In particr, nobody dared to have Oh run on small errands because they all knew that he was strongly backed up by Ms. Park Minhye, the president¡¯s daughter. The only member in the office who was concerned about Hyunwoo was Min Suji. ¡°Let me go and bring back the files. Let me go to the sales team, too,¡± Min said. Whenever she said so, however, Kim Yonggu wouldn¡¯t let her have her way. ¡°Can you check this out, Min?¡± Yonggu asked. ¡°Ah, yes, sir.¡± Min gestured toward Hyunwoo that she was sorry, for she knew that it was her job to take care of material management assistance. Yet, she never went even close to the warehouses. ordingly, it was entirely Hyunwoo¡¯s job to take care of material management. Hyunwoo grinned at her as if she didn¡¯t have to feel sorry, and he stood up from his seat. At that moment, the team manager, who was sitting quietly at his desk, said, ¡°Mr Oh, what are you doing right now? Are you busy at the moment?¡± ¡°Well I¡¯m sorting out the statistics forst year.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that urgent. Because Hyunwoo is currently taking care of the president¡¯s special order, you have to take on his other jobs. Also, you guys had better refrain from giving Hyunwoo any small errands if you can,¡± the team manager said. ¡°I¡¯m alright, sir. I can do itter in the evening...¡± Hyunwoo said. Raising his hand, the manager interrupted him and asked the team members again, ¡°Why are you guys not replying? Min Suji and Oh Sangho are here to help you guys. You have to help each other in a situation like this. Right?¡± ¡°Got it, sir,¡± the team members reluctantly answered. Thanks to his help, Hyunwoo could do his main work during office hours. However, he felt twice the burden, for he had to repay the manager¡¯s consideration. Though he was confident, he had to take care of the certificate assignment as fast and urately as possible. ordingly, he couldn¡¯t stop doing the research on the certificate-rted topic even after the official working hours. ¡°May I help you?¡± Suji asked when other team members left the office. ¡°I¡¯m alright. Why don¡¯t you leave?¡± ¡°Well, there aren¡¯t any soap operas to watch even if I go back home.¡± ¡°Really? Do you know something about the refund or the certificate on material supplies?¡± ¡°I know something about the refund, but did you say the certificate on material supplies? I¡¯ve never heard about it. I can study about it little by little from now on.¡± Min dragged her seat closer to him. ¡°Thanks, Suji. I feel relieved because I have an expert like you beside me.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not an expert.¡± Min reviewed the relevant regtions with Hyunwoo. Fortunately for Hyunwoo, the regtion on the certificate on material supplies was much simpler than expected. There was little difference between it and the refund. The documents necessary to obtain the certificate were the contract paper, the receipt of materials, and the certificate on tax payment. However, the problem was that the application for the certificate was only possible through Unipass. That meant all the suppliers had to join Unipass and fill out the necessary forms. That wasn¡¯t something a new hire like Hyunwoo could carry out. He at least needed the team manager¡¯s intervention. Hyunwoo wrote down all the important points to report to the team manager. However, the team manager cast a puzzled look at Hyunwoo and asked, ¡°Why are you reporting this to me? What should I do?¡± ¡°Please persuade the presidents of the suppliers on this.¡± ¡°You want me to call them one by one for this, right?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s rather challenging for me to do so...¡± The team manager could figure out what he wanted, but it wasn¡¯t in his element to do so. ¡°In other words, you want me to force them to do so with my rank, right?¡± ¡°What I mean is you can persuade them to recognize how much this certificate case is important to us...¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m a bit disappointed. You¡¯re causing trouble for me if you ask a favor of me without giving it a try by yourself first. If you can¡¯t do it, just ask your superiors in the office. If you want to take all the credit by yourself out of greed and then things go wrong, that will be a big loss for you.¡± Hyunwoo had a different opinion, of course. Even if Aurum was in a domineering position and the suppliers were in a weak position, this certificate case wasn¡¯t something Aurum could ask for without giving something in return. Also, he thought it would be more appropriate for a ranking employee, not a new hire like him, to ask for such a request. As for asking for favor of other team members, Hyunwoo had no problem at all about it. However, the problem was how to get the owners of the suppliers in motion to issue the certificates. He couldn¡¯t argue with the manager because it would give him the impression that he was challenging him. At that moment, Yonggu interrupted quickly, seizing the opportunity, ¡°Hey, Hyunwoo. Why are you driving the team manager into a difficult position? If this is something you alone get the award money for, don¡¯t you think that you should have toe up with the solution by yourself? Can you take away your promotion and give it to the manager?¡± Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C As a matter of fact, Yonggu¡¯s response was unexpected to him. Hyunwoo knew that Yonggu didn¡¯t like him, but hadn¡¯t Hyunwoo averted his crisis? Hyunwoo saved him from a difficult situationst time. If Hyunwoo hadn¡¯t stepped in at the right time recently, Yonggu would have found himself in a very difficult position in the president¡¯s presence. In a way, Hyunwoo saved him as a way to reconcile with him. He didn¡¯t know why Yonggu hated him so much. Still, he reached out to him first. Nheless, Hyunwoo could not find any trace of appreciation from him, which made him regret having treated him so nicely. Hummmm... maybe I should have let him get axed? Hyunwoo thought to himself. But it¡¯s all water under the bridge now. He erased everything about Yonggu from his memory. What he was faced with at the moment was how to persuade the suppliers. However hard he thought about it, it was still something challenging. Could they ept a new hire like him making such a request out of the blue? He felt that it wouldn¡¯t be easy. Come to think of it, the team manager made sense when he talked like that. Hyunwoo was mistaken when he asked a favor of the manager even without trying it by himself. ¡°Okay, sir. Let me wrestle with it harder,¡± Hyunwoo said. Taking back the file, Hyunwoo sat down at his desk. There was no other way for him to im the refunds without obtaining the certificates from the suppliers. ¡®Okay, let me confront them first.¡¯ Hyunwoo obtained a list of suppliers and called them one by one. What he requested was simple. ¡°Can you issue a certificate on yourpany¡¯s material supplies to us?¡± Their response was what he had expected. They had no knowledge of it at all. ¡°Certificate on material supplies? What is that?¡± Hyunwoo exined it to them calmly. Skipping all theplexities involved, he told them in a way that all they needed to do was issue just one certificate. The presidents of the suppliers consented without any objection. But the real problem was they need to go through the process first before issuing the certificates, and that was not as easy as one thought. They just shook their heads when they were faced with joining Unipass with thepany¡¯s certification letter. ¡°Certification letter? Unipass? Customs? Why is this soplicated? Do you want us to do it on our own? Why are you asking us, who know nothing about it, for it? You should ask us for something we¡¯re familiar with.¡± ¡°Once you process it for us, you can do it easily next time.¡± ¡°Next time again? Do you mean we have to continue to do it? You won¡¯t raise the unit price even if we do it for you, right? Oh, I don¡¯t know.¡± He felt that it was not easy to persuade them over the phone. ¡°I have to go out for a business trip, manager,¡± Hyunwoo said. ¡°Business trip? Where?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t persuade them of the certificate over the phone. I think I have to meet and persuade them directly.¡± Yonggu then suddenly raised his voice, challenging, ¡°You¡¯re not going out for your own business, right?¡± ¡°How could I? If you check with the suppliers, you¡¯ll find out immediately if I¡¯m lying or not. Let mee back as soon as I¡¯m done.¡± ¡°By what time can youe back?¡± Yonggu asked as if he were pressing him. The manager raised his hand to stop him. Even though he trusted Yonggu, there was no reason for the manager to stop Hyunwoo, who said that he was going out on a business trip for the refund. ¡°Okay. Just go ahead. You cane backte, so persuade them well.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Hyunwoo went out of the office, heading directly to the suppliers to persuade their presidents. ¡°It¡¯s not that difficult as you think. All you have to do is just apply online and fill out the form.¡± ¡°It might be easy for someone like you who knows about it. I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m so busy.¡± At Hyunwoo¡¯s mere mention of the certificate, they just got cold feet. Even though he said he would help them process the application, they just refused it. He felt that there was no other choice but to seek the team manager¡¯s help. That was thest resort. But he felt it was not good to dump it on the manager at this point. He wanted to resolve the problem without any misunderstandings between him and the manager. What should I do? Who should I ask? Suddenly, one person came to his mind. The best expert on this kind of matter would be the customs officer in charge of the refund. The following morning, he visited the customs office. Though Yongguined again about his business trip, he came out of the office confidently. As a matter of fact, it was Yonggu who had him go out for a business trip to the customs broker and customs office. If Hyunwoo could not handle it properly because of Yonggu¡¯s bluffing, it would drive him into a more difficult situation. Even if Yonggu stood in the way, he would have to deal with it to the end and get things done. When Hyunwoo visited the customs office, Kwak greeted him with a bright smile. Kwak had already got the burden of the refund collection off his chest, and he seemed to feel closer to Hyunwoo after he stopped by with snacks the other day. The same was true for Hyunwoo. Though he felt Kwak¡¯s first impression was icy, the more he saw Kwak, the more he felt this customs officer had a tender heart. ¡°Watermelons are in season these days. I bought a cold one, so you can have it right now.¡± ¡°Wow, why is this watermelon so big?¡± A manager behind Kwak asked, looking at them, ¡°What the heck is that watermelon?¡± ¡°I¡¯m an employee with Aurum, sir.¡± The manager made an embarrassing expression and said, ¡°Oh, we can¡¯t take it carelessly.¡± Kwak hesitated for a moment. He could not disobey the manager¡¯s apparently disapproving remarks, but it was discourteous to return the watermelon to him. Come to think of it, he never said hello to the manager despite his several visits to the customs office. Hyunwoo approached the manager quickly, saying, ¡°I¡¯d like to introduce myself to you. My name is Jang Hyunwoo with the purchasing team of Aurum.¡± ¡°Oh, are you? My name is Kim Sungwoo, assistant manager of auditing.¡± Kim returned his greeting reluctantly. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t care. More often that not he felt that the first meeting with someone was awkward. In Kim¡¯s eyes, Hyunwoo must have been thought as someone who was there to ask some favor. But his misunderstanding would disappear soon. If they meet and talk several times, they will get along naturally after that. ¡°Thanks to Mr. Kwak¡¯s help, I can receive a refund, so I bought a watermelon to repay him. I¡¯m not here to ask a favor, so don¡¯t feel burdened.¡± ¡°Really? Come and join us, then. Hey, guys,e over and enjoy this watermelon.¡± When Kim pulled out a chair and asked him to sit down and have some watermelon, Hyunwoo did so politely. ¡°Let me have just one piece of it, then.¡± Kim asked Hyunwoo about various things such as Aurum¡¯s situation and difficulties, though the other employees stayed silent. Hyunwoo briefed him about some positive and challenging aspects of thepany. Though Aurum was expanding rapidly, it was sort of in a difficult situation because of its excessive expansion efforts. His conclusion was thepany could grow big when given a leg up. ¡°Well, there is meaning in our existence whenpanies are doing well. Feel free to contact us anytime you need our help.¡± ¡°In fact, Mr. Kwak is helping us very much, so I can¡¯t sit idle. That¡¯s why I stopped by today.¡± Hyunwoo cheered up Kwak inconspicuously. Kwak grinned bashfully, and Kim also praised him, saying he was apetent man. After some chatting, they finished the watermelon. Kwak went to his desk, and Hyunwoo sat down before him. Only then did Hyunwoo begin to tell him about his troubles. Namely, the suppliers felt it too burdensome to issue the certificates on material supplies. At that moment, Kwak checked out the other employees in the office secretly. Right next to him were Lee Yuri and other colleagues, and Kim was behind him. Looking back at Hyunwoo, Kwak abruptly asked, ¡°Do you smoke?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t...¡± Hyunwoo was going to shake his head. He had never smoked since he was born. But he nodded instantly, sensing instinctively that what Kwak wanted was not to smoke but to tell something else. ¡°Do you have a smoking room here?¡± ¡°How about going out for a moment?¡± They went out of the customs office, which was a two-story building with arge parking lot in the front. There was also a small garden around the building, and there was a bench under a wisteria tree. It was under the wisteria tree that Kwak took Hyunwoo, and they could talk freely with nobody present. Kwak offered a cigarette to Hyunwoo. Grinning, Hyunwoo said, ¡°In fact, I don¡¯t smoke.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Lighting a cigarette, Kwak said casually, ¡°Don¡¯t tell anybody that I tipped you off on this.¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes were glittering. It was clear there must be some expediency. Also, it was not illegal because a public servant like Kwak had mentioned it. ¡°Of course not! I¡¯m currently surfing the inte to find the way,¡± Hyunwoo responded skillfully. Whatever tips Kwak gave him, it would be something that Hyunwoo found out by searching on the inte, not through Kwak¡¯s lips. ¡°Somepanies have been handling it this way. Namely, they¡¯re issuing the certificates by themselves on behalf of the suppliers that aren¡¯t using Unipass.¡± ¡°Substituting the suppliers?¡± ¡°Yes. The firms specializing in the refunds are obtaining the official certificates on behalf of the suppliers to process the job from start to finish.¡± Hyunwoo felt a new world was opening before his eyes. Why hadn¡¯t he thought about this before? Come to think of it, this was not great advice. However, it was a great piece of advice to someone who hadn¡¯t expected anything like this at all. In particr, thepany¡¯s official certificate was very important because it was off limits except to a very few involved. ordingly, he hadn¡¯t thought of it at all, and he would not have carried it out even if he had known about it. Kwak also served a simr caution. ¡°Thepany¡¯s official certificate is like one¡¯s legal seal. Some refund firms download suppliers¡¯ official certificates on their ownputers to process the job, but that¡¯s very dangerous.¡± Hyunwoo agreed with him, too. If they were found in vition of inte fraud, the mere possession of suppliers¡¯ official certificates could make them criminals. However, Kwak offered a solution. It was sort of apromise. ¡°Just download the suppliers¡¯ official certificates and then go and apply on behalf of them on the day when you have to obtain the certificates on material supplies. One caveat here is you have to make sure you go with an employee of the supplier.¡± That was the perfect solution. Because Aurum was not far from most of the suppliers, he didn¡¯t have to feel burdened when he had to go out for a business trip. ¡°Thanks. Thanks a million.¡± Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C Hyunwoo went back to the suppliers. The presidents slipped away whenever they saw his face, but they nodded their heads when presented with a new option by Hyunwoo. ¡°Thank you. Then, let me obtain the official certificate and submit the application for the Unipass membership.¡± ¡°Sure, go ahead. By the way, may I ask you one question?¡± ¡°Yes, please.¡± ¡°What is this certificate on material supplies? I have no problem with issuing it because it is free, but I need to know what the heck that is.¡± The exact meaning of the supplies certificate is the transfer of the right to the refund of the customs tax. In other words, it means that the suppliers are transferring their right to the refund to Aurum. If Hyunwoo answered like that, the suppliers would obviously feel greedy about it and say ¡®Give us our share of the refund, or half the refund, etc.¡¯ If there was any room for negotiation, Hyunwoo would dly help them out. However, It looked like Aurum wouldn¡¯t give a greenlight to it. That kind of answer would create useless conflict between Aurum and the suppliers. Also, the suppliers have a right to the refund anyway because they¡¯re eligible only when certain items are exported. Of course, Aurum couldn¡¯t exercise the full right even if it handed over the refund correctly. If it received a refund worth one million won, it can get only 50,000 won when 5% of that amount is exported. As long as the remaining 950,000 won is not used on exporting items, it¡¯s no more than a waste paper. Except for this exnation, Hyunwoo gave him the least possible information about it. ¡°inly speaking, this is a document that helps Aurum get the refund when it exports items. If you issue the certificate, we can receive a little more refund.¡± ¡®I¡¯ve never heard about it. There is no possibility that mypany will have to pay or incur any damagester, right?¡± In fact, it couldn¡¯t be ruled out that the supplier might incur some damage. If anypany receives too much refund because of the wrong certificates, the responsibility goes not to the relevantpany but to the suppliers that issued such certificates. But there was nothing to worry about. ¡°No, sir. If you¡¯re worried, you can ask the customs office. Can I give you the customs officer¡¯s number?¡± Hyunwoo recalled Kwak¡¯s number and gave it to him. Only then did the president express satisfaction. The president might be able to call the number for verification, but he didn¡¯t. It didn¡¯t matter because Hyunwoo might have something he didn¡¯t mention, but nothing he had said was a lie. Hyunwoo kept working on Unipass, downloading the supplier¡¯s official certificate and saving it on hisputer, and he made sure that the president verified it. If something happenedter, it would save him from any trouble. ¡°I¡¯ve downloaded yourpany¡¯s official certificate on myptop. Do you see this?¡± Hyunwoo kept visiting the suppliers. Initially, it took some time for him to persuade the presidents, download their certificates, and join the Unipass membership, but as he got used to it, he saved more and more time. It was not one day¡¯s job because there were many suppliers for Aurum, so he had to go out on a business trip every day. As it turned out, the more challenging job for him was not to persuade the presidents of the suppliers but Yonggu¡¯s hysterical attitude. Whenever the team manager was away from his desk, he found fault with each and every one of Hyunwoo¡¯s actions. ¡°Business trip again?¡± ¡°Today I have an appointment with the president of Yongshin factory. Now I have a couple of morepanies to visit.¡± ¡°Why does it take so long to get their certificates? You are not going to the sauna, right?¡± ¡°How could I? If you¡¯re in doubt, you can go with me.¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m such an idle man? Anyway the office atmosphere really sucks whenever we hire a damned new person.¡± Hyunwoo pretended not to have heard him. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t feel bad about it because he knew that he hadn¡¯t done anything wrong and that Yonggu was narrow-minded. Also, the team manager was also aware of Yonggu¡¯s attitude. He gave him a warning in Hyunwoo¡¯s presence. ¡°Hey, Yonggu, why are you taking issue with Hyunwoo¡¯s business trip? Are you the manager?¡± The manager¡¯s warning came as a huge shock to Yonggu, for he was the manager¡¯s strongest supporter. Though the team manager was there as a constant presence at the purchasing team, its core member was none other than Yonggu. Because the manager realized this, he made things work out in ordance with Yonggu¡¯s intentions. In other words, he was the perfect patron. But the manager was rebuking Yonggu, and in front of the new hires at that. This was a clear message that the manager would not favor Yonggu any more. Hearing the manager, Yonggu had a sudden sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll be more prudent, sir.¡± When the day was ending, the manager approached Yonggu and said, ¡°Do you have an appointment in the evening?¡± ¡°No, sir.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner together.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Yonggu and the manager left the office together. Yonggu never took issue with Hyunwoo¡¯s business trip since then. It looked like their rtionship was also recovered like before. Thanks to the manager¡¯s intervention, Hyunwoo could continue to go on business trips, and he finally collected all the necessary certificates. After one week of toiling, he managed toplete the estimated calcted statement on the refunds. Hyunwoo reported the paper to the manager, in which he indicated that he would return the simplified refund voluntarily and apply for the individual refunds instead. The amount of the projected refund was not different from that he had already reported recently. Waiting urgently for it, the manager was very satisified. ¡°Very good. Let¡¯s go and see the president. Do you want toe with us, Yonggu?¡± Yonggu made a stunned expression at the manager¡¯s suggestion, for it was certain that he would be treated like a fish out of water if he joined them like before. ¡°No, sir. I¡¯ve got a lot to do now.¡± ¡°Okay, then. Let¡¯s go, Hyunwoo.¡± Both of them headed to the president¡¯s office together. The president was as satisfied as the manager, and he signed his name more firmly than ever. The refund collection was 24 million won before, but the refund this time was 56 million won. Though the increased refund was 36 million won, the president recognized 56 million won as Hyunwoo¡¯s credit, with the exnation that he had tried to the end without sumbing to the difficulties. Thanks to this, Hyungoo was give two steps in promotion instantly, plus 10 million won as an award and 3 million won as the subsidy for the purchasing team. However, there was one condition. ¡°Ourpany is going to increase capital by issuing new stocks soon. Let me give you the award money in new stocks,¡± the president said. Hearing that, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t feel bad. However, a rumor was spreading that although the face value of one stock was only 5,000 won, because Aurum was underrated, the stocks would bring about great returnster if they bought them now. ¡°Got it, sir.¡± Hyunwoo became a star at Aurum immediately. On the other hand, Yonggu¡¯s image was ruined instantly. A rumor spread widely that the simplified refund was actually made avable by Hyunwoo¡¯s efforts. ¡°I hear assistant manager Kim took away his credit.¡± ¡°So, when the refund was destined to be returned, Kim shifted responsibility on Hyunwoo. I didn¡¯t think Kim was such a low guy. He¡¯s so bad!¡± ¡°Even though he is capable, so what? He should be a person first.¡± The team members whispered and gossiped when Yonggu was away, but obviously he got to hear all the gossip about him. However, he could not refute the gossip because he realized that the rumors originated from the executives of thepany. The only thing Yonggu could do was clench his fist. ¡®Jang Hyunwoo, why do I make an ill-fated rtionship with you like this whenever I see you?¡¯ However nicely he wanted to treat Hyunwoo, he couldn¡¯t because Hyunwoo always stood in the way of his advancement in life. That was true when he was young. Both of them went to the same elementary school, and their houses were located close to each other until Hyunwoo moved to another ce. The problem was Hyunwoo was ahead of Yonggu in everything, such as school grades and dating. Younggu was called a prodigy even as a child. Naturally, he excelled at school. However, he was always second in ss, while Hyunwoo always was the top. Naturally, they werepared. Whenever Yonggu¡¯s parents didn¡¯t like him, they always cited Hyunwoo. ¡°Just take cue from Hyunwoo!¡± ¡°Just try to catch up with half of Hyunwoo¡¯s performance.¡± ¡°Hyunwoo is so good in school. What¡¯s the matter with you?¡± Whenever Yonggu had a girl that he liked, Hyunwoo also liked that girl. Because Yonggu and Hyunwoo went around together, he had no other choice but to meet that girl with Hyunwoo. On such asions, she was Hyunwoo¡¯s girl all the time. To the girl, Yonggu was only a tool to meet Hyunwoo. ¡°Do you know Hyunwoo¡¯s phone number?¡± ¡°Can you give this gift to Hyunwoo?¡± So, Hyunwoo was always Yonggu¡¯s rival. It became Yonggu¡¯s goal in life to surpass Hyunwoo. But he never did so. Their rivalry turned into jealousy. He wanted to trample him if he could not surpass him. But the situation began to change since their middle school days. Hyunwoo¡¯s family was ruined all of a sudden. Yonggu felt happy about it and began to take revenge on him. He trampled on him by using all means at his disposal. But something strange happened. Since he trampled on Hyunwoo, everything worked out well with him. His grades went up, and things went well with his parents, too. And that trend seemed to be continuing. Before Hyunwoo got hired by Aurum, Yonggu was one of the top two promising employees. Soon after, he was promoted to assistant manager, and he was already one of those who had the potential to be a manager. But everything began to go awry when Hyunwoo got hired. He lost the limelight in the office. To make matters worse, not only the rank and file but also the executives were pointing their fingers at him. Because of that, he was preupied with one thing these days. ¡®How can I ruin Hyunwoo?¡¯ ¡°Knowledge is power, as the saying goes.¡± Hyunwoo searched for new items with glittering eyes. He focused on customs and trading in particr. Come to think of it, Aurum had lots of trading activities, but it had scant knowledge of customs because it relied on the customs brokerpletely. Hyunwoo was no exception. Now, he had only tasted the beginning of it. Still, he did seed in cutting costs by 56 million won. There must be something bigger than this, he thought. Reading books and surfing the inte, Hyunwoo suddenly thought about the video material Kwak presented, and hisstment in the video. Chapter 24 Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C The following morning, Hyunwoo headed to the customs office. He already went there more than ten times this year. He stopped by the office whenever he wasing back from a business trip from the raw material suppliers. Most of the time he brought some snacks like spicy rice cake and ice cream, etc. It was less than 20,000 won, but this kind of snack led to deeper rtionship between him and the customs officers. Thanks to his visits, he was on friendly terms with Kwak and Lee Yuri. When Hyunwoo stopped by, they would go out to the bench near the parking lot. Of course, there was some sort of clear limit to their rtionship as public servants. Kwak and Lee drew a clear line at some point. In other words, they were keep the principle of getting neither too far nor not too close between them. Hyunwoo was not greedy, either. ¡°Mr. Kwak, I saw you exining FTA in the video material. Do you happen to have a video on FTA?¡± ¡°Maybe. Do you need it?¡± ¡°Yes, I would like to hammer at FTA.¡± Kwak headed to the Trade Assistance Section immediately and said that Hyunwoo¡¯s request was not that difficult to meet. He then came back in about five minutes. ¡°Here you are. They have some CDs on it.¡± ¡°Thanks. I¡¯m beholden to you like this all the time.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee. I think I have to repay your snacks, ha ha ha.¡± When he came back to the office, he could y the CD only after his colleagues left the office. If he had to learn from the CD, he had to stay put at his desk, but the errands for his colleagues made it impossible for him to take time out to study during office hours. As he watched the video, his eyes were glittering. And at some point, he snapped his fingers and said, ¡°Yes, this is what I want!¡± In fact, he had a negative perception of the FTA between Korea and the United States, for he thought about the scene of the violent rallies against the FTA, with the protesters citing its poisonous uses. But when he watched the video on it, the United States was and of opportunity for businessmen. They could save on tax hugely if they could make good use of the FTA, and Hyunwoo was confident that Aurum was no exception. ¡°I can¡¯t be satisfied with only 50 million won. Let me show what a huge hit I can bring about this time,¡± Hyunwoo examined the import characteristics of Aurum. It was easy for him to do so because he had already made some data to apply for the individual tax refunds. However, he found out something strange. Aurum imported all of its raw materials from Taiwan. Looking at the differentpany names of each material, he found they were not Aurum¡¯s sisterpanies. Hyunwoo asked the team manager about the reason. The manager exined readily, ¡°It¡¯s because there is a low ratio of defective parts in terms of price and value. Parts made in China and Southeast Asia have a high ratio of defective parts. If we use defective parts, ourpany¡¯s image will be ruined. ordingly, Taiwanese parts ount for almost 70%.¡± The reason was quality. If they could find quality parts in Southeast Asia, they could lower the price and the customs duty by fully using the FTA between Korea and ASEAN. At that moment, Hyunwoo thought of Jang Dukwoo. Hwanggum Inc., Jang¡¯spany, was sort of an importpany of misceneous goods called ¡®1000 won Mart.¡¯ It imported cheap industrial products from China, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Phillipines and sells them in the domestic markets. In addition to that, it allegedly owned several factories in Southeast Asia. As Jang¡¯s father was the real owner of Hwanggum, he must be well versed in the factories in Southeast Asia. Hyunwoo met Jang in the evening for this. Though he felt sorry about calling him up often, Jang thought about it differently. ¡°Why is it so hard for me to meet you these days? I can hardly see Nami¡¯s face because you don¡¯t call me up, sir,¡± Jang said. ¡°Are you busy, Nami?¡± Hyunwoo asked with a puzzled expression. But Nami said shyly, ¡°I told you already about this. I decided topete in the Miss Korea Contest, so I really can¡¯t take time out these days. Even today I did so with difficulty.¡± Jang grinned at her remarks. ¡°Then I have to see Dukwoo everyday,¡± Hyunwoo said jokingly. But Nami shot out her lips as if she had some regrets about it too. ¡°Well, even if Dukwoo wants to see me, I can¡¯t because the director told me this is thest time. I think I can take time out after the main contest is over in July.¡± Jang let out a breath lightly at Nami¡¯s answer. He wanted to stop Nami, but there was no chance that she could give up. Because he was aware of it, he was supporting her. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about other stuff, not about me.¡± As the atmosphere got rather tense, Name quickly changed the topic. Only then did Dukwoo ask his business. ¡°In fact, I would like to change the imports from...¡± Hyunwoo said he was looking for a method to change the imports of Aurum from Taiwan to the members of ASEAN. ¡°The problem is the rate of defects. However cheap parts are, they will cause bigger damage to thepany if they have a high ratio of defects. Dukwoo nodded at his remarks. ¡°You¡¯re right. Though China and Southeast Asian countries caught up a lot technologically, they still have a lot of room for improvement. In particr, Southeast Asian countries. Their industrial goods are pretty low-grade.¡± The furniture, including chairs, looked simple, but they were made up of various parts. However trifle parts may be, any piece of furniture with defective parts was defective as a whole. There were a variety of parts. For example, there were core parts like the frame or trifle parts like bolts and screws. Saving from lowering the price of parts, however, could ruin expensive chairs as a whole. ¡°I don¡¯t mean that the technology of Southeast Asian countries is all bad. Localpanies owned by foreigners have raised the quality of their parts by having their technology transferred.¡± ¡°Can you name any such foreignpanies producing office chair parts?¡± ¡°I know one that produces castors. The president is Korean, and he made inroads into Vietnam more than 10 years ago. Finding that hispany¡¯s survival in Korea was too hard, he quickly moved to Vietnam with the low-wagebor market.¡± ¡°Then, he must have brought to Vietnam the technology he had in Korea, right?¡± ¡°Yes. He made a huge sess in the early days of his venturepany in Vietnam.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide. If anypanybines Korea¡¯s technology with Vietnam¡¯s cheapbor, he felt that it could be a verypetitivepany. But Dukwoo didn¡¯t look happy while talking. ¡°However, he was too ambitious and seems to be going through tough times now. Maybe hispany is on the verge of defaulting on its debts.¡± ¡°Default crisis? Why? I don¡¯t think such apany has a chance of defaulting.¡± ¡°Well, he invested too much, which made thepetitive edge of thepany go awry. Its products are more expensive than others, and their quality is lower than their counterparts in other countries. Be it price or quality, he must have secured apetitive edge, but he lost both.¡± ¡°Do you know the quality of their products?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly. It¡¯s the best quality in Vietnam but less than that of Korea. Anyway, the president¡¯s character is very good. Apart from the price and technology, he is not the type of businessman who deceives the people with his products.¡± Parting with Dukwoo, Hyunwoo kept thinking about the castor factory in Vietnam. Castor is the wheel of a chair. Aurum was importing them from Taiwan, which ounted for the highest ratio of payment among foreign parts. Is their quality below standard? If thepany can meet the quality standard, it¡¯s a perfect match with Aurum. To confirm the quality, he would have to visit thepany in Vietnam directly. Hyunwoo wondered if the team manager or Yonggu could send him on a business trip there. ¡°Oh, you¡¯reing back home now,¡± an old man said. At his voice, Hyunwoo raised his head, noticing old man Song, who was making a living by collecting waste paper. Sometimes he would pull the hand cart with Song. Today, his cart was full of not only waste paper but also broken TV sets and scrap metal. Hyunwoo got behind the cart to pull it from there. ¡°How are you, sir? Did you have dinner?¡± ¡°Oh, thanks. I heard you got hired by a goodpany.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s called Aurum. It¡¯s been almost one month since I got hired.¡± Hyunwoo talked freely about hispany, but the old man stopped when he heard about Aurum. ¡°What did you say? Aurum?¡± ¡°Yes, you must have heard about it, right?¡± ¡°Tut, tut. Why did you choose it among all thepanies?¡± ¡°Why? Is it a badpany?¡± ¡°Well, my friend¡¯s life was ruined because of thatpany. Tut, tut. He was a man of good character, and he was armed with technical expertise. All of a sudden, he was jobless.¡± ¡°What happened to him?¡± When he asked, Song put down the cart and squatted on the ground. Then, he took out a cigarette and lit it as if he wanted to tell a long story. Hyunwoo approached him, and perched at the end of the cart. ¡°He used to supply parts to Aurum. Chair wheels. You know what I mean as you work for thepany.¡± ¡°Yes, but as far as I know, Aurum imports all wheel parts from Taiwan.¡± ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right. Because of that, hispany went bankrupt. It was probablyst fall, I think.¡± It was a wheel productionpany with high-level technology, but because it could not reach an agreement with Aurum on the price adjustment, Aurum switched the supplier to Taiwan. He tried his best to build a market by all means, but because he failed repeatedly, hispany went bankrupt in the end. After that, the president of the wheelpany considered Aurum as his enemy, and his friend, Song, came to form a negative perception of Aurum. However, Hyunwoo thought it was something inevitable because Aurum could not buy wheel parts from him while making a loss. It was like bothpanies going bankrupt together. Song seemed to understand that part, too. ¡°I think he was too greedy. Aurum asked to adjuge the wheel price, but he didn¡¯t budge at all, arguing that quality was more important than price. After that, their rtionship turned sour.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too bad. Such a man should seed.¡± ¡°There is no use crying over spilled milk. That¡¯s the way of life. I hope you can work tactfully at yourpany. You¡¯ll ruin yourself like him if you stick to your own way of thinking.¡± ¡°Got it, sir.¡± Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C The following day. ¡°Manager, I¡¯ve a suggestion on cost reduction,¡± Hyunwoo said. His face lit up when Hyunwoo said that. Actually, Aurum was in a war with cost reduction now. Each team was obsessed withing up with a cost-reduction idea, and there were a variety of ideas. However, the purchasing team has had the best performance so far thanks to Hyunwoo¡¯s unrivaled dedication. And now, he was putting forward another idea. ¡°What is it? Just tell me.¡± ¡°How about changing the current overseas supplier of raw material?¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°If we can find a firm withpetitive technology in ASEAN countries, I think we can expect lots of benefits with a low price and customs duty.¡± Hyunwoo made the suggestion confidently. However, the manager seemed to think of a negative oue when Hyunwoo mentioned ASEAN. He lowered his shoulders and said, ¡°I thought it was something fascinating. We can¡¯t do that because of the high defective rate out there. Ourpany can go bankrupt with recalls while we¡¯re obsessed with cost reduction.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we find a firm that has a low ratio of defects there?¡± ¡°Do you happen to know any such firm?¡± ¡°I hear there is a castor firm with verypetitive technology. Who knows? If the defect ratio is much lower than expected, we could cut the production cost drastically.¡± ¡°Really? Where is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s located in Vietnam. I don¡¯t know its name, though.¡± The manager was calcting something in his heart. He was attracted to that idea because of the word ¡®Vietnam.¡¯ Vietnamese workers were famous for dexterity among other members of ASEAN. As Hyunwoo said, it was possible to get cheap and quality raw material there. The problem was the cost. It was necessary to send someone to Vietnam on a business trip to get things done. If the business trip didn¡¯t bring about a tangible result that could make up for the trip expenses, it could be the subject of gossip among the team members. In fact, a simr thing happened two years ago. At that time, Aurum reced some marginal parts with cheap import recements for cost reduction. In that process, some members of the purchasing team were sent to China, Taiwan, and Indonesia on business trips. In the end, they found some firms producing cheap but quality parts in Taiwan, but their trip expenses were too much. For some time, those on the working trip were raked by the eyes of other team members and managers. If Hyunwoo was sent abroad on a business trip, there could be controversy among the other team members, who would say, ¡®He¡¯s enjoying an overseas trip at thepany¡¯s expense.¡¯ The manager looked at Yonggu. ¡°What do you think, Mr. Kim?¡± Kim said emphatically as if Hyunwoo¡¯s idea wasn¡¯t worth even thinking about, ¡°I think we had better stay away from this unless we¡¯re 100% sure. As a matter of fact, our members are amon eyesore because they believe we¡¯re just thinking about using thepany for enjoyment.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. Hyunwoo, what do you think about the sess rate? Are you confident you can go out on a business trip and find good, cheap parts?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t answer unless I visit there first.¡± Then, the manager shook his head, adding, ¡°It costs too much to purchase parts from abroad. I can¡¯t allow you to go on that business trip without indisputable information. Just get me more information. If I feel certain, let me give you do greenlight.¡± Hyunwoo felt it was regrettable. Thepany expense would be only two or three million at most. If his trip seeds, Aurum could reduce the cost at least tens of million, or even 100 million won. Hyunwoo felt it was worth trying. Then, he suddenly thought of an idea. Looking back at the manager, Hyunwoo asked, ¡°Can I go there at my own expense?¡± ¡°At your own expense?¡± The manager¡¯s eyes opened wide. ¡°In fact, I¡¯ve never enjoyed an overseas trip. If you authorize my trip, I¡¯d like to think it as my own personal trip and go to Vietnam.¡± The manager gave his suggestion another serious thought, and he then stood up from his seat. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go to the president¡¯s office together.¡± The manager was full of confidence, much encouraged by Hyunwoo¡¯s recent performance. He mentioned Hyunwoo¡¯s idea confidently before president Park Daebong. After the manager was done briefing, Park looked at Hyunwoo and said, ¡°Do you want to check out the import supplier at your own expense?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. I just feel like using thepany expense because of the low sess rate isn¡¯t good.¡± It was something unexpected to Park. Hyunwoo was the first employee who wanted to go on a business trip at his or her own expense. Park had no reason to reject it. Rather, it was somethingmendable because it showed how motivated he was. If he had his way, Park wanted to fully support Hyunwoo¡¯s trip financially. However, the oue was more important than the employee¡¯s motivation to thepany. Park thought of serving two ends. ¡°Got it. Just go ahead. If you seed, let me cover your trip expenses twice.¡± ¡°When are you leaving for Vietnam?¡± the manager asked. When he asked, Hyunwoo answered prudently, ¡°Well, if I go there, I would like to find not only the castor production firm but also other parts firms. So, I would like to leave after I get more information first,¡± Hyunwoo said. ¡°Good idea. Just tell me when you¡¯re ready.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± After leaving the office, Hyunwoo called Dukwoo. He wanted to call for Yu Nami, his girlfriend, but he didn¡¯t because of her situation at the moment. However, Dukwoo didn¡¯t care at all. ¡°I just finished my work. If you haven¡¯t had dinner yet, shall we talk over dinner?¡± ¡°Is it okay with you?¡± ¡°Of course. I know a nice restaurant with cheap prices and a good atmosphere.¡± A littleter, Hyunwoo met Dukwoo at the restaurant. As Dukwoo said, it was a very quiet ce. Starting off with a topic about Yu Nami, Hyunwoo changed the topic to Vietnam at the appropriate timing. In fact, Hyunwoo was just vague about it. Except that the part quality in terms of its price wasn¡¯t good enough, he knew nothing about the Vietnamese firm in question. Dukwoo didn¡¯t know either, except that he had some ties with the president. ¡°Then, can I talk with the president over the phone?¡± Hyunwoo asked. ¡°Not a problem. I have his number now. I wonder if he will pick up.¡± Dukwoo searched his contact list on the phone and pushed the call button. The call got through without any difficulty. The president on the other end said he was still working because of the two-hour time difference between Korea and Vietnam. ¡°Are you busy now? Let me call youter then.¡± ¡°Well, not at all. My factory is almost sitting idle because of a drastic drop in demand. What¡¯s up, by the way?¡± ¡°I think I can introduce you to a potential buyer. It¡¯s called Aurum, and it produces furniture. They¡¯re interested in yourpany. Wait a second. Let me connect you to the purchase manager of Aurum.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes popped out at Dukwoo¡¯s introduction. ¡°Did you say purchase manager?¡± Covering the phone with his hand, Dukwoo winked at him and said, ¡°This is the standard way to do it. Pick up the phone.¡± ¡°How are you? This is Jang Hyunwoo of Aurum, sir.¡± ¡°Oh, how are you? Nice to talk to you. My name is Na Sungji.¡± Na¡¯s tone was very humble, which suggested he was very desperate. Hyunwoo felt sort of burdened without any reason. If he had Na expect too much but the contract fell through, Na would be very disappointed. And Dukwoo, who got them connected, would feel the same. Still, it was something anyone involved in business had to ept. Hyunwoo took up the main topic immediately. ¡°Ourpany is importing castors from Taiwan right now. As you know, what¡¯s more important than the price is the defective ratio. Can you make the defective ratio lower than that of Taiwanese parts?¡± Na let out a sigh when Hyunwoo asked. That sigh of relief was clear enough for him to guess Na¡¯s reply. ¡°To be honest with you, that¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°You can increase the unit price a bit because the quality would still be better than the Taiwanese parts.¡± ¡°Unit price isn¡¯t the issue. The thing is we don¡¯t have the skilled men.¡± Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t understand it. ording to Dukwoo, Na was a recognized craftsman even in Korea. Then, no craftsman?¡± Na exined the reason. ¡°There are many parts when producing castors. When each part is perfect, you can get the product quality that you really want...¡± Na exined in detail this time. In short, he said he could make the wheel itself, but he had no skill in making the essories supporting the wheel. It was kind of disappointing to Hyunwoo. After all, it was a matter of who took the risk first. Mr Na would seek to obtain a guarantee from Aurum about the quota of purchase first, while Aurum would ask for a guarantee on the parts¡¯ quality first. Hyunwoo felt he had to check the quality of the parts by visiting his firm in Vietnam. ¡°Let me stop by your firm soon on my working trip to Vietnam. By the way, I have one favor to ask of you.¡± ¡°What is it? Just tell me anything.¡± ¡°Ourpany imports not only castors but also other parts. I would like to find out other suppliers there, so can you introduce me to them?¡± ¡°Well, we have a coalition of Korean businessmen in Vietnam. There are many businessmen there, of course. If you give me the specific names of the parts, let me check them out. If you don¡¯t mind, please email me.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo headed to the office, not his house, and sorted out the direct import parts on hisputer to email Mr. Nah. There were six parts including castors, neck supporters, and levers. It was one weekter that he got a reply from Na. His reply was very positive: All the parts Aurum imported were now avable among the firms run by Korean businessmen in Vietnam. Na added that if the owners of thepanies were Korean, he could reasonably rely on the quality of the parts. However, Hyunwoo trusted only 10% of his reply because Na was so desperate. What upied Na¡¯s thinking at the moment was to see Hyunwoo as soon as possible. Hyunwoo had no intention of dragging his feet on this. Na¡¯spany could go bankrupt at anytime. As soon as he reported to work the next morning, he submitted a business trip report. The manager took it to the president¡¯s office and came back within five minutes. Full of expectation, he looked at Hyunwoo and said, ¡°Hope you can pull it off 100%!¡± Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Vietnam. As soon as Hyunwoo came out of the entrance, he noticed a big piece of paper with the Korean character Hyunwoo. A middle-aged man, who looked old but not enough to be called a senior, was standing there holding that paper. He was a short man with the impression of stubborness. He was consistent with the impression of the person that he had heard from Dukwoo. Hyunwoo approached that man. ¡°How are you? My name is Jang Hyunwoo with Aurum¡¯s purchase team. You must be president Na Sungji, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m. Thanks for your long trip here.¡± Na treated Hyunwoo dearly from the bottom of his heart. Though he was more than 30 years his senior, he was crawling to Hyunwoo. ¡°Don¡¯t do that, Mr. Na. I¡¯m just 30 years old. Just treat mefortably like your nephew.¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t. Don¡¯t feel burdened about it.¡± Na didn¡¯t stop his subservient attitude, and he now tried to get cute with him. ¡°As it¡¯s toote today, just take a break first and check out my factory tomorrow.¡± When Hyunwoo checked his watch, it was still early in the afternoon. He wasn¡¯t sure how far Na¡¯s firm was from the airport, but Na¡¯s mention of ¡°toote¡± didn¡¯t make any sense. When Hyunwoo made a perplexed expression, Na pulled away his cor and said, ¡°As you¡¯vee to Vietnam like this, you have to experience the local drinking culture. People say that the K-pop wave is in full swing, so the Vietnamesedies have a crush on Korean men.¡± He then led Hyunwoo to a high-end bar. Hyunwoo was very disappointed. If Na treated him like this, it looked as if the quality of the parts produced by hispany weren¡¯t worth even taking a look at. Hyunwoo said with a serious look, ¡°Mr. Jang Dukwoo told me you were a good man, and I thought as such. But I¡¯m very disappointed. I heard yourpany was in financial trouble, but do you have money to spend at the bar?¡± ¡°No..that¡¯s not what I...¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. If I have my own way, I would like to go back to Korea, but as I got here like this, I can¡¯t. I don¡¯t feel like eating right now, so let¡¯s go directly to your factory.¡± Na was nervous at Hyunwoo¡¯s icy tone, and he guided him with a subservient attitude, and his shoulders were shrunk back. It took him about two hours from the airport to get to Na¡¯s factory. Though it wasn¡¯t that far, the heavy traffic congestion made their car stop repeatedly when going to the factory. While driving, Na kept reading his countenance constantly to the point that he might have a car ident. Then, Na began to utter cautiously, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. As it is sort of established culture here, I tried to escort you there. As a matter of fact, it¡¯s almost impossible to pull off a contract without treating potential buyers to such ces.¡± Hyunwoo could understand it. Entertaining buyers with wine and fine dining was a frequent urrence in Korea, and it could be even more so in Vietnam. Hyunwoo said definitely, though, ¡°At least I don¡¯t like it. So, never treat me with this kind of stuff.¡± ¡°Of course not. Why would I like to do so either? Because the other party wanted it, I had no other choice. I¡¯m so thankful that you think like this.¡± Na smiled brightly, but Hyunwoo didn¡¯t feel like his smile was bright. Hyunwoo still felt like Na¡¯s smile was fake, hiding his real self. Maybe it was because of his prejudice toward Na. Once he was disappointed at Na, he felt Na¡¯s behavior was fake. However, Hyunwoo had to stay calm because what he had to look for was the castor produced by Na¡¯s factory, not the man himself. ¡°This is my factory.¡± Thepany name, N & C, was nicely inscribed on the namete at the entrance. ¡°It means Na Sungji and Castor. Ha ha ha.¡± Hyunwoo took out his digital camera and said, ¡°Can I take a picture?¡± ¡°Of course, you can take pictures of anything except for the research room.¡± Hyunwoo began to release the shutter, determined to take pictures of all the stuff before his eyes. The factory wasrger than he expected. The empty ce in the center wasrge enough to be used as a ser ground, and there were one small building and fourrge buildings. It seemed Na expanded the size of the factory drastically when he had great sess in the initial stages. There weren¡¯t many employees. The number of production workers was less than 70, which meant that the factory was almost sitting idle. ¡°Looks like the size of the factory isrger than I expected.¡± ¡°It used to run at full capacity.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been cleaned up here.¡± ¡°The number one factor that determines the quality of the product is cleanness. Even if you have great skill, you can¡¯t expect to produce quality products if the factory isn¡¯t clean.¡± ¡°Can I see the products?¡± Na took him to the product warehouse. Even the warehouse was cleaned. It looked as if it had been cleaned up in preparation of Hyunwoo¡¯s visit. There were various types of wheels, and he noticed some for chairs among them. ¡°They have a good design.¡± Hyunwoo spoke his mind. At least there was little difference between the products of Korea and Taiwan. ¡°As far as the quality is concerned, it¡¯s the best in Vietnam. The problem is the cover and the frame. What¡¯scking is their durability.¡± Usually they tended to exaggerate the quality of their products, but Na was the opposite. He began pointing out the problems of his products. However, Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t find a particr problem. He twisted a wheel forcefully here and there, and he then threw it on the floor to check its strength. However, it was very resilient. Na grinned at that. ¡°You can¡¯t check its durability like that. Only a sophisticated test device can tell.¡± ¡°Do you have your own test room?¡± ¡°Of course we do. Let me show you. Come this way,¡± Na said confidently as if he was proud of the test room. With ted expectation, Hyunwoo apanied Na to the test room. As soon as he entered it, he opened his eyes wide. He thought there would only be a couple of test devices in the room, but it was full of test equipment. ¡°I brought all this stuff from Korea. I purchased them one by one from the factories that went bankrupt.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s expectations were going as high as they could because the quality of parts couldn¡¯t be bad with this test equipment. ¡°With such good equipment as this, why is the quality still low?¡± ¡°Because there aren¡¯t skilled personnel. Although this looks like nothing, it needs lots of dexterity.¡± ¡°Are there no such skilled workers in Vietnam?¡± ¡°No. There are lots of skillful men in Korea whose factories went bankrupt. If we can bring two or three of them, we can immediately catch up with the quality of Taiwanese products,¡± Na said,ining. At that moment, he thought of what old man Song had told him. ¡®He was a very good man with excellent skill. He was too greedy. Though Aurum asked to adjust the price, he didn¡¯t budge at all, arguing the quality was more important than the price.¡¯ Hyunwoo liked his good character, skill, and tenacity to put quality before price. However, there was one problem, which was that he was Song¡¯s friend. That meant he was as old as Song. Though he wasn¡¯t sure of Song¡¯s exact age, he looked almost 70 at a nce. There was no reason for his friend to desert his hometown ande to Vietnam for work. Like Na said, however, there must be a lot of skilled men in Korea who were skilled and ambitious but out of work because they couldn¡¯t find jobs. If the conditions were right, some of them coulde to Vietnam. ¡°Why don¡¯t you invite them over here?¡± Hyunwoo asked. ¡°Who woulde here unless they wanted to set up their own factories? Don¡¯t you know that many people in Korea would never find jobs in the so-called 3D (dirty, difficult, and dangerous) workces?¡± Come to think of it, Na was right. Though the working conditions in Korea weren¡¯t that bad, it was much worse in Vietnam. Hot weather was one of the problems, but a swarm of mosquitoes tormented them as well. To make matters worse, thenguage and food were different. Without the guarantee of a good sry, there would be very few who coulde over here to work. I think I have to check it out when I go back to Korea, Hyunwoo thought to himself. Hyunwoo showed Na the structure diagram of the chair used by Aurum currently. There were six types of chairs including thetest model. ¡°These are the wheels used for the chairs produced by Aurum. Assuming that you pass the quality standard and make the contract with us, how much can you adjust the price?¡± Checking the structure diagram, a deep wrinkle appeared on his face, and he said, ¡°It isn¡¯t that easy to calcte the unit price. We have to figure out cost ounting first. May I email you when I get the result?¡± ¡°Sure. As I have topile a trip report, can you have it ready a little faster?¡± ¡°Of course. If you ce an order for enough parts, let me even bring some skilled men from Korea and adjust the quality and price that you want. So, please make a positive rmendation for us.¡± ¡°Looks like your products are better than expected. Let me say something positive about you, but if you send us some samples, our management will review them positively.¡± ¡°Thank you. Thanks so much.¡± Guided by Na, Hyunwoo looked around other parts factories, and he found that the products were better than he had thought. However, the problem was the wheel. As far as the wheel was concerned, the core issue was theck of the skilled men, not money or equipment. ¡°Okay, then. Please collect the samples and send them to us at Aurum.¡± ¡°Will do. I¡¯ll be in your good hands,¡± Na said. Finishing his business trip in Vietnam, he came back to Korea. It was early Friday morning when he left for Vietnam, and it was Tuesday morning when he arrived at Incheon International Airport. Taking a brief shower, he headed to the office directly, arriving there just before lunch time. When Hyunwoo entered the office, the manager weed him. ¡°Oh, Hyunwoo, how was your trip?¡± ¡°The products were better than I expected. In my opinion, we can rece our Taiwanese imports with them easily. I asked them to send us some samples, so we can verify the quality through a quality test here.¡± The manager smiled from ear to ear at Hyunwoo¡¯s response. If things work out as Hyunwoo said, there could be an enormous cost reduction. It would be much bigger than the refund. ¡°But we need to review the wheel part a little more, which ounts for our biggest payment. It looks good to me, but the president of that factory says its durability is rather poor.¡± ¡°Did you ask him to send that sample, too?¡± ¡°Yes, they will be able to arrive here within one month.¡± ¡°Great. After we test the samples and find out the result, let¡¯s report it to the president. Nice job!¡± The manager encouraged him, patting him on the shoulder. Hyunwoo felt good about the manager¡¯s praise. Suddenly, Yonggu¡¯s eyes came into view. When looking at him, there was some discontent in his eyes. He avoided him when Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes met his. Hyunwoo thought to himself that he was a man of poor caliber. There are some who can grow together with their colleagues, but there were also others who think they can seed only by trampling on their colleagues. Hyunwoo decided to ignore Yonggu¡¯s narrow-mindedness. Of course, he would treat him as a superior because he was ranked higher at the office. ¡°Here is a gift for you, Yonggu.¡± Hyunwoo brought a cookie box to him, which he had bought in Vietnam. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Coconut cookies. They taste good.¡± Yonggu reluctantly received the gift with the impression that he was epting it even though he didn¡¯t like it. Leaving the office early that day, Hyunwoo was wandering around his house as if he was waiting for someone. Some old men in his neighborhood greeted him. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°How are you? Have you seen Mr. Song?¡± ¡°Mr Song? I saw him collecting waste paper over there.¡± ¡°Really? Thanks.¡± Hyunwoo headed to the ce that the old man pointed him to, where he found Song sorting out waste paper from a trash heap. ¡°How are you, sir? Are you busy right now?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you, Hyunwoo. As an old man, I have no reason to be busy.¡± Hyunwoo helped him sort out waste paper, but Song stopped him and said, ¡°Stop it, dude. You¡¯ll get your hands dirty.¡± ¡°I can wash my hands. You mentioned your friend before? I mean the person who went bankrupt after supplying parts to Aurum.¡± ¡°Ah! You¡¯re talking about Kwon Sangtaek. Sure, I did mention him. Why?¡± ¡°I would like to see him. Do you have his contact number?¡± Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C The following afternoon. ¡°You want to go out on a business trip again?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. As you know, we¡¯re supposed to receive the samples from Vietnam. I want to learn about customs clearance by stopping by the customs office on this asion.¡± Yonggu¡¯s face distorted. Although he suppressed his feelings because of the manager, he felt Hyunwoo¡¯s attitude was getting more and more arrogant. Whenever he had free time, he was away from the office, but he didn¡¯t show any sense of sorriness. Above all, for a new hire, he was busier going on business trips than his superiors. It looked as if he spent more time going on business trips than staying in the office. But what angered Yonggu was something else. It was that the manager took Hyunwoo¡¯s side. ¡°Good idea. You can learn and get familiar with the customs office guys. That¡¯s the way you should learn the purchasing team¡¯s business.¡± What more could Yonggu say when the team manager was making a judgement call like that? Yonggu looked at his watch. It was 3 pm. ¡°You can go out now, but the timing is rather awkward. If you go out now, when are you going toe back?¡± When Yonggu¡¯s asked, the manager once again took Hyunwoo¡¯s side, adding, ¡°I think you can¡¯te back to the office if you go out now. You didn¡¯t take a break after you came from the working trip to Vietnam. Just go back home when you¡¯re done.¡± ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± Though Yonggu stared at him, gritting his teeth, Hyunwoo pretended not to see him. Once he was out of the office, he headed to the customs office. He handed out the cookies that he purchased in Vietnam, and with Kwak¡¯s help, he greeted the other public servants in the office. After saying hello to them, he went out of the office. It was only 4:30pm. Actually, that¡¯s why he came out early. When he came out of the customs office, he headed directly to Saeto Park. Because it was near the customs office, he didn¡¯t have to move that much. Once he arrived there, he called someone. A littleter, a senior man¡¯s voice came out. ¡°Hello¡± He was Kwon Sangtaek, the person Song introduced to him. ¡°How are you, sir? This is Jang Hyunwoo, who called you yesterday. I¡¯m here at Saeto Park. Where are you now?¡± As instructed by Kwon, Hyunwoo was moving to a ce where there were many old men gathered. A middle-aged man waved his hands toward Hyunwoo. ¡°Do you see me waving my hands?¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide. Though he thought Kwon was older because he was Song¡¯s friend, he was much younger than expected. Hyunwoo waved his hands too. ¡°Yes, I saw you. Let mee to you.¡± Hyunwoo approached Kwon. The nearer he approached Kwon, the stranger he felt. When he looked at Song, he looked well over 70, but Kwons¡¯ appearance showed he was only in his early 60s. He couldn¡¯t believe Kwon was Song¡¯s friend. ¡°How do you do, sir? My name is Jang Hyunwoo.¡± ¡°Nice to see you. My name is Kwon Sangtaek. What¡¯s the matter? Song hardly contacts me first without apelling reason.¡± Hyunwoo was all the more surprised because he called Song derogatively. That meant he was the same age as Song or one or two years junior. Hyunwoo asked Kwon, unable to suppress his curiosity, ¡°I¡¯m sorry to ask, but are you the same age as Song? You look much younger...¡± Then, Kwon heartilyughed and said, ¡°Ha ha ha. Well, I may look younger, but Song looks older than his age. How old do you think he is?¡± ¡°Over 70?¡± ¡°No way. He¡¯s only 63.¡± Hyunwoo was stunned, but at the same time he became sort of expectant. If Kwon was only 63, he might still be enthusiastic about working. He really hoped Kwon would be. He might ept Hyunwoo¡¯s offer for him to go to Vietnam for work. When he talked with Kwon, his skill was the kind of skill Na needed by all means at his factory. Hyunwoo brought up the topic cautiously. ¡°In fact, I¡¯m with the purchasing team of Aurum.¡± At that moment, Kwons¡¯ glittering eyes turned sharp, and his warm expression turned sinister. ¡°What? Aurum?¡± Kwon¡¯s response was expected. Hyunwoo knew through Song that Kwon had a very negative perception of Aurum, but he had to confront Kwon and persuade him that Aurum¡¯s decision at that time was inevitable. Hyunwoo refreshed his determination. Let me make Kwon my man by all means. ¡°I know that you have a grudge against Aurum, and I know the reason, too.¡± ¡°Then, why did youe to see me?¡± ¡°As you know, Aurum didn¡¯t do that because it hated you. That was inevitable at the time.¡± Hyunwoo persuaded him in every way, and Kwon seemed to understand. However, he couldn¡¯t dissipate Kwon¡¯s anger. ¡°So, what are you going to do about it? Why did you suddenlye to see me? You want me to run my factory again?¡± Kwon demanded. After taking a deep breath, Hyunwoo said cautiously, ¡°Yes, please operate your factory again.¡± At that moment, Kwon made a nk expression. ¡°What? Operating the factory again?¡± Hyunwoo felt that Kwon¡¯s eyes were animated instantly. That meant that Kwon was still willing to work. However, there was an obstacle, though. ¡°Yes, but there is something different now. As you know, you don¡¯t have anypetitiveness in the domestic market. I know a factory in Vietnam. Are you willing to work there?¡± Kwon made a nk expression at that moment. His staring at Hyunwoo suggested that he couldn¡¯t understand. Then, he seemed to understand, but his expectant eyes gave his anger away. ¡°How dare you suggest that? What? Vietnam? You want me to go to Vietnam for work? Do you think that makes sense?¡± ¡°There are already many Korean businessmen in Vietnam...¡± Hyunwoo once again tried his best to persuade Kwon, but he wasn¡¯t persuaded. Later he caught Hyunwoo by the cor and said, ¡°You made my factory go bankrupt, and now you want to send me to Vietnam for work? You guys should be punished by Heaven!¡± Any more talking with him was meaningless. The more Hyunwoo talked, the worse Kwon¡¯s feelings toward him turned. Of course, this wasn¡¯t the end. He would continue to persuade Kwon through Song and his acquaintances. At the end of the day, Kwon would find out that a limitless opportunity was waiting for him in Vietnam. Hyunwoo went back to see Song. Though Kwon hated Hyunwoo very much, Song liked him very much. When Hyunwoo told him what happened, Song said he wanted to help him in one way or another, but he wasn¡¯t of much help. Song and Kwon were close friends in the past, but when Song gave up meeting his acquaintances due to his poverty, their rtionship became naturally estranged. In the meantime, the samples arrived from Vietnam. The manager was actively engaged among others. He went to see the president immediately to ask for the research team¡¯s assistance in testing the samples. The samples were sent to the research room. The manager got nervous as if he had married off his daughter. ¡°For Heaven¡¯s sake, the test oue should be fine.¡± Hyunwoo was as tense and nervous as well. If the test oue was good, Aurum could reduce the cost drastically every year. The test oue came out one weekter, and the oue was reported to the manager. Hyunwoo and other team members paid close attention to the test result. The manager looked at Hyunwoo with a bright smile. ¡°Hyunwoo, great job! Fortunately, most of the parts passed the quality standard. If we conclude the negotiation on the unit price, we can rece the parts on a gradual basis, starting next month.¡± ¡°Wow!¡± Hyunwoo clenched his fist, and his team members congratted him with big apuse. Yonggu pped his hands too. Though he was smiling, there was some awkwardness in it. Of course, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t care at all. ¡°Manager, what about the wheel test? Did it pass?¡± The manager shook his head. ¡°The wheel test didn¡¯t pass. It didn¡¯t meet the standard of durability by a little margin. I wish they could improve on it a bit more. Too bad.¡± Hyunwoo also eximed, ¡°Ah!¡± Out of all the parts used to make chairs, the wheel had the most weighted ratio. If the wheel failed the test, the test results of the sample meant half the sess. The managerforted Hyunwoo, saying, ¡°Still, we¡¯ve got some good results. If we pull off a good contract on the unit price, we can enjoy a cost reduction worth tens of million won except for the wheel.¡± However, Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t be satisfied. Apart from cost reduction, Na Sungji, the owner of the factory in Vietnam, weighed on his mind. Hyunwoo went to Vietnam to see Na, and he could secure other parts there thanks to his help. Also, Jang Dukwoo had introduced Na to him. Only, Na was in danger of being omitted from the contract list. Hyunwoo wanted to include Na¡¯s wheel parts as best as he could, and he knew the way. If he could persuade Kwon Sangtaek, he could get everything that he wanted. ¡°Make a report on the contract, Hyunwoo. The president is also waiting for it. Hurry up!¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Hyunwoo made the report. The gist of it was how much they could reduce cost of the unit price. Hyunwoo drew the bottom line of the unit price of the Vietnamese parts against 85% of the Taiwanese products. The amount of the imports from Taiwan was about 1.5 million dors annually, out of which the wheel ounted for 800,000 dors, followed by lever, nylon supporting the back of the chair, etc. Because the wheel couldn¡¯t be reced right away, the amount of money from receable parts was about 700,000 dors. 15% of that amount was about 100,000 dors per year in cost reduction. The president was very satisfied with the report. ¡°100,000 dors per year. It amounts to three employees¡¯bined sries. Hyunwoo saved their lives. Thanks.¡± ¡°Thank you, sir,¡± Hyunwoo said, lowering his head to him. He then brought up a topic abruptly, ¡°There is something not included in the report.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve learned a lot about customs clearance while I visited the customs office. If we use the FTA, we can save about 6% in cost reduction.¡± The president¡¯s eyes popped out at that. Already briefed by Hyunwoo, the team manager was wearing a smile of satisfaction. Surprised by Hyunwoo, the president asked, ¡°6%? 6% of 100,000 dors in cost reduction?¡± ¡°No, sir. It¡¯s about 6% of 600,000 dors worth of imports from Vietnam. I guess about 36,000 dors.¡± ¡°Then, why is it missing in the report?¡± ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to repeat the same mistakest time.¡± ¡°Are you talking about the refund collection?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Though I did a lot of research, I still have to learn more. I think I can clearly know about the amount of cost reduction better when I learn more.¡± He exined to the president the reason calmly. However, it was just an excuse. There was another reason why he excluded it from the report. That was to buy time for him to persuade Kwon Sangtaek. Whenever he found free time, he sought ways to persuade Kwon. He kept thinking about it at home and in the office. His father asked him silently, ¡°Do you have something troubling you?¡± Hyunwoo had to reason to hide it. Rather, he wanted to share it with his father. After hearing his exnation, he paused to think about something and asked, ¡°Hyunwoo, what¡¯s the most important thing to you?¡± Hyunwoo answered right away as if he didn¡¯t have to agonize about it. However, he stopped saying it as if he was hit hard by something. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s his family...!¡± Then, Hyunwoo was very surprised. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C Laughing slightly, Hyunwoo¡¯s father said, ¡°Maybe everybody will be the same. You, me, and that person you mentioned, of course.¡± Hearing that, Hyunwoo could figure out what his father was trying to say. Why hadn¡¯t he thought of that before? How could he not read the other party¡¯s mind with so much sales experience under his belt? There were many ways to persuade a man. Hyunwoo was trying to use only one of them. Namely, it¡¯s what made the other party want what I already had. However, that method failed. He had to find another one. And that was to identify exactly what the other party wanted, and given the choice, it was much more effective to find it out through his family rather than through him. Hyunwoo immediately began to gather information about Kwon¡¯s family, such as the location of his house, his family members, and their jobs, etc. It was not difficult. ¡°How are you?¡± The old women ying cards under the shade of a tree raised their heads. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a businessman. Can I take a break here for a moment? It¡¯s so hot right now.¡± ¡°Of course. Come this way to rest.¡± Hyunwoo offered a soft drink and paper cups, along with some cookies that seniors liked. ¡°Oh, thanks so much. By the way, do they send you out to work like this even on Sunday?¡± ¡°I see no Sundays when ites to making a living.¡± Pouring a drink for them, Hyunwoo was being overly chatty, and he then brought up the topic he had in mind. ¡°Do you happen to know the old man living at house number 3011?¡± ¡°House 3011? Isn¡¯t it Kwon¡¯s house? What about him?¡± ¡°Well, looks like I knew him. Wasn¡¯t he that same person who operated a factory before?¡± ¡°Right. He did until two years ago. He lived a decent life, but because his factory went bankruptst year, I guess he ruined his family.¡± As expected, they were voluble about Kwon, putting down cards. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t feel it necessary to ask further. Instead, he could gather a lot of information about Kwon while just listening to them. ¡°That¡¯s why you have to bring in a good daughter-inw. How could that daughter-inw desert her family because it declined in wealth?¡± ¡°Because she had no child.¡± ¡°That could be the reason. If she had a child, she would try to keep her family by all means. Tut, tut. Too bad for Kwon.¡± ¡°By the way, Kwon¡¯s son is not getting married again?¡± ¡°Which woman wants to marry him, given the miserable situation of his family? Otherwise, he could get a foreign bride.¡± ¡°I hear his son didn¡¯t find a job yet?¡± ¡°They say he learned skills in his father¡¯s factory, but I think he¡¯s doing manualbor because can¡¯t use his skills.¡± They kept chatting about Kwon¡¯s family in a low voice to not be caught, but they spoke freely. Thanks to their chatting, Hyunwoo learned a lot about Kwon Sangtaek, and he seemed to know what Kwon wanted. ¡°Phew.¡± Kwon Jungsu let out a sigh. It was a hard day for him. Suddenly, he thought of the times when he was working with his father at the factory. Though it was difficult at the time, he was happier than now. Maybe he didn¡¯t find it that hard thanks to his family. Nheless, it was the thing of the past. His family declined in wealth, and he now had no asion tough or desire to work when his wife deserted him. What made his life harder was his parents. Since that day, his father idled away his time with never-ending sighs. He just repeated, ¡°It¡¯s all my fault.¡± His condition got a little better when he strolled at Saeto Park because he saw lots of men who were in a simr situation with him. While talking with them, he seemed to realize, My life is not the worst. But his mother had no sign of getting better as time went by. Her condition got worse because of her high pride. As her family declined in wealth and her daughter-inw fled, she stopped going out, saying she was ashamed to see her acquaintances. She confined herself to her house. I have to work for mom¡¯s sake, he thought to himself. He had to pay off his debt first, though. That was the reason Kwon Jungsu had to work hard without giving up. He was plodding along to his house when he heard a strange voice behind. ¡°May I ask if you¡¯re Mr. Kwon Jungsu?¡± Kwon turned his head, and couldn¡¯t see who it was because it was rather dark early. He looked like a young man Kwon had never seen before. ¡°Who is it?¡± The young man approached Kwon slowly and offered his name card. Checking it, Kwon opened his eyes wide. Kwon stared at Hyunwoo, but Hyunwoo epted it calmly. He believed he couldmunicate with Kwon Jungsu, unlike his father. ¡°Can I talk with you for a moment? Can you make some time for me?¡± ¡°What are you trying to talk to me?¡± Kwon asked back annoyingly. However, Hyunwoo¡¯s voice was calm. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you want to start afresh?¡± Kwon¡¯s eyes were glittering. ¡°I¡¯m back.¡± When Hyunwoo got back home, it was already dark. When he opened the door, he heard his mother¡¯s friendly voice. ¡°Oh, you got here. Did you have dinner, son?¡± ¡°No, not yet.¡± She stood up, surprised by his reply. ¡°Whatpany assignment made you go around like this, son? Let me prepare dinner for you.¡± A littleter, she called Hyunwoo to the dinner table. She sat before him. There was some sort of uneasiness in her eyes when she looked at him. ¡°Is your life at thepany hard?¡± ¡°No, not at all,¡± ¡°Why are you so busy, then?¡± ¡°Because I just got hired. I can slow down, but because I want to master my work quickly, I¡¯m working hard like this.¡± ¡°Good for you then.¡± She wore an expression of relief, but her expression was a bit different this time. She seemed to have something to talk to him. Hyunwoo asked, ¡°How about your physical condition? Isn¡¯t it time you stopped by the hospital for a medical check-up?¡± She instantly reacted by saying, ¡°Why should I visit the hospital when I¡¯m healthy like this? I¡¯m alright now. By the way, I¡¯m just aching to go outside because I¡¯ve been confined at home for so long.¡± She looked healthy in his eyes. She stopped working at the side-dish store because her physical condition was bad, but she now felt that staying at home was stuffy and wanted to go outside again. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a walk?¡± ¡°Well, I think I have to work again at the side-dish store.¡± This time, Hyunwoo resisted her idea. What¡¯s the point of going back to work for small money? Working at the side-dish store was harder than expected. Hyunwoo tried to persuade her out of it, saying, ¡°Why do you want to work again in such bad conditions? Don¡¯t go.¡± ¡°Well, staying home makes my life harder.¡± ¡°Why are you saying that? Money doesn¡¯t matter, mom. If you lose your health, everything will just be worthless.¡± Hyunwoo dissuaded her from it. Then his father, who was lying in bed, said silently, ¡°Let her go back to work. She might feel it¡¯s hard to take care of me at home.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not my point.¡± Stunned, she shook her head. It looked like she regretted her decision. ¡°I know. I understand your heart, dear. If I were you, I would feel morefortable working outside rather than staying home. Also, you never stop taking care of me, massaging my body here and there. I just feel sorry for you, honey.¡± ¡°Honey....¡± She looked at him with pitiful eyes. Hyunwoo could understand her mother¡¯s heart. Come to think of it, it was terrible for her just staying at home without doing anything. She had another reason to go back to work. ¡°Actually the store owner seems to be in bad health. She wants me to take care of the store.¡± The owner was 15 years older than Hyunwoo¡¯s mother. She was over 70. Though she was not healthy, she kept working with patience up to now, and that was why she could keep her good health until recently. But her physical condition seemed to get worse again. Her side-dish store had been closed for more than a week, ording to Hyuwoo¡¯s mother. ¡°Okay, mom. Don¡¯t work too hard though.¡± Volume 2. Investments and Returns Back to Vietnam ¡°Mr. Jang Hyunwoo. Haven¡¯t you made a report yet?¡± The team manager prodded him. Though it was only one week since they submitted the report to the president, the manager asked Hyunwoo about the status almost daily. That suggested that the manager had big expectations of his performance. Hyunwoo had the same hgh expectations, too. Of course, the subject of his expectations was different from the manager¡¯s. It¡¯s about time Mr. Kwon Sangtaek gave me a call. Kwon Jungsu was an open-minded person. Initially, he didn¡¯t pay any attention to what Hyunwoo said, but Hyunwoo persistently persuaded him and finally managed to open his mind. And that evening, he got the reply from Kwon Jungsu that he really wanted to hear. ¡°Let me give it some thought.¡¯ Though his reply was not clear, Hyunwoo thought that was enough. The only thing left to do was Kwon Jungsu to make the decision and persuade his father. What Hyunwoo was waiting for was Kwon Sangtaek¡¯s final decision. ¡°Give me some more time. Then, I think I can make a perfect report.¡± ¡°Really? Min Suji, are you busy right now? If you are not, can you help Hyunwoo?¡± ¡°Yes, manager.¡± Min instantly stood up and approached Hyunwoo. ¡°How can I help you?¡± Actually, there was nothing particr she could help him with, for Hyunwoo had already done everything, except he was buying time toplete the report. However, he could not tell the truth. He should buy more time by giving Min some work to help him with. Suddenly, he came across a good idea. ¡°Okay, thanks. Actually I was badly in need of your help. Can you go with me to the customs office?¡± ¡°Customs office?¡± ¡°It¡¯s difficult for me to get along with the customs office guys. I think I can make friends with them easily if I go there with you.¡± Min grinned at that, because she instantly figured out what he wanted. Hyunwoo¡¯s request might be unpleasant to her, but she nodded her head, thinking nothing of it. ¡°Okay, I would like to use this asion to say hello to them. Can I go with him, manager?¡± ¡°Sure. Just go ahead.¡± Ignoring Yonggu¡¯s sharp look, both of them went out of the office. At that moment, Hyunwoo¡¯s phone buzzed. Confirming the caller¡¯s ID, Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes glittered. It was Kwon Sangtaek¡¯s phone number. ¡®Finally he called!¡¯ Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C ¡°Hello?¡± Hyunwoo picked up the phone. As if he was strained, Hyunwoo¡¯s voice seemed to tremble. On the other hand, Kwon¡¯s voice was calm, just like damp cotton nkets in the rainy season. ¡°Is this Mr. Jang Hyunwoo?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. It¡¯s been a long time since we talked.¡± Hyunwoo brightened his voice as much as he could. However, Kwon brought up the main topic right away. ¡°You mentioned the business in Vietnam the other day. Did you hire someone?¡± ¡°No, not yet, sir.¡± Hyunwoo answered quickly, but Kwon didn¡¯t say anything for some time even after hearing Hyunwoo¡¯s reply, and he then resumed with difficulty, ¡°Then, let me to Vietnam.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s face was lit up. Suppressing his excitement, he said, ¡°Would you do so? Thanks so much. I will do my best to make sure your life in Vietnam is not ufortable.¡± ¡°Thanks. By the way, I have one favor to ask of you.¡± ¡°Yes, please.¡± ¡°I will go there with my family. Can I?¡± Of course. When Hyunwoo talked with Kwon, Hyunwoo already had that in mind. In his judgment, Kwon¡¯s family needed a new life in Vietnam more than Na Sungji needed his skills at his factory. What was Kwon¡¯s biggest wish these days? It was no other than his son¡¯s remarriage. He wished for his son to meet a good woman and have a family. There would be nothing happier for Kwon than holding his grandchildren in his hands. Kwon Jungsu had the same wishes. What he needed most was not money. He needed something like a strong prop whenever he found his life hard, and he needed a wife for this. Also, his mother needed a new start in her life, too. In other words, she needed to gain her confidence and recover her lifestyle of yesteryears. In that respect, Vietnam offered an ideal environment for her. Though she would feel lonely because she doesn¡¯t know thenguage and doesn¡¯t have friends, she would still not feelpelled to confine herself to home like now. Hyunwoo replied strongly, ¡°Of course, you should. Please let me know as soon as you get the passports and visas. I¡¯ll find a house there and wait for you in the meantime.¡± ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll get back to you soon.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo clenched his fist and eximed, ¡°Wow!¡± Listening to him quietly, Min opened her eyes wide and said, ¡°What happened? What do you mean you¡¯re finding a house in Vietnam?¡± ¡°Something is going on now. You¡¯lle to know about it soon.¡± Hyunwoo grinned at her and then visited the customs office as nned. Ansan Customs Office was divided into the customs clearance support team and customs duty examination team. The atmosphere of the two teams was different despite their presence in the same building. While the customs duty examination team was noisy but warm, the customs clearance team was businesslike, making it rather hard to get ess to. Nheless, when Min Suji entered the office, everybody raised their heads, showing interest in her. When Hyunwoo said she was a colleague at the purchasing team, they treated her well. ¡°Mr. Yuk, what are you doing? On an asion like this, a single man like you should treat her to a cup of coffee.¡± The staff was prodding Yuk, a public servant with the rank of 6th grade. Though single, he looked old enough and unmarried. ¡°You said Min Suji, right? Do you have a boyfriend?¡± Min had a good sense of humor, and she knew how to behave at the customs office. ¡°No, not yet...¡± ¡°Great. Mr Yuk is still unmarried. As a matter of fact, there is no better candidate as a bride than a public servant these days. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°If you have any trouble, consult with Mr. Yuk. He is the expert on import and export stuff.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Though Hyunwoo looked like a fish out of water, he was still satisfied, for he found out how to make use of the customs clearance team in the future. Coming out of the office, Hyunwoo tapped her on the shoulder and said, ¡°Nice job. Your beauty paid off.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t say that.¡± ¡°By the way, is it true Yuk is thirty five years old?¡± ¡°How can a public servant lie?¡± ¡°Looks like he has got a crush on you.¡± ¡°He looks like a good man but seems older than his age. I know a sister who can be a good match for him. I¡¯m thinking of whether to introduce her or not.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s great! Ha ha ha.¡± *** The team manager¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Oh, really? Bring me the report.¡± Hyunwoo gave it to the manager. Reviewing it, the manager¡¯s jaws were dropping. ¡°How much is it then?¡± ¡°If things work out as nned, we could save 100,000 dors in the unit price, and 36000 dors in customs duty every year.¡± ¡°Are you sure? We can¡¯t afford to see the situation reversed like before.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve done reviewed it several times. I¡¯m 100% certain,¡± Hyunwoo said with confidence, and he then added cautiously, ¡°By the way, I have one favor to ask of you.¡± ¡°What is it? Tell me.¡± ¡°Right now, I¡¯m trying to find out how to improve the quality of castors at the N&C Factor in Vietnam. In my opinion, their samples could pass our quality standard within three months. Can you ask the president to conduct another review in three months?¡± The manager couldn¡¯t help but keep smiling. As a matter of fact, that could not be called a ¡®favor.¡¯ The castor had the most weighted ratio among all the import parts. If that part could be reced with a Vietnamese part, that would increase the savings of the unit price. Also, the president would be very happy to hear that, too. This was a golden opportunity for the manager to take credit for himself with Hyunwoo¡¯s idea. ¡°Okay, let me persuade the president by all means. Come with me to see him now.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Both of them went to the president¡¯s office. The manager asked the president for another test review of the castor, and he okayed it dly. However, the president seemed to have a broader perspective on the matter. ¡°How can you improve the quality of the castor?¡± Hyunwoo had no reason to hide the secret. He told the whole truth. ¡°Do you happen to know Uri Precision Inc.?¡± ¡°Uri Precision? Of course.¡± The president¡¯s eyebrows narrowed. It was thepany that went bankrupt when Aurum stopped purchasing its parts. ¡°I¡¯ve arranged for the president of Uri Precision to go to Vietnam because he has the necessary skill.¡± Then, the president¡¯s eyes opened wide. In fact, he knew a lot more about Uri Precision. Though it went bankrupt because it put skill before the unit price, it was the top in terms of its expertise in producing castors. ¡°Can you exin more?¡± asked the president. Hyunwoo hesitated a bit because it involved Kwon Sangtaek¡¯s personal matter. If Hyunwoo had to tell him about it, he would have to reveal the shameful lives about Kwon Sangtaek¡¯s family members. Though the president asked for his exnation, Hyunwoo thought it was not proper to tell about him without his consent. Of course, Kwon would not consent it. ¡°I chased after him for several days to persuade him.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°If I have to tell you about it, I have to reveal his private personal affairs, too. I am sorry to say this, but I don¡¯t think that is right. What is certain is that he thinks of Vietnam as a new starting ground. He will be a big help to ourpany.¡± Hyunwoo made the remarks cautiously, but the president was not persuaded. ¡°I know it is not right to talk about his personal affairs, but when it involves our business, it¡¯s different. I have to get your exnation on that.¡± Because the president mentioned business, Hyunwoo had no other choice but to reveal the story, for he seemed to know what the president was concerned about. It was Kwon¡¯s revenge. To clear his suspicion, Hyunwoo could not help but reveal the inside story of the Kwon family. ¡°As a matter of fact ....¡± Hyunwoo told the whole story, including the issues of Kwon Jungsu¡¯s marriage and Kwon Sangtaek¡¯s wife. To solve the problem, Vietnam was the best ce for them. Listening to Hyunwoo¡¯s exnation prudently, the president nodded his head and said, ¡°I think I can trust you then. Don¡¯t you think you have to go to Vietnam again? This time, go there with a team.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯ll make a report to you after forming a team.¡± Back to the office, the manager left the Vietnam business trip in his hands. ¡°Hyunwoo, you select the members of the team you want to form for your business trip to Vietnam.¡± ¡°Do I?¡± asked Hyunwoo, surprised at his suggestion. But he, too, was expecting it. Of course, the manager would like to include Yongggu in the team. Though he was supporting Hyunwoo these days, he believed that Yonggu was still the core member of the purchasing team, so he wanted to give Yonggu a chance. Because he knew Yonggu was on bad terms with Hyunwoo, he couldn¡¯t pick Yonggu as a member of the Vietnam team. That was why he left it in Hyunwoo¡¯s hands. Anticipating it, Hyunwoo had been thinking it over for several days. He didn¡¯t agonize over who he had to go with. In his heart, he had already decided that he would go with Yonggu. However, the heart of his agony was what to do in Vietnam. It was Hyunwoo¡¯s goal to make Yonggu his ally, not enemy, during this business trip. What if his goal failed? Then either Hyunwoo or Yonggu would have to leave Aurum. In other words, this would be thest chance Hyunwoo offered Yonggu. The team manager nodded his head, saying, ¡°Absolutely. As you initiated, you should be responsible for carrying it out to the end.¡± Hyunwoo looked around the team members. Everybody focused their eyes on Hyunwoo, as if each of them earnestly wanted to be selected for the Vietnam team. Min Suji was no exception. She signaled her glittering eyes at him. She didn¡¯t seem to think that she would go there only with Hyunwoo if selected. But the other two thought differently. One of them was Oh Sangho, and the other was Yonggu, the core member of the purchasing team. As a graduate of an elite college in the United States, Oh could not think of being sidelined as a member of Hyunwoo¡¯s team. On the other hand, Yonggu wanted to be selected. Wasn¡¯t this a project with a guaranteed performance worth more than 100 million won? Joining the team itself could get him a lot of recognition, but he didn¡¯t expect him to choose him, thinking, No chance he will select me. Though it was regrettable, that was reality. In the meantime, Hyunwoo pointed his finger toward someone he had in mind. His finger was pointing at Yonggu, who fixed his eyes on the files on his desk. ¡°I think assistant manager Kim Yonggu is the right fit for this job.¡± Yonggu opened his eyes wide. ¡®What? Did he call my name?¡¯ He could not believe it. He thought he heard him incorrectly. Yonggu raised his head and looked at Hyunwoo. Putting down his finger, he was looking at Yonggu. Other members were also looking at him, all with envy. Only then did Yoggu ask, pointing his finger at himself, ¡°Me?¡± Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C ¡°...Me?¡±asked Yongggu. Hyunwoo nodded his head and said, ¡°Yes, you¡¯re the core member of the purchasing team. I would appreciate it very much if you could help me because I am an inexperienced new hire.¡± Yonggu was frozen. He could never figure out Hyunwoo¡¯s intentions. What would he want to do with him once he arrived in Vietnam? Yet, he could not reject Hyunwoo¡¯s request. Though it hurt his pride, he could not throw away this great opportunity. ¡°Okay, then.¡± The team manager approached Yonggu and grabbed his shoulder firmly, saying, ¡°To be honest, I hoped you could go with him. Set up your schedule so that you can leave as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Yonggu was still absent-minded. ¡®Why did Hyunwoo choose me?¡¯ On the other hand, Hyunwoo refreshed his determination. Let me hash it out with him this time. Incheon International Airport one weekter. Hyunwoo was looking around the departure area for some time. Looking at him with an annoyed expression, Yonggu asked him, ¡°What¡¯s the reason?¡± ¡°What reason?¡± ¡°I know you hate me as much as I hate you. Then, you must have a reason why you picked me.¡± Reason? Of course Hyunwoo had one. It was none other that ¡®Yonggu¡¯ himself. Unless one of them left Aurum, they would have to work at the same team at the samepany. In addition, Yonggu got hired much earlier and had a higher rank than Hyunwoo. Instead of making him an enemy, it would be better for Hyunwoo to make him his ally even if that meant more sacrifice on his end. However, wasn¡¯t the process and the method as important as the oue? Hyunwoo had no intention of kneeling down to Yonggu for reconciliation. Rather than asking Yonggu for his generosity, Hyunwoo would leave Aurum. Hyunwoo wanted to make Yonggu reach out to him for reconciliation first. The simplest way was to push him to the brink of the precipice, where he badly needed Hyunwoo¡¯s help. Then, he would hold out his hand to Hyunwoo willingly, and Hyunwoo already had such a situation in his mind. Grinning at him, Hyunwoo replied, ¡°I told you already, didn¡¯t I? I asked you to guide me because I¡¯m inexperienced. That was my sincere request.¡± Yonggu didn¡¯t believe him, though. However, he didn¡¯t ask any more because he knew Hyunwoo would not reveal his real motivation. Whatever the reason, Yonggu got a free ride on a project that guaranteed huge oues thanks to Hyunwoo. Though there was no way he could find out what kind of conspiracy Hyunwoo had in mind, Yonggu had to be thankful to him. Yonggu said smugly as if he was helping Hyunwoo, ¡°You don¡¯t have to use honorifics just between you and me.¡± If Yonggu would allow it, Hyunwoo had no reason to stick to using honorifics for him. Hyunwoo found it morefortable to treat him as a friend, not as a superior at apany. ¡°Okay, shall we talk like this until wee back from the Vietnam trip? Oh, they have just arrived.¡± Hyunwoo waved his hand dly at them. They were Kwon Sangtaek¡¯s family, including his son Jungsu and his wife. Yonggu opened his eyes wide at them. ¡°Why are they bringing so many bags? Are they moving?¡± Yonggu asked. ¡°Yea.¡± Replying briefly, Hyunwoo rushed to Kwon¡¯s family. ¡°Let me hold the bags.¡± ¡°Thanks. There are lots of things for me to take care of.¡± Kwon Sangtaek still wore a rigid expression. He seemed to think his departure for Vietnam would be taken as his escape there because of his failure in life. Kwon¡¯s wife didn¡¯t look happy like Kwon. She wore a wide-brimmed hat and dark sunsses, and she also covered her face with a mask. On the other hand, Kwon Jungsu had a bright expression. Though it might be forced smile, he shook hands with Hyunwoo¡¯s team members one by one. ¡°When I visit Vietnam this time, I¡¯ll stay there until I get my visa renewed. That¡¯s why I have so many bags.¡± ¡°I see. Give that to me.¡± Hyunwoo helped them with Yonggu, and they took them to the departure area. Though Kwon Jungsu tried to cheer up his parents, their looks were dark. Watching them, Hyunwoo renewed his determination. Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll smile even though you don¡¯t want to. Then, I can heartilyugh, too. *** Na Sungji, the president, came out to wee them at the airport, holding a big piece of paper that said, ¡®Kim Yonggu Manager.¡¯ ¡°Mr. Na!¡± When Hyunwoo shouted at him, Na rushed toward him with a very happy expression. However, he was looking at Kwon Sangtaek, not Hyunwoo. Looking Kwon up and down, Na said cautiously, ¡°Are you president Kwon by any chance?¡± ¡°Except for the title ¡®president,¡¯ I¡¯m just Kwon Sangtaek.¡± This time he asked, looking at Hyunwoo, ¡°Is this the person you mentioned...?¡± Hyunwoo nodded his head, saying, ¡°You¡¯re right. He¡¯s the expert in Korea who can make your products more perfect. Also, this is his wife and son. His son is also a veteran in the field. He¡¯ll be a big help to you.¡± Hyunwoo introduced Kwon¡¯s family members to Na in detail, with some exaggeration. Kwon tried to interrupt because Hyunwoo¡¯s introduction was exaggerated, but Na said first, ¡°Oh, I see. Thanks foring this far. You made a really difficult decision. I¡¯ll do my best to make youfortable here.¡± When Hyunwoo took a nce at Yonggu, he had an unpleasant look on his face. Though he was the core member of Aurum¡¯s purchasing team Na had to pay attention to, he felt offended when Na showed interest in Kwon Sangtaek only. Hyunwoo quickly stepped in, though, saying, ¡°This is assistant manager Kim Yonggu, the core member of our purchasing team. He is responsible for concluding the contract with you.¡± At that moment, Yonggu looked at Hyunwoo. He looked a bit surprised because of Hyunwoo¡¯s unexpected nice introduction of him. Only then did Na grovel to Yonggu as if he thought he had treated him like dirt. ¡°Ooops! I¡¯m so sorry for not recognizing such an important person, sir. My name is Na Sungji. I heard a lot about you from Hyunwoo. I hear you control the purchasing team...¡± Na made ttering remarks to him. Of course, that¡¯s what Hyunwoo asked him to do. It was also Hyunwoo¡¯s idea that he held a sign that said ¡®Kim Yonggu Manager¡¯ at the airport. Hyunwoo and Na contacted each other either through email or international calls. The news that the wheel failed to pass the test, as well as the news that he seeded in persuading Kwon Sangtaek, was conveyed to Na almost on a real time basis. Thanks to their close consultation, Na had already prepared a house Kwon¡¯s family could live in, and he took the unusual step to find a housemaid for them. In fact, even Na had no housemaid at his house. In other words, Kwon was given special treatment. ¡°Let¡¯s go. As you¡¯re hungry, let¡¯s have a meal first.¡± ¡°Shall we?¡± Na¡¯s heartwarming hospitality made Yonggu straighten up his shoulders. There was an air of arrogance in his gait while following Na. Hyunwoo grinned in spite of himself, looking at the appearance of Yonggu from behind. Just like Na did to Hyunwoo, he showed Yonggu and Kwon around his factory facilities with pride. Yonggu and Kwon were surprised not only at the size of the factories but also the excellent research equipment. Showing his chest, Na said proudly, ¡°Though we¡¯re in financial difficulty at the moment because we lost some buyers, we¡¯re proudly listed on the stock exchange in Vietnam.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Yonggu nodded his head as if he was impressed a lot. However, Kwon stayed silent. Instead, he visited the various ces around the factories and checked the machines and research equipment carefully. The rest of the team members followed Kwon. Checking out the factory facilities, Kown looked at Hyunwoo. At that moment, Hyunwoo felt everything was alright, for Kwon¡¯s eyes were glittering brightly. That meant he saw some kind of hope in the research equipment and machine equipment. Hyunwoo asked cautiously, ¡°How do you feel?¡± Kwon nodded and said, ¡°Wonderful. The products are of better quality than I thought. If I add my skills, I think we can make better quality products than I produced in Korea.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s face lit up brightly. Hyunwoo¡¯s careful observation of Kwon showed that he was a very picky person who wouldn¡¯t boast or praise needlessly. If Kwon made ament, he must be serious. Yet, Kwon had some more to talk about. ¡°Just introduce several more machines. Then, I can guarantee we can make the products that satisfy you.¡± ¡°What kind of machines do we need?¡± ¡°First of all, the current hydraulic systems for injection molding machines are too old. Even if you have the best raw material, you can¡¯t make the proper molding products. The kind of machines they use in Korea...¡± Kwon exined about the necessary machines. What Na needed to introduce was a total of three machines. However, when Kwon talked about the new machines, Na¡¯s expression became dark. When Kwon was done. Na said in a low-spirited voice, ¡°Those machines are too expensive...¡± ¡°You can buy used machines. If you try, you can find some great used machines in the market.¡± Still, Na¡¯s expression was dark. ¡°I know that. I was looking for an opportunity to buy such machines, but even used machines are over 40 or 50 million per piece. Right now, our financial situation is...¡± ¡°If you buy three machines, 150 million won is enough. Can¡¯t you make the loan of that amount?¡± Na nodded his head, crestfallen. Kwon made a embarrassed expression and said, ¡°Even if you have the best skills, you can¡¯t produce quality products with bad machines. You have to bring in the machines by all means.¡± By any stretch of the imagination, Hyunwoo felt Na could not make a loan at the moment. The financial situation of Na¡¯s factory was such that Hyunwoo had to worry about its potential bankruptcy while Hyunwoo was staying in Korea. That was the same case for Kwon Sangtaek, given the miserable situation where his daughter-inw deserted the family. Of course, Hyunwoo could not use his own money to buy the machines. He felt stuffy suddenly at the unexpected turn of events. Then, Kwon looked at Yonggu suddenly. At the delicate timing, Yonggu also made a surprising expression. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°Please offer us financial aid in purchasing the three machines. Then, I¡¯ll pay back with interest within one year.¡± ¡°What did you say? Financial aid by Aurum?¡± Yonggu bounced with consternation. Kwon¡¯s demand was way beyond Yonggu¡¯s work boundary. Yonggu came to Vietnam to make a contract on the parts, not to seek an investor. Also, he didn¡¯t have the guts to report this to his boss. He was scared about being scolded by his boss for faffing around. But Hyunwoo was different from Yonggu. As soon as Kwon mentioned Aurum, he thought ¡®that¡¯s what I want!¡¯ Also, he had no reason not to talk to the manager or the president about it. In the worst scenario, all he would get was get some sort of scolding like ¡°Don¡¯t fribble around.¡± The situation could unfold favorably. Aside from the team manager, the president might probably think favorably of Kwon¡¯s suggestion. If things worked out well, the effects would be enormous. Mr. Na could revive his factory, and Kwon¡¯s family could start a new life. Aurum could bring about a huge cost reduction, too. As it is certain that all the parties involved could get such enormous benefits, Hyunwoo thought it would not make any sense not to make the suggestion for fear of a scolding. Hyunwoo looked at Yonggu. ¡°How about telling the team manager about it?¡± Again, Yonggu bounced with disapproval. ¡°Are you crazy? We¡¯re not here to do that kind of work. Just focus on your original task instead of interfering with stupid things,¡± Yonggu said. ¡°If the factory is operating well, we can expect a huge cost reduction. Strictly speaking, this is our task,¡± Hyunwoo said. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t set up a strange logical argument. That is out of the question. Even if you report to the team manager, he will intercept it. And even if I told you to talkfortably to me without using honorifics, it will cause trouble if you take care of things in your own way. Don¡¯t forget that I¡¯m the head of the team here.¡± Yonggu rejected Hyunwoo¡¯s suggestion firmly, but Hyunwoo didn¡¯t relent. The case was too serious for him to give up easily. With a strained expression, Na and Kwon were looking at them. ¡°I know that, of course, but Kwon¡¯s suggestion is too valuable to give up. Can¡¯t you just report this to just the manager? You could do that.¡± ¡°You do it, then.¡± Younggu shifted the responsibility on Hyunwoo. He seemed to think Hyunwoo didn¡¯t have the guts to do so. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C However, Yonggu had made a mistake. As soon as Yonggu had said that, Hyunwoo opened his mobile phone and called the office in Korea proudly. Yonggu¡¯s eyes opened wide. But Hyunwoo had already pushed the button, and the team manager immediately picked up the phone. ¡°Hyunwoo, what¡¯s up? Did you arrive in Vietnam?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. We arrived here, but I¡¯ve got a problem. It¡¯s something I have to report to you by all means...¡± Hyunwoo was about to exin it in detail to him, but the manager interrupted, saying, ¡°In other words, the factory there can operate if Aurum can invest about 150 million won, right?¡± Though he spoke in a different vein, they were still on the same page on it. Hyunwoo replied with a bit of an unpleasant voice, ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t pay attention to what¡¯s not your business. Just conclude the contract that¡¯s certain instead of making a big deal out of this.¡± ¡°But, sir, this is a very important matter. Could you report to the president about it just once?¡± ¡°Is this the first time you¡¯ve worked at apany? If I say no, you¡¯re not supposed to do it. How can you mention the president?¡± The manager¡¯s tone was kind of forceful. It gave the impression that he wanted to give him a good scolding but was suppressing the urge to. Even if Hyunwoo wanted to talk more, he felt it would worsen the atmosphere between them. ¡°Got it, sir.¡± ¡°Is Yonggu with you there? Let me talk to him.¡± Hyunwoo offered his phone to Yonggu. Grinning at Hyunwoo, Yonggu picked up the phone. As the manager¡¯s voice was too loud, those around him could feel the atmosphere. ¡°You see! What did I tell you?¡± Scolding him lightly, Yonggu talked on the phone, ¡°Yes, sir. This is Yonggu.¡± ¡°Did you order him to do that?¡± ¡°No, sir. I told him not to care about any useless stuff, but he insisted on talking to you...¡± ¡°Got it. Why is that dude getting big-headed like this? If he gets praise, he should know how to be humble.¡± ¡°I agree with you, sir. Let me apologize for him. I¡¯ll conclude a sure-fire contract and send you a draft contract.¡± ¡°Okay, let me trust you.¡± After the call, Yonggu once again sneered at Hyunwoo, repeating what the manager said, ¡°How dare you call the manager even if I let you do so? Why are you getting big-headed like this? From now on, don¡¯t initiate anything. Just follow me. Got it?¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s voice was feeble. He was thinking about driving Yonggu off the end of a cliff, but something unexpected had just happened. But he was still in better conditionpared to Na or Kwon. Na, who was on the brink of bankruptcy, and Kwon, who came to Vietnam to find himself jobless again, had desperate expressions on their faces. However, Yonggu didn¡¯t care about them at all. He just walked out of the factory as if he had no other business to take care of there. ¡°What are you doing? Just follow me,¡± Yonggu said. With great reluctance, Hyunwoo followed him, but hecame back to Na and Kwon to reassure them by saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I¡¯ll find out a way by any means. Please be patient a little more.¡± Na and Kwon nodded their heads, but they found themselvesnguid as if they could not believe Hyunwoo¡¯s assurances. Looking at them, Hyunwoo refreshed the determination in his heart, I can¡¯t let them go bankrupt like this. Let me find out a way and rise them up by all means. Hyunwoo followed Yonggu and moved out of the factory. Yonggu stopped by other factories to negotiate the unit price, but what upied Hyunwoo¡¯s mind was how to find out the way to revive N&C. He could not even think of controlling Yonggu. Then, Yonggu made Hyunwooe back to reality once more. While negotiating with the presidents of local factories, Yonggu pressed them to lower the unit price unreasonably on uneptable terms. As the price difference was so big, the local presidents got enraged. ¡°What did you say? Are you going to destruct my factory? We would get no profit at all if we supply the parts at that price,¡± said a president involved, shaking his head. In Hyunwoo¡¯s judgement, the price was too low. It was about 65% of the price of Taiwanese parts. If the local presidents make a contract on that price, it was certain that they would incur more losses the more parts they produced. Of course, Yonggu might not be serious about that low price. It was a kind of negotiating strategy of his own. He wanted to dampen their ardor forcefully because he had a negotiating edge as the buyer. But that was what Hyunwoo was targeting. Hyunwoo asked himself in Yonggu¡¯s shoes, What does he want to achieve here? No matter how hard he tried to think about it, he got only one answer. Yonggu wanted to make his own tangible oue. Then, what would be it? The reply to that question was just one. It was for him to make a contract on the unit price that was much lower than what Hyunwoo had initially talked about. Then, the savings from reducing the unit price would be Yonggu¡¯s own credit. Yonggu would be very much greedy about that. Not just content with a 1~2% price reduction, he would want a much bigger credit that surpassed Hyunwoo¡¯s. To do this, he would have to scare and control the local presidents. Hyunwoo never interfered with Yonggu¡¯s maneuvering. He just looked on. The local presidents could understand Hyunwoo. No matter how much Hyunwoo and Yonggu¡¯s ideas differed, they were on the same team. It was againstmon sense to ruin the negotiating strategy of the same team member. Yonggu did much better than Hyunwoo had expected. He pressured the local presidents with reasonable arguments instead of trying to lower the unit price absurdly. ¡°You have to understand our position, too. Though your products passed the first test, Aurum is taking a big risk now.¡± ¡°Still, I can¡¯t sell parts at a loss, can I?¡± ¡°In return, you are guaranteed the stable supplies order, right? When the products maintain the quality on a stable basis, we¡¯ll raise the unit price.¡± Despite his assurances, the president didn¡¯t believe Yonggu. It was difficult for him to adjust the unit price initially. If that was the case, it would be more difficult for him to change the fixed unit priceter. That was the buyer¡¯s arrogance. If the president made the contract as Yonggu wanted, the factory would make low-quality products to meet the unit price, leading to an increase in the defective ratio and a cancetion of the contract. It was a mutual loss, after all. ¡°I can¡¯t do this,¡± the president said. Yonggu also folded the files as if he felt that it was regrettable. ¡°Okay, then. Let me give you some more time to think about. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow after stopping by other factories.¡± Then, he stood up without any hesitation. It looked like he was determined to show that he was the man with the power. On the other hand, the president was nervous. His expression clearly showed that he was very worried that the contract would fall through. Yonggu got all the more confident, though. ¡°What are you doing? We have to pull off the next contract anyway.¡± Hyunwoo followed Yonggu to get out of the factory. The president followed them to the entrance and implored Yonggu earnestly, ¡°Please raise the unit price a little more. At that price, our factory will go bankrupt. At least 85% of the negotiated price will save us from a loss.¡± ¡°The price difference is too big. I can¡¯t yield anymore. Goodbye.¡± Yonggu drove straight to the other factory. Only then did Hyunwoo ask him cautiously, ¡°Don¡¯t you think the unit price is too low? Even if I were the president, I couldn¡¯t ept it.¡± ¡°You just stay put and watch how I¡¯m doing it. I¡¯ll take care of everything, so don¡¯t stick out your tongue to ruin the contract,¡± Yonggu demanded. Hyunwoo shut up instantly. Hearing Yonggu¡¯s voice tone, he was pretty much determined. Yongggu did the same thing in the past. Because of his overbearing attitude, the potential contractors werepletely knocked out. However, not a single contract was pulled off because he put forward conditions that the presidents could not ept at all. On the way back to the hotel, Hyunwoo asked him once more, ¡°Are you reallyfortable with this?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t pull off any single contract. I wonder what will happen if we go home empty-handed without a single sessful contract.¡± ¡°Well, that tells me apart from you! Don¡¯t you know how I have proven my capabilities at the purchasing team? Just try to learn it from me this time.¡± Yonggu¡¯s negotiating strategy made the local presidents nervous. It looked like they had had a talk among themselves and came to the hotel in droves. Hyunwoo and Yonggu checked in a different room. As they knew Yonggu was the key figure, they only tried to please and implore him. ¡°As you¡¯vee a long way down here, you had better have some entertainment. We¡¯ll treat you with wine and treat you in a big way tonight.¡± However, Yonggu wouldn¡¯t move at all. How could I break my spirit with such entertainment with so much award money at stake? ¡°You don¡¯t have to entertain me. So, please go back.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t feel burdened. We Koreans are all talking on friendly terms, aren¡¯t we?¡± Though the presidents repeatedly tried to invite him out, Yonggu rejected them. Lowering their heads, the presidents went back. In the meantime, Hyunwoo erased his thoughts about the unit prices. Instead, he was concerned about the N&C factory. He could not let the factory go bankrupt like this. With some help, it could revive at anytime. With Kwon¡¯s skill, it could rise as one of the most promising small and medium-sizedpanies in Vietnam. In other words, an investment would bring about a return. When he thought that far, Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened widely. Yea, let me invest then. Though he was not rich, he could secure 400 million won at the most if he sold his stocks, withdrew all of the money in his bank ount, and got a loan by mortgaging his house. That would be enough to make the factory be able to operate normally. Okay, let me invest. I can be a stockholder of N&C. If that¡¯s the case, I think I have to change my negotiating strategy. Once he thought about investment, lots of ideas came to his mind, creating a rosy future before his eyes. The only remaining issue was just one. It was how much stake Hyunwoo could obtain by investing in N&C. Hyunwoo would try to get as much as possible while Na would try to do the opposite. Hummmm... I think I have to negotiate with Na. After some hard thinking, Hyunwoo made a n and called Na. ¡°Can I see you right now, Mr. Na?¡± As soon as he answered the phone, he came to the hotel quickly. Without beating around the bush, Hyunwoo brought up his investment idea. ¡°Did you mention N&C stocks?¡± Na asked. ¡°Yes, I did...¡± Hyunwoo said. ¡°Can you transfer some of your stake to me? Then, let me invest in yourpany.¡± ¡°What? Investing?¡± At his sudden suggestion, Na made a puzzled expression as he thought about it. Hyunwoo continued, with his eyes glittering, ¡°Don¡¯t you need 150 million won immediately? Let me invest 200 million won into yourpany. Instead, transfer some of your stocks to me. We can mutually survive that way, can¡¯t we?¡± At that moment, Na¡¯s eyes sparkled. That was a terrific idea. Aside from the operating money, if Hyunwoo became a stockholder of N&C, he would try his best to make the contract sessful. Even if the factory went bankrupt, Hyunwoo would have spent 200 million in vain. But there was a problem. As thepany was on the brink of bankruptcy, its stock price had nosedived. The total market value of thepany was below 60 billion dong and at risk of being delisted from the stock exchange. Was Hyunwoo aware of this? Na wouldn¡¯t go to the trouble of telling this to Hyunwoo because he wouldn¡¯t let hispany go bankrupt under any circumstances. If the factory went bankrupt, he would be penniless as well because he had invested everything in it. Na nodded his head. ¡°Got it. Then how much do you want?¡± Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C As a matter of fact, Hyunwoo was ayman at investing. Though he had a lot of experience in working on-site, he had no knowledge of anything like stocks, stake, etc. But he had some working knowledge of negotiating while he worked as a salesman for a variety ofpanies. On an asion like this, the best policy was to make use of the party¡¯s knowledge. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about N&C. In your mind, how much stake would be appropriate for me?¡± Na seemed to agonize over it for a moment. ¡°Hummmm... As things stand now, the total market value of mypany is about 58 billion dong, equivalent to about 2.9 billion Korean won. If you invest 200 million won, that would be about 7% of the total market value. Given your investment at this difficult time, however, let me make a big concession.¡± Hyunwoo thought about 8%, but Na¡¯s concession was much more than Hyunwoo thought. ¡°Let me give you 9%.¡± Hyunwoo was startled at this moment. This meant that the financial situation of N&C was very much in crisis. A concession of 2% more to Hyunwoo took into ount the potential risk. With a big smile, Hyunwoo held out his hand, and Na grabbed it waved it forcefully. Then, Na had a call from the president of the other part factory Yonggu was visiting. ¡°Hey, Mr. Kim, what¡¯s up at thiste hour?¡± Hearing their conversation, Hyunwoo found out that Mr. Kim was whining about the unit price. Because of that issue, many of the local presidents went to the hotel Yonggu had checked in at, but he would not see them. Na looked at Hyunwoo and asked, ¡°What should we do?¡± Hyunwoo touched his jaw as if he had a headache. In his heart, however, Hyunwoo yelled with delight. The timing Hyunwoo had in mind came more quickly than he had thought. After pretending to hesitate for some time, Hyunwoo bit his lip and nodded his head as if he had made a grave decision. ¡°Let me meet with the presidents then.¡± 3. The real winner The following day. ¡°Did you have a good sleep?¡± Yonggu asked to Hyunwoo in a cheerful mood. Hyunwoo also exchanged morning greetings with him pleasantly. After breakfast, Yonggu left the hotel in a leisurely manner. It looked like he thought that he would have a better and better position while negotiating the more he dragged his feet. They went into the first factory, which Yonggu left yesterday after offering 65% of the Taiwanese part as the unit price. He sat face to face with Na with the table between them. The president apparently didn¡¯t sleep at allst night. Yonggu was ever more confident and said, ¡°So, did you give it a thought? If you can agree on 65%, I can contact the head office in Korea and get you a contract right away.¡± The president let out a sigh and opened his mouth feebly, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s forget the whole thing.¡± At that moment, Yonggu¡¯s face became rigid. It looked as if he had never expected the president toe up with such a reply. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Even if I see a golden opportunity like this, I can¡¯t make the products at a loss. I can take some meager losses, but even if I ept your offer of 85%, I wouldn¡¯t make that much profit. Despite that, you¡¯re asking for 65%. Let me just give up.¡± ¡°Oh, this is...¡± Yonggu was trying to say something, but the president was resolute. ¡°Enough is enough. Actually, I was disappointed of Aurum. If you mentioned 85%, you should proceed with it. How could you suddenly threaten me to lower the unit price?¡± ¡°Oh, this is not a threat. This is business!¡± ¡°No further. Even without Aurum, my factory will not go bankrupt. If you treat me like this, I don¡¯t want to sign a contract even if you raise the unit price. Just go back.¡± Yonggu was wearing a puzzled look. He felt as if his strong negotiating position had been turned upside down. On the other hand, the president seemed confident after he broke up the deal. Even though Yonggu was not done yet, he already stood up. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to say. Let¡¯s break up at this point.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t, please...¡± Even though Yonggu wanted to continue, he wouldn¡¯t listen. It was the same case with the presidents of other factories. They notified Yonggu of the contract cancetion without any exceptions. They regarded Yonggu¡¯s price discount suggestion as breaking the contract. Back at the hotel, Yonggu wore a dumbfounded look. Did these guys decide to collectively go bust? Actually, he was ready to concede slowly. In doing so, he judged that he could pull off a deal that they could agree with at 70%. Suddenly, the atmosphere was upside down. He felt put on the spot. From now on, it was not a matter of the unit price. The presidents said they would not ept it even if he would raise the unit price. That meant he might lose what he had already secured. The presidents were in a simr situation. In the evening, they gathered andforted each other. ¡°Is it really okay if we treat Yonggu like this? We just followed Hyunwoo¡¯s instructions, but if the contracts go away...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s wait. Didn¡¯t Hyunwoo say he would take responsibility?¡± Back at the hotel, Yonggu thought about it very carefully. No matter how he tried to find the reason, he could not. There was no reason that the presidents would give up the contracts so easily. Suddenly, something came to mind. Yonggu raised his lips slightly, thinking to himself, Hummmmm...you guys want to fight with me to see who is going to chicken out? Do you think I can falter if you push me like that? If you think so, you guys might regard me as an easy target. The next day, Yonggu was dragging his feet again. It was almost noon when he visited the factory, and he said to the president as if this would be thest meeting, ¡°Let me talk to the headquarters to adjust the unit price up to 70%, but there will be no more negotiation on this. Will you sign the contract?¡± Yonggu asked in a confident manner. However, the president¡¯s reply was the same. ¡°No thanks. Even if you adjust the price to that of Taiwanese parts, we don¡¯t intend on doing business with Aurum. Just go back.¡± Yonggu felt numb with fear that all of the contracts would fail. But he believed in himself, thinking, Sure, the man who holds out longer prevails. Yonggu sprang up suddenly. ¡°That¡¯s regrettable. Let¡¯s forget the whole thing then.¡± Yonggu stridently walked out of the door, stealing a nce at the president. At that moment, Yonggu had a sudden sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. The president was closing his eyes firmly. It¡¯s alright. He¡¯s just being patient. I shouldn¡¯t be blinded by that, Yonggu said to himself. As if he had forgotten any lingering affection for Aurum, the president didn¡¯t even see him off. Yonggu was treated the same at the other factories. He felt his heart shrinking. Now, he was in a desperate situation where he had to implore the presidents. However, he still held out. I still have three more days to conclude the contracts. Yonggu didn¡¯t visit the factories the next day. Rather, he went around Ho Chi Min City for a tour. He looked as if he didn¡¯t care about the contract this time. However, he was nervous in his heart. Maybe tomorrow? I should pull off this contract by all means. Yonggu tried to calm down his troubled mind, but the presidents would not move as he wanted. ¡°Why do you keep calling me?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t the contract between us over? I don¡¯t intend on dealing with Aurum, so never call me again.¡± ¡°Let mee and see you,¡± Yonggu said. ¡°No way. Even if youe, I¡¯m not here, so don¡¯t waste your time.¡± Now, it was aplete separation between them. There was no room for negotiation. Yonggu felt as if the sky would fall down. The team manager and the president was expecting to save more than 100 million won in cost reduction. In particr, as Yonggu, the core member of the purchasing team, joined Hyunwoo, they expected a lot more. However, Yonggu had ruined the whole deal. ¡°What should I do? What should I do now?¡± Yonggu tore his hair out, not caring at all that Hyunwoo was looking at him. Hyunwoo approached Yonggu and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. I think there are simr parts factories in Indonesia and the Philippines. Let¡¯s check them out.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Yonggu shouted, staring at him. What was important to Yonggu was the Vietnam deal. Even if he changed the contractors to some others in other countries, the fact was that he had ruined the Vietnam deal by failing to negotiate properly. Tearing his hair out again, Yonggu med himself. At that moment, Hyunwoo suggested slightly, ¡°Can I try to persuade them again?¡± At that moment, Yonggu¡¯s eyes opened wide. Actually, it was Hyunwoo who had pulled off the Vietnam deal initially. Though Yonggu met them for business, Hyunwoo maintained personal ties with them. It might be possible that they would change their minds if Hyunwoo persuaded them well. ¡°Can you?¡± ¡°In my opinion, president Na Sungji seems to have a very close rtionship with the other presidents. As you know, I really tried a lot for Na. And because Mr. Kwon is with him, he would not turn a blind eye to my request.¡± With his eyes opening wider, Yonggu¡¯s glittering eyes were sparkling with expectations. ¡°Sure, I think you can. What can I do for you?¡± Yonggu was ready to fully support Hyunwoo now, but what he wanted was simple. ¡°I don¡¯t think I need your help at the moment. Let me go and meet them alone. Mr. Na seems to be very much disappointed in you. I think I had better go alone to see him.¡± ¡°By the way, what percent should I present to them for the unit price? Even though we went for 70%, they would not ept it. If you still insist on the same unit price, I think I can¡¯t seed.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. As long as we can keep 85% of the Taiwanese parts, just sign the contract without any conditions.¡± Hyunwoo tried hard to keep a straight face at Yonggu¡¯s remarks. ¡°Okay. Let me go and meet them.¡± After he left Yonggu¡¯s sight, he started tough heartily. ¡°Huuuhhh...Done deal!¡± Hyunwoon headed straight to Na¡¯s factory, who, informed by Hyunwoo in advance, weed him at the entrance. ¡°Oh, Hyunwoo, I am just so nervous. What happened? Did you take care of the matter well?¡± Without saying anything, Hyunwoo opened his palms and made a circle by touching his thumb and index fingers. ¡°I told you that you didn¡¯t have to worry.¡± ¡°Oh, thanks so much.¡± Na lowered his head to Hyunwoo. As a matter of fact, N&C was not included on the contractors list because the quality of its wheel part had failed the standard test. Despite that, there was a reason Na was so happy. It was because he knew that he would sign a contract with Aurum soon. Actually, that was the second goal that Hyunwoo had nned beforeing to Vietnam. That was as important as making Yonggu kneel down to him. Because he was faced with a new situation, however, he added one more goal. As he became a proud shareholder of N&C, he would have to make sure thepany generated the biggest profits. Of course, Na was not aware of Hyunwoo¡¯s n. Hyunwoo said cheerfully as if he was giving Na a gift, ¡°I think we have to cut the unit price of the parts produced by other factories. But we will adjust the unit price of your products to 90% of the Taiwanese parts as we originally agreed.¡± Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C ¡°Offering 90%?¡± ¡°It¡¯s $195, based on C65F series. In other words, a little over 31 cents per part.¡± Na Sungji¡¯s eyes popped out. In fact, Na was ready to ept 75% of the Taiwanese part price, at which he thought he could make some profit. Now, it was 90%! Na opened his mouth out of joy and said, ¡°Oh, my God! Thanks so much. How can I repay your benefits like this?¡± In fact, Hyunwoo shouldn¡¯t be thanked for this. Wasn¡¯t he a proud stockholder of N&C? If N&C¡¯s profits increased, that was a good thing for Hyunwoo. However, there was one thing that Na had to keep secret for Hyunwoo¡¯s sess. It was the fact that Hyunwoo had invested in N&C. If Aurum knew about this, Hyunwoo would not be able to give N&C more benefits while negotiating the unit price. ¡°Well, my investment in N&C and anything rted to the unit price is a secret between you and me. If it is revealed, we could get into big trouble.¡± ¡°Of course. I won¡¯t even tell my family.¡± Hyunwoo nodded his head as if he was satisfied with Na¡¯s reply. ¡°Okay, then. Can you call in the local presidents? I think we have to conclude the contracts at a proper level.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Na immediately called in the presidents. Waiting earnestly for the news, they came to him as soon as Na called them. Each of them asked the same question to Hyunwoo, ¡°Did you handle the matter sessfully?¡± Hyunwoo replied the same thing, ¡°Yes, I did. We can set the proper unit price and sign the contract.¡± Hearing that, one president asked, ¡°What do you mean by the ¡®proper¡¯ price? You are not talking about 70% of the Taiwanese products, right?¡± ¡°70% doesn¡¯t make any sense. We can¡¯t reach a break-even point with that,¡± said another. Hyunwoo nodded his head and said, ¡°I know that, and I would like to guarantee you as much profit as possible. However, I have to save assistant manager Kim Yonggu¡¯s face, too.¡± The presidents watched Hyunwoo¡¯s lips, shutting their mouths. ¡°Let me persuade Mr. Kim to ept 75%. Is that okay with you?¡± The presidents could let out a sigh of relief when he mentioned 75% because they could make a profit at that price. ¡°Thanks so much. We¡¯re going to think of you as a savior at that level.¡± Hyunwoo continued, ¡°I¡¯m going to add one more use to the contract for you. It will say, ¡®If the suppliers maintain the quality of the parts for one year, Aurum will increase the unit price to 80%.¡¯ So, you have to make sure that the quality stays the same.¡± ¡°Absolutely!¡± ¡°Of course, we¡¯re going to reduce the ratio of defective parts to the minimum by hiring quality examiners. As we¡¯re beholden to you like this, we can¡¯t cause any trouble to you.¡± The presidents cheered. In fact, what Hyunwoo was most worried about was the quality of parts, for there was a possibility that the quality would go down with a lower unit price. Because Hyunwoo had promised to increase the unit price, they would put in more effort to maintain the quality than before. ¡°Let me see Kim Yonggu and draft a contract. I¡¯ll send the draft to the headquarters in Korea. As soon as they give the greenlight, we will conclude the contract. Please get ready.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Parting with them, Hyunwoo went back to the hotel. When Hyunwoo arrived, Yonggu, who was waiting for him nervously, approached quickly. ¡°What happened? Did you change their minds?¡± Hyunwoo looked at him, shook his head, and said, ¡°Looks like it¡¯s going to be difficult.¡± Yonggu¡¯s expression turned hopeless and asked, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Na wouldn¡¯t persuade the presidents. I think we have to give him more benefits. Only then can he move, I think.¡± ¡°Benefits? What kind of benefits does he want?¡± ¡°How about making a provisional contract for him?¡± Yonggu tilted his head and asked, ¡°Provisional contract?¡± ¡°As you know, he hired a new technical expert. If he can introduce the new machines by, isn¡¯t it clear that he can improve the quality of the parts?¡± That was true. Yonggu knew that Na¡¯s products had failed the quality standard by just a little bit. ¡°So?¡± ¡°We¡¯re making a contract with him that we¡¯ll purchase all of his parts as soon as the parts satisfy the quality standards.¡± Come to think of it, Yonggu felt that it was not a difficult matter. As soon as the quality of the parts were guaranteed, there was no reason for Aurum not to use them. ¡°What if Na doesn¡¯t meet the quality standards?¡± ¡°The contract will be cancelled automatically, of course. Let me persuade Na on that.¡± Yonggu had no reason to reject Hyunwoo¡¯s suggestion. ¡°Okay. How much should we set the unit price then?¡± ¡°Na wants us to increase the unit price on the condition that he persuades the local presidents.¡± ¡°How much?¡± Yonggu asked with a tense expression. ¡°90% of the Taiwanese products,¡± Hyunwoo said casually. Yonggu was a bit surprised. It was 5% more than the price he had first mentioned to them. Yonggu hesitated to say okay, but Hyunwoo prodded him, saying, ¡°I didn¡¯t reply to Na because this was something I couldn¡¯t decide on my own. What should we do?¡± Yonggu was kind of troubled at that, but after some more thought, he felt that it was not something he had to agonize over. It was no more than a provisional contract. Hyunwoo then said something new to Yonggu, ¡°If you get assurance from management on that, Na told me he would be responsible for persuading the other presidents. In return, he said 80% of the Taiwanese product was the bottom line on the unit price. ¡°80%?¡± This time, Yonggu¡¯s jaws dropped at that because he felt even 85% was something the local presidents could not ept, given that they were holding their heads high right now. Yonggu nodded his head strongly and said, ¡°Okay, done deal!¡± Yonggu made a draft contract on the spot and emailed it to the team manager. He then called him immediately and said, ¡°Manager, I¡¯ve just send you a draft contract. Please review it.¡± ¡°Sure, good job.¡± After the call, Yonggu waited for his reply nervously. It was about one hourter when he got a reply from the manager. As soon as he got on the phone, the manager asked him about the provisional contract, ¡°What is this? A provisional contract?¡± ¡°The local presidents here are united like a cartel. Mr. Na proposed a provisional contract on the castor on the condition that he could reduce the unit price of the other parts by 5%. If you don¡¯t agree, I¡¯m afraid we have to make a contract on 85% of the unit price as before.¡± Yonggu persuaded him with usible excuses, something even Hyunwoo admitted were pretty persuasive. The manager¡¯s tone was cheerful now. ¡°Really? If we sign the provisional contract, the other factories will lower the unit price to 80%, right?¡± the manager asked. ¡°Yes, if you look at the provisional contract, we don¡¯t have anything to lose. Though the unit price increased by 5%, I drafted it so that if they don¡¯t meet the quality standard, it will automatically fall apart. Please review that section, too.¡± ¡°Got it. Sir, this use is about...¡± the manager said to the president, holding his phone. It looked like he had called Yonggu while reporting to the president. A littleter, Yonggu was on the phone with the manager. ¡°The president signed it. Let me email it to you, so you just go ahead with the contract.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± After the call, Yonggu clenched his fist and said, ¡°Wow! We¡¯ve made it¡± Hyunwoo smiled brightly. Soon, the contract with the signature of the president was emailed, and Yonggu printed it out. ¡°Shall we meet the presidents again?¡± Hyunwoo asked. Yonggu made an awkward expression at that. ¡°I think I had better not go with you. They might feel bad again when they see me. As the draft contract is done, all you have to do is get their signatures.¡± ¡°Okay then. Let me go and meet them alone.¡± Holding the contract, Hyunwoo left the hotel. The local presidents gathered at the N&C factory. Hyunwoo presented each of them with the contract. One of them asked cautiously, ¡°Then, the unit price is as you mentioned...¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve gotten approval of 75% of the Taiwanese product. But if you maintain the product quality for one year, the unit price will increase to 80%. All of this is included in the contract. So, please confirm it.¡± They confirmed the contract all at once. Each of them carefully reviewed the uses, checking the uses, and evenparing their contracts with each other. Then, they shook hands and encouraged each other. ¡°Great! We¡¯ve survived now.¡± ¡°Thanks so much. We all owe it to you, Mr. Jang Hyunwoo.¡± Hyunwoo was as happy as them. But there was one thing that puzzled him about the presidents¡¯ attitude. Now, he felt that he could ask them, ¡°In fact, there is no big problem even if you don¡¯t deal with Aurum, right? Of course, it¡¯s better for you to expand your markets, but honestly, I couldn¡¯t understand why you were so anxious to conclude the contract with Aurum.¡± One of them grinned and answered, ¡°Actually our contract with Aurum means more than just another market to us. We all want to develop markets in Korea. In that respect, Aurum is opening the door for the Korean market to us. In addition, Aurum has a good reputation, so the sessful conclusion of the contract means the recognition of the quality of our products. That¡¯s why we were so anxious to get this contract done!¡± ¡°Oh! That makes sense,¡± Hyunwoo said. Only then could he understand their thoughts. At the same time, he thought about Yonggu. I wonder if Yonggu was insightful enough to detect their thoughts. Was that why he was so confident that he could make the deal even with such a deep drop in the unit price? If Yonggu had approached them with that in mind, he must be a better employee than Hyunwoo thought. Of course, it might be Hyunwoo¡¯s own imagination. Hyunwoo made the contract again. It had an additional use on the unit price, and he got the signatures of each of the presidents. ¡°All done. Thanks so much, everybody.¡± Hyunwoo shook hands with each of them, and they left the factory with light hearts. At the conference room, only Na and Kwon were left. Hyunwoo made the contracts for Na. One was a provisional contract with Aurum, and the other was a contract on Hyunwoo¡¯s investment. Then, Na asked cautiously, ¡°Sorry to say this, but can you invest a little more? Actually, I have yet to pay the factory workers¡¯ wages...¡± Hearing Na, Hyunwoo was a bit worried. That meant that his financial situation was severe enough to be unable to pay their wages. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t know how much more he would spend in the days ahead, but he had already crossed a bridge that he could not return. ¡°How much more do you need?¡± ¡°Currently I pay about 4 million dong per month, and their wages are overdue for two months now. I need 500 million dong immediately. Also, it would take about three months for the factory to get back operating normally...¡± After all, about 1.2 billion dong would be needed for normal operation. 1.2 billion dong would be about 60 million Korean won. However, if the factory needed to run at full capacity, Na needed a little more money. Phew... one is not supposed to invest too much in onepany. Suppressing his natural sigh, he made the contract. His investment increased to 300 million won, up 100 million won from his promised 200 million won, and in return he agreed to get 13% equity of the factory. After concluding the contract, he asked Kwon, ¡°By the way, how can you get the machines you mentioned the other day?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m contacting my acquaintances in Korea about it. As soon as the machines are avable, I¡¯ll let you know.¡± Kwon¡¯s expression became much brighter than before. He seemed to think Hyunwoo as his family member once he concluded the contract with Na. ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll wait for the update then.¡± Hyunwoo left the factory to go back to the hotel. Yonggu, nervously waiting for him, approached him quickly. ¡°What about the contracts?¡± Hyunwoo presented several contracts with the signatures of the local presidents. Yonggu reviewed them carefully one by one, and asked, a bit surprised, ¡°What is this? Howe the unit price is decided like this?¡± Hyunwoo grinned at that. Actually, it was like a surprise gift to him. Though he agreed on 75% with them, Hyunwoo had mentioned 80% to Yonggu before. And at the decisive moment, Hyunwoo revealed it. ¡°I really had a hard time getting it, but it¡¯s valid for only one year. If they maintain their quality for one year, I¡¯ve agreed to increase the unit price to 80%.¡± ¡°Great, and...¡± Yonggu was going to say something but stopped. Then, he hesitated before continuing, ¡°Thanks.¡± Hyunwoo said with a smile, ¡°You don¡¯t have to say that between friends.¡± Yonggu also smiled, but he was not as happy as Hyunwoo expected him to be. Yonggu was only surprised at his negotiating ability. Hyunwoo seemed to figure out the reason a bit. Dude, you have to recognize that this is my own performance, not yours. Regardless of the process, the Vietnam trip was a great sess not only for Yonggu but also for Hyunwoo. ¡°Including the provisional contracts, there are a total of six contracts.¡± ¡°Good job!¡± The team manager carefully reviewed the contracts. His eyes opened wider at the unit price, though. ¡°Howe the unit price has been lowered like this? Is this true?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. We agreed on that finally.¡± The manager smiled brightly, and he stood up abruptly to grab Yonggu¡¯s shoulder strongly. ¡°Great job. You deserved to go to Vietnam!¡± However, Yonggu¡¯s face clouded over because the manager thought that it was his credit. That was his misunderstanding. If the misunderstanding deepened and the truth was revealedter, the shock would be even greater. Yonggu was nervously trying to open his mouth when the manager interrupted, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go and see the president. Youe with us, Hyunwoo. You deserve the most credit for the contract.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Hyunwoo and Yonggu followed him. While Hyunwoo was calm, Yonggu¡¯s face clouded deeply. Holding the contracts, the president was surprised at the negotiated unit price. 5% difference was as much as 30,000 dors per year. With a big smile on his face, the president asked, ¡°Great! I thought a 20% cost reduction was a great sess. Now, we got an additional 5% reduction. Looks like I got a bonus.¡± ¡°This time, Kim Yonggu did a great job. Why don¡¯t you say some nice words about him?¡± At the manager¡¯s remarks, the president looked at Yonggu. ¡°Sure, I should. Good job.¡± ¡°No, sir. All this should be Hyunwoo¡¯s credit.¡± As soon as the president praised him, Yonggu said what he wanted to. He must have plucked up a lot of courage to reveal the truth before the president. Hyunwoo thought that Yonggu¡¯s behavior was worth praise. The president cast a suspicious at him. ¡°Jang Hyunwoo¡¯s credit?¡± ¡°Yes, he secured all the contracts. I didn¡¯t contribute that much in Vietnam.¡± The manager was a bit embarrassed at Yonggu¡¯s confession, and so was the president. Then he asked Hyunwoo, ¡°Mr Jang, is Mr. Kim true?¡± It was finally time to put an end to his secret n. It was hisst gift of reconciliation to Yonggu. If Yonggu didn¡¯t ept his reconciliation efforts... ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true. I got the contracts from them, but it was Kim Yonggu who cut the unit price.¡± Yonggu¡¯s shoulders trembled when Hyunwoo said that. Apparently, he had never thought that Hyunwoo would give him credit, but Hyunwoo had been thinking about that from the start. He had just been waiting for the right moment. The president this time became more suspicious. ¡°I just don¡¯t know what you guys are talking about. Can you exin it so that I can understand?¡± Hyunwoo walked a step closer to the president and said, ¡°Actually, Kim Yonggu yed a bad cop role on my behalf. In the first negotiation, he dampened the local presidents¡¯ ardor by insisting on a 20% reduction in the unit price.¡± ¡°20%? Did he mention 65% of the Taiwanese unit price? It¡¯s too big.¡± The president was stunned at that. Yonggu lowered his head deeply as if it was his mistake. But he then raised his head again when Hyunwoo said, ¡°But it was his negotiating strategy.¡± ¡°Strategy?¡± ¡°Yes, the local presidents strongly dissented with the proposed unit price, but at the same time, they were pretty nervous that their contracts would fall apart, so I came forward with an 80%promise. They then easily signed the contracts.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, this can¡¯t be only Mr. Jang¡¯s credit. Rather, Mr. Kim¡¯s credit might be greater.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, president.¡± Hyunwoo nodded his head, and the presidentughed satisfactorily. The president gave thepany credit card to the team manager. ¡°Let me direct the general affairs department to n the award money for you. Also, have dinner with this card today.¡± Thepany card was the highest show of appreciation that the president could give to his employees. As soon as work was over, the purchasing team members headed to the restaurant. The manager ordered foreign hard liquor, and the team members got drunk pleasantly. However, Yonggu¡¯s expression was not that bright. While he emptied his cup, he kept reading Hyunwoo¡¯s facial expression. He then slipped away with the excuse of smoking a cigarette. Leaving the scene, he ced his hand on Hyunwoo¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go out for a moment for fresh air.¡± Outside, Yonggu lit a cigarette, and then said first, ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that. We¡¯re friends,¡± Hyunwoo said, smiling. ¡°Why did you say that?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Why did you give the credit to me? You must want something.¡± ¡°Something? Just get a quick promotion, man! That¡¯s my real reason.¡± Yonggu looked at Hyunwoo, wondering about Hyunwoo¡¯s real motivation. Turning to him, Yonggu said, puffing smoke into the air, ¡°Let me give the award money to you.¡± ¡°No thanks, dude. That¡¯s a gift. Just take it.¡± ¡°In addition to a promotion, I get appreciated by the president. That¡¯s more than I can rightly get. I really can¡¯t receive the award money. I¡¯m going to be a really bad guy if I receive that money.¡± Yonggu insisted on it, and only then did Hyunwoo nod. ¡°Okay, let me take the award money then. But I have one condition for that.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Tell me honestly.¡± Only then did Yonggu looked him full in the face. In a quiet and heavy voice, Hyunwoo asked, ¡°Why do you hate me so much?? What the heck is the reason?¡± Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C Yonggu¡¯s eyebrows furrowed a bit. In some way, he seemed to stare at Hyunwoo a bit. But Hyunwoo didn¡¯t avoid his eyesight, and he continued as if this was the right chance to speak his mind. ¡°You have distressed me every since I was a child. In particr, it was during my high school days. I wanted to get along with you well, but I couldn¡¯t even approach you. Why did you do that to me? Just tell me if I did anything wrong. Let me apologize if I have to or let me change if I have to.¡± ¡°Are you asking because you really don¡¯t know?¡± Yonggu demanded in a rough voice. But it was more like a reproaching tone than asking. Looking at the tone and attitude Yonggu was showing, it seemed he had some grudge against Hyunwoo. However, he could not figure out what it was. ¡°I just have no idea. Really, I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You have already done something...¡± Yonggu raised his voice as if he was enraged, but he stopped talking. Instead, he puffed on a cigarette as if he was trying to swallow his anger. He then talked, staring at Hyunwoo, ¡°Because of you, I¡¯ve led my entire life beingpared to you. Though I really tried hard in school, you always topped the ss, and I always finished second.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s face froze. Having heard him, Hyunwoo seemed to know what he was trying to say. That was something Hyunwoo had never expected. He hadn¡¯t known that Yonggu suffered from that kind of mental pain, and the cause of that pain was him. Hyunwoo just listened to him without replying not because he was curious about Yonggu¡¯s story but because he wanted to let him pour out what he had to say. ¡°However hard I tried, my father wouldn¡¯t praise me. No, my father could not praise me. Even though he wanted to, he could not. You know why? Do you know why he couldn¡¯t? Because of whom?¡± Hyunwoo didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, he cast his gaze downward as if he was humbly ready to ept anything, and he listened to him. ¡°My father kept saying, ¡®Just learn from Hyunwoo. Just try to catch up to at least half of what Hyunwoo is doing. Why are you like that when Hyunwoo is doing great in school?¡¯ I was rebuked instead of his praise. It¡¯s all because of you.¡± Yonggu continued to talk as if his grudge against Hyunwoo was much greater than what he had already said. Yonggu¡¯s grudge was not only against school grades but also girls. In some way, he hated Hyunwoo more because of that. Hyunwoo always won over the girls¡¯ hearts, but Yonggu always had a secret crush on them. That was why Yonggu was so mean to him. Yonggu wanted to take revenge against him, and he tranted it into action when he was weak. Hyunwoo listened to him silently, and he opened his mouth slowly when Yonggu was done talking and sighed. What came out of Hyunwoo¡¯s mouth was an apology. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Thought it was low, it was more forceful than crying or roaring. At least, Yonggu could feel its sincerity. ¡°I was young at the time. I wasn¡¯t mature enough to pay attention to somebody else¡¯s life. I didn¡¯t know that you were feeling pain.¡± Yonggu didn¡¯t reply at all. In his heart, though, he said to himself, Maybe. You could not have known how hard my life had been. Looking at Yonggu, Hyunwoo asked, ¡°Do you think I have to try more?¡± Yonggu looked at him suspiciously. Then Hyunwoo asked again, ¡°Do you feel your revenge against me was not enough up till now?¡± This time, Yonggu asked himself the same question, Is my revenge against him not enough yet? His answer was, Yes, it is. In fact, it was Yonggu, not Hyunwoo, who was the assant. Hyunwoo was more like a victim. Yonggu was distressed, but he knew the cause of his pain. Hyunwoo was being harassed without knowing the exact reason. When Yonggu talked about why he hated him, Hyunwoo should have refuted it by saying ¡®It was not my intention, right? It¡¯s not my fault.¡¯ But Hyunwoo didn¡¯t do that. Instead, he had said sorry. When Yonggu stayed silent, Hyunwoo continued, ¡°Whatever happened in the past, the winner is you. In high school and even now, you¡¯re superior to me. Won¡¯t you forgive me with that? Let bygones be bygones from now on.¡± Hyunwoo then stopped talking, and he fixed his eyes on him as if waiting for his reply. Yonggu was looking at the sky, holding a cigarette between his fingers and puffing the smoke into the air. Looking at the smoke, a sort of sorrowness crowded his mind. At the same time, he felt that there was some other feeling inside him. It was a feeling of sorriness about Hyunwoo. When they were in highschool and even now, he had felt some sort of sorriness in the pit of his heart when he had been harassing him, but he had turned a blind eye to that feeling. Come to think of it, Hyunwoo continued to reach out to him for reconciliation and gave him credit several times. In particr, he felt awful about the Vietnam business deal, which he never wanted to recall. But for Hyunwoo, Yonggu would have seen all his dreams turn into thin air. This time, he was defeated thoroughly. Suddenly, he began to regret this. Damn it. I should have apologized to him first. Why didn¡¯t he think of apologizing first? That¡¯s because he always thought of Hyunwoo as his rival. He felt there was no use surpassing other team members if he could not defeat Hyunwoo. It was just a stupid idea. There were so manypetitors in the world, and Hyunwoo was only one of them. What if I still can¡¯t surpass Hyunwoo? There was a long silence between them. Yonggu cast a nce at Hyunwoo and then raised his hand slowly to put it on his shoulder. Yonggu said with difficulty, ¡°I see. I was sorry about it, too. I really have done a lot of bad things to you. Please forgive me once.¡± Hyunwoo felt good about Yonggu¡¯s confession. He held out his hand to put it around his waist. He felt as if he had made a strong ally. Suddenly, he thought of what his father had said to him, ¡°The most valuable thing in the world is a friend. Spend your money making your enemy your friend or empowering your friend.¡± Hyunwoo felt a sense of satisfaction because he thought that he had tranted his father¡¯s advice into action. Yonggu also felt satisfied. He didn¡¯t hate Hyunwoo any more. He felt pretty secure when he touched Hyunwoos¡¯ shoulder with his hand. Looking at the sky, Yonggu thought to himself, Though you said I was the winner, I don¡¯t think so. In my mind, you¡¯re the real winner. 4. New Team Manager All the mid-level managers of Aurum gathered at the conference room. They were there to p their hands. Some pped their hands for Yonggu and others for Hyunwoo. There were also ps for the purchasing team and its manager. Giving the award money and award certificate, the president shook hands with each person. ¡°Nice job.¡± ¡°Thanks, president.¡± The names of the recipients were announced to all the employees through in-house speakers. ¡®Assistant manager Kim Yonggu brought about 35,000 dors in cost reduction in the price negotiation. Award money of 14 million won with a one step promotion. Award money will be offered inpany stocks.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Mr Jang Hyunwoo of the purchasing team brought about 100,000 dors in cost reduction by finding out new partspanies in Vietnam and another 30,000 dors in cost reduction based on FTA duty rates per year. 40 million won as award money and a four-step promotion. Also, one grade special promotion for his contribution to more than 100 million won in cost reduction per year. The award money will be offered inpany stocks.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± The purchasing team brought about 150 million won in cost reduction this year. The president will present a meritorious award to its team manager, Yang Suchol, for his excellent leadership, and he will be promoted to manager of the sales team. Keep it up.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. president.¡± After the ceremony, president Park went into his office. There was a middle-aged gentleman sitting on the sofa. When Park came in, he stood up slightly to pay his respects, and Park sat on the sofa. ¡°Thanks, uncle.¡± ¡°You surely quit drinking, right?¡± ¡°How can Ipletely quit drinking as a sried man? Instead, they don¡¯t call me a heavy drinker anymore.¡± ¡°This is yourst opportunity. If you cause another problem, let you send you to a factory in the Umsong area.¡± ¡°Uncle, if someone heard you, he would think that I was just a trouble maker. I was recognized for my excellent service when I worked at the Umsong factory.¡± However, Parkughed sardonically at his gibberish, for he knew too well that his cousin, Park Yongsu, had gotten an ugly nickname from the workers at the Umsung factory. It was ¡®crazy dog.¡¯ They gave him such a nickname because he walked over his subordinates without any mercy. As luck would have it, his team surpassed other teams in terms of productivityst year, and thanks to this performance, the president was able to bring him back to headquarters. ¡°The purchasing team you¡¯re assigned to this time has a good working atmosphere. Just do your best. Let me hear some good things about you.¡± ¡°I heard a rumor about the purchasing team. They received a lot of award money, right? That rumor already spread to the Umsung factory. This ce seems to be different, as there are two bride candidates here.¡± ¡°As for the bride, just keep an eye on the potential candidate. I know you are pretty good at judging people.¡± ¡°Well, I hear there is a bad rumor about the guy named Yonggu. He was caught trying to steal his subordinate¡¯s credit, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true. Did that rumor already spread to the Umsung factory? How could the managers talk about it so carelessly?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think he should be given a good scolding?¡± ¡°Anybodycan make such a mistake. He must have sensed that I already got suspicious of him. That¡¯s enough. Also, he is actually the son of my school senior. He was supposed to get a job at argepany, but I went to the trouble of hiring him because he seemed very smart. This is a secret he should never know.¡± ¡°Uncle, you know that my mouth is as tight as an oyster¡¯s. By the way, once he does that to his subordinate, he will keep doing it.¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you know that famous saying? If you have doubt about someone, don¡¯t hire him at all. Also, if you have to hire someone, don¡¯t have doubt him. If I have to use him, I think I have to keep encouraging him.¡± ¡°Got it. Let me test the guys anyway to check out who is really capable and who is not, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give them a hard time, though. There is also a guy named Jang Hyunwoo.¡± ¡°I know the name. He¡¯s so famous that almost everybody at the Umsung factory knows his name.¡± ¡°Keep an eye on him, too. I have no idea if he is really a genuine person or just a lucky man.¡± Park Youngsu¡¯s eyes opened wide at his uncle¡¯s remarks. ¡°You don¡¯t say! I wonder if you regard him as one of Minhye¡¯s bride candidates. I hear he is a high-school graduate.¡± ¡°Well, I just have some interest in him.¡± ¡°Got it, uncle.¡± Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C The members of the purchasing team, including manager Yang Suchol, came back to the office. The team members cheered to congratte them. ¡°Great job! Many people have to treat us with wine and dinner.¡± ¡°I guess I have to call you ¡®manager¡¯ from now on. Congrats!¡± Yonggu could not hide his joy. In particr, he kept smiling at Hyunwoo as he he was also happy about Hyunwoo¡¯s promotion as assistant manager. However, Yonggu still felt kind of awkward, so he didn¡¯t show a violent emotional reaction. All he did was just gently touch his shoulder. ¡°My sincere congrattions to you!¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± But the team manager was not that happy. Though he was smiling, he did so with reluctance. The team members thought that was because Yang would part with the purchasing team. Deputy manager Cho Daeyongforted him, ¡°Manager, what¡¯s wrong with you? You can take care of us better if you quickly get promoted to the department head.¡± ¡°Sure. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Manager Yang encouraged his team. But the team members, including Cho, didn¡¯t find out exactly why Yang had acted like that. There was a real reason why Yang was sorry to his members. It was because they would meet a new team manager. Yang said suggestively, ¡°I hope that you can produce a better performance with the new team manager, Park Youngsu.¡± At that moment, some of the members, including Yonggu¡¯s, faces froze. On the other hand, the new hires, including Hyunwoo, were scratching their heads. Manager Park Youngsu was new to them, and they didn¡¯t know why their superiors were so surprised at his arrival. Yonggu opened his mouth first and said, ¡°Did you say he was manager Park Youngsu?¡± Yang Suchol nodded his head. ¡°Are you talking about that person called ¡®crazy dog¡¯ at the Umsung factory?¡± ¡°Hey, Mr. Kim. How can you say ¡®crazy dog¡¯ even if you think badly of him? You should be prudent when using your words as you have to serve him as your superior.¡± Yang scolded him in a strict tone. Only then did Yonggu lower his head to admit that he had made a mistake. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I heard so many bad rumors about him,¡± said Yonggu. Then, he let out a sigh uncontrobly and said, ¡°Actually, I was wondering why the manager slot of the purchasing team was vacant even when they had new managers at other teams. Why was he chosen as the manager of our team when there are so many teams? Are there no other talents at Aurum?¡± Some of the team members¡¯ expression looked sullen. Though they could not say bad things about him in the presence of Yang, each of them was dissatisfied. Having heard themining, the new hires could figure out Park¡¯s character. Nheless, as a manager, Yang tried to protect Park and said, ¡°I know that you¡¯re worried about, but that¡¯s just a rumor. Basically, he has a fine character. If you work with him in the days ahead, you will find out that he is a good man. If you can assist him well, there is nobody who can make you feel morefortable.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. We have no choice anyway.¡± Despite Yang¡¯s persuasion, the team members got confused, apparently thinking that their lives at thepany would be thorny. The following day. As he always did, Hyunwoo went to the office early in the morning. Oher team members also reported to work earlier than usual. Everyone came to the office even before 8am. The new hires got suspicious. ¡°Do we have anything new today?¡± When Hyunwoo asked, Yonggu answered with a smile, ¡°The new team manager ising to the office today.¡± The members who came early cast a suspicious nce at Hyunwoo and Yonggu, for they felt that Yonggu, who had been icy toward Hyunwoo, was treating Hyunwoo well now. Since their business trip to Vietnam together, there had been a tangible change in their rtionship. However, they didn¡¯t give it serious thought, just guessing something good had happened between them there. Hyunwoo tilted his head and said, ¡°I know that. But what does Parking to the office have anything to do with our team membersing in early?¡± ¡°Oh, you have not heard about the ¡®crazy dog¡¯ yet. As soon as hees to the office, he will try to establish discipline first. We had better stay alert for about one month, including managing ourmute well.¡± It looked like Park was a fusspot, someone harder to please than they thought. Experienced team members and the new hires were all tense. Hyunwoo also braced himself again. Though he didn¡¯t need to tter the new manager to make a good impression, he didn¡¯t want the atmosphere of the purchasing team to get worse because of him. A littleter, the new manager came to the office. ¡°How are you everybody, this is Park Youngsu.¡± Hyunwoo looked at his watch. It was only 8:10am. Obviously, he came to the office very early. Hyunwoo realized why the team members came to work so early. ¡°Wee!¡± The team members greeted him with prepared remarks. With a smile, Park looked at the team members. ¡°You guys came early. I can tell that you¡¯re quick-witted.¡± Hearing that, Hyunwoo could figure out his intentions. The purpose of his early arrival was to find fault with the team members. Park shook hands with each of them. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re deputy manager Kim Yonggu. Core member of the team? I have great expectations.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best, sir.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look down on your superior because you¡¯re good at your job, do you? I don¡¯t like that type of person.¡± ¡°How could I, sir?¡± Yonggu lowered his head, feeling a prick in his heart. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re Min Suji. I heard that you were a real beauty. I am happy to work with you.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°By the way, I don¡¯t give any special treatment to women, so don¡¯t disappoint me.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t, manager.¡± Min¡¯s face blushed as if she was embarrassed a bit. Park came to Hyunwoo this time. The moment he looked at Hyunwoo, it seemed that his look had changed a bit. ¡°Are you Mr. Jang Hyunwoo, the one who got promoted to an assistant manager?¡± Hyunwoo didn¡¯t feel that hisment was favorable, but he didn¡¯t care. All he had to was do his best. Hyunwoo thought so in all things. Let me do it right. As far as greetings were concerned, he had the same line of thinking. If he had to lower his head, there was little difference between lowering it a bit and lowering it deeply. It was not a matter of his pride or getting offended. If he had to greet him, doing it properly would pay off. It was the same for his voice, too. If he uttered something without sincerity, he would rather not have said it at all. ¡°Yes, sir. My name is Jang Hyunwoo,¡± said Hyunwoo in a forceful and disciplined way. In his own mind, Hyunwoo felt his greeting was dynamic and cheerful, cleary differentiated from the other members¡¯ greetings. Park grabbed his hand more tightly. But what came out Park¡¯s mouth was something unexpected. ¡°I don¡¯t like a person who tries to stand out among others like this. I hope you can mix well with others without difficulty.¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo felt a prick in the heart. In fact, his greeting was unusually dynamic, but it was far from ttery. The moment Park came to the office, the atmosphere was kind of heavy, so he acted like that to lighten it. However, Park took it the wrong way. ¡°Got it, sir.¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying this for caution¡¯s sake. I know that you got a special promotion because of your extraordinary efforts despite your high-school diploma. That¡¯s reallymendable, but you should not hold your head high because of that. I hate that type of person the most. You are not that type of person, are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep it in mind, sir.¡± Park was much more choosy than expected. The team members felt as if they were dealing with himbatively. They could tell that he was thinking, I¡¯ll damp your ardor. A person like Park usually wanted make examples out of his subordinates. Once he or she was made an example of, he would go after him or her to the end. He won¡¯t find fault with a new hire like me, will he? Hyunwoo thought to himself. Park said hello to the other members of the team, and he then gathered all of them for his remarks. Though he spoke at length, the message was simple. As long as the team members treated him with courtesy, he would do all he could for their happiness. However, he attached a condition at the end of his statement, ¡°I will do this for you if you do this for me.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel stressful just because the team manager has changed. Just do the same to me like you did to former manager, Yang Suchol. Then, I¡¯ll devote myself like Yang did. In that respect, let¡¯s p. Fighting!¡± When Park was done shouting, there was an empty sound of them pping hands in the office of the purchasing team. As it was very early in the morning, no other teams heard this. The atmosphere of the purchasing team was quiet like a mountain temple. What they heard was someone turning over files or typing on keyboards. With the change of one team manager, the purchasing team seemed to have changed into a totally different team. Hyunwoo kept his seat so that we would not hear Park say things like ¡®you are holding your head high.¡¯ A lot had changed since the team manager changed. Though it was not good that the atmosphere was heavy, there was something positive in the eyes of new hires like Hyunwoo. Their superiors no longer had them run small errands. In particr, as assistant manager, Hyunwoo was exempt from errands. He only took care of his assignment and focused on studying customs clearance for the rest of his time in the office. Thepany policy on cost reduction was still valid. Anyone who initiated an idea on cost reduction could receive award money and a promotion. Park aggressively asked for his team members to reduce costs. ¡°If you only focus on your own work, you¡¯re a B-grade employee. Only if you can carry out what thepany wants can you be a A-grade employee. Isn¡¯t it good to get award money anyway? Why don¡¯t you have any ideas? Is this all you guys can show me?¡± As Park emphasised thepany policy, the team members energetically spent their time and energy on cost reduction. Hyunwoo also spent a lot of time studying customs clearance. To him, studying customs clearance was the best in terms of getting familiar with the relevant field and finding ideas on cost reduction. ¡°Looks like I can¡¯t find any more refunds.¡± This time, he studied other topics. As he had to take on the role of a customs broker for thepany sooner orter, he focused on the topics rted to import and export derations. In the meantime, Yonggu made a suggestion, ¡°Hey, guys, let¡¯s have a brief meeting if you¡¯re not busy right now.¡± Since Park arrived at the office, they had a discussion almost everyday. The topic was also always the same. Cost reduction. The method of discussion was brainstorming. Each of the team members facilitated the discussion on a rotation basis. But even before the discussion began, the atmosphere was getting strange because the manager said, ¡°Let me participate, too.¡± At that moment, they saw Oh Sangho¡¯s face slightly freeze because today¡¯s moderator was Oh Sangho. Even the team members were surprised. On behalf of them, Yonggu asked, ¡°Sir, did you say you also would participate in the discussion?¡± ¡°Why? Am I not eligible to participate?¡± Of course he was, but he also was not in some respects, for his members would feel burdensome to see him in the discussion, and they wouldn¡¯t be able to present their opinions freely. At the same time, it was doubtful if he would follow the unique rules of discussions of the purchasing team. Still, they could not deny him. ¡°No, sir. Let me prepare a chair for you.¡± As soon as the preparation was done, the discussion began. As moderator, Oh handed out one tennis ball to each team member. A rice bowl was upside down before Oh. If someone broke the rule, Oh would give a warning by knocking the bowl with a spoon instead of ringing a bell. Oh exined the rules. As Park was attending for the first time, Yonggu offered some additional exnation when needed. His eyes were sparkling as if he was pretty much interested after hearing Oh¡¯s rule exnation. ¡°In other words, the guy who raises this ball can talk. Very interesting rule.¡± Oh Sangho announced the beginning of the discussion hesitantly, ¡°We¡¯re now going to start the discussion.¡± The conference room was suddenly quiet. Everyone was looking at each other, asking others to take the initiative first. When silence continued for a while, Park raised the ball and asked, looking at Yonggu, ¡°If I do this, I get the right to speak, right?¡± ¡°Today¡¯s moderator is Mr. Oh Sangho, sir.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re right. Am I correct, Mr. Oh?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Please offer your idea then.¡± ¡°This is not my opinion. Don¡¯t feel ufortable about me, please. Just think as if I am not here. I¡¯m a rank and file member like you at the moment. Got it?¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± That was it. The manager put down the tennis ball without offering his own opinion, and the atmosphere became quiet again. As silence continued, the team members got nervous, with their eyes rolling toward each other busily. Their actions suggested only one thing. ¡®Hey, just say something. Anything.¡¯ ¡®Hey, new hires, it¡¯s time for you guys to lighten the atmosphere.¡¯ ¡®I don¡¯t have an idea. How about you, deputy manager?¡¯ On an asion like this, the rank of the employee mattered. Everybody gave an eye signal to new hires Hyunwoo, Min Suji, and Oh Sangho. In particr, their nce was fixed on Min as if they thought she was the best to lighten the awkward atmosphere by speaking first as a beauty. ¡®Min Suji, just do it quickly.¡¯ ¡®If you don¡¯t have anything to say, just crack a joke.¡¯ After all, Min grabbed a tennis ball with reluctance. In cheerful tone, Oh raised his voice and said, ¡°Please go ahead, Min¡± ¡°Because of the heat wave, our employees are having a hard time. In particr, as we have to wear uniforms, we feel hotter. I think we¡¯re spending unnecessary money on air-conditioning...¡± ¡°So, you mean we work in casual wear?¡± Park asked. At that moment, everybody turned their eyes at Park because he interrupted Min, who was speaking. He broke the rule that the speaker should raise the tennis ball first before saying something. The team members now turned their eyes back at Oh because he was the moderator of today¡¯s discussion. Oh was raising a spoon before he knew it, but at the same time, he found himself struggling with himself in his heart whether to knock the bowl or not. Should I knock the bowl or not? Knock it? Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C As the moderator, he could do nothing about Park¡¯s breach of the rule, which would mean that he was neglecting the discussion. But if he knocked the rice bowl, it would be like spanking himself on the bottom. However, a rule was a rule, and Park could understand it. In the end, Oh knocked the bowl with the spoon. ng! The sound was not clear enough because it was a bowl. It was funny in some way. Also, it troubled Oh because it would stop the manager. When the nging sound of the bowl was heard, the manager asked, opening his eyes wide, ¡°What the hell is this?¡± It was toote to do anything about it. There was no use in cancelling it. When Park stared at him with sharp eyes, Oh said in a faint voice, ¡°You broke the rule, sir. If someone breaks the rule, the moderator is supposed to knock the bowl.¡± At that moment, the manager¡¯s face blushed as if he was ashamed that he had be the subject of the nging by breaking the rule. Hyunwoo smacked his lips in his heart. He should not feel so ashamed about it. But that was not the end of it. The manager¡¯s face slightly got rigid, and he breathed deeply and exhaled. He then smiled brightly at Oh. ¡°Oh I see. I forgot it instantly. Sorry, Min. Just continue.¡± Now, the heavy atmosphere became icy. Min, who was very confident, talked in a feeble voice. Min put down her tennis ball, and then the manager grabbed it as if he was waiting for it. ¡°Can I speak now?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Just go ahead.¡± ¡°I know your intentions, Min, but I wonder how much you can save by turning on the air-conditioner less often. Also, this is the same old idea you guys bring every summer. Any fresh ideas? Not small things but big and bold ideas.¡± The team members turned their attention back to Oh, who was also reading their facial expression. The manager broke the rule again: Namely, while brainstorming, the participant should not judge or state his or her opinion. When someone broke the rule, it was the moderator¡¯s job to give a warning. Oh was raising the spoon again before he knew it. However, Hyunwoo looked at him with eyes in a way that told him not to do so. You¡¯ve got to be tactful enough not to do it, dude. You had better not this time. However, Oh seemed to becking in that sense, or he might have been too embarrassed to think about it. His expression indicated he was pretty reluctant, but he was about to knock the bowl with the spoon again. He closed his eyes and thought to himself, Damn it! Why should I go through with this? Oops! ng! Even though Oh hit it gently, it sounded unusually loud, and it was as if it had hit their hearts. In fact, the intention of the discussion game was good. They chose thatical utensil to create a cheerful atmosphere of discussion among themselves. As the nging was directed toward the manager, however, it became the worst choice now. Opening his eyes slightly, Hyunwoo looked at the manager. As he expected, the manager¡¯s face was blushing again. ¡°Did I break the rule again?¡± Did he ask because he didn¡¯t know? Actually, Oh exined it right before he started the discussion. It looked like he had shut his ears when Oh had exined the rules. Oh nodded his head awkwardly. ¡°Yes...¡± ¡°Which rule did I break?¡± ¡°As I exined before the discussion, you should not judge or oppose other people¡¯s opinions in the brainstorming session.¡± Oh emphasized ¡®I clearly exined about this before the discussion started¡¯ to teach him that it was not his fault. The manager bit his lip, suggesting ¡®I¡¯m now exercising patience to the best I can.¡¯ ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t know that. Is there any other rule I should know?¡± ¡°Let me exin the rules once again.¡± Oh looked at the manager, hoping that he would listen carefully this time. The manager listened to him carefully, nodding his head in the middle of his exnation. ¡°Good. I know them clearly. Let¡¯s resume then.¡± The discussion resumed. The atmosphere was the worst because of the manager. Nobody could easily open one¡¯s mouth. Out of impatience, Park held the ball. ¡°Why do you guys just stay silent like this? Is this the true picture of the purchasing team? Present your idea!¡± Hyunwoo looked at the manager before he knew it because he was talking about something totally unrted to the discussion. Even Oh barely stopped knocking the bowl because of that. Despite the manager¡¯s urging, the silence continued. Finally the manager grabbed the ball again. ¡°I can¡¯t stand it anymore. You guys can¡¯t present any ideas like this. Let me single out someone so that he or she can offer an idea. Let me start with you, Kim Yonggu. Any ideas.¡± Oh, the moderator, was at a loss at what to do. Park waspletely breaking the rules. This was not brainstorming any more. That was why a manager was not allowed to take part in the brainstorming session. Oh had no choice but to raise the spoon. At that moment, the manager held out his finger and said, ¡°Don¡¯t knock it.¡± Opening his eyes wide, Oh asked, ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t knock the bowl, okay? Why are you knocking the bowl every time I am going to speak?¡± ¡°No, sir. That¡¯s the rule...¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. If you knock it, it¡¯s already the third time. You said that if anybody gets a third strike, he or she would be expelled. Are you going to expel me?¡± Oh could not say anything. If he said yes, it would mean expelling the manger. If he said no, he was lying to the members. Waiving his finger, the manager said again, ¡°Just put down the spoon. I feel bad about it.¡± ¡°Oh, yes, sir.¡± Oh put down the spoon. That meant he had given up his authority as the moderator and that it was the end of the brainstorming session. The manager looked at Yonggu this time. ¡°Deputy manager Kim Yonggu, tell me. Do you think I should be expelled?¡± Yonggu could not reply easily, thinking to himself, How did such a bastarde to my office as the manager? ¡°Tell me. Do you think I should be insulted by that young chap like this? Are you on the same side?¡± Only then did Yonggu begin to soothe him with a smile. ¡°No, sir. I think Oh had no choice but to do so ording to the rules...¡± Park opened his eyes widely because Yonggu was taking sides with his own members, not him. In fact, Park was watching for a chance, a chance to control his team members. That was the way he used to deal with them. Of course, he didn¡¯t use that kind of management style from the start. He wanted to be a good manager, but his method changed while pondering over the question ¡®what is a good manager?¡¯ Which one was better, a scolding manager or a praising manager? The answer was clear. Even an elementary school kid knew the answer. But there was a pitfall in that question. An important precondition was missing there. The manager should be able to control his staff while praising them. He thought that the manager who could control while scolding his staff was better than the one who couldn¡¯t control while praising them. Park felt that he could not control his staff while praising them. He tried it initially several times, but his staff were trying to abuse him when he treated them well. So, he changed his method. Namely, controlling them with his rank. Since then, he became an unpopr manager who earned the nickname ¡®crazy dog,¡¯ but he could control his staff firmly, which was why he was the top performer at the Umsung factory. Though he was unpopr with his staff, he didn¡¯t feel ufortable at all. Even if there was conflict, it was the employee who got the axe, not him, the manager. In addition, his uncle, Park Daebobg, was the president and his strong supporter. He had nothing to fear. This tough managing style was the method Park used to control his staff, and Park was determined to use the same managing style to control the purchasing team. ¡°What is all of this? Are you guys lording it over me?¡± shouted Park abruptly, interrupting Yonggu. Yonggu was just nervous. He deeply lowered his head and apologized. ¡°How could we lord it over you, sir? I¡¯d like to offer my apologies if you thought so. Mr. Oh, apologize now!¡± Though Oh felt very heavy, he quickly realized the situation. It had been clearly the manager¡¯s mistake, and there was no reason for him to apologize. He lowered his head without any hesitation and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir.¡± ¡°Sorry? What are you sorry about?¡± ¡°As a new hire, I did something without checking the atmosphere of the group. Please forgive me.¡± Park¡¯s anger relented a bit now. ¡°Okay. Brainstorming is okay, and the rule is okay, too, but you should be flexible enough. As you know, I¡¯m the manager here. Do I have to hear that nging sound? Give me that!¡± Oh gave him the bowl and the spoon quickly. Then, the manager hit the bowl with the spoon repeatedly as if he wanted to vented his anger. ng, ng, ng! Also, he red at Oh and said, ¡°How do you feel? Do you feel good when you hear this? What about my feelings when I¡¯m the manager here?¡± Oh didn¡¯t make any excuses, just asking for his forgiveness. ¡°I¡¯ll keep it in mind next time.¡± Only then did the manager throw away the bowl and the spoon. ¡°You absolutely should. Because you¡¯re not that tactful, you haven¡¯t gotten any promotions yet. Don¡¯t you feel anything when you see Mr. Jang Hyunwoo, a high-school graduate, getting promoted in less than three months after he got hired?¡± Oh¡¯s face blushed. Actually, his pride had beenpletely crushed because Hyunwoo had gotten ahead of him, and the manager now mentioned it openly before the other team members. ¡°What is the point of graduating from a top school in the United States? Behaving tactfully really matters. Just see and learn from Mr. Jang Hyunwoo, the assistant manager. Got it? Be careful, Mr. Oh. Let me watch you closely.¡± Then, he left the conference room abruptly. Oh didn¡¯t say anything. He was swallowing his anger by clenching and opening his hands repeatedly. Looking at that, Hyunwoo let out a sigh and thought, ¡°Hummm..he¡¯s inciting a fight between Oh and me.¡± Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C Trantor: cspyon Editor: Mowls123 They could not proceed with the discussion in this atmosphere. Scratching their heads, they stood up from their seats. Yonggu approached Oh andforted him by saying, ¡°There is a reason he got the nickname ¡®crazy dog.¡¯ Just forget it. Watch your step for the time being so that he can¡¯t find anything wrong about you.¡± Hyunwoo could not sit idle, either. ¡°Just let what he said go.¡± The other team members also encouraged him. ¡°That bastard has such a bad character. If this had not happened to you, he would certainly found fault with someone else and harassed him, so just don¡¯t give a shit about it. You¡¯ll feel better.¡± ¡°Just cheer up. We¡¯re all on the same side with you.¡± Only then did Oh smile reluctantly. The other team members smiled awkwardly. The office atmosphere didn¡¯t improve at all. Rather, it was the opposite, tense just like before a storm. Park was waiting for a chance to go after someone. Whenever he found a chance, he stared at Oh like he was going to chew his ass if he did something wrong. Hyunwoo quietly sighed. ¡®Whew! How badly can a manager mangle the atmosphere!¡¯ In the meantime, he finally got a call from Kwon Sangtaek. ¡°Ah, did you find it? Got it.¡± Kwon said he found the perfect machines for the N&C factory. He added that the machines were like Heaven¡¯s gifts because they were for sale at a very low price, given the excellent quality. Hyunwoo got the loan by mortgaging his house and withdrawing the 14 million won Yonggu deposited in his bank ount to purchase the machines. Then, he asked a customs broker to wire the money to him. ¡°Phew. They can produce quality parts from now on.¡± Hyunwoo also heard good news from Yu Nami. ¡°Really? You were selected as Miss Korea?¡± ¡°Yes, brother. I¡¯m the winner of Miss Korea.¡± Yu Nami was crying, and he heard Jang Dukwoo¡¯s voice, soothing her. Hyunwoo¡¯s face brightened. ¡°Congrats from the bottom of my heart!¡± He felt satisfied. Though his heart was heavy because of the new manager, he felt it all disappeared in a moment. Sure, he is him, and I am me. I can just do what I¡¯m supposed to do. The manager seemed to control not only Oh but also other members. Hyunwoo was no exception. As time went by, it looked like the manager was trying to target Hyunwoo. Whatever the manager said or did to him, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t care at all, but he didn¡¯t forget to give him the respect that he was due. In the meantime, Yonggu had a call from someone. As soon as he picked up the phone, he stood up from his seat and said, ¡°Manager, the president is calling for me, so I¡¯ll be back in a minute.¡± Lifting his eyes, the manager looked at him and said in a gruff voice, ¡°Okay.¡± He then didn¡¯t pay any attention to Yonggu. Yonggu came back to the office about 20 minutester, but the manager didn¡¯t ask anything because he knew what Yonggu and the president had said. Approaching Hyunwoo slightly, Yonggu touched his shoulder abruptly and said, ¡°Let¡¯s have a cup of coffee.¡± After they became friends at the recent dinner meeting, Yonggu was trying hard to make things right. Though he still had some lingering feelings of regret about Hyunwoo, he tried to get closer to Hyunwoo whenever he had the chance. Both of them went to the rooftop. Yonggu said abruptly, ¡°Hey, learn to y golf.¡± ¡°What the heck is golf?¡± ¡°You might need to y golf soon, if not immediately. It will be toote when you want to y golfter. The new manager, Park, is crazy about golf. If you learn it, you will find it useful.¡± ¡°Can he y golf with subordinates like me?¡± ¡°Who knows? An opportunity cane along at anytime. Just be prepared for it in advance. Also, the more quickly you learn it, the better you¡¯ll get rewarded for it. In particr, you had to have learned it when you were younger than now.¡± ¡°Why did you mention golf so abruptly anyway? Did the president tell you to learn it?¡± ¡°Not really. The manager is a close rtive of the president, so he asked me to serve the manager well.¡± ¡°Ah, his rtive!¡± Now Hyunwoo could understand the situation a bit better. ording to a rumor, Park was not well versed at business, and his rtionship with his staff was not good. He could not understand how such a person could get promoted to the position of team manager. Given that he was a rtive of the president, that was possible. ¡°And I feel that the manager seems to have decided to pick you and Mr. Oh as his targets.¡± Hyunwoo was aware of that, too, but he could not understand it. Oh was naturally his target because of that brainstorming session, but there was no reason for the manager to harass Hyunwoo. ¡°Why do you think he picked me? Did I do something wrong?¡± ¡°Well, only the manager knows. Is there a reason why a crazy dog bites a man? Maybe you might be easy prey in his eyes. Therefore, just learn golf quickly. If you y golf with him several times, your life will be better. It¡¯s best to grovel at his feet in this situation.¡± Hyunwoo felt that he might have to listen to Yonggu¡¯s advice when he talked to him seriously like this. Still, he was still confused. When they say golf, there was a strong impression that it was the rich man¡¯s sports. Actually, Hyunwoo could not afford to learn golf because he had already invested 300 million won in the N&Cpany in Vietnam. In other words, he couldn¡¯t afford to learn an expensive sports. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C Trantor: cspyon Editor: Mowls123 ¡°Hey, guys,e together!¡± At the manager¡¯s instructions, the team members moved quickly. They knew how hard it would be for them once they lost his favor. Looking around, the manager fixed his eyes on Hyunwoo as if he wanted to torment him with his glittering eyes. ¡°As soon as the vacation season is over, management has decided to create a break room inside thepany. You already heard about it, right?¡± Hyunwoo knew about it. Some time ago, the management ran an idea contest for a break room. The break room had some conditions: low construction cost, efficient use of vacant room, an attractive appearance, and avability as a temporary dormitory for the employees. As the dormitory of Aurum was too outdated, it needed remodeling as soon as possible. Hyunwoo offered his own idea. Each team was supposed to offer at least two ideas, so Hyunwoo set the example. ¡°Various ideas were offered, but management adopted the idea presented by the purchasing team.¡± The team members¡¯ eyes opened wide. Though there was no award money, they deserved the credit. They expected the manager¡¯s mood to get better with this good news. However, the manager¡¯s expression never changed. Rather, he seemed to be dissatisfied. ¡°Who offered the idea of making an earth house with the rooms floored with t stones? Whose idea was it?¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide because it had been Hyunwoo¡¯s idea. In fact, Hyunwoo felt sentimental about traditional Korean houses. He wanted to feel the excitement of lighting wood fires and roasting potatoes or chestnuts over the fire. He also wanted to see white smoke rising from the chimney. Hyunwoo raised his hand. Park looked at him with an unpleasant look. ¡°You guys know that each team has to support the construction on a rotation basis, don¡¯t you?¡± Of course they knew about that. Lots of employeesined about it, but they epted it on management¡¯s assurance that each team¡¯s working hours at the construction site would notst over two hours. Management wanted to build the new dormitory with its employees with the promise of some special allowances for the participants. ¡°We agreed to work with the general affairs team on the first day. We need two people. Will anybody volunteer?¡± When the manager asked, they avoided his eyes because they were reluctant to be picked at all. The manager smiled as if he had already expected their reaction well in advance. In fact, nobody wanted to volunteer for hard manual work at the construction site instead offortable office work. However, Hyunwoo was thinking differently. Ah, I would like to volunteer. Hyunwoo liked to work in the field better than in the office. Rather than type on the keyboard and touch the files at his desk, it was much better for him to work up a sweat. Despite that, he didn¡¯t volunteer because he didn¡¯t want to create misunderstandings, which was his colleagues might think that he was making an excuse to not work in the office. Above all, he was a new hire and a high-school graduate. It was inevitable that hegged far behind Min Suji and Oh Sangho in terms of work. ordingly, he had to stay in the office and learn business knowledge instead of spending time in the field. ¡°Assistant manager Jang Hyunwoo!¡± The manager shouted, at which Hyunwoo raised his head suddenly. ¡°This is your idea. So, you have to volunteer instead of giving your colleagues trouble. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Hyunwoo was d to hear that. At the very least, he could avoid any misunderstandings. Though he had less time to master business knowledge, he still felt good about the fact that he would be getting out of the stuffy office. However, he was opposed to the manager¡¯s thinking that the person who offered the idea was responsible. What was more surprising was the manager¡¯s order. ¡°You pick one more person to go with you.¡± Suddenly, Hyunwoo found himself in a difficult situation. Who would he choose? Though he was an assistant manager, he could not point at his superior. He was a bit ufortable about picking Oh. Though he felt more friendly toward him since the brainstorming session, clearly this was not the kind of work he would choose Oh for. At that moment, Yonggu raised his hand abruptly and said, ¡°Let me go with him.¡± The manager turned his head quickly like lightning. Though the vacation season was at an end, it was extremely hot and humid because of the continuous rain during the vacation season. Even the new hires would balk at the manager¡¯s direction in a weather like this, but Yonggu, the veteran member, volunteered unexpectedly. Suddenly, the manager thought about Hyunwoo and Yonggu¡¯s rtionship. Ah, I see. They are from the same high school. He could then understand the situation. Suddenly, he felt sorry about Yonggu. But another person shouted, ¡°I would like to volunteer, sir.¡± The manager¡¯s jaws dropped at that. It was no other than Oh Sangho. The other members were just as surprised because manual work didn¡¯t fit Oh¡¯s image at all. Park asked again with a perplexed look, ¡°Mr. Oh, can you do it?¡± ¡°Of course, sir. I¡¯m a member of the purchasing team. I would like to contribute in a situation like this,¡± Oh said in a confident manner. At that moment, each of the team members began raising their hands without exception. The manager was now embarrassed rather than surprised. ¡°Even you, Min Suji?¡± ¡°Yes, you said that female employees should not think of exceptions when ites to hard work.¡± Park felt as if he had been stabbed in the back by them. Actually, the reason Park chose Hyunwoo to send to the construction site was because he wanted to make an example out of him as a warning that if someone loses his favor, he or she would get the axe like Hyunwoo. If the purchasing team members would volunteer as a whole like this, that meant that his intentions were futile. He felt as if all of the members were protesting against him. When he thought about it, he suddenly got angry. ¡°What are you doing now? You guys want to fight it out with me?¡± ¡°How could we, sir? We just want to help as team members.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the same thing!¡± shouted the manager. In fact, Park was not wrong, as he had grasped the picture of the situation urately. The team members were making a protest against him, and the main instigator was Kim Yonggu. In fact, Yonggu recently gathered his team members and instructed them on how to deal with the manager. He came to one conclusion, which was ¡®whenever our members have the same opinion, we just push ahead regardless of what the manager says.¡¯ Yonggu added one more condition. If they were faced with any discipline because of this, he would be totally responsible for it as the veteran member. Initially, they were in doubt, but he set the example by bravely speaking out, not caring at all about Park whenever something happened. And this time, Yonggu took the initiative in shaping the atmosphere in a certain direction. When Oh said he would volunteer, other members followed him, picking up their courage. ¡°So, what are you going to do? Are you guys all going to the construction site, leaving the office empty?¡± asked Park in a scolding manner. However, the team members didn¡¯t flinch. ¡°Just send me to the construction site. Also, why don¡¯t you assign the person who¡¯s avable for the day, given his or her workload?¡± said Hyunwoo. Other members supported his idea. ¡°Yes, that sounds good.¡± ¡°I second his idea.¡± They were looking at Park, as if they were asking for his decision. Park could figure out what their motivation was. It was like ¡®just try to crush our determination if you want, as we¡¯re firmly united like this.¡¯ That would make even the toughest manager step back. However, they underestimated Park too much. Though Park was hired only three years ago, he met with all sorts of subordinates. There were some who were obedient, some who were gant, some who were greedy, and some who challenged like the current purchasing team. He got to cultivate some sort of knowhow on managing them. He was confident that he could make them tremble and feel afraid. He needed to make an example of somebody for this. In other words, he would show them how harsh the punishment would be when they challenged the manager. Park chuckled and said, ¡°Hummmm... you guys are incurring a whipping. I was going to send someone to the Umsung factory anyway, and you guys are nowpeting to be sent there. Let me agonize over who I should send over there.¡± He then looked around at the team members. Their reactions were exactly what Park had expected. As soon as he mentioned the Umsung factory, their faces turned ashen. It looked like they had seemed to have felt sharply that Park was not an easy guy to handle. However, it was toote. If Park only pretended to draw a sword but put it back, he would be treated as a funny man. He was determined to send someone to the Umsung factory by all means. Of course, that would be hard as part of the official reshuffle, but it would be possible to send someone for one reason or another. To single one out, Park stared at the team members one by one. Even though they had been confident a moment ago, they tried to avoid his eyes. Kim Yonggu and Oh Sangho were excluded from the list because it was impossible to make an example out of them as they were the president¡¯s possible son-inws. Min Suji was also excluded. At a mid-sizedpany like Aurum, it was fortunate to work with such a beautiful and abledy. She was to be kept by all means so that she wouldn¡¯t be scouted by other teams. Park also found Hyunwoo a bit difficult to pick because the president kept an eye on him, though he was not among the possible bridemen. Park¡¯s eyes were fixed on assistant manager Han Sanghun. As a middle-level employee, Han was perfect as a scapegoat. ¡°Assistant manager Han Sanghun!¡± ¡°¡±Yes, sir.¡± Han was startled enough to shrug his shoulders. ¡°Have you worked at the Umsung factory?¡± ¡°No, sir.¡± ¡°Good. Just go down to the Umsung factory for work experience there. That will help you a lot in the days ahead while you¡¯re working for thispany.¡± ¡°Oh, that I...¡± Though Han was trying to say something, Park cut in, and he then looked at Hyunwoo. ¡°Okay, let me ept Hyunwoo¡¯s idea on choosing who¡¯s to go to the site. Instead, let me send one of our team members to the Umsung factory. Keep on behaving like that, and you will find your life here very troubling,¡± Park said, leaving the office. Han let out a troubling sigh and said, ¡°Damn it!¡± Yonggu approached him and tapped his shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I said I would be totally responsible for that. You¡¯ll never be dispatched to the Umsung factory. If that happens, I¡¯ll go there on your behalf.¡± ¡°What? Are you going there?¡± Yonggu nodded his head strongly. Quite unexpectedly, another came to him and said, ¡°I¡¯d like to help out. If we are united and offer our opinion, the president will take that into consideration.¡± With a surprised look, all of them looked at Oh Sangho. They hadn¡¯t expected Oh to take part so aggressively. However, Yonggu was suspicious instead of surprised. Why did Oh change so much suddenly? There was only one reason he could think of. Then the president gave Oh...? When Yonggu thought that far, he could understand the situation before and after he met the president. It was clear that the president had told not only him but also Oh about what he had to say, which went something like this. ¡®I know well what type of person Park Yongsu is, and that¡¯s why I sent him to the purchasing team. You¡¯re an able man, but an ordinary employee¡¯s abilities are different from those of the manager¡¯s. Don¡¯t you think you should get promoted to section chief sooner orter? You have to prepare for the manager¡¯s role in advance. You guys will have a hard time because of Park for the time being. Whenever they are stressed, just try tofort them well. Show me that you have the qualities of a manager. Can you do that?¡¯ Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C Trantor: cspyon Editor: Mowls123 While looking at Yonggu, Oh Sangho was thinking of an episode several days ago when he had dined together with Park Minyhe, the president¡¯s daughter. At the time, her father, Park Daebong, who was also present at the dinner, said something significant. ¡°I heard that you were having a hard time because of Park Youngsu. How is it? Can you stand it? If you are not strong enough to endure it, my daughter must be mistaken about you. I understand that you might have ambition when you decided to choose mypany, and I know you have great potential. However, you need more than the capabilities you have right now to make your ambitions a reality. Interpersonal rtionships are more important than capabilities to be manager. It is not important for you to endure it by yourself. Enduring it with your staff is important, which is the manager¡¯s job. I believe that you will do well. Let me keep an eye on you.¡± Park¡¯s remarks meant that he would watch him closely as a likely husband for Minhye. Though Park never directly mentioned anything rted to marriage, he clearly had Oh in his mind as a son-inw. But for that reason, Oh had no reason to work for Park¡¯spany. At Aurum, there was no middle ground for Oh. Unless he got married to Minhye and took over Aurum, he would quit the job immediately. Given his capabilities, he could get a job at anyrgepany. If that happened, Aurum would be Oh¡¯s enemy. That would also mean the worst endpoint for Aurum. Oh Sangho and Yonggu looked at each other. Their res showed theirpetitive spirit. *** When he got out of the office, Park Youngsu got upset. The purchasing team members¡¯ response was too aggressive. It looked as if they were united to exclude their direct supervisor. He was disappointed at Kim Yonggu and Oh Sangho, in particr. If they were interested in Park Minhye, they should gain favor with him, her rtive. In particr, Minhye followed him from her childhood days. What he witnessed a minute ago was them inciting the team members, which made him more upset. They are clearly ignoring me. In fact, Park had an inferiorityplex. First of all, he didn¡¯t have a lot of work experience because he could not find a job until he was 40. His uncle, Park Daebong, hired him three years ago, and he got promoted to section chief within one year. He had no expert knowledge about furniture. He was not good at ounting. It was his connection to the president that got him a job and a fast promotion. As such, he had the habit of dealing with his subordinates with a wary eye. Is this guy ignoring me? If he felt like that at all, he used to make an example of the target and trampled on him or herpletely. That method of his was effective beyond his expectations. Even a slight bluff by Park was enough to make them be obedient to him. He wanted to use the same method this time. For his strategy to be effective, he needed uncle¡¯s help. Park entered the president¡¯s office. While reviewing a report, Park Daebong looked at him with a puzzled look. ¡°What is the matter?¡± ¡°Uncle, let me send one of my staff to the Umsung factory.¡± ¡°Unsumg factory? Why all of a sudden?¡± ¡°For some reasons. Looks like they need some purchasing experience.¡± He persuaded his uncle with absurd excuses. However, Park Deabong was not deceived because he knew his nephew¡¯s personality well. He asked his cousin, putting out a feeler about the atmosphere, ¡°By the way, how about the atmosphere of the purchasing team these days?¡± As if his uncle had asked the right question, he shook his head. ¡°Completely messed up. I don¡¯t like anyone in the office. Kim Yonggu and Oh Sangho aren¡¯t exceptions exception. They take me too lightly. I don¡¯t know their capabilities in business, but basically they behave very badly.¡± Park Daebong¡¯s face was distorted. Just as he suspected, his managing style brought about big trouble. His rtionship with his team members was already sour. Park Daebong felt like his nephew mentioning the Umsung factory had nothing to do with the relevant business. Clearly, it was motivated by his intention to control his staff with discipline. The president could not understand him at all. Actually, he was a good man and very popr at thepany, too. But the problem was he was only popr among the managers above the rank of team manager. He was the worst supervisor among his staff. ¡°Just tell me honestly. You are going to send one of your men to the Umsung factory for discipline, right?¡± asked Park Daebong. His nephew made a stinging expression at that question. ¡°What was the problem this time?¡± Only then did Park Youngsu confess what had happened. ¡°These guys are leaving me out in the cold.¡± He then told on them to the president as if he were pointing out their problems one by one. ¡°...for example, they raised their hands all at once, demanding to go to the construction site. And do you know what they said to me?¡± Park Daebong made an annoyed expression initially, but he soon changed his look. ¡°Wait a minute. Did they raise their hands all together? Even Min Suji and Oh Sangho?¡± ¡°Yes, they did. I was stunned, too. And they said, ¡®I¡¯m one of the members of the purchasing team, and I¡¯d like to chip in this time.¡¯ They were saying stuff like that. What do you think their behavior implies? It means they¡¯re one team and I¡¯m not a part of it.¡± He then went on that he had to send one of his staff members to the Umsung factory to establish his authority, singling out one specific name. Park Daebong came to think about hisment deeply, but he didn¡¯t approve of his request. When his uncle showed no response at all, he came close to him and shook his hands. That was one of his strengths. He was a good mixer. If he had a goal in mind, he didn¡¯t care about something like saving face, etc. As long as he could achieve his goal, he would try to make friends with anyone. That was why Park Daebong hired him. Even though Park Youngsu felt his uncle hired him because he had no job, the real reason was that Park Daebong highly appraised his impudence and sociability. Park Youngsu was a middle-level manager, and as such he should y the role ofmunicating between management and the rank-and-file employees. Park Daebong wanted to fix his nephew¡¯s problem as a middle-levelmunicator. ¡°Uncle, you¡¯re going to approve my n to send one to the Umsung factory, right?¡± Park Daebong looked at him with generous eyes. ¡°Youngsu. Let me ask you this as your uncle. Which do you think I value more, mypany or yourpany life?¡± ¡°Say again? Why are you suddenly asking it?¡± ¡°Let me put it this way. Do you think I am more worried about thepany going bankrupt or you losing your job?¡± ¡°Hey, uncle. How can our goodpany go bankrupt?¡± asked Park as if he were ttering him by pulling his cor. However, Park Daebong¡¯s expression became sterner. ¡°Let me tell you this clearly. In my opinion, the atmosphere of the purchasing team is the best. If you don¡¯t get ustomed to it, that¡¯s your own problem. This is thest opportunity I give you, so do your job well.¡± ¡°Oh, please don¡¯t keep saying ¡®this is yourst opportunity.¡¯ Are you serious about firing me?¡± asked Park Youngsu. At that moment, Park Daebong¡¯s eyes sparkled sharply. In fact, mentioning st opportunity¡¯ came out of his mouth unintentionally. Still, Park Youngsu was astonished to hear that, which made Park Daebonge to think of it suddenly. Everybody has a talent. However, their sess depended on whether they could find and develop it. Park Daebong felt his nephew clearly had potential, but he wascking in his efforts to develop it. When he was driven to the extreme, though, Park Youngsu would have no choice but to try to survive. Park Daebong thought that he could help his nephew develop his potential by assigning him to the purchasing team. On the other hand, it was a good opportunity for him to appraise Kim Yonggu and Oh Sangho urately. If both of them were pitted against Park Youngsu, they could reveal their true colors. With a frozen look, Park Youngsu nodded, staring at his uncle. ¡°Okay, if you don¡¯t get ustomed even at the purchasing team, you¡¯re going to be fired.¡± ¡°Uncle!¡± cried Park Youngsu. ¡°Listen to me silently,¡± Park Daebong said sharply. ¡°The manager position of the purchasing team is thest chance given to you. If you show your bad characteristics and dampen the atmosphere...¡± Park Youngsu smacked his lips, scared about what his uncle had to say further. ¡°I mean, let me fire you in that case,¡± Park Daebong said, standing up abruptly and expelling him out of his office. He then added, ¡°I¡¯m tired. Just get out. You know my character, right? Did I ever break a promise after I made it? I swear by my name on that. Do your job right, okay?¡± ¡°Uncle...¡± ¡°Shut up! Don¡¯t even call me uncle.¡± ¡°Then, please do me just one favor, uncle.¡± ¡°Favor?¡± shouted Park Daebong as if he told him not to say any nonsense. ¡°I would like to work as the general manager of the dry sauna construction.¡± ¡°What are you plotting this time?¡± ¡°Plotting? No way, uncle. I don¡¯t have anything to do in the office. Don¡¯t you think I can save face by working like that? I also want to reduce your work, too.¡± He smiled at his uncle as if he was sincere, but Park Daebong got more suspicious about it. ¡°Are you serious? If you¡¯re at it again, you¡¯re fired then.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say ¡®fired¡¯ any more, uncle. Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re treating me too badly when I¡¯m trying to help you?¡± ¡°Just think about what you have done so far.¡± ¡°Got it. Anyway, I believe I will be in charge of building the dry sauna.¡± Park Daebong let out a sigh, looking at his appearance. He then thought about the purchasing team. In fact, the former manager, Yang Suchol, was not that talented. The only strength he had was making an ally and then supporting him or her. That¡¯s why he let Yonggu be assigned to that team. He felt Yonggu could develop his potential 200% under Yang. Since the day Yonggu was assigned to the purchasing team, it achieved remarkable performances. Thanks to that, Yang took the ce of the existing manager, who had been transferred to the Umsung factory. Park Daebong expected the purchasing team to solve Park Youngsu¡¯s problem. It was out of his own convictions that he took the risk of assigning Park Youngsu to the purchasing team as its manager. Unaware of the president¡¯s intentions, the purchasing team might think a wolf went into the chicken coop, but it was the opposite because Park gave the chicken of the purchasing team a tiger¡¯s teeth and ws. This time, he was ready to give them some tiger leather so that they could drive his nephew forcefully. Park Daebong pushed the interphone. As soon as the bell rang, he heard Kim Yonggu¡¯s voice. ¡°Yes, president.¡± ¡°Come and see me.¡± A littleter, Kim Yonggu went into the president¡¯s office. Chapter 40

Chapter 40

¡°Take care, everybody.¡± As soon as Park Youngsu left the office, his team members began to leave one by one as well. Only new hires like Hyunwoo, Oh Sangho, and Min Suji were left alone with lots of files piled up on their desks. Yonggu came next to Hyuwoo and said, ¡°Do you still have a lot of work to do?¡± ¡°Oh, I have to finish this by this weekend.¡± ¡°Can I help you?¡± Hyunwoo looked at him. Though Hyunwoo didn¡¯t like Yonggu at all, he was now a stronger ally than anybody else. ¡°No thanks. I just wanted to finish it up because I don¡¯t like leaving my work unfinished like this.¡± Yonggu nodded his head as if he understood. ¡°By the way, did you learn to golf a lot?¡± ¡°I learned as far as the seven iron full swing.¡± ¡°Really? Do you want to have dinner with alcohol with me?¡± Hyunwoo instinctively sensed that Yonggu had something to talk to him, which might be something he felt ufortable about talking to other members. ¡°Sure, you are going to treat me, right?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Cleaning the desk, Hyunwoo went out of the office. As there might be employees of Aurum at a nearby restaurant, they headed to a restaurant near Hyunwoo¡¯s house. They ordered soju with hot pork rib broth. Though both of them didn¡¯t get drunk easily, they didn¡¯t drink that much. One bottle of soju was enough for them. Filling Yonggu¡¯s cup with soju, Hyunwoo asked, ¡°So, do you have anything to confide to me?¡± ¡°I think you should help me.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The president called me in and asked me a favor, which was help the team manager break a bad habit. How can I do this alone?¡± Hyunwoo opened his eyes a bit wider. Though he had expected Yonggu to ask him a favor, he had never thought that it would be about the team manager. What was more surprising to him was that the president had made that request to Yonggu. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re going to get hurt by getting involved in it.¡± Yonggu chuckled at Hyunwoo¡¯s concern and recalled the president¡¯s promise: ¡°Whatever happens, I will not me you or any other team member. Let me promise that as the president. Just ignore Park¡¯s mention of the Umsung factory. That won¡¯t happen on my watch. So, no matter what he says, don¡¯t get discouraged and keep up the work!¡± Yonggu revealed the president¡¯s reassurance to Hyunwoo. Only then was Hyunwoo reassured. ¡°So, have you thought of an idea?¡± ¡°The first thing is to make the team manager trust me. Only when he feels like I¡¯m his strong ally can I take care of things easily. At the decisive moment, however, I¡¯ll trample on him strongly enough so that he won¡¯t be able to respond.¡± ¡°In other words, you¡¯re going to have him by the balls, right?¡± ¡°You bet. After that, I¡¯m going to appease him before changing him into a good person. For now, I have no other idea than that. I¡¯m going to call in our team members one by one with my idea.¡± It was too vague an idea in Hyunwoo¡¯s mind. It is not easy to change a child¡¯s character, much less an adult like Park. However, the president promised to promote Yonggu to section chief on the condition that he seeded in making the team manager a tame person. He could not give up on this. ¡°How should I help you then?¡± asked Hyunwoo. The following afternoon. Team manager Park got irritated and tapped on hisputer. ¡°Oh, what¡¯s the matter with thisputer?¡± It was certain that the speed of theputer became slow because it got infected with some strange spyware. The only thing the manager did on his desk was visit some strange websites and check out some strange pictures. ¡°Hey, did you say you knew how to fix aputer? Can youe over and fix it?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. As soon as I¡¯m done with this, let me fix it.¡± At that moment, Yonggu stood up abruptly and shouted loudly, ¡°Assistant manager Hyunwoo! What¡¯re you doing now? Did you say ¡®wait a minute¡¯ when the team manager asked for your help? How dare you said that as his subordinate?¡± With a surprised look, Hyunwoo and the other team members looked at Yonggu, for Yonggu¡¯s voice was loud enough to resonate through the whole office. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear the manager¡¯s directions? Just go and fix theputer immediately.¡± Overwhelmed by Yonggu¡¯s unusual behavior, Hyunwoo sprang to his feet and went to the manager¡¯s desk at once. ¡°Sorry, let me fix it now.¡± Park was satisfied at that, thinking to himself, Hummmmm.. Uncle called in Yonggu and told him something, I believe. Though he mentioned he would fire me, we¡¯re rted by blood anyway. At least, Yonggu is on my side for certain. I feel very secure. ¡°Good job. You didn¡¯t feel bad about my instructions, right¡± asked Yonggu with a smile. ¡°Not at all. Why should I feel bad?¡± responded Hyunwoo, smiling back. ¡°Thanks to that, I feel like the manager seems to think better of me. Once I have him by the balls, let me stomp his life out.¡± Hyunwoo nodded his head. In his heart, however, he felt nervous. He wondered if such a tactic would make Park change his behavior at all. He was worried that the bad blood between them would run deeper. Also, the problem with N&C also troubled his mind. Though Hyunwoo was physically in Korea, he was focused on N&C. He just refrained from calling Mr. Na because he didn¡¯t want to put pressure on him. He was just waiting for the news that he had developed a new product. Also, he heard something good whenever he called Mr. Na. ¡®We¡¯re almost done. We can only improve thest remaining defect.¡¯ Na said that he would get a new product sample soon. Even though he and Aurum signed a draft contract, there was a possibility that they would have to revise it by then. Hyunwoo felt that if his rtion with the manager soured, it would make unnecessary trouble. I wish I could have the manager on my side before we get the new product sample from Na. Is there something I can do? Several dayster. Several people gathered at a small deserted area of thepany, where they were supposed to build an earth house with yellow y. It would be floored with t stones and a furnace. The groundwork was already done by the heavy vehicles, but the work of flooring it with t stones was to be done manually by the people dispatched by Aurum. Nobody moved, though, because the construction manager hadn¡¯t arrived at the site yet. Those from the general affairs team began toin. ¡°Damn it. It¡¯s hot even in the morning¡± ¡°You bet. What the heck are we doing here in this sultry weather?¡± Among them were Lee Gangho and Hyunwoo of the purchasing team. Comining like that, the general affairs team members stole a nce at both of them because they knew it was Hyunwoo who had proposed the idea. However, they didn¡¯t badmouth him openly. Though he got hired only four months ago, he was an assistant manager. On the other hand, they were just rank and file employees. Lee Gangho also felt bad because of the hot weather. However, Hyunwoo thought nothing of it because he was ustomed to the hot weather thanks to his mountain climbing whenever he had free time. ¡°Aren¡¯t you feeling hot?¡± asked Lee. ¡°I can stand it,¡± said Hyunwoo casually. At that moment, they saw a couple of men approaching. One of them was an old man who looked like an expert on yellow yed earth houses, but the other man walking next to him was someone they had never expected to see. He was none other than the ¡°crazy dog.¡± ¡°Oh My God!¡± ¡°Why is the crazy dog the construction supervisor?¡± While they wereining about him, Park Youngsu and the old man arrived at the construction site. ¡°Sir, let¡¯s start now. Finish it quickly and take a break, shall we?¡± ¡°Why are you in a hurry? This kind of work should be done after they have some makgoli, traditional Korean alcohol, first. Hey, guys,e over here and drink some makgoli.¡± The old man called them as if he was ignoring Park¡¯s instruction. When they were trying to read Park¡¯s face, he scolded them with a raised voice, ¡°Do you feel guilty about drinking one cup of makgoli? Don¡¯t care at all about Park. Come here now.¡± However, Park felt like he had egg on his face because the old man¡¯s remarks suggested that they would have to follow his instructions. ¡°I don¡¯t feel like drinking it.¡± Park turned his back. It was not the kind of atmosphere where the dispatched employees would chat over maggoli. They just stood up as soon as they tasted the maggoli. ¡°Damn it. The atmosphere here makes me feel I¡¯m skating on thin ice. Okay, both of you guys, bring me some earth from over there and tread on the yellow y dough. Take breaks whenever you need to and work hard.¡± They began to work ording to the old man¡¯s instruction, but the old man didn¡¯t like how slow they were. ¡°Hey guys, why are you so slow? Do you think you can finish this today?¡± However, he fixed his eyes on one man, Hyunwoo, who stood out because of his fast movements. When they made some yellow y dough, the old man called Hyunwoo, ¡°Hey, dude,e over here with some yellow y dough.¡± While moving the y dough, Hyunwoo put some in a basket and came to the old man. ¡°Youy bricks here. Put plenty of y dough and apply it firmly. Can you do it?¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Okay, go ahead.¡± Hyunwooid the bricks as instructed by the old man. He put in the proper amount of y dough, creating a brick and then fixing it firmly by tapping it with a hammer. Nodding his head, the old man asked, ¡°Have you ever done this kind of work before?¡± Actually, Hyunwoo had a lot of experience. As soon as he graduated from high school, he found a job at a factory specializing in flooring rooms with t stones. He worked there for as many as two years. Though he worked for only two years, Hyunwoo had already be a skilled worker thanks to his dexterity and sharp eyes for learning things. ¡°Yes, sir. When I was young, I helped floor rooms with t stones several times.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. How long did you do it?¡± Aroused by Hyunwoo¡¯s reply, the old man got him to talk. Hyunwoo conversed with the old man whileying bricks, which came into Park¡¯s eyes. Because Park didn¡¯t like the old man¡¯s attitude, he became all the more annoyed when he saw Hyunwoo happily chatting with the old man. ¡°Hey, Mr. Jang, did youe here to y? Just do your work right!¡± Then, the old man took Hyunwoo¡¯s side, replying, ¡°Why are you trying to find fault with this man? He¡¯s working so well. And are you here to y? If you don¡¯t have anything to do, just go over there and make some y dough.¡± Park was just dumbfounded at that. However, he could not quarrel with the bad-tempered old man. ¡°What are you doing? Just go over there and help them.¡± The old man pressed on again. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m free?¡± Park retorted sharply before leaving the site. One hourter. ¡°You just keepying bricks here. This is the most important part of the work. You know that, right?¡± ¡°Sure. Just rely on me.¡± ¡°Let me go to a nearby supermarket.¡± ¡°Can I go instead?¡± ¡°No, let me go. Hey, guys, are you still taking a break? Bring those t stones to me.¡± Only then did those taking a break under a tree clean the dirt off their buttocks and stand up. They carried the t stones from the truck. ¡°Oh, this is very heavy.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t hurry. Be careful not to get injured.¡± Having said that, the old man walked to the supermarket slowly, folding his hands behind his back. A little whileter, Park Youngsu appeared again at the work site. They were carrying heavy t stones while Hyunwoo alone wasying bricksfortably. Park felt bitter about that. ¡°Hey, Hyunwoo. What are you doing there?¡± ¡°I¡¯mying bricks¡± ¡°What? Laying bricks? While others are carrying the heavy t stones, you are just staying here aloneying bricks?¡± ¡°Well, the old man assigned me to do this¡± ¡°Are you now talking back to me?¡± Hyunwoo scratched his head at that. Though it looked easy toy bricks, it was really a difficult job indeed. When the bricks wereid by someone with no dexterity and expertise in the field, they might need to tear down the existing bricks and redo it when something went wrong. Hyunwoo was forced to carry t stones, and a young guy took his ce. The young guy began toy bricks casually, thinking that simplyying one brick after another was all he needed to do. Looking at him, Park raised his lips and said to himself, How dare Hyunwoo try to y a stupid trick on me with such simple work? A littleter, the old man came back to the site slowly and noticed a strange young man, not Hyunwoo,ying bricks. Chapter 41

Chapter 41

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C With a puzzled look, the old man asked, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Me? I¡¯m Kang Sungwon from the general affairs team.¡± The old man obviously didn¡¯t know him, and that was not important to him. What really mattered at that moment was that the personying bricks was not Hyunwoo. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask about your name. Where is the young man who wasying bricks here, and why are you here?¡± ¡°Oh, the team manager directed me to do this...¡± Staring at Park, the old man approached him fast, shouting with a shrieking voice, ¡°What are you trying to do now?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± As if he didn¡¯t understand what the old man said, he opened his eyes wide. ¡°Why did you change the person assigned to this job in your own way? Why are you having a young man do goraeduk?¡± Park felt a prick in his conscience. Though he did not understand what ¡®goraeduk¡¯ meant, it seemed like a very important job when he heard the old man¡¯s exnation. However, he couldn¡¯t apologize to the old man because he was upset. He was browbeating Park as if he was talking to his subordinates, which made the dispatched employees look at them out of curiosity. However, Park could not lower his head to him because that meant that he was surrendering to a manual worker out of timidity. Also, the old man reeked strongly of alcohol. Park felt as if he had gotten drunk. Then, it was the old man who had to offer apologies first, not him. Park said fairly, ¡°Well, giving assignments is my job as the general supervisor, not your business. You just take care of your own work, sir. Why did you leave here without my authorization? Are you here to y?¡± The old man¡¯s voice became louder at that, ¡°I just left the ce to buy a cigarette pack for a minute. Also, did you say that it was none of my business? It¡¯s you, not me who is meddling right now. I have to tear down all the goraeduk because of you!¡± ¡°I think your words are too harsh. It¡¯s me who is responsible for the construction here. And did you say that you were going to tear down the bricks? Why?¡± ¡°Why? Because I don¡¯t like it,¡± the old man yelled suddenly. He then kicked and tore down the bricks Hyunwoo and the young man hadid diligently. Park felt as if he had kicked him in the face. He had egg on his face when his subordinates gave him the nickname ¡®crazy dog,¡¯ and he had now suffered further insults because of this old man. ¡°Just rebuild the bricks,¡± said Park, pointing toward the broken bricks. But the old man was not an easy man to deal with. Because of his bad temper, he had been kicked out of a constructionpany specializing in flooring rooms with t stones. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me to do this or that. If I feel like doing it, let mey the bricks again, and if I feel like breaking them, let me break them.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the boss here. Lay the bricks again!¡± ¡°If you really want to, you do it.¡± Park was embarrassed. How dare such a weird old mane here for this job, he thought. ¡°Sir, you¡¯re here for a paid job, so you have to follow my instructions.¡± ¡°Do you think I can¡¯t stop this if you say that? I came here because you guys wanted me so much, and now you¡¯re treating me so badly.¡± Then, the old man packed up his stuff and walked out of the ce. Park and the dispatched employees were looking at him nkly. ¡°What are you doing? Just get back to work,¡± shouted Park, venting his anger on them. Only then did they begin to work again. However, they could not continue because they didn¡¯t know what to do next, including Park. He was just at a loss at what to do regarding the specific instructions. To make matters worse, the yellow y dough was getting stiffer as time went by. What if we can¡¯t use that dough? Park suddenly got scared at that thought. He felt that he had to lower his head again to the old man to save the contruction. ¡°Hey, dude,¡± Park said to Kang Sungwon with the general affairs team. ¡°Run to him and get him back here.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I mean that old man! He must not have gone that far. You have to bring him back here by all means.¡± Stunned, Kang ran to chase the old man, but he was gone already. Kang came back empty-handed. Park said, ¡°Just call him then. Please tell him I will forgive him. Just ask him toe back.¡± Kang found out the old man¡¯s mobile phone number to call him, but the old man strongly resisted. Park demanded, ¡°What did he say? He said he won¡¯te back?¡± ¡°He says that unless you¡¯re reced as the boss here, he won¡¯te.¡± Suddenly, Park felt some pain in the back of his head. Without the old man, it was impossible to continue the construction, but he could not ept his request to have him reced. Suddenly, Park felt as if his uncle was telling him, ¡®You¡¯re fired! You¡¯re fired!...¡¯ What should I do? Park kept thinking. He had to find a recement as soon as possible. However, he was just pessimistic. There was no other way than to visit the president and quit his job as the supervisor of the construction site. Damn it! What an embarrassment in front of my employees. Since I got reassigned here, I just keep running into troubles. After some hard thinking, Park feebly stepped outside. At that moment, he heard a voice say, ¡°Let¡¯s move, everybody. We have toy the bricks before the yellow y dough gets stiff. Someone should make more dough.¡± Park turned his head to one side, where Hyunwoo was giving directions. He did not only give directions. He himself went into the working site and was stepping on the yellow y dough again. When Park heard Hyunwoo giving directions, it seemed like he had good knowledge on how to floor rooms with t stones. ¡°Have you ever done this kind of work before?¡± ¡°Yes, a bit. By the way, we have to hurry up. Otherwise, the yellow y dough will get stiff soon.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. Let¡¯s move now. Hey, guys, move! Please teach them how to do it, assistant manager Jang.¡± Park was now supporting Hyunwoo, who moved around here and there like a fish back in water. ¡°Mr. Kang, break the bricks youid before. You shouldn¡¯ty bricks like that. And Mr. Lee,e here and step on the dough. Ooops, I forgot to put in some glutinous rice flour.¡± Park looked at it with a curious look and asked, ¡°Why do you use glutinous rice flour?¡± ¡°Because it makes them sticky.¡± ¡°The old man put in some salt, too.¡± ¡°The salt prevents the yellow y from breaking apart after the dough gets stiff. Also, it keeps moths away.¡± Having heard Hyunwoo, Park felt like he was more than an expert. ¡°Can you finish the work without the old man¡¯s help?¡± ¡°As long as the dispatched employees cooperate, there won¡¯t be any problems.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± Park grinned from ear to ear, feeling as if he had met his savior. ¡°Tell me anything. Let me support you. Hey, guys, listen to assistant manager Jang! Just move, move!¡± ¡°Step on it. You have to step on the dough with your feet,¡± said Hyunwoo. After giving them directions, Hyunwoo went to the goraeduk work site, where Kang was waiting for him after he had torn down all the bricks. Hyunwoo taught him briefly on how toy bricks. Kang gave it a try as instructed and found that the bricks were set firmly but not on an even level. ¡°Look here. You see the level of the bricks is not the same. If you leave them like that, the nextyer of bricks are not stable, so you should keep the level even.¡± Hyunwoo taught Kang this until he was satisfied, and he then joined Kang. In the meantime, Park had nothing to do, so he was sitting idle at the site. ¡°Hey, assistant manager Jang,¡± said Park. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got some business to take care of, so let me know if you need to contact me.¡± ¡°Okay, don¡¯t worry. Just go ahead and do your business.¡± Park disappeared with a light-hearted mind. Hyunwoo waited until Park disappeared from his sightpletely, and he then stretched his back. ¡°The manager left. Let¡¯s take a break, everybody!¡± Then, the dispatched members made a perplexed look. Was Hyunwoo trying to curry favor with the manager by making them work harder? Only when Park left the site did Hyunwoo¡¯s attitude change abruptly. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that! As you know, we don¡¯t get any award money just because we build this earth house quickly. Just rx and slow down. Take a break here under the tree and get some soft drinks.¡± Hyunwoo brightly smiled, and he moistened his throat by drinking a cold drink. Only then did they join Hyunwoo and take a break in a rxed mood. ¡°What the heck are we doing here in this sultry weather?¡± one employeeined. ¡°You bet. A minimum allowance for our service here,¡±ined another. Hyunwoo alsoined like them to foster radeship¡¯ with them, saying, ¡°Me too. I joined the purchasing team, not the manual work team.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± seconded another. However, they could not take a break indefinitely. It was important for them to make some progress in the construction before they could get anotherfortable break. However, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t press them to work like before. ¡°Okay, whenever you feel tired, just take a break. I think I have to go work right now because I have to finishying the bricks before the dough gets stiff.¡± The dispatched employees looked at each other, reluctant to move because of the scorching weather. But when Hyunwoo moved, they also stood up one by one to get back to work. With Hyunwoo as the construction site leader, they picked up the pace. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t give directions alone. Actually, he set the example by working as hard as they did. His workload was three times heavier than theirs, so they had noints whatsoever about him. Thanks to that, the construction was going faster and faster. When Park came back to the sitete in the afternoon, he praised Hyunwoo by saying, ¡°Assistant manager Jang, you¡¯ve done it excellently!¡± ¡°Actually, they all worked very hard.¡± The following day, Hyunwoo headed to the site. Though nobody from the purchasing team was supposed to be assigned this time, Hyunwoo was chosen inevitably because he was the only expert. Park let Hyunwoo take charge of everything at the site, and he just rested there. He then got a call from the president. What¡¯s the matter this time? Park thought to himself. He then cleared the dirt off his buttocks and headed to the president¡¯s office. Park Daebong, the president, had a troubled expression, though. Park asked, staring at him sharply, ¡°So, you expelled that old man?¡± Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C He was supposed to report to the president directly, but because he hadn¡¯t done it in a timely manner, someone told on him to the president first. However, he was not embarrassed, for the construction work was going well without the old man. Park rather confidently said, ¡°That old man is a swindler.¡± ¡°Swindler?¡± Park Daebong looked at him with sharp eyes because he knew what kind of person the old man was. He was far from a swindler. His skill at flooring rooms with t stones was regarded as one of the best in the field. The only problem was that he had too much self-respect and was too stubborn. That was why he didn¡¯t stay long enough at anypany. ¡°Why do you call him a swindler?¡± ¡°Without any reason, he was dragging his feet. Also, he thought as if he was a king there, so we reced him with a different expert.¡± ¡°Another expert? Who is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s assistant manager Jang Hyunwoo from our team.¡± Park Daebong pushed the interphone without any hesitation. Park formed a satisfactory smile. He had never thought that he would bring Hyunwoo in like this. As if he was staring at Park Youngsu, he said, ¡°I warn you, don¡¯t open your mouth when assistant manager Janges in. Got it?¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Park Youngsu made a perplexed expression and began to feel regret in his heart. If I had known that things would work out like this, I would have liked to talk to him first so that I could be on the same page as him. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll get scolded by uncle and disgraced before the employees. A littleter, Hyunwoo stepped in the president¡¯s office. Park asked directly, ¡°Are you the new expert on the yellow y sauna room construction?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not an expert. I just have some knowledge in the field.¡± ¡°Then, why did you drive out that old man, who is an expert in the field? Did you instigate the manager?¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo stole a nce at the manager. Park¡¯s expression was not good, and he got nervous because Hyunwoo mighte up with replies. When he heard that the president had called him in, he had a rough feeling about why he had been called in. The only thing the president wanted to see him about was the yellow y sauna construction. Also, he could guess what the president and Park had talked about before he came in. It was evident that Park was being scolded because Park had expelled that old man. Shaking his head, Hyunwoo said, ¡°In my opinion the manager didn¡¯t expel him, sir.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t do so? Then, he walked out voluteerily?¡± ¡°No, sir. He was not expelled by anybody, nor he walked out on his own. The circumstances drove him to walk out.¡± Park Daebong tilted his head as if he could not understand the situation. Hyunwoo exined what had happened in detail. ¡°Ourpany should be run by your direction, and the construction should be done by the supervisor¡¯s order. What the manager Park asked for him was just that, but that old man didn¡¯t want to be interfered with.¡± Hyunwoo felt a bit more confident when he saw the president nodding his head. ¡°In my opinion, one of the two had to make concessions, but the old man made the situation more difficult. Under such a situation, any supervisor would have found it impossible to make any concessions.¡± ¡°Why are you saying that?¡± ¡°Well, the old man broke the bricks with his own feet in the presence of the dispatched employees as a show of determination that he would not follow anybody¡¯s orders.¡± ¡°Hummm...in other words, that old man didn¡¯t leave the ce because of Park¡¯s orders, right?¡± In fact, it was true that Park had expelled him because he had clearly told the old man to stop working if he would continue behaving like that. In some respect, the old man was to me, too, because the way he responded went too far. ¡°The manager never said that. Maybe I talked to him that way,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Did you?¡± Park¡¯s eyes sparkled as if he had heard this for the first time. Even Park Youngsu shrugged his shoulder at that. He quickly turned his face to Hyuwnoo with a curious look. ¡°Yes, that old man treated the manager very badly, so I challenged him roughly by saying that he had been too harsh to the manager. Looking back, I think I gave him an excuse to leave. I¡¯m sorry for that. I think I overstepped my ce,¡± said Hyunwoo, lowering his head. Park Daebong looked at him with a suspicious look, though. ¡°I hear from the manager that he is a swindler.¡± ¡°I think he misunderstood. The old man told the manager to tear down the bricks that had been incorrectlyid, but the manager might have taken it to mean that he was going to drag his feet while working.¡± The president nodded his head as if he could understand the whole situation, and he then looked at Park Youngsu with a calm expression. ¡°Did thing work out that way?¡± Park Yongsu replied, scratching his head, ¡°Well, uncle, I didn¡¯t want to report that because I felt ashamed about it. I just didn¡¯t know what that old man was talking about when he mentioned ¡®goraeduk,¡¯ and when he kicked the bricks, I had no choice but to misunderstand his intentions.¡± Hearing his exnation, the president felt that it was the old man who was to me, not his nephew. He now knew the reason why that old man could not survive long enough at anypany despite his excellent skills. ¡°Anyway, moderate your temper next time. Also, the dispatched staff are having a hard time because of the hot weather. Treat them to a nice dinner one of these days.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Park and Hyunwoo walked out of the president¡¯s office. Park didn¡¯t say anything even outside the office, but he abruptly asked Hyunwoo when they arrived at the construction site, ¡°Why did you lie?¡± That was the question Hyunwoo had been waiting for. As the saying goes, a soft answer turns away wrath, and this was the perfect asion. ¡°You¡¯re the face of the purchasing team, aren¡¯t you? I think our team members get encouraged when you cheer up.¡± Park grinned at that. ¡°Thanks. I¡¯m beholden to you this time.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to say that, sir. It¡¯s my duty to do so.¡± ¡°Ha ha ha. Now, I¡¯m sure that you are a very good guy,¡± said Park, patting him on the shoulder. At that moment, Hyunwoo felt that he had gotten what he had wanted. He seemed to know how to make Park his ally. After that ident, Park supported Hyunwoo even more. At least, he just okayed whatever ideas Hyunwoo presented. As the saying ¡®strike the iron while it¡¯s hot¡¯ goes, Hyunwoo decided that he should win over Park¡¯s mindpletely on this asion. Of course, he would not try to curry favor with him so hard that it would make his team members frown. As soon as he reported to work, Hyunwoo changed his uniform and headed directly to the construction site. Though he needed to work only one day, it was already the third day he went there because he was the only person who had experience. When he arrived at the site, he took out a big water bucket, which he brought from home. ¡°Please drink this.¡± The dispatched employees began to gather one by one. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Did you have breakfast? This is home-made soybean juice. There is a lot of ice in it, so it¡¯s very cold.¡± ¡°Oh, soybean juice?¡± ¡°My mother made it for me as a breakfast supplement. When I thought of you having a hard time here, I asked her to make more today. Try it now. That will fill you up.¡± Hyunwoo began to hand out the soybean juice to each of them. They were four, including Hyunwoo, so there was enough soybean for them. ¡°Wow! I feel so refreshed, and it tastes great.¡± ¡°Wonderful! I didn¡¯t have breakfast. Can I drink one more cup?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± At that moment, he heard Park¡¯s voice from behind him. ¡°What are you doing right now?¡± Surprised by Park¡¯s voice, they immediately dispersed to get back to work. However, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t care. Actually, he had prepared that soybean for him today, for he saw the manager having bread for breakfast every morning. The thing was whether he liked soybean juice or not. With a bright smile, Hyunwoo offered a paper cup with soybean juice to him. ¡°Wee, manager. Please try this.¡± ¡°What is this? Soybean juice?¡± Fortunately, the manager dly took it and gulped it down at once. ¡°Wow, it tastes really good. Much better than the piece of bread I have for breakfast. Where do they sell this?¡± ¡°My mother made it for me. I drink this every morning for breakfast, but today, I asked her to make enough.¡± ¡°Your mother? Wow, what a great cook! You¡¯re lucky to have such a mother.¡± ¡°Can I ask her to make one for you? When she makes it, she could make a little more than now.¡± ¡°No, no. I don¡¯t want to give her extra work because of me,¡± said Park, waving his hand quickly. ¡°By the way, I think we can floor the rooms with t stones now. If we roast pork belly on the stones, it tastes really good in hot weather like this. Because our employees had a hard time because of the hot weather, why don¡¯t you treat them to pork belly for dinner tomorrow?¡± ¡°Of course I should.¡± The following morning. As soon as he came to the office, he waited for the manager instead of heading to the construction site. He offered a a cup of soybean juice to him. ¡°Did you have breakfast?¡± ¡°Uh? Isn¡¯t this soybean juice? Did you bring it today, too?¡± ¡°You seem to like it, so I told my mother about it. She dly made it for you.¡± ¡°Oh, I just feel sorry if she makes it like this...¡± Park scratched his head, which was not like him at all. Even other team members, ustomed to Park¡¯s harsh style every day, cast a suspicious look at him. Of course, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t care. Even though he was a barking shepherd dog to them, he was a tender sheep to Hyunwoo. ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel sorry. I¡¯ve prepared enough soybean juice for our members to enjoy.¡± The team members¡¯ response to the soybean juice was overwhelming. Everyone scrambled around Hyunwoo, asking for one more cup. Some asked if they could continue to enjoy it, grumbling that it was really hard to have breakfast. In particr, Min Suji made a desperate appeal. ¡°I think this is good for my diet, too. Can I reserve one for tomorrow?¡± But only one person made was an exception: Oh Sangho. ¡°I don¡¯t like it,¡± said Oh, and he then paid no more attention. Hyunwoo felt sorry about Oh, though. He had been being absorbed into the purchasing team smoothly until several days ago, but he was going back to his past self little by little. In particr, Oh had shown this attitude since Hyunwoo went to the construction site recently. Come to think of it, Oh¡¯s change in attitude coincided with Park taking Hyunwoo¡¯s side. Though Oh got along with other team members, he looked at Hyunwoo with unpleasant eyes. Hyunwoo could roughly figure out the reason, and it was obvious to anybody unless he or she was a fool. ¡®Tut, tut. He is jealous of me.¡± Chapter 43

Chapter 43

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C Actually, Oh should felt jealous of Hyunwoo. Only a high school graduate, Hyunwoo got promoted ahead of him, and the manager Park, called ¡®crazy dog,¡± began to take his side at some point. Oh might have thought that Hyunwoo got Park¡¯s favor by ttering him behind his back. In that respect, offering a cup of soybean juice could be seen as ttery to Park in Oh¡¯s eyes. Whatever the reason, it was just foolish for Oh to feel jealous of his team member. There were so many people in the world he had topete with, and only one of them was standing before him now. How to survive thepetition wisely? It was not to defeat someone next to him. Rather, it was to make that person his ally and make use of him. But this was something Oh had to judge by himself. Looking at Oh, Hyunwoo let out a sigh of pity. If he changed his character, he could be my good colleague. When Hyunwoo was thinking about Oh, Park held out the paper cup and said, ¡°Looks like there is some more in the bucket. If nobody wants it, let me have it.¡± ¡°Sure, please.¡± Hyunwoo collected whatever soybean juice remained in the bucket and gave it to Park, which was thick but savory. ¡°Wow, it really fills me up.¡± ¡°Let me prepare one for you tomorrow, too.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t burden your mother. Be a good son to her!¡± ¡°Well, she likes it. Ha ha.¡± Chuckling loudly, Hyunwoo headed to the construction site. Today was thest day he went directly to the site. When the evening came, they had a pork belly get-together at the construction site. Park was a man of moods. Because the president gave him the dinner fee, he had no reason to save it. Pork belly was roasted on the hot t stones. Not only dispatched employees but also the others who hadn¡¯t gotten the chance to be assigned gathered after smelling the savory smell of roasted pork belly. After tasting it, all of them eximed, ¡°Wow, this is the real taste of pork belly!¡± Though the flooring job was over, Park still trusted Hyunwoo. His warm consideration for Hyunwoo was pretty much noticeable. It was clear Park would support anyone once he had a crush on him or her. Yonggu found that unusual, though. He was thinking of stepping hard on him at an appropriate time, but Hyunwoo seemed to have saved Park¡¯s face. Having dinner together in the evening, Yonggu asked Hyunwoo furtively, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°The chance came along unexpectedly. Stepping hard on him at the right time is a good thing, but I felt it would also be as good to change him with a good method if I could.¡± ¡°Good method? How? Do you have an idea in mind?¡± Actually, Hyunwoo had been thinking about it. But suddenly, one idea came to mind when he found a change in Park¡¯s attitude. Nodding his head, Hyunwoo replied, ¡°It¡¯s looking for something Park can do well.¡± As if he could not understand, Yonggu tilted his head and said, ¡°Something Park can do well? What is that?¡± ¡°Well, I thought hard why Park was hell bent on giving us a hard time.¡± Then, Hyunwoo narrated to Yonggu what he had felt about Park all along. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t think Park was a bad man from the start. If that was the case, he should have earned the same bad name among managers. However, they all regard Park as the best manager whenever they heard his name, which meant that Park had somemendable points. Why was he not so popr among the rank-and-file employees? Hyunwoo thought it was Park¡¯s own choice. It was not because of his character but his deliberate actions to hide his weakness. Of course, Park¡¯s weakness would be his shallow knowledge and experience. In terms of business knowledge and experience, Park was much shallower than assistant managers and ordinary employees. So, he naturally misunderstood that they were ignoring him for his shallow knowledge and experience. In other words, he could not embrace them easily. So, Hyunwoo thought Park might change if his mistaken thinking could be corrected. Park needed some sort of self-confidence in that respect. In other words, if Park could think ¡®at least in this area I¡¯m the best¡¯, he might have a more generous attitude toward his staff. Hearing Hyunwoo¡¯s exnation, Yonggu thought about his rtionship with Hyunwoo. In fact, he hated Hyunwoo from his childhood days. He thought the more Hyunwoo would seed in the world, the worse it would ruin him. Because of that thinking, he could not embrace Hyunwoo. Then, Hyunwoo changed him, and not in a way to crush him but to cheer him up. Actually, Hyunwoo was persuading Yonggu to change Park with the same method he had used to change him. Yonggu felt that might be a good idea as long as it worked. Touching his forehead with his hand, Yonggu was pondering over what Park could do well. Come to think of it, there were a few things Park could do better than his team members. What came to his mind first was golf. He heard that Park¡¯s golfing ability was close to that of professional golfers¡¯. He yed under par almost always and yed singles in the field. ¡°I hear he is talented at dominating the drinking atmosphere.¡± Though Park was a heavy drinker, he had the ability to amuse the drinking members with his witty remarks and sense of humor. That was why Park always dominated the atmosphere at the managers¡¯ drinking get-together. Though Hyunwoo was also talented in leading the atmosphere at dinner get-togethers, Park seemed to be one cut above him. In some ways, Hyunwoo was a hard worker while Park was a genius in that respect. In short, Park was a typical lobbyist. If there was any drinking asion for a sales pitch, Park had the potential to do better than anybody else. Hyunwoo snapped his fingers and said, ¡°Looks like we have to find ways to use his strength.¡± If his talent had to be put to use, Hyunwoo wanted to use it quickly because N&C was about to produce new products soon. Hyunwoo felt he had to fundamentally change Park, and in his mind, Park could be changed more than he expected. Park had a clear distinction between those he liked and those he didn¡¯t. Once he was convinced that Hyunwoo and Yonggu were on his side, he was really generous to them. In particr, his attitude turned 180 degree when he dealt with Hyunwoo. Park was just fixated on harassing Hyunwoo in the past, but he just gave the green light to whatever Hyunwoo suggested. That was not a good manager¡¯s attitude in the eyes of Yonggu and Hyunwoo. On the other hand, he treatment of the other team members was still the same as before. As Park discriminated against them more and more as time passed, they got toin about Hyunwoo and Yonggu. In particr, Oh Sanghoined the most, especially about Hyunwoo, who got hired at the same time. Though Oh had some fond memories of Hyunwoo because of his help, that had been fleeting. When he saw Park giving Hyunwoo special treatment while telling him off, Oh¡¯s hatred of Hyunwoo began to grow again. Of course, he was aware that Park Daebong was keeping an eye on him, and that was why he was being patient. But he felt his patience running out. He even felt he was bing a fool. If he wanted to win over Minhye, he had to show an outstanding performance. Rather than an outstanding performance, he was being pushed aside by Hyunwoo. When Oh thought that far, he even felt that Hyunwoo was taking advantage of him, and that kind of thinking began to snowball as time went on. Jang Hyunwoo, that cunning dude. You just pretended to help me. You really wanted to show others that you were such a thoughtful man. No way, man. Damn it! I should not have received any help from him at that time. He regretted raising his hand when Park asked for a helping hand at the sauna construction site. Though he was never assigned to that job, that was not important. He felt he was being yed by Hyunwoo, though it was only brief. The more he thought about it, the more upset he became. He wanted to correct the wrong situation he was in now, but he could not figure out a good idea. When he was about to punch out, Park Minhye called Oh out. ¡°What are you doing, Sangho? Let¡¯s have dinner.¡± Oh felt refreshed when he saw her. Though he was given bad treatment, he felt that the situation would still reverse soon. Once he and Minhye get married, he would take over Aurum as president and control Hyunwoo freely. ¡°Sure,¡± said Oh. Both of them went to a high-restaurant nearby. ¡°You didn¡¯t look good a moment ago. What¡¯s up?¡± asked Minhye. ¡°Nothing particr. I don¡¯t like the atmosphere of the purchasing team.¡± Minhye was puzzled to hear that because she heard that the atmosphere of the purchasing team was the best ever. ¡°So, how is it?¡± asked Minhye attentively, opening her eyes wide. Then, Oh jumped at it and gushed as if he was dancing. ¡°Do you know what the business of the purchasing team is? It is to find out good raw materials, calcte the proper unit price, and then sign the contract, right?¡± ¡°Yes, it is.¡± ¡°The problem is they put aside their main job to focus on some stupid stuff. I just feel stuffy.¡± ¡°Stupid stuff?¡± ¡°As you know, we have an employee in our team, a high school graduate. His name is Jang Hyunwoo, and he¡¯s getting special treatment from our manager because he has speciality in building yellow y sauna houses. On the other hand, I¡¯m out in the cold even though I¡¯m focusing on my main duty.¡± ¡°Really? I can¡¯t understand that!¡± Minhye made a stunned expression as if she understood his feeling. Encouraged by her words, Oh continued, ¡°Of course I recognize Hyunwoo cut the cost of raw materials by a lot by changing the source from Taiwan to Vietnamst time. However, I don¡¯t think his special treatment this time is right. Why is the manager linking Hyunwoo¡¯s skill in the sauna construction to his job performance?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. That doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡± Oh continued to vent his anger whileining with her. The more he talked, the angrier he got instead of calming down. ¡°Is there any way this guy can be transferred to a different team?¡± Minhye giggled at that. ¡°Are you now feeling jealous of a high school graduate? Instead of thinking like that, just try to appease him and make him your ally. Don¡¯t you remember my father specially asked you to take good care of the team members?¡± said Minhye. ¡°Well, I wanted to do so the best I could, but he is a very cunning guy. He is trying to beat me not with hard work but with ttery.¡± Minhye smiled widely as if she wanted to cheer him up. At the same time, she let out a sigh in heart. She felt that he was more narrow-minded than she had thought. Jang Hyunwoo, as Oh argued, might be a rat bastard. However, what was obvious was that it was Jang Hyunwoo, not Oh Sangho, who stood out the most among the members of the purchasing team. Actually, she could not feel his presence, much less his performance. Unless she met him asionally like this for a meal, she just didn¡¯t feel like he was actually working there. However, she believed Oh. She felt he could explode his pent-up potential once he found a nice opportunity. ¡°Okay, can I give you a nice tip? I mean, a tip that can reverse the atmosphere.¡± ¡°Really? What is that?¡± Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C ¡°What is the tip?¡± asked Oh, his eyes opened wide. ¡°Ourpany dormitory is on the brink of copse, so we need to have a new one built as soon as possible.¡± ¡°I know that, too.¡± ¡°The thing is, you need at least 500 million won to build one. Even if you get half the loan amount from the Employment Insurance Corporation, you still need 250 million won. So, my father is thinking hard on how to cut the cost. Sooner orter, he will run an idea contest on this.¡± ¡°You want me to find a good idea?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± said Minhye, nodding her head. However, Oh felt he couldn¡¯t find the right answer. Isn¡¯t it taken for granted that one has to spend money to build a building? How can one cut costs? Then, it seemed that Minhye had a good idea. ¡°Do you have a good idea?¡± asked Oh. ¡°I¡¯ve thought of two ideas,¡± said Minhye, forming a V sign with her two fingers. Oh¡¯s eyes sparkled with expectation. ¡°Tell me about it.¡± ¡°My first idea is to build a dormitory like an army barracks. Instead of them having a separate room, let them share the whole t bed together. Also, build it with a tent instead of bricks. As you know, tents these days are pretty resilient.¡± Oh tilted his head slightly because it didn¡¯t appeal to him. ¡°Well, the upants will feel ufortable with such a dormitory,¡± said Oh. ¡°When thepany is in trouble, I think they have to put up with inconvenience. In fact, they have to be thankful for the fact that they¡¯re housed in a dormitory. Also, while they¡¯re getting along together in the dormitory, they will find their ties deepening further. This is like killing two birds with one stone.¡± Oh was still not persuaded. Of course, they could spend one night with fond memories, but it would be a nightmare to them if they had to live like that every day. As Oh showed an unpleasant expression, Minhye said with an angry face as if she was about to argue with him, ¡°They would have to live in such a dormitory for only for a couple of years. If thepany is booming again, it can build a nice one again. It is important to take care of the most urgent problem.¡± Oh pretended to agree with her reluctantly. ¡°Okay, let me think about it. What is your second idea?¡± ¡°I know a construction firm my cousin brother knows well.¡± ¡°You mean the manager of the purchasing team?¡± ¡°Yes. He says they can make up a fake construction cost anytime they want. For example, they can fabricate the actual cost by putting down 400 million won on the paper when it actually cost 200 million won.¡± ¡°So, you submit that fake paper to the Employment Insurance Corporation and get more subsidy than the actual cost, right?¡± ¡°Wow, you¡¯re smart, Sangho!¡± said Minhye, nodding her head. However, Oh tilted his head again because it was illegal. Though it made sense to cut the cost, they would have to pay a fine many times more than the subsidy if they were caughtter. ¡°Isn¡¯t that too dangerous?¡± ¡°I hear manypanies are actually involved in that kind of practice, and my cousin brother says as long as they prepare the receipts properly, the chances are practically zero that they are caught.¡± Actually, the idea couldn¡¯t be better as long as it didn¡¯t bring about any trouble. Also, this was a golden opportunity for him to beat Hyunwoo soundly. Oh snapped his finger as if he had made his mind. ¡°Okay. When does the idea contest begin?¡± Hyunwoo worked hard, and at the same time, he went to the driving range constantly. As he had invested 100,000 won in learning golf, he had to get his money¡¯s worth. Golf was a tiring sport to him. He yed various sports, but golf was the most boring. All he practiced at the driving range for one week was practicing timid swings. However, the coach, Cho Pro, said that if he made his swings perfect, he would have mastered 85% of golf. Since the coach said that was true, it will be true then, Hyunwoo thought to himself. Hyunwoo did practice as instructed. After one week of practice swings, Cho Pro praised him. ¡°You¡¯re doing very well. I see your posture is consistent, and I think it¡¯s time to move on to the next stage.¡± The next step Cho Pro taught him was a half swing. ¡°Do your backswing up to here. Don¡¯t turn your wrist when you do your backswing. Just raise your hand and then lower it down straight. Rx your wrist and then push the iron softly like a pendulum, and then...¡± Cho Pro exined to him how to swing it correctly in detail. As his motion got bigger, his upper body tended to move. ¡°Now, do it again. Don¡¯t move your upper body at all. Just stretch your hand and swing as if you are chopping at the ground.¡± As he tried swinging, he didn¡¯t hit the ball right. Though he felt he had swung his body with the same motion, he hit the ball one time but chopped at the ground another time. ¡°Do you know how to y tennis?¡± ¡°Yes, a bit¡± ¡°What about smashing in tennis? Do you use your strength when you do it? As you see, the yer only catches the ball right at the moment it hits the bat, right?¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened abruptly. When hepared golf with smashing in tennis, he could understand it more easily. Thinking of smashing, Hyunwoo once again swung the golf club. He put any strength into his wrists when he came down at the ball. Instead, he only did so when he hit the ball. The moment he hit the ball, he felt a nice feeling and saw the ball flying into the sky. ¡°Perfect! Just keep doing it like this,¡± praised Cho Pro. ¡®By the way, when I can use the driver?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°You have to master ying the seven iron first. Given your sense of swinging, I think you can start using the driver within a month.¡± One month was a long time to him, but he felt he had to learn the fundamentals because he had already invested the money. Okay, let me be patient for one month. Several dayster. Thepany bulletin board put out an idea contest about the construction of an employee dormitory. The topic was about finding the best idea on how to build it quickly with the lowest possible cost. The award money was attractive. The management set a benchmark goal of saving, and the winner will im 10% of the saved cost along with a promotion. A total of 25 employees will be housed in the new dormitory, with one room for two people. Also, the construction cost was set at 460 million won. Thepany will get the subsidy of half the construction cost from the Employment Insurance Corporation, so the actual cost was 230 million won. Every employee showed interest, and Hyunwoo was no exception. When they had free time, some members, including Yonggu, looked around the existing dormitory. ¡°It¡¯s too outdated.¡± ¡°The president¡¯s decision to build a new one quickly is understandable.¡± The biggest problem was theck of a new dormitory site, so it was inevitable that the existing dormitory had to be demolished. The idea contest period was 15 days. Hyunwoo and Yonggu scratched their heads as they could not think of a good idea. It was the same for the other team members. ¡°As we¡¯re out of the office like this, let¡¯s take a walk. We¡¯ve got 30 minutes left. Let¡¯s walk around thepany slowly.¡± ¡°Shall we?¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll go that way. On a day like this, it¡¯s best to take a nap under a tree.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I want to walk with Hyunwoo,¡± said Min Suji. The team members dispersed in a group of their own. Some of them moved to the shade of a tree, and Hyunwoo, Yonggu, and Min walked around thepany. Suddenly, some strange scenes came into Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes. Several old men, squatting on the ground, were ying chess outside the senior citizens center instead of staying inside it. There was not a single tree near the center. Though the hottest season was over, it was still early September, and it was sunny. Tilting his head, Hyunwoo approached the center and squatted near the old men. ¡°How are you, sir?¡± At the strange young voice, they looked at Hyunwoo with perplexed expressions. Hyunwoo brightly smiled at them. ¡°I don¡¯t have any ce to avoid the sunlight here. Can I squat for a moment?¡± ¡°Yea, it¡¯s very hot now. Juste this way.¡± ¡°By the way, why are you sitting here like this when you can stay inside the center? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s quite cool inside?¡± ¡°Of course it is, but we can¡¯t stay there because we just feel nervous.¡± Hyunwoo looked at the center with a suspicious look. Though it was small, its appearance looked clean because it was nicely painted. ¡°What makes you nervous, sir?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of a clean appearance? You¡¯ll see my point if you go inside.¡± ¡°May I go in for a moment?¡± Focusing on chess, they just nodded at him. Tilting his head, he went into the center. The moment he stepped in, he immediately found out why they were nervous. It was because the whole building had fine cracks here and there. It looked like it would copse at any moment. Leaving the center, Hyunwoo went back to the old men and squatted down. Yonggu and Min were looking at him from a distance. ¡°I see lots of fine cracks in the building. I¡¯m afraid it will copse at any time.¡± ¡°You saw the cracks, right? Damn public servants! They keep saying the building is safe. Tut, tut,¡± they said, cursing the public servants of the city. ¡°Was it built a long time ago?¡± ¡°You bet. At least 20 years.¡± ¡°Oh, it needs to be rebuilt as soon as possible.¡± ¡°I hear the city government is nning to build a new one, but the size of thend is too small. There is also no other avablend, so they can¡¯t start the construction even if they have the money.¡± In Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes, the senior center site was too small. Even if they built a new one, it couldn¡¯t house more than ten people. Come to think of it, he felt sorry about their situation. He felt a new senior center was more urgent than a new dormitory for Aurum employees. When he thought that far, he opened his eyes abruptly. Oh, yes. I have a good idea. Yonggu and Min looked at him with perplexed looks. When work was over, Hyunwoo called his friend working in Ansan. ¡°Shall we have dinner? It has been a long time.¡± ¡°Sure, you have to treat me, though.¡± ¡°No problem, my friend.¡± The following morning. As soon as he reported to work, Hyunwoo approached Park. ¡°Sir, I have an idea about the new dormitory of ourpany.¡± At that moment, Oh Sangho, shrugging his shoulder, looked at Hyunwoo. However, he focused on Park, pretending not to have seen him. To Park, Hyunwoo and Yonggu werepletely part of him now. Whatever opinion Hyunwoo offered, Park just replied positively. Also, his expression became brighter because Hyunwoo said his idea was about the construction of a new dormitory, the hot topic of thepany these days. ¡°Oh, what kind of idea is it, assistant manager Jang?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve made a brief report. You¡¯ll understand my briefing easily while you¡¯re reading it.¡± ¡°Sure. Let me take a look at it.¡± Park reviewed his report, but it was a bit strange. Hyunwoo said his idea was clearly about cutting the construction cost of the new dormitory, but the report mentioned a senior citizens center. Chapter 45

Chapter 45

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C Chapter 45 When Park made a puzzled look, Hyunwoo quickly exined, ¡°You can think of it as sort of contributed eptance. In other words, we offer part of the first floor as the site of a senior citizens center and build a dormitory on the 2nd and 3rd floor. We can then cut the construction cost.¡± Park reviewed the report again. In Hyunwoo¡¯s estimate, the total construction cost of the senior center was about 90 million, which ounted for less than 17% of the total cost. But 120 million, or about 21% of the total construction cost, was proposed as the burden of the city government. As the city already had enough funds avable for the senior center, Hyunwoo thought it would be possible. If things worked out ording to Hyunwoo¡¯s ns, Aurum would save about 15 million won from its original proposal price. What was more important was they could use the senior center as a provisional dormitory for the employees. Hyunwoo confirmed through his friend at the city government that the existing senior center had no safety problems even though it looked dangerous, and it could be used for another purpose with the consent of the residents in that area. Park said, tilting his head, ¡°I know what you mean, but I wonder if the city government can approve our cost-reduction n. I doubt it.¡± ¡°I already talked with a public servant in charge of social welfare at the city government, and he said 200 million won had been already allotted for a new senior center, but the problem is they can¡¯t find an appropriate lot. So, if we propose to the city that they give us a subsidy of 120 million won on the condition that we offer a site, I think they will green light it.¡± ¡°What if the city government rejects it? Hyunwoo thought the chances were very slim that they would reject it, for it would benefit not only Aurum but also the city of Ansan in terms of resolving the urgent problem of finding a lot for the senior center. Of course, there was still a possibility that they would reject it because it would be illegal to do so. From Aurum¡¯s point of view, it would get benefits to proceed with the construction even if it didn¡¯t get a subsidy. At least, Aurum could use the current senior center as a provisional dormitory for its employees. The thing was Park Daebong¡¯s determination. If Park dered ¡°No lot without any cost reduction!¡± not only Aurum but also the city government and the local seniors would lose the opportunity. The best way was for the city government to ept Hyunwoo¡¯s idea, and Hyunwoo had to make it happen by any means. ¡°Well, then we have to persuade them.¡± ¡°Persuade them? Any ideas?¡± Of course Hyunwoo had one. He thought that Park was the right person for the job. Park was famous from the management above middle-level managers for his unusual sociability. It would not be that difficult for Park to persuade several public servants involved with his sociability. This was also a good opportunity for Park, too. If he could confirm his capabilities through this event, he could use it for a promotion. The thing was whether Park could seize the opportunity. ¡°Please show your talent this time. I think you can persuade them with your talents.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think there are few who could win over anybody better than you. Please show them what kind of type you are. Then, even the president will be surprised.¡± Park¡¯s eyes opened a bit wide. Having heard Hyunwoo¡¯s ount, Park felt attracted to it. This had nothing to do with his knowledge or experience. It was directly rted to his interpersonal skill, his most salient strength. Park¡¯s eyes were sparkling. Trying wouldn¡¯t hurt, after all. At the same time, he thought that it would be good to make acquaintances with them on this asion. However, this was not something Park could decide on his own. ¡°Okay, let me report to the president, and if he doesn¡¯t raise any objections, let¡¯s go ahead with it. Can youe with me, Mr. Jang?¡± ¡°Sure, sir.¡± Hyunwoo apanied Park to the president¡¯s office. Oh Sangho looked at them with a dissatisfied look. He really wanted to earn the president¡¯s trust by pulling off a great deal this time, but it seemed that was Hyunwoo standing in the way again. After the briefing was done, the president okayed their idea dly but with one condition. ¡°This should not be a contributed donation. We¡¯re just giving them a lease for the next 20 years so that they can use the first floor as the senior center. In other words, we should not transfer the ownership of the building.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, uncle!¡± said Park confidently. Through his friend in Ansan, Hyunwoo treated the social welfare section chief to dinner. It was a sushi restaurant with a reasonable price. The dinner get-together with him was made one week after Hyunwoo and Park met the president. In the meantime, Park went all out to mobilize his friends connected to the section chief as if he was boasting his wideworking. A total of six gathered at the dinner meeting, including Hyunwoo and Yonggu from Aurum. Out of courtesy of his counterparts from the city government, Park arrived ten minutes earlier to wait for them. When they arrived, Park sprang to his feet and said, ¡°How are you? This is Park Youngsu, manager of Aurum¡¯s purchasing team.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you. This is Kim Sunmun, the chief of the social welfare section,¡± said Kim with a bright smile. ¡°Are you the younger brother of Kim Inmun by any chance?¡± At Park¡¯s asking, Kim said, with his eyes opening widely as if he was surprised, ¡°Do you know my elder brother?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. He is someone that I know. I have a friend of mine who ys a round of golf with me, and your brother was his senior when they attended the same school. I think I went to a golf club with him, too.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± ¡°You know Mr. Yu Inho, right?¡± ¡°Inho? Was he a graduate of Baeduk High School?¡± ¡°Yes, he was. He is like my elder brother. I respect him a lot. When I mentioned your name, he said he knew you very well.¡± ¡°Yes, he and I are from the same high school. I didn¡¯t know you¡¯re Inho¡¯s acquaintance. I used to be a close friend of his, but I have lost track of him these days.¡± ¡°Actually, I am supposed to y a round of golf with Inho this Saturday. Are you avable then? We need one more for this game, so you¡¯re wee to join.¡± ¡°Really?¡± said Kim. Obviously, Park had a gift. Even before the dishes were served, the atmosphere was already good. Thanks to Park¡¯s sophisticated efforts to create a good atmosphere, their conversation continued while they¡¯re having dinner, and Park¡¯s hobbies were simr to Kim¡¯s. Park¡¯s favorite sport was golf. ¡°How many do you hit?¡± ¡°Sometimes I hit under 90.¡± As soon as they started talking about golf, Park and Kim¡¯s eyes sparkled. They were so energetically engaged that other members could not cut in. It was almost at the end of the dinner that Park and Hyunwoo brought up the topic of the senior center construction, and they only presented an overview instead of exining it in detail. Kim was very satisfied with Park¡¯s proposal. ¡°Actually, we were in a bad spot because we could not find the lot. We would really appreciate it if Aurum could offer some help. Just tell us anything if you need to. We¡¯ll try our best to help you, too,¡± said Kim. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll make a draft on it and present it to you soon. Please review it, Mr. Kim¡± ¡°Of course. Thanks so much for proposing such a wonderful suggestion.¡± ¡°You¡¯re very wee. By the way, don¡¯t forget the tee-up is at 2pm this Saturday.¡± ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll see you then.¡± The dinnersted for as long as three hours. Also, there were a lot of empty alcohol bottles piled up on one side. Mr. Kim and anther manager from the city government got so drunk that their eyes were bloodshot, and Yonggu and Hyunwoo also drank as much. Monday morning. Hyunwoo and Yonggu were waiting for Park toe to the office, for Park said confidently he would pull off the deal with Mr. Kim Sunmunst Saturday. By now, he should have wrapped it up. Did he sessfully strike the deal? It would be much easier for him to get the president¡¯s approval if he saved even ten million won from the deal. Filled with expectations, Hyunwoo waited for Park. A littleter, Park came to the office. At that moment, Hyunwoo was beaming because Park had a satisfied expression on his face. Hyunwoo cautiously asked, ¡°Did the deal go well?¡± Park didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, he answered his question with a smile. That was enough to Hyunwoo. ¡°Can I prepare a report on this?¡± ¡°No thanks. I¡¯ve already prepared one.¡± Not only Hyunwoo but also Yonggu opened his eyes wide because that kind of report was usually done by a rank-and-file employee. ¡°Really? Did you already do it?¡± ¡°As soon as it¡¯s 9am, I¡¯m going to report to the president. Both of you wille with me to see him. Mr. Oh, join us too.¡± Hyunwoo and Yonggu were surprised because he mentioned Oh. However, Oh stood up, prepared for it as if it was only natural he should see the president. A littleter. Park and his team adjusted their suits in front of the president¡¯s office. Park was holding under his arm some documents for the president¡¯s approval. Park made them secret to Yonggu and Hyunwoo. However, Oh seemed to know what was inside the documents because he didn¡¯t show any curiosity. What was certain was that it was good news anyway. That was why Park was filled with confidence. ¡°Shall we go in now?¡± said Park. Apanied by his subordinates, Park confidently went in. Park Daebong could figure out what Park was going to brief after checking his expression. As soon as he sat on the sofa, he asked Park Youngsu with a smile, ¡°Did you pull off a good deal?¡± ¡°Of course. Have you ever seen a deal go badly when I took the initiative?¡± ¡°No, no. Nice job! I know your capabilities, of course. So, how much did you save by investing 2 million won? You don¡¯t want to say ¡®it¡¯s the tail wagging the dog,¡¯ do you?¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened widely. ¡°Two million won? Why did he spend so much money like that?¡± Chapter 46

Chapter 46

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C Two million won? Why did he spend so much? On what? Hyunwoo asked himself. Actually, the entertainment expenses Park spent regarding this deal were a couple of moderate meal and the rounds of golf at Sun Valley Country Club. Also, the meal costed 500,000 won at the most, and the golfing fee was less than 500,000 won because they had membership cards. Even if Park paid for the cart fee and the caddy¡¯s tip, it was still less than 800,000 won. In Hyunwoo¡¯s mind, the total cost was less than one million won at most. No matter how hard he thought about the expenses, he could not understand how Park spent two million. What¡¯s more surprising to him was the amount of cost savings. Not only Hyunwoo but also the president was astonished at it. ¡°What? Are you sure the cost savings is 130 million won?¡± asked the president. The benchmark price of the construction set by the president was 230 million, so if 130 million won was saved, the actual money Aurum had to pay when building the new dormitory was only 100 million won. The president could not understand how that was possible. The total cost was around 550 million won if Aurum constructed a new building with the dormitory. Even if a constructionpany with a connection to Aurum built it, they would have to pay at least 500 million won. Now, the budget the city of Ansan has secured for the senior center was 200 million won. Even if the city offered the full subsidy, the remaining bnce was still 300 million won. Also, Aurum would have to pay 150 million won out of that, to say the least. So, the president could not understand how Park Youngsu came up with that cost savings. ¡°Just tell me now. What happened?¡± demanded the president. But Park didn¡¯t reply immediately, and he then made Yonggu, Hyunwoo, and Oh leave the office. ¡°You guys get out for a minute.¡± In fact, Hyunwoo and Yonggu were as curious as the president about how Park could reduce the construction cost that much. Only after they got out of the office did Park begin to tell talk in a very low tone, saying, ¡°To tell you the truth, I just adjusted the construction cost a bit.¡± ¡°Exin it to me. How did you adjust the cost?¡± ¡°I know a friend of mine who is the president of a constructionpany. He told he he would build it at a cheap price.¡± Then, Park continued in a much lower voice as if what he had to say from now on was very important, ¡°And that friend told me this. Namely, if I want, he can issue a construction bill that shows between 1.2 and 1.3 million won per square meter.¡± When he heard Park¡¯s briefing, the president¡¯s eyes sparkled as if he understood what Park meant. In short, Park was talking about inting the cost. In other words, even though it cost 300 million won in actual construction, they reported 400 million won to the Employment Insurance Corporation by inting the actual cost. Then, they could get 50 million more from the city government. ¡°And the social welfare section of the city government has decided to offer 150 million in a construction subsidy,¡± said Park. ¡°Did the section chief offer such a subsidy without any conditions?¡± asked the president. ¡°No, uncle. There is no free lunch, as you know,¡± said Park with a meaningful smile. At that moment, the president raised his voice, saying, ¡°Hey, dude, what if we¡¯re caught by the city authorities?¡± Park said resolutely, ¡°Not a big deal. I only prepaid for the city officials¡¯ meal for their get-together dinner at the restaurant. That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°Is that all really? What about the Employment Insurance Corporation?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to pay attention to them. I put the number down to 1.2 million instead of 1.3 million, so they won¡¯t get a wind of it. If you still feel nervous, I can treat them with wine and dinner.¡± The president stared at Park but didn¡¯t scold him as before, for there was no use crying over spilled milk. ¡°Are you sure this won¡¯t cause any trouble?¡± ¡°Uncle, as the chief of the city welfare section, he knows what to do. He must have agreed with me after he concluded this wouldn¡¯t cause any trouble. What is the issue when I submit the construction bill anyway?¡± said Park. Misbehavior eventually catches up with one, as the saying goes. The president said sternly, staring at Park, ¡°I warn you, don¡¯t handle the matter like this next time.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem? We¡¯re doing something good...¡± ¡°Do you understand?¡± shouted the president again to interrupt Park. ¡°Yes, uncle. By the way, you¡¯re still going to pay the award money proportionate to the amount of the cost savings, right? I¡¯m okay, but my subordinates outside the office did a lot of work.¡± ¡°Did they put forward this idea?¡± ¡°Yes, the idea on the senior center came from Hyunwoo and Yonggu, and the construction cost idea was offered by Oh.¡± Looking toward the door of his office, the president frowned and said, ¡°Was it Oh¡¯s idea? I don¡¯t feel good about a young guy like him resorting to an immoral act already.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t itmon to inte the construction cost? By the way, the idea of the senior center is really great, isn¡¯t it? I was really surprised. Hyunwoo and Yonggu are ahead of me in initiating ideas.¡± The president was surprised a lot by Park¡¯s remarks. It was very rare for Park to praise his subordinates, though he did pull them down many times before. In particr, it was the first time that he had said that his subordinates were better than him. Obviously, Park had changed, and the president believed he had changed because of Yonggu, for Park began to change after he offered some sort of deal to Yonggu. In fact, before Park brought his subordinates to his office, Yonggu made a visit to him in advance and made a significant request to him like this: ¡°A littleter, team manager Park wille to brief you on the dormitory construction rmendation. Whatever he says, I would appreciate it very much if you would just heap praise on him unconditionally.¡± In a way, it was an arrogant request because it was close to being instructed by a middle-level manager as the president of thepany. Park Daebong, the president, met all sorts of subordinates during his years as president, and he knew how to deal with them in appropriate ways. As an uncle, he also knew his nephew¡¯s problem and its cause better than anybody else: Park Youngsu was controlling his subordinates to defend himself. In other words, he made them afraid of him for fear that they would look down on his knowledge and experience in the field. Park Daebong was aware of his problem, but he could not find a proper way to solve his nephew¡¯s problem. And he thought that Yonggu had found the solution. Park Daebong thought of Yonggu differently because he had found the solution he had been looking for. And what¡¯s even surprising to him was the method to change Park Youngsu. Actually, Park Daebong thought of the stick only. He was nning on driving his nephew to the edge of the cliff after being tough with the purchasing team, with hope that he would be able to change. However, Yonggu changed Park in a way that the president hadn¡¯t thought about at all. Obviously, the linchpin of the purchasing team is Yonggu. Of course, he had misjudged the situation. Hyunwoo was the one who had thought of the solution to Park¡¯s problem. It was Hyunwoo who had Yonggu talk to the president, but Hyunwoo didn¡¯t do it by himself because it was Yonggu who directly dealt with the president. The president didn¡¯t know this, just thinking that the miracle change now taking ce in the purchasing team was possible thanks to Yonggu¡¯s efforts. In an excited voice, Park Youngsu said, ¡°Uncle, oh, president. If you need someone to lobby someone, please let me take on that job. That¡¯s my speciality, as you know.¡± ¡°Okay, will do. I know you¡¯re capable, but I didn¡¯t know how able you were. Great!¡± Park Daebong kept heaping praises on him with ¡®Great!¡± ¡°Nice job!¡± etc. Thanks to his praise, Park¡¯s confidence was sky-high. ¡°I¡¯ve got a boyfriend!¡± ¡°Really? What type of person is he?¡± At the surprising announcement by Gyongsuk, her high school alumni, including Min Suji, focused their eyes on her with envy. Min also felt envious of her. She had been waiting for her boyfriend, who was drafted into the army two years ago, but he found a new girl as soon as he got discharged. Also, it¡¯s already been one year and seven months since she had been without any boyfriend. Though she was determined to make a new boyfriend, she could not find one. Gyongsuk said boastfully, ¡°Well, he is an ordinary sried man. But his father is the president of my boyfriend¡¯spany, and he¡¯s going to take it overter.¡± ¡°Wow! Good for you.¡± ¡°Congrats! You¡¯re so talented to have found such a man!¡± Her friends paid lip service to her though they were pretty jealous of her. Actually, she was looked down on in high school. She was not pretty and didn¡¯t study well, so she went to a third-rate provincial college. However, she changedpletely since then. As soon as she graduated from high school, she spent a lot of money for stic surgery. By any standard, she was called a beauty who stood out wherever she went. In short, she reversed her life. Still, her friends didn¡¯t want to admit it because they knew her past in high school. Though they felt envious of her, they still thought to themselves, You¡¯re still a third-rate girl. Min Suji felt this in particr. She was such a beauty that she was called the queen among friends in high school. In addition, she was very smart. Though her friends followed her, they thought in their hearts, If I can beat her, I¡¯m the best. Gyungsuk was one of them. Whenever she looked at Suji, she felt that she could never beat her. But now, she was different now. Gyungsuk asked pointedly, ¡°What type of man is your boyfriend?¡± It was a typical question, of course. Min Suji knew it, so she didn¡¯t care. Though Gyungsuk thought of her as a rival, Suji never did. Suji said frankly, ¡°I don¡¯t have a boyfriend.¡± ¡°Really? Not yet? Since your former boyfriend deserted you, you haven¡¯t had a boyfriend?¡± With an awkward smile, Suji nodded her head. As if she was astonished, Gyungsuk¡¯s jaws dropped. So did her friends. ¡°You¡¯re lying now. You must have a secret boyfriend.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t. I just feel so lonely.¡± Then, Gyungsuk approached her with sparkling eyes and said, ¡°Are you willing to have a blind date? I know a very nice person who is my brother¡¯s friend. You¡¯ll find it very difficult to meet such a man here in this city.¡± Min Suji showed interest. Actually, she was feeling lonely these days, and she felt heavy because of her mother, in particr. If she made a good boyfriend, he could offer somefort to her. She had no reason to avoid such a blind date. ¡°Really? What type of person is he?¡± Chapter 47

Chapter 47

¡°Oh, he has a good family. He is also a graduate of an elite college and handsome. He¡¯s as good as my brother. If I had two bodies, I would love to have him, too! He¡¯s really nice,¡± Gyunsuk said, praising him to the skies. Having heard that, her other friends also anxiously asked her to introduce him to them. ¡°Where does he live now?¡± ¡°He lives in Bundang, Sungnam city, but as hispany is located in Pyongtaek, he lives there. If I tell him that I¡¯ll introduce a nice girl to him, he will run to us even now. How about it? Do you want to see him, Suji?¡± Suji showed a nervous attitude but nodded after all. ¡°Okay. But I want to see him here in Ansan.¡± ¡°Of course. How can ady go and see a man in a different ce? The man shoulde to your ce without any conditions.¡± It looked like Gyungsuk was more anxious to make it happen. Only two days after Gyungsu mentioned the blind date did the both of them meet for the first time. ¡°Nice to meet you. My name is Kim Hyungdae. When I heard from Gyunsuk about your beauty, I thought nothing of it, but you¡¯re a great beauty after all!¡± Hiding her cheek with one hand, Min made an awkward expression. ¡°My name is Min Suji.¡± ¡°Wow, your voice is so nice. You could be a voice actor.¡± Kim Hyungdae looked like a man who had mastered how to praise someone. Even if he had found out anything unusual about her, he just kept uttering praise. Though Min knew Kim¡¯s act was designed to break the ice, she still felt good about it. As Gyungsuk said, Kim was the perfect man. He was tall, handsome, and had a nice build. Also, he had good manners. In addition, he was from a good family with an elite school degree. As his father was the owner of a middle-sizedpany, he had a solid profession, too. Above all, what pleased Suji was that he was never boring. He found out various topics and showed a sense of humor, which made her feel pleasant. ¡°Do you like alcohol by any chance? I really do.¡± ¡°I get drunk easily, but I don¡¯t hate alcohol that much.¡± ¡°As you know, you¡¯re influenced by the atmosphere when you drink alcohol. I know a ce with a great atmosphere. Let¡¯s move to that ce.¡± Min followed Kim to a cocktail bar. At that particr moment, Hyunwoo was standing on a big street near hispany. After having dinner with Yonggu, he was waiting for Gyunsu¡¯s car. A littleter, a redpact car stopped in front of Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo got into the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Did you have dinner?¡± asked Gyunsu. ¡°Yes, pleasee out. Let me take your ce.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. Let me drive today.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You can take my ce when I have my customer.¡± Gyunsu and Hyunwoo offered a chauffeur service, and they¡¯re partners. Gyunsu was 12 years older than Hyunwoo and head of a family with four kids. Like Hyunwoo, Gyungsu had a second job. Though he was an animator at a small animationpany, he worked as a chauffeur whenever he had free time because of his small sry. They have been partners for five years. Most of the time, Hyunwoo took his ce because his physical weakness made it hard for him to work long hours. ¡°Just take a nap until we get the chauffeur request.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± As it was early in the evening, they had few calls, but the chauffeurs who were avable during the early evening were still busy. Sometimes, Hyunwoo had request calls from regr customers. While Hyunwoo was taking a break after parking his car on the street, he got a call. The customer was the owner of a middle-sizedpany with thest name Yang, and he had been Hyunwoo¡¯s regr customer for more than three years. ¡°Hey, Hyunwoo. I¡¯m here at the beef rib house in front of Ansan Hospital. Can youe?¡± Fortunately, it was not far from Hyunwoo¡¯s ce. ¡°Sure, it will take me 10 minutes to go there. Will you wait?¡± ¡°Okay, let me wait.¡± Hyunwoo arrived in time, where he found a total of four men including Yang. They were already drunk even early in the evening. In particr, Yang was heavily drunk as if today had been a special asion. Putting his arm around his shoulder, Yang introduced him to his friends, ¡°He¡¯s my favorite chauffeur. If you happen to need a chauffeur, just call this man.¡± ¡°Really? Give me your business card.¡± ¡°Thank you, sir. Here you are. My name is Jang Hyunwoo.¡± Hyunwoo handed out his business card. At least one or two of them would be regr customers. Though he was not sure how long he would work as a chauffeur like this, he was determined to do his best as long as he was offering his services. ¡°Okay, guys, let¡¯s get in.¡± ¡°Hey, Mr. Yang. As we all live in different ces, we can¡¯t get in the same car like this. Also, I live further in. We¡¯ll take a cab, so you go home first.¡± ¡°What the hell are you talking about? Hyunwoo, is it okay for you to drive to several different ces?¡± ¡°Sure, no problem. Just give me the direction. As long as you don¡¯t cross the demilitarized zone, I can give you a ride anywhere,¡± said Hyunwoo jokingly. ¡°Ha ha ha. This young guy has a sense of humor. I live in Bungdang. Is that okay?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not that far. I thought you lived far away in like Sokcho or Pusan.¡± ¡°Ha ha, you¡¯ve got a great sense of humor, and that¡¯s why I like you. Hey, get in quickly.¡± ¡°Okay then, thanks for the ride, friend.¡± Though the three got in the rear seat, it still didn¡¯t seem small because Hyunwoo¡¯s car was a big sedan. ¡°Where should I take you?¡± ¡°I live in the Green Apartment in Bundang, this friend lives in Suwon¡± As expected, the destinations of the four customers were all different. If Hyunwoo gave all of them a ride to their homes, it would take at least three to four hours, but Hyunwoo didn¡¯t give a hint of reluctance. Hyunwoo told Gyungsu, who was waiting inside a car nearby, about his destinations. ¡°I think it will take me three to four hours if I stop by several ces.¡± ¡°Three to four hours? Are you driving to the ind of Cheju? Okay, take care.¡± ¡°Okay, then. Let me give you a ride to Bundang first.¡± Hyunwoo turned on the engine and drove off. Whatever he did, he always did it with a professional spirit. That was true for his driving. Because he got paid for his service, he thought he had to offer a professional service different from amateurs. Of course, the type of the service would change ording to the whims of the customer. Some would ask for the fastest ride back home, and some would put priority on afortable ride. Yang and his friends didn¡¯t make any special requests. They just seemed to value their get-together. Hyunwoo thought that afortable ride would be what they wanted. Thanks to Hyunwoo¡¯s soft driving, he heard Yang and his friends having a pleasant conversation all along, but the topic of the conversation was heavy. Sunghwan Industry, of which Yang was the president, made stationery for children like ball-point pens and pencil cases. Cheap Chinese products, however, drove hispany to the brink of bankruptcy. His friends gave him a loan of over 200 million won, and he barely avoided going bankrupt. Yang continued to thank them for that, with tears welling in his eyes. ¡°Thanks so much. You¡¯re my savior.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that. The real challenge lies ahead, man.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. I¡¯ll never forget your help, and I¡¯ll pay you guys back for the rest of my life.¡± While hearing their conversation, Hyunwoo felt very happy. He hoped to have friends like Yang¡¯s. *** Kim Hyundae sang very well. Though he could not sing a high note, he knew how to select songs that fit the atmosphere, and his voice was pleasant. The more time she spent with him, the more she liked him. But he had one problem, which was he tried to seduce her too soon. Everytime he sang a song, he put his arm around her shoulder. Though she didn¡¯t like it, she couldn¡¯t resist him because his act was so natural. But Kim didn¡¯t stop there. Responding to the lyrics of the song, he touched her face and hugged her. She felt that his act was discourteous, but she thought to herself, This guy has a lot of experience ying with women. I had better be careful. ¡°Wow, you¡¯re singing very well,¡± she said, pping her hands. She then gently pushed his arm off of her shoulder. ¡°Why don¡¯t you sing, Suji?¡± said Kim, without using any honorifics now. ¡°I just want to listen.¡± ¡°Okay, then. Let¡¯s sing a bitter. Let¡¯s talk.¡± Kim sat side by side with her. As he had the gift of speech, she found it pleasant to talk with him. One thing that bothered her really was that he liked touching too much. Now he was about to kiss her, which she stopped. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re going too quickly. We just met today¡± ¡°Why do you think our meeting time is so important? What does matter is that we¡¯re clicking. I like you. Don¡¯t you like me?¡± ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t mean it that way, but I don¡¯t feel close enough for you to kiss me. I want to slow down a bit.¡± ¡°Okay, then. Can we go as far as a kiss today? I won¡¯t do more than that. How about it?¡± ¡°No, let¡¯s go back today. It¡¯s already over midnight.¡± ¡°Oh, midnight is early in the evening. Let¡¯s go to a beer house for another drink.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to.¡± Suji expressed her will clearly to him. As if he understood, Kim raised his hand over his shoulder and escorted her to the door. ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll give you a ride back home.¡± ¡°You¡¯re drunk. Let me take a cab.¡± ¡°Oh, wait a minute. Let me request a chauffeur.¡± Kim took out his mobile phone and called for a chauffeur. Chapter 48

Chapter 48

Yang kept expressing his thanks to his friend. Completely drunk, he was not aware that he had already repeated the same words more than one hundred times. Was it because of that? Yang¡¯s friends started praising Hyunwoo¡¯s driving skills to change the atmosphere. ¡°Did you say your name was Hyunwoo? Your driving is really great!¡± ¡°I agree. I didn¡¯t even know our car was moving.¡± In response to their praise, Hyunwoo said humbly, ¡°Actually my car runs softly.¡± Then, Yang took part in the changed topic. ¡°No, no. This car is a very outdated, and it doesn¡¯t give afortable ride. It¡¯s because his driving ability that this car ridesfortably. He is probably the only chauffeur in Korea who can drive sofortably like this.¡± ¡°I recognize that, too. I feel like calling for him when I treat VIPs.¡± ¡°I mean it. Can you do so when I contact you when I need your service?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s difficult because I work at apany.¡± Hyunwoo declined his offer politely. In the meantime, his car arrived at Green Apartments in Bundang, the first destination. ¡°Great time. Your name is Hyunwoo, right?¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Okay, this is my tip. I¡¯ll see you sometimes.¡± It was 30,000 won. ¡°Thanks, president.¡± He gave the other three a ride to their homes respectively. Each of them gave a 30,000 won as a tip. Finally, his car arrived at Hyundai Apartments in Bugokdong, Yang¡¯s house. ¡°Nice job. How much?¡± ¡°As I received the tip, just give me 30,000 won.¡± ¡°No, no. Let me pay separately.¡± He gave Hyunwoo 50,000 won. Combined, the total amount of the chauffeur service was 140,000 won for the day. As far as he knew, Yang was pretty frugal. Even though he received 200 million won from his friends, he was not the type of person who would tip easily. When Hyunwoo declined the tip, Yang said, ¡°Well, I¡¯m not a free spender, but I just want to give you a tip for some reason, so take it as I don¡¯t give a tip all the time.¡± ¡°...Thanks, sir.¡± Only then did Yang walk to his house with a light heart. Hyunwoo drove back to the ce where Gyungsu was waiting. Inside the car, he was asleep, snoring a lot. He didn¡¯t wake up when Hyunwoo opened the door. Only when he closed the door with a bang did Gyungsu wake up. ¡°Um. it¡¯s you, Hyunwoo.¡± ¡°Take this.¡± Hyunwoo gave him 70,000 won, at which he opened his eyes wide. ¡°Oh, howe you gave me this much?¡± ¡°They gave me a lot of tips today.¡± ¡°We¡¯re lucky today.¡± At that moment, he had a service request call. The destination was a karaoke bar about 1 km away from them. Gyungsu quickly turned on the engine. ¡°I hope we can meet a customer generous about tips.¡± Sitting next to him, Hyunwoo grinned. A littleter, he stopped before the karaoke bar, and Hyunwoo went inside. ¡°Oh my god! You must be Hyunwoo!¡± It was Min Suji. Standing next to him was a tall and handsome man. Both of them looked very close to each other. ¡°It¡¯s small world here in Ansan since we met here,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Howe you are here?¡± ¡°Me? I¡¯m a chauffeur. Did you call me?¡± At his words, Suji¡¯s eyes opened wider because she didn¡¯t know he was a chauffeur in the evening after working hard during the day. Kim, looking at them quietly, cut in, ¡°Who is this man?¡± ¡°Oh, he works at the samepany with me. Assistant manager Jang Hyunwoo, this is Kim Hyungdae¡± Min hesitated for a moment when she introduced him. She felt it awkward to introduce him as her boyfriend because she had met him only today, but at the same time she felt it discourteous to say he was her acquaintance. She also felt ufortable telling Hyunwoo she had a blind date with him. At that moment, Kim introduced himself, ¡°How are you? My name is Kim Hyungdae, sales executive at Sangwon Foods. I¡¯m her boyfriend.¡± He then gave his name card to Hyunwoo, which seemed very luxurious because it was ted with gold. ¡°Oh, I see. Nice to see you.¡± ¡°I called for your service. She wanted to go home, so please give her a ride.¡± ¡°Sure. Where is your car?¡± ¡°Outside the bar. Let¡¯s get out, Suji.¡± Kim went out the bar, walking ahead of them. But Hyunwoo could feel a kind of arrogant air from his gait. It looked like Kim walked like that on purpose as if to show ¡°I¡¯m such a great guy.¡± Kim¡¯s car was a foreign car that cost more than 200 million won. Handing his key to Hyunwoo, Kim asked, ¡°Can you drive it?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll drive carefully.¡± Kim liked to boast furtively. ¡°As you¡¯re a chauffeur, you know things about foreign cars. Do you know the German maker Fpany¡¯s model Rockfad?¡± ¡°Rockfad? It¡¯s a very good car. As I understand, there are only a few of them in Korea. I myself have never driven it.¡± ¡°I want to buy it, but I¡¯m agonizing over it at the moment.¡± ¡°Why? Is it too expensive?¡± ¡°Money doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ve got three cars now. My father wants me to sell one if I buy another one. I just don¡¯t know which one I have to sell because I love them all. This is the cheapest of the three, so I¡¯m thinking about selling this one¡± He then gave Min some options to choose. ¡°Shall we get a couples ring? Would you like a diamond ring or a gold ring? I prefer a diamond ring rather than a heavy gold ring¡± ¡°It¡¯s too early for us to make a couples ring¡± They soon arrived at Min¡¯s house. Kim got off with Min. ¡°Can you wait a moment? Let me take her to the door of her house.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°No, let me go alone.¡± ¡°Oh, how can I let a beautifuldy like Suji go alone?¡± Kim put his arm gently around her shoulder before walking together, but she pushed his hand gently and said, ¡°I told you already. I want to slow down. I wish you wouldn¡¯t put your hand on me without asking first. And I feel ufortable if you follow me like this.¡± ¡°Really? I¡¯m sorry.¡± Kim was a bit embarrassed. Looking at him inside the car, Hyunwoo chuckled. Looks like they just met. Did they meet today? Min disappeared at a rapid pace, and Kim hesitantly walked up to get inside the car. Hyunwoo quickly managed his expression and started the car. Kim was silent inside the car, and Hyunwoo had nothing to say. He just focused on driving to Kim¡¯s destination in the port of Pyongtaek. ¡°Here is the car key, and the fare is 50,000 won.¡± Kim took out the money and then said, ¡°Thank you.¡± The following morning, Hyunwoo started his day as usual. A bucket full of soybean juice in his car, he reported to work early in the morning. Half of the team members drank soybean juice for breakfast, and among them were Park Youngsu and Suji. That morning was a bit different from other typical mornings, though. After emptying a soybean cup, Min suddenly took out a 50,000 won note and gave it to Hyunwoo. With eyes open wide, Hyunwoo looked at it and asked, ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Well, my payment for it. I enjoyed your soybean juice for one month, and that¡¯s my monthly payment.¡± Not only Hyunwoo, but the other members were also surprised. If Min was paying for her soybean juice, they would have to as well. Hyunwooughed heartily as if to break the ice, ¡°Ha ha. Nice joke. Do you think I¡¯m giving you this juice to make money? Just take it back as I don¡¯t need it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to have it for free. I would just feelfortable if I paid for it, so please take the money.¡± Hyunwoo wondered why Suji acted like this so abruptly. Suddenly,st night¡¯s episode came to mind. She came to know he was a chauffeur until it was early in the morning. In fact, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t do it as often as before. These days, he was a chauffeur three times at most a week. But Suji might think he was doing it every day to ovee his economic hardship. In other words, she might think he was wretchedly poor. Of course, it was true he struggled to make a single cent in the early days of his chauffeur service, but he was not that desperate these days. As he could afford it financially, he didn¡¯t necessarily work as a chauffeur often. ¡°Please take the money. Otherwise, I won¡¯t have soybean juice tomorrow.¡± Hyunwoo scratched his head and then took the money. As expected, other team members reluctantly approached Hyunwoo and gave him money. Some of them said that they would wire the money in his ount, saying they had no cash. Park then said, ¡°Okay. We should not have this for free. Give me your ount so that we can wire the money automatically.¡± ¡°No, sir. I don¡¯t intend on selling soybean juice for money¡± ¡°I know, but you have to think about your mother¡± Hyunwoo had no choice but to follow Park¡¯s instruction and reveal his ount number. In the meantime, Min didn¡¯t stop there. While Hyunwoo was away from the office for a moment, she went to Park with an abrupt proposal. ¡°Manager, I would like to help Hyunwoo.¡± ¡°Help him? Something happened to him?¡± ¡°In fact¡± Except for his blind date with Kim, Min told Park about Hyunwoo¡¯s working as a chauffeur after office hours. Park¡¯s face increasingly became serious as he listened to her exnation. ¡°Is Mr Jang in such financial difficulty?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± ¡°Hummmm.. I¡¯m not a good manager because I was not aware of his situation. So, how can I help him? Any good ideas?¡± Min exined to him her idea. Park said it was good and then went out of the office. Park headed to the president¡¯s office. With a smile, the president greeted him. These days, he was just happy about seeing him. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Uncle, please do me a favor.¡± The smile on the president¡¯s face disappeared momentarily, but he smiled again. It¡¯ll be alright. He won¡¯t ask me a strange favor. He is not the man of the past any more. Let me trust him. I have to trust him. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°What about offering breakfast to all the employees as part of ourpany¡¯s welfare benefits?¡± Chapter 49

Chapter 49

Park Daebong¡¯s eyes popped up at his nephew¡¯s suggestion because it required a huge budget. There were more than 300 full-time and contractors at Aurum. If thepany offered free breakfast to them, it needed over 25 million won per month, or 300 million won per year. Even if only the employees here in Ansan got the benefit, it would still cost 10 million per month, or 120 million per year. Is this guy crazy to propose such a suggestion? He knows the difficult financial situation of Aurum, Park thought. On the other hand, Park thought his nephew¡¯s idea wasmendable because he now showedpassion for his subordinates in a break with his image as ¡°crazy dog.¡± Consciously hiding his anger, Park asked with a soft expression, ¡°Why are you making such a request suddenly?¡± ¡°In fact, one of our purchasing team members is in a financially bad situation. The thing is he makes soybean juice at home and brings it here for our team members¡¯ breakfast substitute.¡± Park listened to him carefully. The more he listened, the more he liked the idea. In particr, he liked the fact that thepany didn¡¯t need to take any actions to support the idea. ¡°Do you mean that thepany gives 50,000 won in subsidy per person for a breakfast substitute?¡± ¡°Of course, it will be good for thepany to offer the subsidy, but it¡¯s financially difficult at the moment. So, thepany offers only half the subsidy, and when its financial situation gets betterter, it will fully support the breakfast program.¡± Park gave it a serious thought. The idea would only be practicable to the employees at the Ansan factory. Then, 25,000 won for 120 employees would be 3 million per month, and there was no guarantee that everybody will apply for the subsidy because they won¡¯t necessarily look for soybean juice as a breakfast substitute. The actual applicants might be fewer than expected. In other words, from the management¡¯s position, thepany would im credit for their welfare with moderate expenses and at the same time get a productivity increase. Park patted him on the shoulder with a satisfactory look. ¡°That¡¯s a very good idea. Let me talk to the general affairs team right away and put it into action as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Thanks, uncle.¡± ¡°Thank you, too. Ha ha.¡± With a bright expression, Park Youngsu went out of the office. Smiling more brightly, he went back to the purchasing team office. Hyunwoo, who had been at the material warehouse, was back, too. Sitting down at his desk, Park called Hyunwoo. ¡°Mr. Jang, can I see you for a minute?¡± ¡°Yes, manager.¡± ¡°Please talk to your mother well. She had better prepare for it in advance.¡± ¡°Preparing what?¡± asked Hyunwoo with a perplexed look. ¡°The president has decided to offer free breakfast to the employees, so I rmended your soybean juice, and he okayed it. So, we¡¯re cing an order on soybean juice soon.¡± ¡°Really? All the employees? Soybean juice?¡± ¡°I suggested 50,000 won per person. Not bad, right?¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s jaws dropped, with his eyes bing wider at the same time. Before he knew it, he turned his eyes to Min Suji because he thought it was Min who had initiated the idea. It was as he expected. Min was smiling at him out of joy. But Hyunwoo felt sort of ufortable. When he thought of preparing soybean juice for 120 employees every morning, he just felt overwhelmed by that. How did it end up like this? Of course it was good to make money. If he could sell soybean juice to the employees, he could make at least one million won per month. Lowering the ingredient cost and raising the price, he could expect to make 1.5 million won. But he began to worry already about his mother¡¯s burden. There was another problem. Currently, she was in charge of the side dish store because the owner was sick. Though she hired two part-timers, they worked briefly in the morning, and the owner only showed up in the evening. Hyunwoo felt his mother might be physically overburdened if she had to make a massive quantity of soybean juice every morning while working at the side dish store during the day. Soybean juice was not on the side dish menu, so she needed a machine to make soybean in bulk. She had to put all her energy and time to make it. What about bringing it to the factory? Hyunwoo could not hire a truck driver to load the soybean juice buckets. After all, Hyunwoo had to carry them in a van every morning. There were lots of obstacles out there. No matter how hard he thought, Hyunwoo thought he could not ept the manager¡¯s suggestion. I think I have to decline. But he found it hard to do so. Anyway, Park and Min took the initiative on this for him, and Park already made the proposal to the president, who then approved it already. ¡°Thank you. Let me talk to my mother first. As she feels physically weak these days, I wonder if she can do it.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s too bad. Talk with your mother first because she should not ruin her health because of this.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± answered Hyunwoo. However, Hyunwoo decided he wouldn¡¯t bring it up to her mother, and the next morning he would announce ¡®Impossible,¡¯ citing her mother as an excuse. Then, it would solve all the problems simply. As soon as he got off work, he headed home early. He erased any thoughts of soybean juice from his mindpletely, vowing to never bring up the topic. When he arrived, the atmosphere was rather gloomy. His father turned his face quickly and looked out the window, while his mother was quickly wiping tears, but she could not wipe away the sorrow in her look. Her mother¡¯s pale lips quivered when she could not control her tears. Hyunwoo approached her and sat beside her. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Mom?¡± ¡°Boohoo¡± She shed tears again at Hyunwoo¡¯s words. Though she was easily moved to tears, it was unusual for her to cut a sad figure like this. It looked like something bad had happened to the family. Though his heart sank, he hid his disturbed expression. Holding her hands quietly, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s the problem? Should I not know?¡± She shook her head. Though she wanted to say, she couldn¡¯t because of her uncontroble sorrow. Then his father said, ¡°A restaurant owner, to whom your mother supplied side dishes, ran away without paying for the bnce. Stop crying, honey. What¡¯s the big deal when you couldn¡¯t take back 3 million won?¡± Hyunwoo let out a sigh of relief before he knew it. He was worried that something bad had happened to them, but it was only a mary matter. His tension, escting to the highest a moment ago, suddenly rxed. But his mother was still sad, and she began to cry openly as if she could express it freely now. Her reason for crying was rather strange, though. ¡°Oh, my poor baby. I¡¯m bing a burden, not a help to you. My poor baby!¡± After all, it all happened because of Hyunwoo. It was because she felt sorry about Hyunwoo making a living alone that she began to work at the side dish store, and it was because she felt like she was a burden to him that she felt so sad. Hyunwoo was heartbroken. It was not because of money but because of her mistaken thinking. She misunderstood the situation, which Hyunwoo wanted to correct. Then, she could enjoy a happier life from now on. With a smile, he said, ¡°Mom, do you know what the biggest wealth parents bequeath to their children?¡± She didn¡¯t say anything. She just tried to control her spontaneous sobbing. ¡°It is not just money. The biggest wealth is leaving behind good memories for their children, such as ¡®my parents lived a truly happy and pleasant life.¡¯ Got it, mom?¡± Hyunwoo didn¡¯t talk quickly and paused for a moment for her to ponder what he had said. Then he resumed, ¡°Think of this, Mom. To me, what makes me feel more heart broken? Losing 3 million won or having to see you feel so sad like this? Please don¡¯t feel sad any more. Please get over it on my behalf. That is the biggest gift for me.¡± After struggling to control her emotions, she opened her mouth, atst. ¡°I just wish you to be happy. That¡¯s all I want, son.¡± ¡°Then, be happy yourself, mom, for me. Don¡¯t feel sad about me. Just take it as it is and enjoy it. I¡¯ll be happy with just that.¡± Tears ran down her cheeks once more, but Hyunwoo thought her tears were different from the tears she had shed a moment ago. He held her hands tightly and said, ¡°You and daddy are the only reason why I am alive.¡± She also held his hands tightly. She could not say anything because she had to control her tears, but he could figure out her heart by looking at her eyes. Only then did she stop crying. Wiping her tears, she stood up and asked, ¡°You didn¡¯t have dinner yet, right?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so hungry, mom,¡± said Hyunwoo, folding up his belly and copsing as if he would faint because of hunger. She pitifully smiled at his cute tricks and said, ¡°Let me make dinner quickly.¡± The dinner she prepared was bountiful with lots of delicious side dishes. Leaning against a chair, his father enjoyed the food. Sometimes, she picked up a side dish and put it on his spoon. Looking at that, Hyunwoo felt her sorrow disappear. 15 dayster. A very old mini van, whose engine was likely to turn off at any moment, passed through the main gate of Aurum. It was Hyunwoo¡¯s van. As the guard had been notified in advance, it passed without any checks, but the van had to stop for a while because some of Hyunwoo¡¯s colleagues were driving through the gate at the moment. ¡°Whose van is this?¡± ¡°Oh, it was discontinued more than 15 years ago. Looks like it¡¯s still in good condition.¡± ¡°Uh, isn¡¯t he Mr. Jang Hyunwoo, assistant manager of the purchasing team?¡± ¡°Really? Assistant manager Jang?¡± Their jaws dropped, and they had a simr misunderstanding. It must be true that his family is in extreme poverty. The employees reporting to work looked at the van with dubious expressions because it was so old and outdated. Particrly, the purchasing team members felt Hyunwoo¡¯s financial situation was worse than they had thought when they looked at his van. Min Suji thought so in particr. How did I fail to notice this? I think it was a really nice thing to suggest soybean juice as a breakfast substitute. On the other hand, Hyunwoo felt rather embarrassed. Wasn¡¯t it the first day he offered soybean juice to all the employees who had applied for it? Despite that, the topic of the day was not soybean juice but his old van. Hummmm..I think I have to change the van quickly. Chapter 50

Chapter 50

N&C Korea The factory site of Aurum was not thatrge, but thanks to good use of spare space in the site, it was able to house a beautiful garden. As the new yellow y sauna house was justpleted, the employees felt the vor of the garden even more. Though they felt somewhat disturbed by the construction of a new dormitory with a senior center nearby, Aurum would be a more stylish factory when it ispleted. The employees used to take a break under the shade of the trees during lunch time, enjoying the scenic atmosphere of the factory site. Hyunwoo was no exception. He sometimes took a walk around the factory or sometimes took a nap on a mat he spread on the ground. In mid-September, it was still warm, and it was perfect for a nap under the tree shade. As usual, Hyunwooy under a tree¡¯s shade for a nap. And at that moment, he got a call. It was an international call from president Na Sungji in Vietnam. Pleasantly surprised, Hyunwoo sprang to his feet and picked up the phone. ¡°Hello? Is this president Na?¡± ¡°Assistant manager Jang. We finally have new products! Very good. I¡¯d like to send the samples to you as soon as possible. What should I do?¡± Hyunwoo¡¯e eyes opened wide because he had been waiting for that good news every day. If N&C¡¯s new products passed the caster quality standard, and it signed the formal supply contract, Na would be able to get the fear of bankruptcy off his chest. ¡°Really? Got it. Let me report to my manager so that we can immediately get the samples.¡± As soon as lunch time was over, he had Yonggu report to manager Park about the castor samples. Park reported it to the president, who then authorized it. ¡°Tell them to send the samples to us,¡± said Park. ¡°Yes, sir,¡± replied Hyunwoo strongly. He called Na in Vietnam about it. Na¡¯s voice was more vigorous than ever. ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ve already received the certificates of origin from the Commerce Department of Vietnam. Let me send the samples immediately.¡± It was three days after Na¡¯s call that the castor samples Na had sent were delivered at the warehouse of Aurum. To save the transit time as much as possible, the samples were shipped by air. Park pressed on the speedy test of the new samples as much as possible, for the purchasing team could get the credit of the cost savings if the samples passed the quality test. Also, the castor price was the highest among the import parts. The imports from Taiwan amounted to $800,000. The new samples, if passed, could bring about $140,000 in cost savings. Because of the size of the savings, the president was also greatly interested in the samples. The test was done in three days with a sessful oue. ¡°This new sample is much better than the existing Taiwanese products in quality. Are you sure this is the same product that the samepany sent us three months ago? How did they improve the quality of the castor in such a short time?¡± said the research team, praising them with the thumbs up. Park Youngsu, the manager, expressed great joy, too. ¡°Great! Draft a contract to purchase the new products immediately.¡± The contract was processed quickly. The president signed it that day, and a formal supply contract with the new order was sent to Mr. Na in Vietnam. Fifteen dayster, the container ship carrying the new castors from Vietnam arrived at the port of Pusan. The award money ceremony was held because the purchasing team cut $80,000 in the unit price and $65,000 in customs duties by changing the purchase of castors from Taiwan to Vietnam. The total cost savings was more than $140,000 per year. But the management could not promote Hyunwoo to deputy manager again in only two months after he got promoted to assistant manager, so he was given a 4-step increase in grade with an additional 45 million won as award money. Hyunwoo felt as if he had suddenly gotten freed from the car sitting heavily on him for many years. In fact, he had agonized and worried over this. What if N&C fails the quality standard test? What if the factory goes bankrupt? Did I invest 300 million won in vain? That kind of nervousness heavily weighed on him. But Mr. Na¡¯s sessful samples made him free from it. As N&C got the sessful contract from Aurum, it was certain to revive, and Hyunwoo¡¯s investment would see big returns from now on. As N&C hase this far, I wish it could grow into argepany. If N&C could grow big, Aurum would have to buy its products much more than now. This required Aurum to grow big first. What was strange was that the PR team of Aurum did not advertise the new product at all. More advertising meant a better image of thepany and more product sales, but the PR team sat idle, doing nothing about it. Hummm...let me take the initiative then, Hyunwoo thought. He made a press release immediately and submitted it to manager Park as soon as he reported to work. Park had a dubious look on his face and asked, ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a press release draft about the new product. The gist is we improved the quality while cutting the unit price by joining hands with a promising middle-sizedpany in Vietnam. If this gets printed in dailies or weeklies, I guess it will positively affect the stock price of Aurum.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think this is the PR team¡¯s job?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, but if we draft it and give it to the PR team, it will be recognized as our performance. Don¡¯t you think this will give due credit to your work, too?¡± Park satisfactorily smiled. Hyunwoo¡¯s idea was definitely saving face for him, and the manager of the PR team had no reason to feel bad about it. As a matter of fact, Minhye, the president¡¯s daughter, was the manager of the PR team. ¡°By the way, do you think dailies or TVworks will pick up our press release?¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s your speciality. Why don¡¯t you win over the reporters with your unusual sociability?¡± Though Hyunwoo didn¡¯t mention it directly, he was making the case for lobbying. As far as lobbying was concerned, Park weed it because he could wine and dine withpany money and y golf in the field. Nodding his head, Park stood up and said, ¡°Okay, let me report your proposal to the president first.¡± A littleter. Park came back from the president¡¯s office. Hyunwoo could immediately read it from his expression. Park didn¡¯t have the proposal in his hand. ¡°The president approved it. Sooner orter, the PR team will ask for our cooperation. Please help them well.¡± ¡°Got it, manager.¡± When he was getting off work in the evening, the PR team contacted him. ¡°I had no time to review the proposal during the day because I was preparing for the students¡¯ visit to Aurum. Are you avable now? Can youe over and help me prepare the press release?¡± ¡°Wait a minute Manager Park. The PR team wants me to go over to help them on the press release. If Ie now, I think I have to leave the office now.¡± ¡°Sure, just go ahead.¡± As if he was waiting for that, Park nodded his head. The atmosphere of the PR team was much different from that of the purchasing team. Above all, there were more female workers, and the manager was also female. The manager was Park Minhye, the president¡¯s daughter. When Hyunwoo entered the office, a female in herte 30s waved at him as if she had been waiting for him. She was deputy manager Do Youngsun, who had just called him. ¡°You¡¯re assistant manager Jang Hyunwoo, right? Pleasee this way.¡± ¡°Yes, I am. How are you?¡± As soon as he sat down, she asked for his opinion, showing the press release draft to him. ¡°Looking at your draft proposal, I get the impression that you give more publicity to the factories in Vietnam than Aurum. In particr, thepany called N&C is given an overly colorful description. Any particr reason for that?¡± ¡°The gist of the press release is not the improvement in Aurum¡¯s technology. It¡¯s about a sharp increase in the quality and pricepetitiveness through Aurum¡¯s good match with its business partners. The more favorable publicity we give to our business partners, the more our products will be publicized.¡± ¡°Oh, this reveals our intentions too much. If wepose the wording like this, it suggests that anypany that uses N&C parts will see improvements in the quality and price of their products.¡± ¡°The onlypany in Korea that deals with N&C is Aurum. At least at this point, no otherpany will get the publicity benefits because of this press release, and I think this kind of publicity is more effective.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Hyunwoo could not understand Do¡¯s logic. How could a publicity specialist like her miss his point? In addition, she was trying to find fault with the proposal even the president had okayed. Hyunwoo exined further without any hesitation. ¡°That¡¯s because of objectivity. If we publicize too much about Aurum, they will misunderstand it as our own publicity campaign, but if we talk about apany in a foreign country, their perception will bepletely different.¡± Nheless, she didn¡¯t seem to have been persuaded because she felt more publicity was given to N&C than Aurum. Do wasn¡¯t the only one looking at Hyunwoo. Park Minhye, the PR team manager, had been keeping an eye on him since he had entered the office, and both of them were listening to him carefully. In fact, Minhye had no interest in him at all. When she saw him at the interview session, she felt that he had looked like a wild horse, but it was far from a good feeling toward him. Even if she did, it was meaningless to her because he was a high school graduate. There was no chance that his father would allow her to date such a man. As time passed by, however, her feelings toward him began to change gradually, for his name was often mentioned inside thepany for his outstanding performance. Though he is a high school graduate, he¡¯s quite capable. That was hertest evaluation of Hyunwoo. And what was more important was those she had in mind as her potential husband were more and more disappointing, particrly Oh Sangho. She had met him while studying in the United States. Though she studied at a third-rate college in a provincial city, Oh was a graduate from Columbia University, an Ivy league college. Naturally, she had high expectations of him. As soon as he got hired by Aurum, she expected him to be able to show his unrivalled performance like Jang Hyunwoo. However, Oh didn¡¯t show anything. Rather, he made her knit her brows. He wouldn¡¯t admit that his performance was just average, and he kept whining that the performance evaluation method was wrong. She felt Yonggu of the purchasing team or Ko Younghwan of the sales team was better than Oh. At least they showed their worth in their current positions,peting with each other on equal footing. If she had to choose between the two, her choice would be Yonggu. He had been performing excellently recently and looked more handsome than Ko. Whenever she saw a man, she was naturallyparing him with Yonggu. And Hyunwoo came into her eyes now. Though she saw him with her eyes, she conjured up Yonggug in her mind andpared them. Hyunwoo is more handsome than Yonggu. That was true. Though he wasn¡¯t the most handsome guy, he could be called ¡®handsome¡¯ by anybody. In addition, he was quite capable. He was the very person who had be the hottest topic among thepany employees for his outstanding performance these days. Also, he had a fine character. Though he got hired only recently, he made friends not only with many of those of the purchasing team but also members of the production team and sales team. Naturally, there were few single female workers who didn¡¯t show interest in him. Park Minhye was no exception. She just felt curious about him. He seems to be very smart. Then, why didn¡¯t he go to college? At that moment, Do, the deputy manager, raised her voice and said, ¡°No, I can¡¯t do it. It¡¯s the press release about ourpany, not a foreignpany. Why are you trying to highlight thatpany?¡± Minhye interrupted, saying, ¡°Stop it. Please bring it to me.¡± Chapter 51

Chapter 51

Do Sunyoung gave Hyunwoo¡¯s press release draft to Minhye. Reviewing it, she felt Do had a legitimate reason to get upset, for it was publicizing the factory in Vietnam instead of Aurum a lot, for which the release was intended. However, Hyunwoo¡¯s proposal made sense as well. In addition, it really smelled like a newspaper article because of its objective nature. If Minhye was a consumer, she would have a more favorable look on Hyunwoo¡¯s press release rather than the one giving favorable publicity to Aurum alone. Come to think of it, Minhye recalled an episode the other day. At the time, Do made a press release about the students¡¯ visit to the factory. Minhye herself scolded Do because the release didn¡¯t highlight Aurum. Perhaps that was why Do reacted sensitively to Hyunwoo¡¯s proposal, which gave more of the limelight to the Vietnamese factory. Minhye mediated between them to save face. ¡°I think assistant manager Jang also has a point. But it¡¯s a bit too focused on the Vietnamese factory, so you should put in a bit more about Aurum in the draft and prepare the final press release.¡± She then rose from her seat because she had to get off work on time. At Aurum, all managers above the team manager had to leave the office when the work day ended. It was the president¡¯s policy. ¡°Let me get off work now. Deputy manager Do, please draft the press release and then go home.¡± Thanks to Minhye¡¯s help, the press release was drafted easily, which contained most of Hyunwoo¡¯s ideas and added some more description about Aurum to it. Thepleted press release was satisfactory to Hyunwoo. The press release handed out by Aurum was reported in the press. It got printed not only in the local press but also in the economic sections of major national dailies. Some newspapers carried the president¡¯s photo along with the article. It was possible thanks to Park Youngsu¡¯s lobbying efforts. Even though he didn¡¯t spent a lot of money, hepletely won over the reporters¡¯ minds. The reports had an immediate effect. The stock price of Aurum was at an all time high for the next couple of days, which stood out because most of the other stocks were down during that period. ¡°Nice job! I think I have a good nephew,¡± said Park Daebong. ¡°Ha ha. Don¡¯t say that, uncle,¡± answered Park Youngsu. In a good mood, Park Youngsu praised Hyunwoo, saying, ¡°Thanks. I think you¡¯re the gem of our team. Tell me anything that you need.¡± ¡°No, sir. It was possible because of your excellent lobbying. Who could control the reporters so easily like that?¡± ¡°Really? Ha ha ha.¡± Hyunwoo was as happy as Park. Thanks to his risky investment in the factory in Vietnam, everybody couldugh a lot now. When he thought of Mr. Na and Kwon Sangtaek¡¯s family in Vietnam smiling broadly,ughing came naturally. During the weekend, Hyunwoo went climbing along with his parents and the seniors in his neighborhood. Suddenly, he got a call from his friend, and his high school friends had an alumni meeting in a long time. Some of them dly waved at him, recognizing his face. ¡°Hey, long time no see!¡± They were in the same ss with Hyunwoo during the senior year in high school. Hyunwoo and Yonggu were only in the same ss during junior year. There were some faces Hyunwoo had fond memories of but other faces he didn¡¯t. An alumnus by the name of Kim Hyungsun took out a business card from a gold-ted case and gave one to him. The title on it read ¡®President.¡¯ ¡°Sangwon Foods? Are you its president?¡± ¡°Two years ago, I set up a small foodspany with my brother in the port of Pyongtaek. If you happen toe to my ce, just call me. By the way, how are you doing these days? You¡¯re working at apany, right?¡± Hyunwoo felt that his question was weird. Kim seemed to ask sarcastically ¡®You¡¯re out of work, right?¡¯ Actually, Kim¡¯s image in high school was about the same. He was from a rich family, but he tantly ignored and looked down on those who were less fortunate than him. He still had that bad habit. Hyunwoo wanted to say something back like, ¡°Hey, dude. I¡¯m a proud investor!¡± But he suppressed it, of course. He hated the way they judged people by money or position. In a way, he might have thought that way because he had no money or position up to that point. Still, he was just upset, and his stomach churned when someone discriminated against people, judging their money and position. Suddenly, Hyunwoo felt he might be changing to that type of person himself, putting money above anything else. ¡®Hummmm I have been changing, too, before I knew it. I think I have to be more prudent. I can¡¯t allow myself to change into such a type.¡± At Kim¡¯s sarcastic question, Hyunwoo smiled lightly instead of boasting. He then kindly replied, ¡°I work at a furniturepany called Aurum.¡± When he said that, another alumnus by the name of Sangyun, sitting on the other side, came over and joined them. ¡°Oh, I now get it. I heard you were on a roll these days at Aurum. They say you received tens of million won in award money for reducing the costs, and you got promoted to assistant manager in less than three months after you got hired.¡± His alumni¡¯s jaws were dropping at Sangyun¡¯s mention of tens of million won in award money. However, it was Hyunwoo who was as surprised as them. How did Sangyun hear the rumor about me? Holding his cup, Sangyun moved next to Hyunwoo¡¯s ce and said, ¡°Actually, our president is really pressing us to reduce costs, so I¡¯ve been trying to find out how otherpanies are doing. I then heard this about you. Is that true?¡± As if he felt shy, Hyunwoo just scratched his head and said, ¡°Well I was lucky enough to get the award.¡± When he said that, Kim Hyungsun again said sarcastically, ¡°You reduced the cost of tens of million won, I guess. Howe the award money is tens of million won?¡± Come to think of it, the award money was too big, Sangyun thought. Sangyun asked once more, ¡°Really? Did I hear wrong?¡± Chuckling, Hyunwoo replied, ¡°I told you already, man. I just got the money by luck.¡± Sangyun¡¯s eyes opened wider now, for it was the award money that Hyunwoo had received, not the amount of cost reduction. Even Hyungsun was astonished this time. ¡°Really? Wow, you¡¯re great! How did you receive tens of million won in award money?¡± ¡°Hey, you guys make me keep repeating what I said already. I was just lucky.¡± Suddenly, Hyungsun put forward an absurd proposal to Hyunwoo. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to work with me by any chance? Actually, I wanted to hire one more smart guy. I can give you a higher sry than what you receive from Aurum right now. Just call me when you feel up to it.¡± Hyunwoo sneered at him in his heart. Why would he leave a goodpany and work under Kim? Also, it seemed that he would have no future in thepany Kim was running. ¡°How can I change my workce so suddenly? Mypany is very good, and the employees there are also good¡± said Hyunwoo, politely declining Kim¡¯s offer. Kim smacked his lips as if he regretted Hyunwoo¡¯s decision. ¡°Well, I¡¯m merely mentioning it just in case you might need my help.¡± ¡°Thanks for your consideration, friend,¡± said Hyunwoo with a big smile. A conversation between them stopped for a while, when Sangyun interrupted as if he had been waiting for a chance to join. ¡°What happened, man? Please tell me how. I just want to get some award money with your coaching, dude.¡± ¡°Hummm does yourpany export at all?¡± ¡°No, we¡¯re not exporting.¡± Then, it has nothing to do with the refund. ¡°What kind of apany is it?¡± ¡°Handcarts. It¡¯s used to carry packages.¡± ¡°Where do you buy the raw material? Don¡¯t you import parts from abroad?¡± ¡°Well, we buy the handle and pads from local factories and only the wheels from abroad.¡± ¡°Which country?¡± ¡°China. But the ratio of defective parts is too high. I heard the quality of Chinese products has improved, but it still has a long way to go. So, it looks like our material department is trying to change the wheel supplier now.¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wider because the wheels used for the handcarts were also produced by N&C factory in Vietnam. ¡°Can I introduce you a foreign wheel producer I know well? In fact, ourpany has recently changed the wheel supplier from Taiwan to Vietnam, and I got the award money because of my contribution.¡± Sangyun opened his eyes wide suddenly at his reply. If Hyunwoo received the award money for that, he felt he could get it, too. ¡°Where is thepany?¡± ¡°It¡¯s located in Ho Chi Min City in Vietnam. I wonder if the unit price is cheaper than the Chinese part, but the quality is really good. It¡¯s a wheel factory set up by Korean experts in Vietnam.¡± ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t know that. By the way, as I don¡¯t work at the production team, I don¡¯t know much. I¡¯m not sure if I can get the award money without understanding anything about it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that difficult. Why don¡¯t you initiate the cost reduction proposal and submit it to your boss?¡± ¡°That might be an easy job for you since you know it well. Can you help me? Let me treat you to a big dinner if I get the award money.¡± Hyunwoo thought about it for a moment. If he collected some information, it was a very simple job. In addition, it would be a good thing for Hyunwoo that N&Cpany could expand its sales market in Korea. ¡°Sure. Please let me know the product details and the unit price of the Chinese part. Then, let me make a proposal for you. You should treat me big instead, okay?¡± ¡°No problem, dude. Give me your business card. I¡¯ll email you the product specifications and the import unit price.¡± Hyunwoo gave his business card to Sangyun. Chapter 52

Chapter 52

When Hyunwoo gave his card to Sangyun, another friend held out his hand for one, saying ¡°Hey, you should have handed one out to everyone here as soon as you arrived here.¡± It was Paek Sungwoo, who was in sharp contrast to Kim Hyungsun in every way. Paek was the type of person people wanted to talk to when he was around. Though he was a man of few words, he always took the lead in controlling the conversation. Maybe it was because he would make his friends rxed andfortable. In addition, he was handsome, had a great sense of humor, and was very good at brightening the atmosphere. Because of his versatile talents, he was popr among men and women alike. Hyunwoo was envious of Paek¡¯s natural and rxed attitude. At the same time, Paek was a hopeless fellow in some way. Giving a name card to him, Hyunwoo asked, ¡°Do you still like to move from one ce to another?¡± ¡°Yep, why shouldn¡¯t I?¡± Paek was good in every way except that he had itchy feet. As he had no particr job, he had no dwelling in any specific ce. Nobody was surprised that he would leave for Cheju ind suddenly after living in Seoul for so long. Nheless, he never asked for anybody¡¯s help. That meant he was very good at making money. In the meantime, Kim Hyungsun stood up to leave. ¡°Sorry, I have to leave first for a business appointment,¡± said Kim. Then, other friends began to rise from their seats, citing one reason or another. ¡°My wife is getting so sensitive these days¡± ¡°I have to take care of my baby, who¡¯s just 100 days old.¡± When it was over midnight, all his friends left the ce. Now only Hyunwoo and Paek were left alone. ¡°Shall we go to the sauna for a break?¡± Paek dly nodded at Hyunwoo¡¯s suggestion. The sauna house they visited had a few customers. ¡°Where are you living these days?¡± ¡°In Daejon.¡± ¡°What are you doing there?¡± ¡°A big brother I know asked me to take care of his shop inside a department store. There are so many blonde bimbos there. To them, 1 million won is nothing. I got a 100,000 won bill as a tip.¡± ¡°Maybe she is interested in you.¡± ¡°Probably. I really had a great time with her for several days. Her face and figure were gorgeous, though she was an empty-headed woman.¡± Hyunwoo felt envious of him on the one hand, but he felt sorry about him on the other hand. He had great potential if he could make good use of his talents. Anyway, Hyunwoo went back home after parting with Paek. Several dayster, Sangyun emailed him on the wheel of the handcart they had mentioned the other day at the alumni meeting. It was about the specification of the Chinese part, but there was no information about its unit price. Come to think of it, that was understandable because he could not reveal it even if they were close friends, or the material department of Sangyun¡¯spany might have kept it a secret. Hyunwoo called Sangyun, saying, ¡°I got your email, but I don¡¯t see the unit price.¡± ¡°Damn it. They scolded me because I meddled in their business. Looks like I can¡¯t find out the unit price. Can you just make a proposal based on the unit price of the Vietnamese product?¡± ¡°I could do that. Let me send the product specification to the Vietnamese factory for the estimated price.¡± After the call, he forwarded Sangyun¡¯s email to Mr. Na Sungji in Vietnam, and he then called Na. ¡°I sent you an email. It is about a domestic handcart factory that imports castors from China. If we can agree on the unit price, I think we can add anotherpany. Can you give me the unit price for this one?¡± ¡°Really? I¡¯m so grateful! As soon as I find out the estimated price, I¡¯ll let you know.¡± Two dayster, Na called Hyunwoo in the evening. ¡°I called you now because you might not be avable in the office. Can you talk now?¡± ¡°Thanks for your consideration. I usually sleep after midnight, so you can call me anytime before that.¡± ¡°I just emailed you the estimated cost.¡± ¡°Really? As soon as I confirm it, let me contact them.¡± ¡°By the way, I want you to do me a favor. That¡¯s why I called you during non-business hours like this.¡± Hyunwoo got tense at the moment. ¡°What kind of favor do you want to ask of me?¡± ¡°As a matter of fact, our factory here is operating well thanks to Aurum. Nheless, we have lots of idle machines, and I think we need to find some more business to get them running.¡± Hyunwoo had the same thought. When he had visited N&C factory, it had a huge site andrge buildings. Supplies to Aurum alone were not enough to make all the factories run at full capacity. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m trying hard to expand local markets, but I don¡¯t see much profits here. We need to find markets in Korea or Japan to make more money.¡± ¡°I understand. The localpanies in Vietnam use cheap parts, and I don¡¯t think they use the expensive castors produced by ourpany.¡± ¡°The problem is we don¡¯t have any good salesman in Korea or Japan. Even those with some sales experience are busy fattening their own profits.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only natural that they receive amission in return for opening up a local trader. They rely onmissions for their living.¡± ¡°The thing is they are trying to take too much. Running our factories night and day to produce parts, we just get 30 won per piece while they take 100 won per piece. Some of them just run away after taking themission.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you find the right person to do the job? I think Mr. Kwon Sangtaek might know some.¡± ¡°I talked to him. I felt he might know some, but he didn¡¯t know any. Can I ask a favor of you?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to set up a salespany?¡± ¡°What? Me? I¡¯m an employee with Aurum. How can I do that?¡± ¡°No big deal, I think. It¡¯s not a crime if you have another job, right? And you shouldn¡¯t think that a sales job is hard. All you have to do is y as an intermediary who can send me the estimate cost. You can hire a smart man to help you. Let me guarantee that a sales job is profitable enough.¡± ¡°Well, I just feel it embarrassing to introduce Aurum¡¯s rivals to you¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to introduce Aurum¡¯s rivals to me. I¡¯m not talking about the castors for the furniture or chairs alone. There are handcarts you just mentioned, travel bags, and even electronic products that require wheels. There are various types of castors produced by our factory.¡± Hyunwoo scratched his head. Having heard his exnation, he saw no problem at all. As long as his additional job as a salesman or intermediary didn¡¯t do any harm to Aurum, it wouldn¡¯t matter at all whether he worked as a chauffeur or worked as a salesman for N&C products. But the problem was whether he could find the time. If he were to work as a salesman, he should go around to otherpanies during their normal office hours, which coincided with his own working hours. He couldn¡¯t go after he got off work for the day because the office hours of otherpanies were also over. But Na continued to instigate Hyunwoo. ¡°I don¡¯t have anyone who I can trust as a salesman. I talked with Mr. Kwon, and he said he knew no other person than you.¡± ¡°Ha ha. Thanks for yourpliment, but I really can¡¯t work as a salesman no matter how hard I think about it. Instead, let me try to find out if I can find someone I can trust.¡± After all, Hyunwoo declined Na¡¯s proposal. Na let out a sigh of regret and said, ¡°Phew. I understand. Just let me know anytime when you change your mind.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo thought of the faces of his acquaintances one by one and checked out the names saved on his phone, but it was not easy to find the right person. Most of them led busy lives, and the names he saved on his phone were so numerous that he could not recall some of their faces, though he knew their names. The spam texts he asionally received disturbed him. They were mostly about real estate or his chauffeur service. Hyunwoo chuckled at the spam texts, thinking to himself, Can they do business by sending spam texts like this? Of course, it could be effective sometimes, but it needed to meet two preconditions. First, the sender of the texts should have a good name so that the recipients wouldn¡¯t believe that they would be ripped off. Second, the contents of the texts should coincide with the demands of the recipients. Even if they received such texts, they would not feel the desire or impulse to buy stuff that they didn¡¯t need. Suddenly, Hyunwoo thought of N&Cpany. Namely, publicizing thepany like that. When he gave it a serious thought, he felt that method could work. First of all, the N&C products were something the consumers needed. Any factory would want cheap and good raw materials. In particr, if the sales pitch was targeted toward thepanies that needed industrial wheels, that kind of publicity might be effective. Trust and recognition of N&Cpany were already there. For the press release about N&C¡¯s supplies to Aurum after testing the quality standard was already widely reported in the daily papers and TV outlets. In other words, it would be like an inte shopping mall without the actual warehouse. The unit price of those existing products would be revealed, and the products that needed a new design would need an estimate. In addition, his father was avable for this job. Though he was physically ufortable, he could do sales over the phone. His father could be appointed as the CEO and sales executive of the newpany. This time, Hyunwoo called Na Sungji. ¡°Mr.Na, let me do that sales business. I think I can do it on the inte.¡± ¡°I would really appreciate it so much if you could do that. If you¡¯re staring a sales business, you might need some money. Also, you had better take an appropriatemission. As you said you want to do it, let¡¯s make a contract then.¡± ¡°Contract?¡± Chapter 53

Chapter 53

¡°I mean, we need to decide on the proportion of profits in advance. What we¡¯re concerned about is the salespany taking more profits than the manufacturing factory. I know you won¡¯t deceive us, so I think I can trust you to take care of the sales business for our factory here once we decide on the profits proportion. In return for that, let me give you the exclusive sales rights in Korea,¡± said Na. Hearing what he said, Hyunwoo felt that Na had been preparing for a sales operation in Korea. When Hyunwoo introduced Sangyun to Na, Na must have proposed the sales branch idea to Hyunwoo, thinking the right moment hade atst. In fact, that didn¡¯t matter to Hyunwoo. His goal was to open a sales market for N&C products, not to take away money through sales profits. Also, he thought that the opening of a salespany could give his lethargic father some vigor in life when he took on a role there. ¡°Okay, then. Please make a draft on the sales operation here and send it to me. After I review it, let me sign it and send it back to you.¡± ¡°What do you want to call the newpany?¡± He came across one without hesitation. ¡°I think N&C Korea seems to be a good name.¡± ¡°I think so too. Actually, I have a draft contract prepared already. I¡¯ve been thinking it over for several days. Let me email it to you a littleter. If you like it, we can adjust the details before finalizing it.¡± Most of the contract uses were okay to Hyunwoo. What he noticed above all was the use about the division of profits. In other words, the salespany should not take more profits than the manufacturingpany, ording to the use. That use could also mean that even the salespany could take at least 30% of the profits. If Hyunwoo negotiated on the unit price well, he could make big profits. The period of the contract was five years, and it could be extended automatically without mutual objection. Though he reviewed it closely several times, Hyunwoo liked the contract anyway. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go ahead. I¡¯m going to designate my father as the president of this salespany. I¡¯ll talk to him and let you know.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a very good idea. Just let me know.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo moved to the main bedroom. Seated in a chair, his father was watching a soap opera with his mother. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got something to tell you.¡± Only then did his mother, who had lost herself in the TV drama, turn her head to him. ¡°Won¡¯t you go back into business?¡± ¡°Business?¡± Astonished by his son¡¯s suggestion, he opened his eyes wider, and his mother was startled, too. Hyunwoo told him about all the details of the salespany he was going to set up. The more they listened to him, the more they were surprised because he had never told them he had invested in a factory in Vietnam, and the amount of the investment was as much as 300 million won. His father, who had once started a big business, seemed to feel somewhat burdensome to hear the amount of the investment. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that it¡¯s too risky? What if the factory goes bankrupt?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. I already went there and confirmed the factory. Since they made a contract with Aurum, it has been stable.¡± Hyunwoo exined it in detail. Jang Duyoung, his father, once owned a big business. Though his business didn¡¯t go well, he had done a lot of research on management for his business. The more he listened to his son¡¯s exnation, his nervousness began to dissipate. Instead, his trust in the sess of son¡¯s business began to grow. ¡°So, all I have to do is find a local dealer and then introduce him to you, right? You don¡¯t need any investment money, either, right?¡± ¡°Yes, daddy. This is just a paperwork business.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re taking 30~40% of the profits?¡± Hyunwoo nodded his head. His father¡¯s eyes were already sparkling because he felt that there was no risk at all when he took into ount all the factors. He liked the fact that Hyunwoo was a stockholder of N&C, above all. There was no chance that he would see his profits ripped off by a fake manufacturing cost. ¡°What am I supposed to do now? As you know, I can¡¯t move around for the sales.¡± ¡°All you have to do is register the business with the authorities.¡± ¡°What about sales? Are you going to work as a salesman? Why don¡¯t you hire a smart salesman?¡± His father was already more enthusiastic about the new business than his son. Obviously, he was convinced in its sess. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re making enough profits to hire a salesman. I¡¯m not going to go out as a salesman in the field, and there will be a few calls, of course.¡± ¡°Do you have any particr idea in mind?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to make the best use of the inte.¡± ¡°Is it enough?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to give it a try anyway. I think I can make it.¡± His father nodded his head. ¡°Okay, then. I¡¯ll stop by the tax office with your mother tomorrow.¡± *** Mr. Na sent Hyunwoo an estimate cost of the castor to be supplied to Myungsung Inc. Sanggyun, an alumnus of Hyunwoo, was an employee with thatpany. Hyunwoo emailed it to him and called him, saying, ¡°I wanted to make a proposal paper to you, but I really can¡¯t do it without knowing the unit price of the Chinese part. Tell your material department about the unit cost and feel out if they can make a joint proposal on this.¡± ¡°Got it. Thanks.¡± In the meantime, Jang Duyoung, Hyunwoo¡¯s father, was done registering the business with the tax office. Hyunwoo immediately got down to work seriously. First, he opened an inte cafe on the portal site. If he posts a detailed introduction of N&C, the visitors could understand what thepany was doing without him going to the trouble of exining it by himself. On the main screen of the inte cafe, he put out thisment: Hyunwoo disyed on its main screen a list of the products N&C produced in Vietnam. He also showed the proper sales prices that took into ount the manufacturing cost, shipping, and the profit. The sales price was set in proportion to the number of the orders. As N&C had sent him a list of the products and their unit prices, all he had to do was post them on the inte cafe. In the meantime, Hyunwoo got a call from Sangyun. His voice was not bright. ¡°Well, our material department doesn¡¯t like it. They say it¡¯s more expensive than the Chinese part.¡± ¡°It could be because N&C products focus more on the quality than on the price. By the way, is the price difference big enough? Did you confirm it?¡± ¡°Yea, I confirmed it barely. I see the price difference is rather big. The Vietnamese part is 7% more expensive than the Chinese part.¡± The moment Hyunwoo heard it, he felt he could persuade Sangyun. ¡°That¡¯s not expensive at all. It is much cheaper.¡± ¡°Cheaper? Howe?¡± ¡°Looks like your material department doesn¡¯t know about the FTA. The HS code of castors is 8302.20-0000. You have to pay an 8% import duty if you buy castors from China. However, if you import the parts from Vietnam, the import duty is 0% under the FTA between Korea and ASEAN members. In other words, there is already an 8% difference import duties alone.¡± ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t know that.¡± ¡°And you have to think about the quality of the products. Chinese parts have a defective rate. If I were the president, I would buy parts that were a little bit more expensive to lower ratio of defectives.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. Can I talk to the material department about this again?¡± ¡°Just make your own proposal. Why do you want to share your credit with them when you already found out the unit price of the Chinese part? They also already rejected your proposal anyway.¡± ¡°Can you make a draft proposal then? I just don¡¯t know anything about it.¡± ¡°Got it. Let me make one and email it to you.¡± Hyunwoo immediately drafted a proposal for his friend. He had a relevant proposal form that Aurum had prepared before. Myungsung Inc. was importing castors worth about $60,000 from China every year. When Hyunwoo calcted the cost saving by taking into ount the import unit price and the import duty, he found out that about $6000 would be saved every year. If he received the samples and tested them, he would realize that the actual cost savings would be much more than the estimate. Hyunwoon sent thepleted draft proposal to Sangyun, and he would have to take care of the rest. Forgetting about the Myungsung project, Hyuwnoo moved on to the next stage of the N&C Korea project. It was a media promotion campaign. As Aurum had already spread press releases about N&C, Hyunwoo thought the promotion would be enough. Then, he did research on how manypanies were using industrial castors for their products and made promotion pamphlets in the name of N&C Korea before mailing them to the relevantpanies. That was all the promotion campaign Hyunwoo did. After visiting a post office to mail them, Hyunwoo mumbled with a nervous expression, ¡°Will they ever contact me?¡± *** ¡°Manager, I¡¯ve found it.¡± ¡°Let me take a look at it.¡± At Hong Donggi¡¯s shouting, the purchasing team¡¯s manager, Jung Sangsu, quickly came to him. Hong¡¯sputer monitor was showing an inte cafe called N&C Korea. Hong pointed one of his fingers at a specific part of the screen. ¡°It has opened for only two days. That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t find the site.¡± ¡°I see.¡± In excitement, Jung looked at the N&C site. Blue Inc. was apany that made travel bags, and it was where Jung and Hong worked. Thepany was undergoing financial difficulties because its Chinese counterparts were about to overtake them in terms of quality and price. Also, thepany set this year as the first year for innovation in the unit price and quality improvement. If it failed to bring about innovation, it had a n to move its factory to China. As a result, the purchasing team had a fire under it, hellbent on surfing the inte sites and sending its staff to the raw material factories everyday to find cheaper and better quality parts. And then, the article about Aurum drew their attention. Though the furniture and traveller¡¯s bags seemed to be separate products, they had one thing inmon, namely, using the castors on the bottom. Checking the article, they found out that Aurum¡¯s original supplier of castors was in Taiwan, just like Blue. Aurum management tried to check out China and Southeast Asia¡¯s parts, but they could not change the supplier because of their poor quality and the high ratio of defects. In doing so, they happened to find N&C in Vietnam and finally seeded in achieving the two goals of quality and price. Manager Jung Sangsu with Blue instructed his staff to find out about N&C, but they could not find it anywhere. So, they were about to contact Aurum about it when they found the inte cafe on the types of castors produced by N&C in Vietnam and the unit prices. The list of castors showed them that there were some simr to the castors that Blue needed. Jung checked out the unit price and opened his eyes wide. ¡°Oh, 30 cent per piece! Isn¡¯t that same part that we import from Taiwan at 31 cents per piece?¡± ¡°Yes, only 1 cent difference.¡± Hong made a disappointing expression. He thought that the unit price would be cheaper because it was produced in Vietnam, but the difference was not that big. But manager Jung thought differently. Hong didn¡¯t take into ount an important factor. Actually, it was described here and there on the inte cafe website. And that was the strength of the Vietnamese product. Chapter 54

Chapter 54

Pointing to that specific part on the inte site, manager Jung exined to Hong, ¡°You have to take into ount FTA. If you apply that, we don¡¯t have to pay any import duties. Just 0%. In fact, it means an 8% drop.¡± ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t know that. FTA!¡± Hong pped hisp as if it hade to his mind at this moment. ¡°Who knows? If we sign a contract that entails arge quantity of castors, we could enjoy a further drop in the unit price. As you¡¯re good at negotiating, contact them now.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Hong looked up the phone number to contact N&C Korea. Strangely enough, he could not find it anywhere. The only contact information was an email. ¡°I don¡¯t see its contact information there.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe that. Just double check it¡± However, Hong couldn¡¯t find it. Then, he clicked the section on the estimate inquiry, and he could understand why there was no contact information there. Jung and Hong seemed perplexed momentarily and then murmured at the same time, ¡°What the heck is thispany?¡± ¡°Does it want to do business or not?¡± Despite suchints, they were anxious to do business with N&C because they were under intense pressure every day to find a cheap and quality raw material, and they had to do it as soon as possible. ¡°Hey, Mr. Hong, just make an inquiry on the estimate cost along with the product specification. Also, leave our email address and contact number.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think this is a ghostpany? I wonder if they confirm our messages here on its bulletin board.¡± ¡°We lose nothing by doing that anyway. Also, we have no other way now.¡± ¡°Got it. Let me send an estimate inquiry first.¡± ¡°Okay then. Try to find out other possible suppliers until you get a reply from N&C Korea.¡± With that, Jung went back to his desk and tilted his head, thinking, It¡¯s understandable that they would try to reduce operation costs like that, but how can they do business like that? I wonder if I trust them or not. *** Jang Duyong flicked the switch. The back of the chair automatically went up along with the sound of the running motor. At the proper angle, he pushed the button again to stop it. Theputer was on, and the N&C inte cafe was disyed on it. Jang was busy checking theputer monitor like this for the past two days, but there was no call or inquiry yet. There were several visitors to the inte site but no actual inquiries. It might be the same this time, Jang thought, when he clicked the bulletin board on the estimate cost inquiry corner. At that moment, Jang was startled to see a message that said ¡°Inquiry about estimate cost.¡± He checked the message right away, which not only exined the product specification but also a quick reply. Jang acted as instructed by his son. It was to convey a message to Mr. Na Sungji in Vietnam. He then informed Na about the inquiry, along with a reply to the message. His reply was simple enough: *** ¡°Manager, we¡¯ve got a reply to our inquiry.¡± ¡°Rely? Are you talking about N&C?¡± Jung rushed to Hong¡¯sputer monitor to confirm it. Though it was very short, it was important to have gotten a reply anyway. Scratching his head, Jung said, ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°It seems so. We have to wait just a little more, though.¡± Three dayster. Opening his email, Hong shouted in surprise. ¡°Sir, we¡¯ve got the estimate from N&C Korea.¡± ¡°Really? What¡¯s the unit price?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same as the one we saw on its homepage. 30 cent per piece.¡± Jung snapped his finger. If the quality was as good as the Taiwanese part, he could cut the cost enormously. ¡°ce an order on the product samples immediately.¡± At his direction, Hong answered, scratching his head, ¡°We¡¯re supposed to pay the shipping fee on our end if the order is less than 10,000. That¡¯s the same for the samples, too.¡± With a surprised look, Jung checked out the reply carefully. As Hong said, the shipping was to be paid by the buyer, and the reply asked if the buyer wanted it shipped by a cargo ship or by air. As for the payment method, there were only two: prepayment or open a letter of credit in the local area. In other words, there was nothing N&C could lose from this deal. ¡°What the heck is this? As the local vendor, howe it shows such a strong attitude?¡± Jung asked and answered the question by himself. Come to think of it, he didn¡¯t need to agonize about it. It would cost less than 200,000 won even by air. Given the enormous reduction in cost, however, he would not have to worry about the shipping cost. ¡°Order 200 samples by air.¡± ¡°Got it, manager.¡± *** It was 15 days after they ced an order that the samples were delivered to the Blue factory. Immediately, its product development team was tasked with testing the samples, and the results came out in less than three days. The samples sessfully passed all the quality tests. The president of Blue expressed caution, though. He was concerned that the quality of the actual products would be worse than the samples. ¡°For now, rece only 30% of the necessary parts with the Vietnamese parts. If they continue to maintain the quality, we can increase the order by 30% every month.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± *** It was almost the same time that the samples were delivered to Blue and Myungsung. Three dayster, Hyunwoo got a call from Sangyun, whose voice was spirited. ¡°Hyunwoo! I think I can get a big award money this time.¡± Hearing his cheerful voice, Hyunwoo could figure out that the deal had worked out smoothly. ¡°The quality of the Vietnamese product is much better than the Chinese part, right?¡± ¡°Absolutely. In terms of strength and durability, it is much better. It also feels so soft that it gets confused with a Japanese part. As you know, the wheel part is the most important in a handcart. Our president called me directly to praise me, saying that I had found out a very good material supplier. I guess I will get a special promotion during the next promotion time.¡± Sangyun seemed to be pretty excited because he kept talking to Hyunwoo. ¡°Okay, I think you have to treat me to a great meal this time, dude. You know I love expensive food, right?¡± ¡°Ha ha. Of course, man. I think we will sign the contract soon. We¡¯re nning to rece 20% for now and then rece them all when they maintain the quality.¡± ¡°Ha ha. Congrats!¡± This time, Hyunwoo had a call from Blue. When he got home after work, his father waved at him and said, ¡°Hyunwoo, look at this! This is our first transaction.¡± Hyunwoo immediately checked the bulletin message that requested a contract. The amount of the order was not big: $7,000. However, the message said that if the product quality was maintained steadily, the order would be increased every month, and the amount of the order would be $22,000 after three months. ¡°How big is the margin?¡± ¡°I talked to Mr. Na, and he said that profit would be 9% of the sales price. 5% of the profit goes to Na, and we take 4%.¡± ¡°4% of $22,000 is about 900,000 won.¡± ¡°Right. Not bad for the first transaction.¡± Actually, it was an eye-popping amount. Soon, N&C would sign a contract with Mungsung, too. Though the quantity of the order was less than that of Blue, the margin would almost be the same as Blue¡¯s because of the high unit price. If N&C pulled off a couple more contracts like this, the profits would berger than the sry of an employee of a middle-sizedpany. Actually, N&C¡¯s business with Blue and Myungsung was just the beginning. In less than one month after N&C Korea sent an official promotion letter to the interestedpanies, it received as many as nine factories inquiring about the estimate cost. Hyunwoo handled the business only through the inte. His father never called any interested factories. Even the contracts were finalized through email. Out of the nine factories that made an inquiry on the estimate cost, sevenpleted the order, and they were all satisfied with the quality. Some of them tried to cut the unit price a little more, but Hyunwoo didn¡¯t ept it. He was convinced that he could prevail if he stuck to his position. He didn¡¯t even call. He just left a message on the homepage that said ¡°N&C Korea doesn¡¯t have a salesman, and it doesn¡¯t negotiate on the price.¡± In the end, the interestedpanies gave up. All the sevenpanies signed the contracts, which amounted to $70,000 per month. It was close to the order ced by Aurum. After he got back home, Hyunwoo called Na on his cell phone. ¡°Did you receive the orders?¡± ¡°Yes. I could not even produce the order I receivedst week. I think we can process the current order on a full scale next month.¡± ¡°It takes a lot of time, though,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Well, it¡¯s beyond our capacity at the moment because of the abrupt surge in demand. Even if we hire new employees, they can¡¯t be skilled workers quickly.¡± ¡°Okay, then. I¡¯ll inform the relevant factories about your situation.¡± ¡°Sorry about that. Even though I asked you to open a salespany, I can¡¯t even process the orders properly.¡± ¡°Okay, then. As soon as I receive the money from the sales, let me wire the money except for the salesmission.¡± After the call, he looked at his father, who had been using Excel on hisputer. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m calcting the monthlymission from the sales.¡± ¡°Is it profitable?¡± ¡°I think we could start making 4.5 million won after three months.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide. He had expected themission ie to increase as N&C Korea concluded morepanies, but he could never know what would happen in the future. He didn¡¯t want to count his chickens before they hatched, as the saying goes. In fact, how much money he would make was not that important to him. What really mattered to him was how to spend it. Of course, he would have to agonize over it. Whenever he had extra time, Hyunwoo spent all his time on sales activities. He searched anypany on the inte that might need castors, and he then sent them official pamphlets on N&C Korea¡¯s products. Though it was a defensive promotion strategy, it had an unexpectedly good effect. A month after N&C Korea was founded, it signed three more contracts, whosebined order was $20,000 per month. Of course, there was limit to these kinds of sales. The inquiries on the estimate cost came in steadily for about two months, but they stopped suddenly at some point. It seemed certain that an expansion of sales was difficult to achieve only through the inte or with an official promotion letter. However, he could not think of any other method. He could not make his father go out and work as a salesman. He also felt it was not a good idea to hire a salesman separately. He had to find some a different method. ¡°Oh, I have a headache!¡± On the weekend, he went mountain climbing with his parents to cool down his head. While walking on the trail, he was thinking about some good ways to expand N&C Korea¡¯s sales. At that moment, he got a call from Paek Sungwoo, who he had met at the recent alumni meeting. As he is a free man, he might be wandering somewhere in Cheju ind, Hyunwoo thought to himself. Chapter 55

Chapter 55

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C ¡°What¡¯s up, buddy?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in Ansan. I called you because I missed you, man. Do you have an appointment in the evening? If not, let¡¯s have a drink,¡± said Paek Sungwoo. ¡°Great. If you don¡¯t have a particr restaurant in mind,e and see Unhye restaurant. Pork belly served there tastes good.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll see you at 7 pm there.¡± As soon as he was done mountain climbing, he drove his parents back home and headed to Unhye restaurant. As if he was waiting for Hyunwoo, Paek was idling away his time before the restaurant, smoking a cigarette. They went in and sat at a table, having a pleasant chat over soju. Soon after they had a drink, Paek said something astounding suddenly, ¡°I think the time hase to find a lifelong job now.¡± Did hee to himself finally? Or did something happen to his family? Or did he make some woman pregnant? ¡°Why do you want a job suddenly? What¡¯s the matter with you?¡± ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t think of it out of the blue. I was thinking about ending my current lifestyle when I turned 30. So, I travelled everywhere across the country before I ended my current lifestyle, and this ce is my final travel destination in that respect.¡± That was a fortunate decision for him. Didn¡¯t he do everything he wanted to do anyway? And if he could turn over a new leaf in his life, that would be better for him. He could manage his life well. Though he hadn¡¯t mastered any particr skill, he was good at making money anyway. ¡°So, do you have any particr job in mind?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to go to the United States. It was my original n. I think I can make some money for a settlement there if I work hard for a couple of years.¡± In fact, Paek was not an excellent student. He maintained a B average in high school, but his English grade was exceptional. He really studied English energetically, and he was always the top in English. Hyunwoo thought that he had studied English hard because he loved it, but he was actually nning his life ten yearster and executing it now. Suddenly, Hyunwoo felt he was a terrific guy, with deliberate nning and thinking. ¡°By the way, Hyunwoo, please introduce me to anypany that you know. You experienced a lot of jobs since you were young.¡± Hyunwoo wanted to help him if he could. As Paek said, Hyunwoo met a lot of people at many workces, so he thought that he might be of some help to Paek. ¡°What kind of job do you want?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. But I want a job that allows me to move around here and there instead of confining myself to any one ce.¡± Come to think of it, Hyunwoo found that there was a good one for him. What came to his mind first was apany called Real Film. Real Film was apany making TV programs ormercials, and it sometimes made special investigative reports rted to news. Because of this, the staff there travelled around the country almost everyday. One day they were in Cheju ind in the morning, and they moved to Ganhwa ind in the evening. Though it was a tough job to ordinary people, Paek would wee it. But Hyunwoo shook his head, thinking to himself, ¡°No, it¡¯s not a good fit for him.¡± The problem was its president was Han Kwangsu. Han treated each member of his staff as his family, so he was pretty prudent when hiring someone. Once he hired someone, he tried his best to keep them to the end. Naturally, he hated it when his staff quit. How could Hyunwoo introduce Paek to such a person? If Paek left thepany after a couple of years, he would have to get all the me from Han. The nextpany that came to his mind was a travel agency called Yellow Balloon, but the situation was the same there. As a travel guide, Paek could travel across the country and the world freely, but reality wasn¡¯t like that. Paek was supposed to travel the same areas repeatedly, telling the same stories to the travellers every time. As far as Hyunwoo knew, he would not like it. ¡°Hummmm.. I don¡¯t think you are a good fit there,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Don¡¯t think of it too seriously. I can work as a salesman if an opportunityes along. Actually, it¡¯s in my element to work as a salesman.¡± ¡°Salesman?¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide because he thought of N&C Korea. If Paek could work as a salesman for him, Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t be happier for that. Hyunwoo asked cautiously, ¡°Is it okay if you are not making much money? Of course, you could make a lot if you¡¯re lucky.¡± ¡°What kind of job is it?¡± Hyunwoo exined to him about N&C and N&C Korea in detail. He added the CEO of N&C Korea was his father Jang Duyoung and that it was virtually his ownpany. Paek carefully listened to him without interrupting him, and he then asked at the end, ¡°Do you want me to find a local dealer on the industrial wheels?¡± ¡°Yes. Can you do that?¡± ¡°If the quality of the sales product is good enough, I have no problem at all working as a salesman. Basically, I¡¯m a field man. Instead, it¡¯s your father¡¯s job to take care of the inte cafe and the relevant documents.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. All you have to do is pull off the contracts.¡± ¡°Then, how much do you give me inmission? Can you give me 50% of the profit?¡± ¡°Are you satisfied with 50%?¡± ¡°That would be great, man.¡± Hyunwoo thought 50% was not bad. Actually, Paek should take more than 50% as the salesperson, but as Hyunwoo had invested a lot of money in N&C and had some paperwork to do, he thought taking 50% of the profit was fair enough. ¡°Done. Let me appoint you as the sales executive of N&C Korea. If your sales performance is good, I can make you the CEO of N&C Korea in the USA when I visit thereter.¡± Paek opened his eyes wide suddenly. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a good idea. Actually, I¡¯ve been thinking about what to do when I went to the United States, and that is the solution. Ha ha.¡± Hyunwoo himself was surprised at what he had told Paek. He suggested his idea jokingly to Paek, but it looked as if he was foreseeing a bright future for N&C Korea. Given thepetitive price of N&C products, plus the guaranteed quality, Hyunwoo felt they could have apetitive edge in the US and Japanese markets. ¡°I think I have to find someone who can represent N&C in Japan, too,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Right. The bigger dream you have, the better for you. Ha ha,¡± said Paek with a heartyugh. Pake raised a cup of soju and said, ¡°Let¡¯s drink to our futures, man.¡± ¡°Sure, cheers!¡± Both of them ng their cups cheerfully. While staying in Ansan for three days, Paek was preparing himself as the sales executive of N&C Korea. He studied the basics about castors and analyzed thepanies he regarded as his sales target. He then left for travel. It was not for pleasure but for sales. Of course, Paek enjoyed working while traveling, too. In less than 15 days since he left, he already found a local dealer. ¡°This is apany called Jinyoung located in Chongju city. I asked them to submit an inquiry on the estimate cost to our inte site.¡± ¡°Nice job! You found the first dealer.¡± ¡°I visited thatpany, but its size was small. Looks like their order will be less than 100 million per year.¡± ¡°Hey, do you think 100 million won is a small penny? If you negotiate with them about the unit price well, your salesmission is 4 million per year. If we divide it by half, it¡¯s 2 million won. And if you find 15 suchpanies, you can make as much money as the employee with a good middle-sizedpany.¡± ¡°Yea, you¡¯re right, dude. By the way, give me the direct contact number of the factory in Vietnam. I feel like it¡¯s burdensome to go through you like this every time.¡± Hyunwoo felt a prick in his heart. Why did he ask for the contact number of the Vietnamese factory? That meant Paek had a feeling of doubt about him. However, Hyunwoo felt his suspicion was legitimate. What he knew about N&C Korea was the inte cafe and Hyunwoo¡¯s contact number. He didn¡¯t know anything about Na. In other words, Paek might have felt that he just kept Na¡¯s contact to himself and wouldn¡¯t reveal it. Anyone would be suspicious about this. Hyunwoo might take more profit as an intermediary between Na and me. For example, if Na notifies Hyunwoo that 10,000 won is the right price, Hyunwoo could say add a little more when he talks to Paek. If Paek could profit 500 won, Paek could get only 250 won, but Hyunwoo could take away 750 won. Of course, Hyunwoo had no intention to do so at all. But with no connection to Na, Paek could form such a suspicion of Hyunwoo. On the other hand, it was impossible for Paek to deceive Hyunwoo. If Paek tried to do so, not only Na but also Kwon Sangtaek would not sit idly because they were already Hyunwoo¡¯s men. When Hyunwoo thought as far as that, he med himself. What the heck am I thinking about? Out of sorriness, Hyunwoo gave Paek the contact number of the factory in Vietnam quickly. Now, Paek seeded in concluding the sales contract with Jinyoung in just one week. Since then, Paek continued to find local dealers. Most of them were small with the imports less than $100,000, but whenbined, they would generate a lot of money. In the meantime, Paek ran into an unexpected trouble. Sensing that the trouble wasplicated, Paek called Hyunwoo quickly. Having heard from Paek, Hyunwoo was more than surprised. ¡°Whichpany? Art & Hill?¡± Art & Hill was thergest office chairpany in Korea. It was a strong rival of Aurum in the field of office chairs. ¡°What should I do? If our sales contract with Art & Hill bes known to the outside, I¡¯m afraid that you will get into a difficult position. Do you think I should decline the contract with Art & Hill?¡± asked Paek. That was true, but the reason Hyunwoo felt ufortable was somewhat different from Paek¡¯s concern. Business was business, and the workce was the workce. Even if Hyunwoo worked for Aurum, that should not be the reason he blocked the transaction between N&C and Art & Hill. Of course, he was sort of ufortable dealing with Art & Hill. If the pricepetition of Art & Hill was better than that of Aurum¡¯s thanks to its deal with N&C, it would be like betraying Aurum in some respect. But the twopanies were destined to be connected at some point without Hyunwoo¡¯s intervention because Mr. Na had been aiming to do business with Art & Hill for a very long time. In addition, this was his father¡¯s business, strictly speaking. Hyunwoo was just helping his father. Then, what made Hyunwoo nervous about it? It was the production capacity of N&C in Vietnam. Some time ago, Hyunwoo had to listen to Na¡¯s pleasant concerns: Although Hyunwoo knew it was difficult for N&C to produce additional products than now, he called Na, to be sure. ¡°Mr. Na, I¡¯ve found a new dealer here. Can you increase the products?¡± ¡°Well, I hired several more a few days ago. As they are beginners, they can produce as many as we expect, but we can increase by 30% more than now. We can produce as many as we supply to Aurum.¡± Art & Hill was three times asrge as Aurum, and office chairs were the main product of Art & Hillpared with Aurum, which produced many kinds of office furniture. If Art & Hill ced an order on casters, it would be at least five times more than Aurum¡¯s order. ordingly, a 30% increase in the products would fall far short of Art & Hill¡¯s demands. ¡°I need a far greater quantity than that.¡± ¡°Well, we need more time here. We¡¯re now expanding factories and hiring more. Mr. Kwon is also trying to find out if he can find used machines in Korea. I think we can increase our production capacity by 100 % after two months, and we will continue to increase our production line in the meantime. Can you put off the contract until then?¡± Hyunwoo had no magic solution to this difficult question. Anyway, Art & Hill would have to test the samples first and try to change their existing parts gradually, during which N&C could buy some time to produce the bulk of their order on time. ¡°Got it. Let me receive the sample orders from Art & Hill. Please make sure you can process their order on time as soon as possible,¡± said Hyunwoo. Chapter 56

Chapter 56

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C The sample products ordered by Art & Hill were castors attached to chairs. Though there were some difference in design, the castors supplied to Art & Hill and Aurum were basically the same. It took more than one month for the samples to arrive at the airport, which suggested that Na paid very close attention to the quality. After Hyunwoo delivered them to Art & Hill, he waited for their response. He believed that the samples would pass their quality test because the technical quality of N&C products was excellent and as good as any Korean products. It was natural that he was filled with expectations. If a sessful deal was made with Art & Hill, N&C Korea¡¯s sales would surge overnight. But Art and Hill was not an easypany to deal with. Less than one week after Hyunwoo sent the samples, Paek called him again, this time in a downcast voice, ¡°They say the samples fell short of their quality standard.¡± ¡°What? Falling short of their quality standard?¡± asked Hyunwoo, opening his eyes wide. It was an unexpected result. He just felt dumbfounded. In less than three days, a shocking article was reported in major dailies. It was about Art &Hill and N&C under the headline, Hyunwoo had a sudden sinking feeling in the heart. He could not figure out Art & Hill¡¯s motivation. They had no intention of purchasing N&C products from the beginning. Rather, they wanted to find fault with N&C products, and their goal was targeted at Aurum. In other words, they wanted to make it known that Aurum was using N&C products that failed to pass Art & Hill¡¯s quality standard. When they realized that Aurum was growing fast enough, Art & Hill began to feel a sense of crisis and tried to catch Aurum unawares, pretending to purchase N&C products. However, Hyunwoo could not refute it. Though he was upset about their act, the article itself was not false. Art & Hill was the best office chairpany in Korea. It imed not only thergest market share but also that the quality of their chairs was much better than Aurum¡¯s. ordingly, the parts used by them were better. The supplier of castors to Art & Hill was apany called Castor that boasted to have the best quality in Korea. Na Sungji and Kwon Sangtaek admitted Castor¡¯s quality. No matter how hard they tried, they said it was almost impossible to catch up with Castor¡¯s quality. ¡°Caster is a Japanesepany. In other words, it is a local Korean factory of Castor. Though Korea catched up with Japan in many fields, there are still many areas that Korea can¡¯t overtake Japanese technology,¡± Na and Kwon once said. Recalling what they said, Hyunwoo felt it was not that strange that N&C products didn¡¯t pass Art & Hill¡¯s quality standard. Hyunwoo still felt it regrettable. He just felt as if Art & Hill was caught in his hand and then ran away. However, he couldn¡¯t afford to keep regretting and doing nothing, for Park Daebong of Aurum had already noticed the article. Park immediately summoned Park Youngsu, Hyunwoo¡¯s manager. After meeting the president, Park called Yonggu and Hyunwoo, who were in charge of buying N&C products. ¡°When does our contract with N&C expire?¡± ¡°The contract is renewed every year. As we made the contract this past September, it expires next Sept.¡± ¡°The president felt his pride was offended a lot, so he decided to upgrade the quality standard of the new products that ourpany is about to make this time. Notify the suppliers that they have to meet our quality standard. If they can¡¯t, we have to find another supplier that can meet our standard. We may change the existing suppliers overnight,¡± said Park. Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wider. How could Aurum change the supplier in one year when he had tried so hard to find it? Hyunwoo cautiously suggested, ¡°I don¡¯t think they can improve the quality so quickly. Why don¡¯t we give them a little more time? Two years, for example.¡± ¡°This is the president¡¯s special order. Just make sure they meet our quality standard within one year.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Back at their desks, Hyunwoo and Yonggu were pretty troubled. If they could improve the product quality so quickly, they would have already done so, for an improvement in quality would also increase the unit price. Out of nervousness, Yonggu called Hyunwoo to the break area. ¡°What should we do? Can they make it until next September?¡± At his asking, Hyunwoo shook his head with a gloomy expression. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s so easy. Still, we have no choice but to follow the president¡¯s special order.¡± ¡°I just feel heavy, man. Which supplier can we find even if we have to? Does he want us to choose Castor?¡±ined Yonggu. The moment he heard Yonggu, Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide. Come to think of it, it would not be that easy for Aurum to end its business with N&C. Though the quality of Castor products was better, its unit price was very high, more than twice that of N&C products. In addition, the castor was only one of the many parts of a chair. If the caster was changed to a high-quality part, the other parts should also be upgraded forpatibility. Then the production cost would go up immediately. The problem was not confined to the production cost. The image of Aurum has long been etched in the minds of consumers. Namely, Art & Hill¡¯s products are high-end while Aurum¡¯s are cheap. Even if Aurum aimed for quality innovation with new products, it would need a lot of time for consumers to change their fixed image of Aurum. That meant Aurum would have to lose money for a very long time. Given the tough financial situation caused by its offensive marketing, could Aurum sustain it? Then, the president¡¯s order might have been a bluff. Even if the existing supplier couldn¡¯t meet the quality standard, he could not change it easily. However, there was a legitimate necessity for improvement in the quality of the products. Aurum was not the problem. N&C Korea had to continue to find dealers and make a deal with a bigpany like Art & Hill someday, and N&C should pass the quality standard of Art & Hill by all means to achieve that goal. In other words, the quality war with Castor began. ¡°Let me contact Mr. Na first. Last time, he improved the quality greatly in less than three months. Maybe he could do the same this time,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°I hope so. Anyway, contact them in Vietnam. Let me try to find a new dealer. I¡¯m not sure if there is one that can meet our demands.¡± Hyunwoo immediately called Mr. Na, but he said as if he was troubled, ¡°The quality of the products of Caster is recognized around the world. It¡¯s too high of a demand for us to catch up with their quality.¡± ¡°I understand, but our president¡¯s very firm on this. You have to think about ways to improve the product quality. Even though you can¡¯t improve the quality enough to catch up with Castor, you need to pass the new quality standard of Aurum. I wonder if Mr. Kwon has any good ideas.¡± ¡°Well, he sometimes talks with my former colleagues in Korea, and he says if he can bring them over here, he could make arger improvement.¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Really? Can I talk to Mr. Kwon right now?¡± ¡°Wait a second. Mr. Kwon, you¡¯re on the phone.¡± Kwon picked up the phone and said somewhat positively, ¡°Until sometime ago, there were quite a few castor factories in Korea, but they were closed recently. Do you know why?¡± The answer to Kwon¡¯s question was obvious. Their productsgged behind the Japanese products in quality and Chinese and Southeast Asian products in price, which forced Koreanpanies to go bankrupt. ¡°That¡¯s right. But there is another reason,¡± said Kwon. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°When the foreignpanies tightened the noose around them, the Koreanpanies should have united together but didn¡¯t. They werepeting with each other to lower the price, which dropped their profit margins and forced them to close at the end of the day.¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡®uniting together?¡¯ That doesn¡¯t necessarily mean they can improve the product quality or lower the price, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong there. If they can help each other and make up for theircking technology, the quality of their products would naturally improve. And if they had merged, they could have lowered the price.¡± Kwon¡¯s point made sense. But what was the point of crying over spilt milk? But Kwon was suggesting something positive. ¡°It¡¯s notte yet. There were many technocrats when their factories were shut down. If they can join hands, they could make much better quality products than now, though they still can¡¯t catch up with Castor.¡± Hyunwoo was startled at his remarks. ¡°Do you happen to know any of them? If you give me their contact numbers, I¡¯d like to meet and persuade them.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have their contact numbers, but Mr. Kim Dohyuk, the union leader, must know quite a few of them.¡± ¡°Union leader Kim Dohyun?¡± ¡°Though thepany went bankrupt, he was the president of Unhye Trading Co. He was also the leader of the castor production unions around the country. As hispany is gone now, I think he is out of work.¡± ¡°Do you know his contact number?¡± ¡°Sure. Let me text you that.¡± As soon as he got Kim¡¯s number, Hyunwoo called him. As hispany went bankrupt, Kim went down to his hometown in Chungju, North Chungchong province, and opened an apple orchard there. Making an appointment with him on a weekend, Hyunwoo went down to Chungju. Kim was much younger than he had thought. ording to Kwon, Kim was a trusted union leader among castor factory presidents. As his voice over the phone was rather old, Hyunwoo thought he might be 70 years old at least. But when Hyunwoo met him, he looked just over 50. Exchanging a few introductory words with him, Hyunwoo exined his situation in detail. Listening to him quietly, Kim nodded his head and said, ¡°In other words, you want to form a dream team, right?¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right,¡± said Hyunwoo with expectant eyes. But Kim¡¯s expression was not that bright. ¡°Good idea, but it looks like it won¡¯t be easy. Who would go to the trouble of flying to Vietnam to work there?¡± ¡°Oh, they don¡¯t have to stay there permanently. All they have to do is transfer their skills, and we¡¯re going to pay for that.¡± ¡°Well, they might okay it if you built a factory in Korea, but I¡¯m not sure if I can persuade them to go to a factory in Vietnam. You¡¯vee very far to see me, but I¡¯m sorry.¡± Hyunwoo could understand Kim¡¯s feelings. He would want to form a dream team in Korea if he could have his way. Hyunwoo was of the same mind. Given the choice, it would be better to build a factory in Korea than Vietnam. But this was sort of a pipe dream that defied reality. Even if skilled experts came together, that doesn¡¯t lead to any remarkable improvement in the product. With a little more technology, they could not overtake Japan¡¯s technology overnight. Kim continued, ¡°I can give you the contact numbers of the technicians. I can¡¯t deny them any chance to make their own choice. I don¡¯t want to preclude it in advance.¡± Hyunwoo could not help but express regret. He tried his best to persuade Kim in every way, but Kim was not persuaded at the end. He just gave Hyunwoo a thick notebook on the technicians¡¯ phone numbers. ¡°As I have a copy of that notebook, you don¡¯t have to return it to me.¡± ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll see you again soon.¡± Hyunwoo went back to Ansan with a heavy heart. Though he had been full of hope when he went down to Chungju, he was sighing when he returned empty-handed. On the other hand, Kim seemed to find a ray of hope after Hyunwoo met him. If everyone can join hands, they can stand up again. Someone must take the initiative. Okay, let me do it, Kim thought to himself. He immediately took out the roster of union members of castor factories. It was an original copy of the notebook that he gave to Hyunwoo. It contained a whole list of the technicians excellent in their respective fields. He wrote down each name on a memo pad after checking out the roster. He was forming the dream team that Hyunwoo had mentioned. There was no guarantee that those technicians would follow him, so Kim sorted out the names of other technicians just in case he was rejected. It took him about three hours for him to draw a list of potential technicians. They had been out of work for the past three years when theirpanies went bankrupt. Kim clenched his fist and said, Sure, I can do it. Let me travel to Ansan tomorrow. Ah, my former teacher lives there, too. I have to say hello to him on this asion. Hope was welling up inside him again. Chapter 57

Chapter 57

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C Several days passed after Hyunwoo met Kim Dohyuk. As usual, he went to the office very early in the morning. Though he was troubled by the quality of N&C¡¯s products, he didn¡¯t show his feelings at all in the office. Of course, he didn¡¯t give up on this. The real challenge for him was to persuade the technicians anyway. He needed a strategy on this. As he had nothing particr that day, Hyunwoo got off work a bit earlier. When he went out the gate, the old guard came out and said, ¡°You¡¯re going home early today.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. See you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Okay. By the way, try this apple.¡± He suddenly took out some apples. ¡°What are these?¡± ¡°One of my students in the past runs an orchard in Chungju. He just stopped by briefly when he came up to Ansan for some business this afternoon. Try it. It tastes very good.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± said Hyunwoo, biting into an apple. Suddenly, Hyunwoo thought of Kim Dohyuk, who he met in Chungju several days ago. He felt that the apple tasted as good as Kim¡¯s apple at the time. Then, an apple box seemed very familiar to his eyes, with the title , on it. Obviously, the apple box was the same one he saw at Kim¡¯s house. Hyunwoo looked at the guard and asked, ¡°Do you happen to know your student¡¯s name, who stopped by here?¡± This time, the old guard looked at Hyunwoo with a suspicious look and asked back, ¡°His name? Are you going to order apples from him?¡± Actually, Hyunwoo was going to say, ¡®Yes, I would like to order apples,¡¯ but didn¡¯t because it was just a stupid thing to say. He was trying his best to persuade Kim, and he should not treat those around him lightly, let alone the old man Kim was paying homage to even when he was over 50. Hyunwoo told the truth to him. ¡°As a matter of fact, I visited Chungju several days ago and met a person by the name of Kim Dohyuk. So, I just wonder if he is the same person who came to see you, sir.¡± The old man¡¯s eyes opened wide at his answer. ¡°What a coincidence! You¡¯re right. His name is Kim Dohyuk. Why did you go there? Is there anything I can help you?¡± Hyunwoo hesitated a bit. ¡®Do I need to tell him the whole truth?¡¯ If he did, there was a real possibility that the real owner of N&C Korea was him. And if this was revealed, the negotiation would proceed to his disadvantage. Hyunwoo modified his reply. ¡°In fact, our president directed a special order that we have to upgrade the quality of castors we import from Vietnam. So, I¡¯ve been thinking about a nice solution and got to meet Kim Dohyuk.¡± He exined his situation with an excuse of the president¡¯s order, which worked okay. ¡°So, you wanted to form a dream team of castors through Dohyuk, right?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Hearing what you said, sir, I feel Mr. Kim is try to form his own dream team right now.¡± The old man frowned at Hyunwoo¡¯s reply. Though Kim had good intentions, his method was not right. Obviously, he was trying to make use of Hyunwoo¡¯s idea to promote his own benefits. However, he could not tell Kim to stop. Though he was his former teacher, he was not in a position to interfere with Kim¡¯s business. The old man showed an expression of regret to Hyunwoo, saying, ¡°Dohyuk is not that type of person, I guess.¡± Hyunwoo smiled broadly at that and said, ¡°You¡¯re right, sir. He¡¯s now doing an excellent job. Given the choice, it is much better to improve the technology of our factories here, not in Vietnam.¡± ¡°I know that, but...¡± ¡°Mr. Kim has been dreaming of revival for a long time. I can¡¯t crush his dreams because of my desire. I should help him realize his dream, given our national interests.¡± Actually, Hyunwoo hadn¡¯t thought that far. But while talking with the old man, he felt he should help Kim instead of satisfying his own desires. And he thought that was the most desirable way forward. With a confident voice, Hyunwoo said, ¡°I¡¯m thinking about helping Mr. Kim.¡± ¡°Are you? How?¡± ¡°Our president dered a slogan of product quality innovation. If Kim aplishes his dream, he can be the perfect partner with Aurum, right?¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± ¡°On the condition Mr. Kim adjusts the quality and price at the proper level, Aurum can promise to purchase all of his products. If our president approves it, Mr. Kim can go ahead and develop better products in a situation where he already has secured a great buyer in Aurum. Won¡¯t it be much easier for him to persuade other technicians then?¡± The old guard grabbed Hyunwoo¡¯s hands suddenly. ¡°Thanks, man. Thanks so much.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee, sir. Strictly speaking, it is for my own benefit, too. By the way, what if...¡± Hyunwoo slurred the end of his remarks. The old man just looked at him, expecting him to say anything. ¡°Mr. Kim could fail, right? Of course, I want to help him in a way he can seed.¡± ¡°Yea, you¡¯re right. That¡¯s not easy.¡± ¡°If things work all right, can you help him so that his dream team can realize their goal through N&C? I think finding the next best n is more wise than just giving up after their best n fails.¡± The old man held his hands more firmly this time. ¡°I think my judgement was right from the beginning. You¡¯re a man of sound mindset. If things work out like that, let me help you out. He will listen to me.¡± ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± Refreshing his determination like that before the old man, Hyunwoo went out the gate. ¡®In fact, I wished Kim would fail in his attempt... How insinuating a guy I am!¡¯ Though he thought like that, he didn¡¯t feel ashamed. He would not trample on Kim¡¯s dream to achieve his own goal. As he promised to the old man, he would try his best to help Kim both materially and morally. If Kim seeded at the end of the day, he might lost his dream team but gain Kim. The following morning. As soon as he reported to work, he made a report about Kim Dohyuk. It was sort of Kim¡¯s activity report in which Hyunwoo described him as the former leader of a castor union trying to make his own dream teamposed of famed castor technicians. Hyunwoo showed it to Yonggu first. ¡°Mr. Kim, can you review this report?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Yonggu had already be a sold ally of Hyunwoo. He didn¡¯t try to take Hyunwoo¡¯s credit as before, and it didn¡¯t matter whoever took his credit because what Hyunwoo really wanted was not his performance at Aurum but Kim and the dream team itself. Reviewing it, Yonggu said, grim-faced, ¡°You have good intentions, but can it work? It¡¯s too ideal, I think. Itcks a sense of reality.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why Aurum should support him fully. I don¡¯t think we will lose anything even if we give it a try.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. Nothing to lose on our end. Let¡¯s report it to manager Park.¡± Park also tilted his head a bit. Though he was not experienced in the field, his ability to read into someone¡¯s mind was much better than Hyunwoo and Yonggu. ¡°The key is whether Kim and Aurum¡¯s needs can satisfy each other. I wonder if Kim can make a dream team in such a manner. I think he has a bigger problem, though.¡± ¡°What is it, sir?¡± ¡°Do you think if Mr. Kim makes such a dream team that can hee up with a proper unit price?¡± Hyunwoo nodded his head, adding, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true. But that¡¯s their own problem. We just set the bottom line of the quality and unit price, and if the products made by Kim¡¯s team pass our quality standard, we can just make a promise to purchase all their products. Such a promise alone will be a big help to Kim.¡± ¡°Hummmm... I think the president will approve it without any big burden. Okay, let¡¯s go in and report it to him.¡± Park Daebong approved it without any hesitation. ¡°Great idea! Isn¡¯t it because of a good team manager? I really like the way the purchasing team members are working energetically like this.¡± ¡°Ha ha. Thanks!¡± As a result of the president¡¯s praise, Park was fully supportive of Hyunwoo. ¡°Just tell me anything that you need.¡± ¡°Can I go on a business trip? I think it¡¯s better for me to meet Kim Dohyuk in person rather than discussing it over the phone.¡± ¡°Of course. If you have any urgent thing to do, ask Min Suji or Oh Sangho to do it for you. Let me tell them about it in advance.¡± ¡°No, let me take care of my assignment before going out.¡± ¡°And take your hands off material management for the time being. Just focus on working with Kim and his dream team.¡± Park gave the direction on this in the presence of his staff. Thanks to his direction, nobody dared to give Hyunwoo any small errands. Hyunwoo was done with his work in the morning and could make an appointment with Kim in the afternoon. As soon as he got the call from Hyunwoo, he replied negatively, ¡°Well, I made it clear that I don¡¯t want to help the factory in Vietnam. If you keep insisting like this...¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not the reason I called you. I¡¯m a member of the purchasing team with Aurum, and the reason I called you today is to assist you with your n. Can you take time out for me? Let mee see you now.¡± ¡°Are you assisting me? How?¡± ¡°As long as you adjust the quality and unit price to our needs, we will purchase all of your products. I¡¯ve already got the approval of my president. If I sign a draft contract with you on this, isn¡¯t it easier for you to persuade the technicians?¡± ¡°What? A draft contract? And buying all the products from us?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to meet and talk with you about that.¡± Chapter 58

Chapter 58

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C Kim Dohyuk was still staying in Ansan because one of the most important technicians he knew was living on the outskirts of Ansan city. As soon as Kim met Hyunwoo, he deeply bowed to him, which waspletely the opposite of his attitude when Hyunwoo went to his house in Chungju. ¡°Ah, long time no see. At that time I didn¡¯t treat you correctly...¡± ¡°That¡¯s alright. Please feel at ease when you talk to me. I¡¯m much younger than you.¡± ¡°How can I do so in front of an important buyer in the future? Anyway, please forgive me if I displeased youst time.¡± ¡°Nothing. I was deeply moved by your thoughtful willst time. You¡¯re great!¡± Hyunwoo really wished that Kim would seed, and made all his effort to help Kim as much as he could. ¡°As a matter fact, the biggest headache for me was how to find a dealer. Even though we have the best quality and lowered the unit price, we¡¯re destined to go bankrupt if we can¡¯t find a dealer. Never did I expect you to help me like this. Thanks so much.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re going to be of big help to me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the one helping you. Aurum is helping you. What I did was just suggest my proposal to the president.¡± Hyunwoo sounded humble, but Kim already knew that it was possible thanks to his help. ¡°I think your assistance will be of big help. I¡¯ll pick up the speed the best I can.¡± ¡°Good luck!¡± Kim¡¯s eyes sparkled brightly, suggesting how much enthusiastic he was. Hyunwoo felt good about it. Several dayster. Hyunwoo had a call from Kwon Sangtaek. ¡°I found some machines I¡¯ve been looking for. They are rather expensive, but their performance is really good.: ¡°Got it. As soon as Mr. Na sends me the bill, let me buy and ship them to you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The machines Hyunwoo had to purchase were seven in total, and they cost close to 300 million won in total. However, as N&C¡¯s factories were operating at full capacity, they got a loan from the Bank of Vietnam without any problems. Kwon said the sellers of the machines were all trustworthy, but Hyunwoon reviewed them carefully. After work and on weekends, Hyunwoo went and checked the machines nearby by himself. He took some photos of the machines and sent them to Kwon for verification. For the machines in remote ces, he had Paek Sungwoo go and check them. Paekined, ¡°Why are there so many orders? This is out of my business, dude.¡± Hyunwoo grinned at him. Actually, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t want to ask him to do that, but as he handled his business day by day, he found there were lots of things he had to ask a favor of Paek. And the first thing he had to ask for Paek¡¯s help had to do with Kim Dohyuk. As the saying goes, if you know your enemy and yourself, you can win every battle. Hyunwoo thought that even though he wanted to form a dream team, he felt Kim¡¯s help was absolutely needed. No matter how hard Hyunwoo made efforts to make such a team, Kim could make him fail if he had his way. In order to persuade Kim, Hyunwoo had to find out everything about him. So, he gave Paek a special mission disguised as a favor. Grumbling along the way, Paek went down to Chungju and began to collect various tips about Kim. If Hyunwoo fails to form a dream team under Kim, he will immediately turn to N&C in Vietnam. The reason he was investigating Kim was in preparation for that possibility. And this time, Paek¡¯s mission was about the machines. Obviously, Paek, who enjoyed ying around,ined because he couldn¡¯t move around freely. ¡°Hey, dude. Do you think it¡¯s easy to earn your money from others? Isn¡¯t it good for you to travel down to Daegu and Pusan on this asion?¡± asked Hyunwoo jokingly. ¡°Hummm... it¡¯s not in my element to do this kind of job.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to do it, work harder as a salesman. If you increase your sales high enough to hire a couple of salesmen, you¡¯ll get morefortable then.¡± ¡°Damn it. Let me increase sales more, man.¡± ¡°Ha ha. Thanks for that. By the way, this is an urgent task. So, hurry up!¡± ¡°Sure, will do.¡± Paek immediately went down to Daegu and Pusan to inspect the machines. Fortunately, they were in good condition. As soon as Na wired the money into Hyunwoo¡¯s ount, he purchased the machines and sent them to Vietnam. While looking at the certificate on the export of machines, Hyunwoo felt secure in his heart. He felt as if N&C was growing by leaps and bounds every day. Actually, N&C was growing rapidly. Hyunwoo heard that the market capitalization of N&C¡¯s stocks at the Stock Exchange of Vietnam was over 700 billion dong. When he indicated his willingness to invest, it was around 60 billion dong. Then, the stock was up as much as ten times in less than six months. His investment was 300 million Korean won, and he received about 13% of N&C¡¯s stocks, given that thepany was on the brink of copse. Given that the market capitalization of N&C stocks was 700 billion dong, it was equivalent to 3.5 billion Korean won, and 13% of it was 4.5 billion won. ¡®Is my current wealth 4.5 billion won?¡¯ Hyunwoo thought to himself. But that was not the end of the story. N&C was one of the fastest growingpanies listed on the Stock Exchange of Vietnam. There was a lull in the bullish trend of N&C stock, but stock experts forecast that its upward trend would continue for the time being. That meant that Hyunwoo¡¯s wealth was growing every day. ¡®Am I going to be a millionaire someday?¡¯ In the meantime, Kim Dohyuk was also full of hope. In thete evening, Kim grabbed the hands of the technicians around the dinner table. ¡°Let¡¯s make it work well.¡± ¡°Sure, let¡¯s make a greateback!¡± A total of six, including Kim, were at the drinking get-together. They were the best castor technicians that Kim had solicited by looking for them the past one month. In other words, they were the dream team members. Kim had never thought that his n would work out so easily like this. He thought it would take at least six months to form such a team. And he owed all this sess to the draft contract he made with Aurum. When he presented to them the draft contract that as long as they could adjust the quality and price to Aurum¡¯s needs, it would purchase all their products, they supported his idea without any hesitation. But the problem was he could not find a factory that could hire his dream team members. The main reason was their sries. ¡°We know their expertise, but we can¡¯t pay them a manager¡¯s sry. We can take into ount their experience, but at the same we can¡¯t pay more than 40 million won per year.¡± ¡°Actually, their expertise has more value than that.¡± ¡°Is their value so important? If we hire them all with an annual sry of 40 million won, it¡¯s 240 million won per year. Do you think they can generate that much profit if they improve the product quality a bit?¡± ¡°What about giving thempany stocks?¡± ¡°Stocks of mypany? Why do I have to give them stocks to hire them? I have no reason to hire them.¡± Most of thepanies Kim contacted reacted in a simr way. Even though the product quality improved thanks to the dream team¡¯s performance, the management of thepanies judged that it would not necessarily lead to a surge in profits. Come to think of it, their logic made sense, given that most of their factories were small. And there were no automation equipment systems, which meant that most of the production process was done by manual workers. The bigger problem was the unit price. In fact, not all thepanies Kim contacted rejected his idea. Some of them went to the brink of bankruptcy trying to hire Kim¡¯s dream team members as ast resort. No matter how hard they thought about it, however, they could not adjust the price to what Aurum wanted. The signature castor model for Kim¡¯s dream team to supply to Aurum was C65F, which Aurum imported them for 31 cents per piece from Vietnam. It was about 320 Korean won. Aurum said it was willing to raise the unit price up to 450 won on the condition of quality improvement. But that unit price was impossible to ept because they needed to receive at least 500 won to reach the break-even point. In other words, if the unit price was less than 500, the dream team members would be working without any pay. They could make about 3 million won monthly only when the unit price was 530 won per piece. Considering this situation, Kim just got nervous. The only person Kim could rely on was Hyunwoo. ¡°Mr. Jang, without adding a single lie, our bottom line of the unit price is 530 won. I can never make any profit below that price, no matter how hard I think about it.¡± Hyunwoo was just as agonized. If he had the decision right, he would think about it positively, but he couldn¡¯t. ¡°Let me report to my president about this.¡± ¡°Please tell your president that he has to look at the future, not the present alone. I¡¯ve gathered all the best technicians, so we¡¯ll see an improvement in product quality at an rming speed. Maybe we might be able to catch up with the Japanese product sooner orter.¡± ¡°Okay, let me arrange a meeting with you and the managers of the purchasing team. I think it will be much better for you to help me at the meeting instead of me persuading them alone.¡± ¡°Really? Thanks so much.¡± On the spot, Hyunwoo introduced him to Park Youngsu and Yonggu. They moved to a conference room. However, the situation was not good enough. Not only Park but also Yonggu, a strong ally of Hyunwoo, made a troubled expression. ¡°530 won per piece is too high.¡± ¡°Castor sells a simr model at 630 won per piece. If you insist on 530 won, I think we would rather buy Castor products with a little more money.¡± Kim got more and more nervous because he exined it to them the best he could. This time, Hyunwoo chipped in. He pointed out what Kim missed and augmented his exnation. ¡°I wish you took into ount the publicity effect. This is like Korea¡¯s best techniciansing together to throw down the gauntlet to Castor, a Japanesepany, isn¡¯t it? Our people will surely take note of that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s kind of a patriotic marketing strategy.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right!¡± said Hyunwoo, nodding his head strongly. Kim was just too thankful to Hyunwoo. He could acutely feel Hyunwoo¡¯s genuine considerations for him. Did Hyunwoo¡¯s genuine appeal pay off? Park hit the desk with his palm, with a bang, and said, ¡°Okay. Let me report it to the president. Come with me and support me, Mr. Jang.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Hyunwoo stood up, along with Park. Kim kept bowing to them behind their backs, saying, ¡°Please, please!¡± Chapter 59

Chapter 59

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C Park Daebong, the president of Aurum, shook his head as if he didn¡¯t want to hear more. ¡°No way!¡± ¡°Please think about the promotional effects,¡± demanded Park Youngsu, his nephew and manager of the purchasing team. He exined to the president about the patriotic marketing that he had heard from Hyunwoo, but he dug in his heels and wouldn¡¯t change his mind. ¡°No, it¡¯s impossible. Think about this. Currently, we pay 800 million won per year for the castor imports. Do you know how much we have to pay when the unit price is increased to 530 won? It¡¯s 1.4 billion won. Aside from the existing products, we have to pay an additional 250 million won when we apply the adjusted unit price to our new products. How can we afford to pay it?¡± said the president. He then looked at Hyunwoo, continuing, ¡°The reason I mentioned 450 won for our new products was because we cut the budget significantly thanks to Mr. Jang Hyunwoo¡¯s efforts. We saved about 150 million won. But your proposal doesn¡¯t make sense. Business men should not be affected by kindness. Let them adjust to a unit price of below 450 won unconditionally. Get out!.¡± There was little room for Park and Hyunwoo to interrupt for further persuasion. Both came out of the president¡¯s office even without making their case. Manager Park went back to his office, and Hyunwoo went into the conference room alone. Standing nervously near the conference room, Kim Dohyuk rushed to Hyunwoo. ¡°What ..? Kim couldn¡¯t ask properly because he could read from Hyunwoo¡¯s look what the result was. Hyunwoo lowered his head and said, ¡°Sorry. We did our best, but...¡± ¡°Haaaa....¡± Kim let out a sigh as if he was hopeless. He then feebly squatted on the ground. Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t raise his face. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. Because of my limited capability...¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to feel sorry. I know you did your best.¡± ¡°But the result is not good, as you know...¡± Hyunwoo was at a loss for words. How could hefort Kim in such a situation? Like Kim, Hyunwoo could not help but heave a sigh. Several dayster. ¡°How about the situation?¡± asked Hyunwoo over the phone. ¡°Looks like Kim has been idling away his time drinking. He seems to be extremely disappointed. I wonder if he¡¯s going to end up as a crock,¡± said Paek Sungwoo. Hyunwoo¡¯s face grew dark at his remarks. In fact, Kim¡¯s failure wound mean Hyunwoo¡¯s opportunity. As Kim failed to form a dream team in Korea, the only choice now was for Kim and his dream team to move to Vietnam. From Hyunwoo¡¯s perspective, this was something he should be really happy about. However, he could not just p his hands over somebody¡¯s failure. ¡°So, did you find any other way?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s easy to win over a person¡¯s mind?¡± replied Paek. In fact, Pake could not find one no matter how hard he thought about it. ¡°What did you do for the past month?¡± demanded Hyunwoo. ¡°Hey, you try to do it, man. Do you think I can find any clues to tempt Kim even if I gather all the information about him?¡±ined Paek as if Hyunwoo¡¯s reproach was not fair. Still, he had to find out something about him. ¡°Did you say his daughter¡¯s name was Unhye?¡± At Hyunwoo¡¯s asking, Paek recited all the tips he had found out about Kim and his family as if he was arguing that he hadn¡¯t wasted his time for the past month. ¡°Yes, she is a student of Japanesenguage and literature at Chungju Univ. Her grade are all A+. Her Japanese is excellent enough to pass as a native Japanese. She wants to study in Japan, but because of her family¡¯s bad financial situation, I¡¯ve found out that she has been thinking of studying in Japan while doing part-time job there.¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide suddenly. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the solution!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°We can help his daughter study in Japan. Then, Kim will change his mind, I think.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s the tail wagging the dog? Based on my calctions, she needs at least 100,000 yen for her monthly expenses. And we can¡¯t pay only 100,000 yen, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of that. Anyway, nice job, dude. You just focus on doing your job as a salesman from now on,¡± said Hyunwoo. After the call, Hyunwoo approached manager Park. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±asked Park. ¡°I want to meet Mr. Kim again.¡± ¡°I understand his case was closed.¡± ¡°Though he failed here in Korea, I think he can seed in Vietnam.¡± ¡°Vietnam?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m thinking about sending Kim¡¯s dream team to the N&C factory in Vietnam. Then, I think they can meet our president¡¯s demand for the quality and the unit price.¡± Park¡¯s eyes became wide open at that, as if he had never thought about that. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a good idea. By the way, I wonder if they can go as far as Vietnam to work there.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I want to meet Kim. Let me go down to Chunju and persuade him. Please send me out on a business trip there.¡± ¡°Sure, will do.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got one more favor to ask of you.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Park¡¯s face brightened instantly, suggesting he could do him any favor. ¡°The old guard at the main gate said that he was a former teacher of Mr. Kim, and he promised to help me. Can you ask the president to approve my request to go with that guard?¡± ¡°Was he a former teacher?¡± ¡°Yes, he said he was once the principal of a high school.¡± ¡°I see. That¡¯s why he sounds elegant, something I don¡¯t feel from a typical guard. Okay. Let me report to the president for approval,¡± said Park. Hyunwoo felt that it was a done deal, for Park Daebong recently approved Park Youngsu¡¯s proposal without any objection. And most of Park¡¯s ideas or proposals came from Hyunwoo or Yonggu, which were mostly beneficial to thepany. As he had said, Park got the president¡¯s approval, and Hyunwoo called Kim. ¡°Oh, Mr. Jang, how are you?¡± Though Kim¡¯s tongue didn¡¯t trip, he obviously spoke in drunk voice. He seemed to be drunk even though it was still the middle of the day. ¡°I¡¯ve got something to tell you about your dream team. Can I see you tomorrow? Let mee down to Chungju.¡± ¡°Well, I thought it was a closed book, right?¡± Kim¡¯s voice was feeble. When Hyunwoo mentioned his dream team, he felt Kim would react differently, but it seemed he lost the will to do anythingpletely. ¡°I think I have to meet you on that. And you must know Mr. Oh Youngsu, right? He¡¯s promised toe with me.¡± ¡°What? Mr Oh, my teacher?¡± Oh Suyoung was the old guard¡¯s name. When Hyunwoo mentioned Oh, Kim¡¯s tone changed, which meant that he had great respect for his former teacher. ¡°Are you avable tomorrow?¡± ¡°Sure, I¡¯m...¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll see you then.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo headed for the guard office with a light heart. He felt things would work out smoothly, given that Kim¡¯s tone changed the moment he heard the name Oh Youngsu. Mr. Oh dly greeted Hyunwoo with a bright smile. ¡°What brought you here at this time?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got a favor to ask of you, sir.¡± ¡°Favor? What is it?¡± ¡°Actually, I¡¯m going down to Chunju to see Mr. Kim Dohyuk. I hope you cane with me. As the president already approved our business trip there, please decide toe with me.¡± Oh had no reason to say no. ¡°Sure, I will. By the way, how can I help you? Last time you told me something about him, but...¡± The following morning. Hyunwoo told Oh about some of the details about Kim and his dream team while he was driving down to Chungju with him. Nodding his head, Oh said, ¡°Oh, I see there was something going on about N&C like that. Mr. Na Sungji and Kwon Sangtaek are beholden to you, Mr. Jang, a lot.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not my point, sir. N&C is a workce of opportunity for Kim and the other technicians. They can make a sessfuleback there if they want.¡± ¡°Now I see how I can help you. Don¡¯t worry. Kim is not such an adaptable person.¡± ¡°I will just rely on you, sir.¡± While they were having a conversation on their way to Chunju, they soon arrived at their destination. Was it because of his former teacher¡¯s visit? Until yesterday, Kim had been drunk, but today, he waspletely sober. With a clean shave, he obviously paid attention to his appearance, too. ¡°Howe you drove so far down here, sir?¡± asked Kim. ¡°I heard you were having a difficult time these days. How could I do nothing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s cold outside. Pleasee inside. Unhye, peel some apples for us.¡± ¡°Yes, daddy.¡± Hyunwoo heard Unhey¡¯s voice somewhere in the house. It was warm inside. Obviously, Kim turned on the boiler to heat the room when he heard his former teacher wasing, too. A littleter, Unhye came with some apples. Hyunwoo stole a nce at her, who looked plump and cheerful. She must have felt a lot of stress because of her slump-ridden father, but she didn¡¯t show her feelings at all. ¡®Is it because she¡¯s the senior? She seems rather mature,¡¯ Hyunwoo thought. After she went out, Oh made some well-wishing remarks. And then, Hyunwoo brought up the main topic. ¡°Your dream team. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too regrettable for your team to disappear without doing nothing? Why don¡¯t you think of working in Vietnam now?¡± Kim heaved a sigh instead of replying. He didn¡¯t even have any motivation, let alone going there for aeback. ¡°Vietnam is not as far as you think. If you want, you cane back anytime you want. Don¡¯t think Vietnam as a foreign country. Just assume you are travelling to Cheju ind on a business trip.¡± Kim stayed silent, though. Hyunwoo continued to persuade him, ¡°I¡¯ll fully support your aodation there. And let me pay 100 million won per person for the technology transfer fee, plus additional 50 million won as an annual sry. If you want, I can give you stocks in thepany. And, I¡¯m going to send you a ne ticket once a month, so you can travel to Korea back and forth.¡± The more Kim listened to him, the more dramatic Hyunwoo¡¯s proposal was. Kim even wondered how Hyunwoo could make any profit after paying such a huge amount. But Hyunwoo thought he could make money. He already discussed this matter with Na Sungji and Kwon Sangtaek. Of course, the size of the dream team members should not be too big. Kwon said two or three was the right size. Kim still could not open his mind. This time, his former teacher began to persuade him. Rather than technical things, Oh told him about what he had seen and felt about Hyunwoo. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about business, but I know something about life. The most important thing is not what to do but who you have to do business with. In that respect, Mr. Jang is the man you can trust and work with.¡± ¡°Of course I highly think of Mr. Jang, sir.¡± ¡°Then, what is your biggest headache? Don¡¯t you think Jang cane up with a solution when he knows what it is?¡± At Oh¡¯s asking, Kim asked himself. ¡®Why am I hesitating now?¡¯ Maybe it might be his lingering obsession. Obsession with the potential opportunity he could find in Korea. Even though he had experienced such a big hurdle, he still failed to get over that kind of obsession. On the other hand, there was some fear in his mind. Fear that someone might take advantage of him fully and then desert him. When he looked at Hyunwoo, however, he felt that he didn¡¯t have to worry about such fear. Hyunwoo was a man certified even by his former teacher. Still, he could not make the decision easily. Despite Mr Oh¡¯s persuasion, he could not nod his head easily. ¡°Please give me some time. Let me think about it.¡± In fact, Hyunwoo thought he could not persuade him away immediately. And, he had one more ace card to show to Kim. ¡°Sir, let me get out for some fresh air ande back. Can both of you have a conversation a little more?¡± said Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo had already discussed with Oh about this. Oh nodded, as if he recognized Hyunwoo¡¯s intentions. ¡°Okay, go ahead.¡± Hyunwoo went out of the room alone and walked slowly here and there inside the house. Then, he saw Unhye over there. ¡°Ms. Kim Unhye?¡± ¡°Oh, are you done?¡± ¡°Can I talk with you a minute?¡± At Hyunwoo¡¯s abrupt suggestion, Unhye seemed surprised. ¡°With me? What¡¯s it about?¡± Hyunwoo said, with a smile, ¡°Business.¡± Chapter 60

Chapter 60

Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C Kim Unhye tilted her head, asking, ¡°Doing business with me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have much time to talk with you right now. Let me ask you this bluntly. Don¡¯t you want to study in Japan?¡± ¡°What? Studying in Japan?¡± Kim raised her tone, cleary showing how much she wanted to study in Japan. Hyunwoo quickly put his finger on his lips and asked her to stay quiet. ¡°Be quiet. Your father will know about it sooner orter, but we had better do it without informing him for now.¡± ¡°Got it. By the way, what are you talking about? Me studying in Japan?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to appoint you as the general sales manager of mypany in Japan. Then, you don¡¯t have to work a part-time job to make a living there.¡± Kim¡¯s eyes became wider. Putting his finger on his lips again, Hyunwoo said, ¡°As you presume, this has something to do with your father¡¯s job. How about it? Are you going to talk with me about this?¡± Unhye nodded her head positively. Though she was full of wariness, she seemed to trust Hyunwoo at the thought of studying in Japan and the fact that he hade down here with his father¡¯s teacher. Hyunwoo held out his mobile phone and said, ¡°Give me your cell phone number. Let¡¯s talk about this in detail a littleter when we meet.¡± Unhye called his cell phone to record her number there. ¡°Okay, see you a bitter.¡± With a pleasant smile, Hyunwoo went back into the room. Inside the room, Oh, wearing a serious expression on his face, was chastening him. ¡°There is a certain time to do things,¡± said Oh. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind, sir.¡± Hyunwoo interrupted cautiously. ¡°Do you still have more to say, sir? Can Ie back a littleter?¡± ¡°No, no. Let¡¯s stand up.¡± Oh and Hyunwoo went out of the room, followed by Kim walking politely. Before Oh got inside the car, he looked at Kim again, saying, ¡°You know how much I value you?¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± ¡°Let me advise you this for thest time. Don¡¯t think of it as nitpicking. Just keep it in mind.¡± ¡°Please go ahead, sir.¡± ¡°There are three conditions for sess. First, you need lots of knowledge. Second, you need a lot of effort. But the third one is the most important. Do you know what it is?¡± Kim silently looked at Oh, as if he didn¡¯t know. ¡°That is to dial back your greed.¡± Oh didn¡¯t paraphrase it. He got on the car, suggesting Kim should find the answer. Hyunwoo started the car softly and looked at the rear mirror. Kim Unhye was looking at them. Once they¡¯re out of Kim¡¯s house, Hyunwoo pulled over. ¡°Sir, can I see one more person before we leave?¡± ¡°Any other person you have to see?¡± Oh asked with a heavy heart. He felt heavy because he could not persuade Kim. With a bright smile, Hyunwoo said, ¡°I¡¯ve got someone who can move Mr. Kim¡¯s mind.¡± ¡°Really? Who is it?¡± ¡°His daughter, sir. With a smile, he took out his mobile phone to call her. ¡°Ms. Kim Unhye, I¡¯m waiting for you nearby. Can youe this way? Or shall we meet at a certain ce?¡± ¡°Please wait a minute. Let mee over now.¡± A littleter, she walked to them with short steps, wearing a thick overcoat. Opening the car door, Hyunwoo waved at her. ¡°Come this way.¡± Unhye got inside the car. ¡°Do you know a coffee shop nearby?¡± ¡°Just down this road a little more, and then you¡¯ll see a restaurant-cum-coffee shop. As it¡¯s not dinner time, there are few customers right now.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go there then.¡± Hyunwoo started the car, driving about two km to the coffee shop she had mentioned. Oh said reluctantly, ¡°I wonder if it is alright for me to join.¡± ¡°Of course, you should, sir. I¡¯ve something to tell you, too. And she will feelfortable when you¡¯re with us.¡± ¡°Really?¡± There were few customers at the coffee shop. When she sat down, Unhye looked at Hyunwoo curiously. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t want to drag on, so he brought up the topic even before coffee was served. Hyunwoo spoked to Mr. Oh first. ¡°Sir, I¡¯ve got something that I haven¡¯t told you up to now. I didn¡¯t tell it not only to Aurum but also to you.¡± Oh looked at him as if it was not a big deal, saying ¡°Everybody is living a life with one or two secrets under their sleeves.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, sir. It¡¯s a secret. You shouldn¡¯t tell it to Aurum for the time being. But I thought I should not hide it to you.¡± Unhye and Oh looked at Hyunwoo quietly. ¡°Before I say it, I¡¯d like to ask a favor of you. Even though you want to say it to Aurum...¡± Nodding his head as if he already knew Hyunwoo¡¯s intentions, Oh interrupted him, ¡°Got it. You want me to just listen and shut up, right? So, don¡¯t worry and go ahead,¡± said Oh casually. However, he almost spilt his tea when Hyunwoo said something shocking. ¡°As a matter of fact, I¡¯m an employee with Aurum but at the same time owner of N&C Korea.¡± ¡°What? N&C? Isn¡¯t it the supplier in Vietnam that provides castors to ourpany?¡± ¡°Correct. And N&C¡¯s salespany in Korea is none other than N&C Korea. Though I registered my name as the president of N&C Korea, I¡¯m the real owner, sir.¡± ¡°Oh, I see,¡± said Oh, nodding his head. This time, Hyunwoo looked at Unhye. ¡°The reason I reveal this secret to you and Mr. Oh is because I want to make you trust me. Because what I¡¯m going to tell you from now on is not absurd but sincere and true.¡± Hyunwoo made it clear that the person he really wanted to confide the secret to was Oh, not Unhye. In other words, he would have told it to Oh first even without Unhye¡¯s presence. Unhye nodded, with a tense expression. She felt even a moment ago that Hyunwoo was an ordinarypany employee, but when he said he was the owner of N&C Korea, she seemed to take a different look at him. ¡°I¡¯ve got a n to expand N&C Korea to Japan businesswise. And I¡¯m looking for a manager there.¡± ¡°Then, are you going to appoint me...?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m nning to give you that position.¡± ¡°Why are you giving it to me?¡± Kim got more tense now. Of course, that position seemed to be terrific because she would be in charge of all the sales in Japan. But it might be true in reality, for she would be destined to run into many troubles and difficulties just like banging her head against a stone wall. She might think Hyunwoo was using her to open new markets in Japan. Of course, Hyunwoo would not have to dash her illusion by talking about it in advance. However, if Hyunwoo seeded in persuading her today, it would be like killing two birds with one stone. It would also be a great opportunity for her, too. So, he had to persuade her by all means. The most effective way was to show his sincerity to her. ¡°The reason is I want to work with your father. I want to persuade your father through you. Do you think I exined the reason well enough?¡± Unhye was aware of her father¡¯s situation to some degree and thought Hyunwoo¡¯s exnation was good enough. She nodded her head. Hyunwoo then took out a piece of paper from his inside jacket. ¡°This is my proposal. I¡¯ll pay you 150,000 yen every month for the next two years as living expenses. If you find a dealer, the profits will be divided evenly between us.¡± Hyunwoo exined in detail, but she didn¡¯t pay any careful attention to the details except for the monthly pay of 150,000 yen. She didn¡¯t feel Hyunwoo¡¯s mention of the division of profits in her bones, either. Hyunwoo borated a bit more. ¡°My friend is working as a sales manager in Korea right now. He started this past Sept, so it has been a little over two months now. He makes about 1.5 million won every month.¡± Unhye¡¯s eyes became wide open. If he made 1.5 million won in less than three months, he would be able to make 10 million won easily if he was doing his job well for two or three years. ¡°Of course, it would not be easy for you to make profits in a short time as you¡¯recking in social experience and you¡¯re working in Japan, not Korea. Also, that friend of mine performed well because he has a great knack for sales. Even though you take on this role, there is no guarantee you¡¯ll generate profits.¡± Hyunwoo continued at length. And the reason he did so was just one: gain her trust. Big expectation may bring about big disappointment. If she didn¡¯t make any big profits that she expected, she might think Hyunwoo was a swindler. However, Hyunwoo¡¯s cautiousness made Unhye more enthusiastic because she felt he was more trustworthy when he pointed out some risk factors. Pausing for a moment, Hyunwoo resumed, ¡°What I can say clearly is that there is potential. Depending on your efforts, there is vast potential.¡± Unhye could not help but show surprise. Of course, she might not seed easily. Even if she took into ount the risk factor, it was going to be a great opportunity for her anyway. Wasn¡¯t her position general manager of N&C Korea in Japan? On the other hand, she felt that Hyunwoo was giving her too big a gift to persuade her father. But Hyunwoo didn¡¯t think that way. It was a business to him. If Unhye made profits, Hyunwoo could make corresponding profits, too. In other words, it¡¯s a business in which there was nothing to lose. ¡°I¡¯ve got one question,¡± asked Unhye. ¡°Why do you want to work with my father so dearly? I know fairly well how my father has been doing so far, but I just don¡¯t know why this is so important to him.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s important, and that extremely important.¡± Hyunwoo then exined to her about N&C, Aurum, Art & Hill, and Castor in Japan. He also exined why he wanted to improve the quality of N&C products quickly. ¡°The only way N&C can improve its products is the dream team that your father has formed. And that¡¯s why I¡¯m trying my best to persuade your father. And I can guarantee that this is the golden opportunity for your father to make aeback. It¡¯s mutually beneficial to us.¡± ¡°I can reassure you on that, too,¡± said Oh, who had been listening quietly. ¡°Maybe your father knows that, too. But your father is hesitating like that because he can¡¯t ovee his lingering desire for aeback in Korea.¡± Unhye nodded her head lightly. ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t want to stop him if he can seed in Korea. But if he can¡¯t, I would like to rmend him to try in Vietnam. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s just too regrettable for him to waste his talent like that?¡± Unhye felt good to hear that, and only now could she understand the whole situation. She never doubted that either Hyunwoo or Oh was lying. In particr, Oh was not the type, and even if he lied, she would find it out anyway from her father. Unhye nodded her head and said, ¡°When are you going to sign the contract with me then? Maybe after I persuade my daddy, right?¡± Is it because she realized how important her father was? Or was she originally confident and strong-minded? Hyunwoo felt she was smarter than a moment ago. He liked her confident attitude. If she had to work as a sales manager, she has got to have that steely quality. He felt she could carry out her job as the general manager better than he had expected. Chapter 61:

Chapter 61:

Trantor: ¨C | Editor: ¨C ¡°You can decide when to sign the contract. I¡¯ve already prepared one, so if you want to sign it now, I can do it immediately.¡± ¡°Do you mind if I review the contract? I want to look at it.¡± Hyunwoo dly showed a draft contract. As it contained the basic uses, Hyunwoo nned to flesh it out with details after discussing with Unhye. After reviewing it, Unhye found there was nothing unfavorable to her. In particr, she liked it because there was no use on down payments or cancetion charges. She could quit without any conditions if she didn¡¯t like her job. And it clearly showed that her performance in Japan was her own credit. In other words, even if she quit, she was supposed to continue to receive the dividends of the performance she made as the general manager. What bothered her, though, was a use on the double manager system. In other words, if Unhye¡¯s performance as the general manager was not good enough, the president of N&C Korea had the authority to appoint another manager. But it was not to rece the existing manager but to add one more manager, so it was not that unfavorable to Unhye. In some way, the draft contract was dominantly favorable to Unhye. Suddenly, she felt there might be some hidden uses and asked, ¡°Is this all?¡± ¡°Well, there is one more.¡± ¡°What is that?¡± she asked with glittering eyes. She felt the additional use Hyunwoo was about to reveal now was the most important one. Of course, Hyunwoo also thought of it as the most important. He said cautiously, ¡°If you can meet one condition before you sign a contract with a local dealer, let me give you 5 million won in cash immediately. And let me pay you one year¡¯smission of the contract. That has nothing to do with the size of the contract. All you have to do is just make a sessful deal even if it is a one-dor contract.¡± It was really an extraordinary condition to her. Five million won regardless of the the size of the contract! Unhye¡¯s eyes were twinkling. ¡°What is that condition?¡± ¡°It is recing Castor products with N&C products.¡± Ah!...¡± Unhye quickly could detect Hyunwoo¡¯s intentions. In short, it meant that she would have to prove through her sales performance that N&C products were on a par with Caster¡¯s in quality. In that respect, five million won was far from big. But it was something Unhye needed to do. If N&C products were recognized as high-quality, her sales activities would be much easier. ¡°Is there any other contract use that I should know?¡± ¡°No more,¡± said Hyunwoo without hesitation. But Unhye was still prudent, asking, ¡°My father has to move to Vietnam, right?¡± ¡°Not necessarily. He doesn¡¯t have to go if his dream team can work. But I think your father¡¯s direct participation will also be beneficial. Of course, he might have a hard time in a foreign country, but he will get a lot at the same time, at least emotionally, aside from money.¡± Unhye agreed with that, too. His father would be happy to turn over a new leaf in his life in Vietnam instead of doing nothing in deep frustration. ¡°I did some part-times jobs before, but I¡¯ve never worked as a salesman. Can I stay for a while in Korea and learn from a salesman by working with him?¡± said Unhye, asking for a favor. Hyunwoo was d to hear that, for he felt there was some other intention behind her asking a favor like that. In other words, she wanted to verify Hyunwoo¡¯s remarks about Paek Sungwoo. She wanted to meet Paek in person and confirm if he was really making 1.5 million won per month in less than three months. Also, she wanted to learn Paek¡¯s sales knowhow. But that was not something Hyunwoo could decide because he was such an unpredictable guy. Even if Hyunwoo okayed it, Paek could make things go wrong by saying no. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can decide it on my own. Let me call him first.¡± Hyunwoo called Paek right away and talked loudly enough for Unhye and Mr. Oh to hear. ¡°Hey, Hyunwoo. I was going to call you anyway, man.¡± ¡°Why? What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°I found another dealer. It is a very smallpany, but it grows very fast. Once we start business with it, we can generate a lot of money in a few years.¡± As expected, Paek knew the exact timing to make a deal. ¡°Nice job. I¡¯m here with Kim Unhye, daughter of Mr. Kim Dohyun, the former chief of the castors union. Can you do me a favor?¡± ¡°I see. What favor? Don¡¯t give me any stress, man!¡± ¡°This is something you have to help me by all means. Help me this time!¡± ¡°What is it this time?¡± ¡°Teach Unhye how to do sales while you¡¯re taking her where you go.¡± ¡°What the heck are you talking about? Who is teaching whom? Do you think I¡¯m the god of sales?¡± ¡°You¡¯re! Because you¡¯re making 1.5 million won every month less than three months after you started working as a salesman.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m just lucky, man.¡± While talking with him over the phone, Hyunwoo stole a nce at her. Her eyes sparkled much more than before, as if she was full of hope. ¡°Anyway, you have to ept my request. When you go out for a deal, just take her with you. That¡¯s it. Then, she will be able to learn on her own.¡± At his exnation, Paek asked, ¡°Is she pretty?¡± Surprised at his question, Hyunwoo looked at Unhey. Fortunately, she was just smiling. ¡°Hey, dude. She is here with me. Stop your nonsense! You and I are talking over the phone close to her, and she is listening.¡± ¡°Really? You should have tipped me off in advance. Ha ha. How are you, Ms. Kim Unhye! This is Paek Sungwoo.¡± ¡°Ah, nice to talk to you. My name is Kim Unhye.¡± Both of them introduced each other. Paek was really sociable. Though it was the first time he had talked to her, he led the conversation naturally. Unhye was also a liberal woman. After exchanging a few introductory words, she began to say ¡®oppa''(elder brother). ¡°Can I call you oppa from now on? I hope I¡¯ll be in good hands as I to follow and learn from you.¡± ¡°Ha ha. No problem.¡± Things worked out much easier than Hyunwoo had thought. Hyunwoo and Unhye finished the call happily. Unhye continued, ¡°When do I start working in Japan?¡± ¡°First of all, we have to upgrade the quality of N&C products. Currently, N&C products can¡¯t pass the quality standard of Japanesepanies.¡± ¡°Then, I have to persuade my father first.¡± Hyunwoo nodded his head, adding, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the number one thing we have to solve.¡± ¡°Got it. Let me persuade him by all means. Let¡¯s sign the contract then. And, I want you to add one use at the end of the contract that there are no other hidden uses.¡± Hyunwoo became more and more attracted to her act. He felt that she might have been handed down some sort of business sense in her blood from her father. ¡°Sure.¡± At the end of the contract, Hyunwoo put down her request in his own handwriting and then signed with his thumbprint. Unhye once again read the contract carefully. ¡°You¡¯ve got plenty of time. Read it carefully and let me know if you need anything,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°No, I¡¯ve read it carefully.¡± She also signed it. So, the contracts were signed. Both of them shook hands as if their deal was done. She said, ¡°I want to call you Hyunwoo oppa from now on.¡± ¡°That sounds good.¡± Both of them smiled brightly. Though she was not pretty, her smile itself was really pretty, he thought. *** ¡°What is this?¡± Hyunwoo looked at the stuff inside a stic bag with a suspicious look. ¡°I thought you might be sick and tired of soybean and rice balls as your breakfast everyday. So, I made some kimbap(seaweed ball) for you,¡± said his mother. Hyunwoo¡¯e eyes became open wide. He knew how hard it was to make kimbap, much more difficult than making soybean juice or rice balls. ¡°Kimbap? Why did you do that? It¡¯s hard to make kimbap, as you know.¡± She shook her head and said, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a bit different from kimbap.¡± ¡°Different? How?¡± ¡°Well, I just put in only sweet pickled radish in it. I didn¡¯t use any other ingredients because preparing them is hard for me.¡± ¡®That¡¯s good for her,¡¯ Hyunwoo thought. At least she couldn¡¯t prepare sausage, eggs, spinach, etc, the usual ingredients of kimbap. ¡°I just made kimbap as a test. If any of your colleagues likes it, I can make it next time.¡± Suddenly, her expression on her face came into his eyes. It was bright. Above all, her eyes were spirited, which suggested that she was strongly motivated by something. He felt that he really had done a good job when he tasked her with the breakfast for his staff. Aside from money, he liked her renewed vigor in her life. She seemed to have be healthier since she took the job. ¡®Okay, I wish I had hired a helper for her. Where can I find a person? I think I have to find one sooner orter.¡¯ He loaded the breakfast bags on his van and drove to his workce. As soon as he arrived at the gate, he handed out the breakfast bags, starting with Mr. Oh, the old guard. There were only two types of breakfast that she prepared every morning: soybean juice and rice balls. But it increased to three today, with the addition of kimbap. If he handed out the bags, they would pick one ording to their tastes. Currently, there were 60 employees who took the breakfast bag, half the employees of Aurum. But the number was growing as time went by. ¡°Wow, this kimbap tastes really good, and it has a spicy vor.¡± ¡°Why does it taste so good when there are not many ingredients in it?¡± Kimbap was very popr among them, but many of them didn¡¯t enjoy it because he hadn¡¯t brought enough of them. ¡°Let me ask my mother to make more tomorrow.¡± At that moment, he had a call from Unhye in Chunju. ¡°I made it! Daddy okayed.¡± Hyunwoo wanted to hop around in the office out of joy. Though he had expected Unhye to persuade him, he felt a big burden get off his chest when he heard that she had seeded in persuading him. ¡°Nice job! How fortunate!¡± ¡°I just talked with him. And he will give you a call a littleter.¡± ¡°Sure, let me take care of it. By the way, did you meet Paek Sungwoo?¡± ¡°Not yet. As my regr sses are over soon, I¡¯ve decided to follow him then.¡± ¡°Great. Try to learn a lot from him.¡± He hung up the phone, and less than 20 minutes after the call, he got the call from Kim Dohyuk. Controlling his excitement, Hyunwoo picked up the phone. Kim¡¯s voice was more vigorous than he had expected. It looked as if he had given up any lingering attachment to Korea and thought about realizing his dream in Vietnam. Obviously, Unhye had persuaded him well. What pleased him above all was that Kim didn¡¯t feel it unpleasant that he had met his daughter separately. Mentioning his contract with her daughter, Kim even offered thanks, saying, ¡°As parents, I¡¯ve led a life that was beneficial to my daughter so far. Actually, I¡¯ve already felt heavy in my heart because I could not afford to send her to Japan for studies. Now, I got it off my chest thanks to your help, Mr. Jang.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s me who has to offer thanks to you. I think I can open a sales branch in Japan sooner orter thanks to Unhye. She seems to have a lot of excellent hidden talents.¡± ¡°Oh, she¡¯s still a little kid. She doesn¡¯t know anything about what¡¯s going on in the real world.¡± ¡°For the time being, she will learn a lot of things while following my friend, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°I heard about that. I¡¯m so grateful to you for your deep consideration for my daughter. I¡¯m going to do my best. I think I can move to Vietnam with my dream team sooner orter.¡± ¡°Thanks. Just tell me anything you need out there.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo clenched his fist. ¡°Thank God! All clear now.¡± In fact, Hyunwoo had been nning one strategy when he saw the report that N&C products had failed to pass the quality test of Art & Hill. It was a strategy of ¡®an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.¡¯ They dissed N&C and Aurum by putting up the superior technological power of Castor. Targeting it from the start, they had approached N&C Korea. Hyunwoo would take revenge the same way. In other words, recing Castor products with N&C products. Then, when the report based on that came out, the consumers¡¯ perception of N&C products would improve instantly, and Aurum would also regain its honor. ¡®I don¡¯t need two local dealers in Japan. Just one is enough. Then, the game is over.¡¯ Chapter 62:

Chapter 62:

Trantor: ¨C | Editor: ¨C Park Youngsu, the manager of the purchasing team, had been changed into someone who was totally different from the past. He was full of confidence, encouraged by his mastery of his own work, and didn¡¯t harass his staff. But his sense of authority was still there. Whenever he found someone who didn¡¯t follow his instructions, he gave them a good scolding on the spot, regardless of anyone¡¯s presence there. In particr, he didn¡¯t like those who were too slow. He had the mindset that if anybody was ineffectual, he or she must be hard-working to make up for it. ¡°Everybody,e together.¡± His team members quickly gathered around him as soon as he said that. ¡°As you know, we go to an orphanage at the end of the year for a charity event. We¡¯re having one this year, too. We have decided to visit the ¡®House of Happiness¡¯ on Dec. 29.¡± The House of Happiness was one of the biggest orphanages in Ansan city. Though he had never done volunteering work there, he had heard some things about its location and activities. ¡°You don¡¯t have to participate in the event like before. ordingly, we don¡¯t have anyone assigned for that event. Only those who really want to go willingly will be there. So, volunteer if you want it,¡± said Park. Hyunwoo got interested suddenly. Actually, he had helped lonely old men and students in financial stress in his neighborhood in the past, but he had never done any volunteer work by visiting an orphanage. ¡®How do I offer my services at a ce like that?¡¯ Thinking like that, Hyunwoo slowly raised his hand. ¡°I want to volunteer.¡± Park smiled brightly because he had been worried about it in his heart. If it was mandatory to have two or three from each team assigned to the event, obviously there would be some volunteering in one way or another, but there was a strong possibility that nobody woulde forward if it was voluntary. So, he was looking at his staff with sharp eyes to pick someone if nobody volunteered. As soon as he said that, however, Hyunwoo raised his hand. Almost at the same time Minsu did so as well. ¡°I¡¯m going to volunteer, too,¡± said Min Suji. ¡°Oh. you, too, Suji?¡± Originally, Park wanted two volunteers, and if there were no volunteers, he was determined to single out two of them by himself. However,, as two had already volunteered, Park was more ambitious now. He looked around other team members and fixed his eyes on one. His target was Oh Sangsu, the new hire with Min Suji and Jang Hyunwoo. ¡°Anybody else? If you volunteer on an asion like this, you get noticed by the president, don¡¯t you? How about you, Mr. Oh?¡± ¡°Me? Yes, you¡¯re right, but I¡¯ve got to fly to the United States then...¡± ¡°To the United States? I understand your parents are here in Korea. Do you have a secret sweetheart there?¡± ¡°No, sir!¡± said Oh hastily. As his rtionship with Minhye, the president¡¯s daughter and manager of the PR team, was going sour these days, any strange rumor could give him a big trouble. Oh just felt troubled at the thought of her. When Oh got hired by Aurum, Minhye was almost like his wife. She listened to anything Oh said, and they shared a hotel room a couple of times at least every week. But recently, he hadn¡¯t dated her, and it was more than one month that he hadn¡¯t had an intimate rtionship with her. He just presumed that she must have been disappointed at his failure to outperform Kim Yonggu or Jang Hyunwoo. In a situation like this, a rumor like a secret sweetheart was something terrible. ¡°Why are you flying there then? I don¡¯t think you¡¯re going there for travel, right?¡± Actually, Oh¡¯s purpose was travel. He already made an appointment with his college alumni. If he could meet a pretty girl during travel, he could enjoy a one-night stand. He was nning to travel secretly without informing Minhye, and as he was in an icy rtionship with her anyway, he could fly to the United States freely. Now, as the team manager hade to know it, it looked like Oh had to cancel his trip appointment, and Park was now exining why he had to volunteer. ¡°Minhye is also supposed to visit the orphanage. Aren¡¯t you a couple? I think you¡¯ve got to act together.¡± If Minhye goes there, Oh would have to. Oh felt that might be a good asion to mend fences with her. ¡°Alright, sir. I can postpone my travel ns until next year. I¡¯m going to volunteer, too.¡± ¡°Okay, then. Anybody else?¡± ¡°Me, too,¡± said Yonggu. His volunteering was only natural because Minhye was his wooing target. It would be like giving her up if he was absent from such an asion. Park seemed satisfied. He might have invited misunderstandings from others if he had singled out new hires only, but with the addition of Yonggu, his volunteering team was a good mix now. ¡°Very good. I think the teamwork of the purchasing team is the best.¡± Dec. 29. The volunteering members of Aurum gathered before apany bus bound for The House of Happiness. There was a total of 17 including president Park Daebong and three senior managers. Manager Park publicly announced in the morning that he would participate but changed his mind in the afternoon, with an excuse of an important appointment. The volunteers from the purchasing team were four, more than the PR team that included Park Minhye. They got on the bus to head to the orphanage. There was much more stuff they had to do than they had thought. There were a lot of piled-upundry and repair work at the old orphanage. They decided to repair outdated chairs, desks, cabs, etc, as they were from a furniturepany. And as for those broken beyond repair, Aurum decided to exchange them with new recements. But there was a small problem out there. In the past, not only volunteers but also field workers from Aurum were also mobilized for the job. But this time, there were only volunteers, with not a single field worker. And that was the start of the problem. They knew more about the furniture than ordinary people but not as much as the field workers. Field workers could have solved the problem in ten minutes while the volunteers could not even for an hour. ¡°Phew.. why can¡¯t I pull out this screw?¡± ¡°Wow, this screwdriver doesn¡¯t get anything as the screw has been worn outpletely. What should I do?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± They were just confused until the morning when some problem popped up. But in a couple of hours, the atmosphere began to change. They knew there was a troubleshooter among the volunteers. ¡°Assistant manager Jang, I can¡¯t unscrew this.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The screw head has been too worn out.¡± Hyunwoo was a walking dictionary. Whenever they had a problem, he came up with the proper solution very easily. Hyunwoo brought a rubber band and then put it above the screw head. He then slowly spun it with arger screwdriver. Finally, the screw head came out as it had not been tightly screwed down. The volunteers pped their hands. ¡°Wow! What a nice way to do that!¡± Hyunwoo twisted it with a long nose plier and pulled it out, saying, ¡°If it¡¯s tightly screwed down, you can¡¯t pull it out even if you put a rubber band. In this case, you have to use the screwdriver reserved for this type of thing.¡± ¡°Ah, you used to work a lot in the field, didn¡¯t you? Now I understand why you¡¯re so nimble when doing it.¡± Now, they just called Hyunwoo when they had a problem. ¡°Mr. Jang, which direction should I pull it out?¡± ¡°Damn it. The wheel was pulled out. How can I put it back? Call for Mr. Jang.¡± Because of their constant requests, Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t take any time for a break. Even before he solved one problem, someone had already arranged for him to solve another problem in advance. ¡°Can you stop that ande here to help me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m ahead of you, man.¡± ¡°Then, after you...¡± Though Hyunwoo was bing busier, other volunteers were not. If they ran into any problems, they just waited for him toe over to fix it. They didn¡¯t initiate to find out any other work to do. In fact, they were there half-heartedly because they knew at least one member of their team should be assigned for this event, even though the management had said that it wasn¡¯t mandatory. ¡°What time is it?¡± ¡°Noon.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only noon? Phew... when can we finish this?¡± Most of them just wished that the day would pass by quickly. In the meantime, there was some friction between the orphanage staff and them. The disciplined staff of the orphanage didn¡¯t allow them to idle away gossiping. ¡°There are a lot of work to do. What are you doing here? If you can, please help us. There is so muchundry stuff,¡± said one staffer. ¡°Do you want to doundry?¡± ¡°You¡¯re here to volunteer, right? Then, just help us withundry.¡± The staff was tough. He assigned them to various work as if the boss was ordering his men. They followed his orders reluctantly but with tantints. ¡°Why is he so strict to us?¡± ¡°You bet. He had better treat us well since we¡¯re volunteering with a good heart like this.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he paranoid?¡± But Hyunwoo had a different take. He could understand the feelings of the orphanage staff more than enough. In fact, this was only a stop-over ce for volunteers, but this was their own house. Who would love the idea of some stranger visiting one¡¯s own house? And some of the volunteers just make a simple visit to show-off, not for genuine ¡®volunteering.¡¯ They pretended to volunteer by doling out some stuff and then taking fake pictures with the orphans before returning. While going through such experiences, sometimes the orphanage staff had an unfavorable perception of the volunteers. Oh was one such type. He slipped out of the ce before they knew it and was chatting with Park Minhye. ¡°Why are you so mean to me?¡± demanded Oh. ¡°What did I do?¡± said Minhye. ¡°You don¡¯t take time out for me and try to avoid me when I ask to meet you. Are you upset about me over something?¡± ¡°Nothing like that. I¡¯m just busy. As you know, we¡¯re trying to expand our market in Japan.¡± ¡°Is that the only reason?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Do you wish I had some other reason?¡± The more they talked, the sharper Minhye¡¯s tone was bing. Though Oh hade here to reconcile with her, it seemed his feelings toward her had be even worse. Oh dusted his hands as if he wanted to stop arguing with her. ¡°No, that¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°By the way, what are you doing here? Don¡¯t you see that the other volunteers are busy?¡± Oh turned his eyes to the side Minhye was pointing. The volunteers were hanging arge nket on the clothesline. Oh opened his eyes wide, asking, ¡°Do you want me to do that kind of work?¡± ¡°Then, why did youe here? For y?¡± ¡°Because of you. I didn¡¯t want to send you alone here. How could I do that work? I don¡¯t even do that at home.¡± Minhye stared at him sharply. At the moment, both heard one volunteer talking to Hyunwoo. ¡°Assistant manager Jang, didn¡¯t you finish that yet? Pleasee this way.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m almost done. I¡¯ll be there in a minute.¡± ¡°Mr. Jang. This is urgent. Come here first.¡± Minhye pointed her finger to the ce their voices were heard. ¡°Do you think they¡¯re living like that at home everyday? They¡¯re offering a service because they¡¯re here. Don¡¯t you feel any responsibility like them?¡± ¡°I do feel it, of course.¡± ¡°Then, don¡¯t stand still like that and move. Just go and help them like Mr. Jang.¡± Minhye sharply turned back and then walked away as if she was upset. Oh scratched his head, talking to himself, ¡®Damn it. Why should I do that?¡¯ But he could not stay idle. He had to do something to prove to Minhye that he was involved. ¡®Okay, let me pretend to help them.¡¯ Oh visited Hyunwoo. Nobody was seen around. Only Hyunwoo was busy, holding a hammer. ¡°Can I help you?¡± Hyunwoo thought he hade at the right time. Actually, he was about to pull out arge wood table, and he wanted someone else¡¯s help because he couldn¡¯t move it alone. ¡°Oh, you came at the right time. Let¡¯s hold it together. We need to move it outside.¡± Suddenly, Hyunwoo felt a bit worried. ¡®Hummm... this is rather heavy.¡¯ But Oh was already holding the other end of the table. It was toote for Hyunwoo to say, ¡°Hey, this is so heavy. Let me ask for someone else¡¯s help.¡± Hyunwoo lifted the table suddenly, holding the opposite end of the table, and then Oh also lifted it on his end. At that moment, Oh¡¯s face became distorted. Though he lifted the other end of the table, he felt that he couldn¡¯t hold it long enough. Only then did Hyunwoo ask him to step aside. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you can¡¯t do this. Just put it down if you feel it¡¯s too heavy. Let me ask for someone else.¡± Oh¡¯s face was all the more distorted because he saw Minhye looking at him. Now, this was a matter of pride. ¡°No problem. Let¡¯s move it.¡± His voice trembled a lot because he was flexing his arm with all his strength. Hyunwoo got worried all the more. ¡®He has to move it to a ce far away from here.¡¯ Chapter 63

Chapter 63

Hyunwoo was stepping forcefully, checking behind his back while reading Oh¡¯s expression on his face. Because the passage was narrow, it was a bit dangerous. Oh¡¯s face was all reddish, indicating that he was flexing his arm too much. ¡°Shall we stop for a moment if you feel that it¡¯s hard?¡± Oh stole a nce at Minhye for a moment, who was still looking at him. ¡°No, let¡¯s move on. A bit quickly...¡± Though Hyunwoo was concerned, he had no other choice as Oh insisted. Anyway, it was the best policy to move the table as quickly as they could. After all, something happened when they moved less than 20 meters. Oh let go of the table as he lost his grip on it. The big table dropped on the ground with a bang. It was a close call for Hyunwoo because one end of the table dropped, while the other end slipped out of his grip at the same time. If it dropped on the top of his foot or knee, it could have wounded him a lot. Hyunwoo quickly stepped back and put down the table. Once again, the corner of the table dropped on the ground with a big thump. At that big noise, those helping with theundary came in droves. Minhye was among them. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Are you alright? Are you wounded?¡± Fortunately, Oh and Hyunwoo were not wounded. Though there was some damage on the ground when the table dropped, it was not big enough. Reading Minhye¡¯s face, Oh scratched his head and said, ¡°Assistant manager Jang paced too quickly, so...¡± Hyunwoo barely controlled his smile. He moved quickly because Oh pressed on so much, and now, Oh was ming him. Hyunwoo felt disgusted at Oh¡¯s excuse. He wanted to have Oh pay the price. Suddenly, an idea came to mind. It was to let Oh prove himself that what he said was a lie. Hyunwoo expressed concern for Oh and said, ¡°Are you okay? Were you wounded?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m alright,¡± Oh said, who apparently didn¡¯t care if Hyunwoo was wounded or not. In fact, it was the other party who would be put in more danger if one put down the table, for the person who put down the table instantly could recognize it and step back, while the other party might have an ident without knowing it in advance. But Oh didn¡¯t seem to be aware of that at all. Hyunwoo just pretended not to know either. ¡°Good for you. Okay, let¡¯s finish moving the table then,¡± Hyunwoo said. ¡°Let me help you,¡± another volunteer said. But Hyunwoo stopped them. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous if you try to hold it with wet hands because it¡¯s slippery. And two people are enough because the passage is narrow. Can you hold it, Mr. Oh? If you put it down again, you might be wounded. So, tell me if you feel you can¡¯t hold it any more.¡± ¡°I can do it. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lift it high this time. We have to move it lightly.¡± Hyunwoo and Oh held both ends of the table again. As Hyunwoo said, they were lifting it about 10 cm from the floor to move it. Hyunwoo slowly moved on purpose to prove that Oh had lost his grip of the table because of him. Oh groaned even before he moved five steps. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± As soon as Hyunwoo stopped walking, Oh put down the table quickly with a bang. ¡°What¡¯s the problem this time? Did I walk too fast?¡± ¡°No, I think I got wounded a bit when I lost my grip a minute ago.¡± ¡°Which part?¡± Oh moved his hand here and there around his body and pointed toward his knee. ¡°My knee. I feel stiff there. I think my knee hit it lightly.¡± That was a ridiculous excuse, of course. If that heavy table had dropped on his knee, he would have suffered a big wound. Not only the male volunteers but also the females frowned at Oh¡¯s tant lie. In particr, Park Minhye¡¯s face was distorted by anger. Then, she said, ¡°Step aside, Mr. Oh. Who else would want to help him?¡± ¡°Let me help him,¡± Yonggu said, who came forward as soon as she said that. Yonggu wanted to show her that he was different from Oh. ¡°It¡¯s rather heavy,¡± Hyunwoo said, giving a reminder to Yonggu. But Yonggu thought nothing of it. ¡°It seems so. Let¡¯s lift it.¡± Both of them lifted the table at the same time. Yonggu was obviously different from Oh. Though it was heavy, Yonggu had no problem at all, and he had a rxed expression on his face. He pressed on Hyunwoo, saying, ¡°Why does it take so long to move this kind of table? Let¡¯s move it quickly.¡± In Hyunwoo¡¯s mind, Yonggu could make it without any difficulty. ¡°Sure.¡± Both of them quickened their gait to move it. Yonggu moved it at least four times as quickly as Oh. Was it because of that? Hyunwoo found Oh¡¯s face bing red again, which was natural as he and Yonggu werepared in Minhye¡¯s presence. Minhye didn¡¯t hide the expression on her face as if she was mocking him. But Hyunwoo and Yonggu didn¡¯t show their feelings at all. They just focused on moving the table. ¡°Lunch time.¡± Lunch was served by the orphanage house. As it housed almost 100 orphans, the dining hall was big. The strange thing was that the meals were made by the orphans, not the staff or cook of the orphanage. Although they had a nutritionist, she didn¡¯t y a big role there. Still, the food tasted very good. ¡°Wow! This rice tastes really good.¡± ¡°Even the side dish tastes wonderful. Excellent cooking!¡± Smiling satisfactorily, a nutritionist exined, ¡°We have a cooking club in the House of Happiness. As many as seven joined it. Three of them obtained cook licenses. Hyunmin, Jaeyoung, won¡¯t youe this way?¡± At her shouting, Kim Hyunmin and Park Jaeyong came out. Hyunmin had a big figure, with a rough facial image, while Jaeyong was slim. ¡°Jaeyoung is a baker here. As soon as he graduated, he got a job at a bakery shop. Hyunmin is now looking for a job. If you need a cook, please let me know. Though he has a rough image, he is very kind-hearted and sincere. And as you see, he can cook quite well.¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo thought about his mother¡¯s side dish store. Hyunmin could be of big help to her, Hyunwoo thought. And he liked Hyunmin all the more because he was said to be sincere and quite good at cooking. But it was her mother¡¯s judgement call. ¡®Let me tell my mother about himter.¡¯ While they were dining, the orphanage staff exined about the House of Happiness a lot. Hyunwoo paid particr attention to their mention of various clubs in the house. After listening carefully, he found out that they were not just for fun but for preparation for their jobs. The cooking club was made with that in mind, too. The ultimate goal of the club was for its members to find jobs after obtaining professional licenses while taking cooking sses. ¡°There are several clubs in our house. The most dynamic clubs are the cooking and animation clubs.¡± ¡®Animation?¡¯ A mere mention of it aroused Hyunwoo¡¯s attention. If an opportunityes along, Hyunwoo wanted to learn it, too. Hyunwoo suddenly got curious about it and asked, ¡°Do you have an animation teacher here?¡± ¡°Untilst year there were some students who donated their talent in the field. After they went abroad for studies, however, there are not many. There are several in the cooking club, but as for the animation club, there are only those helping.¡± ¡°Ah, talent donation.¡± Hyunwoo nodded his head. He felt this type of donation was a genuine donation. There was nothing more valuable than sharing knowledge in this world. It was something Hyunwoo wanted to experience if he had a chance. ¡®It¡¯s really regrettable that the animation club doesn¡¯t have the necessary teaching staff. It¡¯s very difficult to learn it without teachers.¡¯ Then, Hyunwoo suddenly thought about his chauffeur partner, Gyunsu. Gyunsu was a professional animator, and his abilities were already proven. As he was particrly good at drawing characters, he was duly recognized by hispany for his abilities. It was because of thepany¡¯s financial situation that Gyungsu was bad off. He couldn¡¯t move to anotherpany, though. Animationpanies were overflowing with young professionals, with no opening for Gyunsu, who was in his 40s. ¡®I wish Gyungsu donated his talent here.¡¯ But it was not for Hyunwoo to decide. He could mention it to Gyungsu, but the decision had to be made by Gyungsu, not him. After lunch they resumed their volunteer work. As Hyunwoo¡¯s help was needed wherever he was, his break time was much shorter than others. Hyunwoo looked for something to do. ¡°Does anybody need my help?¡± ¡°Can youe this way?¡± said one staffer. Hyunwoon was led by the staffer to arge room. There were seven young boys gathered there, all sitting before aputer monitor. ¡°You guys said the desk was broken. Can youe out a minute?¡± said the staffer. ¡°Wait a minute, sir. After we¡¯re done with this...¡± Hyunwoo grinned at them. Everybody was so engrossed by theputer game that they seemed to have forgetten how dreadful the staffer in charge of discipline was. But the staffer¡¯s reaction was unexpected. Typically he shouted at them to stop, but today he just let them enjoy the game as much as they could. ¡°Looks like they¡¯re doing something important. I¡¯m sorry, but can you wait a minute?¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright. Let them do it,¡± said Hyunwoo. Then, he moved close to them to find out why they were so focused like that. He heard the staffer¡¯s voice from behind. ¡°These boys are ¡®Anifan¡¯ members. Anifan is the animation club in this house.¡± ¡°Anifan? ¡°It means animation fantasy.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Out of curiosity, Hyunwoo watched them working on the animation. After they were done, they were reying what they had made and reviewing it. The length of the animation was about seven minutes. As it was made by beginners, the screen of the animation was rather shoddy and low grade. But the story itself was far from it. Even though Hyunwoo watched it for a taste, it was so interesting that he got carried away with it before he knew it. The background of the animation was a trash heap of all sorts of stuff. A crushed can was the main character, and it waspeting with the trash newly brought in the heap over the topic of ¡®who was more worthy of trash?¡¯ It was interesting and instructive at the same time. It was surprise to him that the animation had such an engaging power even without any speaking. ¡°We¡¯re done now,¡± said the boys. They turned off theputer and stepped back. Now, Hyunwoo came back to his senses and began repairing the broken table. The staffer went out, and the boys were looking at his repairing work. While fixing it, Hyunwoo asked them, ¡°As for the animation a moment ago, did you make it by yourselves?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Wow! That¡¯s great! How did you?¡± ¡°Well, it takes some time to make it, but if you have a good story and a character, the rest of the job is easy.¡± ¡°When did you start to learn animation?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been learning it since my sophomore year in middle school, so it has been six years up to now. And these friends have been learning it between 3-4 years.¡± ¡°Wonderful. You guys¡¯ abilities are great.¡± Hyunwoo praised them with an exaggerated gesture, but they didn¡¯t show a happy expression. ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? We can¡¯t make use of our talent.¡± Chapter 64

Chapter 64

¡°Howe you can¡¯t use your talent when you¡¯re so capable like this? If you build your skills a little more, it looks like you¡¯ll be hired by manypanies.¡± ¡°Well, there is no way we can build our skills any more.¡± That was true. Hearing what they said, Hyunwoo felt the situation was not good. No matter how hard they studied, their studying environment was not good enough. They said they were studying textbooks without any teachers. The big problem among others was theirputer and program. Theirputer was outdated, and the animation program was an older version nobody used these days, which made it impossible for them improve their animation skills. But they could not ask for the support of the orphanage because the price was too high. Hyunwoo was stunned when he heard the price. ¡°4 million won for the program only?¡± ¡°Well, 3D animation program is expensive. In fact, even a cheaper version costs that much. And a cheaperputer doesn¡¯t run the program well.¡± Combined with theputer and the program, it was over 5 million won. If they hired an animation teacher, the budget would be much greater. It would be difficult for the orphanage staff to support any particr club financially. Suddenly, Hyunwoo was curious about one thing. ¡°You said you have been learning it since your 2nd year in middle school, a total of six years up to now. Then, you must be 20 years old. How long can you stay here?¡± A young man called Kang Jihun, who had been answering Hyunwoo¡¯s questions, had a sullen face suddenly and said, ¡°As I fluked, I¡¯m still a high school boy. I have to be discharged next year.¡± ¡°Why do you have that expression? Don¡¯t you want to get out?¡± ¡°No, I wish to stay here. I don¡¯t have a ce to go even if I¡¯m discharged from here.¡± Hyunwoo nodded his head. That¡¯s all he could do tofort Kang. ¡°I¡¯m done,¡± said Hyunwoo. He showed them the desk that he had repaired nicely. But the expression on their faces was not bright. What depressed them was not the desk but the outdatedputer sitting there as if to show their dire situation. Suddenly, Hyunwoo felt the impulse to help them. Maybe it was because of his vague yearning for animation. He worked for an eventpany for a long time in the past. At that time, they used various props, most of which were modeled after Japanese or American characters. Of course, the animation industry in Korea made a remarkable sess, but Hyunwoo still felt that there was somethingcking out there. He felt this kind of cultural creativity business would fit Korea more than manufacturing businesses, so he wanted to learn it someday. He could not trante his dream into action, and it was a bit difficult for him to start to learn it now. He just felt envious of those studying animation. On one hand, he wanted to get satisfaction through them. At the same time, there was some hesitation on his part. Actually, he had helped several students so far, and they were all his neighbors. He knew them all, such as their character, capabilities and family situation, etc. But these students here wereplete strangers to him. In short, it was his ownpassion for them. He felt he might regret itter if he spent money for them because of his sympathy towards them. That would be worse than if he hadn¡¯t helped them at all. And there were so many others in need of help. Hyunwoo could not help them all. Hyunwoo left the room, pretending to stay aloof. He moved around busily, helping the volunteers in one way or another, and he forgot about the animation stuffpletely. After they were done with volunteering, they headed for the dinner ce. Even before the dinner began, there was a war of nerves among some of them. It was about who should sit next to Minhye. When Minhye was standing without taking any particr seat, not only Oh but also Yonggu and deputy manager Koh Younghwan of the sales team were hovering around her, reading each other¡¯s faces. They wanted to sit next to her. But when Minhye sat down, they sat away from her because her father, Park Daebong, and the senior managers were seated in the middle. Seated far away from her, they were just looking at her. The main character of the dinner was Hyunwoo. When Hyunwoo came back in a minute, Paek Daebong said, ¡°Mr. Jang, you did a great job today.¡± When he said that, the senior managers heaped praise after praise of Hyunwoo. ¡°Mr. Jang, is there anything you¡¯re not good at?¡± ¡°I think our president has a discerning eye. Mr. Jang must be an all-round talent.¡± ¡°I already began to notice it when he cut costs.¡± Even the female volunteers praised him, showing thumbs up toward him. In particr, Park Minhye did so too. She openly praised him as if telling Oh to take his cue from him. ¡°Assistant manager Jang, you did a great job today. I¡¯ve known you were such a great man, but today I began to take a fresh look at you. Let me fill your cup,¡± she said. Of course, Oh or Yonggu was not jealous because of that, for they believed that she would not marry a high school graduate. Hyunwoo was not their rival, to say the least. Hyunwoo was at pains staying humble all along. ¡°No, no, everybody worked just as well.¡± After they were done with dinner, it was around 8pm. As Hyunwoo already had several cups of soju, it was impossible for him to work as a chaffeur today. In addition, Min Suji stopped him. ¡°Oppa, you¡¯ll go to a second drinking party, right?¡± ¡°Second drinking party?¡± ¡°The young guys agreed to have one more beer at another ce. You have to get acquainted with them on this asion. Pleasee with me,¡± Suji insisted. In fact, there were none of them Hyunwoo needed to get acquainted with. As he ran on small errands to the different teams of Aurum, he knew most of them and became close to them enough to call each other brother. In particr, he was very much close to the young guys of each team like today. But perhaps Min Suji hadn¡¯t had such opportunities up to now. Though she might have exchanged greetings with them, there weren¡¯t many she felt really close to. As he was a bit drunk, he would not be able to focus on studying even if he went back home right now. And it would be good for him to hang around with the young guys since it had been a long time. ¡°Okay, then. Let me stay a bit longer, then¡± Both of them headed to the beer bar. There were a total of nine. As Minhye decide to join, Oh Sangho, Kim Yonggu, and Koh Younghwan automatically joined. At the beer bar, they were split into several groups ording to their preferences. One of the group was Minhye¡¯s. Oh, Kim, and Koh sat next to her as if they werepeting with each other. Though they sat around her, the atmosphere was awkward. As Kim and Koh had close ties, they talked a lot, but Oh didn¡¯t. Minhye didn¡¯t take care for him either. She joined Kim and Koh¡¯s conversation, treating Oh as an invisible man. Still, Oh tried his best to join the conversation. After hard thinking, he found a topic and at the right timing spoke to Minhye. But Minhye responded out of courtesy and then didn¡¯t pay any attention. Then, Oh kept drinking until he found another topic. Oh got drunk easily. Even less than an hour since they came to the beer bar, Oh was alreadypletely drunk. As he was not pleasantly drunk, he might pick a drinking quarrel. Minhye sensed it already, and as soon as she emptied her cup, she stood up and said, ¡°I think I have to leave early because I¡¯m tired.¡± ¡°Let me take you home.¡± ¡°No, let me...¡± Yonggu, Koh Younghwan, and Oh offered to escort her at the same time. Minhye said with a smile, though, ¡°I¡¯ve already called for a chauffeur. Let me take all of you back home today. If you want to go to the third drinking ce, just stay here. But anyone who wants to leave now, please follow me.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s leave. How about a 3rd drinking session?¡± Some of them went home, and others headed to a karaoke bar. The atmosphere was supposed to be awkward as the number of participants began to dwindle, but it was the opposite. In particr, Hyunwoo showed his singing talent. In a ce like this, it was important to y with them in tune with the atmosphere, and there was nothing better than a random dance to brighten up the atmosphere. Hyunwoo was really talented at that. Hyunwoo shook his body randomly to the tune of the song. Of course, his swinging was off beat, making those present at the karaoke room burst intoughter. Other members also danced randomly just like Hyunwoo, and so did Suji in a clean break with her decent image as a rule. Thanks to the random dancing, all of them werepletely exhausted. ¡°I had a lot of fun today.¡± ¡°Goodbye, everybody!¡± They left after they went out of the karaoke bar. Hyunwoo took care of Min Suji, of course. Catching a taxi, Hyunwoo got in the back seat with her. Both of them chatted about various stuff. ¡°You¡¯re an all-round talent, oppa.¡± ¡°I¡¯m good at anything except for something I really need, haha.¡± ¡°No, you did really wonderfully today, oppa.¡± ¡°Only today? Oh, I¡¯m feeling a bit bad...¡± ¡°Oh, no. Everyday, hohoho.¡± It looked like they were lovers when they talked like that. Even the taxi driver cut in their conversation, checking them in the rear mirror. ¡°It looks like you are a good couple.¡± Though it was not true, she didn¡¯t bother to deny it. She even dragged his arm toward her and cracked a joke, ¡°A good couple, right? Ho ho.¡± While they talked andughed, the taxi driver arrived at Suji¡¯s house. Then, she tried to pay for the fee, but Hyunwoo paid, stopping her, and then got off the taxi together. ¡°Now, I can walk home alone. Goodbye,¡± said Suji. ¡°Let me escort you to the gate of your apartment. It¡¯s only five minutes¡¯ walk from here, isn¡¯t it¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± said Suji. ¡°I¡¯m not. It¡¯s freezing cold out here! Let¡¯s go,¡± said Hyunwoo, pressing her. With a smile, Suji walked along with him to her apartment. Then she walked only a few steps before stopping because someone called her, getting out of a car. ¡°Suji!¡± Hyunwoo and Suji turned their heads to the voice at the same time. At that moment, Suji seemed flinched at the sight of the man. He was familiar to Hyunwoo, too. ¡®Where did I see him? Ah, right there. Chauffeur service for him.¡¯ He was the man Hyunwoo got on his car along with Suji when he was driving him recently. He remembered that this guy lived in the port of Pyongtaek. He was Kim Hyundae, the sales executive of Sangwon Foods. ¡°Oh, how are you? Why are you here?¡± asked Suji. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you here because I couldn¡¯t contact you. Why don¡¯t you pick up my phone?¡± Kim Hyungdae asked with a friendly expression on his face as if he was a church brother, slowly approaching her. But Suji¡¯s reaction was quite unexpected. She stepped back, tugging Hyunwoo¡¯s cor as if she was scared of him, saying, ¡°I clearly told you not to contact me.¡± After hearing their conversation, Hyunwoo could figure out what had happened between them. Even after he had been rejected by Suji, he kept chasing her. Kim seemed offended by her action. His friendly expression turned into a disappointed one. Though he said it in a calm tone, he seemed to sharply rebuke her, ¡°What¡¯s the reason? I suspect you¡¯re acting like this because of that dude? Are youparing me with that chauffeur now?¡± The bridge of Hyunwoo¡¯s nose seemed to be distorted a bit, but he hid his feeling quickly. Instead, he said as if he knew Kim, ¡°I presume you¡¯re Kim Hyungsun¡¯s younger brother, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°What...?¡± Chapter 65

Chapter 65

Kim Hyungdae was about to talk down to Hyunwoo and say, ¡®What did you say?¡¯ but used honorifics as if he had sensed something strange. Pretending not to know his rtionship with his elder brother Hyungsun, Hyunwoo asked again as if he wanted to confirm their rtionship. ¡°Are you not Kim Hyungsun¡¯s younger brother, president of Sangwon Foods?¡± ¡°Do you know my brother, sir?¡± That was enough, Hyunwoo thought. It was certain that he was Kim¡¯s brother. With a bright smile, Hyunwoo held out his hand. ¡°I¡¯m your brother¡¯s alumni. Some time ago I met him at an alumni meeting. You look much different from your brother, so I almost didn¡¯t recognize you. Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Ah, nice to see you, sir.¡± Feeling dumbfounded, Kim held out both of his hands to grab Hyunwoo¡¯s hand. He lowered his head a bit because Hyunwoo was his brother¡¯s alumni. Hyunwoo touched his shoulder, saying, ¡°What a coincidence! As you¡¯re Kim Hyungsun¡¯s brother, can I talk down to youfortably?¡± ¡°Yes, of course,¡± said Kim. Though Kim made an expression of denial, he reluctantly nodded his head. Come to think of it, though, Kim didn¡¯t like the way things had worked out like this. He felt as if he was in a rivalry with Hyunwoo regardless of whether he was his brother¡¯s alumni or not. He felt like he was losing to Hyunwoo if he lowered his head. Raising his head, Kim changed his tone, saying, ¡°Wait a minute. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Uh? Not right? What¡¯re you talking about?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a friend of my brother, so what does it matter to me? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s good manners for you to talk down to me like this.¡± Hyunwoo was a bit embarrassed. In his heart he thought, ¡®What a messed-up family! How can he refuse to ept my hospitality, who is none other than his brother¡¯s high school alumni? What should I do if he insists on rejecting it?¡¯ ¡°Really? Okay, then. Let¡¯s stop it. Suji, what are you going to do? Let me go away if you have something to talk about with him.¡± Stunned by Hyunwoo¡¯s remarks, she held his forearm tightly, saying, ¡°No, I don¡¯t have anything to say. Please take me home.¡± ¡°Hey, Suji. Why are you mean to me? Shall we talk a bit?¡± Kim approached her aggressively and tried to get hold of her wrist when she was backing off. And then he stopped because Hyunwoo stopped him by raising his hand. Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes were sharp. ¡°Why are you meddling with our matter? Are you her sweetheart?¡± asked Kim. Then Suji replied as if to intercept Kim¡¯s question, ¡°Yes, he is my sweetheart!¡± Kim¡¯s eyes opened wide at her surprising reply. Hyunwoo was surprised, with his jaw dropping. But he calmed down because he could figure out her intentions. Suji felt Kim would give up if she said so. It seemed very much effective. Speechless, Kim looked at both of them alternately. ¡°What? Have you been avoiding me because of this chauffeur? Are you such a low-grade girl?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk rudely like that. Hyunwoo oppa is ten times as good as you.¡± Kim was at a loss for words again. He just stared at her frighteningly and then got in his car. Suji tugged his cor again, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯d like to go home quickly.¡± And then she walked quickly, and Hyunwoo walked in tandem. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee. By the way, howe you had a date with such a bastard?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not a date. I just met him two or three times through my friend¡¯s introduction. I thought he was not my type, so I stopped contacting him. But he kept following me like a leech.¡± Hearing her exnation, he could understand what had been going on between them. In particr, as he was Kim Hyungsun¡¯s brother, Hyunwoo could figure it out more easily. Though they looked different, their character was the same. As far as women were concerned, Kim Hyungsun had an obsessive mentality like his younger brother. ¡°This is my house. Goodbye for now,¡± said Suji. ¡°Okay, see you tomorrow.¡± Waving his hand, Hyunwoo turned back without any hesitation. When he arrived home, it was already past midnight. Though it was not thatte for Hyunwoo, it was to his parents, especially to his mother. She needed to go to bed early because she had to wake up early in the morning every day. He cautiously opened the porch to not wake up his mother. As soon as he opened it, however, he heard her snoring, which indicated how tired she was. She didn¡¯t snore usually. However, she began snoring recently because of her hard work at the side dish store. Suddenly, he thought of Hyunmin, that cook boy with the House of Happiness. Though he looked like a mountain thief, he was said to be very kind-hearted. Hyunwoo felt Hyunwoo would be of big help to her if he joined the store. ¡®I¡¯m going to tell her in the evening.¡¯ Hyunwoo¡¯s suggestion made her eyes open wide. ¡°Hire a cook?¡± ¡°Well, he is not yet good enough to be called a cook. Just think of him as an intern. He can learn while helping you,¡± said Hyunwoo, with Hyunmin in mind. His mother made an embarrassing expression on her face, though. Though her side dish store was not in the red, it didn¡¯t make enough to hire a cook. Hyunwoo could understand her worries. However, the reason he wanted to have her mother hire Hyunmin was not just for her own sake. Jaeyoung, the baker with the House of Happiness, and Hyunmin were not yet ready to go off into the world to get a job. They need to build more skills. Hyunwoo wanted to make his mother¡¯s side dish store a springboard for Hyunmin¡¯s jump into the world. That would not only help reduce her work but also offer him a springboard. After listening to Hyunwoo¡¯s exnation carefully, she was persuaded atst. ¡°Let me think about it if that¡¯s your intention. Let me go and see him at the House of Happiness if I can find the time.¡± ¡°Good decision, mom.¡± With a light heart, Hyunwoo was done with eating dinner. He then went out as a chaffeur during the evening. Gyungsu was waiting from him in a red small car in front of his house. As it was early in the morning, they didn¡¯t have many request calls. Hyunwoo began to talk with him inside the car until they got a call. Actually, Hyunwoo had something to say to him before he left his house. ¡°Brother, is it difficult to make money as an animator?¡± ¡°There is nothing easy in this world. Why are you asking that out of the blue?¡± ¡°I know a ce called the House of Happiness...¡± Hyunwoo told him about the animation club of the orphanage. He said though their dream was to be an animator, there were no talent donors and financial supporters. Then he asked Gyunsu passingly, ¡°Can you take some time out this weekend?¡± ¡°Do you want me to donate my talent?¡± ¡°Yes. Is it hard for you?¡± Hyunwoo could find out his answer from his look. After thinking a bit, Gyungsu shook his head and said, ¡°As you know, I¡¯m working part-time even on weekends.¡± Of course, Hyunwoo knew that. Strictly speaking, it was not part-time. It was a manual job that required him to work on a construction site. He earned about 90,000 won by working from dawn till the afternoon. As he was physically weak, he only worked on Saturdays and had to lie in bed as an aftereffect on Sunday. Because of that, he didn¡¯t work as a chaffeur on weekends. In Hyunwoo¡¯s mind, Gyungsu working like that didn¡¯t seem effective, but it was his judgement call. As he was financially stressed, he might think of even that money he made on weekends as valuable. ¡°As an animator, what quality skills do you have to master? Drawing pictures? Or usingputers well?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t neglect any of what you have just mentioned. But there are many technical guys in the market, so what¡¯s important is one¡¯s creativity.¡± ¡°Creativity?¡¯ ¡°For example, let¡¯s talk about characters. There are many who can draw existing characters beautifully, but there are few who can create characters that exist in this world. In particr, the story is important.¡± While listening to his exnation, Hyunwoo recalled the animation that the Anifan Club members of the orphanage made. The animation video was clearly coarse and not refined, but the characters were original. They said they thought of the characters while looking at the stuff in the trash. By Gyunsu¡¯s logic, they were already talented because they had created characters that didn¡¯t exist in this world. The characters were also very cute. Above all, the story was excellent. Though it had only one episode, the seven-minute animation was so interesting that Hyunwoo had beenpletely carried away. If it were backed up by technical supplements, such as drawings and programs, it could be an excellent animation. ¡°Then, we can call them geniuses. I was really impressed by the characters and the story,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Was it that good?¡± asked Gyungsu. Hyunwoo nodded his head, adding, ¡°I thought it so regrettable for them to waste their talent.¡± ¡°You can think about them in terms of management. The thing is whether you can find apany that can manage them.¡± ¡°Management?¡± ¡°It¡¯s like an entertainmentpany. They bring in those with talents when they¡¯re young and then train them for several years before helping them debut as a singer or actor.¡± Hyunwoo easily understood it. But it was not something Hyunwoo could dabble in. He had nothing to do with animation, and he could not make a contract with them for money. What wasimportant was a systematic program to train them. If Hyunwoo wanted to help them, he had to connect them to such apany. ¡®Where can I find such apany?¡¯ Coming back home, he kept thinking about it. He couldn¡¯t erase the images of the Anifan kids¡¯ enthusiastic vigor on animation from his mind. ¡®How much would they love it if they received aputer and a 3D animation program as gifts? It would be even better if they had an animation teacher.¡¯ Hyunwoo thought that it might be the start of a genuine rtionship with them, not a coincidence. ¡®Can I just help them?¡¯ Actually, Hyunwoo had no reason not to do so. Hyunwoo¡¯s wealth was growing fast for the past few months. Though he hasn¡¯t cashed out yet, he could take home 4.5 billion won if he sold his N&C stocks. As the stocks were on the high at the moment, the value of his stocks increased by tens of millions of won every day. He also had the money he received from Aurum as award money. Though it was in the form ofpany stock, it was more than 9,000 won per stock. In addition, he was making lots of profits from N&C Korea. He received more than 2 million won per month from the dealers Paek Sungwoo had made contracts with and about 4.5 million won from the dealers he made a deal with by himself. Overall, Hyunwoo¡¯s monthly ie was almost 10 million won. In that respect, the additional ie he made as a chauffeur was meager. He heard that it would cost between 5-6 million won to buy aputer and the 3D program, which was not that burdensome to him. The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to help them. Finally, he clenched his fist. ¡®Sure, let me help them. Why am I making money? Isn¡¯t it because I want to make good use of it? Instead of leaving the money unused like this, let me help the kids even if I lose the money.¡¯ In fact, he had nothing to lose. It was for his own benefit, too. If they could be sessful with his help, he could feel a great sense of reward by just watching them grow. And who knows? Like he did to Yu Nami, the little help he offered to the kids today coulde as a big reward to himter. Of course, he shouldn¡¯t expect anything like that from them. Still, there was one obstacle in resolving the kid¡¯s issue. ¡®There is clearly a limit to the kids¡¯ improving their skills by studying among themselves. They need an animation teacher.¡¯ But hiring a teacher was another matter. It should not be a one-time tutoring, and the payment to the teacher would be substantial if it was to continue. ¡®How much does it cost? The teacher will ask for more than 2 million won for tutoring on weekends only, won¡¯t he?¡¯ As the teacher was a specialist in a technical field, his tutoring fee would be high per session. And the session on weekends would be much higher, Hyunwoo thought. ¡®I wish Gyunsu gave up his manual work on weekends and worked as a tutor for the kids. Uh? Gyunsu as the animation teacher?¡¯ Hyunwoo sprang to his feet before he knew it. ¡°Sure, let me ask him to work as a tutor instead of a manual worker.¡± Chapter 66

Chapter 66

Gyungsu made less than 500,000 won from manualbor on weekends. How could he decide between that and teaching the animation club kids if it was the same pay? If Hyunwoo were in his shoes, he would definitely say yes. First, teaching the kids would be beneficial to Gyungsu in terms of saving time since manualbor required him to go out to the contractingpany early in the morning ande back home veryte in the evening and teaching the kids would take him about half a day. Second, teaching the kids would conserve his physical energy. Manualbor was so hard on him that it affected him into the next day, but teaching the kids would not have the same effect because could take a break in between. Third, and above all, he would feel a sense of reward from how happy he will feel when he watches these kids that he has taught grow well! Hyunwoo didn¡¯t act hastily. As it was not an urgent thing, he controlled his impulsive inclination and gave it a little more thought, but Hyunwoo didn¡¯t waiver at all. The more time that passed, the more desperate he felt to help the kids, and he felt Gyunsu also would be happy about his offer. Hyunwoo had no reason to hesitate if everybody would be happy about it. Finally, Hyunwoo offered a proposal to him, ¡°Brother, would you be willing to do tutoring instead of doing manualbor?¡± ¡°Tutoring?¡± ¡°I told you once about the Anifan, the animation club at the orphanage. Please teach them twice a week, on Sat and Sun, and I¡¯ll pay you 500,000 won per month. How about that? Gyungsu had a nk expression on his face instantly, but his agony didn¡¯tst. ¡°500,000 won? From what time till what time?¡± ¡°You can decide.¡± ¡°When do I start?¡± ¡°It¡¯s up to you, brother. You can start as early as thising Sat.¡± ¡°Okay. Let me start this Sat. What should I teach them?¡± ¡°You decide, brother.¡± Hyunwoo handled the matter quickly without unnecessary formality and called the House of Happiness, ¡°The teacher has decided to start this week to teach the kids. I gave him your contact number, so he will call you after fixing his teaching schedule.¡± ¡°Thanks! Our kids will like it very much.¡± Hyunwoo visited the House of Happiness on weekends. His mother went with him to meet Hyunmin. Contrary to his tough image, Hyunmin was a gentle boy. When she asked this and that, he spoke in a tiny voice. ¡°Do you like cooking?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Well, I have no other reason. I just like cooking.¡± ¡°What kind of food can you cook?¡± ¡°Not any particr food. Just about everything...¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s mother liked the way Hyunmin answered. Above all, she was satisfied that he was not greedy for money. When she mentioned 1.5 million won per month for his work, he just kept saying ¡°Thank you¡± and lowered his head. ¡°There is a small room inside the side dish store. You can eat and sleep there if you need it, and when you find a good job, feel free to tell me anytime.¡± ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll never forget your help.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that. I also thank you.¡± Everybody watched them with a satisfactory expression on their faces, but Hyunwoo did not see them because he was with the Anifan club kids. There was a brand newputer with a 3D animation program inside the club room, and the kids were gathered around it. Hyunwoo and the Anifan¡¯s oldest member, Kang Jihun, chose theputer and the 3D program. Kang and the Anifan kids kept bowing to Hyunwoo saying, ¡°Thanks, thanks a million, sir.¡± ¡°If you are that thankful to me, you have to pay me back with your own sesster, okay?¡± ¡°Of course. We¡¯ll study hard to achieve sess.¡± Hyunwoo felt excited to see their enthusiasm. Even Gyunsu seemed to have gotten excited to see them. From then on, he would spend all his energy to teach the kids and realizeter that helping the kids would bring him an iparable happiness. Hyunmin went to the side dish store the next day. Though he had a few more days until he was discharged from the orphanage, he decided to take the small room in the store as his own room. Of course, he sometimes stopped by the orphanage, but his main home was the small room. When he came home after work several dayster, Hyunwoo started talking with his mother about Hyunmin the way he always did. ¡°The more I see him, the more I feel he is a genuine guy.¡± ¡°You mean, he is kind-hearted?¡± ¡°Of course, he is. I was worried he might have a crooked character because he was raised without parents, but he is far from it.¡± In fact, Hyunwoo had also been a bit concerned about it. The staff at the House of Happiness would only say good things about Hyunmin because he was a graduate of the orphanage. That¡¯s why Hyunwoo took what they said about him with a grain of salt. Hyunwoo still believed that one never knew others¡¯ characters unless one really experienced them. Though Hyunwoo was still young, he exposed himself to various worldly experiences since he was in middle school. He met a variety of people, and he felt that he should not doubt or trust anyone too easily. He had seen someone like Hyunmin, who he had never expected and was new to the workforce, change suddenly once. People new to the workforce were supposed to feel tense which made them hide their true color, so when they ran into something difficult, they revealed their true colors. If they were good, it couldn¡¯t be better, but most of the time, their hidden colors were bad. Hyunwoo thought Hyunmin might have such a tendency, so he didn¡¯t trust his mother¡¯s description of Hyunminpletely. He earnestly requested her to keep a saying mind, ¡°Seeing is wanting. Everybody has greed, so don¡¯t create any situations in which that Hyunmin might feel greedy for his own sake.¡± ¡°Got it. You¡¯re better than me, my son.¡± Meanwhile,Gyungsu seemed satisfied with teaching the kids. ¡°You¡¯re right. They¡¯re geniuses. Seoim especially.¡± Hyunwoo tilted his head because that name is unfamiliar to him. ¡°Who is Seoim?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know her? A small girl with white skin and thick sses.¡± When he described her, Hyunwoo recalled her. She looked sick, weak, and spoke very few words. When he saw her first, he thought she was a middle school girl, but he was surprised to find out that she was a high school student. ¡°Ah, Seoim Yu. What about her?¡± ¡°She is a story genius with brilliant ideasing out of her mind. Actually, the story of Garbage World was based on her idea.¡± Garbage World was a story about the trash heap. Given Gyungsu¡¯s extraordinary praise of her, she had to be a very smart girl. ¡°Jihun also has a good sense for animation. Since he never learned formal drawing, his pictures are not refined, but he¡¯s very good at creating the characters¡¯ features. The two them are the core duo of Anifan Club.¡± Hyunwoo was satisfied. Though he felt good about Gyungsu¡¯s praise of the kids, he also felt good about Gyungsu¡¯s positive response because obviously he was already feeling the joy of teaching them, but they differed in teaching philosophies. ¡°I think I have to spend more time teaching Seoim and Jihun and support them fully.¡± Gyungsu¡¯s thinking was not necessarily wrong, but it was not what Hyunwoo expected. It was important to fully support the most promising kids, but it was also important to find and nurture those who had not yet developed their talent. When Hyunwoo pointed that out, Gyungsu nodded his head and agreed with him, ¡°Got it, got it. As you know, I don¡¯t know anything like that since my speciality is animation.¡± *** ¡°Mr. President, you¡¯ve got a call from the director of the House of Happiness,¡± said Daebong Park¡¯s assistant. Daebong tilted his head. He sometimes helped the orphanage, but he rarely got a call from its director. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Let me pick up the phone.¡± He heard the voice of the director on the other end. As soon as he said hello to the director, thetter began to say something he could not understand, ¡°Thanks so much, President Park. We are very grateful for your year-end volunteer service. Today, we¡¯re calling to thank you for yourrge donation.¡± Daebong tilted his head again, ¡°Donation? I don¡¯t get it...¡± ¡°Haha, you¡¯re as magnanimous as a president of a middle-sizedpany should be. As I hear, the program alone cost more than 4 million won, and you purchased thetestputer model, too.¡± Daebong chuckled and understood. The director had confused some otherpany¡¯srge donation to the orphanage for a donation from Aurum. Suddenly, Daebong felt guilty. The director¡¯s call felt like a gentle reminder that otherpanies were offering financial support while Aurum¡¯s donation was only in time. On the other hand, Daebong was curious. Whatpany donated the program worth more than 4 million won and thetestputer model and also hired an animation teacher for the kids? I wonder whichpany made such a big donation. It had to be some otherpany¡¯s donation, so he had to clear up the director¡¯s misunderstanding on this. There was nothing more embarrassing than receiving thanks for what someone else had done. ¡°Wait a minute, Director. You called Aurum. Did you call the wrong ce by any chance?¡± ¡°No, I called the right ce. I know you¡¯re Daebong Park, president of Aurum.¡± Daebong chuckled, ¡°I think you confused thepany name. I¡¯ve never given such a donation. I¡¯m actually feeling a bit guilty about that...¡± ¡°Uh? I couldn¡¯t be wrong. How can forget you? You visited here only a few days ago. Aurum is the correctpany.¡± Daebong was embarrassed. He felt all the more so because the director insisted that it was hispany when he didn¡¯t donate to the orphanage this time. It made his guilt worse as he wished that he had donated that much. The director was as embarrassed as Daebong was and just kept whispering to himself, ¡°Obviously it was an Aurum employee.¡± Then, Daebong someone telling the director the name of the Aurum employee in the background. The director raised his voice again, ¡°Right. Assistant Manager Hyunwoo Jang stopped by herest Saturday. I thought of calling you right away but put it off because it¡¯s weekend. Then, it slipped out of my mind, and now, I¡¯m calling you like this.¡± ¡°You said Assistant Manager Hyunwoo Jang?¡± ¡°Yes, he came here with his mother. My boy, Hyunmin here, got a good job thanks to him. Anyway, we thank you so much.¡± Daebong just felt confused. He never gave such a direction only to Hyunwoo or anyone else. And what was that about a job? ¡°Sorry, but can you exin to me in more detail? I¡¯ve never given an order like that, and I haven¡¯t been briefed on that.¡± ¡°Really? Then, how did all of this happen?¡± asked the director confused. This time the director of the House of Happiness found himself in a difficult situation. The size of the donation was several million won, and it was donated without the president¡¯s direction or his approval ording to Daebong. Someone at Aurum might be in big trouble, the director thought. He suddenly got nervous and said, ¡°I think I said some idle words.¡± ¡°Oh, no. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m asking as I just don¡¯t know anything about this. What happened?¡± The director didn¡¯t replied with much reluctance because he felt it was like he was telling on the donator to Daebong, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, but I can¡¯t tell you about the donator with my own mouth. Please understand me.¡± Daebong understood his feelings. Actually, he had no reason to ask the director because the man gave him Hyunwoo¡¯s name. Chapter 67

Chapter 67

¡°Got it. I¡¯ll take care of it, so don¡¯t worry too much,¡± said Daebong. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I didn¡¯t call you to let you know about this,¡± the director slurred the end of his sentence and hung up the phone. After the call, Daebong¡¯s eyes sparked sharply. No matter how good Hyunwoo¡¯s intention are, they are bad if done the wrong way. Moreover, the money he spent waspany money not his own. If he really did do it without reporting it to me, it¡¯s embezzlement. When Daebong thought more and more about it, he got upset. No matter how hard he tried to control it, he found his heart pounding hard out of anger. What a disgraceful guy! How can he usepany money like its his even though I duly recognize his outstanding performance? How can I properly reprimand him? Daebong was in a brief pensive mood as he held back his anger. Then, he picked up the phone to call Youngsu Park, the manager of the purchasing team. ¡°Yes, Mr. President.¡± ¡°Come over here right away with Hyunwoo.¡± Daebong¡¯s voice sounded like an angry cow breathing. With such a direction, Daebong put down the phone abruptly, ¡°Come on, man. I¡¯m ready to punish you as soon as you get here.¡¯ Clenching and unclenching his fists, he waited for Youngsu and Hyunwoo. In the meantime, Youngsu was astonished at the president¡¯s unusually loud voice and looked at the receiver as if it was his face, ¡°What happened? Why is he so upset?¡± He thought if he had done anything recently that could have upset the president, but he came up with nothing. Instead, he came up with things that should have made the president happy. Then, he looked at Hyunwoo because the president directed him to bring Hyunwoo with him. ¡°Hey, Assistant Manager Jang,¡± Youngsu called. Springing to his feet, Hyunwoo walked to Youngsu, ¡°Did you do anything recently that might have upset the president?¡± ¡°What? What do you mean?¡± Hyunwoo asked with wide eyes. That was a real surprise to Hyunwoo. Why did would Youngsu suddenly mention the president and ask if he had done anything that might have rubbed him the wrong way. After a moment¡¯s confusion, he replied confidently, ¡°Nothing.¡± Youngsu saw eye to eye with him, but the president was really upset. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the president¡¯s office anyway. If we take too long, he might scold us.¡± ¡°Scold us?¡± They headed to the president¡¯s office quickly since Youngsu felt the intensity of the president¡¯s anger. Knock! Knock! He knocked on the door cautiously and heard the president¡¯s harsh voice, ¡°Come in!¡± Even outside the office Youngsu and Hyunwoo could feel his anger. Youngsu opened the door with a nervous look on his face. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t flinch, but there was something strange about the president¡¯s behavior. He stared sharply at Hyunwoo rather than Youngsu whom he called. What the heck is this? What did I do wrong? Hyunwoo thought. Both of them stood before him. Then, the president asked Hyunwoo in an icy tone, ¡°Did you embezzlepany money?¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo felt as if his heart was torn out. Embezzlepany money? The thought was too shocking to Hyunwoo. ¡°What? Embezzlepany?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°Don¡¯t try to hide what you did. I know it already.¡± What the heck did he know? Hyunwoo was so dumbfounded that he was at a loss for words with his jaw dropped in shock. Youngsu was as much dumbfounded. He looked between the president and Hyunwoo trying to figure out what exactly happened. He knew the president was not the type of person who med his men without any reason. ¡°What the heck did you do?¡± Youngsu asked. ¡°Nothing. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. Embezzlepany money? I¡¯ve never done anything like that.¡± Daebong was about to speak about what he heard from the director of the House of Happiness, but he didn¡¯t because that would give the impression that the director told on Hyunwoo to him. Instead, he talked around it slightly, ¡°Then, what about thetestputer model and the expensive program installed on it? Did you buy them with your own money?¡± Hyunwoo suddenly felt as if he could suddenly breathe again after being almost suffocated as he understood what the president was talking about. However, he felt something weird about it. He secretly visited the orphanage a month ago. How did the president know about it, and why did he bring up the topic now? However, he couldn¡¯t keep thinking about it because the president pressed on harshly, ¡°Why can¡¯t you answer? As I hear, you spent more than five million won. Where did you get the money? I don¡¯t think you spent the money out of your own pocket, right?¡± Scratching his head, Hyunwoo began exining, ¡°Actually, I did.¡± Daebong was about to scold him harshly, but stopped at his reply, ¡°What? You spent your own money?¡± Hyunwoo continued, ¡°I didn¡¯t use anypany money. I purchased theputer stuff with my own money.¡± Daebong was speechless for a moment as he couldn¡¯t understand Hyunwoo, and then barely opened his mouth, ¡°With your own money? Not withpany funds?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s my own money.¡± At that moment, Daebong felt as if he had swollen cold ice. He never thought Hyunwoo would spend more than 5 million won out of his own pocket to help the orphanage. Suddenly, Daebong felt ashamed of himself because he was not better than an ordinary employee of hispany even though he was the president of thepany. Hyunwoo tilted his head and asked, ¡°By the way, how did you find out about it? I thought nobody would know because I visited on a weekend without telling anyone.¡± ¡°I talked to the director of the orphanage a moment ago. He thought that I donated theputer and the program.¡± ¡°Oh, I see...¡± Hyunwoo understood the situation and why Daebong misunderstood it as well, but Daebong could not understand Hyunwoo¡¯s behavior due to his financial situation. As far as he knew, Hyunwoo¡¯s family lived in extreme poverty, so Hyunwoo had to work as a chauffeur after working at thepany during the day. Daebong had seen Hyunwoo driving the very old and outdated van. Hyunwoo had gotten a newer car, but it was only slightly newer than the previous van. As Daebong was aware of Hyunwoo¡¯s financial situation, he used Hyunwoo¡¯s family shop to provide breakfast for his employees to help his family financially. Despite his financial difficulties, Hyunwoo said he donated more than 5 million won worth of equipment to the orphanage. He also hired a teacher for the kids whose sry was paid out of his own pocket as well. Daebong understood Hyunwoo¡¯s warm feelings toward them but could not understand his donation given his current financial situation. When Park thought that far, he knitted his brow and asked, ¡°Is it really true that you paid with your own money?¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°I understand that your family¡¯s financial situation is not strong enough for such a donation.¡± Hyunwoo felt a sting in his heart. If it came out that his financial situation had gotten better, his association with N&C Korea could also be revealed. Of course, it was not something Hyunwoo would feel guilty about because he never caused any harm to Aurum by being affiliated with N&C Korea. It would all be revealed some day, but he wanted to postpone it as long as possible. Aside from that, Hyunwoo¡¯s perception of donation was different from Daebong¡¯s. In fact, Hyunwoo had been giving donations for a very long time. He simply limited his donation to those in his neighborhood that he knew well. It was not a matter of money. It was a matter of one¡¯s peace of mind, and whether or not one could feel happy through such donation.In that respect, Hyunwoo¡¯s peace of mind was more than enough. ¡°Well, I think it depends on how you think about it, sir. I think I can afford to donate.¡± ¡°Depending on how you think about it?¡± asked Daebong. ¡°Well, even without that six million won I have no problem making a living, but it¡¯s a different story for the kids at the orphanage. Their dreams and futures can change depending on whether the orphanage has money or not.¡± ¡°Strictly speaking, it doesn¡¯t have anything to do with you, right?¡± ¡°It does, sir, and that¡¯s why I¡¯m making money, too.¡± ¡°A reason for making money?¡± Daebong shook his head as if he couldn¡¯t understand him. ¡°Everybody makes money to be happy,¡± Hyunwoo said, ¡°And how to be happy varies from one to another. It could be delicious food for someone, or travel or jewellery for others.¡± Daebong nodded. ¡°It¡¯s the same for me. Some of my happinesses from me watching the kids grow thanks to my help.¡± At that moment, Daebong felt a shudder as if he had been struck by lightning. It was a whole new world that he had never experienced. He seemed to have found great enlightenment in Hyunwoo¡¯s words. On the one hand, Daebong felt ashamed of himself. Wasn¡¯t he much older and his social status much higher than Hyunwoo, yet he felt he was far behind Hyunwoo in terms of the depth of thinking and broad-mindedness? Hyunwoo was a man of a bigger perspective than he thought, and perhaps many times bigger than Daebong himself. Daebong nodded his head as if he found great enlightenment and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had such a deep considerations. I misunderstood you a lot. Let me apologize to you. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to, sir. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t brief you in advance.¡± ¡°Why should you feel sorry about it? It should be on me to support the orphanage. Let me tell the general affairs department to deposit the money in your ount tomorrow.¡± ¡°No, sir. I donated because I wanted to. It¡¯s got nothing to do with Aurum or you, sir,¡± Hyunwoo said, shaking his head with a stern look. ¡°If you insist, let me pay for the teacher¡¯s sry, then. I think it¡¯s going to be a big financial burden for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to pay it by myself, sir. I have made the decision because I felt I could afford to do so.¡± ¡°Got it. Just go ahead as you wish then. You can leave now.¡± Hyunwoo and Youngsu left the president¡¯s office. Daebong was surprised. Obviously, Hyunwoo was a man with a bigger mind than he first thought. He felt that society would be a more just ce if someone like Hyunwoo achieved sess. Suddenly, he wanted to help Hyunwoo. How can I help him? Is there a way for me to help him? He could not give Hyunwoo preferential treatment in terms of his work or promotion. It wouldn¡¯t be fair, and Hyunwoo would not want it either. Most likely, he would reject it even if he was offered preferential treatment. He had to help him some other way. All of a sudden a good idea came to him, and Park took out his cell phone and began calling his acquaintances. ¡°Hey, President Han? This is Daebong Park. How are you?¡± ¡°How are you, Brother Park?¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright. Let me ask you something.¡± ¡°Yes, please.¡± ¡°How many employees do you have?¡± ¡°Around 150, I think.¡± ¡°I see. How about their breakfast? Do you provide it?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s too big of a financial burden for me.¡± ¡°Then, can I tip you off about one way to offer breakfast for less?¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± ¡°Yes, I know one very good method. Mypany has already taken the steps for several months now. It costs less than three million won per month for 120 employees in my case.¡± ¡°What a big news! Please, tell me more.¡± Chapter 68

Chapter 68

¡°What? Are you sure?¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes widened. He was so surprised that he shouted out of the blue before he realized it. ¡°Yes, the products passed our tests. In my opinion, our productspare favorably with the Japanese products. Mr. Sangtaek Kwon said our products with their current quality arepetitive enough in any market around the world,¡± said Sungji Na, the president of N&C Vietnam. ¡°Even Mr. Kwon said that?¡± Hyunwoo felt that if Sangtaek agreed, then there was no question about the quality of the products that Sungji mentioned. Sangtaek¡¯s analysis meant that the N&C products were of the same grade as the Japanese products even if they could not surpass them. Hyunwoo wanted to shout in joy, and he had no reason to suppress his feeling because he was outside the office. ¡°Hooray!¡± ¡°Let me ship the samples by air within three days,¡± said Sungji. ¡°Got it.¡± As soon as he came to the office the next day, Hyunwoo informed Youngsu, the manager of the news about N&C¡¯s new products. It was good news to Youngsu. ¡°Really? Are you sure they can pass our new quality standard?¡± asked Youngsu. ¡°Yes. I think the dream team yed a big role.¡± ¡°How wonderful! When will they deliver the samples?¡± ¡°They will be delivered before the end of this week.¡± ¡°Great. Let me report to the president, so he can order the research team to prepare the tests.¡± Youngsu rushed to the president¡¯s office as if he couldn¡¯t waste even a second which made Hyunwoo excited all the more. Then, someone called Hyunwoo¡¯s cell phone. It was his mother. Suddenly, Hyunwoo¡¯s heart sank because it was extremely rare she would call him casually at this time. His father¡¯s face came to his mind. Hyunwoo picked up the phone immediately thinking that something bad had happened to his family. ¡°Yes, mom. This is Hyunwoo.¡± ¡°I have no idea what¡¯s going on now, son!¡± Her tone was rather high, suggesting she was pretty much excited about something. Hyunwoo¡¯s face turned pale momentarily, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Is there anything wrong? Where is Dad right now?¡± ¡°Dad? He is at home, I presume,¡± said she in a tone that asked why he was mentioning his father. If that was the case, then he had no reason to worry about his father which was good. When Hyunwoo breathed out a sigh of relief, she continued, ¡°What is Kisan Industry? And where is Kyongguk Factory?¡± ¡°Kisan Industry? Kyongguk Factory?¡± They were not that strange to Hyunwoo. Both of them were located in Ansan. Though Hyunwoo had no direct ties with them, he went there lots of times while doing chauffeur service. Why would his mother mention these firms? ¡°Do you have any ties with the presidents of those firms?¡± ¡°No, mom. Why?¡± ¡°Well, I got a call from them asking me to prepare breakfast for their employees. They want me to prepare soybean, rice balls or kimbap (seaweed ball) the way I do for Aurum. I had as many as six calls from factories today.¡± ¡°Really? Six factories?¡± Hyunwoo just felt dumbfounded at the thought of the multiple orders. Assuming that each of the six firms had at least 50 employees, it would 300 meals in total. As for Kasan Industry, it was a rather big factory with at least 150 workers. If half of the workers wanted breakfast, his mother would have to prepare breakfast for over 300 people with Aurum employees included. What time would she have to get up in the morning to prepare breakfast for such a huge crowd? Even though the muscr Hyunmin had started working for her, such a big order would be pretty tough for both of them to prepare. Hyunwoo was afraid that she would overwork because of the meager ie, but she didn¡¯t think that way. Her high tone suggested that she was not worried but excited as if she was saying, ¡®I feel we might be rich sooner orter.¡¯ Actually Hyunwoo wanted to tell her like that they were already very rich, and if he sold his stocks in N&C Vietnam, he could make several billion won. Instead, he got suspicious. How did they get her phone number and call her? Oh, I see! Suddenly, someone¡¯s face came to his mind. The onlypany that gave others tips about supplying breakfast was Aurum. Obviously, neither Suji Min nor Youngsu Park were responsible for it because this kind of business could not be done quickly by an ordinary employee. Hyunwoo remembered that he had been called to the president¡¯s office and felt something strange about President Park¡¯s actions at the time. President Park did it! After the call, Hyunwoo was troubled because he had to figure out how he could lessen his mother¡¯s burden. As soon as he was done with work, he headed home and discussed matter of breakfast supply with her. In fact, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t have to worry about it. His mother said that Hyunmin gave her a simple solution. ¡°Two boys from the House of Happiness have offered to help us.¡± ¡°Really? They would have to get up very early in the morning to help you.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ve decided to give them 600,000 won per month for their work. As we¡¯re not busy on weekends, they¡¯ll be paid 30,000 won per day. They¡¯re making good money as high school boys, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Good job! I feel very relieved to hear that, Mom.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me, son, just take care of your health. Working all the time, day and night, like that will ruin your health¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind, Mom.¡± It was three dayster when the new product samples of N&C were delivered to Aurum. The research team put aside their main job and tested the quality of the samples. The tests were a great sess. There was not a single one that failed the test in terms of the quality requirement. The manager of the research team even said that the samples exceeded the new quality standards in every respect. Daebong gave the order immediately, ¡°Keep using the existing casters of E65 Series but rece them with the new N&C products starting with the K65 Series.¡± That ounted for about sixty-five percent of all parts used by Aurum. The purchasing team moved quickly to rece the casters, but things didn¡¯t work out as they had hoped because therge difference between Aurum and N&C¡¯s unit price was still a problem, . Hyunwoo scratched his head, ¡°I heard they wouldn¡¯t ept our unit price. They¡¯re asking for more because they¡¯ve invested a lot in improving the quality of the parts.¡± Youngsu was a bit surprised that Aurum increased the unit price. Based on the C65F Series, Aurum imported existing parts for 320 won a piece. They offered 370 won for the new part which was a little over a fifteen percent increase, but Aurum wanted more. ¡°How much more do they want?¡± ¡°They want at least 420 won per piece.¡± Park¡¯s jaws dropped at the new price. ¡°If that¡¯s what they want, there is little difference between their unit price and that of domestic parts.¡± Hyunwoo nodded his head and said, ¡°Right. Some are cheaper and others are more expensive in the domestic market, but there is no otherpany than Castor that canpete with N&C products. In terms of the quality, what they¡¯re asking for is not that high.¡± This time Youngsu looked at Yonggu and asked,¡±What do you think, Yonggu? Do you think their demand for the higher unit price is justified?¡± Hyunwoo checked Yonggu¡¯s countenance. Yonggu virtually had the final say when it came to determining the unit price. If he okayed it, Youngsu would report it directly to the president, but if he rejected it, Hyunwoo would have to wage a difficult persuasion war with them. Yonggu considered his answer carefully. He checked the test results of the N&C parts as well as the same parts produced by otherpanies and said, cautiously, ¡°Comparing the quality only, I think N&C products are cheap, but we have to take into ount the efforts we made for the creation of the dream team. We took the lead in pioneering the N&C products in Vietnam. In that respect, I think we have to meet halfway on the unit price.¡± Youngsu hummed, ¡°You mean we have to lower the unit price even though we can raise the selling price, right?¡±. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Then, what do you think is the right price baseline?¡± ¡°If I could have my way, I¡¯d like to lower it below 400 won, but it seems a bit difficult. As they have improved the quality, they could find any buyer other than us. I think we have to negotiate 400 won as the Maginot line.¡± ¡°I wonder if the president will approve it, though.¡± ¡°We have no choice. As things stand now, N&C has the upper hand. We¡¯re in a situation where we have to beg them to sell their products to us.¡± Youngsu seemed to be troubled by Yonggu¡¯s remarks a bit but soon nodded his head. ¡°Okay, then. You are responsible for negotiating with them on the unit price, Yonggu. Lower it to 400 won without any condition, and don¡¯t drag it too long.¡± It was rather challenging demand, but Youngsu had to get it done to prove his performance to the president. ¡°Got it, Manager Park.¡± Listening to Yonggu and Youngsu¡¯s conversation, Hyunwoo felt a bit guilty because he felt like a spy, but there was nothing he could do. He felt that guilt was misced so long as he made good use of his position toward mutual benefits rather than abusing it for his own interests. The perfect scenario was for Hyunwoo to pose as a mediator between N&C and Aurum, so that he could get them to sign a contract for the price that Aurum wanted, but it was a question of whether or not Yonggu could assign that task to him. How can I talk to him on this? Can I just ask him to have me negotiate with N&C? Hyunwoo had been thinking about it when Yonggu called him, ¡°How about coffee?¡± Hyunwoo checked his countenance a bit. He was going to ask Yonggu to go out for coffee. Hyunwoo stood up quickly from his seat, ¡°Sounds good.¡± Both went up to the rooftop because it was perfect for a quiet conversation. There were some other employees there, but it wasrge enough that they could talkfortably without being overheard. Hyunwoo waited for Yonggu to bring up the topic first. Yonggu opened his mouth, ¡°Please help me, dude. Try to persuade Mr. Dohyun Kim.¡± Hyunwoo smiled brightly at that. After all, Yonggu was on the same page with him. Hyunwoo nodded without any hesitation, ¡°Sure, will do. Don¡¯t worry. Let me persuade Kim to ept the unit price at 400 won without any conditions.¡± ¡°If you feel it¡¯s hard, let me know. I¡¯ll ask the old guard to do me a favor.¡± ¡°Got it. Can I get his reply this week?¡± Yonggu smiled in satisfaction, ¡°Of course. I¡¯m sorry to say this, but let me turn in the report. Manager Park asked me to do this, so I just feel awkward if you do it. I would like to give a strong impression to the president on this asion. Please understand me.¡± Hyunwoo felt grateful that Yonggu asked a favor like that of him. It meant that Yonggu thought they were pretty close. ¡°Of course, man. We¡¯re friends, aren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Thanks! I think I¡¯m lucky to have a good friend like you.¡± After he left the office that evening Hyunwoo called Vietnam. He had to be very careful in the office all the time so that he wouldn¡¯t mention themission fees of N&C Korea in the middle of his conversation with Sungji Na. Hyunwoo feltfortable talking to Sungji about the unit price. ¡°In terms of the value, I know the new product is not worth 420 won but more than 500 won, but could you make it 400 won in consideration of my situation right now? Instead, I won¡¯t receive anymission the products you supply to Aurum.¡± The original product¡¯s price was only 340 won per unit, and the new product to rece it was 70 won more expensive, but most of the upcharge was a technology transfer fee that went to the dream team who worked on it. Without the transfer fee, the price was a bit over 300 won per unit; thus, if the new product was priced at 420 won per unit, it would mostly be a mostly value added product. However, without themission fees that N&C Korea was supposed to take, N&C Vietnam would actually make more than 420 won per piece. After he asked for Sangtaek and Dohyuk¡¯s opinion, Sunji agreed without any hesitation, ¡°Got it, but I expect that you¡¯ll raise the unit price for other new dealers.¡± ¡°Of course. I guarantee that I will get more than 450 won from other dealers by all means. Let me send you a contract.¡± After he hung up the phone, Hyunwoo clenched his fist. He felt as if he crossed a big mountain, but he could not be satisfied with that. He had to seize the golden opportunity to promote the new products. He worked through the night to draft a press release and submitted it to manager Park. ¡°Manager, this is a draft press release on the new product.¡± Park reviewed it. It was a press release about the dream team¡¯s work on the caster, and Dohyun was the central yer. The content was something like this: Chapter 69

Chapter 69

Aurum distributed a simr press release before, and thanks to that, the stock price of Aurum rose briefly. Later, when its rival Art Hill sent out a release that degraded the quality of N&C products, Aurum¡¯s stock price went down to its original price, but this kind of press release certainly had an effect. This time the main topic of the release was the dream team who developed the new casters. The release was more stimting than the previous one. Reviewing it, Park was satisfied with it. ¡°Great! Let me report to the president.¡± The press release was sent to the PR team with the president¡¯s approval with Hyunwoo as the named author. This time, Deputy Manager Sunyoung Do was in charge of finalizing it, but she was not as picky as before. After a few modifications, the press release was sent out to the media outlets. The press release was published not only in major dailies but also broadcast on the prime newshour of TVworks. Much of the credit went to Youngsu¡¯s excellent lobbying efforts, but the contents of the release were meant to grab the media¡¯s attention. There was something strange, though. Hyunwoo knew Sunyoung modified the original release, but what was actually reported was much different from the original. They reported as if the Korean dream team in Vietnam was making the world¡¯s best products. Confused, Hyunwoo called Sunyoung, but she was not responsible for it, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Looks like they modified the press release on their own. Anyway, the reporters change it as they want it,¡± said Sunyoung. Hyunwoo could understand the reporters¡¯ position. They modified it to be sensational enough to attract the people¡¯s attention. Even though he felt rather ufortable about it, the results of the reports were good because it helped the business activities of not only Aurum but also N&C Korea as soon as it was published. Sungwoo Paek remained silent for a while but called Hyunwoo almost every week after the reports. ¡°I just signed a contract with Amantis. The size of their order is very big,¡± said Sungwoo. Hyunwoo knew a lot about Amantis. It was one of the tworgest producers of children¡¯s products. Their main products were strollers and baby walkers. Soon, Amantis¡¯ rivalpany also asked for price estimates. Thanks to the reports, N&C Vietnam elerated the expansion of the production lines and increased the production of the new products. Then, more encouraging news came from Unhye Kim. After following Sungwoo for on-the-job training for two months, she seemed to have gained confidence. As N&C products were given lots of publicity, she judged it to be the right time to make her request. ¡°Let me fly to Japan in early March.¡± ¡°I can feel from your voice that you¡¯re confident. I feel you¡¯ll have great sess,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Of course, I should. I have singled out severalpanies. After researching them, I found that thesepany receive wheel supplies from Castor. I¡¯m going to pull off a deal with them first.¡± ¡°You already did market research? You¡¯re really a copycat of your father. You have business in your blood. If you need anything, please let me know anytime. I¡¯ll support you.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo was full of hope. If Unhye seeded in making a deal in Japan, that would serve as another springboard for N&C Korea. Hyunwoo had already a great n in mind once that happened. ¡°Sess, please! Please!¡± One monthter... ¡°Really? Are you sure? Did you sign the contract?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°Yes, I just emailed it to you. Please confirm it,¡± said Unhye. Hyunwoo quickly checked his email to confirm Unhye¡¯s email along with an attachment sent by Unhye¡¯s N&C Japan. Hyunwoo opened the attached file. It was a contract between N&C Japan and Oda Trading Co. The contract detailed the quantity, unit price as well as the payment method, and there were the signatured of the two corporations on the lower end of the contract. Unhye really executed a deal in Japan in just a month. What¡¯s more surprising was thepany¡¯s brand strength. Oda Trading was apany that specialized in expensive baggage and used only quality-guaranteed casters made by Castor. Supplying casters to Oda Trading meant that N&C parts were recing Castor¡¯s. Aside from that, the fact that N&C products passed Oda¡¯s quality standard meant N&C¡¯s technology was excellent. Though the contract was only worth $30,000 per year, it was more valuable to Hyunwoo than $3,000,000. ¡°You¡¯re wonderful, Unhye! What¡¯s your secret?¡± ¡°The president of Oda Trading is a Japanese-Korean, and he knew a friend of my father. I approached him through my father¡¯s friend and executed the deal easier than I expected.¡± It was the first time that Hyunwoo heard that, and he felt that there would be a risk associated with it. Although the contract was important, it meant something different if the contract was made through such a special rtionship and could be an excuse for the public to downgrade the quality of N&C products. ¡°You have to keep it secret. Never tell anybody Oda¡¯s president is a Japanese-Korean or that you approached him through an acquaintance,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Of course. I¡¯m not a baby, and this contract was not signed because of mywork. Our products passed the strict quality standards of Oda, and they found there was little difference between our products and Castor¡¯s.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good news! Nice job! Just let me know if you have any other good news, too.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo immediately called Sungji in Vietnam. Sungji¡¯s tone was very excited. He said he nned a party today to celebrate N&C¡¯s contract with Oda Trading. ¡°Thanks so much. I owe it all to you, Mr. Jang. I just don¡¯t know how I can repay you...¡± ¡°What I want is for N&C to prosper all the more.¡± ¡°Well, N&C is in a position to prosper all the more now. The Vietnamese government is supporting us a lot.¡± Hearing Sungji¡¯s exnation, N&C¡¯s situation was much better than Hyunwoo thought. The Vietnamese government was offering enormous management support benefits to attract foreign investment, and N&C was the prime foreignpany to receive such benefits. The reason was a hike in N&C¡¯s exports, helped by quality improvement. As N&C seeded in signing supply contracts with Koreanpanies starting with Aurum, it received enormous benefits such as tax exemptions and low interest rates. In addition to that, N&C¡¯s situation would get much better now that it had signed a contract with Oda. All government officials like to make performances of their own, regardless of the country. During their performances, they boasted their support ofpanies. They attribute whatever growth anypany achieved to their support efforts, and the most best side of the growth of apany was its increase in exports, of course. The value of the exports varied ording to the destination of the exports. N&C¡¯s exports to Korea that made the Vietnamese government rank thepany highly. Since Japan was known for it superior technology, it was a really big deal that they were set to export there. As soon as the news about N&C¡¯s contract with Oda was published, the Vietnamese government officials involved went crazy spreading the news and iming their own credit by saying that N&C climbed the high wall of Japan thanks to their support. After hearing Sungji¡¯s exnation, Hyunwoo was speechless. He called Sungji to discuss promotion. He wanted to promote N&C¡¯s contract with Oda through the Vietnamese press and then make use of it in Korea, but N&C already had a great deal of publicity. It looked as if Hyunwoo could move on to the next project. ¡°I look forward to more good news,¡± said Hyunwoo. As soon as he was done with the call, he searched his contact list and called someone he knew. A smile was on his lips because the person he was calling was his close acquaintance. The person shouted in a joy, ¡°Hey, Hyunwoo. We haven¡¯t talked in ages, man!¡± It was Kwangsu Han , president of Real Film. Hyunwoo had worked with him for about a year. Rather than the president, Han was like an elder brother to him in his neighborhood. ¡°Brother Han, how have you been?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s really tough to make ends meet. We¡¯ve had a lot of work but small money. How about you? How is your job at the woodworking shop?¡± ¡°I quit there, and I¡¯m currently work at a furniturepany. Have you heard about Aurum?¡± ¡°Oh, you should havee to me for a new job. How much do they pay you? Quit immediately ande to me. Let me pay you more,¡± shouted Han. Hyunwoo wanted to go back to work at Real Film. It paid more, and above all, it was a good fit for his aptitude. The problem was that he had to travel too often if he worked there. Real Film was a TV productionpany. It sometimes produced TVmercials and did special features. ordingly, he had to travel across the country almost everyday. Though he found the job interesting, his problem was his parents. He had to keep an eye on their health every day as something bad might happen not only to his father but to his mother because of that he got a job with apany near his house to take care of his parents. ¡°Brother Han, can you do me a favor?¡± ¡°Of course. I can do you any favor. What is it?¡± ¡°Just make do one special coverage in Vietnam.¡± ¡°Vietnam? Special feature? What is it?¡± Hyunwoo told him about the dream team¡¯s development of new casters. The assignment was for Real Film to make a special feature about the sess story of the dream team in a colorful way. It was supposed to emphasize how skilled each member of the dream team was and what a great masterpiece of work they could produce when they united as one. The finishing stroke of the feature would be N&C¡¯s new contract with Oda Trading in Japan. In short, the feature¡¯s message was that the dream teamposed of Korea¡¯s best technicians created technology as good as Castor who boasted of the world¡¯s best technology in the field. ¡°Hummm...It¡¯s not something we can make quickly. I think the production cost will be high as we have to travel to Vietnam to make it.¡± Hyunwoo was already ready to pay arge sum of money for it because he felt that he would get the money back. Real Film guaranteed the quality of the feature and would sell it to a broadcastingpany for more than 80% of the production cost. ¡°Anyway, I can¡¯t make it immediately. We¡¯re fully booked until the end of this month. If there is any vacant slot next month, let¡¯s resume our conversation on this.¡± ¡°Got it. By the way, you have to have one slot avable, okay?¡± ¡°Of course, will do. it¡¯s your request!¡± Hyunwoo felt good about it, and it looked like everything was working out smoothly. One weekter, while he was sorting the raw material at the warehouse, Hyunwoo recieved a call from Sungwoo Paek. Hyunwoo giggled. These days Sunwoo reported to Hyunwoo almost every fifteen days about finding a new deal. He had already signed five new deals after Aurum sent out the press release, and one of them was a big deal. Thanks to that, Sungwoo made more than 4.5 million won per month. If Sungwoo made consistent efforts like this, he could make more than 10 million won per month without doing anything. ¡°What¡¯s up, Sungwoo?¡± ¡°I had a call from a broadcastingpany.¡± It was not about a new deal but a broadcastingpany out of the blue? Suddenly, Kwangsu Han of Real Film came to his mind, but it was not Han. ¡°Which broadcastingpany? What did they call about?¡± ¡°They say they want to cover N&C¡¯s dream team. They asked me how to connect you. What can I do?¡± said Sungwoo. Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes widened. A broadcastingpany got wind of it and nned the coverage first. If that was the case, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t have to depend on Real Film for the special coverage. If Real Film couldn¡¯t make it because of their busy schedule, it would be good to give the broadcastingpany the job. If arge broadcastingpany covered it, they would make their special program more marketable than Hyunwoo intended. Suddenly, Hyunwoo raised his tone, ¡°Which broadcastingpany?¡± ¡°Korea Broadcasting.¡± Chapter 70

Chapter 70

Korean Broadcasting was thergest TVwork in Korea. Hyunwoo suddenly felt as if he had been hit by a windfall. ¡°Who called you? Give me his cell phone number and his name. Let me call him directly.¡± A littleter Sungwoo texted the broadcaster¡¯s name and contact number to Hyunwoo. He was an assistant producer named Jungman Jin. Hyunwoo called him immediately, ¡°Is this Assistant Producer Jungman Jin? My name is Hyunwoo Jang who started the dream team of N&C Vietnam.¡± ¡°Ah, Mr. Jang. I know about you. I¡¯ve heard your name.¡± ¡°I hear you¡¯re going to cover the dream team of N&C.¡± ¡°Yes, I talked to Executive Park a moment ago. Looks you two are close since he contacted you already.¡± Hyunwoo felt a prick in the heart. When it came to a scoop, broadcasting guys stuck to the job no matter what, regardless of a producer or a reporter. If they knew he was the hidden representative of N&C Korea, Hyunwoo would be in a big trouble. ¡°Oh, he and I are high school alumni. As he is affiliated with mypany, we have a special rtionship in that respect.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. By the way, why did you call me? I¡¯m a bit busy at the moment...¡± ¡°Let me ask you this briefly: are you going to cover N&C¡¯s dream team? I mean, will Korean Broadcasting reporters cover it?¡± ¡°No, we¡¯re going to assign it to an outside contractingpany.¡± ¡°Then, can I choose the outside contractor? I know one that is very capable in that field.¡± ¡°I think it won¡¯t be a problem as we have not yet chosen one. What is the name of the contractor? They have to meet our program quality standard.¡± ¡°You might have heard of them: Real Film.¡± ¡°Oh, wit Producer Han? They¡¯re a goodpany. Let me talk to the main producer on this.¡± ¡°May I ask the main producer¡¯s name?¡± ¡°His name is Jaegu Do.¡± It looked like the assistant producer was quite busy. After the call Hyunwoo called Kwangsu Han of Real Film since some other contractor might try to get the contract if he dragged his feet on it. ¡°Brother Han, have you set your schedule?¡± ¡°All through this week.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have any shooting schedule for the next few weeks, right?¡± ¡°No, I already have a schedule with you, as you know. I¡¯ve reserved fifteen days for you.¡± ¡°Great! Do you know Producer Do with Korean Broadcasting?¡± ¡°Of course, I do. I¡¯ve done several programs with him. What¡¯s up?¡± Hyunwoo exined the situation. Then, Kwangsu hung up the phone quickly because he wanted to save even a few seconds to get the contract as soon as possible. Hyunwoo went back to cleaning up the warehouse, but Kwangsu called him in less than twenty minutester. ¡°So, did you get the contract?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°Producer Do said his assistant producer hasn¡¯t briefed him yet. He said he would consider it once he was briefed.¡± ¡°Done deal, right? Hope I¡¯m in good hands, Brother Han.¡± ¡°No worries, man. Don¡¯t you know my capabilities? Besides this is something rted to you, so I can¡¯t treat it lightly.¡± Hyunwoo had faith in Kwangsu that he would make the special program better than he expected. With a light heart, Hyunwoo focused on his work again. As soon as he was done with office work, he went home right away as he had for thest three days since he had nothing extra to work on. Then, he began to notice something unusual on his mother¡¯s face. It looked as if she had something to say because she was trying to read his countenance. ¡°Mom, do you have anything to say?¡± Only then did she began to speak hesitantly about something that Hyunwoo didn¡¯t expect to hear at all, ¡°Son, do you have some extra money?¡± Hyunwoo was astonished because she had never asked about money before. ¡°Why? Do you need money?¡± ¡°Well, the store is too small for me to prepare the current breakfast order. I think I should stop working at the store and open arger building for business.¡± Hyunwoo let out a sigh of relief. He felt something big happened when she said she needed money. Fortunately, it was far from that. Hyunwoo was still curious because she was so scared of upsizing her business after his father failed in it. ¡°Do you want to run the business by yourself?¡± ¡°The volume of order keeps growing. I wanted to do make side dishes at the store and prepare breakfast at the same time, but I can¡¯t do both anymore now.¡± Hyunwoo could barely control his smile because she was serious about the new business project, but he felt her business idea was a bit funny. How much could she expect to earn by starting a business selling soybean juice or rice balls? Getting a business workce and doing some renovation, as well as buying the necessary machine, would cost a lot more than she would earn, and once she started therger business, she would find it hard both physically and spiritually. He would discourage her if given the choice. ¡°I can get the money for you if you need it, but I think you had better approach it more prudently. You have to think about the rate of return and business continuity rather than just business.¡± ¡°More than enough. Plenty of profits, I guarantee,¡± said his father, who had been sitting on a couch and listening to them. Hyunwoo was surprised because his father, as someone with a thorough knowledge of business, knew how dangerous doing business was. He thought his father would be strongly opposed to his mother¡¯s business idea, but he was supporting it. That meant her idea had a real potential. With sparkling eyes, Hyunwoo asked, ¡°Do you have more orders?¡± ¡°Currently, there are nine workces I supply with breakfast, about 1,000 people in all, but more and morepanies are asking for it. Three of them asked for it long time ago, but I couldn¡¯t supply because I didn¡¯t have any other room to prepare it, so I put their orders on hold.¡± ¡°How much would you get if you prepared breakfast for 1,000 people? I mean pure profits, not total sales.¡± ¡°We charge 50,000 won per month per person. After the cost of the ingredients, I take about 15,000,000 won, and after the sry for Hyunmin and his friends, I would get about 9 million won per month.¡± ¡°What? As much as nine million won?¡± Hyunwoo felt as if he was struck in the back of his head by a hammer. He didn¡¯t think soybean juice and rice balls could bring in so much money. ¡°All I need is to find a working space. Even an old warehouse would work. I want to find one after making some money, but I think I¡¯ll lose the orders if I wait that long.¡± Hyunwoo had several buildings in mind. Though he vowed that he would not be greedy for money, he became interested in investing in real estate as his bank ount bnce and stocks grew. Among the buildings was one that his mother could use for expansion. ¡°Mom. Is it okay that the new ce is an ordinary house? It¡¯s in the countryside with arge yard and a warehouse. I think it¡¯srge enough for your business.¡± ¡°Of course! Do you know a good ce?¡± ¡°Yes, I know one. Come to think of it, however, it¡¯s a bit unfeasible.¡± ¡°Why? Is it very expensive?¡± ¡°The price is okay. In my opinion, it looked worth closer to 300 million won, but the sales price was 250 million won. If I try, I think I can get another discount of between 10 and 20 million won.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem, then? Is the house very old?¡± The house was a bit old, but that wasn¡¯t the problem. The real problem was that it was located very far from Hyunwoo¡¯s ce. ¡°It¡¯s too far away from us. It¡¯s in the city of Hwasung. Though it¡¯s near Ansan, it would take more than an hour to drive there each way.¡± His mother also had an troubled expression on her face. An hourmute was not a problem. The problem was that she could not use any public transportation service because she had to go to work very early in the morning. At her age, she would have some difficulty to obtaining a driver¡¯s license and using taxi every morning would be a big financial burden to her. After some hard thinking with wrinkles on her forehead, she pped her hands cheerfully as if she had a good idea. ¡°Oh, I have a good idea!¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°You said it¡¯s an ordinary house, right? Why don¡¯t we move to that house? I¡¯ve always wanted to move to a country house with a yard.¡± It was a good idea. His father and mother wanted to live in a country house rather than an apartment in the city. His father thought of an apartment as a prison. Though he felt better when she was off, he felt lonely in the apartment when he had to spend the whole day alone. Hyunwoo had considered getting a pet for them, but his father and mother were strongly opposed. If they moved to a country house, all of the problems would be solved at once, and they could raise one or two dogs of Jindo breed in the yard. ¡°Great. Let¡¯s move.¡± Hyunwoo immediately got down to working on the purchase of the country house. He didn¡¯t make any effort to get a discount. Thanks to a real estate agent he knew well, the agent got a good deal. The renovation of the house was done by Hyunwoo¡¯s acquaintances in the field. Thanks to their help, they could pack within a month after she mentioned it. In fact, fifteen days was enough for them to pack, but it took more than that because they had to renovate the warehouse for her purposes. Though Hyunwoo called the movers, he also rolled up his sleeves to move the stuff in the apartment. He once worked for the movers, and many of the workers there were on good terms with him. An acquaintance of the movers tried to lift the drawer by himself, ¡°What is this? It¡¯s locked.¡± It was an essory draw of a desk when he checked it out. If the books in the main bedroom were his father¡¯s treasure, this essory drawer was Hyunwoo¡¯s. Maybe his father knew about the secret of the drawer. ¡°It¡¯s rather heavy, brother, and you have to move it carefully because it contains some important stuff. Let¡¯s move it together,¡± said Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo rushed to help him. ¡°Why do you keep this kind of drawer that you¡¯re supposed to have in the office?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ve got a lot of stuff to keep here.¡± ¡°Really? What is it?¡± Hyunwoo could not reply to his question. It contained Hyunwoo¡¯s dream, but it was an almost impossible dream. He vowed that he would open it when he saw the chance to realize it, so he locked it more than ten years ago and never opened it. Maybe he would not be able to open it during his life. In that case, he would hand it down to his children. It was something he should never open unless he was ready. ¡°There¡¯s a love letter in it, hahaha,¡± said Hyunwoo as a usible excuse. Hyunmin, the cook boy from the orphanage, also chipped in. Thanks to their help, Hyunwoo could finish the moving quickly. Pushing the wheelchair his father was on, his mother took a look around the new house. It was the second time she came since she had visited the first time Hyunwoo mentioned it. ¡°Wow! Are you sure this is that old house we purchased? How could that house be renovated to be so clean and neat in less than one and a half months?¡± Though his father didn¡¯t say anything, he looked very satisfied. The only drawback was that there were many empty houses in the area. The vige had about 50 houses, but more than twenty were empty, and several looked like haunted houses because they had been empty for long. ¡°I think we had better raise a dog.¡± ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve been thinking of getting one of the Jindo breed.¡± Hyunmin also seemed to be excited. He must have been pretty ufortable living in that small dent of the store. The country house had fourrge rooms including a guest room, so he could take his own room. The new house was near the House of Happiness. It was within a fifteen minute drive and about an hour¡¯s walk from Hyunwoo¡¯s house. It was really good when Hyunwoo looked at it,too. The yard was quiterge, and there were several fruit trees along the wall. If he wanted to, he could tend a vegetable garden there. There was nothing to fix about the warehouse, his mother¡¯s workce. She liked it very much. As she had to prepare food there, cleanliness was the most important factor, and it was very clean. It had a double door to prevent flies or other insects froming into the building. ¡°I think I made the good decision to assign this work to Brother Suyoung. Let me treat him to good food next time,¡± said Hyunwoo. He looked at his mother, and said, ¡°All you have to do is buy the necessary equipment and register your business with the city.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to buy the equipment with Hyunmin today. I already registered it already.¡± ¡°Really? What¡¯s the name of it?¡± ¡°Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes widened because he wasn¡¯t sure if she answered his question correctly. Hyunwoo double checked with her, ¡°Did you say it¡¯s Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom?¡± He expected it was not, but she nodded, ¡°Yes. Doesn¡¯t it sound good?¡± ¡°Oh, why don¡¯t you get a better name?¡± Then, his father, who had been silent until then, suddenly cut in, ¡°I don¡¯t think so. It¡¯s the best name in my opinion.¡± ¡°Are you serious? Is that a good name?¡± ¡°Yea, I think so. Doesn¡¯t it mean that your mother makes food, putting your name as the guarantee on the quality? When customers see the name, they will trust the food all the more, and your mother will be doing her best because of your name.¡± Hyunwoo seemed to understand his mother¡¯s intention after hearing his father¡¯s exnation, ¡°Don¡¯t do your best, mom.¡± ¡°Oh, just let me be your mom, hohoho. ¡± Chapter 71

Chapter 71

¡°Uh? It¡¯s Brother Kwangsu on the phone. Has he already finished the coverage? Hello?¡± Hyunwoo picked up the phone. Kwangsu Han of Real Film began talking to him abruptly, ¡°It will air at 7 pm on April 2nd.¡± ¡°What? Where are you now? Did your coverage go well?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you need to keep in touch with me, man. Howe you¡¯re asking me like that? I came back from Vietnam a long time ago. I hear they have set the broadcast date on N&C¡¯s castor Dream Team.¡± ¡°Ah, is 7 pm on April 2?¡± ¡°Yes. You know the program ¡®Everything in the World,¡¯ right? I really spent lots of time making the special with great devotion. If you like it, buy me a great dinner, okay?¡± ¡°Of course! Thanks so much.¡± Hyunwoo marked April 2 in red ink and set up a notification on his cell phone. And on that day he and his team members got together at the conference room, putting off their quitting time. ¡°Finally it¡¯s today.¡± ¡°Wow, I¡¯ve got high expectation.¡± Above all, Manager Park was very nervous because he participated in the program directly. ¡®Everything in the World¡¯ is a TV program that didn¡¯t have a specific topic. Instead, they produced episodes on topics that might attract an audience like delicious or strange restaurants, and sometimes it features entric or poor people. As there was no rival program in the same time slot, it had the best ratings for more than 10 years. ¡°Oh, here it is!¡± Everybody turned their eyes to the TV at Suji Min¡¯s words. The coverage started with the dream team¡¯s formative stage. Hyunwoo, who took the lead from the start, was missing though Manager Park was shown. The feature focused on each member of the dream team as the best technicians in their fields, though they were not perfect. Watching the program, the audience might have felt naturally that there could be a tremendous synergy if the dream team members gathered. The moment the audience might feel that way, Youngsu Park met Dohyuk Kim, the dream team leader, and Dohyuk started persuading the team members with the full support of Aurum. In this particr scene, Real Film used stand-ins for the dream team members including Dohyuk as Real Film could not bring the team members to Korea for the shooting. Though it was a very hard journey, the dream team was finallyposed thanks to Dohyuk¡¯s persistent determination. It was a very touching moment for Hyunwoo, so he pped as he watched. Then, the program brought up the problems such as the unit price, annual sry, and equities that stood in the way of the dream team¡¯s future. They could not find a castorpany in Korea that could hire them. Then, they were dramatically connected to N&C in Vietnam. The Korean businessmen in Vietnam joined hands with the dream team and renewed their determination. They spent day and night on the research and development of a new, high-quality castor and finally seed in producing a dream product. It was the moment everybody¡¯s heart was throbbing. How great would be the quality of that product?, the audience might have thought. N&C¡¯s castor went through the quality test of Aurum immediately and ranked A+ grade in all areas, and it easily passed even the quality test of Oda Trading which was well known for its technology in Japan. Until then, Japan¡¯s Castor had the monopoly on the castor market, but the castors made by the Korean dream team seed in pushing out the Japanese product. Thest segment of the program was an interview with Dohyuk Kim, ¡°The sess story of the dream team has just begun. The Vietnamese government is fully supporting us. Our dream team will show how fast we can grow when Korea and Vietnam meet like this.¡± ¡°Wow! Great!¡± p! p! p! The team members pped loudly as did Hyunwoo. The feature program contained all the contents Hyunwoo asked for. In particr, Dohyuk¡¯s praise of the Vietnamese government¡¯s support was well covered. Hyunwoo hadn¡¯t expected that much as far as that portion was concerned. He thought that Korean Broadcasting would edit Real Film¡¯s coverage anyway, but that portion was not taken out for some reason. Maybe it was because of Kwangsu¡¯s lobbying or KB team¡¯s own conclusion that it was okay to keep that portion unedited. Thanks to that, Hyunwoo could use the program more extensively for publicity. His foremost goal was to use it as a promotion either in Korea or in Japan, but he thought it might have more promotional effect in Vietnam. If Hyunwoo had the program dubbed into English and showed it to the Vietnamese officials, they would scramble to use it as promotion material. Wow, I think I did it right to assign the job to brother Han. To put Hyunwoo¡¯s feelings at the moment into one word, it was a satisfaction. Aside from the team members, Manager Park was also satisfied. Though the program mentioned a lot about the Vietnamese government¡¯s support, the best part of it was Manager Park¡¯s support. Very good! Great. Wonderful job! Manager Park encouraged Hyunwoo as if he wanted to bevish him with his praise. ¡°Thanks. Is it okay if I promote Aurum by using this program?¡± ¡°Of course! Let me take care of winning the president¡¯s approval. Just submit any idea!¡± Hyunwoo drafted another press release. So far, whenever he drafted a press release, Sunyoung Do of the PR team edited the wording. This time, she wouldn¡¯t do it because the release was intended to promote Aurum not N&C. The content read: Korea¡¯s dream team has seeded in recing Castor of Japan¡¯s products as the best quality in the world. This testifies the wonderful technology of the dream team. In Korea, only Aurum is using N&C¡¯s product because Aurum fully supported the whole process of forming the dream team and its sess story in Vietnam. Thanks to the investment and efforts of Aurum, Aurum receives N&C¡¯s new product at a discount, and this has contributed to Aurum¡¯s recent jump in stock price. No one touched the contents of the press release. Daebong Park and the PR team okayed it, and the media published it without any editing. The special feature on the dream team aired on ¡®Everything in the World¡¯ and Hyunwoo¡¯s press release created a synergistic effect. Aurum¡¯s stocks were at their all-time highs for three days in a row, but that was not all. As Aurum put advertisements on TV and in the dailies aggressively, Aurum¡¯s sales surged drastically. Before and after the program aired, the daily difference in sales was more than fifteen percent. Daebong could not sit idle. Calling Youngsu in his office, he offered him apany card, ¡°Great job! Why did you wander like that when you could show and excellent performance like this? Treat your team members to great food! And select one person for special promotion at the uing regr personnel transfer season.¡± ¡°Haha, thanks, uncle!¡± ¡°Hey, stop calling me uncle in thepany. I told you not to call me like that many times!¡± ¡°Yes, president!¡± ¡°Haha.¡± Aurum was not the onlypany that enjoyed the effects of the promotion. In fact, N&C Korea enjoyed more actual benefits. Less than one month after the promotion ended, N&C Vietnam had executed contracts with as many as fivepanies at a much higher unit rice than Aurum enjoyed, totalling $700,000 per year. Thanks to that, N&C Korea could enjoy 6% salesmission on average. As the quality for the price was so good, the profits of N&C Vietnam were still high even with the salesmission deducted. ¡°Wow! How much do I earn then?¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s ie increased by 40 million won per year after the dream team¡¯s segment aired If he divide it by half for Sungwoo Paek, he would still take 20 million won per year. He felt as if he was full even without having a meal. Of course, the money was noting in as much as he expected. Though the contracts were executed, N&C had reached its full production capacity, so it could not produce any more immediately. ¡°Hummm...They can¡¯t supply the products even with the three shifts working day and night? N&C stocks will keep surging, hahaha.¡± Hyunwoo recieved a call from N&C almost every day. This time the news Sungji Na conveyed was that the Vietnamese government gave an interest-free loan to N&C, and N&C purchased ground near the factory. Sometimes, Master Technician Sangtaek Kwon called him to ask to purchase machines. He was in touch with his acquaintances in Korea, and whenever he was tipped off, he would buy the necessary machine quickly. Sangtaek called Hyunwoo today and told him that there was a very good machine for sale, but Hyunwoo was notfortable taking his call in the office, ¡°It is Mr. Paek who has to confirm the machine anyway, Mr. Kwon, so please call him next time.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know him at all. How can I ask a favor of someone that I don¡¯t know? And I don¡¯t have any trust anybody if he is not Mr. Jang.¡± ¡°As I told you, Mr. Paek is the main person taking care of your request.¡± ¡°Still, I feel relieved only when I talk to you like this. Even though it¡¯s annoying to you, please y an intermediary role for me.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Hyunwoo called Sungwoo again to ry Sangtaek¡¯s request. Whenever Sungwood received a call like this, heined, ¡°That machine located in Kimchon? I¡¯m in Namwon now.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t take that long if you drive there. Take care, dude.¡± ¡°Damn it. I think I have to find a job somewhere else. I don¡¯t want small errands like this, man.¡± ¡°Haha, that¡¯s a good idea. Tell me if you find another job, man,¡± Hyunwoo joked. Then, Sungwoo changed the topic as if he had nothing to say, ¡°Let me check out the machine tomorrow. By the way, he keeps calling me to say that he wants to go to Vietnam.¡± ¡°He wants to join the dream team in Vietnam?¡± ¡°No, he is an expert in sticbination. I feel like I¡¯m running a contractorpany as things stand now,¡± said Sungwoo with a giggle. Sungwoo¡¯s position these days was understandable. Recently, he received many calls from local technicians to discuss their own expertise that was not always limited to the field of castor production. They usually asked him if they could join the dream team in Vietnam. Of course, it was Sungwoo who they called because he was registered as the representative of N&C Korea. However, Sungwood didn¡¯tin about it. Though he grumbled sometimes, he was tender-hearted by nature. Whenever he received such a call, he contacted Mr. Na in Vietnam to see if there were any relevant job openings. The problem was that there were too many calls like that even though Hyunwoo didn¡¯t want to turn a deaf ear to their request. Suddenly, a good idea came to his mind. ¡°Hey, I think I have to create a bulletin on the N&C cafe homepage,¡± said Hyunwoo ¡°What kind of bulletin?¡± asked Sungwoo. ¡°A kind of international job ad. Thepanies in Vietnam put ads about the experts they want, and the Korean experts put ads of their own about their expertise. Then, they can solve the problem themselves.¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s a good idea! Do it quickly! Let me take a break, man.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Great. Now, I think I can take a break, haha.¡± A few dayster, Sungwoo called him again. It seemed that he had confirmed the new bulletin. Hyunwoo picked up the phone dly, ¡°Did you see the bulletin?¡± ¡°What bulletin? I don¡¯t know. By the way, I¡¯ve got something big.¡± ¡°Something big? What is it?¡± Hyunwoo didn¡¯t think it wa a big deal. What could be a big deal when N&C Korea was on a roll like this? ¡°We received an sample order from Art Hill.¡± Having heard Paek¡¯s exnation, Hyunwoo¡¯s heart sank, ¡°What? Art Hill?¡± Art Hill was thepany that humiliated him by failing N&C products before on purpose. They had approached with the intention of pulling N&C down from the beginning. Hyunwoo bite his lips and thought, What should I do? One more challenge? Or reject their request? Chapter 72

Chapter 72

Hyunwoo was fearful of failing another test with Art Hill. Suddenly, he wondered why. Why was he scared? There was no reason for him to fear. Even if the N&C product failed the test again, and the press reported about it again, Aurum stocks would fall a bit, but that was all. Of course, the potential dealers in the process of executing a contract might hesitate, but given the value of the product and the price, they would likely proceed with the contract. In other words, he had nothing to lose. Still, I had better be careful to be on the safe side. Hyunwoo called Sangtaek Kwon in Vietnam, ¡°Sir, you know that we have received a sample order from Art Hill, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I know.¡± ¡°Do you think we can pass the test this time?¡± ¡°Absolutely. Our product these days is different from the one the dream team produced first. As we have hired several more technicians, we have eliminated most of the defects a lot. I¡¯m confident,¡± said Sangtaek. ¡°If you say so, I¡¯m positive, too.¡± Hyunwoo felt Sangtaek¡¯s confidence spreading into his heart. Right, life is an adventure anyway. There is no progress if I avoid risk because of fear. I¡¯ve got to ovee it. Hyunwoo called Sungwoo again and asked him to proceed with the contract with Art Hill. Several dayster, the samples were delivered to Art Hill. Hyunwoo felt his heart pounding in his chest. Why am I so nervous now? He had no reason to get nervous. The quality of the N&C dream team¡¯s product had been improved greatly, and it would pass their quality standard. Even if it didn¡¯t, it didn¡¯t matter. Though it was toote to do anything now, Hyunwoo still had other options. Three dayster, he recieved a call from Sungwoo whose voice was full of excitement, ¡°We did it! We passed the test. Art Hill decided to rece some of Castor¡¯s products with N&C¡¯s.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes bulged at the new. He was confident that the N&C product would pass the test, but it hadn¡¯t really hit him yet. No matter what, it was true. Now, he was determined to make N&C beat Castor and take its ce. Art Hill was the starting point of the challenge to beat Castor. ¡°How big is their order?¡± ¡°$50,000 for a start. It looks like it ounts for 30% of their total imports of castor.¡± ¡°How much did you ask for the unit price?¡± ¡°They wanted 45 cents per piece. I talked with President Na in Vietnam, and he said he was satisfied with that.¡± 45 cents converted to about 470 Korean won. As N&C was supplying simr products to Aurum at 430 won, Art Hill¡¯s price was good enough, but it was far from a satisfactory price. Wasn¡¯t it Art Hill that sent out a press release that purposely pulled down the quality of N&C products and put thepany in a difficult situation? Given Art Hill¡¯s mean action, Hyunwoo could not give them a good price at all. ¡°I can¡¯t ept their offer of 45 cents. Ask for 50 cents per piece,¡± said Hyunwoo with an icy tone. Sungwoo was stunned, ¡°50 cents? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too high? Isn¡¯t it unfair, given the unit price we charge otherpanies?¡± ¡°How do they know our price for otherpanies? And the new product we supply to Art Hill is a high-end type.¡± ¡°I guess they will try to get a good bargain.¡± Of course, they will. Even though they¡¯ll try to cut the unit price by all means, N&C is in a stronger position now. ¡°Got it. Let me try, if you insist on it.¡± ¡°You can do it. I know you¡¯re quite capable, man.¡± ¡°I guess they will send a strong negotiating guy. As you know, Art Hill is the best furniturepany in the domestic market.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. We can wield it soundly when we have the knife. Frankly speaking, they pay almost 60 cents to Castor, but they want to offer us only 45 cents. Does it make any sense? If they keep asking for a lower price, ask them if their quality standard is that bad. They won¡¯t ask for a lower price anymore because they¡¯ll feel shamed. If they still insist, you don¡¯t have to sign the contract. It¡¯s only their loss anyway,¡± said Hyunwoo, cheering him up. In fact, Hyunwoo felt Art Hill would ept the contract even if he asked for a higher price because even that price was 10% lower than that they paid for Castor. Hyunwoo still remembered the vicious press release by Art Hill intended to deal a blow to Aurum. He wanted to charge an expensive unit price to Art Hill as payback. When he thought as far as that, a better idea came to his mind, ¡°If the contract fails, tell them you¡¯re going to send out a press release to the effect that the dream team gave up the contract because Art Hill was trying to knock off the price too much.¡± Then, Sungwoo understood Hyunwoo¡¯s intentions, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a very good idea. Got it. Let me try anyway. At the negotiating table in the purchasing department of Art Hill, there were three people from Art Hill seated on one side while Sungwoo was on the other side, but he wasn¡¯t intimidated at all. A tense war of nerves was going on while they were negotiating. It was already their fifth negotiation session, but they failed to iron out their differences on the unit price. ¡°It¡¯s too pricey. We don¡¯t have any reason to change our suppliers at that price. To be honest, 45 cents is our final counteroffer.¡± Sungwoo quietly watched his counterparts and let out a deep sigh. Then, he closed the files on the table. As thest resort, he gave them the advice that Hyunwoo had tipped him off ¡°I thought Art Hill¡¯s quality standard was very high, but it¡¯s not. I now know it¡¯s worth only 45 cents.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we offered you apromise offer at 47 cents. If we back down a bit, you¡¯re supposed to do the same. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s the basics of the negotiation?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my mistake. I just thought about the contract only, not the negotiation. If I had found it out earlier, I should have asked for 55 cents from the beginning, and then backed down little by little for a betterpromise. Anyway, thanks so much.¡± Sungwoo put the files back into his briefcase, and the Art Hill negotiating members nkly looked at him. Sungwood stood up, ¡°As our negotiations failed, we don¡¯t have to spend our energies on this anymore. Actually, I have got so many inquiries from potential buyers, so I have to visit some other ce. Let me take my leave first.¡± Sungwoo bowed to them politely and then left the conference room without looking back, but he stopped before he was out of the room and turned his head, ¡°One more thing I would like to let you know. I¡¯m going to make a press release on the oue of our negotiations. If I show your offer price and that of the Japanesepany Castor along with the priceparison chart, they would know who¡¯s to me for the failure of the negotiation.¡± At that moment Sungwoo confirmed that their expressions began to harden, while there was a satisfactory look on his face. Sungwoo left the conference room. In the meantime, Hyunwoo was very anxious to hear from Sungwoo and waited for his call. It was exactly one week after the negotiation with Art Hill had copsed that Sungwoo called Hyunwoo, Hyunwoo immediately picked up the phone. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Things didn¡¯t work out as we expected.¡± Hyunwoo gave a silly smile. Obviously, they struck a hard bargain, but it didn¡¯t matter. At the end of the day they would have no choice but to buy his products at some point in time Why? Hyunwoo felt N&C products were good in value and price, but also their image as the product of Korea¡¯s dream team added to their marketing potential. ¡°It¡¯s alright. You don¡¯t have to be disappointed.¡± ¡°Well, I executed the contract anyway, but the unit price was not what we originally asked for.¡± ¡°What? Did you make concessions on the price then?¡± ¡°No, they did, not me.¡± Hyunwoo could not understand what Sungwoo was talking about, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t beat around the bush. Get to the point right away. I can¡¯t talk with you long as I¡¯m in the office.¡± ¡°Well, they agreed on 50 cents, after all.¡± Hyunwoo eyes widened with surprise, ¡°What? 50 cents?¡± ¡°Well, I asked for 50 cents, thinking this would be the end of the deal, and then I just got it off my chest. Then, they suddenly called me to say they would ept my offer.¡± Hearing Sungwoo¡¯s exnation, Hyunwoo felt that his advice paid off. In particr, Sungwoo¡¯s mention of the quality standard of Art Hill was really effective. When Sungwoo gave up any further negotiation and left the negotiation table, they decided to ept his offer, after all. In terms of the profit margin rate, 50 cents per a unit was the highest. The production cost was 360 won and the sales price was 530 won, which meant the profit margin was 32%. Out of that, 12% was supposed to be N&C Korea¡¯smission fee. Even if the initial sales volume was set at $50,000, it would bring in over 6 million won per month as themission fee, and several monthster, when Art Hill decides to import all the parts from N&C Vietnam, the ie would triple to almost 20,000,00 won monthly. Even if he divide it by half, it was still 10,000,000 won per month. Hyunwoo had a big smile. ¡°Nice job, man. You had better take a big break for the next several days.¡± ¡°Why should I take a break with such an exciting assignment before me? I think I should get a new dealer. Before I go to the United States, I intend to control the domestic castor market.¡± ¡°That would be great, hahaha.¡± Several dayster, Art Hill published a press release, announcing that they decided to purchase the dream team¡¯s castors atst. The release made a special emphasis on the quality of the dream team¡¯s products. ¡°The dream team¡¯s castor is aspetent as that of the Japanesepany boasting the world¡¯s best quality. We appreciate it was a good asion to rediscover the great potential of the Korea, so Art Hill made a big concession on the unit price as part of our efforts to support the dream team¡¯s sess. We¡¯re nning to organize a special team for those who¡¯re thinking of making another dream team modelled after the dream team in Vietnam. The special team would serve as a link between Korean technicians thinking of going abroad and thosepanies looking for Korean technicians.¡± N&C Korea was involved in a simr project as Art Hill¡¯s proposed special team, but Art Hill was obviously nning to do it in a more organized way. Anyway after the press release went out, Art Hill¡¯s stock prices skyrocketed. Strange enough, Aurum¡¯s stock prices went up too because the general public naturally associated Art Hill with Aurum whenever someone mentioned Art Hill. Hyunwoo giggled at that, thinking to himself, Hummm... Isn¡¯t it fair that Aurum should give me an award for this? Suddenly, an announcement on thepany¡¯s bulletin board came to his mind. It was about the regr staff reshuffling during the uing spring season. Management was supposed to promote some employees along with reorganization of some units, so Hyunwoo submitted some documents showing his performance, but he didn¡¯t expect anything like promotion. How could he get promoted to deputy manager when he had already been promoted to an assistant manager some time ago. Yonggu needs to get promoted ahead of me. A team leader, the matter of promotion didn¡¯t matter that much to Yonggu because he was more focused on using the promotion as a chance to win over Minhye Park, the president¡¯s daughter. Hyunwoo wanted to support Yonggu as best as he could, but it was not something Hyunwoo could meddle in. If he made some silly remarks about Yonggu, he and Yonggu would be objects of management¡¯s hatred. Yonggu is quite capable. He could be the team leader and win Minhye¡¯s heart by himself. Hyunwoo felt just trusting him would be as good as supporting him. **** Youngsu Park, the manager of the purchasing team, walked back to his office after meeting with the president. Pacing up and down nearby, Yonggu stood up when he saw Youngsu, ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got something to tell you.¡± ¡°Really? Tell me then.¡± ¡°Sorry, but can we move to a quiet ce?¡± Younggu looked at him with half-closed eyes. As the staff reshuffle was just around the corner, supervisors like Youngsu took special care not to talk with their subordinates secretly, but Yonggu, along with Hyunwoo, were the pirs of his purchasing team. ¡°Okay, then. Shall we move to the conference room?¡± When they moved to the conference room, Yonggu began to speak, ¡°I hear we have a staff reshuffle early next month.¡± Suddenly Youngsu looked at him sharply because he figured out what he was trying to say, ¡°So?¡± ¡°Is there anyone in our team up for special promotion this time?¡± Chapter 73

Chapter 73

¡°Yes,¡± said Youngsu. Though that was the most sensitive question these days, Youngsu answered without any hesitation, but his tone and look grew colder. While drinking with his colleagues recently, Youngsu heard about Yonggu¡¯s past behavior more often than not. It was none other than Yonggu¡¯s reaping what he¡¯d sown. Though Youngsu trusted Yonggu as much as Hyunwoo, he could not turn a blind eye to Yonggu¡¯s behavior. Then, at the decisive moment, Yonggu was trying to show his bad behavior again, and Youngsu was greatly disappointed. I wonder if this guy¡¯s best efforts for Hyunwoo up to now was just a fake. But Yonggu didn¡¯t budge a bit. Obviously, he didn¡¯t know that Youngsu had already found out about his past behavior or that Youngsu was thinking negatively about him. ¡°I know it¡¯s not polite for me to say this, and I¡¯m ready to be reprimanded for this, but I¡¯ve got one thing to tell you, sir.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Youngsu¡¯s tone was already icy as if he¡¯d read Yonggu¡¯s mind, ¡°If I made any contribution for my potential promotion, I would like to give the credit to Assistant Manager Jang.¡± Youngsu opened his eyes wide. It was something he didn¡¯t expect at all, rather the opposite. ¡°As you know, it¡¯s Hyunwoo who made the purchasing team what it is today. He exhibited extraordinary performance by saving the unit price, and in Vietnam, especially...¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s enough.¡± Yonggu stopped for a moment, and then he looked into Youngsu¡¯s eyes cautiously. ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me about the matter of promotion. Whatever the reason may be, it¡¯s not something you want to bring up to me,¡± said Youngsu. ¡°I know that, sir. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Yonggu bowed to him. ¡°And you know, there is one thing you should never make any concessions to your colleagues at thepany.¡± Of course, Yonggu knew what it was. It was none other than promotion. When management was promoting someone, it meant the management judged he or she was qualified for promotion, so if he or she made concessions about promotion, it was like saying to the management ¡®you chose the wrong person for promotion¡¯ as well as ¡®I¡¯m not qualified for promotion.¡¯ Though Yonggu knew that, he had to tell Youngsu. Otherwise, he could not get over his sense of guilt toward Hyunwoo that he had piled up for long. In fact, Youngsu was agonized over the matter of promotion. It was Yonggu who needed the promotion the most because Youngsu knew there were threepetitors trying to win Minhye Park¡¯s heart. Sangho Oh, one of the three, would be included in the list of those due for regr promotion. Though the final decision had to be made by President Daebong Park, Sangoho was included in the list because he made some contributions to cost reduction of the new dorm construction, and above all, he was already dating Minhye, but Sangho¡¯s performance was not enough for Yongsu to rmend him for special promotion. If there was anyone up for special promotion this time, it was Yonggu, but in the uing reshuffle, there was nobody getting promotion to team leader. Youngsu could have singled out Yonggu for special promotion, but that would have been another headache for Youngsu because Yonggu might get a higher performance credit, but Youngsu would have to give up a special promotion chance for somebody else. It was difficult for Youngsu to rmend Hyunwoo for special promotion because Hyunwoo already got promoted to an assistant manager less than three months after he got hired, and it was still less than one year since he had started working. Youngsu felt it might be too early for Hyunwoo to get promoted to deputy manager. Of course, it was not impossible if he pushed for it. As Hyunwoo had an extraordinary performance record, nobody would take any issue with his promotion to deputy manager. Youngsu thought about the consequences of Hyunwoo¡¯s promotion. His too speedy promotion would bring about his colleagues¡¯ jealousy. Youngsu knew it clearly because he had experienced it before. Fifteen dayster, Youngsu submitted a list of promotion candidates to President Park Daebong for approval, and the list was announced on thepany bulletin after it was finally approved by the promotionmittee. Aurum team members gathered around the bulletin board. Among them were the purchasing team members, of course. ¡°Who got promoted this time?¡± ¡°There must be someone from our purchasing team.¡± ¡°Of course, we had an unprecedented performance, didn¡¯t we?¡± Everybody looked at the announcement with high expectations. There were a total of five employees who got promoted, and among them was one with special promotion. The person who got a special promotion was from the purchasing team. In addition, there was another one who got regr promotion. Each of the staff who read the announcement stood with their mouths wide open. ¡°Wow! Assistant Manager Jang got promoted to deputy manager. It¡¯s been less than one year since he started working here. Isn¡¯t his promotion too fast?¡± ¡°Well, he deserves it. Look at how wonderful he performedst year. Now we have to go and see him for his approval. You know, he¡¯s only a high school graduate.¡± ¡°Though he joined uste, he¡¯s much older than you, man.¡± ¡°I just feel sorry for Sangho. He¡¯s two levels behind Hyunwoo, his high-school colleague here. That means Hyunwoo is morepetent, right?¡± There were pros and cons to Hyunwoo¡¯s promotion, and people were evenly divided between those who supported it and those who thought it was too speedy. What¡¯s the point of ordinary employees making a fuss about it? The decision was made by the management anway, and they would forget about it after they had a couple of drinking parties. The purchasing team had other things to celebrate this time because as part of the reorganization, they gained two more staff members. Assistant Manager Yongrak Cho and Manho Cho were transferred to the purchasing team to manage the material being managed by the purchasing team so that there was a more rity around the line of responsibilities of the production team and the purchasing team. It signaled that the purchasing team was doing excellent work, management wanted to beef it up by adding two more staff so that it could do more. Thanks to management¡¯s decision, the purchasing team got two more staff while the number of the production team reduced by two. The chief of the production was shocked to see two of his members transferring to the production team and thought, Why am I out of luck this time? Why don¡¯t we have a member like Hyunwoo or Yonggu in my production team? *** Hyunwoo looked around the restaurant. As he had never visited such a luxurious restaurant before, he was kind of awkward. Even the restaurant staff were watching him closely, ready to expel him if he didn¡¯t behave properly. But things would never end up that way because a stunning beauty, who wasn¡¯t the type to ever date someone like Hyunwoo, was waving her hands at him. She was a popr entertainer on TVs these days. ¡°Hey, brother,e this way.¡± She was Nami Yu, the current Miss Korea. Thanks to her stunning beauty, figure and talent, she was an actress on TV soap operas and as an MC on other entertainment programs. Hyunwoo approached her with a happy look on his face, ¡°Why are you alone here? Where is your boyfriend, Dukwoo?¡± ¡°Oh, he said he would be a bitte. He¡¯ll be here in a moment.¡± ¡°Shall we order after he arrives?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Are you sure you¡¯re going to treat us here? The menu here is very expensive. Even though you got promoted, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re spending too much?¡± ¡°No worries. I don¡¯te here often anyway,¡± said Hyunwoo casually. But, Nami felt ufortable. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t tell Dukwoo Jang and her anything about N&C Korea. It was not because he didn¡¯t trust either of them, but he felt that he could keep it secret for as long as possible when he didn¡¯t share it with anybody else. Soon, Nami¡¯s cell phone rang. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you, Dukwoo! Hello?¡± While she was talking to him, she knitted her brows, which was enough for Hyunwoo to figure out her conservation with him. After the call, she let out a sigh, ¡°He said he couldn¡¯t take time off at all this time. Looks like he values his work more than me, doesn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that! Don¡¯t you remember you, too, couldn¡¯t take time to meet him when you were preparing for the Miss Korea contest because you were too busy.¡± ¡°Still I didn¡¯t break my promise. He should not have made the promise if he couldn¡¯t keep it.¡± ¡°It depends how you think about. The fact that he made the promise suggests that he wanted to meet you, right? Don¡¯t get mad because of this.¡± ¡°Oh my god! Are you on my side or his?¡± Hyunwoo scratched his head at the moment. Though he tried his best to mediate between them, he was being attacked for taking Dukwoo¡¯s side. Nami giggled at his embarrassed look, ¡°Hahaha I¡¯m joking, brother. I know you said that for both of us, and I love Dukwooo. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not going to fall out with him because of things like this.¡± ¡°Oh, you should not. In my opinion, you¡¯ve found a good boyfriend, and Dukwoo has found a nice girl.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough, brother. I¡¯m hungry.¡± At the same time Nami and Hyunwoo were meeting at the restaurant, Sangho Oh took Minhye¡¯s wrists. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you this time?¡± Minhye asked sharply. ¡°You did broke the promise. Why isn¡¯t my name in the promotion list this time?¡± asked Oh. ¡°Promise? What kind of promise?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t our original n that I would get the title of the manager as soon as possible so you and I could get married? Just look at what happened! A guy who doesn¡¯t have a college degree has been promoted to a deputy manager. Why am I still an ordinary employee?¡± ¡°Stop kidding yourself! You earn promotion on your own, and our talk of marriage was based on the assumption that you can prove your capabilities. I¡¯ll say this very clearly to you: I¡¯ve never made that kind of promise. When I talked about my father, you made up the n on your own.¡± ¡°You said you liked my idea at the time, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Well, I liked it on the assumption that you could prove your capabilities. Up to now, you haven¡¯t show anything particr.¡± Minhye was disputing everything. Sangho had nothing to dispute. As she said, he hadn¡¯t demonstrated his capabilities at all. Though he didn¡¯t work badly, his performance was shallow whenpared with Hyunwoo¡¯s. Nheless, he could not lose her. In fact, he didn¡¯t have any reason to cling to the idea of a promotion, for he would be the president of Aurum once he got married to Minhye. Sangho softened his expression and said, ¡°Yea, let¡¯s not talk about it anymore. I¡¯m sorry. As a human, I vented my anger because I felt heavy with worries.¡± Minhye also stopped talking. In some respects, she was responsible for pushing him. So, she felt a bit sorry, too. ¡°Cheer up! You haven¡¯t yet finished one full year since you got hired. It takes a couple of years for any new hire to get promoted to an assistant manager, so don¡¯t get nervous.¡± ¡°Got it. Shall we have a dinner together? I know a very nice restaurant.¡± Minhye didn¡¯t feel up to it because she knew what Sangho really wanted was not dinner. Still, she treated him heartlessly these days. Though she didn¡¯t want to recover her ardent feelings toward him, she was willing to dine with him. So, she headed to the restaurant Sangho suggested. It was the most expensive restaurant in Ansan, and she like the atmosphere very much. They ordered some food and ate together. Suddenly, she cast a nce at the table on the other side and opened her eyes wide before she knew it. Noticing her surprised look, Sangho also turned his head toward that table. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Do you know someone over there?¡± asked Sangho . Sangho also opened his eyes wide and found his colleague Hyunwoo there.He couldn¡¯t believe it. This restaurant was too expensive for someone like Hyunwoo to visit anytime. What¡¯s more surprising was a woman sitting beside Hyunwoo. Oh, that woman is... Isn¡¯t she Nami Yu? Chapter 74

Chapter 74

Obviously, she was Nami. How can Hyunwoo date Nami? Sangho and Minhye couldn¡¯t take their eyes off Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo and Nami finished and stood up. As if she was so happy with Hyunwoo, she quickly came beside him and hugged his arms, and Hyunwoo avoided her skinship. Still, she came close to him as if she was acting charming. It looked like she was obviously head over heels in love with him. Looking at them, Minhye suddenly recalled what her father said to her. Assistant Manager Jang helped me think outside the box. I used to feel that those who didn¡¯t go to college showed their character by that because they didn¡¯t do their duty and study hard enough to go. See one and you¡¯ve seen them all. Such a person can¡¯t do their duty no matter where they work. That¡¯s why I always put your potential groom¡¯s academic background before anything else. Regardless of intelligence, they did their duty and studied hard during their school days, but Hyunwoo was not in that category. I found out that he didn¡¯t go to college because he didn¡¯t do his duty but because he thought it his duty to restore his family fortunes instead of going to college. In my opinion, he is a great talent. He¡¯s a hundred times better than Sangho, Yonggu or Younghwan Koh of the production team, so keep an eye on him. Don¡¯t hold any prejudice against him just because he¡¯s a high-school graduate. Try to find out his true self. When her father said that, it was only a blurred sound in her eyes. Though she recognized there was something special about Hyunwoo, she still thought he could not be her groom, but she began to think differently now. Looks like Hyunwoo has lots of secrets that I don¡¯t know. He might be a great guy, she thought to herself. Suddenly, she felt a strong desire to win and take away Hyunwoo from Nami. If somebody could read her mind, he might say ¡°this is not herpetitive desire, but her jealousy.¡± Minhye would not deny it, but she felt increasingly attracted to him. She wanted to reveal all the secrets that Hyunwoo had one by one. *** Hyunwoo showed a perplexed look on his face, ¡°Oh my god! Can we skip this?¡± Manager Youngsu Park shook his head sternly, ¡°No way.¡± His team members had lots of expectation, too. Everybody was ready to ready to set off firecrackers as they looked at Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo looked at the brightly colored cone hat. Suji Min came forward and pressed on, ¡°Why are you hesitating? Please put on it quickly.¡± Then, she took the hat and put it on Hyunwoo¡¯s head. ¡°Done. Let¡¯s start.¡± His team members sang the birthday song for him while pping. Youngsu, the senior of the team members, sang with the most energy. Though he was serious and solemn as a rule, he was like a child on an asions like this. Sure, it¡¯ll be done in a minute, Hyunwoo thought to himself. Struggling to ovee his awkwardness, Hyunwoo blew out the candles as loud pping and firecrackers rang through the room. Sangho, reluctantly, seemed to bring a gift, too, ¡°Congrats!¡± ¡°Thanks, Mr. Oh. Thanks, everyone.¡± pping, Youngsu led the atmosphere, ¡°As today is Hyunwoo¡¯s birthday, I can¡¯t spend today without doing anything. Let me treat you guys to dinner this evening.¡± Compared with his former self, Youngsu had be apletely different man. He dealt with not only Hyunwoo and Yonggu but also other team membersfortably. Of course, whenever Youngsu found out that his team members didn¡¯t do their job properly, he showed his sternness like before, but he took a break from his former practice of harassing them like before. In particr, the atmosphere of the get-together dinner was different. In the past, he aggressively passed the cup around as if he wanted to control them even there, but these days he only had them refill the cup twice. They were supposed to drink the first cup all at once, but they could do whatever they wanted to do with their second cup. What¡¯s more surprising was that Youngsu left the ce early after paying the bill. Youngsu owed Hyunwoo many thanks for his advice and wanted to change his working style. In the past, he tried to control his staff, but he didn¡¯t do it anymore because he was more confident as a manager. He even coveted a higher manager position. His uncle and president Daebong¡¯s continued advice was helpful, too. You¡¯re doing fine now, but you¡¯ve got only 95 out of 100. You¡¯ll get 100 only when you mingle with your team members. Do good not only to the managers but also to your staff. Then, you¡¯ll get 120. Of course, he couldn¡¯t tter his team members to score 100. He wanted to find some nice way while keeping his auth ority, so he asked for Hyunwoo¡¯s advice quietly. ¡°How can Imand the team members¡¯ respect? Not out of fear but out of genuine respect?¡± Hyunwoo replied confidently, ¡°Well, all you need to know is when to treat them harshly and nicely, respectively.¡± In other words, he should treat them harshly enough to make them cry drops of tears when needed but treat them nicely enough so that they could do whatever they wanted when necessary. It was something Youngsu could never dare to imagine in the past, but he was different now. He felt confident because his role firmly at Aurum was firmly established, and nobody would think of him as a surplus man at thepany. Thanks to his confidence, he was sort of indifferent to the staff¡¯s minorints. Whenever he heard suchints, he just didn¡¯t care and let themin. Hyunwoo also gave him a piece of advice about the get-together dinner. ¡°Can I speak to you about it honestly?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°The best get-together dinners for the team members happens when the manager leaves at a proper time after paying the bill. They will be thankful to you.¡± ¡°Hummm... they¡¯re going toin about me behind my back,¡± said Youngsu. ¡°Probably. Even the best manager can¡¯t avoid that. As a matter of fact, that¡¯s why they have such get-together dinners to vent theirints, isn¡¯t it?¡± Youngsu epted Hyunwoo¡¯s advice 100%. As soon as Youngu was done with eating, he quietly stood up,¡±Let me leave now.¡± ¡°Oh, are you leaving that early?¡± ¡°Don¡¯tin too much about me. Just some nice words about me sometimes. Let me pay the bill in return.¡± ¡°Thanks so much!¡± Youngu left the ce, and the team members had a great time among themselves, drinking and chatting away. Though Sangho, who was not yet familiar with the atmosphere, left early, nobody cared as it was normal for him. Hyunwoo treated them to beer at the second ce. Though he wanted to treat them at the third and fourth ce, he couldn¡¯t because of the constant ringing on his mobile phone. It was all text messages and calls congratting him on his birthday. Among them was an unexpected person. Happy Birthday, Deputy Manager Hyunwoo. Sent by Minhye Huh? Manager Minhye? Hyunwoo wondered how she could have found out about his birthday and was perplexed at her text message to him. No matter how hard he thought about why, he couldn¡¯t figure it out. He couldn¡¯t ignore her message for that reason. Thank you. Thanks for remembering my birthday. Her reply was rather embarrassing to Hyunwoo, For your reference, my birthday is Sept. 3. Hyunwoo was kind of in a daze. He could understand the situation if someone he knew well sent such a message, but he couldn¡¯t figure out how to respond to the way she was acting so friendly to him out of the blue. When Hyunwoo was sitting with a nk look on his face, Yonggu peeked at the message on his mobile phone. ¡°Why are you sitting like that?¡± Hyunwoo felt a prick in his heart at his question because he knew how Yonggu thought of Minhye. If something went wrong, he might misunderstand Hyunwoo, so Hyunwoo just showed him the text message from Minhye. ¡°Manager Minhye Park sent me a congrattory message out of the blue, and she reminded me that her birthday was Sept. 3. What am I supposed to make of her message?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t she interested in you?¡± said Yonggu casually. Thinking that Younggu didn¡¯t feel casual about it, Hyunwoo had to reply in a way that would not offend Yonggu, ¡°Oh, no way. How could she get interested in a high school graduate like me? And I love ordinary women like Suji. Where can I find a woman like you?¡± ¡°What? Am I ordinary? When I leave the office, there are lots of guys following me.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. I agree you¡¯re more than beautiful than an ordinary beauty. Hahaha¡± Fortunately, Yonggu smiled broadly, but Hyunwoo could not keep smiling as much as he liked because he received calls and text messages almost every five minute. Yonggu giggled at that, ¡°I envy you, man. You didn¡¯t spend your life in vain.¡± ¡°I agree. I¡¯ve never seen anyone receive so many congrattory calls as you.¡± Hyunwoo scratched his head, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t turn off my phone, though.¡± ¡°Oh, no. We all envy you.¡± That was true. They all looked at him with envious look. At that moment, Yonggu stood up, ¡°I have to leave now. I¡¯m afraid we shouldn¡¯t hold him any more. Let¡¯s split up.¡± ¡°Oh,no. Let me treat you at the third ce,¡± said Hyunwoo, but they¡¯re already set to leave. Hyunwoo had no other choice but to leave. When he arrived home and checked the time, it was already 9 pm. He found a very unexpected guest at home when he entered. She was a college student with girlish face. ¡°How are you?¡± ¡°Who are you...?¡± Though she was familiar to him, Hyunwoo could not figure out who she was. Suddenly, he recalled a certain face in his mind. ¡°Are you Jungah?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m. Did I put on that much makeup?¡± she asked with a bashful smile. ¡°Oh, no, no. I momentarily didn¡¯t recognize you because you¡¯re so beautiful. I know you¡¯re beautiful, but you¡¯re so much more stunning now. I wonder if you¡¯re taking part in the Miss Korea contest.¡± ¡°Miss Korea? Oh no, how can I...?¡± Jungah¡¯s face became brighter. Anyway even a slight mention of beauty was pleasing to any woman. ¡°By the way, howe you¡¯re here at this hour? What about attending your ss?¡± ¡°Today is your birthday, so I just decided to forget my ss tomorrow morning and came here to see you.¡± ¡°Because of my birthday?¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s face hardened a bit at her remarks. That meant she knew he had been supporting her financially. Jungah presented a gift to him that looked like a frame, given its shape and size. ¡°It¡¯s my gift to you. Please open it.¡± When he opened it, he found a picture. It was a character sketch but it was not detailed. ¡°I made a character sketch based on your features. I spent a lot of time on it, but I¡¯m stillcking in many aspects.¡± ¡°Wow! It¡¯s great. I think you were right to choose this as your major. Thanks so much. This is the first time I have received a gift like this.¡± Hyunwoo spoke highly of Jungah¡¯s picture. She gave him a satisfied smile, and then, she hesitated a bit with a serious look on her face and lowered her head deeply to him. ¡°Sir, I really appreciate your help.¡± Chapter 75

Chapter 75

Hyunwoo had nothing to say to Jungah. Instead, he smiled gently at her. Since she had found out about his financial support, the best he could do for her at the moment would be to acknowledge her gratitude in a way that she feltfortable. ¡°Actually, I learned about your financial support this spring. I was really surprised. I should havee earlier to see you to express my appreciation for your help, so I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll pay back your favor by all means,¡± said Jungah. Hyunwoo smiled more brightly and said, ¡°Sure, you should. I think the most profitable business in the world is investment in a person, so pay me back with a hundredfold return on my investment when you seed.¡± Jungah smiled bashfully, ¡°Got it.¡± Watching them silently, Hyunwoo¡¯s parents also smiled brightly. Though he kept it secret, Jungah probably told his parents about it. ¡°You did great!¡±said his father suddenly, who had been silent all along, and added, ¡°I¡¯m ashamed of myself. You¡¯re much better than me.¡± ¡°I agree, honey. I thought my son was special, but I didn¡¯t know how wonderful he was until now,¡± rejoined his mother. Approaching Hyunwoo, she gently touched him on the shoulder. Jungah changed the awkward atmosphere by bringing up a new topic, ¡°And Uncle Hyunwoo, are you avable on Sat. two weeks from now?¡± ¡°Why? Do you have an event?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m a member of an animation club, and we hold an exhibition of our artwork every spring and autumn. I¡¯d like to invite you.¡± ¡°Animation? An exhibition of works?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll like it. Among our graduates who disy their artworks this time is one works at a famous animationpany.¡± At that moment Hyunwoo thought of the kids of Anifan with the House of Happiness orphanage. Though he has little to learn as ayman, the kids can learn a lot from the exhibition, he thought. ¡°Is the exhibition invitation only?¡± ¡°No, anybody cane. I just want you toe. Is it hard for you to take the time off?¡± ¡°Oh, no. Let me be there if I¡¯m avable.¡± ¡°Okay, then. I want to take my leave now as myst bus ising,¡± said Jungah. Hyunwoo saw her off at the bus stop and then went back home. His parents showered him with praise when he got home, and his mother was almost moved to tears. Hyunwoo had supported her for only seven months by donating 310,000 won per month, and the total was only one month of his sry. If he could save somebody from the hardships of life with that money, how could he avoid it? From his perspective, he didn¡¯t do anything great, but his parents kept repeating ¡®you did great!¡¯ ¡°Stop it, please. Let me go back to my room.¡± ¡°Sure, you¡¯re tired, I think. Take a break.¡± As soon as he was in his room, he turned on theputer. These days, Hyunwoo started a day with booting up hisputer and ended it with turning it off. He visited the N&C Korea website and check the status of the day. N&C Korea website became more and more organized as time went by. When it first opened, it was too simplistic and only offered an introduction of the cafe, product information and inquiry requests. Instead ofmunicating with those who made inquiries on his cell phone, Hyunwoo decided to use the cafe. Then, he disyed the inquiries of the day as well as the specifics of contracts on the bulletin page of the cafe. Of course, information on the unit price as well as order quantities was not posted because of possible hacking. ¡°Wow, Sungwoo Paek is like a fish in the water!¡± Since the contract with Art Hill was sessfully executed, Sungwoo became almost like a master of sales. As they say, every word, indeed, is a seed. In the past, Hyunwoo told to Unhye Kim, the sales representative in Japan that Sungwoo was a master of sales. What was more surprising was Unhye¡¯s performance. Though she didn¡¯t make any remarkable progress in sales, she was still pulling off one or two contracts every month. It was encouraging that as time went by, her sales increased. Hyunwoo calcted her monthly ie, and smiled a contented smile before he knew it, ¡°2.7 million won per month. Looks like she is taking in a stable ie now. She could make more than 5 million won before the end of the year.¡± If Unhye made 5 million won, Hyunwoo could also make 5 million won, as described in the contract. Hyunwoo thought of her proudly and at the same time felt grateful to her. ¡°I think I will have to give her an award for her performance. Are there any good items?¡± After some hard thinking, Hyunwoo snapped his fingers, ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve got a good idea. Ha, ha, ha.¡± He checked the time, and it was already 10pm, ¡°Isn¡¯t it toote if I call now?¡± Then he got a text message from someone. Hyunwoo, congrats on your birthday! By the way, why don¡¯t you contact me at all these days? I¡¯m going to kick your ass if you don¡¯t see me. Sent by Yoran Noh Speak of the devil! Hyunwoo had been thinking about Yoran at the moment, and he was going to call her after some brief hesitation. She was president of the Yellow Balloon Travel Agency. Though Hyunwoo had never worked at Yellow Balloon, he got acquainted with her through Kwangsu, president of Real Film, Hyunwoo¡¯s previous employer, and now, Hyunwoo is on friendly terms with her. As soon as Hyunwoo called Yoran, she picked up the phone immediately, ¡°Who is this? Are you doing alright, Hyunwoo?¡± ¡°Yes. How about you, sister?¡± After exchanging a few greetings, Hyunwoo got to the point right away, ¡°I¡¯d like to give my acquaintances in Vietnam a tour of Japan as a gift. Can you arrange the tour? Even it¡¯s costly, I don¡¯t care. I¡¯d like to have them enjoy a really good and rxing trip to Japan.¡± ¡°Let me make even the impossible possible if you ask me a favor. I¡¯ll pay special attention to them. Regard my care for them as my birthday gift to you.¡± ¡°Thanks, sister.¡± He could trust her because he knew she would take special care of them, given her personality. Suddenly, he thought of his parents. Though he went hiking with them on weekends to search for mountain ginseng, he never gave them any travel gifts. I think I have to give them some great travel gifts on this asion. He thought hard about various types of travel gifts, but he couldn¡¯t think of a good one. Overseas travel was not an option because they were in poor health and couldn¡¯t enjoy a long vacation. Suddenly, he thought of the artwork exhibition Jungah mentioned. He felt a gift should not necessarily be something like a grand travel gift. Even a small gift reflecting my deep love and respect for them would be enough, Hyunwoo thought, Okay. Let me take them to the exhibition then. When he thought about it, Hyunwoo thought of the old people who would apany his parents when they went hiking. They would all be happy if Hyunwoo invited them to the artwork exhibition held in Seoul. Hyunwoo turned on his cell phone again. Most of old people went to bed early and wake up early, but there were some who didn¡¯t. Old Woman Kil was one of them. She enjoyed watching soap operas and read books fanatically. Around this time, the soap opera would being to an end, he thought. Hyunwoo called her, ¡°Grandma, do you have any appointment next Sat.? If you don¡¯t, don¡¯t you want to tour a university in Seoul?¡± ¡°Seoul? University? Why are you going there suddenly?¡± ¡°Well, a young acquaintance of mine is holding an exhibition.¡± ¡°Artwork exhibition? Can a senior like me go and see it?¡± ¡°Of course, you can. Please check if any other senior friend of yours can join you.¡± ¡°Got it. Did you say next Saturdat?¡± ***** ¡°Are you going to work today?¡± asked Kyungsu¡¯s wife. ¡°What¡¯s the point of me staying at home? I need to make at least a little money,¡± replied Kyungsu putting on his socks. ¡°You¡¯re working during the day, in the evening, early in the morning, and now working on weekends? What if you get ill? Please take a break sometimes. I¡¯m so worried about you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright. It¡¯s not rough manualbor. Teaching the kids is a breeze for me. I like it, and it relieves my stress, too.¡± ¡°I feel rxed to hear that. Take care, honey.¡± Kyungsu left home. It was about 10 am on Saturday. Though he was supposed to visit the House of Happiness in the afternoon, he left early to prepare the teaching material. He headed for his office first, which was empty, turned on theputer and inserted a USB drive. The USB drive contained lots of data on the orphanage kids¡¯ work. Kyungsu wanted to find out what they¡¯recking and how to make up for it. ¡°Wow! The storyline is perfect, and the characters are unique. The problem isck ofyout and modelling of their works...¡± In particr, the expressions of the animation characters were not refined. In the animation world, the characters¡¯ psychology is disyed by the movement of eyes or lips, and at the same time the characters should have a sense of humor and fun, but all these werecking there. However, he could not help the kids on that as he, also, had no experience there. ¡°Let me just teach the kids about only what I know. They¡¯recking in modelling. Let me focus on this for the time being.¡± Kyungsu analyzed the kids¡¯ animations, focusing on the awkward movements of the characters, and checked out the parts that he was supposed to teach them. If he had another source of ie, he would teach them for free, of course. One would be stable ie, and the other would rely on his avability. ¡°Phew! A full belly counsels well, as they say. When can I get rich?¡± Then, he got a sudden call from Hyunwoo, ¡°What¡¯s up, man?¡± ¡°Brother, why aren¡¯t you here? Everyone is waiting for you now.¡± ¡°Where are you?¡± ¡°Oh, Seoul Imaging University I mentioned the other day. Don¡¯t you remember we promised to visit the animation exhibition at the university with our kids?¡± Kyungsu¡¯s eyes widened. He was so absent-minded these days, hepletely forgot about it. ¡°Oh my god! It¡¯s today?¡± ¡°I knew this was going to happen. Where are you now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m at the office. How about you?¡± ¡°In front of your house. Come quickly now. More than 30 kids are waiting at the moment. Can I go to your ce?¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°No, no. I have to park my car in front of my house anyway. Hang on a minute. I¡¯ll be there in a minute.¡± Kyungsu hurriedly packed his stuff and left the office. ¡°Ooops.. I forgot about the security system.¡± He put it on his jacket and armed the security system.. When he got on the elevator, he heard a recorded message from the security system announcing that the system was armed.The elevator soon arrived at the lowest level, and he drove his car back home quickly. A littleter, Kyungsu¡¯s security system announced, ¡°Security disarmed.¡± A middle-aged man in his early 40s came into the office. He was Daeyong Ahn, president of Imagingpia. Daeyong looked worse for wear as he slept in the open. As soon as he sat on the sofa, he let out a long sigh and said, ¡°Damn it! Am I going bankrupt like this?¡± Daeyong¡¯spany had been doing well in its early days. It received so many orders from a Japanesepany at that time that its employees had to work day and night. Daeyong felt all the money in the world was his then; however, the tables was suddenly turned three years ago. The wages for Korean animators began to rise drastically, which made Japanese animationpanies turn topanies in China and other countries for their orders. Daeyong felt it wa time he needed a change. The day when wefortably relied on outside orders was cleary over. We need to create our own animations to survive. Since then, Daeyong had begun increasing new hires sharply. As he had experienced technicians in the area of modelling, mapping and writing, he focused on hiring those who were good at nning and storyboarding. Hispany produced many animations energetically, but every new animation failed. He spent lots of money on a publicity campaign in vain. Thanks to the publicity efforts, he seemed to enjoy some profit, but when he expanded his business with the profits, he failed miserably again. This hadsted for the past three years. His financial firepower, which had once seemed bottomless, ran out, and the able staff began to leave thepany one by one when they found out they had no future. As a result, the quality of the animations declined, and even the remaining Japanese client stopped ordering as of yesterday. No matter how hard Daeyong thought, there was no way he could get out of this financial trouble. Unless he came up with a big hit, it was fait apli that hispany would go bankrupt. ¡°What should I do from now on?¡± His mind was nk and filled with lots of jumbled thoughts. He even felt no incentive to live, let alone work. He just wanted to take a break and think of nothing else. Daeyong stood up from his sofa and left the office. Before he left, he noticed aputer that was on. It was Kyungsu¡¯sputer which had a USB drive inserted into it. Chapter 76

Chapter 76

¡°Oh my god! This guy doesn¡¯t have any sense of security about hisputer. How can¡¯t an experienced man like Kyungsu adhere to the basic rules ofputer security? He should set the example by keeping the basic rule, which he doesn¡¯t, and that¡¯s why ourpany is not doing well,¡± Daeyongined about Kyungsu who left the office without turning off theputer. Daeyong approached Kyungsu¡¯sputer to turn it off. Kyungsu had actually shut it down, but for some reason, it hadn¡¯tpletely shut down due to some programs still running. When Daeyong looked into it, he found some programs rted to animation. ¡°What the heck is this? Was he working on something?¡± Daeyong pushed the cancel button and opened the program. It was an animation. The motion of the characters was very awkward, and the picture was also very rough. It was sort of a draft animation, but not only were the characters unfamiliar to him but also the contents. It was something that Kyungsu had never reported to him before. ¡°What the heck? Had he been working on animation of his own without letting me know?¡± Daeyong suddenly frowned his face. Kyungsu got paid for his work at Imagingpia, not for his own personal work. Then he got paid while working on his own animation? Of course, he might have offered a surprise gift to Daeyong after he was done with it, but it could not be a good excuse. A good animation was the product of a team, not someone¡¯s personal efforts, and coherent cooperation among team members could guarantee a good animation artwork. Suddenly, Ahn felt greatly betrayed by Kyungsu, ¡°How can he do this to me? I treated him well as he was old and a parent of several children.¡± Though Daeyong was much upset, he executed the animation program. It had no title. The contents were about the waste dumped in the garbage. To his surprise, the contents made Daeyong¡¯s widen. He checked it first, standing before theputer, and now he was examining it while sitting in Kyungsu¡¯s chair. When the animation was at an end, Daeyong murmured before he knew it, ¡°Hummm...this is great.¡± It had a strong power of drawing one¡¯s attention. Of course, there was room for improvement as the motion was unnatural and the picture was rough, along with the awkward expressions of the characters. Except for that, the animation was attractive enough to draw the people¡¯s attention. Suddenly, Daeyong felt some sort of optimism. The only thing that bothered him was that the animation was just one episode. It looked like it was a sample based on the initial nning. What should I do with this, by the way? Daeyong asked himself. The best scenario would be for Kyungsu to report to Daeyong directly about it. In other words, Kyungsu woulde to see him one day and confide to him, ¡°This is a secret project I¡¯ve been working on¡±. However, the chances were very slim that he would do so. The next best would be for Daeyong to ask Kyungsu about it. In other words, Daeyong would press on him to reveal it as he had already watched it on hisputer, but there was one thing that bothered Daeyong, which was Kyungsu¡¯s potential resignation. As thepany ran into financial difficulties, many of the staff at Imagingpia left, and Kyungsu might follow suit. The current animation of Kyungsu¡¯s might be something he was working on with that in mind. In other words, he might have already signed a contract with another animationpany. If Daeyong ordered him to submit the animation work, Kyungsu could quit immediately. Though Kyungsu would leave, after all, Daeyong didn¡¯t want to lose that animation work on hisputer. Even though Kyungsu made the animation, he used thepany¡¯sputer, and ordingly it would belong to thepany¡¯s ownership. If Daeyong had it copyright registered, it would be the production of Imagingpia. Even though the animation had only one episode, Daeyong saw no problem at all. It had all theponents like the original intention and atmosphere, characters, etc. Once it drew the public attention, it would be a breeze to turn out simr animations. Come to think of it, he found out there was a public contest on animation going on at the moment. It was a contest hosted by the Environment Ministry with the theme of ¡®environment protection.¡¯ If I change the storyline of this animation to fit the contest theme and refine its awkward parts, it could get the prize. The problem was whether Kyungsu had it copyright registered already. Daeyong was confident Kyungsu had not yet because the picture of the animation was rough enough to pass as the work of an animation club of a middle or high school kids. Then it would be a race against time. Who would have the copyright registered first would be the owner of the animation. Daeyong turned off Kyungsu¡¯sputer, and took out the USB, putting it in his pocket. Hummm...As he left the USB inserted here, he might as well think he lost it. And then he left the office. *** The bus Hyunwoo drove stopped at the parking lot of the university where the animation artwork exhibition was taking ce. It was a big bus owned by the House of Happiness. When the door opened, Hyunwoo got out first and helped other get out, including his half-paralyzed father Duyoung Jang and other seniors. When all of them got off the bus, there were thirty-four people in all. Hyunwoo called Jungah, and soon, she came running toward him with hair flying behind her. ¡°This way, Uncle Hyunwoo.¡± ¡°We¡¯re a bitte, aren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°No. You must be hungry. Actually, we¡¯re frying vegetable pancakes at the moment. Come with me quickly.¡± ¡°Pan-fried vegetable pancakes?¡± ¡°As you said you¡¯reing with the seniors, we prepared lots of pancakes for them. I can¡¯t guarantee the taste, though. Hohoho..¡± Jungah¡¯s face was all smiles as she was so happy to see them. Given that it was very far from Ansan city to Seoul, the capital city, Jungah was very thankful that they took the time out toe to her exhibition over the weekend and that Hyunwoo had brought more than 30 people to the exhibition. There were various ways to judge a person. Some judged it by money, or knowledge or looks. The most salient among them was connection andwork. When there was an event, some people can bring just five while others can mobilize fifty. After the exhibition was over, Jungah¡¯s friends will judge her differently. ¡°Pleasee this way.¡± They crossed the campus, following her. Even though the campus was not thatrge, it was very well nned and cared for. All the fences were covered with red roses, and other flowers like satuki and royal azalea blossomed here and there, adding to the excitement of spring. There were many families visiting the campus at the moment, and all of them were looking at Hyunwoo¡¯s group because of the strangeposition of its thirty-four members. Everybody tilted their heads,menting, ¡°Looks like they came here from the senior center.¡± ¡°I see some students among them. Are they from a church?¡± ¡°Where are they going? Is there an event going on?¡± They focused on the movement of Hyunwoo¡¯s group and soon found that there was an artwork exhibition happening at one corner of the campus. ¡°They have some event over there.¡± ¡°Shall we go there and see it? They cleaned up the remains of their visit and then headed to the exhibition, following Hyunwoo¡¯s group. The exhibition, prepared near a small pond, showed a variety of animations. Most of them were characters in frames, and there were some turning on their monitors on the grass. But as the saying, ¡®a loaf of bread is better than the song of many birds,¡¯ the aromatic vegetable pancakes stimted their sense of smell. The old women were the first to react, ¡°What is this smell?¡± ¡°Wow, it¡¯s green-onion pancake! And makgooli rice wine, too! It looks delicious.¡± ¡°Please have a seat and try this. You can have makgooli and soft drinks, too, as you like it.¡± The students participating in the exhibition were very sociable. They stood up and helped the old people to move to the vegetable pancake area. ¡°Can we try this?¡± said the old men. ¡°Sure, sir. We prepared them for you, as we heard you wereing here.¡± ¡°Okay, let me try some. Wow! So delicious!¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s parents also enjoyed the pancakes along with the seniors. As they traveled with the seniors for many years, they mingled with each other like family members. One of the seniors waved to Hyunwoo and said, ¡°Hey, Hyunwoo,e here and try this.¡± Hyunwoo just smiled at him because it would at least take 10 minutes for him to try one. ¡°Let me take a look around here and try itter, sir¡± ¡°Okay, then.¡± Looking at them, Hyunwoo felt satisfied, I think I did right to bring them over here. And then he watched the animation works on disy slowly. Before he knew it, Jungah approached him and said, ¡°Thanks so much, uncle.¡± ¡°Hahaha. You keep telling me thank you when I didn¡¯t do anything.¡± But Hyunwoo¡¯s remarks like that made her think more deeply about her gratitude to him. Without his help, Jungah would not have gone to college. She would most certainly have given up her dream of being a graphic designer. And that meant she would have ended up frustrated. However, Hyuwoo¡¯s decisive help made her ovee it and survive. She had studied hard in high school. After she went through a crisis in her life, she felt that the only way to get out of her poverty was to study hard. Her teacher took special care of her, so that her ssmates could not harass her. Thanks to such care, she made big progress in her school as well as her art sses, which eventually helped her get admission to Seoul Imaging University with a full schrship. That alone was something like a lifelong favor she had to pay back to Hyunwoo. And today, Hyunwoo mobilized arge number of people on her behalf. She was almost moved to tears by his hospitality. ¡°Wow, you guys are really capable! I can tell this surely is the work of college students.¡± Hyunwoo was admired at the various artworks. And Jungah, brushing off her idle thoughts, said with a broad smile, ¡°These are our seniors¡¯ works. They are the best drawers of our animation club.¡± ¡°I see. By the way, where is your artwork, Jungah?¡± ¡°This one¡± Jungah guided him to her work, which wascking in detailspared with the one he just watched, but the expression of the character were pretty alive, perhaps because of the color impressions. The drawing wasn¡¯t great, but it had an aura of brightness and great mood. ¡°Oh, it looks great,¡± said Hyunwoo, looking at Jungah¡¯s work. While looking around the exhibition, he stopped before one artwork that was disyedpletely apart from other works at the exhibition. At a nce, it didn¡¯t look like a serious work. In other words, one couldn¡¯t feel the author¡¯s sweats and toil in the work. If somebody else spent a week to work on this, he might have spent less than one hour on it. And the animation work was very rough, but Hyunwoo felt this was the best of all the animation works on disy at the exhibition. It personified an animal, but the expression and the motion of the character were pretty much alive and funny. It had no background, but the expression and the motion itself clearly showed what kind of mindset the character had in the given situation. The more he looked at it, Hyunwoo had no choice but to giggle at it. At the moment Hyunwoo felt the author of the work must be a master in this field. ¡°Do you know what grade is the author of this work?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s a graduate¡¯s work.¡± ¡°I thought so. He must be really capable, right?¡± At his asking, Jungah stared at him wide-eyed, as if she was surprised. ¡°Yes, even in your opinion, it looks great, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Hyunwoo nodded his head, saying ¡°Looks like he drew it roughly, but it has all the important contents in it. It looks like a drawing by someone who secluded himself.¡± ¡°Wow! That¡¯s what I thought. The moment I noticed it, I thought the same. But others look at it differently,¡± said Jungah. ¡°Differently?¡± ¡°Yes, some of my seniors say the author has a great sense, but they stop short of saying it¡¯s great. In my view the author must be a genius.¡± Jungah let out a sigh, as if she thought it was regrettable that they didn¡¯t appreciate the real value of the work, and said, ¡°I hear that the author of this work has not found a job yet.¡± She continued, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s not his major.¡± ¡°What¡¯s his major then?¡± ¡°Image editing, I think. He used to work for a contractpany specializing in animation programs, but as thepany was not doing well, its president fired him, I hear.¡± ¡°If he is really capable, he will find a job easily.¡± ¡°I wish he could. I really feel sorry about his situation. Oh, there he is! Looks like he just had a lunch somewhere.¡± Hyunwoo turned his head toward that person. There was a young man in shabby clothes walking toward them. His face, seen through his long hair, showed that he was exhausted. Chapter 77

Chapter 77

While trying to read his countenance, Jungah introduced the young man to Hyunwoo. As he was a graduate senior, she found him rather difficult to deal with. His name was Myunghun Koh, and he was only two years younger than Hyunwoo. Though he was excellent in drawing the character¡¯s expressions, Myunghun was far from outgoing. In some ways, he didn¡¯t look confident. Thanks to Hyunwoo¡¯s praises, however, the stiff atmosphere among them began to lighten up a bit. ¡°Oh, I was really surprised. The character¡¯s expression was so outstanding,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Hahaha. There are many who can draw as good as me. Rather it is Jungah who¡¯s really outstanding. I really envy her capabilities.¡± ¡°Jungah?¡± asked Hyunwoo with a curious look. But Hyunwoo soon seemed to know the reason. Myunghun said he wascking in many aspects because he didn¡¯t major in drawing. Jungah cultivated her capabilities while attending a private arts academy. Myunghun moved to Jungah¡¯s artwork and said, ¡°Look. The coloring here is lively. There are not many who can find out the right coloring that fits the character here. You don¡¯t get it simply by learning. She has a natural eye for coloring.¡± Actually Hyunwoo got the impression that the coloring was exceptionally bright when he looked at her artwork. Even though her drawing was not that refined, its coloring caught his eye first. Having heard Myunghun ¡®s exnation, Hyunwoo felt Jungah had an extraordinary talent in coloring. Hyunwoo said, with a surprised look at Jungah, ¡°Now I see. I have to look at you anew, Jungah.¡± ¡°No, no. Myunghun is just saying something good about me. I think he¡¯s really talented in coloring.¡± Jungah and Myunghun were praising each other. Then a guy standing nearby approached them furtively and said, ¡°If you genius are praising each other, there is no room for a wooden head like me. Right, Jungah?¡± She said he was the head of the animation club at the school. He lowered his head to Hyunwoo and said, ¡°I heard from her she would have lots of customers today, but I was really surprised there were so many like this.¡± Hyunwoo looked at the ce where he pointed. The seniors were having a makgoli (Korean rice alcohol) party with fried vegetable pancakes. Some of them were already drunk. ¡°Sorry, there are many seniors out there.¡± At Hyunwoo¡¯s remarks, he waved his hand, surprised a lot, and said, ¡°Oh, no. How thankful I am to you foring here like this. Thanks to your presence, our exhibition is really sessful.¡± Still, Hyunwoo felt sorry. Without him knowing, Hyunwoo gave 100,000 won to Jungah and said, ¡°Go and buy some snacks for your friends. I didn¡¯t bring anything as I came up here in a hurry.¡± ¡°No, no, you don¡¯t have to do this,¡± said Jungah. ¡°Please, Jungah. Spend all the money to buy snacks without getting any change.¡± ¡°Okay, then.¡± Jungah and her ssmate went somewhere to buy snacks. In the meantime, the club representative and Myunghun exchanged conversation about a variety of topics. Overhearing their conversation a bit, Hyunwoo found out it was about the difficulties of animationpanies. Except for some doing well, most of the animationpanies were on the brink of bankruptcy. Hyunwoo cut in, ¡°Isn¡¯t it easy for the local animationpanies to make their own animation products?¡± ¡°Well, it costs a lot of money but they find it hard to make profits. They might seed someday if they keep trying, but most of them are smallpanies, so they can¡¯t sustain operations without making any profits for long.¡± Hyunwoo knew little about animation, so he just kept nodding his head at his exnation. Suddenly, an idea came to his mind. Hyunwoo felt Myunghun¡¯s talent would be of great help to the kids of Anifan of the House of Happiness orphanage. ¡°Then, you¡¯re still jobless, Mr. Koh?¡± ¡°Yes, I am,¡± said Myunghun. ¡°I wonder if you¡¯re willing to donate your talent to the kids of the orphanage. I can pay some money for your work and transportation,¡± asked Hyunwoo cautiously. Then Myunghun said with a bright smile, ¡°Actually my parents are running a rice cake shop. They want me to stop animation and inherit their business. I¡¯m seriously thinking about it. I¡¯m afraid I have to help them.¡± Hyunwoo made a regretful expression. Though it was important for him to donate his talent, it would be more important to him to help his parents. ¡°Oh, I see,¡± said Hyunwoo. Myunghun left the ce, citing excuse for another appointment. Looking around the exhibition a little longer, Hyunwoo also left the campus for Ansan with the seniors. Though it was only a brief visit, Hyunwoo felt it was a precious experience. The seniors, his parents and the kids of the Anifan also felt the same way. In particr, the kids¡¯ eyes were sparkling as if they were thinking about their bright future. Kyungsu felt satisfied looking at the kids. Then, he got a call from someone, and frowned after checking out the caller¡¯s number. Hyunwoo asked curiously, ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°A friend of mine who wants to do business with me. He keeps tempting me.¡± ¡°Business?¡± ¡°Wait a minute. Let me answer the call.¡± Hyunwoo overhead their conversation carefully and found out what¡¯s happening. Kyungsu expected that Imgingpia, his employer, would soon be bankrupt, so he already started looking for a job well in advance one year ago. The best scenario for him was to get a job at a promising animationpany, but it was not that easy, so he was nning to start a venture with his friends. As time went by, however, he felt skeptical about it because he had no particr vision of a new business except for his friend Sanggyu Maeng. Sanggyu asked him to start a business, saying that Kyungsu had to believe his capabilities. Of course, Kyungsu recognized Sanggyu¡¯s capabilities, but the problem was Sanggyu was not excellent in all the parts of animation. He was really good at storyboard only. Despite that, his friends thought he had a great potential because of Sanggyu¡¯s egging on. Sanggyu was a good guy, but he trusted his own capabilities too much. He felt that if he produced a good storyboard, he would make a great sess automatically. Actually Sanggyu¡¯spany produced lots of animation hits. Five years ago, hispany started with only eleven employees since then it grew into one of the top ten animationpanies, so Sanggyu was now entertaining with the idea of starting his own business, not content with being a sried man. Kyungsu was tempted by his business idea because he knew Sanggyu¡¯s talent in storyboarding, but he had no outstanding talents in other aspects of animation. What bothered Kyungsu above all was he didn¡¯t have a great trust in Sanggyu. He was the type of guy who suddenly became energetic one day, but frustrated when things went wrong. ¡°Let me give it a little more thought,¡± said Kyungsu to Sanggyu. ¡°Why are you thinking more, dude?¡± ¡°The more we prepare, the less our chance of failure bes. I think we have to think a little more about animation items.¡± Without any further conversation, Kyungsu hung up the phone. Though Hyunwoo wanted to ask, he didn¡¯t because Kyungsu was lost in thought at the moment. Back home, Kyungsu kept agonizing over the matter, but there was no easy answer. ¡°Oh, I just have no idea.¡± He shook his head to get the agonies off his chest. After having dinner with his family, he sat back before theputer. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a break on weekends like this?¡± ¡°I will, but I have to check out something,¡± said he with a wink at her, Kyungsu¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Uh? Where is it? It¡¯s supposed to be here.¡± He looked for it in his pockets, but couldn¡¯t find the USB drive. As he didn¡¯t bring his bag, he didn¡¯t have to search it. ¡°Did I leave it at the office?¡± He traced back in memory, but had no clear recollection. ¡°Let me stop by the office now. I think I left a USB there.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to work on Monday anyway, right?¡± ¡°It contains an important video. If other employees take a look at it, they might misunderstand. Let me go and get it quickly.¡± Kyungsu headed for the office quickly, but he couldn¡¯t find it there and even hisputer was turned off. At the moment his heart sank. He lost the USB. If someone picked it up, he could freely use the Anifan kids¡¯ animation work freely. What should I do? After agonizing, he called Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo then gave him the solution, ¡°Can¡¯t you register its copyright?¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re right. I feel like a fool,¡± said Kyungsu. The following day he visited the House of Happiness. He taught the kids, but at the same time he registered the video, characters and the story with the Korea Copyright Commission. He felt relieved after taking the measure. but something happened the following day. When he went to the office, he felt there was some grave atmosphere among the staff. The source of the trouble was President Daeyong Ahn. Sitting at his desk, Daeyong looked very grave on his face, as if he were signaling to the staff that he was on the verge of exploding with anger. I had better be careful today, Kyungsu thought to himself. He cautiously sat down before hisputer. At that moment Ahn called him. ¡°Mr. Kyungsu Han,e and see me briefly.¡± ¡°Oh, okay.¡± He hurried to Daeyong, who said sharply, ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything to tell me?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Kyungsu couldn¡¯t figure out his motivation at all. Daeyong began to say, as if he wanted to give him some clue, ¡°Why do you think I pay you sry? Doesn¡¯t it mean you have to carry out your duty faithfully for thepany, right? How can you create an animation work without letting me know?¡± Kyungsu¡¯s mouth was wide open at that. Actually, he had been preparing a new animation for a new business with his friends. Though he was at the early stage of it, it was true he had been making the animation work secretly as Daeyong pointed out. But there was something strange. He only worked on it at home, not at the office. ¡°How did you know that...?¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Daeyong abruptly interrupted. Daeyong had some sort of expectation of Kyungsu to the end, and hoped the animation USB he took from Kyungsu¡¯sputer was made for hispany, but it was not. He was disappointed at Kyungsu¡¯s reaction, though. He felt he didn¡¯t need listen to Kyungsu¡¯s excuses anymore. ¡°I¡¯m really disappointed. You know our financial situation is bad. And I was thinking ofying off several staff under the current situation.¡± Kyungsu felt as if his heart stopped, and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir.¡± But Daeyong was resolute. He turned back his seat and wouldn¡¯t see Kyungsu. And he didn¡¯t care a fig about what Kyungsu was saying. Kyungsu felt as if the sky was falling down. While cleaning his desk, he suddenly shed tears. He walked out of the office with bitterness. Then Daeyong sprang to his feet and suddenly became active, ¡°Lock the door and thene here, everybody. We¡¯re going to start a new project.¡± The staff gathered around Daeyong quickly. Daeyong set up a monitor for everybody to look at and yed one video. It was that of the USB Kyungsu left behind, ¡°This is a new project we¡¯re going to work on this time. We¡¯llplete in as a candidate to submit to the public animation contest hosted by the Environmental Agency. We don¡¯t have enough time. The survival depends on it. So, let¡¯s work hard. Okay?¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± replied the staff spiritedly. Chapter 78

Chapter 78

The street was very noisy with the sound of car engines, honking and the chattering of those walking on the road, but Kyungsu could not hear or see anything. He saw and heard something, but he could not recognize what it was at all. It was as if he was thrown into a hell he could not survive. When he got out of the office, he could not move even one step. Haaa. what should I do from now on? He felt sad and clueless. He felt lonely and scared. He felt as if his brain activity stopped along with his body. Suddenly, the images of his family came to his mind. They called him honey and daddy with big smiles. Then, some faces came to his mind. It looked like he could trust only his friends in a desperate situation like this. He called Doyun among them. Doyun was his closest friend who called him from time to time proposing business. Doyun picked up his phone dly, but Kyungsu¡¯s voice was gloomy like a t balloon. ¡°Hey, I was fired, man! I¡¯m jobless now.¡± Then, Doyun encouraged him, saying it¡¯s a good thing he was fired, ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard opportunities are found in times of crisis? Stop moping and try to turn evils into blessings, dude. I think it¡¯s a good thing you were fired. Let¡¯s focus on doing our business from now on.¡± Kyungsu didn¡¯t feel up to it. If things went alright, it could be rags to riches or turn evils into blessings, as Doyun said. But the rate of sess was too low. Doyun kept persuading him as he felt this was the right opportunity to do so. He said he would pay for all the expenses necessary to run thepany. Kyungsu knew why he was full of confidence like that. It was because he trusted Sanggu Maeng¡¯s storyboarding talent. This was a very important talent. Especially in the world of webtoon. The fun of the same story can be quite different, depending on how you make a storyboard. It was almost the same for videos. Video is a series of key frames centered around the storyboard. Once one grasps the core of the storyboard, one can make the keyframes much better. After all, Kyungsu nodded his head and said, ¡°Okay, then. Let¡¯s give it a try.¡± Hyunwoo entered a shabby restaurant. It specialized in grilled beef entrails. Though it looked shabby, it was a power restaurant with 30 years of history doing business in the same ce. There were not many regr customers, but they had great trust in this restaurant and its menu. Hyunwoo looked around inside the restaurant. Kyungsu, sitting in a corner table, called him, waving his hand. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m here!¡± Hyunwoo approached him quickly and said, ¡°You must have waited for me very long.¡± ¡°Not really. I just got here.¡± Of course, it was a lie. He must have waited for Hyunwoo very long, given that half a soju bottle was already empty. And Kyungsu didn¡¯t look good. Though he was trying to smile, it was only a smile to hide his loneliness. Hyunwoo felt today¡¯s topic would be heavy. But he didn¡¯t ask because Kyungsu would bring it up anyway at an appropriate time. After talking about some trifle things, he brought up the main topic, after all. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to invest in a business?¡± Hyunwoo recalled what he had experienced inside a bus one week ago. He heard Kyungsu talking to someone who pressed on him to do business. At that time, Kyungsu seemed very hesitant, but it seemed that he finally made up his mind. Of course, Hyunwoo was not interested in anything like that at all. Above all, he had no knowledge of animation and knew no experts in that field. ¡°Hahaha, brother, I¡¯m not interested in it at all.¡± ¡°It could be a big hit if everything goes well.¡± That was something that could be applied to any business, but the key factor was the rate of sess. When Hyunwoo thought about it, Kyungsu¡¯s business had not much chance of sess. He found the reason when he saw Kyungsu talking to his friend on the bus. He wasn¡¯t that confident. Chances of failure were high even for those starting business with optimistic thinking.Then how could he whocked confidence seed in business? And his business method was wrong. Recalling Kyungsu¡¯s call at the time, Hyunwoo felt some of Kyungsu¡¯s close friends met to start business. They could hire some talented men, but the main staff were his friends. Can they bepetitive enough? If Hyunwoo started business, he will try to hire talented men first just like Dohyuk Kim¡¯s Castor Dream Team. ¡°I just want to lead an ordinary life like now,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Don¡¯t say that, man. Just invest about 30 million won. I want to do it but have no money. I think you can afford to do it.¡± Hyunwoo felt he was put on the spot at the moment. Kyungsu was making a request, not a suggestion. He couldn¡¯t say he had no money. He didn¡¯t want to lie about it, and he was giving Kyungsu a monthly sry for his talent donation. Still Hyunwoo could not lend Kyungsu money just because of their warm bond. He might feel hurt if Hyunwoo rejected, but they could fall outter when things went badly. If Hyunwoo had to reject Kyunsu¡¯s request, he needed to express it clearly. ¡°If you want me to lend you some money, I can give 10 million won with an IOU, but I don¡¯t want to invest. So, stop talking about investment. I feel ufortable sitting here with you.¡± Kyungsu scratched his head. Though he seemed hurt, he didn¡¯t say anything offensive to Hyunwoo. The atmosphere turned rather awkward at the moment. It looked like it was the first time Hyunwoo felt like this since he met Kyungsu. Fortunately, someone called Hyunwoo at the moment. He was a fellow ssmate from high school Hyungsun Kim. Though Hyunwoo didn¡¯t like Hyungsun, he had no reason to avoid another alumnus¡¯ call. ¡°Hey, Hyungsun. Long time, no see!¡± After exchanging some pleasantries, Hyungsun brought up the main top, which was about an alumni meeting in several days. ¡°This is not yet the end of the year. Why are you guys suddenly having an alumni meeting?¡± ¡°Well, I just want to see the friends. Don¡¯t you think we need to meet more often?¡± Hyunwoo tilted his head as Hyungsun was almost never present at such an alumni meeting in the past. Nheless, he couldn¡¯t me Hyungsun for that because he might have changed. ¡°Got it. Just text me about the ce and time of the alumni meeting.¡± Hyunwoo hung up the phone. Kyungsu didn¡¯t talk about business any more. They just drank quietly and then parted. Three monthster, Hyunwoo got a call from Unhye Kim in Japan, representative of N&C Japan. As hemunicated with her on the N&C Korea¡¯s inte cafe, he hadn¡¯t talked to her on the phone for a long time. Unhye¡¯s voice was very cheerful. It looked like his Japanese tour arrangement for her parents, which he had prepared in time for their summer vacation, had finally been realized. ¡°Thanks so much,¡± said Unhye. ¡°Did they arrive alright?¡±asked Hyunwoo. ¡°Yes, all of them were so happy to be here.¡± ¡°Great. From now, make lots of money for their travel, okay? You have to be good to your parents during their lifetime.¡± ¡°Of course. Thanks so much again.¡± After the call, he came out of his room. Though it was only 11 am, it was already so hot outside because of the scorching weather in August. Hyunmin, who was ying with Wori, the house dog, bowed to him, ¡°How are you, brother?¡± Dressed up, Hyunmin looked like a different man. He used to look like a bandit, but today, he looked like one who turned over a new leaf in life. Soon, Hyunwoo¡¯s mother, dressed in a Korean traditional jacket, came out. Hyunwoo, along with Hyunmin, escorted his father out of the main room, who was dressed in suit for the first time in a long time. They got on board a van to head for the House of Happiness orphanage for the wedding ceremony for the couple who were graduates of the house. Hyunwoo¡¯s van pulled up. They had to wait at least one hour before the marriage ceremony at the orphanage, but it was already crowded with many people. The busiest man out there was the director of the orphanage, of course. He was busy with greeting the guests but quickly approached Hyunwoo¡¯s family members when he noticed them. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here! What¡¯s all this, by the way?¡± ¡°Well, this is all I can give today, some side dishes,¡± said Hyunwoo¡¯s mother. ¡°Thanks so much for this.¡± ¡°I hear the groom is such a sincere man,¡± she said. ¡°Oh, yea. He is sincerity itself. You won¡¯t find another sincere man like him.¡± Letting out a sigh, though, the director began to talk about the groom. He was sincere, but had no luck. He opened a chicken restaurant with his ssmate, Sungrak Sohn, with the money he saved while working at a moving center and cleaningpany, but failed. ¡°He¡¯s stillmendable, though. Without getting frustrated, he¡¯s doing his business again, and he is generous, too. Whenever he can find the time, he visits here to buy the kids something to eat or school supplies...¡± Hearing what the director said, Hyunwoo thought he was really a good and sincere guy. The money he could make by working his fingers to the bone was around 3 million won per month at most, but it was almost one million he spent for the kids. Sungrak Sohn, his business partner, was as good-hearted and sincere as him. They had no luck in business, to say the least, ording to the director. The bride was as good as the groom. She was dreaming about a rosy future with her fiance while doing odd jobs at a restaurant, but got pregnant unexpectedly. Because of her bad morning sickness, she couldn¡¯t work for some time. She has been already five months pregnant, so she couldn¡¯t put off her wedding anymore. So, she decided to have the wedding ceremony as frugally as possible. ¡°As you havee like this, why don¡¯t you see the groom?¡± said the director. The groom was small, about 160 cm, but looked like a man of firm character who could do any job very well. When the director introduced him to Hyunwoo¡¯s family, he bowed to them and said, ¡°My name is Jaegyong Kang. I¡¯ve heard about you a lot. I really wanted to see you. I¡¯m d to meet you and introduce myself to you today.¡± ¡°Congrattions! We hope everything will work out well for you, and you can be rich.¡± Hyunwoo congratted him, grasping his hands firmly. Then, Jaegyong suddenly approached a guy after noticing him, ¡°Oh, my friend. Thanks foring!¡± Hyunwoo immediately realized that he was Jaegyong¡¯s business partner Sungrak. Sungrak tried to get out of the wedding ce as if he felt it burdensome to draw the guests¡¯ attention. ¡°Never mind, dude! Don¡¯t go.¡± Jaegyong took hold of his wrist and stopped him. Shaking off his hands, however, Sungrak left, saying repeatedly that he was sorry, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Really sorry, man. I¡¯lle back when I get the money. I¡¯m so sorry, friend.¡± Then, he ran out of the orphanage. Chapter 79

Chapter 79

Jaegyong¡¯s eyes welled with tears as he watched Sungrak leave. Hyunwoo felt he should not let Sungrak leave like that, so he quickly followed to take him by the wrist and said, ¡°May I have a few words with you?¡± He looked at Hyunwoo with scared eyes as if he were wary of lenders, ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± ¡°My name is Hyunwoo Jang. Do you happen to know Hyunwoo¡¯s mother?¡± ¡°Ah! I¡¯ve heard about her from the director,¡± said Sungrak, much relieved, atst. ¡°Did you borrow from private lenders?¡± ¡°Yes, 20 million won...¡± It was what Hyunwoo expected, but he could not understand why Sungrak had to lead such a nervous life because of that loan. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you can pay off the loan if you tried a harder? You don¡¯t have to flee like this...¡± ¡°Well, even if I promise them I¡¯ll pay off the bnce within a short period of time, they won¡¯t let me. The problem is that I can¡¯t make that much within a couple of months, and I can¡¯t borrow from others anymore.¡± Actually, things were tough for him. No matter how hard he worked, things didn¡¯t work out well on any job he did. Even if he got a job, his lenders came to see him almost everyday, calling the debt on him, so he got fired. Fortunately, the total amount of his private loan was 20 million won. Excluding 30% interest of that in advance, he got only 14 million won. And he had to pay at 2.9%pound interest every month. Hyunwoo trusted the director, and he also felt something trustworthy from Jaegyong¡¯s attitude, ¡°Let me lend you 20 million won. How soon can you pay it back?¡± ¡°Really? You want to lend the money to a faulty product like me?¡± At the moment, Hyunwoo¡¯s face was slightly distorted. Though Sungrak was good and sincere, his mindset was wrong, he felt. Isn¡¯t it hard to make it in this society even if one tries hard, trusting one¡¯s talent? It would be much harder if one didn¡¯t know how to respect oneself. He would have to change his mindset first, Hyunwoo thought. ¡°There are no faulty products in the world. They just drift because they can¡¯t find proper use for themselves. No matter how able one may be, one would think of oneself as a faulty product if one doesn¡¯t find any use for oneself.¡± Sungrak didn¡¯t say anything as if he saw eye to eye. Maybe it¡¯s not because he agreed with Hyunwoo, but because he would get the loan. ¡°Do you happen to know about Post-It-Notes? I mean the sticky piece of paper that you attach to books or documents.¡± ¡°Yes, I do,¡± said Sungrak, nodding his head. ¡°Actually, it was a faulty product that came out when the developer originally wanted to make a good glue. Initially, it had no use at all. However, the developer didn¡¯t think it was a faulty product and found the use for it. That¡¯s how the Post-It-Note came out. Thanks to that, the developer¡¯spany grew into a blue chip.¡± Having heard that, Sungrak slowly lifted his head, as if he felt something. Hyunwoo continued, ¡°I think you haven¡¯t yet found a job befitting your talent. This world could be yours if you found that kind of job, so don¡¯t lose your confidence. Only that way can you seed.¡± ¡°I really appreciate what you have said to me. You¡¯re the first man to talk to me like that, Brother Hyunwoo. And I won¡¯t give up. Someday, I¡¯ll make lots of money and pay off my friend¡¯s bnce, too.¡± ¡°You should. You have to believe in your capability, so you can work harder. Let me lend you 20 million won. Annual interest rate is 5%, and let me get your IOU. You can pay off within three years.¡± ¡°If you could be kind enough to do so, I¡¯d be very much obliged. I¡¯ll never forget your favor. Thanks a million.¡± Both of them promised to meet the next day. Though Hyunwoo wanted to take him back to the wedding ceremony, he refused, saying that he was too ashamed to see them. Hyunwoo went back to the orphanage alone. The wedding ceremony was frugal and simple. As the couple was in financial difficulties, they skipped almost everything. Their honeymoon would be a two-night-three-day trip to Anmyon Ind. Nheless, the bride and the groom were all happy. The guests congratted them from the bottom of their hearts, so did Hyunwoo, hoping their life would be a bed of roses. At the same time, Hyunwoo wanted to help them. If he asked a favor of Noh Yoran, the travel agency president, he could get cheaper tickets to Jeju Ind for them, but he felt the tickets would not be of any help to them. Rather, they might get hurt. If Hyunwoo really wanted to help them, he should be a real help for their life, he thought. And what he heard from Sungrak made him feel heavy. Faulty products like us. Hyunwoo thought there were no faulty products in the world. If there were, it¡¯s only in their thinking, not themselves. He wanted to have the bride and the groom feel the same. As the couple were very sincere, they could make it if Hyunwoo opened the way for them. How can I open the way for them? Hyunwoo went back to his routine daily life. And then he got a call from Sungji. Sungji abruptly said something unexpected. ¡°What did you say? You want me to sell otherpanies¡¯ products there?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ording to Sungji, as the sales drastically went up after N&C opened sales offices in Korea and Japan, the presidents of other factories in Vietnam asked Sungji to sell their products. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. I made sure N&C Korea and you stay out of this deal. Can you help me, Hyunwoo? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s beneficial to N&C Korea to expand its business?¡± What Sungji said made sense, but it was something Hyunwoo alone couldn¡¯t decide. He had to ask for the opinion of Sungwoo Paek and Unhye Kim. ¡°Let me discuss with some others and then get back to you.¡± ¡°Thanks. Hope you can ept my request, taking into my position here,¡± said Sungji. After the call, Hyunwoo called Sungwoo to discuss Sungji¡¯s proposal. Sungwoo said very positively, ¡°I think that¡¯s a good idea. Actually, I was feeling kind of at my limits with my sales efforts on castor products. I checked out almost all the factories that might be interested in our products. New products will be good sales items, I think.¡± ¡°Okay, then. Let me okay Sungji¡¯s proposal.¡± ¡°Sure. Let me offer you a proposal, too. Why don¡¯t we open a retailer market?¡± ¡°Retail market? Are you talking about selling castors to retailers?¡± ¡°Yea. When I go around here and there for sales activities, there are lots of potential retailers who want to buy small quantities like several hundreds or one thousand. That wille up to a lot if webine all of them. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± It looked like a very good idea, but there were several obstacles when Hyunwoo thought about it. First of all, he needed arge warehouse. As he couldn¡¯t¡¯t order a small number of castors from the N&C factory in Vietnam, he had to order lots of them and then store them in the warehouse. Next were the personnel expenses. It would require manual work to receive orders and ship them. He would need to hire at least two men to take care of that. Lastly, he would need additional capital. So far, he received the money from the buyers and then sent it back to N&C in Vietnam, but the new retail market would require that N&C Korea first buy the products and then sell them to retailers. However, this money issue would be easily solved when Hyunwoo discussed it with Sungji. As Hyunwoo already had enough credit, he would have no problem with persuading Sungji about sending the money to him only after selling the products first. Namely, it was something like sale onmission. As for the personal expenses, Hyunwoo felt he could take care of that with a good match of the sales price and themission rate on the sales. Sungji would not insist on the existing division ratio of six to four or seven to three. ¡°Alright, Sungwoo. Let¡¯s give it a try. Anway, you¡¯re going to the United States next year, so you had better think about that, too.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo began to think seriously about this new retail business. The biggest headache was hiring. ¡°How can I hire them? One wrong employee would give me lots of headache.¡± Hyunwoo wanted to hire someone who he could team up with like a family member. That would require hiring the type of person who not only worked well but also who was healthy and sincere, above all. The best way would be to hire someone he knew well, but he couldn¡¯t think of anyone at the moment. Then, someone suddenly came to his mind. They were Jaegyong and Sungrak. He felt he could trust them. When Hyunwoo thought of them, it looked like even the warehouse problem could be solved easily. It urred to him that there was a shabby warehouse on the road, which he noticed while he was in and out of the orphanage, located about 300 meters away from the orphanage. The warehouse was hardly used before. It was outdated and small, but with some renovation, it could be a great use for his purpose. Hyunwoo waited for the arrival of the weekend, and then headed to the orphanage. He felt there was someone at the orphanage who might know about the warehouse, and he also wanted to do background check on both Jaegyong and Sungrak one more time. On the way to the orphanage, Hyunwoo looked carefully at the warehouse. It was an old one. It was about 900 square meters, and the warehouse¡¯s total floor area was 300 square meters, with 6 meters of height. It looked like it had been used as a warehouse for agricultural products like rice in the past. When he came close to it, it was shabby but very sturdy. What he liked most was the size. It wasrge enough to store the castors and sell them. In addition, there was a small security room right beside the warehouse. Though it was not proper for a newlyweds¡¯ house, when renovated, it would be much better than any one room house. He immediately headed for the House of Happiness. When he asked around, the director knew something about it. ¡°I guess it wasst year. It was put on sale at a cheap price, so we were thinking of buying it, but as it was far from us, and we had no particr use for it, we stopped caring about it any more.¡± Hyunwoo opened his eyes wide. All the conditions were perfect. ¡°I would like to buy it if the price is alright. Can you give me the seller¡¯s contact number?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if the seller is still interested in selling it. Let me call him as I have his number.¡± The director called the seller on the spot. The owner of the warehouse replied in the positive. The price was the same, 150 million won, which he asked forst year. ¡°As for the sales price, I don¡¯t even take into ount the building itself. You¡¯ll see it¡¯s cheap if you check it out,¡± said the owner. Hyunwoo asked around several real estate agents to check it out. ¡°Oh, that building. 150 million won for such a building is a bargain,¡± said one agent. Hyunwoo thought it was a good deal. As soon as he bought the warehouse, he could hire the staff immediately, and the hiring was a done deal. Hyunwoo met the warehouse owner to finish the deal and then asked one of his acquaintances about renovating it for the purpose of storing and managing the castors. He was the president of an interiorpany, who Hyunwoo knew very well and trusted. ¡°So, you mean the warehouse should be renovated for storing the industrial castors by type, right?¡± ¡°Yes. As we receive orders, we have to take them out immediately for shipping, so it¡¯s necessary for us to easily find and ship the castors,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°It¡¯s not that difficult. Let me draw a rough sketch and show it to you. If you like it, I can finish the renovation work within a week.¡± ¡°I wonder if you can change the security office out there into a private house?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s equipped with tap water and a restroom. Though it¡¯s rather narrow, I think I can renovate it, too without doing any big work.¡± ¡°I think it was good to contact you on this, brother. Thanks for your nice job in advance!¡± ¡°Never mind, let me take care of it, so don¡¯t worry.¡± After Hyunwoo entrusted him with the renovation, he contacted Jaegyong and Sungrak, ¡°Won¡¯t you do business with me?¡± Chapter 80

Chapter 80

¡°What did you say? Business?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s meet and discuss. I¡¯ll wait for you at the House of Happiness at 3pm tomorrow.¡± ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll be there on time.¡± At 3pm the next day, Hyunwoo arrived at the House of Happiness. He was apanied by Sungwoo Paek. Sungwoo was staying in Inchon when Hyunwoo called him for the meeting. The director greeted them with a broad smile. Jaegyong and Sungrak were already there, waiting for Hyunwoo. After exchanging a few pleasantries, they all gathered at the director¡¯s office. Sungwoo said few words, while Hyunwoo opened his mouth first, ¡°Do you happen to know N&C Korea?¡± ¡°No, sir...¡± Neither Jaegyong. Sungrak, nor the director, who was close to the president of Aurum, Hyunwoo¡¯s employer knew thepany. Of course, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t tell them that he was the president of N&C Korea. ¡°This friend of mine is the president of N&C Korea. His name is Sungwoo Paek, and my high school alumnus.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nice to see you. You¡¯re the president of thatpany.¡± Only then did Sungwoo exchange a few words of introduction with them. Hyunwoo exined to the director, ¡°I told you about the warehouse before, and he¡¯s nning to make it the sales office of N&C Korea, so he¡¯ll need to hire a couple of staff members.¡± ¡°Ah, are you going to hire these two guys then?¡± asked the director. The director now seemed to figure out what Hyunwoo was going to say, and Jaegyong and Sungrak opened their eyes wide. Hyunwoo continued, ¡°Are you good on aputer? Do you know how to use Excel? Have you ever operated a forklift?¡± ¡°I can use aputer and Excel a bit, but I¡¯ve never operated a forklift,¡± said both of them. They seemed nervous for fear Hyunwoo might not hire them because they couldn¡¯t operate a forklift, but that didn¡¯t matter because it was easy to operate. Anybody could do so skillfully with a bit of learning. This time Sungwoo opened his mouth. ¡°I¡¯m five years older than you guys, so can I talk down to you?¡± ¡°Sure, please. Brother Hyunwoo, you can talk down, too.¡± ¡°Okay then. Call me brother from now on. Did you guys study hard in high school?¡± Both of them just scratched their heads, which suggested they didn¡¯t. ¡°Why? Did you not study hard at all? Or you didn¡¯t make good grades even when you studied hard?¡± ¡°Well, I tried to study hard from early on, but I couldn¡¯t no matter how hard I tried, so I gave up,¡± said one of them. While hearing their replies, Hyunwoo could understand them in a way. Hyunwoo had some tough high school days like them. Hyunwoo always did his best, but he couldn¡¯t climb up to the middle or upper level of the grade no matter how hard he tried. Sungwoo continued, ¡°You have been amateurs up to now, but you should be a pro when you¡¯re hired. Pros show their performance only with the oues. Excuses won¡¯t work, and there isn¡¯t anybody out there who can ept your excuses. So, when you¡¯re hired, you should really work hard.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Both of them showed great enthusiasm, but Sungwoo and Hyunwoo didn¡¯t take it seriously for one fell into a habit as time went by. They would forget their first time and start to think about other stuff when they had a sure means of livelihood. For example, they would try to learn new stuff to find a better job. To stop this, they would need to think they¡¯re the masters of thepany, not its employees. And that¡¯s why all thepanies emphasize a sense of mastery to their employees. Of course, that would not be possible with their moral education only. It would be the role of the manager or the president to instill a sense of mastery in their employees. As a matter of fact Hyunwoo and Sungwoo thought deeply about this matter beforeing here, and they found some solutions of their own. That¡¯s why Hyunwoo investigated their mindsets when he called them to ask if they were interested in business instead of telling them he would find jobs for them. ¡°You guys will be hired as partners instead of employees,¡± said Sungwoo. At his unexpected statement, they were surprised because they didn¡¯t understand the meaning of ¡®partner¡¯ well. ¡°You won¡¯t receive a fixed sry every month. You¡¯ll receivemission depending on the amount of sales you make. For example, you will receive as much as 30 million won for one month if you can sell one billion won per month.¡± That popped their eyes. Clearly they were just focused on the fact that they could make as much as 30 million won. Grinning a bit, Sungwoo said, though, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be excited, of course. It might not be that easy to get one billion won worth of sales per month. If you can sell only 10 million won worth of products, you will get only 300,000 won. Got it?¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Only then did they correctly understand what Sungwoo was talking about. Though, they had been excited a moment ago, they looked downcast suddenly. They seemed to feel that they might be kicked out if they sucked at the end of the day. ¡°Sit down here and listen to me. Let me tell you some more about your future life here,¡± Sungwoo exined to them about the rtionship of N&C and N&C Korea and how to divide the profits between them. ¡°To talk about myself, I¡¯m basically doing sales business for factories. I¡¯ve been doing it and will continue to do it. The most profit we can get from our sales to factories is only 9%. We get 4% out of that. As we expect you to do retail business, we¡¯ll set the unit price higher for sales.¡± Both of them nodded their heads, ¡°Though we have not yet decided, we expect the profit of the sales will be about 19~20%. We can get about 13% out of that. Taking into ount the transportation and insurance fees, the profit will be around 11%. Then, I¡¯ll take 8% and you guys will take the remaining 3%. Of course, we¡¯ll pay for the maintenance fee of the warehouse and taxes. You¡¯ll take the profit of 3%.¡± Jaegyong and Sungrak opened their eyes wide again because they would lose nothing from this business on their end. Sungwoo continued, ¡°If business is run on a stable basis, the profit ratio will be adjusted. I will get only 5%, and the remaining 6% is yours. In that case, you¡¯ll have to pay for the warehouse maintenance and operating cost. I think it will take about six months for the business to make profits.¡± Sungwoo told them some other things about the business, and Hyunwoo also put in a helping word. The gist of what Sungwoo and Hyunwoo told them was just one thing: You can make as much as you want if you try hard. Jaegyong and Sungrak, half in doubt up to that moment, seemed to find a ray of hope with the hope that they could get rich if they tried hard enough. Hyunwoo believed that they would realize it by all means. Only then could they allugh happily, after all. Hyunwoo patted both of them on the shoulder. ¡°The warehouse is under renovation at the moment. As that is the ce you will have to work, just go there and help the man, an acquaintance of mine, who¡¯s doing the work. If you think you want to change some part of the renovation, just ask him for it.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°There is a small house right beside the warehouse, so you guys discuss together how to use it.¡± Sungwoo also tapped them on the shoulder, saying, ¡°Do your best. Let me help you to the best I can.¡± ¡°Thanks so much.¡± Sungwoo decided to stay in Ansan for the time being to teach them how to do sales. Though the director told him he would offer a room at the House of Happiness, Sungwoo gently rejected his offer, saying that his stay at a motel would be morefortable. This time Hyunwoo looked at the director. Though the director didn¡¯t say anything, his facial expression told everything. The look on his face was that of sheer happiness as if he had everything in his hand in this world. ¡°Can you do me a favor, by the way?¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Please say any favor that you want me to do for you.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know what will happen, but I think I might have to hire more staff in the future. Given the choice, I¡¯d rather hire someone I know, and I would like to hire the graduates from this ce.¡± ¡°Wow! That would be the most appreciated.¡± ¡°Please have your eyes on the graduates in advance. You know better than anybody else about them, right?¡± ¡°Of course, I do. Whenever you mention it to me, let me rmend the potential candidates here. Let me contact other orphanages and share the information with them, so they can also rmend their kids.¡± ¡°Sounds like a n. Given the choice, please rmend those who are healthy and sincere. That way, I can rmend them when there are good jobs avable at other ces.¡± ¡°Sure, will do. As you ask for rmendations, based on your trust in me, they should not make any trouble for you, of course. Thanks so much for your kind consideration.¡± Hyunwoo and Sungwoo stood up after saying goodby to the director. At that moment Sohn Sungrak also stood up and said, ¡°By the way...¡± When Hyunwoo turned his head, Sungrak was looking at him. He was scratching his head as if he wanted to ask some favor of Hyunwoo. ¡°What? Do you have something you want to ask me about?¡± ¡°I heard there was a room avable at your house. Can I stay there until someone formally moves in? I¡¯m paying too much for my monthly motel fee...¡± ¡°Oh, yea, but it¡¯s very small.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. I only need a space that I can sleep in. Instead, let me help your mother. I hear she is in charge of supplying breakfast boxes for the factory workers. I¡¯m really a morning person.¡± Hyunwoo smiled and felt good about it because he could read Sungral¡¯s strong determination to live life to the fullest. ¡°Let me discuss it with my mother. She won¡¯t reject it. Just start packing your stuff to move in.¡± ¡°Thanks. Thanks so much!¡± However, it was Hyunwoo who really felt thankful to them. The matter of hiring Jaegyong and Sungwoo could be a headache, but it was solved all at once. And if Sungrak moved in, he would be a great help to Hyunwoo¡¯s mother in various ways. Getting out of the orphanage, Hyunwoo felt greatly satisfied on his progress. Chapter 81

Chapter 81

Back home, Hyunwoo told his mother about Sungrak. Hyunmin dly chimed in a hand, saying, ¡°Oh, Brother Sungrak is a really good man. He ended up being in that kind of situation because his chicken house went bankrupt. Everybody here will love him once he moves in.¡± ¡°If you mean it, I think I can trust him. I trust you, Hyunmin,¡± said Hyunwoo¡¯s mother. The next day Sungrak moved in. His moving was so simple. He carried just one bag, so that small room he was supposed to move into looked ratherrge because he had such few belongings. ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s all your things?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve got nothing except for a few clothes. I didn¡¯t want to buy anything since I might have to move out anytime,¡± replied Sungrak with a big smile. ¡°You won¡¯t be kicked out of here until you fine a nice home,¡± said Hyunsoo¡¯s mother. ¡°Thanks so much.¡± Sungrak and Jaegyon worked really hard as the director boasted. They organized the inventory of the warehouse less than a week after the products were stored in it. In the meantime, Hyunwoo ran into an unexpected problem out of the blue. When he was taking a break at home during the weekend, Jihun Kang with the Anifan animation club of the orphanage called him and said something very surprising. ¡°Was Uncle Kyungsu a bad man? Or did he change all of a sudden?¡± Hyunwoo, taking a call on the bed, stood up suddenly and asked, ¡°Uncle Kyungsu? Bad man? What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Uncle Kyungsu took our animation, Garbage World. I wondered why he stoppeding here, and I think I know the reason.¡± Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t understand what the heck he was talking about. Did Kyungsu steal Garbage World? As it was Hyunwoo who introduced him to the orphanage, Hyunwoo was really shocked to hear that. He felt this was not something he could talk about over the phone. ¡°Wait a minute. I¡¯lle and see you shortly.¡± Hyunwoo hurriedly went to the orphanage, where all the kids of the Anifan animation club were gathered in the room. They all looked very upset. Kang Jihun pointed his finger toward theputer screen. ¡°Look at this. This is our creation, Garbage World. Somebody submitted the animation work to the arts contest after changing its name.¡± ¡°Arts contest?¡± Hyunwoo carefully watched the screen. There were several prize-winning works in the UCC arts contest hosted by the Environment Ministry as part of its environmental protection campaign. He noticed one of them, in particr. Titled U CAN DO IT, it was simr to the characters of Garbage World. Whenpared with the original Garbage World, it was a carbon copy of it. U CAN DO IT was selected as the third best contest after the grand prize and the best prize. The thing was that the presenter of that work was not Anifan, but Imagingpia that Kyungsu used to work for and got fired from recently. ¡°Why did Imagingpia submit it?¡± asked Hyunwoo. Jihun talked back angrily, ¡°That¡¯s what bothers me, too. This is stealing. I liked Uncle Kyungsu, but this is too disappointing.¡± Hyunwoo tilted his head and said, ¡°He doesn¡¯t work at Imagingpia any more. He got fired there and started a new business with his friends.¡± ¡°Then, did he sell Garbage World to Imagaingpia?¡± Hyunwoo thought he was not that type of person. Suddenly, he recalled the episode about what happened during his travel to Seoul Imaging College recently. At that time, Kyungsu said he lost a USB containing Garbage World, and ording to Hyunwoo¡¯s advice, he was supposed to register its copyright. ¡°You have had its copyright registered already, right?¡± asked Hyunwoo. Jihun nodded, saying, ¡°Yes, at that time Uncle Kyungsu suddenly asked me to register its copyright, so I did.¡± ¡°Who is the copyright holder?¡± ¡°Of course, it is us, Anifan.¡± Then, it was clear that Kyunsu was not responsible for that. He would not have sold a copyrighted work to somebody else or submitted it to the arts contest. When Hyunwoo thought as far as that, he recalled the time Kyungsu was fired, which happened right after he lost the USB. Ah, the representative of Imagingpia misunderstood him. That¡¯s why the representative fired Kyungsu after taking Garbage World from him, but it was only his spection.To find out the situation more urately he called Kyungsu. Though it¡¯s Saturday, Kyungsu was in the office for his start-up business. ¡°What¡¯s up? I¡¯m a bit busy now, so let¡¯s be brief, dude.¡± ¡°Brother, Garbage World by Anifan was selected as the third best arts work of the UCC contest hosted by the Environment Ministry.¡± ¡°Really? Congrats! I thought it was a good work.¡± Kyungsu¡¯s voice was bright, clearly suggesting he knew nothing about its participation in the contest in the name of Imagingpia. Hyunwoo informed him about it. Hearing from Hyunwoo about the whole thing, Kyungsu screamed, and seemed to figure out what had happened at that time. ¡°Oh my god, the representative med me for finding a new job, and I wondered how he found it out at that time. Now, I see he said that because of Garbage World.¡± ¡°What should I do?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°What are you talking about? Just talk to them and take back the copyright. It has nothing to do with me, but I just feel sad and bitter. It all happened because of his misunderstanding, so solve the issue in a mutually satisfactory way.¡± Kyungsu¡¯s response was a bit unexpected. Wasn¡¯t he fired because of the representative¡¯s misunderstanding? Nheless, Kyungsu was taking side with Imagingpia. ¡°You¡¯re too generous, brother. Aren¡¯t you upset?¡± ¡°As a matter of fact, I¡¯m partly to me for it, too. Actually, I was seeking a new job while I was there. Someday, I may have to see the representative as we¡¯re in the same business, so I don¡¯t have to make an enemy of him.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, brother.¡± After the call Hyunwoo exined to the Anifan kids about what happened between Kyungsu and Imagingpia. Only then did they understand the situation, nodding their heads. ¡°Why don¡¯t you call Imagingpia now? We have to solve the issue before it¡¯s toote.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± Hyunwoo called Imagingpia. Daeyong felt as if the sky was falling down. ¡°Oh my god! I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s talent donation.¡± The animation work contained in the USB in question was not Kyungsu¡¯s creation. It was the work of the Anifan kids with the House of Happiness. If Kyungsu created while onpany time it, it was definitely the property of Imagingpia, but if the creator of that work was Anifan, it¡¯s a totally different story. Moreover, they already registered its copyright. Imagingpia also registered its copyright on its own. So, Daeyong could engage in a legal fight over the copyright of Garbage World, but that would be go against his own conscience. Daeyong called Kyungsu to verify the whole story, but it became more obvious that it all came from his perfect misunderstanding. Anifan¡¯s demands, asmunicated by Hyunwoo, were simple. They had no intention to sue them, but on the condition that they could not engage in anymercial activity rted to Garbage World. They also demanded the prize money be returned to them. In Daeyong¡¯s mind, that was not a good idea. Of course, he didn¡¯t care at all about the prize, which was only one million won. He could add one million more if they wanted. He didn¡¯t want to have such a good work returned to somebody else. He found out the creator of that animation was the ameuteur animation club called ¡®Anifan¡¯ of the orphanage. If that¡¯s the case, they would not be able to makemercial use of it even if they had a good animation. When he thought as far as that, a good idea flushed through his mind. Sure, let me buy the copyright. He felt he could persuade the Animan kids to sell the copyright at a discount. After lunch, Hyunwoo went back home with his parents. A littleter he had a call from Jihun Kang, the eldest of the Anifan kids. ¡°Uncle, I spoke with Imagingpia.¡± ¡°Really? What did they say?¡± ¡°They want to buy our copyright. What should we do?¡± In Hyunwoo¡¯s mind, it was wise to ept Daeyong¡¯s proposal. As it started from misunderstanding, they didn¡¯t need to react emotionally. Above all, if Imagingpia made the Garbage World a box office hit, it would be greatly beneficial for the kids¡¯ future. When Hyunwoo expressed his opinion, Jihun agreed, too. ¡°I think so, brother. How much do we ask for that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that familiar with the animation market,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Can I ask Uncle Kyungsu? As he is in the business, he might know better.¡± ¡°Yea, I think so.¡± Kyungsu also did his best to help out the Anifan kids. Though he was hectic busy working even on weekends, he went to the trouble of visiting the orphanage when he got a call from them. ¡°If you can¡¯t sell your animation on your own, it¡¯s absolutely right you should make a contract with Imagingpia, but you had better not give them an exclusive right.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give them exclusive rights?¡± ¡°In fact, Imagingpia¡¯s not such a profitablepany. In my opinion, they don¡¯t have the ability to make it a box office hit, so you had better make a use in the contract that allows you to make a contract with anotherpany.¡± Kyungsu also advised on the period of the contract. ¡°Once they give you a draft contract, please show it to me before you sign it. Then, let me change some unfavorable uses. Don¡¯t forget you have the upper hand in this contract. Ask for a lot of money. As long as it¡¯s not excessively high, Imagingpia has no other choice to ept it.¡± ¡°Thanks so much.¡± ¡°No problem. Anway, you guys confirmed that Garbage World has potential. Congrats!¡± Kyungsu and Hyunwoo walked out of the orphanage. It was already dark outside. They headed for a beer house, though they had already dinner. Filling up Kyungsu¡¯s cup, Hyunwoo asked, ¡°How about your new business?¡± ¡°Well, I can¡¯t expect any oues in a couple of months. I¡¯m working on three animations simultaneously, and two of them will bepleted soon. Let¡¯s see how the market reacts.¡± ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll get some good oues?¡± ¡°Who knows? For example, I thought certain animations would generate lots of attention because of great fun while I was working on them, but they didn¡¯t get any traction in the market. On the contrary, some works that I felt skeptical about got really good reaction from the market.¡± Hyunwoo nodded his head. He seemed to know Kyungsu¡¯s difficulties in the field. At that moment, an idea flushed through his mind. ¡°Is there anybody who can instinctively find out whether any animation work can gain poprity or not?¡± Chapter 82

Chapter 82

¡°How can we find such a man in the world? Maybe animation critics are better than others in evaluating animation,¡± said Gyungsu, grinning. ¡°Then, why don¡¯t you ask for famed animation critics¡¯ advice? If they think your animation isn¡¯t likely to be popr, you don¡¯t have to waste money on that.¡± ¡°Do you think they¡¯re stupid enough to do that? They wouldn¡¯t be involved in anything they have to answer for. In other words, they hedge their bets as a rule.¡± ¡°What do you mean? Hedging their bets?¡± ¡°They would never say a certain animation work will be a sess or failure. If their prediction proves wrong, they would have to take responsibility for that. Even if any work is a sure sess, they usually say ¡°Looks good¡± or ¡°Just okay¡±. For most of the works, they usually say, ¡°Looks like it won¡¯t be easy to make it.¡± That can be interpreted either as it can be a sess or a failure.¡± ¡°Still they¡¯re more urate than us in evaluating animation works, right?¡± ¡°Yes. Much more urate. So, somepanies with solid financial footing ask for their opinion, but they¡¯re very expensive. It¡¯s the tail wagging the dog, though, if something goes wrong.¡± Hearing Kyungsu¡¯s exnation, Hyunwoo felt it looked like a tough challenge for a small startuppany like his. Still, there might be some solution if he tried hard to look for one. ¡°Can¡¯t you find an animation fan who has an eye for animation? There might be someone who can instinctively find out if it¡¯s going to be a sess or failure the moment they see the animation.¡± ¡°Such a person is what you call an animation critic. What you¡¯re saying is to find some unknown person with that kind of ability. Do you think it makes any sense? Instead of putting a great deal of efforts to find such a person, it¡¯s much faster to produce a good animation work with the same efforts.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re right,¡± said Hyunwoo, nodding his head. ¡°In about 15 days, I¡¯m going to finish one. It¡¯s too expensive for me to ask for a critics¡¯ evaluation of it, so I¡¯m going to bring it to the Anifan kids at the House of Happiness for their review,¡± said Kyungsu. ¡°I wish you good luck.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± The next morning, Daeyong visited the House of Happiness despite it being Sunday. That suggested that he was pretty much nervous about the contract on payment to them is very high. Actually, this was a matter of copyright infringement, and the victims were the Anifan kids who made it. If reporters got a wind of this, it would be a sensational hit. If they reported about it, it was 100% certain that Imagingpia would be described as a bad guy while the Anifan kids as the most miserable in the world. Even that kind of imagination made Daeyong¡¯s skin crawl. On the other hand, if he seeded in getting hold of the copyright of the payment to them is very high, Imagingpia had a chance for a rebound. That¡¯s why he worked hard on a draft contract throughout the night, thinking hard how to buy the copyright while spending as little as possible. He presented the draft contract to the kids. ¡°Won¡¯t you read it over?¡± said Daeyong. Jihun read it carefully, but he put it down after reading a few lines because its first use said the Anifan would transfer the copyrightpletely to Imagingpia. ¡°You can purchase the selling right, but not the copyright,¡± said Jihun. ¡°But that thing is...¡± said Daeyong. He tried to persuade the kids, emphasizing he would be willing to hire them if Garbage World mademercial sess. At the same time, he threatened he would break the contract. In that case, it would be the Anifan kids, not Imagingpia that would suffer a loss, he emphasized, but the Anifan kids didn¡¯t budge a bit. Believing the advice from Hyunwoo and Kyungsu that they had the upper hand in this negotiation, they didn¡¯t make any concessions. After all, Daeyong surrendered. He was confident he could drive the negotiation the way he wanted to, but the more he negotiated, the more concessions he had to make. At the end of the negotiation, he had to ept all their demands. He could get only half of what he originally had in mind. On the other hand, Jihun and other Anifan kids were very satisfied. They scanned the signed contract and emailed it to Hyunwoo and Kyungsu. Hyunwoo reviewed the contract. The most important thing was that they didn¡¯t give Imagingpia any exclusive right. Anifan could sell the sales rights of Garbage World to more than onepany. Hyunwoo called JIhun, who said he sent a copy of the contract to Kyungsu, too. Jihun said Kyungsu gave a greenlight. ¡°Then, you guys have to start working on it apart from Imagingpia,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Yea, actually we are divided into several teams. Suhim is working on a story for it.¡± Hyunwoo smiled a satisfactory smile. What the kids were working on was webtoon. They werecking in the technical expertise on video, so it might be a lot easier for them to tackle webtoon. They had to change the contents. For the video contents of Garbage World were rather immature, targeting elementary school students, but the webtoon was aiming at middle and high school students and above, so the contents had to be much more serious. On a Saturday evening several dayster, Hyunwoo was supposed to attend an alumni meeting proposed by his high school ssmate, Hyunsun Kim. Hyunwoo entered the restaurant. He arrived a bit earlier that the appointment time, but there were only a couple of friends there. Hyunwoo sat beside them, extending his hand. ¡°You guys got here early. What are you watching so intensely instead of chattering together?¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Oh, we¡¯re reading a novel on Story Ma.¡± ¡°Story Ma? What is that?¡± asked Hyunwoo curiously. Then, one of the friends looked at Hyunwoo as if he were a monster. ¡°Howe you don¡¯t know about Story Ma? It¡¯s a collection of all the genre novels in the world.¡± As far as novels were concerned, Hyunwoo was ayman. He only read several fantasy novels when he was very young, so it was only natural that he knew nothing about Story Ma. ¡°Wow! I didn¡¯t know there was such a website.¡± In the past, they used to borrow novels from book rental shops, but such a trend changed when the novelists turned to the inte to run novel series. In the process, lots of websites popped up on the inte that hosted novels, and Story Ma started to dominate the market. Story Ma took care of the writers through good management, so that they could enhance their writing abilities and give the readers ess to the novels at a discount. As a result, Story Ma satisfied both the writers and the readers and became the most popr website on genre novels. The number of readers visiting the website amounted to almost 30 million a day. Korean people ounted for 20% of them, and the rest were foreign readers like Americans, Japanese and Chinese people. As the tranted versions of the original novels were avable, Story Ma grew into a worldwide novel-hosting website. What¡¯s more surprising was the elerated growth of the website. ording to Story Ma, about 100 million readers were expected to visit the site daily within the next three years. Thanks to that explosive growth, worldwide writers from America, Japan and Europe were swarming to the website. The number of writers active on the website was more than 100,000, and more than 1,000 out of the them were making more than 10 million won per month. In particr, the best 100 writers received almost 100 million won per month. ¡°Wow! That¡¯s terrific!¡± Hyunwoo looked at the website with the alumni. Despite the popr novels being on a paid site, some novels saw the number of visits to their sites hitting more than 2 million per chapter. There were replies below the novel, and some of them easily hit 10,000. His friend paid attention to the replies, too. ¡°What kind of reply did he post today¡± said the friend. Using the search function, he began searching for the reply he had in mind. Curious enough, Hyunwoo also watched his smart phone carefully. ¡°I¡¯ve found it!¡± said the friend, showing Hyunwoo the reply in question. The guy who posted the reply was under this nickname Eagle Eye. ¡°What kind of guy is he?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°He¡¯s the most famous critic of Story Ma.¡± ¡°Critic? Even critics visit this site to post replies?¡± ¡°Of course, he is not a real critic. He is active only here in Story Ma. He¡¯s just an ordinary citizen, but passes as a critic here.¡± Hyunwoo felt that it was an interesting system that could only be possible because there were so many users of the website, Hyunwoo thought. Hyunwoo read the reply with the friend about the current chapter. His reply was critical. He criticized that the writer gave the readers lots of expectation of a sense of revenge in the beginning of the story, but he didn¡¯t deliver it even through the middle of the series. He even warned that without satisfying the readers¡¯ expectation, they would defect massively from the story. In Hyunwoo¡¯s opinion, it was a very dangerous reply. If the readers were still there without defecting until the writer didn¡¯t satisfy them for the run of the next five chapters, the critic¡¯s prediction would prove wrong. Nheless, the critic offered a bold prediction. He was clearly different from the kind of critics that Kyungsu mentioned. Instead of protecting themselves first like those those in the animation world, these critics on Story Ma were very challenging and provocative. When Hyunwoo told the friend about the animation critics¡¯ working style, the friend grinned, saying, ¡°Well, you have to take the risk to draw the attention of the readers. Who would love those critics who were only concerned with posting safe replies?¡± In other words, they have to show their challenging attitude to survive as the critics in Story Ma. For example, any replies to those novels already popr among the reades didn¡¯t draw much attention no matter how good their replies are. On the contrary the critics¡¯ replies that said ¡°this work will soon be a big hit¡± for an unpopr novel or ¡°soon destined to fall¡± for a highly popr novel stimted the readers¡¯ interest. ¡°In that case, I guess you see different critics every time. They can¡¯t offer a precise prediction every time, right?¡± ¡°Yea, half of them are reced every time, but half of them are still there, enjoying a high rate of prediction.¡± ¡°High rate of prediction? How high?¡± ¡°Well, they just read the first few chapters and post their own review if they feel it¡¯s going to be a hit. Then, it is really a popr hit nine out of ten.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes became wide at that because Kyungsu needed that kind of person for hispany. ¡°Wow, they must be really capable.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why they¡¯re making 100 million won per month.¡± ¡°100 million won per month? Howe they make such a big money?¡± The more Hyunwoo listened to the friend, the more surprised he got. ording to him, there were more than 100 critics active in Story Ma, and among them 30 were working as professional critics. They selected popr critics every month through the readers¡¯ votes. Then, the first top ten critics are selected with the best critic making 100 million won and the guy ranked 100th making one million won per month. In short, once recognized as an established critic, he would have no problem making a living, but this was the tip of the iceberg. In fact, the critics didn¡¯t necessarily post replies to those novels likely to hit big time. If some writers bribed them for their good reviews, the critics would do so. That way, some critics would make ten times more than they make from Story Ma, ording to the friend. Hyunwoo¡¯s interest suddenly exploded. Hyunwoo felt if he could find someone very capable among the Story Ma critics, that person would be a big help to Kyungsu or Imagingpia¡¯s business. Chapter 83

Chapter 83

Though the Story Ma critics were expensive, that would not be a big problem because they were not hired for monthly payment, just paid for their reviews. Hyunwoo came out the restaurant and called Kyungsu on this, wondering if he knew about Story Ma. ¡°Didn¡¯t you know that?¡± asked Kyungsu. ¡°Oh, you knew about it already. Did you ever think of using the critics there for yourpany?¡± ¡°I did, but their field is different from ours. We¡¯re in the animation business, while their major field is novels. In the animation world, there are not many established critics, and the cost is too much. Actually, I once thought about using them but gave up because I felt I might waste money on a wild goose chase.¡± ¡°In my opinion, I think you can give it a try. Just once. At least, you can take cue from them.¡± ¡°Got it. Let me think about it. Thanks for your kind consideration anyway.¡± In the meantime, Hyunwoo¡¯s friends began gathering at the restaurant. The alumni dly greeted each other. Soon, Hyungsun Kim, who was hosting the meeting, arrived. He arrived 30 minuteste. ¡°Sorry, guys. I was so busy even on a Saturday like this. Long time no see! Oh, you dide!¡± Hyungsoo showed up, patronizing his friends there. He shook hands with them one by one, going around the table as if he was running for the National Assembly elections. He took out name cards from the gold-ted card purse and gave one to each of them. ¡°I¡¯m the president of Sangwon Foods. Just stop by when you can.¡± His friends asked questions out of courtesy, ¡°How is your business doing these days?¡± ¡°I feel good about it. Looks like I¡¯m going to hit the jackpot this time. I may be able to grow mypany bigger than my father¡¯s if everything goes alright.¡± He boasted of his business confidently, but Hyunwoo didn¡¯t trust him that much. He was such a big talker during his school days. Nheless, he praised Hyungsun out of courtesy. In the meantime, it looked like almost everybody gathered, totalling over 20. Obviously, Hyungsun enthusiastically called everybody for this meeting. The alumni meeting was noisy with everybody talking about Hyungsun¡¯s business partly because he led the topic in that direction. ¡°It¡¯s my goal, but I think I¡¯m going to overtake my father¡¯s business in three years.¡± ¡°What kind of business are you dealing with?¡± ¡°It¡¯s foodpany. The location is terrific! It¡¯s located inside a free-trade zone.¡± ¡°Free-trade zone? What¡¯s the benefit of having apany there?¡± ¡°Well, if you¡¯re doing business in a free trade zone, you¡¯re exempt from taxes. You can make lots of money by making good use of that.¡± ¡°Really? How?¡± Everyone got closer to Hyungsu, with their eyes popped. Hyunwoo also got interested. But Hyungsun was hesitant for a moment, scratching his head and said, ¡°Oh, I shouldn¡¯t share this kind of information with anybody else...¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°How dare you treat your alumni like this? Let¡¯s share information.¡± His friends pressed him, asking for his tip, but he kept on hesitating as if it¡¯s a top secret. Atst, he nodded as if he decided to tell them. ¡°Okay. I can¡¯t keep it secret to you, friends. Please shut the door. If this is leaked, it could make them change thew.¡± His friends shut the door quickly. Only then did he lower his voice and told them about his business. ¡°Did you ever hear about a bonded factory?¡± Some of them knew about it, but others didn¡¯t. Hyunwoo heard about it when he was doing some research on customs processing at Aurum. If someone imported products from abroad, he has to pay taxes such as value-added tax, but such taxes are put on hold under certain conditions such as bonded warehouses, bonded factories or bonded construction sites. Bonded warehouses were where the raw materials are piled up without import clearance. And when they need the materials, they take out only the amount of what they need and pay the taxes. Bonded factories offerpanies an extended window of tax payment. As for the payment of the taxes, they don¡¯t pay taxes upfront when the parts are put into the production line, but when the parts are actually used to make products for final sale. In this process, there ured an important change. The product actually imported from abroad and the products actually made at bonded factories that went through import clearance werepletely different products. The tariff rate varied, depending on the characteristics of the products. This is how it goes. Let¡¯s take the example of Aurum. Assuming Aurum imported wheels and handles of chairs from Taiwan, the HS code for them is 2.20-0000 and 9401.90-9000 respectively, with the basic tariff rate of 8%. If Aurm imported 100 million won worth of materials, it has to pay eight million won in tariff. However, if Aurum was a bonded factory, the imports are the wheels and handles, but the final products that go through import clearance are the assembled chairs. Namely, the customs clearance and tariff are put on hold until the chairs are assembled with the parts and transported out of the bonded factory. In that case, the HS code for chairs are 9401.30-9000 with a basic tariff rate of 0% under the relevant use of WTO. In other words, no matter how high the tariff was when they import materials, they wouldn¡¯t have to pay any tariff if the tariff rate of the finished products was zero. Of course, there was one specific restriction that applied to bonded factories. Hyunwoo pointed it out, ¡°As far as I know, you can¡¯t have a bonded factory for agricultural products.¡± Snapping his fingers, Hyungsun nodded his head and said, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. They don¡¯t approve bonded factories for agricultural or livestock products. To the best knowledge, there is not a single bonded factory for agricultural or livestock products, but it¡¯s different in a free trade zone.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes became a bit wider as he never did any research on free-trade zones. Maybe he could find an opportunity to save on the production cost. Pricking up his ears, he listened to Hyungsun¡¯s exnation. ¡°Bonded factories are controlled by customsws, but thew on free trade zones is different. As a result, there is no prohibition of agricultural or livestockpanies¡¯ entry into the free trade zone. Mypany Sangwon Foods could get in thanks to that.¡± Hyunwoo never heard about it before, but Hyungsun would not lie about something that could be verified anytime. ¡°As a matter of fact, it¡¯s little different from bonded factories. Thanks to that, I¡¯m getting enormous tax benefitspared to otherpanies. When they pay 270% in tariff for their imports, we only pay 54%.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s jaws dropped at his exnation. 270% vs 54%? The difference of the tariff ratio was enormous. Another friend asked, ¡°What are you importing?¡± ¡°The main product of Sangwon Foods is mixed seasoning. To put it easily, it¡¯s seasoned-red-pepper sauce. We import chili, onion and garlic from China and make mixed seasoning at a bonded factory.¡± ¡°Then, don¡¯t you pay taxes at all?¡± ¡°No, we do pay taxes, but much less. The tax rate for import chili is 270%, but 54% for mixed seasoning. That¡¯s why we can easily beat other rivalpanies outside the free trade zone.¡± Hyungsun¡¯s exnation was appealing enough. How can apany paying 270% in tariff win againstpetitors paying only 54%? Namely, it was an unfairpetition. Not only Hyunwoo but also some other friends who were knowledgeable about customs clearance were just excited and stunned to hear Hyungsun. They realized how enormous the benefits of the free trade zone were. Hyungsun showed condescending attitude to them again, promising something big for the alumni club if he hit a jackpot. Some of the friends cautiously suggested, ¡°Can I make some investment in yourpany?¡± ¡°Me, too. I have about 100 million won avable at the moment. I was thinking about investing in stocks.¡± Hyungsun narrowed his brow, looking as if he was calcting the gains and costs of his friends¡¯ investment. ¡°That sounds good. Actually, I could not expand my business because of a shortage of funds. If you guys want to invest, I could expand it.¡± ¡°Really? Let me invest about 10 million won.¡± ¡°Let me invest 5 million won.¡± The friends gathered there waved their hands, saying they wanted to invest, too. Hyungsun was too excited about his friends¡¯ enthusiastic response. Carried away by the atmosphere, Hyunwoo also wanted to invest, feeling he might miss the lost chanceter. In particr, Hyungsun singled out Hyunwoo and asked, ¡°Won¡¯t you invest in ourpany, Hyunwoo? You can join us on this asion, and then you will lead a luxurious life with lots of staff under your management in five years.¡± Hyunwoo was kind of agonized. Of course, he had no desire to move to Sangwon Foods after quitting his current job at Aurum. No matter how much money was offered to him, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t want to work with a guy like Hyungsun. What bothered him now was whether he would invest or not. After a brief but hard thinking, Hyunwoo shook his head and said, ¡°I don¡¯t have any intention to invest.¡± In fact, what Hyungsun said was all true, but Hyunwoo just could not trust him. It looked like there was some kind of loophole. If what he said was true, it would be normal that the free trade zone should be full of agricultural and livestock factories, but it was not ture. Hyunwoo was careful because Hyungsun gave the impression that Sangwon Foods had been given special treatment. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t do anything if you don¡¯t want to invest,¡± said Hyungsun, smacking his lips. Then he began to collect the alumni membership dues. ¡°Ooops, let me collect dues.¡± ¡°Dues? Isn¡¯t it that you¡¯re going to treat us when you called us to gather here?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s what I thought.¡± As if they were reluctant to chip in, the alumni members tried to let Hyungsun foot the bill, but Hyungsun was no fool. ¡°Hey, guys, are you financially pinched these days? Are you still thinking of being treated to meal even these days? Give me 50, 000 won each.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too much!¡± ¡°Is the menu here expensive?¡± The friends were just speechless. They wondered why he was holding such a meeting at a high-end steak house, and it turned out they had to go Dutch. All of them felt as their money was robbed when they took out the money. After the alumni meeting, Hyunwoo looked up the relevantws on free trade zones. What Hyungsun said was all true, but he thought there might be something he didn¡¯t realize because thepetitiveness gap between thosepanies in free trade zones and non-free trade zones was simply too big. In short, it was unjustmercial dealing. Several dayster, Hyunwoo stopped by the Ansan Tax Office on his way back from a business trip. Tax Officers Junho Kwak and Yuri Lee dly greeted him. ¡°Long time no see!¡± It had been almost one month since theyst met. ¡°Yes, I was kind of busy these days. Please help yourself to some watermelon.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± After exchanging some pleasantries, Hyunwoo asked them about his question about the free trade zone. ¡°Really? An agriculturalpany was housed in the free trade zone? Whichpany are you talking about?¡± asked Junho. At that moment, Hyunwoo suddenly thought he wasn¡¯t careful enough. Given Junho¡¯s facial expression, he felt he was telling on Hyungsun. Hyunwoo waffled on it, ¡°I really don¡¯t know exactly whichpany it is. I just heard the rumor. I hear the free trade zone doesn¡¯t restrict any limits to agricultural or livestockpanies. And actually somepany was already housed there.¡± ¡°Really? I don¡¯t believe so,¡± said Junho scratched his head. Hearing their conversation, Junho¡¯s supervisor, sitting quietly in the back, interrupted, ¡°There are not manypanies, but surely there are some. It looks like Sangwon Foods was housed in the Pyongtaek Free Trade Zone recently.¡± Junho¡¯s eyes became much wider. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a big problem?¡± ¡°Yes, it it. What should we do? We¡¯re not the supervising agency. I think they will run into serious trouble if they keep doing business like that.¡± Based on their conversation, Hyunwoo felt there was a big risk in Sangwon¡¯s business. The striking example was the smuggling of chili that carried a high tariff. Sangwon Foods imported chili peppers into its bonded factory inside the free trade zone and then transported it out without much surveince. Then, Sangwon Foods reced the imported chili with a low quality chili and shipped it back to the import dealer. ¡°There must be someone who watches over them, right?¡± ¡°Well, ten watchers can¡¯t beat one thief. That¡¯s why the authorities don¡¯t approve any high-risk imports...¡± In short, this was a institutional loophole in the free trade zone, and there were lots of risks at the state level. It was too obvious thatpanies like Sangwon Foods housed in the free trade zone could beat its rivals outside the zone. However, the question was whether thosepanies in free trade zone would y by the rules or not. What the tax officials emphasized was not anything likepetitiveness, but such neglect in surveince could make them arouse greed. That would be same to Sangwon Foods. It would be okay if they were content with the benefits of the free trade zone, but their greed beyond that would bring about the consequences that might make suchpanies go bankrupt some day. I just wish Hyungsun would not be too greedy. Chapter 84

Chapter 84

Hyunwoo visited the House of Happiness with his family on the weekend. His parents spent time with the kids of the cooking club and Hyunmin while Hyunwoo met with the Anifan club kids. The Anifan kids were so busy making webtoons. Though it was a short webtoon, each of them was making teasers of the story that Suhim had prepared. They already contributed some of them to Story Ma. When Hyunwoo checked them out, they werepletely different from the existing ones as they were dramatized to satisfy the taste of the adults, but they were much less interesting than their video versions. It looked like the videos designed for children would be much more fun. Was that the reason that the reaction of the readers was icy? The number of visits was at the bottom. And even the situation of Imagingpia was not good. They invested a lot to make Garbage World a big hit, but as time went by, they incurred more losses. Hyunwoo thought they needed to find a breakthrough in making Garbage World a big hit which required a more urate assessment of Garbage World. In other words, it was necessary to find out first if it was an item that could really appeal to the public. Suddenly, Jungah came to mind. He felt the animation club she belonged to at the college could be of some help. He called her, and she responded favorably, ¡°I¡¯m not so sure if I can give you an urate assessment, but as we have a general review session every Thursday evening, let me present it for their review.¡± ¡°Great. Thanks for helping me.¡± The animation club room was quiet. Everyone there, reading Garbage World¡¯s webtoon, tilted their heads. ¡°It¡¯s neither bad nor good,¡± said one. ¡°I like the unique characters, but the content is not interesting,¡± said another. That was the general review of the club members. In other words, they felt Garbage World had potential, but would not make a hit in the market. On the other hand, their reaction to the video version of Garbage World was good. Though its content was less mature than its webtoon version, it was still interesting, ording to them, but nobody didn¡¯t figure out why Garbage World was not making a hit in the market. Jungah was the first to speak, ¡°The main target of the video is children, but the characters are too much factual to arouse children¡¯s interest.¡± Then another disagreed with her, ¡°The target should not be necessarily children. The video itself is pretty appealing to adults, too. I don¡¯t think you have to limit a ss of readers.¡± ¡°I agree. I think the video itself has a great marketability as it is now.¡± Jungah looked downcast without saying anything. As her seniors felt that way, she felt she was wrong, but she kept repeating in heart, ¡°I wish they made the characters more cute.¡± It was Thursday night that Hyunwoo received a call from Jungah. As she told him that her club had a general review session on Thursday evening, Hyunwoo picked up the phone immediately, ¡°Hey, Jungah.¡± ¡°Sorry to say this, but there were more bad reviews than good about Garbage World.¡± ¡°I think that makes sense. Its unpoprity means that there is not much that can appeal to them. Can you tell me what they said?¡± Jungah told him about their reviews without adding or concealing anything. Among them were some good reviews, too, ¡°All of them reacted to the video favorably, finding it interesting. Not only children but also adults would be likely to feel attracted to that. They also said it had a potential marketability as it was now.¡± ¡°Oh, thanks for their review.¡± Hyunwoo called Jihun again and conveyed what he heard from Jungah. Jihun seemed to think the same, and said, ¡°I guess they felt the same, too. We had a discussion session among ourselves and reached the same conclusion. Instead of changing the contents to the taste of adults, we¡¯re going to make webtoons as we intended originally.¡± ¡°Good decision! Looks like this is going to be hit as you guys are of the same mind. Be confident and go for it!¡± *** The only thing that Hyunwoo could do for the Anifan kids was to wait for their sess with patience. In fact, Hyunwoo felt he should not expect any quick results from them because they had a long future. Impatience might be their biggest enemy in some respect. Given their age, the Anifan kids had a long time to cultivate their ability, which was not fully developed enough, topete in the market. I wish they would not be disappointed about the tepid response of the market, Hyunwoo thought. If that¡¯s the case, Hyunwoo would have tofort them, so that they would not be as hurt by the icy reaction of the market. While checking the reaction of the readers on Story Ma, Hyunwoo called the director of the House of Happiness from time to time to check out the moods of the Anifan kids. So far, there had been no big problems. Reassured by their calm moods, Hyunwoo focused on his work at Aurum. These days the atmosphere of his team at Aurum was the best ever. At first, every team member expected the atmosphere would be like hell with the arrival of the new team manager, Youngsu, but it was the opposite now. Youngsu was even being talked about as the mostfortable manager to deal with among the team members, and praise made even whales dance. Youngsu heard his staff praising him and felt satisfied whenever he heard that. Even if he got hurt outside, he brightened up his face when he came into the office. Stepping into the office, Youngsu gathered everyone around him, ¡°Hey,e over here.¡± When they gathered, he announced apany event. It was simple. ¡°As you¡¯re already aware because of thepany bulletin, we have a pic thising weekend. The announcement says only those who want to participate in the pic maye. As you know, you had better participate in it for proper social life.¡± In other words, he was ordering all of them to attend the pic. Some of the team members frowned. In particr, Sangho Oh did so, but he didn¡¯t dare talk back at Youngsu¡¯s order. ¡°If you want, you cane with your family members. Got it?¡± Everybody was quiet. ¡°Okay, then. Go back to work.¡± After announcing thepany pic, Youngsu left the office. Only then did the team members begin toin, ¡°What the heck is this? Why don¡¯t they allow us to take a break during the weekend?¡± ¡°It drives me crazy. I have to attend my friend¡¯s wedding.¡± Yonggu also let out a sigh, but for a different reason, ¡°Phew. I think I¡¯m going to get harassed by the kids.¡± Hyunwoo asked him what the heck he was talking about. ¡°Kids?¡± ¡°Yea, every year I was harassed. They¡¯re going to take out all their children to the pic and then let them y together.¡± ¡°What the heck do the kids has anything to do with us?¡± ¡°You will find out when you attend the pic. Some of us will have to take care of them as their nannies.¡± Only then did Hyunwoo figure out what Yonggu said. Middle or high school children wouldn¡¯t apany their parents to the pic. ordingly, most of the kids would be elementary school students or kindergartners, who were troublemakers at their age. Those who had to y the role of a nanny could not take their eyes off these troublemakers while the pic is going on. Yonggu looked at Suji Min and Sangho Oh and said, ¡°As I¡¯m superior in rank, I¡¯m in better position, but you guys, new hires, will have to be ready to get harassed by the kids.¡± Finally, the weekend came, and thepany employees all prayed for the heavy downfall of rain, but the sky was blue and clear to their chagrin. The kids were excited as ever. There were kindergartners, elementary school students and some looked like middle school students. The middle school students behaved well, but the other kidsughed and ran around the pic like a bull in a china shop. As Yonggu expected, young employees acted as nannies for them, but his prediction proved wrong because it was not the new hires but the assistant managers who were assigned the role of nannies. Among them was Yonggu who felt pitiful about the new hires, predicting they would take on the role of a nanny. What was surprising was that Yonggu volunteered to do so. There were three more volunteers. They were Assistant Manager Younghwan Koh, rank and file employee Sangho Oh, and Minhye Park, daughter of the president. All of them were potential candidates to be Minhye¡¯s groom andpeted to volunteer to be nannies to curry favor with her. It was not easy to take care of the kids as there were eleven in total at the pic. It looked like four nannies were enough to keep an eye on them, but it wasn¡¯t that easy. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t go that way, It¡¯s dangerous.¡± No matter how loudly they screamed, the kids didn¡¯t care at all. They ran after one group of the kids, grabbing their wrists to forcibly to take them to a safe ce. In the meantime, other kids were involved in fighting with makeshift swords, ¡°Hey, put down your sword. You¡¯re going to get hurt.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t take away my sword, you viin!¡± shouted one kid. Not only the male nannies but also Minhye Park also had a hard time controlling the naughty kids. In fact, Minhye didn¡¯t like the kids that much. Despite that, she volunteered as a nanny at her father¡¯s request. Her father wanted to see how Yonggu and other potential candidates would behave themselves, so she had been controlling her emotions all along, but her patience was running out. She just got upset whenever the kids got out of her control. Then, there appeared her savior. ¡°Hey, guys, look at this!¡± shouted Hyunwoo. Nobody knew when he prepared it, but Hyunwoo put down arge wooden box on the grass and took out something. It was a long and thin balloon. The kids just ignored Hyunwoo. They just ran around as if they didn¡¯t hear his voice at all. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t pay any attention to them. Only some kids who didn¡¯t get along with the other running kids cast their nces toward him. He didn¡¯t pay any attention to other kids. He began blowing up balloons, intensively watching one kid among them, in particr. He was rather big for a child, but not big enough to be called a boy. The boy looked very weak. If someone hit him slightly by mistake, the boy looked like he would get injured. Thanks to his strong lung capacity, the balloon changed into into a big and long stick. Skillfully tying up its end, he bended the balloon here and there. The boy watching Hyunwoo opened his eyes wider and slowly walked toward him and said, ¡°Wow! You¡¯re really great, sir.¡± Looking at that, other kids began to turn their heads toward Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo was ying with a puppy-shaped balloon with the first who came to him. ¡°What name would you want to give it?¡± asked Hyunwoo. The boy just grinned. He looked like an elementary school child, 4th grader at most, but the way he spoke and his facial expressions made him seem older. Hyunwoo gave a name to the balloon instead, ¡°As it¡¯s pink, let¡¯s name it Pink. By the way, what¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Mingyu, I¡¯m Mingyu Kang.¡± ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m 15 years old.¡± Hyunwoo was more than surprised to hear that. Mingyu was five years older than he thought, but the way he looked at the balloon was exactly the way an elementary school boy would. As if he waspletely into the balloon, he replied automatically when Hyunwoo asked something. ¡°This is my gift. Take it, Mingyu.¡± ¡°Wow! Thanks.¡± Mingyu was so happy with the balloon. Looking at him, other kids came swarming Hyunwoo, ¡°Wow, it¡¯s a puppy balloon.¡± ¡°Can you make a rocket balloon?¡± ¡°Rocket? Of course, I can. Do you want one?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± said the boy in excitement. Hyunwoo blew up a balloon and made it rocket-shaped on the spot. Though it was different from a real rocket in many ways, the kid was just happy simply because it looked like a rocket. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s a rocket!¡± said the kid to his friend. ¡°Can you make me one, too?¡± said another kid. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°A flower balloon.¡± Hyunwoo worked at an eventpany for a couple of years in the past. As thepany didn¡¯t receive many orders, there were more off days than normal working days for the employees there. It was around that time Hyunwoo learned how to make magic balloons. That had been 10 years ago, and he forgot many of the skills he mastered in making balloons. Still, he could make as many as 50 different balloons, if he really wanted, so when he heard from Yonggu that the new hires like him would have to serve as a nanny, he stopped by a staples shop and bought the balloons. Thanks to the sudden appearance of Hyunwoo, Yonggu, Younghwan Koh and Sangho Oh could be released from the nanny detail, and they just rxed, lying on the grass and watching Hyunwoo y with the kids, so did Minhye. She stopped moving around before she knew it and kept watching Hyunwoo. Is there anything he isn¡¯t good at? Minhye thought to herself. Chapter 85

Chapter 85

Hyunwoo¡¯s entertaining the kids with magic balloons didn¡¯t end there. When he worked at an eventpany in the past, he took part in lots of events involving children, so he basically knew how to handle them. Children were simple. When they heard a strange word, they just burst intoughter. In particr, they loved the word ¡®fart¡¯. ¡°Hey, you guys know the story about Captain Fart, right?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± everybody replied in unison. ¡°Do you also know the story about Captain Fart going to see his girlfriend Kongkong?¡± ¡°Nope~!¡± ¡°Can I tell you the story then?¡± ¡°Yes~!¡± ¡°Then, just raise your hand if you want to y the role of Captain Fart and Kongkong. Oh, you said your name is Mingyu. Come here and help me.¡± Hyunwoo pulled Mingyu, who had been standing alone, to the center of the stage. Mingyu tried to decline as if he was shy, but Hyunwoo persuaded him, ¡°You¡¯re a middle school boy. You have to do a big brother role on an asion like this. Let me give you a gift at the end of this event, okay?¡± Only then did Mingyu take part in the game. Hyunwoo began the game, using several kids as something like props. They werepletely captivated by Hyunwoo¡¯s performance, so were those Aurumpany employees who came out for the pic. When the kids became silent as if they met their kindergarten teachers, their parents focused on Hyunwoo with a curious look. Minhye couldn¡¯t take her eyes off him, either. He looked like someone giving off his charm endlessly. Actually, she began to think differently about him a while ago. In particr, her perception of himpletely changed when she saw him staying with top actress Nami Yu at a high-end restaurant. Until then, she looked down on him as a high school graduate, no more and no less. Now, she began wondering, What the heck does this guy keep hidden inside him? What was reflected in her eyes was not the whole person of Hyunwoo. It was clear that he possessed some enormous attraction that she had not noticed before. Moreover, her father Daebong Park, president of Aurum, proudly recognized his ability. Daebong even said that Hyunwoo was a lot better than Sangho Oh or Yonggu Kim whose academic credentials were superior to his. The more Minhye watched Hyunwoo, the more she felt attracted to him. It would be just stupid for her not toe on to him. She approached him, ¡°I¡¯d like to help you.¡± ¡°Oh, thanks. Please hold it for me.¡± Hyunwoo used even her as one of the props. She asked him to treat her as he liked, forgetting her position as the manager of the PR team of Aurum. Taking her remarks at face-value, he had her write her name with her butt. She was much more easy-going than he expected. When the kids burst into tears, watching her write her name with her butt, she threw away anything like dignity or face-saving and yed with the kids, returning to the innocence of childhood. So far, so good. Sometimes, however, Hyunwoo felt a bit ufortable when she got too close to him for skinship. Whenever there was a chance, she tried to touch him in a friendly way more than necessary. Because of that, not only Hyunwoo, but also her potential groom candidates Yonggu and Sangho, felt something odd about her. Yonggu and Sangho had been watching her every movement for some time since they got to the pic. When her physical affection for him became deeper as time went on, they began to show vignce against Hyunwoo. In particr, Yonggu seemed to feel confused a lot in his head. What the heck is this? Does Hyunwoo like her? Yonggu thought he would eat his hat if Hyunwoo liked her. Of course, Yonggu recognized Hyunwoo¡¯s ability. He also recognized that Minhye was pretty enough to captivate his heart, but no matter how hard he thought about it, Minhye and Hyuwoo were an odd couple that couldn¡¯t get mixed with each other. Above all, Hyunwoo knew Yonggu had an eye for her for a very long. Nheless, if Hyunwoo also had an eye for her, that would be like a deration of war to him and that meant he would be destined to fight with Hyunwoo to win over her heart. Oh, no, no, no, please! Minhye became more and more openly affectionate to Hyunwoo as time went by. When her eyes met his coincidently, she made the most beautiful smile with her eyes. It looked as if she was only thinking about him. Though Hyunwoo seemed indifferent, he didn¡¯t reject her moves, either. Sometimes, he looked and smiled at her. The more they did so, Yonggu felt more nervous and agonized. Yonggu felt he could not give her up under any circumstances even if his rival was Hyunwoo. However, Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t read Yonggu¡¯s mind, and he didn¡¯t think of Minhye¡¯s physical affection seriously. Sometimes, he wondered what the hell she was doing to him, but didn¡¯t realize that was the way she expressed her affection for him, for there were many women who casually expressed such affection to men. Hyunwoo felt she was that type of women. Also, there are three potential candidates to be her groom, namely Sangho Oh, Yonggu Kim, and Younghwan Koh. Maybe she might have some more candidates outside Aurum. As a high school graduate, Hyunwoo felt there was no room for him to get in, and he didn¡¯t want to. What attracted Hyunwoo¡¯s attention that day was the kids at the pic. He did his best to captivate their hearts. In particr, he paid close attention to Mingyu Kang. Mingyu seemed too weak and too quiet. He behaved so well, had few words and had no friends. That¡¯s why Hyunwoo wanted to take care of him all the more. Hyunwoo wanted to speak to him, make himugh and give him confidence. ¡°Hey, Mingyu! Come over here and help me, won¡¯t you? Just get hold of this and twist it. Good job! You¡¯re smart!¡± It seemed that Mingyu was really smart. Also, he was quick in visual learning. Hyunwoo repeatedly taught other kids to follow his action, but they couldn¡¯t. However, Mingyu was very good at it. Hyunwoo spent time with them all afternoon. It was sort of his performance day for the kids rather than thepany¡¯s pic. Later in the afternoon, Youngsu Park, the manager of the purchasing team, came to Hyunwoo, patting him on the shoulder, ¡°Assistant Manager Jang, great job today!¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s what I¡¯m supposed to do. Let me go over there to help them dispose of the trash,¡± said Hyunwoo, who was about to stand up suddenly. But Youngsu held him back and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to. Anybody, who has raised children, knows how hard it is to y with them. You really had a hard time ying with them all day long, so just take a rxing break from now on. Let me take responsibility for that.¡± ¡°Oh, I feel alright.¡± ¡°Just sit here when I tell you so as the manager, dude. Don¡¯t move even one step. It¡¯s an order,¡± said Youngsu, with a stern but cute expression on his face. Hyunwoo grinned at him, thinking he wasmendable in many ways now, though he thought Youngsu was a dumbhead when he first joined the purchasing team as the new manager. At that moment, someone called him from behind, ¡°Thanks so much, Mr. Jang!¡± Hyunwoo turned his head and stood up right away. He was Senior Research Scientist Byungwon Kang, and Mingyu was beside him. Byungwon was a very famous researcher at thepany. It was not because he had been promoted to a senior researcher due to his ten years of service at thepany, but because he was physically weak. Though he was an excellent researcher, he called in sick too often. Still, he survived at thepany because of his excellent research capabilities. ¡°My son says he was really happy today because of you, Hyunwoo. Mingyu, say ¡®Thank you¡¯ to him.¡± ¡°Thank you, sir,¡± said Mingyu, with a bow to Hyunwoo. Stroking his hair, Hyunwoo gave Mingyu a note of 10,000 won, ¡°Take this. That¡¯s expression of my appreciation of your help this afternoon.¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t do that,¡± said Byungwon. Byungwon pretended to stop him, but actually, he was happy. It¡¯s not because Hyunwoo gave his son the money but someone like him liked Mingyu. ¡°Just go and y with other kids,¡± said Byungwon. ¡°By the way, he doesn¡¯t look good. Is he sick?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°Not particrly. He is just weak like me. As he can¡¯t adjust himself to a normal school, he is attending an alternative school, which breaks my heart.¡± Hyunwoo tilted his head, ¡°Mingyu is weak as you just said, but what does it have to do with his attending an alternative school?¡± ¡°Well, as he is weak, he¡¯s teased and ostracized by his friends a lot.¡± ¡°Is he getting adjusted well at the alternative school now?¡± ¡°Much better now. I¡¯ve found a special alternative school that epts kids like Mingyu. Still, I just feel sorry when I see my son.¡± In the meantime, the pic cleanup waspleted. Some of the employees left on a bus and others got on their own cars to leave the pic. Hyunwoo got in his car to head for home. In the meantime, Hyunwoo got lots of attention from his colleagues that day. Minhye was one of them. Yonggu alternatively kept looking at him and Minhye. Yonggu felt something strange about Minhye¡¯s attitude, though. Even though Hyunwoo didn¡¯t cast his gaze at her, she was casting an amorous eye at him. Then, does she have an eye on him? Damn it! What the hell is going on now? Yonggu thought. Younghwan Koh and Sangho Oh were also watching Minhye and Hyunwoo carefully. Both of them looked downcast. In particr, Sangho was plucking grass out of anger just like an ostracized kid. His anger surged when Minhye left the ce without even casting an eye at him. Bad girl, how can she make a mockery of me like this? *** Hyunwoo got a call from Yonggu as he arrived home. ¡°I¡¯ve got something to talk with you. Are you avable?¡± asked Yonggu. It looked like his voice was heavy. ¡°Where shall we meet?¡± ¡°Do you remember the beer house in front of the city hall?¡± ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll see you there.¡± When Hyunwoo entered the beer house, Yonggu was already there, smoking a cigarette and there were lots of its butts in the ashtray. When Hyunwoo sat down, Yonggu filled up his cup, but didn¡¯t say anything until he drank several cups. ¡°Hey, you look serious. What¡¯s up?¡± asked Hyunwoo. Only then did Yonggu open his mouth, ¡°I¡¯ve got some worries.¡± ¡°Worries?¡± ¡°I like somedy.¡± Hyunwoo already knew who she was, but it could be some other woman. ¡°Is she someone that I know?¡± Yonggu nodded his head. ¡°Team Manager Minhye Park?¡± Yonggu nodded again, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are you worried because she doesn¡¯t pay any attention to you?¡± asked Hyunwoo. Yonggu shook his head this time. ¡°Then, what is it?¡± asked Hyunwoo. Chapter 86

Chapter 86

¡°It looks like Minhye Park is interested in you. I wonder if you are interested in her...¡± said Yonggu. Yonggu stopped for a moment, but Hyunwoo could figure out what he would say next, but kept silent. Yonggu asked in a hesitant tone, ¡°Are you interested in her at all?¡± Hyunwoo giggled at that, for he now knew that Yonggu was only asking because of what happened at the pic. In fact, Hyunwoo felt Minhye got unusually friendly to him. At that time Hyunwoo was not conscious of Yonggu or Sangho at all as he was totally focused on the kids at the pic. Looking back now, however, he felt both of them must have felt uneasy. Shaking his head, Hyunwoo said calmly, ¡°Obviously, she is a good and attractive woman, but she is not my type. She may be interested in me, but I¡¯m not interested in her at all. You don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± When Hyunwoo said so firmly, Yonggu¡¯s face brightened, ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Of course. How can I intervene when I know too well that you have your eye on her? I might have done so as an immature school boy, but I¡¯m not immature any longer, so rest assured, dude. By the way, snatch her up right now before anybody else does. Prove your ability properly and win her heart!¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to, but I can¡¯t find any asion.¡± ¡°I hear an important buyer ising from Japan soon. I think if you can pull off a contract with him, you will impress her with that.¡± Yonggu¡¯s face was distorted as if that was not the proper case. ¡°As you know, we are working here at the purchasing department. How can I interfere with the sales team¡¯s business?¡± Hyunwoo was aware of that. It was impossible for the purchasing team to try to interfere with the business of sales department, but Yonggu said something that stunned Hyunwoo. ¡°I hear the sales team is in alert mode at the moment. ording to Team Manager Younghwan Koh, the Japanese buyer has his heart set on Art Hill, so the chance of us getting the contract is less than 1%. Looks like the sales team has already given up.¡± That¡¯s true. Actually, the chances of sess would be less than 0.1%, practically impossible. That meant that the purchasing team might get a chance. Though it was the job of the sales team, any other team had a chance if they gave it up. Hyunwoo said, with his eyes shining, ¡°If the sales team fails, can any other team volunteer to do it?¡± ¡°Well, I guess so. Do you think we can pull it off when the sales team can¡¯t? And sales is not my speciality,¡± said Yonggu. Anyway, Hyunwoo felt he had to prepare in advance for such an asion, I think I have to ask Unhye Kim in Japan to gather some tips on the Japanese buyer. ¡°By the way, do you happen to know the name of the Japanese buyer?¡± ¡°I hear there are two, Yoshimoto and Oda. I have no idea which of them ising to meet us.¡± ¡°Yoshimoto and Oda?¡± Parting with Yonggu, Hyunwoo immediately called Unhye and asked her to gather some detailed information on Yoshimoto and Oda. ** Jaegyong Kang and Sungrak Soh grew ustomed to their new jobs much faster than expected. Sungwoo Paek expected that it would take at least two months to teach them, but they were already handling it on their own without his help. As it took fifteen days to renovate and sort the import parts from Vietnam, they only had that much time for them to understand their job, yet their sales performance was not poor. Hyunwoo decided to give them at least 2 million won for their monthly sry. He was nning to do so until they could make 2 million won through sales. He expected that wouldst about six months. However, in less than a month, the monthly sales passed 100 million won. Given that he didn¡¯t advertise it, the sales performance was quite encouraging. Sungwoo¡¯s word that there were many retailers who wanted to buy the parts was not an exaggeration. Jaegyong and Sungrak¡¯s active attitude contributed greatly to the growth in sales. They were not just content with their given assignments but worked creatively to generate more sales. For example, they presented an idea on publicity. They did not rely on the inte cafe of N&C Korea but made active use of the open market on the inte. Thanks to their efforts the growth in sales picked up greatly after they created a sales category on the open market on the inte. In particr, a small order of less than 1,000 increased every day as evidence that N&C was gaining recognition among consumers. If this trend continued, it would overtake Castor Inc. as the top producer of castor products in a sh. Then, all the saleswork would be incorporated into N&C¡¯s inte cafe meaning that Hyunwoo wouldn¡¯t need to pay the fee on the open market. Jaegyong and Sungrak¡¯s take of 3% of monthly profits amounted to over 3 million per month. Hyunwoo and Sungwoo got 8% of the profits, which was 8 million. Out of that, Sungwoo got only 1%, and Hyunwoo took the remaining 7% as he paid the overhead as the owner of the warehouse. Sungwoo didn¡¯tin about the distribution of the profits. In fact, what Sungwoo did up to now was y the role of the manageress briefly. In that respect, even 1% was too much for him. However, Hyunwoo decided to pay him that much because he was his business partner. Hyunwoo readjusted their sry, given the sharp increase in sales. He thought they deserved more because the sales increased thanks to their hard work. One month after the retail sales Hyunwoo gave each of them an envelope, ¡°Thanks, guys. Take this.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Your monthly sry. I originally nned to give you 2 million won until our sales operation began to make profits,¡± Jaegyung and Sungrak were stunned. ¡°However, we¡¯re already taking 1.5 million won in profits of the sales.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough for us.¡± ¡°Take it, man. Do you think 1.5 million is enough as you work your finger to the bone? If you don¡¯t want to take this, try harder, so the sales can go over 200 million per month,¡± said Hyunwoo. They took the envelopes politely, ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± When they opened the envelope and checked the money, it was more than they expected. Hyuwoo grinned at them, saying, ¡°Originally I nned to give you 2 million per month, but I gave you a little more as our sales recorded more than 100 million won in one month since opening the sales office. Leave for the day as soon as you¡¯re done. Treat your wife to some nice food, Jaegyong.¡± ¡°Yes, brother!¡± Both of the smiled at each other in satisfaction, as if they were determined to work harder. Hyunwoo smiled before he knew it. Looks like I let them take care of the work herepletely. Erasing N&C Korea¡¯s business from his memories for now, Hyunwoo focused on his main job at Aurum. Actually he tried, but he could not do so because Aurum was in a tricky situation. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± President of Arum Daebong Park¡¯s thunderous voice came out of his office. The new sales team manager Suchol Yang was at a loss what to do since he had just assumed his current position after Youngsu Park transferred to the purchasing team as its manager. ¡°That¡¯s a groundless rumor, sir. How could it be?¡± ¡°Hey, how is such a rumor getting around? Isn¡¯t it because you guys on the sales team are not that enthusiastic about it?¡± ¡°No way, sir. We¡¯re doing our best now.¡± ¡°How? Specifically what and how are you doing now?¡± Daebong was browbeating him as if he was ready to fire him if he could not produce any good results, but Suchol could not do so. Suchol and his team didn¡¯t ck off as the rumor had it, nor had he given up. They were doing their best to sessfully pull off the contract with the Japanese buyers. However, no matter how many good ideas they came up with, they couldn¡¯t capture the Japanese buyers¡¯ minds. The only thing they could offer as an enticement was cheap price, but the Japanese buyers were more concerned about quality than the price. Moreover, they have already been doing business with Art Hill for several years. Under the equal conditions, the chances of Aurum¡¯s beating Art Hill in this contract war was less than 10%. Winning the contract meant Aurum would take away Art Hill¡¯s customer. At best, the winning rate was less than 1%. However, Daebong was full of enthusiasm as if he would bet the sess or failure of his business on the contract. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear your excuses. You¡¯re a professional, right, Manager Yang? Professionals produce good results, not words. Don¡¯t you know why I assigned Younghwan Koh, your deputy, to that position? If you can¡¯t pull off the contract this time, that means you¡¯re wanting in ability.¡± Yang Suchol had nothing to say. He knew Younghwan¡¯s ability well. He was verypetent in sales with a nativemand of Japanese. In some respects, he was hired because of Aurum¡¯s goal of expanding its business to Japan. Back to the office, Suchol was all over his team members to put together the deal. In particr, he went after Younghwan. He was the very guy Suchol could trust most, and naturally, he was the target of Suchol¡¯s nagging. ¡°Hey, Mr. Koh, you have such a great ability, right? And did you give up on Minhye Park? Are you going to yield her to Mr. Yonggu Kim or Sangho Oh? You can beat them by pulling off the deal this time. Don¡¯t say ¡®mission impossible¡¯ to me. Just risk your life on it, okay?¡± Several dayster the representative of Oda and two technicians, arrived at Aurum. Aurum was on ultra alert to the point that anyone who messed up would be fired on the spot. The sales team treated them as if they were treating the Japanese emperor, but the technicians didn¡¯t even bat an eysh. From start to finish, they appraised Aurum¡¯s products in a calm manner. The technicians apanying the representative looked as if they were looking for the bad, not the good side of the products, and shook their heads. ¡°I don¡¯t think your products are better than Art HIll¡¯s.¡± ¡°Please take a look at the quality versus the price. We¡¯ve improved the quality recently, so there is no big difference in the quality of the twopanies¡¯ products.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not so attractive as to change our existing supplier.¡± ¡°Why are you making such a rash decision? Today, we¡¯ve had a long talk, so please review it once more tomorrow, and we¡¯d love to treat you to a nice dinner.¡± Younghwan Koh was subservient to them, but they became even icier in their attitude. ¡°What are you trying to do now? Don¡¯t even think you can curry favor with us with such a treat. Don¡¯t you know we hate that kind of staff?¡± Younghwan was nervous. In fact, he had expected something different when he found out that Oda, not Yoshimoto, visited this time. Unlike Yoshimoto, who was so inflexible as to earn his nickname ¡®Iceman¡¯, Oda loved to drink and woman, but the result was the same. As Oda visited as the chief of the contract team, he was even stricter than Yoshimoto. There was no way Younghwan could persuade him. Chapter 87

Chapter 87

¡°Well, I¡¯m disappointed. I had high expectations this time as I heard you improved the quality a lot recently. I wonder if you manipted the relevant report with gifts.¡± Younghwan was barking up the wrong tree. He gave Oda an excuse for him to undermine Aurum. Still, Younghwan couldn¡¯t give up. He had to use some other tactics as thest resort. Based on his background check on Oda, he was a tender-hearted man. He heard Oda shed tears while watching TV. So, Younghwan decided to make the best use of his weakness like that. Though his pride was to be hurt by that, he had to brazen it out for sales activities. Younghwan suddenly cried, shedding tears, saying, ¡°I might be fired if I didn¡¯t get this deal from you. I might be forced out on the street with no ce to go... My mom is sick ...¡± However, Oda wasn¡¯t moved at all. It looked like he immediately realized that they were nothing more than crocodile tears. ¡°Well, that¡¯s your own personal matter. This is business, and I think I have nothing to do here.¡± ¡°Please, don¡¯t...¡± Younghwan was persistent, but Oda left without looking back. After he was briefed by Younghwan, Suchol felt as if the sky had fallen down. ¡°Damn it. I thought I would get promoted to the director, but it¡¯s a no go.¡± It was not a matter of promotion to him. As the president was very much enthusiastic about it, he would be demoted for his failure to pull off the deal. Most likely he would be kicked out to the faraway in Umsung. There was no other choice for him. Suchol was called to the president¡¯s office. After a while, the president¡¯s office was so loud with Daebong Park¡¯s rebuking, and Suchol was immediately kicked out to the Umsung factory. The previous team manager returned to take back his original position of the sales team manager, but even the new sales manager was not confident enough to win back Oda¡¯s heart. He made it clear to Daebong, returning to his position. ¡°In my judgment, the deal with Oda was over already.¡± Daebong was no longer enthusiastic about it. Instead, he convened a managers¡¯ meeting for the next opportunity. ¡°We can¡¯t continuously be beaten by Art Hill like this. This is the market we can¡¯t survive in if we don¡¯t take the top position. Do your best. We might see the end of ourpany next year.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Every team manager present at the meeting answered in unison. In particr, Youngsu Park¡¯s voice was louder, and he cursed Suchol, As you arecking in ability, your members can¡¯t show their ability. After the meeting, Youngsu Park returned to the office. Springing to his feet, Yonggu Kim asked, ¡°What happened? Did they win the contract?¡± ¡°Nope. Even the president gave up,¡± said Youngsu dejectedly. When he said so, Yonggu suggested by saying ¡°Why doesn¡¯t our team try to get the deal?¡± Youngsu opened his eyes wide, asking ¡°You mean the purchasing team?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯d like to try.¡± Youngsu could not understand. The two teams hadpletely different in job functions, there was no reason to interfere with other team¡¯s business, and the chances were very slim. Though Yonggu¡¯s suggestion didn¡¯t make any sense, Youngsu wanted to hear the reason. ¡°Do you have an idea you¡¯ve been thinking over?¡± ¡°Not really, but I think the deal is too good to miss.¡± ¡°If you fail, our purchasing team will be in big trouble,¡± said Youngsu, quietly scolding him. In the past, he would have rejected it with a threat to the other¡¯s job, but he now knew how to control his team members, but Yonggu didn¡¯t budge, either. Rather he began to persuade the manager. ¡°As it¡¯s a tough deal, we¡¯re going to enjoy a great performance if we pull it off. If we risk our lives on it, there is nothing in the world we can¡¯t do, I think. I¡¯d like to do so.¡± ¡°Hey, this is not something you can do just with your own enthusiasm.¡± Still, Yonggu was persistent. They moved to a conference room, and Yonggu began to persuade him energetically. ¡°Did you hear about the story about the archer?¡± ¡°Archer?¡± ¡°There was a mediocre archer. Let alone being a member of the national team, she didn¡¯t get a good score even during the practice, but she got a gold medal one year after she heard a good piece of advice.¡± ¡°What kind of advice?¡± ¡°Well, she was given the advice that when she went to the practice field, she was to carry only one arrow.¡± ¡°Looks like she was told to risk her life on that arrow,¡± said Youngsu. ¡°Right. That yer allegedly rekindled her concentration power at the practice field. As she had to stop the practice after using only one arrow, she totally concentrated on it.¡± Hearing Yonggu¡¯s exnation, he found Yonggu full of enthusiasm. The deal was a big one this time. Regardless of the contract amount, it was important to find a new customer. The president would not take any punitive action against him, his cousin, even if he failed in the deal. Maybe his lousy nagging would be all Youngsu could expect. ¡°How can I help you, then?¡± ¡°Please get the approval that I can give it a try, and please get me some information on the Japanese buyers Oda and Yoshimoto. Then, let me form a team and try our best.¡± ¡°No problem, but remember the consequence of your failure, too.¡± ¡°Got it, sir.¡± Back in the office, Yonggu called Hyunwoo to the conference room. Though there were only two of them there, Yonggu¡¯s voice was pretty cautious. ¡°I managed to persuade Youngsu as you asked me to do. To be honest, I wondered if what I did was good. Do you think we can find a way? I¡¯m afraid there isn¡¯t one, no matter how hard I think about it,¡± said Yonggu. If he had no chance at all, Hyunwoo would not have asked Yonggo to do so. Actually, he got some detailed information about the Japanese buyers through Unhye Kim, representative of N&C Japan. However, the sales team¡¯s information about them was more detailed and urate. Though Unhye did her best to get all she could about them, she couldn¡¯t get more than the sales team. Basically, both Oda and Yoshimoto were really tough to persuade away from Art Hill. However, the sale team¡¯s mistake was that they only researched Yoshimoto and Oda, but not their families, rtives or acquaintances. Hyunwoo asked Unhye to find more about the people around Oda and Yoshimoto. Unhye found one particr point about ¡°Iceman¡± Yoshimoto. In some respects, he was actually the head of the buyer¡¯s team with respect to the current deal. Maybe he could be persuaded, Hyunwoo thought. Looking at Yonggu, Hyunwoo grinned, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s think about him first.¡± Yonggu scratched his head, but he had to wait until Hyunwoo coached him about specific details. ¡°Okay, then. Tell me anything you need. Manager Youngsu said he would help me unconditionally.¡± Hyunwoo immediately started thinking about how to deal with Yoshimoto, If Unhye¡¯s information on him is correct, he is much more tender-hearted than expected. He will clearly get interested in it. Hyunwoo sent a document on a sheet of A4 paper to him with a message in, had it tranted into Japanese by Suji Min, hispany colleague, and asked Suji to send out a text message to Yoshimoto as follows: Please open it if you want to give a new life to Ms. Haruki. Hyunwoo waited nervously, I hope he responds to it. Yes, he will do so. Hyunwoo¡¯s predicted it correctly. He got the reply from Yoshimoto in about ten minutes after he sent out the text message. Can you get that product? The moment he got the message, Hyunwoo¡¯s expression brightened, Yea, half of my operation is already a done deal. Hyunwoo asked Suji to send him another text message. With no chance of getting it, I would not have texted to you. How can I verify if it¡¯s genuine or not? I¡¯ve got evidence that you can believe it¡¯s genuine. What is it? That evidence? I¡¯ve got to show it to you. Let¡¯s meet then. Hyunwoo clenched his fist, Good deal! Hyunwoo decided the time and ce, given Yoshimoto¡¯s current location. As Yoshimoto was not staying in Korea for very long, Hyunwoo rushed to his ce with Suji. Though he wanted to bring Yonggu, too, he didn¡¯t, because this was not the normal way of business, and Yoshimoto might not be wary of meeting several people. Yoshimoto was waiting for Hyunwoo nervously. In fact, it was Hyunwoo who was more nervous. Suji exchanged greetings on behalf of Hyunwoo first, ¡°Did you wait for long? This is Assistant Manager Hyunwoo Jang, and my name is Suji Min. I am interpreting for him.¡± ¡°I see. Where is the product? And how can I confirm if it¡¯s genuine or not?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t exin with words. Let me show it to you in person. Then, even if you have one hundred questions, you¡¯ll see them all solved instantly.¡± Suji interpreted what he said, but Hyunwoo could see Yoshimoto hardening his face a bit even before she interpreted. That suggested Yoshimoto understood his Korean. I heard he was the 3rd generation of Korean-Japanese, and it looks like he can speak Korean, thought Hyunwoo. As soon as Suji interpreted, Yoshimoto asked, ¡°What do you want for it? ¡°You¡¯re asking the right question. Of course, a contract with JBC. Please give it a positive review.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know about me yet. Don¡¯t link your own personal matters with this business.¡± ¡°I know that. What I want to tell you is give it an objective review without any prejudice. You came to see us with the prejudice that the quality of Aurum¡¯s products is much poorer than that of Art Hill.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not our prejudice. It¡¯s an obvious fact that the quality of Art Hill is much better than that of Aurum.¡± ¡°I admit that, but it is a difference of quality degree. In our opinion, it¡¯s a difference of one, but you think it¡¯s 10. That¡¯s your prejudice.¡± Yoshimoto didn¡¯t refute it. In fact, his judgment was not based on any real test. He had to admit it was totally his own prejudice. ¡°And there is something you have missed.¡± Chapter 88

Chapter 88

¡°What is it?¡± Yoshimoto looked at Hyunwoo warily. It looked as if Yoshimoto would not be lured into his sophistry even though he was ready to listen to him because he had to ask him for something. ¡°Currently, Aurum is Art Hill¡¯s biggest rival. I¡¯m not sure if you know this, but some time ago Art Hill, put out a malicious press release to damage ourpany image. That means they¡¯re scared of our growth.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard about it.¡± It was true that Yoshimoto might not have known this because it had only been reported inconspicuously in the economy page in Korean media, so Hyunwoo showed the relevant article to him, which he had clipped at that time. Underneath the clipped article was a Japanese trantion of it. It was about N&C products that Aurum had been importing that didn¡¯t meet the quality standards of Art Hill. There was one more article, which was that they passed the standard only recently. When Yoshimoto nodded his head, Hyunwoo continued, ¡°If JBC signs a contract with us, Art Hill will be all the tenser. From the standpoint of JBC, that creates a rivalry between the two. Think of this. If there is anotherpany like Art Hill, isn¡¯t that creating a virtuous cycle in terms of the price and quality?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, but what¡¯s important is Aurum¡¯s products meeting the necessary quality first.¡± ¡°Please test Aurum¡¯s products. I¡¯m convinced both products have little difference in quality, and the quality of our products will rapidly improve. Please review our products from a long-term point of view.¡± Yoshimoto looked at him and said after a bit of hard thinking, ¡°If the deal falls through, I don¡¯t get the product you mentioned, right?¡± Hyunwoo shook his head, ¡°I think there are things that we can¡¯t make a deal about, and one of them is this product I mentioned to you. The moment I heard about Ms. Haruki, this product was destined to be hers. Let me give it to you regardless of the deal.¡± Hyunwoo meant it. He thought his sincerity would move Yoshimoto¡¯s heart more strongly. Yoshimoto lowered his head, and said, ¡°I¡¯d like to thank you on behalf of Ms. Haruki. Then, how should I get the product?¡± Two dayster Yoshimoto waited for Hyunwoo at the ce they both agreed to meet. He was in mountain clothes rather than a formal suit. He purchased the clothes because he was asked by Hyunwoo toe in mountain clothes. A littleter, a minivan arrived at the ce. At that moment, his heart sank because there were about eight people except for Suji Min, the interpreter. What¡¯s more surprising was that all of them were old men and women. They were looking at him as if he was a monkey at the zoo. Looking at Hyunwoo, he opened his mouth, ¡°What the heck is this?¡± Hyunwoo replied casually, ¡°Well, don¡¯t pay any attention to them. Why are you looking at him, sirs? You got on this bus on the condition you wouldn¡¯t ask or look at him, right?¡± Only then did they turn their heads, but sometimes they turned back their heads again to sneak a look at him. Yoshimoto was extremely nervous. Who the heck are they? Why are they going with me? I wonder if Hyunwoo asked these men to look for the product... Instantly, he thought of any possible threat by them, but it didn¡¯t make any sense. They were too old to do anything. Just to be sure, he listened to what they were talking about and found that they were engaged in just chattering, such as raking at Korean poker games, somebody¡¯s grandson getting good grades, somebody¡¯s daughter-inw being so ill-tempered, etc. However, he was getting more and more restless as time went on. The minivan kept moving more than two hours in the direction of a mountain deep in the countryside. It looked as if they were taking him down to a ce where nobody lived. Actually, they did. The ce the minivan stopped was a deep untravelled mountain. After there was no more paved road, it moved on the unpaved road for more than ten minutes. The signpost in the middle of the road showed it was Mt. Chilgap in the South Chungchong province with a scenic view. ¡°Get out, please.¡± As soon as Hyunwoo said that, the old men quickly got off. Though they were slow because of their fragile body, they were disciplined as if they were well trained. What are they going to do here? Yoshimoto thought to himself. Hyunwoo first found a t and good ce nearby and spread a mat. What Yoshimoto could not understand was his next behavior. He put down something on the mat: Korean chess. Not only chess, but also lots of food. It looked as if they¡¯re out on a pic here. ¡°Okay, have a good time, sirs.¡± ¡°Sure, have a good journey.¡± Hyunwoo pointed to Yoshimoto, ¡°Shall we move?¡± Suji followed Hyunwoo, but Hyunwoo stopped and then asked him, ¡°You know how to speak some Korean, right?¡± With a surprised look on his face, he didn¡¯t deny, ¡°Yes, a bit.¡± It was a very artificial Korean ent. ¡°This mountain road is very tough. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea to take Suji with us. Anyway, we don¡¯t have much to talk about, so why don¡¯t just two of us go?¡± Yoshimoto nodded his head and said, ¡°Sounds good.¡± ¡°Shall we go then? Suji, can you take care of the old men? ¡± said Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo started moving, followed by Yoshimoto. Sometimes, he turned his head to check out the old men who were having a great time. After they were quite far away from the old men, Yoshimoto asked, ¡°Who the hell are they?¡± ¡°They¡¯re just my neighbors. As they¡¯re bored at home, I take them here like this when Ie here. Just ignore them being here.¡± Yoshimoto nodded his head. In the meantime, Hyunwoo climbed up the mountain. It was not that steep, and as Yoshimoto liked climbing as a hobby, it was not a difficult challenge, but it was not easy for him to move with Hyunwoo because Hyunwoo was moving along the untravelled trail only. Every time he moved, he ran into wild grass and bushes. Nheless, Hyunwoo passed through it like an eel. If Suji hade along, his walking speed would have dropped by half, or he might have had to carry her on his back over the mountain road. ¡°A little slower...¡± said Yoshimoto. Only then did Hyunwoo slow down, saying, ¡°I hear you¡¯re a good climber...¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve never walked on a trail like this before.¡± Hyunwoo walked for about thirty minutes and then stopped along with Yoshimoto. Hyunwoo quietly held out his finger, ¡°I see it there.¡± With his eyes wide open, Yoshimoto looked at it. What he saw was only wild grass. ¡°Where is it?¡± ¡°Please follow me carefully. Otherwise, you¡¯ll be in big trouble.¡± Yoshimoto followed and approached him carefully but found nothing he mentioned. Then, suddenly Hyunwoo stopped and pointed to one clump of grass. ¡°This is it. This is the wild ginseng.¡± Yoshimoto opened his eyes wide and took out a piece of paper from his pocket. There was a photo of wild ginseng he researched in advance. It looked the same. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re right. This is what they call the famous mountain ginseng of Korea.¡± Excited, Yoshimoto tried to move toward it, but Hyunwoo stopped him urgently. ¡°Don¡¯t move yet. There is one more beneath your feet. You could tread on it if you move hurriedly.¡± ¡°Under my feet?¡± Hyunwoo pointed to some small grass right under his feet. It was much smaller than the other one, but the shape of its leaves was the same. It looked like a baby ginseng nt. Hyunwoo looked at Yoshimoto and spoke in clear and slow Korean because he was not good at Korean. ¡°You must have looked at the document I sent you. As I said, this is not a panacea. It only improves one¡¯s constitution. There is no guarantee that Ms. Haruki¡¯s condition will get better by taking this.¡± ¡°I know that. Thanks so much.¡± ¡°And this is a national forest, so this ginseng is not mine but belongs to this country, so if you take it, you have to pay the price.¡± ¡°Of course. How can I pay for the price?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s something I can answer correctly. I¡¯d like to leave it to Haruki¡¯s grandfather and your conscience.¡± ¡°Got it. Let me discuss with Mr. Kuroda about this first.¡± Yoshimoto was full of excitement as if he would pay any price if he could take this ginseng. Hyunwoo felt satisfied to see him. It looked as if his intention paid off. In fact, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t know what to do about him initially. No matter how hard he researched about Yoshimoto, he couldn¡¯t find any friend or rtive of his that he could target, and then he came to know some old man Yoshimoto visited regrly. Though that old man was almost 70, he was still working. His name was Kuroda. Kuroda had a granddaughter named Haruki who was 15 years old. She was pretty much weak, so she often visited a hospital. ording to Unhye, Yoshimoto and Kuroda¡¯s son were bosom friends, and that¡¯s why he visited Kuroda regrly to take care of Haruki and his family. When Hyunwoo heard that, he immediately felt, ¡°This is the thing!¡± So, he texted a message that wild ginseng was excellent for improving one¡¯s constitution with actual examples of those whose constitution improved. In other words, Haruki could potentially improve her constitution by taking the mountain ginseng; however, the ratio of sess not that high. The moment Yoshimoto read his text message, he immediately began looking more information about wild ginseng and found out that it was in a mysterious realm. Hyunwoo cautiously dug out the ginseng and exined, ¡°This is what the experts call chonjongsam because birds ate the seeds of ginseng and pooped them out. That¡¯s where these ntse from. If you look at this, there are six little sprigs on each side. It¡¯s called yukgu ssangdae. To sum up, it¡¯s called yukgu mandal ssangdae chojongsam.¡± Yoshimoto was ayman on ginseng, but after he received the text message, he did some research about it on the inte. Thanks to that, he was already aware of how valuable chonjongsam was. Comparing it a man, chonjongsam was like the world¡¯s oldest man¨C rare and valuable ginseng. If he had not confirmed it with his eyes, he might have called it a fake. That¡¯s why Hyunwoo brought him to the mountain. ¡°This is the head of the ginseng, and yukgudae of it suggests it¡¯s been growing at least 50 years. You can find out its correct age by checking out its head.¡± Yoshimoto looked at the head of the ginseng, which was about two finger joints in length. ¡°Each head is counted as one year, so this one... wow! It has more than 80. I thought it¡¯s a very good one, but it¡¯s much better than I thought.¡± Yoshimoto was of a mind. The more he saw it, the more his heart pounded. On the other hand, he was worried because he heard the price was all up to the seller. Typical wild ginseng would fetch tens of million won, he heard. Hyunwoo began digging the ginseng up with a little twig. Finally, the ginseng showed its face. It was not as big as he expected, its thickness was about that of a thumb, but its roots spread like legs. They were long with lots of sprigs, but its shape was strange. It looked like it had been afflicted with a disease or struck with a parasite. Frowning, Yoshimoto pointed to the rounds clinging to the roots, saying, ¡°What are all these?¡± ¡°It¡¯s called okju, and it only found in wild ginseng. You will fetch a lot of money with this.¡± Yoshimoto¡¯s face hardened again because the word ¡®money¡¯ slipped out his lips again. Does he really give it to me without any price? Can I just pay to the state ording to my conscience? What if I don¡¯t keep the promise? However, Yoshimoto coveted the wild ginseng, and he didn¡¯t want someone else to take it. When he saw it, Haruki¡¯s sick face came to his mind. He was really anxious to take it even if he had to pay 100 million won. Yoshimoto cautiously asked about the price of the ginseng, ¡°By the way, how much would you ask for this kind of ginseng?¡± Only then did Hyunwoo look at him and smiled broadly, as if he already read his mind. Hyunwoo asked back, ¡°How much do you think you have to pay to recover Haruki¡¯s health?¡± Chapter 89

Chapter 89

At that moment, Yoshimoto was greatly surprised because Hyunwoo¡¯s remarks suggested that he wouldn¡¯t give it for the typical price tag. In other words, it clearly showed that he wouldn¡¯t give it away for nothing. Then Hyunwoo continued, ¡°I don¡¯t think we have to trade one¡¯s health for money because that means we¡¯remitting a sin.¡± ¡°What do you mean is...¡± ¡°The price of this ginseng is Haruki¡¯s health. If she can get well after eating this ginseng, it will serve its purpose.¡± Yoshimoto couldn¡¯t get it easily. Rather, he was thinking the opposite. Actually, he was asking Hyunwoo how much he wanted for the ginseng. Now, Yoshimoto asked unambiguously, ¡°Then, how much do I have to pay to you for this ginseng?¡± Hyunwoo shook his head, ¡°I think I mentioned it a little ago. This is not mynd, and the ginseng is not mine. It¡¯s the state-ownednd; thus, it¡¯s state-owned ginseng, so you have to pay to Korea if you want to pay.¡± ¡°But what if I don¡¯t pay even after I promise to pay?¡± Hyunwoo smiled, saying, ¡°As you already expected, I had to do lots of research about you to pull off the current deal, and I found out you¡¯re a very conscientious man. I trust your conscience.¡± Yoshimoto didn¡¯t reply at all. It was too big a gift for Hyunwoo to give it with trust in his conscience alone. ¡°And this ginseng is holy. If you act against your conscience after you take this, that conscience of yours will punish you.¡± Yoshimoto nodded his head, ¡°Got it. I promise. Let me handle it ording to my conscience, and let me review Aurum¡¯s matter ording to my conscience.¡± ¡°I know Aurum¡¯s technical capability is not as good as Art Hill¡¯s, but take this into ount.¡± Yoshimoto¡¯s eyes twinkled, determined to listen to him carefully. ¡°We sent technicians to N&C in Vietnam to improve the quality of its products, and they¡¯re the dream team of Korea¡¯s best technicians in the field.¡± ¡°I know it because I heard the news about it.¡± ¡°Thanks to that, Aurum got lots of benefits, and I think it¡¯s the same for JBC. If Aurum emerges as Art Hill¡¯s rival, it will bring benefits to JBC, too.¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s persuasive, but I¡¯d like to point out one thing. Aurum misses one fundamental thing.¡± ¡°What you mean by ¡®fundamental¡¯ is...¡± ¡°The life of a chair is not in a part like a castor. It¡¯s the health andfortableness of the customer. I know Aurum has improved in the quality of the products in various fields, but you have to keep it in mind that if you don¡¯t improve in the fundamental area, all your efforts are just meaningless.¡± Hyunwoo felt he swallowed a piece of ice at that moment. Yoshimoto clearly touched the core. Aurum missed that fundamental point. Suddenly, Hyunwoo was at a loss for words. Yoshimoto continued, smiling lightly, ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t mean that the quality of Aurum¡¯s products is far behind. Let me contact JBC head office, so they can test Aurum¡¯s products, and I¡¯ll make sure they can ept. Let¡¯s go down, then.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, let¡¯s go down.¡± Hyunwoo suddenly felt alert. What Yoshimoto said was something beyond his control, but he would do his best in his current position. If the deal fell apart despite his best efforts, he would take his hands off without any regret. Hyunwoo wrapped the ginseng with rock moss nearby and put it in an ice box he prepared in advance. As wild ginseng was very sensitive, it needed careful attention while one boils it. In particr, there were a few things to be aware of. First, never use metal. Don¡¯t use a knife because all you need to do is wash it, and if you have to use the knife, it should be a wooden knife. When boiling it, you should never use a metal bowl, but a ss or chinaware. The second was the temperature. The temperature should never go over 100 centigrade. In other words, the ginseng should never be boiled. If it is, the goodponent, including saponin, would be destroyed. The third thing was pressure. Never use high pressure. All herbal medicine allegedly changes its configuration when exposed to pressure, let alone wild ginseng. That¡¯s why Hyunwoo used the traditional method when he boiled down wild ginseng or red ginseng. Yoshimoto could not have known it, so Hyunwoo took it to his hotel and boiled it in person. He boiled water in a ss bowl he brought from home and then cooled it down at 95 centigrade before putting the whole ginseng into it; then, he boiled it again. As the temperature should not go over 100 centigrade, he reduced the gas heat lower than low heat and kept an eye on it. Yoshimoto watched it without leaving his ce. Hyunwoo boiled it for about three hours. At the end, the boiled water was reduced by half. Only then did Hyunwoo turned off heat. ¡°All done. When it cools down, put it in the refrigerator. I attached a memo on how to drink it in my email to you.¡± ¡°Yes, I saw that. It¡¯s prettyplicated. Do you have to drink like that?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not a medical doctor, but what I can say for sure that kind of drinking is much better. If you have to use this, don¡¯t you think you should do your best?¡± ¡°Of course. Thanks so much from the bottom of my heart.¡± Hyunwoo left out of his motel. It¡¯s almost 2 am. ¡°Phew! It was a well-spent day. The thing about the quality of our products... that¡¯s what I can¡¯t do anything about...¡± Hyunwoo headed home lightheartedly, took a nap, and went to work early. Yoshimoto called Aurum early in the morning to say that he was deeply touched by the purchasing team¡¯s devoted efforts, conveying the message that they would formally test Aurum¡¯s products. President Daebong Park sent the sample products to JBC¡¯s head office using the quickest shipping method, and one weekter, he got the test results. It was a regrettable result, but Daebong cheered because of thement below of the test oue. JBC also wished to sign a contract for about $100,000 per year. $100,000 per year was only 0.5% of JBC¡¯s imports from Korea and less than 10% in terms of new products. Moreover, the contents of the contract were even more attractive. JBC said they would transfer some of its technology to Aurum to make up for the sub-quality areas. Daebong immediately brought in Youngsu, the manager of the purchasing team. ¡°Hey, what the heck did you do? How did you make such a big thing like this happen?¡± As he was not aware of the contract, Youngsu felt his heart sank. He okayed it because Yonggu was so enthusiastic about it, but he was nervous all along. Checking out Daebong¡¯s face, however, Youngsu felt the situation was not that bad, and as someone who had quick wits, he immediately understood after checking Daebong¡¯s expression. ¡°Did the contract go well?¡± Instead of replying, Daebong showed him the email. Brightening his face, Youngsu said, ¡°Hahaha, I knew this was gonna happen. See, this is the capability of our purchasing team!¡± ¡°I think you guys deserve a reward. I think the whole purchasing team should have the reward, but there must be someone who deserves the most credit. Who was it?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s Assistant Manager Yonggu. From start to finish, Yonggu did it.¡± ¡°Hummm... Assistant Manager Yonggu Kim. Got it,¡± said Daebong, nodding his head as if he would remember his name. He gave Youngsu thepany card. ¡°Great job. Have a great meal!¡± *** The president of Art Hill fumed. ¡°What the heck is this? Why did you lose our buyer to Aurum? What did the sales team do?¡± The sales team manager was at a loss for words. He was dumbfounded because he felt things would go smoothly as he bribed Oda more than enough. ¡°I just don¡¯t understand the situation. This can¡¯t be happening.¡± ¡°Shut up! Come up with the countermeasure immediately. It will be only a matter of time before we¡¯re being beaten if they begin to take away our customers little by little.¡± ¡°Got it, sir.¡± The sales manager left the president¡¯s office. Left alone in the office, the president was agonizing, frowning deeply, If we let Aurum alone like that, they¡¯re going to squeeze us by the throat. Let me take some strong measures against them. What might be a good idea? *** ¡°Great job, guys. You can leave early today,¡± said Youngsu to his team members. These days Hyunwoo often thought Youngsu changed a lot. Actually, he was changing every day as if he was going to a private academy to be a popr manager. Youngsu stood up from his seat and left the office even before 6 pm. His team members began to leave, so nobody worked through the night that day. Actually, even if they wanted to work all night, they might not feel up to it because they ate and drunk a lot the previous evening thanks to thepany card offered by the president. Even Youngsu, who usually left after the get-together dinner was over, sat with his team members and continued drinking until 2 am. There had only been two of them who left at the end of the party, Sangho Oh and Suji Min. So, all the team members left the office at the same time for the day. Then, suddenly someone was seen running out hurriedly. At a nce, it was some familiar face. ¡°Uh? Looks like Researcher Byungwon, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yea, you¡¯re right. His son seems to be sick again. I just feel bad that he goes to the hospital like that so often,¡± said Yonggu. Hyunwoo remembered talking with Byongwon about his son during the recentpany pic, and he saw his son Mingyu there. Mingyu¡¯s sick body was still vivid in his memories. Suddenly, Haruki came to his mind. Though he had never seen her, she was as fragile and weak as Mingyu. At that moment, he felt guilty. What am I doing now? I should have taken care of someone near me. Oh, I think I was blinded with the sales performance of mypany. Chapter 90

Chapter 90

Hyunwoo came back home after splitting with his team members. However, the faces of Byungwon and his son kept appearing in his mind. He couldn¡¯t focus even if he tried to read books. ¡°Is he sick? He looked very sick when I saw himst...¡± As soon as he went to the office the next morning, he called the research team to check Mingyu¡¯s condition, but Byungwon hadn¡¯te to the office. It looked like his son¡¯s condition was worse than he thought. When he left for the day, Hyunwoo called Byungwon and found out that he was still at the hospital, ¡°How is Mingyu¡¯s condition?¡± ¡°Much better now. He¡¯ll be discharged tomorrow.¡± ¡°Which hospital are you at now?¡± Hyunwoo went straight to Ansan Hospital. As soon as he went into the patient¡¯s room, Mingyu, who had been watching TV, saw himing in. He bowed to Hyunwoo and said, ¡°How are you, uncle?¡± Mingyu¡¯s condition seemed to be better than expected, but Hyunwoo felt guilty seeing him with an IV needle in his wrist which was as lean as a chopstick. Byungwon offered a seat to Hyunwoo, saying ¡°Oh, you didn¡¯t have to go to the trouble ofing here. Please sit here.¡± ¡°Well, I just wanted to see Mingyu. By the way, he seems to get sick often like this,¡± Hyunwoo said with worry. Mingyu replied, ¡°I¡¯m alright now. I¡¯m fully recovered. I¡¯ll be discharged tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°Were you very sick yesterday?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t rememberpletely, but I think I had a high fever.¡± If he couldn¡¯t remember it, it suggested that he had been very sick. ording to Byungwon, his temperature was almost 40 centigrade, but this happened very often. The bigger problem was that he was getting this sick more often. In the past, he got sick like this once every couple of months, but these days he had to visit the hospital because of a high fever almost every month. ¡°What did the doctor say? I think there must be some reason for his illness.¡± Byungwon shook his head, saying ¡± Because he¡¯s too weak. His doctor can¡¯t pinpoint any specific reason.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you take him to a herbal doctor who knows how to feel the pulse for examination? Or get him a pack of restorative herb. I hear there are some people who got recovered by doing that.¡± ¡°Well, I did try that. The restorative herb was expensive with little effect.¡± ¡°It depends on which herbal doctor you visit. Please try to find apetent herbal doctor. I know a good acupuncturist.¡± ¡°Really? Can you give me his information?¡± ¡°Well...he¡¯s very good, but he doesn¡¯t have a license.¡± ¡°Uh? Then, he¡¯s practicing illegally?¡± Scratching his head, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Hahaha. I think I brought up something I shouldn¡¯t have. ¡°No, no. I don¡¯t think a license is that important as long as he¡¯spetent. I know you¡¯re such a great worker, Assistant Manager Jang even though you¡¯ve no college degree. Just do me a favor. Please introduce the acupuncturist to me.¡± Hyunwoo didn¡¯t hesitate because Byungwon insisted. He headed to the stairs where there were few people and called someone with his mobile phone. The phone rang more than ten times, but the other party didn¡¯t pick it up. Obviously, the other party had hearing problems. Finally, he answered. ¡°How are you, sir? This is Hyunwoo speaking.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s voice was so loud that it echoed throughout the stairs. Still, the man couldn¡¯t hear him well. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me, Hyunwoo,¡± said Hyunwoo into the phone at the top of his voice. Only then did he recognize his voice, ¡°Hyunwoo?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Are you avable tomorrow evening?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow evening.¡± ¡°Okay. Buy me a pack of cigarettes when you see me.¡± ¡°Got it, sir. I¡¯ll see you then.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo looked at Byungwon and said, ¡°As he is very old, he can¡¯t hear well. If you can make it, you cane with me there after you leave the office tomorrow.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± The next evening. Byungwon¡¯s car stopped at the alley of a old apartmentplex at the foot of Mt. Kwangduk. Inside the car were Byungwon, Mingyu, and Hyunwoo. Though the car belonged to Byungwon, it was Hyunwoo who got out of the driver¡¯s seat. As the old man¡¯s living space was deep inside the alley, Hyunwoo drove his car in person. Then, Byungwon got into the driver¡¯s seat again, ¡°Wait a minute. If I park my car here, it will cause lots of inconvenience to others. Let me park over there ande back.¡± In the meantime, Mingyu looked closely at his father¡¯s every action. In particr, when Hyunwoo and Byungwon sat in the driver¡¯s seat respectively, MIngyu felt it was interesting for them to adjust the seat and the back of it to their body, and said something surprising, ¡°Isn¡¯t it ufortable for you adjust your seat every time you guys alternate like that?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t help it. Everybody has his ownfortable position.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you have the system memorize each person¡¯s preference by pushing the button? In that case, just a gentle touch on the button automatically adjust the seat and the back of it to the person involved. You don¡¯t have to to go to the trouble of manually adjusting it every time, right?¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo¡¯s jaws were dropping because Mingyu¡¯s idea was terrific. Stroking his son¡¯s head, Byungwon praised him and said, ¡°I think so. You¡¯re so smart, son.¡± Byungwoo wasn¡¯t as surprised as Hyunwoo and wasn¡¯t overzealous to apply for a patent on his idea. Rather, he grinned at Hyunwoo who was stunned. ¡°Well, Mingyu has lots of creative ideas. There are several things he invented in my house.¡± ¡°Invention?¡± ¡°Yea. For example, there is a full-length mirror in my house. If youy it on the floor, it bes the top of a table. When he was the 5th grader at elementary school he said he wanted to make use of a lower table.¡± ¡°Wow! Wonderful! He¡¯s much better than me.¡± It was really great in Hyunwoo¡¯s opinion. How could he think of such a creative idea at that young of age? ¡°Why don¡¯t you apply for a patent quickly?¡± ¡°Well, I did several times, but I was not meticulous enough, so my patent was stolen by somebody, and I didn¡¯t make much money out of that.¡± ¡°Stolen?¡± ¡°As you knowrgepanies are involved in that kind of practice. They steal some of our creative ideas and then make slightly different inventions on their own. There is nothing we can do no matter how strongly we protest.¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo thought of his father¡¯s patent. It was an original concept of new fuel. Big oil refineries initially tried to win his father over, but as my father decided to go it alone, and theypletely destroyed him. They created a new fuel simr to my father¡¯s idea and then applied for a patent. Hearing Byungwon, Hyunwoo felt he ran into the same misfortune like his father. Suddenly, Hyunwoo boiled with rage, but Byungwoo didn¡¯t take it seriously as if he thought that was the reality in the field. ¡°Is this the ce you mentioned?¡± asked Byungwon. ¡°Please follow me.¡± Hyunwoo guided him to the first floor of a very old apartment building, and its owner was a skinny, old man with wrinkled face. Nobody knew the old man¡¯s name, so they called him just Mr. Kong, and Hyunwoo called him ¡°grandfather.¡± When Mr. Kong saw Hyunwoo, he called him aloud, tightening his stomach, ¡°Have you bought cigarettes for me?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Here your cigarettes. Don¡¯t you use hearing aid?¡± said Hyunwoo loudly. ¡°I don¡¯t like them because I feel kind of stuffy with that. Why did you buy a dozen packs of cigarettes instead of just one?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bribe for you.¡± ¡°Bribe?¡± Only then did Kong notice the two persons behind Hyunwoo and slightly stared at him. ¡°Come on in. Did you eat?¡± ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t because I wanted to dine with you.¡± ¡°Shut up! Sit down anyway. Is somebody sick?¡± Mr. Kong alternately looked Byungwon and his son, who looked very sick. Byungwon quickly pushed his son forward, who stepped back as if he was scared of the old man. Smiling at him, Mr. Kong held out his wrinkled hand and said, ¡°Why are you so scared as a man? Give me your hands.¡± He quietly closed his eyes while checking his pulse. Tilting his head a bit, he examined his eyes and tongue carefully. ¡°Done. Get out now.¡± As soon as he was done examining the patient¡¯s pulse, Mr. Kong immediately mentioned the solution. If he felt he needed to apply acupuncture, he did so on the spot. And if the patient needed any herbal medicine, Mr. Kong offered prescriptions for it, but today, he didn¡¯t offer anything. Obviously, his treatment for the patient was different today. Hyunwoo asked worriedly, ¡°How about his condition? Can you offer herbal medicine?¡± ¡°I have no idea, dude. As I¡¯m so old, I can¡¯t even feel the pulse.¡± Hyunwoo thought Mr. Kong was very weird, but there must be some reason why he acted like that, so he didn¡¯t ask further. Instead, he took Byungwon, who was disappointed, and his son outside. ¡°Hey, you stay here. You don¡¯t want to treat me to a meal?¡± ¡°Sure, I will, sir. Pleasee with us.¡± ¡°Let me treat you sir,¡± said Byungwon, stopping walking at the moment, but Mr. Kong refused Byungwon¡¯s kind offer. ¡°No thanks. I won¡¯t receive any favor from a stranger. I¡¯m going to have him treat me. You can leave now. Don¡¯t leave your son in the cold. Keep his abdomen warm all the time.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Byungwon headed home with his son, and Hyunwoo and Mr. Kong went to their favorite restaurant for dinner. Hyunwoo then escorted him back to his house, asking him cautiously, ¡°How about the son¡¯s condition?¡± Only then did Kong open his tightly closed lips, ¡°You can¡¯t cure him with any typical medicine, given his current constitution. He needs some good wild ginseng soup.¡± ¡°Wild ginseng?¡± ¡°Yea, not typical wild ginseng, but top quality wild ginseng.¡± Hyunwoo didn¡¯t ask the reason because Mr. Kong was a very produent person. If he was not confident in his examination, he never pretended to know anything, and Hyunwoo already knew something about the effect of wild ginseng as he used to be a ginseng digger. Though it remained to be seen if the wild ginseng could be the sure remedy for Mingyu, it would not do any harm to him, to say the least. In addition, Hyunwoo knew how to get the wild ginseng. ¡°Got it, sir.¡± Hyunwoo came out of Mr. Kong¡¯s house and began to search his memory. Where did I notice it? Certainly it was ryukgu chonjongsam wild ginseng. I saw it somewhere in the mountain, thought Hyunwoo. He went home and found his parents enjoying strawberries while watching TV. ¡°I¡¯m back.¡± ¡°You said you woulde earlier, but you¡¯rete. Did you have dinner?¡± ¡°Yes. Oh, strawberries.¡± ¡°Try some. Very delicious.¡± Hyunwoo sat down with them and had strawberries, but his father¡¯s expression on his face didn¡¯t look good. Greeting him half-heartedly, his father kept watching TV. At that moment, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Heavens!¡± and quickly ascertained what¡¯s on TV. It was as he expected. There was a report about Singyong Company, one of the top five business groups. Singyong was thergest refinery andmunicationspany in the country. In terms of sales and profits, it was ranked fifth, but it was known as a financially stablepany after Osung Company in terms of cash avability and stability. Its president Munsik Choi was receiving a medal from the president of Korea for making a great contribution to resolve the demand of oil by discovering a huge oil field on the continental shelf of Vietnam. Hyunwoo¡¯s father was firmly clenching his fist holding a fork. Hyunwoo found the TV remote control and changed the channel quickly. Though his father barely controlled his anger, his face was quite flushed. His father used to show such reaction whenever there was a report about Singyong on TV, and Hyunwoo was well aware of the reason. If Hyunwoo were in his father¡¯s shoes, he also would not be able to put up with it. So, his mother didn¡¯t say anything because she knew well no words of hers couldfort him. Hyunwoo went into his room and locked the door. He sat before the desk, and there was a locked drawer beside the chair. It was his treasure box that he took care of the first thing among the moving stuff. Hyunwoo let out a long sigh. Phew! Will I ever have a chance to open it? Maybe it will be hard, but it is not impossible. Until then, he will not give up nor open the drawer rashly. Chapter 91

Chapter 91

Early Saturday morning, Hyunwoo, who went out very early in the morning that day, came back with a bag. His mother asked, smiling, ¡°Are you going to climb a mountain today?¡± ¡°Yes, why don¡¯t youe with me? You don¡¯t have to prepare breakfast for thepany employees, and your assistant Hyunmin is out to visit the House of Happiness today.¡± ¡°¡±Shall I?¡± she said and then headed to her room. She had nothing to prepare because Hyunwoo already had everything ready for an outing. They sometimes enjoyed this kind of outing several times per month. As soon as she was ready, Hyunwoo lifted his father into the minivan. ¡°Where are the seniors?¡± asked his father. ¡°I¡¯ve informed them already. I guess those who want to join us must be there waiting for us.¡± Hyunwoo drove the minivan toward downtown of Ansan city and picked up the seniors waiting for him. Among them was Mr. Kong. Most of them were lonely people who used to be in Hyunwoo¡¯s neighborhood. Hyunwoo took them all almost everytime he went climbing. Their outing ce was not a scenic spot. Usually Hyunwoo searched for the outing ce on the inte and decided, and Hyunwoo¡¯s selection method on the outing ce was consistent. Namly, the kind of mountain where they could find wild ginseng or bellflowers, but today¡¯s destination was different. Hyunwoo had a secret pocketbook in which he took down notes on the location of valuable wild ginseng that he had noticed while going around as a wild ginseng digger for many years. It was like stealing wild ginseng from the state-owned mountains and even illegal. As he got to know more about the mountains and became more familiar with wild ginseng, he began to feel what he had been doing up to then was wrong. In particr, he felt it was like killing a child to dig up young wild ginseng. Since then, he only dug up mature wild ginseng. The most exciting moment he felt as a wild ginseng digger was when he discovered wild ginseng. Discovering it among other grass made him shudder with thrill all over his body. However, wild ginseng was not expensive as expected. Only the kind of wild ginseng called ryukgu(six-stem wild ginseng) or above sold for as much as tens of millions of won. Typical wild ginseng usually sold for less than 1 million won. Because of those thrills and spills, Hyunwoo went to lots of mountains around the country to dig wild ginseng and bellflowers with his parents and the neighborhood seniors. Of course, another purpose of the mountain climbing was to give them the opportunity to travel. Sometimes, Hyunwoo had to dig wild ginseng out of necessity. Just like now when he found someone who badly needed wild ginseng. If Mingyu could recover from his illness after eating wild ginseng, he could repay his debt to the state with much more than the price of the wild ginseng. While the minivan was moving, it was full of the old men¡¯s chattering inside the van. In particr, Sungdaek Kam¡¯s voice was louder than anybody else¡¯s. He had been upset because his grandson ran away from home for several days, and now, his grandson finally came back. ¡°My grandson, Jinhon, sang a song for me, saying heposed it by himself.¡± ¡°Composed a song by himself? He must be pretty talented.¡± ¡°Have you heard about a singer-songwriter? Jinhon is like that. He is a genius.¡± As for Jinhon, Hyunwoo also knew about him. As Sungdaek said, he was very good at singing and writing songs. Though Hyunwoo didn¡¯t know much about music, he felt pretty excited enough to dance with his shoulders, but the name ¡®Jinhon¡¯ brought up an image of someone who was rebellious with blonde hair. He looked like a gangster, though he was not involved in anything bad. While they were chattering andughing, the van arrived at the destination. Hyunwoo collected the wild ginseng he had noticed before while the old men picked wild edible greens. Climbing down the mountain, Hyunwoo went back to Ansan with the old men. Instead of parting ways, they headed to Mr. Kang¡¯s house which had a yard for a dinner get-together. Most of them were lonely with no families to greet them, so Hyunwoo feltfortable to have them together for dinner like that. Around the same time Hyunwoo was treating the old men in the mountain, Sangho Oh was looking at the photos of the album over whisky in his efficiency apartment. Most of the photos showed him with Minhye Park. While he was thumbing through the pages of the album, he again stopped at a photo with Minhye. That photo was taken in the United States. Obviously they were lovers back then. In fact, they were on intimate terms at the time. The more he looked at it, however, the more he smirked and got upset, ¡°Phew, bad girl! How can you betray me like this?¡± He drank another cup of whiskey. As he was drunk already, he felt even more intoxicated and did whatever he wanted to do. He took out the photos from the album and tore Minhye¡¯s face in the photo in pieces. He wanted to have Minhye bitterly regret for not choosing him. The best way was to make her think that she must not lose a guy named Sangho Oh. In the past, Sangho thought his academic pedigree was enough to attract her, but that was not enough. He needed money. Fortunately, the stocks and the real estate he invested in after he came back to Korea was making great returns. However, it was not more than 300 million won. Out of that money he borrowed 200 million won from his father. I need some other way. Suddenly he noticed one photo. It was taken with the purchasing team. In particr, Suji Min¡¯s face captivated his mind among others. Was Suji so beautiful like this? thought Sangho, and hepared it with Minhye¡¯s photo. Minhye was beautiful, but looked like a housemaid right next to a princess. Sangho¡¯s eyes began to shine. ¡°She even looks sexy, and she is allegedly too smart to work for a medium-sizedpany like Aurum. She¡¯s better than Minhye one hundred times.¡± Sangho kept looking at Suji¡¯s photo while sipping whisky. *** Hyunwoo called Byungwon while brewing wild ginseng, saying, ¡°I got the medicine for him. He had better have it on an empty stomach. So, please have him fast until the following evening.¡± Surprised by Hyunwoo¡¯s request, Byungwon asked, ¡°He needs to fast? What the heck is the medicine?¡± Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t tell him that it was wild ginseng, and it was actually very expensive ryukgu wild ginseng because Byungwon would feel it pretty burdened financially. ¡°I don¡¯t know it, either. That old man, Mr. Kong, gave it to me, saying it¡¯s a wonder drug for Mingyu with special instruction on fasting.¡± ¡°Wonder drug? What¡¯s the use of such a drug when Mingyu is so weak?¡± asked Byungwon incredulously. At the moment, Hyunwoo was a bit worried, too, because Byungwon might not take good care of the medicine, thinking it was made by a quack, so Hyunwoo felt it necessary to inform Byungwon more about Mr. Kong. ¡°Mr. Kong has cured several children with the same symptoms as Mingyu. They were as weak as Mingyu, but their constitution was changed in just one month after they took the medicine. Just trust him.¡± ¡°Really? Is he such a great herbal doctor? Then, his medicine must be very expensive.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Mr. Kong doesn¡¯t receive the money for it. When Mingyu recovers wellter, just go and say hello to him.¡± ¡°Wow! What a nice person!¡± Byungwon eximed. In fact, Mr. Kong lived in retirement for long. He did cure some children with acupuncture, who could not get treatment at the hospital. ¡°He looks shabby, but he¡¯s an entric person. Anyway, have Mingyu refrain from eating. Let me give you the medicine at the office tomorrow.¡± ¡°Thanks so much. Let me pay back your big favor for me.¡± ¡°Not me, but Mr. Kong.¡± ¡°Of course, will do.¡± Late afternoon the next day, Hyunwoo gave Byungwon the medicine. Byungwon took it cautiously as if it were a gold bar. ¡°Is this medicine so good?¡± ¡°Though he doesn¡¯t have any license, he is a terrific person. He saved several dying children. So, just trust him and do as instructed.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Byungwon¡¯s eyes twinkled when he looked at it. ¡°Mr. Kong says this medicine changes one¡¯s constitution. In other words, changing weak constitution to strong one, so Mingyu should take the medicine between 5:30 and 7 o¡¯clock in the morning.¡± ¡°Between 5:30 and 7 in the morning? Does it have anything to do with Mingyu¡¯s constitution?¡± One¡¯s constitution changes twice a day, once at 12am and again at sun rise. Based on this timing, one¡¯s constitution changes to one fit for sleep and another one for activities, so the effect of wild ginseng is best when one makes good use of this time. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t know well. Mr. Kong has said that Mingyu should take the medicine during that designated time by all means to experience the effect of medicine.¡± ¡°Got it. Let me do as instructed.¡± ¡°There are several points you have to keep in mind. I¡¯ve taken notes as it¡¯s hard to memorize them all.¡± Hyunwoo handed him a piece of paper which contained the same message he had sent to Yoshimoto. When Byungwon looked at it, there was a list of foods to avoid at the top such as coffee, meat, milk and mung beans, and there were some other foods to avoid that Byungwon couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°Mingyu should avoid even beans? Seaweed? Then, what food should Mingyu eat?¡± ¡°Well, just ordinary rice with boiled bean sprouts, kimchi and fish, etc.¡± ¡°You mean, he has to avoid the food until he takes the medicine to the end?¡± Byungwon seemed skeptical about it, thinking his son might suffer if that medicine proves ineffective. ¡°Who knows if Mingyu can change his constitutionpletely by taking this medicine? What¡¯s certain is that it won¡¯t do any harm to your son. He¡¯s going to be definitely better than now. Mingyu has been given a chance to get well. Why don¡¯t you give it try?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± said Byungwon. ¡°Then, just trust him and do as instructed. Maybe there will be a miracle. Mingyu might have some side effects. ¡°Side effects?¡± ¡°Nothing particr. Medicine like this makes one feel dizzy, high fever, no sleep or too much sleep, diarrhea or get fuzzy. Byungwon began to get nervous again to heart that, saying, ¡°I¡¯m scared. What the heck is this medicine? What should I do if Mingyu develops such side effects?¡± ¡°Well, that means his constitution is changing very rapidly. He¡¯ll get better soon, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Byungwon nodded his head, but he was still cautious, but Hyunwoo was confident. He had never heard about any adverse effect of wild ginseng. ¡°Please don¡¯t feed Mingyu in the evening and have him take the medicine on the empty stomach as much as possible. That way he will be able to absorb the active ingredients of the medicine. You can have him take the medicine for ten days like that.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°He say this is very hard to get, and he says he was very fortunate to get it, so let him drink it to thest drop. Oh, don¡¯t use any metal cup when you give it to him.¡± ¡°Metal? Okay, got it.¡± Kang Byungwon wrote down the paper Hyunwoo¡¯s special instruction. ¡°Are you sure this is free?¡± asked Byungwon. ¡°I told you already about him. He¡¯s an entric person. He doesn¡¯t treat a person for money.¡± ¡°Oh, I understand!¡± Chapter 92

Chapter 92

The next morning while Hyunwoo was getting ready to go to work, his mobile phone buzzed. ¡°Who the hell is calling me at this early hour? Oh, it must be brother Kang Byungwon.¡± Suddenly, Hyunwoo began to worry because his early call like this suggested something unusual happened. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Hello?¡± ¡°Mr. Jang, what the heck is this medicine? Looks like something is wrong with Mingyu.¡± It seemed Byungwon was calling him while running, ¡°Why? What¡¯s the matter with him?¡± ¡°After taking the medicine, he suddenly fell down,ining he felt dizzy.¡± ¡°Fell down?¡± ¡°What the heck is this medicine?¡± asked Byungwon in a furious tone. Given that he usually didn¡¯t call Hyunwoo, Byungwon¡¯s call showed how embarrassed he was at the moment, but Hyunwoo was calm because he knew why Mingyu fell down. ¡°I told you already that Mingyu might feel dizzy as his constitution is changed by taking the medicine. So, it¡¯s nothing to worry about,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°How can I stay calm when Mingyu falls down like that?¡± rebuked Byungwon in an angry tone. Though Hyunwoo did something good for his son, he now found himself rebuked by Byungwon, but Hyunwoo could fully understand his mind. As he had only one son, it was so natural that he got enraged like that. Hyunwoo told him again in a calm tone, ¡°That¡¯s a normal side effect, and he will wake up quite soon. So, please rest assured.¡± However, Byungwoo was screaming at him and suddenly hung up the phone. Scratching his head, Hyunwoo murmured, ¡°I wish I had emphasized about that side effect.¡± After a bit of agonizing, Hyunwoo sent him a text message. Byungwon was absent-minded. He took him to an emergency room and pressed on the duty doctors by saying, ¡°Something is wrong with my son Mingyu.¡± The doctors at the emergency room enjoyed perfect peace. A young doctor asked in afortable voice, ¡°What do you think is wrong with him?¡± ¡°He took a strange medicine, and fell down,ining about dizziness.¡± ¡°Strange medicine? What is it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s like yellow water. Someone with no medical license gave it to me, saying it¡¯s good for Mingyu. I had my son take it, believing his words that the medicine posed no harm at all...¡± It looked like Byungwon was ready to cry at any moment, but he controlled it, with his teeth set. The duty doctor examined Mingyu with a stethoscope carefully, checking his pulse and blood pressure, and tilted his head, saying ¡°I don¡¯t see anything wrong with him. He¡¯s just sleeping at the moment.¡± ¡°Any poisoned food or toxic substance?¡± ¡°Not at all. Maybe he will slowly show reaction to the medicine he has taken, so let¡¯s see how he reacts. By the way, what is the medicine? I can prepare properly if I know its substance when he shows some reaction...¡± ¡°Let me call my friend about it then.¡± Byungwon opened his mobile phone to call Hyunwoo, where he found Hyunwoo¡¯s text message. Chapter 93 ¡°Oh, nice to meet you,¡± said Suji¡¯s mother with a bright smile. But her tone sounded unnatural, as if she was forcibly pulling out her tongue. He behavior was also strange as if half her body was frozen. Suji shook the dust off her clothes and said, ¡°Are you okay, mom?¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright. I slightly fell because of this stupid leg of mine.¡± ¡°Why did youe out like this? It¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°I just felt stuffy in the room, and I have to workout to get well quickly.¡± ¡°What about the daddy?¡± A bit upset, Suji asked casually but immediately regretted asking about her father. On a weekend like today, his father obviously was not at home. Maybe he woulde back home after midnight, or he might spend the whole night in his research room. She just felt upset when she thought of her father. To him research, not family, mattered the most. He didn¡¯t have any remarkable achievements, but he was totally focused on the research nobody appreciated. In the past, he used to leave the office early for dinner with the family. These days, however, she never saw his face as he spent most of his time in his research room at the university. The reason Suji¡¯s mother was struck by cerebral infarction had something to do with this. Unable to ovee the stress while taking care of her husband, she fell with cerebral infarction. Nheless, he didn¡¯t change. Three years ago when she was struck by that disease, he seemed to be loyal to his family, but he deserted it in about two months. Suji felt bitter towards him, but couldn¡¯t reveal her real intention. The more she revealed such feelings, the more it would make her mother feel heavy and sad, so she didn¡¯t say anything about her father, which she thought would be better for her mother. Controlling her emotion, she said softly, ¡°That¡¯s why I told you not to overdo yourself. Were you injured at all?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m alright.¡± She smiled a forcible smile, which made Suji¡¯s heart ache all the more. Suji wished her mother would express her true feelings freely, which would at least help her get rid of her stress, but her mother just put up with everything and hid her feelings, thinking that¡¯s good for her family. ¡°Let¡¯s go inside, mom.¡± ¡°Let me walk around the neighborhood first.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s too dangerous.¡± ¡°I just feel stuffy at home. I¡¯m alright now,¡± said her mother stubbornly. Sangho took side with her, ¡°I agree. Why don¡¯t you allow her to take a walk? Let me help her.¡± Suji felt upset towards him, not thankful because she felt as if she had aired dirty linen in public, but she couldn¡¯t oppose in front of her mother. ¡°You said you had an appointment, didn¡¯t you?¡± asked Suji. ¡°Yes, but I still have some time left,¡± said Sangho, helping her mother take a walk. Suji followed them reluctantly. Without knowing Suji¡¯s true feeling, her mother weed Sangho as if he was her boyfriend. And Sangho tried to get in the spirit, chatting with her along the way as if they¡¯re talking between mother-inw and son-inw. Was that the reason? She started talking about her daughter Suji in detail without any hesitation. ¡°Oh, really? Actually Suji chose to get a job at a middle-sizedpany because she was not capable enough, but because of me.¡± ¡°Because of you?¡± ¡°As I¡¯m sick like this, she was looking for a job near my house, and that workce was Aurum.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Thanks to her, Sangho could learn lots of things about Suji. Actually, she lived in a luxury apartment where there were many expensive cars parked in the parking lot, most of which were foreign cars. Looks like she is financially stable. Except for her father¡¯s background, Suji was much better than Minhye in every way. The more he thought so, the more he tried to curry favor with her mother. Following the two, Suji was hearing what they were chatting about, and she wished her mother would go home now, but she was persistent as if she was obsessed with walking. Once one was struck by cerebral infarction, it¡¯s impossible to recover again. Her doctor said as her condition was serious, it would be impossible for her to recover enough to walk again, but her extraordinary efforts helped her recover enough to walk back without a cane. Actually, she was a very cheerful woman, and before she was struck by cerebral infarction, she was much better than her father in social activities. She wanted to travel with her mother if she could, but her mother refused it, saying she didn¡¯t want it. The reason was simple. You have to get a boyfriend and think about getting married. If you spend weekends with me, when are you going to date someone? Though Suji said that didn¡¯t matter, she could not ovee her obstinacy. Since then she¡¯s never went on a trip during the weekend. Rather, she could not. Suji let out a sigh without her mother noticing it. Her mother took a walk for 30 minutes, and only then did Sangho disappear, pushed by Suji. Back home, Suji sighed deeply, Phew. I just feel sorry mom feels so stuffy at home. I wish I could take her on an outing during the weekend. Then, she opened her eyes wide because she could think of someone she knew who enjoyed going on mountain climbing during the weekend. ¡°Yes, brother Hyunwoo is the right person!¡± Suji shouted before she knew it. Mrs. Kong¡¯s eyes opened wide at that because she had never heard Suji mentioning a man¡¯s name. However, not only the name Sangho but also Hyunwoo came out of her lips today. And she was so happy to hear that because she wanted her daughter Suji to get a boyfriend as soon as possible. ¡°Hyunwoo? Who is that person?¡± ¡°He is my colleague who belongs to the same team at thepany,¡± said Suji, with a smile. ¡°Oh, I see,¡± said Suji¡¯s mother, disappointedly, as if she had a poor opinion of the male employees at Aurum. Of course, Sangho was an Aurum employee, but he has a degree from a famous US college. Then, he might have some reason to get a job at Aurum just like Suji. Most of the employees at Aurum got hired there because they were notpetent enough to get a job atrgepanies, and the fact that Suji called Hyunwoo ¡°brother¡± suggested he was not that superior to her in rank at the office. Mrs. Kong didn¡¯t want her daughter to get a boyfriend like him. In terms of ability, beauty and even character, Suji was the best bride in her mother¡¯s mind. Thus, her bridegroom should befit her. Mrs. Kong asked cautiously, ¡°Do you have a boyfriend?¡± ¡°No, mom. You¡¯re asking the same question whenever I mention a man¡¯s name,¡± said Suji, and her mother who looked relieved. Suji felt disappointed at her mother¡¯s change of expression on her face. Actually, she was greatly disappointed when she heard Daebong Park, the president of Aurum, thought of his academic background as the most important factor in searching for the candidate for her daughter. How can Daebong judge a man by his academic background? Mrs. Kong was not much different from Daebong in that respect. However, Suji had a different view of men, and of Hyunwoo in particr. Of course she was little different from her mother initially. She had some fixed ideas of those with ¡®high school diploma¡¯ before she knew it, but while she worked with Hyunwoo as a colleague for more than one year and six months, she broke her fixed ideapletely. Hyunwoo was much better than Sangho who got a degree from a first-rate US college, not to mention those with typical college degrees. Maybe she could think outside the box because of Hyunwoo. She thought her mom could do away with stereotypes if she met Hyunwoo directly and watched him for some time. When she thought as far as that, Suji suddenly felt spirited, Okay, that¡¯s the solution. The thing was whether Hyunwoo could ept her mother. After Suji and her mother took a walk, they went back into their apartment, but Suji came out again so her mother could not hear her conversation over the phone. She called Hyunwoo. *** Early the next morning, the roaring sound of a 15-seater minivan filled he air. Hyunwoo drove the van around the city of Ansan to pick up the old men squatting on the roadside, but the van kept circling around the city to pick up someone else. ¡°Are you going to pick up some others?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve got one more to pick up, sir.¡± The van finally stopped in front of a luxurious apartmentplex. Suji and her mother, who were waiting at the entrance, came toward the van. Helped by Hyunwoo, they got in the van. Once inside the van, Suji¡¯s mother was surprised to see many old men with wrinkled faces. Among them were Hyunwoo¡¯s parents who looked a bit younger than the others, but even they were older than Suji¡¯s mother. The van was almost full of the seniors. They stared in wonder at Suji¡¯s mother, as if they were looking at interesting toys. ¡°Who are you,dy?¡± ¡°Is she your daughter?¡± ¡°She¡¯s so lovely. She just looks like her mom.¡± Only then did Suji and her mother introduce themselves to them hesitantly. They were pretty much voluble, and they were anxious to chat about anything. Naturally, Suji and her mother were their easy targets. As there were so many who initiated conversation with Suji and her mother that they were just absent-minded, responding to non-stop questions. Even some of them were reaching out their hands to both while talking. ¡°Wow, how beautiful you are! You remind me of my younger days. You¡¯re so pretty dressed up, too,¡± said one old man to Suji. ¡°I couldn¡¯t agree more. So beautiful. Can I touch your hand?¡± asked another. Some touched Suji¡¯s hands, and others touched her mother¡¯s. Both of them were embarrassed, but found their behavior interesting because there was no malice on their faces. It felt as if Suji and her mother moved to a country vige in the old days. Suji was beautiful, but her mother, Mrs. Kong, was much more beautiful when young. She had been not only a fashion designer but also a fashion model when she was young. However, after she got married, she stopped her fashion activities and only focused on fashion design as her hobby. Once her design works were very popr, she made lots of money. After she was struck by cerebral infarction, she stopped all activities, but recently she began to resume little by little, but she couldn¡¯t produce any nice work because she could not think of any good inspiration like before. While they¡¯re chattering away, the van arrived at the roadside of a vige in Umsung county, North Chungchong Province. Hyunwoo found a suitable ce and spread the mats. Just like before Hyunwoo started climbing the mountain, Suji followed him closely, ¡°I¡¯d like to go with you.¡± Stunned, Hyunwoo looked at Suji. Chapter 94

Chapter 94

Suji was fully dressed in hiking clothes, wearing hiking boots and an alpine cap. It looked as if she was determined to climb with him the moment she left home. But Hyunwoo shook his head, ¡°I trek along the unbeaten path in the mountain, so it will be hard for you to follow me. And you should take care of your mother out here.¡± ¡°Well, I see there are no dangerous routes here, and I¡¯m very good at climbing. Actually I¡¯ve climbed all the famous mountains across the country,¡± replied Suji. Nheless, he didn¡¯t allow her toe with him. Of course, she might be a great mountaineer, but the problem was there were only two of them in the mountain. The old men as well as his parents kew well which mountain path Hyunwoo is going to take. How would they think of them if Hyunwoo climbed the mountain with such a beautiful woman? If they were a couple known, it wouldn¡¯t matter. Otherwise, it would invite misunderstanding. Grinning at her, Hyunwoo whispered to her in a low voice, ¡°If you¡¯re going to marry me, follow me. If you¡¯re not, don¡¯t. I don¡¯t want to be misunderstood.¡± Only then did Suji¡¯s expression turn into one of understanding. Her blush suggested that she was imagining both of them staying in the mountain. Leaving her behind like that, Hyunwoo began climbing the mountain. This time he found a wild ginseng with four stems. Although it was still sunny, with Chusok holiday around the corner, Hyunwoo felt the wind was chilly and even more so on the mountain. Though such a chilly wind didn¡¯t matter to Hyunwoo, the old men as well as Hyunwoo¡¯s parents and Suji¡¯s mother might catch a cold if exposed to cold wind, which might lead to a serious illness. Hyunwoo came down from the mountain earlier than usual that day. He could hear loudughter bursting from the seniors there. When he approached, Mrs. Kong didn¡¯t feel awkward any more and mingled well with them. Suji alone was having a hard time, running little errands for them. When Hyunwoo joined them, the old men felt it regrettable he came back early. ¡°Why did youe down so early today?¡± ¡°It¡¯s only 4pm.¡± ¡°Well, the wind is chilly, You might catch a cold,¡± replied Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo quickly cleaned the ce and headed home. By the time they arrived at Hyunwoo¡¯s house, it was getting dark. Today, Hyunwoo hosted them for dinner at his house. He had to chance to treat them when he was living in an apartment, but since he moved to the country house, he brought them to his house for dinner often. Contrary to their expectation, Suji¡¯s mother disyed diligence though she was physically ufortable. Suji followed her with an uneasy look. Hyunwoo¡¯s mother and Hyunwoo continuously tried to dissuade her from doing so, but she insisted. Suji let out a sigh at that, but Hyunwoo came to her and lightly tapped her shoulder with his slyly, saying, ¡°Why are you sighing like that?¡± Suji smiled at him briefly and then pouted her lips, ¡°Because of mom. She is so stubborn like that.¡± ¡°Well, I think she is better than a weak-willed person. Ande to think of it, she seems to enjoy doing that.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. Before she was sick, she did lots of voluntary activities.¡± ¡°Oh, did she? Great.¡± ¡°She is now physically ufortable as you see,¡± said Suji with a sigh again. ¡°I think it¡¯s better for the mind to be at ease than the body. Don¡¯t make your mom ufortable by sighing like that. Try massaging her legs in the evening in appreciation of what she did today and your mother will be doubly happy.¡± ¡°Do you think so? Hohoho,¡± said Suji with a bright smile this time. As soon as they had dinner, Hyunwoo¡¯s mother wrapped the leftovers in foil and handed some to everyone including Suji¡¯s mother. Watching her generously wrapping them, Hyunmin, her helper, seemed to be nervous, but she grinned at him and said, ¡°We¡¯re using old ingredients anyway. We can use new ingredients by emptying the old ones now.¡± Hyunwoo gave the seniors as well as Suji and her mother a ride back home and tomorrow¡¯s schedule. ¡°Tomorrow, we¡¯re going to an alternative school instead of a pic. As we leave at 10 am tomorrow, please wait for me in advance if you want to join.¡± Then, Suji¡¯s mother cautiously asked, ¡°Which alternative school are you talking about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s called the School of Dream. It¡¯s near Dongansan University. They¡¯re going to have an exhibition at the campus.¡± ¡°Oh my god...¡± ¡°Really?¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s mention of Dongansan University surprised Suji and her mother at the moment. ¡°Why¡¯re you so much surprised?¡± ¡°Not really. My husband works there.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good. If he doesn¡¯t have any appointments, he mighte out to see the exhibition.¡± When Hyunwoo noticed the embarrassed expression on their faces, and he felt there might be some hidden story behind them. Hyunwoo quickly changed the topic, saying, ¡°If he is busy, he doesn¡¯t have toe, of course. Give me a call tomorrow morning, Suji.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Hyunwoo dropped Suji and her mother off in front of their apartmentst. Suji¡¯s mother expressed thanks to Hyunwoo continuously, ¡°Thanks so much for today.¡± ¡°You¡¯re very wee. If you want to go to an outing like this, please go ahead and call. Looks like the old men like you very much.¡± ¡°Hoho. Thanks.¡± Hyunwoo drove the minivan back home. ¡°Hyunwoo seems to have a very warm character.¡± ¡°You bet. He¡¯s pretty well-known as a fine person at thepany,¡± said Suji. Somehow Suji felt good as if she was praised when someone praised him like that, and her mother seemed to have noticed it, too, but that made her feel uneasy for fear Suji might love him. Atst, she said, ¡°You should know this, Suji. A man is not necessarily a good candidate as your bridegroom just because he is kind-hearted. In my mind, he might be a good person but as your bridegroom, Sangho Oh seems to be a better fit.¡± ¡°Oh my god. I¡¯m not interested in either of them,¡± said Suji, grumbling. Suji wanted to show her Hyunwoo¡¯s true character, namely his good character andpetence. Suddenly, it came to her mind that she was thinking about something strange. Why am I so anxious to show her Hyunwoo¡¯s true character? Come to think of it, she felt unusually good whenever Hyunwoo was praised and felt bad when someone appraised him badly. She felt she must have some special feelings toward him. Smiling to herself, she thought, I think I haven¡¯t dated anyone for too long. Watching her daughter quietly, she felt that Suji was thinking about Hyunwoo. Though Suji said she was not interested in him, obviously she was. I think I have find out more about Hyunwoo, Suji¡¯s mother thought to herself. Suddenly, she recalled the card Sangho gave her. She also gave her card to him. They all work at the same office, ording to Sangho. Let me call him to find more about Hyunwoo then. ¡°Mom, what are you thinking about?¡± asked Suji. ¡°Uh? Nothing. What did you ask?¡± ¡°Are you going to the alternative school tomorrow?¡± ¡°Oh, alternative school? Sure, I¡¯ll. Hohoho,¡± replied she, who seemed happy, just looking at her daughter¡¯s face. *** ¡°Please don¡¯t tickle me like that!¡± A bar hostess started whining, twisting around. Sangho liked that kind of charming whining, and he liked the hostess¡¯s appearance. She said she was a college student, but looked like a high school girl, and her body was lean but plump enough to attract Sangho. Above all, she acted charming with lots of smiles. Sometimes, she put out an air of ingenuous beauty, which Sangho liked. Minhye was intellectual but icy somehow, so he felt this kind of woman was much better. Sangho aggressively began touching her body. Releasing his hold on her bosom, he tried to get between her thighs after touching her waist. She twisted her body all the more, but her eyes were full of excitement. ¡°Are you going to turn me on again?¡± said the hostess. ¡°Shall we have sex again?¡± ¡°Wow. You¡¯re too energetic. Can you do it twice without stopping?¡± ¡°I think I can do it with you.¡± Sangho used his hands to turn her on before having sex with her again. The hostess initially whined but soon gave way, allowing him to have his way with her body to him while moaning. At that moment, his phone buzzed spoiling his pleasure. ¡°Don¡¯t pick up the phone, honey,¡± said the hostess. ¡°Shall I?¡± said Sangho, reaching for his phone. He was going to throw it after checking the caller, but the caller was Suji¡¯s mother, and Sangho pushed her off hisp to pick up the phone. He put his finger on his lips, telling the hostess to shut up. ¡°This is an important call, so be quiet.¡± Sangho answered the phone in a cheerful voice, as if he was at home. Mrs. Kong, Suji¡¯s mother, seemed to have a very good opinion of Sangho. Exchanging greetings with him, she tried to promote Suji again as if she wished they could be a good couple. Sangho chimed in with her, saying ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ve been in Korea for about two years, and Suji is the best woman that I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± She seemed very satisfied to hear that. Then she mentioned Hyunwoo. Sangho felt the reason she called him was because of Hyunwoo. ¡°What kind of person is he? Do you know what kind of rtionship he has with Suji?¡± Sangho¡¯s lip slightly curled back. In fact, he wanted to make Suji his girlfriend but started to feel Hyunwoo was a stumbling block before he knew it. He even felt Suji was interested in Hyunwoo. Ande to think of it, Hyunwoo was a stumbling block to him in everything, including his promotion and Minhye Park. And now he emerged as an obstacle to winning Suji¡¯s heart. He didn¡¯t want to lose her to Hyunwoo, and he felt he could easily win her heart if he tried. Fortunately, Suji¡¯s mother was on his side. That would make things easier, he thought. ¡°Oh, are you asking about Hyunwoo? He is a very good person. Very sociable and very good character, but I wish he was less greedy about women.¡± ¡°Greedy about women?¡± ¡°Oops! I just don¡¯t know why I¡¯m saying this to you. Please forget what I have told you now. I am not the type of person to nder others by nature.¡± ¡°Oh, please tell me about him. As mother of Suji, I¡¯m qualified to hear as you know.¡± Mrs. Kong persuaded him earnestly, saying she wanted to find out more about Hyunwoo on behalf of Suji. Sangho hesitated until he felt it was the right time to talk. And then he opened his mouth, pretending not to resist, ¡°Then you should keep it to yourself. I really don¡¯t want to talk about Chapter 95

Chapter 95

Sangho began to speak ill of Hyunwoo. The heart of the matter was his rtionship with Minhye Park. Sangho said it wasn¡¯t Minhye but Hyunwoo who was trying to tempt the other party, and that Hyunwoo¡¯s ultimate goal was to marry Minhye and take over Aurum. Mrs. Kong was stunned to hear that, ¡°Really? Is he that kind of person?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not saying he is a bad man. He could be greedy, but the thing is he is meeting other girls.¡± ¡°Other girls?¡± ¡°Yea, it seems he has a mistress. He is good in every way, but his rtionship with women is not that clean.¡± Sangho let out a sigh as if he felt regret about Hyunwoo¡¯ rtionship with women. Mrs. Kong hung up the phone, expressing thanks to Sangho for such a tip about Hyunwoo. After the call, Sangho felt all the more resentful towards Hyunwoo. In fact, Minhye was too good for such a high-school graduate like Hyunwoo. And now he was trying to win Suji¡¯s heart, Sangho thought. ¡°This kind of jerk will get his own head screwed on only after he gets his fingers burned.¡± *** The next morning, dressed up, Mrs. Kong and Suji waited for Hyunwoo¡¯s minivan to arrive. They were ready to go out, timed with the arrival of his van. While waiting quietly, Mrs. Kong suddenly asked, ¡°Suji. Don¡¯t you have a rtionship with Hyunwoo? I suspect you like him.¡± ¡°No way, mom. Don¡¯t you trust your daughter?¡± asked Suji, leering at her cutely. Mrs. Kong let out a sigh of relief and said, ¡°I¡¯m relieved to hear that. I hear he has a good rtionship with the daughter of the president of yourpany.¡± Suji¡¯s eyes opened wider at that. Actually, she knew something about it when Sangho told her the other day. Initially, she felt it was not true, but Sangho mentioned it so confidently and the way Hyunwoo and Minhye interacted at the recent pic gave such an impression. What¡¯s more surprising was her mother¡¯s mention of the rumor about Hyunwoo. She only mentioned Hyunwoo to her mother for the first time yesterday, but her mother already knew about the rumor about Hyunwoo¡¯s rtionship with Minhye in one day. Suddenly she recalled someone, asking her mother, ¡°Did you call brother Sanghost night?¡± Mrs. Kong was stunned by Suji¡¯s asking, but immediately calmed down and said, ¡°What? No, I didn¡¯t. Why should I call him about that? I know someone who¡¯s familiar with the situation of Aurum, so I asked him, who told me about Hyunwoo and Minhye.¡± Suji nodded her head, but she felt something doubtful. She wanted to ask her who that person her mother said she knew was, but at that moment, Hyunwoo called her. ¡°He just got here. Let¡¯s go out.¡± Helped by her daughter, Mrs. Kong went out and found Hyunwoo¡¯s van waiting outside. Inside the van were the seniors they went together to the outing yesterday. The grannies were voluble, as expected. They were busy chattering about everything. When someone brought up a certain topic, everyonepeted to gossip about it. Then someone casually mentioned Hyunwoo. In fact, when they were in the van, they often said appreciative words about Hyunwoo, and that there was a beautifuldy Suji in the van. So, they naturally began to talk about both of them, expressing wishes of making a good couple. ¡°Looks like they would make a handsome couple. Excellent match!¡± ¡°I totally agree. What a fantastic asion it is! Hey, try to hit it off together.¡± Hyunwoo and Suji neither confirmed nor denied. If they showed any reaction, that would invite more gossip from them, so they just smiled. When Hyunwoo and Suji didn¡¯t show any reaction, they then turned to Jisuk, Hyunwoo¡¯s mother and Mrs. Kong, but Jisukshowed a simr reaction by saying, ¡°Well, that¡¯s what they have to decide for themselves. These days, we parents don¡¯t have any say.¡± ¡°Do you like her as your daughter-inw?¡± asked one granny. ¡°Of course. Where could I find such a kind-hearted candidate as my daughter-inw?¡± said Jisuk. Satisfied with her reply, the grannies began asking Mrs. Kong, but she didn¡¯t feel easy. She didn¡¯t want to have Suji tangled in Hyunwoo¡¯splicated rtionship with women, but she could not speak ill of Hyunwoo in front of them. So, she changed the atmosphere by changing the topic to Hyunwoo himself. ¡°Don¡¯t press on me like that. I hear Hyunwoo has a good rtionship with the daughter of the president of Aurum.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Oh my god! I didn¡¯t know that.¡± The grannies showed explosive reaction to Mrs. Kong¡¯s reply. Hyunwoo was also surprised a bit. Aurum employees could misunderstand the situation, but it was really something unexpected that even Mrs. Kong talked about such groundless rumors. ¡°What happened? Are you dating?¡± ¡°Did you meet her parents?¡± ¡°You should have told us about it earlier. I wasted my time spreading the word that I knew a very suitable bridegroom.¡± The old women in the van were gossiping about the rumor about Hyunwoo and Minhye. Now, checking out the atmosphere, Hyunwoo could not sit idle because there might spread further groundless rumors that he¡¯s going to get married to Minhye next month. ¡°That¡¯s not true. I have no rtionship with her. They misunderstood and spread false rumors about me and her,¡± said Hyunwoo. Nheless, they didn¡¯t believe him. They just thought Hyunwoo said so just to avoid the awkward situation. Even Hyunwoo¡¯s parents looked suspiciously at him. Hyunwoo was sweating in agony because of their queries. Watching Hyunwoo struggling to answer, Mrs. Kong became more convinced, determined to protect her daughter. Hummm.. I won¡¯t allow Suji to follow me next time. It was easy. If Suji insisted on following her, she would not join the outing group. Actually, she was determined to do so. Though it was pleasant to go to the outing with the seniors, she didn¡¯t want to destroy her daughter¡¯s life because of that. In the meantime, Hyunwoo drove his van toward arge supermarket, so that he could buy lots of snacks for them. He also bought some flowers and choctes as gifts. The exhibition at Seoul Imaging College that Hyunwoo and the senior visited before was hosted by its students as an annual event, so the students prepared the event very well, including their reception of the guests. However, the exhibition at the School of Dream, the alternative school they were now visiting was hosted by middle school students, and the preparation was poor. That¡¯s why Hyunwoo stopped by the supermarket to buy the necessary stuff for the event. After the purchase, Hyunwoo got back on the bus and drove the van to the campus of Dongansan University. There were lots of guests already at the exhibition, about 70 including the students and their parents. As Hyunwoo, Suji and the seniors visited the exhibition as arge group, many others on the campus gathered, making the event a great sess. Hyunwoo took out lots of snacks including cookies and choctes worth about 300,000 won. Each of the seniors grabbed one or two snacks they liked and sat on the grassfortably. ¡°Wow~ The grass is so soft!¡± ¡°The weather is warm, and I¡¯m d I¡¯vee here!¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s parents didn¡¯t pay much attention to the exhibition. Instead, Hyunwoo¡¯s mother looked around the beautiful campus, pushing her husband¡¯s wheelchair here and there. Hyunwoo momentarily thought of following them, but stopped. At that moment, Byungwon found Hyunwoo and said hi, ¡°Hey, I¡¯m here, Hyunwoo. Oh, Suji is here too.¡± When Hyunwoo turned to him, Byungwon was with Mingyu, his son. Stroking his head, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Looking good, Mingyu. How are you these days?¡± ¡°Well, I haven¡¯t gone to a hospital since then,¡± replied Mingyu with a bright smile. Excited and spritely, Byungwon said, ¡°Mingyu has be very healthy. I owe it all to you, Hyunwoo.¡± Byungwon grabbed his hands firmly. Then, he found Suji following behind. Suddenly, Byungwon felt something strange. Why were they spending time together during the weekend when they work at the same office every day? And when he looked at someone next to Suji, he noticed a middle-aged woman looking like Suji. Obviously, she was Suji¡¯s mother. Looking at Hyunwoo and Suji alternately, Byungwon smiled in satisfaction as if he knew about their rtionship. Hyunwoo also noticed Byungwon¡¯s smile and seemed to know why he was smiling. At that moment, Hyunwoo thought about asking him not to misunderstand but stopped. Whether he denied his rtionship with her or not, it would invite more spection and gossip. Instead, Hyunwoo located a ce for the seniors to watch the exhibition taking ce in one corner of the campus. Suji moved with him as if it was only natural she did so, but Mrs. Kong held Suji¡¯s hand and followed her. As she was really physically ufortable, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t feel strange about Mrs. Kong¡¯s act. Byungwon and Mingyu guided them around the works with a detailed exnation about each of the works. At that moment, Suji, walking infort along with Hyunwoo, stopped on the spot as if her body froze. Standing right next to her, Hyunwoo turned to her side. She was looking at somebody, much surprised, and then murmured to herself, ¡°Oh, daddy.¡± ¡°Your Dad?¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide. Suddenly, Hyunwoo turned his head to the ce Suji was pointing to. There he found a handsome middle-aged gentleman, who hadn¡¯t yet discovered Suji. Folding his hands behind his back, he was looking at each of the works carefully. Sometimes he massaged and swung his neck, and kept pressing on the middle of the forehead as if his vision was blurry. His clothes were shabby, his hair untidy and beard thick. It looked as if he took a brief rest after several days of working day and night. And he cast a nce at Suji unintentionally and found Suji and his wife. Opening his eyes wide, he called them, ¡°Suji! Honey!¡± He strode toward them and wrapped Suji¡¯s face with both hands. ¡°When did you get here? I wish you had called me.¡± ¡°Mom didn¡¯t want to. You¡¯re so busy all the time.¡± ¡°No matter how busy I am I have time to see you, my princess. How is your condition, honey? Why didn¡¯t you call me?¡± ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t call you on purpose because it might disturb your research.¡± The middle-aged man caressed both Suji and his wife continuously, which clearly showed he was d to see their unexpected visit to the campus on an asion like this. ¡°What brought you here?¡± ¡°We¡¯re here to see the exhibition.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know they were holding an exhibition. How did you know it? Did youe here in a taxi?¡± Every time he asked, Kong answered in a slow but awkward tone. And naturally, the name Hyunwoo came out of their lips. Fortunately, Suji¡¯s father came to know about Hyunwoo and realized that all of them came here in Hyunwoo¡¯s van, and that all of the seniors sitting on the grass were Hyunwoo¡¯s group. Mrs. Kong also told him she was going on outings with them sometimes, but he didn¡¯t seem to know she went to a pic sometimes. Chapter 96

Chapter 96

Mrs. Kong introduced Hyunwoo to him, ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you about it because I didn¡¯t want to disturb you. This is Hyunwoo Jang.¡± Standing next to them, Hyunwoo bowed to him, ¡°How are you, sir? My name is Hyunwoo Jang.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you. My name is Taeho Min.¡± ¡°My daddy is a professor of electrical engineering. He is involved in very important research along with other professors,¡± said Suji. This time Suji exined to Hyunwoo about her father in detail. Crossing her arms, Suji seemed to tell Hyunwoo how much she loved him, but Hyunwoo felt something strange about Suji¡¯s exnation about him because she said, unconsciously, ¡°That¡¯s why he couldn¡¯te back home often even if he wanted to...¡± Suji told him about his father¡¯s research boastfully, but it seemed like her excuse, not boast about him. Namely, she wanted to make excuses for her father that he could note home often because of the important research for the future of the country. Listening to her exnation quietly, Mr. Min held Suji¡¯s hand with a perplexed look, feeling as if he realized something, saying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Suji. So sorry. I¡¯m really a poor father husband and father at home. Please be patient a little longer. It looks like I¡¯m going toe up with some results by next year. Then, let¡¯s travel to Japan or the United States.¡± ¡°Really? Yay! I¡¯m happy,¡± eximed Suji, stomping her feet with great joy, but she was not that happy. What Suji and her mother really wanted was not a trip, but for him to spend more time with the family. Listening to their conversation quietly, Hyunwoo cautiously cut in, ¡°What kind of research are you doing now? Can you tell me about it?¡± ¡°Of course. We¡¯re developing new material for sr cells. Today¡¯s sr cells are divided into two categories: silicon-based, which focuses on efficiency, and organic sr cells, which focus on usability. Silicon and indium oxide electrodes are also in high demand as the main source of resources is at risk of depletion. Therefore, we are looking for cheap substitute materials in order to discover the next generation growth engine of the country,¡± said Mr. Min with excitement. Mt. Min¡¯s exnation seemed to be long enough to Hyunwoo, but he made a regretful expression on his face because he didn¡¯t exin more. ¡°Then, are organic sr cells not efficient?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The electrolytic capacity of semiconductor polymer is...¡± When Hyunwoo showed some interest in his exnation, Mr. Min began to exin excitedly as if he was hungry for a dialogue partner. Hearing his exnation, Hyunwoo felt he painted a rosy future of his research. It was based on the assumption that the research would lead to actual sess. If the research failed to produce sessful results, it would only remain a pipedream. Mr. Min had been researching this for the past 10 years. Yes, more than 10 years on the development of the new material of sr cells. Still, he was struggling to develop it. He kept saying ¡®We¡¯ll see sess pretty soon,¡¯ but it turned out to be wrong every time. His family was bing more and more worn out because of that. Not only his family but also the foundation supporting his research was bing increasingly skeptical about his prospects because it had contributed tens of millions to his research with no results. It was possible that the foundation may end its funding next year. Suji wanted them to end the funding, so she could have her father back. ¡°Oops! Too much time has passed! Other professors must be waiting for me. Let me take my leave here. Honey, Suji, I¡¯ll see you home in the evening.¡± ¡°Yes, take care!¡± Mr. Min hurriedly headed for his office. Hyunwoo and Suji watched him disappear. Was it because she saw her father? Or was it because he said he would return home this evening. Suji¡¯s expression on her face was much brighter than before. ¡°Okay, then. Shall we enjoy the works?¡± Hyunwoo began to look around at the works on disy. There were not many presented at the exhibition, at most fifty works. Given that there were only twenty-three students at the alternative school was 23, it was normal, but the genre of the works varied greatly. Some of them were pictures, some were cartoons, poetry or poetic drawings, and even essays and collections. Mingyu presented an entric work to show off his originality. Hyunwoo stopped before a work on disy with the name ¡®Mingyu Kang¡¯ beneath it. ¡°This is paper tissue,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°This is Mingyu¡¯s invention. It¡¯s called English word paper tissue. If you put down an English word on one column of the tissue, you can study it naturally at the restroom, right?¡± said Byungwon with a satisfactory smile. Hyunwoo wondered if this would be at all marketable, but what was important was not the marketability, but the fact that Mingyu thought outside the box toe up with this kind of original idea. Hyunwoo showed interest in a milk box with a strange shape, ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you exin, Mingyu?¡± suggested Byungwon to his son. ¡°If you drink the milk, you can take off the wheel and axis here and then put them here to make a toy car.¡± In a word, the milk box itself was a prefabricated toy. ¡°If you wanted to use it for long, you would have to make a sturdy milk box, don¡¯t you?¡± Mingyu shook his head at his asking and said, ¡°Kids don¡¯t y with their toys for long. They are easily fed up with the toys after ying with it for two or three days, so you don¡¯t have to spend lots of money for its durability.¡± The more Hyunwoo looked at the other works, the more surprised he was. Not only Mingyu¡¯s work but also other students¡¯ works were reallymendable. Though their value was not great, the originality and creativity of each of their works were pretty impressive. It was not Hyunwoo alone who was impressed. His parents and Suji¡¯s mother were also pleasantly surprised. When they saw a senior teacher with a long beard at the exhibition, they approached him and asked various questions. ¡°Here at the School of Dream, we don¡¯t rank our students. We don¡¯t give our students any tests. We teach them the basics about the Koreannguage, English, math, history, and sociology, but that¡¯s it,¡± said the bearded teacher. ¡°Isn¡¯t it disadvantageous for them to get admitted into college?¡± ¡°Yes, it is. If they are aiming to go to college, they should note here,¡± said the teacher, and he continued, ¡°The fact that they came to this ce means that they failed to adjust to normal school, so we¡¯re trying our best to have them enjoy their school life. We focus on them developing their creativity rather than on having them prepare for college. In other words, we give up one thing to get another.¡± Was that the reason? Hearing what the teacher said, the education method adopted by the school was unique. The School of Dream targeting middle school boys and girls offered few in-ss teachings. Most of the teaching was done outdoors. In particr, there were lots of outings. They took a tour around the country often, and the in-ss teaching was in the form of discussion, such as debate after reading, watching movies, traveling,position, or any other subject. The teachers of the school were far from ordinary. There were only four full-time teachers, and they were all principals, homeroom teachers and rank and file teachers. In addition, none of them had a teaching license. They were novelists. In other words, it was a school four of them founded with the wishes for such a school. Of course, there were lots of daily part-time teachers. Aside from the four teachers who were novelists, there were 21 in total. Given that there were 23 students, the ratio of student to teacher was almost one teacher per student. ¡°College students and professors help us a lot, allotting two to three hours of teaching per week. And retired government employees, teachers and presidents also help us.¡± ¡°It looks like the tuition fee is very high because you have to pay the teachers every month, right?¡± ¡°Well, they all volunteer for the students. Personally, I make a living by writing novels, not teaching here. As I have to travel with them and buy textbooks, I receive about 700,000 won per month. Of course, those staying at the dorm pay for their dorm fee.¡± Listening to his exnation for long, Mrs. Kong stared at the teacher, as if she thought of some idea suddenly, and cautiously said, ¡°May Ie here sometimes and teach them? I think I can teach them about fashion design a bit.¡± The old bearded teacher reacted dly, ¡°How nice of you! As we have only one teacher on that subject at the moment, you¡¯ll be of great help if you can. The more teachers we have, the better.¡± ¡°Oh, thanks,¡± said Mrs. Kong, expressing great satisfaction. Then, Hyunwoo¡¯s father said cautiously, ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to help the kids.¡± Stunned, Hyunwoo looked at his father. ¡°Do you want to teach them, daddy?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°Though I¡¯m physically disabled, my brain is still active. I have taught students about chemistry.¡± Actually, Hyunwoo¡¯s father had a Ph.D. degree in chemistry. Though he was not a chemistry professor, he once taught college students. The problem was his health. It was impossible for him to go outside alone. He needed somebody¡¯s help to get to the school. Hyunwoo could take him to the school on the weekends, but the school had no ss on the weekends. His mother had no driver¡¯s license, and Hyunwoo could not ask her helper Hyunmin to help his father. Then, his mother solved the problem easily, ¡°Let me help him. As he can¡¯te here alone, I cane with him and help. I don¡¯t know anything else but cooking, so I can teach them about cooking.¡± Chapter 97

Chapter 97

You, too, mom? You can¡¯t drive!¡± ¡°I can take a taxi. 10,000 won will do for going back and forth to the school.¡± ¡°Ah, taxi.¡± Why didn¡¯t he think about taking a taxi? Maybe it was because of his difficult financial condition in the past when he made it habit of cutting corners in daily life, so whenever he moved somewhere, he didn¡¯t even think of taking a taxi, but he was affluent enough to do so now. ¡°Thank you. Your teaching will be very helpful to our kids.¡± ¡°When should Ie then? As I¡¯m physically disabled like this, I cane once a week,¡± said Hyunwoo¡¯s father. He showed great enthusiasm about it. ¡°Let me double check the schedule. If you don¡¯t mind, let me assign you to a ss next Wed.¡± ¡°Great. I¡¯ll wait for your confirmation then.¡± Hyunwoo spent the afternoon with the seniors near the school and ate Chinese noodles for lunch. When it was getting dark, he drove them back to their houses. **** In Osaka, Japan, there was a bigmotion at Shoda Engine Co. The president was fuming at the employees with an engine before them. The engine had been returned to thepany as its defect was discovered by a car manufacturer. Shoda Engine Co. had to recall all 500 engines it supplied yesterday because of this one defective engine. Mary loss aside, the bigger problem was the credibility of thepany. Shoda had boasted the best quality of engines for high-end sedans for more than 30 years, but the defective engine in question gave the impression that defective engines could be produced by Shoda. ¡°Who did the quality test of this part?¡± demanded the president, scolding them. But nobody came forward to admit it. Then suddenly someone raised his hand cautiously, ¡°I guess, Mr. Kuroda did so.¡± ¡°What? Mr. Kuroda?¡± asked the president, and then he stopped for a moment because he could not walk over to Mr. Kuroda. Mr. Kuroda worked for almost 50 years at Shoda, starting from his father¡¯s management days. Mr. Kuroda was the best technician and had obtained several patents based on his long experience. ¡°I¡¯m sure he did. Mr. Kuroda was in charge of the quality test on Line No. 3.¡± ¡°Has hee to work yet?¡± ¡°No, he hasn¡¯t. He called in sick leave in the morning.¡± The president had nothing further to say. No matter what mistake Mr. Kuroda may have made, he couldn¡¯t nder the veteran technician, who could be called the best technician of Shoda, in the presence of other employees, so he waited in his office until Mr. Kuroda reported to work. The president had nothing butplicated thoughts about Mr. Kuroda. In fact, it was not the first time Mr. Kuroda made a mistake. He made another one a month ago. At that time, the defect was fortunately discovered before it was supplied to a car manufacturer. It was pure luck, to say the least. If the defective engine had been sent, which would have made this the second recall, it would have dealt a fatal blow to Shoda. What¡¯s more worrisome was that Mr. Kuroda¡¯s mistake this time would not be hisst. It was not because of hisck of carefulness but because of his age. He was 69. By today¡¯s standards, he should be able to work actively, but Mr. Kuroda was not as healthy as others. He had been physically weak when he was young, and even now, his aging came quicker than others. In other words, it was time for him to retire. While the president was agonizing, he heard that Mr. Kuroda reported to work. He called Mr. Kuroda immediately to his office. Though Mr. Kuroda was 15 years older than the president, he bowed deeply and said, ¡°How are you, sir?¡± The president didn¡¯t treat Mr. Kuroda as an ordinary employee. He escorted him to arge sofa as if he was treating Mr. Kuroda as his elder brother politely. ¡°Please have a seat here.¡± After some hesitation the president opened his mouth, ¡°We found a serious defect in one of the engines yesterday. It was very serious.¡± ¡°Oh my god! How can that happen? Do you know who passed the quality test? I think we should give him a severe reprimand,¡± said Mr. Kuroda in a resolute tone. But the president didn¡¯t reply and just looked at him. Mr. Kuroda felt something strange about it. At that moment his heart sank. ¡°Did the defective engine go through No. 3 Line by any chance?¡± The president neither confirmed nor denied. Instead, he let out a sigh, ¡°In fact, we had a simr incident one month ago. Fortunately, we discovered it before we actually shipped it to the car manufacturer. But, I am afraid I can¡¯t forgive this second mistake.¡± ¡°Did the first incident also take ce at No. 3 Line?¡± This time he stared at Mr. Kuroda calmly without responding, and Mr. Kuroda could read his reply. Letting out a sigh, Mr. Kuroda dropped his head and said, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. How could that happen?¡± ¡°Are you feeling ufortable often?¡± ¡°Not really. In fact, I started to feel the limitst year. Looks like the time hase...¡± The president also sighed at that because he knew what Mr. Kuroda meant by ¡°the time¡±. After a brief silence, Mr. Kuroda raised his head as if he made up his mind and said, ¡°Nobody can beat time. I think I have to retire. Fortunately, there are many excellent engineers who are better than me. I think I can take afortable retirement.¡± The president nodded his head, ¡°Yes, just forget about thepany and take a rest. And when you are healthy again, juste back. I¡¯ll leave the position open for you all the time.¡± ¡°No, thanks. I can¡¯t rewind my age even if I take a break. Let me retire. In fact, I¡¯ve worked too long.¡± This time the president didn¡¯t stop him, ¡°Okay, then. I¡¯m worried. I wonder if I can find a new hero like you.¡± Mr. Kuroda left the president¡¯s office. After about one week of change-over, Mr. Kuroda left Shoda Engine Co. after 49 years of service. The president gave him 40 million yen in severance pay in recognition of his service. Though Mr. Kuroda tried to refuse it, citing that it was too much, the president put the check in his hand and made a request cautiously, ¡°As you know, it goes without saying that you¡¯re the aggregate of Shoda¡¯s engine technology. I believe you won¡¯t transfer your knowhow or get a job at anotherpany.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. How can I get a job at my age? And Shoda is like my life. I¡¯d never transfer Shoda¡¯s technology to anotherpany under any circumstances.¡± Mr. Kuroda retired from his belovedpany like that. In some way, it signaled the start of his journey to the second chapter of his life. He was excited but worried at the same time. ¡°What am I going to do from now on?¡± Actually, he had something to, namely developing a car engine based on a new concept. He thought of a good ideast fall and started working on it, but he had no progress up to now. But he couldn¡¯t give up easily. As he was free now, he could fully focus on it. He could not focus, however. When he was outside the fence of a workce, he found everything around him confusing and unfamiliar. When his granddaughter Haruki came back after school in the evening, Kuroda felt he was getting ustomed to normal life. Haruki was much more healthy than before. She had to visit a hospital after ying outside a bit in the past, but these days she had no problem at all even when she yed outside all day long. As she became healthier, she studied hard. She was attending two private schools for extra study, which she dared not think to do in the past. Kuroda owed it all to the wild ginseng Yoshimoto got from Korea. In fact, when he received the brewed wild ginseng from Yoshimoto, Mr. Kuroda could not trust it. Though Yoshimoto said he watched the whole process of Hyunwoo boiling the wild ginseng, Mr. Kuroda didn¡¯t believe it. Nheless, Mr. Kuroda had Haruki drink the ginseng juice ording to the instruction on the paper every day. In just one month, Haruki began to get well, and she has continued to get better every day. When Mr. Kuroda thought as far as that, he suddenly thought he had to repay Hyunwoo¡¯s favor by all means. In fact, Mr. Kuroda¡¯s feelings toward Korea was special because it was his homnd. As his parents immigrated to Japan when he was very young, he had no feeling of Korea as his country, but he was mysteriously attracted to his fathend, and he once dreamed of living in Korea because of the severe discrimination by the Japanese who called him ¡®Chosenjin.¡¯ That kind of discrimination continued beyond his youth. When he was recognized as a fine technician of Shoda, that kind of discrimination began to disappear a bit, but he sometimes felt discriminated against. What was sadder was that even Haruki was discriminated against and shunted aside by her friends. Maybe it was because of this that her wayward adolescencested longer than her friends. Anyway, Korea was a special country to him, and one day he wanted to visit Kongju, his father¡¯s birthce and Daejon, his hometown by all means. I think the time hase finally for me to visit there. Kuroda called Yoshimoto. *** In the evening several dayster. Someone unexpectedly called Hyunwoo on his mobile phone. It was from Yoshimoto in Japan. As a matter of fact, Hyunwoo heard from Unhye about Haruki¡¯s condition. Fortunately, she was getting better every day, and it was clear that she benefited from the wild ginseng like Mingyu. So, he was expecting a call from Yoshimoto or Haruki¡¯s grandfather sooner orter. Hyunwoo picked up the phone dly, ¡°How are you? Yoshimoto, how about Haruki¡¯s condition?¡± ¡°Excellent. I owe it all to you, Hyunwoo. Mr. Kuroda conveyed his message that he really appreciated your help.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so d to hear she¡¯s okay now.¡± ¡°And Mr. Kuroda has retired. He says he wants to visit Korea with his family, and he wants to meet you to express his gratitude during his trip. Is it okay with you?¡± ¡°Of course. He cane to see me anytime, but he doesn¡¯t have to go to the trouble of seeing me because of that.¡± ¡°Got it. Let me ry your message to Mr. Kuroda. He¡¯ll visit Korea within a few days.¡± It was eight dayster when Mr. Kuroda visited Korea. It looked like he came on Saturday on purpose because Hyunwoo was apany employee. Before he departed for Korea, and when he arrived at Inchon International Airport, Mr. Kuroda called Hyunwoo. Hearing that he was leaving for Asan on the airport bus, Hyunwoo went to the bus terminal, and soon, the airport bus arrived at the terminal. Hyunwoo could immediately recognize Mr. Kuroda. Mr. Kuroda was looking around as soon as he got off the bus as if he was asking ¡®Where is Hyunwoo Jang?¡¯ It seemed that Mr. Kuroda was with his family. Maybe the middle-aged woman was his daughter-inw and the cute girl was his granddaughter, Haruki. Hyunwoo approached them quickly, asking, ¡°Are you Mr. Kuroda?¡± Chapter 98

Chapter 98

¡°Ah, Mr. Hyunwoo Jang? Nice to meet you, and thank you. Haruki, say hi to him.¡± Mr. Kuroda deeply lowered his head full of gray hair. Haruki, who looked like a high school freshman, also bowed deeply to Hyunwoo. ¡°Arigato gozaimasu (Thanks so much)!¡± said Haruki. Haruki didn¡¯t look good for some time. It was not because of her health, but because she didn¡¯t want to follow Mr. Kuroda to visit Korea. Still, she didn¡¯t forget her manners. She seemed to know it was because of Hyunwoo¡¯s help that she was getting better. Mr. Kuroda and Haruki¡¯s mother admonished her quietly to show good manners. Smiling brightly, Hyunwoo dissuaded them, ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to. I feel ufortable if you keep doing so, and I don¡¯t deserve such a greeting.¡± Hyunwoo took them to his house. His parents weed them. As they already heard about Haruki and the wild ginseng from Hyunwoo, they didn¡¯t have to ask about it. Mr. Kuroda looked like a well-mannered man by nature. He bowed not only to Hyunwoo but also to Hyunmin and his friend Sungrak, as well as the seniors who stopped by Hyunwoo¡¯s house to waste time. ¡°Thanks so much. I don¡¯t know how I can repay my debt to you.¡± ¡°Never mind, sir. I told Yoshimoto that the wild ginseng was not mine, but the state¡¯s property, so you don¡¯t have to thank me.¡± ¡°Without your help, my granddaughter Haruki would not have enjoyed its benefits. Thanks so much again.¡± ¡°Well, she was lucky. No matter how good the wild ginseng is, not all people who take it see the results. Haruki was really lucky in that respect.¡± Hyunwoo tried to avoid the credit, but Mr. Kuroda shook his head with a heavy expression on his face. ¡°There are no coincidences in this world. The way I got associated with Yoshimoto, and I got to know you, and even you obtaining the wild ginseng is the will of the heavens. This means that the heavens have given me an opportunity of embarking on a new mission.¡± Hyunwoo smelled something religious in his remarks, but that¡¯s all he said that sounded religious. Then, he talked about something just oriinary. ¡°I¡¯d like to repay your favor by all means. Fortunately I¡¯ve received a huge amount of severance money. How can I pay you back?¡± Hyunwoo shook his head and said, ¡°I am not qualified to decide on the method of payment, but I think paying back with money is the least meaningful.¡± ¡°Then, what do you think is the most valuable way?¡± It was a very difficult question for Hyunwoo to answer, ¡°Hahaha. You don¡¯t have to hurry. You can talk about such a heavy topicter. As you have not returned to your fathend in a long time, please enjoy travelling. Have youe to Korea before?¡± ¡°No, this is the first time our family hase to Korea.¡± ¡°Do you have ce you want to visit then?¡± Mr. Kuroda mentioned Kongju city, his father¡¯s hometown and Daejon, his birthce. Only then did Hyunwoo know Mr. Kuroda was born in Korea. ¡°Let me guide you.¡± ¡°No, we should enjoy travel on our own...¡± Though Mr. Kuroda refused Hyunwoo¡¯s request, Hyunwoo insisted. Actually Hyunwoo had no particr ns that weekend. When he heard Mr. Kuroda wasing to Korea, he cancelled his regr mountain climbing trip with the seniors to spend time with Mr. Kuroda. Mr. Kuroda and his family visited Korea for two day and three nights. Though Mr. Kuroda could spend more days in Korea, his daughter-inw and Haruki couldn¡¯t because of their work and school respectively. ¡°I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t visit the two ces today. Why don¡¯t we travel to Daejon first?¡± ¡°Thanks so much.¡± Mr. Kuroda¡¯s family got in Hyunwoo¡¯s van. Some seniors, the regr members of the mountaineering group, whispered among themselves and came to Hyunwoo, ¡°Can we join you?¡± ¡°We¡¯re so bored at home.¡± ¡°Are you going to be tired? And my guests will feel ufortable,¡± said Hyunwoo, scratching his head and looking at Mr. Kuroda. Smiling broadly, Mr. Kuroda yielded his seat to them, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about us. Let¡¯s go together.¡± So, the five seniors joined the group. Hyunwoo¡¯s parents thought of joining, but they decided not to so they could prepare their first ss for the kids at the alternative school. The seniors who got in the van were all younger than 70 years old and very voluble. Naturally their topic was Mr. Kuroda. They began asking him lots of questions, and he was busy replying until they reached Daejon. After driving through some ces in Daejon and other areas, Hyunwoo drove back to Ansan that the evening. As soon as he got home, Hyunwoo¡¯s parents came out to greet him. They were high-spirited and dynamic in their daily lives these days thanks to the alternative school. Since they were given regr part-time teaching jobs at the school, they had been busytely, preparing their lesson ns in order to enhance their ability to teach and be understood easily. At the moment, he thought about Mr. Kuroda. Just like his parents enjoyed their lives to the fullest, Mr. Kuroda should enjoy as much here in Korea, and there is no other greater way Mr. Kuroda could repay his fathend than doing something here, Hyunwoo thought to himself. He was fully capable of teaching kids. ording to Unhye, Mr. Kuroda was a veteran car engineer and one of the top experts in Japan. He could share his knowledge with the kids at the alternative school. When he thought as far as that, Hyunwoo felt thrilled to know that Mr. Kuroda¡¯s speciality was closely linked to his father¡¯s specialty. Maybe both of them can be perfect partners in teaching! Is there no coincidence in this world, as Mr. Kuroda said? Is it true that an invisible power has connected his father and Mr. Kuroda through Yoshimoto and Haruki, wild ginseng and Hyunwoo? Only God knows that. Hyunwoo cautiously opened his mouth, ¡°Don¡¯t you think the most valuable thing in this world is someone¡¯s dream and future?¡± ¡°Dream and future. Yes, you¡¯re right. That¡¯s more valuable than anything else,¡± said Mr. Kuroda, nodding his head as if he saw eye to eye with Hyunwoo. ¡°In particr, the future of students like Haruki is more valuable than anything else, I think. Why don¡¯t you share knowledge and experience with such students?¡± ¡°Do you think my knowledge and experience can be of any help?¡± Hyunwoo took a deep breath and said, ¡°As I understand, you are the best engineer in Japan as far as car engines are concerned. I think if you can share your knowledge and experience in the field with the kids, that will be a big help to them.¡± While Hyunwoo spoke, he nced at his father¡¯s expression on his face. As expected, his father shrugged his shoulder to hear Mr. Kuroda was a car engineer and hardened his face a bit because of the bitter memories in the past. He might have recalled his original dream that he had to give up and didn¡¯t dare to pick up again because his rivals were too tough and too numerous. He wondered if Mr. Kuroda could stay long enough in Korea to be his partner. Hyunwoo continued, ¡°There is an alternative school called School of Dream not far from here. Won¡¯t you teach the kids there?¡± Mr. Kuroda nodded, with a stiff look, ¡°Teaching the kids is a good idea, but I can¡¯t think of how to as I won¡¯t stay here long enough.¡± ¡°Oh, what does it matter these days when inte is so advanced? If you have a will, I think you can find some way to do it.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right, but I can¡¯t reveal mypany¡¯s secrets even if I share my knowledge and expertise here. That bothers me a bit.¡± Hyunwoo smiled lightly and said, ¡°Well, you¡¯re teaching the kids. I don¡¯t think that will rise to the level of leaking yourpany¡¯s secrets, and you can control what you teach, of course.¡± ¡°Um. That¡¯s right,¡± replied Mr. Kuroda, nodding. ¡°And I just cited one example. It¡¯s up to you, Mr. Kuroda. You can repay any other way, and nobody would me you even if you don¡¯t repay.¡± Mr. Kuroda seemed to agonize a bit, and then said, as if he decided on something, ¡°As a matter of fact, it¡¯s been my long -time dream to teach kids. If I have a chance, I¡¯d like to teach them, but I¡¯m not so sure if I am qualified. I wonder if the alternative school will let me teach.¡± ¡°Oh, you can ask the school about it.¡± Hyunwoo called the School of Dream and made an appointment for Mr. Kuroda. On Sunday, the next day after Mr. Kuroda¡¯s arrival, he went to the school with his parents and the rest of Mr. Kuroda¡¯s family. The teacher in charge at the School of Dream greeted Mr. Kuroda warmly. Offering a cup of warm tea, he exined to Mr. Kuroda about the status of the school and the students, pointing out the problems of the students who couldn¡¯t adjust themselves to the current normal schools. Mr. Kuroda was impressed with the fact that the School of Dream was focused on creative education, not college preparation. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking for long that we need such a school. In Japan there are lots of students suffering from standardized education focused on college preparation.¡± ¡°Our school is different. We value each student¡¯s personality and diversity as much as possible. We had an exhibition the other day, and the students¡¯ works are in storage. Would you like to look at them?¡± ¡°Oh, sure. I love to see them.¡± The teacher showed Mr. Kuroda, his family, and Hyunwoo the storage. Just like Hyunwoo¡¯s parents and Mrs. Kong, Mr. Kuroda was very surprised. ¡°Wow! This is a really good school. I just wonder what the kids educated here are growing up to be.¡± ¡°We adults should help them a lot to make their dreamse true.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to help, but I live in Japan, so..¡± Mr. Kuroda exined about the difficulties, but asked about the online teaching that Hyunwoo suggested. The teacher replied in the positive, ¡°Our school likes to think outside the box. I think online teaching is possible. Once you start it, we can find out how effective it is, and iron out the problems.¡± ¡°Got it. Let me prepare the lesson as soon as I go back to Japan. I¡¯vee here to repay, but it looks like I have received a bigger gift.¡± Chapter 99

Chapter 99

After a short trip to Korea, Mr. Kuroda went back to Japan and prepared the online ss for the students, but he had too many problems from the start. The biggest problem was the connection was interrupted too often. It looked as if Mr. Kuroda turned to just a picture every other second. Because of that, his voice was also interrupted often. If he was a fluent Korean speaker, the kids at the alternative school could understand him, but he was not. Worse, the education method at the school was not one-sided teaching but discussion-oriented. The kids would ask questions whenever they were in doubt about what they learned, but a discussion-oriented ss was almost impossible on the inte. It looked as if there would need to be a huge investment for this kind of online education to be sessful. The kids, as well as Mr. Kuroda, were at a loss for what to do, but Mr. Kuroda couldn¡¯t give up. The more he proceeded with the sses, the more ambitious he became. When the students asked him questions, Mr. Kuroda felt as if his hair stood up upside down because of the quality of the question. How can a middle school boy ask such a question? For example, when he was exining the role of oxygen in thebustion of fuel in the engine, a student asked, ¡°How about artificially boosting the rate of oxygen?¡± and proposed a concept of a new type of fuel. Another student proposed the application of a waterwheel as an engine. Of course the practicality of such proposals was low, but what was important was not their applicability, but the fact that middle school boys like them were thinking about such new concepts. If they had deeper knowledge of engines and fuel, some of them could create great inventions. The more online sses Mr. Kuroda taught, the more his heart pounded. He seemed to know why Mencius said that teaching talented students was one of the three great pleasures of a schr. Mr. Kuroda wanted to keep teaching the kids. He wanted to hear them saying ¡®I learned a lot from Mr. Mr. Kuroda¡¯ when they grew up as important guys in the world, but the reality was different. The teacher in charge made an extraordinary decision when he saw the limit of online education. ¡°Sorry, Mr. Kuroda. I watched you teaching our kids on the inte, but it didn¡¯t help a lot. I would suspend the ss until we could find a better way.¡± Mr. Kuroda was so disappointed to hear the decision. He couldn¡¯t focus on anything, as if he fell into lethargy. He was deeply agonized by this. How can I teach them again? The only way was for him to fly back to Korea and teach them directly. That meant he had to move to Korea. The first thing that came to his mind was Haruki. It was Mr. Kuroda¡¯s biggest happiness to see her growing up day by day. As she was in her adolescence, he saw less of her, and her reaction to him was kind of indifferent, but he regarded her presence as the most valuable to him. His research on the new concept engine also bothered him. Of course he could continue to do research in Korea, but he had to move all his research materials from his house. Such as it is, it was a valuable collection of his research across his lifetime. Loneliness and strangeness in Korea also made Mr. Kuroda hesitate. On the other hand, he had one clear reason to leave Japan. It was because of Haruki¡¯s mother and his daughter-inw Yoko. She has been dating a man for two years, two years since her husband died. Mr. Kuroda could not me her. It was a foregone deal that she would get remarried. The reason she couldn¡¯t get remarried was that she found it difficult to talk to her fiance about living with Mr. Kuroda. She couldn¡¯t let Mr. Kuroda live alone, either. In some respect that¡¯s why Haruki sometimes treated him coldly. She might have felt he was a stumbling block in her mother¡¯s way. When he thought as far as that, Mr. Kuroda suddenly got his own head screwed on. Yea, let¡¯s go to Korea, the homnd of my country where I was also born. Let me spend the rest of my life there. Maybe this is my destiny. Mr. Kuroda called the teacher in charge at the School of Dream and told him about his decision. ¡°Let mee to Korea to teach the kids.¡± The teacher expressed thanks, but at the same time said something negative, ¡°In fact, the financial situation of our school is very bad. We can offer a vacant room to you, but no financial support of your amodations here.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m noting to make money. I will pay for my own lodging, so I would appreciate it if you can let me stay in the room in your dorm until I find my lodging.¡± After the call, Mr. Kuroda called Hyunwoo. When Mr. Kuroda exined his situation, Hyunwoo replied with a wee voice, ¡°Wee. I¡¯ll help you to the best I can, and you don¡¯t have to worry about Haruki. Korea and Japan are very close. If you want to, you can visit Japan anytime.¡± Mr. Kuroda felt relieved to hear that. He felt that if he could find lodging near Hyunwoo¡¯s house, he might not feel that lonely. Mr. Kuroda told Hyunwoo about his necessities in Korea. The first thing was a house with a research room. ¡°Given the chance, I would like to find a house near yours. I don¡¯t know anybody in Korea. Sorry to ask you a favor like this.¡± ¡°Not at all. As you have made a difficult decision, it¡¯s my duty to help you. I¡¯ll check it out and get back to you.¡± Soon after Mr. Kuroda packed his stuff in Japan. Yoko and Haruki cried. They felt better with the matter of Mr. Kuroda off their chests, but also felt sorry to see him go. Mr. Kuroda wrapped Haruki¡¯s face with his hands and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel sorry too much. If I want, I cane and see you anytime. Let me see you every a couple of months.¡± ¡°Yes, grandpa. Please take care of yourself. I love you.¡± Leaving them behind, Mr. Kuroda boarded the ne bound for Inchon International Airport in Korea. *** Hyunwoo¡¯s family visited Kumsan, South Chungchong Province on the Korean Thanksgiving holiday, Chusok. It was his father and his father¡¯s elder brother¡¯s birthce. Hyunwoo was busy meeting his bosom friends as well as boiling and drying the ginseng his mother bought from Kumsan. In the meantime, Mr. Kuroda arrived in Korea. Hyunwoo went to the airport to pick up Mr. Kuroda¡¯s arrival. He thought of having his father, who was physically weak and disabled, stay home, but let hime along. When Mr. Kuroda came outside, Hyunwoo¡¯s father weed him ahead of Hyunwoo, ¡°Mr. Kuroda, wee! I¡¯m d you came like this.¡± ¡°Mr. Jang, thanks so much foring to pick me up.¡± ¡°Of course, I had toe. It¡¯s very cold. Let¡¯s move.¡± The School of Dream arranged for Mr. Kuroda to use a vacant room in its dorm, but Mr. Kuroda went to Hyunwoo¡¯s house because Hyunwoo found a house much earlier than expected. Actually it was his father who pressed Hyunwoo to find the house for Mr. Kuroda as soon as possible. ¡°He doesn¡¯t have any rtives here. It would be very ufortable for him to stay in the dorm. Above all, he would be lonely,¡± said his father. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why I¡¯m checking out an avable house at the moment.¡± ¡°I hear there are many empty houses around here. Maybe some of them are for sale. Right next to ours, there is one that was left vacant sometime ago.¡± Mr. Kuroda went into Hyunwoo¡¯s house. His family gave him a big wee. Only the house dog was barking at him wildly. When their greetings were exchanged, Hyunwoo and his father showed him around the house right next to their house. It was the house Mr. Kuroda would own in the future. ¡°This is the house.¡± Mr. Kuroda felt at first was the house was shabby. The gate was rusted so much that whenever he touched it, rust fell off. It was sort of an earth house built in a traditional style. What¡¯s fortunate was that the old couple who were selling it had lived there as recently as one month prior, so there was no possibility of it copsing. ¡°Well, the old couple who lived here were very old, so their children took them to their house in Seoul. The couple put it on the market at a cheap price, saying they would nevere back here.¡± ¡°I see. Hope they¡¯re happy in Seoul.¡± Mr. Kuroda looked into every nook and corner of the house. ¡°Though it¡¯s small, it has a big yard. Though the house itself is old, there are no safety issues. I have not signed the contract, so if you don¡¯t like it, I can check out another house.¡± ¡°Oh, no. I like this house very much. I see a traditional Korean floor heating system. I heard a lot from my father. I wanted to live in a house like this by all means.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that. You can use it even now. Let me show you how to make a fire in the furnace. Come here. If you feel it a burden to make a fire, let me bring a stone bed for you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. I¡¯d like to feel the warmthing from the heated floor. If I need a stone bed, I¡¯ll tell you.¡± The main room was heated in a moment, and Mr. Kuroda was fully satisfied after confirming the warmer part of the heated room. ¡°You can sleep here, but have a meal at our house. We wanted to give one of our rooms to you but we have only one room left, so we had no choice but to find a house for you.¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t know how can I express my deepest thanks...¡± ¡°I think you might be hungry, so let¡¯s move to my house to have a meal.¡± Mr. Kuroda went back to Hyunwoo¡¯s house. As there was no side door linking Hyunwoo¡¯s house and Mr. Kuroda¡¯s, Mr. Kuroda had to go around the wall to get to Hyunwoo¡¯s house. ¡°I think we have to make a side door in the middle of the wall or pull down the wall.¡± Chapter 100

Chapter 100

¡°Yes, daddy. Let¡¯s do it,¡± said Hyunwoo, with a smile. Maybe it wasn¡¯t just the wall that his father wanted to pull down. I guess both of them might have something serious to discuss. What should I do for them?. But there was a somber look on his face. He just didn¡¯t know what to do because his father was thinking of reviving his old dream. Is his dream feasible at all? Can he get help from Mr. Kuroda? Does he have topete with a bigpany like before? If he miserably copsed like before, he would rather not risk it... Despite his concerns about his father, Mr. Kuroda was just happy, following him into his house with deep gratitude. Hyunwoo had a dinner with Mr. Kuroda. It was only their second meeting, but Hyunwoo¡¯s family treated him as a family member. In particr, Hyunwoo¡¯s father continuously pleased him, rmending each of the side dishes and asking him about Japanese customs while exining Korean customs, but that was as far as he went in terms of the topic. His father didn¡¯t mention any heavy topics such as car engines or research because it would ruin the atmosphere. Even after he finished dinner, Mr. Kuroda stayed in the living room for a while, chatting with Hyunwoo¡¯s parents and headed to his housete at night. Hyunmin, who helped Hyunwoo¡¯s mother preparing breakfast orders forpany employees, followed Mr. Kuroda and helped him unpack his stuff. Mr. Kuroda said he brought only his personal stuff, and that therge packages would be delivered by freightter. In the meantime, his father called Hyunwoo in his room. ¡°Can I see you for a moment, son?¡± Seated in a chair, he was silent for a moment and then opened his mouth, ¡°I¡¯d like to do research on green oil again. What do you think?¡± Green oil is automotive fuel based on a concept that he developed about 20 years ago. It was intended to rece gasoline by refining and mixing cheap fuel. At the time, it was regarded as a groundbreaking fuel, drawing lots of media attention. However, before it becamemercialized, he was attacked by big oilpanies including Singyong Co. They ndered him by arguing that such a fuel could cause serious damage to car engines when customers used it for long, and it was the main conduit of tax evasion. As a result of such a massive attack, green oil disappeared, and Singyong Co. scouted the key technicians from his father¡¯spany and developed simr fuel. Though it was only a half-baked recement fuel, Singyong recorded tens of trillions won in sales thanks to the new fuel and grew as thergest oilpany. However, Hyunwoo¡¯s family fell into the bottomless pit, namely extremely poverty from which they could never get out. Now, Hyunwoo¡¯s family seemed to have barelye out of the tunnel of poverty. Though the stock price of N&C in Vietnam went up and down, it was on steady rise. When marketized in cash, Hyunwoo¡¯s stocks were worth almost 10 billion won, or 9 million dors. In addition, the current uptick trend in sales would continue its steady increase in the sales market. Hyunwoo¡¯s monthly ie in Korea was almost 20 million won, and continued to grow as time went on. Thanks to that, his sry from his employer Aurum was just pocket money to him. His mother¡¯s ie was bigger than his. Since she moved to the cottage, the sales of the breakfast orders drastically increased, and thebined ie of Hyunwoo and his mother was over 40 million won per month. In other words, they were in a very solid financial situation where they didn¡¯t have to worry about money at all. It was a rare financial stability that they regained by working really hard. There was no reason for his family to take the new risk at this point when they¡¯re in financial stability. And that risk could destroy it something went wrong. Even if his father seeded in the venture, he would have to fight a fierce battle with big oilpanies including Singyong. Instead of replying, Hyunwoo cautiously asked, ¡°Are you confident this time?¡± ¡°Do you mean about me fighting with Singyong?¡± Hyunwoo shook his head. His father thought of Singyong first when he thought of reviving his old dream, but he put the cart before the horse. ¡°No, daddy. Are you confident of sess? The green oil that you developed in the past is over. They developed a simr product and applied for a patent on it, so if you want to do it again, you need to develop a new type of green oil. I¡¯m asking you about that.¡± His father could not reply at all because he was not yet fully prepared for it. So, Hyunwoo asked again, ¡°Are you going to do the research again with Mr. Kuroda¡¯s help?¡± ¡°Not really. I¡¯ve been thinking about it for some time.¡± ¡°When did you begin to think about it then?¡± ¡°Since I taught the kids at the alternative school I¡¯ve given a thought to it. While I was sorting out the teaching material, I felt my heart full of enthusiasm about reviving my old dream. Yea, beyond my control...¡± When Hyunwoo heard his father¡¯s mention of ¡®beyond my control¡¯, he was shocked because he knew that was his father¡¯s passion and ambition was something he could never give up. And Hyunwoo could not block it, either. ¡°Okay, then. Please go ahead and do what you want to do, ut please remember this by all means,¡± His father looked at Hyunwoo, as if he was asking for some kind of advice, ¡°You should think of developing it on your own without anybody¡¯s help. Don¡¯t ever try to depend on others. I wonder if Mr. Kuroda can help, and even if he can, I wonder if he will take side with you to the end. He could betray you like the man who deserted you in the past.¡± His father¡¯s eyes darkened at that. It looked as if Hyunwoo poured cold water on his revived ambition. Hyunwoo once again asked his father, ¡°Please do it only when you have the confidence.¡± ¡°Well, if you want me to proceed that way, I¡¯m not confident, to be honest with you.¡± ¡°Then, try to regain your confidence first. That¡¯s the first thing you have to do, and researches after that.¡± His father nodded without replying, staring into space. Hyunwoo quietly left the room, and so did his mother when he felt his father needed some time to think for himself. Hyunwoo¡¯s daily schedule was always tight. It was because he was getting involved in others¡¯ business when he was also busy with his own stuff. He seemed to work twice as much as other team members, so when he got home, it looked as if he could fall asleep immediately and sleep into the next morning soundly, but he had too many things to take care of. After washing his face with cold water, he turned on theputer. In the past, he mainly surfed the inte cafe of N&C Korea, but recently, he made it a habit of checking the novels and webtoons uploaded in the web novel site, Story Ma. Garbage World was not popr like before. Even in Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes, it was just dull. The original animation targeting the children would have been more popr, but Hyunwoo could not figure out why it was so unpopr. ¡°What the heck is the problem?¡± Though Hyunwoo thought hard about it, he could not find the right answer. As things stood now, it would have been better for him to create a new animation than stick to Garbage World. ¡°Okay. Let me wait a little more. If I feel there is no chance at all of the animation¡¯s sess, I think I have to suggest it be reced with something else.¡± Hyunwoo stopped paying any attention to Garbage World and checked out other works. Story Ma was the paradise for the webtoon writers. There were so many active writers there with their own unique characteristics. Naturally, all eyes were on the bestseller writers. There was a writer with the pen name Pilgaek. The reason Hyunwoo got interested in him was because of the rmendation. In the rmendation section, there were lots of readers¡¯ rmendations on his novels, which was quite unexpected in Hyunwoo¡¯s mind. Typically, when there a reader submits his or her rmendation, it was backed up by positive replies of other readers, but in the case of Pilgaek¡¯s rmendations, there were 30 replies refuting the rmendation. In short, the replies were mostly like ¡°Let¡¯s not rmend this kind of writing¡±. Pilgaek hadpleted two web novels up to now. And currently he was running two novels at the same time, but the nature of the visits to his novels was very peculiar. When Pilgaek started running his novel, he always enjoyed the readers¡¯ enthusiastic response, with the initial visits numbering over 500,000, but when he was into the half of it, the visits drastically dropped. When Hyunwoo checked out the number of visits to hisplete novels, the visits were less than 500. As a result of such a drastic drop in visits, he stopped running the series earlier, with the number of visits to his two novels plummeted. That¡¯s why the readers criticized the writer as a betrayer, rmending not to read his novels. ¡°Why didn¡¯t he maintain his poprity?¡± Hyunwoo began reading his novels carefully to find out why. Obviously, the beginning of his novels was good. The theme and structure of his novels was very original enough to make one wonder how he coulde up with such a fresh idea. His fresh idea alone had some power to draw the readers¡¯ explosive interest. Chapter 101

Chapter 101

But that¡¯s it. As soon as the writer was fully geared to develop his story, the readers began to lose interest in the novel all of a sudden. The problem was the reality of the story. Sometimes, the writer created a situation that didn¡¯t fit the main character¡¯s personality, and sometimes turned an impossible situation into a ridiculous coincidence casually. He even brutally crushed the readers¡¯ expectations. For example, he jumped to the conclusion right after the beginning of the story without detailing its development, crisis and climax. And even the conclusion waspletely contrary to the readers¡¯ expectation. Hyunwoo felt regret about Pilgaeks¡¯ writing ability. If he had the ability to develop the story, he could be a terrific writer. He could join hands with another writer who was good at developing a story. He could also try writing short novels because he could conclude the story quickly before its structure could copse. When Hyunwoo thought as far as that, Hyunwoo opened his eyes wide all of a sudden. ¡°Oh, short novel?¡± He suddenly thought of the Anifan club of the House of Happiness, the creator of Garbage World. He felt Pilgaek and Anifan could be a great mix. Anifan kids didn¡¯t create animations with a long story. All their workssted up to 10 minutes. If they had a good idea, Yu Soim, its member, could make great story out of it. If Pilgaek¡¯s idea were added, they might create another great animation that instantly. Suddenly Hyujnwoo¡¯s heart began to pound because he was imagining Pilgaek¡¯s joining hands with the Anifan kids, but there was one problem. Anifan kids were amateurers. They were not making any money from their animations. They got some contract money with respect to Garbage World, but it was far from revenue. In such a situation, how could Hyunwoo ask Pilgaek to join? Agonizing over how to persuade Pilgaek, Hyunwoo googled his novels to find out his residence or location. However, there were nothing about it on the inte. Fortunately, Story Ma had a goodmunication system in which the writer and the reader could exchange their opinions. ¡°Okay, let me make good friends with him first. Someday, the day mighte when he and I join hands together.¡± Hyunwoo opened his email box in Story Ma and thought hard about what to write. The quickest way to get acquainted with someone is to meet him or her directly. However, Hyunwoo could not request a meeting in his first message. Pilgaek would rightly reject such a request from a strange reader. There is no better thing than a gift in making friends with someone. What would be the reader¡¯s best gift to a writer? Pilgaek might be great moved to read some nice rmendation that is clearly different from the typical ones he had been sick and tired of. ¡°Okay, let me write a beautiful rmendation, but how should I write a rmendation?¡± It had nothing to do with his writing ability. What really mattered was his sincerity. Hyunwoo thought about Pilgaek¡¯s weakness and strength as well as his future. If Pilgaek could further develop his strength and make up for his weakness, he could be a great story teller. Hyunwoo snapped his fingers, ¡°Okay, let me write that way.¡± Hyunwoo began to write, with the intent to join hands with the readers to help him grow as a great writer. However, his rmendation was too long when he was focused on details of its contents. Suddenly an idea came to his mind, ¡°What about writing a rmendation in a webtoon style?¡± Actually, there were such rmendations in the Story Ma, and the readers¡¯ response was very hot. Hyunwoo felt Anifan kids could write a great webtoon style rmendation on his behalf. I think I have to stop by the House of Happiness to ask for their help. In the meantime, Hyunwoo posted replies to some chapters of his novel series, and in particr to those that attracted the readers¡¯ints. He also sent private messages to Pilgaek, encouraging him to ovee the current difficulties for his bright future. ¡°Let me post replies to his novel chapters every day from now on.¡± Then, he saved his rmendations to Pilgaek on a USB and turned his attention to other writers. Hyunwoo also showed interested in a writer called Kkaturi. Kkaturi was also a unique writer. Most of the writers ran series for money, but Kkaturi had nothing to do with money. He put up a slogan in his study, The number of materials he posted for free use was more than 3000, divided into seven categories. And the content was excellent, mostly concerning Korean mythology, but they were not popr. When Hyunwoo examined the reason, he knew why. The mythology he posted was no more than the ry of relevant stories in the routine form of introduction, development, turn and conclusion. Perhaps, he admitted he was not good at developing a story. What Hyunwoo regarded as important, however, was the vast material that Kkaturi collected. He might have made enormous efforts to collect such a vast volume of mythology material, and he offered such materials for free. Suddenly, Hyunwoo felt ashamed because of the Anifan kids¡¯ matter. In fact, they were only children. At that age, they were supposed to be more concerned with learning than with making money. Nheless, they were all downcast,ining their animation work could not generate enough money. Hyunwoo was no exception. Instead of being satisfied with thepletion of their works, he found himself wondering why their animation works could not generate money. In some respect, his attitude instigated their greed for money. After all, greed was the heart of the problem. If they wanted to seed, they had to empty their minds and focus on enjoying their work. ¡°Yes, I encouraged their greed for money. I have to change my thinking and start anew.¡± *** The following afternoon Hyunwoo was pretty much tied up with sorting out various stuff at thepany warehouses, when he had a call from Jihun Kang, the senior member of Anifan. Jihun let out a sigh as soon as he called, ¡°Phew...The Imagingpia went bankrupt.¡± ¡°Bankrupt? Imagingpia?¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide suddenly. He heard their financial situation was bad, but it turned out it was much more serious than thought. Hearing Jihun, the direct cause of thatpany¡¯s bankruptcy was the animation Garbage World. They poured all their money into marketing the animation with an aggressive marketing campaign. Hyunwoo understood why Jihun was so disappointed. A moment ago, Hyunwoo would have felt as much disappointed, but he didn¡¯t. Although he felt sorry about the fact that the employees of Imagingpia would be jobless, his new discovery of the great potential of the Anifan kids was a big reward to him. And this was the new beginning to Hyunwoo. They were only middle school boys and girls with boundless potential. Actually, what they needed at the moment was their strong determination, not anything like animation technique. ¡°Hey, you don¡¯t have to be downcast over such a matter. You¡¯re only students. Don¡¯t think of immediate sess, but look at your future. So, cheer up and study hard. Okay?¡± ¡°Yes, brother Hyunwoo.¡± After the call, he called Gyongsu, a former employee of Imagingpia. Gyongsu was not aware of his formerpany¡¯s bankruptcy, but he was not that surprised as if he knew it was expected. ¡°In fact, Garbage World had some awkward story development. It should have some unexpected turn in the story flow for sess in the market, but it didn¡¯t. That¡¯s why it didn¡¯t go anywhere in the market.¡± ¡°Got it. By the way, how is your business? Any progress?¡± asked Hyunwoo. Gyongsu let out a long sigh at that, ¡°Looks like we will go through the fate of Imaginpia. The guy who made a big investment in my start-uppany is in financial stress these days. He keeps talking he wants to give it up all.¡± ¡°Why? You don¡¯t make any money?¡± ¡°Well, we spent almost 300 million won as the initial investment, but our business maintenance costs more than 40 million per month, but the revenue we rake in is less than 10 million won. How can we keep doing business like this?¡± Though Hyunwoo felt it might be a big challenge when Gyungsu said he would do animation business, he didn¡¯t know how bad hispany was financially. He never thought they needed such a huge money to do animation business. ¡°Cheer up, brother. As you know, you¡¯re going to make lots of money if any animation work makes a big hit in the market. You really can make it, I believe.¡± ¡°Thanks for your encouragement.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo felt under the weather for no reason. As the saying goes, misfortunes never came alone, and Hyunwoo felt that was exactly what happened to Gyongsu and Anifan. In particr, the kids of Anifan would be greatly disappointed at the news about Imagingpia¡¯s bankruptcy. He felt he wanted to offer someforting words to the kids. When he returned home in the evening, Hyunwoo stopped by a bakery¡¯s and bought a handful of bread before heading to the House of Happiness. He found the Anifan kids¡¯ faces sullen. It was not because of Imagingpia¡¯s bankruptcy or the failure of Garbage World. ¡°To be honest, we don¡¯t see any future before us. Though we want to study hard, regardless of money, it¡¯s not that easy.¡± The problem was that there was no teacher who could teach them about animation. No matter how hard they tried among themselves, they didn¡¯t make any tangible progress in developing their abilities. That¡¯s why he asked Gyongsu to offer his talent to these kids, but Gyongsu had to stop it because of his own business. ¡°Hummm...Is there a good idea?¡± Pressing his hands against his forehead, Hyunwoo thought of a good idea with them. At that moment, Jihun, scratching his head, was trying to say something that he had conceived for long but found it hard to bring up. ¡°Just tell me the idea if you have a good one,¡± said Hyunwoo. Chapter 102

Chapter 102

At Hyunwoo¡¯s kind urging, Jihun hesitatingly said, ¡°Don¡¯t you think the employees of Imagingpia are jobless if thepany went bankrupt? I think there might be someone among them who might be interested in teaching us...¡± In other words, Jihoon was looking for someone who could donate their talent. He couldn¡¯t tell Hyunwoo that he thought was the case because of the payment for their talent donation. However, money was not a big problem to Hyunwoo now. Even if Hyunwoo could find a couple of them, one million won would be more than enough. Snapping his finger, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Yea, that¡¯s a great idea!¡± Then, he immediately called Gyungsu and asked, ¡°Hey, do you know any employee of Imagingpia who might be interested in sharing their talent with the Anifan kids?¡± ¡°Well, there are lots of talented guys, but I wonder if they can teach the kids for free.¡± ¡°What I want is for them to work part-time on weekends like you did before. If they teach three to four hours on the weekend, I don¡¯t think they will be asking for big money.¡± ¡°That¡¯s up to them, to be honest. They arecking in nning, but excellent in creating stories, mapping, writing or production technique. Let me send you a list of names who have expertise in the relevant field, so you can call them directly.¡± ¡°Got it, Brother Gyungsu.¡± A whileter Hyunwoo received several text messages from him. Hyunwoo called each of the names. Some of them showed interest in talent donation, but others showed a skeptical reaction. However, they had one thing inmon: they wanted payment. One said, ¡°It¡¯s difficult for me to donate my talent. As I¡¯m financially stressed, I have to use my talent to make more money.¡± ¡°I agree. What do you think is the right payment for your service then?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°Even if I spend two or three houses per week, I have to devote one whole day to it. In addition, you have to take into ount the time I spend on preparing the teaching material.¡± That meant the person Hyunwoo contacted wanted as much money as possible for his service. He said, ¡°I think one million won per month is proper payment.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s jaws dropped at that because it was much more than he initially expected. By simple calction, it was 100,000 won per hour. Though Hyunwoo was willing to be generous about paying them, his asking for one million won was simply too much. If Hyunwoo hired two, that would mean two million won per month, which would obviously be a financial burden to him. If the burden was too much, Hyunwoo had to think of hiring just one, not two persons. I should not be too impatient. I may have a better solution if I give it more serious thought, Hyunwoo thought to himself. Hyunwoo turned his head. Jihun and other members of the Anifan kids were all looking at him with a look of expectancy. With a bright smile, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Just wait a little more. I think I can find you one or two teachers.¡± Only then did they make an expression of relief on their faces, ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°Please do me a favor, guys,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°What is it?¡± Inserting a USB in theputer, Hyunwoo showed them his rmendations about Pilgaek n the Story Ma. ¡°So, you want us to change it into a webtoon, right?¡± asked Jihun. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. As I¡¯m a poor writer, you see lots of ws in my rmendations. How about it? Can you find out the theme of my writing?¡± ¡°Of course, we can. Though we¡¯re working in a different field, we¡¯re video writers anyway.¡± ¡°Then, I trust you. Please make the best possible webtoon out of my rmendations.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Seoim is with us, as you know. After reading your rmendations on Pilgaek¡¯s stories, we¡¯ll improve them as best as we can.¡± Hyunwoo felt confident enough when he thought of Jihun and Seoim. If they joined hands together, they could make an excellent webtoon. After he arrived home, Hyunwoo thought deeply about how to help the Anifan kids and the talent donation. He felt there must be some solution, but couldn¡¯t think of it. Suddenly, an idea came to his mind and his eyes snapped open, ¡°Oh, yes! I¡¯ve got an idea.¡± He remembered that the city government had some support programs rted to this. He called one of his friends working for the city government. Fortunately, his friend was assigned to a regional economic section some time ago. Hyunwoo exined to him about his problem. With a heartyugh, his friend said, ¡°Hey, I think you have a really good friend, who is me. There are so many programs you have mentioned in various sections. Even here in my section, we have some financial support programs rted to the imaging media business.¡± Hyunwoo was really d to hear that because he felt the Anifan kids might be the very kind of targets that such programs were intended for. ¡°How much subsidy can I receive? And are there any conditions?¡± His friend hung up the call, saying he needed to find the relevant regtion. After a good while he called Hyunwoo back and gave him the necessary tips, ¡°It¡¯s not free. You have to start a business in the field of imaging media. In that case, the city government pays 50% of the education expenses in subsidies. The subsidies are not confined to the start-up expenses only.¡± He exined a variety of relevant programs, which surprised Hyunwoo a lot. The most attractive benefits were the subsidies on the purchase of high-end technology and equipment. For example, if he bought thetestputers and programs necessary for the start-up imaging media business, the city of Ansan would finance 50% of the total expenses. There were also subsidies for sales promotion, targeting those who needed the money to market their video products or publicize them. If anyone needed to fly to Japan on a working trip, for example, the city government would issue 50% of the airline tickets as a refund. ¡°By the way, you had better know this, too. Around February next year, we¡¯re nning to host an open contest on creative features under the joint sponsorship of several organizations. The winners will receive up to 50 million won in subsidies.¡± ¡°50 million won?¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide again. That amount of money would be a big financial help to the Anifan kids. Of course, it might be a tough challenge for them because there were so many talented andpetent people. For example, Gyungsu and his friends were formidable rivals. It would be very difficult for these young kids with no expertise topete with the veterans in the field. Though they will obviously submit their animation work, their greed might bring about negative consequences. Nheless, the tips given by his friend was great news to Hyunwoo. ¡°Thanks so much. Let me treat you to good drinkster.¡± ¡°Great. If you have any more question, just call me anytime.¡± After he left the office for the day, Hyunwoo headed straight to the House of Happiness. He gathered the Anifan kids to exin about the city government¡¯s subsidy programs, emphasizing that they needed to set up a venture to get the subsidies. Hearing Hyunwoo¡¯s exnation, Jihun opened his eyes wide, as if stunned. ¡°Starting a venture? How can we?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the big deal about it? You can use this ce as your office, and you¡¯re the prospective employees, right?¡± Nheless, Jihun was not persuaded, with a perplexed look on his face. ¡°Well, I feel so burdened even to hear that. Can you just start a venture? Hire us as your employees. We won¡¯t ask for any money, of course. Hahaha.¡± Other kids of the Anifan also joined Jihun to implore him to do so. At that moment, Hyunwoo felt inspired to hear that. So far Hyunwoo separated himself from them, content with just helping them in one way or another. When he heard Jihun¡¯s request, however, Hyunwoo felt there was another way to help them. And that was to go on the journey with them. There is nothing one-sided in this world. If one gives something to the other, the other is supposed to give back something in return. Only that way can they share what they have without feeling any burden. Of course, parents¡¯ love of their children is one-sided, but even that is far from perfectly one-sided. Is it desirable for Hyunwoo to give one-sided help to these Anifan kids with whom not a single drop of blood of his is mixed? That kind of help might ruin them in some respect because continued one-sided help will weaken the spirit of their independence. However, if Hyunwoo¡¯s help was changed into something like a contract, the situation would be different. And the Anifan kids would also feel the sense of responsibility and obligation. They would have to think for themselves that they should not bezy not only for their own future but also Hyunwoo¡¯s interests. And Hyunwoo could also help them more actively than now. He would also be able to feel no more hesitant to help other needy kids. Okay. I¡¯m not simply helping them, but investing for us all. Maybe this is the path I should pursue. Chapter 103

Chapter 103

But there was one thing that bothered Hyunwoo: the fact that he was an employee of Aurum. If Aurum¡¯spany regtion does not allow its employees to work for anotherpany, Hyunwoo¡¯s starting a business will be against the regtion. Hummm...I think I had better check out thepany regtion first. The next morning Hyunwoo exined to Yonggu about his start-up n and sought his advice. Grinning, Yonggu took out a think file and showed it to him, ¡°Howe you don¡¯t know about thepany regtions when you were hired a long time ago? If you look at this use, you¡¯re prohibited from doing multiple jobs.¡± When Hyunwoo closely examined it, it was not a nket prohibition. The first prohibition condition was the case where the corporate order was influenced by concurrent employment. In a nutshell, it is the prohibition of running a business in the same kind of industry or prohibition of working in such a ce. The second prohibition was the case when concurrent employment had arge effect on the work order of thepany. A typical example was an adult entertainment business where they worked untilte at night. Surrogate driving was also prohibited as it would affect normal work the next day. And it also prohibited concurrent employment when it would do broader harm to thepany. In Hyunwoo¡¯s opinion, he felt the prohibition would not be applied to his business start-up rted to the Anifan kids. And Yonggu¡¯s exnation made Hyunwoo feel more confident. Yonggu said, ¡°Even if you¡¯re involved in concurrent employment that is against thepany regtion, they can¡¯t punish you blindly because the legal interpretation can be different depending on the job description or background as well as the degree of vition. In any case, it is the best policy not to do two jobs. The president and other managers won¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°They will likely think so,¡± said Hyunwoo. He agonized over it for a while. But he felt confident that his new business would not affect Aurum at all. Okay. Let me face it directly. If this is what I have to do, I should do it right. Hyunwoo met with Team Leader Youngsu Park and President Daebong Park. Both of them initially opened their eyes wide to hear him mention ¡®start-up¡¯, but nodded their heads, as if they fully understood his good intentions, when Hyunwoo exined to them about his new business project in detail. ¡°I don¡¯t think I should obstruct your business if that¡¯s what you mean. I think ourpany employee is doing something good for the kids. I¡¯d like to thank you for that,¡± said Daebong. The president approved Hyunwoo¡¯s request too easily. ¡°Thanks a million, boss.¡± Hyunwoo registered business immediately after he prepared all the necessary documents. He initially wanted to name the new start-uppany after the animation club Anifan, but modified it a bit. ¡°Those who are making efforts are those who enjoy their jobs. You guys learn and enjoy, okay?¡± So, Hyunwoo decided to call thepany ¡®Ani & Funny¡¯. And he didn¡¯t set up anypany office for the kids. Instead, he designated the House of Happiness as thepany office. Hyunwoo was the sole representative of Ani & Funny, the owner and its employee, and he signed a management contract with the Anifan kids. ording to his friend at the city government, even the Anifan kids who signed the contract belonged to thepany in a broader sense. The term of the contract for them was valid until they reached the age of 24. They could be ready to stand on their own feet by then. The profits from their works would be distributed at the ratio of seven (Hyunwoo) to three (the kids). Hyunwoo also pulled off a deal with the potential candidates who were interested in donating their talents. ¡°I don¡¯t think there is a big difference between two to three hours and four hours. Why don¡¯t we agree on four hours of teaching from 2 until 6 pm? I¡¯ll pay you one million won for your service.¡± Everybody weed Hyunwoo¡¯s deal. Initially, there were two persons who agreed to donate their talents. They were specialists in story creation and three-dimensional mapping. Though Hyunwoo wanted to find more teachers for the kids, they couldn¡¯t adjust their avable time. He also didn¡¯t specify any contract period because if they found jobs in the middle of teaching the kids, they could leave at any time. Hyunwoo found it very burdensome to hire a full-time employee because he had to pay them a lot, and someone he had in mind lived in a ce that made hismute impossible. Hyunwoo called Jungah, a student attending Seoul Imaging College. ¡°Oh my god! Are you uncle Hyunwoo?¡± she answered joyfully. ¡°I hear you have an excellent eye for coloring. Why don¡¯t you make yourself avable as a part-time helper on animation work? As you can work at home, you don¡¯t have to worry about time burden.¡± ¡°Really? What kind of part-time job is it?¡± ¡°Do you remember the Anifan kids by any chance? You went there to see them before...¡± ¡°Of course, I do. Then, do I just pick the right color for their works?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. It will be much better if you can sometimes go there and teach them.¡± ¡°No problem! I think I should help you with whatever you do.¡± ¡°How much do you want me to pay you per month?¡± ¡°The more, the better, of course. How about one million won? Oh, I¡¯m kidding. You don¡¯t have to pay at all. I can volunteer for free, just thinking I¡¯m also learning with them.¡± Hyunwoo felt grateful for her kind consideration. ¡°I can¡¯t have you work for free. Let me decide on the right payment for youter. I have no idea how much work you may have to do at this point.¡± ¡°Got it. Thanks for letting me know about the part-time job.¡± ¡°It¡¯s me who has to thank you. By the way, do you know the guy¡¯s name? The graduate of your college who was excellent at reading the facial expression. I mean the guy who gave up animation to carry on his mother¡¯s rice cake factory.¡± ¡°Ah, Myunghun Kob?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s him. Are you still in touch with him?¡± ¡°Of course, I am. Sometimes, he brings some rice cakes to our club. Though he gave up animation as a job, we got the impression that he still had some sort of lingering attachment to it. Are you going to propose a part-time job to him?¡± ¡°Yea, I don¡¯t want to see him waste his talent like that. Do you know his contact number? If you don¡¯t, please let me know after you find.¡± ¡°Oh, I have it. Let me send you a text message.¡± In a few minutes, Hyunwoo received her text message, and he called Myunghun right away. Myunghun picked up his phone after it rang several times. When Hyunwoo introduced himself, Myunghun remembered his name quickly, ¡°Oh, you¡¯re the person who escorted lots of seniors to the exhibition on the campus on that day, right?¡± It looked as if Myunghun was pretty much impressed with Hyunwoo¡¯s caring for therge group of seniors at the time, and he even mentioned Hyunwoo¡¯s financial help for Jungah during her high school days, which Jungah must have told him. ¡°Did Jungah tell you about it?¡± ¡°Sure. When I stop by her club at the college, she sometimes tells me about your help. Everyone there all has their thumbs up to hear that. I was also stunned to hear that, too.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not a big deal,¡± said Hyunwoo humbly. It looked like Hyunwoo became a good friend of Myunghun thanks to Jungah. ¡°By the way, I hear you¡¯re going to take over your parents¡¯ rice-cake shop. Are you still working there?¡± ¡°Yes, but I get scolded every day because I¡¯m awkward at the business. Making rice cake is more difficult than I think. I think I have to learn at least ten years to catch up with my parents¡¯ skill a bit.¡± ¡°Do you like it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think there are many who make a living by doing what they really want to do. I¡¯m just doing it for stable ie.¡± ¡°Then, did you give up your dream of animation work?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ve decided to take it up as my hobby. If an opportunityes alongter, maybe I will give it a try one more time, but I¡¯m afraid it will never happen.¡± Hyunwoo could feel his passion for animation was still alive in his reply. So, Hyunwoo cautiously asked, ¡°What if you have such a chance now?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Well, I started a business rted to animation. I think if you can join, it would be a big help to me,¡± said Hyunwoo. He exined to Myujnghun about the Anifan kids and how he would hire Myunghun and what kind of work he would be expected to take on. Myungun showed a big interest, to his surprise. ¡°Oh, really? If that¡¯s the case, I don¡¯t have to go to the office, do I?¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to. Jungah also is doing as a part-timer for us in Seoul.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s true, I don¡¯t have any reason to refuse your proposal. By the way, how much will you pay me per month? You won¡¯t pay much as I¡¯m working at home, right?¡± Actually, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t make any decision on the payment level. In the case of Jungah the payment wouldn¡¯t be high, given her special ties with Hyunwoo, but Myunghun¡¯s case was different. Myunghun would be able to get actively involved in animation work only when he got paid satisfactorily. ¡°To be honest with you, I have no idea about the payment level as this business is new to me. What do you think is the proper sry?¡± This time Myunghun was a bit embarrassed, but said cautiously, ¡°Depends on the type of work. And I don¡¯t know how many hours I have to spend on my job. If my workload is not much, 15,000 won per hour is suitable, and 20,000 won per hour if the workload is heavy, I think.¡± Hyunwoo felt Myunghun¡¯s hourly rate reasonable. ¡°Okay. I like your proposal. As soon as I have an assignment for you, I¡¯ll let you know.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo felt as if everything would work out fine. *** These days Hyunwoo headed straight to the House of Happiness after work almost daily. There was nothing he could help the kids with technologically, but he felt he could advise them on the direction of animation creation, etc. ¡°I just have no idea how to change Garbage World.¡± Hyunwoo had some ideas about it but didn¡¯t bring it up because he might discourage their morale, but he felt that it was about time he mentioned it. ¡°Why don¡¯t we forget about Garbage World for the time being? We have to take a detour when we have no way out.¡± ¡°Do you mean we need to create a new animation?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Don¡¯t you think you have to challenge new things more often and get the evaluation to find out the cause of the problem? That way you can also increase your ability.¡± ¡°Well, that won¡¯t be easy. In fact, we thought about lots of things, but none of them are original,¡± said Jihun, speaking frankly of his difficulties. ¡°Don¡¯t try to achieve your goal at one go. You can try imitating if you can¡¯t create original work.¡± ¡°How?¡± At the moment, Hyunwoo thought of Kkaturi, the popr animation work. Of course, Kkaturi was not an imitation. Hyunwoo¡¯s point was to imitate the method of Kkaturi. ¡°What about learning animation, with kindergarteners and elementary students as the main target? There are too many animation works based on traditional fairy tales. Why don¡¯t we deal with the great men in history?¡± ¡°Even that topic ismon, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, but the storytelling method of such animation works seems all simr. We can approach it from apletely different angle.¡± ¡°Do you have an idea in mind?¡± ¡°The history is supposed to be connected to the present. If history changes, the present is also changed. What about the kind of animation story in which the viins try to change history and are fighting with those defenders trying to keep the history the same?¡± Hearing his idea, Seoim, the most talented story writer of the House of Happiness, suggested, ¡°What about creating apletely new world?¡± ¡°What kind of world?¡± ¡°I mean, a different world connected with the of human beings. For example, we create figures like Satan and fairies. The viins will rely on Satan and the good men on the power of the fairies.¡± ¡°That sounds great. If Satan and fairies appear, there should be a probability of the peopleing back and forth from the past freely....¡± The Anifan kids began presenting their own opinion freely in a heated debate. Hyunwoo was no longer a central yer in the debate. Instead, Seoim was driving the discussion. Hyunwoo¡¯s¡¯ face brightened. If they kept discussing it like this, they could produce good animation work. Hummm...We might get the city¡¯s financial aid of 50 million won. Chapter 104

Chapter 104

Duyoung Jang, Hyunwoo¡¯s father, was passionate about teaching the kids at the alternative school. The teachers and the students were so excited about his teaching that they kept asking him questions. ¡°If you can¡¯t use the fuel because its explosive power is not enough, why don¡¯t you back it up with an electric motor?¡± ¡°Do you really need an engine there? Can¡¯t we make a machine-like muscle like in the human body to move it?¡± Duyoung was sometimes stunned by the students¡¯ terrific questions because they proposed extraordinary ideas that he had never thought of before. Regardless of the practicality of their ideas, the fact that they could think of such an idea surprised him. And he suddenly realized one thing. I have lived a conceited life up to now. Now, the kids were much better than him. Though he was far advanced in technological knowledge, he was far behind them in terms of imagination and creativity. After ss, he went back home with his wife. During the ride back home he never said anything until he reached home. Though his wife tried to initiate a conversation with him, he didn¡¯t respond as if he heard nothing. When they arrived home, he kept thinking hard. Maybe I can not realize my dream, but the kids can. By the time that Hyunwoo arrived home, it was already 9 pm. His father was still agonizing over what to do with his dream. He quietly called Hyunwoo into his room and said, ¡°Can I see you, son?¡± ¡°Yes, daddy,¡± said Hyunwoo and went into the main bedroom where his father and mother were waiting. Duyoung said resolutely as if he was announcing something, ¡°I think I have to resume my research.¡± ¡°Did you find the answer, daddy? Are you confident?¡± Duyoung looked at Hyunwoo, with spirited eyes as if he felt confident, ¡°I can seed under any circumstances. This is something I can never fail.¡± His reply was a bit unexpected to Hyunwoo, who wondered what made his father so confident. As if he heard Hyunwoo¡¯s question, he continued, ¡°It¡¯s only the matter of time. If I¡¯m lucky, I can make my dreame true on my own. If I am not, my students will be able to achieve my goal someday.¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo felt shocked as if he was struck by lightning. Though his father said few words about on his dream, Hyunwoo could read his father¡¯s mind. ¡°So far I¡¯ve tried to achieve my dream on my own, but I¡¯ve realized something today: even if I can¡¯t achieve it by myself, I can still make ite true.¡± In Hyunwoo¡¯s mind, his father woke up to the matter of sess. Namely, the degree of sess he was talking about. For example, if someone assumed that thepletion of his or her dream was 100, they should achieve itpletely, and his father belonged to this kind of people, but he began to think differently now. ¡°I can only make the effort to the best of my ability, and my students will take care of the rest.¡± Hearing that, Hyunwoo smiled brightly and asked, ¡°How can I help you, daddy? If you need anything, please let me know.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to hurry. I think I have to open an office. I¡¯ll ask Mr. Kuroda if I can use the side room of his house.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too small? And you will find it difficult to step up and down on the floor. Let me build one for you. Building a container style room is not expensive, and it gives you a lot of space. With a little bit of work on the entrance area, you can freely move in and out of it in a wheelchair.¡± ¡°If you can do that for me, that couldn¡¯t be better. If you build one, why don¡¯t you make another one for Mr. Kuroda¡¯s research? It looks like he feels ufortable because all the rooms in his house are small.¡± ¡°Got it. I have no problem with building another container house. What kind of research equipment do you need?¡¯ ¡°For the time, being I don¡¯t need any. I would like to start with the research data I prepared before. After I¡¯m done with that, I will develop a new hypothesis and approach it step by step, and then experiment.¡± ¡°Do you need your past research data?¡± ¡°Yes. Though it is useless because somebody else applied for a patent on it, I still think I can make a quick start, based on my previous research material.¡± ¡°Then, let me return it.¡± His father¡¯s eyes widened when he heard Hyunwoo¡¯s remarks. As far as he knew, his research material was all lost because of the fire in his office. ¡°Returning my material? Did you...?¡± With a light smile, Hyunwoo nodded his head and said, ¡°I smuggled it out at the time.¡± Suddenly, Duyoung¡¯s eyes sparkled. He could shorten his research time at least by several years with that material. He was also surprised by Hyunwoo¡¯s action. When the fire broke out, Hyunwoo was a middle school boy. How could he think of smuggling out his research material at the time? ¡°Actually, I set a fire to the office. I felt that the Singyong Co. guys were trying to steal your research material at the time, so I set the fire to make it look like all the research material burnt away with fire.¡± Duyoung¡¯s jaws dropped at that. In fact, he felt so thrilled to see the zing fire in his office, but Sanggi Mo, his close aide and top researcher, felt so sorry for the lost material because of the fire even though it was Sanggi who had betrayed him and sold the research material to Singyong. ¡°Then, where is the material?¡± ¡°It¡¯s in the side drawer of my desk¡± ¡°Side drawer? You mean that drawer containing lots of love letters?¡± ¡°It was a lie.¡± Duyoung could not help but burst intoughter. Hyunwoo wouldn¡¯t let him open it, citing his privacy, and now it turned out that it was because it contained his past research material. ¡°Oh, I see. I didn¡¯t know that. Hahaha,¡± said Duyoung with a heartyugh. In the meantime, Hyunwoo hurriedly called the president of a constructionpany that he knew well. When Hyunwoo called him, he dly picked up the phone though it waste at night. ¡°Really? Let mee to you now.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have toe. I¡¯m not in a hurry. You cane tomorrow.¡± ¡°Well, I was kind of bored because I had no drinking appointment this evening, and it¡¯s been a long time since I said hi to your daddy.¡± ¡°Okay, then. Let me prepare some drinks and snacks.¡± ¡°Nope. Let me bring some, so don¡¯t prepare anything. I¡¯d be ufortable if my visit bothers your mother with that.¡± ¡°Hahaha. Got it. See you then.¡± A littleter the president of the constructionpany came to Hyunwoo¡¯s house. Though it waste at night, the moon was bright and the house¡¯s lights were on, so he had no problem checking the site of the container house. ¡°So, you want a couple of container houses here, right?¡± ¡°Yea. I think you can secure the space enough for two if they¡¯re built crosswise. You need to install a heating and air conditioning system, and one container house should be easily essible by wheelchair.¡± ¡°I guess your father wants to use the container. By the way, howe he wants it all of a sudden?¡± ¡°He just wishes he had one,¡± said Hyunwoo vaguely. Nobody knew about his father resuming his research except for his family members, ¡°Do you think it will take long to build them?¡± ¡°Well, there are many such container houses avable. Flooring work won¡¯t take a whole day, so I guess I can build them within several days. If you¡¯re in a hurry, I can finish the work faster.¡± ¡°No, we¡¯re not in a hurry.¡± ¡°Okay, then. Let me ask around. Depending on the quality, the prices vary from one shop to another.¡± ¡°Sure, I trust you.¡± Several dayster, on Saturday, the construction was done. ¡°Sir, I¡¯m done,¡± said the president of the constructionpany, calling for Duyoung. With an expectant look, he came out of his house, helped by Hyunwoo and Hyunmin. The container house was clean with a desk and the shelf. He could immediately start doing research as soon as he got his research material. The other container that had been built for Mr. Kuroda was also neat and clean like Duyoung¡¯s. ¡°Thanks a lot. Offer him a drink, Hyunwoo,¡± said Duyoung. ¡°Of course, will do. Shall we move the stuff in? Let me contact Mr. Kuroda.¡± Everyone moved the packages into the container houses. Duyoung¡¯s packages seemed full of books, just like Mr. Kuroda¡¯s. In fact, Hyunwoo was interested in Mr. Kuroda¡¯s research because fuel, his father¡¯s main research area, and engines, Mr. Kuroda¡¯s research area, were inseparable. If he had his way, Hyunwoo wanted to unpack Mr. Kuroda¡¯s boxes and look into his research work, but he couldn¡¯t mention anything rted to his research because Mr. Kuroda might misunderstand it as his impure intention. ¡°Phew~ We¡¯ve moved them all now.¡± ¡°Good job! Thanks, everyone!¡± The president of the constructionpany left the ce with his staff, and Mr. Kuroda went into his container house, saying he needed to unpack the boxes. Only then did Hyunwoo call Hyunmin. ¡°Hey, Hyunmin,e with me. I¡¯ve got some boxes I need your help with.¡± ¡°Yes, brother!¡± Hyunmin followed him into the room, and they moved the side drawer to Duyoung¡¯s container hosue. Duyoung seemed quite excited to see that. ¡°Be careful. Okay, let¡¯s put it down here.¡± ¡°Okay. Hyunmin, you can back to whatever you were doing.¡± ¡°Yea, brother.¡± Hyunwoo opened the side drawer and began taking out the research materials one by one. Duyoung received it with an anxious look on his face. Hyunwoo cautiously asked, ¡°Don¡¯t work too hard, daddy. As you told me yesterday, please try to maintain your original intention.¡± ¡°Of course, son. I won¡¯t take any revenge on anybody with this. I¡¯ll only focus on research.¡± Hyunwoo found his father clenching his fist before he knew it. He could feel his father¡¯s pent-up passion for the past 20 years in his fist. You¡¯ll surely seed this time. You¡¯ll achieve your goal by yourself. I believe so. Hyunwoo looked at him with a satisfactory smile. Duyoung and Jisuk Han, Hyunwoo¡¯s mother, also wore happy smiles, looking at each other. Chapter 105

Chapter 105

About fifteen days after Ani & Funny was founded, it began to establish its ce in the field. Above all, the financial support of the city of Ansan was crucial. The city government paid half the sry of the talent donation teachers but also purchased the usedputers and programs from the bankruptcy sale of Imagingpia with subsidies. Even those working for Hyunwoo¡¯s animationpany were also actively involved. In particr, Jungah offered more help than Hyunwoo expected. When he came down to Ansan from Seoul over the weekend, she stopped by the House of Happiness to exchange views with the kids about their animation work. Thanks to her help, they were already creating the theme of their stories as well as the characters. Hyunwoo was just happy to see that. He just felt happy without any particr reason whenever he thought of Ani & Funny, and he focused on his start-uppany as soon as he left the office. The Anifan kids werergely dependent on Hyunwoo. Whenever they came upon good ideas, they sent him text messages on and off to ask for his opinion. He just smiled before he knew it after confirming their messages, which his colleagues at Aurum could never know. ¡°What are you so happy about, Assistant Manager Jang?¡± asked one of his colleagues. ¡°You bet. Do you have a new girlfriend?¡± asked another. Embarrassed a bit, Hyunwoo spoke vaguely, just scratching his head, ¡°Oh, nothing particr.¡± Then, he sent a text message to Hyunsuk, the senior of the cooking club of the House of Happiness, I think I can stop by around 8 pm, so get some food for me, okay? She replied, Yes, yes, yes! After confirming her cute reply, Hyunwoo raised his head with a smile again. At that moment Suji Min who sat across from his desk was looking at him. When her eyes met his, she avoided his eyes awkwardly as if she was caught sneaking a peek. Hyunwoo tilted his head at her behavior. Her attitude toward him was awkward these days. She seemed to keep a watch on him secretly and her ssy stare seemed to show she was upset about him. Why is she acting like that? Did I do something wrong to her? He tried to find out why and when she changed her attitude toward him. In hindsight, it coincided with the time when her mother joined the senior group he took on mountain outings. Since then she began to give him the cold shoulder, and all the more so recently. Despite all of that, he didn¡¯t do anything discourteous or annoying to her. As he took her mother to outings and the alternative school, he did something good, not bad, for her and her mother. Then, suddenly one thing came to his mind. Is it because of her mother¡¯s teaching at the alternative school? Hyunwoo¡¯s parents spent only one day at the school for teaching. But Suji¡¯s mother, Mrs. Kong was very energetic. Even though she could not move freely, she was teaching the kids twice a week. She sometimes took a taxi, but usually, she took a bus. She might have other reasons, of course, he thought. It was possible she found a new boyfriend suddenly or had a quarrel with her boyfriend. Still, Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t figure out why she was acting cold because she didn¡¯t say anything to him. While Hyunwoo was wondering why, his colleagues left the office one by one. Before leaving the office, Sangho Oh initiated a conversation with her in an affectionate and kind tone, ¡°Suji, shall we have dinner together? I¡¯ve found a famous pasta restaurant. You¡¯ll be surprised if you taste the food there.¡± It looked like Sangho and Suji got pretty close these days. In particr, Sangho treated her affectionately as if she was his girlfriend or sister. Every time she left the office for the day, he tried to treat her to dinner or give her a ride to her house. Suji didn¡¯t refuse his efforts coldly. Sometimes, she left the office with him and smiled brightly even when she had to refuse his request. Today, she refused his request. ¡°Sorry, I think I have to work a bit longer this evening and eat at home today. Thanks anyway.¡± ¡°Do you have lots of work to do? Can I help you?¡± ¡°No thanks. I can finish it in two or three hours.¡± ¡°Okay, then. Let me give you a callter.¡± When Sangho left, only Hyunwoo and Suji were left alone in the whole office. Hyunwoo looked at her to ask why she changed her attitude toward him, but she was busy with work, her head down and paid no attention to him at all. The atmosphere between them was cold. Hyunwoo stood up and went to the water purifier. He made jasmine tea, her favorite, and came to her desk with it. ¡°Drink this.¡± Only then did Suji cast a nce at him, ¡°Thank you.¡± But that¡¯s it. She focused again on work as if she put a post-it memo on her forehead that read ¡®Don¡¯t speak to me as I¡¯m busy!¡¯. Hyunwoo could not bring up what he wanted to speak to her about in such an atmosphere. For almost two hours they just focused on work like that without saying even one word to each other. Finally, Hyunwoo sorted out the files after he was done, and broke the silence by saying, ¡°Are you still not finished? Can I help you?¡± ¡°No thanks. I¡¯m done, too.¡± Suddenly she asked, ¡°Do you have an appointment this evening?¡± Hyunwoo opened his eyes wide. It looked like he found a chance to ask her about her icy attitude toward him. ¡°Not really. I don¡¯t have any particr appointment,¡± said Hyunwoo quickly. ¡°Seriously? Are you sure?¡± demanded Suji. Hyunwoo felt something suspicious. It was as if she was asking him, knowing already she knew his appointment. Hyunwoo had no appointment, and if any, it was his dinner at the House of Happiness. Narrowing her eyes, she asked all of a sudden, ¡°Can you buy me dinner then?¡± At the moment, Hyunwoo was startled. By now Hyunsuk, the senior of the cooking ss at the House of Happiness would have prepared dinner for him, and that with her all sincerity. And the Anifan kids would be waiting for him. Though they must be hungry, they would be waiting for him to dine together. If he canceled the appointment suddenly, how disappointed they would be. When Hyunwoo was hesitant to reply, Suji stared at him coldly. Sangho was right. Suji was half in doubt about what Sangho had said about Hyunwoo¡¯s close rtionship with Minhye Park, the president¡¯s daughter. It was true that Minhye was getting pretty affectionate to Hyunwoo during the recent pic, but he didn¡¯t show any interest in her. Sometimes Hyunwoo was caught exchanging text messages with someone, and he looked happy on such asions, with a satisfactory look on his face. Suji thought she knew about men, so she felt Hyunwoo was in love with some woman. She was confident that the woman was Minhye. While looking for a chance to ask him, only now did she ask Hyunoo about it. Suji stood up, with a sulky look on her face, ¡°I¡¯m disappointed. I didn¡¯t know you¡¯re such a guy.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll me you if I know you¡¯ve been dating Minhye? I can understand you¡¯re dating her for some reason, but why are you hiding it from me like this? You¡¯re even lying to me on this.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide, ¡°What the heck are you talking about? Am I dating who? Lying?¡± ¡°You have an appointment this evening after work, right? Isn¡¯t it Minhye you exchanged text messages in the office a while ago? You can¡¯t lie it to me, can you?¡± Hyunwoo scratched his head and quickly took out his cell phone to show her the text message. Though he couldn¡¯t figure out why she had such a misunderstanding of him, he wanted to clear it up as soon as possible. ¡°Actually I requested someone at the House of Happiness to make dinner for me. If you can¡¯t trust me, take a look at this message. Confirm it if I¡¯m lying to you.¡± She narrowed her eyes again and took a quick look at the message. She couldn¡¯t see any message on his request, except for a short reply ¡°Yes, yes, yes¡± from someone by the name of Hyunsuk. Suji showed a sneering smile, ¡°I think you must have saved Minhye¡¯s name as Hyunsuk on your cell phone, right? How cunning you are!¡± ¡°Okay, then. Why don¡¯t we have dinner together at the House of Happiness? Hyunsuk must have prepared it already.¡± Still, Suji could not believe it, notpletely persuaded. ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s go together then.¡± She got in Hyunwoo¡¯s van and they headed to the House of Happiness. She wondered if Hyunwoo could really go there while in the van, but Hyunwoo drove to the House of Happiness. Finally, they arrived there, and Hyunwoo turned off the engine. ¡°Let¡¯s get out. Hyunsuk must have been waiting for me very long.¡± ¡°Are you sure there is a woman called Hyunsuk here?¡± ¡°Do you think Minye hase here to prepare dinner for me then? I¡¯m hungry. Just follow me.¡± Hyunwoo walked ahead, with Suji following him with a perplexed look on her face. As Hyunwoo said, the dinner was prepared for him in the dining hall. Seeing Suji along with him, Hyunsuk opened her wide, ¡°Oh, two of you, not you alone, brother Hyunwoo!¡± ¡°Sorry, she joined me suddenly. If you don¡¯t have enough boiled rice, just boil ramen noodles.¡± ¡°No, we have some more boiled rice. Please have a seat.¡± Suji took a seat hesitantly, ¡°Sorry, Hyunsuk. I think I bother you too often like this.¡± ¡°No, no, not at all. Let me bring brother Jihun and other kids. They are so hungry at the moment,¡± said Hyunsuk and then left to bring the kids. Left alone with Hyunwoo, Suji asked furtively, ¡°Do you have dinner here often?¡± ¡°Several times per week. By the way, you look weird these days. Did I do something disappointing to you?¡± ¡°Oh, no, not at all.¡± ¡°Then, why are you acting like that to me?¡± ¡°Acting like what?¡± said she, as if she couldn¡¯t figure out. Of course, she knew but didn¡¯t want to bring it up to him. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t want to question closely. All he wanted was for her to stop acting coldly towards him. Scratching his head, Hyunwoo replied, ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that, Suji.¡± A littleter the kids came into the dining hall, all feeling hungry. ¡°Wow, how beautiful she is! How do you do, sister?¡± The kids were so happy to see Suji, and she smiled a bright smile at them. ¡°How is your learning these days? Try to learn as much as possible from the talent donation teachers while they¡¯re avable.¡± They just smiled, ¡°Well, they¡¯re not donating talent, to be honest with you. They¡¯re getting paid for their teaching, right? Then, this is a private lesson for us.¡± It was true. Looking at them, Hyunwoo grinned, ¡°There is something you don¡¯t know. This is not a private lesson but a talent donation. So, try to learn from them in gratitude all the time, okay?¡± Chapter 106

Chapter 106

Daebong Park, the president of Aurum, knitted his brows because of one problem that was really hard for him to solve. Aurum was growing by leaps and bounds every day thanks to Daebong¡¯s aggressive investment, which carried risk, as well. One of the risky areas was the luxury goods department of Aurum. With an ambition to make Aurum¡¯s products look high-end, Daebong created the department to change the consumers¡¯ perception that they were low-quality though they¡¯re cheap. He expected losses in the initial stage of the luxury business, but there was no sign of things getting better as time went on, and the deficit was bing bigger. Daebong had been agonizing over it for some time. What should I do now? Do I need to give it up at this point? He felt the quality of the luxury products was good enough, but the problem was the consumers¡¯ perception. Thepany name Aurum was notpatible with ¡®luxury¡¯ goods, and he could not set up a separatepany specializing in luxury goods since he created the department to change thepany¡¯s perception among the consumers rather than to make profits. After some hard thinking, he convened a meeting of the managers. As the meeting would affect the fate of Aurum, he informed them of the topic of the meeting and asked them to bring some good ideas to tackle the issue. However, the atmosphere of the meeting room was bleak. Though all the managers attended the meeting, nobody came up with any good ideas. What they proposed at best was more aggressive marketing. It was natural that the president got upset. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel sorry for getting paid for working like that? Don¡¯t you feel ashamed before your men? I¡¯ll give you one more week to bring me some ideas. If you can¡¯t, there will be no bonus this year. Get out!¡± Every manager left the meeting, with a downcast look on their faces. Youngsu Park was no exception. As soon as he came back to his office, he called his team members. He exined to them about the oue of the meeting and the assignment due one weekter. It was felt like pressure on the team members toe up with a good idea to revive the luxury department. His team members were aware of the luxury department¡¯s gloomy situation but didn¡¯t know that it was causing arge deficit. ¡°Today is Friday, so let me convene another meeting next Tuesday. Bring me your ideas by then,¡± said Youngsu and left the office. His Deputy Manager, Yonggu, immediately called a meeting, and the meeting was supposed to be a brainstorming session in which every team member could speak freely. Hyunwoo and Suji walked to the conference room side by side. When Hyunwoo was seated, she naturally sat beside him, and Sangho then sat beside her. Almost all the members pointed out that the goal of the luxury business was wrong. How can Aurum change the consumers¡¯ perception when thepany¡¯s image had been engraved in their minds for so long? Hyunwoo was of the same opinion. ¡°I think we should separate it as an independent entity that has nothing to do with Aurum,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°I know what you mean, but the president ruled out that option. As the original purpose was to change thepany¡¯s image, the luxury department should do its business under thepany name,¡± said Yonggu, who made an embarrassing expression on his face hearing Hyunwoo¡¯s remarks. Despite everything, there was no other way in Hyunwoo¡¯s mind. The thing was how to persuade the president. Hyunwoo felt it would be much easier to persuade the president than trying toe up with a good idea to revive the luxury department. Okay, let me focus on that. In the meantime, Hyunwoo felt something strange about Sangho and Suji. The atmosphere of the meeting was good, but Suji looked at Hyunwoo whenever she had a chance. She talked, looking at Hyunwoo when she spoke her mind but also while asking for Yonggu¡¯s opinion, but she never turned her head to Sangho. Even when he tried to attract her attention, looking at her while expressing his opinion, she never paid any attention to him. She looked as if she was angry at him, but no one didn¡¯t take it seriously, given their rtionship up to then. In fact, both were on friendly terms in the office. It was not they were dating, but Sangho was trying hard to win her heart. As there was rumor among the team members that Minhye lost interest in Sangho and Younghwan Koh, everybody understood Sangho¡¯s feelings. Though Suji didn¡¯t let him in her heart, she didn¡¯t reject his good intention heartlessly, so their colleagues in the office thought both of them were getting along well, but Sangho couldn¡¯t understand Suji¡¯s icy attitude. Why is she acting so mean to me? What made him all the more puzzled was her attitude toward Hyunwoo. Though others did not notice it, Sangho saw it clearly. Suji is showing interest in Hyunwoo. As the meeting continued, Sangho¡¯s face hardened more and more. The meetingsted almost an hour. Though they presented several ideas, they were all impractical. Yonggu announced that the meeting was over, and as it was the closing time of the office, the team members began to leave the office, but Hyunwoo had to do some more work in the office. Though it was Friday, there were some others who stayedte in the office such as Suji and Sangho. ¡°Do you have lots of work to do?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°No, a little more,¡± replied Suji. ¡°Me, too,¡± seconded Sangho. Suji and Sangho replied at the same time as if they agreed to do so. Grinning a bit, Hyunwoo focused on work. Less than thirty minutes after he resumed work, Hyunwoo got a call from Dukwoo Jang. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°Nothing particr. Nami wants to see you..¡± It looked like Dukwoo cooked up a usible reason, suggesting that he needed Hyunwoo¡¯s help. Hyunwoo could take care of the remaining work next Monday. He felt good when he thought of meeting this lovely couple Nami and Dukwoo after such a long time. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be joining you soon. Let me finish the work and see you guys.¡± As soon as he hung up the phone, he organized the papers. Surprised a bit, Suji looked at Hyunwoo, ¡°Do you have an appointment?¡± ¡°I had none, but someone wants to see me. Let me leave then.¡± ¡°Alright, then.¡± Suji showed a lonely expression on her face as if she had been expecting some great time with him. Hyunwoo felt sorry to notice it, so he asked, ¡°Do you want to go with me?¡± ¡°Do I know them?¡± ¡°Not really, but you can make friends with them. It¡¯ll be beneficial to you to know them.¡± For a moment, Suji was a bit agonized over it, but shook her head soon, ¡°I¡¯m going to eat at home. Instead, can you give me a ride back home?¡± ¡°Sure, no problem. Let¡¯s get out then.¡± At that moment, Sangho cut in abruptly, ¡°I was going to leave the office, too. Can I give you a ride, Suji? As I have to eat dinner alone, can you dine with me?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯d like to go with Hyunwoo,¡± said Suji resolutely, rejecting his offer. Her rejection was so resolute that even Hyunwoo felt sorry for Sangho, but Suji was a courteous woman in Hyunwoo¡¯s mind, so he felt that there might be some reason for Suji to act like that. Hyunwoo pretended not to see or hear them, just waiting for Suji. After she organized her desk, she approached Hyunwoo and held his arm as if she wanted to fold his arms. Hyunwoo felt very embarrassed at the moment. The staff of the purchasing team thought Sangho and Suji¡¯s rtionship was not casual, and Hyunwoo thought so. Sangho treated Sangho special, and Suji also followed him affectionately. Hyunwoo thought she treated him coldly because of her close rtionship with Sangho, and that¡¯s why Hyunwoo was trying to forget about Suji because he would certainly get hurt by having his heart set on her. Now, the situation haspletely changed. Suji suddenly began to feel affectionate toward Hyunwoo, even in the presence of Sangho. In Hyunwoo¡¯s mind, there was only one reason: her disy of resistance to Sangho was supposed to be taken as ¡®Be good to me as I¡¯m not your girlfriend yet!¡¯ Hyunwoo felt bitter for no particr reason. It looked like he was caught between the lovers¡¯ quarrel. Pretending not to know that, however, Hyunwoo left the office with Suji. After he gave Suji a ride back home, he headed straight to the appointment ce where Nami and Dukwoo were waiting. It was a Japanese restaurant withpartment rooms. As Nami was already a famous entertainer, it was difficult for her to date her boyfriend in an open ce. When she went out, she wore thick andrge sunsses, a hat, and covered her face with a mask. When he got there, Nami was sullen, as if she had a quarrel with Dukwoo while dating. ¡°I took time out for him though I was very busy, but he¡¯sining that I have not seen him often enough since I became a TV talent.¡± ¡°Sorry. It¡¯s because I wanted to see you, honey,¡± said Dukwoo and offered apologies quickly. He was at a loss what to do or say to her. Watching them quietly, Hyunwoo suddenly felt bitter. Dukwoo and Nami, or Sangho and Suji were ying at love, but Hyunwoo felt he was alone with no girlfriend. Suddenly, Hyunwoo thought of Suji. Just like Dukwoo was teased by Nami, Hyunwoo wanted to be irritated by Suji. Whenever Hyunwoo thought of Suji, Sangho¡¯s image also appeared in his mind. Though Sangho and Suji didn¡¯t hit it together today, they looked so close and affectionate in the office until recently, which made Hyunwoo feel all the more bitter. Chapter 107

Chapter 107

Smiling brightly as if he wanted to hide his bitterness, Hyunwoo said, ¡°I envy you, Dukwoo.¡± ¡°For what?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the only guy in this country who can tolerate Nami even when she shows a tantrum. Do you think she gets irritated by just anybody?¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± said Dukwoo, scratching his head as if he didn¡¯t think that far. That was true. The fact that she got irritated with him over such a trifle thing showed she felt so close to him. Hyunwoo said, as if he understood Nami, ¡°I think Nami feels very stressed while doing activities as a TV talent. Who can she vent her stress to? It¡¯s you, Dukwoo, so try to understand her with a benevolent heart.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not venting out my stress to him. I¡¯m really pissed off,¡± said Nami, leering at Dukwoo. ¡°Oh,e on, Nami. You must be really busy, I guess,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Not right now. I¡¯m meeting him once a week these days. I¡¯m going to be busier next year. I wonder how he will react then,¡± said Nami, looking at Dukwoo. ¡°Don¡¯t be too hard on him, Nami. Maybe he is acting like that because he misses you so much. By the way, do you have your n for next year already?¡± ¡°Yea, I signed a contract for a si.¡± ¡°Si? Isn¡¯t it the gateway to sess for rookie stars, right?¡± ¡°Absolutely. I may meet a famous K-pop star. Yongjun Park is the main character in the si.¡± ¡°Oh, that K-pop star Yongjun? It must be a great si then.¡± ¡°There are lots of good things that wille out of me acting with such a K-pop star. I hear the uing si has already been arranged for export to Japan, China, Taiwan, and other Asian countries for simultaneous release when it is done broadcasting in Korea next year.¡± ¡°Wow! Are you a main woman character?¡± ¡°No, the owner of mypany tried very hard to make me the main character in vain. I¡¯m just a rookie anyway,¡± said Nami, regrettably with a smile. Nami Yu was associated with the entertainment group AT Entertainment. Its president was the youngest son of Osung Group, the biggest business group in Korea. Withrge amounts of money, it was the dominant yer in the domestic entertainment market. It was a big deal for such apany to strongly support a rookie like Nami as the main character. ¡°The ownerforted me when I failed, saying I should give in this time. In fact, originally a senior actress with AT Entertainment was supposed to take on the main role, so I think it¡¯s right I give in this time.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯ll be the main character of the si in the next season.¡± ¡°No idea, but the owner said he would make that happen. He says I will be Asia¡¯s best star in the near future,¡± said Nami with a bright smile, but Dukwoo didn¡¯t feel good about it, with a sullen face. Noticing it, Nami said coldly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your face, Dukwoo?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t trust the owner of yourpany.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t trust him? Why?¡± ¡°I hear he has had lots of scandals with women singers and actress with hispany. I can see why his nickname is the Virgin Killer.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all false rumors. You don¡¯t know anything about it.¡± Nami began to take side with the owner, getting irritated with Dukwoo and staring at him. The atmosphere was suddenly tense. Hyunwoo felt they were going to start a quarrel soon. Interrupting them quickly, Hyunwoo began to soothe Dukwoo, saying, ¡°Hey, Dukwoo. You should trust Nami, to say the least. Nami, just try to understand Dukwoo. I think he wants to protect you when he is saying that.¡± Only when he heard Hyunwoo¡¯s advice did Dukwoo seem to realize that he was too hard on her, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I think I am nervous because I can¡¯t see you more often.¡± ¡°Gee, you are thinking only of yourself!¡± retorted Nami. Hyunwoo quickly changed the topic to the uing si that Nami loved most. ¡°So, what is your role in the si?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m supposed to act as the daughter of a wealthy house and harass the main character. Though I¡¯m not that importantpared with the main female character, I still y an important role. In addition, I get lots of promotional stuff.¡± At the moment Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide, ¡°Promotional stuff?¡± ¡°Yea. Such as wardrobe, bags, shoes, essories, etc. Namely, what I wear on my body.¡± Hyunwoo felt this was the thing he had been looking for. If the luxury department of Aurum could make the best use of promotional stuff, there might be a breakthrough in its revival. When he thought as far as that, lots of other ideas came to his mind. What if I provide them with a set for their si instead of offering furniture? Aurum¡¯s luxury department could only produce a limited number of specialty furniture. In other words, they produced luxurious furniture to enhance thepany¡¯s image in very small quantity. However, if Aurum could offer a whole set for Nami¡¯s si, the luxury team could design everything from the beds, drawers, desks and bookshelves to the wall paper. In that case, the consumers, the si actors, could preview the predesigned rooms and select the one they like. Of course, when something more was needed, they could ask for it on the spot. Bingo! After spending some more time with them, Hyunwoo returned home and focused on the strategy. The next Saturday afternoon Jungah waited for Hyunwoo¡¯s car on the side of a street and waved to him when he was approaching. Next to her was Myunghun Koh. If she had no particr appointment, Jungah went to the House of Happiness to discuss with the Anifan kids about the inaugural production of Ani & Funny every weekend, but it was Myunhun¡¯s first visit. When Hyunwoo stopped in front of them, Jungah and Myunghun got in the van quickly. Myunghun bowed to Hyunwoo, saying ¡°I¡¯ve not seen you for a long time.¡± ¡°Yes, long time, no see. Thanks foring.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee. I shoulde here sometimes even though I work part-time. You can speak down to me as I¡¯m much younger than you.¡± ¡°Oh, that sounds good. Hahaha¡± They headed to the House of Happiness, where two people donating their talent were also present. They were also former employees of Imagingpia. They were supposed to visit the ce by turns, namely on Saturday and Sunday respectively, but Hyunwoo suggested that the entire staff should meet Myunghun. Hyunwoo looked at each of the participants carefully. He was familiar with all of them except for Myunghun whom he was meeting with for the first time. They got right into the discussion. Hyunwoo emailed them the potential production one week ago, so they must have reviewed it at home. The story started with a boy and a girl who were each chosen by a god. The demon sends a goblin into the past to disturb them and bring chaos to the world. The boy and the girl detects this and travels to the past using their extraordinary power and protect the past and destroy the goblin. The overall story was nothing special, but its details were pretty interesting. However, there was somethingcking there. Compared with Garbage World, there was much more stuffcking in it. Namly, there were no eye-catching elements. Hyunwoo started the discussion by asking, ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°I think there is room for improvement, but I can¡¯t figure out how to improve it.¡± ¡°I agree. It has no impact factor.¡± ¡°How can we make the consumers feel impact then?¡± asked Hyunwoo. Nbody couldn¡¯t answer it, even though they must have given it a lot of thought. Anifan kids were also silent, though they felt they needed to make up for the production, but Jungah was trying to read their countenance as if she had something to say. ¡°Jungah, what do you think? In which area do you feel it¡¯s mostcking?¡± ¡°I guess there are no interesting characters here,¡± said Jungah cautiously. Hyunwoo felt the same. The characters of the production were all far from interesting, and the storyline was also banal as if he had seen it already somewhere. Hyunwoo added, seconding her opinion to boost her confidence, ¡°I agree. The characters are toomon and uninspiring. I think she pointed out the problem correctly.¡± Jungah continued, ¡°This production is intended for those younger than elementary school children, and its contents are educational. ordingly, there can be nothing special about it. If that¡¯s the case, we have to find impact through its characters.¡± Hyunwoo nodded his head, as if he agreed with her, which made her feel more confident. ¡°Why don¡¯t we create interesting characters? For example, we create one bad and one good male and female angel respectively in the story, who basically act as theic reliefl. Their roles are to help the main characters.¡± Listening to her quietly, Seoim, the most talented story writer of the House of Happiness, eximed ¡®Ah!¡¯ from her lips. All the story ideas of the animation works of the Anifan kids came out of her brain. Hyunwoo felt sort of nervous, anxious to hear what she wanted to say. Hummm... I think she mighte up with some great solution. Chapter 108

Chapter 108

After getting her thoughts into shape, Seoim wrote something down on a piece of paper and then said, as if she presented a rewritten story, ¡°There is ake of the fairy in the demon¡¯s forest. If the world is turbulent, the fairies lose power. The demon is studying how to make the world chaotic to try to control the fairies, thus he sends the viins to the past to change history. In such a situation, the fairy sends a spirit to the past to defend history. With the help of the fairy, the boy and the girl main characters, fight the viins to defend history. The viins are Dark, who is strong but dumb, and Red, who is cute but cruel. The spirits are capable, but there is a naughty boy, Tuti, and cute and calm girl Angelica, who has no ability other than helping Tuti. The boy and the girl defeat Dark and Red with the help of Tuti and Angelica. It turns out that the two viins used to be the spirits but became the viins because of the demon¡¯s spell. When Tuti and Angelica break the spell on the spirits, Dark and Red change into splendid and beautiful spirits Blue and Pink respectively.¡± When Seoim said that, a new idea burst into Jihun¡¯s mind. He brought a piece of paper and began to draw one character. Though it was a rough sketch, it had some clear intention. The core of the sketch was Tuti and Angelica. Tuti was personified into aical, strong but kind tiger while Angelica was depicted as beautiful as possible. At that moment, Jungah opened her mouth as if she hit upon some idea, ¡°Angelica is the fairy of theke, isn¡¯t she? Why don¡¯t you draw her clothing in a way that makes one feel theke?¡± ¡°Feel theke? What kind of clothing gives out such a feeling?¡± ¡°Running water itself is the fabric.¡± Then, Jihun quickly drew something as if he had some idea. ¡°We had better use different colors for the different characters.¡± When they kept changing the original story like that, they felt it was much more dynamic and interesting. Everyone¡¯s face brightened. ¡°I feel great about it.¡± ¡°Looks like the Anifan kids will also like it.¡± ¡°I think you can make the production, based on this flow.¡± Hyunwoo was very satisfied, so were the Anifan kids, but Jungah kept tilting her head and suggested cautiously, ¡°Why don¡¯t we change other characters? We don¡¯t have to draw them as real human beings. I think we could make them as simple as possible but at the same time cute and precocious.¡± As soon as she said that, Jihun again drew pictures. In the case of a man, not only his face and body but also his arms and feet were depicted as square and burly, while the woman was drawn as a slender and round one as a whole. Jungah snapped her finger at that and said, ¡°I think this is much better. What do you think?¡± ¡°Good idea. Very unique.¡± ¡°It looks unique and friendly.¡± All of them liked Jungah¡¯s idea. Hyunwoo was impressed by Jungah¡¯s initiative. He thought she had just a good eye for coloring, but she was also good at finding out the problem with productions. Maybe she was better at analyzing a production than at coloring. Isn¡¯t Jungah the real gem? Hyunwoo thought. Their discussion about the educational cartoon continued through the night. In particr, it was Jungah who presented ideas the most. When she presented a certain idea, others fleshed out the idea, and at the end of the day, the original production changed into apletely different one, and the heart of the matter was fun. If the educational cartoons are full of learning and lesson, with no fun, it would be destined to fail, after all. Sess came after the fun, they felt. Around the same time that Hyunwoo mingled with them at the House of Happiness, Suji felt ufortable because her mother¡¯s nagging, was unusually severe today. ¡°Don¡¯t you have any appointment even on Saturday.?Just go out and meet your friends if you don¡¯t have a boyfriend.¡± ¡°It¡¯s cold outside, so I don¡¯t want to go out.¡± ¡°Hey, that¡¯s why you should make a boyfriend. I guess Sangho seems to be a good guy. Why are you saying you don¡¯t like him?¡± ¡°I told you already. He is not my type. Please don¡¯t say anything about him. Did you call him again?¡± ¡°Are you crazy? I didn¡¯t.¡± Suji stared at her mother, suggesting she should not lie. ¡°Seriously. Don¡¯t you believe your mother?¡± Mrs. Kong walked out of her room with a waddle. Left alone in her room, Suji threw herself on the bed. She was bored. She wanted to have a boyfriend like her friends. Suddenly, she thought of Hyunwoo. How dumb he is! I wish he had called me out for dinner this evening. Come to think of it, it was an unreasonable wish given that she had been so cold to him. The more she thought of Sangho, the angrier she got. Sangho made her misunderstand Hyunwoo by lying. She regretted she had been so kind to Sangho. On the other hand, she felt so guilty about Hyunwoo. She sprang out of bed suddenly. ¡°Okay. Let me contact him first just once to express my apology to him.¡± She grabbed her cell phone, but sent him a text message instead of calling him. What are you up to now? He replied, I¡¯m meeting with the staff of Ani & Funny. Suddenly, she had nothing to say. If she replied wrong, she might give him the impression that she was interested in him. In a situation like this, it is the best policy to deny. You called me a minute ago, didn¡¯t you? Nope. I didn¡¯t call you. Was it my phone? An unknown caller. I thought you called me to invite me to dinner. Well, I made a dinner appointment with my staff here. Suji let out a sigh, apparently disappointed as if she was expecting him to say something different. On the other hand, she felt her pride was offended as a woman. She felt she was rejected after she proposed to have dinner with him. Suddenly, she got upset. Did I ever call you for dinner? Can I call you after dinner? For what? I¡¯d like to have a beer with you. She was tempted for a moment, but when she thought of it again, she felt bad. For she felt he would spend the rest of his time after he had great fun with his staff. No thanks. I have an appointment with my friends at night. Okay. Have a great Saturday! After his reply, she threw her phone on the bed, saying, ¡°Damn it. I texted him needlessly.¡± Come to think of it, it was the price for what she did to him. It was Suji who misunderstood Hyunwoo first and acted mean to him. She decided to forgive him nicely. ¡°Deal. It¡¯s fair between us now. I can¡¯t allow this to happen next time, though.¡± *** On Sunday afternoon, Hyunwoo called Yonggu outside. Hyunwoo wanted to discuss an idea with him that came to his mind while meeting Nami the other day. Hearing that Hyunwwo hit upon a good idea, Yonggu dropped everything and came out to see him, but he was disappointed to hear Hyunwoo¡¯s idea. ¡°I told you that kind of idea would not work, man. The president wouldn¡¯t care a bit about separating the luxury department from Aurum as an independent entity.¡± Hyunwoo expected such a response from Yonggu, but he brought it up again because he was confident he could persuade not only Yonggu but also the president. ¡°You didn¡¯t read the president¡¯s mind correctly. You have to think about why the president doesn¡¯t want to make an independentpany,¡± said Hyunwoo. Only then did Yonggu seemed to realize the reason, ¡°It¡¯s because the president is not sure about making profits. Only a fool would create an independent luxurypany that is certain to lose money.¡± Yonggu nodded his head after hearing Hyunwoo¡¯s remarks. The deficits of the luxury department of Aurum were muchrger than they first thought. Keeping the department afloat, however, was purely for the sake of improving Aurum¡¯s image. If not for that reason, the luxury department would have been closed a long time ago. ¡°What if we can show the president we can make profits, assuming the luxury department would be separated as an independent corporation?¡± In such a situation, the president would probably support the idea of the luxury department going independent. ¡°How can the deficit-ridden luxury department make profits even if it started as an independent corporation?¡± ¡°I know the surefire publicity knowhow. For example, getting the sponsorship of a TV soap opera or si...¡± said Hyunwoo, telling him about his idea. Snapping his finger after listening for a while, Yonggu said, ¡°That¡¯s a really good idea. I wonder if they can ept our products as their sponsor, though. I guess there might be fiercepetition to get the sponsorship.¡± ¡°I know a well-known TV talent. If the president okays my idea, I think there might be some good ideas on how to persuade the TV producer. As you know, our team leader Youngsu Park knows how to approach them. I think I can arrange such a meeting.¡± ¡°Then the final problem is how to persuade the president,¡± said Yonggu, with an anguished expression on his face. ¡°If things go well, the independent luxury department can grow bigger than Aurum. Once famous brands hit the jackpot, it will rake in enormous money.¡± Yonggu nodded his head, staring at Hyunwoo with sparkling eyes. ¡°Hyunwoo, I like your idea. Can you give it to me? Oh, not free. Sell it to me, man.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯e eyes widened, ¡°Selling it? What are you talking about?¡± ¡°To be honest with you, I¡¯d like to get the recognition from the president that I¡¯m the best candidate as Minhye¡¯s groom. So, I would like to persuade the president on this upon my life.¡± It was Hyunwoo¡¯s ardent wish for him to be the president¡¯s son-inw. When Hyunwoo seemed hesitant a bit, Yonggu grabbed his hand and said, ¡°Please, man. Help me out. Let me pay back enough. Why don¡¯t we have a deal?¡± Nodding his head, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Absolutely let me help you if my friend like you wants to marry a woman in his heart. By the way, how long are you going to stay aloof like that? Don¡¯t you think you should seduce her more aggressively, apart from your business rtionship with her?¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯m trying hard. Let me tip you off on this, as you say you¡¯ll help me. To be honest with you, I have a date with her next weekend. We are going to watch a movie.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve made good progress! Maybe you can get married sometime next spring.¡± ¡°Yea, if I pull off this deal, it¡¯s possible.¡± ¡°Great. What would you do for me if I gave you my idea?¡± Chapter 109

Chapter 109

On Monday morning, after the manager¡¯s meeting hosted by the president ended, Youngsu Park went back to his office. Given his sullen face, it seemed that he, along with other managers, were rebuked severely by the president for the matter of the luxury department splitting into a separatepany. ¡°Let¡¯s have a meeting,¡± said Youngsu to the team members. As if he was waiting for the team manager anxiously, assistant manager Yonggu called the meeting. Younggu tried to slip out of the office. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, please attend our meeting, manager. As this is not a brainstorming session, you may attend.¡± ¡°Really? Are you sure?¡± Yonggu immediately held the meeting, but the team members didn¡¯t bring any good ideas about the fate of the luxury department. Actually, it was almost impossible for them toe up with any good idea as the president dered that he could not separate the luxury department from Aurum as an independent corporation. However, Yonggu proposed the same idea again. ¡°There is no other way. You have to persuade the president to separate it from Aurum as an independent corporation,¡± said Yonggu. ¡°Don¡¯t you think I don¡¯t know that, man? The president wouldn¡¯t be persuaded...¡± answered Youngsu with a sigh. Then Yonggu proposed a new idea suddenly, ¡°I think it is much easier to persuade the president than to try toe up with a new idea. If you allow me, I¡¯d like to meet the president directly and persuade him.¡± Youngsu made a nk expression on his face, saying ¡°You want to see him?¡± ¡°Yea, I¡¯ve been agonizing over the issue over the weekend. And I thought the president might agree with my idea.¡± ¡°Have you prepared a proposal in advance?¡± As if he already prepared it, he showed a file to Youngsu. It was a proposal he worked on with Hyunwoo over the weekend. Of course, there was no mention of Hyunwoo¡¯swork with the TV talent. ¡°Selling the studio set instead of the furniture?¡± ¡°As you know, this is the luxury marketing intended for the rich, so if we design the atmosphere of the whole set afresh instead of selling one luxurious piece of furniture, I think there is a great potential for making profits.¡± ¡°In other words, you¡¯re suggesting sponsoring a TV soap opera instead of traditional marketing. I don¡¯t think it will be that easy to get the sponsorship.¡± ¡°As it¡¯s a difficult task, we¡¯ll get the big reward when we seed. Aurum has a great PR man like you. We can depend on your PR capabilities, I think.¡± Yonggu ttered him to the best he could, which Hyunwoo watched in amusement. Youngsu epted Yonggu¡¯s idea. ¡°Thanks, Manager Park.¡± Yonggu and Youngsu went to the president¡¯s office. Hyunwoo wanted to go as well but decided not to because he thought Yonggu could manage it on his own. About one hourter. Both of them came back to the office. Hyunwoo got nervous all along while they¡¯re meeting the president, but he was relieved to see their bright faces. ¡°What happened?¡± Yonggu made a circle with his finger at his asking, ¡°The president said he would give it a positive consideration. He¡¯s going to decide on it at the meeting this Friday.¡± The team members¡¯ faces brightened. Though the president didn¡¯t make a final decision yet, it was obvious that the purchasing team earned high marks again this time. If this trend continued, all of them would get a promotion during the next year¡¯s regr performance period. ¡°Nice job!¡± But Sangho didn¡¯t feel good about it, with a sullen face. He seemed to be concerned more about his cold, ¡°Cough! By the way, when are they turning on the furnace? It looks like they¡¯re trying to save too much money when it¡¯s too cold outside.¡± ¡°I agree. My feet are getting too cold.¡± Younggu was of the same opinion. As it got cold so suddenly, he suggested turning on the furnace to the president but was rejected. The next day, the temperature dropped even further and came with a heavy wind. The team members of the purchasing team began toin. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I will have to wear long underwear starting tomorrow.¡± ¡°I have to buy cotton slippers immediately.¡± Hyunwoo shared their feelings. Though he didn¡¯t feel as much as his team members, his feet were cold, so everyone sat cross-legged and took off their shoes. It was already lunchtime. After having a quick lunch, Hyunwoo came back into the office. Suji Min, who had arrived at her desk already, approached Hyunwoo after looking around the office. She held out a paper bag to him. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°I purchased this yesterday. They hosted a sales event called ¡°One plus One,¡± so I purchased another one,¡± said Suji. When Hyunwoo opened it, he saw a pair of beige slippers. Hyunwoo had been thinking of buying slippers because of his cold feet in the office. He removed the packaging and put on the slippers. ¡°Wow! They¡¯re so warm. Thanks!¡± Suji smiled a bit and went back to her desk as if it was nothing. Suddenly, Hyunwoo felt something strange. If she bought another one at the One plus One sales event, she should give it to Sangho, right? To make sure, Hyunwoo stole a nce at Sangho¡¯s desk, pretending to go to the restroom. There was nothing like cotton slippers in his desk. Instead, there was a pair of artificial leather slippers there. What the heck is this? Why did she give them to me then...? Suddenly, Hyunwoo thought of what happened between him and herst Saturday when he was at the House of Happiness. While he was having a meeting with the Ani & Funny staff, he received a text message from Suji. At that time, he didn¡¯t give it much thought, but when he came to think about it again, there was something special about it. In particr, her response to the blocked number was striking. Why did she think the caller of the blocked number was Hyunwoo? Maybe she had been expecting a call from him. That was the only reason if Hyunwoo had to find one. She wanted to have dinner with me then? That was possible, but it was only a guess at this point. Is Suji interested in me? When Hyunwoo thought as far as that, he stopped thinking about it anymore because it was just unthinkable given her cold attitude toward him until recently. Hyunwoo shook his head, I should not run before my horse to market. Otherwise, I¡¯ll get hurt. Maybe she¡¯s using me to keep Sangho alert and tense. However, Hyunwoo thought he had better repay for her gift, What kind of gift should I choose for her? At 7:50 am on Wednesday morning, Suji got out of the swimming pool. She was learning how to swim in the morning these days as she felt she was gaining weight. When she came out, she felt the biting wind of the early morning. She walked at a quick pace to catch a taxi. Suddenly, someone called her from behind. ¡°Hey, Suji. This way!¡± Surprised, Suji turned her head and saw Hyunwoo there waiting. She raced toward her with a happy mind, ¡°Oh my god! Howe you¡¯re here?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you. Take this.¡± Hyunwoo held out two canned coffees in his pocket. When she held them, she felt a chill all over her body was gone in a moment. ¡°Take this one, and let me take the other one,¡± said Suji. ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t buy them to drink. Still warm?¡± Only then did Suji figure out why he brought the canned coffee. He prepared them as the recement for glove warmers. Suji smiled, thinking This guy has good sense! ¡°You must be very cold. Just get in!¡± Suji got in Hyunwoo¡¯s van. ¡°I feel sorry, Suji¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°My van is just too ugly for a beautifuldy like Suji.¡± ¡°Cheee... don¡¯t say that!¡± Suji slightly twisted the bridge of the nose whenever she said ¡®Cheee...¡¯ and then smiled as if she was ying a joke. Hyunwoo found it very attractive when she did that, and he thought he wanted to meet a woman like Suji if he had a girlfriend. ¡°By the way, what brought you here?¡± ¡°To give you a ride.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t make fun of me.¡± Suji didn¡¯t believe him because he had never done this to her before. ¡°Well, I wanted to repay you for the cotton slippers. That¡¯s why I came here to give you a ride even though I would get to the office a bitte.¡± She looked surprised to hear that, folding her arms over her heart. Hyunwoo just smiled. Originally, Hyunwoo thought of giving her a ride this time only, but her favorable response was more enough to have him give her a ride next time as well. Hyunwoo thought he could sound out her feelings in this manner. If she didn¡¯t feel affectionate toward him, she would feel his favor ufortable and refuse it in one way or another. Yea, it¡¯s better for me to be rejected now rather thanter when I get hurt. Looking at her, Hyunwoo asked, ¡°You¡¯re taking swimming lessons on Monday, Wednesday. and Friday, right?¡± ¡°Yes. Why? Are you going to give me a ride again?¡± ¡°Well, it depends on how you¡¯re treating me. Hahaha¡± Hyunwoo smiled an impish smile. Suji also smiled as if she felt good about his proposal. On Friday morning, Hyunwoo drove to the swimming pool, timed with her exit time. A littleter he saw Sujiing out. As if she was expectant of something a lot, she looked around as if she was looking for someone. Hyunwoo felt much better to see that. He got out of his van quickly, shouting, ¡°Hey, Suji. Over here!¡± ¡°Wow! Brother Hyunwoo!¡± Waving her hand, she walked toward him with quick steps. At that moment, Hyunwoo thought of a certain movie scene. How would she react if he ran toward her, hugged her and then spun her around? Hyunwoo wanted to give it a try very much but held back the temptation. Instead, he held out the two canned coffee heated warm. ¡°Why, what a man of good sense you are! Thanks,¡± said Suji, with a happy expression on her face. Seeing her happy, Hyunwoo felt the same. He felt as if they became lovers at the moment. However, Hyunwoo felt more and more perplexed. Is Suji really interested in me? What about Sangho then? Hyunwoo felt it was too early to judge Suji¡¯s affection for him. They headed to the office. The old security guard, Suyoung Oh, tilted his head, seeing Suji seated beside Hyunwoo in the van. ¡°You¡¯re together again today!¡± ¡°He promised to give me a ride on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.¡± At the moment, Hyunwoo was about to say, ¡°When did I promise?¡± Her response like that was quite unexpected. Hyunwoo could not deny it anyway when she looked at him with the glittering eyes that seemed to ask him to rejoin, ¡°Right, Hyunwoo?¡± Hyunwoo nodded his head, ¡°There is a swimming pool on the way here.¡± Suyoung tilted his head again but didn¡¯t say anything this time. Hmmm...Hyunwoo mother¡¯s food factory is located in Hwasung. Is there a swimming pool on the way here? Why didn¡¯t I notice it before? Chapter 110

Chapter 110

Youngsu Park, the manager of the purchasing team, invited Yonggu to the managers¡¯ meeting. The meeting started as soon as the managers reported to work and continued even when lunchtime was approaching. Finally, Youngsu and Yonggu came back to the office. Both were exhausted from the meeting, but their faces were bright. Yonggu told the team members about the oue of the meeting. ¡°They¡¯ve decided to separate the luxury department into an independent corporation, and I feel that the president has decided to make Minhye Park, manager of the PR team, take business management training on this asion.¡± That was what Hyunwoo expected. Minhye would be appointed as the representative of the new corporation, and she would pick up some members from the purchasing team to join the new corporation. Yonggu will be duly chosen, as well as the staff of the luxury department. As the design of the set was the core of the new business, there would be additional hiring of designers. Exining to the team members in excitement, Yonggu said pointedly to Hyunwoo, ¡°Not only our team manager Youngsu but also assistant manager Hyunwoo will belong to the new corporation.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes widened at that. It was only natural that Yonggu and Youngsu would move to the new corporation, but why should be Hyunwoo included? And the luxury department was located in the provincial city of Umsung. If Hyunwoo moved to the new corporation, he might have tomute to and from Umsung. He had no intention at all to go there with his physically weak parents left alone in Ansan. Hyunwoo shook his head resolutely, ¡°I¡¯m not going. I¡¯ll stay here.¡± Yonggu grinned at that, saying ¡°Do you think that¡¯s possible in corporate life? You are supposed toe and go as ordered. I guess you¡¯ll get a promotion before moving there, so be ready to offer thanks when the management makes the decision.¡± But Hyunwoo had no intention to transfer at all, ¡°I can¡¯tmute to and from a faraway ce because of my parents¡¯ health problems. Please take that into ount.¡± Tilting his head, Yonggu nodded his head, ¡°Really? I have to take that into ount, then. I think the president might understand your situation.¡± Hyunwoo felt relieved. As Yonggu was the core member of the newly emerging corporation, Hyunwoo thought he could be excluded from the list of the candidates transferring to it. And there would be a lot of staff members wishing to join the new corporation when the management announced publicly that because there are many more chances of promotion at a newpany. I wonder if the management will pick up someone like me who doesn¡¯t want to go. That Saturday evening Yonggu went on a date with Minhye. As promised, they had dinner after watching a movie. Yonggu did his best to win her heart. He gave her a gift of roses and entertained her with all sorts of interesting stories that evening. Minhye didn¡¯t refuse his sincerity. Rather she sometimes got physically affectionate to him at the proper time to tempt him, but it was not because she loved him. Of course, she had a good feeling about him. Yonggu was capable, handsome and from a good family, but he was not the type of person that she missed when he was not with her, nor did she want to hug him passionately when she was alone with him. Even if he was her type, it didn¡¯t matter much because he was one of the candidates she had in mind as her marriage partner. She thought dating and marrying were separate from each other, so she dated several men, apart from her marriage candidates. She had a boyfriend even now, but she had never thought of getting married to that person. She just wanted to savor the moment. During the process, one was supposed to lose interest in the other at some point. She dated men because she wanted to enjoy life the best she could before she got married, and she thought of dying marriage for as long as possible. The reason she pretended to love Yonggu was because she just wanted to manage him as one of her marriage potentials. On the other hand, she felt regret about Sangho Oh and Younghwan Koh, her former dates. In particr, Sangho had been the most promising candidate but failed to make his presence felt at Aurum. Younghwan showed the limit of his ability when he failed to pull off a contract with JBC. Now, there are only two left, Yonggu and Hyunwoo, though Yonggu probably thought he was the only candidate. The evening wore on, and before they knew it midnight came, but Minhye didn¡¯t think of going back home. Yonggu could not tell her to go back home first, or he would stop her even if she wanted. They moved to a cocktail bar after having a beer, and then went to a nightclub after they were drunk. 90% of the man-woman rtionships depended on the atmosphere. When they stepped into the nightclub, their courteous rtionship turned into a lustful one. Their physical affection became natural. It looked as if Minhye made a hard decision. Even when Yonggu got close to her aggressively, she responded more aggressively as if to say that his advances weren¡¯t enough. When it was 3 am, theyy in a hotel room. After having passionate sex, they were having fun, fully naked, on the bed. Yonggu couldn¡¯t believe it. The usually arrogant and conceited Minhye was allowing him to touch her. Even when he caressed intimately where he couldn¡¯t even dare to look she didn¡¯t refuse him. She just started whining and writhing as if she was shy when he touched her. Suddenly, she mentioned thepany project, as if she felt it was a big burden. ¡°Do you think we can make it?¡± Yonggu smiled automatically to hear her mention ¡®we¡¯. He could feel her affection for him. ¡°Everything will be alright. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°I thought about the new business project alonest night. I think we had better keep the headquarters in Seoul for the sake of publicity.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± ¡°I also drew up a list of the members to join. I¡¯m thinking of bringing you and Hyunwoo from the purchasing team.¡± ¡°Hyunwoo won¡¯t go. It¡¯s difficult for him to move anywhere else because of his parents¡¯ health problems.¡± Yonggu told her about Hyunwoo¡¯s situation, but she would not listen. ¡°Everypany employee has their own personal problem. He has to follow the order if he wants a corporate life.¡± ¡°Still you have to take into consideration his problem...¡± said Yonggu on his behalf. But Minhye regarded Yonggu¡¯s exnation as envy. Yonggu considered Hyunwoo as his rival, she thought. She was determined to bring Hyunwoo to the new corporation by all means. If the management announced the reshuffle with respect to the new corporation, Hyunwoo had to follow the order unless he is ready to quit. She was confident. How can he resist when I insist he shoulde with me? Several dayster, there was posted on thepany bulletin an official announcement on the new corporation. It said the luxury department would be separated into an independent corporation named ¡®Space Design.¡¯ It also mentioned about the hiring of those who wished to transfer to the new corporation, with preferential priority to the Aurum employees. There were two workces, one in Umsung and the other one in Seoul. The announcement was the hot topic among the Aurum employees. When they met by twos or threes, they talked about the new corporation. The members of the purchasing team were no exception. Manager Youngsu Park and Assistant Manager Yonggu were already destined to transfer, but other members agonized over it, but there were some who were freed from such agony. One of them was Suji Min. Although she could get a job at argepany with her excellent ability, she chose Aurum, a middle-sizedpany, because she could not move out of Ansan because of her family situation. She would not have applied for a job at Aurum from the start if her family situation had allowed her to find a job at a bigpany. Nheless, the new corporation drew her sharp interest because of her colleagues¡¯ possible transfer. In particr, she was curious about Hyunwoo¡¯s possible transfer. ¡°Have you applied for transfer?¡± Hyunwoo and Suji were already on affectionate terms. It had only been three times that Hyunwoo drove to the swimming pool to pick her up, but that was enough for them to get close enough. In particr, Suji¡¯s reaction changed a lot. Though she was icy toward Hyunwoo recently, she took interest in things rted to Hyunwoo more than anything else. Of course, there was some adverse effect because of that. Originally, Hyunwoo was the first toe to the office, but his arrival at the office was dyed by one hour because his waiting for Suji in front of the swimming pool. The team members began whispering about him. ¡°He got here first right after he was hired, but now.¡± ¡°Looks like he¡¯s cked off since he got promoted to an assistant manager.¡± But Hyunwoo didn¡¯t care at all because he came to the office very early in the morning just because he wanted to without regards to anyone else¡¯s thoughts. The big adverse effect on him was something else. He was confused about Suij¡¯s changed attitude toward him. I suspect Suji is really interested in me. Given her behavior so far, it looked like she was. And she acted like that even today. She asked him first, not Sangho about the transfer. Thought it was a trifling thing, Hyunwoo felt good. He wanted to figure out how she felt. ¡°Why? Do you want me to transfer?¡± ¡°Nope, the opposite.¡± ¡°Why?¡± She hesitated to reply at that moment. It looked like she couldn¡¯t find any good excuse. After thinking about something a bit, she made up some excuse by saying, ¡°You¡¯re in charge of the purchasing team¡¯s luck. I think something good can happen to me if I keep working with you.¡± ¡°If you think so, I won¡¯t go.¡± ¡°Seriously? Can you promise me?¡± Without hiding her delight, Suji showed her dness. She even forced him to pinkie-swear. Though Hyunwoo had no idea why she did so, still he felt good about it. Hyunwoo dly pinkie-swore. ¡°You promised it to me. I¡¯ll be greatly disappointed if you break your promise and went away. Okay?¡± Hyunwoo assured her in a confident voice, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll never transfer.¡± Several dayster the application period was closed. Minhye, who assumed the CEO of the new corporation, scrutinized the application list. As expected, Hyunwoo¡¯s name was not there. It was a bit surprising that Sangho Oh and Younghwan Koh were not on the list, but they were already out of her favor. Minhye went to see her father, Daebong, the president of Aurum. A littleter Daebong called Hyunwoo to his office. ¡°Assistant Manager Hyunwoo. Go with manager Youngsu to the Seoul office of the new corporation. Work at the Seoul headquarters of Space Design.¡± Chapter 111

Chapter 111

When the president called him to his office, Hyunwoo already sensed that he would bring up this topic because he heard from Yonggu that Minhye was determined to take him to the new corporation, so Hyunwoo prepared his ready answer in advance. ¡°I have a personal problem. As my parents are not in good health, I can¡¯t leave Ansan.¡± ¡°I heard something about that, but isn¡¯t there anybody who doesn¡¯t have any personal problem? If you are working for apany, sometimes you can be ordered to work at a different ce even if you don¡¯t want it,¡± said the president. ¡°I really can¡¯t move. Please understand me, sir,¡± said Hyunwoo in a desperate tone. Tilting his head, the president continued, ¡°I really can¡¯t understand. Other employees are so anxious to join the new corporation, but you are not. What¡¯s the matter with you? Just work there for two years and then you¡¯ll get promoted to the manager. In some respect, this is a great opportunity for you.¡± Hyunwoo was aware of that, too. If the new corporation got bigger with great sess, those transferring now will enjoy the benefits of ultra speedy promotion. But Hyunwoo held his ground, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± That put the president on the spot because his daughter Minhye said she wanted to take him to the new corporation by all means. Daebong also wanted to have Hyunwoo work right next to her. He wanted topare Hyunwoo and Yonggu to the end as the groom candidate for her and pick one. As Hyunwoo was so opposed to transferring like that, however, there was nothing Daebong could do anymore. Though he asked his cousin Youngsu, the manager of the purchasing team, to persuade Hyunwoo, there was little possibility for sess given Hyunwoo¡¯s stubbornness even in the presence of the president. ¡°Got it. You may leave now.¡± After Hyunwoo left his office, Daebong let out a sigh, touching the middle of the forehead with his fingers as if he had a headache. Then, he opened his eyes suddenly as if he hit upon a good idea. If Hyunwoo refuses like that, I have no other choice but to do this. He gave it a little more consideration. When he was done organizing his thoughts, he called in the manager of the general affairs department. Daebong gave him a secret mission, and the manager responded, ¡°Yes, sir. Let me carry it out immediately.¡± **** During the weekend, Hyunwoo¡¯s family stopped by the House of Happiness. Though his father usually apanied them, he had been confining himself to his research room these days. He seemed to be agonizing over his old dream. There was not much help his family could offer him. Jisuk Han, Hyunwoo¡¯s mother, prepared lots of side dishes for this visit. She used up all the leftover ingredients to make the side dishes. When they arrived there, they found some guests visiting it already. Stunned to see them, Hyunwoo bowed to him quickly, ¡°How are you, sir.¡± The person he greeted was Daebong Park. Minhye was with him, and another woman decorated with all kinds of jewelry seemed to be her mother. Daebong was also surprise to find Hyunwoo visiting the ce, ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t it assistant manager Hyunwoo? What brought you here?¡± ¡°Well, my mother said she wanted to donate some side dishes. Mom, this is the president of Aurum,¡± said Hyunwoo. Astonished, she bent her waist forward deeply. As he was the president of thepany and he was considerate enough to help her open this food business, she took a submissive attitude which made him ufortable. ¡°Haha, how do you do? Did you prepare all these side dishes by yourself? You must have used lots of ingredients, I guess.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m used to this, and I used the leftover ingredients. I didn¡¯t use any old ingredients.¡± At the moment, Daebong¡¯s eyes sparkled because he recalled the direction he gave to the general affairs manager. Hearing her exnation, however, he felt things would not work out as he nned. Hyunwoo¡¯s family and the president¡¯s group had a dialogue over tea in the director¡¯s office, but Daebong felt really awkward and ufortable about her submissive attitude, so he could not stay any longer. ¡°Please excuse me. I¡¯m taking leave now,¡± said Daebong. He, along with Minhye and his wife, left the orphanage. When Hyunwoo¡¯s mother was trying to see them off outside the orphanage, Daebong stopped her sincerely. Only after he left the ce did Daebong let out a sigh. ¡°Phew~ like son, like mother.¡± Though she took a submissive attitude, Daebong felt she was not a small person. He drove his car back home personally. Suddenly, something crossed his mind. It was a nondescript warehouse he saw when he came out of the orphanage. In fact, what he noticed was not the warehouse but a small sign on it. It was something familiar to him. He quickly turned his car around. Minhye and his wife showed a puzzling expression. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Did you leave something behind?¡± ¡°No, I just want to confirm something.¡± He drove to the warehouse for about three minutes. Now he could see the sign again. Daebong examined it more carefully and opened his eyes wide. The sign read . The building seemed to be its Korean branch. It was nothing strange that N&C had a branch in Korea because it didn¡¯t need to supply castors to Aurum only. Still, Daebong felt something strange. He pulled his car in front of the warehouse, leaving the curious daughter and wife inside the car. Just like Daebong, Minhye also got out of the car, feeling suspicious about the warehouse. She looked around it, which was closed. It seemed it was closed during the weekend. ¡°Do you happen to know how long this warehouse has been in this ce?¡± ¡°No, I have no idea,¡± said Minhye, shaking her head. ¡°Maybe the director of the House of Happiness might know, right?¡± ¡°Maybe. Are you going to go back and ask him?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s courteous to go and ask now, as he¡¯s with Hyunwoo¡¯s family. Let me ask himter when he¡¯s avable.¡± Daebong then drove back home. *** The typical day for Jisuk Han, Hyunwoo¡¯s mother started very early in the morning. She, along with Hyunmin and other kids from the House of Happiness, made soybean juice, rice balls as well as spicy seaweed sushi balls to deliver to the various factories. In the morning, she got rid of the food residue and cleaned the kitchen area. She has been doing that for a long time. And then when lunch time came, she had lunch and then took a nap to make up for her insufficient sleep. Even Hyunwoo fell into deep sleep, snoring a lot as if he was exhausted from working. They resumed around 3 pm. When they were about to get back to work, they were surprised to see strangers. Three gentlemen in business suits wore a businesslike expression on their faces. They looked like investigators from the local administration. Was that the reason? Not only Jisuk but also Duyoung Jang, Hyunwoo¡¯s father, were tense because of the cold atmosphere. Washing her wet hands with an apron, Jisuk cautiously asked, ¡°May I ask who you are?¡± ¡°How are you? We¡¯re from the general affairs department of Aurum.¡± ¡°Aurum¡¯s general affairs department? Ah, I see. Pleasee in.¡± She escorted them inside the food factory, with some puzzle in her head. ¡°By the way, howe you came here?¡± ¡°We¡¯re here for sanitary inspection.¡± Her heart gave a throb. Though she kept her ce clean all the time, she felt scared at the sudden inspection. Noticing her surprised look, the inspection team thought, ¡®you¡¯re caught!¡¯. The fact that she was surprised enough for her face to be white meant she had something to hide. On the other hand, they felt sorry about it. To respond to the president¡¯s request, they had to find whatsoever fault there might be in her workce. ¡°As you provide breakfast to our employees, we feel we have to stop by without any notice like this for sanitary inspection. Can you understand us?¡± With a nk expression for a moment, she came to her senses, ¡°Oh my god! Please have some tea first.¡± ¡°Let us do the inspection first. We can have teater. Is it okay?¡± ¡°Sure, please...¡± The general affairs manager examined the factory carefully with careful eyes. As the factory was made out of an old warehouse, its exterior was pretty much old. When he stepped in, however, he was surprised to find the interior was quite modern. The floor was tiled, and the walls were shiny with new paint, and the ingredients were nicely kept in the freezer. This time the general affairs manager¡¯s heart began pounding because he had to find any slightest fault per the president¡¯s special request. However, he could find nothing. ¡°Do you have any other ce to keep the ingredients?¡± ¡°Well, we keep things like rice, soybeans, seaweed, pickled radish and sesame oil in another ce. Do you want to see it?¡± ¡°Yes, please. I had better check it as I¡¯m here.¡± She opened everything to him, and if he wanted, she was ready to show him even her main bedroom. ¡°What are those container houses?¡± ¡°They¡¯re the research rooms for my husband and his friend.¡± ¡°When you mention ¡®research¡¯ is it about foods?¡± ¡°Not at all. What are they doing research then?¡± ¡°Well, I can¡¯t tell you about it. Sorry.¡± When she said so, he examined the container houses very closely, feeling as if there was something to hide there. ¡°Can I take a look?¡± ¡°They have nothing to do with food, so I can¡¯t show you.¡± She refused his request for the first time. He became curious all the more. ¡°All I want to check is if they have anything to do with food.¡± She was put on the spot, but at that moment Duyoung came out of the container house, overhearing what they¡¯re talking about outside. ¡°If you¡¯re so curious, pleasee in and check it out¡± ¡°Excuse me then,¡± said he peeked into the container house. It was exactly as she described to him. What he saw inside was a desk with lots of files and a bookshelf full of books. He tried to go inside for a thorough look this time, but Duyoung stopped him. ¡°I guess you already found out this ce had nothing to do with food research.¡± ¡°Well, I just wondered what kind of research you¡¯re doing...¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you¡¯re overstepping. Do you have any reason to learn about my research? I hear you¡¯re here for sanitary inspection.¡± Duyoung made his point confidently. However, the general affairs manager, very nervous, made an unreasonable request to Duyoung as he had to find any fault. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯d like to look inside that container house, too.¡± At that moment, Duyoung and Jisun were stunned, with their eyes wide open. That was Kuroda¡¯s personal research room. Even they dared not tell him they wanted to take a look, for fear he might feel embarrassed. Chapter 112

Chapter 112

¡°You can¡¯t go in there. That¡¯s my neighbor Kuroda¡¯s research room. It has nothing to do with food or even with us,¡± said Duyoung resolutely. But the general affairs manager was pretty nervous. He might have to leave empty-handed as he didn¡¯t find any fault. He had to find out any loophole to avoid the president¡¯s rebuke. ¡°Would you get his approval? Or let me request him directly.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too unreasonable a request, I think.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s fine. You maye in and take a look,¡± came out Kuroda¡¯s voice, when Duyoung was about to quarrel with him. Kuroda already opened the main door wide. The general affairs manager quickly stepped in and peeped into it. Just like Duyoung¡¯s container house, Kuroda¡¯s had nothing to do with food research. With a sigh in heart, he thought, How should I report to the president? And he left the ce with a heavy heart. When he was gone, Duyoung pushed his own wheelchair to Kuroda, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I¡¯ve made a gaffe.¡± ¡°Oh, not at all. That¡¯s not a big deal,¡± replied Kuroda with a pleasing smile. In fact, Duyoung was very curious about his research. Especially when Duyoung could not make any progress in his own research because of his insufficient knowledge of the car engines, and Duyoung wanted to know about Kuroda¡¯s ongoing research. He felt if he could share Kuroda¡¯s knowledge of the car engine, it would be of great help to him, but Duyoung suffered in silence because he clearly mentioned something about ¡®leak ofpany secrets¡± when he first visited Korea. Duyoung was afraid Kuroda might move to another ce, frightened beforehand when he wrongly mentioned it, but Duyoung felt that it was about time to mention it given Kuroda¡¯s mood at the moment. ¡°How is your research doing these days?¡± asked Duyoung cautiously. ¡°It¡¯s not easy. I run into lots of difficulties as I don¡¯t have much knowledge in the area,¡± said Kuroda, shaking his head. ¡°I wonder if I could be of any help to you. As you know, I¡¯ve got somepetent knowledge of car fuel.¡± Kuroda suddenly opened his eyes wide, ¡°Are you serious?¡± Duyoung made a puzzled look because he thought Kuroda must have known about his expertise, ¡°Oh, didn¡¯t you know that? I think you saw me teaching the kids at the alternative school about it several times.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I mean. Can you share your knowledge with me? In fact, I wanted to ask you a favor several times, but I was hesitant to do so,¡± said Kuroda. It looked like Kuroda had the same agony as Duyoung. Whenever he couldn¡¯t make any progress, Kuroda wanted to seek his help, but could not mention it because it might be discourteous to him. ¡°Hahaha. I wish you had mentioned it to me a long time ago. If you need my help, I¡¯m always avable. In fact, I needed your help...¡± said Duyoung, confiding to him about his difficulties in doing the research. At that moment, Kuroda came to Duyoung quickly and held his hands, ¡°Got it. Why don¡¯t we do this way?¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s share our research. Of course, we can¡¯t reveal everything. I have to keep thepany secrets and you also have to keep the oue of your core research to yourself. Except for that, don¡¯t you think we can share our research oues freely?¡± Duyoung grabbed his hands more firmly and said, ¡°That¡¯s what I really wanted.¡± ¡°Oh my god! If that¡¯s the case, I wish I had spoken to you about it much sooner. Thanks so much.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure. I would like to thank you, too. Hahaha¡± Both of them smiled brightly. Watching them quietly Jisuk smiled, Looks like I have to give thanks to the general manager for all this. In the meantime, the general manager was quite uneasy while he was driving back to thepany. He just let out a sigh when the thought that he would be scolded by the president. Nheless, he had to report his findings. If he found any fault, his report would be supposed to be short, but actually, it was thick because there was nothing substantial. It was intended to show how much he worked to find out any fault in vain. It contained as many as 70 attached pictures. When he stepped into the president¡¯s office, he presented the report quietly. Daebong, the president, examined the report silently and put it down on the table after checking thest page. ¡°Didn¡¯t you find any fault at all?¡± ¡°Nothing, sir. Everything was perfect. I tried to find one in every way, but couldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Got it. You may leave now.¡± At the moment, the general manager opened his eyes wide. He thought he would get a severe scolding, but actually, he didn¡¯t. He quickly got out of the president¡¯s office for fear he might change his mind and get furious. Daebong expected he would find no fault. Sometimes, Daebong saw Hyunwoo working at the office. He did his job professionally, never carrying his assignments in a slovenly manner. The impression of his mother at the House of Happiness was the same. Though she took a submissive attitude, she seemed to be a big person, not doing things carelessly. Like son, like mother? Hmmm...still I need to find whatsoever fault anyway, Daebong said to himself. At that moment, he thought of the House of Happiness. Specifically that outdated warehouse on the way to the orphanage, with a simple sign Who is in charge of the warehouse? By now, it¡¯s open. Daebong didn¡¯t have any particr appointment that day. Though he could have had one of his staff members find out more about the warehouse, he decided to check it out for himself. When he arrived at the warehouse, he felt there was something going on inside it because the lights were on. The door was not locked, so he cautiously went inside. ¡°Excuse me.¡± Daebong found two young men working inside, busy packing the castors. ¡°How can I help you?¡± ¡°Oh, I live nearby and didn¡¯t notice before. How long has thispany been operating?¡± ¡°Not that long. Why are you asking about it?¡± ¡°Oh, I know something about N&C Korea. And I¡¯m associated with it a bit, too. May I ask who is the owner here?¡± asked Daebong. The two men looked at each other. After some hesitation, they looked at him again. ¡°Actually we¡¯re the representatives here...¡± ¡°Do you mean there is the actual owner then?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true. Why are you asking it repeatedly? I wonder how you¡¯re associated with N&C...¡± They cast a wary eye at him this time. Only they did Daebong give his name cards to them, ¡°Oh, I think I made a gaffe. This is my business card. I¡¯m the president of Aurum, and N&C in Vietnam is supplying castors to us, so I got interested in this ce and that¡¯s why I¡¯m here now.¡± ¡°Oh, I see...Would you want coffee?¡± His mention of Aurum put their noses out of joint immediately. Taking a submissive attitude, they tried to entertain him nicely. Daebong felt something strange about their behavior, too. Given that N&C was supplying parts to Aurum, it had nothing to do with these young men. A littleter one of the young men got a call from somebody, whose name was familiar to Daebong. ¡°...Hyunwoo...¡± Hyunwoo? Can he be the same Hyunwoo of Aurum? Daebong waited until the young guy finished the call and then asked, ¡°Is that the person Hyunwoo working at Aurum?¡± The young guy nodded his head, saying ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. He lent this warehouse to us and helped us a lot.¡± He told Daebong about lots of good things about Hyunwoo, as if he felt it was a good chance to promote Hyunwoo, and Daebong nodded, agreeing Hyunwoo was a great guy. But in heart Daebong was surprised a lot. Did Hyunwoo buy this warehouse? And he lent it to these young men? Why? He asked again, ¡°I think you guys have to repay his favor then. I don¡¯t think he lent it to you free.¡± ¡°We¡¯re returning 30% of the sales profits here. I understand he shares the profits with us.¡± ¡°Sharing the 30% profits with you?¡± They nodded their heads. Daebong couldn¡¯t understand it. Hearing what they told him, Daebong found out they¡¯re no more than employees, but Hyunwoo gave them sries as an incentive. Their sries would go up in proportion to the sales increase. Then, it was reasonable for Hyunwoo, the actual owner, to take 70% and the two young men to take the remaining 30%, but Hyunwoo gave much more profits to them. Daebong felt there must be some secret that he didn¡¯t know, which made him recall what Youngsu Park, the manager of the purchasing team, had reported to him a while ago. It was a conversation about N&C. To the smallpany in Vietnam, 300 million won was a huge amount. At that time Daebong had been impressed with thepany¡¯s improvement of the product quality after oveing the enormous financial crisis. So, it was still vivid in his memory. When he thought as far as that, Daebong suddenly opened his eyes wide, I wonder if Hyunwoo invested in thatpany then... He shook his head immediately, though. Wasn¡¯t Hyunwoo the very person who ran around to make money, driving his old van during the day, and offering a chauffeur service during the night? How could he make so enough money to invest in thatpany? However, Daebong thought Hyunwoo could afford to do that. Didn¡¯t he hear from the young men that Hyunwoo bought the warehouse and lent it to them free? The fact that he spent so much money for others, not himself, meant he was a man of wealth. Daebong also recalled theputers and the relevantputer programs that Hyunwoo donated to the House of Happiness, worth several million won. In addition, he paid sries to the part-time teachers of the orphanage every month. Only then did Daebong nod his head, thinking, I now know it. He was not a poor guy. He was extremely frugal. Why didn¡¯t I know that...? That was not important. What mattered to him was Hyunwoo¡¯s weakness. Back in his office, Daebong called Minhye and said conclusively, ¡°Just put the name Hyunwoo Jang in the list of the candidates joining the new corporation.¡± ¡°Is it okay when he doesn¡¯t want it?¡± ¡°How dare he refuse it? It¡¯s the president¡¯s order. And didn¡¯t you say he¡¯s an indispensable person to you?¡± ¡°Yes, I need him badly,¡± said Minhye with a strong will. Daebong was of the same opinion. Apart from his excellent performance, Daebong wanted to have Hyunwoo work right beside Minhye to have a correct judgment of him as the groom candidate for her. ¡°Let me persuade him in every way. So, just include his name!¡± Minhye¡¯s face brightened. ¡°Got it. Let me put his name as I trust you!¡± Chapter 113

Chapter 113

Hyunwoo reported to work stoutly. Youngsu, who came back from a managers¡¯ meeting in the morning, called Hyunwoo in with a grave expression on his face. His glittering eyes toward Hyunwoo looked sharp. ¡°Hey, I heard you refused to work at the headquarters of Space Design, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve got a personal problem,¡± said Hyunwoo confidently, ncing at Suji quickly. Suji clenched her fist and showed it to him as if she wanted to cheer him up. ¡°I heard the story about it, too, but everybody has such a problem, as you know. Is this the first time you have experienced corporate life? You just follow it as directed by the management.¡± Hyunwoo had nothing to reply because he already told the president about his personal situation. ¡°The president wants to see you. Come with me¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Hyunwoo followed him to the president¡¯s office. When he stepped into the office, there was not only the president but also Minhye. Both were having a conversation on the sofa with smiles on their faces. When Hyunwoo cam in, however, Daebong changed the atmosphere and said coldly, ¡°Sit down there.¡± When he sat, Daebong suddenly asked, ¡°Do you have anything to say, dude?¡± Hyunwoo thought what Daebong meant was the matter of his joining the headquarters of Space Design in Seoul. ¡°Sorry. As I already told you, I can¡¯t because of my personal problem...¡± ¡°No, not that. Something else.¡± ¡°Something else? What is it, sir?¡± said Hyunwoo, tilting his head as if he couldn¡¯t figure out. Then Daebong cast a sharp nce at him, saying, ¡°I¡¯m talking about your rtion to N&C in Vietnam. I guess you have something to say.¡± At the moment, his heart sank, How did the president find it out? Did he talk with Sungji Na, the president of N&C in Vietnam? Actually, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t have to cower because of that, let alone any sense of guilt. Hyunwoo said confidently, ¡°Do you mean my investment in N&C?¡± Actually, Hyunwoo wasn¡¯t sure if that¡¯s what the president wanted to hear from him, but he felt it was. Daebong stared at him with a sharp look,¡±Now, tell me why. Why did you deceive me up to now?¡± Tilting his head, Hyunwoo replied, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I have no idea how I deceived you. Even though I¡¯m an employee of thispany, I don¡¯t think I have the reason to report my personal investment to you.¡± At that moment, Youngsu raised his head as if he was upset at Hyunwoo¡¯s talking back. If Daebong raised his hand to stop it timely, Youngsu might have shouted at him. Instead, Daebong said in a calm tone, ¡°The problem is that they are our business partner. And you belong to the purchasing team, don¡¯t you? You can adjust the product price in favor of the local branch for your own benefits. That¡¯s clearly an act of malpractice.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, sir. That¡¯s an act of malpractice, but what is important here is I haven¡¯tmitted such an act.¡± Hyunwoo spoke confidently, ¡°Frankly I reduced the unit price for ourpany. I persuaded the N&C president to supply the parts to ourpany cheaper than others. If I was not an employee here, you would have to buy them at least 5% higher than now. Currently, otherpanies are buying the N&C parts at that price. You will find out if you look into it.¡± Daebong¡¯s face was a bit distorted as he had nothing to say. Actually, he looked into that issue. Namely,parison of the prices N&C charged to Aurum and otherpanies, in particr, its rival Art Hill. Though it was difficult to find it out because it was an important secret rted to their sales activities, what was certain was that the parts were supplied to Aurum at a cheap price. ¡°And when I invested in N&C, I reported it to Aurum. Namely, it was more than worth investing in N&C, and when our investment proved sessful, it would have brought enormous benefits, but Aurum gave up the investment. Aurum didn¡¯t want to take the minimal risk.¡± ¡°Really? I was not briefed about that at all.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s important. My report to my superior at the time was like reporting to Aurum, and I think that superior was taking care of the business upon authorization by the president. Even if you didn¡¯t know about this, Aurum, of which the superior was a member, was aware of it.¡± ¡°Hmmm...¡± Daebong had nothing to say. He was being scolded by an assistant manager at the moment, but he couldn¡¯t refute Hyunwoo. ¡°That¡¯s why I invested in N&C. You know how dangerous my investment was at the time. I¡¯d appreciate it very much if you understand that the reason I took the risk then was not only for my own benefits but also for Aurum.¡± Daebong felt a headache at the moment. Though he confronted Hyunwoo with the issue of N&C, convinced that this would make Hyunwoo change his mind, his strategy turned out wrong. After all, he had only one option to move Hyunwoo, which was his authority as the president. ¡°Anyhow, you¡¯re an employee of Aurum, and you have to follow the order once the management announces a personnel reshuffle. I¡¯m going to assign you to a new post at the headquarters of the new corporation, so be ready.¡± ¡°Sir, I really can¡¯t.¡± ¡°I know what you¡¯re trying to say to me, but I want you to work at the new ce because you¡¯re such an important person. Just work there only two years, and then let me bring you back here with promotion to the manager.¡± Youngsu and Minhye¡¯s jaws dropped at that. Special promotion to the manager in just three years after his promotion to an assistant manager! It was an extraordinary benefit only Daebong¡¯s cousin Youngsu could enjoy. What¡¯s more surprising was Hyunwoo¡¯s reaction. It looked as if he was never interested in promotion. Of course, Hyunwoo wanted promotion. If he had been offered it early on after he got hired, he would have taken it, but not now. He didn¡¯t have any intention to stake everything on promotion. In other words, Hyunwoo was affluent now. His stocks in N&C Vietnam were soaring every day, and the money he was making from N&C Korea was huge, so the title of the manager didn¡¯t look high enough to him. Above all, he wanted to live with his parents. He didn¡¯t want to be separated from them even for one year. As his father made a grave decision, he felt he should stay with him. Though Hyunwoo didn¡¯t help him with his research, he should be readily avable when his father wanted to move around. And he had no particr reason to continue working for Aurum. Under the current atmosphere, it would be much bigger benefits to him to quit his job at Aurum and fully focus on sales activities for the Korean ventures in Vietnam including N&C. Nheless, he couldn¡¯t because of his loyal obligation to former president Jongun Yun, who rmended him to Aurum initially, and he was thankful to Aurum for having hired a high school graduate like him. It was some sort of a risk to Aurum at that time. Thanks to Aurum, Hyunwoo could grow as a businessman, and he owed his association with N&C to Aurum. It was also Aurum that helped his mother set up a food factory ¡®Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom¡¯, which made her feel as if she regained her life. In the past, she was sick in bed at the hospital because of her health problem, but Hyunwoo never heard about her bing sick again since she started a new business. In that respect, Hyunwoo had an obligation to repay the favor and benefits he got from Aurum. He had to satisfy Daebong¡¯s expectation of him and repay his favor up to now. Of course, Hyunwoo made a huge contribution to Aurum¡¯s growth. He helped Aurum cut down the unit price by tens of millions won per year, and pulled off a contract with a Japanese buyer that might have fallen apart, but that was quite small,pared with the benefits he got from Aurum. Though Hyunwoo didn¡¯t know the exact reason, Daebong thought he was the essential person of Space Design. How can I satisfy the president¡¯s expectation? How can I repay for what I have benefited from Aurum? That¡¯s not the kind of answer that Hyunwoo could find. Hyunwoo said in a calm voice, ¡°May I ask why you insist on sending me to the headquarters? I would like to know your expectation of me.¡± At that moment, Daebong was a bit startled because it was an unexpected question. If he had to find the reason, it was because Minhye wanted him. As if she read his father¡¯s mind, Minhye cut in timely, ¡°I hear you have somework with the entertainment people. The core of our business is the publicity campaign by making use of thework.¡± If that¡¯s his main duty, he has no reason to move to Seoul because his asional working trip to Seoul for that purpose is more than enough. ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°I hear you¡¯re the idea bank of the purchasing team. I would like to get your ideas, and it¡¯s my own personal feeling that you¡¯re like an icon of good luck.¡± Hyunwoo smiled a bit at her mention of ¡°an icon of good luck.¡± What the hell made her think he was an icon of fortune? In some respect, it was something Hyunwoo might feel bad about because all his achievements could be downgraded as just ¡®good luck¡¯. If she felt so, that was a great misunderstanding on her part. Hyunwoo made the right choice at the crossroads of choice, and he did his best to prove his choice was not wrong. That was the case of N&C in Vietnam. He chose the path of hardship when he decided to invest 300 million won and persuade Sangtaek Kwon, the premier castor specialist, to join N&C, and he made the best efforts to make his choice pay off. The cost reduction was one of such oues, so it would be very regrettable for Minhye to downgrade it as ¡®good luck.¡¯ But Hyunwoo didn¡¯t argue with her. He just felt regrettable about Minhye¡¯s attitude. What¡¯s important was he now clearly found out why she wanted him. If he could satisfy her needs, he would feel much freer than now. Hyunwoo replied in a heavy voice, ¡°Please give me some time. Let me give it a thought.¡± Chapter 114

Chapter 114

¡°I just can¡¯t understand him!¡± said Youngsu, clicking his tongue. If anyone could get promoted to the manager, he or she would try to go even to hell to get it, but Hyunwoo said he would give it a thought. But Daebong could understand Hyunwoo¡¯s position a bit. He was a bigger man than he thought. He¡¯s a rich guy anyway. He¡¯s not the type of guy who dwells on some money or the title of a manager. Going back home after leaving the office, Hyunwoo was confused withplicated thoughts. The luxury department of Aurum or his own Ani & Funny was not an easy business, but what made Hyunwoo nervous more than anything else was his father¡¯s research. Though his father didn¡¯t produce any tangible oues and there was little sign of progress yet, what really mattered to him was the spirit of his father. Hyunwoo felt that his father¡¯s glittering eyes had regained life. In particr, his father had be more energetic since the general affairs manager visited for sanitary inspection. His father and Kuroda confirmed each other¡¯s willingness to share their research, which made his father all the more passionate about his research. Of course, Kuroda¡¯s expertise will be of great help to his father, but what¡¯s more important for him was the restoration of his confidence. His father had the confidence that he would seed by all means. Then the timeframe that Hyunwoo had in mind might be advanced much earlier than expected. He had to prepare himself for that possibility. The biggest portion of his preparation is money, of course. Though his father didn¡¯t need it right now, he would need lots of money when his research reached a certain level. With respect to his father¡¯s research project, Hyunwoo thought of his stocks of N&C in Vietnam. If he sold the stocks, he could rake in cash worth 10 billion won, and he could get a loan with his stocks as the coteral. That was the only way he could secure the amount of money needed for his father¡¯s research, but that was also thest resort he could turn to. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t feel 10 billion won was enough to fund his father¡¯s research because of Singyoung. Though his father said he would not take any revenge against Singyoung, thepany would react differently. If they found out about his father resuming his research, they would try all sorts of methods to disrupt it. To deter Singyoung¡¯s continued attack, he needed a constant source of funding that would never stop. So, Hyunwoo thought about a variety of methods on how to secure those funds. He thought about N&C Korea and his mother¡¯s food factory, but they were too small to fight against Singyoung. He needed some other method to deter Singyoung¡¯s destructive attack. The most desirable method was Ani & Funny¡¯s hitting the jackpot. Given the unique feature of the animation business, even one sessful animation production could be the source of enormous funds that Hyunwoo wants. It was like a dream, but far from an impossible thing. Someday, Hyunwoo would make it happen. The problem was the duration of the research, as his father said. How many hours would he have to spend to produce sessful results? Hyunwoo wanted to advance it as much as possible. He wanted to get the 50 million won in subsidies allocated by Ansan city government next February as the springboard for Ani & Funny. When he thought as far as that, Hyunwoo felt he couldn¡¯t leave Ansan all the more. Hyunwoo let out a sigh, murmuring, Phew... the president can understand my situation, I guess. Several dayster Daebong called Hyunwoo again to his office. And he asked for his final decision, ¡°I think I gave you enough time to think over the issue. It¡¯s a bit funny for the president like me to ask for an employee¡¯s opinion, but that means I highly appreciate your capabilities.¡± Minhye, who came to his office in advance, waiting for him, ¡°The office setting will bepleted by the end of this year. You¡¯ll be reporting to work on Jan. 8 at the Seoul headquarters of Space Design, so be ready.¡± It looked like she was unterally notifying him of the decision, thinking little about Hyunwoo¡¯s possible rejection. Hyunwoo nodded his head, ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll report to the headquarters on Jan. 8 then.¡± Daebong and Minhye gave him a satisfactory smile on their faces. In particr, Minhye clenched her fist before she knew it. She was so curious about him. He looked like a person with thousands of secrets, but she could not approach him easily. Basically, she was in a different section at Aurum, but now the chance has finallye for her to get close to him. Minhye will find out everything about him, such as how he could captivate a famous TV talent¡¯s heart or why he was not easily moved by that attractive bait of super speedy promotion. She was confident, of course. But Hyunwoo made a bombshell announcement as if he wanted to crush her imagination all at once, ¡°I¡¯ve one condition, though.¡± ¡°Condition?¡± Not only Minhye but also Daebong flinched at that. How can an employee mention a condition when the president announced personnel appointments? What he said next was more shocking. ¡°Just two months. I¡¯ll work only two months at Space Design and then quit.¡± ¡°Quit?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Why all of a sudden are you...?¡± They almost stood up. Hyunwoo¡¯s statement like that was so unexpected. They felt as if he stabbed them in the back. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve been thinking about it for some time, so after hard thinking, I decided to help Space Design until it can stand on its own feet. One month is too short, but two months is enough, I think.¡± ¡°Two months is too short,¡± said Minhye, raising her voice. She wanted to make him her boyfriend before he quit, but two months was too short for that. Hyunwoo shook his head, ¡°Space Design must stand on its own feet within two months by all means. Otherwise, it will likely be a big nuance like the luxury department.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s observation was right in Daebong¡¯s opinion. Daebong invested a lot of money in the new corporation. Given that sales and marketing were the key lifelines of the new corporate, he would have to spend more money in the days ahead. Unless the new corporation stood on its own feet and made profits, it would likely run into big difficulties, even putting Aurum at risk. And Hyunwoo¡¯s condition was not for anypromise, but a unteral deration. Actually, he gave as many as two months, given the situation of thepany and the president. Daebong might have felt bad about his statement, but felt thankful to him. Nodding his head, Daebong said, ¡°Your decision is really regrettable, but there is nothing I can do about. And I appreciate your warm consideration of thepany, too.¡± ¡°Daddy!¡± Minhye again raised her voice. She was at a loss of what to do. Daebong scolded her, ¡°There is no point in throwing a tantrum, Minhye.¡± Minhye let out a sigh. She wanted to say something, but couldn¡¯t because of her father¡¯s stern statement. Looking at Hyunwoo, Daebong said, ¡°Though we¡¯ve got only two months to stay together, time is not that important. Let¡¯s try to make great memories between us. And let¡¯s keep this to ourselves. I don¡¯t think they will feel good about your quitting. Rather it will depress their morale.¡± At the moment, Hyunwoo thought he did well to share his resignation only with Suji Min. In fact, he met Suji yesterday to discuss the issue. For whatever reason, as he promised to her not to move to Space Design, he had to exin to her why he changed his mind. Suji didn¡¯t want him to move, but when he gave her a detailed exnation, she understood him, after all. She was more than shocked to hear he would quit after two months of his working for Space Design, but it was Hyunwoo¡¯s personal decision that Suji could not meddle in, and he asked her to keep it secret. Now, Daebong thought the same thing. ¡°Got it, sir. I¡¯ll keep it secret. Thanks a lot for your understanding.¡± Hyunwoo left out of the president¡¯s office. Looking at him from behind, Minhye let out a sigh once again. When Hyunwoo came back to the office, everybody looked at him. In particr, Youngsu cast a sharp nce at him, and his voice was also hysterical. ¡°So, how did you decide?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve decided to move to the headquarters of Space Design,¡± said Hyunwoo smoothly. Youngsu instantly changed his stern expression andughed uproariously, ¡°Hahaha, you should. Good decision!¡± Looking at him, Hyunwoo let out a sigh. Youngsu would soon learn about his decision to quit after two months of service at Space Design. As soon as he sat down, Suji nced at him. She seemed to ask him about the oue of his meeting with the president, given her narrowing her brow. Hyunwoo gently nodded his head subtly, at which Suji smiled and then lowered her head as if she was overlooking the files. All had been decided for Hyunwoo. One month at Aurum and two months at Space Design. After spending all his energy for the next three months, Hyunwoo would be able to get off his chest the sense of great burden toward Daebong. And one more thing, Hyunwoo¡¯s next assignment at Space Design would be sales activities. In other words, he would be meeting with TV soap opera producers and writers to persuade them to turn to Space Design¡¯s products as part of the sponsorship. The more actively he engaged them, the widerwork he would cultivate, which would be of great help to his Ani & Funny business, too. In other words, working hard for Space Design would also be beneficial to Ani & Funny. When he thought as far as that, he grinned because he began to think about everything in terms of working for Ani & Funny. Hyunwoo fell into a habitual routine at Aurum. Though he was physically tired, there was nothing challenging there because he had been doing the same thing every day. The staff members of N&C Korea were all doing their work very well, so Hyunwoo didn¡¯t need to bother about it, and he also didn¡¯t need to meddle in his mother¡¯s business. Naturally, he tended to pay the most attention to Ani & Funny. Suddenly, he thought of Gyungsu. Gyungsu, the animation producer, was excellent in animation technique but also he was widely experienced in the field. Hyunwoo felt Gyungsu could guide Anifan kids in the right direction with his extensive experience. What they needed was not any technical capability but the right direction of their animation work. Speak of the devil and he will appear, as the saying went, it was Gyungsu calling when Hyunwoo picked up his cell phone after the first buzz. As soon as Hyunwoo answered it, Gyungsu let out a long sigh, ¡°Phew~ After all, we went bust.¡± At the moment, Hyunwoo could sense what happened to him because he heard from Gyungsu sometime ago that his animation venture was in financial stress. Finally, hispany went bankrupt. Hyunwoo had nothing to say. He didn¡¯t know how tofort Gyungsu, except for meeting and drinking soju with him, face to face. ¡°Where are you now, brother? Let mee over.¡± Chapter 115

Chapter 115

A littleter Hyunwoo went into a restaurant specializing in stir-fried beef tripe. Gyungsu, who had been waiting for Hyunwoo there, was pouring soju in his cup. When Hyunwoo sat beside him, he let out a long sigh that he had pent up, ¡°Hah! I wasted 30 million won on my animation business!¡± Hyunwoo hadn¡¯t known he made an investment like that. He probably acquired a loan with his rented house as coteral. He worked like hell to taste the fruits of his investment, but he had to stop his business in the middle when his partner and major financier gave up further funding. ¡°Why does my life keep being messed up like this? I just don¡¯t want to live like this.¡± ¡°The more you run into difficulties, the stronger you be, brother.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, but... my eldest child is pestering me to buy Nopa jumper for him. He pestered me all through the night,ining that he had no such jumpers when his friends are wearing that famous brand.¡± Nopa was a sportswear brand that the students wore like school uniforms these days. Other brands cost about 150,000 won, but Nopa cost at least 300,000 won, and more expensive jumpers sold for as much as 600,000 won. ¡°So, I knuckled him on the head. Damn it! I could have bought one hundred Nopa jumpers with that money. It¡¯s me who should get scolded, not my son,¡± said Gyungsu, drinking soju as he vented his anger. Heartbroken to hear Gyunsu, Hyunwooforted him by saying, ¡°You have to make aeback for the sake of your children.¡± ¡°I know, but this is the only business that I can do well. I¡¯m old enough to be a senior on the street, so I wonder if I can get a job by using my expertise.¡± Hyunwoo wanted to ask him to manage Ani & Funny as he was jobless, but could not bring it up for two reasons. One reason was that Ani & Funny was at best something like a hobby clubposed of the Anifan kids, though it was an animation venture in name only. And there was no possibility of Ani & Funny making profits anytime soon. The other reason was Gyungsu¡¯s role. If Hyunwoo gave him a certain role there, it was not because Hyunwoo wants his animation technique but his experience. In other words, what Hyunwoo wanted was for to Gyungsu give the Anifan kids some sense of direction about their future as well as instill into their minds the dream and hope like ¡°We Can Seed!¡± Given Gyungsu¡¯s situation, however, it looked like he would rather convey the virus of despair to them. Hyunwoo filled the cup for him without saying anything whenever he emptied it. After a good while, Gyungsu changed the topic and asked, ¡°Is your business Ani & Funny doing well?¡± ¡°Of course. I hear the city government has a big animation support programing up next February, so I¡¯m going to apply for it,¡± said Hyunwoo, full of confidence, to attract his attention. But Gyungsu showed no reaction to his remarks. He was also aware of the city government¡¯s programs. ¡°You mean that 50 million won? That might be a good opportunity for amateurs. Are you going to apply with the existing animation work Garbage World?¡± Hyunwoo could feel from Gyungsu¡¯s voice tone that Garbage World would not work. ¡°No. Actually, we¡¯re into a new animation work at the moment. We¡¯ve almostpleted the story and the characters. The Anifan kids are working on the continuity, and Myunhun is probably developing the expressions of the characters,¡± Hyunwoo hesitated but eventually asked, ¡°Could you take a look? I guess as a professional you might have a good eye for it.¡± ¡°Later, man. I don¡¯t want to think about anything now.¡± Both of them kept drinking like that and then parted. Since then, Hyunwoo called him often to ask him to review the Anifan kids¡¯ animation work. After several days, Gyungsu epted his request. ¡°Okay, then. Let¡¯s go together to take a look.¡± Both of them headed to the House of Happiness. The Anifan kids weed him. They knew how passionately he taught them when he was donating his talent in the past. They already had a tentative title for their new work Tuti and Angelica. Gyungsu checked the story, characters as well as the continuity. The more he looked into it, the more he surprised he was. After reviewing the production, he looked at Hyunwoo with twinkling eyes, ¡°Wow! This is much better than the Garbage World.¡± As if he was confident, Hyunwoo said, raising his voice, ¡°Obviously this should be better than the previous one. If we keep making works of this quality, sooner orter we will be able to see the kind of production that can hit the jackpot in the market.¡± ¡°Well, I think this one will hit the big time. Though the story is a bit banal, you can¡¯t avoid it because it¡¯s educational, but I like the characters very much. Cute, funny and very familiar to me. Looks like the children will like it very much,¡± said Gyungsu. ¡°Regardless of sess or not, we¡¯re going to do our best. In that process we might hit the jackpot someday,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Of course you can¡¯t produce a good work every time. Actually, mypany had the same expectation for some time but ended up going bust like this. You have to seize the opportunity when you find it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. Our first goal is to win the support fund of Ansan city. Do you think we have a good chance?¡± Gyungsu nodded his head strongly, ¡°Yea, I think you have a good chance, but you never know. If you really want it, you have to put perfection in it. As you havee this far, why don¡¯t you invest a little more for better oues? If you hire one specialist in each category of the animation work, its quality will greatly improve.¡± The moment he heard Gyungsu¡¯s opinion, Hyunwoo immediately thought of one person. ¡°Are you talking about the man who was in charge of writing the continuity at yourpany?¡± ¡°There are several others who¡¯re very talented, in addition to that man. There is one with excellent skill in story writing, and there are several others from Imagingpia.¡± Of course, they were all excellent men in the field, but Hyunwoo was not that interested in them. What attracted Hyunwoo to the Anifan kids was not their potential for animation technique, but the nning ability of Seoim Yu and Jihun Kang among others. The reason he founded Ani & Funny was that he wanted to grow their nning ability as much as possible. Of course, he could bet on Tuti and Angelica by hiring professional animators to make it perfect and develop it into a profitable work, but that¡¯s not what he intended for Ani & Funny. There was no guarantee of its sess. Given the circumstances, Gyungsu¡¯spany had a much higher rate of sess because of the number of professionals and the necessary work. What Hyunwoo coveted most was the expert on continuity. When he worked with the Anifan kids on the new production, he found out that the degree of fun would be more or less, depending on the continuity. ¡°I¡¯d like to hire a continuity professional. I can¡¯t afford to hire other professionals now, and we don¡¯t have a formal office.¡± ¡°Got it. Let me call the guy and connect to you now, ¡°said Gyungsu. Though it was a bitte at night, Gyungsu called him as he was a very close friend. His name was Sanggyu Maeng. When Hyunwoo told him about the situation, he asked about the sry right away. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of 1.5 million won as we don¡¯t have much work now. Instead, you can work at home,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°How much work do you have right now?¡± Hyunwoo exined to him about the animation production they were working on now. ¡°I think thepensation is fair. I think we had better meet to talk more. When are you avable?¡± ¡°We have a meeting at the House of Happiness this Saturday. Can youe?¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll see you then.¡± After Hyunwoo hung up the call, Gyungsu pped his hands dly. ¡°Hahaha. I¡¯ve got great expectation. I think I want to formally join you, Hyunwoo.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to pay me a lot. One million won will do. In fact, I would like to be a founding member of Ani & Funny. If thepany grows big, my record as the founding member is important, isn¡¯t it?¡± Hyunwoo was so d to hear that. Actually, he wanted Gyungsu¡¯s experience. Hyunwoo brought up the topic he really wanted to, but couldn¡¯t up to now. ¡°Won¡¯t you be the president of Ani & Funny?¡± ¡°Me? The president of Ani & Funny?¡± Gyungsu opened his eyes wide and waved his hand violently to refuse it, ¡°Oh, no, no. I don¡¯t have any greed. Even if you appoint me as the president, I will never ept it.¡± Hyunwoo repeated asked him to lead thepany, saying he was serious, but Gyungsu rejected it, ¡°Well, I¡¯ve been working nervously at my venturepany, and that¡¯s more than enough for me. I can work as a sried man, not as the president.¡± Eventually, Hyunwoo gave up. Maybeter he could take on that role, but not now. ¡°Okay, brother. Let¡¯s do this way. I think one million won is too small. How about 1.5 million won? Of course, I¡¯ll give you a big bonus if this work makes a hit.¡± Gyungsu grabbed Hyunwoo¡¯s hands, ¡°Thanks, Hyunwoo. I¡¯ve got no one but you to turn to.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me, brother. I¡¯ll have you do work worth 10 million won though I¡¯ll only give you 1.5 million won as your sry.¡± ¡°That sounds good!¡± ***** Saturday morning, a big middle-aged gentleman stepped into the House of Happiness. ¡°How do you do? My name is Sanggyu Maeng.¡± Those who arrived there in advance turned their heads. Hyunwoo introduced Ani & Funny members to him, among them was Jungah. After exchanging brief greetings they went right into the discussion. Jungah presented her opinion first, ¡°Our first goal is high efficiency with low cost, isn¡¯t it? So, this is my idea.¡± She showed them one cartoon that she prepared in advance. It showed several hundred people gathered at one ce but only one person stood out with peculiar coloring, with the rest connected with lines and faces like shadows. As if he knew what it suggested, Gyungsu said, ¡°Do you want to give emphasis to only one main character but obscure the rest and the background?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s the basic point, but I would like to treat it differently, depending on its duration. For example, if the ying time of the work is just ten minutes, we highlight one main character for only one minute and simplify the rest of the nine minutes as much as possible. I¡¯ve brought two pictures as an example.¡± She took out the pictures and showed them. The woman main character Angelica was drawn on both pictures, but the atmosphere was quite different. One was very subtle and beautiful, but the other was very simple but cute. ¡°If you watch a movie, every scene from the start to the finish lingers in your mind. That¡¯s true for songs. We only remember what¡¯s most impressive.¡± ¡°I know what you mean. But if you work on it like that, its marketability is gone,¡± said Gyungsu, opposing her idea. Sanggu also expressed his opinion strongly, ¡°I think even if you make only one production, you have to ensure it has the best quality to attract the people¡¯s attention immediately. Competing with quality, not quantity, to say the least, but what Jungah is exining is the opposite...¡± However, Myunghun Koh and the Anifan kids took side with Jungah, ¡°I think it is much better to give variety through simplification. It looks like much more fun.¡± On the other hand, those professionals including Sanggyu supported Gyungsu, ¡°We¡¯re going to vote for improving the quality. You have to remember you¡¯re targeting the support fund offered by Ansan city. They put more emphasis on the perfection of the work.¡± ¡°Funes before quality,¡± said one of the kids. ¡°That¡¯s amateur¡¯s perspective. Quality is a must.¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s banal thinking. ¡°If you be a professional like us, you will have a different opinion.¡± Hyunwoo was busy listening to them. Both sides showed no sign of giving way. After all, it was up to Hyunwoo to make the final decision. Hyunwoo went back to the basics and found the answer quickly. ¡°Ani & Funny is an amateur, not a professional club, and the works will be produced for free release. We¡¯re going topete with ideas, not quality. I¡¯m going to submit our production to Ansan city in a way that shows our ideas.¡± ¡°That¡¯s regrettable. You have such a great idea, but you¡¯re hiding it rather than emphasizing it by simplifying the work.¡± ¡°I agree. That¡¯s too bad.¡± The professional group including Gyungsu felt regrettable about Hyunwoo¡¯s decision, but that was their misunderstanding. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t rule out the possibility ofmercialization the production. Looking at Gyungsu, Hyunwoo said calmly, ¡°I don¡¯t think the quality of our production will decrease because of the simplification of the characters. I feel the quality will go up instead.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°Because of the highlight effect. When the story first develops throughout the scene, we fill the scene with aic and charming touch, and at the climax phase of the story, we maximize its texture and coloring. Rather than showing the colorful effects throughout the scene, we can make the highlighted scene stand out for impressive impact.¡± Gyungsu was not persuaded, but as the owner made the final decision, he had to follow it. Later Gyungsul realized that animation technique is stable, but hard to make a hit while a great idea will lead to the jackpot, Hyunwoo thought. And he would verify it. Chapter 116

Chapter 116

¡°Okay. Let¡¯s get down to work immediately,¡± said Hyunwoo, pping his hands. Then Jungah presented another idea as if the discussion had not yet ended. ¡°How can you find a voice actor? And we need background music, theme music, and sound effects. I hear sound effects critically affects the animation images. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got a pool of voice actors. And I can get the usual sound effects by using the existing tools. As for the theme music you have to spend some money tomission a professional on that,¡± said Gyungsu like an expert. Then Junga said, ¡°What about using part-time middle school students as voice actors?¡± ¡°Voice actors are professional actors. We should not bring anybody for that role.¡± ¡°These days there are lots of students dreaming to be actors. And their acting ability is much better than expected. If you see them in person, you¡¯ll be stunned. If you put out an announcement through the schools, lots of applicants wille.¡± Hyunwoo thought it¡¯s a very good idea. The direction of Ani & Funny¡¯s business was to help the Anifan kids grow, but he felt he should not limit the beneficiaries only to the Anifan kids. If it¡¯s possible, he wanted to offer opportunities to other students and support them. And when he heard about Jungah¡¯s mention of background music, someone came to his mind suddenly. The grandson of the old woman in his neighborhood was excellent atposing. Though he was a high school student and his ability was not yet proven, Ani & Funny wasposed of such kids. As he intended to release its animation works for free, he would wee any challenging new attempt. ¡°Let me figure out the background music. Would you take care of the voice actor and sound effects, brother Gyungsu? Once we test them and find they¡¯re not good enough, then we¡¯re going to turn to the professional.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± said Gyungsu. The meeting ended like that. On the way back home, Hyunwoo got a call on his cellphone. It was from Sungji Na, the president of N&C in Vietnam. His message was simple: You¡¯reing to the wedding ceremony this Sat, right? Several dayster there was a meaningful wedding ceremony on Saturday in Vietnam. Jungsu Kown, the son of Sangtaek Kwon, the chief technician with N&C, was to remarry on that day. His fiancee was a Vietnamese woman 12 years younger than him. ¡°I¡¯d love toe, but it¡¯s too far away.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t that far. It takes only five hours to fly from Incheon International Airport to Tan Son Nhat International Airport.¡± Hyunwoo had nothing to say but felt it was very far mentally. It was not in his element to fly to Vietnam to attend a wedding ceremony, so he wanted to change the topic. There was some big news about a typhoon hitting Vietnam. The affected area was south of Vietnam, not far from Ho Chi Min city where N&C was located. ¡°Did you have damages from the typhoon?¡± ¡°We¡¯re fine here, though there were lots of damages in the upper areas.¡± ¡°Howe the typhoon hit Vietnam in December?¡± ¡°Typhoon¡¯s are very unusual in December. They often go through Vietnam in November.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll certainly see youter when I have a chance,¡± said Hyunwoo, hanging up the phone quickly. As soon as he arrived home, he called the old woman whose grandson was pretty good atposing music. She would be very happy if he called her, praising her grandson¡¯s great musical talent, but an unexpected thing happened. When he called her, she let out a sigh in a voice intermixed with tears. Worried, Hyunwoo ran to her house. She was drinking soju without any side dishes. As soon as she saw him, she began to dwell on her own misfortune. The problem was her son¡¯s quarreling with his wife. Her son, Junggyun Kwak, was familiar to Hyunwoo. Kwak remarried a Vietnamese woman after his wife died six years ago. Because of his frequent drinking and violent temper, however, there were constant family troubles, but their quarreling was so serious that the couple was talking about divorce. And the reason for the quarrel was even more surprising. ¡°The typhoon in Vietnam was the reason?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°I hear my daughter-inw¡¯s hometown was devastated by the typhoon. She says she lost contact with her parents and sisters, so she is anxious to fly to Vietnam to search for them.¡± ¡°Absolutely, you should allow her to fly there in such a situation. I think Junggyun should go with her there.¡± She shook her head, ¡°Their new-born baby just turned one year old. How can she leave the baby alone and fly there?¡± ¡°Oh, she had a baby?¡± Her first grandson was Jinhun Kwak, the son born to her son¡¯s first wife, and the second one was Jinguk, a baby only 14 months old, born to his current wife. In Hyunwoo¡¯s opinion, that was not a big problem. ¡°Why don¡¯t you fly there with the whole family?¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t that easy. What about the flight tickets and hispany. And what about Jinguk?¡± ¡°Still the family is more important.¡± ¡°They can¡¯t even make ends meet now....And even if the family goes there, there is no guarantee they can solve the problem.¡± After all, money was the issue. Not only the expenses of their travel to Vietnam were the problem, but also Junggyu¡¯s stay in Vietnam could lead to his being fired by thepany. His wife could understand if he allowed her to stay in Vietnam between one and two weeks, but the immediate issue was the travel expenses. When Hyunwoo thought as far as that, Hyunwoo proposed a surprising suggestion, ¡°Let me pay for your family¡¯s travel expenses.¡± ¡°Really?¡± asked the old woman, opening her inmed eyes wide. ¡°I¡¯ve got one condition. Jinhun should make some songs for me.¡± ¡°Jinhun?¡± Hyunwoo exined to her about the situation of Ani & Funny. The more Hyunwoo talked about his n, the wider her eyes opened. ¡°I¡¯m not sure whether Jinhun will listen to me.¡± ¡°Please give him a call now.¡± She called Jinhun and let Hyunwoo pick up the phone. ¡°Are you Jinhun? This is Hyunwoo. Do you remember me?¡± ¡°How are you, sir? Of course, I do, hahaha.¡± Hyunwoo thought he was speaking in a dismal tone because of his family troubles, but he spoke in a bright voice. He¡¯d run away from his house for one week, not knowing about the typhoon that hit Vietnam. When Hyunwoo told him about what happened to his stepmother¡¯s hometown in Vietnam, Jinhun asked back in a worried voice, ¡°Really?¡± Hyunwoo brought up the main topic about his animation business and his interest in hiring him. ¡°Are you going to buy my music? Seriously?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m going to use yourposition as the background music of my animation. Can you also make the theme music? Instead, let me pay for all the expenses of your trip to Vietnam.¡± Jinhun immediately okayed his proposal. ¡°Hey, go back to your house as soon as possible. And don¡¯t run away from your house again, please!¡± ¡°Hahaha, got it, sir.¡± This time he called Junggyun about his proposal that he made to his son. Junggyun had no reason to reject it, who kept expressing thanks to Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo called Yoran Noh, president of the travel agency Yellow Balloon. She got the tickets with which they could fly to Vietnam next Tuesday. ande back in fifteen days. Hyunwoo called Mr. Na, president of N&C in Vietnam to ask for his help regarding their travel to the area hit by the typhoon. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to call you like this again.¡± ¡°You¡¯re very wee. It¡¯s me who calls you for favors all the time. I¡¯m happy to repay you like this.¡± Mr. Na said he would arrange the transportation for them and send one of his staff members to apany them. Hyunwoo felt relieved to hear that. ¡°Thanks so much. Let me repay your favorter.¡± ¡°You¡¯re very wee. By the way, pleasee with them on this asion. You can attend the wedding ceremony for Jungsu Kwon. Perfect timing!¡± This time Hyunwoo felt he wanted to go as he could help them search for the family of Mr. Kwak¡¯s wife. And his travel to Vietnam this time was appropriate because he could not take any time off once he moved to Space Design in Seoul. ¡°Okay. Let me use my vacation to join them this time. If my manager approves my leave request, I¡¯ll join them.¡± ¡°Great idea. I¡¯ll be seeing you soon then.¡± The next Monday morning Hyunwoo called manager Youngsu outside quietly. Youngsu made a puzzled look because Hyunwoo has never done so before. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, but can I take vacation leave for several days? I have to fly to Vietnam.¡± ¡°Vietnam? Why? Any business to do there?¡± ¡°Well, an acquaintance of mine living there lost contact since the recent typhoon hit his area. I would like to go there and help them search for him, and I need to attend a wedding ceremony for technician Jungsu Kwon of N&C in Vietnam. On this asion, I¡¯d like to visit N&C factory there.¡± Youngsu nodded his head and approved his request casually, ¡°No problem. You may go there unless you have any special assignment. And you can make vacation request like this in the office.¡± ¡°Thanks. Let me apply for vacation leave from this Friday until next Tuesday then.¡± Jinhun¡¯s family left for Vietnam next Tuesday Except for his grandmother, all of them boarded the ne. Hyunwoo also was on his ne on Friday morning. When he arrived at Tan Son Nhut International Airport, not only Sungji Na, Sangtaek and Dohyuk Kim but also Jungsu Kwon, the groom, were waiting for him at the airport. As soon as Sungji saw Hyunwoo, he opened his arms to hug him. ¡°Hahaha. How long has it been, Hyunwoo?¡± ¡°How are you, everybody? I wish I came more often. Sorry about that. Please talk down to me. I feel just ufortable when you keep talking polite to me,¡± said Hyunwoo. Actually, they were all much older than Hyunwoo. ¡°Okay, then. It¡¯s about time. Hahaha¡± Sangtaek and Dohyuk spoke informally to him. ¡°Congrattions on your wedding!¡± ¡°Thanks so much. I owe it to you.¡± ¡°By the way, did Jinhun¡¯s family arrive well?¡± ¡°Sure. As soon as they got here on Tuesday they left for Natrang. And I heard from them this morning. Fortunately, his wife¡¯s family is all well.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so d to hear that,¡± said Hyunwoo with a sigh of relief. He then apanied Sungji to the N&C factory. When he arrived there, he was pleasantly surprised to find that there were so many changes there. Above all, he was surprised to see lots of employees. When he first visited, he only saw a few workers there, but now, it was crowded with lots of them. ¡°Is this the same workce that I visited before? How is it possible to see such a big change here?¡± ¡°Well, I owe it to you all, Hyunwoo. It¡¯s you who save me from the crisis of bankruptcy by making an investment, opening new branches in Korea, and sending the Dream Team led by Sangtaek Kwon.¡± ¡°Fortunately, we got connected then rather than my credit. I think you and Mr. Kwon¡¯s capabilities have made N&C what it is today.¡± ¡°No, I think our capabilities can take 10% credit while the rest 90% is yours, and the Vietnamese government also gave us a lot of help.¡± ¡°How wonderful! Hahaha.¡± The wedding ceremony took ce in the next afternoon. There were lots of guests present to congratte the couple. While Hyunwoo was taking a look at the wedding hall and the guests, Sungji approached him and asked, ¡°When are you getting married?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m thinking about that,¡± replied Hyunwoo superficially. ¡°Do you have a girlfriend?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to get one eventually. Hahaha¡± ¡°Really? Actually, I¡¯ve set my heart on a beautifuldy for you. When I saw her for the first time, I immediately felt she¡¯s the perfect match for you. Wait a minute. Where is Miss Yuzung? Hey, call her,¡± said Sungji, asking one of his staff to find and bring her here. Hyunwoo was embarrassed by his unexpected act. He was destined to have a blind date with a Vietnamese woman. ¡°No, don¡¯t do that, sir,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Wait a minute. I would like to just show her face to you. You don¡¯t have tomit now, of course.¡± Why is he rmending such a woman so strongly? A littleter someone brought thedy to Sungji. At that moment, Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide because of her stunning beauty. He felt as if a shining star was approaching him. Chapter 117

Chapter 117

Yuzung was a stunning beauty, to say the least. In particr, her mncholy look seemed to touch his heart warmly. It looked like even a mere touch of her eyes would make her shed tears. She looked too young, though. In Hyunwoo¡¯e eyes, she was a high school girl to all outward appearance. She had a baby face, and her natural image made her look younger all the more. Come to think of it, she was wearing no makeup, and she didn¡¯t even put on lipstick, let alone earrings, ne, or rings. ording to Sungji Na, president of N&C Korea who introduced her, she was an adult, a college freshman, but she looked like a minor. ¡°How do you do? My name is Yuzung,¡± said she in awkward Korean, but that¡¯s all. She could not speak any Korean. ¡°She¡¯s beautiful, doesn¡¯t she? She is not only pretty but also kind-hearted. And she is smart, too. She attends Ho Chi Min University, the best in Vietnam.¡± ¡°But she is too young. Twelve years younger than me,¡± said Hyunwoo, feeling awkward. But Sungji whispered into his ears as if he didn¡¯t want to be overheard. ¡°Don¡¯t say that. Jungsu Kwon remarried a Vietnamese woman twelve years younger than him. And she is his second wife. Twelve years of age difference is just nothing.¡± ¡°Still...¡± said Hyunwoo, scratching his head. While they were talking, Yuzung was looking at Hyunwoo. When her eyes met his, she avoided his eyes as if she was shy, and then threw her eyes again at him. Sungji again whispered, ¡°I told her about you a lot. She is pretty much interested in you, so go on a date with her. I can guarantee you she¡¯s the best bride candidate in the world. You don¡¯t have to have any prejudice against her because she is not Korean.¡± Then, Sungji left the, as if he suggested Hyunwoo that he go on a date with her. Was that the reason? Until a moment ago she looked like a high school girl, but now Hyunwoo found his heart pounding before he knew it. He was really attracted by her beauty. But Hyunwoo was told that one¡¯s attraction to a woman¡¯s beauty would notst three years. It would be okay if both sides agreed to date, but ying with love out of lust would be dangerous. I have got to fight the feeling. This is ady that I should not touch out of lust. Hyunwoo controlled his surging lust, but Yuzung seemed to think differently. She cautiously initiated a conversation while Hyunwoo was watching the wedding ceremony quietly. ¡°How long are you staying in Vietnam?¡± Though her English pronunciation was a bit awkward, she still spoke fluent English. ¡°I¡¯ll be staying here until Tuesday.¡± ¡°Are Korean men so handsome?¡± ¡°No way. There are lots of Koreans that look like me. Hahaha¡± ¡°Oh, Hyunwoo, you¡¯re handsome.¡± And then their conversation stopped in a moment. When she spoke again after thinking hard about something, he answered shortly and then stopped. Sometimes, he spoke to her, feeling sorry, and on such asions, he turned his head to her. He felt some sort of beauty and chasteness in her that he could not touch. He had to avoid her eyes quickly. On the other hand, she acted naturally. Though Yuzung was a stranger to him, she seemed to feel close to him because she already heard a lot about him from Sungji. Sungji came back to Hyunwoo about the time the wedding ceremony was at an end. Yuzung left with a wistful look, saying her friends were waiting for her. ¡°How about her? Don¡¯t you think she is your best bride candidate?¡± ¡°No matter how I think, she is too young. Hahaha.¡± ¡°Why does it matter? If you like her, that¡¯s what really matters.¡± ¡°Well, I have a girl that I have set my heart on in Korea.¡± Sungji¡¯s eyes opened wide at that, ¡°Really? You should have told me about it in advance.¡± Originally Hyunwoo was to head to Natrang right after the wedding ceremony to search for the missing family of Mr. Kwak¡¯s wife, but they found the family, so Hyunwoo was not in a hurry. In addition, not only Sungji but also the members of Korean Businessmen Association in Vietnam came in droves to see Hyunwoo and said,¡±You shouldn¡¯t leave this ce like this as you¡¯vee a long way from Korea.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s have a drink.¡± ¡°Even if you leave for Natrang now you¡¯d be arriving there in the evening, so sleep here tonight and leave early tomorrow morning.¡± Hyunwoo nodded his head, and then Sungji suggested, ¡°Okay, then. y golf with me first, and I¡¯ll see you guys at the bar in Ho Chi Min at night.¡± They agreed and left. Guided by Sungji, Hyunwoo went to a golf course nearby, and Yuzung also appeared there. Actually, she visited the golf club with her friends to spend time with Hyunwoo. Her friends were also beautiful enough to be picked up as entertainers, but her beauty stood out among them. When Hyunwoo looked at her, Suji¡¯s face suddenly came to his mind. And he wasparing both of them before he knew it. In terms of appearance, Yuzung was much more beautiful. Though Suji was beautiful, too, she was nothingpared to Yuzung. Suji was a beautiful woman among the ordinary women while Yuzung was beautiful enough to be called an entertainer. Still, it was Suji that Hyunwoo was attracted to. He became fond of her before he knew it. Whenever there was talk about marriage or a bride, Hyunwoo naturally thought of her. Suddenly, he felt pitiful about himself. Though he was full of affection for her, he never expressed it to her properly. Could I ask for a date when I go back to Korea? When he thought about it again, he felt it would be a foolish decision. Why was he focused on going back to Korea in order to do something? Even here in Vietnam, he could call her anytime. Yes, she might like it better. Hyunwoo, along with Sung and Sangtaek, went to the field. When they passed the 13th hole, it was already approaching 5 pm. The time difference between Korea and Vietnam was two hours. Excusing himself, Hyunwoo called Suji. In a surprised voice, Suji picked up the phone, ¡°Oh my god, aren¡¯t you in Vietnam?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m calling you from here in Vietnam.¡± ¡°Chee...Don¡¯t lie. You¡¯re back in Korea, aren¡¯t you?¡± She didn¡¯t believe him. It took some time for him to make her believe he was in Vietnam. ¡°Oh my...You didn¡¯t call me often while you were in Korea. It looks like you¡¯vee to your senses.¡± ¡°Suddenly, you came into my mind.¡± ¡°Oh my... How nice of you! I feel so good. When youe back, let me treat you to dinner. You buy me a beer in return, okay?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± When Hyunwoo was done, Sungji and Sangtaek came up to him, ¡°You were all smiles when you called someone. Who is it? Looks like it¡¯s your sweetheart.¡± ¡°Oh, not a sweetheart. She is my younger sister.¡± ¡°Man, why are you lying? Are you talking with your sister for ten minutes on international call? And without any particr business???¡± ¡°Really? Did I talk as long as ten minutes?¡± Hyunwoo¡¯e eyes opened wide. Like Sungji said, he talked with Suji for 11 minutes 29 seconds, which he didn¡¯t realize at all. After the call, Hyunwoo let out a sigh of relief. It was a novel experience for him. When he was talking with her on the phone, he felt as he was walking on a cloud. What he remembered was that he smiled all along while talking. Sungjiughed heartily, ¡°Hahaha. I think I was wrong to have called Yuzung here. It¡¯s your turn, Hyunwoo.¡± Hyunwoo quickly grabbed the golf club. He felt sorry for them as they had to wait more than ten minutes because of himself. After golfing they headed to a restaurant. Yuzung and her friends were waiting for them in front of the golf course. She was in a cheerful mood, just like any college student. Unlike her mncholic eyes, she was aggressive in attitude. Judging that Hyunwoo was a man of few words, she even began talking about herself, which Hyunwoo didn¡¯t reply to, of course. She was dreaming of bing an animator, so she decided to major in animation at college. Her father influenced her a lot in that respect. As a recognized animator, her father was working as the team manager of an animationpany here. When she mentioned her father, she looked at Hyunwoo, which clearly showed her good feeling about him. Hyunwoo felt thrilled to get her attention, but at the same time felt it as a burden. It was not just out of pleasure or fun that she showed interested in him. The prime age at which a Vietnamese person married was between 20 and 23, Hyunwoo heard, so when a woman was more than 25 years old, she got called an old miss. Obviously, Yuzung regarded him as her groom candidate, but Hyunwoo was not attracted to her by her beauty alone. It might be the start of a beautiful rtionship, but he felt he would end up ending it badly. He needed to tell her about his true feelings before he developed a serious rtionship with her. He cautiously called her outside, ¡°Shall we get out in the air?¡± Chapter 118

Chapter 118

¡°Alright!¡± said Yuzung dly. Obviously, she was d that Hyunwoo asked to see her alone outside. Hyunwoo, though he could not bring it up initially, felt he had to tell her the truth, ¡°Yuzung. To be honest with you I¡¯ve got a girlfriend in Korea.¡± ¡°Oh, really? I didn¡¯t know that,¡± said she in a surprised voice. Suddenly, there was silence between them, but Hyunwoo nced at her. She looked sad, with her head down a bit, which clearly showed her interest in him changed to disappointment. At that moment, Hyunwoo felt something strange in his heart. The moment he told her the truth, he felt wistful at the same time, sensing that her interest in him was gone. He wanted to draw her attention at the moment. However, such a conflictsted only momentarily. Swallowing up a wistful sense, Hyunwoo said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She raised her head at that, looking at him, ¡°No, you don¡¯t need to be sorry. Thanks for telling me.¡± She gave him a bright smile at him awkwardly, which made him feel an even greater sense of guilt. ¡°I had no choice but to tell you the truth. Otherwise, I would have fallen in love with you and couldn¡¯t have gotten out of it. And I was not confident I would be responsible for you to the end. So, please understand me.¡± As if to hide her sad feelings, she grabbed his forearm lightly, ¡°Mr. Na told me you¡¯re a really good man, but I was half in doubt. I thought he was exaggerating a bit when he introduced you to me.¡± She just wanted to find out what kind of person he was because Sungji spoke so highly of him. If he had tried to flirt with her just like any typical guy, she would never have seen him again. ¡°Now, it looks like you¡¯re a much better person than Sungji said.¡± ¡°Thanks a lot for yourpliment.¡± ¡°I mean it when I say that. A typical man would not have said anything about his girlfriend for a one-night stand with me. He would have lied. To be honest to someone is not as easy as one thinks.¡± Actually, Hyunwoo had the desire to enjoy her. He wanted to have a fling with her and follow his heart, regardless of what happened next. ¡°By the way, when are you getting married?¡± ¡°Hahaha. Oh, I¡¯m not so intimate in rtions with her to talk about marriage. We¡¯re just interested in each other now.¡± With a surprised look, she asked back, ¡°Then, she is not your girlfriend? Just a female friend?¡± Hyunwoo felt a bit embarrassed, but asked, ¡°What do you think is the difference between a girlfriend and a female friend?¡± She replied confidently, ¡°Physical contact, of course. If you frankly express physical affection for her with feelings of love, then she is a lover. If you just show your physical affection without such feeling or if you have only such feelings without any physical affection, then she is just a female friend, I think.¡± Her distinction between a lover and a female friend wasn¡¯t that great but made sense overall. ¡°Based on that, I think both of you¡¯re still just friends, not lovers,¡± said she, brightening her face. It looked like she was trying to renew her interest in him. However, Hyunwoo said clearly, as if he was decided. ¡°It¡¯s true I want to make her my lover. I don¡¯t think it would be right for me to meet another woman with such a mindset.¡± ¡°I agree. If I had a boyfriend, I would not pay attention to any other guy,¡± said she, agreeing with him, but she still seemed to have a lingering affection for him as she was holding his forearm. ¡°Shall we go back? Looks like the wedding guests might be waiting for us.¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± They went into the restaurant where the wedding guests were being treated. She was holding his forearm until then, which made Sungji give him a satisfactory smile. When Hyunwoo sat beside him, Sungjin even whispered into his ear, ¡°So, did you have a good time outside?¡± ¡°Haha. Nothing like that, and I told you I have a girlfriend in Korea.¡± ¡°You never know until you actually step into the wedding hall. You don¡¯t have to be so old-fashioned.¡± Hyunwoo didn¡¯t respond. Instead, he spent time drinking beer. In the evening, he headed for Ho Chi Min city for a meeting with the presidents of Koreanpanies in Vietnam. Yuzung and her friends also went to Ho Chi Min city together. Sungji wanted to have her join the meeting, but Hyunwoo stopped him. Her presence in the meeting was unnatural, and he felt burdensome about Sungji¡¯s stretched efforts to have her date him forcibly. Eventually, Sungji gave in. ¡°Okay, Hyunwoo. If that¡¯s what you want, I have no other choice.¡± Then, he sent Yuzung and her friends back and headed to the appointed ce. Though they arrived there ten minutes earlier than the appointment time, other presidents had been waiting for them in advance. There were about twenty people present, and there were some who already knew Hyunwoo. Sungji introduced each one of them to Hyunwoo, and the purpose of the meeting was quite simple. ¡°Please promote our products for sale in Korea, too,¡± said one. ¡°I agree with him. We¡¯re not N&C¡¯s rivals, so you don¡¯t have to promote N&C products only, do you?¡± said another. Actually, he heard theirints before. He discussed with Sungwoo Paek, sales executive of N&C Korea, about the matter they raised, but Sungwoo was not so enthusiastic about it. By nature, Sungwoo liked to travel and have fun rather than working. He tried to do sales activities for them in the past but failed because of the price and quality. However, the situation has changed. With the sess stories of the Dream Team of N&C in Vietnam given wide publicity in the press, castor technicians who lost jobs in Korea went to Vietnam in droves. And thanks to the full support of the Vietnamese government their technical skills improved a lot. The presidents present at the meeting emphasized that fact. ¡°If you think our technical skills are the same as they werest year, you¡¯re wrong. Our products have improved a lot in technical perfection, well beyond Chinese products.¡± When Hyunwoo nodded his head, they became more enthusiastic. ¡°Please, can you go out in person and promote our products? We¡¯ll give you more margins than N&C. How can we forget your favor if you work for us?¡± Hyunwoo wanted to help them, of course, but he could not sell for them in person, nor could he entrust Sungwoo with that, either. He was supposed to leave for the United States for immigration next spring. I think I have to entrust Sungrak Sohn with this, he thought to himself. Actually, he was thinking of him as a recement for Sungwoo. Sungrak was pretty ambitious and interested in taking over Sungwoo¡¯s sales activities. He was supposed to apany Sungwoo on the job training anyway. ¡°Got it. Let me discuss with my sales manager in Korea.¡± Their faces brightened suddenly. They seemed to think they would make a hit unconditionally with Hyunwoo¡¯s help. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t want to do a pdash job once he made the decision. He felt he would need to produce a remarkable performance with effective sales methods. And the best way would be to use the media for wide publicity just like he did for the Dream Team. When he thought as far as that, he thought of an easy way. Namely, he wanted to make a sequel to the sess of the Dream Team, with the narrative that the Dream Team came a long way to make what it is today with great sess. Then, each of the castor technicians dreaming of the 2nd and 3rd Dream Team is introduced. Promoting thosepanies that improved their technical skills would further help boost their product sales. If I entrust Kwangsu of Real Film with this job, he will produce great publicity material. The following morning Hyunwoo left for Natrang finally. Sungji and a local guide apanied him. The further they drove north, they saw the effects of the typhoon here and there. Natrang was the worst-hit area. There were lots of destroyed roads and buildings where the recovery work was fully underway. The house of Kwak¡¯s Vietnamese wife was located on the outskirts of Natrang, a slum area. There were a total of four in that house, but as it had beenpletely destroyed by the typhoon, they were living in a makeshift center. Fortunately, nobody was wounded. Actually, her mother tried to call Tamtit, Jinhun¡¯s wife, after the typhoon ended, but she couldn¡¯t remember Tamtit¡¯s number. ¡°Anway, how lucky you are. It could have been worse,¡± said Hyunwoo,forting each of Kwak and his wife¡¯s family members. Tamtit introduced Hyunwoo to her family members, telling them that it was he who helped them fly to Vietnam. Everyone bowed to him, expressing thanks, but they didn¡¯t look bright. Though they were not wounded, they didn¡¯t know how to make a living in the future. They didn¡¯t have any property and couldn¡¯t find jobs because of the severe damage. Hyunwoo felt regrettable about it, too. In the meantime, there was one person missing among the Kwak family for some time. ¡°Where is Jinhun? Why don¡¯t I see him here?¡± ¡°Oh, that naughty boy. He ran away from home again.¡± ¡°Ran away?¡± Hyunwoo opened his eyes to hear that nonsensical remarks of Kwak¡¯s, but he didn¡¯t care much because Junggyun, his father, looked bright. Chapter 119

Chapter 119

Junggyun said, with a satisfactory smile on his face, ¡°He has been blinded by a certain local girl, spending most of the time with her.¡± ¡°A girl?¡± ¡°She looks pretty in my eyes, too. Pretty enough to captivate Jinhun¡¯s heart. Maybe they¡¯re together now.¡± What¡¯s important for the moment was that Jinhun was safe, too. After exchanging brief greetings, Hyunwoo headed to the area Jinhun was spending time with the girl. It was a slum area, and everyone there was very busy with the recovery. There were many people on the street begging for money with tins ced before them. Surprisingly, Jinhun was among them. With a tin before him, he was ying guitar as if he was begging for money for his ying, and beside him was a girl with fair skin. She seemed to be a mixed-race girl, born to a white person and a Vietnamese person. She was very pretty as Junggyun said. She was singing pop songs to the tunes of his guitar with a bright expression on her face, and her pronunciation was very natural like a native speaker of English. The more Hyunwoo heard her singing, the more he was entranced by her. He felt she could be a professional singer. If she had been dressed up with a good stage, strangers might have thought that she was the best idol star in Vietnam performing right before their eyes. The passersby seemed to have the same impression as Hyunwoo¡¯s. They stopped before her and Jinhun and pped their hands enthusiastically when they were done. Some of them threw some coins into the tin. As if they were brother and sister, they bowed to the passersby to express thanks. Only then did Hyunwoo approach Jinhun, ¡°What the hell are you doing here?¡± ¡°Oh, what brought you here?¡± said Jinhun, quite surprised to see him. ¡°I rushed here, worried about you. What are you doing here? And who is that girl?¡± ¡°Ah, she is Ang. Ang Lewis.¡± She introduced herself to him in Vietnamese. After exchanging a brief greeting with her, Hyunwoo spoke in English, ¡°Nice to see you, Ang. Where are your family or parents?¡± She hardened her face at that, and her big and clear eyes were quickly welled up with tears. Jinhun quickly interrupted. Though he could not speak English, he understood ¡®family¡¯ and ¡®parents¡¯ when Hyunwoo talked to her, ¡°Did you ask her about her parents?¡± ¡°Yes, but I think I made a mistake. Did she suffer an ident?¡± ¡°Actually, her mother was killed in the typhoon.¡± Jihun told Hyunwoo about her in detail. Given that Jinhun arrived in Vietnam only three days ago, he knew quite a lot about her, which meant he was pretty interested in her. As Hyunwoo expected, she was a mixed-race girl born between a white American and a Vietnamese woman. When the American found out the Vietnamese woman was pregnant, he ran away, so Ang grew up under her single mother¡¯s care. Her mother had no rtives at all. Her mother wanted Ang to go to the United States someday to search for her father, so she made sure Ang spoke English at home, though she spoke Vietnamese outside. However, Ang lost her mother because of the typhoon. Abstaining from food and drink, she had lost the will to live and just kept crying when Tamtit and Kwak¡¯s family found her. Thanks to theirfort, she could barely control her troubled heart. Both Ang and Tamtit¡¯s family were poor with no hope of getting back on their feet again anytime soon. Though Junggyun bought food for her with his own money, he could not continue to help her forever. That¡¯s why Jinhun thought about the idea of begging on the street. With his excellent guitar ying and her singing, he felt he could collect the money enough to buy one day¡¯s food. ¡°Tut, tut... how miserable she is... By the way, is she younger than you?¡± ¡°Yes, she is 15 years old by Korean age, two years younger than me.¡± In Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes, however, she looked older than Jinhun. She even seemed precocious because of her mixed heritage. ¡°Let¡¯s go home now. You can¡¯t make a living like this.¡± ¡°Ang¡¯s voice is much better than expected, and we¡¯re making more money than we thought. So, take your leave first. Let me join you in the evening with Ang.¡± ¡°No, no. This is not a matter of money. If you¡¯re doing this on the street, hooligans maye over here and hurt you. As you know, the situation is bad because of the typhoon. In particr, you¡¯re more prone to that as you¡¯re with a beautiful girl like Ang.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± Obviously, Jinhun was scared when Hyunwoo said that. ¡°Let¡¯s go home right now. Don¡¯t focus on making money to sustain you for just several days. Think about how to make a living in the future.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Jinhun took Ang and headed to the family protection center where Tamtit¡¯s family was staying. Jinhun got close to her while walking. Though they could not carry a conversation because of thenguage barrier, Ang tended to rely on him because of her shared musicalmunication with him. Leaving her with Jinhun, Hyunwoo sat down with Kwak and Tamtit¡¯s family as well as Sungji because he could not ignore the miserable situation of Tamtit¡¯s family. Tamtit¡¯s parents seemed very old. They looked like in their 70s at least, but they were actually in their mid-50s. As they were physically weak, it would be difficult to find jobs. In particr, the factories and stores in Natrang hit by the typhoon were in disarray, which made it all the more difficult to find jobs. Looking at Sungji, Hyunwoo asked, ¡°Can you find jobs for them?¡± ¡°No problem, but the Vietnamese have a great affection for their hometowns, so I¡¯m afraid they won¡¯t move...¡± This time Hyunwoo asked Tamtit about her opinion. She exined to her parents about Hyunwoo¡¯s offer, at which they replied with bright faces. Tamtit interpreted for them, ¡°As long as they can find stable jobs, they are willing to move.¡± Then, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t have to worry about the Tamtit family. The only problem now was how to care for Ang. In fact, she was a total stranger to him, but he couldn¡¯t ignore her because of Jinhun who clung to her like her lover. Ang was a stunning beauty. Not only her face but also her voice seemed to be the best artwork made by a god. With someone¡¯s help, she could make a big sess. Suddenly, Hyunwoo hit upon a good idea. Hyunwoo called Jinhun and said, with a sorry expression on his face, ¡°Just forget about her. We can¡¯t help her out. If you be fond of her, you can¡¯t separateter.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already be attached to her. How can I forget about her? You don¡¯t want to leave her alone here, do you?¡± As Hyunwoo expected, Jinhun went berserk. He even seemed upset about Hyunwoo, let alone disappointed at him. Scratching his head, Hyunwoo said, ¡°What can I do about her? There are so many miserable people in this world. How can we help them all?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you help her alone? You¡¯re financially stable enough. Could you take her to Korea? Let me make the money by working hard to support her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± Hyunwoo exined to him about the problems such as a visa, but Jinhun didn¡¯t give up. ¡°To be honest, I love her. I can¡¯t leave her alone here. I would sell my soul if I could stay with her. And I would do anything for you if you could help.¡± With a sigh, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Phew. If you¡¯re fixated on her like that, let me help her then, but I have one condition for that.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t take her to Korea without any reason. You have to make some usible excuse. Make one.¡± ¡°Excuse?¡± Grinning with a smile, Hyunwoo said, ¡°You are good atposing, and Ang is a good singer. What perfect harmony!¡± When Jinhun heard that, his eyes opened wide. He seemed to realize what he needed to do for her. Hyunwoo continued, ¡°Make a song for Ang. Then, let me use it as the theme song of Tuti and Angelica, the animation work of the Anifan kids. Who knows? If the theme song makes a hit, both of you could be stars!¡± Jinhun¡¯s eyes already sparkled with new hope. He was confident in hisposing skills, and Ang could seed it with her great voice. He clenched his fist and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m determined topose a great song.¡± ¡°Great! Let me help Ang live in Ho Chi Min while you¡¯re at it. Mr. Sungji Na, president of N&C, will take care of her safety. If you want to take her to Korea as soon as possible, work hard on yourposition.¡± Chapter 120

Chapter 120

Jinhun went back to Ang, while Hyunwoo came back to the ce where the Kwak and Tamtit¡¯s family gathered. Hyunwoo asked a favor of Sungji, ¡°As you were generous enough o help out the Tamtit family, can you be a little more generous?¡± ¡°How can I help you?¡± Hyunwoo told him about Ang, and Sungji nodded his head, saying it was not a problem at all. The Tamtit family and Ang moved to a ce near the N&C factory. As they lost everything in the typhoon, there was little to move. They had to even buy clothes in Ho Chi Min city. Still, they were all happy because they found the means of living thanks to Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo was supposed to stay until Tuesday, but as they had found Tamtit¡¯s family, he had no reason to stay longer. When he checked out the flight back to Korea, there was one seat avable on Monday. Sungji gave Hyunwoo a ride to the airport in person, ¡°I wish you stayed one more day.¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to see my girlfriend. I am going on a date with her as soon as I arrive in Korea.¡± ¡°Oh, I shouldn¡¯t hold you, then. Hahaha. By the way, I tipped Yuzung off on your departure today. Looks like she couldn¡¯te.¡± ¡°Did you contact Yuzung? Oh my...Don¡¯t do that, please.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t misunderstand me. It¡¯s not me, but Yuzung who wanted to know about your departure time. She wanted to see you off.¡± At that moment, he received a call on his cell phone. It was from Yuzung. ¡°I really wanted to see you off, but I can¡¯te because of an important ss.¡± ¡°Thanks so much for your kind words.¡± ¡°This is my number. Can you call me sometimes? Otherwise, I¡¯ll call you anytime.¡± ¡°Hahaha. Got it. When I have a chanceter, let me introduce my girlfriend to you.¡± ¡°Sure. Pleasee here with your sweetheart. Let me guide you then.¡± Hyunwoo hung up the phone and then got aboard the ne bound for South Korea. On the ne, he had the Korean presidents on the brain. He was requested to promote their products for sale in Korea. If all things went well, it would bring great benefits to theirpanies in Vietnam and at the same time boost N&C Korea¡¯s profits, too. I wish the press could help me just like they did for the Dream Team. At that time, his employer Aurum was a big help because Korean Broadcasting first mentioned the special feature about the Dream Team, but that would be difficult this time. Let me think of another good idea. What was important was the image of thepany and its brand name. Sales activities for N&C were an easy job for him because thepany had a good image and brand name, but other Koreanpanies in Vietnam had none of them, so it was difficult for them to promote their products even with thepetitive price and good quality. In the current situation, it would be almost impossible to make ends meet, no matter how hard the salesmen were running around. As soon as he arrived, Hyunwoo called Kwangsu Han, the owner of Real Film. Kwangsu was skeptical about his idea. ¡°It¡¯s not that difficult to make videos on their products. Do you have anywork of some influential men in the broadcastingpanies?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think the broadcastingpanies will take on your idea.¡± ¡°I know you know lots of people in the broadcasting field.¡± ¡°Well, I know only frontline managers. Even if you know higher-ups there, they are not responsive even if you mobilize influential men.¡± After all, what he meant was Hyunwoo had to use kickback to influence them. Hyunwoo also thought about that as thest resort. ¡°Let¡¯s make the video first, then. When are you avable?¡± ¡°I¡¯m so tied up right now. I have no idea when I can finish the current job.¡± ¡°Just let me know as soon as you¡¯re done.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Hyunwoo felt he could find a solution when he called Kwangu, but he felt rather heavy with no satisfactory solution. After all, it was eitherworking or kickback. It was already 4 pm. Originally, Hyunwoo was supposed to have dinner with Suji as soon as he arrived. Though Suji might think it was a casual dinner, Hyunwoo thought of it as a date with her, but it was bad timing. ¡°Oh, what should I do? I agreed to go to a year-end-party with my friends...¡± It was Hyunwoo¡¯s mistake. He should have called her to check her schedule. As the second best choice, Hyunwoo decided to meet Sungrak and Jaegyong to discuss the uing sales work for the Vietnamese products. Hyunwoo headed for the N&C Korea retail warehouse around dinner time. When Hyunwoo appeared, everybody bowed to him with a surprise. Rightly, they were surprised because Hyunwoo didn¡¯t inform them in advance. ¡°How was your trip to Vietnam?¡± ¡°Oh, good. Gifts for you, guys,¡± said Hyunwoo, presenting them with Vietnamese coffee. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°How is your job doing?¡± ¡°I like it, especially since we had a flood of orders. I feel it¡¯s more fun when we have more orders.¡± Sungrak and Jaegyong gave him bright smiles. Smiling at them, Hyunwoo looked at Juhwan Moon who had been hired only several days ago. Juhwan was a 20-year-old young man from the orphanage in Suwon. As Sungrak and Jaegyong¡¯s hands were full handling the orders, Hyunwoo asked the director of the House of Happiness to rmend someone. Juhwan¡¯s first impression was not good, but the director rmended him confidently. ¡°Above all, he is sincere and good-hearted. Contrary to his looks, he is pretty witty. If you hire him, he will do his bit very well,¡± said the director. Actually, Juwan was getting well adjusted to his work, shaking off Hyunwoo¡¯s concern. And he was very sincere just as the director said. Sungrak and Jaegyong were also satisfied with him ¡°How is your work?¡± Juhwan said, scratching his head at his asking, ¡°I still don¡¯t know what¡¯s what. I¡¯ve got so much to learn here.¡± ¡°Oh, man. You already learned almost everything. If I had a couple of more like you, I and Jaegyong could be free from work and enjoy travel. Hahaha,¡± said Sungrak, highly praising him. Hyunwoo replied he had no problem at all, ¡°Sure. Hire a couple of more then.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m just kidding. Currently, we three can process the orders without any problem.¡± ¡°Well, not now, but in the future, we might have a problem. Sungwoo Paek told us he would hand over his sales work to you before he went to the United States. Didn¡¯t you hear anything from him?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I heard. If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s about time we hired a couple of more and gave them job training.¡± ¡°Would you hire them, sir?¡± ¡°Hey, did you forget what I told you? You¡¯re not the employee here but the president. I hired Juwhan for you because you guys didn¡¯t know anything about hiring. It¡¯s up to you to hire some good candidates.¡± Sungrak and Jaegyong scratched their heads, ¡°Well, we don¡¯t have a good eye for hiring...¡± Hyunwoo gave them a tip, ¡°I¡¯ve said something to the director on this, so if you ask him, he will contact other orphanages to rmend people. That¡¯s how I hired Juhwan.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± ¡°By the way, do you still have lots of work to do? Can I help you?¡± ¡°No, thanks, sir. I¡¯ve got a little more to do.¡± The staff began to move around busily, and Hyunwoo chipped in. When Hyunwoo joined them to sort out the orders, their job was done quickly. They finally turned on the unmanned security alert system. As if he was waiting for them, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s have dinner together since we haven¡¯t done so in a long time.¡± Sungrak and Jaegyong scratched their heads, ¡°What should I do? I promised to treat the orphanage kids to some fried food at the restaurant in front of the school.¡± Hearing that they were supposed to treat some of the students at the House of Happiness to some light snacks, Hyunwoo felt it was stupid that he visited the ce abruptly without making any appointments in advance. Nheless, Hyunwoo felt good about it. ¡°Really? Actually, I wanted to have some snack these days. Let¡¯s go together.¡± They headed to Ansan High School. A littleter some kids came to them in droves and followed them as if they were their real elder brothers. Sungrak and Jaegyoung also treated them as if they were their younger brothers. It was not just today they treated the kids. Whenever they found the time, they would go to the House of Happiness to help the kids there. They didn¡¯t take care of the kids in the past. It was only after they met Hyunwoo that they began to change, and the reason was simple. As they respected Hyunwoo, they wanted to make him their role model, and naturally came to emte his way of life. The first thing they learned from Hyunwoo while watching him was giving and repaying. If you give something to somebody, you¡¯ll get back from him more than you give. And if you received something, you should repay by all means. They began to trante that lesson into action gradually, so they decided to give something away to those who were in need of help. When they looked around, there were so many who needed help. Even at the House of Happiness, there was always someone who needed help. That¡¯s why they treated the kids, but they didn¡¯t know how to repay to Hyunwoo. To them, Hyunwoo seemed a man who didn¡¯t need anything in the world. Hyunwoo was just content with watching them change like that. He felt that he already got the return on the investment he made on them. ¡°Help yourself to the food as much as you like!¡± said the granny of the snack bar, bringing heaps of extra snacks for the kids. A total of ten shared the food, but the charge was less than 50,000 won. Fully satisfied, everybody went home. After giving the kids a ride back to the House of Happiness, Hyunwoo went home with Sungrak. When they arrived, it was already 9 pm. Hyunwoo felt something strange in the stomach, though. He felt a sharp pain as if his stomach was pricked with a needle. Worse, he felt dizzy. Chapter 121

Chapter 121

¡°What the heck is this? Did I eat too much too quickly? Or was it because of the food I had in Vietnam?¡± Hyunwoo asked himself. The pain grew sharper. Obviously, he felt sick. Sungrak was experiencing the same symptoms. Thus, there was only one cause of his sickness: the food he had at the snack house in front of the school. Hyunwoo quickly called the House of Happiness and Jaegyong at his house. ¡°Good heavens! Our kids vomited everything and got sick.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide. It was clear that they had food poisoning. Though Hyunwoo and Sungrak had a bit of stomach pain, the kids¡¯ conditions were much more serious. ¡°Call an ambnce quickly. Looks like they got food poisoning.¡± ¡°We did already. Ah, the ambnce is here now. Let me hang up.¡± Jaegyung was suffering from the same sickness. Hyunwoo picked up Sungrak and Jaegyong to drive to the emergency room of a nearby hospital. ¡°Food poisoning. You¡¯re lucky. It could have been worse,¡± said the doctor, offering a simple prescription. As Hyunwoo and Sungrak were overall healthy, their conditions were not that serious. So they went home with the prescription. Hyunwoo¡¯s mother had a hard time, though. She had to attend to Hyunwoo and Sungrak all throughout the night. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m okay, so please go to sleep.¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay, too.¡± Only then did she go back to her room for sleep. It was already 3 am, but Hyunwoo and Sungrak could not sleep at all because they kept rushing to the restroom whenever they felt like vomiting. Fortunately, the kids were discharged from the hospital the following morning. Hyunwoo could not control his anger. How could they get food poisoning in the middle of the winter? That meant the sanitation of the snack house in front of the school wascking. He rose up to protest about it. At that moment, he got a call from Suji Min. Though he was upset, Hyunwoo forced a smile and picked up the phone dly. ¡°Sorry about yesterday. Actually, I could not break the promise I made one month ago. I¡¯m avable this evening. How about you?¡± Hyunwoo was ready to break a previous appointment if he could meet her. Though he was boiling with anger at the moment, he would be able to calm down by the evening. He could not afford to skip such a golden chance to go on a date with her. ¡°I¡¯m avable, of course. Let me see you in the evening when you leave the office then.¡± ¡°Oh, are you going to announce to everybody about our meeting? I¡¯ll see you in downtown.¡± He hung up the phone, but again felt a pain in his stomach. When he thought of the kids suffering from food poisoning, he again felt upset about the owner of the snack house. With Sungrak, he visited the snack house, but when he arrived there, he could not vent his anger because the owner showed a repentant attitude. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m really sorry.¡± The owner was an old woman nearing 70 years old. She offered apologies, lowering her head continuously as if she was well aware of the severity of the situation. At that moment, a middle school girl, who looked like her granddaughter, came out. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, grandma? What happened?¡± ¡°Oh, actually I ...¡± said the grandmother, who seemed to be very embarrassed. Though Hyunwoo came to her to protest, he felt he wanted to save her face before her granddaughter since she might have felt that if she sold bad food, children like her daughter would suffer. Hyunwoo thought her rude awakening would be enough. ¡°Okay, then. I¡¯m leaving now, as I believe you will not do it again.¡± ¡°Sure. I¡¯m really sorry again.¡± Hyunwoo and Sungrak came out of the snack house. ¡°Phew...I hope she won¡¯t make the same mistake again,¡± said Hyunwoo, letting out a sigh. But Sungrak shook his head and said, ¡°Well, it wille back again. Once or twice every year this kind of thing happens. When I was a student, some students got food poisoning after eating at a snack house. There was a big fuss at that time, but it didn¡¯tst long.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think every snack house is bad. Maybe only a few, I guess.¡± At that moment Hyunwoo again felt like going to the restroom. ¡°What? Again?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go back home, Sungrak. I feel pain in my stomach.¡± In the evening, Hyunwoo headed to the appointed ce downtown for a date with Suji. She arrived at the restaurant on time. After a nice dinner, they went to a beer bar nearby. As it was a bit dark inside, her face looked more beautiful than usual. ¡°Howe you thought of calling me from Vietnam? That¡¯s praiseworthy.¡± ¡°Hahaha, I just missed you.¡± ¡°Looks like you¡¯re thinking about me a lot when you¡¯re alone,¡± she said. ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°Why?¡± Suji leaned towards him as if she was very curious to know why. Putting her elbows on the table and wrapping her face with her hands, she looked at him with twinkling eyes. Hyunwoo wanted to wrap her face with his hands at that moment as she looked so lovely and beautiful. And it seemed she wanted it, too. Today, she wore a lot of makeup and her posing was more sexual. Hyunwoo found it difficult to answer her question at the moment. As she asked, he had to answer anyway. He answered sincerely, but as time went on, his answer grew more superficial, and he had to stand up as he couldn¡¯t stand it. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯ll be back in a minute.¡± Suji frowned a bit, ¡°Again? You¡¯ve done it several times already. An upset stomach?¡± ¡°Oh, let me tell you after Ie back.¡± Hyunwoo urgently went to the restroom. A littleter, Hyunwoo came back, much relieved now. ¡°Sorry. As a matter of fact, I had a bad snack yesterday and got food poisoning.¡± ¡°Food poisoning? Can you have food like this?¡± She seemed surprised. Hyunwoo told her in detail about what had happened, and she was all the more astonished. ¡°Oh, I saw the article about that. You¡¯re a victim. You didn¡¯t have toe here then as you had an upset stomach.¡± ¡°You know, how rare it is to have a chance to go on a date with you! So I just had toe here by all means.¡± She looked at him, with a sunny smile on her lips, ¡°Just go home and take a rest. I¡¯ll give you a ride.¡± ¡°Oh, I feel fine now.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t. You¡¯ve been going to the restroom every ten minutes.¡± They left and took a taxi. It was usually Hyunwoo who gave her a ride back home, but this time it was Suji who made sure he got home. ¡°Are you really okay?¡± ¡°So far, so good. As you¡¯re near my house, why don¡¯t you meet my parents?¡± ¡°Oh my god. They might misunderstand me.¡± She was right. Though his parents treated herfortably because they went on a bus tour together, they would be more interested in her rtionship with Hyunwoo if they saw her now. When the taxi stopped near Hyunwoo¡¯s house, she also got out of the car. ¡°Let¡¯s take a walk together if you feel okay.¡± ¡°Shall we?¡± They went down the alley. As it was dark, they couldn¡¯t see anything, and they had no particr topic to talk about, but they didn¡¯t feel bored or awkward around each other. ¡°It¡¯s cool outside here. I love this kind of country road,¡± said Suji. ¡°Oh, you like it because you¡¯re walking with me, right?¡± Hyunwoo felt as if he had goose flesh when he talked to her like that. He felt as though she would find out that he had a crush on her. Suji looked askance at him cutely, ¡°Are you kidding? I just take the pleasure of walking with you as you came to see me despite your sickness. So, don¡¯t misunderstand me.¡± Hyunwoo just smiled at that. It was a bit colder than he thought it would be. ¡°Let¡¯s go back. Let me get you back home,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Oh, no thanks. You¡¯ve beening and going all day long like this. And you¡¯re a bit drunk anyway.¡± ¡°Well, I really wanted to have a drink with you, but I couldn¡¯t because of my upset stomach. If I let you go like this, I¡¯ll feel very sorry. Wait a minute here.¡± Hyunwoo went in and came back with his keys. In the meantime, she looked inside a bit and found something new, which she didn¡¯t see before. As soon as Hyunwoo came out, she asked, ¡°What are those container houses out there?¡± ¡°Oh, those are my father and Mr. Kuroda¡¯s research rooms.¡± She heard from her mother about Kuroda and his house near Hyunwoo¡¯s. At that moment, her eyes sparkled. She looked at the house opposite Kuroda¡¯s. Thought it was quite dark in the night, all the lights were out. ¡°Is that house over there empty?¡± ¡°Yea, it was empty like that even before we moved in here. It was so big we couldn¡¯t buy it anyway.¡± ¡°Oh, I see,¡± said she, nodding her head. And she could not take her eyes off the empty house. There was a gentle smile on her lips that nobody could understand. Chapter 122

Chapter 122

Most of the employees at Aurum started the day with the breakfast box supplied by Hyunwoo¡¯s mother¡¯s business, called ¡°Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom¡±. It was not wrapped individually, but in groups of boxes, tailored to the number of the team. When the boxes were delivered, the team members divided them among themselves. As they were not nicely wrapped, sometimes they wondered about the hygiene of the food inside. Are they using weird ingredients? Is there no sanitary issue here? But their concern about the food hygiene was gone since Aurum¡¯s general affairs team made an ad hoc inspection of Hyunwoo¡¯s mother¡¯s factory. ¡°I hear the inspection team was really surprised to find the factory was so clean.¡± ¡°I guess so. Look at assistant manager Hyunwoo working at the office. Even though he¡¯s a high school graduate, he is working really smart. I think like mother, like son.¡± Someone called Hyunwoo on purpose to congratte him. ¡°I really admire your mom. She is really great.¡± ¡°Hahaha. Don¡¯t mention it. That must be expected. Thanks anyway. Let me convey it to my mother.¡± Hyunwoo felt good to hear theirpliments. At the same time, he felt bad about the inspection team¡¯s abrupt visit to the factory because his mother was really stunned about it. I wish they had informed me in advance of their visit. At that moment, a good idea came to his mind. Snack houses in front of the school would be much better if they had such an unexpected inspection. Suddenly, he thought about the main gate security man Suyoung Oh, former principal of Ansan High School. Hyunwoo waited for lunchtime and then went directly to the security¡¯s office. Suyong greeted him dly, ¡°What brought you here? I heard about thepany inspection team¡¯s visit to the factory. I expected they couldn¡¯t find anything wrong there, given your mother¡¯s reputation.¡± ¡°Thanks, sir. By the way, I¡¯ve got something to tell you. In fact, it¡¯s something that happenedst Friday in front of Ansan High School...¡± Hyunwoo told him about what happened in detail. Hearing that, Suyoung opened a morning newspaper with eyes wide open. It was a local paper that carried an article about the food poisoning incident at the school. There were more students who suffered food poisoning than Hyunwoo thought. A total of 21 students were affected. Fortunately, they were all discharged in one day, but not only the parents but also the school expressed concern about food hygiene because of the fundamental problem of theck of sanitary conditions of the snack houses in front of the school. Hyunwoo exined to Suyoung about his idea to fix the problem. However, Suyoung disagreed, ¡°We tried that before, but all the snack houses opposed such an abrupt inspection. To say the least, they disyed nerve, suggesting the students go to other snack houses if they wanted.¡± Hyunwoo presented a solution, ¡°Well, all we have to do is just have one clean snack house there. We give them the certificate on food hygiene and have the students visit that ce only. Then, other snack houses will have to follow suit to survive.¡± ¡°That¡¯s an ideal proposal. There are not many women like your mother,¡± said Suyoung. Suddenly Suyoung proposed an idea, ¡°Oh, yea. I¡¯ve got a good idea. Why doesn¡¯t your mother open a snack house in front of the school?¡± ¡°What did you say? My mother?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think your mother physically should be at the shop to run it. She should just manage the shop.¡± Still, Hyunwoo was not persuaded. It was hard to find a ce for the snack house, and even if she could find one, it was not the right thing for her mother to open one with such a purpose. ¡°There must be some other way. Let me give it some thought.¡± Hyunwoo went back to his office, and Suyoung just looked at him from behind. Though Hyunwoo rejected his idea, Hyunwoo¡¯s mother might think differently. Suyoung checked out the contact list on his phone and called someone. ¡°Oh my god, sir. How have you been doing?¡± said the other party. ¡°Long time no see, Mr. Lee. How are you?¡± said Suyoung ¡°Well, I¡¯ve got some headaches these days.¡± He was in agony because of the food poisoning incident. ¡°I thought you¡¯re stressed out because of that. How about a drink this evening?¡± ¡°Why not? I¡¯ll treat you this time, sir.¡± Several dayster on Saturday, Hyunwoo left for the retail warehouse of N&C Korea, located in front of the House of Happiness early in the morning. There were a total of seven crowded inside. Among them was one person unfamiliar to Hyunwoo, and another person who Hyunwoo hadn¡¯t seen for a while. Hyunwoo waved to Sungwoo Paek, shouting, ¡°Hey, long time no see. When did you arrive?¡± ¡°Last night.¡± ¡°I wish you had called me then. Did you sleep at the motel again?¡± ¡°Well, I felt morefortable there. I was going to call you for a drink, but it¡¯s toote.¡± While Hyunwoo was exchanging greetings with him, Sungrak and Jaegyong called together the three men, and said, ¡°These are the new hires. Directors of the orphanages rmended them with confidence, saying they¡¯re sincere and diligent.¡± ¡°Oh, you hired them quickly,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°How do you do, sir. My name is Sungyong Lee.¡± ¡°My name is Jongkuk Kim.¡± They were all tall and strong. In particr, Jongkuk looked like a real fighter. Actually, he did boxing when he was a child. He had a dream of winning a gold medal as a member of the national team when he grew up, but he gave up because of wounds he suffered when he was in high school. They were all in their 30s and all from the orphanages. ¡°I¡¯m d to work with you. What a good association we have like this! Hope we all can keep it to the end. Let me say just a few words, as you might think a long speech as something like nagging.¡± They looked at him with sparkling eyes. ¡°Some time ago, when I was reading a book, I noticed something like this. It¡¯s not your fault that you are born to a poor family. N&C Korea is a ce where you can earn as much as you want.¡± Then he pointed to the men standing beside him, ¡°These guys Sungrak, Jaegyong, and Sungwoo all struggled at first, but they have gained a financial foothold to some extent today. It¡¯s your turn. As long as you work hard, I¡¯ll try to give you the chance. You guys want to be called rich, right?¡± ¡°Got it, sir!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll do our best, sir!¡± They all lowered their heads deeply to him. With that brief speech, Hyunwoo now spoke about some other topic like the products in Vietnam and other sales products, which he wanted to mention anyway. Sungwoo nodded his head, ¡°Actually, we¡¯ve got nothing to lose when there are lots of things for sale, but when you¡¯re out in the field, you¡¯ll run into lots of difficulties as the products are not the castor. Worse, there are few who know thepanies with those brands, and we¡¯re not that familiar with the brands, either.¡± That¡¯s what Hyunwoo had been thinking about, too. He was aware of the consumers¡¯ awareness of the products and his ownck of knowledge of the sales products, so he began to think hard about it, and came up with some sort of idea. ¡°Sungrak, can you visit Vietnam with one of the staff here? Your sales activities will be much smoother if you stay there for several days and learn about the sales products.¡± ¡°Me? I don¡¯t know anybody there.¡± Reassuring him, Hyunwoo continued, ¡°Let me inform my acquaintances there in advance. When you arrive there, the local Korean presidents will greet you as VIPs. Don¡¯t feel any burden. Just go there and learn some things.¡± Though Sungrak looked uneasy, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t care. This time he turned to Sungwoo, ¡°How about raising the awareness of thepany by doing business in franchise style?¡± ¡°Franchise? I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Hyunwoo briefed him about his idea. In short, Hyunwoo was thinking of making a franchise name to sell all the products under that name, and he nned to create a good image of the franchise name for the consumers to trust. ¡°In other words you want to select only quality products and do the business like the department stores orrge supermarkets, right?¡± ¡°Well, what I mean is that I don¡¯t want to make the salespany something like a franchise, but have all the producers tied under one franchise name. In other words, we¡¯re not selecting and selling only quality products, but the quality producers are united under one franchise name for sale.¡± ¡°Is that feasible?¡± Hyunwoo had thought a lot about its feasibility, ¡°This is my idea. We create an independent franchisepany and give authentication of franchise certificate to the product. To put it easily, just like KS, HACCP, ISO, etc.¡± ¡°Hummmm... It really looks big. Then, the image of the franchise is very important. You also need to earn its reputation.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got a good idea on that, too,¡± said Hyunwoo confidently. ¡°We can use the Dream Team. Just like we did in the past. Korean technicians went over to Vietnam and made enormous innovation in the technology of the castor, and such products were all tied together under one franchise name. Don¡¯t you think we can earn the consumers¡¯ awareness and product reputation quickly?¡± Sungwoo opened his eyes wide. Hearing what he said, that was a real possibility. What did matter was how the press would report on it, namely whether the press could highlight the new franchise like they did the Dream Team. Hyunwoo wasn¡¯t sure of that, either. ¡°I¡¯m going to give it a try. If things don¡¯t work out well, I¡¯m going to spend some kickback to have it on air.¡± ¡°You had better coin a good franchise name. As you said, the name should show the nature of the franchise well.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got one already.¡± ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°Ko. VE dream.¡± Sungwoo tilted his head, hearing that, ¡°Ko. VE dream? I feel it¡¯s weird.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m okay as long as it conveys my original intention well. And the funny name can draw a big interest, too. If we can give the consumers an impression that our product has the best value for the price, that¡¯s already a sess.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, but...what does the name mean anyway?¡± Instead of exining, Hyunwoo wrote it down on the paper. KO.VE Dream ¡°Ah! Korea Vietnam Dream team!¡± shouted Sungwoo. Chapter 123

Chapter 123

¡°Promoting the franchise is also important. We have to make sure that the first thought people have when they hear of KO.VE.dream is Korea and Vietnam.¡± What¡¯s more important was the credibility of the franchise. Any product with the brand name ¡°KO.VE. dream¡± should be recognized as reliable. Hence, it was important to select the rightpanies to be included in the KO.VE.dream list. Sungwoo asked, ¡°How can we select the rightpanies? As you know, we don¡¯t have the ability to test anything here.¡± ¡°Well, we can have the presidents in Vietnam test the products. I think we have to selectpanies with the great technical ability like N&C first, and then let them choose otherpanies with technical reputation.¡± It was a good idea. As owners of their own factories, they had a better eye for the product quality of otherpanies, and as they would be in the same boat, they would have to be very careful when selecting new partners to join the franchise. When Sungwoo remained silent, Sungrak cautiously continued, ¡°When should I fly to Vietnam, and with whom?¡± ¡°Real Film will send a camera crew to Vietnam sooner orter. You can go there with Juhwan. Prepare your passports and be ready. Let me let you know as soon as you have the specific schedule.¡± At this news, Junhwan¡¯s eyes were wide. Unlike Sungrak, he was fully surprised about his uing trip to Vietnam. ¡°Can you tell me around when I can go there?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be going in two weeks at thetest. Both of you need to immediately apply for a passport.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± said Sungrak in a dejected voice. It was a bit disappointing to Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo felt a young man¡¯s biggest source of excitement was a reckless challenge. A young man should have curiosity, not fear when he meets with a stranger and steps into the new world. In that respect, he liked Juhwan¡¯s attitude much better. His face was full of thrill. As soon as he had lunch, Sungwoo left for Kwangju, saying he had an appointment, and Hyunwoo headed straight back home. There were several strangers in his house, one man in his early 50s and several middle-aged women who looked younger than him. They were talking with his mother, who had a serious look on her face. When Hyunwoo arrived, she felt relieved and introduced him to the guests. ¡°He¡¯s my son. You had better discuss it with him.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nice to meet you. My name is Ahn Sunwoo, and I¡¯m a teacher at Ansan High School. And these are members of Jamohoe, the mother¡¯s association of Ansan High School.¡± Hyunwoo could immediately figure out why they were here, Hummmmm... he did it, after all. Hyunwoo¡¯s prediction was correct. They were there because of the recent food poisoning incident. Sunwoo had a long exnation, but his point was simple. He said his school would offer a snack bar option in the school, so Hyunwoo¡¯s mother could supply quality snacks to the students. At a nce, one might think it was a good opportunity to make money, but it was not. Hyunwoo already had a bitter experience with that before. Doing business with a school while working as an employee of an event hostpany was really tough for Hyunwoo. First, it was difficult to make a profit. How could he make the students pay more than they would at the snack houses outside the school? Second, there was enormous pressure from the school. When there was a school event, they used to ask for something by saying ¡± why don¡¯t you contribute?¡± Third, the mother¡¯s association of the school was a tough presence. If Hyunwoo¡¯s mother agreed to open a snack bar in the school, she had to deal with all of those headaches. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t hesitate to reject the teacher¡¯s offer. ¡°Sorry, we can¡¯t do it.¡± Hyunwoo made the decision by himself, and his mother Han Jisook didn¡¯t care. Sunwoo was put on the spot by Hyunwoo¡¯s sudden decision because he had an order from the principal that he should get Hyunwoo¡¯s approval unconditionally. Sunwoo quickly called Hyunwoo¡¯s mentor, Oh Suyoung, the janitor at Hyunwoo¡¯spany Aurum. A littleter Suyoung picked up the phone, ¡°How are you, sir? This is Ahn Sunwoo, a teacher with Ansan High School. I¡¯m here at Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom¡¯s factory.¡± ¡°Oh, are you? Great ce, isn¡¯t it?¡± Sunwoo exined to him about the situation at the moment and asked him to persuade Hyunwoo. He grinned at that. Sunwoo was openly asking Suyoung for the favor in the presence of Hyunwoo and his mother. Suyoung dly epted Sunwoo¡¯s request. When Hyunwoo picked up the phone, Suyoung tried to persuade him hard, saying ¡°This is for the benefits of the students¡¯ safety.¡¯ This time Hyunwoo was put on the spot. He could not reject his mentor¡¯s request right away. ¡°Yes, sir. Let me tell my mother about your request well.¡± ¡°This is my special request, Hyunwoo. Please give it a positive thought for the students.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo scratched his head, looking at Sunwoo who was waiting for his reply with some hopeful expectation. Sunwoo tried to persuade him again, ¡°Students are the future of this country.¡± In fact, supplying good food for the students exposed to bad food is a good thing. As long as he could make the minimal profits, that would be fine with him. No matter how hard he thought about it, however, Hyunwoo dared not to do it. The biggest headache was that he would need a lot of staff. Not only to make the snacks but also in managing the sales and he couldn¡¯t afford to hire just for the brief breakfast sale in the morning. Of course, he could think of using the students to do the job. When Hyunwoo thought as far as that, a great idea suddenly came to his mind. With sparkling eyes, Hyunwoo looked at Sunwoo and said, ¡°I can supply the food with one condition.¡± ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°Your students should sell the food for themselves.¡± ¡°Our students?¡± Nodding his head, Hyunwoo exined, ¡°What your school and Jamohoe want is not the food supplied by my mother¡¯s factory. They want safe food, right?¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°What¡¯s important is to make the snack houses receptive to their request for the sanitary inspection. Don¡¯t you think all I can do is to create such an environment?¡± ¡°That would be the ideal solution.¡± ¡°Got it. Please get the names of those students willing to volunteer to sell. If there are no volunteers, let me know and I will try to find them.¡± One of the middle-aged women was still not persuaded, but Hyunwoo exined in a calm manner, ¡°If any student sells safe snacks with the approval of the school, most of the students will trust and buys the snacks. The snack houses will certainly feel threatened. They will have no choice but to ept the proposal of the mother¡¯s association for sanitary inspection.¡± It was really a good suggestion, but there was one headache. ¡°We have only 15 days to go before the winter break. Don¡¯t you think the owners of the snack houses will try to stand their ground until then?¡± ¡°Well, you just let out a rumor subtly that if they don¡¯t take action, the students will set up snack bars right inside the school.¡± ¡°What a fantastic idea!¡± Everyone praised his idea. And even Hyunwoo¡¯s mother supported it, ¡°We can¡¯t do business like this for profits. Let me supply food only at the price of food ingredients, not for any profits.¡± Sunwoo and the middle-aged women all grinned from ear to ear at that, but Hyunwoo and his mother felt a bit heavy. It was not because they couldn¡¯t make profits. Actually, Hyunwoo wanted to go big but had to give it up because of his mother¡¯s opposition. He was thinking of expanding this kind of school snack house to other schools across the country. It was simple. Reporters were usually crazy about two things: stories that could impress or illicit empathy from the readers. School snack business belonged to thetter. If Hyunwoo tipped the press off on this, not only the local press but also big broadcastingpanies would scramble to cover and report about it. In some respects, it could be a bigger event than the Dream Team¡¯s castor project. If the report on the school snack houses was aired, every school around the country would try to imitate Ansan High School and its mother¡¯s association, and the sanitation standards of the snack bars near schools would naturally improve. The problem was that not all the schools in Ansan would ask Hyunwoo¡¯s mother to supply the food. No matter how cheaply other snack houses sold food, their price could not be cheaper than that of the food supplied by Hyunwoo¡¯s mother at its cost of production. By nature, she could not reject the request from all the schools across the country. After all, she was destined to bear all the burden. No matter how good the purpose was, Hyunwoo could not let his mother get into hot water. Hyunwoo cautiously asked Sunwoo a favor, ¡°Please don¡¯t tell anything about this to the press.¡± Sunwoo showed an expression that seemed to shout, ¡°Ah!¡±. Actually, Sunwoo didn¡¯t think about contacting the press at all. Hearing it from Hyunwoo, however, Sunwoo seemed to have decided it was a good idea to promote the school snack program through the press. Hyunwoo grimaced, Damn it! I wish I just kept my mouth shut. Chapter 124

Chapter 124

However, Hyunwoo already said it. He had to stop the press in order to lessen his mother¡¯s burden anyway, he needed some strong reassurance. ¡°If this is reported by the press, my mother will stop supplying the food.¡± ¡°Oh, why? She¡¯s doing such a good thing for our students.¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t want the press to know what she¡¯s doing.¡± At that moment Hyunwoo¡¯s mother, Han Jisook opened her eyes wide. She couldn¡¯t understand him a bit. It was true she was not doing this for boasting, but at the time she was not afraid of her job getting reported by the press, but Hyunwoo was saying the opposite! However, she felt he must some reason for having said that, and he was always more thoughtful than she was. So, Jisook supported Hyunwoo unconditionally. Sunwoo nodded his head and said, ¡°Got it. I will make sure your mother¡¯s work won¡¯t be leaked to the press. Is it enough?¡± ¡°Yes, please.¡± ¡°When can you start, by the way?¡± asked Sunwoo, turning to Hyunwoo, but he could not answer as it was her job. Actually, she wanted to speak her mind, too. ¡°I just have an idea for the breakfast menu. It will take three to four days to prepare the food.¡± ¡°Oh, really? Can you tell me what the menu is?¡± ¡°Students don¡¯t like soybean soup, so let me make some rice cake. It¡¯s sticky inside but cripsy outside. They will like it if they eat it with honey syrup.¡± ¡°Well, there are some prohibited foods in school for the safety of the students. Do you know that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t deal with soda or fried food. I can¡¯t offer a variety of menu items anyway.¡± ¡°Got it. Let me report to my principal and get back to you as soon as he makes the final decision. Can I look around your factory? I would like to confirm it myself.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± She guided Sunwoo and the Jamohoe to her factory. The women were rather picky. They showed disappointment when they saw the shabby exterior of the factory inside the renovated warehouse, but when they stepped into it, their attitude changed instantly. ¡°Wow! This ce is cleaner than my house!¡± Sunwoo immediately reported to the principal about the oue of his meeting with Hyunwoo, including Hyunwoo¡¯s idea. It was about using the students from the House of Happiness as volunteers for snack sale. After he was given a briefing, the principal felt it was a great idea and praised Sunwoo. ¡°Thanks a lot for your hard work,¡± said the principal. This time Sunwoo, much more encouraged by the principal¡¯s praise, proposed, ¡°I feel it¡¯s a good idea to make a feature reporting on this.¡± ¡°Feature reporting? How?¡± ¡°First of all, we publicize our efforts to quickly cope with the food poisoning situation. At the same time, we promote the economic benefits as well as the benefits of deepening friendship among students by offering the poor kids the chance to work as volunteers for the snack sale.¡± ¡°Wonderful idea. Why didn¡¯t I think about that?¡± Sunwoo continued in a more confident tone, ¡°If we put out the press release on this, the press will report about it extensively. And if all the schools do the same thing by taking a cue from us, the reputation of our school would soar.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the think tank of our school. Please go ahead. And let me know if you need any help.¡± On Monday, Ahn Sunwoo showed the principal the press release. Fully satisfied, the principal reviewed it. ¡°Did you select the students who will help sell the snack?¡± ¡°I think we need five students. The orphanage, House of Happiness, has decided to send us three, so let me find two other volunteers from our school.¡± The principal nodded at that, but suddenly he felt something curious, ¡°By the way, I don¡¯t see any contents about the food supplier here. Is that Hyunwoo Mom¡¯s?¡± ¡°I called them if I could include the name of the food supplier, but they requested me not to, saying they¡¯re not doing this for publicity,¡± said Sunwoo with a bit of dramatization of his conversation with Hyunwoo on this. As if moved by that, the principal nodded and said, ¡°Oh, How wonderful they are! No content about supplying the food at the cost of production, they don¡¯t want to have it known to others. Don¡¯t you think they¡¯re the very angel without a face?¡± At that moment, Sunwoo¡¯s eyes sparkled. He felt the press release would draw much more attention if he included that fact in it. In fact, the reputation of the school was at risk due to the food poisoning incident. Thanks to Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom, however, the school could restore its tarnished reputation and shine it further. ¡°How about omitting the name of the food supplier and using ¡®angel without a face¡¯ instead? Doesn¡¯t it make their good stand out more?¡± ¡°Yea, just go ahead. I think people like them should get more publicity in our society for their good, but the wrong persons arepeting for it.¡± Sunwoo added not only the ¡®angel without a face¡¯ and exined their charitable act. The next day the major press published the article titled ¡°Someone¡¯s Beautifully Good Deed at Ansan High School.¡± Though it was run as a brief article in the general news page of the local section, lots of people read it. ¡°I wish they had given such a good story more space.¡± ¡°How wonderful! It looks like the snack houses that rejected Jamohoe¡¯s request for sanitation inspection might feel the heat.¡± ¡°They even offered part-time jobs for the orphanage kids. What a good idea!¡± ¡°Supplying the food at the cost of production? And they don¡¯t want any publicity for themselves? There are kind-hearted people like them in our society.¡± Of course, there were some who were skeptical. ¡°Angel without a face? They¡¯ll certainlye backter with his real face. No free lunch in this world.¡± ¡°Looks like argepany made up such a promotional idea. I just don¡¯t understand why they¡¯re doing it when I clearly notice their intention.¡± And there were some others who showed apletely different reaction. They were none other than the owners of the snack houses. They didn¡¯t care much about the decline in their profits because of the aftereffects of the food poisoning incident. For the time being, the students would shun the snack house, but they woulde back soon. However, this changed everything if the students began getting snacks from somewhere to sell them. The reason the snack house owners were not concerned up to then was that the students had no other alternatives, but if they had an alternative like the snack bar, they would nevere back. The bigger problem for them was the school¡¯s n for a snack bar. The school announced that it would set up a snack bar during the winter vacation, and the school would continue to run it next year. They could not find any fault with the school about this, so they urgently gathered to cope with the new situation. Someone came up with a countermeasure, ¡°Let¡¯s track down the food supplier in question.¡± ¡°Are you talking about the ¡®angel without a face¡¯?¡± ¡°Yes. Everyone has his or her fault, as you know.¡± They all saw eye to eye on that and began to track down who the food supplier was. One of them, an ex-marine, finally seeded after some tailing and investigating in disguise. ¡°It¡¯s called Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom.¡± ¡°Okay, then. Let¡¯s find out their evil practices and use them.¡± They once again quickly moved. This time their actions were more organized than before. In particr, the ex-marine guy took the initiative again. They felt they could quickly wrap up the work because every man had his own fault. However, it turned out a very tough job. ¡°I just can¡¯t believe how such a factory can exist these days.¡± ¡°Just wless. I can¡¯t find any fault. No profits at all on their end.¡± They were agonized over what to do next. After a long silence, the old woman who was responsible for the food poisoning incident made a suggestion. ¡°After all, this is the only option.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°As a matter of fact, I realized a lot about my own faults after checking out the factory of Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom. I thought I was using quality ingredients, but that was just my own thinking. The moment I visited Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom factory, I began to feel how dirty my workce is and how low-grade the ingredients I use actually are.¡± Other owners nodded, too. In fact, they were feeling a sense of guilt after they visited Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom factory. In terms of sanitation and freshness, the difference was simply too big. ¡°Let¡¯s ept Jamohoe¡¯s request, and let¡¯s try to show them we¡¯re going to change. We should.¡± They hesitated a bit. It was easier said than done, after all. They would need to invest a lot of money to solve the problem of food sanitation and freshness, which meant increasing the snack price. However, what was really difficult was that they could not solve the problem by themselves. The heart of the matter was the food factory that supplied the snack food to them. When someone raised this issue, the old woman nodded her head, ¡°I know, but that doesn¡¯t matter. All we have to do is try to show we¡¯re making the necessary efforts now. Then, the Jamohoe will understand us and make some concession, thinking our efforts alone can¡¯t solve the problem.¡± Several dayster, Hyunwoo was quite busy transferring his duty to his sessor in the office, when he received a call from Han Kwangsoo, the president of Real Film. Hyunwoo had been waiting for his call anxiously. ¡°Wait a minute. I¡¯ve got an important call now.¡± ¡°Yes, go ahead, please. Let me take a break. Looks like I met the wrong predecessor. So much work to do!¡± With a smile, Hyunwoo went outside quickly to answer the call. ¡°Brother Han, why did you call me sote? I¡¯ve been waiting for your call for long.¡± ¡°Sorry. Actually, I¡¯m busiest when I¡¯m almost done with a current project.¡± ¡°Are you done now?¡± ¡°Yea, I¡¯ll be done this week. By the way, do you have any potential buyers of your video project? Even if you spend kickbacks, it¡¯s very difficult if you don¡¯t have good chemistry with the broadcastingpany involved.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you have to make the video for their taste.¡± ¡°Hey, dude. Do you think I¡¯m the hand of Midas? I am not so sure this time,¡± said Kwangsoo. ¡°Well, I have an idea.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Hyunwoo exined to him about KO.VE dream. Listening to his exnation, Kwangsoo seemed more optimistic, ¡°Your idea seems good. I think I can figure it out now.¡± ¡°The thing is this: Korean technicians, who were frustrated with the highbor cost in Korea, made a brillianteback in Vietnam.¡± ¡°In other words, you want me to make the video just like the Dream Team¡¯s castor project, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. By now Mr. Na, president of N&C in Vietnam, has made KO.VE Dream in one way or another.¡± ¡°Got it. Let me get the flight scheduled for next Tuesday. I hope they prepare everything well in Vietnam.¡± ¡°Let me give you the list of the local Korean presidents. Just talk to them directly. They will help you a lot, and let me call Sungji.¡± Han Kwangsoo was satisfied. Then, he brought up an irrelevant topic suddenly, ¡°I saw an interesting story in a local newspaper yesterday.¡± ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°I am not sure if you read it as it was a brief article in the local paper. Have you heard about the ¡®angel without a face¡¯? ording to the story, some snack bar is supplying the food without making any profits to resolve the food sanitation issue of the snack houses in front of the school.¡± Hyunwoo was quite surprised. He saw the article, too, but as it was published as a brief article on the general news page, he doubted it could ever draw the public¡¯s attention, yet Kwangsoo, who was living in Seoul, had read it. ¡°It¡¯s a very good story. As soon as I¡¯m done with filming in Vietnam, I¡¯d like to make a feature program on that. Can you find out who they are? Just let me know who that ¡®angel without a face¡¯ is. Let me take care of the rest.¡± Chapter 125

Chapter 125

Hyunwoo just scratched his head because he couldn¡¯t meet Kwangsoo¡¯s request. It was even more difficult to reject it, though. After a bit of hard thinking, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Can¡¯t you just care about it?¡± At the moment, Kwangsoo seemed to get wind of something, ¡°Do you know that person very well?¡± ¡°Yes, but she doesn¡¯t want to be on air.¡± Hyunwoo exined to him about her situation. Of course, he didn¡¯t say that the ¡®angel without a face¡¯ was his mother. However, Kwangsoo began to persuade him now. ¡°You can¡¯t hide her even if you want. I already sense this is a big story, and there are many smarter than me in this field. In particr, the reporters are all the more so.¡± Kwangsoo¡¯s remarks were persuasive. By now, the Jamohoe and the owners of the snack houses might have started a meeting on the best solution to the snack problem. Kwangsoo continued, ¡°I¡¯m sure someone else will surely try to cover it, if not me. Given the choice, you think I¡¯m a better candidate, right? Is there anybody else who knows your situation better than me?¡± After all, Hyunwoo confided to him, ¡°She is my mother.¡± ¡°What? Your mother?¡± Stunned, Kwangsoo shouted before he knew it as if he was screaming. In fact, Kwangsoo was aware that she stopped the side dish restaurant and opened breakfast box business called Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom, but he never expected that the angel without a face was Hyunwoo¡¯s mother. ¡°Wow, this is a big scoop. I have a very good idea, man.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°As for the filming project in Vietnam, I think we can have it on air by using the angel without a face.¡± This was Kwangsoo¡¯s idea. First of all, it was important to hide the identity of the angel without a face for as long as possible. Then, the general public would naturally have an interest in it. At that moment, he would leak it out to the broadcastingpanies, which would instantly make them scramble to identify who the angel without a face is. With that kind of atmosphere created, Hyunwoo would reveal her identity with one condition: they would have to air a special program on Kwangsoo¡¯s filming project in Vietnam. Hyunwoo giggled to hear that. He was not sure whether the broadcastingpanies would be interested in the angel without a face, and more than anything else, he didn¡¯t want to make use of the food sanitation issue like that. He felt the purpose of the drive to improve the food sanitation situation should be pure. ¡°I think that¡¯s too opportunistic a method.¡± ¡°Hey, dude. Why are you so innocent? In this world, we all rely on each other. Don¡¯t think that¡¯s a bad thing.¡± Still, Hyunwoo was not persuaded, but Kwangsoo wouldn¡¯t budge a bit. After all, Hyunwoo moved one step back and said, ¡°Okay, then. Please make a good video of the Vietnam project first. I think I can think about your ideater.¡± ¡°Got it. Anyway, try to think of my idea in the positive way. It¡¯s never a bad thing to make use of it.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo called Sungrak this time. As soon as he picked up the phone, Hyunwoo got to the point immediately. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to fly to Vietnam next Tuesday. Have you gotten your passport?¡± ¡°I hear they¡¯re issuing it thising Thursday. Next Tuesday? That soon?¡± ¡°The sooner, the better. Let me get the ticket for you.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Hyunwoo called Hyunwoo Youngran. Youngran dly picked up the phone, ¡°Wow, I think I¡¯m going to have a lot of luck as I hear your voice often these days.¡± ¡°Hahaha. Yea, I¡¯m the one who brings luck to you. I¡¯ve got a favor to ask of you.¡± He asked her to get two tickets to Vietnam, and she agreed. After the speedy call, he came back to the office. Team Manager Park Youngsu, who was reading a newspaper in the sofa, said loudly, uttering an exmation, ¡°Wow! There are still lots of warm-hearted men in this world. This angel without a face, I didn¡¯t know here in Ansan we had such an angel without a face.¡± The reason Youngsu said it like that was that he wanted his staff to pay attention to what he said. His staff was tactful enough to gather around him immediately. ¡°Did you see a good story?¡± ¡°Angel without a face?¡± Youngsu showed them a local newspaper. Though Hyunwoo was already aware of it, he just went to the trouble of seeing it, pretending not to know at all. Youngsu read part of the article to them, and they were deeply moved. ¡°I feel just good without any particr reason.¡± ¡°Yea, there are many such people in Ansan.¡± Everyone praised the angel without a face. Naturally, they wanted to know who it was. Hyunwoo felt good to see their reaction, and he thought Kwangsoo¡¯s idea was not that bad. In the meantime, Hyunoo was busy transferring his duties to his sessor. This week was thest one he would be at Aurum, but there was still a lot of work to do. ¡°This time let me exin to you about refunds.¡± Hyunwoo brought up a new topic, but his sessor was astonished at that. ¡°Refunda? Wasn¡¯t this thest of your job duties to transfer to me? You¡¯ve got so much stuff to transfer to me. How awful are you nning to be to your sessor?¡± His sessor felt bitter against Hyunwoo, but Hyunwoo just scratched his head, just feeling sorry for his sessor even though he didn¡¯t do anything wrong. In the meantime, there were several people gathered at Ansan High School in the principal¡¯s office. The meeting with the Jamohoe was arranged at the request of the snack house owners. Surprisingly, among the participants were not only Ansan High School¡¯s Jamohoe but also people from Ansan Girls¡¯ High School, Ansan Middle School, and Ansan Elementary School. Hyunwoo¡¯s mother Han Jisook was also present. It was the ex-marine who spoke first. ¡°We¡¯ll ept all of your conditions, but we have to increase the price of the snacks. We hope you can persuade your children to understand that well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only natural the price will go up with the improvement in quality.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve got another issue here. We buy most of the snacks from the factories, and we can¡¯t visit there for sanitary inspection, so please take care of that inspection on your end. We will just pay attention to selling snacks.¡± ¡°We know that. That¡¯s why we¡¯re all together like this. If we act all together, we can put pressure on them. Owner of Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom here promised she would support our efforts.¡± Only then did the representative of Jamohoe introduce Han Jisook. One of the snack house owners asked her,¡±Are you supplying the food to other schools at the cost of production?¡± ¡°Well, I can¡¯t sell at a loss, but I don¡¯t want to sell for profits to schools.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it is that easy to prepare such an enormous amount of food for the students. You¡¯re really great.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to do it until the food sanitary inspection is in ce. It¡¯s just a brief period. Though I¡¯m tired physically, I¡¯m working in a happy mood, so I¡¯m okay.¡± Hearing her exnation, they all felt relieved. ¡°Got it. We will receive your sanitary inspection on a regr basis. From now on, we¡¯re going to sell fresh and good food, anyway.¡± Jamohoe of each school thought that it was a good oue, and they left after vowing to act together in the future. Ahn Sunwoo quickly moved to make a press release on the oue of the meeting. As soon as hepleted a draft, he raced to the principal¡¯s office for approval. ¡°Excellent! I hear from our young teachers here that our school is the most talked about at the moment on the inte.¡± ¡°Yes, the credit goes to the angel without a face, of course.¡± ¡°Thanks a lot for your hard work, Mr. Ahn.¡± Sunwoo handed the press release to the press room of Ansan City. The press room of Ansn City was pretty slow as a rule. Though there were many reporters, there were not many who went around to get the scoop. Then, they got this press release from Ansan High School a few days ago. The contents were rather sensational. Namely, Ansan High School wasunching a campaign to have the snack houses in front of the school make more efforts for better food to prevent the repetition of the recent food poisoning incident, and there was the story about the angel without a face in it. In fact, the reporters didn¡¯t pay any attention to it initially because press releases issued by official ces were usually exaggerated. They felt this had to be the same. Still, they could not ignore it, so they published the story in the corner of the general news page. They were more focused on cracking down on the food vendors selling bad snacks. Then, they received another press release this afternoon. A veteran reporter took a look at it and then couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Ansan High School sent us another press release. I think one is enough, but they sent it again. Hummm.....wait a minute, Uh?¡± The reporter, who was reading it casually, hardened his face a bit. And then he shouted before he knew it, ¡°Scoop!¡± ¡°Did you say scoop now?¡± asked one reporter. ¡°What¡¯s it about?¡± asked another. At the word of ¡®scoop,¡¯ other reporters in the press room instantly gathered to check out the press release. It was simr to the previous one, but there was something different this time. It was about the decision by several schools to act together for safe food. What was more surprising was that not only the members of Jamohoe from several schools, but also several snack house owners acted together. To be a good reporter, one should know which topics the people would be most enthusiastic about, and this time, the news about the safe food movement of the schools and the snack house owners was something that all people would feel happy about and celebrate. However, the press release was pretty much tailored to the taste and needs of the school, full of their own achievements, so the truth hidden in the press release was the real scoop for them. Chapter 126

Chapter 126

While reading the press release, all of the reporters thought about the same thing. What was the real reason the snack house owners change their attitude? Maybe a teacher with a professional sense of duty moved them, or one of the parents of the students who suffered the food poisoning might have started the campaign in anger. However, there was another possibility. The veteran reporter who first read the press release paid particr attention to the ¡®angel without a face.¡¯ He smelt a rat. He regretted not having checked out the previous release, but reporters could not write a story based on their feelings alone. They decided to split up the roles. ¡°Let me cover the school.¡± ¡°Let me interview the owners of the snack houses.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to meet the Jamohoe representative.¡± The veteran reporter, Park Mungyu, also offered to do his bit, ¡°Let me try to find out who this ¡®angel without a face¡¯ is. If you guys find out good tips, let¡¯s try to share them, okay? Don¡¯t you think we can make a nationwide scoop this time?¡± In fact, this was a piece of cake to Mungyu, with 20 years of reporting under his belt. Angel without a face. Who are they? ¡°What? Assistant Manager Younghwan Koh resigned?¡± Daebong Park, president of Aurum, raised his voice, stunned. The sales team manager hunched shoulders, ¡°I tried my best to dissuade him to the end, but failed. He was very firm.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the reason?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t give any particr reason. He said he would resign for personal reasons. I think he did so because of Minhye Park, the publicity team manager.¡± Daebong pulled a face. Younghwan was not the only one who resigned. Sangho Oh with the purchasing team also resigned yesterday. Daebong expected Sangho¡¯s resignation because he had no reason to work at Aurum without his former girlfriend Minhye, but Younghwan¡¯s resignation really caught him off guard. He didn¡¯t apply for Aurum with an eye on Minhye. Actually, Daebong hired him for his excellent sales ability and fluency in Japanese. Younghwanter joined some of the team members¡¯petition to win Minhye¡¯s heart, but the reason was not that important. Younghwan had a great expectation for Minhye, so his sense of loss was also big, which led to his resignation, after all. ¡°Bring him here. Let me talk with him directly.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Soon after the sales team manager left, Younghwan came into Daebong¡¯s office. Daebong tried to change his mind in every way, but Younghwan was firm. With a big sigh, Daebong said, ¡°Well, I think I have to let you if you insist like that. Good luck.¡± ¡°Thanks, president,¡± said Younghwan, leaving the office. But that was not the end. This time the research team manager came in to report about one of his men¡¯s resignation. When Dabong looked at the envelope of the resignation, the name was familiar to him. It was Byungwon Kang, who had been with Aurum for ten years. Though Byungwon was quite capable, he didn¡¯t get promoted to the team¡¯s manager for the past ten years. ¡°What the heck is this? Why are these guys resigning like this?¡± It was not Daebong alone who was stunned. Hyunwoo was among those astonished to hear about Byungwon¡¯s resignation. Hyunwoo was so shocked that he stopped his work for the moment and went to the research team to meet Byungwon. Actually, Byungwon had a usible reason, ¡°In fact, I had an offer from a venturepany called Design Room.¡± ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t know that.¡± ¡°The annual sry is much higher, and they¡¯ll allow me to work at home sometimes. I¡¯ll be joining them as one of the founding members. They pay and treat me much better in various ways.¡± Hyunwoo fully understood his position. In fact, Byungwon was not well paid at Aurum given his excellent ability. If his health had been in good condition, he would have got promoted to the research team manager. ¡°When is yourst day at Aurum then?¡± ¡°Well, I think I have to wrap up my research, so I think I will be here at least one month more.¡± Back to his office, Hyunwoo was busy again, transferring his duties to his sessor. Today was hisst day at Aurum, so everything was messy all day. Suddenly, he got a call from the press room of Ansan City in the middle of a busy day. The call was directly rted to the ¡®angel without a face.¡¯ Obviously, they found out who the ¡®angel without a face¡¯ was after digging and exploring. ¡°Please make sure you don¡¯t reveal the name of Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom.¡± The veteran reporter Park Mngyo rightly got puzzled and tried to persuade Hyunwoo away. ¡°Why are you trying to hide her name when she¡¯s doing such a good thing? It will be of great benefit to her business, too.¡± Hyuwoo wouldn¡¯t budge a bit. He didn¡¯t want it, and if he wanted it, the timing was not right. Hyunwoo exined that. ¡°Don¡¯t you think the longer the real identity of the angel without a face gets hidden from the public, the better it is for the paper?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true, but you can¡¯t hide it forever.¡± ¡°Anyway, this is not the right time to reveal her name, so please don¡¯t reveal it.¡± Then, Hyunwoo hung up the phone and got back to work. He was absent-minded all day long. Still, he was better than Yonggu who was only half way through transferring his work to his sessor. And that was understandable, given the unique job characteristics of the purchasing team. In terms of performance, Hyunwoo made a huge contribution, but it was not because he mastered the business of the purchasing team but because of brilliant sales ideas. On the other hand, Yonggu was the key man of the purchasing team. Nobody could take his ce immediately. That¡¯s why his sessor, Sanggu Han, had been getting the training from Yonggu for more than one month, but the transition was not that smooth. ¡°How did you get the oue that way, sir?¡± asked Sanggu. ¡°Hey, I taught you about it already. You already forgot what I taught you?¡± ¡°Sorry, sir.¡± ¡°Sorry is not enough, dude. This is myst lecture on this, okay? You have to solve it yourself next time. Don¡¯t even ask for my help over the phone.¡± A day passed like that, and it was time to call it a day. It was time for Hyunwoo to say goodbye to his team members. Though they had a farewell party the previous night, they still felt sorry Hyunwoo had to leave. In particr, Suji Min missed his absence. When she held his hand, tears were already in her eyes. With a smile, Hyunwoo tapped her on the shoulder and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to see you at the mountain during the weekend.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re going there in spring, not now.¡± Suji said as if she turned sulky. Though Hyunwoo didn¡¯t do anything wrong, she seemed resentful, which he felt was all the more lovely. ¡°Juste to see me with your mother this weekend then.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think I won¡¯t? I may move to the house next to yours if need be,¡± said Suji as if she was ranting. While watching them on the side, Yongguughed loudly and quipped, ¡°Hahaha. Why don¡¯t you get married to him? Why are you trying to get around the long way when you see the shortcut?¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s a good solution, hahaha,¡± seconded other team members. Suji let go his hand reluctantly. Hyunwoo felt something strange about her behavior, though. If she likes me like this, why did she reject my request for dinner? In fact, Hyunwoo offered to have dinner with her a moment ago. Not to be caught by other team members, he asked her on a post-it note. But her response was cold. Hyunwoo understood her but was puzzled at the same time. Her sulky face might be in consideration of him since she could not work with him anymore, but that didn¡¯t fully exin it. Normally, she would ept his request after she rejected it a couple of times, but she continued to reject it coldly. So, Hyunwoo got confused again. He thought she might have rejected it for some other reason. He felt she might be thinking of dining within him in heart, though she rejected his request like that. Let me ask her one more timeter. Hyunwoo then said goodbye to the team members. ¡°Okay, then. Take care!¡± ¡°Goodbye, everyone!¡± Everybody was leaving the office with such greetings. At that moment Hyunwoo quickly approached Suji and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. Let me give you a ride.¡± Suji got in his car quietly. As if he had an appointment with her already, Hyunwoo asked naturally, ¡°What shall we eat for dinner?¡± Then, Suji came up with an unexpected reply, ¡°Didn¡¯t you choose a menu when you decided you wanted to have dinner together?¡± That meant she wanted to have dinner with him. ¡°Oh, I did, of course. Shall we go to the m restaurant you like?¡± They went to the m restaurant and had some light beer near Suji¡¯s house. The atmosphere was better than before. Suji said lots of good things for him as if she was his mother, such as ¡°Never skip the meal¡± and ¡°Have a good sleep¡± etc. Little did Hyunwoo know that time passed so fast when he was with her. He felt he spent about an hour, but the clock was ticking toward 11 pm. Hyunwoo gave her a ride to her house. His heart was full when he walked with her shoulder to shoulder. He wanted to extend his arm to cover her shoulder. Once he felt like doing so, he got more and more nervous. On the one hand, he thought, ¡®What¡¯s the big deal about putting my hand on her shoulder?¡¯ but he felt at the same time, ¡®What if I get rejected?¡¯ But how would he know without giving it a try? ¡°Aren¡¯t you cold?¡± said Hyunwoo, slightly putting his arm on her shoulder as if he wanted to shield it from cold. Chapter 127

Chapter 127

¡°Not really,¡± said Suji in an offhand manner, but she didn¡¯t push Hyunwoo¡¯s arm off her shoulder. She seemed not to care about it at all. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t feel that way. Though she had thick clothes, he couldn¡¯t feel anything in particr, but he felt something warm in his heart, and he felt the scent of perfume on her hair was unusually strong. Suddenly Suji asked, ¡°Do you like it?¡± ¡°Uh? What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I mean, do you feel good if you put your arm around my shoulders like this?¡± Hyunwoo felt a prick in his heart, but he had no reason to feel so. She was just asking, knowing already that he liked it. Then, he had no reason to hesitate in expressing his genuine feelings. ¡°Well, I feel like my heart is full. I don¡¯t feel cold at all.¡± ¡°Gee. Your hands must be cold.¡± Suji raised her hand and held the hand that was around her shoulders. ¡°Wow, your hands are warm. I hear someone whose hands are warm is also warm-hearted.¡± Suji looked at Hyunwoo, and at the same time, Hyunwoo looked at her. Suji¡¯s beautiful face was shining in his eyes. At that moment, he choked up. If he had his way, he would like to press her tightly to his chest, but Suji was walking ahead, turning her head. Letting out a sigh Hyunwoo looked ahead. Parting with her, Hyunwoo went back home and sent her a text message. After he sent it, he waited for her reply but didn¡¯t get one. Maybe she¡¯s in the shower or already in bed? Going into his bedroom, Hyunwoo closed his eyes and leaned against the wall. He could still smell Suji¡¯s fragrance and feel her warmth. Can I ask for a date this weekend again? She might be waiting for his request for a date, too. He regretted not asking her before they parted. Shall call her now to set the date? He looked at his watch. It was almost midnight. Toote to call, he thought. ¡°Let me call her tomorrow morning.¡± When he thought of meeting her on the weekend, he felt much better. ¡°Tomorrow will take care of itself. Let me wrap up today.¡± Hyunwoo sat before theputer the way he always did and checked out N&C Korea Cafe before surfing Story Ma. Recently, Hyunwoo¡¯s main focus was on Tuti & Angelica. He found a student voice actor, finished the dubbing and uploaded the first episode with the n to upload a new episode every week. ¡°How many people have visited this site?¡± Hyunwoo stopped his mouse suddenly, ¡°What the heck is this? Wow, so many visitors!¡± Even though it was the first episode, there were more than 5,000 visits already. Of course, the first episode of a popr work boasted tens of thousands. Ani & Funny was just a start-up animationpany with no name in Story Ma, but it was very unusual that the first episode of a new work by an unknownpany to have such arge number of visits. What¡¯s more surprising was that more than 900 people had clicked ¡®like¡¯. It was almost 10% of a popr work¡¯s numbers. On the other hand, there were only nine who clicked ¡®dislike¡¯ button. While surfing Story Ma, he noticed an unusual nickname. ¡°Noyenam? Who coined such a nasty screenname?¡± It was not just the screen name. Thements were pretty much annoying. It looked like the person was a so-called hater. Checking out the person¡¯sments, the readers were ming the writer for the miserable condition of the main character, Angelica. Even though they didn¡¯t use any foulnguage, they seemed to be trying to offend the writer. Hyunwoo giggled at that, ¡°There are all sorts of peculiar readers here as there are so many of them.¡± The following morning, Hyunwoo called Suji at her convenient time, but her reply was disappointing. ¡°How could I? I¡¯ve got an appointment. I¡¯m avable the day after tomorrow.¡± ¡°See you, Sunday.¡± He felt dejected. Obviously, he was too eager about his date with her. Suddenly, he didn¡¯t know what to do. At that moment he thought of Sohn Sungrak and Moon Juhwan who were supposed to fly to Vietnam next Tuesday. They would be staying at least one week. Hyunwoo drove his van to the warehouse. While he was waiting for the traffic light to turn to red, he saw Suji running somewhere hurriedly. He was just d, so he was about to get out and shout her name, but he had to shut his mouth quickly because she stopped in front of a young man. He had an expensive foreign sports car with him. At a nce, it looked like a car worth hundreds of millions of won. The young man opened the door of the passenger seat for her, and with a broad smile, she hopped in the car. Hyunwoo would have chased the car if he had not controlled himself at the moment. Come to think of it, it was not a big deal. Suji didn¡¯t hold his arm nor kiss him. She just hopped in his car at his request. Maybe they were driving to an appointment, and she only needed a ride. Thinking a little deeper, Hyunwoo felt deeply inferior. Would he feel the same way if the young man had a nondescript car? Maybe not, but because of that expensive foreign sports car, he obviously got the impression that she might only be interested in the rich guy¡¯s wealth. On the other hand, his reaction suggested that he had a real affection for her. Hyunwoo, act like a man. Be a good sport, said Hyunwoo to himself. Hyunwoo mett Suji at 7 pm the next day. She seemed too tired. ¡°Did you spend the whole night with your friends?¡± ¡°Oh my god. How did you know that? I feel really tired.¡± Hyunwoo felt a prick in the heart. It¡¯s not a big deal that she got in the young man¡¯s car for a ride but having her a fling with the man like that all night was far from virtuous. Hyunwoo asked her cautiously, ¡°Who did you spend the night?¡± ¡°College ssmates.¡± ¡°Oh, there were men among them, I guess.¡± At his asking, Suji opened her eyes wide and denied, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m crazy enough to be up all night with male ssmates? I parted with them at the second session, and I spent the whole night with my female ssmates.¡± Hyunwoo felt relieved to hear that, Yea, I should trust her. Then she can trust me, too. Looking at her, Hyunwoo smiled brightly. *** The Seoul headquarters of ¡®Space Design¡¯ was located in Yongdungpo near Yoido. There were only nine employees there. Among them were three designers, so there were only five employees besides Minhye Park, the new president, who worked there. The designers had quite a good reputation, all headhunted by Daebong Park, her father, and president of Aurum. Hyunwoo was opposed to that kind of headhunting. Of course, they had extraordinary capabilities, but hiring them was too costly. He felt it would have been much more effective to open apetition for college students majoring in design or to hire more salesmen with that money. But, Minhye ignored his suggestion by saying, ¡°You just focus on your own job. All you have to do is persuade the TV producers.¡± Actually, he thought that was his main job. From day one, he went on various business trips every day, visiting various soap opera studios. In particr, he tried his best to meet the writer and producer of the si ¡°Wolf and Fox¡±, in which Yu Nami was supposed to y a role. However, he couldn¡¯t see even their faces, let alone meet them. Everybody at the scene didn¡¯t allow him to approach, treating him like a hawker. In that situation, it was difficult to ask a favor of Nami. Though she was a rising star, she just started her entertainment career on TV. If she did a favor like this, she might not get in their good books for being arrogant if something went wrong. So, Hyunwoo began to target the field staff first. He helped them move heavy shooting equipment and heated their frozen hands with warm hot pads. Every time he did so, they would ask him, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Oh, my name is Hyunwoo Jang with Space Design.¡± He ran around like that, introducing himself to the field staff of various studio sets. By the evening, he was exhausted. He was wearier in mind than in body because it was even more difficult to make acquaintances with the shooting staff, let alone meet anyone actually performing in the shows. Nheless, he clenched his teeth. Looking back on his life, he felt the current difficulties were nothingpared to his past. He overcame more difficulties and hardships than this, and he¡¯d been just a minor at the time. How could he give up now? He¡¯d already transferred all his stocks from Aurum to Space Design, which were worth more than 100 million won. If Space Design established itself in the field, the stocks would grow by several or even several dozens. In that respect, he had to make Space Design a sessfulpany. This is nothing. Once I get connected to them, I can do it. With great determination, Hyunwoo went back to the office. It was already 10 pm. As the producer worked an irregr schedule, Hyunwoo had to adjust his schedule to theirs. When he arrived at the office, he found the lights were on inside the office Hummm.... Was someone still working now? Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide a bit. Minhye was there wearing an erotic outfit. Her top had a deep plunge that exposed a lot of cleavage. Immediately, he understood her intention. Letting out a sigh without her hearing it, She is impossible. Chapter 128

Chapter 128

Nheless, her pose and posturing were enticing to him. Her see-through outfit in the middle of the winter would be suitable for an actress attending a film festival, and it looked like she was fully confident of her full bust. ¡°Oh, you must have been working up until now. Thanks for your hard work,¡± said Minhye, approaching him as if she had been waiting for him. ¡°Well, performance does matter more than my hard work. I wish I could have shown you some tangible oues. By the way, why are you still in the office at this hour?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got to take care of some paperwork. I¡¯m done now. Did you have dinner?¡± ¡°Yes, I did.¡± ¡°Shall we have some beer? I¡¯d like to have a beer with you today of all days. You don¡¯t have any other appointment, right?¡± Then, she embraced his forearm lightly. He felt her full bust more fully because of her open shirt. He just scratched his head. Of course, he had no appointment. Though he had a lot of friends or acquaintances in Seoul, all of them were busy. Since she moved to the headquarters in Seoul, she persistently tried to tempt him. At the first gathering for dinner in Seoul, she wanted to have a great time with him alone, and whenever she was avable, she called him. She had only one purpose: winning his heart. Initially, Hyunwoo responded to her request favorable a couple of times, but at some point, he decided he should stop it. In particr, he was afraid Younggu might misunderstand his rtionship with her. It took lots of time and efforts to turn Yonggu, his one-time rival and enemy, to his side. Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t afford to lose a valuable friend like Younggu because of Minhye, especially since he was not interested in her at all. It was also for the benefit of Minhye. When he clearly showed her that he was not interested, she would not approach him anymore. ¡°My friends are waiting for me now. Why don¡¯t you have a beer with Yonggu?¡± At that moment, she pulled a face because she knew Hyunwoo was lying, but she could not argue with him. With a reluctant smile she said, ¡°Oh, I see. See you then.¡± Hyunwoo left the office. He was nning to stay in the office that night because he felt morefortable there than in his small apartment that only had one bed and a small desk for hisputer and cost 350,000 won a month. Instead, Hyunwoo went straight to his lodging. As it had no restroom, he had to use themon restroom. The only benefit he got from staying there was that it was within walking distance from Space Design. As soon as he arrived, he took off his clothes and turned on theputer. He wanted to work on Story Ma a little more, but too tired to do so. He also had to get up early in the morning to move around several studio sets. ¡°I can¡¯t do anything now. I need a break.¡± Hyunwoo turned off theputer and hit the sack. In the meantime, Minhye went back to her office pretty upset. Of course, she was angry about Hyunwoo. You¡¯re going to keep acting mean to me like that? She felt she needed a winning move. After a little bit of agonizing, she turned her mouth up slightly and then murmured, Okay, let¡¯s see who wins the game. You¡¯re a man, aren¡¯t you? * Hyunwoo ran around the sets every day. Though he missed the field work when he was in the office, he now missed the office work as he was too physically exhausted out in the field. When he got backte at night, he found the lights were on again. He thought it was Minhye, but it was someone he never expected to see. He was Youngsu Park, the former purchasing team manager and now sales executive of Space Design. ¡°Sir, you haven¡¯t called it a day yet?¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯rete today. Well, I¡¯ve got nothing to do at home. Today of all days nobody is calling me for a drink.¡± ¡°Sometimes you need a break, hahaha.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. Still, you have to if you feel like a drink. Do you have any appointments?¡± Hyunwoo just scratched his head. Though he had no appointment, he knew that once he had a drink with Youngsu, he knew he would have to stay with him at least until 2 am. As if he already read Hyunwoo¡¯s mind, Youngsu giggled, ¡°Until midnight only. I¡¯ll let you go then. You had better be a good drinking pal in a situation like this.¡± ¡°Hahaha, yes, sir. Let¡¯s go now.¡± Both of them had a drink over pork backbone stew. Youngsu waspletely different from his past. He treated Hyunwoo not as his subordinate but as an old pal. As he was so good at cracking jokes, two hours passed quickly. He drank a lot. As he promised to let Hyunwoo go by midnight, he had to drink a lot quickly. Despite that, he was still sober. At that moment, Hyunwoo picked up his mobile phone to check the time, but Youngsu noticed it and raised his voice, ¡°Hey, dude. That sucks. I¡¯ll let you go on time, so don¡¯t grab the phone from now on.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Hyunwoo quickly put the phone in his pocket and checked out the time on the wall clock. Youngsu already got wind of it and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to confirm it. It¡¯s only 11 pm. Oops, I¡¯ve got only one hour to go. Let¡¯s go to another ce. Let¡¯s have a very fine drink there.¡± They moved to a cocktail bar and ordered one cup each. A whileter, a woman came in without any friends. She was none other than Minhye. What¡¯s more surprising was she was pretty drunk already. She was about to fall, walking with faltering steps. A surprised waiter came out quickly to support her. ¡°Oh my god. Are you okay? You look drunk. Why don¡¯t you go home today...¡± But he was stopped by Youngsu, ¡°She is my family.¡± Only then did Minhye begin to recognize Youngsu. ¡°Oh, who is this? Hey, brother~¡± Youngsu pulled a face at that, raising his voice, ¡°Where did you drink so much?¡± ¡°With my friends, of course. I just wanted to take away the aftertaste here.¡± ¡°Then, sit over here,¡± said Youngsu. As she was staggering so much, he ced her on a stool between him and Hyunwoo. At that moment, Youngsu got a call from someone. ¡°Hey, dude. If you call me at this time, when are you going to end the drinking? What? Have you ever seen me avoiding the drinking asion? Where are you now?¡± And then he looked at Hyunwoo, ¡°Sorry, but please take care of her. Okay?¡± ¡°Oh, yes, of course...¡± Then, he quickly left the cocktail bar, leaving Hyunwoo and Minhye alone. Minhye was so happy to be with him alone that she pped her hands andughed. ¡°Wow, we¡¯re left alone. Great!¡± With a perplexed expression on his face, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. Let me give you a ride to your hotel.¡± ¡°No, no. I¡¯m going to have just a cup of tequ. You order a whiskey.¡± She ordered a cup of tequ and Valentine whiskey in slurred words. ¡°Okay, then. That¡¯s thest drink.¡± ¡°Shh! You shouldn¡¯t press on me when I have a drink. Okay?¡± Then she raised one of her fingers and put it on his lips gently. She began toment her hard fate such as ¡°I haven¡¯t met a man I really love until now,¡± ¡°the man she really loves doesn¡¯t like her,¡± ¡°I can¡¯t go to sleep because of the burden of seeding her father¡¯s business.¡± Hyunwoo just listened to her without replying. She leaned against him saying that she was tired, held his arm saying she was lonely, or held his face eximing, ¡°How handsome!¡± and even touched his groin. Of course, she did so by mistake, or it might have been her intentional act disguised as a mistake. Completely drunk, she fell and instinctively reached out her hand to bnce her body. It was rotten luck that the spot she reached out her hand was his groin. He was stunned enough to feel as if his heart stopped. He might have shouted if he had the wherewithal. ¡°Oh my god, what is this?¡± said she, holding his groin. It onlysted just one second. If Hyunwoo hadn¡¯t stopped her, she was about to open his zipper. No matter how patiently he controlled his desire, he was aroused. He quickly stood up, though, as he was so embarrassed. ¡°Let me go to the restroom for a minute...¡± And then he went outside quickly. Calming himself down, he went back inside. He found her resting her chin on her hand, with her eyes closed. Though Hyunwoo woke her up, she didn¡¯t react at all as if she was asleep. He paid the bnce and took a taxi. When the taxi arrived at her hotel, she woke up, but she wouldn¡¯t go inside, and she didn¡¯t show any ugly behavior a moment ago. ¡°Why don¡¯t we have another drink?¡± Hyunwoo nodded and said, ¡°Yes, but not me. You had better have a drink with that friend of yours.I¡¯m too drunk now.¡± Hyunwoo gestured his eyes toward someone. Minhye turned her head with a suspicious look, and she was quite surprised enough to flinch. It was Yonggu. ¡°Oh my god, Manager Yonggu!¡± Minhye instantly distanced herself from Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo smiled bitterly, murmuring, ¡°It was what I expected. She tried to deceive me. I think I did it right to call Yonggu.¡± Yonggu slowly approached her. She seemed tense as if she was caught dating another man, but Yonggu didn¡¯t get angry or embarrassed or even resentful. He just silently came to her and said courteously, ¡°May I stay with you?¡± With an embarrassed look, she looked at Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo said, ¡°Let me take my leave then.¡± Hyunwoo left, Yonggu will take care of her anyway. And Minhye would clearly realize that it was a far fetched dream to make Hyunwoo her man. As soon as he arrived at his lodging, Hyunwoo threw himself on the bed. He felt that the small room looked veryrge because he was alone there. Suddenly, he missed Suji. He would feel so at peace if he heard her voice. At that moment, he opened his eyes wide and saw a text message from her during the day. It said, ¡°Suji is sick.¡± He sent back a text message, but as he was so busy, it was just a routine response. Reading his simple message, she texted him another message and he replied. Like that, they exchanged several text messages, and she kept sending the messages, but he stopped the messages, with the excuse that he was too busy. Come to think of it, obviously, Suji was upset. He quickly opened his cell phone. Damn it. It¡¯s already past 1 am. It was toote for him to call or send her a text message. Shall I still send her a text message just like a crazy guy? He agonized for a moment, and that made him feel happy. He felt as if she was his girlfriend. Suddenly, he recalled Yu Zung¡¯s words back in Vietnam. She talked about the yardstick that differentiates a girlfriend from a sweetheart. Based on her yardstick, Suji was only a girlfriend to him. However, Hyunwoo felt that Suji was his sweetheart although he didn¡¯t have any active physical contact with her. Suji tried to meddle in everything rted to him. In particr, the way she reacted when he decided to move to Space Design clearly showed she also felt he was her sweetheart. At that time, she had been really nervous about separating from him. That was enough evidence that she also thought of him as her sweetheart. When he thought as far as that, his agony was gone instantly. If both felt they were sweethearts, they should be able to have contact anytime, night or day, whenever they wanted to without any burden, he thought. Sure, let me just send her a text message. After he sent it to her, he waited for a response, just in case, but she didn¡¯t reply. Perhaps, she was asleep because it was past 1 am. About the same time Suji was lying in bed, with the light turned off, but she was awake. In fact, She could not go to sleep because of Hyunwoo. She suddenly sat up in bed and gently opened her cell phone to check if there were any messages from Hyunwoo, but there was still no message or call from him. She threw it on the bed cutely and said, ¡°What the heck is this person? Why is he so mean to me?¡± Suddenly, she regretted sending him text messages during the day. She even pretended she was sick to draw his attention. Though Hyunwoo was not aware of it, she felt ashamed of herself because she felt she was now turning to all kinds of methods to tempt him. ¡°What am I doing now? Why should I look so cheap to him?¡± She even thought of ending her rtionship with him. If she did so, he would rush to her and kneel down with profuse apologies. Come to think of it, it was ridiculous that she would dere an end of the rtionship with him. It was true that both of them had favorable feelings toward each other, but they were not on intimate terms. ¡°Yea, we¡¯re not dating anyway. I don¡¯t have any reason to get nervous like this. Let me just stop paying attention to him from now on.¡± And then shey down in bed again and pulled up the nket over her head nervously. At that moment, she heard something like a vibration from her cell phone. With a feeling of pleasant surprise, she quickly sat up in bed and snatched the cell phone. At that moment her face brightened, ¡°It arrived!¡± It was a text message from Hyunwoo. She looked at it as if her cell phone was his face, ¡°Chee. Were you so busy? I was, too.¡± She habituallyposed her reply but quickly pushed the cancel button. ¡°Oh my god! What am I doing now?¡± It was already 1 am. If she sent it now, it would give him the impression that she was waiting for his message. Suji once again looked at the phone with a smile on her lips. ¡°Bah, you kept me waiting all day long. It¡¯s your turn to get anxious. Do you think it¡¯s that easy to get a reply from me?¡± And then she closed the phone andy down in bed again as she felt that she could finally go to sleep peacefully. Chapter 129

Chapter 129

Chapter 129 It was the second weekend since he came to Seoul, but he still reported to work. If there was a shooting schedule at the field studio, he had to run around even on weekends, so he used the weekdays with no shooting schedule as his off day. Of course, nobody forced him to work on weekends. He worked of his own free will. The reason Hyunwoo worked for Space Design was not to kill time or make money. He wanted to repay what he owed to Aurum, so he wanted to help Space Design to establish itself, and that felt serving just two months there was enough for that. If he could not bring about the intended performance during the two months, he could not leave with a light heart. When he thought of that, he could not take a break even on weekends. Early in the afternoon, he got a call from Suji while he was moving to a studio set. The moment he picked up the phone, Suji began to grumble, ¡°Do you think your work is more important than me?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s you, not work.¡± ¡°Then, you take a break on weekends. I hear nobody forces you to work.¡± ¡°Yea, it¡¯s voluntary. If I want to leave Space Design with a light heart, I would like to pull off a contract before I leave.¡± ¡°How can you act so mean to me?¡± Her tantrum was more serious than he thought, but he could understand her because of her family background. Suji¡¯s father, Taeho Min, was a research buff. Late at night or on weekends, he was confined to his office all day long, so his family hardly ever saw his face. Suji said that her family lived like that for more than ten years. It was only natural that she threw such a tantrum at someone who focused on work like her father. Hyunwoo was bing a Taeho Min. Hyunwoo¡¯s excuses didn¡¯t matter to Suji. What was important was that Hyunwoo gave up his weekends in order to work just like her father. Hyunwoo tried to soothe her by saying, ¡°Just two months, Suji.¡± ¡°None of my business. I¡¯m just disappointed,¡± said she, hanging up the phone abruptly. Hyunwoo called her, but it seemed she turned off the power of her phone. Scratching his head, Hyunwoo murmured, ¡°I have to stop working tomorrow and go down to Ansan to see Suji.¡± He then sent her a text message that he wanted to see her on Sunday morning. Though her cell phone was turned off now, she would see his message when she turned it on. Forgetting about her for the moment, he headed to the studio set and worked untilte at night. In the evening, his cell phone buzzed. He quickly confirmed who the caller was, thinking it was Suji. Though it was not her, his face brightened because it was from a pleasant person. ¡°Oh, I see. Today was your arrival day. Sungrak, did you have a good time in Vietnam?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. I called you as soon as I arrived at Incheon International Airport. Are you home now?¡± Sungrak¡¯s voice was cheerful. Beside him was Moon Juhwan. ¡°No, I¡¯m in Seoul now. I¡¯ll go down to Ansan tomorrow.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see you then. I¡¯ve got something to give you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is, but some very beautifuldy gave it to me. Her name is Yu Zung. Do you know her well?¡± ¡°Ah, Yu Zung!¡± Come to think of it, he felt a bit sorry for her because he didn¡¯t keep the promise to call her sometimes, so he felt it would be good to call her after confirming the gift. Hyunwoo headed down to Ansan early in the Sunday morning and called Suji. Fortunately, she picked up the phone and apologized before saying, ¡°Sorry, I was a bit annoying yesterday, wasn¡¯t I?¡± She spoke in a feeble voice as she seemed a bit tired because of what happenedst night. He felt sorry for her and said, ¡°I can understand, Suji. I know a bit about your father. So, are you no longer angry?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t angry, to be honest.¡± ¡°Shall we watch the movie?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Your voice isn¡¯t good. Just take a rest. Let me pick you up this afternoon.¡± After the call, he called Sungrak. Sungrak was already in the warehouse, busy with work. Not only Sungrak but also Jaegyong and the three new hires also reported to work. ¡°So, did you learn a lot while you were in Vietnam? You¡¯ve got to give me the oue in return for the flight tickets¡± ¡°Hahaha. Of course. Looks like everything will be alright. And I¡¯ve found out that Juhwan is smart. Though I couldn¡¯t understand what they¡¯re talking about, Juwhan nodded on the side,¡± Sungrak nudged him in the ribs gently. ¡°Brief him about what you heard. You remember the proposal you mentioned to me in Vietnam?¡± ¡°Ah, that proposal?¡± said Juhwan, scratching his head. He said with a diffident look on his face, ¡°I thought about making use of the government office in doing sales activities for KO.VE. Dream products.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°I hear each local government holds lots of exhibitions on exports, but not imports.¡± ¡°That¡¯s obvious. By encouraging more exports than imports, the government can improve the national economy.¡± ¡°Right. But if you think the opposite way, we have to import the raw materials anyway. Then, isn¡¯t it in the nation¡¯s interests that we find cheap and quality raw material for the localpanies here.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wider because he felt Juhwan¡¯s point made sense. ¡°If the government still feels reluctant to promote imports, they can sign an agreement with the Vietnamese government as a joint project. For example, Korea can hold an exhibition on Vietnamese raw materials while Vietnam can host an exhibition on Korean finished products. As this is going to be a big project at the governmental level, we can do it between the cities of the two countries, for example, between Ansan and Ho Chi Min in Vietnam.¡± Hearing Juhwan¡¯s exnation, it was a very good idea that both Korea and Vietnam could ept with great satisfaction. If Hyunwoo were a high-ranking official in charge of economic affairs, he would push for it unconditionally. The key here was whether they could find enough products to promote at the exhibitions. Juwan already had an idea of his own on that, too. ¡°I think the timing of the exhibition would be after the special feature on KO.VE. Dream by Real Film has been broadcasted on TV. That way our products can be promoted and the relevant officials will feel rewarded in that they can connect the Korean products.¡± Hyunwoo felt with a little effort he could bring about tremendous results. Although whether the local government responded favorably was a concern, he had an idea. As the government was scared about the press, he could make good use of the press to create a good atmosphere for the exhibition. ¡°Okay, the first thing to do is to get the KO.VE. Dream feature program on the air.¡± ¡°Yes, I think that¡¯s the most important thing to do.¡± Hyunwoo felt the same. And he thought cultivating awork with the people in the broadcasting field was urgent. When Sungrak was done with the briefing, he presented Yu Zung¡¯s gift for him, with her letter. ¡°She asked me to give this gift and letter to you. By the way, how can such a beautifuldy be there? I felt as if a goddess had descended.¡± ¡°Me, too. I¡¯ve never seen such a beautifuldy before,¡± sad Juhwan. With a smile, Hyunwoo opened the letter first. There was nothing particr in the letter. Though he expected some sort ofint about his failure to contact her more often, there was nothing like that. It just expressed her wish that he coulde again to Vietnam when he was avable and a greeting. Of course, she mentioned the gift. She said it was a caricature based on his face, with her shy confession that the caricature might look strange because she made it from her imagination of his face after he went back to Korea. Lastly, she mentioned Suji, asking if he was meeting her as a girlfriend even now. Hyunwoo folded the letter and then opened the gift box. Inside a high-end frame was a caricature. It looked too funny for Hyunwoo to think it looked like him, but Sungrak and Jaegyong reacted differently. ¡°Oh, it looks like your face.¡± ¡°Wow! It¡¯s a carbon copy of your face.¡± ¡°Really? Is it the same as my face?¡± said Hyunwoo, opening his eyes wide. ¡°Yes, how could she copy the unique features of your face?¡± Come to think of it, Hyunwoo felt it did resemble him a bit. ¡°Okay, guys. Let me go now. I¡¯m going to bete for the appointment.¡± And then Sungrak said as if he was reporting to Hyunwoo, ¡°Juhwan and I are going to follow Sungwoo Paek tomorrow for the on-the-job training on sales.¡± ¡°Very good attitude, I think,¡± said Hyunwoo, praising him. ¡°Juhwan has been nagging me, saying we have to experience the sales activities in the field.¡± Hyunwoo looked at Juhwan again. The more he looked at Juhwan, the more he liked him in terms of his working attitude. ¡°Got it. You don¡¯t have to report such stuff to me every time. Make your business card with the tile ¡®sales manager.¡¯¡± With that instruction, Hyunwoo left the ce to go back home. After taking shower he came out to pick up Suji. He waited outside Suji¡¯s house a little while until she came out. She still looked tired. When he checked her forehead for fever, she had a high fever. ¡°Are you still sick a lot?¡± ¡°Just a little bit. I think I¡¯ve got a cold.¡± ¡°You seemed to have bothered yourself about me a lot.¡± ¡°Nope. I get sick because it¡¯s about time. Let¡¯s go watch the movie.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t in this physical condition. Just take a rest for now.¡± ¡°Still you came down here to see me...¡± Suji expressed sorriness to him, but Hyunwoo forced her to go back home. Then, he went back home. He put the framed caricature from Yu Zung in his room. Next to it was a portrait of him drawn by Jungah, the college girl that Hyunwoo helped financially while she was a high school girl. Strangely enough, he didn¡¯t feel anything about Jungah drawing the portrait while imaging him, but he felt something seeing Yu Zung¡¯s. He just felt enthralled or even excited when he conjured up the image of her making the caricature while imagining him. Suddenly, he wanted to hear her voice. As it happened to be Sunday, it should have been easy to reach her. ¡°Oh my god! It¡¯s Hyunwoo!¡± As soon as the bell rang, she picked up the phone dly. Obviously, she was waiting for his call. ¡°Thanks for the gift.¡± ¡°Hoho. It is strange, isn¡¯t it? Let me draw a more urate caricature when I see you next time.¡± ¡°No, your caricature is excellent. By the way, I keep receiving gifts from you like this. How can I repay you?¡± As if she had some ready answer to that, she immediately replied, ¡°You said you would select good employees here and send them flight tickets to Korea. When you evaluate them, please give me a high grade, hohoho.¡± He felt from herughter that she was trying to act charming. Come to think of it, her idea seemed like a good gift. It would be a good incentive to boost the enthusiasm of the local employees in Vietnam about working. ¡°Let me think of your idea in the affirmative.¡± Chapter 130

Chapter 130

After he came back to Seoul, Hyunwoo got back into the swings of things. Today, he went to the studio of Producer Mansoo Kim¡¯s soap opera ¡°Large Family,¡± the very producer most coveted by Hyunwoo. The shooting was almost at an end. The final shooting would be done by the day after tomorrow at thetest, and then, he was supposed to start shooting the new soap opera ¡°Wolf and Fox.¡± While Hyunwoo was busy moving around here and there, he suddenly noticed something wrong in a ce. Producer Kim was shouting at somebody, quite upset. ¡°Who the hell left aptopputer here? It just made our shooting cuts useless. Whose notebook is this?¡± A middle-aged man hurriedly put away the notebookputer. Kim continued to shout in an angry tone, ¡°Was it yours, Jonghyon Yuk?¡± ¡°Sorry. I was writing something on it, but I had to run somewhere urgently...¡± ¡°Do you think ¡®sorry¡¯ is enough? How can I have all these actors do it again because of an extra¡¯s mistake like you? That¡¯s why you¡¯re still an extra with ten years of acting under your belt.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± ¡°Shut up! If you keep on acting like that, just stop it right away. Writing novels or acting, it¡¯s your choice. You can¡¯t do both good. You¡¯re just too greedy, man.¡± He vented his anger on him as much as he wanted, but Jonghyon just sat silent because it was his mistake anyway. He just kept repeating ¡°sorry.¡± To Hyunwoo, he seemed to be more talented as a voice actor, given his attractive tone. Once again Kim¡¯s rough voice was heard. ¡°Hey, let¡¯s do it again. Look around carefully for anything like that. We have to shoot it again in that case.¡± The shooting resumed, and Hyunwoo also moved, but Jonghyon¡¯s image kepting to his mind. Today, he only toured two studio sets. Late at night, he went back to his lodging and sat down before theputer. He found a message from Story Ma in his inbox. It was sent from a writer with the nickname Pilgaek. It was Pilgaek¡¯s reply to the fifth message Hyunwoo sent him. Recently, Hyunwoo sent a message to him at dawn drunkenly, and the message might be rted to it. Hyunwoo opened it quickly. To his unexpected surprise, Pilgaek also seemed to haveposed the message early in the morning, pretty drunk, as if he was moaning. Hyunwoo read it calmly and found out Pilgaek¡¯s real job, ¡°Oh, I see. He¡¯s an extra guy of a soap opera.¡± The message said he got severely rebuked by the producer for hisptop today, and that he worked for more than ten years as an extra to be an actor, his long-cherished dream as a child, but he was exhausted now. At that moment, Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide. ¡°Laptop? Extra? Rebuked by the producer?¡± Hyunwoo recalled what happened during the day today. A middle-aged extra was scolded severely by producer Mansoo Kim because of hisptop. ¡°I guess they have a shooting n in the field set in Namyangju tomorrow.¡± The next day Hyunwoo headed for the Namyangju set on time with the shooting schedule. As soon as he arrived, he checked out the casting members one by one to look for Jonghyon Yuk whom he saw the day before. Soon, he found him typing something on hisptop in a corner. Hyunwoo cautiously approached him and asked, ¡°Are you the writer Pilgaek on the Story Ma homepage?¡± At that moment, Jonghyon was startled and looked at Hyunwoo with an embarrassed look on his face. That was enough for Hyunwoo. ¡°How do you do? My name is Hyunwoo Jang.¡± ¡°Ah, that message...!¡± Only then did he recognize Hyunwoo, with his embarrassment turning to pleasure and surprise, ¡°How did you know my pen name is Pilgaek?¡± ¡°I saw you getting reprimanded severely by the producer yesterday.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Haha, I feel just ashamed about it. Actually, I had some drink because I felt very bad yesterday,¡± said Jonghyon, scratching his head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing to feel ashamed about, I think. You¡¯re better than me as I¡¯m pushed around here and there like a hawk.¡± Both talked about various things. In Hyunwoo¡¯s opinion, Jonghyon¡¯s biggest strength was his clear and crisp voice ringing in medium and high tone when he was speaking. ¡°Have you worked as a voice actor?¡± ¡°No, never.¡± ¡°Really? Your voice is really sweet. I think you can be a great voice actor right away.¡± ¡°Well, I have heard about that before. Hahaha.¡± He was all smiles when Hyunwoo heaped praise on him. Thanks to their encounter, they had a drink after the shooting. Jonghyun liked drinking very much. He was an old bachelor, twelve years older Hyunwoo. ¡°I would like to treat you as my elder brother. Please teach me a lot, brother.¡± ¡°No problem, but I don¡¯t think you can learn much from me. I¡¯m just clumsy in everything.¡± ¡°Hey, brother. I think a man is in his element when he seizes the right opportunity. If you get such a chance, I¡¯m sure you can crack the big time.¡± ¡°In your dreams. I wish I could.¡± Hyunwoo came to know more about his family while he had a talk with him. Jonghyon served parents who¡¯re over 70 years old. Until two years ago, his father worked as a security guard at an apartmentplex and could make money, but since he retired, Jonghyon had to take care of them. ¡°I don¡¯t have any savings, and these days I¡¯m in the red. Looks like I¡¯m going to drown in debt one of these days.¡± ¡°You could hit the jackpot with your web novels.¡± ¡°No way. I think I should not have started writing novels. It looks like I don¡¯t have the talent.¡± Jonghyonmented his hard fate. Though he didn¡¯t think of stopping writing novels right away, he seemed very exhausted. Every time he opened his mouth, he let out a sigh. ¡°Phew...I think I have to stop writing and find a job, but I don¡¯t have any licenses. Damn it! When did my life get messed up like this?¡± The more he told about his life, the more Hyunwoo felt sorry for him. In Hyunwoo¡¯s opinion, Jonghyon was not an ineffectual man. He just hadn¡¯t found the right job for him. ¡°In fact, I¡¯m doing business in Ansan.¡± ¡°Business? CEO? Are you not a salesman?¡± Hyunwoo told him about Aurum and Ani & Funni, which surprised him a lot. ¡°Actually, I was attracted to the power of your web novel. If you write such a gripping story in the first parts of the novel, I think you can write excellent short stories.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never given it a thought.¡± ¡°If you need a job, please let me know.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯d like to achieve my goal at the moment. I think I will have lots of regretster if I end my career like this. Anyway, thanks for considering me.¡± ¡°You should. No regrets, of course.¡± Hyunwoo and Jonghyon smiled broadly. Since then, Hyunwoo had a dialogue with him whenever he was avable. So far Hyunwoo felt lonely as he was the only stranger in the studio set, but not now as he made friends with Jonghyon. On thest day of the shooting, there took ce an expected thing. Producer Kim approached him with a warm soft drink. ¡°I was sorry at that time. I was kind of nervous at the time.¡± ¡°No, sir. It was my mistake.¡± It seemed the producer was kind-hearted. Come to think of it, it would be very difficult for a producer like Producer Kim to have made such a great sess without anybody¡¯s help. That suggested his interpersonal rtionship was the key factor. Producer Kim also paid attention to Hyunwoo for the first time. ¡°By the way, who is this gentleman. I don¡¯t think he is our staff member, but I see him a lot in the field studio sets.¡± Presenting his business card Hyunwoo introduced himself. ¡°Ah, you said you want to be a sponsor, right? As I have your business card I¡¯ll give you a call if need be.¡± That¡¯s all. Then he went to other ces to exchange greetings with the other staff and the actors. Though Hyunwoo gave him his business card, he didn¡¯t expect a call because he knew what the producer said that just as pleasantries. Still, Hyunwoo seeded in getting Space Design known to him, and he was there for the purpose of sponsoring the soap opera he was filming. And thanks to Jonghyon¡¯s help he found out the producer¡¯s schedule tomorrow. ording to Jonghyon, Hyunwoo might have a golden chance to talk with the producer further tomorrow. ¡°Thanks, brother, let me repay what I owe you by all means.¡± At 3 pm the next day, Hyunwoo headed to the headquarters of Korea Broadcasting in Youido. Though he usually moved alone, he was assisted by Youngsu Park, the sales executive of Space Design. Nami Yu, who got a call from Hyunwoo, was kind enough to greet them at the main gate. Thanks to her, they could easily get into the broadcastingpany. Youngsu was stunned, though. Though he knew Hyunwoo was on friendly terms with her, never did he expect that they were so close. It looked as if Nami was following him like her real brother. She was pretty enthusiastic about helping him, too. ¡°Can I ry your message to Producer Kim?¡± Youngsu¡¯s face brightened, as he thought Nami¡¯s help would get things done easily, but Hyunwoo rejected it immediately. ¡°No, that will only backfire.¡± ¡°Backfire?¡± ¡°Yes, he will be disappointed in me because he might feel I¡¯m trying to use you instead of making the best efforts on my own first, so I think I have to show him I¡¯m doing my best now. If my efforts don¡¯t pay off, let me ask you for help.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± That¡¯s where Nami could help them. Hyunwoo paced with Youngsu near a conference room. Finally, he could meet producer Kim. Heading for the conference room, Producer Kim was astonished to see Hyunwoo. ¡°Oh my, are you that person I saw yesterday...¡± ¡°How are you? This is Hyunwoo Jang with Space Design.¡± ¡°How did youe in here?¡± ¡°Well, I know someone here. This is the Sales Executive Youngsu Park.¡± Hyunwoo introduced them to each other. Though Producer Kim had a perplexed expression, Youngsu quickly approached him and shook his hand. Youngsu had a widework of people in Seoul. Since he moved to Space Design, it seemed he only worked on expanding hiswork, in particr finding someone who was rted to Producer Kim. ¡°Do you happen to know Jaeho Cho in Ansan?¡± ¡°Yea, how do you know him? He¡¯s my elementary school alumnus.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. He is my precious junior. I meet him sometimes for golf or drinks.¡± ¡°Really?¡± As if to confirm what he said, Producer Kim called Jaeho directly. It was true both of them knew each other, but they were not that close as Youngsu boasted. At that moment someone walking in the hall approached Kim and said, ¡°Hey, Producer Kim. I hear you¡¯re attending a conference.¡± ¡°Oh, Reporter Song. I¡¯ve got some more time to go.¡± Hearing their exchanges of pleasantries, it looked like they were close friends. At that moment Youngsu quickly approached Song and gave him a business card. ¡°I just overheard walking this way. Did you say you came from Ansan?¡± ¡°Yes, I did. I¡¯m almost a native of Ansan city.¡± ¡°Well, I was looking for someone who knows very about Ansan anyway. Oops, let me introduce myself. My name is Jaeyol Song. I¡¯m with the newsroom here.¡± ¡°Ah, reporter Song. Nice to meet you. What do you want to know about Ansan? I know the ropes around Ansan.¡± ¡°Do you happen to know the restaurant Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom?¡± Chapter 131

Chapter 131

At that moment Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide. Why did he mention Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom suddenly? Youngsu was as much surprised, but he was surprised for a different reason. It was a pleasant surprise, of course. ¡°How do you know about ¡®Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom¡¯?¡± asked Youngsu. Jaeyol Song¡¯s face brightened because Youngsu¡¯s reply implied he knew very well. ¡°It¡¯s not a restaurant but a food factory. They supply breakfast boxes to our sisterpany Aurum. It¡¯s like a breakfast box factory,¡± said Youngsu, touching Hyunwoo on the shoulder. Hyunwoo wished he wouldn¡¯t do so, but it was wishful thinking. Youngsu introduced Hyunwoo proudly, ¡°This guy¡¯s name is Hyunwoo Jang.¡± Jaeyol¡¯s eyes widened in shock, and he looked at Hyunwoo as if he was a treasure. Then, he changed his speaking manner, ¡°Do you mean Mr. Hyunwoo Jang¡¯s mother is running that factory?¡± ¡°Yes, she started doing it since Aurum entrusted her with supplying the breakfast boxes.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Then, the ¡®angel without a face¡¯ rted to Ansan High School is Mr. Hyunwoo Jang¡¯s mother.¡± Youngsu tilted his head a bit. Of course, he was aware that there were many things happening with respect to the food poisoning incident and the angel without a face yed a big role. Little did he think, however, that the angel without a face was Hyunwoo¡¯s mother. He then looked at Hyunwoo as if he wanted to ask what really happened. Hyunwoo let out a very brief sigh. It was only a matter of time before people found out the whole truth. And even if it was revealed, there would be nothing more to add. His mother promised she would supply food to several schools in Ansan without making any profits. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. She is my mother,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Oh, what a coincidence! I¡¯m so d to meet you like this. Actually, I was going to inquire here and there to find it out. If you are avable now, can I talk with you for a minute?¡± Hyunwoo said, smiling brightly, ¡°How about this? Let¡¯s do give and take on each side.¡± ¡°Oh, you mean a deal? Sure. What can I do for you? Ah! You said you¡¯re here to see this producer. Hey, Producer Kim, can you help this man?¡± said Jaeyol, turning to Producer Kim. Jaeyol¡¯s idle informal speech suggested they were close friends. Youngsu¡¯s face brightened at that moment, but Hyunwoo murmured ¡®Oh my goodness!¡¯ in his heart. In fact, there were many things he wanted to ask for in return of revealing the identity of the angel without a face like airing the KO.VE. dream feature production that Kwangsoo Han of Real Film was currently making in Vietnam or covering of the convention of trade exhibition both in Vietnam and Korea. Without knowing Hyunwoo¡¯s intention, however, Youngsoo focused on securing the sponsorship of the uing soap opera studio set. What if Hyunwoo brought up other topics? Jaeyol might wash his hands of it. In Hyunwoo¡¯s mind, the KO.VE. dream project and the trade exhibition deal was too big for a producer to handle. Alright. Let¡¯s focus on the sponsorship for Space Design for now. I can take care of other projects when I get to cultivate awork in this field. While Hyunwoo was thinking, Jaeyol kept nudging Producer Kim in the ribs. Eventually, Producer Kim replied favorably, with a heartyugh, ¡°Hahaha. Got it, man. All reporters like you are crooked anyway.¡± ¡°Did you just realize that? I really think you should help these men. Do you think just anyone can earn the title of an ¡°angel without a face?¡± Jaeyol persuaded Producer Kim, who also seemed to be interested in the words ¡°angel without a face.¡± ¡°You keep talking about the angel without a face. What is it?¡± Jaeyol told him about the incident rted to Ansan High School. It had already been a month since the story first broke out, so it was out of the public attention now. Jaeyol came to hear about it by chance and immediately found out it was a big scoop, so he began to look into it quickly so that he could report about it before the winter vacation was over. Youngsu, who was listening to Jaeyol quietly, smacked Hyunwoo¡¯s back with his open hand. ¡°Yea, I was right. I already knew it when the inspection team of the general affairs department of Aurum returned empty-handed after thoroughly inspecting the factory of Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom.¡± ¡°Inspection team of the general affairs?¡± asked Jaeyol, keenly interested. Youngsu didn¡¯t hide anything. He even said that the real purpose of the inspection team was to find Hyunwoo¡¯s weakness to use it as a pretext to send him to the Seoul headquarters of Space Design. Only then did Hyunwoo express regret about it. ¡°To be honest, you went too far, didn¡¯t you?¡± demanded Hyunwoo. ¡°Well, that was inevitable at the time. Don¡¯t feel so bad about it,¡± said Youngsu. Jaeyol cut in, taking side with Youngsu, as if he found it an interesting urrence, ¡°Yea, I agree with him. Please try to understand him. It¡¯s happening everywhere. I think that¡¯s very interesting.¡± Producer Kim, standing next to them, focused on the dialogue between Hyunwoo and Youngsu. The more he heard about it, the more he got interested. And then Producer Kim asked, ¡°I can¡¯t understand. Why did you disguise her identity as the angel without a face when she¡¯s doing such a good thing?¡± Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t reveal that she would be physically overwhelmed, so he said figuratively, ¡°Well, that¡¯s her nature. She just wants to do it because she likes it, and she doesn¡¯t want her name known to the general public. That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°Oh my god! I just can¡¯t believe there is such a wonderful person like her in our society,¡± said Producer Kim, with admiration. Jaeyol seconded, prodding on him again, ¡°I told you so, dude. When everything goes well for people like that, our country bes better. So, try to help them as much as you can. It¡¯s going to add your credit, anyway.¡± Producer Kim nodded, but he wore a perplexed expression on his face. ¡°Well, I already had a sponsor offer from anotherpany to sponsor the same items.¡± ¡°Exactly the same?¡± ¡°Yes, I think so. They want to design the whole studio set and supply the necessary furniture.¡± Hyunwoo was shocked to hear that, for he couldn¡¯t believe it. Selling the whole package of designing the studio and supplying the necessary furniture was the core of Space Design¡¯s sales strategy. Does someone else have the same sales idea as mine? Hyunwoo thought. Of course, it was possible, but notmon. Suddenly Hyunwoo smelled something fishy about it. He cautiously asked, ¡°Can you tell me about the name of thepany?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t exactly remember the name as I had several requests from other people. Wait a minute. I guess I had his business card. Oh, I found it.¡± Producer Kim searched for something in the pocket and found a business card. Checking it out, Hyunwoo was astonished. ¡°What the heck is this? Assistant Manager Koh Younghwan? Was this thepany that offered him a job after he quit Aurum?¡± Not only the name Younghwan but also the name of thepany was also familiar to him. Design Room? Where did I hear it? Suddenly, Byungwon¡¯s face came to his mind. It was Design Room that hired him with good hiring conditions. I heard he joined Design Room as one of its founding members. If that¡¯s the case, Design Room was recently founded at about the same time that Space Design was founded. He wanted to call Byungwon right then but stopped and decided that he would callter when he was alone. Jaeyol, who was listening to the conservation between Hyunwoo and Producer Kim quietly, asked Producer Kim, ¡°Then, have you already signed the contract?¡± ¡°No, not yet. As it¡¯s a very good sponsorship, I approved orally. I feel rather ufortable to break my promise, even if it¡¯s a verbal one.¡± ¡°No problem. You can get a dual sponsorship,¡± said Jaeyol. In other words, Jaeyol was suggesting that he get the dual sponsorship as he might need several studios to shoot the soap opera, and Producer Kim could entrust Space Design with one of them. With a smile, Producer Kim nodded and said, ¡°Not a problem. Are you willing to offer sponsorship under such conditions?¡± Park Youngsu quickly interfered, and then took out some studio design samples to show to Producer Kim. ¡°These are the samples we¡¯re going to provide for the studio.¡± It was a very luxurious room with lots of furniture and a perfect atmosphere. Nodding his head, Producer Kim said, ¡°Good. If you change a bit, it could be perfect for our si studio set.¡± ¡°Great. Please give me the script of the si soap opera. Our designers will design something befitting your show. Then, you can pick one that you want.¡± ¡°Sure, will do.¡± ¡°Given the choice, assign them to the studio that you want. I told you already about it. People like these men should be given priority. And you had better save my face,¡± said Jaeyol, nudging him in the rib. Producer Kim grinned and nodded, ¡°Great. Take a look at the script and choose the studio you want. Let me assign it to your care.¡± Hyunwoo and Youngsu high-fived as if they were greatly satisfied. Though they didn¡¯t get the whole studio set, they still felt it was a big sess to get the studio set with the most sales impact. ¡°By the way, I know several producers. If you want it, I can introduce you to them, so that you can secure additional sponsorships,¡± said Producer Kim. Chapter 132

Chapter 132

¡°Are you sure? Thanks so much.Thanks a million.¡± Not only Hyunwoo but also Youngsu bowed to Producer Kim without caring about saving their face. Reporter Jaeyol Song said to Hyunwoo with a satisfactory look, ¡°Shall we move to a conference room over there? I¡¯d like to ask a lot about you, Hyunwoo. You can join us, too, Youngsu.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Both of them followed Jaeyol to the conference room. Before he epted Jaeyol¡¯s interview request, Hyunwoo called his mother, just in case. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just do what you want,¡± she said. Only then did he okay Jaeyol¡¯s request. Hyunwoo expected Jaeyol and Producer Mansoo Kim to be his bridgehead to the people in the broadcasting business. It was important for him to have a good rtionship with Jaeyol and Mansoo first. After the interview, Hyunwoo called Kwangsoo Han of Real Film. ¡°Brother, do I have to wait further before you canplete the assigned program about us?¡± ¡°Almost done. I¡¯m doing a final review of it. I think I can show you the finished production tomorrow. By the way, why did you suddenly call me? Did the broadcasting guys contact you?¡± ¡°Well, we never know when the opportunityes along. When we¡¯re ready, we can make use of it at any time.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. Let me finish it as soon as possible and show it to you.¡± Back at his office Hyunwoo and Youngsu high-fived again. Minhye Park acted as CEO at least during her business hours. She never showed any private feelings. ¡°Do you have any good news?¡± ¡°Finally, we obtained a sponsorship,¡± said Youngsu confidently. Instantly Minhye¡¯s face brightened. She sprang to her feet and shouted, ¡°Yay! Great job. I think we¡¯re already halfway there.¡± ¡°Soon they will send us the script. All we have to do is pick the studio set that we like most and make a design based on that. They also agreed to connect us to other producers. Looks like everything is going smoothly from the beginning.¡± ¡°What a good job! I thought you could make it,¡± said Minhye. However, Youngsu shook his head at her praise, and said, ¡°It¡¯s not my credit. Totally Hyunwoo¡¯s credit. Thanks to the sudden appearance of an ¡°angel without a face¡± we easily won their hearts.¡± ¡°Angel without a face?¡± When Minhye showed curiosity, Youngsu began to tell her about everything boastfully. Minhye was really stunned. She was aware of how difficult it was to put sharing and donation into practice as she sometimes did it with her father Daebong Park. Though it was a credit to Hyunwoo¡¯s mother, Minhye still felt Hyunwoo was really cool. She confirmed recently that there was little room for her to wiggle into his heart but still felt attracted to him. Her eyes looked at him and trembled like the morning star. A bit embarrassed, Hyunwooughed loudly to ease his awkwardness, ¡°Hahaha. I think that¡¯s a good sign of business.¡± Now Hyunwoo felt his heart lightened a bit. He felt as if he repaid a bit what he owed Aurum, but this was only the beginning of business in the field. Coming to her senses quickly, Minhye went back to her CEO demeanor. ¡°Hey, you have to be ready to work through the night the moment we receive the script. Got it, designers? You have to finish the work as soon as possible to get the contract.¡± Late that evening after they were done for the day, Minhye offered to have a get-together dinner. ¡°We got the sponsorship right at the end of the day. How can we pass the day without wining and dining?¡± ¡°Of course. You should treat us to a drink,¡± said Youngsu, who enjoyed drinking. Though Hyunwoo wanted to bow out, not only Youngsu but also his friend Yonggu stopped him. So, he agreed to join their first drinking session only. However, even before the first session was over, his cell phone buzzed. It was a call from Dukwoo Jang, Nami Yu¡¯s boyfriend. Hyunwoo quickly picked up the phone as he felt there was something wrong. Though it was still early evening, Dukwoo was already drunk. ¡°Hey, brother. Nami is really making me crazy.¡± Hyunwoo had a feeling of sinking in the pit of his stomach. He thought everything was going smoothly between Dukwoo and Nami, but apparently, it was not. ¡°Where are you now? Let mee to you right now.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo got out of the get-together dinner. Though everybody wanted to stop him, nobody could do so. It was quite a long distance away and cost more than 30,000 won by taxi to get there. When Hyunwoo arrived at the bar, Dukwoo had bloodshot eyes and was much drunker than when he first called. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, man? Did Nami do something mean to you?¡± Dukwoo let out a long sigh before answering, ¡°Phew. It looks like she is getting closer to the president of the entertainmentpany she is affiliated with. I am afraid I¡¯ll lose her.¡± ¡°As you know, any entertainer should curry favor with the president of theirpany, right? Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Instead of replying, Dukwoo presented an envelope. When Hyunwoo looked into it, there was a picture of Nami seemingly on a date with a man. ¡°Is he the guy Nami is getting closer to?¡± ¡°Yes, Taesu Ahn. Virgindy-killer. Son of a bitch,¡± said Dukwoo. Dukwoounched into a torrent of slurs against Taesu. It was the first time Hyunwoo heard him cursing like that, which meant he took the situation very seriously. ¡°I really love Nami. I don¡¯t want to lose her under any situation. I would give it all if I can hold her.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you think Nami has also her right to choose a man. If you are chasing her crazy like that, it¡¯s not love. Just let her know how you feel toward her and then let her decide. That¡¯s the best policy, I think.¡± ¡°She is being deceived right now, brother. She just can¡¯t make the right judgment on her own now.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got to help her, man. Don¡¯t show her your obsession with her. Just try to show her the true colors of Taesu Ahn.¡± Hyunwoo tried to persuade him, but it was in vain. Dukwoo dropped his head on the table as if he was so frustrated. ¡°How long is Nami¡¯s contract with thepany?¡± ¡°Three years. I know it because she discussed it with me. I barely seeded in stopping her from signing a long-term contract at that time.¡± ¡°So, how many years passed since she signed it?¡± ¡°It started even before she got selected as Miss Korea. I guess two years and three months have passed...¡± If that¡¯s the case, she had about nine months to go. If Taesu was such a bad guy, it seemed that stopping her from extending the contract should be Dukwoo¡¯s priority. Hyunwoo stayed with himte into the night andforted him, but that was not the solution. If he could share Dukwoo¡¯s agony a bit, that was all he could do for him. Hyunwoo carried Dukwoo who gotpletely drunk on his back to a motel. After that, he called Byungwon Kang. He wanted to call Byungwon at his office during the day, but couldn¡¯t because of the other employees of Space Design. Byungwon picked up the phone dly. Though he submitted his resignation, he was still with Aurum because he had yet to turn over his responsibilities to his sessor. ¡°You said thepany that hired you was called Design Room, right? Its sales items are the same as mypany Space Design, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. I found it out only recently,¡± said Byungwon. Byungwon admitted it without any reservation. And he opined that Design Room might have giarized the idea of Space Design. ¡°Somehow I felt their offer to me was so good. I regret that I epted it. ¡°What¡¯s the point of regretting it when you have already epted it? We just do our best at work.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo became more convinced about Design Room¡¯s real intention. Design Room was not set up by somebody by ident, but with a clear purpose of beating Space Design. When he checked out the date of the founding of Design Room on its inte homepage, it was five days before Space Design had been founded. ¡°Oops! They got uspletely.¡± But that was not important at this point. Hyunwoo felt that there had to be a parentpany behind Design Room. If they set it up, regarding Space Design as its rival, its parentpany would be Space Design¡¯s most fiercepetition. Art Hill? Oh, no way! Art Hill was much more financially stable than Aurum, which was financially pinched because of its aggressive investment recently. *** Jaeyol showed the news director the article about ¡®Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom.¡¯ It was based on his interview with Hyunwoo, which he fleshed out with some contents of the local paper Kyonggi Ilbo. He asked the Ansan branch of Korea Broadcasting to take footage of Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom¡¯s factory, the schools and snack houses for the video material rted to his report. Checking the story, the news director showed surprise. ¡°Are all the contents here true?¡± ¡°Of course. Do you think I made up the story?¡± asked Jaeyol Song with a satisfactory smile. It looked like the news director instantly appreciated the value of the story. ¡°I think this is not a typical scoop.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Looks like it can hit a jackpot if everything goes smoothly. What I mean is this is not a one-time news report.¡± Jaeyol¡¯s eyes popped out. The news director had a very keen sense of the news. ¡°I thought it was a scoop, but not as big as you thought.¡± ¡°Hey, dude. Don¡¯t you know the president keeps talking about the four evils of society: sexual violence, school violence, domestic violence, and bad food. This is bad food selling right in front of the school. In other words, this is what the general public is most sensitive to,¡± the news director continued resolutely, ¡°As soon as the video material is delivered, try to make the report as soon as possible, and put in our promise to the people when you air the main news.¡± ¡°What kind of promise do you want me to put in?¡± ¡°An in-depth report on it.¡± ¡°In-depth report?¡± ¡°Yea, it would be very difficult to find this kind of episode, and this is a very special episode. It can be a message of hope to not only the students and parents but also all people.¡± Jaeyol nodded. ¡°The in-depth report must send the message that we at the Korea Broadcasting will spearhead the campaign to bring about innovation in the sanitary conditions of snack houses near schools across the country on the asion of this report. Can¡¯t you figure out my intention yet?¡± Jaeyol could read his mind. ¡°There are lots of people with good and beautiful hearts in this world. If our report bes the talk of the town I¡¯m sure we will see a second, or third ¡®Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom¡¯. The more we promote the faceless angel, the more people will pluck up their courage ande out. It¡¯s the role of the press to cover it, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Of course. I think I can report a great story for a long time. Thank you, sir.¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be grateful to me. You have to thank the faceless angel, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Really? Hahaha.¡± Chapter 133

Chapter 133

Two hourster the video material was delivered to the newsroom of the Ansan branch of Korean Broadcasting. The news director sent out the report during the main evening news and repeated it during the regr news hour with the advertisement on the in-depth reporting. Korean Broadcasting expects the beautiful change that is underway in the snack houses in front of Ansan High School to spread to other areas in the country. We¡¯re going to prepare an in-depth report on the sanitary condition of the snack houses in front of schools across the country. We look forward to tips from you students and parents out there about this. This is Jaeyol Song with Korean Broadcasting. He reviewed his own report on this several times. This is one of the few golden chances in my life. Let me make my name known to the public on this asion. He felt he should decorate the ¡®faceless angel¡¯ and enhance their appeal so that the general public can pay more attention to the subject and long for the beautiful change in the snack houses in front of Ansan High School. Now, he felt he needed to do more research on Hyunwoo and his family. He needed it just in case the ¡®faceless angel¡¯ revealed her identity someday and he decided he would make the story as touching as possible. *** Friday evening, Hyunwoo¡¯s heart was light as a feather on the way home. Though he didn¡¯t sign an official contract, it was a foregone deal given the mood of Producer Mansoo Kim. In addition, talk about sponsorship for other soap operas was also underway. The soap opera with Space Design¡¯s sponsorship was to be aired around June. In the meantime, N&C Korea was also doing good business. Sungrak and Juhwan followed Sungwoo Paek on on-the-job training, and Jaegyong took good care of the retail sales at the warehouse. Unhye Kim, the representation of N&C Japan, was giving a great performance, too. As Hyunwoo was focused on his work at Space Design, everybody was doing their best. The only problem was Ani & Funny. It had been almost one month since Hyunwoo went to work at Space Design in Seoul. The new animation ¡®Tuti & Angelica¡¯ posted part seven as of the day before and was drawing steady poprity. In particr, the reader¡¯s interest exploded on the asion of Lunar New Year. Hyunwoo analyzed the cause of the explosion from various angles and felt Jungah¡¯s reasoning was the most urate. ording to Jungah, when families meet on a Lunar New Year, not only adults but also their kids gathered together. In a ce where many people gathered, it was impossible to control the kids, so they needed to y something to keep their attention. Likely, one of the family members introduced ¡®Tuti & Angelica¡¯ to the kids. Whatever the cause of the surge in poprity of ¡®Tuti & Angelica,¡¯ the number of visits to the site on average was over 100,000 every day. Hyunwoo started thinking seriously about what to do next. I think I can switch the format to a paid subscription. Hyunwoo heard that a popr web novel wouldmand up to 15% of the existing readers when switched to a paid format. On average it was around 10%, and for web novels of lesser poprity, it was below 3%. Assuming the following ratio of the readers at 10%, the paid subscribers will be 10,000. A serial novel cost 100 won per piece, and the price varied in the case of video material. In the case of ¡®Tuti & Angelica,¡¯ it should bring in three million won, assuming the basic paid fee of 300 won per user per piece. With various fees taken out, the real revenue per month would be about 60% or 1.8 million won. As they currently posted 1.7 pieces every week, it would mean 12.24 million won per month. If that was the case, it would be a huge profit, and it would increase as time goes by. Actually, the team members of Ani & Funny wanted a switch to a paid format, but Hyunwoo was not yet satisfied with it. He didn¡¯t want to give up his original dream for such revenue. And what¡¯s more important to him was that this was thest golden chance to switch to a paid format. Certainly, it was not, he thought. In his opinion, the real revenue of the animation was not the subscription fee but the secondary work. If ¡®Tuti & Angelica¡¯ hit the jackpot,panies producing stickers, drinks, and toys wouldpete to pay lots of money to im the right to use its design. That meant a higher por recognition than now, which meant that free format was better than paid. He didn¡¯t want to spoil the golden chanceter by taking the risk now. While he was thinking hard about this matter, he already arrived at his house before he knew it. When he got home, he saw an unexpected guest talking to his mother. ¡°Oh my god! Howe you¡¯re here, Reporter Song?¡± Jaeyol, who had been interviewing Hyunwoo¡¯s mother, stood up dly, ¡°Oh, you just got here. I¡¯vee here to interview the faceless angel, of course.¡± She also looked at Hyunwoo with a bright smile, but her expression was not that bright. Though she smiled, it was forced. She was worried about her husband, Duyoung Jang. If Jaeyol began to dig into her family history with the excuse of covering the faceless angel, he could find out something about Duyoung¡¯s business history. And if Jaeyol reported about it, it might make Sinyoung Co. pay attention to him again. Of course, the possibility was very slim as it happened 20 years ago. Hyunwoo cautiously asked, ¡°What are you trying to cover?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Hyunwoo. There is nothing that might do any damage to your family. What I¡¯m trying to cover is...¡± Jaeyol outlined the direction of his coverage. The gist of it was that there was a quiet revolution underway in the snack houses in front of the schools in Ansan, and he wanted to use the change as the springboard to bring about more changes to the snack houses in other areas across the country. Hearing Jaeyol¡¯s exnation, Hyunwoo found that there was nothing that could reveal his father¡¯s past business. ¡°You can reveal everything except for the details about our family in your report. I want you not to reveal our names.¡± ¡°Not a problem. As you already know, I used ¡®the faceless angel¡¯ instead of ¡®Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom.¡¯ If you want it, let me keep doing so.¡± Jaeyol felt it was more effective to draw the public¡¯s attention by introducing her as the faceless angel instead of the owner of Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom. Nheless, he was curious why Hyunwoo didn¡¯t want to reveal his mother¡¯s real name. ¡°By the way, I just don¡¯t know why your mother wants to hide her identity. You mother is a businesswoman. Even though the purpose of this project has nothing to do with her business, I just wonder why she insists on hiding her real name. I think it¡¯s a good idea to let the people know her because a good person like her is selling good food.¡± Of course, Hyunwoo felt the same way, and his mother did, too, but what bothered him was the possibility that his father¡¯s past could be revealed by the report. Suddenly something came to Hyunwoo¡¯s mind. Hyunwoo said in a calm voice, ¡°Well, if you push somebody to the brink of a cliff, you also have to stand at the edge of the same cliff.¡± Unable to figure out what Hyunwoo meant, Jaeyol tilted his head again. Why did he suddenly mention a cliff when he and his mother are doing something very good? ¡°Do you mean somebody has been driven into a corner because of my reporting? Any of the snack houses in front of the school?¡± ¡°Yes. Though you didn¡¯t do it with any malicious intention, some of them were driven to the edge of the precipice. Fortunately, they got out because things worked out smoothly.¡± ¡°Then, all is good, right?¡± ¡°No, the thing is what is happening next. Jaeyol, you are nning to make an in-depth report on this food safety issue across the country, aren¡¯t you?¡± Jaeyol nodded and seemed to understand what Hyunwoo was hinting. Hyunwoo continued, ¡°If the situation esctes as a result of your reporting, some of the snack houses will certainly go out of business. In that case, they won¡¯t go bust alone and will try to ruin others in their chagrin.¡± ¡°I get it now. I have been thinking of revealing the identity of the faceless angel at an appropriate time. Hearing what you say, I had better reconsider it.¡± ¡°Thanks so much. The owners of the snack houses are parents of students, too. I hope you can cover and report about this issue to the effect that they can be good parents to their children as people who make the right decisions.¡± ¡°Sure, will do. Don¡¯t worry about that. By the way, you¡¯re really generous. It is just heartwarming to talk and listen to you like this, Hyunwoo.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t say that,¡± said Hyunwoo. After quickly having dinner, Jaeyol continued to interview Hyunwoo and his mother. And then he left with the video technician. Jaeyol didn¡¯t go straight to his house. As it was not so dark, he had some more free time to meet some other sources. Actually, he was busy with meeting the sources from early in the morning and covered lots of stuff on food safety and sanitary issues. Still, he felt he needed to cover some more about the motivation of Hyunwoo¡¯s mother and her drive to innovate the existing food hygiene practices of snack houses. Though he heard from a teacher that she first got involved in it at the rmendation of the principal of Ansan High School, he felt that was not enough. Suddenly, he thought of someone who might be helpful. ¡°Oh, I heard the former principal of that school is working as a security guard for Aurum.¡± ¡°Are you going to meet him?¡± asked the video technician. ¡°Yea. I got his contact number.¡± Jaeyol called Suyoung Oh, the security guard, Hyunwoo¡¯s mentor, and interviewed him. Fortunately, Jaeyol found out why Suyoung rmended opening ¡®Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom¡¯ and how the name ¡®Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom¡¯ was created. While Suyoung was talking to Jaeyol, he unexpectedly mentioned an episode about Hyunwoo. ¡°I¡¯ve thought all along that Hyunwoo is a guy with great character, but I have be convinced about while watching him sincerely persuade Dohyok Kim to make the castor Dream Team. Hyunwoo is such a great man. If our country really wants to stand tall, we should build a country where people like Hyunwoo are doing well.¡± ¡°Did you just say that Hyunwoo supported the Dream Team? What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard about anything about the castor Dream Team? It was ced in the limelight several months ago.¡± Chapter 134

Chapter 134

¡°Oh, are you talking about the Korean castor technicians who gained great sess in Vietnam?¡± asked Jaeyol. ¡°You¡¯re right! As you¡¯re a reporter, you know lots of stuff,¡± said Suyoung,ughing outright. But Jaeyol could notugh, ¡°I¡¯ve just heard it was Hyunwoo who initiated the idea and helpedunch the Dream Team. Well, what I heard at the time was it was the team manager, not Hyunwoo.¡± ¡°Yea, that¡¯s what they broadcast on TV, but as you know, what¡¯s on TV is not always 100% true.¡± ¡°Then, how much do you know about the truth?¡± ¡°To some degree.¡± ¡°Can you share it with me?¡± With sparkling eyes, Jaeyol started taking note of what Suyoung said. Thanks to him Jaeyol could found out lots of new facts about the Dream Team, but he found them not proper for broadcasting or being printed in newspapers. When published, it would reveal that the team manager, Youngsu Park, took his team members¡¯ credit, which could put him in serious trouble. Not only Youngsu and Aurum but also Hyunwoo would be put on the spot because of that. Maybe not now. I may have use for itter. But he felt he needed to dig more into that for a scoopter. Though it was veryte at night, Jaeyol didn¡¯t hesitate to call Daebong Park, the president of Aurum. Given that Daebong was very aggressive about expanding his business, he would not take Jaeyol¡¯s interview request lightly. In addition, Jaeyol was a veteran reporter with the Korean Broadcasting Co. As expected, Daebong willingly epted his interview request. When Jaeyol brought up the castor Dream Team, Daebong was pretty enthusiastic about it. He even tried to treat Jaeyol to a high-end restaurant where a beautiful waitress served food and wine, but Jaeyol resisted it. ¡°Let¡¯s talk over beer lightly first. The interview is the priority, entertainmentter, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°That sounds good!¡± Jaeyol asked a very challenging question from the beginning as soon as he opened his mouth, ¡°Why did manager Youngsu Park snatch Hyunwoo¡¯s credit?¡± Daebong was embarrassed because he just thought Jaeyol¡¯s interview would only add the mor and prestige of Aurum. Then Jaeyou suddenly brought up the awkward topic. ¡°Well, the fact is...Assistant Manager Hyunwoo disimed his own credit in favor of Youngsu...¡± As he was too embarrassed, Daebong even stumbled, but Jaeyol was staring at him as if he was an investigator questioning a criminal. There was nothing particr in Daebong¡¯s reply, however. Youngsu didn¡¯t snatch Hyunwoo¡¯s credit, but Hyunwoo let him take it, saying that would be better for thepany. And that was quite understandable in some respect. So, Jaeyol smiled brightly and nodded, ¡°I thought Hyunwooo might have done so.¡± Changing the topic, he asked Daebong about Hyunwoo and ¡®Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom.¡¯ Daebong was quite skillful in fielding his questions. While he was replying, Daebong addedments about Aurum and Space Design oftentimes for their publicity. Hearing what Daebong said, Jaeyol found that he yed a great role with respect to Hyunwoo Mom¡¯s factory. It was all Daebong¡¯s credit that Hyunwoo¡¯s mother first started the business and expanded it. Given his credit, Daebong was like a benefactor to ¡®Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom.¡¯ Nodding his head again, Jaeyol said, ¡°Oh, you were very moved to hear Hyunwoo made a big donation to the kids of Anifan. And so you introduced her to the presidents of other factories. I think you really did a good job.¡± Only then could Daebong feel rxed. Rxing his back that he had been stretching because of the intensity of the interview, Daebong smiled broadly and said, ¡°I feel really satisfied with that. I think people like Hyunwoo¡¯s mother should have sess.¡± ¡°How wonderful of you to have such an employee! You¡¯re really blessed with talented employees, I think. I guess you had better give such an employee special promotion, right?,¡± said Jaeyol,ughing cheerfully. But Daebong¡¯s face grew dark. Jaeyol got curious at his looks and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Is there something bad about him?¡± ¡°As a matter of fact, Hyunwoo is leaving ourpany. He started his own business.¡± ¡°Personal business? Then, it looks like he has decided to concentrate on helping his mother¡¯s business.¡± ¡°No, not that. He has started an animation business. Originally, he started with helping the kids of the House of Happiness...¡± While listening to Daebong, Jaeyol kept tilting his head as if he could not understand. After all, he stopped Daebong and asked, ¡°Wait a minute. I can understand your exnation on how Hyunwoo started the animation business Ani & Funny, but I could not understand the rest of what you said. I don¡¯t get it when you said the purpose of his business was not making any profits. Is that true?¡± ¡°Well, I was also confused when I first heard about it. From amon-sense standpoint, I couldn¡¯t understand why he started the business to help the kids. Of course, he could get 50% in educational subsidies from the city government, but he had to pay for the remaining 50% anyway.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, did Hyunwoo pay for the rest?¡± ¡°Yes. You might find it hard to understand that, but as I know Hyunwoo, I can fully understand his motivation. He has such arge heart.¡± Jaeyol could not figure out how to understand Hyunwoo while listening to Daebong. Hyunwoo looked like a man of great secrets. He strongly wanted to dig into the character of Hyunwoo more and more. He even thought that the person ¡®Hyunwoo¡¯ himself was a bigger scoop than ¡®Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom.¡¯ The next day Jaeyol visited the House of Happiness. To him, Hyunwoo seemed to be more connected with it than with Aurum. The director of the House of Happiness easily epted his interview request when Jaeyol mentioned Hyunwoo and ¡®Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom.¡¯ The director¡¯s positive response suggested how much they helped the orphanage usually. Even there Jaeyol was shocked to hear another episode, ¡°You mean that warehouse over there?¡± ¡°Yes. Hyunwoo is really a good man. He clearly knew what kind of real help our kids here needed when they graduated and helped them out.¡± Jaeyol almost felt dizzy when he heard all the surprising episodes about Hyunwoo. What the heck is the real identity of this guy, Hyunwoo? Now Jaeyol was firmly convinced. Though his mother was great, it was Hyunwoo who was much greater. He felt it might be better to prepare a special feature on Hyunwoo himself. Such an article Hyunwoo might not object to, he thought. The real reason Hyunwoo rejected his idea of reporting on the sanitary issue of the snack houses was that it might incur the revenge of those owners who would be affected by the report, but the story about Hyunwoo himself had nothing with that. Hyunwoo¡¯s animation business was just started. In that respect, his report would be a boost to the publicity of hispany. How could Hyunwoo object to the sort of report that would promote his nascent animationpany? Let me interview some more in the field before interviewing Hyunwoo. Jaeyol wanted to meet with hispany colleagues, too, to dig out something new about him. So, he met them including Yonggu Kim and Suji Min. Their replies were as he expected. In particr, Suji¡¯s testimony was impressive enough. ¡°Really? Taking the seniors in his neighborhood to a climbing outing? How many?¡± ¡°Typically ten people. After the outing, he treats them to dinner and then gives them a ride back home.¡± ¡°When did he start doing so?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure exactly when he did so, but it¡¯s clear he has been doing so quite a long time. At least ten years, I guess.¡± The first twenty pages of Jaeyol¡¯s notebook was already filled with information about Hyunwoo. Though he only jotted down the gist on it, there were simply too many episodes about him. If this were broadcasted on TV nationwide, obviously it would spark a great enthusiasm among the people. And they would draw greatfort from the fact that there are still good people like Hyunwoo in this world. Jaeyol went back to Hyunwoo, who dly weed him. ¡°You came down here to Ansan again. You still have to cover more stuff, I guess.¡± ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t go back to Seoul yesterday. I slept in Ansan, interviewing from dawn till night, and still doing it.¡± Hyunwooughed heartily at that and said, ¡°Hahaha. Howe there is so much stuff you have to cover?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all because of you, Hyunwoo.¡± ¡°What? Is it because of me?¡± asked Hyunwoo, opening his eyes wide. This time Jaeyolughed outright and said, ¡°Haha. Actually, I was almost done with researching the sanitary problems of the snack houses Friday. And then I¡¯ve been investigating you. By the way, what is your real identity, Hyunwoo? Whenever I meet someone who knows you, I find a new fact about you. I just can¡¯t figure out.¡± Hyunwoo hardened his face a bit. Jaeyolughed more aloud this time. ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to be tense. I said that with a good intention,¡± said Jaeyol. And then he interviewed Hyunwoo, based on the episodes he heard from the people he met. Hyunwoo felt relieved because Jaeyol didn¡¯t mention anything about his father. Instead, Jaeyol brought up unexpected topics like the castor Dream Team, Anifan kids, and the warehouses of the N&C Korea. Jaeyol was also aware that he started Ani & Funny and that the original purpose of its founding was to educate the Anifan kids. Hyunwoo got so tense during the interview that he almost forgot about the Dream Team program in Vietnam but suddenly got a rude awakening when Jaeyol mentioned it. ¡°Well, it looks like I was tense, but I¡¯m not. In fact, I¡¯ve got to tell you something. After they broadcasted about the Dream Team several months ago, there were some big changes happening there.¡± ¡°What kind of changes are you talking about?¡± Jaeyol took out his notebook as a habit. Hyunwoo cautiously answered, ¡°Well, do you want to report about it if I tell you another story like the Dream Team?¡± Chapter 135

Chapter 135

¡°Of course, I will. Even though they broadcasted it already, such a report is worth repeating several times.¡± Hyunwoo thought it was a very good chance. He led Jaeyol into his office and showed him the promotional video clip on KOVE Dream from the form of a documentary Kwangsoo Han shot. Jaeyol¡¯s jaw dropped at that. ¡°When did you film it?¡± ¡°Several days ago. They finished editing it yesterday. It¡¯s a freshly made video, to say the least.¡± ¡°Wow! It looks like one made by the best experts in the field.¡± ¡°Yea, it was filmed and edited by Real Film. They produced the feature on the Dream Team.¡± Hyunwoo briefly introduced Kwangsoo Han to him. Real Film was rtively well known in the broadcasting business. Jaeyol also heard about thepany. Suddenly, a spark shed in Jaeyol¡¯s eyes. Looking at Hyunwoo he asked, ¡°Can I take this video? Let me report to my boss about it and try to buy it at a good price.¡± Hyunwoo yelled delight in his heart. He had intended to ask Jaeyol to try. ¡°Well, if you want it, I have a better idea. It has to do with supporting the Koreanpanies in Vietnam.¡± ¡°Tell me about your idea,¡± said Jaeyol, who seemed to bepletely sucked into what Hyunwoo had to say. Hyunwoo mentioned his idea about the opening of a trade fair so that Korea and Vietnam could help their own tradingpanies by hosting their exports in their own cities. Of course, he didn¡¯t forget to link it to the Dream Team. ¡°As you know, there are many Korean firms in Vietnam. Since the Dream Team was founded there, many Korean technicians have joined it. There are more than 70 technicians that have joined on my rmendation. The uing trade fair has been designed to encourage them.¡± Listening to him seriously, Jaeyol said, with his eyes wide, ¡°Oh, you are really like an idea bank! How did you think of this?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s also my staffer¡¯s idea, not mine.¡± ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s a good idea, but it¡¯s too big a project for me to handle. Let me discuss with my news director first,¡± Jaeyol seemed very satisfied, ¡°I think I really made an excellent decision toe down here. I¡¯m receiving a big gift from you, Hyunwoo, lots of interesting stories including the faceless angel and you, above all.¡± Hyunwoo was stunned to hear that. ¡°What? Are you going to report about me?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Not now, though. If I have a chance, I¡¯m going to make a documentary about you. By the way, why are you asking? Don¡¯t you want it? I think it will help your business a lot.¡± Of course, the report would be helpful. At least the name ¡®Hyunwoo Jang¡± and Ani & Funny would receive great promotion thanks to the report, but it wouldn¡¯t be as much help as he thought. The animation by Ani & Funny were not the kind of things that could hit the jackpot just because of the image of thepany or its president. An animation was kind of a creative work just like a novel or webtoon. In other words, it could hit the jackpot when it can arouse readers¡¯ attention, but it wouldn¡¯t go anywhere if it failed to draw their attention. Suddenly, Hyunwoo hit upon an idea. Maybe, Jaeyol could do him a favor. ¡°Do you happen to know someone who is well versed in talent donation broadcasts?¡± ¡°Talent donation broadcasts? Of course, I know a lot in that field,¡± said Jaeyol confidently. ¡°Then, can I make a suggestion?¡± ¡°What kind of suggestion is it?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s about making a report on the story of Anifan kids who are dreaming about their future by oveing difficulties. Korean Broadcasting can support the kids with talent donation programs and introduce their animation works. Don¡¯t you think my idea is great?¡± Jaeyol giggled at that because Hyunwoo¡¯s intention was so clear. In fact, Hyunwoo was asking him to have the animation works of Ani & Funny be aired on Korean Broadcasting programs. ¡°Of course, that idea itself isn¡¯t bad, but that kind of program will be effective only after the Anifan kids make a sess by oveing the difficulties. Just the simple story of them going through the process now is not that attractive.¡± Shaking his head, Hyunwoo continued, ¡°They¡¯ve achieved half the sess already. Their work is very popr now in the Story Ma.¡± ¡°Really?¡± asked Jaeyol with great interest. Hyunwoo led him into a room and then showed him how popr Tuti & Angelica was on Story Ma these days. Jaeyol began to respond with renewed interest. ¡°I see. This is the Ani & Funny¡¯stest animation work. Is this all? I see only seven episodes uploaded so far.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s only been two months since Ani & Funny was founded. In that respect, seven episodes are more than enough since it means we¡¯re producing a new episode almost every two weeks.¡± ¡°Wow, the number of visits is very high. Latest episodemanded 90,000, and some of the older stories enjoy more than 100,000.¡± ¡°90,000 or 100,000 might be high, but what¡¯s more important is the number of visits we have had during the two months. If this trend continues, I guess we can get as many as 500,000 visits per month on average.¡± Hyunwoo exaggerated the number of potential visits a bit, but it was realistic. ¡°Wow! That¡¯s great,¡± said Jaeyol, admiring the progress, but Hyunwoo had some other stuff to show to him. It was a new clip on Tuti & Angelica on Story Ma. Watching it, Jaeyol said, with a curious look on his face, ¡°I thought the quality of the video was good, given its high poprity, but it¡¯s not as good as I expected. The voice actor doesn¡¯t seem to be a professional.¡± Jaeyol kept watching the 10-minute video, and then said, looking at Hyunwoo, ¡°In the begining you¡¯re trying to arouse the watchers¡¯ attention and then you overwhelm them with fantastic scenes. I think that¡¯s a good strategy in terms of saving the production cost and showing off your skills.¡± ¡°What do you think? As you said, we simplified the pictures intentionally and used a part-time student as a voice actor to cut down on the production. Don¡¯t you think we can bepetitive enough with major animationpanies if we make up for the shorings that you mentioned?¡± said Hyunwoo. Come to think of it, Jaeyol thought Hyunwoo¡¯s remarks made sense. If Hyunwoo could make Tuti & Angelica, as a whole, more refined and detailed like the highlight portion, it would be a much better animation. It had no background music and its sound effects were not good. Though the general public might not notice it, someone like Jaeyol with many years of broadcasting could immediately find out that the sound effects were hastily made without any great attention. If Hyunwoo could make up for thecking areas, Tuti & Angelica could generate more poprity than it did currently. ¡°I don¡¯t think the Korean Broadcasting can make any program with the Anifan kids the main topic. Instead, there are some other way to promote your animation.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Just like with other broadcastingpanies, we try to put out some feelers on talent donation programs on Lunar New Year¡¯s, Thanksgiving of Chusok, and Children¡¯s Day. On those days, we air a couple of similiar programs to check out the reaction of the watchers. If their reaction is good, they tend to make it a regr program. Why don¡¯t you shoot for that chance?¡± Hyunwoo was aware of that. In particr, entertainment programs were in great demand as a trial balloon to check out the watchers¡¯ response. ¡°Do you think the talent donation broadcasting would give me a chance? I don¡¯t know anybody in that field.¡± ¡°Well, I think I can help you,¡± said Jaeyol. Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes widened. When Jaeyol first mentioned it, Hyunwoo felt he would help him, but when he actually said he would, Hyunwoo¡¯s heart throbbed with excitement. ¡°Don¡¯t expect too much, though. You have to give it a try as nothing is guaranteed even with a favor,¡± Jaeyol tried to keep down Hyunwoo¡¯s soaring expectation.¡±What I can do is ask the producers to pay attention to the animations of Ani & Funny. They won¡¯t give more credit to it because of me, of course. If the animation they have chosen fails to draw the watchers¡¯ attention, they¡¯re going to be in trouble. That¡¯s why onlyrge animationpanies whose reputation has been verified get more chances of sess usually. They have a lower rate of failure.¡± Hyunwoo could understand the situation. As they were sried men, the producers might want to choose the safe way rather than taking the risk. ¡°Thanks so much for your kind words. That¡¯s a big encouragement to me.¡± ¡°Then, it¡¯s okay for me to make a report about you, isn¡¯t it?¡± Hyunwoo said, scratching his head, ¡°That makes me really embarrassed. Why don¡¯t you do it after I make a great sess?¡± ¡°Hahaha. That sounds good. Can you make one promise to me?¡± said Jaeyol. ¡°Promise?¡± ¡°From now on, let me be the first person to report about anything rted to you and your family. Can you promise that?¡± ¡°Of course. I have no problem with that.¡± Come to think of it. Hyunwoo felt it was not a big deal. Jaeyol also promised to introduce him to his acquaintances in the business of talent donation broadcasting anyway. Jaeyol gave him a satisfied smile. He felt Hyunwoo was a big man. Though Hyunwoo was only an employee with a smallpany, and his newly foundedpany had no name, someday he could be a great man who could generate all kinds of scoop stories. In that respect, it would be nothing to ask his friends in talent donation broadcasting to pay some attention to the work of Ani & Funny. If Jaeyol¡¯s prediction came true, this would be a pretty profitable business for him. I¡¯m sure Hyunwoo is going to be a great man. Today, I¡¯ve got a windfall. Chapter 136

Chapter 136

When he thought as far as that, Jaeyol wanted to be more generous. He called somebody. It looked like he was talking to somebody in talent donation broadcasting because he asked about how to submit the animation work and the process of selecting the top prize. After he got several tips, Jaeyol ended the call with some nice words about Ani & Funny. After the call, Jaeyol had a satisfied smile on his face. ¡°ording to him, you have to submit five animation pieces by the end of March, but any piece that has already been used formercial purpose can¡¯t be submitted.¡± ¡°Thanks so much!¡± Jaeyol had another surprise for Hyunwoo. He knew how to be benevolent to Hyonwoo without paying even a single cent. ¡°By the way, I don¡¯t see any office of Ani & Funny. It looks like the Anifan kids are working at the orphanage alone.¡± ¡°The rent is too high, but I¡¯m going to hire several staff members and rent an office. I want to produce some quality animation from now on. Since you have rmended that I submit some animations to be reviewed, I think I really have to make them the best.¡± ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have to pay too much for the rent. Let me find out if there are any good offices for rent at a cheap price.¡± ¡°Really? How?¡± asked Hyunwoo with a curious look on his face, but Jaeyol didn¡¯t tell him about the secret. Instead, he gave Hyunwoo strong reassurances. ¡°Hahaha. As a veteran reporter, I get to know lots of useful tips on that, so just trust me and wait.¡± *** After he parted with Jaeyol, Hyunwoo hastened the animation work. In order to submit the animation candidate for Children¡¯s Day, he had to finish the work by the end of April. That meant he had only two months to go. Hyunwoo met Kyungsu first, his friend and animation expert. To improve the quality of the animation to be submitted, Hyunwoo needed Kyungsu¡¯s help above all. Kyunwoo opened his eyes wide to hear from Hyunwoo about the talent donation broadcasting, and said with a serious look, ¡°This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. You shouldn¡¯t miss it.¡± Hyunwoo saw eye to eye with him on that, ¡°Yea, I want to win it by all means.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s try to make a 3D animation then. We should do our best. I can gather talented experts.¡± ¡°How many experts do you think we need?¡± ¡°At least 15 people. We need them in not only the story writing but also modeling, mapping, writing, FX and even rendering fields. Though there are many fields, only two or three experts in each field.¡± ¡°How much do I have to pay?¡± ¡°It depends on their talent and skills. The three experts I have in mind are the top ss in the field, so you have to give them at least 2.5 million won per month, plus their nightly pay.¡± ¡°What about other experts?¡± ¡°Well, you can pay about 1.5 million, given the bad economic situation these days. Instead, you have to pay them well for their nightly work.¡± A rough estimate of theirbined sries amounted to 25 million won, and more than 30 million won when their nightly pay was added. With the addition of the workforce, he would have to buy additionalputers and programs. Money was not a big problem. He could get a loan easily with his stocks in N&Cpany in Vietnam as the coteral. Hyunwoo thought of the best way to tackle the staffing issue. ¡°Can we hire them on a contract basis? For about three months.¡± ¡°I doubt they can do their best in that case,¡± said Kyungsu with a skeptical response. Hyunwoo came up with an alternative idea. ¡°If our animation is selected as the final candidate, let me hire half of them as regr employees.¡± ¡°Not a bad idea,¡± said Kyungsu, nodding his head. Now, Hyunwoo felt he could solve the staffing problem. The real problem was how to find a space to rent. He needed quite a spacious office to house as many as twenty people, equipped with a new interior. Time, not money, was the issue. Let me ask brother Sangyun for help. It¡¯s important to rent a big office as soon as possible even if I have to pay a premium. Sangyun Oh has lots of information about real estate in Ansan city, he can get the right information within a week, Hyunwoo thought. Okay. Let me rent an office by the end of next week. Hyunwoo clenched his fist and said, ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s stake our future on the talent donation broadcastingpany. Please gather the experts, Kyungsu. Let me secure the money.¡± ¡°Great. Let¡¯s give it a try. We can make it.¡± Hyunwoo immediately called Sangyun, owner of a real estatepany and exined his situation, ¡°Hey, brother, please get me an office quickly.¡± Sangyun replied negatively, ¡°Well, I can find you a big space if it¡¯s a restaurant, but I haven¡¯t seen any big offices listed for rent yet. There used to be lots of such offices, but I don¡¯t see them these days.¡± ¡°You have to find me one, by all means, brother. Please do me a favor. You know I wouldn¡¯t be asking you for this under normal circumstances.¡± ¡°Oh my god! Let me try my best.¡± Hyunwoo felt worried. Hearing what Sangyun said, the chances were that he would not find one. Hyunwoo thought he had better prepare n B in case Sangyun could not find one. This time he called the director of the House of Happiness. Kyungsu hardened his face suddenly, ¡°Oh, you can¡¯t be serious!¡± Hyunwoo, too, had a bitter look on his face. The director asked as if he thought Hyunwoo¡¯s idea was a surprise. ¡°Are you sure you want to use our space here? And the number of staff is almost 20?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I have no other choice this time,¡± said Hyunwoo, exining the situation. Hearing Hyunwoo¡¯s exnation, the director could understand. ¡°I think I have to empty arge room for the time being. Though the kids might feel ufortable, let me have them use a small room, but I wonder if you can use the space as your office.¡± The space that the director mentioned was pretty limited. Nheless, Hyunwoo asked him for it as ast resort. In some respects, however, Hyunwoo thought this might serve as a dramatic event. Namely, if they work in an adverse situation like this and make their animation work selected as the final winner, that could be big news anyway. Hummmm. Can this be a news item? If it is, let me inform reporter Jaeyol Song on this first. When Hyunwoo thought as far as that, he burst outughing, What the heck am I thinking? I should totally concentrate on animation work. On Monday morning the staff of Space Design got together for a staff meeting. Minhye Park, the CEO, led the discussion after analyzing the scripts of the si ¡®Wolf and Fox.¡¯ The topic of the discussion was about which studio would be the most effective for their sales strategy. As Producer Mansoo Kim said, he would let Space Design choose the setting first, they wanted to make the best use of it. ¡°The studio I¡¯m most interested in is the main character¡¯s room,¡± said Minhye. Her idea made a lot of sense. The main character, Yongjun Park, was a very famous Korean star not only popr in Japan and China but across all of Southeast Asia. If Space Design sponsored furniture for the main character¡¯s room, that would bring about great promotional effects. Yonggu, however, presented a different idea, ¡°I think actress Nami Yu¡¯s room is also a good choice. In some respect, her room can be more effective.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s a woman¡¯s room. Don¡¯t you think women, not men, are more sensitive to the mood of the room? Nami ys the role of the CEO¡¯s daughter. This means the studio set should be luxurious, above all. In a way, that¡¯s the best target we can choose,¡± said Yonggu. Hyunwoo was confident that Nami¡¯s poprity would go up when the si was on the air. She was not only beautiful but also excellent at acting and entertaining. Minhye nodded her head, showing she saw eye to eye, ¡°Good idea. Any other ideas?¡± Hyunwoo presented his own, ¡°Checking out the scripts, I notice there is a newlywed¡¯s room. I think it¡¯s a good idea for us to target that room.¡± Wondering a bit, Minhye said, ¡°Newlyweds are yed by supporting actors. Do you have any reason for that?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think most newlyweds are obsessed with thinking about their room decorations? I guess they¡¯re going to be the consumers with the most active desire for purchasing of our products.¡± ¡°Oh, that sounds good. Though their room is a bit less attractive than Nami¡¯s room, I think that¡¯s also worth making an investment.¡± Minhye was a good manager. She listened to her staff¡¯s opinion instead of insisting on her own. The staff meeting ended like that. She choose Nami Yu¡¯s room as the first priority. Though the main character¡¯s room was as attractive, that would be taken by Design Room, the rivalpany. If offered another chance, Space Design would surely choose the newlyweds¡¯ room. As soon as the meeting was over, Hyunwoo¡¯s cell phone buzzed. It was a call from a stranger. Hyunwoo picked up the phone on the hallway. It was an unexpected call from someone in the ounting section of the municipal office. ¡°I just talked with reporter Jaeyol Song. I hear you¡¯re looking for an office for your animation business, right?¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes popped up. Suddenly, he thought what Jaeyol said before. He said he would try to find one, boasting he had lots of tips about it, based on his long reporting experience. Actually, Hyunwoo heard it inattentively at that time. And as he had to find one so soon, Jaeyol¡¯s offer to help might not work. It looked as if Jaeyol solved his headache faster than Sangyun Oh, the most authoritative informant on real estate listings in Ansan city. Hyunwoo replied quickly, ¡°Yes, I need it. Very much, of course.¡± Chapter 137

Chapter 137

¡°Well, the second floor of the old office in Bono-dong is now vacant. It¡¯s a bit old and not that spacious, but you can still use it as an office space. What do you think? Won¡¯t you take it at a cheap rate?¡± Bono-dong was near Hyunwoo¡¯s house and not too far from the House of Happiness. Besides, it was cheap. Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide with expectation. ¡°You just mentioned ¡®cheap.¡¯ How cheap is it?¡± ¡°Monthly rent is 125,000 won.¡± At that moment Hyonwoo just zoned out for a moment. He felt he heard it wrong, so asked again. ¡°What? How much did you say?¡± The ount manager seemed to know why Hyonwoo zoned out like that andughed, ¡°Ha ha. Actually, this kind of animation project is financially supported by the city government. That¡¯s why we¡¯re renting it out at a cheap rate. You can use it for only 125,000 won per month.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± asked Hyunwoo, as he could not believe it. It was almost like free rent, given that price, and Hyunwoo was well aware of that building in Bono-dong. It was far from narrow. It was a two-story building of at least 100 pyong (0.08 acre). It was not that old, built almost 20 years ago, but it was strong enough to stand for another 20 years. It became vacant as there was a new city hall built several years ago. The first floor was used as a senior center, but they only used half of it because it was toorge. ¡°Thanks so much.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee. If you want to express gratitude, please do it to reporter Jaeyol Song of Korean Broadcasting.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo quickly called Jaeyol. As if waiting for his call, Jaeyol picked it up immediately but told him he didn¡¯t have to care a bit. Hearing his exnation, however, Hyunwoo learned that he made lots of efforts dealing with the city government of Ansan. Ansan city didn¡¯t y any meaningful role in solving the sanitary issues of snack houses, but Jaeyol promised to report in a way that made it seem as though the city actually yed some role. He even promised that he would also report about the city¡¯s n to expand sanitary innovation to the food factories. The city returned his favor in that they would fully support Hyunwoo¡¯s business. ¡°By the way, howe we can use the space for only 125,000 won per month? The building isrger and nicer than that.¡± ¡°Oh, let me exin. As for the rental rate for state properties, we¡¯re supposed to receive only 50 over 1,000 percent of their appraised value. However, each city government can reduce it further to revive its economy. So, in Ansan city, they charge only 1% of the appraised price.¡± The appraised price of the old two-story building in Bono-dong was 150 million won, so its annual rent fee was 1.5 million won. Thus, when it was divided by 12, the final rent was 125,000 won. ¡°Thanks so much. I think that will be a great help to me. By the way, can you talk down to me next time? As you¡¯re like a big brother in terms of age, I would like to treat you as a big brother,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Well, I¡¯m also happy to have a brother like you, dude. Ha ha.¡± Hyunwoo hung up the phone in a jolly mood. He then headed back to Korean Broadcasting. This time, he passed through the main gate proudly without an escort. Walking beside him was Youngsu Park, executive director of Space Design and Minhye Park, CEO of Space Design. They waited for about thirty minutes when producer Mansoo Kim appeared. ¡°Did I keep you waiting long? I¡¯m so sorry. My meetingsted longer than I thought, and I couldn¡¯t excuse myself.¡± ¡°Oh, never mind that,¡± said Minhye, showing a dignified manner befitting the CEO of Space Design. ¡°So, do you have the paperwork ready, right?¡± asked Mansoo. ¡°Here you are. Please take a look.¡± ¡°I guess I don¡¯t need to as I assume you have prepared it well enough,¡± said Mansoo, but he still took a careful review. ¡°Hummm... What you demand is the same as Design Room¡¯s. They also want assistant actress Nami Yu¡¯s room rather than the main actor Yongjun Park¡¯s room.¡± ¡°Really?¡± asked Minhye, opening her eyes wide as if stunned. With a broad smile, Mansoo replied,¡±Don¡¯t worry, though. As I promised you would have the priority in choosing the room, you get Nami¡¯s room. Ha ha. I¡¯ll let Design Room take Yongjun¡¯s room instead.¡± And then Mansoo looked at Hyunwoo as if he thought of something all of a sudden, and said. ¡°By the way, Nami told me about you, Hyunwoo, saying she is very familiar with you. She told me to take good care of your favor.¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯re close neighbors. She and I happened to meet so often so I just feel like she is my real sister,¡± said Hyunwoo, putting special emphasis on the word ¡®real sister¡¯ so as to avoid any misunderstanding about her rtionship with him. ¡°Oh, I see. I wish you had told me about it early on. Then, I would not have given you so much trouble from the beginning.¡± ¡°Well, I just wanted to show you I was doing my best. As we earned the change with lots of effort, we¡¯ll do our best.¡± At that moment Mansoo looked at Hyunwoo gently, and then said with a serious look on his face, ¡°There are a lot of people who know how to make nice and touching words, but there are few who trante their words into action, but I think you are one of them, Hyunwoo. You¡¯re a man with many merits I have to learn.¡± Blushing at his words, Hyunwoo scratched his head, saying, ¡°I¡¯m ttered. I can¡¯t raise my face as you tter me like that.¡± ¡°Not at all. I think I¡¯ve met a very fine person. Let¡¯s hit it off from now on, ¡± said Mansoo. ¡°Sure, I¡¯m honored to do so,¡± said Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo, Youngsu, and Minhye all had a satisfactory smile on their faces. The atmosphere was also very friendly, but there was something awkward about it with a closer look into the situation. It should be Minhye, CEO of Space Design, who should be the right person to talk to Mansoo, but he just wanted to talk with Hyunwoo only, as if Hyunwoo was the head of the group. Of course, nobody thought Mansoo¡¯s act was intentional, because both of them were on friendly terms by now. ¡°By the way, did you know Jaeyol early on?¡± asked Mansoo. ¡°No, I saw him first here at Korea Broadcasting.¡± ¡°Then, I have no idea why he is bending over backward to help you. He even asked me to tell anybody I know in the talent donation broadcastingpany to help Hyunwoo. Do they have anything on you?¡± ¡°Oh my god! Not at all, ha ha ha,¡± said Hyunwoo. But Mansoo tilted his head a bit and continued, ¡°Well, Reporter Song is a tough guy. As he is a veteran, he is very good at catching news items. If he is really making such hard efforts for you, that means he must have found something newsworthy about you.¡± This time he stared at Hyunwoo with some strain in his eyes. Then, Hyunwoo began to speak his mind, scratching his head. ¡°As a matter of fact, I decided to treat him as my brother. I see he is a really good guy. I wanted to do the same to you for very long, but you¡¯re too tied up with work, so I couldn¡¯t bring it up...¡± At that moment, Mansooughed heartily, and he was talking down to Hyunwoo in a kind tone. ¡°Ha ha ha. I think my judgment about you was correct. Reporter Song must have thought you¡¯re going to be a big guy someday. I am of the same thinking. You¡¯re a very unusual person. If you be famouster, don¡¯t ignore me, okay?¡± said Mansoo jokingly, reaching his hand. ¡°Oh my god! How can I ignore you, brother? Ha ha¡± Minhye and Young made an expectant look on their faces, hearing their conversation. It looked as if Mansoo and Hyunwoo didn¡¯t care at all about them while they¡¯re talking. Suddenly Mansoo asked, ¡°I hear you¡¯re doing video media business.¡± ¡°Yes, animation business.¡± ¡°As you¡¯re like my brother from now one, let me give you a piece of advice. If you really want to seed, you have to have a very good manager who is well versed in the field. In particr, you should have one who has a goodwork in the broadcasting field.¡± ¡°Could you introduce one to me if you know one?¡± ¡°Well, there is one actor, former manager, appearing in my situationedy. His name is Jinyoung Paek. You might have heard about his name.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide. Anybody living in Korea must have heard of his name. ¡°Do you mean that guy who was the CEO of the entertainmentpany JYB?¡± ¡°Yes, he was really damn good at finding and raising talented singers.¡± Hyunwoo was a fan of Jinyoung Paek. Jinyoung was a versatile talent. Above all, Hyunwoo liked his challenging spirit. Jingyoung continued to knock at the US entertainment market. He challenged himself, and at the same time, he gave the singers of hispany the chance to challenge themselves. Jinyoung made a lot of sess. Maybe he might be the most sessful Korean entertainer in the US market in terms of the music field, but he invested too much. No matter how much money he made, he was in the red because he invested too much, and finally, he went bankrupt. That happened three years ago, but he could not make a sessfuleback. Simply put, he had too much debt. However, Hyunwoo believed Jinyoung could make aeback with his challenging spirit. And he was too good to be neglected like that as he had such a greatwork in the United States. ¡°Can you introduce him to me?¡± ¡°Well, I just dropped the name. As the former CEO, I don¡¯t expect him to get involved with a small animationpany like yours.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not my point, Mansoo. I really like and respect him. I¡¯m his fan.¡± ¡°Sure, why not? Let me arrange a drinking get-together with him one of these days. Ooops, time flies so fast! I¡¯m afraid I have an appointment, so excuse my leaving now...¡± Mansoo hastily got out of the waiting room, leaving Hyunwoo, Youngsoo, and Minhye behind. Several dayster Hyunwoo had a call from Mansoo. ¡°Hey, brother. Do you have an appointment tonight? I have a drinking party with some of my friends in the broadcasting business, and I suddenly thought of you.¡± Hyunwoo was nning to visit the shooting ce of a soap opera to be broadcast by S broadcastingpany, with Producer Hongsuk Na directing it. Though it was not that popr, Producer Na was rumored as a verypetent director, so Hyunwoo was desperately trying to get acquainted with him, setting his eyes on his next soap opera, but what¡¯s more important now was Hyunwoo¡¯s rtionship with Mansoo. He could have another chance to see producer Na. ¡°Sure, I would love to join you,¡± said Hyunwoo. He called Youngsu and Minhye, who expressed their willingness to join him. He then called Mansoo to confirm their apaniment, and Mansoo dly approved. As it got dark, Hyunwoo headed to the appointment ce with Youngsu and Minhye. Though he expected it to be a luxurious ce, the participants were from the broadcastingpany, so it was just an ordinary restaurant. All told, there were five gathered, including Mansoo. And there was nobody more influential than Mansoo. That made Youngsoo and Minhye a bit disappointed, but Hyunwoo was far from disappointed. Rather his heart was throbbing wildly, for he found an unexpected figure in that ce. As soon as he entered the room, Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes popped up, ¡°If I may ask, are you singer Jinyoung Paek?¡± Chapter 138

Chapter 138

Mansooughed loudly at Hyunwoo and said, ¡°Ha ha ha. It¡¯s my surprise gift to you, my brother.¡± ¡°Thanks so much, big brother. I¡¯ll never forget your favor,¡± said Hyunwoo, expressing gratitude to him. Then, he handed his business card to Jinyoung. ¡°How are you? I¡¯m Hyunwoo Jang. I¡¯m your fan.¡± Jinyoung was one of his favorite singers. Hyunwoo even respected him. Jinyoung was a man of courtesy. Receiving his card, Jinyoung also politely gave his to Hyunwoo and exchanged greetings with him. ¡°Producer Mansoo Kim told me about you. It¡¯s nice to see you like this.¡± Jinyoung was seven years older than Hyunwoo, but as he tried to think and act like a young man, Hyunwoo felt he was more old-fashioned than him. Besides, Jinyoung¡¯s voice was cheerful, and his eyes glowed brightly, far from a disheartened man who failed in business. ¡°I heard you¡¯re in animation business,¡± asked Jinyoung. ¡°Oh, please talk down to me, brother.¡± ¡°Ha ha, as this is my first meeting with you, I feel rather ufortable talking down. Next time let me try. By the way, you look like an extraordinary man.¡± ¡°Not at all, brother. I¡¯m ttered.¡± Both of them were of one mind in many respects. They had a great conversation, and both of them felt congenial to each other. As if he had the same feeling, Jinyoung sat close to Hyunwoo during the whole evening. Sometimes he moved here and there to fill the cup for someone but came back to Hyunwoo¡¯s side. It was the same for Hyunwoo. Though Minhye and Youngsu gestured to him to pay attention to others, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t care at all, only focusing on Jinyoung. But Hyunwoo made a mistake in spite of himself. He touched on something that he should have not with respect to Jinyoung. It was about his entertainmentpany JYB that went bankrupt. However, Jinyoung was not embarrassed at all. Rather, he was bold enough to make a bigugh and didn¡¯t hesitate to tell Hyunwoo about the bankruptpany. ¡°I was just too immature at that time. I managed thepany like a fool,¡± said he, looking at Hyunwoo. ¡°Why do you think I failed, Hyunwoo?¡± ¡°How do I know?¡± Hyunwoo hesitated to reply. However, Jinyoung was adamant about getting his reply because he thought Hyunwoo might have analyzed why JYB went bust. After all, Hyunwoo opened his mouth. ¡°It¡¯s true that it¡¯s more profitable to invest one billion won and make 1.2 billion won than making 200 million one by investing 100 million one,¡± Jinyoung¡¯s curiosity was piqued by Hyunwoo¡¯s analysis, ¡°But that¡¯s the case of those who ran a business and knew how to make money. It¡¯s too reckless a business style for start-ups.¡± Jinyoung nodded his head as if he already sensed what Hyunwoo was trying to say, ¡°I think my judgment of you was right. You already know what I have learned from business failure.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t overestimate me, brother. Originally, someone who coaches others is a glib talker, as you know.¡± Jinyoung was a broad-minded person. He was not bound by his past failures nor did he try to hide his weakness, which Hyunwoo felt might be his biggest strength. That was what Hyunwoo wanted to learn from him. ¡°May I ask for your advice on my business sometimes?¡± ¡°Of course. Your call is always wee. By the way, I know something about singing or dancing, but know nothing about animation. I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be of much help.¡± ¡°Well, just hearing your voice will be a big help to me.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m ttered by that. Ha ha ha.¡± Hyunwoo was so delighted to have a drink with him tonight. That¡¯s why he had already drunk a second and third round of drinking with him, but he didn¡¯t want to leave yet. ¡°Do you have any appointment tomorrow? Shall we have one more drink of beer?¡± ¡°Well, I have a shooting schedule tomorrow, but let me just have one more drink.¡± Both of them went to a beerhouse for the fourth round. Hyunwoo brought up the topic of Jinyoung himself, such as episodes of his best times as a popr producer, etc. Jinyong reeled off the episodes endlessly. Then, Jinyoung suddenly began to talk about AT Entertainment. It was about a fiercepetition to grab a very promising girl singer between AT Entertainment and JYB. In the end, AT Entertainment, backed by huge financial firepower, won it. The girl singer enjoyed great sess, moving back and forth in the fields of singing and acting. ¡°Can you tell me who is she?¡± ¡°Well, she went bust now. After she was in the AT Entertainment owner¡¯s bad books, she ended up going under very badly.¡± Hyunwoo nodded his head, and then suddenly thought of Nami Yu. As her boyfriend Dukwoo said, the AT Entertainment president was a big womanizer, and Hyunwoo had to find a way to get Nami out. ¡°Brother, do you happen to know about Taesoo Ahn, the owner of AT Entertainment?¡± ¡°Which aspect?¡± Hyunwoo briefly exined to him about Nami¡¯s situation but didn¡¯t reveal her name. As soon as he heard from Hyunwoo, Jinyoung made a serious look on his face and said, ¡°Looks like she¡¯s in trouble. That guy is a notorious womanizer. Once he sets his eye on a certain woman, he wants to satisfy his sexual greed by all means. Remember the girl singer I mentioned? That¡¯s why she went bust when she was in his bad books.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s face hardened. Dukwoo¡¯s judgment was correct. Nami was in serious jeopardy now. ¡°What should I tell her then?¡± Jinyoung had no magic solution, of course. Rtionships with the opposite sex was something even parents can¡¯t interfere with. After some hard thinking, Jinyoung said, ¡°Can I see her?¡± Hyunwoo was d to hear his proposal, but he was nervous at the same time. If Taesu Ahn smelled a rat, he could bear a grudge against Nami. It was a real possibility. When Hyunwoo pointed this out, Jinyoung nodded, with a gloomy look on his face. ¡°I agree. I think it is too dangerous for me to see her at this time. Let me give it a hard thought ande back if I hit upon a good idea.¡± ¡°Sorry, brother. I wish I had not brought up this topic today.¡± ¡°That¡¯s alright, man. We have to help each other in bad times. Shall we part?¡± Hyunwoo wanted to stay with him more, but Jinyoung had a busy schedule tomorrow. Jinyoung had a hectic schedule. He was active not only in sis and entertainment programs but also in the music field. Sometimes, when Hyunwoo called him, he just repeated he couldn¡¯t take time out because he was too busy. Hyunwoo thought Jinyoung¡¯s busy schedule was rather good for him because the Korean entertainment circles could get a morale boost if someone like Jinyoung was very active. Hyunwoo also left no stone unturned to do better. After he signed off a contract with Mansoo, Hyunwoo was much busier. Though he had less than one month to go before he left Design Space, he was determined to do his best, assuming his work as if he was its CEO, until thest day of his employment with Design Space. He wanted to keep personal ties with producer Mansoo Kim. Hyunwoo also needed to get more contracts on sponsoring furniture in the soap drama settings. Fortunately, it was much easier for him to meet the producers after Mansoo took the initiative in connecting other producers with Hyunwoo. Frequent meetings with producers made Hyunwoo visit the shooting ces night and day. And a couple of times every week Youngsu, executive director of Space Design, had a drinking party with those in the broadcasting circles. Hyunwoo was too busy to take a break, but he still loved his job. When could he ever get to know these broadcasting figures without this chance? ¡°You know Reporter Jaeyol Song, don¡¯t you? Hyunwoo is the guy Jaeyol pays special attention to. That gives you some clue of what kind of personality he has, right?¡± said Mansoo to one producer. ¡°Really? Reporter Song is an established veteran reporter. It looks like he has smelled a rat. Hope I¡¯m in your good hands, sir,¡± said the producer to Hyunwoo. ¡°Oh my god, it¡¯s me who has to say that. I¡¯m honored to meet you,¡± said Hyunwoo, exchanging business cards with him. But Hyunwoo was not happy because of his concern with the future of Space Design. ¡°What should I do? I already pulled off a contract with Design Room,¡± said that producer. ¡°Well, the items that you are sponsoring are the same as the ones of thepany I signed a contract with several days ago. I wish we had met much earlier,¡± said another producer. Most of the producers present at the drinking party that night same about the same thing. Design Room got ahead of Space Design, winning all the contacts ahead of Space Design. Hyunwoo, Minhye and Youngsu let out a sigh at the dark reality. ¡°I can¡¯t believe former Assistant Manager Younghwan Koh had such a great sales talent!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just Younghwan. Design Room boasts over 20 salesmen. All of them are going out for sales now. On the other hand, we have got only three salesmen including Youngsu, the executive director. We can¡¯tpete with them.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we hire more salesmen?¡± said a salesman. ¡°Yea, that¡¯s good. If we are defensive like this, there is no future for us,¡± said Youngsu. Minhye asked Yonggu, ¡°What do you think?¡± But Yonggu was skeptical about it, ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea. It¡¯s toote. Even if we hire more salesmen, we can¡¯t take away the signed contracts.¡± Hyunwoo seconded and said, ¡°No matter how many cablepanies there are, there is a limit on the number of soap operas that we can get the contract on. And sponsoring furniture for unpopr soap operas won¡¯t have any effect.¡± ¡°I guess so. I think it¡¯s my mistake. I think we should have concentrated on sales, not design, in the first phase of our business,¡± said Minhye with a sigh. But Hyunwoo had a different idea. With a satisfactory smile, he said confidently, ¡°Well, I think Design Room is asking for trouble now.¡± Everyone at the meeting gave him a curious look because they had no idea what he was talking about, including Minhye. ¡°What do you mean? How are they asking for trouble now?¡± Chapter 139

Chapter 139

Hyunwoo said, ¡°I¡¯ve confirmed that Design Room¡¯s pulled off more than ten sponsorship deals with new TV soap operas recently. I guess they will have to spend a lot to sponsor all the furniture for the shooting studios.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think they can be flexible on spending? What I mean is that they spend more on the studio of a more popr soap opera while spending less on an unpopr one,¡± said Minhye. Hyunwoo snapped his finger at her remarks and continued, ¡°That¡¯s the point. If it is not apany with huge financial firepower, it can control the budget that way. In that case, the producers of the soap opera with a low studio budget will be disappointed. They might save money but lose the producers¡¯ trust.¡± Minhye and other staff¡¯s jaws dropped at Hyunwoo¡¯s analysis. They seemed to figure out what he was trying to point out. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, we have to go the opposite way. In other words, even if we have only a few sponsorship deals, we¡¯re doing our best for each one of them. At least the TV watchers will be impressed with the studio settings even if the soap opera doesn¡¯t be a hit.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a very good idea. How did youe up with such a wonderful idea?¡± said Minhye, praising him. Hyunwoo felt that was the most basic point in making friends with others. What¡¯s more important than befriending even one person is to not make a single enemy. It¡¯s good to win praise from somebody, but what is important is to not let somebody down. Hyunwoo just focused on that principle. ¡°I¡¯ll add this: even if we have many sponsorship deals, it doesn¡¯t necessarily mean we can sell more furniture. It is important for all of the items to get the attention of the consumers watching the soap opera.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Ok, let¡¯s do market research from now on. One of our research targets are unmarried women in their early 20s, and another is newly married women. Try to find out what kind of furniture design gets their attention, please,¡± said Minhye. Hyunwoo got to work on ith the new mission. Sometimes, he visited the studio of a new soap opera and joined drinking rounds with those in the broadcasting business in the evening. He attended drinking parties mainly at the invitation of Mansoo Kim. Today, he had been invited to such a party. He went there with executive director Youngsu. When he went there, he saw a familiar face, who was none other than Jinyoung Paek. ¡°Nice to see you, Brother Jinyoung.¡± ¡°Oh, me, too. Come and have a seat here.¡± The spot right beside him was supposed to Hyunwoo¡¯s anyway. Last time the subject of the conversation was Jinyoung, but now they mainly talked about Hyunwoo. At every opportunity Mansoo and Youngsu praised Hyunwoo for his enthusiasm and fine character, talking about the episodes rted to the ¡°faceless angel,¡± ¡°Ani & Funny,¡± and the ¡°Castor Dream Team.¡± Then, Hyunwoo suddenly brought up the topic of Jinhon Kwak and Ang. In Hyunwoo¡¯s opinion, they were so talented. If someone like Jinyoung could support them, they could make a big hit someday. ¡°Won¡¯t you work as a producer again?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°Well, I¡¯d love to support talented young men, but I can¡¯t now. I¡¯m deeply in debt now.¡± Actually, Jinyoung set his eyes on lots of talented guys but couldn¡¯t support them now. Hyunwoo felt it was regrettable. He wanted to financially help Jinyoung out, so he could freely follow his dream. If Jinyoung could realize his dream, Hyunwoo¡¯s animation business could grow, but the timing was not right for Hyunwoo. He had to concentrate all his energy and time on Space Design and his ownpany Ani & Funny for now. The drinking party continued into the wee hours, with everybody going back home around 3 am, but Hyunwoo wanted to have more time with Jinyoung. ¡°Brother, shall we have just one more ss?¡± ¡°Sure, we should, as we don¡¯t see each often anyway.¡± They moved to a beerhouse for another drink. When he was left alone with Hyunwoo, Jinyoung opened his mouth as if on cue. ¡°Last time you asked me about Taesoo Ahn, the owner of the entertainmentpany AT, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I did.¡± ¡°Was that woman you mentioned at that time Nami Yu?¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide at that. ¡°I hear Taesoo Ahn has one particr woman in mind these days. So, I found it out furtively, and she was Miss Korea Nami Yu. I heard she was named Miss Korea thanks to his support.¡± That was something new to Hyunwoo but that wasn¡¯t important to him. Jinyoung continued, ¡°I think she is in big trouble now. Taesoo is not the type who gives up on what he wants easily. He doesn¡¯t do business losing money.¡± ¡°I think I have to see Nami first and ask her directly if she has a thing for him. If she is now using Taesoo to be a star, that won¡¯t matter, I think.¡± ¡°Even in that case, it¡¯s not that simple. Taesoo will try to ruin her life in every way if things don¡¯t work out for him. Taesoo is a dirty jerk.¡± While talking about Taesoo, Jinyoung took out a white piece of paper from his pocket. It was a newspaper clipping about Yuni, a member of Hey Girls. She was once the most popr star with her stunning beauty and fascinating sexy dancing. However, a scandal of her sex video and her rtionship with the president of her entertainmentpany broke out and ruined her life instantly. She burst into the entertainment scene and then disappeared overnight. ¡°All this happened because of Taesoo?¡± ¡°Right. Taesoo tried to make her his girlfriend by all means, but when she wouldn¡¯t listen to him until her contract expired, he ruined her life like that. If Nami doesn¡¯t have a thing for Taesu, that¡¯s good for her, but she must be ready for the consequencester.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s face darkened all the more, ¡°What should she do now?¡± ¡°It all depends on her. Someday, she will have to face the music. How she can ovee it is important. Phew...Why did she have to get entangled with a sponsor like Taesoo?¡± The atmosphere was heavy due to their concern over Nami, and it was already well into the night. ¡°Well, I think I have to go home now, man. I have a shoot scheduled today.¡± ¡°Take care, brother.¡± Hyunwoo went back to his lodging with a heavy heart. I think I have to see Nami one of these days. Hyunwoo¡¯s working hours were flexible. If he had to stayte into the night because of a drinking party for business, he could report to workte the next day. He parted with Jinyoung around 5 am, and nobody wouldin even if he overslept on a day like this, but Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t do so. While Hyunwoo was sound asleep, someone with a low baritone voice yed some music nearby. It was loud as if he was ying right beside Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo tried to sleep in one way or another but couldn¡¯t because of the noise. The lodging Hyunwoo stayed in was mainly forpany employees who usually went to work early in the morning and came backte at night. Now, Hyunwoo learned someone yed guitar and sang. Though he couldn¡¯t go to sleep because of it, the music itself was sweet. In particr, the man¡¯s husky voice was appealing, as if it reflected the ups and downs of his life. The only thing that Hyunwoo foundcking was his poor pronunciation. Though he was singing in Korean, it was too incorrect to understand. Obviously, he was not Korean. All of a sudden he conjured up the face of someone there. He was a very tall and rough-looking ck man. He looked like a heavy-weight boxer appearing on TV. Though Hyunwoo didn¡¯t have a chance to introduce himself formally, he ran into that man several times at the lodging. At that moment someone shouted toward him, ¡°Hey, dude, let me have some sleep!¡± As soon as the ck man heard it, he stopped singing immediately Hyunwoo got tense at that moment. Given the ck guy¡¯s rough-looking face, he might not sit idle. Fortunately, there was no trouble like fighting between them. Hyunwoo giggled and thought, He looks like a good-hearted man, unlike his tough impression. Come to think of it, Hyunwoo knew nothing about the ck man next door. It was only natural as both of them never said hello to each other. Suddenly, Hyunwoo felt guilty, I wish I had reached out to him first. Of course, it was not toote. Hyunwoo thought about how best to approach him. Then he heard the ck man making some rustling sound, turning on the kitchen power switch as if he was cooking ramen. Hyunwoo snapped his fingers. There was a snack house nearby, so he quickly bought three rows of kimbap, seaweed rice balls, and headed to the ck man¡¯s room. A momentter the door opened, and the ck man, poking out half his face, said, ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°How do you do? I¡¯m Hyunwoo Jang. I live next door.¡± ¡°Oh, nice to meet you. By the way, what business brought you here?¡± Hyunwoo showed him kimbap. ¡°Well, I think we haven¡¯t seen each other often as neighbors. So I just stopped by to say hi and give you some kimbap. Won¡¯t you try some?¡± ¡°Thanks so much,¡± he said, receiving kimbap. Hyunwoo said, ¡°In fact, I haven¡¯t had breakfast yet. Shall we eat together? If you feel ufortable, you can refuse, of course. I just want to say hi and get acquainted with you as a neighbor.¡± ¡°Oh, not at all. My room is dirty...¡± said he, opening the door. So, they had breakfast together. Though ramen, kimbap, and kimchi (fermented cabbage) were the only parts of the meal, they enjoyed it a lot. His name was Raymon, 26 years old from Florida. He had a crush on Korean pop-music, so he came to Korea four years ago. His goal was to make a debut as a singer in Korea, but the door to sess didn¡¯t open as he expected, so he was making a living by offering English tutoring to middle and high school students. Now, he was giving serious thought to going back to the United States. He would have left already if not for his music friends here. Suddenly, Hyunwoo thought of the animation ¡®Garbage World¡¯, the work of the kids at the House of Happiness. He asked Jinhon Kwak topose a theme song for it. He toyed with the idea of adding Raymon to that project but stopped it. He wanted Jinhon to take care of it from beginning to end. He thought Jinhon would have gained good experience if he could finish it on his own without any other¡¯s help. After saying goodbye to Raymon with hand-shaking, Hyunwoo went back to his room. Though hey on the bed to hit the sack, he couldn¡¯t sleep. Shall I search Story Ma? He turned on theputer to check it out when he received a call from the Jaeyol Song. ¡°Hey, brother. We have made it!¡± Chapter 140

Chapter 140

¡°What are you talking about?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°I mean the trade fair we mentioned before. I consulted with the news director and the chief of the current affairs department about it and just got the approval from the president. Our news team is going to form a joint team with the current affairs team,¡± said Jaeyol. Hyunwoo¡¯s face brightened instantly. If the trade fair event went smoothly, he didn¡¯t have any reason to bend over backward to promote N&C Korea products. He felt he could achieve great performance at the trade fair. What Jaeyol said next was even more pleasing to Hyunwoo, ¡°I also decided to participate in the joint team as the deputy chief. I owe it to you, brother!¡± ¡°Congrats! In fact, a veteran like you should have been given a promotion a long time ago. Please show the best of your abilities this time!¡± ¡°Sure. I think we will broadcast a special program in early April and open the trade fair by the end of May.¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s a pretty good pace. I thought the trade fair could open by summer.¡± ¡°Looks like our rival Seoul Broadcasting smelled a rat and started to move. So, my president gave a special order to preempt them.¡± ¡°Good job. Let me make sure that our Vietnamese staff won¡¯t cooperate with any other broadcastingpany.¡± ¡°Haha, that sounds good. How quick-witted you¡¯re! By the way, the KOVE Dream made by Real Film has also been scheduled to be on air at 7 pm on Feb. 13. I think that¡¯s Thursday. I¡¯m not sure if the production team has received due payment for it.¡± ¡°Well, broadcasting the program itself is something we really appreciate. By the way, are you going to make the production through Korea Broadcasting or have it outsourced?¡± ¡°Of course, we will produce it by subcontracting.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you the contact Real Film, if you have to?¡± ¡°Well, I was thinking of that, too. In terms of continuity in our work, I think it¡¯s better to let the existing contractor take it. Do you know that contractor well?¡± ¡°Actually, I know its owner.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, let me give the contract to thatpany by all means. Let me talk to my boss about it.¡± ¡°Thank you! Let me treat you to a drink next time.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t say that! It¡¯s my turn next time. Anyway, I think I¡¯m going to be busier. Talk to youter then.¡± ¡°Yes, brother.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo clenched his fist, and there came out a cheer from his mouth in spite of himself. ¡°Wow!¡± Hyunwoo immediately called Han Kwangsoo, the CEO of Real Film, to inform him about the good news. Kwangsoo also yelled out a cheer. ¡°That¡¯s great! A special program for Korea Broadcasting? Wow, this is a big hit. Let me finish the ongoing project and put off the next one.¡± ¡°Do you have any other projects at the moment?¡± ¡°Actually I was nning to make a feature production of the ¡°Faceless Angel¡± as soon as I¡¯m done with the current one. I think I told you already that I would work on it after I¡¯m done with the KOVE Dream project.¡± Hyunwoo scratched his head, as he knew that many broadcastingpanies werepeting to cover the ¡°Faceless Angel¡±. ¡°Anyway, you will get a call from Korea Broadcasting soon. I called you, so you would be ready in advance.¡± ¡°Thanks, brother. I think I am getting by these days thanks to your help.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo also called Sungji Na, president of N&C in Vietnam. Obviously, Na made a list of core local Koreanpanies to be featured in KOVE Dream: sevenpanies with technological prowess. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how manypanies will participate in the project. The thing is you shouldn¡¯t include any low-quality products in the special feature program. Once you ruin the image of the localpanies, KOVE Dream will be meaningless,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°I know that, too. I can guarantee these sevenpanies. And any additionalpany to be included in the list will have to undergo a thorough quality test of its products,¡± said Na. Hyunwoo once again stressed the importance of product quality. *** As soon as he came down to Ansan that weekend, he stopped by the empty old building in Bono-dong first. He asked a close friend to do the renovation of the building. As he had to save as much money he could, he wanted to have it renovated to the minimum. Even the office furniture was all used and procured by the owner of an interiorpany that he knew. Though Hyunwoo said he didn¡¯t need the exclusive office of the president, Kyungsoo insisted he should have one. ¡°The president is supposed to make lots of calls, you know. If you call often in the presence of your employees, they can¡¯t concentrate on their job, and they might get the impression that they are being watched by you.¡± ¡°Well, I just want to mingle with them as a fellow employee, not as the president.¡± ¡°Still, your position is president, which you can¡¯t do anything about. They will never feelfortable being around you. And you need a separate office for staff meetings, too.¡± Hyunwoo was persuaded, and he decided to have only one separate space in the renovated building. The space that he paid the most attention to was the central round stage that anybody could use for application when they hit upon good ideas about the expression or motion of animation characters. It took about one week to have the old building renovated, so he could call all the employees to the new office over the weekend. Looking around, there were 26 people including Hyunwoo. Five full-time employees, 12 part-timers on a three-month contract, and the nine children from ANI & Funny. Among them were Jungah, Myunghook Koh and Jinhon Kwak. When all of them gathered, the whole office looked rather small and cramped. The Ani & Funny kids and Jinhon had to sit on makeshift chairs as they had no desk. To break the ice Hyunwoo smiled at Jinhon and asked, ¡°Are you working on a good theme song?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ve already made background music. I¡¯m done with the main melody, and if you listen to it and you¡¯re okay with it, I can finish it quickly. I¡¯ve alsoposed three theme songs. Strange enough, I¡¯veposed lots of songs smoothly without any difficulty since I visited Vietnam recently.¡± ¡°Really? Can I listen to the song?¡± ¡°Sure. Let me y the main melody of the background music first.¡± Jinhon yed a 20-second music file contained on a USB card. The melody was simple and dynamic. ¡°The next song is background music that we can use in a tense situation.¡± Jinhon yed four different background songs. The employees who listened to the music reacted favorably, looking at each other and nodding. ¡°Sounds good.¡± ¡°I think you can use the music as it is.¡± ¡°Okay, then. Let¡¯s use that one,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Got it. And this is for the theme song,¡± said Jinhon, ying another song. He alsoposed the lyrics of the song and sang it himself. Hyunwoo felt Jinhon had a very good voice with a baritone, which was moody and sweet. Suddenly, Hyunwoo thought of that ck guy Raymon, his neighbor at the lodging. Though Jinhon and Raymon had the same baritone voice, Hyunwoo felt something different about it. Raymon¡¯s husky baritone felt like a ck and white movie about the lives of ck ves, while Jinhon¡¯s baritone felt like sweet romance involving a noble gentleman in a suit. Jinhon yed two more songs, which were good enough but not attractive. ¡°Not bad, but they¡¯re not up to my expectations. Don¡¯t you think they are not good enough to make your name known in the market?¡± ¡°A bit dull, right?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s too in rather than dull.¡± ¡°Let me try again, sir.¡± Now, Hyunwoo looked at the employees. ¡°Shall we have a meeting on the animation Tuti & Angelica?¡± As Hyunwoo already let them know about it, they knew why Hyunwoo was making the animation. His first goal was to win the subsidies from the city government of Ansan, and present it to the talent broadcastingpany with the momentum gained there. This time, too, opinions were divided with Kyungsu and Jungah in the center of the debate. ¡°I think your opinions all make sense, but in the current situation, I think we have to put the priority on improving quality, which I think is the right direction.¡± The professional animators including Kyongsu nodded with satisfactory expressions as if they agreed Hyunwoo¡¯s judgment was excellent. On the other hand, Jungah had a regretful look as she made the case for the production cost-cutting, not the quality of Tuti & Angelica. In fact, this was not the time to argue about the production cost. No matter how much money was needed for the production, the most important thing was to get the attention of the judges first, Hyunwoo thought. After the staff meeting was over, they all had lunch together and went home. The Ani & Funny kids, Jungah and Jinhon went with Hyunwoo, who held them back because he wanted to show them something. When the van carrying them headed for Dongansan College, Jungah gave him a queer look. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°There is an alternative middle school called Dreaming School. I¡¯d like to show you something.¡± The van stopped in front of the school. Hyunwoo led them all into the school. A teacher was waiting from them, who had been informed about their arrival in advance. ¡°Wee! It¡¯s cold, isn¡¯t it? Pleasee inside.¡± ¡°Yea, it¡¯s sunny but windy.¡± They warmed themselves with hot green tea. There was a firece in the middle of the ssroom, which was really burning hot. They chatted with each other for some time then headed to the warehouse where their works that had been presented at the previous exhibition were stored. Hyunwoo really wanted to show them around. As expected, they were amazed. Each of the works was the fruit of their original ideas. ¡°The reason I showed you these works was to ask you to get out of the box. There is nothing impossible in this world. As long as you¡¯re boxed in, you can never think of anything original.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m just amazed at how they came up with such an idea.¡± Jungah and Myonghun Koh were also stunned, so was Jinhon. In particr, he paid particr attention to a musical instrument made by Mingyu Kang, who studded its bottom with severalyers of steel rings of different diameters to make various sounds. There were some other upgraded ones, too. Jinhon held a stick and hit it. Each sounding from the bottle was different as if it had notes like a xylophone. Besides, the sound was pretty much peculiar. It looked like he was hitting a xylophone inside a milk bottle. The sound was neither light nor dull. It sounded funny but pretty interesting. ¡°Haha. We can y a tune with this instrument.¡± Taking his seat Jinhon hit the bottle here and there as much as he wanted. It was a totally strange song. Jinhon wasposing a song on the scene. When he started ying it, everybody opened their eyes wide and listened to it. They looked at each other and asked for each other¡¯s opinion. While hitting the bottle, Jinhon seemed to have been inspired. Tilting his head, he changed the melodies and repeated ying the music. Then, he took out a notebook from his pocket and yed as if he was trying to create new melodies. It looked as if Jinhon was falling into a world of his own, not knowing at all that hispany including Hyunwoo, was watching him. Chapter 141

Chapter 141

At that moment, Hyunwoo thought some musical motif came into Jinhon¡¯s mind. If that was the case, nobody should disturb him. Hyunwoo raised one of his fingers on his lips and gestured to others to be quiet. And they slipped out of the warehouse, lifting their toes, not to disturb him. ¡°We never know how long Jinhon will be ying like that, so anybody who has urgent business to take care of can leave.¡± However, nobody moved. Even Myonghun, who came a long way from Seoul, said he would stay, too. All of them were so curious about what kind of song Jinhon wasposing. Hyunwoo was full of expectations, too. Everyone came back to the ssroom, where they were served tea and warmed themselves until Jinhon came out. And one hourter Jinhon came out of the warehouse, atst. His face was pale as he was in that cold warehouse for one hour. He was trembling like a leaf all alone there. Hyunwoo quickly took him near the firece and said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid you might catch a cold.¡± It looked like he had already caught a cold as he as he was sniffling, but Jinhon¡¯s face was happiness itself. He must love the song he made in the warehouse. ¡°So, have you made a good song?¡± ¡°I think so. Cough! Is there a piano here?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you see it over there?¡± said the teacher, pointing to the right, where there was an old piano. Jinhon quickly approached the piano and then started ying without even looking at the score. Though the melody was a bit different from what Hyunwoo heard first, it was much more pleasant and softer. After some ying, he came back to the firece. ¡°I sensed apletely different feel from the milk bottle. It wasn¡¯t as stimting as when you yed it on the piano.¡± ¡°Why not? I felt really good about it,¡± said Hyunwoo. Jungah also seconded, ¡°Me, too. I even wanted to dance to the tune.¡± ¡°Well, if I y with the bottle, you will feel much better. I wish I could bring it over here and y ¡­¡± said Jinhon, looking at the teacher wistfully. ¡°Sure, why not? If you want, you can bring it here to y.¡± ¡°Really? Thank you!¡± said Jinhon. A littleter Jinhon and the others took the milk bottle musical instruments from the warehouse. There were 15 bottles, all told, so each person moved several bottles. In the meantime, Hyunwoo and Jungah swept the area near the firece clean to make some space for Jinhon¡¯s ying. Instantly, there was a small stage for a performance. Jinhon arranged the bottles, hitting them with a stick here and there. And then he began to y the bottles instead of the piano, which surprised everyone there. Hyunwoo was pleasantly surprised, too. The peculiar vibration from the bottles gave apletely different sound, and the melody was also pretty interesting. Though Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t do so for honor¡¯s sake, the Ani & Funny kids began to dance one by one naturally. Thought it was very funny random dance, it perfectly fit the sound of the bottles. Jungah quickly took out her cellphone and recorded their dancing. Pretty much encouraged by their crazy random dance, Jinhon was more immersed in ying. After he was done with ying with excitement, Jinhon looked at Hyunwoo. ¡°How about it? It sounds better than ying it on the piano, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Absolutely. How can the milk bottles create a more exciting sound than piano? So cool.¡± ¡°I really love this sound. I think I can make a good song if I take the milk bottle as the main instrument, with piano, drum, guitar as the auxiliary instruments,¡± said Jinhon. The song Hyunwoo just heard was excellent, but the new song would be much more magnificent if Jinhon could arrange the song by making up for the uninspiring portion with other musical instruments and giving some impact on it. ¡°Let me make a music video based on this. Actually, I¡¯m thinking of mixing some dancing with this song.¡± ¡°Got it. Hope you can create a great song.¡± Everyone came out of Dreaming School and headed back home. Jinhon headed for his grandmother¡¯s instead of Seoul. He was supposed to go to an alternative school specializing in music called ¡®Todolipyo (Repeat Sign)¡¯, starting next Monday after dropping out of school. Todolipyo was located in the suburbs of Suwon City, so it was not far from Ansan City. Besides, it had a dorm. Hyunwoo also went back home. On his way back home, he received a call from Suji Min. He dly picked up the phone, but her voice over the phone was somewhat strained. ¡°Please help me!¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Where are you now?¡± asked Hyunwoo urgently, stunned. ¡°My daddy is now drunk¡­¡± Fortunately, it was not a big deal. It was only 4 pm. Why did Suji¡¯s father drink in broad daylight? Besides, Hyunwoo was aware Suji¡¯s father never drank before. Hyunwoo quickly drove to the ce where Suji was with her father. When he arrived at the restaurant, her father Taeho Min was already passed out. No matter how hard those around him shook him, he didn¡¯t show any sign of getting up. Hyunwoo carried him on his back and put him in the van to go home. Her mother was anxiously waiting for him at home, stomping her feet repeatedly. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with him? What should I do now¡± said Mrs. Kong, Suji¡¯s mother. ¡°Well, this can happen to a man. He will be alright after a sound sleep, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡± After reassuring her, Hyunwo left. Suji followed him. They took a stroll around her apartmentplex. Only then did Hyunwoo hear the whole story. Because Taeho didn¡¯t produce satisfactory oues, his university cut off his fundingpletely. ¡°It was his lifelong dream¡± ¡°I see. He lost his dream. I guess he must have been pretty much heartbroken.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s a good thing that his funding was cut off. From now on, he can spend more time with the family.¡± Hyunwoo nodded. Taeho almost gave up his family to pursue his dream. Now, he lost his dream but regained his family. In Taeho¡¯s position, he might have felt terribly regretful about it, but in Suji¡¯s shoes, she could think his little bit of suffering brought about a big gain for her family. ¡°By the way, I guess you had better go back home now. I¡¯m concerned about your Dad,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Never mind. Mom is with him anyway.¡± ¡°As you know, your mom is physically ufortable. I think you should care for him.¡± At that moment, Suji suddenly stepped back from him and stared at him with an angry look. Hyunwoo was embarrassed by that, and said, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I clearly told you, ¡®Never mind!¡¯ And when did you think that you really cared about me? Do you know what day it was two days ago?¡± Hyunwoo got confused all the more. He couldn¡¯t figure out what day it was, but it was not a special day. Given her angry reaction, however, it was obviously a special day, he thought. ¡°What was the day before yesterday?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°Stop it. I¡¯m a fool to ask you on that,¡± said Suji. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Suji. Don¡¯t get angry like that. I¡¯m getting scared.¡± ¡°Why are you apologizing to me?¡± Hyunwoo scratched his head, trying to say something, but he couldn¡¯t as he didn¡¯t know the answer. At that moment, he received a call from an older woman named Mrs. Hong. Hyunwoo first read Suji¡¯s countenance to check out if it was okay to pick up the phone. Suji stared at Hyunwoo, but she didn¡¯t say anything as if she said he could go ahead. ¡°Mrs. Hong, howe you gave me a call like this?¡± ¡°Is the faceless angel your mother?¡± ¡°Yea, that¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°I see, the rumor was true. Why did you keep it to yourself up to now? I love that kind of work, too. Can I help her?¡± ¡°Oh, the work starts from morning till night. It¡¯s physically demanding. How can you help her? Thanks for saying that.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard that when you grow old, you don¡¯t have any sleep at dawn?¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Anyway, I¡¯ll contact you whenever my mother needs your help.¡± After chatting with her shortly, he looked at Suji, who fortunately didn¡¯t seem to me him for the call. However, she continued to bug him, ¡°Tell me. Why are you apologizing to me?¡± He was on the spot and at a loss what to answer. Again, he received a call from somebody. He regretted that he didn¡¯t turn off his cellphone right after the call from Mrs. Hong. Instinctively, he looked at Suji, who was casting a critical eye on him now. He smiled stand-offishly and said, ¡°Man, I should have turned it off, but I forgot.¡± And then he was about to turn it off when he noticed the caller¡¯s name. It was a call from Juhwan Moon. Hyunwoo heard from himst time that he was following Seungho Paek, the N&C Korea¡¯s sales executive on the job training, but now he was doing his own sales activities. He was torn between answering the phone and just ignoring it for fear Suji might be upset. Damn it. Howe he called me at this moment? I think I have to pick it up anyway. Chapter 142

Chapter 142

Again, Hyunwoo looked at Suji¡¯s face to read her mind. ¡°Just pick up the phone,¡± she said as if she was giving up. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you, Juhwan.¡± As soon as Hyunwoo picked up the phone, Juhwan spoke in an excited voice, ¡°Sir, I¡¯ve hit gold. I¡¯ve received some orders of coating film from Vietnam. If the quality is good, they gave me an oral promise that they would order more!¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes popped out suddenly. He had Juhwan learn some sales skills just in case, but he already pulled off a contract. Though it was an oral promise, it was still a great sess. ¡°Great job, dude!¡± Hyunwoo wanted to shout together with him and share the joy, but he had to be conscious of Suji¡¯s cold look at the moment, so Hyunwoo tried to hide his joy and spoke in a casual and calm tone. Was it a good reason? Juhwan¡¯s voice became subdued, too. It looked like his morale was down because of Hyunwoo. ¡°I think the monthly sales will be 20 million won, and the profit on our side is about 4%.¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo felt he made a big mistake and regretted it. He thought it was just stupid to undermine Juwhan¡¯s moral because of Suji¡¯s mood. She could understand it if she knew the situation, so he changed his tone and praised Juhwan in a cheerful voice. ¡°What a nice job! Wonderful. I didn¡¯t ever dream that you would hit gold so quickly. I am really surprised,¡± said Hyunwoo. Juhwan also changed his voice and answered cheerfully, but he seemed to have noticed an air of awkwardness on Hyunwoo¡¯s end. ¡°By the way, are you ufortable speaking over the phone now, sir?¡± ¡°Oh, just a little bit. We can talk briefly.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Sorry, sir. Let me give you a callter.¡± ¡°Really? Sure then.¡± Hyunwoo ended the call and then tried to turn off the phone. Then, another call buzzed on his phone. This time Suji¡¯s voice was much more subdued. ¡°Please pick up the phone.¡± Instead of picking it up, however, Hyunwoo tried to power it off, but Suji stopped him. This time it was a call from another older woman asking about the faceless angel. ¡°By the way, I¡¯m too bored when I wake up at dawn. Call me if you need help. I can make some food.¡± ¡°Thanks for your attention,¡± said Hyunwoo and hang up the phone. Then, he powered off the phone. However, Suji was pretty upset, and Hyunwoo tried to soothe her in vain. ¡°I¡¯m going to go home,¡± said Suji in a chilly voice. ¡°Shall we have dinner together?¡± said Hyunwoo, quickly holding her shoulder as she turned back. ¡°You told me to go home and take care of my father.¡± ¡°Oh, what I mean is¡­¡± murmured Hyunwoo. He had a ready tongue, but he was at a loss for words now. ¡°No, thanks,¡± said Suji curtly and then turned back, without looking at him at all. Hyunwoo felt funny about the situation. Why is she mean? What did I do to her? By the way, what was the day before yesterday? There might be some reason why she ced particr emphasis on the day before yesterday. Hummmm¡­ Was it Suji¡¯s birthday? Come to think of it, he wrote down the birthday of other people, but not Suji¡¯s. He didn¡¯t even try to find it out. ¡°Damn it! I¡¯m so dumb. I have beenpletely unaware of her birthday! I think I have been so indifferent to her up to now.¡± He then turned on the cellphone. ¡°Nheless, let me send her a text message anyway.¡± He texted a message expressing his regret. He didn¡¯t expect any reply, though. By tomorrow, her anger would melt away; then, he would call her. Then, she would probably pretend to give in and pick up the phone. Hyunwoo called Juhwan. ¡°Sorry about a moment ago. I was kind of ufortable talking with you long then. By the way, you¡¯re so great. How could you open a businesswork so quickly?¡± ¡°Well, I was just lucky. Actually, I called you to ask you something.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I know a couple of friends who are verypetent. Would you hire them? They are reallypetent and diligent. If you hire them for three months as contractors and like them, you can hire them as full-timers.¡± ¡°Can you guarantee them?¡± ¡°Yes, I can. Though they haven¡¯t learned much, they are¡­¡± ¡°What are their strengths?¡± ¡°They don¡¯t have any particr strength, but whatever assignment they get, they can carry it out to satisfaction. They¡¯re also pretty smart about handling their job.¡± ¡°So, what kind of assignment do you want me to give them?¡± ¡°Well, let me have them on the job training, first. They¡¯re really nice guys.¡± ¡°Sure. If you can guarantee, let me trust you. Their monthly payment will be 1.5 million won including the transportation and lodging fees. If they can do better, I can give them more pay. If they¡¯re interested,e and see me during the weekend.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Thanks so much.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo smiled with satisfaction. Hyunwoo went back home and had dinner with his parents, but something wrong must have happened while he was away for a while. His father asked gently, ¡°Honey, who the hell are they, who stopped by earlier in the day? Your face is not that bright after they left.¡± ¡°Phew¡­They are from some factories. They insist on our breakfast service for their employees.¡± It was something she might feel happy about, but Hyunwoo¡¯s mother had a somber look on her face all along. ¡°Looks like you feel bad, Mom. What¡¯s wrong with you? Something wrong or are you sick?¡± ¡°No, not at all. As you know, I¡¯m short of hands. I have to hire more people, but as this needs working early in the morning, it¡¯s tough to find workers. They¡¯re all asking for more money for their work.¡± Hearing that, Hyunoo instantly giggled because he was reminded of the conversation he had with the older women. ¡°Mom, can you be ready to interview the potential workers? Let me bring some after dinner.¡± Not only his mother but also his father made a curious look, ¡°Interview? Potential hires?¡± ¡°As a matter of fact, I was busy answering calls from older women. They all said they wanted to help you.¡± ¡°Grandmothers?¡± said she, opening her eyes wide. It looked as if she was reproaching herself because she didn¡¯t think of it at all. ¡°Sure, let¡¯s bring five healthy older women. Who might be the right candidates?¡± After a little bit of thinking, Hyunwoo¡¯s mother, Jisook Han, called the names of the potential hires. Hyunwoo already talked to some of them while getting back home, and others were unfamiliar to him. Hyunwoo wrote down the names. Jisook¡¯s first condition for hiring was the distance. She ruled out those who lived too far from her house. The second was good health; third was character, andst was cooking skills. The menu for the breakfast meal was simple, which meant cooking skills didn¡¯t matter. In the meantime, Hyunwoo suddenly recalled one person, Mrs. Hong, who was missing from his mother¡¯s list. ¡°Why don¡¯t you call Mrs. Hong?¡± ¡°Mrs. Hong? She is 80 years old.¡± ¡°Still, she is as healthy as other elderly women.¡± Jisook agreed, and Mrs. Hong was a great cook, too, living not far from her house. ¡°Okay, then. Let¡¯s include her, too.¡± It was still early in the evening. Hyunwoo called each of them one by one, exining to them about hiring for the breakfast meal service. Everybody pped their hands, expressing so much joy. ¡°Okay, please wait for me in the alley. I¡¯m driving to your ce now.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo immediately drove the van to pick up the elderly women. A littleter they gathered at Hyunwoo¡¯s house. Jisook exined to them about various stuff such as when they would have to report to work, when they could leave the shop, what they should pay attention to, etc. In particr, she emphasized the importance of sanitation. The women nodded their heads as an expression of approval. Next, she exined about their pay. ¡°Let me give you 700,000 won per month.¡± ¡°Really? That much money for four hours a day?¡± they said, pleasantly surprised. ¡°Oh, no! That¡¯s too much. You¡¯re going to run out of money if you give us that much. I can¡¯t ept it,¡± said one woman. Others, too, said the same thing. However, their pay was not that much, because when she looked for job seekers, they asked for 1.5 million won per month, citing the need for early than usual hours. In that respect, even 700,000 won was not high. Anyway, Jisook concluded that they would get 700,000. At that moment, however, her mobile phone started ringing endlessly. They were calls from the women who were not selected for the job. ¡°What happened? Howe you didn¡¯t call me?¡± ¡°I feel so mad at you. How many years did we spend together?¡± ¡°Oh, little did I think you were so mean like that.¡± Chapter 143

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Some elderly women said they would work for free, and an elderly woman even said she would ride a taxi right now to meet her. Every time she answered the call, she became more and more embarrassed. ¡°Oh, no! By heavens!¡± Hyunwoo also felt the situation had grown more serious than he thought. The elderly women who were not called got really angry, but Hyunwoo didn¡¯t mind. There were many potential elderly women who wanted to work any number of jobs at Jisook¡¯s factory. In that case,petition among them was inevitable. With transparentpetition, it was only natural to get theints. That was the case of the elderly women. Those who didn¡¯t get selected wouldn¡¯t agree with Jisook¡¯s way of hiring,ining, ¡°I can do better,¡± ¡°I can work as much as others,¡± ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m inferior to others?¡± So, Hyunwoo arranged a safety valve, which was none other than Mrs. Hong. When Jisook was on the spot, Hyunwoo whispered into Mrs. Hong¡¯s ear, ¡°If we have to hire another one, someone here must give way, and I think as you¡¯re the most senior, you can¡­¡± It was true Mrs. Hong was the oldest among the group, but she was not persuaded. Obviously, her eyes opened wide at Hyonwoo¡¯s words. Besides, she had a fiery character. When she was in a cheerful mood, she was agreeable to everyone, but once she got angry, nobody could stop her. As expected, Mrs. Hong was actively involved. Reaching out to Jisook, she spoke in a low and heavy voice, ¡°Give me the phone, please.¡± As soon as she received the phone, Mrs. Hong raised her tone and said tersely, ¡°Hey, this is Mrs. Hong. Who the hell are you?¡± Hearing the other party¡¯s name, she said in a tough voice with ring eyes, ¡°Mrs. Pae? Are you going to drive me out to get this job? Uh? No, you said no?¡± From that moment it was Mrs. Hong¡¯s job to handle the nagging calls from the elderly women. Whenever Jisook received a call, she handed over her phone to Mrs. Hong, who yed the role of a troubleshooter perfectly. *** ¡°I want to help you, but I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m not so good with everything,¡± said Jonghyon Yuk. Then, he began to talk about himself, why he dreamed about being an actor and why he got the pen name ¡®Pilgaek¡¯ of his novel in Story Ma. His own episodes naturally started with his childhood days. ¡°Well, my father was a wandering poet and a womanizer. He roamed around the whole country since he was young, and everywhere he went, he caused trouble,¡± said Jonghyon. Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t believe that. As his father was handsome enough to get the attention of young women, his son Jonghyon must be as handsome, but he was not. As if he read Hyunwoo¡¯s mind, Jonghyon giggled and said, ¡°Well, I think I partake of the voice and hair of my father¡¯s, but I resemble my mother in the rest of the stuff. Don¡¯t imagine my father from my looks. Ha ha ha,¡± said Jonghyon, giggling. Hyunwoo giggled, too. ¡°My father didn¡¯t want to have a baby because of his womanizing character, but my mother identally got pregnant.¡± After all, Jonghyon¡¯s parents reported to the vital records office about their marriage without even having a marriage ceremony and lived together. Their parents managed to get by until Jonghyon entered elementary school. Around that time his father, who had itchy feet, stole out of the house for several days often and came back after a week or, sometimes, a month. He repeated that kind of wandering life, and his mother had to make a decision, after all. She also ended up being a wanderer like his father. Though it was a ridiculous decision for her, it was a wise one when Jonghyon came to think of it now. This made Jonghyon stay with his grandmother most of his childhood days. ¡°Looks like you had a difficult time financially,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Well, my father was a carpenter, so wherever he went he got a job quickly. Though we were not affluent at that time, we were not that poor.¡± ¡°Oh, I see¡­¡± ¡°And my father once worked as an actor. As he was handsome and had good acting skills, he was popr among the directors, but he was always given a minor role because of his womanizing temperament.¡± ¡°I think he could have been a star with a proper role,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°In my mind, he had great potential.¡± Still, his father cultivated awork in the entertainment world, and that¡¯s why Jonghyon dreamed about acting, but Jonghyon was different from his father in many aspects. He was not as handsome as his father, and his acting was not good enough. He could not seed with his father¡¯swork in the entertainment world alone. Then, Jonghyon suddenly brought up the topic of movies. ¡°Have you ever heard about ¡®Instinctive Hunter¡¯?¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± The movie had been a great box office hit. Though it was a low-budget movie, it topped the box office rankings at the time, raking in more money than other local movies or Hollywood films. ¡°At that time, I realized for the first time that I was talented at writing. Other writers rmended that I turn into a writer, saying I had more talent as a writer than an actor. So, I turned over a new leaf in writing.¡± But the result was not good enough. Though he took the right direction, his method was not right. Jonghyon was pretty much resourceful in ideas but had no writing ability to weave them into marketable stories. He reproached himself for that. ¡°Would you want to try a short animation story?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never tried it before.¡± ¡°Well, nobody started with that first. Just give it a try. At least, your ideas can hit gold, I think,¡± said Hyunwoo, thumbing up. Hyunwoo continued to persuade him, and atst, he nodded his head. ¡°I don¡¯t have a good story now, but if I hit upon one, let me try.¡± ¡°If the story is good, let me pay well for it.¡± ¡°Sure, you should.¡± They clinked their cups together. Their drinking continued into the wee hours. ¡°Hey, would you want to have one more drink at my house. It¡¯s not far from here.¡± ¡°Is it spacious enough for me to hit the sack?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. My ce is very spacious.¡± Hyunwoo followed him to his house, which was a narrow condo. Jonghyon¡¯s parents were watching TV at the moment. ¡°How do you do? My name is Hyunwoo Jang.¡± As soon as he saw Jonghyon¡¯s father, he uttered an exmation in his heart. There was no exaggeration in Jonghyon¡¯s words. Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t believe his father was over 70. He had a boyish face, his back was straight and his body was well built. Besides, his voice was pleasant. ¡°Nice to see you here. I guess this is a meaningful get-together, so let¡¯s have a drink.¡± Though it was quitete in the night, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t care. I think it¡¯s a good thing I came here. *** Whenever he had a chance, Hyunwoo contacted Nami Yu. He texted her a message that if she was in a difficult position to pick up his phone, she could call him. However, she usually sent him a text message that she couldn¡¯t take any time out as she was really busy. Finally, he got a message that she could meet him very briefly. I really can¡¯t make an appointment after dinner. I¡¯m avable during the day. I¡¯m going to go to Namyangju this afternoon for a photoshoot. They arranged a meeting at a cafe in Namyangju at 4 pm. Hyunwoo arrived a bit earlier, and Nami came 20 minuteste, covering her face with sunsses, hat, and mask. Then, a littleter a guy came into the cafe alone, covering his face with sunsses like Nami. Looking around the cafe furtively, he approached the table where Nami and Hyunwoo were seated. Then, he took a seat at an unupied table nearby, ordering a cup of coffee. Neither Hyunwoo nor Nami paid any attention to that man. Chapter 144

Chapter 144

Only after she went into the cafe did she take off sunsses and mask. ¡°Sorry, brother. It¡¯s so difficult to take time out like this. Even this time, I got only one hour¡¯s break time.¡± ¡°Looks like you¡¯re quite busy.¡± ¡°Well, If I want to be a star I think I have to work hard. By the way, what brought you here? I understand you¡¯re quite busy, too.¡± Hyunwoo cautiously began to talk about Taesoo Ahn, and then asked the one thing he was really curious about. ¡°Do you really have a thing for Taesoo Ahn?¡± At that question, Nami¡¯s ring eyes turned icy and even resentful, ¡°Why are all the men like this?¡± Hyunwoo was looking at her silently. Instead of reacting hastily, he wanted to check her mood first. ¡°Don¡¯t you know me? Can¡¯t you trust me? I feel bad about Dukwoo. If he really loves me, can¡¯t he trust me to the end?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. As Dukwoo and I love you so much, we¡¯re worried about you.¡± ¡°If I want to seed in this entertainment world, there is nothing I can do. How can anybody dare to be in the bad books of the president of the entertainmentpany that he or she belongs to? Hyunwoo nodded and could read her mind. He trusted Nami. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Nothing will happen that you and Dukwoo are concerned about.¡± ¡°Can I ask one more thing?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Why did you behave so chilly to Dukwoo, your boyfriend? That¡¯s why he misunderstood you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s only natural. Out of the 24 hours allowed to me, how much time can I be alone, excluding the hours of sleep? I¡¯m with the president, manager or coordinator all the time. How can I be friendly to Dukwoo then? If there breaks out a scandal, that¡¯s the end of my career.¡± Nami¡¯s exnation was understandable. It was true that if one had to start a career in the entertainment world, he or she had to give up their personal lives. In particr, for a woman like Nami with stunning beauty, it couldn¡¯t be more true. ¡°And at that time I was with the president and a reporter. Dukwoo kept asking me who I was calling, so I had no choice but to act cold to him.¡± Hyunwoo had nothing to say. Lastly, he showed her the article he had received from Jinyoung Paek and told her what kind of character Taesoo was. Fortunately, Nami was aware of that news. ¡°I¡¯m not that foolish as you think. I read that article and fully prepared for that kind of stuff. That¡¯s why I¡¯m trying to be careful about my behavior. So, please trust me and just wait.¡± Nami gave him a sad look. Not sad about what could happen to her in the future but sad that Hyunwoo and Dukwoo didn¡¯t trust her. ¡°Sorry, Nami. That¡¯s enough. Let me exin this to Dukwoo. So, take it easy and cheer up!¡± ¡°Thanks, brother. I wish Dukwoo behaved half as cool as you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that. Dukwoo is such a great guy.¡± Only then did Nami smile lightly. Then, she covered up her face again to leave the cafe. Hyunwoo immediately called Dukwoo, ¡°Hey, I met Nami a moment ago. She said, ¡®You don¡¯t have to worry about at all because nothing will happen between her and Taesoo, so just rx and wait for her.¡¯ Got it?¡± ¡°Of course. Actually I repented a lot these days. I think I was too greedy. Nami was already a famous entertainer.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo felt as if he got off his chest a heavy rock pressing on his heart for a while. With a sigh of relief, Hyunwoo left the cafe, and the strange man sitting nearby also left. *** Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t take a break, even during the weekend. Instead, he came home when he had no prior appointment during the week. This evening he had dinner with his family. Mr. Kuroda, the Korean-Japanese researcher, was like a family member by now. In the meantime, his mother had a somewhat gloomy look on her face. ¡°Are you worried about something, Mom?¡± At his asking Jisook let out a sigh and said, ¡°Phew. my workce is too small now as I have received more breakfast orders after I hired more elderly women. Now there is not enough space for storing the food ingredients.¡± Jisook was short-handed until she hired the elderly women. She had to refuse the iing orders. Nheless, the factories that order the meals didn¡¯t cancel the contract. Rather they trusted Jisook¡¯s factory called ¡®Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom¡¯ all the more. She originally hired six elderly women butter hired three more, but the problem was still there. Even though she could hire more, there was not enough workspace. The workce, which initially looked sorge, was now so narrow and small. ¡°Looks like we have to find a new warehouse,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Moving again? I wonder if we can find a better ce than this one at a reasonable price.¡± ¡°Shall we buy the empty house next to ours and extend the factory there?¡± Her ears got tempted. The empty house had a big space and edifice. Initially, Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t afford to buy it financially, but now he could. ¡°You don¡¯t have to. If you need more space, you can use the lot at my house. As a matter of fact, several empty houses annexed to my property bother me because they are ghastly. You can demolish them and build an extension there,¡± said Kuroda. ¡°Really? On your lot?¡± ¡°Yes, I can rent them free for ten years. So, freely use the lot.¡± Hyunwoo and Jisoon were stunned by his proposal at the same time. If they could use the lot, there would be nothing to worry about as far as the factory space was concerned. ¡°Okay, then, let us pay the rent.¡± ¡°No, no. How can I receive the rent from you, Hyunwoo, given the incalcble benefits I have received from you? Just don¡¯t feel any burden and use it for free.¡± ¡°No, we can¡¯t do that,¡± said Hyunwoo. They just kept arguing over the rent, and at the end, Kuroda prevailed. Suddenly, Hyunwoo thought of Jaeyol Song. Though Jaeyol must be busy with preparing KOVE Dream special program and the trade fair, he would be very happy if Hyunwoo gave him a scoop. When Hyunwoo thought of Jaeyol and the uing article, he naturally felt that the city of Ansan could offer some subsidies for the construction of a factory extension in the empty lot. Hyunwoo drafted a press release. The gist was like this. ¡®Recently the campaign led by Ansan High School, Jamohoe (woman parents¡¯ association) and the faceless angel to change food sanitation is expanding across Ansan City. Responding to the campaign some elderly women who absolutely need the attention and help of society areing forward to chip in. It¡¯s a beautiful act that is making the campaign more rewarding. And then Hwasung City, which is the jurisdiction of the faceless angel¡¯s zip code area, has offered drastic support. They found the food factory run by the faceless angel was too small to produce more food and decided to take on the burden of the cost of constructing an extension of the existing factory as much as the city regtion allowed. Thanks to the proactive administrative measures of Hwasung City the activities of the faceless angel are likely to go beyond Ansan City and expand into Hwasung.¡¯ Hyunwoo emailed the press release to Jaeyol and called him, ¡°You must be very busy these days, brother.¡± ¡°Oh, not really. Ansan City and our current affairs department are busy, and I¡¯m just an onlooker. By the way, you gave me a call at the right moment. On Monday two weeks from now, our shooting team is scheduled to leave for Vietnam with the relevant staff of Ansan City.¡± ¡°Let me inform our Vietnamese staff about it so that they are not inconvenienced while they are staying there. By the way, I¡¯ve just sent you a press release for you tor report. I wonder if it¡¯s worth reporting.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t hang up the phone. Let me confirm it now,¡± said Jaeyol in a wee voice. He was silent for a moment as if he was reviewing the release and then suddenly said, raising his voice, ¡°Wow! This is great. Looks like I have got a scoop for free thanks to your help. Let me repay you for it.¡± ¡°Sure, can you do me a favor?¡± ¡°Tell me¡± ¡°In fact...,¡± said Hyunwoo, exined about theck of space of his mother¡¯s food factory. ¡°Oh, I see. I think the city government of Hwasung would like to help. Let me call the city official.¡± ¡°Thanks, brother.¡± *** While Hyunwoo was roaming the shooting studios, his mobile phone buzzed noisily. The telephone number belonged to Hwasung City. As expected, he realized the caller was an official with the city. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m calling you from the city¡¯s local economy department. Are you Mr. Hyunwoo Jang?¡± ¡°Yes, I am. Why did you call me?¡± asked Hyunwoo, as if he knew nothing about it. ¡°I hear you¡¯re building the new extension of Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom food factory. So, I checked out the regtion and found that we could help.¡± ¡°Really? As a matter of fact, I was looking for some urgent help. Thanks for saying that. How can I ask for your help?¡± The official exined about the subsidies in detail. ¡°We¡¯re giving you subsidies of 50% of the cost of the construction as well as the money for the introduction of additional facilities. And we are offering you a loan for the rest of the cost at an annual interest rate of 4% over the next ten years.¡± ¡°Payable in installments over the ten years?¡± ¡°Yes, and if you need a lodge for the staff, we can also give you a loan for that with a 4% annual rate payable in installments over ten years.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s jaws dropped at such an offer. However, there was no such thing as free lunch. ¡°We have a condition, though.¡± Chapter 145

Chapter 145

¡°What is the condition?¡± asked Hyunwoo cautiously. ¡°Well, our students in Hwasung City should receive quality food from Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom factory at a low price like they do in Ansan.¡± ¡°Of course. I hope they can get the same benefits as Ansan students.¡± ¡°Wonderful. We¡¯ve another assistance program. We¡¯ll pay 10% of the food ingredients offered to our students in Hwasung, and ...¡± The official mentioned some other subsidies. Originally Hyunwoo started all this with the idea of getting some subsidies on the construction cost, and now he found himself getting a series of subsidies and other assistance benefits from the city. What he liked most was the assistance program on the construction of a new dormitory. In fact, it was such a burden and headache for Hyunwoo to get up early in the morning to pick up the elderly women. If a dorm is built, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry, and his mother would be able to hire more. ¡°Thanks. I think your assistance programs will be of great help. By the way, can I ask you one more favor?¡± ¡°Go ahead, please. Let me report it to my supervisor.¡± ¡°I know a very reliable architect. I¡¯d like to have hispany get the contract on the construction...¡± ¡°Well, that should go through a due process. However, if the estimate is not that high, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a big deal.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The next day, all the major media, including Korean Broadcasting, gave prominent coverage to the campaign of Ansan City to innovate the food sanitation of snack houses. So far, they reported only about the assistance programs of Ansan, but now their reports mentioned Hwasung City, too. The food sanitation campaign extended across the whole Ansan city, with all the elementary, middle school and high schools joining the campaign. In the meantime, Hyunwoo asked the architect he knew to build a new extension of the factory and the dorm. Sanggon Ahn, the architect, had built a couple of container houses for his father and Kuroda. ¡°Brother, I hope I am in your good hands.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You know my abilities, right?¡± *** ¡°Did you check it out?¡± ¡°Yes, he is a guy named Hyunwoo Jang, a businessman running severalpanies, but it looks like he doesn¡¯t have any special rtionship with Nami. Except that they lived in the same neighborhood for a very long time.¡± After he was briefed by the manager, Taesoo Ahn, the president of AT Entertainment, tilted his head. ¡°Then, why is that guy so interested in Nami¡¯s work?¡± ¡°Well, any single guy would be interested in Nami. As Hyunwoo is rich, he might want to seduce her by all means,¡± said the manager, smiling as if he clearly read Hyunwoo¡¯s mind. Curling up his lips, Taesoo asked, ¡°Did you hear what they talked about?¡± ¡°They chatted in a very low voice, so I couldn¡¯t hear well, but I heard she repeatedly, ¡®Tell him not to worry.¡¯ That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°Have you made sure her boyfriend Dukwoo Jang has not met her at all?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± ¡°Got it. You can leave now.¡± The manager left his room. Left alone, he wrinkled up his brow, murmuring to himself, Why isn¡¯t she listening to me? What more can I do to please her? *** These days Hyunwoo had no distinction between weekdays and weekends. He adjusted his business days and off days based on the shooting schedule of the studios. Oftentimes, he had to attend drinking parties with those in the broadcasting business. Even when he stayed in Hwasung he had no break time. He had to check the progress of the production of KOVE Dream as well as look around the warehouse and check with the managers of N&C in Vietnam and Unhye Kim, the director of N&C Japan. He also had to pay attention to the office of Ani & Funny in Bono-dong. ordingly, he was always outside except for his sleeping hours in Hwasung. Even today, he headed for the warehouse of N&C Korea at dawn, helped the staff prepare their sales activities, and a little after 9 am went back to the Bono-dong office. The fairlyrge office space was crowded with the staff. All of them had different skills and backgrounds, so they had different working styles and attitudes. Some of them were more skillful, more active and passionate while others were easygoing and pretended to do well. And someone tried to win the manager¡¯s heart by ttering them. That was Hyunwoo¡¯s headache all the time. He had to cheer up those working hard and give a stern warning to those gettingzy. Kyongsu, the chief animator, yed that role very well. In particr, he tried his best to push those screwing around hard. ¡°Ms. Misook Cho, you have toplete it before you leave the office. You get paid for that, right?¡± said Kyongsu. ¡°....Yes, sir.¡± Kyongsu assigned a certain amount of tasks to the easygoing staff. Misook pushed out her lips in displeasure. Hyunwoo wanted to fire her immediately, but that was not a good way to handle her. After hard thinking, Hyunwoo consulted with Kyongsu and Sanggyu Maeng, a manager with Ani & Funny about taking disciplinary action againstzy employees. ¡°Is there a legal issue here?¡± ¡°The contract stiptes clearly about the condition of dismissal. No legal issue at all.¡± Hyunwoo gathered all the employees and announced, ¡°From now on I¡¯m going to divide the contractors into three teams. Each team should create their own work, and it will be evaluated on a weekly basis. I¡¯ll give a bonus to the 1st and 2nd best team, but the 3rd best team that affected thepany negatively will pay the price: one of you on the 3rd team will be voted out of thepany.¡± The employee suddenly started making amotion. In particr,zy staffers like Misook Cho were shocked at the announcement because they might be fired within one week. She could not sit idle. Though she was not passionate about work, she was exceptionally good at surviving. ¡°How will you form each team?¡± asked Misook. ¡°I¡¯ll consult with the team leader on that.¡± ¡°Can we form the team with those members we know each other well? I think that will be much more efficient,¡± she said. Her intention was clear enough. Obviously, she wanted to form a teamposed of those younger than her and get the benefits as a team member. ¡°Nope. The team lineup will be announced next Monday,¡± said Hyunwoo firmly, rejecting her suggestion. Then Hyunwoo continued, ¡°If any particr team member continues to perform badly, the number of dismissals may increase, and I will hire new members to rece them. So, you have to do your best, even if your team doesn¡¯te up with good performance.¡± Hyunwoo then called the managers. He called the five full-time employees as the team managers. In fact, Hyuonwoo¡¯s n to divide the teams and offer a stick-and-carrot incentive was a temporary solution. He had to solve the fundamental problem. Hyunwoo felt that was the staff¡¯s uneasiness. Namely, he felt they thought Tuti & Angelica would not be selected by the talent donation broadcastingpany, which would mean they would have to leave thepany in three months. In order to clear their uneasiness, Hyunwoo felt it necessary to stir up their confidence. ¡°Brother Kyongsu, when will the city of Ansan announce the list of animation works they will support?¡± ¡°As I understand, it¡¯s between next Tuesday and Thursday. They haven¡¯t yet fixed the date yet.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s heart was thrilled with tension. Though the subsidized money was only 50 million won, what was more important was the staff¡¯s morale. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. Everything will be okay. The idea and characters of our animation work is excellent. I¡¯m confident they will select ours,¡± said Kyongsu to cheer him up. ¡°Thanks. Shall we discuss how to divide the teams?¡± There were three methods. One was to make the teams randomly; the second one was to make the team with those with simr capabilities; andstly, put thezy performers into a specific team and push them hard. The managers said in unison, ¡°I think you have to put them together, so they can realize why they are included in the team. Diligent staff will be able to work more energetically.¡± ¡°I agree. They have to pay the price.¡± Hyunwoo was also of the same opinion. ¡°Okay, then. Let¡¯s make the team on that principle.¡± When Hyunwoo let the managers form the teams, they put those easygoing staff into the same team. Though they wanted to include more, some of them were contaminated by theirzy colleagues¡¯ working style. The managers gave them another chance, and if they still didn¡¯t improve, they would be put onto the same team of worst performers. ¡°Great. Let¡¯s do that,¡± said Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo looked at his watch and said, ¡°Oops! Times flies so fast. I¡¯ve got a lunch appointment, so let me leave now.¡± Hyunwoo quickly headed home. Then, he received a call from a stranger in Vietnam. ¡°Who is this? The caller¡¯s number is unfamiliar to me.¡± Hyunwoo picked up the phone. It was a call from Hyongbok Lee, president of a toymakingpany DAS Toys. ¡°What¡¯s up? Hope everything is going well¡± said Hyunwoo. To his surprise, however, Hyungbok answered bluntly, ¡°No, I don¡¯t feel good now.¡± Hyongbok was upset. ¡°Why did you rule out mypany from the list of KOVE Dream project? Somepanies were included, some not. Don¡¯t you think that this a discrimination?¡± Thosepanies included in the KOVE Dream list passed the quality standards. ordingly, it was inevitable for somepanies to be excluded from the list. ¡°Sorry. We had to apply strict quality standards to keep the image of KOVE Dream,¡± said Hyunwoo resolutely. If he showed any room for his reapplying, moved bypassion, all otherpanies excluded from the list would follow suit. Hyungbok appealed in a high tone, ¡°What about the products of ourpany?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s the job of the KOVE Dream¡¯s vettingmittee. If you try harder to improve the quality, yourpany can be included in the listter. The morepanies with good technology wille out, the better.¡± ¡°How can we pass the test standards as set by the vettingmittee arbitrarily? What the hell are you talking about?¡± Hyunwoo didn¡¯t agree with him and didn¡¯t like Hyongbok¡¯s arrogant attitude. Instead of making further efforts to improve quality, he justined, jealous of thosepanies that had been included in the list. Hyongbok seemed to misunderstand that if he was so resistant, Hyunwoo would give in and get hispany included on the list. Chapter 146

Chapter 146

But it was Hyongbok¡¯s big miscalction. In fact, there was no reason whatsoever that Hyunwoo had to listen to Hyongbok¡¯s annoyingint. Given the situation, it was Hyunwoo, not Hyongbok, who had the upper hand here. Hyunwoo said in a chilly manner, ¡°It looks like you have misunderstood. The reason I made KOVE Dream was because I wanted to make sales activities more convenient. So, I made some regtions and standards. What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± ¡°Oh, what I mean is not whether you are wrong or not, but it is not fair. Somepanies are included, but others aren¡¯t.¡± ¡°Do you think I am a phnthropist? Why are you taking issue with fairness because I have made KOVE Dream for my own? If you want to be included in the list, pass the standards I set. As I have to go now, let me hang up the phone,¡± said Hyunwoo. After the call, he quickly headed home. Seungwoo Paek was already waiting for him there. Before he left for the United States, he stopped by to say goodbye to Hyunwoo. Seungwoo took Sungrak Sohn with him, who was learning on-the-job training from him. When Hyunwoo arrived home, he found Seungwoo and Sungrak speaking with his parents. They were escorted into Hyunwoo¡¯s room. Seungwoo looked carefree. Though he might feel a bit scared to set foot in a strange ce, he didn¡¯t. ¡°Originally I was nning to make an American dream with empty hands, but I¡¯ve earned enough money thanks to you. Thanks, man,¡± he said to Hyunwoo. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s me who has to thank you. Thanks to your excellent sales activities I¡¯m making lots of money here. Hope you can be a millionaire in America. By the way, the ratio of profits division is 8 to 2, as I told you.¡± As soon as Seungwoo had lunch, he left Ansan quickly. Sungrak also followed him, saying he would see Seungwoo off. *** Seoul Broadcasting is one of the three major broadcastingworks in Korea, along with Korea Broadcasting and World Broadcasting. The director of the cultural department of Seoul Broadcasting gave the staff a hard time every day. In terms of entertainment programs, Seoul Broadcasting was performing as well as Korea Broadcasting and World Broadcasting, but itgged far behind in cultural programs. ¡°Hey, do you want to see me fired? If I am fired, do you think you can survive?¡± His increasing pressure was killing the writer and the main producer, in particr. They had to find an item that could hit gold. Then, someone in Vietnam called the cultural department, and said, ¡°I run a toypany called DAS Toy in Vietnam. I called you to tip you off a big unprecedented scam that¡¯s happening here. Korea Broadcasting is involved here.¡± The female employee who received the call opened her eyes wide at the caller¡¯s mention of a big fraud involving Korea Broadcasting, but she was not excited. It could be a prank call or a disinformation call. ¡°Did you mention a fraud? What is it?¡± ¡°Have you heard about KOVE Dream?¡± She heard of it for the first time. While he was exining to her, she faintly remembered she heard of it before. She recalled watching a TV program rted to a castor dream team. ¡°KOVE DREAM is the work of swindlers. They are deceiving the people as if they have excellent technology. The real dream team is ¡®Dream Korea¡¯ here in Vietnam. I hope Seoul Broadcasting can reveal the truth to the whole world.¡± After the call, she wrote down the gist of what the caller argued and gave it to the producer. The producer looked very surprised, ¡°KOVE DREAM? In fact, we tried to cover it some time ago, but Korea Broadcasting stole our thunder.¡± ¡°The caller argues KOVE DREAM is a fake dream team.¡± The producer gave her a doubtful look. ¡°Isn¡¯t it possible that somebody made the call to nder KOVE DREAM because he was not included in it?¡± Other producers were of the same opinion. ¡°Just ignore the call. We don¡¯t have to meddle in their fighting.¡± But there was one producer who raised an objection. Though he was not as experienced as other producers and younger than them, he was on his way up with the blessings of the director. And he was pretty greedy about promotion, so he bent over backward to get results once he got wind of something. That¡¯s why everybody called him a ¡°bulldog.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think our hasty conclusion is correct. The caller¡¯s tip-off could be true. Why don¡¯t we dig into it first?¡± he said. ¡°Hey, it only wastes time and money.¡± ¡°Yea, this can¡¯t be true. I think it is sheer ndering.¡± But the young producer was not persuaded. ¡°Let me report it to the director.¡± Then, he ran to the director¡¯s office. The director had the same mentality as him. Keeping his position and getting a promotion, not chasing the truth, was more important to him. ¡°Hey, just go ahead with digging into it. You have to pick holes in Korea Broadcasting by all means, so this time we have to beat them.¡± ¡°It might be a false tip-off.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. We just ry what the caller argues. Then, it is not us, but the caller who is making lies. The thing is we should get a higher rating with this reporting.¡± The bulldog producer could figure out the director¡¯s intention. Namely, Seoul Broadcasting can only represent their voice, while the judgment of the tip-off belongs to the viewers, who should also bear the responsibility. Back to the office, the bulldog producer conveyed the director¡¯s firm resolve, and then called Hyongbok, the caller. ¡°Hi, our Seoul Broadcasting intends to cover it. I¡¯m seeking your cooperation.¡± After the call, Hyongbok curled up one of his lips and murmured, ¡°Yah, Hyunwoo, did you think I would sit idle? No way! Let¡¯s see who will lose more here. How dare you look down on me?¡± *** Hyunwoo¡¯s mobile phone buzzed noisily. On such an asion, Hyunwoo was surprised a lot because he became more and more tense as the date of Asan city¡¯s announcement of the contest winner drew closer and closer. But the caller was not a city official but Suji Min. There was not a single time Suji called him in the morning before. Hyunwoo quickly picked up the phone. ¡°I had a day off on Thursday. Can you show me around when I travel to Seoul?¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide. Though she didn¡¯t mention ¡®dating,¡¯ Hyunwoo was already thrilled to think about dating her. He quickly checked out his schedule, and fortunately, he had no appointment during the day. ¡°Sure, I will, but I can¡¯t take time out in the evening because of work.¡± ¡°I can meet my friends during the evening. Let me call you on Thursday then.¡± Back at the office, Hyunwoo took a vacation on Thursday. As he had to report to work in the evening, it was technically not a vacation leave. Anyway, he would leave Space Design in several days. At the bus terminal on Thursday, he waited for Suji. A littleter, the bus carrying her arrived and she got off. ¡°Suji, I¡¯m here,¡± called Hyunwoo. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here!¡± eximed Suji, and then hopped to him. If he had opened his arms, she would have hugged him, but Hyunwoo didn¡¯t dare. Instead, Suji came to him and he naturally folded his arms. Hyunwoo took her to the ces here and there that he had selected. They took bicycles and went to a department store. Though he asked to buy her various stuff, she refused, with excuses that she didn¡¯t like them. ¡°All of them are just too expensive and hard to carry. Instead, buy me a nice lunch. I¡¯m getting hungry.¡± They went to a crab house, her favorite food. He cracked a steamed snow crab and put it into her mouth. In return, she did the same to him. ¡°Wow, I¡¯m full now. Looks like they¡¯re going to charge us a lot. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m going to make you penniless,¡± said Suji jokingly. ¡°No problem. I can buy you this as much as you want. If you feel like it, tell me anytime.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe it. You can¡¯t see me every day!¡± ¡°Ha ha ha. Where shall we go now? How about riding a ferry?¡± ¡°We did already. Why don¡¯t we climb up Namsan Hill? It¡¯s clear now, so we can get a very nice view of Seoul.¡± ¡°Sure, why not?¡± They went to Namsan Hill. Though it was a weekday, it was crowded with many people. Mostly, they were young couples. They were walking, with their arms crossed or with arms around each other¡¯s shoulders. Suji was folded into his arms before he knew it. At that moment, he had a call and found it was from someone in Bono-dong office. Asking for her understanding, he quickly answered the phone. Kyongsu spoke in a screaming tone, ¡°Hey! They announced the final results. We¡¯re the winner!¡± ¡°Wow! Really?¡± screamed Hyunwoo in spite of himself. The amount of the subsidies was not important. What was more meaningful to him was that the value of Tuti & Angelica was formally recognized. Naturally, Hyunwoo¡¯s expectation of the talent donation broadcasting¡¯s selection of Tuti & Angelica was growing after Ansan city¡¯s announcement of the animation contest results. ¡°Thank you all for your great work! Why don¡¯t you have a dinner get-together with the staff?¡± When Hyunwoo hung up the call, Suji opened her eyes wide and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the call about? Did they win something?¡± ¡°Ansan City selected our animation work as the winner. Hooray!¡± Hyunwoo expressed uncontroble joy once more. ¡°Wow, how wonderful!¡± eximed Suji and hopped here and there out of joy. And now she flew into his arms. Surprised, Hyunwoo hugged her shoulders with his arms in spite of himself. Suji was also holding his wrist with her arms. As he put on thick clothes, he couldn¡¯t feel her warmth, but he felt it so marvelous that she was now in his arms. As if she realized it btedly, she gently got out of his arms but didn¡¯t feel bashful. With a smile, he looked at her face. He wanted to hug her all of a sudden but felt he would be rejected this time. They went up to Namsan Hill, chatting about their work, and enjoyed a panoramic view of Seoul. When climbing up, Suji folded her arms, but whening down, Hyunwoo put his arms around her shoulders. Hyunwoo and Suji didn¡¯t feel awkward about their behavior at all. There was not much talk between them, but whenever Suji cast her eye at a certain object, he did the same. Hyunwoo¡¯s heart was throbbing not because he had a call from Kyongsu but because of his own indecisiveness. Suji¡¯s shoulders were already halfway into his arms, and he hugged her with one arm. If he tried harder, he could hug her whole body. It looked like Suji was standing gently, waiting for his embrace. Chapter 147

Chapter 147

All of a sudden Hyunwoo recalled the moment Suji flew into his arms. She might have intentionally done so to feel his warmth, or she might have done so simply to express her joy. If he tried, Hyunwoo would be able to find out her genuine feelings toward him. Namely, he should find out whether she simply has a good feeling toward him or wanted a more intimate rtionship with him. Okay, let me try this time. Otherwise, when could I? Determined, Hyunwoo approached her and raised his hand to hold her shoulder gently. Instantly, she flinched. Obviously, she sensed his intention. Hyunwoo was already touching her shoulders with both hands gently. As if chanting a charm, Hyunwoo murmured to himself, Don¡¯t move for a moment. Fortunately, Suji didn¡¯t move as if she wanted him to move on to the next step. Then, he lowered his hands in front of her chest. Instantly, it seemed that his hands touched her breasts, but as she was wearing a thick jacket, she didn¡¯t feel strange at all. Then, he held her wrist with both hands, and she, too, raised her hand and put it on his wrist. She then tilted her head toward his chest as if to rely on him. Her ck hair was right beneath his nose. So thrilled, Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t even breathe, and he was a bit worried if she could sense his breathing. I want to be closer to you. Yea, closer than now. Hyunwoo lowered his head a bit and touched his cheek on her hair gently. Until then, she didn¡¯t move. It looked like the whole world stopped. Hyunwoo wished this moment would not be broken for a while and stood still, his eyes closed. How long did itst? He felt Suji began to move in his arms. He gently let go of her arms. ¡°Shall we go to another ce?¡± said Suji. ¡°Sure.¡± Whenever he had a chance, Hyunwoo put his hand on her shoulder, and she didn¡¯t refuse it. At least, she took it naturally. Strange enough, though, she hated walking hand in hand. In some respect, interlocking arms or putting arms around each other¡¯s shoulders could be seen as more intimate than walking hand in hand, but she seemed to think the opposite way. ¡°I feel somewhat weird.¡± ¡°Why do you think so?¡± ¡°I have no idea. Let¡¯s walk like this,¡± said she, releasing her hand from his and wrapping an arm around his instead, but Hyunwoo wanted to hold her hand and caress the back of hands often. Next time I will surely walk hand in hand. Though it was a bit early, they had dinner together. While they were having tea after dinner, Hyunwoo¡¯s mobile phone buzzed. It was an rm. Not only Suji but also Hyunwoo got curious. ¡°What the heck? Howe I set the rm at this hour?¡± He watched the phone and opened his eyes wide. ¡°Oh, I see. Today is the day Korean Broadcasting is supposed to air the special program KOVE Dream.¡± It was produced by Kwangsu of Real Film on his own. It was already 7 pm. He quickly turned on Korean Broadcasting on his mobile phone, and Suji sat right beside Hyunwoo so they could watch it together. As the screen was small, they had to get close, with their faces almost touching. Her hair tickled his face often, and sometimes her face also touched his. Although the KOVE Dream special feature was being broadcast on Korean Broadcasting, he could not focus because all his attention was on her. Shall I turn my head to her as if I was trying to speak to her? In doing so he could touch his lips to hers naturally, and she might also touch her lips to his while turning her head. His mere thinking about it made his heart throb wildly. Right at that moment, Suji did what Hyunwoo wanted to do because she talked to him, looking at him. ¡°Did you make the video by yourself?¡± Stunned, Hyunwoo quickly turned his head but made a huge mistake at that moment. If he simply turned his head, his lips would most likely have touched hers. Instead, he gently tilted his head back, embarrassed. Thanks to his mistake, Suji¡¯s face was now fist-width apart from his. Damn it! Why did I tilt my head back then? Hyunwoo reproached himself, but it was toote. He casually said, nodding his head, ¡°Oh, Imissioned someone to do it.¡± Saying that he gently looked into her eyes. Though he failed to steal a kiss, he could create a better atmosphereter on the asion of their closeness. However, opportunities like this didn¡¯te often. Suji turned her head and watched the screen again, saying, ¡°I see. That¡¯s why you set the rm to watch it.¡± Hyunwoo had no choice but to share the smartphone video with her. Though it was long, Hyunwoo felt it was short. So, he gently stretched his arm out behind him and put it on her shoulder. She didn¡¯t move a bit. When he slightly stroked it or pushed it gently to his side, she just stayed still as if she took his actions as natural. When his breath gently touched the back of her neck, she giggled, saying she felt itchy there, but didn¡¯t push him away. When the special feature program was over, she felt happy, pping her hands. ¡°Wow, this is great! Hope everybody can hit gold.¡± It was about time for them to part. She left first, saying that she had an appointment with his friends in Seoul. With a wistful look on his face, he waved to her. *** After she came back home from Seoul, Suji felt happy. She felt as if her lonely heart was filling up with something warm inside. Yea, I¡¯m d I traveled to Seoul to see him. She was all smiles on her face all along. Looking at that, her mother Mrs. Kong felt curious. ¡°Great fun in Seoul?¡± ¡°Yes, I have lots of good friends there.¡± ¡°Good for you! I¡¯m d to see your happy face,¡± said Mrs. Kong, smiling at her. But she instantly looked pensive, and Suji knew the reason. For her father, Taeho Min, was in trouble. In fact, Suji and Mrs. Kong were happy these days. As Taeho¡¯s university cut off his research funding, he left the office early in the evening every day, so he spent the weekends with the family all the time, but their happiness was brief. Taeho still had a lingering affection for research on sr energy. He was determined to continue research even at home if he couldn¡¯t do it at the university. When he was at home, he confined himself to the study all day long. Suji wanted to change her father. Though she could not make him stop doing research, she made sure he put aside family time, but it was not easy for her to find the right method. Then, one Saturday, she hit upon an idea suddenly. Yea, let me try that way. Suji squeezed juice into a ss and went to her father¡¯s study. ¡°Daddy, drink it, please.¡± ¡°Oh, thanks,¡± said Taeho, and drank it up and did a stretch as if he wanted to have a short break. ¡°Isn¡¯t your study small?¡± ¡°Well, I can¡¯t help it. I¡¯m doing my best in a given situation,¡± said he with a satisfied smile. ¡°Why don¡¯t you move to my room? I don¡¯t need a spacious room. Let me use yours.¡± ¡°No thanks. I don¡¯t see any big difference between my room and yours. Thanks for offering.¡± ¡°Is there anything I can help you, daddy? I guess you feel lots of burden when you¡¯re doing the research on your own.¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright. Being with my family like this is a great source of encouragement to me.¡± Suji didn¡¯t want him to give up the research. So, she decided to figure out how she could help him actively. ¡°I guess you must be tired a lot if you keep reading the material like that. Sometimes you need a break to rest your mind for a good idea. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Taeho nodded his head, seeing eye to eye. ¡°You¡¯re right. Sorry. I think I¡¯ve only thought about myself even if it¡¯s the weekend.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a walk with mom?¡± ¡°Good idea. Do you want to rmend any good ce?¡± Suji¡¯s eyes opened wide. Little did she think he would ept her idea so readily. She urgently looked for the ce, but the trail around her condo was just routine. Suddenly, she thought of one ce. ¡°You know Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom, right? I hear they are building a new factory and dormitory. Won¡¯t you go there with mom?¡± Taeho was well aware of that ce. Though the owner, Jisook Han, hid her identity as the ¡®faceless angel,¡¯ she became too famous. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. I think your mother would also like it.¡± ¡°Have a good time, then.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to join us?¡± ¡°Oh, can I go with you?¡± said Suji, conjuring up Hyunwoo¡¯s face. Fortunately, Hyunwoo was at home during that weekend, but she had recieved no calls from him. This was not the first time. He rarely called her unless he was dug in the ribs to do so. As for text messages, Suji sent them to him twice as much. Several days ago when they had a date in Seoul, it was Suji who took the initiative. Hyunwoo was always passive, while Suji was more active. Of course, Hyunwoo¡¯s position was understandable. He rarely had a break, even during the weekend, and on weekdays he spent all his time at Ani & Funny¡¯s office. Nheless, Suji, as a woman, couldn¡¯t ask for a date. The moment she did, her attraction as a woman would disappear forever. She should wait no matter how much she wanted to see him, but this time the situation was somewhat different. She had a perfect excuse to escort her parents to Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom. Looking at the time, it was already in the evening. By now, Hyunwoo was back home. Soon, he would have dinner with his parents. If she visited his house casually, timed with the dinner time, all of them could have a cozy dinner. ¡°Sure, let me join you then.¡± Chapter 148

Chapter 148

The unsightly buildings that stood on Kuroda¡¯s lot began to crumble when the heavy vehicle operator destroyed them. Jisook Han, Hyunwoo¡¯s mother, already had a blueprint on the extension of the existing factory. Along with the factory¡¯s extension began the construction of a new dormitory. Originally, she wanted to have it built in a stylish way, but the grandmothers who would be housed there wanted a fast construction rather than a stylish dormitory. ¡°Okay, then. Let me change the original blueprint. Please let me know which story and how many rooms you want, ¡± said the builder Sanggon Ahn ¡°I want a two-story building with four rooms for two on the ground floor and six single-person rooms on the second floor. Is it spacious enough?¡± asked Jisook. ¡°Sure. If the new factory and dormitory are built on the existing lot, you will see no more space on the lot. I think it¡¯s better to build a bigger building by using the avable spare space on the lot.¡± ¡°Yes, please go ahead.¡± The grandmothers who would be working there visited the construction site every day to watch it. Some of them told Jisook about their wishes. ¡°I¡¯m so bored these days.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got nothing to do all day long. I wish I could move in as soon as possible,¡± said one of them. Hearing that, another one said, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t keep an eye on it. One of the rooms is mine.¡± Though the new dormitory would be built big enough, Jisook wasn¡¯t sure if it was spacious enough to house them all. ¡°Phew...It looks like there will be a big quarrel among them after the dormitory ispleted,¡± murmured Jisook to herself. The construction continued even into the evening. At that moment, there was heard a familiar voice outside. ¡°Hyunwoo, I¡¯m here.¡± Stunned, Hyunwoo turned his head and said, ¡°Why did youe at this hour? Ah.. you got here with your parents.¡± Not only Jisook but also his father Duyoung Jang and Kuroda quickly came out. They were already on good terms with each other as they went to the same alternative school to help the kids there and got to know each other well. ¡°You got here at the right time. I was going to prepare dinner now,¡± said Jisook and escorted them into the living room. Mrs. Kong quickly swung her hand and said, ¡°Oh, no. We just came here for a fresh air outside. We can have dinner after we get back home.¡± ¡°We would feel very sorry about it if you did so,¡± said Jisook, and insisted they have dinner together. Only then did Suji dig her mother in the ribs gently, ¡°Right, mom. It would be discourteous if you came as far as here and went away without having dinner.¡± ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t know that! Anyway, we didn¡¯te here for dinner.¡± Jisook went to the kitchen to prepare dinner and Mrs. Kong followed her to chip in. In the meantime, Suji came to Hyunwoo and said, ¡°It¡¯s noisy here and dusty.¡± ¡°Shall we go out for a walk then?¡± said Hyunwoo. Suji had no reason to refuse his suggestion. ¡°Great. Daddy, I¡¯ll be back soon,¡± said Suji. ¡°Alright.¡± Suji was excited, while Taeho felt rather awkward as he was left alone there, but it was an unfounded concern because Duyoung Jang and Kuroda kept hispany. ¡°It¡¯s cold here. Shall we go inside?¡± ¡°Sure. Thanks.¡± They showed Taeho into the main room. While moving to that ce, Taeho noticed two container houses. ¡°By the way, what are they for? They don¡¯t look like warehouses.¡± ¡°Oh, they are our personal research rooms. One is mine, and the other is Kuroda¡¯s.¡± ¡°Personal research room?¡± At that moment, Taeho¡¯s eyes popped up. Actually, he seemed to have lost the direction of his life after his university cut off his research funding, but now he seemed to have found it. Hyunwoo and Suji strolled through the ally of the country vige for an hour. Though there were street lights here and there, there were more dark ces. ¡°It¡¯s a bit scary,¡± said Suji and then came closer to Hyunwoo, naturally wrapping an arm around his. Hyunwoo gently pulled his arm free and instead hugged her shoulder tight with one arm. ¡°Why is it scary when I¡¯m here with you?¡± Suji giggled at that and then gently held his hand. ¡°How is your life in Seoul? Interesting?¡± asked Suji. ¡°Not really.¡± ¡°There are lots of beautiful women there, right?¡± ¡°Well, no matter how hard I try, I can¡¯t find one as beautiful as you.¡± ¡°No kidding. You sound glib to me,¡± said Suji, nudging him in the ribs, but she was all smiles. After chattering away for some time, they came back for dinner, but Taeho seemed gloomy while he was eating. It looked as if he was lost in thinking about something. Mrs. Kong, nudging him in the ribs, said, ¡°Don¡¯t think about the research stuff while you¡¯re eating!¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so sorry. Ha ha.¡± After dinner, they had delicious apples. Suddenly, Taeho asked, ¡°By the way, what type of research are you doing?¡± At that moment Hyunwoo had a tense look on his face. Obviously, they must have talked about the purpose of the container houses while he and Suji were out for a walk. ¡°Nothing particr. As my specialty is chemistry, I¡¯m reading relevant books,¡± said Duyoung to distract his attention. Hyunwoo let out a sigh of relief. ¡°I¡¯m currently doing research on a new type of car engine, but I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t finish the research during my lifetime, ha ha ha,¡± said Kuroda. ¡°I see. I envy you as you have a private research room like that,¡± said Taeho. What he said was not empty talk. His eyes were full of envy, and it looked like he wanted to do his own research along with them. And Mrs. Kong clearly read his mind. She spoke in a hysterical voice so that everybody could hear, ¡°No! Stop talking about research! I¡¯m just sick and tired of it even when I hear the first character ¡®r¡¯ of research!¡± ¡°Sorry, honey.¡± After dinner, Suji¡¯s family drove back home. Taeho didn¡¯t say a single word all along. Even after he arrived home he hardened his face. Obviously, he was totally upied with thinking about the private research rooms of Duyoung and Kuroda. Suddenly, Suji asked, ¡°Do you want a private research room beside theirs?¡± Not only Taeho but also Mrs. Kong were surprised by her sudden question. ¡°Can I?¡± said Taeho. ¡°Are you crazy? No way,¡± said Mrs. Kong curtly. But Suji had an idea of her own to make it work. Despite Mrs. Kong¡¯s repeated disapproval, Suji didn¡¯t budge at all. Rather she went one step further and suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t we move to that ce? Then daddy could do the research more conveniently.¡± ¡°Hey, Suji. What¡¯s the matter with you?¡± shouted Mrs. Kong. She was so embarrassed, she couldn¡¯t even pronounce properly. To soothe her troubled heart Suji instantly said, ¡°There is a condition for that, though.¡± ¡°Condition? What is it?¡± Mrs. Kong and Taeho looked at Suji with a curious look. ¡°In return for daddy doing the research there, he should put aside family time. On weekdays he has to spend time with us from 11 pm until it¡¯s time to sleep, and on weekends from 6 pm. And once a month he has toe on a family trip. Of course, these conditions can be adjusted between mom and daddy. How about it?¡± ¡°Family trip?¡± asked Mrs. Kong, brightening her face, and looked at Taeho. ¡°How about it? Can you promise, honey?¡± ¡°Of course. As a matter of fact, I¡¯ve been so sorry to you, but I couldn¡¯t give up the research. Now, if I do as Suji suggests, I think I can continue to do the research and have family time. What a good idea!¡± ¡°Done deal! Let¡¯s move to that ce, then. Suji, can you find a house there?¡± said Mrs. Kong. Suji already set her heart on one house. It was the house right beside Hyunwoo¡¯s, but she pretended an air of innocence. ¡°Okay. Let me find one as soon as possible.¡± Suji gave Hyunwoo a call, who was surfing theputer at the moment. He always weed any call or text message from her. ¡°Hi, Suji. I guess you safely arrived home.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. By the way, the house next to yours is still avable, isn¡¯t it? How much is it?¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide. ¡°Why did you suddenly ask that question?¡± ¡°Well, my mom and daddy want to move to that house despite my objection. He wants to do research along with your daddy and Kuroda.¡± At that moment, he felt his heart sank. Though he didn¡¯t doubt Taeho, there was a real possibility that Taeho¡¯s resumption of research could draw the attention of many people to Duyoung¡¯s research. His Dad was very concerned his research would be revealed to the outside world. Hyunwoo hastily cooked up some excuse to discourage her, ¡°It¡¯s too old to live there.¡± ¡°We¡¯re nning to build a new house there,¡± said Suji casually. ¡°But it will cost a lot.¡± ¡°We can afford to finance that.¡± ¡°In fact, you will find lots of inconveniences if you buy a single home such as disposal of garbage, etc...¡± said Hyunwoo, citing several shorings of a single home. However, Suji reacted icily, ¡°You don¡¯t want me to move to your ce?¡± ¡°Oh, no, no,¡± said Hyunwoo quickly to soothe her. But he went too far to do so because Suji waspletely upset. ¡°Enough is enough. Let me find out from the realtor myself. I¡¯m sorry I called you.¡± It looked as if she already decided to move. There was no point in trying to dissuade her in that situation. ¡°Suji, I know someone who is the president of a realtorpany. Let me find it out for you as soon as possible.¡± Suji paused for several seconds. She seemed to think over whether to forgive him or not. Fortunately, her voice began to soften. ¡°Okay, then. Let me give you one more chance.¡± Chapter 149

Chapter 149

At the free trade zone in the port of Pyongtaek, Hyongsoon Kim, the president of Sangwon Foods, noticed an interesting article while reading a magazine. Daily newspapers introduced her as the ¡®faceless angel¡¯, but she was identified as ¡®Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom¡¯ in the title of the magazine article. It was sort of a breach of the contract. ¡°Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom? Ansan City? Is it about Hyunwoo Jang¡¯s family?¡± His brother, Hyondae, ying aputer game nearby, asked back, with his eyes fixed on theputer screen, ¡°Hyonwoo Jang? Was that bastard featured in a magazine article?¡± ¡°No, his mother. She was highlighted in the article. I didn¡¯t know he was running a food factory. Looks like he made lots of money.¡± Hyongdae got interested in the article to hear the word ¡®money¡¯. Stopping his game, he approached his brother and read the article together. ¡°Oh, this article. I read it before. By the way, was this ¡®faceless angel¡¯ Hyunwoo¡¯s mother?¡± Under the title ¡®Faceless Angel,¡¯ there was posted a picture showing the construction of a new factory. What was important was that Hyunwoo¡¯s mother was its president. Hyongsoon and Hyongdae looked at each other at the same time. Smiling mischievously, Hyondae asked, ¡°Are you going to sit idle?¡± Hyonsoon replied, ¡°I can¡¯t. Let me first check out if that ¡®Hyunwoo¡¯ in the article is the same person that I know.¡± Hyongsoon then called Hyunwoo. ¡°Howe you called me all of a sudden like this?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°Oh, I called you after reading the article about the ¡®faceless angel.¡¯ Looks like your mother is in the media limelight these days in newspapers and broadcasts. Congrats!¡± said Hyongsoon, sounding him out. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not a big deal man.¡± Hyongsoon¡¯s eyes red. Obviously, the ¡®faceless angel¡¯ was Hyunwoo¡¯s mother. ¡°Where are you now? If you have such a happy asion like this, why don¡¯t we have a drink to celebrate it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m now in a shooting studio, and my office is in Seoul.¡± ¡°Did you quit the furniturepany?¡± ¡°Almost two months ago I quit. It¡¯s exactly two monthsing this weekend.¡± ¡°Really? I¡¯m not busy today. Can Ie and see you?¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m free around 5 pm. Can youe to Space Design? You can easily find out where it is by googling it.¡± At Space Design¡¯s office at 5 pm, Hyunwoo introduced Hyongsoon to several people in the office briefly before they sat on the sofa to chat. Hyongsoon started off with the topic of the ¡®faceless angel¡¯ and ¡®Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom.¡¯ And then he cunningly changed the topic to business. As soon as Hyongsoon began to mention it, he slightly raised his voice. ¡°My business is doing well. You remember the alumni that we met before? I made sure all of them got a return of at least 5% on their investment. As this trend goes on, I think I can guarantee them an annual return of 15%.¡± Actually, Hyongsoon¡¯s remarks were surprising. Little did he expect his friends could enjoy such a big profit by investing in Hyongsoon¡¯s business. Rather, he was concerned they might be ripped off, but Hyongsoon mentioned 15% return. It was much bigger than that of banks or investmentpanies. It was not only Hyunwoo but also another person in the office who now paid attention to what Hyongsoo said. Though she was looking at somewhere else, Minhye Park, CEO of Space Design, was listening to him. By now, Minhye gave up Hyunwoo as her likely groom, but she was not focused on Yonggu alone. In her mind, Yonggu wascking in somethingpared with Hyunwoo. So, she felt she could find a better candidate to be her groom if she kept looking, and now Hyongsoon seemed like one. She liked his nice and expensive suit, handsome face and voice, and, in particr, she liked the fact that he was the president of Sangwon Foods. Then, his mention of the astounding return grabbed her attention. ¡°That¡¯s great, man. I feel good to hear your business is doing well.¡± ¡°I think the return will go up by the middle of this year because my local dealers are increasing quickly. If you are interested, why don¡¯t you invest? I guess I need a little more funding to increase local dealers.¡± In fact, Hyunwoo was interested, but his interest was not in investment but in the way he was making money. Though he mentioned the effects of a bonded factory, Hyunwoo wanted to confirm it with his own eyes. ¡°Can I take a look at your factory?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°Of course. Do you want to see it today?¡± ¡°Today?¡± ¡°It is within only a couple of hours¡¯ drive here. You can have a drink after that and report to work the next morning. Otherwise, you can tell the president you will bete tomorrow. If you feel ufortable, I can do it for you.¡± Then, Minhye abruptly cut in, ¡°Go ahead, Hyunwoo.¡± As soon as he heard her voice, Hyongsoon stood up from the sofa and bowed politely, ¡°You¡¯re as kind-hearted as you are beautiful. I guess the future of Space Design will be bright with such a great president like you. Thank you on behalf of Hyunwoo.¡± She loved his good manners and responded with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re wee. By the way, can I ask you a favor?¡± ¡°Why not? I wee even ten favors from a beauty like you.¡± ¡°Can Ie with you to the port of Pyongtaek? I¡¯m curious about what kind of business you¡¯re running.¡± ¡°Wonderful. I¡¯d be honored if you can join us.¡± ¡°Okay, then. Let¡¯s go now,¡± said Minhye. Hyunwoo and Minhye followed Hyongsoon to the port of Pyongtaek. The exact location was the free trade zone in Posung town. Hyongsoon¡¯s factory, Sangwon Foods, was located there. It was true that hispany imported red peppers, onions, and ginger from China to produce mixed seasoning and then sold them to the domestic market. In short, Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t find any lie in his remarks, and the bonded factory of Sangwon Foods was bigger than he expected. The factory was in full operation. Even though it was almost 7 pm, nobody showed any sign of getting off work. Hyongsoon boasted, ¡°I¡¯ve got so many orders. Even working through the night is not enough to satisfy the overflowing demands. I feel so sorry for my employees.¡± Suddenly, Hyunwoo got confused. On the one hand, Hyunwoo felt sorry because he thought ill of Hyongsoon all along. This fixed his negative perception of his friend in high school. ¡°What do you think? Don¡¯t you think the future of mypany is very promising?¡± Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t agree more. Minhye couldn¡¯t open her mouth, surprised. ¡°This is wonderful. I thought it would be small and dirty when you mentioned a food factory, but it¡¯s so clean,¡± said Minhye. ¡°Well, sanitation and cleanliness are essential in food. If you miss that, you can¡¯tpete.¡± Each word of Hyongsoon¡¯s remarks didn¡¯t look like what he used to say to Hyunwoo before. It looks as if apletely different soul was in his body. ¡°You must be hungry. There are no delicious restaurants near this ce. Let me drive to the bay of Asan where there are some good restaurants.¡± Hyongsoon drove to a raw fish house in Asan bay with them. While having dinner, he continued to talk about investment opportunities, furtively suggesting their investment. Hyunwoo became more and more interested but, at the same time, hesitant. It was not a matter of funding because he could take out arge loan with his stocks as coteral. The real issue was the personality of Hyongsoon. No matter how hard Hyunwoo thought about Hyongsoon, he couldn¡¯t trust him. Regardless, it was time for Hyunwoo to focus on Ani & Funny. ¡°Thanks for the offer, but I don¡¯t have idle money to invest. If have someter, let me think about it.¡± ¡°Now or never, dude. If you¡¯re not interested, that¡¯s it. Actually, there are a lot who want to invest. Given the choice, I wanted to give you the chance first.¡± However, Minhye seemed to think differently. ring her eyes, she said as if it was regrettable not to have invested earlier, ¡°I wish I had met you several months earlier. Then I would have invested in Sangwon Foods rather than Space Design.¡± ¡°I agree. I feel sorry about that. If I received funding from a beauty like you, Sangwon Foods would have prospered much more.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t say that. I¡¯m ttered,¡± said Minhye. Was it because Minhye had good feelings about Hyongsoon? She looked more womanly than usual. And her eyes were full of good feelings and interest in him. Besides, she even cast an amorous eye at him, suggesting that her groom could inherit her father¡¯s business Aurum once he got married to her as she was the only child. Of course, she was the object of tragic love, who would be married off to someone for the session of his father¡¯s business. Hyongsoon said,forting her, ¡°Well, you can love someone with excellent entrepreneurial skills. Don¡¯t you think your father will ept him then?¡± ¡°Perfect solution! Do you think I can meet such a man?¡± said Minhye, as if she felt happy just imagining such a man. Hyongsoon said with a confident smile, ¡°I¡¯d like the chance if possible.¡± ¡°Oh, the door of opportunity is open to everyone. Ho ho ho.¡± Hearing their conversation, Hyunwoo got confused again. It was not clear who was seduced by whom first. What was clear was that their meeting would be over once and for all today. Minhye¡¯s interest in Hyongsoon meant she could break with Yonggu anytime. In fact, Hyunwoo could not understand Yonggu as he was now dating her. Why was he so desperately trying to woo her? Yonggu could find many other fine women. When Hyunwoo thought as far as that, he suddenly hit upon a good idea. It could make Yonggu get the upper hand from now on in terms of dealing with Minhye. Atst, Friday, Hyunwoo¡¯sst day at Space Design, came. By 3 pm, Hyunwoo began to say goodbye to some of the staff. ¡°I wish for the prosperity of Space Design,¡± said Hyunsoo. Only then did Minhye seem to havepletely given up on Hyunwoo. She didn¡¯t show any feelings when she said goodbye to him. She said in a businesslike manner, ¡°Thanks a lot for your work here.¡± But Youngsu Park, the executive director, expressed a good deal of regret about his leaving. Yonggu congratted Hyunwoo. They would contact and meet often even in the future anyway. Hyunwoo said, patting him on the shoulder, ¡°You know I have a lot of stock in thispany, right? Give me a return of 1 billion won within one year, okay?¡± ¡°Hahaha. Got it, man. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Hyunwoo left the office and all the staff saw him off at the elevator. Yonggu followed him out of the office. Then Hyunwoo told him about Hyongsoon, with a cautionary note that Minhye could be dating Hyongsoon. Yonggu frowned. Yonggu felt Minhye became his woman already. There were no morepetitors, and she slept with him often, but that was it. Suddenly, she was a different woman who was ready to desert him anytime. When Yongguined about her, Hyunwoo quietly said, ¡°There is one sure method that can make you control herpletely.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that? Let me listen,¡± said Yonggu,ing closer to him. Chapter 150

Chapter 150

¡°Just quit from Space Design,¡± said Hyunwoo. Yonggu¡¯s eyes opened wider. How can Hyunwoo ask him to resign when he clearly knew his feelings toward Minhye? Giggling a bit, Hyunwoo cleared his misunderstanding, ¡°What I mean is you don¡¯t have to actually submit your resignation letter. What I mean is to make her feel how precious you are to her. If you tell her you¡¯re going to resign, she will be nervous.¡± Only then did Yonggu understand his genuine intention. Right now Yonggu was like a fish caught in Minhye¡¯s, which needed no more bait. It was only natural that she could cast an eye to catch another fish. So, Yonggu needed to get out of her now. Then she couldn¡¯t afford to look for someone else as her likely groom. Yonggu said with a giggle, ¡°You¡¯re right. But I don¡¯t think you¡¯re in a position to advise me. Is your rtionship with Suji going well?¡± Hyunwoo became speechless. When it came to the matter of a woman, Yonggu was much more experienced and skillful than Hyunwoo. Scratching his head, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Well, I¡¯d like to make her my woman, but don¡¯t know how. And I don¡¯t have time to date her.¡± ¡°Hey, dude. Time doesn¡¯t matter. Progress in your rtionship with her is the thing.¡± ¡°Though a woman pretends not to, she, deep inside, wants her partner to advance the rtionship to a certain level. If he doesn¡¯t at all, she could change her mind overnight. Even if you are pped, try to get intimate with Suji,¡± said Yonggu. In Hyunwoo¡¯s mind, Yonggu¡¯s advice made sense. In fact, Suji seemed innocent, as she never dated a man, but the opposite could also be true. For a woman like Suji, lots of men might have tried to woo her, and she also must have dated a lot of men in the process, and she might be probably more skillful in dating than Hyunwoo. Actually, that¡¯s what Hyunwoo experienced recently at Namsan Tower. At that time, she didn¡¯t move at all when he hugged her firmly behind. That suggested that she was epting Hyunwoo as a man, or she might have been waiting for his action like that. As Yonggu said, she might be disappointed unless Hyunwoo acted more aggressively. When Hyunwoo seemed lost in thought, Yonggu stopped him and said, ¡°Hey, dude, don¡¯t worry too much. Just act as you feel it. If you want to make her your woman, just pull her down on a bed.¡± Hyunwoo giggled at that. He felt that pulling a woman down on a bed several times for marriage might have worked in the old era, but having sex with a woman several times didn¡¯t necessarily lead to marriage in modern times. However, he agreed with Yonggu¡¯s advice that he needed to try harder to advance the rtionship. ¡°Okay, let me make one such asion this weekend. By the way, how far should I advance? Kiss or going further than that?¡± After parting with Yonggu, he went down to Ansan. Instead of stopping by Aurum, he headed straight to Ani & Funny. It was already 6 pm. The office was quiet, and everybody was working hard at putting the finishing touches on ¡®Tuti & Angelica¡¯. When Hyunwoo came into the office, everyone paused for breath. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m a bitte. Have I kept you waiting long?¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°No, sir. We¡¯re supposed to workte into the evening until we finish the animation Tuti & Angelica.¡± ¡°Really? Haha,¡± said Hyunwoo with a heartyugh. Most of the staff couldn¡¯tugh brightly. Though some of them forced a smile, their faces hardened as if they were tense. It was natural that they did so. For they were waiting for the evaluation of their performance for the week. At least one contractor would be fired today. Actually, Hyunwoo fired three contractorsst week. Though he was kind and smiled often in the office, he was strict in applying the principle. Of course, there was some adverse effect, too. The three contractors who got fired left the office, hurling terrible curses at the remaining staff. Though they didn¡¯t respond at that time, they thought the three of them were legitimately fired. And now the day of their evaluation came again. Hyunwoo could read the staff¡¯s feelings. ¡°Manager Kyungsu Han, can I see their performance results?¡± ¡°Here you are.¡± Kyungsu gave him an evaluation paper where the five managersbined their team members¡¯ performance ratings and calcted the average. Hyunwoo epted the performance oues. ¡°This week two contractors will be dismissed. Unhee Pae and Myongan Soh. Sorry for you. You can work through the rest of today. And you will be paid for your workdays until today.¡± Both of them were female staff. Fortunately, they didn¡¯t resist. They didn¡¯t use any harshnguage. They roughly cleaned their desks and left the office. The office atmosphere became icy instantly. Firing staff was not a pleasant thing, but that was what Hyunwoo expected of them: a sense of tension among them. ¡°Are you worried?¡± asked Hyunwoo. Everyone was silent. ¡°As a matter of fact, I initially thought of working with you all to the end. I mean, dismissal was not what I wanted. But as you know, I can¡¯t stand theziness of some of you, so I chose the extreme means of dismissal. I think you can understand that.¡± Some of the staff nodded. As he said, the three contractors firedst week had big problems with their working style. ¡°I hope I won¡¯t see anyone who gets fired next time. In other words, if you can show you¡¯re working hard, I don¡¯t have a reason to fire you.¡± The staff¡¯s eyes opened wider. They expected he would fire at least one next time, but he might not. Looking at Kyungsu, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Please give the incentive money to the first and second winner team. And hire two more contractors. Let me leave it to you to form the teams anew.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°And if everybody survives at the next performance evaluation session, I¡¯ll give 500,000 won to the third ce team in incentives.¡± Their atmosphere was still heavy, but Hyunwoo felt the staff became more rxed and more motivated than before. At that moment, someone knocked on the door. It was Jinhon Kwak. As soon as school was over, he came running to the office. ¡°Howe you came here instead of going home to do something good for your parents?¡± asked Hyunwoo jokingly. ¡°Finally I¡¯m done withposing the background music!¡± ¡°Really? Let me hear it.¡± Wearing the headphones, Hyunwoo enjoyed the background music. Jinhon fleshed the previous one with more beautiful melodies. It was light and lively. It looked as if he intentionally made it soft and simple to please the children. ¡°Wonderful. I think you have repaid my tickets for your Vietnam travel with thisposition.¡± ¡°Thanks! Haha,¡± said Jinhon with a sigh of relief. Jungah reached out her hand and said, ¡°Can I listen?¡± Listening to it, she moved her body rhythmically, which suggested it was good enough. ¡°Sounds like this is a professionalposition.¡± ¡°I¡¯m ttered by that, sister. By the way, hear the next song. I¡¯m going to make a music video with that,¡± said Jinhon with joy. It was titled ¡°Duckling Fly.¡± This time Junga listened first. As soon as she heard it, however, she opened her eyes wide as if she was shocked. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± At Hyunwoo¡¯s asking, she put her finger on her lips gently and then listened, her eyes closed. Her expression was serious. As if not to miss any note she was intensely listening to it. After about four minutes, she opened her eyes suddenly and eximed, ¡°Wow! This will hit the jackpot!¡± ¡°You like it? Let me hear it.¡± Hyunwoon reached out his hand, but Jungah reyed the song instead of giving it to Hyunwoo, and said charmingly, ¡°Let me hear it once more¡± Hyunwoo scratched his head, and other staff were casting their eyes at both of them, wondering what was happening. Hyunwoo once again held out his hand and said, ¡°Hey, let¡¯s hear it together. Everybody is curious.¡± ¡°Okay, then.¡± Jungah took off the headphones and arranged for the music to y throughout the whole office. And then a littleter Jinhon¡¯sposition ¡°Duckling Fly¡± was yed. The main instrument driving the melodies of the song was the milk bottle device made by Mingyu Kang. It was not heavy nor clear, but the feel of bouncing melodies was giving out aic air. The same melodies were repeated with alternating strong and weak rhythms with piano, guitar and harmonica ying in between. The more they listened to it, the more interesting they were. While listening with their eyes closed, they felt as if the milk bottle was bouncing on the floor here and there. Though they felt it yed only one minute, the four-minute song was over already. Hyunwoo felt he could know why Jungah wanted to rey it. Chapter 151

Chapter 151

¡°Let me hear it once more.¡± ¡°Yea, once more!¡± Other staff raised their fingers one by one to request the rey. And Jungah reyed as if she was a DJ for the day. Strangely enough, they were not bored at all even though it was reyed again and again. Rather, they wanted to listen to it all the more. The song had some sort of addictiveness. So, Jungah reyed it four times in a row then gave a thumbs up to Jinhon. ¡°Wow! This is really good,¡± said Jungah. The previous background music was seven out of ten in terms of score, but this one was twelve. In short, Jungah¡¯s reaction was overwhelming. Hyunwoo seconded Jungah¡¯s opinion with full support. ¡°Though I don¡¯t know about music well, I think this is the best I have heard in my life. So wonderful.¡± ¡°Oh my god! I¡¯m ttered, sir,¡± said Jinhon. Hyunwoo meant it when he said that. It was the first time he was so excited by music. It was like magic to him, and the staff felt the same thing. Everyone praised the ¡®Duckling Fly¡¯ as the best song they had ever heard. Grinning from ear to ear, Jinhon said, ¡°Please make a music video with this. I¡¯ve already arranged a dance apanying this song. I¡¯m going to bring my friends to dance to the tune. I feel the song will be more dynamic and lively when many people dance together.¡± Hyunwoo was of the same opinion. Suddenly, he thought of a video, of the characters of Garbage World, the first animation work of the Ani & Funny kids. There were several characters with the images of a can. Hyunwoo felt they were the perfect match for the dance. Actually, Jungah seemed to feel the same way. ¡°I guess it would be a good idea to make a music video based on the Garbage World.¡± One of the characters, Kenny, was made with a can. Kenny was virtually the main character. ¡°I didn¡¯t mention it to you at that time. There was one thing I foundcking in Garbage World.¡± ¡°What was it?¡± ¡°Well, the characters were unique, but it didn¡¯t suit children¡¯s tastes. Jihoon, do you have the Garbage World video?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve got the USB video on it.¡± Jihoon Kang handed it to Jungah, who yed the video and stopped it at the point when the character named ¡®Kenny¡¯ was erged. ¡°If you look at that, don¡¯t you feel it¡¯s a bit dirty? In order to suit children¡¯s tastes, there should be something cuter and more foxy about Kenny, but I don¡¯t feel it at all. Why don¡¯t we try this way?¡± said Jungah, drawing Kenny again on the paper. It was a totally different image than the original character Jihoon made. Kang¡¯s Kenny was more realistic, while Jungah changed it a lot. For example, Jungah¡¯s version had potbelly and chubby cheeks, with a big mouth and thick lips. Jihoon¡¯s reaction was favorable, too. ¡°Wow, I like it better. As you have to change the image, how about twisting it this way?¡± Then Jihoon changed Jungah¡¯s version then got her feedback. They kept working on it that way for about one hour, and finally, theypletely agreed. Based on the new concept, he drew the character again, and she added coloring to it. After she was done coloring the new character, Jungah showed it to Hyunwoo. ¡°How about it?¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes popped out. He didn¡¯t notice the real problem when he watched Garbage World alone, but now, he could realize what it was. It was none other than a sense of intimacy. The existing Kenny kept the image of a recycled can and emphasized uniqueness and freshness but looked cold and heartless, but the new Kenny was devoid of the previous image. Instead, it added aic feeling and warmth. The moment anyone saw it, he or she might naturally feel ¡®Oh, it¡¯s going to be a troublemaker.¡¯ The identity of the new Kenny could be found in its head and buttocks, with the tip of them shaped like a cone, and opener on the top of its head. ¡°Wow, this is really wonderful!¡± ¡°Let me change the other characters like this. I feel like I¡¯ve opened a new world thanks to you, Jungah,¡± said Jihoon. Looking at them, Hyunwoo giggled, saying, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s give it another try. However, Tuti & Angelica is the priority now. As soon as you¡¯re done with it, let¡¯s think about making a music video with Kenny as Jinhon suggested.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°It will take more than 15 days toplete Tuti & Angelica. In the meantime, Jihoon, get some help from Jungah and Myunghool on how to improve the existing characters. Jinhon, think about how to arrange the format of the music video,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Yes, let me work with my friends on how to mix dancing.¡± ¡°Sure, good job.¡± This time Hyunwoo checked the status of the animation Tuti & Angelica. Tuti & Angelica, now posted on Story Ma in a series of story, was an animation with a mix of 2D and 3D graphics. The 3D portion of the 10-minute video that focused on colorful graphics was only 30 seconds, but the whole ten minutes of Tuti & Angelica to be submitted to Talent Donation Broadcasting would be filled with 3D images, which meant a lot of work in terms of coloring, mapping, lighting, special effects and rendering for the team members including Jungah and Myunghun. ¡°Okay, let me know if you need any further help. I¡¯ve got to leave now for an appointment,¡± said Hyunwoo. He then headed straight to the warehouse of N&C Korea. Like the office of Ani & Funny, it was crowded with many people. To celebrate Hyunwoo¡¯s resignation from Space Design, its staff including Sungrak and Juhwan were waiting inside with a surprise party. Besides, the small warehouse next to the main one was also busy with the newlyweds Jaegyong Kang couple moving their stuff. Though it was a small condo, their ownership of the condo made them happy. Above all, they bought it without taking out a loan. In that respect, it was the newlyweds, not Hyunwoo, who really needed to be congratted. ¡°As far as moving the stuff is concerned, I¡¯m an expert. Can I help you?¡± Hyunwoo rolled up his sleeves to chip in, but the moving was almost done. ¡°Thank you, sir! I owe it all to you.¡± ¡°Hahaha... Just repay me if you know that. If you get rich, we all get rich, right? So, make lots of money, man.¡± ¡°Sure, I will. Hahaha.¡± Then Hyunwoo looked at Juhwan and his two friends. ¡°How about you? You guys are going out for sales activities, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. We like to go out for sales better.¡± That was true. It had been less than one month since Juhwan and his friends began sales activities, but they pulled off the contract worth almost 200 million won. The profit of the sales was about 4% of the total sales. Thanks to that, Juhwan and his friends would make 1.6 million won automatically every month. Of course, Hyunwoo would make much more than them. Standing beside, Sungrak said, scratching his head, ¡°That makes me miserable, sir.¡± He rightly felt so. While Juhwan and his friends pulled off the big contract of 200 million won, Sungrak only signed off a contract worth 20 million won. Smiling at Sungrak, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Each person has a different talent. You¡¯re not cut out for sales activities. So, you don¡¯t have to think that way.¡± ¡°Well, Mr. Paek, the former sales chief who went to the United States, told me sales business was for me.¡± ¡°I guess he just said that to please your ears. Well, one could do well with some praise. And you might be ate bloomer.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ate bloomer. Sales doesn¡¯t seem fit me. I¡¯d rather be more efficient at working at the warehouse.¡± ¡°Hey, sales depends on the skills. So, follow and learn from Juhwan through some on-the-job training.¡± At Hyunwoo¡¯s suggestion Sungrak looked at Juhwan. ¡°Juhwan, what¡¯s the secret of your sales sess?¡± This time Juhwan scratched his head and said, ¡°No idea. I think the recent KOVE Dream broadcast was a big help. When I mentioned it during the sales activities, the other party was easily persuaded.¡± Hyunwoo also felt the broadcast was effective. In sales activities, the role of the press was decisive. At that moment, Hyunwoo¡¯s heart was thrilled. Currently, Korea Broadcasting was making a three-part special series on the documentary in Vietnam. After it is broadcast, the sales volume would greatly increase. Besides, there would be an open trade fair. Though Seoul City had not yet officially decided on that, there was a high possibility that it would happen. In that case, the monthly sales may amount to dozens of billions of won. Hyunwoo felt he would have to treat Jaeyol Song to a big meal for his help. As if he read Hyunwoo¡¯s mind, Jaeyol called him right at that moment. ¡°Hey, have you heard about ¡®Dream Korea¡¯?¡± ¡°Nope. Never heard of it. What is it?¡± asked Hyun, tiling his head. Jaeyol spoke to him in a concerned tone. Hearing that, Hyunwoo also felt the situation was a bit serious. ¡°They are iming that they¡¯re the genuine Dream Team of Vietnam, denouncing KOVE Dream as fake. It looks like they have invited Seoul Broadcasting to make a special program arguing KOVE Dream is a fabrication.¡± Chapter 152

Chapter 152

¡°KOVE DREAM... Did you say it was a fake?¡± What was more ridiculous was Seoul Broadcasting¡¯s attitude? Wasn¡¯t it one of the three majorworks in Korea? How can they y into the hands of a trickster? ¡°By the way, who are these men of Dream Korea?¡± ¡°I hear it is a coalition of dream teams with DAS Toy as the core. They¡¯re pretty lectic.¡± The moment Hyunwoo heard about DAS Toy, he immediately realized how things began to go wrong. Hyunwoo let out a sigh before he knew it, ¡°He is a much worse guy than I think. In fact, he...¡± Hyunwoo told Jaeyol all about Hyongbok Lee, the owner of DAS Toy. Hearing the whole story, Jaeyol also sighed deeply and said, ¡°How can he do that because hispany was not included in the KOVE DREAM project list? What the heck is Seoul Broadcasting doing now? Why are they taking side with him and covering that?¡± Hyunwoo felt that someone gave Seoul Broadcasting a wrong tip on KOVE DREAM. Though DAS Toy was despicable, Seoul Broadcasting was just as despicable. How can a major broadcastingwork y into the hands of such a liar? But Jaeyol seemed to understand the position of Seoul Broadcasting. ¡°Reporting is also apetition. As the reporters of Seoul Broadcasting failed to get the scoop on KOVE DREAM, they might be pursuing Dream Korea aspensation. I feel so sorry for them, though. It¡¯s a big nothing burger anyway. I don¡¯t have to care at all about them,¡± said Jaeyol. Hyunwoo was of the same opinion. While digging into that, they would realize that the tip was false. What he was really concerned about was the city government of Seoul. He heard that the Seoul City officials were apanying the shooting team of Seoul Broadcasting for the feasibility study of the trade fair. ¡°I don¡¯t worry about other things, but I wonder if the projected trade fair can be affected by Dream Korea.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. They don¡¯t have to draw a line between KOVE DREAM and Dream Korea. Didn¡¯t I tell you that the trade fair case was already approved by the Seoul mayor?¡± Hyunwoo grinned from ear to ear. Though he expected so, he felt like a million dors when he heard the news from Jaeyol. ¡°That¡¯s news to me. I wish you had tipped me off on that earlier.¡± ¡°Hahaha. Actually, I¡¯m so absent-minded these days. They are going to form a team soon to support our program. If all things go well, I guess the trade fair will be held sometime in May.¡± It was thrilling news to Hyunwoo. He expected he could hit gold if he prepared for the trade fair well from now on. ¡°Terrific job! When are youing back from Vietnam? I¡¯d like to treat you to dinner.¡± ¡°Wonderful! I would love that. I think we can finish it a bit early thanks to the excellent work of Real Film. I think I can return home soon, so find a good bar for me.¡± ¡°Got it, brother!¡± After the call, Hyunwoo clenched his fist and yelled for joy. *** There was a secret meeting going on in Vietnam about the same time. There were a total of the presidents of eightpanies gathered there, and the central figure was Hyongbok Lee of DAS Toy. Hyonbok began to talk about ¡®Dream Korea.¡¯ His point was simple. He argued that as the KOVE DREAM team formed its own group ofpanies, it was necessary for those excluded from the KOVE list to form a group of their own, but the presidents gathered there were not happy. ¡°Isn¡¯t it true that our technological abilities are not up to the standards set by KOVE DREAM? How can wepete with them?¡± ¡°Instead, our products are cheaper than theirs, right? In terms of the quality of products, KOVE DREAM set the bar high for us, but our products are much better than Chinese goods.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Even if thepanies of KOVE DREAM are allbined, they are less than ten, all told. I hear two morepanies are joining the list, and with that, it¡¯s eleven at the most. On the contrary, we are twice as many and are united more strongly. There is no reason for us tog behind thepetition.¡± The presidents began to go seesaw gradually by Hyongbok¡¯s persuasion, but the problem was their image. It was impossible to create the kind of image that could surpass that of KOVE DREAM. Of course, there was an expedient answer. ¡°Why don¡¯t we coin our name as ¡®VEKO Dream¡¯ or ¡®Dream KOVE¡¯ like them?¡± But Hyongbok shook his head and said, ¡°No, they¡¯re very cunning. I was thinking of that, but they already registered all such names.¡± Hearing his exnation, all of them began to be resigned to the reality. ¡°Let¡¯s think about how to survive from now on.¡± Hyongbok curled his lips and thought to himself, Done! I think it¡¯s not impossible to crush KOVE DREAM by using Seoul Broadcasting well. *** Saturday morning Suji headed to Samhwari in the city of Hwasung with her parents, where Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom¡¯s factory was located. They wanted to take a look at the new house they would move into. They found the lot was much more spacious than expected. Mrs. Kong was all happy. ¡°In fact, I love a country house better than a condo in the city. What a scenic view from here! I¡¯m worried about you, Suji. You will go through lots of inconveniences living in the countryside.¡± ¡°Well, I like this ce, too.¡± They looked around the new house here and there, when there was heard a familiar voice. ¡°Suji, when did you get here? Uh, your mom and dad are also here. How are you?¡± Turning her head, she saw Hyunwoo, who was sticking his head over the high wall on the other side and looking down on them. With a bright smile, Suji waved her hand. ¡°It¡¯s cold out there. You might catch a cold. Pleasee this way and have some hot tea,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Shall we?¡¯ Suji led them to Hyunwoo¡¯s house. As there was no gate to Hyunwoo¡¯s house, they had to walk around the wall to get there. Suji grumbled, walking around, ¡°Looks like we have to pull down this wall.¡± When they entered Hyunwoo¡¯s house, his parents were ready to greet them with nice tea. Mrs. Kong was familiar with Hyunwoo¡¯s family thanks to her association with them at the alternative school, and her husband Taeho seemed to have made friends with them, too. He didn¡¯t show any awkwardness in exchanging greetings with them or speaking with them. Suji poked Hyunwoo in the ribs and said, ¡°Won¡¯t you show me around the house?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you see it on your previous visit?¡± ¡°No, not in detail,¡± said Suji, looking at him. Standing up first, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Really? Okay, then. Let me show you around.¡± Suji followed Hyunwoo and took a walk around the house. ¡°By the way, howe you decided to move here?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°I told you already I might move here when the moment arrived, didn¡¯t I?¡± said Suji, giggling. ¡°Hummmm... You might want to marry me, too, when the moment arrives. Hahaha,¡± said Hyunwoo heartily, which made her blush before she knew. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a vulnerable woman?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just kidding. Hahaha.¡± Hyunwooughed more heartily to clear an awkward silence. ¡°In fact, my dad...¡± said Suji, exining about the real reason why she decided to move. It was because of her daddy¡¯s research activities. ¡°Looks like you and your mother made a sacrifice for your dad¡¯s research activities, after all,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Not really. My mother and I love country life better. Of course, I¡¯d like to keep an eye on you, too. Hohoho,¡± said Suji, cracking a joke. Suji had a cute smile in her eyes. Whenever she smiled, her eyes shaped like crescent moons fascinated him before he knew. ¡°By the way, do you have any appointments this evening?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t have one. My friends keep calling me to see me, but I¡¯ve told them I would stay home today.¡± ¡°Really? I¡¯d like to treat you to a nice dinner.¡± ¡°Why are you going to treat me like this all of a sudden?¡± asked Suji, with a curious look. ¡°No particr reason. I just want to have dinner with you over beer.¡± ¡°Beer? Howe you want to have a beer with me? Is today a special day?¡± asked Suji with open eyes, as if she couldn¡¯t figure out. Hyunwoo decided to be honest with her. A rtionship between a man and a woman couldn¡¯t be that different from their social rtions. He thought the truth would pay off. ¡°As you know, I quit from Aurum finally. So, how can I spend such a monumental day without celebrating?¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°I mean we have to celebrate the day.¡± ¡°With me?¡± ¡°Of course. Though there are lots of people that I know, you are the only one that I want to celebrate with.¡± She gently nodded her head, pretending to give in. ¡°Alright. Let me be generous today. I was going to take a break at home today, but let me take time out for you. Promise to buy me dinner and beer, okay?¡± ¡°Sure. Thanks,¡± said Hyunwoo, and reached out his hand to pull her shoulder suddenly. She almost stumbled before she was wrapped in his arms. Hyunwoo felt he acted naturally, thinking ¡®we¡¯re now on intimate terms, right?¡¯ But Suji seemed to think differently. As if she was surprised a lot, she quickly got out of his arms and looked around. Fortunately, there was nobody who saw that. ¡°What are you doing now? What if someone saw this?¡± said Suji in a lower tone for fear someone overheard it. ¡°So what? Isn¡¯t it natural that a good man and woman put arms around each other¡¯s shoulders? Besides, you don¡¯t know how much I like you¡± said Hyunwoo, revealing his genuine feelings toward her. With a smile in her eyes, she looked at him and quickly walked off, saying, ¡°Anyway, give me a call this evening. Let¡¯s move inside as it¡¯s cold out here. I guess my parents are obviously wondering why I am noting back.¡± Hyunwoo felt strange about what she said. It looked as if she was wary of them whenever she mentioned him. ¡°Do your parents disapprove of me?¡± asked Hyunwoo. At that moment, she stopped walking as if she was struck by electricity and looked at him. It seemed that Hyunwoo guessed right. With a gentle smile suggesting he didn¡¯t care, Hyunwoo said, ¡°That¡¯s what I expected. As you know I didn¡¯t go to college. There are no parents who want to marry their daughter to a guy like me. Besides, a daughter like you who is beautiful and excellent.¡± Suji kept silent, though. Instead, she looked at him with regret. Finally, she opened her red lips, ¡°You¡¯re right. They are dissatisfied with you rather than disapproving of you for the reason you have just mentioned.¡± Hyunwoo nodded calmly but didn¡¯t feel sorry or unpleasant. In fact, Suji¡¯s parents didn¡¯t know him very well. They simply judged him by his looks. In that respect, Hyunwoo was not a good match for Suji. He had no college degree, his job was not impressive, and he had no money. Of course, he was the president of twopanies with his stocks worth more than 10 billion won, which Suji was not even aware of. What she knew was only Ani & Funny, but Hyunwoo still wanted to fight and win her heart. Even without a good academic or financial background, he wanted to be a man duly recognized by her parents. Tightening his stomach, Hyunwoo said confidently, ¡°Just wait and see. I¡¯ll make them say to you, ¡®grab him by all means,¡¯ Okay?¡± When he said so, Suji eased her hardened look and cheered him up with a smile, ¡°You look great!¡± ¡°Are you serious, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the best man I¡¯ve met so far,¡± said Suji, nodding her head strongly. Chapter 153

Chapter 153

¡°Can you promise me toe out unconditionally when I call you this evening?¡± ¡°Got it. Let¡¯s go inside. It¡¯s cold out here.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± said Hyunwoo, putting his arm around her shoulders vigorously. But Suji pulled his arm down, looking sharply at him, and said, ¡°Somebody is watching us.¡± ¡°Who cares?¡± Hyunwoo tried again to raise his arm, but Suji hopped away from him, ¡°I don¡¯t like it!¡± Giggling a bit, he followed her into the house. *** At 3 pm Suji began to take out various clothes from her wardrobe to check out what was best. Looking at her Mrs. Kong made a bright smile because obviously, she had a good appointment, given that she paid lots of attention to her clothes. ¡°Are you meeting someone?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve got an appointment.¡± ¡°With whom?¡± Suji momentarily agonized over her answer because her mother didn¡¯t like her dating Hyunwoo. If she told Mrs. Kong that her date was Hyunwoo, obviously she would dissent and even tell her off. Suji could stand that, but her mother might go further and speak ill of him to dissuade her, which would be uneptable to Suji. Suji could lie to her she was meeting an alumnus friend, but she didn¡¯t want to lie. Rather, she wanted to tell her mother that Hyunwoo was a much better guy than she thought. ¡°I¡¯m going out to meet a man.¡± Brightening, Mrs. Kong said, ¡°Good for you! By the way, who is he? Do I know him?¡± ¡°Yes, Hyunwoo Jang.¡± As expected, Mrs. Kong¡¯s face hardened the moment she heard it. She even began to scold Suji. ¡°What the heck are you doing now? Why are you dating Hyunwoo when there are so many good men around you? I hear he didn¡¯t go to college. And now he quit from a goodpany to do a business that is hopeless?¡± Suji patiently waited until her mother finished what she had to say. Then Suji said in a calm voice, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m not a fool, nor a child. I know what marriage means, and that love alone doesn¡¯t bring about happiness.¡± Mrs. Kong¡¯s hardened face eased a bit and seemed to trust her and felt assured. ¡°You know about Hyunwoo a bit, but I know him much more. You¡¯ll like him if you really appreciate Hyunwoo¡¯s true character.¡± ¡°Is he such a great guy?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to boast about him with my own mouth. Let me wait until he can change your perception of him. Are you happy now?¡± Mrs. Kong smiled brightly. Her daughter was more thoughtful and considerate than she felt. ¡°Got it. Go and see him. Don¡¯t be toote.¡± Suji went out of her house. Hyunwoo was waiting for her. He didn¡¯t drive this time. Instead, he took a taxi toe to Suji¡¯s ce. They went to a restaurant first. When they arrived, Suji opened her eyes wide because it was the most expensive in Ansan. Though she could afford toe to this ce a couple of times with her parents, it would be pretty burdensome to Hyunwoo, she thought. Stopping walking for a moment, she pulled his arms gently and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go somewhere else.¡± ¡°Why? Any particr reason?¡± asked Hyunwoo with a curious look. Suji could bring herself to say it¡¯s an expensive restaurant because it might offend his pride. ¡°Well, I had an upset stomach after having a meal here before. After that, I avoid this ce on purpose.¡± ¡°Really? Let¡¯s go to some other restaurant. I wish I had asked you in advance before making the reservation. What do you want to eat?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we go to that seafood restaurant that we had visited previously?¡± Hyunwoo made a somewhat regretful expression. The seafood house was good, but not good enough for him to give himself to her. Anyway, they headed for the seafood house. While enjoying the seafood, they chatted away pleasantly. Of course, Hyunwoo was looking for a chance to win her heart. In fact, he was determined to make Suji his woman this evening but didn¡¯t know what to do. Hyunwoo looked at her face with amorous eyes. As if she felt it, Suji seemed a bit nervous. ¡°Suji,¡± said Hyunwoo in a quiet voice as amorous as his eyes. Her eyes became wider now as if she already expected what woulde out of his lips. Hyunwoo felt his heart was throbbing. Though he was decided, he just felt shy and awkward about showing his love. Now he set about it, there was no turning back. ¡°Won¡¯t you date with me?¡± Suji blushed. As if she was surprised at his unexpected proposal, she looked at him with open eyes, and then leered at him again. ¡°You don¡¯t have a speck of romantic ambiance in you! How can any woman be tempted by a dumb proposal like that? I don¡¯t like a man with no romantic feelings. Just go and learn how to propose to a woman,¡± said Suji, but she was all smiles, though. Scratching his head, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Well, I¡¯m pretty clumsy at that.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? You can do if you want. How can you get married with that mindset? Learn how to surprise a woman, dress well, get your hair done at a beauty salon and take care of your care.¡± ¡°Actually, I see many telling me about that, but I don¡¯t feel like it. I wanted to meet a woman who will appreciate the inside of me, not my appearance. I mean, my true character,¡± said Hyunwoo sincerely. ¡°Still your appearance should be impressive. Only then can you have a chance to show your true character, right?¡± said Suji. As if he appreciated her advice, Hyunwoo lowered his head and said, touching the teacup with his fingers, ¡°That makes sense, but it¡¯s not in my element to spruce up my appearance that way. I just want to win a woman¡¯s heart by showing my true heart.¡± ¡°True heart?¡± ¡°In other words, the truth that I didn¡¯t intentionally spruce up my appearance. The truth that my true character will be the same 100 years from now on, just like it is now. I would like to meet the kind of woman who can believe me, and I wished it was you.¡± Hearing his confession, Suji couldn¡¯t move for a while. The weight of the truth that Hyunwoo was confessing seemed to press heavily on her. As if she wanted to get away from the awkward atmosphere, Suji looked at Hyunwoo again and said, ¡°How can a woman know that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I have ended up like this today,¡± said Hyunwoo, smiling bitterly. ¡°No, don¡¯t say that. You look great,¡± said Suji,forting him btedly. Suji brooded on Hyunwoo¡¯s remarks, though. In some aspects that was the biggest difference between Hyunwoo and Sangho Oh, his former colleague at Aurum and a graduate of Columbia University. Sangho was the type of man who could spruce up his appearance hundreds of times to win a woman¡¯s heart. Once he achieved his goal, however, he would go back to his original dirty character. On the other hand, Hyunwoo would always be the same. Given the choice between the two, who would Suji choose? Suji thought it would be Hyunwoo. The thing was that there were few women who would be able to find the truth that Hyunwoo¡¯s true character now would still be the same for all his life. Suddenly Suji came to think, Am I a lucky girl, then? I¡¯ve had a chance to watch him at a close distance for a long time. After dinner, they moved to a beerhouse, and then to a karaoke room. Actually, Hyunwoo was really better at singing and dancing than anybody else. As if he wanted to show the best of his entertaining talent. pping her hands right before him, Suji shook withughter. He sang his favorite songs twice in a row, and the atmosphere couldn¡¯t be better. Suji also chose a cheerful song. Excited by Hyunwoo¡¯s random dancing, she also moved her body rhythmically, and Hyunwoo shouted a cheer. Was it because of the lights? Or was he getting tipsy because of the beer he had a moment ago? Suji¡¯s face looked much more beautiful than before. Her eyes were deep and clear and her lips were redder. When she smiled, her white teeth was also reflected in his eyes. After they had a good time singing, they took a brief break. Suji took a seat first, and Hyunwoo sat as close as possible to her side, putting his arm around her shoulders. Filling his cup with beer, Suji said, ¡°You really look wonderful.¡± ¡°You, too, Suji. You sing and dance well.¡± ¡°I suspect you might me me deep inside, right?¡± ¡°Oh, no, no. How can I? Why don¡¯t we drink our first cup with our arms linked?¡± And then he pushed his body inside her arms, which looked like they were hugging each other. Stunned, Suji screamed briefly, asking ¡°Oh my god! What are you doing now?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t drink it up, you have to grant my wish, okay?¡± said Hyunwoo, making an arbitrary rule. Hyunwoo emptied his cup first. As the cup wasrge, it took some time for him to fill her cup. ¡°Tastes so good. Did you drink it up?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°It¡¯s too much. Let me sip at it slowly.¡± ¡°Yea, you¡¯ve got lots of time. You can drink it slowly. Or you don¡¯t have to do so if you can grant my wish.¡± ¡°So, what is the wish you talking about?¡± In fact, Hyunwoo had no particr wish, but he felt he could tell her about some burdensome wish. He could respond with ¡®Never mind!¡¯ if she rejected it anyway. ¡°Well, I would love your kiss, and that deep kiss.¡± ¡°Oh, I can¡¯t do that,¡± said Suji charmingly, wriggling her body wrapped in his arms. ¡°How about it? You want to stop drinking now, right?¡± ¡°Nope, I will.¡± ¡°Really? Okay, then. Drink it slowly. Let me take a nap while you¡¯re drinking it. Wake me up when you¡¯re done.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you change your wish? Let me sing a song.¡± ¡°No, I love your kiss better.¡± As if she felt good because of intoxication, she didn¡¯t hesitate to act charming today. Shaking her shoulders, she spoke through her nose, ¡°Doh, let me take your request song.¡± He really couldn¡¯t resist her request, ¡°Okay, then. Let me give it a pass this time only.¡± Hyunwoo found the song for her. Suji stood up to sing the song, and so did Hyunwoo. He naturally put his arm around her shoulders. She didn¡¯t care at all. Instead, she looked at the screen with the lyrics. Not caring at all about Hyunwoo¡¯s act, she only focused on singing. Though she didn¡¯t sing well, her singing itself was beautiful. Her song was over before he knew, but Hyunwoo wouldn¡¯t release her. ¡°Please sing one more.¡± ¡°Which song?¡¯ ¡°Any song, I mean, the same song you just sang.¡± Hyunwoo hugged her tighter, who corrected her position a moment ago. He wanted to express to her how happy he was now, but that was a mistake because she moved her body, after all. That was a clear signal that she wanted to be freed from his tight hold. She turned back as if she wanted to go back to her seat in the karaoke room. But he didn¡¯t let her go. Instead, he held her shoulders and hugged her all of a sudden. He felt the warmth of her body. She was clearly tense and tried to raise her hand to stop him, but she didn¡¯t resist anymore. Though she raised her hand to push him away, she stopped there. Only then did Hyunwoo let her go, but he didn¡¯t release his folded armpletely. Hyunwoo wanted something very strongly, and Suji found herself agonizing about it. Finally, he edged toward kissing her. The closer his lips came near hers, she lowered her head, as if she was shy. And then he stole a kiss from her. Now he was trying to steal a deep kiss, but she kept stepping back as if she wanted to set up a barricade for the moment. ¡°No, no. That¡¯s the limit,¡± said Suji in a low voice. It looked as if the bridge of love that connected them was copsing, but he couldn¡¯t do anything about it. Hyunwoo released her, after all. Chapter 154

Chapter 154

¡°What the heck? You want to share my room?¡± said Hyunwoo, expressing a nk look. It was as if he got stabbed in the back by Jinhon Kwak. Hyunwoo was embarrassed. On the other hand, though, Hyunwoo felt Jinhon wasmendable in a way. Instead of hiding behind his shyness Jinhon came forward and expressed his wish to share Hyunwoo¡¯s room. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t feel sensitive to sharing the room. He was not the type of person who couldn¡¯t sleep because someone was beside him. ¡°Got it,¡± said Hyunwoo, giving a green light to Jinhon¡¯s request. Lying on the bed, they talked about various topics, and the main topic naturally revolved around Jinhon¡¯s music. ¡°What is your dream?¡± ¡°Well, I want to continue my music career to the end of my life. I just want to perform music with my congenial friends without worrying about anything.¡± ¡°Howe your dream is so simple?¡± ¡°What about your dream, then?¡± ¡°Well, my dream is to get the returns from my investment in people like you. Hahaha.¡± ¡°Is that all? I think your dream is more simple than mine.¡± ¡°Really? In my mind, mine is more ambitious than yours.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you don¡¯t know well enough. Do you know how difficult it is to meet people with congenial minds? And you really can¡¯t make a living unless you hit gold.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think you should have a dream such as being a millionaire with music?¡± ¡°Well, I can make some money enough to sustain myself. Of course, the more money, the better, but music is more important to me,¡± said Jinhon. Hyunwoo felt good to hear what he said. At least his passion for music was pure. He also agreed with Jinhon¡¯s remarks that it was difficult to meet congenial friends. When he thought as far as that, he suddenly thought of Raymon, the ck guy who lived next to his room at the lodge in Seoul while he was an employee with Space Design. Like Jinhon, Raymon¡¯s passion for music was enthusiastic. Come to think of it, Raymon¡¯s deep husky voice was pretty unique. He felt Raymon, Jinhon, and Ang, his Vietnamese girlfriend would be a great mix. ¡°Hey, Jinhon. Don¡¯t you want to add a singer to your music video?¡± ¡°Singer? Which one are you talking about?¡± He told Jinhon about Raymon in detail. Jinhon listened to him with great interest but declined. ¡°Maybe next time I can do with him, but this time I want to make the music video with Ang alone.¡± Hyunwoo giggled at that. The next morning Jinhon was going out with Ang with the excuse that he wanted to have her practice to participate in his music video ¡®Duckling Fly¡¯ as soon as possible. ¡°Where are you going to take her?¡± ¡°As you know, I attend an alternative music school. So, it¡¯s equipped with good practice rooms. If I pay 200,000 won per month, I can use the room indefinitely.¡± ¡°Really? Let me know when you¡¯re done with practicing. You might need some big money if you rent a recording studio.¡± ¡°Well, we have a recording studio at our school. They give us a 30% discount for the students. I think I can record for 200,000 won if Ang is fully prepared. Besides, there is a dance practice room there, too.¡± ¡°Great school! Good for you.¡± ¡°See youter then.¡± Jinhon went with Ang to the alternative school, and Hyunwoo went to the animation office in Bono-dong. *** Manager Kim went into the president¡¯s room, holding a USB. ¡°I¡¯ve done a thorough analysis of it.¡± As if he was expecting that, the president sat on the sofa, with a notebook powered up. Inserting the USB, Kim said, ¡°I think we can submit two entries under our name.¡± BNB was the biggest video mediapany in Korea. It was so big andpetitive that almost all the video productions for the TVworks were made by BNB, but there was a popr bacsh against thepany. Because of its monopolistic business practices, other videopanies couldn¡¯t get ess to the market, let alone their growth. So, BNB thought of some other tricks to avoid the criticism by creating subpanies with different names such as Q1, Skyview, and Goldview. BNB submitted to the Talent Donation Broadcasting Company a total of four animation works under the name of its four subsidiaries, but Manager Kim mentioned only two, not four. ¡°Why are there only two?¡± ¡°I guess there will bepetition in the categories of social security and history, and I feel our entries have less chance of being chosen this time.¡± ¡°Competition? Whichpany ispeting with us?¡± ¡°It¡¯s called Ani & Funny.¡± It was new to the president. ¡°Really? Okay, then. Only submitpetitive entries.¡± Manager Kim yed two videos in a row. One of them was ¡®Tuti & Angelica¡¯ submitted by Ani & Funny. The animation work in the history area was produced by Skyview, which the president felt was clearly inferior in terms of its contents and video quality. The president frowned and said, ¡°Ani & Funny? I¡¯ve never heard of it.¡± ¡°Based on my research, thepany was founded this year. It has just a little over ten employees, and many of them are part-timers, and the full-time staff is only six.¡± ¡°Howe such apany made this kind of animation work so quickly? Find out who the core yers of thepany are and pay a premium to scout them. By the way, did you work it out well with Producer Hwang?¡± ¡°Well, Hwang is trying to wash his hands of this deal, citing his difficult position. It looks like the selection of the final animation candidates will be made not by individuals but by themittee, starting next year.¡± ¡°Is he reneging because he feels this is the final year to get kickbacks from us?¡± ¡°That might be one cause, but the problem is Reporter Jaeyol Song.¡± ¡°Reporter Jaeyol Song? Who is he?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a veteran reporter with Korea Broadcasting. It seems he is covering any possible secret deal in the selection process.¡± ¡°Why is the Korea Broadcasting broadcaster going around for such coverage? Does he want to get some kickbacks for that?¡± ¡°Looks like he is backing Ani & Funny.¡± ¡°Damn it. Why are there so many blowflies gathering like this? Don¡¯t care about Song. Give a little more bribe to Producer Hwang. You know how big a loss we can incur when we lose a slot in their TV programs, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Got it.¡± *** ¡°Hey, everybody. Come over here. I¡¯ve got some assignments for you,¡± said Hyunwoo, calling the kids of Ani & Funny. Inserting the USB on theputer, he yed the music and video, which featured the main song of the music video and various dancing motions. Jinhon¡¯s song was yed again, which surprised everyone there. And the dancing featured in the video was exceptional. The video had a story in itself like this: some garbage is scared when dumped at the waste site, but it gained confidence with the help of its friends and bes the light of the world by changing to recycled products. Jinhon already had a detailed n on the insertion of specific dancing portions in the music video. The music and dancing were very pleasant and refreshing, which suggested the natural and freewheeling style was the life of the music video. Watching the music video material Jinhon gave him, Hyunwoo was greatly impressed. Wow, he really did a good job. I feel it¡¯s going to be a big hit. The Ani & Funny kids seemed to agree with him. ¡°Can you make it like this one?¡± asked Hyunwoo. Nodding their heads, they said confidently, ¡°Absolutely. Though it will take some time, we can make it.¡± Hyunwoo wanted to have this music video produced by these amateur kids. So, he made sure not only the music and dancing but also the video was made by Ani & Funny kids alone. They were pretty enthusiastic. When they ran into difficulties, the professional staff working with them kindly solved the problem. Thanks to their work, the Ani & Funny kids¡¯ capabilities improved daily, though the progress in their animation work was slow. Several dayster, Jinhon visited Hyunwoo¡¯s office with Ang. Another student from the alternative school apanied them. It had been almost 15 days since Ang, the orphaned Vietnamese girl, arrived in Korea. As she, along with her friends, visited the main office in Bono-dong every weekend, they knew each other very well. In particr, Ang was popr among them because of her pure and beautiful image. Though Jungah was pretty, she was nothing,pared to Ang. ¡°Finally, we¡¯re done with recording the music video.¡± ¡°Already? In about 15 days?¡± ¡°Ang is a genius. After listening to the music, she instantly memorized it and showed the appropriate feelings and mood perfectly,¡± said Jinhon, praising her. With heartyughter, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Ha ha ha. Got it, dude. As you are praising her, let me listen.¡± When the music was yed, the staff in the office opened their eyes wide. They looked at each other full of surprise as if they couldn¡¯t believe it because of Ang¡¯s clear and dreamlike voice which perfectly matched with the song ¡®Duckling Fly.¡¯ The peculiar sounding out of the milk bottle musical instrument was also exceptionally appealing. The rhythm itself was very exciting, which made the listeners dance to its tune before they knew it. Added to the tune was the singing of the duet Jinhon and Ang who made a fantastic harmony, which was another great attraction of the song. Even when the music was over, Hyunwoo made an absent expression for a moment until he was prodded by Jinhon. ¡°Can you y the next song?¡± demanded Jinhon. ¡°Oh... I forgot. Sure.¡± Hyunwoo refreshed his mind and yed other versions of the music video. Like Jinhon said, every version was different. For example, one version was serious while the other was exciting. There were four versions int total. Hyunwoo liked all of them, the fruits of Jinhon and Ang¡¯s toil and sweat, but he liked the fourth one best, which Jinhon made light and yful. In particr, he felt good about that portion in which theyughed yfully at each other. After enjoying the music videos, Hyunwoo thumbed up and praised them, ¡°This is really the best I¡¯ve ever seen. Yea, the best music video!¡± Chapter 155

Chapter 155

Other staff showed the same reaction. ¡°Wow. I didn¡¯t know a music genius was right in front of us! How did he couldpose this kind of song?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t agree any more. We had better get his autograph in advance.¡± ¡°Oh, no, no. I¡¯m ttered by yourpliments,¡± said Jinhon, with his face full of smiles. ¡°Which version is the best? Personally, I love the second one, but others picked the fourth one, which you and Ang sang yfully.¡± ¡°Really? In fact, I enjoyed the fourth one the most. I was so happy while listening to it,¡± said Hyunwoo frankly. When he said that, the other staff also agreed, saying though Jihon and Ang sung better on the fourth song, the song reflected their joy and pleasure much more than others. As if he had decided, Jinhon pounded on the desk and said, ¡°Good. Let me select the fourth version. Take a look at our dancing this time. I¡¯ve created a new folder for this.¡± Jinhon clicked into the folder ¡®DANCE¡¯ which held six files. He yed each of them one by one. Three of them were duet dancing of Jinhon and Ang, which featured a unique dancing style in the middle. Retracing his memory, Hyunwoo conjured up the image of the Ani & Funny kids doing random dances, which Jungah videotaped. ¡°You changed the dancing style a lot,pared with thest time,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Interesting, isn¡¯t it?¡± Hyunwoo nodded, thinking, Hummm...When promoted well, this one might make a big hit. ¡°Did you create this dance on your own?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°Yes, a friend of mine did. As for its bouncing style, she took her cue from the video clip Jungah sent. How about it?¡± ¡°Wonderful!¡± said Hyunwoo, thumbing up. ¡°By the way, can you use your friend¡¯s dance creation without his approval? I guess such a creation is protected by something like copyright,¡± said Hyunwoo seriously. ¡°Hahaha. No worries between friends,¡± replied the guy casually, who created the dance. However, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t agree. He felt ownership of the creation should be clearly established between friends to prevent any possible trouble. He felt the ¡®Duckling Fly¡¯ would probably hit gold. In that case, it was important to solve the issue of copyright early on while they were unknown, which would ensure there should be no trouble when they made their names known in the world. ¡°I don¡¯t think so, guys. You guys are saying so because you¡¯re friends, but that¡¯s uneptable to me. Let me buy your dance creation. How much should I pay?¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°No, no. In fact, I didn¡¯t create that bouncing style of the dance.¡± Though Jinhon¡¯s friend refused Hyunwoo¡¯s offer, Hyunwoo was serious. He took out a contract form on theputer and then printed it. ¡°Look at this. You should get your due reward for your creation. How long did you spend creating this dance?¡± ¡°Well, inspiration came instantly in my case, so you can¡¯t measure it with money. If you really want to pay for my copyright, just give me 100,000 won. Hahaha.¡± ¡°No way, that¡¯s too little,¡± said Hyunwoo, and then put down 200,000 won. Then, he looked at Jinhon and his friend alternatively, who were both happy. They felt good not just because Hyunwoo paid the money but because their efforts were duly appreciated. With a big smile, Hyunwoo then took up the pen again and added another number ¡®0¡¯ to 200,000. At that moment, Jinhon¡¯s friend was stunned. Hyunwoo showed him the contract, saying ¡°I think this bouncing rhythm of your creation is worth at least 2 million won.¡± ¡°But this is too much...¡± he said, making an embarrassed expression. Holding the contract, Suljun Kim, Jinhon¡¯s friend, gave him a puzzled look, as if he thought 2 million won was toorge a sum. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t think so. Rather, he thought 2 million won was not enough. Suljun was trim and slender in figure. His dancing in the video was so natural. He even easily managed a difficult dancing skill. Jinhon said he could do any kind of dance once he was into it. Looking at him, Hyunwoo said, ¡°No, it¡¯s not enough. Can you create lots of such creations and sell them to me? Let me buy them. By the way, put down your bank ount number. Let me wire the money today.¡± ¡°Thanks so much,¡± said Jinhon¡¯s friend, bowing to Hyunwoo. As soon as Hyunoo knew his bank ount number, he paid through online banking. ¡°Now, shall we videotape your dance? Let me have a professional video technician shoot your dancing.¡± ¡°Professional? I thought we were going to videotape it among us.¡± In no time, Hyunoo called Kwangsu Hang, the owner of Real Film. ¡°Brother Kwangsu, are you fully tied up these days? ¡°Of course! I¡¯m working through the night these days to edit what we filmed in Vietnam.¡± ¡°When are you going to finish the job?¡± ¡°I want to finish it by the end of this month. What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ve got a favor to ask of you. I want to give you some work to do.¡± ¡°Oh my god, man. You¡¯re really giving me a hard time, hahaha.¡± With a heartyugh, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Hahaha, sorry, brother. Just give me one day to work with you. It¡¯s about shooting an amateur music video, so it will be done quickly.¡± Kwangsu was stunned to hear the word ¡®music video¡¯ from Hyunwoo. What he heard from Hyunwoo was all about animation, not music videos. When Hyunwoo told him all about the music video, Kwangsu understood the situation. ¡°Okay, then. Let me shoot it this weekend. As I have to finish it in one day, tell them they have to be fully prepared.¡± ¡°Got it. There is a music alternative school called Todolyipyo(Repeat Sign) on the outskirts of Suwon City. Pleasee to that ce.¡± On Saturday morning, Hyunwoo took Jinhon and Ang to the alternative school. Some elderly women including Mrs. Hong insisted they follow him,ining that they wre too bored at home. ¡°Okay, you cane with me, but you should stay silent as we have to shoot a music video,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Got it. We heard you,¡± said Mrs. Hong in a loud voice. But he was really concerned about her because she just couldn¡¯t sit idle when she saw or heard something that aroused her interest. After he was reassured by her that she would not cause any trouble, he left for the school to meet Kwangsu at 11 am. Kwangsoo was already waiting for them. ¡°Oh, brother, you arrived already. Have I kept you waiting long?¡± ¡°Well, I got here a bit early to prepare for the shooting. Who are these seniors anyway?¡± Hyunwoo sought his generous understanding, exining the situation. ¡°As I repeatedly asked them to keep silent during the shooting, they will quietly enjoy it. Is that okay?¡± ¡°Sure. By the way, are these guys participating in the music video? Oh, she is beautiful. Is she a new idol singer?¡± Hyunwoo briefed him about Ang without mentioning her sad family history. Instead, he focused on Jinhon¡¯s precious association with her back in Vietnam. Instantly, Kwangsoo looked at her with a sad look, which Hyunwoo stopped, ¡°No, no, That will remind her of her painful memories, brother.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re right. If she is in a sad mood, that will affect the shooting.¡± Kwangsu went right into the shooting. As soon as Jinhon yed the music, Kwangsu opened his mouth all of a sudden as if he was stunned. ¡°Wow, this is great. Did youpose the song on your own?¡± It was not just his pleasantries. Kwangsu was long recognized for his musical taste and discernment. In the past, he was involved in several music programs and the production of a famous singer¡¯s music video As such, he could immediately figure out the worth of a song after listening just once. ¡°How about it, brother?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°Wow, this song is very catchy. I really feel it¡¯s going to make a great hit if we record it properly and present it in the music market.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I turned to you, brother. Please make a great music video of it.¡± ¡°Sure, don¡¯t worry. Shall we start now?¡± Kwangsu was a veteran in this field. He coached the dancers kindly on their dancing. Watching Jinhon and Ang dance, he asked them for more variances. ¡°Hey, your expression is too stiff. Don¡¯t think I¡¯m filming your dance. Just assume you¡¯re here for the fun. You guys were pretty good at singing and dancing, but your expression looks so serious.¡± Kwangsoo continued to emphasize their natural feelings, so did Hyunwoo. ¡°Hey, guys. You¡¯re only amateurs at this point. You are not doing this for anymercial marketing. Just enjoy it as if you are now making special memories here.¡± At Hyunwoo¡¯s prodding, Jinhon and Ang brightened their look and began to dance yfully without caring about the camera at all. But what Hyunwoo was really concerned about took ce. As the music was so exciting, with the young kids also dancing to the tune, she stood up and began to move her body rhythmically. Watching her, other elderly women also stood up one by one and began to imitate Mrs. Hong. Hyunwoo hastily tried to stop them, but Kwangsu dissuaded him, pointing his fingers to another spot. There he found two auxiliary cameras filming the women dancing. Chapter 156

Chapter 156

Kwangsu quietly said to Hyunwoo, ¡°It looks like this music video will draw more attention thanks to the seniors¡¯ participation.¡± ¡°I think so.¡± ¡°Make sure you get the consent from the seniors. Without that, you might be in big trouble.¡± That was something Hyunwoo thought out in advance. If their faces were seen in the music video without their consent because of the issue of infringement on their portrait rights, it could be trouble. ¡°Will do. I¡¯ll get it by all means.¡± Kwangsu shot the music video several times and then pped his hands as if he was satisfied. ¡°Enough. I think that¡¯s good enough. As soon as you¡¯re done, please let me know before you release it in the music market. Let me have a final review of it.¡± ¡°Oh, I appreciate that, Kwangsu,¡± said Hyunwoo, confident that Kwangsu¡¯s finishing touches would enhance the quality of the music video. ¡°In return, you should include my name in the video, Okay?¡± ¡°Of course, brother. Ha ha. Let me imprint it very big.¡± *** At the conference room of the Talent Broadcastingpany, fourpany officials and four experts were in a heated debate on the selection of the final candidate to be broadcasted on Children¡¯s Day as a special animation program. There were a total of seven animations to be scheduled for broadcasting, and there were 14 final candidates up for selection. One of the experts had a puzzled look on his face after checking out the panelists¡¯ points on each of the candidates. ¡°I can¡¯t understand at all why you gave such a low score to No. 11. It is excellent in educational content, unique characters and theposition of the picture. I don¡¯t see anything in that candidate toin about.¡± ¡°That means other candidates are much better,¡± said one broadcasting official involved. Still, the expert was not persuaded. If the other candidates were superior, there must bepetition among them for the final selection, but No. 11 candidate was much more superior to the others. In his mind, it looked much better than the others. In particr, the familiarity of the characters was outstanding. At the end of the day, his puzzle was solved. These guys are ying tricks again. Obviously, a high-ranking official with the broadcastingpany must have received kickbacks, but there was nothing that expert could do about it. Unless No. 11 was exceptionally good enough to beat other candidates, there was no point in making the case for it. No. 11 was not chosen, after all. With a bitter smile he murmured to himself, Yea, you guys get the kickbacks as much as you want. This is thest year you could get the bribe anyway. This was the final year that they would select the final candidates through the debate among broadcasting officials and animation experts because there was controversy over the fairness of their selection process. So, next year they decided to form a specialmittee to ensure fairness. The meeting was over. The final results would be announced one weekter. As soon as the meeting was over, however, Manager Kim with BNB entertainmentpany could immediately learn the results because Producer Hwang attended the meeting as an observer. All proceeded as BNB wished. Manager Kim raced to the president¡¯s office to inform him of the good news. The president stayed calm as he felt the result was legitimate, given the huge kickbacks he gave to Producer Hwang and others. He realized that there was a big challenge waiting for him from now on. ¡°Did you said thepany¡¯s name was Ani & Funny?¡± ¡°Right. It¡¯s located in Asan City.¡± ¡°Our lobbying paid off this year, but as the selection process changes next year, we might not get what we want from now on. Try to scout the core members of thepany, so they can¡¯t make any animations.¡± ¡°All of them?¡± ¡°You said most of them were contractors and only a few were full-time staff. So, if we scout some of them, thepany can not operate normally. Just in case, make sure the contract period does not exceed two years. Got it?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Let me go ahead and scout them.¡± *** The next Monday, Hyunwoo went to the head office in Bono-dong. With the homeroom teachers¡¯ approval, Jinhon and Ang came to the Bono-dong office instead of the alternative music school. Though the school had strong disciplinary measures of its own, it gave the students as much autonomy as possible when it came to their musical activities. Most kids involved with the Ani & Funny animation went to school, and the only graduate this year, Jihoon Kang, came to the office. The music video was supposed to be produced with a mix of the actual video featuring their singing and dancing and the animation video. In other words, Jinhon and Ang were the main yers while the characters of the animation would back them up as background dancers. ¡°As the actual video has been done, let¡¯s work on the mixing as soon as the animation work is done. Can you help us, Manager Kyungsu?¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Sure, will do,¡± replied Kyungsu. Everybody got back to work. Some of them were working on the highlight of the ¡®Tuti & Angelica,¡¯ while others were engaged in making the animation of the music video, but the staff¡¯s facial expressions looked somewhat unusual this morning. For some reason, they tried to avoid making eye contact with him. Hyunwoo felt all of them hid something deep inside. Hummmmm...if they want to say something, they will. Let me wait until this afternoon. Soon one of his staff received a call from somebody. Hyunwoo picked up the phone instead. ¡°Yes, this is Hyunwoo Jang of Ani & Funny,¡± he said in a tone full of expectation. He heard the animation he submitted was selected as one of the 17 finalists, but the result was disappointing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you have another good chance on Chusok (Korean Thanksgiving Day). Aim for that. You have great potential.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± said Hyunwoo in a strong tone intentionally. Kyungsu asked, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Well, our animation was not chosen. They are telling me there is another chance. Ha ha,¡± Hyunwoo said, with a hollow smile, but Kyungsu couldn¡¯t smile, as he realized the situation was worse than expected. Ani & Funny had animation content that could general financial ie. It pinned hopes on the special animation work submitted to the Talent Broadcasting Company. And Hyunwoo¡¯s bold decision to invest in the animation business such as hiring, renting a big office and purchase of new equipment was based on his expectation that the submitted entry would be selected as one of the winners, but all of his efforts up to now failed. There was a real possibility that Ani & Funny could go bankrupt. The contractors were much more disappointed. They were full of expectation that they could be full-time staff if the submitted animation was chosen. They had about 15 working days until the expiration of their contract. Naturally, they were not that enthusiastic about doing their best. Damn it. Looks like I had better doss around in work for the remaining workdays. Most of the contractors thought so. To make matters worse, Ungyu Song, who seemed to have something to talk to Hyunwoo from early in the morning, came to Hyunwoo to speak his mind. He was exceptionally talented in mapping the animation. ¡°I guess ourpany will be in the red a lot. You might feel it pretty burdened to give us a check...¡± ¡°Not at all. We have just started. Ourpany won¡¯t copse, so cheer up and focus on the work,¡± said Hyunwoo. However, Ungyu confided to him why he came to see Hyunwoo. ¡°In fact, I got a call from BNBst weekend. They offered to scout me with good pay.¡± ¡°Ah! I didn¡¯t know that,¡± said Hyunwoo, embarrassed, but it onlysted a moment. Once Ungyu made the decision, there was no point in holding him. ¡°Congrats! In fact, I was very sorry to you because of your small pay here. I¡¯m d to know you¡¯re moving to a better-payingpany.¡± ¡°Thanks for saying that. And I feel sorry,¡± said Ungyu, bowing to Hyunwoo. Not only Ungyu but also two other full-timers also revealed that they got the offer from otherpanies. One said he got an offer from Q1, and the other said he got the offer from Goldenview. Then Kyungsu burst into anger all of a sudden, saying, ¡°What the heck is this? Did they make the offer to all of our full-time staff here? Looks like BNB intends to copse us.¡± ¡°Brother, they got the offer from Q1 and Goldenview, not BNB.¡± ¡°They are all the subsidiaries of BNB. Actually, I and Sanggyu also got the same offers from them. I realized they¡¯re all BNB¡¯s subsidiaries.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes popped out. Kyungsu and Sanggyu rejected their job offer, while other full-time staffers epted it. Although they were a worried deep inside because they felt that the purpose of BNB¡¯s scouting was not to seek their talent but to attack Ani & Funny. Nheless, they had no regrets. Given the current situation of Ani & Funny, it was certain that it would go bankrupt within a year, let alone two years. ¡°I guess you will receive the best treatment with your rich experience and skills. I¡¯d like to work with you again when the opportunityes along to us. So, just feel free to contact me anytime,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°By the way, you are not going to quit immediately, aren¡¯t you? Please help us put the finishing touches on the music video. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s a good way for you to leave in style?¡± ¡°Of course. We still have 15 days to go before we leave. We¡¯ll finish the music video by then. Also, we¡¯re going to do our best to finish Tuti & Angelica, too.¡± It seemed that they were touched by Hyunwoo¡¯s sincerity, or they thought that someday they might meet again. Anyway, they bent over backward to finish the music video to the best they could and taught the Ani & Funny kids enthusiastically. Thanks to their dedicated efforts, Jinhon¡¯s music video was made much better than initially nned, and Hyunwoo felt a dozen times more confident that the music video would hit gold when released to the music market. Chapter 157

Chapter 157

After those who epted the offer left, most of the contractors didn¡¯t show any enthusiasm about their work. All day, they idled away their time and then went home. Enraged at their working attitude, Kyungsu shouted,¡±Just quit immediately if you don¡¯t want to work. You¡¯ll get paid for your work as of today. You get paid for your work, okay? Shame on you.¡± Only then did they began to get down to work, but whenever there was a chance, they fiddled around doing nothing. Of course, not all of them did that. There were two female contractors who just graduated from college and worked hard with smiles on their faces all the time. It seemed that Hyunwoo could read their minds, given their working attitude. Namely, they seemed to be determined that they would do their best until thest day of their contract. Sanggyu had his eye on one of them as his sessor. She had an excellent feel for animation script, so she had the potential to beat Sanggyu with further training. Hyunwoo also watched them with interest. I think I have to hire them full time. As long as Ani & Funny is operating normally, let me hold you to the end. Thanks to the remaining staff, the music video was finally finished. It was only five minutes long, but they spent more time and energy on it than on the ten-minute Tuti & Angelica. Friday evening came atst, the final day of employment to the contractors. ¡°Thanks so much to you all for your hard work. I put some more money in the envelopes,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Oh, you didn¡¯t have to,¡± said the contractors, feeling a bit sorry. Kyungsu and Sanggyu felt upset about those who idled away their time. ¡°Dirty bastards!¡± shouted Kyungsu after they left the office. ¡°Don¡¯t say that, brother. They didn¡¯te here for the sake of my wellbeing. Anybody would have made the same decision if they received better offers.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not talking about the team managers. I am talking about BNB. Obviously, they have decided to go after us.¡± Come to think of that, Hyunwoo felt Kyungsu was right. Anyway, their decision to leave was not that bad to Hyunwoo. In fact, he was agonizing over how to resolve the snowballing deficits after his animation failed to get selected by the Talent Broadcasting. He had to spend almost 500 million won to pay the staff¡¯s sries. In a way, BNB¡¯s decision to scout them saved Hyunwoo lots of money. ¡°What shall we do? I don¡¯t know what to do from now on,¡± said Kyungsu, with a perplexed look on his face. ¡°Well, we just move on as we used to do. Let bygones be bygones, and start anew. I think we have to pay more attention to uploading the series on the website of Story Ma,¡± said Hyunwoo. And he pulled out a note from his pocket and gave it to Kyungsu. Kyungsu received the note and looked at it. They were the two female contractors who were recognized for their hard work and excellent capabilities. Sanggyu had an eye on one of them. ¡°I¡¯m going to hire them as full-time employees,¡± said Hyunwoo. Kyungsu¡¯s face brightened because he wanted to wee them with open arms. ¡°Please call them sometime tomorrow. If they are interested, please tell them toe to the office on Sunday. From now on, we¡¯re going to work with a small group of elites,¡± said Hyunwoo in a confident voice. ¡°Got it. Let me notify them tomorrow. By the way, I guess you had better hire one more specializing in drawing. Right now, our staff are rather disproportionately ced in the area of nning.¡± Nodding his head, Hyunwoo said, ¡°I¡¯ve felt the same way.¡± ¡°Do you have anyone in mind?¡± ¡°Yea, I know one. I think we can hire him on a contract basis. We don¡¯t have to spend too much money on simple drawing.¡± ¡°Well, just contact one only. I am thinking of outsourcing the in-betweening job to Vietnam after we are done with the keyframes.¡± ¡°Really? Do you know anyone there?¡± Hyunwoo was thinking of that beautiful Vietnamese girl Yu Zung, a college student he met before. She told him her father was a mid-level manager rted to drawing. ¡°Yes, I have someone in mind.¡± On Sunday morning, Hyunwoo held a staff meeting. Untilst Friday, there were almost 30 staff members in the office, but as most of them left, the office looked suddenly empty. Even though Jungah, Jinhon and Ang participated in the meeting, the office looked empty. Hyunwoo felt he needed to change the heavy atmosphere first. ¡°Hey, everybody. Cheer up! Thispany will never copse. Now is the beginning.¡± pping his hands, Hyunwoo tried to boost their morale. ¡°Let me repeat this. Ani & Funny will not easily copse. We¡¯re financially more stable than you think. And we have a stake in Story Ma. Our standing in Story Ma is going up and up every day. We have great potential without turning to the Talent Broadcasting.¡± Kyungsu seconded, ¡°I agree. As of today the number of visits to our story is over 300,000 per episode. It¡¯s an explosive uptrend. If we switch it to paid subscription, we can avoid deficits. We can expect huge profits.¡± Hyunwoo continued, ¡°Though it is hard to make profits as much as we want, the current status is much more than we initially expected. And I¡¯m going to hire a drawing specialist.¡± Was it because of Hyunwoo¡¯s encouragement? It seemed the staff became more enlivened and cheerful with hope for thepany¡¯s future. All of them were nodding their heads, tight-lipped. Jungah raised her hand cautiously at that moment. ¡°Just go ahead and tell me what you want to say,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°As a matter of fact, I know a senior friend of mine who specializes in drawing. Would you want to see him?¡± Hyunwoo showed interest, but she said in a somewhat hesitant tone, ¡°Well, he is not that excellent in drawing pictures, but he draws very quickly, at least three times as fast as anybody in the field.¡± Hyunwoo opened his eyes wide to hear that. In fact, it was better for Ani & Funny to minimize the spending with a bit lower quality rather than paying a lot to maintain the best quality. And then when there came a golden opportunity like the special animation contest of the Talent Broadcasting, he would spend all the financial resources on that. ¡°Sounds good. Can you interview him, Manager Kyungsu? Let me attend, too,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°Okay, everybody. Let¡¯s cheer up!¡± shouted Hyunwoo. Suddenly, Hyunwoo came to turn to Jinhon and Ang who were staring at him. At that moment, Hyunwoo thought of the music video of ¡®Duckling Fly.¡¯ Today, he would release the video to the market. Raising his voice, Hyunwoo emphasized, ¡°As you know, the music video of ¡®Duckling Fly¡¯ has beenpleted. The owner of Real Film put the finishing touches on it, but let¡¯s have a final review for thest time today. If there is no particr problem, let¡¯s upload it on Youtube right away. Jihoon, you have the USB right?¡± ¡°Yes, let me y it.¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s watch it, everybody.¡± Obviously, it was a very exciting music video. The more they watched it, the more exciting it was. ¡°Wow, this must be a smash hit! I think I¡¯m going to be your fan, Jinhon and Ang.¡± ¡°Is it so exciting?¡± ¡°Yea, it looks like it is a professional music video. I feel it¡¯s going to hit gold sooner orter.¡± Hyunwoo felt the same way. Though it failed to get the attention of the Talent Broadcasting, it might hit the jackpot on Youtube. ¡°Great! Let¡¯s upload it,¡± shouted Hyunwoo strongly. Hyunwoo thought if it could at least draw one million views, it would be a big sess. On the other hand, he also thought about Jinyoung Paek, a former music producer with a good reputation in the field. If he introduced Jinhon to Jinyoung, Hyunwoo was confident that Jinhon¡¯s musical talent would grow rapidly. That¡¯s why Hyunwoo had a great expectation of the release of the music video on Youtube. If this music video of Jinhon¡¯s gained poprity, and Jinyoung became interested in it, he would certainly contact Hyunwoo. I don¡¯t want anything. I wish only Jinhon will be noticed by Jinyoung, Hyunwoo prayed. Chapter 158

Chapter 158

The Bono-dong office was not as crowded as before. There were six full-time staff members and seven kids from Anifan. Jungah came to the office on the weekends. What mattered to Hyunwoo was not the size of the staff. As thezy employees were dismissed, those who survived were hard-working people. In particr, Hyunwoo liked the new hire Kunho Chong, a graduate of Video Imaging College, who Jungah had rmended strongly. Slender in figure like a woman, Kunho drew pictures very quickly as Jungah said. Though he was not good at details, it was not a big deal. What Hyunwoo really liked about him was his intelligence. Kunho not only drew pictures quickly but also understood and handled his job quickly. Though he was hired only a week ago, he was working like an experienced employee. Jungkyu Pae, who Kyungsu rmended as an expert specializing in drawing pictures, was also excellent. Though he was not as smart as Kunho, Jungkyu looked dependable and he had a calm personality. ¡°What should I do with this?¡± asked Kyungsu, pointing to a screen. Hyunwoo approached him to check the monitor showing the five video productions he had submitted the Talent Broadcasting. After pondering over it for a moment, Hyunwoo presented a simple solution. ¡°Just upload it in Story Ma, with the title Special,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Got it.¡± Kyungsu posted the five productions all at once under the title Special. ¡°By the way, when are we going to switch the animation Tuti & Angelica to a paid subscription? It¡¯s enjoying explosive poprity in its current free format.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the number of visits for thetest episode?¡± ¡°2.2 million.¡± Actually, the number of visits that Hyunwoo checkedst night was 2.1 million. It had increased by 100,000 overnight. Over 70% of the visits were from overseas, which meant there were more visits from abroad than from Korea. Such a drastic increase was possible thanks to the English dubbing. The moment English dubbing was offered for Tuti & Angelica the upward trend of visits from abroad drastically went up. Hyunwoo checked the likely profits when Tuti & Angelica was switched to a paid subscription. If at least 10% of the free visits paid, it would mean 200,000 visitors. If Hyunwoo charged 300 won per episode, it would mean 60 million won. When Hyunwoo divided the revenue between Story Ma and Ani & Funny at the ratio of 4:6, he would rake in 36 million won. However, Hyunwoo felt the actual ie would be far less than that as he was doubtful about the validity of the statistic that typically 10% of the free riders would continue to stay when the free content was switched to a paid subscription. Hyunwoo thought about the difference between animation and the genre novel. The biggest difference was the reading poption. The main readers of the genre novel were teens and adults while those of the animation works were children. Another factor that made Hyunwoo seriously lean toward a paid subscription system was the upward trend. The number of visits was going up and up. ¡°How many episodes do we have in stock right now?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°We¡¯ve got a total of nine episodes ready to go, and there are over 30 episodes we have to put some finishing touches on.¡± ¡°Well, for the time being, I would like to maintain the current free subscription system.¡± Hearing at that Kyungsu felt somewhat regretful. At that moment, Kunho said something surprising, ¡°Wow, this kind of reaction is unexpected.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I mean the Special series we just uploaded.¡± ¡°Is the reaction good enough?¡± Hyunwoo and Kyungsu quickly checked out theputer monitor. The reaction was something disappointing, though. Though the number of visits was big, the reaction was unfavorable, with visitorsining about the dull content. Kyungsu let out a sigh and said, ¡°What the heck is this? We put a great deal of time and energy in it, but the result makes us mope.¡± But Hyunwoo reacted differently. His eyes were glittering as if he found hope. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I think I now know,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°What do you mean?¡± asked Kyungsu. ¡°Jungah was right. It looks like she has a really wonderful discerning eye,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°What? Are you talking about me now?¡± asked Jungah. ¡°Think about this. Why do you feel the children like that low-budget animation?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t really understand...¡± ¡°It¡¯s about change. They are stimted not only by the change in the story but also the change in the disy. They will be more and more thrilled as the story ising to the climax, and now the screens be more colorful all of a sudden, which fans their excitement all the more.¡± Only then did Kyungsu and Sanggyu nod their heads, saying ¡°Looks like we have to maintain the current format.¡± ¡°I think we have found one factor that will make hits.¡± ¡°How can you change the animation videos?¡± ¡°Bring in more screen changes than now.¡± ¡°How?¡± Hyunwoo now exined to them in great excitement, ¡°As you know, the current animation puts emphasis on the highlighted one-minute portion of the ten-minute length. In other words, just one change. From now on the whole ten minutes should be full of changes in screen.¡± ¡°Specifically, how?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you emphasize the psychological changes of the main character?¡± What Hyunwoo meant was that every time the main character¡¯s psychological change needed attention, it should be intensively highlighted in one to three seconds. For example, when the main character was shy, angry or burst intoughter. ¡°Oh, that kind of change will certainly have an effect, but you have to expect a dy in the production period as well as an increase in production costs,¡± said Kyungsu. ¡°No, you can save the cost and production days,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Really? How?¡± ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have to make the change every time the main character¡¯s mood changes. If you prepare specific facial expressions in advance, you can just use them like a form. You don¡¯t have to make a new one,¡± said Hyunwoo. That made sense. For example, assuming the main character¡¯s facial expression needs two seconds for a slight change, 30 changes would save them one minute of production time. Now, Hyunwoo¡¯s voice was full of vigor, suggesting he was confident of sess. In fact, he had no fear of failure. He suddenly thought about when he initially founded Ani & Funny. He was only concerned with the growth of the Anifan kids, not revenues or profits. Though he was in a different situation now, he felt he should not give up his initial intention. ¡°Then, I think we should develop the main character¡¯s facial expressions in a variety of ways,¡± Kyungsu said. ¡°Let me tell Myunghun about it. In the meantime, can you work on the script for the new animation? From now on, we will upload various stories simultaneously,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Alright. Hey, Yujong, can you help me? I¡¯ve got lots of work to do from now on,¡± said Kyungsu. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± answered Yujong spiritedly. Seeing them ted again, Hyunwoo was buoyant with expectations. He had dinner with the staff of Ani & Funny that evening. It was already nearing 7 pm, and Hyunwoo stood up hurriedly. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I have to leave now as I have an appointment.¡± They were all aware of what kind of appointment it was. Today was the day when Korean Broadcasting would air the first installment of the special series KOVE DREAM. After he came out of the restaurant, Hyunwoo headed for the House of Happiness to watch it with the staff of N&C Korea. As the dormitory next to the warehouse of N&C Korea was too small, all the staff could not get inside to watch the KOVE special. Sungrak and Juhwan, the staff managing the warehouse, were already there waiting for him. ¡°Wee, sir.¡± ¡°Please have a seat here.¡± The KOVE special was already on air. Hyunwoo watched it over beer with the staff, The special was produced much better than expected. In particr, they almost got choked up when the portion containing some patriotic content was aired. The special program was a three-part series, and Korea Broadcasting aired the program at the same time slot for three days. Those who watched the series showed an enthusiastic reaction. As soon as the series was over, the inte homepage of Korea Broadcasting was inundated with the feedback and encouragement from those who watched it. All the staff of N&C Korea yelled for joy. ¡°Hooray! We¡¯ll be making lots of money, from now on, right?¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m dreaming now!¡± However, it was an empty dream. Less than one week after Korea Broadcasting aired the special, Seoul Broadcasting aired ¡®Dream Korea¡¯ as if topete against it. And the content of Dream Korea ndered the KOVE DREAM special, questioning the validity of KOVE DREAM¡¯s argument that it¡¯s a coalition of the dream teams of Korea. And it showed the interview of Hyongbok Lee who was the leader of Dream Korea. Chapter 159

Chapter 159

Appearing in the Dream Korea program, Hyungbok argued that the KOVE DREAM team was fake, iming at the same time that Dream Korea was the genuine team. He also expressed confidence that the quality of the product would prove which team was genuine. Seoul Broadcasting¡¯s special feature Dream Korea was a single piece, not a series like KOVE DREAM, but its impact was powerful. The homepages of Korea Broadcasting and Seoul broadcasting were overflowing with the viewers¡¯ feedback, and the most popr real-time search words on the inte were ¡®KOVE DREAM¡¯ and ¡®Dream Korea.¡¯ In Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes, it was clear which side was true or fake. But the viewers got confused, and all the more so because he put the priority on the concept of patriotism in KOVE DREAM. The purpose of KOVE DREAM was for the Korean businessmen in Vietnam to join hands formon prosperity, but the Dream Korea program emphasized that KOVE DREAM was fanning division of the Koreanmunity in Vietnam. Hyunwoo might rightly have been enraged, but he didn¡¯t because the content of the Dream Korea were simply absurd. He called Jaeyol Song with Korea Broadcasting. ¡°Hi, Jaeyol. Looks like Seoul Broadcasting is crazy. How can they be so mean? Obviously, they must have found the problem while covering Dream Korea, right?¡± ¡°Absolutely. I¡¯m just stunned at the moment,¡± said Jaeyol. Jaeyol was as much perplexed as Hyunwoo but seemed to understand the position of Seoul Broadcasting a bit. ¡°I guess they have some reason,¡± said Jaeyol. ¡°What is it?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°As the Dream Korea program was so ridiculous, I checked with some of the people and found out that the chief of the current affairs team of Seoul Broadcasting is consumed with ambition. As he was outdone by his counterparts of Korea Broadcasting and World Broadcasting often, he was determined to beat them this time by producing a sensational program, which was the Dream Korea project.¡± ¡°How stupid he is! The truth will prevail soon, and the image of Seoul Broadcasting will be greatly affected, I think,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°No, not at all. If you look into the program, there is nothing that Seoul Broadcasting will take responsibility for. They just broadcasted the episodes of Korean businessmen in Vietnam.¡± That was true. At the end of the program the narrator reminded the viewers about the purpose of the program: Jaeyol continued, ¡°Though Seoul Broadcasting didn¡¯t clearly point it out, obviously they wanted to suggest to the viewers that KOVE DREAM sowed the seeds of division, and Korea Broadcasting was helping fan the division.¡± ¡°How ridiculous!¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. The thing is whether the viewers believe it or not. That¡¯s where the role of the press weighs in. The press has to tell the truth as it is, but when they twist it to their liking, the truth is distorted. I don¡¯t know how to solve this problem.¡± ¡°Brother Jaeyol, I think we need a subsequent program to rify our position,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°No, no, that will only backfire,¡± said Jaeyol. ¡°I guess the Castor Dream Team will work,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s a good idea. Why didn¡¯t I think of that?¡± ¡°In fact, I have a business trip to Vietnam next week. Let mee back with one of the Castor Dream Team. If hees forward for rification of the KOVE DREAM team, it will be of great help.¡± ¡°Wonderful idea. We have to embrace Dream Korea team rather than me them.¡± ¡°Of course. Let me give it a little more thought in Vietnam.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo began to ponder over what was the best way. How can I put out a rification broadcast intended to embrace them? In the meantime, the phone kept ringing. Mostly the callers made an inquiry about the truth of the KOVE DREAM team or madeint calls. At the same time, many of them called for sample inquiries. Hyunwoo spent most of his time on the KOVE DREAM project with Kyungsu and Sanggyu taking charge of the business of Ani & Funny. While taking care of the export and import documents in person, Hyunwoo taught the staff about the practice of trade. Juhwan¡¯s friends were smart without any exception. They were enthusiastic about understanding their work even by purchasing professional publications on trade. Thanks to their passion for learning, Hyunwoo took great delight in teaching them. But there was a problem. ¡°In fact, our office is too narrow. We don¡¯t have the space for putting aside the files.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s pile them inside the warehouse for now.¡± ¡°Even the warehouse is small. It¡¯s okay for now, but when we have arge load of products here, there will be no more space to put them here.¡± Hyunwoo felt the same way. He felt there would be a big change after the special program KOVE DREAM team was broadcast but didn¡¯t expect such a drastic change beforehand. He quickly asked a realtor friend of his to look for an office with a warehouse. There were many such offices for sale with different sizes and spaces. Hyunwoo looked around them with Jaegyong Kang and picked one of them. ¡°I like this ce,¡± said Hyunwoo. It was a warehouse not far from the retail warehouse of N&C Korea. Though it was a bit old, it was at least four times as spacious as the warehouse of N&C Korea. The location was excellent as there was an empty lot beside it. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s take this one. We can move the container house to the empty lot and use it as an office,¡± said Hyunwoo. After Hyunwoo chose the lot, he asked the realtor to get a discount on the sales price. The contract was done easily. Hyunwoo asked Sangkon, the builder he trusted, to renovate the ce and entrusted Jaegyong and Sungrak with the rest of the work. Three dayster on Sunday, Hyunwoo met Kyungsu early in the morning to fly to Ho Chi Mihn City in Vietnam. Right next to Hyunwoo were Jinhon Kwak and Ang. Jinhon didn¡¯t lose his hold of Ang¡¯s hand while they were heading for the airport. Even when he arrived at the airport, he held her hand until he went through the boarding process. ¡°Boarding time, Ang. You may leave now,¡± said Jinhon. ¡°When can you bring me back here?¡± asked Ang. ¡°Sooner orter,¡± said Jinhon, letting go his hold of her hand. Though Jinhon didn¡¯t want to let her go, she had to leave Korea, for now, to avoid staying in Korea as an illegal alien. ¡°Go and study Korean hard, okay? Let me study English hard, too.¡± As if she understood what he said, she nodded. And then Hyunwoo, Kyungsu and Ang boarded the ne bound for Ho Chi Minh City. At Tan Son Nhat Airport, two staff members sent by Sungji Na, president of N&C in Vietnam, waiting for Hyunwoo¡¯s entourage. One of them looked like a porter, and the other was a Vietnamese woman in her 20s. She was fluent in English. ¡°Hello! My name is Zumh An.¡± ¡°Wow, you¡¯re beautiful!¡± eximed Kyungsu gently. In Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes, she was a beauty, wearing the traditional Vietnamese costume Aojai. With a smile, she said, ¡°Thank you¡± in Korean. ¡°Oh, do you speak Korean?¡± ¡°Hardly. I speak only a few Korean words.¡± And then she replied in English, ¡°Let me escort you. And the president told me he felt sorry he couldn¡¯te here. He said he was nning toe, but couldn¡¯t because of his appointment with a high-ranking Vietnamese official.¡± ¡°Not a problem. Actually, I have some personal business to do in downtown Ho Chi Minh City before going to N&C. Are you familiar with the city?¡± ¡°Sure. I was born and grew up here. Where shall I guide you first?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to visit Ho Chi Minh University first.¡± When he was in Korea, Hyunwoo got Yu Zuung¡¯s cell phone number, the beautifuldy Hyunwoo had met before. And he informed her he would see her during his business trip there. Zuung picked up Hyunwoo¡¯s phone call, waiting for Hyunwoo¡¯s entourage with her friends. ¡°Pleasee into the school,¡± said Zuung. In fact, Zumn An was also a graduate of the university. Zuung introduced her friends to Hyunwoo. They were all her seniors majoring in animation. Poking Zuung in the ribs gently, her friends asked her something in Vietnamese, and on such asions, she made a gesture suggesting she was not his boyfriend. Hyunwoo just giggled, while Kyungsu waspletely carried away with her stunning beauty. They headed to a coffee shop nearby. When they sat on the sofa, Zuung introduced her seniors one by one. Per Hyunwoo¡¯s request, she selected the best students in the animation department. They already heard from Zuung that they were supposed to be engaged in Hyunwoo¡¯s animation assignments. Hyunwoo said, ¡°I¡¯d like to give you some animation assignments. Of course, let me provide the office and equipment necessary for your work, and I can assure you I¡¯ll pay for your work enough.¡± That¡¯s what they heard from Zuung, so they felt reassured now. ¡°By the way, I have to test your abilities first. Only those who pass the test will be joining us,¡± said Hyunwoo, pointing to Kyungsu. Unable to understand English or Vietnamese, Kyungsu was not focusing, but surprised when Hyunwoo and the students looked at him suddenly. ¡°Sooner orter I¡¯m going to set up a branch of Ani & Funny here. One of you will be its CEO, and the rest will be full-time staff,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Setting up the branch here?¡± ¡°One of us will be its CEO? Chapter 160

Chapter 160

Hyunwoo answered in the positive, with a gentle smile, and continued, ¡°I have no idea who¡¯s going to be the CEO here. Though I am close to Yu Zuung, I don¡¯t do business, based on my close rtions with somebody. I¡¯ll select the CEO totally based on your performance.¡± The students hardened their faces with tension. All of them looked at Zuung as if they couldn¡¯t believe what Hyunwoo said. ¡°As you know, the CEO should know how to manage the staff, first of all. Secondly, the CEO should be able to control the overall workflow. If you¡¯re really interested in being the CEO here, you should be able to hire your people in person and improve their performance by managing them well.¡± Hyunwoo had a n to grow the branch of Ani & Funny in Vietnam. He nned to start the Vietnamese branch with about 20 staff initially but would expand it with more outsourcing workload in the days ahead. In a sense, Zuung and her friends wouldy the foundation for the establishment of the new branch. They would be expected to hire new staff and establish the foundation of the branch. Hyunwoo continued, ¡°If I set up the new branch, I¡¯ll select outstanding performers twice a year and give them the opportunity to visit Korea on a business trip. They will not only tour major scenic ces but also watch the performances by K-pop stars.¡± ¡°Wow! K-pop stars!¡± ¡°If any of you are excellent in nning, I¡¯m willing to scout you if you want to work in Korea,¡± said Hyunwoo, exining about the various benefits of joining the new branch. Simply thinking they would be expected to work as part-timers, the students as well as Zuung were thrilled to hear that. ¡°So, each of you wants to work for us, right?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°Okay, then. Let¡¯s move to the office,¡± said Hyunwoo. Actually, Hyunwoo already rented a big office near Ho Chi Minh University. Though it was old and didn¡¯t have a splendid interior, he made sure the office be equipped with the necessary equipment including also phones and an inte connection. Kyungsu was in charge of testing the drawing technique of the students including Zuung. To his surprise, all the students had excellent technique. In particr, Ngun was the best. On the other hand, Zuung didn¡¯t impress Kyungsu. Though she wasn¡¯t bad, she was not as good as other students. Given that Zuung was still a sophomore while the students were all seniors, it was natural that they beat her. Hyunwoo took out some papers from his bag and handed it to each of the students including Zuung. It was a contract in English, which contained what Hyunwoo told them before. After checking out the contract in detail, Zuung signed it first, followed by the students. ¡°It¡¯s up to you how to handle your job. You can do it by yourself, or hire outside contractors if you¡¯re short-handed. If the quality of your work is below the standard, I¡¯ll take an issue with that,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Got it. When can we start?¡± ¡°Let me assign some work to you as soon as I get back to Korea. Let me give 100 million dong to Zuung. You can use it for office expenses for one year. If you still need money, you have to solve the financial issue among yourselves,¡± said Hyunwoo. Zuung and the students burst with joy. In particr, Ngun was overwhelmed with joy. As Ngun was from a poor family, he had to make money not only for school tuition and other expenses but also for his family by spending all his avable time as a part-timer. ording to the contract, Ngun could earn as much as 3 million dong if he worked hard. His pay was much more than his father¡¯s, and three times as much as his current pay. ¡°Thanks so much, sir,¡± said Ngun. Putting his hand on heart, Ngun nodded his head repeatedly. Originally, Hyunwoo nned to outsource all subcontracts to thepany that Zuung¡¯s father was affiliated with but gave up. Instead, he decided to set up a new branch in Vietnam and had Zuung scout the students. It was for his bigger goal in theing days. He felt they would be able to carry out all the assignments in a couple of years, though it would be tough for them initially. Checking out their capabilities, however, Hyunwoo felt confident he could give them the contracts even now. After they returned, Zuung showed Hyunwoo around his father¡¯spany called VPicture. Hyunwoo¡¯s entourage and the executive members of VPicture, including its president, gathered at the conference table in a happy mood. But the negotiations didn¡¯t go well, as expected. The president of VPictures asked for more payment than expected. ¡°VPictures boasts the best manpower in the field in Vietnam. We receive lots of outsourcing from Japan, too. Half of ourpany¡¯s employees receive more than 500 US dors per month, which I think is legitimate, given their skills,¡± the president said. ¡°Still, your offer price is too high,¡± replied Hyunwoo. Both sides didn¡¯t budge a bit from their position, but they couldn¡¯t iron out the differences. Though Hyunwoo was willing topromise, his counterpart wasn¡¯t. After all, the negotiation failed. Zuung and her father expressed regrets about the failure, but it was not their fault. ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel sorry. We can find anotherpany,¡± said Hyunwoo. After parting with them, he went back to N&C, where its president Sungji Na was already there along with the presidents of local Koreanpanies. Greeting them dly, Sungji let out a sigh as soon as he began to talk, ¡°Phew, I just don¡¯t know how we ended up like this.¡± Other presidents grumbled, making a grim look on their faces. ¡°President Hyongbok Lee of DAS Toy is the source of the problem. He is now fanning other presidents¡¯ hostility toward us.¡± ¡°The big problem is we are being divided among ourselves at the moment.¡± Actually, that was what Hyunwoo was most concerned about. There was an internal struggle among the local Korean presidents in Vietnam since the Dream Korea project was broadcasted by Seoul Broadcasting. Sungji began tofort them by saying, ¡°As things stand now, the situation isn¡¯t that serious. Some of them are speaking ill of us, but most of them have a favorable view.¡± Hyunwoo backed him up and said, ¡°That¡¯s true. You should not be agitated at all. Sooner orter, there will be a trade fair in Seoul. The Dream Korea team will submit its products, and then everybody will find out the truth.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s still one month away from now. We have to make KOVE DREAM better known and cultivate its good image in the lead up to the trade fair. Right now, our image is being tarnished every day.¡± ¡°Well, I have a good idea to improve our image,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Well, the origin of the KOVE DREAM is the Castor Dream team, as you know. Most Koreans still remember that. If someonees forward to speak about the sess of the Castor Dream team, we can win.¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s a good idea!¡± Looking at Tohyok Kim, one of the founding members of the Castor Dream team, Hyunwoo said, ¡°I¡¯ve asked Korea Broadcasting for a subsequent program rifying our position. Can you give them an interview, Mr. Kim?¡± ¡°Sure, I will,¡± said Tohyok Kim without any hesitation. ¡°I think you had better prepare for the interview in advance. If you present our position to Korea Broadcasting, they will make the questions that fit it.¡± ¡°How can I prepare for it?¡± ¡°You can just tell them about the history of the Castor Dream team, which has been seeded by the KOVE DREAM team. Only you can have the authority to do so, as you were the head of the Castor Dream. No matter how much they try, the Dream Korea team can never refute your im,¡± Hyunwoo said. Tohyok¡¯s face was flush with confidence, ¡°But there is one caveat, Mr. Kim.¡± ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°Never me Dream Korea. You just focus on our own story.¡± Tohyok nodded his head to hear that. ¡°For example, please emphasize this point: we didn¡¯t get united as one team in Korea. If we had formed a dream team and got united as one team in Korea, we would never have been beaten by Japan and China in terms of technology and price, respectively.¡± ¡°Hummmmm.....¡± Hyunwoo continued, ¡°We¡¯re realizing the dream in Vietnam that we could not back then in Korea. And many of those who failed in Korea are flocking to Vietnam in search of sess. We, KOVE DREAM, have been formed to help them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Let¡¯s not pay any attention to whatever the Dream Korea is talking about us. This is not the time for us to fight with each other here,¡± said Sungji. Suddenly, Hyunwoo made a new suggestion. ¡°Let me contribute 5% of the profits to the development fund for the KOVE DREAM team. This fund will be used as the seed money for the resettlement of those Korean techniciansing here. I would like to enhance the technology of Koreanpanies here through them, and help more local Koreanpanies join KOVE DREAM.¡± ¡°Wow!¡± Then Sungji also stood up all of a sudden and said, ¡°We can¡¯t sit idle, can we? Let¡¯s try to chip in and help out the people, too.¡± At Hyunwoo¡¯s suggestion, they agreed with the principle of contributing to the fund. After the meeting, Hyunwoo came back to the hotelte at night. He felt sorry for Kyungsu who was present at the meeting because he could not participate in the discussion. ¡°Sorry, brother.¡± ¡°Hahaha, not at all. Never mind.¡± And then they began to talk about the failed negotiation with VPictures. ¡°Well, I think I can understand their position. As you know, we are not simply outsourcing to them in terms of animation drawing and rendering, right? You nned to outsource almost all of the animation work except for its characters, facial expressions and keyframes, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. Ani & Funny will exclusively focus on nning, and outsourcing all other production-rted projects.¡± ¡°In that case, the difference of technique really matters. In particr, animation needs a considerable technique. The quality of an animation workrgely depends on how natural it is.¡± ¡°In other words, given the excellent technique of VPictures, their offer price is not that high, right?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°Yes. I feel their technology is almost perfect when I have examined theirpleted animation works.¡± The next day Hyunwoo went back to Ho Chi Minh City to sign the contract with VPictures. From now on VPictures would take over the animation of Garbage World, while most of the experimental animations would be taken care of by the Vietnamese branch of Ani & Funny. Before Hyunwoo and Kyungsu left Vietnam, they met Zuung and the students again at the downtown office Hyunwoo secured for them. The moment they opened the door, they were stunned because of the familiar melodiesing from inside. ¡°This song is so familiar...¡± ¡°Howe this song ising from this office?¡± What they hearding from the office was none other than the song ¡®Duckling Fly¡¯ with Jinhon and Ang singing cheerfully. Chapter 161

Chapter 161

Hyunwoo quickly opened the door and came in. Yu Zuung and the students were busy cleaning out the office cheerfully. The song in question wasing out from the speakers connected to the officeputer. ¡°Oh, wee,¡± they eximed at the unexpected visit of Hyunwoo and Kyungsu, but they were a bit surprised to see Hyunwoo and Kyungsus¡¯ faces hardened for some reason. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± she asked cautiously. Hyunwoo asked bluntly, ¡°How do you know this song?¡± ¡°Well, this song is all the rage on Youtube these days. I came to hear it at the suggestion of my friend who said he loved it so much, and it was really good. I just feel good while listening to it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all the craze on Youtube?¡± asked Hyunwoo instead of replying. ¡°Though it has not yet hit gold, I guess it will make a big hit sooner orter.¡± Other friends agreed with her, and Ngun predicted it would be the most popr hit on Youtube. Hyunwoo and Kyungsu felt a bit weird at that because the song was not yet well known in Korea. ¡°Why? Do you know this song well?¡± ¡°Of course. It¡¯s me who made the music video.¡± Hyunwoo told them about the song Duckling Fly, and that Ang was a Vietnamese girl. While listening to his exnation, Zuung suddenly pointed her finger at one corner of the music video with the logo ¡®ANI & FUNNY¡¯ inscribed on it. ¡°Wow, you¡¯re right. ANI & FUNNY. Why didn¡¯t I notice it until now?¡± Zuung and the students felt proud that they came to work for apany affiliated with ANI & FUNNY, which was sort of their ownpany that signed the contract with them and furnished the office. ¡°Though you work in a different field, I think you have great potential. If you worker harder, you can make your name known in the animation world,¡± said Hyunwoo. With encouragement and parting words, they left the office. At that moment, Unhye, the representative of N&C Japan, called Hyunwoo. ¡°Hi, Unhye? How are you doing these days?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m. I¡¯m so happy these days. By the way, Ani & Funny is yourpany, right?¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes popped up at that as he instantly thought Unhye called because of the music video Duckling Fly. If that was true, it meant the song was popr not only in Vietnam but also in Japan. He raised his voice in excitement before he knew, ¡°Right. What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I watched the music video Duckling Fly. The moment I heard it, I liked their dancing and singing. So, when I checked to see who was the singer, I saw the logo ¡®ANI & FUNNY¡¯ on it. This music video was made by yourpany, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. By the way, how did you discover this music video?¡± ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t. My friend asked me to listen to it, saying she felt so good about it.¡± ¡°How did your friende to find it out?¡± asked Hyunwoo in detail. ¡°Well, it is getting more and more popr these days. Actually, it¡¯s on everyone¡¯s tongue. As things stand now, I guess it¡¯s going to hit gold.¡± Hyunwoo felt so ted, but at the same time he had to stay calm and cope with some sort of strategy on how to deal with the great sess of the music video. After the call, he discussed it with Kyungsu, but Kyungsu was at a loss of how to respond. Hummmm...let me discuss it with brother Jinyoung Paek. He might still remember Ani & Funny, so let me contact him if he doesn¡¯t call me first, Hyunwoo thought to himself. Hyunwoo and Kyungsu went back to Korea the next day after another drinking party with Sungji Na and other local Korean businessmen in the evening. When he arrived in Korea, he recieved a call from Yonggu, his longtime friend from Space Design. Picking up his cell phone dly, Hyunwoo felt a bit embarrassed. Yonggu said he was worried that Minhye, CEO of Space Design and his girlfriend, was having an intimate rtionship with Hyongsun Kim, the president of Sangwon Foods and Hyunwoo¡¯s high school alumnus. What could Hyunwoo do? In particr, it was a rtionship between a man and a woman even the parents can¡¯t interfere with. The only way was to prove what kind of personality Hyongsun had, but that was not easy. ¡°Hey, dude. I would like to help you out, but I don¡¯t know how,¡± said Hyunwoo. Yonggu continually let out a sigh,ining about Minhye. But Hyunwoo felt something strange about her rtionship with Hyongsun. After all, Minhye was an experienced woman who dated several men including Yonggu, Younghwan Koh, and Sangho Oh and had her own way. Suddenly, it urred to Hyujnwoo that Hyongsun might be sucked in by Minhye. Of course, Hyunwoo could not prove it at this point. Comforting Yonggu, Hyunwoo said, ¡°In my opinion, Minhye is not the type of woman who can be easily sucked in by a yboy like Hyongsun. You know that, right?¡± ¡°Yea, I know. She knows better.¡± ¡°So, don¡¯t be so nervous, man. She might have a rtionship with him for a reason.¡± ¡°Really?¡± After calling Hyunwoo, Yonggu felt relieved. He came back to the office, where Minhye cast a curious look at him then looked down as if she was not interested. He thought he knew her but really didn¡¯t. Sometimes, she became the most wonderful woman to him when they dated. She looked like a woman who would do anything for him, but that kind of intimacy between them onlysted one week. Even today she reacted coldly to him although she made hot love to himst night. In the office, their rtionship was no more or less than that of a CEO and an employee. She turned into a vixen when she talked to Hyongsun on the phone, as if she waspletely in love with him. Again, her cell phone buzzed loudly. It looked like it was a call from Hyonsun. ¡°This evening? Of course, I am avable if you can treat me to a nice dinner. See you there.¡± She didn¡¯t care at all even when Yonggu was staring at her. Yonggu gave her a sharp warning by saying, ¡°Hyunwoo says he knows Hyongsun very well. The art of deception runs in him, ording to Hyunwoo. It feels like a con. You had better watch out.¡± But her reaction was cold, ¡°Are you feeling jealous now? You don¡¯t think you¡¯re my husband already, do you?¡± After that exchange of sharp words with her, Yonggu could not even mention anything about Hyongsun. He was just worrying himself sick about it. He tried to find sce of mind and refresh himself. He surfed the inte and typed ¡®lively music.¡¯ There was one song that piqued his curiosity, which was all the rage these days. Duckling Fly? I have never heard of it. *** Late at night, Minhye was alone with Hyongsun in the office of Sangwon Foods in Pyongtaek Free Trade Zone. Minhye wasn¡¯t concerned at all that he might be a monster all of a sudden. She was even willing to have sex with him if he wanted it, but there was no such possibility. What he really wanted was not her body but Space Design and her father¡¯spany Aurum. ¡°Can you pronounce ¡®saram¡¯?¡± said Hyongsun. ¡°Saram (person)¡± ¡°Now, pronounce ¡®sarang¡¯ this time¡± ¡°Sarang (love)¡± said Minhye as told. ¡°When you say ¡®saram,¡¯ you will find your lips are closed, but when you say ¡®sarang,¡¯ your lips are opened, right?¡± ¡°Sarang. Wow, you¡¯re right! My lips are opened.¡± ¡°I believe I can open your mind with sarang(love),¡± said Hyongsu. Minhye just smiled at that. ¡°I would like to dance with you if you don¡¯t mind.¡± It looked as if this was what he wanted to tonight. Feeling thankful for his efforts, she held his hand gently and danced with him. Hyongsun didn¡¯t dance well, though, but he tried to get closer to her body. He touched her waist then buttocks when she didn¡¯t resist. Now, he was moving his hand to her bosom when she stopped it. ¡°Don¡¯t rush, please.¡± ¡°Sorry, I think I was too hasty a bit.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we dance to a different song? I¡¯ve found a very interesting music video on Youtube recently. Its singing and dancing are very stimting.¡± ¡°Really? I am very curious. What is it?¡± Chapter 162

Chapter 162

Minhye surfed the inte on Hyongsun¡¯sputer and found out the song. Its title was ¡®Duckling Fly.¡¯ He has never heard of it before. ¡°Oh, this is new to me.¡± ¡°Just hear it. Very exciting. It¡¯s all the craze on Youtube these days.¡± She yed the tune, whose unique rhythms created by drumming milk bottles excited her body. Carried away with the exciting tune, she already began to hop around. On such asions, her big bosom seemed to tempt him. He also began to hop like her,menting ¡°This song is really cool. Of course, I love your hopping to the tune much better.¡± ¡°I¡¯m ttered, Hyongsun. Hohoho.¡± *** At the office of Ani & Funny in Bono-dong, it was already quite dark outside, but the office was still brightly lit up. The staff were told to wait instead of leaving the office for the day. Hyunwoo told them they would have a meeting as soon as he got back from Vietnam. They were looking at therge screen on the wall where the music video of Duckling Fly was being yed through a projector. The exciting tunes of the song filled the office. When the song was over, Jinhon, itsposer, said, ¡°It already hit 10 million views. Their reaction is explosive.¡± Hyunwoo nodded at that. As Jinhon said, Duckling Fly was winning poprity quickly. ¡°It¡¯s not just Youtube. Numerous bloggers are downloading it now. I guess those who have actually heard the song are at least ten times more than Youtube viewers.¡± That was true. Duckling Fly was gaining poprity not only in Vietnam and Korea but also in the United States. What¡¯s more encouraging was that the music video was posted on Youtube only a month ago. If this trend continued, it was clear that it would be the biggest hit on Youtube. It was a fantastic opportunity for Hyunwoo and the staff of Ani & Funny to make money, but Hyunwoo decided he had to be careful. He thought he could lose the golden opportunity if he dealt with the situation carelessly. If he wanted to make full use of it, he needed someone with experience in the field. He decided to ask for Jinyoung¡¯s help when it came to the musical aspect. Of course, he could reject his request if he was too much tied up at the moment. What Hyunwoo had to focus on most at the moment was the video of the song. There were three big reasons that Duckling Fly became so popr. First, its musical aspect appealed to the young. Its tune was so exciting, along with the excellent singing of Jinhon and Ang. Secondly, the dancing aspect was also appealing. The bouncing rhythm of the song was called ¡®Kenny Dance¡¯ on the inte, gaining poprity as the word ¡®Kenny¡¯ appeared in its verse. If anybody googled on ¡®Kenny Dance¡¯ on the inte, there popped up numerous videos simr to it. In particr, the sexy girl group called ¡®Yellow¡¯ were popr, along with Kenny Dance. Hyunwoo watched the Kenny Dance done by the girl group Yellow. They were in tight sportswear, with each of them showing off their slender figures and full bosoms. Their dancing stood out in the Kenny Dance. Obviously, Yellow¡¯s Kenny Dance was pretty appealing to men. Interesting enough, Kenny¡¯s Dance was not just popr with young women. In fact, it was loved by all, regardless of age and sex. In particr, thanks to Mrs. Hong, it was also appealing to seniors who could not move about freely. Watching the video, many seniors began to dance to the tune, thinking ¡®I can do it like her.¡¯ Lastly, the characters of the music video had some impact. Various characters including Kenny were the talk of the town already. In particr, the characters were popr with children. That was a golden opportunity for Hyunwoo. He had to seize it by all means. ¡°What¡¯s the status of the animation production of Garbage World?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°We¡¯ve done rendering of about ten episodes so far. And five facial expressions of the main characters,¡± said Kyungsu. ¡°We haven¡¯t started on the fairy tale production, right?¡± ¡°Right now we¡¯re only concentrating on Tuti & Angelica.¡± ¡°How many episodes have you created so far?¡± ¡°A total of 15. Kunho draws the animation really fast, doing the work of two workers. And we have also finished 25 highlights of Tuti & Angelica.¡± ¡°What about the storyboard?¡± ¡°Including the highlights, we have finished about 40 up to now. Right now, the storyboard team is focusing on Garbage World.¡± Hyunwoo felt Kyungsu was really dependable. Though Kyungsu refused Hyunwoo¡¯s offer to be the CEO of Ani & Funny, Hyunwoo felt it would be more efficient for him to take over even now. But Kyungsu refused the offer again, let alone any top managerial role. So, Hyunwoo had to ask for his opinion and then give the direction to the staff. ¡°Is it okay to have the Yu Zuung and her students¡¯ team in Vietnam take care of the remaining work of Tuti & Angelica?¡± ¡°Yes, no problem as far as its storyboard has beenpleted.¡± ¡°Okay, then. Let¡¯s focus on Garbage World from now on. As I¡¯m not familiar with the practical aspects of your work, can you divide up the work, Kyungsu?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to. Just send the work to VPictures as soon as its storyboard has been done. Send them the samples of the facial expressions or motions of characters, along with our special note on the direction of the production of the major scenes. We can take an interim review of their production,¡± said Kyungsu. ¡°As for the progress in the animation production of Garbage World, can you take it over, Manager Han? I would like to post it on Story Ma as soon as possible.¡± At that moment Sanggyu said with some concern, ¡°We¡¯ve run into a problem.¡± ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°The storyboard of Garbage World that we havepleted is for an experimental purpose. It doesn¡¯t have any specific theme, and its length varies from 20 seconds to one minute. In other words, it iscking in terms of consistency.¡± Hyunwoo was aware of that problem, too. The reason he had a renewed interest in Garbage World was that Jungah and Jihoon Kang recreated its main characters. So, Hyunwoo went further and wanted to change the contents and mood of the animation. He tried various different ways ranging from its length to the content. Obviously, it was not consistent. He wanted to try different ways to find out which type of animation would attract the most attention, and his goal was never changed. ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. We don¡¯t have to be tied to the same format and theme all the time. Let¡¯s make it as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo recieved a call from somebody. Confirming the caller, he was pleasantly surprised because it was Jinyoung Paek. ¡°Wow! This is a call from Brother Jinyoung! So thrilled,¡± shouted Hyunwoo in spite of himself. Stunned to hear that, Kyungsu raised his head and asked, ¡°Who is Brother Jinyoung?¡± Hyunwoo raised both hands as if he asked Kyungsu to wait a moment. The reason Jinyoung called Hyunwoo was just one: he must have watched Duckling Fly on Youtube. And that was what Hyunwoo wanted. Though he didn¡¯t know Jinyong¡¯s contact number, Hyunwoo thought Jinyong would remember Ani & Funny was the animationpany founded by Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo picked up the phone in an excited voice. ¡°Long time, no see! How are you doing, Brother Jinyoung?¡± ¡°Yea, it¡¯s been a while since I talked to you. How are you?¡± Last time, Hyunwoo earnestly asked him to talk down to him, and he said he would, but he was using honorifics while speaking with Hyunwoo now. ¡°Brother, please talk down to me. You saidst time you would treat me as your younger brother, right? Did you forget it?¡± ¡°Oh my god! No, I don¡¯t mean it. As I haven¡¯t called you in a long time, I just forgot that. Sorry, hahaha.¡± Then Jinyoung furtively began to talk down to him in a much more rxed tone. And the impatient Jinyoung brought up the main topic, ¡°I watched the music video ¡®Duckling Fly¡¯ on Youtube. I saw the logo ¡®ANI & FUNNY¡¯ there on the screen. Isn¡¯t that yourpany?¡± Chapter 163

Chapter 163

Just as Hyunwoo suspected, Jinyoung mentioned the music video Duckling Fly. Hyunwoo grinned from ear to ear. ¡°Did you watch the music video? Did you feel the song was good?¡± ¡°My guess was right. It¡¯s not just good. Big hit! Whoposed it? And who is that female singer? She is new to me. Does she live in Korea?¡± Jinyoung asked a barrage of questions. He spoke fast, and his voice was extremely excited as if he had too many questions to know which to ask which one first. Hyunwoo exined the whole episode involving Jinhon and Ang. Jinyoung¡¯s voice became louder, ¡°Hearing what you say, they haven¡¯t made an official debut as singers, right? Wow, this is like picking up pearls from the sea.¡± The more Hyunwoo heard Jinyoung¡¯s praise, the happier he felt. Jinyoung said, ¡°I wonder if they belong to any managementpany. If not, I would like to be their manager.¡± Hyunwoo eximed ¡®Hooray!¡¯ deep inside. Actually, Jinyoung was pretty much active in various soap operas, sis, and entertainment programs, but he retired from the musical scene. Hyunwoo felt he retired as a music manager not because his passion for music disappeared but because he was waiting for a golden chance toe back. His timelyeback would also be the decisive moment when he could pay off all his debts. And now Jinyoung decided to resume his music activities as a manager for Jinhon and Ang because of Duckling Fly, which meant both of them had infinite musical potential. Hyunwoo was so happy that he could have hugged Jinhon and Ang if they had been right next to him at the moment, but at the same time he had to be prudent It was true Jinyoung was a musician that Hyunwoo loved, but he was a businessman at the same time. The reason he was interested in Jinhon and Ang was not because of the future of Hyunwoo, Jinhon, and Ang, but because of his own business. Of course, if Jingyong gained sess, Hyunwoo would share the benefits, along with Jinhon and Ang. The fact was Hyunwoo was also a businessman. There was no reason that he would donate Jinhon and Ang, the fruits of his enormous efforts and energies as if they were a gift to Jinyoung. Ideally, Jinyoung and Hyunwoo would take themon road of prosperity. Hyunwoo cautiously asked, ¡°Are you going to resume the entertainment business?¡± Jinyoung made a heartyugh at that and said, ¡°Hahaha. That¡¯s impossible. I¡¯ve got so much debt right now. As soon as I set up a newpany, the creditors will certainly go after me to get their money back. Even now I am paying them when I receive the check for my activities.¡± ¡°How can you work as a manager then?¡± ¡°Well, I may have to find a strong financier and work as his contractor. If I hit the jackpot in the United States, I think I can pay off the remaining debts when I get about 20% of the profits.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide. ¡°Are you thinking of the US market?¡± ¡°Of course. If I hit the jackpot in the US market, it will open the world market automatically. Given the musical tone and melodies, Duckling Fly has that potential. American children will go crazy about music like this.¡± Jinyoung was thinking of a bigger market than expected. Hyunwoo decided firmly he should join hands with Jinyoung. ¡°Do you have any financier in mind?¡± ¡°Well, I think I have to talk to the singers first. If they are willing to work with me, I can start searching.¡± ¡°Can I be your financier?¡± At the moment Jinyoung stopped suddenly, and asked as if to confirm it, ¡°Are you sure you want to be my financier?¡± ¡°Yes, I do.¡± Jinyoungughed instantly at that, saying, ¡°Oh, this is a very costly business. You need at least hundreds of million won as start-up expenses. And there is no guarantee you can hit the jackpot. In other words, you have to be ready to face the financial risk, too.¡± ¡°I know that much, Jinyoung. And I¡¯m ready for that, too. Let¡¯s meet for a detailed discussion. Are you avable this weekend? Let mee up to Seoul with Jinhon.¡± ¡°Sure. Let me mark thising Saturday then.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo yelled in delight. His sudden shouting in joy surprised the staff who had been watching him silently, but Hyunwoo didn¡¯t care for his dream became a reality now. I think I have to have Ang¡¯s visa validity period as long as possible this time. Let me ask Sungji Na to have her receive a visa not only to Korea but also for the United States, Hyunwoo decided. When he was lost in thought after the call, Kyungsu asked suddenly, ¡°Did you talk to former singer Jinyoung Paek?¡± Only then did Hyunwoo stop thinking and looked at Kyungsu. Not only Kyunsu but also other staff also looked at him. This time Sanggyu asked, ¡°Are you going to scout Jinyoung?¡± Nodding, Hyunwoo replied, ¡°It is not necessarily scouting him, but I made a simr offer. He said he wanted to help Jinhon get into the US entertainment market.¡± As soon as Hyunwoo made that bombshell announcement, all the staff yelled for joy. ¡°Wow! US market? What a jackpot!¡± ¡°I thought Jinhon¡¯s song was good but didn¡¯t know he had such great potential.¡± ¡°I had better get his autograph in advance.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to the efforts of our President Hyunwoo.¡± Everybody talked about Jinhon in a rxed mood. Sharing their joyful moods, Hyunwoo cautioned, however, ¡°Well, the biggest secret to sess here is because Jinhon himself enjoyed the music. As he felt his music was exciting, others felt the same.¡± At that moment they felt a bit tense. Hyunwoo continued, ¡°It¡¯s not me who helped Jinhone to this point. He and I had the same dream. That¡¯s all.¡± Now they began to listen to him more seriously. ¡°I¡¯d like to dream the same dream with you. You will find out whether I¡¯m serious about this or not by checking out the warehouse of N&C Korea right now.¡± They all agreed. ¡°I don¡¯t want to own the fruits of sess just for myself. I would like to share them with you. Just like the case of Jinhon and Ang as well as N&C Korea. So, please regard Ani & Funny as mypany but yours. You will get due reward.¡± As soon as Hyunwoo was done talking, Kyungsu lightened up the atmosphere. ¡°Hey, guys, let¡¯s cheer up, We can certainly make animations that will hit the jackpot.¡± Hyunwoo gave Kyungsu a corporate card and said, ¡°Please have a great dinner today. You deserve it on a day like today.¡± ¡°Are you not joining?¡± ¡°If I join, I¡¯ll ruin the atmosphere.¡± ¡°No way, please join us.¡± ¡°As a matter of fact, I have an appointment this evening. There is a press conference by the head of the Castor Dream team, timed with the news hour of Korean Broadcasting at 7 pm.¡± After he left the office, Hyunwoo headed directly to the office of KOVE DREAM. It was located in the container house on the empty lot near the newly purchased warehouse. The office was empty but equipped with office supplies and a fax machine. Only Juwhan Moon and his two friends were working there. As soon as Hyunwoo came in, Juhwan came running with a business file. ¡°Sir, I don¡¯t know how to deal with this.¡± It was filled with trade stuff that looked quiteplicated. ¡°I think I have to hire an experienced man on this,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Really? Given the choice, please get me a beautiful woman for that work, hahaha,¡± said Juhwan yfully. But he couldn¡¯t grant Juwan¡¯s request. Juhwan was only 21 years old. If Hyunwoo hired a woman, she should be in her early 20s, to say the least. ¡°How can I hire an experienced career woman in your age group? I guess she would be at least over 30 years old.¡± ¡°Oh, I see,¡± said Juwhan, scratching his head. ¡°What about a youngdy just out of college? I mean, young and knowledgeable. Isn¡¯t that enough?¡± ¡°Well, lots of knowledge in the field is different from practical experience in the field. Even the top graduate of the trading department doesn¡¯t know what to do without any practical experience.¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo recalled a perfect candidate for his job. She was his girlfriend Suji Min, but that was impossible. Her switch here was a betrayal of Aurum, her employer, and also a big loss for herself. Where can I find a career woman in this field? Chapter 164

Chapter 164

Hyunwoo had another good candidate in mind. Someone with real experience in dealing with trading: customs official. Of course, there was little possibility that such an official would give up his or her stable job to switch to Hyunwoo¡¯spany. Next, Hyunwoo thought of a licensed customs agent. Maybe he could hire someone from that field. He¡¯d heard there were so many licensed customs agents these days that lots of them were struggling to find a job. In particr, he could hire a married woman with that license as a part-timer. If I contact the customs office, can I find a licensed customs official looking for a job? As it¡¯s toote, let me call them tomorrow, Hyunwoo thought. He ordered food to eat with the staff and watched the news hour of Korea Broadcasting that featured Tohyok Kim¡¯s interview. Many reporters were covering his press conference. Seoul Broadcasting¡¯s recent program Dream Korea team had heightened the attention of the press. Tohyok¡¯s face was hardened with lots of tension. As he was supposed to read from the readout he had prepared in advance, his press conference went well. The purpose of the conference was to exin the dream of KOVE DREAM without ming Dream Korea as Hyunwoo requested. The only thing worth your attention is that the KOVE DREAM team set the bar a bit higher for technology based on the experience of the Castor Dream team that I created. That was an inevitable decision as we needed the public to recognize that they could trust the products of the KOVE DREAM team. Our goal is to include all the local Koreanpanies in Vietnam in the long run. That way we can enhance the technology of all the Koreanpanies in Vietnam, but we need more technicians to achieve the goal. To those who want to join us, Vietnam is thend of opportunity. If your skilled technicianse to Vietnam, we, KOVE DREAM, will actively help you resettle. We have already secured the funds for that purpose. You still have an opportunity toe back, so don¡¯t hesitate. Try to achieve your new dream. We¡¯ll help you realize that dream.> Tohyok read the press release calmly. As soon as he was done, several reporters asked questions, all focusing on which side was genuine. Tohyok replied as Hyunwoo requested, ¡°There are no fakes here. Neither the Dream Korea nor the KOVE DREAM team is fake. The only difference is that the condition for the application is different.¡± ¡°Dream Korea argued that KOVE DREAM was a fake. What do you make of that?¡± Instead of replying, Tohyok looked at the reporter and asked, ¡°It depends on what is the standard that tells lies from the truth.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think the thing is which team represents Vietnam?¡± asked another reporter. ¡°Well, that¡¯s not a question I can answer. The consumers who have used the products of the Dream team or KOVE DREAM team will judge.¡± At that moment, Tohyok suddenly stopped speaking, and then resumed, ¡°Well, it was about two years ago that I went to Vietnam to form the Castor dream team and created the sess story of that team. That¡¯s all I want to say today.¡± Some other reporters also threw questions at him, but there was nothing particr. Watching the press conference, Hyunwoo smiled in satisfaction. He did quite a good job. *** Hyunwoo went to the office of Ani & Funny. Though it was the weekend, most of the staff came to work. Everybody was busy taking care of their specialized assignments. Jihoon Kang exchanged opinions with Jungah and Myonghun on developing new characters, and Sanggyu focused on working out the storyboard with Yujong Suh, whom he had an eye for. The rest of the staff produced sample videos of the major facial expressions or movements of the animated characters. The length of the videos ranged from 20 seconds to 40 seconds, so they quickly proceeded with the production. As soon as the sample videos and the storyboard of Garbage World werepleted, they were sent to VPictures in Vietnam. Hyunwoo smiled in satisfaction, ¡°Let¡¯s pick up Jinhon for a business trip to Seoul.¡± ¡°Take care, sir.¡± He headed for the alternative school where Jinhon was waiting for him. Arriving there, Hyunwoo was surprised to see more than ten students gathered. ¡°What the heck? Who are all these guys?¡± Scratching his head, Jinho said, ¡°I couldn¡¯t refuse their earnest request toe with you. Jinyoung is such a famous musician with great musical talent.¡± With an embarrassed expression, Hyunwoo looked at his friends. ¡°Please take us, too. Please.¡± But it was not something he could decide. ¡°This is not your best manners to Mr. Paek.¡± ¡°Can you call him in advance for his approval?¡± Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t refuse it, so he called Jinyoung. ¡°No problem. I don¡¯t have any reason to avoid them. Bring them all, but it¡¯s your responsibility to take care of them while they¡¯re here,¡± said Jinyoung. ¡°Hahaha. Got it. We¡¯re heading for Seoul now.¡± Jinyoung Paek was originally the representative of JYP, one of Korea¡¯s best entertainmentpanies. Thepany was powerful and famous enough to have branches in Korea, the United States, Japan, and China. Despite his prominence in the past, he was in a miserable position now due to enormous amounts of debt. He had no building nor house under his name, so he had to live in his younger brother¡¯s house, but the students¡¯ highly respected Jinyoung. They got excited, saying they could visit Korea Broadcasting thanks to him. They arrived at the appointed ce 30 minutes early. Strange enough, Jinyoung didn¡¯t appear. They waited ten minutes longer, but he didn¡¯te. Hyunwoo looked at his cell phone. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him? Can I call him?¡± But he decided to wait a bit longer because Jinyoung couldete due to his tight shooting schedule. In the meantime, Jinyoung was at a nearby location. He wanted to rush to the appointment ce but couldn¡¯t. He was given a severe rebuke by Taesu Ahn, the president of AT Entertainment. ¡°Hey, Mr. Paek. I hear you are ndering me behind my back these days.¡± Taesu was one year older than him, and he insisted on being treated as his senior. Reluctantly, Jinyoung treated him as his senior. As AT entertainment had such a big influence in the field, he had to curry favor with Taesu to survive. That¡¯s why Jinyoung was stunned to hear Taesu mention ¡®ndering¡¯ of him. ¡°What? ndering you behind your back? How? That¡¯s just groundless rumor,¡± denied Jinyoung, flustered by Taesu¡¯s sudden attack. ¡°You are treating me with contempt, aren¡¯t you? Didn¡¯t you talk about me behind my back to somebody who was close to Nami Yu, right? You called me a virgin killer or womanizer. I heard it from a very informed source.¡± At that moment, Jinyoung¡¯s face turned pale. Actually, he mentioned it secretly when he was with Hyunwoo alone. How could it have reached his ears? Jinyoung had to deny that unconditionally. ¡°I guess there was some misunderstanding. I am not a person like that. How can I dare talk about me behind my back you, brother?¡± But Taesu was mocking him as if he knew Jinyoung was lying. ¡°Do you want me to name the person you talked with? Hyunwoo Jang. President of Ani & Funny, N&C Korea and KOVE DREAM. Are you going to make an excuse even now?¡± Jinyoung was at a loss on how to respond, but he had to deny it thoroughly to survive. ¡°I just don¡¯t know what you¡¯re trying to say. I know Hyunwoo, but I have never ndered you when I met him. Please trust me. Do you think I¡¯m such a fool to do so?¡± When Jinyoung tried his best to show he was not lying, Taesu didn¡¯t me him anymore. ¡°As you know, the most dreadful thing in the world is your three-inch-long tongue. You had better not do anything that can cut your throat, okay?¡± ¡°Of course, brother. I won¡¯t¡± Taesu gave him a sharp warning with a cynical smile and disappeared. Suddenly, Jinyoung thought of Hyunwoo. Come to think of it, he became convinced that it must be Hyunwoo who tipped Taesu off on that. Jinyoung¡¯s face was distorted and muttering to himself, What a bastard! I can¡¯t tolerate him anymore. I¡¯ve really treated him well so far. Chapter 165

Chapter 165

Jinyoung angrily headed to the ce where Hyunwoo and his entourage were waiting for him. Only a moment ago he was thrilled to meet Jinhon, theposer of Duckling Fly, but he felt pretty disappointed now. When he entered the conference room, they greeted him dly, ¡°Hello!¡± Though he was disappointed at Hyunwoo, he couldn¡¯t show his feelings to the students. Hiding his disappointment, he greeted them warmly, ¡°Nice to meet you, guys. By the way, can you wait a bit here? I¡¯ve got something to talk with Hyunwoo briefly. Hyunwoo, can you see me a second?¡± ¡°Yes, brother,¡± said Hyunwoo. He followed Jinyoung at a brisk pace. As soon as they entered another conference room, the atmosphere became heavy. ¡°I¡¯m disappointed, Hyunwoo. How could you do that to me?¡± ¡°What the heck are you talking about?¡± asked Hyunwoo with a surprised look. Jinyoung exined to him about what Taesu had told him. Hearing his exnation, Hyunwoo tly denied, ¡°That¡¯s just ridiculous. I¡¯ve never talked to anyone about you or Nami. I¡¯m serious.¡± ¡°Then, how did Taesu find it out?¡± Hyunwoo had no idea whatsoever. Suddenly, he came to think of one unusual thing. ¡°Some time ago, I met Nami at a cafe in Yangpyong. Though she was extremely busy, she could take time out to see me. I guess Taesu came to learn about me at that time and did a background check on me behind my back.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think background check on you would reveal our secret conversation.¡± ¡°Did Taesu tell you about it in detail?¡± Jinyoung stopped for a moment because Taesu¡¯s questioning was not so detailed. He just mentioned something bad about himself broadly. Snapping his fingers, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Obviously, Taesu must have jumped to conclusions about you. As it was clear that I was close to you and Nami, he tried to learn your response by throwing such questions.¡± Jinyoung smiled at that with a sigh of relief. Actually, that was Taesu¡¯s specialty. If any entertainer got trapped by his trick, that would mean the end of his or her life in the entertainment world. ¡°You didn¡¯t say anything about our conservation to anybody else, right?¡± ¡°I swear it! Never.¡± ¡°Phew, I feel now much relieved to hear that. I was so tense that I broke out into a cold sweat.¡± ¡°Taesu is such a terrible guy, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Not only terrible but also very dirty. I don¡¯t think we should talk about him in a ce like this. I¡¯m afraid that somebody might eavesdrop on us.¡± Hyunwoo quickly looked around, and fortunately, there was nobody there. They went back to the conference room where Jinhon and his friends were waiting. They brightened their faces before the students. ¡°Hahaha, wee, guys. I¡¯m d to see you. Who is Jinhon Kwak?¡± After hugging them one by one, Jinyoung looked for Jinhon. Raising his hand quickly, Jinhon came forward, ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯m Jinhon.¡± ¡°Oh, you are! Terrific! I was really surprised to hear Duckling Fly. Your dancing is also terrific.¡± ¡°Actually, the dancing style was developed by this friend of mine,¡± said Jinhon, praising Suljoon Kim. ¡°Hey, Jinhon, won¡¯t you get into the US market?¡± Jinhon grinned from ear to ear. Though he expected such an offer, he felt he was walking on air when Jinyoung mentioned it in person. ¡°Absolutely, sir. I¡¯ll do my best if you give me a chance.¡± ¡°Great. You can just trust and follow me from now on. I¡¯ll take care of everything. Oh, not me alone. Hyunwoo and I will manage your activities, so just focus on music. Also, take good care of your voice and your physical condition.¡± ¡°Yes, I got it, sir.¡± With a satisfied smile, Jinyoung called somebody. A littleter someone who looked about the same age as Hyunwoo came into the conference room. ¡°Did you call me?¡± ¡°Can you show these students around the broadcastingpany? I¡¯ve got something to discuss with this gentleman.¡± After he took them out of the room, Hyunwoo asked, ¡°What is he?¡± ¡°He will be the manager of Jinhon.¡± Hyunwoo opened his eyes wide and asked, ¡°I thought you would be Jinhon¡¯s manager.¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll take direct control of Jinhon, but as you know, I have a contract on the si at the moment, so I can¡¯t take out enough time to manage Jinhon right now.¡± Hyunwoo nodded. He forgot that Jinyoung appeared in the si ¡®Wolf and Fox¡¯ featuring Nami Yu. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, though. That guy was my alter ego in my prime time. When I was running JYP, that guy helped me move into the US market.¡± Jinyoung said he had three great managers when he was so active in the US market. Two of them left, but the man who Hyunwoo saw a moment ago was the only manager who didn¡¯t leave Jinyoung. ¡°May I ask where are those two managers who left you?¡± Jinyoung made a heartyugh at that and said, ¡°Hahaha. I think I made worthless remarks. Let bygones be bygones, dude. Anyway, let me make Jinhon an entertainment star, so I¡¯ll rely on your financial backing.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°By the way, it looks like you¡¯re financially very stable. Can you back me up financially to the end?¡± Actually, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t worry too much about supporting Jinyoung¡¯s project. He could take out 6 billion won with his stocks in N&C in Vietnam as coteral. Though he took out some loans to support Ani & Funny, the startup costs were less than 500 million won. The only thing that bothered him was his father Duyoung Jang¡¯s research project. If he hit upon a great idea tomorrow and started a new business, even 6 billion won might not be enough because he had topete withrgepanies, but it was stupid for Hyunwoo to prepare that huge amount of money in advance. ¡°Just trust me, brother!¡± ¡°Sure. Do you have the contract? I¡¯ve prepared a draft here,¡± said Jinyoung. Of course, Hyunwoo prepared one, too. What was most important was the transparency of expenses. Though he could trust Jinyoung confidently, any opaque expenses could cause a lot of headachester and the source of misunderstanding. As he was ready to entrust the whole operation of management to Jinyoung, Hyunwoo only cared about the transparency of the expenses of Jinhon¡¯s musical activities. The gist of Hyunwoo¡¯s contract was the extent of Jinhon¡¯s activities and the division of the profits. From now on Jinyoung would be taking care of all the musical activities rted to Jinhon and Ang¡¯s Duckling Fly, and Jinyoung would take 15-25% of the total profits. He was supposed to take 15% of the profits of the existing song. Actually, Hyunwoo¡¯s contract was quite reasonable. These days the managementpanies took at least 40% and even 70% of the profits. Taking a review of the contract, Hyunwoo looked at him with a satisfied smile, but Jinyoung seemed disgruntled. It was because of one use Hyunwoo put in for transparency of how the expenses were to be paid. ¡°Do you want me to pay all the expenses?¡± asked Jinyoung. ¡°Yes, let me lend you money at the interest rate of 7.5% per year.¡± ¡°Can I ask why you inserted this use? Are you concerned I might submit fake receipts?¡± Hyunwoo didn¡¯t deny that. He just preferred transparency about everything because mutual misunderstanding caused by business could damage human rtions. ¡°That¡¯s right. Inserting that use, I thought we should not waste too much time on unnecessary stuff.¡± Jinyoung nodded his head and said, ¡°Got it, man. Instead, let¡¯s change the division ratio of the profits. Let me include all the expenses here.¡± ¡°Of course, you should.¡± After some hard thinking, Jinyoung modified the profits ratio. He increased it by 5% to 20~30% of the total profits. The rest of the profits will be divided between Hyunwoo and Jinhon ording to the contract. After signing the contract, they held their hands tightly and said, ¡°Let¡¯s hit the jackpot!¡± ¡°I only trust you, brother!¡± Chapter 166

Chapter 166

After meeting with Jinyoung, Hyunwoo left the broadcastingpany. His face was full of excitement and thrill, and the students were full of envy and jealousy for Jinhon. Looking at them, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Don¡¯t be impatient, guys. Opportunity wille along to you. If you seize it, you will be a star like Jinhon, and if you don¡¯t, you will be forgotten, so work very hard. If you don¡¯t, you won¡¯t have the power to seize the opportunity.¡± Jinhon scratched his head with an embarrassed look. Looking at him curiously Hynwoo asked, ¡°Do you have anything to say?¡± ¡°Well, as for the music video¡­¡± The moment Hyunwoo heard that he opened his eyes wide all of a sudden. He already knew what they wanted to discuss with him. Jinhon continued, ¡°Can you make another music video with these guys singing and dancing? They really love music and they are very close to me, too.¡± Hyunwoo had a somber look on his face. Of course, it was not that difficult to make one more music video, but he could not ept it because he could not be sure that this would not be theirst request. Besides, he was short-handed now. He had to focus on the animation production of Tuti and Angelica, and the first animation production of an updated Garbage World. ¡°I can¡¯t ept your request,¡± said Hyunwoo resolutely. ¡°Please!¡± Hyunwoo let out a sigh. He could not help but ept it when they didn¡¯t bugged him like that. He asked Jinhon in a calm voice, ¡°How many are there in your school now?¡± ¡°About 70, all told.¡± ¡°What if the other studentse to me for the same request like yours?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t give all of them such benefits, of course, but these are my closest friends.¡± Hyunwoo shook his head and said, ¡°I have to disagree. It¡¯s not fair if some get the benefits because they are close to somebody, and others don¡¯t because they are not.¡± Jinhon thought Hyunwoo was very close to him, so he felt Hyunwoo would easily okay his request. But Hyunwoo didn¡¯t want to discriminate against other students at the alternative school. Jinhon seemed disappointed. However, it was Hyunwoo who was disappointed in Jinhon. Jinhon personally watched the difficult process of how his music video was created and came to light finally. How could Jinhon make such a request simply because they were his close friends? ¡°The reason I made a music video for you is not that you¡¯re close to me, but because of your music was worth it.¡± ¡°Well, I am not asking you a favor just because they¡¯re my close friends. Actually, they really sing and dance very well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s your standard, and it¡¯s not objective,¡± said Hyunwoo coldly. Jinhon said he felt sorry for his friends, but theyforted him by patting him on the shoulder. Looking at them, Hyunwoo felt sorry, too. Suddenly, he hit upon a good idea. ¡°I think I have a good idea.¡± ¡°What is it? Please let us know.¡± ¡°Just prove that your musical talent is worth a music video.¡± ¡°Prove it?¡± ¡°For example, you can get recognition from your principal. I think you had better have a music contest. If you win, I can make a music video for you.¡± They just scratched their heads at his suggestion. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your expressions? Are you not confident? You guys told me you¡¯re the best in your school, right?¡± ¡°No, sir. We¡¯re confident!¡± ¡°Okay, then. Let mee to your school sooner orter. Oh, let me visit your school tomorrow and talk to your principal. Got it?¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± As he promised, Hyunwoo went to the alternative school the next day to see the principal. Jinhun and Kyungsu apanied him. Kyungsu seemed a bit disgruntled, though. ¡°Brother Kyungsu, what¡¯s the matter with you?¡± Kyungsu just shook his head, but when Hyunwoo demanded, he reluctantly said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re involved in too many things right now.¡± Hyunwoo instantly figured out what hisint was. In fact, other staff had simrints. They were worried about the growing expenses when there was no solid ie source. Kyungsu continued, ¡°It¡¯smendable that you make a music video for the students. But what I want is you to first establish the existingpany on a firm footing.¡± Actually, Kyungsu rightly pointed out the problem, but Hyunwoo looked at it differently. ¡°Brother, did you forget why I founded Ani & Funny?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because¡­¡± Kyungsu murmured. Come to think of it, Hyunwoo founded it not to make money but to give those less fortunate students the opportunity to learn at his own expense. And that was and is his original intention. Hyunwoo continued, ¡°Of course I don¡¯t want to make unreasonable investments. Just to the point I can ept it. So, you don¡¯t have to worry about the possible risk to Ani & Funny.¡± ¡°Well, given the choice, you should make some money, Hyunwoo.¡± ¡°Why not? But the money wille along when things work out smoothly.¡± Kyungsu didn¡¯t respond as if he wanted to stop arguing at that point. Hyunwoo, too, closed his lips with a smile. When they arrived at the school, an old man with gray hair was waiting at the main gate. The principal¡¯s name was Daewon Kim, quite a famous man. Most of the popr hits ten years ago wereposed by him, earning him the nickname ¡®The Manufacturer of Hits.¡¯ Hyunwoo bowed to him deeply as Daewon was 20 years older than him. ¡°How do you do, sir? My name is Hyunwoo Jang.¡± ¡°Oh, I heard a lot about you from Jinhon and Ang. I also heard you decided to support the production of a music video for our children here. Thanks so much,¡± said Daewon. He showed them into his office, greeting them with hot tea. Hyunwoo cautiously brought up the main topic. Namely, he said he was willing to make a couple of music videos for the best students chosen through a contest. Hyunwoo expected he would give a green light easily, but he didn¡¯t. ¡°I understand why you want to start this, but that¡¯s not that simple. We have never graded anybody by participating in such a contest,¡± said Daewon. That was not the only problem, though. He continued, ¡°As you know, there are various genres of music. And it is difficult to rank them even in each genre. Hearing your exnation, Mr. Jang, you want me to choose the best student after evaluating all the contestants in every genre. It¡¯s beyond my ability.¡± Hyunwoo nodded his head. It should be a tough challenge. ¡°Is there any better idea?¡± ¡°Let me think it over a little more with the teachers here.¡± Then, he called them to his office. Except for those in the ssrooms, there were four teachers gathered. When they entered the office, Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide instantly because one of them was far from a teacher. Who is that female teacher? With fair skin and stunning beauty, she really stood out. She was wearing big sses that didn¡¯t fit her, but it looked like she put on them as an essory. He introduced them one by one to Hyunwoo, and she also gently smiled at him with her eyes. ¡°My name is Soyun Han.¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo felt his heart sank. Her smile was more stimting than her beauty. And he felt as if he was possessed by the smile in her eyes. Hyunwoo felt his heart pounded in spite of himself whenever his eyes met hers. After a brief exchange of greetings, she sat down with a nk look. Daewon took the initiative on the discussion of the music contest. They concluded that as the purpose of the contest was clear, there was nothing to fear as far as grading the contestants was concerned. In particr, Soyun fully supported the idea of holding a music contest. Nodding his head, Daewon said, ¡°All agreed with the idea of a music contest. Now, the real issue here is how to hold the contest. As you know, there are many genres of music. How can we judge the contestants¡± ¡°I guess popr voting is the best way regardless of the genre. And the voting college is made up of all the students here.¡± ¡°I think we had better divide the contests into a preliminary and main contest. The teachers will sort out those contestants who can pass the preliminary contest and then have the students vote on them.¡± Soyun also presented her opinion. When she was silent, she had an absent expression, but when she had something to say, she actively spoke out with that captivating smile in her eyes. On such asions, Hyunwoo naturally cast a nce at her before he knew. Suddenly, he felt she was familiar to him. Certainly, he saw her face before somewhere. And now his eyes popped out when he realized who she was. As a stunning beauty that put even Miss Korea in the shade, she was once a top actress who excited people with her sexy dance, but when the scandals involving her sex video and her affair with the president of her entertainmentpany broke out at the same time, she disappeared from the entertainment world. Actually, Jinyoung Paek mentioned her tragic fate while he was talking about something rted to Nami. In the meantime, Daewon finally made the decision and wrapped up the meeting. ¡°Okay. We have decided to ept the song entries first and then select them in the preliminary and main contests.¡± Then, he cautiously asked Soyun, ¡°By the way, are you Yuni, a member of Hey Girls by any chance?¡± Chapter 167

Chapter 167

Even before he asked, Hyunwoo could detect her real identity because her face clouded suddenly. At that moment, Principal Daewon Kim stopped him in a quiet voice. ¡°Sometimes you had better pretend not to know even when you know it all.¡± Only then did Hyunwoo realize he made a mistake because he already knew why Yuni of Hey Girls quit her entertaining career. Besides, he was also aware of her hidden story not known to the general public, which he heard from Jinyoung Paek. She had to quit because of Taesu Ahn, the president of AT Entertainment. When Taesu demanded she had sex with him, she refused. Then, he fabricated a sex video about her and spread rumors about her affair with him. In particr, the sex video scandal shocked the public. Though Yuni denied it, it was impossible to identify her because of its bad image quality, and as a result, the video quickly spread under her name. That happened when she was only 22, something she could not bear at that tender age. Worse, AT Entertainment didn¡¯t give her an opportunity to appear on TV. Even after her contract expired, broadcastingpanies rejected her because of the pressure of AT Entertainment, which was regarded as a big yer in the broadcasting market. Yuni disappeared from the broadcasting world, and it¡¯s been three years since then. I now see her real name was Soyun Han. Hyunwoo looked at her again. When the meeting was over Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t stay anymore. And he felt sorry for her. ¡°Well, let us leave now.¡± ¡°Thanks. We¡¯ll hold a music contest sooner orter and try to select the best music entry.¡± ¡°Sure, we¡¯ll be ready then.¡± Hyunwoo left the alternative school, but could not erase her face from his memory for a while. *** ¡°What a poor little girl!¡± said Heejung¡¯s grandmother, letting out a sigh. As she was so poor, Heejung had to give up studying, let alone her dream. Though her grandmother wanted to make money to support her granddaughter, she couldn¡¯t. With a deep sigh, she headed for the senior center, the only ce where she could find sce. Suddenly, she saw a sign on the top of the building that housed the senior center, called ¡®Ani & Funny¡¯. The sign was small and dimly lit in the night, so nobody paid any attention to it. To Heejung¡¯s grandmother, however, the sign was so beautiful and precious. For her granddaughter had a dream in it. For a while, Ani & Funny was the topic of the seniors. They came to know the senior center, located on the 2nd floor of the building, was built thanks to the active support of Ansan City. They felt that even though the sign was nondescript and small, thepany Ani & Funny must be a promising one. It would be great if my granddaughter could work in that ce, she thought. While she was looking at the sign for a while, someone said hello from behind. When she turned her head, it was Hyunwoo, the representative of Ani & Funny. Hyunwoo sometimes visited the senior center with bread and meat, so she knew him well. Today, he was holding a heavy package on both hands. Actually, he was on his way back after checking with the customs office of Ansan City to see if he could find an experienced customs agent looking for a job. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you, Hyunwoo. What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Some bread and soft drinks for you. Why are you out here and noting in?¡± ¡°I was about to.¡± When they went in, Hyunwoo found an olddy called Mrs. Paenamu who was familiar to him as she often went on outings with him. ¡°Enjoy then,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Thanks for this.¡± After briefly saying goodbye to them, Hyunwoo walked up to the office of Ani & Funny upstairs. As soon as he left, Mrs. Paenamu began to praise him. ¡°Do you know what a great guy he is? You know that orphanage called the House of Happiness over there, right?¡± ¡°Yea, it¡¯s a veryrge one.¡± ¡°I heard he boughtputers for the kids and even hired some teachers to teach them.¡± ¡°How wonderful!¡± ¡°Besides, many students areing here every evening to learn from Hyunwoo upstairs.¡± ¡°What is he teaching them?¡± ¡°Animation.¡± Heejung¡¯s grandmother¡¯s jaws dropped at that. Receiving personal tutoring on animation was her granddaughter¡¯s long-cherished dream, and that had been happening upstairs without her knowledge for a while. Suddenly, she came nearer to Mrs. Paenamu and said, ¡°Can I ask you a favor?¡± ¡°What favor?¡± ¡°In fact, my granddaughter was anxious to¡­¡± Hearing her exnation, Mrs. Paenamu felt it was an easy job. ¡°No problem. Let¡¯s go upstairs now.¡± ¡°Right now?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the difference if we do it now or tomorrow?¡± When they came upstairs to the office, there were no Anifan kids there, only full-time staff, along with Hyunwoo. ¡°How can I help you?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve got some favor to ask of you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± asked Hyunwoo seeming to agree before he¡¯d even been asked. Mrs. Paenamu exined to Hyunwoo that her granddaughter, a sophomore in high school, was studying animation but could not go to a private tutoring center as she could not afford to, and asked if he could ept her as a part-timer. Then, Heejung¡¯s grandmother stepped in quickly and said, ¡°Phew, you don¡¯t have to pay her if you ept my granddaughter as a part-timer. I just thought she could learn a lot while working here as a part-timer.¡± And then she tried to read Hyunwoo¡¯s mind. She was nervous because he might reject her favor. But Hyunwoo was already thinking of it favorably. Oh, I¡¯ve got an idea! In fact, Ani & Funny was short-handed now. There was no tangible progress in the speed of animation production even though his staff concentrated on Garbage World at the expense of Tuti & Angelica for the moment. Suhim Yu, the storyteller, alreadypleted several stories. Some of them featured flowers and insects with a rose and bees as the main characters and some about school supplies with a stubby pencil as the naughty main character. Her brain was full of ideas. But they could not embark on making the characters suitable for the stories, let alone the storyboard because they were short of hands. That¡¯s why Hyunwoo rejected Jinhon¡¯s request for another music video, and instead okayed a couple of music videos per year through an open contest at their alternative school. With a bright smile, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Please bring her here. I¡¯d like to test her abilities first. Even if she fails, I hope you won¡¯t be disappointed.¡± ¡°Thanks a million, Hyunwoo. Thanks so much,¡± said Heejung¡¯s grandmother. Then, she held his hands tightly. That evening Mrs. Yang¡¯s granddaughter visited the office, but she was not alone. She brought four friends of hers. ¡°Hello. I¡¯m Heejung Yang. My grandmother told me toe over here for a test. These are my friends. We¡¯re learning animation together.¡± They said hello to him, feeling sorry that they came with Yang without his approval. But Hyunwoo didn¡¯t me them. The more, the better for him. After talking with them briefly about animation, Hyunwoo got more interested in them. All of them had been interested in animation since they were middle school students, so they had at least two to three years of studying in animation. Kyungsu and Sanggyu were still in the office. Hyunwoo said, ¡°Could you test them?¡± ¡°Sure. Tell me about your strength in animation work.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know that yet. We¡¯ve just drawn several animations for practice.¡± ¡°Really? Can I see that?¡± Heejung handed him a USB, and her friends also took out USBs one by one. Kyungsu yed them. Their animation works were simple video snippets showing the fighting scenes, a crying girl running on the street and a witch casting spells. Certainly, their work had an amateur¡¯s touch. The picture was rough, and the coloring was clumsy. Nheless, there was something attractive beyond description. Sanggyu yed one USB several times and uttered an exmation. ¡°Who did theyout for this? Was it you?¡± asked Sanggyu, turning to Heejung. She nodded. ¡°Though you are amateurs in drawing, your sense of the spaceyout is much better than mine,¡± said Kyungsu, praising her. ¡°I think you used the story very effectively. In particr, the fighting scene was pretty dynamic even with a few charts of story.¡± ¡°Wow, she is good at seizing the right movement of the characters. Look at the moving hair!¡± Sanggyu suddenly stopped it when he was about to point to a girl¡¯s bosom with his finger. Actually, the girl¡¯s full bust in the animation work was expressed too bluntly. Though he wanted to praise it, he realized Heejung and her friends were high school students in uniforms, so found it awkward to point it out. ¡°Anyway, I feel good about your work. You can do better if you develop your sense of animation further.¡± ¡°Then, can you ept us?¡± Heejung and her friends asked with full of expectation. With their arms folded before their bosoms, they looked so desperate. Chapter 168

Chapter 168

Kyungsu and Sanggyu looked at Hyunwoo at the same time. As the president of Ani & Funny Hyunwoo had a final say, but Hyunwoo was silent. The girls looked at Kyungsu and Hyunwoo, expecting them to decide whether to ept them or not. Kyungsu opened his mouth first, and let out a sigh. ¡°Well, these guys here have great potential, but we can¡¯t use them immediately. I am afraid we can¡¯t use them as a part-timer.¡± ¡°I agree with Kyungsu. They need to learn a bit more,¡± said Sanggyu. Though they gave a disappointing evaluation, Heejung and her friends were not disappointed. They were still full of expectation. ¡°Shall we work and learn here? In fact, the cost of private tutoring is too high for us...¡± Kyungsu and Sanggyu again looked at Hyunwoo for a reply. ¡°Go and get your parents¡¯ approval. I¡¯ll let youe over here and learn,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Wow! Thanks so much!¡± Heejung and her friends hopped around out of joy. In fact, Hyunwoo was thinking of assigning Suhim Yu¡¯s new animation to them ranging from the creation of characters to development of their facial expressions, storyboards, andyout. Of course, Jihoon, Myunghun, and Sanggyu would step in intermittently to coach them. That way the students would learn a lot, hone their skills andplete their assigned work. I wish I had more friends like this. Heejung and her friends came back to Hyunwoo¡¯s office the next day with their parents¡¯ consent. Hyunwoo had something for them. ¡°Take these.¡± He showed them three types of animation stories written by Suhim Yu. Each work had several episodes of its own, but Suhim could notplete them because other staff members were focused on Garbage World at the moment. Receiving them, Heejung and her friends gave him a curious look. Hyunwoo said casually, ¡°Well, these are animation stories we have topleteter. You guys go ahead and choose the one you like. And then make a draft animation on that with new characters, their facial expressions, coloring, and even storyboard.¡± ¡°Really? Are we doing all this?¡± They made a surprising look because they have never done this kind of work before, though they changed some others¡¯ animations a bit for practice. ¡°Just do it. We are not expecting you to produce anyplete work, but trying to find out what kind of animation specialty each of you has: your hidden talent.¡± ¡°But we don¡¯t know how to start...¡± Hyunwoo showed them some samples. They were the characters, their facial expressions and storyboard of Garbage World. ¡°This is Kenny. We changed and transformed a can like this.¡± ¡°Wow, this is the Kenny of Duckling Fly!¡± ¡°Right. Ah! Ani & Funny. Was it true that Ani & Funny made this music video?¡± Asking a barrage of questions, they were overjoyed to learn more about Ani & Funny. Smiling at them, he said, ¡°You can be another Jinhon if you work harder. Try to enhance your skills so as to seize the opportunity when ites along.¡± And then Hyunwoo pointed to the character of Kenny. ¡°Look at Kenny closely. We made it out of a can, but it doesn¡¯t look like a can at all. Without the corners on its head and buttock of Kenny, you would never find anythingmon between a can and Kenny.¡± Heejung and her friends carefully examined Kenny. Like Hyunwoo said, obviously it was made from a can but it looked nothing like a can. There were less than 5% ofmon characteristics between them. ¡°Let me take an example. Look at the stubby pencil. It doesn¡¯t necessarily look that way. You can just draw a circle and write down ¡®stubby pencil¡¯ on it. Try to maximize your imagination to the best you can.¡± ¡°We are not sure we can do well.¡± ¡°Of course, you will find it is not easy at first. Still, try to develop your imagination. That way you can enhance your worth,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Got it. Let me give it a try,¡± said Heejung. ¡°Don¡¯t feel stressed. We are just trying to help you form the habit of thinking. And our staff here will take a look at your work on and off and give you some guidance. That will be of great help to you.¡± Only then did they shout for joy and nod their heads. They seemed to have realized his intention. ¡°Thanks. By the way, which animation story do we have to tackle first?¡± ¡°Well, there is no particr order here. And there is no timeline. You just go ahead if you feel up to that, and then do it with passion.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± They got down to business right away, starting with reviewing the stories. The next day they began to work on making characters of the stories such as drawing pictures with pencils on the reusable paper. When Hyunwoo cast a casual nce, they were involved in personalizing the characters. As girls, they seemed to like the story about flowers and insects. With a satisfied smile, Hyunwoo thought, They could grow to bepetent animation workers in a few years. *** Finally, thepleted animation production of Garbage World arrived from Vietnam. There were five, all told. Confirming the videos, Hyunwoo¡¯s face brightened. ¡°They all look good.¡± That was true. It was better than Hyunwoo expected. The contents of Garbage World were simple. Kenny, the chief of the garbage yard, acted very mean to Butler, an empty bottle just dumped into the yard, and suffered disgraceter. The background of the animation was a dumping ground, where all the garbage were beautified into a cute form that made them look affectionate rather than disgusting. What pleased Hyunwoo above all was the facial expressions and movements of the characters. It seemed that VPictures, the contractor in Vietnam, reflected all the demands that Hyunwoo made with respect to the storyboard. Reportedly VPictures boasted of the best animation technology in Vietnam, which Hyunwoo confirmed now. Kyungsu also seemed satisfied, saying, ¡°I guess it was worth we paid a high price for it.¡± ¡°Good. Can you post these on Story Ma as they are? And announce the series of Tuti & Angelica through the bulletin board of Story Ma, please,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Sure, will do,¡± said Kyungsu. As if he was tense, Hyunwoo rubbed both hands and murmured, ¡°Please hit the jackpot just once!¡± ¡°It will. I¡¯m in the positive. The thing is when we start switching to paid subscriptions.¡± Kyungsu seemed to think Hyunwoo¡¯s goal was to make money by selling the videos on Story Ma, but that was his misunderstanding. Hyunwoo never thought of any profit of video sales. Of course, he could make some, but he felt the derivatives of the characters would bring about more profits. Though Hyunwoo didn¡¯t make the final decision on switching to paid subscriptions, he didn¡¯t want it now. At that moment, he received a call from a woman named Sonjong Kim, a former employee with Ansan Customs Office. ¡°Can Ie to your office right now?¡± ¡°Yes, please.¡± Hyunwoo quickly headed to the KOVE DREAM office. A littleter, Sonjong came in and asked, ¡°Is this KOVE DREAM?¡± She looked shy, but her voice and actions were masculine. She walked into the office without any hesitation as if she came into her main bedroom. Noticing an ashtray on the table, she asked bluntly, ¡°Does anybody smoke inside the office?¡± Actually, Sukju Hwang and Dongsu Yang, who got hired by Juwhan¡¯s rmendation, were smokers. At her asking, they cautiously replied, ¡°Yea, sometimes we smoke here.¡± ¡°Sorry to say this, but I have a baby at home. I can¡¯t take care of her with a whiff of smoke on my clothes. Would you go outside if you want to smoke?¡± ¡°Oh, yea, will do,¡± said both of them reluctantly. Hearing her conversation with them, Hyunwoo found himself tense a bit. It seemed as if he would be rebuked if she found any fault with him. Hyunwoo stood up quickly and pulled a seat for her. Then, he introduced her to Juhwan, Sukju, and Dongsu. Originally, she worked for eight years at the customs office of Ansan. As she worked so hard and excellently, she was regarded as the prize of the customs office, but she gave birth to two children in two years, so she had to take a break, and they hired a new employee in between. She had beenid off for almost three years. Despite her sharp personality, she was like a savior to Hyunwoo. In fact, he had to stay at the KOVE DREAM office for a couple of hours on average per day because he had to work with Juhwan on trading, but he could have Sonjung take care of all that. Hyunwoo said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to give you a working schedule. As far as you are taking care of the trading documents, you¡¯re fine,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°How many documents per day?¡± For now, there were not that many in the case of KOVE DREAM, while N&C Korea had lots of big-ticket contracts because of an increasing number of dealerships. Hearing Hyunwoo¡¯s exnation, she asked, ¡°I guess there are less than six documents per day, right? ¡°I guess so.¡± ¡°Can I go and see my baby at home sometimes as long as my outing doesn¡¯t affect my work? My mom is currently taking care of my baby, but she doesn¡¯t feel good.¡± ¡°Sure, you can. As long as you handle the trading documents well, I have no problem. You are free to report to work and go back home at any time.¡± ¡°Then, how much do you pay me? Is it based on my working hours or just sry?¡± ¡°Let me give you a fixed sry of one million won per month, with a bonus based on your performance.¡± Her face brightened at his mention of a bonus, ¡°Can you give me arge bonus?¡± ¡°Of course I can if everything here goes well. By the way, when can you start?¡± ¡°Oh, even now. Do you have paperwork to handle?¡± Hyunwoo gave her some documents rted to invoices, packing lists, and B/L. She quickly handled the work and faxed the documents to the customs office without any difficulty. Though she hadn¡¯t worked for almost three years after beingid off, she was more skillful than Hyunwoo. Chapter 169

Chapter 169

In the afternoon, Hyunwoo headed back to the office of Ani & Funny then got off work timed with Suji¡¯s getting off work for the day. As a gentle reminder, Kyungsu said to Hyunwoo, ¡°You know that Jinhon is appearing on TV tonight, right? We¡¯re going to watch it in the office.¡± Of course, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t forget. He had been looking forward to today for several days. ¡°Sure, I know that. You said it would be on air at 7:30 pm, right? Let mee back to the office after a quick dinner.¡± ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to. Please have a good time with your sweetheart!.¡± Hyunwoo grinned at that. As a matter of fact, he had no time to date even if he wanted to. When Hyunwoo was free, she had to go back to her office because of some other work at night, and when Sujin was free, Hyunwoo often had an appointment. That¡¯s why their dinner meeting was the only asion for their dates. Suji left the office on time and met Hyunwoo nearby. Then, they went to a restaurant for dinner. Hyunwoo was eating a little faster than usual in spite of himself. Leering at him, Suji asked, ¡°You¡¯re eating too fast, honey.¡± Hyunwoo made an awkward smile, but couldn¡¯t tell her why, ¡°Well, I am usually a quick eater.¡± ¡°Try to form the habit of eating slowly. And it is good manners to adjust your eating pace to a woman¡¯s.¡± ¡°Oh, got it, Suji. Let me eat slowly.¡± It took more than an hour to have dinner. Originally, he nned to have tea but couldn¡¯t. In the meantime, Suji was rxed as she didn¡¯t have to work that night. She even called him for a date today. ¡°How about some beer? Let me treat you today.¡± But Hyunwoo hesitated to reply, scratching his head, ¡°Sorry, but my staff is waiting for me now. I have to go back.¡± ¡°Again? Are you stuck in the office all the time like this? You are not directly involved in animation production, aren¡¯t you?¡± She was right. As he had no knowledge of the technical aspects of animation, he wasn¡¯t involved at all. He only paid attention to managing the overall direction or making the final decision on the animation business. But today was a special day for Hyunwoo. ¡°I told you about this before. Today Jinhon and Ang appear on TV for the first time. I have told my staff I¡¯ll be joining them to watch the show.¡± ¡°Why are you going back to the office to watch the show? As president, you can tell them that you can¡¯te. Who would take issue with that?¡± When Hyunwoo hesitated to reply, Suji carefully examined his attitude as if he could really call them to say he couldn¡¯te. Grinning a bit, Hyunwoo took out his cell phone and said, ¡°Okay, then. Let me break my promise with them.¡± But Suji quickly reached out her hand to stop him, ¡°That¡¯s enough. Just go and watch the show with them. Next time, promise me to watch it with me, okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to watch tonight¡¯s show with you Suji. Let me just call them.¡± ¡°Oh, no. You said you promised you woulde back,¡± said she, frowning at him yfully. Still, she felt happy as she confirmed he was sincere. Hyunwoo appreciated her deep consideration. In fact, he felt sorry to her as he could not take time out for dating even during the weekend these days. Recently, he was so overworked. He was up to his neck in the business of Ani & Funny and N&C Korea, let alone taking care of Jinhon and Ang. He had to travel to Seoul three times a week for a business trip and had drinking partieste into the night. As for Hyunwoo¡¯s overworking, Suji had some painful memories of her father in the same vein. Her father almost exclusively focused on his own research, giving up his family for many years. It was only natural that Suji hadints about Hyunwoo who concentrated on work instead of going on dates with her more often. Still, she was really trying hard to understand Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo appreciated her so much for that. He wrapped her face with both hands and said, ¡°Soon your new house will bepleted. You can see me anytime, right? Let me drive you to your office every day.¡± Opening her eyes wide, she asked, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course. But I¡¯ve got one condition.¡± ¡°What is that? Do you have to attach a condition?¡± ¡°Absolutely. I have to,¡± said he with a smile. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°A kiss in return for your ride fee.¡± Suji broke intoughter and said, ¡°Got it. You¡¯ll bete. Rush back to the office.¡± ¡°No, no. Let me drive you back to your home. I¡¯ve got some free time.¡± Hyunwoo gave her a ride back home and then went back to the office. It was before 8 pm, fortunately. When Hyunwoo came in, Jihun waved at him, ¡°Come here quickly, sir.¡± Tilting his head, Hyunwoo went to him and watched the monitor. ¡°Look at this. Finally, it recorded 5 million visits!¡± Hyunwoo instantly found out what Jihun was trying to say. Obviously, it was Garbage World now running on Story Ma as a series. Though it was only a two-minute video, it was the most popr. The upward trend in the number of visitors was stunning. What¡¯s more encouraging was there was an explosive increase in replies in foreignnguages like English, Japanese and Chinese. That meant Duckling Fly was now gaining poprity overseas. Thanks to the great sess of Garbage World, the hits of Tuti & Angelica also exceeded 7 million. Jihun asked nervously, ¡°When are we switching to a paid subscription band?¡± Given the current hits, he could make big profits with the switch, but Hyunwoo was still opposed to it. He had a bigger goal. ¡°Let¡¯s wait for a couple of months. If I don¡¯t achieve the goal by then, let me switch.¡± ¡°Alright. By the way, the Music Count program just started,¡± said Jihun, pointing to the Korea Broadcasting program. Though he didn¡¯t watch it before, he felt the program was pretty affectionate. In retrospect, it was a series of tense momens to Hyunwoo. As soon as he signed the contract with Jinyoung Paek, he took out 500 million in loans. Though Jinyoung needed 200 million won, for now, Hyunwoo borrowed more from because he felt he would spend more on Ani & Funny and KOVE DREAM. Jinyoung could not possess the money in his bank ount as the debtors were after him. So, he made an ount under Hyunwoo¡¯s name and used the card. Jinhon stopped attending the alternative school. As it was not a recognized school, there was no point in graduating. What mattered to him was that he spent school days with the friends who saw eye to eye in terms of their music careers. Several dayster, Ang arrived in Korea. Instead ofing to Ansan she was picked up by Jinyoung and went to Seoul. Jinyoung already arranged for her to appear on Music Count with Jinhon. Several days after Ang arrived, she and Jinhon appeared on TV together for the first time. It was a teaser on the Music Count. Their ¡®Duckling Fly¡¯ music video was all the rage even on TV. The teaser promoted them as rising stars, predicting they woulde out of the closet and make a debut on Music Count. The TV watchers¡¯ reaction was hot. Not only the bulletin boards of Music Count but also all the inte music sites were overflowing with favorable replies to Duckling Fly. Watching their hot reaction, Hyunwoo felt Music Count was really influential. There was a reason why Music Count promoted Jinhon and Ang. About 20 minutes into the program, the idol singers who were hosting the show introduced Jinhon and Ang. ¡°Now, what¡¯s the next song?¡± ¡°Can you give me any hint?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all the rage on Youtube these days.¡± ¡°Oh my god! It must be Duckling Fly...¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Today Duckling Fly came out of the closet. For the first time Music Count today introduces the duet of the song. Jinhon Kwak and Ang singing Duckling Fly!¡± As soon as the introduction was over, the lights were out and arge screen image was on. Right away, there came the drumming milk bottle, which was unique and refreshing. Then, a great cheer came from the crowds. At the same time, Jinhon and Ang came to the stage from behind. Hyunwoo and the staff fixed their eyes on them breathlessly. In particr, Hyunwoo was so nervous, folding his arms as if he were praying earnestly. But Jinhon and Ang on the stage were far from tense. They were just enjoying as much as they could on the stage without caring at all. Chapter 170

Chapter 170

The moment Jinhon and Ang¡¯s passionate song of Duckling Fly was over, the crowd demanded an encore with enthusiastic shouts. Hyunwoo breathed a sigh of relief to hear that. But they, who just made their debut, were not yet ready for that. They disappeared from the stage in no time. Then, the staff of Ani & Funny including Kyungsu gave a pent-up sigh and pped their hands. ¡°Wonderful!¡± ¡°I was almost moved to tears, man¡± Hyunwoo pped his hands, too. He then couldn¡¯t resist calling Jinhon at his cell phone. Jinhon picked up the phone dly, and shouted at the top of his voice, ¡°Uncle! I feel like I¡¯m going crazy!¡± Hyunwoo knew the reason, of course, but asked back, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m so happy. I feel like I am going crazy now.¡± Just hearing his voice Hyunwoo could feel how happy he was. Jinhon became a singer overnight, which was his lifelong dream. And his parents who were so persistently opposed now became his strongest supporters. ¡°This is the real beginning of your journey. You should not be satisfied with the current results, right?¡± ¡°Of course not. I can ovee any difficulty to achieve my goal.¡± ¡°That sounds good. Congrats!¡± ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll never forget your favor. Ang wants to talk to you.¡± She was as happy as him. And she repeated what Jinhon said, vowing to do her best. She also didn¡¯t forget to promise she would repay his favor by all means. Suddenly, Hyunwoo felt sorry for them. ¡°What did I do for them?¡± Actually, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t make any big sacrifices for them. All he did was invest his money and energies in them, which others would have invested in stocks and real estate. After the call, Hyunwoo was all smiles. *** At the office of AT Entertainment, thergestpany in Koread, Taesu Ahn walked in. Finished with dinner, he watched TV in a rxed mood. He made it a rule to monitor the Music Count program usually. Then, his eyes popped out. ¡°What¡¯s that? I haven¡¯t heard it before.¡± His beautiful secretary, who was wrapping up to leave the office, turned her head. She saw Jinhon and Ang singing Duckling Fly on the Music Count of Korean Broadcasting. Though the song was pretty well known to the public, Taesu seemed to hear it for the first time. ¡°Well, that¡¯s the most popr hit on Youtube these days,¡± said the secretary. ¡°Really?¡± In fact, he didn¡¯t pay much attention to Youtube as he had so many things to take care of. It was a pretty interesting song with a dynamic dance and bouncing rhythms. What was more surprising was the beautiful female singer. He had an affair with most of the pretty singers, but Ang¡¯s beauty was something fresh to him. Suddenly, he felt a sexual lust for her. ¡°Who is that singer?¡± ¡°She is Ang Lewis, a Vietnamese girl.¡± ¡°Find out more about that girl such as her location, parents and the entertainmentpany affiliated with her. Just everything about her.¡± She gently distorted her face as she had a date with her boyfriend in an hour, but she felt if she pressed the detective team of AT Entertainment hard on this, they could quickly gather the tips as demanded by Taesu. ¡°Got it,¡± said the secretary. Smacking his lips, Taesu said, ¡°What a stunning beauty! I can¡¯t let other guys y her.¡± The more he saw Ang, the more he felt she was pretty. Then, he naturally thought of Nami Yu. Compared with her, Ang looked more sensual and stimting because of her freshness and youth. And she was a Vietnamese girl! She must be dreaming of bing a K-pop idol star. He felt he could own her by satisfying her wishes. When he thought as far as that, he suddenly got frustrated because of Nami. He felt she could easily make all the running like most women did for him, but she didn¡¯t. What was moremendable was Nami became a star on her own. Taesu was waiting for the right time to have sex with her, but Nami already won the hearts of the TV viewers with her wit, beauty and acting ability. Nami was already regarded as a top-ss actress. Without the backing of AT Entertainment, she could make a sess on her own. And her contract had about seven months to go before expiration. He might not even touch her bosom until the expiration date. Suddenly, he stood up and went into a hotel room that he used often. And then he called Nami. She answered the phone in a cheerful voice. Hearing her tone, it looked like she was waiting for his call night and day. Looking back, however, that was Nami¡¯s feigned tactic. ¡°Are you busy today? Any schedule?¡± ¡°I¡¯m done today.¡± Nami replied without knowing anything about Taesu¡¯s wicked motivation. Taesu said bluntly, ¡°I¡¯m in room 1207 at Rainbow Hotel right now. Can youe over now?¡± Nami instantly showed wariness at that but asked in a calm manner. ¡°Do you have anything to discuss with me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got to discuss your schedule.¡± ¡°I feel unwell today. Can we discuss it tomorrow?¡± Frowning his face a bit, Taesu felt bad about it, but this time he wouldn¡¯t let her go. So far he gave in, but he wouldn¡¯t today. ¡°This is very urgent. I must wrap it up with you now. Hurry up!¡± Nami was trying to say something, but Taesu hung up the phone immediately. Sipping a ss of wine, he smiled, This is thest chance. If you don¡¯te, that¡¯s the end of your acting career. In the meantime, Nami was getting more and more nervous in her condo. ¡°What should I do now?¡± Taesu¡¯s intention was clear. Namely, his purpose was to force her to choose between continuing her career by having sex with him or rejecting his request, which would ruin her career. Nami made a firm decision, though. She had not the slightest idea of allowing him to use her body. Instead, she wanted to use him as long as she could, but she was scared at the same time. She knew well how powerful he was in the entertainment business. If she refused to have sex with him, he would certainly ruin her career. Maybe he could send a bouncer to her condo. She bit her lip and said, ¡°Yea, I was expecting this would happen to me one day, and I vowed I would be prepared for anything. Let me confront him. I have strong supporters Dukwoo and Hyunwoo anyway.¡± Then she called Dukwoo, her boyfriend, ¡°What¡¯s up? I¡¯m here in China. Something urgent?¡± ¡°No, no. I just called you to hear your voice.¡± This time she called Hyunwoo, but Hyunwoo wasn¡¯t in Seoul either. After he left Space Design, he resettled in Ansan, and that two months ago. They were her strong supporters she could turn to in times of difficulties like this. Of course, nothing would change even if they were with her. Nheless, she wished they were right next to her at this moment. She called Hyunwoo in Ansan finally, ¡°What should I do, brother?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Tell me about it¡± Nami briefed him about what Taesu told her. For some reason, she felt Hyunwoo was more dependable. Comforting her, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Got it. Wait a moment. Let me figure out a good tactic.¡± After the call, he put on clothes quickly. Suji, who was dating him at the moment, stood up with a surprised look, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°You know Nami You, right? Looks like she needs my urgent help.¡± He briefly exined to her about Nami¡¯s miserable situation. As Suji knew something about Hyunwoo¡¯s ties with Nami, she was not the object of jealousy. ¡°Take care,¡± said Suji, wiping off the lipstick mark around his mouth. He kissed her for a long time and then quickly headed for Seoul. Actually, he was nning to go to Seoul early afternoon because there was a meeting about the trade fair in the city hall of Seoul tomorrow. So, he was thinking of meeting his old acquaintances in Seoul and catching up on things over drinkste into the night before attending the meeting, but Suji called him suddenly for a date. Hyunwoo was intent on deepening his physical contact with her this time for several days before meeting her. Though he didn¡¯t make it this time, he managed to kiss her as much as he wanted. He drove the car as fast as possible, but the traffic congestion would take him more than two hours to reach Nami¡¯s ce. So, he thought of someone who could take care of Nami until he arrived in Seoul. Jinyoung came to his mind first, but he gave up on him. For Jinyoung was scared of Taesu. He also thought of Yonggu with Space Design. The business sess of Space Design depended on its rtions with the broadcasting world. It might ruin Space Design to have Yonggu pit against Taesu. Suddenly, he thought of reporter Jaeyol Song of Korea Broadcasting. Snapping his fingers, Hyunwoo murmured, ¡°Yea, as a reporter Jaeyol has the guts and courage.¡¯ But Jaeyol¡¯s reply was disappointing, ¡°Well, Taesu Ahn has a close rtionship with the president of Korea Broadcasting. And Taesu¡¯s father is the CEO of Osung Business Group. How can a reporter like me deal with him?¡± ¡°Could you take care of Nami until I arrive in Seoul? Please!¡± ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m a coward, too. I don¡¯t want to lose favor in their eyes.¡± Hyunwoo could not give up. He checked out his acquaintances on the phone book. There were more than 100 there. There must be someone who could help him out. Taesu looked at his watch. It was almost one hour since he called Nami. He frowned, ¡°Hummmm... you must be ready to drink as a punishment for beingte.¡± At that moment, he heard someone knocking on the room outside. And Nami¡¯s voice came through the door. ¡°Sir, it¡¯s Nami.¡± His face brightened all of a sudden. He opened the door with a much brighter smile. He thought finally he could touch her fair skin and have sex with her. However, there was a giant guy standing behind her as if he was her bodyguard. Chapter 171

Chapter 171

Taesu was stunned to see the big guy behind her back. He initially imagined that guy was her manager, but he had a big build. Taesu even thought there was a gori standing there, but he was not a gori. He was a big, ck guy whose height was over two meters and looked like a fight. With a scared expression, Taesu stepped back in spite of himself. ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± Nami smiled gently and said, ¡°Oh, he is my friend Raymon. He asked to escort me, expressing concern that I might run into trouble if I went around alone at night.¡± ¡°How are you? I¡¯m Raymon.¡± Raymon politely introduced himself to Taesu. Though his voice was soft, it had a rough tone that showed he went through all kinds of trials and difficulties. Come to think of it, Nami¡¯s tone and look was different now. Though she was still kind, it was businesslike in nature. There was nothing in her attitude that showed she was interested in tempting him. Finally, she showed her true colors. So far she used him, and now she judged the time came for her to split up with him. ¡°By the way, what kind of schedule do you want to discuss with me?¡± Making a frown, Taesu retorted, ¡°You arrived toote. All the schedule was canceled. Just get out of here!¡± ¡°Alright. Goodbye then.¡± Nami politely bowed to him and left the room without looking back. Taesu threw his wine ss down the floor, kicked the sofa and threw away whatever that came his way. Still, he could not vent his anger. ¡°How dare you treat me like a fool? How dare you?¡± He vowed he would have her pay the price by all means so that other entertainers could take their cue from her. He called Nami¡¯s manager, who picked up the phone immediately. Given the noise around him, he was hanging around in a bar. ¡°Hey, stop drinking and see Nami now.¡± ¡°Nami? What¡¯s wrong with her?¡± Taesu gave him several instructions. The manager was quick-witted. He immediately figured out Taesu¡¯s decision. From now on he would go after her to dig into her weak points. At that moment, he had a call from his secretary. His face brightened again because he gave her a special assignment rted to Ang. ¡°So, did you check her out?¡± The secretary gave him a detailed briefing about Ang. What Taesu was most interested in was her managementpany. It would not be easy to scout her if her agency was big enough to rival AT Entertainment. When he heard about her agency, it was new to him.¡±Ani & Funny? What the heck is thispany?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s an animationpany foundedst winter. They made an animation music video, which I think hit the jackpot by sheer luck this time.¡± Taesu yelled for joy deep inside. He felt confident he could scout her right away. What bothered him was that she was too young. On TV she looked like a girl in her early 20s because of her full bosom and height, but she was only a 16-year-old high school girl. He stuck to one iron rule in dealing with women: Don¡¯t touch a minor! He could wait for three more years to satisfy his lust. He didn¡¯t want to take the risk of ruining his business to satisfy his instant pleasure. ¡°Scout her unconditionally, okay? Let me count on you, Miss Yun.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± replied secretary Yun. *** As soon as Hyunwoo arrived Nami raced toward him and hugged him as if she was reunited with a family after a long time. ¡°Brother!¡± Hyunwoo opened his arms and hugged her in an unguarded moment. Wrapped in his arms, she began to weep. The moment she saw him, she was freed from the intense tension that gripped her tightly and wept. Hyunwoo hugged and gently tapped her on the back. A littleter she got out of his arms. ¡°Do you feel better now?¡± ¡°Yea, I feel fine. I tried not to, but I think I was extremely nervous.¡± She might have been more nervous because of Raymon, the ck guy with a big build. Nheless, she felt reassured to see him. Actually, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t think of Raymon as her bodyguard but noticed his phone number while searching for his friends in Seoul. Hyunwoo had been thinking of bringing him to Ansan sooner orter to use him as a dubbing assistant for Tuti & Angelica and use his song as the theme music. Of course, Raymon might feel ufortable about Hyunwoo¡¯s request. If Raymon actively intervened to help out Nami this time, he would be cklisted by Taesu in the entertainment world, and his work with Hyunwoo could be hisst in Korea. Still, Hyunwoo called Raymon for help. He exined to Raymon that Nami¡¯s intimidator was the president of AT Entertainment and that if things went wrong, Taesu might take revenge against him. But Raymon boldly said, ¡°I have heard about Nami, too. Sure, I would like to help her out. You know I don¡¯t have a future here in Korea as a singer. Let me go to Nami¡¯s ce right now.¡± That¡¯s how Raymon got to be with Nami and Hyunwoo now. Though Hyunwoo wanted to introduce Nami to Raymon, he didn¡¯t have to. It seemed as if they talked a lot to each other while waiting for Hyunwoo in Seoul. Hyunwoo said, ¡°By the way, I¡¯m a bit concerned. She survived today, but what about her in theing days? I can¡¯t stay with her all the time, and I can¡¯t ask Raymon to be your bodyguard every time.¡± ¡°No worries. I called you because I was too scared today. Taesu won¡¯t do anything bad to me just because I¡¯m here alone,¡± said Nami. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Still, Hyunwoo was not relieved. He needed to protect her in one way or another. At that moment Raymon came forward and said, ¡°Just call me anytime when you need my help.¡± The problem was that Raymon¡¯s ce was too far away from Nami¡¯s. Suddenly, Hyunwoo asked, ¡°Where is your condo right now? ¡°I live in a one-room studio in Karakdong. Why?¡± ¡°Is there any space for rent nearby?¡± Nami could figure out what Hyunwoo was thinking. This time Hyunwoo turned to Raymon and asked, ¡°If I find a rented house in Karakdong, can you move there?¡± Only then did Raymon realize his intention. Revealing his white teeth with a smile, he said, ¡°Sure, but you have to pay for the rent, don¡¯t you? Hahaha¡± Several dayster, Hyunwoo came to Seoul for an appointment with his acquaintances. Fortunately, he could see Jinyoung around midnight after parting with them. Jinyoung had a somber look on his face. ¡°Brother, are you worried about anything?¡± ¡°I feel Ang is weird today. She went out to see somebody early in the afternoon and then tried to read my countenance often.¡± ¡°Where did she go?¡± ¡°No idea. She wouldn¡¯t answer when I asked. Looks like she met someone from an entertainment agency. I feel she must have been approached by that agency.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we meet her early tomorrow morning and find out what it is.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± As soon as the day broke, Hyunwoo called Jinhon and Ang together. Though the trade fair meeting was important, Ang¡¯s case was much more important. ¡°Ang, you have the right to choose freely what you want. You can decide whatever you like regardless of thinking about me, but I wish you didn¡¯t hide it to me. That way I can help you make the wise decision. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Nheless, Ang kept silent. So, Hyunwoo stopped talking in the middle and then continued several times. ¡°The reason I helped you was not because I wanted to use you to make money. By sheer luck, the music video featuring you and Jinhon hit the jackpot, as you know. You will be able to understand my sincerity if you think about how we met and why we made the music video.¡± Ang seemed to be agonizing over something and raised her head as if she was embarrassed by what Hyunwoo just said. Hyunwoo asked her cautiously, ¡°Did you ept a great offer from an entertainmentpany?¡± At that moment, Jinhon¡¯s eyes opened wide. Though Hyunwoo spoke in English, he could not understand Hyunwoo¡¯s remarks fully, but noticed the word ¡®entertainment.¡¯ Ang nodded her head quietly and said, ¡°As a matter of fact I had an offer from AT Entertainment. The condition of the offer was too sweet for me to reject.¡± Hyunwoo guessed she might have got such an offer, but little did he think she got the offer from AT Entertainment. The more he thought about Taseu, the more disgusted Hyunwoo felt by him. It looked as if he went around, doing all kinds of shameless act everywhere. But the problem was that Taesu was too high up a rival for Hyunwoo to deal with. Above all, Ohsung Business Group backed him strongly. Hyunwoo wanted to dissuade Ang out of the offer. It was true that AT Entertainment could make her a rising star within the shortest period of time, but at the same time, it was the ce where she could ruin herself quickly if she didn¡¯t follow Taesu¡¯s direction or satisfy his wild lust. Maybe Ang might have already leaned toward Taesu¡¯spany. How can I persuade her? Hyunwoo thought to himself. Chapter 172

Chapter 172

Hyunwoo hit upon a good idea all of a sudden. He called Nami at the drop of a hat. Fortunately, she had no shooting schedule in the morning. As soon as she received a call from him, she rushed to the broadcasting station. He told her about Angel¡¯s difficult situation at the moment. Nami looked at her with a worried look on her face. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Nami Yu, and my agency is AT Entertainment.¡± In fluent Englsih, she told Ang about the strength and weakness of herpany. Of course, she passionately emphasized the risk she might have to take when she joined AT Entertainment. She also told Ang about the difficulties she had been going through. Showing her an article about Yuni, a former member of the female singer group Hey Girls, she told Ang she could end up treading in Yumi¡¯s step. ¡°Of course, there are some female entertainers who really made a sess, but there is something like an X-file involving their affairs with Taesu Ahn. That means you really have to be careful with him.¡± Ang didn¡¯t say anything, just listening to Nami¡¯s briefing quietly. In the meantime, Hyunwoo took Jinhon outside for a conversation. Jinhon was confused about Ang¡¯s situation. Calming him down, Hyunwoo said, ¡°We can¡¯t force Ang¡¯s choice in our favor. We have to help her make the correct choice. If you try to persuade her carelessly, it will only backfire. So, don¡¯t try to irritate her with annoying words. Just stay with her silently. That is how you can help her. Okay?¡± ¡°Got it.¡± As requested, Jinhon tried to calm down and control his feelings. He just patted Ang on the back quietly. With trust in Jinhon, Hyunwoo then headed to the conference room of Seoul City. There were several unfamiliar faces when he got there. It looked like they were the salesmen of the Dream Korea team just like Hyunwoo was doing business for the KOVE DREAM team. With a broad smile, Hyunwoo said hello first. ¡°Nice to see you. I¡¯m Hyunwoo Jang of KOVE DREAM.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Jaewoo Kim of Dream Korea.¡± They shook hands and exchanged greetings, but turned away their eyes. The meeting began. The city official exined the overview of the trade fair and then decided on the most important matter of ¡®how to assign which promotion booth to whichpany?¡¯ The priority was given to Dream Korea, not KOVE DREAM, because the former was a coalition of 32panies in Vietnam. ¡°You can use the first six promotion booths nearest the entrance,¡± said the official. Hyunwoo was surprised. Though it was a trade fair hosted by the city, using the booth was not free. It was pretty expensive, depending on the size and location of the booth. In particr, the five booths reserved for Dream Korea cost 20 million per booth each day. As the trade fair wouldst for five days, they would have to pay 100 million won in booth fees. Hyunwoo chose arge promotion booth located a bit from Dream Korea. It was three times asrge as other promotion booths in size. When Hyunwoo didn¡¯t choose any other booths, the official asked, ¡°Is just one booth enough for you?¡± Hyunwoo felt as the booth was veryrge, it seemed spacious enough to house all the products of the 13panies of KOVE DREAM. Besides, the booth cost as much as 50 million in daily fees, so he didn¡¯t have to use lots of money by adding more booths. ¡°Yes, one booth is enough.¡± As soon as the meeting was over Jaewoo Kim of Dream Korea simply left the conference room. Smacking his lips, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Hummmm..he didn¡¯t have to feel hostile toward me like that.¡± In the meantime, Jaewoo called someone in Vietnam. The other party was Hyongbok Lee of DAS Toy. ¡°Uncle, I chose the best spot in the trade fair exhibition hall.¡± ¡°Good job! I trust you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget to pay me themission fee, please!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, dude. You¡¯re going to make much more that I make here. Instead, you have to keep it to yourself that you¡¯re my cousin. Make sure they believe you and I met as business partners, okay?¡± ¡°Of course, President Lee!¡± *** Hyunwoo arrived at the office of Ani & Funny ratherte today as usual, but Kyungsu called him urgently as soon as he came in the office. ¡°Hold on a second. My boss has just got here. Pick up the phone now,¡± said Kyungsu in an urgent voice. Not only Kyungsu but also other staff pressed on him to take the call urgently. Hyunwoo thought one should stay calm even if one was put in a dangerous situation, but this time he couldn¡¯t. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Hello. This is a drinkpany called Ionhealty in New York, USA.¡± Hyunwoo tilted his head. He instantly thought of Seungwoo Paek, his high school alumnus and former executive of N&C Korea who recently flew to America, but he would have called N&C Korea or Hyunwoo¡¯s cell phone if he had made a sess in America. And the other party mentioned his business was soft drinks. So, obviously, he was not Seungwoo. ¡°Oh, I see. Why did you call us?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°I called you after hearing the music video ¡®Duckling Fly.¡¯ Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide. He felt good to hear that. ¡°As a matter of fact, I would like to use the characters of the music video for the wrapping devices of our drink products.¡± Hyunwoo clenched his fist in spite of himself, and felt like his heart might explode with joy. Finally, the sale of the characters that Hyunwoo had been waiting for so long began. It was something unexpected that an Americanpany, not a domesticpany, contacted him first, but it was a more encouraging sign. ¡°Very good suggestion. If you email me a contract, let me review it and get back to you,¡± said Hyunwoo. As if they waited for a moment like this, the staff shouted for joy. ¡°Hooray! Finally, we have made it! This is the beginning.¡± Hyunwoo nodded his head and said, ¡°I told you that we would certainly make a sess. Now, let¡¯s work on other products and sell them to the market. Let me pay you incentives as much as possible. So, don¡¯t worry about anything and focus on your work!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± A littleter Hyunwoo received the draft contract from the American drinkspany. Hyunwoo asked Kyungsu and Sanggyu to review it. There was no use about exclusive rights to the music video. The contract period was five years, and the characters would be used on the wrapper. ¡°The contract money is $100,000 in addition to 5% royalty of the sales price. Given the level of awareness of our brand, the contract condition is reasonable.¡± Hyunwoo signed off on the contract, and the staff once again yelled out a cheer. The contract with Ionhealty was the first sale of the music video, which would bring another one. Several dayster, anotherpany called him for the same reason. Not only Hyunwoo but also the staff were all smiles. Surfing the inte on hisputer Kyungsu murmured, ¡°What the heck is this?¡± ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°Our branch in Vietnam sent us a sample video production. They sent us a funny drawing pile, too.¡± ¡°Did they send a wrong file? ¡°No, it looks like a proposal. They suggested changing the characters of Tuti & Angelica.¡± Hyunwoo grinned at that because they felt their initiative wasmendable. Most probably each of them would be fiercelypeting to be the first CEO of their branch by promoting themselves. The character proposal was such a move. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s okay to change the characters?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°Yea, I think it¡¯s a very good idea. They¡¯re much more attractive than the existing characters.¡± ¡°Really? Can I see them?¡± said Jihun Kang. ¡°Wow, this is great. Who drew this? Looks like personal characters are 100% better than mine,¡± said Jihun. ¡°Are you sure they¡¯re that good?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°Yea, look at this. They all wear the same facial expressions, but their characteristics look all different. This one is pure, this is wicked, this is naughty, and this one stupid...¡± Kyungsu nodded, seeing eye to eye with him. Hyunwoo suddenly became curious who drew the characters. ¡°Do you see the author¡¯s name there?¡± ¡°I see it in English. How do you pronounce it, Yujong?¡± Chapter 173

Chapter 173

¡°Yu Zuung,¡± said Yujong. Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes suddenly popped out, ¡°Yu Zuung? I didn¡¯t know she had such talent.¡± Kyungsu was as much surprised. Actually, he didn¡¯t feel she waspetent enough. Though she was pretty, her drawing ability was far behind her friends, he felt, but he was wrong. She was armed with the best ability,pared with her friends. As if to confirm, Hyunwoo asked, ¡°Is she good enough? She drew some good characters by chance, didn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°In my opinion, this has nothing to do with coincidence. If she drew them by incidence, at least one or two was supposed to be bad, but all the six characters she drew depicts the characteristics of each so urately,¡± said Kyungsu. Suddenly, Hyunwoo coveted her, not just for simplebor in Vietnam. He wanted to bring her to Korea and hire her as a full-time employee here. ¡°Brother Kyungsu, why don¡¯t we bring her over here for a test? If she is really talented, we can hire her as a full-timer here.¡± With a bright face Kyungsu replied, ¡°I¡¯d wee such a beauty as a full-timer here with open arms, of course.¡± Jihun also seconded, ¡°If you can, that¡¯s the best for all of us. Just bring her here as soon as possible!¡± Hyunwoo called Zuung immediately as the time difference was only two hours. ¡°Wow, President Hyunwoo. What¡¯s up?¡± Confirming the caller, she instantly picked up her phone. ¡°I¡¯d like to invite you to Korea one of these days. When can youe?¡± ¡°Really? I cane anytime as I have a passport. Even today.¡± As expected she reacted very positively. ¡°As you have to attend sses during weekdays, why don¡¯t youe during the weekend? Let me ask Sungji Na of N&C to buy you a ne ticket.¡± After the call, he called Sungji. Sungji was really d to know Hyunwoo wanted to take her to Korea. ¡°Let me buy a ticket for her flight to Korea thising Friday, or Saturday morning at thetest.¡± Hyunwoo had an expectant look on his face after the call. If she was really talented, he was willing to sign a long-term contract with her for plenty of contract money. Suddenly, Hyunwoo thought of Jungah and Myunghoon Koh. Both of them had also special animation talent. In fact, they should have imed the major credit of the sess of Duckling Fly music video, Garbage World and Tuti & Angelica, but they were working as part-timers who received 2 million won per month. I think I have to hire them as full-timers and give them a good srymensurate with their talent, Hyunwoo decided. At the BNB office, someone knocked on the door. ¡°Come in,¡± said President Sachung Lim as he read the newspaper. As soon as the door opened, Manager Kim rushed to him and said, ¡°Sir, I¡¯ve found it!¡± Though he gave Kim some direction 15 days ago, Lim clearly remembered that. ¡°Really? Who is it?¡± ¡°He is Myunghoon Koh. Don¡¯t be surprised, though. He¡¯s not a full-time employee of Ani & Funny. He¡¯s only a contractor.¡± ¡°Contractor? How can a talented guy like him work as a contractor at such a smallpany? Are you sure?¡± ¡°Definitely,¡± said Kim confidently. That was true. As a contractor, Myunghool also helped his parents run a rice cake factory when they were short-handed. Sachung was full of excitement. Myunghoon was like a gift sent by God to hispany BNB. ¡°Scout him unconditionally. You should not lose him.¡± ¡°Got it. I¡¯m going to offer him an annual sry of 50 million won.¡± ¡°In addition to thepensation, offer him a signing bonus of 100 million won for the five-year contract. Hurry up!¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Rubbing his hands, Sachung said, ¡°Myunghoon Koh. How can a genius creator of facial expressions work as a contractor? Ani & Funny is my savior, hahaha.¡± Two dayster, Dukwoo Jang, Nami¡¯s boyfriend, was supposed to arrive from China after wrapping up his business trip. ¡°I think I have to see Myunghoon and Jungah before that day,¡± said Hyunwoo. Leaving for Seoul early in the morning, Hyunwoo called Myunghoon to confirm the time and location for their meeting. But there was something weird about the way Myunghoon picked up the phone. He looked hesitant to meet Hyunwoo. ¡°Did you say you¡¯reing today?¡± asked Myunghoon. ¡°I told you already. I think I can have lunch with you if I¡¯ve heading for Seoul now. If you can¡¯t, let me know when it¡¯s convenient for you.¡± But he didn¡¯t answer quickly and replied with a sigh. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll see you in the morning then. I have an important appointment in the afternoon.¡± ¡°Hahaha. Do you have a date?¡± ¡°You know I don¡¯t have a date at the moment,¡± said Myunghoon with an awkward smile. ¡°You make me more curious about your appointment. Are you seeing someone for a job interview?¡± At that moment, Myunghoon didn¡¯t say a word. Hyunwoo got a strange feeling at the moment. He might have got a good offer from some otherpany. ¡°Did you get an offer?¡± ¡°Just a personal appointment,¡± said Myunghoon, refusing to answer all along. ¡°Okay, then. I think I can see you around 11 am.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo headed for Seoul quickly. Myunghoon was at the coffee shop they were supposed to meet when Hyunwoo arrived. ¡°Long time, no see! How have you been?¡± said Hyunwoo, holding his hands dly. ¡°Yes, I hope you¡¯re doing well.¡± Hyunwoo felt Myunghoon acted rather strangely today. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Something bad in your family? Or did you really receive a good offer? Just tell me. It¡¯s not a sin to find a job at a goodpany, as you know.¡± ¡°Nothing. Let me tell youter.¡± Hyunwoo asked several times, but he wouldn¡¯t reply. Nodding, his head in resignation, Hyunwoo took out a contract paper, which he made after discussion with Kyungsu and Sanggyu. Both suggested 35 million won in annualpensation, citing that Myunghoo worked at home. But Hyunwoo felt the worth of Myunghoon was much higher than that, so he offered 50 million won at least. Kyungsu and Sanggyu were strongly opposed to it, so Hyunwoo came up with apromise. It was 5 million as a one-time bonus and 40 million won in annualpensation. It was much higher than what he got paid now as a contractor. However, Myunghoon scratched his head and said in the negative, ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t leave Seoul.¡± With a bright smile, Hyunwo said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You can work at home just like you used to.¡± Still, Myunghun wouldn¡¯t budge. Letting out a sigh, he said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve got aplex problem personally. I don¡¯t want to talk about it now. Shall we talk next time?¡± Suddenly, Hyunwoo got nervous. He was about to lose Myunghoon, followed by Ang. Myunghoon was as precious as Ang to Hyunwoo. The facial expressions of the characters appearing in Garbage World and Tuti & Angelia, which Myunghoon modified, were one secret of their great sess, but it was up to Myunghoon to make the final choice. ¡°Okay, then. I think I came here at the wrong time.¡± Hyunwoo stood up first, but Myunghoon didn¡¯t stop him. ¡°Sorry, let me call youter.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯m going out to see Jungah.¡± They left the coffee shop. Myunghoon couldn¡¯t think straight. Whichpany should I choose? He had to stay with Ani & Funny if he valued his personal ties with Hyunwoo. The offer from BNB was too sweet. Not onlypensation but also job security was better at BNB. On the other hand, there was no future guarantee at Ani & Funny. Though the music video Duckling Fly hit the jackpot, it had nothing to do with the animation business. Hyunwoo could make some money, but he would never know when Ani & Funny could generate profits. I¡¯ve made a decision. Personal ties wouldn¡¯t earn bread for me. Chapter 174

Chapter 174

After parting with Myunghoon, Hyunwoo met Jungah. Jungah was in a cheerful mood in sharp contrast with Myunghoon. Though she was offered 30 million won in annualpensation, she dly signed the contract. ¡°Sorry, I wish I could give you more, but our profits are not growing now. If all goes well in the days ahead, let me give you an increase in your sry.¡± ¡°Okay, Promise me 100 million won as a bonus. Hohoho,¡± said she, cracking a joke. In fact, Hyunwoo wanted to. And there was a real possibility for the rapid growth of Ani & Funny. After having lunch with her, Hyunwoo walked with her on her campus and met with her friends at the animation club. After spending several hours like that, he headed to Nami¡¯s condo, timed with Dukwoo¡¯s arrival there. Dukwoo, who got there first, was already waiting for him at the entrance. Exchanging greetings, they waited for Nami, who soon joined them. They walked up the stairs to her condo. ¡°Oh, this is your ce,¡± said Dukwoo, looking inside here and there. Because of Taesu Ahn¡¯s close monitoring, she wouldn¡¯t let anybody in up to now. Nami prepared tea for them. Drinking tea, they discussed how to cope with Taesu. Dukwoo expressed his opinion first, ¡°Why don¡¯t you break the contract first?¡± Nami went berserk at that, arguing that¡¯s nonsense. She said he could bring awsuit onpensation for damages, which could reach a colossal amount. When she opposed, he came up with the next best solution. ¡°Okay. Let me go along with you wherever you go night and day. I can go to your shooting studio or anywhere else.¡± ¡°What about yourpany?¡± asked Nami. ¡°You¡¯re more important to me. Let me take my vacation until your contract expires.¡± Nami grinned at that and said, ¡°Do you think someone threatens to kill me? You don¡¯t have to go to the trouble of doing so. Juste to my office when I call you. That¡¯s enough. Actually, dating someone is a breach of the contract as I have to live on my image as an entertainer.¡± Nami felt Dukwoo¡¯s idea was an excessive response, which she didn¡¯t need. Actually, Hyunwoo rented a good house 10 minutes away from her condo, where Raymon was supposed to stay just in case he had to serve as her bodyguard. Though Dukwoo might not trust Raymon that much, Hyunwoo felt reassured that Raymon would defend her. ¡°Well, I have to go now for the shooting schedule in the afternoon.¡± Nami put on her clothes and stood up. After she left, Hyunwoo and Dukwoo went to a ce near Hongik University to see Raymon and his friends. They were performing on the street, three ck people and two Korean people singing and dancing. There was a big crowd watching their passionate performance, but the performance itself was not as good as Hyunwoo expected. There was ack of harmony among the five performers, even though Raymon¡¯s husky voice and the other two ck guys¡¯ high-pitched tones were impressive. After their performance was over, Hyunwoo approached Raymon. ¡°Our animation production is getting dyed because of a big workload at the moment. Let me invite you to Ansan sooner orter, ¡± said Hyunwoo. Waving his hand, however, Raymon said, ¡°I¡¯m alright. I¡¯ve decided to stay in Korea until this fall. If I don¡¯t make a sess by then, I¡¯m going to go back to America. If you can call me by then, let me chip in.¡± ¡°Hope Nami Yu is in your good hands,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°No problem. You got me a good rental house anyway. If something happens, she said she would reach me right away.¡± Having dinner together with him, Hyunwoo had lots of talk about music. After dinner, Hyunoo went to his house in Hwasung, Suwon City. It seemed as if he got all the worries off his chest for now. Though he felt regrettable about Myunghoon¡¯s decision, that was something he couldn¡¯t do anything about. Koh made a legitimate decision for his own interests. ¡°Sure, all things did go well.¡± Emptying his heart, Hyunwooy on the floorfortably. The next day, Hyunwoo¡¯s cell phone buzzed noisily. It was a call from Dukwoo. Hyunwoo felt his heart sank as Dukwoo called him only one day after they met. Hyunwoo urgently took the phone. ¡°What should I do, brother? Taesu Ahn finally began to use the dirty trick¡­¡± said Dukwoo in an excited voice. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? What happened?¡± ¡°What? Sex video about Nami?¡± ¡°It¡¯s certainly not Nami in the video. It¡¯s just titled that way. Everybody thinks it¡¯s her sex video.¡± Hyunwoo opened the file he sent and confirmed it. The title of that video was Nami. The images of the video were pretty bad enough to identify the female face, but it looked like her in some respects. If someone argued it was Nami, they might think it was. Dukwoo sent him several pictures, which showed Nami rushing to a man and being wrapped in his arms. Dukwoo cautiously said, ¡°In fact, these pictures are a headache. There is rumor fast-spreading that the man in the picture was the same as the guy in the video¡­¡± he paltered, which was understandable. For Nami was wrapped in someone else¡¯s arms, not her boyfriend Dukwoo¡¯s, and the pics were real, not imaginary as in a film. But Hyunwoo was not shaken by that. He obviously knew where it was, when the pictures were taken, and why Nami was wrapped in the guy¡¯s arms. ¡°That¡¯s me!¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°What? Was it you?¡± asked Dukwoo, surprised. Hyunwoo told him about what happened several days ago when Nami was intimidated by Taesu. At that time, Hyunwoo first arranged for Raymon to save Nami until he arrivedte at her ce. When she saw Hyunwoo, she ran to him and was wrapped in his arms with a sigh of relief. Obviously, someone secretly videotaped all that. ¡°I see now what happened. I might have misunderstood¡­¡± said Dukwoo reassured, but the problem was how Nami could cope with this. By now, she must have seen the sex video and photos. ¡°I called her but couldn¡¯t reach her. Let me call her again.¡± ¡°As you know, this must be Taesu¡¯s act. He wants to push Nami into a corner. So, tell her to be strong and steel her face to confront his dirty trick.¡± ¡°Got it, brother.¡± A littleter Nami called Hyunwoo. It looked as if she had a call from Dukwoo first. ¡°Hey, Nami. You must have been surprised a lot.¡± Her reaction was to the contrary, though. ¡°Why should I be surprised by that? I was expecting that. So disappointed at Taesu. I called you so that you wouldn¡¯t have to worry about me.¡± She was very bold and calm. Actually, it was Nami who wasforting Hyunwoo. ¡°I feel good as you say you¡¯re okay,¡± said Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo¡¯s anger over Taesu became more intense. The reason Taesu used this dirty and mean trick was simple. He wanted to satisfy his lust through Nami, but when she refused, he decided to take revenge against her. After talking with Hyunwoo and Dukwoo, Nami took a deep breath. ¡°Phew¡­¡± In fact, she was scared. She was ready for that kind of stuff, but she was in a worse situation than she thought. ¡°Yea, I¡¯ve got only six months to go before my contract expires.¡± When the contract expired, she would have a chance to reveal everything. At that moment, her cell phone buzzed. She confirmed the caller, it was her manager. Tightening her lips, she intentionally answered the phone in a cheerful tone. ¡°The president wants to see you now. Right now,¡± said the manager, hanging up the phone right away. Nami tried to calm down. Hummm¡­ What can they do about me? You¡¯re not killing me anyway. Nami, you¡¯re fine. Just think of your tough school days. This is nothing, she murmured to herself. Nami confidently walked into the president¡¯s office. Putting on airs, Taesu was sitting on the sofa. When she came in, he pointed to the opposite seat with his chin. ¡°Do you know you have already broken the contract?¡± ¡°Breach of contract? What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about the sex video about you. If you damage the image of ourpany because of your bad personal conduct, there is a use in the contract that we will bring awsuit on thepensation for damages.¡± But she didn¡¯t budge an eye at all. ¡°If you have any evidence that the female in the video is me, then I breached the contract, but it was not me. I can say this clearly to you that I¡¯ve never done any personal wrongdoing.¡± Correcting his position at Nami¡¯s confident attitude, he stared at her, raising his eyes. ¡°Oh, you definitely have guts. Do you think you can get anything by confronting me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have the slightest intention to fight you. My point is I don¡¯t want to have sex with you to maintain my poprity. I¡¯m going to do my best for the interests of thepany.¡± She didn¡¯t budge at all. Though she was aggressive in speaking out, she still observed good manners. Taesu now realized that Nami was already for this the moment she signed the contract. In other words, he was thoroughly used by her. ¡°Got it. You can go back now.¡± Bowing to him gently, Nami left the office. Looking at them behind, Manager Kim approached Taesu and sat on the sofa. ¡°What should I do? Can I drop her off all the programs she is appearing now? Or do I bury herpletely in the entertainment world?¡± Taesu stared at him and said, ¡°Are you crazy? Don¡¯t you know how much she is bringing for us?¡± Though he was a womanizer, he was a businessman with a good business mindset. He wasn¡¯t foolish enough to ruin his business because of Nami¡¯s case. ¡°Leave her alone for now. We don¡¯t have to rush. Certainly, we will have a chance.¡± ¡°Got it, President.¡± *** Saturday afternoon at Incheon International Airport in Korea, while pacing up and down in front of the entrance gate at the airport, Hyunwoo raised his hand quickly, looking at the line of people waiting to go through immigration. ¡°Yu Zuung, I¡¯m here!¡± Chapter 175

Chapter 175

Yu Zuung looked around at the entrance gate and quickly raced to Hyunwoo after spotting him. Hyunwoo opened his eyes wide with surprise. When he saw her at a wedding ceremony in Vietnam, she wasn¡¯t wearing make-up, but today she did. Besides that, she wore a short, beige dress. Hyunwoo got carried away in her stunning beauty. Feeling his awkward look, she said stand-offishly, ¡°I look weird, don¡¯t I? In fact, I usually don¡¯t do my face with heavy makeup. I regret that I did it.¡± ¡°No, no. You look beautiful. I¡¯m serious.¡± ¡°Thanks. By the way, it¡¯s rather cold here in Korea.¡± She slightly shrunk. In Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes, she might have felt cold, though it¡¯s warm in May in Korea, as she was ustomed to the warm weather in Vietnam around this time. ¡°Let me buy you some clothes,¡± said Hyunwoo. He bought her beige knitwear, which fit well with her clothes. Whenever she moved, she drew the attention of the people around them. After getting in Hyunwoo¡¯s minivan, they went to the office of Ani & Funny. Even though it was the weekend, several staff members reported to work. They were all went out of their minds at Zuung¡¯s beauty. Even the female staff members were surprised. Seeing here in, Kyungsu, who once saw her in Vietnam, said hello naturally, ¡°Hey, Zuung! Long time, no see!¡± As if he learned English only yesterday, Kyungsu¡¯s pronunciation was clumsy as he opened his arms to wee her. She seemed a bit embarrassed but gently hugged him to save his face. Other male staff stood up one by one to say hello. ¡°Hello¡± ¡°Good afternoon!¡± ¡°My name is...¡± They starteding around her to exchange greetings. Grinning at them, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Hey, guys, she is embarrassed. Just shake hands with her.¡± As soon as she came into the office, she became a star. Every staff member got carried away in her stunning beauty so much that they couldn¡¯t focus on work. In particr, Jihoon Kang showed intense interest though she was two years older than him. Even Jungah felt jealous at Jihoon¡¯s reaction. ¡°Hummm..you are interested in Jihoon, aren¡¯t you?¡± asked Hyunwoo jokingly. ¡°Not at all,¡± replied Jungah bashfully. At that moment, Hyunwoo realized something. No matter how capable Zuung is, I don¡¯t think scouting her here won¡¯t be helpful. Even though the atmosphere of the office might improve with Zuung joining the team here, the male staff wouldn¡¯t be able to concentrate on their work. They couldn¡¯t take their eyes off her in the office, which was the main problem. ¡°Let¡¯s test her now. Zuung,e here and read this.¡± Hyunwoo gave her a prepared story. Suhim Yu selected some characters from her story and tranted them in English. ¡°Just create the characters befitting the story here. You can draw them freely, the best you can.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± She focused on the story. While she was at it, the male staff could not take their eyes off her. Because of their intense attention, she couldn¡¯t focus either. ¡°No way. She can¡¯t focus in an office atmosphere like this. Can you work on it in my office? It doesn¡¯t matter how much time you spend on it,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Can I submit by tomorrow? As you have given me such a quick assignment I am just at a loss at the moment. And I feel a bit tired as I left for the airport very early in the morning.¡± Come to think of that, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t think of the fact that there was a two-hour time difference between Korea and Vietnam. ¡°Of course. Let¡¯s go to my ce then.¡± Leaving the staff behind, who felt sorry for her departure, Hyunwoo took her to his house. On the way back, she asked Hyunwoo several questions. ¡°By the way, who drew the facial expressions of Tuti & Angelica?¡± ¡°A guy named Myunghoon Koh,¡± said Hyunwoo with a bitter smile. ¡°Looks like he is a really capable man. How can he draw such facial expressions? I would love to learn from him.¡± When Hyunwoo kept silent, she prodded on, ¡°Was he at the office today?¡± ¡°No, he lives in Seoul.¡± ¡°I am curious about him. Can I meet him in Seoul tomorrow?¡± In fact, Hyunwoo had to meet him one more time. If Myunghoon didn¡¯t yet make the final decision, Hyunwoo wanted to persuade him by all means. Besides, Hyunwoo had something to give him. Regardless of his quitting from Ani & Funny, Hyunwoo wanted to give him a cash prize for his big contribution to the sess of Garbage World and Tuti & Angelica. ¡°Let me give him a call, then.¡± As soon as he arrived home, Hyunwoo called Myunghoon. After the phone kept ringing for a while, Myunghoon picked up the phone. Hyunwoo first brought up the topic. ¡°Hey, Myunghoo. I¡¯m now with a fan of yours. She is very pretty and wants to see you. I¡¯ve some business with you, too. Can I see you in Seoul tomorrow?¡± Then Myunghoon confessed to him the truth. ¡°Sorry, brother. In fact, I was scouted by BNB. As the contract condition was so good, I agreed to sign it tomorrow.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Actually, I expected it. Congrats!¡± said Hyunwoo, painfully hiding his true feelings. Myunghoo kept saying he was sorry. ¡°Why are you sorry to me? If you receive a better condition, you can move freely. It¡¯s me who feels sorry because I have not given you a good sry. By the way, I¡¯m going to Seoul tomorrow, so take time out for me.¡± ¡°To be honest with you, I wish you wouldn¡¯te. I¡¯m just ashamed to see you.¡± With a smile, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Don¡¯t say that, dude. Are we going to be enemies just because you move to a differentpany? Business is one thing; personal ties are another. I would like to maintain a good rtionship with you as brothers even in the future.¡± ¡°Thanks for saying that.¡± ¡°By the way, I have a cash prize for you. I¡¯d like to give it to you in person rather than wire the money in your ount.¡± ¡°Okay, then. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow then.¡± The next day Hyunwoo headed for Seoul with Zuung early in the morning. She seemed a bit tired. While she was in the minivan, she racked her brain on how to draw the characters all through the night. ¡°Don¡¯t feel pressured. Just rx,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Well, I think I can draw some good characters but can¡¯t for some reason.¡± She wrestled with it the entire ride. She drew something on a piece of white paper and then erased it often. They arrived at a coffee shop where Myunghoon was supposed to appear. In fact, Myunghoon was already there, but there were two others with him. Hyunwoo instantly found out who they were. Pretending not to know, Hyunwoo shook hands with them. ¡°Nice to meet you. My name is Hyunwoo Jang of Ani & Funny. This is Yu Zuung, our employee.¡± They also said hello to him, exchanging name cards. As expected, they were BNB people. Feeling sorry for Hyunwoo, Myunghoon exined the situation. ¡°In fact, I met these gentlemen this morning and signed the contract just a few minutes ago. I told them I had a lunch appointment with you, but they insisted they join...¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Hahaha,¡± said Hyunwoo, as if he understood his situation. And he introduced Zuung to Myunghoon. ¡°This is thedy I mentioned. She said she loved the pictures you drew and wanted to meet you. That¡¯s why I have brought her here.¡± ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Yu Zuung.¡± But Myunghoon was not fluent in English, and his conversation with her in English was impossible, but that didn¡¯t matter. She kept praising his ability with a bright smile. Myunghoon was just happy seeing her facial expression. Even BNB guys seemed to have gotten carried away in her beauty. Hyunwoo took out an envelope carrying some cash and gave it to him. ¡°This is a cash award. You can think of it as your severance money. Thanks so much for your work with us.¡± The envelope was rather thick. ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to give it to me...¡± ¡°Well, I think it¡¯s more important how to part than how to meet. And you really deserve the award money. Sorry, I couldn¡¯t give you that before. Now, I think I am financially more stable, so I wanted to raise your pay, but you are quitting like this. Hahaha.¡± Myunghoon took the envelope and opened it slightly. He was surprised it was filled with 50,000 won notes, not 10,000 won notes. ¡°By the way, Zuung seems pretty sorry for your quitting. She was intent to learn the technique of drawing characters from you. I can¡¯t hold you anymore, man.¡± Zuung also felt very sorry that he had quit. She even cast a pitiful nce at him. Was it because of her glittering eyes? Looking at her again, Myunghoon seemed to be lost in thought for a moment. Suddenly, he opened his eyes wide, and so did Hyunwoo, quietly looking at him. Hyunwoo felt Munghoom might change his mind, but pretended not to know it. ¡°I just feel it regrettable for you to quit like this. I think I can pay you more than BNB if you can work with us another year. As you know, Garbage World hit the jackpot surprising,¡± said Hyunwoo, slightly stealing a nce at him. Myunghoon was still looking at Zuung as if he thought she would be his girlfriend someday, giving full y to his imagination. And suddenly he turned his head to BNB people and said cautiously, ¡°Well...can I cancel the contract with BNB?¡± Chapter 176

Chapter 176

BNB people were totally enraptured by Zuung. It seemed as if they lowered their guard as the contract was already signed. Actually, they didn¡¯t understand Myunghoon¡¯s question a moment ago. Batting their eyes, they looked at him, but their jaws dropped when they realized something serious. ¡°What? What the heck are you talking about now? You already signed the contract.¡± ¡°I think I got confused a bit. Sorry to say this, but I would like to cancel the contract. I would like to continue to work with Hyunwoo.¡± ¡°That¡¯s nonsense! As you know, the contract carries 100 million won in signing bonus. Do you know how much you have to pay for the breach of the contract?¡± BNB people threatened Myunghoon now, which made his face hardened a bit. ¡°You have not wired the money yet. Why should I pay a cancetion charge?¡± ¡°This contract is effective as soon as we sign it. If you cancel it, we¡¯ll formally ask for the cancetion charge,¡± they said with a high-handed manner. Hyunwoo then stepped in and said, ¡°As far as I know, the hiring contract that presupposes cancetion charge is illegal under the Labor Standard Law. And if you threaten him with the illegal use, you will be charged with ckmail. Are you aware of that?¡± ¡°Bullshit! Why is the cancetion charge illegal?¡± Instead of replying Hyunwoo took out his cell phone and put it on the table. ¡°Now, I¡¯m going to record your conversation under mutual agreement. Please go ahead and make the case for the cancetion charge if you think it¡¯s not illegal.¡± And then he reassured Myunghoon, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. There is nothing like the cancetion charge.¡± BNB people¡¯s faces grew pale. They were agonized for a while, just looking at each other, but they could not find any good solution. After all, they suddenly stood up and said, ¡°This is just nonsense. How can you be so mean? You broke the contract by using a beautiful woman to tempt Myunghoon. Do you have any conscience?¡± Then they left the scene, saying, ¡°You won¡¯t get away with this!¡± Hyunwoo just smiled as if he was struck dumb with their nonsensical behavior. When Hyunwoo turned to Myunghoon who was looking at Zuung. It was clear he lost his heart to her already. Hyunwoo felt a sting in the heart at the drop of a hat. He guessed BNB people¡¯s criticism was not that absurd. He even thought that the main reason Myunghoon canceled the contract was because of her. So, he cautiously asked Myunghoon, ¡°Don¡¯t care about them at all. What¡¯s important is your own decision. By the way, why did you cancel the contract suddenly? Because of Zuung? You don¡¯t say?¡± Hyunwoo wished that¡¯s not the reason. She had to go back to Vietnam, and as of now, he had no n to bring her here. Though she was talented in creating animation characters, her presence in the office here would obstruct the staff¡¯s work. Looking at his facial expression, however, Hyunwoo felt he changed his mind because of her. ¡°Not necessarily, brother. Over the long run, I would like to work with you. And I felt I might be used and then kicked out by BNB at the end of the day,¡± said Myunghoon, scratching his head. Nheless, he cast a nce at her again, and Zuung was looking at him for some time. Myunghoon must have misunderstood her for that reason. Blushing his face, Myunghoon said, ¡°In fact, I am really anxious to work with Zuung, too, as she says she is interested in me...I would like to join the office of Ani & Funny in Ansan on this asion.¡± Wearing somewhat perplexed expression, Hyunwoo said, ¡°I feel sorry, man.¡± Myunghoon was embarrassed instantly because he realized Hyunwoo was also unmarried. ¡°Is she your girlfriend, brother?¡± Sensing what he was trying to find out, Hyunwoo made a heartyugh and said, ¡°Hahaha. That¡¯s not what I mean. You know I have a girlfriend, right?¡± ¡°Then, why did you say you felt sorry?¡± ¡°As you know, she is a Vietnamesedy, and she works at the Vietnamese branch of Ani & Funny. Even if you join the team in Ansan, you can¡¯t work with her.¡± ¡°Really? She works in Vietnam?¡± retorted Myunghoon with an embarrassed look. But he soon calmed down and continued, ¡°Well, it can¡¯t be helped anyway. We will meet someday if we are destined to. Still, I don¡¯t want to change my decision. In fact, I¡¯ve been agonizing since I decided to move to BNB, so I kept dying until this morning. And you said Ani & Funny would make a great sess. You promise you will give me as muchpensation as BNB, right?¡± ¡°Of course. I can¡¯t guarantee anything between you and Zuung, but I can guarantee you an increase in your sry. You¡¯ll never regret your decisionter.¡± They held their hands tightly. Looking at them, Zuung made a happy smile. Originally, Hyunwoo nned toe down to Ansan after seeing Myunghoon briefly. But Myunghoon seemed to feel so sorry she had to depart early. So, Hyunwoo and Zuung spent more time with him, having dinner and chatting untilte into the night, when they drove back to Ansan. The next day Zung handed Hyunwoo several pieces of paper. She created the characters suitable for the new story overnight. Turning over the paper one by one Hyunwoo checked out the characters. Some of them were detailed enough to show the fine hair. The more he looked at her drawings, the wider he opened his eyes. Every drawing had a distinct character of its own. For example, she emphasized the beauty and colorfulness of a delicate drawing. As for simple drawings, she emphasized the cuteness andical nature of the characters. ¡°Nice job! Excellent!¡± said Hyunwoo. He wanted to take them to the office for Kyungsu and Sanggyu¡¯s review, but he had no time as she was supposed to board the ne early afternoon. ¡°The back seat is morefortable for you,¡± said Hyunwoo when she got in his car. ¡°I love the seat beside you. I was in the back seat yesterday because I focused on drawing.¡± Zuung took the passenger seat right beside him. ¡°By the way, what do you make of Myunghoon?¡± ¡°Oh, Myunghoon? He seemed a very fine man. He is much more capable than I thought.¡± ¡°What I mean is your feelings about him as your potential boyfriend. He seems to be pretty interested in you. How about you?¡± ¡°Well, I never gave it a thought. Anyway, he is not my style. I love a man like you, You like a challenge, you have moral integrity and you¡¯re kind-hearted.¡± ¡°I told you I have a girlfriend.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I fell for you. You are the first man who confidently told me you had a girlfriend. I like a man like you who are honest and confident.¡± Hyunwoo was at a loss for words. Actually, he reminded her that he had a girlfriend, so she could give him up once and for all, but that made her all the more attracted to him. ¡°You have not married yet. Someone says nobody knows the rtionship between a man and a woman until they get married. Who knows you might be my sweetheart by next spring?¡± Stunned, Hyunwoo turned his head and looked at her. She also seemed surprised by what she told him. She quickly raised her hands to cover her face and then stuck out her tongue. That looked more attractive to him. Hyunwoo felt his heart was pounding quickly. Damn it. This is not what I intended. He was enraptured by her beauty, and he knew little about her. Taking a deep breath, Hyunwoo tried to calm down. Give it prudent thought. I¡¯ve got lots of time. I think I¡¯m bewitched by her beauty. While driving to the airport, Zuung spoke to him all along as if to brighten the awkward atmosphere, but Hyunwoo hardly reacted. The more he reacted, the more he felt he was trapped by her. So, he just focused on talking shop. ¡°When you go to Vietnam, try drawing more characters of Tuti & Angelica. I want to change them to yours.¡± ¡°In that case, it will be apletely different story.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter as it¡¯s a free story. I can change it into something like ¡®Season Two¡¯ without any issue.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± As soon as she flew back to Vietnam, he came back to the office and showed her drawings to Kyungsu and Sanggyu. As expected, both of them had a surprised expression. ¡°Wow, they feel really good.¡± ¡°I thought she was just a stunning beauty, but I now see that she is really capable.¡± ¡°Is she really excellent?¡± At his asking Kyungsu and Sanggyu agreed, giving him a thumbs up. ¡°She is the best. At least in terms of creating the characters she is better than Jihoon.¡± Jihoon admitted she was one cut above. ¡°How could she think of drawing such characters? I really can¡¯t do better than her no matter how hard I try.¡± ¡°She is pretty and capable. She is like a real gem to us!¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s mind went seesaw when every staff praised her ability. Can I bring her here to join us? He conjured up the image of her working with the staff in the office. And then he recalled what she told him in the car. ¡°Who knows you might be my sweetheart by next spring?¡± Chapter 177

Chapter 177

Deep inside, Hyunwoo wanted to have Zuung work right beside him. He could see her beautiful face every day if she worked in his office, but that was his personal matter, and he had to keep his private and public life separate. He had to focus only on her ability and the atmosphere of her possible joining the staff here. Her joining had both merits and demerits. The staff here might not be able to focus on their work. There was a real possibility that the male staff wouldpete to win her heart. On the other hand, the opposite situation could be created. For example, they might work harder to get on her good side. Hyunwoo felt like he would be conscious of her if she worked in the same office. And he would try to gain her attention by doing what she liked and avoiding what she didn¡¯t like. Certainly, her presence in the office would change the atmosphere a lot. Hyunwoo was satisfied with the current atmosphere of the office. He didn¡¯t feel it would be any better no matter how hard he tried. And it¡¯s not just in Korea alone that she could disy her ability. She could create animation characters in the Vietnamese branch of Ani & Funny. In that respect her joining the headquarters here would be unnecessary for now. Phew...if a woman is too beautiful, it can be a problem... *** Taesu¡¯s eyes glittered sharply. ¡°What did you say? Failed to scout her? What the heck are you talking about?¡± he yelled. ¡°Sorry, sir. No matter how good an offer I made, she rejected it. Oops!¡± The manager was stunned to see him throw an ashtray at him and shrunk. Fortunately, it missed his head narrowly and hit the wall behind him. The manager¡¯s heart sank. If he had not avoided it in time, he would have been injured badly enough to have several sutures put in his head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear your excuses. Go and scout her! If he is not satisfied with 100 million won, offer him 200 million!¡± ¡°It¡¯s all useless, sir. Jinyoung Paek is behind all this stuff,¡± the manager revealed Jinyoung when Taesu was trying to throw something at him again. Taesu stopped and asked, ¡°What the heck? Jinyoung Paek?¡± ¡°Besides, the president of Ani & Funny that manages Ang is Hyunwoo Jang. Actually, he is the guy that you told me to do a background check on.¡± ¡°Ah... Hyunwoo Jang and Nami Yu!¡± Taesu suddenly sprang to his feet. He now could understand the situation clearly. The moment he heard Hyunwoo and Nami, Taesu realized why Ang rejected his offer. Obviously, they persuaded Ang. Showing her Nami¡¯s sex video and rted articles as an example, they must have told her that someday she would suffer the same disgrace. Taesu¡¯s face was distorted. ¡°Son of a bitch!¡± What was more disappointing to him was Jinyoung Paek. Taesu gave him such a grave warning, but Jinyoung made an enemy of him. Taesu vowed he would get even with Jinyoung by all means. He would have Jinyoung learn the lesson what kind of consequences he would face for his betrayal. *** With a stunned look, Jinyoung asked, ¡°What are you talking about? Our performance schedule has been canceled?¡± ¡°Sorry. We have decided to put another new singer in that slot. Let¡¯s talk about ¡®Duckling Fly¡¯ at some other time.¡± It was a unteral notice. The music producer involved left without exining to Jinyoung about the reason in detail. Other music programs involving Duckling Fly were no exception. Jinhon and Ang had been on a tight schedule on TV, but it was all cancelled. One of the producers close to Jinyoung tipped him off cautiously, ¡°Did you make an enemy of the president of AT Entertainment?¡± Hearing that, Jinyoung¡¯s jaws dropped. In fact, Jinyoung expected Taesu would take revenge against him. He knew that Taesu tried to scout Ang with a huge amount of money, and he guessed that when all the TV programs involving Duckling Fly were canceled, Taesu was behind it. But he was now freaking out as he confirmed Taesu was the mastermind of all this mean stuff. The music producer hit the nail on the head when he pointed out Taesu¡¯s act. He said, ¡°Actually, Taesu threatened he would not send any entertainer of hispany to the programs where Jinhon and Ang were supposed to appear. I had no idea what happened, but he is really determined to go after you. Don¡¯t tell anybody I tipped you off on this.¡± ¡°Of course, brother. Thanks for letting me know.¡± Jinyoung came back to the waiting room, where Jinhon and Ang were busy preparing for the performance without knowing anything. He couldn¡¯t tell him their schedule was canceled. With a sigh, he went out and called Hyunwoo. Fortunately, he was staying in Seoul to prepare for the trade fair that would be opened in three days. With great regret, Jinyoung told him about what happened. Hyunwoo was unusually calm. ¡°It ended up like this at the end of the day, but don¡¯t be disappointed. Jinhon and Ang can still perform in other areas, can¡¯t they?¡± ¡°No way. They can¡¯t. You don¡¯t know how powerful AT Entertainment is,¡± said Jinyoung angrily. ¡°Where are you now, brother? Let mee to your ce right now.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s meet outside the broadcasting studio. They will feel bad to hear that.¡± ¡°No, I think we have to inform them, too. I¡¯ve got an idea, so bring them with you.¡± After the call, Jinyoung took Jinhon and Ang out of the studio, who were perplexed without knowing the reason. It was a quiet room in a restaurant where they were supposed to meet. A littleter, Hyunwoo arrived. Jinhon and Ang were kept in the dark until then. Hyunwoo briefed them about the situation on behalf of Jinyoung. It was natural that Jinhon was surprised to hear that, but Hyunwooforted him by tapping him on the back. Hyunwoo said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, though. In fact, I expected it.¡± By now, Taesu must have gathered all the information about Ani & Funny, the managementpany of Jinhon and Ang. He probably found out that its president was Hyunwoo, along with his rtionship with Nami. Obviously, Taesu would take revenge against Hyunwoo, and the most typical retaliation would stop the entertainers of his rivalpany from appearing on TV. ¡°Hummmm.... This is a tough challenge. How can we solve this?¡± said Jinyoung. ¡°Well, we just move on with our original n. Originally, you aimed for the US market, didn¡¯t you? I wonder if AT Entertainment could ever obstruct your activities in the US market.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s too early...¡± Jinyoung was waiting for the right time. The poprity of Duckling Fly on Youtube showed an upward trend. He expected he would get calls from someone in the US market as the trend continued. Of course, he could fly to America even now and do some promotional activities, but that would cost a lot of money. The bigger problem was Jinhon and Ang. They were not yet ready to control the performing stage. That¡¯s why Jinyong wanted them to make their debut and have more performances in the domestic market until they received requests for performance in the US market. Hyunwoo looked at Jinhon. His eyes were ring at the moment as if he was determined to make a hit in the US market while listening to the conservation between them. ¡°Jinhon, this is going to be a tough challenge if you make a foray in the US market now. Can you ovee it with confidence?¡± ¡°Sure, I can. I¡¯m ready to ovee any difficulties with Ang in the world.¡± This time Hyunwoo asked Ang. As they were speaking in Korean, she couldn¡¯t understand the exact situation but sensed there was something wrong. Hyunwoo roughly briefed her about the situation. She was shocked enough to flinch initially. At the same time, she seemed scared, but her passion was rekindled when Hyunwoo talked about his n to have them enter the US entertainment market. When Hyunwoo was done with exining, she replied with glittering eyes, ¡°I would love to go there. I want to be famous by all means, so my father can search for me as soon as possible.¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to be a very, very tough period for you, so you have to endure it well.¡± He found her eyes already welled with tears. Ang said quietly, ¡°Is it so tough? Tougher than what I went through up to now?¡± Hyunwoo got really emotional at that. Come to think of it, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t think how tough of a time she had gone through. He forgot that she had ovee a lot of trials and ordeals. She was tough and persistent. She had already ovee overwhelming sorrow when the typhoon imed her mother¡¯s life and broke through the tough life in Korea. She could probably ovee any difficulty in America. Besides, Korea is a strange ce to Ang. Jinhon must have different feelings about Korea and America, but it meant little difference to her. She might feel it much morefortable to live in America than Korea as she could make herself understood in English. Hyunwoo smiled and said, ¡°Sorry, I think I have underestimated you.¡± She smiled brightly, expressing thanks for his understanding. ¡°But I think Jinhon might feel it¡¯s going to be a tough life. Just hold him tight when he is in trouble.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Let me take care of him well.¡± While listening to their conservation, Jinyoung smiled. Only Jinhon put on a nk expression as he could not understand English. Caressing his hair, Hyunwoo told Jinhon, ¡°You have nothing to fear as long as you¡¯re with Ang. You have to show you¡¯re tough. Got it?¡± ¡°No worries! Just count on me,¡± said Jinhon, clenching his fist to renew his determination. Chapter 178

Chapter 178

Watching Jinhon fully gaining confidence, Jinyoung felt strongly motivated. In fact, Jinyoung had some bad memories rted to his trouble with Taesoo Ahn. He murmured, clenching his teeth, ¡°I¡¯ve been sucked in by him up until now, but I¡¯m going to change everything from now on. And I¡¯ll take back my people I lost to him.¡± ¡°Taking back your people?¡± ¡°In fact, I had threepetent managers working for me. I regarded them as brothers.¡± Actually, they shared the same fate with Jinyoung even before he became famous. They were integral to helping him enter the US entertainment market, but the thing was that two of his former managers were now working for Taesu. ¡°AT Entertainment scouted them away, right?¡± Jinyoung agreed, nodding in regret, ¡°But I don¡¯t feel bitter towards them. As you pointed out, I was too aggressive in my investment strategy. That¡¯s why I continued to be harassed with debts even when I made a big sess. I didn¡¯t pay my managersmensurate sry because of that. It¡¯s only natural that they switched to another managementpany.¡± ¡°Right. They have the right to choose. If they want, they can freely move. So, you can take them back when youe back sessfully.¡± Hyunwoo then told him about the US beveragepany that signed a contract to buy the rights to use the characters of ¡®Duckling Fly.¡¯ That meant a lot to him. It was not a matter of royalties alone. The USpany¡¯s offer itself suggested that the song was getting popr in the US market. It could be that Jinyoung¡¯s sessfuleback was just around the corner. Jinyoung¡¯s face became red with excitement. ¡°I can¡¯t afford to sit idle like this. I¡¯ve got so many things to take care of before I go to the United States.¡± ¡°Tell me anything you need. Let me help you.¡± ¡°I see there are some good songsposed by Jinhon, so I¡¯m putting finishing touches on them now. I think making a single album with a mix of Duckling Fly and some other songs will be more effective in the US market. You can financially back me up, okay?¡± Suddenly, Hyunwoo thought of some other musicians who could join, ¡°Why don¡¯t we join several more singers for coboration with Jinhon? ¡°As you know, we¡¯re in the cklist of AT Entertainment. I doubt if any known singer can join us. And I can¡¯t use a new singer.¡± ¡°I know some guys.¡± ¡°Who are they?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know them even if I mention their names. Why don¡¯t you go with me to see them?¡± Both of them drove to an apartmentplex in Karak-dong. When Hyunwoo pressed the button on the door of an apartment unit, someone came out. Jinyoung was stunned at the moment, and Jinhon and Ang were even more surprised. The man standing before them was giant, ck, and looked like a fighter. It was Raymon. After he received a call from Hyunwoo, Raymon brought his friends with him. Jinyoung heard listened to their song on the spot. ¡°Good. Raymon¡¯s voice is impressive. If he chooses a song well, he can hit the jackpot.¡± ¡°I know one more person. She is excellent at dancing with a good appearance. You might know her.¡± ¡°Appearances and dancing are two good elements of sess. If she is really talented in dancing, we have to scout her right away. Do I know her already?¡± ¡°Do you remember Yuni of Hey Girls?¡± It was a real eye-opener to Jinyoung. ¡°Yuni? Soyun Han? Where is she now?¡± Given his reaction, Jinyoung knew her very well. He wanted to rush to her immediately, but it waste in the evening. The next morning Jinyoung rushed Hyunwoo as soon as the day broke. Jinhon and Ang also had to hurry up as early as 7 am. When Jinyoung arrived at the alternative music school where Soyun was a teacher, he searched for her. She was outside the ssroom, taking a walk alone and fully enjoying spring in the air. ¡°Soyun!¡± called Jinyoung in an excited voice. But she didn¡¯t greet him dly. Rather, she turned her head and avoided him. Hyunwoo watched them from a distance. Jinyoung passionately tried to persuade her, but she kept distancing herself from him. That kind of tense momentsted about 30 minutes. After all, Jinyoung didn¡¯t get what he wanted. ¡°Did you fail to persuade her?¡± ¡°She said she is scared.¡± ¡°Taesu Ahn?¡± ¡°Not only Taesu but also the public. She seems scared about going back to the entertainment world.¡± Hyunwoo could understand her position. She was once the top star before Taesu ruined her career overnight with the false sex scandal. No matter how much she argued she was honorable, she couldn¡¯t afford to confront the icy reaction of the public. He felt sorry for her. How could she meet such a womanizer like Taesu and have her career ruinedpletely like that? Hyunwoo wanted to help her. Though he could not punish Taesu, he wanted to take down the heavy tent of Taesu Ahn that had been pressing on her life up to now. ¡°That happened a long time ago, as you know. It¡¯s time you overcame her bitter memories.¡± ¡°No matter how hard I tried, she was not persuaded. It looks like she¡¯s terrified to even about the camera.¡± The more he heard about her story, the more heartbroken Hyunwoo was. Why should she continue to live like that? If he were in her shoes, he would fight with him to the end. ¡°As you¡¯vee as far as here, why don¡¯t you meet the students here? I think there are many talented students here,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Sounds good,¡± replied Jinyoung feebly. Obviously, he felt it so regretful that he couldn¡¯t persuade Soyun, but his gloomy expression brightened after he met some talented students at Jinhon¡¯s introduction. In particr, he praised Suljun Kim, the excellent dancer, who had also impressed Hyunwoo with his dancing. ¡°Wow, he is much, much better than me as a dancer. The best idol dance I have ever seen!¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± said Suljun, feeling on top of the world. ¡°Won¡¯t you work with me?¡± ¡°Really? Of course, I will. I¡¯ll really work hard.¡± Suljun replied without any hesitation, and Jinyoung had him sign the contract on the spot. Of course, his managementpany was Ani & Funny. ¡°Go and get your parents¡¯ consent. And thene with me to Seoul. You can stay with Jinhon at the lodge I arranged.¡± Actually, Suljun¡¯s parents lived in Seoul. Jinyoung was engrossed in his business n inside Hyunwoo¡¯s minivan, pondering over how best to use Raymon and his friends as well as Suljun. *** At Seoul za, the first Korea-Vietnam trade fair was held with great sess. It was initially not what Hyunwoo nned. He felt at most a few dozenpanies would participate, but when the trade fair opened, as many as 300panies attended it. Most of them were from KOVE DREAM or Dream Korea. Some of them formed a consortium of their own, and somepanies set up their own booths inside the za. The Korean people and domesticpanies also showed an enthusiastic response. What they were most interested in was which team was the genuine dream team, regardless of their purchase of the products. Their judgment came out easier than expected. ¡°Oh, this ballpoint pen of KOVE DREAM rolls very softly.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t stain much.¡± The visitors praised the quality of KOVE products because its team set the bar high when they selected the hopefulpanies for this fair. That didn¡¯t mean that the products of Dream Korea received bad reception. Compared with Chinese products in the same price range, their products were good, but they were far behind,pared with those of KOVE DREAM. Hyunwoo felt satisfied with the results. His promotional campaign was a sess, and the KOVE products made a good impression on the visitors. It would be a matter of time before the participatingpanies would see an increase in their product sales, but Hyunwoo could not be content with the sess now. He thought KOVE DREAM¡¯s business potential was infinite. There had only been thirteen participatingpanies. There were many morepanies in Vietnam that didn¡¯t participate in either KOVE or Dream Korea. What would happen if Hyunwoo rallied all the remainingpanies behind KOVE? But Hyunwoo set the goal higher. I don¡¯t have to limit the participatingpanies of KOVE to local Koreanpanies. His vision for KOVE was for local Korean and Vietnamesepanies to prosper together. Otherwise, KOVE would generate anti-Korean feelings among the Vietnamese people at some point. In order to nip such an anti-Korean mood in the bud, Hyunwoo felt it was necessary to make the continued effort for themon prosperity of the two countries. He wanted to send technical experts to the local Vietnamesepanies to enhance their skills but had no clue how to do it. The solution was to bring those skilled workers in Korea who had beenid off or looking for jobs to Vietnam. Hyunwoo felt there should be some mechanism to instill the spirit of challenge in those people. The trade fair wrapped up sessfully. While heading back to Ansan, Hyunwoo thought about how to increase the size of the KOVE DREAM team, but a group of people suddenly came to visit the office of KOVE in Ansan to meet him. They were like the gifts God sent to Hyunwoo. ¡°We¡¯re skilled technicians in special stic areas. Can we get a job in Vietnam?¡± Chapter 179

Chapter 179

A total of five people came to Ansan to meet Hyunwoo. Hearing their exnation, Hyunwoo learned that they wereid off from their workces rted to stic. They came to get acquainted with each other through the inte cafe, exchanged their ideas on entering the Vietnamese market and finally gathered to meet Hyunwoo. In other words, they were doing stic-rted club activities and formed a dream team of their own. Hyunwoo weed them with open hands, ¡°Of course, I can help you. Come on in.¡± Hyunwoo got their contact information, resumes and other documents and then faxed them to the KOVE DREAM team. Actually, the stic dream team was in great demand in Vietnam. As soon as their resumes were distributed to the relevantpanies, they expressed strong interest in hiring them. It looked as if their sessful resettlement in Vietnam was guaranteed. At that moment Hyunwoo thought, Yea, this is a golden chance. Let me show the skilled workers across the country who wereid off and sitting idle. They will gain courage. He quickly called Jaeyol Song with Korea Broadcasting, ¡°I think I can see you after 3 pm today.¡± ¡°See you then.¡± Hyunwoo headed directly to Seoul and met him. ¡°Thanks so much for your help with the production of KOVE DREAM program.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee. I have to thank you, man. That program really paid off! If you have a good program idea, let me know,¡± said Jaeyol. Hyunwoo was going to tip him off on a program idea one of these days. ¡°Why don¡¯t you make the Part three of KOVE DREAM?¡± Jaeyol¡¯s eyes opened wide with expectation. In fact, Korea Broadcasting aired a couple of KOVE programs. Part one was a video produced by Real Film alone, and Part two was the co-work with the current affairs department of Korea Broadcasting. Korea Broadcasting¡¯s KOVE programs enjoyed great sess with very good viewers¡¯ reception. Now, Hyunwoo mentioned Part three. If this one proved as sessful as the previous two, Jaeyol¡¯s career would be on track to the top. ¡°How?¡± asked Jaeyol. ¡°As you know, the highlight of KOVE DREAM was that Korean technicians went to Vietnam to make a technological revolution. So, part three will deal with the process of how they get connected with the local Koreanpanies there and how they sessfully resettle in Vietnam,¡± said Hyunwoo. He told Jaeyol that a group of technicians in are of stics came to meet him yesterday. ¡°KOVE DREAM will support them financially for their sessful resettlement. We¡¯re confident they will create an incredible sess story there. Don¡¯t you think Korea Broadcasting can shoot their efforts?¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s a really nice program idea.¡± ¡°Hahaha, this is my surprise gift for you.¡± Jaeyol gave him a thumbs-up, and said, ¡°Yea, the best gift for me. Let me suggest this idea to my boss.¡± ¡°Let me inform Real Film about it just in case you will outsource them.¡± ¡°Sounds good. There is no reason that my boss will say no. As for Seoul Broadcasting, I¡¯m going to beat them soundly this time. As you know, they tried so hard to damage our image and KOVE DREAM. The trade fair the other day clearly showed a big difference between KOVE products and those of the Dream Korea. Now, it¡¯s time for us to kick their butts.¡± Hyunwoo made a frown at that because that might backfire even though Korea Broadcasting felt good at the moment. Hyunwoo cautiously said, ¡°How are you going to kick their butts?¡± ¡°Well, we can show our viewers there is such a big difference between the quality of KOVE and Dream Korea products. Don¡¯t you think Seoul Broadcasting will suffer a big disgrace?¡± ¡°That¡¯s too dangerous a method,¡± said Hyunwoo, shaking his head. ¡°Far from dangerous, man. We¡¯re just telling the truth.¡± ¡°Even if you don¡¯t broadcast it, the general public already knows about that. And if you air that kind program, the Dream Korea team will have bad feelings toward KOVE DREAM. Do you know what that means?¡± Jaeyol looked at him silently. With a serious look, Hyunwoo continued, ¡°That means the division of the Koreanmunity in Vietnam. We don¡¯t have to fan their division when they can¡¯t get united.¡± Nodding, Jaeyol said, ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t know that. I was thoughtless to say so. You¡¯re more thoughtful than me...¡± ¡°Well, I just wanted to...¡± ¡°I understand what you mean, brother. Let me tell my boss to make sure the program does not broadcast anything that can damage the image of the Dream Korea team. I guess my boss will dly approve part three of KOVE DREAM.¡± Jaeyol hurriedly went to the office of his boss. Though Hyunwoo wanted to treat him to dinner, he was too busy. In addition to meeting his boss, he had several appointments in the evening. This time Hyunwoo called Kwangsu Han, the owner of Real Film to inform him about part three of KOVE DREAM. ¡°Oh my god! You¡¯re killing me, man!¡± said Kwangsu, screaming for joy. Real Film was only a mediocre productionpany untilst year, but it was not now. Some time ago, it hired seven video journalists, so that no matter how much work Hyunwoo brought, Kwangsu could easily handle them. ¡°Soon we¡¯re going to need another music video. I think I am going to work with you on the animation production.¡± ¡°Hahaha. Anytime! I¡¯m fully ready, dude.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo went back to his house in Ansan. He wanted to see his friends in Seoul as he was there on a business trip, but they were all tied up. Even Suji, his girlfriend, had a dinner get-together with her colleagues. After that, he called his mother in Ansan. ¡°Mom, I¡¯d like to have dinner at home today.¡± ¡°Really? Wonderful. Let me prepare dinner then.¡± Several dayster, Korea Broadcasting aired a program reviewing the trade fair. The program didn¡¯t contain any content about theparison of the products of KOVE and Dream Korea. Instead, it focused on the secret of the sess of KOVE DREAM¡¯s innovation in product quality. The program also mentioned the sess of the technicians whose spirit of challenge paid off nicely,paring their past lives in Korea and their current lives in Vietnam. Korea Broadcasting featured a short promo about part three of the KOVE special. The program ended there. Although Korea Broadcasting didn¡¯tpare the product quality of both teams, the consumers freely expressed their opinion through their own personal blogs, on the inte cafes, or on the bulletins of the broadcastingpany and Seoul City. Almost all of them reacted to KOVE DREAM favorably. Some of them criticized KOVE and favored Dream Korea, but obviously, they were paid by the Dream Korea to do the job. Thanks to the trade fair the sales of KOVE DREAMpanies increased by tenfoldpared with their previous sales. N&C Korea¡¯s sales also increased by 20%. Compared with that of KOVE, it was not that impressive, but still encouraging as its market share showed an upward trend. As if it was a good sign of his business, he received a call from a real estate agent that he knew well. ¡°Hyunwoo. Remember the empty lot behind the warehouse of KOVE? The owner marked down the price and listed it for sale. Looks like this is the right time to buy it.¡± ¡°Let me buy it then.¡± The empty lot was 3,000 pyong (2.45 acre). As Hyunwoo was nning to expand the existing warehouse, he didn¡¯t have to worry about it anymore. When Hyunwoo went back to the office of Ani & Funny, there were two more inquiries about the use of the characters of Garbage World. As for the contracts on the characters of Garbage World, there were already 11 such contracts totaling 700 million won in contract money. Among them, there were three from America, one each from Japan, China and France, and five from Korea. This suggested that Duckling Fly was speedily gaining poprity around the world. ¡°Looks like we will receive more than 300 million in royalty fee this month alone. Including the contract money, it will surpass 1 billion won.¡± ¡°Wow, can we expect a bonus?¡± Hyunwoo felt the morale of the staff was as important as the animation items. He wanted to reinvest all the profits into the development of new animation works but also wanted to enhance their morale with cash awards. In particr, he wanted to give Suhim and Jihun and other Anifan kids their property fees, which would make not only fill the Anifan kids but also other staff with great enthusiasm about creation. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll give you a bonus as incentives. By the way, we can¡¯t be content with the results now. Let¡¯s make more profits with other animation works. That will increase your bonus, too, right?¡± Hyunwoo emphasized the diversity of animation works. He nned to make a new animation based on Suhim¡¯s new story as well as prepare ¡®Season 2¡¯ of Tuti & Angelica and at the same time list it on the world market. When Hyunwoo exined his grand business n, Jihun made a sullen expression. ¡°If you achieve that goal, we¡¯ll need more staff to make more characters in every field. Right now, we are too short-handed. Only when we have characters can we create corresponding facial expressions and coloring.¡± Hyunwoo fully agreed with that, and said, ¡°I guess I need to hire more staff in that field.¡± ¡°Can I rmend someone? Jihun asked as soon as Hyunwoo said that. Hyunwoo felt he knew who Jihun had in mind. In fact, Hyunwoo also instantly conjured up the image of one person he knew well. Chapter 180

Chapter 180

Pretending not to know, he asked Jihun, ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Yu Zuung.¡± Hyunwoo saw eye to eye with him. In fact, Zuung was like a double-edged sword. She could instill vigor in the office, on the one hand, but she could sow the seed of enmity and disharmony, on the other, but Hyunwoo boldly decided to give her a chance. If she created any trouble, he could deal with that in due course. And he, too, missed her a bit. When she was beside him, he felt good in spite of himself. Of course, he had no indecent desires for her. He already set his heart on Suji Min. For various reasons, he felt he needed Zuung¡¯s excellent skill in creating animation characters, ¡°Can I ask her about it?¡± Then, he called her in Vietnam. The male staff and Jihun, in particr, looked at Hyunwoo with great expectation. Zuung picked up the phone immediately. Hyunwoo told her his point right away, and Zuung replied as if she had been waiting for the chance. ¡°Sure, I would love to work in Korea if you give me a chance.¡± When Hyunwoo ryed her positive reply, the male staff gave a shout of joy, but the female staff showed a sullen expression, curling their lips. ¡°How soon can youe here?¡± ¡°Let mee as soon as this semester is over. I think I cane as early as July.¡± Though Hyunwoo wanted her toe as soon as possible, he felt a bit regrettable about her reply, but studying for her was as important as working. In fact, she could create characters while staying in Vietnam, too. And there was some work Hyunwoo wanted to entrust to Zuung with respect to the business of Ani & Funny¡¯s Vietnamese branch. ¡°Can you expand the size of the branch over there while you¡¯re still in Vietnam? I¡¯m nning to increase your workload over there in the future. You will need many more staff members.¡± ¡°Got it. Let me increase by 30 then.¡± If 30 people joined the existing staff of the branch, it would be fully packed, but Hyunwoo was not satisfied with that. He already set up a long-term n in Vietnam, which was to rece VPictures. In order to achieve his goal, Hyunwoo wanted a muchrger talented staff. ¡°That¡¯s way below what I want. Increase by about 100.¡± ¡°Wow! That will cost a lot of money, and the current office space can¡¯t house that many people.¡± She was concerned about the office budget, but money was not a big burden to Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo gave the branch staff 2 million dong on average per month, and 4 million dong to the team managers including Zuung. The starting sry of college graduates in Vietnam was 4 million dong on average, so thepensation of the Vietnamese branch staff was decent. But 2 million dong was only 100,000 won when converted into Korean won. Even if Hyunwoo hired 100, the total sry would be around 10 million won, which Hyunwoo could pay without any problem. And the office expenses were not that high. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, Zuung. I¡¯ll take care of that. Let me expand the office space as soon as possible. I¡¯m thinking of two more offices that arerger than the current one. Isn¡¯t that enough?¡± ¡°Yea, but it looks like you¡¯re hiring too many people.¡± ¡°I told you before that I¡¯m going to give you an enormous workload. You might need more staff in the future. So, try to hire as manypetent people as possible.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°By the way, let me send you some new stories. Draw some characters befitting the stories. If youe over here, you¡¯ll be specializing in that field. And that¡¯s the main reason I am going to bring you over here.¡± ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll try.¡± Hyunwoo asked her to pay special attention to the matter of hiring before he hung up the phone. When he told the staff she woulde early July, the male staff expressed disappointment. With a gentle smile, he stimted their enthusiasm a bit by asking, ¡°What is the best seat for Zuung when she reports to work here? I wish she sat beside someone who is really working hard. Kyungsu, can you monitor who is the best staffer here?¡± ¡°Hahaha. Sure, will do.¡± *** ¡°Please move that carefully.¡± ¡°Put that here.¡± The people of the house next to Hyunwoo¡¯s was busy with moving stuff here and there. It was none other than Suji¡¯s house. Finally, the construction waspleted, and they were moving stuff over the weekend. It was built as a two-story house with arge yard. Suji¡¯s mother, Mrs. Kong, was already thrilled when she thought about cultivating a kitchen garden for cabbages and sesame leaves. There was a separate container house in front of the house, which would be used as Suji¡¯s father Taeho Min¡¯s personal research room. Though it could be located inside the house, Taeho insisted on setting it up outside. Obviously, he must have envied the container houses of Hyunwoo¡¯s father and Kuroda. Hyunwoo chipped in carrying the stuff. He first moved the furniture and other household stuff and then Taeho¡¯s research material. His father Duyoung Jang approached and took a look at them slightly. He seemed to be interested in Taeho¡¯s research area. Interestingly enough, there was impressive lettering on his diaries like this. There were not just one or two such diaries, but several boxes of diaries with the same lettering. With a curious expression, Hyunwoo asked, ¡°What is this Failure Diary, sir?¡± ¡°Oh, that one? Literally, they are my notes that recorded my failures.¡± Taeho answered without any hesitation. ¡°Wow, there are so many of them here.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve done this research for over 10 years. As I had no tangible sess, obviously I had such arge collection of my failures.¡± ¡°Can I open this?¡± Hyunwoo asked casually but instantly regretted it. No matter how many times he failed, the failure diaries were as precious to him as his life. At his asking, Taeho seemed to hesitate. Hyunwoo quickly switched the topic, ¡°Sorry, I was thoughtless to say that. I am not interested in your research, so don¡¯t worry.¡± With an awkward smile, Taeho replied, ¡°Thanks for understanding me. In fact, they¡¯re nothing special, but it would be difficult to understand if you didn¡¯t specialize in this field.¡± Hyunwoo moved the boxes to his research room quickly and never paid any attention. But his father seemed interested a lot. He often cast a nce at Taeho¡¯s container house. While Hyunwoo was busy moving, he heard a familiar voice from the door. ¡°Am I a bitte? I wanted to help you with moving.¡± Hyunwoo turned his head to that man, who was none other than Suyoung Oh, former principal of Hyunwoo¡¯s high school and the security man of the main gate of Aurumpany. He retiredst week. Suyoung dly exchanged greetings with Hyunwoo¡¯s family. As the moving was almost done, Suyoung didn¡¯t need to help them with anything. ¡°Did you find another job?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°How can I find one at my age? I think I have to go to a senior center to y go.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still too young to retire, sir.¡± ¡°d to hear that. You want to hire me? Hahaha¡± Though he said it jokingly, Hyunwoo took it seriously. Actually, Hyunwoo thought of the alternative school Dreaming School. With a smile, Suyoung nodded. ¡°In fact, I was thinking of it. Let me visit there sooner orter.¡± After they were done moving all the stuff, they gathered at the new house and talked over tea. It was a bit disorderly because they hadn¡¯t unpacked, but nobody cared. In the meantime, Duyoung often looked at Taeho as if he had something to say. Finally, he opened his mouth as their conversation stopped for a moment, ¡°By the way, what kind of experiment are you involved in? I know it¡¯s rted to sr energy, but the experimental method is...?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any particr method. I¡¯m doing lots of experiments rted to chemistry, Dr. Jang¡¯s specialty.¡± Taeho spoke about everything as if he had nothing to hide. As their conservation was too technical, Hyunwoo could not intervene if he wanted to. ¡°I see. In fact, my research is somewhat simr to yours. Namely, developing new material rted to alternative energy. I am also dealing with a non-chemistry area like you. For example, I¡¯m doing some research on microbiology. Sometimes microbes produce chemical substances that I never expected,¡± said Duyoung. ¡°Well as far as the research on microbiology I¡¯ve done a lot, too. I even did research on the microbes rted to spiders to check if they produced substances that could be transformed into materials to create transparent electrodes.¡± ¡°Wow, you and I have lots of research inmon. Hahaha¡± Both of themughed cheerfully as if they were bosom friends, but other people couldn¡¯t participate in the dialogue because it was too technical. In particr, Mrs. Kong made a frown as if she was sick and tired of her husband¡¯s talk about research. Finally, she pinched his thigh and said, ¡°Stop talking about your research. Other people here are feeling awkward because of you.¡± Taeho and Duyoung offered apologies with awkward expressions. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. We just focused on ourselves.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we talk about the researchter when we have time? Let¡¯s talk about something else. Hahaha.¡± Chapter 181

Chapter 181

After having tea, each of them went back home. Though Taeho Min and Duyong Jang wanted to discuss their research seriously, Mrs. Kong dragged Taeho by the hand out the door. ¡°Let¡¯s take a walk together. I want to see outside. As we have moved to the countryside, let¡¯s have a walk sometimes,¡± she said. ¡°Sounds good,¡± he replied. With a lingering attachment, he followed her outside. Suji went with them, as expected. ¡°This is the kind of life that I have been dreaming about.¡± With a heartyugh, heughed, ¡°Hahaha. This is not a big deal.¡± ¡°Well, a woman¡¯s dream is not that great, believe it or not. Reading books, basking in the sun after housework, and taking a walk with the family is all a woman wants. Of course, there are others who do want much more than that,¡± said Mrs. Kong. Suji felt happy. She was happy that her family could take a walk together like this, but what pleased her all the more was her mother¡¯s smile. ¡°Daddy, you didn¡¯t forget your promise to take a family trip, did you?¡± asked Suji. ¡°Of course not. Now that you mention it, how about traveling this week? Don¡¯t you think traveling these days is much better than during the summer when it¡¯s crowded?¡± ¡°I would love any ce or any time you prefer,¡± said Mrs. Kong. ¡°Me too. Any time when you can take time off,¡± seconded Suji. Taeho quickly arranged a family trip on the spot. As they had not taken a family trip in a long time, he nned four nights and five days¡¯ trip. ¡°Okay, then. Let¡¯s leave thising Thursday afternoon and arrive at the destination next Monday evening. In that case, you can take vacation leave on Friday and Monday, Suji. Where did you have in mind?¡± Mrs. Kong and Suji didn¡¯t care about that at all. What really mattered to them was not the ce, but how much personal time Taeho would share with his family. ¡°You don¡¯t have to overdo yourself, honey. Why don¡¯t we visit your hometown over the weekend? I¡¯d like to see the sea around Anmyon Ind,¡± said Mr. Kong. Taeho¡¯s hometown is Seosan in the south Chungchong province where Anmyon is located. ¡°Good idea! Then, let¡¯s start on Friday and arrive there on Sunday.¡± ¡°Sure. Let me make the travel schedule,¡± said Suji spiritedly. Thursday evening, Suji drew up her family trip schedule. ording to her n, they were supposed to stay at Taesho¡¯s home in Anmyon Ind the first day and stay at a local inn there on the second day. It seemed as if it was a great travel n. Suji received a call from Hyunwoo when she was done with drawing up the trip n. ¡°What¡¯s up, Hyunwoo?¡± ¡°What are you doing this weekend? Shall we travel to the port of Sorae for sashimi?¡± Her ears immediately got tempted the moment she heard it. Though it was precious for her to have a family trip, she felt it much more precious to date with Hyunwoo, but she could not ept it immediately as a woman. ¡°Why are you suddenly nning to travel to Sorae?¡± ¡°Well, I want to have a date with you, of course. Actually, I reserved thising Saturday for a date with you. Why don¡¯t we go shopping and watch a movie?¡± She was all smiles from ear to ear. She had nothing like a family trip in her mind. ¡°Alright. Let me give it a thought.¡± After the call, she went down to the living room downstairs, where her parents were watching TV side by side. Walking down the stairs, she said, ¡°Have a great trip this weekend!¡± ¡°Why? Are you not joining us?¡± Both of them opened their eyes wider at her unexpected remark. ¡°Come to think of it, I know you haven¡¯t had a trip together in a long time. Let me join you next time.¡± ¡°Come on, Suji!¡± said Mrs. Kong, trying to dissuade her, but Suji was already adamant about her decision. ¡°In fact, I have got a very important appointment. As I have drawn the n for you, you can just go ahead with your travel.¡± ¡°Well, if you have an important n, there is nothing I can do, Suji,¡± said Mrs. Kong. They stopped persuading her anymore. On Saturday, Hyunwoo drove a mid-size sedan downtown to pick up Suji. Actually, he rented it for the date. Strange enough Suji told him to keep their date secret with an additional note that they should meet at a ce downtown rather than leaving from their adjacent houses. Hyunwoo arrived at the appointed ce in advance, which was only two kilometers away from their houses. A littleter, Suji arrived and quickly got into his sedan. Today of all days, she was dressed up in colorful clothes as if she was determined to show off. Hyunwoo got carried away in her charm from the moment she got out of the taxi and got into his car. At that moment, he conjured up the image of Yu Zuung. In particr, he remembered what she had said while they were driving to Incheon International Airport; it kept ringing in his ears. You¡¯re not married yet. They say you never know the rtionship between a man and a woman until they enter the wedding ce. Who knows you will have be my sweetheart by next spring? Hyunwoo felt Yu Zuung¡¯s stunning beauty put Suji¡¯s appearance in the shade more and more, but at the same time, he felt more and more that Suji was lovely. Though Yu Zuung was more beautiful than Suji, he found himself drawn to Suji. He wanted to defend Suji strongly with the logic that looks weren¡¯t everything to him. Rather he wanted to shout to the world at the top of his voice that Suji was more beautiful than any other woman. Though Yu Zuung made him feel a moment of excitement and thrill, there was a sort of rxation and pleasure he could find only with Suji. Though he didn¡¯t like Suji¡¯s asional tantrums, he now felt even that was lovable. As time went by, he would gradually get ustomed to Yu Zuung¡¯s beauty. By then, her shorings that he had failed to notice woulde out, which would certainly make Suji more lovely and attractive to him. Yea, looks aren¡¯t everything. Even now, Suji is so beautiful to me. When he was looking at her, thinking like that, Suji gently tapped him on the shoulder. ¡°Hyunwoo, what are you thinking?¡± ¡°Uh? No, no.¡± Coming to his senses suddenly, Hyunwoo uttered. And he asked her what he really wanted to ask since a while ago. ¡°By the way, it seems like your parents don¡¯t want us to date, right? Is that the reason why you¡¯re meeting me secretly like this?¡± Suji exined to him the situation, ¡°In fact, my family was supposed to go on a trip today, but I excused myself, citing an important appointment with someone. How much regret would they feel if they knew I was not joining them for a date with someone?¡± ¡°Oh, I see. When are your parents setting out on the trip?¡± ¡°Yesterday. They¡¯re going toe back tomorrow. You have to keep it to yourself, okay? You didn¡¯t tell your parents you¡¯re going on a date with me today, right?¡± ¡°No,¡± said Hyunwoo, shaking his head. And at the same time, his eyes twinkled because he knew that her house was vacant tonight. She would be sleeping alone in thatrge house tonight. She did yesterday, and would probably tonight. For some reason, Hyunwoo felt a bit strange. ¡°Weren¡¯t you scaredst night when you slept alone?¡± ¡°Just a little bit. So, I slept with the light turned on the whole night. Hohoho.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s heart pounded suddenly. He held back talking to her, Can I stay with you through the night? Obviously, she felt something weird about his behavior at that moment. ¡°Hyunwoo, I guess you must have lustful thoughts about me, right?¡± she asked, leering at him. Instantly, Hyunwoo wanted to reply in the negative, but he felt such thoughts were far from abnormal. ¡°You must be a ghost! How did you find it out?¡± said Hyunwoo jokingly. ¡°Oh, my god! Anyway, all men are like wolves.¡± ¡°Well, a wolf is like a guard that protects a woman from a fox. If you need a guard, let me know anytime.¡± ¡°No, thanks. Let¡¯s get started quickly!¡± Hyunwoo gave her a broad smile, suggesting that he just cracked a joke. Deep inside, however, he started havingscivious thoughts about her. Yea, today is the golden chance to make her mine. She might want it very much, too. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t want to miss the chance. He wanted to keep her as long as he could. The more he thought about it, the more he felt confident with redoubled courage. Yes, let me make a historic night with her. They had sashimi at a restaurant in Sorae, took a walk together, and went shopping in a cheerful mood. Come to think of it, he had not bought her a gift yet, so he wanted to buy her a terrific gift this time. ¡°I feel so good tonight. Let me buy you anything you want today.¡± ¡°Really? Can I buy something expensive one?¡± ¡°Of course. I don¡¯t take back what I have promised.¡± ¡°Wow! What ark!¡± Suji began to look at the items here and there, thinking hard about which one to buy, but her choice was a bit disappointing to Hyunwoo. Though he wanted to give her an expensive gift, she just looked around cheap women¡¯s clothing shop. Of course, a full dress there was around 200,000 won, but it was way below what Hyunwoo expected. Hyunwoo dragged her by the hand, saying, ¡°Suji, let¡¯s move to an expensive clothing store. I really want to buy you a great gift today.¡± ¡°Oh, no! I don¡¯t like expensive stuff anyway. I just like things like this,¡± she said, dissuading him. The more she insisted, he felt she was all the more attractive. He was d to know that she didn¡¯t like name-brand products and that she was considerate enough not to give him any financial burden. Chapter 182

Chapter 182

When Hyunwoo insisted, she got in his car and they went to a nearby department store. ¡°Are you sure if I can choose whatever I want? Don¡¯t me me even if I choose a name-brand product.¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± Suji began to look around expensive stuff here and there and stopped before a beige dress that captivated her eyes. She came near as if she found a treasure and then checked out the price before anything else. At that moment she opened her mouth wide as if she was shocked. It really looked fit for her in Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes. He looked at its price tag then. The dress was expensive, costing 1.2 million won, but the price was not important to him. As he wanted to buy her a nice gift, he wished she could remember that gift for a long time even though it was expensive. Hyunwoo told the attendant of the shop, ¡°Can you find one that fits her?¡± Stunned, Suji stopped him and said, ¡°You must be crazy, Hyunwoo. What¡¯s the point of buying this?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯d love to buy you one.¡± ¡°No, thanks. Let¡¯s go quickly!¡± said she, dragging his hand. The stared at them with a puzzled expression. When they walked far away from the shop, Suji med him. ¡°I can buy those kinds of clothes for 100,000 won at other shops. Why do you want to waste money?¡± ¡°I guess the quality of the fabric must be different here.¡± ¡°No way,¡± replied she, lightly rebuking him for knowing nothing about women¡¯s clothing. When Hyunwoo made a regretful expression, she said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you buy me another gift then?¡± ¡°Which one?¡± Instead of replying, she pointed at her fingers. Come to think of it, Suji had no ring on her finger. With a smile, he said, ¡°Shall we wear couple¡¯s rings?¡± ¡°Great!¡± Like a ko hanging onto a tree, she held his arm tight with a smile. They went down to the first floor of the department store. There were various types of couple rings on disy. Prices of the rings also greatly varied. Some couple¡¯s ring sets cost tens of millions of won, but Suji chose a cheap one this time, too. ¡°I love that white gold ring. Let¡¯s take this one.¡± The coupling ring set cost only 700,000 won. Given the choice, Hyunwoo wanted to give her a better ring, but she rejected it. After checking their finger size for the ring with the initials of their names, they came out of the store. As soon as they were fabricated, the couple rings would be shipped to their homes. Then, they watched a movie. Hyunwoo preferred action or science fiction movies usually, but today, he chose a sweet and romantic film ording to her wishes. After watching the movie, they went to a high-end restaurant and had an expensive dinner with wine. ¡°By the way, I wonder why you¡¯re treating me so special today.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I guess you spent too much money on me today.¡± Hyunwoo said with sincerity, ¡°That¡¯s why I make money, Suji.¡± ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± ¡°Who do I spend money on other than you?¡± he said, feeling a bit strange. But she clearly must have felt good to hear that, looking at him with sparkling eyes, ¡°On me? Why?¡± He stopped eating for a moment and quietly looked at her. She was fully expectant of some kind of romantic words from him. ¡°Because I love you. You¡¯re my one and only love, Suji.¡± At that moment, she blushed all of a sudden, but obviously, she was happy. ¡°Oh my... are you attending love school these days? You are picking up words that tter me today, hohoho.¡± ¡°Well, I just find myself doing so whenever I am with you. I think that¡¯s the power of truth. I love you genuinely.¡± She got red in the face all the more at that. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to look him in the eye, lowered her head and just focused on eating dinner. Looking at her for a moment, Hyunwoo resumed eating. Only then did she gently ask him, ¡°Is your business doing well these days? I guess you¡¯re making a lot of money as you are treating me to an expensive dinner.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m earning enough to make my family get by,¡± he said confidently. ¡°Wow, it seems like you¡¯re really making lots of money. Is your business making profits?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Wow, I¡¯m d to hear that! That means yourpany¡¯s on a firm footing now. Can I ask about the size of the profits?¡± ¡°Enough.¡± ¡°Why are you trying to hide it from me?¡± she asked, looking askance at him. ¡°Well, I think the profits this month will go over one-billion won. Actually, I signed many contracts. And I guess the profits will increase gradually in the future.¡± When he said that, Suji¡¯s face hardened momentarily because she thought the profits would be ten to twenty million won at most. In fact, the profits that he mentioned were only those made by Ani & Funny only. Whenbined with those of N&C Korea, its branches in Japan and the United States, the profits were much greater. Besides, the price of N&C stocks was also soaring thanks to the sess of KOVE DREAMpanies. Currently, Hyunwoo¡¯s wealth was estimated at 1.4 billion won. Suji¡¯s face would harden all the more if she was briefed about all of that, which was not what he wanted. Hyunwoo wanted Suji not to treat her without thinking of his wealth at all. Rather he wanted her to treat himself just as he was. ¡°That¡¯s why I want you to enjoy your meal without any burden,¡± said Hyunwoo. Only then did she rx and make afortable expression. After dinner, they moved to a karaoke room. His favorite dating n was to first have a meal together then drink beer before going to a karaoke room. When he took her there, he tried to kiss her at the right moment after singing several romantic songs, and she didn¡¯t refuse. In a sharp departure from her reaction during her early days of their rtionship, she was now more aggressive in seeking physical contact. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tight from chest to feet when kissing him. Hyunwoo tried various kissing skills. He even surfed the inte to study on how to kiss. When he felt hot, he wanted to try deep kissing. He sometimes groped her buttock and bosom. Her full bust, belying her small build, turned him on when he touched it, but that was as far as he could go. Suji tried to push him away this time, too, but Hyunwoo held out, clenching her bosom with his hand tightly. He wanted to go as far as he wanted tonight. As if she was surprised, her bust and nipples were tight when she stopped his hand hastily. And then she strongly pushed him away, turning away her face and body to the side. Only then did he let go of her hand gently. Obviously, she seemed pretty much embarrassed. ¡°All men are the same. You guys are only thinking of having sex with women, right?¡± Hyunwoo didn¡¯t feel sorry about it, though. He just felt it regretful that she didn¡¯t approve of his actions. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s just natural for a healthy man to think of having sex with his love? I am not a Buddha. If I don¡¯t think of that when I kiss a beauty like you, I think that¡¯s something weird. Isn¡¯t it true we¡¯re dating?¡± ¡°Well, dating doesn¡¯t necessarily mean having sex.¡± ¡°I agree, but I really want to have sex with you, to be honest. I may be strange, but I really find it hard to suppress my sexual desire.¡± Hyunwoo spoke his mind frankly. Was it because of that? Suji now softened her sharp nce at him, but she seemed a bit upset. ¡°Don¡¯t take me so lightly just because you¡¯re making lots of money. I was a bit disappointed in you.¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo¡¯s heart sank. He never treated her lightly because of his wealth. Hyunwoo said as if appealing to her, ¡°Please listen to me, Suji. What should I do? You want me to keep waiting?¡± ¡°I know that, but how can you touch my body so thoughtlessly?¡± Hyunwoo could not talk back. Actually, he admitted he was too aggressive in touching her body. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. Let me touch it gently next time,¡± said he in an apologetic tone. But she was not yet persuaded, leering at him sharply. He then began asking for reconciliation more aggressively. Instead of repeating sorry, he hugged her suddenly. Though she resisted, he hugged her more tightly and said, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. Let me be careful next time. Please calm down.¡± Only then did she stopped resisting and looked at him. Hyunwoo said, ¡°To be honest with you, I feel it is so hard to suppress my desire. I really would love to have sex with you. Sometimes, I can¡¯t go to sleep. Do you think I have to hold back my desire like this?¡± She didn¡¯t reply, though. She was just standing, leaning against him. ¡°Do you want to remain a virgin until you get married?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t. I just really don¡¯t know. I think I¡¯m not ready yet.¡± ¡°Got it. I don¡¯t want to force you, but try to understand my feelings, too. You can¡¯t ask me to do some physical actions with you, can you? That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking you first.¡± He then carressed her shoulders gently instead of trying any further physical contact. It was almost after midnight. He called for a chauffeur service for a ride back home. ¡°Please drop me off first,¡± said Suji. Even before she arrived at her house, she was trying to get out, but Hyunwoo didn¡¯t want to let her go alone. ¡°Just pull the car over here,¡± Hyunwoo said to the driver. The driver stopped the car about 20 meters from their houses. Then Hyunwoo took a walk with her along the country road. He escorted her to the porch of her house but didn¡¯t want to say goodbye. He held one of her fingers tight when she tried to pull it out. ¡°Shall we have a ss of beer for thest time?¡± said Hyunwoo. As if reading his mind, she asked, ¡°You want to try that again on me, right?¡± With a smile, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll try to persuade you, but never force you. I can promise that.¡± ¡°You are still thinking of that lustful desire, right?¡± ¡°How can I stop those thoughts? But I can keep my promise. Are you hesitating because you are afraid you are going to be persuaded?¡± Suji looked at him again, with her eyes full of smiles, though. Hyunwoo thought she was finally bending to him. ¡°Just go inside and wait for me a little bit. Let me buy some canned beer.¡± ¡°Come back a bit slowly. I feel sticky on my body, so I would like to take a shower.¡± Hyunwoo opened his eyes wider at her mention of ¡®shower.¡¯ Then again she looked at him, ¡°Oh my god! You¡¯re just helpless! You¡¯re thinking of something lustful all the time.¡± And then she went inside as if she was running away. Chapter 183

Chapter 183

Hyunwoo quickly ran away from the porch to give Suji some time to take a shower, but the thing was whether the supermarket was still open. When they came into the vige some time ago, the supermarket was open, but it might be closed by now as it waste at night. Maybe a few cans of beer could determine Hyunwoo¡¯s fate tonight. He ran to the supermarket that was about 150 meters away from her house, at full speed. The owner was about to close the door. If he had arrived there just a little bitter, he might have had to knock on the door. He purchased six cans of beer and walked back slowly. While walking back, he was totally lost in thoughts about her. What kind of clothes will she wear after taking a shower? Though it was his wishful thinking, he wished she would just put on a bathrobe without wearing any underwear. Do I need to take a shower, too? Though he took a shower with hot water that the morning, his body would have gotten dirty in the meantime. When he thought as far as that, he giggled in spite of himself. I think I am counting my chickens before they¡¯re hatched. Let me drink beer first. When he arrived at her house, he waited for about five minutes outside then rang the bell. The front door opened immediately as if she was ready. She didn¡¯t put on a bathrobe but afortable tracksuit, but that kind of jogging suit turned on him all the more. Though it was a long sleeves and pants style, it was very thin and tight enough to reveal her bosom, waist, and pelvis. Hyunwoo found himself scanning her body from head to feet in spite of himself. ¡°Oh my god! What are you doing now? Juste in quickly.¡± They called it apple hip on TV when they saw a woman¡¯s tight and rising buttocks. Suji¡¯s hips were like that. Hyunwoo¡¯s heart began to pound. Suji prepared some side dishes such as peanuts and seasoned seaweed. ¡°How is your work at thepany?¡± said Hyunwoo to break the ice first. ¡°Well, a stalker is following me at thepany,¡± she said, reeling offpany life. ¡°Hummm... What a miserable guy! How could he set an eye on a girl who has a boyfriend?¡± said Hyunwoo sarcastically. Suji just smiled at that, as if she agreed with him, ¡°Let¡¯s have a drink.¡± They drank beer together. He cracked a peanut with his teeth and held it out to her. Looking at him, she took it with her lips then tried to step back, but he couldn¡¯t miss the chance. He held the back of her head with his hand and kissed her. She didn¡¯t resist this time and began to move her lips like him. Then, he gently put his hand in her hair, on her neck then her waist before stopping for a moment. Her thin and flexible tracksuit seemed to make him feel her body at his fingertips. Whenever he moved his hands, her body wriggled. She didn¡¯t try to stop him, which made him freely touch her side and armpit up and down. He was agonizing over what to do next now. What should I do? He gently raised his hand and cupped her face then put his fingertips on her neck and corbone all the way down. Obviously, he wanted to touch her bosom now but didn¡¯t press on it like before. Until then, she seemed not to have been undecided how to respond, just looking at him. And then she avoided his eyes as if she was resigned. Now, he cautiously began to kiss her lips with his hand on her bosom. She closed her eyes when he kissed deeply, grasping her bosom at the same time. She didn¡¯t resist, staying silent at the mercy of his lips and hands. He could feel her strong physical desire in her wriggling body, too. Just like he wanted to have more physical contact, she did as well, but he was prudent to the end. As if he wanted to sound out her feelings, he put his hand down her body slowly, feeling her gentle trembling as well as rough breathing. Then, he took off the upper jacket of her tracksuit and reached her underwear atst, but she stopped him at that moment, holding back her rough breathing. ¡°My room is upstairs...¡± she said. Chirp, chirp. A song chirped outside the window. Hyunwoo opened his eyes gently. The sun had risen already, shining a light through the window brightly. He turned his head and found her asleep, with her head leaning on his shoulder. It looked like she was tiredst night, given her sound sleeping. She was wearing pajamas, unfortunately, while he was naked in bed. He cautiously he moved his hand and put it on her back before undoing her bra. Can I undo the hooks with one hand? He gave it a try with patience but stopped suddenly when he found she was smiling a bit. ¡°Are you awake?¡± She responded by moving her body at his quiet question. And shey face down, so he could have sex with her easily. He didn¡¯t have any reason to hesitate now. He took off her underwear quickly, along with her pants. Her tight and white buttocks were exposed, which made her scream briefly. ¡°Oh my god! What are you doing?¡± ¡°I just want to enjoy the taste of your buttocks.¡± Then, he bit her buttocks gently and kissed her whole body with his lips like yesterday. She was now more aggressively responding to his touch. Then, they had another round of burning sex. *** At the office of Ani & Funny, Hyunwoo had an exclusive office as its president, but he was always in the office with the staff. Though Kyungsu wanted him to go back to his office,ining that the staff felt ufortable about his presence in the office, he didn¡¯t care. ¡°Well, they will be alright once they get ustomed to it. And I am not in the office with them often. As you know, the partition wall here is high enough, so they might not be conscious of me that much,¡± said Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo guaranteed the staff as much liberty as possible in the office. For example, he allowed them to freely adjust working hours when they had apelling reason, but he didn¡¯t allow any behavior that could do harm to the atmosphere of the office. If that happened, he made sure Kyungsu and Sanggyu issued a tough warning. If they still failed to listen to the warning, Hyunwoo fired them mercilessly. Some cheerful personalities like Yujong Suh and Kunho Chung even pulled pranks on him. Kyunsu was concerned about that,ining to Hyunwoo that he needed to establish authority as the president. Hyunwoo disagreed with him and said, ¡°What¡¯s the point of showing my authority?¡± Instead of showing his authority, Hyunwoo thought hard about how to raise their motivation, and he concluded a guaranteedpensation was the best way. Extra bonuses were Hyunwoo¡¯s idea. Of course, he didn¡¯t reveal any individual¡¯spensation. He gave the bonus to those staff members that Kyungsu and Sanggyu rmended for their excellent work. ordingly, nobody knew how big of a bonus each of them received. They could only make an educated guess, based on each individual¡¯s performance or working speed. Even today was no exception. As it was about time for everybody to get off work, there was nobody ready to leave the office. Hyunwoo first stood up to leave the office. He reported to workte and got off work quickly ahead of anybody else. And he had an appointment with some members of KOVE DREAM this evening. At that moment, he heard a knock on the door outside. ¡°Hello!¡± said Heejung Yang and her five friends, as well as seven Anifan kids, came into the office in droves. The students arrived around this time of the day as soon as their schoolwork was over. Anifan kids were walking on air these days because of the money that Jihoon Kang and Suhim Yu had received in copyrights fee. Heejung and her friends were as much excited because they expected that they might enjoy the same benefits someday if they worked really hard. In fact, Hyunwoo had someints about the students, and those Anifan kids, in particr. The reason was that they were so slow in making progress. Given that Hyunwoo¡¯s expectation of their performance was ten, their performances were only five or six out of ten. That was the same case with Heejung and her friends, too. Two of them showed satisfactory performances, but others didn¡¯t. Hyunwoo felt the main reason was theck of any sense of purpose on their part. They just liked animation vaguely without any specific goal. With no sense of challenge or urgency, they just idled away day by day, but the payment of copyright fees to Jihoon and Suhim obviously motivated them. Hyunwoo hoped they could maintain that kind of purposeful attitude for a long time. However, the students acted strangely when they came into the office today. They seemed to try to read the staff¡¯s minds as if they were guilty. What was more strange was that more and more students wereing into the office, in addition to the original 12 members who were supposed to take evening tutoring there. The office door was closed when a total of twenty students came in. Now, Hyunwoo seemed to figure out what was the problem. Kyungsu asked the question on behalf of Hyunwoo, ¡°Who the hell are you, by the way?¡± They poked each other in the ribs among themselves at his question. Finally, one girl raised her hand and came forward, ¡°Can we learn the animation lesson here, too?¡± Hearing their exnation, Hyunwoo realized that they were members of an inte cafe on animation with its membership reaching 150,000 people. All of them lived in Ansan and came to know Heejung¡¯s friends through the inte cafe. In fact, Ani & Funny was short of hands all the time. Though Suhim kept producing animation stories, there was not enough staff to put them into animation, which dyed their work often. There were a total of seven full-time workers including Hyunwoo. Recently Heejung and her friends, as well as seven Anifan kids, joined them making almost twenty, all told. The office was not spacious enough to house them all, and it seemed like there would be more studentsing in the days ahead once he approved them. How can I help them? I wish I wanted to house the guys with talent and enthusiasm and raise them fully. At that moment, he hit on a good idea. Yea, that¡¯s the best policy! Hyunwoo called the students, along with Kyungsu and Sanggyu. ¡°As you know the office space here is notrge enough. I can¡¯t ept you all.¡± They nodded but still didn¡¯t give up. ¡°Just show me your talent. Let me figure out when your talent is good enough for us and then make the final decision.¡± Hyunwoo continued with some emphasis, ¡°Even those who pass the test this time will leave here in a couple of months when we find out they fail to show their real potential.¡± Their eyes opened wide. In other words, they were supposed to show their talents for the next couple of months. This time Hyunwoo suddenly turned to Anifan kids and Heejung and her friends, ¡°You guys are no exception!¡± Chapter 184

Chapter 184

¡°What did you say, sir? Even us?¡± Stunned, they just looked at Hyunwoo. Some of them obviously regretted that they brought them to the office, but Hyunwoo thought that those who were given the chance and didn¡¯t make any tangible progress had one of the two reasons, namely they werecking in talent or passion. Either way, they had no reason to stay with Ani & Funny anymore. Now, he clearly realized what to do with them thanks to the new students who came into the office suddenly. There were numerous students with ambition for animation in the world. Given that the inte animation cafe had 150,000 members, at least 1% of them could be those with tremendous passion, Hyunwoo thought. And some of these talented students might be looking for a chance at Ani & Funny. With proper promotion of Ani & Funny, there might be hundreds or thousands of studentsing to Ani & Funny. Of course, Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t ept them all. He had to set up certain standards to select them. Hyunwoo said as if he wanted to show them his principled policy, ¡°I don¡¯t think my decision is the best, and I can change it if I find a better decisionter, but it is something I should take personal responsibility for. I don¡¯t want tounch any business that I can¡¯t be responsible for.¡± They didn¡¯t reply. Hyunwoo continued, ¡°When I said I should take the responsibility, I didn¡¯t mean I would like to take responsibility for your future. I just wanted to give you a chance, so you can seize it when the opportunityes along. So, do your best to seize the chance.¡± They were still speechless, showing confusion about his sudden announcement. With a determined voice Hyunwoo dered this time, ¡°Even if you leave here, that doesn¡¯t mean your dream is over. I just hope you can cultivate your talent at other ces even though you could not do so here Ani & Funny.¡± They didn¡¯t say anything, though. Hyunwoo prodded on them by saying, ¡°Why are you guys speechless like that? Are you not confident enough to show me your talent?¡± Only then did they reply in a feeble voice, ¡°Well, understood.¡± Hyunwoo looked at the new students again, who were all the tenser than before. ¡°What we need now is your nning ability. I think I can select those who show that.¡± He asked Kyungsu and Sanggyu to judge their talents. They chose Hyunwoo¡¯s exclusive office to conduct the tests. Looking at them, Hyunwoo agonized a bit. ¡°There are lots of students with great talents. Ani & Funny could be the best animationpany in the world if we could discover them and cultivate their talents.¡¯ The problem was how to discover them. There must be some good way. As long as I find it, I¡¯m confident I can conquer the animation world. The next day Hyunwoo headed to Todolyipyo, the alternative music school to attend a meeting about music video production. The principal and other faculty members were waiting for Hyunwoo. Among them was Soyun Han. After exchanging brief greetings, they began the discussion. They chose a dance song called ¡®Temptation¡¯ as the finalist. Though the bouncing rhythm of the song was simr to that of Duckling Fly, its overall atmosphere was rather different. Unlike Duckling Fly which created the atmosphere of an stic ball bouncing on the floor, ¡®Temptation¡¯ felt like a dance song intended for a beautiful woman to dance to tempt a man. Hyunwoo felt it would be better to make a music video to the effect that a woman with a strong sexual appeal danced to tempt a man. I think I have to find a beautiful female dancer first. When he thought as far as that, one woman came to his mind. She was none other than Soyun Han. In addition to her beauty, she was known as a sexy dancing girl during her prime time as an entertainer. If she could participate in the music video, she would be the perfect dancer for the music. ¡°How about the dance song? Do you like it?¡± asked the principal. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know much about music, but I feel it¡¯s very sexy. I think if we can shoot the music video to that effect, it could be as appealing as Duckling Fly.¡± ¡°We see eye to eye with you on that. The moment we listened to it, we conjured up the image of ady dancing to tempt a man.¡± Hyunwoo presented his own idea on the music video. Just like Duckling Fly, he said he nned to use animation in the music video, where a beautiful woman would y the main role as a dance while animation characters back her up in the background. Of course, he didn¡¯t mention Soyun. The faculty reacted favorably to his idea. Even Soyun supported his idea with a particrly charming smile. ¡°Very good idea!¡± ¡°Wow, as a professional in the field you appreciate its value,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°No, no. I¡¯m not. By the way, I think the role of a dancer is very important if the music video can make a hit. Is the singer good at dancing, too?¡± ¡°Well, she is wheelchair-bound. She was supposed to attend the meeting today, but couldn¡¯t because of her family matter.¡± Hyunwoo made a regretful expression. ¡°I think we have to find another woman as a dancer. Can we find one who is beautiful and good at dancing as well?¡± asked Hyunwoo, looking askance at Soyun slightly. The teachers present there also cast a nce at her naturally. At that moment, she trembled as if she was surprised. ¡°I wish you didn¡¯t waste your time on persuading me,¡± she said resolutely. They let out a sigh slightly after confirming her rejection. ¡°Who would be a good candidate then?¡± They all made a perplexed expression. Though there were many female dancers in the school, nobody could digest the role of a beautiful woman of Temptation. There was no point in agonizing over that issue as they could not find a good candidate immediately. ¡°Let¡¯s create a dance that fits the song first. We can find the dancer slowly,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Sure, that sounds good.¡± After the meeting, Hyunwoo left the school. Still, he was focused on Soyun as the potential dancer. She is the perfect dancer for the music. *** Several dayster at the office of Ani & Funny, the staff there had nk expressions on their faces when forty students arrived at the office. All of them were members of the animation inte cafe. They came to the office on the rumor that Ani & Funny was epting talented students. As the office space was small, they fully packed the office. Hyunwoo was surprised to find so many students studying animation in Ansan alone. Hearing their exnation, however, they were not just from Ansan but from Seoul and elsewhere. ¡°I came from Seoul.¡± ¡°I came from Incheon.¡± Some of them came from Pyongtaek, Suwon, Chonan, Daejon, while others came a long way from Daegu and Pusan. When some of them expressed on the inte that they were going to Ansan to have an audition, other students decided to join them. With a perplexed look, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Even if you pass the test, how can youe to this ce for practice when you live far from here?¡± The students answered without hesitation, ¡°Well, we can quit school.¡± In other words, they were determined to bet their lives on animation. Come to think of it, they should have been in the ssroom now. Actually, they skipped ss and came to the office instead. Hyunwoo said in a rebuking tone, ¡°No way! You shouldn¡¯t give up your studies so easily.¡± But they didn¡¯t budge a bit at all. When they entered the office they got cold feet a bit, but they became bold when Hyunwoo rebuked them. ¡°We all decided to devote ourselves to animation.¡± ¡°There is nothing they can teach us about animation. We¡¯re sleeping in the ssrooms because we learn at the private academy on animation. What¡¯s the point of going to that kind of school anyway? We gave up studies, to be honest.¡± Hyunwoo tried to persuade them, though. ¡°Hey, you guys have to think about your parents. They must feel very sad.¡± ¡°Actually, we got our parents¡¯ consent just in case you said as much,¡± said the students, showing him their parents¡¯ consent paper. Still, Hyunwoo was not persuaded. It was not that simple a problem. Even if he wanted to ept them, it was impossible, given the narrow space of the office. ¡°Didn¡¯t you find out on the inte cafe that our office was very small? As you know, we¡¯re fully packed now.¡± ¡°We heard that the candidates who fail to meet your standards will be forced out on a regr basis. Why don¡¯t you select us in advance then ept us in due course? We can wait for a couple of months.¡± ¡°What about your amodations? You don¡¯t want me to pay for your lodging, do you?¡± ¡°No problem. We can share the rooms at our own expense.¡± Hyunwoo pointed out various problems, but they came up with the proper solution as if they were fully prepared. Hyunwoo admired their strong passion. Though he couldn¡¯t support their idea of quitting school, he wanted to praise their enthusiasm. Suddenly, he thought of Jinhon Kwak, who dropped from high school and attended the alternative music school Todolyipyo. In fact, the students who came to his office today were in the same boat with Jinhon. Instead of going to school mechanically without any clear purpose, they wanted to pursue their own path in life and challenge it with enthusiasm. In some respect, they could be lumped in with the likes of Hyunwoo as well. Chapter 185

Chapter 185

¡°What did you say, sir? Even us?¡± Stunned a lot, they just looked at Hyunwoo. Some of them obviously regretted that they brought them to the office, but Hyunwoo thought that those who were given the chance and didn¡¯t make any tangible progress had one of the two reasons, namely they werecking in talent or passion. Either way, they had no reason to stay with Ani & Funny anymore. Now, he clearly realized what to do with them thanks to the new students who came into the office suddenly. There were numerous students with ambition for animation in the world. Given that the inte animation cafe had 150,000 members, at least 1% of them could be those with tremendous passion, Hyunwoo thought. And some of these talented students might be looking for a chance at Ani & Funny. With proper promotion of Ani & Funny, there might be hundreds or thousands of studentsing to Ani & Funny. Of course, Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t ept them all. He had to set up certain standards to select them. Hyunwoo said as if he wanted to show them his principled policy, ¡°I don¡¯t think my decision is the best, and I can change it if I find a better decisionter, but it is something I should take personal responsibility for. I don¡¯t want tounch any business that I can¡¯t be responsible for.¡± They didn¡¯t reply. Hyunwoo continued, ¡°When I said I should take the responsibility, I didn¡¯t mean I would like to take responsibility for your future. I just wanted to give you a chance, so you can seize it when the opportunityes along. So, do your best to seize the chance.¡± They were still speechless, showing confusion about his sudden announcement. With a determined voice Hyunwoo dered this time, ¡°Even if you leave here, that doesn¡¯t mean your dream is over. I just hope you can cultivate your talent at other ces even though you could not do so here Ani & Funny.¡± They didn¡¯t say anything, though. Hyunwoo prodded on them by saying, ¡°Why are you guys speechless like that? Are you not confident enough to show me your talent?¡± Only then did they reply in a feeble voice, ¡°Well, understood.¡± Hyunwoo looked at the new students again, who were all the tenser than before. ¡°What we need now is your nning ability. I think I can select those who show that.¡± He asked Kyungsu and Sanggyu to judge their talents. They chose Hyunwoo¡¯s exclusive office to conduct the tests. Looking at them, Hyunwoo agonized a bit. ¡°There are lots of students with great talents. Ani & Funny could be the best animationpany in the world if we could discover them and cultivate their talents.¡¯ The problem was how to discover them. There must be some good way. As long as I find it, I¡¯m confident I can conquer the animation world. The next day Hyunwoo headed to Todolyipyo, the alternative music school to attend a meeting about music video production. The principal and other faculty members were waiting for Hyunwoo. Among them was Soyun Han. After exchanging brief greetings, they began the discussion. They chose a dance song called ¡®Temptation¡¯ as the finalist. Though the bouncing rhythm of the song was simr to that of Duckling Fly, its overall atmosphere was rather different. Unlike Duckling Fly which created the atmosphere of an stic ball bouncing on the floor, ¡®Temptation¡¯ felt like a dance song intended for a beautiful woman to dance to tempt a man. Hyunwoo felt it would be better to make a music video to the effect that a woman with a strong sexual appeal danced to tempt a man. I think I have to find a beautiful female dancer first. When he thought as far as that, one woman came to his mind. She was none other than Soyun Han. In addition to her beauty, she was known as a sexy dancing girl during her prime time as an entertainer. If she could participate in the music video, she would be the perfect dancer for the music. ¡°How about the dance song? Do you like it?¡± asked the principal. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know much about music, but I feel it¡¯s very sexy. I think if we can shoot the music video to that effect, it could be as appealing as Duckling Fly.¡± ¡°We see eye to eye with you on that. The moment we listened to it, we conjured up the image of ady dancing to tempt a man.¡± Hyunwoo presented his own idea on the music video. Just like Duckling Fly, he said he nned to use animation in the music video, where a beautiful woman would y the main role as a dance while animation characters back her up in the background. Of course, he didn¡¯t mention Soyun. The faculty reacted favorably to his idea. Even Soyun supported his idea with a particrly charming smile. ¡°Very good idea!¡± ¡°Wow, as a professional in the field you appreciate its value,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°No, no. I¡¯m not. By the way, I think the role of a dancer is very important if the music video can make a hit. Is the singer good at dancing, too?¡± ¡°Well, she is wheelchair-bound. She was supposed to attend the meeting today, but couldn¡¯t because of her family matter.¡± Hyunwoo made a regretful expression. ¡°I think we have to find another woman as a dancer. Can we find one who is beautiful and good at dancing as well?¡± asked Hyunwoo, looking askance at Soyun slightly. The teachers present there also cast a nce at her naturally. At that moment, she trembled as if she was surprised. ¡°I wish you didn¡¯t waste your time on persuading me,¡± she said resolutely. They let out a sigh slightly after confirming her rejection. ¡°Who would be a good candidate then?¡± They all made a perplexed expression. Though there were many female dancers in the school, nobody could digest the role of a beautiful woman of Temptation. There was no point in agonizing over that issue as they could not find a good candidate immediately. ¡°Let¡¯s create a dance that fits the song first. We can find the dancer slowly,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Sure, that sounds good.¡± After the meeting, Hyunwoo left the school. Still, he was focused on Soyun as the potential dancer. She is the perfect dancer for the music. *** Several dayster at the office of Ani & Funny, the staff there had nk expressions on their faces when forty students arrived at the office. All of them were members of the animation inte cafe. They came to the office on the rumor that Ani & Funny was epting talented students. As the office space was small, they fully packed the office. Hyunwoo was surprised to find so many students studying animation in Ansan alone. Hearing their exnation, however, they were not just from Ansan but from Seoul and elsewhere. ¡°I came from Seoul.¡± ¡°I came from Incheon.¡± Some of them came from Pyongtaek, Suwon, Chonan, Daejon, while others came a long way from Daegu and Pusan. When some of them expressed on the inte that they were going to Ansan to have an audition, other students decided to join them. With a perplexed look, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Even if you pass the test, how can youe to this ce for practice when you live far from here?¡± The students answered without hesitation, ¡°Well, we can quit school.¡± In other words, they were determined to bet their lives on animation. Come to think of it, they should have been in the ssroom now. Actually, they skipped ss and came to the office instead. Hyunwoo said in a rebuking tone, ¡°No way! You shouldn¡¯t give up your studies so easily.¡± But they didn¡¯t budge a bit at all. When they entered the office they got cold feet a bit, but they became bold when Hyunwoo rebuked them. ¡°We all decided to devote ourselves to animation.¡± ¡°There is nothing they can teach us about animation. We¡¯re sleeping in the ssrooms because we learn at the private academy on animation. What¡¯s the point of going to that kind of school anyway? We gave up studies, to be honest.¡± Hyunwoo tried to persuade them, though. ¡°Hey, you guys have to think about your parents. They must feel very sad.¡± ¡°Actually, we got our parents¡¯ consent just in case you said as much,¡± said the students, showing him their parents¡¯ consent paper. Still, Hyunwoo was not persuaded. It was not that simple a problem. Even if he wanted to ept them, it was impossible, given the narrow space of the office. ¡°Didn¡¯t you find out on the inte cafe that our office was very small? As you know, we¡¯re fully packed now.¡± ¡°We heard that the candidates who fail to meet your standards will be forced out on a regr basis. Why don¡¯t you select us in advance then ept us in due course? We can wait for a couple of months.¡± ¡°What about your amodations? You don¡¯t want me to pay for your lodging, do you?¡± ¡°No problem. We can share the rooms at our own expense.¡± Hyunwoo pointed out various problems, but they came up with the proper solution as if they were fully prepared. Hyunwoo admired their strong passion. Though he couldn¡¯t support their idea of quitting school, he wanted to praise their enthusiasm. Suddenly, he thought of Jinhon Kwak, who dropped from high school and attended the alternative music school Todolyipyo. In fact, the students who came to his office today were in the same boat with Jinhon. Instead of going to school mechanically without any clear purpose, they wanted to pursue their own path in life and challenge it with enthusiasm. In some respect, they could be lumped in with the likes of Hyunwoo as well Chapter 186

Chapter 186

The next morning Hyunwoo met Nami. She didn¡¯t look tired at all even though she filmed a dramate into the wee hours. She had a bright look. Hyunwoo thought she was undergoing a stressful time because of Taesu¡¯s ongoing harassment, but she was dealing with it well. She even said she no longer needed Raymon¡¯s protection. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t need his protection?¡± ¡°No problem. As you know, Taesu will take revenge on me regardless of Raymon¡¯s protection. I don¡¯t think he needs to go to the trouble of protecting me like this.¡± Actually, she had a point. Unless Raymon lived in her condo, he would not be that helpful to her. Raymon, who was present with Nami, cautiously said, ¡°I would love toe down to Ansan with these friends of mine if she doesn¡¯t need my protection.¡± ¡°Sure, I¡¯ve got a job for you once youe down.¡± ¡°Got it. Let me join you as soon as I get things done here.¡± Raymon and his friends looked happy as they got the role of bodyguard off their shoulders. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll see you in Ansan then. Let me leave first for an appointment,¡± said Hyunwoo. Then, he went down to Ansan as fast as he could. Luckily, he could have lunch with Suji. Fortunately, she had a happy expression. She seemed to appreciate his efforts to do his best for the date. They took a walk for a long time, went shopping and watched a movie. Their final destination was usually a hotel. Suji seemed to take it for granted. When it got dark while they were dating, they naturally headed to a hotel. Suji didn¡¯t inform her parents that she was dating him, so she tried to go back home before midnight as much as she could. When she parted with him, she usually kissed him quickly and said, ¡°Goodnight!¡± After sending her back home, he went back to his house and turned on theputer to check out the Ani & Funny stories on Story Ma as soon as he entered his room the way he always did. He was pleasantly surprised to find a message waiting for him. It was from Chan Yun, the president of Story Ma. Hyunwoo opened it with excitement. It was his reply to the cheering message Hyunwoo had sentst night. Hyunwoo tilted his head a bit. How did he know I¡¯m the president of Ani & Funny? Hyunwoo used his own name in Story Ma but never revealed that he was the president of Ani & Funny, and there was no work registered under his name. Chan obviously knew he was Ani & Funny¡¯s president, which meant that Chan was already aware of his business connection with Ani & Funny. Suddenly, Hyunwoo¡¯s heart began to beat. ¡°Hummmm...this is the message Chan Yun directly sent me.¡± Come to think of it, it was natural that Chan paid attention to Ani & Funny because the only animation work that topped the list on Story Ma was Ani & Funny¡¯s. Maybe he had been watching the activities of Ani & Funny for a long time. He could not sit idle when he realized that. Hyunwoo sent a reply message to him again, After he sent the message, Hyunwoo got more excited. If Chan sent back a reply with an agreement, that couldn¡¯t be better. Some day he will send me one, or I can make such an opportunity. *** Hyunwoo got the word from Todolyipyo, the alternative music school, that they finallypleted the dance for the music video ¡®Temptation.¡¯ As he had some free time at the moment, he headed to the school, thinking all along that Soyun was the perfect candidate as a dancer. In fact, it was not just a matter of the sess of the music video for her. It could create an asion for her to ovee her personal hard times and make a sessfuleback. Hyunwoo was thinking of persuading her by all means, but she didn¡¯t give him any chance. Hearing he was on his way to the school, she didn¡¯te to the school with the excuse that she was sick. The principal said she couldn¡¯te as she was sick. Her real reason was not that she was sick, but because she wanted to avoid him. Feeling regretful about her absence, he headed to the practice room. There were several students waiting for him, and one student named Jiah Sohn, who was putting on a colorful costume, stood out among them. Her clothing was very provocative. Her upper clothes were tight and revealed her bust. Her skirt was split up to her pelvis, but she didn¡¯t look sensual because of her in face. Hyunwoo was worried a bit. No matter how well she danced, she could not show off her sex appeal with her featureless face. Her friends seemed to feel the same way. One of them shouted as if he didn¡¯t care whether she heard it or not. ¡°How can she do a sexy dance with that kind of in face?¡± ¡°I guess they will vomit while watching her.¡± ¡°Wow, look at those shack teeth! Close your lips tight when you dance.¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo¡¯s heart sank because he felt she had an enormous inferiorityplex about her face, too, but his concern was unfounded. She took her friends¡¯ sarcastic remarks lightly. Rather she counterattacked them with her own rough reply. ¡°Shut up! Just mind your own business instead of worrying about me.¡± ¡°A man like me is okay with a in face but not you.¡± ¡°Hey, do you think you¡¯re okay with that ugly face? As for a woman, her body really counts, not face, dude.¡± Whey they kept bickering, the principal stepped in at the proper timing. ¡°Stop that, guys! Our guest is waiting for your performance.¡± Nheless, Jiah didn¡¯t stop making fun of them for a while. When her friends treated her to some nice food, she calmed down. And they, who had been getting funny with her, were now ready to record her performance. The atmosphere became serious all of a sudden. When the music started, she began to move her body. Her dancing was wonderful, as expected, but Hyunwoo felt there was a lot of room for improvement because the music gave one some sort of sensual feelings while her dancing was too cheerful, creating a disharmony. As if they recognized her dancing skills, her friends pped their hands. ¡°Wow, her dancing was really cool. All good except for her face.¡± ¡°Obviously, she has a boyfriend. Her posture shows she has sexual experience.¡± ¡°Do you think she can seduce a man with her in face like that?¡± This time Jiah could not stand it anymore. Regardless of the principal¡¯s presence, she began to curse them as much as she could, and the principal didn¡¯t stop them. ¡°How about her dancing?¡± asked the principal. ¡°I was really surprised. She looked like a professional dancer, not a student.¡± ¡°As a matter of fact, she is as good as a pro. She won a bronze medal in the national dance contestst year, but she doesn¡¯t seem to bring out the right feeling that fits the music. She needs to be more sensual.¡± Actually, Hyunwoo wanted to point out the same thing but held back. Jiah made a bright smile as if she thought they praised her dance as it was, but her crooked teeth made her smile a bit unpleasant. Hyunwoo began to be concerned again. No matter how wonderful her dancing was, it would be hard for her to gain poprity with her in face. His preupation with Soyun was all the stronger. At that moment, Jiah said something that grabbed his attention. ¡°I¡¯m going to get stic surgery.¡± ¡°I guess you have to pay a lot for that.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you put on a beautiful mask when you dance?¡± ¡°Yea, that sounds good. If you hide your face, your dancing will hit gold.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wider at that, Wow, that¡¯s a good idea! Why didn¡¯t I think about it before? He felt if she could hide some part of her face with a mask, she could be sexually appealing enough. Of course, Jiah might feel regret about it because her appearance in the music video might be the only chance to show her face to the TV viewers. How can the viewers identify her when she hides her face? Obviously, Jiah was aware of that. ¡°Are you kidding me? If I hide my face, there is no reason for me to appear in the music video.¡± Hyunwoo giggled at that, She might as well put on a mask. Uh? Mask? Yea, Soyun could do it with a mask! Chapter 187

Chapter 187

Instantly, Hyunwoo felt he was gooseflesh all over. He seemed to find the perfect way to persuade Soyun. That was to let Soyun put on a mask. Why was she so opposed to appearing in the music video? It was because she didn¡¯t want to reveal her face to the people. She might not oppose if she could hide her face with a mask. Hyunwoo cautiously suggested to the principal, ¡°How about persuading Soyun like this? Along with several back dancers, let her participate. There is no reason she can reject if she hides her face with a mask, right?¡± ¡°Mask? That sounds good to me. Let me ask her about it,¡± said the principal. Of course, she might reject his suggestion at the drop of a hat, but Hyunwoo wanted to open the possibility. ¡°Hope you can make it, sir. Maybe this music video can be a good asion for her to ovee her personal suffering in the past.¡± ¡°I hope so. Let me try my best.¡± *** In thete afternoon, the students came back to the office for practice. As if he had been waiting for them, Hyunwoo pulled down a projector screen and yed the music video ¡®Temptation¡¯ featuring Jiah¡¯s dancing. Their jaws dropped at Jiah¡¯s colorful and dynamic dancing. In particr, the male students continued to utter exmations. They felt good about her dancing but felt more attractive to her figure and sexy clothes, but all of them let out a sigh at her in face. ¡°Wow, how pitiful she is! She would be a perfect dancer if it wasn¡¯t for her face.¡± Pretending not to have overheard them, Hyunwoo asked them to make their own music video based on Temptation. As soon as he gave the direction, they instantly gathered at one corner of the office and began to discuss their own strategy. Then Hyunwoo waited until it got dark, so he could call Yu Zuung in Vietnam. Given the two hour time difference between Korea and Vietnam, she must have finished her ss for the day by now. ¡°I sent you a music video a while ago.¡± ¡°I saw that. Who is thisdy, by the way? She is a really good dancer,¡± said Yu Zuung. ¡°Well, I¡¯m thinking of making a music video by using animation like Duckling Fly.¡± ¡°What kind of animation characters do you have in mind? I guess sexy characters fit the music,¡± said Yu Zuung. ¡°You know that already. Just draw as you feel it. That¡¯s your strength.¡± ¡°Oh, I feel some pressure. Let me try my best, hohoho.¡± She made a pleasantugh when he praised her strength. ¡°Draw a mask fitting the dancer appearing in the music video, too. You have to hide the shorings of the dancer while maximizing their strength.¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s a difficult task! Let me emphasize her beautiful jawline. How soon do you want it?¡± ¡°Well, there is no timeline. Just do your best. Let me start producing the music video as soon as you¡¯re done,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Got it. By the way, what is the picture you sent me with the video...?¡± Yu Zuung stopped at that because there was some cautionary note with that, which said Yu Zuung should not ask about the girl in the picture, nor tell anybody about her. Hyunwoo wanted to hide Soyun, and at the same time persuade her by all means. The usible way for him to persuade her was to promise to her that her real face would never be revealed. If Soyun went along with Hyunwoo¡¯s idea, he would keep the promise to the end. And he had to make sure all those involved in the music video, including Yu Zuung, should keep it to themselves. ¡°As I told you in the email, you just draw the mask and send it to me. Please make sure you hide the real identity of the dancer but show her beauty fully. Can you do it?¡± ¡°Let me give it a try. By the way, what happened to Tuti & Angelica? Are you making season two of that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve alreadypleted several storyboards, and we¡¯re almost done with the facial expressions of the characters.¡± ¡°Wow, that sounds good! I hope you can give me a big bonus if the animation work bes a hit.¡± ¡°Of course, I will. Hahaha.¡± When he hung up the phone, he felt his staff were looking at him for a while as if they were envious of his call with Yu Zuung. Looking at Hyunwoo, Yujong Suh asked jokingly, ¡°Do you like her so much?¡± ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± ¡°It looked like you smiled from ear to ear while you¡¯re on the phone with her.¡± Hyunwoo was more than surprised at that moment. He was smiling all along in spite of himself. Heughed as if he thought of it as trivial stuff and said, ¡°As you know, Yu Zuung is such a beauty. Hahaha.¡± ¡°Yea, you¡¯re right,¡± seconded the staff, nodding their heads. ¡°Wow, if she participates in the music video, I think it can hit the jackpot!¡± Hearing that, Hyunwoo opened his eyes wider instantly. ¡°Yea, Yu Zuung! Why didn¡¯t I think of her in advance?¡± he murmured. And he imagined her and Soyun making a duet in the video, along with Jiah. With Soyun performing as the main dancer, and Yu Zuung and Jiah in between, the music video would be fantastic! To realize his vision Hyunwoo wanted to find out Yu Zuung¡¯s dancing skills. Even if she appeared in the video, Hyunwoo nned to hide her real identity, too. Of course, Jiah was an exception. No matter how hard he tried to hide her, the teachers and students of Todolyipyo would be able to find her. Hyunwoo slipped out of the office and then called Yu Zuung again. As soon as she answered the phone, Hyunwoo asked abruptly, ¡°Can you dance?¡± ¡°Dance? I learned a bit in high school, but I can¡¯t dance as well as thedy in the music video.¡± Hyunwoo was surprised at her reaction. Actually, Jiah was apetent dance who won a bronze medal in the national dance contest. The fact that Yu Zuungpared herself with Jiah suggested that her dancing was much better than Hyunwoo expected. ¡°Can you dance like her in the video?¡± ¡°Well, I think I can with some practice, but not as good as thisdy. Looks like she is a marvelous dancer.¡± ¡°Of course, she is a fantastic dancer. Why don¡¯t you try to learn her style then? Just shoot yourself dancing with a camcorder and send it to me. Let me include you in the music video if I like your dancing.¡± ¡°Really?¡± asked Yu Zuung with a surprising tone. She knew that the Duckling Fly music video gained worldwide poprity, and she could seize the chance if she tried. She could go on a world tour like Jinhon and Ang someday. ¡°I¡¯ve got one condition, though. You have to put on a mask. And you should keep it to yourself that you¡¯re a masked dancer until I tell you you can reveal your identity. You know mysticism, right? That¡¯s the core theme of the uing music video.¡± ¡°Hohoho. It must be very interesting. Let me film myself and send it to you as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Keep it in mind! If you appear in the music video, you should keep it secret. You should not tell it even to your family.¡± ¡°Got it. I promise you.¡± Several dayster, Jonghyon Yuk wrapped up his living situation in Seoul and moved to Ansan with his parents. Hyunwoo had already prepared an apartment unit for them. When they arrived at the apartment, Hyunwoo rushed there to help them with moving. Not only Jonghyon but also his parents stopped him. ¡°Oh, no! Howe we can expect you to help us like this?¡± ¡°No problem, this is my specialty. Hahaha. Where should I move this stuff?¡± Thanks to Hyunwoo¡¯s help, Jonghyon¡¯s moving was done quickly. Though the apartment was not thatrge, it was still spacious enough for his family. With a satisfied smile, Jonghyon said, ¡°Thanks so much. This apartment is pretty clean and nice.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it rather small?¡± ¡°What the hell are you talking about? This is more than enough for a family of three like ours. It¡¯s sunny, so my parents like it very much.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you like it. Hope you can move to a big house after making lots of money.¡± ¡°Of course, I can¡¯t count on you forever. By the way, what kind of work do you expect me to do?¡± Hyunwoo nned to add him to the warehouse team of KOVE DREAM. Raymon and his friends were also supposed to join them. As the sales of KOVE DREAM were rising so rapidly, they were short of hands all the time. But Jonghyon¡¯s assignment at the KOVE DREAM was nothingpared with his real job that Hyunwoo had in mind. ¡°Shall we drop by KOVE DREAM tomorrow? We can stop by the office of Ani & Funny today.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± They headed to the Ani & Funny¡¯s office. Actually, the staff there were already aware of the name Pilgaek because of his famous stories on Story Ma. Everybody weed him. ¡°In fact, this is the ce you will work. You know what I mean, do you?¡± ¡°Of course, I know that,¡± said Jonghyon, nodding with a pleasant smile. What Hyunwoo expected of him was his creation of story material. Once he created the material of a short story, the staff of Ani & Funny would expand the story and create a finished work from it. They had been having a hard time finding the right material for stories, and finally, they found the perfect candidate to carry out the job. Hyunwoo arranged a dinner get-together so that Jonghyon could get close to the staff as soon as possible. As he announced the get-together in advance, every staff member attended it. Hyunwoo slipped out of it after staying with them briefly because of Jonghyon. Even though they tried to get close to him, Jonghyon was pretty shy and tried to sit beside Hyunwoo all along. If Hyunwoo left the ce, he had no choice but to rely on Kyungsu or Sanggyu and mingle with the staff more easily. While he was on his way back home, Hyunwoo had a call from Yu Zuung. ¡°What¡¯s up, Yu Zuung?¡± ¡°I drew several pictures of the mask. And I sent a video clip of my dancing, too.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wider. He was very curious about the drawings. And he really had a great expectation for her dancing. Chapter 188

Chapter 188

¡°Really? I¡¯m on my way home now. Let me take a look as soon as I get home.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of me after watching my dancing, please!¡± ¡°Of course, I will. Let me take delight in that, hahaha,¡± said Hyunwoo jokingly. When he got home, he downloaded her video clip and yed it. He was a bit disappointed because of her dress. She put on an Ao Dai, which was modernized to fully show a woman¡¯s sex appeal. From head to waist it was tight to the body, with the open skirt down to the ankle. What surprised him more was her figure. Actually, he had never seen her wearing a tight skirt before, so he could not figure out her figure. When he watched the video, she had a great figure. Wow, howe such a slender girl has such full bust! The video showed her preparing to dance soon. Her sex appeal was more provocative because of her white thighs. Her long and white thighs were seen on and off while she was dancing, which attracted his attention all along. If Jiah and Yu Zuung danced together on the stage, obviously everyone would focus on Yu Zuung. While watching the video, Hyunwoo decided on the format of the music video. He felt Jiah and Yu Zuung could make a perfect match with Soyun dancing in the center. He felt even if Soyun¡¯s face was revealed, she might not attract the people¡¯s attention because of Yu Zuung¡¯s stunning beauty. The problem was how to persuade Soyun. Hyunwoo was unsure if the masks she sent could convince Soyun. After ying the video, Hyunwoo checked out the masks she drew, but he didn¡¯t open the downloaded file on the masks. Instead, he reyed her dancing video. After ying it twice, he opened the file and looked at the masks. She sent several pieces of mask drawings; they were all excellent. In particr, he liked one that would look best on Soyun; it featured her lips, chin, and eyes in a charming way. With the mask on, she could never be identified as Soyun. In contrast to Soyun¡¯s, Yu Zuung¡¯s mask revealed much of her face, which made her beauty stand out. Standing beside her, Soyun would get as much attention. ¡°Great. Let me persuade Soyun with this.¡± After he made an appointment with the principal of Todolyipyo, Hyunwoo headed to the school early afternoon. Fortunately, the girl whoposed Temptation was at the school. Hyunwoo first met with the girl named Unsook Hong, whoposed and sang the song. As she was handicapped, she was in a wheelchair. Oveing the loss of her grandmother, she brightly smiled at him and said, ¡°Thanks so much. I never thought you would produce a music video of my song.¡± ¡°Because your song is good!¡± He had a conversation with her on various topics and ryed Jungah¡¯s feedback about the music. After listening to it, Unsook replied in the positive and then pushed her wheelchair to the music room. Looking at her with a satisfied smile, Hyunwoo asked the principal, ¡°So, what happened to Soyun?¡± The principal shook his head and said, ¡°Well, she even objected to her disguise with a mask. It looks like she hates appearing before the TV camera.¡± But Hyunwoo could not give up. ¡°Can I meet her?¡± ¡°She might avoid you.¡± ¡°Can you arrange a meeting with her, please? I¡¯m going to do my best.¡± ¡°Got it. Wait a moment here. Let me bring her over here,¡± said the principal, letting out a sigh. Hyunwoo waited for a while until she came. She seemed to avoid seeing him, but at the principal¡¯s urging, she reluctantly came into the principal¡¯s office. ¡°Let me make sure nobody hangs around the office. Please have a good talk then.¡± The principal closed the door and left. Hyunwoo silently took out some pictures and set them before her. Though she tried to avoid looking at them, she still looked quickly. Actually, the pictures were a woman entertainer¡¯s which were edited with Yu Zuung¡¯s drawing. One of them was so small that it almost revealed her face, while another one hid her full face. ¡°Can you figure out who she is?¡± Soyun could not reply at all because she couldn¡¯t figure out at all. Now he told a light lie by saying, ¡°Actually your picture was put on make-up and then covered with a mask. Can you identify the picture is yours?¡± Soyun¡¯s eyes opened wider, full of curious eyes, ¡°Are you sure? Is this picture of me?¡± Smiling at her, he said, ¡°Yep! You will never figure out, though.¡± Hyunwoo again lied by saying, ¡°In fact, only one of these pictures is yours. One is Nami Yu¡¯s picture, another one is Sojin Jung¡¯s. Now, can you find out which is yours?¡± Soyun tried to find out by checking each picture against others carefully. Hyunwoo furtively smiled because there was no way she could find her own picture. There was no Nami¡¯s nor Sojin¡¯s picture there. All the pictures were a female actress. This time Hyunwoo told her the truth. ¡°In fact, I¡¯ve told you a lie. All the pictures are Kayun Jung, the famous actress. How about it? You can never figure out it¡¯s you, right?¡± Soyun was pretty confused. She even could not believe the pictures were all Kayun Jung. Hyunwoo began to tell what he wanted to tell her. ¡°I want to make a music video by hiding your face like this. Nobody will find out the dancer in the video is you, and I will keep it under wraps by all means.¡± But Soyun was not persuaded as if even the perfect covering of her face was not that important. She coldly rejected his suggestion. ¡°Our students will find me out anyway, and the rumor will spread quickly.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to make the music video without them knowing it. Let me tell the principal that you rejected my suggestion tly. This is going to be top-secret so that only you, me and the cameraman know.¡± Soyun kept silent as if she was surprised by his unexpected proposal. But she again she refused, citing various reasons. But Hyunwoo didn¡¯t budge and persistently persuaded her. And at some point, he touched on her most vulnerable point, namely her disgraceful exit from the entertainment field. ¡°Think of the people¡¯s perception of you. In their minds, the name ¡®Yuni¡¯ of Hey Girls will conjure up the image of your dirty scandal three years ago. Are you going to live with that image for the rest of your life?¡± She closed her eyes, which showed clearly she went through the very tough times since then. ¡°If you keep hiding like this, the people¡¯s perception about you will never change. Aren¡¯t you upset about that? Why should you live in that kind of disgrace for all your life?¡± ¡°What should I do then? Take revenge? Me? How can I deal with these terrible guys? Do you think that¡¯s possible?¡± she suddenly spoke out, with a rueful look. Hyunwoo replied in a calm voice, ¡°I think that¡¯s possible.¡± ¡°Of course, there is a possibility, maybe less than 1% of sess. If my identity is revealed, though, the possibility that Taesu Ahn will take revenge on me will be much, much higher. I don¡¯t want to go through that again.¡± ¡°No, I expect the opposite will happen.¡± Soyun looked at him with a sharp but curious expression. Hyunwoo continued, ¡°If the music video fails to win the people¡¯s attention, you can¡¯t be their topic. There is no possibility that your identity will be revealed in that case. On the other hand, if the music video bes popr and enjoys the intensive attention of the people, some other dancer than you will be the subject of their hot topic. I¡¯ll make the video in that direction.¡± Only then did Soyun begin to show interest. ¡°How?¡± Hyunwoo showed her a music video instead of replying. It was Yu Zuung¡¯s dancing. Pretending to show her genuine interest, she watched it carefully. ¡°I¡¯m going to have her participate in the music video, too. Thisdy will put on a mask, too. If the video gets pretty popr, I¡¯ll ask her to take off the mask first. You will see that once she takes off the mask, she will enjoy the sole attention of the people.¡± Soyun felt the same way. She thought as far as her appearance was concerned, nobody could beat her, but Yu Zuung¡¯s stunning beauty clearly put her in the shade. Chapter 189

Chapter 189

Besides, Yu Zuung¡¯s dancing was pretty attractive, too. In fact, dancing doesn¡¯t necessarily draw people¡¯s attention simply because of the dancer¡¯s fantastic dancing. What was important was to bring out the feelings of the people. In that respect, Jiah¡¯s dancing was amateurish. Though she danced well, she didn¡¯t bring out the feelings that fit the music. On the other hand, Yu Zuung¡¯s dancing was rather clumsy, but her untainted innocence turned her dancing into a strong spell. ¡°You already know how Jinhon is doing now, right?¡± Of course, Soyun was aware of his activities. Though he was no longer on TV these days, his music video was so popr in the US market, it sometimes found its way into the news. In fact, Jinhon was almost like a singing star. Several musicmentators predicted about the ranking of Duckling Fly. Some predicted it would get in the 10th ranking of the Billboard Chart, some even predicted he mightpete with the top singer, Linya, over the top ce sooner orter. All that suggested Jinhon¡¯s future was rosy. Hyunwoo sometimes wished he had promoted Jinhon in the US market much earlier. Of course, his poprity might notst that long, but what was important was his sess in the US market that could spill over into the domestic market. If that really happened, Taesu Ahn, the president of AT Entertainment, could not block his activities in Korea. If he tried to block Jinhon, he would put himself in a dangerous situation. Hyunwoo said confidently, ¡°I promise you I won¡¯t reveal your face unless the music video hits the jackpot. The general public will remember you as a female dancer with a mask in their minds. Don¡¯t you think you can make it in this situation?¡± She looked at him as if she was ready to change her mind. ¡°Just imagine the day when you¡¯ll have be so famous that even Taesu can¡¯t dare to do anything to you. You will be able to tell the people proudly that what they used to know about you was all fake.¡± Now she was clearly shaken by his sincere persuasion, showing some tears. ¡°Can I really make that happen?¡± Her question was not about sess but about how she could be the kind of star that even Taesu could do nothing about. Nodding his confidently, Hyunwoo said, ¡°I¡¯ve got a n for it.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± she asked urgently. Hyunwoo felt she made up her mind. Only a few minutes ago, she was just preupied with avoiding him. Now, she changed. She seemed to be a person earnestly looking for a chance. He briefed her about his promotion campaign of the music video. It was a secret that nobody should hear, and it was the first time he told anyone about it, too. For that reason, he came closer to her ears and told her in a quiet voice. Though what he said was barely audible, it was convincing enough to persuade her. ¡°That day is just around the corner.¡± Soyun¡¯s eyes twinkled at that. ¡°Just trust me. This is not a dangerous challenge at all. Even if you fail to gain the poprity that you expect, let me keep your identity secret. So, you don¡¯t need to be sacred. Don¡¯t you want to listen to the people¡¯s pping hands once more?¡± At that moment, tears rained down her face. At the same time, she opened her tightly closed lips. ¡°I¡¯d love to. I¡¯ve been dreaming of that every day, but I¡¯m so scared, so scared of the people saying that I became a star by selling my body like a prostitute.¡± Hyunwoo vaguely remembered what had happened to her in the past. Though he was too busy to watch TV at that time, she and Hey Girls were so popr that even he became their fan. As she was so popr, her fans were so shocked to learn about her alleged sex scandal. For that reason, the fans who were disappointed in her ndered and abused her freely online, and the female rivals who felt jealous of her and Hey Girls fanned the online terrorism against her all the more. In fact, Soyun was born and brought up in a strict conservative family, who never had a boyfriend, so her shock was beyond imagination when her sensational scandal broke. ording to the principal, she even suffered from social phobia. In particr, she was plunged into a great confusion when someone approached her with romantic feelings. She still hadn¡¯t ovee that fear even three years after it happened. Hyunwoo took out his handkerchief and gave it to her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll be alright.¡± Soyun nodded and once again sought his reassurance. ¡°Please promise me once more that you will never reveal my identity. If you do it, I really won¡¯t be able to stand it...¡± ¡°Of course, I will. Even if I give up the music video I¡¯ll keep your identity secret by all means.¡± ¡°Okay. Let me participate in the music video then.¡± She wiped her tears with the handkerchief. Hyunwoo waited until shepletely calmed herself down then left the office. The principal was standing guard far away. When Hyunwoo and Soyun approached, he came to them and looked at them with an expectant expression. Hyunwoo bowed to him and then said to Soyun, ¡°Sorry. I think I have hurt your feelings. Let me find the main dancer among new singers or entertainers.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I am sorry, too, as I can¡¯t help you at all. I¡¯ll try my best to coach Jiah¡¯s dancing so that the music video can make a great hit,¡± replied Soyun chiming in with his. The principal smiled a bitter smile at that. *** Several dayster, Raymon and his two friends came down to Ansan. Hyunwoo took them to the warehouse of KOVE DREAM, where there were already six people including Jonghyon. The female staffer was Sonjong Kim, who served as an office manager, while the other staff members were so busy sorting out the products imported from KOVE partners in Vietnam. When Hyunwoo brought Raymon and his friends to the warehouse, the staff weed them as if they were saviors. ¡°Wow, you guys look really strong!¡± ¡°Three of you can do the work for six.¡± Hyunwoo smiled satisfactorily and said, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t give them too much stress. They might flee to the United States anytime.¡± ¡°Really? We won¡¯t! Hahaha¡± Hyunwoo introduced Raymona and his friends to Sonjong, who was recently hired to take care of the trade documents. She weed them dly butined to him. ¡°Please give me a helping hand, too. It¡¯s not just that the warehouse work increased, but mine, too!¡± ¡°Even your work increased, too?¡± ¡°Oh my god! This is a breach of the contract. I can¡¯t even take time out to go home and take care of my babies.¡± Actually, she wasn¡¯t exaggerating the situation at all. Since the trade fair opened recently, KOVE DREAM was growing too rapidly. Its growth was literally explosive. She put more priority on raising her babies than her sry. Her husband was making decent money, but she still paid great attention to taking care of her two babies. She was always ready to go back to being a housewife if she didn¡¯t like the working conditions. In fact, working well alone wasn¡¯t the only factor of a good employee. Harmony with the fellow staff and taking the initiative were also important. In that respect, Sonjong was the best employee. She took the initiative in cleaning up the office when she came early in the morning and sometimes served free soft drinks. Besides, she even went out to the warehouse to help the staff carry stuff. Hyunwoo quickly nodded at herint and said, ¡°Let me find one for you as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Can I rmend one? In fact, I know a couple of them who want to work with me.¡± ¡°Of course. Who are they?¡± ¡°Well, they were former employees of a customs office, but they wereid off as the office was closed. They have been looking for a job but couldn¡¯t find one until recently.¡± ¡°Bring them today.¡± ¡°Please pay them high. They are in financial stress a lot. In return, let me have them work hard to repay your favor.¡± And then she called them toe to the office immediately. This time Juwhan also made the suggestion to Hyunwoo. ¡°Sir, I think you have to make a bold investment on this asion. As you know, we can¡¯t deal with the growing workloads these days. As the trend goes on like this, our warehouse will be fully packed with products.¡± Hyunwoo was aware of that, too. Though the new warehouse was four times asrge as that of N&C Korea, he felt the space was not big enough. He could not even figure how big KOVE DREAM could grow in the future. Hyunwoo owed it all to Korea Broadcasting¡¯s recent broadcasts on the KOVE DREAM team¡¯s hard work in Vietnam. Following the broadcasts, more and more Korean technicians flew to Vietnam to join KOVE, and the number of the local Koreanpanies that joined KOVE increased to seventeen and was still growing. Hyunwoo felt that the increase in the workload of the warehouse was not simply because of the sales boost. He found the fundamental reason somewhere else. It was basically Hyunwoo¡¯s mistake. Chapter 190

Chapter 190

Hyunwoo was confident of KOVE DREAM¡¯s sess but never expected it would grow so rapidly like this. As a result, the sales were snowballing even before he took care of the space issue. For that reason, he had no time to establish a product management system. ordingly, the warehouse staff piled up the products in stock when they assumed a certain product would be in big demand, and when they received the order, they repackaged the products and shipped them out. The main job of the warehouse staff was to repackage the imports from Vietnam in ordance with the orders. Hyunwoo wanted to skip the process if that was possible, and he found the answer: it was to repackage them in Vietnam rather than in Korea. Hearing Hyunwoo¡¯s exnation, Juhwan, the warehouse manager, tilted his head. ¡°It takes at least ten days for them to ship the products from here. Do you think the consumers can wait that long?¡± ¡°Well, we can let the consumers know about the delivery date when they ce an order,¡± he replied. Actually, Hyunwoo had been thinking about this problem for a long time. KOVE DREAM currently sold the products in a couple of ways. One was to sell the products directly to the factory from the port as raw materials, and the other way was to transport them to the warehouse then repackage them to the consumers. Hyunwoo nned to sell them in the form of preorders and quick orders. For preorder sales, the KOVE warehouse would receive the orders first then inform the producers in Vietnam of the orders, so they could pack the products in Vietnam. That meant a longer delivery time of at least ten days to deliver from the date when they receive the order, but that would save the cost of repacking the products here. ordingly, the price was cheap. Hyunwoo pinned great hope on the preorders because of the characteristics of the consumers. They were mostly hotels, wedding halls, franchise shops, andrge supermarkets. As for quick order, the consumers could receive the orders quickly as they were shipped out from the warehouse where the products were piled up, but the price was more expensive because of the repacking costs. Hyunwoo said, ¡°As far as the preorder is concerned, we don¡¯t have to step in here on our end. The consumers can ce an order online, and when the producers in Vietnam receive the order, they can handle the order directly there.¡± In other words, it was kind of like direct online sales. ¡°Does it mean you have no n to expand the warehouse space and hire more staff for the time being?¡± asked Juhwan feebly, as if he wasining about the ever-growing workload on his part. Hyunwoo gave him a reassuring smile, though. He called Sanggon Ahn, the construction builder. ¡°Can you build a warehouse, brother?¡± ¡°What kind of warehouse? Where?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a KOVE DREAM warehouse. You don¡¯t have to care about its shape. I want one that is big and strong for cheap.¡± ¡°How big a warehouse do you want?¡± ¡°Well, it should be at least 1,000 pyong (0.8 acres), and ten meters tall.¡± Sanggon asked in a surprised tone, ¡°Wow, it¡¯s quite big, dude.¡± Overhearing their conversation, Juwan and Sonjong also showed a big surprise, but Hyunwoo felt even that was notrge enough. KOVE DREAM now restricted the products only torge consumers, which meant that the products should go through wholesales shops and retailers to reach the general consumers. And that would create at least 30 to 100% marketing margin. Hyunwoo wanted to limit the marketing margin as much as possible so that the general consumers could buy the products at a cheap price while KOVE DREAM could reap more profits. ¡°How much time and money do you have in mind?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°Well, I guess that kind of warehouse will need a steel frame. It will take about one month at the earliest, I guess.¡± ¡°You mean, it takes about two months at thetest?¡± ¡°Yea, I guess so. As for the construction costs, I guess it costs about 2 million won per pyong.¡± That meant about 2 billion won, all told. And that¡¯s what Hyunwoo expected. ¡°Alright, brother. Let me draw the blueprint then. I¡¯ll see you sooner orter.¡± ¡°Okay, just let me know.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo looked at Juhwan and asked, ¡°With that new warehouse, how many staff members do you think we need? I guess we can hire fifty, and depending on the situation, we can hire more.¡± Juhwan was speechless as Hyunwoo was thinking far ahead of him. Hyunwoo continued, ¡°Let¡¯s buy ten more trucks. The transportation cost is too much. I think our drivers can deliver the products directly to save money.¡± Juhwan was of the same opinion. As KOVE DREAM only dealt withrge orders, the shipping items were always oversized, which required the use of delivery vans from outside. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s a good idea. Why don¡¯t you go ahead and buy the trucks right now?¡± Hyunwoo giggled at that and said, ¡°Let¡¯s build the new warehouse first.¡± Then, he called someone in the realtor business. In fact, he had asked the realtor to find a big office to house the Ani & Funny office but had heard no updates from him. ¡°Brother, did you find a good office for us?¡± ¡°I tried to find the right one, but couldn¡¯t yet.¡± ¡°You can find a more expensive one then.¡± ¡°Price is not the matter. There are no listings at this time. Why don¡¯t you move outside?¡± If he moved the Ani & Funny office to the suburbs, it would create a big inconvenience for the students as well as the staff. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t.¡± The realtor then proposed an abrupt idea. ¡°Are you interested in a lot? I see a very good lot was listed for sale near your house. Why don¡¯t you buy the lot and build a new office of Ani & Funny?¡± ¡°What kind of lot is it?¡± The realtor said it was a farnd 2,000 pyong (1.6 acres) in size, which was listed for sale for 1.6 billion won. In Hyunwoo¡¯s mind, it was not that bad, but Hyunwoo was not interested. Moreover, he didn¡¯t want to buy the lot for the purpose of investment without any particr reason. ¡°Brother, I¡¯m not interested in investing in real estate.¡± When he hung up the call, Hyunwoo saw a couple of women entering the warehouse. They were the new hires rmended by Sonjong. ¡°How are you, sir? My name is Sumin Kim.¡± ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Heeyoung Chu.¡± As soon as he saw them, he felt that the KOVE DREAM single men were pretty lucky. Both of them were beautiful and young. ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m 25¡± ¡°I¡¯m 26.¡± ¡°Are you married?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± said one. The other also replied in the negative. Hearing that, not only the single employees but also Raymon and his friends shouted for joy. Hyunwoo asked them some basic questions. Both of them graduated from vocational high schools because of their poor family situations, and as soon as they graduated, they got a job at a customs office. They had about five years of experience in dealing with trade. Thanks to their experience they were as knowledgeable as Sonjong as far as trading was concerned. What pleased Hyunwoo all the more was their working attitude. Hyunwoo thought they were jobless, but they worked as part-timers at convenient stores every night. They said they had been working like that even when they were hired as full-time staff at the customs office. ¡°As far as your extra work at night doesn¡¯t bother your work here, I don¡¯t want to stop it. I can assure you that you can make more money if you focus on the work here. It¡¯s up to you anyway.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°Can you train them here, Sonjong?¡± Leaving her to take care of them, Hyunwoo left the warehouse. He stopped by the N&C Korea for a while then headed back to the office of Ani & Funny. When he arrived at the office, he found a memo sent by the social service department of Ansan City. That department was familiar to him because he received the subsidies from them when he built the current two-story building on the condition that the first story was reserved for the senior center. When he noticed the memo, he instantly recalled the senior center downstairs. He called the number on the note. He was told toe to the city office to discuss some pending matter. ¡°Sure. Can Ie now?¡± ¡°Yes, please.¡± He quickly headed to the city office. With a bag of cherries, as a gift, he stopped by the social service department. Its chief officer didn¡¯t recognize Hyunwoo, but the manager who got to know Hyunwoo at a drinking partya long time ago recognized him. ¡°You worked at Aurumpany before, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, I did. You remember me!¡± Only then did the chief officer recognize him, too. He said, ¡°Wow, it was you. Howe you became such a big man in about two years?¡± Then, he kept praising Hyunwoo in the presence of his staff. Obviously, it was thanks to the poprity of the music video Duckling Fly. As it became so famous, Ani & Funny became widely known, and Ansan City with the animationpany in its jurisdiction became more interested in Hyunwoo and thepany. After exchanging some pleasantries for a while, he realized why they wanted to talk to him. It was something that Hyunwoo never expected, though. ¡°You know the first floor below the Ani & Funny office is the senior center, right?¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± ¡°Actually, we keep receiving a stream of suggestions from the seniors there. They are asking us to move the senior center. There is one building nearby which is small and old, but they say they don¡¯t care. They want to move to that ce as soon as possible. And they have made the request because of Ani & Funny.¡± Chapter 191

Chapter 191

Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wider at that. He guessed the call had been about the senior center but he never thought that the seniors had made such a request. What was more strange was that they had no reason to do so. For he had never caused any inconvenience to them since the senior center was opened there. He was well-liked by the seniors because he sometimes visited with a bag of snacks for them. ¡°Because of Ani & Funny? What¡¯s the reason?¡± ¡°They are saying they want to move the senior center so Ani & Funny can use the space and ept the students who want to study animation there.¡± Hyunwoo was speechless for a moment. He never expected they would make such a request, and he was deeply touched. On the other hand, he became curious. How did theye to know about the situation involving the students? They may have seen the studentsing to the office in droves, but it was impossible to infer from that what was going on exactly. I wonder if any of our staff members asked the seniors to do so. If that was the case, Hyunwoo would have to express apologies because it was like ordering them to vacate the senior center. The city official said, ¡°We have a problem here. We have not allotted any money in the budget for moving the senior center to another ce this year.¡± In Hyunwoos¡¯ mind, it was not a matter of money because he could afford to pay for their move. Under any circumstances, he could not force them to move out. ¡°Let me go and check out what¡¯s going on. Please allow me to get back to you in several days.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± As soon as he left the city hall, he headed straight to the office and asked the staff about it. All of them said they were unaware of it, saying they didn¡¯t know at all such a request was filed with the city hall. Some of them even weed the request. ¡°Can we use the first floor from now on?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t know the seniors downstairs had such consideration for us. I wish I visited them sometimes to say hello.¡± Hyunwoo tilted his head and said, ¡°Are you really sure any of you has never requested the seniors to vacate the first floor? I¡¯m going to see them right now, so I hope you won¡¯t betray me...¡± They all shook their heads, denying it. Still, Hyunwoo wanted to confirm it. He went downstairs to find a dozen seniors there. They weed him, and Mrs. Paenamu and Heejung¡¯s grandmother, in particr, greeted him dly. ¡°Wee, Hyunwoo!¡± ¡°Come on in. I guess you¡¯re in trouble because of the office space.¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes popped up because Heejung¡¯s grandmother mentioned the matter of office space. Hyunwoo cautiously asked, ¡°How did you know about that?¡± ¡°Well, I heard even if you wanted to ept all the studentsing here to learn, you couldn¡¯t because of the small office space.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Hyunwoo. We already made a petition to the city hall.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us about it in advance? If Heejung¡¯s grandmother had not told us, we would have been kept in the dark forever.¡± Now, Hyunwoo could figure out how all this happened. He asked cautiously, ¡°Did Heejung ask you to vacate the first floor?¡± ¡°No. I just heard what the students said. Heejung just said you could ept all the students if you had a bigger office space, so we seniors here exchanged opinions about it and made the decision to appeal to city hall.¡± Fortunately, they wanted to move out voluntarily, but he still felt heavy because they had to move to an old building if they did. ¡°You don¡¯t have to move. I¡¯m looking for a new bigger office right now. You can stay here.¡± ¡°No, no. We don¡¯t want to stand in the way of the students¡¯ future.¡± ¡°In fact, the senior center here is toorge for us.¡± All of the seniors made the case for their moving out. Deeply moved by their sincerity, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Thanks so much. In return, I would like to find you a beautiful senior center.¡± And then he called the social service department of the city hall. ¡°Ani & Funny would like to pay for the cost of the senior center¡¯s relocation. Is it okay with you?¡± ¡°How wonderful! We would really appreciate it if you can, but our department alone can¡¯t settle the matter of Ani & Funny using the first floor. We¡¯ll discuss with the relevant department here and let you know.¡± *** When the weekend came, Hyunwoo found out that his life had changed a lot,pared with the past. The biggest difference was in the number of his hiking outings to the mountains with the seniors. In the past, he hiked in the mountains with the seniors at least two or three times per month no matter how busy he was. But now, he did so only a couple of times this year. Let me go hiking this weekend, by all means, he decided, but he had to change his ns because of important appointments on Thursday and Friday. He kept dying hiking as a result, and he felt worse by the day. His parents and the seniors who used to hike with himined when he canceled hiking. Fortunately, he had no appointments this weekend as Suji had an important appointment she was supposed to travel to Seoul during the weekend. As soon as he mentioned hiking, the seniors shouted for joy. Hyunmin volunteered to drive the minivan. Thanks to Hyunmin, Hyunwoo got to sit in the back with his mother. She was seen drawing something on herputer. ¡°Mom, do you have anything to worry about?¡± ¡°No worries, son. I think I have to expand the factory because so many orders areing in now. And I have some other business ns, too. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Hyunwoo was aware of the rapid growth of ¡®Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom¡¯ sales. The factory was receiving breakfast orders from factories not only in Ansan and Hwasung but also as far away as Suwon and Inchon. Actually, it was expanded recently, but the explosive growth in breakfast orders meant she needed to expand the facilities again. And now she was thinking of another business. ¡°What kind of business?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m thinking of franchises of ¡®Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom¡¯ or starting a new side dish business. I¡¯m also interested in farming grasshoppers and marsh snails.¡± Hearing her exnation, Hyunwoo learned she was interested in various businesses. And what she was most interested in was to open the branches of Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom in other areas. Her first franchise was to be opened in Seoul. ¡°Who is going to be the chief of the Seoul branch then?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking of assigning Hyunmin to that post,¡± said Jisook, looking at Hyunmin proudly. In fact, Hyunwoo also felt Hyunmin was dependable in every aspect. Though he was not sure of Hyunmin¡¯s business skills, he would not tarnish the image of Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom. Jisook nned to choose the manager of each franchise among those who proved their character and ability while working with her. ¡°By the way, are you also opening a side dish shop? I think that business needs lots of helpers without making any profits, right?¡± ¡°Well, I am going to take orders on a small number of side dishes such as grasshoppers or marsh snails.¡± Suddenly, he thought of the grasshopper side dishes he enjoyed recently. As it was roasted in edible oil with salt, it tasted great like shrimp. And she was nning to directly farm grasshoppers as she believed that the freshness of the food was the most important in preparing side dishes. As for farming grasshoppers, she had a lot to talk about. She didn¡¯t make the decision to use grasshoppers for side dishes just to make money. ¡°In fact, I know farming cattle or pigs causes great environmental damage. They eat the grains that feed human beings, but grasshoppers or marsh snails don¡¯t. I think we can revive the environment by farming them.¡± In other words, she expressed her wishes to contribute to the farming of insects, often called the food of the future. Of course, the profitsing from insect farming will be extra benefits for her. ¡°Why don¡¯t you start it immediately? What do you need?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°Well, I think I need arge lot if I decide to farm grasshoppers, for example. As you know, the current factory of Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom needs to be expanded, too.¡± Hyunwoo smiled naturally to hear that because he remembered what the realtor had told him the other day. He called the realtor immediately. ¡°Brother, did the farnd lot you mentioned the other day get sold? ¡°You mean the state-owned lot I talked about back then? No, not yet.¡± ¡°Oh, let me buy it. Please try to get a good bargain. Let me pay you a goodmission in return. Hahaha.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry! As you know, I¡¯m good at bargaining. Haha.¡± When he was done with the call, his parents gave him a curious expression. ¡°What lot are you going to buy?¡± Hyunwoo briefed them about the farnd lot, which was owned by the government for the purpose of rural development with 3,000-pyong in size (2.4 acres), along with 2,000-pyong of forestnd but was recently listed for sale. ¡°A farnd lot of 3,000 pyong? For what purpose?¡± ¡°Well, even if I buy that lot, I can still build facilities rted to animal husbandry or the processing facilities of animals. ordingly, I can build a facility-rtedo grasshopper farming there. Also, there is 2,000 pyong of forestnd, where you can build a side dish factory or breakfast box factory.¡± Jisook nodded with a sigh of relief, but Duyoung Jang and Kuroda hardened their faces for some reason. Hyunwoo asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you? Would you want to do something else in that lot?¡± Then Duyoung opened his mouth, ¡°Well, you know I¡¯m teaching middle school boys at Dreaming School, right?¡± Chapter 192

Chapter 192

¡°Of course, I know that.¡± ¡°And you know there are lots of talented students there, too, right?¡± Hyunwoo recalled the case of Minkyu Kang and the annual exhibition hosted by Dreaming School. When he visited itst time, he was quite impressed by the students¡¯ works. He was impressed by their creative power, in particr, and it was their creative power that his father Duyoung and Kuroda volunteered to teach them to explore. Recently Suji¡¯s father, Taeho Min, also decided to donate his talent to the students. Duyoung continued, ¡°I hear the graduates from Dreaming School are in trouble. They go to alternative high schools, but the problem is they don¡¯t receive creative education like Dreaming School.¡± Hyunwoo felt sorry to hear that sad situation. ¡°That¡¯s why I would like to bring some of the graduates here and teach them directly,¡± said Duyoung. Hyunwoo seemed to know why his father brought up the topic so carefully. ¡°In other words, you want to establish an alternative school for them, daddy?¡± Duyoung¡¯s eyes opened wide at his question. ¡°Alternative school here is just a grandiose idea. I just want to bring some of them here and take them as my assistants.¡± What he really meant was that he wanted to have them beside him and teach them in person. Hyunwoo wanted to create an environment in which the students could only focus on studying without worrying about anything else. And he coveted the creativeness of the young students. In fact, the pace of research was too slow in the case of his father and Kuroda. Though Taeho Min was long involved in the research, he didn¡¯t produce any tangible results. Hyunwoo felt the students could bring about a breakthrough in their research. For they could approach the problem from a new angle with their out-of-the-box creativeness. The real problem was money. No matter how small it was, they could not use the container house as an alternative school. In particr, a new dormitory would be needed for students who had toe from faraway ces. But Hyunwoo¡¯s agonizing didn¡¯tst long. The iing students of the new alternative school would be 20 at the most, and the separate research institute for Duyoung and Kuroda would not berge. Even if Taeho joined them, the institute would be more than enough for their research activities. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the money. Let me find a solution,¡± said Hyunwoo confidently. And now Kuroda also cautiously expressed his wish to move his research room along with Duyoung. ¡°Of course, you should move with me,¡± said Duyoung. Then, turning to Hyunwoo, he asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you agree? ¡°Sure, Dad,¡± replied Hyunwoo pleasantly. Hyunwoo continued, ¡°If Dr. Taeho Min also wishes to move, he can join you, of course.¡± ¡°Wow, you¡¯re my son! You already read our minds, hahaha.¡± In fact, Duyoung was full of enthusiasm for his research but had no real progress. Still, he was persistent. He continued to pursue his research with the firm conviction that his research would be regarded as a sess if itid the foundation for his students¡¯ further research. In the process of pursuing his lonely path, Duyoung met a colleague, who was none other than Taeho. Like him, Taeho was devoting himself to the development of new materials. Hyunwoo gently asked his father, ¡°Do you want to pursue joint research with Dr. Min?¡± ¡°Do you think that is easy?¡± answered Duyoung with a perplexed look. Giggling at that, Hyunwoo felt he needed to help his father with it. Several days passed. Taeho usually stayed at home during the weekends. Sometimes, he spent time in his container house for research, but he kept his promise to take a walk with the family. After dinner, he went back to the container house. Hyunwoo cautiously called him outside and said, ¡°Dr. Min, can I talk with you a bit?¡± ¡°Sure, Hyunwoo.¡± Without hesitation, Hyunwoo told him his point, ¡°I understand your research has something inmon with my father¡¯s research.¡¯ ¡°Yea, that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°I wonder if you are willing to do joint research with my father. Or you can share your research findings with my father...¡± said Hyunwoo, slurring the end of his sentences. Taeho was staring at him with a serious look, and then said, ¡°Was it Dr. Jang¡¯s idea?¡± ¡°Not necessarily. But I can say with confidence that he wants it earnestly.¡± ¡°Well, I have no objection as long as Dr. Jang wants it. In fact, I was also very curious about his research,¡± said Taeho. Hyunwoo¡¯s face brightened. He went on to say that he would build a new research center to house his father and Kuroda¡¯s offices. Taeho said without any hesitation, ¡°Of course I would love to move to a new office. By the way, I think you will need lots of money to build a research institute. Can I invest 300 million won for that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let you know if my budget is not sufficient. I think it¡¯s more important to decide how to build the research center. Hopefully, the three of you can meet one of these days and discuss it.¡± Several dayster Hyunwoo had a date with Suji. They left for the east coast early in the morning, rode a bicycle and had a drink over seafood. When it was dark, they checked into a condominium and made hot love. Suji was lying on the bed in pajamas, and Hyunwoo hugged her from behind. It looked as if they were dreaming a happy dream if they went to sleep at that moment. Then she initiated a conversation after some hesitation. ¡°Did you tell my Dad that you¡¯re going to build a new research center?¡± Hyunwoo opened his eyes wide at that. Taeho was crazy about research. He was med for giving up his family for his research when he was affiliated with a university research. When the university cut off the funding of his research, he came back to his family. Now, Taeho could refocus on research thanks to Hyunwoo¡¯s consideration. Though he might appreciate Hyunwoos¡¯ help, Suji and her mother might feel resentment towards him. Hyunwoo answered cautiously, ¡°Yes, I did.¡± Suji didn¡¯t reply, letting out a sigh, which was barely audible. Hyunwoo said as if to persuade her, ¡°As you know, the new research center is within ten minutes¡¯ walking distance from the existing container houses. And your father won¡¯t go back to his previous habit, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°I wish you had discussed with us in advance,¡± said Suji. ¡°Sorry about that. I didn¡¯t think as far as that. I just thought your family would feel the same way if your father felt happy.¡± Suji didn¡¯t argue with him anymore. In fact, there was no big difference whether his father did his research in the container house or the new research center. What Suji and her mother wanted was for Taeho to keep his promise. Therested some silence between Suji and Hyunwoo. And then she broke the silence by asking in a cautious tone, ¡°I also heard you¡¯re nning to set up an alternative school.¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo felt a bit proud of that. Actually, that was what he had been dreaming for a long time. Though he was nning to start with a small alternative school, it would grow in size in due course, andter he would bring all the students talented in music and animation to the school and teach them. ¡°How did you know that? I haven¡¯t yet told your father about that.¡± But Suji reacted with annoyance, ¡°Do you really have to build an alternative school?¡± Hardening his face, he asked, ¡°What the heck are you talking about?¡± ¡°I just want you to live an ordinary life.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? Do you expect any big change in my life if I build an alternative school?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s what I feel now. Ordinary people think of investing rather than freely spending money for others. Am I wrong?¡± Suji had a point but seemed to think Hyunwoo justvishly spent the money without any purpose. He asked her quietly, ¡°Do you think I should buy stocks with the money?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t like stocks at all, but I think that¡¯s more realistic investment than blind spending on the people that we don¡¯t know at all.¡± ¡°What about buying the real estate?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the most realistic investment I think,¡± said Suji honestly. ¡°What about investing in those with potential?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think any school can reap the return on its investment in its students. We can¡¯t say it¡¯s investment.¡± Both of them exchanged serious opinions like that. Controlling his feelings, Hyunwoo tried to persuade her logically. ¡°I don¡¯t want any mary rewards for my investment. I just think it¡¯s a reward to me for them to grow aspetent men and women. Think of that! How happy you would be if you watched them growing to be excellent men with my help!¡± Suji let out a sigh, as if she couldn¡¯t understand his point. ¡°I think if we be a family, we can have the right to enjoy our own wealth. I mean, we can live in a big house, wear good clothes, have good food and sometimes show off in front of others. I may be a snob, but I would like to live like that if I am rich enough.¡± ¡°Yea, I fully agree with you,¡± said Hyunwoo seriously. But he felt watching those he selected in person growing professionally was as much psychological pleasure and rewards as the mary rewards. ¡°I can say this clearly. My kind of investment also brings a great mary reward, too. Just take a look at the Anifan kids. You never know how much they are making for me now. In your mind, which investment would bring you more happiness and sense of reward, Suji?¡± Chapter 193

Chapter 193

Instead of replying, Suji sighed quietly. Hyunwoo seemed to read her mind at that. Obviously, she was not persuaded by his exnation. Suddenly, he recalled the UN Secretary General¡¯s New Year address, which touched him deeply. He wanted to show it to her. ¡°Have you read this before?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± He took out his cell phone and showed her the excerpts of the UN Secretary General¡¯s address. Among them were phrases like this: <... We learned how to make money but forgot how to share it. Our average lifespan increased, but we lost sight of how to include the meaning of life in our chronological period...> The address was filled with pretty good and constructive words but not realistic in Suji¡¯s mind. She didn¡¯t want to argue with him any more, so she buried her face in his chest as if she wanted to stop there. Another long silencested. *** Back to his normal life, Hyunwoo erased his conversation with Suji from his brainpletely. It was up to him what kind of course he would take, and he had no intention to change his mind. He was busy visiting the construction site of the second warehouse of KOVE DREAM and the interior construction site of the new senior center in Bono-dong. At the same time, he stopped by the offices of N&C Korea and Ani & Funny to check out the status of various trading matters. Thanks to his diligence, one of his pending issues was solved to his satisfaction. As soon as the interior construction was done, he received a call from the city hall of Ansan. ¡°Can you visit us at the local economic department when you are avable?¡± As Hyunwoo expected, the city official said, ¡°Thanks to your help we could relocate the senior center without any problem. My section chief strongly rmended to the mayor that Ani & Funny use the vacant first floor space.¡± Hyunwoo bowed deeply to him with profuse thanks. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re wee. The mayor also knows yourpany very well, and he has a good impression, too.¡± ¡°Thanks so much. I think you deserve a credit for all this,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°No, not at all. By the way, the mayor wants to meet you. Let me arrange the meeting if you can take time out.¡± ¡°Oh, anytime I can meet him,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Really? Can you check if the mayor can see Mr. Jang now, Assistant Manager Park?¡± Park called the mayor¡¯s office right away, and fortunately, the mayor could see him in thirty minutes. ¡°Why don¡¯t you see the mayor today?¡± ¡°Oh, I wish I prepared a gift for him on an asion like this,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°You don¡¯t have to. Just go and see the mayor.¡± He headed straight to the mayor¡¯s office along with the chief of the local economic section. ¡°Pleasee in,¡± said the mayor¡¯s secretary in a charming voice. The mayor looked very young, with his grey hair was dyed ck. Actually, he was in his mid 60s. He pretended not to notice it, though. ¡°How do you do? I¡¯m Hyunwoo Jang, president of Ani & Funny. I didn¡¯t know you look so young, sir.¡± ¡°Hahaha. Do I look young?¡± said the mayor with a bright face. ¡°Well, if I may say, you look like in your mid 40s. I just wonder how you can look so young.¡± ¡°I¡¯m ttered, hahaha,¡± the mayorughed heartily. Obviously, the mayor was aware of many things about Hyunwoo¡¯s business. He knew he owned not only Ani & Funny but also KOVE DREAM and N&C Korea. He even knew that he had beena rank and file member of Aurumpany. Of course, he also knew everything about ¡®Hunwoo¡¯s Mom¡¯ factory and the faceless angel, let alone the fact that he moved his house to Hwasung from Ansan several years ago. The mayor didn¡¯t care about his relocation in Hwasung. ¡°Companies like Ani & Funny and KOVE DREAM are the pride of Ansan City. And it is our duty to help them grow big without any difficulty. Please let me know if you have anything we can help you with your business here.¡± ¡°Well, the local economy section chief is helping me a lot. This time he helped me to get your approval of our use the first floor reserved for the senior center. Thanks so much!¡± ¡°Hahaha. Actually, I was briefed about that. I heard you also financially supported the relocation of the senior center. I appreciate that.¡± While they were exchanging a nice conversation like that, the mayor mentioned something as if he wanted to ask Hyunwoo a favor. ¡°I love the word noblesse oblige very much. I think those with a high position in society should bear moral responsibility corresponding with their position. What do you think, Mr. Jang?¡± ¡°Of course, I agree with you.¡± The mayor continued, ¡°Sounds great! I believe not only Ani & Funny but also KOVE DREAM and N&C Korea¡¯s business is thriving these days. May I expect your contribution to ourmunity in one way or another?¡± The mayor seemed as if he wanted Hyunwoo to actively contribute something good for themunity. Of course, Hyunwoo was quite willing to do it. In fact, his mother took the initiative in driving the campaign of food sanitation of the snack houses in front of schools, which could be counted as such contribution. And Hyunwoo¡¯s idea of setting up an alternative school belonged to that category. When he thought as far as that, he hit upon a good idea. With a broad smile he said, ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve been thinking about how to contribute to ourmunity. I have a good idea, but it¡¯s rather hard for me to realize it on my own.¡± ¡°Please, tell me what it is. We can help you to the best we can,¡± said the mayor. ¡°Well, I¡¯m thinking of setting up an alternative school right now. Coincidently, I¡¯ve found a good lot near my house, so I¡¯m going to build it there.¡± ¡°Near your house?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s located in Hwasung, not Ansan.¡± The mayor frowned at that. It looked as if he wanted Hyunwoo to set it up in Ansan. And his reaction like that was what Hyunwoo wanted. ¡°In fact, it¡¯s financially a big burden for me to build it out of my pocket alone. I wonder if the city government of Ansan could support my project. In that case, I am willing to build it in Ansan...¡± Hyunwoo slurred the end of his sentences. Receiving his words, the mayor raised his tone and gave his secretary the direction. ¡°I think we have that kind of subsidies program. Ms. Oh, which section is taking care of alternative schools? Call its section chief to the mayor¡¯s office right now.¡± She called the relevant section chief, and a littleter, a bald-headed director came in. ¡°I called for the section chief, but the director of that section came in person,¡± said the mayor. But the director said something disappointing from the start, ¡°Well, our city doesn¡¯t have any budget rted to alternative schools.¡± The mayor stepped in and said, ¡°Howe we don¡¯t have the budget?¡± ¡°In fact, onlyrge cities have that kind of subsidies program on alternative schools. In a small city like ours, the budget is so small, and even if we have such a program, there are many conditions,¡± said the director, citing several conditions. Hearing his exnation, Hyunwoo learned that the kind of alternative school he had in mind was not qualified for the subsidies program. Only officially certified alternative schools were qualified for the government subsidies. To meet the demands, Hyunwoo needed to n the curriculum ording to the relevant standards and hire a certain number of full-time teachers. Moreover, the iing students would have to receive the same stereotyped school education that he wanted to avoid by all means. Hyunwoo wanted his students to learn from actual practice instead of learning from textbooks. That¡¯s why he wanted to set up an unofficial alternative school for free education. Hyunwoo and the city staff including the mayor discussed further without any tangible results. ¡°Thanks for paying attention to my projects,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°You¡¯re wee. We would like to thank you as yourpanies are located in Ansan,¡± said the mayor. Leaving the mayor¡¯s office, Hyunwoo headed to the office of Ani & Funny. They were busy moving various stuff out of the senior center. After they vacated the first floor, Hyunwoo began the project of renovating the whole floor. And he called those students who passed the test but couldn¡¯te to the office because of the small space and tried to double check with their parents. The students¡¯ determination was important, but their parents¡¯ consent was much more important to Hyunwoo. Contrary to his expectation, their parents valued their children¡¯s opinion. ¡°How can we stand in the way when our children are determined to learn?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the owner of Any & Funny that produced the music video Duckling Fly, aren¡¯t you? If you ept my child, I¡¯m so relieved.¡± Calling the parents, Hyunwoo felt more responsibility than ever. *** The mayor of Ansan City was agonizing for some time because of Hyunwoo. ¡°He¡¯s going to be a great businessman. I need to hold him in Ansan, so he can continue to invest here in Ansan. Is there a good way to do it?¡± At that moment, his secretary informed him of his evening schedule. ¡°Mayor, you have a meeting with the members of themittee on solution of grievances. You better leave for the meeting now.¡± Themittee was a meeting of the heads of various city government offices located in Ansan. The mayor thought it was a good change for him to mention a topic rted to Hyunwoo¡¯s project. ¡°Today I met the president of Ani & Funny. As you know, he is also the president of KOVE DREAM and N&C Korea. In short, he is the most sessful businessman in Ansan these days.¡± They were all aware of that, too. ¡°I think suchpanies should do their business well here. I wish we could render as much support as possible within the legal framework. Do we have any good support programs?¡± asked the mayor. Chapter 194

Chapter 194

Hyunwoo signed the contract to purchase the farnd lot near his house without any hesitation. Though he had yet to see the blueprint of the new research center, he had the builders work on the construction of the third factory of Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom, the farming ground for the grasshoppers, and the dormitory for studentsing from faraway ces. In particr, the dorm was designed to house forty students, so not only could the students of the alternative school but also Ani & Funny students and staff could stay there. The next thing to do was to bring in the students. Hyunwoo first called Byungwon Kang, his former colleague at Aurum. He thought Byungwon would wee his project with open hands because he and his son, Mingyu, liked the educational methods of Dreaming School very much, but Byungwon reacted differently. ¡°Unauthorized alternative school? In that case, my son can¡¯t get a high school diploma, can he?¡± Actually, his son Mingyu entered an authorized alternative high school as soon as he graduated from Dreaming School because he wanted to obtain a high school diploma. Hyunwoo felt a bit disappointed. Mingyu¡¯s great creative ability stood out when he was attending Dreaming School. He felt regrets about losing a creative student like Mingyu, but it was not something Hyunwoo could decide as far as Mingyu¡¯s future was concerned. All he could do was help Mingyu make the correct choice. Hyunwoo was convinced that creative students like Mingyu would need a more creative education method like that of the Dreaming School, but Hyunwoo had to prove it by action not just by words, so he prepared a written n on how to cultivate the students¡¯ abilities and what was different from the education methods of Dreaming School despite somemon characteristics. He valued the students¡¯ experiences, so he would make sure that the students learned more through travel than ssroom education. He would maximize hiswork to help the students experience all kinds of upancies. He also mentioned in the n that the students would spend a lot of time assisting Duyoung, Kuroda, and Taeho with their research projects. Byungwon changed his mind after hearing Hyunwoo¡¯s detailed briefing. He agreed with Hyunwoo that it was more important for Mingyu to cultivate his ability to n his own future rather than obtaining a high school diploma. ¡°Got it. Let me discuss it with Mingyu. I don¡¯t think he will oppose it.¡± Hyunwoo called other prospective students and persuaded them in the same way. All of them were graduates of Dreaming School. Their parents showed concern at first, but when they examined Hyunwoo¡¯s n, they decided to send their children to Hyunwoo¡¯s alternative school. Hyunwoo seeded in bringing a total of ten students, far short of his original goal of twenty, but the number of iing students was not the issue. ¡°Yea, what is the big deal? I¡¯ll do my best to raise even ten students the best I can.¡± While Hyunwoo was looking around the construction site of the research center, he received a call from Sonjong, the chief ountant of KOVE DREAM. ¡°Hi, the chief of Ansan Customs Office wants to visit our office,¡± she said. Hyunwoo was familiar with some of the customs office but not its chief. ¡°What¡¯s the reason?¡± ¡°He said he wanted to offer customized consulting.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Though it was new to him, Sonjong was aware of its meaning as she had the relevant experience in the field as a former customs official. ¡°Well, he is trying to find the kind of information that can benefit ourpany. There is nothing to lose even if you meet him, and this is a free consultation.¡± ¡°Okay, I trust you then. What should I do?¡± ¡°You can just set up the time then the Ansan Customs Office will take care of the rest.¡± Hyunwoo set up the next afternoon as the consulting time, and the chief customs official visited the office of KOVE DREAM at the appointed time. As Sonjong said, the purpose of the official was purely to help Hyunwoo¡¯spany. Obviously, the mayor of Ansan asked the chiefs of various city government offices to help Hyunwoo¡¯s business. The chief official gave Hyunwoo a rough briefing on the possible benefits, and his staffer, who apanied him, specifically exined about various support programs avable, but they were notpatible with the situation of KOVE DREAM. Most of the benefits were avable forpanies with several years of tax returns records. One of the benefits grabbed his attention, though. ¡°Have you just said that if we use a bonded warehouse, we can store items there without paying any tax?¡± ¡°No, what I mean is you can dy the imports deration until the time you want to dere. You can dy taxes until then.¡± Hearing his exnation, Hyunwoo felt it could be of great help to KOVE DREAM when he maximized its benefits. Currently, KOVE DREAM is importing all the items through the port of Incheon or Pusan with all the imports derations. In order to transport the import items to the warehouse of KOVE DREAM, Hyunwoo had toplete the import processing first, which meant that he had to pay the duty and added value taxes when the items entering the port. These days the monthly imports cost over 30 billion won, and he had to pay as much as 3 billion won in added value taxes, but if he could make use of the bonded warehouse, he could immediately move the import items there without going through the imports deration process. When the items were sold, then he could take them out of the bonded warehouse. There were other advantages of using the bonded warehouse. Sometimes, Hyunwoo received wrong items. In that case, he had to ship them back to Vietnam through a series of difficult processes. If Hyunwoo had a bonded warehouse, he could confirm if the import items were correct even before the customs clearance, skipping all the burdensome processes. ¡°I like the bonded warehouse system very much. KOVE DREAM wants to use it. Can you advise us?¡± said Hyunwoo, showing great enthusiasm. Though the bonded warehouse system offered lots of benefits, there were some tough conditions for anypany to enjoy the benefits. Above all, they had to hire at least one professional dealing with the bonded warehouse matters with the relevant license. ¡°How can I hire such a person?¡± asked Hyunwoo. This time the chief customs official intervened, ¡°If you don¡¯t know anyone in that field, let me rmend someone. Actually, this gentleman, Mr. Kang, is an assistant manager here, will retire at the end of the week. He is pretty experienced and knowledgeable in that area.¡± Hyunwoo focused on the middle-aged Mr. Kang. It seemed that the chief customs official¡¯s primary purpose of meeting Hyunwoo was to introduce Mr. Kang to him for hiring. Hyunwoo was put on the spot at the moment. At a nce, Mr. Kang didn¡¯t seem to fit the position. Besides, as he was old, Hyunwoo would find it hard to manage him. When Hyunwoo was hesitating, Mr. Kang opened his mouth. Mr. Kang stuttered a lot. Though he had no difficultymunicating with others, his stammering certainly would obstruct him from receiving calls from customers. ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel any burden. I¡¯m seeking a job, but I am not financially stressed. In fact, I was nning to travel or read books after retirement. You don¡¯t have to hire me.¡± ¡°Hey, Mr. Kang. If you have a job, you don¡¯t get older. Even if you receive one million won, you will stay young if you keep working,¡± said the chief officer. At that moment, Hyunwoo noticed the phrase ¡®one million won¡¯. How can a retired man like Mr. Kang be hired for such littlepensation of one million won per month? Waiting for the opportune time to cut in, Hyunwoo asked, ¡°If I hire you, what kind of job do you want me to assign you?¡± ¡°Well, it depends on your decision. As I specialize in dealing with bonded warehouse matters, I think I will mainly take care of that kind of work. And you can adjust thepensation, depending on my assignment.¡± ¡°In fact, I know nothing about that kind of work. If I may ask, what kind of work do you want to do and how much do you want?¡± ¡°To be honest, it is not that easy for a public servant like to to get a job at a privatepany, and it will be also hard for me to serve you as the president. And you will find it difficult to use me as an ordinary employee.¡± Mr. Kang had a point. It was difficult to change the boss-subordinate rtionship. Even though Mr. Kang was retired, those who worked with him would still be his friends. And if Hyunwoo treated Mr. Kang roughly because he was Hyunwoo¡¯s subordinate, the customs official might take revenge on Hyunwoo. Mr. Kang continued, ¡°So, I guess the title ¡®advisor¡¯ would be perfect. I will just advise you on the matter of managing bonded warehouses. As the workload is not that much, I think 500,000 won per month is appropriate.¡± Scratching his head, Hyunwoo thought 500,000 won was too little. ¡°I think 500,000 won per month is way too small. I think you deserve at least one million won.¡± Deep inside Hyunwoo felt that even thatpensation was less than that of a part-timer. But Mr. Kang¡¯s attitude was pretty sincere. Though he stammered, he didn¡¯t propose 500,000 won to sound out Hyunwoo¡¯s feelings. ¡°What kind of work can I do here other than managing the items in a bonded warehouse or taking care of the customs clearance? And I would like to work, free from reporting to work and leaving the office at the fixed time. If I receive a high sry, I can¡¯t do so, right?¡± Everybody including Hyunwoo kept silent at his remarks. Hyunwoo felt he wanted to discuss with Sonjong Kim, who knew much more about Mr. Kang as his former colleague. Hyunwoo wrapped up the conversation, ¡°Please give me some more time to think about. I have not yet made the decision to open a bonded warehouse.¡± ¡°Sure. When you make the decision, please let me know. As for the matter of opening a bonded warehouse, let me help you to the best we can, regardless of your hiring of Mr. Kang,¡± said the chief officer. As if he waited for Sonjong¡¯s judgment, Hyunwoo asked her, ¡°You know Mr. Kang, right?¡± ¡°Of course, I know him very well.¡± ¡°What kind of personality does he have? Is he good enough? Can I trust and hire him?¡± Sonjon replied without hesitating even one second with a thumbs-up, ¡°Yes, he is the best!¡± Chapter 195

Chapter 195

As Sonjong answered so clearly and quickly, Hyunwoo instantly felt that Mr. Kang was a dependable personality with fine character. Mr. Kang¡¯s name was Hwasik Kang. His biggest strength was his rich experience and knowledge. He seemed slow-witted because of his stammering, but Sonjong¡¯s description of him made Hyunwoo look at him differently. Sonjong said, ¡°Mr. Kang was such a fine worker that those who worked with him were scared a bit because he found out the problem once he got down to business.¡± Mr. Kang alwaysgged behind when it came to promotionpetition. His stammering was one reason, but he didn¡¯t know how to tter his boss. ¡°In other words, he is a very capable person,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Yes, he is. I heard he even received a job offer from a famousw firm.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t he ept the offer?¡± ¡°Basically, he is a rich man. I heard he inherited a huge amount ofnd from his parents, so he didn¡¯t need aw firm job that would stress him out.¡± Only then did Hyunwooe to realize why Mr. Kang insisted on receiving 500,000 won per month. All he wanted was to find a job to pass time. He also had a good character with a strong sense of responsibility. Once he was tasked with an assignment, he would carry it out by all means. ¡°Besides, he has a widework of people in Ansan. If he had wanted, he would have been promoted a long time ago, but he had no such ambition,¡± Sonjong continued. ¡°Wow, how wonderful he is!¡± ¡°I think just hiring him would bring us lots of benefits, to say the least. You can save themission fee of a licensed customs agent by hiring him.¡± ¡°Commission fee?¡± ¡°Yes. If you hire Mr. Kang, a specialist in customs clearance, you don¡¯t need to use the licensed customs agent. If you use Unipass, it¡¯s free!¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes widened at that. In fact, themission paid to the agent was very expensive, costing over 10 million per month because of therge number of import items from Vietnam, but Sonjong insisted on using the existing licensed customs agent because if something went wrong with the customs clearance process, Hyunwoo might incur a lot more financial damage. Come to think of it, Mr. Kang was like a lump of luck that Hyunwoo should never lose. The next day Hyunwoo headed directly to Ansan Customs Office to ry his message that he would like to open a bonded warehouse as soon as possible. He also wanted to see Mr. Kang once again about hiring him. ¡°I would like to scout you as the advisor of KOVE DREAM, Mr. Kang,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to. It looks like our chief forced you to hire me. You don¡¯t have to, so please don¡¯t feel any burden because of me,¡± said Mr. Kang. ¡°No, I¡¯m serious. I think if I open a bonded warehouse, you will be of great help to us.¡± ¡°Of course, I think I will.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I need your help so much. As the advisor, I hope you can take care of the customs clearance process of our products.¡± Mr. Kang seemed to agonize over that for a moment, thinking that Hyunwoo might feel some burden of hiring him because of his boss¡¯s rmendation, but he finally gave in when Hyunwoo strongly pressed on again. ¡°Got it. Let me ept your offer, but give me only 500,000 won per month. In return let me do my work as much as I see fit.¡± Though Hyunwoo insisted on paying him a monthly sry of one million won, Mr. Kang wouldn¡¯t budge a bit. ¡°When you retire this weekend, you cane to work at KOVE DREAM starting next week,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Sure. As for the bonded warehouse, you had better open it as soon as possible. They will hold a judgingmittee on the approval of the new applications for the bonded warehouses at the end of this month. You must submit the application before the meeting is held.¡± ¡°Actually, there is a new warehouse under construction now. It will bepleted in two months. Don¡¯t you think we can submit the application then?¡± ¡°You had better apply for it now with the existing warehouse. When you have a newrge warehousepleted, you can just make the necessary adjustment for that. The sooner, the better,¡± Mr. Kang advised. ¡°Got it.¡± As Mr. Kang advised, Hyunwoo submitted the application. The next Monday Hwasik Kang reported to the KOVE DREAM office and exchanged brief greetings with the staff then he immediately began handling the application of opening a bonded warehouse. Sonjong was right. Hwasik¡¯s job performance and responsibility were more than Hyunwoo expected. He prepared all the paperwork necessary for the application and submitted it to the customs office on the same day. The customs officer directly tabled it as one of the approval items to be screened by the judgingmittee without reviewing it or asking for any additional paperwork. That meant Hwasik¡¯s paperwork was perfect. ¡°Wow! You¡¯re really super!¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°No worries. I¡¯ve been doing it every day for a long time.¡± ¡°By the way, can we use Unipass to file the deration? Right now, we pay almost 10 million won for the licensed customs agent¡¯smission.¡± ¡°Let me take care of that. Looks like our items don¡¯t include anything that needs a quarantine inspection, and all the import products need little paperwork,¡± said Hwasik. ¡°Can you help us with that, Mr. Kang?¡± ¡°Sure, why not?¡± Hwasik perfectly handled the customs clearance work. He also obtained the Unipass rights in one day then started to process the import derations without going through the licensed customs agent. *** Hyunwoo stopped by the office of Ani & Funny. These days Ani & Funny was driving on without a stop. Thanks to Jinhon¡¯s Duckling Fly, the animation work Garbage World was gaining great poprity around the world, and Tuti & Angelica was also bing a great hit. In particr, the change in animation characters was very effective. Since Garbage World¡¯s Season 2 featuring the characters invented by Yu Zuung debuted, it was maintaining an upward trend steadily. So, Hyunwoo made a new challenge every time. Recently, he came up with the idea of making the picture book of Garbage World targeting preschool boys and girls. Some looked down on his idea, but his n was quite ambitious. For his target audience was not Korean children but those around the world, including the United States, Japan, and China. The sales revenue kept growing. In less than one month since the picture books were on sale, almost 100,000 were sold despite there only being three types of picture books. Thanks to the poprity of the picture book, several publishing houses offered publication contracts at a high price. Hyunwoo had no reason to reject such offers. He entrusted the Vietnamese branch with making the picture books of other animation works. The brisk and prosperous business of Ani & Funny filled the office withughter. Nobody in the office frowned orined. Suddenly, one staffer made an annoyingint. ¡°This guy is really driving me nuts,¡± said Jihoon Kang. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Who is annoying you?¡± asked some of the staff. ¡°This guy always posts hatements on our animation series. I just have no idea why this guy is going after us.¡± Actually, that guy was familiar to Hyunwoo. As Hyunwoo habitually checked the status of the animation series in Story Ma whenever he found the time to do so, he knew well that this notorious guy was an online troll. That guy used the pen name Yenam Noh. Even that nickname gave the impression that he was full of resentment and rebellion against society. In fact, there were so many people who habitually left hatements in Story Ma, but Yenam was peculiar in some respect. Instead of presenting any analysis of any specific work, hisments were filled with emotional reaction, which he showed from the very first of the Ani & Funny animation series. Hyunwoo giggled at Jihoon¡¯s frustration, ¡°Hey, just ignore him. If we don¡¯t respond, he will fizzle out at the end of the day.¡± But Jihoon said angrily, ¡°We should not forgive this guy. He will never stop doing this.¡± ¡°So, do you want to report him to the administrator of Story Ma?¡± Actually, Story Ma was pretty generous to the readers¡¯ments posted on its website. Jihoon gave up, after all. ¡°Damn it! I would like to rain abuses on him if I could.¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t do that. You might be in trouble for that, hahaha,¡± said Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo found something interesting in Yenam¡¯s hatements. Be it a novel, webtoon or animation, any work that received his hatements gained the most poprity. On the other hand, his hatements could not be found on unpopr works. How can he find out popr works just to leave hatements? Hyunwoo wondered. That was confirmed because he left maliciousments on the very first of Tuti & Angelica animation series. He always left hatements on other popr works. In other words, it looked as if he was searching for not only the most popr works but also other series that could make a hit in Story Ma. Hyunwoo regarded Yenam¡¯s peculiar behavior as extraordinary. He felt Yenam had some sort of special talent in reacting to the kind of work that might gain poprity. Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide instantly. Yenam Noh. This guy must be an enormous hidden talent! Chapter 196

Chapter 196

Hyunwoo studied Yenam more deeply. The more he studied, the more disappointed he was, though. Though he was notorious for posting hatements, he didn¡¯t do it all the time. On some works, he left good feedback like ¡°Oh, it¡¯s very interesting!¡¯ or a strong rmendation. Yenam also wrote critical lines on a certain work. He seemed to dream about being a professional critic, but his rating of the box office hit was far from satisfactory, with its urate rate less than 80% for the novels or webtoons that he rmended as interesting. Hyunwoo scratched his head and murmured, Am I now wasting my time on a weird guy? But Hyunwoo could not give up so quickly. For the works he left hatements were enjoying poprity on Story Ma without exception. Hyunwoo thought there must be some principle when Yenam¡¯s posted hisments. And he tried hard to figure it out. Several dayster, he came homete at night and began to analyze popr works in Story Ma. Suddenly, he felt there was some difference between thements Yenam left on popr works and those that failed to hit. There seemed to be a certain rule in the way he postedments. Hyunwoo snapped his fingers, eximing, ¡°Yea, this is it!¡± Yenam postedments on both popr and unpopr works, but there was a clear difference in the way he left replies. As for popr works, he left very emotional replies, but he posted logical and analyticalments on unpopr works. In other words, if Yenam post hatements on certain works, they would very likely make a big hit. Actually, it was almost 100 percent that it would hit gold, regardless of whether it was a genre novel or webtoon. It seemed that Yenam himself didn¡¯t realize this yet. If he had realized this, he would have posted an essay of his own on the type of work that would interest him. Hyunwoo snapped his fingers. If his judgment of Yenam¡¯s capability was right, and if he hired this guy for that reason, Yenam would be a great help to Ani & Funny. Hyunwoo wanted to meet him first to size him up urately. He then sent a message to Yenam on Story Ma. After sending the message, Hyunwoo turned off theputer right away. Anyhow, he might not get Yenam¡¯s reply immediately unless he was in an online chat with him, but he may receive Yenam¡¯s reply by tomorrow. The next morning Hyunwoo turned on theputer as soon as he got up. Contrary to his expectation, there was no reply from Yenam, but Hyunwoo thought he didn¡¯t need to be impatient about it. If he showed impatience, Yenam might suspect and stay wary. Even if Yenam sent him a reply, Hyunwoo felt he had better stop responding immediately. Hyunwoo turned off theputer and headed to the office of Ani & Funny. The renovation of its first floor where the senior center was located was done. Kyungsu and Sanggyu took care of purchasing some used office equipment. This time the city government helped Ani & Funny with subsidies that covered 50% of the total purchase. Nheless, it cost about 60 million won to purchase the necessary office equipment. Before bringing in the equipment, however, Hyunwoo had to decide on how to use the first and second-floor space for the staff. Initially, he thought of dividing the whole staff into two teams, with his staff on the first and second floorspeting with each other, but he changed his mind and decided to divide the staff, based on their roles. On the second floor, which was rtively quiet, those involved in story nning, making storyboards,youts or creating characters were supposed to work. On the first floor, he reserved the first floor for those involved in producing the keyframes of animation work. The iing students would be assigned to the first floor, and some of them who showed real talent in nning would be sent upstairs. ¡°Were the students notified already?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°Yes, I sent them notice two days ago. They¡¯re going to meet this afternoon,¡± replied Kyungsu. In the afternoon, the students who were notified of the office opening came in droves, but there unfolded a difficult situation this time, too. Previously there were 28 out of 40 students who passed the final test. However, not only those who passed the test but also other students came in groups. All told, 70 students gathered at the office. ¡°We came here for the test,¡± one student said. ¡°If I pass the test, I would like to quit school and study animation here. I¡¯ll get my parents¡¯ approval by all means,¡± said another. Among them were those who already failed in the previous test. Hyunwoo was really put in a difficult situation again. If he could, he would have epted them all, but the problem was that he couldn¡¯t, given the current situation. In addition to 28 students who already passed the test, there were additional 14 students including the Anifan kids and Heejung¡¯s friends. In short, there was a total of 42 students. There were only seven full-time staff members including Hyunwoo avable to teach them. Even with part-timers Jungah and Myunghoon included, the teaching staff only numbered nine, all told. Finally, Hyunwoo shook his head and said, ¡°I already epted too many students. We can¡¯t teach you with the current teaching staff even if I ept you, guys. As you know, Ani & Funny is not argepany.¡± ¡°Still I want to learn here, sir.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t learn anywhere else.¡± They stubbornly persisted, asking Hyunwoo to ept them. ¡°Hey, there are lots of other good ces to learn. Why don¡¯t you go there?¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°No way, they only teach us technical stuff of animation.¡± ¡°We want to learn animation nning. Even if you give us asional coaching, we¡¯re still fine. Please help us learn here!¡± Hyunwoo could figure out what they talked about. In fact, they could not learn animation nning or ideas in most private animation academies. Even Ani & Funny could not teach them nning and ideas on animation. They had to cultivate their own sense by working hard. If Any & Funny could help them at all, it would be for its staff to check out their animation works sometimes and coach them. The students said they would wee any coaching or help offered by Ani & Funny, but Hyunwoo still refused. All the students who came to the office today were from other ces than Ansan. In other words, they were determined to quit school toe to the Ani & Funny office. Hyunwoo could not ept it, but the bigger problem was that Hyunwoo could not predict the sess of the students by simply testing them. Who would take responsibility for the kids who were admitted to Ani & Funny after passing the test but didn¡¯t make sesster? Is there any way I can teach them while they are attending school? When he thought as far as that, Hyunwoo hit on a dramatic idea. ¡°Wait a minute, guys. You said you¡¯re the members of the animation online cafe, right?¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°In that case, you don¡¯t have to quit school because you will get the same benefits through our online education.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s idea was simple. Namely, he would open a cyber Ani & Funny office to give them online teaching. He exined that it was necessary to form a team of like-minded students for this. In addition, the team should include a variety of members with specific talent who canplete an animation work among themselves. When theypleted a work, Ani & Funny experts would give professional coaching, and rework it to make it perfect. ¡°If your animation works generate profits, I¡¯ll give you due credit for that, along with the copyright fee,¡± said Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo nned to hire some of the students with real talent as part-timers or even full-time employees. He continued, ¡°I think using the existing inte cafe poses a security problem, so let me create a new one under the name of Ani & Funny. Everyone can join the cafe freely, but each team¡¯s material should be essed by the relevant team only.¡± The students immediately gathered to form their own teams on the spot. After a heated discussion, they formed five teams. Hyunwoo felt the number of teams would increase rapidly when the rumor spread on the inte that Any & Funny was open to those wishing to join its cyber animation cafe. Hyunwoo intended to ept all the students but limit the number of their teams. It would take too much time of the Ani & Funny staff if too many teams submitted their animation works for coaching. Now, the remaining problem was what to do with 28 students who already quit school. Hyunwoo could not send them back home, saying that they could join the cyber animation cafe. He let out a sigh for a moment, looking at them nkly. But he said it as if he decided, ¡°You guys just learn here and stay with us at the office.¡± They yelled for great joy. It waste at night when Hyunwoo came back home. As soon as he entered the room, he turned on theputer and then logged in to Story Ma. By now, Yenam Noh might have sent him a reply as Hyunwoo expected. ¡°Oh, he has sent me a message!¡± Hyunwoo quickly opened it, with his heart throbbing. The contents were pretty ridiculous, though. Reading the message, Hyunwoo was speechless because it was so outrageous. ¡°What the heck is this guy?¡± grumbled Hyunwoo after letting out a sigh briefly. Chapter 197

Chapter 197

Yenam Noh was an entric man. Regardless of his way of speaking, he was too much on the defensive. He seemed convinced that anyone who contacted him had the intention ofmitting a terrorist act against him. Come to think of it, his actions were understandable to some extent. He was notorious for posting hatements on Story Ma. Lots of writers must have gotten stressed because of him, and some of them might have stopped writing. They would obviously bear a grudge against him. Some of them might have tried to meet him in person to do physical harm to him. In such a situation, someone offered to meet him suddenly. In his position, he might misunderstand that someone with malicious intent might try to approach him. Scratching his head, Hyunwoo said, ¡°I think I have to make him trust me first.¡± Hyunwoo wrote another message to him. Hyunwoo wanted to praise his ability, but it was risky. In Hyunwoo¡¯s mind, Yenam didn¡¯t show his ability not by his own efforts or determination but by some sort of inspiration. His strength was that whenever he noticed a certain work, he would immediately feel drawn to it before he knew. In short, instant immersion was his unique strength, but if he began to recognize his strength like that, what will happen? Hyunwoo was concerned that Yenam might not be able to immerse himself like before because he might try to use it to achieve his own purpose. Even if I hire him, let me give him an assignment that has nothing to do with Ani & Funny. Come to think of it, he felt Yenam could work for KOVE DREAM. KOVE DREAM was always short of hands. There were various types of work, such as manual work at the warehouse or receiving calls inside the office or working on theputer. Hyunwoo took out any words rted to animation in his second message to Yenam. Instead, he focused on themon taste and preferences that he had with Yenam. Hyunwoo also said he wanted to work with Yenam. The next morning Hyunwoo stopped by the construction site of the research center. The farming ground for grasshoppers waspleted already. His mother Jisook was a meticulous woman. In the past, she farmed grasshoppers in the backyard for a while and found that mass farming created a headache, so she wanted to have a grasshopper farming lot with the proper amount of space. The new dormitory for the iing students was nearingpletion, with the ribbon-cutting ceremony due one monthter. He then headed to the construction site of the new KOVE DREAM warehouse. Though the construction started a long time ago, there was still a lot of work to do because they decided to build the research center and the dormitory first. As the new warehouse was pretty big, KOVE DREAM staff would not have to worry about the space of the warehouse anymore. In the meantime, Hyunwoo kept hiring more people. The male staff already increased to ten, including Hwasik Kang. Hyunwoo hired one more female candidate. She had no knowledge of trade, but she was skilled in typing and had a beautiful voice. In short, she was right for the job of receiving calls from customers and checking the stock at the warehouse. ¡°So, how do you feel as you have another woman helping you?¡± said Hyunwoo jokingly, looking at Songjong. ¡°What¡¯s the point of hiring one more? My workloads are increasing so quickly. Why don¡¯t you hire two or three if you want to really help me? You¡¯re making lots of money but very stingy about hiring, I think,¡± she grumbled. Hyunwoo scratched his head at that. Though he felt he took care of herint, it seemed he had to do more to help her. In fact, there was an increase in the existing workload with the hiring of Hwasik Kang because KOVE DREAM had to handle the business rted to customs clearance, which Hyunwoo used to leave to the licensed customs agent. Besides, there was an explosive growth in sales, too. At the beginning of the month, he expected a revenue of 1.5 billion won in sales, but now, it was approaching 1.7 billion. In fact, all the participants of the KOVE DREAM team recorded a sales increase since the trade fair in Seoul recently as the rumor spread that their products were good quality. Most of the participatingpanies saw their sales grow by 50%, and somepanies even grew by 200%. For this reason, most of the local Koreanpanies in Vietnam were anxious to join KOVE DREAM. In that respect, Sonjong¡¯sint made sense. Hyunwoo wanted to entrust Sonjong and Juhwan with running KOVE DREAM. The ideal solution would be for Juwan to take care of the warehouse while Sonjong managed the office. Both of them were verypetent to carry out their work. Hyunwoo asked Sonjong, ¡°How many more do you need to hire? ¡°I think we need at least five more. At least, we should not get anyints from the customers that the line is busy all the time.¡± ¡°Okay, just hire as many as you want, Sonjong. It¡¯s your responsibility to hire them. If you need any further help, just let me know. You can text me if it¡¯s urgent.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± asked Sonjong, as if she was surprised by his ready approval. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Let me hire them immediately. I¡¯ll let you know about the candidates once I pick them up for you to interview.¡± ¡°You take care of the interview, too. Just assume you¡¯re the president of KOVE DREAM and run the office. Would you want to help her, advisor Kang?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± replied Mr. Kang, nodding his head. She tried to get reassurances from Hyunwoo once more by saying, ¡°Great. Don¡¯t me meter, okay?¡± Hyunwoo also told Juwhan to hire people if he needed to. But Juhwan reacted very cautiously, ¡°Phew. How can I...¡± But when Hyunwoo delegated authority to him, Juhwan appreciated his sincerity and nodded, ¡°Got it. Will do as instructed.¡± Leaving the KOVE DREAM office, he stopped by N&C Korea briefly, which he felt was running alright. Finally, he headed for the office of Ani & Funny around lunchtime. When he entered the office, he received a call from Myunhoon Koh. As soon as he confirmed the caller¡¯s name, Hyunwoo giggled because he knew why Myunghoon called him. Pretending not to know his intention, however, Hyunwoo asked, ¡°What¡¯s up, buddy?¡± ¡°Can I report to the office in Ansan starting in July?¡± Hyunwoo barely held backughing to hear that. There was only one reason he wanted to go to the trouble of moving to the Ansan office instead of workingfortably at home in Seoul: Yu Zuung whose end of term was in July. Hyunwoo was a bit concerned about Myunghoo¡¯s behavior. He had a secret crush on her, but it seemed she was not interested in him at all as her potential boyfriend. ¡°Got it. Let me arrange a seat for you then,¡± said Hyunwoo. He then thought about which seat Myunghoo would take. Given his affection for her, Hyunwoo might want to have him sit right next to Yu Zuung, but that was not the main reason. In fact, she needed to have a brisk exchange of opinion with him because they both specialized in developing the facial expressions of animation characters. Jungah, who seemed to like Myunghoon, was already down in Ansan because her spring semester was over. With the addition of Myunghoon and Yu Zuung to the office, Hyunwoo felt the Ansan office would be full ofpetent staff. When he entered the office, he found the students already gathered in groups, watching the staff installing office equipment here and there. Hyunwoo called them to one side, ¡°Hey,e here everybody!¡± They rushed to the ce where Hyunwoo called them to gather. A total of 28 students came today, and they had all quit high school to pursue their dreams of animation. As they made the hard decision, they would have to work hard to achieve their goals. Hyunwoo felt their creativity coulde out of their actual experiences, and the best experience they could have during school days would be traveling and working atpanies as trainees. What was more important to them was that they should n and go through such experiences without anybody¡¯s help. ¡°In that respect, you guys should travel at least two times per month. Divide your teams into four and fix the ce and date of your travel. Let me give you financial support, including travel expenses.¡± The students¡¯ eyes opened wider with a big surprise. Even the mere word ¡®travel¡¯ thrilled them. ¡°Got it, sir!¡± replied they in a loud voice. All of them had a pretty thrilled expression when Hyunwoo mentioned ¡®travel.¡¯ ¡°Just go ahead and make your own travel teams.¡± As soon as he said that, they instantly began to form their own teams. Looking at them with a smile, he went upstairs. Saying hello to the staff, he sat in his desk and logged in to theputer. There was a message waiting for him. It was Yenam Noh¡¯s message. He opened the message dly. This time, too, his message was disappointing. Yenam didn¡¯t trust Hyunwoo at all. Yenam thought Hyunwoo lied when he said he was searching for talented animation people and hiring him. Hyunwoo smiled at that. ¡°It looks like there were lots of writers who bear a grudge against him. That¡¯s why you should have thought twice when you posted hatements, man.¡± Hyunwoo thought he would have to change Yenam¡¯s attitude if thetter decided to join hispany, but Hyunwoo¡¯s immediate task was to show Yenam the specific evidence. Hyunwoo sent him another message just in one line. Chapter 198

Chapter 198

Hyunwoo was confident enough to show Yenam the specific evidence. Then, he would not be able to avoid Hyunwoo anymore. Hyunwoo was really curious about Yenam. The next morning Hyunwoo found a message from Yenam. With a tense feeling, Hyunwoo opened his message, but it was not sent by Yenam. The message started with something really unexpected. Yenam¡¯s behavior missed his expectation all the time. Howe Yenam¡¯s father sent a message to him? What¡¯s more ridiculous was the phrase ¡®Yenam¡¯s father.¡¯ Hyunwoo thought momentarily that maybe Yenam might be his real name, not pen name. The message showed how concerned Yenam¡¯s father was about his son. Reading the message, Hyunwoo could figure out what kind of situation he was in now. Yenam was an adult without a job. He had no particr talent, he was not a smart student and he might be physically handicapped, Hyunwoo thought. Given that his father, not Yenam, sent the message, Yenam seemed to be chicken-hearted, timid and indecisive. Hyunwoo was at a loss of how to respond to the message. Without exining Yenam¡¯s capability, Hyunwoo felt he could not persuade Yenam¡¯s father why he tried to hire him. After some hard thinking, he giggled and then began topose the message. In less than ten minutes after Hyunwoo sent the message, Yenam¡¯s father replied. Obviously, he was also waiting for Hyunwoo¡¯s response. Hyunwoo hastily sent back the message. It¡¯s 5:40 pm now. Let me insert the word ¡®Wee¡¯ at the end of thetest message on the public bulletin page at 6 pm. And then let me insert the word ¡®Wee¡¯ at the end of the title of the first series of ¡®Tuti & Angelica¡¯. I¡¯ll keep the word for ten minutes before deleting it. Isn¡¯t it enough to prove that I¡¯m the owner of the twopanies? Please give me a reply right now. Let me ask my staff to work on that exactly at 6 pm.> Hyunwoo felt as if he was shooting a spy movie but didn¡¯t care at all. He waited until 6 pm and then posted the bulletin on KOVE DREAM¡¯s website and the retitling of the Tuti & Angelica animation series. Then, he sent Yenam a confirmation message. Yenam said he confirmed it. Hyunwoo sent the message: But Yenam didn¡¯t reply. It looked like he didn¡¯t change his mind, but he was very careful about meeting Hyunwoo. He didn¡¯t call or send any messages until that evening. The next morning, Hyunwoo checked the message box as soon as he got up. There were two messages waiting for him, but they were not from Yenam. ¡°What the heck is this? Why hasn¡¯t he yet replied?¡± Hyunwoo initially wanted to send him another message urging for his quick reply but decided to wait until the afternoon. It was obvious that Yenam didn¡¯t ignore Hyunwoo¡¯s message but was hesitating until thest minute. When he came out of his house, his cell phone buzzed. Confirming the caller¡¯s number, he found it was new to him. His eyes opened wide at that. It might be Yenam¡¯s call. He cautiously picked up the phone, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Hyunwoo Jang.¡± The other party identified himself in a very prudent voice, ¡°Hello. I¡¯m Yenam¡¯s father.¡± A smile came to Hyunwoo¡¯s lips before he knew. He thought Yenam¡¯s father would respond with a message, but he called in person. That suggested Yenam decided to identify himself. Even though he contacted Hyunwoo through his father, it was more important to Hyunwoo to realize the meeting. ¡°Nice to talk to you like this. Thanks for calling me. You have made a difficult decision,¡± said Hyunwoo, praising him. But Yenam¡¯s father was still wary, ¡°Are you sure you want to hire my son? Giving him a sry, too?¡± ¡°Sure. I am not sure if he will be satisfied with the sry. By the way, is Yenam his real name?¡± ¡°Yes, it is. I gave him that name, reflecting my wish that he should be a courteous man. I haven¡¯t thought in advance that it sounds awkward if his given name isbined with hisst name. By the way, he is 33 years old this year.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. I¡¯m 33 years old, too. He¡¯s just my age. Anyway, I would like to work with him. If he makes the decision, I will hire him for at least one year,¡± said Hyunwoo confidently. ¡°What happens after one year then?¡± ¡°If Yenam can¡¯t find the kind of job he wants, I can¡¯t help him anymore. Is he working at apany right now?¡± ¡°No, not really. I¡¯m ashamed to say this, but he isn¡¯t good at anything.¡± ¡°Well, he has nothing to lose anyway. He is guaranteed a job at least for one year. Let¡¯s meet for further discussion.¡± ¡°Got it. We¡¯re avable anytime, so let me know when it¡¯s convenient for you. As for the meeting ce, I would like to see you at the Olympic Park in front of the city hall of Suwon...¡± Yenam¡¯s father told him about the location in detail. Hyunwoo had no reason to drag on. ¡°Let me leave for that ce now. I¡¯ll call this number when I get there.¡± ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll be waiting for you with Yenam there.¡± Hyunwoo quickly headed for the meeting ce and then called his number. When he called, he heard the bell right behind him at the sametime. ¡°Are you Mr. Hyunwoo Jang...?¡± Hyunwoo quickly turned his head. Two men were looking at him. One of them was standing, and the other was in a wheelchair. Hyunwoo cast a nce to the man in a wheelchair, thinking he might be Yenam. Given his physical condition, Yenam had been wounded a long time ago. As the lower part of his body was ufortable, he obviously had to stay in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Suddenly what his father had said came to his mind. When he heard that, Hyunwoo guessed he must be ovee with defeatism, but he now knew that his father said that because of his son¡¯s handicapped situation. Hyunoo quickly approached him to say hello, ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Hyunwoo Jang. Are you Yenam¡¯s father?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s nice to see you. He is my son, Yenam.¡± Hyunwoo held Yenam¡¯s hand, and Yenam reached out his hand and bowed to him. Hyunwoo sat on the bench along with Yenam and his father. ¡°Looks like your legs are an inconvenience,¡± said Hyunwoo. Yenam hesitated in replying as if he expected his father to speak for him. Looking at him quietly, Hyunwoo felt Yenam had also a psychological problem. It looked as if he was suffering from autism. Chapter 199

Chapter 199

Yenam¡¯s father didn¡¯t ept his son¡¯s apparent request. He pressed his son to confront the problem on his own and solve it. Only then did his son Yenam cautiously begin to talk. ¡°I have been physically handicapped like this since I was young...¡± It seemed he had an inferiorityplex about his handicapped status. That was quite understandable. In his shoes, Hyunwoo would have felt the same. When Hyunwoo met him in person, though, he was a bit worried. Above all, he was concerned about how he could find a suitable job for him. But in Hyunwoo¡¯s mind, there was nobody in the world who was not needed in society. The only difference was that there were some who were more fortunate and those who were less fortunate. Given the right job, Yenam could carry it out, though he might not be as good as others. When he met Yenam, Hyunwoo found he had a good character. And he could not find any trace of his image as a notorious cyberbully. He even looked kind-hearted. Hyunwoo bought a soft drink from a vending machine and handed it to him. And then he talked with Yenam about the job he was interested in, ¡°Are you good at using theputer?¡± ¡°I can type fast, but don¡¯t know much about anything else...¡± ¡°What is your major?¡¯ ¡°I have no college diploma.¡± The more Hyunwoo talked with Yenam, thetter¡¯s voice shrank. With a bright smile, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Well, I¡¯ve got only a high school diploma. How many characters can you type per minute?¡± ¡°Over 700 per minute.¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s great! I can only type 400 per minute.¡± Yenam scratched his head as if he felt awkward about Hyunwoo¡¯s praise. ¡°Well, I¡¯m just good at typing. Though I can¡¯t speak English well, I can type English words, about 200 words per minute.¡± His father seemed to rev up at his son¡¯s confident reply. ¡°In fact, my son can read very fast. It looks like he can read four times as fast as ordinary readers. And he can figure out the exact meaning of what he has read. He is also very good at the four fundamental arithmetic calctions.¡± Hearing his exnation, Hyunwoo found Yenam had various specialties. ¡°Oh, that sounds good. I think you can make good use of your talent. In fact, we need office workers.¡± Of course, there were no suitable jobs for Yenam, but Hyunwoo needed some excuse to grab him. ¡°When can you report to work? By the way, we have a dormitory in Ansan. If you need it, I can arrange for you to stay there.¡± ¡°Really? Even my amodations?¡± Yenam and his father were greatly surprised. Smiling at them, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Don¡¯t you think I have to offer amodations to those from faraway ces, to say the least? I¡¯m doing business like that.¡± Yenam and his father still seemed not to trust Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo asked once again, ¡°Can youe to our Ansan office starting tomorrow? Or do you want me to wait a little more?¡± ¡°Please give me several days. I¡¯m just confused a lot. Let me go back home and sort out my thoughts...¡± Yenam¡¯s father also hesitated. It seemed he wascking in decisiveness and challenging spirit. ¡°Got it. I would assume youe to report next Mon. Is that enough for you? ¡°Yea, I think so...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s sign the hiring contract next Monday. The contract money is 10 million won per year. As soon as you sign the contract, let me wire the money into your bank ount.¡± ¡°What, 10 million won!¡± Yenam and his father¡¯s jaws dropped at Hyunwoo¡¯s offer. Hyunwoo just smiled at them without saying anything. Two dayster, Hyunwoo arranged time for another visit to Suwon, where Yenam and his father lived. Unlike his haggard appearance two days ago, Yenam looked good, dressed in a clean suit. As it was the first day of his reporting to work, Yenam was a bit tense. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to bother you like this,¡± said Yenam¡¯s father. ¡°Not at all. Though it might be difficult for you to get ustomed to living in a different area, you have to try to ovee it. If you make it at least one month, you can get by on your own. No matter how hard you find it, you have to deal with it in a positive manner,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Yes, sir...¡± replied Yenam in a feeble voice. Though his father volunteered to apany his son, Hyunwoo stopped. ¡°From now on, he needs to learn to stand on his own feet. Though you might be worried, you have to be patient. Please call him often, though.¡± ¡°Got you. Hope he is in your good hands.¡± Hyunwoo headed to Ansan with Yenam, and gave him lots of advice inside the car. Yenam might have felt Hyunwoo¡¯s advice as a sort of nagging initially, but his facial expression began to change slowly when Hyunwoo told him about his difficult days during his childhood. ¡°Well, though I didn¡¯t express my genuine feelings because my parents might get disappointed, I really wanted to give up everything and kill myself in the past,¡± said Hyunwoo frankly, but he overcame it because he felt there would unfold a rosy future for him once he went through the hard times. ¡°Thanks to my positive attitude many people around me began to recognize me, which has made me what I am today.¡± Yenam was surprised. When he heard about Hyunwoo¡¯s childhood days, Hyunwoo went through much more difficult times than he. Yenam seemed to renew his determination for some reason. Looking at him, Hyunwoo felt good as his own story influenced him positively. As expected, Yenam was autistic. Hyunwoo confirmed it by calling his father, but his symptoms were not as severe as he thought. By the time they arrived in Ansan, Yenam seemedfortable with talking to Hyunwoo. They arrived at the KOVE DREAM office. Its staff including Hwasik Kang numbered 26, including seven office workers and 18 warehouse workers. When Hyunwoo gave a greenlight, Sonjong and Juwhan began to hire people immediately. Hyunwoo took Yenam into the office. Hwasik already left the office for the day, and there were lots of women employees only. Was it because of them? Yenam was getting tense again. Giggling at that, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Hey, Sonjong, he is a new hire I told you about the other day.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Nice to meet you!¡± Sonjong greeted Yenam with open hands, and other female staff also weed him. Actually, Hyunwoo made a special request to the staff about this in advance. Right after he met Yenam, Hyunwoo stopped by KOVE DREAM and told the staff about Yenam, adding that he would hire him as a full-time staffer. As soon as she heard Hyunwoo¡¯s n to hire him, Sonjong initially raised an objection. Showing a violent temper, she spoke as if she wanted to fight with Hyunwoo, ¡°What the heck is this? Just because you¡¯re the owner, you can hire any man you want, right? In fact, I¡¯ll have to treat him like my boss, as you know.¡± Hyunwoo expected she would react like that. He didn¡¯t feel her challenge regrettable, though. So, he tried to persuade her with a special request. Though he didn¡¯t tell her about Yenam¡¯s extraordinary ability, he didn¡¯t tell her. He just told her that he needed Yenam badly and asked her to help him get adjusted to the new surroundings here. After all, Sonjong followed Hyunwoo¡¯s request. ¡°Phew. I am not sure if other staff members will follow my direction,¡± she said. As expected, she didn¡¯t hold any grudges against Hyunwoo. Once she decided to respect Hyunwoo¡¯s decision, she moved quickly. She prepared a specific assignment for Yenam and asked other female staff for cooperation, conveying Hyunwoo¡¯s special request. Yenam¡¯s assignment was nothing particr. Literally, he was supposed to take care of typing that even a middle school boy could do, but somebody in the office had to do it, which made it the perfect job for Yenam. Sonjong guided Yenam to his seat. ¡°This is your seat, brother.¡± Yenam was pleasantly surprised to hear her calling him, ¡°brother.¡± Smiling at him, she said, ¡°I heard you¡¯re 33 years old. Though I¡¯m married with two babies, I¡¯m only 30 now. Let me call you brother from now on, but you should call me a manager. You know that you should use honorifguage in the office regardless of age, right?¡± ¡°Got it, Manager Kim.¡± Yenam replied politely as if a school boy followed a teacher¡¯s order. ¡°These three women reported to work starting yesterday, so they¡¯re your seniors. Please don¡¯t forget to add the title ¡®assistant manager¡¯ when you call them. I won¡¯t sit idle if you treat them roughly because they¡¯re younger than you,¡± said Sonjong jokingly. Yenam seemed scared at that and replied, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll keep it in mind.¡± Looking at them, Hyunwoo let out a sigh silently. I wonder if he can adjust well here. But he felt reassured after watching Sonjong manage his staff. The more he watched Sonjong, the more he liked her working style. She was not only good at handling her work but also excellent in managing her staff. Looks like I have to give her a special bonus next month, and promote her sooner orter by creating a suitable position for her. With some additional directions, Hyunwoo left the KOVE DREAM office. Hyunwoo now headed to the office of Ani & Funny to cheer up the staff there. He stopped by the first floor where there were some staff members assigned to functional work and the students. Some of the students were absorbed inputer games. They were so focused on it that they didn¡¯t even sense that Hyunwoo entered the first floor and watched them enjoying games. Chapter 200

Chapter 200

The moment he witnessed some students absorbed inputer games, Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes sparkled with anger. Of course, he didn¡¯t regardputer games as bad. It was permissible to enjoy them as one way to get rid of stress, but the thing was that they should know when and where to yputer games. Right now, they were in the office during the official working hours. All of them came here after quitting school to devote themselves to animation work. Hyunwoo was well aware of the negative effects of game addiction. Once they were addicted, it would be more difficult for them to get their hands off it than narcotics. Hyunwoo could not give them a pass. He had to punish them in order to set an example for other students. If he was lenient with them this time, this problem would crop up again. Controlling his anger, Hyunwoo put his hand on a student lost in aputer game. ¡°What the heck are you doing?¡± The students right beside the student turned their heads after they heard Hyunwoo¡¯s voice. Most of them were analyzing the story for their animation ideas, but the student in question didn¡¯t get wind of the situation at all. As he was wearing headphones, he could hardly hear Hyunwoo¡¯s voice. The student even threw a tantrum because he was disturbed by somebody. After all, another student exined to him in an urgent voice. Only then did the student turned back to find Hyunwoo standing behind him, watching him yingputer games. Stunned, he sprang to his feet. He was so embarrassed that he didn¡¯t know what to do. In a calm voice Hyunwoo told him, ¡°Just turn off the monitor.¡± Hyunwoo called him to the conference table. Two other students who were also caught yingputer games were also called in. Hyunwoo was speechless for a while, pondering over how to punish them. The students cast a nce at him, with their heads lowered as if they were guilty. Finally, Hyunwoo made a decision and said, ¡°You guys, go home now.¡± They raised their heads suddenly at his shocking deration. They looked at each other as if they were double-checking what they had just heard. Hyunwoo reconfirmed his decision, ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re doing harm to other students by disturbing the atmosphere? Pack your stuff today.¡± Hyunwoo cut off their excuses coldly and stood up as if he didn¡¯t need to hear their excuses. ¡°We¡¯re so sorry. Please forgive us just once.¡± One of the students dropped to his knees on the floor, so did the other two, asking for forgiveness, but Hyunwoo didn¡¯t relent at all. ¡°I don¡¯t change my decision easily once I have made it. And you guys should take responsibility for your behavior.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t do it again. I¡¯m serious.¡± ¡°Please forgive me this time only!¡± They asked for his forgiveness earnestly, but Hyunwoo didn¡¯t budge a bit. Without even looking at them, he went upstairs. Other students who watched the scene quickly erased the downloaded games from theirputers. They were also ying the games, but fortunately, they were not caught. The atmosphere of the first floor turned cold instantly. As soon as he went upstairs, Hyunwoo announced that he would expel the three students caught ying games downstairs. Surprised by Hyunwoos¡¯ bombshell announcement, Kyungsu asked him in detail. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Hyunwoo exined to him what had happened downstairs, adding that he wanted to set the example by punishing them. Scratching his head for a moment, Kyungsu asked for a sole meeting with Hyunwoo. They entered the president¡¯s office, namely Hyunwoo¡¯s exclusive room on the second floor. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s too harsh a measure for their behavior? Why don¡¯t you think twice about it?¡± asked Kyungsu. ¡°Other students can be contaminated by such students.¡± ¡°But you have to think about their future. They quit school toe here. Where should they go if they are expelled?¡± Of course, Hyunwoo was aware of that. But if he can¡¯t punish them for that reason, he would see the same thing happening again and again. At that moment, somebody knocked on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± It was the students in question who knocked on the door. Given that their eyes were bloodshot, obviously, they cried and repented. As soon as they entered the office, they sank to their knees and bowed to them. ¡°Please forgive us!¡± ¡°There is nowhere we can go once we are expelled from here.¡± Still, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t show any reaction. They kept repeating they were sorry, showing tears to prove they were serious, but Hyunwoo¡¯s reaction was icy. ¡°Don¡¯t show me your ugly gesturing. Just pack up your stuff and go home. I can give you a ride back home.¡± Kyungsu looked at them with a regretful look, but at that moment Hyunwoo winked at him without them knowing it, suggesting he had a good idea for taking care of this matter. And then Hyunwoo stood up and left the office. When he left, Kyungsu clicked his tongue, ¡°Tut, tut. Howe you guys are ying games in the office? Don¡¯t you know how much he hates that?¡± Hyunwoo left the office and quickly headed for the construction site. Originally, he nned to install aputer in each room of the dormitory, but he was worried the whole dormitory would change into a game room. At the same time, he didn¡¯t want to force them to focus on studying only. He felt there needed to be some kind of mechanism for the students to relieve their stress. When he arrived at the construction site near his house, he saw that the farming ground for grasshoppers was filled with grasshoppers already. Right beside the farming ground was the processing facility, still under construction. On a low hill adjacent to a street, various construction projects were underway such as the research center, a dormitory and the third factory of Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom. It looked like all the buildings would bepleted within one month. Sanggon Ahn, the builder who was responsible for the construction, was seen hopping here and there to supervise the construction. ¡°Brother!¡± Sanggon turned his head at Hyunwoo¡¯s call. ¡°Oh, what¡¯s up? Why are youing here every day? Are you monitoring me? Hahaha.¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m. What if you run away without paying me back?¡± said Hyunwoo, making fun of him. ¡°Hahaha. Why don¡¯t you bind me with chains?¡± said Sanggon,ughing heartily. Laughing with him, Hyunwoo brought up the topic, ¡°Well, I want an annex right next to the dormitory, so that the students can walk around in slippers.¡± ¡°I think I have to make a passage to that building then. Why are you suddenly asking me to do so? Do you have a blueprint?¡± ¡°Not yet. I just thought about it today.¡± Hyunwoo exined to him about the use of the new annex. There should be noputer or TV set in the dormitory, let alone desks. Only beds and wardrobes will be installed. Instead, the annex will be equipped with not onlyputers and TV sets but also table tennis or fitness rooms for the students¡¯ welfare. Hearing his briefing, Sanggon nodded and said, ¡°There is enough space right next to the dormitory. I can break the wall between the first and second floor to make the hallway.¡± ¡°I hope you can make the blueprint for that and go ahead, brother. Let me write down the list of the necessary rooms for specific purposes and let you know.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± At the construction site, Hyunwoo was mulling over the various uses of the new dormitory from the standpoint of the students. At that moment, he had a call from his advisor, Hwasik Kang. ¡°Our application for the bonded warehouse was approved. I just stopped by the customs office and received the official approval letter and certificate.¡± ¡°Really? Let mee to the office right now.¡± When he arrived at the KOVE DREAM office, they already had the approval letter framed and hung on the wall. The atmosphere of the office was pretty good. Hwasik spent the whole day in the office, saying he felt much better there than at home. Yenam was also getting along well with the staff. In particr, Yenam handled his work very well. In the meantime, it was already getting dark. Let me go back to the office of Ani & Funny. On this asion, let me give them a harsh lesson and make theme to their senses. He went back to the office. After packing their stuff, the students were waiting for Hyunwoo. Their faces were a mess of tears and a snot, but Hyunwoo was calm. As soon as he arrived at the office, he called them and opened the rear door of his van for them to get in. ¡°Hey, get in. Let me give you a ride back home.¡± His voice was sharp, and it was evident that they could make him take back his decision. They also gave up and exchanged parting words with their remaining friends. ¡°Sorry. Do your best, man¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give up even if you¡¯re out. Let¡¯s meet again after we make a sess.¡± Hyunwoo pressed, ¡°Hey, enough is enough. Just get in quickly!¡± When they got in, Hyunwoo started right away. The students in the back seats began to shed tears again but didn¡¯t ask for him to change his mind again as if they were resigned to the situation. Hyunwoo felt the right time came. Their repenting all day long took the same effect as expelling them from Ani & Funny. Actually, he didn¡¯t have any intention to expel them. Like Kyungsu said, they gave up school toe to Ani & Funny. Hyunwoo had no right to ruin the future of such students for their one-time mistake. That¡¯s why he reacted so coldly today to establish a firm discipline by punishing them. Hyunwoo thought of a n in advance. He felt that method would bring about the intended effect. Chapter 201

Chapter 201

There was a lot of traffic on the Seoul-bound highway. Hyunwoo just drove his car without saying anything, and the students in the back seat were looking out the window silently, all wearing a nk expression. Then, Hyunwoo¡¯s cell phone buzzed. Confirming the caller, he curled his lips a bit. Jinhon has a clear sense of keeping time. Hyunwoo called Jinhon before he entered the office of Ani & Funny, asking him to call backter. Now was the exact time that he was supposed to call. The reason he called Jinhon was simple. He wanted Jinhon to instill a strong enthusiasm into their minds. These days Jinhon was continuing a dreamy record on the Billboard Chart, with his Duckling Fly ranked 2nd on the ¡®Billboard Hot 100¡ä. Besides, he was chasing the woman pop star Lynia by a narrow margin. As Duckling Fly was so popr, it was reportedly a matter of time that Jinhon would overtake her to im the top ranking. Hyunwoo answered the phone with the speaker on, so that the students could also hear his conversation with Jinhon. ¡°Uncle, I finally got the top ranking on the Billboard Chart!¡± Hyunwoo let out a horrible shriek, hitting the steering wheel with his hand, ¡°Assa!¡± ¡°Boohoo. Thanks so much, uncle. Thanks a million.¡± Jinhon suddenly began sobbing when he heard Hyunwoos¡¯ voice. There was heard Ang¡¯s voice next to her, who also was sobbing. Hyunwoo got choked up at that as he knew how hard times were when Jinhon went to the United States. Jinhon traveled on a through many cities for performances, even skipping sleep. Ang must have had hard times, too, as she apanied her. Jinhon¡¯s top rank in the Billboard Chart was the fruit of his dedicated efforts. Hiding his excited voice, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Ranking on the chart is meaningless because the ranking can change. Even if you were ranked top today, that doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re different from what you were yesterday. So, don¡¯t dwell on the ranking too much. Just focus on your music.¡± ¡°Still...Boohoo...I like it so much. I don¡¯t know how to express my extreme joy now.¡± ¡°I feel as good as you. I would like to shout at the top of my voice, but don¡¯t change overnight. Don¡¯t be a star. You should be a true musician.¡± ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll never forget your favor!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention anything like ¡®favor.¡¯ Thanks to your activities, I¡¯m making lots of money, so I would like to thank you. Let me give a piece of advice.¡± ¡°Yes, go ahead, please.¡± ¡°You can make a sess once by a coincidence, but you need to show your true ability to achieve a second sess. Try not to get the kind of cynical idea that you have be a star by sheer luck. Show that you¡¯ve be a star with your own hard work. You know how you can achieve that, right?¡± ¡°Yes, let me work harder.¡± Hyunwoo intentionally raised his voice, so that the students in the back could hear. ¡°If you stop practicing because you don¡¯t have time, you willg behind before you know it. So, you should try to make time for your creative activity.¡± ¡°Let me keep it in mind. In fact, I am preparing for the next song with Ang whenever I can find the time.¡± ¡°Sure, that sounds good. How can you fail when you keep working like that? I believe you can hit the jackpot if you keep working harder.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo felt he walked on air. He felt as if he won the top ranking of the Billboard Chart. What¡¯s more encouraging was that the upward trend in Jinhon¡¯s poprity was continuing. The number of hits on his music video on YouTube already exceeded 200 million, registering an explosive growth every day. Jinhon could not appear on domestic TV programs because of Taesu Ahn¡¯s obstruction. So, he only pursued the people¡¯s following on the inte. But thanks to Jinhon¡¯s top ranking on the Billboard Chart, the domestic media outlets werepetitively covering Duckling Fly. Everywhere they went, Jinhon¡¯s music video was quite a vogue. On the street, in the restaurant or clothing store, at the bar or club, Jinhon¡¯s song continued to y out everywhere. Garbage World was also catching poprity. The moment Duckling Fly was listed on the Billboard Chart, the number of hits on the animation work saw a sharp increase in Story Ma, along with Tuti & Angelica. As a matter of fact, the top four animation works in Story Ma were produced by Ani & Funny. That¡¯s why many writers sent messages demanding that Any & Funny should switch to a paid subscription system as soon as possible because other animation works had no chance of winning poprity because of Ani & Funny. Anyway, Any & Funny became the byword of a box office hit thanks to Jinhon. The more Hyunwoo thought about Jinhon, the more he wanted to praise him. Maybe the students in the back must have felt as excited to hear about Jinhon¡¯s great news. Hyunwoo instantly looked at them in the rear mirror. They were silently looking at him, too. When their eyes met his, they quickly lowered their heads. Hyunwoo threw a question abruptly, ¡°Aren¡¯t you envious of Jinhon?¡± ¡°Yes, pretty much,¡± said they in unison. But their voice was barely audible because they were sulking. ¡°Why are you so crestfallen? Cheer up! Where you go, you can make a sess if you do your best,¡± he shouted to encourage them. But it was an empty call. They looked dejected all the more. ¡°Hey, guys. If someone sees me, he might regard me like a prison guard transferring criminals. You are not criminals, guys. Is it such a big offense that you yedputer games? Just straighten your shoulder.¡± Nheless, Hyunwoo¡¯s encouragement didn¡¯t move them. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t say anymore. Instead, he focused on driving. The traffic moved at a snail¡¯s pace. By the time Hyunwoo arrived in Seoul, it was already 7 pm. There was a restaurant nearby, so Hyunwoo took them there for dinner. ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner together as I am sorry if you part with me like this.¡± Hyunwoo roasted the meal for them, but they could not enjoy the meal. They again began shedding tears. Hyunwoo reduced the heat and called one of them in a low voice. ¡°Sungchan!¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Why are you crying?¡± When he was silent, Hyunwoo demanded, ¡°Tell me. I want to hear why you¡¯re crying.¡± Only then did Sungchan began to tell. He raised his voice gradually as if he was choked up, with tears raining down his cheek. ¡°I just can¡¯t understand why I was absorbed in games. I just feel so upset when I think I ruined my life because of it. I just hate myself because I didn¡¯t know how this could bring me such a serious consequence. I really can do well, but I am so annoyed to know I can¡¯t prove it now.¡± Hyunwoo replied in a calm voice, ¡°As you know, you live your life only once. And once time passes, it will nevere back. I just want to pursue the journey of life with those who value it. I am not interested in anyone who is not willing to pursue an intense life.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I think I was crazy for a moment. But I am not the type of person who doesn¡¯t value time. I quit school toe to Ani & Funny to lead an intense life.¡± ¡°Right, we were really crazy then. We were just absent-minded when we yed games. But believe our sincerity. We really risked our lives for sess in the animation field,¡± said another student. Hyunwoo felt their repent was more than enough to offset their mistakes. ¡°Are you guys really ready to lead an intense life?¡± ¡°...Uh?¡± As if they were stunned, the students raised their heads suddenly. For they felt something hopeful in his voice. ¡°I¡¯m asking you if you¡¯re really ready to work harder than anybody else if I give you one more chance. Are you really ready?¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± replied the students in unison, raising their tone. As their voice was so loud, other customers in the restaurant looked at them. Hyunwoo continued, ¡°I think trials can steel men¡¯s hearts more strongly. Maybe you must have gone through the trials this time. That means you should be more determined and stronger than other friends. When your friends are wavering, you should hold them tight. Got it?¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Their voice became louder, and a ray of hope was sparkling in their eyes. ¡°Good. Let me watch how strong you have be,pared with other students,¡± said Hyunwoo emphatically. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t preach anymore. ¡°Let¡¯s enjoy the meat. As soon as we¡¯re done, let¡¯s get back to Ansan.¡± Hyunwoo increased the heat. The pork belly on the broiler was stiff as it was boiled too much, so he removed it and put the new meat on it. Chapter 202

Chapter 202

Hyunwoo took the students back to the office of Ani & Funny in Ansan. As they spent lots of time in Seoul, it was quite dark when they arrived at the office. But not only the staff but also the other students were still working in the office. The atmosphere of the office was pretty somber. When Hyunwoo entered the office, some of the students tried to read his mind, as if they were scared of his strict punishment against their three friends who were caught yingputer games. But when they saw the threeing back, they felt a bit rxed. Hyunwoo wanted them to maintain a feeling of tension for some time because he didn¡¯t want to see the repetition of today¡¯s trouble. He called all of them to one corner and said, ¡°Originally, I didn¡¯t want to give them another chance because the same thing would happen again. But I noticed they were freshly determined while I was driving to Seoul. So, I decided to take the risk of giving them another chance.¡± They pped their hands before they knew. ¡°But I won¡¯t give them any further opportunity. Though it is a regrettable decision, I have no other choice in order to establish a strong discipline here. So, be careful not to be the subject of discipline. Got it?¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± replied the students, raising their voice. ¡°Let me point out one more thing. I told you this before, but let me remind you once again that those who aregging behind should leave. It doesn¡¯t make sense for you to stay here if you don¡¯t make any progress just because you came here first. Instead, I¡¯ll give other students a chance. You can show me your progress, right?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Hyunwoo was determined to put his words into action. At the appropriate time, he would expel those who disturbed the atmosphere or didn¡¯t make any tangible progress. If they saw their friends expelled, they would work harder, which would be an asion to make another Jinhon. Those who would be expelled from Ani & Funny might feel pretty regretful about Hyunwoo¡¯s decision and even feel resentment. They might even feel they were kicked out like killing a dog after hunting was over. So, Hyunwoo decided to give the expelled students some amount of severance pay. I think I have to open their bank ounts one by one without informing them. When Hyunwoo thought of Jinhon and Ang, he felt so good again. He heard that even when just one song hit the jackpot, the revenue would be enormous, which was true for the case of Duckling Fly. Ani & Funny¡¯s ad revenues of music streaming and the number of YouTube hits on Duckling Fly, sales revenue and the direct ads bypanies using the music video had amounted to 4 billion won already, even with the deduction of the payments to Jinhon, Ang and Jinyoung Paek. The box office hit of Garbage World was possible because of the poprity of Duckling Fly. In short, Jinhon was like a luck of lump to Hyunwoo. On the other hand, there was some room for improvement in Hyunwoo¡¯s opinion. The biggest share of Jinhon¡¯s revenue came from his music video ads. Though the indirect ad revenue was big, based on the number of hits on YouTube, he made much more as a CF model. Not only in the United States, the main stage of Jinhon and Ang, but also in Korea, Japan and China they were inundated with requests for CF shooting. So far they appeared on 17 CFs. Though many domesticpanies wanted to use them as CF models, they could not do so because of their conflicting schedules. Thanks to the celebrity of Jinhon and Angelica many people were making lots of money. If anypany gave them 300 million in payment for its CF model, it could enjoy the promotion effects worth 3 or 30 billion won. But Hyunwoo, owner of thepany that manages Jinhon and Ang, did not enjoy those kinds of promotional effects. He needed to maximize the publicity effect when their poprity was at an all-time high. The next morning Hyunwoo called Seungwoo Paek in the United States, his high school friend and former sales manager of N&C Korea. Even after he immigrated to the United States, he could not get rid of his intrinsic nature of itchy feet. He traveled across America from the east coast to the west coast, from the southernmost to the northernmost areas as if he were touring. When Hyunwoo called him, he thought that Seungwoo was in Houston, Texas, but now he was in Los Angeles. ¡°Are you happy there?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°Sure, I am. I would have had lots of hard times without money, but there is no heaven like America as I¡¯m financially stable, man.¡± After exchanging brief pleasantries, Hyunwoo brought up the main topic. It was about the advertisement for KOVE DREAM in the United States. Seungwoo weed his idea. ¡°Well, I see great minds think alike. Actually, I have been feeling the same way. Are you thinking of using Jinhon and Ang as your CF models?¡± ¡°You bet!¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Can you shoot an advertisement on KOVE using them? Let me pay for the production costa.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. As I take 30% of the profits, let me chip in,¡± said Seungwoo. ¡°Thanks, dude. Hahaha.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo called Unhye Kim, the general manager of N&C Japan for the same reason. She also dly agreed with his idea. Then, he called Kwangsu Han, the head of Real Film. Though he was not an expert in CF shooting, he knew many experts in the field. ¡°Shooting for CF? I think I have to travel to America to shoot the advertisement to have Jinon and Ang appear on it.¡± ¡°I guess so.¡± ¡°Do you have any good CF concept?¡± ¡°Hahaha. I¡¯ve got one, but it¡¯s not that good, so I¡¯m thinking of another one. Any good suggestions?¡± ¡°Well, it would be best to release such an ad on air through special programs like they do in Korea. It¡¯s impossible in the USA. Give me your idea, first.¡± ¡°It¡¯s vague at the moment, so let me tell you when I flesh it out.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± This time Hyunwoo called Jinhon about his CF shooting. Jinhon dly okayed it. ¡°Sure, uncle. I can make the time to shoot for the advertisement. Of course, I can do it free.¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t make it fee. Given the fairness of other ads, let me give you and Ang 100 million won each.¡± ¡°No, no. I won¡¯t take it. Instead, please indicate somewhere in the ad that we¡¯re appearing for the sake of our friendship with you. That will bring about more promotion effects.¡± Jinhon insisted. Ang was of the same opinion. Come to think of it, Hyunwoo felt their appearance for friendship was a good idea. In that case, their close association with KOVE would be known to the public naturally. ¡°Thanks. By the way, is there any progress in your efforts to search for your father, Ang?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± ¡°I guess it might be more effective if you reveal it to the press.¡± ¡°I think so. I¡¯ve been trying to find him privately, but it didn¡¯t work out well.¡± ¡°How about approaching this way?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°How?¡± Hyunwoo told her how to search for her father openly. It was a very provocative way to grab people¡¯s attention. Ang nodded to his idea. ¡°Oh, sounds great! I love that.¡± After calling Jinhon and Ang, Hyunwoo called Jinyoung this time. ¡°Are you busy these days, brother?¡± ¡°Not really. My friends in America are busy. I¡¯m free these days.¡± Actually, Jinyoung was so busy until recently that Hyunwoo could not call him. While he was shooting for the si Wolf & Fox, at the same time he was busy managing the business rted to Jinhon and Ang and training some new singers that he set an eye on. Moreover, he had to work very early in the morning when he had to take a break. Because of the time difference between Korea and the United States, he often had to call his business partners in their local time, which made him work until dawn. Now he was a bit freed from such a tight schedule. ¡°Can youe with me to the alternative music school Todolyipyo one of these days? They have some songs and dances that you might want to check out.¡± ¡°Really? Are you going to make another music video?¡± ¡°Yea. I guess they are okay, but still, there is somethingcking. Though the teachers and students are working hard, I don¡¯t see any big progress.¡± ¡°Got it. I cane with you two dayster. See you then.¡± Two dayster, Hyunwoo arrived at the alternative music school Todolyipyo. Jinyoung, who got there first, was waiting for him. ¡°Oh, you got here early, brother,¡± said Hyunwoo. But Jinyoung didn¡¯t look good. ¡°Hey, did you see this? I just have no idea what happened.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± said Hyunwoo, approaching him to check out theputer monitor. It was a personal blog run by Jinhon. There were already posted lots of contents on it. Some of them were Jinhon¡¯s personal music contents, and some of them were official bulletins posted by Ani & Funny. As if it boasted of the blog of a world star, there was a huge number of visits to the blog. So, Jinhon, as well as Ani & Funny, were very careful when they posted any content on it because any wrong content could deal a fatal blow to his poprity. Because of that risk factor, it was much better not to post any controversial content. But there were a few such things on it. Jinhon used some products and posted hisments on them. In fact, it was much better for him not to post suchments because suchments tended to be biased and partisan ording to the consumers¡¯ preferences. If he had to upload them, he needed toment on only good products, which would invite only a fewints. But Jinhon did it the opposite way. His postings focused on making fun of some products, not praising good products. Chapter 203

Chapter 203

Hisments were rather aggressive as if they were thements by someone who bore a grudge against thepany that made the product. ¡°What the hell is he doing now? I have to call him to delete suchments as soon as possible. Oh, you can delete here, right? Delete them as quickly as possible.¡± Jinyoung nervously urged Hyunwoo to take the action. But Hyunwoo didn¡¯t move. Rather he gave a confident smile to Jinyoung. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. In fact, I told him to do so.¡± Opening his eyes wider, Jinyoung asked, ¡°Did you tell him to do that? Why?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s noisy marketing.¡± Jinyoung made a nk expression. Checking his expression, Jinyoung felt Hyunwoo had some sort of trick in mind, but that was too risky in his eyes. Hyunwoo exined calmly, ¡°As you know, all the products here are made in Vietnam. Though he didn¡¯t reveal the brand of the products, they¡¯re all made by KOVEpanies in Vietnam. Soon KOVE DREAM will ask Jinhon for an open apology through the press.¡± Jinyoung was still confused but soon understood his intention. ¡°I wish you had consulted with me in advance, brother. I was really surprised.¡± ¡°Actually I was going to tell you when I met you today. But Jinhon quickly posted suchments. I thought he would upload them over the weekend.¡± Jinyoung nodded, but he was still nervous because there was a big uproar on his blog already. The visitors to his blog posted numerousments on his postings. As most of them were his fans, they supported hisments with replies such as ¡°They shouldn¡¯t sell those products,¡± and ¡°That¡¯s why Vietnam is a third-rate country.¡± But there were also manyments criticizing Jinhon¡¯s post,ining that a public figure like him should not post such recklessments on certain products. Jinyoung¡¯s face darkened all the more. ¡°This kind of noisy marketing is good as long as it achieves its goal, but isn¡¯t it too risky?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If you look at hisments, he doesn¡¯t attack the products directly. He just denounces them figuratively.¡± Jinyoung read hisments again. Hyunwoo was right. At a nce, hisments seemed to criticize the bad quality of the product in question, but there was no direct attack. For example, the lighter hemented on was a high-end one, so hemented it could find its use better as a gift than a lighter. Though hisment was a bit far-fetched, it could pass as one of the noisy marketing methods as intended by Hyunwoo. Only then did Jinyoung let out a sigh of relief. After a brief conversation like that, both of them entered the faculty room of the alternative music school. Soyun Han was not seen there. Obviously, she didn¡¯te because Jinyoung would most likely persuade her toe back. Of course, she decided toe out to the world by participating in the music video, as suggested by Hyunwoo. But it was a secret between her and Hyunwoo. She had to keep it secret and hide it to the end. Both Hyunwoo and Jinyoung went to the music room and heard the edited version of ¡®Temptation.¡¯ Jiah also danced to the tune of the song. Her dancing showed a different style as if it went through several changes with Soyun¡¯s coaching. As ayman on music, Hyunwoo just tried to get the feel of the music, but Jinyoung yed it several times with intense focus. And then he shook his head, saying, ¡°The song is good, the singer is good, and her dancing is good, but they don¡¯t match well...¡± He gave his feedback like an expert in the field. The principal and the teachers present there kept nodding at his sharp criticism. Suddenly Hyunwoo proposed an idea. ¡°What about Ang singing this song?¡± ¡°I am afraid she will find it hard to digest the feel of the song because her voice is too bright. And she is too young for the song,¡± said Jinyoung. Then he added, letting out a sigh, ¡°As a matter of fact, this song is perfect for Yuni.¡± Hyunwoo opened his eyes at that. ¡°Yuni? Are you talking about Soyun Han?¡± Jinyoung nodded. Hyunwoo was surprised to hear that. He had hardly seen her sing a song when she did activities as a member of Hey Girls. What she sang, if any, was kind of a simple rap song. ¡°I thought she was an excellent dancer. Is she also a good singer?¡± ¡°Not really, but she can¡¯t produce a high-pitched tone. But this song doesn¡¯t need that. This kind of sexy song fits her voice very well.¡± ¡°This song also contains lots of high tones.¡± ¡°Of course, it can be rearranged. If a high tone is needed, it can be reced with featuring.¡± At that moment Hyunwoo seemed to find a perfect solution. If Soyun can sing and dance together, it will have a more powerful impact when her real identity is revealedter. What¡¯s important was Soyun¡¯s intention. Hyunwoo was not sure whether she could agree. Let me ask her first. As she has decided to pluck up the courage, I hope she can do it. Jinyoung also pointed out some other problems of the song. ¡°I appreciate the unique melodies of the song, but its flow is not natural. I feel tired after hearing it a bit. On the other hand, the dancing is very good. If the dancing student can bring out the feel of the music, the song can be much more effective. I think you should focus on dancing rather than music.¡± The principal¡¯s face brightened at that. ¡°In fact, we prepared several other songs as you¡¯reing here. Though we selected ¡®Temptation¡¯ as the finalist, there was fiercepetition. Can you hear some of the songs thatpeted with Temptation?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The teachers yed the songs one by one. And Jinyoung gave his expert opinion on each of them, and he sometimes highly praised some. ¡°Wow, are you sure these songs were reallyposed by a student?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Two of them wereposed in the past. Theposers already graduated. And one of them wasposed by a student still here.¡± ¡°The feel of the songs are really good. If you market them even now, they will gain a good reception. How can this kind of songs be hidden here?¡± said Jinyoung in an excited voice. Obviously, he got more ambitious about music after Jinhon¡¯s Duckling Fly hit the jackpot. ¡°Well, we all owe it to Hyunwoo, who helped Jinhon make his name known by making the music video ¡®Duckling Fly.¡¯ Without his efforts, there would have been no way for the people to know songs like that.¡± Jinyoung nodded as if he understood the situation. At the same time, he gave them a regretful expression. ¡°The problem is that songs like this don¡¯t grab people¡¯s attention even if they are made in music videos,¡± said Jinyoung. The teachers made a gloomy expression at that. Feeling heavy, Hyunwoo gently cut in, ¡°Can we use them as intermission music of movies?¡± ¡°It depends on the movie director. How can the movie director know the value of these songs?¡± ¡°Even if the movie director knows it, he won¡¯t use an anonymousposer¡¯s song,¡± rejoined the principal, taking side with Jinyoung. But they were surprised when Hyunwoo proposed, ¡°Why don¡¯t we make a movie on our own?¡± ¡°What? Making a move?¡± Hyunwoo nodded and said, ¡°Why can¡¯t we make a movie when we already made a music video? We can make the five-minute music video ten or twenty times longer than now?¡± Smiling dejected, Jinyoung said, ¡°Are you joking now? In particr, even one animation movie costs between a few billion and tens of billion won. If you look at the animation movie made in the USA, you will see it costs more than one trillion won on average. It¡¯spletely different from music videos.¡± ¡°Well, that kind of animation movies are for the general audience at the theater. What I¡¯m talking about is an amateur film at a low budget.¡± Jinyoung and the teachers scratched their heads. Admittedly, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t know much about animation movies, so he vaguely thought there was not much difference between music videos and animated movies. In fact, he was interested in making animated movies in the future, but he felt he could advance his n thanks to the songsposed by the students of Todolyipyo. ¡°Well, let me go back to the office and find some way. I¡¯ll give it a try anyway.¡± ¡°Sure, you have nothing to lose even if you give it a try,¡± said the principal. They had lunch at the school cafeteria. Jinyoung went back to Seoul because of his shooting schedule, and Hyunwoo stayed a little longer. He spent some time, looking for a chance to talk with Soyun. And then he secretly met her. ¡°Why don¡¯t you sing the song? Of course, I¡¯ll hide your identity,¡± She shook her head as soon as she heard it. ¡°No matter how hard you try to hide my identity, there are some who still can find me out. In particr, Jinyoung knows my voice.¡± Nodding his head, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Of course, Jinyoung wille to know it. But if he keeps quiet about it, I don¡¯t see any problem. You should make a hit with the music video if you want to realize your dream.¡± ¡°Oh, no. Don¡¯t push me around. I¡¯m just scared.¡± Then Hyunwoo proposed an idea that might be appealing to her. ¡°How about participating in the form of featuring? There is a main singer for this song, but you can use your voice only when the feeling of temptation is needed for the song. Of course, I can do it without Jinyoung knowing it.¡± ¡°Featuring?¡± Fortunately, she seemed to show interest, which made Hyunwoo persuade her enthusiastically. ¡°Just imagine that you reveal your real identity when the music video makes a big hitter. Isn¡¯t there a big difference between your role as a simple back dancer and that as a vocalist?¡± In her mind, the difference was very big. And with a bit of disguising the tone of her voice she could deceive Jinyoung, she thought. Of course, Jingyong could get wind of that, but if he kept silent about it, she could achieve what she wanted. Hyunwoo also mentioned, ¡°And let me prepare a special program about you and have it broadcast.¡± Chapter 204

Chapter 204

¡°Special program about me?¡± ¡°Yes, if you resume activities, Taesu Ahn might do something to harm you. So, let me prepare for that.¡± Soyun¡¯s face suddenly turned pale when she heard the name Taesu, as if she was scared. ¡°How?¡¯ Hyunwoo told her about what he had in mind. It was about a special program rted to the harmful consequences of sex videos. ¡°Let me cite the examples of you and Nami Yu in the program. Of course, I¡¯m going to use the experts to prove that the figure in the videos are neither Soyun Han nor Nami Yu.¡± That was too tough a challenge for Soyun, but it was something she had to ovee someday. But there was another obstacle in her mind. ¡°Do you think they can broadcast such programs?¡± ¡°Of course, that won¡¯t be easy. But I have an idea about that. You can just count on me and be prepared to resume your activities,¡± said Hyunwoo loudly. Only then did she cautiously nod her head. ¡°Okay, then. Let me think about it.¡± Hyunwoo thought that was enough. Maybe she would practice her vocal part of the song Temptation, and when she got confident, she would contact him. Leaving the school with rxed feelings, he headed to Seoul for an appointment with Kwangsu Han of Real Film. Kwangsu was already prepared to shoot the video. ¡°Wee! Let¡¯s get down to business right away. I have to finish it within two hours as I have an appointment in the evening.¡± ¡°Sure, it will be done quickly as it takes about ten minutes to read it all.¡± Hyunwoo sat on the prepared seat and read the memo handed by Kwangsu. Kwangsu was supposed to videotape Hyunwoo reading a warning letter to Jinhon in his capacity as the representative of KOVE DREAM, demanding an official apology from Jinhon for his groundless attack on its products. In particr, thest sentence of the warning was the most severe: Let me give you one week. If you fail to offer an official apology within one week, our branch in America will reveal the secret to everybody on its home page. Keep it in mind. Just one week.> The warning video would be broadcast as TV ads in America, Japan, and China. But it was in Korean, not English. Instead, there will be English, Chinese and Japanese captions provided on the lower part of the video. ¡°Wow, you did great! Let¡¯s shoot it several times.¡± Hyunwoo repeated the same words more than ten times. Though it onlysted 20 seconds, his mouth was worn out as he kept repeating the short sentence. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s very natural. You can be an entertainer!¡± praised Kwangsu. Kwangsu prepared for the next shooting, and Hyunwoo went back to the office of Ani & Funny in Ansan. He came to find a familiar face there, who was Myunghoon Koh. It happened to be July 1. ¡°I don¡¯t think you are going to drive here for work. Have you found a house?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°Well, I have to find it as soon as possible, be it an apartment or a studio. For the time being, I will stay at an inn.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to. As the dormitory will be done in the near future, let me give you a room.¡± Myunghoon dly responded, ¡°By the way, is Yu Zuung also staying at the same dormitory?¡± ¡°Well, that depends on her. As she arrives here two days from now, let me ask her. If she wants it, I¡¯m going to give her a room, too.¡± It seemed Myunghoon had a great expectation of Yu Zuung. Most of the male staff of Ani & Funny were not married yet. And their houses were not near the office, so some of them had to drive one hour toe to the office. They had no reason tomute to and from their houses if Myunghoon could be allowed to stay at the dormitory. ¡°Can I also get a room at the dorm?¡± ¡°In fact, it¡¯s hard for me to drive every day here¡­¡± Hyunwoo scratched his head, not knowing how to handle their request. Actually, the dorm was builtrge enough to house five people, but it would be crowded if he allowed his staff to stay there. Of course, there was a solution. If four students could live in one room, and two adults in one room, there would be enough rooms to house them all applicants. Hyunwoo replied in a cheerful voice, ¡°Okay, then. Two adults for one room!¡± The staff expressed disappointment, but given the savings on their living expenses,muting fees and Yu Zuung¡¯s staying at the same dorm, there was no reason for them to reject Hyunwoo¡¯s offer. pping his hands, Hyunwoo called the staff. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about that matterter. I want to discuss with you about something.¡± The main topic was about the production of animated movies. But Kyungsu and Sanggyu raised objections. ¡°No matter how hard you cut down on the budget, it will cost at least one billion won.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to focus on nning here in Korea while sending most of the production including children¡¯s stories to our Vietnamese branch. That way we can save a lot of money, can¡¯t we?¡± ¡°If you cut the budget, the quality of the picture will go down.¡± ¡°The picture quality for TV and movies is different. We can¡¯t lower the quality in order to cut down on the budget.¡± Most of the staff were opposed to his idea, citing the reason that the possibility of sess was very low, given the minimal budget, but Hyunwoo didn¡¯t budge a bit. He felt unless they tried something new, there would be no future of Ani & Funny. There was another reason Hyunwoo was confident about sess. He believed in the potential of Yenam Noh who had an extraordinary instinct of sess in the animation field. Hyunwoo wrapped up the discussion as if he decided. ¡°Let¡¯s give it a try. I¡¯m confident we can get our money¡¯s worth at least.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± asked Kyungsu with a dark look. Looking at him, Hyunwoo said, ¡°I don¡¯t think only money is what we¡¯re pursuing. The experience that our staff and the students can gain in the process is our revenue. Ani & Funny can invest one billion won for your experience.¡± Kyungsu nodded, though he didn¡¯t agree. It was too risky to invest one billion to gain experience in the field, but the owner of Ani & Funny was Hyunwoo. As he made the decision with confidence, they were not supposed be start pros and cons about it. ¡°Got it. I think we have to work on the story first. Suhim, you might get busier from now on.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to. I am thinking of someone who will create the story.¡± The staff opened their eyes wide. ¡°Who is it?¡± Smiling at them, he said calmly, ¡°I am not sure if I can make ite true as I¡¯m still thinking about it in my head. Let me tell you when I have a more specific idea.¡± Coming back to his desk, Hyunwoo logged in to Story Ma website andposed a message to Chan Yun. This time it was not about anything likepliments or encouragement. It was rted to his business. The title of the message read like this. Hyunwoo nned to choose the story of the uing animation movie through an open story contest. He thought of asking Suhim or Jonghyon for it but gave up because they were not verified in that field. Afterpleting the message, Hyunwoo was about to send it to Chan but changed his mind. Story Ma had an administrator taking care of such requests, so he changed the recipient of the message and sent it. It was the next day that he got a reply from Story Ma. The reply to his request was obviously positive. But there was an additionalment there. Regarding this contest, Chan Yun would arrange the time ¡°specially¡± to meet Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo paid attention to the word ¡®specially.¡¯ That meant Chan would go to the trouble of meeting him even though he didn¡¯t need to. That suggested that Chan Yun was taking special note of Ani & Funny. Maybe he wanted to Hyunwoo for that. Hyunwoo¡¯s heart began to pound. The appointment is in fifteen days. Finally, I¡¯m seeing him. Who can apany me, by the way? Two dayster at Incheon International Airport, Hyunwoo raised his hand high and called, ¡°Yu Zuung. Come this way!¡± Looking around, she noticed Hyunwoo and quickly approached him. She put on a blue skirt with a white T-shirt. Thanks to her brisk walking her tied hair moved left to right as if it was getting in the rhythm. She was holding a couple of heavy bags in both hands. Hyunwoo quickly went to her and took one of them. ¡°Howe you have got so much baggage?¡± ¡°As you know, I have to settle here from now on. It¡¯s not that much for all of my stuff. Don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re right, hahaha.¡± Chapter 205

Chapter 205

Smiling broadly at her, Hyunwoo walked with Yu Zuung. All eyes were on them when they walked. Be it in Korea or Vietnam, Yu Zuung always gained people¡¯s intense attention. She didn¡¯t care at all as if she was now ustomed to that, but it bothered Hyunwoo. He hastily got her out of the arrival gate and got in a car. ¡°Wow, this looks nice. Did you buy a new car?¡± ¡°Yea, I can¡¯t escort you in an old minivan, so I treated myself to a luxury sedan for you.¡± ¡°Great! A very spacious interior and great car stereo~. The music quality is so good.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve spent some money, hahaha.¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to buy this model when I make a lot of money.¡± When they arrived at the office of Ani & Funny in Ansan, everybody weed her. In particr, the bachelorspetitively said hello to her to grab her attention. Among them were Jihoon Kang and Myunghoon Koh. Looking at them, the female staff felt jealous. In particr, Jungah stared at the back of Jihoon¡¯s head and curled her lips. Hyunwoo intervened as the weing grew too heated. ¡°I think she is pretty happy about your wee. This is your seat, Yu Zuung.¡± The seat was between Jihoon and Myunghoon¡¯s desks. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t have her sit there to promote any rivalry between them, but he wanted to bring out the synergy effect among the three because of their specialties in character development. Jihoon and Myunghoon were so overjoyed, on the one hand, but seemed to be full of rivalry, on the other hand. Other male staff members were jealous of them regardless of whether they were single or not. At that moment, Myunghoon initiated speaking in clumsy English, ¡°Where are you nning to stay in Korea? Are you going to stay with us at the new dorm?¡± Jihoon, a high school graduate, seemed gloomy for a moment as he could not speak English at all. On the other hand, most of the male staff including Myunghoon could not make themselves understood in English, though they tried tomunicate with some English words they knew. Still, they were in a better position,pared to Jihoon who could not speak English at all. Instead of replying easily, she looked at Hyunwoo because she thought he could take care of her amodations while she was staying in Korea. ¡°It¡¯s up to you. You can stay in the dorm or I can get you a studio if you want it.¡± Then she asked him, ¡°I think you have extra rooms in your house. When I was here before, I stayed there.¡± Of course, she could, but there were some inconveniences for her this time. ¡°As you know, most of the people staying there are seniors working at my mother¡¯s factory. But at the dorm, you can meet the young guys and students.¡± ¡°I know that. I¡¯d love to see the seniors as they are very interesting. And I would love to learn Korean cooking whenever I have free time.¡± Hyunwoo scratched his head idly. He rmended the dorm because she might find it more interesting to mingle with the young guys, but she seemed to take more delight in mingling with the seniors. There was another problem. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t report to work on time like his staff. He usually came to the officete as he had to visit several ces during the day, and sometimes, he was out of the office all day long on a business trip. In other words, he could not give her a ride to the office every day. But she seemed to take that matter in stride. ¡°How far is your house from here?¡± she asked. ¡°Not that far. Less than ten minutes by car, but you have to pay a lot if you take the taxi everyday...¡± ¡°I can ride a bike. I ride it very well. I even ride a motorbike.¡± Hyunwoo made an unexpected expression, Ah! Come to think of it, Vietnam was a heaven for the riders of bikes and motorbikes. Regardless of men and women, old or young, their main transportation means were bikes and motorbikes. ¡°But it could be risky. In particr, the roads are very slippery in winter.¡± ¡°Let me stay there first. And if I find it ufortable, then I can move to another ce.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± replied Hyunwoo without any hesitation. As a matter of fact, the new dorm was not yetpleted. At least it would take another fifteen days for them to move in. Until then, they would have to find temporary housing. As she knew nothing about Korea, Hyunwoo could not send her to a motel. As she was so beautiful, she could be the target of men with indecent desires. Hyunwoo felt his house was the safest ce, too. When it got cold, she would probably change her mind. Unlike Vietnam, it would be extremely cold in winter in Korea. Hermuting by bike could be her temporary means of transportation. Of course, it was her judgment call. ¡°By the way, you had better learn Korean as soon as possible. Our staff here can¡¯t learn English tomunicate with you, right?¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°I¡¯m learning Korean now,¡± she answered in Korean. Though her Korean pronunciation was a bit clumsy, everybody could understand it. With a bright smile, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Wow, I guess you could make yourself understood in Korean.¡± At that moment, Jihoon cut in quickly as if he wanted to teach her Korean. Other male staff raised their hands to volunteer to be her Korean teacher. She seemed a bit scared, looking at Hyunwoo with an embarrassed look. ¡°You¡¯ll be alright soon. Hahaha,¡± said Hyunwoo. *** Finally, one week has passed since Hyunwoo issued a warning to Jinhon. In the meantime, the fans of Jihon and Ang were restless with mixed feelings of curiosity and concern. Can KOVE DREAM reveal the secret of Ang to the public? If her secret is revealed, what is it? Can the secret deal a blow to their poprity? Some of the fans expected that Jinhon would offer apologies on the final day of one week, after all. But Jinhon didn¡¯t apologize. He didn¡¯t show any reaction even after midnight on thest day. Obviously, he ignored KOVE DREAM¡¯s warning. His fans grew more and more restless. Even before midnight, the homepage of KOVE DREAM¡¯s branch in America was overflowing with their concernedments. Finally, it was midnight on thest day of the one-week deadline. Hyunwoo revealed Ang¡¯s secret on its homepage. It was about her parents. As for the extent of the release, Hyunwoo discussed with Ang in advance. He didn¡¯t disclose the fact that her father escaped to America after realizing that his wife got pregnant with Ang. Except for that, he revealed everything about her and her family such as how she was born, who her mother was and when she died, what his father¡¯s name was and how she met Jinhon. He also disclosed why she became a singer and decided to do activities in America. After all, her main purpose was to find her father. Strictly speaking, it could not be regarded as exposure. And there was nothing she needed to hide in it. Rather, it was kind of a letter urging the people to help her find her father, but her fans were excited because they didn¡¯t know at all she had such a painful family history. Ang also showed an unnecessary reaction in her personal blog. She promised to take revenge against KOVE DREAM, arguing that they had disclosed her secret. Her fans acted with her, expressing anger against KOVE DREAM. Some radical fans uploaded maliciousments on the homepage of its US branch, arguing that they would never buy the products of KOVE DREAM. The next day at the same time, Ang¡¯s blog was heating up with the excited fans¡¯ visits. At the appointed time, she had the Any & Funny staff upload a bulletin on her blog. There was no direct expose of KOVE DREAM in it, but the bulletin invited those interested to click a link to the following URL. Most fans were dly cheated by her with a dejected smile. ¡°Uh? Jinhon and Ang are KOVE DREAM¡¯s models?¡± ¡°What the heck? Was all this fabricated?¡± When they opened the URL, they found an additional secret about her. It was about her dramatic meeting with Hyunwoo and Jinhon. When Jinhon¡¯s family disappeared in a typhoon in Vietnam, Hyunwoo purchased ne tickets for them. There was also Jinhon and Ang¡¯s confession expressing thanks to Hyunwoo. Lots of fans clicked the KOVE videos, as expected. The videos emphasized why the KOVE products were good quality and why they could trust KOVEpanies even if the Vietnamesepaniesgged in terms of technology. Chapter 206

Chapter 206

And one important fact was that the consumers had been waiting for those kind of products for long. It was because of China. Almost all the US markets were dominated by Chinese products, including electronics, food and drink, school supplies and kitchen appliances. Not only US markets but also most of the markets around the world were no exception. In particr, some US consumersunched a campaign of ¡®Let¡¯s liberate ourselves from the Chinese products!¡¯ But it was impossible because there were too many Chinese products. And that¡¯s why they were earnestly waiting for the products that couldpete with Chinese products. It was right at this time that KOVE DREAM products debuted with lower prices and higher quality than Chinese products. Thanks to Hyunwoo¡¯s promotional activities like this, Seungwoo Paek, the representative of N&C USA, made a happy scream. Though he hired as many as 100 employees as requested by Hyunwoo, he was flooded with orders for KOVE products ¡°Hey, I think I need to hire more people. I can¡¯t handle it with the existing staff anymore.¡± ¡°Are there that many orders?¡± ¡°Yea, I can¡¯t even have time to talk with you now. I¡¯m packing the orders with my staff.¡± ¡°Good job! Just keep on working like that for one month. You¡¯ll get ustomed to it.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo grinned. Not only Seoungwoo but also Unhye Kim, the representative of N&C Japan, was also screaming happily. ¡°Don¡¯t you know the saying, ¡®It does a young man good to suffer some privation in the world¡¯? Take care, then. Hahaha.¡± *** ¡°Sir, we have set up a travel n.¡± One of the students at Ani & Funny presented several pieces of paper to Hyunwoo. It was a travel n. As Hyunwoo directed, students formed their own groups. Googling, they searched lodgings, restaurants and travel courses they would take. They preferred seas, and their destinations were inds like Anmyon or Bokil Ind. Some of them even chose Cheju Ind, the southernmost ind. Some even picked up a ridiculous ce. ¡°Seoul Amusement Park?¡± The student who proposed the idea scratched his head, asking, ¡°I guess you reject that ce.¡± Hyunwoo got confused momentarily. In fact, an amusement park was not a travel course. But on the other hand, it was the ce that the students wanted to visit most to relieve their stress and promote their creativity. ¡°Let me pay for you to go to that kind of amusement park once a year.¡± ¡°Wow! Are you serious?¡± Not only the student who proposed the amusement park but also other students shouted for joy. ¡°Got it. Let me find some teachers who can guide you to your destinations. Just be well prepared before you leave.¡± ¡°Thanks!¡± Hyunwoo logged on to Story Ma. In the category of friends, he found one titled ¡®Travel Teacher¡¯. There were six teachers who wanted to work with Hyunwoo. He sent a message to all of them, along with the students¡¯ travel n attachments. Two of them said they would participate, but the other four said they couldn¡¯t because of their conflicting schedules. Hyunwoo expected the uing travel would be of great help to the students. Though it would be costly, it was a worthwhile investment, he thought. While he was busy taking care of the students¡¯ travel n, the date was fast approaching for him to meet with Chan Yun, the president of Story Ma. He was supposed to sign the contract with Story Ma on the open contest on the story of the animated movie hosted by Ani & Funny. But the contract was a done deal, so that was not Hyunwoo¡¯s priority. What was more important was his meeting with Chan Yun. Hyunwoo¡¯s heart began to pound strongly. Finally it¡¯s today. What should I talk to him about? He left the office early to go to the appointed ce. Kyungsu and Jonghyon apanied him. Both were pretty excited. In particr, Jonghyon, who used to be a famous writer in Story Ma, was thrilled because he knew well the terrific sess story of Chan Yun. Hyunwoo said with a smile, ¡°I think you can be another Chan Yun. Please develop a story whenever you have free time. I¡¯ll make it a box office hit just like Garbage World.¡± ¡°Are you going to make my story an animated work?¡± ¡°Of course. I didn¡¯t hire you to do warehouse work. Don¡¯t forget your original job is being a writer. Your work at KOVE DREAM at the moment is a side job. If your story is good enough, I can make yours an animated movie instead of the contest.¡± Jonghyon felt his heart was full. He couldn¡¯t believe. ¡°Are you going to make a story an animated movieter? Isn¡¯t this a one-time event?¡± ¡°No, not at all. I¡¯m going to continue to make animated movies. In fact, I haven¡¯t told it to anybody, but I am currently nning another project secretly.¡± Actually, it was rted to Story Ma. While posting the series of Tuti & Angelica in Story Ma, Hyunwoo began to be discontented. The core of hisints was that Story Ma expanded business recklessly. Its site was a mix of novels, webtoons, and animations, etc. It looked like the site was not organized and even messy. In fact, Story Ma was famous for its genre novels only for some time, with webtoons and animation getting short shrift. But the site began to win poprity with webtoons a couple of years ago, overtaking even genre novels in poprity, which made the site all studded with various genres and contents. Hyunwoo thought that was standing in the way of Story Ma¡¯s further development. He felt it would be much more effective to run the site of genre novels, webtoons, and animated works separately. ¡°I¡¯m going to create an exclusive site for animation. I¡¯m going to create an online movie site for animations. Of course, if they get good reviews, I will make them designed for the theater audience.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s n was pretty detailed. Though he never told anybody about it, he had been thinking about it for a long time. And that was not a distant dream for him. Given the fast growth of Ani & Funny as well as KOVE DREAM, the kind of animation-centered Story Ma that Hyunwoo had in mind would be realized quite soon. That¡¯s why Hyunwoo had the students open an inte cafe under the name of Ani & Funny and run it directly. He nned to hirepetent students as full-time employees of Ani & Funny. Jonghyon¡¯s heart began to beat when he heard Hyunwoo¡¯s words. They arrived at the main building of Story Ma in the meantime. It was a high-end building that used all the floors for Story Ma. ¡°Wow, this is gorgeous!¡± ¡°When can we have a building like this? ¡°Of course, we¡¯ll have one someday,¡± said Hyunwoo confidently. ¡°Let¡¯se in.¡± When they entered the building, the security guard stopped them. ¡°May I ask what business has brought you here?¡± ¡°We¡¯re from Ani & Funny. I have an appointment with Chan Yun.¡± The guard¡¯s jaws dropped at that. ¡°Oh, I see. Actually, I¡¯ve been waiting for you at his direction. It¡¯s an honor for me to meet the president of that famous Ani & Funny. My daughter is a great fan of Garbage World.¡± The guard weed them warmly. He kindly escorted them to the 7th floor where Chan Yun¡¯s office is located. In the VIP waiting room were various magazines onputers, newspapers, and magazines. A beautifuldy served them cool soft drinks and fruits. They waited about ten minutes over soft drinks when a middle-aged gentleman who looked generous came in with his attendants. The gentleman held out his hand, saying, ¡°My name is Chan Yun.¡± Hyunwoo and Kyungsu stood up quickly. Given his casual clothes and generous look, Hyunwoo felt he might be a middle-level manager, but he was the president of Story Ma that dominated genre novels around the world. ¡°I¡¯m Hyunwoo Jang, the president of Ani & Funny. And he is manager Kyungsu Han, and he is the writer doing his activities with his pen name Pikgaek in Story Ma.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Nice to meet you. Please have a seat.¡± Chan was a pretty busy person. He was managing his daily schedule minute by minute. His meeting with Hyunwoo was nned for 26 minutes. Even though Hyunwoo wanted to see him a little longer, he couldn¡¯t because of Chan¡¯s next appointment. In other words, there was no time to exchange idle pleasantries or greetings. Hearing the appointment time, Hyunwoo was disappointed. He had somewhat great expectations because he was told that Chan would personally get involved in the animation story contest. But business was business. As soon as he exchanged brief greetings, they got down to business right away. To save time, Hyunwoo presented his own n to Chan. ¡°This is my idea on the contest.¡± Chan read it carefully. And then he gave it to his attendant quickly. ¡°Looks like you have an overall sketch of the n. You can discuss the details with our staff.¡± That¡¯s it. It was such a brief meeting that Hyunwoo felt like it was nonsense. In fact, it was nothing unusual in Chan¡¯s eyes. Though this was the first time Hyunwoo hosted a contest, Story Ma already held such contests many times before. So, they could immediately set up the n as soon as they were briefed about the contest idea. ¡°Do you have anything more to mention in connection with this business?¡± ¡°No, not at all. Let me talk with your staff as soon as they¡¯re done with the n.¡± Hyunwoo felt it regrettable. He wanted to talk with Chan a little more, but he had to stop it there. But it didn¡¯t end that way. As soon as Hyunwoo was done, Chan took off his sses and put them on the table. And then he looked at Hyunwoo quietly. ¡°As our business talk is over, why don¡¯t we share our life story for the remaining time?¡± Chapter 207

Chapter 207

At that moment, Hyunwoo¡¯s face brightened. Chan Yun wanted to see Hyunwoo not just because of the contract on the story contest. Just like Hyunwoo had an expectation of his meeting with Chan, he had the same expectation. Hyunwoo bowed to him quickly and said, ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you. I respect you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor to me, too. As a matter of fact, I have wanted to meet you. Looking at Ani & Funny and KOVE DREAM, I thought yourpanies were a lot different from otherpanies.¡± ¡°I¡¯m ttered by yourpliment.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not just saying that for no reason. I think the most excellent business is investing in men, not making money. When I looked at you, I thought you fit that kind of businessman perfectly.¡± Hyunwoo thought Chan was the very businessman that fit that type as well. ¡°Please excuse me for saying this, but can I call you as my brother? I¡¯m younger than you and respect you sincerely. If you are avable, I¡¯d like to meet you often and learn about your life a lot.¡± ¡°Hahaha. I stopped growing old since I was 39. So, if you call me a brother, I feel I cane back to 38. I feel very good about it.¡± Hyunwoo quickly stood up and bowed to him, ¡°Then, I would like to treat you as my elder brother.¡± Chan also stood up and held his hands tightly. ¡°I can reassure you this. You will be a more sessful businessman than me in about 10 years. I won¡¯t even dare to look at you then. I think I¡¯ve dreamed a dragon dream as I have someone like you as my brother.¡± ¡°Phew, I¡¯m so ttered. Please talk down to me, brother.¡± ¡°Okay, then. Hahaha.¡± Chan didn¡¯t let go of his hold until the meeting was over. Though they didn¡¯t talk a lot because of the appointment time was short, they felt as if they were close friends who had maintained their friendship for decades. Hyunwoo felt that was the power of Chan Yun. Chan made Hyunwoo his man in about 26 minutes. ¡°It looks like 26 minutes is 26 seconds. Time flies so fast!¡± ¡°Though I would like to contact you first, you¡¯re so busy... Please let me know when you are avable anytime. I¡¯lle running to you.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m rtively free during the weekends. Why don¡¯t we meet then? Can I call you at the number here on your business card?¡± said Chan, raising his card a bit. Bowing to him, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Yes, please. Anytime.¡± Chan then took his leave, saying he was sorry. Hyunwoo felt as if he was walking on air. The idea of the story contest was already erased from his brain, which meant that his meeting with Chan was impressive. Kyungsu and Jonghyon felt the same way. They apanied him to help him out when he was discussing with Chan about the contest but didn¡¯t say any word. Still, their hearts were full like Hyujnwoo¡¯s. In particr, Chan¡¯s praise kept ringing in their ears. They felt Chan¡¯s prediction woulde true. Yea, Hyunwoo has that capability. We can grow when he grows to be a big businessman. Both of them clenched their fists strongly at the same time. Several dayster Hyunwoo received a call from Chan. He proposed a lunch on Saturday. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll see you then.¡± On Saturday, Hyunwoo went to the appointed ce. It was a quiet sushi restaurant. Hyunwoo and Chan came without any attendants. Thanks to that, they could have a frank exchange of personal things with each other. Even today Chan praised Hyunwoo, which was not just a figure of speech. He knew a lot about Hyunwoo, which suggested that he was interested in Hyunwoo a lot and did some research on him, too. At some point in their conservation, they talked about their dreams. ¡°What is your dream, brother?¡± asked Chan. Whenever someone asked that kind of question, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t tell them about his real dream because they couldn¡¯t empathize with it. He might be misunderstood even as a smooth talker without showing any substance. But he felt he needed to tell Chan about his real dream frankly. To him, Chan seemed to dream a simr dream. ¡°My dream is to be the light of the world.¡± Hyunwoo felt bashful after confiding it to Chan. He continued, ¡°It¡¯s a bit ridiculous, isn¡¯t it? Haha¡± But Chan didn¡¯t think that way at all. He tilted his body as if he was seriously interested. ¡°Light of the world? I¡¯m curious what it is.¡± ¡°In fact, I¡¯m all just slick talk, but there is nothing particr. If I may say, it is to give everyone who lives life fully a chance to seed or help the students realize their dreams.¡± The more he talked about his dream, the more he felt bashful. In the end, all that was for the sake of Hyunwoo¡¯s own interests. For he wanted to develop others¡¯ talent and make them his assets. What he felt more burdensome was the way Chan looked at him. The more Hyunwoo talked, the more Chan seemed to be drawn to his talk. Hyunwoo stopped talking with a heartyugh, as if he couldn¡¯t continue any more. ¡°Haha, brother. You don¡¯t have to take me seriously. In short, my dream is like a cunning trick to develop good talented men and raise them as the means of my business.¡± ¡°No, you can¡¯t say it is a cunning trick,¡± said Chan, shaking his head strongly. And he continued, ¡°Of course, it is indeed good to help somebody by sacrificing oneself. But personally, I think your idea is much moremendable because it encouragesmon prosperity.¡± Hyunwoo scratched his head at his praise, but Chan was serious. It seemed he was touched by Hyunwoo¡¯s vision. ¡°I think one¡¯s mindset is more important than money. One¡¯s donation through one¡¯s sacrifices makes the beneficiaries feel a certain burden. Because they feel they have to repay when they achieve sess. But I think those who receive your favor don¡¯t feel that way because the more they seed, the more you also seed. In that sense, their sess means repaying your favor, doesn¡¯t it?¡± said Chan. ¡°Really? Hahaha¡± Hyunwoo said, smiling awkwardly. But Chan didn¡¯t smile, but continued to say, ¡°In fact, I had the same dream when I was young, and I thought I realized that dream.¡± He then told Hyunwoo about his story. His dream was to open the opportunity for talented writers to develop their creative ability freely and establish a system for that. And its fruit was Story Ma. Story Ma was not simply a website to host serials. Actually, it invested several billion won per year in discovering and helping new writers. In some respects, there was something inmon between Chan¡¯s dream and Hyunwoo¡¯s. For the revenue of Story Ma would increase as the writers achieved sess. When that kind of virtuous cycle continued, Story Ma expanded rapidly. Telling his story, Chan tilted his head, saying, ¡°In fact, you can¡¯t have such a dream without a special asion. In my case, I cultivated that dream, looking at those writers struggling financially. How did you start having such a dream?¡± Hyunwoo never gave it a thought, but in retrospect, it was natural that he had that dream. ¡°Well, I was badly in need of such help. I was desperate at that time. So, when I saw those in need, I could naturally read their minds.¡± And then Hyunwoo told him about his hard times as a child. He had to bend over backwards to work hard to ovee the tough reality. But poverty was like shackles. No matter how hard he tried to get out, he couldn¡¯t. In that process, he could watch those who were in a situation simr to his. In his eyes, they were all excellent men with real talent. But their less fortunate situations denied them the chance to develop their ability. Rather they had to learn how to be trampled upon and sumb. At some point, they felt they were like bad products. ¡°I don¡¯t think there are bad products in the world. They just can¡¯t find their proper use. That¡¯s the same case with men.¡± Hyunwoo continued, ¡°I would like to find the good and strong points of men and shed light on them. Then, their despair could change into hope, and their hope can breed their passion for sess. It is my dream to change them like that.¡± Chan nodded his head and looked him quietly. Then he approached him and grabbed his hands abruptly. With a surprised look Hyunwoo stared at him. Chan began to speak in an emotional tone. ¡°As for your dream, brother, can I share it?¡± ¡°What?¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s work together.¡± Hyunwoo felt a sting in the heart to hear that. Though he respected and loved his Story Ma, he set up the n which was opposite to what Story Ma was now pursuing. His vision was to build an animation Story Ma. Hyunwoo¡¯s new business was a potential rival from Chan¡¯s perspective. Hyunwoo asked with a curious look, ¡°I don¡¯t get what you are trying to say.¡± ¡°In fact, I had only half sess of Story Ma and failed in the other half. I made a grave mistake,¡± said Chan. It was hard for Hyunwoo to understand what he said. How can he say he had only half sess of Story Ma that dominated the online genre novels in the world? Chan continued, ¡°Originally, Story Ma should have focused on genre novels. It should not have dealt with webtoons and animation. Its efficiency dropped drastically when it began to ept them.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide at that. It seemed as if Chan was reading his mind urately. ¡°So, I¡¯m thinking of splitting my business. In other words, I¡¯m going to set up a separate site for webtoons and animation.¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo felt frustrated. If Story Ma found such problems for itself and solved them, there was no reason for him to build an animation Story Ma. Suddenly, he recalled what Chan had told him a moment ago, namely his proposal to work together. Hyunwoo cautiously asked, ¡°Was the reason you have said that to me ...?¡± ¡°Can you take care of the animation site?¡± Chapter 208

Chapter 208

Hyunwoo¡¯s heart sank abruptly. He vaguely expected Chan might reach out to him on that. On the other hand, Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t understand Chan¡¯s move. As far as the animation site was concerned, Chan was much more knowledgeable and professional than he. Why would he want to entrust Hyunwoo with that? As if he read Hyunwoo¡¯s mind, Chan said, ¡°What do you think is the reason Story Ma could make such a big sess?¡± Hyunwoo wanted to reply that it was because of Story Ma¡¯s organized system, but that was not the correct answer. If Chan had expected that kind of answer, he would have not gone to the trouble of entrusting him with that. Hyunwoo said, ¡°I think it¡¯s because you have secured lots of good writers and novels.¡± Nodding his head, Chan said, ¡°Exactly. I¡¯m a lucky businessman. I have worked with good writers from the start. Without them, Story Ma would not have been created.¡± That was true. That¡¯s why he spent billions of won every year to find new writers. ¡°Do you think animation is different? No matter how good a system you have, you can¡¯t attract readers without good content. In that respect, I think Ani & Funny is a provider of excellent content.¡± ¡°Well, Ani & Funny is only a start-uppany. It is pretty small in terms of size,pared with its rivals. In particr, it is like a mom-and-pop store,pared with the subsidiaries of BNB.¡± But Chan shook his head and said, ¡°There is nothing perfect in this world. Do you think BNB can be the light of the world like yourpany?¡± Hyunwoo had nothing to say. Though he did not know much about BNB, he could not say yes or no. As far as he knew, BNB was far from it. He vividly remembered that when Ani & Funny submitted Tuti & Angelica to Talent Donation broadcasting for its special programpetition, BNB tried to scout itspetent staff. Chan continued, ¡°The problem is that most of the animationpanies are just like BNB. Basically, they exploit weakpanies for their own profits.¡± Hearing Chan¡¯s exnation, Hyunwoo could figure out what he was trying to say. Hyunwoo waited until Chan was done with what he had to say. And then he opened his mouth, ¡°In fact, I was nning a simr business model.¡± Hyunwoo briefed him on his n on an animation-based Story Ma; it made Chan¡¯s face bright. ¡°Indeed, we have something inmon. But there is only a little time in one¡¯s life. Just start it before it¡¯s toote.¡± ¡°But I am not ready yet. I don¡¯t have enough content to open the animation site, and in particr, I don¡¯t have any knowledge or system about a serial site.¡± ¡°Why do you think you have to do it alone? There are severalpanies uploading their animated works to Story Ma. As the contents of Ani & Funny are so unique, they¡¯re now buried among other works. And I can help you maintain the site, so don¡¯t worry at all.¡± Hyunwoo felt confident when Chan said that. It seemed as if his vision of animation Story Ma was around the corner. And he became more ambitious, too. He felt he could give students more opportunities to realize their dreams if they could use animation Story Ma. If he could find and raise talented students, they could be the pirs of Ani & Funny in the future. Full of expectations, Hyunwoo asked, ¡°Brother, is it possible to make content through a gradual contest by using Story Ma?¡± ¡°What do you mean by a gradual contest?¡± Hyunwoo exined his idea. To make an animated work, there are several stages of work. First of all, there should be a story and the characters that fit the story. Facial expressions of each character should be developed, along with a storyboard and itsyout. All this work can be done through the gradual contest at each stage of the work. And then when a good animation work ispleted, it will be sent to the low-budget animation workces in Vietnam and China for its final production. Hyunwoo said, ¡°I am thinking of hosting the content on a quarterly basis. For example, if I need three contests for one animation, a total of 12 contests can be held per year.¡± ¡°That will cost a lot of money.¡± ¡°We can make the size of the prize money small. This is supposed to be an amateur contest anyway. Don¡¯t you think it is appropriate to limit the total prize money to 500 million won per year?¡± ¡°You have to take into ount the expenses for the contest judges. More contests mean more expenses.¡± Hyunwoo already had judges. He was going to use the students with Ani & Funny as well as the registered members of its inte cafe as the first-stage judges of the contest. The final entries would be judged by the expert groups. Chan nodded and said, ¡°That sounds good. Let¡¯s start with one as a trial. Then we can find a better way.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s heart was full. In fact, he didn¡¯t want to use the uing contest only to find animated stories. He wanted to find talented writers through that, so Ani & Funny could raise and hire them. ¡°Wow, time flies so fast! I didn¡¯t know my time was up while talking with you.¡± Hyunwoo looked at the clock. It was already 3 pm. ¡°Let me take my leave here. I¡¯ve got a family appointment.¡± ¡°Sorry, I think I have held you too long.¡± ¡°No, not at all. We can talk about our businesster. How about the same time thising Sunday?¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine with me.¡± ¡°Okay. See you then for more details on this. Let me bring my man who is running the site. You can ask him if you have any questions.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Chan left, and Hyunwoo went down to Ansan. One week passed quickly. Hyunwoo¡¯s heart began to beat quickly on Friday when he thought of meeting Chan again on Sunday. I can see Brother Chan two dayster. Wow! At that moment he received a call from Suji. ¡°Any ns tomorrow?¡± He had a lunch appointment with Chan on Sunday, but no particr n on Friday and Saturday. In a cheerful mood he answered, ¡°Well, I¡¯ve reserved tomorrow for you, expecting your call.¡± ¡°Cheee... you¡¯re now quite silver-tongued, hoho.¡± The next day, he had a date with Suji. Come to think of it, he had not met her for a long time. Though she was busy, Hyunwoo was much busier with lots of work. Strange enough, once he scheduled a date with her, some other important business stood in the way, dying his date. As he had not met Suji in a long time, he was more thrilled and excited. After enjoying hot sex with her at a hotel, he touched her body. Suji also felt happy and moved her finger on his chest to write something yfully. And then she suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t we travel together?¡± ¡°Travel? Where?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to the east coast to watch the sunrise. And we can enjoy driving along the coast.¡± He felt a sting in the heart. When she suggested going on a journey, he thought she was nning a trip in the near future, but she wanted it tomorrow. It was a difficult suggestion for him to ept. For he had a lunch appointment with Chan Yun tomorrow. Of course, he could enjoy the sunrise as long as he coulde back to Seoul before noon tomorrow. ¡°As a matter of fact, I have an important lunch appointment tomorrow. Can we juste back after watching the sunrise?¡± Suji¡¯s fingers, which freely moved around on his chest, stopped. Her face also hardened. ¡°Sorry, I would like to cancel it, but this is too important for me. Please understand me.¡± ¡°Is that such an important appointment?¡± Hyunwoo told her about his new business n with Chan and Story Ma. But she felt it was his excuse. Hyunwoo was aware of what she wanted. She wanted him to realize how precious a woman she was, not how important the appointment was. ¡°You¡¯re my one and only woman, Suji. But we can stay together all the time, and go to travel anytime. But I am not sure when I can make an appointment with Chan.¡± Suji remained silent. When Hyunwoo stopped talking, there was a moment of silence. ¡°Was it because of that?¡± She murmured to herself in a feeble voice. It was just loud enough to stab him to the heart, ¡°Who told you so? Did you say we could stay together all the time? Today could be thest day if I left you abruptly.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s heart sank at that. Never did he dream something like ¡®separation¡¯ woulde out of her lips. ¡°What the heck are you talking about? What do you mean you can leave me?¡± ¡°Who knows what could happen tomorrow? Today and tomorrow will nevere back once it passes.¡± Hyunwoo was speechless. She had a point, but she was thinking of the extreme. Wrapping her face with both hands, Hyunwoo said, ¡°You¡¯re right, Suji. I should have found more time for you. Let me promise. Let¡¯s go on a trip for one night and two stays next weekend. But I can¡¯t cancel my appointment tomorrow. Please understand me.¡± ¡°You promised me the same thingst week that you would spend time together with me this weekend. And you did two weeks ago, too.¡± That was true. She suggested to him that they go on a trip every weekend, and he promised. But he had to make some important appointments as the weekend was approaching, so he kept dying until the next weekend. In retrospect, such appointments were not that important. He could cancel or dy them if he wanted. He took his appointment with Suji lightly. For he could spend time with her anytime he wanted. But he was clearly mistaken. Suji was the type of woman who could leave him anytime she made up her mind. Suddenly, Hyunwoo felt a sense of crisis. ¡°I really mean it this time. Let me find the time for next weekend. I promise.¡± Suji let out a sigh and replied in a feeble voice. ¡°Okay.¡± Hyunwoo felt so sorry. I won¡¯t make any appointments next weekend. Chapter 209

Chapter 209

Hyunwoo and Suji left the hotel at dawn and left for the east coast. It was the first time they came to the coast to watch the sunrise. There were few who came to see the sunrise like them because of the bad weather. But Hyunwoo and Suji didn¡¯t care. What¡¯s important to them was not watching the sunrise, but spending time together. The wind was pretty strong. Though it was mid-summer, the wind was cold as it was early in the morning. Hyunwoo hugged her from behind and quietly watched the horizon on the sea. That was it. Though it¡¯s past sunrise, the sun could not be seen anywhere because of the cloudy sky. She didn¡¯t expect it from the start, so she had no reason to be disappointed. Both of them were watching the heartless horizon quietly as if it was more important for them to be there together than watching the sunrise. They had breakfast at a nearby restaurant and went back to Ansan. Suji proposed a different idea this time. ¡°Can Ie with you to Seoul?¡± Hyunwoo found it hard to ept. It didn¡¯t matter to him, but not to Chan. Chan could freely talk with Hyunwoo in the presence of Ani & Funny employees like Kyungsu and Sanggyu. But he could not if Suji were with Hyunwoo. When Hyunwoo was hesitating, she made a sullen expression. But she quickly looked out the window as if she didn¡¯t want to show her look to him. Suji said in a calm voice, ¡°I can just go shopping while you¡¯re seeing him. I¡¯ll see you after you¡¯re done.¡± That would not be a problem, and Hyunwoo thought it was a pretty good solution. But he couldn¡¯t feel d about it because she still seemed depressed, looking out the window. ¡°Sorry, let me try to find more time after that.¡± Suji didn¡¯t reply. Maybe she was thinking he couldn¡¯t keep his promise. Hyunwoo arrived in Seoul a little early, so he tried to soothe her troubled mind by taking her to a department store to buy clothes and a ne. But she wasn¡¯t interested in that kind of stuff. What she wanted was just one thing. It was Hyunwoo to spend more time with her. It was almost noon. As the appointment time was approaching, Hyunwoo felt sorrier towards her. But she let him go and said in a calm voice, ¡°Have a good meeting. Let me take care of myself here.¡± ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll discuss with him about business. The meeting mightst longer than expected.¡± ¡°Got it. Don¡¯t worry about me and have a good meeting.¡± Hyunwoo hurried to the appointed ce. Left alone at the department store, Suji slowly went around the store. She didn¡¯t need to hurry because the only purpose of her staying there was to wait for him. She kept checking the time on her watch almost every ten minutes. Already one hour passed, which she felt was longer than two hours. At that moment, a strange man¡¯s voice was heard in her ears. ¡°Suji¡± She turned her head to find a fine and handsome gentleman looking at her. Her eyes opened wide at him. Though she saw him in a long time, she could not forget his face. ¡°Oh, my god! You¡¯re Jungsu, right?¡± He was her senior by three years, who she met at a volunteering club in college. He was tall and handsome. As aw major, he was pretty smart, so everybody expected he could pass the bar exam easily. Above all, he was from a rich family, so he drove a foreign car worth tens of millions of won when he was attending college. He was also a pure-hearted guy. In his college days, he had a girlfriend. As a freshman, he met her on a blind date with the girls form a different college. Suji had seen her before. In short, the couple didn¡¯t look like a good match. She had a fine figure with good character. But there was nothing special about her. She was neither beautiful nor charming. Numerous other girls tried to seduce Jungsu, but he was not tempted by them. That¡¯s what he said when approached by other girls. He continued to date the girl until he graduated. Of course, Suji liked him secretly. Maybe she might have liked his image as a pure-hearted man. ¡°How long has it been since we saw each otherst?¡± It was the first time he saw Suji since he graduated from college. ¡°It looks like six or seven years,¡± said Suji. She felt somewhat strange. Even though she had not met him in many years, she didn¡¯t find him strange at all. She momentarily thought she might have had some romantic feelings about him. ¡°Wow, you look like the same girl as when you were a sophomore in college. Indeed, you are!¡± She smiled bashfully, wrapping her face with both hands. ¡°By the way, is your house in Seoul? To the best of my knowledge, it was in a provincial city.¡± Suji¡¯s eyes became wider at that. Though she liked him very much, she didn¡¯t remember where he lived, but he remembered her location urately. The fact that he knew her house was not located in Seoul surprised her a lot. ¡°Well, I lived in Ansan, but recently moved to Hwasung. Hoho,¡± said Suji, hiding herughter with hand. Jungsu showed pleasure when he heard ¡®Hwasung¡¯. ¡°Really? Actually, I have been transferred to Hwasung.¡± Come to think of it, he majored inw, and she learned from someone that he passed the bar exam. ¡°Oh, are you now a judge or a prosecutor?¡± ¡°Prosecutor. I¡¯m working at the Hwasung branch of Suwon Prosecutors¡¯ Office, starting next week.¡± ¡°Wow, I¡¯m d to hear that!¡± said she dly, pping her hands. He smiled happily and said, ¡°Well, I was concerned a bit because I don¡¯t know anybody in Hwasung. I¡¯m a bit relieved to know Suji lives there.¡± ¡°Please let me know when youe down. Let me treat you to a meal. Hohoho.¡± Suji smiled at him, but her peculiar smile with her eyes seemed to suggest in others¡¯ eyes that she had some good feelings about him. Jungsu felt the same way. Whenever she smiled at him, his heart got fidgety. ¡°Sounds good. By the way, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°I was just shopping.¡± ¡°What a coincidence! How can I run into you like this here? And that in this crowded department store?¡± ¡°You bet!¡± said Suji, with a look of wonder. ¡°They say there is no coincidence in the world. Maybe it¡¯s our destiny that we have run into each other like this? Hahaha,¡± said Jungsu,ughing heartily as if he felt awkward after having said that. She felt somewhat strange, so she didn¡¯t reply. ¡°Are you here alone?¡± ¡°No, with a boyfriend,¡± said Suji nonchntly. She thought he was still dating the girl that he had met in college because he was a pure-hearted guy. But he looked somewhat sad when the word ¡®boyfriend¡¯ came out her lips. But he quickly hid his sad look and looked around. ¡°Really? Where is your boyfriend? You have to introduce him to me!¡± At that moment, she blushed. It looked like she was discarded by her boyfriend. But she didn¡¯t want to get away with it by lying to him. ¡°He¡¯s meeting somebody for an appointment.¡± ¡°Why did he leave you alone here instead of going together?¡± Jungsu made a queer expression on his face. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not a meeting I can attend with him. In fact, my boyfriend should havee here alone, but I insisted that wee together. I can hang around by shopping anyway.¡± ¡°I see,¡± he said, nodding his head. But he cast a pitying nce at her, which she didn¡¯t like. She wanted to change the topic. ¡°Are you here alone? What happened to the girl you were dating?¡± ¡°Well, I broke up with her long time ago. When I joined the army, she deserted me.¡± ¡°Oh my god!¡± Suji was surprised a lot. How can a woman desert such a fine guy who even passed the bar exam and had a rosy future? As if he read her mind, Jungsu smiled bitterly. ¡°When I came out on leave, I learned that she was dating another guy. That really sucked. She asked me to forgive her just one time, but I couldn¡¯t. So, I broke up with her.¡± No, she could understand the situation. ¡°Did you get another girlfriend after that?¡± ¡°As you know, you don¡¯t be a judge or prosecutor as soon as you pass the exam. You need to have good scores at the Judicial Research and Training Institute. So, I only focused on studying. I had no time to date.¡± Suji looked at him with a pitiful expression. As if he felt her look was a bit pressuring, he gave out a heartyugh. ¡°Haha. It¡¯s a bygone story. By the way, I¡¯m d to meet you here. In fact, I have bad taste in clothing. If you are free, can you help me buy clothes? I think you have better taste in clothes. Won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Sure, let me help you.¡± Chapter 210

Chapter 210

While Suji was spending time with Jungsu, Hyunwoo was absorbed in serious discussion with Chan Yun about ¡®Animoon.¡¯ ¡®Animoon¡¯ was the tentative title of the animation serial site that was to be separated from Story Ma. The debate was between Hyunwoo and two team managers who apanied Chan. One of them, Jaeyun Hong, was a smart guy. When Chan introduced Jaeyun to Hyunwoo, he said Jaeyun was like a treasure to Story Ma. Hyunwoo felt that was true. ¡°How are you going to generate profits? Are you going to charge the fee per serial like we do in Story Ma?¡± Hyunwoo shook his head at his question. Actually, he spent lots of time finding out the best solution. And he concluded that billing per serial was not the proper method. For animation could not have the continuity of a story like genre novels. Like a genre novel, the previous piece of animation should stimte the readers¡¯ curiosity before moving on to the next, but that was impossible because each piece has its ownpleteness in animation. That¡¯s why Hyunwoo hesitated to switch Garbage World as well as Tuti & Angelica to a paid subscription system despite its poprity. Besides, he had to take into ount the fact that the main consumers of animation were children. ¡°I think monthly pay is better than billing per piece. We maintain a free membership as the basic system but invite the consumers to pay a premium for high-quality animation works.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s better to insert brief ads at the beginning and end of the animation like TV programs. The ads can be as short as ten seconds so the consumers will not feel bored.¡± ¡°As for the ads revenues, I think it¡¯s good to divide between the owner of the animation and the site administrator at a given ratio.¡± As they saw eye to eye, there popped out numerous good ideas among them. Suddenly, Hyunwoo checked the time on his watch. Already one hour and 30 minutes passed quickly. He thought of Suji, who might be lonely walking inside the department store, waiting for him, but he didn¡¯t call her at all. Phew, that¡¯s why I¡¯m med all the time. He left the meeting room on the excuse of going to the restroom then quickly called her. He heard the bell ringing on Suji¡¯s phone, feeling nervous. As soon as she picked up the phone, obviously she would throw a tantrum at his indifferent attitude. Finally, she answered the phone. Contrary to his expectation, her voice was cheerful. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you!¡± It looked as if she had a nice attitude. There was a smile on his face because he felt pretty nervous at the moment. He wanted to make an apology first. ¡°Sorry, my meeting is dragging on.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. Take your time.¡± ¡°I think I have to wrap it up quickly as you¡¯re there alone...¡± ¡°I¡¯m not here alone. I met a college friend, my senior, I¡¯m shopping with him. I¡¯m alright, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Really? Good for you. Let me contact as soon as I¡¯m done.¡± After the call, he let out a sigh of relief then went back to the meeting. The meetingsted more than an hour after that. Chan left in the middle, saying he had another appointment, and Hyunwoo continued to discuss with Chan¡¯s two staff members. Hyunwoo also stood up at the appropriate time. ¡°Sorry, but let¡¯s wrap up our meeting now. Someone is waiting for me.¡± ¡°Got it. Let me write down our discussion today and show it to you.¡± After the meeting, he went back to the department store and called Suji. She was still with Jungsu. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t know who he was, but he must be a savior to Hyunwoo. When he arrived there, however, Hyunwoo felt a bit strange. He even felt tense when he saw the man. Wow, this guy looks nice. If Hyunwoo were a woman, he might fall in love because of Jungsu¡¯s appearance. Besides the fact that he looked rich, when Suji introduced him, Hyunwoo felt something like an inferiorityplex. ¡°He says he has just beenmissioned as a prosecutor. He was assigned to the Hwasung branch of Suwon Prosecutors¡¯ Office and is staring working there next week.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re a prosecutor! My name is Hyunwoo Jang.¡± Hyunwoo felt a bit intimidated to hear the word ¡®prosecutor.¡¯ But Jungsu was a very polite man. ¡°How do you do? My name is Jungsu Pae. I hear you¡¯re two years older than me. Please talk down to me.¡± It seemed that Suji told Jungsu about him. He was aware Hyunwoo was the representative of the famous KOVE DREAM and Ani & Funny. ¡°You¡¯re gorgeous!¡± ¡°I¡¯m ttered.¡± ¡°Let me take my leave now. I was worried as I had lots of stuff to buy, but I think I did the shopping well thanks to Suji. Thanks, Suji.¡± Jungsu waved at her, who also waved her hands with that peculiar smile with eyes. ¡°Thanks, Jungsu. I wasn¡¯t bored as you were with me. See you back in Hwasung!¡± Hyunwoo looked at both of them. He felt thankful to Jungsu because he stayed with Suji while he was in the meeting, but at the same time, he felt somewhat uneasy. He felt as if a piece of her heart broke off to join Jungsu¡¯s side. But he shook his head. Damn it, this useless inferiorityplex. Let me just ignore it. *** On Friday in the office of Ani & Funny, Myunghoon called him urgently, pointing to theputer monitor, ¡°Hyunwoo, please take a look at this!¡± When he quickly came and checked it out, the serial of Tuti & Angelica in Story Ma appeared on the monitor. It was Season 2 in which the existing characters werepletely changed by Yu Zuung. The content was also different from the first series. Season 2 took American history as the main material because it was intended for the US market. All the conversations were dubbed in English, to say the least. The consumers¡¯ reaction was remarkable. The number of hits on the first piece of Season 2 was already over one million, and the visitors¡¯ replies were overwhelming, totaling already ten thousand. And the replies were all the more satisfying. Mostlyposed in English, they were positive in tone, praising Season 2 for its better quality in terms of characters and content,pared with the previous season. Hyunwoo looked at Yu Zuung with a satisfied expression. Everybody could im their credit for the sess, but it was thanks to her decisive help that Season 2 could make its debut. ¡°You deserve the credit, Yu Zuung,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything, hohoho,¡± she answered humbly. Come to think of it, Hyunwoo never treated her properly since she arrived in Korea. Shemuted to the office by riding a bike, and he didn¡¯t give her a bonus. Hyunwoo felt he should pay more attention to her wellbeing. ¡°I think you deserve the most credit for the sess of Season 2. I want to give you a prize. Which prize would be good for you?¡± ¡°Really? Let me think about it. Hohoho,¡± she said with a bright smile. Her presence in the office brightened the atmosphere, and the male staff were full of enthusiasm to curry favor with her. I think it was good to have brought her here. It was time to get off work. Hyunwoo asked the staff to leave work early. He set the example. ¡°Why don¡¯t you get off work now? Let me give you a ride.¡± ¡°Oh, I rode a bike toe here.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got a minivan. So, you can attach it to the back.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Then she cleaned her desk and left with Hyunwoo. The male staff looked at him with a look of envy. In particr, Jihoon and Myunghoon felt jealous. They wished she could feelfortable about them at least as half as the could toward Hyunwoo. But Yu Zuung drew a line. Though she smiled at the office staff including Jihoon and Myunghoon, she didn¡¯t go further than that. Sometimes, they wanted to know how she felt about them. She might like Hyunwoo, and she might be hiding her affection for him because of Suji. But Yu Zuung was too beautiful for Jihoon and Myunghoo to give up yet. Nobody knows the rtionship between a man and a woman. Let me try my best to the end. Yu Zuung was taciturn as a rule but talkative whenever she sat next to Hyunwoo. It might be natural because only Hyunwoo could speak English fluently. Some of the staff could speak some English but not fluently enough to talk with her. Was that the reason? Her voice was uniquely bright when she was with Hyunwoo alone. When she got in his minivan today, her voice became bright instantly. ¡°What are you doing tomorrow, Hyunwoo?¡± ¡°I have a date with my sweetheart,¡± said Hyunwoo brightly. At that moment, she looked sad suddenly. ¡°Oh, I see...¡± Turning his head toward her, he looked at her. She seemedposed, but he could clearly notice her mood change. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°No, nothing.¡± She smiled brightly again. But Hyunwoo knew her smile was feigned, given the abrupt change in her mood. ¡°Tell me. What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Oh, nothing particr. By the way, I think I have to buy a motorbike.¡± She changed the topic as if she wanted to change the awkward atmosphere. ¡°Why? Is your bike too hard to ride?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m scared at night. I can¡¯t workte at night in the office.¡± That was true. She left work exactly on time these days. He was afraid to ask why because she would misunderstand he was pushing her to work at night. Now he seemed to know the reason. ¡°Don¡¯t you think riding a motorbike is dangerous?¡± ¡°No, not at all. I used to ride it in Vietnam every day.¡± ¡°Sure, let me buy you one as a gift for youring to Korea. Take care when you ride it.¡± ¡°Really? Thanks so much!¡± said she, folding her hands before her chest and looking at him with a happy look. Chapter 211

Chapter 211

The next morning, it was the start of the weekend. Hyunwoo could have made various appointments but didn¡¯t. He wanted to spend the whole weekend for a date with Suji. As the weekend he had been waiting for earnestly, he wanted to spend a great time with her from early Saturday morning tote Sunday night. He called Suji a bit early Saturday morning. She was already awake. Given her cheerful voice, she also seemed to be ready for the date. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the suburbs first,¡± said Hyunwoo confidently. But she reacted with an unexpected reply, ¡°This early? Let¡¯s go out in the afternoon. I have a lunch appointment.¡± Come to think of it, he didn¡¯t set up the exact time to meet. Scratching his head, he asked, ¡°In the afternoon? What time?¡± ¡°Let me call you around 3 pm.¡± It looked like she would have lunch with her friend and hang around until then. It didn¡¯t matter to him. ¡°Okay. Give me a call.¡± Hyunwoo was free until 3 pm. As he was always hectic busy with work, he suddenly felt woozy as he had nothing to do. ¡°Let me workout.¡± Changed into sportswear, he went out of the house and jogged to the hill. There was a woman doing workout there, who was none other than Yu Zuung. Whenever she ran, her long and ck hair moved up and down. She was in long pants, a T-shirt, and sneakers. When he looked at her from behind, he felt as if she was sneaking a look at her. He quickly caught up with her. ¡°When did youe out here?¡± Looking at his face, she realized it was Hyunwoo. As she was wearing earphones, she didn¡¯t sense he was approaching her. She took out her earphones and smiled innocently. ¡°Oh, boss! I came here about 30 minutes ago.¡± When he saw her a moment ago, she was running fast. If she had run like that, she must have had been working out a lot already. In fact, her jogging suit was wet with sweat here and there. Still, her breathing was not that rough. He realized that she had been running to build up her body. ¡°Do you run every day like this?¡± ¡°I used to run in Vietnam, but I haven¡¯t run much here. I felt heavy because I haven¡¯t run. So, I decided to run every day. I feel so refreshed after running.¡± Opening her arms, she showed joy. ¡°If you run alone like this, you might be in trouble.¡± Running with her side by side, he exined to her about the danger of sexual harassers. Only then did she have a scared look. ¡°Are there such men in an advanced country like Korea?¡± ¡°Of course. Very dangerous.¡± Hyunwoo exaggerated a bit. He felt he couldn¡¯t emphasize too much it was really necessary to be on guard against strangers in a ce like this. ¡°What should I do? I can¡¯t live without exercise.¡± ¡°I rmend you go to a swimming pool or fitness center. Or you can run in a public park where there are lots of people.¡± ¡°As you know, I can¡¯t make the time because such a ce is far from your house or office.¡± Hyunwoo felt the same way. He wanted to find an alternative solution but couldn¡¯t find one right away. At that moment, she suggested an idea. ¡°Why don¡¯t you run with me, boss? I think I am safe then.¡± It was not a bad idea. In fact, he didn¡¯t do any workout these days. Last year he went hiking with seniors on the weekends, but he couldn¡¯t do this year. But he was afraid that he couldn¡¯t ept her idea. Though she asked him to run with her in the morning, Suji might misunderstand that. If she saw him and Yu Zuung running every morning, she would certainly suspect that. Suddenly, he hit upon an idea. Yea, Suji can run with us. In fact, he felt frustrated that he couldn¡¯t find more time with Suji as a rule. If he could run with her every morning, however, it would be good for her health, and at the same time resolve herint about him. He smiled at her, answering, ¡°Let me think about it.¡± He ran about 30 minutes with her and came back home. Yu Zuung ran more than an hour thanks to Hyunwoo, but she wasn¡¯t tired at all. She said she ran more than an hour during workouts. Yu Zuung ate light. It seemed she ate less than 30% of what he ate. So, he had some prejudice that she might be physically weak. He thought her waist was too lean because she ate too little. On the other hand, he got curious. Normally her bust or buttocks was supposed to be lean, too, but it was the opposite. She had full bust and buttocks. Come to think of it, she had that build thanks to her workout. When he came back, it was past 10 am already. He took a shower with cold water and then came out again. Yu Zuung was also outside after taking a shower. She didn¡¯t put on basic makeup, but she was as beautiful as ever. She was ying with a pet dog. Looking at her, he felt a bit sorry. Even during the weekend, she had no date or friends to meet. Hyujnwoo approached her and said, ¡°You must be bored during the weekend, right?¡± ¡°Just a little bit,¡± she said nonchntly. He felt sorry all the more. It seemed as if she was putting up with her loneliness. Maybe he felt she was lonely because of her sad eyes. She was born with sad eyes, so she looked like a girl in tragic love when she is left alone. He had some free time until he met Suji at 3 pm, so he wanted to spend some time with Yu Zuung. Actually, he wanted to buy her a small gift, too. ¡°Do you want to go out for delicious food?¡± ¡°Really? I know you have a date today.¡± ¡°I¡¯m seeing her this afternoon. So, get ready quickly.¡± ¡°Wow, great! In fact, today is my birthday.¡± ¡°Oh, is it?¡± said Hyunwoo, with a surprised look. He recalled her expression when she got off work yesterday. ¡°Sorry, I should have taken care of your birthday.¡± ¡°No thanks, boss. Let me change my clothes ande back quickly.¡± She quickly went into the dorm and Hyunwoo also dressed in streetwear. About 20 minutester she came out. She had put on makeup with lipstick and mascara, which made her look like a totally different woman. Posing beside Hyunwoo, she said, ¡°I hope I look fine enough not to have egg on your face.¡± ¡°Oh, you look fine! It¡¯s me who feels a bit burdensome being around with you. Haha.¡± Both of them headed to a restaurant. It was a high-end restaurant that Hyunwoo took some VIPs for appointments often. The owner and its staff were familiar with his face because of his frequent visits. Unfortunately, there was no table near the window with a good view. They were escorted to a table not far from the window. Holding his arm gently, she walked to the table. When he was moving, though, he suddenly noticed familiar faces. He stopped instantly. As if he couldn¡¯t believe, he looked at them and murmured to himself in spite of himself. ¡°...Suji¡± At his murmuring, Suji turned her head. The young man, who was sitting across her, also looked at him. Suji was as much embarrassed as Hyunwoo. ¡°Oh my god! Howe you¡¯re here?¡± In fact, both of them should have gone out to the suburbs by now, but she dyed dating him and instead she was sitting with a young guy in a restaurant. Of all the stupid things to do, she was with another man at the moment. She had no choice but to feel embarrassed. Hyunwoo felt the same way. Suji was casting a nce at Yu Zuung holding his arm, who was much more beautiful than her. Hyunwoo and Suji were at a loss how to respond, looking at each other with their mouths open. There was a moment of silence. It was the young man who broke the silence. ¡°Nice to see you again here. You remember me, right? I¡¯m Jungsu Pae.¡± He quickly stood up and held out his hand. Only then did Hyunwoo close his mouth and held Jungsu¡¯s hand. ¡°Oh, I remember you.¡± ¡°Hahaha. Hope you don¡¯t misunderstand. I reported to work at the Hwasung prosecutor¡¯s office yesterday. Suji offered to treat me to lunch to celebrate my assignment here, so I was enjoying lunch here.¡± Jungsu exined the situation to make clear that she wasn¡¯t having an affair with another man. And he looked at Yu Zuung. It was Hyunwoo¡¯s turn to exin. Yu Zuung was holding his forearm gently then. ¡°She is Yu Zuung and an employee of Ani & Funny. Suji, you saw her before, didn¡¯t you?¡± Suji nodded her head. As Yu Zuung arrived only several days ago, she didn¡¯t have any chance to say hello to Suji. But she was a bit concerned because such a beautiful woman was residing in Hyunwoo¡¯s house. ¡°Oh, I hear you arrived in Korea from Vietnam several days ago...¡± ¡°She did a nice job, so I wanted to treat her to lunch. Yu Zuung, why don¡¯t you say hi to my sweetheart?¡± Hyunwoo proudly introduced her to Suji. Though he spoke in English, Jungsu was also a fluent speaker of English. With a bright smile, Yu Zuung bowed to her. ¡°I have heard a lot about you from my boss. He said you¡¯re so beautiful, and I agree. You¡¯re so beautiful. By the way, I¡¯m sorry because you might misunderstand...¡± said Yu Zuung with a concerned look. Hyunwoo eased her mind with a heartyugh, ¡°Hahaha, there is no misunderstanding here.¡± Suji also made a bright smile. Hyunwoo said, ¡°Have a good meal! Suji, enjoy the food and call meter. Let me take that table over there.¡± ¡°Got it. Let me call youter.¡± Hyunwoo took a table farther from one he was originally supposed to sit. It was on the opposite side of Suji¡¯s table. Thanks to the opposite location of their tables, they all could enjoy lunch without feeling any burden. But Suji seemed to care. While eating, she sometimes cast a nce at Hyunwoo and Yu Zuung. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t seem to be conscious of Suji at all. With a bright smile, he was enjoying lunch with Yu Zuung. Looking at them, Suji felt they were a nice match. On the one hand, shepared him to Jungsu. But both werepletely different in their lifestyle. Hyunwoo was always snowed under with work, but Jungsu was not. While he was having lunch, Jungsu said all along that he wanted to enjoy his life. When she thought as far as that, she suddenly felt lonely. Today of all days I just feel Hyunwoo¡¯s table is too far from mine... Chapter 212

Chapter 212

Late in the afternoon, Yu Zuung came back home. I shouldn¡¯t be sad like this... Though she kept repeating it, she just felt sad when she imagined Hyunwoo going on a trip with Suji. She wanted to push Suji out of his heart and take her ce. But that was her excessive desire. If she was too greedy, she would make life difficult for everyone without getting anything. I can find a better man. I have to empty my mind. She went into her room and turned on the music. It was ¡®Temptation¡¯ with which Hyunwoo nned to make a music video. She practiced the dance to its tune. Since she came to Korea, she practiced dancing whenever she had free time. She had to cultivate her dancing for the music video. It was also a task Hyunwoo assigned to her. At that moment, her cell phone buzzed. There were not many who called her phone. And most of the calls were from Hyunwoo. So, she dly picked up the phone. Unfortunately, it was not his call but Myunghoon¡¯s. ¡°As you know, Tuti & Angelica is making a great hit thanks to your help. I would like to treat you to dinner.¡± Myunghoon spoke in broken English. Though his pronunciation was clumsy, his speaking and grammar were okay. It seemed he practiced that before calling her. She was aware that Jihoon and Myunghoon liked her. They clearly showed far more interest in her than an interest in her as a colleague. And that was not what she wanted. Though she wanted to mingle with themfortably, she didn¡¯t want to get closer than that. She felt she needed to show him clearly she was not interested romantically. ¡°No, thanks. I would like to eat at home.¡± ¡°Is it because you have an appointment?¡± ¡°Not really. I just feel it¡¯s not appropriate to have dinner with you outside.¡± She exined to him why she couldn¡¯t. But Myunghoo didn¡¯t seem to understand her because she spoke in English. Then, he began to read what appeared to be a prepared sentence in English. ¡°Then, let¡¯s have dinner together. As this is not my house, I have to eat alone, too. Why don¡¯t we lonely people get together?¡± As a matter of fact, she felt depressed because Hyunwoo was dating Suji. She felt even sadder while talking with Myunghoon. He seemed to think she was an easy girl he could easily take if he reached out to her. Tears flew her cheek just like a girl who had her face pped when she wanted to cry. ¡°Do you think I am an easy girl?¡± Nheless, Myunghoon could not understand what she was talking about. But he seemed to figure out what was happening to her after hearing her soaked voice. As he didn¡¯t prepare English sentences for such an unexpected situation, he couldn¡¯t say anything properly. She kept talking to him in English for a while as if she wanted to vent her spite, and then spoke in clumsy Korean, ¡°Please don¡¯t like me. It makes my life hard. Please.¡± Only then did he read her mind correctly. He kept saying sorry in a feeble voice. She spoke in Engish again. ¡°Let me hang up the phone now. Sorry.¡± *** At Ansan Intercity Bus Terminal, a group of seven students bowed to Hyunwoo, ¡°Goodbye!¡± They were the first of a series of tour groups. They were supposed to travel to Anmyon Ind. They would move only by public transportation. They would sleep in tents. Though they would go through hard times, they would learn much more than what they would from staying in modern facilities. The students were full of ambition. Some of them even said they would rid bikes across the country, but that was too dangerous. They could do thatter, but now their safety was more important than gaining experience. ¡°I can¡¯t stress the importance of safety too much. Safety first. If you get hurt during travel, you will be banned from traveling for one year.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sir.¡± ¡°And listen to your guide.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Time was up finally, and they headed for the bus. Hyunwoo watched the bus leaving the terminal and then came back to the Ani & Funny office, but Myunghoon seemed sullen for some reason. Come to think of it, he seemed to be in that condition since three days ago. Hyunwoo asked him what¡¯s wrong, but he didn¡¯t reply. He asked Yu Zuung and Jihoon next to him, but they didn¡¯t know why. Unlike her sad eyes, Yu Zuung said in a cheerful voice, ¡°He¡¯ll be alright.¡± Hyunwoo felt the same way. Late in the afternoon, 12 college students visited the office, five men and seven women. They were private tutors who would teach the students of the Ani & Funny office Korean, English, math, history and science. Although they majored in animation, the students would need some knowledge in essential subjects, Hyunwoo thought. The college students had been called today for job interviews. They were all from the colleges in Ansan. As there were no famous colleges in Ansan, Hyunwoo selected some of the best college students as the tutor candidates. Obviously, they seemed tense because they were there for a job interview. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know through text messages some time today.¡± After sending them away, Hyunwoo sent them text messages. Though twelve students applied for the job, only seven passed the test. One tutor for each subject. He called the seven finalistste in the afternoon the next day. Though he specified it in the job listing, he once again reminded them of the hourly rate and their assignments. Their contract period was just one month. It would be renewed automatically if Hyunwoo found nothing wrong with them, but he would rece those who didn¡¯t show any tangible oues in their tutoring. ¡°Next week the construction of the alternative school will bepleted. You cane and teach our students next week.¡± ¡°When I checked out the location, it¡¯s in a ce which is inconvenient for us to use public transportation. How can we get there without using a taxi?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. We¡¯ll offer a free shuttle bus.¡± They were pleasantly surprised at that. In fact, he felt offering a free shuttle bus for them was a financial burden, but there was no other option. Fortunately, Juhwan and some other staff with KOVE DREAM volunteered to drive the bus. ¡°I¡¯m going to select the best teacher every month and offer 50% more sry in bonus. So, do your best!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± One weekter, the buildings of the research center and the dormitory werepleted. The construction of the welfare facility for the students had just started, but other buildings were avable for their moving in anytime. Hyunwoo assigned the rooms of the dorm to the students. There was a total of 31 students including twelve from the alternative school Dreaming School including Mingyu and 19 students who quit school to transfer to Ani & Funny. He also offered rooms to the staff members of Ani & Funny who wanted to move in. When they were notified, they immediately moved in dly. Though the dorm was built quiterge, its rooms were instantly upied. Hyunwoo gave the students several rules they had to follow at the dorm. When they vited the rules, they received penalty points. When their points kept piling, they would be expelled from the Any & Funny office and the alternative school, let alone the dorm. One of the rules was that they were required to pass the state qualification exam. Most of them agreed. Though they didn¡¯t like studying, they couldn¡¯t get by with a middle school diploma through their life. Hyunwoo gathered the graduates from the alternative school. Beside them were Duyoung Jang, Kuroda and Taeho Min. ¡°You guys read the prospectus about the establishment of our alternative school, right?¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± He didn¡¯t need to exin to them again. The biggest purpose of the school was to have them serve as assistants for Duyoung, Kuroda, and Taeho. Actually, Hyunwoo emphasized it most in the prospectus. And the students there were most interested in their research areas while attending Dreaming School. Hyunwoo had to divide the students first. He wanted them to select which researcher they wanted to work with. As soon as Hyunwoo told them to choose, they instantly pointed their fingers at the reachers they had in mind. Out of the twelve students, three chose Duyoung, two chose Kuroda and seven chose Taeho. Hyunwoo had the students move their research materials to their separate offices, which took some time. Though he didn¡¯t intend, the amount of the moving stuff was proportional to the number of students assigned to the three researchers. Duyoung¡¯s materials had the smallest amount of stuff and Taeho had thergest. Hyunwoo also helped them move their research materials. While moving Taeho¡¯s research materials, Hyunwoo noticed the notebooks titled ¡®Failure Note.¡± He was curious what he wrote down there, but he didn¡¯t dare to ask. Actually, he asked Taeho about it, who refused to answer at the time. Still, Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t quench his curiosity. Come to think of it, the situation was different now. Taeho was now a member of the joint research team along with Duyoung and Kuroda. Yea, there is nothing to lose even if I ask. Plucking up the courage, Hyunwoo cautiously asked. ¡°May I open this ¡®Failure Note¡¯?¡± ¡°Of course. We¡¯re a family now.¡± In an unexpected response, Taeho approved easily. While taking a brief break, he opened the notebook. Chapter 213

Chapter 213

In the notebooks, Taeho wrote down, in great detail, the time, ce, and materials involved in the moments of failure. There was everything from the start of the experiment to its finish. And at the end of the note, he described why he failed in the experiment. For example, there was a failure note on organic sr batteries. The reason for the failure was form change. He found that the alternative material could generate sr energy, but it could not be produced on amercial basis because its form could change whenever it was used to generate power. He tried to fix the problem in various ways but failed each time. Besides, the efficiency of power generation was very low, so he gave up the research. Looking at the experiment records, Hyunwoo recalled the episode on the invention of ¡®Post-It¡¯. Apany invented a strange adhesive while proceeding with research on developing a new adhesive. The adhesive stuck well but was removed easily. At the time, people thought it was a useless adhesive, arguing that the adhesive that was so easily removed had no use whatsoever. But an employee working in the sales department of the samepany found the adhesive¡¯s use. When the bookmark in his Bible slipped out of it often, he was looking for its recement. So, he applied adhesive on a piece of paper and found its use. That¡¯s how Post-It sticky note was developed. When he heard the episode, Hyunwoo felt as if he was electrified at the moment because that had confirmed the belief he¡¯d had since he was a child. That was not necessarily only applied to a product. The same can be applied to a man. As long as one can find a job that fits one¡¯s ability, anybody can show his or her ability brilliantly in the world. Motivated by this kind of conviction, Hyunwoo founded Ani & Funny and established the alternative school. Hyunwoo felt all the failed experiments in Taeho¡¯s Failure Note could be examined in the same vein. Taeho¡¯s failed experiments were not a failure. It just had no use as a sr battery. If it could be used for other purposes, it could turn out to be a brilliant experiment. Hyunwoo¡¯w eyes began to sparkle. Yea, let me find the solution here. I can prove my conviction is true. Thanks to thebined efforts of everybody to move the research materials, they were done with moving in two days. The college students hired as teachers taught the students in a couple of small conference rooms attached to the research center. Nheless, everything was in a mess. He was not sure yet if everything was going as well as he intended. But as time passed by and they went through the trials and errors, they could realize the kind of education that Hyunwoo was dreaming about. Through the window of the small conference rooms, Hyunwoo watched the students focused on studying, filled with emotion. Suyoung Oh, the former principal of his high school and now the head of the just-opened alternative school, approached Hyunwoo and tapped him on the shoulder. ¡°Great job, Hyunwoo. When I first saw you, I thought you would aplish great things. But I didn¡¯t know you would achieve this much.¡± In fact, Hyunwoo felt the same way. His own life up to now showed the same trajectory. Never did he expect that he would find a job with Aurum, nor did he think his investment in N&C in Vietnam would bring about such an enormous sess. ¡°By the way, Hyunwoo,¡± said Suyoung. Hyunwoo turned his head. Smiling brightly at him, Suyoung continued, ¡°I know this is an unauthorized alternative school, but I think you need a name for the school. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± He was right. Actually, that never entered his mind. Suddenly, Hyunwoo began to agonize over it. What is a proper name? If have to coin the name, I hope it can reflect my dream. When he thought as far as that, one name came to his mind. Hyunwoo¡¯s dream was to be the light of the world. What would be the brightest light in the world? Looking at Suyoung, he said, ¡°How about Haenim (Sunshine) School?¡± It sounded childish. What really mattered was the meaning of the name, not its beauty, so he wanted to choose what came to his mind first as the name of the school. Suyoung didn¡¯t care about how it sounded or looked because he felt its meaning was more important. ¡°In my opinion, Haenim is not that bad.¡± ¡°Let me call it Haenim School then.¡± ¡°Haenim School. Sounds good. Haha. Let¡¯s go to the faculty room with me. It looks like they want to talk to you about something.¡± ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go.¡± Both of them headed to the faculty room. Two old teachers were waiting for him. They retired from schools at the regr retirement age and came here at the request of Suyoung. One of them was supposed to teach Korean history while the other was assigned to social studies. Suyoung¡¯s major was Koreannguage. At least three teachers were secured. Suyoung opened his mouth first. He said Hyunwoo named this alternative school Haenim School. They didn¡¯t seem to care about the name itself. Instead, they suggested ideas on how to run the school. ¡°I hear that the biggest duty of the students here is to assist the three researchers. Right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct,¡± said Hyunwoo, nodding his head. But they seemed ufortable about it. ¡°Of course, that¡¯s a good idea, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the best method. What the students need above all is to expose them to various experiences and knowledge. If you have them focus on a certain field too early it could cause...¡± Hyunwoo seemed to know what these senior teachers were worried about, but he had his own idea to address their concerns. ¡°In fact, I have an idea about that. I¡¯m going to have them go through direct experiences as much as possible.¡± ¡°Direct experiences? How?¡± Hyunwoo was involved in lots of jobs since he was a middle school boy, such as construction, moving, cleaning, travel, event, VJ assistant, woodworking, etc. In a way, he went against the established truth that one should focus on only one field if one wants to seed. But he found there were pros and cons about everything. Though he could not gain specialized knowledge of one field, he could broaden his view of the world and get connected with lots of people. Hyunwoo wanted to give the students opportunities like that. ¡°I know some owners ofpanies. I¡¯m going to ask them to hire our students here as short-term interns. If they gain experience while working at thosepanies for a couple of months, that will be a great help to their lives.¡± The senior teachers nodded with an admiring look. Suyoung also seemed very satisfied with his exnation. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a very good idea.¡± ¡°Wonderful¡± ¡°By the way, I wonder if the owners of thosepanies could ept our students as interns. If our students stop after working only a couple of months, they won¡¯t be any help.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to ask for their help.¡± ¡°Can they help?¡± The teachers were not optimistic. But Hyunwoo was confident. In particr, Yellow Balloon, Real Film, the eventpany, Sanggon Ahn Architect Co., all of which he has entered into business rtions with, would ept Hyunwoo¡¯s demands. And Ani & Funny, KOVE DREAM, and N&C Korea that Hyunwoo owns will also offer on-the-job training opportunities for the students. Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom food factory was another good ce for their real experience. ¡°Sooner orter I¡¯m going to contact thesepanies. When I set up a more detailed n, I¡¯ll let you know. Please let me know if you have good ideas anytime.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Hyunwoo invested lots of money and time in Haenim School. In addition to the college students, he made efforts to invite the local celebrities as the special guest lectures. Hyunwoo himself attended the sses with the students to check out what wascking. One day, he went to Duyoung¡¯s office, another day he stopped by Kuroda¡¯s and Taeho¡¯s. Whenever he had free time, Hyunwoo analyzed Taeho¡¯s failure notes. And he assigned Taeho¡¯s assistants to the same task: analyzing his failure notes and think about how they could make use of the failed products. But he could not totally focus on the tasks of Haenim School. There were so many things that Hyunwoo was involved in, and some people needed his help. In particr, Suji was one of them. Since he went on a date with herst time she became a different woman. Properly speaking, it happened since he ran into her at the restaurant the other day. From that day to this, she asked him to find more time for her. Whenever she had free time, she called him and tried to see his face once a day, evente in the morning. And she tried to control his schedule in order to secure a date for the next weekend. But when he went out on dates with her, she didn¡¯t seem happy. Of course, she tried on her part. She smiled and talked more than before, and she was more aggressive in making physical contact with him. But Hyunwoo knew she didn¡¯t make conscious efforts to act like that normally. No matter how often he met her and had physical contact with her, there was something vain and empty in her eyes. Hyunwoo felt a sense of crisis. It was a critical moment in his rtionship with Suji. How he could ovee it would determine their fate. She might not realize it yet, but Hyunoo thought her as his future family. He felt a sense of responsibility for her, unlike other women. To ovee the crisis wisely, he invested lots of time and effort into her. In the meantime, his office workloads never diminished. In particr, Ani & Funny took up a lot of his concentration. Hyunwoo wanted to entrust Kyungsu with the role of CEO of Any & Funny, but Kyungsu wascking in an independent mindset, so was Sanggyu. Besides, no matter how busy he was, Hyunwoo had to meet with important people such as Jinyoung Paek, Jaeyol Song, Mansoo Kim, and Chan Yun. As for KOVE DREAM and N&C Korea, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t worry so much. Jaekyong, Juhwan and Sonjong did their work so well that he didn¡¯t worry about them at all for the whole week. As a result, it was impossible for him to find as much time as Suji wanted. Still, he tried his best to do so. No matter what happened to their rtionshipter, he didn¡¯t want to have regrets what he did for her. ¡°What are you going to do next weekend?¡± Suji asked in a whisper, with her head on his chest. She was caressing his naked body with one hand. Hyunwoo touched her fair skin. ¡°Of course, I would love to go out on a date with you.¡± ¡°Really? Didn¡¯t you make any appointments?¡± Raising her head, she looked at him, full of happiness in her eyes. He felt a bit bitter because he felt as if her happiness was feigned, not genuine. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ve saved the time for you, Suji.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s travel to Anmyon Ind.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°I love it! I love it!¡± Though their weekend date was not over yet, she was already nning another date with him for next weekend. *** Hyunwoo went to Haenim School early in the morning. These days he waspletely absorbed in analyzing Taeho¡¯s failure notes with great delight. Then, he received an urgent call from Ani & Funny. ¡°Boss, can youe to the office right now?¡± ¡°Why? What happened?¡± ¡°Tony World called us from America. It is rted to a contract on the characters of Garbage World.¡± ¡°Tony World?¡± Tony World is thergest toypany in America. But toy production was only a piece of Tony World¡¯s vast business. Tony World boasted a great amount of brand awareness and recognition in animation movies, hotels, and theme parks. Chapter 214

Chapter 214

How can a globalpany like Tony World call Ani & Funny on the contract about the characters of Garbage World? If the contract was signed, that would be awesome. Hyunwoo rushed to the office. Kyungsu handed him a note with Tony World¡¯s number. It was the call number of Tony World¡¯s headquarters in Los Angeles. He quickly called the number. As Kyungsu said, it was about the contract about Garbage World. The size of the contract was beyond imagination. It was far from a typicalmercial contract. In fact, Hyunwo was not badly in need of money. Garbage World was generating over two billion won per month as its contract money and royalty fee were increasing steadily. Besides, Tuti & Angelica was also fast catching up with the poprity of Garbage World. Above all, Jinhon and Ang¡¯s Duckling Fly reaped huge revenues. Even after deducting the shares for Jinyoung, Jinhon, and Ang, the revenue was over 5 billion won up to now. Allbined, the monthly revenues of Ani & Funny was about 9 billion won. Compared with the revenues of KOVE DREAM, however, Ani & Funny was still trailing far behind in revenue. KOVE DREAM¡¯s revenues reached over two billion won, and whenbined with the revenues of its branches in America and Japan, its monthly total was over 13 billion won. The Chinese branch,unched recently, was already generating 500 million won in revenues. The total amount of revenues of Hyunwoo¡¯spanies was 23 billion won per month. Despite such a remarkable increase in revenues, the contract money that Tony World proposed to Hyunwoo was astronomical. Hyunwoo might have uttered exmation to hear it. Ah~ 500 million dors! Converted in Korean currency, it was more than 5 trillion won, but one condition of the contract bothered Hyunwoo. ¡°In return, you should give us the exclusive rights to the use of the characters. Those contracts that you have signed already are fine, but we¡¯re going to take care of all future contracts rted to Garbage World,¡± the Tony World official said over the phone. ¡°You want me to give you its copyright, right?¡± asked Hyunwoo, touching the heart of the matter. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. You can post its animated serials freely, but all other contents are bound by the contract. If you want to make an animated movie, you should first get the approval of Tony World.¡± Suddenly, he felt discouraged to hear that. There was a reason Tony World proposed such arge amount of contract money. He agonized. It was a matter of whether or not to kill the goose thatid the golden eggs. ¡°Let me discuss with our staff first about your offer and get back to you.¡± ¡°Okay. Let me be clear. Tony World is the best globalpany in the industry. Don¡¯t simply look at the contract money. Take into ount the rate of gainsharing.¡± ¡°Got it. Let me review it.¡± After the call Hyunwoo, feeling his forehead with hand, pondered over Tony World¡¯s offer. At a nce, it seemed like a choice of killing the goose thatys the golden eggs, but when the situation was examined carefully, it wasn¡¯t necessarily so. Tony World¡¯s condition was 500 million in contract money, along with the payment of 10% of its ordinary profits. In other words, he could count on the continuing, not one-shot, revenues. He had to take into ount the question of whether Ani & Funny could generate as many revenues as Tony World¡¯s offer independently. In his opinion, that was impossible. Given the current growth rate of Ani & Funny, it would take at least ten years to make 5 trillion won in revenues. The bigger issue was whether An & Funny could sustain its growth in the future. The main reason that Garbage World won so much poprity was directly rted to the worldwide poprity of Duckling Fly. If its poprity went down, that of Garbage World would face the same fate. Music experts expected Duckling Fly¡¯s poprity would notst more than a year. In fact, it would begin to lose poprity in about six months. If that¡¯s the case, it would certainly be a profitable transaction to execute the contract with Tony World. Actually, his staff seemed to think so. When he looked around quickly, all of them were nodding, gesturing toward him to ept the offer. But that was based on themercial calction. Hyunwoo thought about the difference between one trillion and five trillion won in revenues. What was the difference? Of course, there was a big difference. He could expand the business, hire more people and grow Haenim School with the money, but that was only growth in terms of size. When he thought about its purpose, he came up with a different conclusion. The purpose of Hyunwoo¡¯s founding thepanies was to raise the less fortunate children. To him, how to offer good quality education to them was much more important than simply increasing the number of prospective students. In that respect, Garbage World was the best teaching material for the students. They could gain experience and confidence by directly participating in the production of such a popr animation. He also thought about how people would feel about his deal with Tony World. The characters of Garbage World were already loved by people. They were very proud of the Korean-made characters, too. Selling the copyright of the characters was the betrayal of the peoples¡¯ trust. That would affect negatively the sales promotion of not only Garbage World but also all the future content offered by Ani & Funny. In conclusion, there were more losses than gains in the current deal. What¡¯s most important was how much Hyunwoo was satisfied with the deal. To Hyunwoo, 500 million dors was not the final goal of his life. He felt he would not feel happy just because he received that money. He felt he could feel happier if he earned one trillion won by growing hispanies with his own efforts. When he thought as far as that, he could make the final decision. ¡°I won¡¯t sell the rights of the characters.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± eximed the staff regrettably. But he was not moved at all. He was confident that he would not feel regrets about his decisionter. He called Tony World again and notified them of his decision. Tony World bent over backward to persuade him. When he didn¡¯t budge a bit, they offered a revised proposal. ¡°Okay, then. We¡¯re going to buy the right to use the characters without the exclusive right, but as the contract money depends on the extent of our use of the characters, we can¡¯t discuss it over the phone. Can you visit our head office in Los Angeles, if you don¡¯t mind?¡± ¡°When is it convenient for you?¡± ¡°Our CEO is nning the creation of several new theme parks now, so he wants to use Garbage World characters there. Can you visit us sometime this week?¡± ¡°Got it. Let me arrange the schedule as soon as possible. By the way, can you send us a contract draft first? Let me review it.¡± ¡°Will do. Let me email it to you.¡± When he hung up the phone, his staff, who watched him, holding their breath, made happy expressions on their faces. ¡°Wow! We¡¯re finally signing a contract with Tony World!¡± ¡°This must be a jackpot! We can grow bigger than BNB, right?¡± Hyunwoo also could not help but smile. Signing the contract would mean the explosive growth in revenues but more important was the promotional effects. On the asion of the contract, there would be a big increase in the sales of Garbage World characters as well as its animation video. It would be a matter of time before they caught up with BNB. He quickly called Yellow Balloon to get a ticket to Los Angeles at the earliest time. Fortunately, there was a ne bound for Los Angeles tomorrow afternoon. He bought a round-trip ticket that would get him back on Saturday. He smoothed down his chest, ¡°Phew. The timing is perfect!¡± Otherwise, he might have broken the promise to have a date with Suji. Kyungsu handed him a note with a stranger¡¯s name and his contact. ¡°When you have free time in Los Angeles, please see him.¡± ¡°James Lee? Who is he?¡± ¡°He was my junior in college. His Korean name is Dongbang Lee. As soon as he graduated, he immigrated to America. I call him a couple of times every year. He is involved in animation. As he lives in Los Angeles, he might help you.¡± ¡°Oh, is he the president of an animationpany?¡± ¡°Yes, but it seems his business is in a slump. Contact him anyway. If you drop my name, he could help you a lot.¡± ¡°Sure. Let me contact him when I get there.¡± As soon as he arrived in Los Angeles, he called James Lee. ¡°Hello. Actually, I¡¯m here in front of the entrance gate. Please wave your hand!¡± Looking around, Hyunwoo waved his hand. ¡°I¡¯ve found you. I¡¯m behind you.¡± Hyunwoo quickly turned his head when a dressed-up gentleman wearing sunsses was approaching him. Though he was Kyungsu¡¯s junior in college, James was a middle-aged man, seven years older than Hyunwoo. ¡°Nice to meet you here. I was waiting for you since Kyungsu tipped me off. I hear this is your first visit to America.¡± James weed him with open hands and promised to escort him to the headquarters of Tony World. ¡°Why don¡¯t youe to my office now?¡± James was the president of the animationpany ¡®J World.¡¯ He worked for an animationpany untilst spring, when he quit to found his ownpany. He had a total of nine employees but produced no noticeable content. As he had nothing to do, his office was empty. There was nobody left behind to work in the evening even though it was just past the official quitting time. ¡°Looks like your staff got off work already.¡± ¡°Well, as they don¡¯t have much work to do, they have no reason to stayte.¡± Chapter 215

Chapter 215

When Hyunwoo talked about his business, James had a sullen expression on his face. ¡°I realized there was a big difference between me working as an employee and me running apany. They recognized my ability when I was an employee, but when I havee to run apany, I really find it hard to make profits in business.¡± ¡°As you know, one smash hit can bring you lots of money in the animation world. I hope the day wille soon.¡± Hyunwoo tried tofort him, but James shook his head. ¡°No, I think I made the wrong choice. In fact, I had a couple of excellent animation projects, but they failed to make a hit. I¡¯m out of money. If I can¡¯t make a sess with the current animations, I¡¯m thinking of closing business.¡± James spent lots of time for his convenience. He stayed with Hyunwoote at night and gave him a ride to the head office of Tony World the next morning. Hyunwoo felt thankful for his hospitality and felt sorry for him at the same time. Thanks to his help, Hyunwoo pulled off the contract without any difficulty. The conditions of the contract were satisfactory. Even though it was not the exclusive right, they offered 10 million dors as the contract money, plus 10% of its ordinary profits. James saw him off at the airport. While waiting for the flight, Hyunwoo talked with James about business. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I will close business sooner orter.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯re going back to the status of an employee, right?¡± ¡°I guess so. I¡¯m a bit worried, though. I¡¯m thinking about whether I should stay here or go back to Korea.¡± ¡°What about your family?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m unmarried, haha.¡± He said his parents and rtives were in Korea. He immigrated to America with a challenging spirit alone. Though he was not good at business, his challenging spirit wasmendable. ¡°If I may ask, I wonder if I can join the Ani & Funny when I go back to Korea. I am confident I am quitepetent in creating storyboards.¡± Actually, Hyunwoo needed more talents in that field. The problem was how to verify James¡¯s ability. ¡°Though I¡¯m the owner of Ani & Funny, I don¡¯t make the hiring decision on my own. Let me go back and discuss with my staff. I¡¯ll let you know.¡± ¡°Got it. Please let me know.¡± ¡°Sure, will do.¡± As soon as he arrived in Korea, Hyunwoo called Suji first. When he departed for Los Angeles, he called her whenever he had free time. Thanks to his efforts, she answered the phone in a cheerful voice. Nodding his head, Hyunwoo thought to himself, Yea. There is nothing I couldn¡¯t do when I tried. Suji wanted my attention, above all. I wish I had made more efforts for her attention. Back home, he took a shower and then left to pick up Suji. They drove to Anmyon Ind. Though the vacation time was almost over, there were lots of cars on the road leading to the ind. When they arrived at the ind, it happened to be sunset. Hugging her from behind, he was watching the horizon that was getting red with the setting sun. Though they didn¡¯t talk, they felt they could feel each other¡¯s hearts. Over dinner, they chatted away in a good mood. Suddenly, he asked her as if something came to his mind, ¡°How about running around our vige in the morning?¡± ¡°Why did you suddenly bring up running?¡± He told her what happened several days ago. He said Yu Zuung¡¯s running alone in the hill near his house seemed a bit dangerous. ¡°That day I ran with her, but if I run with her every morning, you might think it strange.¡± ¡°Why do you think so?¡± said Suji casually. But he didn¡¯t feel at ease. He felt as if he was dating Yu Zuung. ¡°I know you like to work out, right? Let¡¯s run together.¡± ¡°I go to the fitness center and swimming pool in the morning, as you know. I like it much better than running outside.¡± With a bright smile he said, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s why you have such a nice figure.¡± ¡°You know I¡¯m pretty, right? Hoho¡± said she, posing cutely for him with a charmingugh. Suji seemed quite happy. She didn¡¯t seem to try to be happy today. Her happy and broad smile seemed to show that she owned the whole world. Was it the reason? Before it was toote, she suggesteding back to the hotel. When they opened the room curtain, they saw the night sea and lighthouse, which created a romantic atmosphere. But they soon sat back on the sofa and sipped wine before kissing each other. Was it because of the time difference due to his overseas travel? Or was it because of Suji¡¯s intense desire? As soon as he had sex with her, he just fell asleep over her. He didn¡¯t know she massaged his body. He was drunk with happiness and sound asleep. After he came back from his trip to the ind with Suji, Hyunwoo began running with Yu Zuung in the morning. Though he usually woke up early in the morning, Yu Zuung did the same. She was always doing some warm-up exercises even before he came out for running. ¡°What time do you wake up?¡± ¡°My eyes are open at 6 am usually.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired if you wake up that early?¡± ¡°No. I go to bed early instead.¡± ¡°What time do you hit the sack?¡± ¡°After 10 pm, I feel sleepy. Hoho.¡± He began to run with her. She took her pet, Wory, too, saying her dog also needed workout. When he was running around his neighborhood with her, he suddenly felt strange. Turning his head, he saw Suji opening her window on the second floor and watching him running with Yu Zuung. As it was somewhat far from his ce, Hyunwoo could not check out her facial expression. But probably she felt lonely. At that moment, he felt a sting in the heart. Though Suji said she didn¡¯t care, she must have felt uneasy about his running with Yu Zuung amicably. What would Hyunwoo feel if he saw Suji jogging with Jungsu every morning? In fact, Hyunwoo ran with Yu Zuung every morning since he came back from the ind. When that thinking bothered him, Hyunwoo told Yu Zuung, after all. ¡°I¡¯m going to run with you today. It¡¯s a real drag to wake up early in the morning every day.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t care about me. Who¡¯s going to do harm to me when it¡¯s bright like this in the morning? I can run alone. In fact, I was running alone in Vietnam.¡± Though she said that nonchntly, Hyunwoo was still concerned. She might be okay now, but if she kept running every day, she might be the target of a sexual harasser someday. ¡°Why don¡¯t you obtain a driver¡¯s license? You can use apany car to go to the fitness center or swimming pool.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got a Vietnamese license. I can change it to the Korean license. Just in case, I have all the required documents with me, too.¡± ¡°Good for you! Apply for the Korean license quickly and get it.¡± Suji headed to the swimming pool alone. Though Hyunwoo promised to give her a ride to herpany, he couldn¡¯t keep it because he was too busy. He gave her a ride in the morning, but she had toe back home alone after work. Today, too, she drove a light car to the swimming pool. She met a familiar face there: Jungsu. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you, Jungsu.¡± ¡°Suji, howe you¡¯re here?¡± ¡°Well, I have a membership here. What about you?¡± ¡°Oh, I see. I came here for a regr membership today.¡± For some reason, she felt a prick in the heart. For she thought Jungsu might have signed the membership on purpose. But it was her unfounded concern. Jungsu was not the type of man who would take away another man¡¯s girlfriend. With a bright smile, she said, ¡°That¡¯s great! Actually, I was bored as I came here alone.¡± *** Singyong Co. is the biggest oil refinery andmunicationspany in Korea. In terms of the sales and profits, it is ranked 5th, but in terms of cash flow andpany stability, it is ranked 2nd after Ohsung Co. Besides, Singyong discovered a huge oilfield in the continental shelf of Vietnam several years ago. Its stake was only 15% because it explored the oil jointly with Chinese and Japanesepanies, but as the size of the oilfield was so huge, its profits snowballed and imed its status as the most sessfulpany these. However, its president, Munsik Choi, was a greedy businessman. No matter how sessful he was, he was always on the lookout for new business opportunities, a new source of revenues, and new talents. In particr, he was pretty interested in the culture content featuring K-POP. In fact, Munsik had his third son establish a cultural contentpany called JK Entertainment. JK Entertainment was different from AT Entertainment founded by Taesu Ahn, the youngest son of the president of Ohsung Co. Taesu founded hispany despite his father¡¯s strong opposition, while the real owner of JK Entertainment was Munsik, not his third son. JK Entertainment invested a lot of money sourced from Sinyoung Co. since the beginning of the business. Its building wasrge and splendid, and it scouted famous entertainers indiscriminately. Thanks to that, JK Entertainment could establish its image as a major entertainment brand within a short period of time. Still, Munsik was not satisfied with JK Entertainment¡¯s status. In particr, he was at the height of discontent when he watched new idol stars who appeared like aet. These days, he focused on Jinhon and Ang. They became world stars thanks to their music video Duckling Fly. ¡°Damn it! Why can¡¯t we discover such talents?¡± There was only one reason for that: JK¡¯s staff was notpetent enough. It was simple to raise the staff¡¯s ability. Namely, he could stimte their morale with a stick and carrot approach, or take his cue from the sessful entertainmentpany. Munsik called the manager of Singyongs¡¯ intelligence gathering team. ¡°Do some investigation of Ani & Funny and report back to me in detail. I want to know who is its president, who he is, how he made a big hit and how he grew hispany. Also, check out his family background and the entertainers belonging to hispany.¡± ¡°Got it, sir.¡± Chapter 216

Chapter 216

After stopping by the warehouse of KOVE DREAM, Hyunwoowoo headed to the office of Ani & Funny. While he was driving there, his cell phone buzzed. He opened his eyes wide after confirming the caller. It was the first time Soyun Han called him like this. It seemed she made the final decision. ¡°Well...I made up my mind. Let me participate in the featuring of the music video Temptation,¡± said she in a cautious voice. He smiled from ear to ear. She continued, ¡°Jinyoung will instantly recognize me when I sing. So, I would like to get his promise first. Again, I don¡¯t want my real identity to be revealed until the end.¡± ¡°Of course. You can count on me.¡± ¡°And I resigned from the alternative school as of today. Call me at the current number if you want to contact me.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± As soon as he was done with the call, Hyunwoo called Jinyoung. After some ringing, he picked up the phone in a sleepy voice. ¡°Were you sleeping?¡± ¡°Well, I shot the scene untilte this morning. What the hell did you call me from early morning?¡± Hyunwoo informed him of the news that could wake him up immediately. ¡°Soyun decided to participate in the music video atst. She said she would sing and dance together.¡± ¡°What? Are you sure?¡± ¡°You should keep her identity secret under any circumstances. I got her approval on the condition that I keep it under wraps.¡± He then briefed Jinyoung about his conversation with her. Soyun would appear in the video, wearing a mask to hide her identity and using a different name. Jinyoung felt the same way. ¡°Yea, we should ept her demands if that is what she wants. Let me call her directly and reassure her on this.¡± ¡°You can do itter when she actually participates. I think you had better keep quiet until then.¡± ¡°Okay. Let me rearrange the song to fit Soyun¡¯s voice.¡± Jinyoung hung up in a cheerful tone. After the call, Hyunwoo called Kwangsu Han, the president of Real Film. He wanted to prepare in advance to keep his promise to Soyun. ¡°Hey, brother, I want you to make a program.¡± ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°It is about the story of those whose lives were ruined by the alleged sex video scandals. You remember the case of Nami Yu recently.¡± ¡°Wow, that will be pretty difficult,¡± Kwangsu grumbled. ording to Kwangsu, such a program needed professional experts who could analyze the sex videos in question and actual interviews with the victims. The bigger issue was who was the target of the program. ¡°I wonder if you¡¯re making this to target Taesu Ahn. Don¡¯t mess around with him. When they feel that this program touches on Taesu, they will never have it on air.¡± Hyunwoo felt regretful about it, but that was true. ¡°Got it. But I want you to make the program by all means. There are some victims for whose grudges I want to work off by all means. ¡°Are you talking about Nami Yu?¡± ¡°Not just her but also Soyun Han. I know something about Soyun, and she is still suffering from that sex video scandal. I know you¡¯re in a difficult position, but please help me.¡± ¡°Phew. Let me try,¡± said Kwangsu, giving a green light to his request. Kwangsu continued, ¡°By the way, is it possible to interview Nami and Soyun? The program will take real effects with their interview.¡± ¡°Nami would grant the interview, but I¡¯m not so sure of Soyun. Let me ask her.¡± ¡°Sure. Let me try, too. I know some video analyzers, so let me search for them first.¡± ¡°I trust you, brother!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t trust me! I¡¯m being pressed already. Hahaha.¡± Hyunwoo hung up pleasantly. And then he headed straight to the Ani & Funny office. When he entered the office, Kyungsu briefed him about the status of the business. ¡°Tuti & Angelica¡¯s Season 2 is getting more and more popr. Lots of replies praising Season 2 areing in from all around the world. There are some fans whoin that we should deal with their history, too.¡± Giggling at that, Hyunwoo said, ¡°It¡¯s fortunate that they don¡¯t post hatements. Are there cyberbullies in other countries?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t simply conclude they¡¯re cyberbullies. They justin we are not dealing with the history and famous figures of their countries. Some of them sending us some tips on that.¡± ¡°Really?¡± said Hyunwoo, showing some interest. Kyungsu checked hisputer and took out one message from a fan overseas. Hyunwoo read it. It was sent by an Indian names Chatulbuz. He protested why Tuti & Angelica did not deal with famous figures like Gandhi who was famous not only in India but also around the world. He even added an animation story with a mix of factual and fictional elements. ¡°Do we receive messages like this a lot?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°Not many, but I have confirmed fifteen such messages recently.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes sparkled at that. In fact, he had one headache about the inte cafe under the name of Ani & Funny. Since it opened, more than 2,000 people joined it, and they were still counting. But the problem was that he didn¡¯t know how to use them because there were not many stories for the inte cafe members to make use of. In particr, they needed an enormous amount of time and energy to do research on the history of foreign countries and famous foreign figures. But if they could make good use of messages like Chatulbuz¡¯s, Hyunwoo felt such a problem could be solved in some respects. ¡°Can you sort out the messages and keep track of them? We don¡¯t have to sit on them if the story material is good.¡± ¡°There might arise the issue of copyright. Foreign histories or figures might be okay even if we used them, but we had better be careful when we use them as storyboards.¡± ¡°We can buy their copyright,¡± said Hyunwo, presenting the solution at the drop of a hat Then heposed a reply to the Indian¡¯s message expressing thanks for submitting it, with the note that he would buy the copyright of his animation story. Hyunwoo even made a simple contract in English for him, offering $200 for his animation story but didn¡¯t mention any furtherpensation after it was used by Ani & Funny. A littleter Kyungsu sorted out the messages from foreign fans of Tuti & Angelica. ¡°They are kind of a hodgepodge. Some just wrote down their own famous figures, some talked about their history in detail, and others submitted animation stories like Chatulbuz.¡± Hearing his exnation, Hyunwoo reviewed the material. Kyungsu mentioned 15 messages, but when they were sorted out, it numbered more than 30. Like Kyungsu said, some of the messages were not worth reading as they simply exined their own famous figures. There were a total of five messages that containedplete stories. If Suhim Yu, the story creator of Any & Funny, handled them more professionally, they could be used as something interesting. ¡°As for these five stories, please email them about the copyrights of their stories. We are going to pay $200 for theplete stories and $100 for those stories that need Suhim¡¯s finishing touches. And let¡¯s work on theplete stories as soon as their copyright issue is solved.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Then he walked down to the first floor and called the students together. ¡°Hi, is there any progress in your work? By now you might have formed a team of your own.¡± They just scratched their heads at his question. He divided a total of 42 students with Ani & Funny into 21 teams. And he directed them to select 30 more from the inte cafe members. In fact, it wasn¡¯t difficult to select the team members as most of the cafe members were anxious to get closer to Ani & Funny and scramble for a position. From the standpoint of the existing students, however, it was not that simple. For the final evaluation of their performance would depend on how talented cafe members they could select for their own teams. That dyed their decision. But Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t wait anymore. ¡°I think I gave you enough time. Just submit the storyboard and the list of the team members by next week. Your team members will be changed on a weekly basis, so don¡¯t worry about that.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± One weekter, the 21 teams submitted the storyboards and their team members¡¯ names. In the meantime, the copyright issues involving theplete stories of foreign fans were resolved. Out of the five contracts, only one was refused. Hyunwoo asked the managers to evaluate the storyboards of the student teams. ¡°Please choose the best four.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Led by Sanggyu, the managers evaluated their storyboards intensively. As they were all experts, it didn¡¯t take much time to judge the submitted storyboards. With a quick nce, they could figure out which one was organized and interesting. ¡°I think these storyboards are rmendable. With a few finishing touches, they can be very interesting items.¡± Then, Hyunwoo called the students again, and he gave them the prize awards in cash, with the top winner receiving the most. He also assigned each team to a new task. He handed storyboards to the top four teams, which were well polished by Suhim. ¡°You guys try to make the animation with this storyboard. I¡¯ll give you one week. Other teams that failed to get chosen this time have to go back and review what¡¯scking and deficient. You can pass your work around and read it in turns and try to improve.¡± In fact, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t attach much importance to the ranking of their works. What he aimed for was not grade their performance but to create an environment where they could work harder. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t give the students enough time. Even though the level ofpletion of their storyboards was low, he wanted each team to make as many as possible. Another week passed. They submitted thepleted storyboards. Though theyined about their hard work, they still racked their brains toplete them. This time Hyunwoo didn¡¯t grade them. And he had them corrected and refined further by the professional staff and sent them to its Vietnamese branch. He made sure that those stories with the attached messages from Story Ma got a special note that read: Chapter 217

Chapter 217

Hyunwoo expected thement would invite lots of stories from foreign fans of Tuti & Angelica. Some of them would send stories out of their wish to publicize the great men of their country and their history, and others would send stories for the copyright fees. Thinking of such a reaction in theing days, he smiled in satisfaction. Several dayster a middle-aged man followed Kyungsu into the office of Ani & Funny. Though his staff didn¡¯t know him, Hyunwoo already met him before. Hyunwoo held out his hand first. ¡°Wee! As you came back after experiencing hard times, I hope you can have many good things.¡± ¡°Thanks for hiring me,¡± said James Lee, who returned from America. Bowing to Hyunwoo, he held his hands. Hyunwoo introduced him to his staff. Though he failed in business, he was widely recognized for his excellent skills in making storyboards. Scratching his head, James said, ¡°James Lee is my American name, and my original Korean name is Dongbang Lee. You can call me either one, which ever you think is convenient to call.¡± Hyunwoo gave him the position of overseeing the marketing team. In that respect, his American name fit his position very well. Of course, James had no team members despite his position. In fact, the full-time staff of Ani & Funn had the title ¡®manager¡¯ without any exception. ¡°I have great expectations of your role here,¡± said Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo wanted to take his hands off the chores of Any & Funny as much as possible. It was his wish that he came to the office three or four times a week, get a brief briefing on the status of the pending business and leave office within a couple of hours. In order to realize his wish, Hyunwoo needed someone who could sub for him. He initially expected such a role of Kyungsu and Sanggyu, but they failed to meet Hyunwoo¡¯s expectations. But Jame Lee would be different. Though he failed in business, he had experiences as the owner of his business. With a lighthearted mind, Hyunwoo came out of the office. He didn¡¯t worry about KOVE DREAM and N&C Korea. Unless Jaegyong, Songjung, and Juhwan ran into big trouble, thesepanies would run very well even for a year without Hyunwoo. In particr, Songjung was pretty dependable in his mind. When he delegated his power to her, including the hiring decision, she hired good people when the need arose. Thanks to her hiring, the staff of KOVE DREAM already increased to ten. Except for Yenam and Hwasik, she was responsible for hiring the other eight staff members. That¡¯s why Hyunwoo came to have a big expectation of James Lee. If James could carry out his role as Hyunwoo expected, he could focus more on Haenim School. In fact, that was his biggest wish these days. Hyunwoo visited the school whenever he had free time. The purpose of his visit was not to manage the school. There was only one thing he was involved in when he visited the school. It was to analyze Taeho¡¯s failure notes. Today, he headed to the school aftering out of the Ani & Funny office. Then, he held Taeho¡¯s failure diaries. He already analyzed more than ten failure diaries. Among them, only one constantly kepting to his mind. It was the first failure diary that he read on the first day when he moved Taeho¡¯s research material to Haenim School. When he was reading Taeho¡¯s other failure diaries, he couldn¡¯t concentrate because of that first one. It recorded Taeho¡¯s failed experiment on organic sr cells. An organic sr cell is formed of a metal electrode, a photoactiveyer, an insertionyer, a transparent electrode, and a substrate. The most important material among these is the transparent electrode. Currently, ITO is used as an indium oxide electrode as a material. Indium is a rare mineral, and as it is on the verge of exhaustion, it is very expensive. Therefore, the key to researching organic sr cells is to develop transparent electrode materials to rece indium oxide. Currently, various materials such as carbon nanotubes, metal mesh, graphene, and nanowires have been developed. The first experimental note was a transparent electrode development experiment using carbon nanotubes. The biggest disadvantage of carbon nanotubes was that the electrons and holesbine with each other, resulting in low photoelectric efficiency. If this problem was solved, it will be the most economical transparent electrode. Naturally, many scientists conducted various experiments to solve this problem. A typical method is to selectively transport only one electron or hole by doping boron or nitrogen. This prevents rbination and improves efficiency by 33%. This is why Taeho focused so much on organic sr cell experiments. When this catalyst was made perfect, it will be the world¡¯s most efficient organic sr cell. Most of the failure diaries were rted to the experiment on the catalyst. Taeho failed every time. Though he seeded in raising its efficiency, it didn¡¯t solve other problems. The problem noted in this experimental note covered more than that of organic sr cells. If sr power was generated, carbon nanotubes shrunk more than 5%, which caused the sr cell to be greatly distorted. Taeho wrote down an analysis of the cause, but as it was filled with too many technical terms, Hyunwoo could not understand. At that moment, Taeho was seening out of his research room. With a d expression, Hyunwoo approached him. ¡°Looks like you hit upon a good idea, didn¡¯t you?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°Not yet, hahaha.¡± And then Hyunwoo asked Taeho some questions, showing him his failure diary. He asked why the carbon nanotubes were deformed. ¡°I really can¡¯t understand because of the technical terms.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s simple, though I wrote about it with technical terms. One of the biggest causes of low efficiency of organic sr cells is static electricity. When sr power is generated, a lot of fine static electricity urs. When the static electricity stimtes carbon nanotubes, severe contraction urs.¡± ¡°Then, there is no deforming of carbon nanotubes when static electricity is removed, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Theoretically, yes. I¡¯ve been doing research on that but can¡¯t find the solution.¡± At that moment, he thought of his father Duyoung. Duyoung has a Ph. D degree in chemistry. He was excellent enough to have developed the new fuel concept of green oil. Duyoung might be able to discover the catalyst that did not deform carbon nanotubes. If he can seed, it would be a great invention that far exceeds that of green oil. This time he headed for his father¡¯s research room. When he heard his soning to his office, Duyoung stopped calcting on hisputer and turned his head. ¡°Did I disturb you, Dad?¡± ¡°No, juste in.¡± Hyunwoo sat next to his father. And then he showed Taeho¡¯s failure diary to him and told him about the catalyst that deformed carbon nanotubes. Just like a chemistry expert Duyoung instantly understood what his son was talking about. ¡°Do you want me to develop the catalyst?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to rush the research. I just thought it might be good for you to do some other research when you have free time.¡± ¡°Well, I was feeling frustrated because I had no progress in my research. I think it¡¯s a good idea to do research on a different topic, as you said.¡± Duyoung dly epted Hyunwoo¡¯s suggestion. *** On the door of the conference room of Singyong Co., someone knocked. The manager of private investigation team came in. Chairman Munsik Choi of Singyong, who was reading a newspaper on the sofa, folded the paper and looked at him. ¡°Did you find something out?¡± ¡°Yes, here you go.¡± The manager handed him a yellow file that he carried under his arm. Munsik opened the file. There was a lot of surprising information about Hyunwoo, his family, and hispanies. ¡°KOVE DREAM? Is the president of Ani & Funny also serving as the president of KOVE DREAM?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. He not only owns KOVE DREAM but also N&C Korea. He also runs an alternative school named Haenim School.¡± Munsik didn¡¯t pay any attention to other names than KOVE DREAM. Though N&C Korea was once well known to the public, it didn¡¯t grab the people¡¯s attention as much as KOVE DREAM. KOVE DREAM was the hot issue these days. In particr, it was the talk of the town among businessmen. Thanks to thebination of the cheapbor in Vietnam and the high technical prowess of Korea, the prices of KOVE DREAM products were the mostpetitive in the world market. So,panies in Korea watched very closely KOVE DREAM¡¯s every move. As they could notpete with KOVE DREAM, they just wished their products were not produced by their rivals of KOVE DREAM. Fortunately, KOVE didn¡¯t have such a big negative impact on Koreanpanies. For most of the KOVE productspeted with those produced in China. But it was too early for them to feel at ease. Right now many Korean technicians were flying to Vietnam. Although they moved to Vietnam because they lostpetitiveness in Korea, someday even those Korean technicians in possessions at the core of technology might join them. Of course, KOVE DREAM¡¯s business area was different from Singyong. No matter how big KOVE DREAM could grow, it could not covet the business of oil refinery ormunications that Singyong was doing. The reason Munsik watched KOVE DREAM with interest because of its growth potential. Though it¡¯s a consortium of 20 local Koreanpanies in Vietnam, it was growing rapidly. As the current trend went on, the number ofpanies joining KOVE DREAM could be over 100 in several years. Munsik just felt frustrated when he watched KOVE growing bigger and bigger. ¡°Why don¡¯t I have a man who can present these kinds of great ideas?¡± Lamenting like that, he turned over the next page of the file. Obviously, the manager did an excellent job. In less than 15 days, he dug out all the detailed information by investigating Ani & Funny, KOVE DREAM, N&C Korea, alternative school as well as his people. Thanks to his investigation efforts, the file was thick like a book. Munsik ran his eyes through the file with a satisfied expression. Suddenly, his eyes stopped at one of the names that came to his mind. There was a name that was familiar to him. ¡°Duyoung Jang? I heard about it somewhere? Who was he?¡± Chapter 218

Chapter 218

Munsik Choi had a prodigious memory for his age. Though his memory began to fail a bit when he passed 60, he could still recall dozens of phone numbers that he had known ten years ago. But when he noticed the name ¡®Duyoung Jang,¡¯ he had a distant memory of him. He didn¡¯t remember it urately, but it was clear that he had a bad impression of him. ¡°Do you have the tips on him, too?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a Ph. D degree in chemistry. He had his lower part of the body paralyzed because of a traffic ident about twenty years ago. He used to run apany called ¡®Green Oil¡¯ previously...¡± ¡°What? Green Oil?¡± screamed Munsik. The manager stopped speaking, stunned by his reaction then stared at him with a scared expression. Munsik had a violent temper. When he didn¡¯t like his subordinate¡¯s performance, he abruptly threw an ashy tray, ball-point pen, or anything that he had his hand on before his eyes. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you?¡± Munsik red at him fiercely, but he didn¡¯t throw anything. Instead, he med the manager with harsh words. ¡°Hey, dude, didn¡¯t you know anything about this Green Oilpany?¡± At that moment, the manager broke out in a cold sweat on his back. Of course, he was aware of thatpany. It was in the media limelight when it developed a new concept of car energy, but thatpany appeared and disappeared like aet. When the government levied the same tax rate on green oil that it did on gasoline, thatpany lostpetitiveness and disappeared from the public. What¡¯s wrong with it? The manager could not understand what had happened at that time. For he was hired at Singyong only five years ago and the incident was very sensitive. It was an open secret that major oil refineries colluded with politicians to ruin Green Oil. So, it was treated as a top secret within Singyong. Everybody involved kept quiet about it. It was natural that the manager didn¡¯t know it. But Munsik thought differently. He felt the manager should have found it out if he was really apetent manager. Is he so upset because he is scared about Duyoung¡¯s developing a new green oil? If that was the case, the manager understood his position. If Duyoung could develop a green oil that was cheaper than gasoline, Singyong will inevitably be dealt a big blow. Come to think of that, there was one important thing missing in the file. Haenim School was not just an alternative school for the students. Duyoung set up a research room in the school to work on something. When he thought as far as that, the manager¡¯s jaws dropped. Only then did Munsik clicked his tongue and asked, ¡°Now, do you begin to get wind of anything suspicious? That guy is the source of disaster!¡± ¡°What should I do?¡± Munsik didn¡¯t answer immediately. Instead, he rested his chin on hand and beat his brain. And then he looked at the manager as if he made a conclusion. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything about him now. Don¡¯t you know the saying, ¡®A bear does a handspring and its owner takes the money?¡± The manager was a smart guy. He immediately grasped Munsik¡¯s intention. ¡°So, it¡¯s your intention that once Duyoung develops a new green oil, you want to make it your own, right?¡± Munsik smiled at that as if he was satisfied with the manager¡¯s response. ¡°You said Duyoung was staying at the alternative school, right?¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°I guess all we have to do is bring a couple of the students over to our party. I believe you can do it without any difficulty, right?¡± The manager¡¯s eyes opened wider at that. That seemed really simple. ¡°Just make sure that Duyoung does not get wind of this, okay?¡± ¡°Got it.¡± *** Hyunwoo looked at the newly built second warehouse of KOVE DREAM with satisfaction. It was a huge warehouse with the floor space over 1000-pyong (0.8 acre). Juhwan and other staff uttered an exmation, ¡°Is this our new warehouse?¡± Nodding with a satisfied expression, Hyunwoo answered, ¡°Yes, it is. You guys will be working there from now on.¡± Advisor Hwasik Kang stayed calm. As he worked as a customs official for a long time, a warehouse this size was not a big deal. ¡°Our request for the increase of the capacity of our bonded warehouse has been approved. From now on, let me hand customs clearance by transporting the import products to this ce. Instead, let me have the existing warehouse store domestic products only.¡± ¡°Sure, please go ahead.¡± Hyunwoo also purchased 15 new freight trucks. As there were so many shipping items, the truck drivers had to move around incessantly. The foundation work on the new office had already began. It will be built in a 3-story edifice that could house 60 people. The third floor would be used as a day room for the employees. It appeared that everything was going smoothly. The matter of the bonded warehouse was resolved and its inte homepage was constructed and going through testing. ording to its administrator, it would be avable in 15 days. ¡°Hey, Director Juhwan, the new hires will report to work next Monday, so give them a good orientation.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Hyunwoo added the title ¡®director¡¯ to Juhwan¡¯s name, and he was very pleased. Not only Juhwan, but also Sonjong also got the same title. And other team members were promoted as thepany was bigger in size and hired 30 new people. The only person who was excluded from the promotion was Hwasik, who didn¡¯t want a new title. ¡°You guys should stay alert. As soon as the new website is constructed, we will start retail sales, too. Your workloads will be doubled in that case. The first month is very important, so just hang in there until then. Let me hire more people after that.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s prediction was realized in 15 days. As soon as KOVE DREAM¡¯s website was constructed, Hyunwoo aggressively put promotion ads on TV, radio, and newspapers. He spent 500 million won on advertisements. Thanks to special programs about it, KOVE DREAM was already well known to the public. As it only dealt with wholesales, however, the retailers could not ce an order, which was their mainint. If they wanted to purchase KOVE products, they had to go through the wholesalers, which made them pay 50% more than the direct sale prices of KOVE, so when KOVE advertised that retailers could now purchase its products directly at cheap prices, it was natural that they showed an explosive interest. But what they regretted about the retail sale was the differentiated pricing based on the size of the orders and the delivery time, which took about five days on average. Actually, the delivery time was decided based on Hyunwoo¡¯s deliberate calction. As most of the staff didn¡¯t handle their job well, it would be impossible for them to process the explosive growth in orders quickly. When they were ustomed to their work, it would be possible to process the orders and quicken the delivery time. That¡¯s why Hyunwoo intentionally put the phrase ¡®long delivery time¡¯ on the homepage. That would draw lessints from the retailers about shipping dys. At best it would be just one month to have the delivery system established. I think I have to hire more people until then. Suddenly, Hyunwoo came to think of Yonggu, his high school friend. He wished Yonggu would assume the general manager of KOVE DREAM whenever he hired new people. In fact, Yonggu agonized over Minhye Park, his girlfriend and CEO of Space Design. She was still dating Hyongsun Kim, his rival friend who wanted to take away her from Yonggu. Because of his conflict with her, Yonggu confided to Hyunwoo about his emotional distress over drinks when he met Hyunwoo. ¡°As you rmended, I¡¯d like to quit right away. If I quit, can you give me a job at yourpany?¡± asked Yonggu. Hyunwoo felt Yonggu was just grumbling out of frustration with Minhye, but as time went on, he began to get more serious about quitting. Yea, just resign one of these days and get out, Yonggu murmured to himself. But Minhye was not aware of the seriousness of the situation at all. She began to meet Hyungsun more often. Even today she came to the office veryte after dating Hyungsunst night. As he couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, Yonggu spoke out. ¡°As you know, Space Design has not yet established itself firmly. I think as CEO you seem to do your own business too often outside.¡± ¡°Well, ourpany won¡¯t go into the red this year. Don¡¯t you think ourpany has established itself by now? Mind your own business, will you?¡± said Minhye in an icy tone as if she didn¡¯t want to listen to his advice. Yonggu let out a sigh then walked to her desk briskly. Everybody in the office cast a nce at him. Executive Director Youngsu Park was tense at the moment. If they started a quarrel, he was ready to stop it. As if she sensed the atmosphere was serious, Minhye stopped doing her work and looked at him. Yonggu slowly walked up and stood before her. ¡°Do you have anything to say?¡± asked Minhye coldly. Yonggu didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he showed his displeasure by action. He took out a white envelope from the inside pocket and put it on her desk. At that moment, her eyes popped out. On it was written the following words: Chapter 219

Chapter 219

¡°What the heck is this?¡± asked Minhye. There was nothing that Yonggu didn¡¯t answer when she asked, but he didn¡¯t answer when he was asked twice today. He turned his back as if he wouldn¡¯t answer her question anymore. And then he said something unexpected, ¡°I had a great time working here.¡± He said goodbye to Executive Director Youngsu and other staff in the office. As they were not prepared at all to part with him, Yonggu just went around the office unterally and exchanged parting words with them. ¡°Thanks for helping me so far. I wish you good luck.¡± ¡°Oh my god! What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Everybody had a nk expression. And Yonggu disappeared from the office. Only then did Youngsu stand up abruptly and told Minhye, his cousin. It was only Minhye who could solve the situation. ¡°What the hell are you doing now? Just follow him and get him back!¡± Minhye came to her senses and quickly left the office. At that time, Hyunwoo was in Haenim School. Today, too, he was analyzing Taeho¡¯s failed experimental notes when he received a sudden call from Yonggu. ¡°I¡¯ming down to Ansan. Let¡¯s have dinner if you have time.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Hyunwoo closed the diary on failed experiments and left the room. Suddenly, he noticed a student named Namsik Cho. He was originally assigned as an assistant for Taeho Min, but reassigned to Duyoung¡¯s room several days ago because he said he was more interested in Duyoung¡¯s research. But Namsik was shoving his nose into Duyoung¡¯s research room in the hallway. The research center enforced several rules, and one of them was that the research room was off-limits. Duyoung, Kuroda and Taeho had a research room of their own, and if anyone wanted to enter the room, he or she needed the researcher¡¯s approval. That made Hyunwoo suspect Namsik¡¯s behavior. Hyunwoo approached him and said, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you, Namsik. What are you doing here?¡± Namsik was quite surprised. ¡°Oh, nothing. I am just curious...¡± ¡°If you¡¯re curious, you can talk to your researcher and enter the room. Why are you peeking outside the room like this?¡± ¡°Oh, I just changed my main researcher the other day, so I was afraid he might suspect me...¡± Namsik stammered, with poor excuses, as if he made a big mistake. Was it the reason? Though Namsik made various excuses, each of them didn¡¯t make any sense. Why did he fear when he said he wanted to look at the researcher¡¯s materials? Hyunwoo felt he could understand Namsik¡¯s behavior in some respects. Namsik didn¡¯t adapt himself to a regr school because of his personality, so he transferred to Hyunwoo¡¯s alternative school. But he had great potential. Hyunwoo was confident that Namsik could bring about a big achievement if he developed his potential. Stroking his hair, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Hey, we¡¯re a family. Who is doubting whom? If you need any help, just let me know anytime without hesitating.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± Then, Hyunwoo took him to Duyoung. There were three assistants for Duyoung, including Mingyu. Hearing from Hyunwoo that Namsik peeped outside his research room, Duyoung thought nothing of it. He also stroked Namsik¡¯s hair like Hyunwoo and said, ¡°I understand. Next time when you want to see my research materials, just let me know. We¡¯re a family.¡± Namsik was still daunted for some reason. ¡°...Got it.¡± Hyunwoo stoke his hair again and left the room, when Namsik stopped him. ¡°By the way....¡± ¡°Uh? Do you have anything to say to me?¡± Hyunwoo stopped walking and turned his head. But Namsik didn¡¯t bring it up easily. ¡°Just rx and tell me,¡± said Hyunwoo. Namsik still remained silent. Though he wanted to say something, it seemed he couldn¡¯t because of his timid character. At that moment, there was heard a small explosion in Taeho¡¯s research room. Though the sound was not big, clearly there urred an explosion. And then ensued Taeho¡¯s shouting. ¡°What the heck did you, man?¡± Stunned, Hyunwoo rushed to Taeho¡¯s research room. Fortunately, nobody was hurt as the explosion was not big. But Taeho was very much upset. ¡°Tell me. Why are you causing trouble like this? I clearly warned you not to do that. Why are you not listening to me?¡± The subject of Taeho¡¯s anger was a student named Jaemin Yu. Jaemin was the biggest troublemaker in Haenim School. His personality was not bad, but he was very much curious about anything andcking in self-control. So, when he noticed something, he couldn¡¯t stand it and caused trouble. That¡¯s what happened. Hearing Taeho¡¯s exnation, Hyunwoo realized that the explosion urred when Jaemin put wrong substance in the material of the organic electrode. ¡°I really can¡¯t have him as my assistant. I¡¯ve got too many dangerous experiments to retain him,¡± said Taeho. As Taeho already made the decision to expel Jaemin, Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t let him stay at his office anymore. ¡°Got it. Let me transfer him to another ce.¡± Hyunwoo then took him to Duyoung¡¯s research room. He could take him to Kuroda¡¯s but he didn¡¯t want to give the impression that he was shifting the responsibility to Kuroda. Duyoung dly epted Jaemin with one condition. ¡°As you know, my main research is automobile cell. It is vulnerable to explosion when I experiment with it. If you feel curiosity, don¡¯t experiment alone. You have to discuss with me first. Okay?¡± ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll bear it in my mind.¡± ¡°And I won¡¯t open my room to anybody. You cane here only with me.¡± ¡°Got it, sir.¡± Jaemin became Duyoung¡¯s assistant now. As he was busy dealing with Jaemin, Hyunwoopletely forget Namsik¡¯s suspect behavior. Besides he had a dinner appointment with Yonggu. Although Namsik looked at Hyunwoo slightly, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t notice it and left the room. *** ¡°Damn it. She is throwing a tantrum again.¡± Hyongsun vented his anger after he hung up the phone. His brother, Hyongdae asked, grinning at him, ¡°Is it Minhye? Is she refusing to meet you?¡± ¡°You know Yonggu, right? That guy quit and moved to Hyunwoo¡¯spany. She is in low spirits because of it.¡± ¡°Good for you! You can now make her your woman. Just go to sleep with her and make her pregnant. If she gets pregnant, she can¡¯t resist your moves any longer. You can gobble up Space Design and her father¡¯spany Aurum easily, man.¡± Hyongsun curled his lips and said, ¡°I¡¯ve got a good idea.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°If I leak it to you now, it won¡¯t go anywhere. So, just sit back and watch it.¡± Several dayster Hyongsun met Jaewoo Kim, the representative of Dream Korea, KOVE DREAM¡¯s rival, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s do business together.¡± Jaewoo didn¡¯t feel good about his offer. ¡°I can do it by myself. I don¡¯t have any reason to do business with you.¡± Revealing his white teeth, Hyongsun smiled at him. ¡°Let¡¯s frankly exchange our opinion. How long do you think Dream Korea can sustain itself?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± asked Jaewoo with an unpleasant expression. What Hyongsun tried to persuade him was that Dream Korea would copse soon. ¡°Well, If anypany now belonging to Dream Korea ispetent enough, it will move to KOVE DREAM. How many suchpanies will stay with Dream Korea to the end?¡± Jaewoo made a frown at that because he was too aware of Dream Korea¡¯s situation. What Hyongsun pointed out was like the Achilles tendon of Dream Korea, but there was no way for Dream Korea to fix it. From the start, it was a consortium of failedpanies. At the recent trade fair in Seoul, Dream Korea clearly nted a perception into the minds of the people that Dream Korea was an imitator of KOVE DREAM. That was Dream Korea¡¯s sore spot as well as Jaewoo¡¯s. But Hyongsun touched on it repeatedly. ¡°I can say this clearly. If any of the Dream Koreapanies can improve their product quality, they will definitely move to KOVE DREAM. In other words, they are temporarily staying under the umbre of Dream Korea.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re going too far,¡± said Jaewoo sharply. ¡°Am I? Do you really think so?¡± asked Hyongsun. Jaewoo was speechless, though. He just stared at Hyongsun with a sullen look. ¡°What do you feel is business?¡± asked Hyungsun. When Jaewoo was making a nk expression, Hyongsun said, ¡°Business is basically to use each other for one¡¯s own interests. Do you think there is anypany on the list of Dream Korea that is willing to sacrifice for Dream Korea even at the risk of taking a hit?¡± Of course, it was almost impossible to find such apany. Hyongsun touched the core. But Jaewoo still could not find out Hyongsun¡¯s intention. ¡°I guess you¡¯re beating around the bush. Can you tell me your conclusion? Are you going to cheat me?¡± ¡°Cheating you? No way. I just want to propose taking the risk. Why don¡¯t we create Dream Korea Fund with me?¡± ¡°Dream Korea Fund?¡± Hyongsun¡¯s logic here was simple. Currently, many Korean technicians were immigrating to Vietnam, which helped thepanies belonging to Dream Korea improve their technical prowess. Improvement in their technical prowess was supposed to lead to an increase in the value of thepanies. In that respect, thosepanies of Dream Korea had better potential growth,pared with KOVE DREAMpanies that already reached a high technical level. That meant Dream Koreapanies were much more attractive targets of investment. ¡°If we invest in thosepanies with potential growth, the possibility of sess will go up, right? If we publicize it widely, lots of people will invest in Dream Korea Fund.¡± ¡°Good idea! But you know it carries a high risk at the same time, right?¡± That was true. If Dream Koreapanies seeded in improving their technical ability, the proposed fund would hit the jackpot. If they didn¡¯t, they would go bankrupt overnight. And they would lose their investment at the same time. But Hyongsun said in aposed manner, ¡°That¡¯s why I mentioned you needed to take the risk. But if you go in the right direction, you can never fail.¡± Jaewoo tilted his head. Hyongsun continued, ¡°We are the main agents of investment, right? We just reap the fruits of sess, and let the investors take care of the failedpanies.¡± Jaewoo¡¯s eyes opened wide at that. Hyongsun quickly cut in when Jaewoo tried to reply. ¡°I don¡¯t see any trouble here because we can find a protector here. Did I tell you that Hyunwoo Jang, the president of KOVE DREAM, was my high school alumnus? Probably he is going to invest in the fund.¡± ¡°Even Hyunwoo Jang of KOVE DREAM?¡± ¡°Yea, let me draw him into this project by all means.¡± The problem was how to secure the money. To create the Dream Korea Fund, it was necessary to attract a huge investment, but Jaewoo had no clue. Hyongsun grinned at that. ¡°Oh my god! Who is going to do business only with one¡¯s own money these days? We can have the memberpanies of Dream Korea in Vietnam chip in.¡± Hyongsun opened his eyes wider, saying, ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t know that.¡± ¡°Let me invest 500 million won for the fund. We won¡¯t make a big sess like KOVE, but we won¡¯t lose the money.¡± Jaewoo made a satisfied smile at that. ¡°Let me meet Hyunwoo one of these days then,¡± said Hyongsun. It was when Hyunwoo was being briefed by Sonjong when he had a call from Hyongsun. Yonggu happened to be with him in the office. Learning that the caller was Hyongsun, Yonggu frowned and said, ¡°Why did you pick up his call? Just hang it!¡± In fact, Hyunwoo¡¯s perception of Hyongsun was the same as Yonggu¡¯s because Hyungsun had a bad name even when he attended the same high school, such as ¡°conceited guy,¡± ¡°a bully ignoring chicken-hearted friends¡± and ¡°a guy feeling like a con.¡± ¡°Hey, Hyunwoo. I happened to be here in Ansan now. Can we see each other if you have time?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Pretending not to have heard Yongguin, Hyunwoo epted his proposal right away. ¡°What¡¯s the point in seeing that creature?¡± said Yonggu grudgingly. ¡°If you know your enemy and yourself, you can win every battle, dude. I don¡¯t have any reason to run away from him. You can be a big man when you show your generosity. Do you want to see him with me?¡± ¡°No thanks.¡± After all, Hyunwoo went out to see Hyongsun alone. Yonggu looked at him with a concerned eye. Looks like Hyunwoo is too confident. I¡¯m afraid he is going to be sucked in by him. Should I have apanied him? he thought. Still, he didn¡¯t want to see Hyongsun¡¯s face at all. I guess Hyunwoo will take care of it well. Chapter 220

Chapter 220

¡°I hear your business is thriving. Congrats!¡± said Hyunwoo as soon as he met Hyongsun. He expressed modesty that was unusual in himself. ¡°Man, I don¡¯t make that much money with food. In fact, I¡¯m making lots of money from something else.¡± ¡°What is that?¡± asked Hyunwoo with interest. Actually, Hyunwoo got a strong impression that Hyongsun was making a fortune when he visited Sangwon Food Factory. Hearing Hyongsun¡¯s exnation, Hyunwoo felt he seemed to run another profitable business. Hyongsun paused for a moment over the beer as if he wanted to arouse Hyunwoo¡¯s curiosity as much as possible. ¡°You heard about Dream Korea, didn¡¯t you? I¡¯m one of its major shareholders.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide at that because it was news to him that Hyongsun was affiliated with Dream Korea. Grinning at him, Hyongsun said, ¡°Well, I was not a major shareholder from the beginning. I came to know recently that the representative of Dream Korea was someone that I knew very well, so I invested.¡± Hyunwoo could now understand his exnation. And he wished Dream Korea every sess. ¡°Can I ask you a favor,¡± said Hyongsun. ¡°What favor?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to build a bonded warehouse for Dream Korea like KOVE DREAM and create an inte homepage. Just give me some knowhow of KOVE DREAM on that, man.¡± Hyunwoo was dly willing to do him a favor like that because he wished from the bottom of his heart that Dream Korea would seed. But Hyongsun¡¯s request didn¡¯t stop there. ¡°By the way, just invest in Dream Korea, too.¡± ¡°I have no problem with giving information, but I¡¯m not interested in investment,¡± said Hyunwoo, rejecting his suggestion lightly. But he tried to force him to do so. ¡°You should invest even if you¡¯re not interested, man. It¡¯s your obligation as a human being.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes popped up because Hyongsun now gave the impression that he would be sinning if he didn¡¯t invest in Dream Korea. ¡°What the heck are you talking about?¡± ¡°Do you think Dream Korea is the enemy of KOVE DREAM?¡± asked Hyongsun as if he was picking a fight with him. ¡°That¡¯s nonsense! Who is the enemy of whom?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why is KOVE so hostile toward Dream Korea?¡± Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t understand at all. Hyongsun continued as if he wanted to help Hyunwoo understand the situation. ¡°Aside from their technical skills, KOVE DREAM is creating a wall against thosepanies that don¡¯t belong to it. Based on that wall, you are discriminating against non-KOVEpanies.¡± ¡°Nope. That¡¯s different from the concept of an enemy,¡± said Hyunwoo, refuting his argument. But Hyongsun cut in, raising his voice, ¡°It is not important to know what kind of motivation was behind KOVE¡¯s creating the wall. The thing is how non-KOVEpanies think about it. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Hyunwoo could not agree. But Hyongsun continued to use him. ¡°I hear that KOVE DREAM keeps trying to bring non-KOVEpanies over to its side. Is that true?¡± In fact, all the local Koreanpanies in Vietnam were anxious to join KOVE DREAM, but many of them couldn¡¯t because of their insufficient technical skills. This was clearly different from Hyongsun¡¯s description of the situation. ¡°Don¡¯t live like that, dude. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s good to separate localpanies into factional groups like that.¡± His ridiculous argument was driving Hyunwoo nuts. In fact, Dream Korea also knew well that KOVE¡¯s setting a high bar for technical standards was not designed to separate the local Koreanpanies. Obviously, Hyongsun was aware of that, but he was making such a far-fetched im. Hyunwoo furtively asked, ¡°So, what do you want from me?¡± ¡°I told you already. Invest in Dream Korea. I¡¯m not asking you to invest big. Just invest at a symbolic level. It¡¯s kind of symbolic expression that Dream Korea and KOVE DREAM are one.¡± It seemed Hyunwoo¡¯s educated guess was right. The proposed investment was not a matter of money but that of amon cause. The problem was such a proposal was made by none other than the dubious character Hyongsun. ¡°How much do you want me to invest?¡± ¡°How about one billion won? Given the huge sales of KOVE DREAM, I don¡¯t think you can feel burdened. If you feel the burden, you can just invest 100 million won. As I told you, the amount of money is not important.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I think Dream Korea should also invest in KOVE DREAM. That¡¯s fair, isn¡¯t it?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°Of course. I¡¯m going to invest in KOVE DREAM,¡± said Hyongsu, yelling for delight. In fact, what Hyongsun aimed for was something else. It was the credibility of the name of ¡®KOVE DREAM.¡¯ If Hyunwoo¡¯s KOVE DREAM invested in Dream Korea Fund, Hyongsun would immediately distribute the press release about it. Then, lots of investors would be confident of the sess of Dream Korea Fund. On the other hand, Hyongsun took into ount the possibility that Dream Korea Fund would fall out. Hyongsun, along with Jaewoo, the representative of Dream Korea, would have washed their hands off the fund, taking what really matters. In that case, innocent investors would suffer a big loss. Naturally, the investors¡¯ anger would reach a boiling point. Hyongsun should point his finger at somebody to avoid their anger. In that respect, Hyunwoo¡¯s KOVE DREAM would be the ideal protector. As KOVE¡¯s funding power is strong, the investors would go after it. Hyunwoo seemed to agonize over Hyongsun¡¯s proposal. It looked as if he could attract Hyunwoo¡¯s investment by 500 million won more if he pulled him with sweet talk. ¡°Why are you thinking so hard? Don¡¯t take it so seriously. Think of it as tearing down the wall of KOVE DREAM. You can show that you are willing to embrace non-KOVEpanies.¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. I think I was narrow-minded.¡± Hyongsun¡¯s face brightened, and he quickly held his hands. ¡°Good decision! Are you investing then?¡± But Hyunwoo shook his head and said, ¡°No, I¡¯m not going to invest in Dream Korea. Instead, let me tear down the wall differently.¡± ¡°What the heck are you talking about?¡± asked Hyongsun with an embarrassed look. ¡°I¡¯m going to make the minor league of KOVE DREAM.¡± ¡°Minor league of KOVE DREAM?¡± Hyongsun seemed to be spaced out momentarily. ¡°Thanks. I hit upon a good idea thanks to you,¡± said Hyunwoo. In fact, Hyunwoo felt sorry for the non-KOVEpanies while he was running KOVE DREAM. Though they werecking in technical skills, he wanted to strongly rmend them to join it. Hearing Hyunwoo¡¯s reply, Hyongsun strongly balked. ¡°What¡¯s the difference between the minor league of KOVE DREAM and Dream Korea? Don¡¯t make thingsplicated. Just invest in Dream Korea.¡± Hyunwoo shook his head. ¡°No, I disagree. I think a couple of badpanies can make the water muddy. We need some strict standards to weed out suchpanies.¡± Hyongsun again tried hard to persuade him, but Hyunwoo made up his mind. He had no intention at all to share the same boat with Hyongsun. ¡°I¡¯ve got an appointment in the evening. Let me take my leave now.¡± Hyongsun held him to the end, but Hyunwoo left without any regret. ¡°I wish Dream Korea every sess from the bottom of my heart,¡± said Hyunwoo. He left the bar. With a dejected expression, Hyongsu looked at the seat that Hyunwoo took a moment ago. The next day Hyunwoo spent the morning in Haenim School and had lunch with the staff of KOVE DREAM. Yonggu asked him about his meeting with Hyongsun yesterday. ¡°So, how did your meeting go? Why did he want to see you?¡± He had no reason to hide what Hyongsun had told him. As soon as Yonggu heard it, he immediately suspected Hyongsun¡¯s intention. ¡°I know he is conspiring to deceive you...¡± Hyunwoo was also aware of the danger of his proposal. ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve got a good idea thanks to him.¡± ¡°What kind of idea?¡± Hyunwoo told him about his idea about creating the minor league of KOVE DREAM, exining his n to expand KOVE DREAM further. Hearing it, Juhwan weed, pping his hands, ¡°Wow, that¡¯s a really good idea!¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to flesh out the idea in detail and discuss it with president Sungjin Na of N&C in Vietnam.¡± ¡°Our warehouse here might not be spacious enough if the KOVE minor league is created. Haha,¡± said Juhwan, thrilled. Hyunwoo felt the same way. As time went by, thepanies joining KOVE DREAM would increase, which in turn would see explosive growth in the items and supplies that KOVE had to deal with. ¡°I think we have to find a new lot and hire more people in the future,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Anyway, don¡¯t deal with that Hyongsun. You really can¡¯t trust that guy,¡± said Yonggu. Hyunwoo nodded at that, but he was confused a bit because he was quite impressed with the profits of Hyongsun¡¯spany Sangwon Food when he visited it in the past. Suddenly, he felt advisor Hwasik Kang, a long-time customs official, might know something about Sangwon Food that he might have missed. As soon as he heard about Sangwon Food, Hwasik giggled and said, ¡°I know what you mean. By the way, did he tell you that Sangwon Food was so profitable?¡± ¡°Yeah. He said he was literally raking up money. Actually, I felt the same.¡± ¡°Of course, it might be profitable, but not as much as you think,¡± said Hwasik definitely. Hyunwoo could not understand what Hwasik said. How was Sangwon Food not profitable when it enjoyed 270% tax exemption? But Hwasik would not have said that without any reason. Obviously, he must know something about Sangwon Food that Hyunwoo was not aware of. Chapter 221

Chapter 221

¡°Howe?¡± ¡°Well, the tax rate of importing red peppers is not necessarily 270%. You can enjoy a 50% rate with a rmendation. In fact, 50% is big, but because the price of red peppers importers pay in China is only 3 to 4 dors per one kilogram, they only pay less than 2,000 won in import taxes. So, if he talked about huge profits with that tax rate, he just bragged.¡± Hyunwoo was quite surprised. Hearing Hwasik¡¯s exnation, Hyunwoo realized that they could import red peppers from China with the tax rate of less than 50%. The target of such tax benefits was frozen red pepper. Hyunwoo let out a sigh. He thought Hyongsun had changed from what he was like in high school, but he wasn¡¯t at all. Hope he is not conspiring against me. *** ¡°I don¡¯t have any reason to see you.¡± Yonggu told the other party over the phone in a chilly voice. Hyunwoo was watching him quietly from nearby. Given Yonggu¡¯s harsh reaction, Hyunwoo immediately realized it was a call from Minhye. After Yonggu quit abruptly, she called him almost every day to earnestly entreat him toe back. In fact, she had no other choice. Hyunwoo, who yed a crucial role in helping Space Design establish itself in the initial days, left some time ago, and now Yonggu, regarded as the core of its sales department, also quit. Space Design was in a messy situation because of Yonggu¡¯s sudden resignation. Yonggu¡¯s resignation was not simply the issue of Space Design. Daebong Park, Minhye¡¯s father and CEO of Aurum, made an aggressive investment in Space Design because of its great potential growth. If Space Design copses, there is a high possibility that Aurum would also copse. Besides, Minhye and Yonggu were on a much more intimate rtionship than thought. But Yonggu suddenly gave her up because of her openly dating Hyongsun. But Yonggu was not moved at all. He knew this was a golden opportunity to end his rtionship with her, but Minhye more aggressively tried to win over his mind. ¡°I¡¯m in Ansan right now. Let¡¯s have dinner together. I really want to say something to you,¡± she said. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me over the phone?¡± ¡°Actually, it¡¯s about our wedding.¡± Momentarily Yonggu¡¯s eyes opened wide. That¡¯s what he had been waiting to hear from her lips. ¡°Okay. Let mee to your ce right now.¡± After the call, he stood up abruptly. Hyunwoo thumbed up to cheer him up. Yonggu headed for her ce, and Hyunwoo went to the office of Ani & Funny. When Hyunwoo entered the office, Kyungsu briefed him about his daily work anxiously. ¡°There are too many animated story suggestionsing in. It is hard to review them all.¡± Hearing his exnation, the Tuti & Angelina corner of Story Ma was receiving more than 50 stories per day, but there were more than 300 stories in backlog as it took too much time to review them. Thanks to the overflowing stories from outside, the students were turning out one production per week. As there were a total of 21 teams, they were churning out 21 productions every week. Hyunwoo chose only the top four out of the group and had the managers revise them before sending them to the Vietnamese branch of Ani & Funny. Anyway, the stories sent from outside were like the treasure of Ani & Funny. He couldn¡¯t ask the readers of Tuti & Angelica to reduce their story contributions just because they were sending too many of them. After he thought about the matter momentarily, Hyunwoo came up with a solution. ¡°Let¡¯s divide the forms into two. Limit the summary of the story to one-page of A4 paper, and the main story to 5-10 papers. That will save a lot of reviewing time.¡± Kyongsu thought it was a good idea. ¡°Great. Let me post it on the bulletin right away.¡± Several dayster, some students visited the Ani & Funny office. Given their gloomy expression and ring eyes, it looked as if they came to pick a fight with Ani & Funny. In fact, these were the same students who kepting every week despite the fact that the office of Ani & Funny was packed with the existing students. Usually, they came in groups of two or three or five at most, but today over 30 students came in droves. ¡°Who are you?¡± asked Hyunwoo. One of them came forward with a serious look, but said in a polite tone, ¡°We came here to receive the opportunity to learn here.¡± ¡°Opportunity?¡± ¡°As a matter of fact, I think I ampetent enough. And my passion for animation is stronger than anybody else, but every time you selected the teams, I was not chosen. Am I so ipetent? I would like to receive a fair evaluation of my skills here. And if it¡¯s possible, I would love to work and learn here.¡± Other students said the same thing. Hearing their exnation, Hyunwoo realized they shared this kind of conversation on the inte cafe and picked today to make a petition. Their enthusiasm was very strong. As long as Ani & Funny epted them, they were determined to quit school and stake their all on animation. Hyunwoo felt their determination wasmendable. As a matter of fact, some of the students of Ani & Funny already lost their passion, which influenced other students negatively. He wanted to use this asion to clear the atmosphere. He called the existing students, and some of them already sensed they would get axed. ¡°As you remember, I told you that those who were not making good progress or who lost passion should leave this ce, right?¡± They didn¡¯t answer. Though they remembered Hyunwoo¡¯s warning clearly, that was really scary. ¡°Why can¡¯t you reply? Did you take my warning lightly? Yongju, don¡¯t you remember? With a surprise, Youngju stammered, ¡°Oh...Yeah, I remember it.¡± Nodding his head, Hyunwoo continued, ¡°As you know, there are so many students who want to learn here. I can¡¯t discriminate against them because they came after you.¡± The students kept silent when he was ready to announce something. ¡°Now let me keep my promise. We have evaluated your performances several times so far. I¡¯m going to make six of you pack your stuff and go home and ept six new students. Is there anybody opposed to my decision?¡± It was quiet. All of them waited for his announcement, with their heads lowered. Some of them were already shedding tears. They were ranked at the bottom every time. Hyunwoo was not swayed bypassion. ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel sad because I¡¯m not expelling you forever. If Ani & Funny grows bigger than now, let me give you another chance. So, keep working hard. But if you don¡¯t make any progress, you will be denied the chance.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s announcement didn¡¯tfort them. They just felt sad about the fact that they had to leave Ani & Funny. ¡°Let me choose the six students who have to leave after consulting with the managers. Just stand by.¡± And then he discussed with the managers on the selection of the students. But the final decision was not easy as some of the six students were so close to Hyunwoo. ¡°Ooops, there are as many as four from the Anifan animation club. But this is beyond my control. I¡¯ve not made the decision based on any prejudice,¡± said Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo announced the six ill-fated students. They were four from Anifan and two who came with Heejung. Fortunately, all of them were attending schools in the vicinity of Ansan. Hyunwoo notified the six of his decision in person. ¡°I am so sorry. I wish I had created the atmosphere so that you guys could work harder. You might have made lots of more progress if I had done so.¡± The six students shed a sea of tears. They kept shedding tears as they couldn¡¯t ask for another chance. ¡°Don¡¯t feel too discouraged. You¡¯ll get the chance once more. Work hard to seize the chance, okay? Take this, by the way.¡± Hyunwoo handed each of the six students an envelope containing a gift. When they opened it, there was a bankbook. The bankbook was opened in the name of the students, with 500,000 won deposited per each on a monthly basis. Those students whomuted from Ansan were wired 500,000 every month, while those who quit school to attend Ani & Funny one million won per month. As soon as he gave them the bankbooks, Hyunwoo went upstairs heartlessly. He couldn¡¯t stand watching them hesitating to leave. Upstairs, Hyunwoo pressed on the managers to select the new candidates to fill their vacancies. It looked as if he could soothe his empty feelings. ¡°Please test the candidates. You can select six out of them and make an evaluation form on them so that the students here can check it out to form their own team.¡± Chapter 222

Chapter 222

With Kyungsu as the presiding judge, the team managers tested the students. As the test was so simple, it was almost impossible to test their skills urately. But the team managers did their best to evaluate the students as if to select their sessors. As there were so many applicants, it took two days to test them all. Though Hyunwoo felt sorry about the six students who left, he had to steel himself not to repeat the same mistake. It was to enhance the students¡¯ skills as much as possible. For this, Hyunwoo had to create an atmosphere for them to study hard. He called them again and announced, ¡°We¡¯ll continue to evaluate your performance in the future. And the 21 teams will be divided into the top, intermediate and lower groups. Those teams that fail to move up to the top group three times in a row will have to leave.¡± The students were quiet. Who was going to raise an objection when Ani & Funny owner Hyunwoo announced the decision? Everybody was full of tension. ¡°I don¡¯t think my selection method is the best. There must be a better way. If you are not satisfied with my decision, just find a better alternative and let me know. Let me ept it.¡± When he was done, Hyunwoo left the rest up to Kyungsu. ¡°Please buy them some snacks in the afternoon.¡± ¡°Where are you going now?¡± ¡°It looks like the atmosphere here is heavy if I continue to stay here. So, soothe them well.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Coming out of the office, Hyunwoo looked around the Ani & Funny building to find out if there was any lot or building for sale for the expansion of the office. There were none, however. Though there were some empty buildings nearby, they were not for sale. He then called Ngun, the temporary head of the Vietnamese branch. Though Ngun didn¡¯t speak English well, he could still carry on a basic conversation with Hyunwoo. ¡°Did you hire many people?¡± ¡°I hired about 70 so far,¡± said Ngun proudly. But Hyunwoo was not satisfied. In fact, he nned to increase to 42 teams from the 21 that Ani & Funny was currently running. In that case, each student would be entrusted with leading his or her own team. When the office was expanded, there would be more studentsing in, with an increase in workload. It would dy the work speed and lower the quality if Hyunwoo hired the staff after that, so he wanted to hire as many staff members as possible in preparation for that potential manpower shortage. ¡°Hey, increase the staff up to 200 as soon as possible. If your office space is notrge enough, let me find a bigger one for you. If you want to be the CEO of the Vietnamese branch you need to learn English more. You should be able tomunicate in English.¡± ¡°Yeah, I got it. Let me try harder.¡± Hyunwoo then called Sungji Na, president of N&C in Vietnam to find a bigger office space. ¡°Really? Expanding the office again?¡± ¡°Well, I want to seize the opportunity when ites along. One favor, Mr. Na.: I want to build a five-story headquarters of the Vietnamese branch that can house 400 people. Can you find me a good lot and apetent builder?¡± ¡°Do you intend to construct a building? In fact, I know a cheap building on sale in Ho Chi Minh City now. I was thinking to buy it as it has some investment value. Hearing your exnation, it looks like that fits your needs.¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s good. I don¡¯t have to build a headquarter building then. If the location is good, let me buy it.¡± Na emailed him the information about the location of the building and its sale price. Hyunwoo asked him to purchase the building then called Ngun to take care of the interior work. Several dayster, Hyunwoo entered the Ani & Funny office. Kyungsu briefed him about the status of the routine business as usual. While he was being briefed, Hyunwoo was thrilled because Kyungsu had an important item to report to him. Story Ma was hosting a couple of open contests in connection with Ani & Funny at the same time. One was about the animated move story while the other was about a short-story animation. The short-story animation contest was closed as of today, so he would get a call from Story Ma today at the earliest or tomorrow at thetest. But Kyungsu didn¡¯t mention anything about the contest while briefing Hyunwoo. Looks like they¡¯re going to inform us tomorrow. But there was something interesting other than the open contest. ¡°I had a call from an official with the Education Ministry. He said he wanted to use our animations as teaching material. Given the choice, he said he wanted to use Tuti & Angelica and asked us to participate in the contest.¡± Tuti & Angelica contained educational content on history. Though the content was educational, it still was the most interesting among many animation works. Even some of the parents who stopped their children from watching animations made an exception for Tuti & Angelica. It didn¡¯t deal with Korean history only. Starting with Season 2, Tuti & Angelica first dealt with the histories of the world. The educational content about America and Europe was also attracting wide attention. That¡¯s why Hyunwoo was expecting invitations to contests not from Korea but also other countries. Finally, Ani & Funny was invited by the Education Ministry to take part in the contest. Though Ani & Funny had to contend with otherpanies, Hyunwoo was confident hispany could beat its rivals in terms of educational contents, poprity and the variety of content. He had no reason to reject the official¡¯s offer. As long as Ani & Funny¡¯s animation works could be used as the teaching material either in Korea or overseas, Hyunwoo happy. ¡°Regardless of the price, ept the offer. You don¡¯t have to get my approval next time. You might lose the opportunity while waiting for my approval. Just take action and report to meter.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± The next day Hyunwoo went to Haenim School as usual. As Suyoung was taking care of all the matters rted to the school, Hyunwoo only focused on analyzing Taeho¡¯s failed experimental notes. While he was in the thick of that, he received a call. He initially thought it was a call from Story Ma, but it was not. The call was from Yonggu. ¡°Hey, my parents are seeing her parents next month!¡± Hyunwoo¡¯e eyes opened wide at that. Seeing her parents meant he would marry Minhye finally. Of course, Hyunwoo thought deep inside, Was Yonggu¡¯s decision wise? For he felt Yonggu and Minhye would marry not for love but for something else. Yonggu was aware of that, too, but it was his judgment call. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t need to advise him on that. ¡°Good for you. Congrats!¡± ¡°Thanks, man. I think you deserve the credit for this. I¡¯ve decided toe back to Space Design today.¡± ¡°Okay. Grow thepany big, man!¡± As soon as Hyunwoo hung up the phone, he had another call. This time it was from Jaeyun Hong, who was responsible for the contest at Story Ma. Hyunwoo answered the phone quickly. As expected, the call was about the contest about animation the story. ¡°The contest drew lots of attention from writers. I just closed the application for the contest,¡± Jaeyun said. ¡°Thanks for your good work, Jaeyun.¡± But Jaeyun let out a sigh. When Hyunwoo asked him why he sighed, he replied in an embarrassed voice. ¡°They submitted more than 1,000 entries when we have to select only ten. I just don¡¯t know how to judge all these. It looks like reviewing and selecting them will cost more than expected.¡± Giggling at that, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Just leave it to me. I have a solution of my own.¡± He received the applicants¡¯ stories from Story Ma. Though it numbered over 1,000, the volume of each story was no more than one piece of A4 paper, so it was not that much. In the evening, he called the 42 students of Ani & Funny together. All of them were tense because they felt some of them would drop from the race and leave. But he didn¡¯t call them for that reason. ¡°From now own each of you is the head of your own team. Just form a team of your own and make an animation work.¡± The students were not embarrassed. Though Hyunwoo didn¡¯t mention it this time, they expected that some of them would have to leave someday. Hyunwoo gave them the story files submitted to the contest. ¡°Each team has to select a story. You should make sure your selections not ovep.¡± Those who choose good stories had priority, so they would have to cooperate with each other to review the stories as soon as possible before selecting one. ¡°There is a prize for this contest, with the top winner receiving 70 million won and the 7th winner one million won. I¡¯m going to hire those students who stand out in the process as part-timers.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll do our best!¡± they answered with sparkling eyes. Hyunwoo also had a great expectation of them. He wanted to use this asion to discover talented students among Ani & Funny students and the inte cafe members. ¡°As you know, these works are all protected by copyright. I¡¯ll buy the copyright if the need arises, so don¡¯t think about anything suspicious. Give your inte cafe members a kind reminder of my point. If there urs something wrong, I can¡¯t protect you. And that team in trouble will be expelled from Ani & Funny forever.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°Start to work now.¡± From now on they were supposed to select the good ones first out of the 1,000 stories. They went back to their desks and got down to work. Hyunwoo looked at them with a look of full expectation. ¡®I think I can expect at least a couple of excellent animation works. No, I don¡¯t need two. All I want is just one smash hit.¡¯ Chapter 223

Chapter 223

In the evening, Hyunwoo had dinner with the staff of KOVE DREAM. When he had no appointment with Suji or his friends, he made lots of effort to spend time evenly with the staff of KOVE DREAM, Ani & Funny, and Haenim School. It was impossible for Hyunwoo to eat together with all the employees of KOVE DREAM because there were too many. He had to dine with the warehouse workers one day, and the office workers on another day. By the time he was almost done with eating, Hyunwoo¡¯s cell phone buzzed. It was a call from Mr. Na in Vietnam. It was about Hyunwoo¡¯s n to create the minor league of KOVE DREAM. ¡°Why don¡¯t you fly over here when you have free time? I¡¯ve got lots of things to discuss with you.¡± In fact, Hyunwo had some business to take care of in connection with Ani & Funny. It looked like Yu Zuung was homesick these days, so he was nning to visit Vietnam with her. ¡°Got it. As you said so, let me fly there thising Friday, three days from now.¡± ¡°Got it. Let me stand by.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo hurried up. As he already had a clear purpose of his visit, all he had to do was decide who he would go with. The purpose of his visit this time was rted to KOVE DREAM and Ani & Funny. So, he decided to include some core members of the twopanies. Juhwan was the right person from KOVE DREAM. Though Hyunwoo wanted to take Songjong, too, she couldn¡¯t go because of her babies. Still, he wanted to ask how she felt. She usually got off work at around 5 pm, so she didn¡¯t attend a dinner get-together with her staff. After he parted with KOVE DREAM staff after dinner, he called Sonjong. But she reacted favorably, contrary to his expectation. ¡°Of course, I can go with you. My parents can take care of my babies.¡± ¡°Do you think you will be separated from them too long? We¡¯re flying there Thursday evening anding back the next Tuesday afternoon.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a long business trip.¡± Sonjong was hesitant for a minute but came up with an idea. ¡°Can I fly there a bitte ore back a bit early? I don¡¯t have to stay there for six days, right?¡± Come to think of it, her suggestion was not a problem. ¡°Sure. You can go back on Saturday morning then.¡± ¡°Oh, no! That¡¯s too early. Why should Ie back so early? I haven¡¯t gone overseas in a long time. Let mee back on Sunday evening. Hoho.¡± Hyunwoo giggled at that. Given her reaction, he felt she was traveling overseas travel, not going on a business trip. ¡°Okay. You can wrap up your work by Friday then take care of the rest on your own.¡± ¡°Wow, I¡¯m so happy!¡± After the call, Hyunwoo suddenly thought of Suji. If Suji could reschedule her work, she could join him on his Vietnam trip. Suji was workingte today. Most likely she would be working in the office by now. He called her and exined about his business trip. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go on a trip to Vietnam if you have free time this weekend?¡± ¡°Oh, I have an appointment this weekend. And you¡¯re going there for your own business. I¡¯m afraid I can disturb you while staying there.¡± ¡°Got it. Take care.¡± He then headed for the Ani & Funny office. He chose Kyungsu and James Lee from Ani & Funny. Of course, he included Yu Zuung. As they already had passports, all they had to do was to buy the ne tickets. Kyungsu and James were happy because they were flying to Vietnam for free. In particr, Yu Zuung jumped for joy. She was so overjoyed she almost hugged Hyunwoo in the presence of other staff. If Hyunwoo had not stopped her at the right moment, she would have hugged him. Hyunwoo guessed right. Though she pretended not to, Yu Zuung missed her family very much. On Friday, Hyunwoo arrived in Ho Chi Minh City with his entourage. Mr. Na, chief technicians Dohyok Kim and Jungsu Kwon could note because they were too busy. Instead, Na sent several staff members including the beautiful Zuhm Ahn to wee Hyunwoo and hispanions. Hyunwoo divided his entourage into two teams, the KOVE DREAM and Ani & Funny team. He did so because he couldn¡¯t deal with multiple business deals at the same time, and he didn¡¯t want to limit his members¡¯ individual freedom while they¡¯re staying in Vietnam. He felt the most important principle of his business was the morale of his employees. He believed that when the president of apany showed generosity toward his employees, they would work harder with high morale. Hyunwoo gave the Ani & Funny staff surprise gifts. ¡°I¡¯m going to deal with KOVE DREAM business until tomorrow evening. Let me tackle Ani & Funny business on Sunday. So, you guys are free to travel until then. You have toe back to the N&C lodging by midnight. Got it?¡± At that moment, Ani & Funny staff were at a loss how to respond then yelled for joy. ¡°Hooray! Thanks so much.¡± Hyunwoo had one more gift for them. It was a Vietnamese tour guide who could speak Korean. He secured one by asking Na. ¡°I guess you didn¡¯t n to travel here as we drew up our schedule hurriedly. If you have nned it on your own, just go ahead. If you have not, you can follow this guide. Yu Zuung, you can stay with your family ande to the branch here when I call you on Sunday.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± This time Hyunwoo looked at Juhwan and Sonjong. ¡°You can have your free time starting Sunday and enjoy touring. You have to do some work with me now.¡± Ani & Funny team followed the travel guide and Juhwan and Sonjong headed for N&C with Hyunwoo. Zuhm An guided Hyunwoo¡¯spanions. ¡°Everybody is gathered in the big conference room. Let me guide you there.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± When Hyunwoo entered the room, he was surprised. The room was not just a simple conference room but a huge conference hall. What was more surprising to him was that a lot of local Korean CEOs had gathered. They sat around the circr table numbering more than 100. Most of them were unfamiliar to Hyunwoo. Initially, Hyunwoo felt satisfied to see them. The size of the conference room and the participants seemed to represent the symbol of the growth of KOVE DREAM. But he felt something strange when his eyes met Mr. Na¡¯s, who was seated at the front of the conference room. Na didn¡¯t look bright. There was a reserved seat for him in the front, but Hyunwoo didn¡¯t take it readily, scratching his head. ¡°I wonder if I can take a seat here,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Of course, you should,¡± said one CEO ¡°Sure, who else can sit there?¡± said another. Those around him asked Hyunwoo to take the reserved seat. Atst, Na took his hand and forced him to sit. Only then did Hyunwoo sit, pretending not to resist Na¡¯s request. Juhwan and Sonjong sat in the back seats side by side as if they were his protectors. Hyunwoo leaned over to Na and asked in a low voice. ¡°Howe you don¡¯t look good?¡± Na also leaned over toward him and replied, ¡°Well, more than half the CEOs here gathered here to protest.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Did you ask me why? Because they are not qualified to join the minor league of KOVE DREAM.¡± Hyunwoo now seemed to understand the situation. The meeting began soon. As if they were waiting for the chance, the participants began to denounce KOVE DREAM one by one. Most of theirints focused on theck of fairness of KOVE DREAM¡¯s criteria to select its minor league members. Some even argued that the criteria was fanning the division of the local Koreanpanies. As more than 100 CEOs attended the meeting, there came out so manyints. Only a few supported KOVE¡¯s criteria, but they were ignored by the overwhelming number of malcontents who vented their anger on them. As a result, the conference room was getting more and more heated with the growingints of those who were excluded from the minor league of KOVE DREAM. Hyunwoo just listened to theirints because he could not persuade them even if he tried in such an atmosphere. Then a decisive chance came along for him to defend himself. Somebody pointed at him and gave him a chance to exin. ¡°What do you think of ourints? Manypanies are now suffering so much because of your minor league idea. Are you going to build a wall against us with KOVE DREAM to the end?¡± Hyunwoo was still not ready to talk because the conference room was disturbed by their grumbling noises. He waited a little more until the disturbance stopped and then took the mike. Everybody was looking at him intensely. Hyunwoo first threw a question at the very man who violentlyined to Hyunwoo, shaking his finger at him. ¡°Did you say you were the president of UMD?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°Yeah¡± ¡°What do you think KOVE DREAM is?¡± ¡°I understand it is a consortium of the local Koreanpanies in Vietnam. You guys allegedly selectpanies with excellent technical skills, but don¡¯t you think the selection criteria is too arbitrary? This is serious discrimination.¡± Hyunwoo asked him again, ¡°How can I avoid discriminating against you? Do you want me to include all the Koreanpanies here?¡± ¡°Well, that is impossible, but the current criteria is nonsense. You guys set the criteria arbitrarily, right? I think the criteria need to be more objective. In that respect, you should set the bar much lower than, so that morepanies can join the minor league and enjoy its benefits.¡± ¡°How can I make the criteria more objective? And how manypanies do you want me to include?¡± ¡°Well, that is...¡± the angry CEO stammered, unable to reply. A littleter Hyunwoo replied on his behalf, ¡°I will ept them if you present the objective criteria that everybody can agree. I can promise that. But I will apply the existing criteria until then. I can¡¯t eliminate KOVE DREAM just because it has room for improvement, can I?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you set the bar a bit lower?¡± someone abruptly shouted. Staring at him, Hyunwoo asked, ¡°You said thepanies that fail to pass the new criteria would raiseints again, right? What should I do if they insist that the criteria be lowered further to include them?¡± ¡°Of course, it is impossible to include all thepanies. But if you change the criteria to include several specificpanies, that would be controversial, too,¡± said another CEO. ¡°That¡¯s why I decided to expand KOVE DREAM by creating its minor league. I guess you have heard that,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Even that criteria on joining the minor league is still high for us. We think ourpanies¡¯ technical skills are not as advanced as you think. How manypanies do you think can pass that criteria?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The current criteria is too high,¡± seconded another CEO. Theirints exploded again like a firecracker. Hyunwoo closed his mouth again until their disturbances subsided. On the other hand, he agonized over theirints. In a way, it was natural that theyined like that. Come to think of it, KOVE DREAM didn¡¯t have only a virtuous cycle. It also caused a vicious cycle. Thosepanies thatck technical skills, which couldn¡¯t join KOVE, couldn¡¯t sell their products. They would be put in serious financial difficulty, which would make it impossible to attract investment to enhance their technical prowess. He wanted to embrace them, too. But the thing was how to end the vicious cycle of thosepanies with less technical prowess. How can I help them? Chapter 224

Chapter 224

The CEOs present at the conference didn¡¯t stop grumbling. In fact, they expressedints for survival, not just for the sake ofints. They were concerned that if they were not included in KOVE DREAM, they would be dropped out of the race without ending the vicious cycle of financial difficulty. They demanded, ¡°Why don¡¯t you try to coexist with us?¡± ¡°Why are you keeping silent about our demands?¡± Hyunwoo took the mike, and the conference room full of their grumbling became quite suddenly. He opened his mouth in a calm voice, ¡°Let me offer you an alternative.¡± With a look of great expectations, they focused on his remarks. ¡°This is what I think is the best alternative. I¡¯m open to your better idea, but if you continue to make the demands for lowering the criteria, I would rather...¡± He stopped momentarily before continuing, ¡°I would rather be med for my decision.¡± That meant he would not listen to their demands anymore, which was like an ultimatum to them. They became tenser now. They hoped Hyunwoo¡¯s alternative could be a silver bullet to revive theirpanies. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure KOVE DREAM creates a fund for technical assistance to help manypanies enhance their technical prowess.¡± The exit strategy that Hyunwoo devised was to end one link of their vicious cycle with the fund of KOVE DREAM. If they could enhance technical skills, they could be included in the minor league of KOVE DREAM, and as a result, increase their sales, it could drive them to develop technology and increase the sales for themselves. Hyunwoo continued, ¡°In the meantime, let me consult with you how to lower the criteria on joining the KOVE DREAM minor league, but that won¡¯t be lowered enough to satisfy you. As soon as the consumers have the impression that KOVE DREAM¡¯s technology has dropped, it will lose the value of its existence.¡± Several CEOs raised opposition to his proposal, presenting their own opinion, but none of their ideas were better than his idea. It was a simple expression of theirints. Hyunwoo stressed, ¡°KOVE DREAM is a consortium ofpanies united to promote their own interests, not a charity organization. If you don¡¯t want to join, it¡¯s your choice. I¡¯ll work with thepanies that support my proposal.¡± They had no other choice. They felt staying with KOVE instead of Dream Korea would be more beneficial to their business. A littleter some of them began to mention more realistic topics. ¡°By the way, did you already decide the name ¡®Minor League of KOVE DREAM¡¯? It looks funny a bit...¡± Of course, that was a temporary name. Hyunwoo thought about it a lot. If they belonged to the minor league, Hyunwoo felt they needed kind of different treatment with the impression that the quality of their products was good enough. While he was pondering that, Hyunwoo suddenly thought of a certain color. He felt as there is no rank in color, it could make a good impression. ¡°How about naming the minor league ¡®KOVE DREAM Blue¡¯?¡± They would use the same inte homepage, warehouses and sales methods. The only difference would be their use of a separate ¡®Blue¡¯ window within KOVE DREAM homepage for the sake of its own distinction. The CEOs were again divided over Hyunwoo¡¯s idea, but he cut off their words coldly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I won¡¯t listen to yourints. If you have a better idea, please take the mike.¡± Nobody came up with a better idea. Nodding his head, Hyunwoo said, ¡°You still have time. I¡¯m going back to Korea next Tuesday. If you can find a better idea, let me review it.¡± Hyunwoo wrapped up the conference. ¡°Even if we operate under the name KOVE DREAM, we won¡¯t ept the local Koreanpanies only. If the Vietnamesepanies have good technical skills, we will ept them.¡± ¡°Really? If that¡¯s the case, don¡¯t you think that will blur the image of our identity as the consortium of Koreanpanies here?¡± asked one CEO. Shaking his head, Hyunwoo said, ¡°KOVE DREAM has been founded with the sense that Korea and Vietnam should prosper together. In that respect, the inclusion of Vietnamesepanies will help rify its identity.¡± They approvingly nodded their heads. In fact, there was a sentiment among Vietnamese CEOs that they were receiving reverse discrimination by local Koreanpanies. ¡°I¡¯m going to distribute a press release as soon as possible to show our resolve that we want a win-win rtionship with Vietnamesepanies. And then we¡¯re going to make inroads into Japanese and US markets...¡± Now there was heard Hyunwoo¡¯s voice only in the conference room because they had no better ideas. The meeting ended like that, and the CEOs left the ce with some regrets, but most of them had a satisfied look on their faces after hearing Hyunwoo¡¯s silver bullet proposal. *** On Saturday, Hyunwoo continued to have a meeting in the N&C conference room. Following the meeting with more than 100 CEOs yesterday, he met with about ten CEOs this time. But the meeting proceeded in the same way. When they asked the questions, Hyunwoo replied. ¡°How are you going to create the fund on technical assistance?¡± asked one CEO. ¡°I think any member of KOVE DREAM can financially take care of three or four technicians on its own. The technicians should also lower demands for their contract money. Don¡¯t you think both sides should meet halfway?¡± answered Hyunwoo. ¡°How do you decide on the priority?¡± asked another. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a firste-first-serve basis. KOVE DREAM will support thepany first that findsmon ground with technicians, but thosepanies that are stigmatized as unscrupulous will be excluded from the assistance,¡± answered Hyunwoo. The meeting atmosphere changed after several bouts of questions and answers between the CEOs and Hyunwoo. Now Hyunwoo asked questions and the CEOs, including Na, answered. ¡°If you increase the number of KOVE DREAM Bluepanies to 50, don¡¯t you think the overall technical prowess will be lowered as a whole?¡± asked one CEO. ¡°It depends on how you look at it. But I think they¡¯re still ahead of Chinesepanies. Recently the technical skills of local Koreanpanies have improved a lot,¡± replied another CEO. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, can you set the criteria tailored to that level?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°Let me take that into ount,¡± said Na. ¡°If you expand the membership of KOVE DREAM to Vietnamesepanies, do you expect there are many suchpanies?¡± ¡°Tough question. In my mind, there are not many, but I expect there are a lot trying to join KOVE DREAM Blue. Maybe there are more Vietnamesepanies than local Koreanpanies.¡± Na looked a bit gloomy. He was concerned Koreanpanies might lose the initiative to their Vietnamese rivals. But Hyunwoo disagreed with him. ¡°I¡¯m going to make sure our Koreanpanies get technical assistance first. The more KOVE DREAM gets bigger, the more technical assistance it will offer to the Koreanpanies, which I think will help strengthen them further. So, please make efforts to attract Vietnamesepanies with technical prowess.¡± ¡°In fact, I¡¯ve been doing some research on that. There are many Vietnamesepanies that want to join because KOVE DREAM is popr. However, some of them equipped with high technical skills don¡¯t want to join when I replied to their interest,¡± said Na. Hyunwoo took his remarks lightly. For it was not necessary for all thepanies to join KOVE DREAM. But he seemed there must be some reason for their rejection, given Na¡¯s way of speaking. ¡°Do they have any bad feelings about KOVE DREAM?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so. It looks like they are trying to gain the upper hand in the conditions of the contract. They seem to think if we approach them first, they will get a better deal.¡± There was nothing like a better deal. The role of KOVE DREAM was to sell their products in Korea and get themission. ¡®Better deal¡¯ for them would mean lowering themission rate as low as possible. ¡°How about it? As you came as far as Vietnam, won¡¯t you visit them and negotiate? As far as technical skills are concerned, they have a very good name here,¡± said Na. Hyunwoo shook his head at the drop of a hat. ¡°KOVE DREAM will sign the contract with anypany on an equal basis. It won¡¯t approachpanies that don¡¯t want to join and beg for them to join. It will ept thosepanies who want to join and pass our criteria.¡± Na nodded at that. ¡°Got it. Ooops, times flies so fast. Let¡¯s go out for lunch.¡± Hyunwoo headed for the N&C cafeteria with the participant CEOs that day. After lunch, they took a walk in the park near N&C factory. The park was not far from its main gate. Then, there was some noise near the main gate as if there broke out a scuffle. Na asked one of his staff to go and check it out. A littleter he came back and reported, ¡°They came here several days ago. You remember the Vietnamesepanies DF Technology and Young stics, right?¡± ¡°They came again?¡± said Na, making a frown. Hyunwoo tilted his head and asked, ¡°Are theypany CEOs? What brought them here? Are they here to ask to join KOVE DREAM?¡± Na shook his head and said, ¡°Their technical skills are way behind. As they know that, they can¡¯t ask us to have them join KOVE DREAM or Blue.¡± ¡°Why are they here then? ¡°Well, to make a long story short, they are here to ask for our investment because they¡¯re in financial difficulty right now.¡± In short, they were begging for investment. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t show any interest, but what Na said next aroused his interest. ¡°They¡¯re really persistent. How many times did theye here? I know their desperate efforts to save theirpanies, but they¡¯re asking too much,¡± said Na. ¡°Looks like they¡¯re not swindlers.¡± ¡°I know they¡¯re sincere businessmen, but they put themselves in financial difficulty because of bad management.¡± Hyunwoo suddenly recalled the first time he met Na. Na was like them at the time. Na was a sincere businessman like them, who had great pride. But hispany was teetering on the edge of bankruptcy because of his bad management. Without Hyunwoo¡¯s investment, it would have been impossible for Na to revive hispany. When he thought as far as that, Hyunwoo became more interested in them. If they showed a potential, he wanted to give them an opportunity. Chapter 225

Chapter 225

¡°I¡¯d like to meet them,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°I know how you feel, but you can¡¯t run your business withpassion. Sometimes, you had better ignore them.¡± At that moment, Na stopped discouraging him because he saw Hyunwoo was smiling a confident simile. That meant Hyunwoo didn¡¯t say that simply out ofpassion. It seemed he had a good idea. Na led him to the main gate and introduced them to Hyunwoo, interpreting for him. They were overjoyed as if they met a savior. They moved to a quiet conference room. ¡°DF Technology is apany that produces lighting equipment with a long history. But it¡¯s in financial difficulty at the moment as it failed to change its business at the right time, but I think it can ovee the difficulty with a new product.¡± The new product he mentioned was LED lighting. ording to him, thepany¡¯s technical skills werepetent enough in the market. The thing was that it had no money. Thepany needed to finance itself until it established itself in the market by selling lots of LED products, but it didn¡¯t have any funding power. Young stics was in the same situation. Hyunwoo looked at Na and said, ¡°You are sure they are not swindlers, right?¡± As he spoke in Korean, the Vietnamese CEOs could not understand at all. ¡°Well, I know these men. They are sincere, but the technical prowess of theirpaniesg behind a lot.¡± Hyunwoo nodded and asked, ¡°How much do you think they need to stabilize theirpanies?¡± Na¡¯s eyes popped out. ¡°Are you serious about investing in them?¡± ¡°Well, it depends. If I think they have potential, I would like to.¡± The Vietnamese CEO of DF Technology quickly intervened, ¡°I need 30 billion dong. If you invest, I¡¯ll give you 7% of our shares.¡± 30 billion dong would be 1.5 billion won. Hyunwoo was not sure how much he could invest just based on their exnation. Depending on the size of DF Technology, he would decide how much to invest. He also wanted to find out the status of its technical skills. ¡°Can I visit yourpany? I think I have to know more about yourpany before I decide,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Of course,¡± said the Vietnamese CEO, pressing him to visit even now. But Na snapped his finger and said, ¡°Good. I know someone who is well versed in lighting. I think if I take him to your visit to the factory, you can find out more about its technology.¡± ¡°Can you call him toe over here now?¡± ¡°Let me call him.¡± Na called someone in Vietnamese and smiled after the call. ¡°He suggested meeting at the factory of DF Technology. If we start now, we could meet him there.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s leave now.¡± DF Technology was argerpany than thought. Hyunwoo initially 7% stake was not big enough, given his investment, but it was much more than expected. Like the CEO said, only those workers at the LED factory were busy while other factories were sluggish. A littleter an acquaintance of Na, a technician well versed in LED technology, arrived. Looking around the factory, the technician kept nodding his head with a good review of the products. ¡°I think they can bepetent enough in the market, but the thing is the price. Though the product here is good, its price is notpetent at all. The unit cost of production should be cut by 3% at least.¡± Hearing that, the CEO looked gloomy again. Obviously, the technician touched the sore spot. Na said, ¡°No matter howpetitive the technical skills of apany, it will go bankrupt without pricepetitiveness. I know it because I have been there.¡± In other words, Na seemed to suggest that Hyunwoo should not invest. But he differed. ¡°If we can find technicians in Korea or in Japan, can¡¯t we enhance the technical prowess of DF Technology and lower its product?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not impossible. It¡¯s possible theoretically. As you know, you don¡¯t aplish anything just as you wish.¡± Na¡¯s point made sense, but Hyunwoo said, ¡°Well, a risky business sometimes brings you more profits, doesn¡¯t it? If the business is doing well, it will bring about more profits.¡± Na didn¡¯t agree with that. ¡°The possibility for sess is too low. Even if you invest 30 billion dong in thepany, it will only dy its copse. You will have to pour another 30 billion dong to save it. Even if your investment is sessful, it won¡¯t bring you many profits as you think. Given the costs and benefits, there is a low possibility.¡± Hyunwoo smiled at that as he would enjoy greater benefits. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not that much interested in DH Technology. What I am aiming for is a bigger one.¡± Na¡¯s eyes sparkled momentarily. ¡°Bigger one? What is that?¡± ¡°The image of KOVE DREAM in Vietnam. If my investment this time is sessful, KOVE DREAM will be widely known to the Vietnamese people for its contribution to Vietnam. You can¡¯t value that with money.¡± Come to think of that, Hyunwoo¡¯s point was very important. As KOVE DREAM kept on rolling in Vietnam, there was also a growing resistance to its growth in Vietnamese society. That¡¯s one of the reasons he said he would ept Vietnamesepanies as members of KOVE¡¯s minor league. Hyunwoo continued, ¡°As you said, money is important. I don¡¯t mean I will invest immediately.¡± Na made a relieved expression, ¡°I¡¯m relieved to hear that. I was a bit worried you might want to sign the contract right now. Haha¡± ¡°Hahaha, no way. Let me find some technicians in Korea first. I¡¯ll invest only when I am convinced that my investment can save DF Technology. Of course, thatpany has to survive until then.¡± ¡°In that case, I think there is a higher possibility of sess, and I wee it then,¡± said Na. But the Vietnamese CEO was disappointed to hear that. But he was a bit relieved to know that Hyunwoo would actively search for good technicians to help hispany. ¡°If I sell a factory site, I think I can get the funding to sustain mypany a little longer. But I am not sure how long I can.¡± ¡°Let me deal with this as soon as possible,¡± said Hyunwoo. Coming out of the factory, Hyunwoo went back to the office of N&C. Inside the car he was sharing with Na, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Can you find out if there is any otherpany like DF Technology? If you find such apany, I think we can boost the image of KOVE DREAM here. Besides, we will have investment returnster.¡± ¡°Got it, but bear it in mind that this is not an investment but spection. If thepany fails, your investment will disappear!¡± ¡°Hahaha, I know that.¡± While Hyunwoo was talking with Na, his cell phone buzzed. It was a call from Yu Zuung. ¡°My parents want to invite you to dinner. Are you avable?¡± In fact, Hyunwoo was trying to get out of the N&C office because there was nned another long meeting. The topic of the meeting was KOVE DREAM Blue. As he already had the basic framework of it, the meeting would focus on working out the details. Hyunwoo would not need to attend it. Hyunwoo quickly epted her invitation. ¡°Oh, I can¡¯t refuse it if your parents have invited me.¡± ¡°Got it. Let me pick you up at the N&C office.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo asked for Na¡¯s understanding. As soon as he received a call from saying that she arrived, he went out. He immediately noticed her dress. She put on the traditional Vietnamese costume Ao Dai, which was modernized to emphasize its sexy style. Though her body was not naked, her clothing was tight to the skin, revealing her curvy figure. ¡°Which makes you so beautiful, your clothing or your figure? I can¡¯t take my eyes off from you.¡± ¡°Both, hoho,¡± she said with a merryugh, twisting her body. Obviously, she felt satisfied with his praise. While driving down to Ho Chi Min City, Hyunwoo praised her. In return, she also searched for his merits and praised him. Later, she told him that he was her ideal type, but she looked shy as if her genuine feelings about him were detected by him. Hyunwoo justughed heartily at that. ¡°It¡¯s my honor, hahaha.¡± Chattering away in a cheerful mood, they arrived at Yu Zuuug¡¯s house. She was from a much more affluent family than Hyunwoo thought. It seemed her family had inherited a fortune from generation to generation and kept it well. Besides, her family members were elites in Vietnam. They had expert knowledge in their fields and could speak English fluently. ¡°My daughter¡¯s dream was to live in Korea, and she is feeling happy these days thanks to your help. Thanks so much.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s me who has to thank you as she works for mypany.¡± ¡°I heard a lot about you from my daughter. You¡¯re doing lots of good things such as free education for students. And she said you¡¯re such a great businessman...¡± Her parents kept praising him, so he felt a bit embarrassed. As their conversation went on, however, the atmosphere turned a bit strange at some point. ¡°In fact, my daughter is pretty popr here. There are lots of my acquaintances who want to have my daughter as their daughter-inw. I have to marry her off as she is old enough to get married. But she doesn¡¯t let us mention it, saying she has her eye on somebody...¡± said her father, trying to read Hyunwoo¡¯s mind gently. Hyunwoo looked at her at that moment, too, because he felt he might be the very person that she had her eye on. Yu Zuung found herself embarrassed a lot. Her milky white face blushed. Chapter 226

Chapter 226

Yu Zuung cut off her father¡¯s words quickly. ¡°What are you talking about, Dad? Don¡¯t insinuate anything. He might misunderstand.¡± ¡°Insinuate? Misunderstanding?¡± ¡°Well, he has a sweetheart in Korea. Don¡¯t make him feel burdened by linking him to me.¡± She then exined to her father about the situation. But the way she spoke was rather awkward. In particr, when she mentioned ¡®sweetheart¡¯, her voice suddenly turned lonely. It was not just her voice. She also made a sullen expression. Though she tried to be calm, her facial expression was clearly different from the expression she had a moment ago. Hyunwoo clearly noticed it, and so did her parents, who looked serious. The atmosphere became heavy after that. Though she tried to change the atmosphere by looking bright, her parents grew more gloomy. Fortunately, they were enjoying dessert after dinner. Hyunwoo stood up at an appropriate moment with some excuse. Her parents didn¡¯t stop him. Though they smiled with effort, it was a smile full of concern. She came out after him. ¡°Can I give you a ride to the N&C factory?¡± ¡°I can take a taxi.¡± ¡°No, if you do, that will make me depressed. And I have something to tell you about what my Dad told you.¡± Come to think of it, he felt she was put on the spot. As she had to continue to work with him back in Korea, he felt that it was not good for him to part with her like this. ¡°Sure, then,¡± said Hyunwoo with a bright smile. Thanks to his positive reply, she seemed much more relieved. While driving back to the factory, she gave various excuses for what her father said. She said it was her dream to marry a Korean guy and settle there, but her parents misunderstood that the man in her dreams was Hyunwoo. Actually, he remembered that when he met her for the first time, she told him that she had a kind of fantasy about Koreans. It was possible that her parents could have misunderstood. It was clear that she didn¡¯t try to find a boyfriend because of him. ¡°Oh, I see. Do you have a man in your mind? If you don¡¯t, can I find one for you? I think you have to find a groom in the near future as your parents are worried like that.¡± ¡°No thanks. Do you think I can¡¯t find one?¡± she asked, trying to smile. But she quickly made a sad look because of what her parents said. In fact, it would be difficult for a woman to ask a man to find her a boyfriend. Rather those around her should activelye forward to find her one. Yea, I think I know how to help her. Actually, he found someone who might be a good match for her. Snapping his finger, Hyunwoo said, ¡°How about Myunghoon? You seemed to be interested in him, too. I think both of you are a good match...oh my god!¡± While he was speaking to her casually, she stopped suddenly with a stunned look. Instead, he looked at her with big eyes. For she pulled over onto the shoulder in a hurry. ¡°Why did you suddenly pull over?¡± She didn¡¯t say anything nor turn her head. She was just looking at something in the front as if time stopped for her. Checking out her expression, he found she was upset. Obviously, he put his foot in his mouth. ¡°You don¡¯t like Myunghoon, do you?¡± When he said that, she suddenly turned her head to him. She was clearly angry at him. It was her sudden turnaround. Come to think of it, she didn¡¯t like Myunghoon from the start. Though she didn¡¯t like his mentioning of Myunghoo as her potential boyfriend, she just didn¡¯t express her feelings up to now, and finally, she burst into a rage. Momentarily, his heart sank. Only then did he realize how she really felt about him. He was greatly mistaken. I wonder if she might be thinking I¡¯m her potential groom... Neither Hyunwoo nor Yu Zuung said anything. They just looked into each other¡¯s eyes. He looked at her with an embarrassed look, while she looked at him with a resentful look. She first turned her head, but she still looked angry. ¡°I¡¯m going to choose a man by myself. So, don¡¯t link any man to me.¡± ¡°Oh, I get you...¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t bring up the topic any more. Let¡¯s not talk while I¡¯m driving to the factory. Let me focus on driving.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± She then started her car. They fell into silence again. Neither of them said a word until they arrived at the N&C factory. It was when she stopped at the factory that the heavy silence was broken. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said. ¡°Why are you sorry?¡± She couldn¡¯t continue for a while, as if she was thinking about why she was sorry. But she didn¡¯t find the right answer. She was aware of the answer, of course, but she couldn¡¯t say it to him now. ¡°I¡¯m just sorry. Goodnight.¡± He was worried about her driving back alone. In fact, he felt the same when she gave him a ride back here. She was not in a stable mood to drive a car. Fortunately, he was with her when she drove her car, but it was quite dark now. He didn¡¯t feel at ease when he thought she was now driving back home alone. ¡°Wait a minute. Let me drive.¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright. I can drive on my own. You don¡¯t have a Vietnamese driving license anyway.¡± She was right. He might be in big trouble if something wrong happened. ¡°Let me just sit next to you then. You might feel alright but not me.¡± ¡°How can you go back?¡± That was something Hyunwoo didn¡¯t think about in advance. He was supposed to drive back and forth in the worst scenario. He called Na suddenly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Na. Could you send me a chauffeur? I need to go to Ho Chi Minh City for some business...¡± Though Na was curious, he didn¡¯t go to the trouble of asking. A littleter a chauffeur drove a car to his ce. ¡°Please follow me. When I go back, I need a ride in your car.¡± Though she kept saying she was alright, Hyunwoo insisted. So, he went back downtown in her car. Thanks to a quarrell like that, the atmosphere inside the car was much lighter. Though they didn¡¯t talk much, they didn¡¯t try to avoid each other. By the time she arrived at her apartment unit, she even gave him a bright smile. ¡°Let¡¯s forget what happened today. Okay?¡± she said. He had no other choice but to do so as she said. Both of them were destined not to be separated from each other because of their work at Ani & Funny. Hyuwnoo also made a bright smile and said, ¡°Why not?¡± After taking her to her house, he went back to the N&C office. Only they did he feel relieved. The next day he headed for Ho Chi Minh City early in the morning after breakfast. His first destination was the newly purchased headquarters of Ani & Funny¡¯s branch in Vietnam. In fact, he didn¡¯t have a high expectation of the building because it was very cheap. When he arrived at the building, though, it was much better than he expected. It was a bit old, but it was good enough in terms of durability and practicality. Above all, he liked the size of the building. Given its size, it could house 500 people. Interior work was in full swing on the first floor. Kyongsu and James Lee were impressed with the building. ¡°Hopefully, we can get a nice building for our Ani & Funny in Korea.¡± ¡°Yea, I agree. I envy our Vietnamese branch. Haha.¡± Hyunwoo moved to the next destination, which was the current Ani & Funny branch in Vietnam. Though he wanted to see its staff during the weekday, all of them were college students who had to attend sses. Currently, the Vietnamese branch was running two offices, with each office staffed with more than 30 people. Despite it being Sunday, the office was crowded with all the students working as part timers. So, Sunday was the most valuable time for them to make money. The original five students including Yu Zuung, who signed the contract first, were all busy. Hyunwoo naturally cast a nce at her first. He was concerned because of what happened yesterday. It looked like she hid her innermost feelings because she seemed bright. Yea, let me forget it, too. We promised to do so anyway. Hyunwoo decided to let bygones be bygones. ¡°Hey, folks, what a nice job! Thanks,¡± he said. ¡°We thank you, sir. Thanks to your consideration, we¡¯re making lots of money here.¡± All of them made a bright look on their faces. In particr, Ngun was most pleased. Though he was in a lot of financial stress, he could now get out of that because he was making money here. Ngun was as precious as Yu Zuung to Hyunwoo and Ani & Funny. He was not onlypetent in animation but also excellent at running the branch as its CEO. He divided the 70 students into two groups for the division of work. The second group with less talent worked on the animation drafts in the new building, and the first group with excellent skills put the finishing touches on them. The original five students¡¯pensation was simr to that of those working at regrpanies. As they were students who worked during their spare time, theirpensation was really high,pared with regr workers. Those in the first and second groups were satisfied with their sries. Above all, the atmosphere in the office was good enough to help them enhance their skills. Thanks to this fantastic working environment, Ani & Funny was the object of envy among the students interested in animation in Vietnam. So, those who had any animation skills wanted to find part-time jobs there. While he was briefed about the status of the business operation, Hyunwoo tilted his head and asked, ¡°By the way, why is it so slow in hiring more people? We¡¯ve got only 70 people here now.¡± Whenever Hyunwoo and Ngun talked to each other, Yu Zuung interpreted for them. ¡°I can¡¯t hire any person just because we are short of hands here. In fact, we¡¯re recruiting the best students only,¡± said Ngun, exining how he recruited them. But Hyunwoo disagreed, ¡°Good idea. But you have to change your thinking, depending on the situation. Sooner orter you¡¯ll be flooded with animation work from Korea. You can not digest them with only 70 people here. You have to recruit as many as possible even if it goes against your grain.¡± Ngun tilted his head and asked, ¡°I guess so when you purchased the new building. But you need at least 300 people to use the whole building. Do you have so much work to do back in Korea?¡± Chapter 227

Chapter 227

In fact, Hyunwoo thought even 300 people would not be enough because there were so many animation works that Ani & Funny staff were nning at the moment. Basically, there were 42 teamsposed of students. And when the Korea office of Ani & Funny was expanded sooner orter, not only the students but also full-time employees would be drastically increased. When the open contest for animated stories is closed, they would have to follow up on that. Their new production would be different from the standard 10-minute piece up to now. On the asion of the contest Hyunwoo nned to produce animated movies, too. What was most important was hiring more talented people. The original five students including Ngun would graduate at the end of the year. Hyunwoo thought of ending the contract with VPictures, timed with their graduation so that the Vietnamese branch would take its ce. ¡°It¡¯s just useless to fill the office with people to aplish our goal. Each of the people here should be highlypetent. That¡¯s why I have my staff in Korea continue to make animation works and send them here. There is no other way to enhance your skills without making actual trials,¡± said Hyunwoo. It was in this vein that he ordered Ngun to hire more people. He felt that the chances of finding talented people were high when he could select 50 out of 500 instead of out of 100 applicants. The elite applicants selected through that process would form the core of the Vietnamese branch. ¡°By then, the staff here will be divided into full-time and contractors. You guys will assume various roles including CEO and directors to lead the branch here.¡± He thought he would set the number of full-time employees at 50, which could go up or down, depending on how many talented people there were avable. ¡°If you be full-time employees, you will get a higher monthly sry with special treatment. And your sry will be based on your performance, not a fixed amount.¡± Performance-based sry would mean that those who produced more animation works at a high quality would get morepensation. ¡°So, just hire as many as people and find the best-talented ones. And make sure they enhance their skills as quickly as possible. Next year, they will be the pipeline of new ie for you.¡± As Hyunwoo continued to talk, the students¡¯ eyes sparkled with hope. It seemed they saw a rosy future before their eyes. They all clenched their firsts and renewed their determination. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We will make our teams morepetent and professional than VPictures.¡± Hyunwoo nodded at them with a satisfied smile as if he trusted them. When he arrived back in Korea, Hyunwoo quickly began to find technicians. In order to revive the troubled Vietnamesepanies, he had to findpetent technicians as soon as possible. He called Unhye, the general manager of N&C Japan and Seungwoo Paek, its head in America, to rmend good technicians. He didn¡¯t need to insist on searching for them only in Korea. The reason he hastened to search for technicians was because of DF Technology. In fact, he was on the lookout for the appropriate targets of investment. He was making more than 25 billion won per month in profit through Ani & Funny and KOVE DREAM. Of course, he didn¡¯t want to increase money by investing in stocks or real estate. He wanted a more valuable investment. The most invaluable investment was in human beings. That¡¯s why he gave the students of Ani & Funny and Haenim School generous cash gifts for their hard work. Still, he had a surplus of money. Then he found a surefirepany for new investment in Vietnam. He would not worry if he could discover manypanies like DF Technology and made an investment. It looks like I can save my money and still make an investment. In the meantime, he received a call from Yonggu. It was a very happy call. ¡°I¡¯m getting married, man.¡± ¡°Oh, really? Married to Minhye?¡± ¡°Sure. Who would it be other than her? I set the marriage date in October. I called you because you deserve the most credit.¡± ¡°Hey, you have made it, atst, dude. Congrats!¡± said Hyunwoo, raising his voice. But he felt a bit bitter. He was in doubt if Minhye decided to marry him because she loved him, though Yonggu did so. ¡°So, where are you going to buy a house as newlyweds?¡± ¡°I already purchased one in Seoul.¡± ¡°I wonder if you already moved in.¡± ¡°No, not yet. I¡¯m going to live with her as soon as the remodeling of the house is done. Haha¡± Yonggu¡¯s voice was pretty much spirited. Hyunwoo felt good, too. On the other hand, he hoped Minhye would end her affair with Hyongsunpletely after she got married. Hyunwoo congratted Yonggu. He would have gone to Seoul right away if he could and have a drink with Yonggu, but he couldn¡¯t. ¡°I¡¯m so tied up today. Let me have a drink with you next time.¡± ¡°Sure. Take care¡± After the call, he moved around here and there. He was much busier since he came back from his business trip to Vietnam. In particr, KOVE DREAM upied his time most because of KOVE DREAM Blue. The iing orders increased by 50%, but his workload increased drastically. So, he hastily hired more than 100 people. But they were clumsy in handling their work as they were just hired. In particr, one third of the new hires were part-timers on a three-month contract, and there were only ten experienced workers. Due tock of experience and practical skills, they kept making mistakes, and there were never-endingints from consumers. It was unreasonable to seek understanding from the consumers who purchased KOVE products. KOVE workers should have made sure theypleted their work without mistake because if something went wrong KOVE should be totally responsible for that. That¡¯s how Hyunwoo addressed the problem. He didn¡¯t make any excuse for his mistake. He thought he should frankly let the people know about the situation He posted a letter of apology on the homepage of KOVE DREAM. He exined in detail how he suddenly formed KOVE DREAM Blue and what could inevitably happen as a result. Of course, that was his excuse. The consumers¡¯ints didn¡¯t stop. He tried to soothe them by sending them free gifts, along with apologetic replies to their messages. Because of that, he had to stay at KOVE DREAM from early morning till night every day. He couldn¡¯t find any time to take care of Ani & Funny, Haenim School or N&C Korea. That was no exception in his love affair with Suji. In the past, he went out with her sometimes at night, but he couldn¡¯t take time out for it. He rarely called her these days. Actually, KOVE DREAM was at the critical juncture of whether it could ovee the difficulties and thrive further or go downhill. But Suji was not aware of that. Of course, she roughly knew what was going on there, but she waspletely kept in the dark about the gravity of the situation. She wasn¡¯t nagging like before. She was convinced of Hyunwoo¡¯s love of her, to say the least. He is not seeing me often because he doesn¡¯t love me any longer, but because he is too busy. Nheless, she could not help but feel hurt. In particr, she really felt empty in her heart when she got off work early and had no appointment. She even felt she was discarded and alone in the world. On the other hand, she was scared. She was worried if Hyunwoo would be a workaholic like her father. Whenever she thought as far as that, there was one person that she missed: Jungsu. Come to think of it, she met him frequently. Since he was appointed as a prosecutor in Ansan, she met him at least two or three times per week. She had no particr reason to see him. As he was just assigned to a new post in Ansan, she just took care of him with the best of intentions. She just had a light dinner with him and then parted. As time passed by, however, it became kind of habitual for her to meet him. Even though she didn¡¯t date him, she found herself waiting for his call when the closing hours of the office approached. When she thought of Hyunwoo, shepared him to Jungsu. Hyunwoo had more merits, but she wished he could take his cue from Jungsu sometimes. I wish Hyunwoo was at least half as homely and domestic as Jungsu. But it would be hard for her to expect that of Hyunwoo. Basically he opened too many businesses. And he liked to meddle in others¡¯ affairs. Of course, that might be one of his merits. Soothing her troubled mind, she was about to leave the office when she received a call from Jungsu. Was it because she thought about him only a minute ago? Or was it because she was waiting for his call? As soon as she noticed his name on her phone, her heart sank without any reason. She felt as if she was caught stealing something. But she has nothing to be ashamed of because she wasn¡¯t having an affair with him. She picked up the phone easily. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you, Jungsu¡± ¡°How about dinner together?¡± ¡°Well, I was thinking of eating at home today,¡± said Suji, chickening out this time. She didn¡¯t want to be seen as an easy woman to him. Jungsu then said in a begging voice, ¡°You know, I have to eat alone. Don¡¯t you think I¡¯m miserable? Let me treat you to a nice dinner if youe.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s what you are, let me save you. Hoho¡± she said. They had dinnerfortably. Almost two hours passed while they ate and chatted in an amicable mood. Just like before she was about to head for home as soon as she was done. But today Jungsu held her. ¡°How about beer? I¡¯ll feel so lonely if I go home now.¡± Though she agnozied, she could understand his situation. Even she felt lonely when she was with her family. He would feel more lonely as he lived solo. ¡°Sure. Just one ss of beer, then.¡± They went to a beerhouse, but one ss of beer was repeated until they kept drinkingte into the night. It seemed she drank as much as 200 of beer. Actually, she felt a bit drunk. Trying to read her mind, he cautiously asked, ¡°Is your love affair with Hyunwoo going well? It looks like you have been dating him for a long time, but you have never mentioned ¡®marriage¡¯ to me. You don¡¯t seem to see him these days. Did you split with him?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m still dating him. He has been so kind to me, but he is too busy during weekdays,¡± said she with a surprised look, denying his suspicion of her separation. On the other hand, she felt she denied it too strongly. It urred to her that strong denial was the same as strong affirmation. Jungsu pretended not to notice it, though. Instead, he changed the topic. It was about a girl he used to date in college. ¡°Actually, I regret that I had not split with her long time ago. Do you know why?¡± Suji was stunned to hear that because of his mention of ¡®split¡¯. Obviously, he wanted to split with her, but could not for some reason. Jungsu continued in a calm voice, ¡°Yea, I really wanted to split with her. There were better girls around me, and I didn¡¯t have good chemistry with her.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you break up then?¡± ¡°Out of obligation, in short. I had a sense of obligation that I had to take responsibility for her once I slept with her. Looking back now, I see it¡¯s ridiculous, but I thought like that back then.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°How stupid of me! A man and a woman should never meet out of obligation. It¡¯s like wearing ill-fitting clothes. After all, I experienced the limits of my patience and split with her.¡± Suji didn¡¯t reply because her rtionship with Hyunwoo might be simr to that. Obviously, they loved each other. But they had a different chemistry. Their values were different. ¡°Suji, don¡¯t repeat my mistake. Of course, it¡¯s a different story once you get married. But you should never meet your lover out of obligation before you get married. I¡¯m saying this for your sake. Keep it in mind.¡± Chapter 228

Chapter 228

¡°Got it, Jungsu.¡± Jungsu tried to take her back home, but she felt he was a burden for some reason. She took a taxi back home. She was totally absorbed in Hyunwoo on her way back home. Is my rtionship with Hyunwoo okay now? What about my future? And what about our future? Suji imagined her life with him after she got married. It would be an affluent life. But at the same time it would be an empty life as if one part of her heart was broken apart. Suji let out a sigh silently. And then she shook her head. I shouldn¡¯t be weak-spirited like this. It depends on me to change him. If I try hard, he would change, too. Suji thought about how to change his attitude. She wanted to make him antsy at the mere mention of her name. There was only one answer. It was to show him the best of her loveliness. He said he even worked during the weekend. Would he feel happy if I brought him a lunch box that I prepared personally? Definitely. He would be deeply moved, she thought. Imagining he would feel happy, she just felt good about it. She looked bright again, who had a sullen face a moment ago. Hyunwoo had not stopped by the Ani & Funny office in a long time. As he was so busy with the business of KOVE DREAM these days he couldn¡¯t go there. But today he had some business to take care of. The students were supposed to submit their assigned animation work by today. ¡°Did all of you submit? Anybody who has not yet submitted?¡± They were silent at his question. When Hyunwoo counted the submitted works, it was 42, all told. Fortunately, each teampleted its own animation work and submitted by the deadline. It had been exactly two months since the open contest on the short animation story was closed. The reason Hyunwoo gave them such a long period of time was because of Tuti & Angelica. It took a lot of time for them to render the stories submitted by the fans of Tuti & Angelica into animation works. The 42 works that the studentspleted would be sent to the Vietnamese branch, where they would make them into webtoons first and rank them. The grand prize and the best work would be awarded 10 million and 5 million won respectively, and ten meritorious works would be awarded 3 million won each. The students were not given a break just because theypleted the works because the open contest on the animated movie story was closed on the same day. That¡¯s why Hyunwoo gave them two months of working time. Unlike the short story, the contest on animated movie story didn¡¯t attract many entries, totaling less than 200. Animated movie work was gigantic,pared with the short animation story. Hyunwoo divided the 42 teams into ten units, eachprised of four members. The students had a tense expression on their faces. Though they expected it when Hyunwoo announced his n on the open contest, they were jittery when they were actually divided into ten units for the work. In Hyunwoo¡¯s mind, however, that was not very difficult work because they would use the same characters as those of Garbage World and the storyboard was already there. And if the whole length of the story was less than one hour when rendered, they would only need to do the first ten minutes because it would be enough to attract the attention of the audience. Their work would go through such a process so that only the best entries could be produced as animated movies. ¡°Okay, guys. Select the entries you like. Let me give you exactly one month.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± answered the students in a strong voice. After assigning them to the new task, Hyunwoo turned to Kyongsu. ¡°Anything special you can report to me?¡± ¡°Not really. Everything is going on well.¡± If that was the case, he had no reason to stay longer at the Ani & Funny office. He immediately left the office. Watching him leave the office like that, Yu Zuung made a sullen expression. She had been looking at him for some time, but he didn¡¯t case a nce at her. Though she knew he was busy with KOVE DREAM Blue business, she had the impression that he was avoiding her excessively. Was it because of what happened in Vietnam? If that¡¯s true, I¡¯m really embarrassed. She wanted to get along with himfortably. Though she was intensely attached to him deep inside, she had to hide it. After all, she could not possess him. But she could be just content with getting his attention. She could naturally leave him if she found a more attractive man than Hyunwoo someday. Until then, she wanted to get along with him well. How can I make him feelfortable toward me again? There would be no silver bullet. She might have to make steady efforts to win over his heart again. Oh, I¡¯ve a good idea. Let me stop by KOVE DREAM this weekend to cheer him up. Maybe I can help him in one way or another when I get there. Or I can just stop by to have a light lunch with him. *** Suji was in a rush in the kitchen early on Saturday morning. Mrs. Kong looked at her with a curious look and said, ¡°Howe you are preparing gimbap ver rice rolls)? Are you going on an outing?¡± ¡°I would like to give them to Hyunwoo.¡± Mrs. Kong smiled in satisfaction. In the past, she felt upset about her daughter getting close to Hyunwoo, but she didn¡¯t feel that way now. She felt there was no better candidate to be her groom. The more she saw him, the more she thought he was an excellent man. Be it KOVE DREAM, Ani & Funny or N&C Korea, he was running businesses very well. Besides, he was a man of character. Though he made lots of money and huge profits, he never assumed the air of a rich person. And he was always well-mannered. She was now convinced that she could leave her daughter¡¯s future to him entirely. She felt ashamed of herself because she once tried to judge him only by his educational background and his job. ¡°By the way, howe you are preparing so much gimbap?¡± ¡°How can he eat gimbap alone? I want him to share it with his staff there.¡± Actually, she was lying. Mrs. Kong heard there were as many as 100 staff with KOVE DREAM. She pretended not to notice it, of course. ¡°Can I help you?¡± ¡°No thanks. I would rather prepare it by myself.¡± ¡°Hoho. Okay then,¡± said Mrs. Kong with augh and left the kitchen. Suji carried the heavy lunch box with gimbap and headed for KOVE DREAM. She didn¡¯t let him know in advance she would be visiting. He would be greatly pleased with her surprise gift. In the meantime, Hyunwoo was up to his ears in taking care of orders. When he heard Suji stopped by, he came out of the warehouse, soaked with sweat and dirt. ¡°Howe you are here?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°Don¡¯t say ¡®howe¡¯. I stopped by to have lunch with you.¡± She raised the lunch box that she prepared by herself. He scratched his head at that because he hurriedly came out in the middle of work. He still had lots of work to finish in the warehouse. ¡°What are you doing? Just go and wash your hands. No matter how busy you are, you have to eat.¡± That¡¯s true. He had to have lunch, of course. But it would take at least an hour for him to have lunch with her. He couldn¡¯t afford to ck off now. But he couldn¡¯t let her go coldly. ¡°Wait a minute. I was in the middle of work. Let me wrap it up. Just give me ten minutes.¡± ¡°Sure, let me wait.¡± He rushed back to the warehouse. She took a walk around the warehouse to kill time. At that moment, a small car approached KOVE DREAM. Looking around here and there she noticed the car. As it was a red car, it naturally attracted her attention. It looked like a young beautiful woman was driving it. The car stopped and the door on the driver¡¯s side opened. A young woman in sportswear got out. At that moment Suji¡¯s eyes popped out as the woman was familiar to her. She was none other than Yu Zuung, who was staying in the guestroom of Hyunwoo¡¯s house. She put on the same sportswear she wore when running with Hyunwoo in the morning recently. What surprised Suji more was she was holding something in her hand. Obviously, it was a lunch box. In fact, Suji was a bit worried deep inside. Yu Zuung was so beautiful even in her eyes. No matter how insensitive Hyunwoo might be to a woman¡¯s appearance, he was most likely attracted to her stunning beauty. Besides, Yu Zuung was residing right next to him. Also, she had a special rtionship with him as a boss and an employee. In particr, he took care of her and protected her. Though Suji didn¡¯t doubt his affection for her, she suddenly began to suspect him when she noticed Yu Zuung¡¯s lunch box. Suji hid herself before she knew. Hyunwoo was seen running out of the warehouse, to whom Yu Zuung waved her hands. Momentarily, he seemed surprised and looked around at the same time. Apparently, he was looking for Suji. Yu Zuung seemed to sense Suji¡¯s presence, too. More surprised than him, she looked around, hiding the lunch box behind her. Only then did Suji appear before them, pretending not to have seen them. ¡°Oh, my god! You must be Yu Zuung.¡± ¡°Hello? I didn¡¯t know you¡¯re here,¡± said Yu Zuung quickly. She took pains to stay calm, but she found it hard. Hyunwoo was as embarrassed. He was worried Suji might misunderstand. He wanted to make some excuses to defend his position at the moment. In the meantime, Suji began to ask Yu Zuung. ¡°Howe you¡¯re here?¡± ¡°Oh...I thought Hyunwoo was very busy these days, so I just stopped by to see if there was anything I can help him with...¡± she stammered. Apparently she was embarrassed. ¡°What is that stuff in your hand?¡± ¡°This one? This is...¡± Yu Zuung could not answer easily because she knew that only a sweetheart could hand a lunch box to her lover. Besides, Suji was also holding a lunch box in her hand. Suji asked again, ¡°Did you bring the lunch box here to eat with Hyunwoo?¡± Chapter 229

Chapter 229

¡°Oh, no. I¡¯m going to eat it. I hear there is no restaurant nearby. So, I¡¯m eating it alone...¡± ¡°Alone? I think It¡¯s too much for you to eat it alone...¡± ¡°Well...I¡¯m going to eat the leftovers for dinner,¡± said Yu Zuung, citing a usible reason but shedding cold sweat at her questioning. Hyunwoo took side with her and said, ¡°Haha. Youined so much that you were bored as you had to stay home over the weekend. Is this the reason you came here to relieve your boredom? I wish you had headed for the Ani & Funny office instead.¡± ¡°Even that ce is boring. I thought I could be less bored if I worked in a different ce like this...¡± But Suji was still suspicious of her strange behavior. Hyunwoo also felt it. As Yu Zuung and Hyunwoo reacted weirdly, Suji made a curious expression and asked. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you both? You look weird. Did you do something wrong to me?¡± ¡°Oh, no. Not at all. Hahaha,¡± said Hyunwoo with an awkward smile. At that moment, he was annoyed by what was happening to him. Come to think of it, he felt he was stupid when he found himself trying to check out Suji¡¯s feelings though he didn¡¯t do anything wrong. Besides, what Suji was upset was a simple lunch box that Yu Zuung prepared for him. Do I need to feel a sense of guilt about this? Yu Zuung felt the same way. Though Suji was suspicious, it was not a big deal because she could clear the air by exining her position. Hyunwoo broke the ice by suggesting a fresh solution. ¡°Why don¡¯t we have lunch among us three? Let¡¯s have a quick lunch. I¡¯ve got to get back to work.¡± ¡°No, I want to eat alone,¡± said Yu Zuung, backing off. But Hyunwoo stopped her. ¡°No, no, you don¡¯t have to. Let¡¯s eat together. Suji,e here. I know a very good spot for our lunch.¡± Hyunwoo walked ahead of them. Suji quickly held his hand and followed him as if to show she was on intimate terms with him. Only then did Yu Zuung follow them reluctantly like a cow being dragged to a ughterhouse. Suji¡¯s lunch box contained kimbap that she made by hand, while Yu Zuung purchased the lunch box from a supermarket downtown. Hyunwoo and Suji enjoyed lunchfortably while chattering, but Yu Zuung was nervous while eating with them. Sensing Yu Zuung¡¯s nervousness, Hyunwoo stopped using his chopsticks momentarily and spoke to her in English, ¡°Let me tell you one thing, Suji, as Yu Zuung feels a burden to be here with us. Yu Zuung and I are just a boss and employee, no more or no less. Do you get it, Suji?¡± ¡°Yeah, I trust you,¡± replied Suji readily. This time he told Yu Zuung. ¡°I know how you care about me, but your actions can make others misunderstand your rtionship with me. So, be careful next time. Okay?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Sorry I acted tactlessly.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to be sorry. And there is nothing you could help me with here at KOVE DREAM. So, just have your lunch and go back.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± replied Yu Zuung in a dejected voice. ¡°As we cleared up the misunderstanding, let¡¯s have lunch in a rxed mood. As the atmosphere is awkward, I can¡¯t stimte any appetite,¡± said Hyunwoo. Only then did Yu Zuung seem to feel a bit rxed. But she was still ufortable. Though Hyunwoo and Suji took turns talking to her, their conversation didn¡¯tst long. After lunch, Hyunwoo stood up first and said, ¡°Suji, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m pretty busy now. Though I would like to spend more time with you, I really can¡¯t.¡± ¡°But you need a break to digest a meal, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Well, I can digest it while working. You can understand me, right?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± said Suji, nodding her head. Though she didn¡¯t like it, she could do nothing. ¡°Goodbye, Yu Zuung!¡± ¡°Bye, boss!¡± Hyunwoo headed back for the warehouse, leaving Suji and Yu Zuung behind. Suji was not conscious of Yu Zuung at all. Or, she pretended not to. Yu Zuung continuously tried to read her mind, though. Cleaning her spot, Suji said goodbye to her first. ¡°Let me take my leave first. Take care.¡± ¡°Oh, you, too. I¡¯m sorry about what happened today.¡± At that moment, Suji stopped moving and asked, ¡°Sorry about what?¡± ¡°I think I made you misunderstand my rtionship with Hyunwoo.¡± What Suji wanted to hear from Yu Zuung was that kind of perfunctory reply. She wanted to draw a clear line between her and Hyunwoo. ¡°As you said so, let me ask. What do you think of Hyunwoo? Is it true that your rtionship with him is only that of a boss and employee, no more or no less?¡± She could not answer easily. She didn¡¯t want to reply. Even though she was right before Suji, his sweetheart, she didn¡¯t want to deny her genuine feelings about him. Nheless, she had to reply for the sake of Hyunwoo. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then, why did you bring the lunch box for him? To be honest with you, I really can¡¯t understand your behavior. Are you sure you brought it here for your own lunch?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Yu Zuung¡¯s voice began to shrink more and more. Though she wanted to have it out with Suji deep inside, she held back her desire because that would make Hyunwoo stressed out. Suji didn¡¯t ask anymore but gave her a warning before she left. ¡°I wish you were careful in the future. Don¡¯t you think Hyunwoo and I will get into trouble because of you?¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± Suji left first like that. Left alone, Yu Zuung felt like crying, but she didn¡¯t, biting her lips. Why should I cry? What did I do wrong? She suddenly felt it was not fair. Is it wrong to like somebody? Even if the other party is a married man, a woman can like him as long as she doesn¡¯t trample on his happiness. Besides, Hyunwoo and Suji were not husband and wife yet. It wouldn¡¯t be a sin even if Yu Zuung took Hyunwoo from Suji. Suddenly, she got rebellious about Suji¡¯s warning. Did she say Hyunwoo and her should not get into trouble because of me? Why not? I can take responsibility for him. When she thought as far as that, she wanted to break their rtionship. But that was not true love. Yu Zuung didn¡¯t want Hyunwoo to feel stressed because of her. Rather, she wished to see him happy. She went back home with drooping shoulders. Leaving the KOVE DREAM warehouse, Suji went straight to her house. Though she showed her tough image to Yu Zuung, she was more sullen on her way back. She felt she was losing Hyunwoo¡¯s affection little by little. Of course, he would love her less because of Yu Zuung. Hyunwoo was not the type of man who would have an affair with another woman. Maybe his focus on work was to me for that if any. Like her father, Hyunwoo tended to put a priority on his work rather than his family. And that made life difficult for her. Entering her room, she had a nk expression. Though she was looking out the window, she was absent-minded. After some time, she had a call from Jungsu. ¡°There is an interesting movie at the theater. I really want to watch it, but I don¡¯t want to enjoy it alone.¡± Though Jungsu didn¡¯t directly ask her for a date, obviously he suggested he wanted to watch it with her. Momentarily, she vacited. She thought she could feel better after watching the movie. As a matter of fact, she felt good without any reason if she was with him. But she was startled at the moment. What am I thinking now? She thought that Hyunwoo wasn¡¯t interested in another woman, but she was interested in another man. She clearly rejected his offer. ¡°We are not lovers, as you know. We can have a meal, but it¡¯s a burden on me to watch the movie with you.¡± ¡°I just asked you as I feelfortable with you. I didn¡¯t know you thought that way. Sorry. Let me watch it alone then.¡± After the call, she felt sorry. She could have replied softly, but she did so in a sharp tone. She felt she wanted to call him back andfort him. But she held it back. She felt she might feel more toward him if she did so. She had to draw a line resolutely. She suddenly asked herself, ¡®Why?¡¯ because of what he told her recently. You should not love someone out of obligation. She might have been loving Hyunwoo out of obligation. Though she already felt affection for Jungsu, she was trying not to be attracted to him just because she met Hyunwoo first and should not betray him. Hyunwoo might feel the same way. Though he is more attracted to Yu Zuung, he might refrain from getting close to her because of Suji. When it waste at night, she felt more and more like a tragic heroine. She even shed tears. And she suddenly saw Hyunwooing back home. He used toe back homete at night. He looked quite tired. But she wanted to have a talk with him. Rather she had to. She needed to know how he thought of her and their future. Suji called Hyunwoo. ¡°Hyunwoo, I want to see you for a minute. I¡¯ve got something to talk with you about.¡± He hesitated for a moment as he was too tired. But he came out readily, thinking of what happened during the da?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± As he didn¡¯t take a shower after work, he smelled sweaty. She didn¡¯t care at all. Holding his arm, she leaned her head on his shoulder. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°For what?¡± ¡°I know how hard you are trying to care about me. I just keptining to you, though. But you were always so epting.¡± ¡°Hum... did youin only? I have no idea. What you did was always lovely to me,¡± said he with a smile. She smiled, too, but looked gloomy. She wanted to ask him one thing by all means, but she felt he might not give her the reply she wanted to hear. Nheless, she had to ask. Without hearing his answer she felt she could not go to sleep for several days. ¡°Hyunwoo. If we...¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± ¡°If we got married...¡± ¡°Oh, yeah...¡± At that moment, he was startled at the word, ¡®marriage.¡¯ But she was convinced that she was now dating him on the condition she would get married to him. ¡°Do you think we can live like this even after we get married?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I mean you are going to be snowed under work all the time, and I will be missing you every day...¡± Hyunwoo could not reply easily. He knew what kind of life she wanted. It was an ordinary life, an affluent life. A life that required less care about others and total focus on the family. Hyunwoo was not confident that he could maintain such a life. ¡°Well, I think I could be a little more faithful to my family.¡± ¡°A little more faithful?¡± Hyunwoo agonized. He wanted to give her the answer she wanted, but that would be a lie and a false promise to her. He couldn¡¯t lie to avoid a moment of crisis. He felt the more one loved one¡¯s partner, the more honest one should be. ¡°Well, I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s going to be my destiny. I promise I will try harder. I told you this before. I¡¯ll never change my affection for you ten years or one hundred yearster.¡± ¡°I know that. But you know that¡¯s not what I want. I want a family. I want a person who is by my side when I am going through hard times. Can you be that kind of person to me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m always beside you, Suji. Like now.¡± She didn¡¯t reply, though. For she was disappointed. Though he beat around the bush, the gist of what he said was he would not change his lifestyle even after he got married. She let out a sigh and let go of his arms. She stopped walking before she knew so did Hyunwoo. He looked at her, whose sad eyes seemed to touch him. ¡°How about we split temporarily?¡± she said abruptly. Hyunwoo¡¯s heart sank. ¡°Why did you suddenly bring it up?¡± ¡°If we spend some time apart, I think we can appreciate how much we need each other and how precious we are to each other. You and I might be dating out of obligation.¡± ¡°Out of obligation? I am not meeting you out of obligation, Suji.¡± ¡°Stop it. Let¡¯s separate for the time being,¡± said she resolutely. Hyunwoo drew a sigh. Suddenly, he conjured up the image of a woman. ¡°Are you saying this because of Yu Zuung? You don¡¯t have to split if you think so. She and I are not...¡± ¡°I know. I already told you I trust you.¡± ¡°Then, are you saying this because of Jungsu?¡± She didn¡¯t answer readily. Hyunwoo could now figure out her intention. Suji didn¡¯t try to lie. Rather she confided to him her feelings toward Jungsu. ¡°To be honest with you, I can¡¯t say Jungsu hasn¡¯t affected me. Sometimes, I meet him for a meal andpare him with you before I notice.¡± Hyunwoo had nothing to say. Even he sometimespared her to Yu Zuung. ¡°I can say this clearly, though. You¡¯re the best man I¡¯ve ever seen. But you have one fatal weakness. You are far from homely.¡± Hyunwoo was heartbroken to hear that. ¡°You might need a woman who is beside you when you need her. But I need a man who is by my side when I need him.¡± Hyunwoo became impatient. He wanted to change her mind by all means. ¡°The reality is different from the ideal. Reality bites. Look at the people around you. Most of them get by like that. They report to work early in the morning ande back homete at night. There are so many people who can¡¯t spend time with their families even during the weekend because of work.¡± ¡°I know. But we should not need to live like them. We¡¯re affluent enough not to live like that, aren¡¯t we? Why should we give up that kind of life?¡± Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t say anything. She was right. But he was not confident he could live like that. ¡°Don¡¯t contact me for the time being, Hyunwoo. Let¡¯s contact only when I can ept you just as you¡¯re now, or you can be confident you will be the type of man that I want.¡± ¡°What if...¡± Hyunwoo didn¡¯t continue what he had to say next. What if Hyunwoo or Suji would not budge? The answer would be clear in that case. He didn¡¯t want to ask that. ¡°I¡¯m tired. Let me go to sleep early tonight,¡± said Suji. She turned back and headed for her house first. He was looking at her disappearing in the dark. Suji¡¯s bombshell announcement was a great pain to Hyunwoo. But he felt it only momentarily. He could not afford to feel heartbroken because he was so busy. The next morning he had to report to work early in the morning, and the very thought of her was erased from his mind before he knew. Of course, her face shed in his mind from time to time, but it was fleeting. He was literally snowed under during the day. When he came back after work, though, he missed her so much. He wanted to rush her house next to his and hug her tightly. But that wouldn¡¯t change the situation. Rather Suji would feel more disappointed at his actions. Just looking at the window of Suji¡¯s room helplessly, he let out a sigh and went back into his room. What¡¯s strange was that he missed her less and less as time went by. It looked as if he was epting the reality of separation. Out of sight, out of mind? Hyunwoo and Suji were feeling like that. Ah...am I splitting with her like this? There was some woman who was watching him all along. She was Yu Zuung. Every night she put a chair near the window and looked out with a nk look. She just waited for Hyunwoo toe back and disappear into his room. She felt something strange about his behavior since the day when she brought the lunch box for him. He woulde back home and look at Suji¡¯s house with a sad sigh. He repeated it not a day or two but every day. Yu Zuung was convinced now. There must be something wrong between them. Probably it was not because of that lunch box incident. Though Suji showed her tough image before her, she was suspicious of Yu Zuung¡¯s rtionship with him deep inside. She wanted to visit Suji and defend Hyunwoo¡¯s position. She wanted to ask Suji not to torment him anymore. On the other hand, Yu Zuung wanted to take him away from her. Yea, he is not possessed by any woman now. Though she felt sorry to Hyunwoo, she would make up for that for a long time in the future. Then, he will stop being sad and feel happy again. I can make him happy. I can be the woman that he is dreaming about. Her eyes were glittering before she knew. Chapter 230

Chapter 230

Looking out the windowte at night, Yu Zuung quickly left her room. Hyunwoo was about toe into the house at that moment. ¡°Oh, you¡¯reing back now. Howe you¡¯re sote?¡± ¡°I finished a bitter. Haven¡¯t you gone to sleep yet?¡± said Hyunwoo with a smile. But he didn¡¯t look bright perhaps because of Suji or perhaps because of exhaustion. As if she wanted to brighten his face, she smiled more broadly. ¡°It¡¯s only 11 pm.¡± ¡°I understand you go to sleep and wake up early.¡± She was happy because he remembered her lifestyle. Though it was a trivial thing, she felt thankful that he paid attention to things like that. ¡°As I live in Korea, my lifestyle is also changing a bit. By the way, can you drink this?¡± She held out a soft drink cup to him. Hyunwoo received it unconsciously. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°I went to a supermarket, and they were selling apples. It is the apple season in Korea these days. So, I bought several apples as they tasted good. I made an apple juice. It¡¯s sour but sweet. Try it.¡± ¡°Apple juice? Thanks.¡± He drank it up without hesitation. ¡°It tastes good. Thanks.¡± She wanted to talk with him more and give him more. But she felt she should not hurry because he might be nervous because of Suji. She wanted him to rx now. ¡°I guess you¡¯re pretty tired. Just go in and have a good sleep.¡± ¡°Sure. Goodnight¡± Hyunwoo went into his room, and Yu Zuung went back to her room. She felt like she was walking on air. She watched himing back like that every day. Sometimes she prepared some food for him such as bread on one day and a soft drink on another day. She knew what kind of woman Suji was to Hyunwoo. She simply asked too much from him, in particr, his time and attention. She tried to be different from Suji. I shouldn¡¯t be like her. Instead of asking for something from him, I want to be a woman that can give him something. The best gift would be rxation. He should feel rxed enough for his eyes to fall shut when he is with her. She needed to be moreposed from now on. Let me take it easy for our long rtionship. *** ¡°Phew¡± Hyunwoo took a deep breath. But he felt something got stuck in his mind. It was because of Suji. In fact, his life was not changed a lot. As he was so busy, he couldn¡¯t see her often in the past. Even he met her, he couldn¡¯t be with her for long. But he felt differently now in a big way. He could meet Suji at anytime and make love in the past, but he could not meet her now even if he wanted, which was a big difference. No matter how strong he tried to stay, he found it hard. He let out a sigh often and found himself spent. Still, he had to work. KOVE DREAM never let him take a break. He searched for more and more work because he didn¡¯t feel heartbroken while working. And when he came back home, he felt stuffy again. Even today Yu Zuung waited until he came home. Thanks to her he felt something heavy off his chest, though momentarily. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°You look pretty tired. Please take a rest.¡± After taking a quick shower, Hyunwoo turned on theputer the way he always did. He checked the website of Story Ma and the feedback of KOVE DREAM¡¯s consumers. He also googled on the activities of Jinhon and Ang. The poprity of Duckling Fly was still strong. By now, it should have lost some poprity ording to the music experts¡¯ prediction, but it was still popr. Though he felt bad because of Suji, he felt good at the good news about them. While he was surfing the inte, it suddenly got disconnected. He closed theputer and turned it on again, but there was a message that said there was no inte connection. He didn¡¯t need to be embarrassed because it happened on and off. As it happened sometimes in the past, he didn¡¯t ask for a service checkup because he could fix it by himself. Though he didn¡¯t know the reason exactly, he found an easy solution. All he had to do was press the button for one minute, and theputer solved the problem automatically. While he pressed the button like that, he felt annoyed because he had the same problem several times per week these days. ¡°Damn it. It¡¯s back again! And their technical service is just bullshit!¡± Throwing the keyboard, heined violently. It was an unusually strongint. It looked like he exploded with all theints that he had held back up to now. His inte provider was a telmunicationspany called V Plus. It was notorious for its bad customer service. Come to think of it, he had been using the same provider more than ten years. Let me switch to another provider. The next day he arrived at work in KOVE DREAM early in the morning as usual. KOVE DREAM was still short of hands, which made him move around here and there. When he could find some free time, he tried to cancel the contract with V Plus. But it was not easy. He was supposed to cancel it through the answering machine, but the cancetion process wasplicated, and the line was busy all the time. ¡°This is driving me nuts!¡± Hyunwoo exploded in anger. An employee working beside him asked with a curious look. ¡°What happened?¡± Hyunwoo exined about his case. That employee felt sorry about the fact that he used V Plus, pointing out its notorious bad service. He wanted to cancel it immediately. After several attempts, he could barely get connected to the service representative. He cut it short, ¡°I would like to cancel.¡± But the representative raised her voice and said, ¡°Wow! You are the VVIP of V PLus.¡± ¡°What is VVIP?¡± ¡°You have been using our inte service without anyint for more than eleven years. Howe you cancel suddenly?¡± He felt disgusted at the representative¡¯s response. He felt as if he was being sucked in for a long time. ¡°Enough is enough. Just cancel it.¡± Only then did the representative agreed. ¡°Okay, then. Let me cancel it. But you have to pay for cancetion fee because of the remaining contract period.¡± ¡°What? I¡¯ve been using it for more than eleven years. When does it expire?¡± ¡°You agreed to extend it two years ago. You¡¯ve got five more months before it expires. If you cancel it now, you will be charged about 150,000 won.¡± The representative exined to him kindly. ¡°Can you waive the cancetion fee with my benefits of VVIP?¡± Of course, that was impossible. After all, he gave up the cancetion. It was much easier for him to wait five more months without paying the cancetion fee and switch to another provider. When he hung up the phone, that employee sitting next to him giggled. ¡°That¡¯s the way that the provider is. If you really want to cancel it, I know an expedient way, but the problem is you have only five months of stipted time...¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wider at that. Aside from the cancetion fee, he wanted to take revenge on that bad provider. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Just move your address to a location where an inte connection is just impossible. In that case, it is the responsibility of the service provider, so you don¡¯t have to pay its fee. The problem is you also need to change the address on your official ID.¡± Hyunwoo found it was an interesting method. Though he didn¡¯t want to change his registered address because of that, he wanted to avenge his mistreatment differently. Come to think of it, KOVE DREAM, Ani & Funny and N&C Korea were all using V Plus. As there were manyputers, there were many lines connected to the inte. As soon as the contract expires, let me switch them all to different providers. On the other hand, he felt V Plus was miserable. If its consumers would defect from the provide en masse, which would ruin thepany. Tut, tut. They should have given the consumers better service so the consumers won¡¯t switch. Suddenly, Hyunwoo thought of one thing. KOVE DREAM also learned lots of delivery idents, inviting lots ofints from the consumers. Hummm...this is not the time toin about otherpanies. I should look back and double-check if mypanies are offering good service to our customers. KOVE also had the VIP membership system. Among its members, there must be some who haveints about KOVE. He didn¡¯t hesitate. He headed straight for the KOVE office and discussed with Sonjong about a program about zero customerints. They easily came up with a conclusion. ¡°Why don¡¯t we create a team exclusively handling VIP customers. In that case, we should hire more people.¡± ¡°Good idea. Isn¡¯t our space here too small? We need more time until the new warehouse is constructed.¡± ¡°We can hire only two. They will deal with 50 people per day, which amounts to 1,000 per month. I don¡¯t think all of the VIP members will call us with theirints,¡± said Sonjong. Hearing her exnation, he wanted to expand the benefits to the general members. ¡°Well, you can do itter. We can manage the VIP members first, and then hire more when the new warehouse ispleted,¡± suggested Sonjong. Hyunwoo agreed and presented his own idea, ¡°How about selecting VIP customers separately and maintain them specially? For example, we can send them free gifts on their birthdays.¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s a good idea. Their reaction will vary, depending on what kind of freebies they receive. If they are VVIP customers, we can¡¯t give them cheap gifts.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Hyunwoo thought about the free gifts this time. What would be the best gifts for VVIPs? Chapter 231

Chapter 231

The best gift would be cash rewards. They would like 10,000 won in cash rather than gifts worth 100,000. But he felt 10,000 won was too low. ¡°What about lotteries worth 10,000 won?¡± ¡°If they fail to win, they are just pieces of waste paper. There are not many who like lotteries,¡± said Hyonjong. ¡°What about making the 10,000-won note a lottery?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Any note has a serial number on it. So, give them 10,000-note as a lottery ticket. Then draw lotster and let the winners im the big gifts.¡± She thought about his idea and nodded. ¡°Sounds very good.¡± As soon as Hyunwoo and Sonjong decided the basic framework on the free gift, other staff also presented their own feedback. ¡°We have the customers¡¯ information but have yet to sort it out. Also, we have to distinguish between VIP and VVIP members.¡± Hyunwoo knew who was the right fit for the job. ¡°Leave it to Assistant Manager Yenam Noh.¡± ¡°Oh, yea, perfect!¡± said Sonjong with joy, pping her hands. Though Yenam was not good at dealing with customers, he was excellent in organizing and analyzing data. As soon as he was assigned, Yenam immediately got down to work. In the meantime, Sonjong hired two more young cutedies. She gave them training on their basic job descriptions rted to KOVE DREAM. In particr, she sent them to a professional counseling school, so they could learn how best to deal with customers. When they came back after training, there was created a VIP event on KOVE DREAM¡¯s homepage and Yenam also finished work on VIP customer segmentation. Based on their purchases for thetest three months, 1000 biggest buyers were selected as VIP members. The female staff called each of them to check out the level of their satisfaction and then sent them 10,000-notes as lottery tickets when they purchased KOVE items. Several dayster KOVE drew lots for its VIP members. The drawing was done on its inte homepage, and the winning numbers were also announced officially. When the winners¡¯ gifts were known, everybody was surprised. The top winner¡¯s gift was a golden calf weighing 70g. Typically such a golden calf was empty inside, but KOVE¡¯s gift was small but stuffed with real gold inside. KOVE selected ten more winners of the lottery and gave them a golden key weighing 5g. VIP members¡¯ reaction was enthusiastic. All of them said they like the gifts. Those who didn¡¯t win the lottery didn¡¯t express any bigints. Several members presented their own opinion on the lottery event. They argued that the more VIP members purchased, the more lottery tickets they should receive. For example, if KOVE sends one lottery ticket to its VIP member who makes a purchase of products worth 100 million won, two tickets should be sent to the VIP member who buys products worth 200 million won. That made sense. With a smile, Hyunwoo said he would think of such a solution. *** As time went by, Hyunwoo felt more at ease. Though he was stressed because of Suji, he felt better now, and KOVE DREAM Blue overcame a big challenge and was stabilizing gradually. Obviously, the crisis was an opportunity for KOVE. KOVE proved it in the process of creating KOVE DREAM Blue. There were more than 200 mistakes, but on such asions, KOVE aggressively addressed them. Even at the risk of big financial damage, KOVE shipped more free gifts to reduce theints of its customers. Thanks to its dedicated efforts, KOVE enhanced its image and as the consumers got the perception that KOVE was a responsiblepany, its credibility was raised. Hyunwoo was not satisfied with this, though. He thought the life of apany was its image, and its image could be further enhanced through publicity. And the best way to realize the promotional effect was through a special TV program in the form of a documentary. He visited Korean Broadcasting to see reporter Jaeyol Song. Jaeyol greeted him dly. When he heard about Hyunwoo¡¯s idea of a special program, he weed it with open hands. ¡°You¡¯re my savior, brother. Actually, I was desperately looking for some exclusive story. Thanks.¡± ¡°By the way, I wonder if it¡¯s okay to rerun KOVE DREAM programs like this. In fact, I have a couple of program ideas rted to KOVE.¡± One was about KOVE Blue, and the other was about recruiting technicians. Without further thought, Jaeyol nodded, ¡°This is about warm stories, as you know. And they are different from the previous programs. I don¡¯t see any problem even if we rerun this kind of program.¡± ¡°If you okay it, let me notify Real Film about this so that they can prepare in advance.¡± ¡°Sure. Just stay tuned. Let me get back to you as soon as I discuss with my boss on this.¡± On the asion of his visit to Seoul, Hyunwoo met producer Mansoo Kim, Dukwoo Jang and his girlfriend Nami Yu. Nami was pretty excited because her contract with AT Entertainment was finally over. Though she was having a time of restraining herself over the alleged scandal involving Taesu Ahn of AT Entertainment, she was full of determination to recover her lost image ande back. Hyunwoo also cheered her up. ¡°Let me give you full support.¡± His strong assurance might look like an empty promise in the past, but as the owner of severalpanies, he could fully support her activities by using Ani & Funny. ¡°Can I sign a contract with Ani & Funny? As I waspletely blocked by AT Entertainment, I wonder if broadcastingpanies could ept me.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t have a good connection in the broadcasting field. But if you want it, I can ept you.¡± ¡°Got it. I feel reassured as I have insurance with you. Hoho.¡± After heading back to Ansan, Hyunwoo put spurs to stabilizing KOVE DREAM. He kept hiring people while recruiting technicians who could join the local Koreanpanies in Vietnam. In the meantime, he received a call from Jaeyol. His proposal was a half sess. They didn¡¯t adopt his idea on the recruiting of technicians, saying it was the same as the previous one. ¡°What about KOVE Blue?¡± ¡°We have decided to proceed with that as soon as possible. But our managers¡¯ reaction was not that enthusiastic this time because this was like a rerun of previous KOVE programs. So, we decided to outsource this program.¡± Hyunwoo thought even that was a big sess. Without spending a penny on his end, he could enjoy the promotional effects through Korean Broadcasting¡¯s special program on KOVE Blue. ¡°Great. Let me notify Real Film about this with a special request that they should produce it as good as thest one that hit gold.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo talked with Kwangsu, the head of Real Film, about the new feature project on KOVE Blue. Hyunwoo felt if Real Film was given the job, it would be much better to produce two programs, namely KOVE Blue and the recruiting of technicians for local Koreanpanies in Vietnam. Though Korean Broadcasting rejected the one on technician recruiting, they might decide to broadcast it if the program on KOVE Blue generated lots of attention. And the two programs were inseparable. Kwangsu was of the same opinion. ¡°I guess the two programs can¡¯t be treated as separate, given the nature of the topic.¡± ¡°As you know, they could broadcast the program on recruiting technicians only when itsmissioned program on KOVE Blue makes a big hit. So, try to produce it better than thest one.¡± ¡°Hey, you can¡¯t make the program with strong enthusiasm only. The concept of KOVE Blue is very important. Let me think about it more.¡± ¡°Got it, brother.¡± As soon as he hung up the phone, he began to ponder over the concept. Several dayster, he received a call from a stranger in Vietnam. The stranger introduced himself first. ¡°My name is Sungmin Jin, and I run a factory called Dynamic near Ho Chi Minh City.¡± As for Dynamic, Hyunwoo once heard about the factory. Recently it joined KOVE Blue, whose products KOVE DREAM was selling in Korea. As KOVE DREAM was dealing with so many products of its memberpanies, he could not recall correctly which product it was specializing in. Sungmin continued, ¡°I am not sure if you remember. My factory is producing tools for family use such as pliers and drivers as well as electric drills.¡± Only then did Hyunwoo brighten his face and said, ¡°Yeah, I remember you. There were many people out there, so I couldn¡¯t recognize you at that time.¡± That was true. More than 100 CEOs tried to exchange name cards with Hyunwoo at the time. Sungmin must be one of them, of course. But the purpose of Sungmin¡¯s call was not just to say hello to Hyunwoo. ¡°To be honest with you, I¡¯m a bit disappointed with KOVE DREAM.¡± Hyunwoo could figure out why he called. Most of those who were included in KOVE Blue had oneint inmon. And Hyunwoo¡¯s expectation didn¡¯t go amiss. ¡°Why can¡¯t our factory join KOVE DREAM with its excellent technical skills? I am really frustrated.¡± ¡°Mr. Jin, that¡¯s not what I can¡¯t judge by myself. I have delegated the criteria for joining KOVE DREAM to the CEOs of localpanies in Vietnam with KOVE membership.¡± ¡°I know, but it is you who¡¯s the central figure of KOVE DREAM. If there is a serious problem in KOVE at the moment, I think you shoulde forward to fix it.¡± ¡°Well, you have just mentioned KOVE¡¯s serious problem, but I don¡¯t feel it. If you don¡¯t like the way KOVE operates, you can defect to a different consortium. As you know, KOVE is a group of interests, not a charity organization. I can¡¯t change the application criteria for you,¡± said Hyunwoo strongly, which made Sungmin flinch. ¡°It looks like you have misunderstood. I am not dissatisfied with that kind of stuff.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t beat around the bush. Cut to the point, then. What do you want exactly?¡± ¡°Well, my point is that KOVE has no technical capability to judge the products of its memberpanies. That¡¯s the reason why mypany has failed to be included in KOVE DREAM.¡± Hearing his exnation, Hyunwoo felt as if he had the back of his head hit. Sungmin¡¯s exnation was quite detailed and objective. He was not ndering the capabilities of KOVE DREAM. Obviously, somepanies like Dynamic were receiving discrimination despite their excellent technical skills. Come to think of it, that was understandable. KOVE DREAM became bigger in size with the increase in memberpanies, but it was basically a consortium of mid-sizedpanies. For that reason, there was a clear limitation to their technical capability to judge their fellows¡¯ products. In particr, when it came to the products basically different from those they produced, their judgment tended to be arbitrary because they were not so sure. That¡¯s why they didn¡¯t includepanies like Dynamic. When he thought as far as that, Hyunwoo hit upon a good idea at the drop of a hat. Hyunwoo said to Sungmin, ¡°Why don¡¯t you whistleblow it?¡± Chapter 232

Chapter 232

¡°What? Whistleblow it? Sungmin was embarrassed. The reason he called Hyunwoo was to work together formon prosperity, not ruin. But Hyunwoo was serious about it. ¡°Sooner orter Korea Broadcasting will make a special program on KOVE Blue. You can disclose KOVE DREAM¡¯s problems one by one then. Just try to gather all thepanies who are put at a disadvantage and vent yourints all at once.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Sungmin was so scared that he couldn¡¯t continue. ¡°What I mean is..¡± Hyunwoo said in a calm voice as if cutting off Sungmin¡¯s words. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be surprised. I¡¯m just admitting what¡¯s happening there. As you pointed out, KOVE DREAM has limited ability in judging the technical prowess of otherpanies.¡± ¡°Ah, yeah...¡± Sungmin stammered as if he still had lingering anxiety. ¡°You don¡¯t have to keepining like that. KOVE DREAM needs to enhance their technical skills to judge others. That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking you to whistleblow on KOVE DREAM. Tell Korean Broadcasting about the clear limits of KOVE DREAM.¡± ¡°But I might suffer...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You won¡¯t suffer any disadvantages.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°As president of KOVE DREAM, I¡¯ll promise you. Your whistleblowing will be of great help to us. When the special program on KOVE Blue is on air, thosepanies who suffered a disadvantage because of KOVE DREAM¡¯s ipetence can join it.¡± Hyunwoo gave him reassurance on that. Only the did Sungmin understand Hyunwoo¡¯s sincerity. ¡°Got it. Let me go ahead and whistleblow as I trust you. I expect you to keep your promise.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± After the call, Hyunwoo clenched his fist. He felt he instantly solved a problem that had him agonizing for several days. After some thinking, he called Kwangsu of Real Film, ¡°Brother, I¡¯ve discovered one! I mean, the concept of KOVE DREAM Blue.¡± ¡°Really? What is it?¡± ¡°Disclosing the obstinacy and ipetence of KOVE DREAM.¡± ¡°What the heck?¡± Kwangsu stopped for a moment. Like Sungmin, Kwangsu initially thought Hyunwoo¡¯s remarks were outrageous. But Hyunwoo was confident that he could achieve everything with that concept. ¡°There are severalpanies within KOVE DREAM Blue that are better than KOVE DREAMpanies. Still KOVE DREAM does not recognize their technical skills. We¡¯re going to whistleblow on that.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? I just don¡¯t get it.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s point was clear and simple. KOVE DREAM only epts thosepanies whose technical prowess has been proved. As a result, no matter how great of technology apany had, it couldn¡¯t join KOVE DREAM unless KOVE DREAM could prove it. So, thosepanies with excellent technology can¡¯t join KOVE DREAM. And this is what¡¯s happening to some Koreanpanies in Vietnam now. In the special program, Hyunwoo would have to show the viewers the reality behind the scenes. The reality was that KOVE DREAM¡¯s limits were inevitable and that KOVE DREAM wanted to achieve its own goal despite harsh criticism of its obstinacy. ¡°If KOVE DREAM had not been stubborn, it would have epted many morepanies by now. And most of them were equipped with excellent technical prowess, but there is a possibility that even one or two badpanies could join it. That¡¯s why KOVE DREAM strengthened its application criteria to rule out such a possibility with such obstinacy,¡± said Hyunwoo. Only then did Kwangsu understand what he was trying to say. ¡°Though you are saying ¡®whistleblow,¡¯ the conclusion of the program is that these KOVE DREAMpanies are quite trustworthy.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. And one more thing.¡± The special program this time features thepanies of KOVE Blue. In particr, thosepanies like Dynamic that suffered a disadvantage because of KOVE¡¯s strict criteria despite their excellent technical prowess. If the special program publicized suchpanies, people would have a different perception of the KOVE Blue. Kwangsu suddenly cut in, ¡°Ah! That means KOVE Blue is as good as KOVE DREAM, right?¡± ¡°Yes. Even KOVE Blue has its own strict criteria to ept its members. And there can bepanies of KOVE Blue that have better technology than KOVE DREAM members.¡± ¡°Okay, now Ipletely understand what you mean, brother. Very good concept. Let me set up a shooting n.¡± Several dayster, Hyunwoo drove to Seoul, stopping at an old mid-sized apartment unit located in Youngdungpo, Seoul. Hyunwoo went in. ¡°Wee,¡± said Minhye, greeting him dly. Unlike her image, she was putting on an apron. Yonggu came out to the porch and took his gift. ¡°You got here earlier than I expected. As you¡¯re terribly busy, I thought you¡¯d bete. Howe you bought a gift like this, man?¡± ¡°How can I bete on a day like this? Oh, everybody already arrived?¡± There was a total of seven who got ahead of Hyunwoo. There were three friends of Yonggu¡¯s, and four of Minhye¡¯s, including Hyunwoo. They were all unmarried. Hyunwoo giggled at that. ¡°Wow, are you sure this is a housewarming gathering? Looks like a blind date.¡± With a bright smile, Yonggu answered wittingly, ¡°Have you heard about housewarming dates? Hahaha.¡± But the atmosphere was quiet. As they just got here, they felt awkward among each other. Suddenly, there was a big noise from the ceiling. It seemed that there were naughty children upstairs. Yonggu and Minhye frowned. They were pretty stressed by the floor noise. ¡°They¡¯re making a lot of noise again,¡± said Yonggu. ¡°Phew, it looks like we chose a wrong apartment unit. How can they make a noise like that every day? I really can¡¯t stand it anymore,¡± said Minhye as if she was pretty annoyed. ¡°Can I go upstairs and take issue?¡± said Yonggu. Minhye seemed to support him. But Hyunwoo giggled at that, ¡°Do you think you can solve that?¡± ¡°How can I solve it then? You want me to put up with that forever?¡± Hyunwoo felt he had to give him a piece of advice. ¡°Hey, put some cake on a te. Let me make them quiet.¡± ¡°How? Do you think they will be quiet because of one piece of cake?¡± ¡°Just put it there.¡± ¡°Follow me. You cane with me, Minhye. It won¡¯t take long.¡± Hyunwoo took them upstairs, who were wearing a curious look. When Hyunwoo pressed the doorbell, there came out a young and deep voice of a man. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°I live downstairs. Can I say hello to you?¡± The door opened, and there was a man standing before them, who seemed to be several years older than Hyunwoo. His rough image suggested he was a strong build. A plump woman and her two children, brother and sister, also looked at Hyunwoo¡¯s entourage with a curious look. In particr, that man seemed very wary. He seemed to feel they were here to protest against the noise of his children. Hyunwoo presented the cake and said, ¡°We just moved in several days ago. I¡¯d like to say hello because we¡¯re neighbors now.¡± Then that man¡¯s face brightened, and he had his children say hello to him. ¡°Oh, I see. Nice to meet you. Hey, guys,e out and say hello.¡± Hyunwoo stroked the children and gave them paper bags. ¡°You look cute. These are my gifts for you.¡± They were wary of him initially, but they reached out their hands at the gifts before they knew. ¡°You can open it now.¡± ¡°Wow, it¡¯s Kenny!¡± ¡°So cute. Thanks!¡± They were hopping around the living room out of joy. It was natural that they showed such a reaction because the gift Hyunwoo brought was a doll of a Garbage World character. It was a souvenir specially made for those customers visiting Ani & Funny, which was not for sale and never offered to anybody. Hyunwoo emphasized that point, ¡°This is the first test product that came out today. You¡¯re the first to receive this gift.¡± ¡°Wow! Thanks so much.¡± Their parents were also so happy that they asked Hyunwoo¡¯s entourage toe in. ¡°Pleasee in for a minute. Let me serve you some persimmon punch that my mother has sent me.¡± ¡°Oh, no. We have to go back as our friends are waiting downstairs.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t take much time for you to have a cup of persimmon punch. Please!¡± That man held Hyunwoo¡¯s hand and led him into the living room. There was a reason why his children loved the doll so much. They were great fans of Garbage World. The atmosphere of their room showed that. It looked like one scene of Garbage World. Not only character dolls of Garbage World but also their desks, beds, chairs, and furniture were all made from the design of Garbage World. ¡°Oh, I love this room. Your children must like it very much.¡± ¡°You bet! You never know how much I spent for it all. Still I think I spent my money well when I looked at my children so happy.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s entourage took a quick look at their room and chatted over persimmon punch. And then Hyunwoo cautiously opened his mouth, ¡°In fact, we report to work early in the morning ande backte at night. As you know, these are tough times for all of us.¡± ¡°Yea, you¡¯re right. You must be very tired. I guess you must have been all the more tired because of my children. Sorry.¡± ¡°No, children are like that. You can¡¯t haveplete control over them even if you want. All I want is just to control them after 10 pm. I would appreciate it if you could do so.¡± ¡°Sure, will do. Thanks for understanding.¡± ¡°Let them y as much as they can until then. It¡¯s best to raise them in a liberal atmosphere, I hear.¡± After cheerful conversation like that, they came out of the room. After he came down to his unit, Yonggu asked, ¡°Do you think the children can be quiet?¡± ¡°If you do this way, it is you, not the children that have to change, dude.¡± ¡°What the heck are you talking about?¡± ¡°As for the same level of noise, a stranger¡¯s noise is 100, it seems like 80 when made by someone I know. If your friend makes noise, it is down to 50, and when someone you love makes noise, it¡¯s zero. So, try to love the children upstairs. Sometimes, visit them with gifts. You will feel much more rxed.¡± Chapter 233

Chapter 233

As if he was struck by an electric shock, Yonggu flinched marily at Hyunwoo¡¯s remarks. Though Hyunwoo said very briefly, Yonggu felt as if he saw a new world before his eyes. Hyunwoo continued, ¡°And I think the couple upstairs will be careful, too. If you are close to them, they will also act thoughtfully.¡± Yonggu and Minhye nodded their heads before they knew. In fact, it was nonsense to try to control the children. So, it would be much easier to take their noise positively rather than trying to control them. When Yonggu and Minhye made a serious expression, Hyunwoo giggled at that. ¡°Hey, what are you doing? Open the door.¡± ¡°Oh, I forgot.¡± Only they did Yonggu push the door button and open it. Thanks to the visit of Hyunwoo¡¯s party, the noise from upstairs was much lower now. Most likely the children were careful not to make a lot of noise. A drinking session began soon. They were not awkward anymore, chatting andughing freely. In particr, the young guys tried their best to win over the women¡¯s hearts. The women were now aggressive in showing their feelings. If they found their partners to their liking, it seemed as if they wanted to spend the whole night together. They were interested in Hyunwoo, in particr, because hispany Ani & Funny as well as KOVE DREAM was so famous. But Hyunwoo wasn¡¯t interested in them at all. In fact, he made lots of efforts to soothe Suji¡¯s troubled heart. Suji might have felt his efforts were not enough as he was terribly busy, but he did his best in a given situation. But Suji was not moved at all. It seemed that she hadpletely split with Hyunwoo. She was not dating another man. She didn¡¯t meet even Jungsu, who she used to meet from time to time. In other words, she didn¡¯t split with Hyunwoo because she found another man. She was just disappointed at Hyunwoo himself. That made Hyunwoo stressed out all the more because he was not confident he could be the type of man that she wanted. He could not be confident of leading a happy life while holding back his desire to pursue what he liked. Probably, Suji would say the same. It would be far from a happy life if she had to forcibly adjust her life to that of her partner against her will. After all, Hyunwoo decided to leave it to fate. If Suji was to be the woman of Hyunwoo¡¯s fate, either of them would change at the end of the day. If that¡¯s the case, they could meet. If not, they would have to give up on each other. ¡°What are you pondering so deeply?¡± asked a woman next to Hyunwoo, poking in his ribs. Turning his head, he found her face was flushed as if she was drunk. ¡°Haha, it¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s our turn,¡± said the woman. They were ying the skinship game. Other couples were done, waiting for Hyunwoo¡¯s couple to make physical contact. Of course, it was Yonggu and Minhye who made deep physical contact by using major parts of their bodies. Hyunwoo¡¯s partner seemed to wait for his deep kiss. But he didn¡¯t feel up to it because she was more interested in his Ani & Funny and KOVE DREAM than in him. ¡°I have a girlfriend...¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. This is just a game,¡± she said. ¡°Yea, that¡¯s right. Don¡¯t y like an old-fashioned man!¡± seconded Yonggu. Hyunwoo agonized over the thought, but it didn¡¯tst long. As she and Yonggu said, this was just a game. No matter how intense their physical contact was, they would not force him to take off his clothes. Yea, I don¡¯t have to make a big deal out of this. I should not ruin the atmosphere here. Then he just went along with what she wanted him to do. Everybody yelled for joy and watched him and his partner. Another game ensued, which was lead them to make more physical contact. Hyunwoo sometimes won and sometimes lost, cing himself at the mercy of the game. After ying the game for a while, he furtively stood up. ¡°Phew, let me go out for fresh air. Yonggu, let¡¯s go out together. I¡¯ve got something to tell you.¡± ¡°Sure, no problem.¡± Both grabbed a canned beer and came out. They sat on the bench in front of the apartment unit. Hyunwoo opened his mouth first, ¡°How is your business doing?¡± When Hyunwoo brought up the topic of business, Yonggu drank as if he was thirsty. ¡°In fact, business is not good right now. Before I quit, Space Design just maintained the status quo, but it¡¯s in the red now.¡± ¡°What matters is not now, but the future of your business. Do you see any prospect of turning it in the ck?¡± Yonggu shook his head. ¡°Design Room, our rival, is too aggressive in their sales approach. They just keep lowering the prices of their furniture even though they know they will suffer a big loss.¡± ¡°I see. It looks like Design Room wants to kill its rival Space Design first.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I guess.¡± Yonggu let out a sigh again. Though Hyunwoo expected it, Space Design was in a more serious situation than he thought. ¡°Do you mind if I invest in yourpany?¡± ¡°Well, do you think my business can suddenly go into the ck with your investment?¡± asked Yonggu with a smile. ¡°If I invest, your business will seed.¡± Yonggu opened his eyes wide at that because he felt Hyunwoo had a good idea. ¡°I¡¯ve got have a surefire item that will make your business go into the ck. This is something that Design Room can never imitate.¡± ¡°Really? What is it?¡± demanded Yonggu. Hyunwoo gave him a slight hint. ¡°Didn¡¯t you feel anything unusual when you went upstairs?¡± Yonggu seemed to think about it for a moment and shook his head. ¡°Upstairs? I have no idea.¡± ¡°When you looked around the children¡¯s room, didn¡¯t you notice anything?¡± ¡°Oh, the children¡¯s room? Ah~¡± Only then did Yonggu feel there was something special there. Namely, their room was decorated with the animation characters of Garbage World and Tuti & Angelica, etc. Yonggu could realize Hyunwoo¡¯s point when he pointed out that Design Room would never imitate this. They would be immediately charged with vitions of copyrights if they used the animation characters without Hyunwoo¡¯s permission. Hyunwoo giggled, saying, ¡°Let me invest 2 billion won. I think that¡¯s enough to invest in your new items.¡± ¡°Thanks. In fact, we were in financial difficulty because of insufficient funding.¡± Yonggu¡¯s face brightened. He seemed to feel Space Design was already out of the crisis. Hyunwoo was also confident of the sess of Space Design. ¡°Spread the rumor, man,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Which rumor?¡± ¡°The rumor that KOVE DREAM and Ani & Funny made an aggressive investment in Space Design. That kind of rumor itself will raise the business confidence of Space Design a lot. It¡¯s not just the business confidence of Space Design. Lots of people will begin to show interest in Space Design with the question mark ¡®Why?¡¯, which will naturally promote its new items.¡± Yonggu¡¯s eyes opened wider. ¡°You¡¯re a genius, man!¡± Smiling at hispliment, he said, ¡°By the way, can you do me a favor?¡± ¡°Sure. Tell me anything,¡± said Yonggu positively as if he was ready to pick a star in the sky and give it to him. ¡°Can you find a good technician in LED lighting? As Aurum and Space Design are rted to interior work, I think you might know somebody in that field.¡± ¡°Of course, I can check it out. Why do you need them?¡± Hyunwoo briefed him about DF Technology in Vietnam. ¡°I see. If that¡¯s the case, I think I have to find those who are not working. I can¡¯t take away those who have a job now.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Yonggu made a painful expression. Those with good technical skills had a regr job, while those who were notpetent enough showed meager skills. Suddenly, he opened his eyes as if he found someone he knew. ¡°Just visit Hanbit Lighting. It went bankrupt recently. Though the factory was small, its technical prowess was good enough.¡± Hearing his exnation, Hyunwoo learned that it had to go bankrupt, sandwiched between Japanese products boasting high technical refinement and cheap Chinese products. ¡°I know the previous owner of Hanbit Lighting. Let me call him in advance if you want to see him.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°Let me go home now as I¡¯m tired. In fact, I don¡¯t like physical contact with strange women like this. See you on your wedding day.¡± ¡°Got it. Take care.¡± Several dayster, there was the wedding ceremony of Yonggu and Minhye in Ansan. After stopping by Ani & Funny and Haenim School, he headed for the wedding hall. He saw Suji among the guests. When he approached her to say hi, she avoided him furtively. Many acquaintances of his came to him to say hi, so he could not pay any more attention to her. While he was exchanging greetings with them, he suddenly stopped. An unexpected person asked to shake hands with him: Sangho Oh. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I met you. You¡¯re very famous these days,¡± said Sangho. Sangho was not someone Hyunwoo wanted to see, but he had no reason to avoid him. Hyunwoo held his hand and asked casually, ¡°Long time, no see. How is your business doing?¡± ¡°Business?¡± Sangho tried to back out, as if he didn¡¯t get it. But Hyunwoo already heard from Byongwon Kang that he acted meanly. ¡°Design Room, you¡¯re affiliated with it, right?¡± At that moment, he flinched. Obviously he seemed to think Hyunwoo was unaware of that. ¡°Why are you so surprised? Did you think I didn¡¯t know your mean act? Wasn¡¯t it you who scouted Byongwon Kang and Younghwan Koh from Aurum?¡± Sangho¡¯s eyes opened wider. He seemed embarrassed but regainedposure soon. ¡°Hahaha. You¡¯re really good at intelligence. I don¡¯t have any reason to hide if you know that already, but I¡¯m a man of integrity.¡± Hyunwoo made a bitter smile at that. ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s shameful, but how can you say that when you took away key figures from your previouspany?¡± ¡°Did I take them away? No way; they chose Design Room on their own will. And theirpensation is much better. I¡¯m their savior from their position.¡± Sangho said proudly. But Hyunwoo just feigned a smile. He recognized that Design Room was superior to Space Design in terms of size, sales, and public recognition. But its debts were snowballing, and given the current business practices, they would never be in the ck. Of course, it would be a different story if Space Design went bankrupt and disappeared. But that was its wishful thinking. At least one monthter, Space Design will release a new item, along with the press release that Hyunwoo¡¯s Ani & Funny and KOVE DREAM has made a joint investment. Hyunwoo was curious about Sangho¡¯s facial expression then. Besides, Design Room would find it hard to win contracts sponsoring furniture items on TV programs. As Hyunwoo expected, Design Room was pretty stingy about acting as a sponsor of those programs with poor ratings. Hyunwoo giggled and said, ¡°I wish you good luck, Sangho. Hope yourpany can make a smash hit next year.¡± ¡°I wish you good luck, too,¡± said Sangho, disappearing with a confident look. Chapter 234

Chapter 234

¡°Is there anyone here?¡± Raising his voice, Juhwan came into the building. Following him, Hyunwoo looked around. It was a small factory located in Inju Industrial Complext in Ansan City. As it went bankrupt, there was nobody in the factory, not even a security guard. A littleter the door opened and came out a middle-aged man. He seemed to be a short man in his early 40s wearing sses. ¡°Are you President Hyunwoo Jang?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Hyunwoo Jang. Are you President Sungjin Yim?¡± Hyunwoo came forward and held out his hand. Sungjin bowed deeply to him, holding his hands with both hands as if he met a nobleman. ¡°Thanks so much foring as far as here to see me!¡± He again bowed to him and expressed thanks. Then he showed Hyunwoo and Juhwan into his office. As it was the office of a bankruptpany, the atmosphere was bleak, as it had been deserted a long time ago. Sungjin quickly wiped the sofa for Hyunwoo. ¡°Please have a seat here. It¡¯s so dirty, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Not a problem.¡± Sungjin served him mixed coffee then sat across him. Then, he began to introduce himself. A second-generation Korean-American, Sungjin was a sessful engineer with an American LEDpany. He made lots of money for his excellent technical skills while working for 20 years. And then he decided to form an independent LEDpany with two like-minded friends. His friends were LED engineers. After three years of preparation, they founded an LED factory in Ansan City called Hanbit Lighting. That was two years ago. ¡°We were full of confidence then. We were confident that ourpany would emerge as the matchless leader in the LED industry with our technology in Korea. But that was my mistake.¡± LED was an item whose technological progress was so quick. Andte bloomers like China were catching up with their technology fast. Hanbit Lighting found itself sandwiched, after all. Itgged behind Japanese and American products in terms of technology, and Chinese products in prices. The more products Hanbit Lighting sold, the more losses it suffered. It ran out of money in two years. ¡°I wish we had started business in China. We would have been much morepetitive.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not toote. Why don¡¯t you start again?¡± This time Hyunwoo told him about KOVE DREAM. Even without his exnation Sungjin was already well aware of it. Actually, he was agonizing over his future. He and his friends were seriously poring over whether to go to Vietnam for aeback. ¡°In fact, if I want to have a job, I would rather go to America. The conditions are better in America, and I would be better off going to America for my children¡¯s education.¡± ¡°What about going to Vietnam as an investor, not as a sried man? Isn¡¯t that your dream?¡± ¡°As an investor?¡± Hyunwoo briefed him about DF Technology that badly needed outside investment. ¡°I want to rmend that you close the business here and invest in DF Technology. In other words, you, along with your friends, invest in thatpany with your technology. I think there is a good chance of sess.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t have money. If I sell the factory site and building and pay off the debt, I¡¯ll be broke.¡± ¡°I can financially support you. What¡¯s important is whether you can find a chance of sess there.¡± Hyunwoo persuaded him to change his mind. Sungjin was deeply agonized over it, but could note to a conclusion easily. ¡°Let me think it over and discuss with my friends.¡± ¡°Sure. Let me wait for your decision.¡± KOVE DREAM¡¯s warehouse was busy as ever. Working with the staff there, Hyunwoo wiped the sweat from his forehead and caught his breath. ¡°Phew, are you almost done?¡± ¡°Sir, we¡¯ll take care of the rest, so go home now. If you continue to stay here we are ufortable,¡± said Juhwan. ¡°Okay, take care then.¡± Hyunwoo came out of the warehouse and went to a nearby shower room for a quick shower. Dressed in clean clothes, he headed for the office of Ani & Funny. At that moment, he received a call from Sungjin. ¡°You said it was DF Technology, right? Can we visit the factory one of these days? I think I can make the decision after checking it out first.¡± That was a wee decision in Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes. In fact, Hyunwoo was not sure of DF Technology¡¯s sess with his investment. Though Mr. Na¡¯s technician friend said the technical prowess of the factory was good enough, he could not trust that technician¡¯s ability. But Sungjin and his friends were different. They were recognized engineers in America. If they gave a green light after their visit to DF Technology, Hyunwoo could aggressively invest with confidence. ¡°If you let me know when you can fly to Vietnam, let me buy the tickets for you.¡± ¡°We can fly there even today.¡± ¡°Sure. Let me find the tickets to Vietnam as soon as possible.¡± Hyunwoo called Yellow Balloon and bought the tickets of the flight bound for Vietnam in two. He also called Mr. Na in Vietnam to inform DF Technology of their visit. He called Sungjin again. ¡°Your tickets are ready. You can fly there two days from now.¡± ¡°Thanks. As soon as we make the decision, I¡¯ll let you know.¡± Now, the die was cast. What Hyunwoo could do now is to wait for Sungjin¡¯s good news. Excitedly, Hyunwoo headed for the office of Ani & Funny. As if he waited for Hyunwoo, Kyungsu briefed him about the business operation. ¡°Our branch in Vietnam sent us webtoons. Currently, we are dubbing them.¡± ¡°Really? Are they anymendable pieces?¡± ¡°In my mind, all 42 works look good. I¡¯m serious.¡± As Kyungsu said, each of the 42 works was interesting and attractive on its own. But all of them could not be posted in the form of a series in Story Ma. Hyunwoo used the Ani & Funny inte cafe for effective screening of the works. ¡°Just grade the ranking from the one to ten.¡± He headed for KOVE DREAM after he left the Ani & Funny office. KOVE DREAM was crowded with employees. In particr, its office was packed with people. Though it was newly built with arge space, KOVE DREAM expanded so rapidly. So, there was another three-story building under construction near the second warehouse, due to bepleted next spring. ¡°Hi, folks, I have an official announcement. Please pay attention!¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°As you know, I¡¯m running Ani & Funny. Ani & Funny has begun making webtoons. So, you guys will y the role of judges and make an evaluation of them.¡± He gave them instructions on how to evaluate. They had to join the Ani & Funny inte cafe as a temporary member and log on to a special bulletin. ¡°When you join as a temporary member, the password is ¡®2020.¡¯ If you identify the top winner¡¯s work, let me draw a lottery and give you a prize. So, don¡¯t fail to participate.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± said the employees resoundingly. Hyunwoo approached Yenam Noh. Yenam waspletely ustomed to the atmosphere of the office. His performance was also excellent. In particr, he was good at speed reading, memory and calction. As far as bookkeeping was concerned, nobody could beat him in the office. ¡°Hi, Yenam. Isn¡¯t the job here hard for you?¡± ¡°Not at all, sir. It¡¯s interesting,¡± said Yenam in a small voice. No matter how much he was ustomed to the office, he could not yetpletely get rid of his autistic characteristics. ¡°How about a ss of beer after work this evening?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°What? Beer? With you, sir?¡± Yenam expressed like he didn¡¯t like it, but Hyunwoo didn¡¯t care. He actually forced him. ¡°I need to talk to you, so stayte this evening.¡± ¡°Ah... Okay, sir,¡± replied Yenam reluctantly. When it was 6 pm, the employees were ready to get off work. Yenam was left alone in the office. Though he really wanted to go home after work, Hyunwoo held him. ¡°What would you have for dinner?¡± ¡°Any food is okay with me.¡± Chinese cuisine was one of Yenam¡¯s favorite foods. In particr, he liked sweet and sour pork. ¡°Let¡¯s order Chinese food then.¡± When the order arrived, he brought some of the staff outside to take care of the remaining work and enjoy the food. After eating, they all went back home. Now, there were only them two, Hyunwoo and Yenam, left behind in the office. ¡°Just focus on evaluating the webtoons. Let me tell you somethingter. Let¡¯s go out together then.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Hyunwoo kindly helped Yenam join the inte cafe and opened the webtoons for him. Then, he went back to his seat. Hyunwoo deliberately chose a seat. It was a bit far from Yenam, but Hyunwoo could watch from there what Yenam was doing, but Yenam could hardly watch Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo turned on his notebook and connected to the inte. He then logged on to the Ani & Funny inte cafe and began to evaluate the webtoons. Rather, he pretended to evaluate. Instead, he carefully watched what Yenam was up to. Chapter 235

Chapter 235

Yenam began to read webtoons. He often turned his head to look at Hyunwoo sitting behind him as if he was conscious of Hyunwoo. Every time he did, Hyunwoo quickly turned his eyes away. As Hyunwoo reacted first, Yenam could not sense at all that Hyunwoo was watching him. What was the reason? Yenam looked back less and less and focused on webtoons before he knew. Only then could Hyonwoo discover Yenam¡¯s real worth. Yenam was far from an ordinary man. ¡°Hahaha. Do you know who I¡¯m? I¡¯m none other than Ultra Wind.¡± Yenam mumbled to the character of the webtoon that he was reading. He seemed to talk with it as if he were its main character. In short, he waspletely absorbed in it. That¡¯s why he left such replies, Hyunwoo mumbled to himself. Yenam tended to be absorbed in it when he read an interesting story to the point that he could not tell reality from fantasy. Hyunwoo kept watching him. Yenam showed another surprising ability. I hear he is quite good at speed reading. How can he read it so fast? The webtoon was a ten-minute long video. But when it was produced as a webtoonic, it became longer that took at least 15 minutes to read it carefully. But Yenam read it in less than five minutes. His concentration was also very powerful. Once he was absorbed in the webtoon, he could not take his eyes off the monitor. Though two hours passed since he started reading the webtoons, he was still immersed in them. Feeling anyhow, Hyunwoo was about to stretch. At that moment, Yenam began to show unusual reaction abruptly. Moving his body violently, he raised his voice, ¡°How dare? It¡¯s my turn to attack!¡± Surprised, Hyunwoo stopped stretching and looked at him. He was waving his hands while sharply watching the monitor. Hyunwoo eyed Yenam¡¯s monitor askance. He was watching a webtoon titled ¡°Ice Worm¡¯, registered No. 17. Let me take a close look at this one, too. Hyunwoo then wrote down the number 1 in the 17th webtoon on hisptop. Hyunwoo kept watching him like that and wrote down the number when Yenam was done with a particr webtoon. After that, Yenam continued to focus on webtoons. Though it was already 10 pm, he sat before the monitor as if he didn¡¯t feel tired at all while he was focused on webtoons. While watching him, Hyunwoo was a bit worried. Besides, Yenam just finished reading up to 23 works. He could not finish reading the remaining works today. Hyunwoo let him read one more webtoon and stopped him. ¡°Done! Is it this hour already? Let¡¯s go out.¡± ¡°Oh, got it.¡± Yenam turned off theputer reluctantly. He apparently wanted to read all the webtoons through the night. ¡°Don¡¯t overwork yourself. You can resume tomorrow. Got it?¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Then, he took Yenam to a beer house. As there were none nearby, they had to go out far. Neither talked much. Hyunwoo asked him if he had any inconveniences in living or working, or if there was any help he needed. ¡°Well, it is somewhat inconvenient for me to go to the restroom.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Hyunwoo forgot that Yenam was handicapped. He, who was in a wheelchair, must have felt it hard to cross over the raised spot of his workce. Hyunwoo knew it well because his father Duyoung was also in a wheelchair. ¡°Got it. Let me take the measure to fix it immediately. What else?¡± Yenam asked him some more favor, which Hyunwoo dly epted. After taking him to his house, Hyunwoo headed back home. Hope Yenam¡¯s discerning eye can pay off! The next day Hyunwoo held Yenamte in the evening with various excuses. And then he sat behind Yenam like before and analyzed his reaction and ranked the webtoons. While he was on it, he received a call from Sungjin, who flew to Vietnam the other day. Sungjin gave him the good news that he was waiting for. ¡°I made a final decision with my friends. In our opinion, DF Technology has potential when they make use of our technical skills. If you help, we want to try.¡± ¡°Sure, I can help you. Please let me know what you need anytime.¡± ¡°I think I have to move all the machines in my factory in Ansan here. And I need to give the workers several months of back pay...¡± Sungjin briefed Hyunwoo about his observation of DF Technology. As Sungjin himself ran a factory, he presented an idea on how to revive the factory. Hyunwoo found there was no big problem. One thing that bothered him was the amount of investment. Sungjin said he would need 3 billion won. ¡°That much? The president of DF Technology told me he needed 1.5 billion won...¡± ¡°I heard from him that he was ripped off by a swindler recently. He said he sold some of his factory sites to take care of the most urgent problem, but the broker ran away with the money. He said he lost 700 million won.¡± ¡°Oh no! I wish he reported it to the police quickly to catch the broker.¡± ¡°He already did, but it looked like he didn¡¯t expect much. With no kickback, they wouldn¡¯t begin the investigation, I hear. Anyway, he is in need of money badly.¡± ¡°Got it. Let me check it out and take the measure immediately.¡± Hyunwoo sent Sukju Hwang with KOVE DREAM to Vietnam quickly. There was nothing particr Sukju, a high school alumnus of Juhwan, could do in Vietnam. As for the contract, Hyunwoo negotiated with the president of DF Technology over the phone. Under the contract, Hyunwoo would take 20% of the stocks of DF Technology in return for his investment worth 3 billion won. Sungjin and his friends received 1% of the stocks in the form of investment with their factory machines. ¡°Take a close look at the contract. Show it to Mr. Na for a thorough review,¡± Hyunwoo told Sukju. ¡°Got it.¡± Sujku flew to Vietnam with Hyunwoo¡¯s instruction. In the meantime, they were done with vetting all the animated short stories. Hyunwoo divided the vettingmittees into three groups for the evaluation. The first group included the staff and students of Ani & Funny, the second group included KOVE DREAM staff and the third group wasposed of just one person, Yenam. Of course, the first and second groups could never know the results of the third group¡¯s evaluation. Only Hyunwoo could check. With a feeling of expectation Hyunwoo checked out how Yenam¡¯s evaluation was different from that of other groups. After confirming the results, Hyunwoo was all happy. The results of the evaluation on the top four works by the three vetting groups were the same. The top winner was called ¡®Ice Worm.¡¯ Hyunwoo selected those whose evaluation was the same as or simr to Yenam¡¯s and wrote down their names. Repeating the vetting process like this, he felt he could find another talent like Yenam. Hyunwoo also checked out Yenam¡¯s replies. As expected, Hyunwoo could not find any special replies that characterized Yenam¡¯s evaluations. That meant Yenam posted his replies carefully this time, conscious of others. But Hyunwoo wanted to have the repliesposed like Yenam did. He called together three students and gave them some instructions. His instruction was something pretty much unexpected. Winking at them, Hyunwoo said. ¡°Just do as instructed.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± The next day Hyunwoo released all the replies to the animation short stories. Not only Ani & Funny staff but those who participated in the evaluation could see them. He called together the students and said, ¡°As you know, No, 17 work ¡®Ice Worm¡¯ won the top ce. Let me give the cash award to those who did a good job as I promised.¡± Several students clenched their fists, yelling for joy. But those who didn¡¯t receive the awards cast an envious look at them. ¡°You don¡¯t have to get disappointed because you didn¡¯t receive the award this time. This is just a process. Let me make the four selected works webtoon series and check out the customers¡¯ reactions. The four students who received the awards will stop their storyboard work and focus on making the series from now on.¡± Hyunwoo had them rearrange the existing team members. Except for the four students, the remaining 38 students were regrouped into nine teams. The four students shouted for joy. They were thrilled that the works theypleted on their own would be published serially in Story Ma and that they were recognized by Hyunwoo, above all. Though they didn¡¯t receive the award, those students who took a ce got down to work seriously. What they did first was to check out thements on their evaluation of each work. But the students who confirmed thementaries were stunned. ¡°What the heck is this? Their anonymousments are understandable, but can we ept these kinds of hate replies?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t say this is ament. This is just all ndering!¡± ¡°Yea, too excessive.¡± Other students also reacted simrly after checking out thements. Though there were only a few, they were notments but just hate replies. But none of the students, who participated as evaluators, could not express theirints openly because of Hyunwoo¡¯s instruction. Hyunwoo told them they should take even suchments with appreciation. Employees of KOVE DREAM also confirmed thements. They showed the same reaction as the students. ¡°Oh no! This is too much.¡± ¡°Our students must have been hurt.¡± Yenam also checked out thements. Even he opened his eyes at thements close to ndering. Chapter 236

Chapter 236

Hyunwoo said the same thing at the KOVE DREAM office. ¡°Don¡¯t argue pro and con about thements. How thankful it is for them to postments like this? When we see their frankments, our students can also grow. If you keep grumbling like this, I won¡¯t release thements next time,¡± said Hyunwoo. He also put spurs on developing a new short story series. He hosted another story contest through Story Ma. Jonghyon Yuk began to develop story material finally. Jonghyon worked at the KOVE warehouse during the day and headed back to the office of Ani & Funny in the evening, working twice as much as others. But he didn¡¯t seem tired at all. It looked like the endorphins caused by his creative work made him strong. Creation was kind of invigorating drink to him. Of course, Hyunwoo made sure Juhwan adjusted Jonghyon¡¯s workload. In the past, Hyunwoo dyed development of new works because of insufficient workforce in the field, but he had no reason to do so now. He could find any number of people from the Ani & Funny inte cafe. The students had no time to take a break. They had to make storyboards on animation movies and make the short stories submitted through the contest animation works. Besides, they also had to continue to work on Tuti & Angelica animation series. In other words, they were doing triple work. But each student had 30 inte cafe members on their teams. As the team members continued to work, they became more and more experienced enough to finish their assignments on time. The new animation works theypleted were sent to the Vietnamese branch for webtoon production. This time Hyunwoo had his staff evaluate the finished webtoons. And he allowed them to postments freely. On the other hand, he called together the students he used before and instructed them to post hatements secretly. The only difference from the previous round was that their hatements were posted in real-time. Of course, Hyunwoo did this with Yenam in mind, so that Yenam could freely post his ownments like he used to. After ordering his staff to make an evaluation, Hyunwoo secretly watched Yenam¡¯s evaluating process. He also watched Yenam¡¯s reaction and ranked each work on behalf of Yenam. Another evaluation was done. Hyunwoo could get what he expected. It was Yenam¡¯s hatements. Given hisments, Hyunwoo could realize how deeply he was absorbed by the webtoons. Hyunwoo clenched his fist and mumbled. Great. I don¡¯t have to sit behind his back and watch him secretly. He continuously sent the animation works to the Vietnamese branch. Ngun, its chief,ined. ¡°How can we make all these stories into webtoons?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I told you to hire as many as possible, dude. If you feel it will take a lot of time, start working on the best short story first.¡± ¡°Phew... Got it.¡± Hyunwoo left the details to Kyungsu, expecting that Sanggyu and James Lee would assist with Kyungsu well. Sometimes, he wished strongly to entrust James Lee with managing Ani & Funny, but he could not have full trust in him yet. Hyunwoo was confident that Kyungsu would always be on his side, but he didn¡¯t have the conviction that James would do the same. There was a real possibility that James leave Ani & Funny for his own interests at any time. Hyunwoo stopped by the KOVE DREAM office again. KOVE DREAM established itselfpletely. There were no outrageous mistakes like before. Those workers hired on a three-month contract were mostly rehired as full-time employees when their contracts expired. It became dark already. Most of the employees got off work early, and only those assigned to the warehouse stayed to workte at night. After having dinner with the night shift workers, he headed for Haenim School. Though he was terribly busy, he visited the school almost everyday. When he arrived, his father Duyoung weed him. ¡°Looks like you did a lot of great work these days, son.¡± ¡°Oh, not much. Way to go, Dad. How about your research?¡± At his question, Duyoung gave him an unusual smile and led him into his research room. Hyunwoo was momentarily surprised because his father had a cautious look for fear that someone might peek. It looked as if he had something to hide from others. What is he up to now? There was nobody in the room. Duyoung locked the door, so nobody coulde in, and then showed Hyunwoo a video on hisputer. It was about carbon nanotubes. At that moment, Hyunwoo recalled what he once had asked Duyoung to experiment with. He gave his father the results of an experiment that Taeho Min wrote down in his failed experiment notes, which seemed useful in his eyes. It was about the contraction of a carbon nanotube. If Duyoung could make use of the contraction properly, he could turn the failures into sess. Apparently, his father produced some results about that experiment. Hyunwoo came closer to theputer monitor. Carbon nanotubes are very small, less than 0.1 nm long and 10 nm in diameter. It was impossible to see with the naked eye and could only be seen through the microscope. What was seen on the monitor was magnified under a microscope. Electrical stimtion was applied. As a result, the length of the carbon nanotube was greatly reduced. Approximately 10% or more seemed to have been deformed. When electrical stimtion was eliminated, the carbon nanotube was then restored to its original form. The electric shock was repeatedly given. Every time it did, carbon nanotube was decreased and stretched. Each time it showed a different degree of deformation. ¡°I changed the strength of the electric shock each time. I noticed that it shrank at a constant rate each time. It¡¯s useless for sr energy generation, but I think I found the solution that you mentioned,¡± said Duyoung. Then he continued to exin. ¡°The key was the reactants and the strength of electrical stimtion. The rate of contraction varied, depending on what the reactant was and how strong the stimulus was.¡± ¡°The thing is what kind of use this has? I feel there might be some use for this, but I have no idea.¡± In fact, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t think about it in advance, nut he felt there must be some use. There was one obstacle to ovee, though. ¡°How long can this contractionst? Does it continue to contract even if you repeat the same experiment thousands of times?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t yet done that. But whenever I apply electrical stimtion, there seems to be change in the reactants. I don¡¯t think its durability is good.¡± ¡°Can you fix it? Let me think about how to make use of this.¡± ¡°Got it. But it won¡¯t be easy, son. I¡¯ve used various reactants, but the contraction didn¡¯tst long.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do our best, Dad.¡± ¡°Sure. By the way, I¡¯m tired. Let me go home early and take some rest.¡± ¡°Me, too. Let¡¯s go home now.¡± While he was driving back home, Hyunwoo hit on a terrific idea. He stopped the car and looked at his father. ¡°Dad, I hit upon an idea.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The method of making use of the contraction of carbon nanotube. You can use it as a car engine.¡± Hyunwoo exined to him the principle of operation. If the existing engine pushes the power shaft with the explosive power of fuel, carbon nanotube pulls the power shaft with strong contraction force. Hearing his exnation, Duyoung giggled. ¡°Do you know how precious carbon nanotubes are? It costs hundreds of thousands won per one gram. And it¡¯s hard to make an engine that small.¡± ¡°You can find the solution by mass producing it.¡± ¡°Lots of people are working on it now. But it won¡¯t be easy to find the solution.¡± Hyunwoo scratched his head, asking, ¡°Is there any way to rece carbon nanotube material?¡± ¡°Well, I can¡¯t think of it now. Let¡¯s find out what it is.¡± Hyunwoo started the car again. When Hyunwoo arrived home, he unconsciously looked at Yu Zuung¡¯s room in the dorm. For she brought snacks or soft drinks for him as if she were waiting for his arrival. But today she was quiet. Come to think of it, that was understandable. Hyunwoo usually came back home around midnight, but he came home early today with his father. She didn¡¯t prepare in advance. He looked at her room on the second floor of the dorm. He was aware of its exact location, too. Her room was lit bright. Though other staff workedte at night, she always got off work early. Of course nobodyined about it. Neither did Hyunwoo. He felt her leisurely working style could help her creative work. She didn¡¯t ck off, either. She was one of the most diligent staff he knew at Ani & Funny. Though she got off work earlier than anybody else, she didn¡¯t waste even one second of her work time. Even now she was dancing in her room. She was assigned as a dancer for the theme song of the music video ¡®Temptation.¡¯ Not just today but every day since she arrived in Korea she practiced dancing like that to prepare herself well enough as a qualified dancer. Come to think of it, Jinhon was supposed to return soon. Though he was on a world tour with America as his central stage, he was set to visit Korea for a performance. Hyunwoo set the day of Jinhon¡¯s arrival as the D-Day of the release of the new music video ¡®Temptation.¡¯ ording to Hyunwoo¡¯s n, Jinhon was expected to promote the music video. And the situation was promising. Jinyoung had been done with rearranging the song Temptation for a while and found a singer whose voice perfectly fit the song and finished recording it. Hyunwoo and the teachers with Todolyipyo alternative school listened to the song. They really felt good about it. It seemed as if the song itself could gain wide poprity even without the music video. The dance had also beenpleted long ago. It was the very revised dancing style that Yu Zuung practiced very hard at home every evening. Chapter 237

Chapter 237

Besides, theyout of animation for the music video was also done and sent to VPictures in Vietnam. The final production of all this would be arriving in Korea in about one week at thetest. And by that time Yu Zuung would appear before the camera. Looking at her silhouette seen through the window on and off, Hyunwoo smiled in satisfaction. On the other hand, however, he felt her pitiable because he knew about her feelings for him. She set her mind on him. Rather her affection for him was special. Her abrupt behavior in Vietnam as well as her offering snacks and soft drinks to him every night was all expression of her affection for him. But Hyunwoo was cautious about epting her mating behavior because he still had a lingering affection for Suji. He wanted to give Suji a little more time. At that moment, Yu Zuung¡¯s window opened and she showed her face. Noticing him, she waved her hands. ¡°You came early today.¡± ¡°Yea, I was tired, so I came back early.¡± ¡°Good for you. Have a good rest!¡± ¡°Okay. Goodnight!¡± Waving at her, he went to his room. After taking a shower, he came back to his room and sat to watch TV. He felt he would fall asleep quickly while watching the news. But there was one news item that attracted his attention. Though it might seem ordinary news to general viewers, it was special to him. For it was about Any & Funny¡¯s rival BNB. The news was more provocative. Hyunwoo giggled at that because he recalled the relevant news some time ago. ording to the news, BNB hosted a variety of events including an inte cafe to support animation majors. Though it looked grand, it was pretty simple when examined. It just copied Ani & Funny¡¯s support program for the students. Hyunwoo felt BNB¡¯s program wasmendable because what mattered was its support programs, not its copying Ani & Funny¡¯s method. But that was his mistake. BNB¡¯s program was not intended to support the students. It was only a trick to take their ideas. That¡¯s why the students, who had their original ideas stolen by BNB, filed theint in group. What they revealed in theint was ridiculous. Recently, BNB released an animation called ¡®Ttimong,¡¯ which was getting popr on the inte. It was based on the students¡¯ original ideas. The animation found its way into the ads, books, and stickers. It generated a lot of profits for BNB. But the copyright payment that BNB made to the students was only 10 million won. That was one million won per student. BNB¡¯s logic was simple. In the meantime, BNB skimmed the cream of the crop. It scouted the best students out of them as full-time employees. Hyunwoo felt BNB¡¯s act was despicable. In a nutshell, it was excessively greedy. But that was the sorry state of the animation circles in Korea. Though there were lots of students interested in animation, they could not find a job because many animationpanies were going bankrupt. Several dayster, Hyunwoo came out of the house early in the morning, waiting for Yu Zuung. They nned to shoot her dancing for the music video of Temptation today. It took a little longer for her toe out because she needed to do her makeup. Though there were professional coordinators ready to apply makeup for her, she still seemed anxious to do it on her own. Finally, she came out. Hyunwoo smiled naturally at her appearance. As it took some time, he thought she did lots of makeup, but she was just pleasantly in. She was putting on the thick jumper that he bought for her. She made a bright smile at him and said, ¡°Makeup is so hard for me. I just gave up and erased it from my face.¡± ¡°Good for you. It¡¯s cold. Get in quickly.¡± He opened the door for her. As if it was too cold outside, she quickly hopped inside the car. When he was about to start, his phone buzzed. It was a call from Jaeyun Hong, the team manager with Story Ma. This was the call he had been waiting for several days. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I talked to youst, Jaeyun.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Sorry to get back to you sote. It isn¡¯t that simple to establish a new system.¡± ¡°No worries. I think you¡¯re quite busy with taking care of the contest and an Animoon system.¡± ¡°Sorry for the continued dy. But I¡¯m almost done. As soon as I correct several mistakes, I think I canunch the new system.¡± ¡°Really? If everything goes well, you can open the new system within this year, I hope.¡± ¡°Impossible this year. I expect to open it next February, but it could be dyed a bit longer because of potential variants.¡± Hyunwoo was a bit disappointed. He thought it would not be thatplicated because Story Ma had already relevant systems in operation. Of course, there was nothing he could do because they didn¡¯t dy it intentionally. After the call, he headed for Seoul. The studio of the music video ¡®Temptation¡¯ was in Seoul. Hyunwoo stopped by the makeup room before going to the studio. But the makeup artist made a perplexed expression. As Yu Zuung was so beautiful even without any makeup, her beauty could be deformed with the addition of makeup. ¡°What should I do?¡± The artist asked Hyunwoo. He didn¡¯t think about it long. In the case of Soyun Han, she needed a thick makeup, but Yu Zuung didn¡¯t need it. After all, Yu Zuung was done with minimal makeup. Instead, she wore a lot of lipstick as it was the key point of the music video. She felt a bit disappointed at the makeup, though. She felt she didn¡¯t need toe to an expensive makeup studio for this kind of makeup. ¡°Let me do makeup on my own,¡± she said. ¡°Sure,¡± Hyunwoo said. Driving to the studio, he gave her some precautions. ¡°Hide your face with a mask from now on. You should not say a word until after you¡¯re done with the shooting and arrive at home. Got it?¡± He already gave her such a reminder several times. He adopted the theme of the current music video as mysticism. By hiding the faces of the masked dancers, he wanted to draw the curiosity of the TV viewers as much as possible. Though he created such a concept for to Soyun, he felt it was a good strategy. Yu Zuung was well aware of that. Ironically, the poprity of the music video depended on how long the masked dancers could hide their real faces. ¡°Yes, I get your point,¡± said Yu Zuung. Before driving to the studio, he stopped by another makeup studio. There was a car parked in front of it. When he pulled over beside it, a woman got in his car. Like Yu Zuung, she hid her face with a mask. She was Soyun. As the mask was too big for her face and only revealed part of her face that was done with thick makeup, it was impossible to recognize her. Yu Zuung could not recognize her at all. Hyunwoo, Yu Zuung and Soyun did not talk to another. Hyunwoo took them to the studio right away. Jiah Sohn, the dancing student from Todolyipyo alternative school, was already there, waiting for them. Jiah was not wearing a mask yet. She was the only dancer whose face would be revealed to the public. Though he ordered Todolyipyo students to keep silent about her identity, she would be the first one to reveal it to the press when the music video made a big hit. As soon as Hyunwoo saw Jiah, his jaw dropped. Her face waspletely changed from what he sawst time. ¡°Who the hell is this? Is this Jiah that I know?¡± ¡°Hohoho. I¡¯ve had my nose raised a bit through cosmetic surgery. Do I look strange?¡± In fact, Hyunwoo had a low view of cosmetic surgery because he felt most of the women had that surgery out of greed. But he didn¡¯t object unconditionally. If they could make up for their defects through cosmetic surgery and regain confidence in their lives, he felt it was necessary. That was the case of Jiah. She had an inferiorityplex about her face. With the stic surgery on her nose alone, she looked like a different woman. Hyunwoo even felt she was originally beautiful. She also had her teeth fixed with surgery, as they had been pretty crooked previously. Neither did she need to feel bad about her sharp eyes with thick double eyelids because there were some who liked double eyelids like hers. ¡°No, no. You don¡¯t look strange. You look very beautiful. I can¡¯t take my eyes off because you¡¯re beautiful.¡± She was all smiles because of his praise. In the meantime, Kwangsu, the representative of Real Film, arrived for the shooting. As the studio was already ready, he could immediately start shooting. ¡°Shall we start? Put on a mask, Jiah.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Jiah put on the mask and looked at Yu Zuung and Soyun with a curious expression. But she held back her curiosity because Hyunwoo gave her precautions about it. Kwangsu also didn¡¯t pay attention to their real identities at all. The shootingsted about four hours. They didn¡¯t make any mistakes because they were so thoroughly prepared, but Kwangsu repeatedly filmed their performances to obtain the best scenes. Thanks to this, Hyunwoo had the luxury of enjoying their colorful performances for a long time. In particr, Yu Zuung and Sonyun¡¯s attraction stood out. Chapter 238

Chapter 238

Yu Zuung gave a sense of charming shyness and freshness when she danced. Compared with Jiah and Soyun, there was some awkwardness in her dancing, which made her pure charm stand out. On the other hand, Soyun fully showed the best dancing. Her motions were so natural that Hyunwoo wanted to make motions like her. Nheless, he often found himself casting a look at Yu Zuung often before he knew. It was hard to discuss the merits and demerits of Yu Zuung and Soyun Han¡¯s dancing as they came from different backgrounds. Soyun danced much better, but Yu Zuung was as good as her in terms of giving off charm. When it came to his taste, Hyunwoo felt more attracted Yu Zuung¡¯s freshness than Soyun¡¯s maturity and conceitedness. Besides Yu Zuung kept watching Hyunwoo all along while dancing. She needed a male target to vivify the musical feeling of actually tempting somebody, and she seemed to see Hyunwoo as the target. Not only Yu Zuung but also Soyun and Jiah danced, looking at Hyunwoo. They had no other choice because Hyunwoo was the only person present at the studio except for the masked dancers and cameramen. There was nobody to hold heir focus. Hyunwoo could not focus on any particr dancer, though. Of course, he looked at Yu Zuung most. Come to think of it, it was the first time he saw Yu Zuung dancing in his presence. He once saw her practicing dancing by ying a USB that contained a video clip of it, which she sent him from Vietnam. And since she arrived in Korea, she had been practicing only in her room at the dorm. Probably this would be the first time she was dancing in front somebody. Suddenly Hyunwoo said ruefully, If Yu Zuung¡¯s dancing had been so attractive like this, I should have enjoyed it in advance. He could have done so if he had wanted. As he was aware of the identities of the dancers, he could have made some usible excuses to watch Yu Zuung¡¯s dancing in advance. While they were dancing for the music video, he was carried away with Yu Zuung¡¯s dancing. Everybody kept silent from the moment the shooting started until it ended. Only chief cameraman Kwangsu asked Soyun and Yu Zuung to do this or that to create a specific atmosphere, but he didn¡¯t initiate a conversation with them. When they were driving back home after the shooting, they remained silent with their masks on. Only when Hyunwoo and Yu Zuung were left alone after Soyun got off, she took off her mask and began to speak. ¡°Phew. I never knew how hard it was to bite my tongue.¡± ¡°Hahaha. Good job!¡± ¡°Still, it was interesting. Hohoho,¡± said she with a bright smile. Her smile was so fascinating that he felt his heart was full when he conjured up the image of her attractive dancing. He felt as if he blushed before he knew. Yu Zuung gently touched his face and said, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you unwell?¡± ¡°Oh, no. Because you¡¯re so beautiful. Haha.¡± He felt strange momentarily. If he had said that before another woman, he would have been surprised at his tongue slip. But he wasn¡¯t. He feltfortable. He wanted to show her his genuine feelings. Was it because he felt she was an easy woman? Or was it because he wanted her before he knew? Or was it because of his asional loneliness after he split with Suji? Whatever it was, he didn¡¯t regret what he told her. He was rather curious about her reaction. He now looked at her face intently. Her face was already flushed before she knew. She was neither embarrassed nor surprised. It looked like her happy shyness. With a satisfied look, Hyunwoo started the car. Everything was promising. In about one month, Jinhon and Ang would arrive in Korea from America. And he would release the new music video, timed with their arrival. The animation for the music video was alsopleted. All he had to do was to edit the dancers¡¯ dancing video and insert it there. He felt good without reason. He expected that the new music video would generate poprity abroad first like Duckling Fly. The next morning Hyunwoo took Yu Zuung to Seoul again. Yesterday, she was there for the music video, and today, she was supposed to shoot for a pictorial. Even the pictorial shooting was done secretly. Yu Zuung, Soyun and Jiah moved ording to their own schedule for the shooting. The pictorial of Yu Zuung focused on her innocent, sexual, and healthy beauty. She didn¡¯t put on clothing that was too revealing. Of course, she sometimes put on a skimpy outfit, with only her waistline, parts of her pelvis, cleavage and thighs being revealed. She said she could be more revealing, but Hyunwoo didn¡¯t want it. He felt excessive revealing would bring about negative effects because it would diminish her mysticism. Though it was a simple job of taking her pictures, it was tough. She had to change into various clothing anding in and out of the interior and outside for different posing, which took a whole day. After the shooting was done, she was exhausted. Driving back to Ansante at night, Hyunwoo asked, ¡°Do you have any regrets?¡± She said with an artificial smile, ¡°No, it was hard but interesting. I would have regretted bitterly if I had not.¡± ¡°Good for you. Haha.¡± *** One monthter, Hyunwoo rushed to Incheon International Airport. Though he felt he left early, Jingyoung Paek had already arrived and was waiting for him when he arrived there. ¡°Are you here already?¡± ¡°I was done shooting early, so I came out early here. Look at the crowds, man!¡± Looking around the arrival gate, Jinyoung showed a satisfied look. There was a throng of fans and reportersing out there several hours before Jinhon and Ang¡¯s arrival. When he checked the time, he had to wait another 30 minutes before their arrival. He talked with Jinyoung about their sess stories. Naturally, they came to exchange views on the new music video. ¡°Have you watched the finished music video?¡± ¡°Sure. I think I watched it at least 20 times.¡± ¡°How about it? Do you think it will hit gold?¡± ¡°In my opinion, it will make a smash hit. But I am not sure if it can in the US market. The standard of beauty is different in the East and the West.¡± Hyunwoo felt the music video should not necessarily make a hit in the US market. There was a great potential in Asian markets like Japan and China. Once the music video seeded in drawing the people¡¯s attention there, he felt he could get what he wanted. ¡°I uploaded it on YouTube this morning. I¡¯m going to watch how they react over time.¡± ¡°Promotional marketing is important. That is the key.¡± ¡°Well, I have a good n for that.¡± A littleter the ne arrived, and the customers came out to the arrival gate. Hyunwoo noticed Jinhon and Ang first among them but couldn¡¯t get close to them because they were besieged by reporters and fans. They posed for the cameramen in a makeshift photo zone and held a small press conference. Jinhon was no longer what he used to be. He changed a lot in the several months after he entered the US market. He was much more confident when he appeared before the press. He answered reporters¡¯ questions wittingly, showing an easy andposed attitude. After the press conference, he and Ang got in a luxury van arranged by Jinyoung. Noticing Hyunwoo inside the car, Jinhon suddenly shouted for joy and hugged him, ¡°Uncle!¡± Hyunwoo hugged him and Ang tight. Patting him on the back, Hyunwoo said, ¡°I guess you have had hard times there.¡± ¡°No, not at all. It was so interesting. I think I could live like this for the rest of my life.¡± ¡°Hahaha, you should. How was your life in America? Tell me some interesting stories.¡± Jinhon told him which pop stars he met, where he performed, and how he was treated. Hyunwoo just smiled, listening to his sess story. And then Jinhon abruptly asked, ¡°By the way, what do you mean when you asked me to have three backup dancers on the stage when I perform this evening?¡± ¡°In fact, I made another music video and posted it on YouTube today. They are the core dancers of the music video song.¡± Hyunwoo briefed him about the music video ¡®Temptation.¡¯ When he mentioned Jiah, Jinhon nodded as if he knew Hyunwoo¡¯s intention. ¡°Ah, are you going to promote it through my performance?¡± ¡°You bet.¡± ¡°I see. But I wonder if Jiah can make it. She dances well, but doesn¡¯t look pretty enough...¡± ¡°She had stic surgery on her face,¡± said Hyunwoo, talking about her change. Jinhon was still in doubt. ¡°Can the surgery change her face that much?¡± Hyunwoo just smiled at that. In fact, Hyunwoo was stunned to see her face changed. He was shocked at how her face had been changed by the surgery. ¡°Anyway, you have to keep secret the dancers¡¯ identities to the end. You should keep it by all means.¡± ¡°Got it. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Jinhon and Ang¡¯s schedule was so tight. After the press conference, they headed for the stadium tomorrow. It was Jamsil Stadium where as many as 50,000 fans would gather. The three masked dancers were already there, waiting for Jinhon and Ang. They hid their faces with thick makeup and masks. When Jinhon and Ang entered the waiting room, one of the dancers waved to him, trying to show him she knew him. She was Jiah. Hyunwoo made a stern look at that. ¡°I already told you that you should not do that. You are a total stranger to him, okay?¡± She flinched and stood at attention. Hyunwoo gave her another reminder that under any circumstances she would never identify her identity. Chapter 239

Chapter 239

Of course, it would be impossible to hide their identities forever. In particr, Jiah¡¯s identity might have already been revealed. If any reporter were seriously digging into it, he or she could easily find out her identity. Yu Zuung was no exception. These days there were lots of gossip about her in the office because she suddenly disappeared, leaving words that she wanted to take a break for a while. But nobody got wind of it yet. But somebody would soon get wind of what was going on because her disappearance coincided with the masked dancers¡¯ debut in the world. Besides, Yu Zuung¡¯s mask was the smallest of the three dancers¡¯. She didn¡¯t put on any thick makeup because she was a natural beauty. Any staff with Ani & Funny with sharp eyes might be able to identify her among the dancers. Maybe there was someone who already found her out. But it would be difficult to have the secret revealed because of Hyunwoo¡¯s earnest request that they should not reveal it under any circumstances. Any & Funny staff were extremely tense when they heard Hyunwoo¡¯s threat. That was not a simple bluffing. If that happened, Hyunwoo would keep his promise. They also knew that he was a man of action once he promised to do something. Thanks to Hyunwoo¡¯s sharp reminder, Jiah remained silent again. The waiting room was quiet. Of course, other people except for the dancers freely talked to each other. A littleter the rehearsal of Jinhon and Ang began. Customarily they were supposed toe to the stadium early in the morning and wait for the rehearsal all day long, but they received special treatment, befitting their status as world stars. After that, they moved to the broadcastingpany for a special performance. They were supposed to appear on an entertainment program on TV and radio. Hyunwoo stayed in Seoul to watch their performance tomorrow. As he didn¡¯t need to check out Suji¡¯s feelings anymore, he freely stayed upte, mingling with Jinyoung, Mansu, and Jaeyol over drinks. And the next day the idol singers including Jinhon and Ang started performances. The performance was this year¡¯s biggest one in which all the famous idol singers and girl groups participated. Among them Jinhon and Ang¡¯s performance was the highlight. The order of their performance topped the repertoire, and their stage was the most splendid. Though other singers sang two or three songs on the stage, Jinhon and Ang sang their two hits and a couple of encores. Naturally, the crowds cheered for them most enthusiastically. And they were on the stage with the three masked dancers. Stopping dancing to the tune of ¡®Temptation,¡¯ they did a dance fitting the songs of Jinhon and Ang as well as Kenny¡¯s dance from Garbage World. Their dancing was the hot topic, to say the least. Not only the reporters but also the crowds and TV viewers paid lots of attention to the masked dancers. ¡°Who are they?¡± ¡°Why are they wearing masks? Wow, they look so cool.¡± ¡°Look at that dancer! Awesome.¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. Her dancing is like an art.¡± ¡°Who the hell is she? She must be damn pretty.¡± The reporters were also on alert. As if they wanted topete to break the news first, they filed tons of stories about the dancers. ¡°Who the hell are the masked dancers? Howe they suddenly appeared on the stage like that?¡± Some of the reporters approached more professionally. They asked forments from pop music critics. ¡°Do you know who they are?¡± ¡°If you judge their dancing skills, how can you grade them?¡± The critics¡¯ replies were almost the same. ¡°We have no idea who they are, but their dancing is excellent. In particr, the main dancer¡¯s dancing is awesome. Just terrific.¡± ¡°If you guys find out who they are, please let me know. I¡¯m just amazed to know there are such wonderful dancers in our country. Maybe they are from America.¡± The reporters carried interviews with the music critics on them, which made the crowds more curious. There was a barrage of requests from TV viewers calling for the unveiling of the dancers. Then somebody discovered the music video on YouTube in which the masked dancers appeared. He began to boast of his discovery everywhere. ¡°I¡¯ve found out who they are. They are the main dancers of the music video Temptation.¡± ¡°Temptation? Oh, it¡¯s the production of Ani & Funny. If that¡¯s the case, they must be the rising stars that Ani & Funny is cultivating in addition to Jinhon and Ang.¡± ¡°That makes sense. I was so surprised by their terrific dancing. And I really love the song Temptation. It¡¯s my kind of song.¡± Such a rumor spread like a wildfire. It was thanks to the fame of Ani & Funny as well as the smash hits of Duckling Fly and other works. If a new production by Ani & Funny was released, many people believed a big hit would be guaranteed. Hyunwoo was even embarrassed by the rave reviews of the critics and overwhelming reaction of the people. He expected Jinhon and Ang¡¯s performance would bring about big promotional effects, but little did he expect that their reaction was so enthusiastic like this. Jinhon and Ang were terribly busy digesting their schedules in Korea. Each broadcastingpanypeted to have them appear on their programs. Thanks to Jinhon and Ang the masked dancers were also busy. Many of the entertainment programs or talk shows on TV dealing with Jinhon and Ang had nothing to do with the masked dancers, but whenever they performed, the dancers also appeared on their stage. One month passed quickly like that. Hyunwoo threw a party for them outside. He roasted meat over hot coals in person for them. Suddenly, Jinhon abruptly held his guitar and called Hyunwoo, ¡°Uncle, Iposed a song when I was in America. A musical motif came into my mind suddenly, so I made it instantly. Can you hear it? Jinyoung, you, too?¡± ¡°What is the song about?¡± ¡°Well, I made it imagining Ang missing her parents. The title is ¡®I¡¯m Not Lonely¡¯.¡± It looked like a sad song. Obviously, it didn¡¯t fit a merry atmosphere of the party at the moment. But the party was for Jinhon and Ang, and they apparently wanted Hyunwoo and Jinyoung to hear it. ¡°Okay, then. Sing it.¡± Jinhon held his guitar and yed it, singing with Ang. As Hyunwoo expected, it was a sad song with sad melodies. Jinhon and Ang poured their sadness into it. Hyunwoo and Jinyoung felt heartbroken to hear the song, their noses ached and their tears welled up before they knew. Hyunwoo bit his lips, but their singing was reaching a climax, which made his mind ache all the more. Jinyoung and other people at the party were already shedding tears. The atmosphere became sober now. Nobody dared to open their mouth, overwhelmed by the sadness of the song. But Jinhon and Ang were far from sad. They already escaped from the sad sentiment and made a bright expression. ¡°How about it? I think I need to put some finishing touches on it, but I have no idea. Can you rearrange it, Jinyoung?¡± But Jinyoung shook his head and said, ¡°Just perfect. There is nothing I can rearrange in your song, Jinhon.¡± And then he looked at Jinhon curiously and said all of a sudden, ¡°What a talent! You¡¯re really a genius, man. I think I have made hundreds of songs all my life, but none of them is better than your songs. I just can¡¯t raise my face as I¡¯m so ashamed.¡± Jinhon scratched his head and said, ¡°Oh, man, don¡¯t say that. You know how much I respect you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not kidding. I love Duckling Fly and I¡¯m Not Lonely. Awesome! I can neverpose songs like that, no matter how hard I tried.¡± The next day Jinhon and Ang headed for Incheon International Airport to fly back to America. Ang lookedfortable. She seemed much morefortable living there rather than in Korea where she had lots of inconveniences due to anguage barrier. But Jinhon had hard times in America because he could not speak English. Though he stuck it out well up to now, he burst into tears atst when he was leaving for the airport. Hyunwoo patted him on the back. ¡°A couple of months at the most in America. So, stick it out well until then.¡± Of course, his stay might be longer, depending on his next album. ¡°Sorry, I should not shed tears like this.¡± ¡°Yeah, look at Ang. She is strong. You¡¯re older than she is. So, don¡¯t show your ugly sides, man.¡± Ang came close to him and wiped his tears. She looked like his sister. Boarding a ne bound for America, they smiled at the reporters who came to the airport to cover them. After they left, Yu Zuung, Soyun, and Jiah felt empty suddenly. So far, they were on tight schedules thanks to Duckling Fly, so it seemed they could ck off. But that was their mistake. As soon as Jinhon and Ang left, they became busier. As they could not appear on stages with Duckling Fly, broadcastingpanies began to air the music Temptation on their music programs. And now they appeared with their own song rather than Duckling Flying. They woke to find themselves famous. Though nobody could recognize their faces, they were just puzzled because they as the masked dancers were the hot topic in town. In particr, Soyun felt so. She moved to Seoul some time ago and lived there. As she had so many things on her schedule, Hyunwoo arranged a studio room for her. Yu Zuung and Jiah were no exception. Hyunwoo found them studios separately, so they could not know each other. After arriving back home after she was done for the day, Soyun could not calm down her excitement. She couldn¡¯t go to sleep as she was thrilled. Can I really make my dreame true? Chapter 240

Chapter 240

Soyun had one dream. She started to dream about it after she met Hyunwoo some time ago. It was her sessfuleback, a big, big one that even Taesu Ahn of AT Entertainment could not do anything about. And then she would confidently reveal to the whole world that the woman in the sex video was not her and that she was victimized by him. But the more she thought about it, the more she got scared. It looked as if Taesu would not sit idle. No matter how big she seeded, she felt she might not be able to fight with him. But she wanted to achieve her dream when she watched TV. The masked dancers were gaining more poprity than she imagined. After the music program was over, there was amercial on air now. Soyun took her eyes off TV briefly then she heard a voice stimting her interest. She cast a nce back at the TV. It was a public service advertisement in which a beautiful woman was the main character. Soyun knew her well, who suffered the same pains like her very recently. She was at the center of the controversial sex video and at the same time she was beset by a scandal involving a guy. ¡°Nami Yu?¡± As soon as Soyun heard of the sex video and the scandal involving Nami, she instantly knew what was going on. When she learned Nami was a rising star of AT Entertainment and her contract was supposed to expire soon, she could figure out what would happen to Nami. She could also predict Nami¡¯s future. Like she did, she thought Nami would lose everything and live in the back, fearing the people¡¯s attention. But as soon as her contract was over, Nami turned the tide. She began to be more active in the entertainment world. Of course, Nami did not appear in major TV soap operas anymore. The only one associated with her was the existing Wolf & Fox. Instead, she focused on public service advertisements and appearances for friendship. If she found TV or radio programs with good intentions, she appeared for free. Sometimes, she appeared on programs with the promise that she would donate all of her performance fee to society. Thanks to her sincerity there were many advertisers and TV programs that sought her. Though she didn¡¯t make much money, she could show herself on TV often. That was not all. Recently, there came out good news about her in the entertainment circles. A filmpany in Hollywood cast her as an extra. On the other hand, Nami would shortly hold a press conference about her alleged sex video. Soyun could figure out how she would argue at the conference. Nami would proudly disclose that she was not the woman in the video, and her scandal with a guy was caused by misunderstanding. In short, Nami was to confront Taesu confidently instead of hiding for fear of the people¡¯s attention. And that was Hyunwoo¡¯s trick. As soon as her contract with AT Entertainment was over, Nami signed a contract with Ani & Funny. But Ani & Funny had no items that could feature Nami, so it arranged for her to appear on public service ads and other ads for free, which drew favorable reaction from the people. Besides, Story Ma¡¯s president, Chan Yun, also helped her. When he heard from Hyunwoo about her in their private meeting, Chan told him that he would help her enter the US film market. Though she would appear as an extra for now, she could get a big roleter if she tried her best. Soyun felt great about hearing Nami¡¯s proud activities like that. In fact, the money was not an issue for Soyun. Like Nami, she wanted to show her face proudly on TV. She wanted to do activities like she used to. That¡¯s what she wanted. Several dayster, the day finally came when Soyun had been waiting for. Nami and Hyunwoo also longed for that day. As expected, lots of reporters gathered at the press conference. Numerous cameras and mikes were installed here and there. But Nami was confident. Wasn¡¯t she once an actress who enjoyed the prestige of a top star? So, she wasn¡¯t afraid of the cameras and mikes at all. And she resolved herself strongly. She would not shrink with fear after the press conference. The press conference began. The reporters began to ask herpetitively. Their questions were the same. They were all about her alleged sex video and scandal. She confidently disclosed everything about the man in the picture she allegedly had an affair with. ¡°That man is Hyunwoo Jang, president of Ani & Funny.¡± She calmly exined about her rtionship with Hyunwoo. She also revealed that she had a boyfriend she had been dating for a long time. But she didn¡¯t say anything about Taesu and AT Entertainment. It was impossible to find the hard evidence that she was the woman in the sex video, and it would do harm to her to fight with Taesu at this point. She would take revenge on him someday when she could turn the tide. After the press conference, she left the ce proudly just like she did when she entered the ce. Watching her honorable press conference, Soyun stretched. Yea, she is cool. What did I do wrong? Why should I live in hiding like this? I¡¯m honorable, and that¡¯s enough for me. Soyun was burning with a strong desire to reveal the truth someday. Yes, I¡¯ll certainly do so. She clenched her small white fist. *** The employees of KOVE DREAM increased to 150 in no time. Right next to the second warehouse would be built a third one soon. Hyunwoo already purchased the lot near it. All this was in the works for the preparation of the fourth special series on KOVE DREAM. Hyunwoo still remembered the great confusion about handling mass orders when he opened KOVE DREAM Blue first. The consumers understood as it was the first big mistake of Hyunwoo¡¯s endeavor. But they would not understand the second mistake. After the special program was on the air, obviously there would be an explosive increase in orders. Without preparation for the uing orders in advance, Hyunwoo would have to repeat the same mistake. In order to avoid the same mistake Hyunwoo hired many people and trained them well. Thanks to such efforts KOVE DREAM was not short of hands any more these days. Most of the employees left for the day in the evening. There were a total of eight managers including Juhwan left in the office, waiting for Hyunwoo. A littleter Korean Broadcasting broadcast a special program. The atmosphere bustling with the noise became silent. All of them gathered near the 40-inch TV. The special feature program reflected Hyunwoo¡¯s intention well. The program focused on Dynamic, the local Koreanpany in Vietnam producing electric appliances for home use. It showed what kind ofpany it was, how it tried to enhance its technical skills and how much its president and employees felt proud about it. But KOVE DREAM didn¡¯t recognize the technical prowess of thepany and expressed itsints strongly. ¡°I¡¯m confident our technology is already the world¡¯s best. It is more than enough to pass KOVE¡¯s criteria. I can assure you on my honor.¡± ¡°Can our camera team test your technical prowess through the professional help of a specialized agency?¡± Its President Sungmin Jin dly epted the request of the camera team. ¡°Please do so. I¡¯m so frustrated now. Please restore our fallen honor.¡± The camera team left them to speak to a specialized agency in the field. The results of the test were exactly what Sungmin stressed. The quality of Dynamic¡¯s products was excellent, even surpassing not only Vietnamese products but also Chinese and Korean products. ¡°Let me ask KOVE DREAM again. Why are you refusing to ept us? Please disclose your criteria.¡± The camera team interviewed KOVE DREAM officials on behalf of Sungmin. The interviewees were Sungji Na and Sangtaek Kwon, who held the next powerful authority after Hyunwoo. Both of them didn¡¯t make any excuse. They told the truth honestly. ¡°In fact, we guessed that thing. There are manypanies with excellent technology like Dynamic that failed to join KOVE DREAM.¡± One of the cameramen asked with a curious look, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you allow them to join?¡± ¡°Because we arecking in capabilities. Though we guessed they¡¯re excellent, we had no way to verify that. We ept thepanies when we¡¯re 100% sure of their technical superiority.¡± In short, KOVE DREAM didn¡¯t ept thepanies if it could not verify their technology no matter how advanced it was. Sangtaek responded to the interview skillfully, ¡°It is not the goal of KOVE DREAM to include all thepanies with excellent technology. Our goal is to instill trust in the consumers¡¯ minds that they can rely on the products made by any KOVE DREAM member.¡± That was the core message that Hyunwoo wanted to convey through the special program. In fact, there were pros and cons to this when he was nning the concept of the program. For it focused on criticizing KOVE DREAM Blue, not defending it. Of course, that was what Hyunwoo intended. What¡¯s important was not Hyunwoo but the officials of Korean Broadcasting. In particr, it mattered how the ranking officials there, who had a final say, thought about Hyunwoo¡¯s concept. They were opposed. They argued that as the previous KOVE programs focused on magnifying the positive aspects, any follow-up program needed to be produced in the same vein to maintain its consistency. After all, Hyunwoo made some concessions. Namely, at the beginning of the program it was to show why KOVE DREAM had to be obstinate and picky in selecting its members. Then the viewers would watch it from the standpoint of KOVE DREAM. And then they would also ponder over how KOVE DREAM would have to change. And at the end of the program it would show how KOVE could find a solution. It would stress that as it would be impossible for KOVE to cultivate the ability to evaluate otherpanies¡¯ technical skills, the government should actively offer technical assistance. When Hyunwoo reviewed the edited version of the program, he was satisfied. It was much better organized and focused than he thought it would be. In fact, the officials at Korean Broadcasting were experts as far as such programs were concerned. They had a much more discerning eye than Hyunwoo for such programs, given their long experience in the field. When the special program was over, KOVE DREAM staff shouted for joy, pping their hands. They didn¡¯t seem to think they would be flooded with many more orders on the asion of the program. Chapter 241

Chapter 241

Hyunwoo also shared the joy, pping his hands. But he could not be satisfied with the achievements that he made so far. The products of KOVE DREAM or KOVE DREAM Blue were currently sold only in Korea, America, Japan, and China. They had a good name in other countries, generating lots of interest from their people with a rush of orders. Especially in Southeast Asian countries and Europe, lots of peopleined on the KOVE DREAM homepage about KOVE not being avable in their countries. But that was impossible because the KOVE members in Vietnam could not meet the iing orders even if they ran the factories in full operation. In other words, they had no products avable even if they wanted to sell. That¡¯s why all the members of KOVE were expanding their facilities, which would take at least several months to handle a flood of orders. But Hyunwoo was thinking far ahead. He felt it necessary to establish a cooperative body system in other countries for the effective sale of KOVE products. The first goal was to set up KOVE local subsidiaries in Europe, followed by China, India, Russia, and Southeast Asia. The most important thing was to discover talented people who would run the local subsidiaries well. Hyunwoo wanted to select a local hire to assume the CEO title of the local subsidiary, if possible. So, he turned it over in his mind whenever possible. How can I discover a good local talent? But he could not figure out a solution easily. On the other hand, it was not so urgent to set up local subsidiaries anytime soon. He needed lots of time to expand the saleswork to other countries beyond Korea, America, and Japan. Instead, he concentrated on KOVE DREAM Blue. As expected the impact of Korean Broadcasting¡¯s special feature on KOVE DREAM Blue was powerful. As soon as the program was broadcasted, Hyunwoo got flooded with orders as many consumers became confident in the quality of KOVE DREAM Blue as well as KOVE DREAM products. If he had not hired lots of people in advance to handle such a rush of orders, he would have suffered a great confusion just like he had after starting KOVE DREAM. He would give Juhwan and Sonjong a sharp reminder whenever possible, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to run into trouble, hire more in advance.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Fortunately, lots of orphanages across the country rmended their graduates, who were all sincere and diligent. Of course, there were some cked off, who would often try to curry favor with managers including Juhwan rather than doing their best. But that didn¡¯t pose any headache because they were usually weeded out during the three-month contract on-the-job training program. Hyunwoo was about to leave the KOVE office when there was an unexpected call from the cultural affairs team of Seoul Broadcasting. ¡°This is Producer Ilgun Kwon with Seoul Broadcasting. I would like to speak with the President of KOVE BLUE. Can I talk to him?¡± ¡°Hyunwoo, it¡¯s a call from Seoul Broadcasting. He wants to talk to you,¡± said Sonjong, urgently stopping Hyunwoo who was about to leave. Answering the phone, he felt something strange because there was no reason for Seoul Broadcasting to call him. He had bad memories of Seoul Broadcasting because it recently broadcast a special program that falsely contracted from Korean Broadcasting¡¯s special program on KOVE DREAM. Producer Kwon was an outspoken guy. He told Hyunwoo his point instead of beating around the bush. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m disappointed in you. Why is KOVE DREAM trying to stay close to Korea Broadcasting only? I feel sorry about our programst time, but you don¡¯t have to act hostile against us, do you?¡± ¡°How can I? I just asked a favor of my acquaintance with Korea Broadcasting about the KOVE program. If I had known someone at yourpany, I would have done the same.¡± ¡°Oh, I now see. I was worried that you had bad feelings about ourpany,¡± said Kwon with a heartyugh. And then he said bluntly, ¡°If you have any good program idea next time, just let me know. I can make a much better program than Korean Broadcasting. You don¡¯t want to give it to Korean Broadcasting again, do you?¡± Hyunwoo felt Kwon¡¯s suggestion was a golden chance not to miss. Actually, he felt regretful that Korea Broadcasting rejected his offer to make a program on KOVE technicians. That¡¯s why he had tobine KOVE Blue and its technicians as one at the time. He felt the rejection reflected Korean Broadcasting¡¯sck of crisis awareness. It was a kind of conceit that only Korea Broadcasting would make such programs for Hyunwoo. However, it would increase crisis awareness if Seoul Broadcasting had a chance to make Hyunwoo¡¯s program. ¡°Hahaha. I appreciate it very much if you can do so,¡± said Hyunwoo, epting Kwon¡¯s offer immediately. After the call, however, he felt a bit worried because promised to Jaeyol Song with Korean Broadcasting any topic worth reporting. Hyunwoo called Jaeyol and confided to him. Understandably, Jaeyol was upset. ¡°Howe you could do that? You promised me not to do so, man.¡± ¡°Please understand me, brother. I can¡¯t make another broadcastingpany like Seoul Broadcasting upset towards me, right?¡± ¡°Still, you have to keep the promise. I feel disappointed. You should not act like that because you are riding high.¡± Hearing Jaeyol venting his anger, Hyunwoo felt disappointed. He thought Jaeyol could understand him if he really cared about him like his brother. But Jaeyol was far from it. Hyunwoo talked to him in a calm tone. ¡°Right, brother. I¡¯ll keep the promise with you. But I won¡¯t care about anything that goes beyond that.¡± ¡°Anything going beyond that?¡± ¡°As far as I have anything personal that is worth reporting, let me give it to you first. But I won¡¯t as long as it¡¯s about KOVE as a cooperative body. Let me deal with it on a fair basis.¡± ¡°No, no. As that is rted to you, it¡¯s also your personal matter.¡± ¡°I have to disagree. It involves the future of my employees. I can¡¯t block their future because of my personal promise to you. Even if you feel disappointed about my decision, I can¡¯t do anything about it. So, understand me please.¡± There was nothing Jaeyol could do. ¡°Got it. If you insist, there is nothing I can do on my end. Nheless, I¡¯m disappointed.¡± ¡°Sorry about that, brother. Let me treat you to a drink one of these days.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo let out a sigh. He thought he could quickly settle the issue with Jaeyol, but found it so hard to persuade him. By the way, how best can I make use of Seoul Broadcasting? Is there anything I can do more to promote KOVE DREAM? Lost in happy agony, he headed for the office of Ani & Funny. When he arrived, Kyungsu instantly briefed him about thetest operation status. ¡°I¡¯m seeing a tremendous response to ourtest animations in Story Ma. Looks like all four pieces will hit the jackpots.¡± Opening his eyes wider, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Really? How tremendous is it?¡± ¡°As for Iron Worm, it looks like its poprity is going to surpass that of Garbage World. Would you want to check it?¡± Kyungsu logged in to Story Ma to check out the bulletin of Iron Worm. Although there were only four pieces posted, the number of hits already was already over four million. ¡°Just push the students to speed up their work. If you hire more, I think you can pick up the speed more.¡± ¡°In fact, they¡¯re working so hard now.¡± Hyunwoo smiled in satisfaction to hear that. The students changed their working attitude after they were severely rebuked for yingputer games recently. He could see their tremendous zeal in their ring eyes. And their ie was going up. Some of the students who stood out made more than three million per month, and even those who didn¡¯t perform well made at least 500,000 won. The full-time employees of Ani & Funny made five million per month. Their basic pay per month was 2.5 and 3 million won, but Hyunwoo gave them additional 100% in incentives every month. But the core staff like Myunghun Koh, Yu Zuung and Sanggyu received more than 10 million won per month. Kyungsu received seven million per month in basic pay, which was far less than what Myunghun and Jihoon received, who were less experienced than him, but Kyungsu didn¡¯tin. There were lots of people avable who could sub for Kyungsu, but it was hard to find recements of people like Myunghun and Yu Zuung. In other words, they received more pay than Kyungsu, who had the highest rank and the most experiences of anybody in Ani & Funny. Looking at the different pay based on performance, the students took it their goal to get hired as the full-time employees of Ani & Funny. Kyungsu¡¯s happy briefing continued. ¡°Our fans on Story Ma are sending us too many stories rted to Tuti & Angelica. These days we¡¯re receiving more than 200 per day. So, it¡¯s such a big task to review them one by one.¡± ¡°It looks like we have to increase the members of our inte cafe drastically to cope with that.¡± ¡°Sure. We also have received a new animation item. Can you take a look?¡± Kyungsu then opened a message containing several files. There was one summarizing the story and image file that contained character samples. It was a totally different animation work. The fan seemed to have made a creative animation from a new angle and sent it. When Hyunwoo checked out its author, the name was familiar to him. ¡°Chtulbuz? Is this the same Indian that we talked about recently?¡± Chapter 242

Chapter 242

¡°That¡¯s right. He¡¯s the same person who sent us a story about Gandhi for the first time when we serialized Tuti & Angelica in Story Ma. James Lee tranted it into Korean. Can you take a look?¡± said Kyungsu. He then printed out a piece of paper titled ¡®Journey at Dawn.¡¯ ¡°Was his story good enough?¡± ¡°In my opinion, it¡¯s excellent. I¡¯m going to have Suhyim review itter.¡± Hyunwoo read the story, which was as follows: There were two boys and one girl who had a special dream inmon. It was about their going on a journey to a different world at dawn, regardless of their will, when everybody was still asleep. That world, closely affiliated with the human world, could be put thetter in danger when the viins make the former evil. So, the two boys and one girl joined their hands to fight against them to save that world. That Indian sent five stories as samples, which were all good. They were not only interesting but also instructional. The only thing Hyunwoo feltcking was that the characters were not attractive. But they were too good to be discarded. Suddenly, he got curious about that Indian man. Maybe he could be of great help to Ani & Funny. If it¡¯s possible, Hyunwoo would fly to India to meet that man, but that was less effective. Instead, it would be much better to invite him to Korea. After turning it over in his mind, Hyunwoo sent a message to him in person: It was a weekter when Chatulbuz sent him a reply. As expected, he showed active interest in visiting Korea. Besides, he was an animation major, a perfect match with Ani & Funny. He gave a detailed introduction about himself in the message. He was a 23-year-old man, who just graduated from college. As he was more interested in doing business than finding a job, he was nning to start an animation enterprise with two friends. He said he would love to visit Korea with his friends. Hyunwoo had no reason to refuse Chatulbuz¡¯s request. He called Yellow Balloon to arrange the tickets for the three Indian men. Chatulbuz seemed to be a very impatient man, who said he could even today fly to Korea. It was one weekter when he and his friends arrived at the Ani & Funny office. As they were fluent in English, there was nomunication problem among them. After a brief exchange of greetings, they brought up the main topic. Though Hyunwoo asked them to take a rest from the fatigue of their journey by going on a tour first, Chatulbuz said, ¡°Well, I would like to discuss our business first. I think we can go on a tour with a light heart after that.¡± ¡°That makes sense, hahaha.¡± said Hyunwoo. Then they gathered at Hyunwoo¡¯s office for discussion. Hyunwoo was open to Chatulbuz and his friends¡¯ contract status. They could resettle in Korea and work like Yu Zuung, or run the local branch of Ani & Funny in India. Chatulbuz frankly said, ¡°To be honest, we would like to live in India. As I said in the message, it¡¯s our dream to do animation business in India.¡± Nodding his head, Hyunwoo exined to him about the activities of the Ani & Funny branch. Of course, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t want a carbon copy of the Vietnam in India. He would have Chatulbuz and his friends focus on developing stories while the Vietnamese branch was simply involved in drawing the pictures of the stories. But Chatulbuz had a different opinion. ¡°There are lots of students studying animation in India. If I get a chance, I would like to open a branch in my country like the Vietnam branch.¡± ¡°If you want to do it, I guess the India branch will handle two things, developing stories and animation production. Won¡¯t you give it a try? Let me support you strongly.¡± They brightened their faces at his suggestion. ¡°Okay. If you go back, send me a project proposal on the India branch. Let me review it first and decide how much I will invest. You¡¯ll bepensated, based on your performance, just like the Vietnamese branch.¡± ¡°Got it. Thanks for the opportunity.¡± ¡°As you havee to Korea, why don¡¯t you stop by our Vietnamese branch for an observation tour? I think your visit will help youunch the Indian branch. Let me foot the bill for you, of course.¡± ¡°Thanks a lot.¡± Chatulbuz and his friends were full of enthusiasm, which helped them and Hyunwoo reach an agreement easily. Under the agreement, Ani & Funny would control the India branch with the same condition as that of the Vietnam branch and recognize the copyrights of their own stories or characters to a certain degree. ¡°The copyrights fee might be much less than you think because we have to revise your stories and characters on our end. As you know, a little difference in the atmosphere of animation works often affects the results of their sess.¡± ¡°We know that, of course. We¡¯ll always try to learn and work really hard.¡± After he was done discussing with them, Hyunwoo arranged for them to go on a tour. In the meantime, he asked Ani & Funny staff a happy question. ¡°Is there anyone who wants to join Chatulbuz¡¯spany¡¯s tour of our Vietnam branch?¡± ¡°Me!¡± ¡°Me, too!¡± Hyunwoo wanted to send all of them but could not do so, given the situation. Giggling at them, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Let me send two this time. And I¡¯ll make the decision on my own.¡± Hyunwoo looked around his staff. Everybody was looking at him with sparkling eyes. Kyungsu, Sanggyu, and James Lee already had been to Vietnam. Hyunwoo fixed his eyes on Myunghun and Jihoon, who werecking in creative ability despite their excellent work. Besides, they seemed rather spent up as Yu Zuung was absent from the office recently as she busily worked as a dancer of the music video ¡®Temptation¡± these days. Yu Zuung became a big star that they could not even covet at all. Though they felt heartbroken, they had to give up Yu Zuung. Hyunwoo hoped their trip to Vietnam could help them refresh their minds. ¡°Jihun and Myunghun, you¡¯re selected for the Vietnamese trip this time.¡± They were so overjoyed. In particr, Myunghun was more interested in Vietnamese girls than the Vietnam branch. ¡°By the way, are there so many beautiful girls in Vietnam?¡± Jihun also looked at Hyunwoo with a great curiosity. It seemed he was preupied with finding a girl who looked like Yu Zuung. ¡°Well, you might find one there. I wish you good luck!¡± And then he called Ngun secretly. ¡°Hey, are there any girls there interested in Korean men?¡± ¡°Yeah. Any reason for asking that?¡± ¡°Well, two young staff here are flying there for an observation tour. They are good-hearted andpetent. Can you introduce them to nice girls if they¡¯re avable? Who knows they might be good loverster.¡± ¡°Hahaha. Got it.¡± Chatulbuz came back after a four-day-five-night tour. Right after that, they flew to Vietnam with Myunghun and Jihun. Hyunwoo saw them off at Incheon International Airport. ¡°Wish all of you good luck!¡± Several dayster Hyunwoo had a call from Jaeyun Hong, the team manager of Story Ma. As the creation of a new website for animations, Animoon, was almost done, he called Hyunwoo almost every day. ¡°Did you fix the mistake?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°Yes, I did. It was a trifling mistake, after all.¡± ¡°Good. No other mistake?¡± ¡°So far, I haven¡¯t found any other mistake. I¡¯m going to test it one more time, and then move on to the final test.¡± ¡°Good job!¡± Hyunwoo was relieved that he found and fixed the mistake. But he was still full of anxiety because he could not secure good movie content that would determine the sess or failure of the new site. He tried his best to persuade morepanies to participate, but they were not cooperative. They thought they would y second fiddle to Ani & Funny. ¡°Phew. how can I persuade them?¡± As the new Animoon site was nearingpletion, Hyunwoo grew more and more anxious over the matter. Suddenly, he hit upon an idea. ¡°Yea, Seoul Broadcasting!¡± In fact, Ani & Funny drew lots of attention from the public as much as KOVE DREAM. In some respects, Ani & Funny generated more attention because of the widely popr Duckling Fly, Garbage World as well as Tuti & Angelica. Recently, the music video ¡®Temptation¡¯ made a smash hit. But Hyunwoo had not made any special program on Ani & Funny up until now. If he offered a relevant program idea to Seoul Broadcasting, it would instantly show a big interest. Chapter 243

Chapter 243

But Hyunwoo didn¡¯t move quickly. He knew that if he brought up the topic to Producer Kwon with Seoul Broadcasting without any specific preparation, he would not get what he wanted. What¡¯s the best concept of the program if I want to get as much as what I want? His biggest concern was how to stabilize the new Animoon site as soon as possible. For this, he had to secure as much good content as possible from a variety of animationpanies. No matter how hard he thought about it, he could not find ways to use Seoul Broadcasting to engage animationpanies. After all, he stopped thinking any more, for now, recalling the proverb, ¡°Haste makes waste.¡± I don¡¯t have to be too impatient now. Let me stop by Haenim School to rest my mind. Hyunwoo headed for Haenim School. When he got there, there were three container houses that he didn¡¯t see before. Originally, they were used as research rooms near Hyunwoo¡¯s house, used by Duyoung, Kuroda and Taeho. The reason they moved the container houses there was because of the need to maintain rooms for secret material. Some of them could be essed by their research students, but others should be off limits to them. Of course, the container houses were not intended to keep all their secret materials. They were just there for window-dressing. They kept really important research material somewhere else. Only Duyoung, Kuroda and Taeho knew that ce. Duyoung was having a discussion with the students about green oil. A littleter the tutors arrived. They were supposed to teach English and math to the students. Leaving the students to the tutors, Duyoung came back to his research room. He made a bright smile when he saw Hyunwoo in his office. ¡°You¡¯rete. Why don¡¯t you go home and take a rest?¡± ¡°It¡¯s too early to go home now. How is your research?¡± Duyoung gave him a research file with sparkling eyes. ¡°Minkyu, how smart he is! I might develop new green oil thanks to his help.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I am not sure when he started to work on microbes. I just left him alone because there was nothing dangerous in that field. To my surprise, he found very interesting material.¡± Hyunwoo opened the research file his father gave him. It was a report on microorganisms showing active growth in petroleum extracts. But there was an amazing change. Before the growth of microorganisms, a very cloudy substance was cleared by microorganisms. It was as if muddy water had been purified through a filter. ¡°It¡¯s not just about visual changes. Explosive power has improved, and pollutants have been reduced by more than 90%,¡± said Duyoung. Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide. ¡°Wow, this is the so-called green oil!¡± ¡°But it is hard to use this substance for automobile energy. I have to do another test with gasoline.¡± What Duyoung said was there was no tangible oue yet. However, he came to recalibrate the direction of his research. Even that was a great achievement for Duyoung. It would be a matter of time before found new green oil if he found the right way to chart his research. Hyunwoo cheered him up with a promising expression, ¡°I just wonder why you haven¡¯t thought about this before. I think your research can gain momentum on the asion of this.¡± Nodding his head, Duyoung said, ¡°Yea, our research students are my hope. Their imagination is just indefinite. If we secure them a proper yground for them to y, they can make much better oues than dozens of researchers like me.¡± Duyoung gave all the credit to the students from the alternative school. Actually, Duyoung¡¯s statement was far from an exaggeration. During his long search period, he confined himself to the framework of his own imagination. That¡¯s why he could not make further progress despite his long research. But the students had no such framework. They were simply unpredictable, acting out of the box. That¡¯s why Hyunwoo dreamed of founding an alternative school. To the best of his abilities Hyunwoo wanted to provide them with an environment in which they could freely stretch their imagination. At that moment, he hit on an idea of how to use Seoul Broadcasting. Snapping his fingers, he shouted. ¡°Yea, that¡¯s the best thing to do.¡± With a surprised expression Duyoung looked at him. Hyunwoo said with a bright smile, ¡°Well, Seoul Broadcasting asked me to give them a program idea on mypany. Now I¡¯ve found a good one.¡± ¡°What kind of idea?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about the story about Ani & Funny students¡¯ challenge.¡± ¡°Hummm. That sounds good,¡± said Duyoung, nodding. ¡°Like you said, the students will churn out a series of extraordinary ideas as long as we secure them a yground to y. I¡¯m thinking of making Ani & Funny such a yground.¡± If all goes well, Hyunwoo won¡¯t need to worry about theck of animation story ideas. What bothered him was profitability. It would be difficult to have potential consumers pay for the students¡¯ works. Animoon should be run on a payment basis for the time being. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t make any haste, though. As for the program to be on air on Seoul Broadcasting, he turned it over in his mind all through the night, pondering over the best way to approach the problem. The next day he went to the Ani & Funny office very early in the morning. When he got there, all the staff including Kyungsu and Sanggyu were surprised because he had nevere to the office early like that. ¡°What brought you here at dawn like this?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got something to discuss with you managers. Can youe to my ce?¡± Then he briefed them about his deal with Seoul Broadcasting. It was new to them. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s a really good opportunity.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you make it a promotional asion?¡± Nodding his head, Hyunwoo said, ¡°That¡¯s why I deeply pondered over the theme of the program. The original purpose of Ani & Funny was to help the students grow professionally. I want to make it the theme of our program to be broadcast by Seoul Broadcasting.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± ¡°That will improve our image a lot.¡± The team managers of Ani & Funny expressed delight, pping their hands. The thing was to flesh out the details of the program because the viewers¡¯ interest and reaction would be directly affected by what kind of theme the program would adopt. Hyunwo continued, ¡°How about adopting the production process of Iron Worm, the top winner at the open contest on short animation stories? I think we can naturally publicize the work by doing so, and also publicize Animoon when we announce that we will post it on the new site.¡± ¡°Perfect. Iron Worm is the right fit for the program.¡± Their discussionsted more than three hours. Only after lunch did they wrap up the meeting. Hyunwoo went to see Kwangsu Han, the representative of Real Film, before meeting producer Kwon with Seoul Broadcasting. Examining the project draft, Kwangsu pointed out several problems. ¡°I think the order of cing previous programs is wrong. If you insert Duckling Fly or Garbage World in Part 1, that is a drag on the whole program.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think the viewers are still most interested in them, do you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you should put them in the back of the list. When theye to think of Ani & Funny, they immediately recall Duckling Fly or Garbage World. So, we need to make them curious about the next production with great expectations. If you release something too stimting from the beginning, they won¡¯t be able to sustain their interest in any piece after that.¡± Hyunwoo agreed with that. Kwangsu began to change Hyunwoo¡¯s ideas on the Seoul Broadcasting program. There was no change in the contents themselves, but the order of the specific parts in the program. ¡°Looks like this much change is good. What you want to emphasize, after all, is that Animoon is the new opportunity for the students to challenge, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Correct. Thanks for your advice.¡± Then Hyunwoo called Producer Kwon with Seoul Broadcasting. ¡°So, did you choose the program item?¡± ¡°Yes, I think this is going to generate more attention from the public than KOVE DREAM programs.¡± ¡°Really? What is it?¡± ¡°Ani & Funny. It¡¯s about the challenges of those Ani & Funny students involved in the production of Garbage World, Duckling Fly, Temptation and Animoon.¡± Producer Kwon briefly screamed with joy. At that moment, Hyunwoo said, ¡°But I have one condition. ¡°What kind of condition?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple. We¡¯re going to take charge of the production. If you have to edit it before broadcasting, you have to consult with us in advance.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a difficult condition. We can¡¯t broadcast the program if it doesn¡¯t fit the mission of ourpany.¡± ¡°Of course, we¡¯re going to make it fit your mission. That¡¯s how we did for Korean Broadcasting. You don¡¯t have to broadcast the program if you don¡¯t like it,¡± said Hyunwoo confidently. ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°Instead. you have to reimburse the production cost. Of course, we won¡¯t submit an unreasonable bill to you. Again, all the conditions are the same as those we presented to Korean Broadcasting.¡± ¡°Sure, we will reimburse. Can I receive your detailed n on this? I can¡¯t make the final decision on the conditions you just mentioned.¡± ¡°Got it. If you give me your email address, let me send it now.¡± After the call, he received a text message. He emailed Producer Kwon his idea on the program. Producer Kwon was known more as a ¡®bulldog¡¯ producer than his name. As he was so much ambitious about his career, he tried his best to go after it once he got wind of a good item. As soon as Kwon received the email from Hyunwoo, he hurriedly printed it out. He was all smiles after checking it. In fact, he was worried as Hyunwoo might intend to make his program focus on publicizing Ani & Funny. Unlike his concern there was nothing in it intended to promote Ani & Funny like Korean Broadcasting¡¯s KOVE features. Still, Kwon had to be produent. He reviewed it several more times to find any hidden pitfalls in Hyunwoo¡¯s program idea, and only when he was convinced, he met his boss, the director of the cultural affairs department. Hearing Kwon¡¯s exnation, the director also felt it was a big scoop. ¡°Ani & Funny? I hear its president is also running KOVE DREAM, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I made all my efforts to persuade him to give us a program idea on Ani & Funny. This is the program draft submitted by its president. Please review it.¡± The director gave it a quick review, but he didn¡¯t look good. ¡°The real thing is missing here.¡± Kwon made a stunned expression, though he thought it was perfect. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°As you know, the masked dancers of the music video Temptation are the top curiosity of the entertainment circles these days. They are affiliated with Ani & Funny, aren¡¯t they?¡± Kwon¡¯s jaws dropped momentarily. As the director said, what the people were most interested in these days were who the hell these masked dancers were. Chapter 244

Chapter 244

Producer Ilgun Kwon felt the same thing. He wondered what they looked like without masks whenever he looked at them on TV. As the director pointed out, Hyunwoo¡¯s draft program was only filled with the happenings of the past, skipping what the public was most curious about. The director continued, ¡°If we don¡¯t deal with the masked dancers in the program featuring Ani & Funny, it¡¯s like a cookie without the filling. Our viewers can point fingers at us, ming that the program has no substance.¡± ¡°Got it. Let me insert that portion in it.¡± ¡°As I feel it, it looks like they won¡¯t reveal the identities of the masked dancers anytime soon. Do you have any ideas?¡± Producer Kwon could not answer readily. Of course, he could find it out if he was really determined, but he would have to turn to unreasonable methods to do so. And what¡¯s more important was how to get the consent of the persons involved or the president of thepany that they were affiliated with. Kwon felt it would be an impossible task. Giggling at him, the director said, ¡°Have you ever met a man who doesn¡¯t like a woman? In particr, any man with power or wealth usually has one or two mistresses. Are you just looking only at your wife all the time?¡± That was true. But Hyunwoo was an exception. ¡°Hyunwoo is not married,¡± said Kwon. ¡°I know that. Do you think I don¡¯t know that? That¡¯s why you must make do a background check on him secretly. Isn¡¯t it reasonable to think that such a guy with wealth and in good health must have a girlfriend? If you investigate it well, you might be able to find out something to control him.¡± Kwon felt as if it became bright in front of his eyes. If there was something that Hyunwoo had to hide, and if Kwon could find it, everything would go in his favor. ¡°You have a keen sense of figuring him out, boss. Let me find it out by all means.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t act recklessly. If you do, you might strain your rtionship with him without getting anything. Let me report your feature idea on Ani & Funny to the president. Probably he will approve it in its original form.¡± ¡°Got it, boss.¡± Aftering out of the director¡¯s office, Kwon called Hyunwoo right away. ¡°Hey, Hyunwoo, you are touching on the masked dancers in your special program, right? Isn¡¯t it time that you revealed their faces by the time we broadcast it?¡± ¡°Not yet. I¡¯m going to reveal them some other time. You should not touch on them this time. Even if you find out who they are, you should keep quiet about it.¡± ¡°Sorry to hear that. That¡¯s what our viewers are most curious about. As you don¡¯t want to reveal them this time, I won¡¯t force you, of course.¡± Kwon gave in without any hesitation. Given the way he spoke to Hyunwoo without reserve, it seemed he stopped caring about it once and for all. But he didn¡¯t, deep inside. I have no other choice then. Let me find out some other way. After the call, he called a rookie reporter secretly and gave him a secret instruction. But the reporter made a perplexed expression. Kwon knew how to deal with rookies like him. ¡°Don¡¯t do it if you don¡¯t want it. If you don¡¯t seize the chance when ites along, I won¡¯t help you grow here.¡± ¡°No, sir, I¡¯ll do as instructed.¡± Kwon called a couple of other rookies and gave them the same instruction. And he made a satisfied expression. Now a has been cast. Let me wait for the fish to be caught in the. *** Hyunwoo entrusted Kwangu Han, the representative of Real Film, with making the special program on Ani & Funny. As Kwangsu already made four programs about KOVE DREAM, he was now an expert in the field. ¡°You can count on me!¡± said Kwangsu confidently. ¡°Sure.¡± This time Hyunwoo called Jaeyol Song with Korean Broadcasting. Jaeyol was pretty upset because Hyunwoo gave Seoul Broadcasting a feature program idea. ¡°Please calm down, brother. Let¡¯s have a drink during the weekend.¡± ¡°Give me a program idea instead of a drink, man.¡± ¡°Let me give you one next time. Are you avable this Saturday?¡± Hyunwoo kept trying his best to please him, and finally, Jaeyol relented, pretending not to resist. ¡°Okay, Hyunwoo. The bill is on you, right?¡± asked Jaeyol. ¡°Of course.¡± Hyunwoo hung up the phone pleasantly and went back to his daily routine. He went to Haenim School in the morning, then headed for KOVE DREAM around noon and stopped by Ani & Funny before going back to Haenim School. As he was terribly busy like that, time passed quickly. He felt that it Sunday was just yesterday, but it was already approaching Saturday. Today, he slept a littlete. As he was busy all through the week, he could ck off during the weekend. He got up and ran along the road around his house as usual. Instead ofpletely giving up hiking on the weekend, he tried to stay fit by doing a morning workout. While he was running, he naturally thought of Yu Zuung. If she were in the dorm near his house, she would be running with him around this time. But she was in Seoul now, most likely asleep after managing a grueling schedule every day. Suddenly, he felt sorry for her. She once told him that she was ustomed to going to sleep and waking up early since she was a child. But her schedule in Seoul was the opposite. Often, she started her dayte in the afternoon and wrapped up her workte at night. Sometimes, she worked into the wee hours of the morning. No matter how fit she was, she must have been exhausted by now. As she had to hide her real identity, she also must have felt lonely. I think I¡¯m giving her a hard time by bringing her here. So sorry. He suddenly conjured up her image in the air but found it hard to recall her beautiful face by just imagining. ¡°Damn it. I¡¯ve seen her too often on TV.¡± These days the song ¡®Temptation¡¯ was yed on TV more often than not, whenever he turned it on. On such asions, he would stare at Yu Zuung only, though Jiah and Soyun were the other dancers. He fixed his eyes on Yu Zuung for no reason. But her face was always hidden behind the mask, so Hyunwoo usually recalled her dancing in a sexy costume. There was a strong temptation in his mind to take off her mask and confirm if her face was okay. And he even wanted to hug her tightly and let her dance in his arms. He seemed to lean toward her instead of Suji before he knew. He wanted to see Yu Zuung. Fortunately, he had an appointment with Jaeyol in Seoul today. Let me see her during my stay in Seoul. After sweating a lot from running, Hyunwoo went back to his house. When he got home, he saw Suji who was about to leave. And a man was waiting for her outside. He was Jungsu Pae, her senior in college and a prosecutor who was recently assigned to the Ansan Prosecutor¡¯s Office. As if he had an appointment with Suji, he was escorting her into a luxurious sports car. Suji and Jungsu also saw himing back from running. Suji got into the car without casting a nce at him as if she saw a stranger. Instead, Jungsu said hello, ¡°How are you? d to see you again.¡± Hyunwoo also dly shook his hand. He had no reason to feel upset. When he saw Suji, he still felt heartbroken, but he had no intention to beg for her love. Maybe his love of Suji was no more as intense as before. But he didn¡¯t resent her because he was the culprit of her defection. ¡°We have an alumni meeting in Seoul today.¡± Jungsu tipped him off on her schedule even though Hyunwoo didn¡¯t ask. Hyunwoo just nodded without any reaction and looked at her in the car. He could hardly see her as the ss was tinted, but she was looking elsewhere. It seemed she tried to avoid him as much as possible. Jungsu got in the driver¡¯s seat and drove for Seoul. In some respects, Jungsu might be a better mate for Suji. Jungsu was much more homely than him, Hyunwoo thought. Yeah, let me wish them happiness. Hyunwoo went back to his room and took a quick shower. Then, he left for Seoul to meet Jaeyol. It was already around noon. By now I guess Yu Zuung must out of her bed. Hyunwoo called her. In fact, he wanted to call her for some time to hear her voice. But he was worried his call might wake her up. Despite repeated ringing, she didn¡¯t answer the phone. Is she still sleeping? Hyunwoo was about to hang up the phone when she picked it up. Obviously, she had been woken up by the call, given her sleepy voice. ¡°Sorry, I woke you up.¡± ¡°No, thanks for waking me up. As I have a schedule in the afternoon, I should have woken up by now anyway.¡± ¡°You must be very tired.¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright. I think I¡¯m used to it already,¡± said she with a cheerful voice. ¡°In fact, I am about to head for Seoul right now. Shall we go shopping together? How about having a meal together?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m fully booked fromte afternoon untilte at night.¡± Hyunwoo made a slight frown at that. Obviously, he was thinking of going on a date with her. ¡°It looks like I can¡¯t see you today.¡± ¡°I think it will be over before midnight. See you then. I would like to see your face a lot.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s expression brightened a lot. Her voice when she said she missed his face seemed to echo in his mind. His mood was up and down, depending on her reply. ¡°That sounds good. Let me call you then.¡± ¡°You promised to call me. I¡¯ll hate you if you don¡¯t call.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s face was brighter now. He conjured up the image of her taking his call at the moment. Though he could vaguely imagine her face initially, it became clear now thanks to her voice. ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll call you.¡± Chapter 245

Chapter 245

After finishing the call, Hyunwoo drove to Seoul. Though he was driving there for an appointment with Jaeyol, he had Yu Zuung on the brain. He wasn¡¯t interested in what he wanted to talk with Jaeyol, but he just imagined what he would do when he met her. Drink beer with her? Or do I have to buy her a gift? He felt happy while driving thanks to her. As he left for Seoul earlier than usual, he arrived at the appointed ce a bit early. Fortunately, Jaeyol also arrived at the same time. Jaeyol was still in a bad mood. As soon as he met Hyunwoo, he began toin about Hyunwoo¡¯s deal with Seoul Broadcasting. ¡°Are you really going to do it? Given our close ties, I hope you will not,¡± said Jaeyol. Though he grumbled, Jaeyol also tried not to offend Hyunwoo. ¡°Haha, brother. I¡¯ve already made the decision. Let¡¯s stop talking about it anymore. Let me give you a better program item next time.¡± ¡°Really? Do you have one?¡± Hyunwoo had no particr item in mind at the moment but suddenly recalled the masked dancers, the talk of the town these days. In fact, he was reminded of that by pPoducer Kwon with Seoul Broadcasting. When Hyunwoo mentioned Any & Funny as Seoul Broadcasting¡¯s feature program item, Kwon was more interested in the masked dancers. With a bright smile Hyunwoo said, ¡°I¡¯ll reveal one of the masked dancers in the not-so distant future. Let me give it to you first as an exclusive scoop.¡± As soon as Hyunwoo mentioned the masked dancers, Jaeyol¡¯s eyes opened wider. But he suddenly lost interest when Hyunwoo mentioned only ¡®one of the masked dancers.¡¯ He even gave a snort. Then he asked in a barely audible voice, ¡°Are you going to mention Jiah?¡± This time Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide. Little did he think Jaeyol was already aware of Jiah¡¯s identity. Come to think of it, that was natural. Hyunwoo expected Jiah¡¯s identity could be revealed early. Jaeyol continued, ¡°I hope you don¡¯t think you can keep their identities secret forever. These days reporters are really persistent in digging up something. You had better disclose them sooner rather thanter.¡± Jaeyol advised him to advance the disclosure time. He had a point. Hyunwoo would keep under wraps Soyun¡¯s identity to the end, but he was thinking of disclosing the identity of Yu Zuung a bit early. ¡°Got it. Let me disclose one more at a proper time. Let me disclose her to you first.¡± Jaeyol¡¯s face brightened at that. ¡°Wow, you¡¯re my brother, man! Thanks so much.¡± Hugging Hyunwoo, Jaeyol patted him on the back with joy. ¡°By the way, do you know anybody at Seoul Broadcasting? Who are you going to give your program item?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know anyone there. Someone called me first.¡± ¡°Really? Looks like that guy has the nerve to do so. Haha.¡± ¡°I hear his name is Ilgun Kwon with the cultural affairs department,¡± said Hyunwoo frankly. At that moment, Jaeyol¡¯s bright smile disappeared and his expression hardened as if he should not have heard Kwon¡¯s name. ¡°Ilgun Kwon? You mean that bulldog producer?¡± ¡°Do you know him well?¡± At his question, Jaeyol raised his voice as if he got angry. ¡°How do I know that son of a bitch? Howe you gave a scoop to such a guy?¡± Hyunwoo was just dumbfounded. In fact, he didn¡¯t know anything about Kwon. He just talked with Kwon over the phone and responded to his request as they hadmon interests. Hearing Jaeyol¡¯s exnation, however, Kwon was a blemish on humanity. ¡°What kind of person is he?¡± ¡°How can I describe him in just one word? If I have to, he is the model of an opportunist. He is boundlessly weak to the strong and mercilessly strong to the weak. He would not bat an eye even if his colleagues were trampled for his own sess.¡± Jaeyol cursed and swore at Kwon. He med not only Kwon but also his boss, the chief of the cultural affairs department of Seoul Broadcasting. ¡°I don¡¯t think Kwon should ever be allowed to advance his career. The more he bes powerful, the more those around him will be hurt,¡± Jaeyol said. Hyunwoo was surprised as if he had the back of his head hit hard by somebody. But he was prudent. He felt it was too hasty to judge the character of Kwon only based on Jaeyol¡¯s criticism. ¡°Well, that may be a rumor,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°It could be. But I can assure you that Kwon and his boss are the worst. If you are in doubt, just ask any producer of the cultural affairs department to confirm what I said.¡± But Hyunwoo didn¡¯t feel it necessary to confirm. If he had another chance to do business with them, he would certainly rule them out. But this time, his deal with Kwon was already done. He could not cancel because of Kwon¡¯s personality. ¡°It¡¯s a done deal, brother. Just forget about it and drink some beer.¡± Hyunwoo tried to break the ice and change the topic. Only then did Jaeyol make a bright smile again and said, ¡°Oh, sure. Haha. Let me take you to another bar this time. The bill is on me.¡± Jaeyol took him to an expensive bar with magnificent interior and pretty waitresses. ¡°I like a in bar better. Let¡¯s have a drink.¡± ¡°Oh, I want to have a fling with a woman, man. I feel lonely these days.¡± Jaeyol then forcibly led him into the bar. He ordered high-end whiskey and had pretty hostesses serve them. In fact, Hyunwoo was in his element in an environment like this. What the heck. Let me enjoy as much as I can since I¡¯m here anyway. Hyunwoo just rxed, drank whiskey, and made physical contact with the hostess serving him. As time went on, the two hostesses became much more sensual. They took turns taking off their clothes and putting their hands into Jaeyol and Hyunwoo¡¯s pants. It was natural that Jaeyol and Hyunwoo were turned on in that erotic mood. Hyunwoo originally had no sexual desire, but now he badly wanted to have sex with the woman serving him even if he had to pay for it. At that moment, his phone buzzed. With an intoxicated eye, he checked out the caller. Then he opened his bloodshot eyes wider. Oh, I forgot I promised to meet Yu Zuung. Hepletely slept on his promise while he talked with Jaeyol over drink and got carried away with the sensuality of the hostesses. It was almost midnight. Hyunwoo came out of the bar to answer the call from Yu Zuung. ¡°Sorry, I was going to call you. Where are you now?¡± Hyunwoo spoke in a slow but clear voice to avoid slurring. But Yu Zuung already got wind of that. ¡°Looks like you were drinking.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah. I met an acquaintance of mine this afternoon. Where are you? I cane now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m almost at my studio house. Don¡¯te if you find it hard to stop by. You cane next time.¡± ¡°No, not at all. Let mee to your ce right now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t drive yourself. You¡¯re drunk.¡± Hyunwoo scratched his head as she found out he was drunk. ¡°Got it. Let me call a chauffeur then.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo came into the bar and said goodbye to Jaeyol. Jaeyol protested, ¡°How did you get that way? I¡¯m going to treat you by all means today. If you don¡¯t like thisdy here, let me change.¡± ¡°No, brother. I have another appointment.¡± ¡°Which appointment?¡¯ Jaeyol tried to hold him, telling him not to lie. But Hyunwoo could not tell him about his appointment with Yu Zuung. ¡°Do you really think I¡¯m leaving because I am beholden to you? I really have a very important appointment, brother. If you keep holding me like this, that makes me ufortable.¡± Only then did Jaeyol let go of him. ¡°Oh, man. I was going to have a fling with you tonight. Well, we can meet at another time. Haha.¡± Hyunwoo parted with him and called for a chauffeur who could take him to Yu Zuung¡¯s house. It took about 30 minutes for him to arrive at her studio. When he arrived, he sent her a text message. Though he wanted to call her, he didn¡¯t want to wake her up if she was already asleep. In less than ten seconds he sent the message, his phone buzzed. Hyunwoo¡¯s heart sank. In fact, her one-room studio was not unfamiliar to him. He had been to this ce before. On such asions, there were only two of them in the room. Sometimes, they ordered roasted chicken to celebrate her birthday party. But all that happened during the day. Hyunwoo was not drunk at all. But now was different. It was toote at night. And Hyunwoo was drunk. Chapter 246

Chapter 246

Lots of strange thoughts ran through his head. Under the influence of liquor, he could not control his sexual desire. He didn¡¯t want to hold it back anymore. Given the chance, he wanted to seize it. Rather, he badly wanted to create the chance to have sex with her. Actually, Yu Zuung gave him such a chance. ¡°You¡¯re now famous. I¡¯m afraid you might get entangled in a scandal because of me. I think you had better be careful as I take off my maskter.¡± That was a usible excuse to bring him into her studio. But she didn¡¯t seem afraid he could have a scandal in her own studio. Or she might want it deep inside. In fact, he knew her sincere feelings about him. As Suji was dating him, Yu Zuung could not show him her love. But now was different. Either Yu Zuung or Hyunwoo had no reason to hold back their desire. ¡°Come to think of it, you¡¯re right. Let mee to your studio then. Do you have beer in the refrigerator?¡± ¡°No, you¡¯ll have to buy some.¡± Hyunwoo headed for a supermarket. He quickened his steps as if he were impatient. He bought canned beer and side dishes then went into her studio. She worefortable clothes: an off-the-shoulder blouse and hot pants. If she satfortably, one shoulder was naked. Though it was cold outside, her studio was warm. The clinked their canned beers together. When Hyunwoo drank, Yu Zuung watched him with a happy smile. And then she picked up some peanuts and put them in his mouth. When he didn¡¯t refuse and enjoyed the peanuts, she made a bright smile, hiding her mouth with hand as if she was so happy. ¡°In fact, I wanted to do this for you.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s heart was throbbing at that. He readily responded before he knew. ¡°Well, so did I.¡± Only then did she drink a bit of beer. She seemed to want something when she cast a nce at him. Hyunwoo picked up some peanuts tactfully. She took them and smiled, twisting her body. He could not take his eyes off her body. When he was just looking at her, she blushed as if she were intoxicated with a smile. ¡°It looks like you drank a lot already.¡± ¡°Oh, not that much. Just good enough for our pleasant moods.¡± Was it because of an erotic mood? He stopped talking for the moment, and she looked from one eye to the other. When her gaze met his, she smiled again. ¡°You must be quite tired these days, right?¡± ¡°Yea, I am, but I don¡¯t feel it so hard because I find it so interesting. Have you seen me dancing on the stage?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Am I dancing better now?¡± As if she found a good topic, she kept talking excitedly, and he chimed in. As they were so happy to talk like that, they were unaware of the passage of time, and they drank all the canned beer. ¡°I wish I had bought more beer. Can I go out and buy more?¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Oh, no. I get easily drunk. I¡¯m afraid I will get more tired if I drink more.¡± ¡°I see. Have a good sleep.¡± Hyunwoo awkwardly stood up. Yu Zuung also stood up as if to see him off. Hyunwoo walked up to the porch when Yu Zuung asked with effort, ¡°Where are you going to sleep?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to check in to an inn nearby.¡± Hyunwoo stopped walking and looked at her. In fact, he didn¡¯t want to go out. He wanted to sleep with her here. Maybe she might want it, too. He asked bluntly like a joke, ¡°Won¡¯t you let me sleep here?¡± Yu Zuung¡¯s eyes opened wide. Though she didn¡¯t say no, it seemed she was not ready yet. As if clear the awkward atmosphere, Hyunwoo said with augh, ¡°Haha. It¡¯s a joke. You don¡¯t have to take it too seriously. How can I ask a reluctantdy to put me up?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I mean...¡± Yu Zuung answered quickly, but could not continue easily. And then she resumed as if she found an excuse. ¡°My room is too small...¡± she said with a bright smile. Hyunwoo smiled and touched her face with his hand. ¡°You¡¯re right. You could put me up if you had arger room. Goodnight.¡± Now he was putting on his shoes as if he meant to leave. But she said again with an impatient voice, ¡°Can you sleep on my bed? I can sleep on the floor.¡± In fact, it didn¡¯t matter if Hyunwoo had to sleep on the floor. He didn¡¯t want to leave, above all. ¡°Okay, then. You sleep on the bed, and let me sleep on the floor.¡± ¡°No, I feel ufortable with that. Please sleep on the bed.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t. Please can you sleep there?¡± They had some more sparring on that. At one point, they took the nket away from each other as if either of them decided to sleep on the floor. As soon as she spread the quilts on the floor, hey down on it. ¡°Thanks. Sofortable here.¡± ¡°Please get up. Let me sleep there.¡± Hyunwoo didn¡¯t get up and then closed his eyes as if to tell her he was determined. Was it the reason? She didn¡¯t argue anymore. Then, she quietly climbed onto the bed. She didn¡¯t take off her clothes, of course. Hyunwoo heard the swishing noise whenever she pulled up the thin wool nket on the bed. Hyunwoo closed his eyes but could not go to sleep partly because he was tired and partly because he was drunk. But his nerves were on edge because of her. He could hear even her rough breathing, who seemed as tense as he was. There was some silence in the room. And then she cautiously asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you ufortable?¡± ¡°No, not at all.¡± ¡°I feel ufortable. Can youe up on my bed?¡± Suddenly, his eyes opened. She might have said that because she wanted to sleep on the floor instead. But Hyunwoo wanted to make physical contact with her, and this couldn¡¯t be a better excuse. ¡°Really?¡± said he, getting up. And then he quicklyy down beside her even before she could move at all. Her bed was a single-size bed, giving no more space at all when Hyunwooy down beside her. As he had to squeeze in, he got his body inevitably close to her body. As he had to lie on one side, he put his elbow on his head and looked at her. With surprise, she tried to get up quickly. But he gently pressed down her shoulder with his hand. ¡°Wait a moment...¡± She stopped then froze like ice. ¡°Can you just lie down like this for a moment?¡± She didn¡¯t reply. She was getting tense. She might be scared. When he climbed onto her bed, he wanted to have sex with her. When he saw her scared look, he felt he could not touch her body recklessly. Hyunwoo quietly looked at her. He found her body stiffened as if to show how scared she was. Hyunwoo asked in a whisper, ¡°Are you scared?¡± At that moment, she felt a tense moment that overwhelmed her all along seemed to disappear. Her eyes, fixed on the ceiling, now began to move to him naturally. She shook her head very slowly and said, ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°Why are you so scared then? Are you afraid I¡¯m going to have sex with you?¡± ¡°I have no idea. Maybe this is the first time. It¡¯s the first time I havey in bed with a man...¡± ¡°Do you want me to get off?¡± She shook her head. She didn¡¯t try to get off either. She just looked at him with that peculiar sad shine in her eyes. Silencested again. But they continued tomunicate with their eyes, as if they wanted to express something that they could not through actual dialogue. Suddenly, they felt something inmon deep inside. As if to confirm that, Hyunwoo asked, ¡°Can I kiss you?¡± Chapter 247

Chapter 247

She was answering Hyunwoo¡¯s gesture with her eyes. And that shine in her eyes drew him in. Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes were on her lips, which were red as if she did put on lipstick for him. He approached her very closely. And she turned her head very slowly in response. He didn¡¯t think or hesitate. As soon as she closed her eyes, he kissed her. Was it because he was drunk? Was it because he was enraptured by her beauty? Was it because he was carried away in the sight of her sensual lips? The moment she touched his shoulder gently, he released all sense of reason. He moved his body ording to his own instincts. His lips constantly coveted her breathing, and his hands never stopped touching her face, neck, shoulder, and belly. And at some point, he was grasping her bosom in spite of himself, and at another, he was touching her body beneath her clothes. There was no hesitance in his moves. Even for a moment when she was trying to pull away, he instantly pulled her back against him. On the other hand, she was like a meek sheep. Though she trembled as if all her body was tense, she just followed without any resistance whenever he asked for something. When he took off her clothes, she moved her body here and there as if to help him do so. The more she did, the more impatient he was. He took off her clothes, threw them on the bed and took off his own clothes. Then, he moved, following his own instincts. When his body touched hers, his sexual desire grew stronger instantly. He tried to explore her whole body as if he had been setting his eye on it for a long time. He heard there was something like sexualpatibility between a man and a woman. If that was true, their sexualpatibility could not be better. The moment he had sex with her, he felt a thrill as if he got electrically shocked. He had sex with several women including Suji, but it was the first time he had sex like this. While they had sex, he couldn¡¯t think of anything else. The next morning, Hyunwoo opened his eyes. He felt he had not had a sound sleep like that in a long time. Yu Zuung was not in the room. He heard from herst night that she had a working schedule this afternoon. Looks like she was out to buy some food. He guessed right. She came in when he was stretching. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Did you buy breakfast food?¡± ¡°Sorry, I couldn¡¯t prepare breakfast. Here is some gimbap (dried seaweed rolls) and fish cake soup for you. Do you like it?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± She took off her overcoat and took out a tray. When he saw her taking it off, he felt strong sexual desire again. She put down the tray with the food then he took her hands and pulled her into his arms. With a surprised look she asked, ¡°Oh my god! What are you going to do?¡± Instead of replying, he put her on the bed and pressed on her. Then he smiled and said, ¡°I want to make love with you again.¡± But she pushed him off. ¡°I feel a bit tired now. Let¡¯s do itter.¡± ¡°I am not. I¡¯m full of desire at the moment.¡± He then gently pressed her body with his hips into hers to confirm it. He was still in underwear, so she must have felt his fully erect penis touching her buttocks. Still, she gently pushed him from her and said, ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m still in pain.¡± Hyunwoo was quite surprised to hear that. Come to think of it, she said it was the first time she had sex with a man. Though she didn¡¯t mention it directly, she said that it was the first time she had every in bed with a man. But he was treating her like a beastst night... ¡°Oh, sorry. I should have given it a thought. Are you still in a lot of pain?¡± ¡°Not that much, but I felt good,¡± she said with a smile. Hyunwoo let go of her body, with an apologetic expression on her face. She then rose from bed and pinched his cheek gently, ¡°So cute. You don¡¯t have to feel sorry. I was so happy. Let¡¯s eat now. I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°Sure, why not?¡± *** After arriving back in Ansan, Hyunwoo was lovestruck for a while. Lovestruck with thoughts of Yu Zuung. Since he spent one night with her, he longed to see her again. That was a very special feeling that he hadn¡¯t experienced when he dated Suji. It was literally something like a thirst that he could not stand anymore. He had no reason to stand it any longer. Only a couple of hours¡¯ drive would get him to Seoul to see her. The problem was that she was too busy. As she gained increasing poprity, she was on a tight schedule. Some days, she had to work until the wee hours of the morning. On such days, he unconditionally drove to Seoul and made love with her until he was exhausted. No matter how tired he was, he found good stamina again when he saw her. Yu Zuung also missed him very much. Because of his dating her, Hyunwoo¡¯s routine schedule changed a lot. In the past, he got up early in the morning and did a morning workout before checking out his daily schedule. These days he drove to Seoul when he was done and woke up around noon the next day after he had sex with her. Today, too, it was already broad daylight when he woke up. He took her to her manager and went down to Ansan. Though he did have sex with her untilte into the night, he didn¡¯t feel tired at all. He felt as if she regained stamina for him while making love. Nheless, he seemed to look tired in others¡¯ eyes. When his mother Jisook saw him, she said with a concerned look, ¡°Didn¡¯t you sleep well? You look tired these days.¡± ¡°Really? Maybe because I had a drinktest night,¡± said Hyunwoo, avoiding her question. As if she felt sorry for him, she continued, ¡°Tut, tut. I think you¡¯re tired as you are not yet married. I don¡¯t want to say this, but it¡¯s time you got married. A man can find stability only when he gets married and has a family.¡± Hyunwoo just smiled at that. His parents have never mentioned marriage to him before. Hearing her talking to him like that, he felt ¡®Oh, I¡¯m old enough to get married now.¡¯ ¡°Got it, mom. Where is Dad?¡± ¡°He has not yete back from his research room,¡± she said with a worried look. ¡°Today again?¡± It¡¯s the third time Duyoung, his father, hadn¡¯te back home due to his research. ¡°I am just worried he is too much into it these days. What if he damages his health?¡± ¡°You bet. Can I forcibly bring him back?¡± ¡°Do you think you can bring him back? How about moving our house nearer his research room? It will be more convenient for you tomute to the office, and I think I can spend more time there...¡± ¡°Got it. Let me build a house near there.¡± Hyunwoo answered immediately as if he didn¡¯t need to listen to her logic any more. He called Sanggon Ahn, the builder that he knew very well, and asked him to build a house near the research center. When he decided to move, Yu Zuung came to his mind. If he moved, she would have to move, too. Though she was living in Seoul because of Temptation, she would go back to her routine once its poprity went down and her schedule was not as tight as before. He didn¡¯t want to send her back to the dorm. He wanted to arrange a separate room for her when the new house waspleted. In that case, he could have as many great nights with her as possible. Can I build a house for her on this asion? He felt good when he thought she would have a house of her own. He could visit it and hug her anytime. Yea, Let me build one for her nearby. Who knows that house might be our matrimonial home? Hahaha. He smiled, imagining it for himself. Looking at him, Jisook said, ¡°Do you like it so much as you are nning to move?¡± ¡°Well, I want Dad to have afortable living. Haha. Let me go to his office. I think he needs some rest now.¡± ¡°That sounds good. He¡¯ll listen to you.¡± Hyunwoo headed for the research center. He found his father totally focused on his research. He even locked the door to block his assistant students from entering it. Only then did Hyunwoo feel something unusual. Did he make any breakthrough in his research? He felt most probably that his father did. But what was more important was his health. Even though he seeded in his research and discovered great stuff, it would be meaningless if he lost his health. Hyunwoo knocked on the door of his research room. ¡°It¡¯s me, Hyunwoo. Dad!¡± After knocking on it for a while, Duyoung appeared. As he expected, his father had a thick beard and his face was filthy as if he hadn¡¯t washed for several days. ¡°You¡¯re going to damage your health. Take a break.¡± ¡°I¡¯m taking a break on and off. Don¡¯t worry.¡± He was about to close the door when Hyunwoo asked him quickly, ¡°Did you find something good?¡± ¡°I have no idea. I think I have to do a little more experimentation.¡± Duyoung avoided his question, but he instantly felt it. He had never seen his father¡¯s eyes sparkling that much. Chapter 248

Chapter 248

Hyunwoo just scratched his head. He felt as he had been kicked out by his father. He didn¡¯t feel any regret about it, though. He was just worried that his father might lose his health by being overzealous. Let me take care of his health more often. Since then, Hyunwoo visited his father¡¯s research room a couple of times per week In particr, he made sure his father eat dinner by all means. ¡°Let me wait here until you finish the meal.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re bothering me too much these days.¡± Though he was bothered, he gave in, Even after the meal Hyunwoo still bothered him. ¡°You have to have rest at least 30 minutes after eating.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got something to experiment with. Let me go back quickly.¡± ¡°No, you can¡¯t. Rest at least 30 minutes. If you don¡¯t want me to bother you, you have to take care of yourself well.¡± After all, Duyoung gave up. What was important in experimentation was not how long he could do it but the timing of his experiments. If Hyunwoo held him at the right timing of experiment and he couldn¡¯tplete his experiments, that would be a big loss to him. ¡°Okay, son. Let me promise. So, don¡¯t harass me any more.¡± ¡°You promise that you will have a meal and go to sleep on time, right? I¡¯ll check with mom on this every day.¡± ¡°Got it, son.¡± Only then did he let go of his father. In order not to be caught by Hyunwoo, he took 30 minutes¡¯ rest after a meal and slept at a regr hour. Hyunwoo found it hard to wrestle with his father on that, too. It was not just because of his father but because of Yu Zuung. Ah, I can¡¯t wait to see her. Maybe he wanted to see her to quench his sexual desire. Whenever he thought of her, he wanted to hold her tight rather than just seeing her. He just thought of her naked body, which turned him on all the more. He couldn¡¯t stand it. He couldn¡¯t go to sleep when he thought about her. But his father stood in the way. If his father would not have given in after three days, Hyunwoo would have done so first. Finally, he was freed from his father. Hyunwoo checked out Yu Zuung¡¯s schedule immediately. She is done at eleven tonight. And she starts working at ten am tomorrow. That was enough. He drove to Seoul early in the morning. There were lots of people who wanted to see him in Seoul. He split his time to see them from noon till evening during his stay in Seoul. And when it struck 11 pm, he was done with his appointments for the day and sent her a text message. His heart began to pound. He quickly bought canned beer and snacks and headed for her studio. She was waiting for him, in a pretty dress. As the dress was short and too revealing. Apparently, she wanted to tempt him sexually. He dly responded. After having some beer, he approached her with the exuse of putting some snacks into her mouth and then got her down quickly. ¡°Oh my god, what are you doing?¡± she whined. But she was all happy. Though she was pushing him with both hands, she was actually caressing him. ¡°Stand still. Let me check out what you¡¯re hiding beneath your clothes.¡± ¡°What am I hiding? Oops, you¡¯re tickling me,¡± she said, guffawing. ¡°Look at this! I see you are hiding this good stuff. Let me take it out.¡± As if her body were a treasure, he meticulously began to lick her body from head to foot, taking off his clothes piece by piece. She was also enjoying his touch. Whenever she had a chance she touched his naked body and hugged him very tightly. Her attraction was too strong, to say the least. Who said if a woman was too beautiful, she could cause the downfall of a country? He heard that the emperor or king often ruined his country because of a woman. When he heard such a story in the past, he thought it was no more than an exaggeration. When he experienced Yu Zuung, however, he felt he could understand it. Once anyone got infatuated with a woman like Yu Zuung, he could not get out of it. Sometimes, Hyunwoo thought of Suji. It was not because he missed her. Why didn¡¯t he feel any strong longing for her then? Of course, there was some difference in the situation then. Suji¡¯s house was right next to his, so he could see her anytime he wanted. But Yu Zuung was far away in Seoul, and he could not see her anytime. Obviously, Yu Zuung had some special spell he could not find in Suji. He carefully checked her schedule, and whenever he had free time, he drove to Seoul to see her and made love to her until he was exhausted. But as time went on, he saw her less and less. Initially, he saw her every other day, but these days he could not see her twice a week. It was not because his love of her cooled off. She was simply too busy because of Temptation. The song had finally ranked on top of the music chart. Based on the total rankings of the three major broadcastingpanies, Temptation was the top winner. It also received a good reception in China and Japan. Thanks to this, Yu Zuung was on a very tight schedule that Hyunwoo could not control at all. The more popr the song became. The more it generated the viewers¡¯ interest in the identities of the masked dancers. As expected, one of the dancers Jiah was already identified byizens. Now, only two masked dancers were the subject of intense attention. The media was calling for the disclosure of the two. Hyunwoo weighed that decision. Can I disclose Yu Zuung first? At that moment, he received a call from Producer Kwon with Seoul Broadcasting. Hyunwoo rightly thought of the Ani & Funny program he promised to him, whose production was underway with Kwangsu Han, the representative of Real Film, fully engaged as the film director. But the reason Kwon called him was outrageous. He didn¡¯t mention Ani & Funny at all. ¡°Hyunwoo, I want to ask you about the masked dancers. Can you reveal them to Seoul Broadcasting?¡± As for the masked dancers, he already promised to give it to Jaeyol Song with Korean Broadcasting, so there was nothing he could do. Hyunwoo tly rejected it. ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t do so.¡± Kwon didn¡¯t easily give up. Just like a reporter he persistently kept at it. But Hyunwoo rejected his request without hesitation. ¡°Can you stop talking about the masked dancers? It¡¯s my judgment call, as you know.¡± Only then did Kwon let out a sign and said, ¡°Phew, as you insist, I can¡¯t force you anyway.¡± But this time Kwon¡¯s question was even more preposterous. ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve got a question. Do you know anyone who lives in Dongsung Vi?¡± Suddenly, he felt a sting in the heart. Dongsung Vi was a ce where Yu Zuung had a studio. On the other hand, Hyunwoo was suspicious about Kwon. Why did he suddenly bring up Dongsung Vi? What¡¯s more surprising was Kwon knew he sometimes visited that ce. When Hyunwoo thought as far as that, his eyes sparkled sharply. Pretending not to know anything about it, Hyunwoo replied, ¡°What the hell are you talking about? Dongsung Vi?¡± ¡°Well, I had a tipoff that you often visited that ce. Do you have a lover there by any chance?¡± Hyunwoo felt as if the back of his neck stiffened. Hearing his questions, he felt intimidated. Jaeyol¡¯s warning about him was correct. Now Hyunwoo turned on a recorder, just in case. And he responded in a chilly voice, ¡°I don¡¯t care about such a tipoff. I¡¯m just curious why you¡¯re so interested in my personal affairs. I don¡¯t think you are close enough to me to ask that kind of question.¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo felt Kwon flinched. But Kwon cleared his throat and tried to bluff again. ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand me. As I¡¯m a reporter, I can¡¯t stand it. I see lots of beautiful women entertainers at my ce, but I¡¯ve never seen such beauty. Did you see her at Dongsung Vi?¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s face hardened. His eyes were shining coldly and the bridge of his nose was slightly trembling. Now Kwon¡¯s purpose was clearly to negotiate with him with the threat that he knew Hyunwoo¡¯s weak point. ¡°I think you are wasting your breath. I don¡¯t want to talk to you anymore. Let me hang up now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think if I know about the rumor already, others also know that, too? I¡¯m not going to make a report on that, but others may think differently. Why don¡¯t you release the identities of the masked dancers to Seoul Broadcasting? Let me try my best to stop the story about Dongsung Vi and your alleged affiliation with the woman there.¡± In short, Kwon was threatening him. If Hyunwoo didn¡¯t disclose the masked dancers to Seoul Broadcasting, he would let the story about Yu Zuunge out through other outlets. ¡°I¡¯m very disappointed. In my mind, I gave you a nice scoop for you and Seoul Broadcasting, but you stabbed me in the back like this.¡± ¡°Oh, no, this is not a stab in the back. I¡¯m saying this for you. You are going to disclose their identities in time, right? If you disclose it to us and forge good rtions with us, isn¡¯t it good for you and our broadcastingpany?¡± Kwon tenaciously tried to have Hyunwoo give in, thinking his weak point would force him to do so. But that was Kwon¡¯s miscalction. Hyunwoo had no reason to reveal his affair with Yu Zuung on purpose, but he wouldn¡¯t care even if it was disclosed. Hyunwoo and Yu Zuung were in love anyway. Hyunwoo would take care of her to the end no matter what happened. Hyunwoo asked bluntly, ¡°What if I refuse your request?¡± ¡°Oh, no. If someone saw me talking with you like this, he would assume I am trying to negotiate with you regarding your personal affairs.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it that what you¡¯re doing now? I think so.¡± ¡°No way, how dare I ...?¡± ¡°Enough. Let me stop there. The thing is I won¡¯t reveal their identities through Seoul Broadcasting..¡± When Hyunwoo said that, Kwon intensified his pressure on him gradually. But that was something that would bring trouble upon himself. Hyunwoo now gave him an ultimatum. ¡°I don¡¯t know which woman you¡¯re talking about now, but just go ahead and reveal her identity if you want. I have nothing to do with that.¡± Kwon was trying to respond, but Hyunwoo didn¡¯t stop yet. Hyunwoo thought he should give a gift to someone like Kwon who stabbed him in the back for his favor. And he gave him the gift Kwon deserved. ¡°I¡¯m going to end my association with Seoul Broadcasting as of today. And I¡¯m going to give my special program on Ani & Funny to Korean Broadcasting.¡± Stunned at his announcement, he asked, ¡°Why are you giving the program to Korean Broadcasting?¡± Chapter 249

Chapter 249

¡°We live on each other¡¯s trust. I don¡¯t want to do business with anyone who stabs me in the back for my favor. By the way, I would like to let you know that our conservation is now being recorded. I don¡¯t have any thing else to say to you.¡± ¡°President Jang, please don¡¯t...¡± Though he heard Kwon¡¯s urgent voice on the other end, he hung up the phone, pretending not to have heard it. And then he called the head of the cultural affairs department of Seoul Broadcasting. Hyunwoo felt he was conceited while hearing the director¡¯s voice over the phone. He seemed to think he was in a domineering position,pared to Hyunwoo. Like Kwon, he seemed to think he knew Hyunwoos¡¯ weak point. Giggling at him, Hyunwoo mumbled, Obviously, this is the coboration of this guy and Kown. As Jaeyol said, there are really nasty people. ¡°Who is this? I know you¡¯re President Hyunwoo Jang, right? Howe you called me directly like this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m so disappointed. Let me cancel my agreement with you on the Ani & Funny program.¡± ¡°What the heck are you talking about?¡± the stunned director shouted Hyunwoo exined to him about his conversation with Kwon. He said he was very disappointed and that he had no intention to do business with thepany Kwon was affiliated with. The director was certainly embarrassed. There was no more conceit in his voice. He said in a tense voice, ¡°I don¡¯t think you need to cancel the program. You have to pay the cancetion fee if you go ahead.¡± Hyunwoo snorted at that. The cancetion fee was less than 10 million at most. Even if he filed a im for damages, it would not go over 100 million won. ¡°Just go ahead and ask for the cancetion fee. I will bring awsuit.¡± ¡°Oh my... are you thinking of awsuit? Ani & Funny will lose it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to bring awsuit to win. I just want to disclose the repugnant activities of Seoul Broadcasting in the legal process. I have recorded my conversation with Producer Kwon. So, you¡¯ll lose more than I if I bring awsuit.¡± Hyunwoo spoke out without hesitation. His words were not a mere bluffing. It was true he recorded the conversation, and he would certainly bring awsuit if Seoul Broadcasting asked for the cancetion fee. Only then did the director soften his position, ¡°I think Producer Kwon behaved rudely to you. I didn¡¯t know he acted like that. Let me apologize to you on his behalf.¡± Hyunwoo curled his lips at that. Obviously, the director realized that Hyunwoo had the upper hand now. But Hyunwoo felt he didn¡¯t need to show any generosity to people like him. ¡°I don¡¯t want to ept your verbal apology. I¡¯m too much hurt for that.¡± ¡°Do you want anything from us?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m just disappointed with Seoul Broadcasting. As I clearly conveyed my intention to you, let me hang up the phone now. By the way, don¡¯t fail to ask for the cancetion fee.¡± And then Hyunwoo hung up the phone. After the call, he pondered over what would happen next. Seoul Broadcasting had two options: bow to Hyunwoo or fight with him. If they decided to fight with Hyunwoo, they would release the name of Yu Zuung, the woman with a studio in Dongsung Vi. Even if they disclosed her, it would not necessarily be revealed that she was the same woman as the masked dancer of the music video. Still, that disclosure would deal a blow to Hyunwoo in one way or another. I think I have to steal their thunder. Hyunwoo thought it was about time to disclose her face. He called Jaeyol and said, ¡°Brother, let me disclose the face of another masked dancer during your live music show this week. Can you prepare for the report as soon as her face is disclosed?¡± ¡°Really? Sounds good. Let¡¯s meet now.¡± Hyunwoo also called Jinyoung Paek who was taking care of all the schedules of Yu Zuung rted to the music video Temptation. ¡°Hey, Brother Jinyoung. I¡¯m going to disclose one of the masked dancers during the live music show on Korean Broadcasting this week. I think this is the right time.¡± ¡°Got it. It¡¯s going to make a big fuss.¡± Live music show MusicQ was due three dayster. Hyunwoo¡¯s sudden decision embarrassed the main producer of MusicQ and other people involved. But they didn¡¯tin. ¡°Hey, make the preview trailer again. Put the announcement on the disclosure of the masked dancer upfront. We have no time. Hurry up!¡± And they put out the pre-notice on the MusicQ program as early as in the afternoon of that day. The pre-notice was usually broadcast a couple of times per day, but it came out several times a day since they decided to disclose the face of the masked dancer. Naturally, the viewers were excited to hear that. ¡°Wow, finally one of the masked dancers is showing her face!¡± Three dayster, the live music show was finally due on air. The average ratings of MusicQ, the signature music program of Korean Broadcasting, was 7%. But on the day when one of the masked dancers was disclosing her face, it reached as high as 29%, based on the calctions by Korean Broadcasting. That showed how much the general public was interested in it. Now came the moment of deciding which song would be ranked the top among the three contenders. But the viewers were not interested in the winner, but who the masked dancer was. Temptation was ced in thetter half of the program, so the viewers could not take their eyes off the music program to the end. Finally, the main singer and masked dancers appeared on the stage when the lights were turned off and on. Unlike the pre-notice, the dancers had on masks. The music was yed, and the dancers began to dance. In the middle of the music, the masked dancer on the far right put her hand on the mask. As the mask was the smallest of the three, her face was rtively revealed more than others. But she was the dancer the viewers were most curious about because they assumed she was a stunning beauty. The dancer gently held her mask then took it off and put it on back. She danced to the music, repeating it several times. She didn¡¯t reveal her face fully, but at the same time, she showed it actually. The viewers could scarcely see her face, though, as if she were showing them a strip show with her mask as her underwear. At the end of the song, however, she took it offpletely and threw it away. Momentarily, she disclosed her beautiful face fully to the viewers. But itsted only a few seconds. When the music ended, the lights on the stage were turned off. She showed her face only two or three seconds, so the viewers could not confirm Yu Zuung¡¯s face urately. Still, they could confirm one thing. ¡°Wow! What a beauty!¡± ¡°How can she be so beautiful? Is she a singer or TV talent?¡± They immediately surfed the inte to get more information about her. Already there were lots of erged photos of Yu Zuung that they captured from her performance on the stage. The quality of the photos was bad, but still good enough to confirm her beauty. ¡°Wow, so beautiful. I guessed right.¡± ¡°Yea, her beauty is just awesome!¡± In no time, it was revealed that the dancer was Yu Zuung affiliated with Ani & Funny. But that was all that they could find out about her. There was no official photo of Yu Zuung on the inte. As Yu Zuung did not have any personal ount on SNS or a blog, they could not find any information about her. That was exactly what Hyunwoo wanted as far as the timing of disclosing her identity was concerned. Too early or toote disclosing would reduce the intended effects greatly. Hyunwoo quickly called Jaeyol. ¡°Hey, brother. Right now is the opportune time to release your reporting on the masked dancer.¡± ¡°Oh, finally. Sure. Let me get it out immediately.¡± Jaeyol broke the scoop right away. It contained not only her photos but also her personal information, allpiled and sent by Hyunwoo. From that moment all the telephone lines of Ani & Funny office were busy with calls from outside, begging for information about her. But Hyunwoo gave all the information only to Jaeyol and had his staff read a standard message. Thanks to Hyunwoo¡¯s help Jaeyol was yelling for joy. Not only reporters from other media but also those within Korean Broadcasting turned to him for further information about her. Even the general director of the newsroom of Korean Broadcasting called him in person and praised highly. ¡°I¡¯m amazed by your brilliant activities, Reporter Song. It looks like you¡¯re getting all the scoops. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re going to take my ce. Haha.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m ttered, sir. I have an interview appointment with Yu Zuung, the masked dancer in a minute. Any questions for her?¡± ¡°Nope. You¡¯re doing a good job, man.¡± ¡°Got it. Let me report back to you after the interview.¡± Jaeyol came out of the director¡¯s office and headed for the waiting room where Yu Zuung and Hyunwoo were waiting. ¡°Did I keep you waiting long?¡± ¡°No, not at all. Are you going to interview her?¡± ¡°Not me. A VJ with the entertainment department will do it. Shall we move?¡± Both followed Jaeyol. ¡°Is it possible that the interviewer can ask questions impromptu?¡± ¡°I gave him a reminder of your request.¡± ¡°What about the question that I gave you?¡± ¡°I put it in the questionnaire, of course.¡± Hyunwoo double-checked the interview questions carefully. Obviously, Jaeyol prepared the Q & A nicely. He made a list of questions that the viewers might have a great curiosity about, and then inserted some questions that Hyunwoo wanted the interviewer to ask. Chapter 250

Chapter 250

A littleter, the interview proceeded. Among the questions was one about Yu Zuung¡¯s lineage, which Hyunwoo wanted the interviewer to ask. ¡°I hear you have a Vienamese nationality. Are you from a Vietnamese family?¡± ¡°In fact, my great-grandfather was from a Chinese family, so Chinese blood is running in my body.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The interview was done without any difficulty and was on air in an entertainment program several dayster. Hyunwoo released everything about her. The first item was her pictorial. Hyunwoo had her photoshoot finished even before the music video ¡®Temptation¡¯ was released. He was convinced that she would certainly embrace a day like this. As soon as her pictorial was released, it drew an explosive interest from the public. It was sold as a special edition for 100,000 won and a general one for 30,000 on the inte. The special edition was downloaded five thousand times on average per day, and the general edition twenty thousand times on average every day. There were various reasons for the explosive demands for her pictorials. First of all, it was sold simultaneously in China, Japan, and Southeast Asia. Secondly, there were no official photos of Yu Zuung on the inte. Last but not least, Yu Zuung¡¯s beauty was a decisive factor in the explosive demands for her pictorial. She was just beauty itself from head to foot. In particr, the pictorial featured some particr parts of her body to underline her sexual attraction, which excited numerous men in Asia. Yu Zuung¡¯s sudden poprity invited other woman entertainers¡¯ jealousy. Some of them even tried to challenge her for a beauty contest. They put themselves next to her on purpose and made cute and sexy expressions. But their behavior like that only backfired. Most of the viewers just felt they were pitiful. ¡°Tut, tut. I thought she was pretty, but she is just nothing,pared with Yu Zuung.¡± ¡°What the heck? How weird Taehee¡¯s nose is! That¡¯s her soft side,pared with Yu Zuung¡¯s.¡± ¡°Wow, look at the stunning beauty of Yu Zuung! She just puts other talents in the shade.¡± As the general public praised her tremendously, other female entertainers tended to avoid her. They knew that their weak points inly came to light when they stood beside her, so they wanted to avoid it by all means. ¡°Are you sure Yu Zuung is also on the show? I don¡¯t want to be there.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t send our entertainers to the TV shows where Yu Zuung appears.¡± Despite this, Yu Zuung was always treated as a top guest on TV shows because her appearance was much more helpful in raising the ratings than ten other entertainers. There was once a hotpetition between two TV channels. One channel presented only Yu Zuung while the other presented several beautiful entertainers, but the viewers overwhelmingly watched Yu Zuung¡¯s channel. Some of the female entertainers confidently decided to appear with her on TV shows. But most of them wereedians or excellent actresses. Hyunwoo¡¯s second item about Yu Zuung was aggressive marketing of hermercial value in Vietnam and China. Her interview with the Korean Broadcasting music program was not only aired in Korea but also in Vietnam, her home country, and China. That was what Hyunwoo intended from the start. As expected, there was a fever of craze for Yu Zuung in Vietnam where the Korean pop wave was firing through the country. In China, her mention of her Chinese bloodline was actively promoted as ¡®a proud offspring of the Chinese people.¡¯ The craze for Yu Zuung was also pretty strong in Japan and Southeast countries. She woke to find herself an Asian star. Her poprity directly led to a steep increase in sales of her pictorial. As she gained increasing poprity, the masks and costumes that the masked dancers put on sold like hotcakes. And now her poprity began to spread to Europe and America. A magazine allegedly boasting of the biggest cirction in the world chose Yu Zuung as the No. 1 of the world¡¯s top 100 beauty. After the magazine article came out she was flooded with requests for her appearance on TV and other entertainment programs. Not only Asian but also American entertainment promoters were enthusiastic about getting her on their TV shows. Yu Zuung was literally swamped with all kinds of requests from TVs and entertainment agencies from around the world. Even she could not believe her sudden poprity. She felt as if it might disappear all of a sudden like mirage one day. But it was for real. Wherever she went, she was recognized by many people, who yelled for joy. No matter how much she split her schedule, she was basically too busy to take a break. Thanks to her poprity the rest of the masked dancers also enjoyed the intense attention of the public. In particr, Soyun Han was in the spotlight. Jiah was already identified by the press, so Soyun was the only one of the three masked dancers whose identity had remained veiled up to now. ¡°Who is that girl?¡± ¡°Her dancing is so sexy. I wonder if her face is just as sexy.¡± ¡°Why are they refusing to disclose her face?¡± Many people strongly asked Ani & Funny to disclose her face, and Hyunwoo felt that the time to disclose her face wasing closer. No matter how strongly they wanted her to disclose, Hyunwoo could not do it on his own. It was her judgment call, after all. Of course, he could ask her. He called Soyun to ask about her intention, ¡°When do you think is the best time to disclose your face?¡± ¡°I think you can disclose my face when the music video Temptation is ranked tenth and above of the Billboard Hot 100. You can announce it as a promise officially.¡± Billboard Hot 100 was the main chart that ranked the top 100 songs of the week the world over. As it was the stage for the world¡¯s top singers, it was reallymendable for a Korean singer to even get ranked within the top 100. ordingly, it would be a terrific achievement if Temptation could be included in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100. But Hyunwoo was not surprised. As Jinhon and Ang¡¯s Duckling Fly was still enjoying the top ce in the chart, he didn¡¯t think it a great goal for Temptation to get ranked as one of the top ten songs of the chart. Thanks to Yu Zuung¡¯s poprity Temptation was also gaining more and more poprity in the US market. So, it would be a matter of time to see it get traction on the Billboard chart. Hyunwoo thought he should seize the opportunity when it came along. So, he didn¡¯t make any further schedule for the masked dancers in the Korean market. As soon as they were done with all the existing performances, Hyunwoo decided to send them to America. He clenched his fists and said to Soyun, ¡°Got it. Be strong and hang in there! You are not alone here. No matter what happens, your colleagues will stand by and move with you.¡± ¡°Thanks so much!¡± Several dayster, Soyun came back to her studiote at night. As she was terribly busy workingte, she was exhausted. But she didn¡¯t feel tired because she knew her dream would being true sooner orter. She turned on the TV instead of going to bed. She monitored the Korean Broacasting¡¯s music program by pressing the rey button on the TV. Someone from Ani &Funny said in an interview like this: Yea, 10th ce in Billboard chart. she mumbled before she knew. She would not have achieved her dream if she had been stuck in her past. Her nightmare life during the past several years shed into her mind. And now the time was approaching for her to end it. Tears rained down her cheek, which were tears of joy, happiness and hope, above all. *** Hyunwoo went back to Ani & Funny office. When he entered, Kyungsu briefed him about the business report. ¡°I have received all the entries of the students¡¯ animation movie nning finally.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s face brightened at that. It was wee news that he had been waiting for with patience. Unlike short animated stories, it usually takes lots of time to produce an animated movie. First of all, it took a considerable period of time to review all the entries submitted to the open contest. Though the summary of a short story was only one page, an animated movie required at least three pages of summary and 30 pages of text. To save time, Hyunwoo had his staff work on the introduction of the movie only. He was thinking of a 60-minute ying time, but the first 20 minutes was produced based on the storyboard submitted by the students. He felt even that first portion was interesting enough to generate the people¡¯s attention. ¡°Really? Have they submitted the entries without any exception?¡± ¡°Yes, all the eleven teams submitted.¡± He wondered how interesting they were. But he had to wait. Even experts could not enjoy the movie production draftposed only of the storyboard. ¡°Just send them to the Vietnam branch. Let them make webtoons first. Based on that, let me select the final entries for movie production.¡± Kyunsu sent all the eleven entries to the Vietnam branch. Even though they were done with creating the storyboards, the students could not afford to have free time yet. There was lots of other work to do. Hyunwoo went down to the first floor to encourage them. But he didn¡¯t need to. They were so absorbed in working on other projects that they didn¡¯t know Hyunwoo was there. Come to think of it, it was natural that they bent over backwards like that. They clearly knew Hyunwoo gave them due cash rewards for their hard work. He came back upstairs in order not to disturb them and asked Kyungsu, ¡°I think we had better raise our cash awards for our students.¡± Chapter 251

Chapter 251

¡°How much do you have in mind?¡± asked Kyungsu. ¡°Please increase the cash prize for the top team to 20 million won. And then decrease the ratio of cash prizes down to eight million won for the team ranked 30th.¡± Kyungsu¡¯s eyes opened wide. ¡°That¡¯s double the cash prize the previous month. That means the total cash prizes amount to 400 million won per month. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too much?¡± ¡°Not a problem. We¡¯re making a lot of money, as you know.¡± That was true. Given the tremendous revenue Ani & Funny was raking in, 400 million won was far from a financial burden. Besides, some of the new series including ¡®Iron Worm¡¯ produced by the students were also generating revenue already. Somepanies signed contracts to use the design and advertisingpanies contacted Ani & Funny for contracts. In other words, thesepanies were trying to upy the market in advance. They had trust in Ani & Funny, so when they saw the mere sign of its works hitting gold, they were anxious to dominate the relevant markets ahead of other rivalpanies. Hyunwoo felt that the sessful contracts with them would generate a lot more revenue than the cash prizes paid to the students. So, he wanted to pay more to them to increase their motivation and morale. In fact, the size of the cash prizes was not that big because the cash would be divided evenly among the team members. Of course, the leader of the team would get more than his members, but not as much as they thought. For he might lose his members to another team if he was too greedy. ¡°What about the remaining 12 teams that failed to get in?¡± ¡°No cash prizes for them. They are receiving 800,000 won every month. If they want to get the cash prize, tell them to work harder to get ranked as one of the top 30 teams.¡± Kyungsu giggled at his words. It seemed that the students would want to burn the midnight oil to get in the list of the top 30 teams for the cash prize. In the meantime, Hyunwoo¡¯s cell phone buzzed pleasantly. It was a call from Jaeyun Hong, the team manager with Story Ma in charge of creating a new website devoted to animated movies. Hyunwoo answered the phone dly. ¡°Finally, I am done with the new website, Animoon. I tried it several times and found no errors whatsoever. I think we can open it anytime.¡± Hyunwoo was all smiled. There was a big dy in opening the site. Originally, it should have opened four months ago and should be up and running by now. But only now did Jaeyun fix all the errors. ¡°Phew. Thanks a lot for your hard work, Jaeyun.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee. Our job in this field is to find errors and fix them.¡± ¡°By the way, are you going to open the new website as scheduled?¡± ¡°No, I have dyed it for another two months.¡± ¡°Why? What¡¯s the matter?¡± said Jaeyun with a surprised look. With a heartyugh, Hyunwoo told him about a feature program about Ani & Funny that he originally proposed to Seoul Broadcasting. Jaeyun was also aware of that because Kwangsu, the representative of Real Film, hade to him to videotape the creating process of the Animoon website in connection with the featured program. ¡°Hearing what you said, I think you had better dy it then. By the way, am I included in the program? They videotaped me working on the website several times.¡± ¡°Of course, hahaha.¡± ¡°Really? It looks like my kids will like it very much. If you know the air time of the program, please let me know. I¡¯m going to watch it with my family.¡± ¡°Sure, will do.¡± Hyunwoo then called Kwangsu. ¡°Brother, are you still working on the featured program?¡± ¡°I am done with shooting most of the content, but find it rather hard to edit them. I think I need more time to make the picture more organized.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you videotaped interviews with the students, right?¡± ¡°Of course. They are the cream of the program.¡± ¡°Who did you interview?¡± Kwangsu checked out his notebook and called several names. As Hyunwoo expected, they were mostly those with personal stories but not chosen for their excellence. ¡°Please interview some more students,¡± said Hyunwoo. He gave Kwangsu the names of five students with great potential. Kyungsu and Sanggyu praised them highly, saying they would be ¡°big figures¡± in the animation field someday. This time Hyunwoo headed for KOVE DREAM when his phone buzzed. It was a call from a stranger. Tilting his head, Hyunwoo picked up the phone. The other party over the phone cautiously introduced himself. ¡°I¡¯m Producer Song Lim with the cultural affairs department of Seoul Broadcasting. I¡¯ve got something to tell you by all means. Can you take the time out to see me?¡± Hyunwoo made a frown at the word ¡®cultural affairs department of Seoul Broadcasting¡¯ because of his bad impressions of Producer Kwon and his boss. ¡°I don¡¯t have any reason to meet the producers of Seoul Broadcasting.¡± ¡°This is an important issue. We called you at the risk of being fired by ourpany. Please!¡± Hyunwoo tiled his head. Producer Song Lim referred to him as ¡®we,¡¯ which meant he and several others saw eye to eye to see Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo was also very curious about his mention of ¡®at the risk of being fired.¡¯ ¡°So, why do you want to see me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about Producer Kwon and the director of the cultural affairs department. No matter how important the ratings are, we believe the broadcastingpany should be the conscience of the times.¡± And then Song briefed Hyunwoo about what he and his colleagues were trying to do. Suddenly, Hyunwoo recalled what Jaeyol Song with Korean Broadcasting had told him before. Initially Hyunwoo thought Jaeyol¡¯s statement was exaggerated a bit, but that was true. I see. They must be stains on humanity. What the heck are they? In fact, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t feel it was a good idea for Song and his colleagues to tackle their own problems like this. They had to solve the issue within their own organization, win the mare or lose the halter. It was like inviting an outside enemy to ask for Hyunwoo¡¯s help in order to get rid of their internal enemy. On the other hand, their actions were understandable. The broadcastingpany was an important ce. As it was an organization with immense power, it could influence the society badly if they brandished a knife wrong. That¡¯s why Song and his colleagues decided to rebel. As they could not achieve their goal on their own, they turned to Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo thought this might be a good opportunity to take revenge on them. ¡°Got it. Let¡¯s meet then.¡± Song talked about where they would meet. It was an underground coffee shop, located far away from Seoul Broadcasting. Hyunwoo headed for that ce immediately. He found five producers including Song Lim waiting for him when he got there. They put on a tense look. As soon as their meeting with Hyunwoo was revealed, they would certainly be fired by Seoul Broadcasting. And that¡¯s why they decided to act as a group, not as an individual. When Hyunwoo took a seat, Song spoke on behalf of the other producers. He brought up the main topic right away. ¡°The director of the cultural department and Producer Kwon are pretty selfish guys. They would wield knives without batting an eye for their own ambition even if someone was killed.¡± That was what Jaeyol had told him exactly. Their conclusion was simple. Namely, if people like them were allowed to advance their careers, the world would be put in great chaos. Raising his hand, Hyunwoo cut off his words because he heard their bad rumors enough. It was time to talk about what to do next. ¡°So, what do you want from me?¡± ¡°This is a golden chance to get rid of them. Please don¡¯t give your special program on Ani & Funny to the cultural department of Seoul Broadcasting.¡± Hyunwoo now could figure out what they were asking for. Song continued, ¡°It was reported to the management that Producer Kwon threatened you by citing your personal affairs. Even the president now knows that¡¯s the main reason Seoul Broadcasting lost the program. And they¡¯re holding a disciplinarymittee to punish them now.¡± Hearing Song¡¯s exnation, Hyunwoo thought they deserved the punishment. Actually, he wanted to get back at them sharply, but they were set to receive punishment for their own wrongdoings. What was disappointing, though, was that only Kwon, not the director, would be punished, given the atmosphere of themittee. In some respects, it was the director, not Kwon, who should be punished more heavily because he incited Kwon to do so. ¡°Kwon is his right-hand man. Obviously, they will not punish Kwon harshly. And in due time the management will get him back to his original position and let bygones be bygones. Don¡¯t you think we have to stop that? I¡¯m afraid to say this as his colleague, but I think he should be expelled from the broadcasting field.¡± Hyunwoo was of the same opinion. Kwon was such a nasty guy. The more empowered he would be in the future, the more harm he would do to the society. ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± asked Hyunwoo. Chapter 252

Chapter 252

Just out of the conference room at Seoul Broadcasting, the director of the cultural department let out a long sigh. With his face pale, he had a cold sweat on his back. ¡°Phew, he¡¯s driving me crazy. Howe I¡¯m in this miserable position?¡± The situation was much more serious than he thought. The president openly announced that he would fire all the relevant people if they could not resolve the issue sessfully. Among them was the director, of course. Catching his breath, the director came back to his office. How can I appease Hyunwoo? He needed to know why Hyunwoo was so upset first. It was simple. Kwon recklessly touched on Hyunwoo¡¯s lover. Though he gave the direction to Kwon, he didn¡¯t expect Kwon to act recklessly. Anyhow someone should be responsible for what happened. The director let out a sigh. Phew, I have no other choice but to punish him, though he was my right-hand man. He might as well have a hard time for the time being. He called Producer Kwon. Kwon rushed to him quickly. Just like an opportunist, Kwon was already well aware of the serious atmosphere dominating the whole building of Seoul Broadcasting, caused by none other than himself. When he entered the director¡¯s office, Kwon tried to read his mind. The director looked gloomy, trying not to meet Kwon¡¯s eyes. After some heavy silence the director opened his mouth, ¡°Let me reassign you to a position in our provincial office. Just stay there for one year.¡± Kwon made a slight frown, though he expected some sort of discipline. Bowing deeply to him, Kwon said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I¡¯ve worried you. Anyway, let me restrain myself and wait for your next direction.¡± ¡°Yeah, stay there for the time being. If I can solve this problem well, let me bring you back here as soon as possible. You know how much I value you, right?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Just like I¡¯ve been relying on you up to now, I¡¯ll continue to do so.¡± On the same day, the director called him, Kwon was reassigned to the local branch of Seoul Broadcasting in Chongju City, his hometown. But Kwon¡¯s punishment was not the final solution. Only when Hyunwoo reversed his decision and gave his program about Ani & Funny back to Seoul Broadcasting could the director report to the president that the pending issue was solvedpletely. The director called Hyunwoo again. After several rings, Hyunwoo answered his phone. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Congrattions! I see the music video Temptation is all the rage these days. Yu Zuung is at an all-time high in terms of poprity. Looks like Ani & Funny is growing really fast.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Hyunwoo responded curtly, suggesting that he didn¡¯t want to talk with him. The director sincerely apologized. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry about what Producer Kwon did to you. Let me offer an apology to you on behalf of Seoul Broadcasting.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t ept your verbal apology.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s attitude was chilly enough to make the director feel anger. Controlling his anger, though, he continued to soothe Hyunwoo. ¡°I took the necessary action by punishing Kwon. He acted recklessly. So, he was reassigned to a post in a provincial city as of today. So, please calm down.¡± Hyunwoo didn¡¯t respond, though. The director felt as if he was being ignored by Hyunwoo. He persistently tried to persuade Hyunwoo. ¡°Please give us your original program proposal about Ani & Funny. I think if you maintain a good rtionship with Seoul Broadcasting, you won¡¯t lose anything, right?¡± ¡°I already suffered losses. And I am not satisfied with your disciplinary action like that. I don¡¯t have any intention to change my decision to let Korean Broadcasting make a special program about Ani & Funny. ¡°How can we satisfy you to reverse your decision then? As the director of the cultural department of Seoul Broadcasting, I think I have abased myself before you like this. Don¡¯t you think that is enough?¡± ¡°Well, I am not so sure. The thing is my impression of Seoul Broadcasting remains bad.¡± Hyunwoo didn¡¯t waver at all as if he took his position in stride. It was meaningless for the director to continue the dialogue with Hyunwoo. After the call, the director threw away the phone set and burst into anger. ¡°How can this guy have such an instic mind? Does he really want to take me?¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s face hardened after the call. In fact, he was a bit tense when he talked to the director. He knew it was not a good idea to fall out with a major broadcastingpany like Seoul Broadcasting. But he could not move as the director wanted him to. As the fight began, he needed to have it out with him. On the other hand, Hyunwoo trusted Song Lim and his colleagues now rebelling against Kwon and the director. He was convinced that both of them could be expelled from the broadcasting circlespletely. *** Duyoung Jang, Hyunwoo¡¯s father, was still stuck in his research office. He was absorbed in doing research on green oil for over four months now. By now, he must have been pretty exhausted, but he was still on the research as if he found a ray of hope. Hyunwoo let out a sigh. I wish he wouldn¡¯t hurt his health. Fortunately, his father kept the promise to Hyunwoo. He didn¡¯t skip meals and went to sleep at a regr time. Above all, his wife didn¡¯t worry that much about his health, which was a big reassurance to Hyunwoo. It was already dark outside. Hyunwoo went back to Ani & Funny office and had dinner with them. And then he headed for Seoul, timed with Yu Zuung¡¯sst schedule of the day. He arrived at her studio a bit earlier, which was full of her fragrance. A littleter she came back. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re in already, president.¡± ¡°Just call me brother when you are with me alone.¡± ¡°Got it, brother. Hoho,¡± she replied with a bright smile. He felt her so lovely at that moment. While he was looking at her, he felt some strong sexual desire arousing in his heart. Unable to stand it, he hugged her all of a sudden. ¡°Ooops, let me wash my body first.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°I had lots of sweat today.¡± ¡°I like to smell it.¡± ¡°Not me, brother!¡± Yu Zuung began to whine, but very briefly. Then she became silent. When Hyunwoo unbuttoned her clothes and groped her body, she now actively responded to his moves. It was only three days ago that he had sex with her, but he missed her so much that he felt he couldn¡¯t wait much longer. If he could have his way, he wanted toe to her every day and hug her. But she was too busy to be around him. But the problem was how she could take the time out for him in the future. ¡®Temptation¡¯ was gaining more and more poprity in America, in particr. Though it was popr partly because the song itself was good to hear, the real reason for her soaring poprity was because of her stunning beauty. Thanks to that, she was flooded with requests for TV appearances in the US market. She would be able to wrap up her tight schedule in about one week in Korea. The time hade for her to push into the US market. In that case, it would be more difficult for Hyunwoo to see her. But he couldn¡¯t shorten her schedule because of that. Though Yu Zuung was physically tired, she felt pretty happy about her poprity. He had to ept the reality for the sake of Yu Zuung. Soyun, the only dancer whose face was still veiled, also bothered him. Only several months at most. Let me hang in there until then. I can fly to America if need be. Hyunwoo made love to Yu Zuung that night, burning with sexual appetite. As it would be difficult to see her after the week was over, he wanted to give her all the love he could. Around noon the next day, Yu Zuung waved at Hyunwoo and said, ¡°Bye for now!¡± ¡°Okay. Hang in there even if you feel tired.¡± After parting with her at her studio, he went down to Ansan. The day after he met her, he always felt sluggish. He wanted to go back home and have a sound rest if he could have his way. Then, he again missed Yu Zuung. She must miss me very much, too. With a happy smile, he headed for the Ani & Funny office. At that moment, he heard someone calling him from behind. ¡°President Hyunwoo Jang!¡± Hyunwoo turned his head to that direction. There was a luxury sedan in the back, with a middle-aged gentleman standing beside it. ¡°Who are you?¡± At his question, the gentleman walked up to him and held out his hand. ¡°My name is Ingol Pae, director of the cultural department of Seoul Broadcasting.¡± Chapter 253

Chapter 253

Hyunwoo was surprised by his sudden appearance. After the call yesterday, Hyunwoo felt Director Pae would be getting more and more nervous, but little did he think that Pae woulde to see him so suddenly. ¡°Oh, I see. Nice to see you,¡± said Hyunwoo, bowing to him before he knew. Though he didn¡¯t want to abase himself before Pae, he wanted to be courteous to a senior like him. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t want to talk with him in Ani & Funny office. ¡°There is a coffee shop nearby. Shall we move there?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Hyunwoo walked ahead and led him to the coffee shop. The light was dim inside, and there were no other customers there. A middle-aged hostess weed them with a bright voice. ¡°Come on in, please.¡± They ordered two cups of coffee and let her leave them alone. ¡°Let¡¯s have a heart-to-heart talk, Mr. Jang. What do you want?¡± What Hyunwoo wanted was just one thing: relieve Pae and Kwon of their current posts. Ideally they would quit, he hoped. ¡°¡®I don¡¯t want anything,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Oh, Mr. Jang. Don¡¯t be rough on me. Don¡¯t you think it pays to be nice to each other? If you¡¯re hard on me, what good does it do you?¡± But Hyunwoo didn¡¯t bat an eye, which pissed him off. ¡°In fact, I didn¡¯t want to say this, but I¡¯m not on good ground in mypany at the moment because of the Any & Funny issue. You must have heard that a rat in the corner could bite a cat, right?¡± His conclusion was simple. If Hyunwoo didn¡¯t make any concessions, he could attack Hyunwoo just like a rat in the corner biting a cat. Hyunwoo was tight-lipped, though. He felt he wouldn¡¯t get any good response even if he said something. Pae now began to threaten him boldly. ¡°I know your rtionship with Yu Zuung already. I don¡¯t think it will be good for you when that is divulged to the public...¡± He looked at Hyunwoo as if to confirm Hyunwoo would have no other choice but to give in. Only then did Hyunwoo open his mouth, ¡°What about my rtionship with her?¡± ¡°You know better than me, hahaha.¡± Hyunwoo frowned at that and said sternly, ¡°So, the reason you came to see me today was to threaten me. If I don¡¯t listen to you, you are going to make up a rumor about my rtionship with Yu Zuung and disclose it to the world, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Why are you just taking it negatively?¡± Pae changed his attitude and tried to persuade him in a soothing voice. But Hyunwoo wouldn¡¯t budge a bit, ¡°I have to take my leave for an appointment.¡± ¡°Mr. Jang, are you really intent to go against me?¡± said Pae, raising his voice. In fact, Hyunwoo felt a sting in the heart. If he didn¡¯t knock down Pae this time, someday Pae would certainly retaliate against him. But Hyunwoo could not sumb to his pressure. He fell out with Pae already, and even if he tried to bow to him, it would be difficult for him to improve ties with Pae. Hyunwoo reaffirmed his determination deep inside. The fighting begun already. I have no other choice. I wish Song Lim and his colleagues could fight well in the days ahead. That was not the type of fight Hyunwoo wanted. He was now relying on several producers with Seoul Broadcasting to win the fight. If they chickened out and took sides with Pae, Hyunwoo alone would be driven into a corner. But he trusted them. He could clearly confirm their conscience and passion about their duty as reporters. Hyunwoo left the coffee shop without responding to Pae¡¯s challenge. That was his answer to Pae¡¯s question. Several dayster after his meeting with Pae, Hyunwoo noticed an article on the inte. It was about a scandal involving Yu Zuung, the talk of the town. The partner of her scandal was Hyunwoo Jang, the president of Ani & Funny that she was affiliated with. The article cited the photos of Hyunwoo¡¯s frequent visits to her studio as the specific evidence of her scandal. The source of the article was an unnamed magazine called Jin. Nheless, Yu Zuung¡¯s fans reacted very sensitively because the scandal involved none other than Yu Zuung. The article spread quickly through social media, and her fans were enraged. ¡°Can this be true?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nonsense! Howe she has a boyfriend?¡± ¡°Did she be a star by selling her body to him?¡± Her fans bent over backwards to confirm the rumor by surfing the inte. But there were no more updates. Given the explosive nature of the scandal, somebody might have posted more updates, but there was nothing except for the initial article on the inte. Even the magazine Jin didn¡¯t make any more efforts to dig in the scandal. Why was that? Actually, Hyunwoo quickly contacted Jaeyol Song with Korean Broadcasting and briefed him about the threat by the director of the cultural department of Seoul Broadcasting. Korean Broadcasting blocked any story on the scandal, of course. As soon as it posted the scandal on its homepage, Jin was faced with pressure from someone with Korean Broadcasting. In fact, Jin could not verify the story. It just relied on the relevant material sent by someone with Seoul Broadcasting, asking them to release it. Jin could not ignore the pressure of Seoul Broadcasting, but more dreadful was that of Korean Broadcasting. Jin immediately took down the story and posted a rification statement as follows. Yu Zuung¡¯s fans breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Now, I understand it. Isn¡¯t it only natural that Ani & Funny takes special care of her as she came to a foreign country like Korea?¡± ¡°Phew, how fortunate! I wish she didn¡¯t have any scandals.¡± Of course, some of her fans were still suspicious. ¡°Looks like the magazine must have received kickbacks from Ani & Funny.¡± ¡°There must be some hidden story. Where there is smoke, there is fire.¡± But there was no fuss about it on the inte. Though there came out hundreds of stories on Yu Zuung and Temptation, there was not a single one about the scandal. Hyunwoo¡¯s active efforts to contain damage yed a crucial role, too. He visited Seoul Broadcasting, the source of the rumor. Its president canceled an existing appointment to meet Hyunwoo when he heard thetter came to see him. ¡°In fact, I really wanted to meet you. My name is Yongjin Oh,¡± said the president, holding his hand. He looked very old because of his grey hair. At a nce, he seemed to be 70 years old. But he was in his early 60s. Holding his hands with both hands, Hyunwoo bowed to him and said, ¡°I¡¯m Hyunwoo Jang. I wish I did not have toe to see you like this. Sorry.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s me who has to say sorry. I hear you felt bad about ourpany.¡± In fact, that¡¯s why Hyunwoo came to see him. ¡°Well, you meet lots of different employees while managing your organization. I know you didn¡¯t give any direction on that.¡± Sipping tea, Yongjin opened his mouth, ¡°I think it is important how to wrap it up well. Let¡¯s start by talking about bad things first and good stuffter. I think you might have a reason toe here...¡± ¡°In fact, I want to ask a favor of you.¡± ¡°Please go ahead.¡± ¡°Recently a magazine called Jin broke a story about my rtionship with Yu Zuung. And when I checked it out, the source of the story was the cultural department of Seoul Broadcasting.¡± Oh made a frown at that. He was briefed about Producer Kwon¡¯s threat to Hyunwoo, but his mention of Seoul Broadcasting with respect to the scandal story was news to him. ¡°When you tell me about that, you must have specific evidence to verify that, right?¡± said Oh. Of course, Hyunwoo had plenty of evidence including the confession by the head of the magazine and the taped recording of his conversation with the director of the cultural department. There was no lie in Hyunwoo¡¯s remarks, which made Oh¡¯s face red like a ripe persimmon. Hyunwoo said, ¡°Whatpany would want to make an enemy of a giant broadcastingpany like Seoul Broadcasting? I feel the same way. I would like to forge a good rtionship with you. But I can¡¯t sumb to you when I¡¯m trampled on by your staff like this.¡± Oh nodded his head and said, ¡°Sorry. Let me apologize on behalf of our staff.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not here to protest, but I would like you to understand correctly...¡± Oh cut off his words and said, ¡°As it is the wrongdoing of our staff, I have to duly apologize to you. And I¡¯ll take the necessary steps that you can ept. Let me take that action regardless of the Ani & Funny program.¡± ¡°Thanks for understanding my position. And let me give my feature project on Ani & Funny to you.¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s stop there. What¡¯s more important is how to manage our rtions in the future, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Oh asked him a variety of questions with a bright face. He was already well aware of not only Ani & Funny but also KOVE DREAM and Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom. Their conversationsted about 30 minutes. Though Oh wanted to have more time, he had another appointment. In particr, he could not cancel it because he had to meet an influential politician. ¡°Let¡¯s talk more when we meet next time. Come and see me anytime whenever you¡¯re free.¡± ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll see you again.¡± Hyunwoo came out of Seoul Broadcasting with a happy smile. Chapter 254

Chapter 254

Several dayster Hyunwoo received a call from producer Song Lim with Seoul Broadcasting. President Yongjin Oh of Seoul Broadcasting clearly promised to Hyunwoo that he would take measures that Hyunwoo could ept. Hyunwoo asked with a tense voice, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Producer Ilgun Kwon was fired. And his boss Pae was demoted to a rank-and-file reporter and reassigned to a post in our branch in Jeju Ind. It would be almost impossible for him to make aeback unless something majores up,¡± said Song. Hyunwoo was very d about that. Another good news was waiting for Hyunwoo. Song continued, ¡°Myungjun Park, the chief of our branch in Daejon, was promoted to the new director of the cultural department.¡± In fact, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t know anything about Park. He just heard that all the producers of the cultural department wished Park to be the new director. Hearing their exnation, Hyunwoo could figure out what kind of personality Park was. Park heatedlypeted with Pae for the director job three years ago. In terms of career and achievements, Park was the most promising candidate as the new director. But the oue was overturned at thest minute. The reason was that Park was too upright. When the regr promotion time came, he needed to rely on his connections to achieve his goal, but he didn¡¯t. On the other hand, Pae knew very well how to make the most of his connections and how to curry favor with his bosses. Though he had less experience andpetence than Park, he won. And Park was reassigned to the Daejon branch of Seoul Broadcasting. Finally, he was reinstated to his original post. ¡°The new director wants to see you. Can you take the time?¡± ¡°Anytime is fine with me.¡± ¡°When are you avable then?¡± Hyunwoo checked his schedule and then gave Song the date. ¡°Let me report to Park and get back to you as soon as possible.¡± It was around noon the next day when he received a call from Song. ¡°My director says he can meet you Thursday evening.¡± ¡°Got it. If you give me the ce, I¡¯ll see you then.¡± Thursday evening, Hyunwoo went to a Korean restaurant on the outskirts of Seoul. Though it was not a high-end restaurant, it was tastefullyid out inside. Hyunwoo arrived there ten minutes earlier than the appointment time, but Director Park was already there, waiting for him. With a surprised look, Hyunwoo bowed to him. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so sorry. I should have got here much earlier...¡± ¡°Actually, I came here 15 minutes earlier because I thought you might be here ten minutes ahead of me. I felt I should show my good faith for your favor.¡± The more humble Park was, the more Hyunwoo abased himself. ¡°Please make yourself at home and talk down to me. I¡¯m way younger than you. Just treat mefortably as if I were your cousin.¡± ¡°You are indeed a fine character as I have heard, hahaha.¡± Only then did Park begin to speak down to him, but he was courteous. He praised Hyunwoo for his business. On the other hand, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t know much about him. Fortunately, Park initiated to introduce himself. Hyunwoo learned from him that he was from the same hometown as Hyunwoo¡¯s father Duyoung, Namil-myon vige, Kumsan County. ¡°You lived in Hwangpungri? My father lived in Hadongri.¡± ¡°Oh, my ce was within only a 20-minutes¡¯ walking distance from Hadongri. How old is your father? And his name?¡± ¡°His name is Duyoung. He is exactly 60 years old this year.¡± ¡°Duyoung Jang, wait a minute. I think it¡¯s familiar to me. You said he is 60. He is the same age as my second elder brother. Do you know which elementary school your father attended?¡± ¡°I heard it was Namil Elementary School.¡± ¡°Oh, same school. I guess they know each other. Wait a minute.¡± He called somewhere, most probably his second brother. With a heartyugh, Park said. ¡°My brother says your father was his bosom friend. Hahaha¡± Hyunwoo alsoughed merrily. Was it because of the fact that they were from the same hometown? Hyunwoo felt very close to Park without any reason. Park now treated Hyunwoo much morefortably. He even confided to Hyunwoo what he had kept to himself for long. ¡°Looking back, I think I was foolish back then. I now know that if you live in this world, it isn¡¯t necessarily the best policy to lead an honest and upright life.¡± Just one failure in his life seemed to have given Park a precious lesson. He said he would curry favor with his boss and meet halfway if need be. Around the same time Hyunwoo was meeting Park, Kwon, fired by Seoul Broadcasting, was biting his lips. ¡°Let me go after you, Hyunwoo.¡± Even though he was fired, Kwon had no problem with making ends meet. He inherited lots of wealth and saved lots of money while working at thepany. He was rich enough to make a living without a job for the rest of his life. But this was not a matter of a bread-and-butter job to him. Basically Kwon was the type of person who was a sore loser. The more he thought about Hyunwoo, the more he burst into anger. ¡°Let me take revenge on you by all means.¡± *** Hyunwoo hugged Yu Zuung tightly. He didn¡¯t want to release her. He just wanted to keep her in his arms for several days. But the time came for him to let go of her finally. ¡°I might bete,¡± she said. She got up from the bed. Though he put on clothes in the morning, she was naked again because he had sex with her. Seeing her naked, he felt a strong sexual appetite again. He already made love to her twicest night and once this morning. When he thought he could not see her for the time being, he wanted to do it once more. But she had no time. Hyunwoo put on his clothes and made a beeline to the airport with her. There was a throng of her fans reporters at the departure gate of Incheon International Airport. Despite the recent scandal, Hyunwoo and Yu Zuung appeared proudly, with their arms crossed, as if they didn¡¯t care at all about it. Jinyoung and the main vocalist Yirim of the music video Temptation arrived early and took questions from reporters. Yu Zuung joined the press conference and fielded the questions. When the ten-minute press meeting ended Yu Zuung finally left. Hyunwoo waved at her silently. He let out a sigh before he knew. Phew, I¡¯m in trouble. What should I do if I miss her so much? In the meantime, Soyun and Jiah were heading for the airport secretly. Though they had to move with Yu Zuung, they couldn¡¯t because they could not reveal their identities. So, they were supposed to take a different flight. In the case of Jiah, the situation was much better than Soyun because her identity was virtually known to the general public. When they googled the masked dancers on the inte, they easily found the names Yu Zuung and Jia Sohn. There were even photos of Jiah before and after her stic surgery. On the other hand, Soyun¡¯s identity remained veiled. Of course, she had to make the necessary effort to do so. She rented as many as four rooms to divert the reporters¡¯ attention and even created a fake Soyun to deceive them. Hyunwoo, too, did his best to protect her identity. It was Soyun herself who had to have a hard time in that process. And now she needed a little more patience to achieve her goal. She clenched her little fist. Let¡¯s be patient a little more. Now came thest one. She could move with her mask on, but she had to take it off before boarding the ne. She had to show her face during the entry and exit process at the airport. Soyun headed for the airport at a different time. And she even bought a flight ticket to a different destination. Originally, she was supposed to perform in Los Angeles, but she bought a ticket to the ne bound for San Francisco. Her n was to go to San Francisco first then move on to Los Angeles. She didn¡¯t put on the mask when she was heading for the airport. Instead, she wore a face mask and jammed a cap on her head. Still, she looked around, for fear that somebody might recognize her. Surely, nobody has noticed me. So she arrived at Incheon International Airport. At the airport, she moved in secret. Hiding her face, she walked up to the departure ce. There were no fans or reporters there. There were no reporters who knew her departure. Or they seemed not. But there was someone who was shadowing her from the moment Soyun came out of her studio. He was Ilgun Kwon. Kwon diligently shadowed Soyun as much as he did Yu Zuung. When Soyun arrived at the airport, his eyes sparkled. Bingo! My guess was right. Thest masked dancer was Soyun. But he was not 100% sure yet. He took photos of Soyun¡¯s every move with a high-performance camera. And he noticed a remarkable scene, namely that of Hyunwoo meeting Soyun at the airport. Jinyong was beside Hyunwoo, too. It was not a coincidence. Hyunwoo and Jinyoung got there in advance and waited for her. They shook hands with her and hugged her lightly. Until then Soyun hid her face with a mask and a cap, but she could not deceive Kwon who had been shadowing her from her studio. Kwon took photos of her every move. And he even seeded in taking picture of Soyun¡¯s face without the mask when she took it off to enter the departure gate. Kwon snapped his fingers out of joy. ¡°Good for me! The game is over!¡± Chapter 255

Chapter 255

Soyun entered the departure gate. Hyunwoo and Jinyoung Paek got out of the airport. Kwon quickly checked out Soyun¡¯s flight. Her flight schedule was a bit unexpected. Yu Zuung, the main vocal Yirim and Jiah flew to Los Angeles, but Soyun alone headed for San Francisco. After turning it over in his mind for a minute, Kwon curled his lips. ¡°Haha, you¡¯re very meticulous! Don¡¯t guess I can¡¯t find you!¡± Then he called an acquaintance of his in America. As he frequently visited America on a business trip, he had lots of acquaintances in Los Angeles and San Franciso. ¡°Hey, James. Do me a favor.¡± ¡°Which favor?¡± ¡°You know Sohyun of Hey, Girls, right? Soyun Han.¡± ¡°Of course, I do. She was really pretty.¡± ¡°She will be arriving at San Francisco Airport tomorrow morning. Just check out where she is moving. I appreciate if you can take pictures of her movement. I beg you!¡± ¡°Got it. Count on me.¡± Kwon sent him photos of Soyun entering the gate. James could easily find her as she wouldn¡¯t change her clothes, even if she hid her face with a mask and a cap. *** After seeing Soyun off at the airport Hyunwoo went back to the KOVE DREAM office. He felt lighthearted, on the one hand, and thrilled, on the other. When he thought about Yu Zuung, he felt empty as if there was a huge void in his heart. But his feelings like that were fleeting. The moment he entered the office he was swamped with lots of work. These days he had to take care of lots of stuff rted to searching for investment markets with the money that KOVE DREAM and Ani & Funny made. There was a need for a good mix of Vietnamesepanies and Korean technology for this. As long as he foundpanies with the two factors, Hyunwoo freely invested. DF Technolgoy was a typical example. As soon as he discoveredpetent engineers specializing in LED, he invested 3 billion won. Hyunwoo¡¯s investment didn¡¯t stop there. He continued to discover high-potentialpanies and connected them with relevant technical experts. Recently, he helped a citric acid expert to move to China. The expert¡¯s name was Kyongsun Han. Though he was over 70, his passion for work and physical fitness surpassed even that of young men. Hyunwoo invested as much as he wanted. He took over a factory worth 2 billion won, registered it as Sungsin Co. and then had Kyungsun run it. Kyungsun¡¯s stake in thepany was 10%. China¡¯s citric acid had a bitter and unpleasant finish, but Sungshin¡¯s citric acid had no such taste. It just felt only sour and refreshing. Chinese people expressed surprise at that. They even said it was a miracle. But Kyungsun took it in stride. He even shook his head and said, ¡°This isn¡¯t enough. I have to take my Korean equipment back here.¡± Hyunwoo bought back the equipment Kyungsun had already sold and shipped it back to China. As for DF Technology, Hyunwoo invested three billion won initially, and another two billion wonter. He sent three Korean technicians there, found a total of four technicians in America and dispatched them to DF Technology. But there was little progress with the passage of several months. It was such a contrast with Sungsin Co. from which Hyunwoo redeemed all his investments in just two months. But he didn¡¯t lose hope. Hyunwoo called Sungjun Lim, who was a LED engineer and former owner of Hanbit Lighting Co. in Korea. ¡°Do you need my help?¡± asked Hyunwoo in a calm voice, holding back his frustration. But Sungjun¡¯s voice was bright this time. ¡°I think we have made it. We have seeded!¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide at his shouting for joy. But Hyunwoo didn¡¯t react quickly. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°We have the oues of the new product. We¡¯ve obtained the best values in all the factors such as luminous efficiency, luminous flux, luminous flux maintenance, system efficiency, color temperature, and color rendering. They¡¯re amazing values.¡± Hyunwoo was bewildered for a moment. He couldn¡¯t believe his wording ¡®best values in all the factors.¡± ¡°Are you really sure you have enhanced the necessary technology?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just a matter of technology enhancement. Our product is superior to any other product in the world. Even I can¡¯t believe this.¡± Only then did Hyunwoo feel his expectation was growing. ¡°Hyunwoo, I would like to have KOVE DREAM test our product right away. I want to sell our product under the name of KOVE DREAM as soon as possible,¡± said Sungjun. Hyunwoo was of the same opinion. He would select the testing agency as soon as possible. ¡°Got it.¡± Hyunwoo called Korea Quality Certification Association (KQCA) with respect to testing the new product of DF Technology. KQCA quickly responded to his request. Several dayster, he heard that KQCA¡¯s test team flew to Vietnam. It would take at least 15 days to get the final results of the test. So, he didn¡¯t need to be impatient until then. In the meantime, there broke out embarrassing news. When Hyunwoo stopped by the Ani & Funny office and reviewed the business report, Kyungsu suddenly asked, ¡°Hyunwoo. As for thestdy whose identity remains veiled, is her name Soyun of Hey Girls?¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s heart sank momentarily. Anything about Soyun was top secret. None of the Ani & Funny staff was aware of her identity. Even Yu Zuung and Jiah, her fellow masked dancers, didn¡¯t know her face. How could Kyungsu get wind of it? Hyunwoo denied it for now because Kyungsu might have asked it on a guess. ¡°What the heck are you talking about?¡± Given Kyungsu¡¯s exnation, Hyunwoo felt it was something he could paper over. ¡°There is a story about her on the inte. ording to the story, it was 100% certain that thest masked dancer was Soyun Han. The story contained pictures of her leaving Incheon International Airport. I see a photo of you and Jinyoung, too.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s jaw dropped at that. ¡°Let me take a look.¡± He quickly came to Kyungsu¡¯s desk and checked out the monitor. The story was posted today. Exactly as Kyungsu exined to him. The photos showed Hyunwoo and Jinyoung seeing her off and Soyun, taking off her mask, going through the departure line. He was put on the spot. The evidence was perfect. If he recklessly refuted the story, he would have to face the music when it proved to be trueter. But Kyungsu asked again without knowing the gravity of the situation. ¡°Looks like she is right, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Hyunwoo quickly raised his fingers and put them on his lips. Even though the story came out, he had to make sure the Ani & Funny staff just keep tight-lipped about it. ¡°Please gather all the staff here. Only the staff upstairs.¡± The staff quickly moved at Hyunwoo¡¯s direction. ¡°We should never reveal her identity until the time we have in mind. For it might put a woman¡¯s life in jeopardy. So, please help her.¡± Thanks to Hyunwoo¡¯s quick warning, they listened with a serious look. ¡°She might be Soyun or not. Just say No Comment whenever you are asked.¡± ¡°Do you mean we have to say No Comment if someone asks me about it?¡± asked Kyungsu. Hyunwoo just nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t you think they are more curious if I answer that way? Even I can¡¯t wait to find out...¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wider at that. He felt this story might generate more publicity effects than he expected. ¡°I don¡¯t care. We just keep quiet about her until the time we decide to disclose her. Just help her. I beg for you!¡± They nodded at his request. ¡°Got it.¡± As expected, the news about Soyun spread quickly. Soyun was photographed at the airports in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Though she hid her face with a mask and a cap, she put on the same clothes she wore when she left Incheon Airport, which made her fans easily infer that she was Soyun. The more the story spread, the more interested people got in her identity. ¡°Is it true she is Yuni of Hey Girls?¡± ¡°Wow, it¡¯s the first time I see her in years! Time heals all wounds. I thought she was in hiding since her sex scandal broke, but now she ising back.¡± As they became increasingly interested in her, Ani & Funny got also busier. Reporters kept calling them and numerous fans demanded her identity be revealed. Even Ani & Funny staff were pestered with such requests. But their reaction was all the same. ¡°No Comment.¡± It was neither Yes nor No. That raised the people¡¯s suspicion all the more. Some argued she must be Soyun, while others opined she might be a different woman, with each side never budging a bit. Even entertainment experts were divided. An entertainment TV show even hosted a debate on the identity of the masked dancer. But they could not make a final conclusion. Nobody was sure. But there was one exception. As soon as the story about Soyun appeared, Taesu Ahn, the president of AT Entertainment, was convinced she was Soyun. ¡°Obviously, she is Soyun Han.¡± Chapter 256

Chapter 256

Taesu decided to use private detectives to find out Soyun¡¯s whereabouts. And he confirmed through an acquaintance of his at the Justice Ministry that Soyun left for San Francisco. It was the same ne mentioned in the article. Taesu frowned again. In fact, it didn¡¯t matter that Soyun resumed her activities. The thing was that she joined hands with Hyunwoo Jang of Ani & Funny. Ani & Funny stood in the way of AT Entertainment and Taesu in every way. Taesu always ended up being a loser when confronted with Ani & Funny. For example, he suffered a defeat in the case of Nami Yu and Ang, both affiliated with Ani & Funny. And now Soyun bugged him. Taesu heard that she was trapped in extreme fear of the camera since the sex video scandal broke. She was even afflicted with social phobia, he heard. But now she stood before the camera proudly. Though she hid her face with a mask, her reappearance suggested that she had changed a lot since then. Taesu was curious as to what had caused her to change like that. Obviously, Hyunwoo must be nning to do harm to him, Taesu thought. ¡°Is he targeting me again?¡¯ Taesu thought it was a possibility. Even without targeting him, Hyunwoo¡¯s Ani & Funny already posed a big threat to him. Riding on the sess of Jinhon and Ang, Any & Funny easily overcame the aftereffects of the sex video about Nami Yu. Besides, Ani & Funny managed the team behind Temptation including Yu Zuung and continued to release the music videos for its new singers. And now Soyun joined Ani & Funny. It was possible that Any & Funny could surpass AT Entertainment and emerge as the dominant yer in the entertainment market. Taesu could not sit idle. ¡°What should I do to get rid of them?¡± Resting his chin on his hand, he pondered over it and thought of a trick without difficulty. Curling his lips, he called somewhere. ¡°You have that sex videotape about Yuni of Hey Girls, right? Do you still have one with a sharp picture?¡± *** Hyunwoo¡¯s cell phone buzzed. After confirming the caller, Hyunwoo¡¯s face brightened. He was Sungjun, the chief engineer of DF Technology in Vietnam. Sungjun said excitedly, ¡°We¡¯ve made it! We passed KOVE DREAM¡¯s criteria on acquiring its membership. DF Technology is now a formal member.¡± ¡°Haha, congrats!¡± said Hyunwoo with a heartyugh. But Sungjun didn¡¯t stop there. It looked as if he had more good news. ¡°The testers were surprised at the oues of the test. They couldn¡¯t believe there was such an excellent LED factory in Vietnam equipped with such high-end technology.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I dare say our technology is the world¡¯s best.¡± ¡°Wow, you¡¯re great! How did you improve the technology so quickly? What¡¯s the secret?¡± ¡°Recently, you dispatched a couple of American technicians here, right? They yed a decisive role. If I had worked with them in Korea, I¡¯m sure my factory would not have copsed.¡± Sungjun was excited while talking with Hyunwoo. But Hyunwoo felt he should calm down. ¡°Congrattions! Now I think I can take follow-up measures on that.¡± After the call, he headed for the KOVE DREAM office. As soon as he entered the office, he looked for Songjong, the general manager. ¡°Add the products of DF Technology to the homepage of KOVE DREAM.¡± ¡°Oh my god! Did they finally pass?¡± she asked with a surprised look. ¡°Yea, I got a call today. Upload DF quickly.¡± ¡°You mean KOVE DREAM, not KOVE DREAM-Blue? I just can¡¯t believe how enhanced their technology so quickly.¡± She then called apany specializing in managing websites. When she finished the call, Hyunwoo gave her another instruction. ¡°You remember I asked you to prepare a press release on DF Technology, right? Are you done?¡± ¡°Oh, I gave it to advisor Hwasik Kang.¡± ¡°Advisor Kang? Howe you let him do it?¡± ¡°Well, I initially left it to Jisun Kim, but Kang took a look at it and said he would take care of it. He said he prepared lots of press releases when he worked at the customs office.¡± Hyunwoo nodded at that. ¡°Where is he now?¡± ¡°He left the office early today.¡± Hyunwoo looked at the wall clock, which was pointing to 3 pm. It was a bit early for him to leave the office, though Hyunwoo allowed him to work at flexible hours. As if she read Hyunwoo¡¯s mind, Songjong made up an excuse for Kang. ¡°I hear his son in the military came home on leave.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. I think I have to wait until tomorrow to check if he¡¯s done already.¡± ¡°Let me call him now.¡± Sonjong called Kang right away and heard that it was done already. She turned on hisputer, logged on with his password, and printed out the press release. Reading it carefully, Hyunwoo expressed satisfaction. ¡°Wow, this is the power of his experience! Just fax it to the press room of the city hall. Let me send it out to broadcastingpanies.¡± When they received the press release about DF Technology, not only economic newspapers but also major daily newspapers highlighted the story. Korean Broadcasting and Seoul Broadcasting treated the story as a major news item. Thanks to the heavy media coverage, the news about DF Technology was on the top of the list of real-time search words on the inte. As soon as the media reported on DF¡¯s remarkable enhanced technology, thepany enjoyed its promotional effects immediately. It was flooded with orders ced through the homepage of KOVE DREAM. As a result, there was an explosive growth in the sales of DF products in Vietnam. There came in so many orders that they could not process them all on time. Hyunwoo felt the same thing would happen in America, Japan, and China sooner orter, so he decided to expand the facilities quickly. He called the president of DF Technology. ¡°Let me invest 10 billion won more. You had better expand the existing facilities.¡± But the president hesitated. The reason was simple. Hyunwoo made an initial investment with 3 billion won and invested a total of 5 billion on several asions. As a result, his stake in thepany was over 40%. If he invested 10 billion won more, he would control 80% of thepany¡¯s equities, which meant he would be the controlling shareholder. From his point of view, it meant he would lose DF to Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo promised, as if to ay his concern. ¡°I won¡¯t participate in your management or challenge your authority over human resources. Let me write it in the contract.¡± ¡°Still, it bothers me to transfer the post of thergest shareholder to you...¡± He still hesitated. He seemed to think he could expand the facilitiester when DF was stabilized financiallyter. But Hyunwoo disagreed. The technology in this field was developing so quickly every day. Though it¡¯s advanced right now, it could leg behind over time. ¡°When you have advanced technology, you should produce new products and sell as many as possible. Only then can yourpany grow fast with more profits, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, but...¡± The president still had a lingering affection for his current position as arge shareholder. After turning it over in his mind for a moment, Hyunwoo came up with apromise. ¡°Let¡¯s do it this way. When thepany is financially stabilized, let me transfer my equities to you, so that my stake can never exceed 40%.¡± Hyunwoo felt he could do it within two years. ¡°Could you insert that use in the contract?¡± asked the president. ¡°Of course.¡± Hyunwoo immediately drafted the contract and sent it to him. And he made sure that the president would expand the facilities with his investment of 10 billion won. DF Technology was still on the top list of the most popr real-time search words on the inte. Lots of technicians contacted them to move into Vietnam. That was what Hyunwoo hoped for exactly. With a satisfied look, he checked out other popr real-time words on the inte. He noticed Soyun Han was still in the list. When the story broke that thest masked dancer was Soyun, it became the most popr search word on the inte. Initially, Hyunwoo was worried about it, but not now. Thanks to the spective story the masked dancer gained more and more poprity. But he also noticed another strange search word newly ranked on the top of the list. Hyunwoo¡¯s eyebrow quirked at that. In fact, he predicted this kind of dirty thing would happen the moment the spective story about Soyun broke. Hyunwoo googled on the rted search words. There were lots of rumors about her getting around. And her sex video was circting the web again, which gave her such a hard time. Soyun, now in America, seemed to have already checked the news about herself. He received a call from herte afternoon. It seemed she could not go to sleep because of her sex video. Her voice trembled, and she was scared. ¡°What should I do? I just have no idea how to cope with it...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You and I anticipated this kind of stuff would happen. I have prepared a n already.¡± Hyunwoo tried to set her at ease. After talking with him for some time, Soyun calmed down a bit. ¡°You havee too far to go back. So, you have to hang in there. Just count on me and wait a little more.¡± ¡°Yes, will do. Hope I¡¯m in good hands.¡± After the call, he contacted Jaeyol Song with Korean Broadcasting. ¡°Brother, remember what I told you before. I meant a special program about Soyun¡¯s sex video.¡± ¡°Oh, I know that. Sorry, I reported it to my boss, but he rejected it. He said it¡¯s not appropriate to broadcast.¡± Chapter 257

Chapter 257

Hyunwoo scratched his head to hear that. But he could not give in. ¡°Can I see your boss? Please arrange a meeting with him.¡± ¡°Not a problem. You cane here anytime.¡± Hyunwoo checked the time. It was only 5 pm. ¡°Is your boss avable in the evening? I would like to have dinner with him if he doesn¡¯t have an appointment...¡± ¡°Let me check his schedule and get back to you.¡± A littleter, he called Hyunwoo. Fortunately, his boss had no appointments. They met a quiet Korean restaurant near Korean Broadcasting. Jaeyol¡¯s boss, the director of the newsroom, was a broad-minded man. He made Hyunwoofortable even though it was the first time he met Hyunwoo. Though he was 20 years older than Hyunwoo, he even told Hyunwoo that he could call him brother. At the same time, he drew a distinct line between public and private matters. ¡°I heard from Jaeyol about the sex video.program. I think it¡¯s a good program, but we have scheduled all the programs for this month already. I can¡¯t cancel one of them to insert your program. I really can¡¯t report it to the president.¡± After all, the issue was the timing of broadcasting, not the contents of the sex video program itself. ¡°I beg for your help! Can you find any way to air it?¡± ¡°Even if I report it to the president, he will reject it anyway.¡± Hyunwoo suddenly hit upon an idea. ¡°How about a give-and-take idea?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°Give and take? Which one?¡± ¡°Please secure one broadcasting slot within a week. Then, let me disclose the faces of all the masked dancers through Korean Broadcasting. Of course, we can discuss the timing of the disclosure.¡± Hyunwoo saw the director frowning a bit. But the director didn¡¯t answer easily. For it was the president who could make the final decision. ¡°Okay. Let me propose it to the president.¡± Hyunwoo could not trust him. He felt he needed to press him more strongly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel burdened because of this. Seoul Broadcasting or Segye Broadcasting might be interested in my proposal, too. If I ask around, I think I can find a broadcastingpany taking my proposal.¡± The director¡¯s face hardened further. ¡°Let me report it to the president tomorrow and let you know immediately.¡± The next morning Jaeyol called Hyunwoo to tell him the good news. ¡°Done. Broadcasting time was set for your program.¡± ¡°Great. Howe you found the slot?¡± ¡°The timing couldn¡¯t be better. One entertainment program due on air three dayster was canceled.¡± Hyunwoo barely held backughing at that. He was not sure whether the Korean Broadcasting management canceled it or not, but he got what he wanted anyway. ¡°From now on, we are going to keep announcing the pre-notice on it. When are you going to disclose their faces anyway? I think we need to know the date.¡± That was not something Hyunwoo could decide. ¡°Let me consult with the dancer first and get back to you. By the way, the program will be on the air, regardless of this, right?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± After the call, he checked the time. It¡¯s still early in the morning. But it¡¯ste afternoon in Los Angeles. She might be having dinner now. Hyunwoo called her. As soon as it rang, Hyunwoo heard her voice on the other end right away. Obviously, she picked it up when she confirmed his name on the phone. He briefed her about the sex video program involving her. She let out a sigh of relief and said, ¡°Phew. It¡¯s fortunate that the matter didn¡¯t go any further.¡± ¡°By the way, how about disclosing your face a bit early?¡± ¡°Why?¡± she asked in a scared voice. ¡°I think it would be more effective if the disclosure were timed with the special program. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s most effective to time it with the program as you have to do it anyway?¡± ¡°I agree, but...¡± she said hesitantly. But her agony didn¡¯tst long. It seemed she gained lots of confidence while she resumed activities. ¡°Got it. Just go ahead.¡± Hyunwoo brightened his face and said, ¡°Okay, then. Let me schedule your disclosuree one week after the special program broadcast.¡± ¡°Sure, it¡¯s up to you now.¡± Hyunwoo called Jaeyol again. ¡°Brother, I¡¯ve decided when to disclose the dancer¡¯s face.¡± Three dayster, Korean Broadcasting aired a special program about the sex video scandal. Hyunwoo and his staff gathered to watch it. As the program was produced by Kwangsu Han, owner of Real Film, in ordance with Hyunwoo¡¯s intention, its contents was satisfactory. But the general public¡¯s reaction was icy. Despite its frequent pre-notice announcement on the program, its ratings was less than 2%. Though they were less interested in the program itself, they rather enjoyed popr soap operas in the same time frame. But there was some hot reaction on the inte. ¡°I knew it. There was no reason for Yuni of Hey Girls to film a sex video. I didn¡¯t believe it from the start.¡± ¡°I feel so sorry for her. Without the sex video she could have been a top star by now.¡± ¡°Who the hell spread such a false rumor? Why can¡¯t the police catch suspects?¡± As he promised, Hyunwoo disclosed the two masked dancers during their performances in New York one weekter. And he released Korean Broadcasting¡¯s prerecorded interview with Soyun through its entertainment program on that evening. Soyun was now confident. Though she hadn¡¯t yet ovee her fear of Taesu Ahn of AT Entertainment, she didn¡¯t show any sign of that during the interview. ¡°I won¡¯t live in hiding anymore because of the sex scandal that I wasn¡¯t involved with. I¡¯m honorable and proud, no matter what anyone says.¡± The disclosure of Soyun¡¯s face drew as much explosive response as that of Yu Zuung. People¡¯s attention was more intense because of the fact that she was thest masked dancer whose face was unveiled. Thanks to her disclosure, Korean Broadcasting¡¯s special program about the sex video was also in great demand. Even though its rey service was not free, thousands of people clicked it. The beauty of Yu Zuung and Soyun already appealed to the US market. The poprity of Temptation moved up to the top 20 songs of BIllboard chart. But its upward trend stopped there. Huyunwoo wished strongly that it could get to the top like Jinhon¡¯s Duckling Fly, but moved to the 19th rank and then went down. But Hyunwoo didn¡¯t feel sad. It was already a remarkable event for Temptation to get ranked inside the top 20 in the Billboard chart. Besides, it stayed there for almost a month. Hyunwoo, Jinyoung and Soyun were all satisfied with the oues. Jinhon and Ang¡¯s new song I¡¯m Not Lonely got ranked in the Billboard chart as soon as it was released, gaining poprity quickly and ranked 20th in the chart, surpassing Temptation ranked below the top 30. In the US market, Temptation was already forgotten. And the team of Temptation had to end their brief activities in America and return to Korea. But their activities were not over yet. Though their poprity waned in America, they enjoyed great poprity in Asia, especially China and Vietnam. They were on a tight schedule in China for one month, and there was a tremendous request for their appearance in Vietnam. And they were swamped with requests for appearances on TV shows in Korea and Japan. Thanks to such tremendous response from their fans, Yu Zuung and Soyun were all happy, though they were physically exhausted. But there were people who were not happy at all. Taesu of AT Entertainment was one of them. ¡°Look at this! Soyun hase back!¡± Whenever he watched her performing proudly on TV shows, he felt she could not be more mean and nasty. What was more disgusting to him was Hyunwoo. It seemed as if Hyunwoo disturbed whatever he was doing. Soyun¡¯s surpriseeback did harm to Taesu. He also felt his pride was offended. So, he wanted to take revenge on her again. But this was not the right timing. She was too popr for him to go after now. Though she was not as popr as Yu Zuung, she was still being closely watched by many fans around the world. If AT Entertainment recklessly touched her, it would bring a fatal blow to itself. Huh! That poprity of hers! It will go down just like it has gone up. Let me surely take revenge on you then. Chapter 258

Chapter 258

Jinhon and Ang lived in America all summer thanks to the soaring poprity of their new song I¡¯m Not Lonely, which surpassed Duckling Fly. Though they released other hit songs, they were put in the shade by I¡¯m Not Lonely in terms of poprity. It was ranked the top song on the Billboard chart for more than six weeks. Thanks to the poprity of that song, a campaign wasunched to find Ang¡¯s father in America. But her father didn¡¯t appear yet. He didn¡¯t show himself through the fall when the song enjoyed the top ranking in the Billboard chart. Nheless, Ang didn¡¯t feel lonely because Jinhon stood beside her strongly. That song¡¯s ranking fell around September, but Jinhon¡¯s third song was still inside the top five on the chart. It was called Flower Girl. He made it with Ang in mind. Because of his poprity, Jinhon had to dy his return to Korea. Though he was determined to enjoy Korean Thanksgiving Holiday with his family, he could not take time out at all. That¡¯s why his family visited America to spend time with him. It was unthinkable a year ago. He would envy anybody a lot who could spend Korean Thanksgiving holiday with his or her family in America. But Jinhon changed his mind when he made hundreds of billions won through his music activities. He missed his hometown and wanted to have more free time than money. Hyunwoo felt the same way. He tried to erase the word ¡®money¡¯ from his head these days. As early as spring he used to count the monthly revenues, thinking about something like ¡®this month I had this much in profits. Let me set the profits higher next month.¡¯ But that was meaningless now. Last month KOVE¡¯s profits amounted to 60 billion won mainly because of a reduction in membership fees. If it had maintained its previous fees, the profits would have been 90 billion won. The fee reduction was inevitable to KOVE DREAM. As its memberpanies rode high, lots ofrgepanies imitated the business model of KOVE and established their ownpanies. ordingly, there was fiercepetition not only in China, India and Indonesia but also in Vietnam where KOVE established itself as the dominant yer. As a result, its memberpanies asked for fee reduction. Hyunwoo felt their demands were legitimate and lowered the sales fee to that of rivalpanies. Fee reduction encouraged morepanies to join KOVE DREAM. Currently, there was a total of 46panies that joined KOVE DREAM. Among them were Vietnamesepanies that included several toppanies. In the past, it took lots of time to test and certify the technical skills of hopefulpanies, but KOVE solved the problempletely thanks to Korea Quality Certification Association. They found the test experts and paid 50% of the test costs in subsidies. The sales of the existing members increased drastically. With the bold expansion of facilities, they could process the rush of orders from Korea, America and Japan. Somepanies receivedrge investments on the condition that they transfer some of theirpany stakes to Hyunwoo. Nheless, there were not sufficient enough facilities. They could not process orders on time in China, Europe, and Southeast Asia. KOVE DREAM Blue also began to grow in size. When the perception spread among thepanies that any products under KOVE DREAM Blue would be sold well, many of them hoped to apply for membership when their technical skills met the criteria. As they had to deal with the rush of orders on time, KOVE DREAM had to hire more and more, and its employees now reached more than 900. The office staff of KOVE DREAM headquarters was 50, those assigned to the warehouses numbering over 700 and the truck drivers over 100. 83 delivery trucks of KOVE DREAM were in full operation any day across the country. As for the warehouses, Hyunwoo secured two more in Incheon and Pusan respectively. Ani & Funny also continued to make a sess in business. In particr, the short animated stories selected through the open contest yed a crucial role. Sales in paper books were pretty big, too, thanks to the foreignnguage editions of the animated books. But the increase in Hyunwoo¡¯s wealth was not necessarily caused by profits. In fact, it was the return on his investments in manypanies like DF Technology and Sungsin Co. In particr, DF Technology enjoyed the fastest growth among Vietnamesepanies. Sungjun¡¯s boast of its best technology in the world was far from an exaggeration. Whenever Hyunwoo found a high-potentialpany, he made a bold investment. So far, he made investments in as many as 27panies, with his investment totaling 200 billion won. On such asions he acquired the stakes of thepanies. Sometimes he acquired 20%, and sometimes over 80%. But he kept two principles in doing so. First, he promised he would never intervene in the management and its authority on human resources. Secondly, he promised to transfer his stakes to thepany management when the president stood on his own feet confidently. In fact, money didn¡¯t matter that much to Hyunwoo. Even if he made 10 trillion won, his life would be still the same. For he would put on the same clothes, live in the same house and eat the same food. What was more important to him was who he would spend time with now. Whenever he thought about that, he kept recalling Yu Zuung¡¯s face. She was still as busy as ever because she participated in the next song Girlfriend as a dance. She even participated as a vocal this time. Though she could not make a high-pitched tone, she rapped on the song with her misty voice. Hyunwoo was opposed to her continued participation. Basically, he wished she stopped entertainment activities. He wanted to keep her beside him, above all. For he couldn¡¯t see her often as she was busier every day. But she wanted to continue her entertainment activities so much. Obviously, she seemed happy when she got people¡¯s attention. He could not force her to stop it just for his own selfish desire. Girlfriend was as popr as Temptation. Though it didn¡¯t make a hit in the US market, it hit gold in the Asian market, with the rush of requests from many countries for their appearances on TV shows. Thanks to that explosive poprity, Yu Zuung was now in Japan. After she was done in Japan, she was supposed to go to Vietnam, and then Hong Kong and China before returning to Korea in about two months. The fact that he couldn¡¯t meet her at least two months made Hyunwoo sad. Of course, when he could find free time, he flew to the country she was performing, and stayed three days to spend time with her. But it was only two or three times per month that he visited overseas to see her. Damn it. Can I be her manager, forgetting about all my work here? He really wanted to do so if he could have his way. But there were too many business projects that he had initiated. The most urgent one now was that Ani & Funny¡¯s preparing to meet a new goal. Originally, Ani & Funny was to open a second office near its headquarters in Bonodong in Ansan. But they couldn¡¯t find a good office no matter how long they searched. So, they felt it would be much better to find one in a totally different ce. What they found was in the vicinity of Seoul. Fortunately, there was a three-story building on sale. Though it was expensive, it was in a good location with a lot of space. Hyunwoo purchased it without hesitation. And he hired 40 new staff members. Most of the new hires were from the members of the inte cafe run by Ani & Funny. Another goal of Ani & Funny was to open the Animoon website, which Hyunwoo wanted to grow as the Story Ma of animation. The opening of the website was timed with Seoul Broadcasting¡¯s airing the special program about Ani & Funny. In fact, Animoon should have opened eight months ago but kept dying for various reasons. In the meantime, there were many changes in Ani & Funny. Initially, the main target of Ani & Funny was children and kids, but over time they felt they didn¡¯t need to avoid teens and adults. So, the website created a separate space for them. They also prepared animation learning based on the ages of the consumers. The results were a tremendous sess. As the works of Ani & Funny were popr around the world, most of the fans became Animoon¡¯s fans, too. Those studying animation had their heyday like a fish in water. Not only Ani & Funny students but also lots of students in the world tried their best to make the best animations. Lastly, Ani & Funny¡¯s goal of producing an animated movie was also achieved. The title of the movie was Super Kenny. It was the favorite of the students when all the entries of the story contest were submitted. Yenam Noh reacted to it enthusiastically. Of course, it was made for TV, not a movie theater. Thanks to that, Hyunwoo only spent 2.1 billion won in producing the movie despite its 80-minute running time. The animated movie ¡®Super Kenny¡¯ was released through Animoon. Ani & Funny inserted a 30-second ad in it and aggressively promoted it on YouTube. In fact, it didn¡¯t generate good of a response as Hyunwoo expected. The main culprit of that seemed to be the viewing fee of 1,000 won. For 1,000 won, they could not download it. The fee was only for a week-long viewing right. After one week, they had to pay another 1,000 won to get ess to it. It was natural that the public could not easily watch the movie. But in about two weeks the situation began to change a bit as those who watched it spread good reviews of it. ¡°Very interesting. It¡¯s the best movie I¡¯ve seen recently.¡± Chapter 259

Chapter 259

¡°It¡¯s interesting for adults as well as children. Our family watched it together, and we didn¡¯t feel at all we wasted our money.¡± ¡°My son watched it four times this week, but he says he wants to watch it again. I have to pay for it, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a waste of money.¡± ¡°Where can we find this kind of pleasure with 1,000 won? If you haven¡¯t done it yet, just watch it now.¡± Typically most of the reviews for programs like it were good or bad, but Super Kenny had no bad review at all. All the reviews were positive. Above all, kids wanted to watch it because those who watched it already boasted to his friends in kindergarten or elementary schools. ¡°I¡¯ve watched it already. Haven¡¯t you yet?¡± ¡°So interesting. Just watch it.¡± Then they came back home, pressing their parents to pay for the movie. In fact, 1,000 won was not a lot of money at all. The price of ice cream or cookies was usually over 1,000 won. If the kids could stay happy for a week by watching the movie, 1,000 won was nothing. ordingly, the parents dly paid for Super Kenny, and then there came about new reviews about it. The number of payments totaled over 20 million per month the world over. It was America that recorded the most number of payments, followed by China and Japan. There were about 400,000 payments in Korea. What was more surprising was that the poprity of Super Kenny hadn¡¯t reached its climax. Thanks to its going viral on the inte, Super Kenny was gaining poprity rapidly. The projected profits next month would grow much bigger. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re going to rake in 100 billion won,¡± said Kyungsu. 100 billion won. At a nce, it might look like a mirage. But it was not impossible when they examined the status of the business. Tony World, the biggest animation moviepany in the United States, spent more than 100 billion won producing a movie. That means they were confident they would make more than 100 billion won with just one movie. In fact, most animation movies generated more than that. As for box office hits, they raked in more than ten billion dors. Converted in Korean currency, it was 10 trillion won. If that was the case, there was no reason that Super Kenny could not make 100 billion won. Though its picture quality was not the best because it was intended for TV, its price was much cheaper. Above all, its reviews were more favorable than any other review. ¡°In my opinion, we will be able to make 100 billion won within one year. Maybe more than that,¡± said Kyungsu. Hyunwoo felt satisfied, too. Aside from the revenues, the box office hits of animated movies would build the confidence of his staff and the students now studying at Ani & Funny. And they will be the driving force of making another Super Kenny. Hyunwoo was especially impressed with Yenam Noh¡¯s discerning eye for excellent animated movies. As long as Yenam was beside him, Hyunwoo felt he would never fail in his movie business. It was already 3 pm when he checked the time. ¡°My how time flies! I¡¯ll be on my way first,¡± said Hyunwoo. He hurriedly headed for the KOVE office because he had an appointment with some guests exactly at 3 pm. He arrived there five minutes early, but his guests were already waiting for him in the office. When he entered the office, they, five all told, stood up and bowed to him. ¡°Nice to meet you. My name is Hyunsang Chu, president of Nanotech. This is Prof. Jinwoo Kim with Kwangmyong Univ. and this is chief development technician of ourpany...¡± Mr. Chu introduced his party one by one. Hyunwoo shook hands with them dly and discussed the main topic. The reason for their visit was simple. They wanted Hyunwoo to make an investment as Nanotech and Kwangmyong Univ. developed a wonderful item through joint research: carbon nanotubes. Hyunwoo roughly knew what it was. Actually, Taeho Min was also looking for a way to utilize carbon nanotubes as a transparent electrode material for organic sr cell development. But Hyunwoo was curious about one thing. ¡°I understand carbon nanotubes were created a long time ago and they can be mass-produced, right? I don¡¯t understand when you said you developed it...¡± Prof. Kim came forward to answer his question. ¡°At present, the most typical method of producing carbon nanotubes is to apply high temperature and high pressure to carbon dioxide...So the production cost is very high. It¡¯s about 500,000 won per gram.¡± Hyunwoo was aware that carbon nanotubes were very expensive. Prof. Kim continued, ¡°We also developed ultrasonic waves to mix ferrocene with xylene. It¡¯s not yetmercially avable, but it¡¯s a remarkable breakthrough. If it is sessful formercial use, the production cost will drop to less than 10,000 won per gram.¡± Now Prof. Kim began to mention technical terms like ferrocene and xylene and Hyunwoo could not understand at all. But that was not important. Prof. Kim¡¯s point was that Nanotech discovered a much more economical way to produce products in high demand. ¡°We have developed a solvent that can dissolve graphite itself. The temperature and pressure needed to separate carbon are much better. When we apply ultrasonics, it can increase the yield by more than 99%.¡± ¡°Can you lower the production cost then?¡± ¡°Based on my calction, it is less than 1,000 won per gram.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s jaw dropped at that. If that¡¯s true, thosepanies demanding 500,000 won per gram would not be able topete in the market. Prof. Kim continued, ¡°More encouragingly, the use of an electromaic field in a sma state allows the growth of carbon nanotube fibersrger than 10 cm right from the initial processing stage.¡± Hyunwoo felt it was really a great discovery, but it was just his own impression. If a professional expert were here now, he might have a different opinion. At that moment, he recalled Taeho Min. He would have sized up the situation more urately. If Taeho also evaluated their discovery positively, he would ask Korea Quality Certification Association for a formal test so that he can check out its business feasibility. Hyunwoo took the five guests to Haenim School, where Taeho has a research office. And then he asked them to exin to Taeho about their discovery. Nodding his head, Taeho said, ¡°Great. It has great business feasibility.¡± ¡°Of course. If you invest, you can retrieve your investment within one year,¡± said Mr. Chu confidently. But Taeho said cautiously, ¡°What¡¯s really important is the quality of carbon nanotubes. If single-walled carbon nanotubes could be produced at that price, that would be a remarkable achievement.¡± ¡°You must be an expert in the field. In fact, that¡¯s our weak point. It¡¯s difficult for us to produce single-walled carbon nanotubes right now. We need more research on that.¡± ¡°Then, what you have developed is...?¡± ¡°It is aplex form of single wall and multiple walls. But take note of the production cost of less than 1,000 won per gram. This is a remarkably lower price.¡± ¡°What about environmental problems? If you produce lots of environmental pollutants in the production process, that will be a big issue.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. The solvent we have developed is easy to purify and can be recycled, too.¡± Taeho nodded again. Looking at Hyunwoo, Taeho said, ¡°In fact, I¡¯m not well versed in carbon nanotubes, but it looks like their discovery seems pretty promising.¡± Hyunwoo felt his reply was satisfactory enough. ¡°Thanks, Dr. Min.¡± Hyunwoo immediately contacted Korea Quality Certification Association for help. And the association formed a group for verification in about 15 days. Even though the government paid 50% of the test costs in subsidies, the verification fee amounted to 60 million won. The verification took about 15 days. Originally, it was ten days of tests, but as Hyunwoo asked for ¡®perfect¡¯ verification, they added five more days for additional tests. The oue was that they passed the test. The reassurances by Hyunsang Chun and Prof. Kim were all true, and there was nothing hidden in their briefing. Mr. Chu came back to see Hyunwoo at the KOVE DREAM office. ¡°So, how much do you want me to invest?¡± ¡°Well, we want to establish apletely new process. ordingly, we are going to build a new building and new equipment. I want you to invest 6 billion won in the initial stage of construction,¡± said Mr. Chu. Hyunwoo¡¯s eyebrows furrowed at that. Though he felt it was arge investment, it was much more than he expected. But that was not all. ¡°I think it will take at least six months to normalize the production. I want you to invest one billion won per month until then.¡± ording to Chu, he mentioned a total of 12 billion won in investment, but Hyunwoo felt that was not a big problem because KOVE DREAM¡¯s revenues were huge, and that the investment funds would be paid in installments over the next six months. ¡°If I invest 12 billion won, how much stake can I im?¡± Mr. Chu could not answer easily. Instead, he mentioned something else. ¡°As I hear, you don¡¯t interfere with the management and its authority on human resources no matter much stake you have in a certainpany. And you also transfer your stake to thepany when its president is financially able to stand on his own feet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Hyunwoo nodded lightly. Only then did Mr. Chu brighten his face. ¡°Let me give you 40% then. Nanotech will invest four billion won, and Kwangmyong Univ. will invest one billion won, and the foreign investor OneStar has agreed to invest ten billion won.¡± At that moment Hyunwoo¡¯s face was distorted. ¡°Did you say OneStar?¡± ¡°Why are you surprised?¡± asked Chu with a strange look. OneStar was of the same family of DonStar, which became a hot topic because of its controversial takeover of Korea Exchanges Bank several years ago. Of course, OneStar and DonStar were formally separate funds, with independent management, but in Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes, both funds acted like the same entity. Besides, the real owner of the two funds was the same person. ¡°Mr. Chu, you already know the controversial takeover of Foreign Exchanges Bank several years ago, right? Do you have any reason to attract the investment of OneStar deeply rted to DonStar?¡± ¡°Of course, I know that. But their investment condition is very good. They said they would do their best to transfer US and Japanese carbon nanotubes technology to us.¡± Hyunwoo snorted at that. ¡°Doing their best? Have you secured their promise about the name of the technology to be transferred and the exact time of technology transfer?¡± ¡°No, we haven¡¯t. But OneStar needs to enhance the technology in order to make money. I think they will do their best to transfer the technology. They have alreadypleted investment in apany involved in carbon nanotubes and have a great stake in thatpany. They are going to transfer its technology to us.¡± Hyunwoo was not persuaded. Hyunwoo said bluntly, ¡°I won¡¯t invest in anypany if it has OneStar¡¯s investment. If you want to receive my investment, just drop OneStar from the contract.¡± Chapter 260

Chapter 260

Mr. Chu made a perplexed expression. ¡°To be honest, I have no idea why you hate DonStar so much. Of course, DonStar¡¯s act is hateful, but its takeover and sale of Korea Exchange Bank is the result of its legal business activities. I think it¡¯s okay to precaution them against their act, but it is not right to exclude foreign funds like DonStar from the investment candidates.¡± Hyunwoo felt his words were ludicrous. Chu would not have said that if he had realized the truth of DonStar¡¯s takeover. ¡°Do you think DonStar¡¯s takeover of Korea Exchange Bank was legal?¡± ¡°I heard there was nothing illegal in their takeover.¡± Hyunwoo shook his head and briefed him what kind of illegal activities DonStar was involved in. The biggest cause of the copse of Korea Exchange Bank was theck of its working capital as its stocks crashed after the IMF crisis broke. At that time, DonStar was caught manipting the stock prices of Korea Exchange Bank. When its stocks bottomed out, DonStar took over the bank for cheap. In that process, they made as much as 2 trillion won in profits. And then they sold it back to its parent bank in Korea. DonStar took over Korea Exchange Bank for 1.38 trillion won, but sold it over 6 trillion won. In short, the profits they took amounted to 4.6 trillion won. ¡°Of course, we don¡¯t have to argue over the profits of anypany in the process of taking over and selling back. That¡¯s their legitimate business activities. But it¡¯s a different story if there is a problem in that process,¡± said Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo continued, ¡°There is a saying that see one and you¡¯ve seen them all. OneStar might be a clean and sincere fund, and it could make a tremendous contribution to Nanotech¡¯s development. But if we look at the bad activities they did behind the scenes, they could do it again. I don¡¯t want to work with such apany.¡± Chu nodded his head and said, ¡°Thanks for saying that. Let me go back and think a little more about our deal with OneStar.¡± ¡°I am sorry. I would like to invest in Nanotech, but I don¡¯t want my investment to generate profits for OneStar and DonStar. I wish you good luck.¡± Chu quickly waved his hand at his remarks and said, ¡°We have not yet signed a contract with OneStar. We just exchanged our opinion verbally. If OneStar is such a bad fund as you said, I don¡¯t have any intention to attract their investment.¡± Chu¡¯s party left the KOVE DREAM office. It was two dayster Mr. Chu contacted Hyunwoo again. He said in an excited voice, ¡°I would have been in big trouble without you. I never knew DonStar was such a bad fund.¡± ¡°Are you not going to attract their investment then?¡± ¡°Of course not. We already notified them of our decision. They were pretty surprised. They even threatened us, saying they would make us feel sorry for our decision.¡± Hyunwoo curled his lips. He had a bad impression of DonStar, but when he heard from Chu about their mean act, he felt DonStar was really despicable. There was nothing to worry about, Hyunwoo thought. As long as Nanotech had excellent technology andpetence, there was nothing to worry about the revenge of a foreign fund. Hyunwoo said confidently, ¡°Let me tell you that KOVE DREAM will be investing 10 billion won that OneStar originally promised.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, let me transfer the stake we promised to OneStar to you. I¡¯lle and see you as soon as I make a contract draft.¡± Several dayster, Hyunsang Chu visited KOVE DREAM again. Hyunwoo carefully reviewed the contract. As he already agreed with Chu on the contents of the contract, there was nothing special for him to revise. After they signed the contract, Hyun and Chu shook hands strongly. ¡°If you have any difficulty, please let me know anytime. KOVE DREAM and Nanotech are now one family.¡± ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll make sure you feel good about your decision to invest in Nanotech.¡± Chu was a very shrewd businessman. When he secured the necessary funds, he immediately proceeded with the pending business projects. The new factory site was inside Sokmun Industrial Complex in Dangjin, South Chungchong Province. He directed the construction of the factory on a vast lot of 7,000-pyong (2.3 ha). Chu also called Hyunwoo every weekend to report about the status of business just like a subordinate reporting to his boss. Sometimes Hyunwoo visited the construction site to check its progress. As it was not far from Ansan, where KOVE DREAM was located, he would drive to that ce for a break when he couldn¡¯t think straight. In the meantime, there was a stream of people knocking on the door of the KOVE office. Some of them were toy technicians, home appliances technicians, quarts vibrator technicians andtex technicians. Even after massive investment in NanoTech, Hyunwoo still had plenty of funds. He promised to invest 20 billion won in thatpany, but the funds would be allocated in installments over time, so it wouldn¡¯t be a big financial burden. Above all, Ani & Funny and KOVE DREAM were making a lot of money. Whenever he received requests for investment, Hyunwoo positively and prudently reviewed such requests. When he felt confident, he freely made investments in thepanies involved. The more revenues hispanies received, the more he thought about how to use the money. Where can I invest all this money? He could not thoughtlessly invest in thosepanies whose confidence he could not verify. After all, he decided to invest in the students. He expanded the offices of Ani & Funny by opening two more in Seoul, one each in Pusan, Daegu, Daejon and Kwangju. Each office had 20-40 regr staff and 40-80 students. It was not a simple expansion in quantity. Hyunwoo emphasized the diversity of customers. Currently, the main consumers of Ani & Funny were elementary school kids and below, but he took all kinds of support programs aimed at expanding the target consumers to teens and adults. He also increased investments in its foreign branches. The Vietnam branch had 100 regr staff and over 700 student reserves. The branches in India and China were taking their cue from the Vietnam branch, hiring more people gradually. Haenim School began to look more like a full-fledged regr school. Lots of outside guests visited the school for special lectures and the college tutors were changed several times to meet the demands of the students. What Hyunwoo feltcking was that the school had only 50 students for now. Of course, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t refuse to ept more students. He wanted to keep epting them if he could, but the problem was the school had no more space. It was already packed with 50 students. He had to build more buildings to ept more. He needed a lot for this and continued to search for a lot near the school. But thendowners nearby would not sell their lots. Some offered to sell, but they simply tried to sell at too high a price, even five times as high as the normal price. Let me try to find an alternative. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t need to find a lot in Ansan. As long as the location was good, he had no problem with buying it. Duyoung and Taeho began to search for one after they heard about Hyunwoo¡¯s headache on this. Sometimeter, Taeho brought him good news. ¡°I got a call from a National Assemblyman in Taean, my hometown, that he wanted to invite your school. Won¡¯t you meet him?¡± Hyunwoo had no reason to avoid the Assemblyman. ¡°Sure. Do I need go to Taean?¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to. I¡¯m supposed to see him in Ansan this weekend. Let¡¯s meet together if you can.¡± ¡°Do you know him well?¡± ¡°Haha, he is my junior in my hometown.¡± Hyunwoo felt it¡¯s a good thing to see the Assemblyman. He felt like he might solve the problem rted to the expansion of Haenim School. The next afternoon he noticed a strange phone number on his cell phone. ¡°Hello. My name is Hanjong Park, an assistant working for Assemblyman Chulwoo Chung. Do you know him? His constituency is Sosan City...¡± He has never heard of that Assemblyman before. Come to think of it, he didn¡¯t know any Assemblyman except for the local politicians in Ansan or Hwasung. Though he had some good personal connections, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t meet them on a regr basis. One politician that he met most was the mayor of Ansan, who he had met five or six times so far. And it was usually the mayor, not Hyunwoo, who offered to meet first. It was the same with other local politicians that Hyunwoo met. In some respects, they might have felt displeased with him. Though Hyunwoo had no intention to mooch off them for his sess, he felt there would be nothing beneficial if he behaved detestably to them. I think I have to maintain good connections with them from now on. For this, he thought it might be good to treat them to dinner sometimes or send gifts to their families. While he was thinking about that, that assistant brought up the main topic. ¡°My Assemblyman wants to meet you. Are you avable tomorrow evening?¡± ¡°Yes, I am. Can I see him in Seoul?¡± ¡°No, he is going toe to see you. How about a dinner meeting from 7-9 pm?¡± ¡°That sounds good. Let me treat him.¡± Chapter 261

Chapter 261

The next evening National Assemblyman Chulwoo Chung drove down to Ansan to meet Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo thought he might be a senior, but he was not. The Assemblyman was only 45. Like a politician, he had the gift of the gab. His first impression made Hyunwoo feel that he was like a kind brother in his neighbor. After exchanging greetings and pleasantries with him for a long time, Hyunwoo mentioned Haenim School. ¡°By the way, how did you know about Haenim School? It¡¯s a small school with only 50 students,¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°In fact, I overheard something about it by chance from Assemblyman Jungsang Kim as he was talking with his advisor in the National Assembly.¡± ¡°May I ask who Assemblyman Kim is?¡± Hyunwoo tilted his head because his name was new to him. He was also curious about how Kim knew about Haenim School. ¡°Oh, he is a National Assemblyman with his constituency in Taean County. I thought both of you knew each other well, but it looks like you are not.¡± ¡°Ah, Taean County!¡± Hyunwoo recalled Taeho Min. It seemed he was Assemblyman Kim who wasing down to see Taeho during the weekend. Hyunwoo told him about his n to expand Ani & Funny. Mr. Chung brightened his face and said, ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that. I was a bit afraid my meeting with you might not go well. I thought as Assemblyman Kim was from your constituency, you would build an alternative school in Taean.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not true. I appreciate it if you can help me set up an alternative school anywhere.¡± As if on cue, Mr. Chung immediately responded, ¡°Please build an alternative school in Sosan. You can rent a vast lot of 10,000 pyong (3.3ha) on a long-term lease. If you want it, you can buy it, too.¡± Hyunwoo opened his eyes wide at his mention of 10,000 pyong. Mr. Chung continued, ¡°The mayor of Sosan is affiliated with the same party as mine, and I grew up with him, so I¡¯m very close to him. If you need it, I¡¯ll ask him to make a relevant ordinance to help Haenim School actively.¡± He prepared lots of material to show Hyunwoo. ¡°You have the map ready, right?¡± Mr. Chung asked his advisor. His advisor opened the map. Mr. Chung already set an eye on a specific location as the future site of Hyunwoo¡¯s alternative school. It was a small vige called Tapgokri, Umam-myon, Sosan City. It seemed to be in a good location, given that there was a highway linking Daejon and Dangjin as well as Sohae Coast Highway nearby. What bothered Hyunwoo was that the location was in a very remote ce. Though there were two cities Dangjin and Sosan, they could not be called arge city like Seoul or Incheon. But that was not important. Waiting for Mr. Chung to stop for a moment, Hyunwoo began to say, ¡°But Haenim School has only 50 students. Do you know that by any chance?¡± Hyunwoo thought Mr. Chung was not aware of that. But that was his mistake. Tilting his head slightly, Mr. Chung said, ¡°Of course I know that. And I know where your current alternative school is. I also know its principal is Mr. Suyoung Oh, and that most of the teachers there are college students. I even know that even if you want to buy a lot near the school, you can¡¯t buy it because they want to make excessive profits by selling it at too high a price.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s jaw dropped at his remarks. It looked like Mr. Chung had been doing a background check on him for several months. Hyunwoo got more curious and asked, ¡°Why are you so actively trying to rent such a vastnd and invite my alternative, unauthorized school with only 50 students?¡± Mr. Chung just smiled at his question instead of replying. And then he looked Hyunwoo in the eye as if he wanted him to figure it out. But Hyunwoo waited for him to answer. After some time Mr. Chung opened his mouth, ¡°I¡¯m not saying this just to invite Haenim School. What I am going to invite is the future of Haenim School.¡± Hyunwoo was so happy to hear that. Mr. Chung¡¯s mention of Haenim¡¯s future thrilled him. Mr. Chung continued, ¡°Of course, Haenim School is not a great institution to talk about, and it might still be the same two or three yearster. It might not bear its fruit during my or Sosan Mayor¡¯s term.¡± Hyunwoo could feel the sincerity in his words. He felt Mr. Chung didn¡¯t approach him just for his own private interests. He has some great vision, Hyunwoo thought. ¡°But I¡¯m confident that Haenim School will emerge as the best school ten yearster. And I¡¯m sure you can grow the school like that. I want to help you achieve your vision,¡± Mr. Chung said. Hyunwoo was greatly touched by Mr. Chung¡¯s remarks. But Hyunwoo could not promise him right away. The future of the students at Haenim School was closely rted to its expansion. If he made the wrong decision, their future would also be affected. He was also supposed to meet Assemblyman Kim over the weekend. He could make the decision after that. ¡°Can you give me some time to think over your offer?¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Of course. Please meet Mr. Kim during the weekend, too. The more prudently you think about it, the better. But I¡¯m sure you will decide to build your school in Sosan,¡± said Mr. Chung confidently. Hyunwoo also felt like making the decision in his favor. Taeho Min, who was meeting Assemblyman Jungsang Kim, called Hyunwoote in the evening during the weekend. He said he and Mr. Kim moved to another ce after dinner. Hyunwoo visited the sushi restaurant where Taeho and Jungsang moved. Mr. Kim greeted Hyunwoo dly. Taeho and Jungsang were much closer than Hyunwoo thought. Taehofortably called Mr. Kim ¡®Jungsang¡¯, who in turn called him ¡®brother.¡¯ After a brief exchange of greetings, they got to the point. Mr. Kim was also very interested in Haenim School. But what he proposed was minor,pared to Mr. Chung¡¯s, in terms of the size of the lot and subsidies program. Hyunwoo frankly presented his opinion in the middle of the conservation. ¡°In fact, I met Assemblyman Chulwoo Chung who has a constituency in Sosan City.¡± ¡°Ah, Mr. Chung? I know him well¡± Mr. Kim responded with a bright look, but it looked like he didn¡¯t know that Mr. Chung met him to invite Hyunwoo¡¯s alternative school in his constituency. ¡°He said Sosan City also wanted to invite Haenim School.¡± ¡°Sosan City, too?¡± ¡°When I made aparison between the two cities, I see there was a big difference. Besides, various conditions such as the location and convenient facilities¡­¡± Hyunwoo frankly told him about his opinion. Listening to his exnation, Mr. Kim silently nodded and then said, ¡°I heard a lot since when I was a child that I should put myself in the other¡¯s shoes. So, I listened to you from your point of view. I think you would have no other choice but to choose Sosan.¡± Hyunwoo was relieved to hear that. He was worried the two might have bad feelings because of that. But Mr. Kim was pretty much open-minded about Hyunwoo¡¯s feedback. Maybe Mr. Chung was already aware of his fine personality. Mr. Kim concluded, ¡°We politicians are doing our job for the sake of the people¡¯s interests. Sometimes, we have to sacrifice the interests of our own constituencies for the whole people. I don¡¯t think the students should not be at a disadvantage because of our regional self-centeredness.¡± Hyunwoo felt very satisfied with his remarks. In fact, Hyunwoo thought that politicians were putting their own interests first before the people. But he now realized that his prejudice was wrong. ¡°I can assure you that when I have a good project in the future, let me keep Taean County in mind. I¡¯m sure I can find a good investment item for your county.¡± ¡°Thanks for saying so. Let¡¯s have a drink in a rxed mood now.¡± *** Hyunwoo headed for Haenim School. If he had to move the school to Sosan, he would have to ask for the opinion of the students there. When he arrived, his father was taking a brief break after some research. As if he was lost in deep thought, Duyoung didn¡¯t sense his son approaching him. Hyunwoo covered his father¡¯s shoulder with a thick nket to keep off the cold winter air. Nheless, the wind was strong. ¡°Dad, it¡¯s cold out here. I¡¯m afraid you will catch a cold,¡± said Hyunwoo. When he heard Hyunwoo¡¯s voice, he turned his head. But he had an unusual expression. He greeted his son very dly as if he met someone he missed very much. ¡°Son, you¡¯re here at the right time!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Any good news?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go into my research room first.¡± Hyunwoo pushed his wheelchair. When he was in the room, he locked the door first then led Hyunwoo to the corner stacked withb equipment. Duyoung¡¯s office was full of all kinds ofb equipment such as experiment tubes. Hyunwoo knew what was inside the tubes. Duyoung has long been studying microorganisms that broke down petroleum extracts. He looked like a microbes doctor, not a chemical engineer. In the past, he exined to Hyunwoo microbes several times. Countless microbes exist in the ground. Some of them were microorganisms that broke down petroleum, such as capitalomas, nocardia, and corynebacterium. Microorganisms such as candida are widely used as microbes that synthesize proteins from petroleum. He was searching for such microorganisms under the assumption that some microorganisms would improve gasoline performance. He whispered to Hyunwoo in a trembling but thrilled voice, ¡°I have found it atst!¡± Chapter 262

Chapter 262

He opened his eyes wide with surprise. ¡°Really? You¡¯ve discovered microorganisms that can break down petroleum...?¡± Duyoung quickly put his hand over his lips, and Hyunwoo also zipped his lips. Only then did Duyoung nod slowly and said, ¡°Yea, I have discovered microorganisms that only eat up gasoline impurities. I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m the first to discover it, but I have not seen any announcement about this kind of discovery.¡± ¡°Then, you¡¯re done with your research! Finally, you can make green oil, your lifelong dream.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too early to tell,¡± said Duyoung, shaking his head unexpectedly. Hyunwoo tilted his head to one side and asked, ¡°Why?¡± But Duyoung didn¡¯t tell him about it all. Instead, he threw a ludicrous question at Hyunwoo, ¡°Do you know how oil is made?¡± Hyunwoo remembered he learned it in school. To the best of his memory, petroleum was created over a long period of time by the dposition of organic matter in the ancient age. Smiling at him, Duyoung nodded. ¡°Yea, that¡¯s one of the theories on that.¡± ¡°Theory? What you mean is that nobody has yet exactly discovered the cause of the formation of petroleum, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Then he briefed Hyunwoo several theories on the formation of petroleum. What Hyunwoo just talked about was the theory of biological origin, the most influential theory. Another potent theory was that the microbes in thekes became oil, and some schrs argued that petroleum was inherent in the birth of the earth. Indeed, Titan, Saturn¡¯s moon, contained arge amount of hydrocarbons even though life never existed there. After finishing his exnation, Duyoung looked at Hyunwoo seriously. ¡°But I think I have to add one more theory to the existing ones...¡± ¡°Which theory?¡± ¡°In my mind, a lot of microbes eat carbon and water to produce hydrocarbons.¡± Duyoung showed him his research notes. Even though Hyunwoo didn¡¯t have any expert knowledge, Duyoung wrote down what he discovered neatly in the notebook. There was a surprising discovery noted there. Namely, microbes break down things like wood, graphite, and paper to produce hydrocarbons. Hyunwoo was thrilled to see that. If this were true, this would be a much greater discovery than green oil. He felt he could produce petroleum simply by making good use of garbage. But Duyoung calmed him down and added additional exnation. ¡°At this point, this is no more than a dead theory that can¡¯t be applied.¡± ¡°Why? This is a terrific theory...¡± ¡°Because it will take so much time to prove it. If you produce oil by using my theory, you have to invest ten years of time and energy in a research room simr to mine to make one liter of petroleum.¡± ¡°Oh my god!¡± ¡°Of course, adjusting the temperature and pressure for microbial growth will reduce research time a bit, but it is not economical at all. I think it will take dozens of years or maybe several hundred years to find how to put microbes formercial use.¡± In that respect, it was a dead theory, as his father described. ¡°In the case of gasoline, the prospect is a bit better. The purifying speed is quite good if I make microorganisms react to existing vtiles. Of course, it has not reached a point where it can bemercialized,¡± said Duyoung. Hearing his exnation, Hyunwoo felt that it would take about one year to purify it to the point where he could be satisfied. But Hyunwoo was not disappointed. He massaged his father¡¯s shoulder and cheered him up. ¡°I think you can find a way to reduce the time. You have already discovered microorganisms unknown to the world. Cheer up, dad!¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll certainly find it. That¡¯s why I¡¯m doing an experiment on microbes in various environments. If I can discover a way to reduce the time, I can solve all the problems at once.¡± When Hyunwoo looked around, his father was really ready for a variety of experiments. His father was nning tobine temperature and pressure in a number of cases and experiment in closed and open, dry and humid environments. Duyoung was also nning to analyze the effects of the sun or electricity on microbes. If he wanted to do that, his current research room was not big enough. In particr, it would be much more effective to do the research on the sun outside his research room. Hyunwoo said with a worried expression. ¡°Don¡¯t you think your experiment will be exposed to the outside?¡± ¡°Well, there are only students here. I wonder if they can tip outsiders off on my secret research.¡± ¡°Still, you might as well be careful, I think.¡± ¡°I know, but I don¡¯t want to distrust my students here.¡± Duyoung said in a cheerful voice and then talked about microbes again. Hyunwoo felt happy all along while his father was exining his new discovery. On the other hand, he was worried that his father would fall sick suddenly. In fact, Duyoung was exhausted; his face was haggard. But his eyes were sparkling as ever, suggesting that he could hardly feel tired because of his thrill with the new discovery. ¡°Dad, please take a good rest today. You can resume research tomorrow morning.¡± Though Duyoung said he didn¡¯t feel tired at all, Hyunwoo insisted he should have rest. ¡°Okay, son. Let¡¯s go out.¡± Both of them came out of the room. And then Hyunoo went into the broadcasting room of Haenim School and called a meeting of the teachers, students, and researchers. The meeting ended quickly. The teachers and students were all aware of the problems the school was faced with. ¡°Sosan is far from us, but as there is a highway there, I think I cane back home anytime if I want.¡± ¡°As long as I live in a dorm, I have no problem with moving there.¡± Everyone agreed with the relocation of Haenim School Taeho also actively supported its relocation. ¡°I think I have to submit my resignation to the university on this asion. I just feel it too regrettable that I have to sacrifice my research time for my teaching activities.¡± Hyunwoo was surprised, and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to...¡± But Taeho raised his hand, suggesting he didn¡¯t have to worry. ¡°I can take up my professorshipter when I need it. And I¡¯m not in financial need. Don¡¯t you think we can lead a happy life when we are involved in what we want to do?¡± But Hyunwoo was curious how Suji, her daughter, and Mrs. Kong would react. In particr, Suji would have to quit from Aurum if the school was relocated to Sosan. ¡°Okay, let me move Haenim Schoon to Sosan. It¡¯ll take more than one year to relocate. I think we can move to the new school by next autumn at the earliest. Please be ready from now on.¡± After the meeting, they all went back to their desks. The next day, Taeho called him as if he was waiting for his arrival at Haenim School. ¡°Can I see you for a moment?¡± Hyunwoo could guess what he was going to say. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t move to Seoul.¡± ¡°Looks like your family members are opposing your move.¡± Taeho nodded his head with a bitter expression. Comforting him, Hyunwoo said, ¡°I think you should put the priority on your family. Don¡¯t be too disappointed. You can stay and continue to do your research here.¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± said Taeho, lowering his head a bit. Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t pay much attention to Taeho at the moment. In fact, he was preupied with someone for thest few days. I can see her tomorrow finally! Yu Zuung was in China at the moment, and she wasn¡¯ting back to Korea tomorrow. Hyunwoo would fly there tomorrow. Of course, he had a usible excuse. He was supposed to visit the China branch of Ani & Funny. It operated the same way as the Vietnam branch did initially. Those working there were amateursposed of students only. Ani & Funny had three branches in China, one each in Beijing, Shanghai, and Kwangzou. The Shanghai branch was thergest among them, with more than 400 students working as part-timers. The next day, he flew to China early in the morning. *** In a very quiet alleyway in Bono-dong, Ansan City, a middle-aged man in a trench coat was waiting for someone with his cor turned up. A littleter a boy who looked like a high-school student approached him. Discovering him, the man greeted dly. ¡°Thanks foring here.¡± But the boy looked displeased. ¡°Why do you keep asking me toe out like this? I don¡¯t want to meet you.¡± But that man didn¡¯t care. Instead he took out a thick envelope and gave it to him. The student reluctantly received it. He felt it contained at least 500,000 won as it was rather thick. ¡°Why are you giving it to me? What do you want from me?¡± ¡°I told you already, boy. It¡¯s necessary to bring justice in this world. We can¡¯t improve our society if shameless people like Duyoung Jang prosper.¡± In fact, the boy was a research assistant working for Duyoung at Haenim School. Chapter 263

Chapter 263

As Duyoung¡¯s assistant, the boy felt it repugnant that the man harshly branded Duyoung as a shameless person. But the man had been trying to bring the boy to his side for several months already, and the boy began to doubt his teacher gradually. ¡°On what ground are you ming him?¡± asked the boy. Only then did the man exin the boy about what happened between himself and Duyoung in the past. And it did happen over 20 years ago. ¡°At that time, Duyoung was a sessful businessman, and I was his right-hand man.¡± ording to the man, Duyoung¡¯s trust in him was very strong then. And he trusted and followed Duyoung. He firmly believed that when Duyoung could make a sess, he could also seed. But Duyoung betrayed him. He got away with a huge sum of money when his business went bankrupt for his own survival. Because of this, he had to go through a very hard life. The boy still could not believe what he said because he knew a bit about Duyoung¡¯s past. ¡°I heard Duyoung had a traffic ident. And after his business copsed, he led a miserable life.¡± ¡°I know his traffic ident. But it¡¯s a lie that he led a miserable life. He was hiding a lot of money. How can he make such a fortune without that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because his business was...¡± ¡°You¡¯re nowpletely taken in. Believe me, he began to use some of the money he had hidden so far. Duyoung is the most heinous and mean guy in this world. Don¡¯t be fooled by him!¡± The boy often found himself swayed by his repeated criticism of Duyoung. ¡°Do you have any specific evidence against him?¡± ¡°Can you believe me if I can show you how I was close to Duyoung?¡± The boy still could not reply easily. The man pressed on his reply, saying ¡°Think of this. Why am I ndering Duyoung like this if I were not his right-hand man who respected and followed him a lot? It¡¯s because he is such a mean guy.¡± The boy seemed to be persuaded by what he just said. ¡°Okay, let me prove to you that I was his right-hand man. Instead, you have to keep to yourself our meeting today as well as the fact that you and I know each other. Got it?¡± The boy was still confused, but he wanted to confirm if he was lying or not. He slowly nodded his head. *** The Shanghai branch was doing great. Hyunwoo noticed a bright student named Woon Jang, so he chose him as the temporary CEO for the branch. Woon was excellent in creating a good working atmosphere. He gave cash rewards to those staff who werepetent and worked hard. Thanks to his efforts, the Shanghai branch performed best out of the four branches in China and India. Hyunwoo gave Woon 150 yuan as cash reward. Converted in Korean won, it amounted to 270 million won. Actually, he received half of that amountst month. Woon¡¯s jaw dropped at the huge sum of reward. ¡°Huh! I see the reward is so big...¡± ¡°As you know, Chinese Thanksgiving Day is around the corner. So, I gave your branch a little more cash reward this time. Haha.¡± Hyunwoo had lunch with the Shanghai staff. There were lots ofrge restaurants in China, but none of them could ept as many as 400 people at one time, so he only selected 20 ranking staff for the lunch. Instead, he made reservations for the remaining students at high-end restaurants. In the afternoon, he visited the factory in which he invested. He invested a total of 17 billion won in three factories near Shanghai. Finally, it became dark. Hyunwoo headed for the hotel Yu Zuung checked in. He already made a reservation by calling the hotel from Korea. He felt like a minute was like three years, waiting for her in the hotel room. He checked the time every minute. After waiting for a while, Yu Zuung arrived at the hotel. It had been almost 15 days that he saw herst time. As soon as they saw each other, they didn¡¯t even say ¡®Hi¡¯. Instead, they touched each other with every fiber of their body. That was the kind of greeting method that Hyunwoo and Yu Zuung wanted most from each other. Regardless of who was doing what first, they quickly hugged each other, took off their clothes and had sex. Hyunwoo was as happy as ever. It seemed as if he worked like hell for this moment for the past 15 days. That was the same for Yu Zuung. Though she was busy touring many countries in Asia as a singer and dancer, she felt an irresistible yearning for Hyunwoo all along. So, she always wanted him to fly to her ce and wait for her, and when he did, she made passionate love to him. After they made hot love like that for an hour, they began to talk. ¡°How have you been?¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Pretty good. How about you, honey?¡± she asked. ¡°I like that word, honey. Haha.¡± Hyunwoo told her a lot of stuff including the new songs by Jinhon and Ang as well as the fast growth of Ani & Funny. She seemed happy. She was happy because his business was doing well, but she seemed more happy because of the fact that she was talking to him like this. ¡°Wow, howe Ani & Funny¡¯s sess rate is so high? I hear other animationpanies hardly see one out of ten works making a hit. It looks like Ani & Funny¡¯s sess rate is 100%.¡± It was natural that she was quite surprised. As she said, the sess rate of Ani & Funny was 100%. So far, not a single production by Ani & Funny failed. There were six animation works including ¡®Tuti & Angelica¡¯ and ¡®Iron Worm¡¯ that hit gold as much as Garbage World, and another five works also made a big hit. There were more than 1,000 types of picture books based on animation works, which generated more than 30 billion won per month. Hyunwoo smiled at her surprised look. ¡°In fact, I have a man with a very special ability beside me,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°A man with a special ability?¡± ¡°He instantly identifies the sess or failure of any animation once he reviews it. How can I fail with such a man beside me?¡± ¡°Wow! I can¡¯t believe that. Who is he? Do I know him?¡± Hyunwoo shook his head. As he is not a member of Ani & Funny, she might not know him even if Hyunwoo disclosed his name. ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t know this man. In fact, he doesn¡¯t know that he has such a special ability.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s interesting. How can that be possible?¡± Hyunwoo told her some episodes about Yenam Noh. Though Hyunwoo didn¡¯t reveal Yenam¡¯s real name to her, he told her everything about Yenam. While he was talking, she wriggled her body on his with a merryugh, which turned him on. Hyunwoo was just happy with her. It seemed like a dream to him to talk with her, touch her body and hear herughing. ¡°By the way, howe you are making so much money for what?¡± As if to ask her not to worry, Hyunwoo told her how he spent money. In fact, he invested some of the money in high-potentialpanies as well as students and gave some to his staff as a bonus. Recently, he established a massive investment n with respect to the expansion of Haenim School. He would right away start working on it as soon as he secured a lot with 10,000-pyong as National Assemblyman Chulwoo Chung promised. His investment in Haenim School would not stop there. He nned to set up a special college with several purposes, so that the students could continue their studies after graduation. Besides, he nned an alternative school for middle school students. So, he asked some acquaintances in the real estate dealings to buy a lot near Tapgokri, Sosan City. There was no limit to the size of the lot. If the sellers offered a reasonable price, he would buy it, be it 100,000 pyong or one million pyong. He didn¡¯t need to worry about a surplus lot. He had a n on the construction of an amusement park modelled on the characters of Ani & Funny works. Yu Zuung opened her eyes with surprise while listening to his exnation. ¡°Wow! That¡¯s a very nice n. Can you set up a simr alternative school in Vietnam? I would like to donate if you can.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide. He has never thought about it. ¡°Oh, that sounds good. Let me build a Haenim School campus in Vietnam. If I can, let me build another one in China, too.¡± *** A middle-aged man visited Haenim School. As soon as he arrived, he introduced himself as a longtime acquaintance of Duyoung Jang and looked for him. Hearing that, Duyoung came out of his research room and looked at the man quietly. Obviously that man was familiar to him. But Duyoung could not easily recall who he was. Then he suddenly opened his eyes wide. ¡°My, you must be Insan, right?¡± ¡°Haha, yes, brother. How are you?¡± This man, called Insan, walked up to Duyoung and hugged him. Duyoung was also so happy to see him again in such a long time that he didn¡¯t let go of him for a while. Insan Park was a close friend as well as a colleague of Duyoung¡¯s since their college days. He was there beside Duyoung when thetter worked on green oil and started a business. But he lost contact with Duyoung when thetter¡¯s oil business went bankrupt and had a traffic ident. ¡°How have you been so far? Are you doing alright these days?¡± asked Duyoung. ¡°I just get by. How about you?¡± In a cheerful mood, Insan and Duyoung exchanged pleasantries like that for a while. Insan was pretty interested in Haenim School. ¡°I heard the students here were extraordinary. I would like to see them. Can you introduce them to me?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Duyoung called together the students. And Insan introduced himself to them, emphasizing repeatedly that he was Duyoung¡¯s close friend and colleague as well as his right-hand man. Insan exchanged greetings with them dly. Both Insan and Duyoung were just happy while mingling with them. As a result, Duyoung didn¡¯t realize the fact that one of the students was making a pretty serious expression on his face while looking at him and Insan. Chapter 264

Chapter 264

¡°By the way, what are you working on here? Are you researching green oil again?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s just too grand to call my work as ¡®research.¡¯ How can a poor guy like me research it? I¡¯ve been just browsing through my old files on it. And I take great delight in teaching the students.¡± Insan showed interest in his remarks. ¡°In fact, I¡¯ve no particr job these days. Can I stay here and do the research with you, brother? Though I am not qualified, I would like to teach them too.¡± At that moment, Duyoung raised his eyebrows slightly. In fact, he didn¡¯t trust Insan. Though he was d to see his old friend, Duyoung couldn¡¯t trust him. Duyoung had doubt that Insan, like his other colleagues at the time, might have betrayed him. Duyoung had no other choice but to doubt him because Insan got along well with him when his business was doing well but made no contact with him when he failed in business. He also heard rumors that Insan was leading an affluent life. In particr, he was doubtful why Insan suddenly appeared before him. Maybe because of Duyoung¡¯s new research on green oil. There was a possibility that either his students or teachers at Haenim School might have leaked his research on green oil. With a sorry look Duyoung said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to stop you from teaching the students, but I want to do the research alone. As you know, I suffered too much in the past. I don¡¯t want to go through it again.¡± Insan nodded as if he fully understood Duyoung¡¯s position. ¡°I understand, brother. I just stopped by today to see you. Don¡¯t feel any burden.¡± After he met Duyoung that day, Insan didn¡¯t ask him a favor like that any more. He stayed around an hour and left. Late in the evening that day the boy headed for the dark alleyway in Bono-dong, where Insan, who he met at Haenim School during the daytime, was waiting. As soon as he saw the boy, Insan weed him and said. ¡°How about now? Can you trust me?¡± The boy nodded but shook his head in no time. ¡°You can¡¯t still say Duyoung is bad, right?¡± asked the boy. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me talking with him? What did he say when I asked him to work with him? He tly rejected it. If he was an honorable man in the past, how can he reject my request? Don¡¯t you think he must hide something from me?¡± The boy was still confused. Insan kept ming Duyoung to confuse the boy more and more. Finally, the boy nodded. ¡°Got it, then. What do you want from me? Why did you give me such a huge sum of money?¡± ¡°Nothing particr. I just want to take revenge on him for what he did to me in the past. I just want to restore justice in this world by stopping such mean people like Duyoung from making sess.¡± ¡°So, what do you really want me to do?¡± Instead of replying, Insan gave him a bankbook. The boy opened it. As much as 50 million won was in the bank bnce. And the ount was opened under his name. ¡°Just keep an eye on Duyoung¡¯s research. If he does seed in it, just pocket it and give it to me. The money in the ount is yours if you do that for me.¡± The boy opened his eyes wide with surprise. ¡°All of this is yours?¡± Insan nodded, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s all yours.¡± But the boy was still hesitant. He seemed torn between the money and his conscience. But Insan¡¯s word cleared his conflicts right away. ¡°With that money, you can pay off your sick father¡¯s bnce at the hospital and make a living for the time being. You have to be the head of your family right now.¡± The boy bit his lips. *** It was around fall when Yu Zuung came back to Korea. She didn¡¯t give up her entertainment activities, of course. She was now showing interest in movies and TV soap operas, in addition to her activities as a dancer and singer. Above all, TV producers constantly tried to scout her in their programs. Though she was not good at Korean, they didn¡¯t care. After she arrived in Korea, she stayed at Hyunwoo¡¯s house in Hwasung, not Seoul. It was the new one Hyunwoo secured for her. So, he could see her anytime. Thanks to that, he was all smiles and happy. His mother, Jisook, also looked very happy. ¡°Do you have any good news?¡± Hyunwoo asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t it good that we¡¯re all doing well? As you¡¯re good and your father is good, too, there is nothing more I can ask.¡± ¡°Haha, me too,¡± he said with a bright smile, leaving the house. He headed for Haenim School. As Yu Zuung was staying in Ansan these days, he went to Haenim School almost daily and stayed there all day long. As it happened, Duyoung was taking a break outside his room when Hyunwoo arrived. These days he was trying to stay healthy as if he realized the importance of staying fit in order to continue his research. Hyunwoo wanted to ask him about something rted to Taeho¡¯s failed experiment notes. He approached his father and asked several questions, to which Duyoung replied easily just like a chemistry doctor. They chatted for a while and went back into Duyoung¡¯s research room. Then they noticed a student doing something in one corner of the room. Batteries, wires and little bulbs were hisb equipment. The student¡¯s name was Mingyu Kang. Mingyu was a student who received the most attention in Haenim School. The reason for that was not because of his excellence but because of his entric activities. For example, he was caught staring at the mirror for 30 minutes in the winter, thinking that another creature might move around in the mirror unlike him. His friends tended to avoid him because of his entricity. Was it the reason? Hyunwoo felt sorry for Mingyu, who was stuck in the research room, doing an experiment while his friends were discussing and working together in the ssroom. Hyunwoo and Duyoung approached him. ¡°What are you doing there?¡± At Hyunwoo¡¯s asking, Mingyu stood up with great joy, as if he had some questions. ¡°Doctor, this is strange. What¡¯s wrong here?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± asked Duyoung. ¡°Electricity is as fast as light, isn¡¯t it? Isn¡¯t it logical that it should discharge electricity when I connect the battery with a wire without any resistance? But I don¡¯t see that even if I connected it for long. The current is still there!¡± As expected, it was a funny question. If that battery leaked electricity so soon, it could not have worked as a batter at all. It seemed Mingyu had no basic knowledge of electricity. As a high school student, he should have known better. But Duyoung didn¡¯t think so. It was Mingyu¡¯s merits that he could look at the usual thing from a different angle. With strong curiosity and the unusual spirit of challenge through experiment, he could discover something great, Duyoung thought. Duyoung kindly exined to Mingyu about the working principle of batteries. ¡°Let¡¯s take water as an example. Don¡¯t you think It will take a long time to drain the water from arge tank by making the thickness of the hose slender? The same can be said for batteries.¡± Only then did Mingyu exim, ¡°Ah!¡± and nodded his head. Duyoung stroke his head as if Mingyu was cute, and then headed back to his research room. Hyunwoo pushed his wheelchair. Left alone, Mingyu did the experiment again. This time he tried with wires of different thicknesses and bulbs with different sizes. He regarded the thickness of a wire as the same as that of a hose. Mingyu continued the same research for several days, but the oues were disappointing. Tilting his head to one side, he suddenly noticed a bucket. It contained gasoline. Duyoung ced it there several days ago with the special instruction to the students that they should never touch it. But Mingyu was an attention-deficit student. Once he was absorbed in something, he didn¡¯t hear anything, no matter who said it. Even when Duyoung exined to the students why he put the gasoline bucket there, and why they should be careful. But Mingyu didn¡¯t remember it at all. Instead, he was toying with an entric idea. ¡°What happens if I drop this battery into the gasoline? As the gasoline is fuel, can it be recharged?¡± He dropped a discharged battery into the bucket. And he left the ce, thinking that he would take it out in two days. But he was very forgetful of things. Hepletely forgot that he dropped the battery in the gasoline bucket. Chapter 265

Chapter 265

¡°Thanks for the gift. I received it yesterday. The soft drink tastes very good.¡± National Assemblyman Chulmo Kim looked at Taesu Ahn with satisfaction. Taesu bowed to him deeply. Though his father was the chairman of Ohsung Group and he had the best entertainmentpany in Korea, Taesu took extreme care not to make any mistakes with Mr. Kim. Kim was a powerful Assemblyman. He was a five-term congressman, and his standing in the ruling party was very solid. Some of his supporters even began to promote him as a presidential candidate. Though Mr. Kim did not have enough political clout to run as a presidential candidate, he was a promising politician with great potential. ¡°Haha, not at all, congressman. I¡¯m afraid the soft drink box was too small.¡± ¡°Hahaha, the size is not important. What matters is the taste of the drink. I love it. Do you have any difficulty in doing business? As I received a good gift, I think I have to give you something in return,¡± he said. The soft drink box actually contained a wad of bills in kickbacks for him. Taesu curled his lips at that. In fact, there was a lot of stuff that he wanted. He wanted to punish Ani & Funny, a thorn in his side, and break the spirit of Soyun who was resuming her entertainment activities on TV. But that was his own personal and trifle matter. The reason he met Mr. Kim today was because of his father¡¯s special direction. ¡°Have you heard about Bando Oil?¡± Bando Oil was a Korean oil refinerypany. Though it boasted a long history, it was small in size. But it was well known because of its many gas stations across the country. ¡°I know thatpany. I hear it¡¯s in severe financial difficulty these days...¡± ¡°Do you happen to know that a US fund is trying to take it over?¡± Of course, Mr. Kim was aware of that. The US fund OneStar was intensely interested in the takeover, and Mr. Kim met an executive of OneStar in person some time ago. Typically, an oil refinery had at least several trillion won in capital funds, no matter how small it is. It was essential to ask for politicians¡¯ help to take over such apany. Only then did Mr. Kim figure out Taesu¡¯s intention. ¡°It seems that the Ohsung Group is also interested in the takeover.¡± ¡°Haha, not exactly. But it just doesn¡¯t look good that Korean refinery like Bando Oil is taken over by a US fund. I was thinking about the matter because it would be much better for a Korean fund like Ohsung Group to take it over.¡± Mr. Kimughed into his sleeve. What te Ohsung Group wanted from Mr. Kim was simple: Ohsung¡¯s takeover of Bando Oil. If that¡¯s what they wanted, 100 million won in the soft drink box was not enough because the takeover deal was simply too big. ¡°I wish you good luck. By the way, I have no idea how I can help in the takeover battle. I want to help you, but I might run into trouble if OneStar gets wind and mes me.¡± Taesu also read his mind well. And he didn¡¯t want to wrap up his lobbying efforts by giving Mr. Kim just 100 million won. ¡°Haha, I don¡¯t want to give you any burden. I know you have lots of staff around you these days. Let me send you several more drink boxes one of these days.¡± ¡°Hahaha, you¡¯re making me very burdened.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t feel any burden. By the way, I¡¯d like to wine and dine you this evening. Actually, I have a pretty youngdy who joined mypany today. Hey, Yonji,e on in.¡± Taesu called someone outside. A young and pretty woman in her early 20s came in. As soon as Mr. Kim saw Yonji, his eyes popped out. She looked like a virgin. She looked very pure and her figure was very sexy. ¡°This is Assemblyman Chulmo Kim, a powerful politician. Say hello to him.¡± Yonji Choi introduced herself politely to him. As it was the first time for her to serve a man like him, she was kind of hesitating at the entrance of the door. ¡°Hey, what are you doing? Just walk up to him and fill his cup,¡± Taesu demanded. Only then did she sit beside Mr. Kim. It seemed she might run away if Mr. Kim did something weird to her. But Taesu was not worried because she had a strong desire to be a star. Besides, he made a huge downpayment on her. ¡°Treat him well. If he likes you, it¡¯s a done deal for you to be a star. Isn¡¯t it true, congressman?¡± ¡°Sure, I can give her a reward if a pretty woman like this can serve me well, hahaha.¡± Taesu and Mr. Kim took turns inciting her to show her sensuality. And she was harassed by Mr. Kim all through the night. Yonji felt Chulmo¡¯s abnormal sexual desire so disgusting that she vomited several times in the restroom. But she could not refuse it. And the next day she was taken to a different drinking party. This time she was supposed to serve the Prosecutor General. And the next day she had to serve different figures. She was forced to have drinks and sex with them. Though she hated it so much, she put up with it because Taesu told her, ¡®Serve them just one month, and that¡¯s it.¡± *** A littlete in the afternoon, Hyunwoo headed for Haenim School after briefly stopping by the Ani & Funny office. He saw Duyoung ordering his assistants to check out theb equipment. They were moving the gasoline bucket to another spot in Duyoung¡¯sb. Hyunwoo quickly joined them to chip in. ¡°Are you done with the experiment?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°There is nothing like the end of an experiment. As it passed two months, I want to check out the difference now.¡± ¡°Hope there is a big difference.¡± ¡°Yea, that¡¯s what I want. Can you bring that bucket over here?¡± Duyoung pointed to a gasoline bucket near the window. It was the bucket Duyoung put there to check out the effect of the sun on gasoline. Hyunwoo picked up the bucket. But at that moment he heard a strange noise on the floor. Rattling- He felt as if a marble inside the gasoline bucket slightly rolled in it. ¡°Was there anything inside?¡± Hyunwoo looked at the bottom of the bucket. He noticed something inside. When he examined it closely, it was a battery. ¡°My, who put it in there?¡± Duyoung showed interest. ¡°Why? Do you see anything inside?¡± ¡°I see a battery inside. Looks like someone put it in there by mistake.¡± Duyoung frowned momentarily. If his experiment did fail because of the battery, he would have to wait another two months to do it again. ¡°Can I just put my hand inside the bucket and pick it up?¡± At his asking, Duyoung replied in an angry tone. ¡°No, just bring it over here. Who the hell put it there?¡± When he said that much, he suddenly looked at Jamin. He remembered Mingyu experimented with a battery near the gasoline bucket several days ago. ¡°Did you do this?¡± Duyoung asked Mingyu. He nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I just wanted to know how a battery could change...I nned to put it there for two days and then take it out, but slept on itpletely.¡± ¡°I know you¡¯ve got lots of curiosity, but you should be conscious of others. How would they feel because you disturbed their experiments? Next time, try to respect others¡¯ experiments.¡± ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± As Mingyu showed he repented it sincerely, Duyoung didn¡¯t want to me him anymore. In the meantime, they carried all the buckets containing gasoline in theb. Duyoung began to gauge any change in the gasoline in each bucket. There was lots of things he had to check because he put the gasoline in various conditions. And he would have to spend at least two hours on gauging all the changes, so he didn¡¯t hurry. Actually, the gasoline bucket that Mingyu put a battery was the subject of the test today. He took out the battery first. The battery was connected with two wires on both ends. Duyoung giggled at that. ¡°If Mingyu wanted to do it right, he should have used bare wires, not covered ones like this.¡± When he examined the wires carefully, there was a slight film being formed around the parts where the currents flowed. The change must have happened in gasoline itself. As if he found out the cause, Duyoung nodded. ¡°This must be the debris of microorganisms.¡± Actually, he discovered it a long time ago. Microorganisms produced hydrocarbons in a fine debris. The debris stuck around the wires. In no time, he finished all preparations to test all the gasoline buckets. Let mee back around 9 pm after dinner. He locked the door of theb and came out. The new house near Haenim School was originally built for Duyoung. Hyunwoo made sure it was built in a way that Duyoung should not feel any inconveniences when he had to move in a wheelchair not only inside the room but also when he moved to the school. Thanks to this, Duyoung could handle most of his personal stuff without anybody¡¯s help. He took a brief break after dinner and then went back to hisb. Hyunwoo followed him outside. ¡°Are you going back to theb again? Please go to sleep early today.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got something to check out there. It won¡¯t take long. Let me go over and check it quickly.¡± ¡°Let me go with you then.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Theb was double-locked because of security. Duyoung checked the test equipment. He was supposed to test three types of gasoline. He tested them one by one. ¡°What the heck is this?¡± Duyoung suddenly said in an excited voice. He lowered his voice for fear somebody outside might overhear it. ¡°My, what is this? Hyunwoo,e here and look at it. I am not sure if I am seeing it right.¡± Chapter 266

Chapter 266

¡°Why? Is there any change?¡± asked Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo quickly went over to his father. What Duyoung pointed at was the data showing an octane rating. It was marked as 98.99. Duyoung then showed him another dataset, where the octane rating was ¡®92.11¡¯ ¡®92.13¡¯ ¡®92.07¡¯ etc. Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wider with big surprise because he noticed a much higher octane rating in that one bucket of gasoline. Holding Hyunwoo¡¯s hands, Duyoung was overjoyed. ¡°Done! This is a tremendous sess if the octane rating went up like this in two months. Maybe I canmercialize the test results.¡± Hyunwoo felt good because he knew how much time and energy his father spent on this research. But it was too early to uncork a bottle of champagne because the gasoline that caused the octane rating was the one contaminated by a battery. What the heck is this? Hyunwoo mumbled. Duyoung said, ¡°Let me test it in a separate condition. This time I think I have to have only seven days of testing. I think it¡¯s long enough to get the changes in gasoline.¡± *** Insan got a call from someone. Confirming the caller, he made a satisfied smile as the caller was an assistant for Duyoung at Haenim School. The boy gave him a piece of very important information. Insan was surprised ¡°Are you sure? Got it. If you confirm your bank ount tomorrow, you will see that I¡¯ve wired 500,000 won in your ount.¡± After the call, Insan called somebody outside. The person Insan called was the manager of the intelligence team of Singyong Co. When he heard the good news from Insan, the manager raced to president Munsik Choi¡¯s office. ¡°Chairman, I¡¯ve got great stuff about Duyoung Jang.¡± Reading a newspaper, Musik opened his eyes wide suddenly. Given the manager¡¯s rush to his office, he felt it must be some valuable tip on Duyoung. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It seems that Duyoung has discovered some important clue on green oil.¡± ¡°Which clue?¡± ¡°We have not yet discovered it because he has kept it under wraps. But it looks like he is using microorganisms to test it.¡± Munsik was well aware of microorganisms in connection with petroleum. In fact, there existed lots of microorganisms in petroleum, and some of them were used for industrial purposes. ¡°Who did you say was the informant?¡± ¡°A guy called Insan Park. He was Duyoung¡¯s right-hand man when Duyoung was in the thick of research on green oil.¡± Munsik felt Insan was dependable. ¡°Don¡¯t try to be penny-wise. Just give him lots of money for his efforts. Handle this matter without causing any trouble.¡± ¡°Got it, chairman.¡± ¡°By the way, did you get any information on the takeover of Bando Oil?¡± As if he anticipated the chairman¡¯s question, the manager gave the relevant file to Munsik. It contained reports about the trend of its stock changes and rivalpanies¡¯ strategic move. In fact, the manager was busy these days gathering all the tips about Bando Oil. The car fuel market would be greatly affected by who took over Bando Oil. As a result, Munsik was preupied with the issue of Bando Oil these days. The two most promising firms were the biggest business conglomerate Ohsung and the powerful private US equity firm OneStar. Regardless of whichpany would seed in the takeover, it would be a big danger to Singyong. Given the choice, however, OneStar¡¯s takeover would be more beneficial. They would rather sell it for a huge profit instead of running it. That¡¯s why Munsik met OneStar executives often and helped them. ¡°Did Assemblyman Chulmo Kim meet Taesu Ahn again?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. It looks like he is mobilizing new female talents to sway Mr. Kim. I guess he must have spent a lot on kickbacks, too.¡± It was a foolish thing topete with Ohsung Group using money. Besides, Mr. Kim was a politician powerful enough to be mentioned as a presidential candidate in the next elections. So, Munsik had to take extreme caution not to offend Mr. Kim. How can I stop them? Lost in thought for a moment, Munsik snapped his fingers. Yea, let me have OneStar y the role here. If he presented OneStar as his lobbying agent, Singyong could be safe from any bacsh and put pressure on Ohsung Group and Mr. Kim at the same time. Munsik thought it might be better to drop Mr. Kim from the race if it was possible. Though Kim had no grudge against Singyong, he tended to be overly leaning toward Ohsung Group, which was a headache for Munsik. Munsik called someone at OneStar. *** Duyoung wished ten days would quickly pass, so he could check the test results as soon as possible. And when the ten days passed, he connected the gasoline with the test equipment and check for any change. Hyunwoo also stayed with him to confirm the results. About two hours passed when Duyoung came up with the test results. Duyoung and Hyunwoo were so happy as if their hearts were breaking. Finally, they might be able to find the perfect condition to create green oil. But¡­ ¡°What the heck is this? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°What happened? Nothing changed in the value of gasoline¡­¡± At his asking, Duyoung couldn¡¯t answer because he had no idea at all. ¡°Was it because the test period was too short?¡± Duyoung shook his head. ¡°The conclusion is just one. There was a difference in conditions in the changed gasoline and the original gasoline.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide with surprise at his remarks. Maybe Mingyu might have put some other stuff in the gasoline, which might solve the puzzle. Hyunwoo quickly called Mingyu, who was doing an experiment alone. As soon as he came over, Duyoung asked him quickly, ¡°Jaemin, did you put other stuff than a battery in the gasoline back then? ¡°No, I put nothing except for the battery.¡± Duyoung asked him again because he might have forgotten. But Mingyu confidently replied, ¡°I can assure you I didn¡¯t put anything else in gasoline. I just put it here on purpose, assuming the battery might be recharged as it had discharged all its electricity.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you threw something else here. Try to recall it. This is a very important test.¡± Suddenly Hyunwoo stopped Duyoung, ¡°Dad, stop it. Mingyu, you can go now. Just let us know if you can recall anything.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± said Mingyu, leaving the room. Duyoung was surprised at Hyunwoo¡¯s sudden intervention. ¡°Why did you¡­?¡± Duyoung came up to Hyunwoo to ask something but stopped. Hyunwoo was gesturing toward him with his eyes as if he had something to say only for Duyoung¡¯s ears. Only then did Duyoung let Mingyu out. When he left the room, Hyunwoo locked the door and said in a very low voice. ¡°Mingyu is right.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Duyoung also spoke very low. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember what Jaemin said? He said he put a discharged battery there. Which battery did you put in? Was it a new one?¡± At that moment, Duyoung¡¯s jaw dropped. Hyunwoo was right. He used a new battery for a more urate experiment. Maybe he might have failed because of the difference in battery condition. ¡°Oh, it might be because of the battery. Let me test with discharged batteries.¡± ¡°Good, but it¡¯s toote now. Just do it tomorrow.¡± ¡°Sure, will do.¡± Both of them came out of theb. They saw Mingyu hovering around over there. Approaching him, they asked a favor of him. ¡°Mingyu, the security of our test here is very important. You should keep to yourself what you and we talked today in theb. This should be shared only among you, me and Hyunwoo.¡± With a bright smile, Mingyu nodded, ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll keep it secrete absolutely.¡± The next day Duyoung resumed experiment early in the morning. This time he tested various batteries ranging from partially discharged topletely discharged ones. Again ten days passed. Hyunwoo and Duyoung checked the test results. Duyoung yelled for joy before he knew. ¡°Done!¡± And then he quickly lowered his voice, looking around. Fortunately, there was none around theb. Hyunwoo, too, checked the value of the gasoline. He couldn¡¯t close his mouth at the surprising results. ¡°The rating of octane is 98.53.¡± What was more surprising was the rating of octane went to 98 from 92. The speed of change was quicker than expected. It was three months after the test that Duyoung called Hyunwoo again. The winter passed already, and the spring was just around the corner. Hyunwoo rant to his father¡¯s office. ¡°Are you done now?¡± Duyoung nodded his head, full of confidence and hope in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve found the best environment in which microorganisms react.¡± Duyoung showed him several pieces of research paper. They contained several numbers and graphs, which Hyunwoo could hardly understand. Hyunwoo asked only the important points. ¡°Can youmercialize it right now?¡± Duyoung again nodded, ¡°You can build a factory right away. But I would like to solve thest puzzle.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Duyoung showed him the wires he used for the experiments. There was lots of debris stuck around the wires discharged by microorganisms. ¡°Debris like this gets stuck around the wires and stop microorganisms from being exposed to the current. I haven¡¯t yet discovered a way to remove it. If I can¡¯t remove them, I have to change the wires every time, which is pretty cumbersome and raises the production cost.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s face was a bit distorted when he heard of the production cost. No matter how good a product is, it would be difficult to sell it without a good production cost. But that was something Hyunwoo could not solve. ¡°Don¡¯t be too impatient, Dad. You won¡¯t get good results even if you hurry.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. Let me take some time to work on that. Can you throw them away when you go out?¡± Duyoung asked him to throw away a pile of wires stuck with debris. Hyunwoo was about to throw them into a trash bin. But he stopped and looked at them again. He felt he should not dump them for some reason. ¡°Is there any way I can use them for something?¡± Chapter 267

Chapter 267

Hyunwoo felt he could find it. Since then he began to find ways to use the wires only. Though he could not analyze theponents of wires like Duyoung did, he could test the physical characteristics. After some testing on his own, Hyunwoo brought the wires back to Duyoung. ¡°Dad, I think we canmercialize them. They are too good to be dumped in the garbage.¡± Hyunwoo briefed him about his findings. In fact, Duyoung didn¡¯t pay any attention to wires or wire debris. He only focused on gasoline. Hearing Hyunwoo¡¯s exnation, however, he felt the debris could also be used well. ¡°I didn¡¯t know the wires had such characteristics.¡± ¡°Yea, if you use gasoline alone, the production cost is high, but if you produce the wires, too, don¡¯t you think the cost can go down?¡± Duyoung agreed. He could produce two products at the same production cost. ¡°Anyway it will take lots of time to test gasoline, so let me work on the wire debris when I have free time.¡± Duyoung resumed the research. *** Veryte at night, there was a myriad of twinkling stars in the night sky. There was a remote vi in the mountain in the outskirts of Kyonggi Province. Sometimes, the light was turned on inside, but it was dark today. There were some street lights on the way leading to the vi, but there were no lights. Without the starlight, it would have been impossible to see one inch ahead as it was so dark. Then there was a shadow moving furtively in that darkness. Even though there was nobody around, the guy silently went into the vi, hiding his body. Then he noticed a security camera was working and let out a sigh of relief. Good. Nobody is inside the house. He incapacitated the existing camera instantly then he slipped out of the vi ten minutes after reworking the camera with a new system. The vi, where the security camera began to operate again, was shrouded in silence again. Several dayster, a luxury sedan arrived at the vi. The sedan pulled over and a middle-aged man and a woman, who seemed younger than his daughter, got out. Leaving them alone, the sedan left the scene. ¡°Shall we go in?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The middle-aged man put his arm around her waist. While walking to the vi, he groped her body up and down. Sometimes, he clenched her bosom and sometimes her buttocks. But the woman looked nk. Hiding her lonely eyes with effort, she reluctantly had sex with him. Several days passed after that. Assemblyman Chulmo Kim got a call from a stranger. It was a threatening call. ¡°I¡¯ve obtained a sex video of you. Wire 100 million into the ount I give you. Then I will get rid of the original video.¡± Kim didn¡¯t bat an eye. As he had more power and status, he sometimes received such threatening calls. On such asions, he totally rejected them. But this time he felt something strange. The other party reminded him of the exact date, time and location where he had an affair with a woman. ¡°How did you know all this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk with you about this long. By midnight tonight, send the money.¡± The phone was hung up. Though Kim called the number, it was a fake. ¡°Damn it. What should I do?¡± He had no time. And he had to particr way to handle this threat. He had no other choice but to wire the money. The other party received the money but didn¡¯t keep his promise. A littleter his advisor called him urgently. ¡°You¡¯re in big trouble, congressman. A sex video with your face in it is circting the inte now.¡± ¡°What? Sex video?¡± The situation escted quickly. Chulmo and Yonji Choi were ranked the top search words on the inte, and the sex scandal involving had been downloaded by lots of people across the country. Though Kim denied it shamelessly, the picture of the video was so sharp that nobody believed him. Nheless, Kim resisted and denied, ¡°It¡¯s not me. Never, ever!¡± And he bent over backwards to press on the politicians, prosecutor¡¯s office and the press to ignore the scandal. But things got worse and worse. Several dayster his advisor, brought him more shocking news. ¡°Another terrible thing happened.¡± ¡°What is it this time? Is there anything that is more shocking than this?¡± Kim threw a tantrum all of a sudden. His advisor flinched for a moment, but he could not sleep on the shocking news. ¡°Yonjimitted suicide.¡± Kim just squat down on the floor feebly. ¡°Damned wretch!¡± *** Hyunwoo had dinner with the staff of Ani & Funny on that day. Then he noticed a TV news item about the Yonji Choi list, a hot topic these days. Yonji was a new female star who appeared on TV ads recently, but when her sex video was revealed, shemitted suiside as she could not ovee it. The police started an investigation and found her diary in her house. The diary had a shocking list of people that she was forced to have sex with. Among them was National Assemblyman Chulmo Kim. What was more shocking was that Yonjin had to do it at the coercion of Taesu Ahn. She was dreadful of the contract under which she had to pay a huge cancetion fee if she didn¡¯t follow Taesu¡¯s direction. Her diary contained lots of names of celebrities including politicians, powerful businessmen and presidents of some mediapanies. The prosecutors¡¯ office started the investigation and arrested Taesu on charges of coercing her to have involuntary sex with people. All the figures listed in her diary including Chulmo Kim were investigated, but all were freed without any charges. The prosecutors¡¯ office concluded that her diary had no specific evidence. After all, the Yonji Choi case was closed with the arrest of Taesu Ahn in three months. ¡°Son of a bitch!¡± Kyungsu cursed at them in an angry voice. Other staff reacted likewise. ¡°How can this country be called just when such dirty skanks have top positions in society?¡± ¡°This time we have to rece all the politicians.¡± ¡°So sorry for the female star.¡± Hyunwoo felt the same way, but that was the sorry state of the country that he could do nothing about. The news was stilling out from the TV. This time there was a report on Bando Oil. Bando Oil had been on the verge of bankruptcy for several months. As a result, its stock plummeted. It was had once been valued at 50,000 won per share, but it was down to 10,000 won now. In the meantime, the news broke that OneStar became its biggest shareholder. Hyunwoo frowned at the news. OneStar was of the same family as DonStar, the evil US private equitypany. ¡°Damn it. OneStar! I wonder if they manipted the stock prices of Bando Oil.¡± There was a real possibility. In fact, OneStar artificially dropped the stock price of Bando Oily by spreading malicious rumors about thepany to buy it at a cheap price. It was the same method that DonStar employed when it took over Korea Exchange Bank. Hyunwoo was really enraged. Ani & Funny staff including Kyungsu burst into anger at the malicious business practices of OneStar. ¡°Dirty skanks! I wish our president took over Bando.¡± ¡°Yea, you¡¯re right.¡± Hearing theirints, Hyunwoo agreed. Actually, his father was on the verge of developing new green oil. Whenever Hyunwoo asked him about the progress, Duyoung kept repeating ¡®Not yet.¡¯ But Hyunwoo knew his father did the research so well that his father could start a business immediately. If his father made the final decision, Hyunwoo would start an oil refinery business. But it was toote. OneStar already took over Bando Oil and emerged as itsrgest shareholder. After dinner, most of the staff went back to the office forte work, but Hyunwoo headed home. When he arrived at home, his father led him into his room as if he was waiting for his son urgently. He was in an excited mood today. Hyunwoo became as much excited, looking at his father. ¡°Any good news?¡± As soon as he sat, Duyoung said in a low voice, ¡°Done. I¡¯ve discovered the best environment for microorganisms to work. I can reduce the time by half. I also checked the debris around the wires. It is not an ordinary substance. I think the tensile force is much stronger than a spider web. And it¡¯s very strong against heat. I think I can find ways to use them as a product.¡± ¡°Do you think you canmercialize the wires?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s true. I think you can hit the jackpot with the proper application of the wires.¡± Hyunwoo felt as if his heart was breaking with joy. It was the sweet fruits of Duyoung¡¯s intense research on the wires ten months after he discovered microorganisms. Chapter 268

Chapter 268

¡°Okay, Dad. Why don¡¯t you found apany first? I have already secured a lot for the factory. You need to get a patent, coin the factory name, build a factory and sell the product. Do you have a name in mind?¡± Hyunwoo made a great fuss about it and pressed on his father. But Duyoung¡¯s face hardened at that moment. He seemed to disagree. ¡°I may be good in research or invention, but I¡¯m not good at all in business. I confirmed it a long time ago.¡± Obviously, he had the lingering trauma of his failure in the green oil business. Hyunwoo cheered him up, though. ¡°I know you¡¯re worried because of those damned guys with Singyong...¡± Duyoung cut off his words and said, ¡°I know you made a great sess in business by founding Ani & Funny and KOVE DREAM. That¡¯s why you¡¯re so confident, but this is a fundamentally different business.¡± Hyunwoo could not understand what his father was so scared about. Though he didn¡¯t have wide connections in the political and business world, he had excellent technology. Hyunwoo felt that if his father would start a business on green oil, he would certainly make a sess this time. Hyunwoo continued to persuade his father. But Duyoung also wouldn¡¯t budge a bit. He insisted on getting royalty fees by selling his green oil patent to an existing oil refinerypany instead of building a factory and sell products. After all, they could note to a conclusion. ¡°I¡¯ve got a headache. Let¡¯s discuss it more tomorrow,¡± said Duyoung. ¡°Yea, dad. Take a break.¡± It was a bit early for Hyunwoo to go to sleep. He was preupied with thinking about his father¡¯s business. ¡°How can I persuade him?¡± At that moment, he overheard his parents having an argument. It seemed as if his father raised his voice on purpose, so that Hyunwoo could hear it. ¡°It looks like he is conceited because he has seeded in business. I guess he wille to his senses after he gets hit by big trouble.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry so much. He has lots of business experience now.¡± ¡°You can lead a life based on your experience, but you can¡¯t do business with your experience alone. You have to prepare in advance just in case your rival attacks you. I hope he won¡¯t be overambitious. Hyunwoo could clearly hear his father¡¯s loud voice. But his mother took side with Hyunwoo. ¡°I think he can do it well. Just count on him.¡± ¡°This is not a matter of ¡®counting on him or not.¡¯ Do you want Hyunwoo to repeat my failure?¡± ¡°Please keep your voice down. He might hear it.¡± Only then did they talk in a low voice. But he could hear his father sigh aloud. Of course, Hyunwoo could understand his father¡¯s position, who suffered a great deal of pain because of Singyong. But Hyunwoo was confident. If his father was so scared about domestic refineries like Songyong, he was willing to do business overseas. And he wanted to show his father his confidence, so that he could help his father regain concern confidence and trust rather than worrying. After turning it over in his mind for a moment, he began to write a letter to his father. The next day, Hyunwoo left home a bit earlier than usual. His mother got up much earlier than Hyunwoo to prepare the breakfast meal at the Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom factory. So, she usually came back home around the time when he was going to work. When she came into her room, she noticed a white envelope on the threshold. ¡°What kind of letter is this?¡± Duyoung was awake by then. ¡°Letter?¡± On the envelope was written ¡®To my father.¡¯ ¡°It seems Hyunwoo wrote a letter to you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Duyoung received it and began to read. Duyoung was a chemist with a Ph. D degree. Born to a rich family, he was called a genius since he was a child and attended top schools along the way. He once had a great dream about making great wealth after he developed new car fuel. But he was hit by massive taxes less than one year after his factory produced new products because of Singyong¡¯s high-handed business practices. When his colleague stole the core technology of green oil, his dream of great wealth came to nothing and he went down in life. To make matters worse, he had a traffic ident. After that ident, Duyoungpletely gave up. He lost not only the dream of aeback but also the desire to live. So, he even thought ofmitting suicide with his family by burning briquettes. It was Hyunwoo who stopped him. Come to think of it, Hyunwoo lived in a different living condition from his. Duyoung, born to a rich family, grew up and studied without worrying about anything. Hyunwoo was the opposite. He had to have a hard life as a middle school boy, going through all kinds of difficulties and trials. As his father, Duyoung felt he wasn¡¯t even qualified to me his son. Suddenly, he felt ashamed of himself. His wife Jisook also read the letter and talked to him in a calm voice. ¡°Honey, we are good as long as Hyunwoo is with us. We were always happy without money in the past.¡± That was true. Come to think of it, they were happy during the bygone years. Though Duyoung felt sad about his paraparesis, he didn¡¯t feel he was unhappy because he was broke. Suddenly, Duyoung feltfortable while he was looking back his past. His fear of Singyong melted away before he knew. ¡°I don¡¯t care what they¡¯re going to do. My son won¡¯t never be defeated.¡± Duyoung held Jisook¡¯s hand. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s count on Hyunwoo.¡± Hyunwoo came back home on that day. As if he was waiting for him, Duyoung called him into the main bedroom. Jisook was with him. Hyunwoo knew why he called him. He left a letter for him this morning when he went out. He looked at his parents. They looked bright. Obviously, they made a positive decision. As soon as Hyunoo sat down, Duyoung opened his mouth, ¡°Son, I am not sure if I¡¯m qualified to say this, but as I have had more experiences in life, I hope you can listen.¡± Hyunwoo didn¡¯t say anything. He just looked at his father calmly. ¡°Life is like a nket with which we survive the cold winter night. If you pull it up, you feel cold in your knees and down, and if you cover your knees with it, your chest and up will feel cold. How can you survive the cold winter night then?¡± Hyunwoo seemed to know the answer. But he didn¡¯t answer. The reason his father asked him was not that he wanted Hyunwoo¡¯s reply. ¡°You have to shrink your body enough to fit the size of the nket. Only those who can do so can spend the cold winter night in afortable and warm way.¡± That¡¯s what Hyunwoo thought about. Duyoung continued, ¡°Some people will say things like why don¡¯t you buy another nket? If you feel it¡¯s not enough, you can buy two or three nkets.¡± What he meant by was Singyong, the oil refinerypany that ruined his life. Everyone has just one nket. But if somebody wants two or three nkets, there is only one way he can get them. Namely, taking them away from others. ¡°I may have been thinking of that. In other words, I was too greedy. We all need just one nket to get by in this world.¡± One nket. Of course, one nket may not be enough for one can¡¯t stretch his or her legs fully with just one. But is there an end to one¡¯s endless desire? ¡°Let¡¯s do it, Hyunwoo. Our own business. But I hope you don¡¯t stake your goal on the money alone. Let¡¯s have a bigger goal.¡± A bigger goal. What is it? Hyunwoo felt that was a dream. Achieving the dream that his father has long held, setting an example for the students, including those at Haenim School, and contributing to the country and the human race. This might be a grand dream, but if that dream is the green oil that Duyoung has developed, Hyunwoo felt he was fully qualified to have that dream. ¡°Yes, dad. Let me help you to the best I can.¡± But Duyoung shook his head. ¡°No, let me help you. Like I said yesterday, it goes against my grain to do business. Let me just focus on research.¡± ¡°But this is your business.¡± Duyoung shook his head again. ¡°No, it¡¯s our business. And that¡¯s what I want. I want you to make true the dream that I have dreamed.¡± Hyunwoo felt excited to hear his father¡¯s request. ¡°I want you to find a name for the green oilpany, too.¡± In fact, Hyunwoo had one in mind. He saved the name for his ownpany someday. ¡°As a matter of fact, I have one name that I had in mind for long.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± asked Duyoung with a curious look. ¡°It¡¯s called STM. It¡¯s a name that reflects my wishes that I want to be the light of the world,¡± ¡°STM, the light of the world. How can I interpret that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple. Sun. sTar, Moon.¡± Chapter 269

Chapter 269

Hyunwoo and Duyoung began tounch the start-up STM in earnest. Duyoung gathered a group of experts to build a factory and facilities, while Hyunwoo reviewed the factory site. Though it was not the first time heunched his business, Hyunwoo was thrilled when he got down to selecting the factory site. It was because he felt that this was ¡®his own business.¡¯ Up to now, Hyunwoo did business that helped other people. That was the case of his first start-up N&C Korea, followed by Ani & Funny and KOVE DREAM. They were not Hyunwoo¡¯s original business items. But STM was different. It was his own business based on Duyoung¡¯s development of green oil technology. Of course, he had to recognize the credit of Mingyu Kang who gave an idea of microorganisms, or Jamin Yu who helped Duyoung make a breakthrough in his research by dropping a battery in a gasoline bucket. As for the factory site, Hyunwoo had an eye on one already. Seven months ago, when Duyoung began to gain momentum in his research, Hyunwoo started to review the feasibility of a ce near several industrialplexes across the country. And he selected three ces as the finalist. One of them was Yochon where there was a petrochemicalplex, the other one was Seoul and Incheon, and thest one was Sosan. Hyunwoo felt more attracted to Sosan out of them. The port of Daesan in Sosan was emerging as the ma of the petrochemicalplex. In particr, the local autonomous entities and politicians were actively involved in inviting enterprises to Sosan. Hyunwoo liked Assemblyman Chulwoo Chung and the mayor of Sosan. He met them often while building Haenim School in Tapgokri, Sosan City and found their political conviction was very clear. Besides, they had no private greed at all. Hyunwoo never found such clean politicians before. Hyunwoo felt lots of things while doing business so far. The most important was the propitiousness of the times. And another important factor was human resources. Of course, the factory site or the surrounding environment was important, but much less important whenpared with the luck of the times or human resources. Hyunwoo called congressman Chulwoo first. ¡°Hi, Congressman Mr. Chung. This is Hyunwoo Jang.¡± ¡°How are you, Mr. Jang? I never expected you called me first like this. By the way, don¡¯t call me a congressman. You promised not to call me that formal title, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Hahaha, got it, brother.¡± ¡°By the way, what¡¯s up? You must not have called me without any business.¡± ¡°Well, I would like tounch a start-up enterprise, and if I can, I would like to build a factory in your constituency. I would like to discuss it with you. Can you take the time out one of these days?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m now in Sosan. Let¡¯s have a dinner together with the mayor of Sosan this evening.¡± Hyunwoo happened to have no dinner appointment. ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll see you in front of Sosan City Hall by 7 pm.¡± After the call, he headed for the KOVE DREAM office. There was nothing special that he needed to pay attention to. He stopped by the office of N&C Korea, KOVE DREAM and Ani & Funny three or four times per week for business briefing. KOVE DREAM was operating on a very stable basis. Of course, the word ¡®stable¡¯ didn¡¯t necessarily mean the positive side. In other words, that meant there was no change. In fact, KOVE DREAM stopped growing. It was not the problem of KOVE DREAM alone. It was caused by severalrgepanies that created something like KOVE DREAM. Of course, KOVE DREAM was superior to its rivals in terms of the consumers¡¯ perception of its products and reputation. But rivalpaniespetitively attacked KOVE DREAM with lowermission fees and technical support to attract aspiringpanies as their members. As time went by, the number ofpanies wishing to join KOVE DREAM dwindled, while those defecting to its rivals began to increase. But Hyunwoo was not worried. Actually, he didn¡¯t need to worry. Besides, KOVE DREAM had no chance of going bankrupt because there were many sessfulpanies such as DF Technology in Vietnam and Sungsin Company in China, where Hyunwoo made a direct investment. Already 21panies that developed their own technology joined KOVE DREAM, and half of them already repaid all their initial investments and generated profits. This was something very encouraging. Most of thesepanies received huge investments from Hyunwoo to the point that they transferred 70% of thepany to him. Thanks to this, they bought back Hyunwoo¡¯s stake, and as a result Hyunwoo only kept a 30% stake. When Hyunoo invested in thesepanies, they were in financial difficulty or on the verge of bankruptcy, with their stocks plummeting. But the situation was different when they bought back the shares from Hyunwoo. When they seeded in developing new technology, they began to grow every day, which led to the soaring of their stocks. Some of thepanies saw their stock prices rising fivefold, and some saw a thirtyfold increase. In other words, if Hyunwoo invested one billion won, he retrieved more than 10 billion won. There were lots ofpanies that made a sess like this. Hyunwoo invested in over 70panies so far, and he is still searching for the high-potentialpanies that needed his investment. It was not just the case of foreignpanies in Vietnam and other countries. For example, the domestic Koreanpany Nanotech received over 20 billion won from Hyunwoo. Because of this huge investment Hyunwoo checked Nanotech¡¯s business status on a regr basis. Today, too, he had such a report. ¡°Finally, we are done with inspecting the facilities. Test operation will start today.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s face brightened. He expected the test operation would start within six months, but it had been dyed by four more months. And now all set, and ready to go. ¡°What time does it start?¡± ¡°3 pm. Can youe if you have free time?¡± The new factory of Nanotech was located within Sukmoon Industrial Complex in Dangjin. It was within the one-hour driving distance from theplex. When Hyunwoo checked the time, it was a little after 11 am. He had enough time to have lunch before leaving for theplex. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll join you. How can I skip it on a historic day like today?¡± Hyunwoo canceled all his afternoon appointments. After lunch, he leisurely drove to the new Nanotech factory in Sukmoon Industrial Complex. Beside him was Taeho Min. Hyunwoo had been to the old factory of Nanotech several times in the past, but it was notrge in size. When he arrived, its president Hyunsang Chu greeted them at the main gate. ¡°Wee!¡± ¡°Congrattions!¡± ¡°Thanks. I owe it all to you, President Jang. Thanks so much. The operation is ready. Shall we go?¡± Hyunwoo followed him into the new factory. All the processing was done in a closed space. So, he could not visit the actual site. Instead he could watch it through monitors installed at each processing center. Hyunwoo and Taeho watched the process for about 30 minutes. The technicians briefed them step by step. Though there were many technical terms Hyunwoo could not understand, Taeho took down their points in his notebook while asking them questions. He was also briefed about the business rted to carbon nanotubes. Hyunwoo felt the business prospects were both promising and disappointing. What was disappointing was the unit cost. When Chu originally exined to Hyunwoo, he mentioned the production cost was less than 1,000 won per gram. But it was now over 2,000 won when they recalcted the production cost afterpleting the new factory. Hyunwoo saw that there were more promising areas in the carbon nanotubes business. He scouted a US expert with Ph. D., recognized as a global authority on carbon nanotubes. ording to him, he would be able to raise the quality of the product within six months and find a way to lower the production cost. If that was true, Nanotech could be the world¡¯s bestpany in the area of carbon nanotubes. There was a thunderous p from the participants at the end of the briefing session. There was a special photo session and reception. Though Mr. Chu asked Hyunwoo to stay for dinner, he had a very important appointment that he could not cancel. After he left Nanotech, he headed for Sosan City. Though it was near theplex, Hyunwoo left early for the appointed ce not to keep his guests waiting. When he arrived at the restaurant, however, the mayor of Sosan and congressman Chulwoo Chung arrived ahead of him, waiting for him. ¡°Oh my god, I left early enough, but I¡¯m stillte. I¡¯m very sorry.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to say that. We¡¯ve been here since the daytime. Have a seat.¡± It was the most famous Chinese restaurant in Sosan. They broke the ice by exchanging pleasantries over drinks. Mr. Kim first opened his mouth to get Hyunwoo to bring up the main topic. ¡°So, I hear you¡¯reunching a start-up on oil refinery, right?¡± asked Kim. ¡°Yes, in fact, my father is a doctor in chemistry...¡± Hyunwoo briefly exined to them about his business n. He didn¡¯t mention the core technology of green oil, but even his brief introduction surprised the mayor and Mr. Kim. ¡°Wow, your father really has discovered a wonderful thing. I guess that may change the world car fuel market. Hahaha.¡± Mr. Kim talked about Hyunwoo¡¯s business n in a grand manner, but the way he made a conceited smile, he didn¡¯t seem to genuinely think it was as grand as he said. If he really had thought so, he could not have uttered one word out of a big surprise. Maybe he might think the new green oil was a tad better than typical gasoline. But Hyunwoo was confident. Mr. Kim¡¯s mention of green oil would be a reality, not just well-wishing remarks. Chapter 270

Chapter 270

Hyunwoo didn¡¯t say that to them. He would keep the oues of Duyoung¡¯s research secret until thepletion of a factory and the production of new green oil products. Hyunwooughed pleasantly as if he was imagining something interesting. ¡°Haha, it would be so nice if I could realize that. But I can reassure you it has real business value. If I build a factory, I can make huge profits. By the way, are there any other factory site near the port of Daesan?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯m willing to find one even by reimingnd from the sea. The mayor of Sosan showed active interest in it. He presented not only his opinion about the factory site but also various programs to financially support the factory construction. He was determined to invite Hyunwoo¡¯s new nt on gree oil in Sosan. But there was one obstacle. ¡°By the way, I wonder if we can hire people if I build the factory in Sosan. As you know, Sosan is such a small city.¡± In fact, the mayor of Sosan seemed to be worried about that. He could invite outside investment, but it would be hard to invite potential workers to a factory in Sosan. He couldn¡¯t invite seniors who used to be farmers to the factory. The mayor of Seoul¡¯s face was not bright. ¡°How many employees do you think you need?¡± he asked. Hyunwoo said the factory site should be asrge as at least 50,000 pyong (17 ha), with over 500 employees. Nodding his head lightly, the mayor said, ¡°Over 500 employees? A lot more than I expected. But you don¡¯t have to be pessimistic. There are lots of ways to invite people. For example, if we provide good education and transportation can attract them in the future...¡± The mayor mentioned about how to invite more people from outside Sosan. But what really mattered to Hyunwoo was the here and now, not the hereafter. Sosan wascking in such conditions and it was not clear when the city could bepetent enough to attract factories. But the mayor continued, ¡°As you know, Haenim School is supposed to be built in Tapgokri. Due to a rapid increase in the volume of transported goods in Daesan Port, I am also considering connecting the Dangjin-Daejeon Expressway to Daesan Port. If STM is built in Sosan on the close heels of Haenim School¡¯s move to Sosan, the construction of that expressway will gain momentum.¡± In other words, what the mayor said was he would try to make the conditions for the attraction of STM rather than wait for the conditions to be arranged in time. Hyunwoo nodded his head. ¡°Okay, then. I think I have to start building a small factory with 100 employees. If that¡¯s not a big problem, let me try to set up a business n that contains the details on expansionter.¡± The mayor responded favorably. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to secure the budget of the new expressway. Good transportation seems to be a must to invite more people to STM.¡± *** Several dayster, Hyunwoo got a call from the mayor. ¡°I checked out several factory sites for STM. I¡¯ve sent you an email on that, so confirm it.¡± ¡°Thanks, Mayor.¡± Hyunwoo checked his email on theputer. There was a total of three candidates for the factory site. Had they read each other¡¯s minds? In fact, Hyunwoo gathered lots of tips on the potential factory site of STM. Fortunately, the mayor¡¯s rmended three ces were also included in Hyunwoo¡¯s wish list. The analysis of the merits and demerits of the site candidates was also simr to his. Hyunwoo favored the 30,000-pyong (9.9 ha) site near the dock. He thought he would start building a small factory because of the difficulty of hiring people and expand itter when it was running normally. After thinking about the mayor¡¯s rmendation, Hyunwoo came to the conclusion. His father could design an appropriate factory when Hyunwoo selected the factory site. He called the mayor of Sosan. ¡°Mayor, I¡¯ve chosen the site near the dock.¡± ¡°Got it. Let me contact the management office of the industrialplex and give you as many benefits as possible.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo clenched his fists. It¡¯s finally starting. I can do it. *** Late evening, Munsik was sitting in a high-end bar, which was the most luxurious bar in the posh area of Kangnam, south of Seoul. A littleter, a young and tall Westerner gentleman and a Korean youth who seemed to be the same age as he came in. The Korean seemed his interpreter. But Munsik didn¡¯t need an interpreter. Munsik conceitedly stood up and greeted the man in English, holding out his hand. Though his pronunciation was not good, he could carry on in English to make himself understood. ¡°I¡¯m Munsik Choi...¡± The Westerner shook hands with him. ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Hamilton with OneStar. I didn¡¯t expect I would meet the chairman of Singyong in person like this.¡± ¡°As you have taken over Bando Oil, you and I are the representatives of the oil industry, aren¡¯t we? Let¡¯s get along well between us. Haha,¡± said Munsik, with a heartyugh. Hamilton alsoughed then asked bluntly as if he wanted to get to the point. ¡°By the way, howe the chairman of Singyong like you wants to see me?¡± ¡°Oh,e on. Don¡¯t be so impatient. Let¡¯s have a drink first.¡± ¡°In fact, I¡¯m not that free. I have to handle lots of things with respect to Bando Oil. I want to thank you for inviting me here, but I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t stay here long.¡± Hamilton dampened the atmosphere. Munsik looked cold as if he felt slighted by Hamilton¡¯s remarks. But he had to put up with it if he meant to do business well. Holding back the feelings of humiliation for a moment, Munsik reluctantly smiled and said, ¡°Haha, I understand. Looks like I invited you at the wrong time. I wish I had invited you when it was dark.¡± But Hamilton didn¡¯t respond as if he wanted to know what business brought Munsik here. Only then did he have a serious look on his face and said, ¡°Wasn¡¯t it the purpose of OneStar to buy Bando Oil cheap and sell it high? If that¡¯s the case, you have to financially stabilize Bando Oil as soon as possible, so let¡¯s find a way to do that. Don¡¯t you think our world will be brighter when we help each other?¡± Saying so, Munsik expected that Hamilton would chime in because that¡¯s the standard way OneStar or DonStar used to take overpanies and sold them at a high priceter. Hamilton admitted and said, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true. So far, OneStar has bought insolventpanies cheap and sold them high after putting them back in financial stability. That was our management method.¡± While talking with Hamilton, Munsik felt something strange. When Hamilton talked about the management method of OneStar, he used the past tense, not the present tense. As if to clear Munsik¡¯s doubt, Hamilton quickly continued, ¡°But we won¡¯t deal with Bando Oil like we did before.¡± Munsik¡¯s eyes opened wide with surprise. He felt some sort of uneasiness. He felt like OneStar would stab him in the back. ¡°The purpose of OneStar¡¯s takeover of Bando Oil is to grow it as the best oil refinerypany in Korea.¡± Munsik¡¯s face was distorted when he heard Hamiltion¡¯s bombshell statement. There was a reason why Munsik helped OneStar take over Bando Oil by mobilizing even mean and dangerous methods. It was because he didn¡¯t want to see the creation of a burdensome rival. If Ohsung Group, not OneStar, had taken over Bando Oil, it would have emerged as the most powerful rival to threaten Singyong. And Munsik now began to realize OneStar was the same threat to Singyong. ¡°What¡¯s the reason? Howe you suddenly...?¡± he asked as if he wanted to argue with Hamilton. But Hamilton reacted in a very cool manner. He seemed to expect Munsik would create this kind of atmosphere. ¡°The reason is simple. Bando Oil has great business value.¡± Munsik suddenly had a throbbing headache. He was just freaking out when he thought that Singyong might have topete against OneStar with tremendous capital funds. Hamiltion continued to shock him, ¡°We have already secured 500 billion won to support gas stations across the country. We¡¯ll lend 80% in loans to the applicants when they want to open the gas stations of Bando Oil. I think our loan condition is good, with 6% yearly interest rate and a ten-year repayment period.¡± This was a clear provocation to Munsik. OneStar threw down the gauntlet. There was no more reason to talk. As if he felt the same way, Hamilton stood up first. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m miles behind with my work. If you don¡¯t have any more to say, may I leave now?¡± And then he stood up and turned. He looked back at Munsik as if he recalled something to say. ¡°Oh, I forgot to express thanks to you. Thanks for getting rid of Ohsung Group and Assemblyman Chulmo Kim on behalf of us. We have several pieces of evidence that show that Singyong was responsible for the recent scandal involving Yonji Choi, but let us keep them under wraps as we appreciate your help.¡± That was Hamilton¡¯s final statement to Munsik. Left alone in the bar, Munsik was trembling with embarrassment and shock. He couldn¡¯t hold back his anger. He felt he fell a victim to OneStar¡¯s wicked trick. While he was restless, thinking about the future of Singyong, he heard a knock on the door. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me, the manager of the intelligence team.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± The manager cautiously reported, ¡°It seems that Duyoung has seeded in the experiment on green oil and he is nning a new business. ording to our informant, he is gathering experts in oil refinery.¡± Munsik opened his eyes all of a sudden. This was a golden chance for him. If Duyoung really developed green oil and Singyoung could secure it sessfully, he would not have to worry about OneStar any more. Biting his lips, Munsik instructed, ¡°Steal that secret on his green oil research. You have to steal it by all means.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Munsik clenched his fists. Given his expression, it looked like he already had that stolen secret in his hands already. In fact, he thought as if he achieved the goal already. ¡°Done! I can make it.¡± Chapter 271

Chapter 271

Ohsung Co. was the best and biggestpany in Korea. There was a prevalent perception among the people that products made by Ohsung were the best, so Ohsung had a very good name. Though Singyong Co. was quickly catching up with Ohsung¡¯s growth, the formergged far behind thetter. Munsik Choi, CEO of Singyong, was unhappy about it all the time. He felt that Singyong could overtake Oshung by trying a bit harder, but the gaps between them didn¡¯t narrow as Ohsung also grew as much as Singyoung. So, Munsik burned with apetitive spirit whenever he heard the name Ohsung. That¡¯s why he felt so nervous when he heard Ohsung was entering into the oil business. He helped OneStar to keep Ohsung in check, but the former was not standing in the way of Singyong¡¯s growth. If that was the case, he felt it was necessary to reverse the foe and friend rtionship between Ohsung and Singyoung. It was time Singyoung joined hands with Ohsung to keep OneStar at bay. Munsik, standing before the headquarters of Ohsung, let out a sigh. He entered the building. As he arranged an appointment with the CEO of Ohsung in advance, Munsik headed straight to the CEO¡¯s office. Konho Ahn, the CEO of Ohsung, weed him. Though he was over 70 years old, Konho seemed as fit as a fiddle. ¡°Come on in,¡± said Konho. ¡°How are you, sir,¡± said Munsik. Munsik bowed slightly to him, given that Konho was the elder in life as well as business. ¡°Have a seat. I¡¯ve very nice puer tea ready.¡± They exchanged pleasantries over tea for a while. Konho didn¡¯t feel good these days because his son Taesu was sentenced to jail recently in connection with the sex video scandal. Besides, Assemblyman Chulmo Kim, the strong backer of Ohsung Group, lost power as he was involved in the scandal. He was once mentioned as a presidential candidate, but he was not on good ground in his own party these days. Ohsung Group quickly moved to cultivate new connections with politicians to rece Mr. Kim. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. I think your son will be pardoned soon.¡± ¡°Yea, he should. I want to see the President by the end of this year and ask a favor of him.¡± Munsik felt it was the right moment to bring up the main topic. ¡°By the way, did you find out who was behind the disclosure of the sex video involving Mr. Kim? How dare anybody make such a video...?¡± Konho frowned at that. He ordered his men to find out who was behind it and confirm how the video was released. Unfortunately, it was the mistake of the private securitypany, a subsidiary of Ohsung Group. The vi, where the sex video was taped, was the property of Taesu Ahn, and only Taesu could control the unmanned securiy system. But somebody made a copy of Taesu¡¯s security card and seeded in unlocking the unmanned security system. And the man who got into the vi installed a secret camera to videotape the affair of Mr. Kim and Yonji Choi. When Konho remained silent, Munsik talked about the suspect who was behind the incident. ¡°Don¡¯t you think OneStar was behind it?¡± Konho nodded silently. ¡°But I am not so sure,¡± he said. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure they were behind it. As far as money is concerned, they will try to risk anything.¡± Konho saved his breath. Though he had a strong suspicion of OneStar, he had no specific evidence. Munsik opened his mouth to stir up Konho¡¯s hostility toward OneStar. ¡°In fact, I¡¯ve got a big headache over OneStar. Why don¡¯t we join hands to fight against OneStar on this asion? We two can y the game.¡± ¡°How can we put pressure on OneStar?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s the biggest pressure on them for us to cut dealings with thosepanies that OneStar invested in?¡± Konho nodded at that. In fact, Konho was working out a n in that direction. And several days ago he found onepany he could use against OneStar. It was Nanotech, the producer of carbon nanotubes. Ohsung Group was buying carbon nanotubes from threepanies, the majority of which came from CNB. It was apany of which OneStar was arge shareholder. Konho was going to switch the orders from CNB to Nanotech first. And as soon as he could confirm the quality of carbon nanotubes of otherpanies, he would receive orders from them instead of the existing threepanies. This time Konho asked, ¡°What kind of n do you have to put pressure on OneStar?¡± ¡°As you know, OneStar took over Bando Oil. So, I¡¯m going to meet the ranking officials of the relevant ministries of the government. Sooner orter the government will mp down on those gas stations owned by OneStar.¡± Konho nodded his head, feeling such a government measure would be enough to make OneStar feel the pain. But their dialogue was not over. Munsik had one more thing to double-check with Konho. ¡°By the way, are you going to enter the oil business? As you know, there are too many oil refineries in our country when itsnd is so small. Besides, recently OneStar has entered the oil refinery market...¡± Konho giggled at that and said, ¡°I gave it a brief thought when Bando Oil came up for sale, but I don¡¯t want to enter the market now. I can assure you that.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Haha, I was a bit worried about it,¡± said Munsik with a bigugh. It was one hourter that Munsik came out of the Ohsung building. There was a satisfied expression on his face. ¡°Done! Let me take revenge on you OneStar. How dare you insult me? Let me get you in trouble.¡± Munsik came back to his office. At that moment, the manager of the intelligence team came into the office for a special briefing. ¡°Sir, we have finally seeded!¡± Munsik¡¯s eyes sparkled momentarily. As soon as he saw the manager, he thought of green oil. ¡°Sess? Are you talking about...?¡± ¡°Yes, we have seeded in stealing the secret on Super Green. Super Green is the name of the green oil that Duyoung has newly developed.¡± Munsik sprang to his feet before he knew. ¡°Analyze it right away and apply for a new patient on it. We should be ahead of Duyoung. Remember it should not be toote unless it¡¯s absolutely necessary.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± The manager hurriedly went out of the office. Munsik could not hide his excitement. ¡°Done. You bastards at OneStar. Let me make you suffer losses whenever you make an investment.¡± *** Hyunwoo headed for Tapgokri vige in Sosan City, where the construction of Haenim School was underway. The school was designed to house 500 students, but its new building was muchrger than the existing one in Hwasung. Though it had only 50 students, Hyunwoo hoped the new school would be crowded with students in two or three years. But this was just the beginning. Hyunwoo nned to expand it tenfold in five years. After stopping by Tapgokri, he moved to the construction site of the STM factory located in Daesan Port. Super Green was the new green oil developed by Duyoung. Hyunwoo was convinced that the moment the construction of the STM factory waspleted, Super Green could shake the gasoline industry of Korea. Back to Ansan he headed for the Ani & Funny office again. The Ani & Funny office now had eight branches across the country, with a total of 150 staff and 450 students as part-timers. The Ani & Funny office in Ansan was its headquarters. Though it waste evening, it was more crowded with the staff than during the daytime. When Hyunwoo came into the office, everybody was so absorbed in their work that they didn¡¯t even look at him. He could feel their strong enthusiasm at the moment. Recently Ani & Funny was in the thick of producing animated movies. So far, it made a total of four movies including one intended for the audience of movie theaters, and all of them made box office hits. The revenues of the movie for the theater were huge. Though Ani & Funny spent 12 billion won in producing the movie, the revenues it generated around the world were more than 100 billion won. Its DVDs and downloads on the inte for resale also brought in more than 50 billion won in revenues. Other movies made for TV also raked in 50 billion won, and other short animation works also hit gold whenever they were on the market. Everyone working at Ani & Funny deserved the credit for this tremendous sess. In particr, Yenam Noh was the biggest contributor. As long as Hyunwoo had him on his staff, he felt the sess of Ani & Funny could go on for the time being. Anyway, the students and staff of Ani & Funny got in high spirits these days. This time he went to Haenim School because of his father Duyoung. As he developed Super Green, his father needed to take some rest, but he didn¡¯t. He was more enthusiastic about his research than ever. As heunched the STM start-up, he cut down on his research time. To make up for this, however, he continued to spend more time on research by reducing sleep. It seemed his father might fall sick if Hyunwoo would not step in. It was around 9 pm when Hyunwoo arrived at the school. Let me ask him go to sleep at 10 pm. Hyunwoo headed for the research room to kill time until then. At that moment, he saw somebody crouching down there, who looked like a student. Who is he? What¡¯s he doing there? Hyunwoo slowly approached him, walking on tiptoe. When he was getting near the student, he heard some weeping sound. A student was crying crouched over in agony there, covering his mouth with one hand. When Hyunwoo stood before him, the student raised his head, sensing someone¡¯s presence. He was Mingyu Kang. ¡°Why are you crying, Mingyu? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Mingyu shook his head. When he saw Hyunwoo, he shed more tears as if he was all the more sad. Stroking his back, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Tell me what¡¯s wrong. We¡¯re a family.¡± But Mingyu didn¡¯t say anything. Hyunwoo knew why he was crying, though. Stroking his back again, Hyunwoo asked, ¡°Are you crying because that man didn¡¯t give you the money he promised?¡± Chapter 272

Chapter 272

When Hyunwoo said that, Mingyu looked at him with a stunned expression. Hyunwoo continued, ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel sad. The research material you handed over to Singyoung was fake. It¡¯s only natural that you didn¡¯t get the money.¡± Mingyu¡¯s eyes opened wide not because the material was fake nor he didn¡¯t receive the money. He asked in a trembling voice, ¡°Did you know that already?¡± ¡°Of course, I knew it from the start.¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± In fact, it was impossible for Hyunwoo not to know it, given Mingyu¡¯s typical behavioral pattern. Mingyu was a passive child. The main reason was he couldn¡¯t mingle with his friends as he was so weak, but he was of a passive disposition. As a result, Mingyu didn¡¯t like going out to y. Even though his close friends encouraged him to y outside, he refused. In particr, Mingyu hated going out in the dark. Nobody had ever seen him going out in the evening. But he began to go out alone in the evening some time ago. Of course, Hyunwoo could not doubt him just because of that. Nheless, Hyunwoo had some reason to be suspicious of his behavior. It was because of Namsik Cho. Namsik was so timid and passive, even more so than Mingyu. One day Namsik got up his nerve and told Hyunwoo about Mingyu¡¯s strange behavior. ¡°Mingyu is strange these days.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°He often peeks in Dr. Duyoung¡¯sb.¡± Hyunwoo could have ignored it if somebody else told him that. But he could not because Namsik said that. Namsik must have gathered a lot of courage to do so. So, Hyunwoo asked Namsik to keep an eye on Mingyu a little more. ¡°I know it¡¯s bad to tell you on someone, but I think I have to tell you this...¡± After that, Hyunwoo watched Mingyu carefully. And he shadowed Mingyu when he secretly went out. And he confirmed the scene of his meeting with Insan Park, a former colleague of Duyoung. Hyunwoo tracked down Insan and confirmed that he was approaching Mingyu at the instigation of Singyoung. Hyunwoo was enraged at Insan and Mingyu. In particr, he felt betrayed by Mingyu. How many favors had Hyunwoo given him so far? But he could understand Mingyu¡¯s position because of his father Byungwon¡¯s sickness. Hyunwoo wanted to know about the real reason for his betrayal. ¡°Why did you do it?¡± Mingyu could not reply easily. At Hyunwoo¡¯s repeated asking, he opened his mouth. ¡°It was because of my father¡¯s hospital bills...¡± It was as Hyunwoo expected. Like his son, Byungwoo was physically very weak. In particr, his health got worse since he was scouted by Design Room. He spent his time and energy on research because of the heavy pressure on his performance, which led him to get sick. He developedplications, in addition to existing diabetes. His condition was so severe that his primary doctor could not be sure of his life. But Byungwon kept his condition a secret from his son. But there was no eternal secret. As Byungwon¡¯s hospitalizationsted longer, Mingyu got wind of it and checked with the nurse about his father¡¯s exact condition. Mingyu also confirmed that his father¡¯s hospital bills were snowballing, so he began to worry. But Mingyu didn¡¯t need to worry because Hyunwoo paid his father¡¯s bills from the beginning. Of course, Mingyu didn¡¯t know that because Hyunwoo kept it secret. Looking back, Hyunwoo felt it was his mistake. If he had told Mingyu about it frankly, Mingyu would not have coveted money. Hyunwoo let out a sigh and said, ¡°Sorry, Mingyu. I wish I had not led you on from the start. It¡¯s my mistake that I thought you¡¯re just immature.¡± And then Hyunwoo told Mingyu about everything about his father¡¯s hospital bills and his exact physical condition. After he heard Hyunwoo¡¯s exnation, Mingyu had a stunned look and said, ¡°Really? You paid my father¡¯s hospital bills?¡± ¡°Oh, let me say I lent the money to him rather than paid his bills. You can pay itter when you make a sess.¡± Mingyu didn¡¯t say anything, just looking at Hyunwoo as his jaw dropped. ¡°Boohoo. I¡¯m so sorry. I didn¡¯t know that...¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, too. I used you against my will.¡± Shortly after he confirmed that Mingyu met Insal secretly, Hyunwoo found out Insan¡¯s ties with Singyoung. And Hyunwoo agonized over his next move. He concluded that he should use Mingyu and Insan for his own purpose. Of course, he had another option. It was for him to tell Mingyu frankly about what he knew so that Mingyu could change his mind as soon as possible. But it was toote for Hyunwoo to do so. Mingyu received more than 5 million won from Insan on several asions, which made Mingyu determined to cooperate with Insan. Another problem was that Singyoung would not give up even without Mingyu and would continue to search for a second or third mole. Given that situation, Hyunwoo felt it would be better to monitor Mingyu and use him. That¡¯s why Hyunwoo intentionally exposed Duyoung¡¯s wrong research files and experiment notes on green oil so that Mingyu could steal and convey them to Singyong. By now Singyong must have found out that the stolen files and material were fake. It¡¯s natural that they didn¡¯t pay Mingyu. Mingyu quietly listened to Hyunwoo¡¯s exnation, lowering his head. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, sir.¡± ¡°You should. And you should be responsible for your act as a man. If you really repent it, you should take responsibility instead of running away.¡± Mingyu nodded his head feebly. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m ready to receive any punishment.¡± ¡°Just behave yourself and wait. Let me check what others think about you. You have to ept whatever they decide on you.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± *** ¡°They received the material a long time ago. Why don¡¯t I have any updates? What the hell is the development team doing now?¡± Munsik shouted at the manager of the team. The manager nervously reported, ¡°The whole members of the development team have been working on it night and day for almost one month, but they repeatedly failed to get the tangible oues. It looks like the material we received has some problems.¡± ¡°Problems? Are you saying they are fake?¡± Munsik raised his voice higher. It looked like he was going to throw it at him if he got his hands on anything. ¡°That¡¯s the judgment of our team. I suspect we were deceived.¡± At that moment, Munsik cast a nce at the manager of the intelligence team. With a surprised look he retorted, ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I took the material directly from the student who was an assistant for Duyoung Jang.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, do you think it¡¯s because our team is so ipetent?¡± The manager of the development team demanded, looking at the manager of the intelligence team. ¡°Well, I¡¯m confident the material has no problem,¡± replied the intel manager. ¡°Why do we keep failing in the experiments if there is nothing wrong with the material?¡± The two managers were arguing with each other, raising their voices. But Munsik picked up pens in front of him and threw them at both. ¡°What the heck are you doing now?¡± Both managers suddenly became silent. Munsik red at them fiercely and then asked the manager of the development team. ¡°Are you sure the material has problems?¡± ¡°Yes, we tested based on the material. But the values of gasoline we got were wrong. You know howpetent our team is, don¡¯t you? We have no other choice but to think the material is defective.¡± Then Munsik picked a pen again and threw it at the intel manager. ¡°How foolish you are, dunce! How can you put on airs before me when you brought me fake material? Do you think you are qualified for your job?¡± ¡°The material can¡¯t be wrong...¡± But Munsik got angry at him again and warned, ¡°Let me give you three months from now. Get me the genuine material by all means. If you fail this time again, you should be ready to be fired. Got it?¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± *** In the conference room of Haenim School, eight students gathered around a table. They were assistants for Duyoung. Of course, Duyoung, Hyunwoo, and Mingyu were in the room. Everybody fixed their eyes on Mingyu, who lowered his head. After briefing them about the situation, Hyunwoo asked for their opinion. ¡°What do you think we have to do about Mingyu¡¯s harmful act? Present your own opinion,¡± said Hyunwoo. But the students could not reply easily. Silence prevailed for a while. Then Hyunwoo named them one by one and asked, ¡°Okay, guys. Please take turns expressing your opinion. Can you start off, Namsik?¡± Namsik was the most timid and shy student at the school. That¡¯s why he couldn¡¯t get ustomed to a normal school and moved to Haenim School. And it was Namsik who told Hyunwoo about Mingyu¡¯s suspicious act. When he was called by Hyunwoo, he showed a big surprise. His friends there expected he would just remain silent. But he broke silence unexpectedly. After showing some hesitancy, he looked at Mingyu and said in a calm voice. Though he spoke slowly and his voice was feeble, he clearly presented his own opinion. Chapter 273

Chapter 273

¡°As you all know, I¡¯m the odd man out. Wherever I went, I couldn¡¯t make friends, which made me feel lonely always. But Mingyu treated me warmly when I went to Dreaming School. Without him, I could not have adapted myself here,¡± said Namsik. His friends nodded quietly. Mingyu was a kind-hearted student. Though he was not of a cheerful disposition, he first approached his friends and warmed up to them. ¡°I trust Mingyu. Mingyu is a far cry from a bad student. I think he just made a mistake. Anyone can make a mistake. I wish you guys gave him another chance.¡± Hyunwoo nodded at that. ¡°Now, how about you, Jungyop Han?¡± Jungyop also said the same thing. ¡°Mingyu has a warm heart for his friends. If Mingyu is bad, I¡¯m much worse. If you have to punish him, you have to punish me first. I hope you can forgive Mingyu.¡± Hyunwoo didn¡¯tment on their opinion while listening to them. They just focused on mentioning how much they felt thankful for what Mingyu did for them. The more they talked about him, the more Mingyu blushed and felt sorry. Tears he held back rained down on his cheek again. ¡°Boohoo...¡± His friends were done withmenting on Mingyu. And Duyoung said, ¡°In fact, I was able to develop Super Green thanks to Mingyu. Without him, I would never have been able to discover it for the rest of my life. He is like the savior of my life. How can I punish him? I would like to give Mingyu another chance.¡± Now, it was Hyunwoo¡¯s turn. In fact, yesterday he held a meeting with Duyoung¡¯s assistants about whether to punish Mingyu. And they agreed to defend Mingyu warmly this time. At that meeting, Hyunwoo told them about a short episode about ¡®the trial of Babemba tribe¡¯. There is a tribe called Babemba in Africa. When someonemits a crime, all the tribe members gathered together. The reason they meet is not to punish the person in question, but to express how they feel indebted to him or her. In that case, the person whomits a crime repents his crime and bes changed. Of course, this kind of method can¡¯t be applied to everyone because some can abuse such practices. But Hyunwoo was convinced that the trial style of the Babemba tribe would be of help in solving Mingyu¡¯s problem. So, he asked the students a favor, and they dly consented. ¡°Thanks, Mingyu. I wanted to say the same thing to you,¡± said Hyunwoo. Mingyu was weeping silently for some time. His friends¡¯ testimony made him cry. He just felt sorry and grateful to them. When Hyunwoo also joined them to soothe him, Mingyu was ovee with emotion and finally began to cry. Namsik, who was sitting beside him, stroked his shoulder gently. A littleter Hyunwoo said when Mingyu stopped crying, ¡°It looks like everyone here helped each other up to now. So, I hope you can forget about this. But this is not just. If someone makes a mistake, he or she should be punished ordingly. How about you, Mingyu?¡± ¡°Absolutely. Please punish me. I¡¯m ready for any punishment.¡± Mingyu answered with a loud voice, something unusual. He felt he could feel less sorry to Hyunwoo, Duyoung and his friends when he was punished. That¡¯s what Hyunwoo expected of Mingyu. Mingyu needed some turning point in bing a different person. ¡°Mingyu, clean the restroom for a month, starting today.¡± But Mingyu went further, ¡°Let me do it for a year.¡± Mingyu¡¯smitment was not just words alone. As soon as he was done for the day, Mingyu went to the restroom to clean it, no matter how long it took for him to clean it up. It looked like he thought it was his own wrongdoing if he noticed any little dirt in all the corners of the restroom. While he was busy cleaning, one of his friends sneaked into the restroom. When Mingyu turned his head, it was Namsik, who was so timid and shy. But he was strange-d. He put on an apron and rubber gloves. ¡°Howe you¡¯re here?¡± asked Mingyu in a peculiar tone. ¡°Oh, I just want to help you.¡± Not only Namsik but also other friends also came into the restroom with all kinds of cleaning tools. ¡°Why are you guys here?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you see why we¡¯re here? A friend in need is a friend indeed, as you know. It can¡¯t be you don¡¯t think we¡¯re your friends, right?¡± ¡°Wow, you really did clean it very well. How can we help you?¡± ¡°Hey, you clean that window. Let me clean the floor.¡± Each of the students shared their roles to clean the restroom. Mingyu was choked up again. He bit his lip to hold back tears. Looking at him, his friends made fun of him,ughing merrilly. ¡°Hahaha, Mingyu is about to cry again!¡± ¡°You¡¯re a crybaby, dude.¡± Several dayster, there was a pork belly BBQ party on the empty lot in front of Haenim School. Almost 50 students gathered there plus the teachers. The hero of the party was Mingyu Kang. Suyoung Oh, principal of the school, held a ss of soft drink and proposed a toast. ¡°Mingyu will be a different person as of today. Let¡¯s toast for Mingyu¡¯s future!¡± ¡°Cheers!¡± Mingyu also held his ss. His friends stared at him, and some of them made fun of him. ¡°By now, he should have broken into tears.¡± Mingyu made a smile at them but kept biting his lip to hold back tears. I won¡¯t let down anyone from now on. I won¡¯t cry again. I¡¯m determined to be a proud son to my dad. The party for Mingyu continued untilte at night. Hyunwoo had a great time with the students. It was around 9 pm when the party was over. After he asked the students to clean up, Hyunwoo left the school and let out a sigh. ¡°Whew, it¡¯s only 9 pm. Two more hours to go before I see Yu Zuung. I can¡¯t wait to see her.¡± Yu Zuung was participating in entertainment programs, ads or si instead of performing as a singer and dancer these days. As she was swamped with requests for appearances on TV shows, she was busy. So, Hyunwoo managed her daily schedule. He made sure she came back home at least once a week so that she could have a sound sleep. But he could not be satisfied with seeing her just once a week, so he went to Seoul often with various excuses. ¡°I¡¯ve got two hours to kill time. Let me give her a surprise party.¡± Hyunwoo went into Yu Zuung¡¯s house. Recalling his skills as an event manager in the past, he inted balloons and hung them, and lit candles to wee her home. When it was 11 pm, Yu Zuung arrived. She heard someone picking up a telephone set inside but didn¡¯t hear Hyunwoo¡¯s voice yet. With a unique nasally voice, she called, ¡°Honey, it¡¯s me!¡± Only then did he open the door and turn on the lights. Her eyes opened wide to a pleasant surprise. ¡°Oh my god! What¡¯s all this? Did you prepare it?¡± ¡°Of course. I wanted to give you a surprise party, so I took the time out to do this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so pretty,¡± she said in great satisfaction. ¡°I guess you should give me a gift, too.¡± As if she read his mind, she sprang on him and kissed him. That was the beginning. In fact, Hyunwoo found it hard to wait for her even twice a week. He wanted to hug her every day if he could. Yu Zuung felt the same thing. In the past, she insisted on taking a shower first before making love, but she didn¡¯t anymore. She just gave herself to him without any resistance. They took off their clothes and had sex ording to their instincts. They didn¡¯t care how time passed or what was going on outside. What really mattered to them was that they were together in the same ce. Around the same time, the students and teachers were still chattering at the party ce even though the party was over. They sat down in twos and threes to have some more fun. Some of them went back into the school to yputer games and others sat around, enjoying cookies and soft drinks. Duyoung, Kuroda, and Taeho also had a jolly conversation, getting any burden of research off their chest. Unlike the students, they passed the ss around and got drunk. At that moment, someone approached the container furtively. Walking on tiptoe, he looked like a stray cat, stopping and going with weariness. It took some time for the stranger to reach the container house. There was nobody who noticed him around. When he controlled some device, the container house opened, and he sneaked into it silently. And after some time he came out of it and disappeared. Chapter 274

Chapter 274

The next day... ¡°Wake up! It¡¯s already past 9 am,¡± said Yu Zuung, shaking Hyunwoo by the shoulder to wake him up. Hyunwoo wanted to postpone work today. In fact, he had no morning schedule because Yu Zuung was free even in the afternoon today. So, he decided to make no appointment in the morning. But Yu Zuung was stubborn. ¡°I¡¯ve got to stop by the office. I¡¯ve got a great animation idea. Let¡¯s hurry up.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so annoying. You can do itter.¡± He wanted to spend more time with her, but she was greedy about her work. Even though she was busy with entertainment activities, she was also still interested in animation characters. So, she drew them whenever she had free time. Suddenly, he recalled Suji. Just like Hyunwoo wanted to enjoy quality time with Yu Zuung, Suji also wanted it with him. But Hyunwoo didn¡¯t make time for that. If either Hyunwoo and Suji had adjusted their schedule to the other, they would have continued their rtionship, but they didn¡¯t. After all, they broke up. Hyunwoo felt the same misfortune coulde to him and Yu Zuung. In fact, Yu Zuung made many more concessions than Hyunwoo. Whenever she decided on her broadcasting schedule, she asked for his opinion and never raised any objection. Now, it was his turn to make concessions. Hyunwoo finally got out of bed and got up. ¡°Got it. Let¡¯s have breakfast first.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we have bean sprout hangover soup? I would like to have it.¡± ¡°Sure, I was thinking of it, too. I see great minds think alike, hahaha.¡± They went to a restaurant specializing in bean sprout hangover soup. As Hyunwoo and Yu Zuung were quite well known to the public, they felt it burdensome to hide their faces with sunsses and hats, but they felt happy because they were moving together. After they had breakfast, they headed for the Ani & Funny office. It was very rare that Yu Zuung stopped by the Ani & Funny office as she was on a very tight TV schedule. So, she visited once every two or three months. On such asions, the staff weed her enthusiastically. As they had to speak in English, they couldn¡¯t make themselves understood in the past, but as Yu Zuung¡¯s Korean had improved a lot, they could nowmunicate with her without much difficulty. ¡°Oh, wee, Yu Zuung!¡± ¡°Come on in. Nice job these days!¡± The students weed her in their own unique manner. ¡°Sister, I need your autograph.¡± ¡°Please take a picture with me, sister.¡± She didn¡¯t refuse their request. She freely signed autographs and posed with them. It took about ten minutes for them to wee her back in the Ani & Funny office. Only then did Yu Zuung show them the animation characters she had drawn. Myunghun and Jihun showed great interest in them and eximed for joy. ¡°Wow, your sense of characters is really amazing.¡± ¡°Oh, this is so interesting. How did you havee up with this idea?¡± ¡°I think we can use this immediately.¡± Both of thempetitively praised her as if they wanted to curry favor with her. Hyunwoo tried to sound out their feelings. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t try to gain favor with her. Just tell me your own frank opinion. I don¡¯t want to ruin the animation works by using wrong characters.¡± Raising their hands, both balked. ¡°No, this is awesome!¡± ¡°Yea, that¡¯s right. No matter how much time you spend on it, you can¡¯t necessarily turn out a good piece. Sometimes, an idea you hit on all of a sudden can bring you fortune. I think Yu Zuung¡¯s works are like that.¡± As if to prove her Koreannguage skills, she said in Korean, ¡°Do you really think so?¡± ¡°You bet. This is going to hit gold.¡± ¡°Wow, I¡¯m thrilled to hear that. Let¡¯s get down to work right now.¡± Yu Zuung was so happy to hear their praise that she showed great enthusiasm. Hyunwoo suddenly felt he was the odd man out as Yu Zuung and the staff focused on the animation characters. Giggling at them, Hyunwoo thought to himself, Yea, I might as well leave the office now, so they can work better. He slipped out of the office and headed for Haenim School. When he arrived there, he noticed his father looking around the container house here and there. Duyoung kept some secret files on green oil there. So, nobody could get in without his approval. It was the same for Taeho and Kuroda. They had their own container and used it to keep their secret materials. They didn¡¯t allow anybody ess to it. The only exception was Hyunwoo. Only Hyunwoo could gain ess to Duyoung¡¯s container. Hyunwoo approached the container where his father was hovering. ¡°Dad, what are you doing there?¡± ¡°It looks like somebody has been here. Have you?¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes red sharply. For there were only who coulde over here, namely he and his father. ¡°Why? Was the door left open?¡± ¡°No, it was locked.¡± ¡°Was anything stolen inside?¡± ¡°Nothing. But I feel something strange. Some things have been misced.¡± Duyoung had sharp eyes for things. He didn¡¯t handle anything carelessly. Even now he carefully examined the padlock of the container. Instead of touching it, he examined it with his eyes only. ¡°I usually lock the door and then move the padlock to the right. As most people are right-handed, the padlock is most likely moved to the left after they touch it.¡± Hearing his father¡¯s exnation, Hyunwoo examined the direction of the padlock. He saw it had been moved to the left. If Duyoung did it by mistake or Hyunwoo touched it, somebody else might have touched it. ¡°Didn¡¯t you check anything missing inside yet?¡± ¡°I just got here. Let me go inside now.¡± Duyoung unlocked the door and went in. He first looked around the office as a whole. In Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes, there was nothing unusual. But Duyoung made frowned immediately. ¡°It¡¯s as I expected. Somebody must have unlocked the door ande inside.¡± ¡°Did you notice anything suspicious?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t put theputer keyboard into the drawerpletely, but it¡¯s on the drawer now. And theputer mouse...¡± Duyoung pointed to things one by one. Obviously, somebody broke in and took some secret material. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t need to ask who was responsible. ¡°This time Singyong tantly stole it. What did they steal?¡± Hyunwoo asked in an annoyed voice, but his father made a calm expression as if he had expected it, and went into the room, saying, ¡°Well, Isn¡¯t it too clear what material they wanted to steal? Let me take a look.¡± As soon as Duyoung went into a secret room where his research material was kept, he opened an auxiliary drawer. He locked the drawer, but the padlock was also moved to the left. He frowned to open the drawer. ¡°I knew it. They stole No. 17 material about Super Green.¡± ¡°I doubt it was your genuine material.¡± ¡°Of course, it was not. I just wrote down the title like that, but the contents of the material arepletely different. Maybe the guy who broke into this ce didn¡¯t know that. Thanks for warning me in advance.¡± In fact, the secret material room of the container was intended as a window-dressing from the beginning. If somebody wanted to steal Duyoung¡¯s research material, they would think to take it from that room. In fact, Duyoung kept his real experiment material in the basement of his house, though he kept the experiment tools in theb. So, there was no chance that Duyoung would have his research material stolen like before. Naturally, Hyunwoo and Duyoung were never disturbed by the fact that somebody broke into the secret material room. But Duyoung had a worried expression. ¡°I¡¯m a bit concerned.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°As for the material they stole, it¡¯s rather dangerous. If they handle it wrong, it can lead to a veryrge explosion.¡± ¡°I doubt it could kill people.¡± ¡°If they experiment in bulk, it can kill people. But if they do so in small quantities, it won¡¯t. They will get only lots of soot.¡± When Duyoung thought as far as that, he began to giggle all of a sudden. Hyunwoo asked with a curious look, ¡°Why are you giggling?¡± ¡°You know Musik Choi, CEO of Singyoung. I just hope he can participate in the experiment and get burned. Haha.¡± Hyunwoo also felt gratified, thinking that the experiment would serve him right. But there was little possibility that Munsik would be injured. ¡°As you know, they are all experts in this field. I don¡¯t see there is any problem. I wonder if they can do the experiment in Munsik¡¯s presence.¡± Chapter 275

Chapter 275

Duyoung nodded, saying ¡°Yea, I agree.¡± ¡°By the way, it looks like they are intending to steal your research material to the end,¡± said Hyunwoo. Duyoung was of the same opinion. But he wasn¡¯t worried at all. It would be almost impossible for anyone to find his material, and even if they seeded in stealing it, they would find it hard to use for their own purpose. Duyoung already applied for a patent on Super Green. There was little possibility that they would produce products simr to Super Green because the number of patents he applied for was over 160. He found out all the microorganisms that reacted not only to gasoline but also to diesel, kerosene, and bunker C oil. Besides, he applied for patents on the test results of the reaction rted to the change in the environment such as electric current, sunlight, and temperature. No matter how good of Singyong¡¯s development team created, it would be difficult for them to apply for some other patents than Duyoung¡¯s. *** Munsik just felt heavy with theck of progress in his team¡¯s research on green oil. ¡°Any update? How soon can I get the result?¡± ¡°Sorry. It is a dangerous chemical form that can cause an explosion if any mistakes are made. That¡¯s why we are slow in the experiment. We¡¯re taking extreme caution.¡± Munsik was disagreeably surprised. He hired a professional handler to take the risk of stealing Duyoung¡¯s research material on green oil, but the development team didn¡¯t fully make use of it. Besides, what Duyoung developed was Super Green. It would be superior to ordinary gasoline in terms of the high performance for its price. Wasn¡¯t it natural for Super Green to have more explosive power then? A dangerous chemical form meant that it could be genuine green oil. Nheless, his development team was dragging its feet because they were scared. He felt if his team kept dying the experiment like that, Duyoung¡¯s STM would steal the show. ¡°How stupid they are! How can they develop super energy when they¡¯re so chicken-hearted like that? Let me go and check it.¡± ¡°Chairman, it¡¯s dangerous. It could explode in your presence.¡± Munsik was aware of that, too. But he knew that if they experiment in small quantities, it would not explode. As a chemistry doctor himself, Munsik was as much well versed in the field as the manager of the development team. ¡°Shut up!¡± Munsik headed for the development room. *** Early the next morning, Hyunwoo had breakfast with his family. Among them were Kuroda and some of the workers at Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom. After eating breakfast, Duyoung habitually opened a newspaper as he did. Stunned, Duyoung called Hyunwoo. ¡°What the heck is this? Come here, son.¡± ¡°Why? Any good news?¡± ¡°Munsik was at the scene of the experiment...Explosion...Hahaha.¡± Duyoung was about to say something but stammered, barely holding backughter. Hyunwoo could figure out what his father was trying to say. Though he doubted that it would happen, it was obvious that it did, given his dad¡¯s expression. ording to the report, Singyoung led by Munsik Choi has recently been actively developing super energy with an ambitious goal. In particr, its CEO Munsik Choi sometimes leads the research efforts as he is overly ambitious. Yesterday, he participated in an experiment but an unexpected explosion took ce. Though nobody was killed in the explosion, three people including Munsik suffered minor burns. There was a picture showing Munsih being transported to a hospital, covered in soot from head to feet. It was what Duyoung exactly imagined. What was moreughable was that Munisk was being carried on a stretcher. It was for promotional purposes. Namely, he wanted to show the public that he had such a passion about the development of super energy. At the end of the article, there was some praise of Munsik¡¯s patriotic ambition to make Korea a country with plenty of resources. Duyoung and Hyunwoo distorted their faces at the same time. ¡°Damn it. I hate the story.¡± ¡°Nobody knows. If Munsik had seeded in the experiment, the media would have praised such a mean guy as a hero,¡± said Duyoung. Kuroda, sitting beside them, heard what they talked about. Shaking his head with a bitter expression, Kuroda said, ¡°In any country, the press, politicians, and businessmen are all in the same boat. It¡¯s hard to find urate news.¡± ¡°People like us should join hands more strongly than ever despite such deplorable things,¡± said Duyoung, clenching his fists. In the meantime, Munsik didn¡¯t sit idle. He had very light burns because of the experiment. He had no reason to give up his ambition about super energy. And he trusted the experiment data that he stole from Duyoung. Though he failed in the experiment due to an unexpected explosion, he was absolutely sure it was still the Super Green that Duyoung had developed. ¡°It¡¯s Super Green. It¡¯s only natural that it¡¯s so sensitive to experiment with. We can make a sess if we took more caution.¡± Munsik did the experiment again based on Duyoung¡¯s material. He was convinced that he could apply for a patent on that if he seeded. But the manager of the development team was strongly opposed. ¡°I really feel strange about it. The data this time is a total fake, I think. It looks like they are making fun of us.¡± ¡°Shut up, man!¡± Munsik pushed ahead with the experiment. And he again experienced another explosion in less than a week, but he didn¡¯t give up, continuing the experiment. After all, he didn¡¯t get anything close to super energy. Only then did he realize something. ¡®I waspletely deceived by them!¡¯ He was so ashamed. He felt soaring anger that he could not hold back. He clenched his fists and resolved, ¡®You guys dare make fun of me? Do you think you can get away with it safely?¡¯ He was full of desire to take revenge on Duyoung and his men. But they were no longer easy prey. Hyunwoo, Duyoung¡¯s son, was the president of a toppany in Korea. As for KOVE DREAM, the number of its employees and its sales were not that impressive, but it had a very good name among the people. Ani & Funny was also very famous. Many people said thepany was the growth industry of the future that could create lots of jobs for more than ten years. Though very small in size, N&C Korea was also owned by Hyunwoo. Besides, Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom, a breakfast catering factory run by his mother, also had a good name among the general public. Allbined, Hyunwoo¡¯spanies were more powerful than Singyong. In terms of the number of employees, Singyong was superior to Hyunwoo¡¯spanies butgged behind it in terms of profits. In fact, Singyoung could not go from being in the red to ck because of its financial difficulty. Munsik heard that Hyunwoo was meeting a series of politicians recently. ¡®I should not touch him thoughtlessly. Let me make a case against him and drive him into a corner right away.¡¯ Munsik needed a lot more tips about him to realize his goal. He needed to monitor not only Hyunwoo but also those around him. He gave the intel manager special instruction. ¡°Make a special team to monitor Hyunwoo. Try to find out where he is going, where he sleeps and eats, and who he is meeting. If you find anything significant, let me know immediately.¡± ¡°Got it. By the way, what about Super Green? Do I need to continue the search for the relevant data? Munsik shook his head. Duyoung was expecting what Munsik would do, so it would be foolish to try to repeat the same mistake. ¡°Just give it up as a bad job. Do a thorough investigation of Hyunwoo alone instead.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± *** Hyunwoo was on the go, crisscrossing the country all the time. Sometimes, he had to travel to Pusan and Incheon to check the business status of KOVE DREAM, and sometimes, he went down to the offices of Ani & Funny in Seoul, Kwangju, and Daegu. What made him busier was the new Haenim School under construction in Tapgokri, Sosan City. It was nearingpletion. With some more finishing touches on it, everybody would be able to move soon. The existing Haenim School in Hwasung would be used as a dormitory of the employees of Hyunwoo¡¯s Mom and Ani & Funny. The STM factory under construction in Daesan Port was also inching towardpletion. But the process of installing facilities as Duyoung originally designed took some more time as he made sure there should be no errors in the construction because its raw material and final products were all mmable. Meanwhile, Hyunwoo never failed to visit Yu Zuung¡¯s house. Hyunwoo got her a house in Hwasung and Seoul respectively. Her house in Hwasung was a single home in a remote vige, while the other one in Seoul was a high-end condo. Though he didn¡¯t visit it often as before, he still stopped by once a week. No matter how busy he was, he tried his best to stay with her. In the meantime, he was not as careful as before when he met her. In the past, he created passwords and disguised himself to keep his meeting with her secret. But as he was ustomed to it, he just relied on the existing methods to meet her instead of recing them with new ones. One¡¯s tail is bound to be stepped on if it¡¯s long. Besides, Yu Zuung was famous not only in Korea but also in China, Japan, and America. Naturally, she was the subject of media attention all the time. Her every move was photographed by the press. Besides, there was even a mole shadowing her recently. The mole didn¡¯t rely on the typical camera that cameramen used for their coverage. He monitored Yu Zuung with not only an ultrasmall bugging device but also an unmanned drone. The purpose of the mole was clear. What kind of rtionship did she have with Hyunwoo? The mole could find it out without any difficulty. When she took herundry to a dry cleaner¡¯s, he secretly reced one of the existing buttons with a bugging device. She met Hyunwoo without knowing at all that a bugging device was hidden on her dress. Not only inside her car but also in her house were several bugging devices installed in secret. As a result, even her private conversation with Hyunwoo was recorded into the bugging device. The mole curled his lips, murmuring, ¡®I guess my client will be satisfied.¡¯ Chapter 276

Chapter 276

The mole could not know who the client was. But it was easy for him to guess who he might be. The targets of the surveince were Yu Zuung and Hyujnwoo Jang. Obviously, the client must be as powerful and rich as them. If he handled the client¡¯s request sessfully, he could make more money than the original offer. So, the mole tried his best to obtain more specific intelligence about them, including their marriage ns and sex life. But the informant could not get any audio file about it. Obviously, Yu Zuung changed her dress. He tried one more time but was almost caught at thest minute. After all, he had to stop shadowing them. He sent the recorded audio file to the client. Several dayster, there appeared an article on the inte. ording to the story, Yu Zuung was on intimate terms with Hyunwoo Jang, the president of Ani & Funny. It was not based on groundless rumors. There was lots of specific evidence showing their deep rtionship including the photos of their walking together and conversation. The general public began to be excited. ¡°Oh, this voice must be Yu Zuung¡¯s.¡± ¡°What the heck? Is she really on intimate terms with him?¡± ¡°So disappointed with her. I thought she was different.¡± They didn¡¯t sit idle. Some of them attacked her on the homepage of Ani & Funny, demanding that she tell the truth. Yu Zuung was embarrassed, so was Hyunwoo. She was almost about to cry. ¡°What should I do?¡± What could Hyunwoo do in this situation? The best policy he could take now was not to react. They would forget about this as time passes. But it would take a very long for them to forget it. That meant Yu Zuung would have to put up with her trouble until then. Above all, she was a big star who was on a very tight schedule. Whenever she appeared on TV shows, they would ask about her rtionship with him. She would have to lie on such asions. Hyunwoo felt heartbroken when he thought about it. Suddenly, it came to his mind, ¡®Why should she suffer such pain?¡¯ Why is it wrong for somebody to love someone? Even if she is a famous entertainer and he is the president of argepany, is it so mable for them to love each other? Hyunwoo thought it was not. He asked Yu Zuung, ¡°Shall we announce that we¡¯re a couple?¡± Yu Zuung¡¯s eyes opened wide with surprise. His bombshell announcement would be happy news to her, but so dreadful to her at the same time. If it was revealed now that she was his lover, her life as an entertainer would be at an end. But Hyunwoo didn¡¯t think like that. ¡°It is not the end of your life as an entertainer, but the beginning. If you have appealed to the public with your beauty and purity up to now, you have to prove your capabilities from now on. If you feel you are not good at acting, dancing or singing, you can stop there and concentrate on your original job as a character creator.¡± She could not make a decision easily. She was so charmed by the sweet life as an entertainer. She still wanted to hear her fans¡¯ shouting for joy and be the object of all men¡¯s envy. ¡°Let me think about it.¡± After he said goodbye to her, Hyunwoo went back to his house in Hwasung. Many reporters gathered in front of his house when he arrived there, but he didn¡¯t say anything. He just remained silent. He didn¡¯t lower his head, nor avoided the cameras. He took pains to stay calm. When he entered his house, he got a call from someone again. He was now sick and tired of calls because reporters now began to call him on his cell phone. ¡°Should I break this phone forever?¡± Staring at his phone, Hyunwoo burst into anger. He checked the caller and found the caller¡¯s number was familiar. Actually, he could not forget it. ¡°Suji? Why did she suddenly call me?¡± Did she call tofort him after she read the article? He answered the phone. Sujiforted him with warm words first. Hyunwoo felt a bit rxed when sheforted him. Though she did split with him with regrets, she once loved him. ¡°Thanks, Suji.¡± After she exchanged greetings with him, she brought up the main topic. She seemed to be very careful about what she had to say next. After some hesitation, she barely opened her mouth, ¡°I¡¯m getting married next month.¡± Hyunwoo just felt calm. He was fully preupied with Yu Zuung at the moment. ¡°Congrats! Your bridegroom must be that prosecutor, right?¡± ¡°Yes, Jungsu.¡± He had nothing more to say except for expressing congrattions. Suji also seemed to have no word in reply. There was a bit of silence between them. ¡°Do you have any good news?¡± she asked. ¡°Not yet...¡± Then Suji continued, ¡°Why don¡¯t you get married to Yu Zuung? Wasn¡¯t it true that you met her with that in mind?¡± Hyunwoo felt as if she was reproaching him. Hyunwoo could not answer easily. He hesitated because he didn¡¯t want to reveal his rtionship with her without getting her approval first. But Suji could understand. Maybe, she might already know it. ¡°Well, I asked her already, but it looks like she was not ready yet. She¡¯s thinking about it, too.¡± ¡°It totally depends on you how she will respond. You should take the initiative,¡± said Suji. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course. Just show her how you genuinely feel toward her, so that she can be confident. Then, her sorrow can turn into joy.¡± Hyunwoo didn¡¯t reply. Instead, he kept turning Suji¡¯s advice over in his mind. ¡°I¡¯m saying this to you as someone who once liked you, so please take the advice.¡± ¡°Of course. Thanks, Suji.¡± After the call, he agonized again. Was it because of Suji¡¯s advice? He seemed to sort out hisplicated thoughts. And he made up his mind. ¡®Yea, let me convince her first. I have to show her that she is the one and only love for me.¡¯ When he thought as far as that, he recalled what his friends told him. In particr, some married friends of his pointed out two things. ording to them, women didn¡¯t forget their partners¡¯ two mistakes for the rest of their lives. First, women never forget how their husbands hurt them when they got pregnant. There was no other time when they felt more hurt than then. Second, women never forget about their husbands¡¯ck of proper proposals before marriage. Come to think of it, Hyunwoo had never done anything like proposing to Yu Zuuung. When he imagined how happy she would be when he proposed, he was happy, too. And this was a golden chance for him to do so. ¡®Yes, let me propose to her.¡¯ If he had to, he wanted to propose in a magnificent way, so that she could remember it for the rest of her life. He pondered over what¡¯s the best way to propose to her. Suddenly, he hit upon an idea. ¡®Oh, that might touch her deeply.¡¯ Early in the afternoon the next day, Yu Zuung was in her condo in Seoul. About two hourster, she was supposed to appear on a TV entertainment program. She had to leave now to prepare for the program well. But she was hesitant because of the reporters, who must have camped in front of her condo. In the past, she didn¡¯t feel scared about the reporters because they treated her favorably all the time, but not now. They ferociously chased her just like a hound chasing a prey. She was just scared standing before them. Even though she had four bodyguards and her manager protect her, they could not be of any help. After all, it was up to her to ovee her difficulties. She clenched her fists. ¡°I¡¯m okay. I don¡¯t have to be scared. I¡¯m a Vietnamese woman anyway. We, Vietnamese women, are not weak-spirited.¡± She left the condo ready to face the music. Her manager and bodyguards instantly followed her, but the reporters also began to chase her. The shouting from the reporters was as noisy as the honks of cars. ¡°Can you confirm the voices in the audio file that they are yours and Hyunwoo¡¯s?¡± ¡°What is your rtionship with him?¡± ¡°Are you lovers?¡± She felt as if her eardrums were going to split. She couldn¡¯t even breathe because of the reporters¡¯ ruthless pushing and shoving to get her answers. At that moment, they became silent all of a sudden. They cast a nce at someone else. With a curious look, they expressed surprise, looking at him. ¡°Oh, that man is...¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he Hyunwoo Jang, the president of Ani & Funny?¡± Chapter 277

Chapter 277

¡°Yea, you¡¯re right. He is Hyunwoo Jang!¡± Yu Zuung also heard the reporters calling his name. She got more perplexed than them because there was no reason for him to appear at this time. As if she wanted to confirm it, she stuck her head out to look at the man in front of her. Her eyes popped up with surprise. Obviously, he was Hyunwoo. What was more surprising was what he held in his hands. It was a bundle of flowers full of roses, at least a hundred roses. The reporters now quickly gathered around him and began to ask. ¡°Hi, Mr. Jang, why did you bring the flowers?¡± ¡°Can you tell us about your rtionship with Yu Zuung?¡± Hyunwoo didn¡¯t reply at all. Instead, his bodyguard spoke on behalf of him. ¡°Mr. Jang is going to propose to Yu Zuung now. Please be quiet.¡± Then, the boisterous noise suddenly disappeared, and the throng of reporters stepped aside for him to approach her. Standing in her ce, Yu Zuung stared at him. Finally, Hyunwoo made the first step toward her. At that moment, the cameras shed around them. There was nothing heard except for the camera shes here and there like firecrackers. Yu Zuung was at a loss, not knowing what to do. She got even more confused. She felt as if her life as an entertainer was at an end, but at the same time, she felt she was a heroine in a movie. Hyunwoo slowly walked toward her in a calm manner as if he wanted to give the cameramen plenty of time to take pictures. And then he went down one knee and presented the bouquet to her. ¡°I¡¯ve dreamt one dream for a long time. It¡¯s for me to say this to you in the presence of lots of reporters. I love you truly. Please ept my love.¡± The reporters watched him closely, holding their breath as if they didn¡¯t want to miss any word he said. They even put the mikes right close to her mouth to record her breathing. But neither Hyunwoo nor Yu Zuung cared about them. They looked at each other¡¯s eyes as if there were only two in the world now. Suddenly, tears came down her cheek. She was so choked up that she couldn¡¯t say anything. Instead, she gently approached him and took the bouquet. Some of the women reporters shouted for joy before they knew. ¡°Wow, awesome. So wonderful!¡± ¡°She must be walking on air.¡± But most of the reporters now broke the silence and began to ask again. ¡°How long has your rtionship been going on?¡± ¡°Do you admit that you are the man in the audio file?¡± Standing up slowly, Hyunwoo raised his hand toward them. Obviously, he wanted to say something. The reporters became silent again. When they held breath, Hyunwoo began to speak clearly, ¡°If you ask me who I loved most, let me say proudly that she is the very woman that I love.¡± Hyunwoo pointed at her. The cameramen popped the sh simultaneously. ¡°And if I have to live one person only in the future, I will choose this woman only. She is so precious to me. So, don¡¯t be hard on her anymore.¡± Some women reporters again yelled out a cheer. Hyunwoo continued, ¡°Please refrain from asking questions about her. If you need any further information about her, please submit your questions to Ani & Funny. We¡¯re going to answer them frankly.¡± Hyunwoo ended the press meeting shortly and escorted her out of the ce. Some reporters asked again, ¡°Can you borate about the audio file? Can you confirm it is the dialogue between you and Yu Zuung?¡± Hyunwoo looked at the reporter who threw that question. ¡°Some of the dialogue is ours, but some is not.¡± Hyunwoo and Yu Zuung walked out of the ce, leaving them alone. And they got in the back seat of a car waiting for them. The car started in no time. Yu Zuung now stopped shedding tears and looked at him. Instead of avoiding her, he also looked at her. Though both seemed happy, her manager and bodyguards inside the car seemed ufortable. Both looked at each other for a while. It was Yu Zuung who broke the silence thatsted for some time. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± ¡°Sorry, I had no other choice.¡± Hyunwoo apologized to her btedly. But she shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m alright. But it would be hard for you to meet another woman...¡± she said with a smile. Hyunwoo smiled, too, saying, ¡°Even though I can meet another woman, I won¡¯t. I don¡¯t need to. You¡¯re the only woman to me.¡± She now made a brighter smile and hugged him suddenly. She didn¡¯t care about her manager and bodyguards. He, too, hugged her tightly, saying, ¡°By the way, I want to say something.¡± She raised her head a bit and looked at him. ¡°Do I need to propose again? Isn¡¯t my proposal this time enough?¡± She cutely looked askance at him and said, ¡°I wish we don¡¯t have to hurry to get married. Even if we get married a bitte, we will be the same, won¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Yea, that¡¯s right...¡± ¡°I hear that Korean women get married even when they are 30 years old. I don¡¯t want to dy our marriage until that age, but I would like to enjoy a couple of more years before getting married.¡± Hyunwoo felt a bit disappointed to hear that. He wanted to get married to her as early as this year, or next year at thetest. ¡®Let me wait until then if that¡¯s what she wants.¡¯ *** In early autumn of the year, Haenim School was finally built in Tapgokri, Sosan City. Though Hyunwoo hired a movingpany, the students also helped move the school equipment and furniture. Of course, Hyunwoo chipped in. ¡°Okay, put this over here...¡± ¡°What about this one? It¡¯s very heavy, whew!¡± ¡°Move that one over there.¡± Everybody was busy moving their stuff, drenched with sweat, under the zing autumn sun. When they looked at the new building of Haenim School, however, they were full of energy. Duyoung and Kuroda felt as much satisfied as the students as the research center in Tapgokri was as magnificent as Haenim School. The size of the new Haenim School put the old one in Hwasung in the shade. The name of the new research center was impressive: STM Research Center. Given the size of the center, it wasrge enough to house 100 researchers at the same time. They didn¡¯t use the center as the ssrooms of Haenim School as they did at the old Haenim School. All the annex buildings of Haenim School were built separately near the research center. But some of the students would be expected to study and assist Duyoung and Kuroda with their research just like they did in Hwasung. Kuroda expressed concern at the extraordinaryrge space of the new research center. ¡°We¡¯re in big trouble, haha! How can we use all this space here? It looks like we have to leave some research rooms vacant for the time being.¡± Duyoung and Hyunwoo smiled brightly at Kuroda¡¯s remarks. There would be no vacant rooms as Kuroda expressed concern. Several dayster, Kuroda opened his eyes wide with surprise because several strangers visited STM Research Center. There were nine people, all told. ¡°Who are these men?¡± asked Kuroda. ¡°They are researchers who will be working with us in the future. This researcher has been specializing in researching secondary batteries...¡± Duyoung introduced them one by one. Each of them was veterans with years of experience in the field, all doctors in their fields. Though they werepetent and passionate about their research, they could not fully disy their skills because of insufficient research funds. They were not all who could join Duyoung and Kuroda, of course. ¡°Many more researchers will join uster. When they join us, the researchers here will be 12 total.¡± Kuroda¡¯s jaw dropped at Duyoung¡¯s exnation. ¡°My, when did you start to hire them?¡± ¡°It took some time, hahaha.¡± Duyoung briefed him about the hiring of the researchers in detail. Hyunwoo thought of expanding the size of the research center when he nned to relocate it to Tapgokri. So, he turned to the connections of Duyoung and Taeho to search forpetent researchers in the field. He also received rmendations for local autonomous bodies. The hiring process took one year, and only those whose capabilities were verified had been invited to join the new research center. Of course, they were not officially hired as full-time researchers. They were hired on a one-year contract. Hyunwoo would decide whether to renew or not based on their performances. At the same time, he would continue to rece ipetent researchers withpetent and able ones. Hyunwoo gave the newly hired researchers the code of conduct, which included their teaching of the students of Haenim School. Namely, they were supposed to work as researchers and teachers. Hyunwoo also hired subject-specific teachers, who were ten, all told, including Suyoung Oh. Some college students in the area were hired as part-timers. In other words, the new Haenim School was different from the old school quantitatively as well as qualitatively. But Hyunwoo repeated the same thing to the students and researchers. ¡°This is just the beginning. I will make Haenim School and STM Research Center the best educational institution and research center in Korea. Just wait and see when I can make it or not.¡± Chapter 278

Chapter 278

While at the STM factory in Daesan several monthster, Duyoung watched the test site of the factory with a tense expression. It was the first prototype product of Super Green since the new factory waspleted. Hyunwoo was beside him. A littleter the test results came out. Duyoung¡¯s face brightened. ¡°Good for me! We have seeded!¡± ¡°Were the results as you expected?¡± Duyoung nodded, ¡°It¡¯s almost perfect without any error.¡± In fact, there could be no errors. As the working principle was simple, it was not affected at all by the change in environment. Of course, the producing process of Super Green wasplicated, ranging from temperature, pressure, the amount of current to the ratio of the mixture of other additives. But they were for window-dressing. If only a certain amount of microcurrent flowed while microorganisms were injected, the gasoline would be quickly purified regardless of temperature and pressure. The reason for the setting of various environments was because he needed to prepare for industrial espionage. It was intended to confuse badpanies like Singyong, so that it would be difficult for them to steal the relevant information. Duyoung said confidently, ¡°Fuel economy has been improved by more than 9%,pared to the existing gasoline. But the advantage of Super Green is not fuel economy. Impurities were significantly reduced, there was no knocking at all. And as there is nothing that will be hard on car engines. So if they have high-end cars, it is a big benefit for them to use Super Green even at a high cost.¡± Hyunwoo was thrilled to hear that. ¡°I think we need to build a second, third factory as soon as possible.¡± ¡°You should. With this performance, there will be shortages of Super Green no matter how much we produce, but you had better check how the market reacts first.¡± Duyoung was right. Hyunwoo ran Super Green factories at full capacity. Factories were built in America, Japan and Europe around the same time, starting to produce Super Green at the same time. Hyunwoo had no intention to sell Super Green directly. He thought of dealing with gas stations across the country directly, but it was risky. So, he changed the sales methods. Namely, he decided to hand over Super Green wholesale to the existing oil refineries. Hyunwoo shipped prototype Super Green to them including Singyong and OneStar, along with an official promotional letter. And then he put Super Green up for auction. The auction took ce monthly. The STM Daesan factory could produce up to one million liters of Super Green per month and would put it all up for auction. After sending the official promotional letter and test products, Hyunwoo was tense. ¡®How many profits can I make? I wish I can make 150 won per liter.¡¯ *** Munsik sprang to his feet and shouted, ¡°What did you say? 9%? And that, by the standard of premium gasoline?¡± Nodding his head, the manager of the development team presented the test data to him. Munsik snatched and checked it. It was a surprising test data. The fuel economy of Super Green significantly improved,pared with the existing gasoline. Besides, it was superior to existing premium gasoline in other test data. What¡¯s important, above all, was that Super Green posed nothing hard on engines. If that¡¯s the case, luxury car buyers would choose Super Green even at a high price. If they could drive their cars with a clean engine longer than before, it would be much more beneficial than saving on fuel costs. Though Munsik didn¡¯t want to recognize it, he had to. ¡®Wow, Duyoung. He finally hit the jackpot!¡¯ He could not sit idle. He immediately called the manager of the purchasing team. ¡°Participate in the auction. You have to win it unconditionally.¡± ¡°How much do you have in mind as the highest bidding price? We can¡¯t bid too high no matter how good Super Green is, right?¡± After thinking about it a bit, Munsik pped hisp with joy, ¡°Talk to other oilpanies on this. Propose to them that they take turns buying Super Green every month. That will ensure us to purchase it at a bargain on an equal basis.¡± ¡°What a good idea. Let me contact them immediately.¡± The manager quickly went out of the office to take action. Looking at him, Munsik made a satisfied smile. One monthter, there were several people gathered at the conference room of STM. Among them were the manager of the purchase team of Singyoung and that of the purchase team of Bando Oil. There were two other people from other oil refinerypanies. Singyoung¡¯s chief informed Munsik of the atmosphere of the auction ce over the phone. ¡°It¡¯s as we expected. Only fourpanies that we joined hands with participated in the auction. I don¡¯t see any otherpany now.¡± ¡°Really? Hahaha, Great. Just carry out our n.¡± After the call, he put down the bidding price. It was 960 won per liter, which was only ten won more expensive than that of the other oilpany. As the cost of gasoline was 900 won per liter, it would generate 60 won in profits. He heard that the monthly production capacity of STM was about one million liters. That meant 60 million won in revenues per month. With various expenses and the employees¡¯ sries deducted, STM would make little money. If STM expanded factories, it could make more. By then, however, Singyoung could produce Super Green on its own. With a little tweaking in the producing process, it could apply for a patent, so Munsik thought he could produce as good Super Green as STM. Singyong¡¯s chief made a satisfactory smile, but at that moment, he made a surprised expression while he was looking at the entrance of the conference room. ¡°Oh my god, is that the guy...?¡± Obviously, he was the chief of the purchasing team of Ohsung. ¡®Is it true that they also want to participate in the auction?¡¯ He was confused. ording to Munsik, Ohsung Grouppletely gave up the business of oil refinery after OneStar took over Bando Oil. Why did the chief of Ohsung¡¯s purchase team appear here suddenly? Singyoung¡¯s chief urgently called Munsik to exin about the situation. ¡°What? Ohsung Group participating in the auction? Why?¡± ¡°I have no idea.¡± ¡°Damn it. Just go and ask him NOW!¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Only then did he rush to the chief of the purchasing team of Ohsung. ¡°Hi, I¡¯ve seen you before. I am Kyongtae of Singyoung Group. I met you several times before. Do you remember me?¡± ¡°Of course. Nice to meet you here. My name is Yung Choi.¡± ¡°By the way, howe you¡¯re here?¡± asked Kyoungtae in an annoyed voice. ¡°Well, today is the day STM put its Super Green up for auction, so Ohsung Group has decided to participate in it.¡± Kyongtae¡¯s eyes popped up with surprise. Contrary to Munsik¡¯s expectation, Ohsung Group hadn¡¯t given up the dream of starting the oil refinery business. Hearing from him about the shocking news, Munsik was furious. ¡°Why are they trying to stab me in the back like this?¡± But there would be no big change no matter how upset he was. ¡°What should I do?¡± asked Kyongtae. At his asking Munsik answered in an annoyed tone, ¡°No other choice. Just bid high to win the auction.¡± Kyoungtae flinched at that, ¡°How high do you have in mind?¡± Pondering over it a bit, Munsik said, ¡°Bid 1,022 won.¡± Munsik thought Ohsung¡¯s bidding price would be less than 1,000 won. In fact, Kyoungtae felt 1022 won was not high enough. At least, 1,100 won might be the proper bidding price, he thought. ¡°Don¡¯t you think we should bid a little higher than that?¡± asked Kyoungtae. ¡°Really? I agree with you. It¡¯s a bit low, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. The performance of Super Green is much better than expected. Even if we sell it at 500 won higher than other premium gasoline, it is stillpetitive in the market.¡± ¡°Okay, write down the bid price of 1,120 won.¡± Kyoungtae changed the bidding price and wrote down 1,120 won. The name of thepany who won the auction on Super Green was supposed to be released at the auction ce today. After waiting for a while, an official with STM stood before the podium. ¡°Thepany that has won today¡¯s auction is Ohsung Group.¡± With an embarrassed expression, Kyoungtae staggered. ¡®Damn it. Did Ohsung bid higher than 1,120 won? How much did they write down?¡¯ Kyoungtae was just freaking out. Most likely Munsik would throw an ashtray if he knew about the oue. Still, he had to inform Munsik anyway. As if he was waiting for his call, Munsik picked up the phone immediately. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t win. Ohsung Group ...¡± Kyoungtae could not continue because Munsik shouted at him with despicable cursing. He heard something was smashed over the phone. ¡®Damn it! He drives me nuts!¡¯ Chapter 279

Chapter 279

At the office of STM President, Hyunwoo and Duyoung weed an important client. Chairman Konho Ahn of Ohsung Group visited the office in person. He visited the office to discuss Super Green. Though Ohsung Group purchased a month¡¯s worth of Super Green, that was far from satisfactory from the viewpoint of Konho who was full of desire to start an oil refinery business. After brief exchanges of greetings, he got to the point. ¡°Instead of selling Super Green on a monthly basis, why don¡¯t you sign a multi-year contract with us? Let me pay appropriately for it.¡± Though his lower body was paralyzed, Duyoung was more than excited to hear Konho¡¯s remarks. Duyoung thought the biggest risk to STM was the bullying tactics of the existingrgepanies like Singyoung. They actually blocked the entry of new oilpanies by abusing their connections with politicians. In such a situation, Ohsung reached out to STM. If STM joined hands with Ohsung, Singyoung could not do anything damaging to STM no matter how powerful it was. In fact, Ohsung won the auction of Super Green by writing down a much higher bidding price than Singyoung. Singyoung bidded 1,120 won, but Ohsung wrote down 1, 210 won. Comparing it with the cost, Ohsung¡¯s bidding price was 310 won higher, twice more than what Hyunwoo hoped for. Of course, STM¡¯s revenues for the first month would not be big enough. As its monthly production capacity was only one million liters, the profits would be less than 100 million won when all the expenses were deducted. But this was just the beginning. The first factory in Daesan Port was just for the purpose of testing. Namely, it was built to find out whether the refining effects of gasoline as seen in theb could be confirmed at the factory. As they confirmed not only the real refining effects of gasoline but also the high selling price of Super Green, Hyunwoo and Duyoung would raise the production capacity of the factory and build a second and third factory to produce Super Green inrge quantities. By next year, they expected the monthly production would be increased by tenfold, and it would be 100 million liters five yearster. That was not all. Hyunwoo was determined to produce Super Green overseas. In particr, America, Japan, and Europe would be STM¡¯s main production base as there was a huge demand for gasoline there. If Hyunwoo¡¯s prediction came true, STM¡¯s monthly production of Super Green five yearster will be one billion liters, which will generate 2 trillion won per month with at the revenue rate of 200 won per liter. But STM didn¡¯t just produce Super Green. The dross of microorganisms produced as side-products in the process of refining gasoline was also its fine product. It didn¡¯t flex freely like fibers, but it had a tensile force. When Duyoung first experimented it, he expected it was about 350M / m3, which is simr to a spider¡¯s web. But when he tested it again, it was 420MJ/m3. So, Duyoung named it ¡®Toughtex¡¯ in the sense that it was a tough texture. Toughtex was also resistant to heat, so it was also widely used as special materials for elevator construction and shipbuilding. Though Hyunwoo didn¡¯t think about its monthly production yet, he already received a huge number of preorders from constructionpanies and shipbuilders. As the unit price was good, Hyunwoo felt the production of microorganism dross could generate lots of revenues as the additional ie source of Super Green. In that respect, there was no reason for him to reject Konho¡¯s proposal for a multi-year contract with Ohsung. But Hyunwoo was a bit worried because he also wanted direct retail sales to general consumers. Konho also seemed to have read his mind. ¡°Well, it looks like you want to deal directly with gas stations, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea.¡± Hyunwoo felt a sting in the heart momentarily. But he had no reason to hide his n. STM¡¯s direct dealings with gas stations were not to be med anyway. Hyunwoo asked bluntly, ¡°Why do you think so?¡± ¡°Because neither STM nor retailers would get much from such dealings. I don¡¯t mean to say Ohsung Group would make huge profits by selling Super Green right away. We¡¯re just diversifying our business now.¡± Hyunwoo agreed with that. When the business was going well, Ohsung generated more than 30 trillion won in profits. Though Ohsung could generate more profits by selling Super Green, it could not put all its eggs in one basket called Super Green. But Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t understand one thing he mentioned. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean by not many benefits to consumers.¡± ¡°As you know, Super Green is super-premium gasoline. Typical gasoline is sold at 1,400 won, and premium at 1,900 won, which is a difference of 500 won. Despite that, premium is selling well. Do you know the reason?¡± Most likely it is because those customers who preferred premium. When Hyunwoo thought as far as that, he felt why Konho was mentioning that. Konho continued as if to confirm his educated guess. ¡°I¡¯m going to sell Super Green at a much higher than premium gasoline. I¡¯m sure Super Green will be the monopoly of the rich. They won¡¯t care even if we get a little more profits from Super Green.¡± Hyunwoo nodded, but at the same time wondered. ¡®How much is he going to sell Super Green for?¡¯ Hearing Konho¡¯s exnation, it seemed he would sell Super Green at a very high price. Of course, that¡¯s not what Hyunwoo needed to care about. But the thing was what would happen when he expanded the production of Super Green. He wondered if Konho could continue to charge high prices for Super Green even when its expanded production would cover 10% of the national consumption. ¡°You mentioned a multi-year contract. How many years do you have in mind?¡± ¡°How about five years?¡± Hyunwoo felt that was reasonable. But Konho this time attached an unexpected condition to it. ¡°In return, please give us the right to sell Super Green overseas. We want to have the exclusive right to sell Super Green abroad. Of course, the ratio of the profits from that will be the same as you receive here.¡± ¡°Sorry, but I can¡¯t ept your proposal.¡± Konho made a curious expression at his refusal. ¡°Can I ask you why?¡± ¡°Well, STM ns to build factories abroad. The total production of Super Green overseas will be ten times as big as its production in Korea. Can Ohsung Group handle it?¡± Konho showed surprise at that. Originally, he nned to sell Super Green only to the super-rich at a very high price. But it would be hard to maintain that price if Super Green was increased by 1,000 times. It would be simply impossible to have all the Super Green consumed by the super-rich alone. Konho now changed his facial expression and said in a cheerful voice, ¡°Haha, that¡¯s a very good idea. I think our Ohsung Group¡¯s dream will be realized a little earlier by that.¡± ¡°The dream of Ohsung Group?¡± ¡°Yea, we have a dream. Anyway, we can deal with any amount of Supre Green. Let¡¯s conclude the contract. Is this beneficial to STM, too?¡± Konho also mentioned something very surprising. ¡°I hear that Dr. Duyoung Jang¡¯s research material on Super Green and Toughtex was published in a world academic journal. I think you can receive a Nobel prize for his achievement.¡± ¡°Nobel prize?¡± Hyunwoo and Duyoung opened their eyes wider with surprise. ¡°Why are you surprised? Isn¡¯t it about time our country produced a Nobel winner? Let me try my best.¡± Hyunwoo looked at Duyoung, who tried to hide his facial expression, but his father was excited to hear that. Hyunwoo nodded dly and said, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s agree on a five-year contract.¡± Hyunwoo sped up the additional production of Super Green. He would first raise the production capacity of the first factory to the maximum by expanding its facilities. That way he could see a three-fold increase in the production. Duyoung was also busy. He didn¡¯t interfere with the matters of STM factory construction or running STM. He focused on research only. Actually, Konho¡¯s mention of a Nobel prize influenced him. Though Duyoung achieved a lot, he seemed to have set up a new ambitious goal. What Duyoung was newly interested in was Toughtex, the new material that he developed while producing Super Green. The reason he was interested in Toughtex was because of Hyunwoo¡¯s remarks in the past. Duyoung thought it was the same for Toughtex. Thanks to its tremendous tensile force and fire resistance, Toughtex was widely consumed as useful materials, but Duyoung felt it must have much more use than now. The fact that Toughtex was a new material that nobody had ever used before also stimted Duyoung¡¯s ambition. He felt he would get many more oues if he pursued research on new materials rather than the existing materials on which a lot of research was done already. Duyoung totally concentrated on Toughtex research alone. He didn¡¯t show any interest when he heard that Ohsung Group was selling Super Green at 3,000 won. Neither did he show any interest when he heard Super Green was selling like hotcakes at that high price. When the day came for the announcement of the Nobel prize on Dec. 12, he didn¡¯t care. The winner of the Nobel prize in chemistry was a Chinese scientist. He just continued to research Toughtex. At some point in the thick of research, Duyoung opened his eyes suddenly. Finally, he seemed to have discovered the genuine value of Toughtex. ¡°Yes, this is what I want!¡± Chapter 280

Chapter 280

Toughtex had very special electrical properties. Whenever the current flowed through it, it contracted strongly. When the current stopped, it returned to its original state. The degree of contraction varied with voltage, approximately 12%. For example, a 10cm-long piece of Toughtex would contract to 8.8 cm when exposed to a 12V current. This did not mean that the contraction increased indefinitely depending on the voltage. Up to 12V, the ratio of contraction was proportional to the voltage, but beyond that, there was no significant difference. At 30V and above, the contraction increased only to 8.5 cm. Not all tuftes had the same contraction. As STM produced only gasoline, there was only one type of Toughtex on sale, but there were various types of Toughtex. Turftex was not only produced in a vtile purification process. The same was produced in the purification process of diesel oil, heavy oil, bunker C oil, and white kerosene. Seemingly, it had the same shape but different properties. Looking at it with an electron microscope, it had a differentposition. The difference in the rate of contraction was alsorge. The one produced in bunker C oil had the least contraction while the one produced in white kerosene had the most contraction. Most importantly, no matter how often the experiment was repeated, the contraction ording to voltage was always constant. Its durability was also very good. Repeated experiments on contraction showed no change at all. In Duyoung¡¯s eyes, no number of repetitions would cause change. He called Hyunwoo in an excited voice. ¡°Hyunwoo, I think I have really made a great discovery.¡± ¡°Great discovery? Greater than Super Green?¡± ¡°If what I think is right, Super Green is nothing.¡± ¡°Let mee to your research room right away. Let¡¯s meet for more details, dad.¡± Hyunwoo stopped the debriefing at KOVE DREAM office and hurried to the STM Research Center in Tapgokri. Duyoung exined the characteristics of Toughtex, along with his own idea on how to use it. ¡°If we make good use of it, we can move all the machines with this. This could even rece human muscles.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s heart was throbbing with excitement. If the contraction rate was constant, depending on voltage, it had an indefinite use, as Duyoung exins. The problem was its durability. ¡°How many times did you experiment? One thousand, or ten thousands of experiments is not enough. At least, it should endure one million times.¡± Duyoung nodded his head. ¡°Absolutely. But I have no way to test its durability.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because it has an aluminum core.¡± Toughtex¡¯s core now used cheap aluminum. Repeating the contraction test, the Toughtex itself was fine, but the aluminum core was damaged, which made it impossible for the current to pass through it. Duyoung tried to continue the experiment in other ways by coating it in a highly conductive material, but that wasn¡¯t possible either. If the experiment was repeated for a long time, the coating was also damaged, and the contraction rate was not constant when the electricity flowed into the core, so he could not perform urate experiments. But Duyoung was convinced. ¡°Toughtex doesn¡¯t pose any problem of durability. It won¡¯t be damaged with millions of repetitions. I did experiments on it in high temperatures over 100 degrees Celsius and in low temperatures under negative 30 degrees Celsius, but I didn¡¯t notice any big difference.¡± ¡°All you have to do is to find a good core, right?¡± ¡°Right. I have to find the same core that has the same rate of contraction of Toughtex. I wonder if I can find it, though.¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo opened his eyes suddenly. He remembered in Taeho¡¯s failed experiment notes that he did fail in some experiments because of the strong contraction. ¡°Carbon nanotubes. Don¡¯t you remember Dr. Taeho Min¡¯s failed experiment notes?¡± Only then did Duyoung remember it and opened his mouth with joy. ¡°Yea, I remember it.¡± Duyoung was about to resume the research immediately. But Hyunwoo stopped him. Forgetting his promise to Hyunwoo that he would stop researching at 9 pm, Duyoung had been doing the research night and day these days. Hyunwoo felt sorry about it. What was the point of doing this research if Duyoung lost his health? Hyunwoo realized that he was not taking care of his parents. He was determined to do so from now on. ¡°Have a good rest today, dad. It looks like your health got worse these days.¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright. I am as fit as a fiddle. I¡¯m really energetic. Don¡¯t worry, son.¡± ¡°Nope, you just don¡¯t feel that your health has deteriorated. Have you forgotten your promise to me? If you keep breaking the promise like this, I¡¯lle back and interfere with your work. Next time, I¡¯ll hire a man to keeps tabs on your daily schedule,¡± said Hyunwoo sternly. Scratching his head, Duyoung said, ¡°Got it, son. As it has grown dark, let me call it a day now. Shall we have dinner together, son? We haven¡¯t done so in a long time.¡± ¡°Sure, dad. I know a very nice seafood shop. Just follow me.¡± ¡°Good, If Yu Zuung is avable, she can join us.¡± To the best of his knowledge, she had no particr schedule this afternoon. Probably, she was at home now, watching TV. Hyunwoo called her. ¡°How about having dinner together with my dad?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s great! Can I cook for you?¡± Hyunwoo opened his eyes wider at that. ¡°You want to cook for us? What food would you want to prepare?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a secret. I¡¯m going to prepare it starting now, so pleasee in an hourter. You cane with Kuroda.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo told Duyoung about the good news. Duyoung was pleasantly surprised because he had never seen her cooking. But what mattered was not whether she cooked well or not. In due course, she would be his wife, so it was important for her to learn housework including cooking. So, Duyoung wished deep inside that Yu Zuung would learn cooking from his wife, Jisook. And now, Yu Zuung said she would be willing to cook on her own, which pleased Duyoung. ¡°Hahaha, I think she is qualified to be my daughter-inw.¡± ¡°You bet. Haha.¡± Yu Zuung¡¯s house was a five-minute walking distance from Hyunwoo¡¯s and a ten-minute drive away from STM Research Center. ¡°What kind of food is she making?¡± Along with Duyoung and Kuroda, Hyunwoo went into her house with a big expectation. Today¡¯s menu was Vietnamese spring rolls. As it didn¡¯t require any good cooking skills, Hyunwoo was a bit disappointed. Of course, he didn¡¯t express his feelings. What mattered was that she started cooking on her own. It would be great for her to get interested in cooking on this asion. ¡°I wonder if you like it. Please try it.¡± Starting off with Kuroda, the most senior among them, Duyoung and Hyunwoo began to enjoy Vietnamese spring rolls. She looked at them with a nervous look. A littleter she asked impatiently, ¡°How was it?¡± In fact, she didn¡¯t have to ask as she knew the answer. Besides, Vietnamese spring rolls inevitably tasted good because all she had to do was to chop the existing ingredients. As if they agreed in advance to do so, Kuroda, Duyoung, and Hyunwoo all thumbed up at the same time. ¡°Wow, this is great! It seems like you couldn¡¯t cook because you had no time. Tastes very good.¡± ¡°Really? I feel happy to hear that.¡± They had a great dinner time, chatting away in a pleasant mood. At some point, they watched some news on the TV. It was about Samryong Motors, a hot topic these days. Samryong Motors was on the verge of bankruptcy as it was unable to ovee its financial difficulties several years ago. At that time, Shanghai Motors bought its shares and emerged as itsrge shareholder, throwing a lifeline to Samryong Motors. But Shanghai Motors didn¡¯t make any investments into thepany after its takeover of Samryong Motors. Rather it took Samryong¡¯s high-end technology and used it in the production of its own vehicles. To make matters worse, the Chinesepany fired Samryong employees inrge numbers, which led to a warlike demonstration by them with several being killed in the process. But that was not the end of it. Shanghai Motors had no intention of reviving Samryong Motors from the start. Its purpose was to take Samryong¡¯s technology. As if to prove that, Shanghai Motors filed for legal management of Samryong Motors five years after its takeover. ¡°What a badpany....¡± ¡°Why is our Koreanpany being beaten like that all the time?¡± Hyunwoo and Duyoung were enraged, even cursing at Shanghai Motors. But Kuroda disagreed. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t necessarily me Shanghai Motors. It¡¯s part of their business activities, isn¡¯t it? If they can¡¯t make profits, they have no other choice but to give up. Of course, Samryong might feel very resentful from their point of view, but in my opinion, Shanghai Motors¡¯ action is legitimate.¡± Hyunwoo could not agree with him. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. This is clearly a criminal act.¡± With a curious look, Kuroda asked, ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°First of all, they broke the promise. Secondly, they illegally took Samryong¡¯s technology.¡± Though Shanghai argued that there was no illegal technology outflow, that was nonsense. Initially, Shanghai took tangible and intangible technology of Samryong Motors worth tens of trillion won by paying only 24 billion won. Besides, what was important was that Shanghai Motors took not only the SUV technology but also the right to produce and market the models and parts of SUV vehicles based on their original SUV design for the next ten years. In short, Shanghai Motors came to own almost all the knowhow on the diesel engines of Samryong Motors at the bargain price of 24 billion won. Only then did Kuroda nod his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t know such details. If that¡¯s true, Shanghai Motors is morally reprehensible.¡± Then Kuroda made a proposal to Hyunwoo all of a sudden. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take over Samryong Motors?¡± ¡°What? Me?¡± said Hyunwoo with a surprised look. Duyoung was just as surprised. Even though Hyunwoo and Duyoung¡¯s STM were producing Super Green, oil refinery and automobiles were fundamentally different types of business. Ani & Funny, as well as KOVE DREAM, had nothing to do with an automobilepany. But Kuroda had a different viewpoint. He was formerly a car engineer. And he was confident in his technical skills. ¡°In fact, I¡¯ve recently developed a gasoline engine. It can also be used as a diesel engine. I think Samryong Motors would be able to make a sessfuleback if I apply that to Samryong Motors.¡± 1. Chapter 281

Chapter 281

¡°Really? Is it much different from existing car engines?¡± ¡°The fuel injection method and piston structure are different.¡± Kuroda exined the principle of that very briefly. Most new engines developed today used direct fuel injection. In the past, the port injection method simply sucked the fuel by the suction force generated during the piston movement without deliberately applying pressure. This reduced the power because the fuel had to be trapped in the engine andpressed by the force of the piston. Direct fuel injection directly injected fuel withoutpression, eliminating that factor. But the important thing was timing. Fuel efficiency and explosion time should be as short as possible to increase efficiency. It was also important to mix the fuel with oxygen well. Kuroda said, ¡°To minimize this time, I have developed a four-channel direct injection engine. It is a method of injecting fuel from all four ces simultaneously with three channels around the sides and one channel in the ceiling of the chamber.¡± Come to think of it, Hyunwoo felt it could be really effective because, at the time of spraying, fuel can spread as much as possible and mix easily with air. Kuroda continued, ¡°How much explosion energy you can concentrate on the piston is also an important factor. If fuel is sprayed on a wall needlessly, it would take lots of energy away. After various experiments, I have developed a more efficient piston structure.¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s great!¡± Duyoung and Hyunwoo eximed with delight. But Kuroda waved both hands in a show of humility. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just a slight difference from existing engines. Don¡¯t expect too much.¡± While listening to Kuroda¡¯s exnation, Hyunwoo recalled what he heard before. Hyunwoo experienced lots of stuff while working at variouspanies including Aurum. And he was very much impressed with one phrase. At a nce, it didn¡¯t make any sense. But it really made sense with a little more thinking. It meant that drastic improvements were possible when there was a change in the paradigm. In other words, it was not to make innovation by improving existing things, but to make innovation by developing new things. If one could make innovation like that, even 5000% improvement in efficiency was possible. It looked as if Hyunwoo could shock the auto market using Samryong Motors. Nodding his head, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Got it. Let me try to save Samryong Motors.¡± Hyunwoo immediately tranted what he said into action. He sent a letter of intent to takeover of Samryong Motors to Shanghai Motors. When Hyunwoo took the initiative, Shanghai Motors suddenly changed its attitude, and that through the media. When he read it, Hyunwooughed sardonically. It was only 600 billion won that Shanghai Motors paid for the takeover of Samryong Motors. After its takeover, Shanghai Motors didn¡¯t make any investment, let alone develop any technology. Rather it concentrated on taking Samryong¡¯s technology. Hyunwoo refuted Shanghai¡¯s argument through the media, too. Hyunwoo¡¯s announcement was not in words alone. He stopped any discussion rted to the takeover. Shanghai Motors also continued to dig its heels. It seemed to think there were lots of otherpanies than KOVE DREAM that could take over Samryong Motors. Time passed, and Hyunwoopletely lost interest in the takeover. In the meantime, Suji¡¯s wedding ceremony was set to take ce. Hyunwoo agonized a bit. ¡®Should I attend?¡¯ He had to, given his long ties with her, but he could not attend. It was not because he once loved her. Not only Hyunwoo but also Suji and Jungsu, her bridegroom, would not be conscious of that. The reason he couldn¡¯t attend her wedding ceremony was that he was now a famous businessman. If Hyunwoo attended it, lots of reporters would alsoe to cover it, which could produce gossip stories about their past romantic rtionship. Hyunwoo wouldn¡¯t care about it as he used to be the talk of the town, but Suji and Jungsu might feel very embarrassed about it. It might even disturb their marriage life. Hyunwoo sent a congrattory wreath to her, along with a long text message congratting her marriage. In the message, he exined why he couldn¡¯t attend. She replied with a short message. A considerable period of time has passed since Suji¡¯s wedding. No otherpany was willing to take over Samryong Motors. In the meantime, it continued to lose money. Shanghai Motors urgently appealed to the Korean government to help it sell Samryong Motors. Naturally, KOVE DREAM was back in the media limelight. Sometimeter a ruling party member called Hyunwoo directly. ¡°Nice to talk to you. I¡¯m Jungmin Hwang.¡± Hyunwoo was surprised because Mr. Hwang was emerging as an influential member of the ruling party. As Chulmo Kim, the most powerful member of the ruling party, had recently been disgraced in connection with the sex scandal involvng him and Yonji Choi, Hwang reced him as the strong man of the ruling party. Mr. Hwang said, ¡°I¡¯d like to meet you about the takeover case of Samryong Motors. Can youe to my office when you can?¡± He frowned at his suggestion because of the obvious reason Mr. Hwang wanted to see him. Did he receive a kickback from Shanghai Motors? But Hyunwoo could not refuse his offer to meet. It was impossible to do business by standing against politicians. Hyunwoo visited Hwang¡¯s office reluctantly. Just like a political giant, Hwang started off by mentioning the name of the President, ¡°I want you to take the decision on the takeover for the future of Koren economy. The president is also keeping an eye on your words and actions.¡± Actually, Hyunwoo was firming up his mind to take over Samryong Motors. The biggest reason was because of Samryong¡¯s technology. Samryong Motors had superior technology in high-end sedans and SUV. Though it failed in marketing every model of ordinary sedans and SUVs, piling up more and more deficits, it still had a very good name as the producer of luxury sedans and SUVs. If he took it over, Hyunwoo wanted to focus on producing luxury cars. But the problem was the takeover price. Hyunwoo would have finished the deal at a proper price but for Shanghai Motors. As the powerful politician intervened for Shanghai Motors, Hyunwoo felt the negotiation would not be that easy. ¡°I have respected you, Mr. Hwang, for a long time. Thanks for having me here,¡± said Hyunwoo. He first pleased Hwang¡¯s ears. He felt it was a good opportunity to make friends with an influential politician like Hwang on this asion. It could be more beneficial to cultivate connections with politicians than just hassling over the takeover price. ¡°In fact, I had no intention of taking over a foreign carpany, but as you ask me a favor like this, let me think about the takeover. But make sure that Shanghai should not y tricks with my with money, please.¡± ¡°Of course, they should not. But I think the 300 billion takeover offer that you presented is way too low. Why don¡¯t you meet halfway?¡± Hyunwoo wanted to say ¡®No!,¡¯ but held it back with difficulty. Given the fact that Shanghai Motors took Samryong¡¯s technology, Hwang should not have said so. Some car analysts even put the value of the stolen technology at one trillion won. If that was true, Shanghai Motors already got its takeover money¡¯s worth. If Hyunwoo took it over at 300 billion won, that would be Shanghai¡¯s profits. But Hyunwoo could not say so. As a political big shot, Hwamg must already know that. ¡°So, how much do they want?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°They mentioned 600 billion won. How about 500 billion won?¡± 600 billion won was the original takeover price that Shanghai offered to Samryong. After all, Shanghai wanted to sell back Samryong at its original takeover price. If they could meet halfways, Hyunwoo could save 100 billion won. He wanted a little more discount, but the takeover price would not go lower than that. If he really drove a hard bargain, he could save another 50 billion at the most. But Hyunwoo didn¡¯t feel up to that. ¡°Got it. Let me send an asset appraisal to them and review the appropriateness of their offer price. If there is no big problem, let me follow your opinion.¡± A monthter Hyunwoo met the officials of Shanghai Motors and signed the contract on the takeover of Samryong. And the next day all the media reported the takeover. As soon as he took over Samryong Motors, Hyunwoo appointed Kuroda as its senior technical advisor. And he made sure that Kuroda equipped its existing luxury sedans and SUVs with the new engines he developed and tested them. Of course, that was nothing more than a temporary solution to the chronic problems of Samryong Motors. In other words, Kuroda¡¯s new engines were nothing more than a makeshift means to reduce the snowballing deficits of Samryong Motors as soon as possible. ¡®I wish Duyoung could find the core material quickly.¡¯ In the meantime, Hyunwoo hired arge number of car designers and asked them to work on concept cars based on innovative designs. ¡°Samryong Motors will produce the world¡¯s best luxury cars. Design, as well as performance, is important to realize our goal. You don¡¯t have to think too deeply about the structure of cars. If you work out an excellent design, we can make cars based on that. So, work hard to produce an innovative design.¡± ¡°How innovative design do you want? ¡°I have no idea. Just stretch your imagination. We can make dream cars.¡± Hyunwoo cheered up the designer team. Initially, the design team expressed doubt, not sure how to make of Hyunwoo¡¯s request. ordingly, they were stuck in the existing design format. When he strongly pushed them harder, however, they began to think out of the box ande up with something extraordinary. Hyunwoo was very satisfied with that. ¡°Great. This is the design I want. Please keep working. One year or ten yearster we can produce cars based on your design.¡± Hyunwoo was confident. The moment his father Duyoung seeds in developing a new core fitting Toughtex, his dream will be realized. ¡®I see it¡¯s around the corner.¡¯ Chapter 282

Chapter 282

Hyunwoo¡¯s takeover of Samryong Motors was a big concern to many people. They were interested not only in making a smash hit with Samryong Motors but also how much wealth he had. ¡°How rich is he?¡± ¡°I guess at least 10 trillion won?¡± ¡°Maybe he already surpassed Konho Ahn, CEO of Ohsung Group in terms of personal wealth.¡± In fact, Hyunwoo was curious about that, too. ¡®How much money do I have now?¡¯ He could estimate his wealth, but it was impossible to figure it out urately. Though KOVE DREAM, Ani & Funny and N&C Korea were all corporations, they were not listed on the stock market. Only Samryong Motors was listed on KOSPI. Many of the public also showed interest in his personal wealth. When it became the talk of the town, his father Duyoung jokingly asked, ¡°How much money do you have?¡± He just smiled and said, ¡°Haha, I don¡¯t know exactly how much I¡¯ve got. This summer I¡¯m going to get Ani & Funny as well as KOVE DREAM listed on the KOSPI officially. Then I think I can figure out the exact size of my wealth.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good move. In fact, it¡¯s well overdue. When you officially get them listed, you can make use of them much better. I guess you can figure out the size of your wealth then.¡± Was it the reason? Duyoung kept asking about his financial matters. ¡°By the way, how much sales and profits are yourpanies are making? I hear you¡¯re making a huge sum of money...¡± In fact, he received a written report on final ounts. And the sales and profits were really surprising. In particr, Ani & Funny¡¯s was impressive. It produced new animated movies and seven short stories in the marketst year. Thanks to Yenam Noh¡¯s brilliant activities, not a single work failed, raking in huge revenues. In particr, one movie and two short stories hit box offices in an unprecedented way. Garbage World, Tuti & Angelica and Iron Worm were all making a smash hit. The revenues through books were alsorge. The biggest source of revenue was the secondary revenues through the merchandising of the animated characters. When all the sales werebined, the total revenues amounted to about 6 trillion won. Of course, the expenses rted to the growing activities of thepanies were also snowballing rapidly. There were 250 full-time employees and 200 part-timers. Besides, there were about 12,000 seasonal workers at the Ani & Funny¡¯s inte cafe. So, the regr sries were 800 billion won, and when other expenses were added, the total expenses in Korea alone were 1.2 trillion won. Hyunwoo ran the branches in Vietnam, China and India. The overseas staff in Vietnam numbered 4,000, 12,000 in China and 4,000 in India. The overall sries of these overseas employees were 300 billion won. But the overseaspanies paid more secondary costs than staff sries. It was almost 900 billion won, all told. Still, Hyunwoo¡¯s profits were 4 trillion won. Thanks to this huge capital funds, Hyunwoo could expand the Kennnd under construction in Sosan City, and he was nning to build simr theme parks overseas, including China and America. Compared with Ani & Funny, the revenues of KOVE DREAM were small. Its profits were only 300 billion won. The poor performance of KOVE DREAM was not because of the decrease in its sales. Rather its sales were increasing by 30% every year with the addition of its member countries. The main reason for it was the lowering of its membership fees. As manyrgepaniespeted to imitate KOVE DREAM in a war of low fees, KOVE DREAM sold their products with little profit. But the total profits of KOVE DREAM were more than 3 trillion won because of the returns on investments. The number ofpanies Hyunwoo had a stake in as of today was 73, including 27 additions fromst year. 15panies out of them hit the jackpot while another 15 made a big hit. On the other hand, there were 14panies that went bankrupt. KOVE DREAM was no more a salespany but an equities fund like OneStar. N&C Korea was incorporated into KOVE DREAMst year. Jaegyong Kang and Sungrak Sohn, the co-representatives of N&C Korea, were promoted to vice chairman of general sales and subscription sales departments, respectively. Juhwan Moon and Sonjong Kim became the director of instant sales and nning departments, respectively. Hyunwoo pitted the directors against them in selecting the future CEO of KOVE DREAM. To be its first CEO, all of them really worked hard. Now all the attention of the public was focused on the initial public offering (IPO) of Ani & Funny as well as theing of KOVE DREAM stocks because listing them on KOSPI was around the corner. ¡°Wow, how much can its market capitalization be?¡± ¡°Can it surpass Ohsung Group?¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be easy.¡± ¡°Can Ani & Funnypete with Tony World of the USA?¡± ¡°The market capitalization of Tony World is more than 130 trillion won. Even though Ani & Funny enjoys such remarkable growth, it won¡¯t be easy to surpass Tony World.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see the IPO of Ani & Funny and KOVE DREAM.¡± Hyunwoo was as anxious as them. He couldn¡¯t go to sleep as he was so thrilled on the eve of the IPO day. Finally, the IPO day came. Ani & Funny and KOVE DREAM were listed on KOSPI on the same day. The market reaction was explosive. Hyunwoo put the IPO price of Ani & Funny at 100,000 won. As the number of issued stocks was 200 million, he estimated its market capitalization at 20 trillion won. Some were concerned about the high IPO price, pointing out that its right IPO price was 80,000 won. But the results were the opposite. As soon as they were listed on KOSPI, it hit the maximum price and didn¡¯t go down. Stock experts quickly presented their own analysis. Their analysis was based on theparison with Tony World. The leader in the global animation world was Tony World. It was once threatened by Japanese animationpanies, but it beat them easily. The current market capitalization of Tony World was over 130 billion dors. Converted in Korean currency won, it was about 135 trillion won. But there had been a change in the animation market these days. When Ani & Funny and Tony World announced their work simultaneously, Ani & Funny emerged as the winner at the end of the day. As a result, Tony World suffered the worst deficits it had for the past three years. Its stock prices plummeted, leading to its market capitalization less than 100 billion dors. That meant Tony World was the setting sun in the animation world, while Ani & Funny established itself as the new leader in the global animation market. ordingly, the stock prices of Ani & Funny kept soaring. KOVE DREAM¡¯s IPO was also impressive. Its market capitalization was half of Ani & Funny¡¯s, but its stock prices were on the upward trend. Thanks to the sessful IPO results of Ani Funny & KOVE DREAM, Hyunwoo¡¯s personal wealth was revealed to the public for the first time. He had 70% and 65% of the total shares of Ani & Funny and KOVE DREAM respectively. That meant the value of his stocks in Ani & Funny and KOVE DREAM was about 16 trillion won and about 7 trillion won. Hisbined wealth easily put Konho Ahn, CEO of Ohsung, in the shade. But that was not all. Market analysts estimated that the stock value of STM was at least 10 trillion won, and Hyunwoo possessed 98% of its stocks. Besides, he personally made a great investment in thepanies in China and Vietnam, which kept growing with theirbined stock value reaching more than 3 trillion won. Overall, the experts estimated that Hyunwoo¡¯s total wealth was over 38.6 trillion won. That was a pretty surprising number. Even 10 billion won was too much for ordinary people to count, but Hyunwoo¡¯s wealth was 400 times that amount. Naturally, the general public eximed in surprise. ¡°Wow, I thought his wealth is about the same as Konho Ahn¡¯s. But he¡¯s got money three times as much as his.¡± ¡°I hear only a few years ago he was an ordinary employee of a small furniturepany. How could he make such a huge sum of money within such a short period of time?¡± ¡°I guess he was born with the blessings of money.¡± Hyunwoo was the subject of everybody¡¯s envy. ordingly, Yu Zuung was also the envy of every woman. Wasn¡¯t she now a woman loved by Korea¡¯s richest man? As soon as Hyunwoo¡¯s wealth was known, Yu Zuung was not merely a top star, but a noblewoman that nobody could dare touch easily. But neither Hyunwoo nor Yu Zuung thought much about their wealth. Hyunwoo just acted as he did so far. He had a meal three times a day, tried to get sound sleep and exercised whenever he had free time. He bent over backward to take care of the many businesses as he could starting from morning andte into the night. What he concentrated on most these days was Haenim School and STM Research Center in Tapgokri, Sosan. Hyunwoo spent money on Haenim School freely. He advertised enrollment for as many students as possible and kept building buildings for them. He also established Sinsung University. Sinsung University was kind of special college. Instead of having the applicants take entrance exams, Sinsung University selected students on the rmendation of the doctors of STM research centers and their high school teachers. Its first target were the graduating sses of Haenim School, of course. Any graduate of Haenim School could enter the university, but their eptance didn¡¯t necessarily guarantee their sess. They were supposed to be rated by the professors every year. If they failed, they would be expelled immediately. The education and administration of Sinsung University were also focused on nurturing the creativity of the students. It hosted an open contest on the best inventor in and out of season and created a research center to support and make their inventions marketable as products. Ten patentwyers were hired. The invention contest was not confined to the students of Sinsung University only. Ordinary citizens could also apply through the homepage of Sinsung University. In fact, Sinsung University focused more on making inventions through the contest marketable as products than just churning out inventions themselves. As soon as Sinsung University opened, it drew an explosive response from the students across the country. Not only those with extraordinary skills but also those who only focused on getting the best grades were admitted. In the second year of the opening, there were over 120,000 applicantspeting to get in. Among them were not only high school graduates but also adults who were more than 40 years old. The problem was that the enrollment number of the university was only 1,000. Though the school kept expanding its facilities with the goal of increasing the enrollment number to 50,000, it took time. After all, the school authorities decided to select the students through strict examinations. The rate ofpetition was as high as 120 to one. They announced a list of the sessful applicants. Naturally, the applicants had mixed feelings of joy and sorrow at the results. Those who were admitted shouted for joy, while those who failed were greatly disappointed. The general public was also disappointed. ¡°Yea, that¡¯s what I expected. They advertised that they just paid lip service when they said they would enroll only those applicants with extraordinary skills. After all, they enrolled the best students only.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so disappointed.¡± Chapter 283

Chapter 283

The entrance exam of Sinsung University was taken at the school ssrooms inrge cities. The exam was conducted for five hours without a break, but those who needed to pee were allowed to go to restrooms. When the students took the exam, they showed various reactions. Some of the students who showed confidence about their excellence in exams let out a sigh, while inferior students eximed in joy. The questions of the exam were just ridiculous. In fact, they were intended to test the applicants¡¯ creativity, not their knowledge. Question 1: You have no spoons. You can¡¯t use hands. How would you eat? Question 2: You have to build a home with the given materials. How would you build it? Question 3: China¡¯s Northeast Project is underway now. How can you stop this? Question 4: There are many poor countries in the world. How can you make the children of these countries not hungry? Question 5:... Question 6..... All the questions were like that and there were 100 of them. The students taking the exam found the questions ridiculous. They felt these kinds of questions needed several hours to answer even one question. How could they solve all the problems in five hours? Of course, Hyunwoo and the teachers were aware of the problem because they intentionally offered such questions. After the exam was over, the university officials exined why the exam questions were like that. ¡°Do you think you have to solve all the questions here? The entrance exam of Sinsung University is not about how many questions you answered urately. We just wanted to test how much creativity you showed in solving even one question.¡± After all, it didn¡¯t matter how many questions they answered. After two months of scoring the applicants¡¯ tests, they announced 1,000 who passed the test. The sessful applicants were happy as if they passed the state civil service exams. Hyunwoo was also happy. The better the image of Sinsung University became, the more students would apply. ¡°Please speed up the construction. We¡¯re going to select 5,000 students next year. And three yearster, we are going to increase the total number of enrollment to 10,000,¡± said Hyunwoo. He also continued to expand Haenim School and STM Research Center. He already invested over two trillion won. He didn¡¯t have to worry about the sites of the school and the research center. Sosan City already donated statend of 10,000 pyong (3.3ha). Also all thends Hyunwoo purchased secretly for years were totaled to one million pyong (330ha). Out of the two trillion won in educational investment, Hyunwoo spent one trillion won in purchasing thend. He also spent lots of money on hiring doctors who would teach students and do research at the same time. Hearing the news that Hyunwoo was spending a huge sum of money on hiringpetent schrs, not only famous doctors across the country but also from abroad flocked to STM Research Centerpetitively. Thanks to Hyunwoo¡¯s dedicated efforts, Sosan City emerged as the ma of education and research quickly. Even though Hyunwoo went to the trouble of hiring them, many people came to the city and lots of new streets and buildings mushroomed here and there. Sosan, which was full of fields and hills only three years ago, was turning into a big city. ¡°Why don¡¯t you create a music department at Sinsung University?¡± ¡°Not a problem. As long as there are excellent teachers who are willing to teach students full of passion, they can ept students in any field.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I can make the best teamposed of the best teachers in the field. Let me select the best students and make them the best stars. Our K-Pop can be developed further when we turn out such graduates. I¡¯m going to stop my broadcasting activities and concentrate on teaching them,¡± said Jinyoung Paek. But Jinyoung¡¯s ambitious n ran into difficulties from the start. Those stars who already rose to the top in their fields epted Jinyoung¡¯s offer toe and teach the students but asked for too muchpensation. Of course, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t feel any financial burden as far as hiring teachers was concerned. He became Korea¡¯s richest man with almost 40 trillion won three years ago, and now the value of his stocks in various countries totaled more than 60 trillion won. What bothered Hyunwoo was not the high sry they asked for but their frame of mind. ¡°It looks like they¡¯re more interested in making money than teaching students with passion. I don¡¯t need those kinds of people.¡± ¡°Are you going to give up a music school then?¡± ¡°No, what I want is to change the selection process.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s give more opportunity to those who want to be the best in their fields than those who have already risen to stardom. Don¡¯t you think they are going to be more passionate about teaching?¡± Jinyoung agreed. So, Hyunwoo and Jinyoung began to gather those who failed to receive due recognition despite their excellent skills and passion. Among them wereposers, lyrics writers, dancers, vocal trainers, and stage directors. The hopeful students applied inrge numbers. But Hyunwoo could not ept them all. So, they decided to audition them. The first ss of the music department of Sinsung University would select 100 students. Hyunwoo ced ads on that through the homepage of Haenim School. Noticing the news, Jaeyol Song with Korean Broadcasting contacted Hyunwoo. Jaeyol had already been promoted to the deputy director. ¡°Hey, Hyunwoo. I hear you¡¯re going to audition music students at Haenim School. Is that right?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s true. I¡¯m in big trouble right now because more than 200,000 students applied,¡± said Hyunwoo, as if it was his biggest headache at the moment. ¡°Hahaha, I knew that would happen. That¡¯s why I called to save you.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wider at that. ¡°Do you have any good idea?¡± ¡°These days each broadcastingpany hosts lots of audition programs to locate and select hidden musical talents. I think it would be a very good idea if Korean Broadcasting and Haenim School made a joint audition program.¡± ¡°Is that possible? You belong to the newsroom. That audition program is handled by the entertainment department, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I know its director very well. If you don¡¯t mind, let me contact him.¡± ¡°I would appreciate if you could do so. Let me dine and wine you and your staff, hahaha.¡± ¡°Oh, that sounds good. Let me contact him through my boss.¡± It was the next day that Song called Hyunwoo again. Hyunwoo had been waiting for his call. ¡°Any news?¡± ¡°Absolutely. He gave a green light. Korean Broadcasting will send a team to Haenim School soon. I¡¯ve also arranged for Kwangsu Han of Real Film to participate in the program.¡± ¡°Sound great. Let me see you in Seoul soon for a drink then.¡± ¡°Sure. Let me wait.¡± Thanks to Jaeyol¡¯s help, the auditions proceeded very well. Initially, Hyunwoo wanted to select only 100 students, but Jinyoung asked to select 50 more. ¡°They are too good to miss, right?¡± Hyunwoo nned to have Jinyoung take care of the music affairs at Sinsung University. It was his idea to select 100 initially. ¡°Sure. Do as you want,¡± said Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo¡¯s investment in education and research was not confined to the local area. On the advice of Yu Zuung, he built the Haenim campuses as well as STM research branches in Vietnam, China, India, Indonesia, and the Philippines. And he fully supported the talented students there, so that they could make the best use of their creativity. He spent more than one trillion won in building facilities overseas, along with the continued investment worth 200 billion won in financial assistance. Many people looked at Hyunwoo¡¯s aggressive investment with mixed feelings. Some praised him but others expressed concern. ¡°Isn¡¯t he recklessly spending money? Once he fails, he will go downhill helplessly.¡± ¡°I agree. It seems he thinks the world is in his hands.¡± Of course, Hyunwoo was aware of such concern. And their concern was legitimate, he thought. But Hyunwoo didn¡¯t care. Basically, he had no worries about money. Ani & Funny and KOVE DREAM kept rolling on, raking in more than 10 trillion won in profits. STM produced not only high-end gasoline but also the Super Green of diesel and Bunker C oil, recording almost 3 trillion won in profits per year. Samryong Motors was also doing well, though he was worried. It had yet to turn a profit, but the initial deficits of 10 billion won was reduced to 2 billion won. Everything seemed to go smoothly. Besides, Hyunwoo had other good news. Finally, Yu Zuung epted Hyunwoo¡¯s proposal. Their marriage received widespread media coverage not only in Korea but also around the world, but their wedding ceremony was held without fanfare in the outside park within Haenim School. The ceremony was roses-decorated on May 17. The officiant was Suyoung Oh, principal of Haenim School, and the guests invited to the wedding ceremony, including those close to Hyunwoo, were less than 500. And they had another wedding ceremony in Vietnam at the request of Yu Zuung¡¯s parents. They flew to Europe for their honeymoon. It was Yu Zuung¡¯s dream to have a cozy and sweet time with Hyunwoo on the coast of the Mediterannerian. She seemed very happy. Hyunwoo was happy to see her, too. That was the happiness that can¡¯t be bought for zillions of money. Hyunwoo said, ¡°I just hope we can always live like this in the future.¡± ¡°Me, too. Let¡¯s live happily like this all the time.¡± But that might be their wishful thinking, given that things don¡¯t necessarily work out as they wish. And that was the case of Hyunwoo, who was called one of the richest men in the world. *** At a high-end Japanese restaurant in Seoul, four middle-aged men dined together. They were incumbentwmakers with power in their party. In particr, one of them was a political big shot, Jungmin Hwang, who once dined with Hyunwoo. They broke the ice with light topics first, but suddenly Hwang brought up the main topic. ¡°By the way, don¡¯t you think Mr. Hyunwoo Jang of KOVE DREAM acts in a brusque manner?¡± Chapter 284

Chapter 284

When Hwang said that, otherwmakers present seconded the statement. ¡°Oh, you, too, thought so. Frankly, I felt upset about him, looking at Mr. Jang¡¯s arrogant actions these days. To put it bluntly, did he make a sess without anybody¡¯s help? Didn¡¯t he make such a huge sess because we politicians created a good environment for his business activities?¡± ¡°You bet. He is just audacious when I see his words and actions these days. He must not have been well bred at home. Tut, tut, tut.¡± Hwang didn¡¯t need to take the initiative to censure Hyunwoo, as theypeted to me him. In fact, politicians and businessmen had inseparable ties. That¡¯s why politicians call them honey bees because thetter brought sweet stuff called money to the former. They wanted Hyunwoo to be their honey bee, but Hyunwoo was not that type of businessman. It seemed that he was determined never to cultivate any rtionship with politicians. Of course, he knew several politicians. For example, he knew one young politician with an independent mind, whose constituency was in Sosan City. But Hyunwoo had no intention to be his honey bee. ¡°Let me try to meet, Mr. Jang,¡± said one of the four politicianns. He waswmaker Kilpyo Jang, the youngest of them. Even though he was younger than the other three, he was almost 60 years old. Hwang reacted with delight, ¡°Oh, can you do so? Hope you can bring us good results.¡± Several dayster, Hyunwoo went to congressman Kilpyo Chuns¡¯s office in Seoul. Though Hyunwoo looked gloomy on the way, he put a bright expression on his face when he got there. Waiting for him outside the office, Kilpyon hugged him. ¡°Oh, Mr. Jang. Nice to meet you like this.¡± ¡°I should havee here to see you sooner, congressman. Sorry.¡± ¡°To be honest, I felt sorry about that. As you havee to see me even now, I feel good.¡± Hyunwoo felt like frowning at that but held it back. Though he said that out of courtesy, Kilpyon seemed to take it for granted. Kilpyon first praised Hyunwoo. Just like a typical politician, he picked up only good words to please Hyunwoo¡¯s ears. But there was nothing substantial in his remarks. He didn¡¯t mention anything beneficial to his business. He was just paying lip service to Hyunwoo. Finally, Kilpyo brought up the main topic, which was why he wanted to see Hyunwoo today. ¡°I think a politician¡¯s first duty is to help businessmen do their business well. Don¡¯t you think?¡± If that¡¯s true, Kilpyo was neglecting his duty. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t get any help from him. But Hyunwoo said casually, pretending not to know, ¡°Thanks for saying that.¡± ¡°What do you think is the duty of businessmen then? Is it just to make money and fatten their wallets?¡± asked Kilpyo. Hyunwoo already knew what he would say next. Like a seasoned politician, Kilpyo knew how to say figuratively. ¡°Everything is supposed to go interlocking. In other words, we have to help each other by sharing what we have. You shouldn¡¯t force any party to make sacrifices.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Now, you¡¯re seeing eye to eye with me! I don¡¯t have to repeat this to you then. Let¡¯s help each other. Politicians and businessmen should join hands for the people.¡± ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll do my best,¡± said Hyunwoo, bowing to him. With a satisfied look, Kilpyo nodded his head. ¡°Okay, let me have some expectations of you. When our politics goes smoothly, our economy goes well and our country will develop. Thanks foring here.¡± Hyunwoo came out of the office with a bitter smile. ¡®After all, he is asking me for money, isn¡¯t he?¡¯ Hyunwoo agnoized about it. If he gave Kilpyon the money, the corrupt world around him would be more corrupt. If he refused, he was scared that Kilpyon might take revenge on him. Hyunwoo went back home to discuss it with his father. Duyoung gave him some practical advice. ¡°You have to think about the gains and losses when you make a choice. What do you think you could get when you ept or reject the congressman¡¯s request?¡± It was difficult to answer. Hyunwoo felt there were manywmakers like Kilpyo. If he had to give political funds to Kilpyo, he had to give political funds to other politicians. That would make corrupt politics more corrupt. Why? Because money is power. If corrupt politicians received money, they would be more powerful, while clean politicians wiould continue to lose their power. That was the situation that Hyunwoo hated so much. But that¡¯s what he might have to create with his own hand now. If Hyunwoo refused to give political funds, politicians would use all kinds of means to put pressure on him. KOVE DREAM, Ani & Funny, STM as well as Haenim School would most likely get into trouble in the days ahead. Duyoung asked again when Hyunwoo was agonized. ¡°Which side do you think can cause you more losses than gains?¡± That was a difficult question, too. He would have to ept Kilpyo¡¯s request for his own interests. But he would have to fight against Kilpyo for the interests of the country. Duyoung was of the same opinion, but he rmended to Hyunwoo to choose the option of putting his own interests first. ¡°Our politics won¡¯t change overnight even if you try to. You might as well sumb to them now. Instead, support young and clean politicians. Over time they will change the world to a better one.¡± Nheless, he couldn¡¯t decide easily. In reality and in name, Hyunwoo wasn¡¯t the world¡¯s richest man. Officially, there were three men who were richer than him. When STM was listed on the stock market, his wealth would be more than 100 trillion won. How much would Hyunwo have to donate in political funds? That much money would give corrupt politicians absolute power while promising politicians would never challenge them. Hyunwoo really didn¡¯t want to give the money to dirty politicians. After all, he came up with apromise. ¡®Okay, let me donate political funds openly. And let me return my money to society to win their support.¡¯ If he won their support, politicians would not be able to touch him recklessly. When he thought as far as that, he became confident. He made the decision. ¡°Even if mypanies copse, I can¡¯t give money to corrupt politicians.¡± Hearing his exnation, his mother Jisook expressed concern. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you will be okay.¡± But Duyoung took side with Hyunwoo. ¡°You have no reason to feel that way, honey. We are not doing anything bad. And I trust Hyunwoo. He can cope with it wisely.¡± Jisook now nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right, honey. We are just good as long as we can make ends meet. Son, don¡¯t worry. Just push ahead with what you think is right.¡± ¡°Thanks for trusting me.¡± Hyunwoo tranted his decision into action immediately. He openly donated to political funds in his name. He also announced his n to donate his wealth to society through the media. His top priority on donation was education. The Dalnim kindergartens he nned targeted kids who were three and four years old. He estimated about 200 billion won per year in financial support. He made sure these kindergartens hired one nursing teacher for three kids and one supervisor for every five teachers. The teachers would receive 20 million won in yearlypensation, and the supervisor would receive twice as much. In that case, Hyunwoo would pay the teachers 105 billion won for their sries every year. Hyunwoo felt the role of nursing teachers would be important. So, he established the development of children¡¯s education at Sinsung University and Haenim School and hired the teachers inrge numbers. As soon as he announced his n through the media, he began to build kindergartens around the country. He also disclosed the teaching methods of Dalnim kindergartens. They would not teach them how to study. Of course, the kids will learn rudimentary things in preparation for elementary schools, but enhancing their creativity would be the top priority. Many of the people reacted to Hyunwoo¡¯s proposal favorably. In particr, those low-ie newlyweds weed it. They already began to ask about the application process. There might be fiercepetition among them to get in, but he felt their intense interest would go down when the kindergartens opened. Basically Dalnim kindergartens would have the kids spend more time ying than studying, y more outside than inside. As a result, affluent parents would prefer those kindergartens that would help their kids get better grades when they entered elementary schools. That meant that Dalnim kindergartens would more likely ept children of low-ie families. Hyunwoo was also interested in the matter of housing. In his opinion, the two biggest headaches of Korea were education and housing among other things. Though there were so many houses across the country, there were not many homeowners. Of course, Hyunwoo could not solve the problempletely. But he felt he could at least make a breakthrough in solving it. So, Hyunwoo made the pledge. The apartment units he had in mind was a small standard unit with the space of 13-pyong, just spacious enough for a four-member family to live in. Though they might feel it¡¯s too small, he would offer it at a bargain. He would spend about 300 billion on this. Many of the people praised Hyunwoos¡¯ generous donations. ¡°He is better than the president.¡± ¡°Yes, he knows how to get at the heart of the problem. Our government has to take its cue from him.¡± There were some who took his promise with a grain of salt. ¡°Does he want to be a politicianter?¡± Indeed, some people frowned when Hyunwoo won more and more support from the people. And some of them even decided to take revenge on him when Hyunwoos¡¯ donations did harm to their interests. Chapter 285

Chapter 285

Hamilton, the head of OneStar¡¯s Seoul office, was one of them trying to derail Hyunwoo¡¯s actions. Reading the relevant article about him, Hamilton was enraged. ¡°This guy, Hyunwoo, is trying to steal the show with the money he took from Bando Oil.¡± Hyunwoo was a stumbling block to Hamilton in every way. It started with Nanotech. Hamiltion originally nned to invest heavily in Nanotech after confirming its vast potential, but Hyunwoo¡¯s KOVE DREAM had already invested. Since his investment, Nanotech was growing as the leader in carbon nanotubes industry. Hamiltion¡¯s ill-fated rtionship with Hyunwoo didn¡¯t stop there. That was just the beginning. As a private equity fund, OneStar¡¯s main business goal was to search for insolventpanies, buy them at a bargain and retrieve the investment when they grewter. But KOVE DREAM took all thepanies that OneStar was nning to invest in. Actually, manypanies preferred KOVE DREAM. But they wouldn¡¯t deal with OneStar because it was part of the DonStar family that took over Korea Exchanges Bank in a controversial deal. That¡¯s why Hyunwoo was a sore sight. Besides, STM was like a devil to OneStart. When OneStar took over Bando Oil, it had a big expectation because oil and water business would generate more revenue than other businesses. And OneStar had one oil refinery with great technology in the Middle East. The gasoline produced there was of the highest quality. It was responsible for most of the gasoline supplied to Korea. As long as OneStar took over Bando Oil, its management was convinced that its annual profits would run to at least dozens of billion won and make them hundreds of billion won in profit when it sold Bando Oil back to Korea. However, Bando Oil didn¡¯t perform well because of Super Green. When Ohsung Group entered the oil market suddenly and began to sell Super Green, it dominated the premium gasoline market. Besides, Singyong Co. was a dominant yer in the low-price gasoline market. It was difficult for Bando Oil to get in. It looked as if Ohsung and Singyong joined hands to block Bando Oil¡¯s entry into the market. Actually, that was true. After checking with multiple sources around him, Hamilton realized that Konho Ahn, CEO of Ohsung and Munsik Cho, CEO of Singyong were meeting often these days. Hamilton couldn¡¯t sit idle. And he had a surefire weapon to break the joint coalition of Ohsung and Singyong in the oil market. ¡°Munsik Choi, bastard! I clearly gave you a warning before but you ignored it. Let me go after you!¡± Hamilton conveyed the message through his aide that he wanted to meet Konho Ahn. But Hamiltion couldn¡¯t meet him easily because Konho was angry at him. Konho thought it was Hamilton who sent his son Taesu to prison. But Hamilton told him a different story through his aide. ¡°You seem to have misunderstood me a lot. It was Munsik who was responsible for installing a hidden camera in Taesu¡¯s vi and spreading the sex video. I have the evidence.¡± Konho was stunned to hear that. He could not believe it at all, but Hamilton said he had the evidence. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s meet then,¡± said Konho. Their meeting took ce secretly. Though Hamilton visited Ohsung Group headquarters, almost nobody in OneStar or Ohsung Group knew about it. ¡°Show me the evidence first,¡± Konho demanded. Hamiltion was not a dumb guy. He knew exactly what Konho wanted. ordingly, he knew how to respond to Konho¡¯s impatient request. Hamilton gave him a recorded voice file. He quickly reyed it. The voice file was about a conversation between two people. He couldn¡¯t identify one of them, but the other¡¯s voice was very familiar to him. It was Munsik Choi, CEO of Singyong. ¡°Did you handle the matter well?¡± ¡°I installed a hidden camera there.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t leave behind any trail of it, did you?¡± ¡°I hired a professional from a securitypany. I copied Taesu¡¯s security card to get into the vi, so nobody would get wind of it until the case was closed.¡± ¡°Is there any possibility that the security guy could sense our involvement?¡± ¡°No, never.¡± Hearing that dialogue, Konho¡¯s face trembled with anger. He was pissed off and began to me Munsik harshly. ¡°How dare this bastard ...¡± Hamilton just waited until Konho freely vented his anger against Munsik. Finally, he offered a usible proposal to Konho. ¡°Munsik made a huge profit by pitting us against Ohsung. Now, it¡¯s time we took back the profits of Singyong.¡± At his proposal, Konho regained hisposure like the top Korean businessman he was. ¡°I think you have an idea about that since you havee to see me like this. What are you going to do about him?¡± ¡°Simple. Let me pay back what he did to Bando Oil.¡± Hearing what he said, Konho could figure out what he was thinking. Bando Oil was on the crackdown list of the government authorities because of its malpractices. Not only Bando Oil itself but also its gas stations were also affected by the crackdown. Hamilton¡¯s message was to make Munsik¡¯s Singyong Co. suffer the same pain. That was not difficult. Konho had powerful connections with politicians. If he asked a favor of someone he knew, Singyong would be in big trouble immediately. But that¡¯s not the only option Hamilton offered to Konho. ¡°If Ohsung and Bando Oil join hands, we can dominate the oil refinery market here.¡± ¡°Singyong is the biggest oil refinery in Korea. Even if we join hands, we can¡¯t ruin it overnight.¡± Konho reacted negatively to his idea. But Hamilton resisted. ¡°Don¡¯t you think the most important thing in business is the credit of thepany? What if Singyong is caught selling fake gasoline at its headquarters¡¯ level?¡± Konho¡¯s eyes sparkled momentarily. ¡°How can it happen?¡± ¡°We can fabricate it. I can do it.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s too mean...¡± ¡°What Munsik did was meaner. How can we insist on fairpetition with such a mean guy?¡± Come to think of it, Hamilton¡¯s proposal appealed to his taste. And he said on the record that he would take care of that dirty thing. All Konho had to do was sit and enjoy him dealing with Munsik. ¡°What do you want from me then?¡± asked Konho. ¡°Give 20% of the Super Green sales rights to Bando Oil. Then we will hand over some of our gas stations to you in return.¡± That was not a big deal to him. Nodding his head, Konho said, ¡°Good. But as far as fake oil is concerned, that¡¯s irrelevant to me.¡± ¡°Sure, don¡¯t worry. We joined hands to develop the Korean economy.¡± Going back to his office, Hamilton called his chief secretary. ¡°Remember that guy we bought offst time?¡± ¡°You mean that delivery guy with Singyong?¡± ¡°Yea, tell him to work on it right now.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± After letting his chief secretary out, Hamilton agonized again. ¡®Done with Munsik. Now, my next target is Hyunwoo Jang of STM. Looks like our man has found something dirty about him by now.¡¯ In fact, he spent lots of time and energy to spot Hyunwoo¡¯s vulnerabilities. In particr, he actively used the officials at National Tax Service and National Customs Office. No matter how perfectly they handled their business, none of them could evade the watchful eye of the tax authorities. So, he secretly promised big cash rewards to some of the tax officials. Chapter 286 Hamilton opened his eyes wider at that. He even felt it strange that he found it after a yearlong search. ¡°Are you sure they have found tax evasion of Hyunwoo¡¯spanies? We need specific evidence that they intentionally evaded taxes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not so sure whether they intentionally did it or not. But there is no doubt about their tax evasion.¡± ¡°How much is their additional tax amount?¡± ¡°What I confirmed is not that much. Including the value-added tax, it¡¯s about 600 million at most.¡± In Hamilton¡¯s eyes, that was not big enough. But the amount itself was not important. What was important was thepany image. If the allegation on their tax evasion proved true, he was going to damage the image of KOVE DREAM by actively promoting the active media coverage of it. He needed to make the matter of Hyunwoo¡¯s tax evasion much worse than now. ¡°Got it. Nice job!¡± *** Assemblyman Jungmin Hwang, the new big shot of the ruling party, had a drinking party with somewmakers who followed him. While having a good dinner, he mentioned Hyunwoo. As Hyunwoo was the talk of the town because of the enormous donation of his wealth to society these days, Hwang naturally changed the topic to him. But they were not interested in Hyunwoo¡¯smendable donation. Rather they expressedints against him. ¡°Let me talk about Hyunwoo Jang. I know he¡¯s doing lots of good things, but I just don¡¯t know why I feel resentful towards him. Don¡¯t you think he has to do it through politicians?¡± ¡°Right. Basically he is sending the message that he can¡¯t trust politicians. Does he think we politicians are diverting political funds for some other purposes?¡± ¡°I think we need to teach him a hard lesson. How dare he avoid us when hispanies are making such a huge amount of money thanks to our help? I don¡¯t think we should give him a pass this time.¡± As if he saw eye to eye with them, Hwang nodded. But they couldn¡¯t touch him thoughtlessly because he was gaining wide poprity for his generous donations. They needed to make a strong case against him. At that moment, Hwang got a wee call. The caller was the representative of the Korea branch of OneStar, which took over Bando Oil four years ago. ¡°Congressman, we need a special audit of Hyunwoo¡¯spanies.¡± ¡°Which audit?¡± ¡°We have found some illegal act in their business practices.¡± Hwang¡¯s face brightened momentarily. ¡°Are you sure? Which part?¡± *** ¡°Wow, the air is so fresh here!¡± Climbing the hillside, Yu Zuung took a deep breath and looked down on the beautifulndscape. Hyunwoo felt happy, too, and was there with her for a morning workout. ¡°It¡¯s really good that I moved to Sosan.¡± ¡°You bet. I didn¡¯t know how much I liked this ce like this. I¡¯m happy.¡± Hyunwoo was happy, too. Before he got married, he found it difficult to be with her even a couple of times per week, but he could be with her from the moment he came back home from work until he reported to work the next morning. It was already 9 am. Originally, Hyunwoo and Yu Zuung used to go to sleep and get up early, but they switched their living patterns to the opposite. They went to sleep and got upte. It was inevitable because both often came back home after midnight because of their tight schedules. A housekeeper prepared breakfast for them. After breakfast, they were busy taking care of various business schedules until they went back home. Hyunwoo had to meet many people or stop by hispanies while Yu Zuung had to appear on TV shows. Hyunwoo headed for STM Research Center in Tapgokri, his favorite ce these days. He paid all of his attention to his father¡¯s research on the core materialpatible with Toughtex. Duyoung was studying the contraction of Toughtex. To be precise, he was looking for a core material that perfectly matched the Toughtex in contraction as the voltage changed. He had been doing research on it for the past three years, but he hadn¡¯t made any tangible progress. Of course, he found materials whose contraction ratio was simr. It was carbon nanotubes that Hyunwoo originally thought of. The contraction ratio of Toughtex extracted from kerosene and that of carbon nanotubes was almost identical. But ¡®almost identical¡¯ suggested there was a slight error. Duyoung continued to fail in his experiments because of this slight error. To make the type of product that Hyunwoo wanted, it needed durability to endure tens of millions of experiments, but the carbon nanotubes were often damaged by this slight error. Now, Duyoung said he found the method to reduce that slight error. Of course, it can¡¯t be said to be aplete sess until Duyoung found the perfect solution, but it had great potential. Duyoung was stuck in his research room from early in the morning. He even put a memo ¡®Never Disturb Me!¡¯ on the door. In the meantime, Sonjong Kim called Hyunwoo. She gave him some surprising news. ¡°Sir, we received a notice about tax investigation from the National Tax Services.¡± ¡°Tax investigation? We received it two years ago, didn¡¯t we?¡± ¡°They say this is not regr but an ad-hoc tax audit.¡± ¡°Any particr reason?¡± ¡°I hear that somebody tipped them off on us evading taxes.¡± ¡°Tip on evading taxes?¡± Hyunwoo could not understand. How could he evade taxes? In fact, Hyunwoo made lots of efforts to have staff that could ensure that there were no tax issues. That¡¯s why he hired former tax officials to minimize ount errors and did regr self-tax audits. But there had never been any tax issue thanks to Hyunwoo¡¯s dedicated efforts. Hyunwoo made a bitter smile. Obviously, there must be someone who has tipped them off with malicious intent. Was it perhaps that congressman I met the other day? That was a real possibility. But Hyunwoo was honorable. No matter how thoroughly they tried to investigate Hyunwoo¡¯s tax issue, they would not find one. Even if they did find one, he had no big problem because he could fix it if ordered, and pay the unpaid taxes if any. Several days after they received the notice, the government¡¯s tax audit team stormed KOVE DREAM for the tax investigation. Hyunwoo felt they would finish the investigation quickly as it was ad-hoc, not a regr investigation. But they didn¡¯t. They did an intensive investigation for 15 days to the point that KOVE DREAM¡¯s normal operation we¡¯re disturbed. After they were done with KOVE DREAM, they moved on to STM and Ani & Funny for the tax investigation was as intensive as KOVE DREAM. Typically, tax investigations were not that intensive. So, in the case of their tax investigation of Hyunwoo¡¯spanies, it was obvious that they did it to harass him. But the results of the investigation were the same asst time. No tax issues were found. And then shortly after that, Hyunwoo had a call from the National Customs Office. ¡°We received the tip-off that KOVE DREAM evaded taxes. We¡¯re going to conduct a tax audit on yourpanies sooner orter.¡± ¡°You should have done it simultaneously when National Tax Services did the tax investigation. Why are you giving us a hard time like this?¡± KOVE DREAM¡¯s director Sonjong Kim asked the official in an irritated voice. Advisor Hwasik Kang stopped her, ¡°Hey, stop it. We¡¯re going to be on their cklist if you keep arguing with them. Just stay silent.¡± Sonjong knew why they were picking on Hyunwoo¡¯spanies for tax investigation. It was because Hyunwoo avoided politicians too much. In fact, she was upset about it. The only defect of her boss was that he didn¡¯t maintain any smooth rtionships with politicians. ¡°Hyunwoo has lots of money. Why is he trying to go his own way?¡± Hwasik just smiled at that. Several dayster, the corporate tax audit team of the National Customs Office visited KOVE DREAM. They searched every nook and corner of the office to find any material on tax evasion. Sonjong made a mockery of them, though. Actually, they did the same thing three years ago but found nothing suspicious. She thought they would return empty-handed this time, too. But they didn¡¯t As if he found something, the manager of the audit team gathered tax officials and began to ask. They came out of the meeting with tax officials with a grimace. Sonjong sensed something grave. She called into her office those who met with the tax officials. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What did they ask?¡± ¡°Well, they said we dropped EBS from the payable taxes.¡± She tilted her head to one side and asked. ¡°What is EBS?¡± ¡°It¡¯s emergency fuel extra charge. I heard it for the first time today.¡± ¡°What the heck is this?¡± she asked as if she was confused. She instantly googled it. A littleter advisor Hwasik Kang had a session with the tax audit team and came into Sonjong¡¯s office. She felt he didn¡¯t look good. Obviously, they must have found something to find fault with KOVE. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°They argued we dropped EBS.¡± She let out a sigh, saying ¡°I didn¡¯t know EBS existed.¡± Hwasik Kang also looked depressed. Though he worked for 30 years as a tax official, he was not aware of EBS. But that was not a big problem from Hyunwoo¡¯s point of view. Even the additional tax payment as a result of the tax evasion rted to EBS was not a problem, either. Quicklying to her senses, Sonjong began to cope with the issue. First of all, she asked a tax ountant to find out how much KOVE owed to the government in additional taxes. As all the necessary information was stored on theputer, the ountant quickly came up with the exact amount. ¡°Value-added taxes(VAT) are 600 million won, plus 90 million won in additional taxes.¡± Sonjong double-checked with the number. It was correct. In that case, KOVE would have to pay almost 700 million won in overdue taxes but would be refunded 600 million won. But advisor Hwasik shook his head with a serious look, ¡°You didn¡¯t know the VATw was changed. We can¡¯t receive the refund of 600 million won.¡± Sonjong¡¯s eyes popped up once again. ¡°Really? What are you talking about? Can¡¯t we receive the refund?¡± Chapter 287

Chapter 287

Hwasik said, ¡°As a result of the amendment of the VAT Act and its enforcement decree, they don¡¯t issue the revised import tax invoice if the importer fails to prove that there was no fault on his side. This is the case for us. We can¡¯t get the refund of VAT as the tax adjustment of our case has been made by a customs investigation.¡± Sonjong was shocked to hear that. There was no way to receive the refund of 600 million won. Advisor Hwasik let out a sigh and said, ¡°It¡¯s my mistake. I should have found it out, but didn¡¯t. My mistake.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s mine. I took the matter too lightly,¡± said Sonjong. Both of them med themselves. But that was something they could doter. They had to report it to Hyunwoo first. Songjong, bearing the brunt of the criticism, went to Hyunwoo¡¯s office. ¡°Hyunwoo, the tax audit team pointed out some problems. As we dropped EBS from our taxable duties, I¡¯m afraid we owe 700 million won.¡± ¡°EBS? What is that?¡± Songjong exined about it briefly. Though Hyunwoo studied customsw a bit, EBS was too difficult a term for him to understand. Come to think of it, Hyunwoo felt the tax investigation this time was good for hispanies in the sense that his employees could work in a more tense environment. But Sonjong seemed to feel an excessive sense of shame. Hyunwoo felt she needed encouragement, not reproaching at this point. With a benevolent smile, Hyunwoo said to her, ¡°We have no other choice this time. Don¡¯t be too depressed. You didn¡¯t incur it intentionally.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. You can do it better next time. Just go back to work.¡± Hyunwoo didn¡¯t take it too seriously. Aftering out of his office, Sonjong let out a sigh. She felt so thankful to him for encouraging her instead of reproaching her. Advisor Hwasik was also touched by Hyunwoo¡¯s act. ¡°Now I know he¡¯s such a generous man. In fact, 700 million won is nothing to him anyway.¡± The corporate tax audit on Hyunwoo¡¯spanies was over. It took 15 days for them to finish the whole investigation. They tried to find other tax issues in vain. Sonjong also let out a sigh of relief. She felt there would be no more issues rted to the corporate tax audit. But at thest minute, the chief of the audit team began to treat Sonjong as much of a criminal. ¡°You did this intentionally, right?¡± he asked. With her eyes opened wider with surprise, Sonjong asked, ¡°What the hell are you talking about? How would I did it intentionally?¡± ¡°How many years has KOVE DREAM been bypassing the licensed customs agent to process the imports? Besides, you are from the customs office and advisor Hwasik Kang was a former customs official. With such a background, it¡¯s not possible you didn¡¯t know about EBS. In other words, you¡¯ve been doing this knowingly?¡± ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t make any sense. I really didn¡¯t know what EBS was. Advisor Kang also told me he didn¡¯t know it.¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t understand you folks didn¡¯t know EBS at all. ording to use 2 of 42nd Article of Customs Law, we¡¯ll impose 40% additional tax on KOVE DREAM.¡± ¡°No way!¡± Sonjong protested. Advisor Kang also dissented, ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re making an unreasonable demand?¡± But the chief of the tax audit team was adamant. Regardless of their protests, he concluded KOVE intentionally dropped EBS and imposed 40% additional tax. The final amount of taxes on KOVE now reached 870 million won, an increase of 180 million won from the initial penalty. When they were feeling chagrined at such a whopping tax, Hyunwoo came into the office. Hyunwoo knew something about the customsw. Though he didn¡¯t know in detail, he was aware of the additional tax. Naturally, he also took issue with the tax audit team¡¯s decision. ¡°I have no idea why would have intentionally dropped EBS. I really can¡¯t understand their decision.¡± Hyunwoo asked advisor Kang about it. Of course, he didn¡¯t ask to me Kang. ¡°Well, I smell a rat.¡± Hyunwoo also smelled a rat. But he couldn¡¯t believe that might be the reason. ¡°What is it?¡± Kang cautiously mentioned about it. ¡°It¡¯s just my pure spection, but it looks like some higher-ups put pressure on the Director of National Customs Office.¡± Actually, that¡¯s what Hyunwoo guessed. ¡°So, what are they going to do about us? Even if they impose more additional taxes, KOVE won¡¯t be affected at all...¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°No, if they do it, it is a different story,¡± said Kang in a confident voice. Hyunwoo¡¯s heart sank at his remarks. He instantly felt this was not just a matter of tax. Suddenly, he recalled what the chief of the tax audit team said, ¡°You did it knowingly, didn¡¯t you?¡± In other words, what he was trying to say that KOVE did it intentionally. If that was his judgment, the thing was the current tax issue could tarnish KOVE¡¯s image. In other words, KOVE evaded taxes to save some pennies. Of course, most people wouldn¡¯t believe that. Given Hyunwoo¡¯s recent pledge to donate money to society, it just didn¡¯t make any sense that he deceived the tax office to save some money. But there might be someone who thought differently. It was only recently that Hyunwoo became the talk of the town for his contribution to society. They might think as soon as he became the richest man in the world, he decided to donate. Thinking of that, Hyunwoo shook his head and said, ¡°No, I don¡¯t believe it! I didn¡¯t earn anybody¡¯s grudge. Why are they trying to go after me?¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s concern was not groundless. The next day all the media began to massively report about KOVE DREAM¡¯s tax evasion. ording to the reports Hyunwoo was treated like a criminal because he was imposed less than one billion won in additional tax. As if the reporters saw eye to with politicians, they portrayed KOVE DREAM negatively. In particr, national TVworks reported about not only KOVE¡¯s tax problem but also groundless allegations about Hyunwoo¡¯s father Duyoung and mother Jisook. ording to some reports, the ¡®faceless angel¡¯ campaign led by Jisook was an unprecedented fraud scheme to promote her workce, and the quality of Duyoung¡¯s Super Green had not yet been proven. Even the KOVE reports by Korean Broadcasting, where Jaeyol Song, a longtime friend of Hyunwoo¡¯s, was the deputy director of its newsroom, were negative. Jaeyol called Hyunwoo as if he was sorry. ¡°Hey, brother, I¡¯m sorry. Looks like a big shot directly pressured our president. A mid-ranking manager like me can¡¯t do anything about it.¡± Hyunwoo understood Jaeyol¡¯s position. In a situation such as this, it was unreasonable for Hyuwnoo to ask him to stop the KOVE reports out of ¡®loyalty¡¯ to him. As long as he was honorable, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t need to fear. Advisor Kang proposed filing awsuit against the tax audit team¡¯s decision. ¡°If we sue, we can win unconditionally. Just go ahead with the request for the trial.¡± ¡°Why did the National Customs Office make the decision when they knew we could sue?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°Because they would have nothing to lose. Even if they lose the suit, they could still impose the original 10% additional tax.¡± If that was true, their purpose was clear. It was to degrade the image of KOVE DREAM by inviting heavy media coverage of its alleged tax evasion. Even if KOVE sues, it would take a very long time to win the suit. Who was going to make up for the lost credit and reputation of KOVE? That might be what someone in an influential position is seeking at the moment. Hyunwoo figured out who that person was. He was congressman Kilpyo Chung, who tantly asked him for political funds. Kilpyo was one of thosewmakers who followed Jungmin Hwang, a big shot in the ruling party. Then it would most likely be Hwang who orchestrated all this scheme behind the scene. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t want to live disgraced. He decided that he could not sit idle. Unless Hyunwoo met the demands of Hwang, he would have no other choice but to sumb to Hwang endlessly. And otherpanies would be in the same boat as him. ¡®What should I do? How can I expel such corrupt politicians?¡¯ It was a difficult problem, but he wanted to solve it. If he could have his way, Hyunwoo could use his formidable wealth of 100 trillion won for this cause. I¡¯ve got to find the right way. Suddenly, he thought ofwmakers Chulwoo Chung and Jungsang Kim, who had constituencies in Sosan and Taean, respectively. When Hyunwoo was searching for the site candidates for Haenim School, they tried to invite it to their constituency. When he met them, he came home with the good impression that they were clean politicians with integrity. Mr. Chung was an oppositionwmaker while Mr. Kim was a ruling partywmaker. But that didn¡¯t matter. Actually, they were close to each other regardless of their political line. Sure, let me consult with them. They might help me find the right method. Hyunwoo contacted Mr. Chung first because he felt much morefortable about talking to him. As soon as he picked up the phone, Mr. Chung sincerely listened to Hyunwoo. Actually, Mr. Chung was stamping his feet nervously when he read a series of negative reports about KOVE DREAM. ¡°What happened?¡± asked Mr. Kim, trying tofort Hyunwoo. Scratching his head, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Well, I think I made a big mistake.¡± Shaking his head, though, Chung said, ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so. I know you more than anybody. I know you never evaded tax on purpose.¡± ¡°Thanks for saying that. Facts are facts, as you know. If I didn¡¯t make the mistake, they wouldn¡¯t have any reason to drive me into a corner like this,¡± said Hyunwoo, as if to repent himself. But Mr. Chung said with a poker face, ¡°If we have to judge what¡¯s right and wrong, we have to point out the problems of our misguided politics first. In particr, Mr. Chulmo Kim and Jungmin Hwang...Ooops!¡± As if he was surprised about what he just said, Chung quickly closed his lips. He should have not mentioned the big shots, but he did out of anger before he knew. Chapter 288

Chapter 288

As a politician, Mr. Chung had been sick and tired of corrupt politics for a long time. As he had no power to change the corrupt political system on his own, he just shut his mouth until now. Hyunwoo wanted politicians like Mr. Chung to open their mouths and speak out against it. Hyunwoo asked quietly, ¡°I guess there are a few clean and honest politicians like you, Mr. Chung.¡± ¡°I feel more ashamed if you say so. I¡¯ve tried to be clean, but it¡¯s not that easy. The specialty of corrupt politicians is to divide their fellow politicians.¡± Hyunwoo could understand what he was talking about. In fact, Mr. Chung had little power at the National Assembly. He was a young and first-termwmaker, so he had no strong power base. How could a politician like him fight with political big shots like Chulmo Kim or Jungmin Hwang? If a politician like him wanted to survive, he had no choice but to support them. That¡¯s why he couldn¡¯t no matter how hard he tried to be clean and honest in politics. ¡°Isn¡¯t it true that there are more politicians like you in the National Assembly? I mean more clean politicians than corrupt ones.¡± Mr. Chung nodded at his question and said, ¡°I think so. But even if they want to be clean, they are being contaminated by veteran politicians like Chulmo Kim and Jungmin Hwang. Of course, there are some politicians who were corrupt from the beginning.¡± ¡°Is there any way I can help clean politicians? If I can be of any help in expelling dirty politicians and cultivating clean politicians, won¡¯t it help our politicians create a clean political climate? Of course, I can¡¯t do it overnight, but if we all join hands and make the efforts together, our political climate will be cleaner over time,¡± said Hyunwoo. Mr. Chung let out a deep sigh because he knew how tough it was. Hyunwoo asked again, ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about politics. Please show me how to create a clean political climate. I¡¯ll do my best to make ite true.¡± ¡°How do I know the right method? You have lots of money, but I don¡¯t. I have no money and no power, to say the least. I think congressman Wonju Ha can answer your question.¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wide with surprise. ¡°Oh, Mr. Wonju Ha!¡± Ha was also a veteran politician like Hwang. As a fifth-termwmaker, he was also a big shot in the ruling party. Originally, Chulmo Kim was the most powerfulwmaker in the ruling party, but as he was involved in the sex scandal, he lost power. Instead, Mr. Ha emerged to rece him. In other words, Ha was the only one in the ruling party to challenge Kim¡¯s power. But the general public¡¯s image of Ha was not good. Mr. Chung made Hyunwoo think twice about Ha¡¯s bad reputation. ¡°Actually, it was Chulmo Kim who fabricated Mr. Ha¡¯s image badly. Mr. Ha is a clean and upright politician. He is also verypetent and excellent in sizing up the political situation.¡± Mr. Chung briefed Hyunwoo about Ha. Ha was born to a rich family and attended top schools. He became a businessman and increased his fortune by double even before he turned 40, but he gave up his business all of a sudden and entered politics. The reason he did so was simple. When the politicians harassed him by endlessly requesting political funds, he himself decided to be a politician to purify corrupt politics. But Ha didn¡¯t know how tough the task was. Veteran politicians, who had thrived in a corrupt political climate for long, tried their best to get rid of Ha, and Ha used up his fortune to challenge them. That¡¯s why Ha was one of the five poorest politicians, even though he was a five-term politician. The fact that he was still powerful in the ruling party meant that he had fine political skills. Hyunwoo asked Mr. Chung a favor. ¡°Can I meet Mr. Wonju Ha?¡± ¡°Not a problem. Actually, Congressman Jungsang Kim is on close terms with Mr. Ha. If you ask Mr. Kim, you could meet Mr. Ha easily. Let me call Mr. Kim about this first.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Mr. Kim dly epted Hyunwoo¡¯s request. Arranging a meeting with Mr. Ha, he asked Hyunwoo never to mention money. ¡°Don¡¯t raise the topic of money. That¡¯s the topic he hates most. If you want to donate political funds, you can do so officially within the legal limit.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Finally, he met Mr. Ha in a quiet Korean restaurant in the vicinity of Kyonggi Province. Ha looked much younger than Hyunwoo saw him on TV. Though he was 70 years old, he looked in his early 60s. They broke the ice by talking about various topics that were popr these days. Ha praised Hyunwoo highly, saying he was the best businessman in Korea who could develop the economy for the next 50 years. And then they brought up the main topic. Mr. Ha first took up the topic and said, ¡°It looks like you¡¯re having a hard time these days.¡± ¡°I am, sir. I even started to feel sick and tired of doing business. Sometimes, I want to give up all my business and live like an ordinary citizen.¡± ¡°Oh, no! The greater you be, the more responsibility you are supposed to bear. You¡¯re such a big shot in the business world.¡± ¡°I¡¯m ttered. I was just lucky enough to make some money. You¡¯re the big star in Korean politics.¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Both praised each other while trying to be humble at the same time. Waiting for an appropriate moment, Hyunwoo brought up a sensitive topic. ¡°To be honest, you and I are eminent persons. And we have more responsibility in that respect, I think.¡± ¡°You bet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m saying this to you. Don¡¯t you think you have some important role in politics while I have one in the economic circles?¡± At that moment, Ha¡¯s eyes sparkled sharply. ¡°For example...?¡± Hyunwoo hesitated for a moment. Though he wanted to speak out right away, what he would propose was very risky, too. But he decided to trust Mr. Ha. Breathing in deeply, Hyungoo said confidently, ¡°Let me revive the Korean economy. Would you revive Korean politics? I don¡¯t think politicians like Chulmo Kim and Jungmin Hwang should exercise such a big influence in the National Assembly.¡± Ha¡¯s face blushed momentarily. Clearing his throat, however, Ha looked around as if Jungsang Kim and Chulwoo Chung were nearby listening. But Hyunwoo didn¡¯t care. He looked Ha in the eye as if he wanted thewmaker to read his mind. Ha slowly began to nod his head and said, ¡°You have a very high social status, and many people here and abroad are watching you closely. So, you should be very careful about what you want to say. I think you know my point.¡± Hyunwoo remained silent. As Hyunwoo already opened his heart to him, it¡¯s time for Ha to respond. And Ha was aware of that, too. ¡°I understand it¡¯s very hard for someone like you to make any political remarks. Despite that, you opened your heart to me. So, let me tell you what I think frankly.¡± Only then did Hyunwoo make a faint smile. Ha continued, ¡°If I sum up my long political life, I would say it¡¯s a fight against corruption.¡± Hyunwoo heard about that, too. Those he fought against were not only Chulmo Kim and Jungmin Hwang but also many other corrupt politicians in the past. ordingly, he caused constant friction with many politicians along the way. It was a miracle that he survived despite his lifelong political fight. But that was all. He closed his remarks after a long sigh. ¡°Looking back, I have fought futile fights. I can¡¯t light a dark room with just one matchstick.¡± ¡°Why just one matchstick?¡± Only then did Hyunwoo break the silence and speak his mind. Ha looked at Chulwoo Chung and Jungsang Kim as if he understood Hyunwoo¡¯s message. But he didn¡¯t look good. Hyunwoo said, ¡°You can¡¯t necessarily light a dark room by sacrificing yourself alone. You need a matchstick to light a candle, but one matchstick is enough to ignite an explosion to destroy the earth.¡± Ha looked at Hyunwoo and said, ¡°Could you exin inly, so I can understand better?¡± ¡°There are many bombs we have to explode in the National Assembly. Instead of light the National Assembly by sacrificing yourself, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s much more effective to light the Assembly by exploding such bombs?¡± ¡°Do you mean corrupt politicians by that?¡± ¡°Yes. Just like Assemblyman Chumo Kim was outed because of the revtion of his sex scandal, I think one matchstick is enough to expel corrupt politicians if we can seed in revealing their dirty schemes.¡± Ha let out a deep sigh, ¡°I know what you mean. But that¡¯s too radical. If you do it, lots of politicians involved will be affected as well. You can¡¯t deal with the aftereffects of that.¡± ¡°I can. We should. If you keep silent because you¡¯re scared, our politics will never change.¡± Ha agonized over the thought. Most likely he might have been pondering over the repercussions of that. He could easily imagine what would happen once that happened. After all, the clean politics campaign would run vapid with the exit of only a few powerless politicians. But Ha felt he could expect something different this time. It was because of Hyunwoo¡¯s unusual courage. The rival of these corrupt politicians was not the people who yed into the hands of the corrupt press manipted by them, but Hyunwoo Jang, the best businessman that the world was watching. If Hyunwoounched the campaign with a firm determination, he could achieve something. And with the help of Ha and some other young like-minded politicians, there could be real progress in creating a clean political climate. Expelling the corrupt politicians all at once. When he imagined that, Ha eximed before he knew. ¡°I wish that day coulde...¡± ¡°That can happen. We have to make that happen, so we can survive,¡± said Hyunwoo confidently. Only then did Ha looked at him with a determined expression. ¡°Good. Let¡¯s do it.¡± Chapter 289

Chapter 289

Hyunwoo made a bright smile at that. Ha now emphasized, ¡°As we have started, let¡¯s explode the bombs properly this time. What can I do for you?¡± Hyunwoo quickly replied, ¡°Please check out who is serving as a honey bee for Mr. Hwang. I think I can find the right method when I get to know who is.¡± As if he didn¡¯t need to go to the trouble of finding out the honey bee, Mr. Ha replied clearly, ¡°The biggest honey bee is Munsik Choi, CEO of Singyong. He is the guy who has been doing his business, relying on political lobbying from start to finish, not only in the past regimes but even now.¡± Hyunwoo heard a lot about his lobbying efforts. A typical example of that was the so-called overseas resources diplomacy. In particr, he did intensive lobby to get the right to develop oilfields in Vietnam. The previous government gave the right to Singyoung without any particr reason. Though there was a big loss at the level of the government, Singyong made a huge amount of money That was not the sole example. For some time there was a big controversy over that decision on resource diplomacy. As the president and political big shots kept quiet about the matter, however, it was forgotten in the minds of the people gradually. Ha continued, ¡°Ohsung Group and OneStar are also cited as the best honey beepanies. I hear Mr. Hwang is meeting the Korean chief of OneStar often these days. It was at the instigation of OneStart that the authorities did the tax investigation of your KOVE DREAM and otherpanies.¡± ¡°At the instigation of OneStar?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know the details, but to the best of my knowledge, OneStar has been investigating your weakness for a long time, and this time they found out something.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s jaw dropped at that. ¡°How did you know all this, Mr. Ha?¡± What¡¯s more surprising was Ha¡¯s next reply. ¡°Well, how did I know all that? That¡¯s simple. I have made one of his men my mole. Maybe Mr. Hwang did the same thing to me.¡± Hyunwoo realized that the political world was really a scary ce. What was important was Ohsung, Singyong, and OneStar. Now it was Hyunwoo¡¯s turn. He had to find the excuse to disgrace corrupt politicians including Hwang. It might take several years or even dozens of years to drive corrupt politicians from the National Assembly. As long as Hyunwoo didn¡¯t give up, he would find the golden chance someday. ¡°Let me find the way. I¡¯ll get back to you when I find one.¡± ¡°Good. Let me work on that on my part. I feel like I am ten years younger now after I have met you, Mr. Jang. Let¡¯s work together in a strong partnership.¡± With a bright smile, Hyunwoo left the restaurant. Hyunwoo went back to the KOVE office. Usually, he stopped by STM Research Center or Haenim School whenever he had free time, but he spent more hours at the KOVE office since the incident involving EBS broke out. After the incident broke, the credibility of KOVE DREAM dropped drastically. As some of the consumers deserted, its sales also dropped. But the ratio of sales reduction was not that big, less than 2% of the existing sales. That was because of the consumers¡¯ strong confidence in KOVE. The problem was the memberpanies of KOVE DREAM. When they read the reports on KOVE¡¯s tax investigation, they asked for the lowering of the fees KOVE collected from them for its sales agency activities in Korea. The reason was that the fiercepetition amongrgepanies was driving down the fees. As they entered the market and created sales agencies for them, they drastically lowered fees to invite the targetpanies. ordingly, the sales fees were lowered overall. Hyunwoo agonized over that matter for a long time. And he finally made the decision. He called Sonjong and said, ¡°Try to find out the breakeven point of themission charges. And lower the fees as soon as you find it.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± said Sonjong, bowing to him. Hyunwoo felt strange about her actions at that moment. Given her strong personality, she might have argued with him about why. For KOVE DREAM would generate little profits if it lowered the fees down to the breakeven point. But she didn¡¯t. KOVE DREAM was the leader in the sales agency business in Korea. It boasted of high consumer confidence, and all the processing ranging from taking orders to shipping products was well organized. ordingly, its breakeven point was lower than other rivals. If KOVE¡¯s fees at the breakeven point were 4%, otherpanies¡¯ was 5.2%. Nheless, Sonjong didn¡¯t raise any objection to Hyunwoo¡¯s direction. Hyunwoo watched her quietly. Come to think of it, she seemed to be downcast since the incident involving the tax investigation broke recently. With a bright smile, Hyunwoo approached her and patted her on the shoulder, ¡°Are you still depressed by that tax stuff? Your behavior is not really like you. It¡¯s not a big deal. So, forget about it!¡± ¡°Thanks, Hyunwoo,¡± she said, bowing to him again. But she still looked sullen. Obviously, she was shocked by the tax investigation. ¡°You may go now,¡± said Hyunwoo. She came out of his office with a depressed look. A littleter, Hyonwoo¡¯s chief secretary came into the office. In fact, Hyunwoo created several teams directly responsible to him. They were the secretary¡¯s office, the intelligence team, and the security team. Those belonging to these teams were mostly scouted from otherpanies. Hyunwoo¡¯s chief secretary was hired three years ago because of hispetence. When he came to Hyunwoo¡¯s office, the chief secretary said something unexpected. ¡°Sir, many employees are wondering about the management¡¯s disciplinary action with respect to the results of the tax audit team¡¯s investigation of KOVE DREAM.¡± ¡°Disciplinary action? What are they curious about? What do you mean?¡± Hyunwoo asked with a curious look himself. With a cool posture, the chief secretary said, ¡°As you know KVOE suffered a huge amount of loss after the tax audit team¡¯s investigation. We were imposed additional taxes, and KOVE¡¯s credit also dropped drastically. Then, it is only natural that somebody has to take responsibility. But the management hasn¡¯t yet taken any disciplinary action.¡± Hyunwoo seemed to know why they wondered and what the atmosphere of the office was. The heart of the matter, however, was not a matter of the corporate tax audit, penalty tax or disciplinary action. The real matter was the position of CEO of KOVE DREAM. Currently, the official CEO of KOVE DREAM was Hyunwoo. But the substantial CEOs were four. They were Sonjong Kim, Juhwan Moon, Jaegyong Kang, and Sungrak Sohn. Each of them were in charge of their own team and handling all affairs on their own. Of course, they reported to Hyunwoo about important matters, but unless they needed Hyunwoo¡¯s special attention, the four executives usually reported to himter. If Hyunwoo relieved himself of that post, they wouldpete to win that title. It was natural that they were trying hard to hold each other in check. So, when any of them made a mistake, they would want the top management to take the due disciplinary action against him or her. That way they could drop thepetitors from the CEO race one by one. And that¡¯s why they wanted to take issue with the KOVE DREAM tax evasion issue. And their conclusion was for the management to punish Sonjong Kim. But Hyunwoo didn¡¯t want to punish her. Anybody could make a mistake while doing their work. What mattered was how to solve it by minimizing the aftereffect of the case instead of escting it. In particr, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t want to take issue with the EBS tax penalty. The tax office imposed 40% additional tax, arguing KOVE dropped it intentionally, which was outrageous. After all, that happened because nobody noticed it in advance. ordingly, it was the ultimate responsibility of the top management, which was Hyunwoo. How can they put the me on the nning team led by Sonjong? But Hyunwoo was not to me for it, of course. It was Hyunwoo¡¯s responsibility and his fault. Anyway, it was inevitable that someone from the nning department had to be punished. If Hyunwoo had to take disciplinary action, what would be the appropriate level of her punishment? Hyunwoo agonized over it. ¡°Got it. Let me think about it. You can go now.¡± After letting the chief secretary out, Hyunwoo sat on the sofa and turned it over in his mind. Two days after the secretary visited Hyunwoo¡¯s office, an official announcement about the opening of a disciplinary actionmittee was made through KOVE¡¯s in-house broadcasting. Sonjong stood up with a calm expression. She already made up her mind to quit her position. In fact, she should not have coveted the CEO position. Even her current title of ¡®director¡¯ was undeserved. ¡®I havee to this position thanks to Hyunwoo¡¯s kind consideration. Let me lighten his heavy heart by quitting from my current position.¡¯ When she wasing out of the office to attend the disciplinarymittee meeting, her staff members stood up. ¡°Sorry, Director Kim. It happened because of us...¡± ¡°What should we do now?¡± Advisor Kang also looked grim. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, too.¡± All her staff members below the rank of the manager seemed crestfallen. But Sonjong made a bright smile. As she had rid herself of greed now, she couldn¡¯t feel morefortable. Come to think of it, she couldn¡¯t point her fingers at her staff. ¡°You don¡¯t have any responsibility. It¡¯s all my fault. I¡¯ll make sure you aren¡¯t put at any disadvantage because of this. So, just focus on your work.¡± Then she headed for the conference room. There were eleven executives there waiting for her. As the presiding officer of themittee, Hyunwoo enteredst. ¡°Let me start the disciplinary meeting now.¡± Chapter 290

Chapter 290

Hyunwoo started off with a brief introduction. ¡°As you lead a life, there are times when you have to deal with a matter with sympathy. But we have to keep our public and private matters separate in handling today¡¯s agenda. So, please express your opinion, not bound by any personal considerations or sympathy.¡± Then he turned over the mike to the disciplinarymittee members. Initially, everybody was hesitant to speak. After all, Jaegyong Kang and Sungrak Soh, who had the least experience working with Sonjong began to speak. ¡°I think anyone can make a mistake. And if we don¡¯t pay close attention, we can make mistakes often. The thing is how we make big mistakes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m of the same opinion. There are mistakes you can make, and you should never make. Though we¡¯re now talking about the mistake that we made already, we suffered a big loss because of it. ordingly, we will leave a bad precedent if we give it a pass this time.¡± Though they didn¡¯t mention any specific disciplinary action, they seemed to argue that they wanted a heavy punishment. Only then did other members of themittee begin to opine. Everybody presented a simr opinion. As most of them were close to Sonjong, they cautiously presented their opinion, but they agreed that they should not leave a ¡®bad precedent, though it was regrettable to punish her.¡¯ Sonjong was sitting quietly. Given her detached look, she was clearly ready to ept any punishment. The meeting didn¡¯tst long as they reached a consensus easily. ¡°I think the most appropriate level of disciplinary action should be taken against the nning department as a whole, not its director alone.¡± ¡°I think it is appropriate to issue a strong warning to the nning department.¡± After agreeing on the level of disciplinary action among themselves, they now looked at Hyunwoo, who had to make the final decision. He was lowering his head while the meeting was going on. He was reviewing a personal file folder before him. When the meeting was over, he distributed a copy of that to the members. With a curious look, they looked at the file, and hardened their faces in no time. Only then did Hyunwoo take the mike. ¡°The director of the nning team was not a founding member of KOVE DREAM, but I think she is. She joined KOVE in the early days and made KOVE what it is today.¡± That was an undeniable fact. When Juhwan was having a hard time handling trading papers, she appeared like aet and handled them quickly. Without her joining KOVE, Juwhan would have been dealing with office work, not warehouse stuff. Basically Juwhan was in his element when he worked out in the field. ¡°If you look at the file, it shows her brilliant performances since her first day at KOVE. I really appreciate her immense help....¡± Everybody just looked at her personal file without saying anything. Hyunwoo continued, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m beholden to everybody here. Without your help, I would not have seen the creation of KOVE DREAM. You folks did all your best to make KOVE what it is today.¡± Then he appreciated them by calling each of the directors one by one. ¡°I know more than anybody else how hard you worked for KOVE. And I¡¯m not the type of person who can punish you just because you made one mistake.¡± He then emphasized the importance of valuable human resources. ¡°The purpose of disciplinary action should not be just to punish the person involved. We should make sure he or she should not make the same mistake. As for the case this time, I don¡¯t think we need any heavy punishment to achieve the purpose of the punishment.¡± All themittee members refrained from responding. Hyunwoo continued, ¡°Let me close the case by issuing a measure of caution to the director of the nning department. This is the same level of disciplinary action taken on simr cases before.¡± A measure of caution was a light punishment that could not be called punishment at all. The only downside was when the person involved should bepeting with others to get promoted, his or her record of that might put them at a disadvantage. All the members nodded their heads without objecting to Hyunwoo¡¯s decision. But Sonjong dissented, ¡°Still, you can¡¯t give me a pass.¡± Everybody stopped talking and looked at her. ¡°In fact, I¡¯ve looked back at myself a lot on the asion of this. For example, I wondered if the position I have now is the right fit for me. I think a practical, not managerial position, better fits me.¡± Everybody opened their eyes wider with surprise. It looked as if she would relinquish her position. Their expectation was right. ¡°I would like to be relieved of my position as the director of the nning department and go back to the rank-and-file position.¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t allow that,¡± said Hyunwoo. But Sonjong¡¯s adamant. ¡°In fact, I¡¯ve felt a great burden because of my title. I¡¯ve neglected my household work because of my job here. Please allow me to handle office work as an ordinary employee.¡± Everybody made a nk expression at her bombshell announcement. How could a ranking officer like her ask for a demotion? That was unthinkable and nonsensical. But Hyunwoo thought differently because he was well aware of her family situation. Sonjong was from a rich family. Her husband was a college professor making a decent ie, so she didn¡¯t need to covet a high sry. Still, Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t think of her request for demoting her to a lower position. Actually, he wanted to promote her to a more responsible position. ¡°I know you¡¯re having a hard time, but...¡± said Hyunwoo, trying to change her mind. But she was not persuaded. After all, Hyunwoo said with a sigh, ¡°Okay, then. I respect your decision, but on one condition. You should not do any damage to thepany by relinquishing your position. So, try to find a recement before you do. Got it?¡± When Sonjong didn¡¯t say anything, Hyunwoo quickly concluded the meeting. ¡°Okay, let me wrap up the meeting then.¡± After the meeting, Hyunwoo went back to his office. Sitting on the sofa, he was sorting out hisplicated thoughts. ¡®Certainly, the opportunity wille along. The opportunity of driving out the corrupt politicians. I should seize it well.¡¯ Suddenly, he cast a nce at the TV set on the opposite wall. The TV was on all the time in his office, and the channel was fixed on Yonhap News, so he could take a look at it anytime he turned back. There was shocking news that attracted Hyunwoo¡¯s attention instantly. Hyunwoo quickly picked up a remote control and raised the TV volume. ording to the report, the police, when tipped off by an anonymous informant, was in hiding near a country gas station and ambushed the gasoline tank truck that arrived at the station and supplied gasoline. When the police checked the tank, it was full of fake gasoline. Not only that gas station but also other stations in Kumsan County in Chungnam Province and Jangsu County in Chonbuk Province were also supplied with fake gasoline. What was surprising was that these gas stations were directly run by Singyong Co. In other words, Singyong Co. was supplying fake gasoline at the head office level. The news shocked the people. The police started an investigation of the driver of the truck, the man responsible for supplying illegal fake gasoline as well as the owners of the gas stations, and the press reported about the public response. However, all the persons under investigation said they were not aware of the fake gasoline, arguing that there was no reason for them to sell fake gasoline. Hyunwoo also thought there was something strange about it. There was no reason for argepany like Singyong to sell fake gasoline because of the big risk factor when uncovered. But the general people didn¡¯t think deeply. ¡°There must be more fake gasoline hidden somewhere .¡± ¡°Poor consumers!¡± ¡°Those guys involved, ranging from its president down to the lower managers, should be sent to prison!¡± The news about Singyoung¡¯s fake gasoline led to a sharp decline in its sales. Customers stopped using Singyong¡¯s gas stations. The bigger problem was this kind of sales reduction was not just a temporary issue. Ohsung Group and Bando Oil joined hands on the asion of Singyoung¡¯s crisis to aggressively eat away at Singyoung¡¯s dominance in the market. Even Hyunwoo was shocked to learn about their coboration. Ohsung was supposed to offer Bando Oil 30% of the Super Green sales right, while Bando Oil decided to hand over its gas stations to Ohsung. Because of this situation, Singyoung was in a very dangerous crisis. It was faced with another problem. Singyoung focused on oil refinery andmunications. Even itsmunications business didn¡¯t go well recently as a result of Ohsung Group¡¯s aggressive marketing strategy. Its entertainment business was also in the red. But the biggest problem was its involvement in the malpractices of overseas resources diplomacy. Though the president and big shot politicians strongly backed Singyoung, the press relentlessly dug out the corruption of resources diplomacy involving Singyoung Co. In particr, when Singyoung¡¯s fake gasoline was uncovered, the press focused on its illegal involvement in the resources diplomacy, calling for the government investigation of its sole right to develop oilfields in Vietnam. But the government kept silent. When asked by the press, government officials made excuses by saying that it had happened during the previous government. After all, only Singyoung Co. was in a serious financial crisis. Some people already began to talk about the possibility of Singyoung¡¯s bankruptcy. Some foreign credit rating agency was predicting it. Several dayster, the government took out a knife. There was a report that the Prosecutors¡¯ Office decided to summon Munsik Choi, CEO of Singyoung Co. in connection with the controversial resources diplomacy. Munsik was already forbidden from leaving the country. And there was even more shocking news several dayster after that. Chapter 291

Chapter 291

Hyunwoo was so shocked to hear the news that he was just absent-minded. Why would Munsikmit suicide when he was doing alright until yesterday? Of course, he had some reasons. Hispany was suffering continuing losses inmunications and oil refinery, which were the mainstays of Singyoung. As the main culprit of the losses was itsck ofpetitiveness, there was no possibility that it could catch up with its rivals. To make matters worse, he was under severe pressure because of the prosecutors¡¯ investigation of his involvement in the malpractices of the resources diplomacy. After all, he couldn¡¯t ovee such pressure and chose to end his life. And several dayster, there was an article about the more specific reason for Munsik¡¯s suicide. In short, his suicide was like a hunter killing a dog after hunting. Munsik was Korea¡¯s most notorious honey bee. He grew hispany through lobbying rather than developing its technology. When the problems surrounding him became serious, those politicians who backed him up until then began to desert him. He called several politicians for help, but it was all in vain. The prosecutor¡¯s office analyzed three days of his phone records before his suicide. ording to the prosecutor¡¯s office, he continued to contact political big shots right before hemitted suicide. But there were none he seeded in contacting. Most of them didn¡¯t answer his call. In short, they clearly expressed their intention that they were not willing to help him. That was the biggest factor that drove Munsik into taking his own life. But Munsik left behind a detailed memo in which he wrote down the names of politicians who got political funds and kickbacks from him The prosecutor¡¯s office focused on uncovering the political figures who were Munsik lobbying targets. They all received political funds from Munsik. As expected, there were many influential politicians on the list. Among them was the incumbent prime minister and a governor who was formerly a National Assemblyman. Former strongman of the ruling party, Chulmo Kim, and his recement Jungmin Hwang were also included on the list. But there was something strange happening. The prosecutor¡¯s office was dragging its feet on the investigation. They didn¡¯t want to touch only ruling party members but also oppositionwmakers. The reason was pretty clear, which even the people knew. ¡°Every politician received his kickbacks.¡± ¡°Who is going to investigate them unless the prosecutor is ready to stick his neck out?¡± The prosecutor¡¯s office continued to investigate some of the named politicians but didn¡¯t show any active determination to continue the investigation. They just dragged their feet. Hyunwoo felt that the investigation should not stop like that. He thought it was a golden opportunity to drive out the corrupt politicians on this asion. He could not sit idle. He had to find any excuse to make the investigation go on. As he was such ayman in politics, Hyunwoo could not figure out what to do. After he agonized about it for several days, he called congressman Wonju Ha. ¡°Mr. Ha, we can¡¯t afford to let this golden opportunity slip like this, can we? What can I do to winnow out these corrupt politicians?¡± Ha didn¡¯t give any good answer. In fact, Ha was trying his best in the National Assembly. Despite many fellowwmakers¡¯ objections, he strongly called for a thorough investigation of the Munsik Choi list. Some youngwmakers supported him. But they were a minority,pared with the majority opposing them. Not only Chulmo Kim and Jungmin Hwang but also other powerful politicians tried to minimize and cover up the Choi incident. The president also supported their efforts. Some opposing strongmen threw their support behind the corrupt politicians. Though these politicians of the ruling and opposition parties fought against each other in the past, they expressed one voice when it came to the Choi incident. No matter how hard Mr. Ha tried to defeat their efforts, there was no chance of his fighting against such odds. But there was nothing Hyunwoo could help him. Hyunwoo heard politicians and businessmen had inseparable ties, and now he realized that nobody could even interfere with them. In the meantime, Chulmo Kim kept a low profile. Since the sex scandal involving him and the tragic woman Yonji Cho whomitted suicide, he barely kept his seat in the National Assembly. This time, however, the resource diplomacy scandal was sweeping across the country. If he was entangled in another controversial issue, that would mean the end of his political life. Then, Jungmin Hwang came to see him. Actually, he had bad feelings about Hwang because thetter reced him as the strongman of the ruling party while he was losing his power. But he couldn¡¯t refuse Hwang¡¯s offer to meet. ¡°Haha,e on in!¡± ¡°Thanks for weing me like this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a difficult time for all of us. We should help each other.¡± Both of them instantly found a kindred spirit in each other. They worked together to avoid the typhoon of the resource diplomacy scandal. After all, they found the solution. The key to the solution was held by Mr. Wonju Ha. If he kept silent on the scandal, they could get away with it sessfully. So, they decided to propose apromise. Ha could not refuse it. If he continued to refuse it, he would have to fight with all other politicians except for him. ¡°I¡¯vee to see you after long hesitation, but I think I have made the right decision toe here,¡± said Hwang. ¡°Yea, today¡¯s meeting was a very meaningful one.¡± Both shook hands with a satisfied smile. But Hwang had a curious expression. ¡°By the way, I just have no idea why he badly wanted a thorough investigation of the resources diplomacy scandal. He was not such a politician anyway, wasn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Yea, I felt the same way. I thought he was a sitting duck so far, but we had better watch him closely from now on.¡± Several dayster, Hyunwoo got a call from Mr. Ha while he was reviewing business documents at the KOVE office. ¡°They sent me a proposal.¡± Sparkling his eyes, Hyunwoo asked, ¡°What kind of proposal is it?¡± ¡°They proposed that we wrap up this case at an appropriate level.¡± ¡°Appropriate level?¡± ¡°Too obvious is their intention. After they make a scapegoat of several politicians, other politicians get away with this.¡± That¡¯s not what Hyunwoo was hoping for. After all, it was like excluding corrupt political big shots while punishing only political pyramids. Hyunwoo believed that even if only a couple of politicians are to be punished, they should be political heavyweights. ¡°Mr. Ha, we won¡¯t have a good opportunity like this. We shouldn¡¯t give it a pass. We have to weed out the corrupt political big shots,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°That¡¯s what I want, but it¡¯s impossible in reality. They have overwhelming political power. If you really try to go after them, you might achieve little.¡± Hyunwoo could not insist anymore. ¡°What do you think is the appropriate level then?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure that those politicians including the Prime Minister and the governor whose corruption was clearly revealed with specific evidence will lose their power. No matter how strong they are, it¡¯s inevitable that they will disappear from the political scene soon...¡± Ha mentioned the size of those politicians who might be sacrificed by the resources diplomacy scandal. They were five political giants whose names were well known, eight influential politicians, three vice minister-level officials, and 16 high-ranking government officials. Among the politicians were ruling and opposition party members. In conclusion, Ha intended to save all the big political shots unless they were explicitly implicated in the scandal. What was more regrettable was that Chulmo Kim and Jungmin Hwang, who could be called the core of corrupt politics, were not included in Ha¡¯s punishment list. It seemed both of them could survive the political cklist drawn by Ha. But Ha said that was an inevitable decision. ¡°Even the president protects them. They are beyond my control.¡± Hyunwoo swallowed a sigh and said, ¡°I understand that¡¯s inevitable. But someday they should be expelled from the National Assembly. I think we had better draw a cklist of such politicians in preparation for that. Though I don¡¯t have anything to help on my part, I would like to y a role in the campaign to remove corrupt politicians.¡± ¡°cklist? That¡¯s very risky thinking. If the list is leaked, you¡¯re in big, big trouble.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a list only you and I know. Actually, I¡¯ve made that list on my own. You can give me the names to be included there.¡± ¡°Got it. See you one of these days when you¡¯re avable.¡± ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll see you within several days.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to hurry. They are now closely watching me. So, you had better wait until the dust settles.¡± Hyunwoo thought it was a close call. He felt he was acting recklessly out of his overwhelming impatience to go after corrupt politicians. Come to think of it, it was a very delicate situation at the moment. If they got wind of his coboration with Ha, both Hyunwoo and Ha would be in a very difficult situation. He felt he should keep in mind that even the president was on their side. ¡°Got it. Please give me a call then when you¡¯re ready. I¡¯ll wait until then¡± Hyunwoo hung up the phone. *** Chumo Kim was looking at a newspaper leisurely. He had a call from someone on his mobile phone. It was Jungmin Hwang¡¯s call. Though he didn¡¯t wee it, he answered the phone. But Hwang brought him some surprising news. ¡°Mr. Kim, I found out the reason.¡± ¡°Reason? Reason for what?¡± ¡°The reason why Mr. Ha is desperately going after us in connection with the resource diplomacy scandal.¡± ¡°Really? What is that?¡± Chulmo asked casually. In fact, that was not an important issue for him. What really mattered to him was to avoid the political typhoon at the moment and seize the chance to make a politicaleback. Hearing his exnation, however, he got interested in it. ¡°Hyunwoo Jang, the head of KOVE DREAM, is behind Mr. Ha.¡± Chapter 292

Chapter 292

¡°Hyunwoo Jang? Are you talking about Hyunwoo Jang of KOVE DREAM?¡± ¡°Yes. I have confirmed that Mr. Ha and Hyunwo have kept in touch with each other for a long time. What is more surprising is that you and I are their targets.¡± Chulmo Kim tilted his head to one side. He had no idea what happened between Hyunwoo and Jungmin Hwang, but he had no personal grudge against Hyunwoo. Why were they targeting him? Momentarily, Chulmo¡¯s eyes sparkled sharply. For he felt Hwang lied to him. ¡®Jungmin Hwang, are you now entangling me in a dirty scheme?¡¯ But he pretended not to know. ¡°Why us? Do they have any hard feelings against us?¡± ¡°No, they don¡¯t. I hear they¡¯re thinking of driving out corrupt politicians in the name of a just society.¡± Chulmo¡¯s eyes opened wider at that. Come to think of it, Hwang¡¯s exnation made sense. For a long time, Ha emphasized the word ¡®integrity¡¯ in politics. And Hyunwoo tried his best to distance himself from politics as much as possible. It was far from strange that Ha and Hyunwoo joined hands for that cause. Chulmo frowned suddenly. ¡°Why are they trying to do such useless...¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the point. Hyunwoo has already be the world¡¯s richest guy as ofst year. And it is certain that Ha is going to be the head of the ruling party. If this trend continues, our political life wille to an end.¡± Come to think of that, it was really a serious situation. Suddenly, Chulmo became impatient. ¡°What do you think we should do?¡± ¡°It¡¯s inevitable for us to sacrifice some of our close junior Assemblymen. But we should never allow Ha to be our party¡¯s head.¡± Chulmo could understand what he wanted. ¡°Are you talking about the by-elections?¡± ¡°Right. When I step down, it¡¯s certain that Ha will be the new leader. Then, he will try to nominate his own men as candidates in the elections. We have to stop that as much as we can.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be easy.¡± ¡°Well, it can be easy if we cause factional frictions within the party. And then we have to send our men as independent candidates to the elections and have thempete with Ha¡¯s picks. None of them has any strong political base. If we do well, we can have our guys elected.¡± Chulmo nodded. ¡°Sounds good. Let me help your efforts, too.¡± ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll get back to youter.¡± After the call, Chulmo frowned. ¡®Hyunwoo, how can you dare pull out a dagger against me?¡¯ Of course, Hyunwoo was a business giant. No matter how strong a politician he was, he could not take him lightly. He clenched his fist. ¡®If one goes up a hill, one has toe down. Do you think you can keep rolling on like that? Let me make you go down a hill in your life.¡¯ Several dayster, the Prosecutor¡¯s Office announced it would investigate the Munsik Choi list. As it was disclosed that several politicians had received kickbacks from thete Choi, the investigation was proceeding very quickly. Many politicians were summoned for investigation, and several of them had to admit their dealings with Munsik. But several politicians severely resisted the summon, but when the prosecutors requested an arrest warrant, they had no choice but to give up. The incumbent Prime Minister was the first to have been arrested, followed by a governor. And several politicians were also arrested. The names of those arrested corresponded with those mentioned by Mr. Ha. The investigation was quickly wrapped up, about three months after Munsik¡¯s suicide. But the general people didn¡¯t pay much attention to the investigation. And the press didn¡¯t make a big fuss about it. The reason was because everybody was sick and tired of that news. In fact, broadcastingworks broadcasted all kinds of news about the Choi list all day long for the past two months. Whenever they turned on the TV, they had to watch it on every channel. It seemed that there had been no tangible progress in the investigation, which made the public sick and tired all the more. They even wished they could no longer watch the news about it anymore. Then suddenly all the news about the list disappeared from the TV. That¡¯s what Chulmo Kim and Jungmin Hwang wanted from the start. As the public became more and more interested in the Choi list, it would put them at a disadvantage, so the two kept low profile in the meantime. But Chulmo and Hwang began to rally politicians behind them for aeback. Suddenly, there circted strange rumors in town. ¡°Did you hear that rumor? I¡¯m talking about the arrestedwmakers. Is it true that Jungmin Hwang made them scapegoats for his own political interests?¡± ¡°What a mean guy!¡± Hwang was stunned to hear that. Strictly speaking, such rumors were not fake, but they could have different repercussions, depending on how they were interpreted. Hwang thought he couldn¡¯t save all the politicians, so he used some of them as scapegoats. Though he felt sorry for the arrestedwmakers, those who survived had to think of him as their benefactor. But the situation had been turned upside down. Many politicians who were saved from the arrests began to worry. ¡°Someday, I might be faced with the same consequences.¡± ¡°I might as well desert Hwang and find a new benefactor.¡± They were agitated. Only a few loyal followers stood beside him. Some of them switched their loyalty to Chulmo Kim. Though he kept a low profile now, they were convinced that he would make a strongeback someday. Some formed their own faction, aiming for another Jungmin Hwang group. And some gathered around Ha. They thought the next strongman after Chulmo was Ha. Jungmin Hwang was like a toothless tiger. On the other hand, Ha became stronger and stronger. He was the very politician who most strongly called for a thorough investigation of the resources diplomacy scandal. ordingly, he won an overwhelming support from the people. Thanks to an atmosphere favorable to him, Ha became the head of the ruling party. In his inaugural address, Mr. Ha announced his clear intention. ¡°It¡¯s time that corrupt and ipetent politicians should go. Let me nominate fresh andpetent candidates in the uing by-elections. I¡¯ll make our party trusted by the people.¡± Many people weed Ha¡¯s pledge, thinking, ¡®Finally our politics will change.¡¯ However, Chulmo watched him, sharpening his political knife. ¡°Okay. Enjoy your privilege as much as you can now. Your rule will end shortly.¡± Jungmin Hwang and Yosong Lee, present with Chulmo, also gnashed their teeth in anger. ¡°How can we get rid of him? We have to bury him and Hyunwoo on this asion.¡± Jungmin, who was once the strongest man of the ruling party, became Chulmo¡¯s henchman. Realizing that he could not stand on his own feet, he decided to be Chulmo¡¯s loyalist. And Chulmo epted him dly. Yosong Lee was a strong oppositionwmaker. But he lost power as he failed to defeat his rival in the party convention to select its leader. He was also one of the political scapegoats, hit by the Munsik list, but he was dreaming of aeback. Giggling at them, Chulmo said, ¡°I have a good idea.¡± Jungmin and Yosong¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Really? What is it?¡± ¡°Do you know that Hyunwoo had a lover in the past?¡± Though Yosong didn¡¯t know anything about it, Jungmin already learned lots of tips on it. ¡°I was briefed about it before. I hear he had a girl named Suji Min...¡± Chulmo nodded. Jungmin could not understand why he suddenly mentioned her name. ¡°I understand she already got married and has a baby girl...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t just focus on her. Look at her husband. He is a young prosecutor named Jungsu Pae.¡± Jungmin didn¡¯t investigate as far as that. Or he didn¡¯t need to. So what? Jungmin made a curious expression, for which Chulmo asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you know who is his father? He¡¯s Youngguk Paek, the chief of Seoul Prosecutors¡¯ Office.¡± ¡°Ah, Youngguk Paek! He¡¯s his son?¡± But Hwang was still wondering about Chlmo¡¯s intention. ¡°So, what are you going to do?¡± ¡°It¡¯s time Younggu got promoted to the position of Prosecutor General. We can help him get there, and he can help us, too. Mutual help.¡± ¡°Do you think Youngguk can implicate Hyunwoo in trouble?¡± ¡°We can use his son Jungsu. If Jungsu can be a close friend of his, he can easily find Hyunwoo¡¯s vulnerabilities. He won¡¯t refuse his father¡¯s request.¡± Jungmin¡¯s jaw dropped at that. In other words, Chulmo¡¯s scheme was to make Jungsu Hyunwoo¡¯s friend and then find his weak point. Actually, Jungmin heard that one of Hyunwoo¡¯s vulnerabilities was to trust somebody too easily. If that was the case, Chulmo¡¯s tactic might work out sessfully. On the other hand, Jungmin was scared of Chulmo. Jungmin used to be called a man of wicked ideas when he was a strongman in the National Assembly. Now, Chulmo deserved such a stigma. He looked like a man who could do whatever he wanted. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t make him my enemy.¡¯ Chapter 293

Chapter 293

Checking the dates on a calendar, Jungsu smiled brightly. ¡°Honey, did you notice this? Golden Week is next month. If we take leave on Friday, we can have a vacation from Thursday until the next Monday. How about Thand?¡± Hearing that, Suji walked over to him and said, poking him in the ribs. ¡°Don¡¯t you know your father¡¯s birthday next month?¡± Scratching his head, he said, ¡°Oh, really?¡± ¡°It¡¯s time to go to work. Hurry up! Mom and Dad are waiting for you. Don¡¯t keep them waiting.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just eat here between you and me. Why should we go there to see them often like this?¡± ¡°We should see them at least once a month.¡± Jungsu reluctantly hurried up. And with his three-year-old baby, he and Suji drove to Seoul. His parents weed them with a bright smile. But Jungsu felt a bit strange about his father¡¯sughing. It was not natural, he thought. ¡®Does he have an unwee task he wants to ask of me?¡¯ Jungsu pretended not to know. They went to a restaurant for dinner and then came back home for a chat and drink. After a while, Youngguk called his son quietly. ¡°Son, let¡¯s go for a walk together.¡± ¡°Sure, dad.¡± Jungsu followed his father outside. Though it was March, it was still cold outside. Besides, it was very windy. Youngguk said, pointing to a coffee shop, ¡°How about a cup of hot coffee over there?¡± They went to the coffee shop. Only then did he bring up the main topic. ¡°You know Hyunwoo Jang, right?¡± Jungsu¡¯s heart sank. It was not because of Suji. His father must not have made such an expression because of her. Obviously, he had some other headache. Jungsu cautiously asked, ¡°Yes, I know Hyunwoo.¡± ¡°A big shot at the National Assembly is trying to put pressure on me. He wants me to implicate him in a crime by all means.¡± Jungsu¡¯s eyes opened wide with a big surprise. ¡°What the heck is that?¡± *** Reading a newspaper article, Hyunwoo let out a sigh. The article was about the announcement by the Prosecutors¡¯ Office about the closing of the investigation into the Musik list. The result was what Mr. Wonju Ha, now the strongest man of the ruling party, expected. Hyunwoo felt regrets about it, but he couldn¡¯t just keep sighing. I have to brace for another chance to get the corrupt politicians. What should I do next? Hyunwoo deeply agonized again. At that moment, his phone buzzed noisily. It was a call from his father, Duyoung. Come to think of it, he felt that he had neglected to take care of his parents these days. It had been about 15 days ago that he met his parentsst. Of course, Yu Zuung was different. She was still basking in the sweetness of their honeymoon. It seemed as if she had all his love and attention that had been reserved for his parents. The reason was simple. She lived alone with Hyunwoo. Of course, Hyunwoo and Yu Zuung wanted to live with them, but they refused. In particr, Jisook was strongly opposed. She said if they lived together, they could not enjoy the happiness of being newlyweds. Besides, their houses were within ten-minute walking distance. ¡®I think I have to live with them in my house.¡¯ Refreshing his determination, Hyunwoo answered his father¡¯s phone call. When he picked up the phone Hyunwoo heard his father saying something quickly in an excited voice. ¡°I¡¯ve made it! Finally, I have found it, Hyunwoo.¡± Though Duyoung was working on a couple of other research projects, that was not something that made him so excited like this. ¡°Let mee and see you now.¡± As soon as he hung up the phone, he raced to STM Research Center. Duyoung was nervous in sheer excitement when he got there. ¡°Have you discovered it?¡± asked Hyunwoo. Before answering, Duyoung checked if there was anybody near his research room outside. After confirming nobody was around, he locked the door and said, ¡°I¡¯ve found it. The error in contraction is almost none, less than a tenth of a million.¡± Hyunwoo actually couldn¡¯t feel how much the error of a tenth of a million was. But he could figure it out, seeing Dooyoung¡¯s facial expression and way of speaking. ¡°It¡¯s almost the same.¡± ¡°Right. I can safely say that it¡¯s almost the same material. In fact, even the same Toughtex products have a bit of error when Ipare two of them.¡± Duyoung exined in more detail. What he discovered were carbon nanotubes. However, doping treatment with organicpounds changed the contraction rate of the original carbon nanotubes. He made some changes to Toughtex. Duyoung knew that the qualities of Toughtex differed slightly depending on the type of oil such as gasoline, diesel, heavy oil, and kerosene. He also confirmed that its qualities also changed, depending on the additives. Therefore, he kept experimenting with a tuft of kerosene that had the closest rate of contraction to carbon nanotubes. He found a perfect match in that process. But there was a limit. ¡°From 0 volts to 24 volts the shrinkage is perfectly consistent. But over 24 volts it made a difference.¡± But that was not important. It¡¯s because voltages below 24 volts could produce tremendous power. Hyunwoo said confidently. ¡°Let me start the Paekdu Project from now on.¡± Paekdu Project was a new research project on car engines that Samryong Motors and Blue Sky research team were working hard to develop jointly. Blue Sky was apany that produced thergest model airnes and drones. It was once on the verge of bankruptcy when sandwiched between the cutting-edge technology of advanced countries and the low prices of developing countries. But Hyunwoo saved thepany by investing 60 billion won. Though only a few were aware of the Paekdu Project, Hyunwoo had been nning it for a long time. And the core technology of Paekdu Project was the core of Toughtex that Duyoung developed. Duyoung nodded his head cheerfully and said, ¡°Yea, I have a high expectation this time.¡± Hyunwoo quickly started to implement the project. He first started the construction of the second Samryong Motors factory in Dangjin County, with a floor space of 2 million-pyong. The problem was how to secure the money. Hyunwoo was making a huge amount of money, but the expenditures were also huge because of his endless investment. He needed one trillion won for the purchase of the factory site in Dangjin, and another one trillion won to build the factory and introduce modern equipment. ¡®How can I secure 2 trillion won right away?¡¯ Hyunwoo hadn¡¯t yet listed STM on the stock market. Though his friends pressed him to list it as soon as possible not only on the Korean market but also on the US NASDAQ, he didn¡¯t feel it was necessary at that time. Now he felt it was the right time to do so. If he listed STM on KOSPI, the Korean version of US NASDAQ, he had to put aside 25% of the total stocks for public offering. He could construct the first Samryoung Motors factory with those public funds. Given the choice, he might as well list it on the US, Chinese, and Japanese markets. Suddenly, Hyunwoo got curious. ¡®What is the market capitalization of STM?¡¯ In his mind, STM¡¯s Super Greem was like a goose thatid golden eggs. STM generated as much profit as Ani & Funny, and could produce more. He estimated the market capitalization of STM might be bigger than expected. When the total market capitalization of the three overseas branches in America, China, and Japan werebined, it would be more than 100 trillion won. While he was turning it over in his mind, Hyunwoo got a call from Jungsu Pae. He heard that Jungsu and Suji were having a happy married life. So, Jungsu¡¯s call was something unexpected to him. ¡°I want to see you. Can you take the time out?¡± asked Jungsu. ¡°Sure.¡± Jungsu went to the trouble ofing down to Tapgokri vige in Sosan. Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t know why he wanted to see him until then. He tried to find out whether Suji had any problem, but there was none. What Hyunwwoo felt more strange about his behavior was that Jungsu looked quite bright as if he met a friend in a long time. ¡°It¡¯s been a while. Nice to see you.¡± ¡°Nice to see you, too. I heard that you¡¯re doing well with Sujin. Is your baby growing okay?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. All thanks to you. Haha.¡± Jungsu chatted with him in a cheerful mood for a while. But the more he did, the more Hyunwoo got doubtful. For Jungsu had no reason to do so. Only after some time passed did Jungsu tell him why he wanted to meet him. ¡°In fact, I have respected you for a long time. But I couldn¡¯t express it because of my wife. So, I plucked up the courage to see you like this.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Just like I said, I would like to serve you as my brother. I¡¯d like to learn the lessons of life from you.¡± ¡°Hahaha, Prosecutor Jungsu, I¡¯m not much of ...¡± Hyunwoo felt embarrassed at that. But Jungsu didn¡¯t stop saying strange things and acting weirdly. He even tried to curry favor with him even to the point that he showed a servile attitude. Hyunwoo felt a bit disappointed to see that. He felt Jungsu was a good match with Suji, but he had to think twice about that given Jungsu¡¯s stupid behavior now. But at that moment Jungsu gave him a note secretly. While he was talking, he gave an eye signal often. Hyunwoo felt though Jungsu had something to tell, he couldn¡¯t. Momentarily, Hyunwoo smelled a rat. Is he now being monitored by somebody here? Hyunwoo was about to look around but stopped. Jungsu¡¯s eye signal meant that somebody was watching them now. He had to act, pretending not to know. Hyunoo received the note secretly and read it. Chapter 294

Chapter 294

Hyunwoo¡¯s educated guess was right. Jungsu intentionally acted funny. He suspected that somebody might be monitoring or wiretapping his conversation with Hyunwoo. Jungsu was a prosecutor. Besides, his father held a powerful position as the chief of Seoul Prosecutors¡¯ Office. Given that, Hyunwoo could figure out the identity of the guy who might want to bug Jungsu. ¡®He must be a political big shot.¡¯ At that moment, a certain name shed into his mind. ¡®Is it Jungmin Hwang?¡¯ Hyunwoo heard that recently Jungmin Hwang joined hands with Chulmo Kim. No matter how powerless they are now, they can still exercise some power if they join hands. Besides, Chulmo Kim is reportedly on close terms with the President. Hyunwoo chimed in whenever Jungsu said something. ¡°Haha, it would be my pleasure if I had you as my brother. From now on, please talk down to mefortably.¡± ¡°Oh, that makes sense, haha.¡± So, Hyunwoo made Jungsu his elder brother all of a sudden. Of course, he would show due courtesy to Jungsu when they left this ce. Hyunwoo chatted with him for about 30 minutes. ¡°How about a family get-together?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid your wife might feel ufortable.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a thing of the past, isn¡¯t it? And your wife is the most beautiful woman in the world, right?¡± ¡°Really? I¡¯m okay as long as your wife doesn¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Let me contact youter.¡± Jungsun then left the ce first. Hyunwoo also stood up. Though he really wanted to look around to find the surveint, he held it back. He didn¡¯t want to give the impression that he got wind of it. Back to the office, he focused on what wasing next. He would be contacted by Jungsu soon. As he was watchful of the surveint, Jungsu would contact him through an unorthodox channel. By then Hyunwoo would find out who the surveint was. No matter who he turned out to be, Hyunwoo needed to be prepared in advance. Hyunwoo called the security chief of thepany but stopped for a moment. ¡®Is my office bugged, too?¡¯ After thinking it over momentarily, he wrote something on a Post-It sticker. The security chief came in. ¡°Did you call me, sir?¡± Hyunwoo gave him a corporate card with the sticker behind it. ¡°I hear the security team is working hard these days. Please use this card for a drinking party with your staff.¡± A quick-witted man, the security chief quickly noticed that sticker but didn¡¯t show his embarrassment. He acted naturally just as usual. ¡°Thanks.¡± He read the memo, receiving the card. ¡°You can leave now.> At 5 pm, he met the security chief and gave him a specific direction. ¡°Double check if somebody has installed a bugging device in ces that I often visit, including my office. I¡¯m preempting it just in case.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°And increase the security staff to 200. And ten of them should be young handsome men and beautiful women. I¡¯m going to grow them as entertainerster.¡± ¡°Will do as instructed.¡± The security chief didn¡¯t ask unless he feltpelled. Even then he asked very shortly to confirm Hyunwoo¡¯s intention. ¡°Good. Just go and have a good drinking party.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Three dayster, one of his bodyguards came to Hyunwoo. ¡°A student at Haenim School asked me to send this note to you.¡± It was sealed outside, so only Hyunwoo could confirm the contents. He opened it and read, There was no sender¡¯s name on it. But Hyunwoo could immediately figure out who he was. At 7 pm, the next day Hyunwoo arrived at the restaurant. When he arrived, the other party weed him, shaking hands with him. ¡°d to see you again, brother.¡± ¡°Ah, yes...¡± Jungsu again called him brother and tried to be friendly toward him. Hyunwoo was tense again because he was afraid he was being watched by somebody. But Jungsu made a bright smile as if to put him at ease. ¡°We¡¯re good here. When I said I wanted to serve you as my brother, I meant it. Anyway, you and I are entangled in life in one way or another. Let me just call you brotherfortably. So, you can talk down to me.¡± ¡°That sounds good.¡± A littleter a waitress served some food and then left quickly. Only then did Jungsu get to the point. ¡°In fact, Jungmin Hwang proposed a deal. He proposed that he would make my father the Prosecutor General if I get you arrested you.¡± How? It was simple. Jungsu first would make friends with Hyunwoo quickly and then find out more and more about him. If he uncovered something fishy, Jungsu would take action to charge him. Jungsu frankly told Hyunwoo about Jungmin¡¯s dirty scheme. Hyunwoo just listened to him. It was a surprising trick, but Hyunwoo had nothing to respond with. When Jungsu was done, Hyunwoo cautiously asked, ¡°So, what do you want me to do?¡± Jungsu replied without any hesitation, ¡°Please support Songjukhoe.¡± ¡°Songjukhoe?¡± ¡°It is a social club of young prosecutors, journalists, and businessmen from all walks of life. They formed the club with the intention of making our country a just and clean one.¡± The club was new to Hyunwoo. Actually, the club had been formed a long time ago, even before Jungsu became a prosecutor. At that time, it had been a simple social gathering, with its membersposed of young men and women in their 30s and 40s. Its original name was the Association of Future Youth. When the Munsik list involving the resources diplomacy was disclosed, however, some of the association gathered and remodelled it as Songjukhoe. Like Jungsu said, Songjukhoeprised a total of 150 people from all walks of life. But most of them were young, and they had no major posts in their jobs. Though they were full of enthusiasm about changing the country, they couldn¡¯t have any impact because they had no power to make the final decision. ¡°But we can¡¯t sit idle like this. So, we have decided to fight on this asion. We have resolved to drive out the corrupt vested interests and create a new world,¡± said Jungsu, a member of Songjukhoe. Hyunwoo supported his idea but didn¡¯t show his innermost feelings easily. It would take some time for Hyunwoo to open his heart to him. But he readily responded to Jungsu¡¯s request. ¡°Sure, let me help Songjukhoe. How can I help you?¡± ¡°If Songjukhoe needs to build strength, it needs information. If it wants information, it needs an organization, which needs funds. Please donate some funds necessary to run Songjukhoe.¡± As far as the fund is concerned, Hyunwoo was willing to offer as much as they wanted. If Songjukhoe could drive away corrupt politics, he could spend one trillion won. But the problem was he didn¡¯t want to leave any trace of the fund. If something went awry, the other party could find fault with it to attack him. ¡°Can I donate cash?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve thought about various methods through which you could donate money. We can receive cash in part and set up a paperpany, so we can get the fund in the form of the purchase of thepany¡¯s products. And...¡± ¡°Sure, let me give you as much as you want. Instead, let me ask a favor of you.¡± ¡°Please go ahead.¡± ¡°In fact, this is a risky fight. You never know what kind of mean means they can resort to. So, I hired lots of bodyguards. Can I send bodyguards to you and your wife? I think I feelfortable with bodyguards protecting you and your wife.¡± Jungsu seemed a bit agonized but responded favorably. ¡°I¡¯m fine, but let me ask my wife about it. Let me persuade her.¡± Hyunwoo made a satisfied smile and said, ¡°Thanks.¡± Several dayster, the ruling and opposition parties began to nominate candidates for the seats vacated by thosewmakers arrested because of the resources diplomacy scandal. The ruling party led by Mr. Wonhu Ha nominated young candidates. Veteran politicians naturally opposed it. In particr, Chulmo Kim and his clique raised their voices against the young candidates. Though they had to restrain themselves, they couldn¡¯t sit idle when it came to the important issue of candidate nomination. If they let Han have his way, the nominated candidates would all take side with him when elected. But Mr. Ha, the chairman of the ruling party, didn¡¯t budge a bit. Though Chulmo came up with apromise idea, he didn¡¯t ept it. If both sides didn¡¯t meet halfway, it was certain that the ruling party would split before the by-elections. After all, Chulmo proposed a different idea to his confidants. ¡°Okay, then. Let¡¯s send our men as independent candidates. Young voters won¡¯te to the polling booths. And old voters are mostly on our side. So, if we campaign for our candidates strongly, we will win the elections.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± Chulmo had his men run as independents. In some areas, Chulmo¡¯s candidate put pressure on the ruling party¡¯s candidate with apetent supporting rate. That was an unexpected factor that Ha didn¡¯t think about in advance. There was a real possibility that some of the seats would be won by Chulmo¡¯s men. Ha deeply agonized over this, but could not find a good way. He urgently called Hyunoo for some advice. ¡°Whew...we might be defeated.¡± Hyunwoo tilted his head to one side, though. ¡°There is no big difference between the rival candidates¡¯ supporting rate. You don¡¯t have to be disappointed yet...¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know anything about elections. In the polls on the supporting rate of candidates, young voters are mostly participating in it. On election day, however, many of them don¡¯te out to the polling booths. That¡¯s the problem.¡± Hyunwoo nodded as if he understood that. After all, the key was how to raise the voting rate of the young voters. At that moment, Hyunwoo hit upon an idea. ¡°I know a surefire method. We¡¯re going to win an overwhelming victory this time.¡± Ha¡¯s eyes popped up. ¡°What¡¯s that? Which method?¡± Chapter 295

Chapter 295

Ani & Funny literally had its heyday. It produced a lot of stars not only in animation but also in the entertainment area, including singers, talents, movie actors,edians, dancers,posers, and songwriters. Thanks to the brilliant activities of Ani & Funny¡¯s entertainers, their faces were everywhere on soap operas, ads as well as entertainment programs. Yu Zuung was also very active in appearing on TV shows. Though well known, Hyunwoo was rarely seen on TV. He was sometimes on TV when there broke some important stories like STM¡¯s listing on the stock market. In a sudden break with such practices, however, Hyunwoo appeared on TV ads. The ads were public service ads on encouraging more young voters to go to the polling booths. Everybody was surprised by Hyunwoo¡¯s surprising proposal. The total lottery prize was 300 million, plus 10,000-won gift cards to all the young people who actually voted. Regardless of age or sex, most people praised Hyunwoo. But there were people vehemently opposed to that. They were veteran politicians like Chulmo Kim because the more young voters went to the polling booths, the more young candidates would likely to win. ¡°This is clearly a breach of the electionw.¡± ¡°He is trying to buy off the voters, so they have to investigate right away.¡± Of course, their argument didn¡¯t make any sense. Though Hyunwoo¡¯s proposal was extraordinary, it was far from an election campaign. It was simply a way of rmending votes. As a result, veteran politicians¡¯ opposition only invited bacsh from many young voters. ¡°What the hell are they talking about? He just wants to increase the turnout of young voters. Why is that an issue?¡± ¡°Their logic is their candidates have more chances of winning when young voters don¡¯te to the polling booths. How disgusting!¡± When young people gathered in threes and fours, they talked about the by-elections. ¡°Are you going to vote this time?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking about it now. Actually, I nned to travel with a friend on the election day.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to vote by all means.¡± ¡°Because of the prize money?¡± ¡°No way. I¡¯m not going to vote for the sake of a 10,000-won cash gift. I¡¯m really touched by Hyunwoo Jang¡¯s enthusiasm. I think we, young people, have to change this time.¡± Some students openly liked Hyunwoo¡¯s cash offer of 10,000 won. ¡°Do you think you can make 10,000 won easily? Our parents would have to work hard to make that money. If you¡¯re lucky enough, you can win the 10 million lottery! I don¡¯t have any reason not to vote this time.¡± ¡°Me, too. I have to work two full hours to make 10,000 won. If I receive 10,000 won for my vote, I just make the money for nothing. I wish I could win the lottery, too.¡± Some of the righteous young men instigated the college students as followers of Hyunwoo. ¡°Whenever our country was in a crisis in the past, we students rose up first. Now is the time. Let¡¯s clean the politics stymied by the resources diplomacy scandal with our hands. Let¡¯s rise up against corrupt politicians!¡± Looking at them, Hyunwoo felt satisfied. He felt he might see much bigger effects than expected. On the very election day, there was a long line from early in the morning. In the past, they were mostly in their 50s and 60s, but this time the majority of the voters were young. There were many young voters who took proof photos of their voting and contacted each other to double-check if they voted. On that evening the TVworks reported heavily about the high turnout of young voters. Thanks to young voters¡¯ high turnout, the young candidates nominated by Wonju Ha in the stronghold areas of the ruling party won andslide victory, while those candidates sent by Chulmo Kim were breathing a sigh of defeat. Hyunwoo¡¯s promise also shook the opposition stronghold areas. The opposition parties nominated those candidates with vested interests in their constituencies. ordingly, young candidates with little chance of winning were just content with getting their names known to the voters, but strange things happened one after another. There were five opposition strongholds in the by-elections, and two young candidates defeated their rivals there. College students were happy. Though they thought that their voting could never change the existing politicalndscape, they became convinced that they could if they were united. Hyunwoo carried out his promise. He sent a 10,000-won cash gift to every young voter, plus the gift cards through the lottery. Moneywise, Hyunwoo had no problem though he spent a total of 3 billion won for the elections. Given thendslide victory of young fresh candidates, he felt the money was well spent. Above all, he was happy to confirm that the young voters¡¯ consciousness began to change. Mr. Wonju Ha, the ruling party¡¯s chief, was also happy about the election results. As soon as the elections were over, he came to Hyunwoo¡¯s office in person. ¡°Thanks so much. All thanks to you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy if my efforts paid off. I hope our politics can be cleaner on the asion of the just-ended elections.¡± ¡°Absolutely. We should make efforts in that direction, too.¡± They talked about 30 minutes about the election oues. Still, Hyunwoo was not satisfied with the oues. After the by-elections Ha¡¯s power would be stronger than now, and young politicians will help get rid of political corruption. But there were lots of corrupt politicians in the National Assembly. Though they kept a low profile now because of the resources diplomacy scandal, they would raise their ugly heads when the dust settled over time. Hyunwoo wanted to get rid of them before they began to reassert themselves. Though it would be impossible to expel thempletely, he wanted to stop the newly elected young politicians from being contaminated by corrupt veteran politicians. He had to pull on the reins more strongly for this. In the past, it was Ha who took the initiative, but it was Hyunwoo¡¯s turn to do so. Is there any good method? How can I winnow out more politicians? While he was turning it over in his mind, he got an international call. It was from the biotech research center in Bandesh. Hyunwoo answered the phone casually, but its chief reported to him in an excited voice. ¡°Sir, we have finally seeded in developing a coconut mangrove. Looks like we can sell themmercially.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s face brightened momentarily. He was nning tounch several so-called future industries, and one of them was the mangrove that the Bandesh research center was developing now. In fact, the original purpose of Hyunwoo¡¯sunching the center was not to make any profit. As the sea level was rising due to global warming, many coastline areas in Thand and Bandesh were damaged. So, he had been thinking of reducing the damages and hit on mangrove. If mangroves were nted in the coast and londs, they would block flooding and tidal waves. Of course, it was not Hyunwoo¡¯s sole idea. A Ph. D holder in gic engineering had been working on it with ten students for more than ten years. But they had made little progress in their research because of theck of research funds. Hyunwoo learned about this and gave full financial support. He invited world-famous gic engineering scientists to Bandesh to speed up the research. Hyunwoo thought it would take at least 10 years to see the specific results. But it had only been three years that they finally made a major discovery. ¡°Very nice job! By the way, how much will it cost to produce one mangrove tree? Is it possible to breed them naturally?¡± ¡°Natural propagation is impossible for now. We have to produce all seeds through gic engineering. It costs one dor to produce one seed, but its survival rate is less than 5%.¡± ¡°Is that survival rate low?¡± ¡°Yes, because it is the coast area are the only ces we can nt the seeds. In fact, we can¡¯t guarantee 5%.¡± ording to the center director, they were working on how to increase the survival rate, but it would take some time. ¡°How about the coconut? Does it taste differently from existing one?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± If that¡¯s true, itsmercial value must be very good. Besides, they could harvest coconuts four times per year, and one coconut tree could produce as many as 50. ¡°How about the growth period?¡± ¡°Not much difference. I think we can start harvesting coconuts in about six years.¡± Hyunwoo had to reason to dy then. In fact, there was considerable damages in the londs in Bandesh because of seawater intrusion. He couldn¡¯t wait until they raised the survival rate of mangrove seeds. ¡°How many seeds can you produce?¡± ¡°I think we can produce up to 100,000 per day. You have to take into ount the fact that the survival rate is less than 5%.¡± ¡°Start producing them now. As many as possible, please. And expand the production facilities as quickly as possible. I¡¯m going to cover the whole coastlines of Bandesh with coconut mangroves.¡± ¡°Expanding the production facilities will not be difficult. As long as you offer the necessary funds fully, we have no problem expanding the facilities indefinitely. But I think we need the approval of the Bandesh government first.¡± Chapter 296

Chapter 296

Of course, Hyunwoo had to get the Bandesh government¡¯s approval first for the mangroves project. ¡°Got it, let me take care of that,¡± said Hyunwoo. After the call, he immediately contacted the Bandesh government. He asked the government officials to ask for his meeting with their President with respect to the development of coconut mangroves to resolve its chronic seawater intrusion issue. The president quickly agreed. Hyunwoo flew to Da, the capital city of Bandesh to meet the president. President Laheman asked the finance minister to negotiate with Hyunwoo. After consulting with relevant ministers, the finance minister proposed a negotiation agenda. ¡°This marked area is the ce that we can give you the right to develop. This area is 20km long from the coast to the sea. We¡¯ll give you 100 years of a development right, but you have to pay for the profits you make here.¡± But the most important use was missing there. ¡°How much do you want me to pay for this development right?¡± After hesitating a bit, the finance minister opened his mouth, ¡°Ten billion US dors.¡± Hyunwoo was surprised momentarily. In fact, this project was intended for Bandesh, not for Hyunwoo¡¯s business. Of course, Hyunwoo could make some profits, but he would have to pay the taxes anyway. Though the development area was vast, the whole area was not proper for development. For example, he could not develop those areas where the current was too strong or the water was too deep. Hyunwoo showed a troubled look at his proposal. Now the finance minister tried to steal the show. ¡°I know what you¡¯re trying to say, but please take into ount the bad financial situation of the Bandesh government. We think we¡¯re requesting economic aid from you rather than selling the development rights to you. I know you have enough money to do that.¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo held back the urge to let out a sigh. As the finance minister said, Hyunwoo had solid financial stability. In fact, Hyunwoo¡¯s wealth was estimated at 200 billion dors, so the financial minister seemed to think he could spend ten billion dors easily. But that was his big mistake. It was true Hyunwoo had a lot of wealth. In particr, his wealth increased a lot as he listed the local overseas corporations of STM on stock markets around the world. The total capital marketization of STM was over 110 trillion won. Hyunwoo¡¯s signaturepany was Ani & Funny, which generated more than 6 trillion won in profits per year. But in terms of the total revenues STM was greater than that of Ani & Funny. The local corporations of STM around the world kept expanding their factories, upying 7% of the automobile fuel market. Of course, STM didn¡¯t sell Super Green directly to the consumers as Oshung Group had the sole right to sell it for five years. When the contract expiredst year, STM avoided a multi-year contract. Instead, it signed a month-to-month contract. The profit per one liter of Super Green was 300 won. Despite the monthly sales strategy, the profit decreased by ten won. It was natural, given the enormous supply of Super Green in the market now. Ohsung Group initially made profits of more than 500 per liter, but were only making 200 won now. The annual production of Super Green was 1.2 billion liters in Korea, 5.6 billion liters in Japan and 15 billion liters in America. Combined with the production of Super Green in Europe, China, and Southeast Asia, it totaled about 30 billion liters per year. Besides, the sales of Toughtex went over 300 billion won per year. The production process of Super Green and Toughtex was very simple. And the facilities were mostly automated. ordingly, once the initial production facility waspleted, there were no additional costs for it. In the case of Super Green and Toughtex, Hyunwoo made 7 trillion won in profit out of 10 trillion won in total revenues. KOVE DREAM was also making over 3 trillion won in profit every year. The profits were not just rted to the increase in sales alone. In fact, the sales profits didn¡¯t go over 500 billion won. The main reason Hyunwoo could maintain 3 trillion won in profits per year was that he redeemed the capital investment he made in manypanies in Southeast Asian countries, China, and Korea. He made almost one trillion won in investment in thosepanies. As 90% of them seeded in standing on their own feet, they generated almost 4 trillion won in profits. Besides, Hyunwoo¡¯s personal investment was also over 500 billion won per year, which raked in over one trillion won in profits. Combined, hisbined profits were almost 17 trillion won. Though Hyunwoo made lots of money, he spent as much. He tried to spend the profits as much as possible instead of saving as he believed in the value of creating something new by investing. In particr, he put the priority on educational investment. So, he continued to expand Dalnim Kindergartens across the country by building more and hiring more teachers. As he was investing so heavily, it looked like 30% of all the kindergartens across the country would hang the sign ¡®Dalnim Kindergarten¡¯ sooner orter. At the same time, he also expanded Haenim School and Sinsung University. Haenim School already had almost 5,000 students. As the school was too small for them, Hyunwoo purchased another 100,000-pyong lot and built ssrooms there. Students at Sinsung University also numbered more than 10,000. As soon as new buildings werepleted, they were crowded with iing students, so construction was underway around many areas near Sinsung Univ. STM Research Center was no exception. The research center in Sosan expanded in size and the number of researchers, but Hyunwoo established simr research centers in other countries. The biotech engineering center in Bandesh was one of them. Besides, he established arge research center in Mozambique and Russia for research on grasshoppers, grains and seafood farming. This kind of investment was the child of Jisook¡¯s idea. Recently, Hyunwoo was proceeding with the Paekdu Project of Samryong Motors. For this project, he spent several trillion won to speed up the construction of a factory that could produce up to 100,000 cars per year. Though Hyunwoo could make plenty of funds through public offering of STM on stock markets, he determined the use of that money for specific purposes in advance. As a result, Hyunwoo could not afford to secure 10 billion US dors for the coconut mangrove project in Bandesh. Hyunwoo frowned upon the Bandesh finance minister¡¯s proposal. ¡°Though I¡¯m CEO, I can¡¯t secure 10 billion dors overnight. What can I do?¡± The finance minister clearly tried to persuade him by all means, ¡°If you think so, we can give you additional business incentives. If you have to run coconut farms, you need processing facilities, right? We can give you the necessary lot for free.¡± The lot in Bandesh was not expensive. And he didn¡¯t need arge amount of money to purchase a factory site. When Hyunwoo shook his head, the finance minister proposed another incentive. ¡°It¡¯s not necessarily applied to coconut farms. If you build a factory here, we can rent the lot for free.¡± Given his desperate efforts to persuade him, Hyunwoo felt sorry for him. Then he continued to exin other business incentives. That was understandable, given Bandesh¡¯s financial situation. Basically Bandesh was a country exposed to natural disasters. Every year the rivers overflowed due to flooding, ruining much of the agricultural crop, and frequent cyclones caused huge damage to thend. To end this endless vicious cycle, Bandesh badly needed flooding prevention facilities. And the current Bandesh president had a strongermitment to preventing flooding than any predecessor of his government. In fact, Hyunwoo wanted to help the Bandesh efforts. Given the President¡¯s strong determination like that, he could carry out something big if he had the necessary funds. But Hyunwoo could not make the pledge thoughtlessly. ¡°Let me think over how to secure the funds.¡± ¡°Thanks. Our people will regard President Hyunwoo Jang as the national hero if you did invest.¡± ¡°Oh, no! Don¡¯t say that.¡± Hyunwoo stayed three more days in Bandesh before flying back to Korea. Back to Korea Hyunwoo stopped by the first factory of Samryong Motors first. Thanks to the enormous investment, the factory was nearingpletion at a faster pace. If all things went smoothly, Samryong Motors could produce Supercars, the core of the Paekdu Project, at the end of the year. And by next spring, a factory that could manufacture up to 100,000 cars would bepleted. Hyunwoo nned to build the second and third factory respectively, so he could secure an autoplex that can produce up to one million cars within three years. His goal was to reach the production capacity of 10 million cars per year within five years. When he thought as far as that, a good idea shed into his mind. That was a perfect idea that could solve all his headaches all at once. He needed to get his father¡¯s approval first to realize that idea. Hyunwoo rant to STM Research Center with great excitement. Duyoung was lost in research. Even though he made a great discovery, he kept challenging something new. Hyunwoo called Duyoung quietly. ¡°What happened? Anything new?¡± But Hyunwoo was extremely careful. He looked outside Duyoung¡¯s research room to double-check if anybody was near. After confirming nobody was there, he locked the door securely, and yed music loud just in case the room might be bugged. Duyoung could not understand at all. He just guessed Hyunwoo was trying to say something pretty shocking. When he asked Duyoung that ridiculous question cautiously, Duyoung was just dumbfounded for a while. ¡°Dad, can I sell STM to OneStar?¡± Chapter 297

Chapter 297

As soon as he heard Hyunwoo¡¯s question, Duyoung felt his body was frozen like ice. He thought it over several times. ¡°Did you say you wanted to sell STM to OneStar?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± said Hyunwoo casually. Duyoung didn¡¯t need to reply to his question, though. His glittering eyes and facial expression also indicated he made up his mind. But it was an outrageous question to Duyoung. But Hyunwoo didn¡¯t care and pressed on him to reply quickly. ¡°I think selling is better. Let¡¯s sell it as quickly as possible.¡± Duyoung wanted to challenge him by shouting ¡°Are you crazy?¡± but held back the urge to do so. For he thought there might be a reason when Hyunwoo wanted to sell. Calming down his troubled heart with efforts, Duyoung said, ¡°Can I ask why?¡± Only then did Hyunwoo exin to him in a calm manner. ¡°Dad, you know the Paekdu Project that Samryong Motors has been working on. Just imagine when we seed in it!¡± Just like Hyunwoo said, Duyoung imagined it. Samryong Motors could dominate the world car market. Hyunwoo was so confident about the future of Samryong Motors. But that¡¯s all Duyoung could imagine. Though Hyunwoo could make lots of money, Duyoung didn¡¯t feel things would be much different from what they are today. ¡°I really have no idea,¡± said Duyoung. As if his father¡¯s reply was kind of frustrating, Hyunwoo exined again. ¡°Look at the world ten yearster. We will see most of the roads covered with the cars produced by Samryong Motors.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Duyoung seconded. ¡°These cars are all-electric cars. Do you think Super Green can sell well then? There won¡¯t be many cars on the roads that use gasoline or diesel.¡± At that moment, Duyoung¡¯s eyes popped out as he now clearly understood Hyunwoo¡¯s intention. The Paekdu Project was all about innovative electric cars. Just like steam engines changed the world, the Paekdu Project would change the world into apletely different world. At least Hyunwoo and Duyoung were confident about that. Then gasoline-fueled cars would disappear from roads. ordingly Super Green will lose its vitality, too. If that was the case, this was the best time to sell STM because its stocks were now at an all-time high. Now, Hyunwoo said he wanted to sell STM to OneStar. Duyoung was well aware of OneStar because it was involved in the notorious takeover of Korea Exchanges Bank. Duyoung clearly knew what Hyunwoo was going to do by selling STM to OneStar. Basically Hyunwoo wanted to take revenge on the foreign equitiespany OneStar on this asion. ¡°Okay, then. Let¡¯s sell STM to OneStar. Let¡¯s make them pay a dear price this time.¡± Both of them made a heartyugh. But Hyunwoo had one more n that he didn¡¯t yet confide to Duyoung. It was about corrupt politics in Korea. The reason Hyunwoo decided to sell STM to OneStar was not just because he hated OneStar. In his mind, OneStar was a foreign fund that made stronger political lobbying than any otherpany. But Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t confide it to his father. Most likely his father would be so worried about Hyunwoo that he could hardly go to sleep or do the necessary research. *** Hyunwoo met Jungsu Paek, a young prosecutor and the husband of his former lover Suji. This time Hyunwoo contacted him first. But Hyunwoo was careful in corresponding with him through texts because text messages could be taken illegally anytime when the politicians put pressure on the telmunicationspanies. Jungsu brought with him three young men. One was a journalist, the other one was a ranking official at the National Tax Services and thest one was an opposingwmaker. They introduced each other. But as the meeting was very covert in nature, they could not afford to chat away. Hyunwoo brought up the main topic first, ¡°I¡¯m nning to sell STM.¡± Everyone was startled to hear that. ¡°No, you shouldn¡¯t. Super Green is the technology of the future that could feed Korea for over 100 years. Why are you trying to sell it?¡± ¡°Why are you suddenly trying to sell it?¡± But all of them nodded their heads after hearing his exnation. Of course, he didn¡¯t share his n on the Paekdu Project with them. It was a toppany secret that only Hyunwoo, Duyoung and some core technicians of Samryong Motors could keep under wraps to the end. What Hyunwoo revealed to them was his n on how to get rid of the corrupt politicians through OneStar. In other words, it was like a sting operation. Though they were all persuaded, they didn¡¯t look good. ¡°It¡¯s important to drive out the corrupt politicians, but don¡¯t you think we¡¯re paying too high a price for that.¡± ¡°Right. I think you¡¯ve more losses than gains by selling STM.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you sell anotherpany?¡± But Hyunwoo shook his head. ¡°This is a huge deal. OneStar should make a big sacrifice, too. I think the selling price of STM is around 100 trillion won. I think I can find a new future industry with that money.¡± The members of Songjukhoe including Jungsu¡¯s jaws dropped at that. 100 trillion won was something they could not even imagine. Hyunwoo then made a conclusion. ¡°The reason I called the meeting today is not because I wanted to discuss the merits of selling STM. I¡¯ve made the decision already. I hope you guys can reveal any wrongdoing in the process of OneStar participating in the takeover of STM.¡± ¡°Got it. We¡¯ll join hands to catch all the politicians in any potential scandal rted to it.¡± After parting with them, Hyunwoo contacted the president of OneStar in America. The chief of OneStar was a guy named Morgan. Morgan was an unknown billionaire. He owned not only DonStar and OneStar, both global equities funds, as well as otherpanies dealing with natural resources, food, and timber. Compared with Hyunwoo¡¯s wealth, Morgan was way behind. Hyunwoo was not only the world¡¯s richest man, but also a businessman whose wealth was growing the fastest. Any businessman would like to work with Hyunwoo as their partner. Morgan was one of such businessmen. As soon as Hyunwoo asked to see him, Morgan dly replied that he would love to see Hyunwoo. As he was over 70, however, Hyunwoo flew to New York to meet him. Hyunwoo entered the conference room of DonStar¡¯s headquarters in New York. There were eleven executives in the conference room, including Morgan¡¯s three sons. On the other hand, Hyunwoo was apanied by five. Three were bodyguards among them. After exchanging greetings briefly, they got down to business right away. Hyunwoo cut to the point. ¡°I¡¯m going to sell STM by the end of this year. The reason I came here to meet Chairman Morgan is to ask if you are willing to take over STM in whole.¡± ¡°What? STM?¡± ¡°Selling STM, and that in whole?¡± The conference room became noisy all of a sudden. Nobody from OneStar expected such a bombshell announcement by Hyunwoo. Morgan himself was surprised. But he was not that excited like other participants. Instead, he looked at Hyunwoo quietly as if he wanted to read Hyunwoo¡¯s mind. After thinking over it for a while, Morgan asked, ¡°I just want to know why you want to sell STM.¡± Hyunwoo thought Morgan could ask that question naturally. So, he came up with a standard reply to that. ¡°First of all, I am going to massively invest in Bandesh with that money. About 20 trillion won will be spent on it. I guess I can make more by investing in Bandesh than I can make with Super Green .¡± ¡°Is your investment rted to mangroves? I heard you have recently developed new mangroves...¡± ¡°Oh, you know that already. That¡¯s true. In ten years, I¡¯m going to cover the whole coastline of Bandesh with coconut mangroves. And the world will be filled with the fever of coconuts.¡± Morgan nodded. If he could seed, that might have a hugemercial potential. But the sess could not be guaranteed, of course. Now, Hyunwoo gave Morgan another reason. ¡°Secondly, I think the future cars will be powered by electricity and ethanol. Gasoline and diesel will losepetitiveness in 50 years. Maybe the automobile world will be changed at an early time. So, I want to switch business to that direction.¡± Actually, that¡¯s the area that all the car experts were expecting. And numerous scientists were developing electric cars and bio car fuel. But that was a story of the distant future. It was too hasty judgement to sell Super Green with that assumption in mind. For Morgan, Hyunwoo¡¯s decision to sell STM was something thankful. OneStar could buy STM and sell itter for a huge profit well before the world car market changed to the electric car age. But that was not all Hyunwoo wanted to sell STM. ¡°In fact, I¡¯ve one more important reason than that. Well, let me express it as ¡®condition,¡¯ not reason. If OneStar is interested in buying STM, you have to ept one condition.¡± Morgan made an expression on his face as if he asked, ¡®I knew it!¡¯ Hyunwoo didn¡¯t need to sell so quickly STM thatid golden eggs for him. Obviously, Hyunwoo would ask for a huge condition. But he would lose nothing just by hearing what Hyunwoo had to say. ¡°What kind of condition is it? Chapter 298

Chapter 298

¡°This is a secret I can¡¯t talk about in this room. I need to talk it over with you only, Mr. Morgan,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°Well, these people here are all like my other self. You can tell us frankly what you want to say,¡± answered Morgan. ¡°To me, they arepletely different people. I can¡¯tpromise on this. If you ept my request, I¡¯ll sell STM to you. If you don¡¯t, let me find anotherpany,¡± said Hyunwoo resolutely. Morgan nodded, ¡°Please get out, everybody. Let me have an exclusive talk with Mr. Jang.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to. Shall we go out? The weather is good outside, so let¡¯s have a walk for a talk.¡± Morgan understood Hyunwoo¡¯s intention for Hyunwoo was worried about potential wiretapping inside. ¡°Great. Let¡¯s go out.¡± Both went out, and when they were walking up to the middle of the road, Hyunwoo mentioned the most important condition of the deal. ¡°Korean politics is corrupt. The reason I want to sell STM is to root out corrupt politicians.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about. Does the sale of STM have anything to do with corrupt politicians?¡± asked Morgan, tilting his head to one side. Hyunwoo stopped walking and looked at him, saying ¡°Can you lobby the corrupt politicians while you¡¯re in the process of buying STM? Then, my colleagues will find out the whole process and catch them all?¡± But Morgan showed displeasure with Hyunwoo¡¯s suggestion. ¡°OneStar, including me, will be put in danger in that process.¡± ¡°No, you won¡¯t be affected at all. We¡¯re going to make sure you know nothing about it. Instead, the head of your Korean corporation, Hamilton, is the one who will have lobbied the corrupt politicians.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s point was simple. Namely, he wanted Morgan to agree to make Hamilton a scapegoat of the STM sales deal. Morgan didn¡¯t answer easily. Instead, Hyunwoo continued calmly, ¡°Currently, the stock value of STM is over 100 billion dors. And it¡¯s going up every day.¡± Morgan was aware of that. STM would be more valuable ten years from now. If he had the funds now, he wanted to buy STM even for 120 billion dors. Hyunwoo said, ¡°If I can change the politicalndscape of Korea, I can invest ten billion dors. If you ept my proposal, I will sell STM for 90 billion dors.¡± Morgan¡¯s eyes popped up. If he could buy STM right now, he could make as much as 20 billion dors in profit immediately. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s enoughpensation for your local head in Korea? And in Korea economic criminals are punished lightly. Even if they are charged with illegal lobbying, they would only get a few years¡¯ sentence in prison, and that¡¯s it. Besides, Hamilton is a US citizen, right? I don¡¯t think you have to be worried so much.¡± Morgan could not refuse Hyunwoo¡¯s proposal. Still, there was a problem. Even if Hyunwoo sold STM less than its current going price, Morgan needed 90 billion dors for its takeover. Morgan knew he couldn¡¯t raise the money. In other words, STM was too big a pray for Morgan to swallow at a time. But he could not give it up. Morgan suggested, ¡°How about this way? What I need is engine fuel such as gasoline, diesel and Bunker C oil. As I don¡¯t have enough money to take over STM now, let¡¯s exclude other products than those I just mentioned.¡± In fact, Hyunwoo had that in mind, too. The core of the Paekdu Project was Toughtex extracted from kerosene. If he wanted to continue the production of Toughtex, he needed the kerosene refinery factory. Hyunwoo said, ¡°The core business of STM is engine fuel. And the rest is kerosene for home use, which is less than 1% of STE¡¯s total sales.¡± ¡°But I think I can save at least 900 million dors,¡± said Morgan. Nodding, Hyunwoos agreed. ¡°Got it. Let me lower the sales price by 900 million dors on the condition that you exclude the kerosene business from this deal.¡± ¡°I still don¡¯t have the necessary funds. Can I pay with the equities of mypanies?¡± ¡°For example?¡± Morgan mentioned hispanies around the world, including the copper mines in Congo, timber development rights in Indonesia and coal development rights in Russia. What drew Hyunwoo¡¯s interest most was a car factory in India that had been purchased by OneStar recently. Though its market capitalization was two billion dors, Hyunwoo felt it over ten billion dors as he was thinking of an overseas factory of Samryong Motors. ¡°Okay. As you have epted my condition, let me make some concessions, too,¡± said Hyunwoo. Both of them together calcted the value of Morgan¡¯spanies. The copper mines in Congo were valued at over 10 billion dors. The total market capitalization of Morgan¡¯spanies was 43.6 billion dors. Including Morgan¡¯s personal wealth, the total was 46.1 billion dors, which meant Morgan still needed to secure another 43 billion dors. Morgan said, ¡°Let me raise the money by forming a consortium with otherpanies.¡± Hyunwoo nodded at his suggestion. ¡°How about this? Let me sell the US subsidiary of STM first. And let me sell the remaining STM subsidiaries after I drive out all the corrupt politicians. You can buy time until then, and I also need some safety devices like that.¡± The stock value of the US subsidiary of STM was a bit less than 40 billion, which Morgan could take over without any difficulty. ¡°Great. Let¡¯s proceed.¡± ¡°Sure. Let me create an atmosphere for your takeover in Korea. Be ready to move when you see the right time hase.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± They shook hands firmly. After parting with Morgan Hyunwoo flew to Bandesh, not Korea. He first met the finance minister there and conveyed his intention. ¡°Let me buy the coast development right for ten billion dors. I¡¯ve some conditions, though.¡± Smiling from ear to ear, the finance minister asked, ¡°What are your conditions?¡± ¡°For what purpose are you going to use my investment money? I hear you are going to use it to prevent flooding, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t reveal it now...¡± said the finance minister. But its President had been seeing overseas aid in flooding prevention with the goal to be ¡®Free from Flooding¡¯ for a long time. ¡°Well, some of your money will be used for that purpose.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, can you transfer the construction rights to a Koreanpany? I understand your local constructionpanies are not yet capable of building flood prevention facilities. As you know, the technology of civil engineering of Korea is one of the best in the world.¡± But the finance minister could not answer easily because it was beyond his control. ¡°Let me report it to the President.¡± Next afternoon President Laheman called Hyunwoo to his office, where all the relevant ministers gathered. The President called them just in case of additional negotiations with Hyunwoo. After exchanging brief greetings, the finance minister briefed Hyunwoo about the status of the construction rights. ¡°We can guarantee you 40% of the construction right. As you know, we can¡¯t give any country exclusive construction rights...¡± Hyunwoo could understand it, but he gave another condition. ¡°If there is created arge mangrove forest along the coasts, there will also be created arge fishing ground. Please give me the fishing right there.¡± The finance minister looked at the President for an answer. But the President shook his head and said, ¡°I already gave you 50% of the coast development right. You¡¯re too greedy if you want the fishing right there.¡± Hyunwoo admitted that, but could not give up the condition. The environment before and after the creation of a mangrove forest will bepletely different. Hyunwoo could expect much more profits from the forest investment than fishing. So, Hyunwoo prepared another gift for Bandesh. ¡°If you can¡¯t give me the fishing right, let me buy that right. How can I protect the coconut fruits if the fishermen freely enter the mangrove forest without any proper control?¡± The President seemed to understand his position. ¡°How much would you pay?¡± ¡°Let me pay one billion dors.¡± The President didn¡¯t answer right away. He discussed it with the ministers on the spot. And a littleter the President presented a new price tag of the fishing rights. ¡°Let me give you one hundred years of fishing rights. In that respect, one billion dors is too little. How about at least 200 million dors per year?¡± ¡°Well, 200 million dors per year is burdensome to me. There is no guarantee that the fish catch will increase even if I create a mangrove forest. How about one billion dors in downpayment an additional 50 million dors per year?¡± The negotiations proceeded quickly, and finally, it was concluded on Hyunwoo¡¯s terms. Namely, one billion dors in downpayment, and payment of another 50 million dors every year. Hyunwoo also added another condition, which was that the fishing would be done by the Bandesh men hired by Hyunwoo in return for his sales right. Several dayster, major Korean newspapers and TVworks reportedprehensively about Hyunwoo¡¯s investment in Bandesh. Many people praised Hyunwoo¡¯s decision. When they met in threes and fours, they talked about Hyunwoo¡¯s investment in Bandesh. Some TVworks even portrayed him as a national hero. But that was a temporary phenomenon. Less than a week after that Hyunwoo was under heavy criticism. Even the press, which had been busy praising him one a week ago, now began to attack him. TVworks that portrayed him a national hero now portrayed him as a traitor. The situation waspletely changed overnight. It was because Hyunwoo made a grave decision that shocked the world. ¡°I need $12 billion dors immediately to secure the business rights in Bandesh. I have decided to sell STM to raise the money.¡± Chapter 299

Chapter 299

Many people were enraged at Hyunwoo¡¯s decision to sell STM. Even though Hyunwoo was its president and owner of the Super Green patent, STM was a signature Koreanpany. They felt it was a technology that could feed Korea for another 100 years. And now he said he would sell it! Besides, STM had local corporations overseas, so its total capital marketization was over 120 trillion won. There were norgepanies to take over STM. Even if some of them formed a consortium, they could not raise the money for takeover. In other words, STM would be sold to a foreginpany. That¡¯s why he was called a traitor. But Hyunwoo didn¡¯t care at all. On the contrary, he proceeded with the sale quickly. He instantly indicated his willingness to sell STM to overseas investors. Of course, Hyunwoo already decided to sell STM to Morgan, but he made sure that manypanies had submitted bids in the takeover fiercely and lobby politicians in order to achieve his goal of driving out corrupt politicians. When Hyunwoo took the necessary step in Korea, Morgan, in turn, began to move. He told Hamilton to lobby politicians for OneStar. Hyunwoo gave a list of corrupt politicians to Morgan, which he received from the ruling party¡¯s strongman Wonju Ha. It took effect immediately. The politicians began to pressure Hyunwoo. Not only Hyunwoo but also his father Duyoung was pressured. Some politicians rmended OneStar, arguing that it was financially stable as a US equities fund. And some politicians threatened to him that they would have the tax authorities probe into any possible wrongdoing in his investment in Bandesh. Whenever he received such pressure, Hyunwoo just kept silent. The longer he kept silent, the more they would try to lobby. And in that process the corrupt politicians would be forced to reveal their dirty lobbying methods. Hyunwoo waited stubbornly. Finally, he was contacted by Jungsu Pae. It was about two months after Hyunwoo announced the sale of STM. Hyunwoo expected it would take at least six months for Jungsu, a prosecutor, to take action. ¡°Done. I¡¯ve collected almost all the evidence. I think I have to wrap up the internal investigation.¡± ¡°Got it. It¡¯s time I yed another decisive card. This will help you investigate much more easily.¡± Jungsu opened his eyes wide at Hyuwoo¡¯s remarks. ¡°Do you have another thing in the works?¡± ¡°Of course. I bet 120 trillion won on this, Jungsu. Do you think I have done this without any detailed nning?¡± asked Hyunwoo with a satisfied smile. In fact, Hyunwoo negotiated with severalpanies about the sale of STM. And finally, he decided on OneStar. The deal proceeded speedily. He announced that he would sell OneStar all the businesses of STM except for its kerosene business for 390 billion dors. And as for STM¡¯s overseas corporations, he said he would sell them except for their kerosene business to OneStar, too. The general public was enraged again. ¡°What? OneStar? Isn¡¯t it of the same family as DonStar?¡± ¡°Hyunwoo must be crazy. How can he sell STM to such a bad foreign equities fund?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t he know about the Foreign Exchanges takeover scandal? Very disappointed.¡± A lot of the press also criticized Hyunwoo¡¯s decision for the same reason. But Hyunwoo already made the final decision. No matter how much they criticized him, Hyunwoo wouldn¡¯t change his mind. After all, Hyunwoo sold STM to Morgan. Hyunwoo¡¯s only equities in STM were its kerosene business, which ounted for less than 1% of STM. He received the payment and other business interests from Morgan in return. Morgan now changed STM to Morgan Energy, and its stock name on NASDAQ was also changed to Morgan Energy. Hyunwoo took back thepany name STM as it was, though it was taken off the NASDAQ market. Many people were disappointed at Hyunwoo¡¯s sale of STM. Even the employees of Ani & Funny and KOVE DREAM felt the same resentment. Though they blindly followed Hyunwoo¡¯s decision, they felt betrayed. ¡°I¡¯m really disappointed. How could he sell STM to OneStar?¡± ¡°He¡¯s changed too much. He is no more the person that we used to know.¡± Domestic businessmen were also puzzled. Given the choice, they felt Hyunwoo should sell it to domesticpanies. In fact, Ohsung Group formed a consortium to bid for the STM takeover. As soon as Hyunwoo made the announcement, Konho Ahn, CEO of Ohsung, met with the presidents of severalpanies for the consortium and indicated their intent to Hyunwoo. But Hyunwoo didn¡¯t give a shit about Korenpanies. When they found out Hyunwoo sold for much less what they offered, they were strongly betrayed. In particr, Konho Ahn was pissed off so much. As Ohsung was the sole contractor of Super Green, he felt even angrier. ¡°How can this bastard reject me like this?¡± Overwhelmed by anger, Konho visited his office in person. ¡°Come on in, sir. What business brought you here?¡± Konho felt pretty pissed off, so he didn¡¯t take Hyunwoo¡¯s hand when he held out for a handshake. ¡°How can you do this to me? I thought I had a good business partnership with you. But you seem to think I¡¯m just your moneybag. I¡¯m extremely disappointed.¡± Hyunwoo was still smiling. ¡°How can I think that way? You and I are a businessman, right? When we make a decision, we have to take into ount our business interests first, not our friendship.¡± ¡°Well, I still think you have betrayed me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t feel so betrayed, sir. Actually, I¡¯ve got a gift for you,¡± said Hyunwoo with a heartyugh. Konho now began to relent a bit and asked, ¡°Gift for me? What is it?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t show it to you now. I¡¯m making it now. You will certainly thank me if you receive it about three yearster.¡± ¡°What the heck kind of gift is that?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t even tell you about it in advance. Please expect it in three years.¡± Hyunwoo said confidently. But Konho didn¡¯t believe it. At this moment, he was just pissed off by Hyunwoo¡¯s sale of STM to OneStar. Of course, Konho didn¡¯t feel up to arguing with him any more. After all, he left with an unhappy look. Looking at him, Hyunwoo giggled. Soon you will know that my decision not to sell STM to you is actually the best gift I can give you. *** At the office of National Assemblyman Chulmo Kim in Seoul, five congressmen gathered. Among them were Jungmin Hwang, who had be powerless all of a sudden, and oppositionwmaker Yosong Lee, who was still influential. Seated in the middle, Chulmo kept tilting his head to one side. ¡°Very strange. Why didn¡¯t he contact us?¡± ¡°You took the words out of my mouth. He didn¡¯t even find out the tip that Hyunwoon was nning to sell STM. We first obtained the tip, didn¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Well, as it was a top business secret, Hyunwoo might not have mentioned it even to his close aides. Even though Jungsu was on intimate terms with Hyunwoo, he could not possibly have obtained it.¡± ¡°But Jungsu doesn¡¯t have any valuable tips on Hyunwoo so far. I thought he was a smart guy, but it looks like he is notpetent.¡± The congressmen there all criticized Jungsu¡¯s ipetence. Though he was close enough to Hyunwoo to call him brother, he didn¡¯t find out anything about Hyunwoo¡¯s vulnerabilities. Chulmo even doubted Jungsu now. ¡°I wonder if Jungsu has betrayed us.¡± ¡°Well, his father¡¯s political life is at stake. He can¡¯t betray us,¡± said Jungmin. But Chulmo now began to suspect Jungsu deeply. ¡°Maybe he and his father have joined hands to betray us. If you look at Youngguk Pae¡¯s recent maneuvering, I smell a rat. He is investigating STM¡¯s sales deal now.¡± That¡¯s what otherwmakers already knew. Youngguk Pae, father of Jungsu, is the chief of Seoul Prosecutors¡¯ Office. It was understandable that the prosecutor¡¯s office was looking into the STM deal because it was totally abnormal for Hyunwoo to have sold STM to OneStar. So, many Koreanpanies filed a petition to the prosecutors¡¯ office for investigation. There was a rumor that Konho Ahn, CEO of Ohsung Group who felt betrayed by Hyunwoo¡¯s STM sale, was behind the petition campaign. In some respects, the prosecution office¡¯s investigation was natural, given the gravity of the deal. But Chulmo thought of the investigation from a different angle. ¡°They are investigating the deal too deeply and thoroughly. Looks like they are at it with some special intention. Maybe they¡¯re targeting us.¡± ¡°No way. Even the brother of the President is on our side as far as this is concerned. No matter how tough Youngguk Pae is, he can¡¯t dare to investigate us.¡± Chulmo felt the same way on that. Though they received kickbacks from OneStar, they didn¡¯t keep the money to themselves. They obviously gave some of the kickbacks to Duhyoung Chun, the Presidents¡¯ elder brother. And they assumed OneStar gave bribes to him separately. The bribes must be muchrger, given Chun¡¯s special rtionship with the President. ordingly, Chun most likely directed Youngguk not to look into the case too deeply. But Chulmo still felt strange. At that moment, Chulmo got a call from his political aide. When Chulmo answered the phone, he brought a surprising news in a startled voice, ¡°Sir, it looks like the atmosphere is very strange. Seoul Prosecutors¡¯ Office has summoned Hamilton.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Hamilton the head of the Korean branch of OneStar, is he? Why did they summon him?¡± ¡°They are looking into the charges that OneStar illegally lobbied politicians while taking over STM.¡± Chulmo¡¯s jaw dropped at that. Now his worries up to now turned into a reality. Besides, Hamiltion was the central figure of OneStar. In other words, the prosecutors¡¯ office would summon him at thest stage of the investigation. The fact that they summoned him already meant their investigation was almost over. ¡°What the heck are you talking about? Did they send the summons to him a long time ago? Why are you reporting it to me today?¡± ¡°No, I hear they sent the summons today. And Hamilton reportedly decided to go to the prosecutor¡¯s office confidently, saying he had nothing to hide.¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± Chulmo hung up the phone abruptly. Otherwmakers looked embarrassed because they overheard his conversation. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I have no idea. It looks like this case is going to escte.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t sit idle like this. Don¡¯t you think we have to take some preventive action as soon as possible? We had better contact Duhyong Chun, the President¡¯s brother, too.¡± Chulmo felt the same way. If Hamilton was summoned, it meant that the investigation was too close forfort. Chulmo had no idea how the case got so escted like this, but he needed to solve the most urgent problem first. ¡°Let me meet Mr. Chun first right now.¡± Chapter 300

Chapter 300

Chulmo called Mr. Chun first. As soon as his phone rang, Chun answered it. Given his calm voice, it seemed that Chun was not yet aware of the situation. Chulmo exined to him nervously. But Chun¡¯s reply was quite surprising to him. ¡°Why do you think it¡¯s strange that the prosecutors¡¯ office is investigating the bribes involving corrupt politicians? Don¡¯t you think they have to investigate them thoroughly and punish them?¡± Chulmo was just stunned to hear that because Chun himself received bribes for a long time. ¡°How can you say such things to me? Aren¡¯t we in the same boat?¡± Chun burst into anger at that, ¡°In the same boat? Watch yournguage! I¡¯m only an ordinary businessman. Nothing would change even if my brother is the President. Don¡¯t nder me like that. I really feel ufortable talking with you like this. Let me hang up the phone.¡± He hung up, but Chulmo couldn¡¯t set the handset down. He felt as he was struck by the light. Those congressmen around him were also shocked. At that moment, Duyoung was embarrassed, looking at a veteran politician who was sitting on the other side of the sofa. He was Wonju Ha, the strong man of the ruling party. ¡°Are you satisfied now?¡± asked Chun. ¡°You have made a difficult decision. Thanks to your decision, you and the President now can defend your honor.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s stop there. I want to be alone here. Won¡¯t you leave?¡± Ha had no more business with Chun. Bowing lightly to him, Ha left his house. Only then did Chun burst into anger that he had been holding back. He threw an ashtray, ballpoint pens and other stuff that he got his hands on. ¡°Damn it! How can he dare threaten me?¡± But he couldn¡¯t do anything about Ha, the rising sun of the ruling party. On the other hand, he was the setting sun. So far he exercised his influence as the elder brother of the President, but with the President¡¯s term ending in less than one year, he was already sliding into ame-duck situation. What if Chun¡¯s dealings with corrupt politicians were revealed to the public in such a situation?The President¡¯smeduck phenomenon would be getting worse to the point that he would not be able to protect Chun. In that respect, Chun would need to express thanks to Ha who saved him and the President from impending danger. ¡°Yea, I can¡¯t disgrace the President because of that small sum of bribes. I¡¯ve had enough up to now. It¡¯s time that I retired and kept a low profile from now on.¡± After parting with Chun, Ha headed for an old-fashioned Korean restaurant in the outskirts of Kyonggi Province. It was a very expensive restaurant. As each room was equipped with security devices, the customers could enjoy a private conversation freely. In fact, politicians and businessmen used this ce often when they had important appointments. Hyunwoo was no exception. In fact, Hyunwoo was the real owner of this restaurant. He owned not only this restaurant but also several other restaurants and tea houses there. But nobody knew Hyunwoo was the owner. Ha arrived at the restaurant and entered a private room inside. Even before he took a seat, Hyunwoo urgently asked, excusing his rudeness, ¡°What happened?¡± Mr. Ha understood his rudeness and answered with a bright smile. ¡°Fortunately, Mr. Chun responded to my request favorably.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s face brightened. If Chun agreed, that meant almost 90% of Hyunwoo¡¯s goal was achieved. ¡°Did you already inform the chief prosecutor of Chun¡¯s response?¡± ¡°Sure. As soon as I parted with Chun, I called the chief prosecutor right away. There will be an announcement from the prosecutor¡¯s office very soon. Oh, it¡¯s about time. Let¡¯s turn on the TV.¡± Hyunwoo quickly turned on the TV, which was broadcasting news bulletin on the prosecutor¡¯s announcement on the crackdown on corrupt politicians. < Mr. Duhyong Chun, CEO of DH Group and the elder brother of the President, held a press meeting today. At the meeting, Mr. Chun revealed the lobbying efforts of the Korean branch of OneStar¡¯s representative, Hamilton, which has recently taken over STM. He disclosed that OneStar gave him one billion won in bribes, asking him to influence politicians for OneStar to take over STM. Mr. Chun admitted he had received kickbacks from Hamilton. But he argued that he received the money not because he wanted to help OneStar but because he wanted to change the political world stained with corrupt money. He said he voluntarily gave back the bribe. Mr. Chun also revealed that he handed to the prosecutor¡¯s office a list of those politicians to whom Hamilton gave kickbacks. The prosecutor¡¯s office summoned Hamilton two hours ago and is currently investigating him now. The list is expected to help the prosecutor¡¯s office uncover the identity of bribed politicians. All eyes are now on the results of the investigation.> Ha now made a tense expression on his face. ¡°So far, we have achieved our goal to our liking, but what happens next? Do you think we can seedpletely?¡± ¡°Yes, I think so. Definitely,¡± said Hyunwoo confidently. Hyunwoo knew this because the prosecutors who belonged to Songjukhoe gathered all the evidence of corrupt politicians¡¯ dirty dealings with Hamilton. Hyunwoo¡¯s financial support of Sonjukhoe was decisive in helping the prosecutors. They hired former policemen and journalists, thieves, swindlers and even organized gang members to keep tabs on the corrupt politicians¡¯ every move. And they also tracked down Hamilton¡¯s whereabouts to monitor his kickback dealings with the corrupt politicians. Tipped off by Morgan on Hyunwoo¡¯s n in advance. Hamilton was also cooperative. While giving kickbacks to them, Hamilton videotaped it and recorded his conversations with them. As their goal was now achieved, Hyunwoo and Ha had a delicious dinner in a rxed atmosphere. Those politicians involved in the dealings with Hamilton were summoned to the prosecutors¡¯ office one by one. They went in confidently, but came out nervously, with a grave look on their faces. Soon the prosecutors¡¯ office announced that they would arrest them on charges of taking bribes. Of course, some of them resisted to the end. It was time Hamilton came forward to further disclose these defying politicians, but he didn¡¯t. Hyunwoo smelled a rat. He called Morgan in New York. ¡°Chairman Morgan, why is Hamilton keeping silent?¡± Morgan suggested something surprising, though, ¡°Come to think of it, I think your overseas corporations are too expensive. Let me buy them for 20 billion dors.¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo felt he was hit by a hammer in the back of his head. ¡°What the hell are you talking about? That¡¯s a breach of our contract!¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not talking about the breach. But the takeover condition can change, depending on the situation. Then and now we have a different situation.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°We already obtained the Super Green patent right from you. Though we can¡¯t build factories abroad, you don¡¯t have any reason to stop us from selling Super Green oil abroad, right?¡± That was true. As Hyunwoo wanted to use STM as the means to indict corrupt politicians, he wouldn¡¯t care about Morgan¡¯s argument. Still, Morgan¡¯s new proposal gave him a headache. Hyunwoo regretted he trusted Morgan too much. ¡°Of course, I am not going to do that. What I want is that you lower the selling price of STM overseas corporations. And your goal is to change the Korean politicalndscape, not make more money, right? Let¡¯s give and take what we want.¡± The more he listened to Morgan¡¯s excuses, the more angry Hyunwoo grew. In short, Morgan had his tongue in his cheek, Hyunwoo thought. When he thought as far as that, Hyunwoo rather felt thankful to him. In fact, he had a prick in the heart when he decided to sell STM to OneStar. Morgan spent all his fortune on taking over STM. But the stocks of Morgan Energy that took over STM would change into paper in a few years. Samryong Motors would force it to go down the hill like that. What would happen to Morgan¡¯s life? He would have no choice but to fall from the pinnacle of his life into a bottomless pit in the dark. When Hyunwoo sold STM to Morgan, he really felt sorry about that. But he didn¡¯t feel it anymore when Morgan asked to lower the selling price of overseas STM. Reluctantly, Hyunwoo epted Morgan¡¯s forcible offer. Though he felt bitter about it, Hyunwoo decided to think of it in the positive. After Hyunwoo epted Morgan¡¯s offer, Hamilton presented the remaining evidence of his kickback lobbying. As a result, those politicians who resisted to thest had to admit they received the bribes. More than 40 politicians were arrested, and twenty of them were incumbent. Chulmo Kim and Jungmon Hwang were among those arrested. Most of the people were disappointed about the shocking bribe scandal. And their disappointment made them determined to change the existing politicians. Some timeter, there were by-elections to fill the seats vacated by the arrested politicians. Like before, Hyunwoo offered to give cash gifts to young voters under 30, with 10,000 won for those with a proof shot at the voting ces. And he himself appeared on public service ads, arguing that all people should pay more attention to politics to stop the repetition of the bribe scandal. He mobilized the entertainers of Ani & Funny for the clean politics campaign. Whenever they appeared on TV shows, they appealed to the voters to turn out inrge numbers to show their opposition to corrupt politics. Students also yed an important role. They posted hand-written posters here and there on their campus to encourage more turnouts, and some of themunched a one-man campaign with the sign ¡®Let¡¯s Vote!¡¯ Ruling party chairman Wonju Ha tried his best to make the most of the golden opportunity to create a clean political climate. He nominated clean and young candidates in many constituencies, and directly campaigned for them in person. Finally, the by-elections took ce, and the results were mostly as Hyunwoo expected. The voting rate was much higher than the previous one, reaching as high as 76.4%. In particr, those under 30 heavily turned out at the polling booths, recording 91%. It was natural that young candidates won andslide victory in most of the constituencies. It seemed as if the average age of thewmakers dropped by 20 years thanks to the sessful election of young candidates. Mr. Ha¡¯s influence within his ruling party became more powerful after the elections. He was already mentioned as a powerful presidential candidate. Hyunwoo felt Ha would serve as an example of a clean politician. But he didn¡¯t go to the trouble of promoting Mr. Ha because he felt once he set his foot in politics, he would soon find himself stained with dirty politics. ¡°Let me focus on my own business from now on.¡± With a satisfied look, he checked the calendar. Summer has already passed, and it was already early September. The first factory of Samryong Motors was nearpletion, and the new model Super Car, the core model of the Paekdu Project, was in the making. Hyunwoo¡¯s face brightened all the more. ¡®Is it Morgan¡¯s turn to face the music?¡¯ Chapter 301

Chapter 301

As soon as he heard the news, Hyunwoo headed for STM Research Center. The center was hugepared with its small size during the first year. It was more spacious than most universities, and there were 15 research buildings five stories or higher. Hyunwoo paid the most attention to EVT Research Center these days because the researchers there were working on the core technology of the Paekdu Project which would change the automobile market in the world. They have already researched improvements to luxury cars of Samryong Motors to increase their shock-absorbing ability and greatly improve ridefort. The Super Car currently under pilot production in the first factory in Dangjin was equipped with this new technology. But the research center Hyunwoo visited today was a different one. It was a sr energy cell research institute that has been working on a sr project. When Hyunwoo arrived there, he asked Dr. Namyol Koh. ¡°Is this a new technology rted to the production of graphene?¡± ¡°Yes. When I fired a certain frequency on the graphite at high temperatures, I found that the graphene fell to pieces. These pieces of graphene can be aligned using ultrasonic waves.¡± Graphene is ayer of graphite. Its electrical conductivity was more than 100 times better than copper, and electron mobility is more than 100 times faster than silicon. Besides that, it was 200 times stronger than steel and had excellent transparency and sticity. ordingly, it was a material that was attracting attention as a new material along with carbon nanotubes and fullerenes. But the problem was that its mass production was difficult because of the pollution created in the process. Besides, it was expensive, so it wasn¡¯tpetitive economically. Taeho Min noticed graphene, along with carbon nanotubes while researchingponents for a new sr energy cell but couldn¡¯t achieve any tangible oues because he couldn¡¯t solve the problems associated with it. But the EVT center resolved the environmental pollution as well as economic feasibility at the same time. Hyunwoo was overjoyed to hear that. ¡°Now, we have solved it finally. We can produce organic sr energy cells freely, right?¡± But Dr. Koh shook his head. ¡°We¡¯ve ovee only one big problem, but we have a long way to go. Organic sr cells are so low that their efficiency is only 2%. We must raise this.¡± Hyunwoo had no idea of how low 2% was. Dr. Koh exined easily. ¡°Current sr cells are the mostmon silicon sr cells. Its efficiency is about 17% on a module basis. That is nearly nine times that of organic sr cells.¡± Only then did Hyunwoo nod his head. ¡°Why is there such a big difference? Is the working principle different?¡± ¡°Very different.¡± Though Hyunwoo didn¡¯t know much about it, he could get a grasp of it thanks to Dr. Koh¡¯s kind exnation. Silicon sr cells were manufactured in the form of diodes. So when it met the sunlight, the electrons and holes aligned in both directions. All you had to do is pull it out with wires. However, organic sr cells utilized a photoactiveyer. When the cells received the electrons, the electrons fluctuated. It is a way of extracting the idental electrons by installing a substance that easily epts electrons on one side. Therefore, the names of the materials constituting the photoactiveyer were also given to the electron donor and the electron eptor. In short, it was the difference between pulling out the sorted letters in a word and identally popping out of it. ¡°Then you only need to find a way to align the electrons in the organic sr cell to one side, right?¡± Hyunwoo asked. Dr. Koh answered with a heartyugh, ¡°Of course. But it¡¯s not that easy to develop that technology so easily. But you can use this for a variety of purposes such as smartphones, monitors and TV.¡± Hearing his exnation, Hyunwoo felt it had great added value. Actually, Dr. Koh was interested in venture enterprise. ¡°I would like to start a business in this field with students. Can you invest in it?¡± There was no reason for Hyunwoo to say no. That was the reason he established STM Research Center and Sinsung Univ. ¡°How much money do you think you need?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t need a huge facility or technology. I think I need about five billion won for introducing facilities, except for the lot and building. I can give you 60% stakes in our business.¡± ¡°Got it. Let me invest in your start-up enterprise.¡± *** It was already winter. Though the first snow didn¡¯t fall, it was very chilly during the day. Hyunwoo became impatient as he had no news yet on the sessful development of the Super Car. Then he had a call from the manager of first factory in Dangjin where Super Car was under pilot production. ¡°Sir, we have finally seeded on the Paekdu Project! We also tested the performance of the new model briefly. It¡¯s perfect.¡± Hearing the good news, he ran to the factory right away. As the factory manager said, the new model of Super Car was waiting for Hyunwoo¡¯s arrival. It was the culmination of the SUV technology of Samryong Motors, with a Toughtex engine developed by Duyoung and the shock-absorbing device as well as the car body of carbon nanotubes developed by STM Research Center. The factory manager exined to Hyunwoo about the specifications of Super Car named Paekdu. The biggest strength of Super Car was Toughtex engine system. There was a 400 horsepower engine installed on each of the four wheels. In other words, the total horsepower was 1,600 horsepower. This was simr to the engine of a tank engine. On the other hand, the weight of the car was very light because the Toughtex engine itself weighed less than 2kg. Its car body was also half the weight of a typical sedan because it used carbon nanotubes produced by Nanotech. Thanks to that, it weighed only 590kg even though it was bigger than an ordinary SUV. The lightest SUV in Korean auto history was 640kg. Its speed was also quite impressive. In theory, its maximum speed was over 500km/h, but given its characteristics as SUV, its real maximum speed was about 300km/h. It boasted of terrific speed, given that it took only six seconds to reach the maximum speed of 300km/h from the start of the engine. ¡°Would you test run it?¡± Hyunwoo got into the new model Paekdu. A professional racer was seated in the passenger¡¯s seat for safety. Hyunwoo drove Paekdu around the test track installed near the factory. He drove it slowly and then sped up gradually. Paekdu¡¯s engine was very powerful, as Hyunwoo expected. But Hyunwoo hardly heard any engine noise or felt any vibration. On one side of the test track was a road with arge pool of water in it. The puddle was about 20m long and was about 1.5m deep in its center. If Paekdu sunk, it would be submerged almost up to the window. However, Hyunwoo drove Paekdu into the pool of water. The pool was full of water. As the car body was so light andpletely waterproof, it didn¡¯t sink in the pool. Hyunwoo then stepped on the elerator. Now Paekdu began to move rapidly through the water. Paekdu could run through water at speeds of up to 24 knots, 42km/h. The sensor stopped the propellers, turned them into wheels again, and Paekdu ran vigorously on the road. Hyunwoo drove back to his ce afterpleting the test run safely. When he got out, the factory manager said with a satisfied look, ¡°Do you like it?¡± Hyunwoo nodded his head strongly and said, ¡°Very wonderful. How much will it cost to mass-produce Paekdu?¡± ¡°We are aiming to mass produce all brands of Super Car next April. By then, we will be able to produce 500 Paekdu, Zeus, and sh each, 200 mour and 2,000 Titan per year.¡± mour was specially designed for women, with its sale price set at 2.7 billion won. Zeus and Titan were luxury sedans. In particr, Zeus was intended for the world¡¯s most affluent ss, with its price set at 3.5 billion won, much more expensive than Paekdu worth 2.9 billion won. sh targeted the youth, which could drive at the maximum speed of 500km/h. Its estimated retail price was set at 3.2 billion won. Compared to the first factory specializing in ultra-expensive models, the second factory would produce luxury sedans targeting the middle ss. The average retail price would be set at 60 million won, and when the factory waspleted, it would produce up to 3 million cars per year. On the other hand, the third factory was exclusively designed for super minicars whose price was set at less than 10 million won. When the factory waspleted, it would produce up to five million cars per year. The standard engines for all models, regardless of luxury SUVs or ordinary sedans, would be equipped with Toughtex engines, of course. Super Car models by Samryong Motors would be sold from 500 million won up to 3.5 billion won. The price of such cars could be seen as too expensive. In fact, Samryong Motors had been on the verge of bankruptcy in the past. How could it produce cars whose top price model is priced at 3.5 billion won? But Hyunwoo was confident about the future of Samryong Motors. Thanks to the sess of the Paekdu Project, there would be a high demand for such cars. Hyunwoo was ready to prove that. And that¡¯s why he anxiously waited for the speedy release of the pilot Paekdu model. But the factory manager was not yet aware of Hyunwoo¡¯s genuine goal. ¡°What should do we next? There are no automobile shows in the works now. Are you going to put out promotional ads on this?¡± Hyunwoo shook his head. ¡°No, I know a surefire method.¡± Chapter 302

Chapter 302

¡°What is that method?¡± Hyunwoo just smiled at that question, and then revealed a surprising promotional strategy that he had never told anybody before. ¡°Dakar Rally starts on Jan. 4 next year. I¡¯m going to send Paekdu to the rally for the car race.¡± ¡°Really? Dakar Rally?¡± The factory manager was startled to hear that. ¡°Why are you so surprised? Is there any reason for us not to send Paekdu to Dakar Rally?¡± ¡°Well....¡± Suddenly, the factory manager could not respond because there was no reason at all not to do so. When he first heard the word ¡®Dakar Rally,¡¯ he felt simply that the rally was like a ¡®high tree he could not even see the top of.¡¯ The rally was notorious for a dangerous car race. Come to think of it, it couldn¡¯t be a better idea because it was a golden opportunity to promote Paekdu. What is the Dakar Rally? It was called the most dangerous car racecourse in the world, often called the rally of death. As the course was too dangerous, the ratio of the participating cars finishing the course was only 30-50%, and so far 60 drivers died in the middle of the race. Obviously, the phrase ¡®rally of death¡¯ was not exaggerated at all. Of course, the course had as changed now. Because of the danger of war and terrorism, the participating cars passed through Atakamasa Desert in South America instead of the Sahara Desert. ¡°They¡¯re now epting applications for the rally sign-up. I¡¯m going to show the world the prestige of Paekdu there.¡±e for an ordinary car racer to drive...¡± ¡°Of course. I found the racer three months ago and signed a contract with him,¡± said Hyunwoo confidently, nodding his head. The car racer he scouted was an Italian who had participated in Dakar Rally four times. Though he never won the race, he finished all of the four rallies he took part in. In particr, he was twice noted in the top ten racer list. In other words, hispetence as a car racer was proven. So, Hyunwoo contacted him quickly and signed the contract. The factory manager nodded his head. ¡°Got it. I think I have to change Paekdu a bit then.¡± But Hyunwoo shook his head. ¡°No, don¡¯t touch it at all. I¡¯m going to sign up for T1 sector of the race. Just connect three more batteries.¡± Dakar Rally is divided into T1 (no change allowed), T2 (partial change) and T3 plete overhaul). Hyunwoo nned to have Paekdupete in T1. The factory manager felt the same way. The world would be shocked more when Paekdu outpaced the cars in the category of T3. ¡°Got it. I¡¯m confident Paekdu will obviously show its prestige at the rally.¡± They quickly prepared to participate in the Dakar Rally. There was nothing to change about the body of Paekdu. However, the factory manager increased the distance for driving on a single charge from 500km to 2000km by connecting an additional battery. If one drove at full power in the desert, the farthest one could drive will actually be 50% to 60% of the original distance. Just in case there was an ident, the factory manager did a safety check on Paekdu. In the meantime, the Dakar Rally began. The starting point was the Technopolice Convention Hall in Buenos Aires. There were more than 650,000 crowds at the start line of Selemonial. The car that attracted the most attention was a Japanese SUV called Mini. Though it was a small-sized car, it won the rally three consecutive times. And Mini was mentioned as the most likely winner in this race. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t yet disclose Paekdu to the crowds yet. The crowds at the start line would see Paekdu for the first time. Hyunwoo made sure that the designers developed the SUV models Paekdu and mor in an extreme fashion the moment they worked on their design. In other words, Paekdu was intended as the property of men while mor that of women. ordingly, the appearances of Paekdu and mor were like military trucks. They wererge in size, wide and sharp-angled. It seemed they could pass even a thick concrete wall one meter long. Hyunwoo also disclosed the specifications of them partially. He emphasized that they were amphibious and their ss was all bullet-proof. The crowds had high expectations of Paekdu and mor. ¡°They could be included in the top list, depending on their racers.¡± ¡°I hear they are powered by electricity. Looks like they¡¯re very powerful.¡± The Dakar Rally was a total of 9,112 km over 13 courses. All the cars didn¡¯t start at the same time, so they chased each other, starting one after another and were ranked in the order of their finishing the course. The rally course was varied. There were normal roads, deserts, and rough gravel roads. There was also a long section running 1,000 km at a time. Of course, they didn¡¯t record the mark time of the cars throughout the rally course. In the case of the 717-kilometer route that ran from Iquique to Uyuni, they recorded the time of the cars driving only 321 km in the middle. Every rally was caught on the broadcast camera. Participants, especially those with good records or good performances, received the most attention while they were intensively pursued by Helicam. The main character of the rally was Paekdu. As many as two Helicams and one helicopter were following and filming Paekdu alone. There was no other choice for them because Paekdu rewrote the history of Dakar¡¯s rally in thispetition. Paekdu drove on and on. The four Toughtex engines were as powerful as tanks, but the car¡¯s body weight was less than a ton, so it was like flying. Even in the rough sand, Paekdu did not slow down. The body was so light that the tires didn¡¯t fall into the sand easily. The crowds were shocked to see the performance of Paekdu. ¡°Oh my god! What the heck is that car over there? It drives in the desert as if it was on highways.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like tanks. How powerful its engines are!¡± Paekdu was certainly overwhelming. While other carspeted in rankings by the difference of as long as 10 minutes or as short as 30 seconds, Paekdu beat other cars by 30 minutes. What was even more surprising was the 1,024km race on the day before the final day of thepetition. Paekdu drove nonstop without even stopping the entire distance. That was a great shock to the crowds. ¡°Isn¡¯t it an electric car? How can it drive on without even charging at all?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe this. This is fraud!¡± And the final day of Dakar Rally. Paekdu was ranked the first inbined scores. It beat all the cars in T1 category but also those in T2 and T3. Several car racing experts took issue with Paekdu, calling it a fraud and demanding a full investigation. Thanks to the brilliant performance of Paekdu, lots of rich men around the world contacted Samryong Motors, saying that they wanted to buy the model. mor and Zeus models were also in pretty high demand. Orders instantly passed over 1,000 for each model. What was more surprising were the pre-orders for the Zeus and sh models. Even though it was only their design and price that were disclosed to the public, their pre-orders reached as many as 1,500. But the problem was the production line of Super Car models was not yet ready yet. Even if it werepleted, its annual production capacity was 500 and 200 for each model. But Hyunwoo didn¡¯t want to expand the facilities. That was inevitable to maintain the brand name of Super Car as the best and most expensive luxury cars that only the super-rich could own. Samryong Motors asked for the consumers¡¯ understanding. ¡°Sorry. We can produce only 500 and 200 respectively for the models of Paekdu, mor, and Zeus every year. All these models up for production this year have been sold out.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to order one for next year.¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to receive next year¡¯s pre-orders, starting Dec. 1. So, wait until then.¡± ¡°Let me pay more. I¡¯m going to pay 5 billion won now, so please add one more to my order.¡± Those who could not order more because of the shortages strongly appealed to Samryong Motors to produce more Super Cars. One zillionaire even proposed a ludicrous suggestion, ¡°I would like to buy that Paekdu model that participated in Dakar Rally this year. How about 50 million dors?¡± Hyunwoo didn¡¯t care at all about such an offer. Even if he offered 500 million dors, Hyunwoo would not sell Paekdu because it became the hero of this year¡¯s Dakar Rally. Paekdu itself would be recorded as the living history of Samryong Motors. But Hyunwoo could not turn a deaf ear to other consumers¡¯ strong request indefinitely. And he found the solution, after all, ¡°For each Super Car, install the production line that can produce 12 cars per year. We¡¯re going to make all the cars manually. How long does it take to produce one car that way?¡± ¡°Well, production through manualbor needs only a little equipment. We can produce one car in a week if our employees make a quick job of it.¡± ¡°Please install the equipment immediately. Design team, you guys produce the Paekdu, mor, Zeus, and sh model series. And sales team, set them up for auction, just one per each month.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s direction was carried out promptly. And the consumerspetitively bidded for the Super Car models. During the first auction, Paekdu was old at 10.6 million dors, mor at 9.2 million dors, Zeus at 12.2 million dors and sh at 14 million dors. They were three times as expensive as ordinary Super Car models. Hyunwoo shouted for joy. Thanks to Paekdu¡¯s one-time participation in Dakar Rally, its models emerged as the best luxury brands in the world. While Hyunwoo was in high spirits for his unprecedented sess in Dakar Rally, there was one person who was trembling with fear. He was Morgan, CEO of OneStar. ¡°Damn it. I was taken in by Hyunwoo Jang. I got swindled by himpletely.¡± Chapter 303

Chapter 303

Of course, Morgan was reading the trend of the car industry urately. The day woulde when the cars powered by gasoline and diesel would gradually disappear from roads while electric cars filled every road. But that day woulde in the distant future. Morgan expected it would take at least ten years for electric cars to bepetitive with gasoline-powered cars. The main reason was the capacity of batteries. Unless innovative batteries were produced, electric cars could not catch up with the demands of gasoline-powered cars. Morgan also purchased a Paekdu model. And he had his research team dissect it thoroughly and test its performance. The result was surprising. The triangle-shaped motor, 5cm thick and 30cm in diameter, was capable of producing 400 horse-power. Morgan felt as if he freaked out at the terrific performance of Paekdu. I¡¯m in big trouble now. There is no ce for gasoline and diesel to sustain any more. He felt he needed everything rted to the car fuel, regardless of Super Green. In particr, Morgan Energy was a big problem. He¡¯d spent 60 billion dors in taking over STM by mobilizing all kinds of financial methods. If he didn¡¯t do anything about the investment, he might end up being the world¡¯s poorest guy riddled with debts. Morgan Energy was put on the market priced for a quick sale. It was less than he purchased it from Hyunwoo. Originally, it was Morgan¡¯s typical methods that he purchased apany at a bargain and resold it at an expensive price. As he paid $60 billion for STM takeover, he listed it for sale at the same price. But the market reaction was cold. There were only a few who could invest such an astronomical amount of money, but they read the future of the car market well. Everybody snorted at the sale of Morgan Energy. ¡°Does he think I¡¯m a fool? As Hyunwoo seeded in developing Paekdu, the era of gasoline-powered cars is over.¡± ¡°Morgan, you made money by having acted so mean. Now it¡¯s the end of his selfish business. He reaped as he sowed.¡± ¡°Such a badpany and its owner should disappear from this world.¡± Nobody contacted Morgan with respect to Morgan Energy. Morgan now began to feel scared because the stock prices of Morgan Energy started to plummet. Now Morgan decided to put Morgan Energy up for sale at a bargain. ¡°I¡¯m going to sell it for $40 billion.¡± But nobody responded to such an offer. Those who had Morgan Energy stocks were all anxious to sell their stock as soon as possible. He felt somebody was squeezing his windpipe. As a son of an ordinary plumber, he went through all kinds of crises, but this kind of severe crisis he had never experienced. He had to ovee it, though. Just like he had so far, he had to make aeback by turning this crisis into an opportunity. Morgan Energy would not copse overnight. Hyunwoo¡¯s electric cars were just on the start line.The absolute majority of cars around the world were still powered by gasoline. It would take at least four years for electric cars to rece gasoline-powered cars. Super Green would generate profits for Morgan during that period. Morgan had enough time to change the game. Morgan clenched his fist and mumbled, ¡°¡®I can¡¯t copse like this. I can revive mypany.¡± And he found out one method. Morgan paid attention to the Toughtex engine, which was the core of the Paekdu Project. The core of the project was Toughtex. And he already had the production technique of Toughtex. If Hyunwoo made the engine, Morgan thought he could do the same. I can develop a Toughtex engine. Even though Hyunwoo registered all the patents on the Toughtex engine, Morgan thought that he could develop a new type of Toughtex engine once he discovered its core working principle. Morgan called an executives¡¯ meeting immediately and directed them to develop a Toughtex engine. ¡°This is a matter of life and death to us. All of you should be firmly determined to develop a new type of Toughtex by all means.¡± *** ¡°Wow!¡± Duyoung raised his hands and shouted for joy. Those around him including Hyunwoo congratted him. ¡°Congrattions, dad.¡± ¡°Oh my god, you¡¯re a Nobel prize winner! You¡¯ve be the pride of our country.¡± ¡°Thanks, everybody. All thanks to you!¡± Duyoung owed his Nobel Prize in chemistry to others. Tomemorate his father¡¯s winning Nobel Prize, Hyunwoo paid a bonus to all the employees of hispanies. Hyunwoo also established programs to produce more Nobel winners at Haenim School, Sinsung University and STM Research Center. In the meantime, Konho Ahn, the CEO of Ohsung Group visited Hyunwoo¡¯s office. ¡°How are you, sir?¡± said Hyunwoo, standing up from his seat. As soon as he saw Hyunwoo, Konho took his hands suddenly. ¡°I think Imitted a gaffest time. I misunderstood your deep considerations at that time.¡± Konho was referring to the fact that Hyunwoo didn¡¯t sell STM to him. After he confirmed the brilliant performance of Paekdu at Dakar Rally and the plummeting of Morgan Energy¡¯s stocks, Konho could realize now why Hyunwoo didn¡¯t sell STM to him. ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell you about it at that time. I¡¯m sorry about that.¡± ¡°No, no. You have saved mypany. Not only I but also my children will regard you as the savior.¡± ¡°No, sir, don¡¯t call me your savior!¡± But Konho kept holding his hands and expressed profuse thanks. Hyunwoo could check the situation of Morgan Energy in his office. Morgan Energy was copsing slowly. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t know Morgan Energy was staking its survival on the development of a new Toughtex engine. ordingly, he was confident that it would go bankrupt in a few years. Now, Morgan¡¯s life was at an end, he thought. That was the same fate of OneStar and DonStar. He didn¡¯t need to pay any more attention to them. Hyunwoo now refocused on Samryong Motors. The production lines of the luxury models werepleted. On the close heels of Paekdu, mor, Zeus and sh were developed another two luxury models Titan and Valrok. 2,000 and 50,000 Titan and Valrok models were produced per year. Consumers¡¯ demands for these two models were explosive. Even though Titan cost 1.1 billion won, and Valrok cost 500 million won, they were sold out even before they were produced. That was the same thing for Paekdu, mor and Zeus models that cost several billion won. Though Hyunwoo paid huge sries to the researchers, the cost of production material was less than 50 million won per unit. Sooner orter, Hyunwoo nned to release cheap vehicles, too. Not only the second factory in Dangjin but also other factories in China and India were under construction. If they werepleted one yearter, they would produce affordable cars inrge quantities. Allbined, the number of cars manufactured at these factories would be around 15 million. And he also nned to produce super mini sedans for two persons, with the goal of producing 10 million cars per year. Hyunwoo was thrilled with excitement when he thought about that. The day is around the corner. The car world will change soon. For some time, Hyunwoo had one dream. It was a car only run by sr cell without any battery or charging. To realize this concept car, Hyunwoo had to make the car body with a sr cell able to produce plenty of energy to drive a car. Taeho Min had been working on it for a long time, but he hadn¡¯t yet made any tangible progress. So, Hyunwoo extensively expanded the sr cell research institute of STM Research Center. He also established sr cell departments at Haenim School and Sinsung University. Whenever he had free time, he also touched various types of sr cells and worked on some good ideas. But he was so tied up with other things these days. In particr, he paid a lot of attention to the irrigation work in Bandesh. A consortium of several Koreanpanies participated in the irrigation project to prevent flooding. They also began to nt coconut mangroves along the coasts. Hyunwoo flew to Bandesh to check out the irrigation construction as well as the nting of coconut mangroves. He first visited the construction site of the irrigation and asked for a meticulous construction then headed for the coasts where coconut mangroves were being nted. After looking around the two ces, Hyunwoo stopped by a car factory now under construction in Mumbai. Originally owned by Morgan, but sold to Hyunwoo as part of the STM deal, it was expanding production facilities extensively. He also visited the New Delhi branch of Ani & Funny where Chatulbuz was the representative. There were three branches of Ani & Funny in India, but the New Delhi branch was thergest with 2,000 employees. Then he flew to Mozambique, where he cultivated crops such as corn and wheat on a vast piece of farnd and grew grasshoppers inrge quantities. He wanted to visit the copper mines in Congo that he purchased from Morgan, but he already stayed too long overseas. Besides, Hyunwoo had no way of determining themercial feasibility of the mines as he had no knowledge of it at all. It would be better for him to establish a resources department within KOVE DREAM and have its expert appraise it urately. One yearter, all the factories including the second factory in Dangjin as well as China and India werepleted finally. As a result of massive spending of funds to build them, they werepleted within a short period of time. And they produced pilot small cars. The unit price was 10 million won, but because of its remarkable fuel efficiency, Hyunwoo was flooded with pre-orders from all around the world. Suddenly, Hyunwoo heard an unexpected news. That really stretched his nerves. Chapter 304

Chapter 304

Hyunwoo was so startled to hear that news that he almost got goose flesh. He could hardly believe his ears. How could Morgan develop a Toughtex engine on his own? Hyunwoo registered all the relevant patents on Toughtex. If Morgan developed Toughtex, he must have gotten around the registered patents. ¡°Nonsense! Something is wrong there.¡± But Morgan Energy began a massive publicity campaign to promote its discovery of a new Toughtex. They even announced that they secured a factory site in China to build a factory there. Morgan Energy¡¯s big news flipped the equation. The upward trend in the stocks of Samryong Motors stopped while Morgan Energy stocks, which had been falling freely, instantly shot up, going up by 27% overnight. Obviously, the news was true. Though Hyunwoo could hardly believe it, he had to admit it. He had to cope with it and create another Toughtex brand that was totally different from Morgan Energy¡¯s. What shed into Hyunwoo¡¯s mind was a car powered by sr energy. He encouraged the research staff of the Sr Cell Research Institute and pressured them by visiting there every day. His father Duyoung observed the changing efficiency of sr batteries in different environments. Even back home Duyoung continued to do the research. Not only at home but also in the vacation homes he often used, Duyoung installed a set of test equipment for sr cells. But it was not easy. Hyunwoo let out a sigh and said, ¡°Whew! This job of doing research is far from easy.¡± Then Yu Zuung, who was looking at a dinner menu for delivery, giggled at him. Usually, there was a housemaid preparing food for Hyunwoo and Yu Zuung. But as both took leave today, they were alone in the house. They felt a bit empty. It was about time they had a baby by now, but they hadn¡¯t yet. As Yu Zuung hadn¡¯t gotten pregnant yet, they visited a hospital together for medical checkups, but both were normal physically. Of course, they tried hard to make a baby, but she could not get pregnant. She was pretty stressed as she couldn¡¯t have a baby. What was the point of being the world¡¯s richest man without a baby? But she tried to calm down by all means because she felt it might be more difficult to get pregnant if she felt more and more nervous. She tried to find more time to do workouts while cutting down her entertainment activities. And she tried tough as often as possible, even when she felt under the weather. ¡°Just rx, honey. You and I can¡¯t make a baby out of the blue, right? Just get rid of useless thoughts in your head. By the way, what do you want for dinner?¡± asked Yu Zuung. She was right. The more he thought about it, the more he felt nervous. Putting down hisptop, he approached her. At that moment, they were staying in a country vi. Hyunwoo had more than 500 vis around the country. Most of them were rented out to the general public by a real estate managementpany called Blue Pine. Of course, Hyunwoo was the owner of Blue Pine, but nobody knew it. ¡°How about having boiled pig¡¯s feet?¡± ¡°Oh, I love that, too.¡± Yu Zuung called a nearby restaurant to get it delivered. It was almost 11 pm when the food was delivered to the vi. As both had to work untilte at night that day, they were just now having dinner. ¡°Looks like I had too much.¡± ¡°Me, too. Shall we have a walk outside?¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± Both went out for a walk for an hour and came back. Hyunwoo felt he had better hit the sack now. ¡°I feel tired. How about going to bed now?¡± ¡°Let me clean this up first. I¡¯ll see you in a minute.¡± The next morning, Yu Zuung got up earlier than Hyunwoo to prepare breakfast. She usually prepared toasted bread for breakfast. After having a quick breakfast, Hyunwoo took a sh drive out of hisptop, which contained the test results of sr batteries. He noticed the restaurant¡¯s ads flyers on top of sr batteries. The flyers had maic pads in the back. Yu Zuung obviously put them there while she was putting up the food. That might change the test oues. But he didn¡¯t take that too seriously because sr batteries would not be broken by that. Some of the test data could be briefly affected by that. He connected the USB to theptop again andpared the test results as usual. Today there were some changes in the test value. Most likely the saved power amount was reduced as the ads flyers hid the sr cell from the sunshine. He didn¡¯t care, though, but an idea shed into his mind at that moment. ¡°Ads flyer? Ma? Maic field?¡± Mas created a maic field. Electricity also created maic fields. Maic and electric fields interfered with each other. Hyunwoo felt perhaps that mas affected sr cells. Of course, he could be wrong. But they were starting with most research with hope for a 0.01% probability. He raced to STM Research Center and told its chief about what he witnessed a minute ago. The chief showed a strong interest in it. ¡°Of course, that could affect sr cells. Let me intensively work on the role of a maic field.¡± After seeing him, Hyunwoo headed back to his office. Then he heard pretty shocking news while watching the TV. It was about the chairman of OneStar, Mr. Morgan. Hyunwoo¡¯s jaw dropped at the news. In other words, Morgan created the whole scam to deceive the public and the press with a fake Toughtex engine. Morgan clearly concluded there was no future for Morgan Energy, so he sold its stocks and escaped somewhere. Morgan Energy plunged in a big chaos. Though the Super Green gasoline was widely sold around the world, the stocks of Morgan Energy plummeted on the stock market. With a bitter smile, Hyunwoo murmured to himself, ¡®What a swindler! I wonder if he can livefortably during the remainder of his life. He¡¯ll be caught by the police anyway.¡¯ Anyway, he felt reassured to hear that news because the Toughtex engine his father developed would have a guaranteed future. He was determined to put spurs to the ongoing research on the sr cells. *** ¡°Whew~¡± Hyunwoo let out a long sigh after getting in his car. It was already 11 pm. He worked nonstop since 9 am that morning without taking any break. This kind of hectic schedule had been going on for three days now. Fortunately, he came back home a bit early. A few days ago, he hung out with his school alumnite into the night. Last night, he attended a drinking partyst night with broadcasters that he used to know. Hyunwoo was 46 this year. No matter how much he tried to stay fit, he was physically exhausted. When he got home, he saw his house was dark with all the lights turned off. ¡®Did she go to bed early tonight?¡¯ Hyunwoo cautiously slipped into the house not to wake her up. When he stepped into the living room, he noticed Yu Zuung. She crouched on a sofa, apparently weeping. Startled, he approached her quickly. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you? What happened?¡± She suddenly hugged him and burst out sobbing, ¡°Why can¡¯t I have a baby? Why? Boohoo.¡± He felt the prick of conscience to hear that. Though he tried to stay calm, he couldn¡¯t. Just like her, he was feeling deep sorrow. Perhaps she might feel it much more sharply. He felt sorry for her. In fact, she stopped her entertainment activities to get pregnant, but he didn¡¯t make as much of an effort. He spent most of his time working outside, with various excuses such as work, appointments with VIPs, etc. Maybe his passion for her had cooled down. During the honeymoon period, he couldn¡¯t go to sleep until he had sex with her. But not now. He had sex with her asionally these days. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t love her. He hugged her deeply and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, honey.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry. I wish I had a baby for you and your parents, but I can¡¯t no matter how hard I try. Looks like I won¡¯t ever have a baby...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡± Hyunwoo cut off her words quickly. He didn¡¯t want to hear her reproaching herself because he felt he was so broken-hearted to hear it. If one of them was to me for that, Hyunwoo felt he was the main culprit. ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I think I should have made more effort on my end. Let me try harder from now on. So, don¡¯t me yourself.¡± But Yu Zuung couldn¡¯t stop sobbing. It seemed the sobbing she held back until then kept bursting out. He just hugged her quietly. He felt sad and empty at the same time. To him, it didn¡¯t matter how much money he had or how high social prestige or reputation he had. Happiness started from family, to say the least. No matter how big of an achievement one made, one¡¯s life could not be happy when one¡¯s family was not happy. ¡®Why didn¡¯t I devote myself to my family?¡¯ In fact, he tried his best on his part. He built many vis around the country to travel and stay with her there. But he couldn¡¯t take the time out for her. In hindsight, that was the most regrettable thing to him. But what¡¯s most important to him was whether he could change his current lifestyle. With her wrapped in arms still, Hyunwoo called his chief secretary. ¡°Please cancel all my appointments for the next 15 days. I¡¯m going to take a vacation with my wife.¡± ¡°Oh my god! 15 days? That¡¯s a bit problematic. You have an appointment with the President next Tuesday.¡± Chapter 305

Chapter 305

Stunned to hear Hyunwoo¡¯s sudden cancetion of the appointments for the next 15 days¡¯, his chief secretary dissuaded him. But Hyunwoo cut off his words and said, ¡°No.¡± He was determined to cancel every appointment including the one with the President. Nobody was more important than Yu Zuung. And the President was Wonju Ha, who was the chief of the ruling party until recently. Hyunwoo used to keep good rtions with him as they joined hands to expel corrupt politicians until recently. ¡°Let me call the President tomorrow. Is there any other appointment that you can¡¯t cancel at your level? You won¡¯t be able to contact me starting tomorrow.¡± ¡°Oh, really? Wait a minute. Let me double-check now.¡± ¡°Just text me after you confirm it.¡± Hyunwoo hung off the phone. Yu Zuung stopped sobbing, and looked at her, with tears welled in her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t do that, please. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll never sob again.¡± Hyunwoo felt all the sorrier when she said that. ¡°No, I should have done this much earlier. I should have spent more time with you. My decision is toote. Anyway, let¡¯s go on a trip.¡± ¡°But you have a lot of responsibility in your position. What about your ongoing projects? ¡°There are other people who can take care of the work on my behalf.¡± That was true. Hyunwoo wanted to delegate to his trusted subordinates much of his authority. That¡¯s why he tried to install a CEO at each of hispanies. Kyungsu Han and Sanggyu Maeng and James Lee were installed as co-presidents of Ani & Funny, and Songjong Kim, Juhwan Moon, and Sungrak Sohn took charge of KOVE DREAM. Hyunwoo also had someone in the CEO position at Haenim School, Samryong Motors and Sinsung University. In some respects, Hyunwoo¡¯s 15-day travel would provide an opportunity for them to show their management skills. Stroking her face, Hyunwoo said, ¡°You¡¯re the most precious one to me.¡± But she still seemed nervous. ¡°I don¡¯t feelfortable, though. Please turn on your cell phone. You might have a really important call from someone. I think I can feel a little morefortable if you do so.¡± ¡°If you want it, I will turn it on.¡± While he was turning it on, Hyunwoo had a text message from his secretary. ording to the message, Hyunwoo set up dozens of appointments for the next 15 days. Among them were appointments that he should not cancel. But Hyunwoo didn¡¯t think such appointments were too important to cancel. He already canceled the appointment with the President. But Yu Zuung pleaded, ¡°Why don¡¯t we have a trip next time? Please keep the appointments you already have made. You don¡¯t have to make any more after that.¡± He smiled at her and then called the chief secretary. ¡°Tell manager Kyungsu to take care of all my appointments for Ani & Funny. And the matter of production of the new car models...¡± He asked the heads of each factory to manage the production line while he was absent. Though the chief secretary asked him to think twice, Hyunwoo was adamant. Instead, he gave in when it came to his cell phone. ¡°Let me turn my cell phone on. If you have important business to report to me, send me a text. But don¡¯t send me more than ten texts. If you do, I¡¯ll turn off the cell phone.¡± ¡°Got it. How many bodyguards do you need?¡¯ ¡°None. I¡¯ll go on a trip with my wife alone.¡± ¡°No, you can¡¯t, sir. Never.¡± The chief secretary was very stubborn this time, ¡°Why did you hire me if you don¡¯t want to listen to me? Please fire me first if you want to ignore my advice. You should have bodyguardse with you under any circumstances.¡± Yu Zuung took side with him, whispering to Hyunwoo to agree. ¡°Okay, then. Send only four including onedy bodyguard for my wife. As I don¡¯t want my trip disturbed, please make sure they will not be noticed by us.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± After the call, Hyunwoo smiled at Yu Zuung with a lovely look. ¡°Where shall we go?¡± ¡°Any ce is fine.¡± ¡°How about traveling around the country without any particr schedule? We can go to any mountain, river, or ind randomly.¡± ¡°That might be interesting!¡± said Yu Zuung with excitement. Hyunwoo felt he needed some preparation to make the trip more enjoyable. As Yu Zuung was in her mid-30s, she might prefer a pleasant trip, given the choice. Hyunwoo felt it a bit burdensome to prepare for the trip. So, he called the chief secretary to secure some preparation items for the trip. ¡°Can you prepare a camping car for us? And fishing rods, too.¡± ¡°Sure. Let me have the car ready tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid the media will chase me then. I would rather have it on Anmyon Ind.¡± Hyunwoo gave him several instructions. The next day, he went out of the house. It seemed nobody paid any attention to Hyunwoo¡¯s secret trip with her. But many people began to ask about Hyunwoo¡¯s whereabouts. The gossip started toe out of those who were supposed to see him at the appointments. It spread quickly when Hyunwoo didn¡¯t appear at all the events he originally nned to attend. ¡°Why did he cancel the schedule suddenly?¡± ¡°Is he sick? He was as fit as a fiddle yesterday.¡± ¡°Does he have a hidden agenda?¡± As the strange rumors about him began to spread, the chief secretary stepped in. ¡°He went on a trip with his wife, saying he needed to take a break.¡± But nobody took it at face value. It was just nonsensical that such an important businessman like Hyunwoo went on a trip without any notice. And he has never done it before. Many people naturally began to suspect that the chief secretary was lying. And their wild imagination about his whereabouts was endless. Someone even said he had been attacked by a terrorist. Though such a rumor was groundless, it spread as if it was true. ¡°How could somebody dare terrorize him? He is liked not only in this country but also around the world, as you know.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know anything. Don¡¯t you know that the oil prices around the world are falling deeply because of Hyunwoo¡¯s Paekdu Project?¡± In fact, that was true. As it was forecast that the car fuel such as gasoline, diesel, and Bunker C oil would be unnecessary in the near future, the oil producers in the Middle East increased their oil production drastically, apparently to make more money now. On the other hand, the oil dealers wanted to purchase oil aste as possible, anticipating that the oil prices would keep dropping. As a result, oil prices dropped every day. The economies of the oil-producing countries were shaken by the sess of the Paekdu Project. In that situation, it was usible to think that Hyunwoo might be terrorized by someone. ¡°Oh, that makes sense. He might be in big trouble.¡± ¡°What is the government doing to protect him? What if he loses his life in a terrorist attack?¡± However, Hyunwoo was enjoying a wonderful vacation with Yu Zuung on Anmyon Ind. During the day, he enjoyed riding bikes with her, and in the evening both enjoyed the fantastic atmosphere of the ind over wine. He didn¡¯t watch TV intentionally. He even put his cellphone andptop away. Then he noticed a shocking text message from his secretary. Hyunwoo was dumbfounded. With a perplexed look, Yu Zuung asked, ¡°What the heck is this? Why don¡¯t you turn on the TV?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Late in the evening, they watched TV. Only then did they get to watch the coverage of the ludicrous terrorism rumor about him. National broadcastingworks prudently dealt with the wild rumors about him. They just briefly mentioned it but didn¡¯t borate as it was spective without any specific evidence. But cable TVworks went too far in their reports. Some even invited terror experts to analyze how Hyunwoo was terrorized by whom and for what. Yu Zuung just giggled at that, brushing it off as spective stories. But Hyunwoo took it seriously. Though he didn¡¯t reveal his genuine feelings to her because she might be worried, his heart sank when he saw that news about him on TV. ¡®That kind of wild rumor about me can spread, of course.¡¯ Chapter 306

Chapter 306

Although all the wild rumors about him were groundless, the experts¡¯ analysis was very sharp. ording to their analysis, Hyunwoo¡¯s development of Toughtex meant the end of internalbustion engines, which meant the downfall of the oil-producing countries in the near future. In particr, the shock was devastating to the Middle East and Russia. As the oil prices were falling, their economies were sliding into chaos, too. Even a worm would turn. Russia was once a mighty military power that was on a par with the United States. When driven into a corner, Russia could do anything to save its economy. Besides, Hyunwoo was now developing a new concept for an energy source called sr cells. Nobody knew when he would seed, but its sess would drive down oil prices further. They had to prepare for such a devastating situation very quickly. Hyunwoo had no reason to stop the trip and return home because of the wild rumors about him. Back to his normal vacation state, he cut himself off from the world affairs and focused on enjoying the trip. The 15 days that Hyunwoo promised her passed quickly. It was really a wonderful time for them in the sense that they took it a turning point in their marriage life. ¡°Let¡¯s have another wonderful trip like this soon. It doesn¡¯t have to be a long trip like this.¡± ¡°Sure, will do. Let¡¯s enjoy a trip like this once a month,¡± said Hyuwnoo. ¡°Really? I¡¯m so happy now.¡± Hyunwoo was serious about tranting his words into action. Checking the dates on the calendar, he set up travel ns in advance. He even set aside three days every week for a trip with her. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s too much?¡¯ ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If something really importantes up, I can cancel it then. But I don¡¯t see anything like that.¡± ¡°Thanks so much, honey.¡± Yu Zuung hugged him, and Hyunwoo hugged her. From now on he was going to tailor his daily life to her schedule. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean he would neglect his duties. He just wanted to delegate as much as possible to the managers of hispanies. Hyunwoo first convened a meeting of executives at Samryong Motors. An executive briefed Hyunwoo about thetest operation status of Samryong Motors. ¡°Currently Samryong Motors is producing ten thousand luxury cars, two million popr cars, and fifteen million affordable cars every year.¡± The sses of car models were divided into the same price zones. Luxury cars cost over 500 million won, popr cars over 200 million won, and affordable cars over 20 million won. Thanks to this mass production the profits of Samryong Motors were almost 50 trillion wonst year. This was a spectacr growth that Samryong Motors achieved only four years after the sessful development of the Paekdu Project, which was so innovative in the auto world. Hyunwoo presented his own vision about the future of Samryong Motors. ¡°I am going to change the internalbustion engines found in trucks, motorcycles and agricultural machines to Toughtex engines in the future. I have the same goal when ites to the engines of aerones, ships and even military weapons like tanks.¡± ¡°Well, it might be easy in the case of trucks and agricultural machines as they have the existing infrastructure, but other areas have nothing to do with what Samryong Motors is involved in. You will have to spend lots of time and money.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to take over many overseaspanies rted to that field. If that¡¯s hard, I think you can develop the type of Toughtex engines that fit ships and tanks.¡± Actually, Hyunwoo had enough capital funds to invest. When allbined, the profits of Hyunwoo¡¯spanies exceeded 80 trillion won, and the return on his investments was over 10 trillion won annually. The executives at the meeting showed enthusiasm about pursuing his vision. ¡°Got it. We¡¯re going to work on the action n and report to you.¡± As for the management of Ani & Funny, Hyunwoo also delegated his authority to its founding members. Kyungsu Han and James Lee took turns serving as its CEO for two years, and Sonjong Kim, Juhwan Moon and Sungrak Sohn served as CEO of KOVE DREAM on a rotational basis. The onlypany that Hyunwoo directly managed was Bule Sky as it was one of the core future industries. Blue Sky was in the red when Hyunwoo took it over, and it couldn¡¯t turn to the ck for some time with continuing losses of one billion won every year. But after the Toughtex engine was developed, Blue Sky began to generate profits for the first time. It made ten billion won in profitsst year, with this year¡¯s profits projected at 30 billion won. But Hyunwoo was not satisfied. So, he changed his vision about the direction of Blue Skypletely. ¡°I n to install a remote-controlled device on the model airnes and drones made by Blue Sky by using automatic flying devices and satellite.¡± The executives looked embarrassed at Hyunwoo¡¯s intention because the model airnes and drones currently made by Blue Sky were nothing more than small airnes that could be called ¡®toys¡¯ in the eyes of the global leaders in the field. ¡°It is impossible to install such devices on our current products.¡± ¡°Right. You have to make the current models five times asrge to install such devices.¡± They were strongly opposed to his idea, but Hyunwoo didn¡¯t budge a bit. ¡°You¡¯re right. That¡¯s why we need to have everything ranging from designing to the production line overhauledpletely. What we have to aim for is a superrge model airne. With all the devices installed on it, it should be able to fly more than ten hours without charging, loaded with freight of over 30 kg.¡± Their jaws dropped at his words. Howrge a pilot ne would they have to make to carry a load of over 30 kg? Of course, it was not impossible to make it as long as they invested enough time and money. They were still in doubt. ¡°If you want to make that kind of model, it should be at least 3 meters long. I wonder if you can sell it on the market.¡± Hyunwoo said, ¡°Let me create consumers¡¯ demands for it. You guys just focus on developing such a model. We don¡¯t have much time. We have to produce pilot nes by next year and produce 5000 every month in the spring two years from now.¡± They were surprised again at the timetable. ¡°Oh, we¡¯re pressed for time.¡± ¡°It will take at least two years to develop the necessary technology.¡± But Hyunwoo said resolutely, rejecting their opposition. ¡°We have to mass-produce them in the spring two years from now. Master the technology from Japan¡¯s Air One and China¡¯s Chiangkuo. If you fail, you should be ready to resign.¡± At that moment, all the executive members shut their mouths. For they knew that Hyunwoo would try his best to keep the promise that he once made. If they failed, they should really offer resignations. One of the executives asked, ¡°By the way, how are you going to sell such airnes? How can you sell 5,000 per month?¡± Hyunwoo giggled at his question. He had already identified his future clients, but he couldn¡¯t tell them at this point. It was a top secret that only the President, Defense Minister and a few politicians kept to themselves. ¡°Let me take care of that. I am confident of selling them all.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± After he presented his vision to the executives, he met CEOs of otherpanies. And he met President Wonju Ha and other politicians. The Korean political scene was changing fast. The young politicians of both ruling and opposition parties joined their hands and drive out corrupt politicians. He met the President, politicians, young businessmen and reporters alike and talked about the future of Korea in ten, twenty yearster. That made Hyunwoo busy again. He started to work early in the morning and came back home veryte, even during the wee hours. But he didn¡¯t make any appointments from Friday to Sunday to spend time with his wife. And on Friday night they went on a trip, forgetting about his daily chorespletely. Yu Zuung also adjusted her own schedule to Hyunwoo¡¯s. Though she didn¡¯t appear on TV shows any more, she helped her mother-inw Jisook¡¯s food business. And when Friday came Hyunwoo and Yu Zuung went on a trip without nning an organized schedule. They just wanted to spend the time, forgetting about work and everything else. While they were enjoying a trip like that one day, Hyunwoo had a sudden call from his chief secretary. ¡°Sir, Shanghai Motors announced that they developed their own Toughtex engine.¡± At that moment, he recalled the Toughtex scam by Morgan Energy some time ago. At that time, Morgan Energy announced fake news about it. Shanghai Motors was in a bad financial situation, namely on the verge of going bankrupt. Other carmakers were in a simr situation with the new models equipped with Toughtex engines made by Samryong Motors dominating the world car markets. No matter how good cars they produced at apetent price, they were hardly sold because the consumers tried to buy Samryong cars only. Of course, there was one exception to this trend. Some carmakers purchased the Toughtex engines made by Samryong and installed them on their own cars. In fact, Samryong Motors sold its Toughtex engines to other car makers with one condition. The condition was that Samryong Motors would own 30% of theirpanies. That was a tough condition for thesepanies to ept, but they had no other choice. ordingly, they transferred 30% equities of their stocks to Samryong Motors to buy Toughtex engines. But Shanghai Motors couldn¡¯t. Though they begged for the purchase, Samryong Motors rejected their request. So, the chairman of Shanghai Motors might have tried to announce the fake news about their own Toughtex engines and make money by fabricating the stock prices. But when Hyunwoo looked into the situation closely, Shanghai¡¯s announcement was not fake. In no time, there came out a shocking news about Shanghai Motors. Chapter 307

Chapter 307

When he watched the news on Shanghai Motor¡¯s development of a Toughtex engine, Hyunwoo recalled what happened to the stocks of Morgan Energy. Right after Mr. Morgan escaped after his Toughtex engine scam broke out, the stock price of Morgan Energy plummeted. Not only the stock price of its headquarters in New York but also that of its corporations in China, Japan and Korea lost its value by half immediately. Shanghai Motors took over its China branch at that time. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t pay much attention to that takeover because he didn¡¯t think the direction of Morgan Energy¡¯s business was important as the era of internalbustion engine was around the corner. In hindsight, it was Hyunwoo¡¯s mistake. Come to think of it, the purpose of Shanghai Motors¡¯ takeover was not just to buy Morgan Energy¡¯s China branch. Its main purpose was to obtain Morgan Energy¡¯s patent on Toughtex. When Hyunwoo sold STM to Morgan, he also transferred its patent for Toughtex to Morgan. Hyunwoo had to stay alert again. If Shanghai Motor¡¯s development of its own Toughtex engine was true, that would mean the end of Samryong Motor¡¯s dominance in the electric car market. Hyunwoo quickly responded. He had to check the veracity of Shanghai¡¯s Toughtex engine. Hyunwoo said to the executives of Samryong Motors, ¡°Purchase Shanghai Motor¡¯stest Toughtex model and analyze it. You have to carefully examine whether they vited our patient rights and performance characteristics.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± The technical team of Samryong Motors quickly responded. The results of their analysis quickly came out as the Toughtex engine itself was notplicated. First came the bad part of the news, ¡°There was no infringement on our patients.¡± Hyunwoo frowned at that. If that was the case, it would mean the start of an indefinitepetition between Samryong Motors and Shanghai Motors. Then came the promising news. ¡°The new engine of Shanghai Motors had no reliable durability. Its core is damaged when its new model drives up to 1,000km. ordingly, they have to change the Toughtex engine often.¡± Hyunwoo smirked as he was convinced that Shanghai Motors just imitated Samryong¡¯s Toughtex. If that was true, it would never win any favorable reaction from the consumers. But he couldn¡¯t afford to becent. In fact, the fact that Shanghai Motors developed the engine durability of up to 1,000km was a big achievement as it suggested that the contraction ratio of Toughtex and its core was pretty low. They would probably make up for its shorings within a short period of time. Hyunwoo gave the new business team a special order. ¡°Develop a variety of Toughtex engines for airnes and ships and sign the relevant contracts. Never sign any contract that expires within ten years.¡± In the meantime, Hyunwoo heard very good news from STM Research Center, something he had been longing to hear for a long time. ¡°Sir, we have finally seeded in raising the efficiency of organic sr cells by using maic fields.¡± ¡°Really? Let mee to your ce right now.¡± He canceled all his appointments in the afternoon and headed for the center. The researchers were all excited. In particr, the research head briefed Hyunwoo on the sessful oues as soon as he arrived. ording to him, the existing sr cells had low efficiency because they had no control over the activities of electrons, but the maic fields solved the problem. ¡°So, how much efficiency did you witness?¡± ¡°Its efficiency increased by 21%. Currently, the polysilicon sr cell has the highest efficiency of 17%. Andpared with existing organic sr cells, its efficiency is ten times as high.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s jaw dropped at such a big difference. But the thing was how tomercialize the new test results. ¡°When do you think we can make the products with such high efficiency?¡± ¡°The key technique is to control the strength of the maic field emitted by the maizing film, which is very simple. In addition, we have secured mass production technology for graphene, a transparent electrode. If we use the roll-to-roll method, we can mass produce right now. If we hurry up, we can mass-produce the products in four months.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s heart was full. ¡°Do you think our new product ispetent enough, evenpared with polysilicon sr cells, right?¡± At his asking the research head responded, ¡°Absolutely. This is an innovative discovery. I can guarantee you that this will give the world more of a shock than the Paekdu Project.¡± Hyunwoo now had no reason to dy the production. He gave them the name ¡®Jahwa Sr Cell¡¯ to the new product and had them proceed with it in the name of M Project secretly. M Project was entrusted to STM. STM established an energy business team and began the construction of a factory. As there were many factory sites that Hyunwoo purchased a long time ago, they chose one near Dangjin where STM¡¯s first factory was located. The factory was built quickly. Hyunwoo directed Samryong Motors and Blue Sky to develop new products as part of M Project. ¡°Develop airnes and cars that can run indefinitely with only sr cells without any outside battery charging.¡± The research teams of Samryong Motors and Blue Sky worked on the development of new products immediately with great excitement. M Project proceeded as nned. As the research head guaranteed, the factory waspleted in four months, and the pilot products of Jahwa Sr Cell were produced. The efficiency of the pilot products was as high as 21%. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t yet disclose the new sr cell to the world. The research head was anxious to publish in a world peer journal, but Hyunwoo kept it a secret. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t do it intentionally because of the sensitive reaction of the oil-producing countries. The oil prices were falling drastically due to the Toughtex engine. If Hyunwoo disclosed the news about Jahwa Sr Cell, it would deal a fatal blow to them. In that case, they could take some extreme measures to challenge Hyunwoo¡¯s projects. So, he dyed the timing of the disclosure aste as possible. But the time hade to disclose Jahwa Sr Cell, he thought. As soon as it was disclosed, the new products based on Jahwa Sr Cell would be sold worldwide. Hyunwoo disclosed the new product through the research head. The world was pleasantly shocked to hear it. They praised it as another great discovery on the heels of the Toughtex engine. All the major media including TVworks and dailies around the world gave a special coverage of the new product. In the past, sr energy cells were not sold widely mainly because they were expensive. That problem was solved by Hyunwoo¡¯s new product. Its price was only 30% of polysilicon sr energy batteries at the same electricity generation level. ordingly, Jahwa products sold like hotcakes. Like the new Super Car models of Samryong Motors, one year¡¯s worth of Jahwa products took only one month to sell out. Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t be happier these days because he seeded in whatever business he started up to now. And the happiest news was awaiting him this time. While he was busy with taking care of various business stuff, he got a call from Yu Zuung in the early afternoon. He felt a bit strange initially because she knew he was really busy around this time. Hyunwoo quickly answered the phone. Then she was a bit sobbing, which made Hyunwoo nervous with concern. ¡°What happened? Anything wrong at home?¡± Controlling her sobbing with effort, she said, ¡°I¡¯m pregnant!¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo felt as if he heard something falling down in his heart with a bang. He couldn¡¯t speak as he was so deeply touched at that moment. ¡°Are you listening to me? I¡¯m pregnant.¡± When Hyunwoo didn¡¯t reply, she repeated it again in a loud voice. Only then did Hyunwoo nod strongly and replied, ¡°Great! Congrats, honey! Let me race to you now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m in the hospital now. I¡¯m preparing to go back home.¡± ¡°Got it. Let mee home right now.¡± Hyunwoo cancelled all his schedules in the afternoon. The quick-witted chief secretary, sensing what¡¯s going on, already started to cancel his appointments. When he arrived home, his parents were already there. She showed him an ultrasonic picture and said, ¡°This is our baby.¡± In his eyes, it looked like a ck dot. As it was so vague, he wasn¡¯t sure if it was a baby at all. But the ob/gyn doctor clearly said it was their baby. ¡°The doctor said I¡¯m three weeks pregnant.¡± Hyunwoo made a bright smile at that. He hugged her in the presence of his parents. Startled to see that, Juyong and Jisook dissuaded him and said, ¡°Oh my god! Be careful, son.¡± ¡°This is the most important period for a pregnant woman.¡± Only then did he let go of her. ¡°Really? ¡°It¡¯s best to be careful when she is in the early stages of pregnancy. Remember how hard it was for her to get pregnant.¡± A littleter, his rtives began to arrive one by one. Everybody came after hearing the good news about her pregnancy. ¡°Congrats! I know you were having a hard time.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do any housework from now on. Be extremely careful, okay?¡± Everybody wished her the best of luck. She was so happy to hear their well-wishes. ¡°Thanks so much. I¡¯ll give birth to a beautiful baby.¡± Hyunwoo now realized that the happiest thing in the world was to see the birth of his own baby. Around the same time, at Incheon International Airport, a man was entering the airport secretly. It was Youngwoo Cho. Born in North Hamgyong Province in North Korea, he crossed the Tumen River with his sister 15 years ago at the age of 13. After many twists and turns, he arrived in Moscow and joined a Russian Mafia. He was nothing more than an expendable to the mafia. He was trained as an assassin by the mafia group and actually sent to carry out the assassination of a government figure when he was 19. The assassination was done sessfully, but he was arrested by the Russian police. He survived, though. Russian Overseas Intelligence recognized his excellent capabilities and raised him as a spy. He met the spy agency¡¯s expectations. Whenever he was sent to its operations, he pulled off sessfully. And this was his ninth mission. He had only one thought in his mind, which was also his mission this time. ¡®Secure the best of Hyunwoo Jang¡¯s precious things to get the upper hand in dealing with negotiations with him.¡¯ Chapter 308

Chapter 308

Youngwoo Cho headed straight to Sosan. He easily found out Hyunwoo¡¯s location. Russia already dispatched lots of intelligence agents to Korea, and one of their important missions was to monitor Hyunwoo¡¯s every move. Hyunwoo crisscrossed the country. On such asions, many bodyguards followed him. Hyunwoo was apanied by only four bodyguards, but another then bodyguards always shadowed him unnoticed. It was for this reason that Youngwoo could target him. And his goal was not Hyunwoo, but what Hyunwoo thought as most precious. Obviously, it was his family, namely his wife. Youngwoo met his Russian contact. He was a Russian of Korean blood with goodmand of Korean. ¡°Do you have any useful information?¡± ¡°I heard that his wife got pregnant.¡± Youngwoo smiled. It seemed heaven was helping him achieve his goal. He began to monitor her house every day. It was not easy to do any harm to those around Hyunwoo because there were many bodyguards stationed around the house. He waited for her toe out of her house for two months, but she didn¡¯t. He could not break into the house to take her out. So, he decided to change his goal. He realized there were two persons as close to Hyunwoo as Yu Zuung, who he thought were his easy targets. He couched somewhere near their house and followed them after confirming that Hyunwoo¡¯s parents Duyoung and Jisook came out of the house. After Yu Zuung got pregnant, Hyunwoo tended to spend more time at home. He canceled almost all his daily appointments and didn¡¯t leave the house unless he had to. Of course, he couldn¡¯t stay inside all the time. Today he was supposed to attend a meeting rted to the Solgae Project that the Defense Ministry was involved in. The Solgae Project was an important state project for which the governmentunched seven satellites. Hyunwoo headed to the Defense Ministry building. At that moment, he got a call on his phone, which number was Duyoung¡¯s. Hyunwoo casually answered the phone. But the voice from the other party¡¯s phone was a stranger¡¯s, not his father¡¯s. ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯ve kidnapped your parents.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes popped up suddenly. But he tried to calm down. How could he dare kidnap his parents? Besides, there were four bodyguards following them all the time. They were first-rate bodyguards. Hyunwoo didn¡¯t respond. After he hung it up, he immediately called his father¡¯s number. It was the same voice he heard a moment ago. ¡°Have you confirmed now that I kidnapped your parents?¡± Hyunwoo felt as if his heart sank But he had to stay calm. Answering in a loud voice, Hyunwoo gestured to his chief bodyguard with eyes. Sensing his intention, the bodyguard began to track down the location of Duyoung¡¯s phone. ¡°What do you want from me?¡± ¡°Let me ask you first. How much is the worth of your parents¡¯ lives? Can you ept my request?¡± What could be more precious than one¡¯s family in this world? ¡°Tell me then.¡± ¡°Good. Let me tell you what I want. And let me warn you. Don¡¯t do anything thoughtless. I staked my life on my mission. If you try to catch me, you have to stake your parents¡¯ lives on that.¡± And then the other party hung off the phone unterally. A littleter Hyunwoo¡¯s chief bodyguard detected the location of the suspect¡¯s mobile phone. ¡°He is now near the base of Dujong station in Chonan City. Can I send my bodyguards there?¡± Hyunwoo shook his head. Any reckless act could endanger his parents. ¡°Let¡¯s wait until the other party sets out his demands first.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Hyunwoo earnestly waited for the stranger¡¯s call. Of course, he didn¡¯t reveal his genuine feelings because any bad news about his parents could shock her enough to cause something bad to her baby. But he couldn¡¯t hide his uneasiness from herpletely. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? You don¡¯t look good today.¡± ¡°Really? Nothing particr. I think I¡¯m stressed out because of an important project I¡¯m in.¡± ¡°Please take it easy. You¡¯re going to be a daddy soon.¡± ¡°Sure, will do.¡± ¡°By the way, I didn¡¯t see mother-inw today. She usuallyes to see me every day, but I didn¡¯t see her today. Can I call her?¡± Startled, Hyunwoo dissuaded her. ¡°She went on a trip with Dad. As she ising back soon, don¡¯t call her.¡± She tilted her head to one side. She knew Jisook travelled often as a rule. But Jisook stopped it since she got pregnant. Anyway, she believed Hyunwoo¡¯s words. Then suddenly the stranger called Hyunwoo again. It had been three days since he kidnapped Hyunwoo¡¯s parents. ¡°Let me tell you what I want.¡± ¡°Just go ahead.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a Russian citizen. Russia is in a bad situation because of you. You have to take responsibility for that.¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo felt the back of his neck was still. The stranger obviously wanted to terrorize him for Russia, not out of his personal desire. Like he said, Russia was on the rocks. As the oil prices plummeted due to the Toughtex engine, Russia was on the verge of crumbling. Here and there in Russia, many federal provinces began to raise independent voices. In particr, the Siberian region and the Far East region¡¯s move was serious, trying to break away from the central government. That¡¯s why the Russian government decided to take revenge on Hyunwoo. He was so nervous about the stranger¡¯s malicious intention to do any harm to his parents. By now his parents must have undergone extreme stress and suffering. ¡°Tell me what you want specifically.¡± ¡°Share the technology of Toughtex engine and Jahwa Sr Cell with the Russian car makers and sr batterypanies. That¡¯s all I want. Save Russia from the crisis.¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo felt as if he was hit in the neck of his head by a hammer. Obviously, those were the demands of the Russian government, not his own. As if he already Hyunwoo¡¯s mind, the stranger said, ¡°This has nothing to do with the Russian government. I¡¯m doing this solely for the future of my fathend, Russia.¡± Hyunwoo became doubtful about what he said, though. Instead of asking back, Hyunwoo tried to negotiate with the stranger. ¡°There is no guarantee that you will send back my parents safely even if I meet your demands, right?¡± ¡°Just reject my request, then. I have no regrets. It¡¯s my intention to take revenge on you on behalf of the Russian people.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s heart sank again. The stranger pressured on him all the more. ¡°Let me give you a week. Transfer the technology by then. If you reject it, you will see your father¡¯s dead body, and then your mother¡¯s one week after that. Bear in mind. Just one week.¡± Then the stranger hung up the phone. This time he called from Daejon. It seemed he continued to move his location. Hyunwoo asked his chief bodyguard to track down the stranger. ¡°Even if you find him, don¡¯t try to attack him unless you think it¡¯s a perfect chance. My parents could be in danger.¡± ¡°Sure, will do.¡± Hyunwoo was nervous, not knowing what to do. He couldn¡¯t satisfy the stranger¡¯s demands. There was no guarantee that the stranger would release his parents safely. After agonizing for a moment, Hyunwoo decided to seek the government¡¯s help. President Ha was stunned to hear that. ¡°You should have informed us earlier. Let me mobilize the troops and police immediately.¡± ¡°If the suspect gets wind of this, my parents could be in danger.¡± ¡°Got it. Let me order them to send a team of the best experts.¡± At the direction of President Ha, as many as 20,000 troops and policemen were mobilized to track down on the Russian spy. Their search for the strange was thoroughgoing, but didn¡¯t bring any good results. Six days passed quickly. Six days was like six years to Hyunwoo. There was no guarantee that the Russian spy would release his parents, but Hyunwoo had to meet his demands. Of course, he wanted to attach a condition that if his parents were hurt in any way, he would not transfer the technology. Hyunwoo made the contract with a heavy heart. At that moment, someone called Hyunwoo¡¯s phone. This time, too, it was from a total stranger. Hyunwoo hurriedly picked up the phone. Strange enough, it was not the original ckmailer¡¯s call. It was a totally different voice. His way of speaking was also strange. It had a rough North Korean ent, perhaps with the dialect of Hamgyong or Pyongan Province. What he told Hyunwoo was even more strange. ¡°I¡¯ve just saved your detained parents safely. I¡¯ve just dropped them off at Daejon Station. So, go and see them.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s jaw dropped. He was really confused about whether to believe this stranger or now. But Hyunwoo had to give him the benefit of the doubt. So, he directed his chief bodyguard to send someone to Daejon Station. And then Hyunwoo urgently asked the stranger. ¡°By the way, who are you?¡± Chapter 309

Chapter 309

But the stranger didn¡¯t reply. Instead, he only mentioned the next meeting. ¡°We¡¯re going to meet soon. Let¡¯s talk in detail when we meet. By the way, I got rid of this kidnapper. Let me send you a text message about his location.¡± As soon as he hung up the phone, the stranger sent him a message. Hyunwoo gave his chief bodyguard a direction quickly. ¡°My parents are now at Daejon Station. Please send someone there to pick them up.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± This time Hyunwoo showed him the stranger¡¯s message. It said he got rid of the kidnapper, which implied that the location might be a scene of murder. ¡°Send the security team there with the policemen. There is a high possibility that there is the body of the man who kidnapped my parents.¡± The chief bodyguard had a stunned expression. Hyunwoo also headed for Daejon Station. As he happened to be at the Samryong Motors factory in Dangjin, he was rather far from the station. But if he used his own personal helicopter, it would take only an hour to get there. Hyunwoo quickly got in the helicopter, which was thetest model equipped with Toughtex. Five minutes after he got on the helicopter, he heard from the chief bodyguard that his bodyguards found his parents at the station. ¡°Give me your phone,¡± Hyunwoo said to the chief bodyguard sitting next to him. The chief bodyguard handed the phone to him. ¡°How about their condition?¡± ¡°They don¡¯t have any injury, but they do look exhausted. Let us take them to Daejon Hospital now.¡± ¡°Yes, please. Let me talk to my father.¡± In no time, Duyoung got through to him. ¡°Son, I¡¯m okay. You must have been worried a lot.¡± ¡°Were you injured?¡± ¡°No. I was tired as the kidnapper dragged me and your mother here and there. But he didn¡¯t treat us roughly.¡± ¡°How about mother?¡± ¡°She is okay, too. She will feel much better after some rest.¡± ¡°Can I talk to her?¡± This time he talked to Jisook. She kept saying she was alright to reassure her son. ¡°Just go to the hospital now. I¡¯ming to see you now.¡± A littleter after the call, he had a call from the security team sent to the scene of murder. As expected, there were three bodies, each had bullets in their heads. ¡°Obviously, they were killed by a very able sniper,¡± they said. Hyunwoo suddenly got curious about the guy who called him in a voice with a North Korean ent. If he was that sniper, he must have been dispatched by North Korea. ¡®Is he really a North Korean sniper?¡¯ The possibility was low, given the recent inter-Korean rtions that improved recently. ¡®Who is he anyway? Is he another Russian spy?¡¯ There was a possibility that he was. Right now, Russia was in serious internal confusion. If there is a pro-Russian group, there must be an anti-Russian group. The sniper might have been dispatched by thetter. But he still couldn¡¯t understand one thing. ¡®If that¡¯s true, why did he release my parents? Did he choose a gift instead of a threat?¡¯ In the meantime, the helicopter arrived at Daejon Hospital. Hyunwoo quickly ran to the patient¡¯s room where his parents were hospitalized. Noticing Hyunwooing, Duyoung and Jisook waved at him. ¡°Son, I told you we¡¯re just fine.¡± ¡°We¡¯re all good now. You must be worried a lot.¡± Only then did the medical staff step back after learning their son just arrived. Hyunwoo approached them and held their hands. Their hands were boney and their faces looked haggard. It seemed that they grew ten years older in just six days. He just felt sad to see them. His eyes welled up with tears. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I will make sure this should never happen again.¡± Patting him on the shoulder, Duyoung said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, son. I think you have resisted well. In fact, I was a bit worried you might hand over the technology to Russia. I even thought ofmitting suicide to relieve you of any trouble, but that wasn¡¯t easy.¡± ¡°Oh, no, dad. The technology on Toughtex is not a big deal,pared to your life. To me, my family does really matter.¡± Duyoung nodded his head as if he understood Hyunwoo¡¯s intention. This time Jisook asked with a worried look. ¡°How about your wife? Looks like she must have been surprised a lot. Is the baby okay?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t tell her about you. I just told her you went on a trip. And I had her stay away from watching TV for several days. Perhaps, she still thinks you¡¯re travelling.¡± ¡°Good job! That¡¯s what I was worried about. I feel so relieved now.¡± Jisook let out a sigh of relief. Duyoung and Jisook stayed one more day at the hospital before they were discharged then moved to Hyunwoo¡¯s vi in Daejon to stay there for three days. In the meantime, the government formed a special investigation team at the Police Headquarters to identify the killed kidnappers, One weekter, Hyunwoo¡¯s parents had recovered. Yu Zuung also got to know what happened to them. Initially, she thought it strange that Hyunwoo had her stay away from the TV set, but now she realized why. These days Hyunwoo spent more time at home. Though he increased the number of bodyguards around his house, he was kind of nervous when he went outside. The stranger with a North Korean ent called Hyunwoo again. Actually, Hyunwoo was anxiously waiting for his call. ¡°I would like to meet you. You cane with your bodyguards. I¡¯ll be seeing you with my coworker. You can choose the time and ce that you want. I can even go to a police station if you want.¡± That meant he had no intention whatsoever to do any harm to Hyunwoo. ¡°Where are you now?¡± asked Hyunwoo. ¡°I¡¯m in Sosan City, not far from your house.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s meet now. The location is Tapgokri Park in Sosan City.¡± ¡°I know where it is. If I drive there now, I can reach there in 30 minutes. See you then. I will carry a fan.¡± Hyunwoo quickly moved. He mobilized arge force of bodyguards and ced them around the park and selected four of them to protect him. Hyunwoo went to the appointed ce a bit earlier, looking around. A littleter a middle-aged man carrying a fan was seen. He was sitting on a bench with his co-worker. Only then did Hyunwoo appear. As soon as he saw Hyunwoo, the stranger introduced himself. ¡°Nice to meet you here. As you might have expected, I¡¯m a spy from North Korea, trained in special tactics there. My name is Cholgyu Lee.¡± Hyunwoo didn¡¯t anticipate that he was a North Korean spy. He thought Cholgyu was a member of an ant-North Korean government organization. But he didn¡¯t look surprised. Bowing politely to him, Hyunwoo said, ¡°Thanks for saving my parents¡¯ lives.¡± ¡°I appreciate your acknowledgment. In fact, it was a tough job. It was hard to find out his location and harder to save your parents.¡± That was true. The South Korean government mobilized a total of 20,000 soldiers and policemen to search for the kidnappers, but in vain. Cholgyu found them and save his parents¡¯ lives. Hyunwoo was still in doubt about that. He wanted to know why Cholgyu wanted to involve himself in this very dangerous situation like this. ¡°Well, the main instigator this time was a guy named Youngwoo Cho with the Overseas Intelligence Bureau of Russia. He was a North Korean defector who became a naturalized Russian citizen.¡± Cholgyu Lee was very well aware of the Russian spy agency and Youngwoo. Actually, North Korea infiltrated the Russian spy agency, and one of them used to get along with Youngwoo. ordingly, North Korea could detect the Russian spy agency¡¯s operation in advance and stop Youngwoo from carrying out his n at the right time. Hyunwoo expressed thanks again, but he kept on his toes. ¡°I think North Korea must have expected something in return when you saved my parents. I would like to ask what you want from me.¡± The middle-aged man¡¯s face hardened. But he now confidently told Hyunwoo what he wanted. ¡°North Korea now needs a new leader, so some of our core members are nning a revolution. We hope you can help our North Korean people.¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes popped on. Basically he wanted Hyunwoo to help with their carrying out a coup in North Korea. Though Hyunwoo was the world¡¯s richest man with vast personal wealth, he had to be scared about the word ¡®coup¡¯ in North Korea. Cholgyu quickly exined, as if he understood Hyunwoo¡¯s concern. ¡°Of course, we don¡¯t want you to participate in the coup. We don¡¯t want to drive you into a dangerous situation.¡± ¡°Then, what do you really want?¡± ¡°I think our coup will be sessful. We¡¯ll expel current leader Kim Jungun and build a new country in North Korea, but we need money for this. If our revolution seeds, please support us financially.¡± And then he presented his own vision about a new North Korea. ¡°As you know, North and South Korea were originally one country. But they can¡¯t be one because of each other¡¯s greed. If our revolution seeds, we in the North are going to make concessions first for the unification of the two Koreas.¡± The unification form that the new North Korean government created after their sessful coup was simr to that presented by South Korea, called the Korean Community Unification. It featured a gradual and phased unification by forming amon economic and politicalmunity out of the two Koreas. Of course, Hyunwoo didn¡¯t believe him entirely. But he had no reason to reject Cholgyu¡¯s proposal. ¡°This is not something that I have to decide for myself. Let me see the President and consult with him.¡± ¡°As you know, the sess of the revolution depends on keeping it secret until thest moment. So, keep it under wraps.¡± That was totally understandable. That¡¯s why even Cholgyu didn¡¯t borate on who was orchestrating the coup. He just asked for Hyunwoo¡¯s financial help when the coup seeded. Hyunwoo nodded and said, ¡°Of course.¡± Chapter 310

Chapter 310

After parting with Cholgyu, Hyunwoo headed straight to the Blue House, the presidential office. He already made an appointment with President Ha inside his personal helicopter. The President dly agreed to meet him. ¡°Thanks for canceling other appointments to meet me, Mr. President.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee, Mr. Jang. By the way, why did you so emphasize the security of our meeting?¡± Only then did Hyunwoo lower his voice and said, ¡°Some higher-ups in North Korea are now nning a coup. If that revolution seeds, they want me to support them financially.¡± Mr. Ha was stunned to hear that. There were always rumors about coups in North Korea. In particr, such rumors got around wildly since the Kim Jungun regime took office. And that¡¯s why its leader Kim Jongun carried out merciless executions. But there had been no specific coup movements exposed like this. The fact that they had informed Hyunwoo about their n meant that their action was around the corner. Hyunwoo continued, ¡°They said if the revolution seeded, they would be willing to ept the unification form presented by South Korea. If that¡¯s true, isn¡¯t it a golden chance to bring about the unification?¡± The President opened his eyes wider at that. ¡°Let me increase our spies inside North Korea. Just in case they start the coup, we should be ready to help them.¡± Hyunwoo nodded his head and said, ¡°Above all, we should keep it secret, Mr. President. We should not make them get caught even before they start the coup if we act recklessly.¡± ¡°Of course. This is something only you and a few others in the government including me should know.¡± *** Jahwa Sr Cell became a hot seller as the research head of STM Research Center predicted. Before Jahwa Sr Cell was developed, the sr energy market was estimated at 50 GW. In today¡¯s Korean currency, it was 40 trillion won. As the return on the investment was low because of the low electricity from sr energy, there were few investors. Everybody felt sr energy cell was something that the government had to take care of. But Jahwa Sr Cell changed the people¡¯s fixed idea on this. Hyunwoo kept building sr cell factories. In three years after Jahwa sr cells were developed, Hyunwoo¡¯s sr business exceeded the existing world sr energy market of 50GW. Hyunwoo nned to increase the annual sr energy production for next year to 100GW, but the demands for sr energy was so high that even the projected increase would not be enough. Thanks to the spectacr growth of the sr energy market, the construction of nuclear power nts around the world stopped immediately. They had no reason to continue the construction when there was an alternative energy source like sr cells that boasted of high safety and pollution-free electricity. Hyunwoo applied the use of Jahwa sr cells to cars, ships and airnes. He directed the research staff on a secret project called the M Project the moment they seeded in developing Jahwa Sr Cell. And two years ago theypleted the M project in the car sector. They produced a new concept car whose body was covered with Jahwa Sr cells so that such cars could indefinitely run during the day without charging. He also pulled off a great sess in the area of model airnes. Jahwa sr cells were used not only in the delivery system equipped with an automatic piloting system but also in monitoring road conditions and scanning the terrain. Samryong Motors and STM continued to generate huge profits by producing innovative products. Ani & Funny emerged as the most popr animation leader in the world. KOVE DREAM rolled on, with its rivalpetitors beginning to drop from the race when they couldn¡¯t retrieve the return on their huge investments. In particr, his overseas business in Bandesh also made a smash hit. It was already six years since the Biotech Engineering Center seeded in developing coconut mangroves. As a result, Hyunwoo heavily invested in creating a massive coconut mangrove forest along the coasts of Bandesh, and they reaped the first harvest recently atst. Upon hearing the good news, Hyunwoo flew to Bandesh right away. Mr. Arief, the local head of his mangrove business, presented the coconut and said, ¡°This is the first coconut that we harvested from the mangrove forest. As this is a monumental harvest, we have reserved it for you.¡± ¡°Really? Let me taste it.¡± Hyunwoo tasted the coconut water. Of course, he tasted soft drinks called coconut water before. Was it because it was kept in a cool refrigerator? The coconut water from the mangrove forest tasted thicker and genuine. ¡°Wow, it quenches my thirst instantly.¡± ¡°You bet. These products are very popr in the market. The American and European buyers all tried this and gave a very favorable review.¡± ¡°Wonderful. Have youpleted the processing facilities?¡± ¡°Yes, they have already started to produce coconut soft drinks, cookies and oil.¡± Hyunwoo nodded with great satisfaction. What was more encouraging was that there were big fishing grounds in the works near the mangrove forests. ¡°Do you like fishing? It¡¯s very cool near the mangrove forest and you can expect a good catch, too.¡± Arief rmended Hyunwoo go fishing. He already arranged for a fishing boat for Hyujnwoo to enjoy fishing. ¡°Okay, let me try it then.¡± Hyunwoo got on a boat and went into the mangrove forest with Arief. The boat stopped at a proper spot, where Hyunwoo dropped a fishing rod. As Arief said, there were lots of fish in the water. Though he hardly went fishing before, Hyunwoo caught fish every five minutes. Sometimes, he caught a fish as thick as his forearm. There was an abundance of crabs and shellfish, let alone fish, in the sea around the mangrove forests. He felt the fisheries resources could generate more profits than the coconut mangrove harvests. Arief felt the same way. ¡°Actually, we¡¯re now hiring fishermen. If we pay them well, we can harvest coconuts and enjoy a good catch, too.¡± Hyunwoo hit upon a good idea at that moment. If a beginner angler like him can enjoy fishing, lots of people cane to the mangrove forest and go fishing. ¡°Why don¡¯t you develop this area as a tourist attraction? Fishing and coconutsbined as a tour package produce. How about that?¡± That was a great idea, Arief thought. The only thing that bothered him was mosquitoes. But he could find a nice way to drive away mosquitoes. ¡°Let me work on that package program.¡± Hyunwoo spent five days in Bandesh and returned to Korea. When he returned, he heard some good news from his old friends. Yonggu, his high school friend and now the CEO of Space Design, called him to say he was building the 19th hotel in Las Vegas in the USA. Space Design, originally a furniture designpany, now grew as a global hotel builder. Actually, Space Designed owed all its sess to Hyunwoo. He gave Space Design the priority right to use the animation characters of Ani & Funny, which enabled thepany to start a hotel business with great sess. Reporter Jaeyol Song with Korean Broadcasting became its president. Members of Songjukhoe also made a fantastic sess in their careers. Some of the young National Assemblymen who were elected thanks to Hyunwoo¡¯s clean politics campaign took important positions in the standingmittees, and many others in the fields of the press, prosecutors¡¯ office and judiciary establishment also yed important roles. What pleased Hyunwoo most was the happiness of his family. His parents, who underwent the terrible kidnapping some time ago, were nowpletely recovered. Yu Zuung was happy these days with their three-year-old daughter Yonju and their newborn son Gyonghak, who was born 100 days ago. Come to think of it, the source of his happiness was Yonju¡¯s birth. Since she was born, Hyunwoo¡¯s family has experienced lots of good things in a row. Of course, there was not always good news. As his business grew and more people were hired, there was inevitably some bad news. In fact, there were three big incidents involving his employees outside their workces. Some female workers were robbed on their way home. Strange enough, they were robbed inside a taxi. The taxi driver turned into a felon at some point, attacked them and took their money and goods at night. And one of them was even killed by a bad taxi driver. ¡®Never should these kinds of tragic incidents happen. Can I devise a good way to avoid this?¡¯ Suddenly, an idea shed into his mind. STM Research Center developed an automatic driving system long time ago. Though it was difficult to navigateplicated traffic downtown, it could be used effectively on country roads with little traffic. During the test run, they could find some defects in the system, and with some corrections and improvements, the automated driving system could bemercially used downtown in the near future. ¡®Yea, let me make unmanned taxis equipped with an automatic driving system. That way our female customers can safely use them.¡¯ Hyunwoo established the department of unmanned taxi business at STM and immediatelyunched the business. He chose Taean County as the site for test driving and established checkpoints in many parts of the county. At the same time, he sent out a press release to the media. He expected the people would react enthusiastically to his idea. In particr, those women who had to catch a taxite at night would be thrilled to see the unmanned taxi, he thought. But he met a very unwee and unexpected response. Chapter 311

Chapter 311

Numerous taxi drivers across the country came out to the streets to protest against Hyunwoo¡¯s unmanned taxi idea. ¡°Are you going to take away our jobs and starve our families?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s rise up against this unmanned taxi system!¡± Some radical drivers made photos or dolls that looked like him and burned them. Hyunwoo let out a sigh after watching their violent reaction. Of course, he could understand their group action. Taxi driving was their means of survival and their jobs. If unmanned taxi reced them, they would lose the means of survival. And that was why they were up in arms against the unmanned taxi idea. But Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t give up. Given the current trend, the arrival of unmanned taxi was inevitable. And there followed some ups and downs when one embarked on innovative changes in society. Hyunwoo experienced the same thing when he developed the Toughtex engine and Jahwa Sr Cell. How many people lost their jobs because of such innovative discovery? Hyunwoo scratched his head and asked, ¡°Do I really need to start this business despite such heavy criticism?¡± He felt he could not give up, after all. And he would not take away the taxi drivers¡¯ means of survival right away. The automated driving system could not function effectively in crowded traffic downtown. It was impossible to set aside drivers for the downtown unmanned taxi. When he thought as far as that, his eyes popped up suddenly. ¡°I can do it!¡± He could devise a n to use unmanned taxi for both ways. Namely, in crowded downtown traffic the unmanned taxi would require manual driving while the automatic driving system could work, as originally designed, in less crowded ces. Of course, it would be impossible for men to manually drive unmanned taxi in downtown areas every time, but using a remote-controlled driving system could be introduced. Hyunwoo directed STM Research Center to improve the remote-controlled driving system, so it could be safely applied in crowded downtown. The center sessfully developed it in one year. The remote-controlled driver could size up the traffic situation with a total of six cameras for safe driving. The test driving was done in Sosan City. Sosan City had already grown into arge city with a poption of 1.5 million. There they found several defects in the unmanned taxi system, but the test driving was satisfactory. In six months, the test driving also achieved remarkable results in downtown Seoul. Hyunwoo directed they produce 100,000 unmanned taxis immediately. At the same time, he hired 10,000 tax drivers, based on their experience in driving and geographical knowledge. He promised to hire more through the media despite a massive protest rally by taxi drivers. If he introduced this unmanned taxi system across the country, he would have to hire a total of 50,000 drivers. Thanks to his firm promise, the people paid more attention to Hyunwoo¡¯s n than the taxi drivers¡¯ protests. Hyunwoo¡¯s unmanned taxi system was a great sess. The new automatic unmanned taxi system was pretty effective with little risk of traffic idents. It boasted of its fantastic safety, above all. Hyunwoo expanded the unmanned taxi system torge cities including Seoul. He hired a total of 50,000 drivers for this business. Of course, a lot more tax drivers lost their jobs, but the general public epted the unmanned taxi system as a more reliable transportation system. The main reason for their favorable response was the cheap fare. Unmanned taxiposed of three types: luxury, four-passenger and eight-passenger taxi. The taxi fare was a bit higher than the public transportation system. Based on the luxury model, the basic charge was 2,000 won for the first 10-km, and another 1,000 won after every 3km. As the unmanned taxi was powered by Jihwa Sr Cell, the cost of fuel was minimal, and the remote-controlled driving was needed only in crowded downtown. Thanks to the introduction of the unmanned taxi system, there was a big change in the public¡¯s using transportation system. As they could use the unmanned taxi at a cheap fare, many of the people didn¡¯t need to drive their cars. As more and more unmanned taxis were on the roads, there were fewer and fewer private drivers on the downtown streets. Besides, there was a drastic reduction in the emission gas. In the past, the public could have a clear view of Mt. Pukhan only after a big shower of rain, but they could see the mountains clearly anytime now. Not only Seoul but also otherrge cities across the country enjoyed the benefits of cleaner air due to the unmanned taxi system. ordingly, there was a drastic increase in the number of people who used the unmanned taxi system. Across the country, about one million unmanned taxis were on the run. But he didn¡¯t hire any more drivers. The roads were more pleasant than before, and many people realized the positive effects of the change brought by unmanned taxi system. Some citizens¡¯ groupsunched a campaign of ¡°Let¡¯s not use our cars!¡± to continue the virtuous cycle of the unmanned taxi system. But there urred some negative effects after the innovative unmanned tax system was introduced. Some courageous couples began to use unmanned taxi as something like a movable inn. Hyunwoo let out a long sigh. ¡°Damn it. How can they use it for their own pleasure like that?¡± He could not stop them, though. Anyway, it was impossible to stop them. It would be better to have them use it openly rather than secretly. Hyunwoo devised the idea of ¡®couple taxi¡¯ for such couples. It was like a moving ¡®love hotel.¡¯ Toilet paper, water, condoms, and soft drinks were on sale inside such taxis. However, the fare of couple taxis was ten times as high as the typical unmanned taxi. Of course, this kind of business was not legal, but it didn¡¯t vite an existingw. Samryong Motors only provided such unmanned taxis, and the customers used them for such purposes. Hyunwoo expanded the business of unmanned taxi into America, Europe, and Japan. He didn¡¯t just expand it because of greed. He did it because he confirmed a potential change in the existing society by bringing in such an innovative idea. In particr, he paid special attention to the issue of the environment. If he could more actively use sr power, there wouldn¡¯t be the need for any more big power nts like nuclear power nts or thermal power nts. For this, he needed to increase sr-light power generation, which obviously would need a huge lot for construction. He joined hands with the mayor of Sosan for this project. He installed lots of Jihwa sr cells in many locations on local roads. On the asion of a sessfulunch of sr-light power generators in Sosan, Hyunwoo set up a n to cover all the roads across the country and hopefully all the world¡¯s roads and streets with Jihwa sr cells, so that ultimately these innovative sources of sr energy could fill the energy demands of the world. In the meantime, the factories of Jihwa sr cells were constantly built around the world, including China, Vietnam, and India. With the fast addition of Jihwa sr-cell factories, there came about a shock in the economies of those oil-producing countries in the world. The situation was acute in Russia, in particr. Russia¡¯s official name is the Russian Federationposed of 21 republics, 56 states, ten autonomous regions, and two special cities. Mostly, they supported the Russian Federation system because their inclusion in the system was more beneficial. But some republics and autonomous regions wanted independence. Such a phenomenon was furthered as the Russian economy was gradually copsing. In particr, the Far East region with the Yakutia republic and the Siberian region with the Buryatia republic were united under the name of the Vikal Federation to challenge the central government of Russia. The Vikal Federation didn¡¯t have arge poption, but its size was vast enough to im 60% of the whole Russian territory. Besides, it was rich with natural resources and had a good strategic location on the map. The central Russian government could never allow it to break away from the federation. Alexander and Victor, who led the Vikal Federation, were of tough disposition. In particr, Alexander was one of the most respected leaders in Russia. So, Victor voluntarily conceded to him his post as the leader of the Vikal Federation, and he was content with serving as his deputy. Alexander led the Vikal Federation as well as Victor expected. When the Western powers offered military assistance, he tly rejected. ¡°We¡¯ll resolutely reject their military support.¡± But Victor disagreed, ¡°If we reject, we won¡¯t sustain ourselves long enough.¡± But Alexander persuaded him. ¡°This is not a fight between us and Russia. Many regions and republics in the south are also waiting for a good chance to rise against central Russia. So, we can manage the Russian interference without any outside support.¡± Victor nodded. In fact, the Western powers¡¯ condition for their military support was simply uneptable. They wanted the right to develop the natural resources of the whole Siberia for 100 years. But there came about a surprising factor in the internal strife in Russia. The central Russian government began to annex other republics one by one without waging any war with them. First of all, the Ural region joined hands with Russia, followed by the northwestern and southern regions. Even the hardline Bolga district was absorbed into Russia. And now thest remaining regions were the Chechen republic and the Vikal Federation. Though the Chechenya strongly resisted, it would be a matter of time that it would fall into the hands of central Russia. And the next would be the Vikal Federation. The Vikal Federation was now as dangerous as sitting on a barrel of gunpowder. Alexander considered epting the military support of foreign countries. But the Western powers didn¡¯t respond favorably this time. They indicated they would be willing to sell weapons but didn¡¯tmit direct military assistance. Alexander deeply agonized. Then he suddenly thought of someone who could help him out. ¡®Can he help us at all?¡¯ Alexander sent a special envoy to Korea to see Hyunwoo Jang. Chapter 312

Chapter 312

Hyunwoo made a perplexed expression on his face after meeting Alexander¡¯s envoy. The envoy held his hands and pleaded earnestly, ¡°I beg you! You already witnessed the atrocities that Russiamitted in the Chechen republic, right? They already massacred thousands of people. Do you think this kind of tragedy should be allowed to go on?¡± Hyunwoo was aware of that. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t make a decision on my own. Let me consult with the President first.¡± ¡°Yes, please. Please help us.¡± Hyunwoo left the hotel room, leaving the envoy alone. But he didn¡¯t head for the Blue House to meet the President. He went back to his office and opened a map of Russia and thought deeply about the best strategy. He suddenly hit upon an idea. In fact, the current Russian strife was like a civil war. The Russian atrocities provided a good cause for outside intervention, but such an intervention would bring about international me. Even if Korea decided to intervene, there was no guarantee that the Vikal Federation could seed. Still, the conclusion that Hyunwoo came to was that he could win it. For he had been preparing something in anticipation of such civil strife in Russia. It was called the Solgae Project. Actually, the project was not intended for a war scenario in which Russia wouldunch an attack against South Korea. As the project had been proceeding very secretly, the South Korean military didn¡¯t even conduct anyrge-scale drills on it. But Hyunwoo was convinced that the Solgae Project could help the rebellious republics of Russia win the civil war. But he had to take into ount the practical benefits of Korea¡¯s participation. What can we give and what can we take in return? At that moment, he took a panoramic view of the whole Russian map. The Littoral provinces of Siberia and Sakhalin Inds. Those were the areas dominated by the Korean nation in ancient times. Hyunwoo coveted those areas in return for providing assistance to the Vikal Federation. But that was out of the question. Nheless, Hyunwoo wanted to give it a try. If he directly met with the leader of the Vikal Federation and persuaded him, he might respond favorably. For this project, however, Hyunwoo needed the President¡¯s approval first. Hyunwoo headed for the Blue House. The incumbent President was Doyoung Chung, who reced Wonju Ha when he stepped down when his term expired. President Chung, a young reform-minded politician, saw eye to eye with Hyunwoo on many affairs. Hyunwoo persuaded President Chung persistently. ¡°Let me take back the Littoral provinces in return for our assistance to the Vikal Federation. Otherwise, I¡¯ll never get involved in any negotiation.¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t dispatch our soldiers there. No matter how important our national interests are, they¡¯re not as important as our people¡¯s lives. Do you think it¡¯s right to sacrifice our young men¡¯s lives in the foreign battlefield? I can¡¯t approve the dispatch of our soldiers under any circumstances.¡± Hyunwoo understood that. ¡°But we have the Solgae Project, Mr. President. If we use it, we can help the Russian rebellions win the strife without sending our troops.¡± ¡°The Solgae Project? I have heard about it, but are you sure it can beat Russia?¡± The President looked skeptical. His reaction was natural. As the project was prepared in total secrecy, even the President didn¡¯t have a full grasp of it. ¡°Well, you will see if you approve the project. I can guarantee you that we have nothing to lose, though.¡± Only then did the president nod. ¡°Got it. I won¡¯t approve the project, though, if you tried to negotiate with the rebel leader beyond what you and I talked about here. Above all, I won¡¯t send our troops.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± After parting with the president, Hyunwoo now headed for Irkutsk next to the Vikalke, where the Vikal Federation government was located. Alexander, Victor, and Hyunwoo sat face to face. Hyunwoo brought up the topic first. ¡°Hand over the Littoral provinces south of the Amur River and the inds south of Sakhalin Inds to South Korea. This is the condition of our government in return for its assistance.¡± Victor¡¯s jaw dropped at his demands. ¡°That¡¯s nonsense...¡± But Alexander was not easily excited. Instead, he looked at Hyunwoo quietly, lost in thoughts. And then he cautiously opened his mouth, ¡°As you know, trading can happen only when we give and take on an equal footing. If you want that vastnd, you must have something to give us in return.¡± Victory intervened quickly, ¡°No, no, this is too much. Nonsense!¡± Alexander raised his hand and stopped Victor. ¡°Let¡¯s listen to what he has to say, Victor.¡± Hyunwoo then presented his opinion, ¡°First of all, we will help you win the current strife. If you don¡¯t win, we won¡¯t get thend, of course. Secondly, we¡¯ll provide you with military assistance for 20 years. If the Vikal Federation disappears from history in 20 years, we won¡¯t get thend, either.¡± Alexander kept silent. Obviously, he was not ready to ept Hyunwoo¡¯s conditions. Hyunwoo continued, ¡°Thirdly, we will provide economic assistance. Even if the Vikal Federation bes independent from central Russia, you will suffer severe economic difficulties. The economic assistance of Korea will help you ovee the difficulties.¡± At that moment Victor asked excitedly, ¡°How much assistance...¡± But Alexander stopped him again because he might want to ask questions after Hyunwoo was done. Hyunwoo now mentioned thest but not the least benefits. ¡°Lastly, we are going to raise the GNP of the Vikal Federation to 10,000 dors per person within 20 years.¡± Now it was Alexander¡¯s turn to ask. ¡°How much is your economic assistance?¡± ¡°We are thinking of 100 billion dors. I think that is enough to restore your country devastated by the civil war.¡± Alexander shook his head. ¡°Well, that¡¯s far below what I had in mind. I thought you would provide at least one trillion dors.¡± This time Hyunwoo shook his head and exined, ¡°Sorry, that¡¯s all our government can give at this point. We can¡¯t give you any more.¡± Alexander could not make a decision easily. What was more important was the future of the Vikal Federation after the civil war. It was around noon the next day when Alexander sat face to face with Hyunwoo again. Alexander opened his mouth, ¡°Are you sure the Korean government can¡¯t give any more assistance than what you mentioned yesterday?¡± ¡°Yes, no more,¡± said Hyunwoo coldly. Alexander then asked in a different way, ¡°Okay. Can you assist the Vikal Federation individually? If you ept my proposal, let me hand over thends you mentioned to Korea.¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wider with surprise. ¡°What kind of proposal?¡± ¡°I heard that your personal wealth is over one trilion dors. Can you use some of your wealth to support us? And please allow ourpanies to use either the technology of Toughtex engine or Jihwa Sr Cell. If you okay it, let me hand over the Littoral inds to South Korea, and the Sakhalin inds to you.¡± Hyunwoo scratched his head at his proposal. In fact, Hyunwoo was willing to pay as much as Alexander wanted as long as he could obtain the Russian inds. What was important was the Toughtex engine and the Jihwa Sr Cell. That was not Hyunwoo¡¯s own property but the future industry of Korea. Of course, Alexander didn¡¯t want it in entirety. He just wanted the right to use the technology of either one. Which one should he give to Alexander? In fact, nobody could imitate the core technology of Toughtex. On the other hand, the technology of Jihwa Sr Cell itself was not that great despite the excellence of its original concept. ¡°Sure. Let me personally support you with 100 billion dors. Let me also give yourpanies the right to sell Jihwa S cells to Europe.¡± At that moment, Victor clenched his fist, as if he was satisfied with Hyunwoo¡¯s proposal. Alexander¡¯s face brightened. But the negotiation was not over yet. Alexander tried his best to get the most out of this deal as he had to hand over the vastnds to Korea. ¡°Okay, then. Our deal is done! I¡¯ve one more condition, though,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Our country won¡¯t provide anybat assistance. Of course, we will help you win the civil war without our troops.¡± Nodding his head, Alexander said, ¡°No problem. What we want is just victory, notbat troops.¡± Three monthster, Russia annexed the Chechen republic, atst. Originally, Russia nned to conquer the Chechen republic in one month and attack the Vikal Federation. But the resistance of the Chechen republic was much stronger than expected. ording to the intelligence, there was little evidence that the United States, China, Japan and Europe would provide any support to the Vikal Federation. By using the satellites, they confirmed the movement of tens of thousands of containers moving to the Vikal Federation from South Korea, but there weren¡¯t weapons. Though South Korea was economically growing fast, its military strength was not yetrge enough to draw Russia¡¯s attention. And summer was approaching; it was the best time for attack. The Russian militarymander ordered, ¡°Concentrate all our military resources on the Vikal Federation.¡± They mobilized tens of thousands of fighters, tanks, and troops and marched toward the Vikal Federation. There was no severe military resistance from the Vikal Federation until the Russian troops marched deep into the Siberian territory. The fall of Irkutsk would mean the victory of the civil war. The Russian President had a broad smile, checking the war situation. ¡°Alexander, you can¡¯t do anything now. Why did you make that stupid choice when you don¡¯t have any guts to resist?¡± But at that moment he began to hear some bad news from the frontline, ¡°The 347th Fighter Wing was annihted.¡± Chapter 313

Chapter 313

The 347th Fighter Wing was a powerful elite air unitposed of 22 state-of-the-art fighters and sevenbat helicopters. The Russian president couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. ¡°What the heck are you talking about? Annihted?¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. President. They were all annihted by the enemy fighters that suddenly appeared.¡± ¡°Enemy fighters? Tell me how strong the enemy fighters are as you say they annihted our elite air unit?¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t yet figured it out. They are just bbering about it...As soon as we have an urate report from the frontline, I¡¯ll get back to you, sir.¡± After the call, the president had cold sweat on his back. He had a grim sense of foreboding. He thought that the Vikal Federation might be getting powerful military assistance from outside. In the Tuba republic, a part of the Siberian territory located in the south of Siberia, the mighty army and air force of Russia attacked the Tuba republic to conquer Irkutsk by mobilizing over 100 tanks and 30 fighters. As they located the military targets in advance, they relentlessly attacked the targets. As soon as they marched into the Tuba republic, they quickly moved to the air force base. But it was empty; the soldiers must have fled. The Russian military officers made fun of them. Actually, these officers were not aware of the crushing defeat of the 347 Fighter Wing. ¡°Haha, I think we could conquer Irkutsk in two days.¡± ¡°No, we can march into Irkutsk even tomorrow and hug the girls there, hahaha.¡± At that moment, there was an urgent radio from a scout. ¡°Strange flying objects are approaching the area.¡± ¡°Strange flying objects? Are they fighters?¡± ¡°They¡¯re too small as fighters. Ooops, I see missiles underneath them. Each object has two missiles.¡± ¡°What? Missiles?¡± ¡°Wow, there are so many of them in the sky. It looks like they will reach the air base there in about 20 minutes.¡± The scout repeated warning signals several times. The intelligence officer was so confused. While he was examining the radar, he couldn¡¯t trace any enemy fighter on the radar screen. ¡°Are they cutting-edge stealth fighters?¡± ¡°They are flying very low now. Besides, they¡¯re so small they can¡¯t be detected by the radar.¡± ¡°Really? How many are they? How far are they from us?¡± ¡°Numerous. Looks like thousands of them. They are now flying within less than 100km from our base here. We¡¯re in danger!¡± The scout¡¯s urgent voice was repeatedly heard, but the intelligence officer couldn¡¯t figure it out. The intelligence officer quickly reported to themander. ¡°Commander, we have a report from the scout that the enemy fighters appeared in the 3 o¡¯clock direction, but it looks like they are stealth fighters as I can¡¯t trace them on the radar.¡± ¡°Stealth fighters? It looks like they must have hidden the stealth fighters until recently. Have the surface-to-air missiles ready and alert the air force for the sorties.¡± Themander¡¯s order was immediately issued, and the relevant units quickly moved. The Russian fighters were full of confidence because they were far superior to their rivals of the Vikal Federation. But in less than five minutes of them making a sortie, they had to face apletely different situation. Numerous heat-seeking missiles suddenly appeared and defeated the Russian fighters. ¡°What the heck is this? Where did the missilese from?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see them on the radar screen.¡± They were not seen even with the naked eyes. In the meantime, the heat-seeking missiles kepting in. The Russian fighters tried to avoid them by jamming electronic waves, but in no vain. Now they could see the fighters of the Vikal air force, which had been flying low but now raised their altitude. It looked like the whole sky was covered with these fighters. ¡°Huk! What the heck are they?¡± ¡°Are you sure they are all enemy fighters?¡± But they felt something strange. ¡°They¡¯re too small to be called fighters. They look like model nes.¡± ¡°Yea, they¡¯re model nes, but they¡¯re equipped with missiles.¡± The model ne-like fighters had two missile rockets each with a striking range of 5km. But their attacking power was enormous. As they were equipped with the function of stealth, the Russian air force could not detect them until they were within a very close range. The Russian fighters counterattacked by firing missiles at them. But these missiles couldn¡¯t hit the enemy fighters at all. A littleter the very Russian fighter that survived to thest minute were shot down by the enemy missile. A total of 21 fighters and 9 helicopters were shot down. On the other hand, only five enemy fighters were shot down. The next targets of the model nes were the Russian ground troops. The attack on them was carried out by the model nes in the sky. As the enemy nes were flying higher than 1000m in the sky, the surface-to-air missile couldn¡¯t shoot them down, and it was hard to fire an aimed shot. ¡°Bravo! Our mission is so sessful!¡± The Solgae 7 Team shouted for joy, hi-fiving each other. They scored two victories today. The Solgae 3 Team said they also defeated a Russian enemy unit. Other teams sent out various types of Solgae model nes to their targets. There was a variety of Solgae models. Some of them were equipped with heat-seeking missiles, and others with guided missiles. There was a total of 3000 Solgae teams dispatched by Korea. The Solgae fighter series totalled 90,000. Ten teamsposed of 300 soldiers operated 9,000 Solgae models. When they made a sortie, there were mobilized 3,000 Solgae nes, which returned to their home bases after each fired two missiles. The role of Solgae teams was simple. Once they confirmed the location of enemy fighters and tanks, they just issued an order to the Solgae model nes. Then, Solgae nes equipped with an automatic attacking system flew close to the targets and fired missiles. ordingly, it was not hard for the Solgae teams of 300 soldiers to operate 3,000 Solgae nes simultaneously every day. Their operation was an overwhelming victory. The Solgae model ne, which cost only 3 million won per unit, easily defeated the Russian fighter that cost over 100 billion won per unit. The Solgae Teams continued to crush the Russian units. They destroyed more than 1000 Russian fighters and 4000 tanks, let alone armored tanks and trucks. Russia continued to send troops, but they didn¡¯t know what to do. To make matters worse, the Vikal Federation made a preemptive attack. A total of 30,000 fighters started attacking major Russian army bases. Though the Russian army quickly responded, they couldn¡¯t counterattack properly mainly because the Solgae units of the Vikal Federation flew deep into the Russian territory, even close to the outskirts of Moscow, without being detected by radar. The Chechen republic rebels, once suppressed by Russia, now began to counterattack, followed by Volka and Ural regions. Alexander, the top leader of the Vikal Federation, saw this was a golden chance to join hands with these rebellious regions for independence. ¡°What we want is not to overthrow the Russian government but independence from Russia. Make the choice whether you want to resist until Russia is erased from the world map or co-exist in peace.¡± Russia had no other choice now. After all, the Russian president issued a special announcement. That was the official statement that announced the end of the Russian civil war. The Vikal Federation government expressed jubtion. The Solgae Team and the Korean government also shouted for joy. They watched the statement of the Russian president on TV. The Vikal Federation dered its independence formally and overhauled its government organizations. At the same time, it gave the Littoral inds south of Amur River and Sakhalin inds a 20-year lease for free. The Korean government gave them economic assistance and helped them with their post-war restoration efforts. If Korea kept all the promises it originally made, the Vikal government would hand over the leasednds including the Littoral inds and Sakhalin inds to Korea forever. Holding Hyuwnoo¡¯s hands, his father Duyoung praised, ¡°What a nice job! I¡¯m so proud of you.¡± ¡°I owe my sess to you, dad.¡± ¡°Thanks, son. I¡¯m so touched by your achievement.¡± Duyoung even shed tears out of joy. On the other hand, he felt sorry for the division of the two Koreas. ¡°Even if the Littoral inds and Sakhalin inds belong to Korea, what¡¯s the use of it when our country is divided into the North and the South like now?¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo was about to mention something about a coup in North Korea. But he was not supposed to leak anything about it to anybody, not even to his father. Hyunwoo just emphasized the positive side of the story. ¡°Well, my next goal is the unification of the two Koreas. So, please wait a little more.¡± ¡°Yea, sure. What¡¯s the point of owning enormous wealth? I would sacrifice anything if the two Koreas were united. I wonder if I can live to see that.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, dad. I promise you that you can drive a car to Mt. Paekdu for a tour. So, you should stay fit. If you lose your health, you can¡¯t travel to Mt. Paekdu even if the two Koreas are united.¡± Duyoung nodded strongly, ¡°Sure, I¡¯m going to live and see the two Koreas united.¡± Chapter 314

Chapter 314

Ohsung Group was once the signaturepany of Korea. Although there were severalpanies that were asrge as Ohsung, they didn¡¯t surpass Ohsung in terms of thepany value and image. But it was no more. The most prestigiouspany that represented Korea was STM. STM provided the core technology of Toughtex to Samryong Motors. Jihwa Sr Cell was also developed and produced by STM. ordingly, nobody could talk about Korea¡¯s signaturepany without mentioning STM. The next prestigiouspany after STM was Samryong Motors. In terms of the sales volume, Samryong Motors surpassed STM. It was the world¡¯srgest carmaker, mass-producing electric cars. Though there were lots of cars powered by gasoline sold now, carmakers could no longer rely on the internalbustion engines run by gasoline. ordingly, many car makers in Europe and America had to give up their majority shareholder¡¯s position to introduce Toughtex engines for survival. Ani & Funny was also Korea¡¯s most prominent animationpany. Though it had only 900 employees in Korea, the total workforce was 20,000 when the staff of its overseas branches in China, India and Vietnam wasbined. Hyunwoo spent arge share of his revenues on education and research. About 80% of the kindergartens across the country were run by Dalnim Kindergarten, and Haenim School, an alternative high school, branched out as many as 150 alternative schools with 50,000 students around the country. Sinsung University opened a variety of departments including science, music, cuisine, and cosmetics, with its students reaching over 100,000. When those overseas students from China, Vietnam, and other countries werebined, the students attending Sinsung University numbered over one million worldwide. STM Research Center had over 3,000 Ph. D holders, in addition to its overseas research centers. Hyunwoo¡¯s goal was not just investment alone. That was part of his final goal. Sinsung University and STM Research Center produced more than one thousand patents, utility models and creative works every year. And Hyunwoo actively helped aspirant entrepreneurs start venture businesses. There were more than 100 venturepanies founded by STM Research Center, and 70% of them were ready topete in the markets with their innovative products. As for KOVE DREAM Hyunwoo didn¡¯t intervene in its management from the beginning. And when its member countries were financially stable enough, he lowered his stakes in thosepanies below 40% so as to hand hisrge shareholder¡¯s status back to them. Such mid-sizedpanies numbered over 3000, which grew as the pirs of the Korean economy today. Hyunwoo also had arge number ofpanies abroad including Beng in Bandesh. Beng signed contracts with not only Bandesh but also Thand, Vietnam, and India and ntedmercial mangroves along their coasts. Mangroves produced not only coconuts but also natural rubber. Mangroves nted like that now numbered more than 10 billion trees around the world. Each mangrove generated 100 dors per year, and profits were four dors. As Hyunwoo owned STM, Samryong Motors and Ani & Funny, Beng¡¯s revenues didn¡¯t mean anything special to him. But the host countries with the mangrove forests paid lots of attention to this new business. For example, Bandesh¡¯s GNP soared five times as high, thanks to the sales profits of its massive mangrove forests. In Bandesh, Hyunwoo was recognized as a national hero, with statues of him set up in more than 100 ces. Thanks to Hyunwoo¡¯s mangrove business, Korea and Bandesh forged a good rtionship. That¡¯s why Hyunwoo had to visit Bandesh once a year for various events. This year, too, he and Yu Zuung were invited to the festival of Gorban, the biggest holiday in Bandesh. Both of them enjoyed the festival and took time out to visit the mangrove forest and go fishing. Domestically, there was also a growing interest in the Solgae Project. The previous regime was very actively involved in it, but it invested only 5 trillion won. Though 5 trillion won was not a small amount, it was not sufficient at all. As evidenced recently in its fantastic performance in the Russian civil war, the Sr Project had a very powerful performance that could crush the Russian army. Hyunwoo refocused on this project. In particr, he directed a new research project called Solgae 2 Project. The typical Solgae is Solgae 523 model equipped with heat-seeking missiles. It looked like a hang glider, with its wings 3m wide and its length 4m long. Given its size, it was very light. Including the heat-seeking missiles loaded underneath, it weighed 92 kg and 70 kg without the missiles. But there were shorings, too. The biggest weakness was its slow speed. No matter how fast it flew, it couldn¡¯t fly over 400km/h. When confronted with a strong wind, it might be swept away. Another drawback was that it was susceptible to outside shock. If a bomb dropped amid a Solgae squadron in the sky, it could destroy several Solgae instantly. Solgae 2 Project was intended to find the method to correct such shorings and improve. While he was encouraging the Solgae research team, he got a call from the president. This was a second call from him. I shouldn¡¯t get too close to the politicians like this... But the president gave him unexpected news, which Hyunwoo was earnestly waiting for. ¡°They started a coup in North Korea. Top leader Kim Jungun was shot to death and the Defense Minister Youngchong Hwang assumed power.¡± ¡°Ah, finally they made it!...¡± ¡°We held an emergency meeting on this. I think we might need the Solgae Project once more. Can you attend our meeting?¡± ¡°Sure, let mee right away.¡± He headed to his own helicopter to attend the meeting at the Blue House. Then, he got another call. ¡°Hello, it¡¯s been a while. My name is Cholgyu Lee. I met you some time ago. Do you remember me?¡± How could Hyunwoo forget Cholgyu who saved his parents? ¡°Of course, I do.¡± ¡°I think you have heard the news by now. Our Revolution has seeded. But this is the most important moment for us. Please help a new North Korea!¡± Hyunwoo nodded his head. ¡°Got it, let me help you as much as possible.¡± After the call, he headed for the Blue House. All the ministers already gathered there. He noticed former president Wonju Ha there. President Chung briefly exined about the situation. ¡°This project has been in the works during the previous regime, so I invited the former president like this.¡± As the situation was very fluid in North Korea, the meeting proceeded quickly. The core agenda was how to deal with the request of the new North Korean regime for economic aid. There was some opposition to the aid, but when Mr. Ha and Hyunwoo voiced their deep support of the effort, they were all persuaded. President Chung gave a quick instruction. ¡°What they want right now is food and energy. Please provide the North Korean regime as much assistance as they want. But we have to attach some conditions. And hold a working-level meeting with them on economic cooperation as soon as possible...¡± The core condition that the South put forward was the promotion of inter-Korean exchanges. The first step in that direction was to have a inter-Korean working-level meeting to jointly develop the demilitarized zone (DMZ) in the truce line. The DMZ would house the joint venturepanies of the two Koreas. And then there would be massive exchanges of both Koreas at the civilian level with all the roads in thend, in the air and in the sea open. If such massive inter-Korean exchanges continued, the two Koreas that remained divided for more than 70 years would be able to be reunited as one, and that wouldy the foundation for unification someday. Chapter 315

Chapter 315

The new regime of North Korea epted all the demands of South Korea. They rather wanted more speed inter-Korean exchanges with the logic that faster economic growth of the North could quicken the unification with the South. In the meantime, the North Korean regime continued to execute political opponents because those who followed Kim Jungun tried to overthrow the new regime. In particr, there were many executions in the military. Though the new regime was unstable for a couple of months, it solidified its power. Defense Minister Youngchol Hwang reced the existing top officials with his close aides. Anyone who showed the slightest sign of dissent was relieved of his post and reced with a new figure. Though there was strong opposition to the ongoing executions, the new regime continued to rece the existing power holders with their loyal deputies. And South Korea also offered massive food and energy assistance to the new regime for its stability. Thanks to such efforts the Hwang regimepletely solidified its power in less time that they thought. In fact, the South Korean government was worried about the new North Korean leader¡¯s possible change of attitude. But North Korea¡¯s top leader Youngchol Hwang didn¡¯t change his mind. He kept the promise he made several years ago one by one. He even announced the unification form of the two Koreas through an official statement. Besides, the new North Korean regime took the initiative to propose ways to ease military tension. As part of such efforts, the North closed or moved its biochemical units deployed around the truce line of the two Koreas. They even dismantled their conventional weapons and reduced the troops. The soldiers who became civilians overnight after they were discharged from the army took tools instead of guns and got to work in the newly established South-North joint venture factories near the DMZ, the fruits of inter-Korean economic cooperation. As the North Korean regime continued to take the initiatives like this, the South Korean government became nervous. President Chung actively tried to steal the show. The two Korean leaders and working officials met to discuss the joint unification form, and finally tranted it into action. The people of both Koreas shouted for joy. They hugged each other in excitement. ¡°I couldn¡¯t believe my ears!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think they are joking on this, right?¡± Those seniors who left his family members behind North Korea were especially thrilled to hear the news. They held hopes that they could visit their hometowns in the North before they died. In fact, their hopes were realized in about one month as the civilians¡¯ free visit to both Koreas was allowed. Hyunwoo now spent almost all of his personal wealth for the development of North Korea. He set up numerous schools in the North, and made sure that all his new factories be built in the North. In the meantime, the railroads linking the southern port of Pusan to Kaesung, Pyongyang, and Uiju and all the way up to Beijing were also constructed, and a trans-Siberian railroad was also opened. Both Koreas were in the process of bing one Korea fast. But Hyunwoo was a bit worried about the fast reintegration of the two Koreas. Above all, he found it difficult to keep the promise to his father that he would give him a ride to Mt. Paekdu. The condition was perfect. Lots of people already traveled to Mt. Myohyang, Kumkang and Paekdu on trains or nes. As security in such ces was improved drastically, there were less idents than before. But Duyoung and Jisook couldn¡¯t freely travel to Mt. Paekdu because of their chronic illnesses. They were in hospital beds as their illness became worse. What made Hyunwoo feel sad was his parents¡¯ stubbornness. In particr, it was even unimaginable to take Duyoung out of the hospital as he relied on a wheelchair. But Duyoung insisted on climbing Mt. Paekdu. ¡°Dad, you can¡¯t climb the mountain with your physical condition. Just try to recover your health first. ording to the doctor, you can walk up there next spring.¡± But Duyoung shook his head and said, ¡°Think of this. How long do you think I can live like this? I should have died 40 years ago when I was in that traffic ident. But I¡¯ve lived up to now thanks to you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say so, dad. You should live to be 100 years old with mom. You have to live to see your grandson and granddaughter go to school.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t. I know my own physical condition better than anybody else. What is the point of just sustaining my life here in bed? I would like to feel that dynamic vigor in life even if I live one day.¡± That was true. If Hyunwoo were in his father¡¯s shoes, he would feel the same way. ¡°Son, I would like to see Mt. Paekdu with my own eyes. Isn¡¯t it the unification of the two Koreas an event that my son has brought about? I would like to feel the joy of setting foot on Mt. Paekdu while I was alive.¡± In fact, the Korean unification was made possible by all the Koreans¡¯ efforts, not his own. But every parent in Duyoung¡¯s position would think so. ¡°Please take me to Mt. Paekdu. I would rather die while going to Mt. Paekdu instead of sustaining my life like this. Don¡¯t you understand my feelings?¡± ¡°Me, too, son. I feel the same way,¡± Jisook seconded. Now, Hyunwoo had no other choice. Several dayster, a huge helicopter arrived on the rooftop of the hospital. It was huge enough to carry 30 people inside. Duyoung insisted on driving to Mt. Paekdu, but his medical staff carried him and Jisook in the helicopter. Eight doctors were in the helicopter to take care of them. Not only Hyunwoo and Yu Zuung but also their son Kyonghak and daughter Yonju were also in the helicopter, along with other rtives who wanted to see Mt. Paekdu. But there was a reason that his whole family moved together. They were worried that they might not see Duyoung and Jisook pass away if they didn¡¯te with the two this time. The helicopter took off. Although as many as 20 people were on the helicopter, it quickly took off thanks to the powerful Toughtex engine. The helicopter passed through Seoul, Paju and Kaesung in the North quickly. Duyoung and Jisook watched the scenery through the windows. The helicopter soon arrived over the Kaema teau and raised its altitude gradually to get to the top of Mt. Paekdu. It was now hovering over Chonji Pond on the top. ¡°Let me get out. I would like to touch the earth there,¡± said Duyoung. ¡°No, it¡¯s too cold outside and very windy.¡± ¡°Please allow me to do so.¡± Hyunwoo dissuaded him, but he insisted. After all, Hyunwoo gave in. ¡°Let the helicopternd on thending strip now.¡± As soon as the helicopternded, the medical staff covered both of them with nkets and carried them near Chonji Pond. And Duyoung and Jisook touched the water of Chonji Pond with their hands. ¡°So good!¡± ¡°It¡¯s cold out here. Let¡¯s get inside now.¡± ¡°Wait a minute. Let me stay here a bit longer.¡± Both of them stayed there for about five minutes. The five minutes felt like five years to Hyuwnoo. But Duyoung and Jisook enjoyed the five minutes to the fullest. ¡°Great. Let¡¯s go now.¡± As soon as Duyoung said, the medical staff quickly carried them back into the helicopter. Fortunately, they seemed okay. Both of them had a happy smile as if they owned the whole world. Only then did Hyunwoo let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Let¡¯s go back now.¡± ¡°I would like to take a look at the Littoral inds and Sakhalin inds, too.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go there next time. This is too much for you.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the difference between lying in the hospital bed and lying here in the helicopter? There is no guarantee that we cane here next time. Let me just look down on them like this.¡± ¡°Okay, then.¡± The helicopter flew further north. They looked around the vast farnds near the Hankake and snow-covered Sakhalin inds. Duyoung and Jisook held out well until then. But it was too burdensome a schedule for them. Hyunwoo made sure that the helicopter flew back over Mt. Paekdu at the request of Duyoung, but Duyoung didn¡¯t watch Chonji Pond again. As the helicopter was increasing the altitude to fly over Mt. Paekdu, he passed away. Hyunwoo was so sad, bursting into tears. But Jisook didn¡¯t cry. Though she was very weak, she put her husband¡¯s head on her knee and then kept stroking his face, whose eyes were closed peacefully. Her expression was as peaceful as his. And then she stopped moving her hand at some point. Though both were born on different dates, she kept the promise to him that she would die on the same day with him. Hyunwoo just kept weeping silently. Kyunghak and Yonju cried like their father. Yu Zuung hugged him tightly. Chapter 316

Chapter 316

17 yearster... Summer came to the Littoral Province of Russia, often called the frozennd. Yu Zuung opened her arms and breathed in as much as she could. ¡°Thisnd has finally returned to Korea, right?¡± Hyunwoo nodded at her asking. After the two Koreas were united, Hyunwoo and South Korea kept their promise to the Vikal Federation, and finally, the Littoral Province and Sakhalin inds were returned to the unified Korea. Hyunwoo and Yu Zuung travelled to Sakhalin to celebrate their historic return. ¡°You¡¯re really great, honey. I wish my homnd Vietnam reimed its ancientnds.¡± She praised Hyunwoo. But he was not that thrilled. In retrospect, he began to feel empty after he watched thest moments of his parents. His feelings of emptiness deepened as time went by. Hyunwoo was suffering from a serious panic disorder. The best medical staff tried to treat him but in vain. Yu Zuung made a sad expression at that. But she soon brightened her expression because Hyunwoo¡¯s life would bepletely different from now on. He gave up all his posts at hispanies and turned into an ordinary man. Perhaps he could gain a new joy in his life as an ordinary man. Hyunwoo and Yu Zuung didn¡¯t use cars because they didn¡¯t need to hurry, no matter what they did. Basically, they enjoyed taking a walk together. Though Hyunwoo was over 70 now, he continued to maintain his health by doing a workout regrly, so his walking tour was not so hard on him. There were many people on walking tours like Hyunwoo and Yu Zuung in the Littoral Province. Sometimes, they met couples taking a break on the roads. There were inns for such people. ¡°Sir, would you want to try this?¡± Were they a couple? A couple of middle-aged travelers in their mid orte-40s called Hyunwoo and Yu Zuung. They were sitting on a mat with some fruits and snacks on it. In fact, Hyunwo and Yu Zuung were a bit thirsty, so they were about to take some water. And the middle-aged couple looked good and kind-hearted. Instead of refusing their suggestion, Hyunwoo and Yu Zuung sat on the mat. ¡°Thanks, young men.¡± Hyunwoo and Yu Zuung were once global figures and got the most press attention when they were outside. But there were not many who recognized them these days. The middle-aged couple, too, didn¡¯t know who they were. ¡°Are you on a trip here?¡± asked Hyunwoo, drinking water. ¡°Yes, sir. We¡¯ve taken a vacation toe here.¡± ¡°You look like a couple. How about your children?¡± They looked gloomy at his question. Hyunwoo felt sorry he asked the wrong question. The middle-aged man answered, though. ¡°As you might have sensed it already, we could not have a baby even ten years after we got married. I think we couldn¡¯t be happier if we had a baby.¡± ¡°Well, we had the same experience. We had a baby long after we got married, though we didn¡¯t wait for ten years. So, I know your feelings. But don¡¯t give up. You will certainly have good news.¡± They brightened their expressions and said, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what we strongly hope for. So, we are now leading a happy life, thinking about what we can do for our baby when it¡¯s born. If we have a baby, we would like to make him or her the happiest because we had such a hard time having a baby.¡± ¡°Haha, it looks like your future babies might be very happy to hear that. What would you do? I¡¯d like to hear.¡± ¡°Well, we have thought about lots of things. I think I saw it somewhere in a book, which I think is best.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± asked Hyunwoo, showing great interest. ¡°I hear there is the best gift that parents can give to their children. Do you know what it is?¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo felt he was struck by electricity. He felt he said something about it to his parents but couldn¡¯t remember. He quietly looked at the middle-aged man. With a smile, he said, ¡°My parents passed away after leading a happy life. You have to leave your children with such memories. That¡¯s what I read from a book.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s jaw dropped at that. Only then did he remember something. When Jisook was hospitalized, she reproached herself, saying the hospital bills could give Hyunwoo a hard time. The middle-aged man continued, ¡°Come to think of it, I think I received such a gift from my parents. I don¡¯t have a millstone around my neck because my parents passed away after a happy life. The only regrets I have is that they didn¡¯t see their grandchildren. Haha.¡± Hyunwoo felt the same way. Though Duyoung and Jisook were not healthy and had a hard time because of poverty for a long time, they actually led a happy life. They were happy until thest moments of their life. But Hyunwoo felt he alone was sad. Even now he felt his heart was broken when he thought about his parents. And that might have caused a panic disorder for him. His sickness like that gave his family a hard time. His wife Yu Zuung and children Yonju and Kyonghak did their best to help Hyunwoo take back his happiness. But Hyunwoo alone could not get out of the sad memories of the past. Suddenly, he felt sorry for his family. And at the same time, he felt he could take a load off his mind from now on. Yea, I did my best for my parents. And they passed away happily anyway. Hyunwoo held their hands tightly. ¡°Thanks so much for your moving episode. I¡¯ve learned a good thing from you. Can you give me your contact number? Let¡¯s meet again if fate allows it.¡± He gave his name card to Hyunwoo. His name was Kangho Kim, and he was a sales manager of a smallpany. Kangho stood up first, ¡°We took a good break, sir. We¡¯re going to leave now. Have a good time¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Hyunwoo and Yu Zuung took a walk again. Suddenly, Hyunwoo felt refreshed about everything he saw on the road he just passed by. One clump of grass and each tree along the road were reflected in his eyes as he had never seen them before. He felt he could think straight now. Though he thought a lot while he was walking a while ago, he now thought about different stuff. He thought about his work a while ago. Though he stopped working at the rmendation of his wife, he was still worried about his formerpanies. But he now thought about his children only. Come to think of it, he didn¡¯t pay any attention or care to his children. Though Yu Zuung had a hard time having the first and second baby, and he was so happy when they were born, he didn¡¯t make them happy. He didn¡¯t take good care of his children with the excuse of a busy schedule. Though he had brought them up in wealth, he felt he didn¡¯t give fatherly love to them properly. Again, he recalled what Kangho said to him and what he told his mother Jisook. The biggest gift that parents can give to their children. Hyunwoo had not yet given his children such a gift. ¡®Yea, I should be happy. How can I make anybody happy when I¡¯m not happy? Let¡¯s live for myself from now on.¡¯ Hyunwoo held Yu Zuung¡¯s hand tightly. She looked at him. Hyunwoo made a bright smile, and so did she. She was as beautiful as ever, and she always smiled at him. But her smile hadn¡¯t looked happy for some time. Perhaps that¡¯s because he began to suffer from panic disorder. ¡°It looks like it¡¯s getting dark. Let¡¯s walk a bit faster.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Hyunwoo walked back, holding her hand. There was an inn 3 km away from his ce. So, they decided to stay there for the night. Perhaps they might see Kangho and his wife there again. When they walked back about an hour, they noticed lodging. There were four rooms avable there. When they arrived there, it was almost upied, except for a small room. It looked like God reserved it for them. ¡°Great. Let¡¯s stay here tonight.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Unpacking their stuff, Hyunwoo asked the worker at the inn. ¡°Did you happen to see a young couple? They are in their 40s. I think they got here about 30 minutes earlier.¡± As if he remembered the couple, the young worker snapped his fingers and said, ¡°Oh, they just left. They asked me if there was any room avable, so when I said only one room was left, they hesitated a bit and then left.¡± ¡°Is there any other lodging near here?¡± ¡°Well, you have to walk up about 10 km to find one.¡± Hyunwoo was convinced that the Kangho couple expected he woulde here for the night, so he asked if there were any rooms avable. When he found out there was only one left, they just passed by. If they took it, they knew Hyunwoo and his wife couldn¡¯t find any room. Hyunwoo was touched by Kangho¡¯s warm consideration. Yu Zuung was so happy to hear that. ¡°We have to pay them back when we have a chance.¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± Hyunwoo and Yu Zuung traveled through the Littoral Province to Sakhalin. It was a month-long trip for them. Hyunwoo learned a very big thing from this trip. He felt he was reborn. As soon as he arrived in Sosan, he called Kangho Kim. Kangho lived in Seoul. Back to the office after three days¡¯ trip to the Littoral Province, he was working hard. Hyunwoo drove to Seoul and expressed deep thanks to him. ¡°I really appreciate your hospitality in the Littoral Province. This is my little gift for you. Please ept it.¡± It was a file envelope. Kangho could not confirm what it was. Obviously, it was not money. But Kangho didn¡¯t take it thoughtlessly. ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t do anything for you, sir.¡± ¡°I know you intentionally left the room for us. I guess you walked very long that day.¡± ¡°Oh, we just wanted to take a walk a little longer. So, don¡¯t feel any burden.¡± ¡°Besides, I learned a lot from you on that day. Just ept it. I think I will feel morefortable if you ept this.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Oh, this is a free ticket to use my hospital. I think it can be of help to your wife.¡± Kangho received the envelope and opened it. In the envelope was a lifelong free ticket to use Taean Ob/Gyn Hospital. At that moment, Kangho¡¯s jaw dropped. The hospital was one of the world¡¯s best Ob/Gyn hospitals with 70 branches around the world. But the reason Kangho was more surprised was that he knew who owned the hospital. ¡°Are you Chairman Hyunwoo Jang?¡± ¡°Haha. I¡¯m moving around like this. So different from what you see me on TV, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry that I didn¡¯t recognize you first.¡± Making a heartyugh, Hyunwoo patted him on the shoulder. 15 yearster... Hyunwoo¡¯s whole family members gathered together. Even Yu Zuung¡¯s rtives came from Vietnam. Hyunwoo was in bed with all of them watching. Yu Zuung was right beside her, holding his hands tightly. ¡°Thanks, honey.¡± ¡°It¡¯s me who wants to say thanks, honey. Thanks.¡± She held his hands more tightly. She was smiling at him with a sad look in her eyes. Hyunwoo smiled feebly at that. ¡°Why is everybody making such a sad expression? Don¡¯t feel sad. Everybody has hisst moment, right? I think I havee to that point now. I have had a really happy life and all thanks to you. Thanks.¡± His rtives didn¡¯t say anything. Only Yu Zuung replied feebly. ¡°I¡¯m following you soon. Go there first and wait for me.¡± ¡°Hahahah..I¡¯ll see you again hen. Hahaah.¡± Hyunwoo made a weakugh, which became weaker and weaker. And finally, he let go of her hands. A littleter, he slowly closed his eyes. And then he gasped for breath and passed away. There were so many peopleing over missing him that the memorial hall itself and its vicinity were packed with them. So, there were lots of memorial ces installed in many parts of the country. ording to his wishes, Hyunwoo¡¯s body was cremated, and the ashes were spread in a forest. The government set up a bronze statue of Hyunwoo in the forest and gave a special posthumous epithet. Hyunwoo¡¯s posthumous epithet was Famous Millionaire. Chapter 317

Chapter 317: Chapter 311

Numerous taxi drivers across the country came out to the streets to protest against Hyunwoo¡¯s unmanned taxi idea. ¡°Are you going to take away our jobs and starve our families?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s rise up against this unmanned taxi system!¡± Some radical drivers made photos or dolls that looked like him and burned them. Hyunwoo let out a sigh after watching their violent reaction. Of course, he could understand their group action. Taxi driving was their means of survival and their jobs. If unmanned taxi reced them, they would lose the means of survival. And that was why they were up in arms against the unmanned taxi idea. But Hyunwoo couldn¡¯t give up. Given the current trend, the arrival of unmanned taxi was inevitable. And there followed some ups and downs when one embarked on innovative changes in society. Hyunwoo experienced the same thing when he developed the Toughtex engine and Jahwa Sr Cell. How many people lost their jobs because of such innovative discovery? Hyunwoo scratched his head and asked, ¡°Do I really need to start this business despite such heavy criticism?¡± He felt he could not give up, after all. And he would not take away the taxi drivers¡¯ means of survival right away. The automated driving system could not function effectively in crowded traffic downtown. It was impossible to set aside drivers for the downtown unmanned taxi. When he thought as far as that, his eyes popped up suddenly. ¡°I can do it!¡± He could devise a n to use unmanned taxi for both ways. Namely, in crowded downtown traffic the unmanned taxi would require manual driving while the automatic driving system could work, as originally designed, in less crowded ces. Of course, it would be impossible for men to manually drive unmanned taxi in downtown areas every time, but using a remote-controlled driving system could be introduced. Hyunwoo directed STM Research Center to improve the remote-controlled driving system, so it could be safely applied in crowded downtown. The center sessfully developed it in one year. The remote-controlled driver could size up the traffic situation with a total of six cameras for safe driving. The test driving was done in Sosan City. Sosan City had already grown into arge city with a poption of 1.5 million. There they found several defects in the unmanned taxi system, but the test driving was satisfactory. In six months, the test driving also achieved remarkable results in downtown Seoul. Hyunwoo directed they produce 100,000 unmanned taxis immediately. At the same time, he hired 10,000 tax drivers, based on their experience in driving and geographical knowledge. He promised to hire more through the media despite a massive protest rally by taxi drivers. If he introduced this unmanned taxi system across the country, he would have to hire a total of 50,000 drivers. Thanks to his firm promise, the people paid more attention to Hyunwoo¡¯s n than the taxi drivers¡¯ protests. Hyunwoo¡¯s unmanned taxi system was a great sess. The new automatic unmanned taxi system was pretty effective with little risk of traffic idents. It boasted of its fantastic safety, above all. Hyunwoo expanded the unmanned taxi system torge cities including Seoul. He hired a total of 50,000 drivers for this business. Of course, a lot more tax drivers lost their jobs, but the general public epted the unmanned taxi system as a more reliable transportation system. The main reason for their favorable response was the cheap fare. Unmanned taxiposed of three types: luxury, four-passenger and eight-passenger taxi. The taxi fare was a bit higher than the public transportation system. Based on the luxury model, the basic charge was 2,000 won for the first 10-km, and another 1,000 won after every 3km. As the unmanned taxi was powered by Jihwa Sr Cell, the cost of fuel was minimal, and the remote-controlled driving was needed only in crowded downtown. Thanks to the introduction of the unmanned taxi system, there was a big change in the public¡¯s using transportation system. As they could use the unmanned taxi at a cheap fare, many of the people didn¡¯t need to drive their cars. As more and more unmanned taxis were on the roads, there were fewer and fewer private drivers on the downtown streets. Besides, there was a drastic reduction in the emission gas. In the past, the public could have a clear view of Mt. Pukhan only after a big shower of rain, but they could see the mountains clearly anytime now. Not only Seoul but also otherrge cities across the country enjoyed the benefits of cleaner air due to the unmanned taxi system. ordingly, there was a drastic increase in the number of people who used the unmanned taxi system. Across the country, about one million unmanned taxis were on the run. But he didn¡¯t hire any more drivers. The roads were more pleasant than before, and many people realized the positive effects of the change brought by unmanned taxi system. Some citizens¡¯ groupsunched a campaign of ¡°Let¡¯s not use our cars!¡± to continue the virtuous cycle of the unmanned taxi system. But there urred some negative effects after the innovative unmanned tax system was introduced. Some courageous couples began to use unmanned taxi as something like a movable inn. Hyunwoo let out a long sigh. ¡°Damn it. How can they use it for their own pleasure like that?¡± He could not stop them, though. Anyway, it was impossible to stop them. It would be better to have them use it openly rather than secretly. Hyunwoo devised the idea of ¡®couple taxi¡¯ for such couples. It was like a moving ¡®love hotel.¡¯ Toilet paper, water, condoms, and soft drinks were on sale inside such taxis. However, the fare of couple taxis was ten times as high as the typical unmanned taxi. Of course, this kind of business was not legal, but it didn¡¯t vite an existingw. Samryong Motors only provided such unmanned taxis, and the customers used them for such purposes. Hyunwoo expanded the business of unmanned taxi into America, Europe, and Japan. He didn¡¯t just expand it because of greed. He did it because he confirmed a potential change in the existing society by bringing in such an innovative idea. In particr, he paid special attention to the issue of the environment. If he could more actively use sr power, there wouldn¡¯t be the need for any more big power nts like nuclear power nts or thermal power nts. For this, he needed to increase sr-light power generation, which obviously would need a huge lot for construction. He joined hands with the mayor of Sosan for this project. He installed lots of Jihwa sr cells in many locations on local roads. On the asion of a sessfulunch of sr-light power generators in Sosan, Hyunwoo set up a n to cover all the roads across the country and hopefully all the world¡¯s roads and streets with Jihwa sr cells, so that ultimately these innovative sources of sr energy could fill the energy demands of the world. In the meantime, the factories of Jihwa sr cells were constantly built around the world, including China, Vietnam, and India. With the fast addition of Jihwa sr-cell factories, there came about a shock in the economies of those oil-producing countries in the world. The situation was acute in Russia, in particr. Russia¡¯s official name is the Russian Federationposed of 21 republics, 56 states, ten autonomous regions, and two special cities. Mostly, they supported the Russian Federation system because their inclusion in the system was more beneficial. But some republics and autonomous regions wanted independence. Such a phenomenon was furthered as the Russian economy was gradually copsing. In particr, the Far East region with the Yakutia republic and the Siberian region with the Buryatia republic were united under the name of the Vikal Federation to challenge the central government of Russia. The Vikal Federation didn¡¯t have arge poption, but its size was vast enough to im 60% of the whole Russian territory. Besides, it was rich with natural resources and had a good strategic location on the map. The central Russian government could never allow it to break away from the federation. Alexander and Victor, who led the Vikal Federation, were of tough disposition. In particr, Alexander was one of the most respected leaders in Russia. So, Victor voluntarily conceded to him his post as the leader of the Vikal Federation, and he was content with serving as his deputy. Alexander led the Vikal Federation as well as Victor expected. When the Western powers offered military assistance, he tly rejected. ¡°We¡¯ll resolutely reject their military support.¡± But Victor disagreed, ¡°If we reject, we won¡¯t sustain ourselves long enough.¡± But Alexander persuaded him. ¡°This is not a fight between us and Russia. Many regions and republics in the south are also waiting for a good chance to rise against central Russia. So, we can manage the Russian interference without any outside support.¡± Victor nodded. In fact, the Western powers¡¯ condition for their military support was simply uneptable. They wanted the right to develop the natural resources of the whole Siberia for 100 years. But there came about a surprising factor in the internal strife in Russia. The central Russian government began to annex other republics one by one without waging any war with them. First of all, the Ural region joined hands with Russia, followed by the northwestern and southern regions. Even the hardline Bolga district was absorbed into Russia. And now thest remaining regions were the Chechen republic and the Vikal Federation. Though the Chechenya strongly resisted, it would be a matter of time that it would fall into the hands of central Russia. And the next would be the Vikal Federation. The Vikal Federation was now as dangerous as sitting on a barrel of gunpowder. Alexander considered epting the military support of foreign countries. But the Western powers didn¡¯t respond favorably this time. They indicated they would be willing to sell weapons but didn¡¯tmit direct military assistance. Alexander deeply agonized. Then he suddenly thought of someone who could help him out. ¡®Can he help us at all?¡¯ Alexander sent a special envoy to Korea to see Hyunwoo Jang. Chapter 318

Chapter 318: Chapter 312

Hyunwoo made a perplexed expression on his face after meeting Alexander¡¯s envoy. The envoy held his hands and pleaded earnestly, ¡°I beg you! You already witnessed the atrocities that Russiamitted in the Chechen republic, right? They already massacred thousands of people. Do you think this kind of tragedy should be allowed to go on?¡± Hyunwoo was aware of that. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t make a decision on my own. Let me consult with the President first.¡± ¡°Yes, please. Please help us.¡± Hyunwoo left the hotel room, leaving the envoy alone. But he didn¡¯t head for the Blue House to meet the President. He went back to his office and opened a map of Russia and thought deeply about the best strategy. He suddenly hit upon an idea. In fact, the current Russian strife was like a civil war. The Russian atrocities provided a good cause for outside intervention, but such an intervention would bring about international me. Even if Korea decided to intervene, there was no guarantee that the Vikal Federation could seed. Still, the conclusion that Hyunwoo came to was that he could win it. For he had been preparing something in anticipation of such civil strife in Russia. It was called the Solgae Project. Actually, the project was not intended for a war scenario in which Russia wouldunch an attack against South Korea. As the project had been proceeding very secretly, the South Korean military didn¡¯t even conduct anyrge-scale drills on it. But Hyunwoo was convinced that the Solgae Project could help the rebellious republics of Russia win the civil war. But he had to take into ount the practical benefits of Korea¡¯s participation. What can we give and what can we take in return? At that moment, he took a panoramic view of the whole Russian map. The Littoral provinces of Siberia and Sakhalin Inds. Those were the areas dominated by the Korean nation in ancient times. Hyunwoo coveted those areas in return for providing assistance to the Vikal Federation. But that was out of the question. Nheless, Hyunwoo wanted to give it a try. If he directly met with the leader of the Vikal Federation and persuaded him, he might respond favorably. For this project, however, Hyunwoo needed the President¡¯s approval first. Hyunwoo headed for the Blue House. The incumbent President was Doyoung Chung, who reced Wonju Ha when he stepped down when his term expired. President Chung, a young reform-minded politician, saw eye to eye with Hyunwoo on many affairs. Hyunwoo persuaded President Chung persistently. ¡°Let me take back the Littoral provinces in return for our assistance to the Vikal Federation. Otherwise, I¡¯ll never get involved in any negotiation.¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t dispatch our soldiers there. No matter how important our national interests are, they¡¯re not as important as our people¡¯s lives. Do you think it¡¯s right to sacrifice our young men¡¯s lives in the foreign battlefield? I can¡¯t approve the dispatch of our soldiers under any circumstances.¡± Hyunwoo understood that. ¡°But we have the Solgae Project, Mr. President. If we use it, we can help the Russian rebellions win the strife without sending our troops.¡± ¡°The Solgae Project? I have heard about it, but are you sure it can beat Russia?¡± The President looked skeptical. His reaction was natural. As the project was prepared in total secrecy, even the President didn¡¯t have a full grasp of it. ¡°Well, you will see if you approve the project. I can guarantee you that we have nothing to lose, though.¡± Only then did the president nod. ¡°Got it. I won¡¯t approve the project, though, if you tried to negotiate with the rebel leader beyond what you and I talked about here. Above all, I won¡¯t send our troops.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± After parting with the president, Hyunwoo now headed for Irkutsk next to the Vikalke, where the Vikal Federation government was located. Alexander, Victor, and Hyunwoo sat face to face. Hyunwoo brought up the topic first. ¡°Hand over the Littoral provinces south of the Amur River and the inds south of Sakhalin Inds to South Korea. This is the condition of our government in return for its assistance.¡± Victor¡¯s jaw dropped at his demands. ¡°That¡¯s nonsense...¡± But Alexander was not easily excited. Instead, he looked at Hyunwoo quietly, lost in thoughts. And then he cautiously opened his mouth, ¡°As you know, trading can happen only when we give and take on an equal footing. If you want that vastnd, you must have something to give us in return.¡± Victory intervened quickly, ¡°No, no, this is too much. Nonsense!¡± Alexander raised his hand and stopped Victor. ¡°Let¡¯s listen to what he has to say, Victor.¡± Hyunwoo then presented his opinion, ¡°First of all, we will help you win the current strife. If you don¡¯t win, we won¡¯t get thend, of course. Secondly, we¡¯ll provide you with military assistance for 20 years. If the Vikal Federation disappears from history in 20 years, we won¡¯t get thend, either.¡± Alexander kept silent. Obviously, he was not ready to ept Hyunwoo¡¯s conditions. Hyunwoo continued, ¡°Thirdly, we will provide economic assistance. Even if the Vikal Federation bes independent from central Russia, you will suffer severe economic difficulties. The economic assistance of Korea will help you ovee the difficulties.¡± At that moment Victor asked excitedly, ¡°How much assistance...¡± But Alexander stopped him again because he might want to ask questions after Hyunwoo was done. Hyunwoo now mentioned thest but not the least benefits. ¡°Lastly, we are going to raise the GNP of the Vikal Federation to 10,000 dors per person within 20 years.¡± Now it was Alexander¡¯s turn to ask. ¡°How much is your economic assistance?¡± ¡°We are thinking of 100 billion dors. I think that is enough to restore your country devastated by the civil war.¡± Alexander shook his head. ¡°Well, that¡¯s far below what I had in mind. I thought you would provide at least one trillion dors.¡± This time Hyunwoo shook his head and exined, ¡°Sorry, that¡¯s all our government can give at this point. We can¡¯t give you any more.¡± Alexander could not make a decision easily. What was more important was the future of the Vikal Federation after the civil war. It was around noon the next day when Alexander sat face to face with Hyunwoo again. Alexander opened his mouth, ¡°Are you sure the Korean government can¡¯t give any more assistance than what you mentioned yesterday?¡± ¡°Yes, no more,¡± said Hyunwoo coldly. Alexander then asked in a different way, ¡°Okay. Can you assist the Vikal Federation individually? If you ept my proposal, let me hand over thends you mentioned to Korea.¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo¡¯s eyes opened wider with surprise. ¡°What kind of proposal?¡± ¡°I heard that your personal wealth is over one trilion dors. Can you use some of your wealth to support us? And please allow ourpanies to use either the technology of Toughtex engine or Jihwa Sr Cell. If you okay it, let me hand over the Littoral inds to South Korea, and the Sakhalin inds to you.¡± Hyunwoo scratched his head at his proposal. In fact, Hyunwoo was willing to pay as much as Alexander wanted as long as he could obtain the Russian inds. What was important was the Toughtex engine and the Jihwa Sr Cell. That was not Hyunwoo¡¯s own property but the future industry of Korea. Of course, Alexander didn¡¯t want it in entirety. He just wanted the right to use the technology of either one. Which one should he give to Alexander? In fact, nobody could imitate the core technology of Toughtex. On the other hand, the technology of Jihwa Sr Cell itself was not that great despite the excellence of its original concept. ¡°Sure. Let me personally support you with 100 billion dors. Let me also give yourpanies the right to sell Jihwa S cells to Europe.¡± At that moment, Victor clenched his fist, as if he was satisfied with Hyunwoo¡¯s proposal. Alexander¡¯s face brightened. But the negotiation was not over yet. Alexander tried his best to get the most out of this deal as he had to hand over the vastnds to Korea. ¡°Okay, then. Our deal is done! I¡¯ve one more condition, though,¡± said Hyunwoo. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Our country won¡¯t provide anybat assistance. Of course, we will help you win the civil war without our troops.¡± Nodding his head, Alexander said, ¡°No problem. What we want is just victory, notbat troops.¡± Three monthster, Russia annexed the Chechen republic, atst. Originally, Russia nned to conquer the Chechen republic in one month and attack the Vikal Federation. But the resistance of the Chechen republic was much stronger than expected. ording to the intelligence, there was little evidence that the United States, China, Japan and Europe would provide any support to the Vikal Federation. By using the satellites, they confirmed the movement of tens of thousands of containers moving to the Vikal Federation from South Korea, but there weren¡¯t weapons. Though South Korea was economically growing fast, its military strength was not yetrge enough to draw Russia¡¯s attention. And summer was approaching; it was the best time for attack. The Russian militarymander ordered, ¡°Concentrate all our military resources on the Vikal Federation.¡± They mobilized tens of thousands of fighters, tanks, and troops and marched toward the Vikal Federation. There was no severe military resistance from the Vikal Federation until the Russian troops marched deep into the Siberian territory. The fall of Irkutsk would mean the victory of the civil war. The Russian President had a broad smile, checking the war situation. ¡°Alexander, you can¡¯t do anything now. Why did you make that stupid choice when you don¡¯t have any guts to resist?¡± But at that moment he began to hear some bad news from the frontline, ¡°The 347th Fighter Wing was annihted.¡± Chapter 319

Chapter 319: Chapter 313

The 347th Fighter Wing was a powerful elite air unitposed of 22 state-of-the-art fighters and sevenbat helicopters. The Russian president couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. ¡°What the heck are you talking about? Annihted?¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. President. They were all annihted by the enemy fighters that suddenly appeared.¡± ¡°Enemy fighters? Tell me how strong the enemy fighters are as you say they annihted our elite air unit?¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t yet figured it out. They are just bbering about it...As soon as we have an urate report from the frontline, I¡¯ll get back to you, sir.¡± After the call, the president had cold sweat on his back. He had a grim sense of foreboding. He thought that the Vikal Federation might be getting powerful military assistance from outside. In the Tuba republic, a part of the Siberian territory located in the south of Siberia, the mighty army and air force of Russia attacked the Tuba republic to conquer Irkutsk by mobilizing over 100 tanks and 30 fighters. As they located the military targets in advance, they relentlessly attacked the targets. As soon as they marched into the Tuba republic, they quickly moved to the air force base. But it was empty; the soldiers must have fled. The Russian military officers made fun of them. Actually, these officers were not aware of the crushing defeat of the 347 Fighter Wing. ¡°Haha, I think we could conquer Irkutsk in two days.¡± ¡°No, we can march into Irkutsk even tomorrow and hug the girls there, hahaha.¡± At that moment, there was an urgent radio from a scout. ¡°Strange flying objects are approaching the area.¡± ¡°Strange flying objects? Are they fighters?¡± ¡°They¡¯re too small as fighters. Ooops, I see missiles underneath them. Each object has two missiles.¡± ¡°What? Missiles?¡± ¡°Wow, there are so many of them in the sky. It looks like they will reach the air base there in about 20 minutes.¡± The scout repeated warning signals several times. The intelligence officer was so confused. While he was examining the radar, he couldn¡¯t trace any enemy fighter on the radar screen. ¡°Are they cutting-edge stealth fighters?¡± ¡°They are flying very low now. Besides, they¡¯re so small they can¡¯t be detected by the radar.¡± ¡°Really? How many are they? How far are they from us?¡± ¡°Numerous. Looks like thousands of them. They are now flying within less than 100km from our base here. We¡¯re in danger!¡± The scout¡¯s urgent voice was repeatedly heard, but the intelligence officer couldn¡¯t figure it out. The intelligence officer quickly reported to themander. ¡°Commander, we have a report from the scout that the enemy fighters appeared in the 3 o¡¯clock direction, but it looks like they are stealth fighters as I can¡¯t trace them on the radar.¡± ¡°Stealth fighters? It looks like they must have hidden the stealth fighters until recently. Have the surface-to-air missiles ready and alert the air force for the sorties.¡± Themander¡¯s order was immediately issued, and the relevant units quickly moved. The Russian fighters were full of confidence because they were far superior to their rivals of the Vikal Federation. But in less than five minutes of them making a sortie, they had to face apletely different situation. Numerous heat-seeking missiles suddenly appeared and defeated the Russian fighters. ¡°What the heck is this? Where did the missilese from?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see them on the radar screen.¡± They were not seen even with the naked eyes. In the meantime, the heat-seeking missiles kepting in. The Russian fighters tried to avoid them by jamming electronic waves, but in no vain. Now they could see the fighters of the Vikal air force, which had been flying low but now raised their altitude. It looked like the whole sky was covered with these fighters. ¡°Huk! What the heck are they?¡± ¡°Are you sure they are all enemy fighters?¡± But they felt something strange. ¡°They¡¯re too small to be called fighters. They look like model nes.¡± ¡°Yea, they¡¯re model nes, but they¡¯re equipped with missiles.¡± The model ne-like fighters had two missile rockets each with a striking range of 5km. But their attacking power was enormous. As they were equipped with the function of stealth, the Russian air force could not detect them until they were within a very close range. The Russian fighters counterattacked by firing missiles at them. But these missiles couldn¡¯t hit the enemy fighters at all. A littleter the very Russian fighter that survived to thest minute were shot down by the enemy missile. A total of 21 fighters and 9 helicopters were shot down. On the other hand, only five enemy fighters were shot down. The next targets of the model nes were the Russian ground troops. The attack on them was carried out by the model nes in the sky. As the enemy nes were flying higher than 1000m in the sky, the surface-to-air missile couldn¡¯t shoot them down, and it was hard to fire an aimed shot. ¡°Bravo! Our mission is so sessful!¡± The Solgae 7 Team shouted for joy, hi-fiving each other. They scored two victories today. The Solgae 3 Team said they also defeated a Russian enemy unit. Other teams sent out various types of Solgae model nes to their targets. There was a variety of Solgae models. Some of them were equipped with heat-seeking missiles, and others with guided missiles. There was a total of 3000 Solgae teams dispatched by Korea. The Solgae fighter series totalled 90,000. Ten teamsposed of 300 soldiers operated 9,000 Solgae models. When they made a sortie, there were mobilized 3,000 Solgae nes, which returned to their home bases after each fired two missiles. The role of Solgae teams was simple. Once they confirmed the location of enemy fighters and tanks, they just issued an order to the Solgae model nes. Then, Solgae nes equipped with an automatic attacking system flew close to the targets and fired missiles. ordingly, it was not hard for the Solgae teams of 300 soldiers to operate 3,000 Solgae nes simultaneously every day. Their operation was an overwhelming victory. The Solgae model ne, which cost only 3 million won per unit, easily defeated the Russian fighter that cost over 100 billion won per unit. The Solgae Teams continued to crush the Russian units. They destroyed more than 1000 Russian fighters and 4000 tanks, let alone armored tanks and trucks. Russia continued to send troops, but they didn¡¯t know what to do. To make matters worse, the Vikal Federation made a preemptive attack. A total of 30,000 fighters started attacking major Russian army bases. Though the Russian army quickly responded, they couldn¡¯t counterattack properly mainly because the Solgae units of the Vikal Federation flew deep into the Russian territory, even close to the outskirts of Moscow, without being detected by radar. The Chechen republic rebels, once suppressed by Russia, now began to counterattack, followed by Volka and Ural regions. Alexander, the top leader of the Vikal Federation, saw this was a golden chance to join hands with these rebellious regions for independence. ¡°What we want is not to overthrow the Russian government but independence from Russia. Make the choice whether you want to resist until Russia is erased from the world map or co-exist in peace.¡± Russia had no other choice now. After all, the Russian president issued a special announcement. That was the official statement that announced the end of the Russian civil war. The Vikal Federation government expressed jubtion. The Solgae Team and the Korean government also shouted for joy. They watched the statement of the Russian president on TV. The Vikal Federation dered its independence formally and overhauled its government organizations. At the same time, it gave the Littoral inds south of Amur River and Sakhalin inds a 20-year lease for free. The Korean government gave them economic assistance and helped them with their post-war restoration efforts. If Korea kept all the promises it originally made, the Vikal government would hand over the leasednds including the Littoral inds and Sakhalin inds to Korea forever. Holding Hyuwnoo¡¯s hands, his father Duyoung praised, ¡°What a nice job! I¡¯m so proud of you.¡± ¡°I owe my sess to you, dad.¡± ¡°Thanks, son. I¡¯m so touched by your achievement.¡± Duyoung even shed tears out of joy. On the other hand, he felt sorry for the division of the two Koreas. ¡°Even if the Littoral inds and Sakhalin inds belong to Korea, what¡¯s the use of it when our country is divided into the North and the South like now?¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo was about to mention something about a coup in North Korea. But he was not supposed to leak anything about it to anybody, not even to his father. Hyunwoo just emphasized the positive side of the story. ¡°Well, my next goal is the unification of the two Koreas. So, please wait a little more.¡± ¡°Yea, sure. What¡¯s the point of owning enormous wealth? I would sacrifice anything if the two Koreas were united. I wonder if I can live to see that.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, dad. I promise you that you can drive a car to Mt. Paekdu for a tour. So, you should stay fit. If you lose your health, you can¡¯t travel to Mt. Paekdu even if the two Koreas are united.¡± Duyoung nodded strongly, ¡°Sure, I¡¯m going to live and see the two Koreas united.¡± Chapter 320

Chapter 320: Chapter 314

Ohsung Group was once the signaturepany of Korea. Although there were severalpanies that were asrge as Ohsung, they didn¡¯t surpass Ohsung in terms of thepany value and image. But it was no more. The most prestigiouspany that represented Korea was STM. STM provided the core technology of Toughtex to Samryong Motors. Jihwa Sr Cell was also developed and produced by STM. ordingly, nobody could talk about Korea¡¯s signaturepany without mentioning STM. The next prestigiouspany after STM was Samryong Motors. In terms of the sales volume, Samryong Motors surpassed STM. It was the world¡¯srgest carmaker, mass-producing electric cars. Though there were lots of cars powered by gasoline sold now, carmakers could no longer rely on the internalbustion engines run by gasoline. ordingly, many car makers in Europe and America had to give up their majority shareholder¡¯s position to introduce Toughtex engines for survival. Ani & Funny was also Korea¡¯s most prominent animationpany. Though it had only 900 employees in Korea, the total workforce was 20,000 when the staff of its overseas branches in China, India and Vietnam wasbined. Hyunwoo spent arge share of his revenues on education and research. About 80% of the kindergartens across the country were run by Dalnim Kindergarten, and Haenim School, an alternative high school, branched out as many as 150 alternative schools with 50,000 students around the country. Sinsung University opened a variety of departments including science, music, cuisine, and cosmetics, with its students reaching over 100,000. When those overseas students from China, Vietnam, and other countries werebined, the students attending Sinsung University numbered over one million worldwide. STM Research Center had over 3,000 Ph. D holders, in addition to its overseas research centers. Hyunwoo¡¯s goal was not just investment alone. That was part of his final goal. Sinsung University and STM Research Center produced more than one thousand patents, utility models and creative works every year. And Hyunwoo actively helped aspirant entrepreneurs start venture businesses. There were more than 100 venturepanies founded by STM Research Center, and 70% of them were ready topete in the markets with their innovative products. As for KOVE DREAM Hyunwoo didn¡¯t intervene in its management from the beginning. And when its member countries were financially stable enough, he lowered his stakes in thosepanies below 40% so as to hand hisrge shareholder¡¯s status back to them. Such mid-sizedpanies numbered over 3000, which grew as the pirs of the Korean economy today. Hyunwoo also had arge number ofpanies abroad including Beng in Bandesh. Beng signed contracts with not only Bandesh but also Thand, Vietnam, and India and ntedmercial mangroves along their coasts. Mangroves produced not only coconuts but also natural rubber. Mangroves nted like that now numbered more than 10 billion trees around the world. Each mangrove generated 100 dors per year, and profits were four dors. As Hyunwoo owned STM, Samryong Motors and Ani & Funny, Beng¡¯s revenues didn¡¯t mean anything special to him. But the host countries with the mangrove forests paid lots of attention to this new business. For example, Bandesh¡¯s GNP soared five times as high, thanks to the sales profits of its massive mangrove forests. In Bandesh, Hyunwoo was recognized as a national hero, with statues of him set up in more than 100 ces. Thanks to Hyunwoo¡¯s mangrove business, Korea and Bandesh forged a good rtionship. That¡¯s why Hyunwoo had to visit Bandesh once a year for various events. This year, too, he and Yu Zuung were invited to the festival of Gorban, the biggest holiday in Bandesh. Both of them enjoyed the festival and took time out to visit the mangrove forest and go fishing. Domestically, there was also a growing interest in the Solgae Project. The previous regime was very actively involved in it, but it invested only 5 trillion won. Though 5 trillion won was not a small amount, it was not sufficient at all. As evidenced recently in its fantastic performance in the Russian civil war, the Sr Project had a very powerful performance that could crush the Russian army. Hyunwoo refocused on this project. In particr, he directed a new research project called Solgae 2 Project. The typical Solgae is Solgae 523 model equipped with heat-seeking missiles. It looked like a hang glider, with its wings 3m wide and its length 4m long. Given its size, it was very light. Including the heat-seeking missiles loaded underneath, it weighed 92 kg and 70 kg without the missiles. But there were shorings, too. The biggest weakness was its slow speed. No matter how fast it flew, it couldn¡¯t fly over 400km/h. When confronted with a strong wind, it might be swept away. Another drawback was that it was susceptible to outside shock. If a bomb dropped amid a Solgae squadron in the sky, it could destroy several Solgae instantly. Solgae 2 Project was intended to find the method to correct such shorings and improve. While he was encouraging the Solgae research team, he got a call from the president. This was a second call from him. I shouldn¡¯t get too close to the politicians like this... But the president gave him unexpected news, which Hyunwoo was earnestly waiting for. ¡°They started a coup in North Korea. Top leader Kim Jungun was shot to death and the Defense Minister Youngchong Hwang assumed power.¡± ¡°Ah, finally they made it!...¡± ¡°We held an emergency meeting on this. I think we might need the Solgae Project once more. Can you attend our meeting?¡± ¡°Sure, let mee right away.¡± He headed to his own helicopter to attend the meeting at the Blue House. Then, he got another call. ¡°Hello, it¡¯s been a while. My name is Cholgyu Lee. I met you some time ago. Do you remember me?¡± How could Hyunwoo forget Cholgyu who saved his parents? ¡°Of course, I do.¡± ¡°I think you have heard the news by now. Our Revolution has seeded. But this is the most important moment for us. Please help a new North Korea!¡± Hyunwoo nodded his head. ¡°Got it, let me help you as much as possible.¡± After the call, he headed for the Blue House. All the ministers already gathered there. He noticed former president Wonju Ha there. President Chung briefly exined about the situation. ¡°This project has been in the works during the previous regime, so I invited the former president like this.¡± As the situation was very fluid in North Korea, the meeting proceeded quickly. The core agenda was how to deal with the request of the new North Korean regime for economic aid. There was some opposition to the aid, but when Mr. Ha and Hyunwoo voiced their deep support of the effort, they were all persuaded. President Chung gave a quick instruction. ¡°What they want right now is food and energy. Please provide the North Korean regime as much assistance as they want. But we have to attach some conditions. And hold a working-level meeting with them on economic cooperation as soon as possible...¡± The core condition that the South put forward was the promotion of inter-Korean exchanges. The first step in that direction was to have a inter-Korean working-level meeting to jointly develop the demilitarized zone (DMZ) in the truce line. The DMZ would house the joint venturepanies of the two Koreas. And then there would be massive exchanges of both Koreas at the civilian level with all the roads in thend, in the air and in the sea open. If such massive inter-Korean exchanges continued, the two Koreas that remained divided for more than 70 years would be able to be reunited as one, and that wouldy the foundation for unification someday. Chapter 321

Chapter 321: Chapter 315

The new regime of North Korea epted all the demands of South Korea. They rather wanted more speed inter-Korean exchanges with the logic that faster economic growth of the North could quicken the unification with the South. In the meantime, the North Korean regime continued to execute political opponents because those who followed Kim Jungun tried to overthrow the new regime. In particr, there were many executions in the military. Though the new regime was unstable for a couple of months, it solidified its power. Defense Minister Youngchol Hwang reced the existing top officials with his close aides. Anyone who showed the slightest sign of dissent was relieved of his post and reced with a new figure. Though there was strong opposition to the ongoing executions, the new regime continued to rece the existing power holders with their loyal deputies. And South Korea also offered massive food and energy assistance to the new regime for its stability. Thanks to such efforts the Hwang regimepletely solidified its power in less time that they thought. In fact, the South Korean government was worried about the new North Korean leader¡¯s possible change of attitude. But North Korea¡¯s top leader Youngchol Hwang didn¡¯t change his mind. He kept the promise he made several years ago one by one. He even announced the unification form of the two Koreas through an official statement. Besides, the new North Korean regime took the initiative to propose ways to ease military tension. As part of such efforts, the North closed or moved its biochemical units deployed around the truce line of the two Koreas. They even dismantled their conventional weapons and reduced the troops. The soldiers who became civilians overnight after they were discharged from the army took tools instead of guns and got to work in the newly established South-North joint venture factories near the DMZ, the fruits of inter-Korean economic cooperation. As the North Korean regime continued to take the initiatives like this, the South Korean government became nervous. President Chung actively tried to steal the show. The two Korean leaders and working officials met to discuss the joint unification form, and finally tranted it into action. The people of both Koreas shouted for joy. They hugged each other in excitement. ¡°I couldn¡¯t believe my ears!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think they are joking on this, right?¡± Those seniors who left his family members behind North Korea were especially thrilled to hear the news. They held hopes that they could visit their hometowns in the North before they died. In fact, their hopes were realized in about one month as the civilians¡¯ free visit to both Koreas was allowed. Hyunwoo now spent almost all of his personal wealth for the development of North Korea. He set up numerous schools in the North, and made sure that all his new factories be built in the North. In the meantime, the railroads linking the southern port of Pusan to Kaesung, Pyongyang, and Uiju and all the way up to Beijing were also constructed, and a trans-Siberian railroad was also opened. Both Koreas were in the process of bing one Korea fast. But Hyunwoo was a bit worried about the fast reintegration of the two Koreas. Above all, he found it difficult to keep the promise to his father that he would give him a ride to Mt. Paekdu. The condition was perfect. Lots of people already traveled to Mt. Myohyang, Kumkang and Paekdu on trains or nes. As security in such ces was improved drastically, there were less idents than before. But Duyoung and Jisook couldn¡¯t freely travel to Mt. Paekdu because of their chronic illnesses. They were in hospital beds as their illness became worse. What made Hyunwoo feel sad was his parents¡¯ stubbornness. In particr, it was even unimaginable to take Duyoung out of the hospital as he relied on a wheelchair. But Duyoung insisted on climbing Mt. Paekdu. ¡°Dad, you can¡¯t climb the mountain with your physical condition. Just try to recover your health first. ording to the doctor, you can walk up there next spring.¡± But Duyoung shook his head and said, ¡°Think of this. How long do you think I can live like this? I should have died 40 years ago when I was in that traffic ident. But I¡¯ve lived up to now thanks to you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say so, dad. You should live to be 100 years old with mom. You have to live to see your grandson and granddaughter go to school.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t. I know my own physical condition better than anybody else. What is the point of just sustaining my life here in bed? I would like to feel that dynamic vigor in life even if I live one day.¡± That was true. If Hyunwoo were in his father¡¯s shoes, he would feel the same way. ¡°Son, I would like to see Mt. Paekdu with my own eyes. Isn¡¯t it the unification of the two Koreas an event that my son has brought about? I would like to feel the joy of setting foot on Mt. Paekdu while I was alive.¡± In fact, the Korean unification was made possible by all the Koreans¡¯ efforts, not his own. But every parent in Duyoung¡¯s position would think so. ¡°Please take me to Mt. Paekdu. I would rather die while going to Mt. Paekdu instead of sustaining my life like this. Don¡¯t you understand my feelings?¡± ¡°Me, too, son. I feel the same way,¡± Jisook seconded. Now, Hyunwoo had no other choice. Several dayster, a huge helicopter arrived on the rooftop of the hospital. It was huge enough to carry 30 people inside. Duyoung insisted on driving to Mt. Paekdu, but his medical staff carried him and Jisook in the helicopter. Eight doctors were in the helicopter to take care of them. Not only Hyunwoo and Yu Zuung but also their son Kyonghak and daughter Yonju were also in the helicopter, along with other rtives who wanted to see Mt. Paekdu. But there was a reason that his whole family moved together. They were worried that they might not see Duyoung and Jisook pass away if they didn¡¯te with the two this time. The helicopter took off. Although as many as 20 people were on the helicopter, it quickly took off thanks to the powerful Toughtex engine. The helicopter passed through Seoul, Paju and Kaesung in the North quickly. Duyoung and Jisook watched the scenery through the windows. The helicopter soon arrived over the Kaema teau and raised its altitude gradually to get to the top of Mt. Paekdu. It was now hovering over Chonji Pond on the top. ¡°Let me get out. I would like to touch the earth there,¡± said Duyoung. ¡°No, it¡¯s too cold outside and very windy.¡± ¡°Please allow me to do so.¡± Hyunwoo dissuaded him, but he insisted. After all, Hyunwoo gave in. ¡°Let the helicopternd on thending strip now.¡± As soon as the helicopternded, the medical staff covered both of them with nkets and carried them near Chonji Pond. And Duyoung and Jisook touched the water of Chonji Pond with their hands. ¡°So good!¡± ¡°It¡¯s cold out here. Let¡¯s get inside now.¡± ¡°Wait a minute. Let me stay here a bit longer.¡± Both of them stayed there for about five minutes. The five minutes felt like five years to Hyuwnoo. But Duyoung and Jisook enjoyed the five minutes to the fullest. ¡°Great. Let¡¯s go now.¡± As soon as Duyoung said, the medical staff quickly carried them back into the helicopter. Fortunately, they seemed okay. Both of them had a happy smile as if they owned the whole world. Only then did Hyunwoo let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Let¡¯s go back now.¡± ¡°I would like to take a look at the Littoral inds and Sakhalin inds, too.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go there next time. This is too much for you.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the difference between lying in the hospital bed and lying here in the helicopter? There is no guarantee that we cane here next time. Let me just look down on them like this.¡± ¡°Okay, then.¡± The helicopter flew further north. They looked around the vast farnds near the Hankake and snow-covered Sakhalin inds. Duyoung and Jisook held out well until then. But it was too burdensome a schedule for them. Hyunwoo made sure that the helicopter flew back over Mt. Paekdu at the request of Duyoung, but Duyoung didn¡¯t watch Chonji Pond again. As the helicopter was increasing the altitude to fly over Mt. Paekdu, he passed away. Hyunwoo was so sad, bursting into tears. But Jisook didn¡¯t cry. Though she was very weak, she put her husband¡¯s head on her knee and then kept stroking his face, whose eyes were closed peacefully. Her expression was as peaceful as his. And then she stopped moving her hand at some point. Though both were born on different dates, she kept the promise to him that she would die on the same day with him. Hyunwoo just kept weeping silently. Kyunghak and Yonju cried like their father. Yu Zuung hugged him tightly. Chapter 322

Chapter 322: Chapter 316

17 yearster... Summer came to the Littoral Province of Russia, often called the frozennd. Yu Zuung opened her arms and breathed in as much as she could. ¡°Thisnd has finally returned to Korea, right?¡± Hyunwoo nodded at her asking. After the two Koreas were united, Hyunwoo and South Korea kept their promise to the Vikal Federation, and finally, the Littoral Province and Sakhalin inds were returned to the unified Korea. Hyunwoo and Yu Zuung travelled to Sakhalin to celebrate their historic return. ¡°You¡¯re really great, honey. I wish my homnd Vietnam reimed its ancientnds.¡± She praised Hyunwoo. But he was not that thrilled. In retrospect, he began to feel empty after he watched thest moments of his parents. His feelings of emptiness deepened as time went by. Hyunwoo was suffering from a serious panic disorder. The best medical staff tried to treat him but in vain. Yu Zuung made a sad expression at that. But she soon brightened her expression because Hyunwoo¡¯s life would bepletely different from now on. He gave up all his posts at hispanies and turned into an ordinary man. Perhaps he could gain a new joy in his life as an ordinary man. Hyunwoo and Yu Zuung didn¡¯t use cars because they didn¡¯t need to hurry, no matter what they did. Basically, they enjoyed taking a walk together. Though Hyunwoo was over 70 now, he continued to maintain his health by doing a workout regrly, so his walking tour was not so hard on him. There were many people on walking tours like Hyunwoo and Yu Zuung in the Littoral Province. Sometimes, they met couples taking a break on the roads. There were inns for such people. ¡°Sir, would you want to try this?¡± Were they a couple? A couple of middle-aged travelers in their mid orte-40s called Hyunwoo and Yu Zuung. They were sitting on a mat with some fruits and snacks on it. In fact, Hyunwo and Yu Zuung were a bit thirsty, so they were about to take some water. And the middle-aged couple looked good and kind-hearted. Instead of refusing their suggestion, Hyunwoo and Yu Zuung sat on the mat. ¡°Thanks, young men.¡± Hyunwoo and Yu Zuung were once global figures and got the most press attention when they were outside. But there were not many who recognized them these days. The middle-aged couple, too, didn¡¯t know who they were. ¡°Are you on a trip here?¡± asked Hyunwoo, drinking water. ¡°Yes, sir. We¡¯ve taken a vacation toe here.¡± ¡°You look like a couple. How about your children?¡± They looked gloomy at his question. Hyunwoo felt sorry he asked the wrong question. The middle-aged man answered, though. ¡°As you might have sensed it already, we could not have a baby even ten years after we got married. I think we couldn¡¯t be happier if we had a baby.¡± ¡°Well, we had the same experience. We had a baby long after we got married, though we didn¡¯t wait for ten years. So, I know your feelings. But don¡¯t give up. You will certainly have good news.¡± They brightened their expressions and said, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what we strongly hope for. So, we are now leading a happy life, thinking about what we can do for our baby when it¡¯s born. If we have a baby, we would like to make him or her the happiest because we had such a hard time having a baby.¡± ¡°Haha, it looks like your future babies might be very happy to hear that. What would you do? I¡¯d like to hear.¡± ¡°Well, we have thought about lots of things. I think I saw it somewhere in a book, which I think is best.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± asked Hyunwoo, showing great interest. ¡°I hear there is the best gift that parents can give to their children. Do you know what it is?¡± At that moment, Hyunwoo felt he was struck by electricity. He felt he said something about it to his parents but couldn¡¯t remember. He quietly looked at the middle-aged man. With a smile, he said, ¡°My parents passed away after leading a happy life. You have to leave your children with such memories. That¡¯s what I read from a book.¡± Hyunwoo¡¯s jaw dropped at that. Only then did he remember something. When Jisook was hospitalized, she reproached herself, saying the hospital bills could give Hyunwoo a hard time. The middle-aged man continued, ¡°Come to think of it, I think I received such a gift from my parents. I don¡¯t have a millstone around my neck because my parents passed away after a happy life. The only regrets I have is that they didn¡¯t see their grandchildren. Haha.¡± Hyunwoo felt the same way. Though Duyoung and Jisook were not healthy and had a hard time because of poverty for a long time, they actually led a happy life. They were happy until thest moments of their life. But Hyunwoo felt he alone was sad. Even now he felt his heart was broken when he thought about his parents. And that might have caused a panic disorder for him. His sickness like that gave his family a hard time. His wife Yu Zuung and children Yonju and Kyonghak did their best to help Hyunwoo take back his happiness. But Hyunwoo alone could not get out of the sad memories of the past. Suddenly, he felt sorry for his family. And at the same time, he felt he could take a load off his mind from now on. Yea, I did my best for my parents. And they passed away happily anyway. Hyunwoo held their hands tightly. ¡°Thanks so much for your moving episode. I¡¯ve learned a good thing from you. Can you give me your contact number? Let¡¯s meet again if fate allows it.¡± He gave his name card to Hyunwoo. His name was Kangho Kim, and he was a sales manager of a smallpany. Kangho stood up first, ¡°We took a good break, sir. We¡¯re going to leave now. Have a good time¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Hyunwoo and Yu Zuung took a walk again. Suddenly, Hyunwoo felt refreshed about everything he saw on the road he just passed by. One clump of grass and each tree along the road were reflected in his eyes as he had never seen them before. He felt he could think straight now. Though he thought a lot while he was walking a while ago, he now thought about different stuff. He thought about his work a while ago. Though he stopped working at the rmendation of his wife, he was still worried about his formerpanies. But he now thought about his children only. Come to think of it, he didn¡¯t pay any attention or care to his children. Though Yu Zuung had a hard time having the first and second baby, and he was so happy when they were born, he didn¡¯t make them happy. He didn¡¯t take good care of his children with the excuse of a busy schedule. Though he had brought them up in wealth, he felt he didn¡¯t give fatherly love to them properly. Again, he recalled what Kangho said to him and what he told his mother Jisook. The biggest gift that parents can give to their children. Hyunwoo had not yet given his children such a gift. ¡®Yea, I should be happy. How can I make anybody happy when I¡¯m not happy? Let¡¯s live for myself from now on.¡¯ Hyunwoo held Yu Zuung¡¯s hand tightly. She looked at him. Hyunwoo made a bright smile, and so did she. She was as beautiful as ever, and she always smiled at him. But her smile hadn¡¯t looked happy for some time. Perhaps that¡¯s because he began to suffer from panic disorder. ¡°It looks like it¡¯s getting dark. Let¡¯s walk a bit faster.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Hyunwoo walked back, holding her hand. There was an inn 3 km away from his ce. So, they decided to stay there for the night. Perhaps they might see Kangho and his wife there again. When they walked back about an hour, they noticed lodging. There were four rooms avable there. When they arrived there, it was almost upied, except for a small room. It looked like God reserved it for them. ¡°Great. Let¡¯s stay here tonight.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Unpacking their stuff, Hyunwoo asked the worker at the inn. ¡°Did you happen to see a young couple? They are in their 40s. I think they got here about 30 minutes earlier.¡± As if he remembered the couple, the young worker snapped his fingers and said, ¡°Oh, they just left. They asked me if there was any room avable, so when I said only one room was left, they hesitated a bit and then left.¡± ¡°Is there any other lodging near here?¡± ¡°Well, you have to walk up about 10 km to find one.¡± Hyunwoo was convinced that the Kangho couple expected he woulde here for the night, so he asked if there were any rooms avable. When he found out there was only one left, they just passed by. If they took it, they knew Hyunwoo and his wife couldn¡¯t find any room. Hyunwoo was touched by Kangho¡¯s warm consideration. Yu Zuung was so happy to hear that. ¡°We have to pay them back when we have a chance.¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± Hyunwoo and Yu Zuung traveled through the Littoral Province to Sakhalin. It was a month-long trip for them. Hyunwoo learned a very big thing from this trip. He felt he was reborn. As soon as he arrived in Sosan, he called Kangho Kim. Kangho lived in Seoul. Back to the office after three days¡¯ trip to the Littoral Province, he was working hard. Hyunwoo drove to Seoul and expressed deep thanks to him. ¡°I really appreciate your hospitality in the Littoral Province. This is my little gift for you. Please ept it.¡± It was a file envelope. Kangho could not confirm what it was. Obviously, it was not money. But Kangho didn¡¯t take it thoughtlessly. ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t do anything for you, sir.¡± ¡°I know you intentionally left the room for us. I guess you walked very long that day.¡± ¡°Oh, we just wanted to take a walk a little longer. So, don¡¯t feel any burden.¡± ¡°Besides, I learned a lot from you on that day. Just ept it. I think I will feel morefortable if you ept this.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Oh, this is a free ticket to use my hospital. I think it can be of help to your wife.¡± Kangho received the envelope and opened it. In the envelope was a lifelong free ticket to use Taean Ob/Gyn Hospital. At that moment, Kangho¡¯s jaw dropped. The hospital was one of the world¡¯s best Ob/Gyn hospitals with 70 branches around the world. But the reason Kangho was more surprised was that he knew who owned the hospital. ¡°Are you Chairman Hyunwoo Jang?¡± ¡°Haha. I¡¯m moving around like this. So different from what you see me on TV, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry that I didn¡¯t recognize you first.¡± Making a heartyugh, Hyunwoo patted him on the shoulder. 15 yearster... Hyunwoo¡¯s whole family members gathered together. Even Yu Zuung¡¯s rtives came from Vietnam. Hyunwoo was in bed with all of them watching. Yu Zuung was right beside her, holding his hands tightly. ¡°Thanks, honey.¡± ¡°It¡¯s me who wants to say thanks, honey. Thanks.¡± She held his hands more tightly. She was smiling at him with a sad look in her eyes. Hyunwoo smiled feebly at that. ¡°Why is everybody making such a sad expression? Don¡¯t feel sad. Everybody has hisst moment, right? I think I havee to that point now. I have had a really happy life and all thanks to you. Thanks.¡± His rtives didn¡¯t say anything. Only Yu Zuung replied feebly. ¡°I¡¯m following you soon. Go there first and wait for me.¡± ¡°Hahahah..I¡¯ll see you again hen. Hahaah.¡± Hyunwoo made a weakugh, which became weaker and weaker. And finally, he let go of her hands. A littleter, he slowly closed his eyes. And then he gasped for breath and passed away. There were so many peopleing over missing him that the memorial hall itself and its vicinity were packed with them. So, there were lots of memorial ces installed in many parts of the country. ording to his wishes, Hyunwoo¡¯s body was cremated, and the ashes were spread in a forest. The government set up a bronze statue of Hyunwoo in the forest and gave a special posthumous epithet. Hyunwoo¡¯s posthumous epithet was Famous Millionaire. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!