Story of a Big Player from Gangnam

Gun-Ho felt mixed feelings and sadness.

Gun-Ho could understand how Jae-Sik had felt and the harsh situation that led to him here.

Other people who hadn’t experienced extreme hardship like this wouldn’t have understood Jae-Sik. Won-Chul Jo who was working in a big company and Suk-Ho Lee who was running a bar at Gyeongridan Street wouldn’t have understood him.

“President Gun-Ho Goo!”

“Yeah?”

“Tell me about yourself, like how you accumulate your wealth. I just can’t understand how it happened with my shallow common sense.”

“Let’s talk about my story next time. It’s getting late.”

“According to Jong-Suk, you used to work at a factory with him in Pocheon and Yangju.”

“I did, with all my passion.”

“You looked healthier and stronger too. You used to let Suk-Ho take your umbrella.”

“You remember that?”

“I saw that. I was right there when Suk-Ho took your umbrella. Suk-Ho Lee, Won-Chul Jo, Byeong-Chul Hwang… those people were hanging out together when we were in high school. But you and me, we were loners. And we were poor.”

“Haha. That’s right.”

“I also remember you getting beaten up by Won-Chul Jo. It’s still vivid in my memory.”

“I got beat up by Won-Chul?”

“Yeah, he beat you up because you talked bad about him behind his back. The thing he told you at that time hurt my feelings too.”

“What did he say?”

“He said that ‘you can never beat me with anything; you can’t win in a competition for studying or a physical fight or anything.’ He said that while beating you up. When he said it, he looked at me as well. That crept me out. That day, when I went back home, I resented God for the first time in my life.”

“We were all young at that time. It happened during our adolescence. I don’t even remember any of those.”

“Yeah, we are better off with forgetting all those unpleasant things happened in our past. However, Won-Chul Jo and Suk-Ho Lee still ignore me and treat me like I am invisible. That hurts me. And now I made a mistake with the alumni directory book thing. I kind of gave them justification to treat me unfairly bad. I hate myself.”

The beer that Gun-Ho brought was almost gone.

“Thank you for hearing me out today.”

“I like the fact that you came this far even though you have suffered a lot. You will be fine.”

Gun-Ho tapped Jae-Sik’s shoulder.

“You are the most humane person among our friends from high school. Gun-Ho Goo, I knew you are a special person. Thank you.”

“You don’t have to go home now?”

“No, it’s okay. The beer tastes really good today.”

“I enjoyed the time with you too. I feel much better after telling my life story to you.”

“I saw you writing down something at your desk earlier. What was it? Can I see it?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

Jae-Sik quickly put the paper inside the desk drawer and grinned. It was the first time in a long time when Gun-Ho saw him smile.

“Let’s do this.”

“What?”

“You just stay home during the day, right? Why don’t you complete the alumni directory book? Since you already started writing things that would go in the directory book, it won’t take you long to finish it, right? I will pay for the cost. I will pay you as a donation or a contribution to the work. Make a beautiful high school alumni directory book for us and send it to all of our high school friends.”

“Umm, that…”

“Once you do it, they won’t be able to say anything bad about you ever again.”

“But…”

“And you said you have a debt of 30 million won left, right? I will pay for it, and I will take 500,000 won from your monthly salary. You can have a better life that way. You are being paid

1.6 million won per month and I will take 500,000 won out of it and you don’t have to spend anything for the rent and for food. You should get out of that life as a person with a bad credit score. That holds you back in a lot of things in life; your salary is being seized, for example, right?”

“That’s too much…”

“Don’t say anything. Your life will be better and better. Just get me the current status of your debt tomorrow. Okay? I’d better get going now. Keep up the good work. Bye.”

“Thank… Thank you, Gun-Ho. I will never forget this.”

Gun-Ho received a call from the Korean restaurant owner in Akasaka, Japan—Ji-Yeon Choi. She said that the second payment day for the condo would be after three days.

“I will send you the amount of the second payment tomorrow.”

“Oh, that early? But you might not be able to see Mori Aikko this time. She is in Kyoto.”

“Kyoto?”

“Yes, there will be a festival there. Mori Aikko will do a performance in the shrine. She will perform Kitano Odori there.”

“Really?”

“Mori Aikko is extremely popular these days. Because she now has a sponsor, she doesn’t work in a bar as much as before. She now focuses more on dance performance at an outdoor stage.”

“Hmm.”

“I guess you can see her when you pay for the remaining payment of the condo. Hahaha.”

“I need to see President Amiel from Dyeon Japan this time anyway when I go to Tokyo. I can see Mori Aikko later.”

Gun-Ho wanted to see someone when he went to Tokyo. He wanted to see the retired Japanese engineer who President Amiel recommended—Mr. Sakata Ikuzo.

Gun-Ho received a call from Min-Hyeok Kim from China. He said that he made a new contract with a customer.

‘He is working so hard since I told him that he would get a stock option. He is doing very well. I still remember him studying in a tiny room for the government job exam, like it was yesterday. He has changed a lot. Haha.’

“Deputy Mayor Seukang Li helped me a lot to get this contract this time.”

“Seukang Li?”

“Remember that we received the certifications for the quality management system and environmental management system? Seukang Li requested that a window manufacturing company has to use products from a company that is certified with a quality management system.”

“A window manufacturing company? Like the window for a condo?”

“Yeah.”

“Do they use our products?”

“Yes. I didn’t know that either. The price they offered was good, and it’s not difficult to make the products they need. We already made the mould specifically designed for that product.”

“Did you already make a sample product?”

“Yes. They approved the product. The workers here are so excited.”

“I see. That’s really great. At the end of the year, have a Chinese accountant do the year-end financial statement.”

Min-Hyeok was being paid 20,000 Yuan per month, and he spent 10,000 Yuan for his living expenses in China and saved the remaining 10,000 Yuan. It was about 1.8 million won.

“We might make a profit of 10 million yuan this year. Then I can get 500,000 Yuan as a stock option.”

Min-Hyeok took out an electronic calculator to calculate the exact amount.

“It will be about 90 million in Korean Won. Hahaha. I will have an additional 90 million won. Yippee! I make an extra 90 million won in addition to my annual salary. It was the right decision that I quit trying to get the government job.”

Min-Hyeok felt more motivated once he knew how much he could make more.

Gun-Ho called for the general affairs manager.

“Mr. General Affairs Manager is away from his office right now.”

“Who am I speaking with right now? Are you the assistant general affairs manager?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Please come to my office.”

The good-looking assistant general affairs manager entered Gun-Ho’s office. He was the same age as Gun-Ho and he graduated from Dankook University in Cheonan City.

“I will go on a business trip to Japan three days later. Please get a flight ticket for me.”

“Yes, sir.

The assistant general affairs manager didn’t leave but he seemed to have something to say.

“Umm, sir.”

“Yes? Do you have something you want to tell me?”

The assistant general affairs manager pulled out a wedding invitation from his pocket.

“I am getting married next month.”

“Oh, really? Congratulations.”

Gun-Ho quickly stood up and offered his hand to him for a handshake.

“I will ask all the management and executives to attend your wedding.”

“Thank you, sir.”

The assistant general affairs manager gave a deep bow to Gun-Ho.

After the assistant general affairs manager left the office, Gun-Ho looked at the calendar and he was frightened.

“Shoot! My father’s 70th birthday is tomorrow. I almost forgot!”