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 becoming 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 until late 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 beautiful lady 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 happened last 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 outcome 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 local companies 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 explanation, it was a very good idea that both Korea and Vietnam could accept 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 a network 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 beautiful lady be there? I felt as if a goddess had descended.”

“Me, too. I’ve never seen such a beautiful lady before,” sad Juhwan.

With a smile, Hyunwoo opened the letter first. There was nothing particular in the letter. Though he expected some sort of complaint about his failure to contact her more often, there was nothing like that. It just expressed her wish that he could come again to Vietnam when he was available 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 be late 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 place 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 gladly. Obviously, she was waiting for his call.

“Thanks for the gift.”

“Hoho. It is strange, isn’t it? Let me draw a more accurate 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 her laughter 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.”