Instead of replying, Suji sighed quietly.

Hyunwoo seemed to read her mind at that. Obviously, she was not persuaded by his explanation.

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 silence lasted.

***

Back to his normal life, Hyunwoo erased his conversation with Suji from his brain completely.

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 available?”

As Hyunwoo expected, the city official said, “Thanks to your help we could relocate the senior center without any problem. My section chief strongly recommended to the mayor that Ani & Funny use the vacant first floor space.”

Hyunwoo bowed deeply to him with profuse thanks.

“Oh, you’re welcome. The mayor also knows your company 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 occasion 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.

“Please come in,” said the mayor’s secretary in a charming voice.

The mayor looked very young, with his grey hair was dyed black. 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 flattered, hahaha,” the mayor laughed 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 Aurum company.

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 our community in one way or another?”

The mayor seemed as if he wanted Hyunwoo to actively contribute something good for the community.

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 our community. 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 little later, 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 related to alternative schools.”

The mayor stepped in and said, “How come we don’t have the budget?”

“In fact, only large 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 explanation, 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 plan the curriculum according to the relevant standards and hire a certain number of full-time teachers. Moreover, the incoming 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 welcome. We would like to thank you as your companies 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’t come 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 accept 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 the committee on solution of grievances. You better leave for the meeting now.”

The committee 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 related 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 successful businessman in Ansan these days.”

They were all aware of that, too.

“I think such companies 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.