Chapter 324: Hitting Back (4)

“Do you think I can re-educate my sons?”

“...Mm.” Jo Gyu-Min narrowed his eyes.

He had expected a similar question to come his way. Jo Gyu-Min wasn't some witless fool who couldn't predict the kind of questions Hwang Jeong-Hu might ask in this situation. Not only that, but he had also prepared an... 'exemplary' answer ready to go.

Jo Gyu-Min regulated his breathing, then cautiously spoke up. "Sir. It's unfortunate, but... Humans don't tend to change that easily."

Hwang Jeong-Hu silently listened, his expression unchanging.

"It's nearly impossible to turn a hyperactive child into a calm, subdued one, sir. Parents mistakenly think they lead their children in the direction they desire, but that's not true. Children simply grow up according to their nature, while parents just provide the environment and education. It is possible to mold the children a certain way through education, but changing their nature is still extremely difficult, sir." Jo Gyu-Min stopped here to take a quick breather before continuing on. "That is the story for young children, so with adults... Re-molding them to suit your tastes at this stage would be impossible, sir."

“...So, you also think that way.”

"Maybe, they might do it for a while. Well, they have tasted hardship for some time, after all. If they have truly felt how powerless and useless they are without your protection, your sons will try to become the type of people you'd appreciate more... No, let me rephrase that, sir. They'll try to look like the person you've been asking them to become for a while. But that will only last until you're no longer with us, sir. Will they maintain their new persona even after you're gone, Chairman? My guess is no."

Hwang Jeong-Hu contemplatively nodded away. He needed to hear this, but... At the same time, he didn't want to hear them. However, he needed someone to give it to him straight more than ever before. Funnily enough, though...

When Hwang Jeong-Hu took a look around himself, no one other than Jo Gyu-Min could pull that role off. Jo Gyu-Min wouldn't hide anything from Hwang Jeong-Hu, nor would he let emotions cloud his judgment during his reports.

"Which means I better give up on that, then." Hwang Jeong-Hu sighed.

“Sir. Up to here was the answer I've prepared beforehand.”

“

Mm?

”

“If I may be allowed to offer you one more piece of advice...” Jo Gyu-Min muttered as his lips trembled a little.

'Bloody hell. Why do I always say something extra and invite disaster for myself?'

He needed to fix this stupid tendency of his, somehow! He should've learned how to keep his mouth shut if he thought his words could harm him in some way, but... But it was just too difficult to do that!

Human nature could be so bizarre sometimes, no?

"Sir, despite what I said just now, I believe it is possible for you."

“Huh. That's rather different from what you told me.”

"That is why I said this part of my reply wasn't prepared beforehand."

“Fine, fine. Why are you saying it's possible all of a sudden?”

“Because you will be in charge, sir.”

“...What are you talking about?”

"It's simple, sir," Jo Gyu-Min tried to inject a bit of mirth into the explanation by using hand gestures. "Chairman Hwang Jeong-Hu wants to educate his kids again, so what's gonna stop him from doing that? Raising a kid is tough, but it can't be harder than establishing and growing Jaegyeong, sir. Am I wrong? If you get serious about it, I'm pretty sure you can pull it off, sir. No, let me rephrase that. You must pull it off."

"Huh. You seem to be having a laugh, aren't you?" Hwang Jeong-Hu chuckled dismissively. "I was wondering what you'd say to me, but who knew you'd be uttering nonsense."

“No sir, this is quite important.”

“

...Hmm?

”

Jo Gyu-Min spoke in a grave tone. “After you pass on and the future generations evaluate you, they will say things like '

Even the one and only Hwang Jeong-Hu still messed up with raising his kids,'

sir. Does that not hurt your pride?”

Hwang Jeong-Hu's brows quivered a little.

“It's not like you'll be running for presidency at this stage in your life, so I think it's about time you start managing your reputation better,

?

sir. And the matter with your children is your biggest failure in life. Worse still, you don't have many opportunities remaining before you can correct the course."

"...Gyu-Min, I really do think you have something special in you."

“Sir? Not sure I follow...?”

"It's kind of like a talent to piss people off? When Jin-Ho said I looked lonely, the emotions I felt were bitterness and wryness. With you, though, I'm getting more and more pissed off."

“I-in that case, sir?”

"I'm not sure yet," Hwang Jeong-Hu grunted and stared at the distant skies above. "It's not easy to decide, and there are not enough reasons to convince me. So, why do I have to do it, then? My heart... It's not budging yet."

Hwang Jeong-Hu didn't say anything for a while and kept staring at the sky. Eventually, though, he lowered his head to look at Jo Gyu-Min. “So, what do you think? If I decide to hand over the management to those scumbags?”

“Sir, you're worried about nothing. Chairman, it won't affect me in the slightest.”

“Oh?”

"Sir, there is always that wonderful backup plan called resignation. With my work experience, I will surely be able to find a decent job anywhere I choose. I can always tender my resignation and find a way to live, so don't worry about me, sir."

“

Hah.

You turncoat.” Hwang Jeong-Hu chuckled while mouthing a fresh cigarette.

'The sole black mark of my life, huh...'

Jo Gyu-Min's counsel seemed to hit the mark far more succinctly than Kang Jin-Ho's. More correctly, Jo Gyu-Min's words had a bit more urgency to them.

“Gyu-Min. If I decide to do this, are you willing to help me by discussing the ways forward?”

“

Mm,

well. Sir, I don't recommend it. My grudge against them is still burning strong, so my advice could be tinged with negative emotions.”

“I actually welcome that.”

“If you say so...” Jo Gyu-Min smacked his lips.

'Yup. I just had to say something extra, didn't I...'

Jo Gyu-Min turned his head and stared at the sky.

'Are you satisfied now?'

He was picturing Kang Jin-Ho's expressionless face right now. Kang Jin-Ho would've nodded in silence as if this topic didn't interest him. However, in Jo Gyu-Min's imagination, the corners of Kang Jin-Ho's lips were ever so slightly curled up.

'Gee whiz. What a loyal retainer I've become.'

Jo Gyu-Min yanked out a fresh cigarette in irritation.

***

Jeong Su-Yeon patted Kang Jin-Ho on the back. “Mister Owner. By the look of it, I think this pizzeria has finally found its footing."

“It seems that way,” said Kang Jin-Ho with a gentle grin as he scanned all the customers filling the dining area.

'Finally...'

When he looked back, this pizzeria proved to be one troublesome entity. Despite holding several huge-scale events that could've boosted the revenues of other stores by ten times or more, Kang Jin-Ho's pizzeria continued to swim in red for a while. That alone was proof of how abnormal his store had been.

So, to think such a place finally found its footing...!

Kang Jin-Ho looked back at Jeong Su-Yeon. “Thank you for all your hard work, Miss Su-Yeon.”

“I didn't do much, though,” Jeong Su-Yeon grinned brightly. “All the basic ingredients were ready, anyway. All I did was putting the finishing touch, that's all.”

“Without that finishing touch, we would've gone straight into bankruptcy.”

“It's thanks to your management, Mister Owner.”

“In any case, thank you.”

“You're welcome.”

The two of them grinned warmly at each other. Up until this point, this was a wonderful picture of warmth and camaraderie, but...

“...Get a bloody room, will ya?” Ju Yeong-Gi growled.

The world wasn't as easy-going to permit such a scene. Kang Jin-Ho flinched a little at the sharp rebuking voice coming from behind him and sneakily turned his head.

Ju Yeong-Gi was standing there, glaring at Kang Jin-Ho with the word 'Unhappy' written large on his face.

“What now, Yeong-Gi...?” Kang Jin-Ho cautiously asked.

"Let's be honest here. You, the owner, were always absent from here doing who knows what. So, it's not thanks to your hard work, but us the employees. What exactly have you done for this place, anyway?"

Kang Jin-Ho was left completely speechless.

Park Yu-Min had been calling Ju Yeong-Gi the 'Fact Bomber' recently. As he was just so merciless and relentless with his criticisms, said Park Yu-Min, left in Ju Yeong-Gi's wake were a whole bunch of people with their heads blown off by the fact bombardment.

“I'm trying to say it's Miss Su-Yeon who worked the hardest, not me,” said Kang Jin-Ho.

“Then, it's Park Yu-Min who did a good job by hiring Miss Su-Yeon or Miss Choi Yeon-Ha, who suggested we need an extra helping hand in the kitchen. You practically didn't do anything, so how dare you stand there and accept praises like this?"

“...My apologies.”

“

Tsk.?

You're supposed to be the owner, yet why...” Ju Yeong-Gi headed to the dining area while loudly tutting away.

Kang Jin-Ho stared at the back of his friend and chuckled quietly.

'Yeong-Gi had the hardest time, didn't he?'

Indeed, it was Ju Yeong-Gi who had the worst of it while trying to run this pizzeria with the utterly clueless Kang Jin-Ho and the naive and kind Park Yu-Min who worked diligently at what was asked of him and nothing much else.

Ju Yeong-Gi complained a lot, but it was also he who had perfectly filled the void left behind whenever Kang Jin-Ho had to go somewhere. Albeit with a nag or two first, of course.

Sometimes, it felt like Kang Jin-Ho was taking advantage of Ju Yeong-Gi's store, not the other way around!

“Yeong-Gi?” Kang Jin-Ho narrowed his eyes.

“Yeah?”

“What happened to your manager job at the agency?”

“

Oh,

that one?” Ju Yeong-Gi responded nonchalantly. “I got fired.”

“

Huh?

”

"No one's gonna keep a man who never shows up for work on their payroll, dude. I told them not too long ago that I'd be taking about half a year's sabbatical, but then, they called me up one day and said I can take a forever sabbatical instead."

“

Huh...

” Kang Jin-Ho stared at his friend in shock.

'Then again, this is the logical conclusion, isn't it?'

Since Ju Yeong-Gi was strutting around in pure confidence, Kang Jin-Ho figured his friend had made plans with the agency to stay here. However, when he thought about it, how could there be a 'plan' for an employee to skip work altogether? If there were such a thing, no salarymen in South Korea would even bother to get up in the morning!

“What will you do now, then?” Kang Jin-Ho asked.

“What do you mean, what?” Ju Yeong-Gi shrugged his shoulders. “I only did that job because you asked me. That ain't the type of work I'd do if it weren't for your little sister. Hell, what's so great about giving rides to a bunch of high-strung girls or dudes that look like girls? Especially when I also have to push back the so-called fans rushing at us like Zerglings or some sh*t.”

"Dude, that was uncalled for," Park Yu-Min retorted while walking past Ju Yeong-Gi. "There are people who make a living doing that. Don't you know all jobs are honorable?"

"All I'm saying is that that work doesn't suit me." Ju Yeong-Gi replied, unfazed. "A man needs to have a presence, know what I mean? Do I look like I suit that kind of work? For me... How should I say this? Looking good without doing much. That's the kind of work I'm looking for."

Park Yu-Min slowly nodded. “Ohh... Oh, hey. I know of one job that you were born for, Yeong-Gi.”

“Really? What is it?”

“A manager of a pizzeria.”

“You little...!”

Park Yu-Min cackled while heading to the kitchen. "You know, this job does suit you the best out of everything you've done. It's a great match for your temper, don't you think? Besides, you can't work under other people for long, all thanks to your personality, am I wrong? Which means self-employment is the answer for you. And you have this surprisingly thorough side to you. So, this job might be the best for you, I think."

“You think being a manager suits me the best?”

“No, well... I think selling drugs or smuggling weapons might be what you were truly born for, Yeong-Gi. But that's illegal, so a pizzeria manager is a better alternative, methinks.”

“...You, come with me outside for a minute!”

“Don't wanna.”

"Just a minute, that's all I need. You little punk, let me show you what it's like to see stars in the middle of the day!"

“No thanks.”

Ju Yeong-Gi and Park Yu-Min bickered and bantered while slipping inside the kitchen. Kang Jin-Ho furrowed his brow a little while rubbing his chin.

'That... doesn't sound like a bad idea?'

Park Yu-Min was probably joking, but jokes usually were based on something factual, so...

Even from Kang Jin-Ho's perspective, Ju Yeong-Gi seemed perfect for this kind of work. Not only did he possess the drive, but there was thoroughness within that drive, too.

On top of that, he was also subjected to bullying back in the army, so he didn't torment the juniors, either. One only had to take a look at how the older orphanage kids working part-time in the pizzeria's dining area listened and followed Ju Yeong-Gi.

Although he didn't seem to enjoy interacting directly with customers, a manager wasn't supposed to be waiting tables, anyway. So, that part wouldn't be a problem, either.

'Hmm. It really does make sense, doesn't it?'

The more Kang Jin-Ho thought about it, the more Ju Yeong-Gi seemed a perfect fit. Didn't Kang Jin-Ho already witness Ju Yeong-Gi's capabilities by now? If only Park Yu-Min and Kang Jin-Ho were here, this pizzeria would've gone under a long, long time ago.

'Looks like I'll have to have a serious talk with him.'

Once Kang Jin-Ho returns to university, no one would be around to manage the pizzeria. So, he was thinking of selling the store and washing his hands clean of it. The idea of doing that always pained him since he had grown attached to the place. However, if Ju Yeong-Gi were to take up the job offer, then it would work out perfectly for everyone.

Of course, the important part of this equation was whether Ju Yeong-Gi was interested in the first place. Kang Jin-Ho figured he'd sit down with Ju Yeong-Gi soon and have a serious discussion about it.

“Still, I think he'll do a good job...” Kang Jin-Ho quietly muttered.

Jeong Su-Yeon raised her head. “Sorry? Did you say something?”

"No, it's nothing important." Kang Jin-Ho brushed her question aside and got up. He noticed that a customer was getting up to leave. Park Yu-Min saw that and hurriedly dashed toward the counter.

Kang Jin-Ho picked up a tray and headed to the empty table to clean it. That was when the pizzeria's door opened... and an unfamiliar middle-aged man stepped inside and asked Park Yu-Min.

“Excuse me, is Kang Jin-Ho here?”