Chapter 61

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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 gladly showed a draft contract. As it contained the basic clauses, Hyunwoo planned to flesh it out with details after discussing with Unhye.
After reviewing it, Unhye found there was nothing unfavorable to her.
In particular, she liked it because there was no clause on down payments or cancellation 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 clause 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 replace 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 clauses and asked,

Is this all?


Well, there is one more.


What is that?
she asked with glittering eyes. She felt the additional clause 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’s commission of the contract. That has nothing to do with the size of the contract. All you have to do is just make a successful deal even if it is a one-dollar 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 replacing 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 clause 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 glad 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 small company, 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 glance at her. Her eyes sparkled much more than before, as if she was full of hope.

Anyway, you have to accept 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 explanation, 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 Japanese companies.


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 clause at the end of the contract that there are no other hidden clauses.

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 plastic 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 become 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 or later.’
He loaded the breakfast bags on his van and drove to his workplace.
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 according 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 flavor.


Why does it taste so good when there are not many ingredients in it?

Kimbap was very popular 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 succeeded in persuading him.

Nice job! How fortunate!


I just talked with him. And he will give you a call a little later.


Sure, let me take care of it. By the way, did you meet Paek Sungwoo?


Not yet. As my regular classes 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 or later 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 or later.


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 planning 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, replacing 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.’