Chapter 64

:

How come you can’t use your talent when you’re so capable like this? If you build your skills a little more, it looks like you’ll be hired by many companies.


Well, there is no way we can build our skills any more.

That was true. Hearing what they said, Hyunwoo felt the situation was not good. No matter how hard they studied, their studying environment was not good enough. They said they were studying textbooks without any teachers.
The big problem among others was their computer and program. Their computer was outdated, and the animation program was an older version nobody used these days, which made it impossible for them improve their animation skills.
But they could not ask for the support of the orphanage because the price was too high.
Hyunwoo was stunned when he heard the price.

4 million won for the program only?


Well, 3D animation program is expensive. In fact, even a cheaper version costs that much. And a cheaper computer doesn’t run the program well.

Combined with the computer and the program, it was over 5 million won. If they hired an animation teacher, the budget would be much greater.
It would be difficult for the orphanage staff to support any particular club financially.
Suddenly, Hyunwoo was curious about one thing.

You said you have been learning it since your 2nd year in middle school, a total of six years up to now. Then, you must be 20 years old. How long can you stay here?

A young man called Kang Jihun, who had been answering Hyunwoo’s questions, had a sullen face suddenly and said,

As I fluked, I’m still a high school boy. I have to be discharged next year.


Why do you have that expression? Don’t you want to get out?


No, I wish to stay here. I don’t have a place to go even if I’m discharged from here.

Hyunwoo nodded his head. That’s all he could do to comfort Kang.

I’m done,
said Hyunwoo. He showed them the desk that he had repaired nicely.
But the expression on their faces was not bright. What depressed them was not the desk but the outdated computer sitting there as if to show their dire situation.
Suddenly, Hyunwoo felt the impulse to help them. Maybe it was because of his vague yearning for animation. He worked for an event company for a long time in the past. At that time, they used various props, most of which were modeled after Japanese or American characters.
Of course, the animation industry in Korea made a remarkable success, but Hyunwoo still felt that there was something lacking out there. He felt this kind of cultural creativity business would fit Korea more than manufacturing businesses, so he wanted to learn it someday.
He could not translate his dream into action, and it was a bit difficult for him to start to learn it now.
He just felt envious of those studying animation. On one hand, he wanted to get satisfaction through them. At the same time, there was some hesitation on his part.
Actually, he had helped several students so far, and they were all his neighbors. He knew them all, such as their character, capabilities and family situation, etc. But these students here were complete strangers to him. In short, it was his own compassion for them. He felt he might regret it later if he spent money for them because of his sympathy towards them.
That would be worse than if he hadn’t helped them at all.
And there were so many others in need of help. Hyunwoo could not help them all.
Hyunwoo left the room, pretending to stay aloof. He moved around busily, helping the volunteers in one way or another, and he forgot about the animation stuff completely.
After they were done with volunteering, they headed for the dinner place.
Even before the dinner began, there was a war of nerves among some of them. It was about who should sit next to Minhye.
When Minhye was standing without taking any particular seat, not only Oh but also Yonggu and deputy manager Koh Younghwan of the sales team were hovering around her, reading each other’s faces. They wanted to sit next to her.
But when Minhye sat down, they sat away from her because her father, Park Daebong, and the senior managers were seated in the middle.
Seated far away from her, they were just looking at her.
The main character of the dinner was Hyunwoo.
When Hyunwoo came back in a minute, Paek Daebong said,
Mr. Jang, you did a great job today.
When he said that, the senior managers heaped praise after praise of Hyunwoo.

Mr. Jang, is there anything you’re not good at?


I think our president has a discerning eye. Mr. Jang must be an all-round talent.


I already began to notice it when he cut costs.

Even the female volunteers praised him, showing thumbs up toward him.
In particular, Park Minhye did so too. She openly praised him as if telling Oh to take his cue from him.

Assistant manager Jang, you did a great job today. I’ve known you were such a great man, but today I began to take a fresh look at you. Let me fill your cup,
she said.
Of course, Oh or Yonggu was not jealous because of that, for they believed that she would not marry a high school graduate. Hyunwoo was not their rival, to say the least.
Hyunwoo was at pains staying humble all along.

No, no, everybody worked just as well.

After they were done with dinner, it was around 8pm.
As Hyunwoo already had several cups of soju, it was impossible for him to work as a chaffeur today. In addition, Min Suji stopped him.

Oppa, you’ll go to a second drinking party, right?


Second drinking party?


The young guys agreed to have one more beer at another place. You have to get acquainted with them on this occasion. Please come with me,
Suji insisted.
In fact, there were none of them Hyunwoo needed to get acquainted with. As he ran on small errands to the different teams of Aurum, he knew most of them and became close to them enough to call each other brother.
In particular, he was very much close to the young guys of each team like today.
But perhaps Min Suji hadn’t had such opportunities up to now. Though she might have exchanged greetings with them, there weren’t many she felt really close to.
As he was a bit drunk, he would not be able to focus on studying even if he went back home right now. And it would be good for him to hang around with the young guys since it had been a long time.

Okay, then. Let me stay a bit longer, then

Both of them headed to the beer bar. There were a total of nine. As Minhye decide to join, Oh Sangho, Kim Yonggu, and Koh Younghwan automatically joined.
At the beer bar, they were split into several groups according to their preferences.
One of the group was Minhye’s. Oh, Kim, and Koh sat next to her as if they were competing with each other. Though they sat around her, the atmosphere was awkward. As Kim and Koh had close ties, they talked a lot, but Oh didn’t. Minhye didn’t take care for him either. She joined Kim and Koh’s conversation, treating Oh as an invisible man.
Still, Oh tried his best to join the conversation. After hard thinking, he found a topic and at the right timing spoke to Minhye. But Minhye responded out of courtesy and then didn’t pay any attention. Then, Oh kept drinking until he found another topic.
Oh got drunk easily. Even less than an hour since they came to the beer bar, Oh was already completely drunk. As he was not pleasantly drunk, he might pick a drinking quarrel.
Minhye sensed it already, and as soon as she emptied her cup, she stood up and said,

I think I have to leave early because I’m tired.


Let me take you home.


No, let me…

Yonggu, Koh Younghwan, and Oh offered to escort her at the same time.
Minhye said with a smile, though,

I’ve already called for a chauffeur. Let me take all of you back home today. If you want to go to the third drinking place, just stay here. But anyone who wants to leave now, please follow me.


Let’s leave. How about a 3rd drinking session?

Some of them went home, and others headed to a karaoke bar.
The atmosphere was supposed to be awkward as the number of participants began to dwindle, but it was the opposite.
In particular, Hyunwoo showed his singing talent. In a place like this, it was important to play with them in tune with the atmosphere, and there was nothing better than a random dance to brighten up the atmosphere. Hyunwoo was really talented at that.
Hyunwoo shook his body randomly to the tune of the song. Of course, his swinging was off beat, making those present at the karaoke room burst into laughter.
Other members also danced randomly just like Hyunwoo, and so did Suji in a clean break with her decent image as a rule.
Thanks to the random dancing, all of them were completely exhausted.

I had a lot of fun today.


Goodbye, everybody!

They left after they went out of the karaoke bar.
Hyunwoo took care of Min Suji, of course.
Catching a taxi, Hyunwoo got in the back seat with her.
Both of them chatted about various stuff.

You’re an all-round talent, oppa.


I’m good at anything except for something I really need, haha.


No, you did really wonderfully today, oppa.


Only today? Oh, I’m feeling a bit bad…


Oh, no. Everyday, hohoho.

It looked like they were lovers when they talked like that. Even the taxi driver cut in their conversation, checking them in the rear mirror.

It looks like you are a good couple.

Though it was not true, she didn’t bother to deny it. She even dragged his arm toward her and cracked a joke,
A good couple, right? Ho ho.

While they talked and laughed, the taxi driver arrived at Suji’s house.
Then, she tried to pay for the fee, but Hyunwoo paid, stopping her, and then got off the taxi together.

Now, I can walk home alone. Goodbye,
said Suji.

Let me escort you to the gate of your apartment. It’s only five minutes’ walk from here, isn’t it
said Hyunwoo.

I’m alright,
said Suji.

I’m not. It’s freezing cold out here! Let’s go,
said Hyunwoo, pressing her.
With a smile, Suji walked along with him to her apartment.
Then she walked only a few steps before stopping because someone called her, getting out of a car.

Suji!

Hyunwoo and Suji turned their heads to the voice at the same time.
At that moment, Suji seemed flinched at the sight of the man. He was familiar to Hyunwoo, too.
‘Where did I see him? Ah, right there. Chauffeur service for him.’
He was the man Hyunwoo got on his car along with Suji when he was driving him recently. He remembered that this guy lived in the port of Pyongtaek. He was Kim Hyundae, the sales executive of Sangwon Foods.

Oh, how are you? Why are you here?
asked Suji.

I’ve been waiting for you here because I couldn’t contact you. Why don’t you pick up my phone?

Kim Hyungdae asked with a friendly expression on his face as if he was a church brother, slowly approaching her.
But Suji’s reaction was quite unexpected. She stepped back, tugging Hyunwoo’s collar as if she was scared of him, saying,

I clearly told you not to contact me.

After hearing their conversation, Hyunwoo could figure out what had happened between them. Even after he had been rejected by Suji, he kept chasing her.
Kim seemed offended by her action. His friendly expression turned into a disappointed one. Though he said it in a calm tone, he seemed to sharply rebuke her,

What’s the reason? I suspect you’re acting like this because of that dude? Are you comparing me with that chauffeur now?

The bridge of Hyunwoo’s nose seemed to be distorted a bit, but he hid his feeling quickly.
Instead, he said as if he knew Kim,

I presume you’re Kim Hyungsun’s younger brother, aren’t you?


What…?