A Chairman Who Has No Regrets - Chapter 153



Only Krnovel

Episode 153 – Travel.

A hot summer morning.

The sun’s timing has changed so much that I used to start my day before the sun rose, but now I start my day after the sun rose.

“Hoo-”

It was the same daily schedule of climbing the hill in Sanggye-dong to deliver newspapers, but today, perhaps because the heat came on particularly early, I felt out of breath.

“Haha, was the river hot?”

“Yes, it’s hot today.”

“It’s full summer now, so aren’t you guys having your graduation ceremony today?”

I nodded at the supply depot owner’s words.

If I had finished delivering the newspapers, I wouldn’t have had to stop by the distribution center, but I always returned to the distribution center after delivering the newspapers and read the newspapers for 30 minutes to an hour.

Of course, the number of guys joining that path has also increased significantly these days.

Knock knock, knock knock.

Every time the sliding door of the supply depot opens, Dong-su, Gyu-il, Tae-su and the others come in. Before we know it, all 12 children from Sanggye-dong have gathered.

It seems that reading newspapers has now become an indispensable part of our daily routine.

“Ha- What are we going to do when exports are expected to fall short of achieving the 15 billion dollar mark?”

“That’s because advanced countries like the U.S. are experiencing an economic recession, and the value of the won has also risen significantly.”

“But they say Japan’s economic growth rate will be 2.4% higher than expected?”

“Are Japanese products any good? Aren’t they the best quality?”

“When will our country become like Japan?”

“Those bastards succeeded by stealing everything from us. Anyway, I don’t like them.”

It’s really great to hear those guys talking.

I wonder if this is the kind of conversation that normal high school sophomores would have.

The guys’ conversation also included a lot of information about the current economic situation. To be precise, there were hints hidden about the moment when the signal flare that would become my signal was fired.

The so-called Western empires, including the United States, are experiencing an economic recession, while Japan, which can be seen as the leader of the East in today’s times, is growing day by day.

What does that mean?

Will the Western powers really leave the Japanese, the aggressors of World War II, alone? Especially the greedy Americans.

“Hey, dog.”

“Uh, why? I’m curious about today’s strategy.”

Taesu, the guy who called me, frowns at my answer.

“No sir, not soccer.”

“No, no, you only care about soccer.”

“Oh, I don’t like it!”

“Your mother seems to think differently.”

“I don’t know! I don’t like it!”

My mother’s stationery store these days.

To be exact, the souvenir shop was doing a brisk business. Not only were the good toys brought from Namdaemun selling well, but so were the souvenirs handmade by the women of the shantytown, now Hodori Village.

In short, it means that Taesu’s financial situation and financial situation have improved a little.

of course.

My financial situation has also improved a lot since I share the profits from all the stores in Hodori Village. I am very satisfied day by day.

“Why did you call me?”

“Look at this.”

I looked at the economic section of the newspaper the guy showed me.

[ Our economy’s growth slowdown has continued in the first half of this year, following the second half of last year. Real GNP in the first quarter grew by only 4.1% due to a decrease in exports, sluggish corporate facility investment, and housing construction activities, and with no notable signs of improvement in the second quarter, and a statistical backlash from the high growth rate in the first half of the previous year, the economic growth rate in the first half of this year is expected to be slightly below 5%. ]

Accurate analysis data.

“What is this?”

“Didn’t you say you bought some financial stocks?”

“Oh, but. Are you worried about me right now?”

“Hey, South Korea is a country that lives off exports.”

“Oh, that’s right.”

“But isn’t it a bad thing if the growth rate falls?”

It’s a very summarized statement, but it’s true.

“They say that people in finance need to have money to invest? But if the country doesn’t have money, people won’t have money either.”

It’s a pretty good idea.

On the surface, that’s what it looks like.

But this was a judgment based on simple data without understanding the physiology of the Americans.

The newspaper article was also just an inference based on accurate data, and was a guess that lacked some understanding of the animals known as humans and the system known as the nation.

“Do you see it?”

“no?”

That Taesu guy.

These days, there is a lot of interest in the economy.

“I told you to just focus on soccer.”

“The child washed up… I almost swore.”

“Hey, hey. What do you think stocks are?”

“Rights to which company?”

“Oh, it’s not bad?”

“What are you saying?”

“Well, it’s not completely wrong.”

“What are stocks?”

There are so many words to describe stocks, and there are also so many words that stock traders, investment experts, and other idiots use.

But I only.

Stocks were, in fact, desires.

“Devotion of desire.”

“What are you saying? What kind of poetry are you reading these days?”

“Literature and philosophy are also essential liberal arts.”

“This kid is getting weirder and weirder.”

“Doesn’t that seem right?”

“What is the devotion of desire? Explain it more simply.”

“You don’t have to know? Just work hard at soccer.”

“Ah!”

Taesu, the guy who makes a fuss even when the word soccer comes up. I also giggled at that sight. I feel like I’ve been laughing a lot lately. Not bad.

“Where do you think the best in the world is?”

“Huh? What’s the best in the world? Economy?”

“okay.”

“Isn’t it America?”

I nodded and tapped one of the articles below.

The article contained a fairly accurate data analysis of the current state of the American economy.

“It looks like America is experiencing an economic recession.”

“Does it only look like that?”

Taesu tilts his head.

I pointed to another article with my finger. It was an article describing the situation in Japan.

“What if we look at this intersection?”

“Huh? Crossover? That thing you did back then when you were preparing for the scholarship quiz?”

I nodded.

I clearly showed Taesu how to think by expanding scattered information into keywords. The guy wraps his head around something and thinks about it for a long time.

Indeed, does the guy have talent in this area?

I’m curious too, so I focus on the guy’s mouth.

“Ah! Sir, I have no idea.”

“Is it the devotion of desire? No, to be a little more specific, it’s emotion. After all, it’s people who move the country.”

It opened up the hint a little more.

Still, the guy just scratches his head and can’t come up with a proper answer.

“Soccer suits you, after all.”

“Oh my, that damn soccer! Soccer! I’m so sick of it, I’m sick of it, I won’t play soccer for you! I won’t do it even if it kills me!”

“indeed?”

“Hey, man! Stop talking nonsense, so what the hell is this devotion to desire or something!”

I nodded and tapped the word America again.

“America is number one?”

“Oh, first place.”

“They chose one of the good, obedient kids to increase their influence in the Pacific and exert influence in the Asian region while taking first place.”

“Ah, Japan?”

“Yes, they have committed sins and are bowing down to the US so fearfully.”

“That’s what the bastards do.”

“But why do those good guys who listen well keep stealing my food because they’re so smart?”

“Are you going to get angry?”

“Right? You’d be pissed, right?”

“uh.”

“So what if I take away what you gave me?”

“uh?”

The guy looks back and forth between me and the newspaper.

“Is that okay?”

“How about changing the president?”

“Hey, is that going to work? We’ll just have to push them all away with a tank.”

That worked too.

How can it proceed as simply as you say? How important is legitimacy in the international community, as well as conduct and honor. Japan will very cleverly lose several decades. South Korea will take advantage of that opportunity and take off.

“Okay, now let’s all go to school.”

At my words, the children started to get up one by one.

“Hey, Cap!”

“Oh, Dong-su.”

“Starting tomorrow, he’s going to West Germany?”

West Germany.

Germany is still divided into East and West.

“Oh, right.”

“Wow, Taesu must be so nice. He even eats foreign food!”

A few of the other kids nod and look at Taesu.

“What a good thing! What a waste of money! Do you even know how much a plane ticket costs?”

“What are you talking about? It’s free anyway.”

“If you like free stuff, you should shave your head, you punk!”

“Even if I lose my hair, I will have no more wishes if I ride an airplane!”

A few other kids nod their heads at Dong-su’s words.

That’s just a wish.

“okay.”

The children tilt their heads at my answer.

“What’s okay?”

“Your wish is okay, Dongsu. Accept it.”

“Huh? Are you going to take me too?”

“Not this time.”

“Hey, that’s good.”

“See you later-”

“uh-”

The guys disperse and return to their own places. Jeong-woo, Hyo-ryong, and Tae-su are with me.

Now, wherever I go, there are people walking beside me. This has a familiar taste. These days, when I walk alone, it feels like autumn has come and my sides are cold.

“Hey, the town is really busy now.”

The children nod their heads at Hyoryeong’s words. Now that the vacation is starting, people with free time and families will visit Hodori Village every weekend. They said that another TV station came to film Hodori Village recently, so the crowds will be there again soon.

“There were so many guests at my house yesterday, it was overwhelming.”

“Really? My father is busy making Hodori bread dough these days.”

It looks like Jeongwoo’s mill is also booming.

Taesu raises the corners of his lips.

“My mom goes to Namdaemun at dawn to get things, every day.”

“Wow, it’s selling that well?”

“uh.”

You punk, you’re more proud of yourself for selling it yourself.

It’s only 7 am.

But the town is bustling with activity. People are going to work and people are preparing for the shops.

“Student Kang! Did you exercise today?”

“Oh my – you are the pride of our town -”

“Try this, student Kang. It’s a new menu item that we recently developed. It doesn’t have red beans, it has something else in it. I heard that in foreign countries, they put meat in it and eat it.”

“It tastes even better when you eat it with our pumpkin shikhye!”

Here and there, the people of Hodori Village, who have now fully settled in, hand over goods and food to the Sanggye-dong guys and me to sell to tourists.

What is so satisfying about showing us smiling and eating deliciously? The smiles are in full bloom.

One, two, before we knew it.

Hyorong, Jeongwoo, and Taesu all went into their houses, and I was the only one walking home, passing by the sunflower fields on both sides.

The sunflowers, which had grown to the height of my waist before I knew it, were smiling brightly, each showing off their own faces and reaching out toward the sun.

“Hey.”

I didn’t know, but today the sunflower field looks even prettier.

Dude guys.

Now the word friend comes to mind quite naturally.

It seems like those sunflowers are comforting me and not making me feel lonely in the place the guys left behind.

Is this a path of flowers?

“Puppy! My son-”

There, mother is walking down the flower path, waving her hand.

I smiled back and waved.

“Mom, are you working late?”

“Oh my – these days, Ok-kyung comes out first and does everything, so there’s nothing for me to do.”

“Haha, really?”

“Yeah- Hey, I said I would help too, but he threatened to tie me up and put me in the warehouse if I came out today.”

“Hahaha, did the lady say that?”

“So, he just took me as an employee and told me to act like the boss. When I see people like that, I don’t know who the boss is.”

It’s just a complaint.

Mother’s face is filled with happiness. It seems that doing business with Gyu-il’s mother and Mrs. Hwang Ok-gyeong is not so bad.

“If Mom goes out early, Ok-kyung comes out even earlier the next day. Last time, she came out at 3 o’clock.”

“Hey, 3 o’clock?”

“So, oh my – that foolish guy came out at that time, prepared everything, and then dozed off in one corner of the store?”

“You are very diligent.”

“So, Mom has no choice but to be late and stuff.”

“Hahaha, good job.”

There is still time left before going to school.

I walked along this flower path with my mother for a while. I felt a sense of happiness that seemed to be enriched just by walking.

“Oh my gosh- Get out of my mind! Why has my son been so talkative lately? I lost track of time while chatting away! He should hurry up and wash up and go to school.”

“Haha, okay, okay, Mom.”

“Okay, okay, don’t go off on a different path later! Come straight to the store, we’re closing early today.”

“I told you, you don’t have to have that party. It’s not like you’re leaving forever, so it’s hard to do something like that.”

“Oh my- where is that! Huh? You said you’re going abroad to study, so cheer up, huh? You have to eat well before you go!”

Yeah, right.

My family wasn’t originally one to have this many feasts.

“Oh, okay.”

What would be so good about it?

My mother, with a smiling face, tells me again to come on time.

Did you imagine me eating the feast food? Did you feel good just imagining your child eating like that?

“Mom, fighting today too! Be careful of your shoulders!”

I waved to my mother as she walked back and forth several times, then walked back along the flower path to arrive home.

The first thing I see is my older sister sitting at her desk through the crack in the study door.

I opened the door slightly so as not to disturb my older sister’s studies, and my eyes met with mine.

“Are you here?”

You look tired today too, with dark circles under your eyes.

But the bright smile on his face is simply a physical effort, and the shadow of his heart is not visible.

“Yeah, aren’t you trying too hard? Are you really going to become a prosecutor at this rate?”

“Haha, of course it should be like that.”

My older sister, absorbed in her studies, looks extremely happy.

Is studying that good? I’m sick of it.

“I prepared some food. Come eat.”

“I told you to take care of my own food, so you study.”

“You have to move to turn your head.”

“okay.”

“Come to the store later so you don’t get late.”

The same nagging as my mother.

He nodded with a smirk and went out onto the veranda. There was a large table set out on the veranda since morning.

“What is this?”

“What is it? It’s a dining table.”

My younger sister sits down at the table with a towel wrapped around her head, exhaling steam.

It looks like you took a shower with warm water this morning.

“Okay, let’s eat.”

“I know it’s breakfast, but why is it so big?”

Originally, our house had that kind of simple taste, you know.

Bossam and eel in the morning?

“Where are the athletes competing?”

“This is from Hyo-ryong’s grandmother, this is from Jeong-woo’s father, and this is wild deodeok, the snack shop owner gave it to me.”

Bossam from Hyorong’s, eel from Jeongwoo’s, and wild deodeok from the snack shop owner who was having fun with Hodori’s bread.

I asked, pointing to the other side dishes on the table.

“Surely these too?”

“This is Heesuk’s mother who brought it.”

“They’re all wild?”

“Yeah, maybe?”

Hosane, hosaya.

Good ingredients and the taste of mother’s cooking.

There wasn’t a single one that wasn’t tasty.

“So you’re doing well?”

“what?”

“Have a nice trip to Yeonsu.”

“Oh, that.”

“huh.”

I guess you don’t know yet.

I’m not the only one going to this training.

“I’m not the only one going.”

“I know, Taesu and the broadcasting station people will go.”

No, that’s not the end.

This is my first time abroad, and I definitely don’t want to just work.