Story of a Big Player from Gangnam

Secretary Yeon-Soo Oh entered Gun-Ho's office, and she said, "Sir, Lymondell Dyeon's Vice President Brandon Burke is on the phone right now. He wants to talk to you, sir."

"Oh shoot, but I can't speak English."

Gun-Ho picked up the phone anyway.

"Hello? I'm Gun-Ho Goo."

"How are you doing, Mr. President Goo? I'm Brandon Burke."

"I'm fine, and you?"

"Interpreter, please."

"Okay, sir."

Gun-Ho handed his phone back to Secretary Yeon-Soo Oh. He could hear Yeon-Soo Oh saying yes and yes. Yeon-Soo Oh talked with Mr. Brandon Burke for quite a while. As she hung up the phone, she said, "Mr. Vice President Brandon Burke wanted to thank you, sir, for giving him a chance to work in Chennai, India. As he heard from Mr. Adam Castler, he understands that he will have the full authority in sales, finance, and human resource, and etc. for Dyeon India, and he truly appreciates it."

"Hmm, I see."

"Also, he wants to thank you for sending the Korean engineers in the compounding and maintenance field from Korea, not to mention the 50,000 dollars advanced payment. He said he wouldn't disappoint you. He will ensure that Dyeon India grows to a large company as you well anticipate."

"Hmm, really? Okay. Sounds good."

Secretary Yeon-Soo Oh then gave a bow to Gun-Ho before leaving the office after picking up empty cups from the table.

One week passed by. It was the rainy season, and there was heavy rainfall almost every day.

Gun-Ho was looking out of the window from his office on the 18th floor in his building in Sinsa Town.

"It's raining so heavily that it looks like a water bomb."

Gun-Ho then realized that it might be raining in Japan as well, and the movie production staff from China would be there tomorrow for shooting the movie.

"Huanle Shiji Production Company's staff would be in Kyoto in this heavy rain. The bad weather could hinder their work."

Gun-Ho made a call to Mr. Yoshitaka Matsuda who was working in GH Media's office on the 17th floor in the same building as him.

"It's Gun-Ho Goo."

"Yes, sir."

"You are leaving for Kyoto tomorrow, aren't you? It's raining so heavily. Is it going to be okay?"

"Fortunately, the rain will stop tonight according to the weather forecast. I actually just got off the phone with Director Woon-Hak Sim in Shanghai. Everything will proceed as planned. They will be in Kyoto tomorrow, and I will meet them at the film studio park—Toei Uzumasa—as scheduled."

"Hmm, is that right?"

The following day, it stopped raining just like Mr. Yoshitaka Matsuda said. Gun-Ho usually didn't trust the weather forecast since their weather predictions were frequently wrong. But, this time, they were right. Mr. Yoshitaka Matsuda entered Gun-Ho's office before leaving for the airport. He was carrying a suitcase and a camera.

"I'm heading to the airport, sir. I feel relieved looking at the nice weather today."

"That's right. I was still worried even after you told me that the rain would stop soon since the weather forecast is often wrong."

"I just talked with the people in Kyoto right now; they said the weather in Kyoto right now is great. They even can feel the freshness in the weather after the heavy rain."

"Haha, really?"

"My trip to Tokyo is scheduled for two nights and three days, sir."

"How many staff would be coming from Shanghai?"

"I didn't ask them about it, but I guess there will be around five or six people. Of course, Director Yan Woo and Director Sim will be there too."

Gun-Ho took out an envelope from his desk drawer, and he said as he handed the envelope to Mr. Yoshitaka Matsuda, "This is 1,000 dollars. I want to treat you and the staff from China, appreciating their hard work. Please use this to have a drink with them in Japan."

"Whoa, sir! I didn't expect this. Thank you."

"I know that everything is expensive in Japan. They wouldn't even think of having a drink in Japan because of the high liquor price. If you buy them a drink there, I'm sure that they will be excited."

"Thank you, sir."

Mr. Yoshitaka Matsuda gave a deep bow to Gun-Ho before leaving his office.

Gun-Ho wanted to have lunch with GH Development's Director Kang that day. It had been a while since they had lunch together. Gun-Ho walked out of his office and looked around to find Director Kang, but he was not at his desk.

"Ms. Assistant Manager Ji-Young Jeong, where is Mr. Director Kang?"

"Oh, he left the office after getting a call from Team Lead Soon-Nam Jeong, sir. It seems that because of the heavy rain yesterday, the boiler room is flooded with water."

"Hmm, that makes sense. It was extremely heavy rainfall. I wonder if the factories in Jiksan Town and Asan City are okay. Their retaining walls could be damaged by heavy rain like this. Well, they have a lot of engineers there who can handle the damage if there is one. I don't think I need to check and instruct them on how to manage it."

Gun-Ho made a call to his wife—Young-Eun.

"It's me. Did you have lunch already?"

"No, not yet."

"Do you want to have lunch with me today? I will buy you any food you want."

"What's wrong with you? You've never called me to offer me lunch before."

"I just want you to have a break from staying home all day long taking care of our boy. You need to get some fresh air sometimes."

"Well, it's weird, but I will have lunch with you. Thanks."

"So you have any specific restaurant that you want to have your lunch?"

"I want to eat meat. I'm having too much vegetables at home without meat."

"Well, then where…"

"Meet me at Baekjaewon next to Yeoksam Station. I've been there once with my friends from college last year. It was good. The restaurant is in the Gangnam Finance Center."

After getting off the phone with Young-Eun, Gun-Ho started getting ready to leave the office.

"Young-Eun and her friends seem to meet at an expensive restaurant since they are all medical doctors. It looks like that restaurant serves grilled beef sirloin. Its location is coincidentally close to the stock brokerage firm where I have an account with."

Gun-Ho arrived at the restaurant—Baekjaewon. A moment later, Gun-Ho saw Young-Eun entering the restaurant holding their baby boy.

"Young-Eun, over here."

"You came early."

"Sang-Min, your daddy is here," Gun-Ho greeted his boy.

The baby was busy looking around the new surroundings around him.

Young-Eun looked pretty that day, Gun-Ho thought. Her skin looked brighter and glowing. Her skin looked better than before she had the baby.

Gun-Ho ordered a full course menu with grilled beef sirloin for two people. Young-Eun looked at Chan-Ho Eom who was sitting at the table next to Gun-Ho's, and she said, "Mr. Chan-Ho Eom, why don't you sit with us?"

"It's okay, ma'am. I have to eat quickly and leave. I parked the car on the street because I couldn't find a place to park. I have to go to the car as soon as I finish eating my lunch. Don't mind me, please, and enjoy your lunch."

Young-Eun seemed to enjoy the grilled beef sirloin. She ate a lot, and Gun-Ho watched her eating in amusement.

"What are you looking at? I'm not eating all these just for me. I'm giving some of what I eat to Sang-Min by breastfeeding him. I'm eating for him."

"Haha. Okay. Eat as much as you can."

At that moment, someone lightly greeted Gun-Ho while passing his table. It was the branch manager of the stock brokerage company. The branch manager gave a slight nod to Gun-Ho and walked away with his party to another table. A moment later, Gun-Ho's cell phone started ringing. It was the branch manager who was sitting at another table in the same restaurant.

"It's me, sir, the branch manager of the Gangnam stock brokerage firm. You don't have to say anything, but just listen, sir."

"Okay."