Life, Once Again!

After Story 265

“What do you mean, a scheme?” team leader Park asked.

Yeonjin also looked at Maru. It didn’t look like he said it with good intentions. The documents seemed to have no problems at all, so why was Maru saying this?

“It’s really hard to go through a contract carefully. It’s difficult to understand what the blind spot is even if you do read it.”

Maru laid out the contract. It was the page that had the materials about the estimated income.

“The estimated income may be different from real income. This document cannot be used as official evidence.”

He read out the sentence written on the contract. Team leader Park laughed and spoke,

“You have a really smart younger brother. Does it make you suspicious since it’s written like that? Of course, it may look like that, but I only wrote the obvious on the document. An estimation is ultimately just an estimation. But sir, you just saw the place for yourself. You saw that there were many customers.”

Yeonjin nodded as he listened to team leader Park’s words. The sales report of the café also seemed similar to the estimated income. The place didn’t seem to have any downsides either.

“Sir, are you not going to sign the contract? I can’t hold on anymore. Actually, if I proceed with the person calling me right now instead of you, the commission I get is a lot more. The reason I’m talking to you despite that is because of trust. I prepared such a good item for you, but if you’re suspicious, then you can stop here. I can just proceed with the contract with another person.”

Yeonjin had a look at the signature page of the contract. If he stamped that page, then he would be able to become a café owner.

“Uhm, Maru,” he called Maru in a small voice.

He was really grateful that Maru was willing to help him, but he was worried that he might lose a very good business item just like this. This person was a top-tier actor who pretty much had a guaranteed good life, but that wasn’t the case for him. He was looking into running a business because he felt insecure about his senior years.

“Then I’ll take it that you won’t do it.”

Team leader Park reached out to the contract. Yeonjin told him to wait and tried to grab the contract. Just then, however, Maru tapped on his thigh, signaling him with his eyes that he should stay still.

“This item is really good. Are you really going to give up on it?” asked the team leader as he put the pages together.

Yeonjin really wanted to talk, but he held back. He would’ve spoken out if it was anyone else, but the person sitting next to him wasn’t someone who would act without reason.

“Can I talk to the café owner?” Maru asked team leader Park.

“That’ll be difficult. There are many people who want to purchase a good item like this. If I connect each and every one of them to the café owner, then that will inconvenience the café owner. Since this matter involves big money, it’s much safer and more efficient for a company like ours to meditate. There are cases where the people involved in the contract get into a fight if they meet each other, so the contract must be done through me.”

“Would it be difficult to just have a short phone call?”

“I just told you there are multiple people who are like you. This is really getting frustrating. Sir, are you sure this brother of yours is here to help you? He looks like he doesn’t know how the world works.”

“You say that, but you look around the same age as me, team leader Park. Your position in the company must be manager, right? Your position on the outside is team leader. And for some peculiar reason, there isn’t a single staff member in the company.”

Team leader Park’s face, which had been filled with leisure this whole time, had a new emotion for the first time. It was nervousness and wariness. As soon as Yeonjin saw that expression, he pushed his stamp deep inside his pocket. He had been receiving a salary for handling people for nearly a decade now. He knew from experience how dangerous it was to work with people who made that expression.

It felt like he could finally see the true identity of team leader Park which was hidden behind the charming contract paper and materials.

“What are you trying to do here? If you aren’t going to proceed with the contract, then just don’t. This is ridiculous. Do you think you can run a business treating people like this? I’ve seen numerous people like you. They start a business with the meager knowledge they have and ruin everything and are thrown out to the streets. People like us are the ones who try to give them good items at a suitable price without getting scammed. Sheesh… I can’t believe I’m getting this kind of treatment.”

After nervousness and insecurity came aggressiveness. Yeonjin completely retracted his goodwill towards team leader Park and the contract.

“And Mr. Woojin, who introduced you to our company. Don’t you feel sorry for him? I tried my best to find you a good place, but you stopped recognizing my efforts and became suspicious of me because of this little brother who came at the last minute.”

After speaking, team leader Park stayed quiet for a moment. Maru, who had been listening, spoke,

“A good item will get a good price tag to match. Suitable prices only apply to mass-produced items, and it’s not the right word to use for a contract that involves big money like this. Good items are sold for very expensive prices, while not-so-good items are sold for moderately expensive prices. That’s the basics of a mediator. If you have the power to sell good items at a suitable price, then you need to change the profit model of the company. You have a way to earn easy money, so why would you even bother contacting individual investors to tell them that there’s a good item out for sale?”

Team leader Park widened his eyes in surprise. This was his turn to retort or make excuses, but he seemed at a loss because what Maru said was right.

“Is it really that difficult to have a phone call with the owner of the café? The owner must want to tune the details with the buyer if they put up their business for sale. It’s not like we’re asking to meet them, just a phone call.”

“As I explained to you before…”

“Then as shameless as we might be, let’s go pay a visit directly.”

Maru stood up from his seat. Team leader Park looked at him in a daze before standing up in a rush.

“That’s very rude. You must proceed with the contract through us! If you do things like that-!”

“Then what?” Maru stopped and said.

He had pulled down the mask as well. Team leader Park looked at Maru in a daze. Yeonjin could see his eyes widening.

“Han Maru…”

“That’s me. This ‘sir’ you’ve been calling is my manager. I think that’s enough explanation, so shall we go to the café together?”

“U-uhm, like I said.”

“Even if you want to block us, you can’t. You have no right to. After all, for contracts that proceed as fast as this, you explain the details on the day of the contract and have the papers stamped. If it’s a proper contract, there shouldn’t be anything to talk about on the day of the contract.”

Maru opened the door and left. Yeonjin also followed suit. The café that he was originally going to buy was about 10 minutes away on foot.

“Hey, hey!”

Team leader Park quickly followed. The envelope with the contract was crumpled. How hurried must he have been? Yeonjin found the situation more and more interesting.

“You can’t do this.”

“And why is that?”

“Proceeding with things like this is against company policies.”

“Unfortunately, I don’t belong to your company, team leader Park. Or what, can your company enforce its policies on outsiders too?”

“That’s not what I meant.”

Maru stopped walking.

“I know why you’re acting like this. If the parties involved in the contract meet directly, there’s nothing much to gain as the middleman. There must also be things you don’t want to reveal.”

Team leader Park rolled his eyes left and right before picking up his phone. Maru smiled and started walking again.

Yeonjin moved as he watched team leader Park whisper into his phone.

Not long later, they arrived at the café Yeonjin was originally going to sign a contract for. Yeonjin asked as Maru opened the door,

“How did you know it was here?”

“You messaged me last night about it. That’s why I made a visit before I went to look for you.”

“You came here already?”

“Checking it first is the right thing to do.”

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As soon as they opened the door and went inside, a lady who looked to be in her mid-forties greeted Maru. Team leader Park, who entered the café afterward, froze after seeing the lady.

“Oh, Mr. Maru. You’re really good-looking now that I am looking at you in real life. I was almost doubtful when you called me before, but it really is you.”

“I look better than I do on screen, right?”

“Sure. Much better.”

The lady looked at Yeonjin.

“Is this person perhaps…”

“Yes. He’s the potential owner who wants to buy this place.”

The lady brightened up and approached him.

“Nice to meet you.”

Yeonjin grabbed the hand that the lady held out. From the look of things, she seemed to be the owner of the café.

“Hello.”

“Team leader Park is behind you as well. Did you come together?”

When the owner acted like she knew him, team leader Park licked his lips before turning around. He kept his hand on his phone as though he was calling his superior.

“He seems like he’s busy, so let us talk by ourselves for a while.”

They talked about buying the café with Maru present. Most of the materials were the same as what Team leader Park told him. However, there was one very crucial difference.

“I like to be upfront about things. I’ll give you the sales report of our café.”

The owner printed the sales report. Yeonjin checked two things, the profit for last year and this year, and then glared at team leader Park who was making a phone call outside.

“The sales were especially good for July and August.”

“There’s a festival nearby. The sales rise during that period. But on average, it’s about 3 million a month?”

“So not 6 million a month, huh?”

“If pure profits are that good, then I wouldn’t put it out for sale. I’m actually satisfied with the current sales, but there are various pains that come with running a business. That’s why I plan to sell it off and get some rest.”

“I see.”

Yeonjin chuckled powerlessly. 6 million vs. 3 million. 3 million was a big amount of money, sure, but that was only half of the promised 6 million.

Next to him, Maru spoke,

“It’s true that this place is good. There’s an office-tel nearby, and there are also quite a lot of offices and a college. The owner was really good at management, so the interior design and the facilities are good as well.”

“You know your stuff, Mr. Maru.” the owner laughed in delight.

Yeonjin looked around the store and then at Maru. He must have been busy working as an actor, so where did he acquire such discerning eyes? It was a total surprise.

“The sales are consistent to the point that the owner is willing to be upfront about it, and if you keep the suppliers, then management will be a lot easier.”

“Right, right.”

The owner was all smiles.

“But where did team leader Park go? We have to proceed with the contract.”

Team leader Park, who had been calling someone outside the café, could no longer be seen.

“He probably went to take care of the aftermath. More than that, ma’am, what did you tell team leader Park that you’d sell the premium[1]?for?”

“The premium? He told me that the economy was bad and that there weren’t many people looking to buy, so I lowered it as much as I could. I don’t want people to hand each other hot potatoes, so I just thought I should just reclaim as much as I paid at the beginning.”

“How much is that?”

“100 million.”

Hearing 100 million, Yeonjin doubted his ears for a moment.

“100 million premium?” he asked for confirmation.

“Yes, but why do you ask? Didn’t team leader Park tell you about it?”

“I heard that it was 300 million.”

“300 million? What kind of nonsense is that?”

Yeonjin chuckled powerlessly. 100 million premium and 3 million monthly profits were still very decent.

“Then let’s talk about it calmly, shall we?”

Maru smiled and pointed at a chair.

* * *

“Thanks. I almost got swindled out of a huge amount of money,” Yeonjin said as he poured some soju.

“It’s a pretty common practice.”

“But isn’t that a total scam? Should I sue him?”

“Don’t bother. I told you, didn’t I? They push the contract verbally and whiz through the contract on the day itself. There’s no contract that states everything, so even if you do sue, you won’t get much from it. Even if you do, you can’t sue the company and would have to sue team leader Park the individual, but that’s just a pain.”

“It’s more ridiculous the more I think about it. He tried to eat 200 million in the middle.”

“That’s just how premiums work. It’s a rubber band that’s easy to stretch.”

Yeonjin drank some soju and spoke,

“Hey, let’s order some premium-grade beef. I saved 200 million thanks to you, so I should treat you.”

“Save it up and use it later. I’m fine with pork.”

They drank while talking about the things that happened during the day. Yeonjin got pretty drunk and spoke with a grin on his face,

“Thanks a bunch. I really didn’t do much for you.”

“I had an easier time in this life thanks to you, so you did do a lot for me.”

“In this life? What, is there a previous one?”

“Maybe. Anyway, congratulations on becoming a café owner,” Maru said as he toasted with him.

[1]?This doesn’t seem to exist in the west. A ‘premium’ in this context means extra payment for taking over existing business practices (including suppliers, existing machines, furniture, etc) and customers.