BXBX NOVEL Chapter 393 - Art Exhibition with Original Paintings (2) – Part 2
“How much is the sales revenue?”
“It’s about 100 million won per month. I have a suggestion to make to you, President Goo.”
“What is it?”
“I want to get more trucks. Is it okay to buy more trucks with the profits we generate?”
“Sure, do so.”
“If we do that, you won’t get any money.”
“Getting more trucks means growing this company, and that means my asset is growing. So it doesn’t matter to me.”
“Really? Thank you.”
“And, how much salary do you take?”
“The bookkeeper takes 1.8 million won per month, the office manager takes 2.2, and I take 2.5. It’s the same amount of salary I received when I worked for GH Media.”
“That’s it? How much is President Shin paid?”
“Her monthly salary is 3.5 million won.”
“GH Media is generating good revenue now. President Shin’s and your salary is too low. I guess I’ve been ignorant.”
“President Shin said she is going to negotiate her salary at the end of this year when she gives you a report about the company.”
“We still have two months left before the time. Well, I will wait for her salary negotiation then. In the meanwhile, let’s raise your salary to 3 million won now, President Moon. And use 1 million won per month for any sales activity expenses.”
“Umm... Will it be okay?”
“If the company generates more profits, we will negotiate your salary again then.”
“That won’t be necessary. I am happy with what I have now. I make 3 million won per month, and I can use 1 million won for sales activity, and also I’m riding SM5. I don’t envy no one now.”
“You shouldn’t stop there. You should aim at becoming a person who is receiving hundreds of millions of won and who is riding a luxurious car.”
“Well, thank you for saying that.”
It was Friday afternoon.
Gun-Ho got a haircut and put on a dazzling white shirt with a tie. He then headed to the Daehak-Ro area in Dongsung Town.
Gun-Ho said to Chan-Ho Eum in his Bentley, “Find a place to park around Heyhwa Station subway line 5. I’m going to a place nearby Arko Arts Theater.”
“Yes, sir.”
Chan-Ho loved going on a trip with Gun-Ho to somewhere out of routine because he was paid 1.5 times more for those days’ work, and he usually had a nice dinner.
Gun-Ho went to the restaurant where he was supposed to meet President Shin and the lady doctor. The restaurant was situated on the second floor, and it was cozy.
When he arrived, he looked around and then found President Jeong-Sook Shin who was waving at Gun-Ho. The lady doctor, whose name that Gun-ho was told was Young-Eun Kim, was there too. They seemed to wait for Gun-Ho without placing any order.
“I’m sorry that I’m late.”
Gun-Ho sat next to President Shin. Young-Eun Kim looked at Gun-Ho and she looked surprised. She probably didn’t know that Gun-Ho would join them for dinner.
Gun-Ho said to Young-Eun, “Hi.”
Young-Eun didn’t look comfortable to see him there.
“Young-Eun, you remember him, right? He came to your aunt’s home last time and we had warm noodles together. He is actually the one who wanted to buy us dinner today.”
A waiter at the restaurant brought water for everyone. President Shin made small talk, “How was the traffic? The traffic must be congested this hour, isn’t it?”
“Yes, a little.”
“Did you come with your chauffeur?”
“Yes, I told him that I would come back a bit late. He is probably having his dinner after parking the car.”
“Oh, you know what? I parked my car on the street. I think I’d better go now. Please enjoy your dinner.”
President Shin quickly left the restaurant. She seemed to give some privacy to this young man and woman.
After President Shin left, Gun-Ho talked to Young-Eun Kim.
“I wanted to thank you for the lunch the other day in Yangpyeong County.”
“Oh, no problem.”
Young-Eun seemed to be tense.
“Shall we order food?”
As he said to Young-Eun, he handed the menu book to her.
“Please place your order first.”
Young-Eun gave the menu book back to Gun-Ho.
Gun-Ho picked something that was neither expensive nor cheap.
“How about this one?”
“That sounds good.”
Young-Eun responded calmly.
Gun-Ho placed an order to the waiter.
Gun-Ho then drank the water. He was trying to come up with anything that he could talk with her about.
“I heard you live around here.”
“Yes, I live in Myeonglyoon Town.”
“Is it a condo?”
“Yes, it is.”
Silence filled the air again.
“I actually wanted to buy you dinner to show my gratitude. But it turned out that you treated me first.”
“Young-Eun looked at Gun-Ho. She seemed puzzled while trying to think of any reason why Gun-Ho would want to thank her.
“My mother received spinal surgery at Seoul National University Hospital last month. She also suffered from constipation which required an enema, and you helped her. I was there, and I was shocked at the scene. I didn’t know a medical doctor does it as part of their job. I was so grateful that you relieved my mother’s pain. Thank you again.”
“Which patient room did your mother stay in?”
“She stayed in a room sharing with other patients and then moved to a one-person room.”
“Oh, oh, I think I remember her.”
Young-Eun smiled faintly. She had never smiled until then at the restaurant. Gun-Ho thought that she looked cute.
“Let’s change the subject since we have to eat.”
Gun-Ho drank his glass of water again. For some reason, he felt thirsty. After a while, Gun-Ho said, “Taking care of patients as a doctor is hard, isn’t it?”
Young-Eun smiled faintly again; what Gun-Ho said to her sounded warm and caring.
“It’s a rewarding job.”
The food came out. It was a beefsteak. They ate the food without saying a word. Gun-Ho placed some delicious side dishes close to Young-Eun.
“It’s okay.”
Young-Eun placed them back to where they were.
“What do you do for a living?”
“I run companies. I have two manufacturing factories, and I have a building in Sinsa Town, Gangnam. I rent them out. I’m making it alright.”
Young-Eun smiled again when Gun-Ho said he was doing alright in making his living.
“Medical doctors are doing fine in making a living, aren’t they?”
“Right, we do alright too.”
Gun-Ho ordered a bottle of beer and filled up a glass with it and gave it to Young-Eun.
“Drink just one glass of beer. I will finish the rest of the bottle.”
Young-Eun didn’t say anything.
“You must be living by yourself then. I live by myself too in a condo in Dogok Town.”
“Where is Dogok Town?”
“It’s two blocks from Yangjae Town.”
“Did you make an investment in President Shin’s company?”
“Yes, a little. President Shin is very knowledgeable in the arts. The first art exhibition that she hosted at my art gallery was with Chinese northern school literati paintings. She then had another exhibition with Chinese young painters’ avant-garde art.”
Gun-Ho talked a lot about arts based on the knowledge that he heard from President Jeong-Sook Shin as if he knew about them by heart and as if he was really into arts. He was not a talkative type, but during that day, he could talk a lot without any difficulty after having a glass of beer. Young-Eun Kim seemed to be interested in what Gun-Ho was telling.