Gun-Ho was naturally not very extroverted .
Moreover, during his secondary school years, he didn't do well in school and his family was poor . That made him more shy and timid back then, and he didn't have many friends accordingly .
After graduating from high school, he went to a college in the countryside before he had to drop out of college because he couldn't afford to pay for his tuition and living expenses . He later went to a cyber college while planning to transfer to another four-year college . He didn't transfer to any college afterward though, but instead, he studied for the level-9 government job exam for quite a while . While Gun-Ho was trying all of above, he alienated the friends he had at that time even though there were only a few .
He then started working in a factory while moving around from Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province to Pocheon and to Yangju . At that time Gun-Ho almost had no friend . Jong-Suk who also worked in a factory with Gun-Ho was his only friend .
To make things worse social life wise, Gun-Ho got a sudden windfall of 500 million won when he worked in accounting in a company in Dunpo, Asan . Because Gun-Ho couldn't say he was blameless for acquiring that money, he developed the tendency to hide things and the thought that earning money was the top priority . This might explain why he became reclusive and reluctant to meet people even after he had made a big fortune and become one of the big players from Gangnam .
Back to the story, Gun-Ho was still going through hard times in his life .
"Suk-Ho Lee is running a bar at Gyeongridan Street? I remember him bragging about going to the Military Academy . Now he is serving alcohol? It's really hard to predict someone's future . "
Gun-Ho had a bad memory about Suk-Ho . They had a bad fight when they were in high school; well, actually it was not a fight, but Gun-Ho got beaten up by Suk-Ho .
"I was about to leave for home after school when it suddenly began to rain . At that moment, Suk-Ho claimed that the umbrella I was holding was his and took it from me; I am certain it was mine . So we started fighting, but Suk-Ho was way bigger than me . He beat me up and gave me a pretty bad black eye . All the classmates around us took his side . When I got home afterward, I was all wet because of the rain and I cried so hard because I was upset . It still remains vivid in my memory . I am sure Suk-Ho will be very surprised if I go see him . "
Gun-Ho chuckled while getting on the bus no . 152 from the Noryangjin bus station .
"I will have to get off at the Samgakji Station and take the subway from there . It's not far from here, and it's not even noon yet . "
After he changed the subway line, he arrived at Itaewon Town .
"According to my Internet search earlier, this seems to be the way to get to Suk-Ho's bar . But what is this? A hillside road?"
When he approached the hillside road, there was a sign . 'Ministry of National Defense Service Support Corps . '
"Is this the building of the Central Army Corps of the Army? Well, the building doesn't seem that good, so does the street . "
Once he passed by the building, bizarre business signs began to appear .
"Salon de Earth, The Code, BISTECCA… I have no idea what those words even mean . "
Gun-Ho had to wander the Gyeongridan Street for a while before he could find Suk-Ho's bar that Jong-Suk indicated .
"Jong-Suk should have told me to look for the Itaewon Community Service Center to find Suk-Ho's bar . It's right here . "
The bar had a vague sign and drawing on its front, while Gun-Ho was not sure whether it was a restaurant or a bar . He tried to open the door . It was locked; the bar was not open yet .
"They open late probably because they serve alcohol . "
Gun-Ho decided to go to Itaewon Town and have lunch there and come back, hoping that the bar would be open by then .
"How much would it cost to open a bar like this? It doesn't seem to be large and its location is a little off the main street . The initial cost to start this type of business wouldn't be that high… Let's have lunch first in Itaewon Town . "
Itaewon Town was situated next to Gyeongridan Street . It was a well-developed town with stores, restaurants, bars, etc . It was also crowded; Gun-Ho could find many westerners and African Americans as well .
"How much would these roadside stores cost to open? Probably expensive, huh? If I have a store like them, would I be able to handle it? I've never run my own business before . I should be extra careful . "
Gun-Ho had a pork cutlet for lunch . After lunch, he wandered around Itaewon Town while browsing shops there .
"How much would a clothing store like this make per day? All they have to pay is the rent and labor…"
Gun-Ho looked at the clock on his smartphone . It was ten past two .
"I wonder if Suk-Ho came to his bar and open it already . "
Gun-Ho headed back to Gyeongridan Street .
"Comparing to Itaewon Town, there is not much traffic here and the street extends all the way over the hill . I am not sure why this street is so popular . "
Gun-Ho arrived at Suk-Ho's bar again . The door was open . Someone was organizing trash bags in front of the bar . It was Suk-Ho . He looked a bit different, but it was Suk-Ho for sure .
"Hey, Suk-Ho . Long time no see . "
Hearing someone call his name, Suk-Ho lifted his head and looked at Gun-Ho . He was blinking his eyes slowly and he didn't seem to recognize Gun-Ho .
"I'm Gun-Ho Goo . Your classmate from high school . "
"Oh, Gun-Ho . I didn't recognize you . You used to be skinny back then . You gained some weight, man . "
"You gained some weight too . I heard you are running a bar here from Jong-Suk . "
"Jong-Suk? "
"Yeah, his parents used to have Seolleongtang (an ox bone soup) restaurant in our town . "
"Oh, him! That flippant kid!"
"Yup, that's him . "
"Do you work here in Gyeoangridan Street too?"
"No . I am planning to start my own business . I am here hoping to get some advice from you . "
"From me? Well, come inside . "
Gun-Ho followed Suk-Ho inside the bar . The bar had about 12 tables . Several chairs were still scattered and they hadn't finished cleaning yet .
"I was about to clean the bar . It was a bit messy now . Please have a seat here . I will bring some green tea . "
Gun-Ho sat on a chair and looked around . A large picture of a western singer holding a guitar and a picture of an African American singer were hanging on the wall with some other pictures .
"They are so distracting . "
Suk-Ho brought green tea .
"Hey, it has been a long time . The last time I saw you was in high school, and it has been more than ten years since we graduated . "
"Yeah, I think so . "
"I heard that you were working in a factory in Pocheon or somewhere . "
"Right . I used to work in a factory in Pocheon and Asan, and I recently quit the job . "
"You did? Do you have something you want to do on your mind?"
"I haven't decided yet . How large is this bar?"
"It's 23 pyung . Length should be 11 meters and width should be 7 meters . "
"How is the business?"
"It has been over a year since I opened this bar . I struggled a lot in the beginning, but the business got better lately as the sales have increased . "
"You have 12 tables . It must cost you a lot to start the bar with this size . How much did you spend?"
"It cost me around 150 million won . "
"150 million won? Wow . You had saved a lot of money to start your business . "
"How can possibly someone at our age can have 150 million won? I have partners, my two friends . One has another job, so he just invested money in this bar . The other friend and I run this bar by actually working here, so we don't have to spend additional money to hire someone . "
"If three people invested in it, then each came with 50 million won?"
"Yeah, that's correct . I borrowed the money from my parents since I hadn't had any money saved up at that time . "
"If I remember correctly, your father was a soldier in the army . Did he work here in Gyeongridan Street?"
"No, he served in a unit in the front, so not this area . He is already discharged from the army and he was a colonel . "
"I see . "
"So, what are you planning? How much are you going to invest to start?"
"I am thinking of opening a restaurant . I don't have much money either, but there is someone who is willing to invest…"
"I had been everywhere before I started this bar . I went to the area around Hongik University, Konkuk University, and Garosugil Road in Sinsa Town, Gangnam . "
"It is expensive to open a business in those areas, right?"
"Don't get me started . Even if you have 200-300 million won, you can only get a tiny space in an isolated back street . Moreover, there are too many restaurants in our country . "
While Gun-Ho and Suk-Ho were talking, Suk-Ho's business partner came in the bar .
Chapter end
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