Chapter 138

While chatting, President Jo finished his kimbap and wiped his mouth with a smile.

“I’m not usually one to share much about myself…but maybe because I feel comfortable here or perhaps due to your excellent conversational skills, I find myself talking more than usual today.”

“Thank you for feeling at ease here.”

“No need to thank me. Lately, my thoughts have been cluttered, but discussing these topics has made me reconsider dementia again.”

“That’s great. I sincerely hope you conquer it soon.”

“So do I.”

“You will achieve it.”

Kang Jin suddenly remembered something from their earlier conversation, “I overheard during your phone call that there was a farewell dinner tonight?”

“I should at least treat them to dinner before I leave since we’ve been through so much together.”

“Do you like makgeolli by any chance?”

“A little bit from my university days.”

At President Jo’s response, Kang Jin brought over a large barrel next to the refrigerator. President Jo raised an eyebrow as she recognized it as a heavy traditional barrel known as a mal-tong.

“It’s chestnut-flavored makgeolli directly from a brewery.”

“Chestnut-flavored?”

“We can enjoy this during our farewell party tonight.”

“This one?”

“Hwang Minsung insisted on paying fifty thousand won for it, and I feel guilty about accepting his money.”

“You could’ve just taken it…”

“My philosophy is that nothing in life comes free.”

This was his steadfast belief ever since realizing how harsh this world could be and after gaining strength from his encounter with Kang Jin.

Seeing Kang Jin’s insistence, President Jo nodded in agreement.

“In that case, I gratefully accept it.”

“If you enjoy it, please contact me. We make only small batches here, so advance reservations are necessary.” As Kang Jin handed over his business card, President Jo smiled, took it, and reciprocated with his own.

Family Pharmaceuticals

President: Woonshik Jo

“I’ll enjoy my meal then.”

With makgeolli jar in hand, President Jo exited the store as Kang Jin escorted him out.

“Wishing you success in your research.”

Kang Jin nodded and extended his hand for a handshake.

“I’ll be back again.”

“I’d appreciate that very much. Oh! And please tell your acquaintances about our restaurant. Let them know it’s delicious and a great place to dine.”

“Ha-ha-ha! Will do.” President Jo chuckled warmly at Kang Jin.

“When President Hwang comes next time, could you serve him chow mein?”

“Chow mein?”

“He loves chow mein.”

With that, President Jo took out a 50,000 won bill and handed it to Kang Jin.

“Please make sure to have it ready when he visits.”

Smiling, Kang Jin accepted the money.

“I’ll prepare it once I see him coming.”

President Jo nodded, taking one last look around the establishment.

“It’s a lovely restaurant.”

Kang Jin smiled and bowed as President Jo reciprocated with a small nod before carrying the makgeolli barrel away.

As Kang Jin watched him leave, she entered the store to clear dishes when she noticed the empty kimbap plate.

“My mom used to eat kimchi kimbap…”

She recalled how her mother would make kimchi kimbap whenever dining alone at home, watching television while eating.

“Would you like one?”

Remembering this, Kang Jin cleared the dishes.

“I should’ve had some then.” She muttered quietly, finished clearing, and rolled a piece of kimchi kimbap for herself without cutting it. As the long strands of kimchi emerged from the bite, she nipped them off with her teeth and savored the crunchy texture of the kimbap.

“Tastes good.”

Kang Jin welcomed Monday, the first day of his final week as an intern. With just three more days to go, his internship would officially end on Thursday.

Lee Sangsub had invited Kang Jin for coffee, and they were chatting in the break room together.

“Only three days left?”

Kang Jin nodded with a smile at Lee Sangsub’s remark.

“Sangsub, right?”

“Huh?”

“It combines ‘high’ from your first name and ‘disappointed’ from your last name, so it means ‘are you feeling high and disappointed?’”

Lee Sangsub squinted at Kang Jin’s joke.

“My apologies.” Kang Jin promptly apologized.

Lee Sangsub waved him off. “Don’t crack jokes like that; people might not appreciate it.”

He then looked at Kang Jin curiously. “By the way, you stopped calling me upperclassman now?”

“If I compare it to being in the military, then wouldn’t I be like a veteran sergeant with only three days left before discharge?”

“But you haven’t served in the army, so what do you know about it?”

Kang Jin indeed had never been enlisted. It wasn’t due to any physical disability; rather, he was exempted for reasons related to his family circumstances.

“I may not have served, but from all the stories shared by my friends and juniors who did, there’s nothing I don’t know about the Army, Air Force, Navy, Search Unit, Engineers, Artillery, Military Police, even including drivers. And if I recall correctly, once nearing discharge, soldiers often address officers as ‘bro’ or ‘sir’, right?”

“You can speak comfortably around me, but let’s not go that far.”

Lee Sangsub’s response made Kang Jin laugh momentarily before he asked:

“Is your used car business still ongoing?”

“Why?”

“I want to buy a used car.”

“A car?”

“I need to start my business properly after finishing this internship. Having a car will make it easier for me to move around.”

“You’re right. In the food business, you’ll have to buy lots of ingredients; walking everywhere won’t be feasible.”

“Yes, that’s true.”

Lee Sangsub pondered Kang Jin’s words before responding.

“However, most used cars sent to Africa are near junk status and require extensive repairs.”

“Really?”

“Why would they sell them here if possible? They send those with issues overseas.”

“That makes sense.”

Lee Sangsub looked at Kang Jin expectantly.

“How much were you thinking of spending?”

“I’m not well-versed in cars, so I’m unsure. What price range should I consider for a reliable vehicle?”

“It varies by car type. Does it matter which type you get?”

“Not at all.”

“I’d say you can get something decent for around five million won.”

“Five million?” Kang Jin squinted, thinking it sounded expensive.

Lee Sangsub explained, “Have you heard the saying ‘you get what you pay for’?”

“Yes, I have.”

“You’ll be driving this car everywhere, so buying cheap could lead to problems later.”

“That…makes sense.”

“And there’s no such thing as a good, affordable car. Cheaper cars come with their own set of issues. The key isn’t finding a bargain but purchasing a reliable vehicle at a fair price.”

“As long as I don’t overpay, right?”

Lee Sangsub nodded in agreement. “I know someone who might help. Shall I ask them?”

“Absolutely, thank you.”

“In return…I won’t blame you if any issues arise.”

“You should recommend one without problems then.” Kang Jin replied.

Lee Sangsub shook his head at Kang Jin’s request. “Where can you find a car that doesn’t have any issues? You just deal with them as they come up while driving.”

Kang Jin pondered Lee Sangsub’s words and realized there was some truth to it.

“It’s similar to computers.”

“Computers?”

“A junior from my school once asked me to fix their computer.”

“So, were there any issues?”

“They kept nagging me whenever something went wrong.”

Lee Sangsub nodded understandingly.

“If any problems occur while driving, you’ll need to handle them yourself. Then I’ll introduce you to someone who can help.”

“Then please make the introduction.”

“So…let’s go during lunchtime.”

“You think we’ll have enough time?”

“We can just extend our break if needed.”

It was unclear where they were going to view used cars, but it would likely take longer than their allotted lunch hour.

“During work hours?”

“It’s common for office workers to handle personal matters while on the clock.”

“That…makes sense.”

Some people jokingly say they even prefer doing their business at work. At home, they’d incur water and toilet paper expenses, but using company facilities means getting paid while taking care of nature’s call.

“And you should inspect a car under daylight. Scratches aren’t visible at night.”

“Oh…”

Kang Jin nodded, unaware of this fact before Lee Sangsub mentioned it.

“Let’s go after lunch then.”

“Understood.” With Kang Jin’s reply, Lee Sangsub left the break room and approached Lim Ho-jin.

“I’m taking Kang Jin to a used car dealership during our lunch break.”

“Why there?”

“We want to check out current South Korean market prices for used cars.”

“Can’t you just contact the support team for that?”

For domestic or international market data, employees could simply request assistance from their company’s support team.

“Sometimes it’s better to see things with your own eyes. Plus, Kang Jin is planning to buy a used car anyway, so we’ll kill two birds with one stone.”

Lim Ho-jin glanced at Kang Jin and nodded his approval. “Go ahead.”

“Yes, sir.”

Lee Sangsub nodded and returned to his desk as Lim Ho-jin turned to Kang Jin.

“Oh, by the way, I received a call from Mr. Yoo Daesung expressing his gratitude towards you.”

Yoo Daesung was the master brewer of makgeolli.

“I guess he decided to work with his son after all.”

“He arrived early yesterday morning and started working right away.”

“That’s great.”

“Yes, it is. So, I plan on visiting him tomorrow. Would you like to come along?”

“Sure, why not?”

“How about we leave at three o’clock tomorrow afternoon?”

Kang Jin agreed but then glanced between Lee Sangsub and Lim Ho-jin.

I thought they were just hardworking employees…but seems like they occasionally skip out on work.

Their previous trip to the brewery could also be considered ditching their duties.

Moreover, Lee Sangsub’s fieldwork wasn’t particularly urgent… It seemed employees sometimes used off-site tasks as excuses to run personal errands during work hours.

Kang Jin arrived at a used car dealership center riding with Lee Sangsub. As Kang Jin got out of the car and surveyed the rows of vehicles, Lee Sangsub made a phone call.

“I’m here now… Understood.”

Lee Sangsub hung up and turned to Kang Jin.

“He’ll be right over, so let’s wait for him.”

Kang Jin looked around before asking, “Are you close with this broker?”

“We know each other through work, but… he wouldn’t waste my time if we’re going forward with business together.”

Kang Jin nodded at Lee Sangsub’s question. As an employee of a trading company dealing with exporting used cars to foreign countries, it was beneficial for him to maintain close ties with brokers who specialized in selling second-hand vehicles. After all, anything could be sold in the African market if there were enough demand.

“Let’s check out some cars.”

Lee Sangsub parked his car and started walking towards the used vehicles on display. The exterior of these cars looked clean and well-maintained. While browsing through them, Kang Jin spotted one particular automobile that caught his eye - an Avante, often referred to as the “people’s car,” which appeared tidy except…

…if only there weren’t any ghosts attached to it.

‘Why…are those ghosts stuck to the car?’

There were already two ghosts seated inside.

‘Did they die in a car accident?’

As Kang Jin observed the ghosts clinging to the vehicle, Lee Sangsub frowned upon seeing it.

Lee Sangsub squinted at the car, clearly displeased.

“It’s an Avante.”

“They’re quite popular.”

“Yes, they are… But it doesn’t look very appealing.”

Despite its decent appearance, Lee Sangsub found it unattractive. Kang Jin looked puzzled and asked him:

“What’s strange about it?”

“It seems clean enough, but there’s just something off…”

Kang Jin observed the car more closely, sensing Sangsub’s reluctance.

‘Must be because of the ghosts.’

The two spirits sitting in the back seat likely made even ordinary people feel uneasy.

As they scrutinized the vehicle, a young man approached them.

“Boss!”

Lee Sangsub smiled warmly as the friendly young man greeted him.

“How’ve you been doing?”

“I’m good, thanks. So what brings you here?”

“Why else would I visit a used car center?”

“Are you buying a new car?”

“Yes.”

“Oh really?”

“It’s about time you got a new car, boss.”

“I’ve only had it for three years. What do you mean?”

“C’mon! For someone working at such a large corporation, that’s already too long. Which model are you looking to buy? We have plenty of great deals these days.”

Lee Sangsub chuckled at the salesman’s friendly approach and pointed toward Kang Jin.

“He’s the one buying today.”

“Does he work at Taekwang Trading Company as well?”

“That’s right.”

“Well then, I’ll make sure to recommend something excellent.” The young man handed his business card to Kang Jin with both hands. “Goh Daehoon.”

Kang Jin reciprocated by taking out his own card from Taekwang Trading Company. “Lee Kang-jin.”

After exchanging cards, Goh Daehoon turned to Kang Jin. “I noticed you were eyeing this particular car. Do you like it?” Smiling, he walked over to the vehicle, having observed Kang Jin intently studying it on their way inside.