“Under whose name, sir?” asked Hak-jae.
“Do-jun’s,”
The grandfather seemed as if he’d discovered tremendous treasures.
Do-jun’s potential got the upper hand on the qualities of a very good CEO.
“What are you planning to do with the land, sir?”
“What do you mean? It’s Do-jun’s,”
“I mean, with the land compensation. And as you know, we have to sell the land before the government’s official announcement (of new town development projects), sir”
The grandfather waved his hand as if to say, ‘don’t worry,’
Then he said, “Leave it to Do-jun. Let’s try his luck,”
The land compensation amounted to at least 16 billion and up to 20 billion (won).
It was the equivalent amount of the annual salary of four thousand college graduates.
The amount was too big to place on Do-jun’s luck, Hak-jae thought.
On April 27, 1989, a number of people flocked into Bundang and Ilsan.
The announcement of the new towns by the government was no different from the disclosure of treasure maps.
Hak-jae went to Yun-ki’s place (Do-jun’s father) with a bankbook.
“What brought you here, brother?” asked Yun-ki. He was the only person in Sunyang family who called Hak-jae brother; other a.s.sholes would exercise the power of master, treating Hak-jae as a butler.
He shook his hand with Hak-jae and escorted him into the living room.
When they were having an everyday conversation, Yun-ki’s wife served them coffee.
“Do sit down, please,” Hak-jae said to her as she turned slowly back toward the kitchen, with no hint of a smile on his face.
She and Yun-ki became nervous.
“It’s about Do-jun,” said Hak-jae.
That made the two’s eyes open wide.
“Good news, though,”
He told them about the land composition.
“What? 14 billion?” Yun-ki asked, in astonishment.
His wife seemed taken aback. She expected the grandfather would sell the land as she’d handed the land registry to his PA, but she sure didn’t expect that.
“That’s for 60 acres, and still 20 acres left. Approximately 10 billion,”
The two’s eyes became bigger.
“What does father say?” asked Yun-ki.
“He says the money is Do-jun’s and he will leave it to Do-Jun,”
“Do-jun is only 12 now. He can’t just give that big money to a 12-year-old. Tell him to take the money back,”
“Honey,” Yun-ki’s wife said, grabbing his wrist tightly as if to say ‘keep that money,’
Which was rare and made Hak-jae taken aback.
“Why so serious?”
Hak-jae seemed to know what Yun-ki was afraid of; Yun-ki worried that Do-jun would become obsessed with money.
“That money can be all Do-jun can get. I mean, you know that your father is unpredictable. He won’t like Do-jun forever, will he?” Yun-ki’s wife said.
Yun-ki never won his wife. And this time was no exception.
I opened the bankbook and studied it.
“It’s way too big (money) for you, isn’t it?”
Ha!
I blinked, holding the bankbook open in my hand.
“What about my pasture?” I asked.
“You can ask your grandfather to make another one,”
He stroke my hair, then left my room.
As the sound of his footsteps faded away, I looked at the bankbook again.
No s.h.i.t, 14 billion?
Laughter busted out of my mouth, and I stood on my bed and started to jump.
Gasp!
I heard a set of footsteps ascending the stairs.
I jumped off the bed and dashed into my desk.
When I opened a book and pretended to read, my parents came into the room.
“Do you have a minute?” the mother asked.
“Uncle Hak-jae told you about the money, right?” the father asked.
I nodded yes, proffering the bankbook.
But he didn’t receive it, shaking his head slowly.
“What did you say you would do with the money,”
“I said I would keep it in the bank,”
The two seemed at ease.
“For now…” I said.
The ease disappeared from their faces and a look of concern replaced it.
“For now?” the mother asked, “Why? Do you need to buy something?”
“No,”
“Then why..?”
“Honey, let "s listen to Do-jun first then ask,” the father said, grabbing her hand.
When their eyes were turned back toward my face, I opened my mouth slowly.
“What do you guys want to do with this money?”
The father gave me a firm look, then left the room without saying anything.
What the…!
The mother looked at me and took a short sigh, grabbing my hand.
“Do-jun, he is not angry with you, but a little surprised,”
I lowered my head, and the mother stroked my back.
Silence fell over the room for a moment.
“Mother?”
“Yes?”
“Do you remember what I told you… about Ilsan…?”
“Ah, the new town you told me about?”
Aha! she bought some land. Her look told me so.
“Sorry, I"d forgotten all about that. Why would you ask, anyway?”
Yup, I expected she would not tell.