Chapter 32: Something Happened to My Land
The building I owned was in a prime location—there was nothing better.
It was right in front of Hapjeong Station, the largest transfer station in Mapo-gu.
Furthermore, one of Mapo-gu’s landmarks, the high-end luxury residential complex building ‘Pentapolis’, stood firmly behind it.
However, despite these advantages, it had a critical flaw.
The problem was that the two plots of land were bounded by a ‘property line’.
For reference, the land included in a property line could not be developed independently.
To put it simply, unless I negotiated a joint development with the owner of the adjacent plot, I couldn’t do anything with the land.
But recently, the Seoul Metropolitan Government recently announced a change in ‘Hapjeong Redevelopment Promotion Plan’.
Thanks to this, the plots bounded by the property line were separated.
In other words, it means that I could now develop my land independently.
“This is great news. You’ve hit the jackpot!”
I had a hard time calming down Kim Jeong-nam, who was more excited than I was.
“This isn’t just a simple plan change. The value difference between land that can be developed independently and land that can’t be developed is like night and day. Given the diverse development potential of your land, its value will skyrocket. Moreover, Song Sajang-nim’s 1(사장님: Sajangnim is an honorific title used to refer to the president or CEO of a company. “사장” (Sajang) means “president” or “boss,” and “님” (nim) is a suffix added to show respect) land is a general commercial area 2(General Commercial Area: This is a type of zoning that allows for a variety of commercial uses, such as offices, retail stores, and restaurants) that can receive a maximum floor area 3(High Floor Area Ratio: This means that Song Dae-woon can build a very large building on his land, which increases its value) ratio of up to 800%, making it extremely desirable to investors. It means the land has high usability.”
Kim Jeong-nam’s rapid-fire explanation left me completely overwhelmed.
In any case, the bottom line was that my building had just received a huge windfall.
“I understand what you’re saying. Let’s discuss the details in person.”
Even after pressing the end call button, I was still in shock.
This was like a bolt from the blue. What kind of sudden turn of events was this?
“Oppa! What’s with your expression? And who’s this ‘Kkobil’?”
Noticing the three staring at me intensely, I quickly adjusted my expression.
“Oh, it’s nothing. Kkobil is just a dog I know. He’s finally mastered house training, so it’s no longer restricted inside.”
“………”
Their baffled faces stared back at me.
Even I found my excuse ridiculous, so I had to quickly change the subject.
“Anyway, what was so important that you made such a fuss about coming here? What’s going on?”
“Wow. So now that you’ve got a girl, you’re just going to ignore us?”
“Hyung, I get it. If it’s the goddess from Hanyeong University, I totally understand.”
“Seriously? That’s ridiculous. By that logic, does that mean you and Ga-haeng are dating too?”
Caught off guard by my counterattack, the two of them blushed slightly and reacted angrily.
“Oppa! Are you trying to ruin my chances of getting married? Ga-haeng and me? We’re always fighting! How could we be dating? Seriously?”
“Hyung, just curse me out instead. Dating that alcohol beast who could drink five or six guys under the table? No thanks. I’d rather live alone on an island.”
“Now that’s rude! You should be honored if I even considered dating you! And what? An alcohol beast? Live alone on an island? For your information, I get asked for my number at least once or twice a week when I’m on campus.”
Yoo-jin, who was laid-back to the point of almost being a free spirit, surprisingly had her fair share of admirers.
In fact, I’d seen a few guys ask for her number a couple of times before.
“It doesn’t matter how pretty you are. You can drink four bottles of soju in one sitting and wake up the next day without a hint of a hangover.”
“Isn’t that a good thing?”
“It just makes me feel insignificant. I prefer girls who I can protect.”
“Yeah, right. Who would feel safe drinking with you? Last time we went out drinking, you suddenly—… mmmph!”
“Hey, we agreed not to talk about that!”
Flustered, Ga-haeng hurriedly clamped a hand over Yoo-jin’s mouth.
“You two are just a match made in chaos. Watching you is so entertaining I lose track of time.”
At least the subject had successfully been changed, so I nodded in satisfaction, a small smile playing on my lips.
“But oppa, what’s your ideal type?”
“Huh?”
Everyone’s eyes turned toward me at Joo-hee’s out-of-blue question.
“Yeah, what kind of girl do you like, Oppa? I mean you’re not even interested in a goddess like her. No way, could it be…”
When I saw Yoo-jin giving me a fairly unpleasant look and Ga-haeng, who is next to her, is hugging himself with both arms, I suddenly felt a surge of anger.
“What do you all think of me, huh? Of course I have an ideal type—one that’s very clear!”
“What is it?”
“Um…”
But when it came to actually saying it, the words got stuck in my throat.
I did have a clear preference, of course.
I liked round, soft puppy-like faces more than sharp, cat-like ones,
And I preferred a sweet, affectionate personality over someone who was rough and aloof.
Someone who could embrace even my flaws with warmth and understanding.
‘But why do I like that kind of girl?’
It wasn’t as if I’d ever dated someone like that, so why had this become my ideal?
After thinking about it more deeply, I realized why.
‘A woman like my mom.’
Of course, since I’d been abandoned as a baby, I didn’t know what my birth mother looked like or what her personality was like.
But that didn’t stop me from imagining.
Ever since I was a kid, I’d always imagined my mom looking like this and acting a certain way, and before I knew it, those thoughts had solidified into my ideal type.
“Why did you stop mid-sentence? Are you really…?”
“My ideal type is a stunningly beautiful girl with a perfect body, tons of money, and a heart of gold! Happy now?”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. This oppa is hopeless when it comes to love. Just hopeless.”
Yoo-jin and Joo-hee clicked their tongues and shook their heads, while Ga-haeng nodded in agreement, giving me a thumbs-up.
“You’re a real man, hyung. That’s my ideal type too.”
As we continued our lighthearted banter, Yoo-jin suddenly clapped her hands.
“Oh right! I came here to talk to you about something.”
“Well, it took you long enough. I’ve been asking since earlier.”
“Oppa, you’re not busy next weekend, right?”
“Ha! Not busy? I’m incredibly busy, you know.”
The truth was, I had no plans.
I was just thinking of enjoying some day drinking on my terrace and then catching up on sleep.
“Why are you asking?”
Feigning disinterest, I casually inquired.
“Well, you know I’m part of that animal rescue volunteer club, right? We’re short on hands for the upcoming event, so I was hoping to recruit some help. I thought you could join if you’re free.”
“Yoo-jin-ie, did you join the club?”
“You’re really breaking my heart, oppa. I told you last time! I’ve been in the club for ages.”
“Oh, did you? Sorry. I’ll make sure to remember this time.”
Ignoring Yoo-jin’s indignant outburst, I drifted into deep thought.
‘Volunteering…’
Volunteering was something that always felt both close yet distant to me.
When I was in the nursery, I was the one receiving help from volunteers.
So thinking about doing volunteer work myself felt a bit strange.
‘Why not give it a shot?’
Maybe this is what university life is all about.
After all, isn’t this part of the university dream?
A group of students going out to volunteer, sharing snacks, laughing and chatting as we walk the dogs—a romantic picture.
It seemed a far more productive way to spend the day than drinking and lazing around at home.
I scratched my chin, then suddenly clapped my hands together.
“Oh! I just remembered my plans got canceled. What a coincidence! Looks like I can join after all.”
Even though it was obvious that I was putting on an act, Yoo-jin didn’t care and pumped her fist.
“Nice. Another slave… I mean, another volunteer acquired. Hohoho. It’ll be fun. The club members are all really nice.”
“Are you guys going too?”
At my question, Joo-hee and Ga-haeng nodded.
“Welcome, Slave No. 3. We got caught in Yoo-jin’s clutches from the start. Looks like we’re stuck doing manual labor.”
“Oh, Ga-haeng. Manual labor? That’s such a crude way to put it. You’ll feel so accomplished once it’s over. Just imagine working up a sweat, then having some grilled pork belly and a shot of soju… Mmm, my mouth’s watering already.”
“I think your comment is cruder than mine… Ack.”
Yoo-jin lightly tapped Ga-haeng’s throat, then smiled brightly.
“Anyway, it’s this Saturday, so mark your calendars. I’ll let you know the details as soon as I get them.”
“Okay.”
And so, just like that, I was about to experience volunteer work for the first time in my life.
The next day, I visited the Namnyeo Chilse Real Estate office.
Ding-dong
As I opened the office door, a bell chimed like birds chirping.
Kim Jeong-nam, who had been diligently typing away at his desk, jumped up and ran over to me in his socks.
“Oh, Boss Song, you’ve come! You look much better these days.”
“I think it’s you who’s doing well, Chief Kim. I almost turned around, thinking I’d walked into the wrong office.”
The Namnyeo Chilse Real Estate office had completely transformed since the first time I visited.
There was lots of new equipment I hadn’t seen before, and more notably, there was a new female employee standing there awkwardly.
“You even hired a new staff member. It looks like business is booming. You’re doing very well.”
“Hahaha. It’s all thanks to you, Boss Song. I live with the mindset of always repaying my debts.”
Seeing Kim Jeong-nam skillfully balancing between sincerity and flattery, I couldn’t help but chuckle.
He was still as charming as ever, impossible to dislike.
As I took a seat on the sofa, the new employee brought me a refreshing cup of cold green tea.
Kim Jeong-nam, who sat across from me, handed me over a stack of documents.
“This is the official document from the Seoul City Government regarding the Hapjeong Redevelopment Plan Amendment. I’ve summarized the contents for you.”
“So, to put it simply, it means that the development restrictions have been lifted and we can build new buildings?”
“Yes, that’s correct. Boss Song, your building, honestly speaking, is very old and the ceilings are low, so it doesn’t have much value as a building itself. The rent you collect is practically just land usage fees because of its prime location. But now, with the lifting of the development restrictions, the land value you purchased has skyrocketed. And we’ve been getting inquiries from everywhere asking if you’re willing to sell the land.”
“Really? How much are they offering?”
“The highest offer was up to 15 billion won.”
“What? How much did you say?”
For a moment, I thought I had misheard.
“15 billion won. Of course, they are also considering paying a little more.”
“Wha-, fifteen billion?”
I had purchased the Hapjeong building for around 5 billion won.
In just a few months, I had made a profit of 10 billion won.
And that was just by sitting back and collecting rent without lifting a finger.
Overwhelmed by this unexpected stroke of luck, my head felt hazy for a moment.
I took a sip of cold water to calm my excitement.
“But that’s not all.”
“What else is there?”
“The rumors spread so quickly that we’ve been getting countless rental inquiries from all over the place. You know Stellabucks 4(스텔라벅스 (Seutellabeokseu): StellaBucks (likely a fictional or stand-in name for a well-known coffee chain)), right?”
“Of course. Who hasn’t had coffee there?”
“Stellabucks has inquired about leasing the property.”
“But the building hasn’t even been constructed yet.”
“ That’s how desirable the location is. They want to secure it in advance. What’s more, they offered a variable rent based on sales, at a rate of 15%, which is the highest in the industry. To put it simply, if their monthly sales reach one billion won, you’d be getting 150 million won in rent.”
“Wow…”
I couldn’t help but gasp.
“And that’s not all. We’ve also had inquiries from banks and even inquiries about opening a hospital. As a landlord, these would all be high-quality tenants.”
I was genuinely astonished.
Clearly, the land was exactly the same, but as soon as the restrictions were lifted, it had suddenly become incredibly valuable.
“So, I guess I have two choices: sell the building as it is now and cash in on the profit, or demolish the building and construct a new one.”
“That’s correct. Both options have their pros and cons.”
“Hmm…”
I tapped my fingers on the table, deep in thought.
What would be the better choice?
“But what about the current tenants?”
At my question, Kim Jeong-nam slapped his knee.
“Oh! You brought up a good point. I was about to mention that their lease contracts are about to expire. I asked them if they wanted to renew, but they all said they want to move out. It seems the units are too small for an office and the facilities are old and inconvenient—especially the bathrooms…”
“What about the restaurant on the first floor?”
There was an old couple running a charcoal grill restaurant on the first floor of the building.
I was curious because I knew they had been running the business there for quite some time.
“They said it’s getting too hard for them to keep the business going. Their children are all married now, so they’re planning to close the restaurant and enjoy their retirement together.”
“Is that so? Well, that’s good to hear, then…”
I downed the now lukewarm green tea in one go and said to Kim Jeong-nam without hesitation.
“Let’s rebuild it. Since we’re doing it, let’s do it properly.”
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