00009 Study Abroad ------------------------------------------------------------------------=
After bringing up studying in Germany with Minjun and Minjun agreeing, the busiest person was none other than Suman.
From preparing for the study abroad to talking with his aunt, teaching Minjun English, and giving one-on-one tutoring in simple German that he himself had picked up because of his German uncle-by-marriage, he was stretched so thin that one body was not enough.
He was so busy that signs of exhaustion should have surfaced, yet Suman showed no sign of fatigue whatsoever and instead spent each day sighing with relief and with pity. This was none other than because, while preparing various things for the study abroad, he had learned about the Korean economy... though he himself had gained great profit from this, the national economy was crumbling.
In 1996, as he began slowly preparing for Minjun's study abroad in Germany ahead of time, he met with friends who had children who had emigrated abroad or were studying abroad, treating them to drinks and talking, and also had phone calls with those overseas, sharing deep conversations, and among them a few friends said strange things.
A friend who was an ordinary office worker at an investment securities firm, and a friend who was a government official in quite a high position... they had a common thread in their stories.
It was that from abroad, Korea's economic situation was viewed unfavorably.
Everyone joked that it was because they were jealous of Korea, which had been developing so rapidly that it was called the Miracle on the Han River and was prospering boisterously, but when this high-ranking government official friend heard such talk, he paused slightly and took it seriously.
He worked in the diplomatic field so he didn't know details, but he said he had heard from an acquaintance in the administrative branch remarks to the effect that a bubble economy like Japan's might burst, and had spoken as if he himself was worried.
He said that when you're abroad, there are many things connected to funds in various ways, and it really is a headache.
At this, Suman intuitively knew this wasn't something to listen to lightly, and after deeply consulting with his wife Yeonhui, he kept the ancestral mountain and some land, cleanly organized his real estate holdings, and changed his asset route by investing in solid overseas export companies and purchasing foreign currency and gold-related products.
Right after he cleanly finished everything related to assets, at the end of January 1997, a large enterprise in the steel industry creaked and went bankrupt, and soon large enterprises began collapsing one after another.
And on the day he received Minjun's answer, a broadcast came out that another large enterprise had gone bankrupt, and as the value of the won fell and the value of the dollar skyrocketed, a phenomenon where money begat money continued for Suman.
The inheritances he had possessed while living affluently as a fairly wealthy household grew, through this opportunity, though not to the level of an enormously wealthy family, easily six-fold, and looking at the situation ahead, this seemed like it would accelerate even further.
In this situation, Suman was left in a position where he could neither laugh nor cry and could only sigh, and became the busiest person with countless worries about his son's study abroad preparations, his own situation, and concern for the country.
- Should I really not worry? There's so much talk about the IMF and whatnot in Korea right now.
"Don't worry, Aunt. Excluding the ancestral mountain, I organized the real estate and invested in other areas, and I've actually turned a profit. The Korean economy is collapsing, yet I'm making profits, so I don't know whether to laugh. I don't know whether to laugh."
- Then that's a relief. Don't be extravagant with the money you earned; just use it for good deeds. Then it will all be rewarded as blessings and return to your family.
"Yes. That's what I'm planning. The country is struggling, yet I'm becoming a rich man like a nouveau riche... sigh."
- Why send spending money for Minjun when we're taking good care of him? Are we strangers?
"Still... his parents are in Korea... I just want to do something with money, at least."
- Well... that's true. Anyway, dear. Then I won't worry about you? Your uncle keeps worrying about you, so I called because I felt even more uneasy.
"Haha, please tell him to visit Korea sometime. I'll treat him to a delicious meal and prepare everything so he can rest well before going back."
- Okay. I got it. Then go on in. Aunt is hanging up.
"Yes, thank you for worrying about me, Aunt."
After the phone call with his aunt in Germany ended, Suman looked at Yeonhui, who was beside him, and spoke with an awkward expression.
"What did Aunt say?"
"Well, asking if we're doing okay. And not to worry about Minjun. Things like that."
"If they know even in Germany... it must not be an ordinary matter."
"Right. They're talking about borrowing money from the IMF."
"You really had divine foresight. If not... I think Minjun's study abroad would have been really difficult too."
"Hmm... that's right. But the problem is there's no sign of Korean economic recovery. Listening to my friends, it's no joke. Just bundle it up well like this and invest well later."
When Yeonhui heard her husband's words then and felt that this wasn't something to take lightly, she realized that letting him do as he pleased had been a very good decision, and spoke about the aunt.
"By the way... we should have Minjun take some gifts along to give to Aunt and Uncle. I'm so grateful. To worry about us from so far away... to care about us."
"I'm always grateful too."
"For gifts... what would be good?"
"Well... once the visa is issued, we can stop by the department store after that. Let's just keep it in mind for now."
After talking about gifts for quite some time, Suman looked at his watch and realized that Minjun hadn't come in yet.
"But why hasn't that boy Minjun come in?"
"Minjun has been busy lately. The kids won't let him go."
"What? What do you mean?"
"They say that once Minjun leaves they won't be able to play again, so until you come home, Minjun is basically captured and busy playing. Though mostly they play soccer..."
"Well... that San boy would be the one clinging to him the most."
For San, who had become a sixth grader, there was no proper friend to play with besides Minjun, a fifth grader.
Strangely, in Minjun's school the ratio of girls was high, so the only male juniors Minjun and San had were two children currently enrolled in first grade.
They had spent a great deal of time playing together and grown up like brothers.
Whether at one house or the other, when playing in the mountains they slept at Minjun's house, and when playing at the beach they slept at San's house, living like that.
Because of this situation, Suman, too, couldn't help but know San, and the families of San and Minjun inevitably became particularly close.
"That's right. That San even said he went a whole day without eating, you know."
"What!? That kid who thinks he'll die if he misses a single meal!?"
"Well, when I gave him chocolate bars and red bean jelly, after that he overate to make up for what he hadn't eaten, so he did end up getting indigestion. *Giggle.*"
"Hahaha, that's so like San. So like San. Then is he very late?"
"Still by eight... it's almost time for him to come. From seven-thirty to nine he definitely reviews the things you tutored him in."
Suman, who had long felt that once his son made a decision, his ability to execute was so tremendous that you wouldn't know whose son he was, smiled deeply.
"That rascal, I was wondering what he was awkwardly saying. I thought he was just learning well at school... admirable. Admirable."
"You too, hurry up and wash first. You couldn't even wash because you were answering the phone after coming in."
"Yes. I should."
Since he had spent the day running about here and there busily and wanted to soak his body thoroughly in warm water, as Suman was going out to take a shower, Minjun came in with perfect timing.
I'm back!
I was playing at San's house.
Minjun, entering with a very loud voice, saw that his father had come home early and looked slightly surprised, then seeing his father holding underwear, soon smiled brightly and said,
"Oh! Father, you're home early."
"Yeah."
"If you're going to shower, let's do it together! I'll scrub your back. Today at the seaside I was submerged in water... no, diving and playing around, so even though I washed I feel somehow itchy. I think I need to soak in water to fully relax."
"Yes, let's do that."
Watching Minjun run into his room with excited cheers, Suman smiled and felt regret at the same time.
"My word... when that boy leaves, who will scrub my back."
Without realizing it, speaking in a voice full of regret, at Suman's words Yeonhui, who was going to fill the bathtub with water, almost teared up slightly at the realization that the day her son would soon leave was approaching, but soon pretended not to hear and went to the bathtub.
Her husband, who always said he was fine in front of her and whom she sometimes found rather irritating, but after hearing those words today, she felt a strange stuffiness rise in her chest for no reason, and holding it in she adjusted the bathtub water temperature and, looking at Minjun's door ahead as she waited, lightly tapped Suman's back and said,
"He said he played at the seaside, so you need to check that he washed thoroughly. Last time, however he washed his hair... there was seaweed or something still tangled in it."
"Huh? Yeah. Yeah. Okay."
"Then wash quickly. I'll set out a drinking table for you."
Like that, the couple pretended to be calm while preparing to send Minjun off.
---------------------------= Author's Afterword ---------------------------=
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