Chapter 11. Baristers (3)
“...But that place already failed.”
How was I supposed to explain this?
The female owner’s eyes were filled with distrust.
I opened my laptop and showed her the data I had collected today.
She had probably spent every day staring out this window.
She should understand better than anyone just how different the two sides of one intersection could be.
“It might look like a failed location, but you see the convenience store next to it, right? Their best-selling item is ice cream. And they sell it for much more than discount stores do.”
“That’s true, but...”
Her reaction was understandable.
It would actually be stranger if she trusted an employee from the same company that had constantly suggested changing the interior whenever there was a problem.
On top of that, she was in serious financial trouble.
She had to feel hopeless.
She was leaving because business had failed, which meant she wouldn’t receive any premium for the store.
She had endured losses for five years, so her debt must already be enormous.
That meant she probably couldn’t even afford moving costs.
There was no way I could earn her trust without solving that part first.
“You don’t need to worry about the money. I’ll put you on the list for special support. All expenses needed for the move, including interior construction, will be covered. And even if business still fails after you move, it’s support money you won’t have to repay, so you don’t need to feel burdened.”
“...S-Something like that exists?”
It did.
Not just franchise loans linked to banks or startup funding programs.
There was something even better.
The Mutual Growth Support Fund.
Under that system, stores that genuinely needed help could receive support under the authority of the team leader.
It was a system I had never once been allowed to use properly.
Kim Seokhun only chose already successful stores and pretended to support them because he didn’t want to create any responsibility for himself.
But this task came directly from the director.
I didn’t need Kim Seokhun’s permission.
Director Baek Kangjin had asked me to show him what mutual growth meant.
Wasn’t this mutual growth?
And he wasn’t the only one testing someone.
Through this case, I also intended to test what kind of person the director really was.
If he treated me like a lunatic and rejected this, then that would prove we simply had different values.
Even if he refused, I would still stop anything bad from happening to the Baristers owner.
I would use my own money.
I wouldn’t care if I never got it back.
This was about saving the person supporting an entire family.
“There still needs to be some verification, but you qualify. I watched you all day. So, what do you think? Will you trust me just once?”
For a 25-pyeong store, the expected interior cost was under eighty million won.
Including simple exterior work and interior equipment, the total would be around 130 million won.
I had already told her she wouldn’t have to repay it if business still failed.
There was no real reason for her to refuse.
“...How do I receive the support? Are there documents I need?”
“I’ll contact you before lunch tomorrow. And don’t worry about whether the support will be approved. What you need to do is figure out how to move into that location as quickly as possible.”
“...Ah. Th-Thank you so much. But if business still doesn’t go well, won’t you get in trouble because of me?”
“You don’t need to worry about that. I’ve been watching you. Even though there were only a few customers, you made every serving of ice cream with care. If you keep doing exactly that, this place will definitely become a huge success.”
“...A-A huge success?”
“Yes. So no matter how difficult things get, please hold on. For the young children you told me about at the beginning too.”
“T-Thank you, Manager Kang. Really... thank you so much...”
The owner’s eyes filled with tears as she bowed repeatedly.
Please don’t cry.
People like you needed to succeed so I could continue having a reason to work at this company.
After giving the owner hope, I left the store and got into my car.
I felt more satisfied than I had after almost any job I’d ever done.
Because this was guaranteed to work.
How could I be so certain?
The moment I decided that I would help with my own money if necessary, my wrist had vibrated pleasantly.
A diary entry from one month later.
It said that the success story of the Janggi Branch relocation had spread by word of mouth, causing Baristers franchise inquiries to flood in.
Now there was only one thing left.
Get the money from the director.
I needed to talk with him directly and see whether he truly had the right to preach mutual growth.
The next morning.
Only two days after his last visit, Jinhyeok walked into the director’s office and dropped a bomb.
In his hand was a Mutual Growth Support Fund application with 150 million won written on it.
“You promised to cover all expenses? Using the Mutual Growth Support Fund?”
“Yes. She seemed to be in an extremely difficult situation. And I’m certain that if she moves locations, it will work. Isn’t that what mutual growth means?”
He wasn’t wrong.
The words almost felt like someone repeatedly smacking Kangjin on the back of the head.
Watching Jinhyeok act much more recklessly than expected, Kangjin pressed a hand against his forehead.
After reading every report Jinhyeok had written, Kangjin had developed one firm belief.
Jinhyeok had the ability to find the best solution where both sides benefited, rather than blindly giving things away.
But the method Jinhyeok had brought this time was difficult to trust.
Spending company money wasn’t even the biggest problem.
The biggest problem was whether simply moving Baristers to another location could actually save it.
“Do you really think this is something that can be solved so easily? Just by moving across the street?”
“Yes. I’m certain everything will work if we do this.”
There wasn’t even the slightest hesitation in his expression.
Kangjin became curious.
Was Jinhyeok seeing something nobody else could see?
“Sales would probably increase if you moved it toward the restaurant alley. But I’m not convinced that alone is enough.”
“It won’t merely increase sales. I think the Janggi Branch could become the highest-grossing Baristers franchise in the country. You don’t need to worry about recovering the support money.”
Kangjin let out a low sound.
Did I misjudge him?
Jinhyeok had always proposed plans where both sides benefited.
But this time, he seemed strangely biased toward only one side.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a large amount written on a Mutual Growth Support Fund request.”
Jinhyeok, who had been sitting calmly, smiled faintly.
“That’s because it’s never been used properly.”
Kangjin knew that too.
