Descent of the Demon Master-Chapter 1289. Organizing (4)

The cafe owner firmly shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I don’t have any plans to do that.”

Hwang Min-Su grew a little desperate just then. “But...”

“I’ve told you several times that it’s not possible, Mister Hwang. No is a no.”

“But we are not asking you to do this for free. We will compensate you appropriately.”

“Compensation?”

Hwang Min-Su immediately realized his slip of the tongue when he saw the subtle frown on the cafe owner’s face. Bringing up monetary compensation while negotiating with a master craftsman was not a recommended move.

Most masters of their craft who dedicated their entire beings to one profession usually found fulfillment from their work rather than from financial gain. Quite a few of such masters extremely disliked anyone trying to buy their abilities with money.

Just before Hwang Min-Su could correct his mistake, the cafe owner smiled strangely. “Mister Hwang, believe me when I say that I have more money than I know what to do with.”

“...”

Well, at least the cafe owner was not the type to get offended by the talk of monetary compensation. That was good news, at least.

“Yes, I agree that owning an establishment this popular will guarantee an abundant financial future. However, what we’re offering is...”

“No, Mister Hwang. I really do have a lot of money to the point of not knowing what to do with it.”

“...”

Hwang Min-Su’s cheeks twitched ever so slightly. He never expected to run into a situation like this.

In all his life, he never encountered someone who boasted about their wealth right to his face. Even though he was like this right now, one shouldn’t forget that once upon a time, Hwang Min-Su was a second-gen chaebol renowned throughout the country.

South Korea had its fair share of second-gen chaebols, but none of them dared to boast about how much money they had in front of Hwang Min-Su. His status as the son of the financial world’s legend, Hwang Jeong-Hu, ensured that.

But here was the owner of a small cafe, talking about how loaded he was to Hwang Min-Su! Not chuckling at this development was perhaps a great proof of Hwang Min-Su’s qualification as an excellent businessman.

“Sir, I think the amount of money you’re thinking of is not quite the same as mine. We really will...”

“It seems you don’t understand. Oh, well,” said the cafe owner with a casual shrug. “Money isn’t the issue here. I have plenty already and don’t feel like making more than what’s necessary.”

Hwang Min-Su sighed softly under his breath. This was getting troublesome.

The cafe owner seemed interested in wealth, but he already had enough...? What a strange declaration that was.

Hwang Min-Su could instinctively tell. The cafe owner was not from a wealthy family.

Those who grew up surrounded by money exuded a certain air about them, even in their later years. It wasn’t something as simple as an air of wealth, but something more unique than that.

People who grew up thinking that no one in the world could harm them would speak and behave differently around others than those who had gone through an ordinary upbringing.

As a man who had dealt with such people almost his entire life, Hwang Min-Su had developed an eye that could figure out who was in the same category as him. And in his view, the cafe owner was definitely not someone who grew up in an affluent environment.

Actually, he emitted the air of a person who had experienced quite a few trials and tribulations in his life. So, for someone like that to say he had a lot of money now?

Did he win the lottery or something? Even if he did, winning the lottery wouldn’t stop a person from hankering for more money, so why was he saying all this?

“Let me emphasize this one more time,” said Hwang Min-Su. “Once you turn your cafe into a franchise, you will earn more revenue than you can imagine. The amount you’re thinking of is...”

The cafe owner shook his head. “I’m sorry, but the amount of money you have in your mind, regardless of how much it is, is still inconsequential to me. My children make way too much money, you see?”

Hwang Min-Su finally cracked and ended up chuckling wryly. He was genuinely stuck now.

After what the cafe owner said, Hwang Min-Su couldn’t continue down this line of persuasion anymore. The cafe owner’s children probably didn’t make all that much money, but pointing that out would be akin to insulting the children in question.

One of the things a person should never do in front of a parent was insult their children. So, Hwang Min-Su tried to change the topic.

“Sir. It’s truly unfortunate that we can only enjoy coffee of this caliber in this cafe and nowhere else. If only many more people could also...”

“I’m sorry, but...!” The cafe owner resolutely shook his head. “That is exactly why I said it’s impossible, Mister Hwang. What I can do is not something you can learn in a few months. I only got this far by diligently sticking to my tasks for over five years.”

Even as the cafe owner dismissively waved his hand, there was no hint of arrogance or ego in his expression. It meant he genuinely believed what he said.

“I don’t have the ability to manage other cafes, and I certainly don’t have the talent to teach others. The best I can do with my ability is managing this place,” said the cafe owner. “I’d like to help in some way, sure, but what you’re asking of me is still unworkable.”

Hwang Min-Su ruefully licked his lips.

What a sagacious person this cafe owner was. He wasn’t being egotistical about his talents, and his actions weren’t informed by the stubbornness commonly seen among the people called master craftsmen. No, he had objectively evaluated himself and based his decision on the findings.

This type of person was easily the hardest opponent to negotiate with in business.

The right thing to do in this situation was to back off. However, before Hwang Min-Su could do that, Gu Jeong-Beom stepped in first as if he was not willing to give up like this.

“Then, can you help us with training our people, at least? If you can just impart your know-how on brewing coffee, then we will handsomely...”

The cafe owner shook his head again. “I’m telling you, you can’t learn this in a day or two. Besides, there is nothing special about brewing coffee. I don’t have any secret techniques or anything like that. The only way to figure this out is to repeatedly brew the coffee yourself. That’s it.”

This mixture of facts and theories made it almost impossible to pick the cafe owner’s arguments apart.

Before Gu Jeong-Beom could say something else, Hwang Min-Su raised his hand to stop him.

“Sir. We’ve heard your position loud and clear.”

The cafe owner nodded. “I see. That’s good.”

“However, we’re also businessmen. We can’t give up so easily. Until we can change your mind, we will continue to come here, sir.”

“Huh...” The cafe owner looked dismayed as he addressed Hwang Min-Su. “Look, Mister Hwang. You’ve already troubled me enough. I need to close up shop and go home, so please leave now.”

“Of course. We’ll do that. For today. However, we’ll be back tomorrow, sir. In the meantime, I implore you to think about it again.”

“You can come back for ten days or a month, but my mind won’t change.”

“Then we’ll be back every day for the next six months. Even for a whole year.”

“What? Why...”

The cafe owner shook his head as if he didn’t want to speak to this unreasonable man.

Hwang Min-Su bowed slightly. “Please help us, sir. We’re not trying to make money by exploiting people. Not at all. I swear on my honor that we will ensure all the profit is shared fairly among the branch operators.”

The cafe owner groaned loudly. “I keep telling you I can’t help you because I’m not able to, so why are you changing the story here? Please leave. Or I’ll have to report you to the police.”

“Understood. Everyone, let’s get going.”

The directors heard Hwang Min-Su’s urging, but their bodies didn’t want to move that easily, and they remained seated.

Damn. We should push a little harder, though.

It’s nearly impossible to find a place like this anywhere else.

The cafe owner groaned again at the sight of four grown men fidgeting and hesitating. “Listen to me. Do you honestly think this is the first time I got an offer like this?”

“...”

“Many people like you came to see me. They all said I’d be sitting on a mountain of cash if I start a franchise and open a hundred, nay, two hundred stores. If I had any desire for money and also the ability, then sure, I’d have gone into a franchise business already. Those people all said the same thing to me. And eventually gave up.

“That’s why I’m telling you to not waste your breath and find someone else who’s more interested. Surely, this world must be filled with baristas much more capable than an amateur like me, so why get obsessed over this place?”

“Sir, you’re definitely not an amateur. With coffee like this...”

“No, that’s enough,” said the cafe owner, his expression becoming much stiffer now. “It’s time to leave. I won’t repeat myself.”

Only then did the directors get up to leave while ruefully licking their lips. Their attitudes dripped lingering regret from every pore, but judging from the cafe owner’s unyielding stance, pushing their luck any further than this might backfire on them instead. The best thing to do today was to back off.

“My apologies for taking up your time, sir,” said Hwang Min-Su while taking out his business card and politely presenting it to the cafe owner. However, no hand reached out to take it.

Hwang Min-Su still smiled brightly and put his business card on the nearby table. Not a hint of awkwardness could be seen in his movements.

The cafe owner tutted. “I’ll treat that as littering, Mister Hwang. And throw it in the garbage.”

“That’s fine. I’ll give you another one tomorrow.”

“I told you, you’re wasting your time.”

Hwang Min-Su smiled affably. “You said many others have come before us, didn’t you?”

“Yes, I have said that.”

“Allow us to show you how different we are from them.”

“Eh?” The cafe owner’s brows rose higher as he stared at Hwang Min-Su.

That was when he saw Hwang Min-Su’s unwavering eyes. Those confident eyes left the cafe owner’s jaw hanging slightly.

“You might not understand why, but I’m desperate, sir. Rather than simply insulting us for being inconsiderate, please try to understand how desperate and driven we are. Then, until tomorrow.”

Hwang Min-Su bowed deeply before turning around to leave. His subordinates followed suit and headed to the exit.

“...! H-hold on!”

However, when the cafe owner suddenly called out, Hwang Min-Su quickly looked back, his complexion brightening. “Sir! Have you changed your mind?”

“No, it’s not that, but!”

“Huh?”

The cafe owner’s face, which used to be so stern and stiff that not even needle pricks could have drawn blood, was now dyed in bewilderment.

“This business card?”

Hwang Min-Su blinked his eyes. “Sorry? What about the business card?”

“This is yours, isn’t it?”

“...?”

Hwang Min-Su’s expression grew weird. He had never heard a question quite like this before in his entire life. The cafe owner must’ve seen him take out the business card from his wallet, so to be asked if that card was his...?

“Y-yes, that is my business card. You can contact me at any time with the number on the...” 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

The cafe owner asked weirdly. “But it says MK on it?”

“Oh, that. That business card design is actually temporary. I’m currently managing MK’s food division. My name will be on the new des...”

“Yes, yes. I just want to know if you’re really from MK.”

“Y-yes, I am. Is there... a problem?”

The cafe owner’s expression morphed into one of sheer flabbergast as he stared at Hwang Min-Su, then a helpless chuckle began leaking out of his lips. “Really? But my son is the president of MK, you know?”

“...I beg your pardon?”

This time, it was Hwang Min-Su’s turn to make a more bewildered expression than the cafe owner’s.

“But, sir. Our company doesn’t have any presidents...?”

The cafe owner slapped the side of his head. “Oops, that’s right. He’s the chairman. Yes, the chairman! I don’t understand how a brat like him can be a chairman at his age, but, yes. That’s him.”

Hwang Min-Su’s head began cocking to the side. “If, if you don’t mind me asking, what is your son’s name...?”

“It’s Kang Jin-Ho. And I’m Kang Yu-Hwan.”

“Heol...”

A stunned gasp that Hwang Min-Su usually never let out jumped out of his mouth. What could he do about it, though, when his body reacted before his brain could process this information?

“W-w-wait. Are you saying you’re Chairman Kang’s father?!”

Kang Yu-Hwan could only chuckle wryly at Hwang Min-Su asking back in a fluster.

“Yes, I am.”

“What on earth is goin... Huh?”

That was when the tangled thoughts in Hwang Min-Su’s mind finally started unraveling.

“Mister Hwang, believe me when I say that I have more money than I know what to do with.”

Of course he would be. He was Kang Jin-Ho’s father, after all!

“My children make way too much money, you see?”

Of course that would be so. One of those children was Kang Jin-Ho, after all!

The two men stared at each other in pure flabbergast, while the trio of directors weren’t sure of what just happened and could only hold their breaths, unable to intervene.

But then...!

Clink~!

The bell attached to the cafe’s door rang as a person stepped inside.

“You still haven’t closed up, father? Were there a lot of custo... Mm? President Hwang? What are you doing here?”

Hwang Min-Su stared at the newest arrival to the scene with a face of a man whose thought process had decided to go on strike.

As for this newest arrival, the only superior to Hwang Min-Su as things stood right now, he also stared back in confusion.

No wonder. No wonder the cafe owner looked somewhat familiar!

It wasn’t the case of Hwang Min-Su running into Kang Yu-Hwan in the past but not remembering him, but more like Kang Yu-Hwan resembling Kang Jin-Ho because they were a father-and-son duo!

Now that he got the chance to look at the two men side-by-side, Hwang Min-Su could definitely tell. These two subtly resembled each other. Very, very subtly!

Kang Jin-Ho tilted his head. “Why are you here?”

“...”

After failing to figure out where to even start his explanation, all Hwang Min-Su could do for now was chuckle like an idiot.