CH 18

Chapter 18 Exciting Vacation (Part 2)

Our group rushed into the building.

"Hey, Min-seok! We're here."

"Hey, is Min-seok still cleaning?"

"Yeah, almost done."

A sound came from the upstairs staircase.

"Who's there? Min-seok? Oh, friends?"

A lady in casual clothes came down the stairs.

"Hello. We're Min-seok's friends. I'm Sang-du from the same class. This is Sang-il. This one's Dong-pal. And here's our leader, Yi Geon."

Sang-du, usually quite laid-back, was on his best behavior.

Min-seok's mother, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, looked surprised and hit Min-seok on the back.

"You should've told me your friends were coming! Oh, come on in. It's been a while since Min-seok brought friends."

"Hello."

As our group greeted her together, Min-seok's mother seemed quite pleased.

Actually, this was the first time Min-seok had brought friends over since middle school third grade and high school first grade.

In 1993, if you couldn't play soccer, basketball, or video games, you had no friends.

There wasn't much else to do with friends besides sports.

So poor Min-seok had a hard time until Yi Geon came along.

"Come on in. Oh, is this Yi Geon? What a handsome friend."

"Hello, ma'am. I'm Min-seok's friend, Yi Geon."

"Alright, come in. Enjoy the snacks."

"Hahaha, thank you. Uh, we were thinking of having a company dinner with Min-seok."

"Really? I'll finish cleaning the rest of the stairs then. Hurry back."

Min-seok's mother subtly hinted that we couldn't leave before the cleaning was done.

"No, let us do it. Sang-du, grab a broom over there."

"Okay."

Yi Geon showed off an impressive dribbling move with two brooms, pushing the mop water.

Min-seok's mother and Min-seok were amazed at the sight.

"Sang-il, start wiping the railing and walls upstairs with a wet cloth."

"Got it."

"Dong-pal, you're strong, so clean up the trash upstairs and mop with Sang-il."

"Okay."

"Min-seok, just wipe the hallway."

"Okay."

After Yi Geon gave the orders, the cleaning was done in just 15 minutes.

"Man, our leader is truly charismatic."

Pfft~

"Ouch!"

"Why'd you hit me when I was complimenting you?"

"Never mind. Let's stop by Min-seok's house for a bit and then go."

"Hehe, come on in."

Min-seok's mother seemed quite pleased, perhaps because the cleaning was so well-done.

The landlord.

No, Min-seok's mother loved it the most.

The living room had an open view, and everything inside had a shiny, over-the-top feel.

The wooden floor was thick with varnish.

Even the wooden walls were thick with varnish.

For 1993, this was top-notch interior design.

Wood covered in shiny varnish.

Was she a varnish enthusiast?

By 2030 standards, it would be considered a tacky design.

The ceiling was partially decorated with wooden materials, giving it a chandelier-like feel.

'Ah, they tried to make it fancy, but it's an eyesore. Is this the average home interior these days? I should start an interior design business. I didn't want to do it because it's a hassle, but I can't help it. I'm not satisfied with the interior of the new apartment I just bought, either.'

Yi Geon decided on the spot to start a new business offering interior materials, design, and construction.

Min-seok's mother seemed to be pleased with Yi Geon and his friends, as she couldn't stop smiling.

It was only natural, as he showed off his cleaning skills from his days cleaning the hallways and living quarters in Pyeongtaek Humphrey during his military service.

"Hohoho, you must have had a hard time coming to play and cleaning as well. I didn't have anything to offer you to eat at home since you came suddenly, but at least have this."

"Thank you, ma'am. Wow, orange juice! It's expensive."

The orange juice from 1993, contained in a glass bottle, was a high-end beverage at the time.

Yi Geon was treated to an expensive Sunkist orange juice, which he rarely bought because of its price. On top of that, he enjoyed a luxurious Castella cake from a pastry shop.

"Hey, Min-seok is rich. You eat this stuff every day?"

"No, not really."

"Let's go check out your room, Min-seok."

"Alright."

Min-seok's room was decorated with the latest interior materials of the time, silk patterned wallpaper. It even had clean paper flooring. Of course, it was old-fashioned and outdated by Yi Geon's 2030 contemporary design standards, but the room was still huge.

"Wow, this room is amazing. It's so sophisticated."

"Look at how clean it is. Our house is like a pigsty."

"Can I sleep over at your place? All I need is a pillow. I wonder what it feels like to sleep in a house like this."

Sang-du and Sang-il marveled with wide eyes.

"Wow, you even have a computer. What kind of computer is it?"

"Yeah, it's an Ohsung Electronics computer. My dad gave it to me as a high school entrance gift."

"4... 486? That must be really expensive, and it even has a hard disk. I can't even afford a 386."

"I don't have a computer."

"Me...me neither."

"Wow, a computer with a hard disk."

"Wow, it even has a 3.5-inch floppy disk drive. That's so cool."

"I don't have a 3.5-inch floppy disk either. Hey, can you play games on this? I heard that Romance of the Three Kingdoms game is fun."

"It can, but it's not installed. I don't have time to play games."

"Ah, typical Min-seok."

Seeing them amazed by Min-seok's 486 computer, Yi Geon felt a cultural shock.

‘Wow, that's something you'd only see in a computer antique museum. Does it even work?’

After looking at the foldable phone with a 3D display, it was quite fascinating to see such a relic from the past.

It was old and outdated, but that's what made it cool. Although, he didn't really want to boot up that computer and use it. At that time, it probably had a text-command operating system, so you couldn't use it if you didn't know the commands.

'Ah, right. I should also create a new strategic information department like Ohsung Group.'

Ohsung Group, the number one conglomerate in Korea, had a place called the Future Strategy Planning Office, where they gathered information and planned future strategies. As Taco Max grew in scale and other businesses began to catch their eye, it was about time to introduce an information department to the company. 

‘I could leave it to Min-seok.’

"Min-seok, can you connect to the internet with this?"

"What's the internet?"

Is he just computer-illiterate?

"You have a computer, but you don't know about the internet? It's for communication with other computers."

"Ah, PC communication? I can't do that because it costs a lot for phone charges."

Min-seok finally understood.

"Ah, right. It's the age of PC communication, haha."

He wondered when the first web browser was released. It was a time before the internet even started. The year 1993 was far more technologically backward than he thought.

‘Anyway, I should start investing in the United States. I couldn't stand idly by while the eccentrics of Silicon Valley made money for themselves.’

'Phew, hang in there.'

Managing Taco Max was already bothersome, and he had too much to do in Korea to pay attention to the United States. The top priority was, of course, having a blast today. It was for enjoying the exciting 90s full of such restless people.

"Min-seok, forget about the computer. Let's go."

Yi Geon grabbed Min-seok's arm.

"Yeah, let's go to the club."

"Hahaha, great! The club!"

"I... I've never been to a club before."

The group walked out of the house. On the fantastic road filled with classic cars like the 1993 Grandeur, the old Sonata, Korando, Tico, and imitation Jeeps, they raced on VF125 motorcycles toward Gangnam Station.

"Wow, this is great. This is what the 90s were like."

This place, surrounded by flashy neon signs, was one of the hottest places in Gangnam Station, densely populated with bars.

"But why isn't there a line here?"

"What line? Are you buying theater tickets? We're going to a rock cafe."

Yi Geon, who had been thinking about Hongdae or Gangnam clubs, was dismissed by Sang-du.

There seemed to be no such thing as a waiting line here.

"I'm looking forward to Odyssey."

There were no club guards at the entrance, but the large neon sign outside that read "Odyssey" was quite stylishly decorated.

"Hello, sirs. How many are you?"

A man with a sporty haircut and plenty of gel in his hair, who seemed to be a waiter, asked Sang-du.

Yi Geon, accustomed only to the club MD system of 2030, pretended to be calm.

"Five of us."

"Would you like a room?"

"No, a room is too far from the stage. Just give us a booth, please. Leave the basic beers, and bring two bottles of decent whiskey. Oh, and two bottles of Ceylon tea and Coke. Separate glasses, please."

"Alright, gentlemen, please follow me."

Perhaps it was because Sang-du, Sang-il, and Jong-pal were tall and had large builds that the waiter didn't realize they were all high school freshmen. Thanks to this, the group got a free pass on the ID check.

"But wouldn't you prefer a room to a booth? I can introduce you to some nice ladies."

Unlike the direct pick-up approach of clubs in the 2030s, in 1993, the nightclubs relied on a peculiar system where the waiters would bring over potential dates. Although the rock café culture focused more on dancing and enjoying the atmosphere rather than the booking process found in nightclubs, VIP rooms sometimes included guests.

Feeling a bit of a culture shock, Yi Geon continued to play dumb.

"Well, it's not a bad idea, but we're just planning to dance lightly today. If necessary, we'll move to a room."

Sang-du, who plopped down in his seat, tipped the waiter with a 10,000 won bill, causing the waiter's mouth to gape open. The waiter immediately bowed at a 90-degree angle.

"Thank you. I hope you all have a great time."

10,000 won was a huge tip in 1993. At that time, the hourly wage for a part-time job in Seoul was around 2,000 won. Giving such a large amount as a tip was quite generous.

"Sang-du, you could have just given 5,000 won. That's a hefty tip."

"Hey, we already look stingy. If we order expensive things from the start, they'll suspect we're dine-and-dash customers. Just grease the wheels appropriately so we don't catch the eyes of the security. Imagine how much of a headache it would be if they called the police. You're too naive, Yi Geon."

Sang-du was surprisingly shrewd in a bad way. Yi Geon couldn't help but let out a hollow laugh. If he had met Sang-du in the first round, he would have been in big trouble. Sang-du was good at both workplace communication and being resourceful.

"Here's the mid-range liquor you asked for."

"Ah, Something Special? They have this kind of liquor?"

Yi Geon had never seen this brand, which was hard to find in Korea in the 2030s.

"Yes, sir, it's a pretty good liquor. Would you like me to pour you a glass?"

"No, I prefer it with ice in a glass."

"Alright, then I'll pour a glass for you."