The Famous Millionaire

Mrs. Kong introduced Hyunwoo to him, “I didn’t tell you about it because I didn’t want to disturb you. This is Hyunwoo Jang.”

Standing next to them, Hyunwoo bowed to him, “How are you, sir? My name is Hyunwoo Jang.”

“Nice to meet you. My name is Taeho Min.”

“My daddy is a professor of electrical engineering. He is involved in very important research along with other professors,” said Suji.

This time Suji explained to Hyunwoo about her father in detail. Crossing her arms, Suji seemed to tell Hyunwoo how much she loved him, but Hyunwoo felt something strange about Suji’s explanation about him because she said, unconsciously, “That’s why he couldn’t come back home often even if he wanted to…”

Suji told him about his father’s research boastfully, but it seemed like her excuse, not boast about him. Namely, she wanted to make excuses for her father that he could not come home often because of the important research for the future of the country. Listening to her explanation quietly, Mr. Min held Suji’s hand with a perplexed look, feeling as if he realized something, saying, “I’m sorry, Suji. So sorry. I’m really a poor father husband and father at home. Please be patient a little longer. It looks like I’m going to come up with some results by next year. Then, let’s travel to Japan or the United States.”

“Really? Yay! I’m happy,” exclaimed Suji, stomping her feet with great joy, but she was not that happy. What Suji and her mother really wanted was not a trip, but for him to spend more time with the family.

Listening to their conversation quietly, Hyunwoo cautiously cut in, “What kind of research are you doing now? Can you tell me about it?”

“Of course. We’re developing new material for solar cells. Today’s solar cells are divided into two categories: silicon-based, which focuses on efficiency, and organic solar cells, which focus on usability. Silicon and indium oxide electrodes are also in high demand as the main source of resources is at risk of depletion. Therefore, we are looking for cheap substitute materials in order to discover the next generation growth engine of the country,” said Mr. Min with excitement. Mt. Min’s explanation seemed to be long enough to Hyunwoo, but he made a regretful expression on his face because he didn’t explain more.

“Then, are organic solar cells not efficient?”

“That’s right. The electrolytic capacity of semiconductor polymer is…”

When Hyunwoo showed some interest in his explanation, Mr. Min began to explain excitedly as if he was hungry for a dialogue partner.

Hearing his explanation, Hyunwoo felt he painted a rosy future of his research. It was based on the assumption that the research would lead to actual success. If the research failed to produce successful results, it would only remain a pipedream.

Mr. Min had been researching this for the past 10 years. Yes, more than 10 years on the development of the new material of solar cells. Still, he was struggling to develop it. He kept saying ‘We’ll see success pretty soon,’ but it turned out to be wrong every time.

His family was becoming more and more worn out because of that. Not only his family but also the foundation supporting his research was becoming increasingly skeptical about his prospects because it had contributed tens of millions to his research with no results.

It was possible that the foundation may end its funding next year. Suji wanted them to end the funding, so she could have her father back.

“Oops! Too much time has passed! Other professors must be waiting for me. Let me take my leave here. Honey, Suji, I’ll see you home in the evening.”

“Yes, take care!”

Mr. Min hurriedly headed for his office.

Hyunwoo and Suji watched him disappear.

Was it because she saw her father? Or was it because he said he would return home this evening. Suji’s expression on her face was much brighter than before.

“Okay, then. Shall we enjoy the works?”

Hyunwoo began to look around at the works on display. There were not many presented at the exhibition, at most fifty works. Given that there were only twenty-three students at the alternative school was 23, it was normal, but the genre of the works varied greatly. Some of them were pictures, some were cartoons, poetry or poetic drawings, and even essays and collections.

Mingyu presented an eccentric work to show off his originality.

Hyunwoo stopped before a work on display with the name ‘Mingyu Kang’ beneath it.

“This is paper tissue,” said Hyunwoo.

“This is Mingyu’s invention. It’s called English word paper tissue. If you put down an English word on one column of the tissue, you can study it naturally at the restroom, right?” said Byungwon with a satisfactory smile.

Hyunwoo wondered if this would be at all marketable, but what was important was not the marketability, but the fact that Mingyu thought outside the box to come up with this kind of original idea.

Hyunwoo showed interest in a milk box with a strange shape, “What’s this?”

“Why don’t you explain, Mingyu?” suggested Byungwon to his son.

“If you drink the milk, you can take off the wheel and axis here and then put them here to make a toy car.”

In a word, the milk box itself was a prefabricated toy.

“If you wanted to use it for long, you would have to make a sturdy milk box, don’t you?”

Mingyu shook his head at his asking and said, “Kids don’t play with their toys for long. They are easily fed up with the toys after playing with it for two or three days, so you don’t have to spend lots of money for its durability.”

The more Hyunwoo looked at the other works, the more surprised he was. Not only Mingyu’s work but also other students’ works were really commendable. Though their value was not great, the originality and creativity of each of their works were pretty impressive.

It was not Hyunwoo alone who was impressed. His parents and Suji’s mother were also pleasantly surprised. When they saw a senior teacher with a long beard at the exhibition, they approached him and asked various questions.

“Here at the School of Dream, we don’t rank our students. We don’t give our students any tests. We teach them the basics about the Korean language, English, math, history, and sociology, but that’s it,” said the bearded teacher.

“Isn’t it disadvantageous for them to get admitted into college?”

“Yes, it is. If they are aiming to go to college, they should not come here,” said the teacher, and he continued, “The fact that they came to this place means that they failed to adjust to normal school, so we’re trying our best to have them enjoy their school life. We focus on them developing their creativity rather than on having them prepare for college. In other words, we give up one thing to get another.”

Was that the reason? Hearing what the teacher said, the education method adopted by the school was unique. The School of Dream targeting middle school boys and girls offered few in-class teachings. Most of the teaching was done outdoors. In particular, there were lots of outings. They took a tour around the country often, and the in-class teaching was in the form of discussion, such as debate after reading, watching movies, traveling, composition, or any other subject.

The teachers of the school were far from ordinary. There were only four full-time teachers, and they were all principals, homeroom teachers and rank and file teachers. In addition, none of them had a teaching license. They were novelists. In other words, it was a school four of them founded with the wishes for such a school. Of course, there were lots of daily part-time teachers. Aside from the four teachers who were novelists, there were 21 in total. Given that there were 23 students, the ratio of student to teacher was almost one teacher per student.

“College students and professors help us a lot, allotting two to three hours of teaching per week. And retired government employees, teachers and presidents also help us.”

“It looks like the tuition fee is very high because you have to pay the teachers every month, right?”

“Well, they all volunteer for the students. Personally, I make a living by writing novels, not teaching here. As I have to travel with them and buy textbooks, I receive about 700,000 won per month. Of course, those staying at the dorm pay for their dorm fee.”

Listening to his explanation for long, Mrs. Kong stared at the teacher, as if she thought of some idea suddenly, and cautiously said, “May I come here sometimes and teach them? I think I can teach them about fashion design a bit.”

The old bearded teacher reacted gladly, “How nice of you! As we have only one teacher on that subject at the moment, you’ll be of great help if you can. The more teachers we have, the better.”

“Oh, thanks,” said Mrs. Kong, expressing great satisfaction.

Then, Hyunwoo’s father said cautiously, “If you don’t mind, I’d like to help the kids.”

Stunned, Hyunwoo looked at his father.

“Do you want to teach them, daddy?” asked Hyunwoo.

“Though I’m physically disabled, my brain is still active. I have taught students about chemistry.”

Actually, Hyunwoo’s father had a Ph.D. degree in chemistry. Though he was not a chemistry professor, he once taught college students.

The problem was his health. It was impossible for him to go outside alone. He needed somebody’s help to get to the school.

Hyunwoo could take him to the school on the weekends, but the school had no class on the weekends. His mother had no driver’s license, and Hyunwoo could not ask her helper Hyunmin to help his father.

Then, his mother solved the problem easily, “Let me help him. As he can’t come here alone, I can come with him and help. I don’t know anything else but cooking, so I can teach them about cooking.”