39.  MINX = KIM HYUNJIN

On our second anniversary on 12^th March 2003, when puppy and I looked back on the year 2002, we were amazed at the major changes that happened in our life in the short span of a year. We always silently celebrated our anniversary on the fateful day we’d met and he fell in love with me at first sight, 12^th day of March in the year 2001.

In March 2002, minx’s name was officially changed to Kim HyunJin. It was a tossup for who was happier about it – minx or her father.

We got all her identifications changed to reflect her new name. When it came to the passport, I confirmed with her again about retaining part of her identity with Minho. She was young at just 4 years of age but I still felt it right to give her the final choice. We finally changed it to show me as her father and removed all legal traces of Minho from her life.

March 2002 was also the month when JinHee Hagwon became operational. We got it inaugurated by Heechul’s father and my father got his wish to be a media celebrity as a philanthropist.

It was easy to get students and staff for our venture. Uncle created a great one page advertisement--notice for the hagwon and it was put up in the notice board of all the police stations in Daegu. All anyone had to do to get enrolled or hired was come to the hagwon with identification papers showing they were part of the family of Daegu Police Department.

Heechul and I personally met with every visitor. All our classes were filled up within a week and we were able to hire great teaching staff. In our teachers, we were looking not only for experience but also the right attitude. We wanted to make learning fun for the students, not rote and boring. We wanted compassion and creativity in our teachers.

We had a baseline for student fee which was way lower than the amount any other academy charged. If anyone wanted to pay more, in other words, make a donation, we did not refuse. We had not planned for this but to our surprise, many of the senior officers wanted to contribute financially towards our efforts. We used the money well and began providing healthy food and drinks to the children during their classes.

Within a month of opening, our academy was in the media limelight once again. There was a whole program about our efforts just after the prime time news. There were videos of our classes in action, interviews with everyone concerned including my father. As a result my father’s business boomed even more and Taemin couldn’t have been happier.

Soon after the local broadcast, we got a call from the Mayor’s office to set up a time for a personal visit by the Mayor of Daegu. He toured the entire facility and then had a half hour meeting with us. He lauded our efforts and differences between our academy and other private academies. He proposed to us to open a similar academy for families of civil servants. We asked if the city would provide the place or we will have to rent our own. He asked us to prepare the project with both options. We agreed to meet again in a week’s time.

As soon as the mayor left we danced around the room. We were achieving success much sooner than anticipated. We discussed and decided to make our strikes while the iron was still hot. I was of the opinion to go nationwide before anyone else took up our idea and opened in other cities. This meant at least 20 to 30 more academies. Seoul alone would require at least five.

We shook our heads together. We didn’t have that kind of money or human resources. We looked at each other and both jumped together. Franchising.

We decided to franchise our academy. We would select local individuals and help them set up for a portion of annual profits to cover our traveling expenses and the cost of our expert guidance.  

Within next two months, JinHee Hagwon had opened its doors for families of Daegu civil servants in another property owned by my father. We kept our word to him that he would be our only sponsor in Daegu.

Heechul and I were working long hours every day. Everyone understood that the first year was crucial to us and we had to encash the franchise option as quickly as possible. We got full support from our families. I couldn’t remember if I cooked any day of the past year. Thankfully minx came to the academy every day after school so I could spend time with her. Soo, Jiyeon, minx and Jongin were enrolled in the academy too. The Oh family requested for their sons as well and Sehun along with his older brother joined. Imo and Sehun’s mother car pooled.

Within six months, our two academies were not only for students. Some of the mothers would stay back and they wanted some activity for themselves too. We had free volunteer classes for mothers as well and each one picked up one thing they wanted to teach. The ladies formed a JinHee Hagwon Mothers Club and every day at different times there were at least twenty mothers in both the academies learning and teaching some art to the others.

We had beautiful ikebana flower arrangements gracing various places of the academies. There were recipe exchanges in cooking class in the two kitchens. Knitting, embroidery and other typically ladies activities went on daily. There were classes on ‘art of communication’ and other lifestyle improving arts. One mother who was a psychologist was given permission to hold once a week therapy sessions for abused wives in both the academies. The names of the participants were kept strictly confidential.

In the next six months we had already opened a dozen academies across the country. Another fifteen were signed and would open before the beginning of next academic year. Who would have thought we would be so successful with our maiden venture.  

On our anniversary night when puppy and I loved he teased me by whispering, “Yeobo I am living every teenage boy’s fantasy of making love to their beautiful teacher.”

“Want to give lovemaking classes, jagi? You are an expert at it. The ladies would love to have you teach them the finer points of this art form.”

“The credit goes to my beautiful teacher. Oh yeobo, I want to make love to you all night long, all my life.”

“Naughty puppy, not a single night has passed when you haven’t loved me. I wonder what we will do when we have the baby.”

“I don’t even want to think about it. I can’t sleep without loving you first.”

“Maybe this year we can plan increasing our family. All the franchises are operational and we’ll get a neat little income from them annually. Oh jagi, I can’t believe you turned me into a businessman. I’d never imagined this kind of success even in my wildest dreams. Just think, we have 27 franchises and another two running in Daegu.”

“Are you enjoying your success yeobo?”

“Immensely. We need to keep working hard to make all the franchises run smoothly. But we don’t have to worry financially for at least next two decades. By that time minx will be 24 and if we have byongs soon they will be in college.”

“Byongs? Why should we have byongs?”

“Baby dragons silly. Too much to say at one go so I call them byongs mentally. Baby yongs. Byongs. Get it?”

“Yeobo your Kenglish will drive me insane. Byongs. God that’s really, really crazy. Imo will really dig this.” He began laughing softly. Minx was asleep besides us.

“I love you and I know you love my Kenglish. Stop pretending. By the way, do you know about Heechul’s request regarding byongs?”

“Hmm super told me. Are you okay with giving them one byong to raise? We can always refuse. I am sure they will understand.”

“I see Heechul daily with children at the academy. He is absolutely wonderful with them. What are your thoughts on it?”

“I don’t mind their raising our child. I think they will do as good a job as us. But can you see me carrying triplets? Maybe we should just have twins, give them one baby and raise one ourselves.”

“Let’s see what the doctor says jagi. We will decide on the number of byongs after meeting the doctor.”

“Thank you yeobo. Thank you so much for sneezing that day. Your one little sneeze changed my whole life and brought me so much happiness. Love you.”

“Love you too jagi. Let me sneeze again for you.”

“Be ready for the repercussions of your y sneeze. You look as kissable and lovable tonight as you did the first time I saw you.”

“erted puppy.”

“Always, for you.”