“Ah, Mr. Hyunwoo Jang? Nice to meet you, and thank you. Haruki, say hi to him.”

Mr. Kuroda deeply lowered his head full of gray hair. Haruki, who looked like a high school freshman, also bowed deeply to Hyunwoo.

“Arigato gozaimasu (Thanks so much)!” said Haruki.

Haruki didn’t look good for some time. It was not because of her health, but because she didn’t want to follow Mr. Kuroda to visit Korea. Still, she didn’t forget her manners. She seemed to know it was because of Hyunwoo’s help that she was getting better.

Mr. Kuroda and Haruki’s mother admonished her quietly to show good manners.

Smiling brightly, Hyunwoo dissuaded them, “Oh, you don’t have to. I feel uncomfortable if you keep doing so, and I don’t deserve such a greeting.”

Hyunwoo took them to his house. His parents welcomed them. As they already heard about Haruki and the wild ginseng from Hyunwoo, they didn’t have to ask about it.

Mr. Kuroda looked like a well-mannered man by nature. He bowed not only to Hyunwoo but also to Hyunmin and his friend Sungrak, as well as the seniors who stopped by Hyunwoo’s house to waste time.

“Thanks so much. I don’t know how I can repay my debt to you.”

“Never mind, sir. I told Yoshimoto that the wild ginseng was not mine, but the state’s property, so you don’t have to thank me.”

“Without your help, my granddaughter Haruki would not have enjoyed its benefits. Thanks so much again.”

“Well, she was lucky. No matter how good the wild ginseng is, not all people who take it see the results. Haruki was really lucky in that respect.”

Hyunwoo tried to avoid the credit, but Mr. Kuroda shook his head with a heavy expression on his face.

“There are no coincidences in this world. The way I got associated with Yoshimoto, and I got to know you, and even you obtaining the wild ginseng is the will of the heavens. This means that the heavens have given me an opportunity of embarking on a new mission.”

Hyunwoo smelled something religious in his remarks, but that’s all he said that sounded religious. Then, he talked about something just oriinary.

“I’d like to repay your favor by all means. Fortunately I’ve received a huge amount of severance money. How can I pay you back?”

Hyunwoo shook his head and said, “I am not qualified to decide on the method of payment, but I think paying back with money is the least meaningful.”

“Then, what do you think is the most valuable way?”

It was a very difficult question for Hyunwoo to answer, “Hahaha. You don’t have to hurry. You can talk about such a heavy topic later. As you have not returned to your fatherland in a long time, please enjoy travelling. Have you come to Korea before?”

“No, this is the first time our family has come to Korea.”

“Do you have place you want to visit then?”

Mr. Kuroda mentioned Kongju city, his father’s hometown and Daejon, his birthplace. Only then did Hyunwoo know Mr. Kuroda was born in Korea.

“Let me guide you.”

“No, we should enjoy travel on our own…”

Though Mr. Kuroda refused Hyunwoo’s request, Hyunwoo insisted. Actually Hyunwoo had no particular plans that weekend. When he heard Mr. Kuroda was coming to Korea, he cancelled his regular mountain climbing trip with the seniors to spend time with Mr. Kuroda.

Mr. Kuroda and his family visited Korea for two day and three nights. Though Mr. Kuroda could spend more days in Korea, his daughter-in-law and Haruki couldn’t because of their work and school respectively.

“I’m afraid we can’t visit the two places today. Why don’t we travel to Daejon first?”

“Thanks so much.”

Mr. Kuroda’s family got in Hyunwoo’s van. Some seniors, the regular members of the mountaineering group, whispered among themselves and came to Hyunwoo, “Can we join you?”

“We’re so bored at home.”

“Are you going to be tired? And my guests will feel uncomfortable,” said Hyunwoo, scratching his head and looking at Mr. Kuroda.

Smiling broadly, Mr. Kuroda yielded his seat to them, “Don’t worry about us. Let’s go together.”

So, the five seniors joined the group. Hyunwoo’s parents thought of joining, but they decided not to so they could prepare their first class for the kids at the alternative school.

The seniors who got in the van were all younger than 70 years old and very voluble.

Naturally their topic was Mr. Kuroda. They began asking him lots of questions, and he was busy replying until they reached Daejon. After driving through some places in Daejon and other areas, Hyunwoo drove back to Ansan that the evening.

As soon as he got home, Hyunwoo’s parents came out to greet him. They were high-spirited and dynamic in their daily lives these days thanks to the alternative school.

Since they were given regular part-time teaching jobs at the school, they had been busy lately, preparing their lesson plans in order to enhance their ability to teach and be understood easily.

At the moment, he thought about Mr. Kuroda. Just like his parents enjoyed their lives to the fullest, Mr. Kuroda should enjoy as much here in Korea, and there is no other greater way Mr. Kuroda could repay his fatherland than doing something here, Hyunwoo thought to himself.

He was fully capable of teaching kids. According to Unhye, Mr. Kuroda was a veteran car engineer and one of the top experts in Japan. He could share his knowledge with the kids at the alternative school.

When he thought as far as that, Hyunwoo felt thrilled to know that Mr. Kuroda’s speciality was closely linked to his father’s specialty.

Maybe both of them can be perfect partners in teaching! Is there no coincidence in this world, as Mr. Kuroda said? Is it true that an invisible power has connected his father and Mr. Kuroda through Yoshimoto and Haruki, wild ginseng and Hyunwoo? Only God knows that.

Hyunwoo cautiously opened his mouth, “Don’t you think the most valuable thing in this world is someone’s dream and future?”

“Dream and future. Yes, you’re right. That’s more valuable than anything else,” said Mr. Kuroda, nodding his head as if he saw eye to eye with Hyunwoo.

“In particular, the future of students like Haruki is more valuable than anything else, I think. Why don’t you share knowledge and experience with such students?”

“Do you think my knowledge and experience can be of any help?”

Hyunwoo took a deep breath and said, “As I understand, you are the best engineer in Japan as far as car engines are concerned. I think if you can share your knowledge and experience in the field with the kids, that will be a big help to them.”

While Hyunwoo spoke, he glanced at his father’s expression on his face. As expected, his father shrugged his shoulder to hear Mr. Kuroda was a car engineer and hardened his face a bit because of the bitter memories in the past. He might have recalled his original dream that he had to give up and didn’t dare to pick up again because his rivals were too tough and too numerous. He wondered if Mr. Kuroda could stay long enough in Korea to be his partner.

Hyunwoo continued, “There is an alternative school called School of Dream not far from here. Won’t you teach the kids there?”

Mr. Kuroda nodded, with a stiff look, “Teaching the kids is a good idea, but I can’t think of how to as I won’t stay here long enough.”

“Oh, what does it matter these days when internet is so advanced? If you have a will, I think you can find some way to do it.”

“Yes, you’re right, but I can’t reveal my company’s secrets even if I share my knowledge and expertise here. That bothers me a bit.”

Hyunwoo smiled lightly and said, “Well, you’re teaching the kids. I don’t think that will rise to the level of leaking your company’s secrets, and you can control what you teach, of course.”

“Um. That’s right,” replied Mr. Kuroda, nodding.

“And I just cited one example. It’s up to you, Mr. Kuroda. You can repay any other way, and nobody would blame you even if you don’t repay.”

Mr. Kuroda seemed to agonize a bit, and then said, as if he decided on something, “As a matter of fact, it’s been my long -time dream to teach kids. If I have a chance, I’d like to teach them, but I’m not so sure if I am qualified. I wonder if the alternative school will let me teach.”

“Oh, you can ask the school about it.”

Hyunwoo called the School of Dream and made an appointment for Mr. Kuroda. On Sunday, the next day after Mr. Kuroda’s arrival, he went to the school with his parents and the rest of Mr. Kuroda’s family.

The teacher in charge at the School of Dream greeted Mr. Kuroda warmly. Offering a cup of warm tea, he explained to Mr. Kuroda about the status of the school and the students, pointing out the problems of the students who couldn’t adjust themselves to the current normal schools.

Mr. Kuroda was impressed with the fact that the School of Dream was focused on creative education, not college preparation.

“I’ve been thinking for long that we need such a school. In Japan there are lots of students suffering from standardized education focused on college preparation.”

“Our school is different. We value each student’s personality and diversity as much as possible. We had an exhibition the other day, and the students’ works are in storage. Would you like to look at them?”

“Oh, sure. I love to see them.”

The teacher showed Mr. Kuroda, his family, and Hyunwoo the storage.

Just like Hyunwoo’s parents and Mrs. Kong, Mr. Kuroda was very surprised.

“Wow! This is a really good school. I just wonder what the kids educated here are growing up to be.”

“We adults should help them a lot to make their dreams come true.”

“I’d like to help, but I live in Japan, so..”

Mr. Kuroda explained about the difficulties, but asked about the online teaching that Hyunwoo suggested.

The teacher replied in the positive, “Our school likes to think outside the box. I think online teaching is possible. Once you start it, we can find out how effective it is, and iron out the problems.”

“Got it. Let me prepare the lesson as soon as I go back to Japan. I’ve come here to repay, but it looks like I have received a bigger gift.”