Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 56

The next day, early in the morning.

Kim Il-soo, holding the hand of his grandmother, Shin Yu-bok, said,

“Grandma, I’ll be very late today. So, make sure you eat well, and don’t go out to the potato field yet.”

“Where are you going?”

“I have something to check in Seoul.”

“Seoul?”

At the word Seoul, Shin Yu-bok’s face quickly changed to a worried expression. A bad memory from a long time ago flashed through her mind.

Kim Il-soo continued,

“Grandma, don’t worry. I got the medicine from Min-young *hyung* [older brother or male friend] last time, so it’ll be easy to find. And I’ll be back right after checking a few things.”

“Alright, I understand. Don’t worry about this old woman and be careful on your way.”

“Yes, Grandma.”

Kim Il-soo hurried out of the house.

He told his grandmother not to worry, but he was actually very anxious because it was his first time in Seoul.

He had thought a lot last night.

If Choi Min-young was right, there wouldn’t be a better opportunity than this.

Of course, the deposit was a burden. But if it was true, as Choi Min-young said, that the money would secure the business rights for an entire area, he thought there wouldn’t be a better investment.

Moreover, he was getting a special 50% discount on the deposit, unlike others.

He could start the business right away as soon as the deposit was ready.

Furthermore, if he brought in other people, he would receive a special bonus of 1 million won per person.

And that wasn’t all.

He would also receive a special bonus if the people he brought in brought in others. It was a so-called pyramid scheme.

The more people there were below him, the more the special bonus would increase.

When he first heard that, he thought this was it.

He wanted to follow Choi Min-young to Seoul right away.

But the problem was his grandmother.

He figured it would take at least a year for him to get settled, no matter how quickly he worked.

He couldn’t leave his grandmother alone for a year.

So, he was worried.

That was the situation until a few days ago.

Then, he got into a fight with Hyun-sung. It wasn’t even a real fight; it was ridiculous.

He thought it would be over in a moment.

Because he had always played with him like a toy.

But an unbelievable situation occurred.

Hyun-sung was not the same as before. He suddenly appeared as a monster.

And just like that, their positions were reversed.

He had another worry.

He didn’t have the confidence to continue his school life as it was.

After much deliberation, he called Choi Min-young in Seoul. And he got an answer.

– Come up right away.

He received a promise that if he came up with a deposit of only 3 million won, he could start doing business right away, and he would definitely get settled within 6 months.

He thought his grandmother could endure it for about 6 months.

He finally thought he was getting out of this tiresome countryside.

Hope seemed to be waving right in front of him.

But when Kim Hyun-sung came to see him yesterday, everything came to a standstill.

It was a scam.

It was nonsense, but the problem was that he couldn’t just ignore those words.

However, he couldn’t just believe Hyun-sung and give up everything while sitting still.

“Let’s go, let’s go and see for myself.”

That’s why Kim Il-soo is going to Seoul now.

That afternoon.

“Is this it?”

Kim Il-soo was looking at the map in front of a building at the Mapo Gongdeok rotary [a type of roundabout or traffic circle].

[Daesung Building]

Kim Il-soo was checking the Daesung Building in front of him and the location drawn on the map.

“That’s right.”

It was the moment Kim Il-soo’s face brightened.

The truth was, he had been wandering around for 30 minutes.

Step.

Kim Il-soo entered the building.

Arriving on the 3rd floor, Kim Il-soo looked for the restroom first. He had been having a slight stomachache since a while ago, probably because he was nervous.

Phew.

A sigh of relief escaped from Kim Il-soo’s mouth. Kim Il-soo was just about to get up from the toilet after finishing his business when he heard voices from outside the door.

“Don’t make any mistakes today.”

“Why are you like this? Is this our first time? But who is it this time?”

“It’s a younger sibling from my hometown, and this guy suddenly says he’s coming today.”

“Did he graduate?”

“Anyway, that guy is a troublemaker, so it doesn’t matter whether he graduates or not.”

‘Huh? This voice is…….’

Even at first hearing, it seemed like a familiar voice.

A deep, low-pitched voice.

The conversation was too cheap compared to the noble voice, but the important thing was that Kim Il-soo knew the owner of the voice.

It was Choi Min-young’s voice. He had been famous since his school days. Choi Min-young’s song was always a must on days like picnics.

Choi Min-young, who was also good-looking, had quite a few female students following him.

“So, what grade is he in now?”

“Sophomore.”

“Isn’t he too young?”

“Hey, when have we ever been picky? Whether it’s a kid or an old man, we’ll screw them over no matter what. This bastard will only last three months at most. Anyway, he chose it himself, so who is he going to blame?”

‘……?’

Kim Il-soo doubted his ears.

Clearly, the human speaking outside the door right now is Choi Min-young. Just in case, he checked through the crack in the door.

‘Three months?’

Clearly, the protagonist of the three months that Choi Min-young is talking about must be himself.

Before leaving this morning, he had called from a public telephone. It was because if he went up without contacting him, it would be a disaster if he made a wasted trip.

When he asked why, he said it was about going to Seoul.

Then he said he thought he made a good decision and told him to come up quickly, saying he would be waiting.

But…….

Three months, he says.

He doesn’t care if they are young or old.

What kind of dog-like situation is this?

He kept thinking it couldn’t be.

He didn’t want to believe it. But no matter how many times he checked again, it was definitely Choi Min-young from the lower village who he had been playing with since he was young.

The outside of the door had become quiet.

Kim Il-soo was left alone in the restroom.

No one locked the door from the outside. But he couldn’t open the door and go outside.

Because the moment he went out, he would have to accept reality.

He’s so scared.

Hometown younger brother?

That’s all bullshit.

Like Hyun-sung said, he was just prey for scammers.

Haa!

A sigh flowed out involuntarily.

He had to open the door and go out, but he didn’t have the courage to go into that world.

That’s how time was passing.

After a while.

“I have to go.”

He couldn’t hide behind the world like this forever.

He thought of his grandmother, who would be waiting anxiously at home.

She probably wouldn’t be able to eat properly.

Heo!

A hollow laugh suddenly burst out.

It was absurd and ridiculous, but he thought maybe the sky was helping him.

The fact that Hyun-sung came and told him the story yesterday, and the fact that he learned about Choi Min-young’s true colors like this today, he thought it was something he could never forget unless it was heavenly luck.

If that wasn’t the case, he would have gone back home broke within three months, just like Choi Min-young said.

No, maybe he would have killed Choi Min-young.

“You son of a bitch!”

The more he thought about it, the more he gritted his teeth.

Kim Il-soo opened the restroom door and came out.

Standing in front of the sink, he saw his reflection in the mirror.

It was a completely different look from the morning. In the morning, he still had some expectations, but now he had a blank face with no motivation.

Squeak.

Kim Il-soo turned on the faucet.

He took water in both hands and rubbed his face mercilessly.

Then he looked at the mirror again.

Kim Il-soo, looking at himself in the mirror with water dripping down, shook his head violently. It was to shake off his thoughts.

“Okay.”

Anyway, he achieved his purpose of coming up.

It’s a pity, but this is it.

Let’s think of it as a dream on a midsummer night.

Still, he prevented the worst.

Kim Il-soo came out of the restroom.

Kim Il-soo, who came out of the building, headed towards the main street without looking back.

Anyway, there’s no need to meet the scammer.

There’s nothing more to talk about even if he meets him, and the moment he sees Choi Min-young’s face, he’ll obviously lose his temper and throw a punch first.

That disgusting face, he won’t see it in the future.

He checked, so that’s enough.

Kim Il-soo raised his hand and caught a passing taxi.

“To Sangbong Terminal, please.”

“Yes.”

Kim Il-soo turned his head one last time and looked at the building again. At that time, Kim Il-soo’s gaze was fixed on one place.

That’s when it happened.

“Wait a minute!”

Kim Il-soo suddenly shouted.

The surprised taxi driver looked at Kim Il-soo and asked.

“Sir! Why suddenly?”

“I forgot something. I’m sorry, but I’ll have to get off here.”

“Ah, well……, okay.”

The taxi driver had a sullen expression, but he didn’t say anything else.

Kim Il-soo, who got out of the taxi, started walking back towards Daesung Building.

Step by step.

Kim Il-soo’s steps were clearly different from before.

No matter how much he thought about it, it was too unfair to go like this.

“I’m Kim Il-soo.”

Kim Il-soo, who came up to the 3rd floor, went straight into the office.

The large office was again divided into small offices. In TV shows, partitions are usually placed at shoulder height, but here, they completely blocked the ceiling and used them as separate spaces.

But the shape was not stuffy or unsightly.

That was probably thanks to the finishing material.

It seemed to give a clean and comfortable feeling because it was finished in light green and white.

Of course, that would be the feeling of people who don’t know the properties of this place.

However, Kim Il-soo had no emotion.

He just felt that it was a space for scamming, and that’s why it was decorated like a secret room to maintain secrecy.

At that time, someone came to Kim Il-soo.

It was a man in a black suit.

“How may I help you?”

He was very polite. He seemed to be in charge of office information.

It was a different atmosphere from a normal office.

“I came to see Choi Min-young.”

“Ah, yes. Please come this way.”

The man guided Kim Il-soo to the fifth office.

Knock knock.

“Yes, come in.”

The man knocked, and a voice was heard from inside.

Then the man opened the door and guided Kim Il-soo into the office.

When Kim Il-soo entered, Choi Min-young jumped up from his seat and greeted him.

“Oh! Il-soo, welcome. I was waiting for you.”

He wanted to punch him in the face, but he had no choice but to act because he had a separate purpose now.

“*Hyung*, how have you been?”

“Yeah, wasn’t it hard to find?”

“Yes, it was easier than I thought. I think I’m just meant for Seoul.”

He deliberately acted nonchalantly.

When you’re fishing, there’s something called bait.

It’s to attract the attention of the fish.

Kim Il-soo is now spreading bait to Choi Min-young to achieve his purpose.

Choi Min-young was taking it all in.

“You, would I have told you to come to Seoul for no reason? I called you because I have an eye for talent.”

An eye for talent?

Stop with the bullshit.

He barely held back his fist.

Looking at Choi Min-young, Kim Il-soo smiled and said.

“I only trust you, *hyung*. Please take good care of me in the future.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll help you get settled within 6 months, so just trust me.”

He’s a real son of a bitch.

He didn’t even blink an eye and kept talking with his wide-open mouth.

That’s when it happened.

Knock knock.

Someone knocked on the door.

Then a man in a suit came in. It wasn’t the same man who guided him earlier.

But Kim Il-soo had seen him once before.

In the restroom a little while ago.

‘You’re going to put on a show, huh….’

It was the moment a faint smile spread across Kim Il-soo’s face.

The man bowed politely to Choi Min-young and took out a wad of cash from his bag and handed it over.

“Team Leader, this is what we sold this morning.”