Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 120

My father looked at Hyun-sung and asked,

“Is the store preparation going well?”

“Yes, once we finish a bit more work on the inner quarters, all preparations will be complete.”

“Is there anything I can help with?”

“Just come with Mom on opening day and enjoy some delicious ramen. And having you both by my side is a great source of strength for me.”

“That rascal Won, too…….”

My father patted Hyun-sung on the shoulder and continued,

“You’re going to Seoul tomorrow?”

“Yes, I’m importing chili powder to use for the seasoning. Fortunately, the owner who bought the wild ginseng back then helped me, so I was able to get it easily.”

“Indeed, it’s not an easy task, but you managed to meet a good person.”

That was true.

Hyun-sung had been at a loss at first.

There was a limit to making it spicy with regular chili powder. It couldn’t be solved with regular Cheongyang chili peppers, so he needed something spicier.

What he remembered then was the Mexican ‘Habanero’ pepper. It was a pepper he had seen in a documentary on TV when the spicy food trend was taking off in his previous life. Who knew it would be so helpful.

The reason why peppers are spicy is due to the capsaicin [a chemical compound that stimulates chemoreceptor nerve endings in the skin, especially the mucous membranes] component contained in the pepper. The spiciness is measured based on the content of this capsaicin component, using the Scoville scale [a measurement of the pungency (spiciness or “heat”) of chili peppers].

Habanero peppers have a Scoville index of 100,000 SHU [Scoville Heat Units], containing 10 times more capsaicin than regular Cheongyang chili peppers. Furthermore, Habanero peppers have a citrus-like fruity aroma, not just a strong spicy taste.

That’s why it is mainly used to create a complex spicy flavor in food compared to other peppers.

What Hyun-sung needed was this Mexican pepper called Habanero. Fortunately, he was told that he could get it from Sungsim Herbal Medicine Store, so he asked Mr. Kim Jin-yong for help.

My father continued.

“If you’re going on a long journey tomorrow, get some sleep early tonight.”

“I was thinking of doing that anyway.”

“Okay, then I’ll go out, so you can go to sleep later.”

My father turned his back on Hyun-sung and went outside.

Hyun-sung bowed his head as he watched his father leave.

“Thank you for the honey water, Father.”

***

The next day.

Hyun-sung left for Seoul early in the morning.

Hyun-sung arrived at Sungsim Herbal Medicine Store and went straight up to the second floor.

As Hyun-sung went up, Mr. Kim Jin-yong, who had been waiting, greeted Hyun-sung happily.

“Welcome, Hyun-sung.”

“Have you been well? This is to express my father’s gratitude to you…….”

Hyun-sung handed over the glutinous corn that his father had prepared.

“This precious thing…….”

“He told me to be sure to tell you that he is grateful.”

It was before he left the house in the morning.

My father suddenly called Hyun-sung. When he turned around, his father held out a small box.

“What is that?”

“It’s glutinous corn. The owner of that herbal medicine store is so grateful, but he doesn’t have anything to give…….”

That was my father’s way of showing his appreciation.

In the past, he would have grumbled about having to carry it all the way to Seoul, but the current Hyun-sung was different, so he felt grateful instead.

“My father must have worked hard since morning.”

“No, parents always take care of their children, this is nothing. Don’t worry about that and deliver this well.”

“Yes, Father.”

Hyun-sung bowed his head.

It was a moment when his father’s heart was fully conveyed. My father always had this heart. It was the same in the past and now, but Hyun-sung hadn’t recognized it in the past.

Hyun-sung took the glutinous corn box that his father had given him and took the bus.

Was that why?

Mr. Kim Jin-yong’s voice seemed brighter than before.

“Haha, your father must have been busy since morning preparing this precious thing.”

“It’s freshly picked this morning, so it’ll taste good.”

“That’s right. Please tell your father that I will enjoy it.”

As expected, Mr. Kim Jin-yong seemed to be sincerely grateful for his father’s sincerity. Hyun-sung’s expression, watching the scene, also held a happy smile.

This time, Hyun-sung asked.

“Where did Dong-soo go?”

Kim Dong-soo is the only son of Kim Jin-yong and Hyun-sung’s military buddy. So Hyun-sung is asking about Kim Dong-soo’s well-being now.

“He said he was going on a training camp in Yongin from school. He was disappointed that you were coming.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Hyun-sung had talked to Kim Dong-soo during the semester.

It was a week after Hyun-sung came down from Seoul. He said he had caught the criminal.

It was when Hyun-sung was turning from Kyungdong Intersection to Cheongnyangri Station to deposit the money from selling wild ginseng into the Nonghyup bank [National Agricultural Cooperative Federation].

Thugs were chasing Hyun-sung, aiming for his money. Later, he found out that they were Wangsan-pa’s [a local gang] underlings.

Thanks to Kim Dong-soo and his friends appearing at that time, Hyun-sung was able to escape the crisis. What was suspicious at that time was the connection between Wangsan-pa and Sungsim Herbal Medicine Store.

After Hyun-sung left, Kim Dong-soo told his father, Kim Jin-yong, about it, and as a result of carefully watching, he found out that one of the male employees was communicating with them.

He apologized and promised to prevent recurrence.

Mr. Kim Jin-yong said again.

“By the way! I sincerely apologize for what happened back then.”

“Ah, yes.”

“I was really taken aback by how such a thing could happen. And thanks to you, I was able to catch the criminal quickly.”

“You’re welcome, I’m glad you caught the criminal quickly.”

Mr. Kim Jin-yong apologized again, bowing his head with an apologetic expression. In fact, that incident became an opportunity for Mr. Kim Jin-yong and Hyun-sung to become much closer.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that Hyun-sung was able to visit this place again today because of such an incident.

At the time, he was very surprised, but as a result, he became close to Mr. Kim Jin-yong, so it was fortunate.

“Have you had lunch yet?”

“Not yet.”

“That’s good, I was waiting to eat with you when you came. Let’s go out. You must be hungry…….”

Mr. Kim Jin-yong finished speaking and came down from the second floor, taking the lead. Hyun-sung quietly followed Mr. Kim Jin-yong.

The two returned after lunch.

“Would you like a cup of coffee?”

“Yes, please.”

“I like you because you have a cool personality.”

“Thank you for looking at me favorably.”

As Hyun-sung showed his manners, Mr. Kim Jin-yong smiled kindly and glanced at Hyun-sung. Then he continued.

“So, you’re opening a ramen shop this time?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Amazing. When I first heard that, I wondered what it was all about. Of course, it was hard to believe. But I thought you wouldn’t joke with me, so I had no choice but to believe it.”

Anyone would feel the same.

Hyun-sung also would never have dreamed of it if he hadn’t regressed.

“It just happened that way.”

It was the best answer Hyun-sung could give.

Then Mr. Kim Jin-yong asked again.

“But you’re going to make ramen with that spicy pepper?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“As far as I know, that pepper is quite spicy, will people be okay eating it?”

Indeed, the capsaicin content of Habanero peppers is 10 times that of regular Cheongyang chili peppers. Some even have more than 30 times. So it’s natural to think that way.

“Yes, it will be needed a lot in the future. That pepper will be used not only in ramen but also in all spicy foods.”

That’s true.

At the time, the Chun Doo-hwan regime [South Korean authoritarian government in the 1980s] was promoting the idea of ​​ to promote while hosting the 1986 Seoul Asian Games, and the spicy taste began to be emphasized in Korean food.

A spicy craze will spread to almost all foods such as chicken feet, pig’s feet, tteokbokki [spicy stir-fried rice cakes], and ramen.

At Hyun-sung’s words, Mr. Kim Jin-yong tilted his head as if he couldn’t believe it and asked again.

“Does that mean that spicy food is going to be popular in the future? Am I right?””Yes, definitely. A frenzy will blow.”

“Huh!”

Mr. Kim Jin-yong, who heard Hyun-sung’s confident answer, burst into laughter as if he had nothing to say.

Then Hyun-sung immediately continued.

“Why, can’t you believe it?”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t…….”

“You will. Anyway, where is my chili powder?”

“It’s on the first floor. You’re not going to take it now, are you?”

Mr. Kim Jin-yong looked at Hyun-sung with surprised eyes and asked. That’s because the weight alone is over 30kg.

“Of course. I’m sorry, but I’d like to ask you for another favor.”

“That’s not a difficult task, don’t worry. The post office is not far from here, so I’ll send it by parcel so you can receive it comfortably at home.”

At this time, before the delivery service became common, there was no other way to send anything but through the post office.

“Thank you. What should I do to owe you so much?”

“What to do, just succeed and make a lot of money.”

“Yes, I understand. I will make a lot of money and buy a lot of delicious things for you.”

“I’m grateful just to hear that. And by the way, I have one question for you…….”

Mr. Kim Jin-yong suddenly asked Hyun-sung carefully as if he was curious about something.

“What is it?”

“It’s a bit childish to say…….”

“Why are you hesitating like this? It makes me more curious.”

Hyun-sung stared straight at Mr. Kim Jin-yong. He wondered what he was so curious about at this point that he was being so careful.

Then Mr. Kim Jin-yong slowly opened his mouth.

“That……, about the dormant period…….”

“Dormant period?”

“Why, when I sold wild ginseng last time, I knelt down because of the dormant period, don’t you remember?”

“Ah, that time.”

Hyun-sung finally remembered.

It was the last moment of trading wild ginseng. It was when Mr. Kim Jin-yong was about to finish the negotiation that Hyun-sung said something last.

He asked if there was anything he was hiding.

Then Mr. Kim Jin-yong said no. At that time, Hyun-sung made a final condition. If Mr. Kim Jin-yong was hiding something, he would pay twice the price of wild ginseng, and if not, he would not receive a single penny.

It was perhaps Hyun-sung’s last bet.

Mr. Kim Jin-yong couldn’t help but be shaken by that. In the end, he knelt down. Because he was hiding something as Hyun-sung said. That was the dormant period [a period of inactivity in a plant or seed].

But the problem was that he couldn’t recall Hyun-sung ever mentioning the word dormant period.

So now Mr. Kim Jin-yong wants to check if Hyun-sung really knew about the dormant period.