Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 185

185

Lee Man-soo returned home.

Yoo Soo-min greeted him.

“Oh, where have you been since morning?”

“I had some business to take care of. By the way, where’s Soo-hyuk?”

“He just finished breakfast and is brushing his teeth. He’ll be out soon.”

Just then, Lee Soo-hyuk came out with his bag. Lee Man-soo called out to him.

“Soo-hyuk, can I talk to you for a moment?”

“Yes? I have to go to the ramen shop now.”

“It’ll only take a minute. Just 5 minutes.”

At the word ‘5 minutes,’ Lee Soo-hyuk went into the main room. But what was strange was his father’s attitude. He felt different from usual.

As Lee Soo-hyuk sat down, Lee Man-soo asked first.

“Is work not too hard?”

“No, it’s manageable. I was scared at first, but once I started, it was kind of fun and okay.”

“Really? That’s a relief.”

“But, did you have something to say to me…?”

Lee Soo-hyuk asked cautiously.

Then Lee Man-soo said.

“About the upcoming midterm exams…”

“Yes? Midterm exams?”

At the word ‘midterm exams,’ Lee Soo-hyuk looked surprised and turned to Lee Man-soo. That’s because this midterm exam is more important to Lee Soo-hyuk than ever before.

The reason is simple.

Instead of preparing alone without a tutor, he has to at least maintain his grades. That was the condition for stopping tutoring.

That’s why he can’t help but be nervous.

Lee Man-soo’s words continued.

“This midterm exam and tutoring are separate.”

“Yes? What do you mean?”

“Regardless of the result, there will be no tutoring until you become a third grader.”

“Dad…”

Lee Soo-hyuk doubted his ears. According to Lee Man-soo’s words, even if the results of this midterm exam are not good, he doesn’t have to get tutoring. Lee Man-soo himself is breaking the conditions he initially promised.

Lee Soo-hyuk was bewildered.

“Honey!”

Yoo Soo-min’s sharp voice echoed.

Then Lee Man-soo looked at Yoo Soo-min and said.

“Let’s talk to you in a bit after Soo-hyuk leaves. So just stay still for now.”

“How can you…”

Yoo Soo-min just glared at Lee Man-soo, as if she was dumbfounded.

Then Lee Soo-hyuk asked again.

“Dad, are you saying that…”

“I’m saying get out of the pressure. Don’t be too caught up in the results and have fun studying with your friends. Do you understand what I mean?”

“Yes, Dad. But…”

Lee Soo-hyuk looked at Yoo Soo-min next to him.

Then Lee Man-soo said again.

“I’ll talk to your mom, so don’t worry too much. And also, let’s go to the mountain together after the exam.”

“Yes? Really?”

Lee Soo-hyuk’s voice grew louder.

Then Lee Man-soo smiled and said.

“Do you like it that much?”

Lee Soo-hyuk glanced at Yoo Soo-min and nodded his head severely. Yoo Soo-min, watching the scene, laughed in disbelief.

Then Lee Man-soo opened his mouth again.

“Soo-hyuk, focus on this exam for now and do your best. Instead, don’t be too obsessed with the results, and I hope you make precious memories with your friends in the process. Above all, the most important thing is that you enjoy whatever you do.”

“Dad, what happened today?”

“Why, is it strange?”

“To be honest, I can’t adapt. I feel like I’m dreaming…”

Lee Man-soo nodded at Lee Soo-hyuk’s reaction. To be honest, even he himself feels awkward saying this, so how much more would Lee Soo-hyuk feel.

“I haven’t been able to pay attention to my only son because I’ve been busy, but I’m going to pull myself together and pay attention from now on.”

Lee Soo-hyuk was still skeptical. He couldn’t adapt to Lee Man-soo’s sudden change.

But he thought that constantly asking back was no longer the right thing to do.

“Dad, thank you anyway. I’ll work harder too. And don’t worry too much about Mom. I’ll work harder this time to become someone who is recognized by Mom and Dad.”

“Oh? Y-yes.”

Yoo Soo-min’s answer followed. But Yoo Soo-min’s expression in answering seemed to have changed a lot from before.

Lee Soo-hyuk bowed his head and continued.

“Then I’ll leave now before it’s too late.”

“Okay, since you’re going, work hard and be careful on the road late at night…”

“Yes, Dad.”

Lee Soo-hyuk left the main room and headed to Hyun-sung’s store.

Two people remained in the room after Lee Soo-hyuk left.

Yoo Soo-min looked at Lee Man-soo and asked first.

“What happened?”

“I’m going to try to believe him.”

“Yes? What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“I think we’ve raised Soo-hyuk too much in a cage.”

“A cage?”

Yoo Soo-min tilted her head at the sudden word ‘cage.’ Of course, she had been managing him since he entered middle school, but she didn’t think of it as a cage.

Lee Man-soo’s words continued.

“He said he wanted to get out.”

“Our Soo-hyuk did?”

“Yes, how stuffy must he have felt to not go to school, which he had never missed before. But we didn’t even know that and brought him back to school, we’re really…”

“How would I know he was thinking that far?”

“That’s why we were lacking. It’s a relief that Hyun-sung held onto Soo-hyuk well that day, what would have happened if he hadn’t?”

“Haa…”

Yoo Soo-min was still trembling when she thought of that day. The moment she heard in the faculty room that Lee Soo-hyuk had gone up to the roof, she felt like her heart stopped.

Of course, she knew to some extent that he was having a hard time. But she thought he could endure that much for the future.

But that wasn’t the case.

Lee Man-soo said again.

“So, let’s let our Soo-hyuk breathe a little now.”

“T-that’s not okay, not yet…”

“How long are you going to do that? Then the kid…”

Lee Man-soo cut off his words in the middle. He couldn’t bring himself to say any more.

Then Yoo Soo-min said.

“Instead of that, he promised, so let’s talk again after this exam.”

“No, honey. That’s not it. Who made that promise? In the end, it’s our greed. I’m sorry, but I can’t give in this time.”

“No, why suddenly…”

Yoo Soo-min didn’t like Lee Man-soo’s actions. She had been 100% in charge of Lee Soo-hyuk’s education so far.

Of course, this incident was not a small one. But she didn’t think it was right to interfere in this way.

Then Lee Man-soo said again.

“Do you know where I went this morning?”

“Of course not.”

“I went to Hyun-sung. I thought I should at least show my face since my son is working, and I had something to say.”

Yoo Soo-min nodded. She had been thinking that she should go there once.

“You did well. I was thinking that I should go there once…”

“That young friend said that. He said to trust Soo-hyuk a little. How stuffy must he have felt to say that?”

“That’s because he’s a friend…”

“That’s right, a friend is saying that, but isn’t he our son to us? If parents don’t trust their son, who will trust our Soo-hyuk?”

“That’s…”

Yoo Soo-min had nothing to say.

Then Lee Man-soo continued.

“Of course, it’s true that he still looks like a child to me. But I realized that was wrong while looking at Hyun-sung.”

“Yes? What do you mean?”

“He’s no longer the child we think he is. The way he runs a store is no different from an adult. No, rather, his passion is more than ours.”

Yoo Soo-min already acknowledged that.

At first, she thought he would do it for a day or two and then quit. But as time went on, the rumors she heard were the opposite.

Rather, the number of customers was increasing as time went on.

It was unbelievable, but it was true.

But she thought that was only Kim Hyun-sung’s business. People can’t all be the same.

Yoo Soo-min’s words continued.

“Even if that student is like that, our Soo-hyuk is different.”

“Why do you think so? He’s clearly the same friend. Don’t you think he only looks young to us?”

“Only to us…?”

“That’s right. I think he only looked that way to you and me. Do you know what Soo-hyuk said when he started working there?”

“I don’t know…”

Yoo Soo-min tilted her head. In fact, when she heard last night that he would be working at the ramen shop, she thought it didn’t make sense.

But she had no choice but to allow it because of the promise on the roof. Of course, on the condition that he maintain his previous grades on the midterm exam.

Lee Man-soo’s words continued again.

“He said he wanted to get out of the cage and have new experiences.”

“A cage?”

“That’s right. I was dumbfounded when I first heard that, but when I thought about it, I thought our Soo-hyuk was admirable for saying that. Ah! I thought that our Soo-hyuk is no longer a child.”

“……”

Yoo Soo-min had nothing to say.

Then Lee Man-soo immediately continued.

“So, let’s acknowledge our Soo-hyuk now. And let’s watch him a little more. Of course, it’s unsettling [Korean: 불안; romanized: buran] at first, but isn’t that also our share to bear?”

“Not yet…”

“No, I think it’s fortunate now. Imagine if this happened when he was a senior in high school. Maybe it would have been harder for you then, wouldn’t it?”

“Well, that’s also… Hmph!”

Yoo Soo-min sighed briefly.

Maybe it was a relief. If he had wandered like this when he was a senior in high school, it would have been much harder then.

Lee Man-soo’s words continued again.

“Even if it’s a little hard for you, how about giving in a little for Soo-hyuk this time?”

“Is that really the way to help Soo-hyuk?”

“I believe in our Soo-hyuk. I think he will definitely do well.”

“The work is fine, but the problem is the exam…”

Yoo Soo-min’s face was still shadowed.

Looking at her, Lee Man-soo opened his mouth again.

“Of course, it would be nice to catch both rabbits [achieve two things at once], but let’s not be greedy. Whatever the results of this midterm exam, let’s not make Soo-hyuk struggle [Korean: 힘들; romanized: himdeul] because of it.”

“……”

Yoo Soo-min didn’t answer.

Then Lee Man-soo looked at Yoo Soo-min with serious eyes.

“I’m asking you for the first time about Soo-hyuk’s education. Please trust my choice this time.”

“…Ah, I understand.”

Yoo Soo-min nodded with difficulty.

No one knew what kind of results her choice would bring in the future.

***

“사장님 [Korean: Shop owner or boss], is that really true?”

Kim Ji-sook asked Hyun-sung as if she didn’t know anything.

It was a little while ago.

When Kim Ji-sook arrived at the store, Hyun-sung had a smile on his face. Of course, Kim Ji-sook knew the reason.

She had already heard an explanation about the trash incident from Choi Min-sung in the early morning [Korean: 새벽; romanized: saebyeok].

Hyun-sung’s words continued.

“That’s right. Those two gentlemen [Korean: 양반; romanized: yangban, often used sarcastically] came with a cart full of trash in the early morning [Korean: 새벽; romanized: saebyeok] and dumped it in front of the store.”

“So?”

“I gave them a big shame.”

“How?”

Kim Ji-sook still matched Hyun-sung’s words as if she didn’t know. Then Hyun-sung was even more excited and busy answering.

“That’s…”

Hyun-sung explained everything, from the neighborhood [Korean: 동네; romanized: dongne] people starting to gather one by one in the early morning [Korean: 새벽; romanized: saebyeok] to the scene where the previous owner’s son, Lee Woo-jin, lectured the two, and then finished talking.

Then Kim Ji-sook laughed loudly and said.

“Hoho…, those gentlemen [Korean: 양반; romanized: yangban, often used sarcastically] were shamed by a child? But I can’t understand how those gentlemen [Korean: 양반; romanized: yangban, often used sarcastically] who have eaten their age [grown old] could do such a thing.”

“Who would?”

“By the way, 언니 [Korean: older sister, used as a term of endearment among women] Myung-soon is a little late today.”

“She’ll be here soon. There’s still a little time left. But I’m going to the restroom [Korean: 화장실; romanized: hwajangsil] for a while…”

“Ah, yes. Go ahead. I’ll be preparing in the kitchen [Korean: 주방; romanized: jubang].”

As Hyun-sung disappeared into the restroom [Korean: 화장실; romanized: hwajangsil], a bitter smile spread across Kim Ji-sook’s face. Then she headed to the kitchen [Korean: 주방; romanized: jubang] at a fast pace.

Shortly after.

Kim Ji-sook opened the refrigerator door with the seasoning [Korean: 양념장; romanized: yangnyeomjang] in one hand, holding a ladle [Korean: 국자; romanized: gukja].