Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 230

230

The Next Day, Evening.

“What is this?”

Park Hee-chul held a bankbook in his hand. It was the bankbook that Hyun-sung had given him a moment ago.

Hyun-sung said,

“Please check it first. Then I’ll explain.”

“Why a bankbook all of a sudden…”

Shalak.

Park Hee-chul turned a page of the bankbook Hyun-sung had handed him.

Park Hee-chul’s pupils suddenly began to shake as he carefully examined the bankbook.

Then, looking at Hyun-sung, he asked,

“Th-This… How on earth did this happen?”

“Well, actually…”

Hyun-sung began to explain about the money in the bankbook. As Hyun-sung’s explanation grew longer, Park Hee-chul’s expression began to change strangely, as if he couldn’t believe it.

Finally, when Hyun-sung’s explanation was over, Park Hee-chul immediately asked,

“So, you’re saying that the Nongshim [a South Korean food and beverage company] Chairman gave you this money?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“And the reason is that he gave it as compensation for discovering the tumor in advance?”

Hyun-sung nodded.

Then Park Hee-chul asked again, as if amazed,

“You’re really saying that if you touch someone’s hand, you can feel where that person is sick?”

“Yes, that’s right. But it doesn’t apply to everyone. There are some people it doesn’t work on.”

“No, how can such a thing be possible?”

“I don’t know either. I couldn’t believe it at first either.”

“Huh, really…”

Park Hee-chul let out a hollow laugh, as if he was dumbfounded.

How could this be possible? How can a person find out about someone else’s illness just by physical contact?

After a moment of silence, Park Hee-chul slid his hand towards Hyun-sung and said,

“Hold my hand once.”

“Pardon?”

“I’m just so curious. Hold my hand and see if there’s anything wrong with me.”

“No, but why would I…”

Hyun-sung ended up holding Park Hee-chul’s hand in a daze.

After a while.

As if a doctor was taking a patient’s pulse, Hyun-sung began to concentrate while holding Park Hee-chul’s hand. But the funny thing was Park Hee-chul’s attitude.

He was as nervous as a child seeing a doctor.

Seeing his expression, Hyun-sung asked,

“Are you that nervous?”

“Hehe, I couldn’t help it…”

Park Hee-chul replaced his embarrassment with a hollow laugh.

Then Hyun-sung began to concentrate again.

After a while.

Hyun-sung, who had been quietly holding Park Hee-chul’s hand, opened his mouth.

“Have you ever had surgery?”

“I had appendicitis surgery three years ago, does that even show up?”

“I just had that feeling.”

“Hehe, it’s really amazing. How can such a thing be possible?”

Park Hee-chul just tilted his head repeatedly, as if he was amazed.

Then Hyun-sung spoke again.

“How’s your digestion these days?”

“Actually, my digestion hasn’t been good lately, and I’ve had severe heartburn, so I went to the hospital yesterday and they said I have gastritis. So I’m taking medicine now. But you can really feel that?”

“Yes, that’s right. I’m just as amazed.”

“Is there anything else wrong?”

“No, I don’t see anything else wrong with you. And you were born with a great heart. It’s very healthy.”

“Hehe, really…”

Park Hee-chul was just dumbfounded.

How could this be possible? When he first held out his hand, he didn’t hold it out with any expectations.

He just wanted to check out of curiosity.

But it turned out to be true.

Park Hee-chul looked at Hyun-sung with an unbelievable expression and continued,

“You’re like a monster.”

“Pardon? A monster?”

“Isn’t that right? Last time you surprised people with precognitive dreams, and this time you can find out about other people’s illnesses through physical contact, so what else could you be but a monster?”

It wasn’t wrong.

Hyun-sung was just as amazed.

Park Hee-chul asked again.

“Anyway, what are you going to do with that money?”

“Actually, that’s why I wanted to see you, Uncle. I think I’ll have to go to Ilsan [a planned city in South Korea] one more time soon.”

“Are you going to buy more land?”

“I think I’ll have to invest about 500 million won [approximately $375,000 USD] more. There’s no other investment opportunity like that.”

Park Hee-chul nodded.

“Well, that’s right. If what you say is true, 500 million won will become 50 billion won [approximately $37.5 million USD] in three years, so if you have the money, you should definitely put it in. But why 500 million won? Do you have other uses for the rest of the money?”

“Yes, I’m going to buy a building and some land in this neighborhood.”

“A building? Do you have a place in mind?”

“President Oh put his building up for sale.”

“Sang-cheol put his building up for sale?”

Park Hee-chul tilted his head. Oh Sang-cheol was born and raised here his whole life. The fact that he was putting his building up for sale meant that he was moving somewhere else, which didn’t make sense at first.

Hyun-sung’s answer followed.

“I heard he put it up a few days ago.”

“Does that mean he’s leaving this neighborhood?”

“I think so. I don’t know the exact reason, but I heard that the biggest reason is that he lost the trust of the people in the neighborhood, more than his business.”

“Is it because of Myeong-soon?”

“I think so. He kicked out someone who had been in business for over 10 years overnight, so maybe it’s karma.”

Park Hee-chul nodded.

He had heard a lot of rumors in the neighborhood.

At first, he didn’t know, but as time went by, Oh Sang-cheol kicked out Shin Myeong-soon and opened a restaurant of the same type in her place, which started to cause gossip. As a result, the number of customers at the restaurant gradually decreased, and eventually he heard that it was closing.

It would have been different in a city, but it was an inevitable phenomenon in a small rural village.

Park Hee-chul asked,

“How much did he put it up for?”

“250 million won [approximately $187,500 USD].”

“He put it up for cheaper than I thought.”

“President Park of the real estate agency said that it’s about 15 million won [approximately $11,250 USD] cheaper than the market price.”

“So, did you sign a contract?”

“No, not yet.”

Park Hee-chul tilted his head.

“Why didn’t you sign a contract when it’s 15 million won cheaper?”

“Because I’m resentful.”

“What does that mean?”

“He still doesn’t know that he did wrong about kicking out the auntie.”

“No, even though he’s closing his business, selling his building, and moving out, he still doesn’t know what he did wrong?”

“Yes, that’s right. So I just looked at the building and came out.”

“Really, that friend…”

Park Hee-chul couldn’t easily understand. Even if that was the case at first, he should know what he did wrong now that he’s selling his building and moving out.

But the fact that he still doesn’t admit his mistake was hard to understand.

Park Hee-chul asked again.

“So, what are you going to do?”

“I’m going to wait until it drops about 20 million won [approximately $15,000 USD] more. I think it will drop before next spring.”

“So, you’re saying that the sale won’t happen anyway?”

“I don’t think there’s anyone in the countryside who would buy that building at that price.”

“In the end, 20 million won was lost because of resentment?”

“If I think about the auntie, it’s still a cheap price. People shouldn’t do that.”

Park Hee-chul nodded.

Then he asked again,

“What about the land, do you have a place in mind?”

“You know the land you gave me last time, Uncle? I’m going to buy all the land around it.”

“All the land around it?”

“Yes, I’m thinking about 100,000 pyeong [approximately 82 acres].”

“What?”

Park Hee-chul doubted his ears.

How could this be possible? Not 10,000 pyeong, but 100,000 pyeong…

Park Hee-chul looked at Hyun-sung and immediately asked,

“Did you just say 100,000 pyeong?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“No, what are you going to use all that land for?”

“I’m going to build a village there later. I’m going to build apartment buildings and a sports field, so that we can all live together.”

Park Hee-chul looked at Hyun-sung as if he couldn’t understand.

Then Hyun-sung’s words continued.

“I’m going to open a large restaurant on the land you gave me, Uncle. So I’m going to create jobs. I’m not going to let people leave the countryside because of the problem of making a living.”

“Does that mean that people will leave the countryside later?”

“Yes, that’s right. In the next 10 years, the rural population will start to decline a lot. Then, in 30 years, there will be very few people in the countryside. In order to prevent that, we have no choice but to create jobs in advance.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Park Hee-chul looked at Hyun-sung with a puzzled expression.

Then Hyun-sung said again.

“I’m talking about the future of the countryside.”

“So, you’re saying that the number of people in the countryside will gradually decrease from now on?”

“It will be more than you think, Uncle. So I’m going to prepare in advance.”

“Anyway, I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I’ll trust you since you say so. So, what can I do?”

Park Hee-chul looked at Hyun-sung.

Then Hyun-sung said,

“You can prepare for the future with me from now on.”

“What help can an old man like me be?”

“Why are you saying that? Didn’t I tell you last time? Age is just a number. And a little while ago, I saw that your heart was like a 20-year-old’s heart. You’ll be fine until you’re 100 years old.”

“Hehe, 100 years old is too much.”

Park Hee-chul looked at Hyun-sung with a smile. Who wouldn’t like to live a long life? Even though he said that, Park Hee-chul didn’t lose his smile.

Looking at Park Hee-chul, Hyun-sung said,

“You’ll help me, right?”

“Well, you’re talking so much, of course I’ll help you, but I’m worried that I might be a burden.”

“Why are you saying that? Don’t worry about that and just do what you’re doing now.”

“Okay, tell me what I need to do when the time comes.”

Park Hee-chul nodded and looked at Hyun-sung.

After a while.

Park Hee-chul looked at Hyun-sung and asked,

“By any chance, do you have healing abilities?”

“Pardon? What do you mean?”

“If you can find out about someone else’s illness just by physical contact, can’t you heal that illness in reverse?”

“Well, I haven’t thought about that.”

“I have a feeling that it might be possible.”

“Well…”

Hyun-sung tilted his head.

Then he thought.

‘Healing ability…’

Park Hee-chul’s words were not wrong at all.

If you can find out about someone else’s illness just by physical contact, shouldn’t you be able to heal that illness in reverse?

It’s a superpower anyway.

From the beginning, the very idea of finding out about someone else’s illness just by physical contact doesn’t make sense. But the fact that it’s possible means that you might be able to heal that illness in reverse.

Hyun-sung looked at Park Hee-chul.

Then Park Hee-chul held out his hand as if he had read Hyun-sung’s mind.

“It’s worth a try, isn’t it?”

“That’s right!”

Hyun-sung grabbed Park Hee-chul’s hand with both hands and began to concentrate.

How much time had passed?

Hyun-sung, who had closed his eyes, opened them and looked at Park Hee-chul and asked,

“How do you feel?”