Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 275

275

“Oh Bok-ja.”

As the nurse called out the name, Kim Myung-shik quickly took his mother, Oh Bok-ja’s, hand and entered the examination room.

Doctor Kim Young-soo looked at Oh Bok-ja and asked,

“I thought your regular check-up wasn’t for another 10 days or so. What brings you here?”

“Well…”

Oh Bok-ja hesitated, unable to easily continue speaking.

Kim Myung-shik, who was beside her, immediately said,

“We came because we wanted to get a check-up.”

“A check-up? The regular check-up is in 10 days anyway. Is there something urgent?”

Kim Young-soo was having trouble understanding. He had already done all the tests during her treatment just a few days ago.

Of course, it’s the patient’s right to get a check-up, but due to the nature of the illness, it inevitably incurs costs. Kim Young-soo couldn’t understand why they wanted to do another check-up despite this.

Kim Myung-shik said,

“It’s difficult to explain, but there were circumstances. So, please do the check-up.”

“Of course, if the patient wants it, it’s right to do it. But could you tell me what those special circumstances are?”

“That’s a bit…”

Kim Myung-shik was in a difficult position.

The reason for redoing the check-up, even while bearing the additional costs, was because of Hyun-sung. More precisely, it was to confirm Hyun-sung’s healing abilities.

Frankly, even the hospital was pessimistic about his mother’s treatment.

The reason was simple: they had already missed the treatment window. But his mother doesn’t know that. She believes that if she gets treatment, she will fully recover, even though the cancer has spread.

In the midst of all this, Hyun-sung appeared.

So, from Kim Myung-shik’s perspective, it was like a dream. But the problem was that he couldn’t tell the doctor about this.

As Kim Myung-shik hesitated, Kim Young-soo, who was watching him, spoke again.

“Yes, I understand. If you have circumstances, you don’t have to tell me.”

“I’m sorry.”

“No, the guardian doesn’t have to be sorry. I’m only asking for my reference. Then, we’ll proceed with the check-up right away.”

Kim Myung-shik took Oh Bok-ja out of the examination room and headed to the radiology room.

One hour later.

After finishing the scan, Kim Myung-shik, who returned to the examination room, had a parched mouth. He was curious about what the doctor would say.

Meanwhile, Doctor Kim Young-soo was staring at the monitor with a dumbfounded expression.

‘This doesn’t make sense,’ he thought.

Just five days ago, when he did the examination, the tumor had significantly metastasized to the lungs and liver. But the image in front of him now showed a different picture than five days ago.

Of course, not all the tumors were gone, but at least 10% of the area had shrunk.

Kim Young-soo checked the monitor again, but he could still see a clear difference from the image five days ago.

Kim Young-soo looked at Kim Myung-shik and asked,

“What on earth happened?”

“Yes? What’s wrong?”

“It’s reduced.”

“Reduced? What are you…”

Kim Myung-shik couldn’t immediately understand what Kim Young-soo was saying.

Then Kim Young-soo spoke again.

“The size of the tumor has decreased. By 10% compared to five days ago.”

“R-really?”

“Yes, that’s right. I’ve checked several times, and there’s no mistake. How could this happen…”

Kim Young-soo couldn’t believe it. In fact, the hospital had concluded that Oh Bok-ja’s case was difficult to treat. It was because too much time had already passed for treatment.

But today, an unbelievable thing happened. For some reason, the patient’s condition had improved. The size of the tumor, which they thought was impossible to shrink, had decreased.

It was natural for Kim Young-soo to be surprised.

And another person.

Kim Myung-shik couldn’t believe his ears.

He had been told by the hospital that further treatment would be difficult. But because Hyun-sung’s actions were so strangely unique, he had requested a check-up with a glimmer of hope.

And now, he heard miraculous words from the doctor.

It was that his mother’s tumor had shrunk.

Kim Myung-shik looked at his mother, Oh Bok-ja.

Then Oh Bok-ja asked,

“What did the doctor just say?”

“Mother…”

Kim Myung-shik took Oh Bok-ja’s hand. Before he knew it, his eyes were filled with emotion.

Oh Bok-ja, who saw his expression, asked again,

“The doctor definitely said the size of the tumor has decreased, right? I didn’t mishear, did I?”

“Yes, Mother. He definitely said that.”

“How can this be…”

Oh Bok-ja couldn’t believe it. She hadn’t shown it to her son, but when she heard from the hospital that it had metastasized to other organs, she had somewhat expected it.

She thought this was how she would end her life.

Sometimes, unbearable pain would come, but she couldn’t show it in front of her son. She accepted everything as fate.

But one day, fate suddenly played a trick on her.

Kim Hyun-sung, a bluebird [a symbol of hope and good fortune].

And now, that trick of fate had given her new hope.

Oh Bok-ja looked at Kim Myung-shik and said,

“Let’s go to your father quickly. We have to tell him this news. Your father will be the happiest.”

“Yes, Mother. Let’s go quickly.”

Kim Myung-shik greeted Kim Young-soo and left the examination room. No, he was about to leave.

It was then.

“Wait a minute!”

Kim Young-soo called out to Kim Myung-shik in a hurried voice.

As Kim Myung-shik turned around, Kim Young-soo immediately continued,

“What on earth happened?”

“As I said before, I can’t say any more…”

Kim Myung-shik couldn’t help it. He knew what Kim Young-soo was curious about. But Kim Myung-shik’s position was that he couldn’t give any explanation at the moment.

It was frustrating for Kim Young-soo.

Medically impossible things had happened. But he couldn’t get any information about it, so Kim Young-soo couldn’t help but feel frustrated.

Kim Young-soo looked at Kim Myung-shik again with a frustrated heart and said,

“Is it really impossible?”

“Yes, as I said a little while ago, you will never believe me even if I tell you. I’m busy, so I’ll be going now…”

Kim Myung-shik started to leave. He knew that there was no point in wasting any more time here.

As Kim Myung-shik got up, Kim Young-soo became anxious.

Suddenly.

Kim Young-soo grabbed Kim Myung-shik’s hand in a hurry.

“How can you just leave?”

“…”

“I’ll believe whatever you say. So please, tell me what happened.”

Kim Young-soo didn’t care about his dignity as a doctor.

Kim Myung-shik, who saw his expression, was lost in thought for a moment.

‘What should he do?’ he wondered.

His 고민 [gomin – worry/anguish] didn’t last long.

Kim Myung-shik had no choice but to sit back down. He couldn’t leave like this because Kim Young-soo’s expression was too desperate.

Kim Myung-shik reluctantly began to speak.

“Well, that is…”

Kim Myung-shik began to explain what had happened with Hyun-sung. As Kim Myung-shik’s explanation continued, Kim Young-soo had an unbelievable expression. And finally, when Kim Myung-shik’s explanation ended, Kim Young-soo immediately asked.

“Is that really true?”

“Yes, that’s right. I honestly find it hard to believe, but it’s true.”

“No, how can…”

Kim Young-soo had nothing more to say.

Kim Myung-shik took his mother’s hand and left the examination room.

Kim Young-soo was left alone in the examination room.

Kim Young-soo’s gaze turned back to the monitor.

Kim Young-soo, who was looking at the monitor, muttered to himself.

“Qi therapy…”

Kim Myung-shik, who came out of the examination room, held Oh Bok-ja’s hand tightly.

“Mother, a miracle has happened.”

“That’s what I’m saying. How could this happen to me…”

Sniffle.

Tears were already flowing from Oh Bok-ja’s eyes.

It wasn’t just Oh Bok-ja who was crying. At some point, Kim Myung-shik’s eyes were also filled with emotion.

Why wouldn’t they be?

They didn’t show it to each other, but they implicitly knew that further treatment would be difficult. That’s why they had to spend even more difficult times.

Kim Myung-shik said.

“Mother, you don’t have to worry anymore. Hyun-sung said he would come every week.”

“Okay, I understand. You’ve been through a lot, haven’t you?”

“I’m okay, but Mother, you must have had a hard time?”

“It was hard for everyone… By the way, your father must be waiting a lot. Let’s go home quickly.”

“Yes, let’s go. Your father will be the happiest of all.”

Kim Myung-shik took his mother, Oh Bok-ja’s, hand and left the hospital.

The two arrived in front of their house.

Kim Myung-shik looked at Oh Bok-ja and said,

“Go in.”

“Aren’t you coming in?”

“I have to go to the store right away. And you and Father will have things to talk about.”

“Okay, I understand. Then, I’ll see you in the evening.”

Oh Bok-ja disappeared into the house with quick steps.

A smile spread across Kim Myung-shik’s face as he watched her go.

Kim Myung-shik deliberately didn’t go into the house. He thought that his father and mother needed time alone.

He could still see his father crying in hiding.

It was the day he was notified by the doctor at the hospital that further treatment would be difficult. His father’s eyes were swollen when he came out of the bathroom after a long time.

Kim Myung-shik confirmed that his mother had entered the house and then turned his steps toward the store.

Oh Bok-ja, who entered the house, called out loudly to her husband, Kim Dae-sun, in the yard.

“Honey!”

Bang.

As soon as Oh Bok-ja’s voice was heard, the front door opened, and Kim Dae-sun ran out barefoot.

“How did it go?”

“Honey!”

Oh Bok-ja called out to Kim Dae-sun once more.

Then Kim Dae-sun grabbed Oh Bok-ja’s hand and asked again.

“I’m asking how it went?”

“It’s reduced.”

“Reduced?”

“Yes, the doctor clearly said that the size of the tumor has decreased.”

“Is it real?”

Kim Dae-sun couldn’t believe his ears. He had been endlessly fearful and anxious as he watched his wife leave for the hospital in the morning.

He felt like he wanted to grab at straws [desperate for any chance of hope].

The reason he didn’t let go of the last thread of hope was because of the actions of a student named Kim Hyun-sung.

At first, he thought it was absurd.

But in the process of treatment, he was able to find a glimmer of hope.

He thought that a miracle might happen from his appearance of sweating all over his body while treating her.

And that miracle really happened.

Kim Dae-sun looked at Oh Bok-ja and said,

“A miracle has happened to us.”

“Yes, your prayers every morning without missing a day must have reached the heavens.”

“What kind of…”

Tears blurred Kim Dae-sun’s vision. All he could do was pray. He woke up in the morning, poured a bowl of clean water, and prayed with all his heart.

He did that for a year, and then a miraculous thing really happened.

Kim Dae-sun grabbed his wife, Oh Bok-ja’s, shoulders with both hands. Then he gently hugged her.

“Honey, thank you. Thank you so much for coming back to my side.”

“Yes, I’m also thankful. Thank you for protecting me by my side…”

The two remained embraced like that for a long time.

Would Hyun-sung know?

That his special ability has restarted the lives of an old couple.