Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 314

314

Park Young-jin and Hyun-sung walked for about five minutes after leaving the real estate office.

Park Young-jin, who was walking ahead, turned to Hyun-sung and smiled.

Hyun-sung immediately asked, “Why? Is there something you want to say?”

“Don’t you feel anything as you walk along the street?”

Pfft.

This time, Hyun-sung laughed lightly, as if he had been expecting it. He felt like he knew what Park Young-jin wanted to ask.

It was so similar to Kim Myung-soon’s earlier behavior. Now, Park Young-jin, like Kim Myung-soon, wanted to show off the clean sidewalk to Hyun-sung.

Hyun-sung pretended not to know and said, “It’s definitely different from a week ago. The sidewalk is much cleaner.”
“It’s all thanks to you.”

“What did I do…”

It was the moment when Hyun-sung foresaw that Park Young-jin’s words would unfold in a similar way to Kim Myung-soon’s. What Hyun-sung could tell from this was that neither Kim Myung-soon nor Park Young-jin were cunning people, at least.

It wasn’t a big deal, but they could have easily taken credit for themselves, but they didn’t at all and gave all the credit to Hyun-sung.

“Not only that…”

As expected, Park Young-jin began to say almost the same things that Kim Myung-soon had said to him earlier.

He talked about the huge amount of garbage that had been removed, how the merchants here were full of hope, and how they wanted Hyun-sung to open a chain store here. It was almost the same story Kim Myung-soon had told.

When Park Young-jin finished his explanation, Hyun-sung nodded in response. Since he had already heard it from Kim Myung-soon, he didn’t have anything special to say.

Instead, he had one question.

“Mr. Park, can I ask you something?”

“Of course, what is it?”

“It’s nothing big, but I heard that you deliberately told the merchants about me. I’m just curious about the reason.”

“Haha, I thought it was something else…”

Park Young-jin laughed loudly and then continued, “Why, did that make you uncomfortable?”

“It’s not that, but I was wondering if it was really necessary.”

“Of course, it was.”

“Yes? What do you mean…”

Hyun-sung was taken aback by Park Young-jin’s answer, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Of course, he thought there might be a reason, but he didn’t expect him to say it so directly.

Park Young-jin continued, “The reason I did that is, first, because it’s true. You were the first person to mention rent adjustment. Am I right?”

“Yes? Ah, yes…”

“Second, I wanted to let the merchants here know that you are absolutely necessary for them.”

“What does that mean?”

“You’ll remember what I told you at the beginning. I said that the people here are so stuck in their ways that they can’t change themselves without someone’s help.”

Of course, he remembered. Park Young-jin had definitely said it himself.

When Hyun-sung nodded, Park Young-jin opened his mouth again.

“As I already said, change is impossible here without you. So, the conclusion I came to was that you are absolutely necessary. Of course, it might be my greed, but I thought you could do it. Because I saw that passion in your eyes.”

“Passion?”

“Yes, the way you looked when you first came here was a real shock to me. That’s why I wanted to brag about you to the merchants. And finally…”

“Yes? Is there something else?”

Hyun-sung tilted his head. The explanations so far were more than enough to explain why Park Young-jin had talked about him so much to the merchants. But when Park Young-jin said ‘finally’ again, Hyun-sung couldn’t help but be surprised.

Park Young-jin continued, “It was for you.”

“For me?”

“That’s right. I don’t know if you’ll understand what I’m saying, but I wanted to help you grow your potential.”

“Did you just say potential?”

Hyun-sung had a strange expression on his face for a moment.

Park Young-jin used the word ‘potential.’ Of course, he knew what that meant. But what he was curious about was Park Young-jin’s heart.

He was curious as to why Park Young-jin had come to think that way.

As if Hyun-sung’s thoughts had been conveyed, Park Young-jin gave an answer first.

“Hee-chul told me.”

“Yes? What did that old man say?”

“He said that your dream is to build a village later on.”

“Did he say that?”

“Yes, do you know how absurd I thought it was when I first heard that?”

“I can see why you’d think that.”

“But the day I first met you a week ago, I immediately realized that it was my mistake. The reason, to be exact, was because of your potential.”

Hyun-sung tilted his head again. He didn’t quite understand what Park Young-jin meant.

Then Park Young-jin continued, “You analyzed the commercial district and thought about both the tenants and the landlords. Usually, people only think from one side’s perspective.”

“…”

“That’s when I realized that Hee-chul’s words weren’t a lie.”

“So…”

“Yes, that’s why I made that decision. I wanted to give you a bigger experience this time. I thought it would help you build a village later on.”

“I see.”

Only then did Hyun-sung understand why Park Young-jin had been bragging about him to the merchants. Park Young-jin wanted Hyun-sung himself to gain more experience this time. He thought it would help him build a village later on.

In the end, it was something that happened because Park Hee-chul and Park Young-jin’s hearts became one.

Park Young-jin said, “I don’t know if I’ll be alive to see the village you dream of, but I have one request.”

“Yes? What is it?”

“Create a village where people live together. And if possible, I hope there are many flowers there.”

“Flowers?”

At the unexpected words, Hyun-sung stared at Park Young-jin.

Then Park Young-jin smiled and said, “When I was young, my dream was to plant a lot of flowers in the village. But as I got older, that dream just became a dream. Of course, I didn’t have the ability to do it, but I feel like you’ll make that dream come true.”

“Haha, Mr. Park… I understand. I’m planning to plant a lot of flowers anyway. I’m thinking of planting about 30,000 *pyeong* [approximately 24.7 acres] right now. Would that be enough?”

“What, 30,000 *pyeong*? Haha, aren’t you joking too much?”

“Joking?”

Hyun-sung chuckled at Park Young-jin’s reaction. Perhaps Park Young-jin’s reaction was what most people would think. If you were to plant flowers on perfectly good land, even 30,000 *pyeong*, who would easily believe it?

But Hyun-sung’s thoughts were different.

Hyun-sung thought that planting flowers would have much higher added value than simply farming. What Hyun-sung wanted was people. The more people gathered, the more restaurants would be overflowing with people. Hyun-sung judged that there was nothing as great as flowers to attract people.

Park Young-jin said, “Looking at you laughing, are you really going to plant them?”

“It will have at least 100 times more added value than simply farming.”

“What kind of flowers have such high added value?”

“Rapeseed flowers in the spring, and cosmos and buckwheat flowers in the fall.”

“Hey, those flowers…”

Park Young-jin stopped talking and looked at Hyun-sung. Then he asked again, “Is there another reason?”

“Why do you think there’s another reason?”

“Looking at your eyes, it doesn’t seem like you’re lying, and even if I think about it briefly, those flowers won’t make money, so what’s left is only one thing, isn’t it?”

“That’s right. I’m going to plant flowers for the people.”

“Are you talking about tourists?”

“Yes, that’s right. Once it’s known, people will flock from all over the country. I’m going to prove what the word ‘throng’ means.”

“Haha, so you’re going to do business with those people after all?”

“That’s exactly it.”

That was the future Hyun-sung was drawing. There were less than 10 years left. It was the moment when a smile naturally spread across Hyun-sung’s face.

Park Young-jin said, “Looking at you now, you’re a monster.”

“Haha, a monster?”

“Not just any monster. Listening to you, I’m getting greedy.”

“Greedy? What kind of greed?”

“The greed to live a long life. I want to see that scene with my own eyes. It’s so good just imagining it now, how good would it be to actually see it?”

Park Young-jin smiled at Hyun-sung.

Then Hyun-sung smiled back at Park Young-jin.

A little later.

The two were just passing by the supermarket.

“Just a moment.”

Hyun-sung left those words and went into the supermarket. Then he came out of the supermarket a little later. Hyun-sung was holding a box of soy milk in his hand.

Park Young-jin smiled when he saw that.

“Anyway, you’re a real charmer. Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

The two walked for another 10 minutes.

“Here it is.”

Park Young-jin stopped, pointing to a house.

“It’s a nice house.”

“This house is probably the best in this neighborhood. Anyway, I hope there will be good results. Do your best.”

“Aren’t you coming in with me?”

“Looking at you, I don’t think I’ll be of much help anyway. Go in and show him your sincerity. Then your brother will change his mind.”

“Yes, I understand. I’ll do my best.”

Hyun-sung turned his back on Park Young-jin and moved his feet.

Ding-dong.

Hyun-sung rang the doorbell in front of the gate.

Then, after a while, there was a clattering sound and the gate opened.

Hyun-sung tilted his head. The reason was that usually when you ring the doorbell, you check who it is through the speakerphone. But the gate opened without such confirmation.

Squeak.

It wasn’t important, so he opened the gate and went inside.

“Oh!”

As soon as Hyun-sung saw the yard, an exclamation came out of his mouth. It was because of the well-manicured garden. It wasn’t visible from the outside because of the fence, but when he came in, he saw that the quite large garden was showing off its beautiful figure.

They say you can tell ten things from one thing. Looking at the well-manicured garden, he could guess what kind of personality the building owner, Lee Woo-seok, had.

Knock knock.

He knocked on the living room door once more out of courtesy. Of course, he didn’t knock with any expectations.

But there was a reaction he never expected.

Slide.

The living room door opened automatically. No, to be exact, someone inside opened the living room door.

That someone would be obvious.

Hyun-sung was surprised once again.

It was because of the man standing in front of him. Park Hee-chul said that Lee Woo-seok lived alone, so the person standing in front of him must be Lee Woo-seok.

But Hyun-sung was surprised by his appearance. Park Hee-chul said that he was three years older than him, so Lee Woo-seok would be 63 years old.

But the person standing in front of him looked like he was only in his mid-50s. It was why Hyun-sung couldn’t help but be surprised.

“What are you doing?”

Lee Woo-seok asked first when Hyun-sung couldn’t say anything and was standing outside.

“Yes? Ah, that’s…”

“Come on in.”

Only then did Hyun-sung come to his senses.

“Hello, nice to meet you.”

“Are you the famous Kim Hyun-sung?”

“Yes? Ah, yes…”

Hyun-sung couldn’t help but be surprised again. It was because of Lee Woo-seok’s words. Of course, he was surprised that he knew his name, but what was even more surprising was the modifier attached to his name.

Lee Woo-seok clearly used the modifier ‘famous.’ That meant he already knew Hyun-sung well. How on earth…

Then Lee Woo-seok opened his mouth again.