Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 450

Hyun-sung, filled with worry, immediately asked,

“Uncle, what’s wrong?”

“Well, the thing is…”

Lee Gwang-soo’s explanation followed.

They had been working two shifts until now, but starting next month, it would change to three shifts. The problem was that with reduced working hours, the salary would naturally decrease as well.

While a salary decrease with reduced hours might seem reasonable, the problem was that, in Lee Gwang-soo’s case, it would be impossible to maintain a normal life.

In essence, Lee Gwang-soo was trying to convey the impact of the reduced salary due to the change in working conditions.

The first step was to understand why the working conditions were suddenly changing.

Hyun-sung immediately asked,

“Why are the working conditions suddenly changing?”

“Someone died.”

“What? Someone died? Where? At our school?”

Hyun-sung couldn’t help but be surprised by the news. As a result, he spoke faster without realizing it.

Lee Gwang-soo replied immediately.

“Not at our school, but at the observatory next to our school. A security guard died a few days ago.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know the exact cause, but he collapsed on his way home after finishing his shift and eventually died.”

“So, it was determined to be death from overwork?”

“It’s still under investigation, but the school itself seems to be leaning towards that judgment. It seems they made that decision because many people doing this job are old.”

“So, our school is changing from two shifts to three shifts because of that?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Hyun-sung now understood why Lee Gwang-soo was so choked up at the beginning of the call.

Desperation.

From Lee Gwang-soo’s perspective, nothing could be more desperate. Regardless of the reason, the inevitable salary decrease due to the changed working conditions was devastating.

That’s why he must have teared up without realizing it.

Having grasped the situation, Hyun-sung nodded. He could roughly guess why Lee Gwang-soo had called.

However, to confirm the details, Hyun-sung immediately asked,

“Uncle, you said earlier that you had something to confirm with me, right?”

“Yes, President. But that’s…”

Lee Gwang-soo hesitated. It seemed difficult for him to say it directly.

Hyun-sung had no choice but to ask the question he had anticipated.

“Is it about getting a job?”

“……Yes, that’s right. Last year, when you left, you told me to contact you anytime if I wanted a job, so I’m contacting you like this, shamelessly.”

“You did well. I’m sorry, but let me confirm one thing first. How much is your current salary at the school?”

“That’s…”

Lee Gwang-soo still couldn’t easily speak. There seemed to be a reason for this as well.

*If so, there’s no need to press him,* Hyun-sung thought, and immediately said,

“You don’t have to tell me if it’s difficult. I’m just…”

“It’s 400,000 won [approximately $300 USD].”

Lee Gwang-soo blurted it out before Hyun-sung could finish speaking.

It was a surprisingly low number. Lee Gwang-soo clearly said 400,000 won. Hyun-sung didn’t know the exact years of service, but he knew it was at least over 10 years. But 400,000 won? Even at a glance, the amount seemed far too small.

Hyun-sung asked again, wondering if he had misheard.

“Did you just say 400,000 won?”

“Yes…”

A weak voice came from the other end. It seemed that Lee Gwang-soo himself felt the amount was inadequate. Perhaps that was why he hadn’t answered immediately when asked earlier.

In a way, that could also be pride.

Hyun-sung asked again.

“Then, how much will the salary be when it changes to three shifts?”

“The school is currently talking about 250,000 won [approximately $187 USD]. But I can’t possibly live on that amount…”

“……”

Lee Gwang-soo couldn’t finish his sentence.

However, it was easy enough to understand the rest of the sentence without him saying it.

*Was that why?*

Hyun-sung also couldn’t say anything.

Of course, he had expected that the security guard’s salary wouldn’t be high, but he hadn’t expected it to be this terrible.

400,000 won was already a pittance, but now they were saying they would give 250,000 won if they switched to three shifts, so Hyun-sung was speechless.

At that moment, Lee Gwang-soo’s desperate voice was heard over the phone.

“President!”

“Yes, Uncle, please speak.”

“Please save me. My wife and I can’t possibly live on that amount of money. So, after much deliberation…”

“Yes, I understand!”

Hyun-sung answered loudly before Lee Gwang-soo could finish speaking.

He thought that letting him speak any longer in this situation would be too cruel.

On the other hand, Hyun-sung had one question.

*Then what was it like in my past life?*

Clearly, in his past life, Lee Gwang-soo was still working when Hyun-sung graduated. That meant that he continued to work while receiving 250,000 won while working three shifts.

Reason?

It was obvious without asking.

He had no choice, so he had no choice but to continue working.

How desperate must he have been?

It was a fact he had never known in his past life.

It wasn’t a situation where he could have known at that time. No, even if he had known, there was nothing Hyun-sung himself could have done.

But now it’s different.

Hyun-sung immediately addressed Lee Gwang-soo.

“Uncle!”

“Yes, President.”

“Are you free tomorrow?”

“Yes, I’m free during the day tomorrow.”

“Can you come here right away tomorrow? I don’t mind, but I think you should come and check it out once before making a decision.”

“Yes, I understand. Actually, that’s why I called you today. Before making a decision, I thought I should see you in person and assess your situation. I can’t just think about my situation and put pressure on you without knowing what your situation is.”

“Yes? Ah, yes…”

At first, Hyun-sung didn’t understand what he was talking about. But soon he understood what Lee Gwang-soo was saying.

He was saying that he wanted to understand Hyun-sung’s circumstances before his own, worried about causing trouble.

In the end, even in this desperate situation, he was thinking of Hyun-sung’s position first.

Hyun-sung spoke with renewed respect.

“Uncle.”

“Yes, President.”

“Call me when you arrive at the terminal tomorrow. I’ll pick you up from the terminal right away.”

“No, there’s no need to do that. I’ll find my way there.”

“No. It’s far from the terminal to here, so it’ll be hard to find your way. It’s okay, so please call me tomorrow.”

“There’s no need to go that far…”

Lee Gwang-soo was always thinking of the other person first rather than himself.

Hyun-sung insisted.

“I’ll be waiting for your call. Please call me.”

“……Yes, I understand. Then I’ll call you as soon as I arrive at the terminal.”

“Yes, okay. Then I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yes, President!”

Click.

Lee Gwang-soo was silent for a while after hanging up the phone.

“Hoo…”

It was a moment later that Lee Gwang-soo, who had been sighing in relief, finally managed a full breath.

Then, his wife, Choi Mi-ja, who had been quietly listening, carefully spoke.

“Are you okay?”

“Huh? Of course, I’m okay. I think I should go see Kim Gun tomorrow.”

“Wouldn’t it be a burden to a young person for no reason?”

“Well… I’m honestly a little worried, but Kim Gun is talking so confidently that I think I should go and see him once before making a decision. I can’t just think about our situation and put pressure on him unconditionally. And don’t worry too much. Surely we won’t starve to death, will we?”

Lee Gwang-soo tried to sound calm.

But Choi Mi-ja had lived a long life; she knew his true feelings.

“……”

The two shared a silent understanding. Though unspoken, they were comforting each other more than words could express.

After a while.

She, who had been silent, quietly spoke again.

“Okay. I won’t worry, so don’t you worry too much either. There will be a way. And cheer up, us!”

“Yes, surely we two can’t make it, can we?”

“……”

Choi Mi-ja couldn’t continue speaking. Any more words, and she feared the tears she was holding back would spill out.

***

The next day.

Hyun-sung checked the time and left the office to head to the terminal.

He had told Lee Gwang-soo to call upon arrival, but knowing his uncle’s personality, Hyun-sung doubted he would. So, he decided to head to the terminal in advance.

Click.

When he turned on the radio, Lee Mu-song’s ‘What is Living’ began to play.

-What is love~~ What is pain~~ I don’t know yet~~ After the relationship ends~ I won’t regret it~~ You can’t know~~~ [lyrics from a popular Korean song]

It was a song he used to sing often.

After about 10 minutes, Hyun-sung arrived at the terminal and waited for the bus. The first bus from Gangneung would have arrived in Wonju around 10:00 AM, and it would take about 2 hours from Wonju to here, so it was almost time.

Sure enough.

The bus from Wonju was pulling into the terminal.

Thump.

The bus door opened, and people began to disembark.

As expected, Lee Gwang-soo was the first off the bus. He was clearly in a hurry. If he had to go to work later, he would be short on time.

Lee Gwang-soo, who got off the bus, headed straight for the road.

He should have been looking for a public telephone booth, as agreed, but instead, he left the terminal and asked a passerby for directions, confirming Hyun-sung’s suspicion that he had no intention of calling.

“Hoo!”

Hyun-sung sighed briefly and immediately drove the truck to where Lee Gwang-soo was standing.

“Uncle!”

Hyun-sung lowered the right window and called out loudly.

As expected, Lee Gwang-soo was surprised.

“Oh, President! What’s going on?”

“Get in first.”

Lee Gwang-soo, after getting into the truck, immediately asked.

“Were you waiting on purpose because of me?”

“What about you?”

“What am I…”

“I clearly told you to call me when you arrive at the terminal, right? But why are you crossing the street and asking a passerby for directions without even looking at the public telephone?”

“Oh? Did you see everything?”

“People don’t do that. Promises are meant to be kept.”

“I think that’s the same for the president?”

“Yes? What am I doing?”

“How are you going to explain that you came here without waiting in the office?”

“Ah! Is that how it works again? Haha…”

Hyun-sung couldn’t help but laugh. Lee Gwang-soo’s words were true.

Both of them had broken their promises, driven by the same desire to think of the other person’s well-being.

10 minutes later.

When Hyun-sung parked the truck in the restaurant parking lot, Lee Gwang-soo immediately asked.

“Where is this?”

“Get off first.”

Lee Gwang-soo, who got out of the truck, looked around, his eyes widening. The building was undeniably a restaurant.

But what was even more surprising was the size of the restaurant. It was definitely over 200 *pyeong* [approximately 7,100 square feet], and the building had five floors.

“President, where is this?”

“Follow me first.”

Hyun-sung headed for the elevator.

“Where are you going? I didn’t come here to eat; I came to see the president’s restaurant.”

Hyun-sung quietly got on the elevator and pressed ‘6’.

Lee Gwang-soo tilted his head. The building was definitely only 5 floors when he looked at it from the outside.

Ding.

When the elevator stopped and the door opened, Hyun-sung said.

“Uncle, get off.”

“Yes? Yes…”

As the two stepped off the elevator, one of the employees on the rooftop approached and bowed to Hyun-sung.

“You’ve arrived, President?”