Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 581

The next day.

“Dad, Mom, I’ll have the surgery and come out okay.”

“Okay, Young-seok!”

“Mom, don’t cry.”

“Okay, I understand. I won’t cry, so you be brave and get through the surgery well.”

Han So-young held Yoo Young-seok’s hand tightly. Before she knew it, her eyes were red. Seeing this, Yoo Young-seok pretended not to notice and turned his head to look at Hyun-sung.

“Hyung [older brother or close male friend], you’ll be here, right?”

“Yeah, I’ll be here until you come out of surgery, so don’t worry about anything and just focus on getting through the surgery.”

“Yes, I will. And you’ll pray for me with the rosary ring you gave me yesterday, right?”

“Yeah, I got it. I don’t really know how to pray, but I’ll turn the rosary ring and pray hard to God to make sure my brother Young-seok gets through the surgery well.”

“Okay, then I’ll trust you, Hyung, and go into the operating room.”

Hyun-sung nodded to Yoo Young-seok. Then, the stretcher carrying him slowly began to move.

It was then.

“Wait a minute!”

Yoo Young-seok raised his right hand. Hyun-sung immediately approached him.

“What’s wrong, Young-seok!”

“Hyung, I’m scared.”

It was a completely different side of him than he had shown so far. It seemed that fear rushed in as he thought about actually going into the operating room.

Perhaps it was only natural. Once he went into the operating room, he would come out with one leg missing.

It was amazing that he had managed to hold on until now, pretending to be okay.

Hyun-sung spoke reassuringly to the anxious Yoo Young-seok.

“Young-seok, hang in there. We decided to be brave and get through the surgery.”

“But I’m scared.”

“Mom, Dad, and I will be here waiting for Young-seok to come out, so don’t worry about anything, okay?”

Hyun-sung held Yoo Young-seok’s hand tightly. Yoo Young-seok’s expression seemed to stabilize a little.

“This hyung will pray hard, so Young-seok, you pray too.”

“Okay, I understand. Then I’m really going in now.”

“Okay, see you in three hours. Just think of it as taking a good nap.”

“Yes, Hyung. Then please take care of my mom and dad. I’m really going in.”

With those words, Yoo Young-seok tightly closed his eyes. Then, the stretcher began to move again.

Screech!

The operating room door opened and closed, and Yoo Young-seok’s figure quickly disappeared.

It was then.

“Young-seok… sob.”

Han So-young, who had been holding back until now, collapsed on the spot.

Perhaps it was only natural. How could a mother stand still when her child was going into the operating room to have one of his legs amputated?

His father, Yoo Sang-hyuk, seemed to be the same, barely standing by holding onto the wall.

***

Three hours later.

Han So-young repeatedly sat down and got up from her chair, and then asked Yoo Sang-hyuk as if she couldn’t stand it any longer.

“Why isn’t our Young-seok coming out?”

“Let’s wait a little longer, he’ll be out soon.”

It was then.

Screech!

The recovery room door opened and a stretcher was pushed out. Han So-young rushed over.

“Young-seok!”

“Ugh…”

Yoo Young-seok could only groan, as if the anesthesia hadn’t worn off yet.

At that moment, Han So-young’s hand moved quickly. The place her hand reached was where Yoo Young-seok’s left leg had been.

Thud!

Of course, there was nothing to grab.

There was nothing where Yoo Young-seok’s leg had been. Confirming that, Han So-young couldn’t hold back any longer and collapsed on the spot again.

30 minutes later.

“Ugh… Mom.”

“Yes, Young-seok. Are you awake now?”

“Ugh… water.”

“Oh! Okay.”

Han So-young soaked a gauze with water and quickly put it to Yoo Young-seok’s mouth. It was a method the nurse had taught her, as he shouldn’t drink water right after the surgery.

A little later.

Yoo Young-seok, who had barely regained his senses, called out to Han So-young with difficulty.

“…Mom.”

“Yes, our Young-seok.”

“My leg… how is it?”

“Huh? Well…”

Han So-young couldn’t say anything. She didn’t want to admit it, but her son’s left leg was no longer the same as before.

“It’s okay, anyway…”

Yoo Young-seok closed his eyes. Of course, he could check with his own eyes, but he didn’t have the confidence to do so yet.

Seeing that, Han So-young felt her heart ache. But for now, she couldn’t offer any words of comfort.

She knew that no words in the world could be comforting right now.

So, the word she eventually found was to call Hyun-sung.

“Should I call the president [company president, also a respectful title] for you?”

“Ah, Hyung? Yes, please call Hyung.”

Han So-young got up and walked towards the hospital room door.

A little later.

Hyun-sung, who entered the hospital room, immediately approached the bed where Yoo Young-seok was lying.

“Young-seok, it’s Hyung.”

“Hyung!”

Yoo Young-seok immediately grabbed Hyun-sung’s hand. Tears were about to pour from his eyes.

“I was so scared.”

“Yeah, you must have been. But our Young-seok endured it well. How’s your condition now?”

“I don’t know anything right now. I’m out of it…”

“Okay, get some sleep. Don’t talk too much right now. You’ll feel better after you sleep.”

Hyun-sung’s gaze kept going to where Yoo Young-seok’s left leg had been without him realizing it. The spot that had been perfectly fine until this morning was now sunken in without anything there. Hyun-sung was going crazy looking at it.

Then, Yoo Young-seok let go of the hand he was holding and said.

“I should get some sleep now. Hyung, you can go back to the store now. Thank you for yesterday and today.”

“What are you thanking me for…”

“If it weren’t for Hyung, I wouldn’t have been able to handle it. I wouldn’t have been able to have the surgery properly either. Thanks to Hyung, I was able to finish the surgery safely like this.”

“No, it’s because our Young-seok…”

“Hyung!”

Yoo Young-seok interrupted Hyun-sung. Then he immediately continued.

“You’ll keep your promise to protect me from behind from now on, right?”

“Yeah, of course.”

“Okay, then I’ll work hard on rehabilitation exercises too.”

“Of course, you have to.”

“And you don’t have to come often from now on. I’ll call you when I miss you.”

“What do you mean by that? How can a hyung do that when his younger brother has surgery? I’ll take care of that, so you just eat well.”

“…”

Yoo Young-seok didn’t say anything. Then, Hyun-sung’s gaze naturally turned to his face. Tears were already flowing from his closed eyes.

“President, thank you.”

When Hyun-sung opened the hospital room door and came out, Han So-young bowed deeply to Hyun-sung. Then, Hyun-sung immediately grabbed Han So-young’s shoulder and continued.

“No, Mother. I just did what I had to do.”

“If it weren’t for the president this time, our Young-seok would have had a really hard time. Thanks to the president, he was able to make a difficult decision and have the surgery safely. And thank you so much for being our Young-seok’s hyung.”

“But where did Father go?”

“He went home to get something for a while.”

“Ah, yes. Then I’ll leave now for today. I’ll come again tomorrow.”

“You don’t have to do that much…”

“It’s just that it makes me feel better. Then I’ll see you tomorrow.”

After saying goodbye, Hyun-sung headed straight to the parking lot. Hyun-sung, who got into the truck, finally grabbed the steering wheel and bowed his head. Tears began to flow from his eyes.

It was Yoo Young-seok who came early in the morning to say goodbye with a salute before going to the army.

How could he not cry when that guy lost one of his legs in just a few days? The image of him that he saw in the hospital room a little while ago kept coming to his mind, and he couldn’t stop the tears from flowing.

About 10 minutes passed.

Hyun-sung left the parking lot and headed to Bupyeong, where the store was located. His eyes were red.

***

A few days later.

Hyun-sung left the store and headed to a bakery.

“Video Uncle!”

When Hyun-sung arrived at the bakery, the first to greet him was, of course, Yoon Soo-jung, the bakery owner’s daughter.

Hyun-sung immediately opened his arms.

Then, a strange thing happened.

Until recently, Yoon Soo-jung would run and hug him when he opened his arms, but today she showed no signs of doing so at all.

“Yoon Soo-jung! What’s wrong?”

“Uncle didn’t shave today, did you?”

“Oh, that’s right. I was a little busy today and couldn’t shave.”

“I don’t like beards.”

It was then.

Lee Se-yi, who had been listening to the two people’s conversation, smiled and continued.

“I guess Uncle didn’t know that our Soo-jung doesn’t like beards.”

“Haha, hello. You’re right. I’ve been chasing after the hospital these days, so I forgot. Anyway, I guess I can’t hug Soo-jung today.”

“It’ll probably be difficult. Our Soo-jung hates beards.”

“By the way, why the hospital?”

“Our youngest, Young-seok, had a traffic accident…”

“What? The side dish bachelor [a regular customer known for buying side dishes]?”

From Lee Se-yi’s point of view, he seemed to be imprinted as the side dish bachelor rather than his name. Well, other people who came to rent videos also called Yoo Young-seok that.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Was he badly hurt?”

“Yes, the accident was bigger than I thought. As a result, he lost one of his legs.”

“Oh my! What should we do!”

Lee Se-yi put her hands on her chest and her expression quickly darkened. Seeing her, Hyun-sung immediately continued.

“I’m going crazy just thinking about it. Young-seok is only twenty years old now…”

“So where is Young-seok now?”

“Gil Medical Center. It looks like he’ll have to be there for a few months to complete his rehabilitation exercises.”

“Do you happen to be going to the hospital again soon?”

“I go every day. I already went today and I’ll go tomorrow morning.”

“Oh, really…”

Lee Se-yi seemed to be thinking for a moment, then went inside the store. Then she immediately started putting bread in a bag. But the amount was quite large.

A little later.

Lee Se-yi handed two large bags to Hyun-sung.

“I wish I could go to the hospital myself, but I can’t, so please give this bread to Young-seok.”

“This much?”

“I put plenty in there for him to share with other people in the hospital room.”

“Young-seok is in a private room…”

“A private room? It’s expensive there… Did the president perhaps…?”

Hyun-sung had no choice but to nod slightly. Then Lee Se-yi immediately continued.

“You’re a really strange person.”

“Are you perhaps talking about me?”

“Yes, that’s right. Usually, no matter how much money a person has, they don’t spend money like that for someone who used to be an employee.”

“Well, it’s different for everyone.”

“No, I don’t think so. Although I haven’t lived long, you’re the first person I’ve ever seen like the president. And speaking of which, I heard that the bookstore above was also opened by the president by selling videos?”

Lee Se-yi looked at Hyun-sung as if she was amazed. Then she smiled and continued.

“Can I ask you just one thing?”

“Of course.”

“I heard that Movie Heart gave you money for your hard work, but you didn’t accept it. Is that true?”

“Did Yoo perhaps say that?”

“No, not the president, but the madam [owner’s wife] came the other day and said that. They didn’t have much to spare either, so they prepared 5 million won [Korean currency, approximately $3,700 USD] and gave it to you, but you adamantly refused. I couldn’t understand it at all when I heard that. That there are people in the world who refuse money even when it’s given to them. But is that true?”

Hyun-sung just smiled instead of answering. Then Lee Se-yi continued again.

“I knew it was true. You were practically enemies with Movie Heart, but how could you do that? I can’t possibly…”

Lee Se-yi shook her head as if she couldn’t understand it at all.

Perhaps it was only natural. He helped someone who was practically an enemy, and he didn’t even receive a penny for his trouble.

“Anyway, why did you do that? Let’s find out the reason now.”

“It’s nothing special.”

“So what’s that not-so-special reason? I can’t understand it at all because I’m an ordinary person like you.”

“Hmm…”

Hyun-sung thought for a moment and then immediately opened his mouth.

“Although we met with bad blood, I wanted to make it a good relationship.”

“Turn bad blood into a good relationship?”

“If I had to say…”

Of course, he didn’t intend to do that at first. But as he watched Yoo Seung-il sincerely regret and reflect on his mistakes, he had that thought. Now that things have turned out this way, let’s make it a good relationship.

It was then.

A strange word came out of Lee Se-yi’s mouth.

“What about our relationship?”