Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 108

108

Hyun-sung looked at Kim Il-soo and repeated his words.

“Just like you worried and rushed all the way here, go to Jung-woo too. Apologize like a real man and earn his forgiveness. Let’s clear the air today.”

“…….”

“And then come back. I hope we can run together, even if it’s just for the last lap, with a clean slate.”

Hyun-sung held Kim Il-soo’s gaze.

Kim Il-soo was torn. It was, of course, a difficult decision.

Apologizing.

Hyun-sung understood that it took more than just courage to apologize. But he also knew, from experience, that the sooner you apologize, the better.

This was it.

The decision now rested with Kim Il-soo. Hyun-sung knew that nothing would happen unless Kim Il-soo’s heart was moved.

Tap.

Hyun-sung lightly tapped Kim Il-soo’s shoulder and started running again.

Kim Il-soo was left alone, feeling strange.

‘Manners?’

It was a concept he hadn’t really considered, especially manners between friends….

He’d simply assumed things would naturally resolve themselves over time. But Hyun-sung’s words suggested otherwise.

Timing!

Was Hyun-sung saying there was a right time to apologize?

Swish.

Kim Il-soo turned and watched Hyun-sung’s back as he ran.

He’s changed so much.

Before the vacation, he was the kind of guy who’d get walked all over. But he’d returned a completely different person at the start of the semester.

What on earth happened in a month……?

He didn’t know the reason, but it was clear that this wasn’t the same Kim Hyun-sung he knew before.

And now, he was offering sincere advice.

Swoosh.

Kim Il-soo slowly turned his head toward the horizontal bar.

Lee Jung-woo was working out intensely. Park Cheol-min had mentioned recently that Lee Jung-woo was hiking the mountain near the school to build up his leg strength.

Park Cheol-min, of course, had joined him.

That was also Hyun-sung’s doing.

The moment he heard that news, he felt a wave of shame.

He felt a pang of self-reproach, realizing that while someone else was doing so much for a friend, he had only been bullying that same friend.

But that was it.

Whenever he saw Lee Jung-woo at school, he’d avoid eye contact, trying to bury his shame.

How long could he keep avoiding him like this?

Just as Kim Il-soo’s worries began to deepen.

Thud.

Kim Il-soo saw Lee Jung-woo fall from the horizontal bar.

“Jung-woo!”

Thump, thump.

Kim Il-soo called out Lee Jung-woo’s name and ran toward him. His heart pounded, but he didn’t feel as fast as he wanted to be.

Finally.

Kim Il-soo reached Lee Jung-woo.

“Are you okay?”

“Huh? Who…….”

Lee Jung-woo got up and looked at Kim Il-soo. He flinched.

His body instinctively recoiled.

Lee Jung-woo was annoyed with himself.

He hated that he still reacted with that ingrained flinch, even though this wasn’t the same Kim Il-soo from before.

That’s why his words came out sharp.

“Why are you here?”

“Huh? Well, just…, but are you okay?”

Lee Jung-woo deliberately stood up as if nothing was wrong, brushed off the dirt, and said.

“I’m okay, so mind your own business!”

“…….”

Kim Il-soo didn’t know what to say. He figured it was best to stay quiet, given Lee Jung-woo’s cynical tone.

Kim Il-soo stepped back and sat on the bench.

Lee Jung-woo started doing pull-ups again.

One, two…….

He put more strength into his arms than ever before, doing pull-ups diligently. After ten, his breathing grew heavy and his pace slowed.

But he tried to look relaxed, focusing on the pull-ups without showing any signs of strain.

Kim Il-soo watched him, then got up and approached the horizontal bar, standing right next to Lee Jung-woo.

‘What is this bastard doing?’

Lee Jung-woo was taken aback. He was already on his thirteenth rep. Just two more and he’d hit his limit of fifteen.

He regretted not saving some energy, knowing this was coming.

“Eugh.”

Kim Il-soo hung from the horizontal bar.

‘You son of a bitch.’

Lee Jung-woo wanted to swear. He was about to reach his limit, while Kim Il-soo was just starting. He figured Kim Il-soo would end up doing more.

He didn’t want to lose to Kim Il-soo, or anyone else for that matter.

That’s when it happened.

“Ugh.”

Kim Il-soo frowned and barely pulled his chin up.

‘What, this bastard?’

Lee Jung-woo was dumbfounded. Even a bear could probably do ten pull-ups. But judging by his struggle, Kim Il-soo wouldn’t even manage five.

Was that why?

“Heave-ho.”

Lee Jung-woo effortlessly did one, as if showing off. Now Lee Jung-woo only had one rep left until his limit. But strangely, he felt like he could do a few more, not just one.

It was as if he was drawing strength from Kim Il-soo’s struggle beside him.

“Haa!”

Kim Il-soo’s breath was ragged after just one pull-up.

Lee Jung-woo, on the other hand, was silent.

Before he knew it, a smile spread across Lee Jung-woo’s lips.

Was it confidence?

This time, Lee Jung-woo pulled his chin up first.

“Fifteen.”

Lee Jung-woo deliberately made a sound as he counted. But the smile remained on his face.

Then Kim Il-soo, next to him, gathered his strength and tried to pull his chin up with a shout.

Only for a moment.

Kim Il-soo’s chin didn’t reach the bar.

Flutter.

He could feel the vibration in his arms.

Lee Jung-woo glanced at Kim Il-soo and put more strength into his arm.

“Heave-ho!”

Swoosh.

Lee Jung-woo’s chin touched the bar. He didn’t stop there.

“Seventeen…, eighteen!”

He did two in a row.

Just as Lee Jung-woo was shouting the last number.

Thud.

He heard Kim Il-soo fall to the ground.

Pfft.

Lee Jung-woo couldn’t help but laugh. But he stayed hanging until the end. He had no intention of stopping now.

If he did two more, he’d reach twenty. The thought filled him with strength.

Finally.

Lee Jung-woo completed twenty.

It was a record.

Was that why? Lee Jung-woo’s shoulders seemed broader, as if he had put pads in them.

“That’s amazing.”

Kim Il-soo spoke first.

Then Lee Jung-woo smiled and replied.

“You’re not too bad either, how can you only do one…, pfft.”

“Right? You think it was too much too, right?”

“Are you kidding me?”

“Kidding? I wish I was kidding. It’s too hard to pull up because of the weight. The things I’m worst at are long-distance running and pull-ups.”

The two continued to talk naturally.

Lee Jung-woo’s expression was also different than before.

The main topic was Hyun-sung. After talking for a while, Lee Jung-woo pointed at Hyun-sung and said.

“But, hasn’t that guy changed too much? Look at him now, he must have done more than thirty laps, but his speed hasn’t dropped.”

“You’re right. Anyway, a monster is a monster.”

“A monster is a monster. But because of that monster…….”

He wanted to say he was living.

Otherwise, he’d still be trapped in Kim Il-soo’s shadow.

Lee Jung-woo felt something stir inside him as he thought about it.

He looked at Kim Il-soo.

Kim Il-soo met his gaze.

“Why did you do that?”

“Huh? What are you talking about? Suddenly…….”

“Why did you bully me?”

“…….”

Kim Il-soo was speechless. He had no excuse.

After a moment of silence, Kim Il-soo spoke.

“I’m sorry!”

“…….”

“I have nothing to say. All I can say is I’m sorry…….”

Sigh!

Lee Jung-woo sighed.

He suddenly remembered the day Hyun-sung grabbed Kim Il-soo’s balls, the day he knocked Kim Il-soo out after he refused to give up even while getting beaten.

Lee Jung-woo had cried that day, watching the scene unfold.

All he could do was cry as his friend fought for him. He was helpless.

But things were different now.

He had some muscle in his legs and had started working out his upper body. He’d even done twenty pull-ups today.

And he’d started studying too.

Even he could see how much he’d changed.

Of course, Hyun-sung was the catalyst for those changes.

Lee Jung-woo watched Hyun-sung running around the playground, then looked back at Kim Il-soo.

He didn’t seem so big anymore.

Was it his perception?

Now he just looked like one of his classmates.

Hehe!

Hyun-sung’s breathing was still steady.

Even with only one lap left out of fifty, Hyun-sung’s speed was nearly the same as when he started. It was proof of his improved stamina.

“Cute bastards.”

Hyun-sung smiled.

Earlier, while running, he’d noticed the two by the horizontal bar.

Lee Jung-woo and Kim Il-soo.

Watching them was amusing, even from a distance.

But Kim Il-soo’s actions were especially funny.

The forced effort made Hyun-sung laugh.

He couldn’t even do two pull-ups and fell to the ground. It was clearly intentional.

But what was even funnier was Lee Jung-woo’s reaction.

Lee Jung-woo’s struggle to do just one more.

In the end, Lee Jung-woo did two more after Kim Il-soo fell. Perhaps that’s why Lee Jung-woo looked brighter than ever.

Maybe Kim Il-soo’s actions didn’t seem strange to Lee Jung-woo. That meant Kim Il-soo’s acting skills played a part.

If Lee Jung-woo had known Kim Il-soo was doing it on purpose, he wouldn’t have reacted that way.

That’s why Hyun-sung was laughing.

A white lie.

He was grateful that Kim Il-soo was using his head, and he was glad that Lee Jung-woo had played along.

Because the wound was deep, it wouldn’t heal easily.

But Hyun-sung believed that if they started like this, their relationship would improve significantly.

As Hyun-sung passed the horizontal bar.

Huff, huff!

Kim Il-soo got up and ran toward Hyun-sung.

Knowing it was the last lap, Kim Il-soo ran with energy.

As Kim Il-soo approached, Hyun-sung spoke first.

“What, were you counting?”

“I can’t help it. I can’t run for long, and I have to run together, so like this……, hehe.”