Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 131

131

When Hyun-sung arrived at the store, Shin Myung-soon was already outside.

“You’re here early?”

“I came out two hours ago because of the fish cake broth. I’m fine, but why are you here so early?”

“It’s the first day, so I had to come and see.”

“You’re always so diligent. Oh, right, I’ll calculate and give you the rent for these ten days separately.”

“Rent?”

Hyun-sung was momentarily confused.

“We need to keep business and personal matters separate. That way, I feel more comfortable.”
“Don’t even joke about that. If I were going to take rent from you, would I have told you to do business here? Don’t worry about that and just focus on running the business.”

“That’s not right. There’s no such thing as a free lunch.”

“Oh, come to think of it, you probably don’t know, Mother. There’s no rent for the first three months here. The building owner said so when we signed the contract. So, you don’t have to worry about that issue either.”

Shin Myung-soon tilted her head and asked again, “Really?”

“Of course. So, you don’t have to worry about that.”

“If that’s the case, then at least the electricity and water bills…”

“Mother, why do you keep doing this to upset me? If you keep doing this, I’ll be upset. How can someone live so calculatingly?”

“I’m sorry…”

Shin Myung-soon scratched her head.

Watching Shin Myung-soon, Hyun-sung continued, “I think of us as family now. Don’t you, Mother?”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

“Then don’t say things like that anymore.”

“Then I can do business comfortably without feeling guilty, right?”

“Of course. It’s only ten days anyway. And as I said before, you can use the hall as much as you want if people want to eat here.”

Shin Myung-soon smiled and nodded.

At that moment.

“Hyun-sung.”

“Why are you here so early again?”

It was Kim Il-soo.

“Hello, Mother.”

“Oh, hello, Il-soo. Thank you so much yesterday.”

“You’re welcome.”

After Kim Il-soo greeted Shin Myung-soon, he looked at Hyun-sung and said, “You came early?”

“I just got here a little while ago. But why are you here so early today?”

“I have a reason.”

“A reason?”

Huff.

Kim Il-soo sighed before answering.

That meant there was a reason.

Hyun-sung asked again, “Hey, what’s wrong? Why are you sighing from the morning?”

“I need you to help me.”

“So, what is it?”

“Let’s go inside the store and talk.”

The two greeted Shin Myung-soon and went inside the store.

“What is it? Tell me now.”

“It’s about Ji-yeon.”

At the mention of Ji-yeon, Hyun-sung’s eyes widened.

“What about Ji-yeon?”

“She asked me…”

“Yes, what did she ask you? Why are you hesitating like this?”

“If I study well.”

Pfft.

Hyun-sung couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief.

Because studying and Kim Il-soo were worlds apart.

He became curious about Kim Il-soo’s next words.

“So?”

“First, she asked if I study well, right?”

“So?”

“I said I’m not good at it.”

“Then?”

“She asked again if I’m at least average.”

Gulp.

Hyun-sung even swallowed hard in tension.

Seeing Kim Il-soo so nervous, it was clear that he had caused some trouble. If that’s the case, the conclusion was obvious.

“You didn’t happen to…?”

“Yeah, I lied. I don’t know why, but I answered yes at that moment.”

“Haha, hahahaha…”

In the end, Hyun-sung burst out laughing at Kim Il-soo’s answer that he had lied.

Now he knew why Kim Il-soo had come looking for him with such startled eyes from the morning.

The midterm exams were in three weeks.

There wasn’t much time left. For Kim Il-soo, who had to prove himself somehow, it was a maddening situation.

Kim Il-soo looked at Hyun-sung and pleaded, “Help me.”

“You’re asking me to help you?”

“No matter how much I think about it, you’re the only one around me who studies well. Please, save me.”

Hyun-sung was also dumbfounded.

He knew Kim Il-soo’s abilities better than anyone else.

But the problem was that Hyun-sung was in the same situation right now. He had barely finished the middle school curriculum. And that was just math.

The only fortunate thing was that he realized his comprehension had definitely improved compared to before as he studied. Moreover, his memories from the past were slowly returning.

At that time, Kim Il-soo spoke again, “You’ll help me, right?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know if I have the skills to do that.”

“No need to be humble, just do it moderately. Shouldn’t a man take responsibility for what he says? Honestly, I don’t want to be greedy, just raise me up moderately.”

Hyun-sung was still troubled.

If he refused in this situation, he didn’t know what would come of it. But he couldn’t just agree without the ability to do so, either.

As he was stuck in this situation, Kim Il-soo continued, “But don’t feel too pressured.”

“What does that mean?”

“I know myself better than anyone else. The midterm exams are just around the corner, how can a guy who used to be at the bottom suddenly jump to the middle?”

Hyun-sung tilted his head.

He had clearly said a little while ago that he had gone to the middle. But now, listening to him, he says he can’t go to the middle.

Hyun-sung was confused about what he was saying.

“So, what’s the conclusion?”

“Just help me go up 5 ranks. I’ll at least show some effort and confess.”

“Confess?”

“I can’t lie until the end. I think it’s worse to lie.”

Pfft.

Hyun-sung laughed.

Only then did he realize what Kim Il-soo was saying.

A confession of conscience.

That was the method Kim Il-soo was thinking of.

Like Kim Il-soo said, it’s impossible to jump to the middle just by studying from now on. Rather, his intention was to show his efforts.

Hyun-sung nodded.

It was his younger sister involved, not someone else. He liked the way he was trying to be honest with his younger sister.

Perhaps if he had tried to get out of it by lying and being slick, Hyun-sung wouldn’t have stood still.

If that’s the case, the story changes.

It’s not that he doesn’t know the tricks of studying. It’s just that he doesn’t remember because it’s been too long. Moreover, it’s a midterm exam. The scope is short.

Hyun-sung looked at Kim Il-soo and nodded.

“Okay. Let’s do it.”

“Really? Thank you.”

“Instead, keep this one thing.”

“What is it? Just tell me.”

Kim Il-soo was confident.

He liked Kim Il-soo’s eyes.

“Keep the time promise, and do as I say.”

“That’s basic. Don’t worry about that. I’m going to try studying this opportunity.”

It was a side of Kim Il-soo that he had never seen before.

Who would have thought that Kim Il-soo’s eyes would sparkle when it came to studying, of all things?

At that moment.

Ding-dong.

Someone came in as the store door opened.

It was Lee Jung-woo.

“Oh? Il-soo’s here too.”

“Welcome, Jung-woo.”

“You came?”

As Hyun-sung greeted him, Kim Il-soo raised his hand from the side to welcome Lee Jung-woo. The two were now quite close.

Lee Jung-woo looked at Kim Il-soo and asked, “Why aren’t you at school? What are you doing here?”

“I have something to ask Hyun-sung.”

“A favor? What is it? Is it something I shouldn’t know?”

“It’s not that, it’s just a little…”

Kim Il-soo couldn’t speak, as if he was in trouble.

Then Hyun-sung looked at Lee Jung-woo and opened his mouth instead.

“Before that, let me ask you something.”

“To me?”

“Yeah, you said you needed to study a few days ago, right? How’s it going these days?”

“It’s not going as well as I thought. And it’s not fun to do it alone…”

Lee Jung-woo shook his head from side to side.

As expected, it was impossible for Lee Jung-woo to do it alone.

If that’s the case…

Hyun-sung, who was thinking for a moment, looked at Lee Jung-woo and Kim Il-soo and said, “Hey, how about the three of us studying together?”

“The three of us?”

The two answered at the same time as if they had promised. Then they looked at each other and chuckled.

Lee Jung-woo looked at Kim Il-soo first and said, “Did you ask Hyun-sung to teach you how to study?”

“Yeah, I’m going to try studying from now on too.”

“Haha, Kim Il-soo, the one and only, is studying…?”

As Lee Jung-woo said jokingly, Kim Il-soo laughed in disbelief and said, “Look who’s talking. You shouldn’t be saying that, of all people.”

“What are you talking about? How many ranks are you above me?”

“What’s the difference between last place and fifth from the bottom?”

“What are you saying? How is that the same? Hey, Hyun-sung, say something.”

The eyes of the two turned to Hyun-sung.

Then Hyun-sung laughed as if he was dumbfounded.

Lee Jung-woo, who was watching the scene, got angry.

“What? What’s that laugh?”

“Why are you picking a fight from the morning?”

“It’s not a fight, it’s just that your behavior is like that right now? You don’t think I’m the same as Il-soo, do you?”

Lee Jung-woo was quite serious.

Kim Il-soo, who was next to him, was no match for him.

Hyun-sung was troubled as he watched the scene.

It seemed like a big deal if he took sides with either one.

In a way, it was childish, but at least for them right now, it was a matter of pride.

In this case, it’s best to just keep your mouth shut.

As Hyun-sung didn’t say anything, Kim Il-soo, who was watching the scene, stepped up instead.

“Hey, Lee Jung-woo, let’s make a bet.”

At the word bet, Lee Jung-woo turned his head and looked at Kim Il-soo as if he was interested.

“A bet? What kind of bet?”

“Let’s settle it with this midterm exam. If I’m worse than you this time, I’ll serve you as my older brother [hyung – a Korean term for older brother used by males] for the rest of my life. Conversely, if I win, you serve me as your older brother for the rest of your life.”

“What, older brother? Even for life?”

“It’s not worth betting unless it’s that much, right?”

Hyun-sung, who was watching the scene, couldn’t help but smile. He felt like he was killing two birds with one stone.

Because it doesn’t matter who gets a better grade.

Either way, the grades of the two will rise. Rather than a simple goal of raising their ranks, Hyun-sung thought that if it was a matter of pride like this, the attitude of the two towards this midterm exam would definitely be different.

At that time, Lee Jung-woo answered confidently, “Okay, Kim Il-soo, don’t go back on your word.”

“Of course! Don’t you change your mind later.”

Hyun-sung wasn’t going to stand still when the atmosphere had ripened to this point.

“Hey, you two promised. Don’t you dare change your mind later. I’m a witness, so I won’t let anyone who changes their mind go.”

Hyun-sung deliberately shook his fist to heighten the atmosphere. He judged that both guys would focus on the bet that way.

“Of course!”