Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 144

As if he had been waiting, Lee Woo-jin grabbed Hyun-sung’s hand tightly and sat right next to him.

“Were you very surprised?”

“Yes, my grandma was very sick.”

“She’s okay now, so don’t worry.”

“Thank you, hyung [older brother or close male friend].”

Lee Woo-jin moved to sit in front of his grandmother, Kim Soon-deok. His face looked as if tears would spill from his eyes at any moment.

It must have been from the release of tension.

Hyun-sung’s expression, as he looked at Lee Woo-jin, was filled with tenderness.

How surprised must he have been to run over here so frantically? To Lee Woo-jin, his grandmother, Kim Soon-deok, was everything in the world that he couldn’t trade for anything.

How worried must he have been that such a person was sick?

Lee Woo-jin grabbed Kim Soon-deok’s hand and asked,

“Grandma, are you really okay now?”

“Oh, my puppy, were you very surprised because of your grandma?”

“Grandma, you can’t die. I’m going to buy you lots of delicious things later. So you have to live a long, long time.”

“Okay, I understand. If I’m going to eat everything our puppy buys me, this grandma will have to live to be 100 years old.”

Lee Woo-jin was already nestled in Kim Soon-deok’s arms.

Kim Soon-deok’s eyes, as she looked at Lee Woo-jin, were filled with affection.

Hyun-sung, who was watching them, called out to Lee Woo-jin.

“Woo-jin, it’s your birthday today, shouldn’t we eat jajangmyeon [Korean-Chinese noodle dish with black bean sauce]?”

In response to Hyun-sung’s question, Lee Woo-jin stared intently at his grandmother Kim Soon-deok’s face instead of answering.

He was waiting for Kim Soon-deok’s approval.

Seeing this, Hyun-sung looked at Kim Soon-deok this time and said,

“I promised Woo-jin that I would buy him jajangmyeon because it’s his birthday today. Is that okay, Grandma?”

“I’m worried that our child is bothering the student.”

Lee Woo-jin’s words followed as soon as Kim Soon-deok’s words ended.

“Grandma, I didn’t bother hyung. Hyung said he would buy me jajangmyeon because it’s my birthday. So I said that my grandma would scold me if I got something from just anyone, so hyung said he would get Grandma’s approval.”

It was a glimpse of how much Kim Soon-deok usually paid attention to Lee Woo-jin’s upbringing.

Hyun-sung understood why she was doing that.

Hyun-sung nodded to Kim Soon-deok, indicating that he fully understood her concerns. Then, Kim Soon-deok smiled and winked at Hyun-sung.

Hyun-sung, understanding the meaning, looked at Lee Woo-jin this time and continued to speak.

“Woo-jin, Grandma has given permission, so let’s eat jajangmyeon today.”

“Really?”

“Of course, it’s our sales manager’s birthday, so we have to buy him jajangmyeon.”

“That’s right. I was the sales manager.”

Lee Woo-jin smiled brightly at Kim Soon-deok. Then, he began to excitedly recount how he became the sales manager of Hyun-sung’s store.

After listening to Lee Woo-jin’s story, Kim Soon-deok looked at Hyun-sung and said,

“You’re going through a lot.”

“Hehe, it’s nothing.”

“It’s just that this kid talks a lot about the ramen shop. I think he misses his mom a lot. Thank you for taking care of him.”

Before Hyun-sung could answer, Lee Woo-jin’s response came even faster as Kim Soon-deok’s words ended.

“Grandma, that’s not it! It’s not that hyung is taking care of me, it’s that I’m taking care of him more. This hyung is starting a business for the first time, so I’m helping him out a lot.”

Kim Soon-deok laughed, seemingly amused by Lee Woo-jin’s words. Then, she winked at Hyun-sung.

Then, Hyun-sung looked at Lee Woo-jin this time and continued to speak.

“Woo-jin, please continue to take care of me in the future.”

“Okay, hyung. Don’t worry. I’ll tell all my friends.”

Lee Woo-jin’s confidence seemed boundless.

Hyun-sung and Kim Soon-deok smiled at the sight.

At that time, Lee Woo-jin looked at Kim Il-soo, who was standing outside, and asked Hyun-sung.

“Hyung, who is that hyung?”

“Huh? Oh, he’s the person who will be working with me at the ramen shop. His name is Kim Il-soo, Woo-jin, say hello to hyung.”

As soon as Hyun-sung’s introduction ended, Lee Woo-jin jumped up from his seat and approached Kim Il-soo.

“Hyung, I’m Lee Woo-jin. Nice to meet you.”

“Oh, yeah, nice to meet you too.”

“Is this your first time doing business too, hyung?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah. Please take care of me in the future too.”

Kim Il-soo smiled and looked at Lee Woo-jin.

Then, the funny thing was Lee Woo-jin’s expression.

He put his chin on his hand as if a drill sergeant was looking at a trainee, and looked back and forth between Hyun-sung and Kim Il-soo with a troubled expression.

The sight looked quite serious.

Then, Kim Soon-deok, who was behind him, couldn’t stand it any longer and called Lee Woo-jin.

“Woo-jin, come here.”

“Huh? Grandma, why? I’m serious…”

“What did Grandma always tell you to do to people older than you?”

“Be respectful.”

Lee Woo-jin looked at Kim Soon-deok with bright eyes. He had no idea what he had done wrong.

Then, Kim Soon-deok continued to speak again.

“What do you think of that behavior now?”

“Um…, ah!”

After thinking for a moment, Lee Woo-jin shouted, hitting his knee.

Then, it was natural for the eyes of the three people to be focused on Lee Woo-jin’s mouth.

Then Lee Woo-jin’s mouth opened.

“Yo!”

At Lee Woo-jin’s one word, the three people could only look at each other, and no one could speak first. After a moment of silence, Lee Woo-jin’s additional explanation began.

“Grandma, is it because I’m not adding ‘yo’ [a polite suffix in Korean] to the end of my words right now?”

“Yo?”

“Yeah, yo.”

“……”

Kim Soon-deok had nothing to say. That was not what she meant. However, it was ambiguous to point it out to a young child.

However, an absurd word came out of Lee Woo-jin’s mouth, who had no way of knowing that fact.

“Grandma, you don’t have to worry about that. That’s already an agreement with hyung.”

What is this again?

Kim Soon-deok looked at Lee Woo-jin and asked.

“Agreement?”

“Yeah, hyung said last time that I don’t have to add ‘yo’. He told me to speak comfortably.”

“Hoho…, is that so?”

Kim Soon-deok laughed as if she was dumbfounded. Then, she looked at Hyun-sung and Kim Il-soo and winked. The two people, who could not know the meaning, smiled and nodded.

It seemed that Lee Woo-jin’s impudent behavior was coming to an end.

Until his words started again.

Lee Woo-jin started talking again.

“Both of you are doing business for the first time, but don’t worry too much. I learned a lot from my mom. I’ll teach you a lot.”

The three people burst into laughter, without anyone being the first, after holding back for a while.

“Pfft.”

“Hahaha……”

“Hoho.”

After a while.

Hyun-sung looked at Kim Soon-deok and asked.

“Grandma, what would you like to eat?”

“Why are you including me…”

“Of course. You’re our sales manager’s grandma.”

“Hoho, is that so? Then, should this grandma get something to eat thanks to our sales manager? I’ll have udon [thick wheat flour noodles], not spicy.”

As Kim Soon-deok smiled and continued to speak, Lee Woo-jin, who was next to her, said with a serious face.

“It’s a burden…”

The three people who watched the scene burst into laughter once again, without anyone being the first.

That’s how three people, except for one, were able to have a pleasant lunch.

***

After having lunch, I was resting at the store with Kim Il-soo.

Ding-dong.

Someone came in as the store door opened.

It wasn’t just one person, but two people. The people who came into the store were none other than Oh Sang-cheol, the owner of the snack bar, and his lackey, Choi Min-sung.

Therefore, it was natural for Hyun-sung’s expression to be distorted.

“What is it?”

“Why are you talking so informally? You should greet an adult first.”

Choi Min-sung said, narrowing his small eyes.

It was obviously a quarrelsome tone.

However, Hyun-sung was not foolish enough to greet him after hearing those words.

Hyun-sung looked at Oh Sang-cheol, who was standing next to him, and asked as if he was questioning him.

“Mister! What are you doing here?”

“What do you mean what am I doing? I heard you’re opening in two days, so I came to see. Why? Can’t I look around?”

Oh Sang-cheol came out confidently, as if there was nothing wrong with it.

These people seemed to have no consideration or respect for others at all.

Hyun-sung was dumbfounded and looked at Oh Sang-cheol.

Then, Oh Sang-cheol looked at Hyun-sung and continued to speak again.

“You’re young, so you probably don’t know, but people in the same industry visit each other and look after each other like this.”

“……”

Hyun-sung replaced his answer with silence.

He didn’t want to respond to words that didn’t even make sense.

‘And what? People in the same industry visit each other and look after each other?’

Pfft.

A smile spread across Hyun-sung’s lips.

It was the first time he had heard such sophistry in his life of over 50 years.

Oh Sang-cheol looked at Hyun-sung as if he was dissatisfied with Hyun-sung’s smile and asked.

“Are you laughing at me now?”

“No, I’m just amused. It’s the first time I’ve heard such a thing in my life.”

“You’re still young, that’s why. You’ll know when you live a little longer.”

“Ah, yes…”

Ignoring is the best approach in this case. It’s only tiring for me to keep arguing.

I wanted to kick them out. But these people wouldn’t give up and would bother me for a long time.

I thought it would be a good idea to let them look around roughly.

Hyun-sung looked at Oh Sang-cheol and said briefly.

“Then, take your time looking around…”

“Ahem…, I understand.”

Oh Sang-cheol, who cleared his throat as if he was embarrassed himself, moved his steps to the kitchen.

‘You sly bastard.’

Oh Sang-cheol felt a pang in his heart.

In fact, he was wondering what would happen if this kid refuted him while saying ridiculous things. However, he didn’t feel good about the way he acted as if he knew all his intentions.

It was also true that he had nothing to say when he said that.

Oh Sang-cheol, who entered the kitchen.

‘What kind of kitchen is this…’

Oh Sang-cheol only laughed in vain as he looked at the kitchen.

He clearly said it was a ramen shop. But the kitchen was too big for a ramen shop. Even if four or five people moved at the same time, there would be no problem at all.

Then, Choi Min-sung, who was next to him, whispered to Oh Sang-cheol in a small voice.

“Hyung, this kitchen is like a playground.”

“That’s what I’m saying…”

“Is there a need for a kitchen to be this big in a ramen shop?”

“The young man doesn’t know anything, so he just made the kitchen big. It’s meaningless, tsk tsk [a disapproving sound].”

Oh Sang-cheol was even clicking his tongue and feeling sorry for him.

The two people moved their steps to the inner room this time.

Oh Sang-cheol couldn’t help but be surprised when he entered the inner room. It’s a small store when viewed from the outside. But when I came into the inner room, the size of the store was no joke.

If the outer hall can only seat a little over ten people at most, this inner room has a space where almost 35 people can sit much more.

The room and the wooden floor were made in a straight line, and what was even more surprising was that a roof was built over the yard, and seats were also prepared there so that people could eat there.

In this case, it means that a space can be created to accommodate 40 people at a time, and up to 50 people at a time.

At first, I wondered why the kitchen was so big. But it turned out that there was a reason for it.

As expected, he’s no ordinary kid.