Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 182

182

“Lee Soo-hyuk, what’s going on?”

The person who opened the store door and came in was Lee Soo-hyuk, who had left two hours earlier, saying he was going to study alone.

In response to Hyun-sung’s question, Lee Soo-hyuk scratched his head and replied.

“I went home… but I couldn’t focus on studying.”

It was something Lee Soo-hyuk himself couldn’t understand.

This had never happened before. He had never been distracted from studying because of someone else. He had always been alone since he was young and was very used to that life.

But today was different.

When Hyun-sung suggested studying together, he was momentarily caught in a dilemma. But the decision he made after much deliberation was to study alone as he always had.

The reason was simple.

It was because of his study habits. He had always studied alone, so he couldn’t even imagine studying with someone else.

But the problem was what came next.

It was when he left Hyun-sung’s store, saying he was sorry he couldn’t join, and headed home. A sense of discomfort began to creep into a corner of his heart.

It was a feeling he was experiencing for the first time, a feeling he couldn’t explain in words. But with the exam just a few days away, he didn’t have the time to dwell on such things.

He had a slightly uncomfortable feeling, but he didn’t think anything serious would happen.

But then a strange thing happened.

As time went on, he couldn’t focus on his book, and the uncomfortable feeling grew stronger and stronger.

‘What is this?’

He couldn’t help but be embarrassed by the unknown, strange feeling.

He thought it would get better with time. But strangely, the strange feeling didn’t seem to subside even as time passed.

It was around an hour and a half later.

He still couldn’t concentrate, and the uncomfortable feeling was tormenting him more and more.

Then suddenly, something flashed through his mind. It was what he had said to his friends a little while ago.

– That he would live a different life than he had until now.

At that moment, he knew. He knew why he had been so uncomfortable.

He had told his friends that he would live a different life, but it was just words.

When a situation actually arose, he realized that he had reverted to his old self.

In the end, he was so uncomfortable because of his unchanging, selfish behavior.

Hyun-sung asked again, as if to confirm.

“So, you’re saying you went home, but you couldn’t study, so you came back?”

“Yeah.”

Lee Soo-hyuk nodded.

Then Hyun-sung tilted his head as if he found it strange.

He was a guy who always studied alone. He couldn’t understand why he suddenly couldn’t study at home.

Hyun-sung asked again.

“You’ve always done it that way. Why all of a sudden?”

“It’s a little embarrassing to say, but it’s because of what I said earlier…”

Lee Soo-hyuk trailed off.

Hyun-sung still didn’t understand what he was saying.

“What you said earlier? What was that?”

“Yeah, that… that I would break out of the cage I’ve been living in and live a new life. When I went home and thought about it, that’s what bothered me.”

“Ah, the cage…”

Hyun-sung thought he knew what Lee Soo-hyuk was talking about.

Then Lee Soo-hyuk continued.

“Habits are so scary. Without even realizing it, I was back to my old self.”

“Well, you can’t help it. It’s an exam, after all. Besides, you promised your mother this time, didn’t you?”

“Of course, but I thought if I kept making excuses like this, I would never change. So, I’m going to take this opportunity to really challenge myself!”

Lee Soo-hyuk’s voice was full of strength. That meant his will was strong.

“Are you sure you’ll be okay?”

“You said it yourself. If I don’t change, the world won’t change. Anyway, I think I need to make sure this time.”

“Okay. Now that you’ve made up your mind, I won’t say anything more about it. But just remember this one thing.”

Lee Soo-hyuk looked at Hyun-sung straight in the eye.

Then Hyun-sung slowly opened his mouth.

“Of course, the result is important. But I hope you know that the process is just as important as the result. The value you get from that process is also precious. Do you know why I’m saying this now?”

“Yeah, maybe I won’t be able to keep my promise to Mom. But these precious memories with you guys are something I can’t make forever if not now. At least I won’t regret the result I chose. So, don’t worry too much.”

“That’s enough. And if the process is good, the result will be good too. Maybe doing it together with others will create a better result than doing it alone.”

“I have to make it happen. Let’s work really hard for the next three days.”

It was the moment when Lee Soo-hyuk’s eyes shone once again.

Thump.

Hyun-sung lightly tapped Lee Soo-hyuk on the shoulder. Then Lee Soo-hyuk looked at Hyun-sung and smiled.

Kim Il-soo, Lee Jung-woo, and Lee Soo-hyuk, it was the moment when a combination that could never have been achieved in the previous life was newly created.

But Hyun-sung saw it. Lee Soo-hyuk’s eyes, which were somehow uneasy.

Then Kim Il-soo, who had been quietly, looked at Lee Soo-hyuk and asked.

“Soo-hyuk, we’re going to eat ramen now. You’re going to eat ramen too, right?”

“Ramen?”

“Yeah, I’m hungry from studying. And isn’t this the taste of studying together?”

“Oh? Oh. Yeah, that’s good…”

Lee Soo-hyuk was still awkward, as if this situation was new to him.

***

It was quite a chilly dawn, even though it was only early October.

Two people were prowling around like stray cats in that chilly dawn.

Oh Sang-cheol looked at Choi Min-sung and asked.

“What time is it now?”

“It’s a little past three in the morning.”

“Surely that kid isn’t awake at this hour, is he?”

“I confirmed that he parted ways with his friends at two in the morning. And I also confirmed that the lights in the hall were turned off. He’s probably in dreamland by now.”

Choi Min-sung answered, looking triumphant as if he had done something great.

Then Oh Sang-cheol smiled bitterly and continued.

“Then shall we slowly get ready?”

“Yes, Hyung-nim [older brother].”

The two men began loading large garbage bags onto a cart. But the amount was not small.

At that time.

Hyun-sung, who was left alone after sending his friends away.

“Let’s see who wins.”

Hyun-sung didn’t sleep today either. It was to catch the person who was dumping garbage.

Fortunately, it was the 4th day, but he was still able to endure it physically.

Of course, he didn’t not sleep at all. He managed to take naps on his desk during breaks and lunch breaks at school.

Fortunately, that was enough to maintain his stamina.

Hyun-sung checked the time.

It was just past 3:30 AM. If someone was going to commit a crime, it would probably be at this darkest hour.

As expected.

‘Hmm… what is this sound?’

He heard a sound. It sounded like a cart wheel at first.

Hyun-sung focused his mind and pressed his ear against the wall. Then the sound that had been heard from afar began to get closer and closer.

‘Huh?’

The approaching sound suddenly disappeared. That meant the cart had stopped at some point.

Hyun-sung got up from his seat and quietly approached the entrance door.

“Ugh.”

Hyun-sung covered his mouth with his hand without realizing it as he looked outside through the gap. Otherwise, he would have screamed without realizing it.

Hyun-sung was dumbfounded.

The place where the cart stopped was right in front of the store.

But what was even more absurd was that they were unloading the garbage that was full on the cart in front of Hyun-sung’s store.

‘It was these guys?’

The culprits were two guys. It was hard to tell who they were because they could only see their shapes in the dark.

There was no need to hesitate any longer.

Click.

He turned on the electric switch. Then the hall of the store and the sign lit up, making the outside as bright as day.

At the same time, Hyun-sung opened the entrance door and went outside.

“Which bastards are you?”

A curse word came out of Hyun-sung’s mouth first.

“Huh? You guys are…”

Hyun-sung was dumbfounded itself.

The culprits were none other than Oh Sang-cheol and Choi Min-sung.

“Huh?”

Oh Sang-cheol and Choi Min-sung opened their mouths at the same time.

Is this how you feel when you meet the Grim Reaper?

Oh Sang-cheol wondered if this was what it felt like to have his legs go numb. When he met Hyun-sung’s eyes, he couldn’t move as if his whole body was paralyzed.

Then Hyun-sung said.

“It was you guys?”

“Th, that’s…”

Oh Sang-cheol, who was caught on the spot, had no choice but to shut his mouth.

When Oh Sang-cheol didn’t say anything, Hyun-sung said again.

“What the hell are you doing right now?”

“…”

“What are you doing in front of someone else’s store? Huh?”

Hyun-sung’s voice was louder than ever.

Because it was a quiet dawn, the sound was even louder.

Hyun-sung looked at Oh Sang-cheol.

He looked like he didn’t know what to do and wanted to crawl into a rat hole.

Hyun-sung shook his head.

No matter how he thought about it, it was an unacceptable situation. Oh Sang-cheol will be sixty years old next year. Hwan-gap, which means returning to the gap (甲) of the sixty갑자 [sixty-year cycle, a traditional Korean way of counting years]. That means he has lived enough.

He couldn’t understand the fact that such a person was doing this.

Was that why?

Hyun-sung’s voice grew louder.

“Mister! If you have a mouth, say something!”

“This isn’t right!”

“Huh?”

Hyun-sung’s screams, which poured out one after another, spread in all directions through the dawn air.

Then a strange thing began to happen.

The dark alley began to brighten little by little. The reason was simple. The lights from the houses lined up on both sides of the alley were turned on, and the lights were leaking out.

Hyun-sung’s screams woke up all the people in the neighborhood.

After a while.

Rumble rumble.

The people in the neighborhood began to gather in front of Hyun-sung’s store.

“What’s going on?”

“Why is it so noisy at this early hour?”

“What? What is this garbage?”

“That old man is CEO Oh? What is he doing here at this early hour?”

The people who gathered were solving their own questions with their mouths.

As the situation took a strange turn, Oh Sang-cheol and Choi Min-sung’s expressions began to darken even more.

On the other hand, a smile was about to bloom on Hyun-sung’s face.

Then the neighbor next door, Lee Bong-soo, looked at Hyun-sung and asked.

“Hey, CEO Kim, what’s going on since dawn?”

Hyun-sung cheered. He was already worried about how to give these humans a disgrace.

At first, he thought about calling the police. But even if he called the police, it was not a serious crime, and it would end with a warning at best. Even if it was processed as a minor offense and they paid a fine, it would be too unfair to be satisfied with that.

Hyun-sung knew too well that the judgment of the law could sometimes be a shield that protects the criminal.

Hyun-sung began to explain to Lee Bong-soo, the neighbor next door, in a loud voice what had happened so far.

“Mister, please listen to me. These old men…”

As Hyun-sung’s explanation grew longer, Lee Bong-soo, as well as the other people who had gathered, began to look at Oh Sang-cheol and Choi Min-sung as if they were surprised.

Finally, when Hyun-sung’s explanation was over, Lee Bong-soo approached Oh Sang-cheol.

“Hyung-nim [older brother], is what CEO Kim here saying true?”

“Huh? Th, that’s…”

“I guess it’s true since you can’t say anything. How can old people like you…”

Lee Bong-soo scanned Oh Sang-cheol and Choi Min-sung up and down as if he was dumbfounded.

It was then.

Lee Woo-jin, the son of the former owner, approached Oh Sang-cheol when he came out. Then he stared at Oh Sang-cheol’s face and asked.

“Grandpa, did you throw this garbage here?”

“…”

Oh Sang-cheol just scratched his head and didn’t say anything.

Then Lee Woo-jin sighed briefly as if he was pathetic and said again.

“Grandpa, you shouldn’t do this again. Got it?”