Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 187

187

The day before the midterm exams.

Kim Il-soo, Lee Jung-woo, Lee Soo-hyuk, and Hyun-sung were studying at Hyun-sung’s shop.

At 12 AM, Lee Soo-hyuk spoke up first.

“Il-soo, aren’t you hungry today?”

Kim Il-soo checked the time at Lee Soo-hyuk’s words and replied.

“What? It’s already 12 AM? How is time flying by so fast?”

“Wow, you were so engrossed in studying that you didn’t even notice the time? It’s like they say, ‘a late-learning thief doesn’t know when the dawn breaks,’ and you’re exactly like that.”

“Hehe, I guess I get like that when I’m in a hurry. I really wish we had just one more day. Then I could be perfectly prepared.”

Hyun-sung smiled as he looked at Kim Il-soo.

Who would have imagined it? Kim Il-soo, who until recently seemed to have nothing to do with studying. And now he’s so engrossed in it that he doesn’t even notice the time passing.

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

“Aren’t you pushing yourself too hard?”

“I’ve been playing around all this time. I need to pull myself together and get to work, even if it’s just now. I really feel like even the time it takes to eat ramen is a waste today.”

“Is it that serious?”

“Hehe, I’m just saying. I still need to eat, though. By the way, how many packs of ramen should we make?”

“Shouldn’t we make at least ten?”

As Kim Il-soo got up, Lee Soo-hyuk, who was next to him, also stood up and said.

“Il-soo, can I make it today?”

“You? We need to make ten packs at once. Can you handle that?”

“Just tell me how much water to add. I’ll take care of the rest. I can’t seem to get the water level right.”

“Alright, let’s go.”

As the two headed to the kitchen, Lee Jung-woo, who was watching them, said.

“I’ll do the dishes.”

Kim Il-soo raised his hand as if to acknowledge.

Kim Il-soo, Lee Soo-hyuk, and Lee Jung-woo. It was an awkward combination at first, but as time passed, their relationship became quite strong.

It was a little awkward when Lee Soo-hyuk joined later, but that was only temporary. Living in the same space, they were able to become close quickly.

In their past lives, they were like water and oil, unable to mix.

Especially Kim Il-soo and Lee Jung-woo. Of course, in Kim Il-soo’s case, it was the same with Hyun-sung.

Hyun-sung looked at Lee Jung-woo next to him and asked.

“How’s your body doing these days?”

“I’ve been doing strength training consistently, so I don’t have leg cramps anymore. It’s all thanks to you.”

“What are you talking about? You’re the one who’s been working hard. By the way, how’s studying going?”

“It’s fun.”

“Fun?”

Hyun-sung glanced at Lee Jung-woo.

It was unexpected. It was surprising to hear someone who used to be at the bottom of the class say that studying was fun.

The important thing was that with that one word, he could tell how Lee Jung-woo felt right now.

After a while.

Lee Soo-hyuk came with a pot of ramen.

“Hey, let’s eat ramen.”

Lee Soo-hyuk, who had tasted ramen for the first time a few days ago, was now making it himself. Lee Soo-hyuk was clearly showing that humans are the species that adapt to environmental changes the fastest.

The four began to eat ramen without hesitation. Now and then, is there any food as great as ramen for a late-night snack?

After they finished eating ramen, Hyun-sung said.

“I was thinking, should we stay up all night here until the exams are over?”

Kim Il-soo was the first to react to Hyun-sung’s words.

“I’m in favor. It’s perfect since I’m short on time anyway. It’s okay to stay up all night until the exams are over since we can just sleep for a bit during the day after the exams. What do you all think?”

Of course, they decided to hire two cleaning ladies during the exam period. That’s why Kim Il-soo could say that.

Lee Jung-woo nodded at Kim Il-soo’s opinion and said.

“I’m also in favor. Like Il-soo said, it would be good to sleep for a bit during the day and then gather again in the evening to stay up all night. And after studying, I think I can concentrate better at night than during the day.”

Now there was only one person left.

Lee Soo-hyuk seemed to be lost in thought for a moment.

But Lee Soo-hyuk’s 고민 [worry] didn’t last long.

“Alright. I’ll sleep at home during the day and come back in time for the evening. We’re all staying up all night together during this exam period.”

“Haha, hahahaha…”

Lee Jung-woo suddenly laughed after Lee Soo-hyuk finished speaking.

Then Kim Il-soo looked at Lee Jung-woo and asked.

“What? What’s with that laugh?”

“I’m just amazed. That I’m staying up all night because of exams.”

“Well, it’s the same for me. I can’t believe that you and I are staying up all night because of exams, no matter how much I think about it.”

“Who’s arguing?”

Lee Jung-woo and Kim Il-soo smiled at each other.

A faint smile began to spread across Hyun-sung’s face as he watched them.

Time passed quickly. It was past 2 AM, and already past 4 AM.

At that time.

Two people who couldn’t sleep.

“Honey, what time is it?”

Yu Soo-min asked Lee Man-soo.

Then Lee Man-soo got up and checked the time.

“It’s past four.”

“Four?”

Yu Soo-min jumped out of bed. Then she checked the clock again with her own eyes.

After checking the time, Yu Soo-min looked at Lee Man-soo.

“Do you think he’s doing well?”

“I guess so. He’s probably doing well.”

“Right?”

Yu Soo-min said that, but she was still anxious.

She received a call a little after 12 AM. Of course, it was a call from Lee Soo-hyuk. The content was that he was staying up all night with his friends because of the exams tomorrow.

At first, she thought nothing of it. But as time passed, other thoughts began to enter her mind.

Anxiety.

That’s why she couldn’t sleep until this hour.

Yu Soo-min called Lee Man-soo.

“Honey.”

“What?”

“You can’t sleep either, can you?”

“Yeah, I can’t seem to sleep tonight for some reason.”

Lee Man-soo also knew. He said that he should trust his son, but when the situation turned out like this, he felt even more anxious.

It was a reality that he didn’t want to admit, but he had to.

As a father, he wanted to trust him. He believed he should, and he thought he could.

But when it came down to it, he realized it wasn’t as easy as he thought.

Yu Soo-min continued.

“Honey, I don’t think I can stay like this. I don’t think I can sleep at all.”

“Hmm…”

Lee Man-soo couldn’t answer. Yu Soo-min’s heart was his own.

Perhaps knowing that, Yu Soo-min spoke again.

“Do you want to go out for a bit?”

“… Should we?”

The two didn’t need to say much. After all, they knew each other’s hearts too well.

Lee Man-soo, who had finished getting ready to go out, said.

“Do we have honey at home?”

“Honey?”

“Yeah, we can’t go empty-handed. The kids are staying up all night…”

If someone were watching this scene, they would surely laugh. They’re going to check on their son because they don’t trust him, but on the outside, they’re pretending not to be. How hypocritical.

But what can they do?

That’s all they can do for now…

Like husband and wife are of one mind.

Yu Soo-min smiled and said.

“Should I make some honey water?”

“Yeah, make plenty. The kids are working hard…”

The two left the house with such hypocritical appearances.

After a while.

The two arrived at Hyun-sung’s shop.

Yu Soo-min, who was looking around the shop, quietly called Lee Man-soo.

“Honey!”

“Yeah.”

“Do you see over there? Our Soo-hyuk is studying. And his friends next to him…”

There was a slight tremor in Yu Soo-min’s voice as she spoke. She was that nervous.

In fact, she was still anxious even when she arrived in front of the shop.

What if he was just saying he was studying with his friends and doing something else?

She even thought that he might not be at the shop at all.

That’s how little faith she had in her son.

But seeing him studying diligently, she couldn’t help but feel emotional.

Lee Man-soo continued.

“Yeah, he’s doing so well. We were probably worried for nothing. I’m ashamed of myself.”

“I know, I feel so sorry for Soo-hyuk…”

Yu Soo-min couldn’t finish her sentence.

Then Lee Man-soo spoke again.

“It’s all in the past anyway. We just need to trust him from now on.”

“Yes.”

“Alright, let’s not stand here and go inside. Let’s give the hardworking kids some honey water.”

Yu Soo-min nodded as if she understood.

Clang.

The four were startled when the two entered the shop.

Lee Soo-hyuk was the first to speak.

“Mom, Dad, what brings you here at this hour?”

“What brings us here… We heard you were studying all night, so we came to give you some honey water as a morale boost.”

“Really?”

Lee Soo-hyuk was welcoming them to the point of feeling sorry.

“Hello?”

As Hyun-sung greeted them, Kim Il-soo and Lee Jung-woo also bowed their heads in greeting.

Then Lee Man-soo smiled and accepted the greetings.

“You’re all working hard late into the night. Here, I brought some honey water, so drink this and keep going.”

“Yes, thank you. Did you really come all the way out here at this hour?”

“I couldn’t sleep…”

He couldn’t bring himself to say that he came because he suspected his son.

Hyun-sung smiled.

He suddenly thought of his father. His father would make him honey water every day without fail when he was studying at home.

Then Yu Soo-min looked at Hyun-sung and said.

“I’d like to prepare breakfast at our house. Would that be alright?”

“Pardon? Breakfast?”

“Our house isn’t far from here, so I’d like to do that just for the exam period. You can’t just eat ramen every morning and take the exams, can you?”

“We were worried about that problem anyway, so we’d be very grateful if you could do that for us.”

In order to stay up all night, they had to eat ramen at 12 AM. Enduring without eating would be physically difficult.

The problem was breakfast. Eating ramen at night and then eating ramen again in the morning was not something that even young people could do.

So they were worried, but Yu Soo-min was now neatly solving that problem.

Yu Soo-min looked at Hyun-sung and asked again.

“What time should I prepare breakfast?”

“Hmm… We’ll wash up here and go to your house by 7 AM. We’d be grateful if you could 맞춰주시면 [make it] to that time, even though it’s a hassle.”

“Alright, I understand. Then I’ll prepare by that time, so let’s see each other then.”

That was the moment when the breakfast problem that Hyun-sung was worried about was solved.

Lee Man-soo and Yu Soo-min left the shop, and the four sat back down at the table.

Hyun-sung looked at Lee Soo-hyuk and said.

“Thank you. You’ve taken a big worry off my shoulders thanks to you.”

“If we’re talking about being grateful, I’m more grateful. I’m even more grateful that I’m here with you guys right now.”

“Anyway, the important thing is this exam. You know that no matter how good the process is, we can’t do anything in front of the results, right?”

“Of course. That’s why I’m working even harder.”

Then Kim Il-soo interrupted their conversation.

“Alright, you two, stop talking nonsense and let’s start studying now. We have to earn our breakfast!”

Then Lee Jung-woo, who was next to him, chuckled and said.

“That guy is admirable the more I see him.”

“What? You little punk, admirable? There’s nothing you can’t say to your 형님 [older brother/senior].”

“Ah, right! We decided to call the person who does well on this exam ‘형님,’ didn’t we?”

“That’s right! I forgot about that. Hey, Lee Jung-woo, you have to keep that promise.”

“Who are you to talk!”

The two growled at each other without giving an inch. The two didn’t know it yet. What kind of results would this friendly competition bring in this exam?