Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 188

188.

Final exam, last day.

4 AM.

Hyun-sung quietly stepped outside for a short break. The temperature was quite chilly, as it was early dawn.

“Hoo!”

A deep breath seemed to clear his head.

Just then.

“What are you doing?”

It was Lee Soo-hyuk. He had followed Hyun-sung out without him noticing.

Hyun-sung said,

“Oh, just taking a break… How’s studying going for you?”

“Honestly, at first, I couldn’t concentrate when studying with others after always studying alone, but now I’ve adjusted and it doesn’t matter.”

“Really? That’s a relief.”

When Lee Soo-hyuk first came to study together, Hyun-sung was worried. Habits can be scary, no matter what a person does.

Lee Soo-hyuk had always studied alone. The fact that he adapted in just a few days was hard to understand.

But the important thing was that Lee Soo-hyuk had accomplished that difficult task. Perhaps that was also one of his abilities.

Lee Soo-hyuk looked at Hyun-sung and asked,

“But, those guys, aren’t they amazing?”

“You mean Il-soo and Jung-woo?”

“Yeah, I honestly can’t believe they’re studying so hard.”

Hyun-sung chuckled.

He knew why Lee Soo-hyuk thought that way.

It was probably because of Kim Il-soo and Lee Jung-woo’s past behavior.

Hyun-sung smiled and asked,

“Why, is it surprising?”

“Of course. You know who they are, right? They were the worst in our class. But suddenly they’re studying so hard, it’s amazing.”

“What’s wrong with that?”

Hyun-sung asked as if it were nothing.

Then Lee Soo-hyuk said again,

“It doesn’t make sense. Can people change so suddenly?”

“Why do you think it’s sudden?”

“Huh? Well, that’s…”

“You might think they changed suddenly, but they must have had their own changes of heart.”

At Hyun-sung’s answer, Lee Soo-hyuk scratched his head.

Even on the surface, it seemed Hyun-sung was right. For anyone to change in any way, there must be some realization.

“So, you’re saying I was the only one who didn’t know.”

“It’s not just you, most of the kids in our class probably don’t know about their changes yet. If you don’t pay special attention, you won’t know anyway.”

“So, it’s a matter of attention.”

“That’s what I think. If you don’t pay attention, you won’t know even if you’re in the same space, right? Not that it’s bad or wrong, it’s just the way it is.”

Lee Soo-hyuk nodded.

That was right. Even if they were classmates, it would be hard to notice any changes in their thoughts or actions unless they paid special attention.

In the end, only attention could make it possible to notice someone’s change.

Lee Soo-hyuk said,

“So, attention was the answer.”

“So, keep an eye on them. I think there will be many changes in those guys. Especially after this midterm.”

“Well, they’re working so hard, their grades can’t help but go up.”

“I think they’ll probably go up at least 20 places.”

“20 places…”

Hyun-sung nodded lightly.

Then Lee Soo-hyuk slowly nodded and continued,

“Putting them aside, I’m more amazed by you.”

“Me? What about me?”

“You’re the one who made them like that, aren’t you?”

“Well…”

Hyun-sung had nothing to say. Like Lee Soo-hyuk said, it was true that he had made Kim Il-soo and Lee Jung-woo like that. But he couldn’t take credit for it himself.

When Hyun-sung didn’t say anything, Lee Soo-hyuk spoke again.

“That’s that, but I have a question for you…”

“For me?”

“Yeah, about that day… the day I said I wouldn’t go to school.”

“What about that day?”

“How could you so easily decide to not go to school with me? No matter how much time passes, I can’t understand it. It wasn’t an easy thing to do.”

“It wasn’t easy for me either.”

Hyun-sung answered immediately.

Then Lee Soo-hyuk tilted his head. He clearly thought that Hyun-sung had made the decision without much thought that day.

Lee Soo-hyuk asked again,

“Really?”

“Why wouldn’t I be worried? I was worried in my own way.”

“So, I was mistaken that day?”

“But the time I spent worrying was short. I’m only saying this now, but I had been concerned about you for a while.”

“For a while?”

Lee Soo-hyuk tilted his head again. If Hyun-sung was right, it meant that he had already noticed something wrong with his behavior.

Lee Soo-hyuk asked again,

“If it was from a while ago, when was it?”

“Probably about three weeks after your surgery. From one day, you stopped hanging out with your friends and were always alone. And you ate lunch alone too.”

“Ah, that time…”

Lee Soo-hyuk remembered. It was when his body was recovering after the surgery. The problem was the tutoring. His mother suddenly increased the tutoring time by two hours.

He was already exhausted from the usual tutoring, but when she added two more hours, his body reacted.

That’s when it started. He hated everything. School, and even his innocent friends.

He distanced himself from the friends he was getting close to and returned to his old, solitary self.

Hyun-sung said,

“You looked anxious. And I felt sorry for you.”

“So, you’re saying you were always watching me.”

“I was concerned. You might remember, but when I visited you in the hospital, you told me that you envied Jung-woo.”

“Ah, that…”

Lee Soo-hyuk nodded.

Of course, he remembered. It was what he had said when Hyun-sung visited him in the hospital. He had said that he wished he had a friend who would fight for him and cry while looking at him.

Lee Soo-hyuk said,

“You remembered that?”

“Of course. You said it sincerely…”

“So, when I said I wouldn’t go to school, you decided to not go with me?”

“At that moment, I thought that was the best thing to do.”

Lee Soo-hyuk smiled and looked at Hyun-sung. Then he continued,

“So, the answer was attention.”

“I think it’s the beginning of human relationships. In that sense, keep an eye on Il-soo and Jung-woo. They’ll need your help a lot in their studies. Especially when we’re in our third year of high school next year.”

“I understand. I don’t know if I’ll be helpful, but I’ll do my best.”

The two looked at each other and nodded. Then, as if they had promised, they bumped fists.

***

“Okay, time’s up. Pass the answer sheets from the back…”

Finally, the midterm exam was over.

Sighs came from everywhere.

“Hoo.”

A long sigh came from Hyun-sung’s mouth as well. No matter how old he got, exams were still exams. Then Lee Jung-woo rushed over.

“Hey, what’s the answer to the last question?”

“I checked number 2.”

“Yahoo!”

Lee Jung-woo waved his hands, happy.

Hyun-sung looked at Lee Jung-woo and asked,

“Did you do well on the exam?”

“Hehe, I think it was worth staying up all night.”

“Good job. Come to the store by 8 PM. You’ve worked hard staying up all night, so we should have a little celebration.”

“Really? Are we having a drink today?”

Lee Jung-woo pretended to drink with his hand and was happy.

Homeroom time.

Homeroom teacher Shin Min-ho said,

“Everyone worked hard taking the exam. Don’t mess around after it’s over and go home quickly. And the exact results will be out tomorrow, but it seems like something amazing will happen this time.”

“What’s something amazing?”

Class president Lee Young-min asked.

Then Shin Min-ho smiled and said,

“It seems like the top student will change. And the same goes for the bottom student.”

As soon as Shin Min-ho finished speaking, most eyes turned to Woo Jong-gyu and Kim Il-soo.

That was because Woo Jong-gyu had always been the top student in the class, and Kim Il-soo had been the bottom student.

Lee Young-min asked again,

“Who’s the top student?”

“I can’t tell you that. I have to finish grading first. I’ll tell you the results at the morning assembly tomorrow.”

Shin Min-ho said a few more words and left the classroom.

Then Lee Young-min looked at Lee Soo-hyuk and said,

“Is it you?”

“I don’t know either. The teacher said he has to grade it first.”

“There’s no one else…”

Lee Young-min muttered to himself. That was because Lee Soo-hyuk had always been in second place. If it changed, Lee Soo-hyuk would be the most likely candidate.

Lee Young-min looked at Kim Il-soo this time and said,

“Congratulations in advance. On escaping the bottom spot.”

“You, you’re so bland…”

Kim Il-soo chuckled.

That evening.

Kim Il-soo, Lee Jung-woo, Lee Soo-hyuk, and Hyun-sung gathered again at Hyun-sung’s store.

The faces of the four were bright.

Lee Jung-woo looked at Lee Soo-hyuk first and asked,

“Are you the person the teacher was talking about?”

“I don’t know either. I’ll know when the scores come out tomorrow.”

“No, no matter how I think about it, it can only be you. Who else in our class can be the top student besides you?”

“You never know. Anyway, Hyun-sung said you did well on the exam too?”

“Hehe, just a little…”

Lee Jung-woo smiled shyly.

Then Lee Soo-hyuk looked at Kim Il-soo this time and asked,

“How about you?”

“Same here. And the important thing is that this is the first time I’ve felt so good after an exam. It’s amazing the more I think about it.”

“Me too.”

Lee Jung-woo, who was next to him, agreed with Kim Il-soo.

Then Hyun-sung said,

“Everyone worked hard taking the exam, and I’m glad that the results will be out tomorrow, but I’m glad that it seems like it was worth staying up all night.”

As soon as Hyun-sung finished speaking, Kim Il-soo said,

“It’s all thanks to you, Hyun-sung. If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t have been able to study together, and we wouldn’t be able to laugh together like this today.”

“That’s right. If you think about it, it was because of you that I started studying.”

Lee Jung-woo chimed in from the side.

Then Lee Soo-hyuk said this time,

“Me too. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have been able to study with my friends like this, and I wouldn’t be here right now, and I would have been huddled up alone at home like before. Thank you, Hyun-sung.”

“You guys, why are you making me embarrassed? Anyway, the important thing is that our current state is different from before. Il-soo and Jung-woo started studying, and Soo-hyuk was able to hang out with friends instead of being alone. It’s not something anyone can do, so I hope you’re proud of yourselves. And I hope the results come out well tomorrow.”

“You, you’re so eloquent. In that sense, even though it’s cider, give us a 멋지게 [meotjige – stylishly/coolly] toast.”

It was Lee Soo-hyuk’s suggestion.

Then Kim Il-soo and Lee Jung-woo raised the cider bottles in front of them.

Hyun-sung looked at them.

A smile spread across his face, and soon he raised his cider bottle high.

“Well, it’s a shame it’s not 막걸리 [makgeolli – Korean rice wine], but let’s have a toast. To our future and our friendship!”

“To our future!”

“To our friendship!”

“To our future!”The three shouted ‘To our future!’ at the same time.

The next day.

There was one person who was eagerly waiting for the assembly time.

It was Lee Soo-hyuk.

That was because he wanted to be number one this time.

Creak.

The front door of the classroom opened and homeroom teacher Shin Min-ho came in.

“As I said yesterday, there have been amazing changes in this exam. The top student has changed, and the bottom student has changed.”

As soon as Shin Min-ho finished speaking, all eyes turned to the two.

The targets were Lee Soo-hyuk and Kim Il-soo.

Shin Min-ho’s next words followed.

“Before announcing the top student, there is one more person I want to praise. Lee Jung-woo, who went from 55th place last time to 15th place this time.”

“…”

The eyes that had been on Lee Soo-hyuk and Kim Il-soo now turned to Lee Jung-woo.

Lee Jung-woo himself was surprised. Of course, he thought his score wasn’t bad based on the preliminary grading, but he didn’t think it would be this good.

“Okay, let’s give Lee Jung-woo a round of applause!”

Clap clap clap…

Lee Jung-woo bowed his head shyly and sat down.

Then Shin Min-ho said again,

“Then I will now announce the top student. The top student is…”

Shin Min-ho paused.

Swallow.

Then the waiting students swallowed hard.

Then Shin Min-ho’s mouth opened again.

“The top student is… two people. Those two people are…”