Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 264

264

After Han Ji-eun’s explanation, Hyun-sung responded with disbelief.

“Does that even make sense?”

“We don’t have a choice, do we?”

“No, even so, asking me to select just a few people is absurd. It’s better not to do it at all.”

“…Then what should we do?”

Han Ji-eun looked at Hyun-sung with a worried expression.

Hyun-sung continued.

“Let me confirm something first.”

“What is it?”

“I want to make sure you really intend to help me.”

“What do you mean? If I didn’t, would I be here doing this until now?”

Han Ji-eun looked at Hyun-sung, slightly displeased.

Hyun-sung quickly added, “Don’t get me wrong. I’m asking to reaffirm your commitment.”

“Still, that’s a bit…”

“Okay. Now that I’ve confirmed your feelings, I need to find a way forward.”

“Do you have an idea?”

Han Ji-eun looked at Hyun-sung with curiosity.

Hyun-sung said, “We’re going to write a manuscript.”

“A manuscript? What do you mean?”

“I mean, let’s write down what you want to say in a notebook beforehand.”

“So, you’re saying I should write down what I’m going to say in a notebook?”

Hyun-sung nodded. “That’s right. It’s your own story, so it shouldn’t be too difficult.”

“I’ll only know once I try.”

“Why do you have to try to know? Isn’t that basic for a Korean civil servant? Someone who even went to college…”

“Huh? Something’s weird.”

Han Ji-eun tilted her head, looking at Hyun-sung.

Hyun-sung chuckled. “What’s weird? You’re just unnecessarily scared. I thought you were mentally strong when we first talked, but I’m realizing that’s not the case, and it’s frustrating me.”

“Uh, uh? Your words are getting weirder, or is it just me? Are you teasing me right now?”

“Haha, you’re funny, *noona* [older sister or female friend]…”

Hyun-sung just laughed.

Han Ji-eun looked at Hyun-sung strangely, then said, “Stop teasing me. What do you want me to do?”

“It’s the same as before. Write down what you want to say in a notebook, and then read it in front of the students. You can do that, right?”

“So, you’re saying that since I can’t speak normally, I should just look at the notebook and read it instead?”

“Bingo, exactly. It’s hard to say anything from scratch, but it’ll be enough to look and read. Don’t you think?”

Only then did Han Ji-eun nod, understanding.

“So, you’re telling me to write a manuscript after all?”

“That’s right. No more saying you’re not confident. It’s your own story, so it won’t be too difficult to write.”

“Writing is what I’m least confident in…”

“Just write exactly five pages, no more, no less. You can do that much, right?”

“Five pages?”

Han Ji-eun looked at Hyun-sung, eyes wide.

Hyun-sung asked, “It’s your own experience, and you’re saying you can’t even write five pages?”

“Don’t keep saying that. It’s hard on me, too.”

“Then how many pages are you confident you can write?”

“I’ll only know once I try. Right now, I think I can write two pages, but I can’t even guarantee that…”

Han Ji-eun was still unsure.

Sigh!

Hyun-sung sighed briefly as he looked at her.

Han Ji-eun said, “What do you want me to do if you sigh in my face?”

“Huh? Sorry, *noona*, I didn’t mean to…”

“How about this method?”

Han Ji-eun’s eyes sparkled as if she had an idea.

Hyun-sung asked, “What’s your idea?”

“Well…”

Han Ji-eun began to explain her idea. After her explanation, Hyun-sung chuckled. “So, you’re saying I should write the manuscript for you?”

“Yeah, I’ll tell you all my stories, and you can listen and write them down. Don’t you think?”

“No, how can you even suggest that?”

“I wouldn’t if I didn’t have to, and you seem confident in writing. What do you think of my idea?”

Han Ji-eun looked at Hyun-sung, head held high, as if she had done something great.

Hyun-sung chuckled. “You know what, *noona*?”

“What?”

“You’re kind of cute.”

“What? Are you talking to your *noona* like that…?”

Han Ji-eun was speechless.

Haha, hahahaha…

Hyun-sung laughed loudly. Han Ji-eun glared at him, but then she started laughing too.

The two laughed for a long time.

A while later.

A notebook was placed in front of Hyun-sung.

“From now on, you’re going to answer the questions I ask.”

“Okay. Ask me anything. It’s much better this way with questions. I should have done this from the start.”
Han Ji-eun’s face was full of smiles.

Hyun-sung asked, “When did you first think about becoming a civil servant?”

“That’s…”

Han Ji-eun began to explain her story in detail. As her explanation lengthened, Hyun-sung’s hand movements began to speed up.

How much time had passed?

Hyun-sung asked again, “Okay, then finally, what do you want to say to our students?”

“I want to say that the future is a privilege that only those who prepare can have, no matter how trivial the preparation may be. And the most important thing is that no one can take my future from me. So, no matter what you’re preparing for, the will to do it is important. That’s all.”

“That’s a good saying.”

“Now that I’ve said it, I feel embarrassed. It’s like I’m some great person.”
Han Ji-eun lowered her head slightly.

Hyun-sung said, “You are a great person. You might think this is nothing, but if even a few people, or even just one person, change their minds after listening to your lecture, that’s a big deal. And the important thing is that this is just the beginning.”

“The beginning?”

“Yes, the beginning is important for everything.”

After Hyun-sung finished speaking, Han Ji-eun was silent, thinking.

After a while, she spoke again.

“When you say this is the beginning, does that mean there will be more opportunities like this besides me? Am I right?”

“Of course. I’m planning to invite people from various fields to give lectures in the future. I’ve already talked to the principal about it.”

“Even the principal?”

Hyun-sung nodded.

Han Ji-eun tilted her head. “Wait a minute… are you saying that the school is preparing the lectures?”

“Rather than the school doing it, it will be students voluntarily doing it. There are many problems with the school taking the lead.”

“Are you leading this, Hyun-sung?”

“It just happened that way. If no one steps up, we’ll graduate without any preparation.”
Han Ji-eun nodded. “That’s true. And most schools have no choice but to do that.”

“I didn’t like that. Especially in our school, the college entrance rate is only 3% at most. The remaining 97% just fill their time and graduate.”

“I guess so…”

“So, I thought this wasn’t right, so I had no choice but to step up, even though I’m lacking. But fortunately, I met you first.”

Hyun-sung smiled slightly.

Han Ji-eun said, “Then what are your plans for the future?”

“I’m going to invite alumni who can actually be helpful. For example, a chef or someone in the confectionery business would be good. And there will be people in the heavy equipment industry, and for female students, nurses or beauticians would be good.”

“It won’t be easy to contact them.”

“Of course. So, I’m planning to promote it through the alumni association. The president of the alumni association will have all the contact information.”

“Oh! That’s great. My eyes weren’t wrong.”
Han Ji-eun looked at Hyun-sung in amazement.

Hyun-sung asked, “What are you talking about?”

“Actually, when I first saw you yesterday, I thought you weren’t an ordinary student.”

“What kind of…”

Hyun-sung chuckled.

Han Ji-eun said, “A student who goes to the township head about streetlights isn’t ordinary. Don’t you think?”

“That’s…”

Hyun-sung had nothing to say.

When Hyun-sung couldn’t speak, Han Ji-eun continued, “But the important thing is that there’s a strange rumor going around since you went to the township office.”

“A strange rumor?”

“Yeah, someone donated 5 million won [approximately $3,700 USD] to do the streetlight project. Isn’t that strange?”

“What is?”

Hyun-sung asked, pretending not to know.

Han Ji-eun asked, “Don’t tell me it’s you?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I keep thinking it’s strange. I can’t understand why that rumor is spreading after you went there.”

“I don’t know about that.”

Chuckling.

Hyun-sung laughed.

Han Ji-eun tilted her head. “You really don’t know?”

“Are you kidding me? How can a student have that much money…”

“That’s why it’s strange.”
Han Ji-eun was still looking at Hyun-sung suspiciously.

Hyun-sung asked, “So, when are you starting the streetlight project?”

“The township head said they’re going to start it right away next week. Anyway, it’s too strange for me that they’re starting the project right after you went there.”

“What’s so strange about it? Anyway, it’s good that they’re starting it right away. By the way, what should we do? It’s getting late.”

Looking at the clock, it was almost 12 o’clock.

“It’s okay, it’s only a 20-minute walk from here.”

“I heard that suspicious people are appearing at night these days. Are you going to be okay?”

“It’s close, so I’ll be okay. By the way, when will the manuscript be completed?”

“It’ll take a day or two. Tomorrow, I’ll meet with the principal and report to him so that I can give a lecture in front of the students as soon as possible.”

“Okay. Then please take care of the manuscript.”
Han Ji-eun said, getting up.

Hyun-sung chuckled. “To be honest, I’m not sure if I’ll write it well either. You were making such a fuss, so I said I’d write it, but I don’t know how it’ll turn out.”

“Hehe, anyway, Hyun-sung will take care of the manuscript. I’m just going to read it.”

“Okay. By the way, let’s go out together. I’ll walk you home. I’m too worried to let you go alone.”

“Will you? To be honest, I was a little worried.”
The two left the ramen shop and started walking towards Han Ji-eun’s house.

After walking for about 5 minutes.

Han Ji-eun carefully opened her mouth, looking at Hyun-sung.

“Hey…”