Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 271

271

Hyun-sung tilted his head, a question forming in his eyes.

Kim Myung-shik immediately pressed him.

“Why aren’t you asking?”

“Asking about what?”
“You had a reason for coming to see me. Are you just going to leave without bringing it up?”

“Ah, that.”

Hyun-sung realized what Kim Myung-shik was referring to: the lecture proposal. Kim Myung-shik was wondering why Hyun-sung hadn’t asked about his refusal.

Hyun-sung looked at Kim Myung-shik. “I don’t think now is the right time.”

“Time?”

“Yes. The reason I came to see you, Senior, was to understand why you turned down the lecture. I suspected you had a good reason for refusing a request from your juniors. And after meeting you, I realized I was right.”

*Unavoidable.*

Sometimes, people find themselves in unavoidable situations. That was Kim Myung-shik’s reality.

His mother had cancer and needed immediate surgery. Lacking the funds, he’d been forced to take out a private loan, using his store as collateral.

For Kim Myung-shik, it was likely the only way to save his mother.

But a problem arose.

The exorbitant interest rate on the private loan began to suffocate him. Initially, he probably thought he could manage it. He’d endured it for a year.

But as time wore on, he reached his breaking point. Compounding the issue was his mother, Oh Bok-ja’s, worsening condition. The cancer had spread to other organs.

Kim Myung-shik must have been struggling immensely, both emotionally and financially.

In the midst of this turmoil, Principal Park Sang-hyun called.

It was understandable that Kim Myung-shik refused the lecture offer.

Kim Myung-shik said, “So, you deliberately didn’t say anything?”

“Yes, that’s right. I couldn’t bring up the lecture in that situation. Everyone has their own burdens to bear.”

“Honestly, I felt very uncomfortable after receiving the call from the principal. But I couldn’t explain everything to everyone.”

“Yes, I understand perfectly. Seeing how you treat me, I know how strong your affection for our alma mater is.”

“Of course. Who wouldn’t feel that way about their old school?”

“Well, I don’t know about that. Anyway, shouldn’t you get back to your store soon?”

Kim Myung-shik shook his head. “It’s still okay. And about that lecture…”

“The lecture?”

“Yeah, I can’t promise anything right now, but I…”

Kim Myung-shik trailed off, unable to commit. It seemed difficult for him to make a decision so quickly.

Hyun-sung said, “Senior, don’t feel pressured.”

“No, you’re helping me so much. I can’t just stand by. I’ll decide on the lecture issue as soon as possible and contact you.”

“Will you be alright, considering what happened with your friend?”

“It’s a problem I have to face eventually. And he would want me to move forward.”

Hyun-sung nodded. “You’re right, Senior. After all, an accident is just an accident.”

“I guess so?”

Unlike his earlier demeanor, Kim Myung-shik’s expression now showed a firm resolve.

Hyun-sung said, “I hope to see you in Seo-myeon [a district in Busan] soon.”

“Okay, if I go down, I’ll visit Hyun-sung’s store first.”

“Yes, I’ll be waiting.”

Kim Myung-shik nodded and extended his hand to Hyun-sung.

“Thank you. You saved me.”

“You’re welcome. And the deposit will be made on Monday afternoon. I’ll go to the Nonghyup [National Agricultural Cooperative Federation] bank and deposit it right after class.”

“Honestly, it still feels like a dream. I don’t know how this happened. I’ll never forget this favor.”

Hyun-sung grasped Kim Myung-shik’s hand.

Hyun-sung didn’t know it yet, but later, when he started the village community project, Kim Myung-shik would be one of his strongest supporters, helping Hyun-sung in countless ways.

After parting with Kim Myung-shik, Hyun-sung headed home instead of the store.

***

“Hoo!”

A sigh escaped Min Doo-shik’s lips.

Choi Min-sung, standing beside him, asked, “How many bowls of ramen have you sold to warrant such a sigh?”

“Don’t even mention it. Business has been terrible lately. If things continue like this, I don’t know if I’ll be able to pay the employees’ salaries, let alone the rent. What am I going to do?”

Min Doo-shik’s face was etched with worry.

Choi Min-sung, lost in thought, spoke hesitantly. “About that sauce that Manager Min mentioned last time…”

“You mean that kid’s sauce?”

“Yeah, if we want to compete with the ramen shops, we have no choice but to use that sauce, right? If we keep going like this…”

Choi Min-sung couldn’t bring himself to finish the sentence.

Min Doo-shik, understanding the implication, said, “I think I have no choice but to make a decision. There’s no point in delaying it any longer.”

“I think so too.”

Choi Min-sung nodded.

Min Doo-shik nodded decisively. “I should put it into action tonight.”

“Tonight?”

“Yes, that kid said he goes home on weekends. Today is Saturday, so he must have gone home.”

“How can you be so sure? What if he happens to be at the store?”

Pfft.

Min Doo-shik chuckled dismissively. “We can check.”

“Check? How?”

“We can just call him, right? If he answers, we hang up. If he doesn’t, it confirms he’s not there.”

Choi Min-sung’s face brightened. “That’s right, that would work! You’re really good at thinking on your feet.”

“Hyungnim [term for older brother or respected male], come on…”

Min Doo-shik shrugged, pleased with himself.

Choi Min-sung said, “It’s 9 o’clock now. Should I call him?”

“Yes, go ahead. It’s best to check, just in case.”

As soon as Min Doo-shik finished speaking, Choi Min-sung dialed the number.

After a moment, Choi Min-sung said, “He’s not answering…”

“See? What did I tell you? Didn’t I say he goes home on weekends?”

“Okay, we’ve confirmed he’s not at the store. What time should we go?”

“Wouldn’t midnight be good? So, Hyungnim, go home and come back around twelve. And when you come, make sure to bring the crowbar.”

“Alright, see you later.”

With those words, Choi Min-sung left the store.

Min Doo-shik was left alone.

“Hehe, you little brat, just you wait.”

Min Doo-shik grinned, revealing his teeth.

At that moment, Hyun-sung arrived home.

His father looked at him. “You’re late today.”

“Yes, I had some business in Hongcheon [city in Gangwon Province], so I was a bit late. Has everything been alright at home?”

“Everything’s been alright, but…”

His father’s answer was hesitant.

Hyun-sung asked, “Why? Is something wrong?”

“Your mother has been having a hard time lately. Strangely, she suddenly gets fevers and says she doesn’t want to do anything.”

As his father spoke, Hyun-sung looked at his mother. “Mother, is what Father is saying true?”

“Yes, since a few days ago, my face suddenly gets flushed and I get fevers. I keep getting annoyed for no reason. My body feels strange. I keep arguing with your father over trivial things, and I don’t know why I’m like this.”

“Mother, could it be that you’re going through menopause?”

“Menopause? What’s that?”

That’s right. Nowadays, the word ‘menopause’ is common knowledge, but back then, it was an unfamiliar term.

Especially in the countryside, where survival was the priority, menopausal symptoms without any visible injury were often overlooked.

Hyun-sung had to explain menopause.

“It’s when…”

As Hyun-sung explained, his parents listened with curious expressions, as if hearing it for the first time. Finally, as Hyun-sung finished, his mother asked, “So, in the end, it’s about the process of getting older?”

“Yes, that’s right. It usually happens around the age of 50, and it seems like Mother is going through it now.”

“But how do you know so much about menopause?”

“Me? That’s…”

Hyun-sung hesitated. His interest in menopause stemmed from his wife, Yoon Ji-soo, in his previous life.

One day, his wife had suddenly started to change.

She would get annoyed over nothing and couldn’t function normally, saying she didn’t want to do anything.

At first, he was bewildered.

Wouldn’t anyone be, when a perfectly fine person suddenly changed?

Later, after a hospital visit, they discovered it was menopausal symptoms.

Hyun-sung looked at his mother. “I saw it in a book.”

Hyun-sung had no choice but to lie.

His father asked, “Then what should we do?”

“First, take Mother to the hospital tomorrow. If necessary, the doctor will prescribe hormone medication. And pharmacies have various supplements for menopause. Taking some of those will help alleviate the symptoms. And most importantly, it’s Father.”

“Me? What are you talking about?”

His father tilted his head, looking at Hyun-sung.

Hyun-sung said, “Mother will be very sensitive for the time being. So, Father, you need to be more considerate and caring than usual.”

“Alright. First, I need to go to the hospital tomorrow. And I’ll try to be considerate, although I don’t know if it will work.”

His mother asked, “How long does this symptom last?”

“It varies from person to person. Some people have it for a short time, others for several years.”

“It’s bad enough getting old, why do we have to go through this too…”

His mother pursed her lips, looking dissatisfied.

Hyun-sung said, “Still, it’s fortunate that Mother knows it’s menopause in advance. Some people don’t even know and just get annoyed and fight, some even get divorced.”

“Surely not…”

“It’s not ‘surely not,’ it’s true. So, Mother, think of it as fortunate and accept it positively. Then you’ll get through it much easier.”

“Well, if I can’t help it, I’ll have to accept it. Anyway, thanks to our smart son, this mother knows all sorts of things.”

Hyun-sung smiled.

It was something he had never known or experienced in his past life.

His mother had suffered through it without understanding what was happening.

It was the same for his father, who had unknowingly become a victim of his mother’s menopausal symptoms.

But now it was different.

Thanks to the regression, he knew his mother was going through menopause. Her suffering would be lessened, and that was all that mattered.

His father asked, “Do men also go through menopause?”

Hyun-sung smiled.