Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 277

277

“Sunbae-nim!”

Hyeonseong greeted Kim Myeongshik with a smile as he entered the store.

Kim Myeongshik also smiled brightly at Hyeonseong.

“Hyeonseong-ah!”

“Wow, what brings you here?”

Hyeonseong never dreamed that Kim Myeongshik would come to the store. He knew the specific reason why Kim Myeongshik couldn’t come to his hometown.

It was because of his friend’s traffic accident.

He knew that Kim Myeongshik couldn’t escape from the trauma, even though it wasn’t his fault.

But the fact that he was here now meant that he had overcome the trauma, so Hyeonseong asked him what had happened.

Kim Myeongshik smiled and said,

“It’s all thanks to you.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“If I were alone, I would never have gotten over the shock. But because you were there, I was able to get out of it.”

“What did I do…?”

Hyeonseong couldn’t understand what Kim Myeongshik was saying. It was because he had never made any effort in that regard.

When Hyeonseong couldn’t speak properly, Kim Myeongshik continued.

“I had to get over the shock to deliver good news to you. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to come to you.”

“Good news?”

“Yeah, that’s right. My mother…”

Kim Myeongshik couldn’t say it all at once.

Then Hyeonseong immediately asked,

“What about your mother?”

“It’s shrunk.”

“Shrunk? What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

Hyeonseong tilted his head. He couldn’t understand what Kim Myeongshik was saying.

Then Kim Myeongshik said again,

“I went to the hospital today, and they said my mother’s tumor has shrunk.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, the doctor told me clearly. He said the size has decreased by 10% compared to the test a few days ago.”

“That’s great!”

“It’s a miracle. So how could I not tell you this news? That’s why I was able to get over the shock of my friend’s traffic accident.”

Only then did Hyeonseong think he understood the meaning of Kim Myeongshik’s words – that he was able to get over the shock because of him.

Hyeonseong nodded and continued,

“So, are you okay now?”

“Of course, the shock hasn’t completely disappeared, but it’s not as bad as before. And anyway, the fact that I came to my hometown after 3 years is a relief for now.”

“Whatever the reason, that’s good. You must have had a hard time.”

“Yeah, you’re right. Above all, I was struggling myself. My head told me it was just an accident, but my heart still couldn’t accept it, so I had no choice but to struggle. By the way, what the heck happened with your ability?”

Kim Myeongshik looked at Hyeonseong.

Then Hyeonseong tilted his head and asked,

“What are you talking about?”

“My mother. No matter how I think about it, this doesn’t make sense. How could such a thing happen?”

“I can’t explain it to you either. It’s a power I accidentally learned one day.”

“A power…?”

No matter how much Kim Myeongshik thought about it, it was just amazing. When Hyeonseong first said he would treat his mother, he just thought it was absurd. He thought it was impossible.

Hyeonseong said,

“I was very confused at first too.”

“I guess so…”

“But now I’ve decided to just accept it naturally. After all, that’s not what’s important.”

“Um? What do you mean?”

Kim Myeongshik tilted his head.

Then Hyeonseong immediately continued,

“What’s important is that you’re healing someone. That way, that person will live a new life.”

“Of course, that’s right.”

“Isn’t that enough? It just gives me a headache to think about how this ability came about. So I decided not to think about that part anymore. I decided to give meaning to someone being healed and living a new life.”

At first, Hyeonseong himself didn’t have any doubts about this ability.

But the concern didn’t last long. The reason is simple: he knew it wasn’t a problem that could be solved by worrying about it.

He didn’t think he needed to dwell on it when there was no reason to worry.

Kim Myeongshik said,

“Well, if it’s not a problem that can be solved by worrying about it, then…”

“That’s right. I didn’t want to waste energy on useless things. What’s important is that the person who received my treatment lives a new life, right?”

“I know what you mean.”

Kim Myeongshik nodded and looked at Hyeonseong.

Then Hyeonseong immediately asked,

“What did your mother say?”

“She cried.”

“…”

“Actually, she didn’t show it, but my mother probably knew that treatment would be difficult. In that situation, how touched would she be to hear that the size of the tumor in her body had shrunk?”

That’s obvious. What’s more scary than death?

Kim Myeongshik continued,

“I couldn’t say it, but I had a hard time too.”

“Of course. Your mother’s situation is like that…”

“Now I can say it, but I was even scared. How overwhelming it is that people can’t do anything in the face of death…”

Kim Myeongshik couldn’t finish his words. That alone showed how difficult the time had been.

Hyeonseong looked at Kim Myeongshik and said,

“You’ve been through a lot.”

“I feel like I’m dreaming. No matter how much I think about how this happened to me, I can’t believe it. By the way, what will happen in the future…”

“Don’t worry about that. I’ll be going to your mother’s house once a week from now on.”

“If that happens, we’ll be so grateful, but how can Hyeonseong handle it?”

Kim Myeongshik looked at Hyeonseong with an apologetic expression.

Then Hyeonseong immediately continued,

“No. I started this first anyway. And I think of this as my calling, having this ability.”

“Calling?”

“Yes, I think so. I think there’s a reason why someone gave me this ability. So I’m going to do my best.”

“Um… anyway, I’m so grateful that I don’t know what to say.”

Thump.

Kim Myeongshik grabbed Hyeonseong’s hand after saying that.

Hyeonseong could feel it. He could feel how grateful Kim Myeongshik was from the bottom of his heart.

After some time had passed.

“Do you know what this is?”

Kim Myeongshik was holding a bankbook in his hand.

Hyeonseong said,

“That’s a bankbook, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right. I’m on my way back from Nonghyup [Korean agricultural cooperative; often used as a bank] after checking the deposit.”

“Ah, yes…”

Hyeonseong also knew about it. It was because he had deposited the money right after class.

Kim Myeongshik opened his mouth again.

“Can I really accept this?”

“Of course. I already told you. I said I would deposit it after class today.”

“That’s true, but…”

Kim Myeongshik stopped talking, wondering what he was thinking.

Hyeonseong couldn’t easily understand his actions. It was because he thought that all the explanations about the money had already been completed.

Hyeonseong asked,

“Is there a problem?”

“It’s not a problem, but no matter how much I think about it, I wonder if I can accept this money like this.”

“What do you mean? Wasn’t that issue settled when we went to Hongcheon?”

“Of course, that’s true, but when I actually saw the money with my own eyes, my conscience pricked me.”

“Conscience?”

Hyeonseong tilted his head.

It was because words that he had never expected came out of Kim Myeongshik’s mouth.

Conscience (良心).

Kim Myeongshik said conscience a little while ago.

It refers to the moral consciousness or mind that distinguishes between right and wrong, good and evil, in relation to an act.

Kim Myeongshik is the most financially struggling person right now.

He has already said that himself. But when he actually checks the amount, he feels guilty.

– How should this be interpreted?

Hyeonseong looked at Kim Myeongshik. Anyone can see that he is an adult. The word ‘conscience’ came out of his mouth. When he first offered to lend him money, there was no such talk.

However, when he checked the amount printed on his bankbook, he felt a pang of conscience without realizing it.

Hyeonseong looked at Kim Myeongshik and asked,

“Why do you think that way?”

“To be honest, I didn’t have that thought at first either. Rather, I was unconditionally happy because I thought I could solve my debt with this money.”

“But?”

“But when I received the money, I suddenly came to my senses.”

He felt a sense of joy when he checked his bankbook at Nonghyup. Because with this money, he can get rid of the debt that has been strangling him.

But at some point, he unknowingly thought, ‘Is this okay?’

At first, he wondered what this feeling was.

But after a little more time, he seemed to know what that feeling was.

It was the last vestige of his conscience.

He felt guilty about receiving it without thinking.

Hyeonseong said,

“I’m rather grateful that you said that.”

Hyeonseong liked Kim Myeongshik’s attitude. In most cases, that doesn’t happen.

Conscience?

Well. How many people would consider conscience in front of money?

Kim Myeongshik said seriously,

“But what’s the use? I have no choice but to use that money anyway.”

“No. I fully understand your feelings, Sunbae-nim.”

“I feel embarrassed for talking about things that make me cringe.”

“Don’t say that.”

“And I’m embarrassed, but can I ask you one thing?”

Kim Myeongshik looked at Hyeonseong and asked.

Then Hyeonseong immediately asked as if asking what was going on.

“What is it?”

“What happened?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Hyeonseong tilted his head.

Then Kim Myeongshik immediately said,

“You deposited 5 million won instead of 3 million won. It’s different from what we first promised. I couldn’t help but be surprised when I checked the amount at Nonghyup. Can I ask you why?”

“That’s…”

Hyeonseong couldn’t speak right away.

Then Kim Myeongshik immediately said,

“There must have been a reason, right? I don’t think you would have sent 2 million won more for no reason…”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“What’s the reason?”

“I may be overstepping my bounds, but I didn’t think that was all there was to the private loan. If you used that much for private loans, I thought there would be other debts as well.”

It was when I went to Nonghyup to deposit money after class.

The moment I tried to deposit the money, I had a question. If I used this much for private loans, I thought there would definitely be other debts as well.

The reason I thought that was because I had that experience myself in my past life. So I deposited 2 million won more.

Kim Myeongshik looked at Hyeonseong and said,

“I’m ashamed to say this, but what you said is true. I had no choice but to take out loans from the bank and credit card.”

“…”

“I don’t know how to repay this favor.”

“You’re saying too much. By the way, have you had dinner?”

“Dinner? Ah… come to think of it, I forgot about dinner because I was so excited to meet you.”

Kim Myeongshik chuckled without realizing it.

Then Hyeonseong smiled and continued,

“Wait a minute. I’ll make ramen quickly.”

With those words, Hyeonseong disappeared into the kitchen.

Then Kim Myeongshik lowered his head without realizing it, looking at Hyeonseong’s disappearing back.