Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 35

It was the first day of school, so classes ended early.

At first, I was very worried. But my body adapted faster than my mind. As time passed, I was surprised to find myself naturally remembering my friends’ names.

On the way home from school, Lee Jung-woo spoke up.

“Kim Hyun-sung, what did you mean by what you said in Korean class earlier?”

“That thing?”

“About your dream. You know, being a building owner. At first, I just laughed it off, but when I looked at your face, you seemed pretty serious.”

“Was I?”

It was true.

Other friends might have thought Hyun-sung’s words were just a joke, but Hyun-sung himself didn’t.

Hyun-sung had too much experience to joke about it.

In his past life, he had met three building owners while running a store for 22 years.

The first time, the building owner sold the building to a construction company without a word when the contract was about to expire, so he was almost kicked out.

Since the lease period was over, there was nothing he could argue.

The second time, he was fortunate enough to meet a kind(?) building owner. But that building owner passed away seven years after the contract. The problem was his children.

Division of property.

And the damage was entirely borne by the tenants.

Excessive rent increases.

Law?

That was only for people who had the strength to endure it. [Meaning, those who could afford legal battles.]

In the end, none of the stores could withstand it. Hyun-sung, along with the remaining two stores, had no choice but to leave.

The things that occasionally become issues on TV are either celebrities or some special cases. But even then, I hardly ever saw a tenant win.

And the third time?

Gritting his teeth.

Thinking of the third building owner made Hyun-sung grind his teeth involuntarily. The culprit of Hyun-sung’s death, Lee Se-ho.

“You bastard.”

“What?”

Lee Jung-woo looked at Hyun-sung when a curse suddenly came out of his mouth.

“No, not you, there’s a very bad guy. I have to meet him later!”

“What are you talking about?”

“It’s nothing. Anyway, I’m going to be a building owner. Just watch.”

Lee Jung-woo tilted his head slightly at Hyun-sung’s answer. He understood the desire to become a building owner, but the tone of his words felt like some kind of resentment that was hard to understand.

Then Hyun-sung called out to Lee Jung-woo.

“Jung-woo, have you ever heard of this saying?”

“What saying?”

“Above the creator is the building owner!”

“What? Above the creator is the building owner? Whoever made that saying is amazing, amazing. Hehe…….”

Lee Jung-woo just laughed, as if he was dumbfounded.

Well, it was a saying that only became popular like a trend in the distant future, so it was a natural reaction for Lee Jung-woo.

A bitter glimpse of the future.

Lee Jung-woo, who had been laughing for a while, smiled at Hyun-sung. Then Hyun-sung asked.

“What? What’s with that smile?”

“If you ever become a building owner, give me a cheap store. Hehehe…….”

Lee Jung-woo couldn’t help but laugh even as he spoke, as if he was dumbfounded.

“Okay. I will.”

“Really?”

“I’ll give it to you because it’s you. Absolutely!”

Lee Jung-woo felt good at Hyun-sung’s words, even though he knew it was a joke.

On the other hand, Hyun-sung was serious, not joking. He would give him more than that. He was a friend who had been with him with one heart for the rest of his life. What wouldn’t he give him?

The two of them chatted and left the main gate and headed to their respective homes.

Hyun-sung, who returned home, first took care of Joon-chi.

Park Hee-cheol told him to come home after class in the morning, but Hyun-sung had no intention of going.

Land?

It’s meaningless.

Because he knows too well that the world is not that easy. Park Hee-cheol says he will give it to him, but Hyun-sung’s years of living are too long to believe that it will really happen.

“Joon-chi! How have you been?”

As if understanding Hyun-sung’s call, Joon-chi ran to Hyun-sung.

When he reached out his hand, he rubbed Hyun-sung’s hand with his blunt snout. Now, he was full of energy, incomparable to the first time.

Then Hyun-sung’s father called him.

Hyun-sung approached his father and said softly.

“Did you call me?”

“Yes, sit here for a moment.”

The father took something out of the document envelope and handed it to Hyun-sung. When he read the document, it was a land deed.

Hyun-sung’s eyes widened for a moment. He had expected it, but when he saw the land deed in front of him, he was surprised without realizing it.

“Father, this is?”

“Yes, it’s the rice paddy in front of the house. I finished transferring the ownership today. Thanks to you, I paid off all my debts and even bought land like this.”

“Congratulations, Father.”

“I’m sorry, but thank you.”

The father stroked his head as if he was embarrassed.

Hyun-sung began to examine the registry again in detail. Then his gaze stopped at one part.

Hyun-sung looked at his father.

“Father, you’re the best!”

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

“You put the ownership in Mother’s name?”

“I thought it was something else…….”

The father said it casually, as if it was nothing. But his expression was the opposite. He felt so proud that his shoulders were stretched out.

Then the mother heard Hyun-sung’s voice and came to his side.

Then he asked Hyun-sung.

“What are you talking about?”

“Mother, look here.”

Hyun-sung pointed to the part where the owner’s name was written. Then the mother’s reaction immediately appeared.

“Oh my, honey!”

She just thought that the work went well because he said he was going to the registry office in the morning. That alone made her feel great and happy.

But when she saw the land deed in her name, she felt strange. It felt like emotions that were hard to express in words were gushing out.

The mother continued.

“Honey, thank you.”

“What did I do? You should thank our Hyun-sung.”

The father turned the credit to Hyun-sung. Then Hyun-sung, who was next to him, looked at his father as if he was embarrassed.

“I’m embarrassed if you keep doing that.”

“No. Thank you is thank you. I will work harder to buy the rest of the rice paddies with my own hands.”

“……Okay. Father, unconditionally fighting [a Korean expression of encouragement, like ‘you can do it’].”

Hyun-sung clenched his fist and cheered for his father.

Then, the father took something out of his pocket and handed it to Hyun-sung. It was a bankbook.

Hyun-sung received the bankbook and asked his father.

“What is this?”

“I only used half of it. No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t use it all. You can use the rest wherever you need it.”

It was something he hadn’t expected.

It was his dream that he had been saying like a habit all his life. Even if he bought it all with that money, it would only be about two fields, but he reduced it by half again.

It wouldn’t have been an easy decision.

Hyun-sung was momentarily overwhelmed by his father’s unexpected thoughtfulness.

“Father!”

Hyun-sung looked at the registry again. A little while ago, he thought that it would be at least over 600 *pyeong* [a Korean unit of area, approximately 3.3 square meters], so he didn’t even check that part.

I remember that it was a little less than 3,000 *won* [Korean currency] per *pyeong*.

Of course, that amount was possible because of the regional characteristics of the Gangwon mountains.

But when I looked again, it was marked as 1,100 (m²). It was a little less than 330 *pyeong*.
The father really only bought half of it.

Shale.

Hyun-sung turned the bankbook over and checked the balance.

As expected, there was a little over 1 million *won* left in the bankbook. The father’s words were true.

Hyun-sung looked at his father.

Ah!

It was a moment when he could fully feel his father’s heart without having to say anything. The father couldn’t use all that money.

That’s the father.

Hyun-sung, who had been looking at his father for a while, opened his mouth.

“Father, thank you. I will use it well.”

Hyun-sung bowed slightly to his father.

There was no need for other words.

Then the father immediately continued.

“You’re saying all sorts of things. Still, I’m grateful that you accepted it without saying anything.”

“Isn’t it the same heart?”

“Hehe….”

The father replaced his words with a smile.

The father’s giving heart and Hyun-sung’s receiving heart were the same. The two looked at each other for a moment. Then, as if they had promised, they nodded at the same time and a faint smile spread across their lips.

Then the mother got up from her seat with a smile.

Then Hyun-sung asked.

“Where are you going?”

“Shouldn’t we have a drink on a day like this? Don’t you think so, honey?”

“Good!”

“Today, I, the land owner, will treat you. Hoho…….”

With those words, the mother disappeared into the kitchen. Then the father smiled and said immediately.

“What? Land owner? Haha…….”

The father laughed loudly as if he was in a good mood. It was a moment when a smile naturally spread across Hyun-sung’s lips as he looked at the scene.

Hyun-sung happily had a drink and returned to his room and lay down on the bed his father had made for him. Although it was a bed made of plywood, the feeling of being the most comfortable in the world was the same as before.

“Good!”

I don’t remember spending time laughing with my family like this in my past life. It wasn’t anything special or difficult, but why couldn’t I do it then?

There would have been several reasons. Among them, poverty was probably the biggest cause.

In the end, money…….

I don’t want to admit it, but it’s a reality that I have to admit. How could there be a saying that poverty creates the devil?

It was already evening.

“I’m home.”

Outside, I heard the voice of my younger sister, Kim Ji-yeon.

Hyun-sung opened the door and called his sister.

“Ji-yeon, just a moment.”

“Why?”

“It’ll only take a moment. Let’s talk.”

“Uh…….”

Kim Ji-yeon hesitated for a moment even as she answered.

It was because she remembered what happened with Hyun-sung a few days ago. She was worried about the fact that she had talked about her career path without any special solutions.

Of course, I know that he’s saying it because he’s worried. But I know too well that it’s not a problem that can be solved with just worry. That’s why good words didn’t come out of her mouth.

That discomfort still remains in my head…….

But he’s asking me to talk again.

‘What should I do?’

Then Hyun-sung called Kim Ji-yeon again.

“What are you doing, Ji-yeon?”

“Oh? Yeah, I got it.”

Kim Ji-yeon had no choice but to head to Hyun-sung’s room.

As soon as she entered the room, Kim Ji-yeon looked at Hyun-sung and said.

“I’ll tell you in advance. If it’s about that last time, I’m just going to leave.”

“Okay. Sit down first.”

Sniff sniff.

Kim Ji-yeon suddenly started sniffing. It was because she smelled alcohol somewhere.