Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 350

December 20th.

Two days before the university entrance exam.

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

“I’m sorry.”

“About what?”

“You taught me so hard, but I couldn’t even apply to Korea University.”

It was true. Lee Soo-hyuk ended up applying to Yonsei University instead of Korea University. His final mock exam score was 262. It was about 20 points short of being able to apply to Korea University. He could have pushed it, but he decided that there was no need to go that far and applied to Yonsei University instead.

But it was still a significant improvement. Until the end of the first semester, he couldn’t even dream of this score. It was only because he worked so hard during the summer vacation and the second semester that he was able to achieve this score.

Hyun-sung shook his head and said,

“No, I know better than anyone how hard you worked. So don’t say things like that you are sorry. And Yonsei University is honestly one of the top three universities. There’s no reason to be sorry at all.”

“Well, the fact that I applied there is actually a miracle. Of course, it’s thanks to you…”

“Thanks to me? It was possible because you worked hard. By the way, did you review everything I told you to look at one last time?”

“You mean the incorrect answer notes?”

“Yes, anyway, now is the time to review what you’ve studied, rather than studying something new. Especially focusing on the parts you got wrong.”

At Hyun-sung’s words, Lee Soo-hyuk nodded and said immediately,

“Yes, I’ve been focusing on reviewing the incorrect answer notes as you said for the past few days. And I solved the wrong problems again.”

“Good job. That’s it then. And from now on, it’s a battle of mental strength. You must not be too nervous.”

“That’s what I’m worried about. I’m usually very nervous before exams. That’s why I got nervous during the last mock exam and got questions wrong that I knew…”

“Have you ever taken a sedative?”

“Yes, I actually took it during the last mock exam. But it didn’t work very well.”

“When did you take it?”

“That morning.”

Lee Soo-hyuk answered easily as if it were natural.

Then Hyun-sung’s words followed immediately.

“Don’t do that, take it the day before.”

“The day before?”

“Yes, of course, it varies from person to person, but in the case of sedatives, the effect is slow to come, so it is best to take it the day before. So take it about an hour after dinner tomorrow. Then it will be much more helpful when you take the exam the next day.”

“Really?”

Hyun-sung smiled and nodded.

In fact, the person who taught him that in his past life was a customer at the bookstore. Of course, that person was an employee of Kwangdong Pharmaceutical.

People commonly think that they will see the effect immediately and take it, but the effect of the medicine appears slowly, he said. However, it is also true that you feel a little more stable after taking it because of the psychological factor.

Looking at the clock, it was just past 10 o’clock.

“I’m leaving now, so don’t study too late today and go to bed around 12 o’clock.”

“Okay, I got it. Tomorrow’s bus is at 10 o’clock, right?”

“Yes, let’s meet at the terminal tomorrow.”

The 1987 university entrance exam requires you to apply first and then take the exam, so you have to go to the school you applied to in person to take the exam. Therefore, in Hyun-sung’s case, he takes the exam at Korea University, and Lee Soo-hyuk takes the exam at Yonsei University.

Hyun-sung left, and Lee Soo-hyuk was left alone in the room.

Rubbing.

He rubbed his face a few times as if washing his face with dry hands. It would be a lie if he said he wasn’t nervous. Yonsei University was what he always talked about. In fact, he knew it was impossible, but he deliberately talked about it as a habit.

The reason is simple. It was because he once read in a book that ‘people achieve what they say’. And strangely enough, he is now at the threshold.

Of course, he doesn’t know if he will cross that threshold yet. But he really did his best. He will work hard until the end and cross that threshold.

Knock knock.

‘Is it Mom?’

“Yes.”

When Lee Soo-hyuk answered, the door opened.

“Oh? Father!”

The person who opened the door and came in was not his mother but his father.

“Were you studying?”

“No, I was taking a break.”

“Is it hard?”

“No, I’m okay. It’s manageable.”

It would be a lie if he said it wasn’t hard. But he deliberately lied. Perhaps it was because he thought his father would be having a harder time than he was now.

Since some time ago, the light in the master bedroom had been on until 2 a.m. He didn’t know what he was doing until that time, but the light would only turn off after that time. And that time was the same time he turned off the lights.

At first, he thought it was a coincidence, but as time passed, he realized it wasn’t a coincidence.

“Take this.”

“What is this?”

What his father handed him was an old fountain pen. The part where his fingertips touched was so old that the color had faded.

“Writing is… no, I was about to say something useless again. If you’re going to Seoul tomorrow, go to bed early today. And eat this before going to bed tomorrow evening. You’ll be able to find stability when you take the exam. There’s nothing to resemble…”

His father smiled briefly in the middle of his words.

Tap tap.

Then he lightly tapped Lee Soo-hyuk’s shoulder and left the room.

Shortly after.

Lee Soo-hyuk held a fountain pen and a sedative in his hand.

The day he found out that his father’s dream was to be a writer, he felt strangely good. He didn’t realize that resembling his father was such a good thing.

And today, he learned another new fact.

He also resembled his father in that he was nervous before exams. He didn’t know how his father knew and even prepared a sedative, but that didn’t matter.

What mattered was his father’s expression. The smile on his father’s lips when he handed him the sedative a little while ago. That smile kept popping into his head, and he couldn’t help but smile.

“Cough!”

Lee Soo-hyuk suddenly started laughing ‘cough cough’.

***

Some time later.

Two banners were hung at the school gate.

-Kim Hyun-sung Passed Korea University, Department of Business Administration

-Lee Soo-hyuk Passed Yonsei University, Department of Korean Language and Literature

The whole village was in a festive mood. It was the first time since the school was founded.

The mayor took the lead and held a village festival, and his father donated 10 pigs to the village festival.

Lee Jung-woo’s mother, Shin Myung-soon, couldn’t stand still and cooked ramen for the villagers for free for three days. The line to eat ramen stretched for 100 meters, but no one complained.

Then one day.

Three people appeared in front of Korea University Hospital.

“Today is Jung-woo’s surgery date, right?”

Lee Soo-hyuk asked, looking at Hyun-sung.

“Yes, I just talked to his mother. She said that the surgery ended two hours ago and he returned to his hospital room, so if we go in now, the anesthesia will have worn off.”

“Of course, the surgery went well, right?”

Kim Il-soo asked worriedly, holding chicken in both hands.

Then Hyun-sung nodded again and said,

“Yes, the doctor said it went very well. And he said that he will start rehabilitation therapy in two weeks.”

“So soon?”

“Fortunately, he’s still young, so he’ll adapt quickly. He said that he might be able to walk normally by May at the latest.”

Kim Il-soo smiled brightly and nodded.

Then Lee Soo-hyuk looked at the bag Hyun-sung was carrying and asked,

“What’s that bag?”

“Books.”

“Books?”

“Yes, Jung-woo specifically asked me to buy him some past exam papers for the civil service exam. Five years’ worth.”

“Five years’ worth?”

“He said he’s going to study properly this time while he’s in the hospital. And his hospital room is a private room. His father took special care of it.”

Lee Soo-hyuk opened his mouth immediately as if he was surprised.

“Wow! A private room at Korea University Hospital must be very expensive… His uncle is amazing. When you think about it, he’s so good that I don’t even think of him as his stepfather.”

“His father was the one who found out about Jung-woo’s surgery. It’s something that ordinary people can’t do. Hey, we don’t have time to be doing this. We have to go to Jung-woo quickly.”

“Yes, yes. That guy will be sulking if we don’t come. Let’s go quickly.”

The three of them hurried towards the hospital room as if they had made a promise.

10 minutes later.

Knock knock.

Even though it was a private room, they knocked first.

-Yes.

Even if you only heard it briefly, you could hear Lee Jung-woo’s voice from inside.

When they opened the door and went inside, Lee Jung-woo, who was in bed, raised his hand.

“Here…”

His voice was still weak. But from his smiling expression, you could tell at a glance how long he had been waiting.

“How are you?”

Hyun-sung asked, holding his hand.

Then Lee Jung-woo nodded slightly and said,

“Good!”

“Doesn’t it hurt?”

When Kim Il-soo asked with a worried expression, Lee Jung-woo nodded slightly again.

“Yes, as you can see, I keep getting painkillers with the IV [intravenous drip], so I don’t know if it hurts. They said I’ll keep getting painkillers until tomorrow afternoon.”

There were IVs and other unknown things hanging from the head of the bed.

“What about eating?”

When Lee Soo-hyuk asked, Lee Jung-woo shook his head slightly.

“I can’t eat yet. The nurse told me to eat when gas comes out.”

“Gas?”

“Yes, they said that gas has to come out after surgery. They didn’t explain the reason, but they just told me not to eat anything until gas comes out.”

Hyun-sung, remembering his past life, explained, “Carbon dioxide gas is injected to secure the field of vision during surgery. If this carbon dioxide gas remains in the body after the surgery, it causes gas pain, so gas discharge after surgery is important.”

Hyun-sung looked around the hospital room and asked,

“Where’s your mother?”

“Yes, she said she went out a little while ago because you guys were coming. She said there’s nothing to eat here at the hospital, so she’s going to buy something to eat at a big supermarket.”

“Why would she go that far… And this is the 5 years’ worth of 9th grade civil servant past exam questions you asked for.”

“Oh! Thank you. Anyway, I have nothing to do while I’m in the hospital, so I’m going to study. And I’m going to take the exam this fall.”

“In the fall?”

“Yes, I looked it up and there’s an exam in October. Of course, it’ll be difficult because it’s my first time, but I’m still going to give it a try!”

There was a serious look in Lee Jung-woo’s eyes. He said it was difficult, but he seemed to have made up his mind.

Knowing that encouragement was needed in times like this, Hyun-sung’s voice also gained strength.

“Good! If you’re going to do it, do it right! You can do it!”

“It’s just practice, why are you going so far…”

“Why, there’s a saying that practice is like real and real is like practice. So let’s do it right this time!”

“Anyway, you’re all talk…”

Lee Jung-woo nodded slightly with a strange expression.

Then he immediately pointed to the locker and said,

“Hyun-sung, please bring me what’s in there.”

“Oh? Oh, okay.”

Hyun-sung took the box from the locker and brought it to Lee Jung-woo.

Then Lee Jung-woo opened the box and took something out and handed it to Kim Il-soo.

“Il-soo, this is a gift.”

“A gift? What is this?”

Kim Il-soo tilted his head and tore open the wrapping paper to check the contents. What came out of the wrapping paper was none other than an apron.

Kim Il-soo’s mouth automatically opened.

“This is…”

“It’s nothing special, but it’s my heart. Wear it when you cook. And be a great chef!”

Lee Jung-woo’s words were full of strength.

It was a new look. It was another look that he had never seen before. The image of Lee Jung-woo, who was always shrinking and hiding behind in his past life, could not be found anywhere.

When Kim Il-soo tried to say something, Lee Jung-woo raised his hand to cut him off and took something out of the box and handed it to Lee Soo-hyuk.

“Take it!”

“What is this?”

“A fountain pen. Congratulations on getting into Yonsei, and please write good articles. If a book comes out later, contact me immediately. I’ll run to the bookstore right away.”

“Hey, Lee Jung-woo!”

“That’s enough, you bastard. Let’s not talk too much about this between men. And Kim Hyun-sung!”

Lee Jung-woo looked at Hyun-sung this time.

Gulp.

Hyun-sung swallowed dry saliva without realizing it. Wouldn’t it be rude not to expect anything in this atmosphere?

Lee Jung-woo opened his mouth immediately.

“Our hope, Kim Hyun-sung! I have so much to say to you. So I wrote a few words. Here, take it.”

“Oh? This is…”

What Lee Jung-woo handed him was a white envelope. But it was surprisingly thick. It seemed to contain at least 5 sheets of paper.

When Hyun-sung tried to say something, he raised his hand again to block Hyun-sung’s mouth. Then he asked immediately.

“Have you finished registering for Korea University?”

“Oh? No…”