Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 353

The truck Hyun-sung was in sped out of Chodang Tofu Village and cruised along Gyeongpo Lake. Though it was winter, and the roadside trees were dusted with snow from a few days prior, this road would soon burst with cherry blossoms in the spring.

Driving this road evokes a single feeling:

Ecstasy!

Pure, unadulterated ecstasy.

Swish.

He lowered the driver’s side window, and the wind rushed in, feeling more invigorating than cold.

A strange sensation washed over him, realizing he was driving through this place again, a place that had only existed as a memory for the past thirty years.

But only for a moment.

“Great!”

Hyun-sung exclaimed.

Who cares about the past? The important thing is he got another chance. It hasn’t even been two years since he regressed [time-traveled], but so much has already changed.

The most rewarding change is his parents’ secure life. In his previous life, they suffered endlessly, trapped by poverty. Now, they have a comfortable new house and ample land.

They won’t have to struggle until their dying days like before. Seeing them smile more fills his heart with joy.

And significant changes have rippled outwards, affecting the people around him.

First, there’s Park Hee-chul. In his previous life, Park Hee-chul was practically an enemy, but now he’s his closest friend, even hosting his wedding. This transformation was possible because Hee-chul turned over a new leaf after Hyun-sung saved his life – a direct result of his regression.

Then there are his friends.

First of all, Kim Il-soo.

He was the friend who always scammed others, even after graduation. But he’s found his passion, and at this very moment, he’s sweating it out in a cooking school in Seoul, chasing his dream.

Next is Lee Jung-woo.

The biggest change is that he escaped Kim Il-soo’s bullying back in school. He’s diligently working on his writing, pursuing his goals while undergoing treatment in the hospital. More importantly, he’ll be able to walk almost normally with just two more months of rehabilitation.

Smirk.

Hyun-sung couldn’t help but smile, picturing Lee Jung-woo walking with ease.

And then there’s Lee Soo-hyuk.

They weren’t particularly close in his previous life. But they connected this time around, studying together until just two days before the university entrance exam.

He’d only heard that Soo-hyuk couldn’t get into college before and was retaking the exam. But this time, he confidently passed Yonsei University. He even majored in Korean Language and Literature to pursue his dream. There will be a day when he buys and reads a book with Soo-hyuk’s name on it, though he doesn’t know when that will be.

And finally, there’s his younger sister, Kim Ji-yeon.

In her previous life, she had to abandon her dream and attend a vocational high school because of Hyun-sung’s circumstances. But now, she’s steadily progressing towards her goal of becoming a teacher. She won’t have to shed tears over a dream deferred.

Park Hee-chul, his friends, and even his younger sister – all these changes are a direct result of Hyun-sung’s regression. And all within a short span of less than two years.

And now, a new beginning, starting university life again.

“Hoo!”

Hyun-sung took a deep breath, a mix of nervousness and excitement.

It was an expression of his determination and confidence, and the anticipation for the changes to come made his heart race.

Vroom!

Hyun-sung pressed down on the accelerator.

The truck passed Ojukheon [a famous historic house] after leaving Gyeongpo Lake. Back then, this was the only entrance to Gangsang University. It wasn’t until a few years later that a new entrance was opened in front of the school. That’s why he participated in demonstrations every day during his freshman year, protesting the lack of convenient access.

After finishing his freshman year, he was discharged from the army and returned to school, and the new entrance was under construction. That meant he had to wait at least three more years.

A little further on, he saw the Munseong High School sign. And as soon as he rounded the curve, a hill came into view. Once he crested this hill, he’d be able to see Gangsang University in all its glory.

“Hehe!”

He was unconsciously nervous.

Of course, he’d been here a month ago to take the entrance exam, but this felt different.

Squeak.

As soon as he reached the top of the hill, he hit the brakes.

The towering sculpture at the main gate came into view in the distance.

Old memories flashed through his mind like a panorama.

Vroom!

After gazing at the school for a moment, Hyun-sung stepped on the accelerator again.

He drove down the hill and immediately turned the steering wheel to the left. After passing through the underpass, a particular house stood out.

It was a blue gate house nestled right at the foot of the mountain.

It was where he lived until he finished his fourth year in his previous life. He lived there for three years, from his sophomore year after being discharged from the army to the second semester of his fourth year.

The reason he stayed in one place for three years was simple: the landlady was exceptionally kind to him, treating him like her own son.

At first, he didn’t understand why.

But later, a week before the end of the second semester of his fourth year, he found out the truth.

It was because his eyes reminded her so much of her deceased son. The landlady cried that day as she told him the story.

After that emotional farewell, he only returned once, about two years later. And that was the end. His own lack of effort, an inadequacy he couldn’t excuse, given the harsh realities of life.

Step, step.

Hyun-sung, having parked in the vacant lot, hurried towards the blue gate house.

He stopped in front of the gate, a slight smile already playing on his lips.

“To come here again…”

Step.

Hyun-sung immediately stepped inside the gate. It was always open, so there was no need to knock.

That’s when it happened.

Someone emerged from the kitchen.

Han Su-jin.

It was the landlady.

Even though he had traveled back more than thirty years, he recognized her instantly.

Well, it would be strange if he didn’t, after all the time they’d spent together.

“Hello!”

Hyun-sung’s voice was filled with joy. But he quickly realized that this feeling was entirely one-sided.

“Yes, but who are you…?”

Unlike Hyun-sung’s welcoming greeting, Han Su-jin simply stared at him, tilting her head in confusion.

Why wouldn’t she be confused? A stranger was expressing overwhelming joy as if meeting a long-lost friend after decades.

But Hyun-sung didn’t let it deter him and continued.

“Ah, I’m here to inquire about a room. Do you have any vacancies?”

“Oh, really? I thought you knew me, since you greeted me so enthusiastically,” Han Su-jin said with a smile.

Hyun-sung smiled in return and replied, “Haha, I guess I did that because you have such a kind face.”

“Hoho, you’re quite the charmer. What year are you in?”

“I’m a freshman this year.”

“A freshman?”

Han Su-jin tilted her head and scrutinized Hyun-sung.

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

“No, it’s not that, but the way you speak is a bit… I interact with students often, but you don’t quite seem like a freshman.”

“Haha, do I seem like an old man? I hear that sometimes.”

Hyun-sung smiled, preempting Han Su-jin’s unspoken thought. He couldn’t help it; the habits of his previous life surfaced without him realizing it. That’s why Park Hee-chul, Chairman Shin Chun-oh, and even his friends sometimes teased him for acting like an old man.

Han Su-jin smiled lightly at Hyun-sung’s response and said, “You said you were looking for a room?”

“Yes, you don’t mean there aren’t any, do you?”

“There is one, but it’s a bit large for one person… would that be alright?” Han Su-jin asked with a slightly worried expression.

Hyun-sung nodded, as if he already knew, and immediately said, “The room at the very end, right?”

“Huh? How do you know?”

Han Su-jin looked at Hyun-sung with surprise.

There were a total of five rooms. Four of them were two *pyeong* [approx. 6.6 square meters] and identical, while only the room at the end was 4.5 *pyeong* [approx. 14.9 square meters] with a more spacious kitchen. That’s why that room was usually shared by two or three people. Of course, the rent was twice as expensive as the other rooms.

But what surprised Han Su-jin was that a student she had never met before knew the location of the room.

Then Hyun-sung quickly explained, “I heard about it at the supermarket down the street. That’s why I came here. And here, this is for you.”

Hyun-sung made up the excuse about the supermarket and handed Han Su-jin the box of soy milk he was holding.

For now, it was the least he could do to express his gratitude from his previous life. He considered other gifts, but he chose soy milk, thinking that anything else might be too much of a burden for their first meeting.

But he soon realized that this was just his own assumption.

Han Su-jin’s reaction far exceeded his expectations.

“No! Why this?”

“You shouldn’t do this…!”

“What money do you have!”

Han Su-jin repeated three times in a row.

Hyun-sung smiled and said, “It’s a bribe, hoping you’ll take good care of me in the future.”

“A bribe?”

“Yes, so please give me side dishes sometimes.”

“Side dishes?”

“Yes, and wake-up calls too.”

“Wake…up calls?”

“And…”

Hyun-sung trailed off.

Han Su-jin immediately asked, as if curious, “And?”

“I’m giving you my heart, hoping you’ll think of me as your own child because I’ll think of you as my mother in the future.”

“Hoho, did you just say ‘mother’?”

“Yes, Mo. Ther!”

Hyun-sung deliberately enunciated ‘mother’ one syllable at a time.

In fact, these weren’t Hyun-sung’s original words. These were the words Han Su-jin had said to him in his previous life. The side dishes were the same, and the wake-up calls were also something Han Su-jin had done for him.

That’s how special their relationship had been.

“Hoho, hohoho…”

Han Su-jin suddenly started laughing.

The surprised look from a moment ago had vanished. Instead, her face was filled with amusement.

She looked at Hyun-sung and asked, “What’s your name?”

“Kim Hyun-sung.”

“Kim Hyun-sung…?”

“Yes, Kim Hyun-sung. But why?”

“Maybe majoring in… management?”

Han Su-jin looked at Hyun-sung with wide eyes.

Hyun-sung immediately asked, “Huh? How did you know I was majoring in management…?”

“Is that right?” Han Su-jin pointed at Hyun-sung before he could finish speaking.

Hyun-sung was surprised.

“Yes? What is it?”

“The valedictorian! I’m talking about the overall valedictorian! I heard that this year’s Gangsang University’s overall valedictorian came from the Department of Management. And the name was definitely Kim Hyun-sung. Am I right?”

“Yes? Ah, yes…”

Hyun-sung was momentarily embarrassed.

Of course, she might be interested because she lived near the school. But it was surprising that she accurately remembered the major and name of a student who was the overall valedictorian, even though she wasn’t a student herself.

Then Han Su-jin continued, “Are you really that Kim Hyun-sung who was the overall valedictorian?”

“…Yes.”

Hyun-sung scratched his head helplessly and nodded.

Han Su-jin immediately exclaimed, “Oh my! How could this happen…”

“But how do you remember that name?”

“My son told me a few days ago.”

“Your son…?”

Hyun-sung doubted his ears. In his previous life, Han Su-jin’s son had died in an accident on a graduation trip.

But a son…

That’s when it happened.

Bang.

Someone came out of the room as the door opened.