Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 36

“My mom treated us to a celebration because we became landowners. Haha……”

“What are you talking about?”

“It’s a long story. If you’re curious, ask Mom. Anyway, I feel great today.”

Kim Ji-yeon was dumbfounded. Whatever the reason, a student drinking alcohol wasn’t right. But she couldn’t be bothered to nag him.

Perhaps that’s why Kim Ji-yeon’s words came out so curt.

“What?”

“Are you talking down to me?”

“Just get to the point.”

Hyeon-seong glanced at Kim Ji-yeon and handed over a bankbook. He knew all too well that actions speak louder than words right now.

He had made a mistake once by rushing ahead, but Hyeon-seong wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.

Kim Ji-yeon widened her eyes and asked,

“What is this?”

“My answer!”

Kim Ji-yeon accepted the bankbook in a daze. Then, she slowly flipped through it. The bankbook contained a little over one million won [Korean currency, roughly equivalent to $800 USD at the time].

It was an unimaginable amount.

Kim Ji-yeon hurriedly asked again.

“What is this?”

“I said, it’s my answer.”

“Oppa [term for older brother used by females in Korean], stop joking around and tell me straight.”

“I was sorry last time, so I prepared properly this time. I earned it through honest labor, so don’t worry.”

He felt grateful to his father again.

If his father hadn’t left it to him, this situation wouldn’t have been possible. If that were the case, Hyeon-seong’s shoulders would still be heavy.

Kim Ji-yeon still couldn’t come to her senses.

It wasn’t just a few pennies, but a whopping one million won. She couldn’t understand how her brother had so much money.

Honest labor?

The ridiculousness of it made her angry.

Kim Ji-yeon asked again.

“Don’t just gloss over it. Explain it in detail so I can understand.”

“I told you, Oppa earned it.”

“Really?”

Kim Ji-yeon’s glare was no joke. It seemed impossible to just brush it off.

“Actually, Oppa……”

Hyeon-seong began to tell Kim Ji-yeon what had happened. Starting from the story of dreaming and going to the mountain to dig up wild ginseng, to the story of his father leaving him money today.

Of course, he omitted what needed to be omitted and added what needed to be added to finish it briefly.

When Hyeon-seong finished speaking, Kim Ji-yeon asked.

“Is that true?”

“Of course. So, please, cheer up.”

“So, you’re saying you’re giving me all this money?”

“That should be enough for tuition until you graduate high school. It will cover living expenses to some extent. If it’s not enough later, we can figure it out then. So, stop worrying about me and decide on your career path.”

Kim Ji-yeon listened to Hyeon-seong, and there was something she didn’t understand.

Of course, she had many worries. She wanted to study, but she was worried about her brother. She knew the family’s financial situation better than anyone else.

No matter how she thought about it, she judged that it was impossible for both of them to attend high school together given their family situation.

And the real problem was if Hyeon-seong were to go to college. It was obvious that it would be impossible to handle.

So, what she was thinking was to go to a vocational high school instead.

The reason was simple.

If the school wrote a recommendation, tuition and dormitory would be free. Of course, she had consulted with her homeroom teacher and received a positive answer.

But how did her brother know all these worries?

She hadn’t told anyone.

It was a worry she had been suffering from alone.

How…….

“Oppa, how did you know?”

“Huh? Well…, I just guessed from looking at you.”

“Really?”

“Of course, Oppa is usually good at reading people.”

Hyeon-seong was slightly embarrassed. But what shines in times like this is the years he has lived. When there is no way to verify, pushing through is also a method.

Kim Ji-yeon checked the bankbook again.

No doubt.

With this money, high school is no problem.

College?

That’s a future problem. High school comes first.

She had a dream.

But she had given up on her dream.

Because of her brother. But now, thanks to that brother, she can dream again. How can this be…….

‘Ah!’

A dreamlike thing happened.

She thought everything was over. She thought even the last spark had been extinguished, but someone pulled that spark out again.

Then, they breathed life back into that spark.

Kim Ji-yeon gently placed her hand on her chest.

Then, she began to feel the strong beating of her heart. It was definitely more energetic than before.

Kim Ji-yeon looked at Hyeon-seong and carefully asked.

“Oppa, is it okay for me to really accept this?”

A moment of anxiety and nervousness washed over her. Even though she thought it wouldn’t be, she was anxious about what would happen if he said no, even if it was just in case.

As if knowing her heart, Hyeon-seong’s answer was cool.

“Of course!”

Haa!

It was the moment when a sigh of relief came out without her knowing.

Then, Hyeon-seong’s words followed immediately.

“Ji-yeon, do whatever you want from now on. From now on, this Oppa will take responsibility for my sister Ji-yeon.”

“Hehe…, thanks for just saying that.”

“You don’t believe me, do you?”

Pfft.

Kim Ji-yeon looked at Hyeon-seong and smiled.

‘Would you believe it if you were me?’ That was the look in her eyes. Well, from Kim Ji-yeon’s point of view, it would be more than enough.

Who would believe a high school student who says he will take responsibility for his younger sibling?

Hyeon-seong didn’t want to force it any further. It’s not a problem that can be solved by forcing it.

In the end, there will be no choice but to prove it with results.

At that time, Kim Ji-yeon opened her mouth again.

“Oppa, then I’m really taking this.”

“You already took it.”

“Is that so, hoho…….”

Thinking that she could dream again after giving up, she felt her heart beating faster. She had worried a lot and cried a lot.

But a dreamlike thing happened.

Was it because she was so happy?

Her eyes were burning.

Kim Ji-yeon thought she should leave this room quickly.

At that time, Hyeon-seong handed her something else. It was a ten thousand won bill [about $8 USD].

“What is this again?”

“Allowance.”

“Allowance?”

“It’s the first allowance I’m giving to my sister. But there’s a condition.”

At the word condition, Kim Ji-yeon looked at Hyeon-seong. Then, Hyeon-seong smiled and continued.

“Don’t save it.”

“What?”

Hyeon-seong just smiled instead of answering.

Kim Ji-yeon came out of the room and checked the bankbook again. Then, she held the bankbook tightly to her chest.

Now, the bankbook contains not just money, but her dream.

Kim Ji-yeon came out to the yard and looked at the sky. Already, countless stars were twinkling overhead.

“It’s the same.”

Come to think of it, she had forgotten about the stars in the sky since some time ago.

It must have been about half a year.

From the time she became a third-year middle school student, she had more and more worries, and from the moment she thought she had to give up her dream.

She looked at reality rather than dreams.

No one told her to. At some point, she realized that her family was poor.

It was from overhearing her mom and dad’s conversation by chance.

After that, she gradually began to forget about her dreams and the stars in the sky.

But when she looked at the sky again today, the stars were still there.

Stars that shine brighter in the dark.

But what about me?

Was I giving up on my dream too early?

I thought my brother came first. That’s why I did it…….

Even if I think about it again, I have no regrets about that part. It was just a sad reality.

“Let’s cheer up!”

Anyway, I can dream again. From now on, I will not give up. Because it’s my own life that no one else can live for me.

For my precious self!

Kim Ji-yeon looked at the stars in the sky and decided to dream of a sparkling tomorrow again.

After his younger sister Kim Ji-yeon left the room, Hyeon-seong lay down again.

For now, his sister’s career path problem has been solved. That young girl never thought that she was sacrificing herself because of Hyeon-seong.

He only found out about that fact after a lot of time had passed. After that, he felt like a sinner every time he saw his sister.

“Thank goodness.”

Only today was he able to let go of that feeling.

Hyeon-seong, who felt relieved, got up from his seat and sat in front of his desk.

Studying.

He has to do it anyway.

Hyeon-seong’s idea was to do it actively with a positive mind if he was going to do it anyway.

Hehe.

Hyeon-seong, who first strengthened his breathing, boldly pulled out the 2nd grade high school math textbook from the bookshelf. The reason he chose math was because it was the subject he was most confident in when he was in the 2nd grade of high school.

Of course, the reason was also because of teacher Choi Mi-yeon.

Whatever the reason…….

“Let’s see.”

Sharrack [onomatopoeia for turning pages].

Hyeon-seong began to turn the math textbook.

The room was quiet. Instead, sighs began to be heard occasionally.

And then time passed.

Hoo!

The sigh was deeper than before.

And after a while.

Clack!

Hyeon-seong closed the math book.

“I don’t know this stuff anymore.”

At first, he thought it would be okay after some time. Still, he thought that even if a lot of time had passed, he would still have some memory left because it was the subject he was most confident in.

But all of that was Hyeon-seong’s delusion.

It was then.

“Is Hyeon-seong there?”

He heard someone calling him from outside. He thought he knew who it was from the voice.

Hyeon-seong opened the door and came out.

“What brings you here?”

“What brings me here? I told you to come home, but you didn’t, so I had no choice but to come.”

Of course, Hyeon-seong also knew. Those were the last words Park Hee-cheol said when he dropped him off at school in the morning. But Hyeon-seong didn’t go because there was no need to go.

Park Hee-cheol’s words continued again.

“Come out for a moment.”

“Now?”

“Yes, let’s go somewhere for a while.”

After all, accepting the beef in the morning was a mistake. He could only regret that he couldn’t coldly refuse until the end.

He felt like once he got involved, he kept getting involved one after another.

But regret is always too late, no matter how early you do it.

“Just a moment.”

With those words, Hyeon-seong went to get dressed.

Who should he blame?

Perhaps when he pulled Park Hee-cheol off the bus, the wheel of fate had already started anew.

After all, weren’t both of them people who should have already passed away? Those two people met.

Park Hee-cheol looked at his mother, who was preparing dinner, and said.

“Sister-in-law, can I borrow Hyeon-seong for a moment……”

“Ah, ……yes.”

Just as Hyeon-seong and Park Hee-cheol were about to leave the yard, his mother’s words were heard from behind.

“Our Hyeon-seong likes meat……”

He took him out, so she’s telling him to buy him something to eat.

Come to think of it, it was a time when meat was very precious. He had hardly ever seen beef, and he remembered that his father would cut off a little pork only on market days.

The car that Hyeon-seong and Park Hee-cheol were riding in was leaving the village.

“Where are we going?”

“To eat meat.”

“Yes?”

“Didn’t you hear what your mother said a little while ago? Men should listen to women. Then there will be no problems.”

It was the moment when he thought of his wife Yoon Ji-soo.

Yoon Ji-soo always said similar things.

– If you listen to women, you’ll get lucky even while sleeping.

After living, he also realized that it’s not always the case. Anyway, he will have to go see his wife Yoon Ji-soo soon.