Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 361

361

A few days later.

After three days, Oh Jung-soo managed to get his motorcycle keys back from Min Soo-yeon, but only on the condition that he ‘never drinks and rides a motorcycle again.’

Leaving the assistant’s office, Oh Jung-soo looked at Hyun-sung, who was waiting outside, and asked,

“How did you know?”

“Know what?”

“That I was going to ride my motorcycle that day. I can’t figure it out. How did you know that in advance?”

“Just….”

Hyun-sung casually brushed off Oh Jung-soo’s question. There was no way to explain it with words since it was a memory from his past life. He thought it was best to gloss over it.

However, that was just Hyun-sung’s perspective.

Oh Jung-soo pressed him again.

“Are you really going to be like this?”

“Like what?”

“It doesn’t make sense, does it? We met for the first time that day, so how could you….”

“Hey, Oh Jung-soo!”

Hyun-sung called out his name loudly before Oh Jung-soo could finish speaking.

Oh Jung-soo’s eyes flickered for a moment.

“What? Why are you shouting?”

“Hey, do you think I can help but shout right now? And why does it matter how I knew? What if you had an accident, huh?”

Hyun-sung felt anger rising within him, perhaps because of his past life memories. He remembered Oh Jung-soo living with a prosthetic leg for the rest of his life because of one careless mistake.

But that was just Hyun-sung’s feeling.

“Hey, what’s wrong with you?”

“What do you mean, what’s wrong?”

“Why are you overreacting? Who said anything about causing an accident…? How long do you think I’ve been riding motorcycles?”

“You crazy bastard!”

“What?”

“Hey, get a grip. It can all be over in an instant. Think about your mother who’s all alone… Ah, no. Anyway, if you ever drink and ride a motorcycle again, you’re dead.”

Just then,

Someone tapped Hyun-sung and said,

“The supervising professor wants to see you.”

“Me?”

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know.”

The guy who delivered the message before heading into the department office was Jo Young-min. He was hard to get close to because he didn’t talk much.

He was a reliable guy with a strong will and always saw things through. He even stayed by his father’s side for three days during the funeral.

Hyun-sung smiled as he watched Jo Young-min disappear.

Then he immediately turned to Oh Jung-soo and said,

“Hey, I’m going to see the supervising professor, so wait for me in the department office with Young-min. Let’s have lunch together.”

“Young-min?”

“Yeah, that guy from just now.”

“Oh? Oh… okay.”

Hyun-sung turned and headed to the supervising professor’s office.

Left alone, Oh Jung-soo tilted his head, watching Hyun-sung disappear.

No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t understand. It had only been three days since they met. But the way he acted was so natural, as if they had known each other for a long time.

But even if he could chalk that up to his outgoing personality, what he still couldn’t understand was how he knew he was going to ride his motorcycle home that day. And what was even stranger was what he had said a little while ago.

-Think about your mother who’s all alone….

He stopped in the middle of his sentence, but he definitely said his mother was all alone. How could that make sense?

“Just what is that guy?”

Oh Jung-soo muttered to himself, watching Hyun-sung’s already disappeared back.

***

“You called for me?”

“Ah, yes. Come in. Would you like some ginger tea?”

“Ginger tea?”

Hyun-sung repeated Sohn Min-ho’s question without realizing it. The reason was simple: he was so different from the Sohn Min-ho he knew in his past life.

He was known as the epitome of solemnity among the department professors, so quiet and strict. So much so that students called him King Professor. (A derogatory nickname implying he was a ‘jerk’.)

That’s how unpopular Sohn Min-ho was among the students.

“If you don’t like ginger tea, there’s coffee too.”

“No, please give me ginger tea if possible. I like ginger tea.”

“Really? That’s unexpected. Young people usually don’t like the smell of ginger.”

“No, I actually like the spicy scent.”

That was true. That’s why his wife, Yoon Ji-soo, used to make ginger tea every fall in his past life. It was especially helpful for colds in the winter and boosting immunity in the spring, so drinking a cup in the morning and evening was like taking a tonic.

Pouring.

Sohn Min-ho poured hot water into a teacup and stirred it a few times with a small spoon, and the yellow color of the ginger immediately infused the water.

“Here, have some.”

“Yes, thank you. The color is so beautiful.”

“Beautiful?”

“Yes, I like the spicy scent, but I also like ginger tea because of this yellow color. Especially when I drink it in the spring like now, it feels like I’m drinking spring.”

“Haha, drinking spring… You’re a strange one.”

“Pardon?”

“Ah, no. I just meant it that way, so don’t misunderstand. I’m just saying that because you’re different from the other students.”

Sohn Min-ho waved his hand in the air as if he was sorry, elaborating on his words.

Hyun-sung smiled and brought the teacup that Sohn Min-ho had poured to his lips.

Slurp.

After taking a sip of ginger tea, Hyun-sung put down the teacup and looked at Sohn Min-ho.

“I’m asking just in case, but you don’t have a lot of heat in your body or a stomach disorder, do you?”

“Why are you asking that all of a sudden?”

“Ginger is mostly good, but it’s not good for people with a lot of internal heat or stomach problems.”

“Really?”

Sohn Min-ho’s voice suddenly grew louder as if he was surprised.

Hyun-sung immediately continued.

“Why? Do you have any problems?”

“No, it’s not serious, but I sometimes suffer from stomach ulcers.”

“You must be under a lot of stress. Do you have any bleeding or anything like that?”

“Not to that extent….”

Sohn Min-ho stared at Hyun-sung as he answered. Then he immediately asked.

“But how did you know all that at such a young age?”

“I just became interested and learned about it. If your stomach ulcer is severe, don’t drink it at all, and even if you don’t, it’s okay to drink it in moderation, only one or two cups a day. Everything in moderation, right?”

“Haha, is that so? I see, I see.”

Sohn Min-ho was just amazed.

He had been a little taken aback since Hyun-sung first said he liked ginger tea. Usually, young people avoid ginger tea itself because of the spicy taste of ginger. But he said he liked it because of that taste, so it was natural to think it was strange. But even though it was unique, he thought it could be a personal preference and tried to move on.

But what was surprising was his general knowledge of ginger.

It was hard to believe that the words came from the mouth of a young student who was only twenty years old, but he was so knowledgeable.

Sohn Min-ho looked at Hyun-sung again, simply amazed.

The moment the two men’s eyes met, Hyun-sung’s mouth opened again.

“By the way, what was the reason you called me…?”

“Oh? Oh, yes. I was just listening to you talk about ginger tea….”

Slurp.

Sohn Min-ho took a sip of the ginger tea in front of him, put down the teacup, and immediately continued.

“It’s nothing else, but no matter how much I think about it, I’m curious about you. I was going to try to ignore it, but I can’t understand it with my common sense. So I called you here because I wanted to hear it directly from your mouth.”

“Curious? What is it?”

“Um… It’s not something else, but your entrance exam score….”

After hesitating for a moment, Sohn Min-ho began to explain the reason he called Hyun-sung. His explanation went on for a long time, but the gist of the question was ultimately one:

-Why did you come to Gangsang University with that score?

He had expected this question to some extent anyway.

Usually, around 250 to 260 points, excluding the physical fitness test, is considered a top score for the entire Gangsang University. But in Hyun-sung’s case, it was 50 points higher than that, so it would be stranger if the supervising professor didn’t show interest.

Hyun-sung nodded and said as if it was nothing.

“That’s what you were curious about?”

“What’s with that expression? It’s as if you expected it, am I right?”

“Yes, honestly. And thank you.”

“Thank you?”

Sohn Min-ho stared at Hyun-sung. It was because he hadn’t expected those words from Hyun-sung.

Then Hyun-sung’s words continued.

“I’m thanking you for your interest.”

“Interest?”

“Yes, it’s a problem that could have been overlooked, but I’m grateful that you’re showing interest like this.”

“Well, it’s because your score is so outstanding. But I’m your supervising professor, so isn’t it natural?”

Of course. That’s right and it’s natural.

But in his past life, he didn’t. Even though he had a duty to take care of and guide the students with interest, he didn’t do that at all.

Neglect?

Indifference?

It wasn’t even that. If it was neglect and indifference, at least he wouldn’t have been hurt.

Ignore.

That was the image he projected as a supervising professor in his past life.

Reason?

Simple. It was a local university and a late application. In the end, he thoroughly ignored them, judging that the students’ skills were only that good.

It was what they often said, ‘What can you do?’

To him, the students of Gangsang University were just a means and tool for making a living, nothing more and nothing less.

Hyun-sung’s words continued.

“That’s what I’m saying.”

“Um? What do you mean?”

“I heard that there are professors who don’t do what they should be doing. So I’m thanking you, professor.”

“Haha, I feel a little strange… Well, anyway, can you tell me the reason why you came here now?”

“Yes, I have two reasons.”

He had already talked about it to some extent with the dean a while ago. Of course, that’s not all the reason, but if he added just one more thing to it, it would be perfect. Although that one thing was intentionally created.

Sohn Min-ho immediately asked, curious.

“Two reasons?”

“Yes, the first is the geographical location of Gangsang University. I personally like the sea….”

Hyun-sung began to repeat what he had said to the dean a while ago. As Hyun-sung’s explanation continued, Sohn Min-ho’s expression, which had been dumbfounded at first, gradually changed over time. And finally, when Hyun-sung’s explanation was over, he burst out laughing.

“Haha, hahaha… So you’re saying you came to Gangsang University because you wanted to drink makgeolli [Korean rice wine] by the sea on a rainy day?”

“Yes, that’s impossible at Korea University.”

“Haha, really… Well, let’s say that’s the case, what’s the second reason?”

“It’s because of you, professor.”

Of course, it’s a lie. But it was an answer given based on the judgment that he had to use him to prevent students from being ignored as they were in his past life.

But Sohn Min-ho, who had no way of knowing that, couldn’t help but be surprised.

“Me? Are you saying it’s because of me now?”

“Yes, that’s right. It was because of you, professor.”

“No, what is this….”

Sohn Min-ho was speechless for a moment. Even at first glance, this didn’t make sense. In all the world, which student chooses a school because of a professor?

If he wasn’t curious, it would be a lie.

Was that why?

Sohn Min-ho poured the last remaining ginger tea into his mouth at once as if his mouth was dry, and then immediately asked.

“Okay, what’s the reason?”

“That’s….”