Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 365

365

-From the School Cafeteria to a Chinese Restaurant.

The change Son Minho showed wasn’t just that.

It happened when I had just finished eating Jajangmyeon [Korean-Chinese noodle dish with black bean sauce] and arrived at school.

Son Minho looked at Hyunseong and said,

“Shall we go somewhere together?”

“Pardon? Where are you talking about?”

“You’ll know when you get there.”

Son Minho took Hyunseong in his car and drove to a bookstore in downtown Gangneung.

Hyunseong got out of the car and asked,

“Isn’t this Myeongdong Bookstore?”

These days, there aren’t many bookstores, but back then, there were quite a few. Among them, Myeongdong Bookstore was the largest in Gangneung. As a result, many students often chose Myeongdong Bookstore as their meeting place.

Son Minho entered the bookstore and headed to a corner as if he were familiar with the place. It was where test preparation books for various state exams, including the civil service exam, were displayed.

“Why are we here?”

Hyunseong asked in a small voice.

Then, Son Minho smiled at Hyunseong and said,

“I’m going to make an investment.”

“An investment?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

That was the end of Son Minho’s answer. Then he immediately started picking out books.

Even at this point, Hyunseong didn’t know what Son Minho meant by ‘investment.’

“That’ll be 250,000 won [approximately $200 USD].”

“Here you go.”

Hyunseong couldn’t help but tilt his head, watching Son Minho hand over his card to the employee as if it were nothing.

He was usually notoriously stingy when it came to money. Even today, while eating Jajangmyeon at a Chinese restaurant instead of the school cafeteria, he acted as if he had made a big decision. His spending habits were so well-known among the professors.

But when he paid for the books a moment ago, his expression was completely different from his usual self.

However, it wasn’t a situation where he could ask the reason, so he just watched him pay.

It was then.

“Study hard!”

Son Minho said, looking at Hyunseong after finishing the calculation. In front of him were three large cardboard boxes stacked up. Since the books he bought were all thick, they couldn’t help but be bulky.

But what surprised Hyunseong wasn’t the volume of the books, but Son Minho’s words.

“Pardon? What do you mean?”

“I said study hard.”

“Yes, but what do you mean? Could it be that these books…”

“I told you earlier. I’m going to make an investment.”

Only then did Hyunseong realize what Son Minho meant when he said he would invest when he first entered the bookstore.

“Professor!”

Hyunseong called Son Minho seriously before starting the car.

Then, Son Minho smiled and replied,

“Isn’t there too much strength in your voice?”

“Wouldn’t it be weirder if there wasn’t?”

“Haha…”

Son Minho laughed lightly.

Then Hyunseong immediately continued,

“I won’t let you down.”

I didn’t want to say anything else. Sometimes many words are unnecessary. When you talk too much, it can actually interfere with conveying your feelings. I felt like this was one of those times.

In a way, it’s an absurd situation. A student who just entered college is saying that he will take the certified public accountant exam in a year. But what’s even more absurd is that he believed such a student and immediately took him to a bookstore and bought all the test preparation books needed for the exam.

Not just anyone can do that. It’s something you can never do without absolute trust, and Son Minho, who is sitting next to him, has done that for Hyunseong himself.

Bow.

Hyunseong bowed his head with sincerity.

It was then.

Tap tap!

Son Minho lightly tapped Hyunseong’s shoulder.

Vroom!

The car that came out of Myeongdong Bookstore headed towards Gangsang University with vigor.

***

A few days later.

It was when I had just come out of the department office.

The department representative, Kim Myungwoo, saw Hyunseong passing by and said,

“Hyunseong, perfect timing.”

“Why, what’s wrong?”

“Make some time this Saturday.”

“Saturday?”

At that moment, something flashed through Hyunseong’s mind.

‘A blind date?’

I didn’t remember the exact date, but I remembered going on a blind date around this time.

Hyunseong pretended not to know and asked.

“What’s going on?”

“I’m going to have a blind date with the German language and literature students, you’re coming too, right?”

As expected, my memory was correct.

‘What should I do?’

Hyunseong was momentarily troubled. But that trouble didn’t last long. After all, a blind date is also part of college life and a privilege that can only be enjoyed at that time. Even though I’ve regressed, there’s no reason to give up that privilege.

Hyunseong nodded.

“Okay.”

“Okay, then I’ll proceed.”

“Is it 5 on 5?”

Hyunseong asked, recalling his past memories.

Then, Kim Myungwoo tilted his head in surprise and asked.

“Huh? How did you know?”

“What do you mean, know? I just guessed.”

“I was surprised that you really knew in advance. Okay, I’ll let you know the time and place as soon as they are decided.”

With those words, Kim Myungwoo disappeared.

Hyunseong couldn’t help but smile as he watched Kim Myungwoo’s disappearing back.

If I remember correctly, the time will be 12 o’clock on Saturday, and the place will be a coffee shop called ‘Biche.’ It was my first and last blind date in college, so the memories of that time came flooding back.

As a result, one person’s name naturally came to mind.

-Lee Eunji.

A German language and literature student I met as a partner on a blind date.

“Are we meeting again like this?”

A strange smile spread across Hyunseong’s lips.

Grumble.

Looking at the clock, it was just past 12 o’clock.

“I knew I was hungry.”

Hyunseong headed to the school cafeteria. Then someone called from behind.

“Hyunseong.”

I turned around and it was Jo Youngmin.

“Oh, Youngmin. Have you had lunch?”

“No, not yet. I was actually looking for you to have lunch with.”

“Really? That’s good. Let’s go quickly.”

“Let’s go eat Jajangmyeon instead of the school cafeteria today. I’ll treat you today since I’ve been getting treated every day.”

“What are you talking about? What do you mean by getting treated? We just ate together.”

“No, you should say what you mean even if your mouth is crooked [a Korean idiom meaning to be honest]. Actually, I’ve been treated a lot. And not only that…”

“Hey, stop it and let’s go eat whatever we want quickly. I’m hungry.”

Hyunseong deliberately cut off Jo Youngmin’s words. Otherwise, I thought I would keep hearing embarrassing words.

In fact, it is true that I deliberately took care of Jo Youngmin.

Back then, the reasons why students came to Gangsang University were almost similar. Of course, Hyunseong himself was no exception.

That’s because it was a national university.

The tuition was about 1/3 of that of private universities. As such, there were many students who were not well off.

Jo Youngmin was one of them. So I paid extra attention to him.

It was when the two were leaving the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and heading to the Chinese restaurant.

“Hyunseong.”

Someone called from behind.

I turned around and it was Choi Minyong. He was the guy who got into trouble with the teaching assistant, Min Sooyeon, at the orientation party. And Kim Sooyong was standing next to him.

Double leeches.

That’s what I called those two back then.

“Oh, why?”

“Where are you going?”

“To eat lunch.”

“Really!”

As expected, I could feel Choi Minyong and Kim Sooyong’s eyes sparkling. They are guys who prowl around like hyenas trying to get a free lunch whenever it’s lunchtime.

It was the same in my past life.

I didn’t know how bad it was back then, so I suffered a lot.

But now that I know their true colors, I won’t be fooled like a pushover like before.

As expected, Choi Minyong opened his mouth again.

“Can we come with you?”

“Of course!”

Hyunseong said with a smile, even nodding his head.

Then Choi Minyong and Kim Sooyong exchanged glances and opened their mouths at the same time as if they had made a promise.

“Thank you!”

“Huh? What for?”

“Huh? That, that’s…”

“What are you thankful for?”

Hyunseong asked again, pretending not to know anything.

Then the two people’s reactions were funny.

The first to speak was always the talkative Choi Minyong.

“Huh? You said we could come with you?”

“Of course, it’s not like we rented out the restaurant, and I can’t stop you from going there on your own feet, right?”

“Huh? That’s what it was. I thought it was something else…”

“What else could it be? What else could there be?”

“Huh? Ah, no…”

Even the talkative Choi Minyong had no choice but to shut his mouth as if he couldn’t help it.

Then Kim Sooyong, who was next to him, immediately stepped forward, judging that this wouldn’t work.

“We don’t have money for lunch today…”

It was blatant. This is Kim Sooyong’s way. Stone-faced. I don’t understand why I have to eat lunch while doing this, but strangely, this method worked back then.

And this method will continue until the end of the first year, changing the target. First, it’s a department friend, then a senior, and then club seniors.

“Only today?”

Since I’ve already made up my mind, Hyunseong didn’t back down either. If I don’t get rid of the habit from the beginning, these guys’ dirty demands will continue in the future.

Kim Sooyong flinched at Hyunseong’s straight ball [direct approach].

“Huh?”

“You don’t have it only today?”

“Huh? That’s…”

“You won’t have it tomorrow either. The day after tomorrow, and the day after that, right?”

Hyunseong was determined to push it. In fact, these guys’ problems don’t end here. What’s even worse is that after some time, they start touring the boarding houses like a traveling performance. In short, they were super leeches to the point where there were no leeches like this.

However, it wasn’t like other students who had difficult family circumstances. They were covered in makers [brand-name clothing] from shoes to their whole body.

So much so that later, there was no one in other departments who didn’t know these two people. It’s the same now as it was back then, and I still don’t understand these two guys.

Hyunseong looked at the two people one by one and said.

“Don’t do that anymore.”

“Huh? Uh…”

“Youngmin, let’s go.”

“Huh? Oh, okay.”

Jo Youngmin tilted his head and started following Hyunseong.

The two people left behind after Hyunseong and Jo Youngmin left.

Choi Minyong looked at Kim Sooyong and said.

“Hey, what’s wrong with that bastard?”

“I’m telling you. What kind of bastard is that?”

“Did he already realize our identity?”

“That doesn’t make sense? It’s just the beginning, how…”

“They say that bastard is the top student in the whole school, so did he also learn mind reading?”

“Hey, no way…”

It was then.

The sophomore class representative was passing by over there.

The two started running towards that place as if they had made a promise.

“Senior~~~.”

The two people arrived at the Chinese restaurant.

As soon as they finished ordering, Jo Youngmin looked at Hyunseong and asked.

“What happened?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re so different from your usual self?”

“Have you ever heard this saying? If you get fooled once, the other person is a bad guy, but if you get fooled twice, the person who gets fooled is an idiot.”

“Huh? That’s… But why?”

“Just because…”

Hyunseong just smiled.