Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 401

402

After parting with Chairman Shin Chun-oh, Hyun-sung hailed a taxi.

He had initially declined Choi Jin-young’s offer to drive him to Gangneung. Strangely, both Chairman Shin Chun-oh and Choi Jin-young had insisted on it.

*One should know one’s place.* He might have come this far thanks to his regression, but acting like a chairman just because he was associating with one would be distasteful.

Having lived for over 50 years, with his share of hardships, he believed he could make that judgment properly.

He couldn’t blindly accept everything offered without discerning its value.

He chuckled softly.

A smile crept onto Hyun-sung’s face as he settled into the taxi.

Things had unfolded unexpectedly.

He never imagined Chairman Shin Chun-oh would make such a proposal—not a nuisance facility, as they say, but a ramen production factory.

The impact of a factory on the local economy would be significant.

Five years.

That was the timeframe he had promised Chairman Shin Chun-oh. All preparations had to be completed within five years, after which a Nongshim production factory would be established. If everything went according to plan, the area would develop beyond recognition in the next 10 years.

There would be drawbacks, but those could be mitigated in advance. Of course, complete prevention was impossible, but the impact could be lessened. This meant they wouldn’t avoid making soy sauce for fear of maggots [a Korean proverb meaning not to avoid a beneficial activity for fear of minor problems].

“Hehe!”

The thought made him look forward to the next 10 years. Perhaps that’s why he unconsciously took a deep breath.

At that moment, the taxi driver, who had been driving quietly, cautiously spoke, glancing at him.

“Excuse me, but may I ask you something?”

“Yes? Oh, yes, what is it?”

“The person who paid the taxi fare for you earlier, I was wondering if he was Chairman Shin of Nongshim.”

“Oh? You recognized him? Yes, that’s right. But why?”

Hyun-sung was curious about the taxi driver’s question. He wondered what kind of answer he would receive.

But then, the taxi driver said something unexpected.

“Are you perhaps his grandson?”

“Grandson?”

“Yes, the way the chairman looked at you earlier seemed like that to me.”

“Haha, is that so? We became connected by chance, but I’m not his grandson. But we’ve decided to live together from now on.”

“What? What does that mean…?”

“Oh, it’s just something like that.”

Hyun-sung chuckled. Even in his regressed life, he never imagined he would live with someone he didn’t know at all, especially the chairman of Nongshim.

‘Wait a minute.’

Hyun-sung had a question: How did the taxi driver recognize Chairman Shin Chun-oh so quickly?

Curious, Hyun-sung asked immediately.

“But how did you recognize the chairman right away?”

“I saw him on TV during the Gangneung flood last year. I was very impressed at the time. Other companies just sent supplies, but Nongshim used food trucks to directly cook ramen for the flood victims.”

“So, you saw him then…?”

“Yes, and these days, they’re also running food trucks across the country for people in need. Even if it’s for advertising, I think it’s much more valuable than just doing it on TV. That’s why I recognized him right away.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Yes, so if you ever see the chairman again, please tell him that it’s a really great thing he’s doing.”

“Yes, I understand. I will definitely tell him.”

Hyun-sung nodded, feeling pleased.

In fact, Hyun-sung himself had suggested that they directly cook ramen for the flood victims. He felt it wasn’t right to tell people who had lost their homes and had all their cooking utensils ruined to cook ramen for themselves.

Fortunately, Nongshim cooked ramen for them for two months until the flood victims returned home, as Hyun-sung had suggested.

And what was even more appreciated was what happened afterward. They didn’t return the food trucks to their original place but hired regular employees and operated the food trucks across the country for people in need.

Of course, he knew it was part of their marketing strategy for advertising, but the impact it had on society was significant—so much so that the taxi driver recognized the company’s chairman right away.

How much time had passed?

The taxi driver, having arrived in Gangneung, handed something to Hyun-sung.

“Take this with you.”

“What is this?”

“The chairman gave me too much for the taxi fare. Half of it is…”

“No, it’s right for you to receive it. Thank you for the long journey. Well, I’ll be going now… Drive carefully on your way back.”

“But still, this is…”

Hyun-sung quickly got out of the taxi. After talking to him for a few words on the way, he could tell what kind of mindset he had. He was someone who could share the pain of the flood victims and knew the suffering of those who were hungry.

He thought that someone like that deserved that kind of luck.

Even though the world was harsh, he thought that society was still warm because there were more people like that.

It was then.

A man in his 40s asked the taxi.

“Are you going to Seoul?”

“Yes! I am!”

The taxi driver’s voice was loud.

Hyun-sung smiled without realizing it.

‘Yes! Sometimes there has to be a day like this so that the taxi driver will feel like doing it.’

***

The next day.

Ring!

‘Huh? What time is it?’

Hyun-sung checked the clock while still drowsy. After checking the time, Hyun-sung jumped up from his seat. It was just past 12 o’clock.

He had arrived in Gangneung at midnight yesterday.

He roughly washed up and went straight to sleep, and it seemed like he had slept soundly as his fatigue and tension had been relieved.

Ring!

The phone rang again.

Hyun-sung, now fully awake, answered the phone right away.

“Hello?”

-Hyun-sung, it’s me.

The person who called was none other than Kim Il-soo.

“Oh, Il-soo.”

-Did you get down okay?

“Yeah, I arrived here at 12 o’clock. I must have been tired. I slept soundly until now.”

-Of course, you’d be tired. Am I waking you up for no reason while you’re sleeping?

“No, it’s time for me to wake up anyway. By the way, thank you so much for the lunch box. And I felt so good eating the lunch box. I never thought I’d eat a lunch box made by you.”

-What are you talking about? Of course, I should do that much. Who made me like this?

“Again with that… I that I…”

Hyun-sung swallowed what he was about to say. He didn’t think there was any point in constantly talking about that issue.

Anyway, what was important was that he had safely passed the Korean cuisine chef certification after overcoming difficult obstacles.

Of course, Hyun-sung had encouraged him to start, but it was Kim Il-soo himself who had done it to the end, no matter what anyone said.

For now, he was just proud and grateful for him.

Then, Kim Il-soo’s voice was heard again over the receiver.

-No, I’m only saying this now, but honestly, if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have been able to function as a human being and would have become human trash. I still feel dizzy just thinking about it. Haa…!

Kim Il-soo sighed at the end of his words.

It was true that that was Kim Il-soo’s appearance in his past life. He had committed fraud against his friends and school seniors and juniors even after graduating.

But that was already in the past, and he was no longer the Kim Il-soo of that time.

Hyun-sung put strength into his voice.

“Hey! Why are you saying that now? Don’t think about that anymore and just run forward excitedly. From now on, you’re a chef. You just have to live confidently and *meotjige* [coolly/stylishly]. Okay?”

-Okay, I got it. I’m really going to live *meotjige* from now on. Oh, and I got a vacation. So I’m going to go to my grandmother’s in a week. Can I see you then?

“Of course, I’m going to pack up here today and go home tomorrow. So call me as soon as you come home. I’ll go to your house. I have to see your grandmother too.”

-Oh, okay. I got it. My grandmother was asking about Dooyou student anyway. Then I’ll contact you when I go down there. I’m really grateful again. I’ll repay this favor for the rest of my life.”

He chuckled.

Hyun-sung smiled without realizing it.

Perhaps, in a way, he was grateful to Kim Il-soo for saying that.

Usually, there are more people who live with their own sense of self-importance.

So much so that there’s even a saying, ‘A frog forgets when it was a tadpole.’

Compared to that, Kim Il-soo’s case was basic. That’s why he was grateful to Kim Il-soo.

Hyun-sung continued with a smile on his face.

“Anyway… Okay, I got it. Repay me by living together for the rest of your life. And I’m going to charge interest for sure, so be prepared.”

-Yes, yes, boss. Just give me your orders…

Even after hanging up the phone, the smile on Hyun-sung’s face didn’t easily fade away.

He had become quite witty now. Anyway, Kim Il-soo had changed to the point where he couldn’t even be compared to his past life. He was also reliable because he had him.

Hyun-sung jumped up from his seat.

After a while.

After washing up and coming outside, Hyun-sung headed to the inner quarters where the landlady was. It was to say goodbye as tomorrow would be the last day here.

Hyun-sung called out Han Soo-jin in a loud voice.

“Mother!”

Han Soo-jin, who was in the room, opened the door and came out, welcoming Hyun-sung.

“Oh? When did you come? I waited until late yesterday…”

“I arrived in Gangneung after 12 o’clock. And I just woke up a little while ago because I was tired yesterday.”

“Of course, you’d be tired. You worked hard taking the exam. Have you eaten?”

“Not yet. Mother, haven’t you had lunch yet either?”

“Yeah, I was just about to eat now. Come in, let’s have lunch together.”

“No, I’m going to take Mother somewhere today. So hurry up and get ready and come out.”

Han Soo-jin initially refused, saying it was okay, but she came out, pretending to be unable to resist Hyun-sung’s repeated requests.

The place where Hyun-sung took Han Soo-jin in the truck was a garden restaurant near Ojukheon [a famous historical site and traditional Korean house].

“Isn’t this an expensive place?”

Han Soo-jin asked, looking at Hyun-sung as she got out of the truck.

“No, it’s not that expensive. I heard the meat here is delicious, so I wanted to come with Mother. So please eat a lot today.”

It was a garden-style restaurant that was popular at the time. In his past life, it was a place he couldn’t even think of coming to as a student.

The two people arrived at a room on the second floor, guided by the employee. The scenery overlooking from the second floor was quite charming. In particular, the water mill turning in the pond was the most eye-catching.

That was an era when it was spreading like a trend.

“Isn’t this beef?”

“Yes, that’s right. It’s sirloin, so it’ll be tender and delicious. So please eat a lot.”

“What money does a student have…?”

Han Soo-jin’s only concern was that the food was expensive, and her concern was growing as the meat she ordered was beef, not pork.

After much deliberation, Hyun-sung had no choice but to mention that he was running a ramen shop and how much his daily sales were.

It was a method he had no choice but to choose because he thought she would only worry about it throughout the meal if he didn’t.

When Hyun-sung’s explanation was over, Han Soo-jin stared at Hyun-sung’s face and asked.

“Is that true?”

“Yes, so please don’t worry about anything and eat comfortably.”

“I thought so…”

Han Soo-jin nodded.

In fact, she had been strange since she first saw Hyun-sung.

It was strange that he came in a car as a student, and what was even stranger was when he paid two years’ worth of rent at once.

Han Soo-jin looked at Hyun-sung and asked again.

“But is business really that good?”

“Yes, I was lucky. Well, Mother, stop talking about that and try this.”

Hyun-sung moved a piece of meat that was cooked just right in front of Han Soo-jin.

Then Han Soo-jin smiled and looked at Hyun-sung.

“Anyway, there’s no place to throw away [a Korean expression meaning someone is valuable or useful]. I’m only saying this now, but I’ve been so happy because Hyun-sung came to our house. But I feel so bad that you’re leaving…”

“We can see each other again next time. I’ll come again after I go to the army. So you have to stay healthy until then.”

Hyun-sung had no choice but to lie. He couldn’t be sure if he would re-enroll after being discharged.

But since there was still a lot of time left until then, he said that he would come after being discharged. He thought that was the way to comfort Han Soo-jin’s heart for now.

Was that heart communicated?

Han Soo-jin’s expression brightened.

“Is that really true? You have to come to our house even after you re-enroll.”

“Yes, Mother. So let’s eat meat now.”

“Yeah, okay. Hyun-sung, eat a lot too…”

Only then did Han Soo-jin start eating meat.

How much time had passed?

After drinking the *sujeonggwa* [Korean traditional cinnamon punch] that came out for dessert, Han Soo-jin looked at Hyun-sung and said.

“Today is the first time in my life that I’ve eaten such delicious meat. Thanks to Hyun-sung, I had a proper feast today.”

“I’m more grateful that you enjoyed it. Please stay healthy. And I’m leaving without seeing Min-seok hyung. Please tell him I’m sorry I left without seeing him when I come next time.”

“Yeah, okay. Speaking of Min-seok, I was really grateful at that time. If Hyun-sung hadn’t stopped the graduation trip at that time…”

Han Soo-jin shook her head as she spoke. She probably didn’t even want to imagine it.

Hyun-sung also felt relieved to see such Han Soo-jin. Otherwise, she would have been in pain for the rest of her life because of her child.

Hyun-sung gently took her hand.

“Mother, please be healthy and happy in the future.”

Tapping.

Han Soo-jin smiled, lightly tapping the back of Hyun-sung’s hand with one hand.

In his past life, he only remembered her painful appearance. But now, he was glad that he could capture her smiling appearance instead of that appearance.

Perhaps that’s why a smile was spreading on Hyun-sung’s face.