Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 405

As Hyun-sung got out of the truck and approached, Chairman Shin Chun-oh spoke first.

“Did the Buddha come?”

“Pardon? Chairman, what are you suddenly talking about?”

“No, someone told me. They said you were in the palm of Buddha’s hand.”

Chuckle.

At the end of Chairman Shin Chun-oh’s words, Secretary Kim Yeo-woo, who was next to him, covered her mouth and started laughing.

Then, Hyun-sung asked again.

“Secretary, what’s going on?”

“Huh? Well, that’s…….”

Secretary Kim Young-woo began to explain why Chairman Shin Chun-oh called Hyun-sung Buddha. As his explanation continued, Hyun-sung burst into laughter before long.

Then, Chairman Shin Chun-oh, who was watching the scene, asked immediately.

“How did you know? That I would come down…….”

“Ah, anyone who knows the Chairman could have predicted that, right?”

“You could have predicted it?”

“Yes, it’s not just for a day or two, but for three years that I’m in the military. Would the Chairman just stay still? I thought you would at least come down and buy me a meal. That’s why I thought you would come today.”

“Heh heh…… This is something.”

Chairman Shin Chun-oh had nothing to say.

Looking at it, it wasn’t wrong. But the problem is that he is only twenty-one years old. He was a little taken aback to think that his mind and actions were so clearly read by him.

“So, were you teasing me by calling me Buddha just now?”

“It’s not teasing, but wouldn’t it be true to this extent? I’ve already become Sun Wukong [The Monkey King, a legendary figure in Chinese mythology].”

“Chairman is Sun Wukong? Haha, hahahaha…….”

Hyun-sung laughed out loud. Then, not only Secretary Kim Young-woo, who was next to him, but also Yoo Min-chul started laughing. And then, Chairman Shin Chun-oh also started laughing as if he was in a good mood.

After a while.

Hyun-sung looked at Yoo Min-chul and asked.

“Did you explain everything to the Chairman?”

“Yes, I just finished it a little while ago. But the Chairman asked a question at the end, and I couldn’t answer it properly.”

“Ah, is that so? But what question did the Chairman ask?”

“It’s about the cherry blossoms. He asked if it would be okay to plant so many cherry blossoms, since the cherry blossom is the national flower of Japan.”

As Yoo Min-chul’s words ended, Hyun-sung turned his head and looked at Chairman Shin Chun-oh. It was to confirm whether what Yoo Min-chul had just said was correct.

Then, Chairman Shin Chun-oh nodded and immediately continued.

“Yes, I asked that question to Director Yoo. Cherry blossoms are beautiful to look at, but there’s one thing that bothers me. It’s not any other country, but Japan…….”

“Pardon? What do you mean by that? What does cherry blossoms have to do with Japan?”

“What do you mean what does it have to do with it? Isn’t Sakura [Japanese word for cherry blossom] the national flower of Japan? Don’t tell me you’re going to plant cherry trees here without even knowing that? Of course, you can simply see it as just a flower without any meaning, but it’s too big of an area to see it that way.”

Chairman Shin Chun-oh’s expression was somewhat stiff.

The part that bothered him from the beginning was this. If you only see it as a flower, there’s no problem at all. But the only flaw is that it’s the national flower, the symbol of Japan.

Then, strange words came out of Hyun-sung’s mouth.

“Who says that?”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

“Who says cherry blossoms are the national flower of Japan?”

“Don’t tell me you really don’t know that…….”

Chairman Shin Chun-oh was just dumbfounded. He wanted to check from that part whether he was really saying that without knowing that cherry blossoms are the national flower of Japan.

Then, even more absurd words came out of Hyun-sung’s mouth.

“Japan doesn’t have a national flower.”

“What? What are you talking about? Japan doesn’t have a national flower…….”

“That’s exactly what it is. Japan doesn’t have a national flower. So, cherry blossoms, or Sakura as they call it. So, Sakura is not the national flower of Japan.”

“Is that really true?”

Chairman Shin Chun-oh stared at Hyun-sung as if he still couldn’t believe it. It wasn’t just Chairman Shin Chun-oh. Secretary Kim Young-woo, who was next to him, was the same, and Yoo Min-chul also stared at Hyun-sung with wide eyes.

“Yes, it’s true. Many people mistakenly think that cherry blossoms are the national flower of Japan, but that’s because they like Sakura so much that they make that mistake.”

“You’re saying they just like Sakura, but it’s not the national flower?”

“Yes, that’s right. So, don’t worry about that part. Do you think I would have thought of planting the national flower of Japan in this place of over 200,000 pyeong [approximately 165 acres]?”

“Heh heh, this is something…….”

Click.

Chairman Shin Chun-oh was dumbfounded. He had known for over 60 years that cherry blossoms were the national flower of Japan, but he was naturally dumbfounded when he said that it wasn’t.

Then, Secretary Kim Young-woo looked at Hyun-sung and asked again.

“When did you know that?”

“My Korean language teacher told me in high school. I found out about it then too.”

It’s a lie.

Hyun-sung also learned that fact while writing a thesis in his fourth year of college in his previous life. At that time, he learned about it while preparing a thesis on the topic of ‘The Impact of Cherry Blossom Festivals on the Korean Economy.’ And what was surprising was that even after that, many people were misunderstanding it.

Secretary Kim Young-woo looked at Chairman Shin Chun-oh and said.

“Chairman, it seems that the problem has been solved neatly.”

“That’s what I’m saying. But I don’t know what this feeling of emptiness is.”

“Me too. I’ve been believing that until now, but Hyun-sung said it wasn’t, so I feel like I’ve been hit in the back of the head. I’m ashamed of myself for why I’ve been making that mistake until now…….”

Secretary Kim Young-woo slowly shook his head from side to side. No matter how much he thought about it, he felt pathetic that he had been firmly believing that cherry blossoms were the national flower of Japan until now.

Then, Chairman Shin Chun-oh looked at Hyun-sung and said again.

“The cherry blossom problem has been solved, so I’ll ask you one more thing.”

“Yes, please speak.”

“These days, the general trend is to make even winding roads straight, but looking down from here, the roads here are all made winding in the opposite direction. Is there any special reason for making them that way?”

“Yes, there is.”

“Hmm…….”

After thinking for a while, Chairman Shin Chun-oh immediately opened his mouth.

“Can you explain the reason?”

“Of course. I want to make people who come here feel the beauty of slowness.”

“The beauty of slowness?”

“Yes, as time goes by, society will change faster and faster. As people lose more and more time, mental stress will increase. As a result, the number of people who commit suicide will increase, and I think that will soon become a problem in our society.”

Hyun-sung paused for a moment and then continued.

“So, I chose curves instead of straight lines in the hope that people who come here will escape from their busy lives and find some time, even for a short time.”

“So, you’re saying you want to give those people time? Is that what you mean?”

“Yes, that’s right. And in May, when the cherry blossoms bloom, we will completely control the vehicles on this road. So, we will create an environment where people can enjoy the winding road as slowly as possible. That’s the theme of this place that I thought of.”

“Theme?”

“Yes, the theme I’m thinking of is slowness and leisure.”

When Hyun-sung’s words ended, Chairman Shin Chun-oh just turned his head silently and began to look at the place where construction was in full swing. Then, after a while, he smiled and continued.

“When I see you, do you know what I think of?”

“Haha, I wonder.”

Hyun-sung smiled lightly and looked at Chairman Shin Chun-oh. He was curious to know what he would say.

But the words that popped out of his mouth were completely unexpected.

“Rugby ball.”

“Rugby ball?”

“Yes, I can’t get a sense of it at all. But, you know…….”

Chairman Shin Chun-oh stopped talking and looked at Hyun-sung and smiled, then immediately continued.

“That’s why I like it. I don’t know when or where it will bounce, so my heart is always tense here. But this time, it bounced to the future 20 or 30 years from now.”

“20 or 30 years?”

“Yes, others are anxious because they can’t go fast no matter what, but you’re already thinking about the next thing and preparing for the future. After hearing that, I have more questions. Then, in the future…….”

“Chairman, just a moment…….”

Hyun-sung interrupted Chairman Shin Chun-oh and then immediately continued.

“I’m sorry, but how about we move to another place and continue the next conversation? I was too busy today to eat properly, so my stomach has been making a fuss asking for food since earlier.”

“Heh heh, if that was the case, you should have said so sooner…… Let’s go eat quickly. Let’s talk about the rest while eating. Director Yoo, would you like to join us for dinner?”

Chairman Shin Chun-oh looked at Yoo Min-chul and said.

Then, Yoo Min-chul was surprised and continued.

“Pardon? Me too?”

“Of course. We’ll be seeing each other often in the future…… Let’s go quickly.”

The truck that Hyun-sung and Yoo Min-chul were in left first, and the sedan that Chairman Shin Chun-oh was in began to follow behind.

***

“What did you think of the Chairman, Hyung [Korean honorific for older brother or male friend] ?”

“To be honest, I was worried because he was the chairman of a large company before I met him, but when I actually met him, I realized that it was my prejudice. He was generous and, above all, I liked that he didn’t look down on people.”

Hyun-sung and Yoo Min-chul were talking after sending Chairman Shin Chun-oh back to the mountainside after dinner.

Hyun-sung continued.

“It’s not right now, but in five years, the Chairman will come down here and live here.”

“The Chairman here?”

“Yes, the Chairman has something to do for this neighborhood in the future. I’ll tell you the details when I get discharged.”

“Yes, I understand. But when are you going to Nonsan [Location of a major military training center in South Korea]?”

“I’m going to go home and say hello to my parents in a little while. Since I only have to go to Nonsan and sleep for one night and enter the training center tomorrow morning, I don’t have to rush.”

As Hyun-sung’s words ended, Yoo Min-chul tilted his head and asked.

“But are you okay?”

“Pardon? What is?”

“No, that’s right. Tomorrow is the day you enter the training center, but I can’t understand how you can be so relaxed. Anyone who sees it would think you’ve been there a few times.”

“Hyung, don’t do this. I can’t say it, but I’m dying inside. I can’t believe I have to do that again…….”

“Again?”

“Yes, again. Hyung doesn’t know, but there’s something like that. That’s why I’m going crazy. Hooo!”

Hyun-sung sighed without realizing it.

He said he would go because he had no choice, but as tomorrow approached, his honest feeling was that he wanted to call Chairman Shin Chun-oh right now and beg him to take him out.

“This is it.”

Yoo Min-chul suddenly handed Hyun-sung an envelope.

“The president is not a person who doesn’t have money, but this is my small sincerity. Go and have a drink of soju [Korean distilled spirit] at a street stall before you go to sleep. I used to miss soju the most when I went to the army.”

“What are you doing again…….”

Hyun-sung smiled at Yoo Min-chul. Even in his previous life, he had eaten chicken feet and two bottles of soju at a street stall the day before he entered the Nonsan training center. Otherwise, he was so nervous that he couldn’t sleep.

“Then I’m going, trusting only in Hyung. I’ll say it again, the first and second is safety. Work can be a little late, but safety accidents are absolutely not allowed. And everyone who works should always remember to wear a safety helmet.”

“Don’t worry about that. And contact me when you get your assignment. I will report the progress of the work by mail.”

“Paju-eup, Beopwon-ri, 6233 unit. It’s a tank unit. Come and see the tanks later if you want.”

“What is that?”

“It’s the assignment. Then I’ll be on my way.”

With those words, Hyun-sung got into the truck and came down the mountainside to go home.

Yoo Min-chul, who was left alone, tilted his head.

“Usually, you get your assignment after the new recruit training period is over. But…….”

“Tank? 6233 unit? Assignment? ……What is this?”

Yoo Min-chul muttered, staring blankly at the place where Hyun-sung had disappeared.

***

“What is all this?”

Hyun-sung, who returned home, asked his mother, looking at the food on the table.

“What is it, eat quickly. If you go to the army properly…….”

The mother stopped talking and disappeared into the kitchen. The mother’s eyes were already red. It seemed that she had already shed tears since she started setting the table.

“Eat this first.”

The father moved one chicken leg to the bowl placed in front of Hyun-sung.

“Yes, Father, please eat quickly too.”

“Don’t worry about me, eat quickly. Come on, eat these too…….”

The father kept pushing the side dishes in front of Hyun-sung so that he could eat them easily. As a result, the side dishes on the table were only placed in front of Hyun-sung. Seeing that, Hyun-sung noticed that only rice was placed in front of his father.

“Father, eat this.”

Hyun-sung quickly tore off a chicken leg and handed it to his father.

Then, the father shook his hand and continued.

“No, I’ve already eaten. So you eat a lot…….”

“If Father doesn’t eat, I won’t eat either. Please eat quickly.”

Only then did the father start eating the chicken leg as if he couldn’t win. Hyun-sung, who confirmed that, also started eating the chicken leg.

He called his mother, but his mother did not come out of the kitchen until he finished his meal.

1 hour later.

“Mother! Father! I’ll be back! Don’t worry about anything and eat well. Loyalty!”

Hyun-sung deliberately made a loud salute and turned around and left the house. No, he was going to. But he had no choice but to turn around after only a few steps.

“Hyun-sung…….”

Because the mother finally called his name and showed tears.

Whack!

Hyun-sung hugged his mother tightly.