Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 421

“With this spirit and this mind, let’s pledge our loyalty! Through hardship and joy, let’s love our country!”

“Rose of Sharon, three thousand leagues of splendid rivers and mountains! Let Korean people preserve Korea forever!”

The two sang the refrain together loudly.

A moment later.

Park Beom-su looked at Park Hee-cheol and asked,

“Father, aren’t you thirsty?”

“Well, I feel a bit parched after singing so loudly.”

“Would you like some *makgeolli* [Korean rice wine]?”

“*Makgeolli*?”

“Yes, I’ll make kimchi pancakes.”

Park Hee-cheol stared at Park Beom-su. He never expected to hear those words from his mouth.

“Can you do it?”

“Of course, I’ve seen you make it a few times. Just chop the kimchi, mix it well with flour, and fry it, right?”

“Haha, so you’re going to make it yourself today?”

“Hehe, yes. It’s been three years since I started living in Korea; I should be able to do that much. Wait a moment.”

With those words, Park Beom-su disappeared into the kitchen.

Clatter.

Park Beom-su began to move busily.

Watching him, Park Hee-cheol couldn’t help but smile.

It was something he never imagined.

He thought he would never see his son again. But one day, he became connected with Hyun-sung, and things started to change one by one. There are too many changes to count. Or perhaps, it would be more accurate to say that the direction of his life itself has completely changed.

“Father, it’s ready.”

Park Beom-su approached Park Hee-cheol, carrying kimchi pancakes and *makgeolli*.

Park Hee-cheol’s gaze was naturally drawn to the kimchi pancakes Park Beom-su was holding. But at that moment, deep wrinkles formed on Park Hee-cheol’s forehead.

It was because of the black color of the kimchi pancakes. However, he couldn’t say anything. It was the first time his son had made kimchi pancakes, and he wasn’t such an insensitive father as to complain about them being a little burnt.

Park Hee-cheol picked up the glass of *makgeolli* that Park Beom-su had poured.

“Beom-su, let’s have a drink.”

“Yes, Father. But I didn’t know *makgeolli* was so delicious. At first, it tasted sour and strange, but the more I drink it, the more I fall in love with the taste.”

“Haha, I’m glad to hear that. Now, let’s drink.”

The two began to drink *makgeolli*.

“Wait!”

Park Hee-cheol raised his hand just as Park Beom-su was about to drink the *makgeolli*.

Park Beom-su looked at Park Hee-cheol as if asking what was wrong.

“What is it?”

“What did I tell you about drinking with elders?”

“Ah! That’s right.”

Park Beom-su nodded as if he understood, then turned his body to the side and began to drink his glass.

Drinking etiquette.

Yes, Park Hee-cheol was now teaching drinking etiquette. Like the National Education Charter and the national anthem, he was teaching the things that Koreans should know as a matter of course.

After emptying his glass, Park Beom-su handed a kimchi pancake to Park Hee-cheol.

“Father, please try this kimchi pancake. It may be a little burnt, but it should be edible.”

“Beom-su, you don’t say ‘eat’ to an elder, you say ‘partake.’ Now, say it again.”

Park Hee-cheol spoke as if teaching a child. This had been going on for three years already. When Hyun-sung told him to spend three years with his son before joining the military, he didn’t know exactly what it meant.

But as he spent time with his son, he understood what it meant. It meant teaching him one thing at a time like this.

Park Beom-su scratched his head, looking embarrassed, and then spoke again.

“Ah, yes, Father. I forgot again. Please partake of this. It’s a little burnt, but it should be edible. Is that right?”

“Haha, yes. That’s how you learn. Now, shall we try the kimchi pancake that our Beom-su made?”

Park Hee-cheol began to eat the kimchi pancake that Park Beom-su had offered.

Chew, chew.

‘Ugh!’

Park Hee-cheol couldn’t help but frown. The reason was that the kimchi pancake Park Beom-su had given him was too burnt.

But.

Mumble, mumble.

Park Hee-cheol began to eat the kimchi pancake as if nothing was wrong.

“It’s delicious.”

At Park Hee-cheol’s word that it was delicious, Park Beom-su smiled brightly and began to eat the kimchi pancake himself.

But only for a moment.

“Blech!”

Park Beom-su spat out the kimchi pancake he had put in his mouth. Then he immediately looked at Park Hee-cheol. Only then did Park Beom-su realize that his father had lied, and he felt a strange emotion.

‘Is this what a father’s heart is like……?’

After thinking for a moment, Park Beom-su jumped up from his seat.

“Father, wait a moment. I’ll make kimchi pancakes again. And don’t eat this. How can you eat something so bitter…….”

Park Beom-su couldn’t finish his sentence. Why wouldn’t his father know the bitter taste? But Park Beom-su couldn’t possibly not know that the reason he endured the bitter taste and said it was ‘delicious’ was all because of his own shortcomings.

‘Then this time…….’

Park Beom-su vowed not to make a mistake this time and headed to the kitchen.

“Hoo-hoo!”

Park Beom-su, who had entered the kitchen, began to chop kimchi with a good feeling. At first, he hated even the smell of kimchi. But after five months of returning to Korea, he had fallen in love with the taste of kimchi to the point where he couldn’t eat without it.

“That’s something…….”

No matter how he thought about it, it was amazing. He had lived in Japan for over 20 years after leaving Korea. But is it possible that just five months after coming to Korea, he would fall in love with the taste of kimchi and not be able to eat without it?

And there’s another amazing thing. It’s that even though it’s been three years since he came to Korea this year, he strangely doesn’t miss the food he used to eat in Japan. Even the miso that he used to eat so much in Japan now tastes better with Korean *doenjang* [Korean soybean paste, similar to miso].

“Is it going well?”

“Yes? Ah, yes. But why?”

“No, I came in for a moment because it was too quiet after you started cutting the kimchi. I was wondering if you had cut your hand or something.”

“Ah, I was just thinking about something else…….”

Park Beom-su opened his mouth as he was about to cut the kimchi again.

“Father, no matter how I think about it, it’s strange.”

“What is?”

“I’ve lived in Japan for over 20 years, but strangely I don’t miss the food there. Usually, people…….”

Park Beom-su began to ramble.

Park Hee-cheol, who was already sitting at the kitchen table, simply looked at the back of Park Beom-su, who was rambling, with a satisfied expression.

Then, at some point, he called Park Beom-su.

“Beom-su!”

“Yes? Yes…… Father.”

Park Beom-su felt strange at the sudden affectionate voice of his father. It was a voice that was so old that he couldn’t even remember when he had last heard it. But the strange thing was that his whole body was reacting to that voice.

Shivers!

It felt as if an emotion that was hard to express in words was enveloping his whole body.

Then Park Hee-cheol continued.

“It’s like a dream.”

A dream.

That was the same for Park Beom-su himself. He never thought this day would come. If he hadn’t received his father’s last phone call that day, he might not have been alive in this world right now.

Park Beom-su also quietly continued.

“Father, me too! So thank you!”

Sizzle!

With those words, Park Beom-su began to put the kimchi batter on the heated frying pan. Soon, the house was filled with the savory smell of oil.

A moment later.

“Father, here you go. I don’t know what it will be like this time. Please try it quickly.”

“Oh, really. I think I know without even trying it this time?”

“Yes? How?”

“Look at the color here. Before, it was black here, but now it’s yellow, and it looks well-cooked just by looking at it. Now, shall we try the kimchi pancake that our Beom-su made…….”

Chew, chew.

Park Hee-cheol began to eat the kimchi pancake, deliberately making noise. It was definitely a different taste from the kimchi pancake he had eaten earlier.

“Beom-su!”

“Yes, Father. How is it?”

“It’s the best! This is the most delicious kimchi pancake I’ve ever eaten in my life.”

Park Hee-cheol raised his thumb. Park Beom-su smiled brightly at the sight. Of course, he didn’t believe that his father’s words were 100% true. But he was satisfied enough just by seeing his father’s thumb up and his bright smile.

Mumble, mumble.

Park Beom-su also took a piece of kimchi pancake and put it in his mouth. It was definitely different from the burnt kimchi pancake he had made earlier. It was amazing that he could create such a taste with just oil, kimchi, and flour.

Park Beom-su turned around and began to chop kimchi again. Now that he had a sense of it, his knife skills were more confident, and the speed at which he cut the kimchi was different from before.

Then Park Hee-cheol asked.

“It seems like this is enough, are you going to make more?”

“Yes, I’m going to give it to my stepmother. We can’t just make it smell good and eat it ourselves.”

“…….”

Park Hee-cheol had nothing to say.

He couldn’t say it, but what was always uncomfortable in one corner of his heart was the relationship between Park Beom-su and Shin Myung-soon. He was a son who didn’t know the affection of a mother because he had lived apart from his biological mother since he was young.

He thought it would be greedy to want such a son to get along well with his stepmother, so he couldn’t say anything.

But suddenly, he said he was going to make kimchi pancakes for his stepmother, so Park Hee-cheol was so surprised that he had nothing to say.

Park Hee-cheol forced his mouth open.

“……Thank you.”

“No. I’m trying, but it’s not easy. But I’ll try harder in the future.”

“Thank you, thank you.”

Park Hee-cheol had nothing else to say but thank you.

But then even more surprising words came out of Park Beom-su’s mouth.

“From this time on, I’m going to remove the word ‘step’.”

“Huh? What does that…….”

“I’m just going to call her Mother. To be honest, I didn’t like it at first because it reminded me of my mother, but after living together for three years, I realized that my thoughts were wrong.”

Flick.

Park Beom-su flipped the kimchi pancake once and then continued.

“Actually, my thoughts about Mother had already changed some time ago. But I didn’t have the courage to say it.”

“…….”

“But this morning, Mother wrote me a letter and left.”

“A letter?”

Park Hee-cheol tilted his head. It was something he didn’t know at all. He usually talks about almost everything without hesitation. But even when she left in the morning, there was no mention of a letter.

Park Beom-su’s words continued.

“She told me not to rush.”

“…….”

“And she even put in 100,000 won for spending money. What am I? I haven’t done anything while being here for three years.”

Park Beom-su took out the kimchi pancakes, put them on a large plate, and then continued.

“There’s a Korean saying that even a flea has a face [meaning everyone deserves respect and consideration]. That’s exactly what she’s saying to me. I spent money to send him to study abroad, but he can’t even take care of himself…….”

Park Beom-su’s words grew longer. Park Hee-cheol listened to his words and poured *makgeolli* into his glass. After Park Beom-su had been talking for a long time, he looked at Park Hee-cheol and continued.

“Father, I’m going to take care of myself from now on. Of course, I’m going to resolve the relationship with Mother first. No, there’s nothing to resolve, really. I just need to turn around.”

“…….”

Park Hee-cheol nodded slowly instead of answering. It was a moment when he realized once again that there is no better cure than time.

“So, when is that person coming?”

“That person?”

“Yes, the person who said he would test me after three years. Father, you clearly said that three years ago, didn’t you?”

“Of course.”

Park Hee-cheol nodded confidently. From the beginning, he had kept Hyun-sung a complete secret. The reason was Hyun-sung’s age. Anyway, there is a 10-year age difference between Park Beom-su and Hyun-sung. If someone 10 years younger than him said he would test him, he would obviously not accept it.

In any case, there is only one person who can solve this problem. That is Hyun-sung. Now that he has been discharged from the military, he will come to visit today or tomorrow. The person who will test Park Beom-su is Hyun-sung, and the person who will take Park Beom-su and make him work is Hyun-sung.

From the beginning, Hyun-sung was the one who asked him to leave everything to him. In any case, all problems will be solved when he comes. Of course, Park Beom-seok must pass his test to do so.

But more importantly, Hyun-sung must also pass Park Beom-su’s test. Whether he will trust and follow the young man is also an important issue. To do so, Hyun-sung must show his capabilities.

Whether Hyun-sung can embrace Park Beom-su, Park Hee-cheol doesn’t know that either right now.

Park Beom-su asked again.

“When is that person coming?”

“He’ll come today or tomorrow. Anyway, you’ve been preparing for three years, so I hope you pass the test well.”

“But what kind of test will he give?”

“Well, I don’t know either. Anyway, you’ve worked hard studying all this time. Now, let’s drink.”

Park Hee-cheol raised the glass in front of him high. Then Park Beom-su raised his glass as well. It was the moment when the two people’s three years of study came to an end.

What kind of problem will come out, only Hyun-sung will know.

Clink!

The two people’s glasses clinked cheerfully in the air.

The next day.

The place Hyun-sung visited was Park Hee-cheol’s house. He wanted to visit last night, but it was late because he came back from Gangneung, so he visited today.

“Who is this! Isn’t it Army Sergeant Kim Hyun-sung!”

The first person to greet Hyun-sung when he entered was Park Hee-cheol. Hyun-sung was just as happy to see him. Of course, he had seen him a few times during his vacation, but it was his first time meeting him after being discharged from the military, so his heart was special.