Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 43

As Park Cheol-min collapsed, Hyeon-seong’s competitive spirit surged. He was surprised by how cleanly his technique had worked.

He had aimed for an opening, and the technique worked exactly as he’d planned, boosting Hyeon-seong’s confidence.

Just then, Lee Su-cheol stepped in front of Hyeon-seong, sneering,

“Don’t get too cocky just because you caught him off guard.”

“Oh, really? Why don’t you show me your skills without being careless?”

Hyeon-seong’s voice shifted, his confidence subtly rising.

Hyeon-seong took a step back.

He decided to wait, to analyze his opponent’s movements first. Rushing in recklessly and getting beaten would mean starting all over.

Lee Su-cheol stretched out both hands, palms open instead of making fists.

‘Judo?’

The stance was clearly a basic judo posture.

Hyeon-seong asked,

“Did you learn judo?”

“I learned a bit when I was young. Why? Scared?”

“Yeah, I’m super scared. But did you learn it at a discount? You seem a bit clumsy.”

“What did you say?”

Even though it was deliberate provocation, Lee Su-cheol reacted instantly, probably due to his youth. His agitation was clear.

The probing was enough. Hyeon-seong also took a stance.

Because he had cleanly taken down Park Cheol-min, he initially underestimated Lee Su-cheol. However, Hyeon-seong wasn’t so clueless as to be careless.

Hyeon-seong knew the difference between confidence and carelessness.

‘This guy learned judo. He’ll definitely aim for the shoulder first.’ Years of experience and intuition told him that much.

If so…….

After calculating his next move, Hyeon-seong deliberately exposed his shoulder.

Whoosh!

As if waiting for it, Lee Su-cheol lunged for the opening.

“Not so fast!”

Hyeon-seong slightly deflected Lee Su-cheol’s hand and struck Lee Su-cheol’s Adam’s apple with a knife-hand strike [a strike using the edge of the hand].

Cough!

Lee Su-cheol couldn’t even scream and fell backward, clutching his neck.

It didn’t end there.

Hyeon-seong’s kick landed on Lee Su-cheol’s side as he fell. Lee Su-cheol couldn’t even scream properly, just rolled around on the ground.

It had only been 10 minutes, the time it took for Park Cheol-min and Lee Su-cheol to fall.

“Those punks are nothing but trouble!”

Kim Il-soo couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Park Cheol-min and Lee Su-cheol were supposed to be the strong ones.

But they were being unilaterally beaten without even putting up a fight.

It didn’t make sense.

Until recently, Hyeon-seong had been a pushover. He wondered what had happened during the vacation.

Kim Il-soo looked at Hyeon-seong and asked,

“What are you?”

“What do you mean? As you can see…….”

Hyeon-seong spread out his hands as if showing off.

Then Kim Il-soo asked again,

“What happened during the vacation?”

“How many times do I have to say it? I went to the army.”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

“I’m serious.”

His only fighting experience was in the army. To be precise, it was training.

Trench combat.

One day, a notice came down from the brigade [a military unit].

Suddenly, each company started digging pits. It was a special instruction from the brigade commander. They were holding a trench combat competition within the brigade in the fall.

With six months left until his discharge, he spent his final months in the trenches.

Even thinking about it now made him shudder.

At Hyeon-seong’s words, Kim Il-soo looked dumbfounded, as if he didn’t want to talk anymore. He probably thought he was being mocked.

Hyeon-seong didn’t want to talk either.

He didn’t want to waste words on this guy.

Then Kim Il-soo said,

“Are you sure about this?”

“Bullshit!”

Hyeon-seong’s reply was short.

Instead, he tensed his entire body.

Gulp.

Perhaps due to the tension, he swallowed hard.

Hyeon-seong took a stance.

He lightly clenched his fists and raised his guard to solar plexus height.

“I’m not going easy on you.”

With those words, Kim Il-soo also took a stance.

Right foot forward, left foot back.

‘Was he a southpaw [left-handed fighter]?’

Usually, the dominant foot is placed in the back. So, Kim Il-soo is a southpaw.

As expected, he’s the leader for a reason. At first glance, he seemed to have no openings.

No openings?

Then create one.

This is where years of experience come in handy.

Hyeon-seong slowly started to turn to the left. Kim Il-soo’s gaze naturally followed Hyeon-seong. As his gaze moved, his feet moved as well.

After turning about one revolution, he turned in the opposite direction. Kim Il-soo also moved in the opposite direction.

Smirk.

Hyeon-seong suddenly smiled and said to Kim Il-soo,

“You’re not a southpaw, are you?”

“What?”

Hyeon-seong could tell as he circled around Kim Il-soo. The more he turned, the more unnatural Kim Il-soo’s steps became.

Especially when he turned in the opposite direction, he tried to hide it, but he couldn’t fool Hyeon-seong’s eyes.

Kim Il-soo couldn’t help but be momentarily flustered at Hyeon-seong’s words.

Because Hyeon-seong’s words were true.

He wanted to take him down in one shot. He was planning to switch his feet at the moment of opportunity and end it in one blow.

He had seen Park Cheol-min and Lee Su-cheol collapse powerlessly. Whatever the reason, it was clear that Hyeon-seong was not the same as before.

If he ignored him and got beaten like this morning, his school life would be over. So, he was doing his best.

But Hyeon-seong had noticed it.

“Not bad…….”

“You sneaky bastard. Do you want to win that badly?”

“Look who’s talking.”

“I admit it!”

Hyeon-seong acknowledged Kim Il-soo’s honesty. They both felt the same.

Hyeon-seong glared at Kim Il-soo.

Kim Il-soo’s eyes were equally intense.

Just as Hyeon-seong was about to launch a preemptive strike against Kim Il-soo.

Whoosh.

Kim Il-soo was fast.

“Not so fast!”

Hyeon-seong was also fast this time. He dodged quicker than he had this morning.

Kim Il-soo’s right foot slightly brushed past Hyeon-seong’s shoulder.

He was fortunate to have seen it and dodged it. A direct hit would have ended the fight.

“You dodged that?”

Kim Il-soo was surprised. It was a fatal blow, his most confident move.

But…….

Hyeon-seong dodged it.

‘What the hell is this guy…….’

Hyeon-seong was also surprised. The moment he tried to attack, Kim Il-soo’s movements became clear. A moment’s hesitation would have meant a direct hit.

‘Wait a minute!’

Something was strange. Normally…….

It’s impossible. Seeing the opponent attack and dodging? Especially Kim Il-soo’s attack?

Then, a scene flashed in Hyeon-seong’s mind.

It was when he was attacked with a switchblade in Wonju. He had seen the blade then too. The opponent must have been attacking with all his might, desperately.

Kim Il-soo must be the same today.

But he can see it?

‘Could it be…….’

Then, Kim Il-soo’s second attack rushed towards Hyeon-seong. This time it was a fist.

Hyeon-seong didn’t dodge, staring straight at the incoming fist.

Can it be?

“I can see it!”

Surprisingly, Kim Il-soo’s fist came into view.

And at the last moment.

Swoosh!

He slightly twisted his head.

Kim Il-soo’s fist missed beautifully.

“Oh, you little punk?”

Kim Il-soo was now embarrassed. He had thrown a straight punch from the shortest distance, but Hyeon-seong dodged it again, with ease.

Kim Il-soo spoke again.

“Kim Hyeon-seong, who are you?”

“Why, are you a little scared of me now? But what can I do? I don’t even know myself.”

Hyeon-seong readjusted his stance.

He knew it was over the moment he let his guard down.

Hyeon-seong spoke first this time.

“Il-soo, I think I won today.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Hyeon-seong’s body moved quickly to one side.

“Crazy…….”

Kim Il-soo’s words ended there.

Because Hyeon-seong’s hand was already in front of Kim Il-soo’s eyes.

Whack!

Like Park Cheol-min, he struck Kim Il-soo’s eyes with the back of his hand.

“Ugh!”

Kim Il-soo covered his eyes and began to stagger.

“How does it taste, you bastard?”

Kim Il-soo was still flailing around because he couldn’t see. It was a pathetic sight.

Then Hyeon-seong continued,

“Kim Il-soo, you bad bastard, how does it feel to be on the receiving end? It’s been good so far, right? Now it’s your turn. Just you wait, I’m going to chew you up and spit you out.”

“You, you bastard…….”

Kim Il-soo was still flailing around.

Hyeon-seong distanced himself from Kim Il-soo and moved towards Park Cheol-min and Lee Su-cheol.

“Aren’t you kneeling?”

Park Cheol-min and Lee Su-cheol, who had come to their senses at Hyeon-seong’s shout, quickly knelt down.

Thud!

Thud!

Hyeon-seong’s fists brushed past Park Cheol-min and Lee Su-cheol’s heads, and they covered their heads and began to roll on the floor again.

Then Kim Il-soo called out to Hyeon-seong.

“Kim Hyeon-seong, it’s not over yet!”

“I know, you bastard. I didn’t want to end it like that either. If you’ve come to your senses, let’s finish it up.”

Hyeon-seong moved towards Kim Il-soo.

Kim Il-soo tensed up and took a step back.

He raised his guard to chest height and regained his momentum.

Hyeon-seong, watching the scene, spoke.

“You’re done, you bastard.”

“Stop talking nonsense and come at me!”

It wasn’t Kim Il-soo’s usual self. His eyes were bloodshot and he was as angry as he could be.

Breathing?

Of course, it was ragged.

Whoosh, whoosh!

Kim Il-soo was throwing punches wildly.

Hyeon-seong asked mockingly.

“Are you done practicing?”

“Prepare yourself!”

In what seemed like Kim Il-soo’s last struggle, he started running towards Hyeon-seong, throwing punches as he closed the distance.

He came in a straight line as if daring Hyeon-seong to dodge.

The moment Hyeon-seong saw the fist, he felt a surge of defiance.

Whoosh!

Hyeon-seong stretched out his fist towards the incoming fist, throwing it with all his might, carrying all the resentment he had suffered.

Bang!

Crack.

“Ugh!”

A strange sound and a short scream echoed in the empty lot.

‘How could this happen…….’

Lee Jeong-woo couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

He had been watching Hyeon-seong since Kim Il-soo had swung his fist a little while ago.

He dodged the fist so naturally that it was amazing. Then, he struck Kim Il-soo’s eyes with the back of his hand, leaving Kim Il-soo helpless because he couldn’t see.

But Hyeon-seong’s next action was strange.

He thought he would attack right away.

Instead, as if to give him time, he moved towards Park Cheol-min and Lee Su-cheol.

After a while, when Kim Il-soo came to his senses, he started fighting again.

It was hard to understand, but Hyeon-seong did it that way.

Then, as if showing off, he threw his fist towards Kim Il-soo’s fist for the last time.

Result?

Kim Il-soo, flailing on the floor, was the result.

Lee Jeong-woo looked at Hyeon-seong.

He couldn’t leave Hyeon-seong alone. He regretted it terribly. Even if he was beaten to death, he couldn’t abandon him.

He had been so grateful for Hyeon-seong’s actions this morning that he cried.

No one ever came forward. It wasn’t the first time. He had given up.

But today was different.

Someone had stepped up for him.

His best friend, Hyeon-seong. A friend who had the courage for him. He couldn’t ignore a friend who was walking into a fire.

That’s why he ran.

Lee Jeong-woo called out to Hyeon-seong.

“Hyeon-seong!”

“Oh? Lee Jeong-woo, how did you get here?”

Hyeon-seong was happy to see Lee Jeong-woo. He must have thought a lot to come here. He must have been scared too.

But he’s a friend who ran, leaving all those fears behind.

He’s always been that kind of friend, even in his past life. A friend who gave everything to the point where he felt sorry at times.

Hyeon-seong raised his hand towards Lee Jeong-woo.

“Hey, brother!”

It’s funny, but he imitated Hwang Jeong-min [a famous Korean actor] a little.

He’s a friend who will be like a brother for the rest of his life, not just in words. Like him, Hyeon-seong will share everything he can.

Then Lee Jeong-woo also raised his hand.

“Yeah! My friend, Kim Hyeon-seong!”

Lee Jeong-woo’s gestures and voice suddenly gained strength. He instinctively knew that he could finally escape from Kim Il-soo’s gang.

People who haven’t experienced it don’t know.

How painful and humiliating that time is.

Then, Hyeon-seong put his arm around Lee Jeong-woo’s shoulder and said,

“Jeong-woo, let’s go eat ramen quickly.”

“Yeah! My friend!”

The two left the empty lot with their arms around each other’s shoulders.

Some time later.

Three people remained in the empty lot.

Park Cheol-min looked at Kim Il-soo and said,

“Damn it, what are we going to do now?”

“…….”

Kim Il-soo was lying on his back without saying anything, just looking at the sky.

This time, Lee Su-cheol asked.

“Kim Il-soo, don’t just sit there, say something. What are we going to do now?”

“…….”

Kim Il-soo was still silent.

So the three of them didn’t know how to leave the empty lot and stayed there for a long time.