Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 431

Shin Yu-bin returned home, calling out to her mom loudly.

“Mom~!”

“What’s wrong?” Park Mi-sun, Shin Yu-bin’s mother, who had been lying down in her room watching TV, was startled and jumped up. Shin Yu-bin’s voice was so loud, as if something terrible had happened.

Park Mi-sun asked again, “Yu-bin, what’s wrong? Is something the matter?”

“Nothing, Mom!” Shin Yu-bin grabbed Park Mi-sun’s hand tightly and spoke again.

However, Park Mi-sun still couldn’t understand what was going on. Shin Yu-bin’s excited demeanor, so different from her usual self, made her feel uneasy.

“Don’t do that. Tell me slowly what happened.”

“Mom, I met Oppa [older brother or male friend] a little while ago.”

“Oppa? Which Oppa?”

“Hyun-sung Oppa. Mom, don’t worry about anything from now on. Everything is going to be alright.”

“Shin Yu-bin, are you really going to keep talking nonsense? What exactly is going to be alright…”

“My job issue. Actually, a little while ago…” Shin Yu-bin interrupted Park Mi-sun and began to explain what had happened with Hyun-sung. As Shin Yu-bin’s explanation continued, Park Mi-sun’s expression, initially surprised, gradually brightened. And finally, when Shin Yu-bin finished her explanation, she asked immediately, “Is that real?”

“Yes, Mom. So don’t worry about anything anymore. I won’t be leaving you alone to go to the city by myself.”

“Because of me…” Park Mi-sun felt happy on one hand, but on the other hand, she wondered if she was making her child do something she shouldn’t.

About a month ago, after attending school for about two weeks as a senior in high school, a shadow suddenly began to fall over Yu-bin’s face.

She didn’t eat the food she used to enjoy, and she spoke less. Unable to bear it any longer, one day Park Mi-sun grabbed her and asked, ‘What’s been going on lately?’

At first, Yu-bin said it was nothing, but after some persuasion, she finally revealed her worries.

She couldn’t go on like this. She wanted to live with her mom and farm, but the problem was that there was no future in it. However, she couldn’t even think about leaving her mother, who wasn’t in the best health, and going to the city alone. So she was stuck in 고민 [gomin – a state of worry or dilemma], unable to decide.

In fact, Park Mi-sun had expected it to some extent.

The beginning was three years ago. It started when her husband passed away in an accident while working in the mountains.

Shin Yu-bin was in her third year of middle school at that time.

She started to drift. Perhaps that was natural. Maybe it was because she was an only child, but her husband’s love for his daughter was special.

Her father suddenly disappeared, so the sense of loss at a young age was immense.

In addition, because the head of the family was absent, she couldn’t even go to the high school she wanted to attend. So Shin Yu-bin’s drifting was perhaps a natural result.

Shin Yu-bin changed from the time she became a high school student.

Drifting?

There was no more of that.

As if it had never happened, Shin Yu-bin returned to being a model student, and not only that, but she also began to act as the head of the household at home in place of her husband.

Of course, the reason for that was her mother, herself.

A congenital disability.

She had a disability in one leg from birth. Fortunately, she could still do some housework, but it was not enough to do farm work.

It was her daughter, Shin Yu-bin, who filled her husband’s void. Shin Yu-bin did what she had initially thought was impossible. She became interested in farming, and one day she said that her dream was to live with her mother in the countryside and farm.

But the problem was the future.

As she became a senior in high school, 고민 [gomin – a state of worry or dilemma] began, and then she heard that Hyun-sung’s farm was looking for people. And today she talked to him, and as a result, she found hope.

However, as a mother, she can’t just be happy. She knows too well that farming as a woman is never easy.

Nevertheless, the reason Shin Yu-bin is going that way is because of her mother, herself, so she can’t help but feel uncomfortable.

Shin Yu-bin opened her mouth again.

“Mom!”

“Huh? Oh, yeah. Why?”

“I know what you’re thinking right now, but do you know that your thinking is wrong?”

“Huh? What does that…” Park Mi-sun shook her head slightly.

Then Shin Yu-bin immediately continued, “You’re thinking that I’m not going to the city because of you and that I’m going to get a job at the farm run by Hyun-sung Oppa [older brother or male friend], right? So you feel sorry for me. Am I right?”

“Huh? Uh…”

“Of course, that’s not completely wrong. But that’s not all there is to it. I had another reason of my own.”

“Another reason?”

“Yes, my future.”

Shin Yu-bin looked at her mother, Park Mi-sun, and then continued, “My 고민 [gomin – a state of worry or dilemma] was two things from the beginning.”

“Two things?”

“Yes, one is because of Mom, as you think. But I think that’s natural as a child. Don’t you think so?”

“……”

Park Mi-sun was in a situation where it was ambiguous to say anything, so she just closed her mouth. Of course, Shin Yu-bin’s words are not wrong. But no matter what, as a mother, she couldn’t admit it as if it were natural.

“Yes, I know that my mom is not the type to admit that it’s natural. But according to the common sense I know, I think that’s right.”

“……”

“I haven’t told you until now, but my dad once told me this. He said that if something happens, if this dad is gone, I’m your guardian. But now that I think about it, I think Dad already knew that he would leave first.”

“Your dad said that?”

“Yes, it was during winter vacation when I was in the second grade of middle school. As Mom knows, there was always a place that Dad and I went to during winter vacation.”

Park Mi-sun nodded.

Shin Yu-bin said that she especially wanted to see the sea in winter. So, no matter what, her husband took Shin Yu-bin to Gangneung [city in South Korea] during winter vacation.

“At that time, Dad said that to me while looking at the sea. But who knew that would be the last trip with Dad. That’s why I had such a hard time when I was in the third grade of middle school.”

“Hoo…” Park Mi-sun couldn’t help but sigh deeply.

“It’s okay now. So don’t sigh like that. What I want to say here is that, of course, there was Dad’s request, but that’s not all. I want to say that it’s natural for a child to worry about their mother. So you don’t have to feel too burdened about it.”

“That’s only…”

“My own opinion? No, Mom, you have enough qualifications to do that for me. Mom, do you remember? When I was in the first grade of elementary school, I suddenly got sick and couldn’t even get up, and you carried me to the hospital with your uncomfortable body.”

“That’s because I’m your mom, so of course…”

“That’s right!” Shin Yu-bin’s voice gained strength.

“You said you did that because you’re my mom. So it’s natural for me to think about Mom because I’m your child. So don’t feel burdened about it. And the other reason, as I said a little while ago, was my future.”

“……”

“My future was as important as living with Mom. So I met Hyun-sung Oppa [older brother or male friend] today and confirmed that part. But fortunately, I’m sure now. I won’t regret giving up my youth.”

“……”

“So, in the end, the two things I was 고민 [gomin – a state of worry or dilemma] about today have been perfectly resolved. So Mom doesn’t have to feel sorry or burdened for me at all. Because the first reason was also my duty to do.”

“That’s not… No, I understand.”

Park Mi-sun stopped trying to say something else. She knew too well why Shin Yu-bin was repeating similar words and talking about this.

Anyway, what Shin Yu-bin wants now is for her mother, herself, not to feel burdened by her daughter, that’s all.

“So now…”

“Okay, okay, I understand. Now this mom won’t feel burdened by our daughter at all, so our daughter should worry less about Mom from now on. Got it?” Park Mi-sun said, interrupting Shin Yu-bin. Then a smile began to bloom on Shin Yu-bin’s face.

Seeing that, Park Mi-sun spread her arms wide open.

“Okay, in that sense, let’s hug our daughter once.”

“Yes, Mom!” Whack!

The two hugged each other tightly as if they had promised.

Tap tap.

Park Mi-sun began to pat Shin Yu-bin’s back, who she was hugging.

She was grateful and pitiful at the same time for the young child’s efforts for her mother.

***

Chairman Shin Chun-oh looked at Chief Manager Choi Jin-young and asked again, “Did you say it’s a wholesale market now?”

“Yes, Chairman. It was completed a few days ago, and sales will start in three days.”

“If it’s three days, isn’t it about the time when the cherry blossoms are starting to bloom?”

“Yes, that’s right. It seems like they 맞춰 [matchwo – 맞춰 is a verb that means to adjust, fit, or 맞춰 up] the timing on purpose. Anyway, he’s an amazing friend. I’m just amazed at how he came up with that idea.”

“That’s what I’m saying.” Chairman Shin Chun-oh slowly shook his head from side to side.

That’s because building my building on my land and donating it for the village is not something that ordinary people can do. No matter how I think about it, this is not something that can be done just because you have money.

In fact, from the beginning when he said he would build a wholesale market, it was honestly hard to believe. I knew he had different thoughts from other people, but I didn’t know he would be so different.

But in the end, he built the wholesale market according to his will.

“Okay, how big is the 평수 [pyeongsu – unit of area, approximately 3.3 square meters]?”

“It’s 100 평 [pyeong – unit of area, approximately 3.3 square meters].”

“100 평 [pyeong – unit of area, approximately 3.3 square meters]?”

“Yes, and there are two of them. They are located on both sides of the road, one is where villagers sell their crops or 채취 [chaechwi – 채취 means gathering or collecting] mountain vegetables, and the other is where the women’s association runs a business.”

“You mean they sell crops and mountain vegetables on one side and the women’s association runs a business on the other side?”

“Yes, that’s right.” Chief Manager Choi Jin-young nodded.

Then Chairman Shin Chun-oh asked again, “The crops must be the ones they farmed, so that’s fine, but what kind of mountain vegetables are there?”

“There are about 15 kinds of gomchwi [곰취 – Ligularia fischeri, a type of edible wild greens], 참나물 [chamnamul – Pimpinella brachycarpa, Korean parsley], gosari [고사리 – bracken ferns], and gobi [고비 – Osmunda japonica, Japanese royal fern]. I heard that they prepared in advance from last year. Of course, Mr. Kim told them to do that.”

“Hmm… he’s always thorough. Okay, how are they going to operate it?”

“They only have to pay 3% of sales.”

“Does that mean that anyone in the village can bring their goods and sell them?”

“Yes, that’s right. And the 3% they receive is used for building maintenance. The women’s association is in charge of all operations.”

“You mean Mr. Kim has no more rights to the building?”

“From the beginning, the ownership was in the joint name of the village.”

“Hehe…” Chairman Shin Chun-oh nodded and laughed in vain. The more he thought about it, the harder it was to understand with his head.

It’s hard enough to do my business, but I’m just amazed that he built the wholesale market first.

Chairman Shin Chun-oh asked again, “What kind of business does the women’s association do?”

“It’s food. There are quite a few kinds. They sell local foods that they mainly ate in the village, such as 감자전 [gamjajeon – potato pancake], 찰옥수수 [charoksusu – glutinous corn], 메밀전 [memiljeon – buckwheat pancake], 메밀전병 [memiljeonbyeong – buckwheat crepe], and 찐빵 [jjinppang – steamed bun].”

“If people start to gather, the sales will be no joke?”

“They give 월급 [wolgeup – monthly salary] with the profits from there, and the rest is 적립 [jeokrip – saved or accumulated] as a village development fund. So these days, the people in that village are in a festive mood.”

Chairman Shin Chun-oh nodded again.

How could it not be? It’s like money falling from the sky while staying still, it would be stranger if they weren’t excited.

“And by the way, what happened to Park Beom-soo?”

“He’s still 매진 [maejin – 매진 means sold out or devoted] to cooking these days. Thanks to that, only his father is excited.”

“Hehe, I guess so. He’ll taste new dishes every time, so that pleasure will be 괜찮을 [gwaenchanheul – 괜찮을 means alright or not bad]. By the way, did he say he still hasn’t decided what to do?”

“It seems like Mr. Kim has already made a decision.”

“Mr. Kim made a decision? At first, didn’t you tell him to decide whether to cook or teach Japanese?”

“Yes, of course. But since he kept 고민 [gomin – a state of worry or dilemma] and couldn’t make a decision, it seems like Mr. Kim made a decision.”

“How?” Chairman Shin Chun-oh looked at Chief Manager Choi Jin-young as if he was curious about the answer.

Then Chief Manager Choi Jin-young immediately continued the answer, “He told him to cook at the restaurant for 2 years first.”

“2 years first? Then what about after that?”

“He told him to decide again after 2 years. He said that liking to cook is different from working at a restaurant.”

“So in the end, he set a time limit?”

“Yes, that’s right. And since he’s planning to run an academy in 2 years anyway, it seems like he made that decision.”

“In a way, it might be the most 현명한 [hyeonmyeonghan – wise or sensible] decision. If he’s planning to run an academy in 2 years anyway.”

That’s right. If he’s starting an academy right now, I don’t know, but if he’s going to run an academy later anyway, it wouldn’t be bad to work at a restaurant until then.

There will definitely be a difference between liking to cook and doing it as a job.

Chairman Shin Chun-oh asked again, “There are no other special things?”

“A new person has appeared. But that guy is very 맹랑 [maengnang – impudent, saucy, or bold].”

“맹랑 [maengnang – impudent, saucy, or bold]? Who the hell is that new person?” Chairman Shin Chun-oh stared at Chief Manager Choi Jin-young with curiosity.

Then Chief Manager Choi Jin-young suddenly smiled and continued, “That guy is…”