Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 462

Leaving Hyun-sung’s office, Shin Yu-bin headed to a clothing store about 20 minutes away from the restaurant.

“Are you here to buy thermal underwear too, miss?”

As soon as Shin Yu-bin entered the store, the owner, an older woman, greeted her.

Shin Yu-bin, surprised, immediately asked,

“Oh? How did you know?”

“How would I not know? You look like you work at the restaurant run by CEO Kim. Am I right?”

“Yes, you’re right. Today is payday, so I came to buy thermal underwear for my mom. But it seems like you know our boss well, too?”

“Know him? I’ve known CEO Kim since he was running a ramen shop in high school…”

The older woman’s story turned out to be surprisingly long.

As if she was proud of knowing Hyun-sung, she continued to speak at length.

However, a strange remark came at the end of her words. She mentioned that Hyun-sung had come in person a week ago and told her to prepare a lot of thermal underwear.

As soon as the older woman finished her explanation, Shin Yu-bin asked,

“Our boss said that a week ago?”

“That’s right. I didn’t know why back then, but today I finally found out. Anyway, who knew I’d be selling so much thermal underwear thanks to CEO Kim. Hehe…”

From the older woman’s excited expression, it was easy to guess how many people had come and gone that day. After all, a thousand people received their salaries that day.

Even if only 50% of them bought thermal underwear, that would mean a whopping 500 people had visited.

Moreover, since this is the only clothing store here, it’s no wonder the older woman is excited.

When you think about it, it’s not just the clothing store.

Coming here, I saw restaurants and bars crowded with people. Of course, most of those people are probably working at the restaurant and farm run by Hyun-sung, and they’re the ones who got paid today.

Perhaps it’s another change brought to the rural village.

As money started circulating, people began to move, and as a result, the village’s commercial district itself began to change.

The older woman asked with a smile,

“So, what kind of thermal underwear would you like, miss?”

“The most expensive and prettiest one, please. Preferably with lace.”

“Hehe, you’re such a filial daughter [a daughter who shows great respect and care for her parents].”

“Pardon?”

Shin Yu-bin looked at the older woman, surprised by the word ‘filial daughter.’ It felt strange to be called that for just buying a piece of thermal underwear.

The older woman continued,

“We can see a person’s heart just by what they say.”

“Really? Is that true?”

“Of course, how long do you think I’ve been doing this business? You said you wanted the most expensive one, right? That word already contains a heart full of thoughts for your mother. So, of course, you’re a filial daughter.”

Smiling slightly, Shin Yu-bin nodded. After hearing the older woman’s story, she thought it made sense.

If you didn’t have the heart, you wouldn’t look for the most expensive one.

After buying the thermal underwear, Shin Yu-bin headed to the butcher shop. It was to buy pork belly, which she hadn’t been able to afford until now.

“Five portions of pork belly, please.”

Others might think differently, but this moment was just so happy.

Buying thermal underwear for her mother and buying as much pork belly as she wanted was incredibly joyful.

Especially since it was with the salary she earned herself, the joy was even greater.

After her father passed away, she worked herself to death after school, thinking she had to survive no matter what. But making money by farming in the countryside was as difficult as picking stars from the sky.

As a result, she couldn’t even eat jajangmyeon [Korean-Chinese noodle dish with black bean sauce], which others occasionally ate with their fathers, let alone pork belly.

But now it’s different. Now she knew for sure that she could do that much with her own strength.

Was that why?

Her steps towards home felt as light as if she was flying.

Arriving home, Shin Yu-bin called out loudly to her mother.

“Mom!”

Park Mi-sun, who had been waiting in her room for her daughter to come, flung the door open.

“Oh! Yu-bin, welcome home. But why are you so late?”

She was more worried than usual because she was an hour later than usual. As a result, she couldn’t help but put strength into her voice.

“Our mom waited a lot, didn’t she? Mom, just a moment…”

Of course, Shin Yu-bin knew. She knew that her mother was waiting for her all day after she went to work in the morning. But today was a special day, so she couldn’t help it.

“Mom, do you know what this is?”

As soon as Shin Yu-bin entered the room, she handed a black bag to her mother, Park Mi-sun.

However, her hand trembled slightly. It was because it was the first time she had ever given her mother such a gift.

But Park Min-sun, who didn’t know what it was, immediately asked,

“Oh? What is it?”

“It’s a gift for Mom.”

“A gift?”

“Yes, a gift. I got my first paycheck today.”

“…”

Park Mi-sun was speechless.

When her husband was alive, her daughter was just a naive child. Her daughter changed a year after her husband passed away.

From then on, she started farming as soon as she finished school. Of course, she knew the reason very well.

It was because of her own frail health.

Even while watching her daughter, there was nothing she could do. If her daughter didn’t work, she couldn’t solve the problem of making a living right away, so she had no choice but to watch helplessly.

And now, as soon as her daughter graduated, she got a job and said she bought a gift with her first salary. So, how would she feel as a mother receiving that gift?

Park Mi-sun took the bag and immediately asked,

“Is this for Mom?”

“Yes, Mom. I bought you thermal underwear to celebrate my first paycheck.”

“…”

Park Mi-sun was speechless again at the word thermal underwear. She knew too well what the thermal underwear meant, so she couldn’t help but be speechless.

Shin Yu-bin continued,

“I didn’t really know either. But our boss told us this morning during the meeting. He said that you should buy thermal underwear for your parents with your first paycheck. They didn’t teach us this in school.”

“The boss said that too?”

“Yes, I think he said that because we’re young. Anyway, our boss isn’t that old, but he’s really amazing when you see what he does.”

“I see…”

Park Mi-sun nodded. It was true that even though he was a boss at that age, it was amazing that he would deliberately say such things for the young employees.

Shin Yu-bin continued again.

“And also! Mom, I paid off the debt today.”

“Debt?”

“Yes, you suddenly got sick two months ago and went to the hospital. The boss paid for the medical expenses at that time…”

“Ah! That’s right, look at my mind. I had completely forgotten about it. You paid it off today?”

“Yes, Mom. Anyway, I learned another thing from the boss today.”

“Learned?”

Park Mi-sun stared at Shin Yu-bin. It meant she was curious about what she was talking about.

“Our boss…”

Shin Yu-bin began to explain in detail what had happened with Hyun-sung earlier. Park Mi-sun, who was listening to Shin Yu-bin’s explanation, began to nod at some point. And finally, when Shin Yu-bin’s explanation was over, she immediately continued.

“So, the boss said that you shouldn’t calculate goodwill with money?”

“Yes, Mom.”

“That’s right. How can you calculate a person’s heart with money? That would rather be a great discourtesy to the other person.”

“That’s right. I just said that out of gratitude at first, but after hearing what the boss said, I realized I made a mistake. So I immediately apologized to the boss. Anyway, I learned something good today thanks to the boss.”

At that time, Park Mi-sun nodded and began to unpack the gift she had received.

“Oh? There are two thermal underwears.”

“Yes, one is for Dad. Of course, Dad is in heaven, so he won’t be cold, but I still wanted to report it to Dad.”

“Report?”

“Yes, now that I’m all grown up and got my first paycheck, I want Dad to stop worrying about Mom in heaven.”

“…”

Park Mi-sun closed her mouth again.

It was an unexpected word. She had always thought that she would just miss him because she was so fond of her father.

But now she’s telling her father to stop worrying about her mother…

Park Mi-sun looked at Shin Yu-bin’s face, who was sitting in front of her.

She always thought she was young, but today she seemed to have a mature look.

Park Mi-sun slowly reached out her hand.

“Shall we hold our daughter’s hand?”

“Yes, Mom.”

Shin Yu-bin quickly grabbed Park Mi-sun’s outstretched hand. Then, her mother’s warm energy seemed to be transmitted throughout her body.

At that time, Park Min-sun opened her mouth again.

“Yu-bin!”

“Yes, Mom.”

“Thank you. I don’t know how happy this mother is to have our Yu-bin.”

“Mom, me too…”

The two hugged each other as if they had promised.

After a while.

Shin Yu-bin spoke first.

“Mom, let’s have a meat party.”

“Meat party?”

“Yes, I bought pork belly. And this is the salary envelope. Mom, please manage my salary from now on. Wait a minute, I’ll bring the grill.”

With those words, Shin Yu-bin headed to the kitchen.

Park Mi-sun, who was left alone, held the salary envelope that Shin Yu-bin had handed her and looked at it. Her gaze was directed at the photo hanging on the wall.

“Honey, can you see? Our Yu-bin got a salary…”

***

Another person for whom today is special as much as Shin Yu-bin, is Park Hee-cheol’s second son, Park Beom-soo.

“…”

“…”

The two people are silent.

Park Hee-cheol and his wife, Shin Myung-soon, looked at each other as if they had forgotten what to say, looking at the gift box on the table.

Then Park Beom-soo, who was sitting across from them, immediately opened his mouth.

“What are you doing? Father, Mother. Aren’t you going to check my gift?”

“Is this a gift for us?”

The first to speak was Park Hee-cheol.

“Yes, Father. Today was payday. I was told to buy thermal underwear for my parents with my first paycheck.”

“Who?”

“Our boss said that at the morning meeting today.”

“…”

Park Hee-cheol’s gaze turned to the gift box in front of him instead of words. A rectangular paper box neatly wrapped in pretty wrapping paper.

Even when Park Beom-soo first returned to Korea from Japan four years ago, he never dreamed that this day would come.

If he had a wish, it was just to live a healthy life without getting sick. He emptied his mind because he knew that wanting more than that was greed.

But from some point on, he started to change little by little. It was from the time when Hyun-sung came out on vacation from the military and went back in.

He started to change in earnest two days after Hyun-sung was discharged from the military.

Cooking.

It was cooking that brought about his change. That was also Hyun-sung’s work. Hyun-sung, who recognized his hidden talent, actively cultivated his talent. As a result, his cooking skills increased day by day, and he got a job at the restaurant he runs earlier this year.

And he bought thermal underwear today, saying he got his first paycheck. A dreamlike thing has actually happened.

Snatching.

Park Hee-cheol picked up the gift box on the table and disappeared into the main room.

And after a while.

Park Hee-cheol came out of the main room.

“Beom-soo, does this father look good?”

“Father!”

Park Beom-soo couldn’t say anything else. Even when his father suddenly took the thermal underwear and went into the main room a little while ago, he thought it couldn’t be. But what he thought was impossible actually happened.

“Honey!”

Shin Myung-soon was also surprised. Of course, she expected it to some extent, but she really didn’t know that he would actually change into thermal underwear and come out.

“How is it? This is the thermal underwear that our Beom-soo bought with his first paycheck. The texture is good and the color is just right. Do you think so too?”

“Hehe, it really suits you. You look so cool. What should I do? Should I try it on too?”

Shin Myung-soon squeezed her eyes tightly.

Of course, it’s nonsense. No matter how much he is her son, she is still Park Beom-soo’s stepmother. It is unimaginable to wear thermal underwear and do a fashion show in front of such a child. But seeing Park Hee-cheol’s happy appearance, she thought she couldn’t do it.

What was absurd was Park Hee-cheol.

No matter how much he is her son, she is his wife before she is a mother. It was impossible for his wife to wear thermal underwear and show it in front of her grown-up child.

“Hehe…”

Park Hee-cheol just laughed. He wanted to say no in a loud voice, but he thought it would make the atmosphere even stranger, so he just laughed.

Park Beom-soo, who was watching the scene.

For a moment, his eyes flashed.

His father is 67 years old this year. The fact that he is wearing thermal underwear and laughing without being able to do anything makes him feel not so happy.

Park Beom-soo knew that all of this was due to his lack of ability.

“Father, Mother, please wait a moment. I’ll make bulgogi [Korean marinated beef barbecue]. Let’s have dinner together for the first time in a while.”

With those words, Park Beom-soo took the beef he had bought a little while ago and disappeared into the kitchen.

The two people left after Park Beom-soo disappeared into the kitchen.

“Pfft!”

The two looked at each other and burst into laughter at the same time, without either of them being the first.

465

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