Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 47

Some time later.

Hyun-sung’s hand movements grew faster.

As school started in earnest, the number of students pouring out of the alley became too many to count.

As more time passed.

“How many is this?”

Hyun-sung began counting the marks on his notepad.

“One, two…….”

The total was 82 marks. Multiplying by 5, that came out to 410 people. And there were still about 30 minutes left before school started.

The students passing through this alley are mainly middle and high school students.

Elementary schools are located on the opposite side, so there’s no reason for them to come this way to school.

Considering the remaining time before school starts, nearly 500 students use this alley on their way to school.

However, it’s too early to start worrying about this number. The primary goal for today was to confirm the approximate amount.

And I’ll have to keep an eye on it again after school ends.

Clack.

Hyun-sung closed his notepad.

Just then, he heard someone calling him from behind.

It was Lee Jung-woo.

“What are you doing here?”

“Just investigating something.”

As expected, Lee Jung-woo’s expression wasn’t bright. He probably had a long talk with his mother, Shin Myung-soon, last night.

A dark expression meant they hadn’t found a special solution.

Hyun-sung lightly tapped Lee Jung-woo’s shoulder.

“Jung-woo, let’s hang in there. Surely there’s a way.”

“I talked to Mom, but I don’t see a solution. Hyun-sung, what do we do now?”

“The best thing would be to move to that place in the alley, but your mother absolutely refuses…….”

No matter how he thought about it, it was a shame.

If they just moved, it would be a huge success….

The problem was that there was no way to persuade her. There was no point in saying he had lived through it before; the result would be obvious, and Hyun-sung could only sigh.

“Let’s go in for now.”

The two headed to school side by side.

When they arrived at the classroom, it was noisy as if everyone had so much to say.

But then, something strange happened.

The classroom instantly went silent as Hyun-sung entered.

“What’s going on?”

Hyun-sung looked around in surprise.

Then, class president Lee Young-min approached him.

“Congratulations.”

“Lee Young-min, what are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“I heard you completely crushed Il-soo’s gang in the vacant lot yesterday?”

Only then did Hyun-sung realize why his classmates had suddenly gone silent. But the strange thing was that no one had witnessed the fight yesterday.

Well, there was someone. Park Cheol-min and Lee Soo-cheol, who were Kim Il-soo’s lackeys, and Lee Jung-woo.

At least it wouldn’t be Park Cheol-min and Lee Soo-cheol. They wouldn’t be fools who would brag about getting beaten up themselves.

That meant there was only one person left.

Swoosh.

Hyun-sung looked at Lee Jung-woo next to him.

“Was it you?”

“I just……, got a call…….”

“A call?”

Lee Jung-woo looked at class president Lee Young-min.

Hyun-sung couldn’t possibly miss the meaning in that look.

This time, he looked at Lee Young-min and asked.

“Then was it you?”

“Yeah. I needed to know, right? I called just in case. But is everything Jung-woo said true?”

“What did he say?”

“He said you were flying around.”

Hyun-sung looked back at Lee Jung-woo. Then Lee Jung-woo quickly opened his mouth.

“It’s true!”

Lee Jung-woo was saying it confidently without batting an eye.

Hyun-sung realized for the first time.

That Lee Jung-woo was such a good liar.

Hyun-sung chuckled. Then he opened his mouth.

“Yeah, so what?”

He couldn’t make his friend Lee Jung-woo out to be a liar.

As soon as Hyun-sung finished speaking, Lee Jung-woo immediately said to class president Lee Young-min.

“See, I told you I was right!”

The swearing was natural too. And his voice seemed much louder. He was always a quiet guy. He seemed to have forgotten about his store worries for a moment, answering his friends’ questions enthusiastically.

Hyun-sung, who was sitting in his seat, called Park Cheol-min and Lee Soo-cheol.

“Park Cheol-min, Lee Soo-cheol, let’s talk for a second.”

He figured he had to finish things since it had come to this.

The classroom fell silent once again.

And all eyes were focused on Park Cheol-min and Lee Soo-cheol.

Ugh!

The two were in a terrible predicament.

Going would be too humiliating, but staying here would mean they didn’t know what kind of trouble they would face.

They had already seen Hyun-sung’s skills yesterday.

He was the guy who dodged Kim Il-soo’s punch. Right in front of their eyes. That was enough. There was no need to taste whether it was poop or soybean paste again [a Korean idiom meaning to experience something unpleasant].

Moreover, all their classmates were watching now. They didn’t want to look any more pathetic in front of them.

The deliberation ended there.

Park Cheol-min got up from his seat first and headed towards Hyun-sung. Then Lee Soo-cheol immediately followed behind Park Cheol-min.

The two arrived in front of Hyun-sung.

“What?”

Park Cheol-min asked, and Hyun-sung replied.

“Why isn’t Il-soo around?”

“We don’t know either…….”

That’s what they were saying.

Hyun-sung nodded. It wasn’t like he was particularly curious. He just asked because he didn’t see him.

And honestly, he didn’t care whether he came to school or not. He was the kind of guy who would scam his friends even after graduating. He thought it would be better for his friends if he quit school early.

And after a while.

Hyun-sung took out a coin from his pocket.

It was a 100-won coin.

Swoosh.

Hyun-sung held out the coin.

“Hey, go buy milk and bread with this. Chocolate milk. Two of each.”

“What?”

Lee Soo-cheol flared up.

Then Hyun-sung crossed his arms and said.

“Why, don’t you want to? You guys used to make people do this all the time.”

“That was because of Il-soo…….”

“Don’t blame Il-soo. Are you guys going to cowardly blame someone who’s not here?”

“…….”

The two were silent.

And after a while.

Park Cheol-min and Lee Soo-cheol quietly took the coin and turned around. They were like puppies with their tails down, with no more will to resist.

The corner of Hyun-sung’s mouth curled up sharply.

“Remember to bring back 50 won in change, okay?”

It was an undeniably childish act. But those who have experienced it know how humiliating and painful that childishness is.

“You have 5 minutes.”

As soon as Hyun-sung finished speaking, Park Cheol-min and Lee Soo-cheol ran out of the classroom. The classmates who watched the scene began to laugh loudly.

Hyun-sung, who was watching the scene, opened his mouth.

“Is it funny?”

“…….”

The classroom fell silent again.

Then Hyun-sung looked at Lee Young-min and said again.

“Class president, is it funny?”

“Huh?”

“I’m asking if you think this situation is funny.”

“…….”

Lee Young-min couldn’t answer. Then Hyun-sung seemed to think for a moment before continuing.

“What’s the difference between us and Kim Il-soo right now?”

“What are you talking about?”

“What’s the difference between Il-soo making people do bread shuttle [being forced to buy bread for bullies] and me making you guys do it and you guys laughing and condoning it?”

“That’s…….”

When Lee Young-min couldn’t answer properly, Hyun-sung said again.

“You should have stopped it. At least one of you should have stopped it. Right?”

“…….”

“We’re all accomplices, including me.”

The classroom fell silent again. Then Hyun-sung immediately continued.

“Let’s put that aside for now, and let’s not do that anymore. If any of us in our class face a difficult situation, let’s not turn a blind eye and work together as if it’s our own problem. And I’m sorry for suddenly setting the mood so presumptuously, but let’s all try together from now on.”

As soon as Hyun-sung finished speaking, class president Lee Young-min stepped forward.

“Why is this guy like this these days? Everything he says is touching. Anyway, after listening to you, I feel a little different.”