Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 54

A moment later.

“Oppa, this is really delicious. How did you make it taste so good?”

“Secret~”

“Hehe, I’ve been laughing a lot lately because of you, Oppa. But you know what?”

“What?”

Kim Ji-yeon paused, looked at Hyun-sung, and continued.

“Sometimes, when I look at you, Oppa, you have such annoying moments.”

“Don’t tell me you were badmouthing me when I wasn’t around?”

“Of course not! How would I dare…”

Hehe, hehehe…

Kim Ji-yeon’s laughter grew louder and louder.

Hyun-sung smiled as he watched his sister. He didn’t know why, but seeing her smiling face made him happy.

***

The next day, during lunch break.

Hyun-sung headed to the faculty office.

As he entered, his homeroom teacher, Shin Min-ho, was on the phone.

“Yes, so you’re saying I need to get a biopsy after all? I understand. I’ll bring my mother in as soon as possible to see you.”

‘What’s this about?’

Hyun-sung tilted his head, listening to Shin Min-ho’s conversation.

Could it be… cancer?

Perhaps it was because he watched too many dramas, but the word ‘biopsy’ immediately brought cancer to Hyun-sung’s mind.

Based on Shin Min-ho’s conversation, it seemed someone had found a tumor.

That’s why a biopsy was needed. Of course, that someone would be his mother, whom Shin Min-ho had mentioned earlier.

Wait a minute!

Hyun-sung began to search his memories.

‘Nothing comes to mind…’

It was too long ago, so he thought for a moment, but nothing came to mind. Well, it wouldn’t make sense to recall every single memory.

Just then, Shin Min-ho looked at Hyun-sung and spoke.

“You’re here?”

“Yes, you called for me?”

Shin Min-ho had called him because of Kim Il-soo. Kim Il-soo hadn’t come to school again today.

Yesterday was the first day, so he hadn’t thought much of it, but after two consecutive days of absence, homeroom teacher Shin Min-ho had called Hyun-sung.

Shin Min-ho asked.

“Still no word from Il-soo?”

“Doesn’t seem like it.”

“Doesn’t seem like it? That means you don’t really care.”

“Well, honestly…”

That was his honest feeling. No matter how old he got, he couldn’t help but dislike him. It wasn’t like his dislike would just fade away.

Shin Min-ho didn’t say anything special in response to Hyun-sung’s answer, as if he had expected it.

Then, he suddenly started flipping through the student records.

After a moment,

Shin Min-ho closed the student record and said to Hyun-sung.

“Kim Hyun-sung, I have a favor to ask.”

“A favor?”

“Yes, I’m sorry, but go to Il-soo’s house today.”

“Excuse me, but I don’t want to. Why would I go to that jerk’s house?”

That was ridiculous. It was a request that Hyun-sung couldn’t possibly accept. It was Kim Il-soo, of all people. There was no way he could visit that kind of person’s house.

Shin Min-ho was silent for a moment at Hyun-sung’s answer.

After a moment,

Shin Min-ho spoke again.

“I’ll ask you one more time. Go!”

It was a favor in name only; it was practically a threat. If he didn’t go, who knew what words would come out of Shin Min-ho’s mouth right then and there.

But Hyun-sung couldn’t obey Shin Min-ho’s words this time.

“I don’t want to. Just make me class president instead.”

“Hey, Kim Hyun-sung!”

“Yes.”

“What did you say to me last time?”

“Yes?”

Shin Min-ho stared intently at Hyun-sung’s face and said again.

“You said teachers shouldn’t do that, right? You said they should at least do what they have to do as homeroom teachers, didn’t you?”

“That’s…”

“Why? Have your thoughts changed now that the situation is different?”

Hyun-sung was speechless at Shin Min-ho’s words. What Shin Min-ho was saying now was exactly what Hyun-sung himself had said just a few days ago.

Shin Min-ho continued.

“And one more thing, what’s the difference between you and Il-soo if you act like this? In my opinion, Kim Hyun-sung, you’re worse, you jerk!”

“What? What does that mean…”

“Who do you think is worse, someone who can’t do something because they don’t know, or someone who doesn’t do it even though they know?”

“…”

Hyun-sung couldn’t say anything because he knew too well what Shin Min-ho was talking about.

When Hyun-sung didn’t answer, Shin Min-ho spoke again.

“And are you stupid? You’re full of smart talk, but why are you so clueless?”

Clueless?

Hyun-sung looked at Shin Min-ho straight in the eye.

“What are you talking about?”

“Don’t make things bigger, just finish it. You and I don’t need to get tired over something like this. I’ll handle it within this week no matter what, but if it goes beyond this week, I can’t handle it either. Do you understand what I’m saying now?”

“…”

“It would be easier for me to handle it according to the school rules. But like you said, I’m your homeroom teacher, so I can’t abandon even one of you. Please help me, Kim Hyun-sung.”

That’s what it was.

Homeroom teacher Shin Min-ho was not the Shin Min-ho he used to be.

Hyun-sung couldn’t argue any further at Shin Min-ho’s words.

A moment later.

Homeroom teacher Shin Min-ho handed something to Hyun-sung.

“Take this with you.”

“What’s this money for?”

“For the bus fare, and don’t go empty-handed since his grandmother is alone.”

“Grandmother?”

Not his parents, but his grandmother?

Hyun-sung looked at Shin Min-ho and asked immediately.

“Does he only live with his grandmother?”

“That’s what it says on the student record. I’m sorry. I don’t know more than that…”

“Oh, did you try calling him?”

“He doesn’t have one!”

That was Shin Min-ho’s clean finish.

Well, he must have called me because he doesn’t have a phone. He looked for a way out until the very end, just in case, but there was no such loophole, unfortunately.

Hyun-sung had no choice but to take the 3,000 won [approximately $2.50 USD] that his homeroom teacher handed him and left the faculty office.

After class, Hyun-sung headed to Kim Il-soo’s house.

“Is this it?”

Hyun-sung was standing in front of a house with the address his homeroom teacher had given him. Of course, he had never been to this neighborhood in his past life, so even though it was the countryside, it was unfamiliar to him.

There was no gate, so he went straight into the yard.

“Hello?”

“Is anyone there?”

“Kim Il-soo.”

After Hyun-sung called out several times, he heard a coughing sound from the room, and then the door opened with difficulty. It was a grandmother who looked to be over 70 years old.

Kim Il-soo’s grandmother, Shin Yu-bok, asked weakly as she looked at Hyun-sung.

“Who are you?”

“Hello? Is this Il-soo’s house?”

“You must be our grandson’s friend.”

Hyun-sung approached the room, bowed his head, and greeted her.

“Hello, Grandma. I’m Kim Hyun-sung, a classmate of Il-soo.”

Hyun-sung placed the box of Vegemil [a popular brand of soy milk in Korea] he had brought on the floor. Then, he quickly took one out, inserted a straw, and handed it to Kim Il-soo’s grandmother, Shin Yu-bok.

Shin Yu-bok waved her hand and said.

“Oh my, what money does a student have to buy something like this?”

Sip, sip.

Shin Yu-bok was thirsty, so she hurriedly took a few sips of the soy milk Hyun-sung offered.

But her movements were unnatural.

Hyun-sung asked cautiously.

“Grandma, are you feeling unwell anywhere?”

“I twisted my back while digging potatoes. I can’t move…”

“What about the hospital?”

“What hospital? I’ll be fine in a few days. I’m just worried that our Il-soo is suffering a lot because of this old woman.”

Even in her pain, Shin Yu-bok was worried about Kim Il-soo.

But even with a quick look around, Kim Il-soo was nowhere to be seen.

Hyun-sung asked again.

“Where did Il-soo go?”

“To the potato field across the stream.”

“Potato field?”

Hyun-sung was a little puzzled by the word ‘potato field.’

Of course, even at this time, it was common for high school students to help with most of the farm work at home.

That was the same for Hyun-sung.

But it was common to help mainly after school or on weekends. But Kim Il-soo was doing farm work without going to school.

Hyun-sung asked cautiously.

“Grandma, what about Il-soo’s parents…”

“They’re gone!”

Shin Yu-bok showed an unusually strong rejection even before Hyun-sung could finish his sentence.

Hyun-sung didn’t ask any further.

Say no more, it’s a taboo subject.

In other words, it’s a family matter and shouldn’t be asked about carelessly.

Hyun-sung quietly left Kim Il-soo’s house and headed to the potato field across the stream that Shin Yu-bok had mentioned.

Even with a quick look, the potato field looked quite large.

One person was sweating profusely, digging potatoes alone in the wide potato field. It was Kim Il-soo.

Kim Il-soo was so focused on digging potatoes that he didn’t even know Hyun-sung was approaching until he was close.

Hyun-sung silently watched Kim Il-soo from behind.

‘What is this guy?’

It was a different side of him than what he saw at school.

What should he say… it was like the extreme opposite?

At school, he was the typical delinquent, but now he looked like a reliable head of the household. Perhaps because of his size, he had a decent posture.

Hyun-sung approached a little closer and called out to Kim Il-soo in a blunt tone.

“Hey, Kim Il-soo!”

“Huh? What? Why are you…”

Kim Il-soo was too embarrassed to finish his sentence when he saw Hyun-sung. Of course, it was a natural reaction since he would never have dreamed that Hyun-sung would come all the way here.

Hyun-sung continued.

“Why didn’t you come to school and make people tired?”

“Mind your own business.”

“Do you think I wanted to come here? Why, are you too ashamed to come to school after getting dumped?”

Pfft.

Kim Il-soo just laughed at Hyun-sung’s words as if they were absurd.

Then, he looked at Hyun-sung and said.

“Crazy bastard. You’re talking like you have it so good.”

“What?”

“Well, what would a guy who grew up nicely under his mom and dad know? Okay, I don’t have anything to do with you, so don’t talk nonsense and get lost.”

‘What is it?’

Even a little while ago, Kim Il-soo’s grandmother’s behavior was strange. Shin Yu-bok reacted so sensitively when Hyun-sung tried to ask about Kim Il-soo’s parents.

But he felt that way from Kim Il-soo’s words now.

Then that means there’s something there as expected.

Hyun-sung asked indirectly.

“Are you going to dig this whole wide potato field by yourself?”

“Mind your own business whether I dig it or not. And I have to work, so get lost. Don’t bother people with unnecessary curiosity.”

Kim Il-soo was thoroughly putting up a shield.

“This is complete trash.”

“What? You little punk!”

A curse word came out of Kim Il-soo’s mouth.

Hyun-sung was just as angry.

“Hey, you son of a bitch. Do you think I came here to play because I’m bored? And what curiosity? Do you think I’m stupid? Why would I be curious about a guy like you?”

“Then who told you to come, you son of a bitch?”

“This guy is really beyond saving. If you’re at least human, shouldn’t you treat someone who came all the way here like this? I must have been crazy to come looking for a guy like you as a friend…”

Ha!

A rough breath came out of Hyun-sung’s mouth.

To be honest, he really didn’t want to when homeroom teacher Shin Min-ho told him to visit Kim Il-soo. But later, when the homeroom teacher said he wouldn’t abandon even one of them, he couldn’t refuse any longer.

That’s because it was what Hyun-sung himself had said to the homeroom teacher a few days ago.

Furthermore, he was taken aback when he heard the words, ‘Have your thoughts changed now that the situation is different?’

‘Do as I say, not as I do.’

Because it’s one of the words he hates the most.

So, his goal was to persuade him to come to school no matter what. But from the beginning, he kept hearing the words, ‘Why did you come?’, so it was natural that he was angry.