Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 575

A few days later.

It was after finishing the morning cleaning and stepping outside for a moment. Lee Myung-hoon, who had followed me out, called out to Hyun-sung from behind.

“Boss.”

“Huh? Oh, what is it?”

“Would it be alright if I left work early this afternoon?”

“Leave work early?”

At the words ‘leave work early,’ Hyun-sung tilted his head and looked at Lee Myung-hoon, silently requesting an explanation. After all, if he was asking to leave early, there had to be a good reason.

Lee Myung-hoon’s answer followed immediately.

“I have a friend to meet.”

“A friend?”

Hyun-sung couldn’t help but be puzzled. When Lee Myung-hoon had asked to leave work early, Hyun-sung had assumed there would be a valid reason.

But the reason was simply to meet a friend? It didn’t quite add up.

But who was Lee Myung-hoon?

Wasn’t he the employee Hyun-sung trusted the most?

Then there must be a good reason, Hyun-sung reasoned.

Curious, Hyun-sung asked directly.

“It’s not just a simple meeting with a friend, is it? I think an explanation is in order…”

“Well, that’s…”

Lee Myung-hoon hesitated. After a moment, Hyun-sung spoke again.

“Alright, leave early.”

“Yes?”

Lee Myung-hoon couldn’t help but be surprised. Clearly, leaving work early to meet a friend didn’t seem like a sufficient reason. That’s why Hyun-sung had wanted an additional explanation.

But he hadn’t been able to explain because the circumstances weren’t right.

Yet, Hyun-sung, the boss, readily agreed. So, Lee Myung-hoon was taken aback.

“Boss, are you really okay with this?”

“Yes, I believe you must have a good reason for not being able to tell me. So, go ahead.”

Hyun-sung had hesitated for a moment, but it wasn’t a big deal. However, he made that decision because it was his most trusted employee, not just anyone.

But it was hard for Lee Myung-hoon to understand.

“I didn’t even explain the reason…”

“There must be a reason why you can’t explain it, right?”

That was Hyun-sung’s conclusion. He figured there must be a reason why Lee Myung-hoon couldn’t explain. So, he didn’t press further.

Of course, that was because it was Lee Myung-hoon, whom he trusted, and not someone else.

“That’s true, but still…”

“That’s enough. I’m fine, so go meet your friend comfortably.”

“… Yes.”

Lee Myung-hoon reluctantly answered and went back inside the store.

But only for a moment.

Lee Myung-hoon immediately opened the door and came out again. Then, he approached Hyun-sung and spoke again.

“I don’t think this is right.”

“What?”

“You trust me this much, but I’m not telling you?”

“I told you I’m fine.”

“No, I’ll tell you now. Actually, the friend I’m meeting today is…”

Lee Myung-hoon launched into his explanation.

His story started with the introduction of the friend he was meeting. He said they had been friends since middle school. But that friend was having a hard time these days. So, he was going to lend him money.

When Lee Myung-hoon’s explanation ended, Hyun-sung asked immediately.

“So, the conclusion is that you’re meeting that friend today to lend him money?”

“Yes, that’s right. He runs a snack shop in Bucheon [a city in South Korea], but he’s having a really hard time.”

“What kind of business is it?”

“A snack shop.”

“Hmm…”

Hyun-sung was silent for a moment, as if he was thinking about something.

About a minute passed.

Hyun-sung spoke again.

“Why didn’t you tell me from the beginning?”

“I thought you might object.”

“Does that mean you’re not confident yourself?”

“Honestly, a little.”

“Then why are you trying to lend him the money?”

“He’s been asking me for a few days now. He said he’s having a hard time, so please help him a little.”

Hyun-sung’s expression darkened, unlike before. He immediately thought this wasn’t right. But he couldn’t openly object to it either.

After thinking for a moment, Hyun-sung asked again.

“So, how much money is your friend asking to borrow?”

“Twenty million won [approximately $15,000 USD].”

“What, twenty million won?”

Hyun-sung was dumbfounded. Not just one or two hundred, but twenty million won? Did that make sense? Of course, he *could* lend it to him. But even at a glance, he thought it was too much.

“How did your friend know you had money?”

“It’s this mouth of mine. I was drinking with that friend last time, and I accidentally…”

“So, you’re going to lend him twenty million won after all?”

“I promised him yesterday.”

“What about your parents?”

“Of course, they don’t know.”

“Hmm…”

Hyun-sung was silent again, as if he was deep in thought.

After a while.

“Can you give up that money?”

“Give up?”

“Yeah, if that friend doesn’t pay you back, can you just let it go?”

“That’s a bit…”

“Why, are you not confident you can?”

“You know, Boss, my dream is to save money quickly and open my own store.”

“But?”

“Yes?”

Lee Myung-hoon tilted his head as if he didn’t know what Hyun-sung was asking. Seeing that, Hyun-sung immediately spoke again.

“Don’t you know what I mean?”

“No, I don’t…”

“Why is a guy who wants to save money quickly to open a store doing something so foolish? Do you think you can get that money back?”

“That friend said he’d pay it back in a year…”

“So, you believe that now?”

“Of course, I…”

Of course, he *might* pay it back. But according to Hyun-sung’s experience in his past life, he had never seen such money being repaid.

In the end, most people lost both their money and their friends.

That’s why there’s even a saying that you shouldn’t lend money to friends, but just give it to them.

Hyun-sung said again.

“Just give it to him instead.”

“Yes? Just give it to him?”

“Yeah, I think that’ll be better for your mental health. Rather than losing money and friends later and being upset.”

“Are you saying that friend won’t pay it back?”

“Well, if he was a friend who would pay it back, would he have asked for money at a drinking party like that? Of course, I don’t know what kind of friend he is, but I hope you think more carefully.”

The thought that this wasn’t right was getting deeper and deeper. Hyun-sung thought that if he really needed money, he wouldn’t have asked for it at a drinking party like that.

And there’s one more strange thing.

That’s the amount.

Surprisingly, the amount is too large. He clearly said that his friend runs a snack shop. But why does he need twenty million won?

Hyun-sung called Lee Myung-hoon again.

“Myung-hoon.”

“Yes, Boss.”

“Why does that friend need twenty million won?”

“He wants to remodel the store.”

“Reason?”

“The store is too old. He said he used the old store almost as it was when he first started because he didn’t have money, but now he wants to repair it.”

“Hmm…”

After thinking for a moment, Hyun-sung asked again.

“Do you know how much that friend’s daily sales are?”

“I don’t know exactly, but it seemed to be about 100,000 won [approximately $75 USD] a day. He said that fewer customers come because the store is too old…”

“Who? Did that friend say that?”

“Yes, he said that last time.”

“So, he’s going to borrow money from you to repair it now?”

“Yes.”

Hyun-sung couldn’t understand it even at a glance.

The snack shop is old, so business is bad?

So, he’s borrowing money from a friend to repair the store?

Hyun-sung slowly shook his head from side to side. He couldn’t understand that the store was old, so business was bad, and that he was borrowing money from a friend to repair the store.

“So, what are you going to do?”

“I promised…”

“Wait, let me ask you one thing first. When you think about it, do you think the reason why business isn’t doing well there is because the store is old?”

“Well, I don’t know.”

“Well? What kind of answer is that? It’s either yes or no.”

Hyun-sung’s voice was slightly annoyed. That’s because the guy who was going to lend twenty million won said ‘well’.

Hyun-sung asked again.

“Have you ever tasted the food there?”

“I went there and ate it about twice.”

“How was it?”

“Um… I think it was just okay.”

“Hey, Lee Myung-hoon!”

Hyun-sung called Lee Myung-hoon’s name loudly. Then he immediately continued.

“Aren’t you going to come to your senses?”

“Yes?”

“Does 20 million won look so funny to you?”

“That’s not true. That money is very precious to me. As I said a little while ago, I will definitely open a store in the future.”

“But you’re doing that? This doesn’t make sense. Does it make sense to lend that money to a place where the food doesn’t taste good and you don’t even know if the store is old or not?”

“…”

Lee Myung-hoon couldn’t say anything and just looked at the ground when Hyun-sung shouted. Hyun-sung continued to speak to him.

“It’s only for a moment that you’ll be upset. But if that money goes wrong, you two will be enemies for life. Do you know what I mean?”

“… Yes.”

“And you shouldn’t do money transactions between friends. If you’re going to lend it, just give it to them. I think that’s good for your mental health. That’s all I have to say, now you make the final decision.”

Hyun-sung got up from his seat after saying that. That’s because he thought it was his part done.

It was at that moment.

Lee Myung-hoon urgently called Hyun-sung.

“Boss!”

“Yes? Why?”

“Can you help me just once?”

“What do you want me to help you with?”

“I’m sorry, but can you go to my friend’s store in Bucheon just once?”

“Me?”

Hyun-sung pointed at himself with his finger and made a surprised expression. Even at a glance, he thought something was strange.

“Why me?”

“For me. Honestly, I don’t think I can make a decision. So, please meet my friend just once.”

“What do you want me to do when I meet him?”

“You know exactly what kind of person someone is when you see them, right? So…”

“Wait a minute.”

Hyun-sung raised his hand and interrupted Lee Myung-hoon. Then he immediately asked again.

“What does that mean? That I know exactly when I see someone?”

“Didn’t you say that to me before? That you can tell a person by looking at their eyes. That’s why you hired me.”

“Did I say that to you?”

“Don’t you remember? You definitely said that to me when we had a company dinner before.”

“Maybe that day I was very drunk?”

“Yes, that’s right. You definitely said that to me before we broke up at the end of that day.”

“Oh my, this is…”

It was Hyun-sung who was embarrassed. What Lee Myung-hoon was saying wouldn’t be a lie. But the problem is that he doesn’t remember it.

Click.

After thinking for a moment, Hyun-sung licked his lips. It was his habit that came out when he had no choice but to follow through on a decision.

“Where is that friend’s store in Bucheon?”

“Are you going?”

“I have no choice. I dug my own grave. But from now on, don’t be cheap and ask for things like this based on things I said while drunk. Got it?”

“Hehe, yes…”

Lee Myung-hoon scratched his head and smiled awkwardly. Then he immediately explained the location of his friend’s store and bowed to Hyun-sung.

“Thank you, Boss. I’m so relieved to have you.”

“Okay, take care of the customers and do a good job selling.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Lee Myung-hoon had a smile on his face as if something good had happened. Hyun-sung headed to the parking lot, escorted by Lee Myung-hoon.

30 minutes later.

Hyun-sung, who arrived at Bucheon Northern Station, parked his truck in the public parking lot and turned left at the intersection.

After walking for about 5 minutes.

A shabby shopping district came into Hyun-sung’s view.

[Rainbow Snack Shop]

It was the snack shop that Lee Myung-hoon had mentioned. Hyun-sung started by examining the surrounding commercial district before going inside.

*In 10 years, this place will be completely changed. But there are still many old buildings.*

Right then.

“Huh?”

Hyun-sung’s gaze was fixed on one place as he looked around. But it wasn’t a building, it was a person.

It was a woman crossing the crosswalk.

Jeans, a red leather jacket, and long hair that came down to her shoulders.

In Hyun-sung’s head, the memories of his past life flashed like lightning.

The figure was his wife, Yoon Ji-soo, whom he had always longed for.

Blinking, blinking.

The crosswalk signal started blinking.

Thud, thud!

Hyun-sung passed the snack shop and started running towards the crosswalk.