Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 580

582

-Hello?

“Boss, it’s me.”

The person Yu Young-seok called was none other than Hyun-sung.

-Oh, Young-seok. Is something wrong?

“What should I do now?”

-Why, what’s the matter?

“It’s just… *sob*.”

Yu Young-seok couldn’t continue speaking and burst into tears.

Hyun-sung immediately asked:

-Young-seok, what’s wrong?

“They need me to sign the surgery consent form by the end of today.”

-Surgery consent form? That means, ultimately…

Hyun-sung couldn’t bring himself to finish the sentence. Signing the surgery consent form meant undergoing surgery. Knowing full well what kind of surgery it was, he couldn’t bear to say it himself.

“They’re going to amputate. Otherwise, my life will be in danger later on. What should I do now?”

-Young-seok, I’m coming over now, so let’s talk face to face. Okay?

“I’m so scared.”

-Yes, you would be. Just wait a moment. I’m on my way.

“Okay…”

*Click.*

After hanging up, Hyun-sung felt dazed for a moment. Of course, he had expected it to some extent. But now that the surgery was actually happening, his mind felt blank.

“Is that Young-seok?”

Lee Myung-hoon asked as soon as Hyun-sung hung up.

“Yeah, it is.”

“But why do you look so grim, boss?”

“It seems the surgery has been decided.”

“Surgery, you mean…?”

Lee Myung-hoon also couldn’t bring himself to say the word ‘amputation,’ leaving his sentence unfinished.

“Yes, it seems they can’t delay it any longer.”

“Then what’s going to happen to Young-seok?”

“That’s what I’m saying. He must be very scared right now.”

“So, are you going to the hospital now, boss?”

“Yeah, I should go. I don’t know if it will help, but I’ll go and talk to him.”

“Just a moment.”

Lee Myung-hoon took something out of his pocket and handed it to Hyun-sung. It was an envelope.

“We collected this little by little. It won’t be much help, but please give it to Young-seok. I’d like to go and see him myself, but it seems like he’s having a hard time right now, so I’ll go later.”

“Okay, thanks. I’ll convey your feelings to Young-seok.”

“Please tell him to stay strong.”

“Okay, I will. I’ll be back, so take care of the store with the others.”

Hyun-sung finished speaking and left the store, heading towards the parking lot.

Just then,

“Boss!”

Park Cheol-ho suddenly came running out and called to Hyun-sung. Then, he took a ring off his finger and handed it to Hyun-sung.

“Please give this to Young-seok.”

“What is this?”

“It’s a rosary ring; I always wear it.”

“Isn’t this what people who go to church use when they pray?”

“Yes, that’s right. I use it when I pray. I want to help in any way I can, but this is all I have right now. People who don’t even go to church or temple pray to God when they’re desperate. It will be more helpful if you pray while turning this.”

“Okay, thanks. I’ll be sure to give it to Young-seok.”

*Tap tap.*

Hyun-sung lightly tapped Park Cheol-ho’s shoulder. He didn’t know if the rosary ring would help Yu Young-seok, but he was grateful for the thought itself.

Hyun-sung got into the truck and set off for Gil Hospital.

30 minutes later.

Arriving at Gil Hospital, Hyun-sung went straight up to the hospital room where Yu Young-seok was admitted.

“Oh? Mr. Kim!”

As he arrived in front of the hospital room, Yu Sang-hyuk, Yu Young-seok’s father, greeted Hyun-sung warmly.

“Why are you outside?”

“Young-seok said he wanted to be alone.”

“Young-seok is having a hard time?”

“He must be. I’m having a hard time like this, so how much harder must it be for him? I just hope our Young-seok can overcome this…”

Just by looking at Yu Sang-hyuk’s expression, one could feel how much he was struggling.

It was only natural. It was his own child facing major surgery, so how could he not be heartbroken as a father?

Moreover, it wasn’t just any surgery, but a leg amputation, so his heart must be beyond words.

Perhaps the pain was even greater than that of Yu Young-seok himself.

“Then I’ll go in for a moment.”

“Okay, I don’t know how fortunate we are to have Mr. Kim here. Please take care of our son.”

“Yes, then…”

Hyun-sung left Yu Sang-hyuk behind and opened the hospital room door.

“Oh? Boss!”

Yu Young-seok greeted Hyun-sung as he entered. But his eyes were slightly swollen.

“Have you been crying?”

“I just keep crying without realizing it. I’m scared and afraid… so I told my dad I wanted to be alone. If I cry, my dad will have an even harder time.”

It was a bit unexpected. That a mere twenty-year-old would think of his father in this situation and act that way.

“So, that’s why you wanted to be alone?”

“Yes, he’s already having a hard time, so if I cry too… *sniffle*.”

Yu Young-seok started crying again in the middle of his sentence. Hyun-sung gently took his hand. Then, he quietly called his name.

“Young-seok!”

“Yes, Boss!”

“No, don’t call me boss anymore; just call me *hyung* [older brother].”

“Yes? What do you mean all of a sudden?”

“Let’s call each other that from now on.”

Coming to the hospital, he had been thinking about what he could do to help Yu Young-seok in this situation, even just a little bit.

Once, at a company dinner, he had said that he was an only child and envied those who had older or younger siblings. So, he thought of changing their titles.

Yu Young-seok’s eyes sparkled differently than before.

“Is that really true?”

“Yes, you said at the company dinner that you envied those who had older or younger siblings, right?”

“Well, yes, but…”

“So, I’m saying that I’ll be your *hyung* from now on. What do you think?”

“What is there for me to think about? If the boss, of all people, becomes my *hyung*, I couldn’t ask for anything more.”

From Yu Young-seok’s expression, one could immediately tell how happy he was. He immediately opened his mouth again.

“Then, from now on, instead of saying ‘boss,’ I can call you ‘*hyungnim*’ [respectful term for older brother]?”

“That’s right, so say it once.”

“Now?”

“Yes, now!”

“…Hyu, *Hyungnim*!”

Yu Young-seok hesitated for a moment, then looked at Hyun-sung and opened his mouth. His expression brightened, unlike before. He seemed to have forgotten the pain for a moment.

Hyun-sung called Yu Young-seok again.

“Young-seok!”

“Yes, Bos… I mean, *Hyungnim*!”

“From now on, I’ll try to be a real *hyung*, not just in words. So, from now on, think of me as a real *hyung*, and if anything happens, talk to me, and don’t lose courage no matter what happens in the future.”

“…Yes!”

Yu Young-seok seemed to think for a moment, then nodded. Then, he slowly reached out and picked up a piece of paper from his bedside.

“This is what we were talking about earlier. I can’t have the surgery without writing this.”

What Yu Young-seok was holding was the surgery consent form. His hand was trembling slightly.

It was only natural. The moment he wrote his name and signed the paper, one of his legs would be amputated.

Hyun-sung bit his lower lip tightly.

At this moment, there was nothing he could say to Yu Young-seok.

Then Yu Young-seok spoke again.

“*Hyungnim*!”

“Yes, Young-seok!”

“I’m so scared. The thought of living the rest of my life without one leg makes it impossible for me to sign this paper.”

“…”

“Is there no way?”

Hyun-sung was frustrated as well. On the first day, he had done everything he could to save Yu Young-seok’s leg.

He hadn’t even slept a wink, treating him all night.

But it was no use.

For some reason, his healing abilities were useless to Yu Young-seok.

“I’m going crazy too. I can’t do anything about it.”

“Why did this happen to me?”

“There’s no reason; you’re just unlucky.”

He didn’t want to comfort him with ridiculous words.

There was an accident, so what reason could there be?

“I haven’t done anything that bad, so why is this trial happening to me…”

“That’s what I’m saying. Our Young-seok has lived such a good life.”

“That’s right, to be honest, I’ve never done anything to others…”

Yu Young-seok’s words grew longer. It probably meant that Yu Young-seok felt wronged. As he continued to speak, Hyun-sung nodded, as if agreeing that his words were correct.

For now, that was the best he could do for him.

“Hoo…!”

Yu Young-seok, who had been talking for a while, sighed deeply. Perhaps because he had vented his frustrations, his expression seemed a little more stable.

Just then,

The nurse came in, opening the hospital room door.

“I’ll check your blood pressure and temperature.”

After checking his blood pressure, temperature, and a few other things, the nurse spoke again.

“Have you filled out the surgery consent form?”

“No.”

“You know that if you don’t fill it out by 8 o’clock today, you won’t be able to have surgery tomorrow, right?”

“…”

Yu Young-seok slowly nodded instead of answering. His expression looked like he was about to burst into tears.

After a while,

The nurse left, and Yu Young-seok’s gaze turned back to the surgery consent form. Then, he opened his phone and checked the time.

“*Hyungnim*!”

“Yes, Young-seok!”

“I have to finish this, right?”

“There’s still time, so think about it slowly.”

“Either way…”

Yu Young-seok paused for a moment, then continued.

“I have to have the surgery, right?”

“It seems like you have to. If there was a way to solve it by delaying it, I would do it, but this isn’t something like that…”

“I understand in my head, but it’s not as easy as I think. I just have to write my name and sign it, but it’s so hard.”

That’s only natural. The moment you write your name and sign it, one of your legs will be gone, so how could it be easy?

“I’m sorry, Young-seok. I can’t say anything about that. But I’ll promise you one thing. This *hyung* will be behind Young-seok from now on.”

“Is that really true?”

“Yes, we may have met because of work at first, but now we’re not just colleagues, we’re becoming brothers. I’ll be your *hyung*, and you’ll be my younger brother.”

“Then I can just trust *Hyungnim* and live my life?”

“Absolutely!”

Hyun-sung nodded. In fact, from the moment he thought about becoming his *hyung*, he thought that he would not only say it but also act that way.

“*Hyungnim*, I’ve decided.”

“Really?”

“Yes, if I’m going to have surgery anyway, it’s better to do it quickly. It would be hard if I were alone, but now that I think *Hyungnim* is behind me, I think I can stand even with one leg.”

“…”

Hyun-sung held his hand tightly instead of answering. Of course, he knew too well that his heart was trembling, even though he said that.

“*Hyungnim*, can you call my dad?”

“Oh, okay.”

Hyun-sung got up and walked towards the hospital room door.

After a while,

Yu Sang-hyuk, who had entered the hospital room, approached Yu Young-seok. Then, Yu Young-seok grabbed Yu Sang-hyuk’s hand with one hand and said.

“Dad, I have a *hyung* now too.”

“Huh? *Hyung*? What are you talking about?”

Yu Sang-hyuk looked alternately at Hyun-sung and Yu Young-seok, as if he didn’t know what he was talking about. Then, Yu Young-seok glanced at Hyun-sung and continued.

“From now on, I’ve decided to call the boss here *Hyungnim*. It wasn’t me who said that first, but the boss said he would be my *hyung* first. Am I right? *Hyungnim*?”

Yu Young-seok looked at Hyun-sung as if to confirm. Then, Hyun-sung quickly nodded and immediately continued.

“Of course, from now on, this *hyung* will be standing right behind our younger brother Young-seok. So, don’t worry about anything.”

“Dad, am I right?”

“Yes, it seems like our Young-seok is right.”

Yu Sang-hyuk looked at Hyun-sung and bowed slightly. He wanted to convey his gratitude in that way. Hyun-sung, who couldn’t possibly not know that feeling, also bowed slightly.

“Dad, so I’ve decided. I’m going to have surgery bravely since I’m having it anyway. From now on, I’m not alone, I have a reliable *hyung*.”

“Okay, Young-seok…”

Yu Sang-hyuk’s voice trembled slightly as he answered. That’s because Yu Young-seok’s appearance, saying that, looked so pitiful.

“So, Dad, don’t be sad either, and please sign the surgery consent form.”

“O, okay…”

Yu Sang-hyuk’s voice was still trembling.

On the other hand, Yu Young-seok, pretending to be nonchalant, had already begun to write his name on the surgery consent form. His hand was trembling slightly.