Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 643

Having finished the ‘settlement’ and leaving the building, Hyun-sung got into the Jeep parked in the parking lot. He immediately turned on his phone, and several missed calls came flooding in.

Hyun-sung pressed the call button right away.

Beep, beep.

– Hello!

The other person answered the phone with an urgent voice after only one ring. It was clear they had been waiting for his call.

“It’s me, Ji-soo.”

– Are you okay?

Her urgent voice reached him. He could immediately tell how worried she had been.

Her voice came again.

– Are you alright?

“Yes, I’m fine, so don’t worry.”

– That’s good. I couldn’t get through, so I was just wondering…

She couldn’t finish her sentence, but he could easily guess what she wanted to say. She must have been very worried because his phone had been off for over two hours.

“I had some things to settle with those guys, so I deliberately turned off my phone.”

– Settle? What kind of settlement?

“Ah, it’s nothing much. I’ll explain it in detail when we meet.”

– Are you coming right now?

“I’m going to stop by one more place. I’ll be there within an hour, so wait a little longer. By the way, how is your mother doing?”

– She’s regained a lot of her consciousness, but she still can’t speak well. The doctor said it’s best to observe her progress a bit more.

“Okay, I understand. Let’s talk about the details when we meet. Alright, I’ll see you soon.”

Hyun-sung was about to hang up when her urgent voice came from the other side of the phone.

– Hyun-sung!

“Huh? Yes.”

She always called him ‘President’ [a term of respect in Korean business culture]. It was the first time she had ever called him by his name.

Was that why?

Hyun-sung couldn’t help but be momentarily surprised. But that feeling was also strangely exciting.

He didn’t know that just hearing his name could make him feel this excited.

Her voice came again.

– Thank you!

“No, I’m more grateful. That we can meet again like this.”

– What? What do you mean…

“It’s nothing. Anyway, I’ll see you soon.”

– Yes, be careful on your way.

Click.

A faint smile spread across Hyun-sung’s face.

Just hearing his name being called, suddenly Kim Chun-soo’s poem ‘Flower’ [a famous Korean poem about recognition and meaning] came to mind.

Swish.

Hyun-sung was about to start the car when his gaze went to the passenger seat. There was a paper shopping bag placed there. It was what he had received from Oh Myung-hwan just before leaving the building.

Of course, inside were the promissory note, the contract he had put up as collateral, and the settled amount in cash.

Vroom!

Hyun-sung smiled with satisfaction and drove out of the Daesung Building parking lot.

At that moment.

Daesung Building, 3rd floor, Shilla Savings Bank office.

Two people sitting face to face.

“Hoo…”

Oh Myung-hwan let out a deep sigh. Then, Han Sang-tae, who was sitting in front of him, carefully opened his mouth.

“Hyung [Korean honorific for older brother or close male friend], should I gather the rest of the guys?”

“Are you stupid?”

Oh Myung-hwan looked at Han Sang-tae with a pathetic gaze. Then, he immediately continued.

“What’s going to change if they come?”

“…”

Han Sang-tae had nothing to say. That was because Oh Myung-hwan was right.

From the beginning, it was an opponent they couldn’t win against. More than twenty guys couldn’t even land a proper punch on that one guy and were all defeated in 10 minutes.

Moreover, what was even more surprising was that guy’s card skills. The ability to throw 5 or 6 cards at once and accurately attack vital points, and the destructive power to pierce even cement walls despite the cards clearly being made of paper.

This was not the skill of an ordinary person.

He was the kind of guy who would only appear in fantasy novels.

Han Sang-tae carefully opened his mouth again.

“Hyung, should we investigate that guy?”

“Are you crazy?”

“Yes?”

“Do you think we can even compete with that guy right now? Look at that wall, can’t you see it?”

A card was still stuck stiffly in the wall. Seeing that, Han Sang-tae jumped up from his seat and approached the wall. Then, he immediately tried to pull out the card stuck in the wall. Or, he tried to.

“Hyung, I can’t pull this out?”

“Huh…”

Oh Myung-hwan was just dumbfounded. How could this be possible? Piercing a wall with a card made of paper. But the problem was that such a guy had visited this place.

Oh Myung-hwan stroked the wound on his face and called out to Han Sang-tae.

“Hey, Han Sang-tae.”

“Yes, Hyung.”

“So, how much money did we give that guy?”

“Fifty million [approximately $40,000 USD].”

“Fifty million? What’s that guy’s settlement standard?”

“There was no such thing, he was just a thug. He said his mother-in-law had collapsed, so he wanted a suitable amount as consolation.”

“This son of a bitch…”

Bang!

Oh Myung-hwan slammed his fist on the table. Then, his gaze turned to the card stuck in the wall.

At that moment, Han Sang-tae spoke again.

“The problem is what happens from now on. If that guy takes more than 40% interest per year from now on, then he’ll take all of our necks…”

Han Sang-tae couldn’t bring himself to say the next words, ‘cut them off.’

“Does that mean he’s telling us not to do this business anymore?”

“That’s what I’m saying. What do we do now?”

“Hmm…”

After pondering for a moment, Oh Myung-hwan picked up a business card on the table. It was the business card that Hyun-sung had given him a little while ago.

“So, if I take this business card and go there, I can get a job here?”

“Yes, that’s what he said. He said he runs a restaurant and a farm.”

“A restaurant and a farm?”

“Yes, he said the land alone is 200,000 pyeong [approximately 160 acres].”

“Huh…”

Oh Myung-hwan could only let out a hollow laugh in disbelief.

“What are you going to do?”

“Are you going to let the guys starve?”

“Does that mean…”

“First, check if that’s true. There are so many scammers these days that you can’t trust anyone.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Oh Myung-hwan leaned back on the sofa and closed his eyes. Then, Han Sang-tae immediately got up and quietly left the office.

***

As Hyun-sung entered the hospital parking lot, Yoon Ji-soo immediately approached. It seemed she had been waiting for Hyun-sung at the entrance.

“Were you waiting for me?”

Hyun-sung asked as he got out of the car. Then, Yoon Ji-soo shook her head slightly and immediately continued.

“No, it’s not that. I just came out for some fresh air…”

“Oh, is that so? But it just so happened that I came at that time?”

“Stop it, do you really have to confirm it that much? Anyway, you’re not hurt anywhere, are you?”

Yoon Ji-soo suddenly began to examine Hyun-sung’s body here and there.

Thump!

Hyun-sung reached out and grabbed both of her shoulders, saying.

“Ji-soo, do you know what?”

“Yes? What?”

“How many times you’ve asked me today if I’m okay?”

Every time Yoon Ji-soo had called, she had said, ‘Are you okay?’, ‘Are you hurt?’, ‘Be careful.’ She never asked how things went. In some ways, that would have been more curious, but she didn’t ask.

“That’s because those guys are really bad people.”

“Still, weren’t you curious? How things went…”

“That’s…”

Yoon Ji-soo couldn’t answer. Of course, she was curious. But she couldn’t ask. She thought his safety was more important.

“That’s enough, you really are heaven sent…”

Hyun-sung didn’t finish his sentence. He knew exactly what kind of words would come out of her mouth if he said the next words.

“Heaven what? Are you going to say something strange again?”

“It’s not strange, I’m just telling the truth. Anyway, your mother must be waiting, let’s go in quickly.”

“Hey…”

Yoon Ji-soo’s voice suddenly became cautious. Then, Hyun-sung immediately asked.

“Why? Is there a problem?”

“What are you going to tell my mom?”

“Well, what should I say?”

“Hmm…”

Yoon Ji-soo seemed to be thinking for a moment, then immediately opened her mouth.

“I don’t know. No matter how much I think about it, I don’t know what to say…”

Yoon Ji-soo was being honest.

No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t think of what to introduce him as to her mom. He had come all the way from Incheon to Gangneung with her. In this situation, it wouldn’t make sense to anyone to introduce Hyun-sung as just the video store owner.

“I’ll take care of it.”

“Yes? What are you going to say?”

“I said I’ll take care of it.”

“So, what…”

Yoon Ji-soo still looked at Hyun-sung with worried eyes. Then, Hyun-sung smiled slightly and immediately opened his mouth.

“How about ‘Son-in-law Kim’?”

“Ah, really, don’t joke around.”

“I’m not joking.”

“Are you really going to do that?”

Yoon Ji-soo glared at Hyun-sung and bit her lower lip tightly. Seeing that, Hyun-sung immediately opened his mouth.

“Didn’t I warn you before? Don’t make such cute expressions in front of me.”

“Again…”

“Uh-huh, you’re doing it again. If you keep ignoring my warnings like this, I don’t know how I might change at some point. I may look normal like this, but if I lose control, I become a beast.”

“…”

Yoon Ji-soo stared at Hyun-sung with her mouth tightly shut. Then, Hyun-sung chuckled and immediately continued.

“But don’t worry too much. I can still control myself.”

“Hyun-sung, you’re really mean. Treating an elder like this…”

“Do you know what?”

“What is it this time?”

“Ji-soo is calling me by my name today. You did it on the phone earlier, and you’re doing it now too.”

“Oh? That’s…”

Yoon Ji-soo had nothing to say. In fact, she hadn’t even realized that she was calling him by his name.

“Thank you for calling me by my name.”

“…”

Yoon Ji-soo was speechless. But no matter how much she thought about it, what was strange was the change in her feelings. She had never called him by his name since they had met. But why today…

Hyun-sung’s words continued.

“But don’t think about it so seriously. Now, let’s go up to the hospital room where your mother is. Ah, just a moment.”

Hyun-sung took out two shopping bags from the car. Then, Yoon Ji-soo immediately opened her mouth.

“What are those shopping bags?”

“This is mung bean porridge for your mother to eat.”

“Oh my! How did you know my mom likes mung bean porridge?”

How could he not know, but he couldn’t show it, so Hyun-sung had no choice but to change the subject.

“I bought it because mung bean porridge detoxifies the body and stimulates appetite. I’m glad your mother likes it.”

“Then, when you said you were stopping by somewhere when we talked on the phone, was it a porridge shop?”

“Yes, I thought she wouldn’t be able to eat properly.”

“Come to think of it, Hyun-sung, you’re really considerate.”

“Oh? You’re naturally calling me by my name now?”

“Come to think of it, you’re right.”

Yoon Ji-soo smiled slightly, looking embarrassed. Then, another shopping bag came into her sight.

“What’s in that one?”

“This is the promissory note and the lease agreement that your mother put up as collateral. And the settled amount is also here.”

“Promissory note and agreement? Does that mean…?”

“Yes, I’ve finished everything neatly. Those guys will never come to your mother’s store again.”

“…”

Yoon Ji-soo couldn’t say anything. She hadn’t said it, but she was curious. But now that Hyun-sung had solved everything, she didn’t know what to say or how to say it.

“Now, let’s go up to the hospital room.”

“Hyun-sung, just a moment.”

Yoon Ji-soo looked at Hyun-sung. Then, she immediately bowed her head and said.

“Thank you so much. And please tell me the amount later. I’ll pay you back in the future…”

“Ji-soo.”

Hyun-sung interrupted Yoon Ji-soo. Then, he immediately continued.

“Let’s talk about that later. Let’s just think about your mother right now.”

He wanted to say it was okay, but he thought that would be rude to her, so he postponed it until later.

“Okay, but what’s the settled amount? What kind of settlement are you talking about?”

“Consolation money.”

“Yes? Consolation money?”

“I asked for consolation money because your mother collapsed, and they gave it to me.”

“Does that make sense?”

“It worked, look here.”

Hyun-sung held up the shopping bag he had received from Oh Myung-hwan. Then, Yoon Ji-soo shook her head from side to side as if she couldn’t believe it. Seeing that, Hyun-sung smiled and continued.

“Let’s go up and check the amount first. Now, let’s go up.”

As Hyun-sung took the lead, Yoon Ji-soo followed behind him, shaking her head from side to side as if she couldn’t believe it.