Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 685

“Whew…!”

Kim Dong-ho, the plumber, finished replacing the drainage pump in an hour and let out a long sigh.

Hyeonseong, who had been watching him from right behind, immediately asked,

“Hyung [older brother or close male friend], is it all done now?”

“Yeah, usually this kind of job takes 20 or 30 minutes, but the pump was so old that the bolts were rusted, so I had a bit of trouble. Ugh!”

Kim Dong-ho retched at the end of his sentence.

He couldn’t help it. The smell from the overflowing sewage was beyond imagination. Moreover, working in a narrow space with no ventilation made him retch throughout the entire job.

“Ugh!”

In the end, Hyeonseong couldn’t stand it any longer and retched as well.

Kim Dong-ho told him to go outside since he could work alone, but he couldn’t bring himself to do that in good conscience. Even though he was the one who requested the job, he couldn’t just leave him alone.

However, there was one person who didn’t retch even in this situation. It was Lee Sang-hyeok.

He had already adapted to this environment that much.

No, perhaps it would be more accurate to say that he was forced to adapt.

He later found out that he had lived in this kind of environment for more than ten days during the rainy season.

“Okay, shall we check it out now?”

Click!

Kim Dong-ho flipped the electrical switch.

Whirr!

Gurgle!

The sound of the motor and the sound of water draining could be heard simultaneously. The water that had been up to his ankles began to drain rapidly.

“Wow! The water is draining so quickly…”

Lee Sang-hyeok, who had been quietly watching from behind, immediately reacted. His voice was slightly trembling.

“I replaced it with a larger capacity one, so the sewage won’t overflow even if it rains a lot now. Moreover, it’s a Shinil product, so it should last at least 10 years.”

Kim Dong-ho said to Lee Sang-hyeok as he gathered his tools. Lee Sang-hyeok quickly bowed his head.

“Thank you.”

“You shouldn’t thank me, you should thank President Kim here. Who in the world would….”

Kim Dong-ho was about to say something more but stopped when Hyeonseong slightly shook his head.

But Lee Sang-hyeok knew what he was trying to say.

Lee Sang-hyeok bowed his head to Hyeonseong again, just like before.

“Thank you, President [company owner or someone in a high position].”

“No need to thank me… Alright, let’s go out first. We can clean up after the water drains, but let’s go outside and get some fresh air. I feel like I’m going to die if I stay here any longer. Let’s go, Hyung.”

Hyeonseong and Lee Sang-hyeok went up the basement stairs first, followed by Kim Dong-ho with his tool bag.

“Hoo…! Hoo…!”

The three people who came up to the ground took long, deep breaths to get as much fresh air as possible.

They finally felt like they could breathe.

After a while.

Swoosh.

Hyeonseong, who was catching his breath, looked around just in case. He was checking to see if the landlord, Kang Man-soo, was around. But as expected, he was nowhere to be seen.

‘Look at this jerk.’

When Kim Dong-ho, the plumber, arrived an hour ago, the landlord, Kang Man-soo, was also there. Of course, he also mentioned that he would replace the drainage pump.

Actually, he deliberately mentioned it. It was to see if he would show up.

But he wasn’t showing his face now.

He really is that kind of person.

Sigh.

Hyeonseong looked at the first floor where he lived and smiled bitterly.

He was almost embarrassed that he had expected something.

Hyeonseong shook his head from side to side.

He knew that there were many kinds of people, but he couldn’t believe that someone could be so inconsiderate.

“Hyung, thank you so much for your hard work. Here’s the pump fee.”

Hyeonseong took out two 100,000 won bills from his wallet and handed them to Kim Dong-ho, who was loading his tools into the car and closing the door.

“Oh? I don’t have any change….”

“Just take it all. You’ll need to go to the bathhouse because of the smell anyway. Consider the rest as bath money. Anyway, thank you for your hard work today.”

“Well, it’s what I always do, but thanks anyway. Then I’ll go first, so come later after you’re done with your work.”

Kim Dong-ho was about to leave but looked at the first floor and said again.

“Anyway, the landlord is really something. How can he not even show his face?”

“I have nothing to say. If I hadn’t been here in place of the landlord….”

Hyeonseong stopped talking in the middle. He knew that it would only hurt his mouth to say it anyway [it would be pointless to say it].

“Tsk tsk….”

Kim Dong-ho clicked his tongue instead of speaking and got into the truck. Then he waved his hand and disappeared.

“President, thank you. I’m sorry for always being indebted to you.”

Lee Sang-hyeok, who was next to him, said to Hyeonseong after Kim Dong-ho drove away in his truck.

“What are you sorry for…? Alright, let’s go in now. We have to clean up.”

“No. President, you can go now. I can clean up by myself.”

Of course, Lee Sang-hyeok could do it alone. But how hard would it be for him with his uncomfortable body?

Moreover, he probably didn’t sleep well last night because the sewage overflowed.

Hyeonseong couldn’t leave him alone.

“What are you talking about? If you start something, you have to finish it. Come on, let’s finish quickly and go to the bathhouse.”

Just then.

Clunk!

The front door of the first floor opened and a person came out. It was Kang Man-soo, the landlord, whom he had seen earlier.

Hyeonseong’s brow furrowed.

He couldn’t be in a good mood since he wasn’t doing what he should be doing as a landlord.

But he couldn’t show it.

That’s because he knew that it would make Lee Sang-hyeok uncomfortable.

After all, Lee Sang-hyeok was the one who had to continue living in this house. He couldn’t make him uncomfortable.

“How did it go?”

Kang Man-soo came up and asked Lee Sang-hyeok.

“It’s all fixed. They said the sewage won’t overflow anymore, no matter how much it rains.”

“……”

Kang Man-soo didn’t say anything more. He nodded as if he understood and went back into his house.

‘Huh, what is this….’

Hyeonseong was dumbfounded as he watched him go back into the house as if nothing had happened.

Hyeonseong asked Lee Sang-hyeok.

“Hey, how much is the monthly rent here?”

Hyeonseong was curious. How cheap was the monthly rent that the landlord was acting so inconsiderately?

“50,000 won [approximately $40 USD].”

“What about the deposit?”

“2 million won [approximately $1,600 USD].”

“Hoo….”

Hyeonseong couldn’t help but sigh. Now that he knew why he couldn’t leave this place, he couldn’t help but sigh.

Then another word came out of Lee Sang-hyeok’s mouth.

“It’s not just because of the monthly rent.”

“Huh? What do you mean? Is there another reason besides the monthly rent?”

He naturally thought it was because of the monthly rent. But he didn’t know there was another reason besides that.

Hyeonseong asked again out of curiosity.

“What is it?”

“Grandmother.”

“Grandmother?”

Hyeonseong didn’t quite understand what he meant. What did he mean by ‘grandmother?’

Hyeonseong had no choice but to ask again.

“Why grandmother?”

“I lived here with my grandmother for a long time. It’s not just about the money, it’s because of that….”

“……”

Hyeonseong had nothing to say. He felt like he knew why he couldn’t leave this place now. It wasn’t just the monthly rent, but he didn’t want to leave this place because of the memories with his grandmother.

Thump.

Hyeonseong lightly tapped him on the shoulder and said.

“Let’s go in. Let’s clean up quickly and go to the bathhouse and have some sundae soup [Korean blood sausage soup].”

Hyeonseong finished speaking and started to go down to the basement.

He felt that this was the best he could do in the current situation.

***

Two days later.

May 5th, Children’s Day.

A banner was hung in front of the video store.

[Children’s Video Free Rental]

It was an event that he wanted to do in his past life but couldn’t. Back then, the goal was to earn even a penny more. But now the situation is completely different. He could do this kind of event as much as he wanted.

It was lunchtime.

“Wow, are there this many kids in the neighborhood?”

Kim Min-ki, the employee, organized the videotapes and approached Hyeonseong at the counter and asked.

Hyeonseong smiled lightly and said.

“I know, right? I didn’t know there were this many kids in our neighborhood. Anyway, it’s a relief that there are so many customers for the event.”

“Well, that’s true. It would be a problem if the kids didn’t come even though we’re holding an event. By the way, how many videos have gone out this morning?”

“Let me see….”

Hyeonseong immediately checked the computer. Then he continued.

“Over 600 in total.”

“Wow, that’s amazing. It’s only been three hours since we opened, but over 600 in total, so that means almost 200 have gone out per hour?”

“That’s right. I’m guessing that at least 5,000 will go out by the time we close today.”

“That many?”

“Probably the kids who borrowed them in the morning will come again in the afternoon, so I’m expecting about 5,000 today.”

Just then.

Ding-dong!

A young man with a metal briefcase came in through the store door. The ordered food had arrived.

Kim Min-ki, Lee Kyung-min, and Hyeonseong, the employees, began to eat jajangmyeon [black bean noodles].

Even while they were eating jajangmyeon, child customers continued to come in.

As a result, Hyeonseong had no choice but to stand at the counter and eat jajangmyeon.

“Uncle!”

Yun Su-jeong, the daughter of the bakery, ran to Hyeonseong as soon as she opened the store door.

“Uncle, is the video really free today?”

“Yeah, it’s free. So hurry up and pick out three, Su-jeong.”

He said that because the number of videos that one person could borrow was three.

But then a strange word came out of her mouth.

“Are you okay?”

“Huh? What?”

Hyeonseong wiped his mouth and looked at Yun Su-jeong. He didn’t immediately understand the meaning of her words, ‘Are you okay?’

“I mean, the money. If you lend it for free, what will you eat?”

Pfft.

A smile immediately spread across Hyeonseong’s face.

While other friends were borrowing for free and were all happy, he couldn’t help but find her worrying about him cute.

“Are you worrying about me now?”

“Of course. How much I….”

Yun Su-jeong stopped talking and quickly covered her mouth with her hand. Her face was already red.

Hyeonseong smiled at her and said.

“Su-jeong, hurry up and pick out a video. And thank you for worrying about me.”

“Okay, I understand.”

Yun Su-jeong nodded and disappeared into the video display case. Hyeonseong smiled again as he looked at her back.

After a while.

“Uncle, this.”

Yun Su-jeong had a video in her hand.

“Huh? Why, did you only bring one? I told you to pick out three.”

“I’m just going to watch one.”

“You don’t have to do that….”

When Hyeonseong looked at her, Yun Su-jeong shook her head vigorously from side to side. It was her own way of expressing her will.

Hyeonseong had no choice but to put one video in a bag and hand it to her.

“You can come back and borrow another one after watching this, so come again in the afternoon.”

“No.”

“Huh? No?”

“Yeah, I’m just going to come tomorrow. I’m going to come tomorrow and pay to borrow it.”

Her expression looked serious in her own way.

Hyeonseong couldn’t say anything more. He felt like tears would come out of her eyes soon if he said anything more.

From her young point of view, she couldn’t easily understand the current situation.

“Okay, Su-jeong. Then see you tomorrow.”

“Okay, Uncle.”

Hyeonseong smiled as he watched her back as she opened the store door and left.

After a while.

It was about 10 minutes after Yun Su-jeong left the store.

Ding-dong!

A man came in through the store door. The moment Hyeonseong saw him, his eyes sparkled.

It was Kang Man-soo, whom he had seen two days ago.

‘You rascal! You finally came!’