Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 725

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Hyun-sung came outside and pushed Ahn Young-hee’s wheelchair.

Fortunately, Ahn Young-hee could still use his arms to some extent. If even his arms were paralyzed, he wouldn’t have been able to ride in a wheelchair like this.

“Good!”

That was the first thing Ahn Young-hee said as soon as he came outside. His expression was as bright as a child.

He called Hyun-sung’s name in a bright voice.

“Hyun-sung!”

“Yeah, what’s up?”

“Before getting a haircut, can we go somewhere first?”

“Of course. Where is it?”

Hyun-sung also asked in a cheerful voice. He had already cleared his schedule for Ahn Young-hee today. There was no reason not to grant his request.

“You’ll know when we get there. Turn right up ahead.”

Hyun-sung pushed the wheelchair as Ahn Young-hee directed.

About ten minutes passed.

The two arrived at an alley.

“It’s there.”

Ahn Young-hee pointed to a place. There, a street stall was set up.

It was easy to tell what kind of place it was.

“That’s a snack shop, isn’t it?”

The place Ahn Young-hee pointed to was none other than a small snack shop. It was a stall with a cart covered in tarp, selling snacks like *tteokbokki* [spicy rice cakes], fish cakes, and fried foods.

“That’s right. A snack shop.”

“Was one cup of ramen not enough?”

Hyun-sung thought that Ahn Young-hee wanted to go to the snack shop because he hadn’t had enough with the cup ramen they had eaten earlier.

But a completely different word came out of his mouth.

“Father.”

“What? Father?”

Hyun-sung tilted his head momentarily when the word ‘father’ came out of his mouth. It was because he couldn’t immediately understand the meaning of the father he was talking about.

“It’s been five years.”

“Five years?”

“Yeah, I came here with my father for the last time five years ago.”

“Does that mean…?”

“That’s right. It’s been five years since my father passed away. Until my father passed away, I used to come here at least once a week to eat *tteokbokki* and fish cakes.”

Only then did Hyun-sung understand why Ahn Young-hee wanted to come here.

He missed the memories with his father.

‘Wait a minute!’

Hyun-sung had a question. A moment ago, he said it had been five years. Doesn’t that mean he hasn’t been here once in five years?

It’s a 10-minute distance from his house. But the fact that he hasn’t been able to come even once in five years means that he hasn’t left the house during that time.

Hyun-sung asked immediately.

“Have you been outside since then?”

“Five years ago.”

“What?”

Hyun-sung’s voice grew louder without him realizing it.

As expected, he hadn’t left the house once in five years.

Does that make sense? It’s true that his body is uncomfortable, but to not be able to go outside even once in five years.

Hyun-sung couldn’t believe it.

“What? Is that for real?”

“Yeah, why are you so surprised?”

“Of course, I’m surprised. It’s not like it’s been just a year or two, but you’re telling me you haven’t been outside for a whole five years.”

No matter how much Hyun-sung thought about it, it was a part he couldn’t understand.

But Ahn Young-hee was different. He smiled lightly as if it were nothing. Then he said immediately.

“My mom told me to go out, but I said I didn’t want to.”

“Why?”

“As you can see, I weigh quite a bit. If I want to get out of the house, my mom has to carry me out, but if she does that, her back will…”

Ahn Young-hee shook his head. It was impossible.

Indeed, it would be difficult for his mother to carry Ahn Young-hee out.

Hyun-sung asked again.

“Are there no volunteers?”

“Volunteers? …Pfft!”

Ahn Young-hee laughed in the middle of his sentence. Hyun-sung, who couldn’t possibly not know the meaning of that laughter, immediately asked again.

“What? Does that mean there weren’t any?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know about others, but I didn’t have any.”

“Did you contact the community center?”

“It was useless. Since my mom has a business registration certificate, it seems like it’s difficult. I contacted them once after my father passed away, and they said they would get back to me, but they never said anything. So, I didn’t contact them after that.”

Ahn Young-hee shook his head from side to side with a bitter smile.

Hyun-sung also felt bitter as he looked at him. But the important thing was that Hyun-sung couldn’t do anything about this situation either.

It’s not like he didn’t contact them, but even though the person in question contacted them directly, there were no special measures taken.

“It’s really messed up. When you watch TV, there are so many volunteers…”

“Hyun-sung.”

Ahn Young-hee interrupted Hyun-sung’s words. Then he continued immediately.

“I’m okay.”

“Still, this isn’t right. It’s not like it’s just a day or two, but how can it make sense that you came out after five years?”

“Everyone probably lives like that.”

“Everyone?”

“Yeah, I don’t know for sure, but how can there only be one or two people like me in the world? Don’t you think so?”

“……”

Hyun-sung had nothing to say.

Maybe he was right.

There must be blind spots in welfare everywhere.

After thinking for a while, Hyun-sung said.

“Young-hee, don’t worry. I’ll come sometimes.”

“It’s okay, buddy. I’m satisfied just with coming out like this today.”

“I’m not kidding, really. Of course, it’ll be hard to come often, but I’ll be able to come about once every two months.”

Swoosh.

Ahn Young-hee turned his head and looked at Hyun-sung. Then he chuckled. Then Hyun-sung asked immediately.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Because it’s amazing.”

“Amazing? What?”

“I wonder what people’s relationships are. I just think it’s amazing that we met like this. To be honest, how would I have known that I, who was just staying at home, would meet you like this?”

Ahn Young-hee looked at Hyun-sung as if he was amazed.

Maybe it’s natural from his point of view.

But Hyun-sung was different.

The reason is that from Hyun-sung’s point of view, it was somewhat intentional.

He knew about Ahn Young-hee’s existence even in his previous life. Of course, he didn’t know in this much detail, but he knew roughly.

But he pretended not to know and just passed by.

Reason?

The reason is very simple. At that time, he was too busy trying to make a living on his own.

Hyun-sung chuckled and said.

“Anyway, the important thing is that we met like this. So, trust me from now on.”

“But don’t overdo it.”

“Yeah, don’t worry about that. I’m originally the type to do everything in moderation.”

“Okay, I understand. Then let me ask you for favors sometimes. To be honest, I felt like I was going crazy because I was so stuffy all this time. I couldn’t even tell my mom.”

Smirk.

It was the moment when a smile spread across Hyun-sung’s face.

In fact, in this case, the other person may refuse. While putting up unnecessary pride. But Ahn Young-hee didn’t do that. Hyun-sung was grateful to him for that.

“Well, shall we go in and eat *tteokbokki* now?”

Hyun-sung pushed the wheelchair and entered the snack shop.

“Oh! Who is this?”

When Hyun-sung pushed the wheelchair in, the owner of the snack shop greeted Ahn Young-hee happily.

***

It was about 20 minutes later that they came out of the snack shop.

As they came out, Ahn Young-hee said.

“Hyun-sung, that was delicious.”

“Why didn’t you eat more?”

“No, I ate a lot. Anyway, thank you so much. I thought I would never be able to come here again. As I said before, this is my last memory with my father, so that was the most disappointing thing. But today, I finally relived that memory…”

Ahn Young-hee stopped talking.

It seemed like he was thinking about his father.

Hyun-sung quietly started pushing his wheelchair again.

About ten minutes passed.

The wheelchair arrived in front of a beauty salon.

“Oh, how can I help you?”

The owner of the beauty salon asked in a flustered tone as Hyun-sung carried Ahn Young-hee inside.

“I’m here to get this friend’s hair cut.”

“Ah, yes. This way…”

The owner of the beauty salon quickly guided them to a seat, and Hyun-sung sat Ahn Young-hee in the chair. Then Ahn Young-hee immediately said to Hyun-sung.

“You’re going through a lot.”

“This is nothing.”

Hyun-sung said as if it were nothing, then sat in a chair in the back. Then this time, the owner of the beauty salon asked Ahn Young-hee.

“How would you like it cut?”

“Short, like that friend.”

Ahn Young-hee said, looking at Hyun-sung reflected in the mirror. Then Hyun-sung said immediately.

“You don’t have to cut it short. I’ll make sure to come and get it cut once every two months.”

“No, it’s better to be short for my mom too. To be honest, I felt sorry for my mom every time I washed my hair.”

Hyun-sung nodded immediately.

That would be right. It would be better to have short hair to wash it on the bed.

Buzz!

The owner of the beauty salon started cutting Ahn Young-hee’s hair.

After a while.

The two people came out of the beauty salon.

“Hehe…”

Ahn Young-hee started laughing first. Then Hyun-sung asked immediately.

“Why are you laughing?”

“It’s weird because we both cut our hair so short. By the way, why did you cut your hair so short?”

“There was a reason.”

Ahn Young-hee looked at Hyun-sung with a curious expression.

From his point of view, who couldn’t know that Hyun-sung cut his hair short because of his friend Lee Soo-hyuk, Hyun-sung’s short hair would have seemed strange.

But from Hyun-sung’s point of view, he couldn’t tell that story as it was again.

Hyun-sung had no choice but to just change the subject.

“Oh, there was something like that.”

“What is it? What’s the reason?”

“There’s just something. I’ll tell you later if I get a chance. By the way, where shall we go now?”

“Hmm…”

Ahn Young-hee didn’t say anything as if he was thinking.

After a while.

Ahn Young-hee turned his head and looked at Hyun-sung and asked.

“Can we go to the store my mom runs from here?”

“The *jokbal* [pig’s feet] restaurant?”

“Yeah, actually, I’ve never been to my mom’s store before. But I’m her son, after all.”

“Wait a minute…”

Hyun-sung was lost in thought for a moment.

The distance from here to his mother’s store is quite far. Even if we go as fast as we can, it will take about 30 minutes.

The problem is Ahn Young-hee’s health condition. Will he have the stamina to go that distance?

Hyun-sung asked Ahn Young-hee.

“Are you okay?”

“Why? Is it far?”

“Yeah, it’s a distance that takes at least 30 minutes. I don’t mind, but you…”

“Let’s go!”

Ahn Young-hee said in a strong tone before Hyun-sung could finish speaking.

Hyun-sung felt uneasy. It’s an hour round trip. It was definitely not a short distance.

Hyun-sung asked again.

“Are you really okay?”

“Yeah, I think I can handle that much. I don’t think I’ll be able to go again anytime soon if it’s not today. Let’s go since we’ve made up our minds today. Of course, it’ll be hard for you, though.”

It seemed that not having gone to the store his mother runs was a big burden for him.

Hyun-sung looked into Ahn Young-hee’s eyes for a moment.

His eyes were shining brighter than ever.

Although his body is not healthy, it seemed that no one could stop his will to go to the store his mother runs.

After thinking for a while, Hyun-sung nodded and said.

“Okay, let’s go.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, what can’t we go!”

There was strength in Hyun-sung’s voice too.

It’s not anything else, it’s that a child wants to go to the store his mother runs. How much resentment would he have in his position?

“Young-hee, hold on tight!”

“Okay!”

Hyun-sung started pushing the wheelchair vigorously.

About 20 minutes passed.

A flower shop came into Hyun-sung’s eyes.

“Young-hee, shall we buy flowers for your mother?”

“That’s good.”

The two bought red roses at the flower shop.

“Okay, let’s start again.”

“Okay!”

Ahn Young-hee answered energetically, and a bouquet of roses was placed on his lap.

Hyun-sung started pushing the wheelchair vigorously again.