Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 88

Kim Il-soo continued.

“I was getting bullied like that for two years, and then I had a growth spurt during the winter break of my second semester.”

“That’s when you changed.”
“You remember.”

“Not everything, but roughly… but, you know….”

As Hyun-sung listened, he felt a surge of anger.

Hyun-sung immediately followed up.

“But why did you bully those kids? You, of all people, know that pain so well.”

“I was scared.”

“Of what?”

“That I’d go back to how I was. I thought I was just growing faster than the other guys. If that happened, they’d all catch up soon.”

“So, you were scared of that, so you started bullying your friends?”

Kim Il-soo bit his lower lip and nodded.

“You son of a bitch. Do you think that justifies what you did?”

“I thought it was right back then.”

It wasn’t something he couldn’t understand at all. Perhaps it was the fear that only someone who had experienced it could feel.

That’s why he was afraid of going back.

But no matter what, bullying a friend can’t be justified. What’s wrong shouldn’t be justified for any reason.

Hyun-sung looked at Kim Il-soo and asked.

“What about now?”

“I regret it. I realized just recently that it was a wrong decision. Watching you.”

“What?”

“I realized what true strength is. It’s not about bullying the weak, but about taking care of and protecting them.”

“Ha! This bastard….”

Hyun-sung was speechless.

It was a relief, at least. He realized it was wrong, even if it was only now.

Of course, he would have to apologize to his friends in some way for his past mistakes. If he didn’t know, he wouldn’t, but now that he knows it’s wrong, he’ll apologize on his own.

He could just wait until then.

A moment later.

Hyun-sung spoke again.

“Il-soo, thanks for telling me about your parents. It couldn’t have been easy.”

“It’s the first time I’ve ever talked about my mom and dad to anyone, but now that I’ve told you, I actually feel relieved.”

“That’s good, and I don’t know if this will help, but I hope you don’t try to hide anything anymore. I’ll do the same.”

“I understand what you mean. It won’t be easy, but I’ll try.”

Hyun-sung nodded and looked at Kim Il-soo. Kim Il-soo did the same. The two looked at each other for a moment, then lightly bumped fists, as if without prior agreement.

***

The next day.

Hyun-sung and Kim Il-soo had just arrived in front of the school gate.

“What are those guys doing?”

Hyun-sung said, and Kim Il-soo picked up on his words.

“Looks like those bastards still haven’t come to their senses.”

“Well, it doesn’t seem like it… there are only two of them.”

Standing at the gate were Han Myung-soo and Kim Tae-jin, whom they had fought in the park yesterday. But their appearance was quite a sight.

Han Myung-soo was on crutches and had a cast on, and Kim Tae-jin had a dark bruise on one side of his jaw.

Bowing.

As Hyun-sung and Kim Il-soo arrived at the gate, the two bowed simultaneously, as if they had made a promise.

Swish.

Kim Il-soo walked towards them first.

“What is it?”

“We came because we have something to say.”

Han Myung-soo bowed respectfully to Kim Il-soo. The mocking look of calling him an old soldier yesterday was nowhere to be found.

Han Myung-soo hurriedly continued.

“Hyung-nim [term of respect for an older male], I’m sorry, but we have something to say to Hyun-sung hyung-nim.”

“To Hyun-sung?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Kim Il-soo could fully anticipate what was happening. They would probably ask him to take over the organization, just like they had asked him before.

Hyun-sung wouldn’t be interested, of course, so he would refuse.

But he couldn’t make the decision for Hyun-sung. After all, the number one position now belonged to Hyun-sung, no matter what anyone said.

Kim Il-soo nodded.

Then Han Myung-soo and Kim Tae-jin approached Hyun-sung.

Bowing.

“Hyung-nim!”

Han Myung-soo and Kim Tae-jin bowed simultaneously, as if they had made a promise.

Twitch.

Hyun-sung’s expression couldn’t have been good.

Did they notice?

Before Hyun-sung could open his mouth, Han Myung-soo spoke first.

“Hyung-nim, it’ll only take a moment. Would you please come with us over there for a while?”

By “over there,” he probably meant the empty lot, and the reason was obvious.

Even if he refused here, they weren’t the type to end it with just one try.

It was going to be a nuisance.

He hated this kind of thing, but if he didn’t deal with it now, every trip to school would be tiring.

Then….

“Lead the way.”

“Yes, hyung-nim.”

Hyun-sung followed Han Myung-soo and Kim Tae-jin.

‘This isn’t right….’

Kim Il-soo, who was following behind, could only tilt his head. He was sure Hyun-sung would refuse, but his prediction was wrong, and Kim Il-soo was dumbfounded.

A moment later.

“Wow!”

Hyun-sung let out another hollow laugh when he arrived at the empty lot. There were even more people waiting today than yesterday.

“How many are there?”

“Including us, there are 30 in total,” Han Myung-soo answered immediately when Hyun-sung asked.

“Is that all?”

“Yes, 10 from each grade, a total of 30 members of our Turf Field faction.”

Scratch, scratch.

Hyun-sung scratched his head. He didn’t know how things had gotten to this point, but he felt like he was doing something ridiculous with these kids from the morning.

Hyun-sung spoke again.

“Okay, what do you want to say?”

He had a rough idea, but he had no choice but to pretend he didn’t know.

As soon as Hyun-sung finished speaking, Han Myung-soo glanced at Kim Tae-jin. Then Kim Tae-jin subtly raised his right hand and lowered it.

Then, suddenly, a synchronized performance unfolded.

Thud!

Thud, thud, thud….

Starting from the front row, they began to kneel, and the guys in the back row also knelt down all at once.

And.

Thud! Thud!

Han Myung-soo and Kim Tae-jin knelt down last.

Sigh!

Kim Il-soo, who was watching the scene, turned away with a deep sigh. It reminded him of himself a year ago.

The next step would be for Han Myung-soo to ask him to take over the organization. Of course, he would also present conditions. The condition would be the moment they lost their position as bullies… he didn’t even need to hear it.

But what he couldn’t understand about this situation was Hyun-sung’s attitude. He thought he would definitely refuse at the gate. This situation itself shouldn’t have happened.

That’s why Kim Il-soo turned away.

That’s when it happened.

As expected, Han Myung-soo’s voice was heard.

“Hyung-nim, please take over our organization.”

“Me, take over the Turf Field faction?”

“Yes, hyung-nim. But, there’s one condition….”

Han Myung-soo had no choice but to stop in the middle of his sentence. It was because Hyun-sung raised his hand first.

“Wait!”

“Yes, hyung-nim! Please speak.”

“Isn’t my condition first?”

“Yes?”

Han Myung-soo’s mind went blank for a moment. It was the moment when the thought that something was wrong flashed through his mind.

Hyun-sung was clearly saying that his condition came first.

It was a variable.

He had never thought that Hyun-sung would present his conditions first.

Then Hyun-sung spoke again.

“I think my condition should come first, what do you think?”

“Hyung-nim’s co, condition, you mean?”

“That’s right. You know better who’s desperate, right?”

“That’s….”

Han Myung-soo was speechless for a moment. As Hyun-sung said, it was obvious to anyone that he was the one who was desperate now.

Hyun-sung said again.

“What are you going to do?”

Han Myung-soo had no choice. He could only hope that Hyun-sung’s condition wasn’t too difficult.

“Yes, please tell us.”

Even as he spoke, Han Myung-soo felt his mouth drying up.

That’s when it happened.

Gulp.

The sound of swallowing dry saliva was quite loud. But the protagonist of that sound wasn’t Han Myung-soo.

It was the sound that came from Kim Il-soo’s throat, who had turned away a little while ago.

Then all eyes turned to Kim Il-soo, but Kim Il-soo’s interest was already elsewhere, so he could easily ignore their glares.

At that moment, Hyun-sung opened his mouth, holding up two fingers.

“My conditions are just two.”

“Yes?”

Not one, but two.

It was the moment when Han Myung-soo’s eyes sparkled even more.

Hyun-sung said again.

“First, don’t use the title ‘hyung-nim’ anymore.”

“Yes? On TV or in movies….”

Hyun-sung raised his hand again. Then Han Myung-soo had no choice but to stop talking immediately.

“We’re not the protagonists of TV dramas or movies. We’re just students. Let’s not do such silly things like imitating adults. And there’s one more condition.”

“Yes? Why suddenly?”

“Because of you, second, don’t argue. Just do as you’re told. Especially you, Han Myung-soo.”

“…….”

He was being told to shut up. It was absurd, but Han Myung-soo had no choice but to shut his mouth for now.

Then Hyun-sung said again.

“Finally, third, it’s studying.”

“Seo… Senior, what are you suddenly talking about?”

“Han Myung-soo, how much time is left until the midterm exams?”

Han Myung-soo quickly looked at Kim Tae-jin next to him. Then Kim Tae-jin shook his head violently.

He had no interest in studying, so he couldn’t possibly know the exam period.

Hyun-sung continued.

“It’s one month and one week from now. Until then, all members of the Turf Field faction will raise their grades by exactly 5 ranks from their current grades. That’s my last condition.”

“Seo… Senior? This doesn’t make sense.”

“Have you even tried?”

“How can we possibly raise our grades by 5 ranks….”

Han Myung-soo was getting more and more absurd as he thought about it. This meant that he had no intention of taking over the Turf Field faction from the beginning. Otherwise, how could he propose such conditions?

Shaking his head.

It wasn’t just Han Myung-soo who was shaking his head. All the other guys who were kneeling were shaking their heads left and right, as if they had made a promise.

But there was only one person who wasn’t, Kim Tae-jin next to Han Myung-soo.

Naturally, he stood out.

He couldn’t help but stand out.

Hyun-sung looked at Kim Tae-jin and asked.

“How about it, is it possible?”

“We just have to beat 5 people, right?”

“Simple, right?”

“It’s not simple, but for the honor of the Turf Field faction, there’s nothing we can’t do.”

Glower.

Han Myung-soo couldn’t stay still.

He shook his fist at Kim Tae-jin.

Thwack.

Hyun-sung’s palm struck Han Myung-soo’s forehead.

“Hey, Han Myung-soo, what’s my second condition?”

“Don’t argue….”

“Keep it. And especially you, it’s not 5 ranks, but 10.”

“Yes? Why only me….”

“You son of a bitch, the guy leading the organization has to set an example. With this, my conditions are over. I won’t take any questions. Let’s see each other after the midterm exams.”

Hyun-sung, who was about to leave, spoke again.

“Han Myung-soo, are the conditions difficult?”

“Everything else is okay, but studying is….”

“Then don’t do it. It’s that simple. You and I won’t have anything to do with each other anymore. Isn’t that right?”

‘Ah! Son of a bitch!’

Han Myung-soo had no choice but to swallow the curse inside.

It was the moment when it became clear that this bastard had no intention of taking over the Turf Field faction from the beginning.

Hyun-sung and Kim Il-soo left.

Murmur, murmur.

But suddenly the atmosphere seemed to be turning strange.

At the center of it was Kim Tae-jin.

“Hey, he said we just have to beat 5 people.”