Chapter 3

Most chance encounters on the street are not pleasant.

Yoon Hyun, aimlessly wandering home, passed by an alley entrance when he accidentally heard a commotion coming from inside. Instinctively, he looked in the direction of the noise.

A group of girls had surrounded two other girls. From their clothes, they seemed to be junior high school students from a nearby school.

The two groups were arguing about something.

Yoon Hyun frowned. It was better to avoid trouble, so he decided to take a detour. Since the incident with Kim Hengsoo, Yoon Hyun always took a detour when he encountered such situations.

"OPPA! You came just in time! Are you here to pick me up?" Just as Yoon Hyun was about to turn and leave, one of the two girls, the taller one, called out.

Oh no. Yoon Hyun's first reaction was that this girl was too quick to react.

However, the soft and gentle tone mixed with a hint of boldness left a very good impression on Yoon Hyun. Almost instantly, he decided to let himself be used.

So Yoon Hyun decided not to leave and just stood there.

"OPPA, come over here! They're blocking me from passing!" The girl waved at Yoon Hyun. Although her words were urgent, her tone wasn't that anxious.

"What did you do?" Yoon Hyun sized up the girl as he walked over to her. She was a bit over 1.6 meters tall, slender, with a pretty face that looked somewhat familiar.

"Well, it's not like I caused trouble. Otherwise, with my taekwondo skills, I would have already beaten them all!" The girl's eyes seemed to carry a hint of threat.

Yoon Hyun was speechless as he looked at the girl, who blinked at him and then instantly turned cute. He couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time. Are all the girls nowadays so cunning?

"Park Hye-na, listen to me!" Before Yoon Hyun could reach her, the girl couldn't wait and pulled Yoon Hyun over, then wrapped her arm around his. She then said to the leader of the five girls on the other side, "This is my OPPA. As for that Jeong, anyone who likes him can take him. I hope he doesn't bother me anymore! If he makes me unhappy again, it won't be me dealing with him. Let me tell you, don't look at my OPPA as if he's gentle. When he gets angry, even I would be scared to tears!"

"..." Yoon Hyun felt a crow fly across the blue sky.

The girl named Park Hye-na, who was already intimidated by the bold girl, now saw a man over 1.8 meters tall and immediately wilted. But she still tried to put up a front, "Park Ji-yeon, remember this. If you have a boyfriend, behave yourself at school. If anything happens to Jeong Jun-seok OPPA, I won't let you off!" Then she left with her four followers.

"They're gone." After the five girls left the alley, the girl who had been hiding behind finally spoke weakly.

"Baek Ryeon, you can't do this! I thought you could help me deal with these guys." The girl named Park Ji-yeon pulled her hand out from Yoon Hyun's arm and said seriously to the girl who looked like her younger sister. She then clapped her hands as if to shake off some dust...

This clapping action made a vein pop on Yoon Hyun's forehead.

The girl with the childlike face, although talking to Park Ji-yeon, kept her eyes on Yoon Hyun, looking very wary.

"Uncle, thank you for your help just now!" Park Ji-yeon seemed to notice her companion's gaze and said calmly to Yoon Hyun.

"Uncle?" Yoon Hyun was speechless. "But you called me OPPA just now?"

"Well, you saw the situation, Uncle. Although I'm not afraid of them, if Baek Ryeon got involved, it would be embarrassing, so I asked for your help!" Park Ji-yeon wagged her finger at Yoon Hyun, looking disdainful, "So whiny, are you even a man?"

Yoon Hyun stared at Park Ji-yeon with a serious face but was secretly amused by this interesting little girl.

The childlike girl, seeing Yoon Hyun's face darken, was startled and quickly pulled Park Ji-yeon behind her, then bowed 90 degrees to Yoon Hyun, "Uncle... I mean, OPPA, thank you for your help! Ji-yeon is still young and doesn't know better, please don't take it to heart."

"Uncle is fine, no problem." Yoon Hyun, seeing the girl's nervousness, felt a bit embarrassed. "You both go to a nearby middle school, right?"

"Ji-yeon goes to a nearby elementary school, and I graduated this year." The childlike girl relaxed when she saw Yoon Hyun's face wasn't so dark anymore.

Looking at the girl, who was about the height and face of a third-grader, Yoon Hyun suddenly felt a bit helpless.

"Which school do you go to?" Yoon Hyun calmed himself and asked.

Perhaps it was Yoon Hyun's question or his unusual calmness that made the childlike girl immediately become wary again, "Uncle, do you have something to ask?"

"Um... nothing." This wariness made Yoon Hyun a bit embarrassed, and he awkwardly touched his nose.

"Then we'll go first, thank you, Uncle!" The childlike girl bowed deeply again and then turned to pull Park Ji-yeon away, as if fleeing.

A cold wind blew, and Yoon Hyun shivered.

"Seoul in winter is really cold." Yoon Hyun said to himself.

Actually, the streets of JN District in winter in Seoul were not cold at all. Especially after the New Year, the streets still had a festive atmosphere. The largest of the three houses Yoon Hyun bought, which he gave to his parents, was in the busiest part of JN District. By Yoon Hyun's definition, this area was also considered the Hollywood of Korea, with countless entertainment agencies and various practice dormitories for trainees, bringing a sense of life to this prosperous wealthy area. For his mother, who couldn't drive, this place was much more convenient than those purely wealthy areas where you had to drive to buy groceries.

"I'm home." Yoon Hyun called out loudly as he entered the house.

"How was it? Did everything go smoothly at school?"

"Everything's fine, but the dormitory system is a bit annoying. You have to apply to live in the dorms. Otherwise, it would be more convenient to live on campus."

"Since it's not far from home, you can come back every day." His mother still sounded a bit worried.

"Mom, I've already served in the military! Isn't it strange to still live at home?" Yoon Hyun said, a bit depressed.

"Then where do you want to live?" His mother was a bit angry.

"I was thinking about living in the house that's still empty. It's more convenient to take the bus, and it's closer to the school." Yoon Hyun thought for a moment. He had originally bought that house to prepare for the day he would attend Seoul University.

"Then what about meals?"

"The school cafeteria! I checked it out today, and it's not bad."

"Are you sure you want to move out?"

"Just during the week! On weekends or holidays, I'll come back home. Isn't that what my sister does?" Yoon Hyun, seeing his mother's sad expression, quickly explained.

"Ah. Since that's the case, call your sister and tell her to come home for dinner tonight. You can move out tomorrow." His mother's eyes were a bit teary.

Seeing his mother upset, Yoon Hyun had to put on a pout and act cute. He deeply respected and loved the person who had given him life, and seeing her sad made him unhappy too.

But no matter what, he had to grow up, right?

His father, who had been promoted to section chief, was now in the standard white-collar work routine, working from 9 to 5. So while Yoon Hyun was helping his mother prepare dinner, his father had already come home from work.

"Your mother just called me and said you want to move out." His father called Yoon Hyun from the kitchen, where he was cutting vegetables, to the study. They sat facing each other.

"Yes, Father. I've already served in the military." In front of his father, who always had a stern face, Yoon Hyun was very cautious, adhering to the etiquette of a junior. "It's time for me to be independent."

"Hmm. That's good. After serving in the military, you are officially an adult, even though you're not 20 yet." His father nodded, speaking seriously.

Yoon Hyun was a bit surprised. He thought his father would oppose his moving out.

"Today, the department head talked to me." His father continued. But he only said that much and then fell silent again.

"Father, you rarely talk to me about work." Yoon Hyun said, a bit nervous. Indeed, from the time he was born until now, this was the first time he had heard his father talk about work.

"If you had asked to move out two years ago, I would have told you then." His father still had a poker face. "Today, you asked, so you are truly an adult."

Yoon Hyun scratched his head, a bit embarrassed, and nodded, signaling for his father to continue.

"The department head said that to strengthen control over overseas investments, the company needs to send a batch of experienced and skilled employees abroad. My age makes it difficult for me to advance further in the company, so he suggested I consider an overseas assignment." His father looked directly at Yoon Hyun and said calmly, "I was still hesitant, but after receiving your mother's call, I decided to accept it."

"Father, are you going to work abroad?" Yoon Hyun was stunned. "If it's just for money, I don't think you need to work so hard. I have..."

"It's not about money." His father waved his hand to interrupt Yoon Hyun. "I don't know where you got all that money. Although I don't ask, it doesn't mean I'm not worried. I started as a small worker in the workshop, and it's been almost 30 years. Even though I changed companies, my feelings for this job are not something money can measure."

Yoon Hyun nodded silently. Although he didn't fully understand this value in both his past and present life, this was his father, and he had to listen.

"I also hope to try, before I retire, to see how far a small worker can go." His father's words were calm but carried a sense of ambition. "I have to tell you this."

Yoon Hyun was surprised, but the look in his eyes quickly disappeared.

"From a young age, you've been a sensible child, learning things faster than others, and always reading books I can't understand. But you've never had any expectations or goals for yourself, which is wrong." His father's tone became a bit stern. "You always come in second place when you could easily be first. You like your high school desk partner, but you've never shown any interest."

"Father..." Yoon Hyun said awkwardly, "We've talked about this before, haven't we?"

"I'm not talking about whether you should express your feelings, but about your attitude towards yourself! Your attitude!" His father slapped the table in anger.

"Yes, Father, I'm sorry, I was wrong." Yoon Hyun immediately admitted his mistake.

"Go after what you like, and get what you can have." Seeing Yoon Hyun immediately admit his mistake and show sincerity, his father's anger subsided a bit. "I didn't say anything before because I always thought you were still a child who couldn't even walk properly. But since you've grown up and are about to live on your own, I have to tell you that as parents, your mother and I don't expect much from you, but we don't want our child to live a wretched life."

Yoon Hyun lowered his head. Whether he had taken it to heart, only he knew.

"Alright, I've said enough. Tomorrow morning, come with me to the car 4S store." His father seemed to want to end the conversation.

"I... have money." Yoon Hyun said awkwardly.

"This is from me." His father waved his hand and unceremoniously sent Yoon Hyun out of the study.

Not long after, his sister came home and immediately started teasing her younger brother, reminiscing about how the little kid who used to follow her around with a runny nose had grown up (Yoon Hyun swore he never did that), and excitedly gossiping about whether his insistence on moving out was because he had a crush.

If we don't count his father, who stayed in the study and didn't come out, the family gathering was quite enjoyable.

The next morning, Yoon Hyun, following his military habits, got up very early and started his morning exercise. Having lived two lives, he knew the importance of a healthy body, and at 50 years old mentally, he naturally had more self-control than a young person, who might be tempted to sleep in.

By the time he finished his run downstairs, his father and mother had just woken up, and his sister, who had been on the phone late the night before, was still sound asleep.

After a simple but formal breakfast, his father called the company to take a half-day off and then drove Yoon Hyun to the H car 4S store.

As a well-known section chief in the company, Yoon Hyun's father was warmly received and bought a mid-range car for Yoon Hyun at a very reasonable price.

Throughout the process, Yoon Hyun silently followed, bowing to elders and nodding to peers.

Soon, the procedures were completed, and the keys to the new car were handed to Yoon Hyun.

"This car is my gift to you for becoming an adult." His father said seriously. "Although it's still over a month until your 20th birthday, I think you understand my meaning."

This is a ceremony, Yoon Hyun thought to himself.

Then his father drove away.

He must have been up all night, Yoon Hyun thought, looking at his father's back.

Although Yoon Hyun was deeply moved by his father's insistence on giving him a car, he still felt a bit disappointed that his ideal first car had changed from F to H. But no matter what, he decided to take good care of his first car.

Driving to the largest retail supermarket in JN District, Yoon Hyun found that the furniture in his new home was complete, but the appliances and daily necessities needed to be purchased.

So Yoon Hyun pushed a shopping cart and started wandering through the supermarket, piling various household items into the cart, drawing curious glances from the people around him.

Just as Yoon Hyun was debating which bed sheets were both attractive and durable, a familiar figure passed by him and seemed to notice him, stopping and turning to look at Yoon Hyun.

Their eyes met, and Yoon Hyun burst out laughing. It was the quieter girl he had met in the alley the day before.

"What a coincidence!" Yoon Hyun greeted her.

The girl was taken aback, seemed to remember something, and bowed slightly as a greeting before grabbing a set of bed sheets and fleeing.

Am I really that scary? Yoon Hyun touched his nose, a bit speechless.

After buying a large cart full of pots, pans, bed sheets, towels, laundry detergent, soap, slippers, and other items, and placing orders for a TV, refrigerator, and washing machine, Yoon Hyun left his address with the supermarket and drove to his new home, which might be his home for a long time.

The first thing he did after entering the house was to clean. This was his second time entering the house since he bought it, and the thick layer of dust almost drove him out.

It wasn't until over three hours later, when the large purchase arrived, that Yoon Hyun barely managed to clean the room so it didn't look like a ruin. The whole day passed in this hard work.