How to Win Over an S-Rank Hunter with Bungeoppang – Chapter 115

Author: Cireng

After some back-and-forth, I squeezed every possible concession out of her and negotiated the price down to the absolute limit. In the end, the contract was finalized at a price far below market value… practically a giveaway. I was extremely satisfied.

“Thank you for the great deal. I’ll transfer the down payment and intermediate payment all at once right now.”

“…Do whatever you want.”

The landlady nodded with a completely drained expression, looking as if she had lost all motivation to live.

‘I don’t know whether this money will be enough to cover her husband’s bail and all their debts… but that’s not my problem.’

Without any hesitation, I opened my banking app and pressed the transfer button.

A huge chunk of the money I had earned from running my shop, along with the hefty contract payment I had received from the Administration Bureau, disappeared in an instant. Yet I didn’t feel the slightest bit of regret.

If anything, it felt refreshing, like a long-standing blockage in my chest had finally cleared.

“We’ll handle the rest of the paperwork through a legal scrivener… Ah, she already left.”

The moment the deposit notification sounded, the landlady hastily gathered her belongings and fled. Watching her retreating figure, I carefully hugged the contract to my chest.

The real estate agent and her husband approached me with warm congratulations.

“Haneul… no, I guess we should call you President Haneul now? You’ve really been through a lot. Ever since your parents’ restaurant was taken from you, you must have been worried this whole time…”

“That’s because you worked hard and built yourself up, President~ So does this mean the soup restaurant is coming back now?”

Seeing their eyes sparkling with anticipation, I nodded.

“Of course! I’m planning to make even more delicious gukbap than before, so please look forward to it.”

As I stepped out of the real estate office amid their warm send-off, a breeze carrying the scent of autumn brushed pleasantly against my cheeks.

The sky was high and blue.

It felt as though the entire world existed for my sake.

‘I finally got my parents’ restaurant back!’

I clenched my fist and silently cheered.

Just as I was fully enjoying the moment…

“Did the contract go well?”

At the familiar deep voice coming from afar, I looked up.

A man who looked like he had stepped out of a painting was standing there waiting for me.

It was Hyunwoo.

And in his arms was a mottled ball of fur, Hanyang, being held rather awkwardly.

I awkwardly lowered the arms I had raised in triumph and laughed sheepishly.

“Hahaha, Hyunwoo! What brings you here?”

“Obviously, I came to see you.”

He smiled as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

“I went to the shop, and they told me you had rushed out after receiving an urgent call from the real estate office. I thought you might need help, so I came immediately.”

“Ah, how was the shop? It should be one of the busiest times right now…”

“Don’t worry. The members of Team One are helping out at the restaurant. Apparently they’ve always wanted to work there, so everyone is enjoying themselves.”

At his words, I checked my phone and saw a text from Ari.

[Unni, Suhyeon and Ria unni are helping me, so it’s not hard at all! Don’t worry about the shop >ㅇ<]

‘What a cutie.’

I let out a small chuckle.

At that moment, Hanyang stretched out a front paw toward me from Hyunwoo’s arms.

It meant he wanted me to hold him immediately.

As soon as I took the hefty cat into my arms, he flopped onto his back, exposed his belly, and stared straight at me.

“What happened that was important enough for you to abandon even this noble body, nya?”

“I got a call saying my parents’ building had been put up for an urgent sale. I was in such a rush that I didn’t have time to think.”

“So, did you buy the building you wanted, nya?”

I nodded enthusiastically at Hanyang.

“Of course! Once I replace the signboard and renovate the interior, I think I’ll be able to reopen my parents’ restaurant.”

“But wasn’t getting that restaurant back supposed to be the wish you were going to make, nya?”

“Ah, right. You remembered?”

The wish voucher I was supposed to receive later in exchange for helping Hanyang.

Originally, I had intended to use it to reclaim my parents’ restaurant.

“The timing just worked out. And more importantly… it was a precious place left behind by my parents. I felt like I should rebuild it through my own efforts. Sorry for not telling you beforehand.”

“You’re saying admirable things, nya. As long as you keep making lots of blessings for me, I don’t care what wish you use it on, nya!”

Hanyang rubbed his head against me and purred.

Hyunwoo smiled and stepped closer.

“We can’t let a day like today pass without celebration. We should have a congratulatory party.”

“Huh? Really? You’re buying me something delicious?”

“Of course. Just tell me what you want to eat. Even if it’s a rare ingredient that only exists inside a gate, I’ll somehow get it.”

After making the lighthearted joke, he politely opened the car door for me.

“But before dinner, there’s somewhere we need to go.”

I fastened my seatbelt in the passenger seat and blinked.

“Somewhere we need to go? Where?”

“Hmm… It’s a secret.”

“There’s no fair thing like that!”

Watching my curiosity, he covered his mouth and laughed brightly.

“Haha! You’ll find out soon enough. I’m sure you’ll like it too.”

The car pulled away smoothly, leaving the crowded city behind and heading onto a quiet road on the outskirts.

The scenery passing by outside the window felt strangely familiar and nostalgic.

The buildings gradually thinned out, replaced by rows of green trees.

‘Huh? This road…’

Before long, the car came to a stop.

This was the memorial park where my parents rested.

When I stared at him in surprise, Hyunwoo looked back at me with gentle eyes.

“You should be the first to share the good news with your parents. They must be waiting.”

A sharp ache tugged at my heart.

He was taking care of my feelings even more thoughtfully than I was.

“…Thank you, Hyunwoo. Really.”

We began walking side by side.

Hanyang had stubbornly insisted on staying in the car to take a nap, so we had left him behind.

Passing beneath the warm afternoon sunlight, we arrived in front of my parents’ columbarium.

Through the glass, I could see their smiling photographs.

I took a deep breath and spoke.

“Mom, Dad. I’m here.”

Looking at the silent photos, I continued bravely.

“It took a really long time… but I finally got your restaurant back. Pretty amazing, right? I even handled the contract all by myself without a lawyer’s help. Dad, you were always worried that I was a clueless kid who didn’t understand how the world worked.”

Suddenly my eyes grew hot, and my throat tightened.

I bit down on my lip and fought back the tears.

“But it turns out… I could do it on my own. I even negotiated the price way down, you know? I’m all grown up now, right?”

In the end, a tear slipped free and fell.

As I wiped my eyes with my sleeve, a large, warm hand gently patted my shoulder.

Hyunwoo silently remained by my side, waiting for me to gather myself.

A little while later, once I had calmed down, he stepped forward.

He respectfully bowed his head toward my parents’ photographs.

“…I don’t know if you’ll remember me. A very long time ago, you gave a warm bowl of gukbap to a hungry middle-school boy sitting beneath a bridge. That boy grew up to become this person.”

After taking a breath, he continued.

“At that time, the two of you were no different from parents to me. Thanks to the warmth you showed me, I was able to endure the darkest and most difficult period of my life without losing my way. Thank you… truly. It’s late, but I wanted to tell you that.”

A breeze rustled through the leaves.

It sounded almost as if my parents were replying,

“You grew up well.”

Hyunwoo slowly lifted his head and turned to look at me.

His eyes contained only me.

“Haneul, you grew into a truly wonderful person, just like them. More wonderful than I could ever presume to judge.”

Embarrassed, I quickly looked away.

For some reason, hearing praise like that in front of my parents made my face burn even hotter.

“You’re doing an amazing job, Haneul. Everyone in the world likes you and supports you.”

The corners of his lips curved into a gentle smile.

After a brief hesitation, he added in a quiet but unwavering voice,

“Though… probably not as much as I do.”