While Woo-jin encountered extraordinary events akin to those from novels, his daily routine was relatively ordinary.

After all, there was no need to announce to the world that he was a regressor, and he also needed time to adjust to his newly gained life.

Moreover, his modest home housed only him and his mother, and for the past few days, there hadn’t been any need to leave the house.

As such, the chances of anything extraordinary happening were slim to none.

However, these seemingly uneventful days were, in fact, incredibly precious and valuable to Woo-jin.

They allowed him to shed the mental fatigue accumulated over the past decade and plan for his newly given life.

Of course, his mother, who prepared his breakfast daily, had no way of knowing these inner thoughts.

“Woo-jin, isn’t it time for you to start preparing for school?”

“Preparing for school?”

“Yes, boy. You need to buy clothes for the entrance ceremony and get your hair tidied up…”

Hearing his mother nag for the first time since returning, Woo-jin nodded with a smile.

Although she hadn’t explicitly said so, she was undoubtedly a little worried about him lazing around at home without stepping outside.

“Oh, I was planning to go out today anyway.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I’ve rested enough now.”

Woo-jin’s words about planning to go out were not an excuse.

He truly had a plan set to start today.

Of course, it wasn’t to prepare for school as his mother had mentioned.

‘It’s February 18th today… The recruitment notice should be out by now.’

The place Woo-jin intended to visit today was the architectural firm he had frequented around this time in his previous life.

While he planned to diligently commit to his studies in this life, he still needed to earn some pocket money on the side.

Apart from the student loans, the practical expenses for design school weren’t insignificant.

It wouldn’t hurt to start saving early.

Woo-jin had no intention of asking his mother for even a single penny.

‘There’s no need for that anyway.’

After finishing a hearty breakfast, Woo-jin went to his room to change clothes.

He soon stepped outside without hesitation.

---

Shortly after his discharge, Woo-jin’s home was located in Gaepo-dong, Gangnam-gu.

By around 2030, before Woo-jin’s regression, the area had transformed into one of the wealthiest neighborhoods, filled with sparkling new apartments.

However, in 2010, it was a rundown area full of five-story Ju-gong apartments.

‘It really was like witnessing a complete transformation.’

Woo-jin’s home was also one of those old Ju-gong apartments.

While it was regrettable in some ways, Woo-jin thought it was fortunate.

In his previous life, his mother sold the apartment around two years later, but in this life, that wouldn’t happen.

Woo-jin was determined to prevent her from even bringing up the idea of selling it.

‘If only she hadn’t sold this place back then, our financial situation would’ve been so much better…’

Who could’ve predicted that this shabby apartment, barely selling for 400 to 500 million won, would become a rare commodity worth 1.5 billion won a decade later?

‘Anyway, I should just focus on work for now. Thinking about this won’t change anything.’

Woo-jin boarded a bus and headed towards Suseo Station, located at the end of Subway Line 3.

To be more precise, he was heading to the construction office situated at the Suseo Station intersection.

Woo-jin was well aware that manpower at this location was in desperate demand at this time.

‘Was it Manager Park Kyung-wan? I need to find him…’

Although he didn’t remember the exact date, it was around this time that the Suseo Station line, which ended at the time, would be extended to Ogeum Station.

To meet construction deadlines, a large number of workers were recruited, leaving the local workforce around Suseo Station in short supply.

Woo-jin knew this because he had worked at the Suseo Station construction site right after his discharge in his previous life.

The site was a massive office building nearing completion at the Suseo intersection.

In this life as well, Woo-jin decided to make it his first workplace.

‘Although the nature of the work I’ll be doing will be a bit different…’

Clang! Clang!

As Woo-jin got off the bus, he smiled faintly, hearing the sound of metal striking in the distance.

---

“Ugh, this is driving me crazy. Why didn’t they secure the manpower in advance?”

“I-I’m sorry, Manager. We didn’t expect it to be this severe either…”

“We’re already pressed for time to meet the completion date. Don’t you know how tough the finishing stages are?”

“I’ve contacted every labor office within reach, so…”

“Haa, sure, calling them will get us workers. But what about the cost? Can we match the rates?”

At the Suseo Station office building construction site managed by Cheonwoong Construction, Manager Park Kyung-wan let out a deep sigh.

Time in construction equated to money, and schedules were becoming increasingly disrupted as the completion date drew closer.

Any delays in completion would result in accumulated losses for the construction company, and as the site’s chief manager, Park Kyung-wan bore the brunt of the responsibility.

“Laborers for basic tasks are relatively easier to find.”

“Yes, Manager.”

“So just bring in three skilled interior carpenters. Only three.”

“Understood.”

“Work on the B-1 level must begin by tomorrow at the latest. You know that, right?”

“B-1? Do you mean the café interior?”

“Yes.”

Hearing this, Team Leader Kang Joon-min looked puzzled.

He knew that a large café was planned for the building’s first floor, but he had assumed that its interior work was unrelated to the building’s completion schedule.

“Wait, are you saying even the first-floor interior needs to be ready by the completion date?”

Sighing deeply, Kyung-wan nodded.

“Haa… That’s exactly why my face looks like it’s rotting away right now.”

“But why…?”

“It’s written in the subcontract agreement. What can we do?”

“…”

Typically, the interior construction of commercial spaces in office buildings begins after the main structure is completed.

In most cases, the café’s interior on the first floor wouldn’t fall under Cheonwoong Construction’s responsibility.

However, based on what Manager Park Kyung-Wan was saying, it seemed that wasn’t the case, leaving Jun-Min flustered.

“We absolutely must find someone by the end of today.”

“That’s right.”

“Sigh… I’ll do my best to figure it out, sir.”

“It’s okay to offer a little extra. Just make sure to bring skilled workers, understood?”

“Of course. Judging by the café’s blueprint, the design seems incredibly intricate…”

With a deep sigh, Kang Jun-Min’s face soured.

Although the delays were partly due to his own relaxed approach, it was never meant to spiral into such a tight situation.

The combination of the ongoing subway construction at Suseo Station and the unexpected variables of the interior work created an increasingly tangled mess.

“Damn it. I guess the café is directly managed by the building owner… That explains why the design concept extends all the way to the building’s lobby.”

Quickly exiting from Manager Kyung-Wan’s grim presence, Jun-Min hurried down the corridor towards the elevator.

“Damn it. Orders are orders, I guess.”

Regardless of his dissatisfaction, if the completion schedule really collapsed, as one of the on-site workers, he too wouldn’t be able to escape responsibility.

Perhaps because of his preoccupied mind, Jun-Min completely overlooked the young man passing by his side.

---

Twenty years ago, when Woo-jin first came to this site office, his purpose was incredibly simple.

“I want to experience working on-site. Even if I return to college someday, what I learn on-site will definitely be helpful.”

Although Woo-jin never actually set foot in college in his previous life, at the time, his thirst for learning was strong.

Because working in construction, which allowed him to learn while earning money, was the perfect workplace for him.

However, with just his sturdy body and enthusiasm, Woo-jin quickly learned how tough site work could be.

“Looking back, I was pretty naïve then.”

The first job Woo-jin took on a construction site was formwork carpentry, one of the most physically demanding tasks.

“Kid, you said you’re confident in physical work, right?”

“Yes, sir.”

“We’ll pay you generously for a day’s work. Let’s see how you hold up today.”

“Thank you!”

The primary duties of a formwork carpenter are straightforward:

Review the blueprint, cut plywood and timber to the specified measurements, and assemble them. Then, attach the assembled formwork to steel pillars or walls.

The task is to create a mold so that concrete can be poured to form the structure.

Of course, while the description sounds simple, the actual work difficulty is far from easy.

If the formwork isn’t assembled meticulously, it’s prone to alignment issues, and there’s always a risk of injury from steel reinforcements during the process.

Precision and speed in handling materials are the most important skills for a formwork carpenter.

Because of this, when Woo-jin first entered the field, his role was limited to an assistant.

On-site, these helpers are called “demos” or “assistants.”

Fortunately, because the work was so physically demanding, site foremen and senior workers were generally kind in their treatment of assistants.

“Well, they had to be. It’s hard enough to find people willing to do the job.”

The combination of physically challenging and perilous tasks made it common for new hires to quit after just a day or two.

Still, back then, the young and driven Woo-jin managed to persevere and work tirelessly for three full months.

As a result, he earned the trust of the skilled workers on-site.

“Kid, you’re learning pretty quickly.”

“Haha, why not stick around? You could make a career out of this.”

“Yeah, you’re young. If you get some certifications, you could do well.”

Despite the grueling nature of the job, Woo-jin found it incredibly fulfilling to see the building take shape over time.

But now, Woo-jin wasn’t the same 22-year-old from back then.

He hadn’t returned to this place to do formwork carpentry again.

“I’ve done enough labor work in my previous life.”

This time, Woo-jin had come to do more than just physical labor.

“Um… What brings you here?”

As Woo-jin entered the site office, his eyes met with Manager Park Kyung-Wan.

And in the next moment, Woo-jin smiled and spoke.

“I saw the recruitment ad.”

“The recruitment ad…?”

“Yes, for an interior carpenter with over three years of experience. Someone skilled in basic CAD and SketchUp.”

“…?”

Hearing Woo-jin’s words, Park Kyung-Wan blinked in disbelief.

The story he’d just heard from Woo-jin seemed implausible in many ways.

‘No way. The ad only went up two hours ago… And he’s already here?’

While it was a blessing to have someone show up in such a pressing situation, the young man in front of him didn’t look like an experienced interior carpenter at all.

He was just too young to be considered a proper skilled worker.

“Are you really… a skilled carpenter?”

“Why else would I be here?”

“Excuse me, but how old are you?”

“Twenty-two.”

“…”

Woo-jin’s confident demeanor left Manager Kyung-Wan momentarily speechless.

Then Woo-jin spoke again, slowly and clearly.

“Do you know Team Leader Kim Ji-Hoon?”

“…!”

“I worked under him for a few years.”

“Is that… really true?”

“Just give me a day. If you’re not satisfied, you don’t have to pay me.”

Seeing the confusion in Kyung-Wan’s eyes, Woo-jin smiled internally.

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