CHAPTER 1
“Three for two thousand won.”
The man who had made eye contact with Seyeon casually spoke after taking a crunchy bite out of the apple in his hand.
It was market day on the weekend.
The bus terminal, marked everywhere by the traces of countless years, was crowded with people.
That was when Seyeon noticed the steamed corn with wisps of steam rising from the steamer.
More than the food itself, her attention was first drawn to the striking appearance of the man selling it.
Sitting on a worn chair made of stacked cardboard boxes, he looked strangely out of place and yet somehow perfectly suited to the surroundings.
The young and handsome owner did not miss her gaze lingering on the corn.
Since she really was hungry, Seyeon got up from her seat and walked toward him.
His eyes slowly lifted to meet hers.
“Just one, please.”
“I don’t sell them individually.”
“I only need one.”
As she spoke, Seyeon pulled out two thousand won from her wallet and held it out to him.
Since she would not be able to finish all three anyway, taking only what she needed seemed beneficial for both of them.
Instead of taking the money, the man looked straight into her eyes and took another bite of his apple.
He stared at her holding out the money and only spoke after slowly swallowing the bite in his mouth.
“Do you have a lot of money?”
“It’s complicated.”
Seyeon’s background was just as complicated as that of the man wearing a luxury watch worth tens of millions of won while selling corn for two thousand won a bundle.
She had no idea why she answered his question honestly.
“Oh dear, you’ve worked hard. You can go now.”
While the two stood facing each other with the two thousand won between them, an elderly woman hurried over.
She was the real owner of the corn stand.
“You have a customer here.”
Without a trace of hesitation, the man left his spot.
The grandmother sat down where he had been and looked up at Seyeon with a bright smile.
“Would you like some corn?”
“Yes, just one. Here’s two thousand won.”
“But it’s three for two thousand won.”
“I can’t finish all three by myself.”
“It’ll still taste good even after it cools down, so save the rest for later. It would be a waste of money.”
“Okay. Thank you.”
Accepting the three ears of corn obediently, Seyeon returned to her seat.
She did not want to continue an unnecessary argument.
“But I’ve never seen you before, miss. Do you have relatives in this town?”
“No. I came here for work.”
“The only place someone like you could work around here is Sunrise Resort. Did you get a job there?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
While eating the warm corn, Seyeon nodded.
Sunrise, the grand five-star hotel and resort built in a seaside village at the southwestern tip of the country, would be her temporary workplace starting next week.
“Oh my, you’ve really made it! Then where did you originally live? Seoul, perhaps?”
“Yes. I came from Seoul.”
“My goodness. So your whole family is still in Seoul, and you came down here alone?”
“Everyone has their own responsibilities.”
The grandmother had many questions, and Seyeon answered them rather honestly.
There was nothing she particularly needed to hide, and since their encounter was only temporary, she thought it would not hurt to share this much.
“Oh dear, your parents must be worried sick after sending such a beautiful daughter so far away. Then where did you find a place to live? The apartments are farther into town.”
“Cheonghae-ri.”
The house Seyeon had found was in Cheonghae-ri, a place famous for its beautiful sunsets.
There were apartment complexes farther away with better transportation and living conditions, but she had deliberately chosen this area.
The resort operated employee buses that stopped near her house, so commuting without a car would not be a problem.
“Cheonghae-ri? Then wait a moment. Director Si! You’re heading home now, right?”
The grandmother loudly called out to the man, who was talking with someone in the distance.
The man turned toward her as if asking what was wrong and nodded.
It seemed that he was the director of a private academy.
There were no academies nearby, so perhaps he worked in town.
Though, in Seyeon’s opinion, he hardly seemed suited to teaching anyone.
“Perfect! Give this young lady a ride on your way home. She’s going to Cheonghae-ri too. Her luggage looks heavy, and it’ll be difficult for her to take the bus.”
“I have plans in town.”
The man glanced at Seyeon and immediately refused.
It was obvious that those plans had just conveniently appeared.
“But you said you were going home. You nodded just now.”
“You must have seen it wrong.”
Whoever said country people were warm and welcoming?
Watching the man’s retreating figure grow smaller, Seyeon quietly finished the rest of her corn.
She would have refused the offer anyway, but somehow she had been rejected from sharing the ride before she even had a chance.
Feeling sorry, the grandmother explained that the bus would arrive soon.
Seyeon simply nodded indifferently to show that she understood.
As soon as she finished the corn, the bus arrived.
After throwing the corn cobs into the trash and carefully wiping her hands with wet tissues, Seyeon wheeled her suitcase toward the front door of the bus.
Perhaps because it was market day, there were quite a few people boarding the bus to Cheonghae-ri.
Among them, Seyeon was the only outsider.
Naturally, all eyes turned toward her.
One after another, the passengers asked where she had come from, why she was going to Cheonghae-ri, and whether she knew anyone in the village.
Even though they were on a bus, nobody looked ahead or out the window.
Everyone was looking only at her.
“So you’re moving into Grandma Seungho’s house. It’s been empty for so long, so that’s good.”
“I was wondering why a truck kept coming and going around the village. It was because you were moving in.”
Even though she had not given them the exact address, they had already figured out where she would be living.
According to the real estate agent, the house Seyeon rented was the only vacant house in Cheonghae-ri, so it made sense.
“But what kind of secret story does such a pretty young lady have that brought her all alone to a countryside village like this?”
The grandmother in the seat ahead had completely turned around and asked carefully while giving Seyeon a meaningful look.
The other passengers also held their breath and watched her lips.
“There’s no story, Grandma.”
Whatever answer the woman had been hoping for, she looked disappointed by Seyeon’s response.
Of course, there was a reason why Seyeon had come to Cheonghae-ri.
The problem was simply that it was not tragic enough to satisfy the expectations of her audience on the bus.
By the time they finally arrived at her destination, every passenger on the bus, including the driver, knew her age, her marital status, and the fact that she was an only child.
After getting off at the bus stop, Seyeon stood her suitcase beside her and slowly looked around the village where she would be staying for the time being.
The last thing her eyes landed on was a long staircase stretching upward.
The stairs looked quite steep, and she had a large, heavy suitcase.
If she gave up on the stairs, she would have to take a much longer route.
The real estate agent had never mentioned that her house sat at the top of an endless staircase.
Instead, he had repeatedly emphasized how breathtaking the view from the front of the house was.
In any case, it had been the only empty house in the village, so she had not really had another choice.
It was also her own fault for renting a house she had never seen in person.
Gripping the suitcase handle with both hands, Seyeon struggled up the stairs.
However, after climbing only a few steps, she had to stop.
For someone who had grown up relatively sheltered, it was the hardest physical labor she had ever done.
After taking several breaks and finally reaching the top, flat ground appeared before her, along with a row of houses.
Reading the house numbers one by one, Seyeon eventually stopped in front of a blue gate.
As she caught her breath and admired the scenery, the gate of the house across from hers suddenly opened with a metallic clank.
Turning toward the sound, she saw the very man who had rejected her request for a ride at the terminal, claiming that he had plans.
The moment he saw her, he frowned.
Seyeon, however, greeted him in a fairly friendly tone.
“It’s nice to meet you. I’ve just moved into the house across from yours.”
So my luck with neighbors is terrible.
“Nice to meet you?”
Terrible indeed.
“This isn’t exactly downtown either.”
Even after being caught lying just to avoid giving her a ride, the man did not bat an eye.
“That’s true. I don’t know how long you’ll stay here, but until then, good luck.”
“Thank you for the encouragement.”
“You’re welcome.”
The man seemed to have realized at first glance that Seyeon was not someone who would stay here for very long.
Is this the infamous small-town hostility people always talk about?
Chapter 1
“Three for two thousand won.”
The man who had made eye contact with Seyeon casually spoke after taking a crunchy bite out of the apple in his hand.
It was market day on the weekend.
The bus terminal, marked everywhere by the traces of countless years, was crowded with people.
That was when Seyeon noticed the steamed corn with wisps of steam rising from the steamer.
More than the food itself, her attention was first drawn to the striking appearance of the man selling it.
Sitting on a worn chair made of stacked cardboard boxes, he looked strangely out of place and yet somehow perfectly suited to the surroundings.
The young and handsome owner did not miss her gaze lingering on the corn.
Since she really was hungry, Seyeon got up from her seat and walked toward him.
His eyes slowly lifted to meet hers.
“Just one, please.”
“I don’t sell them individually.”
“I only need one.”
As she spoke, Seyeon pulled out two thousand won from her wallet and held it out to him.
Since she would not be able to finish all three anyway, taking only what she needed seemed beneficial for both of them.
Instead of taking the money, the man looked straight into her eyes and took another bite of his apple.
He stared at her holding out the money and only spoke after slowly swallowing the bite in his mouth.
“Do you have a lot of money?”
“It’s complicated.”
Seyeon’s background was just as complicated as that of the man wearing a luxury watch worth tens of millions of won while selling corn for two thousand won a bundle.
She had no idea why she answered his question honestly.
“Oh dear, you’ve worked hard. You can go now.”
While the two stood facing each other with the two thousand won between them, an elderly woman hurried over.
She was the real owner of the corn stand.
“You have a customer here.”
Without a trace of hesitation, the man left his spot.
The grandmother sat down where he had been and looked up at Seyeon with a bright smile.
“Would you like some corn?”
“Yes, just one. Here’s two thousand won.”
“But it’s three for two thousand won.”
“I can’t finish all three by myself.”
“It’ll still taste good even after it cools down, so save the rest for later. It would be a waste of money.”
“Okay. Thank you.”
Accepting the three ears of corn obediently, Seyeon returned to her seat.
She did not want to continue an unnecessary argument.
“But I’ve never seen you before, miss. Do you have relatives in this town?”
“No. I came here for work.”
“The only place someone like you could work around here is Sunrise Resort. Did you get a job there?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
While eating the warm corn, Seyeon nodded.
Sunrise, the grand five-star hotel and resort built in a seaside village at the southwestern tip of the country, would be her temporary workplace starting next week.
“Oh my, you’ve really made it! Then where did you originally live? Seoul, perhaps?”
“Yes. I came from Seoul.”
“My goodness. So your whole family is still in Seoul, and you came down here alone?”
“Everyone has their own responsibilities.”
The grandmother had many questions, and Seyeon answered them rather honestly.
There was nothing she particularly needed to hide, and since their encounter was only temporary, she thought it would not hurt to share this much.
“Oh dear, your parents must be worried sick after sending such a beautiful daughter so far away. Then where did you find a place to live? The apartments are farther into town.”
“Cheonghae-ri.”
The house Seyeon had found was in Cheonghae-ri, a place famous for its beautiful sunsets.
There were apartment complexes farther away with better transportation and living conditions, but she had deliberately chosen this area.
The resort operated employee buses that stopped near her house, so commuting without a car would not be a problem.
“Cheonghae-ri? Then wait a moment. Director Si! You’re heading home now, right?”
The grandmother loudly called out to the man, who was talking with someone in the distance.
The man turned toward her as if asking what was wrong and nodded.
It seemed that he was the director of a private academy.
There were no academies nearby, so perhaps he worked in town.
Though, in Seyeon’s opinion, he hardly seemed suited to teaching anyone.
“Perfect! Give this young lady a ride on your way home. She’s going to Cheonghae-ri too. Her luggage looks heavy, and it’ll be difficult for her to take the bus.”
“I have plans in town.”
The man glanced at Seyeon and immediately refused.
It was obvious that those plans had just conveniently appeared.
“But you said you were going home. You nodded just now.”
“You must have seen it wrong.”
Whoever said country people were warm and welcoming?
Watching the man’s retreating figure grow smaller, Seyeon quietly finished the rest of her corn.
She would have refused the offer anyway, but somehow she had been rejected from sharing the ride before she even had a chance.
Feeling sorry, the grandmother explained that the bus would arrive soon.
Seyeon simply nodded indifferently to show that she understood.
As soon as she finished the corn, the bus arrived.
After throwing the corn cobs into the trash and carefully wiping her hands with wet tissues, Seyeon wheeled her suitcase toward the front door of the bus.
Perhaps because it was market day, there were quite a few people boarding the bus to Cheonghae-ri.
Among them, Seyeon was the only outsider.
Naturally, all eyes turned toward her.
One after another, the passengers asked where she had come from, why she was going to Cheonghae-ri, and whether she knew anyone in the village.
Even though they were on a bus, nobody looked ahead or out the window.
Everyone was looking only at her.
“So you’re moving into Grandma Seungho’s house. It’s been empty for so long, so that’s good.”
“I was wondering why a truck kept coming and going around the village. It was because you were moving in.”
Even though she had not given them the exact address, they had already figured out where she would be living.
According to the real estate agent, the house Seyeon rented was the only vacant house in Cheonghae-ri, so it made sense.
“But what kind of secret story does such a pretty young lady have that brought her all alone to a countryside village like this?”
The grandmother in the seat ahead had completely turned around and asked carefully while giving Seyeon a meaningful look.
The other passengers also held their breath and watched her lips.
“There’s no story, Grandma.”
Whatever answer the woman had been hoping for, she looked disappointed by Seyeon’s response.
Of course, there was a reason why Seyeon had come to Cheonghae-ri.
The problem was simply that it was not tragic enough to satisfy the expectations of her audience on the bus.
By the time they finally arrived at her destination, every passenger on the bus, including the driver, knew her age, her marital status, and the fact that she was an only child.
After getting off at the bus stop, Seyeon stood her suitcase beside her and slowly looked around the village where she would be staying for the time being.
The last thing her eyes landed on was a long staircase stretching upward.
The stairs looked quite steep, and she had a large, heavy suitcase.
If she gave up on the stairs, she would have to take a much longer route.
The real estate agent had never mentioned that her house sat at the top of an endless staircase.
Instead, he had repeatedly emphasized how breathtaking the view from the front of the house was.
In any case, it had been the only empty house in the village, so she had not really had another choice.
It was also her own fault for renting a house she had never seen in person.
Gripping the suitcase handle with both hands, Seyeon struggled up the stairs.
However, after climbing only a few steps, she had to stop.
For someone who had grown up relatively sheltered, it was the hardest physical labor she had ever done.
After taking several breaks and finally reaching the top, flat ground appeared before her, along with a row of houses.
Reading the house numbers one by one, Seyeon eventually stopped in front of a blue gate.
As she caught her breath and admired the scenery, the gate of the house across from hers suddenly opened with a metallic clank.
Turning toward the sound, she saw the very man who had rejected her request for a ride at the terminal, claiming that he had plans.
The moment he saw her, he frowned.
Seyeon, however, greeted him in a fairly friendly tone.
“It’s nice to meet you. I’ve just moved into the house across from yours.”
So my luck with neighbors is terrible.
“Nice to meet you?”
Terrible indeed.
“This isn’t exactly downtown either.”
Even after being caught lying just to avoid giving her a ride, the man did not bat an eye.
“That’s true. I don’t know how long you’ll stay here, but until then, good luck.”
“Thank you for the encouragement.”
“You’re welcome.”
The man seemed to have realized at first glance that Seyeon was not someone who would stay here for very long.
Is this the infamous small-town hostility people always talk about?
Life really isn’t easy.
