Chapter 21
Chapter 21. Regret
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When asked if he worked for Namgyeong Development, Taeseo lifted his head and looked at the restaurant owner's husband. The man hesitated, then revealed his true thoughts.
“I heard a new road is being built. Not this road that passes in front of our restaurant, but a new road connecting the toll gate to the golf course……”
His objective was to obtain information about the access road to the golf course.
The road passing in front of Seongwoo Baekban was a two-lane road. Houses and restaurants of the local residents were clustered tightly along the road, making development difficult.
If a new road were built, land prices would rise along the new route, not the current one used by the original residents, and development would naturally focus there. So, it was only natural for the residents to be curious.
“Do you happen to know where and how that new road will be built?”
“I understand the road issue is under discussion. The local government also needs to carry out maintenance related to urbanization, and the negotiation process is being delayed due to complications with compensation and such.”
“Ah, I see.”
While construction was underway for the access road at the entrance of the Namgyeong Golf Course, it was only for 500 meters of the access road itself. The construction of the new main road was being handled by the local government as per principle.
The local government was also deliberating on how to promote regional development with the establishment of the publicly operated golf course.
A new road was planned according to the urban plan, but this was a medium to long-term plan that would continue even after the Namgyeong Golf Course was established.
“In any case, it will take a long time to build the road, so won't they be using this road for a while even after the golf course is built?”
“We’d prefer if they used this road entirely……”
The owner of Seongwoo Baekban, who had not been visible from the hole, opened the entrance door and came inside a moment later. In the basket she was carrying were freshly picked, crisp peppers and cucumbers.
“You're here again? Wait a moment. I'll slice some cucumbers and put them in the cold seaweed soup. Have a refreshing bowl of cold soup today.”
“Yes. Please make it delicious.”
While Hyunwoo replied warmly, the owner's husband brought a chair next to their table and joined them.
“But, young man. Is it too much to ask for development to happen along this road?”
The owner's husband seemed to want development around the road passing in front of Seongwoo Baekban.
“I can't possibly know everything that happens from above.”
“If this road is developed, won't the people of this neighborhood also benefit from the golf course? It would be a win-win situation.”
“I don't know if it will have any effect if I suggest it, but I will report it.”
Taeseo's words were practically empty promises, but the owner's husband beamed at them.
“After all, what employees say might have more effect than us locals babbling. Thank you, young man.”
As if his business was concluded, the owner's husband sat at the table next to them and turned on the TV with the remote.
The man, watching a re-run drama, was soon engrossed. It was a currently popular drama featuring a lead actress with very pale skin and a slender build.
While waiting for his food, Taeseo, having nothing else to do, watched the drama with the owner's husband.
“What does one have to eat to get that pale?”
The restaurant owner, who was cooking in the kitchen, replied to her husband's remark.
“They don't get any sunlight, that's why they're pale.”
Pale because they don't get any sunlight…
Actually, Taeseo had also thought that only people with little exposure to UV rays could have pale skin. But he saw a woman whose skin didn't turn red from the sun, no matter how much it burned, for the first time in his life. It was Ahn Yuna.
Ahn Yuna, who didn't have a car, spent a lot of time on the road commuting to the factory, and it seemed she walked to and from her parents' house under the scorching sun.
Even though it was a neighborhood of flat plains with no shade, Ahn Yuna maintained strikingly fair skin while always walking around such places.
Suddenly, Ahn Yuna's face overlapped with the actress on the TV screen.
Taeseo wondered who was prettier, the actress or Ahn Yuna. Compared to the actress, Ahn Yuna's appearance did not seem inferior.
A short while later, the restaurant owner brought out a tray full of food. Although the order and payment were the same, the number of dishes served varied each time depending on the owner's discretion.
Perhaps due to the food recycling incident on the first day, the owner served Taeseo more food each time he visited.
Today's main dish was cold seaweed soup with cucumbers. The sight of fresh cucumbers and seaweed in the transparent broth made him feel refreshed.
Taeseo picked up his spoon, scooped some of the soup with ice and sesame seeds, and put it in his mouth. The sour taste was exquisite.
Taeseo ate slowly, waiting for the right moment to speak to the restaurant owner.
“By the way, about Ahn Yuna.”
“Yuna?”
The owner, who had returned to the counter, turned her head to look at Taeseo.
“Yesterday, her paternal uncle came again, demanding money and causing a scene.”
“That damned scoundrel is causing trouble again after hitting the child on the head. Again and again.”
Even after cursing, she didn't seem satisfied, and she slammed the ledger she had open shut. Taeseo swallowed his food and said,
“It must be hard for Ahn Yuna to live. From what I see, she seems to be working at the factory and looking after the convenience store, so she doesn't even go home and lives in a studio apartment.”
“That’s what I’m saying. Since we're on the topic…”
The owner picked up the conversation as Taeseo intended.
Taeseo planned to probe into her family's situation while talking about Ahn Yuna. He was sure the meddlesome restaurant owner would spill details about her family, and his prediction was correct.
“That family has so many problems. Four people in that family live off the money she earns.”
“Four people live off Ahn Yuna's earnings?”
“Yuna's grandmother, her paternal uncle, Yunho, and Yuna. Yuna's paternal aunt divorced and ran away several years ago. Can the husband, who only drinks alcohol all day and gambles away all the land they have, be tolerated? Yuna works alone, going to the factory and looking after the convenience store, working herself to death.”
Hearing it from someone else's mouth made it even more tragic. Twenty years old was too young an age to be responsible for the family's livelihood.
Regardless of the debt of gratitude for raising her, Taeseo would have run away long ago. No, looking at what Ahn Yunho and his father were doing, there didn't seem to be any debt of gratitude.
The taste of the cold seaweed soup, which had been so appetizing, was no longer perceptible as his heart grew heavy.
While he ate, the drama was re-run on TV. Seeing the pale-skinned actress reminded him of Ahn Yuna.
Would Ahn Yuna be free from the shackles of her life once her paternal uncle received the compensation for the 400-pyeong land?
“Excuse me, do you happen to have the contact information for the Village Head?”
After finishing his meal, Taeseo asked. The restaurant owner's husband, sitting at the next table, widened his eyes.
“Why do you need the Village Head's contact information?”
“Hearing what you said today, it seems the residents have slightly different ideas about the development. If I hear from the Village Head, I might have more to write in the report when I submit it to my superiors.”
The owner's husband, who misunderstood it as being about the new road, clapped his hands, thinking it was a good opportunity.
“The Village Head is probably giving pesticide to his rice paddies today. I know where he is because I delivered lunch to the rice paddy earlier. I'll connect you right away, so come with me.”
“Now?”
“Yes. Strike while the iron is hot. It’s better to talk face-to-face than to just call.”
Before Taeseo could even reply, the owner's husband got up and went to the restaurant door. His look, urging him to leave, suggested he saw this as a chance to slack off.
As expected.
“Where is this good-for-nothing man trying to wander off to now? How long has it been since he came back this morning, and he’s trying to sneak out again?”
At the owner's scolding, the husband hunched his neck like a turtle.
“Who’s sneaking out? The Namgyeong Development employees are asking to connect with the Village Head.”
“Just give them the phone number. He’s probably trying to go out and get free drinks again. Ugh, I’m so tired of this.”
The owner's husband waved his hand at Taeseo as if urging him to escape quickly.
Why were all the men in this village such loafers?
Taeseo gave up on drawing conclusions and followed the owner's husband out of the restaurant.
\ \ *
“How much is this car worth?”
The owner's husband, who had gotten into the passenger seat, bypassing Hyunwoo, chattered excitedly.
“It’s expensive, right? Very expensive?”
He even bowed his head to examine the car's dashboard and ran his hand over the leather seats, looking quite pleased.
“Judging by its appearance, it must be quite expensive.”
Taeseo replied indifferently to his continuous questions about the price.
“Yes. It's quite expensive.”
“Over a hundred million won?”
“Yes, it is.”
At the mention of exceeding a hundred million won, the restaurant owner's husband's jaw dropped. Looking at his gaze towards the steering wheel, Taeseo focused on driving without looking in that direction, as he seemed like he would ask to drive it.
Despite Taeseo's efforts not to engage in conversation, he continued to ask questions.
“But is this an American car or a German car? They say Germany makes good cars.”
“It's a German car.”
“But you know, when you're young and have money, spending it all on things like cars means you'll suffer when you're old. You should buy land in the countryside like us, so you can sell it when it's developed and make money.”
However, as with most views on expensive cars, the conversation eventually concluded that owning an expensive car was a waste, and ultimately, money and land were what remained.
Taeseo chuckled as if he had expected this. After all, it was the logic of those who lacked money. From Taeseo's perspective, who didn't need to worry about living for a lifetime with what he already possessed without selling land, he couldn't apply their logic to himself.
If he revealed his position, he would be free from such nagging and the stigma of being a "car poor," but it was quite regrettable that he couldn't.
