Chapter 33
The Villain’s Pure Love
- Getting Ready to Go Out
Just as Hyeonuk’s classmates had finished sweeping through the day before, sudden news arrived that Seongheon would be hosting a guest today.
As soon as Manager Mun finished a phone call with Seongheon’s secretary, she began rushing about busily. The staff at the main hall, unaware of the reason, tilted their heads in confusion.
Eunja, who was meticulously ironing towels that had been washed at high temperatures, looked up.
“Sister, what is it now?”
“We’re in trouble. The Vice President says he’s bringing a guest later today.”
“A guest? Today?”
“Good grief,” Eunja sighed. This cursed Domyeongjae hadn’t seen a quiet day lately; she felt like her body was going to give out.
“I’m worked to death, truly. Who’s going to have their funeral first? Let’s set an order for who goes first at this rate.”
“Stop your grumbling. Who do you think provides the warm meals that have kept us working until this age? You don’t know how to be grateful; you’re just flapping those lips again.”
When Manager Mun immediately scolded her, Eunja narrowed her eyes.
“Once again, I’m the only bad one. Oh, my dear Sister Mun, you’ll surely go to heaven when you die. I’ll just keep flapping my mouth like this until I go to hell and share a table with King Yama himself.”
While they were bickering, Yeonwoo walked in. Manager Mun glanced at Yeonwoo and seemed to think for a moment, but then shook her head and looked back at Eunja.
“What are you doing? Get up. We’re going to the market.”
“Me? You mean me?”
“Is there anyone else here besides you? Get up, hurry.”
As Manager Mun took off her apron and told Eunja to get ready, Eunja pointed at Yeonwoo with an indignant expression.
“Are we keeping the rookie around just to boil her in a soup later? Sister, why are you leaving the perfectly fine rookie here and taking me when my knees aren’t even holding up?”
“Is that so? Your knees aren’t holding up? Then quit if you want.”
“Oh my, really, Sister!”
Eunja couldn’t understand it at all. It was obvious she would just end up being Manager Mun’s pack mule. Wouldn’t the rookie, who followed orders silently, be much better than her own grumbling self?
However, Manager Mun’s thoughts were different. She couldn’t take Yeonwoo outside of Domyeongjae, fearing she might catch the eye of those wicked men.
“Um, I’ll go, Manager.”
Manager Mun, who was hurrying to leave, and Eunja, who was untying her apron with a look of utter sorrow, both looked at Yeonwoo at the same time.
“Fine then. You go instead of me.”
“No. You stay here. I’m more comfortable with Eunja!”
When two different answers popped out simultaneously, Yeonwoo’s eyes went wide. Even in this situation, the bickering between Eunja and Manager Mun didn’t stop.
Take her. No, you come with me. As the verbal tug-of-war continued, Yeonwoo stepped between them.
“I’ll just go.”
“See! She says she wants to go! She says she wants to go with all her heart! Why are you bullying the person who doesn’t want to go when there’s someone right here who does!”
“Yes. I want to go, Manager. Sincerely.”
Sigh…
Manager Mun looked at the quietly speaking Yeonwoo and let out a groan. At that, Yeonwoo took another step toward her and spoke.
“Please take me with you. I want to see the outside world after a long time, and I want to see the market too.”
At the end of her sentence, Yeonwoo ignored her racing heartbeat. The mere thought of stepping outside Domyeongjae still made her breath catch and her vision blur, but…
…She was going to take courage, bit by bit.
Little by little, very slowly.
“I’ll follow you without a word of complaint. I won’t make things uncomfortable for you. I’m strong, too.”
‘Because only Ji Yeonwoo can be the one to carve out Ji Yeonwoo’s life.’
Right. I will live a life that is kind to myself.
I remind myself of the concern and comfort I offer to myself.
‘If it still doesn’t work out, lean on me.’
Shall I face it? Shall I believe that I can do it?
That I can go out into the world.
‘Because I will bring you out into the world.’
“Hurry up, then. We’ll be late if we dawdle.”
“Yes! Manager!”
Using the sincere encouragement someone had prayed for her as a stepping stone.
After hanging up the phone, Cha Yunseok, who had been invited to Domyeongjae through Seongheon’s secretary, burst into a roar of laughter.
He had thought it might just end as empty words, but Seongheon had contacted him faster than he expected. Chuckling to himself, Cha Yunseok toyed with his phone.
“These chaebol punks are nothing special. You’re just looking for some crumbs to fall your way too, aren’t you?”
Cha Yunseok firmly believed that Seongheon took a liking to him. It was a natural result in his mind. From the first moment they met, he had acted with such extreme courtesy as if he’d give up his very organs, bowing flat before the ultimate superior.
“Nam Seongheon, you like that kind of stuff too, don’t you? You bastard.”
Cha Yunseok muttered sarcastically. Seongheon probably wanted to hang out with him, must have been intoxicated by the atmosphere of being flattered, and likely wanted to keep him close like a well-trained dog.
Cha Yunseok had completed all preparations to cater to Seongheon’s whims. He was someone who was infinitely weak to the strong and infinitely strong to the weak, so there would be no problem.
Tossing his phone onto the sofa, Cha Yunseok grinned. if he could wrap up this business well and secure the next construction project from Seolyang Construction, he would be a very dutiful son to his father.
“The old man at home will love this. Father! Your son is going off to do great things today! The lawyer fees! I’ll pay you back ten times—no, a hundred times over, Father!”
Cha Yunseok immediately began picking out clothes. He hummed to himself and eventually even broke into a cocky little dance.
“Yeonwoo, you wait too. Oppa is coming soon.”
And at Domyeongjae, there was Ji Yeonwoo.
Upon arriving at Domyeong Market, Manager Mun picked up some fresh sashimi and meat from a butcher shop she had contacted in advance. Everywhere they went, the merchants greeted Manager Mun with polite bows.
To the merchants, Manager Mun was as good as another master of Domyeongjae and a great elder who exercised significant influence over Domyeong Market as a whole. Over a decade ago, when there were plans to clear out the market site, Manager Mun had stood at the forefront to oppose the county officials. Not only that, but a few years ago when a typhoon left the market in ruins, she had used her own money to help with the repairs.
When Manager Mun stepped forward, the relatives of Domyeongjae followed, and when the relatives moved, Seolyang Group would act. So how could they not be grateful for such a great presence? To the market merchants, Manager Mun was a hero of Domyeongjae, a literal beacon of light.
Every time Manager Mun opened or closed a shop door, the merchants would come all the way out to the street to see her off. Since she refused to accept even the most common freebies, the only way they could repay her was with heartfelt greetings.
Yeonwoo walked quietly behind Manager Mun. Although the manager didn’t offer a single affectionate word to the merchants who welcomed her so warmly, Yeonwoo could feel that they followed her with all their hearts.
As they walked, Yeonwoo tilted her head, watching Manager Mun constantly glance around. They seemed to have finished most of the shopping, so it was a bit strange.
“Are you looking for something else, Manager?”
Every time Yeonwoo asked, Manager Mun denied it, but eventually, she confessed.
“What would I be looking for? I’m just seeing if that ugly-looking fellow who was looking for you might be following us.”
“…Ah.”
Yeonwoo looked apologetic toward Manager Mun, who was keeping a sharp eye in all directions in case someone looking for her had attached themselves to them. Seeing her expression, Manager Mun looked like she regretted saying it, then tossed out a blunt remark.
“There’s a dried pollack in that bag. Use it as a weapon if anything happens.”
“Pardon? A weapon?”
Yeonwoo looked inside the black plastic bag. She let out a small breath as she looked at the long, dried pollack that seemed like it wouldn’t break even if struck with a hammer, its head poking out of the bag.
Manager Mun continued as if she wasn’t joking.
“It’s fine. You’re allowed to beat someone up with a dried pollack. It’s a Rod of Justice.”
“Ah, yes. A Rod of Justice.”
Seeing that Manager Mun also had a dried pollack in her own bag, Yeonwoo burst into laughter.
“Why are you laughing? Is the pollack funny?”
“Manager, is that why you’re carrying a dried pollack in your bag too?”
“……I can’t exactly carry around a chef’s knife. Back then, I survived because of your mother’s panties.”
Yeonwoo let out an even louder laugh. Manager Mun, hearing Yeonwoo laugh for the first time, wore an awkward expression.
“Have you lost your mind?”
“No. Just… because I like it.”
Yeonwoo sidled up and tucked her arm into Manager Mun’s. At that, Manager Mun recoiled and pulled her arm away.
“What are you doing? I’m someone who absolutely loathes people clinging to me.”
“Well, I like sticking close to people.”
“Do that when you get a boyfriend later. Just don’t stick to me, it’s creepy.”
“Actually, I got a bit scared after hearing what you said, Manager.”
When Yeonwoo said she suddenly felt scared after hearing about the ‘ugly fellow,’ Manager Mun flinched. Ah, I shouldn’t have said anything.
“Because I’m scared, I thought I’d feel less afraid if I held onto your arm, Manager.”
As Yeonwoo made up an excuse and slid her arm back in, Manager Mun’s arm twitched. Yeonwoo pulled herself close, practically sticking to her.
“Ah, I feel a bit less scared now.”
Manager Mun glanced at Yeonwoo out of the corner of her eye and pulled the corners of her mouth down into a long frown. Ignoring the manager’s clearly uncomfortable expression, Yeonwoo spoke up.
“Next time you come to the market, please bring me along again, Manager.”
Manager Mun’s stiff arm felt strangely endearing. Despite saying she hated people sticking to her, the fact that she allowed it because Yeonwoo was scared felt infinitely warm.
“You said you were scared, so why are you talking about coming out again?”
“I just passed by the tteokbokki place earlier. I want to eat some next time. Since we’re busy today, I’ll follow you quietly.”
When Yeonwoo murmured that, Manager Mun snorted. She sighed as if she were hearing the most ridiculous thing in her life, but a moment later, her dry lips moved slightly.
“Do you like tteokbokki?”
“Yes.”
Without any further reply, Manager Mun moved with slow steps. Yeonwoo held onto Manager Mun’s arm for a long time as they circled Domyeong Market for about an hour.
Fortunately, they didn’t run into the ‘ugly fellow,’ and the thing they worried about didn’t happen. The thug Cha Yunseok had posted to watch the front of Domyeongjae had quietly slipped away from Moksan County after receiving a fat envelope of cash.
The spring sunlight was golden and warm.
