Chapter 8
The Glow of the Setting Sun
Today marked the first day of construction for the resort project. The procession of excavators arriving in clusters felt like a fleet of tanks marching gallantly toward a battlefield.
Laborers from all over the country flocked in for the large-scale project. Despite Manager Moon Ok-rye’s frequent interference, makeshift eateries sprang up like mushrooms in shipping containers as soon as the day began.
The vendors ranged from those selling slushy makgeolli in disposable coffee cups to laundry services promising to wash even the most delicate undergarments until they were pristine.
The locals welcomed the commercial activity more than anyone. Businesses in the once quiet, empty fields began to thrive as workers, who primarily dealt in cash, started opening their wallets. Shops that had barely opened once or twice a week threw their doors wide and waited for the laborers after a fresh renovation.
People greeted Seongheon’s visit with immense enthusiasm. They welcomed him as if he were a sporting hero returning home after elevating the nation’s prestige. It seemed they had no doubt that this young gentleman from a prestigious family would transform their town into a far more prosperous city.
The building had six floors, and the woman lived on the fifth. Seongheon, who had been counting the floors one by one, fixed his gaze on her face once more.
The woman’s hair fluttered in the gentle spring breeze. Just moments ago, she had looked as though she might crumble from dryness, but now her expression was as soft as cotton fresh from the seed.
He couldn’t tear his eyes away. Seongheon stood still, looking up at her, until their eyes finally met.
As if she had seen something she shouldn’t have, the woman hurriedly hid herself from view. He caught the fleeting sense of her flustered retreat in that split second before she vanished.
Seongheon slowly lowered his head and let out a short, dry laugh. He toyed with the tip of his chin as if organizing his thoughts, then lifted his head again to look up at her quarters.
As he stood there staring, a fragrant floral scent—one that no city perfume could ever hope to imitate—drifted to the tip of his nose. It was the scent of magnolias, the flower Yeonwoo’s mother was said to have loved.
At that moment, the woman who had hidden so abruptly peeked her head out to look through the window again. When their eyes met unexpectedly, Seongheon closed and opened his eyelids slowly.
Perhaps embarrassed by the fact that she had hidden as if witnessing something ghastly, the woman bowed her head in greeting. She had clearly remembered the rule that one must greet members of Domyeongjae with proper etiquette whenever and wherever they are encountered.
As the woman offered her greeting from behind the small window, Seongheon, standing tall, lowered his head in a polite return gesture.
Then, he turned away indifferently. Upon reaching the main hall, he was met by Manager Moon and several other staff members. Without much conversation, Seongheon entered Unseondang, the residence where he would be staying.
“The Vice President is here! What are you doing up there instead of coming down? Are you planning on getting a free ride from day one?”
Yeonwoo, who had witnessed Seongheon standing below her window and felt an odd sensation, had slipped down to the main hall only to be immediately scolded by Manager Moon Ok-rye.
Flustered, Yeonwoo instinctively clasped her hands in front of her.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know he had arrived.”
“You didn’t know? Why on earth not? Did you not get your radio?”
“No, not yet.”
When Yeonwoo answered, Manager Moon let out a heavy sigh. Unable to watch any longer, Ja-yeong stepped forward to take Yeonwoo’s side.
“Manager, Yeonwoo hasn’t even received her uniform yet, let alone a radio. It’s going to be a hectic day anyway, so maybe she should start tomorrow…”
“What do you mean ‘tomorrow’? Her wages start today, so why should her work start tomorrow? Don’t talk such nonsense.”
As Manager Moon spoke sharply, Ja-yeong slunk back to her place. Manager Moon tilted her chin toward the standing Yeonwoo.
“The Vice President has just entered Unseondang, so go and sweep the yard first. Spray some water down, too. The doors have been shut all day because of the pollen, so open them up for some ventilation. It must feel stuffy in there.”
“Yes. I understand.”
“What’s your phone number? Write it down before you go.”
“My number? I don’t have a phone.”
The moment she said she didn’t have a phone, Manager Moon’s expression twisted instantly. She looked at her as if wondering what kind of person she was.
“You don’t? You don’t have a phone?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Since when?”
“Since today. I didn’t think I’d need it, so I got rid of it.”
Manager Moon could only blink in response to Yeonwoo’s answer. Since she didn’t have a radio, the manager had intended to call her mobile if something urgent came up, but now she was told there was no phone. A twenty-something in South Korea had gotten rid of her phone.
“Look, don’t take this the wrong way. I’m asking because this is just too strange.”
Manager Moon continued, wiping her hands on her apron.
“Are you being hunted by the state or something?”
“By the state? Why would they be looking for me?”
“Why? Because you did something the country told you not to do, or didn’t do something it told you to do. There’s always a reason.”
“I haven’t done anything like that.”
“You haven’t? Really? You’re not lying to me?”
As Manager Moon interrogated her with a deeply skeptical look, Yeonwoo shook her head vigorously to declare her innocence. Strangely, her heart began to thud in her chest despite having done nothing wrong.
“It’s true. It’s nothing like that.”
“If it’s not that, then what is it?”
“I’m going to get a radio anyway. If I have a phone, I’ll end up looking at the outside world, and then I’ll want to leave. I thought it would be better not to have one at all.”
“…”
“If I’m going to work here, I want to do it properly.”
When Yeonwoo finished her firm explanation, Manager Moon scanned her from head to toe.
“Manager! Come here for a second!”
When a staff member called from inside, Manager Moon glanced back briefly before looking at Yeonwoo again.
“Listen, if you go to the management office behind the main hall, there’s a man named Manager Hwang. Ask him for a radio and he’ll give you one. I’ll let him know, so hurry up and go before he leaves for the day.”
“Yes, Manager. I understand.”
As Yeonwoo bowed and hurried away, Manager Moon narrowed her eyes.
“That’s a character I haven’t seen before. Definitely strange.”
Manager Moon found Yeonwoo odd.
She was, so to speak, unpredictable.
Unseondang, where Seongheon stayed, was a traditional hanok on the outside, but the interior was state-of-the-art and modern. Traditionally used by the eldest son of the family, it was an independent space equipped with a private bedroom, an office, and a garden.
Yeonwoo swept the yard with her newly issued radio clipped to her waist. She diligently swept away the fallen petals and yellow pine pollen that had accumulated during the day, then gave the area a thorough soaking with water.
Before she knew it, a deep blue darkness had settled in. After tidying the hose and finishing the cleaning, Yeonwoo stared blankly at the entrance of Unseondang. Her last remaining task was ventilation.
Eventually, she took off her shoes neatly on the stepping stone and stepped onto the wooden porch of Unseondang. After entering and ventilating the rooms one by one, Yeonwoo finally stood before the last closed door. She assumed it was the office.
“Excuse me. I’m coming in for a moment.”
Perhaps because she had been silent throughout the cleaning, her voice trembled. Yeonwoo cleared her throat intentionally and fidgeted with her fingertips.
“Come in.”
When she heard Seongheon’s voice a moment later, Yeonwoo swallowed hard. Perhaps it was because she had been startled by seeing him in the yard earlier, but the thought of him being behind the door made her suddenly nervous.
Yeonwoo carefully turned the doorknob and opened the door.
She bowed as she entered, keeping her gaze lowered as much as possible. But the moment she lifted her head to check the location of the window, her eyes met Seongheon’s, who was sitting in his desk chair.
“Excuse me.”
She almost stuttered. Yeonwoo quickly located the window and walked toward it. The window, which covered an entire wall, folded like a fan and required a firm push.
“Did you… use the business card?”
Seongheon’s voice came from over her shoulder. Yeonwoo stopped what she was doing and turned around.
“No. I didn’t use it.”
“I would appreciate it if you used it soon. I’m not the type who can live with a debt.”
“I’m the one in debt. Thank you for hiring me.”
Yeonwoo felt through her pockets and pulled out the business card. She had been carrying it in hopes of returning it someday, and the opportunity had come sooner than expected.
She took small steps toward him and placed the card on Seongheon’s desk. Seongheon, who had been looking at some documents, glanced down at the card.
“I didn’t think it was something I should keep, so I’m returning it.”
“It’s a bit wrinkled because I didn’t store it well. I’m sorry.”
At that, Seongheon let out a faint, airy chuckle. Yeonwoo continued.
“I’ve washed the clothes well. Thank you for your kindness.”
“It wasn’t kindness; I simply wanted to provide the compensation you deserved.”
“Yes, but it was already more than enough. It wasn’t an expensive outfit, and it was something I could have just thrown away. I really don’t need any further compensation.”
When Yeonwoo refused persistently, Seongheon, who had been merely flipping through papers, lifted his gaze.
Seongheon took a long, slow breath as the gaze from those eyes, positioned perfectly in the center of her face, exerted an absurdly strong pull on him.
The water splashes on Yeonwoo’s trousers, as she wasn’t yet wearing a uniform, were starkly visible. The sounds of sweeping and watering he had heard from the yard for a while must have been her presence.
Seongheon seemed to think deeply for a moment before pulling a credit card from his wallet. Then, he met Yeonwoo’s eyes once more.
Feeling as though he would have to swallow hard if he didn’t speak quickly, Seongheon opened his lips.
“It doesn’t have to be Seolyang Department Store.”
He pushed the matte black card forward with his fingertips.
“Don’t buy clothes that are ‘fine to throw away.’ Buy something that would make you feel upset if it got wet or splashed with mud.”
“And it would be better if you bought several.”
A reddish sunset began to embrace Unseondang.
