US 02

Chapter 2

Seim boarded the village bus heading toward the town center. To spend three months at her aunt’s now-empty house, she needed to buy basic necessities.

Her aunt had agreed to handle the electricity and water, so the rest was up to her. Even if that meant a disaster like having to go all the way into town, she had to manage it herself.

After getting off the bus, Seim first clenched her empty fists.

This place, lined with roadside stalls, was the town center.

She saw a few kids in school uniforms. She could guess where they were heading. She herself had grown up in Mangul Island, so she knew what this town, with its mainland franchises, meant to the children.

She had those days too. On happy days, she naturally stopped by the town.

Eunkku.

At least until the time everyone called her that.

When she was just a single-digit age, she thought it was just a nickname.

“Eunkku’s here! These grapes are super sweet? Tell your dad to buy some grapes.”

She would tug at her father’s pant leg, begging him to buy the grapes—grapes she wouldn’t even eat because she hated picking out the seeds.

When she reached adolescence and finally understood the meaning, she was embarrassed.

“Oh my, our Eunkku. You’re getting prettier every day. You’re already a young lady, a lady.”

She would hurriedly lower her head and rush to get away. Even when anger surged, there was no way to overcome the shame that burned her cheeks.

There was a decisive incident that put an end to her being called Eunkku. It happened the day she accidentally ran into Gu Seonju while walking through the town market.

“Oh, Han Eunkku? Why are you in town at this hour? Don’t tell me you skipped study hall? Oh, what’s a model student like you doing here?”

The classmates who had been arm-in-arm with Gu Seonju widened their eyes with interest.

“Han Eunkku? What does ‘Eunkku’ mean?”

“Born between a cleft lip and a one-eyed woman. Eunkku. Han Eunkku.”

“Oh my god, that’s hilarious. Hey, why are you just telling us this now?”

She had always managed to stay composed, but strangely, that day she couldn’t.

In the end, she slapped him hard across the face. She seemed to have struck his face, as he looked up at her from the ground, several more times.

Looking back, she had been fearless. How dare she, the only daughter of a wealthy family that owned several market stalls. And by none other than Han Seim, Eunkku, born between a cleft-lipped man and a one-eyed woman, just as the insult went.

She had no regrets. Since that day, the mockery aimed at her had stopped. There was also the painful aftermath—her father had to kneel in front of that family’s house—but she didn’t want to think about that.

Anyway, the town center was a horrible place for her.

As soon as she entered the market, the smell of fish stabbed deep into her nose. She thought about buying a few fish while she was here, but she decided against it. Her aunt had already asked her to bring back some Oriental melons, so her hands would be full.

Turning at the seafood section, she reached the large supermarket that took up a big space. She habitually picked up a shopping basket and put in shampoo, conditioner, and body wash one after another.

Carrying the somewhat heavy basket to the checkout counter, Yeongran, the cashier who had been focused on a drama, started scanning the barcodes. Seim had hoped to slip by quietly, but of course, the woman recognized her.

“Oh my goodness? Isn’t this Seim? Long time no see! I heard you’d come back. So what, just ditch that teaching thing and do something else, right?”

Seim forced a faint smile and steadily packed the items into plastic bags.

“How much?”

Beep. After the last barcode, a saccharine voice spread.

“That’ll be 40,000 won, but I’ll give you a deal! 35,000 won.”

“No, that’s okay.”

She took out four 10,000-won bills and placed them on the counter. With the white plastic bags looped over her wrist, it was time to leave.

But Seim turned back and deliberately added something. She felt she needed to correct that one part.

“And I’m going back. To Seoul.”

“…Oh, really?”

“I’m just here to rest for a bit.”

“Right, right, you have to go back to Seoul. To take the teacher’s exam again, right? You need to pass it to take care of your father, don’t you?”

“I’ll be going now.”

“Take care. And tell Mr. Han to come out to town sometime. It’s been way too long since I’ve seen him.”

“Okay.”

Walking down the wooden ramp at the supermarket exit, Seim finally swallowed a bitter laugh. That remark was absurd every time she heard it. Who were the people who had driven her father to that point? Now they wanted him to come into town?

It wasn’t something the people who had inflicted such shame upon her for her cleft lip had the right to say.

She felt her nerves already fraying. She wanted to buy the melons quickly and get out of here. Having to stop by a fruit shop in the middle of all this was exhausting.

She went to a store somewhat far away, intending only to avoid Gu Seonju’s family fruit shop.

Maybe because it was the season, every basket on the display was piled high with Oriental melons. As she examined their condition, voices suddenly drifted out from inside the store.

“He’s so handsome, tall and straight, and looks just like Chairman Cha. And he’s so tall. I guess that bloodline doesn’t lie.”

She immediately knew they were talking about Cha Taemok. She hurriedly chose a basket and was about to call out, “Sir—”

“Maybe we should ask our Seonju to come over for a bit. They’re the same age. Both are well-educated, both live in Seoul. A match made in heaven, don’t you think?”

A familiar voice. Of all the places, Gu Seonju’s mother was here. Unbelievable.

“Oh, ma’am, you’re talking big now. He’s from a chaebol family. You shouldn’t say things like that, even as a joke.”

Seim just closed her mouth and turned around. Fruit shops were a dime a dozen. She’d go to another one.

But the moment a familiar face came into view as she pivoted, she had to stop in her tracks again.

“…….”

Their eyes met in the fishy-smelling air.

Unlike before when he had been in a full suit, he was now just wearing a shirt, looking more relaxed. His waxed hair was also more disheveled than before.

In that man’s appearance, she could faintly see the boy he used to be. It was uncomfortable. She would have preferred the distant feeling from before.

Soon, her worn-out sneakers were toe-to-toe with sleek leather dress shoes.

From inside the store, the conversation continued.

“So what if he’s chaebol? It’s not like our Seonju lacks anything. Besides, the chairman’s grandson has a down-to-earth side. He used to come to town often with that Seim kid when they were young.”

“Well… that might have been because of Seim. She was kind of pretty when she was young.”

“But come on, ma’am! Our Seonju, when she’s done up, is just as pretty! And why are you even comparing them? Comparing my daughter to… a kid raised by those sickly, damaged parents.”

Her eyelids, unexpectedly struck, fluttered. Yet Cha Taemok did not look away.

Instead, with an even more persistent gaze, he slowly scanned her from forehead down. Judging by that, it seemed their conversation hadn’t reached his ears.

If Cha Taemok had heard that, with his impatient temper, there was no way he would have stayed still.

Or maybe… now that they were strangers, he just didn’t care. Thinking that made her throat burn up again.

“Ma’am, really! What kind of world do we live in these days! You shouldn’t say things like that.”

“Oh my, why are you getting upset? We’re just talking among ourselves! That girl has always been kind of gloomy somehow, ever since she was little. Cold when you talk to her. Sullen-faced. But my Seonju, I’m not just saying this because she’s my daughter, but she’s so bright and…”

Unable to listen any longer, Seim pulled out several bills and put them down on the store’s display stand. She roughly tore open a bundle of black plastic bags and packed the paid-for melons inside, her movements harsh.

She wasn’t sure why she was going this far. Maybe she wanted to prove to Cha Taemok that she was completely unbothered.

Gripping the bags in both hands tightly, Seim calmly began to walk.

She brushed past him lightly. She had turned her back completely and was taking steps away when—

“……!”

Suddenly, her melon bag was snatched away.

It happened in the blink of an eye. The melons that had been in her hand were now in the hand of the man a few steps ahead.

“What are you doing…?”

She was dumbfounded.

“Give it back.”

Cha Taemok turned his broad back to her and only glanced over his shoulder.

“If I give it, you’ll just run off again. So why would I?”

He chuckled and resumed his leisurely stride. Soon, as if clasping his hands behind his back, he brought his hands together behind him, one holding the bag.

He was definitely doing it on purpose. Seeing the bag dangling from his index finger made her stomach churn.

She quickly chased after him and tried to snatch the bag from that finger.

“……!”

In an instant, her hand was swallowed up. Buried deep in his thick grip, her hand wouldn’t budge at all.

“Let go.”

She was nervous someone might see this. Her heart pounded with anxiety, her chest slowly tightening. Growing impatient, Seim lowered her voice even more.

“I said let go.”

Surprisingly, he let go without resistance. Then, as he turned slightly sideways, Cha Taemok’s expression was perfectly relaxed.

“Give me a melon, too.”

As if he hadn’t even heard her, he calmly opened the bag and took out a melon. It was quite large, but it looked small in his hand. He brought it to his mouth out of nowhere. No way—

Crunch. He bit into it, rind and all.

“You…!”

Unfazed by her shock, he smirked and chewed slowly, then swallowed.

“Damn, that’s a lot of pesticides.”