Chapter 5
“This makgeolli, I tell you!”
Mr. Park was still passionately explaining the tradition and benefits of this particular makgeolli.
“How long are you going to keep rehashing that story? By tomorrow, this makgeolli will be practically dripping bone broth!”
Mrs. Kong, the bean sprout lady, chided Mr. Park every time he spoke.
In the corner of her eye, Heena saw Yohan tearing a golden-brown gamjajeon (potato pancake) into pizza-slice shapes. Out of habit, she instinctively reached for the gamjajeon on the opposite side and offered it to him. Embarrassed by her unconscious action, she blurted out something to fill the silence.
“You know, I remember you loved gamjajeon when you were little. When you had those chubby cheeks.”
She recalled the young Seo Yohan, cheeks puffed out like a squirrel’s, diligently chewing on gamjajeon. Unlike Jeong Heetae, who would shovel food into his mouth with his hands without a care in the world, Yohan seemed so well-behaved. She remembered thinking he was such a good kid.
“From now on, childhood stories are forbidden.”
“And you think I’ll listen if you say they’re forbidden?”
“Past stories are forbidden, and mentioning baby fat is doubly forbidden.”
How did that well-behaved boy become this prickly next-door neighbor?
Yohan narrowed his eyes, glancing sideways at Heena. She didn’t understand why he was so sensitive about such a trivial matter, but since he seemed to dislike it, she simply agreed and moved on.
“What are you doing tomorrow?”
Heena, unable to bear the awkward silence, blurted out the question.
“I haven’t thought about it yet. Why?”
“Just wondering. What is there to do in such a boring town?”
“I have a side hustle. Unlike someone who just plays, eats, and sleeps all day. I get antsy if I stay still.”
He was nitpicking at everything. Every word he uttered seemed laced with animosity towards her. He wasn’t a professional sniper, so why did he have so much pent-up resentment?
“What kind of side hustle? Gluing eyes onto dolls? Folding pizza boxes?”
“My side hustle is a bit more ambitious.”
“What is it?”
“Remodeling farmhouses.”
“How quaint.”
She nodded in acknowledgment, as it was related to his major. Yohan immediately responded with a questioning look.
“Is that all?”
“Huh?”
“Is that all you’re going to say? You must have a reason for asking.”
Perplexed by his defensive reaction, Heena shrugged.
“A reason? There’s none.”
Yohan let out a hollow laugh, as if exasperated.
“Is that all you want to ask me?”
“What else should I ask? I know your name, your age, your hometown, even our families, and I also know you recklessly quit OO Construction, the company everyone’s dying to get into.”
“Recklessly? I had a plan.”
“Right, you always have a plan. Your own secret plan that even those closest to you don’t know about. Was breaking up with me also part of your plan?”
“That could hardly be a plan…! You still have a habit of speaking carelessly.”
Heena’s head throbbed from bickering with Seo Yohan. Shaking her head, she muttered to herself.
“Just drop it, drop it.”
“What are you doing tomorrow?”
This time, Heena filled his small metal bowl with makgeolli and then her own, her lips pressing together and parting.
“Hmm… cleaning.”
“You’re going to be cleaning for a whole month at this rate?”
“And thoroughly checking for anything broken or needing repairs.”
“You won’t even know what to look for.”
“Honestly, even cooking three meals a day seems like a lot.”
“Ask me for help then.”
Yohan emptied his bowl, ran his tongue over his lips, and tilted his chin up.
“With what? Cooking?”
“If I ask you for help with that too, I’d have to say ‘please help me’ twice.”
“I don’t even want to say it once.”
“Living in that old house must be quite inconvenient, isn’t it?”
He was right. Even showering was an ordeal. It took about ten minutes for the hot water to come out, and she had to cook rice in a pot on a portable burner because there was no gas stove.
“I’m not staying long…”
“Still, you need the basic necessities to live like a human being.”
“You make it sound like I’m not living like a human being now…”
“All you have to do is ask me for help.”
“I’d rather die than do that…”
“Jeong Heena, you’re still as stubborn as ever. Right? Who said I’d do it for free? I’ll charge you a hefty sum, so have the cash ready.”
Yohan raised an eyebrow and smirked. Just then, their previous conversation flashed through her mind.
“You said no talking about the past.”
“…….”
He pressed his lips together as if glued and looked away.
“So it’s okay for you but not for me? If I do it, it’s romance, if you do it, it’s an affair? Hypocrisy? Judging others by one’s own standards?”
“I’ll get some more samgyeopsal.”
He dumped the few remaining pieces of meat onto Heena’s plate, grabbed the empty plate, and left.
“What a waste. I should’ve set a penalty or a fine. I’ll be seeing him for six months at most.”
The ladies sitting nearby rested their chins on the table, casting knowing glances at Heena.
“What’s this about? You’re scaring me, acting like this.”
“You guys are at least something, right?”
“Where did you learn the word ‘something’?”
“I knew it all along.”
“Anyway, like I said a hundred times, it’s not like that. He’s three years younger than me. He’s my younger brother’s friend!”
“Three years is nothing. Thirty years, I might think twice, but with that face… it’s a no-brainer, thank you very much.”
The ladies were thoroughly enjoying teasing Heena. Drained of energy to argue, she pouted. Just then, Yohan returned with a mountain of samgyeopsal.
“Look at him, piling it all up to feed his little girlfriend.”
“Why is it so fun to watch youngsters fumble around in love?”
“Who’s a youngster? I’m thirty-one years old.”
“Oh, you’re so young!”
Heena took her petty revenge by eating three or four pieces of the freshly cooked samgyeopsal at a time.
“My, my, look at her eat! It’s a lovely sight. You too, young man, don’t just pick at it, wrap it up and eat heartily!”
✦⋆🍒.₊ ⊹
As the makgeolli gathering drew to a close, Heena and Yohan slipped away quietly, unnoticed. If they were seen leaving together, everyone would surely tease them childishly.
Heena walked slowly, looking up at the sky. It had been so long since she had seen such a clear, star-filled sky. The thick clouds had conveniently drifted away with the wind.
“It’s been a while since you’ve seen the Jinhong-ri sky, hasn’t it?”
She hadn’t realized it, but Yohan was also looking up at the sky with her. Even though it was night, the moonlight illuminated his face, making it glow brightly.
Despite the awkwardness between them, the moonlight was truly beautiful. Heena smiled slightly and stopped walking. They were about halfway between the village hall and their houses.
“I couldn’t greet you properly earlier because things were so hectic.”
“…….”
“It’s good to see you. How have you been? Everything okay?”
Yohan looked back and forth between Heena’s smiling face and her outstretched hand, his expression suspicious, but he took her hand nonetheless.
“You’re asking awfully early.”
“Let’s at least greet each other when we see each other. I’ll be that generous.”
Yohan seemed lost in thought. After a long hesitation, he licked his lips and quietly spoke.
“Want to come over to my place for another drink?”
Heena’s eyes narrowed in alarm.
“What? Why are you suddenly crossing the line?”
Yohan fiddled with the frill on his sleeve and continued in a low voice.
“I wanted to tell you about your grandfather.”
“…….”
“I was the one who came down to Jinhong-ri last year and spent his last moments with him.”
“…….”
“It wasn’t long, but I saw your grandfather while I was here. Who else would I tell these things to, if not you?”
