Even in her dreams, she had never been able to shake off Hyeonji's insistence on looking just one more time. Though in her heart she had struck that child's head hundreds, thousands of times, grabbing her by the collar.
The dream invariably brought Sahee back to that spot.
"Hyeonji, the doll will have to wait until tomorrow-!"
Just as she was about to turn around after looking across the valley, a strong force pushed her back. The ground beneath her was slippery, and her body lost balance before she could make sense of anything.
Splash - her body fell into the water. Icy terror swallowed Sahee. Heavy rain struck her thrashing face as river water flooded her mouth, choking her breaths.
The last thing she saw through blurring vision was Hyeonji, pale white and trembling.
* * *
Sahee woke from the dream with ragged breaths.
A chill swept over her as she wiped the cold sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. She hadn't had this dream in a while - her body must not be well.
When she was young, she would always get very sick after having this dream. Now it was just an unpleasant nightmare, nothing more.
After catching her breath for a moment, Sahee sat up. She gathered and tied back her disheveled hair and changed out of her uncomfortable clothes.
The more the nightmare clung wetly to her feet, the straighter she held her back.
It was almost time to prepare dinner.
* * *
The air was dry, as if it had never rained.
Walking slowly with her head down, Sahee reached the side gate and looked up at the boisterous noise. The various familiar voices carried over.
"I heard Hyeonji's family is coming soon, did you hear?"
...Ah. So that was today.
Sahee suddenly realized, parting her lips. What an unpleasant premonitory dream it had been.
After passing through the side gate, Sahee stared blankly toward the source of the voices.
Misuk, Yunbok, and Hyeonji. The happy family of three stood before Park Jisoon and Uncle Bang, who had come out to greet them, with piles of luggage at their side.
"Oh, Grandmother! How can we sleep in that haunted small guest house! We stayed in the main hall last year and the year before! It's not just for a moment - we're staying for two weeks! We can't clean that place! I heard Mrs. Cheon isn't well! There's no one to clean it!"
"Hey, how many times do I have to tell you the Jeong Moon Group is staying there? I'll go clean it for you. And Mrs. Cheon is much better - she'll be up and about tomorrow."
"Uncle Bang, stay out of this! Grandmother, hm? Mom and Dad came to help with work anyway, wouldn't it be nice to stay together in the main hall? What's the point of going back and forth to there?"
"The divine lady is worried because you're whining so loudly!"
"Ugh! I told you to stay out of it!"
Park Jisoon was the first to notice Sahee's presence. As she looked down tiredly at her granddaughter clinging tightly to her waist, she suddenly turned her head toward Sahee, drawing everyone's attention.
"Oh, Sahee."
Her stepfather Yunbok smiled awkwardly at her. Ironically, her birth mother and half-sister closed their mouths at Sahee's appearance.
"It's been a while."
"Indeed. Sahee, you get prettier every time I see you."
"I'll go help prepare dinner."
"Oh yes, yes. You work so hard. How long has it been? Since we've met? Should we all have dinner together as a family? What do you think, Sahee? Hm? What about you two?"
Yunbok smiled broadly at Misuk and Hyeonji, seeking their agreement. Sahee smirked at their stony faces.
"No thanks. I'm not interested. Enjoy your meal."
"Oh? Oh..."
Yunbok watched with an embarrassed face as Sahee turned away. Today, even this much social courtesy was exhausting.
That day, Sahee survived a brush with death. She returned to earth as a cripple who could neither walk nor run properly.
Sometimes she thinks: if she had died that day, she wouldn't have had to witness such ugliness.
"Where's the proof! Where's the proof Hyeonji did it! There isn't any!"
"Sahee, please forgive our Hyeonji, just this once. She was just a child who didn't know better. She thoughtlessly believed what her mother said..."
"You're alive anyway! Isn't being alive enough!"
"If you forgive her just this once, I'll never forget it. Please..."
They say Hyeonji, seeing someone nearly die for the first time, was so terrified she went down and confessed to pushing Sahee into the water. Though Misuk couldn't believe it and tried to protect Hyeonji, there was a witness.
In the end, both her mother and Yunbok took turns kneeling before Sahee. They wept as if coughing blood, fearful their young daughter would be labeled a juvenile offender.
The incident was concluded as Sahee falling into the water alone while looking for Hyeonji's doll. They paid the witness a large sum to keep quiet. Thanks to them being a visitor from another region, no particular rumors spread.
People called Sahee a good child who cared for her sister, but she knew she was just a cripple who had traded a leg for trying to find a cheap doll.
"Yeon Sahee!"
Uncle Bang called out loudly. Sahee turned to look at him.
"You don't need to go to the annex from tomorrow! Since Mrs. Cheon is better, just help with meal preparation!"
"..."
"Yeon Sahee! Did you hear?"
No need to go to the annex. If she didn't go to the annex, she wouldn't have to face CEO Jeong Taeon anymore.
The gods must have some shame after all. When both Jeong Moon Group and Hyeonji were becoming unbearable, at least one could be removed.
"Yeon Sahee?"
Sahee nodded slightly to show she heard, then turned away. Behind her, she could hear her mother trying to convince Park Jisoon.
Finally, Park Jisoon gave permission for them to stay in the main hall on the condition they wouldn't cause a disturbance.
When the family of three cheered, Sahee also felt relief. Whatever their individual meanings, for the first time they had enacted the deception of being "our family of four."
* * *
Mrs. Cheon got up from her sickbed. She who had claimed she felt like dying stuck in her room was now twice, three times more bustling with energy.
Naturally, the annex work that Sahee had been handling was taken off her hands. Now Sahee only went to help with dinner preparation and kitchen work.
No longer would she have to tense up to her very hair under that man's gaze, nor feel that hot surge of emotion.
"He was absolutely magnificent today too. He shone."
Sahee listened to stories about CEO Jeong Taeon as if hearing about a stranger.
What suit he wore today. Whether he ate his meals properly. If there were any foods he particularly enjoyed. Mrs. Cheon describing him was like an enthusiastic fan gushing about an idol group - it was entertaining to listen to.
"Right? Ma'am, I really want to live just one day with that face and body."
"Me too. I want to live just one day with a man like that. I bet I wouldn't need to eat to feel full."
Like someone she'd only seen on the news, he had become so distant it was as if they'd never stood face to face. Relief washed over her that everything had finally returned to its proper place.
"By the way Sahee, why did you come along instead of just saying you'd sleep? What good could come from eating with those people?"
"What do you mean sleeping? She's clearly awake."
"That's not what I meant, Mr. Bang."
"Hmph."
Uncle Bang shrugged, snorting.
It was an annual event. Whenever her mother, Yunbok, and Hyeonji came to Younghwadang, they all sat down for a meal together once. This time it seemed it might not happen with Jeong Moon Group here, but then the call came.
Hey, Yeon Sahee.
She pretended not to hear the call from outside, but Uncle Bang eventually dragged her here.
While Mrs. Cheon wished she would avoid it if possible, Uncle Bang always got angry, asking why she had to hide shamefully when she hadn't done anything wrong. Their methods differed, but both cared for Sahee. Knowing this, Sahee had finally left her room.
"Mr. Bang, Sahee. Let's just eat quickly and leave. We'll get indigestion."
"We should."
"I wish they'd leave soon. They say they're helping but just hover around chattering - it's so annoying."
"Really. Such ridiculous people. Wonder how much they'll try to butter up the divine lady today too."
"Ugh!"
After trading meaningless jokes, they arrived at the dining place. When they opened the door, Yunbok brightly raised his hand to greet the three.
"Mrs. Cheon, you're here? Sahee, come sit down too. And Mr. Cheol-jun."
"Ah, we're late."
"It's so nice to have all our Younghwadang family together after so long! Right, Mother-in-law?"
Yunbok looked around with a kind, bright smile. The scene of everyone gathered around, with Park Jisoon at the head seat, felt stale.
"Yes. It's been about a year."
"Seems like we came at just the right time. I'm glad we can help, even if just a little, while everyone's working so hard. I heard Sahee worked hard while Mrs. Cheon was sick. You must have been busy with your own work too - good job."
"Yes."
A brief silence passed over the table at Sahee's indifferent response. Though Yunbok belatedly offered a friendly smile, it couldn't thaw the frozen atmosphere.
Park Jisoon clicked her tongue and looked at Hyeonji, who sat pressed close to Yunbok.
"You must have had a hard time emotionally - are you feeling better?"
Park Jisoon's face was serious, as if she had carefully considered her words.
Recently, Hyeonji had called off her marriage just before the wedding. She had been incredibly proud about marrying the son of a successful mid-sized company CEO, and Mrs. Cheon had clicked her tongue, saying it was like a bolt from the blue.
Though they wanted to know the reason for the broken engagement, whenever the topic came up, the family of three would burst into tears as if rehearsed, so it had been kept quiet. Now Park Jisoon had brought it up.
"There will be better men. Hyeonji is still young. Besides, she's not the type to let this get her down."
"That's riiiight. I was too good for that pig anyway. I'm fine now, Grandmother. Actually, it's more comfortable taking time to heal. This brought me closer to Dad and Mom too, right?"
"Of course, of course. These days we're all taking golf classes together, and Mother-in-law, if you'd like to sometime..."
"Still, you need to make a living."
Park Jisoon shot a sharp glance before Yunbok could finish speaking.
"Mother-in-law, please don't be like that. Can't I take responsibility for just Hyeonji?"
"How can anyone take responsibility for a grown daughter?"
Though Yunbok hurriedly took Hyeonji's side, Park Jisoon remained firm.
Tears suddenly welled in Hyeonji's eyes. As if this were some kind of signal, Yunbok knelt from where he was sitting.
"Mother-in-law, since we're on the topic, may I say something?"
"If it's nonsense, don't bother."
"...Could you perhaps help us with a little more cash?"
"What?"
"We're thinking of starting a salad business at our 'Bok Foods.' These days, body profiles are trendy. I hear the salad business is quite profitable."
"Ha."
"...If we make it into a nice chain and make Hyeonji and her mother manager and deputy manager, it would solve the livelihood concerns you have about this fellow. Before coming down, I met with a branding expert, and the business potential is substantial. If you could help our family one more time out of your kindness..."
"Again!"
BANG!
Park Jisoon's thick hand struck the table roughly. Her furrowed brow suggested her anger.
This wasn't the first time Yunbok had borrowed money from Park Jisoon. In the nearly 30 years since remarrying, he'd failed at over a dozen businesses, and even the current Bok Foods would have gone completely bankrupt without funding from Younghwadang.
"Just do well with what you have."
"Mom! Why are you being like this!"
"Haha. Misuk, I'm fine. I spoke too hastily."
"Hyeonji, you should look into either working at your father's factory or going back to ballet."
"...Yes."
The atmosphere finally sank beyond repair. It was a silence where no one could easily speak up.
At that very moment, the door opened. A loud greeting cut through the air.
"Hello everyone!"
It was Lee Hyeongu. His hair was neatly styled and he wore a suit. As soon as his greeting ended, he exhaled heavily and rolled his eyes around until he found Sahee's gaze.
Sahee turned to look at Park Jisoon. Receiving that gaze calmly, Park Jisoon introduced Hyeongu to everyone as if it were no big deal.
"I invited him. Mrs. Yoon's son - she's a guest at Younghwadang. Mrs. Yoon has helped Younghwadang a lot recently, so I invited him partly as thanks. Say hello."
The scattered gazes all fixed on Hyeongu. Even Yunbok, who had been kneeling, straightened up and waved at Hyeongu.
"Ah, is that so? Come sit here. Such a manly-looking young man."
"Thank you. My mother had something today so I came alone."
"It's a shame we can't meet someone who's helped Younghwadang - they'd be our benefactor too. Next time, tell her to come and we'll give her a proper welcome."
Licking his lips, Hyeongu took a seat next to Misuk. While glancing at Sahee, he offered another greeting along with a business card gleaming with gold leaf.
Meanwhile, his brazen smile toward Sahee was astounding - such rudeness unbroken even after that incident. Sahee sighed and turned away, ignoring him.
At the same time, she caught Hyeonji's strange expression. Hyeonji, who had been gloomy after Park Jisoon's criticism, was closely examining Hyeongu's business card. Her subsequent furtive glances at Hyeongu were primly calculating, suggesting something was amiss.