"A special guest is coming tomorrow night. Make thorough preparations."
The wind chime hanging from the eaves of the separate quarters rang gently. Sahee slowly rose, following the spring breeze. Her reddish fingers, wrapped around a flower vase, were filled with the fresh scent of flowers. The small daughter-in-law at the main gate loved flowers, causing quite a flower commotion. Uncle Bang, who had been to the flower market since dawn, wailed like a mourner in front of Sahee's door early in the morning. "Of all days, the housekeeper Mrs. Cheon, who's responsible for decorating the theater, is sick in bed. What should we do now? Sahee, you're an artist, so your aesthetic sense must be better than mine. You didn't graduate from art school in Seoul for nothing. If the theater falls out of favor with the Madam, we'll be completely ruined..." Though covering her ears to block out the endless drama, Sahee eventually had to open her door and come out. The owner of this theater, the shaman Park Jisoon, was her grandmother. When there was an order about a special guest coming, it had to be followed even if it meant splitting oneself in two. Sahee slowly walked to place the last vase near the artificial pond by the stone wall. The Provence-style vase was large enough to hide her upper body and heavy enough to press painfully from her waist to her ankles. Ugh. Sahee sat on the landscaping stones surrounding the artificial pond, swallowing down the pain that twisted like tangled thread. Despite the short distance, cold sweat had already run down the side of her face. Phew... Only when the wind had swept away her sweat and the sunlight had somewhat dulled the sharp pain could Sahee look around her surroundings. It had been nine years since this separate quarter was last used. The sight of the quarters in full bloom was quite a sight to behold. The last time was when the entire family visited after Jeong Seongyeol, the eldest son of the Jeongmun Group, died by suicide. Although the Jeongmun family occasionally visited the theater afterward, they never used the separate quarters. That's why Mrs. Cheon fell ill trying so hard to make the quarters spotless like a new house. Until just a week ago, this was merely Sahee's workspace, a desolate place no one visited. Only occasionally hearing conversations of people passing by behind the wall, or the songs of thick leaves... "Wow, Lee Hyeongu. It's been a while." Today's intruding voices were familiar. Lee Hyeongu, and a man who was clearly his former classmate. Originally, that back road was supposed to be blocked when Jeongmun Group visited, but Mrs. Cheon must have forgotten while being sick. "Right? Look at you, living in Seoul has made you look quite dignified. It's been a long time. Are you here to see your parents?" "Had to, with the season changing. I escaped home briefly to avoid the nagging. I'm sick of hearing about marriage. How old do they think I am?" "Parents are all like that." "They won't listen even if I tell them times have changed. Fine, age aside, but I need a woman to get married, don't I? Can I marry alone? Not just marriage, now they want grandchildren. I'm planning to head back up as soon as I get the chance." "Didn't you say you were meeting a company colleague last time?" "We split up early. What about you, Hyeongu?" "Me?" Sahee briefly turned her head toward the two alumni sharing recent news, prompted by that damn intuition that might be flowing in her blood too. "Ha, I wonder if I should say this." "What? What is it?" "I might... possibly marry Yeon Sahee." "What? Yeon Sahee? That Yeon Sahee?" Crazy bastard. A small laugh escaped between Sahee's lips. "Yeah." "You're dating her? You?" "We're not exactly dating... Just the elders from both families talking about it." "The classmates will go crazy when they hear this. You bastard. You're marrying Yeon Sahee?" "Hey, why!" "Look at that grin splitting your face. Half the guys in our neighborhood had Yeon Sahee as their first love. No, more than half. Almost all." "Are you jealous?" "Damn right I'm jealous, you bastard." "Hehehe." "Is she still ridiculously pretty?" "She's pretty. But that's all there is to her, right?" There was no response from the other side. Sahee could easily imagine Hyeongu's characteristic smug face, probably tilting his chin up. His oily, gleaming eyes seemed to say: She'd better take the chance while I'm willing to marry her. Looking at it was both pathetic and laughable, and at times infinitely miserable. "She doesn't even have a proper job. Children's book author, or illustrator, was it? Between us, honestly, what's there to see besides Yeon Sahee's body? My mom absolutely refused, lying down in protest, but my pure heart, ah... you know." "Well... your mother has reason to worry. She's a cripple after all." Cripple. At that word, the emotions that had momentarily surged up dissolved into emptiness. It's something she had experienced countless times since that slur became her essence. Just as she was about to turn back, Sahee flinched. It was because their eyes met through the rustling leaves in the eerie silence. Cold snake-like eyes. A gait neither slow nor fast. A tall man in a dark navy suit was walking through the separate quarters. He was large, and above all, intimidating. Though the man was clearly walking, he looked more like a sculptural piece emphasizing physical beauty than a living person. His gaze, looking down at her as if she were an unwelcome guest, was arrogant as if he were the original owner of this place. Sahee knew this man. Jeong Taeon. CEO of Jeongmun Construction. The news carried his face almost daily, and her grandmother chanted his name like a prayer. Watching it all, his name felt like an incantation. He was indeed a doctrine stronger than any truth, being the likely successor of Jeongmun who held theater's purse strings. "He is a precious person and must be treated preciously." Having scoffed at that paradox, thinking all people are the same, Sahee ironically found herself crushed by his overwhelming presence. Taeon was now staring at Sahee from just a step away. The series of actions as he took out and bit a cigarette from his jacket's inner pocket looked weary. It was clear he didn't even question her presence, just thinking of her as a servant who would bow and quickly scurry away. Their kind of etiquette that silently says "get lost" with just their blatant gaze, without needing to add any unpleasant words. Click. Taeon opened his Zippo lighter and lit his cigarette. He took a light drag and inhaled deeply before exhaling. The cigarette smoke danced hazily in the air before disappearing. "When we were young and foolish, watching that girl walk was heartbreaking and melancholic. If they tell me to marry her... I couldn't do it. You're amazing, Lee Hyeongu. That's true devotion. But hey, can Yeon Sahee even have sex? Isn't she paralyzed from the waist down?" "What are you talking about? Has your head exploded? It's her ankle that's injured, everything above that is fine." "Oh, you've already tried it?" "Not yet. Soon though, right?" : Leaving the mockery from beyond the wall behind, the man lowered his gaze carelessly. Though it seemed casual, the trajectory was too deliberate. At the end of his lingering gaze, Sahee's slender ankle was exposed white. Sahee limped. It was from a childhood accident. She had fallen into a river, and while being swept away by the strong current, her left ankle got caught between rocks. They say she endured like that for half a day. When she was found, her ankle was already twisted beyond repair. After that accident, her life continuously eroded. Life threw her into endless loss, and her purity, innocence, and cheerfulness were broken as if they had never been hers to begin with. Some days she resigned herself to cynicism, but losing herself was never really okay. "Ha, it's killing me. Her breasts are so huge. Back in school, we all used to pray together just for one of Yeon Sahee's uniform buttons to pop off." "You bastard, that's about your future sister-in-law." The man's gaze crawled up Sahee's body from her ankle. When her white t-shirt billowed with the wind, following the curves of her chest, Taeon's eyebrow rose slowly. Sahee's clenched fists had already turned white from the cold. Her cheeks ached from maintaining a composed expression despite the humiliation. "Don't be so uptight. That was back then, back then! When we were young and full of vigor! Besides, we haven't gone to the wedding yet, man. And she's not sister-in-law, she'd be sister-in-law to me. Right?" "...I'll let you know how she is on the wedding night." "Hehe. Congratulations in advance. Lee Hyeongu marrying Yeon Sahee. If I'd known this would happen, I should've stayed close to my parents instead of going to Seoul." "You... couldn't handle Yeon Sahee." "This bastard, you got some inheritance coming or what?" "Hey, what! Right? Ha, I'm already worried. How am I going to live with that?" "Yeon Sahee does have a nasty temper." "That won't matter now, right? How dare she act precious with her heaven-sent husband. Does she think she's still the same Yeon Sahee from back then?" "Whoa, Hyeongu, you're such a man?" Her nape had grown hot by now. Sahee quickly bowed to the man. As she tried to pass him, her hurried step was bound to be unsteady. Before taking even one step, her body lost balance and tilted. He caught her arm in one swift motion. "...!" Taeon frowned and removed the cigarette from his mouth. He flicked the ash off with his fingertips before putting it back between his lips. His gaze was fierce as his cheeks hollowed. Through the cigarette smoke, hazy like dawn mist, he was still looking at her. While holding her gaze captive, his lips moved silently, without even malice, asking: You? Before she could collect her startled thoughts, her ankle where his gaze had touched and left stung for a moment. The arm gripped in his strong hold was needless to say, tingling. Sahee shifted her gaze toward the throbbing pain. Taeon, following her eyes, loosened his grip. Taking advantage of that moment, Sahee quickly stepped back. The conversation behind the wall had already disappeared. "Hey, is Yeon Sahee here?" It was then that she heard a voice calling her from afar. Uncle Bang, having heard about the early arrival of the guest, was carefully looking for her. Finally, she came to her senses. Sahee quickly bowed at the waist. Imitating Mrs. Cheon when so-called VIP guests arrived, she lowered her head respectfully. "I apologize for my rudeness. I'll take my leave now." "Oh my! I'm so sorry. We heard you weren't coming until late at night." By then, Uncle Bang, having spotted Sahee and the man, came running hurriedly. Taeon gave a short nod. Standing beside Sahee, Uncle wore a servile smile while patting Sahee's arm. "Sahee, you should quickly go to the main hall. They're looking for you." "Okay." "Director Jeong, this way please." Uncle led the man while fawning excessively. Congratulating him belatedly on becoming CEO, saying how dignified he looks every time they meet, suggesting that he must be lighting up the entire Korean business world... He was quite sweet-talking to gain his favor. Sahee moved away, ignoring her still-tingling arm.