When she arrived at the main hall, Grandmother and Jeongmun's second madam, Min Yeojin, were already in conversation. Sahee quietly stood behind the two.
"Grandmother, you called for me?"
"Ah, yes. Sahee."
Grandmother smiled gently and placed her hand on Sahee's shoulder. After patting it lightly, she gave her a look suggesting she should greet the madam first. At that moment, Min Yeojin's eyes narrowed.
"Hello, Madam. I'm Yeon Sahee, I'll be helping with work from today."
Min Yeojin looked Sahee up and down. Though brief, her blatant examination was obvious. Like the man in the separate quarters, she too seemed to have no intention of hiding her thoughts, her following voice rather sharp.
"...Is this the granddaughter you mentioned? The one who did ballet?"
"That's the second one. This is the eldest. She helps with work at theater. Mrs. Cheon, who usually serves you, madam, got so worked up about your visit that she fell ill. This child and Mr. Bang will briefly help with the separate quarters."
"Ah. She always praised our Director Jeong until she was blue in the face, now I can't trust her. How can your granddaughter be so pretty."
The gentle voice was strangely twisted. Sahee smiled while maintaining the tension in her straightened back. Park Jisoon couldn't have missed this subtle exchange.
"You're too kind. How could a country girl like her compare to Director Jeong? Sahee, bring some tea inside."
"Yes."
Sahee wasn't unaware of Park Jisoon's intentions. As she turned to walk away, the madam let out a small sigh. Behind her, she heard Park Jisoon speaking with feigned affection.
"She has a slight disability in her leg. But she's quite capable with her hands, so there won't be any inconvenience in serving you."
"...Oh my. Disabled, you say. How could our Shaman's granddaughter be anything but diligent? Poor pretty girl. I know a good doctor, shall I introduce you?"
"That would be much appreciated."
"If she's our shaman's granddaughter, she's like my own child. The Chairman praises the shaman endlessly. Come visit Seoul soon. I think the Chairman misses you."
"Of course. Naturally."
Min Yeojin's voice had become cheerful, her previous discomfort already erased.
Sahee walked on without minding. Each limping step pressed against the calluses of past years.
It wasn't something to feel bitter about. If anything, it was fortunate that the madam's concerns about potential trouble with her unmarried son were eased by just this one walk.
Though thinking of that man Jeong Taeon, who had shown such obvious annoyance and irritation, it had been a pointless worry to begin with.
* * *
This is fucking ridiculous.
Taeon laughed nervously as he pulled at his constricting tie.
The 13-night, 14-day overseas business trip had been pushed to its limits including the return, but he'd only managed to get ahead by half a day. And he'd spent that hard-won half day coming down to this remote place. The absurdity of it kept a hollow laugh playing at his lips.
Despite successfully closing the first quarter contract negotiations, there hadn't even been time to celebrate before departing on this trip.
His body already reeked of alcohol and cigarettes from agonizing over the final bidding competition with Italy and Japan. Starting from the Middle East and making his way through the next Olympic host cities in order, he'd been cursing behind his smooth smile.
The fucking trillion-won club.
Jeongmun Construction's operating profit, which had been declining, surpassed 1 trillion won last year. Four years after Taeon's appointment and a full five years for Jeongmun Construction - it was truly a historic re-entry into the trillion-won club.
Chairman Jeong was overjoyed and appointed Taeon as CEO. At the inauguration ceremony, the old man who had shown his palm to the attendees seemed to have been quite itching to speak his mind.
"CEO Jeong Taeon has learned and practiced the five principles I used to build Jeongmun from the closest position. And today, after 5 years! I place 5 times the expectations on our Director Jeong who has brought our foundation, construction, back into the trillion-won club!"
Was he obsessed with the number '5'? He was an old man fixated on useless superstitions.
Anyway, with the Chairman's words, that evening's news and the next day's financial papers plastered Taeon's face all over their front pages, declaring Jeongmun Construction's next goal to be the 5 trillion club - he'd essentially been played right where he sat.
And then what? Purify body and mind for a month because he became CEO?
Taeon recalled his mother whom he'd met at the airport, laughing hollowly. At the airport, where he'd arrived with fatigue stacked like towers, his mother was smiling brightly.
"Son."
At that melodious call, as Taeon embraced his mother with open arms, he sensed something was wrong.
His cousin's transgression - whom the Chairman had unilaterally thrust into construction.
Jeong Taejun's 8 billion won embezzlement was a misconduct Taeon had deliberately ignored while waiting for the right time. He'd let it be, thinking how far could this chicken actually fly? Besides, it needed to be at least that much to twist the constantly crying neck that didn't know day from night.
But while he was away on his overseas trip, Chairman Jeong had graciously taken that chicken away. Apparently, he had enough pride to throw a fit, crying and screaming that it would be beneath his dignity to let Taeon, his junior, clean up his mess in front of the Chairman - it wasn't even worth laughing at.
"You know how the Chairman has a soft spot for Taejun after your uncle passed away like that. Even if he doesn't say it, you should think he knows all your hard work. How could he not know? Your father also wants to grant the Chairman's earnest request, and let's think positively about this rare vacation. Our son hasn't had a break in two years."
So Taeon abandoned his plan to return straight to the company from the airport. Instead, he followed his mother to theater.
What nonsense - saying they'd resolve everything if he just went down for a month and pretended not to know. All the company's major issues still had to go through his hands. There were more than a few matters that needed immediate resolution.
The talk of taking a rest was just a pretty lie, and in the end, they'd probably just string him along while keeping him stuck here. Even the peaceful scene of blooming flowers and flowing river grated on his nerves.
"Anyway, fuck."
Taeon bit back a deep sigh as he threw his jacket onto the bed. Lying down beside it as if burying himself, he craved a cigarette, and suddenly recalled the face of the woman he'd seen through the cigarette smoke.
It had been an unexpected intrusion. Perhaps the clear hostility beneath those large, bruised eyes had been quite impressive.
Taeon slowly closed and opened his eyes as if reflecting on the woman's face, running his tongue inside his mouth.
She was certainly built to drive men crazy with lust. Those gentle, light-colored eyes and those languidly curved lines.
Beyond being pretty, she was attractive in many ways.
But that was it.
Erasing the thought, Taeon shifted his gaze toward the sound of wind chimes coming from outside the window.
The wind chimes rang clearly along with the scenery where pure white light shattered. For a hell that appeared after clearing away the acrid smoke of the gray city, it was quite a beautiful sight.
"Vacation..."
Yeah, vacation. Great.
Taeon got up, unbuttoning his shirt one by one. He wanted to wash away the old fatigue.
* * *
It was before dawn had even broken.
Sahee, preparing to go out, turned her head at the sound of movement. Just from the forceful knock and the shadow's build, she could guess who it was. Setting down the lip balm she'd been applying by the mirror-side cabinet, Sahee opened the door.
"Are you getting ready?"
Park Jisoon was already in hanbok, receiving guests at this hour. Despite wearing a vibrant five-colored jeogori, rather than being overwhelmed by the clothing, she maintained an imposing presence.
Sahee stepped aside to make way for Park Jisoon.
"Please come in."
"Were you working?"
"I had some time after washing up."
Rather than entering the room, Park Jisoon stood in the doorway, surveying Sahee's room. Art supplies were messily scattered under the tall lamp illuminating the desk. Tsk, her thick red-lipsticked lips clicked. Sahee awkwardly rubbed her neck.
Her quarters were in a small servant's building, separate from the main hall. In her very young days, it had been lively with other family members, but that period didn't last long. When the dong-bok sisters went to high school in Seoul, they left, and the quarters quickly fell into silence.
Sahee didn't mind that quietness. It was better than sitting quietly in a room listening to others' laughter.
When the sisters' voices earnestly called for their mother, whined about their father, and finally the three family members burst into laughter like flower buds, she felt like a useless weed. She had wished someone would pull her out, but destruction came faster instead.
Only Sahee, who lived there, had the dedication to sweep and clean the quarters where she stayed alone. Thus, the quarters gradually aged during Sahee's three years of high school, and completely deteriorated during her four years at university in Seoul.
Things had improved somewhat since Sahee returned after graduating, but it couldn't match its former bustling state. Unless someone had business with Sahee, this place remained an isolated island where even the sound of wind flowing was clear.
Sahee gave up on inviting Park Jisoon inside and stood straight.
"What brings you here?"
Without answering, Park Jisoon looked her over and firmly grasped Sahee's chin. Before she could frown, thick fingers wiped away the thickly applied lip balm. As the calloused hand roughly rubbed the softened lip surface, Sahee's lips quickly swelled red.
Before she could resist, Park Jisoon pulled at the collar of Sahee's white shirt.
"Ugh."
A groan escaped as her neck was briefly scraped. Park Jisoon continued undeterred, fastening the naturally open top button and the one below it in order.
"Don't act rashly. That's what I came to say."
"..."
"The value of your life in this house all comes from that family. It would be best not to fall out of the madam's favor. It's only until Mrs. Cheon recovers anyway, so maintain proper conduct."
"..."
"Keep your hair neatly tied back."
"Yes."
Park Jisoon, about to turn away, turned back to stroke Sahee's cheek. Finding no makeup residue, she turned away harshly with a faint sigh.
Sahee stared blankly at the sand left on the wooden floor.
What was so urgent that she came up without even taking off her shoes?
Bringing a broom, Sahee gathered the scattered sand to one side and swept it out toward the yard. She felt better.