CHAPTER~10
Not because he was curious about Park Donghun.
Kim Hwido slid the dry bowl into the upper kitchen cabinet, then stepped out to fold the laundry spread across the yard with crisp, precise corners. He tucked the watering can on the porch back into the storage shed and even paused to watch the rooster that had crowed to announce dawn.
Back inside, he sorted the clothes dumped haphazardly in the wardrobe, separating tops from bottoms and placing them into drawers. The new underwear Yeongwon had given him—he pushed that into the innermost corner of the bottom drawer as if hiding it. Come to think of it, all the waistbands on the pants were elastic.
Comfortable, sure.
Hwido took the five thousand won Yeongwon had paid him for the day and thought he might buy himself some ice cream, then properly set out to explore the village.
The village was so small and tidy it made yesterday’s wandering look ridiculous. The houses of Bonghee and Younghee, which Yeongwon had pointed out, sat at the start of the hill path, and Suhee’s home was along the back road of the village.
Here and there, among the green fields, he saw people crouched low, digging or clipping something with steady, practiced motions.
Maybe Yeongwon is somewhere out there.
Whenever he spotted someone, Hwido paused and watched a little longer than necessary.
But she was nowhere to be seen. She must have tucked herself into some corner to work. In a village this small, she had to be around… yet he didn’t catch even a glimpse.
When Hwido had been walking for quite a while, a message came in from Yeongwon saying she’d eat lunch at her workplace today—so he should take care of himself.
He did as she said. He scooped out the same side dishes from the refrigerator and ate with rice, just like he had in the morning.
Since yesterday he’d eaten three meals of the same dishes and rice, and somehow he wasn’t tired of it at all. His appetite only grew.
At least the sides were mostly vegetables, so gaining weight didn’t seem like a concern. But with so little protein, muscle loss might become a problem.
Does Yoon Yeongwon like these vegetable dishes? Is she one of those vegetarian types?
Either way, she’s so skinny—she really should eat more protein.
Hwido blinked and found himself wondering what kinds of food she liked.
He dismissed the thought immediately. Pointless. He cleared the dishes and stood up.
After finishing the washing up, he circled the village again. Then again. And he ran the paths that looked good for jogging a couple of times back and forth.
By then, it was three in the afternoon.
So with the hours he had left, Hwido figured he might as well go take a look at Ma-yeong High School.
Not because he’d been curious since morning about the face of Park Donghun—Yoon Yeongwon’s first love—who supposedly worked there.
Absolutely not.
At the bus stop at the entrance of Ma-yeong Village, he checked the route. Only one bus passed through the area, running every two hours.
The time was three-thirty.
Fortunately, in about ten minutes he’d be able to ride to the town center and visit Ma-yeong High School.
Just in case, he checked the last bus back. Five fifty p.m.
That would get him home in time for dinner with Yeongwon.
If he remembered correctly, the drive from Ma-yeong Village to the town center was about twenty minutes.
To make change for his five thousand won, he crossed to the shop across from the bus stop and bought a red-bean ice bar. It had been a while—sweet and cold.
Maybe I should stop by Wooheon-jeong while I’m at it.
Actually, Wooheon-jeong was closer to the village than the town center. But it sat at the end of a mountain slope, and walking there was a slog. Without a car, catching a taxi from the town or city was usually the easiest way.
Hwido turned his head, gazing down the narrow road lined with deep green foliage.
The roads through Ma-yeong Village were rough dirt tracks meant for trucks, but the road into Wooheon-jeong was smooth cement.
The reason was simple.
When he was a child, he had fussed and whined on the drive to Wooheon-jeong because the car kept bumping—and Chairman Jang had a new road laid just for him.
The Wooheon Group’s private villa, where the family vacationed and prestigious guests stayed.
A local landmark where one could see the thousand-year-old gingko tree—an officially protected natural monument—even when it wasn’t open to the public.
That was Wooheon-jeong.
Hwido hesitated, then shook his head. Even if he went, he wouldn’t be staying long. Seeing the place now would only stir up emotions he’d rather keep still.
He checked the time on his phone. The bus was just arriving.
He gave the road to Wooheon-jeong one last glance, then climbed aboard.
Hwido stepped off the bus and looked around.
A long stretch of single-story shops. A produce and seafood mart. The town’s only snack shop with its faded sign. And standing a bit apart from everything else—Ma-yeong High School’s front gate.
He let out a small laugh.
Ten years had passed, yet nothing here had changed.
Hands shoved into his pockets, he walked slowly toward the school. It must’ve been summer break—no students on the streets, and the school grounds were empty and still.
Strangely, irritation prickled under his skin.
Not because he’d come all the way here and might not get to see Park Donghun’s face.
Definitely not.
Passing through the gate and into the field, he felt a sense of unfamiliarity.
Ten years ago, the schoolyard had seemed so wide. Now it looked small.
He started walking around the track. The quiet campus. The warm breeze brushing past him. The soft shhhh of trembling leaves.
“Why’d you sass the teacher, huh?”
“I didn’t sass him. You did.”
“Little bastard.”
Voices—two rowdy boys—completely out of place in the serene, green setting.
Hwido watched the students heading out of the school. He couldn’t tell if they were wearing their uniforms or just tracksuits—either way, they were students.
Kids who knew this school.
Kids who’d know Park Donghun.
Hwido walked toward them, slow and deliberate. The boys noticed and frowned in confusion.
“Hey. Is that guy seriously walking straight at us?”
“Damn, he’s really handsome though.”
“Think our town finally got chosen for a drama shoot?”
“Look at his clothes, idiot. No way it’s a drama. Must be a variety show.”
These little punks.
The guy was literally breathing right in front of them, and they were talking like he was invisible.
Was this just how this village was?
Since yesterday he’d been treated like a ghost while people tore him apart with commentary right in front of his face. His patience was thinning. Still, he held it together and stopped before them.
“Boys.”
“Huh—he talked.”
“He actually talked to us.”
“Yes. You.”
“Oh—uh, yes?”
They stiffened, staring up at him.
“Do you know someone named Park Donghun?”
“Park Donghun?”
“Yeah. I heard he teaches here.”
The boys traded whispers again.
“Park Donghun?”
“Park Donghun?”
“No, he said Donghun-i, idiot.”
“So is it Donghun or Donghun-i?”
Hwido let out a breathy laugh at their ridiculous exchange.
“Do you know Teacher Park Donghun or not?”
“Ohhh—Park Donghun teacher!”
“You know him?”
“Of course. Why?”
So Yeongwon had been telling the truth. Her first love really did work at Ma-yeong High School. He’d wondered if she’d exaggerated out of stubborn pride—but no, it was nonfiction.
Looking at their puzzled faces, Hwido smiled faintly.
“Boys, I’m your senior.”
“Oh—really?”
“Yeah. I went here too. I even donated to the school. You know the Wooheon Scholarship? That exists because of me. So answer me properly.”
He softened his expression.
“Who’s better looking—Teacher Park Donghun, or me?”
“You are.”
Well, obviously.
Not many could outshine him in looks.
Satisfied, he patted their shoulders.
If this were Seoul, he might’ve given them some pocket money, but after the ice cream and bus fare, he only had thirty-five hundred won left.
“But honestly, it’s kind of unfair,” one boy murmured.
“Yeah, the age gap is too big. Totally biased.”
“Age gap?”
So seventeen-year-old Yoon Yeongwon’s first love had been older. But at most two years older—how would that make anything unfair?
“Yeah. If the vice principal were your age, then maybe you’d have a chance.”
“Right. The vice principal is mixed, you know. Crazy handsome.”
“A total middle-aged dreamboat.”
“Like a nobleman.”
“…Park Donghun is… wait. Teacher Park Donghun is the vice principal?”
The vice principal.
Fantastic.
Hwido ran a hand through his hair.
Vice principal. So that was it.
He vaguely remembered students talking about a handsome English teacher back when he attended. Pretty sure he’d gone by an English name then.
Guess he switched back to his Korean name after becoming vice principal.
Feeling drained, Hwido let out a hollow laugh.
“Right. Listen to your vice principal and study hard, okay? I need to catch the last bus.”
“Last bus? Where are you going?”
“Ma-yeong Village.”
“Huh? There’s no bus heading there this late.”
“…?”
Hwido blinked.
“What do you mean? I checked the last bus time myself.”
“That’s the one coming from the village to town. There’s no bus from here back to Ma-yeong Village after four.”
And just like that, Hwido froze like a stone.
