CHAPTER~06
A Fair Day’s Wage
“What?”
Hwi-do asked, thinking he must have misheard.
“Kim Hwi-do. You’ll have to keep working like this from now on—can you manage it?”
Yeong-won’s tone was filled with genuine concern.
It was still two months until autumn. Summer was the busiest season for farming. Even though Hwi-do was only helping out with the labor that was lacking, it would still be overwhelming for him.
Moreover, while Chairman Jang’s orders couldn’t be disobeyed, Hwi-do was different.
If he bent over and begged for forgiveness, she would probably accept it. After all, it didn’t seem like the grandmother truly wanted her grandson to suffer, despite what he had said yesterday.
But Hwi-do didn’t feel a trace of Yeong-won’s sincerity.
‘Can you manage it?’
Those few words pierced Hwi-do’s pride like a needle.
It was almost as if Yeong-won was implying he couldn’t handle it.
Frustration surged. He had spent the whole day working tirelessly, trying not to cause any trouble.
And you think I did poorly today?
I did everything you asked!
Even Aunt Bong-hee had applauded, saying Hwi-dong worked diligently and well.
Hwi-do put down his utensils and set his jaw firmly.
“No. I’m not going.”
“Do you even know how hard it is to pick cucumbers in the summer?”
“You’ll find out soon enough.”
“You’ll have to carry ten kilograms of cucumbers and pull the cart too. It’s really heavy.”
“Ha! Ten kilograms? Are you kidding me? Do you have any idea how much I lift at the gym?”
His pride wounded, Hwi-do panted heavily, speaking through gritted teeth.
“You… really think with those skinny arms you can push a cart? You’re shorter than me! Your face is tiny! And your eyes are huge! Flies are gonna land in them!”
Yeong-won blinked in slight confusion. Hwi-do’s tone was aggressive, but the words themselves weren’t.
Hwi-do, too, began reconsidering what he had just said.
Did he really just call her face small and eyes big? Was this really something to say to the woman who clearly underestimated him, thinking he couldn’t even lift ten kilograms of cucumbers?
He snorted and spoke again.
“If you came to our gym, you’d be a total newbie, a weakling. You couldn’t even sit across from me. Our trainer would hold a meeting just for you—how to bulk up that twig!”
His words were meant as a provocation. Yeong-won let out a short laugh.
A weakling?
Born in Ma-yeong-ri, she had spent her childhood keeping up with three strong older brothers. They constantly teased her for being slow or weak, so she would wake up early and run to school to build her stamina. That same strength had carried her through bachelor’s, master’s, and even doctoral studies.
“Kim Hwi-do, do you really think your gym-built muscles are on the same level as the real muscles honed from farm work?”
“Wh-what? Gym… muscles?!”
Hwi-do rolled up his sleeves and flexed his biceps. They bulged with presence, demanding attention. He pointed at them.
“You think these biceps are just biceps? Our trainer measured every angle for optimal suit fit!”
“Fashion muscles, huh? Muscles are built from carrying sacks of rice!”
“Look! Look! Let’s see your muscles!”
Hwi-do’s provocation didn’t intimidate her. She rolled up her sleeves and extended her arm, showing off her arm to him.
“See?”
Her pale, smooth arm stretched out before him. A sweet apple scent filled the air. Hwi-do flinched slightly and lowered his flexing arm.
“…Alright. You win.”
He sat back down, holding his chopsticks, but said no more.
“I’ve lost my appetite anyway.”
“Speak properly. You’ve eaten everything already.”
The relentless facts struck again.
Hwi-do tapped his empty bowl, mumbling under his breath.
“Alright. You win. Yeon-won, you’ve always been excellent. A genius of Ma-yeong-ri, no doubt.”
Yeong-won frowned.
“Don’t mock me.”
“I’m not mocking. You really are a genius. Good at studying, well-known in various ways…”
He swallowed the rest of the comment about her looks and drank a gulp of barley tea. Sweet and refreshing.
What kind of household serves everything this delicious? Hwi-do marveled.
“Anyway, I’m not going anywhere. This summer, I’ll work here and even make kalguksu before heading back.”
“Why are you acting so differently than yesterday?”
Hwi-do simply stared at her. One reason for his change in attitude was Yeong-won’s words, but he couldn’t bring himself to admit it.
“You were the one insisting I work all summer. Why are you suddenly acting like this?”
Yeong-won avoided his gaze. She was unsettled seeing him quietly toil through the long work, struggling despite his big frame. She had expected laziness and whining, but none of that happened, leaving her strangely unsettled.
“Ah, I get it.”
Hwi-do broke the silence with a sly grin.
“It’s because of what I said to your aunt earlier, isn’t it?”
“What?”
“Me saying I was your first love—did that bruise your pride?”
Seeing her blank expression, he became certain.
“Didn’t you remember that I confessed back then, and now it’s awkward?”
There was no other explanation.
Yeong-won, who had been pushing him to work all summer, suddenly changed her tone and told him to return to Seoul? Asking if he could even handle the work, knowing fully well that he came here at the order of Madam Jang?
Of course, she must have recalled the embarrassing past of being confessed to as a child by Hwi-do.
On the first day, everything had been chaotic. She had been a little angry at Madam Jang’s orders and forgot who she was dealing with.
The next day, she started realizing who this Kim Hwi-do was—the one bossing her around.
A first love remains a first love, even after ten years.
And the first love in question was none other than Kim Hwi-do.
At twenty-nine, he had grown into an impeccable adult—mature and composed, even more so than back then.
Hwi-do smirked, full of pride.
“Yeong-won, why are you letting something like that bother you?”
Unfortunately, he didn’t notice that her hands were tightly clenched on her thighs at the table.
“You may not know, but I’ve received countless confessions before.”
His voice, full of casual confidence, did nothing to calm Yeong-won’s irritation.
“Many people besides me got rejected?”
“Ah, yeah.”
“To me, confessions are like weeds. You have to prune them every day.”
Seeing Hwi-do actively demonstrating cutting the ‘weeds’ in the air, Yeong-won gritted her teeth.
“Yeah, Hwi-do. Stay here. Definitely.”
“Yeah! Ten years ago, right? I’ve forgotten it all. No need to overthink.”
She vaguely understood why Madam Jang had sent Hwi-do here. Hard labor and lessons were essential for proper guidance.
“And I just decided, Kim Hwi-do.”
“What?”
“Your day’s wage.”
For the first time, Yeong-won smiled, spreading her palm.
“Five thousand won.”
Hwi-do paused, trying to picture it in his head.
Have I ever actually seen a five-thousand-won bill as an adult?
Orange, right? With Yulgok Yi I on it?
Five thousand won.
His day’s wage is five thousand won?
Not fifty thousand won with Yi I’s mother on it?
No, I must have misheard. All that hard labor plus carbs and my brain’s playing tricks.
“Yeong-won, I think I misheard. Did you say fifty thousand won, not five thousand?”
“You heard correctly. Five thousand won.”
“?”
Crazy.
Hwi-do was flabbergasted. There was even a phrase Madam Jang often used in such absurd situations: damn it.
He widened his eyes and asked her incredulously,
“Do you know how much I earn in a day? You wouldn’t, that’s why you say that. Are you joking?”
“No joke. This is Ma-yeong-ri.”
“Wow! Hey! If I worked hard for a few years, I could own Ma-yeong-ri! And you’re just…”
“Yes, if you ever buy it, let me know. We’ll consider it generously.”
Unlike the excited Hwi-do, Yeong-won remained calm. That made him even more furious.
“Yeong-won. How can anyone pay five thousand won a day nowadays? Do you want the labor office after you?”
Yeong-won pointed calmly at the table, rebutting clearly.
“You’re fed, given a place to sleep…”
Then she pointed at Hwi-do’s clothes.
“You even have clothes to wear, and you call that a wage?”
“…”
“And who forced you to recruit labor when you didn’t even intend to?”
Hwi-do genuinely wanted to argue with Yeong-won but had no comeback.
“If you don’t like it, then leave.”
Her final words sent a chill down his spine.
Yeong-won smiled subtly, but the effect was terrifying.
Just by pointing at him, she tightened his leash. Hwi-do sighed, feeling the weight of realization.
Yes, Yeong-won.
She is the one holding my leash right now.
And here I am, defying the person holding it.
