“Mother Moon. Is this Poseidon’s diet? It’s all seafood?”

Hyun Wook, who came to the main building to have dinner with Sung Hun, looked at the dining table with an astonished expression. The table was filled with an array of boiled seafood, led by chewy sliced octopus, along with shrimp, sea snails, and more.

As he sat down, Hyun Wook glanced at each plate.

“There’s no middle ground. Are elder brother and I supposed to eat all this by ourselves?”

“If it’s too much, why don’t you invite some ancestors to join? With so many who’ve passed away here, surely a few would come?”

“No way! What ancestors! I’m allergic to old-fashioned stuff, you know? Want me to choke while eating?”

As Hyun Wook said he’d just eat it all, Manager Moon rubbed her hands on her apron.

“When I look at you, young master, even saying you’ll eat well is so difficult. A dim-witted person wouldn’t even understand.”

“I’m only teasing because Mother Moon is smart. Anyway, I’ll enjoy the meal.”

As Hyun Wook smiled at the end of his words, Manager Moon raised her eyebrows. To Manager Moon, Hyun Wook was the only person in the Nam family she could freely talk to. She had raised him, and Hyun Wook was affectionate towards her.

While Manager Moon and Hyun Wook were exchanging words, Sung Hun poured a traditional distilled liquor into small cups from a small bottle. It was a traditional alcohol of Domyeongjae, also called Geumsul-ju because when the bottle is shaken, edible gold flakes spread like snow.

He took a sip from one cup. Meanwhile, he checked the time.

He hadn’t met the woman on his way home today, and when he entered Unseondang, it hadn’t been swept or ventilated yet.

Perhaps because the high-proof alcohol was absorbed quickly, it felt like his whole body was on fire. Sung Hun emptied a second cup in succession, and put a piece of well-boiled sea snail between his slightly parted lips.

Hyun Wook, sitting across from him, was rambling on about various things, but Sung Hun wasn’t particularly interested. Or rather, he couldn’t hear well. Every time he poured and drank the alcohol, every time he picked up his chopsticks, his gaze unknowingly lingered on the clock.

He wasn’t waiting for anyone, nor was anyone waiting for him, yet he felt strangely rushed by time.

‘That’s an awfully big deal. With eyes completely blinded by love, unable to see ahead, ears completely blocked, not even knowing if the water is hot or cold.’

Then, he suddenly remembered the worker’s anecdote he had heard earlier in the day.

The veins on the back of Sung Hun’s hand, holding the wine cup, bulged as he tensed. When he realized that his current state wasn’t much different from the experience the man had spoken of, his molars clenched involuntarily.

“…so, what do you think, elder brother?”

Where did this restless feeling, rising from his toes to the top of his head, even begin?

“Elder brother?”

“Speak. I’m listening.”

Sung Hun barely managed to answer Hyun Wook’s question as he poured more alcohol. It was frustrating that the high-proof liquor went down without any aroma or taste.

“I’m thinking of having our class reunion at Domyeongjae this time. I was wondering if that would be okay.”

Sung Hun downed the alcohol in one gulp and put down the cup.

“Do as you please. You’re family too, you don’t need to ask about things like that.”

“But you’re the elder of Domyeongjae here. Of course I should ask.”

Hyun Wook laughed at the end of his words.

“Elder brother, this is how scary habits can be. I still feel like I need permission to do anything at Domyeongjae?”

There was little reaction to Hyun Wook’s joking words. Sung Hun glanced at the clock and then picked up the bottle again.

The more he drank, the more his throat burned and his thirst grew. Despite having several drinks, the fire burning his internal organs seemed to grow fiercer rather than subside, causing his breath to naturally lengthen.

At that moment, he heard Eun Ja communicating on the radio from a little distance away.

“Rookie. Where are you now?”

Sung Hun’s entire attention focused on the employee’s radio communication, which he would normally ignore.

─ I’m on my way to Unseondang.

As the woman’s voice flowed through the radio, his pulse raced as if his heart was the only thing left in his body.

Sung Hun finished his last drink, wiped his mouth, dropped the napkin, and stood up. Hyun Wook’s head lifted in response.

“What’s up, elder brother? Are you done already?”

Sung Hun pushed his chair back, walked around the table, and looked at Hyun Wook.

“I’m done, so take your time and come over when you’re finished.”

“Alright, elder brother. Go ahead then.”

Sung Hun immediately left the main building. His steps stretched out towards Unseondang, which wasn’t too far away.

*

Yeon Woo arrived at Unseondang a little later than usual.

She was on her way back after finishing Eun Ja’s errand to organize receipts at the management office. Standing in front of the darkened Unseondang, Yeon Woo unknowingly let out a sigh, as if in relief.

Sung Hun had started dinner with Hyun Wook in the main building after work, so she wanted to finish sweeping before he returned. Just as she was about to grip the familiar broom, Yeon Woo changed her mind and entered Unseondang.

She turned on the light in the study where Sung Hun always stayed. Approaching the desk, she saw the mail she had organized in the morning sitting there alone.

After staring at it quietly for a moment, Yeon Woo took out her resume from her pocket and placed it on top of the mail.

‘I knew your name and your age. I was thinking about what else was left to know.’

It was difficult to remain passive after hearing such words.

On the first day, after hearing Manager Moon’s words, she had taken back her resume. Following Manager Moon’s advice, she had retrieved it thinking it wouldn’t be needed, but upon reflection, she regretted not submitting it, regardless of its usefulness.

As Yeon Woo neatly placed her resume among the mail, trying not to make it stand out too much, she stood up straight.

It was a simple resume with just her previous company’s information and her mother’s home address, but she hoped it would serve as a sincere response to what Sung Hun had said this morning.

She didn’t want to be seen as tactless, asking for a job after boldly saying she would maintain her dignity. To be more honest, it was also an expression of not wanting to interpret Sung Hun’s words in a different way.

After standing still for a moment as if organizing her emotions, she turned around. The fact that Sung Hun had become the most difficult person to deal with in this vast Domyeongjae might be because he was an adult, a man, and her superior.

Her wariness towards this unfamiliar man was heightened. It was an inevitable reaction. Cha Yun Seok had also been an adult, a man, and her superior.

Even while knowing they were completely different people, her instincts hesitated. Perhaps for a very long time, unfamiliar men might not be invited into her world.

The moment she believed he was someone she should naturally follow, the moment she thought he was a good person, the moment she let her guard down, yes, at such moments.

Because Cha Yun Seok had revealed the claws he had been hiding all along. Because he had thrown the noose he had been twirling behind his back.

Yeon Woo left the study with quiet steps. She wanted to finish sweeping quickly, finish ventilating, and disappear before Sung Hun returned.

It was just as she was extending one foot while looking down at her shoes left on the stepping stone. Yeon Woo unconsciously raised her gaze slightly and discovered Sung Hun standing right in front of the stepping stone, causing her to scream in shock.

“Ahhh!”

Her off-balance foot stumbled forward.

At that moment, Sung Hun extended both arms and caught Yeon Woo’s falling body. Yeon Woo, who had lost her balance, stepped onto the stepping stone clumsily without putting on her shoes. She staggered, her body fully leaning on Sung Hun.

Though her head knew she shouldn’t grab him, her startled arms tightly grasped Sung Hun’s arms. Her pathetic upper body, not wanting to fall, clung to Sung Hun’s chest.

“Huff, huff…”

Heavy breaths burst out. She closed her eyes tightly and then opened them, immersed in the dizzying feeling of almost twisting her foot. If she had misstepped on the stepping stone and twisted her ankle. If she had fallen and rolled forward.

She didn’t even want to imagine what state she would be in now.

The dizzying impact that enveloped her body didn’t easily disappear, and so she continued to take short breaths.

At that moment, Sung Hun’s voice was heard from an angle that was clearly looking down at her.

“One person who rolled down the stairs and broke their leg is enough at Domyeongjae, and that’s Ji Yeon Woo’s mother.”

…Ji Yeon Woo.

It was her name, but it felt truly unfamiliar.

“I hope you’re not hurt anywhere.”

Was that the only unfamiliar thing?

“It would be difficult to find an employee to replace Ji Yeon Woo.”

His embrace, his voice, his gentle way of speaking.

None of it was familiar.

*

Calming her startled heart, Yeon Woo stepped away from Sung Hun. She looked around somewhat busily and then found her disheveled shoes and put them on. Although her socks were covered in dirt, there was no time to dust them off before putting them on.

Only after putting on her shoes did Yeon Woo stand in front of Sung Hun again. She clasped her hands together, bowed her head, and lowered her gaze.

“I’m sorry. I was startled because I didn’t know you had arrived.”

Although she felt a bit unfair since it was Sung Hun who had approached silently without warning, what could she do? Sung Hun was the one who stayed at Unseondang, so whether he stood in front of the stepping stone or climbed onto the roof tiles, it wasn’t a problem.

She had been startled as if she had seen a ghost, so she truly felt embarrassed.

“I’m sorry. I’ll finish sweeping quickly and ventilate.”

Her flushed cheeks were so hot that it was difficult to raise her gaze. Yeon Woo kept looking at the ground as she moved her lips, and so she had no way of knowing what expression he was making.

Yeon Woo bowed her head a little more, as if giving a final greeting. As she was passing by Sung Hun with small steps, his voice caught her ankle.

“From now on, I’m going to try a few things I’ve never done in my life.”

Yeon Woo stopped and looked at Sung Hun.

“Pardon?”

“Things I’ve never done before. Things I don’t particularly like. Things I was confident I could live without ever doing.”

“…”

“Well, I’m thinking of trying such things.”

What on earth was he talking about? Utterly unable to grasp his meaning, Yeon Woo looked at him with a questioning gaze.

Sung Hun slowly closed his eyes and then opened them, looking at Yeon Woo.

This thirst, this heat, it wasn’t because of the 35-degree alcohol filling his body. It wasn’t because of the site conditions that weren’t resolving as he had thought.

“I’m sorry. I don’t quite understand what you mean.”

This woman.

This woman, Ji Yeon Woo.

“I’ll be going now…”

“For example, things like making requests.”

“…”

“Or impulse purchases.”

A spring night where crickets chirped on her behalf.

Sung Hun clearly recognized the emotion growing within him.

“I’m thinking of trying such things.”

It was the true nature of the emotion he had been unable to grasp for days.