The Promise with Director Wang
Since Do-hee and Seung-wan began their quarantine at the Three Meals House, the morning scenery had completely changed.
Before, Do-jin would feed the cats and grab a quick, lazy bite for himself every morning. Now, they all gathered together to eat breakfast.
The three of them took turns preparing breakfast, cleaning the cat room while feeding them, and doing the morning dishes.
"Good morning, Oppa!"
"Morning. It's good to see you looking so healthy today."
"Hehe! You're teasing me because I'm not wearing any makeup, aren't you?"
Do-hee rolled her eyes playfully at Do-jin's words.
She knew he didn't mean it that way, but she was acting cute out of shyness at her boyfriend's compliment.
Seung-wan, already well-accustomed to their behavior, didn't even spare them a glance.
"No way. You look perfect right now. Let's not wear makeup from now on. If you put on makeup on top of this, how are celebrities supposed to survive around you?"
"Ah, seriously! Stop it. Why are you being so embarrassing?"
Unable to handle Do-jin's cheesy flirting, Do-hee finally smacked his arm.
Smack, smack!
"Ouch! That actually hurt a bit."
"I hit you so it would hurt!"
She wasn't kidding. Her face was so red it looked ready to burst.
Between the two of them, Seung-wan's characteristically flat voice cut in.
"I was thinking of making an American-style breakfast for a change today. Is that okay?"
"Sounds good to me."
"I'd love that too!"
When the cook of the day spoke, the other two had to answer immediately.
If they kept flirting and delayed their response, there was no telling what kind of experimental menu they might end up with.
Sitting down, Do-jin and Do-hee soon found their mouths watering at the fragrant aroma of coffee and the sweet scent of toasting bread.
"Our Seung-wan is really so talented. You're ready to get married."
"You're the one getting married. What is it, ten months left now?"
"Hehe, to be exact, it's 311 days. Time flies, right?"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say."
Seung-wan could only sigh at her friend, who had calculated the exact number of days.
She had witnessed far too much affection over the past few weeks to react to every little thing.
At this point, she was confident she wouldn't even bat an eye if they shared a morning kiss right in front of her.
"Do-hee, close your eyes for a second."
"Huh? Why... why?"
"Just for a second. Come here."
As their heads drew rapidly closer, Seung-wan shrieked without realizing it.
"Hey! Seriously, what are you—"
Her shout, fueled by weeks of pent-up frustration, cut off abruptly.
Contrary to her expectations, Do-jin wasn't going in for a morning kiss. He was simply brushing a bug off Do-hee's hair.
Suddenly, Seung-wan was the only weird one in the room.
"? What's wrong, Seung-wan?"
"Yeah, Seung-wan? What's up?"
"...Why did you just let it go? It's going to land on her again."
"Ah, should I have caught it? But it was stuck too close to Do-hee's head."
"No! I don't want bug guts in my hair."
Fortunately, the couple didn't seem to pay much mind to Seung-wan's sudden outburst.
"..."
Swallowing her pride along with a wave of relief, Seung-wan silently stuffed toast into her mouth.
It was the only way to escape the couple in front of her.
"Seung-wan, what should we do today?"
"Well, it looks like weeds are growing in the fields again. Let's clear those out before it gets too hot."
"Got it! Okay, okay!"
Hearing their natural banter, Do-jin smiled wryly.
It had been three weeks since the two of them arrived at the Three Meals House. Despite saying they would leave once quarantine ended, they were still staying at the school.
This was because Do-hee's company had placed all employees who contracted COVID-19 on unpaid leave. And it was for a whopping three months.
"Are these people insane? If they're going to make you take three months off, they should at least pay you! What kind of bullshit is this?"
Instead of Do-hee, who was too shocked to speak after reading the email, Seung-wan flew into a rage and began cursing the company.
Her fever was rising and her headache was worsening due to COVID-19, but she apparently couldn't let this slide.
As a result, Do-hee, the actual victim, had to step in and calm her down.
"Ugh! Isn't there anything we can do? Do-jin, should we report them to the Ministry of Employment and Labor right away?"
Having regained her composure, Seung-wan cautiously asked Do-jin.
Since Do-jin's expression had hardened into a stiff mask while reading the email, she naturally found herself walking on eggshells.
Contrary to her expectations, however, Do-jin was fine. He had already known something like this would happen.
"It'll probably be difficult."
"Pardon?"
"We're in a pandemic. They'll just claim it's an emergency measure taken for quarantine guidelines and corporate survival."
Currently, phrases like "quarantine guidelines" and "emergency management" were used like royal passes.
They would argue that they had to follow the quarantine manual, which caused severe financial losses, so employees had to understand. If they framed it that way, even the government couldn't do much.
She'll probably return to work in two months this time too, right? I should keep her here with me until then.
Although the email notified her of a three-month unpaid leave, Do-hee's actual return to work would be in two months.
This was because most employees placed on unpaid leave ended up resigning, which ironically created a labor shortage.
Rather than enduring three months without pay, it's better to just resign and collect unemployment benefits. Showing them this email alone would satisfy the requirements.
The criteria for claiming unemployment benefits included being laid off or voluntarily resigning because the company could no longer pay wages.
Since the email clearly stated that the company was implementing a three-month unpaid leave due to financial difficulties, applying wouldn't be difficult. If anything, Do-hee's company was foolish for abusing their power without anticipating this outcome.
Not that I mind, though.
In fact, he was glad he had a legitimate reason to keep her here.
Do-hee also wanted to stay here.
Seeing Do-hee become more honest after opening up about her personal life, Seung-wan had also joined her in living and eating at the school.
Just then, a chime rang through the office. It was the intercom they had installed at the entrance.
"Huh? Who could it be at this hour?"
"I know. We didn't order any packages either."
Although they had installed it for convenience, the bell at the Three Meals House rarely rang.
Located on the outskirts of Gyeonggi-do with very few neighbors, they rarely had visitors.
While the two of them were surprised by the sudden event, someone else moved first.
"Who is it?"
Do-hee had already pressed the intercom button and spoken before they knew it.
"Ah, excuse me. Isn't this Jeong-a Elementary School?"
Hearing the youthful voice coming through the speaker, Do-jin and Seung-wan also approached the intercom.
On the intercom screen stood a boy who looked to be about ten years old, clutching a ball in one hand and tightly holding his younger sibling's hand with the other.
"Ah, the school isn't open right now. What's the matter?"
"Ah, in that case, would it be okay if we played on the playground? There's nowhere else to play around here."
The boy seemed to have misunderstood Do-hee's words as meaning the school was just closed for vacation or temporary recess. He lifted the ball, glancing toward the playground. He look eager to run out and play right away.
Do-hee and Seung-wan smiled warmly at the sight.
"He's so young, but he speaks so well."
"I know. He's very polite and articulate."
"Yeah. Honestly, he speaks better than you do."
"No, he doesn't! For your information, I work in customer service!"
"Sure, sure. The unemployed-in-waiting should sit this one out."
"Ow! Right in the feels."
Ignoring his friends' bickering, Do-jin pondered for a moment before pressing the gate release button.
On the CCTV feed monitoring the main entrance, the gate could be seen slowly sliding open.
"Thank you! Let's go, Na-gil!"
"Okay! Tank you!"
The younger brother bowed deeply toward the intercom camera, then grabbed his older brother's hand and scurried onto the playground.
Watching them with a warm, motherly smile, Seung-wan turned to Do-jin.
"Is it really okay to let them in?"
"What's the harm? They're just kids. And it's not like there's anything out there for them to steal."
"True, that's fair."
How much trouble could two young kids cause? She was just slightly wary because they were strangers, but fortunately, Do-jin was quite generous about such things.
"Though I'm not sure if they can actually play soccer out there. It might look like a field, but it's basically a patch of weeds."
At a glance, it resembled a grassy field, but that was only on the surface. If they actually tried to play soccer there, the ball wouldn't roll well, and they might get hurt.
Although Do-jin pulled them whenever he saw them, there were still quite a few thorny weeds scattered around.
"I'd better go check on them."
"Okay, go ahead."
Knowing what Do-jin was worried about, Seung-wan nodded readily.
Do-jin was supposed to do the dishes this morning, but she could easily handle that much.
"Hyung~ the ball isn't rolling."
"Yeah. Is it because it needs more air?"
As Do-jin stepped out of the main building and onto the field, the children's voices drifted over. Just as he had feared, the ball was getting caught in the weeds.
"Hey guys, hold on. It's a bit dangerous here. Why don't we go play over there?"
As he spoke, Do-jin pointed toward the area where the playground used to be.
Unlike before, that spot had been cleared out cleanly. Do-jin had removed all the old, rusted play equipment and tidied it up.
I originally cleaned it up to take Samsaek-i and the others for walks, but I guess it's being put to use like this.
It was a meaningful place to him, as it was where he had reunited with Samsaek-i. In fact, it was the only spot on the school grounds where he actively maintained natural grass.
"Whoa, Hyung! The ball kicks so well here!"
"Oh! You're right. Since when did our Na-gil get so good at soccer? You could be a professional player!"
"Hehe!"
Encouraged by his brother's praise, the younger boy proudly kicked the ball again. The ball, which Do-jin had pumped full of air, rolled smoothly across the grass, unlike on the weed-choked field.
"Um, excuse me, but who are you, Mister?"
"Huh? Me? I'm the person who lives here."
Do-jin, who had been watching the brothers play with a warm smile, answered casually. However, the older brother seemed to misunderstand.
"Ah, you're a teacher. Hello, Teacher. Thank you for opening the gate."
"Huh? Well... sure."
Suddenly designated as a teacher, Do-jin thought about correcting him but decided against it. He didn't think the boy would be coming back often anyway.
But the boy's next words caught him off guard.
"But, Teacher. It's better if you don't get too close to us."
"Huh? Why?"
"We had COVID-19. Ah! We're all cured now. They said we aren't contagious anymore. But people are still scared of us..."
"Ah..."
"If you're worried, you should wear a mask, Teacher. We don't have masks right now."
The boy's words filled Do-jin with pity. In that brief explanation, he could feel just how much the children had been hurt and how self-conscious they had become around others.
So, Do-jin put on an even brighter smile and spoke.
"It's okay. I actually had COVID-19 not too long ago, too. And just like you, I'm completely cured now."
"Oh? Really?"
"Yep. So you don't have to worry about catching anything. Just play comfortably. Go wild!"
"...Hehe!"
Reassured by Do-jin's words, the boy finally flashed a bright smile he hadn't shown until now. Feeling another pang of emotion, Do-jin asked the question he had been wondering about.
"By the way, what are your names? I heard your brother's name is Na-gil."
"Yes. My brother's name is Choi Na-gil. And I'm Choi Han-gil."
"I see, Han-gil. But how did you end up here? I've been living here for a while, but I haven't seen any kids around."
Do-jin had been living at the closed school for about two months. Although he occasionally walked around the neighborhood, he had never seen children like Han-gil and Na-gil. Their sudden appearance naturally piqued his curiosity.
"Ah, we came to visit. This is where our dad used to live."
"Ah, so it's his hometown. Are you guys here on summer vacation?"
As the pandemic worsened, many people were taking early vacations. However, given the circumstances, they couldn't travel far, so they either stayed home or visited their hometowns. Do-jin assumed these kids were doing the same. That was, until the boy answered.
"I'm not really sure, but they said we're going to stay here for a long time."
"Huh? A long time? How long?"
"Um... thirty nights? Forty nights? They mentioned a specific month, but I don't really know."
"..."
Thirty nights meant thirty days—they were staying for at least a month. Even if it was a hometown, staying for months was highly unusual. Just as Do-jin's face clouded with confusion, Han-gil offered more details.
"They told Dad to take a long break from work."
"A long break?"
"Yes. But Mom was really sad. She kept sighing. We came here after Mom and Dad had a really serious talk."
"..."
From Han-gil's words, Do-jin could piece together the situation. This family had also been hit with unpaid leave.
Come to think of it, this was a common occurrence during this period. While the factory Do-jin worked at had run smoothly thanks to a good owner like Director Wang, many other companies had gone bankrupt during this time.
Thinking about it that way, staying here for a few months made sense. Staying in Seoul meant being cooped up in a cramped apartment, so they chose to spend their unpaid leave here. At least here, they didn't have to worry about gathering limits and could roam around freely.
"So are your mom and dad both here?"
"Mom is here, but Dad went back home to get our things. He's bringing our clothes and toys tonight."
"I see... You aren't bored?"
They looked excited now, but that would only last for a short while. It was fun because they had just stepped outside after being cooped up, but they were bound to get bored soon. There were no other kids to play with in the neighborhood.
However, the very next day, Do-jin realized that something unusual was happening in this village.
"Hello. I'm a graduate of this school. Would it be alright if we came inside? There aren't many places to play with the kids around here."
At the voice of the man who appeared to be the father, Do-jin examined the children's faces shown at the bottom of the screen. No matter how he looked at them, they aren't the kids from yesterday. Their builds and ages were completely different. In other words, they were different children. And there were three of them.
Could it be another family?
And the same thing happened again the following day. This time, two new families visited. There were three children in total. With this, the number of children who had visited over the past three days rose to eight.
Whether by coincidence or mutual caution, the visitors never overlapped. The two families who visited today seemed to know each other, as they had come together from the start.
"They said the company is struggling. Well, what can you do? It's not like I can change jobs right away, and things are the same everywhere else, so we just have to endure it."
"...Hang in there, sir."
After talking with the parents, Do-jin realized that most of their situations were remarkably similar. Unpaid leave, visiting their hometowns to live more comfortably, being alumni of Jeong-a Elementary School, and even the fact that they had all contracted COVID-19.
"Hello. I'm a graduate of this school. If it's alright, could we come in and play with the kids for a bit?"
When the fourth new family appeared, the promise he had made to Director Wang flashed through Do-jin's mind.
"How you manage the school grounds is entirely up to you, Do-jin, but if possible, I hope you can leave a space where children can rest and play."
That was the request the director had made while handing over the money left behind by his child. Of course, the director didn't view it as a transaction, but to Do-jin, that request was as binding as a contract.
Up until now, I was worried about how to keep that promise since there weren't any kids around. But now, the children had appeared. And they were kids who were itching to run around and play.
"...Seung-wan, could you look into some play equipment for me?"
"Play equipment? What kind?"
At Do-jin's sudden request, Seung-wan, who had been busy editing a video, turned her head.
"You know, those inflatable ones that blow up into a playground."
"Ah, an inflatable bounce house? There should be plenty of places that rent those out. But why do you need one?"
"I have a use for it. Ah, if possible, let's buy it instead of renting. Get the largest size available."
There were already ten children visiting the school. That was already a significant number, but he needed a large size in case the number grew even further.
"Oh, and please look into portable swimming pools and other equipment kids can play with."
"Okay, I'll look into it."
Having guessed why Do-jin wanted to buy play equipment, Seung-wan nodded readily. Although her primary role was video editing, she was more than willing to help with this. She knew Do-jin wasn't the type to dump work on someone else and slack off.
And indeed, Do-jin was already busy making phone calls. He was flipping through the business cards of companies he had dealt with while managing the school, as well as the contacts Director Wang had given him.
"Ah, hello. Do you also handle playground construction? I'd like to start the schedule as soon as possible."
"..."
"Cost is not an issue. The top priorities are the children's safety and the completion date."
"..."
"Yes, yes. Please send over the estimate right away and let me know the earliest possible construction dates. Yes, thank you."
"Isn't my boyfriend cool?"
"Yeah, I'll give him that."
Hearing Do-jin's phone conversation behind them, satisfied smiles spread across the lips of Seung-wan and Do-hee.