Chapter 78
Chapter 78
The ditch was shallow, but the problem was that the front wheel was stuck in the mud. The engine had also completely died. Nan-hee, thinking the voice she heard was a lifeline, struggled, but as soon as she moved, the car swayed.
“Ack!”
Nan-hee was terrified the car would get stuck deeper in the mud.
“If you keep moving like that, it’ll sway. Please stay still.”
The young man’s deep voice held a note of firmness. Nan-hee calmed her anxious heart and obeyed. It was too scary to even turn around, so she checked the rearview mirror.
‘Oh my...’
Even amidst her anxiety, Nan-hee’s expression changed when she saw the young man’s face. He was someone she never expected to encounter in such a rural backwater.
How could he be so dashing? Nan-hee fixed her gaze on the rearview mirror.
His looks were rare even in the broadcasting industry. For one, he was tall, but his build was also substantial. These days, slender physiques were common, making such a masculine presence hard to find...
‘He doesn’t look like an athlete; maybe a model or a businessman?’
The young man, dressed in a perfectly fitted suit, examined the stuck car from various angles before casually shrugging off his jacket. Nan-hee’s eyes widened further.
His shirt, too, looked luxurious and expensive, clearly indicating he wasn’t just an ordinary working young man. The watch glimpsed on his wrist was an Audemars Piguet. Good heavens, they say there are many hidden rich people in the countryside; could it be true?
“Excuse me. Are you alright?”
The man strode over, tapped on the car window with his fist, and leaned his face in. Nan-hee, quickly finding and putting on her sunglasses to cover her face, rolled down the window.
“I’m fine. I think I’ll just call for roadside assistance.”
“Ah, it’ll take half a day for them to get here. You’d better wait.”
His way of speaking was a bit... but up close, the young man’s face was even more impressive. His features were strong and sharp, giving him a rugged, masculine look, and his whole aura exuded an alpha vibe.
‘Now that’s a man.’
If only my Cheong-i were like that, I wouldn’t have a single worry in the world. A regretful sigh escaped her.
“The ditch is shallow, so I should be able to lift it out with brute force. I’ll try to lift it, so don’t move, okay?”
“Uh, yes...”
The young man went up and disappeared somewhere. Soon, he returned with a long plank and wedged it like a lever between the front wheel and the mud.
“Heave-ho!”
“Excuse me! You can’t get it out by yourself! Bring two or three more people!”
Is this what they mean by rural hospitality? Nan-hee was confused. For a complete stranger, this young man was now pulling out the wheel, not caring that mud was getting on his expensive lambskin shoes.
“It’s working!”
“Oh! It’s actually working?”
The young man pulled the wheel out with sheer arm strength. Then he made a strange, beast-like sound and pushed the front of the car up.
“Ugh, this is damn heavy! Ha, shit!”
“...”
Although she heard somewhat vulgar language, Nan-hee understood, given the circumstances. In truth, if she got out of the car, it would be much lighter, but she didn’t want to get herself dirty in the mud. The young man couldn’t possibly be unaware of this situation, making Nan-hee feel awkward.
“Hmph! Done!”
The front of the car, which had been tilted towards the ditch, suddenly lifted. This was possible because it had only fallen at a 45-degree angle. In any case, if it weren’t for that young man, she wouldn’t have been able to get the car out safely.
“Try starting the engine. Does it work?”
The young man, still in the ditch, shouted.
“Yes, it’s working well.”
Nan-hee could finally feel relieved. Why did it have to happen today of all days? Was all this some trick of fate? Things couldn’t have gotten more tangled. At least it was resolved, so that was a relief.
“Thank you, truly...”
“No problem. It was a piece of cake.”
The young man, who had climbed out dusting his palms, had mud splattered here and there on his suit from the front wheel. Nan-hee felt so sorry she didn’t know what to do.
“I’d like to offer you some compensation...”
Nan-hee rummaged through her bag. A hearty laugh escaped the young man’s lips. Puzzled, Nan-hee stopped rummaging and looked up.
“Compensation? Nonsense. It looks like you’re from out of town, so please enjoy your stay.”
The young man, still covered in mud, got into his car parked a distance away. ‘That’s a nice car too.’ Nan-hee, watching the young man’s car pass by from inside her own, inwardly slapped her forehead.
‘That’s right, I should have tried to set him up with Bom!’
⋆★⋆
She didn’t know how many times she’d cleaned just today. Bom finished vacuuming one last time and checked every nook and cranny of the house.
‘I can’t do this anymore.’ Exhausted, Bom was about to rest on the sofa when she spotted Bom-sik passing by, covered in kibble crumbs.
“You, seriously!”
There was no time to rest. How did he eat that kibble got stuck to his body? She took out the finest comb and brushed Bom-sik’s fur.
“Haaah...”
Her mother had said she’d arrive late in the afternoon, but since her mother’s sense of time was always unique, Bom had been preparing since early morning.
Now it was time to check the most important thing.
‘Will this be enough to satisfy Mom?’
Bom had been very surprised the first time she visited a friend’s house in middle school.
It was because of her friend, who changed into a stretched-out T-shirt. At school, her friend was always perfectly put-together, and her parents were both famous university hospital doctors, so Bom’s family had encouraged her to be close with this friend. For her young mind, it was a shock to see such a friend lounging casually on the sofa at home.
After repeating similar experiences a few times, Bom finally realized. That her own family was strange. No other family always dressed perfectly and maintained such elegance even at home.
Perhaps her mother was still living as if in a drama. That thought crossed her mind, but since her father was the same, Bom had no choice but to conform.
She had lived that way in Seoul, but after moving here, her attire had become considerably more comfortable. Now she enjoyed wearing comfortable T-shirts and wide-legged shorts. The thought of dressing like before felt stifling.
Trying to put together such an outfit after a long time felt daunting. She even regretted not buying new clothes.
‘Will this be enough?’ Bom chose the most comfortable yet luxurious outfit she owned and put it on. It was dove-gray loungewear.
‘What could Jae-gyu be doing?’
For some reason, Jae-gyu seemed happy at the news of her mother coming down. Left with no choice, Bom had told him about the flower basket incident yesterday while eating homemade abalone porridge at Jae-gyu’s house.
[It’s a bit strange that she sent it back and then came down. It seems there’s a separate story behind it.]
[She’s been hysterical sometimes, but this is the first time she’s done something this extreme, so I was very surprised too. And now that she’s suddenly coming down, I’m scared...]
[I’ll stay with you.]
[Huh?]
In truth, Bom was anxious about her mother meeting Jae-gyu now. Of course, she hadn’t told her family that she had a boyfriend. The moment she told them, her family would probably be turned upside down.
Bom couldn’t possibly not know the kind of man her family wanted. He had to be the scion of a prestigious family who had followed a proper elite path, and most importantly, he had to have substantial assets. Even though her family wasn’t poor, wealth was the most important condition her mother considered for a son-in-law.
Her mother always used to say that she regretted her own marriage whenever she saw celebrity colleagues who had married into chaebol families.
She had heard countless times that the cars they drove, the clothes they wore, and the jewelry they adorned themselves with at every gathering were all of such different standards that she couldn’t bear it.
“Haa, what should I do...”
She knew Jae-gyu had considerable assets, but there were still too many obstacles. Jae-gyu had confidently declared that she should leave it to him, but that was because he didn’t understand her snobbish family.
Bom, who had lingered in front of the mirror for a long time, went out to the living room and looked at the wall clock.
The time Jae-gyu had promised to come was approaching. Worries crept up on her, and she immediately called Jae-gyu.
“-Haa, My Bom-Bom♡...”
“...?”
Bom pricked up her ears at the suspicious sound. Listening closely, she heard the sound of water.
“Are you showering?”
“-Yep.”
“No, then you should have answered later...”
“-Last time, when Bom’s phone was off, my heart sank, so I decided I’d always answer.”
How should she bring it up? As she hesitated, Jae-gyu spoke first.
“-Are you waiting long? I’ll be right there.”
“That’s not it...”
“-Actually, I was almost there just now, but something happened, so I have to wash up again before I go. About... let’s see. Hmm, an hour should do it.”
“Jae-gyu.”
She wanted to tell him not to come, despite feeling sorry. Just as she gathered her courage to open her mouth, Bom-sik started barking. Bom was startled.
“Mom must be here. Hang up.”
Bom rushed to the front door and flung it open. And at the sight of the familiar face she hadn’t seen in a long time, her heart instantly crumbled.
“Mom...”
“Ugh, how can you live here?”
Her complaining high-pitched voice was just as she remembered. Nan-hee, entering the front door, shrieked.
“What is this?!”
Bom-sik wagged his tail vigorously and followed Nan-hee around. Bom, her face pale, tried to pull Bom-sik away, but Bom-sik stood on two legs, whining to be picked up by Nan-hee.
‘Why is he acting like that!’
Bom-sik, who had been wagging his tail as if it would fall off, was now nestled in Nan-hee’s arms by the time Bom closed the front door and returned. Bom quickly went to her side.
“Look at the state of this house.”
Nan-hee, still holding Bom-sik and without even putting down her bag, opened each door one by one, clucking her tongue. Nan-hee, frowning even at the sofa, finally sat down on a dining chair.
“Give him to me. I’ll put Bom-sik away.”
For some reason, Bom-sik, who had never seen Nan-hee before, was now performing all sorts of tricks in her arms. Bom reached out her arm to put Bom-sik down, but was stopped.
“Just leave him.”
“But Mom, you hate dogs...”
“This is the first dog that’s ever clung to me. Just let him be for now.”
“...?”
“What’s his name?”
“Bom-sik...”
“Ugh, how rustic.”
Bom-sik wiggled his rear and pressed himself firmly against Nan-hee. He wasn’t a Jindo Dog known for loyalty and bravery, but Bom-sik’s unique charm was shining through.
With slightly softened eyes, her mother opened her mouth.
“Sit down, Yoon Bom. Your mother and I need to talk.”