"COCK-A-DOODLE-DOOOO!!"
Hye-jin's hand slowly crawled out from under the blanket, searching for her phone.
"…Why is my alarm yelling…"
Then—
"Fresh fish! King crab! Flounder! Rockfish! Hagfish!"
Outside, the village was already fully awake.
A fish seller proudly shouted through the streets while Hye-jin's aunt rushed outside with a basket.
"This one is fresh today!"
Hye-jin walked out looking like she fought demons in her sleep.
Hair messy. Eyes half dead.
She stretched lazily.
An old woman passed by on a scooter.
"Morning, Hye-jin!"
Hye-jin weakly waved back.
Then suddenly—
She froze.
Several villagers were standing outside her grandfather's house.
The door was still closed.
Her eyes widened slowly.
"…Don't tell me."
Se-Jun was still sleeping.
"SHIT."
She immediately sprinted outside, nearly crashing into her aunt.
"Yah! Watch where you're—"
Ignored.
Hye-jin rushed behind the house.
There was a small back window.
She slowly peeked inside.
Se-Jun was sleeping peacefully like a man with no responsibilities in life.
Hye-jin grabbed the back door handle.
Locked.
"Se-Jun!" she whispered loudly.
No response.
She looked around desperately, grabbed a tiny stone, and threw it.
Miss.
Another one.
Miss again.
"One more…"
THUD.
Direct hit.
Right on his butt.
"AHHH—!"
Se-Jun jerked awake and grabbed his backside in pain.
Hye-jin quickly whispered—
"Hey…"
Se-Jun looked around in confusion before slowly turning toward the back window.
Hye-jin's hair was flying around wildly in the wind.
"…Hey…" she whispered again.
Se-Jun's soul nearly left his body.
"AHHHHHHH!"
Outside, villagers immediately reacted.
"Did he see something?!"
"A spirit?!"
"Maybe the room is haunted!"
One old man rushed to the front door and knocked loudly.
"Il-sung…?"
Meanwhile, Hye-jin hissed through the window.
"It's me! IT'S ME! Open this freaking door!"
Se-Jun finally got up and unlocked the back door.
The second it opened—
Hye-jin rushed in and locked it again.
"Hey, you—"
Then she stopped.
Se-Jun stood there shirtless, wearing only shorts, still half asleep.
Hye-jin instantly cleared her throat awkwardly and threw a towel at him.
"…Get ready. They're waiting outside."
Se-Jun blinked slowly.
"…Who?"
"What?"
"Why?"
Hye-jin lowered her voice.
"They come here whenever they have problems… worries… thoughts. Basically, congratulations—you're the village customer service now."
While talking, she frantically searched around for Se-Jun's extra shaman robes.
Se-Jun suddenly froze.
"…I didn't— oh shit."
"The bell?"
"The bell!"
He immediately started searching everywhere for the shaman bell.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
"IL-SUNG!"
"IL-SUNG!"
The knocking grew louder.
Hye-jin's eyes widened.
"…Uncle?!"
She grabbed the robes and shoved them into Se-Jun's chest.
"Wear this! Fast!"
Se-Jun tried wearing it in panic.
"…Can you help with this part?"
Hye-jin moved quickly to tie the robes properly.
Then suddenly—
He got stuck halfway.
Hye-jin frowned.
"…Too tight?"
"No! No, it's just— I can't breathe—"
Outside—
"BREAK THE DOOR!"
"Maybe the shaman is in danger!"
Hye-jin aggressively fixed the collar.
"Don't panic!"
Se-Jun nodded nervously like a student before an exam.
Then—
BANG!
The door suddenly swung open.
An old man and several villagers rushed inside.
"Il-sung?!"
"Are you alright?!"
Se-Jun slowly turned around.
And smiled softly.
"Why is everyone panicking…?"
Silence.
Everyone froze.
The back door behind him was still open.
Morning sunlight poured in dramatically behind his figure.
The wind moved his robes perfectly.
Honestly—
The sunlight deserved an acting award.
For one beautiful second, Se-Jun genuinely looked majestic.
Calm. Divine. Untouchable.
He slowly walked toward them.
"Is everything okay?"
An old woman quickly nodded.
"Yes, son— ah, sorry… Il-sung!"
Se-Jun smiled warmly.
"You can call me son."
A small pause.
"Don't be too formal."
The old woman laughed shyly.
Meanwhile—
Outside near the back door, Hye-jin leaned against the wall.
"…Uff."
She released the breath she had been holding and dusted herself off.
Then casually started walking away before anyone noticed—
"Hye-jin!"
She turned.
A girl stood nearby with a bicycle.
Seul-gi.
Her childhood friend.
Hye-jin blinked.
"…Hey."
Hye-jin looked her up and down suspiciously.
"What's with this look? Are you auditioning for 'Village Flower Girl' now?"
Seul-gi rolled her eyes.
"Director speaking? What are you doing here in the middle of the month? Shooting something?"
Hye-jin shrugged casually.
"I came for peace of mind."
Seul-gi stared at her for three whole seconds.
Then burst out laughing.
"You? Peace?!"
She pointed at Hye-jin dramatically.
"You don't even take breaks during your breaks!"
Hye-jin tried defending herself.
"My next project is village-based, so I thought I'd work from here."
She pointed toward the road.
"I run a flower garden now. Want to come?"
Hye-jin looked horrified.
"I didn't even brush my teeth yet."
Seul-gi nodded seriously.
"…Fair point."
Then she smirked.
"Come in the evening. My mom keeps asking about you."
Hye-jin groaned.
"She probably wants to get cast as a rich chaebol mother again."
Seul-gi laughed loudly.
Then rode away on her bicycle.
Hye-jin smiled faintly and walked back home.
The moment she entered—
Her aunt looked at her suspiciously.
"Where did you go?"
Hye-jin answered without missing a beat.
"Jogging."
And immediately disappeared into the bathroom.
Seoul — Hye-jin's Apartment.
A black car slowly pulled up in front of the building.
The door opened.
Joon-ho stepped out in a sharp suit, fixing his cuffs before walking toward the apartment entrance.
Inside—
Hye-jin's mother was busy cooking.
The sound of sizzling filled the kitchen.
Ding dong.
"Honey, can you see who that is?" she called out.
Hye-jin's father walked to the door and opened it.
"…Joon-ho?"
In the kitchen, her mother immediately paused.
Then, slowly peeked out.
Joon-ho gave a polite bow.
He handed over a document folder.
Hye-jin's father opened it slightly—
land documents.
His expression changed instantly.
Joon-ho smiled calmly.
"May I see Grandpa?"
"He went for a walk," Hye-jin's mother answered quickly.
"Come inside first."
Joon-ho glanced at his watch.
"I have a meeting soon."
Right then—
a man dressed in black stepped forward from behind him carrying a huge luxury basket.
"We sincerely apologize," Joon-ho said smoothly.
"Please accept this."
He stood there so perfectly composed…
he looked like he walked out of a luxury commercial.
"Ayigo, this is too much…" Hye-jin's father laughed awkwardly while taking it.
Joon-ho bowed once again.
"Then I'll take my leave."
The door closed.
Silence.
Hye-jin's mother immediately.
"Don't open tha—"
Too late.
Her husband had already lifted the lid.
Inside—
Expensive wine.
Premium nuts.
Protein shakes.
Luxury gift coupons.
Even Lotte World tickets.
His eyes widened.
"Honey…"
Slowly—
He turned toward his wife.
She stared at him with pure disappointment.
"…Don't even think about it."
Cut To — Sang-Ook's Office
A large meeting room.
Executives sat around the table while a presentation played on the screen.
Sang-Ook sat quietly at the head of the table.
Buzz.
His phone lit up.
A message from Joon-ho.
Delivered.
Sang-Ook glanced at it for only a second before placing the phone face down.
Then calmly looked back at the presentation.