The trio headed back into the village together.
The mini truck stopped near the entrance road.
Se-Jun got down first and fixed his robe dramatically as he had just returned from saving the nation.
"Thanks for the ride, Ms. Seul-gi."
Seul-gi waved one hand casually."Oh, please. Next time, pay me with burgers."
Hye-jin grabbed the shopping bags and stepped down too."Bye then."
As Seul-gi drove away, Hye-jin glanced toward Se-Jun—
Only to see him already helping an old woman carry her heavy bag.
"Aigoo, thank you, son!"
Se-Jun smiled warmly, walking slowly beside her like a neighborhood celebrity.
Hye-jin narrowed her eyes.
"…He's adapting too fast."
Her phone buzzed.
She texted him quickly.
Hye-jin:I'll leave the parcel near the back door.
No reply.
Of course.Mr. "Village Messiah" was busy.
Hye-jin entered her uncle's house.
"I'm home—"
She removed her shoes and walked in—
Then froze.
A man sat comfortably in the living room, drinking tea with her aunt.
"…Rowoon?"
The man looked up and smiled brightly.
"Hello, Ms. Casting Director."
Her aunt immediately stood up excitedly.
"YOU NEVER TOLD ME YOU WORK WITH ACTOR ROWOON?!"
Hye-jin forced the fakest laugh of her life.
"I—haha—well—"
Her uncle walked in from outside carrying farming tools.
Then stopped dead.
"…Ro-woon?"
Rowoon instantly stood up politely and bowed.
"Hello, uncle! Can I call you uncle?"
Her uncle almost dropped the tools.
"Ayigooo OF COURSE YOU CAN!"
Hye-jin silently glared at Rowoon with her eyes.
Why are you here?!
Rowoon smiled innocently back.
"I came to check the next shooting location. Thought I'd stop by."
Then he looked toward Hye-jin.
"Can I talk to her for a second?"
Her aunt practically pushed Hye-jin toward the room.
"Take your time, kids!"
The second the bedroom door closed—
Hye-jin turned around sharply.
"Why are you here, Mr. Rowoon?"
Rowoon casually sat on the bed like he paid rent there.
"Nice room. Very homey."
"Answer the question."
Rowoon grinned.
"I heard you came to your hometown. Su-min told me you're working on the next project."
"…So?"
"I'm the male lead."
Silence.
"…What?"
Hye-jin instantly pulled out her phone.
Group Chat — Production Team
Assistant Director:Rowoon confirmed as main lead.
Su-min:❤️❤️❤️
Assistant Director:Is Hye-jin checking locations and script notes?
Su-min:Yup!
Hye-jin slowly lowered the phone.
"…I hate everyone."
Rowoon laughed and stood up.
"So… shall we see the location?"
"I didn't even finalize anything yet," she groaned. "The full script isn't done. The team only arrives next week."
Rowoon nodded.
Then voices exploded outside.
"AIGOOO IT'S REALLY HIM!"
"SO HANDSOME!"
Hye-jin peeked through the door crack.
Half the neighborhood aunties had already gathered outside.
Phones out.Selfies ready.
Rowoon smiled calmly, as if this happened every Tuesday.
"Let's meet on Sunday."
Hye-jin nodded tiredly.
The moment he walked out—
Chaos.
"AIGOO LOOK AT HIS SKIN!"
"PINCH HIS CHEEKS!"
"ONE PHOTO PLEASE!"
Hye-jin used the distraction to escape quietly with Se-Jun's shopping bag.
She headed toward the back side of Gyu-seok's house.
Then stopped.
An old cleaning lady was inside Se-Jun's room, sweeping the floor.
As she cleaned, a paper slipped from under the table.
"Hm?"
The woman picked it up curiously.
Hye-jin's eyes widened.
No way.
The old woman adjusted her glasses and read the title slowly.
"…Avengers?"
Hye-jin instantly shouted from outside—
"MRS. CHEOL!"
The woman jumped.
"Hye-jin?"
Hye-jin pointed randomly toward the street.
"Uncle is fighting with Mr. Kim again!"
The old woman gasped dramatically.
"OH MY GOD THAT MAN AGAIN?!"
She immediately dropped the mop and rushed outside.
The second she disappeared—
Hye-jin sprinted inside and grabbed the paper.
She looked at the cover.
"…He seriously named this 'Avengers'?"
A loose page slipped out.
Hye-jin bent down to pick it up—
Buzz.
A message from Se-Jun.
Se-Jun:I'm at Mr. Kim's house. Put the stuff inside the mud pot.
Hye-jin shoved the groceries under the table and hid the snacks carefully.
Then—
Footsteps.
A woman entered carrying food.
Mrs. Kim.
And in her hand—
THE PAPER.
Hye-jin's soul almost left her body.
Mrs. Kim squinted at the page.
"Hm…"
Hye-jin immediately rushed over.
"AUNTY!"
Mrs. Kim blinked.
"Hye-jin? What are you doing here?"
Hye-jin laughed nervously.
"I—I came to check the AC! It's so hot, right?"
"…There's no AC here."
"…Right."
Mrs. Kim casually placed the food on the table.
"This is for Il-sung. I'm in a hurry, okay bye!"
And before Hye-jin could stop her—
Mrs. Kim folded the paper and walked away with it.
"…Oh no."
CUT TO — Mr. Kim's Shop
Mrs. Kim burst inside dramatically.
"HONEY!"
Her husband looked up.
"What?"
She lowered her voice like she was leaking government secrets.
"I found something in the shaman's house…"
"…What?"
"There are hidden diamonds in this village."
"…WHAT?!"
She unfolded the paper proudly.
"Five legendary stones!"
"Stones?"
"Yes! Ancient treasure!"
"I saw the drawings with my own eyes!"
Back at the house—
Hye-jin looked at the missing page in horror.
It was Se-Jun's stupid drawing.
Thanos' Infinity Gauntlet.
With five glowing stones.
"…I'm going to kill him."
Outside—
The village had already descended into madness.
People digging.People searching fields.One man is checking inside flower pots.
Hye-jin stared in disbelief.
Her aunt ran past carrying a shovel.
"Aunty! What are you doing?!"
"No time! Search for the diamonds!"
"…WHAT diamonds?!"
Her aunt whispered dramatically—
"The ancient treasure…"
A pause.
"…Thanos."
Hye-jin's eye twitched.
"That's not—"
"SEARCH FIRST, TALK LATER!"
And the entire village began hunting for Marvel Cinematic Universe artifacts.