Midday Guest Chapter 40

“I wish either I or Young-ah could go up and finish it off quickly, but then I worry the utility pole might snap, so I can’t even dream of going up there.”

After assessing the physical builds of Oh Taesik and Ma Haeyoung, Yiwon nodded immediately. It seemed neither the utility pole nor the ladder would be able to withstand that kind of mass.

“Ugh, those idiots with no practical sense, I’ll just…”

Oh Taesik wore a menacing expression. The scar stretching from his temple to his cheek twitched unevenly. His face was so red that it seemed he might explode at any moment. Yiwon stepped forward quickly.

“I’ll try it. I just need to hang it at the very top, right?”

“Can you do it?”

“I do all the tree pruning at Haeundang myself, you know.”

“Resourceful, quite resourceful. Then you go over there and try hanging that thing.”

“Yes.”

Oh Taesik called down one of the employees who was hanging onto the utility pole. Then, Yiwon climbed up by stepping on the ladder and the utility pole in turn, and grasped the banner string.

“Mister, please check the position for me.”

“Right! Little Boss, pull it up a tiny bit!”

Yiwon moved using a gap exactly the size of a finger as his standard.

“Go a little bit more.”

“Just tell me when it’s level.”

“Okaay… oh, that’s it! Stop, stop!”

Yiwon immediately wound the string around a protrusion on the utility pole and tied a knot. Just in case, he used a box cutter he got from Oh Taesik to cut air holes into the banner. Seeing this, the employee hanging on the opposite side quick-wittedly followed suit.

“Wow, just by making one hole, that thing that was fluttering so noisily has settled right down.”

“Is there anything else you need me to check?”

“No. It’s absolutely perfect.”

Oh Taesik gave a thumbs-up from below. Ma Haeyoung took a photo of the nicely hung banner from the side.

“The Little Boss works well. You hung it spectacularly.”

“Really?”

“You worked hard since morning. Now scurry on down!”

Oh Taesik’s voice thundered through the entire downtown area.

It was while Yiwon was smiling, still hanging onto the utility pole. A second-floor window opened with a “clatter” and Cha Seokjoo appeared, his face scrunched up intensely.

Perhaps because it was the first time they had run into each other in a place like this, Yiwon felt strangely glad to see him. He smiled brightly and spoke.

“Hello.”

“Don’t give me that ‘Hello’ crap.”

“…Pardon?”

“Aren’t you coming down this instant?”

After coming down from the pole, Yiwon was called up along with Oh Taesik and Ma Haeyoung and got scolded.

Upon hearing Cha Seokjoo’s rebuke that they should have called a ladder truck, Oh Taesik and Ma Haeyoung kept their mouths shut. They looked like they wanted to offer some explanation, but they seemed to hesitate, unable to talk back to Cha Seokjoo.

Yiwon tried to assist them by saying that it costs 150,000 won just to rent a ladder truck once so there was no need, but he only received a glare for his effort. I’m going to get an earful. Just as he was bracing himself for a lecture, a knock sounded and the office door opened.

“Excuse me. Is this the Cheongun Construction Redevelopment Office?”

Oh Taesik asked with an expressionless face.

“Who are you.”

“Ah, well. I’m here for the catering…”

“What’s catering?”

It was a catering service employee. Yiwon whispered into Oh Taesik’s ear, “It’s a buffet,” and then Oh Taesik gave a wide grin, saying, “Ah, the food truck.”

The catering employee looked around the interior, scanning Cha Seokjoo, Oh Taesik, and Ma Haeyoung before his gaze finally landed on Yiwon. It was a desperate face.

“Uh, where should I prepare the food you ordered?”

Please let you be the person in charge. It was that kind of look, but unfortunately, there was nothing Yiwon could do for the employee.

“Come this way.”

“Thump, thump,” as the catering employee watched Ma Haeyoung approach, he forced his lips into a smile. His cheek was twitching.

The food was set up on the first floor.

Having been completely renovated for today with the glass doors thrown wide open, the first floor had shed its former bleak atmosphere and was newly refurbished.

Tables were set up along the walls, covered with table cloths, and food was brought out in succession. Boiled pork, ribs, bulgogi, chicken, salmon, flatfish, tuna, various salads, and even seasonal fruits filled the three sides without a single gap.

An altar for the ritual was also set up. In the center was a pig’s head, and steamed rice cakes with red beans, makgeolli, and a watermelon carved like a piece of art were also placed prominently.

While Oh Taesik and Ma Haeyoung prepared the table and organized today’s event, Cha Seokjoo went into interviews with members of the press who had arrived early.

Yiwon thought it might just be a formal procedure, but journalists were lining up to request interviews with Cha Seokjoo.

While someone missed their turn because they were taking pictures of the ritual altar, the media outlet next in line conducted their interview first, which even led to a timely scuffle.

Having only ever seen Cha Seokjoo lying in the across room or wandering the neighborhood, seeing him actually working felt awkward and strange.

It was fascinating. And honestly, he thought he looked a bit cool.

Yiwon, stealing glances at him, quietly slipped away. He intended to withdraw some cash from the bank at the entrance of the village to use during the ritual.

Arriving in front of the ATM, Yiwon fell into a dilemma. He thought for a long time about whether to withdraw 50,000 won, then decided to withdraw 100,000 won.

Thanks to Cha Seokjoo staying at Haeundang, he had managed to overcome several crises, and since everyone—both Cha Seokjoo and Yiwon—would be in a win-win situation if this project went well, he wanted to show that much sincerity.

By the time he returned, there were already several elderly people with plates piled high with food.

Gathered in small groups, people sat under the tents set up in the vacant lot across the street to eat. Conversations drifted back and forth: “Since Company 1 treats people well, they’ll build our village well too,” “Still, Company 2 wasn’t bad,” “Whether it’s Company 1 or 2, the one that gives the most compensation is the best.”

Employees, including Oh Taesik and Ma Haeyoung, were busy attending to the people, and Cha Seokjoo was in the middle of talking with visitors.

Yiwon approached the first floor of the building while fumbling with the two 50,000 won bills in his pocket. He tried to secretly slip the money onto the ritual table and leave, but in that split second, he was caught by Oh Taesik.

“Aie, that kid really doesn’t listen. I told you to come empty-handed.”

Oh Taesik, who scowled as if threatening him, complained about why he was doing it secretly when he should do it when the Director was looking. Then, saying he would deliver it properly later, he stroked the back of Yiwon’s head and handed him a plate.

“Eat 100,000 won worth of food, and pack up 200,000 won worth to take with you. Make sure to see my face before you head back. I’ll pack some side dishes for you.”

The plate became heavy in an instant. It felt like he had already piled up 100,000 won worth of meat alone.

Ultimately, Yiwon—who ended up with meat on one plate and vegetables and raw fish on the other as Oh Taesik served them out—quietly took a seat under the tent.

Gold leaf decorations were attached to the tuna sushi. It felt like food that was too high-end to eat on the streets of Yonggung-ri; it was just as he put a piece of sushi in his mouth with that thought.

A person approaching from the opposite side greeted him warmly.

“Yiwon, hi. It’s been a while.”

Mister Park the miller’s son, Park Junseo, smiled and offered a greeting.

“…Hello.”

“How have you been?”

“Yes, well…”

Yiwon gave a vague response with a bitter smile. Even though it was a long time ago, it wasn’t particularly pleasant to encounter a person who had a history of launching a “confession attack” that was notorious enough to stir up all of Yonggung-ri.

“Can I sit for a moment? I came alone too.”

“Yes, go ahead.”

“That’s good. I was going to eat quickly and leave because it was awkward eating alone.”

Park Junseo pulled out the chair opposite and sat down. The food piled on his plate was like a mountain. Should he have refused, saying he was finished and had to go? Yiwon’s own plate still had too much food left for that.

Raising his head, he saw Park Junseo staring at Yiwon with a dazed face. The hand fumbling for the fork hung limp, not looking like the hand of someone intending to eat.

“It’s amazing.”

“……”

“It’s been years since I’ve seen you, but it feels like I saw you yesterday.”

“Is that so.”

“Yeah, you really stayed the same. It seems only I was hit by the passage of time.”

Park Junseo laughed while munching on a rib. His cheeks looked ready to burst. Watching his lips glistening with grease, Yiwon lowered his head and silently surveyed his plate.

Counting how many pieces of food were left, Yiwon thought: One piece of boiled pork for a greeting, one spoonful of glass noodles for small talk, then swallow the remaining sushi without thinking and wash out my mouth with salad before I leave.

Yiwon brushed off Park Junseo’s pleasantries with a smile and focused on his meal.

The food was definitely delicious, but it felt strangely out of place in his mouth. He thought it would have tasted better if Park Junseo wasn’t there. It was a shame, but it couldn’t be helped. While he was thinking that, Park Junseo suddenly brought up the story of that day.

“Yiwon.

“Yes.”

“I saw that you sent condolence money.”

“…Ah.”

“I wanted to contact you to say thank you, but I couldn’t bring myself to step forward. I caused a big incident for you in the past… and after that, even though I knew clearly that my father was subtly bullying you, I felt ashamed that I couldn’t do anything for you. Just thinking of you again made my hands shake so much I couldn’t lift my face.”

“……”