AC! – Chapter 5

A high-performance fan whirred loudly as it spun.

Fresh out of the shower with a towel twisted around her head, Sowon crouched in front of her suitcase and stared blankly around the room.

Had this been used as a study? The living room wall of the detached annex—complete with one bedroom, a narrow kitchen, and a bathroom—was packed floor to ceiling with books.

A flicker of guilt rose at the thought that she might have taken over someone’s hobby space, but he had been the one not to refuse her. She quickly shoved aside the pointless thought. She didn’t have the capacity to worry about someone else right now.

Lowering her gaze to the utterly chaotic suitcase again, Sowon let out a long sigh.

It was stuffed to the brim with clothes, shoes, and cosmetics, yet somehow not a single thing she actually needed for daily life.

“Who would’ve thought it’d turn out like this.”

In any case, her plans had been completely wrecked. If everything had gone as scheduled, she would’ve been moving into her newly finished house by now, unpacking her things and then heading into town in a good mood to buy groceries.

“To think I’d end up a flood victim.”

She had managed to make do with the few toiletries she’d packed in a pouch for the shower, but that wasn’t the real problem. Even if she caught the village bus early tomorrow morning to buy necessities…

“Is there anything to eat right now?”

She turned her head toward the kitchen. There was a refrigerator, but it was unplugged.

She hadn’t eaten anything since last night. Thunder rumbled in her stomach, and at this rate she’d have to go another day hungry.

“I guess…I have to go grocery shopping.”

Begging that man for a meal too would be shameless. She would figure something out on her own.

How would she get to town? What time did the village bus run again? Just as she was about to check the bus app, a loud clunk echoed from outside.

Sowon walked over to the wide window and pulled the curtain aside. Looking out, she saw Kangjun loading something into the trunk of his Porter.

Was he heading out? If he was going into town, asking for a ride wouldn’t be too much of a nuisance, would it? In a hurry, she jammed her sneakers on at the entrance and rushed out into the yard.

Kangjun’s clothes were hanging on the clothesline. Her eyes widened as she fixed her gaze on the yellowed T-shirt flapping in the wind.

Looks like the color won’t wash out…

She stared at the laundry with a complicated expression until she heard the sound of Kangjun climbing into the Porter. Only then did she snap back to her senses.

“Excuse me!”

Hurrying over in quick steps, she grabbed onto the half-open window of the Porter.

“Um, are you heading somewhere?”

“To the hardware store.”

“Where’s the hardware store… If it’s in town, could I come too? I’ll stay quiet like luggage.”

“You’re going like that?”

Kangjun, who had just started the engine, looked at her standing there gripping the window as though she were some peculiar creature.

“Yes. We can leave just like this.”

His gaze slowly swept over the top of her head.

“That’s a unique fashion choice.”

“Ah.”

Only then did Sowon raise her hand to her head. Feeling the towel still wrapped there, she hurriedly pulled it off and gave an awkward laugh.

“Ahaha… Then, excuse me.”

—

Once they left the village, a narrow, winding farm road stretched out ahead of the Porter.

Perhaps thanks to Kangjun’s driving skills, the Porter rattled but moved forward fairly steadily.

The real challenge began shortly after. Before long, a sedan came speeding straight toward them from the opposite direction. Kangjun must have seen it, yet he didn’t hit the brakes—he didn’t even slow down. Remembering what had happened earlier, Sowon whipped her head toward him.

“What are you doing! Do you want to end up in a rice paddy again?”

To make matters worse, the other car didn’t seem to have any intention of yielding either. Horrified, Sowon clutched the handle on the door.

I should’ve just stayed home. It’s not like I’d die from skipping a few meals. If it got too hard, I could’ve gone to the village hall and asked for food.

Her thoughts spiraled as she squeezed her eyes shut, but even after several long moments, there was no crash—no impact, no pain. Only the rattling vibration of the vehicle trembled through the seat. Carefully, she cracked one eye open.

Spread out before her was a wide two-lane road.

The blue Porter sliced through the wind, and a cool breeze brushed across her face through the half-open window.

Turning back, she saw the sedan shrinking into a tiny dot in the distance.

…So it was true.

“Luggage that talks, huh? Quite the sightseeing experience?”

As she blinked slowly, Kangjun—still watching the road ahead—spoke in a teasing tone.

His earlier remark—that if she’d stayed still, they would’ve passed just fine—hadn’t been a bluff or an excuse.

Belatedly ashamed, Sowon clamped her mouth shut and bowed her head.

There was no greater nuisance than this. She had taken up the man’s time, ruined his clothes, and even intruded into his house.

“Haah…”

Had she ever been this rude to someone before?

She had never intended to let things slide in the first place, but now that it had come to this, properly compensating him seemed like the only way to ease the discomfort in her chest.

After hesitating, Sowon carefully opened her mouth.

“I’d like to treat you to dinner tonight, if that’s alright. I think both of us have quite a lot to talk about.”

“Everything closes by five around here.”

“Oh, really? What should we do… Then maybe I could cook, I could cook something?”

Kangjun turned the steering wheel and took a left, glancing at her.

“You don’t have to go that far—”

“No, please let me treat you. What do you like? Is there anything you don’t eat?”

When she asked with genuine eyes, he answered, slightly flustered,

“Nothing in particular.”

“Then I’ll prepare something I’m good at.”

Feeling much more at ease, Sowon smiled in satisfaction and looked forward.

In the meantime, the Porter passed a bus stop guarded by an old, faded sign, then a few aging tile-roofed houses. The lush green scenery outside the window gradually gave way to scattered storefront signs—supermarkets, a hardware store, a laundromat—lining the roadside.

They had reached town.

“Then I’ll contact you.”

After exchanging numbers with Kangjun, Sowon got off in front of the mart and hurried inside. He said he’d be done with his errand within an hour, so she needed to shop quickly.

The mart was larger than she’d expected. Walking briskly, she organized a mental list of what to buy: spices, vegetables, towels, toiletries, disposable plates and cups, cutlery… Preparing for the possibility that she wouldn’t be able to come out again anytime soon, she kept tossing items into the cart until it was full.

Her hurried steps slowed in front of the clothing section on the way to the checkout.

A row of white short-sleeve T-shirts hung neatly in line, and the image of Kangjun’s yellowed T-shirt flapping on the clothesline overlapped in her mind.

After a brief hesitation, she walked slowly toward the rack. A staff member approached her with a bright smile.

“These breathe real well, and they’re on a one-plus-one deal right now.”

The voice sounded professional yet slightly excited, as if reciting a memorized script.

Are they good enough…? No, if I’m buying it, I should get the best one.

Sowon touched each T-shirt hanging on the rack one by one. In the end, she chose the very one the employee had first recommended.

As she finished paying for the groceries and the T-shirts and stepped outside, her phone rang.

Perfect timing. She answered the call.

“Yes, I’m done shopping. I’m heading to the parking lot now. Yes.”

Passing through the entrance and toward the parking lot, she spotted the waiting Porter in the distance.

Sowon glanced into the paper bag wobbling atop the cart. Two neatly folded T-shirts peeked out.

A satisfied smile spread across her face, and her steps quickened.

***

Songhwa Village had stepped squarely into the heart of summer, yet even nearing seven in the evening, it was as bright as midday.

Thanks to the relentless sun shining all day long, the clothes on the line had dried stiff and crisp.

Carrying a pot of sundubu-jjigae¹ toward the main house, Sowon slowed her steps.

Perhaps it was the fresh scent, but she found herself looking more closely at the T-shirt hanging there.

The material looked better than she’d expected.

Though the color had faded unevenly and left stains, it definitely carried the air of a brand.

“Where’s this from?”

It was just a plain white T-shirt, but just in case, she stepped closer to the clothesline and checked the tag inside. It probably wasn’t anything special, but if it was a recognizable brand, this wasn’t something she could just replace with a one-plus-one mart deal.

Then again, how expensive could a T-shirt be for farming work?

In that instant, Sowon’s expression froze solid.

“…What?”