In the serene Korean countryside, solitary horse ranch owner Choi San is content to keep to himself-until his peaceful routine is disrupted by the arrival of his sophisticated new neighbor, Wooyoung. A former millionaire turned humble gardener, Wooy...
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✿˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆｡˚✿ ♡ 𝑾𝒐𝒐𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒈 𝑷𝑶𝑽 ♡ ✿˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆｡˚✿
From where I stood, the old house looked almost defiant in its dilapidation, a stark reminder of what had been neglected. The dark brown walls, once sturdy and inviting, now bore the quiet dignity of a structure weathered by time and memories. The long porch, our current project, stretched out like open arms waiting to be mended.
The morning was already heating up as Yeosang and I prepared to tackle the walls. They weren't old, just cloaked in years of grime that made them appear forlorn. Our task was to strip away the layers of dirt, to reveal the sturdy home still standing beneath.
"Hand me that scraper, will you?" Yeosang asked, nodding towards the tool bucket beside me. I passed it to him, and he began to chip away at a particularly stubborn patch of muck. The sun was climbing higher, its rays turning from gentle warmth to a searing command to respect the day's potential.
As Yeosang worked, I grabbed a brush and a bucket of soapy water, starting at the corner closest to the driveway. The suds slid down the panels, darkening the wood before dripping to the ground, carrying bits of the past with them. Each stroke of the brush felt like a small redemption, a way to make up for the time lost.
"You know," Yeosang began, his voice steady over the scrape and scrub of our work, "I never thought I'd see you back here, Wooyoung. Not after everything that went down."
I paused, the brush heavy in my hand. "Neither did I," I admitted. "But things change, and sometimes, you realize you've got unfinished business to take care of."
"Unfinished business," he echoed, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Is that what we're calling it?"
"It's one way to put it," I said, resuming my scrubbing. The dirt gave way under my efforts, revealing the richer, untouched wood beneath. "There's a lot I left behind, not just the house."
Yeosang nodded, understanding the subtext. "Well, for what it's worth, I think it's good you're here. This place needs you. Maybe you need it too."
I chuckled softly. "Maybe I do."
We worked in comfortable silence for a while, the only sounds the rhythmic scrubbing and the distant shouts of Jongho and Seonghwa as they wrestled with the new porch beams. The physicality of the work was grounding, a tangible connection to the land and my past.
As we rounded the side of the house, I could see San watching us from near the barn. His presence was a silent weight I felt constantly, challenging and questioning my return. I met his gaze for a moment, then turned back to the wall.
"Hey, Yeosang," I called over my shoulder, "ever feel like some people are just waiting for you to fail?"
"Sure," he replied, stepping back to assess a newly cleaned section. "But most are betting on you to succeed, even if they don't say it. And for the record, I'm not just here to help with the house. I'm here to make sure you don't give up."
