Chapter 3 – A Gust of Wind (Part 1)

‘Choi Dowook told you to hide. You can’t come out until he finds you. That’s how you win.’

In a daze, she was pulled into a closet by his older brother.

It was summer, the second vacation spent with Choi Dowook.

By the time she realized she was trapped, it was too late to get out. Even if she knocked on the closed closet door, there was no response. All she could see through the thin crack in the door was white wallpaper.

Still, up until then, Junhee thought it was no big deal. She thought Choi Dowook would soon appear with his annoying face and open the door.

He had tormented her with similar petty tricks last winter.

Making her fetch water, guard the soccer goal, do his homework, or eat the beans from mixed rice.

She thought today’s ordeal was just another one of those childish and lowly pranks.

The cunning Choi Dowook never crossed the line too far.

He would arbitrarily make Junhee his playmate, kick the ball around, make her play video games, and if Junhee lost, he would just smirk and boast.

Then during tutoring sessions, he would get frustrated and sulk alone if Junhee knew something he didn’t or scored higher than him.

‘Hey, I’m going to beat you someday.’

‘’I’ll beat you someday’, so stop acting cocky and don’t show off.’

He would growl and warn her, but after the tutoring session, he would drag her over and force her to hold the game controller. If she made a mistake in team play, he would scold her, and if he beat her in solo play, he would mock her.

So, Junhee thought that maybe Choi Dowook considered her his lackey. He treated her carelessly, like a servant, depending on his mood.

When he was in a bad mood for no reason, he would make absurd demands.

‘You look so dumb. Why are you so slow?’

She was used to being called a fool or a dullard, so it didn’t particularly hurt her feelings. She somewhat agreed. She was good at studying but had no dexterity. She had great physical strength from growing up in the countryside but was slow in her movements.

However, his absurd demands grew more peculiar over time. He told her not to talk to the employees at Heejeongwon without his permission. Not to look at his face. Not even to make eye contact. Not to step on his shadow.

He said she was unlucky. That she was rude. That she didn’t know manners. That her dialect was rustic. That she was ugly. The reasons for his absurd demands were varied.

It could have been upsetting, but Junhee just found it funny.

‘What are you looking at?’

‘Why are you just standing there blankly?’

‘Is it your first time seeing an IV drip?’

In the middle of scolding her, Dowook would cough. Even with a needle in his hand, he would glare sharply and give orders.

‘Damn it, get her out of here. Am I a monkey? Why is she standing there watching me? Isn’t she going to look away? Get her out. Get her out of here. Make her disappear from my sight, damn it!’

‘Young Master, you’ll hurt yourself if the IV comes out. Junhee, go back to your room. He won’t see you anymore, Young Master….’

Junhee walked away from his room leisurely, hearing those voices behind her. Even from a distance, she could faintly hear Choi Dowook’s tantrums.

Choi Dowook had a bad temper, loved soccer and basketball, but often fell ill.

Just yesterday, he had been kicking a ball around in the garden, teasing and laughing at Junhee. Suddenly, he would say he had a headache, that he had a fever, and lie in bed with an IV. Half a dozen employees would fuss around him.

He would throw tantrums at the fussing employees, even when he was sick. His already bad temper seemed to worsen when he was unwell.

Junhee found it amusing. She thought maybe he was being punished for having such a terrible temper. She thought it served him right, but when she heard he couldn’t eat a single spoonful or sleep because he was groaning in pain, she felt a little, just a little, sorry for him.

Maybe that’s why she couldn’t completely dislike Choi Dowook, despite how mean he was.

There was always a scent of incense in the annex where he stayed.

It was said to be incense brought by a very famous shaman, given to ensure the well-being and health of Dowook, who had been prone to illnesses since childhood. A shaman. To young Junhee, it was more of an unreal story than a scary one.

When she mentioned it during her nightly phone calls with her grandmother, her grandmother laughed, saying even rich people believed in such superstitions. She said children grew up sick, but rich people made a big deal out of nothing.

Whether it was just superstition or really effective, Choi Dowook often got sick but recovered quickly. He would appear in front of Junhee with a perfectly fine face, as if nothing had happened, asking her to block his ball.

Whatever the reason, Junhee liked the scent of burning leaves.

The scent clung to Dowook’s body, and whenever he passed by, there was a faint smell of wood. After he recovered from an illness, the scent seemed to cling even more strongly to him.

Maybe it was because she was enchanted by the scent, the garden, the pond, the trees, and the kind and beautiful people within. Young Junhee liked Heejeongwon. Among all the beautiful things, the one that caught her eye the most was Song Yeong-joo.

Song Yeong-joo had a soft voice, fair and delicate skin, downturned eyes, and a kind Seoul accent. She was always beautiful and gentle. She resembled the image of a mother Junhee had imagined.

Her mother was also from Seoul and had fair skin and downturned eyes. An elder in the village once said that Mr. Woo, her father, was very lucky to have married a woman who looked like a graceful princess. So, just like Song Yeong-joo.

Whenever she saw Song Yeong-joo, Junhee’s body would stiffen. Yet, she couldn’t take her eyes off her. She would blankly watch as Song Yeong-joo talked to Dowook, patted his head, or comforted him.

Song Yeong-joo bought Junhee pretty clothes and gifted her with lovely school supplies. She always smelled good and smiled kindly. She would ask Junhee what she wanted to eat, send her snacks, and sometimes ask about her well-being. She would say it would have been nice to have a daughter like Junhee and pat her head.

Junhee always stiffened in front of Song Yeong-joo. Yet, she wanted more of her touch. Song Yeong-joo had asked Junhee to take good care of her son.

So, Junhee blocked the ball as Dowook instructed.

The employees who took care of him would worry that he might fall sick again and begged him to stop playing and come inside. The more they begged, the more he kicked the ball around.

As the goalkeeper, Junhee blocked the ball appropriately. If she got lazy and let all his shots go into the goal, she would get scolded. If she blocked too many, she would also get scolded. So, she blocked some and let some through.

Then, feeling good, Choi Dowook would laugh confidently and show off his skills with the ball.

He would tell her to try copying him. He said he would give her a reward if she did it perfectly. He spoke arrogantly.

He never told her what the reward was. He always said whatever he wanted.

Junhee didn’t expect or care about any reward, but she played along appropriately. Of course, she couldn’t mimic his tricks, and the more she failed, the happier he seemed.

Childish brat. 

Junhee secretly mocked him.

The boy’s low-quality pranks were just about that level, so Junhee didn’t find the last winter vacation at Heejeongwon too bad.

The tutors at Heejeongwon were very skilled, and the materials they provided were definitely of high quality. From what she vaguely overheard, they spent tens of millions of won annually just on young Dowook’s tutoring fees.

Song Yeong-joo, who lost her first son in an unexpected accident, had a hard-won late child, the Young Master. They said Song Yeong-joo would do anything to make that Young Master the successor of Taesan Group.

These stories didn’t really resonate with Junhee.

Junhee simply enjoyed the delicious feasts prepared daily at Heejeongwon and found the items there fascinating. She liked the vast garden of the house, which looked like a village from a fairy tale in summer and a world inside a music box in winter. The occasional compliments and pocket money she received from the adults in the house also lifted her spirits.

Seeing the boy struggling and getting frustrated because of her made her feel a bit proud. The thought of beating such a precious and well-off prince-like boy.

That was why she answered her father’s offer to quit after the first vacation at Heejeongwon by saying she was fine.

So this time too, Junhee sat quietly in the closet, waiting for time to pass.

But no matter how long she waited, the door didn’t open. Sweat trickled down from her forehead to her neck and dripped onto the floor. Drip, drip, it kept falling. The closet was dark and hot. It was the last week of July. Gradually, Junhee started to feel scared.

It seemed like a long time had passed, so why hadn’t anyone come? Why did Choi Dowook even suggest playing hide-and-seek in the first place? In this summer heat. Maybe Choi Dowook and his brother had conspired to lock me up. If so, why?

Because the math tutor praised only Junhee yesterday. Because she lied about being sleepy to avoid playing soccer with Dowook. Because she didn’t help him with his English homework.

Because he overheard her call him a weakling Young Master. Because she ran away after calling him that. Because she didn’t open the door when he chased her and knocked.

For such petty reasons.