#31

“Oh dear, our Ji-hye’s father is so shy, what are we going to do? It’s really a big problem, a big problem.”

“Is it something that just happened overnight? That guy should teach him a bit. Who knows, he might get better if he learns.”

“Sure. If he were that kind of person, he would have gotten married a long time ago.”

The conversation shifted to the topic of men. The man, seemingly used to such discussions, replied bluntly, “Here we go again. Stop it. I can still hear you.”

“What was his name again? Tae-eun?”

“No. Tae-heun.”

“Tae-hoon?”

“Tae! Hun! The ‘hun’ as in trace!”

“What kind of name is that so difficult? Anyway, the city boy should take our Ji-hye’s father around and teach him some dating skills. It seems like he has some expertise in that area.”

Auntie, who looked the youngest among them with a large mole on her forehead, whispered secretly.

“I’ll try my best.”

Tae-heun winked at the man while looking at him. The man was hidden behind the melon vines and was not visible.

“By the way, it’s been a long time since someone from Seoul came to help.”

“That’s true.”

“I guess they don’t come for farming activities these days?”

Tae-heun asked, recalling how everyone used to rush to the countryside for farming activities during his university breaks.

“They come, but we don’t accept them.”

“Why not?”

“We used to work hard back in the day, but the kids these days don’t do anything.”

“The only thing they do when they come is drink and pass out.”

“And they flirt too.”

Unlike Tae-heun, who had to stop working to talk, everyone else was busy picking melons while chatting away.

At least they were talking, so Tae-heun felt alive and kept chatting with the aunties.

“By the way, I haven’t heard that this village is a widow village. Where have all the uncles gone? Only the ladies are out working?”

Tae-heun’s comment made the aunties laugh again. They expressed their exaggerated agreement, saying he was quite observant.

“If you’re a widow, it’s rather comfortable. If you have a burden like a mussel, you wouldn’t know how to handle it. Doing this kind of work makes you feel like your vitality is dropping.”

“After planting rice and sowing seeds a few times, they think they’ve done their part. Do they think money sprouts from the ground while the rice grows? You have to work to earn money. That’s our share. Plus, you have to prepare meals every time, do laundry, and what about cleaning?”

“Living alone is the most comfortable.”

Everyone grumbled.

“Oh dear, if you say that, what will happen to me and Ji-hye’s father?”

Amidst the noise, it seemed like the house owner, Mr. Jang, peeked out from a distance. He exchanged a few words with the aunties, playfully bickering before bursting into laughter again.

“Hey, young man, if it gets hot, have a cool barley tea. It would be a big deal if you get dehydrated.”

Mr. Jang advised Tae-heun.

“I’m fine!”

He shouted, but he was already feeling dizzy.

Tae-heun waited for the 10 AM snack time, picking melons at a slower pace than others. While the aunties and the man filled and emptied their baskets without pause, the pants he wore were becoming a hassle.

Though they were more comfortable than other pants, they were summer semi-formal wear and susceptible to sweat. Within less than two hours of work, his pants were soaked, clinging to his body and becoming one with his skin. As a result, the shape of his belongings was clearly visible without him even trying to show off.

The aunties giggled and made lewd jokes about Tae-heun’s belongings, and their wit was so sharp that even Tae-heun, known for his eloquence, found himself at a loss for words.

As it neared 10 AM, the house began to heat up even more. The man’s dark face turned red. Whenever he glanced over, it seemed like he was checking for any injuries, and he wiped his sweat with the towel around his neck without losing focus.

Finally, the long-awaited snack time arrived. Everyone put down their work and went outside the house. The sky was dark, as if it would rain at any moment. The heavy, humid air was not welcoming, but at least there was a breeze, making it feel a bit better. Everyone wiped their sweat with the towels they had brought and shook off their clothes.

Tae-heun took off his white t-shirt and wrung it out like laundry.

“Oh dear. The young man is really sweating.”

“He’s almost as good as Ji-hye’s father.”

“My goodness. I thought he was only pretty in the face, but his body is also quite beautiful. Who raised him to be so pretty?”

“Can I touch it just once? Oh my. It’s like a rock, a rock.”

“Is this your first time seeing a man’s body? Why are you ladies so excited and making a fuss?”

While Tae-heun was joking around with the aunties, Mr. Jang, who had come outside, slapped Tae-heun on the back.

“Stop joking around and eat. You were all dying while working, but look at you now, coming back to life as soon as you take a break.”

Mr. Jang shot a playful glare at Tae-heun.

Mr. Jang’s wife and mother-in-law set up a mat in the shade and called the workers over. Everyone, having squatted for a long time, patted their thighs and waists as they made their way over.

The meal was simple bibimbap, and two yellow enamel kettles filled with iced misutgaru and instant coffee were prepared for refreshments. Of course, there were melons too.

The man, seemingly unfazed by the heat, sat a little apart from the group, legs stretched out, eating his meal in a long-sleeved shirt. When Tae-heun, who was among the aunties, approached him with a bowl of rice, he glanced over briefly.

“Even dog poop would look more sincere than that. Do you really dislike having come to work so much?”

“That’s not it.”

“Then what is it?”

“The clothes….”

If we were to talk about embarrassment, would Tae-heun be the only one feeling it? The man chewed his food with a look that questioned why Tae-heun wore such clothes.

“Who would have thought I would be doing this kind of work? You said we would finish by 12:30, right? Do you want to go to town afterward? I was thinking of buying some clothes.”

“Why would you do that? I can lend you mine.”

“You don’t seem to have many clothes yourself. Let’s go buy one each. I’ll buy something for Ki-beom too.”

“No thanks. Why spend money on clothes for work?”

“Well, that’s because I only have one outfit to wear at home. Should I just walk around in my underwear in front of Ji-hye?”

At that remark, the man glared at Tae-heun.

“So let’s go.”

“…Yes.”

“You should have said that earlier. The food is delicious.”

Tae-heun smiled slightly and scooped a spoonful of rice into his mouth. They say food tastes like honey when you work for it, but perhaps because he was so tired, he found it hard to swallow. He barely managed to eat, just playing with the spoon before putting the bowl down.

Mr. Jang brought over melons and a kettle of instant coffee for the man and Tae-heun, taking a seat beside them.

“Why are you leaving food? Is it not to your taste?”

“No. I drank a bit too much yesterday, so I’m not feeling great.”

Tae-heun explained as he accepted the kettle.

“I guess you two drank together. Good for you. Young people should do that. Right?”

Mr. Jang looked at Tae-heun and the man with satisfaction. He then asked Tae-heun what he had come to Seoul for, whether he was married, and if he had children. Tae-heun answered the questions with a mix of half-truths and lies. The man, indifferent to the conversation, focused on eating, showing no interest. He was really quite stoic.

“By the way, I hear that the neighboring village is employing a lot of foreigners these days. Labor costs are cheap, and they work hard.”

Mr. Jang said while sipping his drink, whether it was instant coffee or misutgaru.

“Isn’t it inconvenient since they can’t communicate?”

The man, who had been silent until now, replied somewhat nonchalantly.

“That’s true. I only know ABCD in English, so even if they asked me to hire foreigners, I wouldn’t be able to.”

“Are they very cheap?”

Tae-heun interjected.

“Well, labor costs are low, but usually, they provide three meals a day and accommodation.”

“Well, then it’s a fair trade. And why would you trust foreigners in your house? Isn’t that right?”

“That’s true. They said you shouldn’t take in black-haired beasts, let alone foreigners.”

Mr. Jang’s words were met with a retort from his wife.

“You’re talking nonsense. In our village, we have Ji-hye’s father and the women here, so we can barely get through the harvest season, but in the neighboring village, all the young people have gone to the city, leaving only the elderly. There’s no one to work at all, so it’s a blessing that foreigners are coming in.”

Mr. Jang and the man nodded in agreement, realizing she wasn’t wrong.

“By the way, I hear there’s a youth association here. Why don’t I see the youth association members around?”

Tae-heun asked, recalling the youth association president and Kwon Yong-jun.

“They’re all busy working in their own fields. Except for the president and Yong-jun.”

“That’s nonsense.”

Mr. Jang’s wife poked him in the side.

“Why? Did I say something I shouldn’t have? The two youngest are just sitting around with their titles, so I’m annoyed.”

“They’re probably having fun. After all, all the fields in this village belong to Yong-jun, so why would he work?”

“Is that so? I guess Yong-jun’s family is quite wealthy?”

“Of course. Right now, they only have land in this village and the neighboring one, but decades ago, all the fields in Hwangmu-eup belonged to Yong-jun.”

Tae-heun recalled Kwon Yong-jun’s round face. Even though he drove a Damas, he wore the latest trendy clothes and had clearly spent money on his hairstyle.

“I thought the village chief was the richest in this village, but I guess not.”

He subtly inquired about the village chief.

“The village chief has some money, but he’s not rich. He sold most of the land he had when he married off his second son, so there’s hardly anything left. Honestly, it’s funny that he wears the village chief’s armband without having proper land.”

Once again, Mr. Jang’s wife jabbed him in the side, giving him a look. Mr. Jang reluctantly fell silent.