Please comment and vote★ Constructive criticism is invited! Welcome to the chaos! we start off nice and slow before we accelerate~ 💛
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CHAPTER 1
"Beginning" Arc
EP: ONE
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As you sit on the bench on your roof terrace and gaze at the faint little blocks of buildings engulfed in the early-morning haze from above, feel the breeze brush over your cheeks and whisper through your ears, you slowly sip on your half-frozen rice wine and munch on the ice crusts. Oh how therapeutic would it be to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and live your best life in this peaceful, hilly neighbourhood.
Well, that was what Yeosang dreamed of starting his day just like the older adults of Dongjak district, the place where he and his family of four reside, as well as people of neither rich nor poor. What makes its tranquillity remarkable was the fact that it was surrounded by the most metropolitan areas in Seoul: Seocho and Gangnam on its left, and Yongsan that was only separated by the Han river, with the famous Dongjak bridge connecting them.
Did he mention how it was only his imagination to get such leisure even if he had a roof terrace and rice wine? Now he did. Because you see... he couldn't remember the last time he had his me-time, probably in years.
You may be surprised but the reason why he wasn't flirty or thriving for someone who's just a few miles away from his thirties would normally be, was because of a child and two siblings that he had to raise.
Not to brag how each of the family members work hard every day but you could ask their neighbours and they'd answer for sure that they could rarely catch the Kang's gathered together in their house from nine to five.
Despite his child being his sole responsibility after the youngers have set out the wild journey called 'adulting' not too long ago, it was no less of a burden since he still couldn't afford to send his little fledgling to kindergarten - both age-wise and money-wise.
Having the role of a single parent, and an artisan-slash-gig singer as his career, Yeosang's day begins with eyebags and restlessness and ends with voice strains and scarred hands, and the cycle goes on for 365 days per year.
"Kids! Breakfast is ready! Tyun, can you bring my baby downstairs after you finish dressing her up?"
Yeosang turned his head and shouted to the stairway while his hands busied themselves on transferring the steaming rice to respective bowls from the cooker.
Even though their income was somewhat below par with that of an average middle-class family, nine of ten times did Yeosang manage to provide a full meal every morning. He hated to see his children wolfing down a sandwich, or a triangle kimbap, with a milk box from the convenience store along their way to work or school.
After the table was laid out two bowls per each side and one at the top seat, light stomping along the wooden material sounded from the stairway.
"Daddy!! Morning!"
Just when Yeosang spun around to place the kimchi stew pot at the middle, a cheery voice and a pair of tiny hands gently, but firmly wrapped around his legs with their owner being no other than his little princess.
"My, my... Let me see," Yeosang picked Jiu up. "Did our little one try on a new hairstyle today?" He nuzzled against his little one's nose as Jiu proudly showed off her pigtails tied with yellow ribbons of which the symmetry was a little off just enough to prove it was his brother's handiwork.
"Yes! Uncle did my hair today!" Yeosang's lips curled into a fond smile as he dragged out a chair to sit her down.
"I see~ It suits you well." Then he went back to the countertop to pick up the side dishes.
The 'drr' sound of the metal foot of a chair scraping against the vinyl tiles echoed through the kitchen, followed by a greeting:
"Morning, hyung."
"Morning, Tyun." Yeosang returned the greeting while distributing the dishes equally for everyone's reach before he sat himself down on the top seat. He grabbed his chopsticks and scissors and started cutting some meat into bite sizes for Jiu.
"Is our youngest up?"
"Just now. I had to wake that lazy bish up five times after her alarm went off. She'll be here in a minute." Taehyun rounded the dining table and came to the countertop to make himself a cup of instant coffee.
"C'mon, let her sleep. She's still on her vacation after all."
"Not when her godforsaken alarm screeching while she plans to sleep through half the day and expects me to turn it off for her. I had to." The middle child sat down at the table and started digging in the meal his brother prepared. After having two spoonfuls or so, he began hesitantly.
"So uh, hyung..."
"Yeah?"
"I have a shift today and... uh may get home a little late than usual. Since it takes half the day to get to Mapo and back." Eyebrow raised, Yeosang paused midway in taking the empty spoon out of his mouth.
"Hm? As far as I know, you don't have a job on the north of Hangang*. Care to elaborate a bit?" Taehyun gently cleared his throat after he swallowed a spoonful.
"I looked it up and there's a lot of construction sites in Hongdae. I thought of um, maybe looking for a job there." The brunet then took a sudden interest in the kimchi landing on top of his rice as if he hadn't seen or tasted it since birth.
"What? Why? Don't tell me you got fired from 7-eleven again." Yeosang then cringed at his own ridiculous thought of a fresh Marketing graduate running around under the sun with a wagon full of heavy loads.
"No, the store's fine. It's not about side gigs. It's- how do I put it..." The older waited patiently for Taehyun to speak despite curiosity and confusion piling up in his mind, supervising his toddler feed herself with training chopsticks. After struggling, Taehyun finally let out the words lingering on his mouth.
"I thought of changing my plans since I got rejected from yesterday's intervie-"
"What!? YOU WERE REJECTED??"
Much to Taehyun's dismay when he had to muster all his strength to phrase his failure in shame, only to be cut off with an overdramatic gasp and a piercing shriek.
They watched the owner of the shrilling voice, none other than their sister, with a wet towel hung on her shoulder, bang down the five hell of stairs and shimmy to the dining room.
"For goodness sake. When will you ever drop your over-the-top reactions even just for a day, flat chest! You're literally announcing my case to the whole neighbourhood." Taehyun spoke through gritted teeth as to refrain himself from swearing to keep the talk under PG.
"No! It's a part of my lifestyle. At least it was appropriate this time, for one. And two, I'm gonna be a bigger person and not cuss you in front of my niece for calling a 34c cup flat." Hyewoon flipped her black hair - that had random purple streaks - over her shoulder just to let Taehyun have the itch to stab her with his chopsticks.
"And three, what you just said, is it true? Or are you high on caffeine and in the mood to pull pranks at 8 AM?" Taehyun motioned to splash his steaming coffee at the younger - in a resemblance to what a nasty rich mother would do to her son's poor girlfriend in the movies - but tamed his urge to commit violence early in the morning.
Hyewoon on the other hand, had already kicked Taehyun on the shin under the table before she went on with a gesture of a wise old man stroking his long white beard, in her case, rubbing her smooth, hairless chin.
"Then what? We all know it's been like months since you graduated and started looking for a job. Why isn't there progress? Did you even put enough effort into your CV?"
Taehyun breathed through his nose loudly. "Look, you're in no place to talk, sophomore. I spent 72 hours on a freakin' resume, and I even used Yeonjun hyung's as a reference. But in the end, only to be rejected with the dumbest reason they could come up with. I don't even get why I spent 4 years of my life just to suffer like this."
"Hmm. Well, if it wasn't because of your CV, what was the problem?" Hyewoon reached out for the glass jar that sat at the center of the table.
"That's what I wanna know too." Yeosang also chimed in, even Jiu looked up with her curious doe eyes, albeit her young brain couldn't decipher what they were discussing.
Taehyun sighed before answering, short and blunt, just like himself.
"Work experience."
Hyewoon nearly choked on the water that was halfway down her throat as she gulped down in haste to vocalize a "what!" before throwing her hands up in the air.
"Are you serious! Did they expect that from someone fresh out of uni?" she exclaimed. "Nah. I'm not buying it. Something must've gone wrong in the in-person interview." Hyewoon shot Taehyun an incredulous look at the mention of 'going wrong'. Instead of splashing coffee, Taehyun threw an apple that he found on the table at his sister.
"Excuse you, I've been working on my speech since my final year. You think I'd fail 6 in a row that easily?" Yeosang pushed nearby utensils further away from Taehyun's reach just for safety measures before speaking.
"In that case, I think you should restart with a different approach. Like, getting some internship first since you didn't have the chance to do it when you were in college, right? Why not do it now? It's not that late yet." Taehyun slumped in his seat.
"I don't know, hyung... Post-grad internships take forever and the stipend is too low for the time they take. I'm not that patient to become a full-time employee. I must be settled as fast as possible to help you."
"No, Hyun. Let's be realistic. You'll struggle even more if you don't have the proper amount of experience in your hands. Am I right?" Hyewoon's eyes darted back and forth between her brothers as she blatantly scooped a spoonful of rice and meat from the brunet's bowl.
"So don't rush. Patience is the key to success, remember? Just keep that in mind and you'll be a full-time staff in no time." When Yeosang concluded his pep talk, Taehyun seemed to let go of his stubbornness with a meek smile.
"Alright. I'll consider it. But I doubt Yeonjun hyung would still want to help me after I've pestered him for three months straight."
Still munching on her apple after stealing others' food, Hyewoon piped up with a faked pout.
"Now that we're discussing jobs and careers and stuff, it makes me seem like I'm the only slacker here. I feel bad."
"Well, no offence," Taehyun stood up with his now-empty bowl, "but you do seem so."
"Hey! I had like, 6 classes and 3 shifts every other day for a whole year, okay? I'm just getting a break that I deserve." Hyewoon trailed along her brother with one hand holding fruit, and the other balancing a few emptied plates.
"What's the point of saying it then? Anyways, I'll get home later than the other days, and I can't look after Jiu like I'm supposed to."
The little girl looked up when her name was mentioned to see Taehyun casually tossing the dishcloth to his sister - implying that it was her turn to do the dishes.
"Speaking of which, I also need to go out. You know my flight's on Tuesday. And I still need to buy some stuff for before I start packing."
That was when the older siblings remembered that it was only about a week away before Hyewoon would start her second year at university. She had to return down under to have everything sorted for a whole academic year.
"Sure. You guys can do your thing. I'll take my child with me to the shop," Yeosang said.
"But I thought you have some special order to work on? Will it be okay to have Jiu around?" Taehyun's concerned tone caused the blond to think that the younger probably pictured his little playful niece bored out in the workroom while her father dives his nose into carving some decorative material.
"Yep. Wooyoung said he'd teach her how to dance while I worked on my order," Yeosang chuckled at Jiu who squealed in excitement, "so we'll be fine."
"If you say so." Taehyun shrugged and gulped down a glass of water to rinse the sour taste in his mouth caused by the coffee. Sliding the backpack onto his shoulder, he waved at the rest.
"Then I'm off! Wish me luck!"
"Bye! Have fun suffering!" Of course, Hyewoon didn't forget to shout the same thing she had been doing every time Taehyun left the house.
"Gaja, sweetie!" Yeosang picked his daughter up. "Woon, we're leaving! Don't forget to close the windows. And grab your keys before you lock the door."
"Yes sir! Gracias!"
The reminder may sound trivial but in fact, necessary to avoid the history last week repeating itself, which was, their preciously clumsy maknae forgetting to bring the keys with her and got locked out of the house, only to be rescued when Yeosang called the local locksmith.
The father grabbed the pink knitted beanie from the wall to put it on his daughter, fully buttoning her fluffy sweater as well since the spring breeze at eight a.m. was particularly chilly than any other time of day.
Yeosang held onto his baby's hand as they walked just in case she might get hurt when waddling on her little feet down the hill that led to the street on where his shop was.
On their way, Jiu would stare curiously at some kids around her age whose both hands were being held by two adults, assumingly their mom and dad. At those times, Yeosang would unconsciously clench his grasp on their intertwined hands more tightly as if in an effort to give his daughter the same warmth those children were having in their lucky hands.
"Why, hello, shopowner Kang. Going to your workshop early?"
Both of the father-daughter duo's gazes switched from a cheerful family passing by to the voice owner before them.
"Ah, Mrs Shim. Such a pleasant morning, isn't it?" Feigning the friendliest smile, Yeosang gave a bow to the lady near her fifties striding up to them.
Dressed in her typical fashion that could give anyone a headache just by catching a glimpse of those mismatch of patterns and colours and her rococo double necklace made out of beads, and an emerald Coach tote bag was squashed between her massive arm and bosom. The fashionable madam pretended to look up briefly.
"Quite. How's Jiu doing? Have you gotten her to kindergarten?" Jiu subtly retracted half her body behind her father's legs when the woman met eyes with her and her blinding gold tooth crown flashed in an attempt to win over a toddler's heart.
"Not yet, Ms Shim. But I'm preparing to." Yeosang gently caressed Jiu's soft, thin hair to give her wordless comfort.
"Wonderful. Because as you may know, a year has passed already since I gave you a loan. Don't you have paying off the doubled interests in your future plans, too?" Mrs Shim was still keeping her excessively tinted lips turned upward, but her condescending tone was the sheer opposite.
"I certainly have, if you give me some more time. You know how all of us in Ward 1, except you, have been scammed by those vishers last year. So I'm trying my best to-"
"Yes, yes. I'd love to hear about your problems, dear, but I have an appointment at the salon. Maybe next time when you have my money with you, so I could do something about that too."
"Of course. I'll combine last month's and this month's interest by the 25th. No more extensions afterwards," Yeosang pledged with a charming smile, secretly praying his flair to work on this steel-hearted, horrendous woman.
"Thank you. Just a reminder, shopowner Kang. Even though your father might have to be helped us in the past, you don't hold any more privileges than any other loanees. Good day." With a meaningful pat on the blond's shoulder, the woman walked past them and head to the opposite direction flamboyantly.
Mr and Mrs Shim, the infamous moneylender couple in the neighbourhood, and the only people who weren't a victim of a big, serial scam that occurred in their unfortunate ward not too long ago.
As far as Yeosang could remember from his childhood, the husband, Mr Shim, was a simple guy and a good friend of his father. However, after they moved to another district due to some reasons before moving back to Dongjak, things had changed.
Yeosang's father passed away while Mr Shim ended up with the bossiest woman in town, the monstrosity he just encountered.
The two families' relationship quickly turned to a bad fate in his generation ever since he had to take out a loan from the old hag as he was stranded with very few options during his intervals of hardships.
Truthfully, today wasn't even due of the monthly installment, but Mrs Shim would constantly "remind" him every time she saw his face, and it all started from that one time he made her wait for eleven days after the due date.
Eleven days.
Every time they exchange words, Yeosang was left triggered by the same last sentence Mrs Shim used on him. So irritating that he wanted to yell at her rouged face for how rude and ungrateful she was being - even if his father couldn't rise from death to be offended - but he swallowed his pride as not to make a scene, only to lose in the end once the woman's original form pop from her human vessel, the demon that his tender heart could never conquer.
A ten-minute stroll down the hill was enough to get to the market street where the atmosphere was busier as many shop owners prepare to start another new day.
Notwithstanding the street facing its back to a four-road junction, quietness lay within the small businesses that stretched out till the main intersection that led to the metropolitan area, like a separate paradise on its own. Small but fulfilling.
Whether night or day, this place had a sense of familiarity that he couldn't find anywhere, and Yeosang loved it here since he was around Jiu's age.
"Heyyy bitch!"
Jolted away from his short reminiscing, Yeosang didn't even have to look up to know the owner of the deafening voice. The man with certain curly, two-toned hair which was constantly tied into a ponytail, was ahead of them, much to Yeosang's dismay.
"What did I say about language in the baby's presence, Jung Wooyoung?" Yeosang gave Wooyoung a dirty look, which, per usual, was ignored as the loud male cooed at the little girl.
"Aww... our little Kang be pulling off thy mighty pigtails." Yeosang rolled his eyes at the silly phrasing, while Jiu bounced up and down.
"Youngie samchon*! Can you teach me the ponytail dance today?"
"Of course, babie. That's what I'm here for!" Wooyoung booped the child's nose before turning to her father and spoke in a discreet tone, which he was surprisingly capable of.
"Earlier, that was loan shark Shim, wasn't it? What shitload did she spurt this time?"
"Nothing new. Just her getting under my skin like she always does." Yeosang shrugged as he input the code to the metal chains securing the shop door handles and went inside, Wooyoung following close with Jiu in his hands.
"What a nasty ol' witch! Wish I could instead shove your remaining installment all at once into her mouth to shut her off. But I'm too broke to do that." Wooyoung sniffed sadly at the last statement, at which Yeosang just laughed.
"Alright. You two can play here. I'll be in my lab if you need anything." The blond informed the kids over his shoulder before lifting the plastic strips hanging from the doorway that led to his workroom, or 'lab' as he liked it to be called.
He went straight for the project that was taking him forever since nothing had ever been stressful than last week thanks to those double shifts his manager made him work during Seollal* week.
His client demanded a figurine made out of marble - specifically of a tiger prowling on top of rocky mountains - and requested it to be done by the third week of February, which means in less than twenty days, so he had his work cut out for him.
The order was somewhat important to him since the client bargained for double of the cost as compensation for all the detailed labour, plus the time he had to spend in his workshop more and less with his daughter.
Silence ruled the room as Yeosang settled on his work table and completely immersed himself in texturing the dry cast of the ferocious feline with the help of his magnifying glasses. The occasional interruption of an upbeat children's song coming from the display room balanced the still ambience of his lab.
A few hours had already passed by the time the questionable loft of white marble slowly transformed into the required shape after so many failed attempts thanks to his hand tremors.
Yeosang had yet to break his father's record in making the finest sculpture within a minimum of time, which later figured impossible when all he had was this failure of hands.
Come to think of it, he left his house without taking his morning dose of pills... Again.
Tired of his memory of a goldfish, Yeosang took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, hoping that his stupid brain wouldn't forget to take them when he gets home.
Just when he was giving a rest to his strained eyes for a while, Wooyoung came in.
Yeosang glanced at him for a moment and back to squinting his eyes to relieve muscle tensions when a pair of opened palms was shoved in front of his face with the following words being:
"I want my pay."
Baffled, he looked up, "What?"
"I just finished Jiu how to master the ponytail choreo, plus a bonus of how to memorize times table the easier way."
"Excuse you, my mother was a math teacher and I excel at times tables so I can teach my child by myself, thank you very much." The blond crossed his arms. "And I don't recall having a part-timer so, what pay are you talking about?"
"Technically I am kind of your part-timer." Wooyoung mumbled under his breath before he went on whining, "but c'mon, all I'm asking for is some Baskin Robbins. Dancing involves sweating and I need my cooling aid, ya know." Yeosang snickered at his friend's craving which he glossed up with a lame excuse.
"You, a hip-hop dancer, sweating from teaching some basic moves to a kid?"
"Shut up! You would never find this quality of a babysitter / dance teacher anywhere. Now, give me what I deserve," the loud male persisted.
"Fine. But if you're feeding my child that flavour hybrid of chocolate and toothpaste again, I will cut your dick in half with my chisel." Yeosang warned grimly before handing Wooyoung a couple of bucks from his wallet.
"First of all, its name is Mint Chocolate Chip, you ice-cream racist!" Wooyoung defended his favourite ice cream flavour, to which Yeosang simply whatever'd.
"Second, aren't you supposed to show up to Inception now?"
"What time is it?" Yeosang whipped out his phone.
"Half past eleven?! Crap! I'm late!" The blond shot up from his seat and put away his tools and the semi-finished figurine at the speed of light.
"Wooyoung, I entrust my baby to you. Keep her entertained till 3. Storybooks are stacked somewhere on the shelves. Also, keep her away from my work table, my oven and other likely hazards. Call me if something com-"
"Woah, woah. Just run along, man. Both Jiu and your shop are in good hands."
"Great! Then see ya in the evening, bitch!"
Yeosang quickly dropped by his house to change his clothes just in case before he mounted on his rusty bicycle and paddled all the way to his part-time workplace.
-to be continued-
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Thank you for bearing with me till the end of the very first, boring chapter
Endnotes:
*north of Hangang
aight this is gonna be deep since I used locations based on the geographical formation of districts in Seoul;
As you can see, hongdae is in Mapo-gu (or Mapo District), which is on the upper side of the Han river, unlike Dongjak-gu (where the Kang's residence is) or Gangnam-gu.
*Sunbae (선배) infml. - literally 'senior'. Anyone who entered an academic or work environment before you is your sunbae; the more formal way of addressing is adding the "-nim" (님) suffix to it
*Shopowner (w/ last name) - idk if it would sound weird to ya'll but in Korea, it is translated from "Kang Sajang (강사장)", and the lady simply called him that bc he runs a shop business.
*Samchon (삼촌) - translates to 'uncle'; specifically your dad's unmarried younger brother; can be used if the referred person is not blood-related but very close with your father
At this point, kdramas run in my blood, I'm sorry
*Seollal (설날) - Korean New Year based on the Lunar calendar, a national holiday that often falls sometime in January if I'm not wrong
*for non-atinys➡️ "Gaja" and "Yes sir, gracias" are references to the ✨best songs of the century✨ a.k.a Wonderland and THANXX, respectively
Please be patient, other characters are coming in a few chapters.
Anddd this is by far, the longest(?) chapter (legit 3900+) I've ever written in my life... when upcoming ones in my drafts are mostly 2500+ *cries in writer's block and procrastination*
still, only 2k of words aren't enough to describe our poor Sangie's life in this🥲