"He has finally arrived" June excitedly announced across the breakfast table and although the statement lacked detail, her brother; Jimin knew exactly who she was talking about.
"They say he looks like us "she added and Jimin just rolled his eyes in reply.
The whole village had gossiped of little other than the arrival of the new owner of Hannam Hill; the grand stately home that neighboured Snow cottage; Jimin's humble abode.
Rumour had it, that Mr Jungkook Jeon, the new owner, may have some parentage from the far east and people could not wait to find out if it was true.
Jimin and his siblings also had mixed parentage. Their father, some twenty-odd years earlier, had ventured overseas, far across the silk road and had returned with a treasure much greater than porcelain or silk. He had found a beautiful wife from a small nation called Joseon, and in time she would bear 3 children, June, Jimin and Jenny.
"I'm sure we will find out all about him at the assembly ball this weekend" Jimin replied in disinterest of his sister's gossip, then continued to read the morning newspaper across the table.
June smiled secretly to herself as she buttered a piece of bread. Her brother may have taken on the role of head of the household and all the maturity that came with it, but underneath the seriousness, she knew the young master was as curious as anyone else.
The Park's had always been rich in family and friends and lived well in the community, but looking across the table at their young nephew, Tae. Jimin was reminded how much his family had dwindled over the last couple of years.
Young Tae was the son of his youngest sister Jenny, who had sadly passed away with her husband almost 9 months earlier, leaving the boy orphaned. Jimin's father had also passed the previous year. The losses had in turn, prompted his mother to embark on a journey to her homeland to visit her own ancestral kin.
The room that was once filled with faces now bore only three, June, young Tae and himself and he was immensely grateful for even that. Some days he sat alone, as June had married a sea captain and mostly lived by the coast, often taking guardianship of Tae. Fortunately for Jimin, his wonderful sister frequently visited Snow cottage whenever Captain Jin was at sea.
For all the social standing the Park's had within the village, it would be nothing compared to what would behold the new landlord of Hannam Hill.
That splendid hall was an architectural masterpiece, one of the grandest in the country, as were the landscaped gardens and mirror-still lake that surrounded it.
The Hall had been vacant a good long while and seemed such a cold place, as it loomed high over the county's hills and dales, casting its shadow on all below it. Jimin was happy to hear a family would finally occupy it once more. Hopefully even bring life and warmth back to its grandeur.