The Country Life Diary of a Gangster's Secretary - c15

This chapter is paid for by Mimzy! 

Hyeseong fell asleep and woke up in the rattling train. There was still about 20 minutes left until the destination. Rubbing his eyes, Hyeseong leaned his head against the window. Of all dreams, he dreamt about that time. Hyeseong closed his eyes tightly again. If that day hadn’t happened, he probably wouldn’t have such complicated feelings now.

 

“……”

 

As thoughts flooded in, Hyeseong slowly opened his closed eyes. It was raining outside the window, just like that day. Of course, he knew too. If that day hadn’t happened, the current him wouldn’t exist either. But now, even that had come to an end.

 

He had left Taesung Corporation. A place where he had spent 6 years. From his university days until now, he has been there as the Taesung gang became Taesung Corporation. Even though the time he spent at Taesung was much shorter than the time he hadn’t, those 6 years were his entire life.

 

He got to know Kwon Ihyeok and liked him. He gave up and was frustrated. And now he had completely left his side. They probably wouldn’t see each other anymore. Because he was far from Seoul. Moreover, he had chosen a completely different path, not just changing jobs.

 

“Seems like it will be a bit difficult.”

 

Hyeseong muttered quietly. Although he didn’t know exactly how it felt to break up after dating someone for 6 years, he thought it would feel like this. Of course, it was different in that his feelings were one-sided, not a relationship.

 

Still, it was a choice he made. After gaining a secret he couldn’t tell Ihyeok and learning he was an omega, he could no longer stay by his side.

 

Seo-in Station

 

A sign indicating the station began to appear and the train gradually stopped. Hyeseong, who had arrived, slowly got off. Since his luggage had already been sent, there wasn’t much to carry and get off with.

 

“It has changed a lot. Even here.”

 

Seo-in City was located on the outskirts of Gyeonggi-do, roughly an hour’s drive from Gangnam. Hyeseong left the station and headed to the bus stop in front. There was no big reason for choosing this place as his new home.

 

“Hyeseong, this is where mom and dad’s hometown is.”

 

This was where his parents were born and raised. They had lived here their entire lives, and Hyeseong was also born and raised in this area. Especially in this city, in the innermost part called a village, where there was still a village hall and elderly residents gathered, was his childhood home.

 

When he decided to return to farming, the first thing he pondered was where to set his residence. At first, his aunt had told him to come to the village where she was, so he was going to do that. However, the place where his aunt lived was in Gangwon-do, so it was unrealistic to move there quickly right away.

 

Above all, the reason Hyeseong chose to return to farming was to rest his body and mind, which were tired from the suddenly changed situation, and to lead a quiet daily life. In other words, he wanted to return to the countryside. Rather than actually farming, he wanted to come to the countryside and leisurely live a rural life.

 

When he said that, his aunt had spoken like this.

 

“Then how about your parents’ hometown? Seo-in City. The place where you lived as a child was also a rural area, right?”

 

When he heard those words, he felt like the path ahead was clear. Hyeseong got off the bus and took in the neighborhood that felt familiar yet a bit unfamiliar.

 

Myeongwol-myeon, Seo-in City. 

 

Hyeseong had returned here. While immersed in emotions, Hyeseong slowly turned on the map app as he adjusted his bag. Honestly, he didn’t have that many memories in this neighborhood. Because he had only lived here until his parents passed away, until elementary school. After that, he immediately followed his aunt to Seoul and lived there.

 

“It’s here.”

 

Had he walked for 5 minutes like that? A country house with a red roof and brick walls came into view. Hyeseong held his breath. It was exactly the same. The house that hadn’t changed one bit from when he and his parents lived there was welcoming him.

 

His father worked in construction, so he had said that he directly built this house before Hyeseong was born. After his parents passed away, his aunt and relatives were unable to manage this house. So when he heard that they had handed it over to someone else, he had even thrown a tantrum when he was young.

 

Asking why they were selling the house his father built to someone else, so at that immature age, he thought he would definitely succeed and make a lot of money to get this house back someday. But as he also grew older and the colors of his daily life here gradually faded, he completely forgot about this house and lived on.

 

He just suddenly wondered one day if that house was still doing well. So as soon as he set the goal of moving to Seo-in City, the first thing he did was find out if this house still existed and if he could live in it.

 

“Ah, you must be talking about the red-roofed house in that neighborhood! That house is still there. By the way, what incredible timing. It hasn’t been long, a few months ago. The elderly couple living in that house went to live with their children, so it came on the market.”

 

When he heard that from the real estate agent, Hyeseong was so surprised that he just gaped for a while. He couldn’t believe that house was still there. Moreover, it was on the market. It felt as if all of this was destiny.

 

So he said he would sign the contract right away without even seeing it. Hyeseong slowly entered the yard. The familiar green gate. The front yard where he used to play and splash around in a large basin filled with water on summer days. The persimmon tree was planted next to it. The jangdokdae (earthenware jar terrace) in the very back where his mother used to make jang (fermented sauces) as a hobby.

 

Nothing had changed and everything remained the same.

 

“……”

 

Hyeseong plopped down while pretending to wash his face. He thought he had forgotten because he was busy and worn down by time, but that wasn’t the case. Coming here, the memories that rapidly surfaced easily filled his mind.

 

Along with the faces of his parents whom he missed, what came to mind was Kwon Ihyeok’s face. His heart welled up at the numerous childhood memories that suddenly flooded in. Then he naturally missed him. It was really strange that he didn’t know Kwon Ihyeok when he lived here.

 

“Excuse me, young man?”

 

Then he heard the sound of someone opening the green gate and entering. Startled, he turned his head and saw an elderly lady with white hair entering with a kind smile.

 

“Ah, hello.”

 

Although he didn’t know who she was, he bowed his head for now.

 

“Are you perhaps the young man who newly moved into this house?”

 

“Yes. That’s right.”

 

“Oh my, I see. I’m the person who used to live here, ah, sorry for suddenly coming in.”

 

“No, it’s alright.”

 

“I moved to Haewon City where my son lives and put this house up for sale. You know, right? The area right next to here.”

 

“Yes.”

 

The elderly lady took a big look around the house with a kind smile.

 

“I grew so attached to this house. When I heard a young man who newly moved in was coming today, I came to see. I’m really meddlesome, aren’t I?”

 

Hyeseong waved his hands, saying that wasn’t the case.

 

“I still can’t forget the feeling when I first moved into this house. It was so pretty. So I left the interior and yard as is without changing anything. It might be a bit inconvenient for a young man to live in.”

 

Hyeseong and the elderly lady looked around the inside of the house and yard while chatting amicably. Hyeseong didn’t bother mentioning that his father had built this house. Because the elderly lady would have more memories and affection for this house than him.

 

“By the way, you moved all the way to this quiet rural village, young man?”

 

Before they knew it, Hyeseong and the elderly lady had come out to the front yard and were sitting in a small pavilion.

 

“Yes. I lived in Seoul for a long time but was so exhausted.”

 

“Oh my, work must have been very tiring.”

 

Hyeseong was silent for a moment. Honestly, the work wasn’t tiring. Using his brain, making plans, and such things suited him quite well.

 

“Well. Work wasn’t tiring, but……”

 

Then the elderly lady smiled slightly.

 

“Your heart was very hurt because of human relationships, right?”

 

They say you can’t ignore years of experience, is this what that refers to? Even though Hyeseong didn’t say it outright, she nodded as if she knew everything.

 

“Both love and friendship. Such human relationships are the most exhausting.”

 

“Yes. It seems so.”

 

“You must have been very hurt by people too, Hyeseong. I wonder what was the most difficult.”

 

Hyeseong smiled bitterly as he took in the setting sun.

 

“……For me, it’s love. As of today, I was completely heartbroken.”

This chapter is paid for by Mimzy!