Psst! We're moving!
“Ah, hello.”
Hae-in quickly masked her surprise and greeted the caller as calmly as possible. Though she tried to sound composed, her trembling lips betrayed her unease. Dealing with her mother-in-law was already daunting—let alone her grandmother-in-law.
Clinging the phone tightly to her ear, Hae-in waited for the next words from Chairman Park.
-Did I startle you? There’s nothing happening in this household that escapes my notice.
She didn’t know how much the chairman knew, but the timing of the call sent chills down her spine.
A new phone, a changed number, and barely five minutes since Soo-hyun had left—everything felt eerily calculated.
Had it been naive to think she could maintain balance between Chairman Park and Soo-hyun by staying well-behaved? The realization hit her now: these people were far from ordinary. They operated on levels she couldn’t fathom, watching everything unfold from heights unimaginable to her.
-I see you’re surprised. Ha ha ha!
Chairman Park’s laughter echoed chillingly through the line. After a long bout of cackling, she finally spoke again.
-Come to the main house tomorrow. A car will be waiting outside your place early in the morning. Be there promptly.
The inevitable had arrived.
If Director Seok had contacted her instead, she might have negotiated or devised a plan. But with Chairman Park issuing a direct order, there was no room for excuses.
“Yes, I understand. What time should I arrive?”
For now, she adopted an obedient tone, playing along with the chairwoman’s demands.
From what she’d observed, defying Chairman Park wasn’t wise. She seemed to enjoy tormenting others while observing their reactions—a trait Hae-in had noted during their first meeting at the family gathering.
-The car will be ready by 5 a.m., but that doesn’t mean you need to come then. You understand, don’t you?
“Yes, Chairwoman. I’ll make sure to arrive early.”
Should she wait outside before the car even arrived?
As Hae-in processed the instructions, one thing became clear: if this woman monitored every movement within the household, her actions would undoubtedly be scrutinized thoroughly.
-Haha! That’s up to you. See you tomorrow.
“Yes, take care...”
Before Hae-in could finish her polite farewell, Chairman Park ended the call with a burst of laughter. The screen went dark, leaving Hae-in staring blankly at the lifeless display.
Her fingers instinctively slid over the screen, opening the contacts list. At the very top was Soo-hyun’s number.
Rrrr.
-What is it?
He answered almost immediately. Hae-in relayed the details of Chairman Park’s call and the directive to visit the main house the following day.
This was the best course of action under the circumstances.
Being completely transparent with Soo-hyun was crucial. If avoidance wasn’t an option, facing things head-on was the only way forward. More importantly, she needed to reinforce her promise: I am on your side.
-...Hmph. Changing numbers didn’t help after all.
Soo-hyun muttered something cryptic under his breath before responding indifferently.
-Fine. Go ahead and visit.
His calm demeanor contrasted sharply with his usual overreaction whenever Chairman Park came up. Perhaps he had anticipated this development.
“I’m not worried. I’ll tell her I’m doing fine and avoid talking about anything else.”
-Know what you’re doing.
“Have a safe trip.”
Click.
It seemed this family had a habit of cutting off conversations abruptly once business was concluded.
Hae-in stared at the disconnected call screen, feeling both exasperated and lonely. She craved warmth, some semblance of affection.
Overwhelmed by creeping melancholy, she shook her head slowly. On impulse, she opened the photo gallery on her new phone, only to find it empty.
Her old phone had been filled with memories—family chats, group conversations, photos—but none of that remained here.
With practiced ease, her fingers moved across the keypad, dialing her mother’s number without hesitation. The digits flowed naturally, as though imprinted in her muscle memory.
It had been nearly two weeks since their last connection.
-Hello?
Though the number wouldn’t be saved, thankfully, her mother picked up immediately. Hearing her mother’s voice tightened Hae-in’s chest, making speech difficult.
-Hello? Who is this?
“...Mom. It’s me.”
-Hae-in? Is that really you?
“Yes.”
-Hae-in! Oh, Hae-in… Hae-in…
Her mother repeated her name over and over, unable to continue. The silence that followed carried more weight than any words could. Hae-in swallowed hard, struggling to steady herself.
-I was so worried when your calls stopped coming through. Your number suddenly showed as invalid.
After a long pause, her mother spoke softly. Hae-in nodded absentmindedly, though her mother couldn’t see her.
There was something uniquely heartbreaking about her mother’s voice—it brought tears to her eyes.
“Mom, I think I can visit Eunwidong in a few days.”
-Really? When? Come soon.
“Yes. I want to visit tomorrow, but I have to go to the main house first.”
-The main house? Why?
The concern in her mother’s voice warmed Hae-in’s heart. She closed her eyes, letting the comfort wash over her.
It hadn’t been months or years since she last saw her family, yet the longing felt overwhelming, like a refugee yearning for home after decades apart.
Perhaps waking up and sleeping elsewhere wasn’t as simple as she’d thought.
“The Chairwoman summoned me. This will be my first visit.”
-So what have you been doing until now?
“Staying at home. With Sunbae.”
-With him?
Her mother’s tone softened, understanding implicitly that newlyweds spent their time together. Hae-in felt relieved.
“Yes, just us. Mom, I’ll call you again later. Save this number.”
-Alright. I feel much better now knowing you’re okay.
Ending the call brought a sense of relief. She wasn’t alone in this world; her family was still with her.
Family.
Yes, she had her family.
‘First, I need to wake up at 3 a.m. tomorrow.’
Hae-in headed to the walk-in closet to pick out something suitable for her visit to the main house.
________________________________________
The next morning, 4:30 a.m.
Dressed neatly, Hae-in stood by the front door. Though late September still carried hints of summer, a slight chill in the air signaled the changing season.
As she paced nervously, a black sedan pulled up shortly after.
Director Seok stepped out of the driver’s seat. Even at this early hour, his impeccably tailored suit left nothing to criticize.
She wondered why someone of his rank—an executive-level position—would personally handle such errands. Still, seeing a familiar face brought some comfort.
“Yes, I woke up early because I was nervous about the summons.”
“Hmm.”
Instead of opening the rear door immediately, Director Seok paused, then approached her.
“You have some time before we leave. May I speak with you briefly?”
“Yes, go ahead.”
Lowering his voice, he began speaking softly.
“Now that you’re part of the main household, there are a few things you should know.”
What he shared baffled Hae-in. He explained that Chairman Park—and the rest of the extended family embroiled in power struggles—often spied on each other, employing people to eavesdrop and gather information.
Naturally, Chairman Park had the most extensive network. Attempting to deceive her would be futile.
“Inevitably, situations will arise where you’ll find yourself caught between Mr. Jung and Chairman Park. Difficult choices lie ahead.”
“It’s already proving challenging.”
“For starters, save my number again.”
He casually reiterated his contact information, clearly aware that her phone had been replaced.
“Let’s focus on today. I’ll share a bit about Chairman Park.”
Hae-in listened attentively, sensing that missing even a single detail could prove costly.
“Chairman Park has lost several close family members. As a result, she holds many irrational beliefs—superstitions, if you will—that deviate from common sense…”
“Superstitions?”
“If you want to put it that way, yes.”
Park Yoon-hwa’s unparalleled business acumen was legendary.
Born as the sole daughter of the founding chairman, she possessed abilities surpassing those of men in a male-dominated society, building Taesung into a colossal conglomerate. Yet, outside of work, she harbored deeply irrational beliefs, clinging to them with unwavering conviction.
“It may take time to fully grasp certain aspects, but showing respect for these beliefs will serve you well. Shall we get going?”
Director Seok’s appearance this morning made sense now. Once seated in the car, he refrained from discussing Chairman Park or the Taesung family further.
Was the car bugged?
Hae-in began to internalize the surreal reality of his words. Upon arriving at the main house, details she had overlooked before suddenly came into sharp focus.
Just before 6 a.m.
Stepping out onto the estate, the sprawling mountains behind Pyeongchang-dong revealed themselves—a testament to meticulous feng shui considerations.
Early-rising staff bustled around, tidying up the house. Odd behaviors caught her eye.
“Why are people sprinkling water everywhere this early?”
Walking toward the inner quarters, Hae-in asked Director Seok absently.
“Chairman Park believes her fire and wood elements are strong, so she feels the need to supplement water energy…”
He trailed off with a sigh. Even someone who had worked closely with Chairman Park for years found parts of her incomprehensible.
Everywhere, decorative items and vessels filled with water were prominently displayed. The central courtyard featured a large pond teeming with fish, and framed paintings of schools of fish adorned the walls.
Faint memories of superstitions and feng shui principles surfaced in her mind.
Viewing the house through this lens, the atmosphere grew suffocating.
Nothing in the house was placed arbitrarily—everything held purpose and meaning. Every small detail carried significance.
“By the way, Chairman Park requested that you prepare breakfast yourself.”
Director Seok stopped in front of the bustling kitchen.
“Me? Prepare breakfast?”
Expecting some task, Hae-in was taken aback by the unexpected request.