Clover Days — Chapter 1

...UH.

IT'S GONE...

...IT'S GONE.

...MOM.

NOW, I PROMISE YOU.

IF YOU LISTEN WELL TO YOUR UNCLE,

MOM WILL COME PICK YOU UP SOON.

...WHEN ARE YOU COMING BACK?

YOU REMEMBER THAT WHITE CLOVER HILL WHERE YOU AND I PLAYED LAST TIME, RIGHT?

IF YOU FIND A FOUR-LEAF CLOVER THERE,

I'LL COME PICK YOU UP THEN.

UNDERSTAND?

HONEY, HAS THE OLDER BROTHER CONTACTED YOU?

OH, SERIOUSLY.

HERE WE GO AGAIN.

I'M SICK OF IT. I'M COMPLETELY SICK AND TIRED OF IT.

THE KID IS A MIDDLE SCHOOLER NOW. WHY DON'T YOU MARRY HER OFF WHILE YOU'RE AT IT?

IF YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE THE FACE TO VISIT, AT LEAST SHOW SOME BASIC SINCERITY.

DO YOU THINK SOMEONE JUST DIGS MONEY OUT OF THE GROUND TO RAISE A KID?

HEY, THE KID IS GOING TO HEAR YOU. CUT IT OUT.

CUT WHAT OUT. YOU ACT LIKE THAT, WHICH IS WHY YOU END UP TAKING CARE OF ALL YOUR SIBLINGS' MESSES.

YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE THE SPARE CASH TO FEED YOUR OWN WIFE AND KIDS, YET YOU'RE STICKING YOUR NOSE INTO EVERYONE ELSE'S BUSINESS~

OH, SHE'LL JUST MOVE OUT AND LIVE ON HER OWN ONCE SHE GRADUATES, CAN'T YOU EVEN WAIT THAT LONG?

YEAH, I CAN'T. I'VE PUT UP WITH IT UNTIL NOW, WHAT MORE AM I SUPPOSED TO TOLERATE?

THIS DAMN HOUSEHOLD IS ONLY GOING TO END WHEN I WALK OUT...

NOW I KNOW.

THAT MOM ISN’T COMING BACK.

THAT FINDING A FOUR-LEAF CLOVER WON’T CHANGE A THING.

EVEN SO, I ALWAYS END UP WALKING BACK TO THAT HILL.

EVEN NOW -

WITHOUT EVEN KNOWING

WHAT I'M SEARCHING FOR ANYMORE.

...NO WONDER IT WAS FREEZING.

I FELL ASLEEP BY THE WINDOW.

YOU DON'T NEED TO SEND MONEY ANY MORE.

EUN-SEO, LIVING IN SEOUL MUST BE TIGHT FOR YOU TOO,

DO YOU REALLY HAVE THE LUXURY TO WORRY ABOUT US?

NO, I'M JUST SAYING WE'VE DONE AS MUCH AS WE COULD FOR EACH OTHER.

DID I STARVE YOU, OR DID I BEAT YOU?

WE'RE MOVING INTO THE ELDEST'S PLACE ANYWAY, SO DON'T WORRY ABOUT US.

SO FROM NOW ON, CONTACT -

FOR THE FIRST TIME, I HAVE MY OWN HOME.

AS THE MONEY I USED TO SEND TO MY UNCLE'S PILED UP,

I SUPPOSE IT EVENTUALLY PAID OFF SOMEHOW.

EVER SINCE I BECAME AN ADULT, I'VE WORKED HARD AT ANY ODD JOB I COULD FIND.

NO HOBBIES TO SPEND MONEY ON,

NO FRIENDS,

NO FAMILY,

I NEED TO TURN THE HEATING UP A BIT MORE.

HAVING LIVED MY WHOLE LIFE WITH NOTHING,

EVEN WHEN SOMETHING OF MY OWN FINALLY APPEARS, IT DOESN'T FEEL QUITE REAL.

STILL,

I'M JUST AS UNEASY AS IF I WAS STANDING ON THIN ICE.

자임인베스트먼트 JAIM Investment & Development

MANAGER BAEK. I'M SORRY, BUT

COULD YOU GO ON A SUDDEN BUSINESS TRIP?

IT'S ABOUT THAT ECO-FRIENDLY RESORT PROJECT THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MENTIONED BEFORE.

WE NEED TO MOVE FAST AND SECURE THE LAND FIRST.

WASN'T THAT PROJECT SUPPOSED TO PROCEED ONLY AFTER REVIEWING THE SALES RATE FOR THE CURRENT OFFICETEL?

IS THERE SOME REASON YOU NEED TO PUSH AHEAD SO URGENTLY...

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

THIS IS THE CHAIRMAN'S PET PROJECT, AFTER ALL.

THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR GOT CHEWED OUT RECENTLY FOR SLOW PROGRESS, IT SEEMS.

I'VE ALREADY SPOKEN TO TEAM LEADER KIM, SO

GO WITH HIM.

YES, UNDERSTOOD.

SUNBAE DO-UN.

EUN-SEO?

THE COMPANION WAS YOU?

...THAT'S HOW IT TURNED OUT.

AREN'T YOU BUSY YOURSELF WITH THE MODEL HOUSE OPENING, SUNBAE?

...WELL, THAT'S TRUE, BUT

THE DEPARTMENT HEAD SAID IT WAS AN URGENT MATTER.

WE'RE BOTH SUFFERING, THEN.

SHALL WE GET GOING, THEN?

YEAH.

1km

WE NEED TO CHECK OUT ABOUT FIVE LOCATIONS,

THE CLOSEST ONE IS SINCHO-RI, ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF AWAY.

IT'LL BE IMPOSSIBLE TO LOOK AT ALL OF THEM TODAY.

MOST OF THEM PROBABLY HAVEN'T BEEN MAINTAINED, SO IT'LL TAKE EVEN LONGER TO INSPECT.

I SUPPOSE WE SHOULD BE THANKFUL IT'S AT LEAST WINTER.

IS THIS IT?

THE VILLAGE HEAD'S PLACE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AROUND HERE...

THAT LOOKS LIKE THE HOUSE.

EXCUSE ME.

I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU SOMETHING.

SIR?

WHAT BRINGS YOU HERE?

WE CAME TO SEE THE VILLAGE HEAD,

IS HE AROUND?

WHAT BRINGS YOU HERE?

I'M TEAM LEADER KIM DO-UN FROM JAIM INVESTMENT.

AND BESIDE ME IS MANAGER BAEK EUN-SEO.

WE SHOULD HAVE CONTACTED YOU IN ADVANCE FROM OUR SIDE RECENTLY.

IS THE VILLAGE HEAD CURRENTLY OUT?

I AM THE VILLAGE HEAD HERE,

CHU SEONG-HO.

AH!

I SEE.

MY APOLOGIES FOR THE LATE INTRODUCTION.

I DIDN’T EXPECT YOU TO BE SUCH A YOUNG MAN.

WELL, THAT HAPPENS FROM TIME TO TIME.

YOU CALLED SAYING YOU WANTED TO LOOK AROUND THE LAND.

LET’S GO.

MUST BE QUITE FAR FROM THE VILLAGE.

WE’LL EVEN NEED TO TAKE ROAD CONSTRUCTION INTO ACCOUNT HERE.

BESIDES, BEING THE DEAD OF WINTER,

THE SCENERY LOOKS EVEN MORE DESOLATE.

I WONDER IF THERE'S ANYTHING WORTH SEEING AROUND HERE.

HERE IT IS.

THIS IS,

THE LAND I MENTIONED.

CLOVER....

WOW-

THERE'S STILL SOME GREEN LEFT HERE.

IT'S MORE OPEN THAN I THOUGHT, SO THE VIEW ISN'T BAD EITHER.

WHAT DO YOU THINK, EUN-SEO?

EUN-SEO?

WOULD YOU COME OVER HERE AND TAKE A LOOK?

AH, YES!

PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER... BAEK EUN-SEO.

!!!!!

IT'S SLIPPERY BECAUSE OF THE SNOW, SO

PLEASE BE CAREFUL.

AH, YES...

THANK YOU.

FOR A MOMENT, THE BOUNDARY OF REALITY BLURRED.

IT FELT AS THOUGH A DREAM HAD CHASED AFTER REALITY TO SPEAK TO ME.

PERHAPS, THIS TIME REALLY,

I MIGHT JUST FIND WHAT I'VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR.