TGMC 07

chapter 07

Even if you had named it, it would have been similar.

I had some expectations.

Expectations for what, you ask?

YouTube views.

The video had come out that well.

I spoke in cat language, and the stray cat understood me, calmly getting into the apple box with her kittens.

It was the kind of video anyone would find astonishing.

Perhaps because of the high expectations, I even dreamed last night—something I never usually do.

In my dream, the video I posted got a million views in a single day, went viral on online communities, and TV stations were clamoring to have me appear.

But when I woke up in the morning and checked my phone…

There was only a single notification. One view.

And it was my own click.

“Of course.”

Becoming a YouTube star overnight didn’t happen.

A little disappointing, but I accepted it.

YouTube was just a hobby I’d pursue while living in the countryside.

It would be nice if it went well, but it didn’t matter if it didn’t.

Life had certainly become more relaxed after winning the lottery.

Eight zeros on my bank balance had that effect.

After closing YouTube, I checked my messages.

“Ah, it’s from my brother.”

A few days ago, the senior I met at the architectural office had sent me a message.

Minwoo. You’re moving today, right? Can I come along to check out the place?

Since I was heading down anyway, it would be perfect to go together.

Sure. Will you drive separately, or should I send you the address?
I’ll go in your car. I can take the train back.
Oh, okay. You know where my house is, right?
Yeah, I do. I’ll come right away.
Okay, bro.

After sending the reply, I loaded only my valuables and laptop into the trunk.

Shortly after, the moving crew arrived.

Working in pairs, they skillfully loaded the large items into the elevator and then into a one-ton truck.

The officetel had full options, so I only needed my body there, but once I started removing items, I realized I had more than I thought.

In the two years I had lived there, I had quietly accumulated quite a bit.

After quickly moving the items, the movers left, and I looked around the empty officetel.

It was about seven pyeong (23 square meters).

A place I had only slept in after work, yet standing there ready to leave felt strange.

“Take care,” I whispered as I let go of my attachment and left.

Shortly after, my brother arrived, and we headed toward our hometown.

As cheerful music played, he asked,

“How does it feel after quitting? Good, huh?”

“Of course. It’s amazing. Haha. Feels like a sickness I had is gone.”

Still, my health wasn’t great.

Frequent drinking, late-night eating habits…

My limbs were thin, my belly protruding.

With high cholesterol and fatty liver, diet and exercise were essential.

No matter how much money I had, it was useless without health.

I had to fix my body first.

“Let’s grab a quick meal at the rest stop on the way.”

“Sounds good.”

Driving down the highway, we talked about the remodeling plan.

“So you’re thinking of a private pension, right? With a jacuzzi, pool, and spa?”

“Yes, exactly.”

“Hm. Lately, there are a lot of ‘aesthetic’ pensions like that.”

“Also, I want the second floor to have large windows. It’d be perfect for the view.”

“No problem technically. The issue is the budget. If we’re not careful, the cost of the building might exceed the land cost.”

“What? What does that mean?”

“The building might cost more than the land itself.”

“That’s fine. I’m building it to live in anyway.”

“Oh, then it’s fine. If you plan to live there, a private house is better. Should’ve said so earlier.”

“Haha, you didn’t ask. Anyway, can you also check my mom’s restaurant while we’re at the site? I want to remodel both the restaurant and the second-floor house.”

He nodded without hesitation.

After stopping at a rest area for lunch, we continued to our hometown.

After a few days away, returning home felt refreshing.

We toured the abandoned house to be remodeled and looked out over the open sea behind it.

“The view here is amazing. You have to put up a pension here,” my brother said.

He was right.

The vast, blue sea stretched far and wide—a perfect place to heal the hearts of people exhausted from work.

Before checking the abandoned house, I visited my mother.

I introduced my brother first.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Han Wooseok, Minwoo’s senior from university.”

“Welcome. Have you had lunch?”

“Yes. Minwoo and I stopped at a rest area and ate.”

“Are you leaving today?”

“No. We’ll stay here tonight. Hope you don’t mind.”

“Don’t worry about it. Anything you like? I’ll make a nice dinner later.”

“I eat everything.”

Mom said she’d go shopping in town since we were special guests.

Meanwhile, I toured the restaurant with my brother.

“Hmm… everything’s a bit old. Tables and chairs too.”

Since Mom inherited the restaurant from Grandma, it had naturally aged.

There were many old-style floor tables, rare these days. Replacing them with regular tables would make it more comfortable.

The kitchen appliances were also mostly old and needed replacing.

I pointed to an empty second-floor room.

“You can sleep here tonight. Your luggage will come later, but it won’t be cramped.”

“Will you stay with Mom?”

“Yes. I haven’t lived with her for a while. I plan to stay with her temporarily.”

“Good idea. Before she gets worse, do everything she’s wanted to do or eat.”

My brother, having lost his mother during university, spoke emotionally.

I nodded, seeing his bittersweet expression.

“Yes. We’ll close the restaurant briefly during remodeling and take Mom on a trip abroad.”

“Where are you thinking of going?”

“It’s winter, so somewhere warm. Mom wants to go to New Zealand.”

“New Zealand?”

“Yes. I’m looking into a package tour.”

“Good thinking.”

We checked the second floor and backyard.

Mom had a small garden, planting vegetables herself, with a storage shed nearby.

“Jeomsuni,” I called, approaching the shed.

Meow.

The mother cat’s cry came from inside.

Three kittens wriggled in a box.

A few days ago they were tiny, but now they’d grown noticeably.

My brother’s eyes widened.

“Who are these? Does your mother raise them?”

“No. I found them in the abandoned house a few days ago and rescued them.”

“Rescued stray cats? Really?”

“Yes. I posted it on YouTube if you want to see.”

I logged in and saw the views were still just one.

Ah… the views weren’t going up.

After sharing the link with my brother, I looked around.

The kittens were wriggling, but the mother cat was nowhere to be seen.

She couldn’t have wandered far. Where was she?

Then Jeomsuni came running to the shed.

Her face had a dark patch that looked like a spot.

She saw us and quickly jumped into the apple box, pulling her kittens close while eyeing us cautiously.

She squinted at my brother suspiciously.

“Seems she’s wary of strangers. Let’s check the garden.”

“Right.”

We walked around the garden.

Mom planted lettuce, perilla, eggplant, peppers, cucumber, and pumpkins every spring.

It wasn’t very big, but could be expanded if needed.

“In summer, it’ll look great. Guests could pick their own vegetables for a barbecue. Nice touch.”

“Yeah, that’s a good idea.”

“My brother nodded. “You’ll be busy managing crops though. Farming takes a lot of work. But since you’re moving to the countryside, it’s fine.”

I nodded. That was the reason I moved here in the first place.

“Brother, how long will the remodeling take?”

“First we get permits, solve legal issues, demolish, and rebuild. At least five months.”

That was fine—just in time for the summer peak season.

“Open by April or May at the latest. Early guests spread the word, so summer bookings fill up.”

He went into the empty second-floor room to think about remodeling.

Meanwhile, I went to my grandmother’s house.

Bangul and Hoya weren’t in the shed, so they must be inside.

I found them.

[Really! They could understand us! Check when you come! You’ll believe it then!]

[Yes! Hoya isn’t lying. They could even see us!]

I heard them talking, though someone else seemed to have come to the grandmother’s house.

“Guys, I’m here.”

Bangul flew to me immediately.

[Sir! You’re here! I missed you!]

Hoya, on the other hand, just wagged his tail lazily.

“I came down as quickly as I could to see you. Everything okay?”

Bangul pointed to the ground.

[Sir. Do you see that one?]

I looked.

A creature resembling an armadillo spirit stared back at me.

When our eyes met, it curled up in surprise and started digging furiously.

‘Crazy… it’s Rammus?’

It resembled a champion from a game I used to play before getting a job.

Burrowing into the ground, only its stubby tail visible above.

I scratched my head. Another spirit like Bangul and Hoya, but seemed a bit lacking.

I asked Bangul.

“Who’s that?”

[That’s my friend, named Dumdum. He’s an earth spirit.]

Dumdum? What kind of name is that?

“I could have come up with a better one myself,” I muttered.

Hoya shook his head.

[You don’t even remember naming Jeomsuni, do you?]

“….”

Bangul chimed in.

[Even if you had named it, it would’ve been similar.]