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Chapter 13
Yeonsu quickly tried to clarify Madam Naju’s misunderstanding.
“It seems Haenam Construction has been selected as the developer. The executive came here because of that.”
However, her explanation did little to dispel the suspicion—it seemed to deepen it instead.
“Come to think of it, Yeonsu, you’re working with Haenam Construction too? Lucky timing.”
Yeonsu let out a faint sigh through her teeth at the meaningful smirk accompanying the remark.
“I’ll go inside first.”
It was pointless to argue further with someone so inclined to misunderstand. She decided to end the conversation and turned to go inside.
Once inside, a wave of unnecessary worry hit her. A few days later she would be moving, so she wouldn’t meet Madam Naju often. Her mother had gone to the countryside, so there would be even less chance of encounters. Yeonsu let the worry go and opened the windows to ventilate the apartment.
Yet outside, she saw Jinhyuk.
Even though she had seen his retreating figure, somehow he was now close by. She was captivated by his perfectly proportioned body and artistic features.
Jinhyuk tilted his head toward her, his brow slightly furrowed, as he looked up at the building.
Startled, Yeonsu hid herself and pressed a hand to her chest, taking a long breath.
“This is purely instinct. Just instinct.”
She muttered the explanation to herself.
The morning of the moving day arrived.
Due to cleaning and repairs, the move had been postponed to Monday, a day later than the originally planned weekend. The landlord returned the deposit before Yeonsu moved her belongings. Though 5 million won was held back to cover potential damages, the rest allowed her to clean and prepare the apartment.
The house had been in rough shape, so after cleaning and even doing the wallpaper herself, it looked quite tidy. Muscle soreness plagued her from the weekend’s labor, but the excitement of moving to a new home left her energized.
On the way to work, she hummed happily.
“Yeonsu, something good must have happened.”
“I’m moving to a new house today.”
“Ah, right. Taking the half-day today?”
“Yes. I’ll head there first.”
“Alright, move well.”
Her supervisor, Jin, watched her with a satisfied expression.
“Yeonsu is unlike other young people nowadays. She works well and is polite.”
By lunchtime, Yeonsu prepared to leave the office, undeterred by Kang Yeonsu’s sharp remark:
“Why take a half-day on such a busy Monday?”
Yeonsu ignored the comment and smiled warmly as she left.
“Kang Yeonsu, enjoy your lunch.”
Arriving at home, Yeonsu quickly began packing. Most belongings had gone with her parents to the countryside, leaving only the bed, desk, and refrigerator. She hired a one-ton moving truck and planned to carry the rest herself.
The truck arrived and loaded the large items quickly.
“Just place the items inside, please.”
Yeonsu handed over the address. Alone, she transferred the remaining boxes onto a borrowed cart.
Once the house was empty, Yeonsu surveyed it. Two years had been spent there. Not all memories were good, but securing employment with Haenam Construction and finding a nice house felt like a reward from this home. She locked the door and left the keys as agreed with the landlord.
As she began navigating the uphill path with the cart, her phone rang.
-“I’ve arrived, but is this the correct address?”
Her moving truck driver sounded confused.
“Yes, the red brick house with the green gate.”
-“Strange. There’s another moving truck here.”
Yeonsu’s voice trembled.
“Wait! I’ll call the real estate office and get back to you.”
She quickly dialed the agent, but the phone message was chilling:
-“The number you dialed is not in service. Please check and try again.”
Her heart sank. The number had worked perfectly when she received the keys after the weekend payment. She held the contract in her hand, trembling as she touched the landlord’s contact.
-“The number you dialed is not in service. Please check and try again.”
Even calling the landlord produced the same automated message. Panic surged through her. She left the cart at a nearby supermarket and rushed to the red brick house. Her heartbeat matched her sprint; her legs wobbled, nearly causing her to fall multiple times.
Upon reaching the house, a large moving truck was already parked. The driver who had helped her arrived, extinguishing his cigarette on the ground.
“Miss, I need to leave quickly.”
“Sorry, there must be some mistake. I’ll go inside and check.”
Inside, a middle-aged man overseeing the placement of items approached.
“Oh, good timing. I came to check too.”
Yeonsu calmly presented her contract. Her fear had been building since the real estate agent went silent.
At that moment, the real estate agent from the other side arrived.
“This is fraud.”
The agent examined her contract carefully.
“Impossible. I met the landlord in person at the agency.”
“See the registration number on the contract? That number doesn’t exist.”
Yeonsu’s face went pale as she struggled to stay composed.
“Then the landlord?”
“The personal details match, but the contact is wrong. Let’s try a video call.”
The call revealed the truth. The man on the phone was not the person she had met. The ID she had seen was an old, youthful photo. Thick magnifying glasses had masked the deception.
“Someone used my ID? Who did this?”
The real landlord’s booming voice came through the speakerphone, and Yeonsu collapsed, powerless in the face of the fraud.
The ominous feeling she had ignored all along had been correct.
