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Chapter 14
By the time the police had finished filing the report, it was already late afternoon.
It turned out that the perpetrators had carried out similar scams in other areas and were already wanted. The landlord and the real estate agent were working together.
They primarily targeted villas or multi-family houses, which were cheaper than apartments. They rented properties short-term, posed as landlords, and carried out the deposit fraud.
The victims were generally people for whom even a small sum of money mattered, so the scammers lured them with the promise of a low price.
The police clicked their tongues.
“The total damage already exceeds 200 million won.”
“When they set out to deceive, it’s not easy to detect this kind of scam in advance.”
Watching Yeonsu sit in stunned silence, the officer offered sympathy.
“Will they catch them?”
“They’re wanted now, so eventually. But it’s difficult to get the money back from people like this.”
“…They’ve probably already spent it or hidden it somewhere.”
Yeonsu pressed her lips together, holding back the tears that threatened to spill.
Exiting the police station, she trudged back to what had almost been her home. Outside, the moving truck’s cargo still sat in front of the house.
[I know your situation is tough, but the transport fee still applies.]
A message from the driver reminded her. She sat beside her belongings and sent 50,000 won as payment. She glanced around. The green gate was closed, and laughter from children drifted over the fence.
Where should she go now?
The frustration and helplessness she had held back at the station finally erupted. Tears welled and streamed down her cheeks. She hugged her knees and sobbed, unable to hold back the quiet whimpers.
Suddenly, a pair of black shoes stopped in front of her.
“Ha Yeonsu?”
She lifted her tear-streaked eyes and saw Jinhyuk standing there. She quickly wiped her tears away.
“Executive, what brings you here?”
She tried to sound composed, but her appearance betrayed her. Her shoulders trembled, her sweat-and-dust-streaked training suit clung to her, and her loosely tied hair hung down beside her ears. The scattered large furniture outside gave a clear idea of what had happened.
“Is something wrong?”
His tone was dry, with a faint tinge of irritation.
At that moment, the gate opened, and a man came out carrying large trash bags.
“Miss, you can’t leave your belongings here.”
The man was stern but not cruel. He understood her plight but could not allow the cargo to remain in front of the house.
“I understand you’ve been scammed, but you still need to move your stuff. You can’t leave it here forever.”
“Sorry. I’ll clear it soon.”
Yeonsu bowed as the man shook his head and entered the house. In that brief moment, she caught a glimpse of the inside. The flowers that had drawn her to sign the contract radiated fragrance, and the orange sunset bathed the home in light. Tears returned to her eyes.
The gate slammed shut.
What had been her home—the place she had spent the weekend cleaning—was gone. Her pride and effort now lay on the street with nowhere to go. She lowered her head and clenched her fists. There was no one to vent her anger at; it was all her misfortune.
“Let’s move the stuff first.”
Jinhyuk spoke to the downcast Yeonsu. She slowly lifted her head.
“There’s a personal storage. Let’s put it there for now. Rain is forecast tonight, so if we leave it here, it’ll all get wet.”
“…Thank you.”
Yeonsu responded after a brief pause. Leaving her things there was not an option, and today they could not find an alternative.
“Is this all the luggage?”
Yeonsu remembered the belongings she had left at the supermarket.
“No, there’s more stored at the supermarket.”
Jinhyuk pulled out his phone and made a call.
“Assistant Director, please help move the items stored at Yong-ah Super in Yong-ah-dong. I’ll send the address by message.”
Yeonsu bowed her head in gratitude.
“Thank you. I’ll pick them up once we find a place.”
Her face showed no trace of vitality, still stunned from the day’s events.
“Do you have anywhere to stay tonight?”
Yeonsu’s eyes flickered. She couldn’t go to her parents in the countryside and didn’t want to trouble them. Visiting Suryun’s shrine was also impossible.
“Follow me.”
Jinhyuk read her situation at a glance.
“Where?”
“You need somewhere to stay, don’t you?”
Yeonsu initially tried to refuse.
“No, it’s fine. A few stops by bus, and there’s a boarding house.”
Jinhyuk’s calm insistence left her no room to decline. She nodded, exhausted from the day’s events.
As darkness fell, Jinhyuk’s car waited nearby. He drove skillfully through the alleyways. Streetlights flickered on, and the neighborhood seemed unusually beautiful. She had lost all her deposit at once and would soon leave this place.
Her phone rang.
-“Yeonsu, did you manage the move?”
“Yes, I did.”
It was her mother, Kyunghee. Hearing her voice brought a lump to her throat.
-“I should have helped you. Sorry you had to move alone.”
“No worries. We moved nearby anyway. It wasn’t much work.”
Yeonsu forced a bright tone despite holding back tears.
-“Why did you send so much money?”
She had sent 5 million won—the remaining deposit—to her mother. Her mother had gone back to the countryside in debt, and even though the house was free, it required many repairs.
-“You’ll need it too, Yeonsu. Thank you. I’ll use it well.”
The call ended, leaving silence in the car. Jinhyuk drove without speaking, understanding the rough situation.
The streets were fully dark. The neon lights glimmered, and Yeonsu closed her eyes, the exhaustion overwhelming her.
She had overexerted herself all weekend cleaning, barely slept in excitement for the move, and now faced the unforeseen disaster.
Tears had drained her strength. Slowly, she succumbed to sleep.
