𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐈. the encounter

The crisp air and soft hums from the air conditioner filled the hospital room, and Shin Hae-un was sitting next to her younger sister, Shin Ga-young. Ga-young was weak ,her face was pale and drawn, with dark circles under her eyes that seemed to sag with exhaustion as if life was sucked out of her.

Hae-un looked worried. She gently held her fragile hand, and a few tears streamed down her face. At twenty-seven, Hae-un had mastered the art of smiling through exhaustion. Today, though, her smile wavered.

Ga-Young looked at Hae-un, who was tearing up , "Unnie, don't cry. I'll survive and become strong!". Hae-un smiled at Ga-young, who was grinning back at her.

"Oh Ga-Young," Hae-un said and then hugged her. It was a comforting embrace that melted away Hae-Un's worries, feeling the weight of her arms around her, like a blanket.

They finally pulled away, and Ga-young pulled her pinky finger up. "Unnie, promise me that you are strong, even without me". Hae-Un smiled softly and put her pinky finger up, "I promise Ga-young".

Hae-Un suddenly got a notification on her phone, it was her manager. She was 30 minutes late to her shift at the grocery store! "Oh shit!" Hae-un cursed out loud.

"Unnie what happened?" Ga-Young asked, confused. "Ga-Young, I have to go, I'm already late and I'll probably be fired!" Hae-un yelled.

"Awww, but please get me a strawberry cake!" Ga-young said and Hae-un chuckled, "Of course Ga-young, I won't forget".

Ga-young smiled, and then Hae-un got up to leave. Hae-un embraced Ga-young one more time, and planted a kiss on her cheek. "See you later Ga-young!"

Ga-young giggled. "Bye Unnie! Remember to bring me a treat!". Hae-un smiled and waved her a quick goodbye, and then grabbed the keys. She stepped out of the room, the fluorescent lights of the hospital hallway washing over her. She glanced back once before heading toward the elevator, her heart heavy but determined.

Ga-young deserved strawberry cake, a big party, and so much more. And Hae-un would make sure she got it-even if it meant running late for every shift.

Reaching the hospital parking lot, Hae-un made her way to her car. The small, beat-up Hyundai had been her father's before he passed, and it had seen better days. It was an old, grimy car. The paint was chipped, and the muffler rattled whenever it moved, but it was all she had.

Sliding into the driver's seat, she inserted the key and turned the ignition. Nothing.

"Come on," she muttered, twisting the key again. The engine sputtered weakly but refused to start.

Hae-un slammed her palms against the steering wheel. "Not today," she whispered to herself, as if pleading with the car to cooperate.

Her phone buzzed again in her pocket. It was her manager. She didn't have to look to know what the message said: she was late.

"Come on!" Hae-un pushed her keys harder and twisted them. "Shit shit shit! Not today, come on!"

She exhaled sharply and climbed out of the car, pulling her jacket tighter around her shoulders. Buam-dong's streets were narrow and steep, and the grocery store wasn't close enough to walk easily. But what choice did she have?

Glancing back at the hospital building, she hesitated for a moment. The thought of Ga-young waiting for her at the end of the day kept her feet moving.

Hae-un's rusty shoes touched the cement pavement, the bitter cold attacked Hae-un-as if she were their enemy. She was wearing a run down denim jacket, pants that were ripped, and a white shirt with a graphic on it-she bought it at a street market nearby.

"Oh come on, today?" Hae-un groaned and kicked the ground in anger. She was about to scream, but told herself not to. She took a deep breath. You can walk to the grocery store, Hae-un. Mr. Park won't fire you today. Hae-un finally managed to move her feet, it would take some time, but she walked anyways.

The grocery store was bustling with the usual rhythm of the afternoon crowd. Hae-un hurried through the employee entrance, her breath uneven from sprinting the last few blocks. She ducked into the back room, grabbed her faded green vest from her locker, and slipped it on. Miraculously, her manager hadn't noticed her late arrival—or at least, he hadn't said anything.

With a sigh of relief, Hae-un moved toward the skincare aisle, her designated section for the day. The fluorescent lights buzzed softly as Hae-un moved down the aisle, her hands busy organizing the shelves of skincare products. The familiar scents of rosewater and green tea filled the air as she adjusted the display bottles, making sure everything looked perfect. She tugged at the hem of her grocery store vest, hoping it hid how frazzled she felt. 

Just as she reached for a misplaced jar of moisturizer, she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. A man—probably in his late twenties or early thirties—was standing at the edge of the aisle, watching her a little too closely. His shaggy hair looked unkempt, and there was an air of cocky arrogance about him as he leaned against the shelf.

"Hey there," he said, a smirk spreading across his face. "You've got some pretty hands. Must be from working with all these fancy products, huh?"

Hae-un stiffened but didn't look up, hoping he'd take the hint. "Can I help you find something?" she asked curtly, keeping her focus on the shelf.

"Oh, I've already found what I'm looking for," the man replied, stepping closer. "What's your name, sweetheart?"

Hae-un's jaw tightened. "It's none of your business," she said firmly, still not meeting his gaze. "If you're not buying anything, you should leave."

But the man didn't back off. Instead, he leaned closer, invading her personal space. "Don't be like that. I'm just being friendly. A pretty girl like you shouldn't have to work in a dump like this."

She turned to face him, her patience running out. "I said, leave me alone," she snapped, her voice low but sharp.

The man's smirk twisted into something darker. "Feisty, huh? I like that." He reached out, his fingers brushing her arm.

Hae-un yanked her arm away, anger flaring in her chest. "Fuck off," she hissed.

The man's expression hardened, and before she could react, he shoved her backward. She stumbled, falling to the floor with a painful thud. Her breath hitched as she looked up at him, his hand raised as if he was about to strike her.

"Hey!" A deep, commanding voice cut through the tension.

Both Hae-un and the man turned to see someone walking toward them—a man in his late forties, with a stern look in his eyes. He was dressed simply in a worn-out jacket and jeans, but there was something about his presence that immediately drew attention.

"Back off," the older man said, his tone calm, but with a hint of anger.

The younger man chuckled, clearly unfazed. "Mind your own business old man. You should be in the retirement home."

The older man didn't reply. Instead, in one swift motion, he slapped the younger man across the face. The younger man staggered, stunned, but before he could recover, the older man grabbed him by the collar and slammed him against the shelf.

"I said, back off," the older man growled, his voice low and dangerous. "You think it's tough to pick on a girl half your size? Try me instead."

The younger man's boldness crumbled. His eyes darted around, searching for an escape. "Okay, okay! Let me go!" he stammered.

The older man held him there for a moment longer. "If I see you here again, bothering anyone, I'll make sure you regret it. Got it?"

The younger man nodded. "Got it! Yes sir!"

With a shove, the older man let him go. The younger man stumbled back, clutching his collar before turning and running out of the store without a second glance.

Hae-un sat on the floor, her chest heaving as she tried to steady her breathing. The older man turned to her, his stern expression softening. "Are you okay, ma'am?"

She nodded slowly, getting up. "Yes, thank you. I don't know what would've happened if you hadn't-"

"No need to thank me," he said, waving her off. "People like that don't deserve kindness."

Still, Hae-un bowed deeply. "Thank you, sir. I mean it."

The man scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "It's nothing, really." Then, as if remembering something, he added, "Name's Seong Gi-hun."

"Hae-un Shin," she replied. "I uh work here."

Gi-hun nodded. "Figured. You look like you've been running yourself ragged."

She gave him a tired smile. "That's an understatement." Then, after a moment of hesitation, she added, "I've been taking care of my little sister, Ga-young. She's sick and in the hospital, so I have to work as much as I can to help with the bills."

Something flickered in Gi-hun's expression—recognition, maybe even regret. "Ga-young," he murmured. "That's my daughter's name. She's eleven now, living in the U.S. with her mom. My ex-wife took her when we divorced... after I made some stupid choices."

Hae-un tilted her head. "Stupid choices?"

Gi-hun sighed. "Gambling. It ruined everything. My wife left, took my daughter, and now I barely see them." His voice was heavy with guilt. "Haven't been the best father."

"I'm sure you tried your best," Hae-un offered, unsure what else to say.

Before Gi-hun could reply, a voice crackled over the store's loudspeaker. "Hae-un Shin, report to the manager's office immediately. Hae-un Shin, to the manager's office."

Her stomach dropped. "Oh no," she muttered under her breath. "I must be in trouble..."

Gi-hun raised an eyebrow. "Trouble? For what?"

She shook her head. "I was late today. If my manager noticed, I'm probably about to get yelled at. Again."

"Want me to come with you?" Gi-hun asked, half-joking but with a hint of sincerity.

She laughed weakly. "Thanks, but I think I can handle it."

Gi-hun nodded. "Well, good luck, Hae-un. And... take care of your sister."

"Thanks," she said, before hurrying off toward the manager's office, her heart pounding in her chest.

TIA SPEAKS!

- okay ngl the first chapter sucked! 😭

- I kinda rushed the ending part and their meeting sooo

- but im rlly excited to continue this book!

- anyways did you enjoy it?

- what do you think will happen next?

- see you later!

WORD COUNT

1732 words!