Chapter 11. The Neighbor Lady
On Sunday morning, after a family of four checked out and left, Eun-chae was tidying up the room. Dog hair was stuck everywhere, so she had to run the vacuum twice.
When she finished and stepped out into the yard, someone waved at her from over the low wall.
"Hey, newlywed—no, I mean, granddaughter!"
When Eun-chae turned around, she saw the lady from next door. They had only exchanged greetings in passing a few days earlier.
"Hello."
"Here, take this. I made it this morning."
The woman handed a container of side dishes over the wall. When Eun-chae opened the lid, the sharp, fresh scent of young-radish kimchi spread through the air.
"Why are you giving this to me...?"
"I used to bring some by when your Grandma was here alone, too. Now that I hear her granddaughter's here, I ought to take even better care of you."
Eun-chae accepted the container, unsure what to do.
"Thank you. But we should give you something in return."
"Oh, please. Once the lettuce in your kitchen garden grows, share some with me. That'll be plenty."
The woman waved her hand dismissively and laughed.
"By the way, you're getting guests at the guesthouse these days, huh? The whole neighborhood's heard about it."
"Already?"
"It's a small town. I heard there was a family who brought their dog. I could hear the kids running around in the yard all the way over here."
Eun-chae gave an awkward smile. She was amazed that word had already spread through the neighborhood, but she was also a little embarrassed.
"How's your Grandma doing? What about her knees these days?"
"Much better. I think having me handle the cleaning and the guests has taken some of the burden off her."
"That's a relief. She used to do all this by herself. It must've been so hard."
The woman glanced around the yard for a moment before continuing.
"But, granddaughter, are you planning to stay here for a while? Or are you just going to help out for a bit and then head back up?"
Eun-chae hesitated at the question. She had never settled on a clear answer herself.
"...I think I'm going to stay. Here."
Once the words left her mouth, even she was startled. Her voice had sounded certain.
The woman opened her eyes wide, then smiled.
"Really? That's wonderful. Your Grandma must be thrilled."
"I haven't told Gran that for sure yet."
"Then tell her tonight. It'll make her happy."
Eun-chae nodded, holding the container against her chest. As the woman turned away, she added one more thing.
"Oh, and there's a kimchi-making prep meeting at the village hall next week. Your Grandma went every year, so come with her this time."
"Okay. Thank you!"
The woman waved and walked toward her house.
"Give your Grandma my regards!"
"I will!"
Eun-chae carried the container into the kitchen. Grandma was sitting on the veranda, soaking up the sun.
"Gran, the lady next door gave us some young-radish kimchi."
"She gave us more? She takes care of us like that all the time."
As Eun-chae put the container in the refrigerator, she asked, "Do you give her things, too?"
"When things come in season, I share some from the kitchen garden. Lettuce when the lettuce grows, peppers when the peppers grow."
"I see."
After putting away the container, Eun-chae went out to the veranda and sat beside Grandma. What she had said to the neighbor earlier kept lingering in her mind.
"Gran, the lady next door asked me if I was going to keep staying here."
"What'd you tell her?"
"I told her I thought I would."
Grandma slowly opened her eyes, which had been closed against the sunlight, and looked at Eun-chae.
"Did you mean it?"
"Yeah. I surprised myself after I said it. But when I thought about it, it felt right."
Grandma was silent for a moment before asking calmly, "What about your place in Seoul?"
"I need to take care of it. I don't have much left there, and the lease is ending soon."
"What about your parents?"
"I haven't told Mom yet that I'm going to live here for good. But I should tell her soon."
Grandma nodded at the answer and turned her gaze back toward the sunlight.
"You made the right choice."
Eun-chae felt the full weight of those words. They were brief, but she could sense the relief Grandma felt.
"Gran, the neighbor said there's a kimchi-making prep meeting at the village hall next week, and asked me to come with her."
"Oh. Is it that time already?"
Grandma pressed her fingertips against her knee and adjusted her posture.
"We've done it every year. This time, you can come with me."
"I've never made kimchi before."
"You can learn. Everyone in the neighborhood will be there, so it's a good opportunity."
Eun-chae nodded. The thought of mingling with the villagers made her strangely excited.
Hugging her knees, Eun-chae continued, "Gran, once I finish the business registration and everything else, I'll go to Seoul and come back. I need to sort out the place, too."
Grandma turned to look at her.
"When do you think that'll be?"
"Once the completion certificate comes out and the change of ownership is finished. There are about two weeks left, so around then."
"How long's it going to take to sort out the place?"
"I don't have that much stuff. The lease is almost up anyway, so I think I can sort through everything and just bring back what I need."
Grandma thought for a moment, then asked, "You taking the car?"
"No, I'll take the bus, and if there's anything I need to send, I'll ship it. I have to get rid of the big furniture anyway."
"All right. If you need help, I know someone with a truck. Tell me."
"Thanks, Gran."
Eun-chae gazed out across the yard for a moment before speaking again.
"But what about the guests here if I'm gone for a few days?"
Grandma waved her hand.
"I can handle that much. It's only a few days. What's the big deal?"
"Are you sure? Your knee still isn't great."
"A couple of guest groups won't be a problem. It's nothing, so don't worry."
Eun-chae felt relieved, but a corner of her heart was still uneasy.
"I'll go and come back as quickly as I can. I think two or three days should be enough."
"Take your time. There's no rush."
Eun-chae opened her spreadsheet and added a new item.
*Sort out Seoul apartment (after completion certificate is issued)*
As she entered it in the Not Started column, Eun-chae suddenly remembered her last memory of Seoul. That morning when she had left, dragging a single suitcase behind her, already felt like it had happened a long time ago.
"Gran, when I go to Seoul, I might find some old photos while I'm sorting through everything. Should I bring them back if I find any?"
Grandma paused before answering.
"Bring back anything you want to keep."
"Even pictures of Mom?"
Instead of answering, Grandma let out a faint breath. Eun-chae sensed there was something more behind the reaction, but she didn't press her.
"Okay. I'll see what I find while I'm sorting through things."
A brief silence passed. The evening breeze brushed through the yard, and the leaves in the kitchen garden rustled softly.
A few days later, a text arrived saying that the completion certificate had been issued. Eun-chae immediately submitted a scanned copy to city hall, and a few days after that, she received a text saying the succession filing had been processed.
"Gran, it's all done. They said the business is officially registered in my name now."
Grandma, who had been preparing dinner in the kitchen, stopped what she was doing and looked at Eun-chae.
"It's really all finished?"
"Yeah. The new business registration certificate came out, too, and the payment processor contacted me yesterday to say the card terminal change was complete."
Grandma looked at Eun-chae silently for a moment, then wiped her hands on her apron and walked over.
"Good work."
Those words stayed with Eun-chae for a long time. They were only two short words, but they seemed to hold all the time they'd spent over the past few weeks.
Eun-chae opened her spreadsheet and checked the last remaining items. The Completed column filled the entire screen. There was now only one item left in the Not Started column.
*Sort out Seoul apartment*
"Gran, I'll go to Seoul tomorrow and come back."
"All right. Be careful."
"It should take two or three days. I'll text you ahead of time if we get any bookings."
"Don't worry and go. I'll keep things here safe."
The next morning, Eun-chae boarded the bus with only a small backpack. She didn't need a suitcase. She was going to Seoul to sort through the things she'd left behind, not to bring them back to a place where she would be living anymore.
As the bus left the village, Eun-chae watched the guesthouse roof recede outside the window.
'I won't be gone long.'
She repeated the words to herself. Strangely, heading for Seoul now felt more unfamiliar than anything.
Three and a half hours later, Eun-chae arrived at the Seoul terminal and came face-to-face with the cityscape she had once known so well. High-rise buildings, people walking at a hurried pace, and unending noise.
It hadn't even been two months, but all of it felt like another world.
Eun-chae took the subway to her old apartment. When she opened the front door, the familiar space came into view. It was the first time she had returned since the day she had left, dragging her suitcase behind her.
Standing in the middle of the living room, Eun-chae slowly looked around the apartment. She could see everything that needed to be sorted, but her heart was already somewhere else.
Her phone rang. It was Mom.
"Eun-chae, I heard you came to Seoul. You're sorting out the apartment?"
"Yeah. I just got here."
"Then let's see each other tonight. There's something I want to talk to you about, too."
Eun-chae took a moment to steady her breathing.
"...Is it about that?"
Mom was silent for a moment before answering quietly.
"Yeah. I think it's time I told you."
Author's Note
Eun-chae has come up to Seoul, and at last, her mother is about to bring up that subject.