Vantage || Hwang Hyunjin

~Chapter 27~ Their Story pt. 1

"Im telling you about our story".

"I was born in 1934 in Yeongcheon, Gyeonggi. My parents knew each other since they were kids, and eventually fell in love.

My mother got pregnant at a very young age, her relationship with her parents wasn't good, so they told her to leave the house, as they were not going to help her and my father raise a child.

My father always supported and helped her, so both of them made the decision of leaving their homes to live on their own, to raise me. During those first years, thanks to their hard work and sacrifices, we lived surrounded in wealthiness.

Everything in my life during my early years was perfect. My parents gave me everything I needed and more, and we always spent a lot of time together. Eventually, my mother got pregnant again, and I helped her during her pregnancy and even after my brother was born, since my father had to work twice as hard.

As you know, Yeongcheon is in the borderline with the north. We were first told that they'd be separating the country only for "administration" purposes, after Japan surrended. In 1948, both parts were fully separated, with different ideologies.

When I turned 16, in 1950, things got way more hostile. Since we were close to the border, our home was in danger of being whipped off. After hastily discussing the situation, my family decided to flee to the country side.

Our  hometown got bombarded and destroyed the same day we left, hours apart, so we lost absolutely everything we had, everything my parents worked so hard for.

We arrived in Gangwon, after a very hard and bittersweet journey. Since my father had a some contacts and acquiatances, he managed to get this house, here in Donghae. Luckily, the war only lasted 3 years. We lost everything and a lot of people did too, so we had to start from the bottom all over.

About a year after the war ended, and as soon as I turned 20, I managed to get a job as a farmer, about an hour away from here, which I had to go everyday on foot.

That was when I met the love of my life.

The owner of the lands was a very wealthy man, he managed to keep his status and belongings even during the war. The first day, I had to stay overnight, because there was a problem with some other farmers, and they didn't show up to work, so I had to do their job. The owner actually offered me to leave, but I preferred to stay and help him."

The more the old man told us about his story, the more interested we became. Hyunjin and I just remained silent the whole time, paying extreme attention to him.

The man continued.

"Sometime during the night, I found myself alone inside the farm, fixing some farming tools. I remember being extremely hungry, but I was more focused on finishing my job. My father always taught me to do the job before everything else."

Flashback- Sang Hoon's - POV

"How can they not take care of these." I complained while fixing the rake. I don't even know how did they damaged it.

I suddenly hear a knock, but the doors were wide open, since the barn was huge. I didn't even bother to answer, I thought it was another farmer.

I heard the knock again.

"Just come in already!" I raised my voice, annoyed at the knocking and the rake, which I wasn't able to fix.

"S-sorry, I brought you some food." The voice of a girl caught my attention, making me turn around immediately. Since it was dark, I couldn't really see her face well, but her voice was soothing.

"Oh, I'm sorry to have spoken like that, I thought it was somebody else." I apologized.

"You should not speak to anyone in that way, it does not matter who it is." She scolded me. I actually couldn't find words to say, she was right.

"I'm sorry, you are right."

"Anyways" she continued, "why is it so dark in here?" She asked.

"The lightbulb is broken, I need to change it."

"Where are the spare bulbs?"

"Uh... on top of that table." I hesitantly pointed at them. She managed to head to the table, even with almost complete darkness. I heard she grabbed one, and a chair, and pulled it under the broken light.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Fixing the light."

"Miss, please leave that to me, I can do it."

"Are you suggesting I'm unable to do it?"

"N-no that is not what I me-"

"Then I am doing it."

Afraid she'd fall off the chair or something, I stood up and made my way to where the light was, insisting on her to get down.

"Please, let me do it, you can fall."

"I won't." She chuckled, but I could tell she was annoyed.

"Whatever." I sighed, turning around to go back to fixing the rake.

"Done done~" she said, as the light came back to the barn. I turned around to her, she started to jump on the chair, and of course, she stumbled it. I immediately extended my arms to grab her, luckily I caught her, and we were face to face.

With the light back, I was astonished. She is the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. I couldn't stop looking at her eyes, almond shaped and bright brown, with beautiful long lashes. Her hair was long and black, kind of curly.

"Uh-" I put her back down, scratching the back of my neck, "I'm sorry, you fell and I-"

"Thank you." She smiled, bowing.

"I'm Yulhee." She stretched her hand to me.

"I-I'm Sang Hoon." I grabbed her hand and shook it, also bowing. We just smiled to each other for about a minute, untill she broke the silence.

"Well, Sang Hoon, I have to go back, so, it was nice meeting you. Thank you for saving me." She chuckled.

She just turned around and left, without me being able to say anything to her. It's not like I had any words left, her beauty left me speechless.