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Changmin was taking a break from college, and chose to spend his holiday in a small rural area, somewhere not too far from the city, but still take a long time to get there. It’s his great-grandfather's house he went to once when five years old. The old atmosphere had been smelled since Changmin opened the house, and still lingering every time he opened a new room and tried to tidy up the house. Changmin wasn’t a clean person, but to stay here like a normal person for a month, he needed to at least clear all the cobwebs and change some bulbs to make it less gloomy. There is this last light he tried to change but the bulb ran out, Changmin took out his wallet for some money and went out the house, carefully locking the door before walking down the street, it felt familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. Because it’s not his first time out the house, but also the first time he is trying to search for a store.
“There should be some mini store near here, right?” Asked Changmin to himself, tried to take all the fresh air while looking around. “Or do they need to wait every morning for a seller's car to drive by?”
“Young man, where did you want to go?” Changmin tried to stay polite since morning, and that woman was one of the residents he greeted when arrived. “Market? This way.” She pointed at a steep slope next to her, it doesn’t seem elderly friendly this way.
“Thank you, madam. Have a great day.” Changmin steps carefully down the street, still wondering why people make this steep slope when almost all of the villagers are middle aged men or women.
“Welcome to the store, can I help you?” The store was like any old-stall Changmin seen in movies, the yellowish banner and creaking sound of the door really make it really old, but the man standing behind the cashier table doesn’t match the atmosphere. “Hello? What can I help you with?”
“Yeah? Oh yeah, I need some light bulbs, and maybe cleaning supplies.” Replied Changmin following the young man walk around the store.
“Here is the light bulb. What kind of cleaning supplies do you need?” Asked the young man, and Changmin was still dazed before a sound of creaking doors woke him up. “Welcome, sir. Anything you need today?”
“My house’s lights are out, do you know how to fix it?”
“You may need a new bulb sir, but.. This was our last stock and this man was going to buy it. I will restock it as fast as I can and inform you later.” Changmin look at both and shook his head fast,
“No, no. You can have it sir.” The youngman looked at Changmin for a second before taking the money from the elder. Changmin took another look at the store and took a torch, it may help for a while. “I will take this and a duster, Oh, maybe some of the batteries too. That's all. How much?”
“You can pay when I get the bulb. I’m so sorry that we ran out of the bulb, and you have to give in to the elder.” He said to put Changmin’s purchase in a plastic bag. “Can you give me your number so I can tell you when the bulb is available?”
“Sure, here.” Changmin gave the young man his phone and let him type his number.
“My name is Haknyeon if you want to know.”
“Okay, Haknyeon. Please tell me when the bulb is ready.” Changmin waved his hand before went out the store, walking back to the steep road while thinking, “I thought there are only older people living here?”
Bulbs may be the first reason for Changmin to go back to the store the next morning, but a canned coffee and warm buns was not in the list. Haknyeon greeted Changmin with a smile outside the store, bringing him hot buns and coffee as a morning breakfast, and Changmin being a regular college student accepted it after hearing the word free.
“So you are from the city? The elders are talking about the grandchild of the big house owner uphill.” Changmin nodded while drinking the coffee, “Spending your holiday in a village is not something usual for youngsters these days.”
“You sound old if you said it like that, Haknyeon.”
“I may or may not be older than you, Changmin.” He said while cleaning the dust off the wooden lounge in front of the store. “I was born in ninety-nine. What about you?”
“This rascal, I’m ninety-eight.” Haknyeon widens his eyes and looks at Changmin disbelieving. Changmin huffed and took out his wallet, “I’ll let you see my ID card, also paid for the torch and duster yesterday.” Haknyeon takes the money while taking a peek at Changmin's ID.
“You look too young for that, Are you a fraudster?”
“I’m one hundred percent a good citizen that is subject to law.” Changmin said, taking a bite of the bun. “And you are? What do youngsters do in the village?”
“To keep the village alive? All the residents are all more than half the decade, their children are in the city or larger village, I’m here to support them.” Haknyeon smiled and took a sip of his drink, when his eyes followed an old man pulling a cart. “Wait a minute.” He put away his can and helped the old man pushing the cart from the side, a smile was shown on his face even if the steep street doesn’t seem that easy to be walked for.
“Changmin, can you bring me a can of cold coffee?” Changmin blinked twice and stood up taking a can from an ice box and ran a bit to Haknyeon who was already on the highest part of the street, “Here, It is for you sir, please take care!” the old man said thank you and pulling his cart again,
“Put that in my bill.” Said Changmin and Haknyeon shook his heads while searching for breath. “You won’t get any profit by doing it, I can pay for it while staying here. And the rest is your loss. ”
“As I said, I’m here to keep the village alive, not for the profit.”
“You sound like the heirs of a big company.” Mock Changmin walked back to the store, “How long have you been here, Haknyeon?”
“For a while, maybe.. Four or five years?”
“So from highschool?” Haknyeon thinks for a while and nods. “Cool, living in the fresh air since young, makes you happier right?” Said Changmin sat back, looking at the man who kept a smile on his face.
“Maybe. But how long will you stay here?”
“A month, this is my first week.” Haknyeon nods.
“I’ll make it a fun month then.”
Second week goes by, and Changmin spends most of his time in the store, helping some elders to walk up or down the steep slope, and getting dinner invitations from nearby elders. Changmin feels better than the first time he was there, and having a similar-age-friend as company was another bonus he felt there.
“Why don’t you stay here, Changmin? Mr. Ji's house is always empty, seeing its light at night makes me feel better. It’s like Mr. Ji is still alive.” Changmin tried to smile while taking a sip of soup that served, “What did you miss from the city?”
“Maybe the collage? I still need to finish my study, madam.”
“You right, but after college.. You’ll be back right?” Changmin only nodded as a polite answer, but he didn’t think so. Maybe once in a while it will be good, but to stay here?
“What did you miss from the city, Changmin?” Asked Haknyeon when he took Changmin back to his house, walking a bit while letting the food digest. “Just asking, you don’t have to answer it.”
“I miss some food, here it is healthier but sometimes you want greasy food like fried chicken or spicy mala soup. Even the ice cream near the campus sounds good now.” Said Changmin smiling, “Have you tried it before? I will bring it with me sometimes when I'm back here.” Haknyeon nods and Changmin still keeps a smile on his face.
“So you will come back..” Whispered Haknyeon, and stopped his step, “We’re here. Take a rest Changmin.”
“Sure, you too.”
The owner was out of the town, the big words written made Changmin sigh, and walked back to his house. Haknyeon hasn't told him yet, but for what? Changmin greeted some of the elders who saw the sign and went back to their house. Is it the only store nearby the village?
“You are here for Haknyeon too, right?” An elder asked Changmin, “Since he was here everyone has relied on him, but once or twice a week he will be back to the city to refill the product or just back home.” home?
“He wasn’t a resident here?”
“How can that young and handsome man be a resident here? He came here once during summer break and stayed after graduate from high school. I don’t know what he was looking for here, but we are grateful that a youngman like him wants to stay here, and even for years.” She said, looking really proud.
“He really is a kind person, right?” The elder nodded and suddenly waving her hand,
“There he is, usually it takes one day for him to refill the groceries, why is he so fast today?” A mini truck was coming nearby, parked at the front of the store, and Haknyeon came out from the truck, waving his hand. “What do you want to buy, young man?”
“No, I just want to..”
“Changmin! I got something for you.” Said Haknyeon happily, Changmin looked at him with a confused face. “Wait a minute, okay?”
“I've never seen Haknyeon this excited before.” the elder smiled wider while tapping Changmin's shoulder, “There must be a reason right?” Changmin only smiled at the woman and back to his straight face when she was out of sight.
“Here.” Haknyeon came back with a plastic bag, “There is mala and fried chicken. I don’t know where you studied, so I can’t get the ice cream you want. But you can take one in the store if you need some dessert.”
“Haknyeon.. What is this all for?”
“Today is your birthday, right?” Changmin looked confused and took out his phone . “And.. maybe a little snack can make you stay here longer? Here? With me?”
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