Kang Minseok's life had never been easy. After his parents abandoned him, they left behind a mountain of debt a weight that had fallen entirely on his shoulders. To survive, he juggled multiple jobs: delivering pizzas during the day and working at a 24/7 gas station at night, leaving him with only four to five hours of sleep. Every day was a blur of exhaustion and responsibility, and yet, he pressed on.
The park was half-empty, draped in the golden hush of late afternoon. Birds circled lazily, their calls folding into the quiet. On the roof of a weathered car, Kang Minseok sat cross-legged, headphones resting around his neck, watching clouds drift like slow ships. He wasn't waiting for anyone or at least that's what he kept telling himself.
A girl walking along the path stopped. She had never seen anyone sit on a car like that so still, so oddly at peace. Her curiosity pushed her forward, overriding any trace of shyness.
She stood out immediately. Blonde hair fell in messy waves around her shoulders, catching the sunlight and giving her a wild, untamed look. Her eyes were sharp, gold-tinged, bright and piercing, like they could read right through him. She wore a loose black hoodie over a ripped T-shirt, paired with worn skinny jeans and scuffed sneakers practical, messy, yet striking. There was an edge to her stance, a careless confidence that warned anyone not to cross her.
"Is the view any better up there?" she asked, voice sharp and steady.
He blinked, startled. For a moment, he thought she was part of the breeze. Then he saw her properly: the way her gaze held him, unwavering, serious, not a hint of playfulness.
"It's not bad," he said, trying to sound uninterested. "Good for thinking. Watching the darkening sky is… kind of refreshing."
She tilted her head and glared at him, gold eyes narrowing. Different, she thought. Maybe that's exactly what I need.
She climbed up and sat beside him on the car, leaving a careful space between them. He flinched slightly at the closeness, then tried to hide it.
"Do you usually hop onto strangers' cars?" he asked, half-teasing. "Or are you just reckless?"
Her laugh was short and sharp, almost cutting. "If you try anything weird, I'll beat you up," she said, her gaze locking on him. He could tell she wasn't joking.
He swallowed, suddenly more aware of the space between them and how serious she sounded.
"So… what's your name?" he asked, trying to regain control of the conversation.
She glared at him, a spark of anger in her eyes. "Are you seriously trying to flirt with me? If you are, I suggest you rethink your approach."
He raised a hand, a little defensively. "I'm just asking. There's nothing wrong with knowing someone's name."
Her eyes narrowed further, and he felt the weight of her stare. He could see now she wasn't bluffing she could actually take him if she wanted.
"My name's Dwaeji-jjang. Yours?"
He let out a short laugh, partly nervous, partly amused by how intense she was being. She tensed immediately, her glare sharpening.
"What's so funny, punk? You think this is a joke? You really wanna test me?"
He stopped himself, ready to explain. "Dwaeji-jjang means 'Boss Pig,' so I was a bit shocked hearing you say it."
She blinked, cheeks pinking slightly in embarrassment. He was about to laugh, but the intensity of her glare froze him.
"Ahem… you're not really from Korea, are you? Mixed, perhaps?"
She gasped, clearly surprised. "How did you know?"
He looked at her, confused. "You have a heavy accent, and your Korean is a bit rough. It was a dead giveaway."
She growled, making a face. "Hey! You didn't tell me your name."
He stared at her for a moment. "Oh, right. It's… Kang Minseok."
She looked at Kang Minseok with satisfaction as she stood up, ready to leave.
"I'm heading out now. It was a fun chat. We'll probably never see each other again, but I'll make sure to remember your name," she said, a small, confident smirk tugging at her lips.
He watched her walk away, the weight of her presence lingering in his mind. She had left a strong impression on him, one he didn't fully understand yet. He leaned back against the car, staring at the sky, lost in thought until a loud, angry voice broke through.
"HEY! You rascal! What are you doing up there? Get off my car!"
Kang Minseok's eyes went wide. With no hesitation, he bolted down from the car, sprinting across the park. Behind him, he could hear the girl's laugh drifting in the air.
She watched him run, shaking her head with a grin. I might never see him again, she thought, but at least I made a fun memory to laugh about.
Kang Minseok finally slowed, gasping for air, just barely escaping the old man's angry shout. He leaned against a nearby tree, wiping sweat from his forehead, when his phone rang. An unknown number flashed on the screen.
Curious, he answered. "Hello? Who's this?"
The voice on the other end was rough, an old man trying to speak Korean through a heavy accent. Something about it vaguely reminded him of Dwaeji-jjang.
"Let's just say… I'm your uncle," the man said.
Kang Minseok frowned, tilting his head. "My… uncle? Are you serious?"
The line went silent for a moment, then the man continued. "Check your account. You'll see I took care of your debt."
Kang Minseok froze. His mind raced. Debt… paid? By some mysterious "uncle"?
"You… what? Why?" he asked, skepticism lacing his voice.
"Of course, it's not free," the man said, his tone calm but firm. "You'll be doing something for me in return. Meet me at the nearby café, and we'll discuss it there."
"Meet you… at a café?" Kang Minseok repeated, hesitation creeping into his voice.
"Check it yourself first," the man said before hanging up.
Kang Minseok stared at his phone, a mixture of disbelief and cautious relief washing over him. His debt was gone. Just like that. And yet… it didn't feel entirely safe. Something about the call unsettled him.
He arrived at the café the location given by the mysterious man who claimed to be his uncle. The place was quiet, filled with the low hum of conversation and the faint aroma of roasted coffee beans.
The man sat near the window, waving him over with a warm, almost too-friendly smile. Something about that smile felt off. Minseok could sense it there was a strange tension beneath that friendly façade.
He took the seat across from him, crossing his arms. For a moment, neither spoke. Then Minseok decided to break the silence.
"So… what was the condition?" he asked, his tone calm but cautious.
The man's smile widened. "It's nothing much. All I want you to do is take good care of my daughter. She recently got into a lot of trouble back home, and I decided Korea would be the best place for her to learn discipline. Are you up to the task?"
Minseok blinked, clearly taken aback. "You want me to take care of your daughter? That would make her my cousin, right?"
The man nodded once, still smiling.
Minseok leaned back in his chair, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly. "Well, to be honest with you… after my parents left, no one from my family ever came looking for me. So, in a way, I'm kind of happy about this. How old is she?"
His voice was warm and polite but behind it, his mind was spinning.
Sweet. Now that my debt's paid, I'm finally free. I'll make sure to stay on this guy's good side. Judging from his accent, he's definitely from outside Korea. Perfect. I'll suck him dry until there's nothing left. Kekekeke.
He hid the grin that threatened to show, keeping his expression neutral as the man continued to talk completely unaware of the twisted plans forming behind Minseok's calm gaze.
The mysterious man laughed, his low voice rumbling through the café. Kang Minseok raised an eyebrow, unsure whether to laugh or stay on guard.
"Oh no, she's not your cousin," the man said, waving his hand dismissively. "We're not related at all. Now I feel bad for joking about the uncle thing."
Minseok frowned but kept his tone calm.
"Then why did you choose me to take care of your daughter? From what I can tell, I'm just some stranger."
The man smirked slightly, as if waiting for this question.
"I haven't introduced myself properly. My name is Robert Brooks."
Minseok's expression shifted. "You're not Korean, are you?"
Robert chuckled. "Born and raised in Australia. But my daughter recently became a Korean citizen. I thought some time here would do her some good."
Before Minseok could ask anything else, the café door opened with a sharp chime.
Robert turned his head and smiled. "Oh, speak of the devil."
A girl walked in, blonde hair and gold-like eyes gleaming under the café lights. Her face carried both beauty and defiance. She wore a cropped black hoodie under a loose denim jacket, cargo pants with silver chains, and worn sneakers that gave her a bold, streetwise look.
She spotted her father and stomped toward the table, irritation practically radiating from her.
"This is ridiculous!" she snapped, crossing her arms. "Why did you drag me all the way to Korea? And with a babysitter? I'm not a kid, Dad! I want to go home! Changing my name for citizenship was already bad enough, and don't even get me started on the name itself!"
Robert raised a brow. "Oh, you found out what it means?"
Her eye twitched. "Found out? You could've told me that my so-called cool Korean name literally means Boss Pig! I had to hear it from some random guy I met at the park earlier! Do you know how embarrassing that was?"
Minseok blinked, his thoughts freezing for a second.
Wait… Boss Pig? No way… could it be?
Before he could piece it together, she turned. Their eyes locked, and time seemed to stop.
"It's you?!"
"It's you?!"
Both pointed at each other, disbelief mirrored on their faces.
Robert looked from one to the other, chuckling. "Ah, so you two have already met. That makes things easier."
Samantha, or Dwaeji-jjang, scowled, glaring straight at Minseok. "You've got to be kidding me. Out of everyone in this entire country, him?"
Her tone was sharp and venomous, completely different from the calm, serious girl he had met at the park.
Minseok stared at her, thrown off by how quickly she turned on him. "What's your problem? We were fine earlier. Did I say something wrong or—"
She scoffed, cutting him off. "Oh please. Don't act like we're friends. You made fun of my name, remember?"
"I didn't make fun of it," he said, brows furrowing. "I just told you what it meant."
Her glare hardened. "That's bullshit. You literally laughed in my face!"
Minseok blinked, taken aback, feeling a bit guilty.
"Did I? I don't recall. Might be a different Kang Minseok."
Samantha growled and grabbed him by the collar. "Oh, you are so dead."
Robert raised both hands, amused but also trying to keep the peace. "Alright, alright. No need to start a fight in a coffee shop."
Minseok tore his gaze away from her and turned back to Robert. "So why me? Why choose some guy working part-time jobs to look after your daughter?"
Robert's smirk softened into something genuine. "Because you're not just some guy. One of my close friends, Mr. Han, your boss at the gas station, told me you're hardworking, responsible, and good with people. When I needed someone trustworthy, your name came up."
Minseok blinked, still processing. "So basically, because I can deal with customers, you think I can deal with her?"
Robert grinned. "Exactly."
Samantha rolled her eyes. "I'm right here, you know."
Both men ignored her.
Robert stood, pulling out his wallet and leaving a few bills on the table. "Anyway, I'll be heading back soon. I trust you'll handle things from here, Minseok."
Samantha's jaw dropped. "Wait, what? You're leaving me now?"
Robert smiled warmly, though his eyes carried a teasing glint. "You'll be fine, sweetheart. Besides, I'm sure Boss Pig can handle herself."
"Dad!"
He laughed, walking toward the exit without looking back.
The café fell quiet. Samantha slumped into her chair, glaring at the table. Minseok sat across from her, still trying to make sense of everything.
We were fine an hour ago, he thought, stealing a glance at her. She wasn't angry, she wasn't yelling. Now she looks like she'd rather throw her drink at me. What the hell did I do?
She must have felt his stare because she looked up, her expression unreadable. "What are you looking at, babysitter?"
Minseok sighed, leaning back. "Nothing. Just realizing my debt wasn't the only thing I owed in life."
She smirked faintly, rolling her eyes. "Good. Because now, you owe me peace and quiet."
He stared at her for a long second, then muttered under his breath, "Great. I'm not sure if I should thank that uncle or curse him."