Arriving at the car dealership precisely on time, I found a single car neatly parked out front.
‘Oh…’
A short exclamation escaped me internally.
In truth, it was a common boxcar—the kind of compact vehicle one might spot anywhere.
Moreover, it was merely a temporary ride, a car I had chosen without much thought.
Still,
‘It’s pretty,’ I thought.
As my first car, it stirred a fresh sense of emotion within me.
In the past, I might have even clung to the hood, embracing it.
“All the basic payment and insurance registration procedures are complete, and as previously informed, the license plate has also been issued. Before you drive off, a brief explanation of the options…”
Listening to the dealer, I subtly closed my eyes.
Why were there so many procedures?
‘Would foreign cars be even more complicated?’ I mused.
If anything, they’d likely be more intricate, certainly not simpler.
How much time had passed while I listened to the explanations?
Frankly, there was nothing particularly crucial being said, yet I attentively feigned interest.
When someone speaks so earnestly, one ought to at least pretend to listen.
“…So, that’s how you use it. Do you have any other questions or needs?”
“No, I’m fine.”
Finally, it was over.
Accepting the car key with a nod to the dealer, I settled into the driver’s seat.
The car trembled slightly as I turned the ignition, a pleasant vibration that spread through me as I placed my foot on the accelerator.
Gently pressing down, I moved forward slowly, and not only the dealer who had assisted me, but even the other staff members inside came out to bid me farewell.
Was it customary for them to go to such lengths?
“Thank you!”
I wasn’t entirely sure.
In response to the dealer’s parting words, I simply rolled down the window, offered a light nod, and drove out onto the street.
****
“Hmph…”
The thought of the cigarettes I had quit came to mind.
While people often believe one only smokes when feeling down or stressed, that’s not always the case.
Sometimes, like now, when a sense of exhilaration bubbles up, a cigarette can feel different and even enjoyable.
Still, having quit, I had no intention of lighting up again.
‘There won’t be anything difficult enough to make me start smoking again,’ I mused.
Despite purchasing the compact car outright, I still had nearly 500 billion won remaining.
The money simply refused to dwindle.
Feeling a disconnect from reality, I shook my head, ‘Let’s not lose it by doing anything foolish.’
Business, gambling, stocks, crypto—I resolved to touch none of it.
Instead, I would live out my days quietly, surviving solely on deposit interest.
Clutching the steering wheel, I pondered these thoughts.
Putting that aside, having a car was undeniably wonderful.
The most significant advantage I felt right now was no longer needing to walk under the scorching sun.
The cool air conditioning.
And the comfort this coolness provided, were pure bliss.
During summer commutes, even if I left home feeling fresh in the morning, I’d return damp and utterly unpleasant.
While the need to commute had vanished, I knew such discomfort would no longer be an issue, even if it hadn’t.
“The weather’s great, and there aren’t many cars…”
It truly was the perfect day for a drive.
I cruised down the open road, enveloped by the cool blast of the air conditioner.
Being a new car, the sensation of gliding forward was particularly satisfying.
A hum escaped my lips naturally, accompanied by the navigation system that guided me effortlessly.
Perhaps because it was new, its touch response was excellent, and it felt remarkably smart.
The Team Leader Bastard’s car navigation, no matter how much I tapped it, never seemed to register anything.
There’s a saying that objects resemble their owners.
Perhaps that navigation system was just like the Team Leader Bastard, stubborn and unwilling to listen to anyone else’s input.
A wry chuckle escaped me as I entertained the thought.
[Turn right at the next corner. Then, turn left in 500 meters.]
After a brief chuckle, I listened to the navigation’s instructions, deftly turning the wheel to make a right.
Although this was my first personal car, driving itself was not new to me.
My specialty in the military had been as a driver, and I had often driven the Team Leader Bastard’s car, making me quite accustomed to being behind the wheel.
I had driven everything from two-and-a-half-ton trucks and vans to the company commander’s foreign car and even the Team Leader Bastard’s ‘Science Unit 7.’
The compact car, with its lighter handling, felt a bit unfamiliar compared to those vehicles, yet I continued my drive.
My destination was a real estate agency.
Since I was already out, I thought it might be good to finalize a home as well.
It was in that moment, as I stretched and yawned, that it happened.
“Ugh, damn it…”
Suddenly, a mid-sized car cut in front of me without signaling.
Its dangerous maneuver made me instinctively honk the horn.
*BEEP-BEEP!*
Perhaps because it was a compact car, the sound was rather cute.
Typically, proper etiquette dictates turning on hazard lights and apologizing in such a situation.
However, the car in front of me showed no inclination to do so.
“Oh, really?”
Far from apologizing, the driver ahead rolled down their window, extended an arm, and pointed toward the shoulder of the road.
Was I insane enough to follow that?
“They’re not some gangster to be telling me to pull over.”
I decided to dismiss it as a regrettable encounter and simply drive past, but then they switched on their high beams and began tailing me closely.
Had they never seen the public service announcement, ‘Reckless Driving on the Road is Murder’?
Then again, such individuals likely wouldn’t even bother watching public service announcements, so it probably wouldn’t have made a difference.
‘They’ll follow me all the way, won’t they?’ I thought.
Realizing that ignoring them would only prolong the chase, I pulled over as they wished.
As I pulled onto the shoulder, the aggressive driver immediately parked behind me and stepped out of their car.
Upon closer inspection, they appeared quite neat.
Jet-black hair, styled fashionably in a contemporary trend.
While their appearance seemed a bit sly, they didn’t strike me as a gangster, perhaps just someone with a foul temper.
“Haa…”
I sighed briefly, turning my head.
I wasn’t particularly scared.
Unless the person who got out had tigers or dragons tattooed on both arms, I wouldn’t be.
Although there’s a saying that ordinary people can be more frightening, they weren’t holding a baseball bat or a kitchen knife.
As long as I didn’t get out, I’d be fine.
“Hey, get out!”
They seemed utterly enraged.
Having no reason to exit my car, I merely lowered the window slightly.
After all, they were the one in the wrong, not I.
“Why?”
I retorted curtly, glaring at them through the window, which was lowered just enough to reveal my face.
“Why? You—you—you young lady, you really have some nerve!”
Suddenly, their face flushed, and they stammered, flustered.
Weren’t they here to be angry?
****
Kim Min-hyuk, a 28-year-old fashion model, was rushing to a schedule he was already late for when he couldn’t contain his anger at the compact car that had honked at him.
He was already facing a severe scolding for being late, and now a mere compact car dared to disrespect him.
He was so furious that he considered ignoring it and rushing to his scolding no different from being even later and then getting scolded.
So, he opened his window and pointed to the shoulder, but “That bastard…” the compact car ignored him and drove away.
Seeing this, he immediately switched on his high beams and began pursuing the compact car.
Whether his stubbornness had prevailed or not, the compact car soon meekly pulled over to the shoulder.
Kim Min-hyuk promptly parked his own mid-sized car, bought on a 48-month installment plan, behind the compact car.
Then, pondering what to say, he trudged toward the driver’s side.
“Hey, get out!” he called out loudly, tapping lightly on the window.
The window hummed as it lowered slightly.
Having seen only the top of her head, he had judged the driver to be an *ajumma* (TL Note: A Korean term for a middle-aged married woman, often used informally or sometimes disrespectfully), and had planned to call her that to provoke a reaction.
“Why?”
“Why? You—you…”
The words hovering on his lips ultimately failed to emerge.
She was clearly not an *ajumma*.
And, she was the prettiest woman he had ever seen.
Her face was all he could see, so he couldn’t tell if her hair was long or short, but her jet-black hair was undeniable.
Next, her sharp eyes caught his attention.
Her gaze seemed a little provocative, but her overall impression wasn’t fierce, making her appear instead as an attractive beauty.
Simply put, Kim Min-hyuk was utterly ‘smitten at first sight.’
Flustered for various reasons, he feigned composure and finally managed to stammer, “You young lady! You really have some nerve!”
The woman who had captivated Kim Min-hyuk stared at him with an incredulous gaze, then unleashed a torrent of words.
“You’re the one who dangerously cut me off without signaling in the first place, aren’t you? And don’t you know that chasing someone like this with your high beams on can be reported as retaliatory driving?”
However, Kim Min-hyuk remained unmoving, uttering not a single word.
He simply stood there like a fool, gazing at her.
“If you follow me again, I’ll report you.”
With those final words, she rolled up her window, giving Min-hyuk no chance to speak, and simply drove away, disappearing from his sight.
“Ah.”
He stood dazed for a moment.
Only when his phone vibrated noisily in his pocket did he snap back to reality.
[Hey, you bastard! Where are you right now?!]
“I’m sorry. I got into a dispute while driving…”
[Don’t make excuses, get here in 10 minutes, now!]
Listening to the furious voice of the shopping mall owner, he climbed back into his car.
‘Will I ever see her again…?’ he wondered, pushing aside his worries about the impending scolding, his mind fixated solely on the image of the woman he had just encountered.
****
“What a weirdo…”
Leaving the strange encounter behind, I drove to the real estate agency.
Since there was no parking lot nearby, I parked a little further away and strolled leisurely toward it.
The sunlight was so warm that I quickly grew hot.
Wearing a tracksuit on such a day was probably the initial problem.
‘But it’s not like I can wear women’s clothes,’ I thought.
For a moment, I imagined myself in women’s attire.
Even a brief consideration left me feeling utterly strange, so I shook my head vigorously.
‘I wish winter would just come already,’ I mused, hoping for a sudden drop in temperature, as I carefully opened the real estate office door.
“Hello…”
“Welcome! Did you make an appointment?”
As I opened the door and stepped inside, a middle-aged man who had been sitting at a computer rose from his seat and approached me.
Come to think of it, people usually contact them in advance when looking at houses.
I had always made appointments when searching for a place before.
Shaking my head, I realized my mistake.
“Ah… no.”
The agent nodded slightly at my words, then gestured toward the sofa nearby.
Well, it seemed it wasn’t a complete no-go.
“Are you looking for a studio? Or a two-room place?”
As I settled into a seat, he sat opposite me and struck up a conversation.
In response to his question, I shook my head again, replying that I was here to look at apartments.
“No, I’m looking for an apartment.”
“Ah, an apartment. Do you have one in mind? Are you looking for a *jeonse* (TL Note: A unique Korean housing lease system where a large lump-sum deposit is paid instead of monthly rent, which is returned at the end of the contract)?”
*Jeonse*? What *jeonse*?
No matter how much money I had, I wasn’t someone who would simply throw it away.
I’d rather rent monthly.
“No, for purchase…”
“Purchase… for purchase?”
His eyes narrowed slightly as he stared at me.
By now, I was accustomed to people’s surprise.
I gave a casual nod, watching the agent.
He pondered for a moment, then began running a hand through his hair, which seemed to be thinning.
I felt an unnecessary worry that he might lose even more hair doing that.
“…Do you have an apartment or a price range in mind?”
And then, after a brief pause, he spoke cautiously.
I nodded again at his words.
I did have one apartment in mind, which I’d thought of on the drive over.
“Allstate, near the station.”
Allstate, a brand apartment complex with a decent reputation.
I had vaguely searched on my phone the other day and found the purchase price to be between 600 million and 1 billion won, which seemed more than sufficient, so I kept it in mind.
As I drove by earlier, I’d caught a glimpse of the building, and it certainly looked impressive.
Knowing I could always go elsewhere if it didn’t suit me, I made the decision without hesitation.
However, the agent glared at me with sharp eyes, speaking in a somewhat annoyed tone.
“Student, you’re not here to play games, are you?”
“Pardon?”
