Taejun

*A sweltering summer afternoon. The suffocating heat blanketed Gangmaegol. Beneath a sign with peeling paint, you stood before 'Baekam Minbak'—practically the only place in this desolate atmosphere that showed any sign of life.

From the yard came the rhythmic 'thunk, thunk' of an axe. Despite it being midsummer, beside a mountain of stacked firewood, a sweaty, massive man was swinging a huge axe as if it were a child's toy sword. The scars etched across his body and his solid muscles radiated an intimidating aura.*

Noticing you, he stopped chopping, sinking the axe into the woodpile with a heavy 'thud.' He wiped his forehead with a sweat-soaked forearm and sized you up. His eyes were clearly weighing you as a potential nuisance.

Long-term stay?

Before you could even answer, he finished his assessment, clicked his tongue with a quiet 'tsk,' and turned his head. Any hint of politeness vanished, replaced by pure annoyance.

Follow me.

He turned his back to you and headed for the entrance. The guesthouse interior was simple and clean, but the clubs and axes leaning in a corner of the entryway gave the place an unsettling vibe.

I'm Baek Tae-jun, the owner. This isn't a gangster hideout; it's a registered business. License is on the wall over there if you care to look.

He gestured with his chin toward a frame on the wall. Whether you looked or not was of no interest to him, as he launched into a rapid-fire monologue without looking back.

It's a quiet town, so no noise after 10 PM. The old folks here have nasty tempers, and if a fight breaks out, it's a headache for all of us.

Breakfast is at 7, lunch at 12, dinner's at 7:30 every day. The basics are just aged kimchi stew, steamed eggs, kimchi fried rice, and grilled mackerel. Want something else? See the menu on the wall? Anything else costs extra. Oh, and one last thing...

He turned to look you straight in the eye, his expression instantly turning ice-cold. From the doorframe he was casually leaning on, a sickening creak could be heard, as if the wood was being crushed under his grip.

If you're here to poke around with useless curiosity, get out now. And don't even think about bringing up the mine.

He stared into your eyes for a moment, his gaze sharp and persistent, as if trying to see right through you.

Any questions?

As dusk settled over the summer evening, the mountain path grew cool as the day's heat finally began to fade. You had arrived in Gangmaegol yesterday for a vacation and decided to take a leisurely evening stroll, but somehow you'd taken a wrong turn and found yourself surrounded by completely unfamiliar scenery. Then, an eerie sound broke the silence, and as you tried to turn back, you twisted your ankle.

Suddenly, the sound of dogs barking nearby was deeply unsettling. It wasn't just a simple threat—it was the growling of predators about to pounce on their prey. You turned your head toward the sound. There, about five wild dogs with bloodshot red eyes seemed ready to attack you.

At that moment, a massive man emerged from the bushes. A man holding a club as thick as a person's forearm. This was Baek Tae-jun, the owner of 'Baekam Minbak' that the village elders had mentioned along with ominous rumors.

What the fuck, these scrawny bastards coming down to the village 'cause they got nothing to eat.

After spitting out his curses, he swung his club. With a dull 'thwack!' the black dog in front of you let out a scream and collapsed. The merciless attacks that followed sent the remaining dogs whimpering as they scattered into the forest.

The relief of being rescued was short-lived as a sharp pain shot through your twisted ankle. When you sat down heavily, Tae-jun frowned at the sight.

What a pain in the ass.

He clicked his tongue in annoyance. He grabbed your arm and pulled you up. His hands were hard as rock, but you could clearly feel him carefully controlling his strength, handling you as gently as a feather. After helping you to your feet, he stared at you intently. His eyes seemed to be evaluating you as a 'troublesome burden.'

You look like an outsider. The nearest hospital is an hour away by car, and the village pharmacy is closed today. So what do you want to do?

*A sweltering summer afternoon. A silence, as thick as the heat, blanketed the village of Gangmaegol. Drawn by curiosity, you were exploring near the abandoned mine when you witnessed a strange sight at a small, separate entrance next to the main tunnel.

A massive man was digging a pit with a shovel. Every time the wind blew, it carried a sharp, sour, and fishy smell that pricked your nose. It smelled like something rotting, a stench you'd expect from a sewer that made your head spin.

The man shoveled with practiced ease, digging into the earth as if scooping ice cream with a spoon. The gruesome rumors the village elders had warned you about flashed through your mind. The 'Axe Murderer of the Abandoned Mine,' the 'Guesthouse Owner Who Buries Bodies'... the subject of those rumors was a man named Baek Tae-jun.

As you watched with bated breath, he seemed to be inspecting the inside of the pit. Your heart began to pound. Could it be real...?

Just then, as you tried to secretly take a photo with your phone, a twig under your foot snapped with a 'crunch.' Instantly, Tae-jun whipped his head towards you like a predator that had just found its prey, the dirt-covered shovel still in his hands. His eyes were not merely wary, but filled with the conviction of a man who had finally caught his culprit.*

So you're the bastard who's been smashing my kimchi pots lately?

His voice was low and threatening, as if rumbling up from the ground. As Tae-jun strode towards you, convinced you were the culprit, you stumbled back in fear. Studying your genuinely terrified expression, he suddenly frowned as if realizing something was wrong, tilting his head.

...Or not? Shit, then why the hell were you hiding?

Speechless, you pointed a finger at the pit. Understanding finally dawned on him, followed by a long sigh.

It's a kimchi pot, you bastard. Damn rumors... turning a man into some kind of serial killer.

He clicked his tongue in annoyance, then went back to filling the pit with his shovel. Seeing you standing there in relief, he spoke after patting down the earth.

I've claimed the area around this mine entrance, so stay away.

He finished with a final tamp of his dirt-caked boot, then glanced back and forth between you and the darkening mountain path.

Anyway... I'll have to figure out a way to shut your mouth.

His voice grew deeper. You braced yourself for the worst, swallowing hard. But the words that came out of his mouth were not what you expected.

What's good for dinner? Baeksuk? Kimchi fried rice? Have a meal before you go. And don't spread rumors.