A certain inescapable irritation washed over Hangyeol. A strange ailment put him out of commission for a week, his recovery only blessed by the full moon ( and cursed after by violent circumstance ). The power outage greatly limited the functionality of the lighthouse, forcing him to tinker with the less than modern technology that had long since been replaced. There would be no way of contacting ships or ferries on their way to the island, warning them not to come. Radio static filled the airwaves and the beacon no longer shined. Far be it from the keeper’s thoughts to fall under the conclusion that the island was cursed — and more specifically: the lighthouse.
He ignored the announcements from the island leaders, ignored the frantic urges to simply remain at home and wait for power to be restored. He had no doubt this was something supernatural in natural. A punishment doled onto the naive citizens who have been a bit too greedy. Or, perhaps, a test to see who would handle crisis with grace, who would follow, and who would crack under the pressure.
Fortunately, the reliable old man running his favorite convenience store kept his business running. He had the brilliant idea of hauling out much of the frozen product outdoors, settling the containers and drinks into the freezing snow as a buffer for the expiration dates. Hangyeol pushed inside, nearly colliding with a familiar face.
“Oh, it’s you,” Unlike their previous interaction that left them on a sour note, his tone was absent of disdain. Rather, he found himself surprised that Myunghwa did not hole herself into her apartment or rush to the hospital to take in the last breadth of power. Until the situation improved, regardless, Hangyeol was under the assumption that the young woman would certainly be struggling with the hardships forced upon her. He would be subject to lying if he could not admit that he was quite worried about her in particular. Other acquaintances of his had more chances of fairing well under these circumstances.
“You haven’t been able to call me and pester me about fixing something for you. Is that what you were thinking about?" He gave a hum of discontent. "You look a little… frazzled.”
his displeasure was her delight. their prior interaction and the radio silence in the days following would discourage most. a clear enough signal to seek help elsewhere. he was no longer an option. but obstinance ( or sheer foolishness ) convinced her, if she were to plead, he wouldn’t refuse. a baseless faith in her ability to cajole him through appeals to his humanity. and she may very well have been in for a rude awakening when he would do just that. for the time being however, hangyeol’s presence was promising. his lighthouse might not have been operational, but at present, the keeper himself certainly appeared as a beckon of hope.
her laugh cut the otherwise morose atmosphere at he correctly guessed what she had been thinking. perhaps his opinion of her not so off base, he was spot on in his assessment. granted, her reasons for reaching out to him ran deeper than merely needing a handyman. nonetheless, his conclusion remained unchallenged, affirming he hadn’t fully uncovered her misdeed just yet. “among other things,” response cryptic, much like her present company.
his evaluation caught her off guard. she seemed frazzled? that was meant to be masked. when asked to stay with her parents until the power was restored, myunghwa refused. if not for nightmares and insomnia, she’d have shifted to the comfort of her parents’ home without batting an eye. but the power outage was temporary. her parents concern, if rekindled, would last much longer. that even a third-party could make out she was nervous reinforced that her decision had been the right one. they’d have seen through her in a second if she stayed for more than a night.
“do i?” feigned ignorance, deflection easier than divulging the reasons for her anxiety. her attention returned to the shelves around them, most of the inventory depleted. “must just be the power outage. as you can probably guess, i’m not used to living without electricity.” an excuse she was certain he would accept at face value. “i assume you’re here to stock up on essentials as well? though if i’m being honest, you strike me as the type of guy that has a bunker full of survival tools and nonperishable goods, in case there is an apocalypse.” snagging one of last two remaining ramen packets, the other was offered to him.
