it’s not to say that sumyeong doesn’t ever do anything alone or without little siyang. he does. he’s just so use to the idea of being around another person - be it child or adult - that it’s become a sort of comfort. especially when sumyeong finds that he doesn’t want to be alone.
such as this moment.
he’s not scared. or lonely. or even particularly seeking some form of companionship. but right now standing at the edge of the northern village ruins… well… sumyeong can say he’s happy to not be alone. and it’s only then that part of him truly wonders why his offer to pay for dinner was enough to convince them to go with him in the first place.
of all the three years he had been a resident on the island, he had never once stepped foot in or even near the village ruins. after all, he had more than enough things on his hands with the exhausting construction work and taking care of siyang as an infant. the thought had never crossed his mind either, to even be curious about the village ruins. any mention of it seemed to always be steered in another direction as well - it being haunted being the most anyone would really say about it.
but after a conversation with the mayor about potential renovations and projects that could take place in the future for gwasuwon, they had slighted the topic of the northern village ruins. like any conversation, not much was said about it aside from the intonation that it was a pity there was nothing they could do about it.
this in particular had sparked sumyeong’s interest. exactly what about an abandoned village or ruins was it they couldn’t do anything about? and thus led sumyeong to taking the initiative to check the village out. he had been quite eager to take notes and examine as much of the village as he could to see if he could come up with any sort of report for it to the mayor. but… it was if the village was pulsating…
almost like it was alive.
and the most unsettling part of it all was that this feeling had started from as early as the path way up to the village. sumyeong just didn’t realize it until they were finally standing at the edge very edge of the ruins.
“is it just me or does this place… seem… odd? it’s almost like we’re not on gwasuwon anymore.”
A misty haze invades the area around you. It is all encompassing, damp scent thick and stifling as it buries itself in your lungs. You cannot escape the choice. No matter if you refuse to close your eyes or keep them shut forever. When you lift your head from the forceful slumber, you find a tarot card staring up at you.
A bearded man dressed in armor, velvet red robe wrapped around him. he sits with regal posture atop a throne adorned with the skulls of four rams, proudly grasping an opalescent orb in his left hand and an ankh in his right. though his profile is shown to the world, the presence of his eyes pierces through the simplicity of being a painted image. The Emperor. When you give in to the draw to pick it up, a voice echoes in your head,
“You have done well adopting an unwilling role, serving your family, remaining steadfast in all you know and do. There is merit in your gestures full of altruism and the eyes of the one you cherish the most looks at you in kind. But you must understand that fate is the one that selects you. When the time comes, you must make choices and be decisive in your movements. Lest you are bound to be a pillar that falls as the ones around you have.”
response under cut
the emperor
sumyeong doesn’t take himself as someone altruistic. he just simply does things in what he thinks is right or wrong, especially when it came to taking care of those he cared for. it was hard after all, being raised in a household where there were supportive parents. supportive, but not always loving in the sense that sumyeong needed. in a way he never thought he would’ve needed.
it never did deter him from doing his best though. from a young age, he knew he would never live up to his step-mother’s expectations and his fathers? it was clear he simply wanted a great future for sumyeong but there was never much he did to defend the young boy from the attitude of his new wife. maybe fostering a good relationship between his younger sister had been his saving grace between the tie he and his step-mother had. but sumyeong had never taken that blood relation as an advantage to put himself in better graces. that was something he had learned to let go from a long time ago.
like the family he had left.
because the words that ring his ears brings a sense of uncalm over him. fat is the one that selects you.
it seemed, no matter how much sumyeong wished to deny this fact something would always try to remind him things were never truly in his hands. and having that as perspective was something sumyeong didn’t want. not when he believed he had chosen to take siyang into his life versus letting her live out an unfortunate one with his family had he chosen to leave irregardless of the situation.
or the fact that he had so much potential. so much to live up to. but it was all placed aside because he chose this role. to become a father for a child no one seemed to want. if that was fate, taking away everything he had ever wished for… wasn’t it quite cruel? for both sumyeong and siyang alike.
if one thing is clear though, sumyeong knows that he will make his own choices. so that he doesn’t become a reflection of those he left behind. those who choose to make him something of convenience for their own needs. those… who couldn’t open their minds and hearts to accept the reality and truth of working out unexpected circumstances.
there were things that sumyeong wanted to leave behind and his only hope was that, if fate was real, it would keep those in his past away if it were granting him this role.
yo yo yo what is up in here sticks and stones. i have here my boy HAN SUMYEONG ! he is turning 28 in a few days. has been on the island for about 4 years and currently working as the mayor’s secretary for about 3 years. and most important of all is currently a single father raising his 4 y/o daughter han siyang. i’ll be completely honest that i have no ideas for him in regard to plots and connections but i’ll try to list a few at the bottom lol
umm i always forget this but a link to his wip profile and his background (connections and plots page will come as i have ideas!)
hit the like button if you’re interested in anything or want to plot and i’ll get running to you in dms asap!
tldr
was born to han daeman and kang sojung in seoul, sk
his birth mother passed away when sumyeong was still quite young
somewhere along the line, his father met min hyerim, fell in love again before marrying her and sumyeong was given a new step-mother and step-sister (min nakyung)
growing up he had never been very close to his step-mother and they never fostered a very good relationship. it was only after she became pregnant with his younger sister haesu that things seemed to settle for a while, otherwise, sumyeong was kind of the scapegoat for everything when it came to issues with his step-mother growing up
despite seoul having endless opportunities, once sumyeong was old enough, he took the chance to attend school in busan for law and to start building his life there so he could get space from his father and step-mother
once haesu graduated high school, she followed suit to busan and began living with sumyeong. however, not long after her move down, she got pregnant and their mother found out due to the watchful eye of their aunt keeping her up to date on her precious daughter’s wellbeing
surprise surprise, sumyeong gets blamed for this but out of the love he has for his younger sister and knowing their mother’s temperament, he makes the choice to take the child knowing that both the child and haesu would suffer under their mother’s temper if haesu were to keep it
once the baby was born, sumyeong named her (han siyang), got the paperwork done and left for gwasuwon after getting in touch with nakyung again
he started off by doing construction work. despite the hard labor, the money paid well and kept him on his feet with baby siyang
after a year, he was able to find a new job as the mayor’s secretary, allowing him much more free time in comparison to the construction work. since then, he’s maintained his job and steadily built a life that he’s content with with focus on giving siyang the best and most that he can.
extra notes
sumyeong doesn’t talk about siyang’s birth mother and that’s something he chooses to keep secret. the last thing he wants is for siyang to grow up thinking that she wasn’t wanted and that’s something that honesty scares him.
a lot of his free time is spent with siyang. if going out with any friends or anyone, unless if it isn’t necessary for him to be alone, or not appropriate for children, you can expect siyang to be tagging along unless if he has a baby-sitter for her or she’s at the daycare
he used to be kind of torn over feeling like his life had ended but he’s slowly learning that he can still do things for himself as well. really enjoys days where he’s at home relaxing with siyang
he’s pretty friendly and kind-natured, although this shouldn’t be reflected as if he trusts everybody or anybody. he’s very protective with siyang and makes sure she understands who she’s safe with and can trust.
probably doesn’t seem like a single dad upon first impression. don’t get him wrong, he loves siyang, she’s become his world but also out of certain worries he doesn’t always tell people about her because he doesn’t really have someone he can truly rely on in the same sense of siyang having two constant parent figures in her life.
connections
a baby-sitter? sumyeong pays well lol and there’s a pretty set schedule otherwise maybe someone he knows he can usually call for emergencies when he has to step out for some time
someone who adores siyang? someone who doesn’t like kids? either way sumyeong isn’t too ecstatic about you knowing siyang
neighbors? currently lives in seomyeon (or maybe someone trying to convince him to move to the birch tree apartment complexes)
he hasn’t had romance in his life for a long while. someone who’s interested? someone who was and then found out he has a kid?
matchmaker, you try to set him up on dates?
people who don’t like him because he works for the mayor or anything that has to do with the island politics and associate him with them?
people from busan? or seoul? he might’ve known from school?
more ideas i don’t have here but maybe you do feel free to lmk lol
