Love Undercover

2.

It's been a week or so since she first met the stranger named Im Sooho but the man was literally everywhere!

Some mornings she would pass by him at Mr. Song's carpentry shop, then during lunchtime she would find him at school delivering food. In the afternoon, around three when she goes home, she would find him working at the car repair shop near their school. In between those works, he was always present everytime her grandfather called for workers in their farm or whenever she drops by at the Choi's restaurant for take out.

Isn't that too odd? Youngro thought. She knew their village was small but how did he manage to work just about everywhere? Because of his connections? Sunwon ahjumma, Gwangtae's mom and Im Sooho's aunt in law is the village secretary. While Gwanghee ahjussi is the head of the village. That seems plausible.

Does he ever even get tired though? Doesn't he feel awkward being in a new environment? Youngro wondered. Back then when she moved in at her grandparents' place, Youngro was aloof and awkward to everyone that she found it hard to blend in. But this Im Sooho caught everyone's attention and became the talk of the folks in Jeongseon, where one word spreads faster than a wildfire. Now, the women of Jeongseon, single and married, were only all about Im Sooho. Even Hye Ryeong, her friend and daughter of the town chief, kept gushing about the man.

Just like today when she dropped by her dear friend's house after her class. Hye Ryoung just finished rehearsing for her performance at the festival and she squealed like a pig who was about to be butchered as soon as she saw her.

"Yah, Youngro-yah! Im Sooho, that guy! Oh my God. Never in my entire life here in Jeongseon have I ever seen such a fine looking man. And did you see those muscles? I cannot believe I have just seen such beautifully chiselled abs for real in this lifetime!"

Youngro laughed, at the back of her head she wondered where Hye Ryeong saw Im Sooho half naked. At the carpentry shop? Car repair shop? Their farm? Youngro blushed when she saw in her head something she didn't dare expect to see. A half naked Im Sooho.

Drool.

Youngro wanted to slap her subconscious and make her behave.

"Yah, Youngro-yah... Are you sick? You look so red."

Youngro's eyes widened and nervously tried to find a way to divert Hye Ryoung's attention. Thankfully she found one. She pointed at the parking lot where Byungtae was talking to Chief Go, Hye Ryoung's father. "Look! If Byungtae hears you, he's definitely going to sulk for a week. Remember the last time he saw you receiving gifts from a guy after your recital? God, the entire neighborhood had to console him." Youngro sighed in relief when she successfully dodged Hye Ryoung's question.

"You don't have to remind me. That idiot is such a baby. Sometimes, I wonder what I really liked about him. He's an average guy and for Pete's sake he and Gwangtae are even louder than girls. He's even the one who cries and gets scared when we watch movies."

"Yah... Byungtae is a really nice person. Besides, you know his family well. If you let him go just because of some good looking stranger with nice chiselled abs, I'm really going to be disappointed, you know." Youngro said. Hye Ryoung scowled at her, about to say she was no fun, when suddenly she grabbed her arm.

"Yah! Yah! How do I look?" Hye Ryoung asked while fixing her bangs. Youngro wondered why Hye Ryoung was so fidgety which was never her character. She had always been the confident and beautiful muse of Jeongseon. However, she instantly realized why when she saw Im Sooho approaching Chief Go and Byungtae.

He's here too? He seemed comfortable with Chief Go though.

"Youngro, do I look okay?"

Youngro smiled and stood up.