The Tractor Incident
It was a sunny morning in Joam-ri, and the villagers were busy with their daily chores. The hum of a tractor echoed through the fields as a young boy ran around, playing near the edge of the path.
Suddenly, the tractor driver lost control, its front wheel slipping on loose dirt. The heavy machine tilted dangerously, veering toward the boy.
"Watch out!" someone shouted, but the child froze in fear, unable to move.
Haneul-i's Heroic Act
Haneul-i, who was nearby carrying tools, heard the commotion. Without hesitation, he dropped everything and sprinted toward the scene. His heart pounded as he saw the tractor tipping further, its massive weight threatening to crush the boy.
Reaching the boy just in time, Haneul-i positioned himself between the tractor and the child. With a guttural roar, he pushed up against the tractor's underside, holding it back with sheer strength.
"Run!" he shouted, his voice steady despite the strain.
The boy scrambled away, tears streaming down his face. Haneul-i gritted his teeth, his muscles screaming in protest as the tractor pressed against his back. Finally, the driver managed to stabilize the machine, lowering it back onto its wheels.
Haneul-i collapsed to his knees, breathing heavily. The driver jumped down, rushing over. "I'm so sorry! Are you okay?"
"It's fine," Haneul-i said, his voice calm despite the sharp pain radiating through his shoulder. But it wasn't fine—he could feel that something was seriously wrong.
Soo-jin to the Rescue
Soo-jin, who had been walking nearby, saw the entire incident unfold. As soon as the tractor was stabilized, she ran to Haneul-i, her face pale with worry.
"Haneul-i!" she shouted, grabbing his hands and pulling him up. "Come with me right now."
"I'm fine," he said, trying to wave her off, but his wince betrayed him.
"No, you're not!" Soo-jin said, her voice shaking. "Your shoulder—it could be broken. Please, don't argue with me!"
Surprises in Her Room
Soo-jin led Haneul-i to her temporary room in the village. As she guided him inside, Haneul-i's eyes were drawn to the posters and pictures adorning the walls. One in particular caught his attention: a man holding what looked like a long tennis racket, smashing a feathered ball mid-air. The name Lin Dan was printed in bold letters across the bottom.
Haneul-i frowned, a strange sense of familiarity washing over him. Why does this feel so… known? he wondered, shaking his head to focus on the present.
Soo-jin motioned for him to sit on the bed. Before he could ask what she was doing, she climbed onto the bed and knelt over him, her hands trembling as she reached for his shirt.
"What… What are you doing?" Haneul-i asked, stammering and blushing furiously.
"Please, let me take a look," Soo-jin said, her voice soft but urgent. "I don't want you to get hurt even more."
Her anxiety was evident, her breathing uneven as she gently pulled his shirt off, revealing his bruised shoulder. Haneul-i winced but stayed still, his heart racing—not from pain, but from the closeness of her presence.
To the Hospital
After inspecting his shoulder, Soo-jin stood abruptly. "We need to get you to the hospital," she said, her voice firm despite her trembling hands.
Haneul-i tried to protest, but she silenced him with a look. "Don't argue. Let's go."
At the hospital, the doctors confirmed what Soo-jin had suspected—a fractured shoulder. Haneul-i was admitted immediately, the staff praising Soo-jin for her quick thinking and care.
A Watchful Caretaker
The next day, Soo-jin returned to the hospital with fresh food and supplies. She sat by Haneul-i's bed, carefully cutting fruit and feeding him as he tried to insist he could do it himself.
"You're not supposed to strain your shoulder," she said firmly, offering him another piece of fruit.
Haneul-i couldn't help but smile. Her attention to his well-being warmed his heart, though he felt a little embarrassed by the fuss.
Later, the villagers arrived, filling the hospital room with laughter and gratitude. The boy whose life Haneul-i had saved hugged him tightly, tears in his eyes. "Thank you, Haneul-i," he whispered.
"You're welcome," Haneul-i said, patting the boy's head gently.
The village chief turned to Soo-jin, his expression serious but kind. "Didn't I tell you he's something else?"
Soo-jin smiled softly, glancing at Haneul-i. "You were right."
Haneul-i's Thoughts
As the villagers left, promising to return with more food and gifts, Haneul-i lay in bed, his mind replaying the events of the past day. His shoulder throbbed, but all he could think about was Soo-jin.
Her panicked face when she had grabbed his hands, the way she fussed over him, the determination in her voice—it all stirred something deep within him.
He stared at the ceiling, a faint smile tugging at his lips. If life with her is this warm, this caring, Maybe this is what true love is... man i want to marry her.
For the first time in a long while, Haneul-i let himself dream—not of fame or glory, but of a quiet, happy life with Soo-jin by his side.
The Dream
Haneul-i lay in his hospital bed, the quiet hum of the room lulling him into a deep sleep. But as his consciousness drifted, his mind was pulled into a strange and vivid dream.
He was standing in a massive indoor arena, its bright lights illuminating the space. In his hands was a long racket—the same one he had seen in the poster in Soo-jin's room. Around him were people he didn't recognize, their faces shrouded in a mysterious fog.
One girl stood out among the crowd. She held a similar racket, her posture confident, her movements fluid and graceful. She turned toward him, but before he could see her face clearly, her name appeared in his mind—only to be censored by an inexplicable blur.
Suddenly, his head throbbed with pain, the images in his dream flashing chaotically. He clutched his head, falling to his knees as voices called out, distorted and incomprehensible.
Waking with a Start
Haneul-i jolted awake, a sharp scream escaping his lips as he shot up in bed. His heart raced, his breath uneven as the lingering fragments of the dream swirled in his mind.
The sound startled Soo-jin, who had been dozing in the chair beside him. She quickly sat up, rushing to his side.
"Haneul-i, what's wrong?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.
He shook his head, trying to calm his racing thoughts. "I… I don't know," he muttered. "It was just a dream."
Soo-jin stood and poured him a glass of water, bringing it to his trembling hands. "Here," she said softly. "Drink this and calm down."
Haneul-i took the glass, his hands brushing hers as he drank. Soo-jin's gentle presence helped ease his panic, though his heart still pounded—not from fear, but from how close she was.
"Lean on me," Soo-jin said, placing her hand on his shoulder.
Haneul-i hesitated, his cheeks flushing a deep red. He leaned back slightly, feeling the warmth of her support.
Soo-jin frowned, placing her palm against his forehead. "You're burning up," she said, worried. "Stay still. I'll be right back."
Soo-jin returned with a small bowl of warm water and a clean towel. She dipped the towel in the water, wrung it out, and placed it gently on Haneul-i's forehead.
"Lie down," she said, her voice soft but firm.
Haneul-i obeyed, unable to resist her care. As she adjusted the towel, he looked up at her, his heart fluttering at the sight of her face so close to his.
"You need to rest," Soo-jin said, her tone calming. "Whatever you dreamed about, it's over now. You're safe."
Her voice, soothing and melodic, lulled him into a state of peace. The warmth of the towel and the kindness in her eyes eased the tension in his body.
A Peaceful Sleep
For a moment, Haneul-i thought to himself, man she's so perfect i really want to be with her forever.
Soo-jin smiled as his breathing slowed, signaling that he had fallen asleep. She brushed a stray strand of hair from his forehead and whispered, "Goodnight, Haneul-i."
As he slept, his dreams were peaceful this time, filled with the comforting presence of Soo-jin. For the first time in a long while, the fog in his mind felt a little less heavy, and the pain in his heart a little less sharp.
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