Mudoo - Chapter 47

They say even dripping water can wear through stone. As Seula bent down to put on her shoes, her eyes lingered on the mark left on the stone doorstep by years of falling water.

Just how old was this house? Even in such a tiny detail, she could feel the weight of time — and with it, the distance between her and Kang Tae-shin became palpable.

“I’ll drive you to the interview venue.”

Tae-shin followed behind her, car keys in hand. Ever since the day Gangnim had stopped by the house, there’d been this odd, awkward tension in the air.

Seula couldn’t shake the feeling that he was hiding something. Because of that, she just couldn’t treat him as casually as before. They still cooked together, ate together, cleaned up afterward… but then they’d both retreat to their own rooms without seeking each other out.
They were more like a landlord and a quiet lodger than anything else.

She’d recently gotten a call from one of the companies she’d applied to — they wanted her in for an interview. She’d told Tae-shin about it right before heading out.

“I can go by myself…”

Sure, sitting in his passenger seat and getting dropped off right at the venue would be more convenient… but with how strained things had been between them lately, the words came out almost on reflex.

“That so? If you insist.”

He didn’t seem to mind either way.

“Well, if you did drive me, I could use the time to go over my prep one more time…”

“By the time we finish debating this, we could’ve already been on the road. Are you planning to take all year putting your shoes on?”

When she hesitated, he started getting impatient, tapping his watch and clicking his tongue.

He really does have a unique temperament. With him hurrying her along more than the actual interview itself, Seula stepped out the door.

***

The sedan carrying the two of them eventually pulled up near the interview building.

“I’ve got some errands after this. I’ll eat dinner out, so you go on home first.”

Seula unbuckled and reached for the door handle. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Tae-shin hesitate, like he was about to say something but kept swallowing it back.

“What? Is there something you want to say? Or do you need a favor?”

He wet his lips, avoiding her gaze, and murmured quietly.

“Good luck. You’ve worked hard for this — I’m sure you’ll do well.”

Really… what was so hard about saying that? Watching him awkwardly stumble over the words made Seula laugh under her breath.

“I’ll bring back some fish-shaped buns later. Dong-gil will like them too.”

“You don’t need to bring anything. Just don’t get sidetracked and come straight home.”

For as long as she could remember, she’d always avoided going home to an empty place — she’d linger outside just to kill time.

But now… now there was someone telling her to hurry home, and the feeling was strangely warm.

Maybe… this is what it’s like to have family. To have someone waiting for you, glad when you return. She’d never known that feeling before, but now she thought she might be starting to.

Seula smiled at him and stepped out of the car.

***

It was a disaster. An absolute disaster. There was no other way to describe how badly that had gone.

“You know this job doesn’t pay much and is physically demanding. So why do you want it?”
“There’s a gap in your resume after you quit your last job. What did you do during that time? Don’t tell me you just prepared for interviews.”
“Your credentials are pretty average. Education, grades, extracurriculars, language scores — nothing that stands out. Are you just not very ambitious?”
“You applied to other companies too, right? Which ones?”

She’d read reviews saying this company’s interviews were notoriously tough, but she hadn’t expected it to be that brutal.

Still dazed, she wandered into a drugstore and tossed a few of her usual skincare products into a basket. A store clerk approached to promote a new product, but one look at her expression was enough to make them quietly retreat.

Even the cashier’s standard questions — “Do you need a bag? Want to collect points?” — sounded like more interview questions to her, and she shrank a little without meaning to.

She’d told Tae-shin she’d eat out before coming home, but she didn’t feel like eating anything.

Ah… but I promised I’d bring fish buns.

She started scanning the streets for a fish bun stand when she spotted a red-tarped tent in the distance. The imagined scent of sweet red bean paste hit her, and her feet carried her there without thinking.

“Hello? Anyone here?”

But when she peeked inside, she froze.

The smell wasn’t sweet red bean — it was the faint fragrance of incense. The inside of the tent felt like a different world. A small stove radiated warmth, and the air carried a strange, tense energy.

“Come in, come in.”

Across a table cluttered with old tarot cards, an elderly woman greeted her with a warm smile.

Realizing this wasn’t a fish bun stall, Seula instinctively stepped back, but the woman spoke again, as if she’d been expecting her, and it felt rude to just leave.

“Here for a tarot reading? Sit, sit. Warm yourself up, it’s cold out.”

Ah… no, not really. I’m not into that kind of thing… But, caught in the moment, Seula found herself sitting across from her anyway.

“What would you like to know?”

The woman’s smile was kind, and before Seula could even say “I thought this was a fish bun stall,” the woman was already shuffling and spreading the cards with practiced ease.

Well… might as well have a little fun with this. Maybe ask about the job.

“I just came from an interview. Do you think I’ll get the job?”

“Alright. Pick five cards with your left hand.”

Seula carefully chose her cards. The woman gathered the unpicked ones, stacked them neatly to the side, and began flipping Seula’s choices over one by one with a firm tap, tap.

She’d expected someone her age to read fortunes through traditional astrology, not tarot, but the woman’s skill somehow inspired trust.

Then the woman frowned deeply.

“Your problem right now isn’t employment.”

“…Sorry? Then what is it?”

The woman let out a low hum, her face turning serious. Seula leaned in, curious.

“You’re bound. Tightly. There’s a cruel, stubborn chain around you, and you can’t break free.”

“…What is that supposed to mean?”

“A tie. A connection.”

And there it was — the sudden drop in trust. Seula’s expression flattened. She pulled out the cash she’d been saving for fish buns.

“If you don’t sever this tie, your life will be full of hardship.”

“Uh-huh. Right.”

“How did such a nasty, persistent thing latch onto you… tsk tsk.”

“So… what about my job?”

“I told you, that’s not the issue right now.”

Well, I think it’s the biggest issue in my life right now.

A handwritten sign read “5,000 won per question!” Seula quietly counted out five 1,000-won bills and set them on the table.

That’s… how many fish buns again? Even with a healthy bank account, 5,000 won still stung.

“If I get the job, I’ll come back.”

Not that she would. From now on, tarot was out of her life.

“Remember this, young lady!” the woman called after her. “If you want to live like a human being, cut that tie first! Steel your heart!”

She might’ve sounded like a quack, but her concern at least felt genuine. Seula gave her a small bow before heading off again in search of an actual fish bun stand.

By the time she looked up, she was already in Cheonghae-dong. She trudged up the hill, carrying nothing but the drugstore bag.

Hopefully they won’t be disappointed I came back empty-handed. Just as she reached Tae-shin’s gate, she heard Dong-gil’s gravelly voice from inside.

“When are you going to come clean, huh? Come clean!”

Something in her gut told her not to interrupt. She froze, ears straining.

“You’re the one who stirred up the Mudoo, the one who went and opened the spiritual eye without permission — all your fault! What are you going to do when Seula finds out, huh?!”

Her mind went blank. Her face stiffened, her fingers trembled, her breath caught in her throat.

“When she finds out you did it because you thought she was Yeo-ok — what then? She may be Yeo-ok’s reincarnation, but the Seula now doesn’t know a thing, doesn’t know a thing!”

It felt like her heart dropped straight to her feet. Her vision blurred, like she might faint.

She shut her eyes tight, then opened them again, steadying her ragged breathing and pressing a hand to her chest. It was like all the scattered pieces of a puzzle had suddenly snapped into place.

Squaring her shoulders, she pushed the gate open. The creak made both Tae-shin and Dong-gil turn toward her. She stepped into the yard, eyes fixed on them, catching the startled guilt on their faces.

“This… Mudoo thing. That was you, wasn’t it, Kang Tae-shin?”

She bit out each word slowly, as if she could grind them into dust. Tae-shin pressed his lower lip between his teeth.