Flowers Are Bait

‘-I will be the spruce of Hwaido. I will stand in place of the Spiritual Tree, and play old music. Until I die, until I become the heritage of the island.’

At the time of the red sunset, Kwon Chae-woo played every day in the place where the spirit tree disappeared as promised.

The unusual performance was rumored in just a few days, and now, two months later, some audiences intentionally crossed from the land to Hwaido to see Kwon Chae-woo.

He began to plan to turn Hwaido into Asia’s Lucerne (*a Swiss city where prestigious music festivals are held) by mobilizing the funds of the family.

It was a project to brand it as a “music city” by establishing a professional concert hall and attracting periodic festivals, international competitions, music academies, and even hosting a children’s song festival.

It was during this time that Lee-yeon heard Kwon Chae-woo speaking German for the first time. When that happened, she felt strange and fascinated, often wandering around him to eavesdrop.

In those moments, Kwon Chae-woo would nonchalantly continue his phone call, abruptly end the conversation, and hurry over. The coarse sound he made while speaking the foreign language suited him as if he were a native.

“I’ve been thinking about the baby’s name for a while.”

Lee-yeon was walking in the reed field with Kwon Chae-woo, her belly was noticeably round.

“What is it?”

“Nam-woo.”

“Wood?”

“No, Namwoo!”

“Wait, isn’t that your first love’s name?” Kwon Chae-woo frowned and snapped at Lee-yeon.

“What? Do you still hold a grudge because of that?”

“Grudge or not, all I can think of is the jealousy I felt back then. It just makes me feel bad for no reason.”

“But people say they Nam-woo is nice.”

“What people are you talking about?”

“The people who knew I was pregnant early on.”

Kwon Chae-woo sighed as if dumbfounded. However, when he saw her laughing while covering her mouth, he felt inexplicably entangled.

He pressed his lips against her plump, tempting cheeks and then opened his coat, enveloping Lee-yeon inside.

Soon, the two of them wandered through the seemingly endless reed fields. Lee-yeon turned her body with an expression of disbelief on her face. When Kwon Chae-woo tried to lean down again for a kiss, she quickly turned her head, avoiding the gesture.

“Is all of this your land, Chae-woo?”

“Yes.”

“And all of this belongs to you?”

“Yes.”

Lost in the vastness, Lee-yeon’s eyes blinked as a sturdy chin was suddenly placed on top of her head.

A gentle voice, the slow movement of an Adam’s apple, and the cool wind playing with the strands of her hair all conveyed a profound sense of presence.

“Beautiful Hwaido Island.”

Although it was a shattered slogan as the reality of Hwaido Island unfolded, Lee-yeon actually liked those words.

“I’ll give it all to you.”

“…!”

“In the future, the entire island will sing for you. Wherever you are, wherever you go, until I become visible in the breeze.”

“I’ll make it happen for you.” Kwon Chae-woo promised, holding her tightly.

It was a moment when a man’s consolation created a vast paradise.

***

The long winter had passed.

Despite the severe cold and frequent snowstorms due to the first frost warning in more than a decade, Lee-yeon experienced the warmest winter of her life.

Whenever she worried that the trees might suffer from the East Sea winds, Kwon Chae-woo climbed up the hill and wrapped the pine and persimmon trees with straw.

Lee-yeon sent handmade baby clothes to the local government whenever she had spare time, and the house gradually filled with various adorable baby items.

“Let’s endure this winter well and make sure to bloom the leaves. We made it through,” she whispered like a prayer whenever she found a moment.

At this moment, Lee-yeon was leaning against a tree, listening to a gentle melody, much like on a certain day in the distant past.

The “greetings of love” emanating from the man’s hands were as soft and warm as the early spring weather.

In the midst of the dense forest, there were sparkling glass lanterns, a suitable-sized table, and delicately arranged flowers scattered in secret places.

It was a baby shower that Kwon Chae-woo had meticulously prepared for Lee-yeon, who was approaching childbirth.

After finishing the performance, he carefully wiped the fingerboard, body, and bridge with a cotton cloth. Lee-yeon, observing this, scanned Kwon Chae-woo’s black hair, well-defined back, tightly pulled shoulders, and even the thighs revealed when he bent his knees.

Bathing in the sunlight filtering through the leaves, she suddenly asked, “Chae-woo, isn’t it boring to live with me?”

“I’m not sure what you heard.”

Kwon Chae-woo smirked, raising one eyebrow.

“I feel like I’ve turned you into a househusband, Chae-woo.”

“I’m sorry, but I spent a fulfilling winter.”

“Still, originally…”

“Originally?”

“I thought you would rather be a bit more…”

“A bit more?”

“Busier. Back at the Kwon’s house…” Lee-yeon lowered her voice.

In that place, Kwon Chae-woo always carried the scent of blood. During the day, he would either sprawl out or stand tall like a bamboo shoot, and at night, he would wear a pitch-black mask, revealing only his eerie eyes.

The man who used to stand on the stage of the Berlin Philharmonic Hall now played music on the ground like a poor student. Every time she saw him like that, a faint uneasiness took root in Lee-yeon’s heart.

Maybe, he would yearn for the wealth and honor he enjoyed in the past. Perhaps he would one day find his place and leave.

But Lee-yeon didn’t know.

She didn’t know that this househusband had quietly taken root as the next successor of the Kwon family.