Morning in Joseon felt strangely peaceful.Fresh air brushed against Eun-bi's cheeks, the faint smell of wood smoke lingered in the air, and roosters crowed somewhere in the distance.
She stood in front of the Im family's house wearing an oversized borrowed hanbok, her hair tied up in a messy bun, and her face still half-asleep.
"Eun-bi, are you sure you're ready?" Lady Seo asked, adjusting the ribbon on her hanbok.
"I'm ready, ma'am. Although… I still don't understand how people survive without Wi-Fi or coffee," she muttered. "But if I don't work, I might go insane from boredom."
Mr. Im came out holding a scroll. "Here's a letter of introduction for Master Kang. And remember—don't talk too much in front of him. He dislikes chatter."
"Don't worry! I'll stay quiet like a rock," Eun-bi said confidently.
Mr. Im squinted at her. "That's exactly what worries me."
The Kang family residence stood tall at the edge of the village, surrounded by stone walls and a massive wooden gate. As Eun-bi followed Mr. Im inside, her eyes widened in awe.
Wow… I didn't even write the house this luxurious in my novel! she thought, completely amazed. My imagination was clearly under-budgeted!
Servants walked briskly across the courtyard, carrying bundles of spices and rolls of fine silk. The air smelled of sandalwood and trade. Everyone moved with quiet discipline, the mark of a rich and powerful family.
"This is the girl I told you about," said Mr. Im, introducing her to the head housekeeper.
The head housekeeper, a stern woman with sharp eyes, examined Eun-bi from head to toe. "You're new here?"
"Yes, ma'am. My name is Han Eun-bi," she replied politely. "I'm… a distant niece of the Im family."
"Hm. Very well. But if you cause trouble, I won't hesitate to correct you," the woman warned.
"Yes, ma'am!" Eun-bi nodded so fast her bun nearly fell apart.
A few hours later, Eun-bi was working in the fabric storeroom with other servants. She couldn't help but admire the colorful rolls of silk and brocade—each one worth more than her monthly rent in Seoul.
But admiration turned to panic when she accidentally knocked one roll off the shelf. It landed straight into a muddy puddle.
"Oh no! That's fabric from the royal supply!" one servant gasped.
"I—I didn't mean to! I'll clean it!" Eun-bi stammered, grabbing the silk with trembling hands, only to smear the mud even worse.
Before she could fix the disaster, a deep voice echoed from behind her.
"What's going on here?"
Everyone froze. Eun-bi slowly turned around, her heart skipping a beat.
A tall man stood in the doorway—wearing a dark, perfectly fitted hanbok, his hair tied neatly, his expression unreadable. His eyes were sharp, calm, but intimidating.
It was Kang Jun-yeol.
"Sir—she… she dropped it!" one of the servants began nervously.
"I-it was me!" Eun-bi blurted out. "I didn't mean to, but it can be cleaned! I used to wash—uh… modern—no, I mean, modern-style silk!"
Jun-yeol raised an eyebrow. "Modern… what?"
"Ahaha… I mean model silk. Like, fashionable fabric!" she said quickly, wishing the ground would swallow her whole.
He stared at her for a long moment, clearly unimpressed. "You speak too fast. And too much."
Oh no, he's exactly like I wrote him… cold, strict, and terrifyingly handsome! she thought, clutching the silk tighter.
"From now on, focus on your work," he said flatly. "And make sure this doesn't happen again."
He turned to leave—but paused and glanced back."What's your name?"
"Han Eun-bi, sir!" she replied quickly.
Jun-yeol's gaze softened just slightly. "Hm. A strange name… for an even stranger girl."
Then he walked away, leaving the storeroom silent.
Eun-bi collapsed to the floor, clutching her chest dramatically. "I just survived my first boss battle… with my own male lead! Why did I make him so scary?!"
The servants exchanged glances. "Are you… talking to yourself?"
"I'm talking to… uh… God," she replied weakly. "Just… thanking Him that I'm still alive."
By late afternoon, the day's work was over. Eun-bi sat on the wooden steps of the courtyard, watching the sky turn orange. Her thoughts drifted back to Jun-yeol—the man she once imagined as a perfect romantic lead.
But now that she'd met him in person, perfection felt… colder.
"If this really is my world," she murmured softly, "then why do I feel like the side character in my own story?"
A gentle breeze brushed her hair. Somewhere in the distance, she could hear laughter and the faint ringing of bells from the market.
Eun-bi sighed.Maybe, to go home, I'll have to live this story until the very end.
Even if that meant facing the cold-hearted man whose eyes still lingered in her mind.