Without even realising it, Sihon was gradually becoming a part of this small village.
A few days later the renovations on his house began in earnest, and several workers set to fixing the place up. Yeonju showed him the remodelling plan in case he needed to add or change anything. Going through the drawings, he explained how they intended to fix the ceiling and restore it to its original state.
He added that they would be extending the house to connect it to the outdoor bathroom, and that they planned to upgrade the entire structure to a modern layout. Sihon was very pleased with all of it and could not believe the house was bigger than he had expected. According to the plan, it was going to have three bedrooms and a full kitchen.
After going through all the details, Sihon gave permission to go ahead. Then Yeonju asked what he planned to do with the front gate and the wall beside it. Sihon cheerfully showed off the design he had in mind, which looked like a kindergarten doodle. In one breath he explained his vision and how he planned to plant large apple or persimmon trees along the outside walls.
He also wanted to put up an arched gateway covered in roses. Yeonju commended the plan, since a lot of people did that so the thorns on the roses would serve as a natural fence. He advised him, though, to opt for a motorised gate system, which was better for security. Sihon told him that he did not want roses for security reasons, but because they were useful for making tea.
Besides being very beautiful, they had antibacterial properties. Though stunned by his reasoning, Yeonju decided to respect his wishes and focus on adding security to the back of the house. And just like that, Sihon's dilapidated house gradually began to come to life, like winter giving way to spring. Just as in the place where he had lived in his previous life, this house was set to become a home where the forces of nature blended into the air.
Later that night, as he prepared to retire, he called Siu to give him an update on the renovations, which according to the contractor could take up to two weeks. Siu worried that his brother would have to sleep in the greenhouse until they were done. Sihon did not mind, as he felt staying there would give him more content for his vlog.
Siu commented that he was beginning to sound like a full-fledged YouTuber. Sihon then asked about his schedule, and Siu told him it was the usual non-stop hustle. He also revealed that the band would be heading out on tour soon. Sihon worried about his brother's health and told him not to overexert himself, but Siu believed that being busy was a good thing, and advised him to worry about his own health instead.
Before hanging up, he promised to make time to swing by the house before they left for their European tour. After the call, Sihon found himself worrying about Siu, who was constantly working while worrying about him. He felt a little guilty that there was nothing he could do for his brother except cheer for him from afar. Afterwards he stared up at the night sky, which seemed clearer from the greenhouse.
He went on thinking about Siu. He hoped the renovation would be finished before his brother came by again, so that he could relax there without worrying about his busy idol schedule. Thinking about that, he slowly drifted off to sleep, staring at the clear stars through the greenhouse roof.
The following morning, on the mountain behind his house, Sihon chased after his pet deer, scolding her for destroying some sprouts and eating all the lettuce in his garden. Every morning he spent an hour tending the forest, checking on new sprouts and listening to the complaints of the little lives on the mountain. He also soothed the scattered natural energy the night had left behind in the forest.
Life was good, and it would have been easier still if he did not have to deal with the naughty little deer every morning. He felt a little guilty scolding her, though, since he had made a whole hundred million won thanks to her finding the wild ginseng. Ever since she had started following him she had absorbed a great deal of energy at his side, which had completely healed her injured leg. Now that she was healthier the deer had become livelier, and her coat was radiant. She had even become the main attraction on his channel.
Every time she appeared, his views shot up far higher than on his solo videos. Then the deer was spooked, and Sihon sensed Orin's aura, which made him wonder whether the tree had detected an anomaly. He quickly channelled his connection to Orin, which allowed him to see and feel everything the tree sensed. Through that connection he finally saw the culprits who had been pillaging the mountain.
The thieves, for their part, were having a fine time stealing mushrooms from the back mountain. One of them scolded his subordinate for yanking the mushrooms out, which could damage them and drive their value down. After the subordinate apologised, the man showed him how to harvest them gently and preserve their worth. As they carried on searching for things to steal, the subordinate worried that the mountain had a new owner, so they needed to be careful.
The other man dismissed his concern, pointing out that they had been pillaging this mountain for years without running into any problems. He urged his partner to keep moving, since they needed to clear out the whole mountain before sunset. A few minutes later they stumbled on a rich patch of matsutake mushrooms, which should not have been growing until autumn. The thieves had no time to think about that as they celebrated hitting the jackpot.
The mushrooms were very healthy and plump, and the main thief reckoned there had to be at least a few hundred of them in the patch. He quickly urged the other man to join him, but he got no answer, because his partner was frozen on the spot with fear, witnessing something strange. A few wild animals had come out of the forest and surrounded them, staring at them oddly.