< Even if the end of the world comes tomorrow, I will plant an apple tree today. >
It was a famous quote of the era, but naturally, one shouldn’t interpret these words literally.
If a nuclear bomb were falling overhead right now, how many people in the world would be leisurely planting an apple tree? It was simply a hopeful message intended to tell everyone not to lose hope in desperate situations and to move toward a positive future.
However…
“Alright, lower it carefully!”
Even as the end of days seemed to approach for some, I was leisurely putting those words into practice in reality.
‘I told him everything he needs to know, so Lawyer Jin Sang-woo will make a wise judgment and decide.’
Push-and-pull tactics weren’t only necessary for romance. Even if you threatened to arrest them for not showing up, did criminals ever really care?
“I know how to handle those kinds of people better than anyone.”
I soon cleared Lawyer Jin Sang-woo from my mind and looked straight ahead. Apple trees were being moved one after another from a line of large trucks.
‘A garden with flowers blooming profusely on both sides of the path. And, at the end of that path, Eoreumgol Orchard.’
A landscape of juicy red fruits hanging in clusters naturally formed in my mind. At the same time, one of the truck drivers walked straight toward me.
“You’re Representative Baek, right?”
“Yes. You’re working hard.”
“Hahaha! Thank you for the kind words. Anyway, I’m quite envious. You seem young, yet you’re running a farm of this scale.”
It was probably just a polite greeting, but seeing it for myself made my emotions feel a bit fluttery.
“The department store specifically asked us to take extra care, so we brought the highest quality apple trees. You can certainly look forward to the quality.”
For reference, these apple trees and the laborers were all provided by Sekyeong. And for free, at that.
‘A large corporation’s support is on a whole different scale when they set their minds to it.’
The apple trees already looked extraordinary. To call them saplings, their size was imposing, their trunks were straight, and their fine roots were dense.
“They certainly look beautiful even from the outside.”
“Yes, yes. I’m not just saying that. They’re a premium line guaranteed to be 14 Brix or higher.”
Brix, simply put, referred to the sugar content of the fruit. Usually, if it was 8 Brix or lower, the taste was bland, making it difficult to sell commercially. Nine to 10 Brix was the standard for common, low-priced apples.
The next level, 10 to 12 Brix, was considered a good product where sweetness was clearly felt, and 12 to 14 Brix was the top-tier quality classified for gift sets. And finally, 14 Brix and above was a premium fruit variety known as a ‘honey apple.’
“Try growing them well. I always cheer for young farmers. I hope a native honey apple of the same caliber as Envy or Aori is born here in Korea.”
For reference, the Aori apples produced in the Aomori region of neighboring Japan were a self-proclaimed top-tier line. They easily reached a sugar content of 14 Brix or higher and had an incredibly crisp texture.
Besides those, the Hong-ok, first discovered in New York in the 1800s, the previously mentioned New Zealand variety, Envy, or even the Braeburn and Pink Lady were all varieties worthy of the premium label.
“I know that Fuji and Aori apples have been sold for a long time in our country after their quality was improved to suit our climate. But the so-called ‘real’ ones are probably sold discreetly only to VIPs at the source, right? Through something like an auction.”
“As expected, you know exactly how it is.”
Just as any other technology, agricultural technology has steadily developed with the passage of time. In the old days, it was possible to secretly steal local saplings and produce them independently. Nowadays, such a thing was impossible, and naturally, it shouldn’t be done.
Specifically, premium fruit saplings were strictly prohibited from being taken out of their country of origin on a national level. In professional terms, this was called ‘Plant Breeders’ Rights.’
“As you said, the apple trees currently sold domestically are all spin-offs brought from overseas a long time ago. The apples produced locally these days are the real deal.”
“It will likely become harder to import saplings as time goes on. Take Japan, for example; they didn’t register the Shine Muscat’s variety protection rights in time back in the 90s and ended up suffering trillions in damages.”
“You truly are a professional. Of course, even so, some farmers are still caught trying to hide grafted branches in their suitcases.”
Well, it was illegal, but if they succeeded, they would make that much money.
“Anyway, you don’t have to worry at all. The apple trees we brought this time are indeed the top-tier line among the Fuji family. Even if you just grow them normally, the flesh will be so crisp it’ll sound like glass breaking. Though it might fall short of global premium standards…”
“Yes. I wasn’t saying I doubted you.”
While we were talking, the work of unloading the saplings was finished.
“Then, we will quickly finish the planting according to the layout you provided.”
“Yes. I’ll leave it to you.”
After replying, I went straight into the house to change into my work clothes. No matter how great the support was, how could I leave my family’s work entirely to others?
“Please have some of this while you work.”
“Oh, thank you.”
In fact, my father had already started working, and my mother was continuously carrying around her homemade rice punch.
“Unca!”
“Yes?”
“Chomp!”
Just then, Seol-i approached me and tightly closed her eyes, curling her hands like the claws of a wild beast.
“What was that just now, Seol-i?”
“Apple!”
Ah, she meant she wanted to eat an apple.
“I’ll have to grow them quickly, then. So our Seol-i can eat delicious apples.”
“I like it!”
I suddenly became curious.
‘I wonder what kind of apples will grow on our farm?’
***
Meanwhile.
“W-What is all this?”
Two people had just arrived at Eoreumgol Farm. Assistant Manager Hwang Young-sik of Shinhwa Department Store stood with his mouth agape. Conversely, Department Manager Jang Hak-soo quickly began assessing the situation.
…And a moment later.
“I caught one of the workers and asked them discreetly. They’re people from Sekyung Department Store.”
“So, you mean we’ve been stabbed in the back?”
Department Manager Jang Hak-soo smiled bitterly. Well, about that…
‘Didn’t we try to stab them in the back first?’
Of course, those words remained inside him.
“Representative!!!!!”
Assistant Manager Hwang Young-sik soon approached one side with a face full of indignation. The person he was looking for was right there.
“What is this!? You agreed to deal with us!!!”
“…Ah.”
Baek Seo-jun, who had been tamping down the soil, slowly raised his head.
“When did you arrive?”
“Why on earth aren’t you answering your calls!?”
“Did you call? I didn’t know. I don’t look at my phone much when I’m working.”
“But it says you read them! These days, text messages show read receipts!”
*Flinch.*
Assistant Manager Hwang Young-sik immediately shut his mouth.
“A-Ahem.”
He let out a small cough. The man was staring right at him, and his gaze was unusual.
‘What kind of farmer has eyes like that?’
After a moment, Baek Seo-jun gave a faint smile.
“You must have seen the news already, but Sekyung Department Store agreed to provide three billion won in down payment and even labor for free.”
“L-Labor, we could also…!”
“Of course, Shinhwa Department Store also agreed to provide it. But isn’t there a significant difference in the most important part, the down payment?”
“…”
Hwang Young-sik had nothing to say to that. Three billion and one billion. Even a simple comparison showed a three-fold difference. Of course, he still thought Han Yu-jin had lost her mind.
“S-Still, how can you do this?”
“Do what?”
“A verbal contract is still a contract! In case you didn’t know, let me explain…!”
“I believe I told you that I would sign the contract after ‘sufficiently’ ‘reviewing’ it. Was I wrong?”
“…”
Hwang was also aware that he was grasping at straws.
“…Damn it.”
Ultimately, Assistant Manager Hwang Young-sik turned around without a word. To be honest, he was slightly intimidated. It was said that the fist in front of you was scarier than the law. He was afraid of being hit by that massive, ignorant farmer.
“Manager! Isn’t there anything we can do about this?”
“…”
Department Manager Jang Hak-soo, who had been deep in thought, finally spoke.
“…Assistant Manager Hwang.”
“Yes!”
“Do you think the CEO would bet more than three billion won on this Eoreumgol Farm, or not?”
“!”
Hwang Young-sik’s eyes widened, and he eventually grit his teeth. This wasn’t even worth thinking about.
“With my sister—no, with the CEO’s personality, we’d be lucky if we didn’t get slapped right there.”
“Sigh.”
At the same time, Department Manager Jang Hak-soo let out a faint sigh.
“I guess we have to give up, right?”
“Oh, seriously!”
Hwang Young-sik scratched his head vigorously and then spat on the ground.
*Ptoo!*
“Fine, let’s just wait and see. When everyone else is harvesting, we’ll see when you can grow apples on this unlucky piece of land and how many you can actually sell.”
***
Daegu Hanbit Hospital.
“Woo-sun!”
“!?”
Jo Woo-sun was truly surprised.
“Hyung!”
It was because such an unexpected guest had come to visit his father.
“Why did you even bring a fruit basket!”
“I couldn’t exactly come empty-handed.”
“Thanks for coming all the way to Daegu, hyung.”
Bong Ha-gyun. Publicly, they were actor and director, but privately, they were like brothers.
“How is your father?”
“…He probably felt that I arrived because his expression looks a lot more peaceful.”
Bong Ha-gyun smiled bitterly. His father was already well over eighty years old. It wouldn’t be strange if he passed away tomorrow.
“I’m glad, though. That you could be by your father’s side without being too late.”
“What about you, hyung? How have you been lately?”
“Me? Well… same as always.”
In that moment, Jo Woo-sun saw it—the dark shadow casting over the other man’s face.
‘It must be because of his new project again.’
Director Bong Ha-gyun’s career had always traced a peculiar arc. His debut film wasn’t a simple genre piece. It wore the skin of a crime thriller, but inside, it contained the bare face of Korean society that people were ignoring at the time. Works where entertainment that anyone could enjoy and reality satire that no one could easily talk about were intertwined. He was squeezing out such new attempts and ideas every day, so how could he not be stressed?
“He’s a genius.”
Of course, critics called Director Bong Ha-gyun that. Whether it was a monster movie or a family drama, regardless of the genre, once it touched his hands, it immediately transformed into a social metaphor. Even more, it was entertaining. This was the reason why international film festival judges were so impressed. Any movie he made didn’t stop at simple entertainment but necessarily became a mirror reflecting reality. As a result, he finally reached the peak even on the stage called the heart of the West, shattering the prejudice that ‘foreign language films can never win the grand prize.’
‘Wait. Come to think of it…’
Suddenly, a brilliant idea occurred to Jo Woo-sun.
“Hyung. If you need it, should I introduce you to a place where inspiration just strikes you even if you’re just sitting still?”
“What are you talking about? Where is there a place like that in the world? It’s not like it’s an earthly paradise.”
“Should I or not?”
“If such a place really exists, I’ll give you half of the money I make from my next project.”
Jo Woo-sun smiled brightly.
“Don’t forget those words, and make sure to tell that to the owner.”
To think he would repay the favor in this way.
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