#001
I transmigrated. Into Seo Ranho, a supporting character who dies alone in a romance novel called <Happy Ending is Mine>.
I never really thought that ‘I opened my eyes and found myself a chaebol’ would become my reality, but I really did open my eyes and found myself a chaebol.
Although I had my doubts about how I, who had clearly died instantly in a traffic accident, could have opened my eyes in this novel, the saying goes that as long as you reach Seoul it doesn’t matter which path you take—living a bonus life after dying and coming back to life felt incredibly good.
In the story, Seo Ranho was handsome, rich, and unemployed. Not just any unemployed person either, but someone who lived a dream-like life lounging around every day with inherited assets and monthly rental income from buildings flowing in. And fortunately, <Happy Ending is Mine> was a novel I had been enjoying reading, so I knew the content inside and out.
The only problem was that Seo Ranho had a boyfriend named Kang Min who was trash-level scum. Though calling this boyfriend “just a problem” was quite an understatement.
Ugh, that piece of trash. I looked down at the distant ground far below while gulping down sparkling water—the kind a chaebol should naturally drink—and shook my head.
Of all things, of all things.
It would be unpleasant enough to just have a male boyfriend, but to have a male boyfriend with dirty habits? Trash-level scum? This meant I was screwed. What’s worse, that bastard was the very reason Seo Ranho dies. In the original work, Seo Ranho dies from being beaten by Kang Min.
Like any couple, the two of them also had their lovey-dovey days in the early stages of their relationship. Then discord begins when they engage in money transactions—something that shouldn’t be done even between family members. It starts with Kang Min lightly slapping Seo Ranho’s cheek. Then it gradually gets worse, with descriptions not just of sharp hitting sounds and skulls ringing, but also of bodies flying like paper, split lips, and blood dripping onto the floor.
The first act of violence, which shocked both the perpetrator and victim, is easily forgiven when Kang Min kneels down, cries, and begs.
This is how easily misfortune begins.
In the story, the female protagonist Mo Gyoyeon would grind her teeth every time Seo Ranho was beaten black and blue and hospitalized, saying that even trash like that had a decent boyfriend. She would even worry about Seo Ranho’s body and give him the most sincere advice, but as you know… if Seo Ranho had listened to that advice, he wouldn’t have died.
“Ranho, at this rate you’re really going to get beaten to death by that piece of trash.”
“…Thanks for worrying, but our Kang Min isn’t that kind of person. He’s usually really kind. You know that. Even now he’s so sorry he can’t even come to the hospital room.”
Ugh, you idiot. It’s not that he can’t come because he’s sorry—he can’t come because he’s busy happily swiping your card. I, along with countless readers, clicked our tongues at Seo Ranho’s foolish response and cursed out loud while leaving long comments to run a “Ranho, wake up” campaign, but that blockhead Seo Ranho would flip the stomachs of the female protagonist and readers every chapter by saying “our Kang Min isn’t that kind of person.”
Every time, I would lament, “Even a bastard like Kang Min has a lover, damn it. Why don’t I have one?”
But then, I—who used to say “even a bastard like that has a lover”—became that bastard’s “lover.”
So I decided to extend Seo Ranho’s life a bit without twisting the original story too much. He had lots of money, didn’t work, was unemployed, and was even handsome, wasn’t he? Of course, when I looked in the mirror, he was handsome but… somehow… there was something slightly bothersome about the mysteriously seductive face. But I figured this could be roughly solved by covering it with a mustache and beard, so I compromised with myself.
First, I had to avoid the landmine called Kang Min. I flipped through the calendar to check the date and roughly deduced that it was about one or two months before meeting Kang Min. It was described that he met Kang Min when the nose-tingling cold season began. Since it’s late autumn now, I had some leeway.
I sent a group text to the real estate agents saved in Seo Ranho’s phone. It was to ruin the first meeting with Kang Min, who would enter as a tenant in Seo Ranho’s building.
「I’m thinking of opening a flower shop in the first-floor commercial space that’s for rent. You don’t need to show it to any more customers.」
Hmm, concise. I nodded while thinking of the empty shop on the first floor of the officetel where I lived. It’s not like my bank account would go into the red just from leaving one space empty. Since it’s come to this, I might as well fulfill a lifelong aptitude and really open a flower shop in that spot.
…
And exactly two weeks later, I opened a flower shop called ‘Flower House’ in the spot where Kang Min’s cafe was supposed to go.
***
It was a smooth new start. The flower shop that was supposed to be Kang Min’s cafe didn’t really feel like a place that sold flowers… it felt more like I should hang up a sign saying ‘Flowers & Coffee’, but whatever. I was completely satisfied with the interior I’d chosen to my taste. Maybe it’s because I spent money lavishly—the ultimate form of splurging. Everywhere I looked suited my taste. Plus, the fragrant and humid smell was very familiar to me and even made me feel secure.
The only problem was that I had no energy because I’d used up too much stamina going to the flower market since morning.
“Ugh… I’m dying.”
My body went limp just from moving around a little bit. This body was generally weak. Not only was his self-esteem rock bottom, but his health was rock bottom too.
“Geez. Is this even considered stamina…”
Only after settling my butt on the fluffy cushion did I finally feel like I might live. While self-esteem was an area that could improve since the person had changed, health wasn’t an area I could solve with my own strength.
Going to the gym seemed questionable—if it was already an ordeal to get up in the morning, would this body really be able to get up the day after exercising? And honestly, I was genuinely afraid I might die while working out, which was another reason I couldn’t readily sign up.
It’s not like any specific part hurt…
“Hmm…”
When I collapsed onto the table, I could see the bouquet Gyoyeon had sent me right away. I need to put that in a vase too…
Gyoyeon had sent me a bouquet as big as my body along with a card that read “I heard you’re supposed to send flowers when a store opens.” The moment I received it, I reflexively said “Crazy…” but then stopped cursing when I remembered she was the only one in the story who genuinely worried about Seo Ranho.
I reached out to stroke the soft, moist petals. She sure picked pretty ones. I was lying there quietly for a while, gazing at the bouquet full of pale purple flowers, when I heard the jingle of a wind chime.
“This is a flower shop, right?”
Can’t you tell by looking?
“Yes. It’s a flower shop.”
I sat up from my collapsed position and greeted the customer while still seated. Actually, I didn’t even want to sell flowers. I was too tired, and my whole body ached just from carrying a few flower pots.
The customer looking at me with an awkward smile was a tall man with distinct features. He was a man with generally handsome looks, and he came in with the wind, scanning the inside of the shop with a face that seemed to have a lot to say.
“Um… I’d like to buy a bouquet…”
“Is it a gift?”
When I sluggishly stood up because he seemed to want to buy flowers, the man came further inside. He rubbed his chin with his fingertips and made a humming sound.
“I don’t know much about flowers.”
“Who are you giving it to?”
The man pondered in front of the pile of flowers laid out on the floor. A lover? Parents? Is it an anniversary? As I muttered and reached out to pull out flowers, the man answered, “My parents.”
“I happen to have brought carnations from the flower market today. These.”
I changed the direction of my moving hand and pulled out a single pastel orange carnation to hand to the man.
“I thought carnations only came in red.”
The man who naturally brought the flower to his nose and inhaled smiled sheepishly.
“Pretty color, right? I think it would be good to mix in some lisianthus, freesia, silene, and shepherd’s purse with this.”
Each time I pulled out a flower, the man’s eyes widened. The man who had been pursing his lips at the flowers that quickly filled his hands suddenly turned red at the ear tips.
“They’re all pretty. Since… since I don’t know much, please make it pretty, sir.”
“Ah! Then would you like to write a card while I’m making it?”
I nodded at his request to make it pretty and pointed to the card placed on one side of the table. The man quickly answered that that would be good. Since the man tactfully stepped aside, I pulled out more flowers and focused on making the bouquet. Wondering if the color was too bland, I tilted my head and added more shepherd’s purse while removing some freesia. It was just as I was rustling around like that.
“Actually, I was going to open a cafe in this spot. The real estate agent said there was a shop available at a good price and told me to come see it, but when I went, the building owner said he wouldn’t rent it out.”
“……”
The man smiled as if disappointed.
“If I had been a little faster, this would have been a cafe instead of a flower shop.”
“……”
“But the flower shop is pretty too. I think this is the first time I’ve seen a male florist, but it suits you so well that I was really surprised.”
That’s Kang Min. The ‘that kind of bastard’ from ‘even that kind of bastard has a lover.’ My hands trembled as I tied the ribbon. That sneaky bastard. Did he come to check who opened the shop?
I quickly hid my obviously trembling hands and pushed the bouquet toward the front of the table. Kang Min must have finished writing the card, as he took out his wallet along with the neatly folded card.
“How much is it?”
“…One hundred thousand won.”
“What?”
“One hundred thousand won.”
Maybe I should have said two hundred thousand won. So he could never set foot here again. I didn’t expect to meet Kang Min here like this.
When I glared at him with eyes full of hostility, Kang Min looked flustered and rubbed his forehead with his straight fingers.
“Other places don’t charge this much. If you think the price is too expensive, you can just leave this here and go somewhere else.”
“Ah, that’s not it, I just don’t know much about this. I had no idea flowers were so expensive.”
Kang Min smiled with his eyes curved like crescents. The hand that was about to pull out bills from his wallet pulled out a card that was neatly inserted instead.
“Here.”
I took the card he offered without letting our fingertips touch at all, quickly swiped it, and handed the card back. Kang Min still looked somewhat disgruntled as he held the bouquet in his arms and took the card.
“Do you need a receipt?”
“No. Please throw it away.”
I nodded as if telling him to hurry up and leave, then tidied up the messy table. The sound of footsteps turning and walking away grew more distant, and I heard the jingle of the wind chime. When I looked up as cold air came in through the crack of the open door, my eyes met with Kang Min, who had turned around to look back.
“See you again.”
Kang Min waved the hand holding the bouquet and walked away. I probably charged too little for the flowers.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
