Byun’s General Store was one of the larger buildings in the town’s main square. It was a two-story tall brick building with clear windows spanning along the front of the first floor. A simple carved sign displayed the building’s name above the double doors. The second floor sported small, simple residential-style widows. The roof was flat with a small railing for the occasions when the building’s occupants decided to take reprieve up on top of the structure. The building showed signs of its age in a few faded bricks and chipped masonry, but it also showed great care- the windows were rather modern and insulated, the roof had been recently re-finished, and the entryway had been redesigned- the pride and heritage of a family on display.

Julia didn’t ponder the building much, though she did look up at the sign three times to make absolute sure that she was in the right place. Peering through the large display windows, she saw an amalgam of products from food to clothing up towards the front for the express purpose of window-shopping. She couldn’t see much past that given the large shelves, but it was well-lit and inviting. After another round of deep breathing, she brushed her dress free of nonexistent dust one last time before pulling open one of the large wooden doors to the store.

Her black pupils overtook the deep blue in her eyes as she tried to adjust from the natural sunlight to the considerably gentler lighting inside the store. After a few blinks, she was able to look around quickly. The shop itself only took about thirty percent of the building, with walls and doors leading elsewhere. Looking up, the second floor didn’t properly start until the back of the store, with what looked like a little loft full of boxes- presumably storage for various goods. Julia made a little turn looking at the large array of shelves and packed racks of just about anything one might find essential for comfortable living. Soon enough her eyes fell on the check-out counter along the back wall, with one figure leaning on the outside of the structure, and the other seated upon a set of drawers behind the counter. They seemed engaged in light conversation, and their combined laughter reverberated around the room. They were two young men, and upon closer inspection, Julia’s heart dropped as she recognized the taller one leaning on the desk as the lanky boy she had run into her first night in Haedo. He looked so different in the light, but his angular face and cat-like eyes were unmistakable. In retrospect, she had been rather rude, but in her defense, she had just gotten off a rage-fueled train ride and had been accused of being wasted. Still, it had been one hell of a first impression. With the pair clearly unaware of her presence, she gave a contrived little cough to get their attention.

In unison, the men swiveled their heads towards the intruder. The one behind the counter hopped off the furniture he was perched upon, his brows knitting together in confusion, prominent lower jaw highlighting the deep frown forming on his face. He was a good few inches shorter than his counterpart, but he had a confident presence, unlike the apparently easily-frightened boy. Tao, Kris had called him. He leaned over to his friend and whispered in his ear. The shorter man’s frown slowly raised into a mischievous smirk, “Well, well, I guess this is no mysterious stranger at all.” He leaned his elbows forward onto the counter, propping his head up on his hands. His eyes were lightly lined with black eyeliner, contrasting his pale, youthful face. His hair was a rich brown, with expertly placed cinnamon highlights. He was nothing if not well put-together.

“Ah,” Julia responded dumbly, stepping forward towards the pair, awkwardly holding her hands behind her back with nothing better to do with them. She had expected a more… courteous introduction in the shop, or even just a general welcome. Then again, she was a stranger in a tiny town. “I guess news travels fast,” she laughed uncomfortably, rocking back on her heels for a moment. Not that much time had passed since Suho and Kris had left her house, but gossip spread like a web. When the pair in front of her continued to stare, she forced a smile, “I’m Julia Moon.”

The boy behind the counter scoffed quietly as he turned to Tao, “Seriously? This is who scared the bejeesus out of you last night?” Julia sighed to herself. She couldn’t help but feel bad for Tao, too. It was one thing for her to get an instant reputation for being rude and scary, but it seemed as though Tao was enduring a good deal of teasing for it, too.

Still, Tao responded with a sheepish little smile on his angular face, revealing small and even top teeth. Perhaps it was a common, endearing sort of tease. “It was dark,” he whined, the smile staying on his face. After a little laugh, he turned to look at Julia properly, his dark brows disappearing into his dark hair as his expression turned apologetic, “I’m sorry I called you drunk.”

The yet-introduced young man opposite Tao broke out into raucous laughter, “You seriously thought she was drunk?” His arms slid off the counter as he stood up properly again, crossing his arms over his chest, “Well alright then, Miss Moon, heir to the once-legendary Echo Farm, I am Byun Baekhyun, and this is my store.”

“Your store?” she questioned quickly, unable to keep the incredulousness out of her tone. He looked awfully young to be a business owner. She regretted her accusation as a frown overtook Baekhyun’s face once again.

He didn’t let her speak again, “Okay, fine, it’s my parents’ store for now,” his bottom lip jutted out into a pout as he shrank back. Julia began to panic. She had once again messed up a first meeting with the townsfolk, and this time with the heir-apparent to the business she would no doubt be needing the most.

“Baekhyun!” a voice came from the loft up above, causing Julia to jump in fright. She took a few steps back to look up properly to see yet another young man coming down the stairs, a very large box precariously balanced in his arms. His voice was strained through huffed breath as he called down again, “Don’t be rude. No need to tease our new neighbor before you even get to know her!”

Julia’s brows rose as she looked back down at Baekhyun. Sure enough, a large grin was plastered on his face as he giggled quietly to himself. He’s just making me feel bad for his own amusement, she fumed to herself, rolling her eyes as she let her hands fall to her hips. The new arrival nearly tripped over the last step, his grip on the cardboard box slipping slightly. Tao and Baekhyun simply watched with mild amusement, with no intention of helping. When he almost fell again, Julia stepped in to lend a hand to the far side of the box, “You got that?” she asked hesitantly.

“It’s fine, I’m good,” he managed to squeak as he threw the box up slightly to get a better grip on the bottom. He took a few long strides towards the counter, setting the box there with a heavy breath. He was quick to brush off his hands and offer Julia one for a polite handshake. His smile was wide, highlighting his impossibly high cheekbones and reducing his eyes to dark slits, “Nice to meet you, I’m Kim Jongdae.”

Julia was quick to take his hand. Finally, a normal, polite meeting. “Julia Moon,” she introduced, though there was no doubt he knew who she was already. She made mental note of how both boys had introduced themselves with their family names first. She had recalled how her grandfather used to do that. Something about cultural values and the importance of family. In her head, she tested out how Moon Julia sounded, and rejected it immediately. She hoped she could get away with letting that tradition go.

Jongdae seemed pleased at the pleasant introduction, his smile growing wider still, “You might have met my big brother Minseok over at the café.” He retracted his hand to move back towards the box, which had an inquisitive Tao peeking into its contents by lifting one of the corrugated cardboard flaps. Without missing a beat, Jongdae was able to slap it shut again.

“Actually,” Julia replied absently, her attention momentarily occupied by the mischievous Tao, who seemed determined to snoop into the box’s contents. She shook her head to regain her focus, “This is the first place I’ve been. I haven’t met anyone else other than the two trespassers that woke me up this morning.”

Baekhyun, who had been lazily leaning on the shop counter, laughed loudly, his mouth opening wide in bemusement. “I can’t believe Suho and Kris got so unlucky as to pick this morning to survey the farm,” he gasped as he clutched at his sides, catching his breath.

With a cough, Jongdae masked his own chuckle at the remark, while Tao giggled quietly at his side, one finger already slipped between the box and its lid, his mission not forgotten. Jongdae spoke with a suppressed grin, “Well, we’re honored you came here first, then.”

Julia was less than thrilled with their amusement, but Baekhyun’s words had piqued her interest. “Actually, they didn’t say why they were there. You know something?” She crossed her arms in front of her chest, surveying the trio.

It was Tao who answered, “They go once a month to survey the house. Kris has made it his pet project to improve it as much as he can.” His voice shifted from shy and playful to authoritative and serious, “Once the house was abandoned for fifty years, the Mayor was going to appropriate the land for sale or repurposing.”

Baekyun caught sight of Julia’s raised brow. “Tao is Kris’ apprentice… assistant… thing,” he explained casually, waving his hand as if dissipating the detail himself. “Kris has been chomping at the bit to get his hands on the interior of your house. And Suho’s been wanting to hand it over to his daddy, the mayor himself.”

She had come to the general store in search of supplies, but it appeared as though she was going to leave with more information than anything else. Nodding along to Baekhyun and Tao’s answers, she made mental note of important details. She forgot how exhausting meeting new people could be.

“Wait,” Tao had finally managed to sneak a peek into the box that Jongdae had been half-heartedly trying to defend, “Is this stuff for Mr. Shon?” Tao accused excitedly. Jongdae replied with a sigh and an eye roll, but he didn’t deny it.

Baekhyun’s smile grew into that sly horizontal smile again, “Let me guess, Wendy’s on her way to pick it up.” Before Jongdae had a chance to answer, Baekhyun was speaking again as he leaned forward onto the counter again, “And poor little Wendy won’t be able to carry that big box of piping or whatever, so Jongdae can come to the rescue and help her out,” he practically sang the last words, his accusatory grin never leaving his face.

“Shut up,” Jongdae muttered, once again slapping the box shut, garnering raucous laughter from his two friends. For good measure, he made a show of grabbing a roll of packing tape from behind the counter and haphazardly slapping a piece over the top.

As if on cue, the front door swung open, causing all four occupants to swing their heads around to spot the newcomer. A young woman strode into the shop, her stride comfortable and confident. Her clothing matched her aura- just a comfortable white hoodie and fitted jeans. She had a kind face, narrow, smiling eyes, and wavy medium-brown hair down past her shoulders. Her bangs were long, intermingled with her matching well-kept brows. Her smile was bright and inviting- it was clear that she was pleased to be there.

She was not alone- draped over her shoulders was a long, lanky arm, attached to an equally long and lanky man. Julia noted that while the girl was a good few inches shorter than her, the boy was at least six inches taller. The near foot height-difference was cute in a way, if not a touch awkward in how they walked together. Still, their faces had a similar look- natural joy. The young man had a smile that was almost cartoonish in how well it fit his face- as if his lips’ natural state was in the shape of a toothy grin, and any other expression was an added muscular effort. He wore a plain black flat-brimmed hat, messy black hair poking out onto his forehead and near his ears that were so large and protruded so far that the tips looked as if they might flop forward. The hat did not help.

“Hey Jongdae!” the girl called cheerfully, “My dad said you had some stuff for us.” They strode towards the back of the store, and the pair stopped once they were in view of the counter. Both of them froze at the sight of Julia standing there, both smiles slowly fading in startled confusion. A stranger in town outside tourism time was unusual, to say the least. They exchanged glances with each other before looking at Julia once again.

Jongdae was the one to step forward to break the awkward silence, “Wendy, Chanyeol, this is Julia. She just moved in to the old farmhouse!” He grinned, though there was a bit of a strain in his face, and his voice was awkward and hesitant. As the two took a moment to process that, Jongdae decided to continue, “Julia, this is Wendy Shon. Her dad is the town’s resident handyman. And this is Park Chanyeol, he’s the bartender at the Inn.”

With a snap, Chenyeol’s smile returned as he leaned forward with both large hands to greet the newcomer, completely enveloping her tentatively outstretched hand in his. “Hi!” he greeted energetically, his voice deep and loud, “How exciting, nice to meet you, Julia. I’m Chanyeol!”

Julia found herself slightly repelled by his overenthusiasm, but she did her best to gracefully return his smile and handshake, but was glad when the giant retreated. His small companion gave a more muted little handshake, re-introducing herself as Wendy. “Wow,” Julia managed to relax slightly, “So girls do live in this town,” she mused with a little smirk, earning yet another round of laughter from Baekhyun, who had moved from behind to counter to sidle up to Chanyeol’s side. The taller boy joined in on the chuckles, his low rumbling laughter contrasting Baekhyun’s higher cackle.

“Ah,” Wendy spoke, giving a meek little grimace, “I guess you’ve only met these guys so far?” At Julia’s small nod, Wendy gave a defeated little eye roll, “Well, sorry to say that our generation has got a bit of a gender ratio problem in this town. Twelve guys, and with you here, only three girls left.”

Julia shook her head lightly at the revelation. She had always found comfort in female friends over the years, and this would simply force her to branch out. Then again, that was the whole point of this ill-planned, drastic move of hers. “Well,” she sighed, “It’s nice to meet you,” she replied, genuinely this time.

“I’d love to stay and chat, but,” Wendy looked back towards the box on the counter momentarily before looking apologetically back at Julia, “I’m afraid my dad is waiting for that stuff.”

Chanyeol, who had been leaned over to whisper back and forth with Baekhyun, shot up as if he had been summoned, “Hey, how about you come to the inn tonight? Around seven. I’ll make sure Nana has food for us.”

“If you’re not busy,” Wendy added politely, glaring gently up at her companion, visually scolding his rude interjection. She looked back at Julia calmly, “It would be a good opportunity to get to know everybody.”

Julia looked between the trio in front of her, then over at Jongdae and Tao. All five seemed to be keen on the idea, so she mentally relented, letting out a breath. She had planned to get her life together today, but she figured pleasing the locals should be high on her priority list, “Sounds good.” With the plan decided, Chanyeol stepped past her to easily grab the box that Jongdae had been struggling with earlier. They exchanged friendly good-byes, and just like that, Wendy and Chanyeol were on their way out of the store and on the path towards the rest of town.

Two simultaneous, longing sighs drew Julia’s attention back to the boys still in the shop. Jongdae and Baekhyun both looked suddenly very melancholy, while Tao simply looked exasperated as he rolled his eyes dramatically. “What,” Julia’s confusion suddenly turned into mirth as she connected the dots, “Don’t tell me you both have a thing for Wendy?” she accused, taking the risk. She had just met these guys, but they had seemed quite casual and forthcoming so far.

Jongdae looked horrified while Baekhyun looked mildly disgusted at the suggestion. It was Tao that scoffed hollowly, responding, “Well Jongdae’s been head over heels for that girl since they were kids. It’s Chanyeol that Baekhyun’s after.”

“Oh,” Julia replied dumbly. She certainly hadn’t expected that. Baekhyun and Chanyeol had appeared to be very good friends. “I thought Wendy and Chanyeol might be together,” she conjectured quietly, turning to look out towards the shop door, as if the pair might walk back through at any moment to stop the idle gossip.

“Oh but they are,” Tao clarified, “They’ve been dating for two years. That’s why both of these losers are miserable.” As if voice-activated, Jongdae and Baekhyun sighed again. “It’s pathetic,” Tao added with a little laugh as he looked between his two friends, his dark, narrow eyes softening slightly as he sympathized.

Baekhyun seemed to snap out of his trance at Tao’s final words, pointing a finger aggressively at the taller boy, “Yeah, like you’re one to talk!”

As they appeared on the verge of a shouting match, Jongdae intervened, “Alright, let’s not start this. I should have expected Wendy would bring Chanyeol to help her,” his voice trailed off sadly as he moved towards the counter idly, taking Baekhyun’s old place behind it. “Now,” he said with resolve, his smile returning, though not nearly as natural and genuine as it had been before, “Sorry for all of this nonsense Miss Julia, is there something we can help you with?”

“Huh?” Julia was caught off-guard by the question until she remembered that she had, in fact, come to the store for a real reason, “Oh. Right,” she scrambled to find the small pocket sewn into her dress’ skirt pleats to find the shopping list she had written earlier that morning. She placed the paper onto the counter, sliding it towards Jongdae for him to see, “And just Julia is fine.”

Tao moved towards the front door, excusing himself with a little bow, sending his black hair briefly into his eyes. He flicked it out of the way as he gave a little grin, “Well now that the fun’s over, I should head out.”

As he backed out of the store, Julia called over her shoulder, “It was nice to properly meet you, Tao.” She shook her head in bemusement as the boy became flustered and embarrassed once again at the memory of their first meeting. Soon enough, though, her attention was back with Jongdae, who looked rather concerned as he read her list.

“Hey Baek,” he called hesitantly, glancing over at his still-pouting friend. “Does your mom still stock crop seeds?”

Baekhyun’s pout turned into an all-out frown at the question, “Yeah, she’s got big bags upstairs, but I don’t know anything about that crap.” He moved towards Jongdae, reading over his shoulder. “Aren’t you supposed to be the all-star employee?”

Julia could see Jongdae repress a little smile at his friend’s jab, “Aren’t you supposed to be the heir of the Byun dynasty?” he countered with a playful poke to Baekhyun’s ribs, sending him squirming uncomfortably.

“Whatever, you’re useless,” Baekhyun mumbled as he swiped the paper away from Jongdae’s grasp. “I’ll go get my mom.” And with that, he moved to open the door in the back corner of the store. Julia craned her neck to see through it, but she could only spot a plain hallway.

Jongdae coughed quietly, bringing Julia’s attention back, her face slightly surprised at being caught so obviously snooping. He laughed gently though, dissipating her discomfort, “The Byun’s live here. Their house is behind the store.” He paused to look up at the balcony that led upstairs, “They let me live upstairs, too.”

“You live in the storage room?” Julia asked, incredulous.

He laughed again, heartily this time, “No, no, Baekhyun’s older brother used to live there, but he moved to the city years ago.” His smile was warm, as if recalling a fond memory, “When Mrs. Byun hired me, she insisted that I live there so I didn’t have to live in the tiny house attached to the café with my brother and his business partner.”

The recollection was cut short when Baekhyun practically threw open the back door upon his arrival, a small older woman close behind. She was short, in her early fifties, with smooth black hair tied up neatly behind her head. “Oh my,” she spoke quietly as she approached Julia directly, “So my son wasn’t just spouting more nonsense. A Moon has come back to Haedo.”

Julia was taken aback by the woman’s small stature contrasted with her sense of authority. “Did you, um,” Julia scrambled her words uncomfortably, “know my family?”

Mrs. Byun threw her head back and laughed in a way that was reminiscent of her son’s open-mouthed unabashed cackle, “Oh, child, how old do you think I am? I was just a few years old when your grandfather abandoned that farm.” The tension relieved, she glanced between the shopping list she had acquired and Julia’s face, her dark brows raising incredulously, “My dear girl, you don’t know much about farming, do you?”

Julia opened protest, but sighed softly in defeat, “No, not really,” she admitted.

“I’m not trying to discourage you,” her voice was kind, if not slightly patronizing, “but it was rather careless for you to try and re-start a farm in the middle of autumn.” Right. Seasons. Those things. Julia felt her shoulders sag. The gesture did not elude Mrs. Byun, who chuckled again, reaching out to gently touch Julia’s elbow in comfort, “Now, now, let’s see what we can do.”

Soon enough, Jongdae and Baekhyun were both equally scrambling around the store at Mrs. Byun’s direction, gathering supplies both on and off the list. By the time everything was all accounted for, the store counter was overflowing, Jongdae doing his best to organize everything. “Jongdae, dear, will you get all of this delivered to Miss Moon’s property? Take Baekhyun with you, and I’ll mind the storefront the rest of the day.”

Baekhyun looked as if he were on the verge of a complaint, but a stern look from his mother shut his mouth. He and Jongdae began to move everything from the counter onto a low cart. The boys gave short farewells as they left the building, leaving the two women alone. “Thank you for helping me,” Julia remarked, feeling rather useless as she stood by as everything was accomplished without her. All she could do was retrieve her credit card to offer to Mrs. Byun, who took it gently.

“Of course,” the older woman replied lightly as she ran the card, handing it back to Julia. “Now, the only thing that’ll grow through winter is the spinach I gave you seeds for. You’ll need to plant it soon so it can take root and sprout before winter,” she explained as she retrieved a pad of paper to write on, jotting down notes as she spoke, “You’ll need to cover the young plants with some straw or hay once the frost hits. Haedo has harsh winters, so you’ll lose the plants if you let them freeze. You’ll need to go north to Kim Ranch, see if Johee will give you some of her leftover hay.” Mrs. Byun paused to hand the notes to Julia, who took it gingerly, as if a single wrinkle would render the information unusable. “She’s not a very pleasant woman, so be careful. And stop by the library, I’m sure there are still some of your family’s old books. You might find some useful stuff in there, too.” Every time she appeared to be done with her instructions, she seemed to remember just one more thing to add to the young girl’s to-do list, “Sunny will be at the town hall. Pay her a visit before the end of the day.”

“Thank you,” Julia said again, unsure of how to properly express her gratitude. Once she was shooed out of the store to go explore further, she looked down at the instructions that Baekhyun’s mother had written for her. It was in that moment that Julia wondered if perhaps she was a bit over her head. It was too late for regrets, she thought. With a quiet little sigh, Julia tucked the paper into her small pocket, replacing the completed shopping list. Her arms wrapped around her body to protect against the biting cold wind. Part of her wanted to just head back to the farmhouse and hide under that ratty old blanket again, but she had a library to visit.