A few days passed. Every morning, Eun-chae followed Grandma around and learned things one by one. She could now fold the blankets neatly in just two tries. She was also starting to get the hang of balancing the number of side dishes and following the cleaning order.
That morning, Grandma called out to Eun-chae, who was sitting in front of the old laptop.
“Eun-chae, come here.”
When Eun-chae went into the kitchen, she found Grandma holding the landline phone.
“Yes, yes. We have a room available that day. How many people will there be?”
Eun-chae stood beside her and waited for the call to end. Grandma hung up and turned around.
“We got a booking. This Friday.”
“Really? How many people?”
“Two. They’re on their honeymoon and stopped by the area. They said they’ll stay one night.”
Eun-chae stiffened. While she had been organizing paperwork and learning how to clean, the reality of actual guests coming had suddenly hit her.
“Gran, I’m not ready at all yet.”
“Friday’s three days away. You can get it done by then.”
Eun-chae opened the spreadsheet and hurriedly added a new entry.
*Friday’s first guests—newlywed couple, two people*
She went over the items listed under the section for before opening. Photos for the website, preparing the room, setting up the bedding. The things she had to finish within three days had suddenly multiplied.
“Gran, which room should I show them to?”
“The one that gets the most sunlight. The room at the end of the second floor.”
Eun-chae went upstairs to that room. When she opened the door, she found a light layer of dust. She opened the window first to air it out.
She took out fresh bedding and made the bed. Just as she had been taught, she folded the blanket with crisp edges and placed it at the foot of the bed. She set two pillows side by side.
As she looked around the room, the flowerpot by the window caught her eye. It was an empty pot with nothing left but soil.
*Should I plant something here?*
Eun-chae went down to the kitchen garden and dug up a lettuce seedling. She transplanted it into the pot and watered it.
Once the little bit of green settled by the window, the room looked completely different.
“I guess this is okay.”
She muttered to herself as she left the room, then heard Grandma’s voice from below the stairs.
“Eun-chae, if you’re going to take pictures for the website, do it today while the weather’s nice.”
“Okay, got it. I’m coming down.”
Eun-chae hurried down the stairs. Three days was less time than she had thought.
When she stepped into the yard, the afternoon sunlight was beautiful. Eun-chae turned on her phone camera and started by taking a picture of the whole building.
She didn’t like the first shot. The shovel propped beside the shed door was plainly visible. Eun-chae moved the shovel and took another picture.
“Gran, is this how I should take it?”
Grandma checked the picture from the veranda and shook her head.
“You took it too close. Back up a little.”
Eun-chae took a few steps back and tried again. The entire building, the yard, and the kitchen garden all fit in one frame.
“This one’s better.”
She moved toward the kitchen garden and took pictures of the lettuce sprouts, too. The green came out bright and clear. Then she went upstairs to photograph the window pot and the neatly arranged bedding.
After she finished taking pictures, Eun-chae sat in the room and created an account on a reservation platform. She started writing the introduction, then her hand stopped.
*“Sandeul Haven Guesthouse—a thirty-year tradition…”*
She deleted it as soon as she finished typing. The number thirty still didn’t feel like it had anything to do with her.
*“A quiet country guesthouse with a kitchen garden.”*
She typed it again. It was short and simple, but it seemed like the best description of the guesthouse right now.
She uploaded the photos and entered the price, using the amount Grandma had charged in the past as a reference. Before pressing the registration button, Eun-chae paused for a moment.
*This is really starting.*
She pressed the button. The words “Registration complete” appeared on the screen.
That evening, Eun-chae was sitting in the yard having dinner with Grandma when her phone rang. It was a notification from the reservation platform.
*A new booking inquiry has arrived.*
Eun-chae set down her chopsticks and opened the screen. It wasn’t the newlywed couple who had booked for Friday. It was an inquiry about a booking for a family of four the following weekend.
“Gran, another one already came in.”
Grandma stopped ladling soup and looked at Eun-chae.
“What did?”
“A booking inquiry. It hasn’t even been a few hours since I listed the place.”
Grandma gave a short laugh.
“See? People have been waiting for it.”
Eun-chae stared at the screen for a long time, unsure how to write a reply. This was the first guest inquiry she had ever received.
*“Hello, I was wondering if you have any availability. We’re a family of four. Are pets allowed?”*
Eun-chae put down her chopsticks and looked at Grandma.
“Gran, are dogs allowed here?”
“Of course they are.”
Grandma answered as if it were nothing.
“Guests have been bringing their dogs here for years. They always liked that the yard was big enough for them to run around.”
Only then did Eun-chae relax and begin typing her reply.
*“Yes, pets are allowed. The yard is spacious, so you’ll be able to relax comfortably.”*
A reply came almost immediately after she pressed send.
*“That’s great! Then we’d like to book one night starting next Saturday.”*
Eun-chae pressed the button to confirm the booking. The words “Booking confirmed” appeared on the screen. Her heart began beating strangely fast.
“Gran, it’s booked. A family of four, and they’re bringing their dog.”
“That’s good.”
Grandma answered calmly, but a faint smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.
Eun-chae opened the spreadsheet and added a new entry.
*Friday—newlywed couple, two people* *Next Saturday—family of four + pet dog*
They were only two lines, but the first filled-in booking slots looked strange and fascinating to her.
“Gran, is there anything special we need to prepare if they’re bringing a dog?”
“You should have a water bowl and some potty pads ready. Guests used to bring everything themselves, but they’d be disappointed when they didn’t have them.”
Eun-chae added that to the list, too. *Prepare pet supplies (water bowl, potty pads)*
Even while finishing dinner, Eun-chae checked her phone several times. She wondered if another inquiry might come in.
“Enough. When you’re eating, just eat.”
Grandma lightly tapped the back of Eun-chae’s hand with her chopsticks.
“Okay, okay.”
Eun-chae turned her phone facedown on the table. Even so, the corners of her mouth kept lifting.
After dinner, while Eun-chae was washing the dishes, Grandma stood in the kitchen doorway and said,
“You handle those newlyweds on Friday.”
Eun-chae’s hands stopped.
“By myself?”
“I’ll be right beside you. But you’ll welcome them, show them to their room, and do everything.”
Eun-chae wiped her wet hands on her apron and looked at Grandma.
“I’m nervous.”
“You have to do it even if you’re nervous. I can’t do everything for you forever.”
“That’s true. No one can keep helping me forever.”
Eun-chae murmured as she straightened her apron. Grandma quietly nodded when she heard that.
“Still, I’ll watch you from the side through today. The real thing is Friday.”
“What should I practice first?”
“The first thing you do when guests arrive.”
Grandma walked toward the entrance and beckoned Eun-chae over.
“Come on, try it. I’ll pretend to be a guest.”
Eun-chae found herself standing in front of the entrance. Grandma pretended to walk in from the yard.
“Um…I have a reservation.”
Eun-chae’s mind went blank for a moment, but she finally managed to speak.
“Oh, hello! Let me check your reservation. May I have your name?”
“That won’t do.”
Grandma cut her off immediately.
“What won’t?”
“When guests arrive, you greet them first. You check the reservation afterward. And your voice is too formal. Don’t talk like you’re at the office.”
Eun-chae cleared her throat and got back into position.
“Welcome! You must be tired from the trip.”
“That’s better. Like that.”
Grandma took a few more steps in from the yard and pretended to be a guest again.
“I have quite a bit of luggage. Where should I put it?”
“I’ll show you to your room. Would you like me to carry your bags?”
“See how the situation looks. You could hurt yourself if they’re too heavy.”
The practice continued throughout the evening. Check-in, showing guests to their room, explaining breakfast hours, and check-out. Eun-chae stumbled over her words again and again, and each time Grandma stopped her and corrected her.
It was late at night before they finished practicing. Eun-chae sat on the edge of the veranda and stretched out her legs.
“Gran, do you think I can really do this?”
Grandma sat down beside her and looked out over the yard.
“Everyone’s awkward on their first day. I gave the wrong room number to my first guest thirty years ago, too.”
“Really?”
“Really. But that guest became a regular later.”
Eun-chae smiled at that. Before she knew it, stars had begun to appear one by one over the yard.
“Friday’s almost here.”
Eun-chae murmured. Grandma didn’t answer. She only nodded.