The town’s reaction was harsh and immediate. Once friendly neighbors began gossiping about her, ignoring her greetings; even friends turned against her; many called her a gold digger; a reputation ruined overnight; one isolated and struggling to stay sane.
But that wasn’t the worst of it: Haru’s family and friends were also very suspicious of Hana. His siblings and nieces and nephews were very suspicious of Hana. They had noticed her beauty and youthful charm. They thought that Hana, being a beautiful woman, would have no problem finding a man of her age.
They also observed that she was a simple teacher employed at a local elementary school; her salary was not much. Coincidentally, Haru was a wealthy man with a substantial amount of money in his bank account. They did not trust Hana and did not hesitate to voice their suspicions. They expected to receive an inheritance when Haru died, and they were furious at the thought of this gold-digger stealing it all.