The retired manager of a construction company, Kang Dae-su is diagnosed with a brain tumor, prompting him to move back to his childhood neighborhood of Cherry Hill. Acquiring a crumbling old house in which to retreat from the world, Kang finds that the residents of the town seem determined to intrude on his property. But who does the house, and Cherry Hill, really belong to? Is it owned by the construction company who is trying to rejuvenate the neighborhood, or does it belong to the residents who have used the land to play, think, walk, love and explore for generations? In this novel by the author of The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly, Kang reflects on his bitter childhood even as he ponders his uncertain future in this magical place.