88.
Time continued to pass while Jeong Heejun worried about Haseo. Haseo, who had been suffering in agony the whole time, regained consciousness after a day had passed. Upon opening his eyes, he looked around and showed a relieved expression when he saw Jeong Heejun.
“It’s okay. That person isn’t here.”
After reassuring Haseo, Jeong Heejun handed him some water. Only after sitting up and taking a sip of water did Haseo speak for the first time.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it. I just did what needed to be done.”
“…Right.”
“This might be too early to discuss, but I wanted to tell you in advance so you wouldn’t worry. If you want, I can make sure you never meet that person again.”
“How?”
“Jiyeon-ssi suggested going abroad. She said she has a relative living overseas, and you could stay there for a while. And if you tell me where you want to go later, I’ll arrange a place for you there.”
At Jeong Heejun’s words, Haseo stared at him. He was small and cute when he was young, but now he had grown into a proper adult. What about himself in comparison? He hadn’t achieved anything, and what he wanted most was gone.
‘Because of me.’
If he hadn’t gotten entangled with Choi Mujin, would his grandmother have lived longer? After learning about his grandmother’s death, countless hypothetical scenarios had flashed through his mind. It could have been natural causes, but perhaps his grandmother had been murdered. The culprit could be someone who hated Choi Mujin, or it could be his father who had fallen under Mujin’s influence. He didn’t want to doubt his own blood, but the situation suggested it.
A person who would sell his own son. A person who had caused so much trouble when his grandmother was alive. Haseo swallowed the sigh that was about to escape. He didn’t want to show such emotions in front of Jeong Heejun, who had helped him. He didn’t want to drag him into his feelings.
“Thank you.”
That was all he could say. Perhaps because too many things had happened at once, he felt strangely detached. Even the sadness he felt seemed somehow distant. As a result, he had no motivation. He was too exhausted to hate someone or dream of revenge.
“Really, thank you.”
“Sure, just rest well until then.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll make some porridge soon. Eat that and take your medicine too.”
“Okay.”
Haseo responded obediently. Jeong Heejun knew that Haseo’s condition was unusual, but there wasn’t much he could do right now. He had consulted with the resident doctor, but it was of no use.
“I’m sorry. That’s not my specialty. I didn’t have much interest in it from the beginning. For such issues, you need help from a professional psychiatrist or psychological counselor.”
“I see.”
“But he has the will to recover, so don’t worry too much.”
“The will to recover.”
Though the doctor said this, Jeong Heejun was still anxious. Haseo ate the food and medicine given to him and slept quietly. His body seemed to be recovering, but looking into his eyes, something was off. They were clearly looking at each other and talking, but the atmosphere felt strange. He acted as if his soul had disappeared somewhere. When Ryu Jiyeon heard about this over the phone, she laughed and comforted Jeong Heejun.
“It’s probably because he’s had too many sad things happen. I think he’ll be fine soon after going abroad? My relative has a boy around my age. He has a cheerful and bright personality, so they’ll become friends quickly. I’ll let him know in advance.”
“You think so?”
“Of course. Let’s see. He’ll be boarding a plane in three days, so until then, why don’t you have those friend conversations you couldn’t have before?”
“That would definitely be better. Thank you.”
Ryu Jiyeon responded to Jeong Heejun’s gratitude with a smile. From that day on, Jeong Heejun actively engaged Haseo in conversation. When he talked about childhood stories, Haseo occasionally smiled.
“Yeah, you were really small back then.”
“I don’t know what you’re imagining, but I wasn’t that small.”
“Even though I wasn’t particularly tall, you only came up to my waist.”
“You didn’t think of me as a tiny shrimp, did you?”
“No way.”
As their conversation time increased, Haseo’s condition also improved.
“But Haseo, are you really okay with going abroad?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
Jeong Heejun brought up something he had been suppressing.
“Are you okay not seeing your grandmother before you go?”
At this, Haseo lowered his head and fiddled with his fingers.
“She’s already gone. There’s no way to see her anymore.”
That was true. Haseo’s grandmother’s body had been handled by Choi Mujin. Having struggled to escape from that person, they couldn’t risk going back to see her. If Haseo said he wanted to see his grandmother, Mujin would surely attach the condition that he stay.
“Sorry, I shouldn’t have mentioned it.”
“It’s okay. By the way, did you say the country I’m going to is Finland?”
“Yes, Jiyeon-ssi’s relative lives there. They say he’s a bit eccentric and doesn’t interact much with the family. But still, I heard he’s a good person.”
“I’m sure he is. After all, he agreed to this request.”
“Haseo.”
Jeong Heejun firmly held Haseo’s hand.
“If it ever gets too hard, make sure to contact me. I’ll come running wherever you are.”
“You’d come all the way to Finland?”
“Why not?”
Haseo smiled softly.
“What would you do when you get there?”
“I’ll remove whatever is troubling you.”
“You?”
“Yes, me.”
The small friend had grown into a proper adult with a touch of bravado. Haseo tapped Jeong Heejun’s forehead with his fingertip. Jeong Heejun frowned, rubbed his forehead, and then pouted. It was exactly like when he was young, which made Haseo laugh again.
Yes, now he had to learn how to live without his grandmother. Though the desire to die still remained in Haseo’s heart, his grandmother wouldn’t have wanted that. She was someone who had always loved Haseo unconditionally.
“But I don’t know any foreign languages.”
Having not attended school properly, his English was terrible.
“It’s okay. Someone else will take you to the house.”
“Does that person speak foreign languages well?”
“They say he does.”
“That’s a relief at least.”
Haseo spent the night talking with his old friend, and in the morning, he left for the airport. Jeong Heejun couldn’t come to see him off at the airport. Instead, someone else took Haseo there. At the airport, he was introduced to someone who would accompany him to the relative’s house in Finland.
“My name is Kim Jongsu.”
Though large in build and fierce-looking, he had a nice smile. He continuously assisted Haseo with a smiling face. Even on the plane, which Haseo was taking for the first time, he wasn’t nervous because Kim Jongsu was beside him.
“I have four younger siblings.”
“You have four siblings?”
“Yes, there’s a fifteen-year age gap between me and the youngest. So I raised her like my own daughter from when she was little.”
The stories Kim Jongsu shared had a human touch to them. While listening to stories about his siblings getting into trouble, Haseo gradually began to share his own stories. They weren’t sad or painful stories, but rather stories about playing with young Jeong Heejun, snacks his mother gave him, and a giant grasshopper he found on the street.
“You found such a grasshopper in Seoul?”
“Yes! It was so amazing that I wanted to show it to my mother too. So I put it in a bag I had.”
“Ah, that’s…”
Kim Jongsu’s expression changed subtly. Normally, mothers don’t seem to like such things.
“I didn’t tie the bag. So it jumped out. And unfortunately, it was on the road. It got hit by a car and died. I was so sad at that time.”
“That must have been fortunate for your mother.”
At Kim Jongsu’s spontaneous comment, Haseo opened his eyes wide.
“You think so?”
“Yes. I also dislike insects, so it was troublesome when my siblings caught them.”
“I see.”
“Ah, it seems the plane is about to take off. Would you like to watch a movie during the flight? Or a drama? I’ve brought a few.”
He then took out a tablet and set it up in front of Haseo. Unable to refuse the gesture, Haseo clicked on a suitable movie, which turned out to be a romance. The content was ordinary. It was about lovers who fought and broke up due to a minor misunderstanding, went through various events, and reconciled at Christmas.
‘If only, just if only.’
If he had dated Choi Mujin like that, would things have been different?
‘That’s a useless thought.’
Haseo wore a bitter expression as he watched the lovers hugging with bright smiles. What’s done is done and can’t be undone. Feeling he couldn’t watch any more romance, he switched to a regular comedy for the next one. After a difficult journey, they arrived and got off the plane to find an unfamiliar landscape.
They had moved from one airport to another, but just that made it feel so different. As he stood blinking blankly, Kim Jongsu guided Haseo.
“This way, please.”
Haseo moved obediently as Kim Jongsu led. Taking out his passport, standing in line, getting checked. He answered a few mechanically memorized English questions. How his heart pounded when speaking a foreign language compared to Korean. He was afraid they would arrest him for saying nonsense.
“I guess I’m not cut out for overseas travel.”
By the time they exited the airport, Haseo already looked exhausted.
“Haha, it’s okay. You’ll get used to it with practice.”
“Will I?”
“Yes, you will.”
Kim Jongsu assured him confidently and helped Haseo into the pre-rented car.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
