A Hidden Piece (3)
After the prayer ended, Tae Young-won followed Monk Eunam to look around the not-so-spacious temple.
After touring the interior of the temple, including the main hall, the two seemed to have decided to walk along a nearby trail.
“……”
After blankly watching the backs of the two men as they walked away, Mo Yeon trudged back to his spot. There were still plenty of weeds to pull in the cabbage field, and he wanted to organize his thoughts while pulling them.
Tae Young-won reappeared only after finishing his tour of the vicinity, including the walking paths surrounding the mountain temple.
He took something out from inside his clothes. It was none other than a thick white envelope. Unlike when Mo Yeon tried to make a donation, Monk Eunam accepted the envelope with a very bright expression.
Mo Yeon realized for the first time in a month and a half that the monk was capable of such a radiant smile. He was shocked once again.
He didn’t want to believe it was 100% certain. But it seemed likely that a significant portion of the warmth he had felt here all along was probably due to that envelope. To only realize this now…
“……”
Their conversation showed no signs of ending, with so much to talk about.
By now, all the weeds were nearly cleared.
When doing simple labor, distracting thoughts naturally disappeared even without conscious effort. He focused only on moving his hands, and his mind only registered that the increasingly bright sunlight was quite hot. The sunlight was so strong that beads of sweat formed on his forehead.
Suddenly, a shadow fell. Feeling a sudden coolness, Mo Yeon belatedly realized someone was blocking the sunlight. Only then did he look up.
“Hello, have you been well?”
“……”
Seeing Tae Young-won for the first time after a month and a half, he didn’t look particularly unfamiliar.
He was smiling with his usual appearance and familiar face. His upturned lips were still attractive even after not seeing them for a long time.
Even these casual remarks made as naturally as breathing. Indeed, this was the Tae Young-won that Mo Yeon knew.
But was it his imagination that his face looked a bit haggard? It had been so long since he’d seen his face that the changes seemed noticeably prominent.
Mo Yeon looked up at him and blinked silently. Tae Young-won was smiling, but Mo Yeon, at least, couldn’t smile casually. He never had such a talent to begin with.
“I didn’t come here on my own. I was repeatedly contacted and urged to visit. I had no choice but to come.”
When Mo Yeon remained silent, he added an explanation. His hand slowly approached and cupped Mo Yeon’s cheek.
“That was why I came earlier, but now I’m showing myself to you while I’m here. You didn’t seem to know.”
“……”
“I’m still protesting, Mo Yeon.”
Perhaps he hadn’t properly understood what Mo Yeon had said before? Or maybe he hadn’t listened properly in the first place. With growing suspicion, Mo Yeon’s eyes were gradually becoming sharper.
“Sunbae, I told you I see ghosts.”
Speaking softly, Mo Yeon observed his reaction.
After remaining silent for a moment, Tae Young-won rolled his eyes briefly, and then nodded.
“Yes, but so what?”
“……”
“You told me before. That was even your initial reason for approaching me.”
It was as if he was saying, “What’s the big deal?” The atmosphere conveyed by Tae Young-won’s expression, tone, and everything else communicated this.
Tae Young-won briefly furrowed his brow, seeming to think about something. Then, as if something occurred to him, he spoke.
“Ah.”
“……”
“Is that your way of trying to chase me away?”
When Mo Yeon just stared blankly, he even asked, “Should I just leave for today?” His furrowed eyebrows and serious tone made him seem 100% sincere.
Mo Yeon couldn’t say anything. Literally, no words came to mind.
Coming all this way and acting like this, what was he supposed to do?
It would seem like he had really been waiting.
He had thought that by now, everything would be forgotten. But now it appeared as though Tae Young-won had actually listened to his words…
Somehow, it became increasingly difficult to face him. Mo Yeon stood up without waiting for him to leave. Although Tae Young-won had asked if Mo Yeon was trying to chase him away, it was Mo Yeon who wanted to escape the situation. He removed his dirt-covered gloves, shook them off, and tidied up his spot.
His steps as he left became progressively faster. Even knowing that Tae Young-won might follow and that there was nowhere to escape to, he couldn’t help it.
The reason Mo Yeon couldn’t say anything was because of how shocked he felt.
Though he was desperately trying to appear calm, he was actually in a state of profound shock. His heart, which had finally become peaceful since coming here, was beginning to race again.
Even after fleeing to his room, Mo Yeon still didn’t know what to say.
***
Lying flat on his back, Mo Yeon muttered blankly.
“Yes… but so what?”
Since when could “I see ghosts” elicit such a response?
After Tae Young-won’s visit, Mo Yeon was truly confused. That’s why he found himself staring blankly at the ceiling more often, like now.
Lying on the warm floor like this made him feel as though his body might melt away, and since Mo Yeon was sensitive to cold, he really enjoyed being like this.
“……”
Just then, he heard a sound from outside. Mo Yeon sat up abruptly and listened to the sound coming from outside, wondering if it could possibly be…
Indeed, it was a familiar voice.
Tae Young-won, who had left without saying much last time, visited the temple again three days later.
Today again, Tae Young-won didn’t approach Mo Yeon first. This time, he was apparently going to have tea with the monk.
It seemed he had contacted the monk before coming, but Mo Yeon couldn’t very well demand to know why he was visiting. Besides, Tae Young-won was an esteemed guest who had suddenly appeared and made a generous contribution to the temple’s operation.
If he had calculated even this, then he truly was a meticulous person.
Feeling somewhat uncomfortable and unable to stay in his room, Mo Yeon didn’t follow the two who had gone to drink tea after their walk; instead, he was sweeping the front yard. Whatever they were talking about, the tea-drinking session was lasting quite a while.
Even after Tae Young-won’s visit, Monk Eunam didn’t say anything special to Mo Yeon. He just thanked him as well.
The last time Mo Yeon met Tae Young-won was very brief. They hadn’t even had a proper conversation.
But how could someone turn a person’s mind upside down like this? Indeed, Tae Young-won had a natural talent in this area.
After he left, saying that he was still waiting, Mo Yeon had been recalling his own words for the past few days. At first, he couldn’t remember them immediately, but once they came to mind, he couldn’t stop thinking about them.
Was he really waiting after hearing those words? Why?
The fact that he had been keeping up with news about Mo Yeon, pouring money into a temple he had no connection with, and only appeared now after more than a month had passed.
Despite all that, it was hard to believe that he had been patiently waiting because of Mo Yeon’s words.
The reason Mo Yeon had told Tae Young-won to wait was because he thought his confession was either a misunderstanding or a momentary fleeting emotion. A month and a half was enough time to forget lingering feelings for an ex-lover, and for someone like Tae Young-won, it was plenty of time to meet new people.
It seemed like a waste of time to wait for a strange being like him who sees ghosts.
Mo Yeon had no doubt when he said those words.
With his impulsively spoken words, Tae Young-won was trying to prove his feelings.
‘I didn’t say you needed to prove anything.’
Now, after so much time had passed, had he come because he couldn’t wait any longer?
But he looked fine, except for having lost a little weight…
The yard he had been sweeping was now spotlessly clean with nothing left to sweep. It would have been nice if his thoughts had been organized along with it, but his mind was still in complete disarray.
Though the yard cleaning was finished, Mo Yeon didn’t leave. He wasn’t curious about what they were discussing or waiting to see how long their conversation would last. He was just playing with some puppies that had caught his eye.
The white dog he had played with as a child was no longer there, perhaps having passed away. Instead, a mother with jet-black fur and her puppies were now guarding the place.
Among the four puppies, three were tangled up playing with each other, but one approached Mo Yeon. The one with a brown spot on its head was particularly affectionate toward people.
While gently scratching its belly, Mo Yeon extended his finger to its chin, and it nibbled on his finger with its toothless muzzle. Eventually, he had to withdraw his hand because it tickled.
Dogs really are cute, aren’t they? A smile had unknowingly spread across Mo Yeon’s face.
“……”
Before he knew it, he sensed someone’s presence in front of him.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
