Chapter 43
After eating their fill of blood sausage soup and boiled pork, the two left the restaurant and went to the unmanned ice cream shop right next door. They each bought vanilla and melon flavored ice cream and put them in their mouths.
When they came out of the alley onto the main road, it was time to part ways. Yuwon just had to walk straight along the main street, while Sohyeon had to cross the street and take the bus. Instead of parting immediately, Yuwon waited for the traffic light with Sohyeon.
The green light turned on shortly after.
“Oh, the light changed. I’m going!”
Yuwon waved goodbye to Sohyeon as she waved her hand. After watching Sohyeon’s back as she crossed the crosswalk for a moment, he turned his steps around.
Yuwon, who was walking with the finished ice cream stick in his mouth, suddenly had a thought and took out his phone. It was to send a message to Jeonghyeok.
[I’m going home now]
He was about to add that he would buy cola on the way, but then erased it, wondering if he really needed to report even that. No matter how curious ajeossi was about his whereabouts, he didn’t think he’d care about a quick stop at the mart.
On the way to the mart, he could feel the atmosphere of spring that had approached briskly. His body, which had been hunched up from the cold for a while, felt languidly relaxed. Hmm, mm, mmm. Yuwon hummed quietly as he walked along the main road.
While buying cola, should he also buy beer? Opening a can of beer and eating salty potato chips together would make a perfect late-night snack. Should he suggest having a drink tomorrow evening while watching a movie with ajeossi? Then it would be nice to make some simple snacks other than chips. Lost in such thoughts, Yuwon reached the front of the mart and tilted his head at the unusually empty atmosphere.
“Huh? What’s this?”
The usual display stand that was always placed in front of the entrance was gone, and the door was tightly closed. Getting closer, there was a paper stuck on it that read ‘Temporarily Closed.’ Below that was written that they were closed for just today due to personal circumstances.
His heart, which had been swelling with subtle anticipation, deflated like a punctured balloon. There was a large mart if he walked a bit further, but for just cola or beer—not necessities—he didn’t really want to go that far.
Yuwon had no choice but to turn his body in the direction of home. With each step he took, the breeze that blew gently tickled his nose. While waiting for the crosswalk signal and looking up, the sky with fluffy clouds floating was dazzlingly clear.
“Hah…”
No matter how much he thought about it, it was disappointing to just go home like this. He had even taken out jeans that were buried deep in his closet after always wearing comfortable pants, only to end the outing after just one bowl of blood sausage soup.
Wasn’t there anywhere he could stop by, even briefly? After brief contemplation, Yuwon turned his steps. Actually, there wasn’t much to deliberate about. In times like this, there was only one place he could go.
Passing through the bustling area around the station and entering a quiet alley, Yuwon walked for a while and climbed a steep hill. Turning right around a large tree, two familiar villa buildings revealed themselves.
Dream Wing Orphanage. Looking at the faintly written letters on the old fence, Yuwon smiled slightly and entered the orphanage entrance.
It had already been over two years since he left this place, but everything was the same. The flower bed he had personally tended, the van he used to ride often, and the bulletin board inside the entrance that the teachers had prettily decorated. Even his photos attached in rows there were all familiar. Though he didn’t take photos much after becoming a high school student, the precious moments he had preserved until then were still there.
Yuwon, who was carefully scanning the fragments of memories with his eyes, at some point realized that one of his photos had disappeared. It was a photo of him on his twelfth birthday, happily eating a mouthful of the strawberry cream cake he loved most at that time.
Looking carefully, photos taken with other children were still there, and only that one solo photo had disappeared. Since he left here, they removed his photo too? He was smiling bitterly when—
“Oh my, who is this?”
At the familiar voice, Yuwon quickly turned his head.
“Director!”
“Yuwon, what brings you here without any contact, hmm?”
Like welcoming a child who had come home, Misook patted Yuwon’s shoulder. Yuwon also held Misook’s hand and spoke affectionately.
“I came because I missed you, Director. You know it’s been a million years since we last met, right?”
“You’re so busy, so it can’t be helped. Did you eat lunch?”
“Of course. I ate before coming.”
“Let’s go inside first. You should at least have a cup of tea before leaving.”
Yuwon, who entered the office with Misook, naturally went to the kitchen. While Misook heated the barley tea in the kettle, Yuwon took out two cups.
“How about Teacher Hyojin?”
“She went out briefly with the kids. They were singing so much about wanting to go out and play since the weather cleared up.”
“I see. I wanted to see Teacher Hyojin too, so that’s disappointing.”
As he was about to sulk in disappointment, Misook smiled brightly and stroked Yuwon’s hair.
“You can see her before you go. It won’t take too long. Or does Yuwon need to leave quickly?”
“No. I’m extremely, extremely free. I want to see Teacher Hyojin before I go.”
His pouting and shaking his head looked no different from ten-year-old Yuwon. In her eyes, Yuwon still seemed like a young child. He had only grown tall, but his gentle eyes and the baby fat remaining on his cheeks weren’t much different from when he had just entered elementary school. Misook spoke with a voice full of worry.
“What should I do when you’re still like such a little kid?”
“I only act like this in front of you, Director. Outside, I’m completely mature, you know?”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course. I’m a military veteran!”
Misook, who had been sending suspicious glances, soon burst into laughter. Then the kettle rattled with the sound of water bubbling and boiling.
Misook turned off the heat and poured the heated barley tea into cups. Light steam rose with a savory aroma spreading. Warm barley tea was a drink that Yuwon particularly liked.
“Did you find new work? After Boss Park’s shop closed, there’s been no word about what happened.”
“Ah…”
Yuwon, who received the cup, paused for a moment instead of drinking the barley tea.
“Not yet. I’m still looking around.”
“Really?”
At Yuwon’s answer, Misook couldn’t hide her puzzled expression. The teacher who had taken Yuwon in—that is, Moon Jeonghyeok—had visited about a month ago. At that time, he had definitely said they were living together and he was teaching him work.
She wanted to ask openly, but she couldn’t bring herself to do so. It was because of Jeonghyeok’s request not to let Yuwon know that he had come here.
“Since I’m not working, I can come surprise you like this, Director. You’re happy to see me too, right?”
Looking at Yuwon acting cute so cheerfully, Misook smiled warmly.
Even while showing such adorable behavior, when it came to crucial moments, Yuwon would take care of her reliably like an eldest son. Perhaps because of that, even children who found this place unfamiliar would easily rely on Yuwon.
Suddenly, one child flashed through Misook’s mind.
“Oh, right. According to Teacher Kim, Minhyeon got into the art department at Korea University last year.”
“……”
“Did you know?”
Minhyeon. The moment he heard that name, a small crack appeared in Yuwon’s expression.
“No. It’s been a long time since Minhyeon and I were in contact.”
“Really? Minhyeon used to follow you around so much.”
“……He did.”
It was said as if speaking of the distant past. Yuwon took a sip of barley tea. He could feel the lukewarm water going down his throat and settling heavily in the center of his chest.
When he suddenly raised his gaze, a photo attached to the side of the refrigerator caught his eye. It was a photo of two boys riding swings together at a playground.
‘Hyung! Yuwon hyung! Look at this. I’m going really high, right? Higher than you!’
Minhyeon’s voice, stomping his feet proudly, was still vivid in his ears.
“……”
Minhyeon, who was the biggest crybaby and troublemaker in the orphanage, shared a room with Yuwon. When he first came here, he was already an elementary school student, but he often cried saying he missed his mother.
Memories of parents were poison. It was better not to know; knowing everything and living in a place like this was truly torture.
Yuwon had seen many such children. So he did his best to take care of Minhyeon. When he shed round tears, he wiped them with the back of his hand, and when he whined about missing his mother, he would give him a game console and coax him to play together.
The director’s request also played a part. Please take good care of Minhyeon, Yuwon. You’re the most reliable. The director would often say that while secretly giving him chocolate. At first, he liked that chocolate. That special and sweet affection given only to him was so precious.
Yuwon worked hard to gain the director’s trust. Fortunately, Minhyeon gradually opened his heart to Yuwon, and the two became like brothers. They lived as if there were only the two of them in this world, sometimes fighting fiercely, and thus became each other’s one and only existence.
Until Minhyeon became a high school student.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
