Chapter 109
The aunt thought that once the debt was cleared, the cafe would return to normal. Seeing Hyeon-woo’s surprise, she added:
“It seems the debt has been resolved, but I guess he’s too ashamed to show his face to me again. After all, he disappeared with the money he borrowed from me.”
“I see…”
“Still, I miss him sometimes. I wonder where he is, how he’s doing, what he’s up to.”
The aunt smiled bitterly.
“I really want to meet him again at least once while I’m alive. I want to tell him that I don’t hate him. That he should let go of his guilt towards me now.”
“……”
“Hyeon-woo. Actually, I’ve thought about you a lot too. I’m so grateful that you came back to visit like this.”
As the aunt patted his shoulder warmly, Hyeon-woo became lost in thought.
He vividly remembered countless nightmarish nights from the past – debt collectors barging in and destroying things, the aunt’s anguished screams as she repeatedly fainted, and Yejun crying beside his collapsed mother.
He couldn’t understand it. How could she forgive someone who had left such deep scars so easily? Having lost half their family in a car accident, the mother and son must have faced tremendous hardships in life.
Had they become so resilient from facing such a big trial that they were now unfazed by most things? Just like how I’m spending time waiting to become like that.
Will there come a day when I too can dismiss my past as nothing, like this? Is that what forgiveness is? If so, how many more trials and hardships will I have to endure before my past pain becomes nothing?
With these questions in mind, Hyeon-woo said goodbye to the aunt and Yejun and headed to the tutoring center.
“Teacher!”
“Hyeon-woo teacher!”
“Teacher! We missed you!”
A smile bloomed on Hyeon-woo’s face at the children’s enthusiastic welcome. Jiwoo, who arrived last, limping, also hugged Hyeon-woo.
The director, who seemed to have heard about it beforehand, gave Hyeon-woo a regretful look. After exchanging greetings with the director who encouraged him to visit again anytime, Hyeon-woo returned home well past 9 PM.
Three large immigration suitcases were placed next to the front door. Including his own, which he hadn’t finished packing yet, there would soon be four. Hyeon-woo went up to his room and finished packing the luggage he had left half-done yesterday. He zipped it up and placed it next to the other suitcases by the front door.
Seeing all the family’s luggage gathered together like this, it finally hit home that it was really time to leave.
*
A large van arrived at the airport. The airport was bustling with people excited and full of anticipation for their upcoming travels.
They finished checking in at the airline counter and checked all their luggage. With a lighter load, Hyeon-woo entered the restroom.
He emptied a water bottle into the sink and threw it in the trash. After washing his hands and coming out, he saw his parents standing at the end of the long line heading towards the departure gate. His mother was waving her hands widely, and he was about to walk towards them.
Just then, he felt someone tugging at the hem of his shirt. Turning around, he saw a small child, not even reaching his waist, holding out a passport to him.
Puzzled, Hyeon-woo took it and opened the first page, his mouth gaping in shock.
It was his own passport. He searched his pocket where it should have been, but of course, it wasn’t there.
“Oh, that was close. Thank you so much.”
Hyeon-woo smiled and thanked the child. It seemed he had absentmindedly left it on the sink while washing his hands in the restroom earlier.
The child responded with a bright smile, turned around, and ran back towards the restroom, disappearing in an instant. It was a stroke of luck. He had nearly stupidly lost his passport at the airport.
After securely placing the passport in his pocket, he hurried towards his parents who were gesturing to him.
The child who had re-entered the restroom called out proudly:
“The big brother said thank you!”
‘I think that guy just left this behind, could you go and give it to him?’
He had just followed the request, but feeling proud of having helped someone, the child’s face turned red up to his ears as a large, slender hand came down on his head. The child glanced at the handsome face of the man patting his head.
“Well done. I’m grateful too.”
Excited by the praise, the child ran out of the restroom, loudly calling for his mother.
“Mom! Mom! You won’t believe what just happened…!”
The child’s voice was full of excitement as he bragged about his heroic deed.
After killing some time, he came out. He caught a glimpse of someone’s back just disappearing into the departure gate, as if in slow motion.
He found him instantly among the crowd. But his vision, blurred like a broken lens with two unfocused points, couldn’t hold onto the other’s image for long. In the moment it took to blink hard, the other had completely disappeared into the gate.
His pocket vibrated again. It was the fourth time already, making it difficult to ignore any longer.
