Chapter 6
It’s been three days since the man regained consciousness.
For the past two days, the landline phone on top of the dresser in the living room has been ringing every ten minutes.
The news that the man had opened his eyes spread quickly throughout the village, and the elders rushed to call him in excitement. The first words they said were strangely the same.
– Taegeon, are you really awake? Is your life worth living?
And today, guests kept coming and going, so much so that the threshold of the front door was worn down.
Starting with Mrs. Yongsun, the owner of the restaurant, the old man with the red roof, the village chief, and the old woman Mokrye, it seemed like everyone from Songdae Village, which only had a few households, had come to visit.
Each of them came carrying a bundle in their hand… There were a variety of things, including fruits, abalone porridge, and even medicinal herbs that were good for restoring stamina. It seems that it was true that the villagers had special affection for this man.
Haein, who was greeting guests and cleaning up the food she had handed out as if it were natural, suddenly became confused.
No, but… why am I doing this?
Haein, who was very embarrassed that she was suddenly taking on the role of guardian of a man she didn’t even know, eventually quietly left the front door.
Even so, it was around sunset. Soo-cheol, who was supposed to help me, had climbed the hill.
Haein, who had been wandering around the beach with nowhere to go, sat down on the stone steps and fixed her cell phone.
“So don’t be surprised if a guy you don’t know calls you. He sometimes asks to borrow my phone because he lost it.”
– Oh, okay. But what the hell is going on all of a sudden, really? Are you okay? It’s uncomfortable for even a normal person, and now you’re staying with a gangster.
I was just now telling my friend Jiyoon the story about the man who suddenly appeared one day covered in blood.
I didn’t want to make her worry, so I didn’t want to say anything, but since my phone keeps getting passed around to the guy, I felt like I had to say something.
“I don’t know for sure whether he’s a gangster or not. I can only guess.”
– Anyway, judging by the way he appeared, he must not be an ordinary person.
“That’s true, but… I’m not sure. If he was really dangerous, I wonder if my grandfather would take such good care of him…”
Haein’s gaze involuntarily turned to the hill on the right. Grandma Mokrye, who had brought a lot of dried shiitake mushrooms herself, was coming down the hill with one hand on her hunched back. Grandma Mokrye, who lived next door when the boy was young, said that she fed and raised him, showing her deepest affection for him.
“Seeing him being taken care by the villagers like that, I don’t think he’s a bad person.”
– But don’t let your guard down. Most of the vicious criminals that appear on the news are like that. To those around them, they seem like really kind, gentle, and good people.
“Hey. Don’t say things like that. It’s just scary…”
Haein quickly shook her head, recalling the cool aura of a man with a handsome appearance.
Hey, no way. He may be a little strong, but he doesn’t look like a violent criminal… .
– Just in case, be careful. He doesn’t know who you are yet, right?
“Yeah. He stares at me every time when I go to see him, but he didn’t seem to notice. Well, he doesn’t really have much to do yet.”
– At least he’ll be there until he gets better. Then you’ll be seeing each other often in the future… Oh my, what should I do if it’s uncomfortable?
Jiyoon’s worries continued endlessly.
– Don’t go near that room. Don’t talk to him carelessly. No, how about just going somewhere else until that guy leaves?
It was that excess care that was already worrying me again. Even now, when I can’t move far away from my room, I cover my face all day just in case, so how uncomfortable would it be if I were to walk around after recovering? I don’t know when I’ll be able to get better and go back.
However, it was quite difficult since I was not in a position to go anywhere else.
– Or just… .
Jiyoon, who was worrying as if it were her own work, said quietly.
– It’s too early to get back to work… right?
Jiyoon, who knew Haein’s situation better than anyone else, was careful with the ending of her words. When she just swallowed her reply with a complicated expression, Jiyoon added impatiently.
– No, I didn’t mean to burden you… I was already worried that you’d always be left there alone, but now that you have someone like that by your side, I’m worried… you do know how I feel right?
Haein smiled faintly as she looked across the receding waves.
“I know. There is no one in the world who cares about me as much as our Kim Ji-yoon.”
– Okay… I’m glad you understand.
– Jiyoon! Where did you put the spangles?
– Oh, it’s in the car! I’ll get it.
There was a commotion on the other end of the phone. Jiyoon, who had recently applied to be a stylist for a certain idol group, was busy preparing for the group’s comeback.
The reason she turned down the offer to be a staff member for a successful actor and only worked as a support person was for herself. It was for ‘Her actor Lee Haein’ who will return someday.
Haein sighed with a complicated expression and quickly ended the call.
“I know you are too busy, I took up too much of your time. Go ahead and work.”
– Hey, let’s talk again. Always be careful, and if anything happens, call me right away. I’m definitely not asking you to go back to work right away, so think about coming up. Okay? Okay?
The sound of hurried footsteps was mixed with machine-gun-like requests. Haein hurriedly greeted her, almost out of breath.
“Okay, okay. Hang up and get back to work.”
The waves had quickly moved away. The red sunset that had colored the sky spread wide across the mudflats.
Haein hugged her shins and looked out across the red, rippling sea.
– It’s too early to get back to work… right?
I know that I have to go back now, for the sake of Cheol-yong and Ji-yoon, who have been silently waiting for me, paying all sorts of deposits and countless advertisements, including the ongoing drama.
But… the courage to stand there was still out of reach.
Even though it’s already been two years.
“Yeah. It’s already come to that… .”
Even though I can’t die and have to live, if I’m going to live anyway, I have to go back… When will I ever be able to shake off this pitiful fear?
“Why did you come armed to the teeth just to sell collect some clams?”
“I should fill it up while it’s out. I don’t want to come out again, it’s annoying.”
Suddenly, the voices came closer. Three or four villagers were coming out to the mudflats carrying buckets. Haein, who had raised her sunglasses as a habit, bowed her head slightly to the villagers who pretended to know her.
“What are you doing sitting there alone? Do you want to dig a bucket of clams, too?”
“No, I’m not here for that… I will join you next time.”
Haein looked down at her fluttering skirt and smiled regretfully.
“Girl, just wait a little bit. I’ll dig it up for cheap and give you a basketful.”
“Thank you.”
Haein, who was watching the ladies walking away with their eyes closed, soon smiled bitterly.
Even in this place where everyone who doesn’t know me, now knows just my outer version, I still don’t have the courage to show my face. I guess it’s too much. I am not ready yet.
Feeling sorry for Jiyoon, she looked up at the blue-roofed house on the hill while fiddling with her cell phone. The face of the man staring at her as if he was going to pierce through her sunglasses suddenly flashed before her eyes.
Now that he has opened his eyes, I guess I’ll feel more uncomfortable.
“Huh….”
Haein sighed deeply, feeling suffocated all over again.
The sun that had been hanging on the horizon disappeared in an instant. When I returned with a bag full of clams that the ladies had given me, the whole area was dark.
The house was quiet. It seemed like all the guests who had come to see the man had left.
It was when I opened the front door and glimpsed into the room over the wall.
“I told you so, why are you reaching out to me again!”
The bathroom door opened wide. Soo-cheol’s face turned bright red as he came out of the bathroom while talking on the phone.
“Just leave me alone. I’ll do it myself. No, don’t touch it and just leave it alone! Oh, shit, really.”
Soo-cheol, who had lost his temper over something, threw the towel he was holding onto the floor. The guy looked back at Haein, who was entering the yard, and tried to keep his voice low.
“I’m going now. Leave it alone and don’t touch it.”
The hand that put the cell phone in the pocket of his pants was nervous. Even if I just listened to it, I could tell who was on the other end of the line. There was only one person on whom he would lose his temper like that.
“What’s wrong? Is something going on at home?”
Soo-cheol, sitting on the floor, grumbled as he put on his sneakers.
“She is sick again, what can I do? Why was she suddenly doing the dishes? No, is it that hard to just lie down and rest? Why is she picking on me for no reason and getting hurt again and again?”
Soo-cheol’s mother, who collapsed from a cerebral hemorrhage a few years ago, was so ill that she could not move her arms or legs comfortably. Even so, she would occasionally move to do housework, but it was not easy because she was so ill.
Haein asked worriedly.
“Is she badly hurt?”
“I don’t know. She said that she just got a little scratch. Oh, man, it’s so annoying.”
Haein crouched down in front of Soo-cheol, who was tying his shoelaces, and whispered to him.
“Don’t be like that. She was just trying to help you because she thought you might be having a hard time… You know how she feels, don’t you?”
“Help me, what the… . No matter how many times I tell her that just staying still is helping me, but she still does it. Look at it now, she just broke all the precious dishes by messing with it again!”
“Soo-cheol.”
Haein’s forehead wrinkled. She knew that even though he would grumble with harsh words every time, his heart was not like that. Just by looking at his eyes, which were red from fear that she might have been hurt badly, it was obvious that he was worried and upset.
Haein patted Soo-cheol’s shoulder, who was shaking.
“Take a deep breath, quickly.”
Soo-cheol, who had been pouting, took a deep breath. After exhaling three or four times, he finally calmed down and pouts.
“Okay. I’m calm.”
Haein stroked Soo-cheol’s head with a smiling face.
“Good job. First, check to see how much your mother is hurt. Don’t get too angry. If the wound is serious, contact me. Got it?”
“Okay….”
Soo-cheol reluctantly stood up and looked around the floor as if he had remembered something. A wet towel that had been carelessly thrown down was lying in front of the bathroom.
“Ah. I need to clean it.”
Haein tilted her head and asked back at the quiet soliloquy.
“huh?”
“I just came out after rinsing the towel to wipe off that gangster.”
Soo-cheol glanced across the living room, then covered his mouth and whispered.
“That guy is a clean freak. I just washed his hair once, but why do I have to keep washing it? I am telling you, I washed his hair again before you came. Honestly, isn’t it the national rule to wash your hair every two days? Man, I almost passed out because it was so hard.”
Yesterday, he was the one who asked Soo-cheol to clean up after clearing the dinner table. In fact, it was just a request, but from the beginning, it was no different from ordering him around.
“Wipe it properly, thoroughly.”
“Where are you going? You need to wash my hair too.”
“Ok.”
“Don’t scratch with your fingernails, kid. It’s a mole, what the hell!”
Since the patient could not move, he had to go back and forth between the waiting room and the bathroom, changing the water buckets over and over again. I cannot tell you how much suffering Soo-cheol has faced.
Moreover, why does he keep nagging at the child when it has only been a while since he met Soo-cheol?
Of course, when he addressed me with respect, I didn’t feel it was polite at all, but the way he spoke to Soo-cheol was as raw as it could be. Thanks to that, I guess my 90 percent certainty about the man’s identity went up by about 9 percent.
“Should I just disinfect it right away? Ah… I think I’m going to get cursed at again.”
“What’s the point of disinfecting? Grandpa will be getting off work soon.”
“He called me to say that he is going to be a little late today. Could you please do it for me?”
“Oh, really?”
A brief silence lingered. In the midst of it, silent glances exchanged. Haein awkwardly twitched the corners of her lips as she looked into Soo-cheol’s eyes, who was asking, “The thing I am asking for isn’t too much, is it…?” With a face that said, “You will help me right…?”
Soo-cheol quickly shook his head, perhaps thinking that it was impossible.
“I’ll be back shortly after going out for a bit.”
It was long past sunset. There was a lot for Soo-cheol to do, including taking care of his mother, cleaning up the house, and preparing dinner.
But if I were to say that I would go to Soo-cheol’s house, it was obvious that he would wave his hand again. He was a guy who absolutely hated asking for any help with his housework.
Haein, who had been quietly looking at the towels placed on the table, grabbed the water bottle. Her mouth opened without even her knowing it.
“I’ll just do it. You take care of the lady.”
Soo-cheol immediately shook his head.
“No. I’ll be back in a minute.”
“Your mother probably didn’t had dinner yet. You need to treat her quickly and prepare a meal for both.”
“Still….”
Soo-cheol looked at the door of the bedroom with a trailing voice as if he was worried. Seeing him worrying, even though he was usually okay, it seemed like he also wanted to stay by his mother’s side today.
Soo-cheol bit his lips and asked worriedly.
“Sister, can you really do it?”
“It’s not that hard, is it? I’m quite an expert at cleaning wounds.”
“No, rather than that, I’d rather wipe it…”
“I’ll take care of it. Don’t worry and just go down. Your mother might be having a hard time cleaning up again.”
Soo-cheol had no choice but to go outside the front door, unable to resist the hand that was pushing his back. Haein waved her hand at the boy who kept looking back over the fence, telling him to hurry up and go.
He must have been worried, so he flapped his hands to cover his face more carefully. Haein silently replied with her lips pursed. Okay. Go quickly.
In the place where the water pipe had been forcibly pushed away, only a cold wind blew.
Haein, who had been floating in the air, dropped her arm and looked blankly at the towel that was cooling down on the floor. She had somehow received the baton, but she was suddenly overcome with worry.
“Huh….”
How can I voluntarily go back to that stuffy room again, and this time even bringing a wet towel to wipe that person.
Ah, I don’t know. Even if he isn’t satisfied with just cleaning it once, that’s fine, but I just need to disinfect it, so what’s difficult about that?
Haein shook her head as if nothing was a big deal and took the medicine bottle. She had no intention of wiping the body, but she also secretly picked up a wet towel. It was just because her remaining hand was empty, and it was definitely not because she was afraid of the man’s possible reaction.
Haein paused in front of the bedroom, carefully adjusting her sunglasses and mask and pulling her bucket hat down low.
– That’s how most of the vicious criminals that appear on the news are. To those around them, they seem like really kind, gentle, and good people.
Jiyoon’s voice suddenly passed by and sent shivers down my spine, but I had already knocked and turned the doorknob.
Creak, I carefully opened the door. The man leaning against the wall with his top off slowly opened his closed eyes.
The moment her eyes met with his as he turned to look at the door, Haein blushed for no reason at the sight of his solid abs and stepped into the room.
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