episode_0016
by adminI hurriedly took a taxi to the hospital.
“Excuse me…! I, I’m Kim Yoonjung’s son…! My mother…!”
“Please calm down. For now, this way…”
Following the guidance, I sat in front of the illuminated operating room and could hear a few stories from the police and hospital staff.
“Ms. Kim Yoonjung was attacked by a robber.”
“A, attacked?!”
“As the belongings were left untouched, it was determined that robbery wasn’t the motive. We are currently tracing the suspect.”
They said my mother was attacked by a robber on her way home from work.
And it happened in an alley near our house.
“We’ve detected specific mana reactions, pointing to an awakened individual committing the crime, and we are tracking the suspect through nearby CCTV… But it’s late, snowing, so it might take some time…”
The assailant who harmed my mother and fled is an unidentified awakened individual.
It was truly an incomprehensible situation.
Why would someone with awakened abilities target and rob our mother?
“A, anyway…! Is my mother okay? Right?”
Unable to grasp the situation, I first focused on my mother.
But…
“That’s… ”
“Cough…”
No one gave me a proper answer.
“…Ah…”
My head spun.
‘W-Why…’
I collapsed in the corridor, my mind blank.
My thoughts vanished as my head turned white.
It felt like the ground was crumbling beneath me endlessly.
‘Why… is this happening…’
So, I earnestly prayed for my mother’s successful surgery, waiting for a long time.
However…
In the end, I was left alone.
*
Sadly, I didn’t even have time to mourn my mother’s death.
Sudden problems poured in that needed immediate attention.
It began with my mother’s funeral.
“Normally, we should proceed with the funeral right away… but given the current situation…”
“There are no adults around… sigh…”
Even the police present and the funeral director from the hospital couldn’t offer any advice.
It was especially difficult because money was involved.
Funeral expenses, surgery costs, none of them were within my means.
If only I had a job or some understanding of household finances, I might have managed somehow.
Unfortunately, there was nothing I could do right now.
“How nice would it have been if I had an adult to trust and rely on at a time like this.”
Suddenly, I felt so resentful towards my absent father, whom I didn’t even know, and the suddenly missing ‘uncle’.
It was a meaningless resentment, though.
“For now… I’ll leave my mother in the morgue for a while and deal with other matters first…”
“Yes. I think that’s the right thing to do for now.”
“Since all the officials will be here soon…”
“…”
Thus, swayed by the suggestions of the funeral director and the police, I tried to postpone the funeral for a while and focus on resolving other issues.
Knock knock. Someone tapped on the door of the counseling room, then cautiously opened it and spoke softly as they entered.
“Excuse me, is Kang Yoochan here?”
A middle-aged man with a neat appearance wearing a white coat.
He seemed to be a doctor at this hospital.
“…I am Kang Yoochan.”
“Ah, Yoochan, the student.”
The doctor who entered the counseling room spoke with a somewhat composed attitude.
“Um, I came to ask about something.”
“…?”
“Do you happen to know Hanryewon?”
“…Yes?”
We changed locations to a bench inside the hospital.
“You only have this to drink right now.”
“No, thank you. I’ll gladly drink it.”
Gratefully accepting the beverage, I glanced at him as I sipped the coffee and took a seat next to him.
The man who introduced himself as “Han Jungwon” was none other than Hanryewon’s father.
“He’s totally different from his brother.”
Compared to Hanryewon’s father who had caused a scene at the school before, it was like night and day.
It’s hard to believe they’re brothers sharing the same bloodline.
“Go ahead, drink up.”
Following his suggestion, I twisted the cap and downed the drink in one gulp.
Perhaps due to my parched throat, the lukewarm taste seeped through my entire body.
“How is it?”
“…Thanks to you, I feel much calmer. And please, feel free to speak comfortably.”
“Hmm. Isn’t that better?”
With a gentle smile reminiscent of Hanryewon, he calmly led the conversation.
“Mother’s passing is truly saddening. I lost my mother at a similar age. I know words can’t console, but stay strong.”
“Thank you.”
“Well… By the way, how’s Ryeowon doing these days? She hasn’t been talking much lately, has she?”
He brought up the topic of his niece.
Having looked after her intermittently since she was young and essentially raising her from elementary school, she was practically like his own daughter.
“Recently, she’s been… alright.”
“I see… No arguments between you two, right?”
“No.”
“Alright then…”
Sipping his coffee sparingly, he gazed at the snow piled outside, then, caressing the paper cup, he spoke quietly.
“You might have already heard, but Ryeowon is like a daughter to me. Our family sees her that way too. We cherished her dearly as we didn’t have a child of our own.”
“….”
“But one day, out of the blue, she started talking about a boy in her class. It never happened before! You can imagine how surprised my family and I were.”
Undoubtedly, it was my story.
“So, instead of making a fuss, we decided to quietly support and watch over her… But at some point, she hardly mentioned him. She barely eats when she comes home. Rarely smiles.”
He glanced at me out of the corner of his eye.
How would I appear from a parental perspective?
A scoundrel who made his daughter cry? Or a scoundrel who almost stole his daughter away?
Neither would be a pleasant view.
“You helped Ryeowon the other day.”
“….”
“If you helped Ryeowon, you’re practically a benefactor. I genuinely appreciate it. I really wanted to say that.”
“No, not at all.”
Finishing his coffee with a gulp, he quickly checked his watch, then stood up, saying he should be going now.
“Anyway, we’ll do our best to help with your mother’s affairs, so don’t worry.”
“Oh, you don’t have to… ”
“It’s from my heart, just accept it.”
“Thank you very much.”
Bowing deeply, he nodded back and finally bid his farewell.
“Alright then, I’ll take my leave, Mother. I’ll come visit again when I have time.”
“Yes. Thank you so much for taking care of us!”
“Oh, and please take good care of Ryeowon too!”
With a final, seemingly forgotten glance, he subtly conveyed his true feelings and hurriedly walked away.
“…”
I had no words, not even ten mouths could express what I felt, so I quietly bowed and gave a response.
*
Unexpectedly, with the help I received, I was able to hold the funeral promptly. Ryeowon’s father, it seemed, held a much higher position than I had thought, as he not only greatly reduced the medical and funeral expenses but also contributed to the condolence money.
Thanks to that, I could alleviate much of the financial burden… but that wasn’t all. He sent soldiers to me.
“Yuchan…!”
“Ryeowon.”
Ryeowon, my one and only friend, appeared at the wake.
“I’m sorry for being late…!”
Bang! Before she could even greet me, she rushed into my arms, embracing me tightly and sincerely comforting me.
“You must have been so lonely… I’m sorry for not knowing… You’ve really been through a lot…”
A strange warmth permeated the air. Lost in that warmth for a moment, I suddenly snapped back to reality and tried to pull away from her.
…That’s how it should have been…
“Thank you…”
Somehow, I found myself reciprocating her embrace.
“I’ll stay with you until the end!”
Initially, I thought she had just come to pay respects, but she showed up with the determination to stay by my side for three whole days.
I tried to dissuade her, saying she didn’t need to do that.
“No…! I want to! It’s better to be together than alone, isn’t it?”
She even stuck a women’s hairpin in my hair and settled herself next to me.
“…”
As I watched her quietly, her father’s earlier words flashed through my mind.
– She hardly talks about anything anymore. She hardly eats at home. She doesn’t smile.
Before receiving help, an apology was necessary.
“Hey… Ryeowon.”
“Yeah?”
“…I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
Ryeowon cocked her head, looking like she didn’t understand what I was talking about.
Whether she was doing it on purpose or genuinely didn’t know, one thing was certain: my guilt was no longer just internal.
“Sorry for ignoring you all this time.”
“Oh… that? I’m okay. …You were more worried than I was.”
But she had been worrying about me all along.
“You haven’t looked good since then, your complexion has been bad… Do you know how much I’ve been worrying?”
How could she worry about others when she herself was feeling down?
Her consideration was simply astonishing.
“…Sorry for making you worry.”
“You’re apologizing again.”
“Um… well….”
As I stumbled over my words, she let out a small laugh, then quickly composed herself with a solemn expression.
Her action was so endearing that it brought a smile to my lips without me realizing it.
It had been so long since I had genuinely smiled.
“…It’s amazing….”
Hanyeo-won was truly an amazing being.
Even in the midst of hardship and exhaustion, she had the power to make people smile, to bring comfort just by being there.
Could it be that she was hiding an ability to emit a positive aura around her?
Surely, it was an ability on par with S-rank.
“…I should contact Yeonseo too.”
As I continued to think about Hanyeo-won, I began to feel concerned that I still hadn’t contacted Mayeonseo.
In truth, I should have been the first to reach out to her before anyone else.
I had been so preoccupied since dawn that I hadn’t even had a chance to touch my phone.
Even now, the thought of reaching out didn’t occur to me.
While I felt a bit guilty about contacting her late… I needed a little. Just a little time.
“…Sigh….”
It was a moment of frustration, as I furrowed my brow and let out a small sigh.
Swiftly, Hanyeo-won, who was sitting next to me, reached out her hand and gently patted my back.
“…!”
Startled by her touch, I looked at her in surprise.
Meeting my gaze briefly, she wordlessly offered a comforting smile, giving me the strength I needed.
The stifling emotions in my chest began to melt away.
Indeed, the only one who could comfort me right now was her.
Only Hanyeo-won.
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