episode_0107

***

The sound of the chain clanking makes my heart beat at a fast beat like a drum.

No matter how you look at it, it is my house, my room, my bedroom.

This familiar space was transformed into a foreign space by just one object.

It still feels like a dream.

Apparently, I was on the front porch… and then passed out? Yes, I think so.

In the end, I couldn’t stop Garam from coming in.

These shackles on my ankles are the result.

The chain around the ankle was quite long.

At least the bedroom is long enough to walk around.

I grab the chain with my hand and pull helplessly.

The end of the taut chain is fastened securely to the wall.

I was afraid it might fall out, so I put my feet up and twisted it around. The shackles tightening around my ankles clinked as if there was no problem.

As seen in Saw, it seemed impossible to remove this unless the ankle was cut off with a saw.

After I fainted and woke up, until I came to my senses.

Until I recognized my tightly bound situation.

After hearing someone’s footsteps in the distance, I had no choice but to say out loud the one thought that came from deep within my heart.

“Fucked.”

***

“Are you awake? I was surprised when he suddenly collapsed.”

The door opens, and Mr. Garam comes in.

In her hand was a large glass filled with a brownish drink.

“It’s a supplement. What I will eat.”

She must have noticed that my eyes were on the glass, so she shrugged and raised her shoulders.

Then, I drink the supplement in large gulp.

Clothes drenched in sweat, blood stains visible on the nape of the neck.

“I never told you my home address. How did you know?”

I asked out of genuine curiosity.

“It’s a cell phone.”

“Cellphone?”

“You leave your cell phone behind when you go to drink water or go to the bathroom during exercise.”

She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and explained it step by step as if explaining it to a child.

“At that time, I opened the delivery app. I knew it when I saw the address there.”

Maybe that’s why I was like a ghost trying to figure out what I ate.

“Even if you know the address, the password for the common entrance is… No, how did you know I was going to leave the house in the first place?”

It’s a common entrance, so you can follow other people in, but what would I have done if I hadn’t ordered food today?

“That’s right, Dad ordered delivery food around this time. Even if you don’t come out today, you can just wait at the emergency stairs.”

I am speechless when I hear that it is nothing special.

“There are three things I want to ask.”

“Yes, please tell me.”

“Why did you tie this up?”

As I lifted the chain, she turned her eyes to the other side.

Hesitatingly, he seems to be aware that what he did was wrong.

“Well, that’s right… Dad keeps avoiding me.”

Putting her index fingers together, she protested in a hushed voice.

“Even if I call, he hangs up right away, doesn’t exercise often… and keeps avoiding me. So I have no choice.”

“My ankle hurts.”

“I’m sorry about that. But… I’m sorry. If you let me go, you’ll run away.”

Even if she bows her head and apologizes, her resolve doesn’t seem to change.

“Okay. Then next question. What is that blood on your neck? Why are your clothes like that?”

“Ah… this is….”

She rubs her neck with her hand to hide the blood stains.

Her face turned bright red, as if she had discovered something that shouldn’t have been revealed.

Since I don’t know, they probably think I shouldn’t get caught. But, I already know everything she did.

“Who is it this time?”

“Yes?”

“That blood. Whose is it? Who is it again this time?”

“…….”

“Did you think I wouldn’t know?”

“But…”

“But! Those people treated my dad badly. I just…”

“Did I ask you to hit those people?”

“That’s…”

“Did I say I wish they were hospitalized?”

“Who is it this time? Is this the person I bumped into on the shoulder while walking down the street? Or is it the person who handed out leaflets on the street?”

I ask her why things ended up like this, without hiding anything.

“…Hanayo.”

“Who?”

“She’s the one who can’t live after her dad dies.”

“Why suddenly one… No, how.”

“I came to the center. Please let me meet my dad. The messages my dad sent to that bitch, he said he was trying to make a deal with her before filing a complaint for sexual harassment.”

“……”

“So I scolded him. But, is this also wrong? Am I overreacting to this too?”

“…Mr. Garam, that is…”

I tried to say something, but no sound came out.

This is because one exceptional case appeared out of nowhere.

“No, right? Seeing as you can’t speak, I guess I behaved well.”

I think my dad was always like that. Garam lowers his head and mutters.

“You don’t honestly say what’s on your mind. One, you think that bitch is annoying and you wish she would disappear.”

“Still, I don’t hate that kind of dad. No, I actually like it.”

Garam put down the glass on the table and slowly approached.

“Are you too embarrassed to speak properly? You’re afraid it’ll be awkward if you show your sincerity, right?”

Her hand goes up to my shoulder.

“I’m fine. I can do everything Dad says. So tell me now.”

She leads me to bed.

She pushes her shoulders down. Unable to even resist that force, I sit down on the bed.

Clack, the chain makes a sound once more.

Mr. Garam bent his knees and placed his face on my thigh.

“Mr. Garam.”

“Yes, Dad.”

“I’m sorry, but I’ve never viewed you rationally. I just helped you because I wanted to support you.”

“…Lie.”

“I’m not lying.”

“Then why were you so kind to me?”

“That’s because it was nice to see Mr. Garam working hard. I wanted to support them working hard even in difficult situations.”

With sincerity, I try to calm her down.

Did my words get through? She uses my lap as a pillow, closes her eyes, and remains silent.

Eventually, she stood up again and was eye level with me.

“It seems like there is still a lot of shame. Because there is a lot of time. If you feel like doing something, please let me know anytime.”

“Because there is a lot of time.”

On the other hand, the woman who placed her lips on my cheek moves away.

“Oh, indeed. I’ll keep my cell phone.”

After saying that, she turned off the light and closed the door.

bang

I was left alone in the dark in the spacious bedroom.