episode_0132

***

Summer passes, fall passes. So winter comes.

After the cold winter, a new spring will come.

I think we are seeds buried in winter.

Like a seed that spends time in the ground, enduring the cold winter chill.

By enduring the harsh weather with my whole body, I gain hope for living tomorrow.

Just as it is impossible to say that all seeds will sprout, neither can we.

And first, there are those that sprout, bloom, and then wither.

Now, there will be things buried in the ground waiting for spring.

Emma.

I don’t know how much time it took me to read this article.

And if you’re reading this, what I wrote while spending time with you was,

You will also realize that it is not a masterpiece that will go down in history, but rather a piece of writing addressed to just one person.

It’s hard to guess what you look like right now as you read this, but I think I know this one thing.

You still think about me, miss me, and want to meet me as soon as possible.

Is it excessive self-consciousness? It would be better if it were like that.

As I write – so it’s time in the past for you – Emma, you are sitting on a chair five steps away from my desk and looking at me.

Do you know that it’s really cute when you glance at me while I’m writing?

You might think I didn’t notice, but I have at least an inkling.

Did you receive the letter from Mr. Ricardo?

If so, you must have read everything written there.

Did you stay overnight at an inn in Roun Village?

Looking at the newspaper, it said that the inn’s window was open towards the entrance to the village, and that the view was very pretty when the window was opened on a moonlit night.

Have you seen the Victory Tower?

It was built to commemorate Korea’s victory in the war, and it is said to be quite tall. I don’t know if you realized the height.

Did you enjoy visiting Grandia Eleanor Cathedral?

According to people who have been to the cathedral, which has been under construction for 40 years, you can feel its sanctity from the moment you enter. Emma, I hope you felt that too.

How was your meal at El Pio?

According to the tourist brochure, the meat is tender and the alcohol is quite sweet. I don’t know if I felt the full taste.

I dare to expect it.

Emma, you may have gone to all the places I told you to go, but I don’t think you enjoyed all the things I told you to enjoy.

I’m sure I’ll be struggling all day trying to decipher these strange letters.

How pretty the scenery is, how delicious the food is, how the history of this country unfolded…

Because it may not be an important value to you now.

Even though I knew you would act like that, I had no choice but to do this.

It’s because I hoped that, just in case, you would find even the smallest reason to live in this world.

Because I know that if I die, you will die with me.

I had no choice but to lie.

Even while telling a ridiculous lie that it was a masterpiece novel.

At first, I thought about filling this manuscript by listing meaningless characters.

However, coincidence, fate, and God’s plan really overlapped, and the day came when you understood these letters.

If what I left behind was meaningless writing that was no different from what a madman wrote…

How great is the sense of emptiness you will feel,

Because I could see how quickly you gave up hope in life…

So that you, who know all these truths, can live with affection in this world.

I will carefully convey each and every word to you, containing my will, my heart, and my love.

***

Emma. You have taken care of me for a long time.

Now I only remember the time I spent with you recently.

So I’m sorry that I can’t talk about the memories you and I have made.

However, I can say this much with certainty.

The half a year or so I spent with you was a truly happy, peaceful, and reflective time for me.

I want to thank you for giving me this time.

So I also wanted to give you a gift.

I wanted to give you a reason to live in this world even without me.

Although life is a series of irrationality and pain,

I don’t know why this happened to me, and it makes me think that if I had just held on for a moment, this wouldn’t have happened.

Sometimes you get hit by a sudden misfortune and collapse, or you get caught up in a ridiculous incident and everything goes to waste.

In order to achieve something, you have to sacrifice yourself, and what you tried to do well ends up grabbing you by the throat.

I wanted to let you know that life is worth continuing.

***

Emma. Just as winter always comes, spring always comes too.

If you wait a little longer, winter will pass.

Right now, I don’t know when the snowstorm will stop, and the chill will hit my bones and I’ll be shivering.

Still, spring always comes.

When spring comes and flowers bloom.

I completely forget the chill that winter gave me.

Emma. Don’t despair just because it’s winter.

Spring always comes.

The time between you and me came to an end with farewell.

I am the sunset and the withering flower.

You are the rising sun, the flower that has just opened its bud.

There is no need to be tied down to people passing by.

I hope you find your life now.

Open the door of the old mansion and go out.

meet people meet love

I was taken away by an unknown gentleman, and the days I devoted my life to are left here.

See, eat, smell, and feel new things.

I’m sure I’ll find a reason to stay in this world.

***

Now it’s time to end the story.

I’m planning to send a letter to Mr. Ricardo tomorrow.

Because now I feel like my life is coming to an end.

No matter how much I experience death, I never seem to get used to it.

Emma. Smile, love, dance.

This is my last wish.

Waiting for spring to bloom, Kang In-ho.