episode_0246

***

“The condition has improved a lot.”

Yoon Sia said as she took turns with her mother, who had just finished working as a cashier.

She noticed that her father’s condition, which she saw on her way home, had improved noticeably, and she found out by asking the nurse.

“Yes. They changed the medication… and they said they suddenly got better these days.”

Her mother took out a tangerine from a black plastic bag, probably because she had bought it on sale at the supermarket.

Judging by the season, it seemed to have been grown at home, but there was still some green left.

Her mother casually said that she already knew, but Yoon Sia did not miss the gentle smile on her mother’s lips.

Unlike Yun Sia, who was always tired and was extremely reluctant to even speak, she sat down for the first time in a long time and plucked some tangerines.

“I think you will.”

“Because it’s not in season yet. Still, it’s nice to have a house and eat tangerines like this.”

After peeling off the thin peel with her fingernails, Yoon Shia cut the tangerine in half and handed it to her mother.

Yun Sia put a piece of tangerine in her mouth and chewed it. The juice splashed into her mouth and she grimaced.

“Ugh… sour.”

Contrary to her words, her mouth drew a pleasant line.

While eating tangerines, the mother and daughter had a conversation for the first time in a long time.

“When you got into college, honestly, I was more worried than happy. Because I couldn’t pay tuition.”

When the conversation was ripe, her mother spoke out what was inside her.

She did not look directly at Yun Sia’s face.

“Are you glad you got the scholarship?”

Grinning, Yoon Sia smiled.

“Sure. I wonder who I resemble so much that I have such good hair.”

“Probably either dad or mom.”

“I still feel like a baby… Before I know it, I’m going to college, making money, and paying my dad’s hospital bills…”

Little by little, her mother melted away all the pain that had built up in her heart and let it out in a long sigh.

Feeling sorry, gratitude, and anger at myself for not being able to fulfill my role as a parent properly.

Complex emotions that could not be explained in one word were tangled together and suddenly thrown into my daughter’s heart.

It was a calm statement, but Yoon Si-ah’s eyes became sore as she could not have known what was mixed in those words.

“If it weren’t for the tutoring… it would probably have been difficult. Going to school and paying my dad’s hospital bills.”

She said, staring blankly out the window, as if looking at passing clouds.

“Oh, come to think of it, how about tutoring?”

her mother asked, clapping her hands.

“How do you like it?”

“Why… they say the student is unfaithful.”

Yoon Sia slightly opened her mouth at her mother’s words.

“Ah… You’re nice these days. And….”

I was about to say, ‘And the kid is dependable.’ But I closed my mouth.

Yun Sia’s mother tilted her head when she saw her as she finished speaking.

“Why does he stop talking? And what?”

“Um… Just… Is the child good, trustworthy, and understanding… and take good care of him?”

“This is a story about a student you teach, not a senior at school, right? ”

“Uh. Isn’t it funny? High school students just act like adults?”

Yun Sia laughed, making a sound like the wind was out.

So, Yoon Sia excitedly told the story of her experience with In-ho, and a middle-aged woman who was listening to the story tapped her knee and said,

“I guess I’m interested in you.”

“? What do you mean?”

“Why… Isn’t he just showing off because he’s interested in you? Kids of that age deserve it.”

“Ah, no. A kid who lacks nothing is interested in a kid like me.”

When Yoon Sia shook her head, her mother held her daughter’s face with both hands.

“It’s not enough, look at your face. It’s so pretty. They say that kids of that age start having fantasies when they go to college.”

“Where did you hear something strange?”

Yun Shia twisted her body to escape from his grasp, and the middle-aged woman gave advice to her daughter with a slight smile.

“The boy is fresh and cute. But don’t think about dating. If you are caught by the boss of the house while you are dating, you will be fired.”

“That can’t be possible.”

Yoon Sia straightened her eyebrows and made a listless face.

Yoon Sia stayed at the hospital about an hour longer than usual.

She left the hospital in good spirits.

How long has it been since I left the hospital with such light steps?

I felt like I was wandering in the pitch-black darkness and found a light the size of a fingernail in the distance.

Her life was still night, but she still had hope that the sun would rise tomorrow.

“Things seem to be going well these days.”

As In-ho began to take classes diligently, her life began to unravel.

Although there may not be a causal relationship, she was grateful to In-ho, who was the starting point.

“Ha… the weather is nice.”

Looking at the cloudless sky, Yun Sia smiled for the first time in a long time.

***

“Ha… It’s a bit tough.”

Inho, who wanted to test his limits, climbed the hill with his weak arms and legs.

Since I was injured and had to take a taxi back to school, it was my first time climbing a hill using crutches.

By the time he reached the one-third point, his body was hot despite the cool day.

Beads of sweat began to form on my forehead.

“First of all, moving itself is uncomfortable.”

Thinking about what he would do if a fight like last time broke out again, he moved his uncomfortable body around to check.

The martial arts theory I had learned in the previous level and the sense I gained from sparring and actual combat became a solid foundation, so I didn’t think I would lose in most fights.

However, he believes that it would be impossible to fight while protecting someone.

“I’m going to wake up.”

The sun was already setting. He moved his crutches and climbed the hill again.

Wearing the sunset over his right shoulder, he walked down the street, taking each step carefully.

Again and again

The rubber packing on the end of the crutches made a sound as it touched the ground.

“I’ll have to take a taxi again starting tomorrow.”

He didn’t try to tell, but Yoon Si-ah sent a text message to his father saying that it happened because of him.

The story was that In-ho was injured while helping Yun-sia.

Because he thought his father didn’t like him, he expected a penalty, but guess what? The reaction was somewhat lukewarm.

[okay. Please take good care of your son.]

That was the end.

Although he was not his biological father, Kang In-ho felt a little disappointed when he saw the dry answer.

‘That’s why the child is crooked.’

Of course, I don’t know the sequential relationship.

As I was muttering my way up the hill, I saw stairs leading down to the park.

This is the park where he fought a few days ago.

There was no particular intention. It was just a glance.

“…!!”

In-ho stopped climbing when he saw a person sitting on a swing in the park at the bottom of the stairs.

I could feel the person sitting on the swing also looking this way, as if they had spotted him.

In-ho, who had been having a snowball fight for a while, turned and pointed his crutches toward the stairs.