To the Park

The green light is blinking. Stepping onto the white keyboard in front of him would lead him down the path to his home or office.

But he had no intention of crossing.

It could be the alcohol. After all, alcohol is a devil’s drink that prevents normal thinking.

However, his eyes were not as hazy as those of a drunkard.

As time passed, the light of reason in his eyes seemed to shine brighter.

He turned his body to the side. There was another traffic light connecting the intersection.

He crossed the crosswalk there, putting distance between himself and his home.

His staggering steps gradually became more composed, like the final scene of a suspense movie, and his pace quickened.

He walked down the gentle slope, tapping on his phone.

The light of the blinking green traffic light was reflected in his eyes, and perhaps because of the reflection, his eyes seemed to have a bluish tint.

“Taxi!”

When he couldn’t get a taxi through the app, he stretched out his hand and waved at the end of the street.

Several taxis passed by, pretending not to see him, who looked like a drunkard.

He was able to get in only after sending away three taxis.

“Welcome.”

Whether it was his nature or his service spirit, the driver had a cheerful tone even at this late hour.

“Please go to the park.”

“The park?”

There was a specific park that people usually meant when they took a taxi around here.

The driver’s question meant, “Why at this hour?”

He knew what the driver was thinking, but he didn’t bother to explain.

In fact, he couldn’t explain. He himself didn’t know why he wanted to go to the park.

He got into the taxi simply because he felt like he ‘had to go.’

The driver shrugged at the silent passenger’s reaction and entered the destination into the navigation system.

After a brief pause, the taxi smoothly began to run through the night streets.

“Haha, going to the park at this hour,”

The driver asked, perhaps feeling uncomfortable with the silence.

“Ah, yes. It turned out that way.”

The passenger moved his lips a few times, choosing his words, and then spat out the carefully chosen words.

“Well, they say there are things you can only see at night these days. Something about L-E-Ds. They’ve set up lighting, too.”

The driver continued to chatter about information he had heard somewhere, and the passenger leaned his head against the window and quietly closed his eyes.

The drunkenness had subsided, but for some reason, his eyes felt heavy.

Despite the driver’s enthusiastic praise, the night park was desolate.

Except for the grass and branches swaying in the occasional breeze, it was as silent as if time had stopped.

Following the regularly spaced streetlights, Kang In-ho walked through the park, stepping on the blocks.

The lawn where dozens of mats had been spread out was green without any pressed marks, and Kang In-ho was the only one walking on the path that had been swayed by the crowds.

On a weekday, the night park was desolate.

Of course.

“It must have been lonely.”

He said as if understanding someone’s heart.

Yes, it must have been lonely.

It must have felt like being abandoned alone in the world without anyone to rely on.

With each step he took, he retraced his memories.

At the same time, he recalled the most foreign memory of his life, and he recalled the person who had stood by his side in that life.

Crossing the empty green field, he thought of someone who had walked alone through the wilderness.

He estimated the weight of the iron lump on that shoulder. He thought of someone who had been left alone and continued the lonely fight.

His eyes, reflected in the light, had a bluish tint, just like back then.

The park was wide, and the night park was even wider.

Kang In-ho walked and walked.

After a long time, he finally arrived at the bench where he had sat on the weekend.

It took him a long time to reach that place.

She must have waited a long time too.

He thought.

“……..”

He saw someone sitting on the bench, quietly folding their hands.

The person sitting on the bench was quiet, as if asleep.

As still as if they were one with the park.

Kang In-ho’s pace quickened.

Was it because of the remaining alcohol in his body? He was slightly out of breath.

Had she heard his footsteps?

The person sitting on the bench opened their eyes.

“I believed you would come.”

Blue and green. Eyes with a mysterious combination shone like jewels against the dim night background.

The nun who got up from the bench knelt on the ground and kissed the back of his hand.