Rebirth – 1

“His condition has improved a lot.”

Yoon Sia said, relieving her mother who had finished her shift as a cashier.

She had noticed her father’s condition improving significantly as she came and went, and she learned the fact by asking a nurse.

“Yeah. They changed his medication… they said he suddenly got better these days.”

Her mother took out a tangerine from a black plastic bag, probably bought as a discounted item from the mart.

Judging by the season, it seemed to be grown in a greenhouse, and it still had a greenish tint.

Her mother spoke nonchalantly, as if she already knew, but Yoon Sia didn’t miss the subtle smile on her mother’s lips.

Unlike her usual self, who was always exhausted and barely spoke, Yoon Sia sat down for a while longer and peeled a tangerine.

“It’ll probably be sour.”

“It’s not in season yet. But it’s nice to have tangerines like this thanks to the greenhouse.”

Yoon Sia peeled the thin skin with her fingernails and handed half of the tangerine to her mother.

Yoon Sia put a piece of tangerine in her mouth and chewed it. The juice burst in her mouth, and she frowned.

“Ugh… sour.”

Contrary to her words, her lips curved into a pleasant arc.

As they peeled and ate tangerines, the mother and daughter had a real conversation for the first time in a while.

“When you got into university, I was more worried than happy, to be honest. I couldn’t afford the tuition.”

As the conversation deepened, her mother brought up something she had been holding back.

She didn’t look Yoon Sia directly in the face.

“It’s a relief you got a scholarship, right?”

Yoon Sia smiled.

“Yeah. I wonder who I take after to be so smart.”

“It must be one of your parents.”

“You still seem like a baby… but you’ve already gone to university, and you’re earning money to pay for your father’s hospital bills…”

Her mother slowly melted the lump in her heart and exhaled it in a long sigh.

Apologies, gratitude, and anger at herself for not fulfilling her role as a parent properly.

Complex emotions that couldn’t be simply explained were intertwined and thrown into her daughter’s heart.

Although the words were calm, Yoon Sia, who couldn’t possibly not know what was mixed in them, felt her eyes sting.

“If it weren’t for tutoring… it would have been difficult. Going to school, paying for Dad’s hospital bills.”

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

“Oh, speaking of which, how’s the tutoring going?”

Her mother asked, clapping her hands.

“How is it?”

“You said… the student was insincere.”

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

“Ah… he’s been good lately. And…”

She stopped herself from saying, ‘And he’s reliable.’

Seeing her stop mid-sentence, Yoon Sia’s mother tilted her head.

“Why did she stop talking? And what?”

“Um… just… he’s kind, trustworthy, understanding, and takes good care of me?”

“You’re not talking about a school senior, but the student you’re teaching, right?”

“Yeah. Isn’t it funny? A high school student acts like an adult.”

Yoon Sia laughed, letting out a puff of air.

As Yoon Sia began to talk about her experiences with Kang In-ho, the middle-aged woman listening slapped her knee and said.

“I think he’s interested in you.”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

“Well… isn’t he trying to look good to you because he’s interested in you? It’s perfectly normal for kids that age to do that.”

“No way. Someone who has everything wouldn’t be interested in someone like me.”

As Yoon Sia shook her head, her mother grabbed her face with both hands.

“What do you mean lacking? Look at your face. You’re so pretty. Kids that age have fantasies about university students.”

“Where did you hear something so strange?”

Yoon Sia squirmed and escaped from her grasp, and the middle-aged woman smiled softly and advised her daughter.

“That boy sounds cute and innocent. But don’t even think about dating. If you get caught dating by that Boss, you’ll get fired.”

“That won’t happen.”

Yoon Sia made her eyebrows straight and looked dejected.

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

She left the hospital feeling good.

How long had it been since she had left the hospital with such light steps?

It felt like she had been wandering in pitch-black darkness and had found a sliver of light in the distance.

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

“Things seem to be going well these days.”

Ever since Kang In-ho started attending his lessons diligently, her life had gradually started to improve.

There might not be a causal relationship, but she was grateful to Inho, who had become the starting point.

“Haa… the weather is nice.”

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

“Ha… this is a bit tough.”

Kang In-ho, who wanted to test his limits, climbed the hill with his injured arm and leg.

Since getting injured, he had been taking a taxi to and from school, so this was the first time he was climbing the hill with crutches.

When he reached the one-third mark, his body was burning up despite the cool weather.

Small beads of sweat began to form on his forehead.

“Just moving around is uncomfortable.”

He moved his uncomfortable body around, checking it, thinking about what he would do if the same fight happened again.

The theory of Martial arts he had learned in the previous dimension, as well as the senses he had acquired through sparring and real combat, were a solid foundation, so he didn’t think he would lose in most fights.

However, he didn’t think it would be possible to fight while protecting someone.

“It’ll be dawn soon.”

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

With the sunset draped over his right shoulder, he carefully took each step.

Clack, clack.

The rubber padding at the end of the crutches made a sound as it touched the ground.

“I should take a taxi again starting tomorrow.”

He didn’t try to tell her, but Yoon Sia sent a text message to his father, saying that it was her fault.

The message was that Inho was injured while helping Yoon Sia.

He thought that his father, who didn’t like him, would penalize him, but what? The reaction was lukewarm.

[I see. Please take care of my son.]

That was it.

Although he wasn’t his biological father, Kang In-ho felt a little disappointed at the dry response.

‘That’s why the kid is twisted.’

Of course, he didn’t know the cause and effect.

As he grumbled and climbed the hill, he saw the stairs leading down to the park.

It was the park where he had fought a few days ago.

There was no particular intention. He was just glancing at it.

“…!!”

Seeing the figure sitting on the swing in the park below the stairs, Inho stopped climbing.

The person sitting on the swing seemed to have noticed him as well, and he could feel them looking this way.

After a long staring contest, Inho turned his body and pointed his crutches towards the stairs.