episode_0032

Time passed and before we knew it, it was full-blown spring.

The sense of season felt in the countryside or mountains was more distinct than in the city, and I could feel the chill in the morning and early morning air diminishing on my skin.

As if they had noticed the change in the taste of the air, the insects that had not been around all winter began to move. If you close your eyes and listen carefully in the silence, you can hear the sound of grass rustling and the soft rustling, rustling sounds of insects.

The rags that seemed to have lost their pigment a couple of times had all disappeared, and only green was left.

Sihyuk went out into the yard early in the morning, holding a hoe and a broom for the first time in a while. The life of weeds is tenacious and strong, so if you ignore the ones that have grown sparsely today, they will grow thick and unmanageable one day.

While cultivating this land that his master had given him, he put down his hammer for the first time in a long while and had some free time.

Shihyuk rarely cooked a proper breakfast, cleaned up the dishes, and sat on the sofa.

How long had it been since he had been buried in the soft sofa? He could feel the moisture in the still air.

‘It’s going to rain.’

It was good. He gave a short review. The weather had definitely become mild after winter, but it rarely rained. Some people were already predicting a drought and worrying about the distant harvest season.

It rained.

It was the first spring rain.

Raindrops fell, and for the first time in a while, the ground was moist. The amount of rain was not much, but it was enough to moisten the ground and settle the dust.

The colors of the wet trees and grass became darker, and the sound of rain filled his quiet space.

In the midst of that white noise, Sihyuk was still buried in the sofa.

It had been over a month since he had gifted the equipment to the Universe and Galaxy sisters, but the sense of accomplishment he had felt when he had created the last ‘work’ was still deeply ingrained in his body. When he recalled that day, his heart still raced and a sweet tingling sensation welled up from the very depths of his chest.

Of course, it was still a stretch to say that he had created his best work with ‘Wildflowers’.

I still had the confidence that the girl who would blossom with that talent would become a hero in the future, but that was another way of saying that she wasn’t a hero yet.

Wouldn’t a true hero be someone who confronts a true evil and ultimately wins, rather than one who uses the schemes of sinister thugs like Kim Jin-hyung or Park Min-geun?

The time was still early. If she helped those around her, received help, sometimes laughed, sometimes cried, and went straight up the stairs, step by step, and climbed them again, the girl would finally be reborn as a hero that everyone would praise.

But when he pictured that future with the eternally pure girl that came to his mind, Shi-hyuk couldn’t help but smile happily.

Of course, I had no intention of being satisfied with just ‘wildflowers’.

He would meet more and more heroes, more and more heroic material, and each time he would create a work worthy of them.

If the jewels called heroes shine in their own way, and people admire their light and debate their superiority, then the work he has created is in the hands of the best among them.

Thinking about that, Si-hyuk needed time to calm down his excitement that wouldn’t subside, putting down the hammer that he had been holding more than a spoon in anticipation.

What kind of relationship will I meet next, and what will I create?

Swish, with the sound of rain, he was enjoying a moment of peace more than anyone else. Until the appointed time, let’s just imagine the future ahead and calm down our excited mood for a moment. That’s what Sihyuk decided.

It definitely was like that.

“Oh my, that little kid has quite a sharp move!”

“This is not a kid! Hiyot… !”

When he opened his eyes at some point, the peace that had been with him until just a moment ago was gone like a mirage, and only the antics of a large old man like a bear and a small girl who resembled a puppy greeted him.

Shihyuk sighed.

How did it come to this?

-.-.-

Although Shihyuk lived half-separated from the secular world, that did not mean that the relationships he had formed disappeared. He occasionally climbed mountains and occasionally encountered old people who had climbed mountains.

The old man always treated him kindly, and Shihyuk also did not treat his relationship with the old man, who somehow reflected the shadow of his teacher, lightly. The two of them often had many conversations at the summit, at the spring, or while walking.

It was the same yesterday.

“How are you?”

“Hehe, what a pleasant face. Nice to meet you. Have a nice day!”

The two met on the way up, Sihyuk on the way up, and the old man on the way down. The old man of Suraksan smiled heartily at his polite greeting and welcomed him. The two sat on a stone and chatted happily for a while. A smile appeared on the old man’s lips as he offered Sihyuk a boiled egg.

“The arrangement I made for you didn’t go as planned, but it seems you’ve met a good match. I can see your face has brightened up.”

“Did you get the tea?”

“What, your face looks more lively. That’s a good change.”

Shihyuk smiled slightly in embarrassment. Thanks to the warm heart of a certain sister, he was now able to make a small but clear expression instead of the faint smile he had before.

The old man, who saw it at a glance, smiled faintly and nodded his head. He continued speaking while peeling an eggshell.

“You were definitely in the early stages of maturation, but now that you have become fully ripe like this egg, how could you not know?”

“Your compliments are excessive. I am still an immature person.”

“Huh, really?”

The old man smiled. His face showed that he was happy with Shihyuk’s attitude.

“The stages of a person’s self-improvement are called su, pa, and li. To thoroughly polish the basics learned and refine the skills acquired is su, to break away from the set framework and walk one’s own path is pa, and to throw off all the shackles that bind oneself and leave the teachings of the master and enter a new world is li.”

The old man asked him, winking one eye slightly.

“What was the new world like when you reached the realm of power?”

“… … .”

Shihyuk just smiled quietly at the words of the old man who was looking straight at him.

Before meeting his sister, Shihyuk had only been able to glimpse the great power hidden within the old man’s natural body, but now he had reached a point where he could even guess what level the old man was at.

“But still, I feel like it’s not enough.”

“You’re a greedy friend. But I don’t hate you. How can you call the passion of a young man who is not satisfied with his current state, who does not stagnate, and who uses his past experiences as his teachers and returns to the waters greedy?”

“… … .”

“By the way, I haven’t even asked your name until now. What’s your name?”

“My name is Lee Si-hyuk.”

“What a good name. Lee Si-hyuk, Si-hyuk… Is it an old man’s illusion? It’s a familiar name. Can I call you Si-hyuk?”

“Do as you wish.”

“Then, Sihyuk. I don’t have a name, so I’ll just use the most common name that people call me by… . Just call me Mr. Gong.”

“Yes, sir.”

Good! He laughed and the old man put the half-eaten egg in his mouth in one go and stood up. Patting him on the shoulder as he stood up, Gong prepared to go down.

“Sihyuk was on his way up. I have to go down now, so let’s call it a day for tomorrow.”

Old Man Gong, who had been sitting on a rock and rubbing his buttocks, glanced at him as if something had suddenly occurred to him.

“Is the chimney house on the way home your residence?”

“Yes, sir.”

“I see! I’m old and I’ve lost my wife, so I’m lonely and alone. I’ll visit you sometimes, so you can be a companion for a bored old man. If you don’t like it, you can refuse.”

Sihyuk blinked for a moment and bowed his head to Elder Gong.

“How could you? Whenever you come, I will gladly open the door and wait for you.”

What was waiting for Si-hyuk, who had reached the top and returned home, was a small puppy wriggling in front of the front gate.

“Ms. Galaxy?”

“Ah! Si, Sihyuk!”

The girl who crossed her legs and blushed when she met him was a lovely sight to anyone in the world, but Si-hyuk was simply surprised by this sudden reunion.

“I didn’t know you would come to me like this, but I heard that you passed the A-level examination without any problems. Congratulations.”

“I wanted to see you… No, I wanted to be praised, but you were unavailable when I called! So, I came here, but it seemed like you were out of the house for a while! I waited here! ”

“I see.”

For him, who never received calls, the cell phone was basically just for ordering things, and for other things, it was more like a decoration. So, he forgot about it and left it in the house, but he didn’t know that Eunha would be waiting for him like this.

Shihyuk felt sorry for some reason.

Besides, the girl who had been hurt by people, although not as much as me, didn’t have many relationships. It would be different when the girl reached the hero stage, but the galaxy was just taking the first step.

Maybe he was looking for someone to share his joy with. With that thought in his mind, Shihyuk nodded.

“That’s right! I want to eat something delicious together! That’s why I came to ask if you have time tomorrow! I’ll buy it.”

Shihyuk was happy with Eunha’s kindness in wanting to share her happiness.

Even though he was still unfamiliar with the human mind, the fact that the girl treasured her meeting with him made the left side of his heart feel relieved.

“I will gladly do so. However, it is only right that I congratulate Eunha, so if you come by tomorrow, I will treat you to a sumptuous meal.”

“There’s no need to do that… .”

“This is my sincerity. Please accept it. I will be waiting at home for Eunha to come tomorrow.”

Although it wasn’t what Shihyuk had intended, those words felt so ecstatic to Eunha’s ears, who had budding feelings for him, that they melted in her ears and filled her with a fantasy filled with the sweet smell of chocolate.

“Then I won’t decline. See you tomorrow afternoon!”

Shihyuk smiled back at Eunha, who was smiling lovingly.

-.-.-

And the next day, today, it rained.

“Oh my, it’s raining today of all days… .”

“Hehe, they say the day you go is a market day. What a coincidence, you bhikkhu.”

“?”

“?”

It was then that an old man like a bear and a girl who resembled a puppy met in front of the gate of Shihyuk’s chimney house.

This too was fate.