episode_0059

“Ji-hye Lee, do you know what you’ve done?”

The fencing coach was reprimanding Ji-hye Lee.

“Their teeth were knocked out, bones broken. It’s not just minor injuries that will heal in a week. Should someone who exercises go around beating people?”

“…Those guys were the ones who provoked Doa first.”

“Doa handles disputes while keeping his cool, so there’s no problem with him. But you nearly killed those guys. The school will take disciplinary action.”

At the mention of disciplinary action, Ji-hye Lee clenched her lips.

“I managed to avoid expulsion with some effort, but don’t think it will end like this next time. Keep quiet for a while.”

“…Fine.”

As Ji-hye Lee opened the door to the training room and stepped out, the surrounding students glanced at her.

“Why is the quiet one acting like that?”

“She went too far. She tarnished our fencing club’s image.”

Ignoring the criticism, Ji-hye Lee left the school building. She absentmindedly gazed at the students playing on the field.

While lost in thought, someone tapped Ji-hye Lee’s shoulder from behind.

“Got into trouble?”

Han Doa, with bandages all over his body, flashed a faint smile.

Seeing that smile, Ji-hye Lee’s boiling anger subsided momentarily.

“I’m banned from competing for a few matches.”

“Thankfully, it ended at that level. I thought I would be expelled.”

“…Do you think I was wrong too, senior?”

Han Doa smiled in response to Ji-hye Lee’s question. She answered seriously.

“I don’t think you were right or wrong.”

“What do you mean?”

“It means both your way and my way have their pros and cons.”

Han Doa sat down beside Ji-hye Lee, gazing at the field.

“My way may not completely eliminate disputes, but it’s easier to handle the aftermath. I didn’t get disciplined immediately. But your way is harder to handle. If you continue using the same method, you’ll either face disciplinary action or expulsion.”

“So, should I just let those guys off the hook? Do you know what they said when I confronted them? They said they would come after our senior again. They want to drag him into controversy until his fencing career is ruined.”

“They said that?”

“Yes. Should I just stand by quietly? If I don’t step up…!”

Han Doa placed his hand on Ji-hye Lee’s trembling forehead. She flinched as his hand made contact.

“What are you doing?”

“You look like a small hamster when you’re like this…”

Han Doa gently stroked Ji-hye Lee’s forehead. She didn’t push his hand away.

“I hope you won’t act like this.”

“Just let those guys run wild?”

“Not for their sake, but for yours.”

“What…?”

“I don’t want your valuable life to be ruined because of worthless guys.”

“…Fine.”

“In terms of dealing with them, consider it as part of your heart. It would be troublesome if your little sister went astray.”

“But we’re not… even related.”

“Think of us as siblings. Blood doesn’t have to define siblinghood. Now, call me ‘senior.’”

“…That’s cringy. I’ll go ahead, senior.”

With a curt reply, Ji-hye Lee crossed the field and left the school grounds. Lost in thought as she walked, she pondered.

“Senior, I’m not sure.”

Han Doa didn’t want Ji-hye Lee to be harmed, but she felt the same way. Ji-hye Lee didn’t want Han Doa to be held back by worthless individuals, which led her to take action.

“If something like this happens again, I won’t be able to hold back.”

She firmly believed that repaying the debt to Han Doa, who had given her a new life, required this resolve.

“And unfortunately, the incidents did not cease.”

Before long, Han Do-ah and I were continuing our conversation by the pond.

“It turns out that those guys who attacked me were actually part of a notorious delinquent group around here.”

“They must have sought revenge.”

“Exactly. This time, they organized quite systematically to corner me. But I couldn’t respond proactively due to the upcoming match. So…”

Although hesitant to continue speaking, Han Do-ah took a deep breath and continued.

“So, that’s when Lee Ji-hye stepped in. It didn’t just end with a simple response. She somehow managed to dismantle the delinquent group, attracting some of them to her side.”

*

*

*

“Hey, Ji-hye.”

“What is it?”

“I’ve been curious for a while now, why did you take us under your wing?”

A female student, smoking a cigarette, asked Ji-hye with a curious expression. Ji-hye spoke while avoiding the smoke emanating from her.

“It’s hard for me to handle everything alone, including dealing with other girls.”

“…Is that all?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, I quickly abandoned you for a stronger girl, but…”

The female student recalled Ji-hye’s cruelty towards those who opposed them.

Even after taking hits from several people, without showing any signs of pain, she ruthlessly turned the whole place into a battlefield, covered in blood.

Quickly aligning themselves with her, those who had opposed her were now enjoying a second heyday following Ji-hye.

‘Ji-hye, she’s the real deal.’

It was truly surprising that even someone like Ji-hye had valuable connections.

Approaching Ji-hye and the female student standing together in the alley, Han Do-ah frowned. The female student smirked at Han Do-ah.

“Hello~. Big sis~.”

The ones following Ji-hye referred to Han Do-ah as “big sis,” regardless of Han Do-ah’s wishes.

To them, Ji-hye was their leading ‘sis,’ and Han Do-ah being Ji-hye’s ‘sis’ was the reason.

Han Do-ah did not acknowledge the friendly greeting from the female student.

“Put it out.”

“Huh?”

Not understanding Han Do-ah’s command, the female student asked back.

“Put out the cigarette.”

Though puzzled, the female student extinguished the cigarette upon Ji-hye’s signal.

“Ji-hye, did you skip kendo practice today to smoke here?”

“Well, the instructor doesn’t even consider me a member anymore.”

“He was looking for you again. Worried you might stray off the right path.”

“The wrong path…?”

Ji-hye, leaning against the wall, gazed at Han Do-ah with a light smile.

“The senior said my methods aren’t entirely wrong.”

“That may have been true until now. But you’ve crossed a line. Associating with trash like them isn’t wrong?”

“Calling them trash is harsh.”

The female student grumbled. Ignoring her, Ji-hye continued.

“These ‘trash’ are the ones supporting the senior in the kendo club. There won’t be other girls causing trouble for the senior anymore, right?”

“….”

“I made it happen that way. If I lead these guys, other girls will fall in line on their own. Shouldn’t they be grateful to me?”

“It’s not too late. You can still turn back.”

“This is my way. I’m glad to repay the favor received from my ‘sis.’”

Listening silently to Ji-hye’s words, Han Do-ah slowly closed her eyes. When she opened them again, she no longer looked at Ji-hye with warmth.

There was no longer kindness in her gaze directed at Ji-hye.

Ji-hye keenly noticed Han Do-ah’s change more than anyone else.

“Sis… Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I am not your sister.”

Ji-hye’s pupils dilated in shock.

“If you’re going to act like that, leave the kendo club on your own two feet. Stop tarnishing the club’s name any further.”

Han Do-ah turned around coldly after speaking. Lee Ji-hye watched her back with a face like a child who had lost a precious doll.

“Why? I did it for you, so why?”

The female student was taken aback by Lee Ji-hye’s unfamiliar tone and fell silent.

“If it weren’t for me, you would have been threatened by the bullies and wouldn’t even be able to participate in the national competition by now!”

“….”

“You call yourself my sister! You say you’re like a younger sibling…!”

She muttered weakly and then suddenly raised her head, chuckling. After laughing for a while, she wiped away the tears streaming down her cheeks.

“I won’t stop. I won’t stop until you acknowledge my efforts…”

After that incident, Lee Ji-hye was expelled from the kendo club. She continued to cause several incidents afterward. I thought… it was my responsibility.”

“Why is it the senior’s responsibility?”

“If I hadn’t dragged her into the kendo club, or if I had guided her properly from the beginning, things wouldn’t have escalated like this.”

Han Do-ah silently gazed at her reflection in the pond. Her expression was so hardened that it was difficult to discern her emotions.

“Under the pretext of caring for me, Lee Ji-hye continued meaningless violence, and I couldn’t stand by and watch her behavior. That’s why I quit kendo.”

“To avoid causing harm to the club members?”

“Yes. If I quit kendo, it will be resolved because Lee Ji-hye is causing the incidents to ensure I can continue my activities as a kendo club member smoothly.”

But Han Do-young couldn’t stay silent. When his daughter, who had shown excellent skills in the kendo club, suddenly declared she would quit, he erupted in anger.

“I managed to persuade my mother to focus on academics. That’s how I came to study. However, Lee Ji-hye still can’t forget the past and keeps hovering around me.”

Saying so, Han Do-ah looked up at the moon in the sky and smirked.

“Well… it’s common not to forget the past.”

That was the whole story of the incident. A relentless tragic fate between the two women, a destructive relationship entwining them.

“If Lee Ji-hye hadn’t intervened, as she said, I would have been harassed by the bullies and found it difficult to continue kendo. But ironically, because Lee Ji-hye intervened, I voluntarily quit kendo.”

From my perspective, Han Do-ah was inevitably destined to face only tragedy. Lee Ji-hye’s actions could not influence the outcome.

“So Han Do-ah cannot unconditionally hate Lee Ji-hye.”

For Han Do-ah, kendo was now just a medium that reminded her of the nightmare of her middle school days. Every time she wielded her sword, she couldn’t concentrate, thinking of Lee Ji-hye.

“Do you remember when we arrived at the ancestral home today, and Mother called me?”

“Yes.”

“We sparred. Of course, I lost. My sword still hasn’t found its way and is wandering. How could I possibly beat Mother’s sword that has already reached its destination?”

It was a profoundly philosophical expression. Nevertheless, having heard Han Do-ah’s story, I could understand that expression accurately.

“Living without purpose is truly miserable. After losing to Lee Ji-hye last time, that thought became stronger.”

“…Is having a purpose really necessary?”

“What?”

Before continuing, I recalled my conversation with Kim Nam-soo.

“But embarrassingly, we are not the ones who can help that child grow; it’s Maru student.”

Han Do-ah looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“I didn’t assert that having a purpose isn’t important. But do you really need to fixate on it?”

“…A purposeless sword. That’s what Mother pointed out as my problem.”

“She didn’t mean it that way.”

“Maru junior, I know my mother’s intentions best. What exactly are you trying to say?”

Unlike her calm expression moments ago, Han Do-ah’s emotions were now intense.

It was understandable. I’m currently giving her a lesson, so even if it were Han Do-ah, she would have felt bad.

However, the reason I keep pushing forward is because of Kim Nam-soo’s advice.

In the end, I was the one who had to change her.

“Am I your senior’s private tutor?”

“That’s about academics, but now it’s about kendo.”

“Setting goals and striving for them are the same in academics and kendo. And I am someone who has achieved goals in academics.”

Han Do-ah couldn’t argue with my words. She chewed on her lips with a sullen expression.

“So? Have you achieved your goal and now want to criticize my pathetic efforts? I know, at least, that I am pathetic.”

“That’s normal.”

“What are you talking about?”

“We’re now in our late teens.”

Han Do-ah took a deep breath.

“Honestly, how many of our peers have a strong sense of purpose and strive wholeheartedly?”

Students are not beings who must achieve a goal. It’s a precious time to freely consider multiple goals and experience trial and error.

“It’s not too late to think it over. Rushing might lead to having the wrong goal. Pursuing such a goal would be meaningless.”

“….”

“I did the same when solving math problems. You need to understand the intention of the problem. Trying to solve it without knowing that won’t improve your skills.”

“But… But then it’s too late… We have to face formidable enemies.”

“We are steadily growing. Kim No-eul has started learning martial arts, Yuna is diligently engaged in modeling activities. I am also studying hard.”

As Han Do-ah listened to me, her eyes wavered.

“I don’t think Senior’s mother invited us for no reason. Senior can rely on us.”

“I feel like I’m a burden to you.”

“We live by sharing burdens. How much help have we received from the counseling department and the leadership team?”

“I’m afraid because I feel too insignificant…”

Before I knew it, her tone had changed.

Han Do-ah, with her slender shoulders intermittently trembling, closed her eyes tightly.

“I’m afraid of receiving my mother’s disappointed gaze tomorrow, of not meeting my father’s expectations, and of causing harm to you.”

“Let’s start changing from tomorrow. If we discuss together, we will see a way forward. Clapping our hands makes a sound.”

“…Is that okay though?”

Her voice was so gentle it could easily be drowned out by the wind. She opened her eyes slightly and looked up at me.

“Yes.”

“Can I become stronger?”

Becoming strong doesn’t solely depend on achieving a goal. I believe that just making an effort to find a purpose helps people grow. The same goes for studying.”

Tears began to well up in her eyes as she looked at me.

She started trying to replace painful memories of the past summer with pleasant ones.

Perhaps these tears symbolize that effort.

With tears welling in her eyes, she raised her hand laboriously. Then, she gently took hold of my arm. Her trembling transmitted through her forearm.

“…It’s strange. Just by letting out the past, my heart feels lighter.”

“I’m a member of the counseling department.”

“If this kind of counseling… I want to receive it by my side for a lifetime.”

The grip on my arm became stronger. At the same time, she sobbed and gradually drew closer. Her warm breath reached my neck.

“Tomorrow, I’ll tell my mother my answer.”

“It will be fine.”

“…Come with me.”

She looked up at me again. Normally, crying makes one look unattractive, but her eyes, elegantly shedding tears, sparkled beautifully in the moonlight.

“If Maru watches over me… I feel like I’ll gain courage…”

It is understood that outsiders cannot enter the dojang. However, if she says this much, there must be some way.

“Since we came together to the main house, I hope I can guide Doa well. I wish Doa could return to school with a smiling face.”

Recalling Kim Nam-soo’s words once again, I nodded my head.

“I’ll watch over her.”

“……”

Han Doa could only bow her head without saying a word. Her ears were turning red.

“It’s getting late, so let’s go back.”

“Mm-hmm….”

And so, holding hands with Han Doa, we returned to the detached building. Han Doa didn’t let go of my hand, so I had no choice but to hold it as we walked back.

As we opened the entrance to the detached building, we felt two pairs of eyes staring at us from the living room.

“Where did you two go? We’ve been looking for you for a while.”

Kim Noeul, with a sharp look in her eyes.

“…What were you two doing together?”

The stern and expressionless Nayuna.

Their gazes fixated on our intertwined hands.