DMH Ch11

Wan simultaneously thought of the man’s honeyed offer and Park Gwangcheol, who was practically begging him to accept it immediately. He had a strong feeling that the man’s offer to give him a good opportunity for no reason wasn’t purely out of goodwill. However, the lifeline presented before him at this moment might be a once-in-a-lifetime chance. The uncertain future that would unfold afterward clouded Wan’s mind. He preemptively assumed that even if the man wanted something from him, a wealthy man wouldn’t try to squeeze blood from a stone, which tilted Wan’s decision.

“Are we there yet?”

The man spoke leisurely, but there was a firmness that urged him to make a decision quickly.

“I’ll go.”

Mu Jeonghoo smiled brightly at Wan’s decision.

“We’ve dropped the age formalities, so drop the formality. Speak informally.”

“…”

“We’re friends now, right?”

He wondered if he had made a hasty decision, pushed along as he was, but he couldn’t miss the opportunity the man had mentioned. It was a tempting offer. The thought of a single path branching out into many filled him with motivation.

Behind the man, dark storm clouds that looked ready to pour down rain were gradually approaching.

***

Wan returned home with Park Gwangcheol. As soon as he opened the door, a musty smell and a messy sight greeted him. Park Gwangcheol, who followed him in, was humming a tune, seemingly thrilled about something. On top of the television, which barely got any channels, were a few lottery tickets and crumpled papers used at the racetrack. Wan crumpled the lottery tickets and racetrack papers, then turned to Park Gwangcheol.

“Instead of dreaming of hitting the jackpot with these, work hard.”

In this state, he couldn’t study or sleep. He grabbed a black plastic bag rolling around in the kitchen. Then, he picked up the trash scattered around the house. Beer cans, wet wipes, instant noodle wrappers, wooden chopsticks, and more beer cans. It was almost comical to sort the trash for recycling in a house like this. Wan swept all the trash scattered at his feet into one place. Only then did Park Gwangcheol cautiously speak to Wan.

“Wan, are you hungry? The young master told us to eat before we left, why did you refuse?”

“I’m not hungry.”

He wondered how big that house was that you couldn’t even smell the food being cooked in the kitchen. He was reminded of the annoying routine of going to school in a uniform that smelled fishy the day after grilling fish for dinner. Since their starting lines in life were different from those who lived in mansions, he couldn’t even imagine what kind of amazing food people with overflowing money ate. Now that he knew the size of their individual rooms, Wan couldn’t help but compare his situation to their field.

“Should Dad make you some fried dumplings?”

Park Gwangcheol asked, opening the small freezer.

“No, thanks.”

If he put oil in the frying pan, the house would be filled with the smell of oil. The season, not quite past summer, was terrible. It was as if magic was being used to make everything annoying. If he opened the window to get rid of the smell, mosquitoes would come in, and then he wouldn’t be able to sleep because of the buzzing in his ears. Then, he would go to school in bad condition the next day and waste his time. Everything was organically connected. Wan threw the black plastic bag he was holding onto the floor. As the bag fell, a few beer cans rolled out.

“Why are you never around when I need you, Dad!”

Park Gwangcheol’s shoulders rose at the resentful voice. He, who had been about to make dumplings for his son who had skipped dinner, quietly pushed the bag of dumplings closer. Wan stared at Park Gwangcheol’s phone, which was next to the beer cans that had rolled out of the black plastic bag. His phone, as old as his own, was an ancient model. The old and outdated phone sometimes rang silently instead of with a ringtone, even when there was a call. Park Gwangcheol, who didn’t expect any important calls, didn’t keep his phone close. Wan picked up Park Gwangcheol’s phone and opened the folder. The phone screen showed a missed call from Wan’s number. Wan turned the phone around and showed it to Park Gwangcheol.

“If you have eyes, look. What else could have made me ask such a favor from someone I just met?”

“But it all worked out well, didn’t it? What good would it have done if I had gone? Those parents are involved in some kind of parent-teacher association, right?”

“You’re shameless beyond reason.”

Park Gwangcheol’s level of shamelessness increased with each passing year.

“If you were worried about that, kneeling would be the normal thing to do. Not running away because you’re scared! Can’t you even do that much for your son?”

“….”

Having poured out his feelings, he slumped onto the thin pile of blankets. The blankets, with all the stuffing gone, sank deeply even when stacked several layers high. Feeling his hip bones touching the floor, Wan buried his face in his knees. Even the refrigerator, which smelled stale as soon as it was opened, annoyed him.

“Close the refrigerator door.”

“Oh, right.”

Park Gwangcheol, who had been mindlessly opening the freezer door until now, hurriedly closed it and approached his son. Wan mumbled to Park Gwangcheol, who was hesitating and pursing his lips. His voice was a little calmer than before.

“Did you see what he was wearing?”

“Who? Are you talking about the young master?”

“Are you still talking about the young master here?”

Park Gwangcheol immediately shut his mouth at Wan’s sharp words.

“That’s his school uniform. I thought it was a suit. How could I afford something like that?”

He was too hasty, too hasty. He blurted it out, thinking that the opportunity would only come once. The man’s urging and Park Gwangcheol’s fuss also played a part. He finally revealed the words he had been too proud to say. The shiny shoes that flickered beyond his eyes. If he had to wear something like that with his school uniform, the uniform would cost a fortune. Wan stretched out his legs. He pulled the black plastic bag caught on his toes closer. When the can tipped over, the beer droplets that had been pooled at the opening dirtied the floor.

“So our Wan was worried about that.”

“…”

Park Gwangcheol sat down next to him in a gentle tone. Wan made room on the bedding so that his dad could sit more comfortably.

“Do you think I can’t even get my only son a school uniform?”

“…”

“It’s just a school uniform. Do you think I haven’t saved up that much money? Don’t worry. If I don’t have enough money, I’ll borrow it and get our Wan a brand new, fluffy uniform.”

“Really?”

“Of course. I hated seeing you wearing clothes that didn’t even fit you.”

“…”

“I told you to transfer schools because I wanted to buy you a uniform.”

“If you can’t say anything nice…”

Wan burst out laughing at Park Gwangcheol’s answer.

“If you laugh when you’re crying, hair will grow on your butt?”

“I wasn’t crying, okay? Are your eyes just for decoration?”

“Hahaha.”

Park Gwangcheol reached out with his calloused hand. Then, he rested his son’s head on his shoulder. He was always sorry, but he felt even more sorry today. Why did he have to leave his phone behind? Why did he have to let something like that happen? Why, why, why? It broke his heart that he couldn’t be born into a good family, that he was like a goldfish trapped in a small tank, going around in circles even though he had a good brain. But today, he couldn’t do anything about it, so he buried it in his heart.

***

The house Wan lived in was too hot in the summer and so cold that his hands turned red in the winter. The tropical nights at the threshold of summer were incredibly hot. Wan wiped the sweat from his neck and tried to get up, but stopped for a moment. His dad’s shadow flickered on the wall like a candle. He put his body back down. Turning his head slightly, he saw his dad making a phone call to someone.

After pressing the keypad for a while, he put the phone next to his ear. His hunched back was curled up like a shrimp. Wan turned his head to the side and quietly watched the dark shadow flickering on the wall. He was thirsty, but it didn’t seem like the right time to get up. Anyway, after his dad finished his phone call, he could get up in a minute or two and naturally drink water. In the small room, the sound of the phone call was clearly audible.

“Hey, it’s me…”

The ringing stopped, and Park Gwangcheol opened his reluctant mouth. Even if they were close, if money was involved, the relationship would become awkward and feel like they were strangers. He called his closest friend. The purpose was one. Money. The person he called was a friend he had gone to the racetrack with yesterday, and a business partner he had planned to start a horse racing business with someday. That friend was the only person Park Gwangcheol could call. They were both in similar situations, but Park Gwangcheol, who was borrowing money from him, felt that his situation was a little more pathetic.

“Yeah. Just lend me a little. I’ll have to cover the rest. I don’t think it’ll be cheap.”

Wan grabbed the pillowcase with the frayed seams. Even though he had been struggling with poverty and going hungry, he had never heard his dad borrow money from someone else. The voice that was always shamelessly was now very subdued, and even his shadow revealed his lowered self-esteem. A sad feeling swirled like a whirlwind.

“Okay. Thanks.”

Soon, Park Gwangcheol ended the call and closed the phone folder. Even after it got dark, he sat there still. His eyes, submerged in the darkness, contained many thoughts. Eventually, Park Gwangcheol gathered the blankets and came inside. The father and son, sleeping together without even a common room, slowly sank into sleep.

A few minutes later, the sound of Park Gwangcheol snoring filled the small space. Wan forgot that he had gotten up to drink water and closed his eyes again. The stuffy thirst that had been rising up his throat disappeared far away.

He wanted to succeed as soon as possible and do productive work. He wanted to be recognized for his abilities and receive a monthly salary. So he wanted to change his dad’s clothes, who always wore the same clothes, and escape from the house that was like a discarded toy. Now that he had decided to go, he would be greedy. He wouldn’t die if he was a little greedy. If he was greedy this time, the path to a better life would be shortened by a few centimeters. Wan made a vow alone and threw the blanket covering his body under his calves.