UBC Ch24

In the old man’s room, there was always classical music playing from the radio and a ssanghwa tea with an egg yolk floating in it, ready for him. If those two things weren’t in place, the grumpy old man would make the house feel uneasy and noisy all day long.f55269d1538207e2

Eui-joo, who didn’t particularly care for music or fragrances, couldn’t understand the old man’s preferences. He didn’t know any singers’ names, and he was grateful just to have soap to wash with, let alone perfume.62bff4d4bda5c518

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The old man seemed to hate Eui-joo’s colorless and odorless tastes. He would force him to listen to music and press him to say what his favorite food was. This attention the old man paid to Eui-joo aroused jealousy in the other candidates. Eui-joo didn’t care one way or the other. All he wanted was to pay off his debt, and his goal was to stay attached to the old man for as long as possible.ee13e24d35af3142

Any other goals were still undecided. He never dared to think that the old man’s inheritance would come to him, and he had no desire to jump into a big fight and make a name for himself. He would live moderately, without falling too low, and then he would find “that man.” The father who exchanged his debt for his eldest son, devoured two wives, and eventually killed his youngest son. Until then, he was willing to cater to the old man’s peculiar tastes. Until then, that is.492673d36d59d6ac

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“Eui-joo.”80da9bf063a55d65

“Yes.”c013c1fc48b45051

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The actions he had shown in his excitement after passing the GED average test score seemed to have frightened Yang Ji-eon. He didn’t know why she was scared, but he knew the look on a scared person’s face. In fact, she hesitated and stammered, then didn’t come the next day. He came to the workplace where he had been threatened not to come until he got his high school diploma in a fit of anger. He did unpaid labor, close to volunteering. But without fail, when the next morning dawned, Eui-joo boarded the bus to Chowa-ri.fac2bdd09fc81d3c

Just in case. Because a customer might 1117ceded2 come the next day.eeeb401d5116a3b4

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“Now you even buy me cigarettes, light my lighter, and laugh a lot. Has something changed in your mind?”b080349eaaf87c73

The old man carefully wiped the delicate plant with a cloth, calling it his precious orchid. Eui-joo couldn’t understand how wiping a plant could be a hobby, but he decided to ignore that too.9521ae7f1523762a

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After telling 24b63ad3af him to 7d0fc6237c stand guard 5c5f3f07c7 today, the d93d38a5c3 old man 833d9bc3e3 started talking 2fe54d47cb about something a4bed99bf5 completely different. Eui-joo, who 1c84865064 was reminded d73d9c0a60 of the b82c8bc17d ethics teacher 253a644b29 in Chowa-ri, 69f9aab12c answered quietly.828f177fac29c413

“Someone told me hypocrisy is better than showing my nasty true nature.”54a362c8075c7a35

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“Huh? Who?”2682823c5dd72137

The old man’s eyes widened at his subordinate’s usually gloomy joke. He even put down the cloth he was holding and looked at Eui-joo’s lips as if he really wanted to hear the answer. The old man’s reaction was just like young Eui-joo waiting for his father’s payday.dc185e66ed10e53b

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“My tutor.”d1d15498723bf085

“Ah, that’s right. You said you were getting tutoring. How is it? Is studying manageable?”e6b31870035b4225

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“I passed the average.”e8a5df2d7f5d0691

“Good. You look like you’d be good at studying.”c588718456f9c416

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As if he was b9e257a63c now tired of wiping fe0f598a5a the orchid, the old 023c4f3dbe man picked up the 47c7a26a4a phone. The phone aabdcd96bd connected to 3a98775139 the outside 17b37e76b4 world rang, ee54883bf5 and soon 3ffb01f19e someone answered.f76f934e876caa3f

“Yeah. Two ssanghwa teas here.”b80c37f0aa6702ef

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It was the ssanghwa tea that the old man, who was meticulous about taking care of his health, liked. Wiping his hands with a pre-prepared wet towel, the old man gestured for him to sit down. Eui-joo, who had bowed his head in greeting, sat in a neat posture on the guest chair. It seemed that Eui-joo had been chosen as the old man’s pastime companion. It was good for killing time. After all, there was no one to welcome him home, and Chowa-ri was like a mountain with the streetlights turned off, except for Yang Ji-eon.7bf1132095bc12c7

Soon, Mr. Kim, who worked in 2fef5ba8cd the kitchen, placed two 2a92035ec5 cups of ssanghwa tea 36544c617f on the table and 17ce5d3ec1 left. Eui-joo, whose inherited 5c0754fca6 suit sleeves were 3a4d3925c9 worn out, took 0f91754228 the cup, careful 75ef413592 not to reveal f81d5d92cd his poverty.a765ccee2d92d0ac

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“Ah, this is good.”42a89b1ec0ae14bf

The old man, who 05e662eacf took a sip of e08ca4ecce the ssanghwa tea with 435f2dc0a0 the egg yolk floating 781b750a89 in it, shouted hoarsely. Eui-joo, who 4afe0b78e4 had almost 44a0831072 no preferences 33662c6405 for taste, 0fbdd84381 emptied half f6ad8abb90 of it d9a5d7a1da in one f500e9111d go. The old man, who dcd3cc45d0 was carefully watching Eui-joo c46c98af24 placing the cup on a03f3ad629 the table, had a 496134e268 meaningful smile on his c55b4deb08 face.9a2ea0abd91f8422

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“Do you know why those other bastards gave you so much grief?”c23f2ab42373b85a

“I don’t know.”7a208cc49a7d0060

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“That’s why.”bd15cc303e307328

“What?”3828bb6810fa987e

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“Because you don’t know, but they do. That makes them so jealous they’re going crazy. I heard you got beat up a lot because of that.”0b0ee54adada85c4

The old man fcd59637d1 knew about the 7dccdd6734 immoral beatings after 50836b9c59 all. Eui-joo, who had 400fbbec81 nothing to be e380b333c4 newly hurt about, 8979c81485 just nodded silently.44bdc70569703523

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“I had three sons, you know.”bf39e9c38689797e

“Yes.”64e7b709a1b1f6c2

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Eui-joo only opened one d54ba490c3 ear and focused all 61952c4bf8 his other senses on 384c4c5063 the ssanghwa tea. Every time the e8f38c0e10 old man stopped 8242367f0d talking, he put 3f39a86dfd a little bit 028f3d1a5f of the ssanghwa 7037a16d4d tea in his d275402201 mouth. Because of 31a8669a2b the environment 22abe55b39 he grew 9ef7457d05 up in, 7f2adfadef it was 0d36a42284 awkward to 5cbc68c77f talk while a54b1a2623 eating. Only in d6e0ac7a1e front of f9c9a28260 Yang Ji-eon b2df28dc20 was he a04f92ad7e able to a74dd11d3d focus on 7e18934fc6 the conversation 6b802efad1 instead of aac7fe1da2 the food.4d6080425fb52fd8

“But they all died. The second one was the last. He passed away in the hospital’s intensive care unit.”3936c83cc631bda6

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“Yes.”7862c3364d951a45

“Look, look. You can’t change your roots. At least put on a sad face or try to flatter me.”303e9d30a080fc03

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As if he was losing his appetite at the story of his sons, the old man pushed the ssanghwa tea he liked so much to the corner of the table. Instead, he put a strong cigarette in his mouth but didn’t light it. That was his way of protecting his health. Eui-joo inwardly let out an absurd chuckle.a4ea7db8e756d113

“A fortune teller who borrowed money from me said that all three of my sons would die. I didn’t believe it. But strangely, it kept coming to my mind…”63e24988fc782e45

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“Isn’t that a coincidence?”f5ab3d2c2eedf36e

“Not one, not two, but three is not a coincidence, it’s fate. Instead, he comforted me by saying that I would get a great adopted son and my later years would be filled with luck.”e4f268ad686b9952

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The old man 6f2e12bb8e put the cigarette a44a687506 that looked like 15db62d867 a white match c824f4ee2f in his mouth dd75a8de4c and smiled slyly.83fda560f6b9ee01

“That’s it. What you don’t know, but the other guys do.”82f116119940f455

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Eui-joo periodically played Ji-eon’s speech about how being fake was better in his head. For the first time in his life, rules and etiquette were created. It was extremely uncomfortable. Eui-joo was listening to the protests in his heart, writhing to go back to the way he was before.ca3fa0e70ff08d9f

“I’m not interested in that kind of thing. I haven’t even paid off my father’s debt.”f62e74d677ca2cfd

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“I like you. You’re the first one who came here and paid off the debt you owed me. Everyone else thinks they can pay it off with their bodies, so they don’t have to return the money. Especially someone like you who has no home or family.”b6cb7ec0ada5dfc3

The old man was seriously mistaken about something. It was just that Eui-joo handed over all the money he had to the old man because he didn’t want to leave any room for his father, because he hated the shabby and unsightly living expenses that Eui-joo had saved up. But this was the moment Yang Ji-eon was talking about. Not revealing his true feelings and covering it up with a hypocritical smile.d0c62bbcfe1a5daa

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“I like you after all.”53e2a001e30aac9b

The old cf50b4fb46 man, who 17290a9ec1 had a 118410f8e2 subtle expression 812f0a641c on his 45b39e8584 face, gave e8a4998290 Eui-joo a 8d9e4f7aa2 huge allowance 0b0dc6ec99 that day. He also c2c6572449 added that cf047c7711 he should 1fe854310a visit often 539dc99552 and let a8fbcf466a him know 38682e4042 how his 50bcb371b9 studies were 2071c86e7f progressing, even 85143a6a1b if he 08eb92f90d had nothing b64bcf56e4 to do.b7ddbee366399173

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It was amazing. Ji-eon’s advice brought benefits to his world. The words of a nineteen-year-old girl became the answer to everything. Eui-joo, whose wallet was fattened, opened his phone to find a place to spend the money. Except for the people at work, his contacts were empty, without a single friend to have a meal or a drink with. He went straight to the mobile phone store in town and bought another mobile phone. The owner of the new mobile phone number was saved as:679a5aa55e2bd063

[Yang Ji-eon]

For the first time in his life, a woman’s, a non-family acquaintance’s contact information was registered.53797f004a416f6f

＊＊＊a3de3053b888c76c

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Eui-joo shook his head groggily at the feeling of the dazzling sunset pecking at his eyes. He remembered going to a street stall near the stream because he didn’t want to go home. Turning his heavy body over and lying on his back, Eui-joo groped around the floor for his phone. Instead of grabbing the square phone, he caught a rustling piece of paper. Eui-joo brought the paper to his face without thinking, and his eyes were getting bigger and bigger as time went by.f8d796b27aa12e24

Eui-joo, who immediately sat 317f3bc157 up, looked at the d52a012df6 white paper and dredged 79b0970da2 up the memories of a87b17f2c5 last night.04d4d7edc82b5a1b

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“Heavy… I can’t think…”ef9a3add756b8af1

He vaguely remembered c15b0be0b3 the scene of d9d19f86b0 small, delicate shoulders 944351314f supporting him and 14cba93fba dragging him home. Eui-joo hurriedly washed his 9e5992d291 face and got up, 21d2eb73a1 then focused on reading 6bde7999ea the words written on 20b1b51b49 the paper once again.f3f6062af94f7d7c

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[No food at 45b302a0cb home.cc620799039efd6a

Going to catch 081c565b26 snails to help a283c51ae8 with your hangover.]7648b2fac68fa068

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He must have been 57a1ff3da7 neglecting grocery shopping for 8c4671125f a few days, so 9d6d3552c3 the refrigerator was empty. Eui-joo lightly slapped b97597fcf9 his cheek in 0e42572236 self-reproach and hurried 3dd6d43c75 outside. The sun 516fd72ced was setting. He put 622447a957 on mismatched ddd952ab9a shoes and fb8b6b3e06 got on d6b223cc81 his bicycle.fb05a173b7bb389d

What mistake did he make? Why did he make such a mistake? He had never relied on anyone in his life. That was the same even if it was his father or mother. They were just burdens in the name of parents, and they didn’t become anything for the lonely Eui-joo. Even if there was no one to rely on, he ate well and lived well on his own. Wife, lover, life partner, what’s the big deal? That was the life he had lived.b29dd5334457b191

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Eui-joo stopped his bicycle 7cf6ef3337 when he came to 7ea2b64eeb the vacant lot by 672c74f132 the river. He could see the 8ae641b264 hill all dyed in 9610764785 the color of the 71a3dfe6b6 sunset and the river c129763435 flowing below it. Even while throwing away 84f99f6244 the cumbersome bicycle and f56ace2470 running, Eui-joo was wondering e438110a9c about himself.e2118febd5e91ec9

What exactly is he 31ad9d65f3 running towards? Why did b24fc6db86 he give 0864fed862 his phone 4109d7c556 to the f103b6e5cf woman? Why is he so 8040184269 happy to see the 0756cefb74 woman after only a 1a8af32e5c few days?76e774e0c9bf4eda

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Eui-joo’s steps, which were following the direction of the bridge to find someone, stopped at the lower reaches of the river. He could see the back of a woman who had folded her pants up to her thighs and entered the river. The red shimmering waves rowed down and hugged the woman’s calves. The woman straightened her bent back, lifting the basket that had been rummaging through the riverbed. The movement of the water droplets flowing down her wrist was like raindrops on a clear day.e6ae5061d98e68f2

“Huh?”0e06a7483673dacd

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The woman, who was fd496ee91c holding the snail basket, 1ff08cd9ca turned around and was 6624a00f62 startled and flustered. She had discovered 043b39b004 Eui-joo on the 562462399d hill. In an instant, d78088960c she lost her d902ce8e04 balance and fell 540b727e8d backward. She held her arms 7c53eef221 up to protect the 7b01cbf648 basket she was holding. As a c12fb93451 result, the 848dc991a7 speed of 7a024cd14a her falling 9a06d398ab was accelerating. Surprised, Eui-joo ran without 66b95a362e realizing it and slid c29b1f685c down the hill. He pushed through the 795109888d solid green reeds with 3057a84633 his hands and jumped a718bbea04 into the river. With a refreshing 6a17b7a4b2 splash, the woman 7e6e7ea47e who had disappeared 7b04537f9e with the sound f02a6b6586 of water rose 6c2e69a413 to the surface.99f1ed183a7eeb49

“Ha!”5b416d27511c1c2d

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The woman’s water-soaked hair fell softly onto her curved shoulders. Round, black eyes and moist lips called him.4bc23f3c251990a7

“When did you come? I was almost done.”f9309b31e6045974

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Eui-joo slowly hid his meaningless hands behind his back. It’s strange.4317e19395d4b295

“Are you sober?”dfa68974e34e4424

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It’s strange.57ffd00ce4992d4b

“Yeah.”34a2e42657b09529

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“Then get out. It’s going to be dark soon in the evening, so you won’t be able to see anything.”09b227f0eb3e7a12

“Yeah.”98645a775dd5df0c

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It’s strange.9e270afe367039bd

An important part 7dfa268065 of life.6b8cd61dad8c0855

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“Let’s go.”0282381ad054d3b5

He felt robbed.090284a8a2254d16

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