After leaving the hospital, the first thing I did was go buy Seogong a padded jacket. Although spring was coming soon, the mornings and evenings were still chilly, and with abnormal weather patterns, snow could suddenly fall and the temperature could plummet.
His stamina had weakened considerably and his immunity would have dropped too, so if he caught even one cold, he’d surely suffer greatly.
I also needed to buy a gift for the landlady who’d been looking after Seogong in my place, and I had to quit my night part-time job, so by the time I’d finished running around everywhere, I’d missed lunch.
I ate ramen at a convenience store while tapping away at the calculator on my phone.
The hospital bill would come to a little over 20 million won, and I had to return the advances I’d received from the Pig Dream boss, plus credit card bills and overdue rent… Still, I’d paid off all the card loans and money borrowed from second-tier financial institutions, so I could breathe a little easier. The interest rates on those had been so high that even just paying the interest had been overwhelming. The debt from before Uncle and Aunt passed away still remained, but I could pay that off gradually going forward.
The enormous sum of money I’d never possessed before had been completely torn to shreds and disappeared before I could even touch it, but still, I felt like I could fly with happiness.
“Haa…”
It was terrifying just to imagine what would have happened if I hadn’t received that money from hyungnim at just the right time. Perhaps because of the relief, company loyalty suddenly exploded within me.
Of course, I wasn’t officially employed and this wasn’t really company business, but still.
“Oh, I need to buy kerosene too.”
Usually, kerosene was expensive so I only turned on the boiler when bathing, but now I didn’t have to worry about that. I should fill up two drums completely. Come to think of it, I also needed to pay back the money I owed the kerosene man.
When I thought about it, I really owed debts here and there to so many people. Fortunately, there were many people around who understood our situation, so we managed to survive somehow.
Was it because I’d overcome a major hurdle? Suddenly the world seemed brighter and I felt magnanimous. When I had no money, I didn’t even have the luxury to think like this.
After roughly finishing my meal, I went to Pig Dream to meet the boss. Originally, I’d planned to quit Pig Dream after receiving money from hyungnim. Since I’d probably be seeing Lee Jiwoo during the morning or afternoon hours anyway, I thought it would be better to work at dawn.
But it seemed rude to suddenly quit like this when I’d been receiving advances all this time. So I’d planned to keep working until they found a new employee, and fortunately they found someone quickly.
“Boss, I’m here.”
“Oh, Seoun.”
“Hello.”
I agreed to work a bit longer until the new employee got adjusted and taught them various things here and there. They still weren’t great at grilling meat, but they seemed to work hard so it was fun teaching them.
Today the boss gave away either soju or drinks for free as a surprise SNS event, so it was busier than usual. After cleaning up and closing, I got home well past midnight.
I trudged through the gate and climbed the stairs to find a delivery box in front of the front door. I didn’t order any packages, what is this? I was too tired anyway, so I carried the box inside.
I washed up half-asleep, only half-dried my hair, and collapsed onto the blanket.
“Since Seogong’s being discharged next week, tomorrow I should do some deep cleaning… And I need to plan his meals too… I should look into that too… Oh, and the landlady’s gift tomorrow too…”
I muttered to myself with my eyes closed and dozed off.
***
It felt like I’d only been asleep for about 10 minutes when I came to. I kept hearing a noisy sound from somewhere. I opened my eyes with a start but couldn’t see anything because it was dark all around.
Thud thud thud.
“……?”
It wasn’t a loud sound, but it wasn’t small enough to ignore either. I staggered up urgently from my spot and almost slipped on the blanket.
Maybe because I wasn’t fully awake, I didn’t know what to do, so I paced around for a moment before walking toward the front door.
“Who is it?”
I asked in a voice thick with sleep while checking the wall clock.
5:40 AM.
“Seoun.”
A voice that was both familiar and unfamiliar flowed softly into my ear. My mind snapped awake at the ghost-like quiet sound. I stood dumbly in front of the door, even holding my breath.
“It’s me.”
It was Lee Jiwoo’s voice. Lee Jiwoo had come to my house before the sun had even risen and was calling for me. As if possessed, I opened the door to find Lee Jiwoo standing there in the same outfit as yesterday.
“Hi?”
“……”
Perhaps because of the cold weather, the tip of his nose was slightly red. Without a word, Lee Jiwoo took a step inside, hunched his shoulders, and shivered.
“It’s too cold outside.”
“What?”
“Hm? I said it’s cold. Aren’t you cold? It’s not that different from outside here either.”
Lee Jiwoo tilted his head slightly to the side and looked behind me. Then he widened his eyes and said something nonsensical.
“Is that like a kotatsu?”
“Kota… what? What did you say?”
I turned my head to look at the thick blanket sprawled on the living room floor. The other rooms had severe drafts, so in winter we usually spread blankets in the living room and slept there. Don’t tell me he’s talking about that blanket when he mentioned kotatsu or whatever?
“It must be super warm.”
At his muttered words like he was talking to himself, I broke out in a cold sweat and looked at Lee Jiwoo again. He was shivering in the cold with a pale face like someone who would die the day after tomorrow. Arms crossed, body completely hunched, trembling…
“W-would you like to come in?”
“Thanks. I was cold anyway.”
“……”
So before I knew it, I’d said something I shouldn’t have. As if he’d been waiting for just those words, Lee Jiwoo entered without hesitation, taking off his shoes.
And then he slipped right into the blanket where I’d been lying just moments ago.
“It’s so warm. Really, how is it this warm?”
“Electric heating pad… No, h-how did you get here?”
“I said I was coming.”
“What? When!”
The conversation should have calmed me down a bit, but I only felt more confused.
“I sent you a text…”
“A text?”
Lee Jiwoo said this while pulling the blanket over his head like the Little Match Girl. I hurriedly checked my phone.
About 1 hour and 40 minutes ago, or more precisely at 4 AM, there was a text from Lee Jiwoo.
I’m coming to see you now.
“……”
“Didn’t you see it?”
“…4 AM is… a time when most people are asleep.”
“That’s when work ended, I couldn’t help it.”
At those words, I frowned. Work ended at 4 AM? What kind of work does he do? No, that’s not what’s important right now.
“Why did you come here?”
“Because I missed you.”
“Even so, how can you just show up like this out of the blue? I never told you to come.”
“Since there was no answer, I thought it was silent permission.”
“When there’s no answer, it’s usually a silent refusal.”
At my words, Lee Jiwoo apologized obediently with innocent eyes.
“Sorry, I didn’t know.”
When he came at me like this, I was at a loss for words. I’d felt this since we first met, but this bastard is really too good at making people speechless.
“But what’s wrong with your hair?”
“What about my hair?”
I reflexively ran my hands through my hair. Looking in the mirror, it had become a complete bird’s nest because I’d slept without drying it properly.
“I was sleeping, so that’s why.”
“It’s super puffy.”
“Yes, because I was sleeping.”
“Mine doesn’t get like that even after I sleep and wake up.”
“That’s because everyone’s hair texture is… No, wait, you didn’t come here to say things like that, right? Why did you really come here? Apart from missing me, what’s the real reason?”
I let out a deep sigh and sat down far away from Lee Jiwoo. But the floor was completely freezing cold, so I was startled and had no choice but to go back next to Lee Jiwoo. I pulled the blanket over and slipped slightly into the edge, and the warmth of the electric heating pad melted my cold feet.
“I really came because I missed you.”
“……”
“I’m sleepy… and hungry… And my head hurts, and I think I have a fever too.”
Even hearing it, I couldn’t intuitively grasp what bullshit he was spouting. Frustrated, I spoke step by step.
“If you’re sleepy, you can go home and sleep. Eat at home too. If it’s too bothersome to cook, buy something or order delivery. And if you’re sick, you should go to the hospital, why are you looking for me? I’m not even a doctor.”
“I don’t like hospitals because they’re scary.”
“What?”
“I don’t really want to go because they’re scary.”
As if imagining it was unpleasant, Lee Jiwoo shivered again with a disgusted expression.
“Lee Jiwoo.”
“You said you’d call me hyung?”
“I said we’re the same age.”
“I liked it when you called me hyung though.”
Ignoring the nonsense, I opened my mouth again.
“Lee Jiwoo.”
“What?”
“How old are you?”
At my words, Lee Jiwoo made V signs with both hands and put one on each cheek. With an expressionless face that looked tired enough to collapse at any moment.
This is really fucking terrible.
