Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: Hit-and-Run at Dawn
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"Why isn't she picking up?"
Dial again.
Ring ring.
-The person you're calling is unavailable. Please leave a message after the tone...
Again.
-The phone...
"..."
I'm starting to get anxious.
The clock reads 2:05 a.m.
'Mom, where are you?'
I sent a KakaoTalk message and went back to my book for now.
I skimmed through it half-heartedly, and twenty minutes later, I called again.
-The phone...
"..."
3 a.m.
I've given up on studying entirely.
'Even if she finished up late and grabbed a late-night snack with the ladies from the shops next door, she should've been home by now.'
And she'd have picked up if that was the case.
I threw a hoodie on over my ratty old T-shirt.
'I'll go check the store.'
I grabbed just my phone and was about to open the front door when—
Bzzz.
An unknown number.
"...Hello?"
"Is this the daughter of Ms. Lee Sook-young?"
"Yes... that's me...?"
"This is the emergency room at Korea University Hospital..."
Hoooonk—!
"Eek!"
"Get your head out of your ass!"
Whose life are you trying to ruin?!
The lady driving with an old grandma in the passenger seat rolled down her window and sped past, cursing me out.
Even if it's the dead of night with no one around, how do you speed through two pedestrian crossings in a row and then cuss me out?
I would've fired right back if I weren't so out of it right now.
I stumbled out to the main road in a panic and looked around.
I barely flagged down an oncoming taxi, but—
"Where to, miss?"
"Korea University Hospital!"
"Korea University? Nah, can't do that."
"What?"
"Come on, miss. At this hour, all us cabbies are doing long hauls only. No one's heading back from there. Good luck snagging a ride to the hospital right now~?"
"Please, just this once? My parents..."
"No can do, no can do."
She didn't even open the door before peeling out.
"Korea University? Not going that way."
The next one too.
"Korea University... Sir!"
Vroom.
And the one after that.
I stood on the empty street, jiggling my leg impatiently.
What do I do? Ride apps aren't picking up. Should I go back upstairs and ask the landlady?
At 3 a.m.?
Or beg to borrow a bike...
Bzzz.
"Hello...!"
I jammed the vibrating phone to my ear without even checking the caller. Half-sobbing as I yelled, a familiar voice came through from the other end.
A lazy baritone.
-No reply, so I figured you were asleep.
"Jeong Eun-seong...!"
-...What's wrong?
"I can't get a taxi..."
These guys are all insane. I'm reporting every single one for ride refusal—120 all of them... My voice, thick with anxiety and anger, got an immediate response.
-Where are you?
"Um, the main road up to my place..."
-Wait there. I'm coming.
"You're coming?"
-Twenty minutes. No, fifteen. If you snag a cab before then, just take it.
I heard Jeong Eun-seong yell 'Hyung!' over the line. He yelled it again.
-Fourteen minutes.
He'd shaved off a minute already before finally asking.
-So what's going on?
"Hit-and-run?!"
"Yes. A passerby found her and called it in."
Of all places, no CCTV...
The cop I really didn't want to see again clicked his tongue.
"She hit her head when she fell... She's in surgery now, but it's a simple procedure, so no need to worry too much."
"Is this student a family member of patient Lee Sook-young?"
A bored-looking ER nurse cut in. Seeing that impassive face made my tension drain away.
If it was serious, her expression wouldn't be like that. A nonchalant medical staff face was a really, really good sign.
"A few stitches for the laceration, and we'll do a detailed scan on the wrist fracture. She lost consciousness from the impact, but no signs of brain bleeding or anything."
"So then..."
"Yes. Nothing to worry about."
"Whoa."
Jeong Eun-seong steadied me as I swayed, drained. The nurse flipping through the chart asked,
"No other guardians besides the student? An adult?"
"My aunt's around... but she lives in Gyeongju. She's taking the first bus in."
"Could we speak to your aunt now, by chance?"
"Y-yes..."
I handed over my trembling phone. The nurse took it and vanished.
Only then did I turn to the guys who'd brought me here.
"Thank you... I was out of it earlier."
"Nah, it's fine."
The handsome guy who'd been staring at me from beside Jeong Eun-seong waved it off as I bowed repeatedly.
Jeong spoke up from next to him.
"Hyung practices with me."
"Oh, same agency...?"
"Yeah. His dorm's got a leak, so he's crashing at our place for a few days."
"Good timing..."
"Right?"
Jeong replied flatly, then leaned in close and whispered deliberately.
"No house, but he's got a car. Pure flex."
"I can hear you, Jeong Eun-seong."
See? Ungrateful jerk. The deer-eyed guy glared.
"Flex?! Yeah, it is! But say it outright and I'm sad!"
"Still, thanks to your car, we're saved. Taxis were a no-go earlier."
I thanked them again.
"Really, thank you. Thanks, Jeong Eun-seong."
"No. Don't thank Jeong Eun-seong. Thank me only. ...So, what's your friend's name?"
"Oh, I'm Kang Da-hye."
"Ooh... you good at studying by any chance?"
"? Yeah... pretty good."
"Number one?"
"Yes."
"Ooooh... What about cream puffs then?"
"Hyung."
"I didn't say anything."
The hyung grinned and adjusted his cap.
"I'll crash in the car. Wake me when you head to school tomorrow."
"Ah. Jeong Eun-seong."
I grabbed the hem of his clothes.
"You can go now. You've got a test tomorrow."
"You?"
"I'll wait here till Mom's surgery's done, grab the first bus home, change, and go."
"Then I'll stay too."
"Go study or sleep."
"Studied already."
"Liar..."
"For real."
"Still."
You're in pajamas. Animal pajamas at that.
Did 'fifteen minutes' mean showing up without even changing?
But Jeong stood tall. Shoulders back in his blue shark pajamas, he rummaged in the shark belly pouch and pulled something out.
"Here."
A math workbook.
"Figured you'd need it."
"...You brought this?"
"Somehow."
Solve problems while you wait.
I took it on reflex and sat. The long row of seats outside the OR, like in dramas.
"Thanks."
But no way math's getting through my head right now.
I hugged the workbook and stared into space.
"..."
If someone hits you with a car, shouldn't you report it?
Why'd they just drive off?
Scared of getting caught?
What if the person dies?
No accident like this before regression. Why now?
'...Because I told Mom about the rose tteokbokki.'
She stayed late for that. Passed that road later than usual...
"Kang Da-hye."
"...Yeah."
"What're you thinking."
"That it might be my fault."
"What? This accident?"
What nonsense. Jeong snapped.
He squatted in front of me, looking up. Pants riding up uncomfortably, he rolled them, then rested his arms on his knees.
A shark in street-thug pose scolded me.
"Kang Da-hye. Did you hit your mom with a car?"
"No."
"Hire someone?"
"...No."
"Then it's not your fault. Why invent guilt?"
"But Mom stayed late because of me..."
"Then sleep instead of pointless thoughts."
Jeong tugged at my sweatpants.
Guilt lingered anyway.
Jeong tilted his head, reading me like a book.
"Want me to say it your way?"
"Huh?"
"Kang Da-hye. Brooding here without studying or sleeping won't undo the accident or magically heal your mom so she jumps up."
"..."
"Better to snap out of it and study one more problem—for you and her."
"..."
Damn, that's my voice exactly. Lost for words.
He smirked at my hollow laugh, eyes serious.
"Got it? Now sleep or open the book."
"Got it."
"Good."
Screw it, sleep. I sighed and closed my eyes.
"It's 5 already."
"Yeah. Even if you sleep now, only four hours."
"Four hours? Test's at 9."
"Right. I'll wake you at exactly 7."
When I woke, it was 8:15.
Jeong was gone.