Reunion After Thirteen Years

Yoon Jihee.

She looked so much like her that I recognized her at a glance, and the air around her was nearly identical. If anything, the cold that poured off her made Yu Eunseol seem soft by comparison. A sharper cast to the features, still an extraordinary beauty, and glamorous enough that I finally understood how Eunseol could carry that chest on such a slender frame.

The webtoon never came close to the real thing. That overflowing sex appeal alone was enough to draw a low whistle of admiration. Then again, it wasn't an adult webtoon—no reason to render that kind of heat on the page.

"Mom…"

"……"

They'd nailed the original down to the last detail, though.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

By my count it had been more than ten years. After all that time, her daughter called to her in a voice that thin and broken, and Yoon Jihee didn't even spare her a glance as she walked straight past. She stopped in front of a young boy instead.

"Bae Minjun. Mom told you not to follow the uncles outside."

"I didn't follow the uncles… I came out with hyung…"

"……"

At the boy's words Yoon Jihee flicked a look sideways. The handsome young man whose eyes met hers scratched his head, looking sheepish.

What a tangled family tree.

"Don't you ever sneak out behind my back again. Do it one more time and I really will punish you."

"But if I want to protect Mom I have to get stronger…!"

"Who asked you to protect me?! Children are the ones mothers protect! That's what a mother is!!"

Did she really have to say it like that? True enough on its face, but not the kind of line you drop in front of the child you abandoned.

"Don't be mad… I'm sorry…"

"Haa… Are you all right? You're not hurt anywhere?"

"Yeah… I'm fine… But Mom… who's that noona?"

"……"

The boy pointed at Yu Eunseol. Yoon Jihee gave her the barest glance, then turned back to her son and spoke in a voice emptied of every emotion.

"Just someone I know. You don't need to worry about it."

"……"

"We're going home."

"Okay…"

Just someone I know. That was how Yoon Jihee referred to the daughter she hadn't seen in over a decade. She took the little boy's hand and walked right past Yu Eunseol, who still couldn't tear her eyes away. Then she stopped in front of the handsome young man wearing the awkward expression and spoke in the same cold tone.

"Hyeonseung, don't you ever bring Minjun out again."

"I'm sorry, Mother."

The word Mother from his mouth made Yu Eunseol's whole body flinch. Of course it did. Learning she had a little half-brother was already hard enough; now she had an older stepbrother on top of it.

"You okay?"

"……"

Watching her mother with the other children, Yu Eunseol bit down hard on her lip. The boy holding Yoon Jihee's hand—Bae Minjun—was the half-brother born to Yoon Jihee and her second husband. The handsome man walking toward us—Bae Hyeonseung—was the stepson from that same husband's previous marriage. In short, strangers.

"Thank you for helping us. We would have been dead without you."

"Not at all. Of course we helped."

"Ah… actually this person here is the one who—"

"Does it matter who helped? What matters is that everyone's safe."

"That's true, but… you called our mother 'Mom,' didn't you?"

"……"

At Bae Hyeonseung's question Yu Eunseol shot him a look cold enough to freeze the air itself. Fortunately the howling of zombies cut through the suddenly heavy atmosphere before it could settle.

"Kraaaagh!!!"

"Kraaaaaagh!!!"

"Kraagh!!"

"Kragh!!"

"Kraaaa!!!"

"They're swarming again, the bastards. Come with us for now."

"……"

Even after Bae Hyeonseung's invitation, Yu Eunseol turned without a word. But she couldn't just walk away. That would make the whole reason we'd come here pointless.

I grabbed her wrist.

She reacted like a wild animal.

Whoosh!!!

Her arm whipped around hard enough that it nearly took my face off. She spun and glared at me, fierce, because she hadn't managed to shake my hand free.

"Let go."

"We have to go."

"I said let go. I won't say it twice."

"We have to go. Even if you hate it, we have to. Please."

"……"

She stared at me a moment longer, then twisted her wrist free and turned again—this time toward where Bae Hyeonseung stood.

"Shall we?"

"Ah… yes. This way."

"……"

We followed Bae Hyeonseung to the villa where his people were living—a high-end place ringed by a wall that had to be a full three meters high.

Conditions were rough.

Before we even entered the building, people were washing themselves in the small shared garden—or rather, wiping themselves down.

"I'm sorry. This is all we can offer."

"This is more than enough."

Bae Hyeonseung brought a two-handled pot, two towels, and a pack of wet wipes. Everyone was cleaning the same way: soak the towel in the pot water, scrub the body, finish with the wipes. Filthy clothes got stripped off and tossed over the wall.

"Wipe down and change."

"……"

"Nothing for me?"

"……"

Mother and daughter really were cut from the same cloth. Just like Yu Eunseol staring daggers without a word, Yoon Jihee answered me with the same silent, freezing look.

"These should be close enough to your size. Please change into them."

"Thank you."

"Hyeonseung, give us a moment, would you?"

"Yes, Mother."

He set the clothes on the ground and stepped away. I wiped myself down with a wet towel and listened to the mother-daughter exchange. Conversation was a generous word for it—one of them was doing all the talking.

"How did you end up here?"

"……"

"I'd like to believe this was chance. Am I allowed to think that?"

"……"

"When are you leaving?"

"……"

Yu Eunseol, who had been listening in silence, finally opened her mouth.

"Have you been well?"

"What?"

"It's been thirteen years. Isn't that the first thing you're supposed to ask?"

"You look like you've been well. Grown up fine."

"Aren't you hurt anywhere? Are you all right? You should ask that too."

"You look fine."

"Wasn't it hard? Weren't you scared? You should say, 'It's okay now.'"

"You're not the only one who had it hard or got scared. Everyone's the same. So—are you planning to stay here? Don't tell me you came looking for me because you knew I was here."

"Haa…"

A long sigh finally slipped out of Yu Eunseol. This was nothing like a mother reuniting with her daughter. Still, she pressed on. There were things she had to say.

"Aren't you even curious whether Unnie is okay? Whether she's doing well?"

"I'm sure she is. She was a smart, tough kid."

"……"

With hands still unwashed, Yu Eunseol clenched the necklace that was her most precious treasure—the one that held her sister's photo.

"Are you satisfied now, Unnie…?"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"I should never have met her… I should never have run into her even by chance like this."

"……"

Head bowed, eyes squeezed shut, Yu Eunseol lifted a face gone ice-cold and locked eyes with Yoon Jihee. Then she turned away.

Ah—if you grab her like that you're going to get hit.

Grab!

Yoon Jihee lunged and caught the arm of the daughter who had just turned her back. Well, look at that. She didn't swing at her mother.

"Eunju… is she dead…?"

"Yes. She died. Two years ago."

"Two years… ago…"

Yu Eunseol watched the hand slide weakly down her arm, then turned back to face Yoon Jihee. So a daughter's death still landed hard after all. Yoon Jihee's eyes trembled with something raw.

"Does it hurt at all?"

"Why… how…!"

"I killed her."

"What…? Wh-what are you saying?!"

"……"

Yu Eunseol stared at ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠her a moment longer, then turned away without giving her the words she wanted. And I caught her arm.

Whoosh!!!

This kid is definitely picking and choosing who she swings at!

"Hey! You knew it was me grabbing you and you still swung!"

"……"

"Ugh… just hold still."

"I don't need it."

"Says who."

I kept reaching for the girl trying to pull away. Then I took a clean wet wipe and carefully cleaned the necklace still filthy with zombie blood.

"What are you doing?"

"It's precious to you. Don't touch it with dirty hands."

"……"

"And stop swinging your arms around like that! What if someone actually hit you back?!"

"You wouldn't hit me anyway…"

"I would! I'm human too! Catch me off guard and I'll hit back!"

"Then just take it."

"Auuugh, I can't even smack you properly…!!"

"……"

Whether she was suddenly playing cute or not, Yu Eunseol stuck out her lower lip and looked anywhere but at me. The second my hand touched hers she jumped and yelped.

"Wh-what are you doing?!"

"Your hands need cleaning too. I just wiped that necklace—if you touch it with these it'll get dirty again."

"I can do that much myself!"

"……"

"Why… why are you looking at me like that?!"

Why was I looking at her like that? I let my gaze drop from her eyes to the hand resting quietly in my palm—the one that hadn't swung this time.

"Did you come for a manicure? Anyone watching would think you were a customer."

"This is…! Ah…"

"Forget it. Special service today."

"……"

I caught the hand she tried to pull away, face flushed, and wiped every finger carefully. Her nails were short—so why were the fingers themselves so long and pretty?

"Would you stop fondling them and let go?"

"Ahem… picky, aren't we."

"Ha!"

She clasped both cleaned hands in front of her chest and glared at me. Right. This wasn't the time for that.

But how was I supposed to bring it up? I'd never seen Yoon Jihee's status window, never watched her use a skill. Walking up and saying "I need your skill, so come with us" would sound completely insane. Was there any natural way to get her to open her status or activate something?

"Is he your boyfriend?"

"No."

"Pretty much, yeah."

The answers came out at the same time. Yu Eunseol rounded on me with a murderous look.

"Hey…!!"

"What?"

"Why would you be my boyfr—"

"Kang Juhan."

"I was talking!!"

"Yoon Jihee. If it isn't too much trouble, could I have a moment of your time? There's something I still haven't heard from that girl. If Kang Juhan knows, he can tell me in her place."

"Talking for free feels wrong… I'm hungry. Feed me and I'll tell you."

"Fine. Follow me."

Yoon Jihee turned and walked into the villa. The moment I moved to follow, Yu Eunseol snagged my arm and spun me around.

"What do you even know that you'd speak for me?!"

"Which is why you should be the one talking."

"What did you just say?!"

"Tell her everything. Not for your mom—for yourself. Carrying that in your chest for the rest of your life is a shitty way to live. If it gets hard, I'll be right there."

"…I don't need it. It's none of your business."

"Aigoo… this little wildcat…! We're going together!!"

Whether she was reluctant to let her mother walk away or simply ready to pour out the bitterness she'd been holding, Yu Eunseol followed Yoon Jihee into the villa.

This place was massive.

I'd never set foot in a house this big in my life. The place Seo ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Hamin and Seo Hayun had lived in was spacious, sure, but the interior design and sheer scale here put it to shame. And that enormous family portrait hanging on the wall.

Yu Eunseol stood frozen in the living room, unable to look away from the photo.

"Hello…"

"Hey there, kid."

"I'm not a kid…"

"Minjun, go to your room."

"Can't I stay in the living room…? I don't want to be alone in my room…"

"Now."

"Okay… but where's hyung…?"

"Bae Minjun."

"Fine… I'll go…"

Shooting nervous glances between his mother and Yu Eunseol, Bae Minjun slumped his shoulders and disappeared into his room. Yu Eunseol, still staring at the photograph, never even looked his way.

"This way, please."

"Yeah. Let's go."

"……"

Yu Eunseol finally tore her eyes from the family portrait, and together we headed for the large dining table. We sat and waited a short while. Instant rice heated in the microwave and a few side-dish containers appeared on the table.

"……"

"Please eat."

"Is this actually safe to eat…?"

"Probably."

"Well… thanks for the meal, I guess."

I piled one of the sour-smelling side dishes onto the instant rice I desperately wanted to check the expiration date on, and took a big spoonful. All right—this wouldn't kill me.

"You don't eat that. If you've got ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠constipation, feel free to try your luck."

"Would you stop saying things like that like it's nothing…!"

"I've fed you. Now tell me what I want to hear."

"Yes. Eunseol, go ahead."

"……"

After a brief hesitation, Yu Eunseol asked the question she needed answered—not the one Yoon Jihee wanted to hear.

"Why did you abandon Unnie and me and leave?"

"Haa… I don't remember. Just tell ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠me how Eunju died. Did you really kill her?"

"I don't remember either."

"Yu Eunseol!"

"You answer first."

"Haa… It was thirteen years ago. Do you really need to hear this now?"

"……"

Faced with her daughter's unyielding expression, Yoon Jihee let out another sigh.

"Haa… Fine. I'll tell you. Because this is driving me crazy."

"…What?"

"Looking at that man, at Eunju, at you—I felt like I was going to suffocate. So I ran. To survive… I ran so I could live. Is that answer enough for you?"

"Why… why did you feel like you were suffocating…?"

"You're twenty now. Old enough to understand what that time was like, aren't you?"

"Was it about money?"

"What?"

"You wanted to live in a house like this… so you threw Unnie and me away…?"

"Haa… Think whatever you want. I've answered. Your turn."

"……"

Still unsatisfied, Yu Eunseol bit down hard on her lower lip, but she kept her word and told the story of her sister's death.

"She died in a traffic accident. Drunk driving."

"……"

Hearing how her daughter had died, Yoon Jihee squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, as if offering a brief prayer. Shorter than I expected, but still.

"Then why did you say downstairs that you killed her?"

"Because it was my fault. She said she had to save for my tuition… that she had to start putting money away right away… She was working a late-night part-time job after her regular shift when…"

"Haa… What the hell was that man doing that Eunju had to scrape together your tuition?!"

"He died. Three years after you left. Unnie was thirteen. I was ten."

"Th-then… all that time…"

"We grew up in an orphanage. Until Unnie aged out."

"……"

The shock must have hit hard; Yoon Jihee said nothing at all. Looking at her, though, I still couldn't believe this woman had given birth three times. How did anyone keep that face and that body after three kids? Sitting here half-washed she still looked mid-thirties at worst. Maybe that was why the bad feeling started crawling up my spine. The pervert god never left well enough alone.

"Oh, for fuck's—!"

"……"

"……"

"Ah, sorry. Keep talking. Say everything you need to say."

Of course the bad feeling was right on the money. But did it really have to go this far, you twisted bastard?!