The Weight of an Ordinary Life 5
Even though I hadn't done much once I entered the hospital room, it felt like a day that had drained all the energy out of me. After In-ha stabilized, Jong-hyuk and I just peeked at her face and left the room. Uncle and In-ha talked for a bit, then he came out, opening the door.
"It was just a sudden scare; her condition didn't worsen. No need to worry. Still, just in case, I've contacted her attending physician."
"Weren't you her attending, Uncle?"
"I'm a surgeon, so I help with trauma care, but her main doctor is someone else."
"I see..."
"You two don't need to go in?"
"We just came to check if she was okay."
"And we're not clueless enough to barge in during a moment like this."
Uncle stifled a laugh at our words and dragged us toward the rooftop park we'd just come down from.
"One of you seems busy, so shall the rest of us handle things?"
As we chatted lightly about school life, Kyung-soo approached us, looking awkward, scratching the back of his messy hair.
"Uh... thanks for helping."
"I didn't do anything; I just called you for snacks. The visit was with the patient's okay, so here's a drink... oh, it's gone cold?"
Jong-hyuk and I swallowed laughs as Uncle teasingly handed over the once-hot hot chocolate with a playful grin. Kyung-soo hesitated, then took it and said,
"It's still tasty even cold. Hot chocolate."
"It's iced chocolate by now. Drink up quick and let's go. Uncle said he could take the leftovers, so I packed them."
As I urged the awkward Kyung-soo along, a sudden beeping rang out.
Beep-beep-beep.
With the irritating pager sound, Uncle dropped his usual friendly smile, his face turning serious as he jumped up urgently.
"Got a page; I have to head down first. Clean up and come in. See you next time. Joo-in, keep in touch often."
Before we could reply, he vanished like the wind. Watching him go, I felt again how the invisible lives of people like him wove into protecting our everyday world.
It's not something to simplistically call ordinary—the precious lives of individuals come together to make days like this.
"No outsiders allowed in. Let's get up too."
Kyung-soo downed the now-iced chocolate in one go, cleared our spot, and tidied the trash.
Even as we left the hospital, Jong-hyuk and I couldn't stop talking.
"I didn't know Kyung-soo had such a tough side..."
"No, I was shocked by how he rambled incoherently."
"Huh?"
"The guy who always speaks so eloquently suddenly acted like his brain reset... heh heh heh..."
After enduring our teasing for a while, his face turned tomato-red, and he yelled,
"Hey, cut it out! I'm going first."
As he fled, Jong-hyuk said,
"Maybe we overdid it?"
"Nah, we went easy. And he headed toward his place before the alley—see?"
"Yeah? He always walks us almost to your place, so it felt off today..."
Even though his house was in a different direction, he'd always gone nearly to Jong-hyuk's before turning back, so it did feel strange.
When I move...
Though Mom had decided to wait until after vacation since I was on break, I knew we had to move for her to quit her job, leaving a bittersweet pang as I headed to Jong-hyuk's.
"Oh, it's getting late. Stay for dinner."
I thanked Jong-hyuk's mom but declined her attempt to keep me and Joo-shin, heading home.
How much time left here?
Gazing anew at our small, warm house, I prepared dinner. I made the fried rice promised to Joo-shin, saved some warmed rice for Mom in the fridge, and continued my thoughts.
"Hyung? Aren't you eating?"
"I visited a friend at the hospital today and ate a bunch there, so I'm full."
"Huh? But I—"
Seeing Joo-shin pout, I revealed the hidden bag, and he exclaimed in delight.
"Brought it for Joo-shin. But you gotta eat rice first, right?"
"Yeah."
His eating sped up noticeably, bringing a smile to my lips unwittingly.
"Hyung's gonna toss the trash out front, so eat your rice, then the snack. Not too much—save some for tomorrow?"
"Got it."
I nodded, almost stroking his head on impulse but stopped as he ate, grabbed my phone, and stepped out the front door into the alley.
The darkened alley barely lit by distant streetlamp glow seeping in. Phone screen lit blue.
Did the cold light tint my face too?
Still...
Muttering an excuse to no one, I dialed.
"Hello? It's Joo-in."
A wry smile at the receiver's familiar reaction, then,
"Any updates on the In-ha case?"
"Hm..."
"Thanks for handling it."
After the short call, I stared at my phone pensively, then sighed deeply and dialed again.
A bright, high voice greeted me, different from before.
"Hello? Joo-shin? What's up?"
"..."
"Come up now and eat dinner together?"
Her warm words poured out; I replied in a slightly lower but smiling tone,
"No, it's fine. I ate at the hospital, made fried rice for Joo-shin. Promised him today."
Warm laughter flowed from the receiver.
"Um... is Jong-hyuk there?"
"No?"
Sensing something, Jong-hyuk's mom's voice lowered.
"Something with the foundation?"
"Yes... I have a favor to ask."
"Even if it's you who donated, no weird requests, okay?"
"No, it's not that... it's about In-ha, the one we're supporting."
"Oh... In-ha... such a heartbreaking case. Shocked when I heard. Glad the foundation can help."
"Did you hear she became a suspect in the gym incident?"
"Yes."
"She's not the culprit, so that should resolve, but... she got a bad rep at school over the gym thing."
"Sigh... Jong-hyuk told me; I was furious."
"Even if cleared, going back to school won't be easy."
p>
"Transfer...?"
Sorry, Kyung-soo.
"No. Thinking emigration."
"What? Best option, but the foundation isn't quite..."
"I could do it through U.S. contacts, but foundation sponsorship seems more credible."
"Not for phone... "
"Uh... if you could spare time without Jong-hyuk."
"Really?"
"I'll explain then... Felt like I should tell Kyung-soo first, but couldn't today."
No chance to broach it.
For In-ha's life, at least transfer... for her future, study abroad via emigration—would he get it?
"Hm... You're not one for nonsense. Checking feasibility first?"
"Yes. No point asking if impossible. That's why the favor..."
"Anytime for that. Just... feels like victim's running away."
"Sigh... yeah."
"Don't sigh—you; I should, as the older generation at fault..."
Comforting her regret over In-ha's dilemma, I hung up.
"At least recognizing wrong leaves room for change."
My words echoed emptily in the empty alley, fading away.
Can a world come where victims get and give help, not flee their pain? Impossible before regression. Can I change it?
Next morning's walk to school felt heavy. Sensing my mood—or needing thoughts himself—Jong-hyuk walked silently with me.
As vacation neared, class noise amplified.
Seeing Kyung-soo beaming like a flower in full bloom, I couldn't utter a word till dismissal.
Worried by my silence?
"Arcade after school?"
"Huh?"
"New one's got great setup—four pumps linked."
"Whoa... check it out? You dance?"
"Can't even follow music, how?"
"True."
"But hospital visit today too."
Seeing his flushed face, Jong-hyuk overacted then grinned.
"That's why arcade. Tteokbokki nearby after. In-ha eats lunch, right?"
"Huh?"
"Like yesterday—lunch and stroll time. Time it right. Small manners matter, know?"
"..."
Teasing Kyung-soo, who looked ready to burst like a ripe tomato, with Jong-hyuk circling him, time flew to end-of-day homeroom.
"Vacation soon—no wandering, no following strangers..."
Less homeroom, more guidelines on recent crimes. As it ended, half the class bolted; I said, watching them,