Trustworthy People?
Carrying a sleeping Joo-shin on my back from Jong-hyuk's house, I headed home. As I walked in after finishing my errands, Mother's cold hand—still chilled from work—gripped mine tightly, and she smiled at me. In that moment, a firm belief took root: I wasn't on the wrong path.
I tucked the sleeping Joo-shin into bed and started getting ready for sleep myself. That's when I noticed Mother pacing in front of the kitchen.
Is something bothering her?
"Mom, what's up?"
"Oh... it's nothing. You should get to bed early. School tomorrow."
My head throbbed sharply. Though I wasn't used to it yet, I'd been through this a few times before, so I clung to my dizzying mind, determined to hear as much as possible. A strange sensation washed over me—like faded old photos overlapping with distant shouts. The images began to move, and voices filtered in alongside the actions.
I saw Mother, looking troubled. Beside her was a woman about her age, with sharp, downturned eyes that made her face hard to call anything but unpleasant, even charitably. The surroundings were empty except for cleaning supplies, suggesting she'd deliberately lured Mother to this deserted spot.
The conversation unfolded.
Why is Mother here? Her warm, smiling face as she told me to sleep well overlapped with her current shaken, bewildered gaze. To avoid missing anything in my disorientation, I clenched my fist and focused, just like before.
"The boss lady is so heartless."
What nonsense is that? Heartless?
I bristled at the woman's near-abusive tone, missing bits of the exchange. Shaking it off, I tuned back in.
"It's about you and Joo-shin..."
"People have to help each other. Do you know how tough things have been for me lately? I never knew you were like this, boss lady... You always put off picking up Joo-shin until the crowd thins out."
"I stay late doing overtime to make up for those breaks..."
"That's just how it is, and everyone understands. But you have to cut others the same slack. Think about the people who cover for you—you need some humanity. So, give me a firm yes on lending the money by the end of the week, or I'll raise hell with the manager about your breaks. Got it?"
The sour-faced woman snapped at Mother like she was the one owed money, then stormed out of what looked like a storage room. Mother's stifled sobs trailed off like stretched taffy, and when I snapped back to reality, there she was, telling me to go to bed.
I have to get the full story out of her somehow. Otherwise...
I'd once wondered if I could use the settlement money from Father's death. But I didn't think he'd have hesitated to spend a fortune for his family if he were alive. That's why I'd made so many plans in my head once it came through.
Buy one of those new apartments going up? Or stocks that are sure to skyrocket? Or maybe...
With my knowledge of the future, seed money would open endless investment opportunities I'd dreamed of. But this variable? I never saw it coming.
"What's going on, Mom? If you don't tell me, I won't sleep. Honestly, Dad keeps showing up in my dreams, telling me to stop you. I want to know why."
I kept pressing her, even though I regretted dragging Dad into it. But it took even that white lie about dreaming of him to finally coax out the truth: there are users everywhere who prey on good people.
"Well... the settlement came through, but people keep calling it 'your husband's life price' and asking to borrow it. I wonder if I'm just being greedy."
"The settlement's in?"
"Yeah, deposited yesterday. But Min-jae's mom keeps hounding me..."
That sour-faced woman was Min-jae's mom? She was actually childless, preying on trusting mothers her age, luring them into rotating savings pools and vanishing with the pot. The once-kind neighborhood turned wary and distrustful after she fled with their money.
"Mom, use Dad's settlement to buy land."
"What? Land, out of nowhere?"
"Truth is, Dad came to me in a dream last night and told me to buy land. I was puzzled, but now I get it—with the settlement coming."
"No... really??"
It was absurd persuasion, but for a kind-hearted, gullible mom like mine, nothing beat "Dad's dream." She wouldn't touch savings meant for herself, only opening her wallet for me and Joo-shin. But if that scammer targeted her soft spot and took the rotating fund she'd scrimped together, she'd blame herself more for failing us than for the loss.
Sure, short-term investments to grow the seed money efficiently made more sense than land right now. But as a minor, I hit a wall. Mom was too good-natured to invest big on my word alone. A corporate bigwig or savvy investor might listen to a kid, but not someone like her, who saw savings accounts as the height of finance.
So I borrowed Dad's halo and pitched something she'd bite on.
"Dad pointed out the exact plot in the dream. If it's really for sale, we have to buy it."
"He specified the location?"
"Yeah. It's late today, so let's check tomorrow. Or all go this weekend. He said buying there would bring good fortune to our family."
"Well..."
"He even gave the realtor's number. I'll write it down."
I jotted it on a memo pad without hesitation, and she bought it hook, line, and sinker—convinced Dad had spoken through me.
"You think it'll be okay?"
Of course.
Anticipating the settlement, I'd scoured listings and called realtors. I couldn't visit alone as a kid, so phone inquiries only. Most were stagnant plots without development plans. But big apartments were coming—unannounced yet—and they'd tank old-city prices.
Stocks would be ideal, but I can't open an account solo...
I'd called everywhere, and one land specialist yielded gold: a cheap blind plot smack in the middle of the future apartment site.
"It'll be fine, Mom. Just call, and it'll contract on the spot."
"If it's a fire sale, isn't that fishy?"
"Who knows? Dad's dream showed it making us rich. That's why it popped up in mine too. Using his settlement on that land feels right."
"Maybe... So about Min-jae's mom..."
"Isn't it her turn for the rotating fund pot?"
"About time, yeah."
"Can't she take it early if urgent? Who's the pool leader?"
"Her. Guess I'll tell her that. The settlement should be for you boys anyway. I was thinking of moving with it, but this basement... Won't you miss it?"
She'd clearly pondered how to best use it for us.
And if the leader takes her share first but still whines about being broke, others will get suspicious. Shop around more.
"Won't you miss Jong-hyuk's family?"
"Yeah, but..."
"Buy Dad's dream land, and we'll have a new place in three years tops."
"That'd be great, but..."
"Three years is fine. If it's rough, sell it back. Fire sale means below market— we'll break even."
"The dream specified it was cheap and urgent?"
"Dad seemed rushed, rattling off details before vanishing. Begged to use the settlement for us. Not Min-jae's mom—us. Even showed up in my dream to stress it."
Land wouldn't pay out cash instantly like stocks. But cash in hand? Mom's soft heart would spend it eventually. As a minor unable to invest properly, land was the safe bet.
Plus.
The plot was prime apartment site. Compensation would be low, but we'd score units—and those would double our investment at least.
Living space doesn't appreciate meaningfully, but buying later with profits? Tough.
I hammered the "Dad's dream" line, then forced sleep.
On the familiar walk to school with Jong-hyuk, an inexplicable energy swirled through me, freezing me in place.
"You okay? What the hell?"
I couldn't answer. No dizziness, no photo-like visions or voices this time. Just energy filling my gut.
"Waiting for me? Always stopping dead in the road?"
Kyung-soo barreled in, slamming into my back mid-run. I absorbed it, stepping forward smoothly to dissipate the impact.
Kyung-soo's weight? This is easy.
He wasn't an athlete, but loved lunchtime soccer. Yet handling him felt effortless.
"What's with that guy?"
"Loses his mind at the school gate?"
We bantered into class. No time to ponder the power surging in me before lessons started.
Fortunately—or not—the first period was P.E. I got to see the kids’ stunned faces in person.
Were my reflexes always this good?
Tall and sturdy like Dad, I wasn't an easy target in school. But after he died and Mom raised me alone, I grew timid and shy. My coordination was so poor, they called me dead weight.
"Joo-in's filming a cartoon solo?"
"Lunch soccer relay—Joo-shin's mine, dead or not."
"Dead how? Anyway, how'd he hide that skill? Cheating?"
"What cheat?"
"Those reflexes... impossible."
One ball on the field turned PE into a scrum. But I dodged every kid, charging the goal unblocked.
No... they're gone?
Behind me, they sprawled everywhere, clutching knees in exhaustion.
"Doesn't know basic rules?"
"Who cares? Goals win."
Post-class, Kyung-soo slung an arm around me, yelling,
"Lunch soccer—Joo-in's on my team!"
Cheers and jeers rang as I dashed to the faucet, chest burning, heart pounding.
My reflexes were always this good?
Socrates said, Know thyself.
There had to be a reason for this boost.
Did regression amp my athletics?
If so, it should've hit day one. Puzzled, I headed home with Joo-shin. Oddly, warmth emanated from the house.
Mom home now?
Inside, her bustling back greeted us as she prepped dinner. Joo-shin flew into her arms. She hugged him, glanced at me, and flashed a smile I hadn't seen since Dad died.
"Good news?"
"Went to that realtor you mentioned. Said I was perfect for it, cut the commission cheap, urged contract on the spot. Signed right away. Then heading to work, Min-jae's mom apologizes—said she was too harsh. Offered to cover my overtime, told me go home first. Guess that land really has good vibes, like you said."
She'd probably mouthed off, heard rumors, and backed off to protect her scam. But Mom was happy, so I just agreed.
Good vibes? I woke energized too, reflexes popping out of nowhere...
I'd used the "Dad's dream" ploy to sell the land, but even knowing the facts, the results floored me.
Can't spout nonsense or they'll ship me to psych ward. But I need to figure out this mysterious power of mine.