Home Was a Cage
Ji-an, who had been waving from the swing, came running back to us with Do-ah and Do-jun in tow.
“Mom… I’m tired…”
“He’s way too strong…”
To Do-ah and Do-jun, Ji-an must have been an overwhelming opponent. While the two children looked exhausted, Ji-an was all smiles.
“Ji-an, you shouldn’t be so rough with your friends.”
“I wasn’t!… I wasn’t rough at all… I think?”
Mr. Ha-jun scolded the grinning Ji-an and shook his head, but his face was soft with amusement. Watching him, I let out a small sigh and turned to Mrs. Seo-hee.
“I’m sorry. It seems Ji-an wore your kids out.”
Mrs. Seo-hee shook her head and waved her hands dismissively.
“Not at all. Our children have always been a bit weak when it comes to stamina. If anything, I’m jealous of how lively Ji-an is.”
“She’s right. Thanks to her, the kids actually had fun for the first time in a while. We should be thanking you.”
With Mr. Joo-hyun chiming in as well, a strange sense of pride bloomed in my chest and I couldn’t help but smile. As if she had been waiting for the moment, Ji-an thrust both arms into the air.
“See! I did great!”
I ruffled her hair at the proud declaration.
“Even so, you can’t play that hard next time, alright?”
“Okay… I got it…”
Ji-an’s shoulders slumped at my words, but she quickly perked up again, grabbing my hand tightly.
“But still… Do-ah and Do-jun had fun too!”
I had nothing left to say. I simply sighed and stroked her head once more. Beside us, Mrs. Seo-hee gathered the children and waved.
“We should head home now. Could we meet again sometime?”
I smiled and nodded.
“Of course. Ji-an would love that.”
“Let’s play together again!”
Do-ah, who had apparently recovered, shouted energetically while Do-jun waved from the side.
“Yeah! Let’s play again!”
Ji-an dashed in front of them with an excited expression and held out both pinky fingers.
“Promise!”
Her left hand reached for Do-ah, her right for Do-jun. The three of them linked fingers, staring at one another before bursting into laughter. The sound was so bright that both Mr. Ha-jun and I couldn’t help but laugh along.
“I should have taken her out more often,” Mr. Ha-jun murmured, unable to look away from Ji-an.
I gave a small shake of my head.
“We can take her out often from now on.”
He glanced at me, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly as he nodded.
“Well then, we’ll be going…”
Mr. and Mrs. Seo smiled at us one last time. I bowed politely in farewell.
As their figures disappeared into the distance, Ji-an looked up at me.
“Where are we going now?”
I hesitated before answering.
“We have to go home.”
The single word lingered in my ears. Home. At some point that word had stopped meaning a place where my heart could rest. There was no one to talk to, no affection, no interest.
Perhaps that was why my hand tightened at the word.
“Mom… are you okay?”
Ji-an lifted her head in alarm, eyes full of worry, but I couldn’t answer. When I remained silent, Mr. Ha-jun spoke to me carefully.
“Would you… like to stop by our place for a little while?”
Surprised, I looked up at him.
“We still haven’t drawn up the housekeeper contract, and there are some things I need to tell you about Ji-an…”
It sounded like an excuse, but his voice was filled with genuine consideration. When I lowered my gaze, Ji-an was staring at me with sparkling, hopeful eyes.
I bit my lip. After a long moment, I let out a small sigh and nodded.
“…Alright. Just for a little while.”
Ji-an’s face lit up with a brilliant smile, and Mr. Ha-jun looked visibly relieved. Still clutching my hand tightly, Ji-an skipped ahead with excited steps.
…Someone else’s house.
I had rarely visited other people’s homes in my life. After the children were born, I hadn’t gone at all. The unfamiliarity, or perhaps the tension, made my steps feel heavier.
Before I knew it we had reached the parking lot. Ji-an was already settled in the back seat. I reached for the door handle, but my fingers hesitated.
“…Are you sure this is alright?”
Mr. Ha-jun approached and asked gently. I nodded and climbed into the passenger seat.
My hands trembled faintly as I fastened the seatbelt. Fortunately, Ji-an’s soft humming filled the car, easing the chaos in my mind.
Mr. Ha-jun started the engine and spoke carefully.
“It’ll take about twenty minutes. Why don’t you close your eyes and rest?”
I stared out the window and answered quietly.
“…Thank you.”
I watched the scenery blur past in a daze until my eyes eventually slid shut.
When I opened my eyes, the scene before me was ‘home.’
“Honey! What are you doing just standing there?”
A wife who looked to be in her twenties was speaking to me.
“I’m going out with my friends starting tomorrow, so just so you know.”
“Then what about Seojun and Seo-a?”
I hadn’t opened my mouth, yet the words spilled out anyway.
“So you’re saying I shouldn’t go? That I should just stay home and do housework instead of having any fun?”
“That’s not what I meant. Tomorrow’s a weekday—who’s going to watch the kids?”
My wife’s voice grew sharper and sharper.
“If this is how it’s going to be, why did we even get married? Let’s just get divorced!”
The moment those words left her mouth, the scene went dark. When I opened my eyes again, my wife looked older.
“Kids, did you finish your dinner and homework?”
Back then I had been happy to see my wife finally taking care of the children as she grew older. But I soon learned the truth.
It wasn’t change. It was cunning.
At first, relieved by the shift, I entrusted her with everything concerning the children. Yet on weekends and even on my days off, she would take them out, deliberately severing the bonds between me and them.
“Dad’s tired, so let’s play with Mom instead.”
It had sounded like consideration at first. I later realized those words were meant to push me away. The children grew distant. Conversations vanished.
“I’m too old to go clubbing now. Time to use the kids to wrap my husband around my finger.”
After accidentally overhearing her phone call, I finally understood. When she was young she had craved freedom. Now that youth no longer suited her, she intended to lock me inside ‘home,’ to keep me from escaping, and build her own little kingdom.
From that day on, ‘home’ became a place of discomfort.
“Seoyeon? Seoyeon!”
Who was calling me so urgently? I sat with my eyes closed, mind drifting.
Seoyeon… Oh. That’s me now.
Only then did the name register. I lifted my head and looked to the side.
“Seoyeon! Are you alright? You’re not feeling sick, are you?”
The frantic voice made me blink. As my vision cleared, I found Mr. Ha-jun’s worried face very close to mine.
“…Ah, yes. I’m fine.”
My voice was hoarse, as if I had just woken up, and thick with unshed tears.
“You looked like you were having a nightmare. Your face is pale, and you were sweating so much earlier.”
I hesitated, then glanced out the window. The car was already parked in the underground garage.
“A nightmare… Yes, it was a nightmare.”
My voice trembled as I wiped my face with my hand. The cold sweat on my skin clung to my palm.
“If it’s too difficult, I can drive you home. We can handle the contract another day.”
Mr. Ha-jun spoke gently, but the thought of returning to that house made me feel like I might shatter. I took a steadying breath and shook my head.
“It’s alright… There’s no one home anyway.”
He didn’t press further. After studying my face for a moment, he nodded, got out of the car, and came around to open my door. Then he lifted Ji-an from the back seat into his arms.
“Mmm… Are we there yet?”
Ji-an whined sleepily, eyes half-closed.
“Yes. Let’s go inside and you can sleep a little more.”
Mr. Ha-jun patted her back and whispered softly. Only then did I step out and follow quietly behind him. From this angle, Ji-an’s face looked peaceful in his hold, and I could see just how important he was to her.
We remained silent all the way to the elevator. Ji-an slept soundly in his arms while I kept my gaze fixed on my feet.
[Ding—]
The doors opened. Inside the elevator, only the soft sound of Ji-an’s breathing filled the space. Mr. Ha-jun hesitated, then spoke.
“Seoyeon… do you have any hobbies?”
Hobbies… I used to paint. But as life grew busy and my family fell apart, I had stopped.
“Um… I suppose drawing.”
His eyes sparkled with interest at my careful answer.
“Drawing? That’s wonderful.”
“Ah, no, it’s been a long time. I’ve been in a slump…”
He smiled warmly.
“Haha, I can’t draw at all, so I’m quite envious.”
“You seem like you’d be good at anything you tried, Mr. Ha-jun…”
“Not at all. Last time Ji-an had a kindergarten assignment to draw with her family. Her teacher asked why she drew it alone. Truth is, I drew the whole thing…”
The sight of him smiling sheepishly and scratching the back of his head made me laugh.
“Pfft… Ji-an must have felt so wronged.”
“She did. She complained that she didn’t get any candy because of me.”
[6th Floor—]
At the announcement, the doors opened to reveal a brightly lit hallway. Only two units stood at the end: 601 and 602. Sensing something unusual, I looked around. The walls were impeccably clean, the floor spotless without a single footprint.
Mr. Ha-jun was already waiting in front of 602, Ji-an still in his arms. The naturalness of the scene made my nerves spike. Maybe I shouldn’t go in. The apartment door suddenly felt like a gateway to another world.
He unlocked the door. I followed him inside and froze in shock at what I saw.