Chapter 153
Chapter 153
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 153
Chapter Title: Echoes of the Past
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"Yu, Yu-na?"
"...."
No response came.
The warm bottom of Yu-na that I was holding with my hands gave off a strange, squishy sensation with even the slightest movement.
And on top of that...
A foul smell started to rise.
'...What do I do?'
The last time Yu-na had an accident in her pants, there was the sitcom set house we could use to wash her up right away.
But now...
No house, no bathroom, no spare clothes.
Nothing at all.
Wait, no—the clothes Yu-na was wearing before we came here...
But before that...
The biggest problem: Yu-na's underwear?
"Excuse me! Jun-seo!"
Yu-na's body jolted.
I turned my head to see Yoo Seol-hwa rushing toward us.
"Those folks over there said it's okay to use their home bathroom..."
Her legs and mouth suddenly stopped.
Slowly.
She wrinkled her nose and backed away. Covering her nose with her hand, she glanced back and forth between Yu-na and me.
"...Too late?"
Nod. Nod.
I kept my words to a minimum.
If I said it outright, Yu-na would be mortified. I could tell just from how she was hiding her face in my chest.
"Jun-seo?"
"Yes."
"First, ask them directly if you can wash her up yourself. They're good people, so if you ask nicely, they'll say yes."
I nodded.
"...Yeah, I guess I have to. Excuse me. I have two requests. Could you keep this incident a secret?"
Her eyebrows twitched slightly.
"That much isn't hard... What's the other one?"
"Yu-na has no underwear. I'm really sorry, but Si-a, could you..."
She sharpened her gaze and glared at the back of Yu-na's head.
"You're a handful. I'll somehow get some underwear. Jun-seo, you just focus on washing the little one who can't even go to the bathroom alone without stinking."
"...."
Yu-na whipped her head around.
Her eyes welled up with tears as she glared at Yoo Seol-hwa.
"What gives you the right to glare?"
She turned her back just like that.
"I'll be right back."
"Ah, yes! Thank you so much."
Following the kind middle-aged couple into their fairly large house, I washed Yu-na first with warm water.
The clothes reeking of filth...
Luckily, the couple readily offered to wash and dry them clean.
Is it finally getting better?
Yu-na grinned brightly, splashing water with her short legs in the bathtub.
Water splashed everywhere.
"Splash! Stay still. This isn't our house."
"Okay...."
Yu-na drooped the corners of her eyes, stopped splashing, and sank fully into the tub.
'I wonder when Si-a will get here.'
It's been about an hour, I think.
She texted that she'd arrive soon...
It was then.
Knock! Knock!
A knock at the door, followed by Yoo Seol-hwa's voice from outside.
"Jun-seo? I left the poopy-pants underwear by the door, so grab it."
Yu-na suddenly raised her voice.
"Yu-na's not a poopy-pants!"
"Just finish washing up."
I let out a quiet sigh and picked up a towel. I dried her thoroughly and helped her into the underwear.
"Yu-na? When you get dressed and go out, make sure to thank the uncle and auntie."
"Okay."
I finished dressing the now-bright-faced Yu-na and headed out.
The middle-aged couple and Yoo Seol-hwa were gathered around a folding table, eating steaming hot porridge.
"You must not have had lunch yet. Come sit and eat."
"Yeah, we threw your clothes in the washer and dryer. You can take them once you're done eating."
"What are you waiting for? Sit down."
"Ah... Thank you."
I gently nudged Yu-na's side to signal her. Yu-na snapped out of drooling and bowed her head.
"Thank you."
"Oh my, such good manners."
"The porridge will get cold. Come eat."
Hesitating a bit, I sat with Yu-na at the empty spot and picked up a spoon.
The middle-aged couple, who had been watching us with warm smiles, resumed eating their porridge.
"Auntie, this is really delicious."
"There's plenty, so eat up."
"We've got seasoned seaweed and kimchi too."
A cozy, family-like atmosphere.
Unable to hold back my curiosity, I paused midway through my porridge and asked Yoo Seol-hwa.
"Do you know these folks?"
"Yes, after my dad passed away when I was in middle school... Auntie and Uncle raised me like their own daughter."
"Ah... I see."
The mood suddenly grew solemn.
It felt like there was a deep backstory.
Clap! The auntie suddenly clapped her hands and stood up from her porridge.
"Honey, what's wrong all of a sudden?"
"Jun-seo, want to see pictures of Seo-yeon from when she was little? I've got tons."
"Ah, Auntie! I told you not to show those to anyone unless I said so!"
"Just wait. Seeing your daughter reminded me of the album Seo-yeon gave me."
"Haha! You felt it too?"
By then, the auntie had brought an old album. She sat next to me and opened it up.
"This is Seo-yeon on her first day of elementary school..."
The auntie showed me every photo one by one, explaining them proudly as if showing off her own daughter.
All of Yoo Seol-hwa's childhood photos resembled Yu-na so much they were fun to look at.
'What do you mean they don't look alike at all?'
The Yoo Seol-hwa in the photos was a tomboy who only got into mischief, just like Yu-na now.
"Huh...?"
I wiped the smile from my face.
"Oh, this is a photo of Seo-yeon having an accident because she couldn't hold it in at the bathroom."
"Auntie! Stop showing them!"
Yoo Seol-hwa yelled and glanced at Yu-na. Yu-na trembled, then burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Auntie did the same as Yu-na."
"What do you mean same! You poopy-pants!"
"Auntie's a pee-pants."
In the festival-like uproar.
I was the only one who couldn't laugh.
'The old photo at the edge.'
In the family photo, a girl who looked like Yu-na was holding a newborn baby.
Did Si-a have a little sister?
I sat alone in a corner of the music video set, lost in thought.
The story of Yoo Seol-hwa's past from the middle-aged couple echoed in my ears.
'When Seo-yeon was around six?'
'No, she was five. They divorced because times were tough. Dad took the first daughter, Mom took the second, I think?'
I had asked back.
'Then... the second daughter's name...'
'Oh, it was Park So-yeon.'
'Contact with my wife's side cut off right after, so honestly, we don't know much about what happened to her.'
Don't know much...
I don't think the striking resemblance between Yoo Seol-hwa and Yu-na is a coincidence.
'Park So-yeon...'
A different name from my late wife.
Just thinking of my late wife who passed away still hurts...
'But I have to look into it, right?'
I clenched my fist.
There must be clues at the daycare where I first met my wife.
"Daddy!"
Yu-na, back from filming, hugged my leg. Snapping out of it, I realized the sky had already darkened.
What? Already evening?
I shook off my thoughts for now, smiled, and gently stroked Yu-na's head.
"Filming all done?"
"Yeah. They said just Auntie Pee-pants left to film."
Her name for Si-a Auntie had apparently changed to Pee-pants Auntie.
She must have really hated being called poopy-pants earlier. The way she was getting revenge on Yoo Seol-hwa like this proved it.
"Shall we go watch quietly?"
"Yeah!"
I took Yu-na to the spot where Yoo Seol-hwa was filming.
A pojangmacha tent had been set up at some point.
The delicious smell of hotteok wafted all the way here. Even after a full lunch of porridge, my mouth watered.
Oh, right. It's dinnertime now?
I glanced at Yu-na. She had her finger in her mouth, sucking on it.
Guess she's hungry.
"Perfect, just like that. Now, look at the seat where Yu-na was sitting, filled with longing."
I moved right next to the cameraman without getting in the way.
Following the director's instructions, she gazed at the empty seat with lonely, wistful eyes.
Yoo Seol-hwa's quick ability to infuse emotion just through her gaze. No wonder she criticized Yu-na for not being able to act.
'At that level.'
She could've made a name for herself as an actress. As I was thinking that, Director Kim Sang-woo's booming voice rang out right on cue.
"That's a wrap for today!"
Yoo Seol-hwa spotted me coming out of the pojangmacha and ran straight over.
"Jun-seo. Got a minute?"
"Yes? Sure... What's up?"
"I have something to say. By any chance..."
Tug! Tug!
I felt my clothes being pulled.
Yu-na was tugging at them.
With her eyes narrowed.
"Daddy has to go home with Yu-na, so no. Pee-pants Auntie."
"...What? What did you just say?"
Yu-na flinched.
Yoo Seol-hwa knelt down with a slightly crumpled expression. She slowly raised her hand and flicked Yu-na's forehead.
Snap! A clear sound rang out.
"Ow!"
"If you keep calling me Pee-pants Auntie, I'll post about you pooping your pants on Star Talk. Want everyone to know?"
"...No."
"Then be nice to Auntie from now on."
"...."
Yu-na's mouth stayed shut.
Yoo Seol-hwa stood with a victorious smile and looked me straight in the eye.
A sudden silence fell.
Feeling stifled, I broke it.
"Did you have something to say to me?"
"Your reaction earlier was a bit weird. By any chance, my little sister..."
"Ah."
Before Yoo Seol-hwa could finish, I gently shook my head.
"I don't really know."
"Don't know... Got it."
She turned her back sharply.
"...Good work today. Talk soon."
"You too. Take care."
After wrapping filming, I headed straight home and scoured the internet.
'Sunflower Daycare.'
I dredged up hard-to-recall memories and finally found it. Even after all this time, the daycare still existed.
The place of cherished memories where I first met my wife.
Memories I'd suppressed surged like waves, stabbing at my heart.
Is that why?
Tears burst out before I knew it.
'Ah, before Yu-na sees...'
I hurriedly wiped them away.
It looks like visiting there right now would still be too hard.
Is there some good way...
As I pondered deeply.
Counselor Shin Hee-jeong's words from when she gave me the therapist's card came to mind.
'...If you're too scared to treat the wound and leave it, it'll fester worse and become untreatable.'
'Get treatment when it's really tough.'
Maybe get treatment first...
And visit once I'm better?
Yeah, that sounds good.
I pulled out the therapist's card I'd kept and looked it over.
Therapist – Yu Eun-young / Director
010 – XXXX – XXXX
My hand kept shaking.
I gripped my weakening resolve and dialed the therapist's number right away.
If not now...
I'd never muster the courage again.
Riiing.
The ringtone dragged on.
Click!
-Hello?