Things That Aren't Human

Han Iseul kept apologizing every time our eyes met, after she'd kicked me in the face out of sheer shock.

"I'm so sorry..."

"I already told you it's fine. I got what I deserved for looking. Why do you keep apologizing?"

"No!! You must have... seen it against your will too... and I reacted so violently... I'm truly sorry..."

It wasn't against my will, though.

But if we could just move past it like this, there was no ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠need to clear up the misunderstanding.

It would only work against me.

"Enough with the apologies. Let's eat."

"Okay..."

"By the way, did you learn to cook?"

"Oh, I've liked cooking since I was little... Does it taste weird..?"

"No. It's really good. Actually, could I get just half a bowl more?"

"Ah... sure! Give me your bowl!"

Wait a second.

I was pretty sure I'd said half a bowl, but this was something else entirely.

"Heehee~ There's plenty of rice! You can have more!"

"...Ah, okay."

Eat this and then have more?

No — can I even finish this?

This wasn't just a heaping bowl. It was like someone had flipped a second bowl of rice right on top of the first...

"Try this too."

"......"

She set spinach on top of the bulging mound of rice.

When I was little, my grandmother used to put side dishes on my rice just like this.

"Ah..! S-sorry! I'll take it off right away..."

Before the flustered Han Iseul could snatch the spinach away, I scooped up a big spoonful of rice and shoved it into my mouth.

Honestly, having someone do this for ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠me at my age felt a little awkward — but just now it had made me think of my grandmother, and that felt good.

But doing it again was a bit much, wasn't it?

"Would you... like to try this too..?"

"......"

I chewed the rice and spinach while staring at Han Iseul, who was holding out some stir-fried seaweed stems with her chopsticks.

"S-sorr—"

"Give it here."

"...Here..."

I held out my spoonful of rice, took the side dish, and put it straight into my mouth.

"Mmm~! Mmm~ Mm~"

"Does it taste okay..?"

I nodded instead of answering, and from then on various side dishes kept landing on top of my rice without pause.

So in the end, I ate it all.

All that rice.

"Ah... my stomach's about to burst..."

"I'm sorry.. I was so oblivious... I'll go buy you some digestive medicine!"

"It's fine. How about we take a walk instead?"

"A walk..?"

We headed outside to walk off the meal, strolling down the wooded path in front of the house.

Hardly anyone had been around during the day, but once evening fell, there were quite a few people out walking.

"Iseul."

"Yes??"

"Are you going to keep calling me Employer?"

"Then what should I..."

"Eunho, or..."

"I can't do that!"

"Whoa... Then how about Eunho oppa?"

"O-Oppa..?"

"I'm not forcing you. Anything's fine as long as it's not Master."

"......"

The way she addresses me will change gradually with time, I suppose.

More than that, I'm curious.

What kind of person is the one who's come to live under the same roof as me.

"What about your parents?"

"......"

"You don't have to answer if it makes you uncomfortable."

"Ah, no.. My dad went overseas for work... I don't know exactly what he does.. or which country he's in... And my mom is staying at my maternal grandmother's house with my little brother..."

"You have a little brother?"

"Yes.. He's a high school sophomore this year..."

"Why don't you live together?"

"Mom doesn't know I dropped out of school.... I lied and told her I was attending on a scholarship..."

That I can understand.

If she told her parents she was quitting college because the family finances had gotten hard, the guilt and regret they'd feel would only double.

"For a while I studied while working part-time to make money.. But trying to do both, my studying wasn't going well... So from then on I just focused on studying.. Thinking I'd pass before the money I'd saved ran out..."

"When did you leave college?"

"Before the second semester of my freshman year started..."

It's June now and she's twenty-two, so it's been almost two years.

It must have felt even longer given how hard it was, but she's held on bravely.

"So you've completely given up on art?"

"Yes.."

"Even if your circumstances allowed you to go back to college?"

"Yes.. I'm not particularly talented..."

"Then why did you paint?"

"I thought I was good at it.. But when things got hard, I could see it... That my paintings weren't better than anyone else's in any way.. That they were just ordinary..."

She's got a really good mindset.

In that situation, most people wouldn't look coldly at their own ability — they'd end up resenting their parents.

In a lot of ways, Han Iseul seems like a good person.

"Ahh~~ Now I'm starting to digest!"

I deliberately raised my voice to change the mood.

She wouldn't be able to study if she stayed depressed.

"Want some ice cream for dessert?"

"Ice cream..? You can still eat more..?"

"Of course~ All digested."

"Then I'll go get..."

"Race to the convenience store."

"Huh..?"

"Loser buys the ice cream."

"Ah..."

"Ready~"

"W-wait! I'm not ready yet...."

"Go!"

"That's not fair!!!!"

"Whoa... she's fast...."

The moment I made the starting sound, Han Iseul shot off and rapidly pulled away.

I'd originally planned to let her win, but actually losing and deliberately losing are two different things.

This was a matter of a man's pride.

"Halt, you!!!"

"Kyaaah!!!"

I ran like a madman.

Fortunately the convenience store was a fair distance away, so catching up to Han Iseul once she got tired midway wasn't that hard.

So I arrived first, opened the door, and waited.

"You're late? Go on in first."

"Hah..! Hah..! Hah..! Okay... then I'll buy the ice cream..."

"What are you talking about?"

"I lost, so..."

"Huh? Looks like Iseul went in first?"

"This is..."

"I lost, then. Pick whatever you want. As much as you want."

"Employer...."

I shrugged and tossed ice cream into the basket.

I also bought a ton of snacks to eat while studying.

"At least let me carry something!"

"This is the kind of thing guys are supposed to carry~"

"But...."

"And don't hold back — eat them. All of them within a week."

"A-all of this..??"

"Yes. If you don't eat them, I'll buy twice as much."

"If I eat it all... I'll get fat...."

"A little weight is fine. You'd still be pretty."

"......"

I leaned my face right up to Han Iseul, who was blushing and hanging her head again.

Sensing me close, she lifted her head, and when her eyes met mine right in front of her face, she froze solid — eyes wide, unable even to blink.

"......"

"You've probably heard you're pretty plenty of times. Why are you so flustered?"

"I-I haven't... heard that much..."

"Liar."

"It's true!"

"......"

"J-just a little...?"

"......"

"A-a few times... But not recently!"

I pulled my face back from the finally-admitting Han Iseul and spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Of course not. The way you were going around."

"Ah...."

"How about just ditching studying and becoming a celebrity?"

"What??"

"With bare-face looks like that, a little makeup would make you incredibly pretty."

"N-no..! Someone like me becoming a celebrity...."

"......"

"E-Employer..?"

I stared at Han Iseul with narrowed eyes.

Stared at her in a very pointed, uncomfortable way.

And then I said:

"Saying that with a face like yours hurts the person standing next to you."

"No! You're so handsome, Employer!"

"Bleh. First time I've heard that."

"Liar! You're tall and your face is hands—"

"......"

I'll grant that I'm reasonably tall.

But handsome?

No. I'm just average.

The kind of face that at least doesn't get called ugly wherever I go.

"No lip service."

"It's not... lip service..."

"Keep that up and I might get my hopes up? Don't."

"Okay."

Wow. Answering right away. That stings.

Having cleanly shut down the lip service, we headed home.

"Okay, now hand them over! I'll put everything away!"

"Sure. Here."

Han Iseul practically snatched the plastic bags from both my hands and started putting the ice cream in the freezer first.

Bzzzt!!! Bzzzt!!!

Is that a phone ringing?

"Iseul, is that your phone?"

"Ah..! Just let me take this and I'll finish putting things away!"

"It's not urgent, so take your time."

"Okay! Hello..? Yeah, Mom.. I'm a little busy right now.. I'll call you back in a bit...."

What's going on?

Clatter-clatter-

The plastic bag handles slipped from her fingers and the ice cream spilled out.

Then Han Iseul's voice reached me.

"I-Ichan is... in the hospital..."

"......"

Ichan — that must be the little brother she mentioned earlier?

Taking the KTX would have been faster, but she was shaking so hard I drove her myself.

We arrived at a university hospital in Busan.

"I-Ichan..! Ichan!!!"

"Iseul..."

"Mom! Where's Ichan?! Where is he!!!!"

"Hic.. sob.. He's in surgery right now... sob..."

"Ah...."

"Iseul!"

I barely caught Han Iseul as she nearly collapsed and sat her down in a chair.

Normally she would have thanked me first, but right now Han Iseul had no energy left to spare for me.

"What... happened..? Why is Ichan...."

"At school... with his friends... sob.. they said he got in a fight..."

"How bad of a fight does a kid need surgery for!!!!"

A fight bad enough for surgery?

No — it wouldn't have been a fight.

School violence.

Very likely group violence.

And it wouldn't have been just once.

The intensity would have escalated until they finally crossed the line.

"There she is!"

"Hey! Ichan's mom!"

"We need to talk!!"

They were clearly the perpetrators' parents.

Necks, ears, hands — dripping with big jewels.

Showing off.

I'm someone who lives this well.

I have power to match.

So cooperate accordingly.

They almost certainly had no intention of apologizing.

"What, calling the police over kids fighting a little?!"

"Are you out of your mind?!"

"Are you trying to ruin our kids' futures?!"

"Drop the charges and settle right now!"

"We said we'd cover the surgery costs and a settlement! And you stab us in the back like this?!"

Wow... I expected it, but this is beyond even that.

Are the things that flocked here even human?

"Kids fighting a little..? Five kids beating up one person! That's kids fighting a little?!!"

"One person or ten! If they hit each other, it's a fight!!"

"Yeah! Your kid wasn't the only one hurt! Ours got hurt too!!"

"Drop the charges. Then we'll drop ours too."

"Let's not make this bigger. The kids are at a critical age. So let's end it here."

"We'll give you money. How much do you want?!"

"Money...! You think money solves everything?! I will never settle! Never!!"

"This woman just won't stop..!!"

It wasn't my business, but I couldn't just stand by.

"There are other people here. Keep your voices down."

"Who the hell are you to butt in?!"

"If you're not involved, stay out of it!!"

"Some random stranger..!!"

"I am involved."

"How?!"

"Han Ichan is my brother-in-law."

"B-brother-in-law...?"

"Do I have the right to intervene now?"

"......"

Since there were other patients' guardians present, I drove the clueless middle-aged women out of the surgery waiting room.

"Um... brother-in-law... is Iseul perhaps..."

"......"

"I'm sorry. I'm not her boyfriend. I'm just a friend who knows Iseul. It looked like a difficult situation, so I rudely stepped in. I apologize."

"Ah, no..! Thank you.... They just wouldn't listen at all..."

"Iseul."

"Yes..?"

"Stay with your mother. I'll be right back."

"Wh-where..."

"They're claiming mutual assault. I want to see how badly they got hurt."

Fortunately they were admitted to the same hospital.

So I went straight up to their ward.

"Fuck, are we screwed? Haha~"

"That bastard's the one who's screwed. For surviving without dying. Next time ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠he'll have to get beaten until he actually dies~"

"Crazy bastard."

"Hey, but what if that bastard actually ends up disabled?"

"What are you worried about? My uncle's a judge~ If a judge says we're not guilty, what are those beggars gonna do?"

"True enough~"

"Hahahaha!"

"Hey, let's go smoke first. Fuck, the old farts kept hanging around so I haven't smoked in three hours — I'm dying."

They came out of the hospital room talking loudly for everyone to hear, and ran into me.

"What..."

"Why are you blocking the way, asshole."

"Hey, just go. He said we can't cause trouble right now."

"Fuck, lucky old bastard."

"Get out of the way! Unless you want to die!"

"......"

"Look at this punk, too scared to say a word."

"Hey. Cut it out and let's go. You got a problem with what I said?"

"Ah.. sorry.."

"Hey, let's go! Let's go!"

"Yeah~ Why fight among friends, man~"

"......"

For mutual assault, they look way too fine.

And good thing I still have this running.

Tap-

I turned off the phone ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠recorder I'd switched on from the moment those women came into the surgery waiting room and started making a scene, then made a call.

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

Violence for violence.

That's the way of the world.