The Tale of Lee Soo-rim - Chapter 3
Kim Eun-hee smiled faintly.
“If there’s anything you don’t understand, feel free to contact me anytime by calling the number on my business card… Oh, and by the way, ma’am.”
“Yes?”
“According to the materials we received, your grandmother is registered as a dependent. Is that correct?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“You don’t live with your grandmother, do you?”
“No. My grandmother is having trouble with her health right now… She’s in a hospital in Daejeon.”
Kim Eun-hee tapped something on her tablet, nodding.
“Then there must be some support programs for your grandmother as well. I’m afraid I can’t answer that right here. I’ll look into it separately and get back to you.”
“Oh, thank you, Team Leader.”
I bowed my head.
If I could get support for my grandmother’s hospital bills, it would be a real blessing.
Kim Eun-hee, who had been entering data on the tablet, stepped out of the room for a moment to make a phone call. The room was just the kitchen right next to the front door, so “outside” was basically the kitchen.
When Kim Eun-hee, who had been explaining everything so diligently, disappeared, a brief silence settled over the place. I glanced at the documents I’d just received, then at Cheon Kang-woo.
He looked like he was in his late twenties, with a clean haircut and large-framed glasses. His posture was perfectly poised, like that of someone who’d risen quickly through the ranks among the new hires. It was mildly amusing.
Noticing my gaze, Cheon Kang-woo cleared his throat awkwardly and handed me a business card.
“Hello. I’m Cheon Kang-woo, a manager in the Rare Disease Management Division at the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, stationed at the Seoul Metropolitan Disease Response Center.”
“Oh, yes. Hello.”
I greeted him back.
Cheon Kang-woo gave an awkward cough.
“Our focus is on SCPRS research and response rather than support programs. I can only explain so much, but I’ll send you one link via text. Is that all right?”
“Um… What link?”
“A Band link that only SCPRS patients can join.”
Cheon Kang-woo sent the message.
A long link appeared with an invitation to join the Band.
The Band’s name was:
SCPRS Patient Communication Room: Jaegunchuk (Fun! Healthy! A Blessed New Life!)
…What was I supposed to do with this?
When I looked at Cheon Kang-woo, his expression grew even more awkward, and he coughed again, louder this time.
“It’s not my name. Someone else came up with it.”
“Who? Jaegunchuk.”
“It’s the center director’s… No, wait, I created it.”
“Your center director has great taste.”
Cheon Kang-woo’s ears turned slightly red. It was winter, yet he looked uncomfortably warm.
I chuckled and pointed at the screen.
“Still, do I really have to join?”
“It’s best if you do. We’ll use this channel to share support information and notices with patients. It’s recommended for anyone participating in our programs.”
“Support programs? What are they?”
“Once a month, you come in for a follow-up check-up and receive thirty thousand won each time.”
Oh…
Then I really should join right away. Jaegunchuk or Re-modeling—whatever it was.
I was about to click the join link when I paused.
Wait a second.
“Um, there’s something I’m curious about.”
“Yes, please go ahead.”
“I made my Naver, KakaoTalk, phone number, and bank accounts a long time ago. My personal information changed, though. Do I have to delete everything and sign up again?”
“No, that’s not necessary.”
Kim Eun-hee, who had just finished her call, chimed in from the side.
“It’s handled by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, but the resident registration number is already updated, right?”
“Yes.”
While I was hospitalized, my resident registration number had already been changed.
I still remembered how awkward it felt to show the updated resident registration card to the hospital. The photo taken on the spot was pasted right next to it, but the back number started with a 4 instead of 3.
“Then your credit and digital records should update automatically once verified.”
“Oh, so I don’t need to do anything else?”
“Yes. You just need to submit your gender correction documents and diagnosis certificate to the relevant institutions.”
Thank goodness. If I had to delete everything and start over, it would have been nightmare fuel.
After chatting a little longer, the time had already passed one o’clock in the afternoon.
“Then we’ll be going now.”
“Yes! Thank you so much for the information. I’m sorry for taking up your lunch break.”
“Not at all. We’re out all day today anyway. We’ll eat nearby. Oh my, is it still snowing?”
Kim Eun-hee opened the door and looked up at the sky. Snow was still falling.
“Snowfall has been heavy this year… Last year it was already warm by this time.”
“I know.”
I followed them out to glance at the sky, then shifted my gaze to the stairs leading down the alley.
It would be slippery. I shouldn’t go out today.
“Be careful when you go down. It’s extremely slippery.”
“Yes, I’ll be careful. Please take care of yourself too. If you fall, it could be serious, okay?”
“Yes, thank you! Have a safe journey!”
I watched them descend the stairs carefully, then closed the door.
They’d better get down safely.
I tidied up the empty drink bottle and pushed the piles of documents to one corner of the desk.
All right. Let’s think about what I need to do right away.
Submit the name correction application as instructed by Kim Eun-hee.
Apply for the emergency living stabilization benefits.
And… again…
Gurgle.
I’m hungry.
Is there anything to eat?
I opened the fridge. The lunchbox I bought yesterday was still there.
Right. I’d bought it last night thinking I’d eat it, but I’d been too tired to touch it.
I’d have to make do with this for lunch, and dinner could wait.
I took the lunchbox out and put it in the microwave.
When I reached for the start button, a KakaoTalk notification popped up.
[Jung Ha-neul: ]
[Jung Ha-neul: ]
[Jung Ha-neul: You still live near school?]
Eh?
It’s Ha-neul.
[Lee Soo-rim: ]
[Lee Soo-rim: Why?]
[Jung Ha-neul: I’m near school]
[Jung Ha-neul: Wanna meet for a bit?]
[Lee Soo-rim: Right now?]
…Right now?
[Jung Ha-neul: Yeah]
[Jung Ha-neul: If you haven’t eaten, at least eat something]
I’d read the messages but couldn’t reply.
Meet Ha-neul right now?
In this appearance?
[Lee Soo-rim: Where are you?]
[Jung Ha-neul: Heading to the side gate ]
The side gate was right near my place.
Less than five minutes from my door.
…Still, meeting him right away felt weird.
I hadn’t washed my face, and with snow falling, I wasn’t exactly dressed for it.
I opened the KakaoTalk window, typed “I’ll be out in a bit,” and then paused.
Why was I avoiding Ha-neul right now?
I was going to show him eventually anyway.
My changed appearance. Lee Soo-rim, the woman.
I’d just wash my face quickly and go out in this form.
[Lee Soo-rim: Just a quick wash and I’m coming]
[Jung Ha-neul: Go wash properly]
[Lee Soo-rim: ]
-
I washed my face simply, pulled my cap low over my head, and stepped outside.
Because my hair was shorter, I had to shorten the adjustment strap on my usual cap quite a bit to make it fit.
I hadn’t really grown my hair that much…
The snow had stopped, but white patches were everywhere. Still, if I slipped here, I’d end up hospitalized again, so I carefully made my way down the stairs.
The path from home to school was a gentle downhill.
Inside the school grounds it was a brutal slope, but the building had been built on a hill with the front entrance on the second basement floor and the back entrance on the first floor—hard to believe.
I walked on the side with less snow.
As I passed the familiar alley and approached the side gate, my heart grew calmer.
It was nothing special.
Meeting my old friend after a long time.
He’d said he was near school, so we could just grab lunch and leave.
No big deal. No strange meeting.
The only thing that had changed was that I was now a woman.
Or rather, even that wasn’t strange.
It wasn’t some imaginary disease. It was a real illness that existed in the world.
It wasn’t just that I caught a bad disease and my appearance changed; it happened to many people with various illnesses, including TS disease.
So if someone couldn’t accept my changed form,
it was their fault, not mine.
And whether they accepted it or not, it was none of my concern.
I was me.
…But Ha-neul, seeing me like this.
If only…
[KakaoTalk!]
[Jung Ha-neul: ]
[Jung Ha-neul: I’m here]
The walk from my door to the side gate was unbearably short.
I’d only left the house five minutes ago, yet the side gate was already in sight.
And there stood Ha-neul in front of it.
Ha-neul looked exactly as I remembered.
Tall, with a cool face.
Slightly muscular build visible even under his padded jacket.
That awkward standing posture was exactly the same as I remembered.
Like the version from the dream I’d had that morning.
—Lie.
—It’s not Soo-rim.
I froze in place.
Right now, standing in front of the reachable Ha-neul, why was the Ha-neul from my dream suddenly flashing through my mind?
[Lee Soo-rim: I’m here too]
[Jung Ha-neul: Eh]
[Jung Ha-neul: ]
Ha-neul looked up and scanned the surroundings.
Even though it was winter break and past lunch, not many people were around the side gate.
But Jung Ha-neul didn’t seem to notice me.
He glanced at me for a moment, then turned his head away with a completely indifferent expression.
He was probably looking for someone else. Unconsciously, imagining my old self.
Me, the man.
I walked up to him.
Ha-neul, who had been glancing around searching for me, stared at the strange woman standing in front of him with a slightly puzzled look.
Seeing that, a flicker of irritation rose in me.
Hey, you should know this much, right?
“Hey, long time no see?”
I spoke, but Ha-neul still frowned.
“…Who are you? I don’t know you.”
Of course I do.
I’m the Soo-rim you’re looking for.
“It’s me.”
Soo-rim.