The Reason I Lived So Hard
On Monday he took the job of moving materials at a construction site that was about to begin major work.
It was not a one-day job; it would last five full days. Combined morning and afternoon shifts paid one million won. The fact that Seong-min was earning a million-won daily wage meant the rest of the crew would each take home eight hundred thousand. The work was bound to be brutal. Still, Seong-min, Team Leader Jeong, Min-hyeok, and the others were all pleased.
Their bodies might ache and the labor might be punishing, but the pay made it worthwhile.
“Have a good day!”
“Yes, ma’am!”
With Hye-suk’s send-off, Seong-min headed out for work.
Ever since he had bought the car he no longer used public transit. He simply drove himself. Whenever a job site was too far for convenient public transport, he took Min-hyeok along; the return trip was the same. Today’s destination was a building under construction in Gangbuk—close enough that the subway would have been fine—so there was no need to bring Min-hyeok.
Everyone arrived on time. Min-hyeok too. Team Leader Jeong gathered the crew to go over the day’s work and the usual safety points. Since they already knew most of it, the briefing did not last long. Afterward they walked the building together, starting from the upper floors and working their way down, noting exactly where each load of materials had to go and how many pieces were required, then descended the stairs.
A ten-minute break, and the real work began.
Seong-min, who had been steadily leveling up and raising his stats, showed not the slightest strain even while hauling heavy tiles. The rest of the crew—and Min-hyeok especially—had grown far more seasoned than when they first started this kind of labor.
Work that began at eight-thirty, including the short rest periods, finished at noon. Because the contract was for five days rather than a fixed quantity, they knocked off the morning shift right on the hour. After an hour for lunch and rest they started again at one and worked until five. That was how they earned the million-won day rate.
For five straight days Seong-min reported to the same site and worked alongside the crew.
“Man, when we land a big job like this the volume is insane and it really wears you out—but doesn’t it feel amazing when it’s done?” Min-hyeok said, sounding thoroughly satisfied on the drive home.
“Just because of the money?”
“Well, yeah, seeing the cash hit the account is part of it… heh heh!”
Min-hyeok had taken eight hundred thousand a day, so his total for the week was four million—a hundred thousand less than Seong-min’s, yet still an impressive weekly haul.
“You ever think about getting a car?”
“A car?”
“You used to look pretty envious.”
“I did… Having my own wheels would be nice. I’ve been thinking about it.”
“If the price tag scares you, just look for something reasonable. We don’t only work inside Seoul, so a car would make life easier.”
Right now Seong-min was the one giving rides; if Min-hyeok had his own car, that would no longer be necessary.
“Actually, I’ve been thinking about a bed before a car.”
“A bed?”
“Yeah. We already moved, got a sofa and a TV… so I figured a proper bed would be nice next.”
“Including one for A-reum noona, of course?”
“Look at you—get a little closer to her and suddenly you’re looking out for her too… heh!”
“Want me to chip in?”
“No way! We’re both working—she has her job, I have mine. I can’t keep leaning on you for stuff like that. With the money coming in this week, she and I are going to pick out a decent bed together.”
“Do that. A-reum noona will love it.”
“While we’re on the subject, maybe we should go look tomorrow…”
Seong-min eased off the gas as they approached a red light and spoke again.
“Then let’s go around ten. I’ll come with you.”
“You too, hyung?”
“Yeah.”
“You sure?”
“Why wouldn’t I be? It’s for A-reum noona.”
“Whoa—that’s actually cool of you!”
“Shut up.”
Seong-min gave a short laugh and pulled away when the light changed.
“Noona’s gonna be so happy when she hears this!”
She probably will.
After dropping Min-hyeok off, Seong-min stopped by the Gym and then headed home.
“Furniture store tomorrow?”
“That’s the plan.”
“A bed really would be nice. While you’re there, pick out something good.”
“That’s the idea.”
“The money hits Monday?”
“Yeah, they said they’ll transfer it Monday.”
“Work’s been going so well lately—it’s good to see.”
“Heh. It really has.”
They ate a good dinner, talked, and shared a cup of coffee afterward. Seong-min took the good-luck charm from his wallet and unfolded it. On the faded paper a mischievous-looking boy stood with one hand on his hip, flashing a V-sign and grinning.
“What’s that…?” Hye-suk asked, lifting her cup as she sat beside him.
“A good-luck charm.”
“A good-luck charm?”
“Yeah.”
“It just looks like a drawing of a boy. The paper’s all yellowed—must be pretty old.”
“It’s special to me.”
“Is there a story behind it?”
Seong-min told her why he carried the charm. Hye-suk listened quietly the whole time.
“So the girl who was class president drew this and gave it to you herself?”
“That’s right.”
“Did you like her?”
When Seong-min looked at her, a gentle smile touched Hye-suk’s lips.
“Listening to you talk, that was the feeling I got.”
“…I did. She made me feel a lot of things.”
“Ah, so that was it.”
“What was?”
“I always thought it was admirable how brightly you lived even though you grew up an orphan. I used to wonder how you managed it… and now I know there was this story behind it.”
“If it hadn’t been for her, I think I’d be a very different person now.”
If he had grown up cold and indifferent, his personality—and maybe his whole life—would have turned out just as cold.
“You’ve kept that in your wallet all this time?”
“I have.”
“Then will you leave it with me for a day?”
“Huh?”
“It looks like a real treasure to you… I want to make it even nicer than it is now.”
“How?”
“You’ll see when you get it back.”
Hye-suk only smiled and refused to say more.
After they finished their coffee he stepped outside for a while. Ever since that night he had started smoking one or two cigarettes again, and the quiet time spent thinking while he smoked had grown longer.
“Hooo…”
The rain that had begun while he was at the Gym was still falling hard.
That night it poured just like this…
Not long after we buried Haengboki, the forecast called for heavy rain and I started to worry. I was afraid the little grave might wash away.
That night the rain finally came down hard. Too anxious to stay put, I grabbed an umbrella, pulled on rubber boots, and snuck out of the orphanage. It was late; we weren’t allowed outside after dark. But I was too worried to care.
I headed straight for the hill behind the neighborhood. It was dark and hard to see, yet once my eyes adjusted I could make out the path. The night was scary, but it wasn’t deep forest, so I reached Haengboki’s Grave quickly.
Up close the mound was soaked, yet it hadn’t washed away. I let out a breath of relief.
“I knew you’d come.”
A voice and a beam of light from behind me. I turned and saw the class president standing there in a raincoat, umbrella, boots, and a flashlight.
While I stared in surprise she came over and crouched beside me.
“Thank goodness… Haengboki’s okay.”
Then she looked at me and smiled.
“Right?”
I nodded.
Still, we couldn’t leave it like that. Following her suggestion we dug a little drainage ditch around the grave so the water would run off instead of washing the soil away. She had brought a black plastic bag along with the flashlight; inside was a small gardening trowel. She must have planned for this from the start.
“This should do it.”
“Yeah.”
Only then did I finally relax and nod again.
“You snuck out without the teachers knowing?”
I nodded.
“Actually, so did I.”
She smiled as she said it. In my eyes she looked so pretty.
“Just in case, let’s come back together after school tomorrow.”
“Is that okay?”
“Dummy. You’re not supposed to say ‘Is that okay?’ You’re supposed to say ‘Let’s do that.’”
“Let’s do that…”
I answered the way she told me to.
She looked down at Haengboki’s Grave again.
“I hope the rain stops soon.”
“Yeah…”
I stood beside her and looked down at the little mound too.
Thanks to the class president, Haengboki’s Grave stayed safe.
It’s really coming down hard…
After finishing the cigarette I stood watching the rain-swept night sky.
“Seong-min, it’s pouring—what are you doing out there?”
The front door opened and Hye-suk called out.
“Just having a smoke.”
“Come inside—it’s raining hard.”
“Okay.”
I watched the downpour a moment longer, then turned and went back into the house.