Chapter 107
Chapter 107
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 107
Chapter Title: Chaotic Spring (2)
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The hospital doctor looked at Grandma lying unconscious on the hospital bed and spoke.
"She's had a stroke. You got her here just in time, or it could've been much worse. She should stay admitted for the time being. And..."
The doctor glanced at the kids before leaning in to whisper carefully into my ear.
After hearing the doctor's sincere diagnosis, I nodded faintly.
"...I see. Thank you."
I bowed my head toward the doctor to express my gratitude.
Fortunately, Grandma seemed to have stabilized.
"You got her here just in time. Good job, Suryun."
Suryun was the first to notice Grandma and calmly explained the situation.
It was fair to say she'd handled it almost perfectly.
Suryun quietly savored the head pat while looking at Grandma and asked,
"What happened to that human called Grandma's brain?"
"Yeah, simply put, it's like the middle of a straw suddenly burst and water leaked out."
"Hmm, I see."
Suryun looked curiously at Grandma lying on the bed.
"She must have eaten vegetables infused with our magic power too. And yet, a human body still has problems."
"Yeah."
"Hmm."
Suryun furrowed her brow, clearly displeased with the situation.
I felt the same way as Suryun.
'Dragon magic power is supposed to be good for the body... I never imagined Grandma would have health issues...'
I'd always thought she was healthy because of her rough speech.
To suddenly collapse from a cerebral hemorrhage.
I pulled out my smartphone and texted Grandma and her closest neighbor, Gu Bong-gu, then sent one to the Association Chairman.
'He's spent more years living with dragons than I have. Maybe the Chairman knows about health effects like this?'
Ding-
About ten minutes after texting the Chairman, I got a reply.
[Perverted Chairman (My Daughter Will Ignore Any Messages)]
[As you said, being around dragon magic power is good for your health. Absorbing it daily like us makes your body stronger too. But if it's not something you consume every day, it can't be a cure-all. Especially for the elderly. Growing kids and young adults absorb external magic power well. But middle-aged and elderly people absorb it slowly, so the effects are weaker. Got it? If you're grateful, send me some photos of your dragons.]
"Give me a break. Why would I send him pictures of my daughters?"
I ignored the last line.
I sent a quick thank-you text to the Chairman.
Still, I was satisfied to learn something I hadn't known before.
'People who've already lived their lifespan can't benefit much.'
To strengthen your body with dragon magic power, you need long-term exposure.
Not everyone can end up like me, apparently.
I pocketed my smartphone with its new info and looked around.
The dragon kids were sitting near Grandma's bed.
"What have you all been up to?"
"Just watching Grandma! The food she made was so tasty!"
Sometimes,
Grandma would visit our place, saying she'd made too many side dishes.
She'd always stock our fridge with basics like kimchi and seasoned vegetables.
'Choryun especially loved those vegetable sides.'
Maybe that's why.
Choryun was holding Mangmung close to her chest, looking depressed.
"She needs to stay healthy... Humans can't help getting like this as they age, can they, Father...?"
Dragons age by shedding skin and such processes to live on.
But humans age and slowly approach death.
That difference is just the natural flow.
"Father will get old someday too... and end up like Grandma...? That would be so sad..."
"What are you worrying about, Choryun? Dad's still full of vigor."
She was thinking unnecessary thoughts.
I stroked the gloomy Choryun's head.
Choryun just stared at Grandma's wrinkled hand lying still on the bed.
Then,
"Ugh... ughhh..."
"Grandma. Are you coming to?"
"Oh dear... where am I...?"
Grandma on the bed began slowly regaining consciousness.
I stopped her from sitting up and laid her back down.
"Just rest lying down. The doctor said it's a cerebral hemorrhage. You collapsed on the stairs, so we brought you to the hospital."
"Ah, looks like I've finally reached my age. Getting in the way because of some useless illness."
Grandma let out a hollow laugh and lay back comfortably.
Then she slowly turned her head to look at me.
"Thanks for bringing me. You rotten guy who never even paid rent. But you've turned into a decent person, saving me."
"...There are kids here. Why bring up the past?"
"To hear that from your mouth. What a long life I've lived."
She let out a weak chuckle.
At that sight, the dragon kids spoke up.
"Hmph, Grandma's weak! Don't tease Dad!"
"I'm curious about the past stories. Tell us more, Grandma."
"Don't talk to Grandma, everyone! She needs to rest!"
The dragon kids each reacted differently.
The hospital room was getting noisy, so I pulled them up from their chairs.
"Alright, everyone out to the lobby and wait. No making a fuss here."
"No way! I wanna stay here!"
"Quiet. Go wait nicely. You're bothering Grandma."
I told them to wait in the lobby.
Then I closed the hospital room door.
Only then did the room regain its peace.
"Finally, some quiet."
I sighed in relief and sat back down beside Grandma.
With a serious expression, I asked,
"Grandma."
"What, you rotten punk."
"Cancer. How far along is it?"
"...Tch, the doctor must've blabbed unnecessarily."
Grandma sighed and spoke lightly.
"Not much time left. They say death is coming soon."
"...Does Gu Bong-gu know?"
"More or less. He knows I have cancer."
"...Treatment?"
"Nope. This body's lived out its years anyway. Die from old age or cancer, same difference."
"..."
Chemo might buy a little more time.
But Grandma didn't seem to want to end her days hooked up in a hospital.
'Even Gu Bong-gu couldn't talk her out of it.'
Grandma's stubborn personality couldn't be changed.
No one could stop her.
Grandma looked at me seriously and said,
"Now that it's come to this, I'm thinking of preparing to leave. Gotta hand the villa over to someone else."
"No way...?"
"Not you, Lee Ha-jun."
"...Wasn't expecting it anyway."
Truth be told, I had hoped a little.
But the villa's owner was pretty much decided anyway.
"Gonna give it to Gu Bong-gu?"
"Yeah, it'll help him run the kindergarten more. But that doesn't mean I'm giving you nothing."
Grandma looked straight into my eyes and said,
"You're lucky you're raising kids. You rotten punk."
"Why curse again, Grandma?"
"Once your kids graduate kindergarten, you'll leave 09 District, right?"
Leaving 09 District.
That was set in stone.
No elementary schools nearby, not a good environment for kids to grow up.
I answered Grandma honestly.
"Yeah, we're leaving. Saving up money too, so things are a bit tight lately."
"Then live in my house after I go."
"What?"
"The 6th floor is two studio apartments combined. It'll be spacious and nice until you move."
"Grandma..."
I hadn't expected Grandma to look out for me like this.
Probably because I'm raising kids.
I felt a bit touched, my eyes growing moist.
"If you weren't raising kids, I wouldn't give you a single bean. Doing it for the poor things. Got it?"
"...Got it. Thanks, Grandma."
"Yeah, it's the house your Grandpa and I lived in together. Don't wreck it, keep it clean."
Grandma shooed me out after saying that.
"Now scram. I wanna rest."
She pushed me out with her hand.
I reluctantly left the room, then noticed my bare feet, which I'd ignored until now.
"Didn't even notice my slippers came off midway."
Did Grandma see these bare feet too?
It made the gift feel too generous.
Memories with Grandma flooded my mind as I headed to the lobby where the kids were.
"...Kids. Let's go home."
The kids looked at me and widened their eyes.
"What? Dad's eyes are all misty!"
"Hmm, looks salty."
"Huh, were you crying, Father?"
I wasn't crying.
I turned my head slightly and said,
"Quiet and let's go home quick."
Grandma didn't have much time left.
But I thought it'd be nice to make good memories in the time she had.
***
Grandma finished her hospital stay, went home, and immediately left on a trip.
When I asked where she was going with her bad health, she answered simply.
"Gonna go where your Grandpa and I went together. Take care of the house."
For nostalgic places.
Grandma left the home she'd shared her whole life for a long trip.
Soon after, news came that Grandma had passed away.
I had to attend her funeral with the kids.
"What's this, Dad? Everyone's wearing super dark clothes!"
"Stay still, Hwaryun. No running around here. Absolutely not."
The funeral maintained a serious and solemn atmosphere.
Hwaryun didn't grasp it at first but figured out she had to be quiet.
Kids wouldn't understand anyway.
'Rather, it'd be weird if they did.'
Even Suryun and Choryun, sitting quietly with mouths shut, probably didn't get it.
They were still too young.
Grandma's funeral ended with many people who'd received her help in attendance.
Suryun watched the whole process quietly and then spoke softly.
"Dragons build memories in their nest over a lifetime. But humans are different. They leave homes full of memories to chase other memories, traveling to places. Dad, do all humans do that?"
"Not all. Some meet death at home, others leave like Grandma."
"Hmm, I see."
Suryun took in the funeral attendees with serious eyes.
Choryun mumbled in a slightly teary voice,
"I want Father... to live with us a long, long time..."
"I told you I'll live long."
Choryun shook her head earnestly.
"Not that... I mean forever... like us dragons, forever..."
"Here we go again."
I sighed and stroked Choryun's head wordlessly.
As we left the funeral hall, I said to the kids,
"We have to keep the new house clean. It's the last thing Grandma left us."
The kids nodded silently.
With the new season starting, the dragons had lost a close neighbor.
They didn't seem to fully grasp death yet, but maybe later they'd realize it through experience.
'I wish they never had to know.'
But they'd figure it out eventually.
I'd die someday too.
I didn't know when I'd go, but I just prayed the kids would grow up right before then.