Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: What!?!!?!?
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What~!?!!?!?
I was at a loss for words.
Behind her smile, so bright it stung the eyes, lay a profound sadness.
It made my chest ache with heaviness.
More than her proposal of marriage, it was the way she so calmly spoke of how little time she had left in her life that confused me even more.
I steadied my shaky breath for a moment.
Then, with a somewhat serious tone, I looked straight into her red eyes and asked.
"...Are you serious, Lily?"
To my question, Lily answered without hesitation, a smile playing on her lips.
"Yes! I'm serious. I want to help Hoon!"
She clasped her small hands together and continued.
"I've... always just been receiving from you. You make me delicious food, bring me what I need... and even become my friend like this. So... when something tough happens to you, I wanted to do something for you too. I'm happy that I... can be helpful to you."
There wasn't a shred of falsehood or pretense in her voice.
It was filled only with pure sincerity toward me.
Before that sincerity, I found myself speechless once again.
"For now... let me think about it, Lily."
To my response, Lily showed no sign of disappointment. Instead, she smiled brightly and said.
"Okay! I'm welcome anytime if it's something that helps you. Oh! And if you ever find a woman you truly love later, I'll send you off with a smile. Don't worry too much."
......For some reason, in Lily's demeanor as she said that.
That petite woman looked stronger than anyone else in the world.
Because she always smiled and chattered brightly when she was with me, I hadn't properly seen the shadow cast over her inner self. Or rather, I had consciously chosen not to see it.
In truth, I had known.
That people with albinism have a shorter average lifespan.
That's why I had gone out of my way to find and make foods that were good for her.
But seeing her talk about her own death so casually, with a smile.
It was clear she had long since resigned herself to death in her heart.
For a moment, I felt tears welling up uncontrollably.
I barely suppressed the hot emotions rising to my chin.
We hadn't known each other long.
It had definitely started with pity.
But before I knew it, this girl had burrowed deep into my heart.
Why?
Lily had never once hidden her feelings from me when we were together.
Without any pretense, she showed only her honest emotions in the moment.
I had unknowingly been drawn in by that unadulterated purity.
What can I say...
Lily thought I was helping her, but in reality, it was the opposite.
Her unstained innocence was healing the loneliness and stress I felt in this unfamiliar American land.
The one who had truly been helped... was me.
Today, Lily's wrinkle-free, radiantly innocent smile.
Looked unbearably beautiful.
Her resilience in calmly accepting her own sorrow while knowing how to comfort others.
Felt like light itself.
Maybe that's why.
Before I knew it, I pulled her small body into my arms and held her.
Lily, snugly enveloped in my embrace, froze in surprise for a moment.
Then, in a very small voice, she whispered into my ear.
"Hoon...? Did something happen? Is it something tough?"
As she spoke, still held in my arms, her small hand began to pat my back.
Very gently, slowly.
"......Hang in there."
Those words.
Her warm comfort crumbled the dam of all the emotions I had forcibly suppressed.
I could no longer hold back. Burying my face in her shoulder, I sobbed quietly.
In the dark living room echoed only my stifled sobs breaking out,
and the soft patting sounds from Lily's small hand, holding me gently like a mother.
"Hehe, Hoon's eyes are red too!"
After crying for a while, I calmed down a bit.
Ah... Now that I've cried, I suddenly feel embarrassed.
They say a man cries only three times in his life, and I couldn't hold back.
Lily looked at my face and giggled like a child, pointing out my red eyes.
She said it was her first time seeing a man cry.
Ah, my pride hurts.
For whatever reason, Lily bounced around the living room laughing gleefully.
At that sight, I couldn't help but chuckle.
"Lily, stop running around. It's dizzying."
"Hehehe! I've seen so many funny things today, I'm excited!"
Her childlike demeanor. Due to her lack of social skills, every action felt innocent like a kid's.
"Lily."
"Hm? Why are you calling me, Hoon?"
When I called, she quickly trotted over to my side and grinned.
At that, a fatherly smile naturally formed on my face.
I cautiously asked.
"Have you ever... tried treatment for albinism?"
To my question, Lily tilted her head for a moment.
"Hm... No? When I was little, Mom said treatment is really painful. But in the end, they couldn't find a way."
Lily gazed into the distance for a bit and continued.
"I don't remember the details... but Mom cried and said not to get treatment, just live without pain, comfortably. As long as I don't go out in the daytime, it wouldn't be a big problem..."
Her words sparked various thoughts in me.
Of course, I knew modern medicine still had no cure for albinism.
Lily's mother must have felt like a patient with a terminal illness entering hospice, preparing for the end.
If it couldn't be cured anyway, instead of painful treatment, just accept fate and live the remaining time comfortably.
What must it have felt like for her to say that to her young daughter?
Twitch.
Something inside me began to stir again.
Ah, I want to rage quit fate.
I felt an intense urge to defy the destiny I was supposed to accept.
Ah, God, go fuck yourself.
"Lily!"
I shot to my feet.
Startled by my sudden movement, Lily looked surprised.
"Huh? What's wrong all of a sudden, Hoon?"
I grinned and said.
Without hesitation, I dropped to one knee before her.
At my unexpected action, Lily asked, looking quite flustered.
"Wh... why are you kneeling? Did I... do something wrong?"
"No!!"
I looked straight into her eyes and said firmly.
"Lily, marry me!"
"Hic!"
At my words, Lily hiccuped in surprise.
"M-Marr... riage? Hic! Hic!"
Now that I was actually kneeling and proposing, she seemed genuinely shocked.
I met her gaze and repeated in the softest voice I could muster.
"Yes. I... want to see you happy, Lily. What do you say? Will you marry me?"
At my heartfelt words, Lily's crystalline crimson eyes trembled.
A moment later, the brightest smile in the world bloomed on her face.
"Yes!! Let's get married!"
And so.
Just a little over a year after my divorce.
I gained a new wife.
Ah.
Thinking about it again, that was so damn lame.
Proposing without even a ring!
Lily... I was her first man.
And a blank slate of a woman who didn't even know the concept of a proposal.
To a girl like that, what's the point of just kneeling coolly! Without a ring!
Uwaaaah!!
I ruined Lily's first proposal!
I pounded the pillow in fury.
Recalling the situation made me too embarrassed.
How did it go?
Lily was grinning from ear to ear, clearly delighted.
"What's got you so happy?"
"Hehe, I'm so glad Hoon will be with me till the end~ I won't be lonely."
Haha... how can she say something like that so casually?
A modest joy that only someone who had accepted everything could have.
Just being happy that she now had someone to spend her last moments with.
Normally, people say things like 'let's grow old together' or 'live happily forever' as lovers' whispers.
But 'someone to share the end with'...
Death is something every human must face, but at too young an age to speak of it.
In her nonchalant acceptance of death, I felt a deep sense of dissonance.
"Lily."
"Hm?"
"I'll stay with you until the end. But can you make me one promise?"
"Really!? What is it? I'll do anything you say, Hoon! Hehe!"
I looked at her with serious eyes and said.
"......I'll do everything I can, so let's fight this albinism together. I don't want to just sit by and watch you die without trying anything. I want to stay by your side for a long, long time. How about it? Promise me you'll try for treatment?"
At my words, Lily looked dazed for a moment.
"....But Mom said to live comfortably..."
Lily fidgeted, unsure what to do.
I gently stroked her head and met her eyes.
Her crimson eyes were filled with confusion.
"Don't you want to be with me for a long time?"
"....No... I like Hoon. I want to see you for a long time... but..."
I softly cut off Lily, who couldn't continue.
"From now on, I'm your husband and head of the household. You're my wife. So you have to listen to your husband. I'll find a way to save you, and we'll live together a long, long time."
At my firm words, Lily looked at me for a moment, then nodded slightly.
"......Okay. Mom taught me a wife follows her husband's words. I'll do it, Hoon. I'll try to live long... Thank you for marrying someone like me."
At those words, I couldn't hold back anymore.
I cupped her face and lightly kissed her small lips.
Lily's red eyes widened in shock.
And slowly,
very slowly,
Lily's eyes closed.
"Madam Choi, thank you for another delicious meal today."
"Ho ho. Yes, Minister. Take care on your way back~"
Choi Mi-hee, dressed in elegant modernized hanbok,
politely saw off the last guest, the Minister of Land.
8 PM.
It was time for 'Quiet Conversation House' to close.
"Choi."
"Yes, Madam."
The employee Choi responded politely to her call.
"Wrap things up, and I'll be having tea in the pavilion by the private room, so let me know when you're done."
"Yes, Madam."
'The moon is especially bright tonight.'
Madam Choi sat in the serene pavilion next to the private room and took a sip of hot ginger tea.
In the crystal-clear night sky, a large, round full moon shone brilliantly.
She gazed at the moon, lost in deep thought.
"Sigh..."
But for some reason, sighs kept escaping her lips.
'What on earth is that rascal doing... No word if he's alive or dead?'
The sharp scent of ginger tea lingered at her nose.
Then.
Bzzz—
Her cellphone rang.
'Hm...? International call? Is it Ji-hoon? This kid's no better.'
A small smile tugged at Madam Choi's lips.
She answered with a voice mixed with joy and reproach.
"Hello? Is this Ji-hoon? It's been ages since you went to America, and you're only calling now! Good grief, even my own son is beyond me."
To her grumbling, her son's cheerful laughter came through the receiver.
[Ah, Mom. Sorry. I've been so busy, I couldn't help it.]
"Really? How's business?"
[Of course~ I even expanded the shop, and customers are overwhelming. Too many.]
At her son's spirited voice, Madam Choi inwardly sighed in relief.
"Even so! No call at all, how worried do you think your parents are! So, when are you coming back to Korea?"
To Madam Choi's question, her son's voice sounded puzzled over the phone.
[Huh? Why would I go to Korea?]
"Hm? You said you come sometimes. You won't come back at all?"
[Well... if there's reason to, I will. Ah! Mom, good news!]
'Go... good news?'
Suddenly, a chill of unease crept up Madam Choi's spine.
It was because every time her second son Ji-hoon said he had 'good news' in the past,
something shocking always followed.
"What...? What good news...?"
[Ah! Well, Mom. I'm getting married.]
Her son dropped the bomb so nonchalantly.
[You and Dad will have to come to America.]
Madam Choi stared blankly into space for a moment.
Her mind went blank white, thoughts halting briefly.
And the next instant.
"What~!?!!?!?"
Her shocked scream echoed into the quiet night sky of Bukchon, under the bright full moonlight.