Chapter 78
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 78
The first person to greet me as I stepped out of the consultation room was Eun-ah, who had been waiting right outside the door.
The moment the door opened, she whipped her head around to find me. A beaming smile spread across her face as she threw herself into my arms. As I hugged her back, she began to pout.
“Y-You promised you’d be quick...!”
She tilted her head up, her eyes sulking and her lower lip jutting out.
A small smile touched my lips. With a gentle laugh, I apologized.
“Sorry. I’m a little late.”
I said, patting her on the back for a moment.
“Ahem...!”
The sound of someone clearing their throat made me turn my head. I saw a nurse, her face a mask of discomfort, and other patients stealing glances at Eun-ah and me.
A wave of embarrassment washed over me, and I flinched. I gently pulled away from her, took her hand, and started walking quickly.
Ugh...
Had our constant displays of affection at home become such a habit that I’d forgotten we were in public?
I walked quickly, driven by a mix of shame and awkwardness. The moment we stepped outside the hospital wing, the cold midwinter air swept over us. I instinctively hunched my shoulders against the wind before turning to Eun-ah, whose hand was still in mine.
“Should we go get something to eat now?”
“Yes...!”
She seemed to be in a good mood, perhaps relieved that everything was finished. Her face was even brighter than when we’d first set out. I laughed at her enthusiastic nod and, just as I had on the way here, tucked our joined hands into my coat pocket as we started walking.
I found myself smiling again at her strange fixation on the colors of the paving stones, just like before. We huddled closer together against the biting cold. When we reached the parking lot and got in the car, I spoke to her.
“So, yukhoe [Korean beef tartare], like we talked about? Or is there something else you’d rather have?”
“Y-Yukhoe...!”
She answered without a moment’s hesitation. I nodded, entered the destination into the navigation system, and started driving.
About a twenty-minute drive.
We arrived in a downtown area not far from the office where I used to work.
Tall buildings were plastered with flashing neon signs, and below them, people in suits hurried back and forth.
It must have been the evening rush hour. The streets were a sea of people, with office workers gathering in small groups to grab dinner or head out for company gatherings. The sight was captivating.
This place hasn’t changed.
No, of course it hasn’t changed.
It felt like a very long time had passed, but my captivity had only just exceeded a month.
As I was staring blankly at the street, lost in that sudden thought...
“H-Honeybee-nim...”
A tug on my collar made me turn. I saw Eun-ah looking up at me, her face slowly filling with anxiety.
Her eyes trembled, darting between me and the ground. Every time someone passed by, she pressed herself tightly against me.
Ah.
The crowd must be making her anxious.
I moved the hand that was holding hers and wrapped my arm around her shoulder, pulling her close. Then, I forced a smile and spoke.
“It’s so crowded. We should hurry up and get to the restaurant.”
“Mhm...”
She gave a small nod.
At that, I quickened my pace and started moving through the crowd.
After walking for maybe three minutes, we finally reached our destination. I got on the elevator, pressed the button for the eighth floor, and checked on her.
With no one else around, her breathing finally began to steady.
I let out a sigh of relief and asked if she was okay.
“Yes...!” she said with a small nod.
I smiled at her response. The elevator arrived at the eighth floor, and we stepped out into the restaurant. As we were being led to a private room, I ran into someone unexpected.
“Assistant Manager Chae?”
“Department Head Han?”
My old boss, Department Head Han.
He was just leaving a room with his arm around Myeong-dae, my former junior colleague, when he spotted me and called out.
Ah, I sighed inwardly. But then it occurred to me that it wasn't so strange to run into him here; after all, he was the one who had recommended this place to me in the first place. Accepting this, I greeted him.
“It’s been a while. Have you been well?”
“I’ve been fine. But I heard you were sick, Assistant Manager Chae...”
He looked me up and down as he spoke. I flinched slightly before forcing an awkward smile and replying.
“I’m feeling a little better, so I came out for some fresh air.”
“Oh? Was it something serious?”
His expression held a hint of concern.
I was slightly touched that someone was worried about me, and I replied with a smile.
“Yeah, well, it’s not too bad.”
“Take care of yourself. When you get older, health is everything.”
“Yes, I’ll give you a call once I’m fully recovered. I owe you a drink... but I can’t drink right now.”
I offered the pleasantry, hoping to end the conversation. Department Head Han let out a hearty laugh and nodded.
“Right, and... who’s this next to you? Your girlfriend?”
Just when I was feeling relieved that he was about to leave, Department Head Han finally noticed Eun-ah, who was hiding behind me and peeking out. Here we go again, I thought, forcing another awkward smile as I nodded.
“Ah, yes. Eun-ah-ssi, please say hello. This is the department head who helped me the most when I was at the company.”
At my words, she mumbled, “G-Girlfriend...” while fidgeting with her fingers. Her face flushed slightly as she gave Department Head Han a small bow.
Department Head Han let out another hearty laugh and greeted Eun-ah. Then, saying he had to get going, he leaned in and whispered something in my ear before leaving.
“Assistant Manager Chae, remember this: romance is most beautiful when it’s still just romance.”
I watched Department Head Han leave after saying his piece, along with Myeong-dae, who had been trapped with him until now. Myeong-dae waved at me, and I waved back, watching their retreating figures as they left the restaurant.
Should I call them consistent? From their entrance to their exit, they hadn’t changed one bit.
I lingered for a moment in that strange mix of annoyance and nostalgia. Then, noticing Eun-ah was showing signs of wanting to go inside, I took her hand and led her into the private room we’d been assigned.
The room had a low table with floor seating, so we had to take off our shoes.
I took off my shoes and sat down at the table. When Eun-ah followed and sat right next to me, I felt a little awkward and spoke up.
“Um, Eun-ah-ssi...?”
“Yes...?”
She tilted her head, as if she didn’t understand what the problem was.
The staff will think it’s weird if we sit side-by-side like this, I thought. But then again... Hmm, does it really matter? It’s not like we’ll ever see them again. I shook my head, dismissing the thought, and came up with an answer.
“Ah, I’m just eager to eat.”
“Hehe...”
She giggled at my flimsy excuse. We started working our way through the side dishes as they came out, and before long, the main course arrived.
The yukhoe, beautifully plated and looking delicious.
A drink would be perfect right now.
Looking at it, I smacked my lips, thinking I would have definitely ordered a drink if I hadn't driven. I glanced at Eun-ah sitting next to me, happily chewing her food, and let out a small laugh.
“How is it?”
“I-It’s delicious...”
She answered, her eyes sparkling.
I felt another chuckle escape me as I replied.
“It’s my treat today, so eat as much as you want. You work so hard making meals for me every day.”
At my words, Eun-ah’s face flushed slightly, and she lowered her head as she replied.
“B-But I like doing it...”
She fidgeted with her fingertips, looking shy.
I felt another smile slip through my teeth as we continued our meal.
*
A few more days passed after our trip to the hospital, and it was the first day of the new year.
“H-Honeybee-nim...!”
Her voice woke me from my sleep. I slowly opened my eyes to see Eun-ah shaking me.
She looked incredibly excited about something.
Then I remembered. Ah, the sunrise. I recalled the promise we’d made and slowly sat up.
“Ugh... Good morning.”
I mumbled, my face still heavy with sleep. Eun-ah nodded and urged me on.
“L-Let’s go, quickly...!”
I studied her expression as she spoke.
Her eyes, sparkling as if she wasn't tired at all. The corners of her mouth twitching upwards in a smile. Her shoulders bouncing with impatience.
Watching her, I felt a chuckle escape me and patted her on the head.
“You’re right. We’d better hurry if we want to see the sunrise.”
“Mhm...!”
Hearing her reply, I rubbed my face to wipe away the sleepiness, got out of bed, grabbed my coat, and headed out to the garden with her.
I didn’t have a clock, so I didn’t know the exact time, but the sky was still dark, so it seemed we had a little while before sunrise.
As I was thinking this while looking at the sky, I suddenly remembered something I had overlooked until now.
Come to think of it...
Is it really okay to let her recognize dates like this?
Making plans for a specific day was an act that made one aware of the passage of time.
At a time when Go Eun-chae hadn’t completely receded, was this really the right thing to do?
Just as I began to ponder that thought...
“H-Honeybee-nim.”
Her voice broke me out of my thoughts.
I turned at her call and saw she’d brought out a thermos and a blanket. I let out a small laugh.
“You’re well-prepared.”
“Hehe...”
She giggled at the compliment. Then she led me to a rocking chair in a corner of the garden, sat me down, and then settled herself on my lap.
“The sun should be up s-soon...!”
“Looks like it...”
Is it the new year already? So I’m finally thirty-two.
I felt a small sense of emptiness. As the cold began to seep into my bones, I took the blanket Eun-ah had brought, draped it over my shoulders, and then spread it wide to wrap around her as well. I stared blankly at the sky.
The city sky was a pitch-black canvas, showing no stars.
The occasional satellite and the lonely moon shining by itself only seemed to emphasize the silence. I felt a sense of dazed emptiness for a moment.
“I-It’s rising...!”
Following her excited tone, I lowered my gaze and saw a thin yellow line peeking out from behind the rugged mountain range.
“You’re right. It’s rising.”
I replied absently, then fell silent and simply watched the scene unfold.
Very slowly, the yellow line that had peeked out from under the deep indigo sky began to swell with a wavering motion, awakening the dawn.
The surroundings, which had been shrouded in the darkness of night, began to reveal their own colors in the rising light. Dewdrops clinging to the tips of tree branches caught that faint light, reflecting it in a delicate, precarious sparkle.
Looking at that, I raised my head again to see that the line had become a wave, surging and cresting as if grappling with the indigo sky.
As I watched the sight in a daze, I shifted my gaze to Eun-ah, who had been watching alongside me, and spoke.
“Eun-ah-ssi.”
“Yes...?”
She turned her head toward me, her face still entranced.
I felt a small smile emerge as I spoke to her.
“Let’s have a good year together.”
At my words, a gentle smile bloomed on her face, and she nodded emphatically as she replied.
“Mhm...! Y-You too, Honeybee-nim... L-Let’s have a good year...!”
She replied with a bashful smile. I pulled her into another tight hug, feeling her heart thumping against me, and a smile formed on my lips.
Please, this year and the next.
Hoping we would watch the sunrise together again, I held her close once more.