The Weight of a Life
"Dare."
The moment that single, clipped word fell, the oppressive, murky energy weighing down the room was instantly upended. The stifling sensation that had been choking his throat vanished, and the biting chill that had been swirling about dissipated in a heartbeat. The malevolent flow that had been clinging to the master bedroom until just moments ago was swiftly pushed back. Park Jihun strode inside with heavy, purposeful steps.
"Where do you think you are?"
Once again, his voice dropped, low and resolute. At that instant, the wicked energy that had been dug deep into the master bedroom faltered as if it had lost its strength, and then, without a trace, it scattered into nothingness.
"Ugh."
The backlash came a beat too late. His vision blurred violently. The inside of his temples throbbed, and a sharp, stabbing pain pierced through them as if someone were driving an awl into his head. The strength drained from his entire body. His forehead was burning like a furnace, and his breathing grew slightly ragged. Staggering, Park Jihun reached out to the wall to steady himself.
"Jihun!"
His mother approached with a look of alarm. "What's wrong? Are you hurt?"
Park Jihun gritted his teeth and slowly pulled himself upright. "I'm fine."
He said the words, but he was far from fine. His ears were ringing, and the edges of his vision were still trembling faintly. Above all, the senses that had been so clearly opened until just a moment ago were rapidly shutting down. It seemed his Shinan would not open again for the rest of the day.
Park Jihun let out a long breath and scanned the house. It was completely different from before. When he had first opened the door and stepped inside, it had been a house that took his breath away. The master bedroom, in particular, had been murky, as if black water were pooling there. But not anymore. The air was clear. Even though all the windows were closed, the damp, musty smell had vanished entirely. In its place, a subtle, fresh scent—like that of a brand-new home—lingered in the air.
His mother seemed to feel it, too. She looked around the house, dazed, and muttered in a small voice.
"...It's different from before."
The real estate agent also looked around, wearing a bewildered expression. "You're right. Just a moment ago, it was... no, this is..."
She was clearly flustered. It seemed she couldn't explain the situation herself. Park Jihun turned to his mother.
"It's fine now."
"Really?"
"Yes. You won't have any reason to be uncomfortable here anymore."
His mother looked around the house once more. Until just a little while ago, it had been a place where she felt suffocated just standing there. But not now. The living room was wider than she had thought, and it caught the sunlight well. Even with the windows shut, the air felt crisp.
His mother smiled and said, "A while ago, I thought I couldn't possibly live here. But now, this looks like the best place. Don't you think so, too?"
Park Jihun nodded. "Then let's go with this one."
His mother smiled and spoke to the real estate agent. "We'll take this house."
The real estate agent's eyes widened. "Pardon?"
"We can sign the contract right here, right?"
"Oh, of course. The owner is currently in the provinces, so I'm handling it on their behalf. You just need to verify the documents and transfer the deposit to the owner's account."
After returning to the office, the contract process proceeded at lightning speed. They meticulously cross-referenced the seal certificate and the power of attorney, and set the earliest possible date for the final balance payment. Soon, the deposit was transferred to the owner's account, and the contract was concluded without a hitch.
Scratch, scratch.
The sound of signing echoed quietly. His mother stared at the sales contract for a long time before her eyes finally welled up with tears.
"Son, thank you."
Park Jihun replied in a blunt tone. "What is there to be thankful for? Just live well in that house from now on."
However, he couldn't help the stinging sensation in his own nose.
The next evening. Park Jihun sat down in time for his broadcast. After pulling the microphone toward him and taking a sip of water, he pressed the start button.
The PerpetualJobSeeker's broadcast has started.
As soon as the broadcast went live and the notification popped up, viewers began to enter one after another. The chat window surged upward at a rapid pace accordingly.
Park Jihun scanned the chat window and opened his mouth. "I got my business done well. There's nothing particularly worth telling a story about. I'll start the broadcast right away."
Park Jihun paid no mind. "I will open the priority system."
A moment later, the priority system opened, and once again, viewers began to apply in a rush. After accepting the first five on a first-come-first-served basis, the applications were closed. The viewers who didn't make it into the top five burst with frustration.
Park Jihun parted his lips with a calm tone. "First person, ArangKiss. Come in."
A moment later, the Discord connection sound rang out.
"Hello."
It was a man's voice, filled with tension. Park Jihun asked, "What are you curious about?"
"Well, I received a job offer recently. I'm curious if I should stay at my current company or if I should move."
Park Jihun closed his eyes and opened them slowly. At that moment, the air beyond the monitor changed. And a vision flickered past. A stifling office. It was a place where, even if he endured for a long time, he would be the one to break down first. He also looked at the place he was planning to move to. That wasn't a comfortable place either. Still, it was better than the current one. However, there was one person who was a concern.
After processing the vision, Park Jihun parted his lips. "Move."
The other side of the Discord went quiet for a moment.
"...Pardon?"
"If you stay there any longer, only you will suffer."
The chat window surged in an instant.
"Why?"
"You know best."
The sound of someone swallowing could be heard over the Discord.
"Ah."
"The place you're moving to isn't bad. But there's someone you need to be careful of."
"Who?"
"One of the higher-ups has a loose tongue. They'll shift the talk, but throw the responsibility down to those below."
A brief silence flowed.
"...Understood. Thank you."
"The thanks aren't necessary. Next."
Just as the Discord cut off and Park Jihun was about to call the next number, Ding! A donation notification rang out.
The chat window surged.
Park Jihun's gaze stopped on the donation window. A donation message came up late.
The chat window sped up in an instant.
Questions poured out from the chat window. Just as Park Jihun was watching silently, Ding! Another donation exploded.
Reactions followed in the chat window.
Park Jihun said briefly, looking at the donation window. "That's good."
Meanwhile, 29YearOldEmployment kept typing in the chat.
The chat window heated up once again.
Park Jihun scanned the chat window silently. The man who missed the bus that day, and the mother who caught the illness in time—they had all defied their fates. This was enough. Park Jihun opened his mouth with a faint smile.
"Next, ThunderLightning. Get on Discord."
It was when he had finished the third paid reading up to ThunderLightning and was scanning the chat window.
[akrsddstcd06]
It was an unremarkable nickname, but for some reason, it caught his eye. Park Jihun parted his lips immediately.
"Wait. Before I see the next person, akrsddstcd06. You. I'll read for you for free. Get on Discord."
A moment later, the person entered the Discord. "Ah, hello."
The voice was young. It also sounded a bit exhausted. At that moment, a vision flickered past. Park Jihun asked immediately.
"You're a doctor. An intern, right?"
"...Uh, y-yes, that's right."
"And you're worried about which department to go into."
The man replied with a look of surprise. "...That's right. I've been worrying about which department to go into lately. Everyone tells me to go for the ones that pay well and are comfortable, but strangely, I keep feeling drawn to Emergency Medicine. Actually, I came to see this after finishing my night shift and coming to sleep..."
At that moment, the young man's voice suddenly faded away, and another scene rushed in. A middle-aged man who had returned from the emergency room was staggering into his house. His shirt was soaked with cold sweat. Gasping for breath while clutching his solar plexus, he collapsed forward after only a few steps. Thud. A woman who appeared to be his wife screamed in surprise. The cell phone that had fallen to the floor lay scattered, and the man never rose again.
The scene changed abruptly. It was a hospital hallway. A young intern was sitting there with a face as pale as a sheet. He had dismissed it as ambiguous, thinking it wouldn't be anything serious. But not now. He was frozen, like someone who had finally seen exactly what kind of life he had let slip right before his eyes.
The vision cut off there. Park Jihun's gaze turned cold.
"You."
The other side hesitated.
"Yes?"
"That patient from just now."
"...Who?"
"The middle-aged man the resident was trying to send home."
"...Why?"
"Run and catch him right now."
The other side of the Discord went quiet in an instant. Even the breathing that had been laced with sleepiness until just a moment ago stopped dead.
"What are you talking about?"
"Run, quickly."
"No, they said he just seemed to have indigestion..."
At that moment, Park Jihun's voice sank coldly.
"If you send that person home, he dies today."