Chapter 51
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: Reunion (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Old memories inevitably crumble away over time, their light fading bit by bit.
Yet, among the memories each person holds, the oldest trace—the very first scene that lingers vividly even after so many years—
Everyone treasures at least one such moment deep in their heart.
“Aigoo! Aigoo!”
“Now that she’s gone, who knows when she’ll come back.”
“Aigoo! Aigoo!”
My first memory.
I was five years old, on a harsh early spring day gripped by flower-thaw frost.
It was my mom’s funeral.
“Leaving behind such a young child…”
“Shh! The kid will hear you!”
“Anyway, Jeong Jang-bang. You’ve got to stay strong. You’re the one who—”
Back then, the adults hushed it up, so I didn’t know…
But when I started middle school, I learned Mom had died of smoke inhalation in a fire.
My dad’s job? Firefighter.
‘I still remember it.’
On the day of the funeral, you just stared endlessly at Mom’s portrait with an emotionless face, not shedding a single tear.
You stood there silently, not showing any weakness in front of your young daughter.
I couldn’t grasp the emotions crumbling behind that blank mask back then, but as time passed… I think I understood a little.
Maybe that’s why I decided to become a firefighter.
“Daughter! Dad’s heading to work! There’s tofu patties in the fridge—warm them up and eat!”
“You’re not on duty today, right?!”
“Hey, you think Dad would forget your mom’s death anniversary?! I’ll be home early today, so don’t worry!”
“What time are you coming—”
Clack. Ring ring!
“Ugh! You don’t even care about your daughter? You have no idea how stressed I am right now.”
Today marked the second attempt at the firefighter exam results announcement—and it was Mom’s death anniversary.
A slightly special day for our father-daughter duo.
“Let’s see—”
While carefully preparing the food for the evening ancestral rite that I’d half-forgotten, I rummaged through my past.
According to Dad, Mom especially loved bread and cakes.
Rather than sticking to rigid ritual rules, we figured she’d prefer eating what she wanted—so our family always offered homemade baked bread on the altar.
“There, now I just need to pop this in the oven later, and I’ll pick up the ordered cake at 5 p.m…. Done! All set.”
Glancing at the clock, the hour hand was racing toward 11. The moment of truth was approaching.
“Argh! Time’s up!”
After finishing the rite preparations, I plopped down in front of the computer in a frenzy, staring anxiously at the clock.
“Results at 11, so not much time left.”
My beat-up old computer from middle school groaned to life, and the Fire Service Headquarters homepage loaded.
“Ugh, my heart’s pounding like crazy. Please don’t let me fail this time…”
I hammered the refresh button, waiting desperately for the results to appear.
With every tick of the second hand, my heart throbbed in sync. My lips were parched, my hands slick with sweat.
After five minutes of biting my lip in anticipation…
“…It’s up!!”
For this day, I’d prayed to every god in existence, begging desperately.
‘Please…’
Click.
I slowly moved the mouse cursor, squeezed my eyes shut, and clicked the left button.
[543216 Jung So-hee]
There it was—my name, proudly listed among the passers.
“…Ugh… I… did… it?! I passed! I passed!! Mom, you helped me because it’s your anniversary, right?! Thank you, Mom! What do I do now… Oh?! I’ve gotta tell Dad!!”
No way was I sharing news this big over messenger. I wanted to hand it to him in person, see his smiling face right in front of me.
With shaking hands from excitement, I printed the results notice.
Zzzzzip.
The ancient inkjet printer struggled, squirting ink to bring my dream to life line by line.
Once the blank spaces filled with ink, I snatched it up, bolted out the door, and dashed to Am-sam Station, boarding the subway like my life depended on it.
Line 7 straight to Garak Market Station—where Dad’s fire station was.
I sat in the rattling subway seat and pulled out my smartphone. The lock screen was filled with a photo of me and Dad.
Seeing our fresh smiles made me miss him right then and there. I opened messenger, typed ‘Dad! I’m heading to the fire station now—’, then deleted it and shoved the phone in my pocket.
‘Good news deserves a surprise.’
Clutching the results notice tight, I pictured the Dad I’d see soon.
Never imagining that ‘soon’ would stretch out this long.
.
.
.
“Thank you… thank… you. Our father and daughter… your benevolence…”
“Haha, no… I owe So-hee… a real debt… myself…”
I cracked open my eyes at the murmur of voices, and through my blurry vision, a man’s face—familiar yet unfamiliar—came into view, talking with Min-jun.
‘Ugh… my head. What’s going on? Why am I seeing things?’
Clutching my throbbing head, rubbing my eyes, I looked again.
A straight, sharp nose and thick eyebrows. One was definitely Min-jun.
I’d been stuck to him for months—I’d know him anywhere. And the man opposite him…
Was Dad, from my dream just moments ago.
‘A dream?’
It didn’t feel real. Snapping to my senses in this absurd situation—Dad, whom I’d longed to meet, chatting with Min-jun—who’d believe it?
‘But.’
It was the face I’d missed so desperately.
The reunion I’d yearned for.
Forcing out my voice, rusty from disuse, So-hee uttered the word she’d only dreamed of.
“…D… Dad?”
They both whipped their heads around at the sound.
“Daughter!”
“What’s going on…? Why was I lying down…? And Dad just shows up out of nowhere…?”
“Haha! Get a grip, So-hee. This is reality, where you are right now.”
I sat up, staring blankly at Dad. I couldn’t believe it.
Honestly, finding Dad had been more like fuel to survive this changed world.
The harder the goal, the more I’d struggle to achieve it—to survive.
‘…’
A good amount of time had passed since the monsters first appeared. The situation was bleak, and I’d learned to give up.
I’d even thought we might never meet. In this world, what were the odds we’d both survive intact and reunite?
So I hadn’t imagined this. I hadn’t dared hope. Hope only led to deeper wounds.
“….”
My mouth wouldn’t open, stuck like it was glued shut. I had no idea what to say.
I’d made finding Dad my goal, but never planned what to do or say if I actually found him.
Instead, my feet carried me straight to him, and I touched his face.
Rough skin from frequent night shifts and field calls. Perpetually chapped lips. The scar across his cheek, which you wore like a medal.
And the burn scar covering half his face from saving someone else in the past few months.
It was really Dad.
“…So-hee.”
“…You’re really Dad, right?”
Tears flowed pathetically.
The way he wiped them with his rough hand—it was Dad through and through.
I threw my arms around him, and he hugged me back tightly without a word.
The cool scent of skin lotion.
Dad’s smell.
* * *
Not long after So-hee woke, Gun-ho came to as well.
The four of us, who’d grown close in no time, sat in a circle and chatted away.
“Always being the one saving people, now to be the one saved… I finally get why others cried tears of gratitude when thanking me.”
“Haha, no need. As I said earlier, So-hee saved my life first when I was about to die.”
“My daughter? She’s not the capable type…”
Jung Jin-ho glanced at So-hee, who stroked Sun-woo on her lap, then bristled back like a sulky child.
“Huh?! Dad, you see this? I’m a firefighter now, you know? Me and Min-jun went through hell from Jamsil Station to show you this!”
“…What?!”
In So-hee’s indignant hand was the now-crumpled results notice. Jung Jin-ho snatched it with a shocked face and scanned it hurriedly.
“So-hee… you? You really passed?!”
“Of course! I told you I would! It’s kinda useless now, but… I’ve saved a ton of people lately! I’m already a full-fledged firefighter, ahem.”
“…You little rascal!”
Jung Jin-ho rushed over and scooped up his grown daughter in a hug.
“What are you doing to a full-grown woman?! Put me down!”
“Hey now! Gotta give my proud daughter a spin.”
The scene was like a movie moment that’d make your nose tingle, even knowing the full story.
It warmed everyone’s hearts.
“I’m stronger than you now, Dad? Put me down or else?!”
“Oof! Folks of the world! Here’s a filial daughter grabbing her dad like a rat!”
““Hahaha!””
Jung Jin-ho was in high spirits. As a team leader, he had the knack for smoothing relations with his seasoned charm, knowing there was no point in staying stiff.
“But, benefactor, what should I call you? You saved our youngest here, the other team members… even my daughter. You’re my lifelong savior.”
“Oh, come on, I’ve received so much help from So-hee myself. You’re her dad—speak comfortably. Just call me Min-jun.”
“Hm? Should I take that as a signal you’re taking my daughter away?”
“Dad!! Cut it out!”
“Hey, why not! He’s capable, handsome, great personality. Send her off with a son-in-law like that, and this dad’s worries are over.”
“Ugh, Min-jun, sorry. Dad’s got a teasing side…”
“No, haha. I’m flattered you think so highly of me.”
So-hee apologized with an embarrassed face, then continued to her father.
“Anyway, if ‘Jeong’ feels too formal, call him team leader like that one uncle around does. He calls Min-jun ‘team leader’ too.”
“Team leader? Hmm, feels a bit lacking for addressing a benefactor…”
Jung Jin-ho stroked his chin in thought, and quiet Gun-ho finally spoke up.
“Boss. Boss sounds good. If team leader calls him that, I’ll call him boss too.”
“Boss… I like it! Our little one got smarter while I wasn’t looking?!”
“No, my opinion is—”
Thud thud thud.
“Benefactor’s title is now officially ‘Boss.’ Looking forward to working with you, Boss.”
Min-jun shook his head, knowing he’d get nowhere arguing, and gave up.
And right on cue.
“…Huh? What’s this? Everyone’s awake?”
Covered in dust, Dan-woo returned from scouting.