Chapter 25 - Responsibility
Responsibility
Translator : Elizabeth
chapter 25. Responsibility
So-young picked up a few bottles of 100ml fatigue recovery drink from the convenience store on the first floor of the hospital. A product considered the originator of Korean energy drinks. After paying, she slowly calmed her breath while waiting for the elevator.
Just in time being alone, she tried to strengthen her will, albeit slightly.
“…Let’s cheer up today too!”
A moment later. While the boarded elevator went up, thoughts naturally continued.
‘Unni seems very tired. I have to help her well.’
She heard roughly what role Ah-jin wanted from So-young.
Words that she can't even sign a real estate contract properly because going out is difficult and meeting people face-to-face is also hard. Even stories that she is tied down unable to move without moving house.
Said she needed someone to do such things on her behalf.
Whether individual business owner or corporation. Regardless of the form, So-young was scheduled to become an agency representative and take charge of supporting Ah-jin.
The problem was.
‘I know too little….’
That was the same for both.
Ah-jin said she would look into it herself. But So-young wasn't one to sit idly by just because of that. If it’s a role she will take, she had to know at least the basics.
So for the past few days, So-young visited the hospital lounge frequently. People drinking coffee, guardians watching TV, old people playing Janggi (Korean chess).
Just quietly observed people.
This was So-young's own philosophy, believing that even if just a hundred people gather, almost all types of humans existing in the world are contained within. It was a thought naturally established after meeting really all sorts of people while working part-time jobs.
And today, set a target.
Two elders playing Go (Baduk) in one corner of the lounge. Judging by attire, seemed like a patient and a friend visiting.
So-young approached cautiously and bowed her head.
“Excuse me… Can I watch?”
“…?”
“…?”
Elders exchanging gazes for a moment laughed heo-heo and nodded.
“Of course, of course. A young person wants to watch Go, what’s the harm.”
“Just need to watch quietly from the side.”
So-young smiled brightly and stepped one step closer.
At that moment.
Pajik.
A sensation like minute static popped inside the pocket.
At the same time, one elder’s shoes and watch flashed through her mind. Logo with vivid signs of daily use.
Following.
—Do you guys know how many months of your salary this is?!
A memory of one of the bosses seen while working part-time before cherishing the same brand exceptionally came to mind.
So-young naturally took out the fatigue recovery drink.
“This… if you don't mind please have one each.”
Elders made surprised expressions for a moment then soon smiled and received.
“Aiyoo, what is this again.”
“Young people these days are quite affectionate.”
“Ey. It’s nothing much.”
So-young sat in a nearby seat. After that, she really didn't say anything.
Tak.
Tak.
Tak.
Stones placed on the Go board, placed, and falling. Time flowed quietly.
About an hour passed.
Eventually, the match was decided, and while the two elders were reviewing the game, they suddenly looked at So-young.
“…Ah, come to think of it, young lady was still here.”
“Didn't we hold you too long?”
Both had slightly troubled faces.
“Is it because interested in Go…?”
Perhaps embarrassed for no reason, such words also came out.
At that moment.
Once again, static popped inside the pocket. Go-related information So-young intentionally looked up before coming today emerged in her head.
Flow of opening moves (Fuseki), power distribution in mid-game, and even context of Ko fight just now.
“Excuse me… earlier.”
So-young hesitated for a moment, then opened her mouth cautiously.
“That stone Black placed on the right side. By any chance did you do that to pressure the center?”
Two elders' hands stopped simultaneously.
“….”
“….”
So-young continued speaking hurriedly.
“Also when White responded next. I was curious if you saw that it would become Ko if that move came out.”
Elders looked at each other.
“Uh?”
“That… is the part we were about to review right now.”
“Young lady, did you really see the moves we exchanged?”
So-young's face became hot for no reason, laughed awkwardly.
“N, no. Just… watching and got curious. Just recalled something I saw a bit somewhere.”
Two elders looked at each other then laughed heo-heo.
“I tell you young people these days are scary.”
“Young lady, you play Go a bit?”
So-young shook her head.
“No. Still lacking a lot.”
That word wasn't particularly humility.
‘…Really lacking?’
Elders who talked a bit more soon realized too. That So-young's Go knowledge wasn't systematically accumulated.
Honestly.
Knew very shallowly.
‘…However.’
Nevertheless, couldn't underestimate her.
So-young's words contained a sense that couldn't come from a person mimicking stories picked up somewhere. Not speaking by memorizing information, but sharpness peculiar to a person who swallows it inside oneself once then takes it out.
Knowledge no different from beginner, yet possessing eerie intuition.
‘…Genius.’
Elders feeling good expanded topics. Beyond Go to current affairs, economy, art, and politics. Wanted to experience this young genius a little more.
Surprisingly So-young followed such conversations without picking. Most were… no honestly all were clumsy, but only the stinging intuition didn't discriminate fields.
“Heoheoheoheo! This young lady is genuine article (Jin-guk)!”
“Heo-uh…!”
Then before knowing it.
Stories of youth started flowing out from elders' mouths. Business started penniless and built, company collapsed in an instant, things learned amidst that.
So-young engraved carefully as if not to miss any of those stories.
‘As expected Unni is amazing!’
So-young lived juggling two part-time jobs since middle school. Never experienced receiving evaluation of being smart from anyone.
Reason such conversation was possible nevertheless was… because So-young grasped operating principle of talisman and applied it properly.
That effect wasn't creating unknown answer unlike Yu Ah-jin's ability. It was power pulling up experiences and memories she saw, heard, and brushed past, and connecting them in most plausible form at this moment.
Didn't matter even if didn't understand.
Okay even if didn't organize properly.
Just if experienced even once, talisman took out that memory and placed in necessary spot.
So-young realizing that fact gathered information greedily.
Watching more news, listening more stories etc. Didn't discriminate kind of experience.
For the moment that will become necessary someday.
Broadcast end.
Turning off video transmission program, room became quiet in an instant. Somehow feeling ears becoming numb. Unique languor visiting only after finishing broadcast covered body.
‘…This stretching sensation, is subtly good though.’
Creeak.
Entrusted body to cheap chair. Immediate creaking sound.
‘If move house… shall buy one slightly expensive chair then.’
Closed eyes for a moment. Felt like falling asleep soon if stayed like this.
But soon throat dried up completely and severe thirst visited. Decided to get up and brew tea.
Jjorureuk.
Ordinary green tea teabag. Doing broadcast often get thirsty so drink tea a lot naturally too.
‘Shall study tea once too.’
Thinking such thought returned to table.
Sip.
After drinking one sip, picked one card from Tarot deck.
[STRENGTH]
Strength.
That moment facing trauma head-on inside ambulance. Arcana became usable as talisman from then.
Effect was simple.
Being able to store ‘Will’ proportional to energy contained in card.
And doing broadcast just now, I could accumulate quite a lot of will.
Then now would be turn to test.
“Phew.”
Drinking warm tea, spitting out heated breath long.
Calming breath for a moment, turned off room light.
Usually 1 or 2 AM when broadcast ends.
Naturally, completely dark.
Then felt immediately. Sensation of trauma wriggling and seizing.
Ah, ah, ah, aaaaa!
Surrounding scenery overlapping with inside of prison and.
Kkeueeeek—! Kkeueeeek—!
Screams of people being tortured ringing from somewhere.
Hungry. Hun gry. Hun… gry….
Hunger like dying soon rushes in.
Sensation of will being whittled away was vivid.
‘…Certainly painful. That doesn't change.’
But, right now quite a lot of will was stored inside the card.
So.
‘…Can endure.’
Click.
Check ended. Turn on light again.
“Ha, ah—.”
Wiping cold sweat with sleeve, exhaled long sigh. Sat on chair again and put down card on table.
Will was truly fascinating. That wasn't something like goods with fixed amount.
When enjoyable during broadcast will gushed out wildly. Literally like endlessly springing well.
But in front of trauma like just now that will kept dying down. Like being gnawed by swarm of bugs.
In other words, case of using Strength Arcana as talisman.
Usage is storing overflowing will when enjoyable, and letting endure with it when painful.
Wasn't conspicuous effect. Not flashy either.
However.
Fact that it will be very useful to modern people couldn't be denied.
‘This, doesn't reveal supernatural phenomenon particularly on surface. Shall pick some among viewers and try sending?’
After finishing verification of Strength card, thinking such thought, took out item ordered together when ordering Tarot deck and spread on table.
That was also card.
Board game cards based on famous work called ‘Game of Pharaoh’.
Reason buying such thing was….
Because mind kept being bothered by fact that one whole deck becomes unusable every time consuming card as talisman. While worrying if individual cards can be obtained separately, discovered item with Tarot motif by chance.
Among card groups of Game of Pharaoh, three themes ‘Mystic Power’, ‘Magus’, ‘Grimoire’ fit that condition.
Mystic Power was explicit. I-The Magician, IV-The Emperor, XIV-Temperance etc. Just looking at name was blatantly Tarot.
Magus and Grimoire were slightly metaphorical. Ermite, Empereur, Etoile etc. Names borrowing French designation of Major Arcana.
I picked one among them.
Ermite of Magus.
Name derived from L’ERMITE, French meaning Hermit. Explanations like level or attack power written on card weren't important.
I tried putting energy into that card.
Then surprisingly energy seeped into board game card clearly not for Tarot. And it was possible to use it as talisman of ‘Hermit’.
Of course there was flaw. First output was low. Should say moving conscious of inside body wasn't distinct.
Pushing energy beyond limit as test….
Tadak. Tadadak. Pajik!
Static popped and card surface scorched. And soon lost function as talisman.
‘…Indeed.’
I nodded looking at that.
Low output wasn't problem. No, low was good as low.
Reason I couldn't think of distributing talisman in the first place was, because effect was excessively powerful.
Couldn't help since anyone experiencing once would conclude as supernatural phenomenon at once.
In that point, board game cards with low output were rather ideal as talisman for other people to use.
But….
Act of obtaining these cards seemed likely to become vain effort.
‘Rather worked out well. Actually using other company’s product bothered me too.’
I recalled Kim Seon-yu whom I read fortune for in today’s broadcast. Said work will come in sooner or later to him right.
…Surprisingly.
One giving that work was me.
Entrusting picture to use for talisman to him as outsourcing.
‘This matter… seems developing quite big.’
Future me formed cooperative relationship with artists sponsoring them.
No, accurately… company called I&Y.
Through Kim Seon-yu's future I could peek at that possibility.
Air fryer and oven ordered last time arrived together. Since ordered from same place, natural if natural.
‘…Have no choice but to eat today.’
Was keeping diet management thoroughly still, but thought wouldn't it be okay to loosen rein a little just for today.
Sak, sak.
Tak, tak, tak, tak!
Rummaged refrigerator, took out ingredients, trimmed and prepared cooking.
Making Roast Chicken Platter. Dish putting various side menus on one plate centering on chicken.
Playing YouVision recipe video, just following as is would do.
Preheating oven and air fryer, put trimmed chicken in microwave to cook inside.
At same time cut potato and carrot largely, mixed with olive oil and herb, then placed on oven pan.
Potato and carrot in oven, chicken in air fryer, and broccoli and little water in microwave, ran for 1 minute.
“….”
Momentary leisure created.
Even though moving busily operating this and that cooking utensil, inside house was a little chilly.
I raised heating temperature and put water on electric kettle.
Just in time throat thirsty too so thinking of drinking cup of green tea.
Moment operating electric kettle like that.
Tick!
All lights in house turned off simultaneously. Blackout.
“Heok!”
Body shrank momentarily almost soaring trauma, but still early time so wasn't complete darkness.
Light coming through narrow window was too dazzling.
“St, startled!”
Semi-basement so little dim but surroundings were clearly visible. Sweeping down surprised chest raised breaker, and organized kitchen.
Looking around finding cause of blackout, I had no choice but to glare at oven and air fryer.
Since only those two were different from usual.
“….”
Honestly speaking, lost words.
In daldongne, can't even use oven and air fryer with ease?
“Mo, move… Let’s use after moving house, just….”
Also have bad memory entangled with blackout itself so decided not to overdo for no reason. Finished by just mixing and eating moderately cooked ingredients.
Feeling like climbing to high place then falling. Should say hurts more for no reason.
“….”
Around time finished meal with depressed mood and cleaned up, contact came from So-young.
“So-young? How is body?”
—Unnii! My body is okay! Rather than that! I, you know! Investigated what in hospital you know! No well….
What the hell did she study in hospital, from what procedure needed to become individual business owner to story of establishing corporation poured out in a row.
But listening, there was one problem.
That is exactly So-young's age.
Individual business owner or corporation, needed person who can take legal responsibility. In case of individual business owner could replace with legal representative’s consent form, but So-young wasn't in situation to receive that consent.
‘One side I killed, and other side….’
…Do have to dare find parent who abandoned child?
Thinking for a moment I shook head. Thought that wasn't very good judgment.
For So-young to become legal adult had to pass next year birthday. …Said May.
So-young recommended getting separate representative rather. I answered I’ll look into it then hung up phone.
“Haa….”
Sigh flowed long.
Honestly speaking, other than So-young no one came to mind worth entrusting representative cooperating with me.
Of course this thought might be due to personal emotion formed because of receiving help that night and getting hurt big entangled with me. Usually would be bad attitude from position starting business.
But in the first place.
‘I’m not trying to become business person particularly.’
In situation hard to roam outside, wanted to entrust essential works of modern society to person I can trust if possible.
But couldn't just wait until next year May.
“….”
I turned gaze and saw air fryer and oven put away in corner in box.
…Sincerely.
Couldn't continue living here.
Had to find some way.
“…Ah ah. Isn't there anyone anywhere who will just bear responsibility without involving in company.”
Head complicated so silly sound popped out automatically.
At such time.
Woo-woong—.
Phone rang.
‘…Mm?’
Caller was first donor of broadcast, and one I requested cooperation to reverse-tour (counterattack) MeToo false accusation of culprit who left malicious comment to me.
Quarter Note’s Seo Hyo-ju.
‘…This exquisite timing, what is it?’