The Mountain's Spring
The next morning, Yoon Halmeoni prepared breakfast for Grandmother early and then headed over to the neighboring village.
Around lunchtime, she returned home with an elderly man in tow.
Despite his age, the old man had sharp, piercing eyes.
Yeo-won immediately recognized him as the doctor Yoon Halmeoni had mentioned.
Throughout the examination, Grandmother remained unusually quiet, unlike the day before. She appeared compliant, yet her gaze never once strayed from the view outside the window.
After hearing a rough summary of the situation, the old man conducted a skillful examination and stepped out of the room.
“No fever, blood pressure is stable. Vision seems fine too. You said she suddenly collapsed and started screaming and throwing things yesterday?”
“……Yes.”
The old man took a sip of the tea Yeo-won had served and spoke in a matter-of-fact tone.
“You mentioned she lost consciousness. How long until she came to?”
“Well… About thirty minutes after I found her, I reckon. But since I don’t know how long she’d been lying there, I can’t say for sure.”
“Goodness, ma’am. In a case like that, you should have called an ambulance first. That’s common sense.”
When the doctor frowned and scolded her, Yoon Halmeoni gave an awkward laugh and shrugged.
“Ah, she looked perfectly fine, and her granddaughter was on the way, so I thought it’d be all right.”
“Screaming and throwing objects isn’t exactly what I’d call ‘perfectly fine.’”
The doctor’s firm rebuttal left Yoon Halmeoni silent.
He was right about everything.
They should have gone straight to the hospital the moment they arrived. Yeo-won’s mistake had been assuming everything was fine just because Grandmother looked outwardly okay.
The expression on Yeo-won’s face, caught between the two elders, grew increasingly dark.
Yoon Halmeoni kicked the doctor sharply in the shin with the tip of her foot.
“Ow! What was that for!”
“Have you gone senile, old man? The child is sitting right here—can’t you watch your words?”
Only then did the doctor glance sideways at Yeo-won.
“Well, it could simply be that she was in a bad mood. Still, since she did collapse, there might be something wrong with her brain. I’ll write up a medical opinion, so take her to a proper hospital for tests.”
“……Is it very serious?”
At Yeo-won’s dejected question, the doctor scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.
“Hard to say. There’s only so much I can do with a house call, so I can’t give you any certainties. But from what I can see externally, there doesn’t appear to be any major problem. Don’t jump to conclusions. In times like these, the guardian needs to stay level-headed.”
The doctor downed the now-lukewarm tea in one gulp and stood up.
“I’ll send the medical report today, so head to a large hospital as soon as possible.”
“Yes. Thank you. Ah, about the consultation fee……”
When Yeo-won tried to fetch her wallet from the room, the doctor stopped her.
“No need. I already received it from the old lady earlier.”
“Pardon?”
Without another word, the doctor walked out the front gate.
Yeo-won tried to chase after Yoon Halmeoni, who was about to follow him, and a brief scuffle ensued.
“Aigoo. I owed your grandmother some money from a long time ago, so I just paid it back, that’s all.”
“Then please give that to her later and take this instead. She’s been bringing us meals every day—I feel too guilty not to pay.”
“It’s just a few extra bowls of rice. I said it’s fine!”
In the end, Yoon Halmeoni fled back to her house as if escaping.
Watching her hurry away, Yeo-won eventually slipped the money into a white envelope and tucked it inside her own drawer.
When she left Inwol in a few days, she could ask Yoon Halmeoni to check the room; she would surely find it.
If things weren’t too bad, she thought they could return to Seoul within a week.
It didn’t take long for her to realize how dangerously complacent that assumption had been.
*
The medical opinion arrived the next day via express delivery.
Just as they were about to head straight to the hospital, Grandmother began screaming like a madwoman. Even with both Yoon Halmeoni and Yeo-won trying to drag her out of the room, her thrashing was so violent they had no choice but to give up.
It was impossible to understand how such strength could come from a body as frail as dry kindling.
No matter what methods they tried, Grandmother refused to leave the room. In the end, as a last resort, they called an ambulance.
They explained the situation and even showed the medical report, but because of Grandmother’s firm refusal, even the paramedics could do nothing.
“We cannot transport a patient against their will if they refuse. From what we can see, she is communicating clearly and appears to have full decision-making capacity……”
The paramedics left with troubled expressions.
Yeo-won tried pleading with Grandmother, but the old woman offered no reply. She simply continued staring at Mount Inwol outside the window.
Grandmother took no action at all. She even refused to speak with Yoon Halmeoni.
The sight reminded Yeo-won of someone quietly waiting for the day of their death.
“Please… please, Halmeoni……”
Overwhelmed by a sense of utter helplessness, Yeo-won could only repeat the same words like a parrot.
Four days passed like that.
It had rained without stopping for three full days, only clearing on the fourth. She had thought it was rather long for spring rain.
Once the rain stopped, fog blanketed everything. The village houses were somewhat visible, but Mount Inwol looked pure white, as if clouds had settled upon it.
The temperature seemed to have dropped sharply after the rain; the air felt chilly.
Yeo-won woke in the morning and, out of habit, turned up the boiler in Grandmother’s room.
Afterward, she transferred the rice, soup, and side dishes Yoon Halmeoni had brought into bowls and carried them to Grandmother.
Thankfully, after that day, Grandmother had not repeated the same violent behavior toward her.
Thankfully… or rather, she was simply being treated like a ghost.
Just like every other day, Yeo-won knocked on Grandmother’s door and opened it.
Grandmother had risen early. She sat with her back against the wall, staring out the window.
Yeo-won had grown used to the sight by now. She stopped a few steps away and spoke carefully.
“Halmeoni. If you ever feel like going to the hospital, please tell me anytime. I’ll be right next door.”
As expected, there was no answer. Yeo-won pushed the tray of food closer to her and stood up.
She was about to leave the room when a small murmur from behind stopped her in her tracks.
“The spring water……”
“……Yes?”
Yeo-won doubted her own ears. When the startled girl turned around, Grandmother was looking straight at her.
Those eyes were as emotionless as ever. Grandmother met her gaze and spoke clearly.
“I want to drink the spring water from Mount Inwol. Will you fetch some for me?”
It was Grandmother’s usual voice—the one she hadn’t heard in a long time. Dry and cold, yet calm.
Moreover, this was almost the first time Grandmother had ever asked anything of her.
Yeo-won barely stopped herself from nodding unconsciously and steadied her trembling breath.
“If I bring you the spring water… will you go to the hospital with me?”
At Yeo-won’s reply, Grandmother’s gaze dropped downward. She seemed to be thinking.
Yeo-won swallowed hard and waited for an answer.
Had she said the wrong thing? Should she have simply gone along with the request?
Just as all sorts of thoughts began to swirl in her head, Grandmother’s answer came.
“Fine.”
Yeo-won’s face broke into a relieved smile. She was about to say she would go right away when her expression suddenly froze.
Grandfather’s words had faintly resurfaced in her mind.
‘Never set foot on Mount Inwol…….’ Was that it?
It had been more than twenty years, so the memory wasn’t clear, but she was certain he had said something similar.
She wondered why he had given such a warning.
Grandfather had never spoken idly. There must have been a reason—yet nothing specific came to mind.
The few times she had climbed Mount Inwol with Grandfather remained relatively pleasant memories for Yeo-won.
The path had been a bit rough, but it hadn’t seemed all that dangerous.
When her hesitation stretched on, Grandmother spoke again, her voice now somewhat deflated.
“You don’t want to? Then there’s no need……”
“No.”
The urgency in Yeo-won’s voice was unmistakable as she cut Grandmother off.
She didn’t know why Grandfather had said those words, but she had no time to dwell on it now.
If she let this opportunity slip, there was no telling when Grandmother might become cooperative again.
“I’ll be right back.”
I’m sorry, Grandfather.
Offering a silent apology, Yeo-won quickly left the main room before Grandmother could change her mind.
*
“Spring water? You’re seriously planning to climb Mount Inwol right now?”
“Yes.”
Having finished preparing to leave, Yeo-won was putting on her shoes when she ran into Yoon Halmeoni carrying side dishes.
She briefly explained the situation.
Her heart grew more anxious with every word. She chewed her lip, worried that Grandmother might change her mind while she stood here talking.
Yoon Halmeoni sat down on the wooden porch and let out a disbelieving snort.
“Aigoo. Has that old woman really lost her mind? What is she thinking, wanting mountain water in this weather? Let me have a word with her. Just wait here.”
Yoon Halmeoni’s face hardened as if she were about to storm into Grandmother’s room. Yeo-won grabbed her arm and pleaded.
“No, Halmeoni. I suggested it first. I’ll be careful and come back quickly. I’ve climbed it a few times with Grandfather before—I know the way.”
“Knowing the way and this are two different things! It rained until yesterday, so the ground is muddy, and with this thick fog, it’s several times more dangerous!”
Unlike her usual self, Yoon Halmeoni was scolding her in earnest. Yeo-won understood the danger and the concern, but there was no other choice.
It had already been four days. If she missed this chance, there was no telling when Grandmother’s mood might improve again.
Still gripping Yoon Halmeoni’s arm tightly, Yeo-won added,
“The spring isn’t even at the very top. I’ll just bring back some water. I’ll fetch only what she needs for today and come straight back.”
Yeo-won knew exactly where the spring on Mount Inwol was.
When she was young and terrified of the mountain, Grandfather had taken her up on clear days. They never went all the way to the summit—always just a gentle hike halfway up before turning back.
There was a spring along the midway point.
It was so old that no one knew exactly when it had first appeared, and the people of Inwol proudly called it a historical relic.
Yeo-won’s grandparents had been no exception.
Grandfather would gulp it down, claiming it was incredibly good for the body, but Yeo-won had always found it vaguely off-putting and only drank a little of the boiled water once they returned home.
It wasn’t a well-maintained hiking trail, but the path wasn’t particularly treacherous either. Above all, it had been manageable even for a small child. Now that she was an adult, Yeo-won was confident she could climb it even more easily.
Faced with Yeo-won’s stubbornness, Yoon Halmeoni let out a long, heavy sigh.
“……Yeo-won. You remember what I used to do in the past, don’t you?”
“Yes?”
Yeo-won recalled Grandfather’s words.
Shaman…… But why was that relevant now?
Confused, Yeo-won blinked her large eyes.
Yoon Halmeoni sat back down on the porch and covered the lower half of her face with her hand. She frowned, seemingly deep in thought, before slowly continuing.
“……On days as cloudy as this, you never know what might come out. Especially in places like the mountain, where yin energy is so strong.”
She didn’t specify what, but Yeo-won understood that Yoon Halmeoni wasn’t talking about wild animals.
Memories of the things she had tried to forget rose in Yeo-won’s mind.
“You know exactly what I mean.”
Her tone suggested she could read every thought in Yeo-won’s head without needing to say more.
Yeo-won hesitated. Strangely enough, ever since she had come down to Inwol, she had not seen any of them.
Even though it had rained for three days straight, she had not glimpsed them once.
Before she left Inwol, she used to see them at least occasionally, yet now the area felt unnaturally clean.
It wasn’t that her senses had dulled just because she hadn’t seen them for a few days. The mere thought of them was horrifying; she didn’t want to recall them if she could help it.
Even so, Yeo-won had to go.
Only after receiving confirmation from a hospital that Grandmother was all right could she leave Inwol without any lingering regrets.
“……Still, I have to go. Please just pretend you don’t know. I’m begging you.”
Yeo-won bowed her head and pleaded earnestly.
She could have ignored her and left anyway, but she didn’t want to treat Yoon Halmeoni—who had helped her so much—that way.
Yoon Halmeoni looked like she wanted to scold her but held it in.
It was clear Yeo-won had no intention of backing down. Even if she tried to stop her, the girl would simply slip away when she wasn’t looking.
The helplessness on Yoon Halmeoni’s face as she shook her head was unmistakable.
“Aigoo. Come with me.”
“What? No, I need to get up the mountain quickly……”
“I said come with me! I have something to give you!”
Startled, Yeo-won hurriedly followed after Yoon Halmeoni.
Yoon Halmeoni glanced back at the girl trailing behind her, her expression heavy with worry.
Recently, the minor spirits had disappeared from Inwol. There had never been many, but now they were completely gone.
Minor spirits could be found anywhere—whether earthbound ghosts, wandering spirits, or anything else.
Yet they had all vanished at once.
Yoon could not tell whether this was an auspicious sign or an ill omen.
Looking at the unnaturally quiet village, Yoon felt a sense of foreboding. It was as if the entire town was holding its breath in front of some colossal beast.
If the spirits hadn’t simply disappeared but had fled from something instead…… Yoon’s gaze drifted up toward Mount Inwol before falling again.
She shook her head vigorously, deciding it was impossible.
‘Still… just in case……’
Yoon pushed down the ominous feeling in her chest and opened the door to the shed in her yard.