Chapter 232: The Belief That Things Will Get Better-1
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 232: The Belief That Things Will Get Better-1
Stepping off the bus, Shin Jeong-ah headed toward an area crowded with dilapidated villas.
Everywhere she looked, she saw regulation trash bags and the refuse that had been forced into their openings by any means necessary. Some people lacked the patience to even do that, leaving scraps of paper scattered about. Though the weekend hadn't even arrived yet, traces left behind by those who had clearly indulged in a heavy night of drinking were strewn across the street.
Shin Jeong-ah pinched her nose with her free hand and frowned.
She walked this path every day, yet she could never get used to it.
Her mind drifted to the house where Kang In-ho lived and the uphill road leading to it—a straight, well-maintained, bright path that seemed devoid of any flaws. It was a bit of a struggle to climb, but she thought it was a hundred times better than walking through these foul-smelling streets.
After several turns through alleys that branched out like a complex ant colony, she reached a dead end.
And there, at the end of the alley, were the friends she usually associated with.
"You're here?"
Kim Jin-tae, who was smoking a cigarette, greeted her by spitting on the ground.
Shin Jeong-ah held out a plastic bag. Sung Yoon-ho, who had been snickering with Jeong A-ra nearby, scurried over and snatched the bag.
"Oh... you bought a lot. But why'd you take so long?" Sung Yoon-ho needled her.
"So what, you dumbass?" Shin Jeong-ah shoved his shoulder.
"You pathetic punk," Kim Jin-tae snickered, watching Sung Yoon-ho get pushed back.
Jin-tae reached into the bag Yoon-ho was holding. Clink. With the sound of glass hitting glass, he pulled out a green bottle.
"Lately, there aren't many places that'll sell to us. They're being damn thorough. Shit."
After checking the contents, Kim Jin-tae put the bottle back in the bag. He tossed his cigarette to the ground and took the lead, guiding the group.
"Where are we going today?"
"Let's go to an internet cafe. A guy I know is working the part-time shift right now."
Waving for them to follow, Kim Jin-tae exited the alley. The others followed behind him.
"......."
Shin Jeong-ah watched her friends' retreating backs. Their shadows, cast by the flickering streetlights, stretched out grotesquely across the ground and walls. They looked like a tangle of skeletal winter trees. At that sight, she slowly began to move, following in their wake.
As she walked through the stinking, cluttered alleys, her mind was still filled with thoughts of Kang In-ho.
*
To Yun Si-a, "daily life" was synonymous with a fierce battlefield.
Between nursing her father, completing school assignments, and organizing the lesson materials for In-ho, her tutoring day had already arrived. Having once again settled for a calorie bar as a meal, she clutched her hungry stomach as she stepped off the bus.
She didn't even have the luxury of stopping at a convenience store for a quick bite. Her wallet didn't have enough money, and she was already thirty minutes late for the session because the shift change at the hospital had been delayed.
"Sigh—"
Her eyes naturally drifted toward the night sky. The moon was exceptionally bright.
It was a day where she felt particularly drained. Whenever she planned things out and one part of her life seemed to improve, another part would suddenly act up. Regardless of how much effort an individual put in or how well they prepared, it felt like being swept away by a massive wave beyond one's control, drifting and crashing into things.
Or perhaps she was passing through a long tunnel. Like the countless tunnels she had passed through while driving along the Yeongdong Expressway, the car known as Yun Si-a had entered a long tunnel section. Occasionally, while passing between mountains, she would catch a brief glimpse of the sunlight outside, but it was only momentary. Her life was one where she had to enter another winding, long tunnel and simply drive forward through the darkness.
Yes, I've just entered a tunnel, Yun Si-a thought as she walked.
I'd rather be even more miserable, or just have everything go to ruin.
Thoughts so terrifying she dared not even voice them would occasionally surge up. Why does life leave behind such tiny slivers of hope, forcing the miserable to keep living?
Tears welled up in Yun Si-a’s eyes for no particular reason. She dragged her old shoes along the pavement. Even falling into sentimentality was a luxury for her. She desperately wanted to get to the tutoring session, finish the lesson, and go home to rest.
It was then, as she was passing a convenience store.
"Teacher."
At the familiar voice, she lifted her head to see a student surrounded by cats in front of the store.
It was Kang In-ho.
The notorious problem child who had been suspended for bullying a classmate. However, he greeted her with an expression and attire that were quite different from her assessment of him.
"What are you doing?"
When the exhausted Yun Si-a asked, Kang In-ho gave an awkward smile.
"Oh, well... I just came to buy some dinner..."
In his hand was a half-squeezed Churu.
"I guess I fell for the convenience store owner's marketing," he said with a shrug and a laugh.
His eyes and smile were clear.
Yun Si-a thought to herself: the emotionless, disrespectful gaze she had seen on the day they first met was nowhere to be found.
"I see," Yun Si-a replied simply, having nothing else to add.
Kang In-ho squeezed the rest of the Churu into a cat's bowl, dusted off his hands, and walked over to her.
"It looks like you had a busy day today," In-ho asked as they walked side by side.
Yun Si-a gave a bitter smile, recalling her hectic day.
"Teacher, you haven't eaten yet, have you?" In-ho asked as they reached the start of the uphill path.
"No. Why?"
"I haven't eaten yet either. Let's eat together."
"Dinner?"
"Yes, dinner. I figured you'd probably skip it today anyway."
"Ah, well..."
Yun Si-a averted her gaze as his question hit the nail on the head.
"After all, we do all this just to make a living. You need to eat to have strength," Kang In-ho said, sounding like an old man.
"What's with that? You sound like a middle-aged man."
At Yun Si-a’s murmur, Kang In-ho put on a look of great offense. He picked up his pace and began to walk with long strides.
Yun Si-a watched his back. His shadow, cast by the streetlights, was displayed on the ground like a massive fence.
"Hurry up. We need to eat so we can start the lesson."
Turning back to give her a refreshing smile, Kang In-ho took the lead.
As she climbed the long, long uphill road, Yun Si-a thought to herself:
Ah, this boy is a good kid at heart...
He just fell in with the wrong crowd...