4
### Chapter 4
“...Happiness?”
Still not fully awake, Hangil rubbed his eyes and looked over Kim’s face.
‘Why is he suddenly asking about happiness?’
Hangil yawned widely before answering.
“I just like going to the sea and splashing around. Eating something delicious with Grandma is nice too.”
“Splashing around?”
“Yeah. It feels good cutting through the water. And when I’m in the sea, everything feels so open.”
“What about swimming pools? You don’t like them?”
“Hmm... I’ve never been to one, so I don’t know. But I don’t think it could be as good as the sea.”
Hangil was about to elaborate when he noticed Bokja looking at him.
“G-Grandma. I was just talking about the sea. You know that, right?”
“...You should go to bed now.”
“Huh? Ah... okay. I’ll go first. You uncles don’t drink too much. See you tomorrow!”
Click.
The sound of Hangil entering his room could be heard.
Bokja asked in a low voice.
“...Even from your perspective, you don’t think I can separate my grandson from the water, do you?”
“...Yes. Just seeing him today, he looked like some kind of seal.”
Kim nodded.
The phrase that Hangil was destined to live in the water suited him perfectly.
“Where did he go diving today?”
“Well...”
Kim glanced at Bokja, suddenly feeling guilty.
He wondered if he had been the one who had thrown Hangil into danger for no reason.
“Today, we rented a small boat. We didn’t go anywhere particularly dangerous.”
Kim offered what was almost an excuse.
Bokja remained silent.
After sitting quietly for a while, she stood up.
She took out a framed photograph from inside a cabinet.
A family photograph.
Young Hangil stood in the center, with a man and woman smiling on either side of him.
“These are Hangil’s parents.”
Bokja slowly ran her hand over the frame.
After touching it several times, her hand stopped over the woman.
“This is my daughter.”
She had a prominent forehead, large eyes, and thin but clearly defined lips that curved gently.
Hangil particularly resembled her eyes and lips.
One of the fishermen beside them let out an admiring sound.
“Wow, she was beautiful. Hangil definitely got his looks from his mo—”
“Choi!”
“It’s true! You could believe she was an actress!”
This time, one of the other fishermen, rather than Kim, started drunkenly rambling.
The men had already learned that afternoon that Hangil’s mother had died.
Kim hurriedly tried to smooth over the uncomfortable situation.
Bokja gave a low laugh before speaking.
“There’s nothing to hide, so why are you getting so flustered? My daughter, the one who isn’t here anymore, was a
haenyeo.”
“A haenyeo...?”
“Yes. A haenyeo. She had everything growing up, but then she married into a family in Jeju and ended up living through
all sorts of misery...”
Glasses clinked, and the liquor was drained.
A voice filled with resentment rose from Bokja’s throat.
“One day, I heard that she had drowned in the sea and died. That’s why I left my life in Seoul behind and came to Jeju.
My daughter died like that, so I thought I at least had to protect my grandson.”
“...I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”
“Exactly! Why did you ask something like that, Kim?”
“I didn’t know, damn it...”
“You asked me why I was stopping Hangil from being happy, didn’t you?”
Bokja closed the frame.
The faces of the loving-looking family disappeared from sight.
“I’m doing this because I don’t want to lose my grandson too. What good is being happy if every moment means standing on
the threshold of death? One daughter buried in the sea is enough for me.”
Her eyes reddened.
Tears gathered in the wrinkles around her eyes.
Kim and the others became emotional as well, their noses beginning to redden.
But only for a moment.
Bokja wiped away her tears and gave a crooked smile.
“Have another drink. What a pathetic old woman I am.”
The atmosphere became gloomy.
Bokja deliberately began talking more loudly to lift everyone’s spirits.
Every now and then, laughter broke out at her stories.
But Kim paid no attention.
He was deep in thought.
Something about the situation felt strange.
A terrifying sea.
A grandson who loved the water.
A grandmother who did not want that grandson anywhere near the sea.
“Doesn’t it all come down to the sea?”
Kim casually threw out the thought as though the solution were simple.
“You’re worried because Hangil might get hurt, aren’t you?”
“That’s right.”
“Then why not take this opportunity to put some distance between him and the sea? Hangil clearly loves the water, so...”
Kim scooped up some of the reduced spicy fish stew and let out a satisfied sound.
Those casually spoken words would completely change Hangil’s life.
“Have him learn swimming. Properly. Seriously enough that he won’t even think about the sea.”
=
While they were at the hospital, Kim had heard the fishermen excitedly talking.
“He just shot forward and pulled both of us up! Is that even possible with the strength of a middle-school kid?”
Hangil was fifteen.
Even though he had not finished growing, he had pulled up a life ring with two adults attached to it in one swift
motion.
His instantaneous strength was enough to rival any strongman.
“And the way he pulled you up, Kim, was incredible too. You must’ve been thrashing around like crazy.”
“I was.”
“That’s why it’s even more amazing!”
Hangil had moved forward through the powerful current without any difficulty and saved Kim, who had nearly drowned after
falling into the water.
At that moment, the instant Kim felt something catch in his hand, he had grabbed it tightly and pulled with all his
strength.
Kim had only been thinking about surviving.
And so he had pulled Hangil, who had come to save him, as though Hangil were a rope.
“Hangil has an excellent physique, doesn’t he?”
“I heard he’s 181 centimeters tall. What size are his feet?”
“320... I believe.”
“A Korean with size 320 feet? That’s not a foot, that’s a flipper.”
His foot size was 320 millimeters.
Judging from his hands at the dinner table, they looked almost twice the size of an average woman’s hands.
“My nephew is a sports reporter. He once told me about a swimmer named Phelps. Hangil’s build is just like his, isn’t
it? Big hands and feet, he’ll probably grow taller, and his upper body... Park, did Hangil have short legs?”
“I don’t know. He’s so big that it’s hard to tell.”
“Either way, if Hangil starts swimming, he’ll probably fly through the water.”
Bokja nodded before asking,
“You want us to raise Hangil as a swimmer?”
“Yes.”
“Like you said, it would be nice if he became an athlete... But do you really think that’s easy?”
Bokja hesitantly repeated what she had heard before.
“Korea has that elite sports system, right? Honestly, can you even remember any figure skaters besides Kim Hyun-ah?”
“...No.”
“This is a country where people only remember first place. Making a child pursue an athletic career in a place like this
isn’t something I can do.”
“He doesn’t necessarily have to become a competitive swimmer.”
Kim continued passionately, apparently unwilling to give up on the idea.
“Becoming a swimming instructor or working for the swimming federation would be a good path too. He could even become a
reporter like my nephew. Then, even when he grows up, he could make a living while still spending time in the water he
loves. I heard you were planning to send Hangil to Seoul eventually.”
“...I have been thinking about it.”
“You’re planning to send Hangil far away from the sea, aren’t you?”
Kim had hit the nail on the head.
Bokja simply sipped her liquor.
“Since you’re sending him to Seoul anyway, why not steer him toward swimming? Have him prepare for admission to a sports
university here in Jeju. There are swimming pools everywhere.”
“Kim! You’re Solomon! What a wise man!”
“As expected from someone who went to SNU!”
While Kim and the other fishermen enthusiastically praised him, Bokja filled her own glass again and downed it in one
gulp.
Bang.
The glass landed on the table.
“You said to do it properly?”
“I suppose I did...”
“Then if we’re going to make him do it, we might as well do it properly.”
A deep smile spread across Bokja’s wrinkled face.
“What do you call it? The national team?”
“Huh? Oh, the national team... Yes, people usually call it the national team.”
“Let’s make him one.”
Bokja was the type of person who went all the way once she made up her mind.
Doing something halfway was not in her nature.
Only moments ago, she had said pursuing an athletic career was something she could never let him do.
Now she had completely reversed herself, as though she had never said those words.
Lee Bokja.
One of the wealthiest landowners in Jeju.
While Hangil was off in dreamland, Bokja decided his fate.
“The national... national team?”
“If that doesn’t work, we can always build him a swimming pool.”
Hangil’s future had been decided.
A national-team swimmer.
Or else...
A swimming pool owner.
=
“Mom!”
After meeting with Kim and the others, Bokja called in her helpers.
The woman who called Bokja Mom was Moon Jiyoung.
Jiyoung was Hangil’s aunt.
“How long has it been! You look even prettier! Jeju must really be good for you. Mom, should I just move here for good
too?”
“Come if you want, you brat. Every time you come, you say the same thing...”
“I mean it this time. I quit my business.”
“What!”
“I’m kidding~ If I hand it over to someone else, then I really will have to live with you.”
“As if you would.”
“I’m serious!”
Jiyoung linked arms with Bokja and looked at the man who had come with her.
“I should live with my husband and Mom. Right, honey?”
“Of course. Mother-in-law, I’m sorry I haven’t been able to visit more often. Have you been well?”
“Can’t you see I’m still going strong?”
“Very clearly!”
The man, who had arrived carrying bags in both hands, laughed heartily before beginning to unpack everything.
“Where’s Hangil?”
“He went out for a little while. That little while has already been over five hours, so he probably went diving again.”
Bokja shook her head with a disgusted expression, as though she did not even need to see it to know.
“He hasn’t changed at all. I was thinking of taking him to the sea as soon as he came back.”
“The sea? Did you just say the sea, Han?”
Bokja glared at Han.
“Mom, there you go again. Have you ever seen your son-in-law take Hangil somewhere dangerous? The kid loves water
anyway. He just wants to have fun somewhere he likes. Why are you so against it?”
“Don’t you know your mother has a fit whenever she hears the word sea?”
“I know, I know. I’m just saying we shouldn’t be too hard on him. Honey, let’s eat the watermelon we brought. Mom’s
getting worked up again.”
“It won’t be cold enough. It probably won’t taste good.”
“Oh, right. Mom, do you have any fruit in the fridge?”
“I bought plums.”
“Mom, you really know me. How did you know I like plums?”
“Would a mother not know what fruit her own child likes?”
“Yay, yay~”
Jiyoung expertly handled Bokja and kept the conversation moving.
“Hangil probably won’t be back until after five, right? Then should we eat lunch first? What should we have? Mom, should
we go out?”
“Have some marsh clam soup. I already made it.”
“In this weather?”
“It’s refreshing, so it’s even better!”
“The marsh clam season is basically over now.”
Jiyoung puffed out her cheeks but quietly began setting the table anyway.
Han served the rice before asking,
“Ah, Mother-in-law. You said you had something to tell us, didn’t you?”
“Right. You kept making us anxious, saying you’d only tell us once we came. What is it?”
The married couple looked at Bokja with curious expressions.
The refreshing scent of marsh clam soup slowly spread through the kitchen.
The sound of a lid closing.
Bokja approached with bowls of soup and spoke.
“I’m going to have Hangil learn swimming.”
“Huh? Swimming?”
“Yes. Swimming.”
“Honey, I’m not dreaming right now, am I? Pinch my cheek. Ow! You didn’t have to pinch it that hard!”
“Did you suddenly decide this?”
“Not exactly suddenly... Though it was rather sudden.”
Bokja remembered her meeting with Kim and the others.
If even strangers had been able to see Hangil’s love for the water at a glance during their very first meeting...
“Maybe I’m just doing what I’ve been putting off.”
Bokja believed that rather than suppressing that love, Hangil needed somewhere else to channel it.
“That’s why I called the two of you.”
“Us?”
“You called us?”
The first step in Project: Getting Jang Hangil Away From the Sea.
Lure him toward a swimming pool.
Bokja spoke to the two of them, who were staring at her blankly.
“Try to tempt Hangil. If we’re going to make him a national-team swimmer, we have to get him into a swimming pool first,
don’t we?”