The Storm Came Suddenly
The storm came suddenly.
It was morning assembly on Monday, April 8th—a day everyone wished would never arrive.
“Could I have everyone’s attention?”
The homeroom teacher’s gentle voice, so well-suited to spring, was neither loud nor soft, yet the entire class fell silent.
“As you all know, Narae still hasn’t come to school, right? That’s because she collapsed after school last Friday and was hospitalized. I was so shocked when I got Jo Yul’s call. Thankfully, the doctor said she’s past the critical point. Still, just in case, I went to visit her that evening, and her condition wasn’t good. She was in a lot of pain. So if any of you have time, I’d really like you to visit her at least once. Kids, is it okay if I ask this of you?”
“Yes.”
“You can get the information about Narae’s hospital room from me before you leave school.”
I had been at the scene of the incident, so I wasn’t particularly surprised that something like this would come up today. And unlike me, there was someone who was worrying about Yoon Narae more than anyone else.
That was Jo-hwa.
Even from behind, you could tell how anxious and restless she was—worried enough that it looked like she wanted to bolt for the hospital that very second. As far as I knew, she had gone to see her right after academy that day, but she was still fretting. That must be what best friends are like.
It was a morning assembly that inspired neither motivation nor faith, but the homeroom teacher finished it with her characteristic bright smile—
“Ah. Jo Yul and Jo-hwa, could you come see me for a moment?”
—or so it seemed. But no.
Jo-hwa and I stood side by side and followed the homeroom teacher into the teachers’ office.
The moment she sat at her desk, she let out a deep sigh and slumped face-down on top of it. I was still marveling at this rarely seen defenseless state when she spoke without even lifting her head.
“I still can’t calm down.”
“Are you okay? Shall I get you some water?”
“No. I’m fine. Thank you, Jo-hwa. No matter how hard I try to settle myself, the worry comes first, and I don’t know what to do about it. This is my first experience like this in my teaching career, so I’m still flustered and my heart is pounding.”
“I was so shocked too when I got the call from Jo Yul. I understand how you feel, Teacher. But don’t worry. Narae takes good care of herself, so she’ll bounce right back. Hehehe.”
I had always thought the homeroom teacher was more perfect than anyone. But it seemed she didn’t only have a strong side. Receiving comfort from a student and trying to cheer herself up, she looked just like a wounded little lamb.
The little lamb who had just received healing and stood up got straight to the point.
Ah. I said something rude without meaning to.
“The reason I called you two is that I’d really like you to visit Narae today.”
If someone asked whether I didn’t worry about Yoon Narae even a speck, I would answer no. But why me, of all people?
“Why me......?”
I deliberately trailed off, but it was because I genuinely didn’t know.
“Lately I’ve often seen you hanging out with Narae. It was so nice to see. And Narae’s mother said that no matter what, she wants to repay the favor as soon as possible.”
“......”
This was clearly an incredibly burdensome situation no matter how you looked at it. Even on the day Yoon Narae collapsed, it had been quite burdensome. So I was even more reluctant to go.
It wasn’t as if I hadn’t been thinking about when to visit; that day had been so sudden that it hadn’t been a proper hospital visit. But if it was a burdensome occasion, of course you’d get reluctant. It wasn’t some formal family introduction. And since it had been quite a big deal, the burden would only get bigger—that wasn’t just my imagination, right? Right?
It absolutely wasn’t because I was annoyed or anything. When someone you could call somewhat close was sick, I thought it was only proper to at least visit them.
Yeah. It wasn’t that I wasn’t going to visit; today wasn’t the only day, right? Let’s go tomorrow. I could just say that.
But I couldn’t withstand the preemptive strike from the homeroom teacher, who was several moves ahead of me.
“Jo Yul. Is it okay if I ask this of you......?”
“Ugh......!”
With her characteristic bright smile, she attacked with an earnestness that would crush the other person under the weight of obligation.
It was like a queen requesting something of a servant.
So the queen was the homeroom teacher and the servant was me.
“I’m not forcing you. So there’s no need to push yourself. There’s always tomorrow.”
I had no choice but to kneel before the homeroom teacher who was like the queen of the sun.
“Yes. I understand.”
“Good. Then I’ll leave it to you.”
“Don’t worry. Even if he tries to run away halfway, I’ll make sure to drag him there!”
I glared at Jo-hwa, who was acting up and closing the distance with a sly grin.
Drag him? Was she planning to force me along?
We headed to the classroom after finishing our promise with the homeroom teacher.
The lessons didn’t sink into my head. Jo-hwa was probably the same as me. Maybe even worse.
How should I put it—honestly, I was surprised myself.
At myself, for caring this much about Yoon Narae.
Even though she teased people every day, she was reliable, and sometimes had a little-devil mischievous side, and I had never once seen her refuse someone’s request.
Until now, I had only thought of Yoon Narae as Jo-hwa’s friend; I had never once thought of her as my friend.
But why did I keep fretting over her?
Because she was a friend’s—friend?
Or had I developed some fondness for her despite myself?
Caught in this emotion that seemed unknowable yet somehow familiar, the lessons only drifted further and further away.
Holding an emotion that was similar to what I had felt for Jo-hwa a month ago yet subtly different, I soon saw the end of class, and at Jo-hwa’s insistence, I ended up taking a taxi all the way to the hospital.
She said she took a taxi because she really thought I might run away or something?
According to the information from the homeroom teacher, Narae was in Building 507.
We took the elevator to the fifth floor, quickly found room 507, and I had no choice but to chase after the anxious Jo-hwa’s sprint.
“Narae!”
I was debating whether to scold Jo-hwa for barging in without even knocking when—
“Hahaha. Who’s this? Isn’t it Jo-hwa?”
“Oh? Grandfather! Hello. What brings you here?”
“I heard my beloved granddaughter collapsed, so I rushed over from Japan. Hahaha. Are your parents well?”
“Yes. You look healthy too, Grandfather.”
“What use is an old man’s health? When my granddaughter is this sick......”
—A grandfather who seemed anything but ordinary was chatting familiarly with Jo-hwa.
Calling Yoon Narae his granddaughter, he seemed to be Yoon Narae’s grandfather.
He first presented a soft and kind image, but behind it, a dignified presence and a slight sense of intimidation never faded. Anyone could see he was no ordinary person.
“Anyway, who’s the child behind you? I’d like you to introduce him to this old man.”
“Ah! Right. I’m sorry. I was only thinking about Narae.”
“No. It’s fine.”
“He’s a friend of mine and Narae’s. His name is Jo Yul.”
“Jo Yul......?”
Something the grandfather pondered, then as if recalling something, he shot up from his chair and approached me. I hadn’t realized while he was sitting, but he was enormously tall. Unlike the tiny Yoon Narae, I had to crane my neck up to meet his eyes. He must have been well over 190 centimeters.
“I see. So you’re the benefactor who saved my granddaughter’s life!”
“You don’t have to make it sound so grand.”
“Grand? I’m just stating the facts. My, I don’t know how to express my gratitude. Truly, truly thank you.”
“......”
Held in the grandfather’s massive hand, I glanced at Yoon Narae behind him, but her face was stiff......?
But even that stiff face seemed to gradually relax as she talked with Jo-hwa.
“You’re okay, right? Right?”
“Yeah. I’m fine. So don’t worry.”
“Really? You’re really better? You can’t get sick again, okay?”
“Okay. I got it. Why does Jo-hwa look so much like a little kid today?”
“Do you know how shocked I was? How much I worried! Jo Yul too.”
Looking at me over Jo-hwa’s shoulder, Narae said.
This sly little fox. When I was looking at her, she didn’t give me a single glance......!
“Jo Yul......?”
“Yeah. Even though he looks indifferent on the outside, he was really worried.”
“......Hey. When did I ever make such a fuss? I was worried, but not to that extent about you.”
“Hmm⎯⎯?”
The gaze Yoon Narae fixed on me with a nasal hum was a look I had never seen before.
It was a serious yet sharp gaze that seemed to try to peer into my inner self.
At some point, the grandfather who had released my hand and was quietly watching us from the side stood up and said.
“You three seem to get along well. It wouldn’t do for an old man to be tactlessly hanging around here, so I’ll step out for a bit.”
“Grandfather. Are you leaving?”
To Jo-hwa’s question, the grandfather replied without missing his kind smile.
“Wouldn’t it be uncomfortable with an old man around? I’m going out to buy some drinks and give you some space, so no need to mind me much.”
When the grandfather left the hospital room, the sense of burden vanished as if it had been a lie.
The homeroom teacher had clearly said the mother would be there, but it was the grandfather.
I tried not to show it outwardly, but the burden had been considerable.
Letting out a sigh inwardly, I moved closer to Yoon Narae.
Yoon Narae’s facial expression as she chatted with Jo-hwa had become brighter, or softer—so much so that I doubted whether she was the same person who had been stiff just moments ago.
I couldn’t help but wonder at Yoon Narae’s sudden change.
The difference between when the grandfather was there and when he wasn’t was far too clear. Could it be that she didn’t get along with her grandfather?
I didn’t know how Jo-hwa felt, but I could sense the grandfather’s considerable dignity despite his outward appearance.
Then how did Yoon Narae think of her grandfather?
Just because they were blood-related didn’t mean they necessarily got along well. As you could see from parent-child relationships, or sibling relationships, different results came out depending on the family’s atmosphere or personalities.
That Yoon Narae found her grandfather difficult was clear just from the change in her expression.
Did Jo-hwa know this fact?
I looked at Jo-hwa, who was chatting happily with Yoon Narae as if nothing was wrong.
It looked like it wasn’t pretense, but I could see her pupils trembling ever so slightly.
So Jo-hwa knew too.
Then why did Yoon Narae find her grandfather difficult?
“Ah.”
“?”
“?”
Because of the sudden voice of the uninvited guest who had cut in between them, both their gazes inevitably turned to me.
I knew it wasn’t good to meddle in other people’s family affairs, but was I drawn to Yoon Narae’s appearance that showed a strangely different side, an unimaginable side? I seemed to have lost my self-control. I had forgotten the homeroom teacher’s other request.
Since Jo-hwa also seemed to have forgotten because she was too worried about Narae and didn’t look like she would tell her, I decided to tell her myself.
“Yoon Narae. April 22nd is the mock exam. The homeroom teacher told me to let you know, so whether you study or play is up to you.”
“!”
Narae’s appearance, greatly agitated by the coldly uttered words “mock exam,” looked somehow unstable.
Her face stiffened, and she was fidgeting as if emotionally unstable.
Did I say something I shouldn’t have? Why was she like that......?
As I observed Yoon Narae with questions, I saw it.
Just for an instant—
Huh?
—Yoon Narae showed hostility toward Jo-hwa. Without any particular reason, at that.
What was the problem?
Was there a reason we shouldn’t have come for a hospital visit today?
But if the hospital visit was the problem, it would have shown from the moment we arrived. But Yoon Narae didn’t show any dislike. Rather, she welcomed us.
Then by process of elimination, there was only one reason I could infer.
The mock exam.
However, the mock exam alone didn’t make everything understandable. Rather, it raised other questions.
Yoon Narae and Jo-hwa were the closest of best friends.
What meaning did the mock exam hold between Yoon Narae and Jo-hwa that Yoon Narae would show hostility toward Jo-hwa?
In all the time I had watched Yoon Narae, I had never seen her show hostility toward Jo-hwa, not even complain once.
But hostility?
This seemed to be a reason I didn’t know—no. Perhaps even the party involved, Jo-hwa, didn’t know.
A reason only Yoon Narae knew.
At the end of one curiosity, another curiosity followed in a chain.