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Chapter 11: I Don’t Know About That (1)
“You have to kiss me!”
Kang Chan had to run all night to avoid Kim Mi-Young, who was as big as a five-story building. After a while, his eyes snapped open, and he sighed heavily.
“It was just a dream.”
His throat was parched.
Snow White wasn’t ugly. In fact, she was rather pretty, had charming eyes, and a fantastic set of breasts. However, she was just a high school student. She was merely infatuated with him right now, just like how girls her age had a crush on teachers or celebrities.
However, even if he had morning wood every morning, or even if it was hard to control his urges, he didn’t want to do anything that would scar Snow White for life. And more importantly, getting involved with underage girls was a crime.
It was an uncomfortable start to a fresh morning.
Kang Chan went to the bathroom and took a shower mainly using his right hand while keeping his bandaged left hand raised high. The worst thing about prolonged confrontation with their opponents in the African deserts was the lack of water. They were only given three 1.5 liter bottles of water each day, drinking half of it and showering with the other half under normal circumstances. That was why Dayeru—with his huge build—only showered once every two days.
After coming out of the bathroom, Kang Chan saw Kang Dae-Kyung and Yoo Hye-Sook sitting in the living room.
“Did you take a shower?”
“Yes. Did you sleep well?” Kang Chan greeted his parents.
“Yeah! Are you going somewhere?”
“Huh?”
At his confusion, Yoo Hye-Sook felt like her assumption was correct. “There’s no school this weekend. Did you not know that?”
“It’s Saturday, though.”
“Yeah. Today is the second Saturday of the month.”[1]
Kang Chan racked his brain to figure out what Yoo Hye-Sook was talking about. He didn’t a clue what it was, but it was at least evident he didn’t have to go to school today.
“Oh really? I thought I had classes today.”
“I knew it. You forgot, didn’t you?”
Yoo Hye-Sook and Kang Chan smiled, feeling relieved.
Kang Chan thought he only didn’t have afternoon classes, but now it seemed like he took a full day off every other week. After breakfast, Kang Dae-Kyung went to work, and Kang Chan turned on the computer in his room to browse the internet.
Buzz.
Just then, he received a text.
[What are you doing?]
It was obviously from Seok Kang-Ho. Strangely, Kang Chan found texting inconvenient.
“Hello?”
–– It’s me.
“What’s up?”
–– What are you doing today?
“I don’t know. It turns out I don’t have classes today, so I’m a little disconcerted.”
–– Let’s meet if it’s okay with you. I have to give you your clothes as well. I’ll be in front of your apartment complex in approximately thirty minutes.
What’s up with this guy?
Then again, they had always been together even on vacation.
“Okay. Buy a few packs of cigarettes when you get here. It’s hard for me to buy some without an ID.”
–– Got it.
Kang Chan had thirty minutes of free time. He turned off the computer, got changed, and went to the living room. Yoo Hye-Sook was sitting on the sofa watching TV.
There were three rooms, two bathrooms, and a kitchen in their apartment. The balcony was connected to the living room.
Yoo Hye-Sook turned her head toward Kang Chan. She looked lonely just a moment ago, but happiness removed all traces of it the moment she turned her attention to him.
Did a child mean this much to a mother?
She had been waiting, lonely and in solitude, for him to open his door. Just looking at his face made her feel happy…
“Are you going somewhere?”
“I’m…going to meet with Mr. Seok Kang-Ho.”
“Your teacher? Why?”
“We became closer after the recent incident. He said there was something he wanted to talk to me about. He wanted to have lunch together because he happened to be passing by this area.”
Even though Yoo Hye-Sook was no longer shocked, she still looked worried.
“Don’t worry. I have to get my school uniform back as well.”
“Ah! That teacher!”
Only then did Yoo Hye-Sook feel relieved.
“I’ve washed your teacher’s clothes. Invite him over so I can say hello to him. No– should I go out to greet him instead?”
Simply thinking about it was suffocating enough.
“No, it’s okay. I’ll introduce you to him next time.”
Yoo Hye-Sook walked over from one side of the living room holding a paper bag, then she took out five 10,000 won bills from her wallet.
“Everything’s really okay, right?”
Kang Chan had gotten a little used to her behavior now. Moreover, upon remembering how lonely she looked, he no longer found her annoying.
“Oh, my son.”
Yoo Hye-Sook opened her arms and put them around Kang Chan’s neck. Perfunctorily, in a bid to make an effort to be a better son, he bent his upper body since Yoo Hye-Sook might feel hurt if he were to reject her.
However, the moment Yoo Hye-Sook hugged him tightly…
“Thank you, my dear son. I love you.”
For some reason, Kang Chan felt sad out of the blue the moment she patted him on the back.
Even when he grumbled, she held in her sadness and put up with him. Yoo Hye-Sook had wanted to die together with him if things had gone wrong when he was still hospitalized. And just a single apology from him or laying eyes on him when he came out of his room was enough to elate her.
Mom.
“Sob.”
Kang Chan immediately burst into tears. It had been twenty years since he last cried. He didn’t cry even when he left Seoul, and he didn’t cry either when he witnessed his unfortunate mother getting beaten up the day before he left.
“It’s okay, it’s okay, my dear son. I love you the most in this world. I’ll protect you no matter what anybody says.”
“Sob. Sob.”
The more Kang Chan tried holding back his tears, the more he lost control over them. It was like he was trying to release the sadness he had pent up for the last twenty years.
Just once. Just one time. He wanted to be hugged like he was right now. He never longed for anything more desperately in this world than to be in his mother’s arms.
In truth, she loves me. She doesn’t hate me––she truly loves me.
“You must’ve had a very hard time, my son.”
Even though Yoo Hye-Sook’s right shoulder was wet from all his tears, she continued patting his back.
“Haa!”
After exhaling heavily, Kang Chan calmed down a little. Yoo Hye-Sook couldn’t even wipe his tears. She looked at him.
“Are you feeling better, dear?”
“Yes.”
Kang Chan felt embarrassed, and he thought what happened was cringe-worthy. He wiped his tears with his sleeve and walked toward the front door.
“Have a good time.”
“Yes.”
He still couldn’t bring himself to call her ‘mom.’
Kang Chan took the stairs because he didn’t want to bump into a certain someone. It was a wise choice.
By the time he had left the entrance of the apartment complex, his emotional heart had hardened. Kang Chan sat on the bench and looked at the bandage around his hand.
I must not become weak.
“Come to your senses, you fool. I’m not the one they love.”
That was the truth. If Kang Dae-Kyung and Yoo Hye-Sook were to learn about Kang Chan’s true identity, would they still shower him with as much love as they were doing right now?
“I’m leaving anyway.”
He couldn’t just forget the members of his unit that died unjustly. And for him to avoid Snow White, who was waiting for school vacation, and for Kang Dae-Kyung and Yoo Hye-Sook, who were protecting and treating a complete stranger as their son, going to France was the right thing for Kang Chan to do.
“Tsk.”
Kang Chan suddenly felt annoyed because he seemed to be constantly coveting someone else’s parents.
Honk honk.
He heard a car honk and Seok Kang-Ho calling out to him.
Seok Kang-Ho drove off right after Kang Chan got in the car.
“Have you been waiting long—huh? Did you get an eye infection?”
“It’s probably because the wind blew into my eyes.”
“That’s serious. You used to be able to withstand sandstorms without a problem. At this rate, forget going to Africa. You’ll be eliminated from the recruitment process in France.”
Kang Chan crying probably didn’t even cross Seok Kang-Ho’s mind. That was clearly how they lived back then. If Dayeru’s eyes were red, Kang Chan would’ve also thought he had an eye infection.
“Where are we going?”
It was after the morning rush hour, so the roads weren’t congested.
“There’s nothing to do at home. Let’s just go to the suburbs, cook a chicken or something, eat it, then take a nap.”
“Cook a chicken?”
“Hahaha, why are you acting like a country bumpkin? We can just get it at a restaurant for 30,000 won.”
Kang Chan had never expected Dayeru to call him a country bumpkin ever in his life. When he turned his head slightly toward Dayeru, it seemed like the latter had adapted rather well to his current self.
“Daye.”
When Kang Chan called his name using his old voice, Seok Kang-Ho stopped smiling and looked at him.
“Are you satisfied with who you are right now?”
Seok Kang-Ho grinned.
“So it’s finally come.”
“What did?”
“I was like you, too. I felt like I was going crazy living in someone else’s body. I don’t like it, but I can’t say I completely hate it either. To put it bluntly, there’s no way to go back to my old self, anyway, and it’s not like anybody will believe me if I told them about it.”
Kang Chan nodded. While he was at the hospital, it seemed like Seok Kang-Ho was a mess in school and at home.
“My wife and my daughter were the ones who straightened me out. This body is too old to be a mercenary, and I can’t help but wonder what would happen to the ones I’d be leaving behind if I were to leave.”
His train of thought wasn’t wrong.
“Haha. After all, I get lonely.”
“Bullshit.”
“In any case, I thought that if the universe was crazy enough to give me a second chance, I should just accept it and live a good life.”
“It’s not because of your wife?”
“Let’s be honest. The women in France are much more attractive.”
“That’s true,” Kang Chan nodded.
“Her looks are average, but every time she runs to me to hug me after seeing me struggling with life, she becomes prettier to me. But just as I was making up my mind to accept my new life, you came along.”
Kang Chan smirked.
“Remember the time you took the utility knife? At that time, I wondered if you had taken over the student’s body.”
“So that was why you said it was because of repeated training.”
“Phew! It’s nice to not feel lonely and to have someone to talk to. I can’t say much about going to France, but, frankly, it’s a pity.”
They had already left the city center and were driving fast.
“It’s very peaceful here, isn’t it?” Kang Chan asked.
“Hahaha, you’re saying that after getting into fights two days into going to school?” Seok Kang-Ho retorted.
“Hahahaha.”
Kang Chan started laughing as well.
“Ah! I’m planning to meet with the gangsters on Monday.” Kang Chan suddenly remembered to tell Seok Kang-Ho.
“Where? I’ll come with you.”
“Give it a rest. It’s a hassle. Right! Have you helped me get out of class?”
“I’ll get it approved on Monday morning, so you don’t have to go to classes in the afternoon onward.”
“Tsk!”
“Has it been that hard on you?”
“Forget about it.”
What was the point of talking about it?
Kang Chan stared blankly out the window. It wouldn’t be terrible to live like this––if only all of this belonged to him and none of his unit members suffered an unjust death.
After driving for about an hour along an open road, Seok Kang-Ho pulled over at a valley close to Gapyeong.
Chicken stew. Maekgeolli[2] mixed with soda. Naps. Knee-deep waters.
He loved all of it. It felt like he had gotten the break he had always imagined during an intense battle.
Chk chk.
“Hoo!”
The two of them thoroughly exhaled the cigarette smoke while sitting on the restaurant’s low wooden bench.
“How many people do you think you’ve killed so far?” Dayeru asked Kang Chan out of the blue.
While Kang Chan was recalling his past battles, Seok Kang-Ho smiled bitterly as he spoke. “Would we have collectively killed at least a hundred people?”
“Probably around that many. Why are you talking about this when we’re having a good time?”
“Don’t go.”
“Hoo! Do you not know me well?”
“You give back as much as you receive from others… and you take care of our unit members.”
“You know it.”
“It’s just a waste.”
“This is good. Wouldn’t it be better for me to come back alive? When I’m back, let’s visit this place again.”
“Ha! Let’s do that.”
“Thank you.”
“What for?”
“Just leave it at that, you punk!”
The two of them laughed out loud at the same time, but because Seok Kang-Ho started drooling, Kang Chan chastised him, calling him a ‘dirty bastard,’
1. Originally, students had to go to school on Saturdays as well, but from 2010 onwards, the Korean public school system changed so that the students have 2 Saturdays off per month. ☜
2. Korean sparkling rice wine ☜