Chapter 6
“Jeong Heetae.”
“Oh, you’re here.”
It had been a long time since Yohan had worn a black suit, not since his graduation exhibition. He never dreamt that this “long time” would be for Jeong Heungbok’s funeral.
Yohan entered the funeral hall, offered chrysanthemums, and briefly bowed his head in silent prayer. He hoped the grandfather was now free from the illness that had plagued him, resting comfortably in a better place. He offered his condolences, acknowledging the hardships the grandfather had endured in life, and expressing gratitude for the privilege of having been a companion, even if only for a short while during his long life.
After offering condolences to Heetae’s father, the chief mourner, Yohan sat down as guided by Heetae.
“Did you drive?”
“No, I took a taxi.”
“Then let’s have a drink.”
Heetae’s heart must be heavy with the sudden news of his grandfather’s illness and passing. Part of it was Yohan’s fault. At the elder’s earnest request, he hadn’t informed Heetae of his grandfather’s illness beforehand.
Heetae handed Yohan a paper soju cup and filled it to the brim. After pouring a drink for himself, side dishes and yukgaejang were brought to the table.
“All the village elders knew,” Heetae said, emptying his cup in one gulp, his voice filled with a mixture of complaint and self-reproach.
“That Grandfather had lung cancer, that when he went to the hospital, the cancer cells had already spread beyond treatment.”
Yohan sighed softly and emptied his cup as well.
“He asked us not to tell the family because there was nothing modern medicine could do.”
“Even so, wasn’t that too much? We’re family… Hey, did you know too?”
“…….”
“Since when?”
“I haven’t known for long. It was last fall when I went down to Jinhong-ri.”
“Then you should have told us! What does that make our family, leaving him alone during that cold winter?”
“Grandfather earnestly asked me not to.”
“Damn it, really….”
As Yohan reached for the soju bottle to refill Heetae’s cup, Heetae snatched it away. He started to gulp it down straight from the bottle.
“Hey, take it easy.”
Yohan took the bottle back, put it down, and rubbed his forehead. Should he have done that? Despite Grandfather’s request, should he have told the family? Late regrets flooded in, but Grandfather had already passed away.
Jeong Heungbok, the man Yohan had chatted with every night just a few days ago, was dead. It was a difficult fact for Yohan to accept. How much more so for Jeong Heetae, his grandson?
Suddenly, another person who inherited Jeong’s blood came to mind. He looked around but couldn’t see her.
“Jeong Hee… Where is Heena?”
Heetae, seemingly calming down a bit, touched the tip of his reddened nose and replied.
“She’s sleeping in the room for a bit. She’s been working herself to the bone taking care of Grandfather since last week, and even here, she’s been running around serving and cleaning up yukgaejang. Her eyes were so bloodshot they looked like they were bleeding, so I told her to get some rest.”
While Yohan felt awkward about encountering Jeong Heena, knowing her as well as he did, he also knew how difficult a time she must be having. He also knew he wasn’t in a position to comfort her. Still, he couldn’t help but worry.
It was a sad day, and he wanted to see Heena today.
“…Did she grieve a lot?”
“It’s ridiculous. Anyone would think it was my father who died. She always made excuses when we asked her to visit Grandfather.”
“She must have grown fond of him while nursing him. It was a short time, but she was the closest to him.”
“That’s true. Noona was by Grandfather’s side when he passed away.”
Even though they were no longer together, they had dated for seven years. No matter how much they fought like enemies during those seven years, they were always close to each other. Yohan probably understood better than anyone how Heena must be feeling after Grandfather’s death, which made his own feelings complex.
“Do you want to say hello? Should I wake her up?”
“No, leave her be.”
“Noona would be happy to see you.”
As if. Yohan was curious how she would react if she saw him. They broke up fighting like cats and dogs, so she might rip his hair out if she saw him here. Or maybe she’d just glare at him with her big eyes, drained of energy.
“I’ll just take a quick peek.”
“Now? You’re going into the room to look at Noona sleeping? That’s even creepier.”
Despite saying that, Heetae led the way to a small room next to the funeral hall. He slightly opened the door to peek inside and then beckoned Yohan closer.
Inside the room, Heena was curled up, sleeping soundly under a blanket. Whether from exhaustion over the past few days, or perhaps weight loss, her features were more pronounced.
Yohan was content with just this brief glimpse, stolen through the crack in the open door. It might be better for both of them if he didn’t disturb her, potentially worsening her already low spirits.
“Jeong Heena has grown up a lot,” Yohan muttered quietly to himself. Heetae, standing beside him, burst out laughing.
“Well, she’s not exactly young anymore…”
“Neither are you and I.”
Yohan cut him off with a stern expression, and Heetae looked aggrieved.
“Why are you suddenly getting so serious, man?”
“Marriage?”
“Not yet. I don’t think she has a boyfriend either.”
Yohan’s anxiety – that she might have moved on to another man immediately after their breakup, or that she might already be married – subsided.
Yohan rubbed his eyes, inwardly scoffing at himself. What would he do even if she wasn’t married? What would he do if she didn’t even have a boyfriend?
They fought so much they were sick of each other, and they’d broken up. They’d cried and fought countless times because they couldn’t agree on anything. Regardless of their feelings, they weren’t suited as a couple.
“I’ll head back down,” Yohan said, carefully closing the door so as not to wake Heena, and patting Heetae on the shoulder.
“Are you going back to Jinhong-ri again?”
“I plan to stay there for a while.”
“I heard that the old house remodeling business is lucrative these days. Must be making good money?”
“It’s not just about the money.”
Yohan had long been tired of the identical apartment interiors that seemed like copy-and-paste jobs. He had impulsively purchased and remodeled a vacant house in Jinhong-ri, and the sense of accomplishment and enjoyment he derived from it was more rewarding than the money.
He enjoyed and felt a sense of pride in preserving the parts of the old houses with traditional value while updating inconvenient aspects with new features. The work of transforming something old into something convenient was satisfying, and the compensation, which far exceeded his company salary, was a bonus. It was an impulsive decision, but it had led him to discover a new aptitude.
Unable to endure his tedious company life after returning to Seoul, he eventually resigned and moved down to Jinhong-ri to run a farmhouse remodeling studio.
“I’ll visit you sometime when I’m free. Ah, now that Grandfather is gone, I guess I won’t have any reason to go to Jinhong-ri anymore.”
It was a bitter thought. It also meant that Heena’s connection to Jinhong-ri was over. He was the only one left in the rural village inhabited by the elderly. In a way, it might be a good thing.
✦⋆🍒.₊ ⊹
Back in Jinhong-ri, Yohan had to endure an unfamiliar emptiness. It was only natural, as the person who lived next door was gone.
The aroma of cooking rice no longer wafted over from next door, and he no longer heard the shouts of “Yohan! Come out here!” at all hours. There was no doorbell ringing from visitors bringing makgeolli or soju as the sun set.
It was just one person’s absence, but how could it feel so empty? It felt like a hole had been punched in his soul.
About five days into this listless state, he heard signs of life from the quiet house next door.
Yohan, who was watering the lawn with a hose, strained his ears, wondering if a thief had broken into the empty house.
Clatter, clatter, the sound of wheels rolling. Creak, the sound of the rusty gate opening. The creaking sound of wooden floors.
Then, when he heard a deep sigh, he guessed it was a woman. A young woman, at that.
Had Heetae’s family already sold the grandfather’s house? If it wasn’t a thief, it could only be the new homeowner. But a young person buying this house? That was equally puzzling.
Yohan dismissed his curiosity and went back to his work. It was none of his business anymore, especially since he had even attended the grandfather’s funeral. The Jeong family would take care of it.
But the thought was fleeting.
While inside preparing dinner, an irresistible curiosity overcame him. He slipped on his slippers and went outside.
There was a small side gate between Grandfather Jeong’s house and his, allowing passage without going through the main gate. If there was a new homeowner, he felt sorry, but to eliminate any possibility of crime, he opened the side gate and trespassed onto the Jeong’s property.
Passing through the backyard, he could see the front yard. Windblown plastic bags and trash were tied up in a corner of the yard. Seeing the tidied-up yard, he wondered again if it really was a new homeowner. He was the one committing the crime, not them.
As he turned to quickly return to his own house, he saw a woman lying asleep on the open wooden floor. Presumably, the owner of the sigh.
