Heo Gunpil Center - Chapter 126



Only Krnovel

Episode 126. Summer: Friends (5)

“Is he your real older brother?”

“No, no. Summer oppa… … .”

Park Han-byeol bowed her head deeply at Pi Joo-hee’s question. It was because she realized it. Since she had said that name, she had to say her story as well.

“I’ll tell you from the beginning. From beginning to end, everything.”

Will you believe me?

“Oh, my dad.”

You have to believe me… … .

“Whenever he drank, he would beat me and my mom. But when he didn’t drink, it was okay. You know, like, working hard? You know? It’s like building a house… building a building.”

“There’s no way I wouldn’t know.”

“Ah, you know. I thought you might not know Senior Joo-hee. Anyway… I earned money by working odd jobs. Every time I did that, she would buy me jajangmyeon.”

Park Han-byeol hadn’t taken a sip of her drink since Jang Mi-mi paid, so the water droplets in her cup were soaking wet on the table.

“But around the time I graduated from elementary school… … ”.

She took a sip of her drink just before another drop fell. Despite chewing it countless times, her throat was still dry.

“My mother died. She could have survived if she had just taken her medicine on time… I have to take care of the house and work instead of my father. Where would I have time to take care of my health?”

“… … .”

“Before my mother died… she said something.”

But he still thought of me as his father and asked me to take care of him.

“Even after Mom died, Dad was the same. He drank… beat me… and sometimes went to work… .”

“… … .”

“But it was the year I first entered middle school. One day, while I was drinking, he didn’t hit me.”

A memory of that day that I remember clearly.

Bottles of liquor scattered on a yellow floor, powder scattered between them.

“At first, I thought he was eating salt and sugar instead of snacks… He seemed to be having trouble controlling his body more than usual, and his speech was slurred, so I thought it was strange. But then he suddenly said, ‘Your father will definitely send you to study abroad for college.’”

“Did you believe it?”

“Child… I didn’t believe you. Where would you have money for that? This is complete nonsense. Even I, who am listening to this, am so foolish.”

Whoosh, Park Han-byeol raised her head, which she had been lowering the whole time.

Although she didn’t know it, her eyes were already as red as plums.

“But, but still. Do you know that just saying those words… makes your heart feel better?”

Park Han-byeol thought that the two students in front of her had never felt that way in their entire lives. She thought that it was an emotion they had never experienced before.

“know.”

“……know.”

But the two of them seemed to truly understand each other, so she found the courage to continue talking even though she didn’t know what was going on.

“I should have stopped it then.”

“……drug.”

Pi Ju-hee and Jang Mi muttered while locking eyes. The two students didn’t seem that surprised.

That made Park Han-byeol even more flustered at the sight.

For them, drugs are something that is very different from themselves and something you would see on the news.

“… … My dad is addicted to drugs. But… if I knew it was a drug… I would have stopped him.”

“… … .”

“I didn’t stop him. He starts hitting once he gets drunk… … Drugs, he doesn’t hit when he’s under the influence of drugs.”

Mom’s last words.

Park Han-byeol did not keep her will.

“Things happened faster than I thought. My mom’s insurance money ran out very quickly. I hadn’t worked since I became addicted, so it was a natural progression.”

“……debt?”

“That’s right. Collateral, loans, private debts. Dad lost everything he could, and he repaid everything he could. With that money… yes, he bought drugs.”

Park Han-byeol covered her face with both hands. If Pi Ju-hee and Jang Mi-mi’s hands only proved their training, her hands guaranteed her strong vitality.

“While the whole house was under seizure, gangsters came rushing in. Loan sharks were using the money my dad had borrowed.”

Jang Mi-mi put more strength into her fist. If Pi Ju-hee hadn’t grabbed her wrist, a deep mark would have been left on her palm.

“Dad, I have to pay you back.”

“… …Where is father going.”

“Ah, what did he say… I don’t know, I don’t know. My dad’s body was ruined because of the drugs… so he couldn’t sell. So he dragged me, me… to some bar. It was like, like that. He, he also carried alcohol. He also carried fruit and stuff… … .”

And… … and… … .

“I, I didn’t make any conditions… … I’ve worked part-time for less than minimum wage, but… I’ve never thought or imagined something like that. I, I did it of my own volition… … .”

“… … .”

“There’s no way… … .”

Park Han-byeol uttered these words for the first time. It wasn’t that she didn’t deny it. It wasn’t that she didn’t protest.

‘Hanbyeol, I’m just going to ask. Is the rumor true?’

It was something I couldn’t do.

It was clearly not true, and it was not a lie either. Park Han-byeol was unable to say anything.

‘You’re already trying to make easy money.’

‘I know you can’t buy a house… … but isn’t that wrong?’

‘Really?! It doesn’t look like that.’

Reality is always more important.

People did their best to assume the worst,

“I’ve done everything I could.”

I never thought that there were people at rock bottom even more than that family.

‘… … But Hanbyeol.’

So, Park Han-byeol didn’t completely, completely shut her mouth. She did open her mouth in front of her only friend.

‘Why, why didn’t you run away? You shouldn’t have reported it… or at least told an adult… … .’

iced coffee.

“It’s not a lie. It’s not an excuse… … .”

Water gathered in the corners of his red eyes. Large drops of water fell, blurring his vision. Salty tears and sour snot flowed without stopping.

“Th, those people… they just laughed at me and said, y, y, they paid off all the principal… but they said there was still interest left. And it’s still piling up.”

Rosemi thought.

“That man called Dad… Shh, Shh. I don’t want to call him Dad. Man, actually, since he was taken away that day, I don’t know if that man is dead or alive. But, I don’t care…!”

“… … .”

“… … But, but… I keep thinking this. Could it be that I failed to follow one of my mother’s wills… and that’s why things turned out like this?”

Why is it like this? Why is the truth always like this? Why, why on earth.

Those who should be suffering are at ease, and those who should not be suffering are in so much pain that they die.

president.

Jang Mi-mi jumped up from her seat.

If there is a god, he shouldn’t do this.

“Where are you going?”

“Hurry up,” she said, her clothes being grabbed by Pijuhee.

“To kill those bastards.”

Look at this. The stars didn’t rise today either.

“… … Mimi.”

Suddenly, Jang Mi realized that it was not Pi Ju Hee who was holding onto the hem of her clothes like a rope.

Park Han-byeol said.

“Why don’t you ask more?”

Maybe Park Han-byeol had the same reaction as those at school. Maybe she asked the same questions as her past friend.

But Jang Mi didn’t necessarily follow the same path as them. She simply hugged her without caring that tears and snot were soaking through her uniform shirt.

“… … Now tell me.”

A little later, Pi Ju-hee asked.

“Who is Jeon Yeoreum?”

Let me help you.

* * *

Last summer.

Park Han-byeol first met him at the very end of summer, when it seemed like it was God’s trick. In other words… she first met him at the brink of death.

I remember it exactly this time last year. Exactly. I haven’t gone to school since that time.

“Oh, you sing well.”

The sunset sky must have made her feel so sentimental. Park Han-byeol was standing on the rooftop singing.

“… … !”

Park Han-byeol, who found Jeon Yeo-reum clapping faintly, pushed him away and ran downstairs.

The trick was indeed right. Once, twice, three times… I had hit it countless times, so it was hard to explain it as anything other than a trick.

“Don’t you feel wronged, oppa?”

It was the beginning of summer again. They chose to sit facing each other rather than collide.

“what?”

The store didn’t light its sign until the full moon rose. That was their only time.

“I’m doing this job because of my mom’s debt. I ran away from home and brought drugs here. It’s all because of my mom.”

“… … Hmm.”

Jeon Yeo-reum, sitting cross-legged and resting her chin on her hand, thought deeply.

“My family is really weird. Is this too much?”

He was exactly one year older than Park Han-byeol. Jeon Yeo-reum, who was used to starving, was not a healthy person even at a glance, and getting beaten was also a common occurrence, so she looked even thinner.

“I hate you so much. If I went back in time, if someone gave me a knife, I would stab them.”

“……Really?”

“no.”

But there was always a clear light in Jeon Yeo-rae’s eyes.

“Ahaha. I don’t think I could go back in time. I only remember eating chicken together.”

“… … .”

Park Han-byeol lowered her head as she recalled one of her memories. Jeon Yeo-reum, who placed her hand on the peeling paint on the rooftop, looked up at the sky.

“So let’s imagine the future.”

“… … .”

“Ask me quickly what it is.”

“… … Haa, what is it?”

“I want to become a doctor. My dream is to treat sick people.”

Sigh.

Park Han-byeol sighed even deeper.

“My brother dropped out of school and graduated from middle school.”

“however?”

“How can a middle school graduate become a doctor?”

“Is there a law that says a middle school graduate can’t become a doctor? Just take the GED exam!”

Jeon Yeo-reum looked at Park Han-byeol and smiled brightly. It was a very bright smile, so much so that her gums were visible.

He raised his head again.

“I had a younger sister who died because she couldn’t get treatment.”

“… … .”

“It was really just a minor illness. If only I had had surgery on time, I could have survived.”

Park Han-byeol recalled another memory.

This time, it seems she wasn’t the only one who thought of it.

“When I see you, I think of my sister.”

“… … .”

“She liked to sing too. You… No, no. It’s rude to compare her to you. She couldn’t sing. She was a kid who dreamed of becoming an idol but was tone-deaf and had no sense of rhythm.”

“… … How old were you?”

“Hahaha, 8 years old! She was cute. She made a dress out of a tablecloth, you know what? She went to the awards ceremony and climbed on the table and said it was a stage, haha.”

Jeon Yeoreum, who was holding Park Han-byeol’s cheeks and stretching them, smiled and said.

“Hanbyeol, you should become a singer.”

singer.

It’s mischievous. It’s not because I didn’t dream.

“How can I become a singer?”

Tak, Park Han-byeol hits Jeon Yeo-reum’s hand away.

I had a dream like that. It was a dream that was quickly fixed even back then. Now, I didn’t even have time to dream. I didn’t even have the energy to face reality right away.

“Why can’t you? You’re good at singing!”

“It’s not like a singer is just good at singing. Oh, no. It’s true that people who are good at singing are the ones who become singers…!”

“Then it’s done!”

“No!”

Park Han-byeol screamed so loudly that her voice was heard downstairs. Then she spoke cautiously, wondering if the sound had reached the lower floor.

“… … They took pictures. Not just of me, but of all the other ladies who work here.”

“ah.”

Jeon Yeo-reum looked down at the rooftop. The waterproof paint that had been worn down was red and yellow. When he scraped it off with his fingernail, it crumbled really easily.

He raised his little finger.

“Let’s do this. I will make sure that you can become a singer without any problems.”

“yes?”

Park Han-byeol furrows her brows as if she finds it absurd.

“Isn’t the premise strange to begin with? Before becoming a singer?!”

“huh!”

Jeon Yeo-reum nodded as if to ask what the problem was and put her finger between Park Han-byeol’s.

“Instead, you promise.”

“No… What is it?”

“Go to school.”

Jeon Yeoreum said, holding her little finger tightly.

“Keep going to school.”

“……I am-”

“Oh my, over there!”

It’s a star!

He reached for the sky with his other hand.

“You know that stargazing in Seoul these days is like trying to pick stars from the sky!”

“How do I know if it’s a real star or not?”

“I guess this is a revelation from God that you will become a star singer.”

“What… … Huh.”

Park Han-byeol couldn’t even laugh in vain anymore. Jeon Yeo-reum reached out to her once more.

“This is also a promise. When you become a star later, you will come to the children’s ward where I work and perform. Oh, and for free.”

“… … What on earth are you looking at?”

“Rather than saying something like this after seeing something… … .”

I trust you.

Jeon Yeoreum laughed. Still, she was so bright that she looked like an idiot.