Translator: Elisia
Editor/Proofreader: Wojo
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Truth be told, I’m not particularly fond of the countryside.
Having lived exclusively in the city all my life, I liked being able to easily buy daily necessities at any time, having large supermarkets nearby, and even without my own car, I could comfortably go about my day using public transportation.
I didn’t like places where the surroundings were nothing but fields or mountains.
Moreover, I had served in the military in Gangwon Province, which made me develop a strong dislike for mountains.
I used to think, “I’ve climbed enough mountains for a lifetime here.”
Perhaps because of that, even when I lived in Seoul, I didn’t go hiking.
No, maybe that’s not it.
On second thought, it might have just been because I was lazy.
Of course, this didn’t mean we were currently hiking.
Rather, it was just that Yang Hye-in’s grandmother’s house was located in the mountains.
It wasn’t that cars couldn’t come here, or that there were no other houses nearby.
But the village wasn’t exactly large either.
From here, you could almost see everything at a glance.
There were a few places that seemed like orchards, and the rest was entirely mountains.
The view felt somewhat stifling, as if something blocked it.
‘Why? I like it.’
As I sat on the veranda thinking this, Sara spoke to me.
‘It’s not noisy here. And no one’s watching us.’
They could if they wanted to.
Well, obviously, since it’s all mountains front and back.
Whether you hide among people in the city, or trees in the mountains, not being seen is the same.
Based on my military experience, camouflage patterns on uniforms are more effective than you’d think.
‘…What a boring thing to say.’
Sara grumbled.
I could almost see her pout, so I smiled slightly.
Well, I don’t completely disagree.
Certainly, the air here was clean, and you could probably see the stars well at night.
I once admired the night sky from a military outpost on a mountain.
The problem was that it only looked beautiful for the first day or two.
‘Why does every thought lead to a story from your military days…’
Sara sighed again, sounding exhausted.
“…”
Following her suggestion, I tried to focus a little more on the scenery.
Or rather, I stopped focusing entirely.
I relaxed my eyes and stared blankly into the distance.
I felt the texture of the dry, weathered wood under my fingertips as I rested my hand on the veranda.
Occasionally, I could hear the sound of cars passing by on the distant road.
The chirping of birds from afar, and the peculiar rhythmic cooing of doves.
Whenever the wind swept by, it rustled the trees in one direction, and the natural breeze that passed gently through the gaps in the veranda was unique to countryside houses.
Hmm, now that I’m experiencing it, it’s not too bad.
At least, it’s a good place to sit and relax in weather like this.
Even the gray brick walls, inside which the garden filled with flowers tended by Hye-in’s grandmother bloomed, was more beautiful than expected.
‘Right? I’d like to build a small house in a place like this someday, and just live growing flowers.’
Of course, you’d probably change your mind once the heat of summer and the cold of winter arrived.
‘…Really, are you going to keep this up?’
As I was mentally bickering with Sara, I heard someone plop down beside me.
It was So-hee.
She was holding a tray, piled high with traditional Korean snacks and fruits, from who knows where.
She even had a piece of yakgwa in her mouth.
“Want some?”
Her pronunciation was unclear, probably because she had the yakgwa in her mouth.
“No, I’m fine.”
…Really, I was fine.
My stomach was already completely full.
Though Yang Hye-in’s grandmother always wore a stern expression, she was just like the grandmothers that everyone knows.
One who took pride in feeding her grandchildren—and the cute kids who tagged along with them—heartily.
You know, the kind of grandmother that naturally comes to mind when you think of the word “grandma.”
That’s why I felt even more uncomfortable.
Not that I disliked her.
In fact, that made it even more troubling.
The fact that Yang Hye-in never mentioned her parents while talking about her hometown might mean that her parents were no longer around.
In other words, it was possible that her grandmother only had her granddaughter, Yang Hye-in, to look after.
That’s why I felt uncomfortable.
“It’s delicious, though.”
So-hee mumbled regretfully after hearing my refusal.
“Where’s Ha-neul and Soo-ah?”
“They’re still inside. They’re listening to the grandmother’s stories.”
“Stories?”
So-hee nodded at my question.
“Stories from when she was younger. She even brought out photo frames.”
“Ah…”
I wondered if they would actually enjoy hearing those stories.
Even I, who should be closest to Yang Hye-in, would feel terribly uncomfortable listening to stories from her childhood.
Moreover, it was strange that Ha-neul and Soo-ah, who were even less familiar with Yang Hye-in, were the ones listening.
“Well, I’m your maid, right? You know that, don’t you? It’s still working hours. Since Senior Hye-in is on vacation, I have to serve you exclusively.”
Then, So-hee unexpectedly pushed a piece of yakgwa into my mouth, and before I knew it, I had accepted it.
“…”
Seeing me like that, So-hee grinned triumphantly.
…Was this some sort of learned behavior?
*
Eventually, my excuse of “I can’t eat anymore, so I’ll go get some fresh air” was running out of time, so I quietly followed So-hee back inside.
“Hey, Sara, look at this.”
As soon as I entered the room, I made eye contact with Ha-neul.
Ha-neul and Soo-ah were sitting beside the grandmother, listening intently.
“This is a photo of sister Hye-in…when she was in elementary school.”
Wow.
Sister Hye-in, huh.
What an awkward combination of words.
Yang Hye-in was sitting a bit away from the three of them, kneeling with an unreadable expression.
She looked like a life-sized figurine.
Ha-neul’s eyes, as they looked at me, were full of desperation, so I reluctantly approached the photo album.
It wasn’t photos stored on a smartphone or displayed on a computer screen, but printed film photos.
The photo, with a slightly yellowish tint, showed a child smiling brightly.
Her hair wasn’t in a bob.
And on both sides of the child, two adults who looked very similar to the child stood.
One was a woman, and the other was a man.
The child in the middle was probably a young Yang Hye-in, and the adults on either side were likely her parents.
“Ah… she’s pretty.”
I made a neutral comment.
And it wasn’t a lie.
Even as a child, Yang Hye-in had been pretty.
Considering she was still beautiful now, it didn’t take much imagination to picture her being a cute child.
“Right? Our Hye-in has been beautiful since she was little.”
The problem was, the grandmother looked so happy when she said that in response to my words.
And Yang Hye-in, sitting in the corner in her motionless position, still had no expression.
Whatever reaction Yang Hye-in had, I knew it would make me feel extremely awkward.
Whether she blushed with embarrassment or openly expressed discomfort, it would still feel odd.
So, in a way, her complete lack of reaction was the least uncomfortable option.
But that didn’t mean it wasn’t uncomfortable.
I wondered again why I had agreed to come all the way here.
“This, um… well…”
I opened my mouth, trying to escape the discomfort, but quickly realized I had nothing to say.
“…Is this from her elementary school days?”
In the end, I asked a predictable question.
“Of course, it’s from her elementary school days. She’s lived in Seoul since middle school.”
The grandmother still spoke with a bright smile.
“…”
Hmm.
How should I put it?
I had a feeling if I probed any further, I’d end up hearing an even more uncomfortable story.
“When Hye-in was little—”
“Grandma.”
But fortunately, before the grandmother could continue, Yang Hye-in interrupted her.
“How’s the field doing?”
“The field?”
The grandmother turned her head toward Hye-in.
“Yeah. The field. There was one behind the mountain, right?”
It was the most familial tone and voice I’d ever heard from Yang Hye-in.
But somehow, it felt as if she were acting.
“Of course, it’s still there. It’s still a while until the sweet potatoes are ready, though…”
“I want to go see it.”
“Now? It’s not time to harvest yet, you know?”
“You can tell how much they’ve grown without harvesting. I want to go see.”
“Really?”
After thinking for a moment,
“Well, if my granddaughter wants to see it, then we must go. Let’s go together.”
The grandmother slowly got to her feet.
“Girls, would you like to come along? Want to see how the sweet potatoes are growing?”
“There’s no need. You’ve had a hard time getting here already. You should rest.”
“Really? Oh, I see…”
The grandmother muttered, looking slightly disappointed.
…I knew well enough that Yang Hye-in was forcing the conversation in a different direction.
Still, I was thankful that she had created an opportunity to avoid the awkward situation.