CH 100

“I think he is someone I should be thanking,” he continued. “I’d like to meet him and thank him in person.” His voice seemed tired from where he was standing behind her.

Lee-yeon was stunned. “Chae-woo, I’m really not that great of a person.”

“What do you mean?” His voice was sharp.

“I mean, you don’t have to go overboard,” she said carefully.

“I don’t think this is going overboard.”

When Lee-yeon didn’t respond, Kwon Chae-woo became still. “You think I’m overreacting, Lee-yeon?”

Yes. Even in the past, you went overboard. Lee-yeon thought to herself. But she just shook her head. She recognized what he meant with his actions, that he was trying to show how he felt about her. She also felt like it was her fault for making him think that way.

“I’m worried about you,” she said. Kwon Chae-woo was quiet, so she continued. “My parents both died in an accident. I don’t know if it truly was an accident, though.”

He didn’t speak. He wanted to look at her in the eyes, but he felt like, if he moved, she would stop talking. He was being so careful with her that he even loosened his grip.

Lee-yeon continued. “I have no reason to think that, of course,” she said. “But I’ve always thought it was strange. I always thought there was something wrong with their deaths.” She turned around suddenly and looked straight into Kwon Chae-woo’s eyes. “If you get hurt, then I will have nothing good left. So please be careful.”

“Lee-yeon,” Kwon Chae-woo murmured as he hugged Lee-yeon. He put his chin on her shoulder and nodded. “Okay, I’ll listen to you,” he said. “But just because your parents died at the same time, it doesn’t mean we have to.”

“For us, that’s not the answer,” he said. “Just because you were hurt, that doesn’t mean you have to hurt all the time.”

Lee-yeon felt her eyes sting and she looked down.

She remembered the words she had told him when she asked him not to sacrifice himself for her.

“No matter what happens, I don’t care what you want, you will never leave me like that again.”

As she started to cry, Kwon Chae-woo tried to hold back his laughter. He had to be her light, he had to take care of her and guide her. He couldn’t let the ghosts of her parents haunt her forever. He was the only one that would be able to keep her safe and lead her away from the darkness that had filled her whole life.

“You’re truly amazing,” he whispered into her ears as he pulled her close to him once more.

In my eyes, he thought, So Lee-yeon will always be the prettiest and the greatest thing. So Lee-yeon who saves trees and takes care of me will always be the sexiest and most amazing thing in my life.

It felt pathetic, but Lee-yeon couldn’t help but tear up more at Kwon Chae-woo’s words. She melted further into his embrace and laughter filled the room.

When they went back to spend time with Choo-ja, the woman was watching Lee-yeon with intent eyes.

“Your under eyes are dark, but you look good,” she said.

Lee-yeon tilted her head. “Pardon?”

When she brushed one side of Lee-yeon’s face, Choo-ja’s eyes lit up. “You’re a woman!” she exclaimed.

Lee-yeon turned away as the older woman gave her a mischievous look. She smiled at Lee-yeon slyly as the girl blushed and pouted her lips, looking away. She reached out and caressed Lee-yeon’s hands before calming her expression.

“Is it good?” she asked suddenly.

“Choo-ja!”

“In the morning, you go and fix trees, but at night—”

“Stop!” Lee-yeon was embarrassed as she tried to look away from the old woman.

Their eyes met for a moment and then they both looked away. Choo-ja held back her laughter and Lee-yeon tried to calm down.

“I still miss him, you know,” Choo-ja said as she looked down at the coffee mug on the table. “He wanted to stay home, but I dragged him to the hospital. I was greedy and I wanted more time with him, so he couldn’t go home even if he wanted to. Making him stay longer than he should have is my biggest regret.”

Lee-yeon’s uncle had always read poetry to Choo-ja, even when he was at the later stages of liver cancer. He used poems to confess his love but, when he was near death, he could no longer say anything.

“I wonder if that person is well,” Choo-ja said.

Lee-yeon frowned. “Who?”

“The person who paid your uncle’s hospital bill.”

Lee-yeon’s eyes lit up. She remembered the classical CD that she kept at the bottom of her drawer.

“I really don’t know what I would’ve done without that person’s help,” Choo-ja said. “I wonder if he ever met his son.”