571 – Holes (2)
Everyone has a turning point, a turning point. A person changes 180 degrees through some chance.
The turning point in this life is, of course, the writing of Zenon’s biography. To be more precise, it is the release of 5 volumes that changed the perception of the demons.
Since then, not only my life but the whole world has been shaken. From that point on, I was far from a normal life.
Then, where is the turning point of the previous life? It is unfolding before me now.
“Hwan Yoo! Where are you going! Hwan Yoo!”
During the third year of middle school, when puberty came severely. I ran away from home to escape the conflict with my parents.
The cause of the conflict is also not a very hot issue. I didn’t want to go to an academy, but I tried to increase it here.
As everyone knows, people of that age hate the feeling of being constrained. It is a time when the ego is established, so there is no choice.
Besides, I really hated going to the academy because I was in the middle of playing computer games (…) with my friends.
“Whoa… it’s filthy cold.”
The problem is that when I ran away from home, it was winter when a cold wave raged. I couldn’t even wear socks because I came out in a fit of anger.
I should be glad that I came out wearing padding. But the cold hasn’t changed.
“Is it fresh that Isaac did that?”
“That’s right. He was always a good listener.”
My parents must have been fresh about my running away. So does everyone else.
I don’t know if I’m impatient, but I’m not spontaneous like that right now. I never had a conflict with my parents.
run away? Even if I run away, where will I go? Unlike now, the old manor was a rural village itself, and sometimes beasts or monsters came down.
Even if I didn’t want to stay in a guesthouse, I stayed inside the mansion and read books. While writing the biography of Zeno.
Tiri-Ri-Ring-
“······ AC.”
Mom’s phone ringing on her new smartphone. In my previous life, I nervously blocked that number.
I didn’t forget to block my father’s number just in case.
“······ Shall we go to the internet café?”
The current time is 5:00 PM. It’s a cold winter, and the sun is already about to set.
I came out with my wallet just in time, so a PC room would be a good place to pass the time. I moved my steps and headed for the PC room.
Of course, not near the house, not near the school or academy, but as far away as possible. Even though the back is so lonely and pitiful…
“Ah. f*ck. f*cking bastards. They can’t make the game dirty.”
You’re busy playing games in PC rooms without doing ······.
Apart from running away from home, I really enjoy the game. Without knowing that their parents are busy looking for them.
However, the time allowed for teenagers is 10 p.m. At 10 p.m., I have to leave the PC room. There is nothing different about me.
When I came out, the biting cold greeted me. If you stay homeless like this, you will surely freeze to death.
“Uh. Seungchan. It’s me. Maybe…”
I called my friends one by one. Could you please let me sleep for just one day? I’m out now because I got into a fight with my parents.
My friends were surprised by the news that I had run away, but expressed their intention of refusal. It was so sudden that their parents wouldn’t allow it.
I regretted it but understood it and started wandering aimlessly. I wouldn’t even wear socks, so I’d be insanely cold.
“Sigh······”
Eventually came back home again. When I come out of the house, I said that I was a high school student, and I ran away from home in a fit of anger, so there is nothing planned.
I spent all my money at the internet cafe, it’s filthy cold because it’s winter, and it’s dark outside.
It’s time to miss home. I was walking around the house and took out my phone.
I didn’t get any call from my parents because they blocked my phone number.
“Let’s solve it.”
I unblocked it with my reddened hand. I will not be able to contact you because of my pride.
Soon, as soon as the blockade was lifted, numerous messages poured in. Not just mom, but dad too.
[Hwan Yoo. where are you? please come back I’m going to drop out of the academy.]
[Hwan Yoo. come back quickly. It’s very cold outside.]
Surprisingly, not many text messages came. Maybe 10 including mom and dad.
Maybe because of that, my expression wasn’t very good. You must be thinking that I will definitely come back.
As soon as I was about to leave the house, a new text message arrived. I thought it was one of my parents.
[Hey. Your mother is looking for you.]
[videos]
[Just go home quickly. bastard. It’s still cold, so why do you suffer like that?]
He is one of the friends I made friends with from when I was young until right before I died.
The photo my friend sent me showed my mother looking for me late into the night.
It wasn’t taken by accident. I asked him to come inside, but he refused, saying finding me was his priority.
“······”
As I checked my friend’s text message, my expression became increasingly complicated. How urgent it must have been to search for it on my own two feet without even sending a text message.
Actually, I did warm myself up in the internet cafe, but my mother didn’t have anything like that, just looking for it.
It wasn’t that he was forcing me. There is no case that the relationship between parents and children meshes like a cogwheel every time.
Even if the method is slightly wrong, the ‘love’ that my parents pour into me is sincere. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have jumped out with socks.
“······ AC.”
But I didn’t call first because of my pride. just sent a text message.
I trudged along, leaving only a text saying that I was going home.
My feet, not even wearing socks, were cold, but I couldn’t recognize it because of my restless mind.
So by the time I got to the front of the house.
“Yu Hwan!”
My mother, who was waiting in front of the house as if she had received the text message first, greeted me. Behind him, Dad was wearing a relieved expression.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry mom. I won’t send you to academy…”
I don’t know how much you screamed to find me, but my throat was hoarse. Tears were clearly visible on his face.
But there was something else that surprised me more than that.
“Uh, Mom. What about socks?”
“Yu Hwan, my son…”
“No socks, no clothes…”
Not to mention she wasn’t wearing socks like I was, and she wasn’t even wearing a proper winter coat.
At least I warmed up in the internet cafe, but my mom didn’t. His hands and feet were already bluish.
Anyone can see that this is the early stage of the statue. But my mother went all over the place looking for me.
“Let’s go inside. It’s cold.”
“······Yes.”
I complied without a word at my father’s blunt request. Even on the way home, I couldn’t take my eyes off my mother’s hands and feet.
My mom just shed tears and called my name endlessly.
A mother who had a poor home environment would have been afraid of losing the family she had worked so hard for.
“He’s warming himself up a bit. Keeping warm will be fine. And Yoohwan…”
“······”
I put my exhausted mother to sleep first while my father watched me without a word.
Maybe it’s because I watched my mother’s hands and feet, which were already on the verge of frostbite. I couldn’t say anything out of guilt.
Compared to running away in a fit of anger, the cost of returning was so great. I made my mother go through a lot of hardships for a short break.
A situation where you feel nothing but pride, shame and guilt. I waited silently for Dad’s scream.
“······Yu-hwan will be cold too, so it’s easy to go inside. Don’t go to the academy for the time being.”
“…is it over?”
However, the expected scolding of the father did not return. As always, I just spoke calmly.
Even when I was slightly surprised and timidly asked, Dad smiled happily and said,
“Then. What are you scolding here?”
“······”
“You must have worked hard, but go inside and get some rest.”
“Can I sleep with you?”
The 15-year-old still wanted to be a kid. The boy’s request was readily accepted by his father.
I didn’t even wash up and went to my mother’s bedroom. My mother was soundly asleep because she had exhausted all her energy trying to find me.
procrastinate-
I crawl in like a caterpillar, fearing that my mother will wake up.
After starting to sleep separately since elementary school, I lay down next to my mother for the first time. Something awkward yet cozy.
“Ummm…”
“······”
I looked at my mother’s tear-stained face and carefully held her hand.
I could vividly feel the colder hand than mine. Feet are no different. cold as ice
I could have gotten frostbite if I didn’t care. But you took a risk to find me.
Calling out my name anxiously until my throat is hoarse, and refusing to give in even in the bitter cold, only for me.
“······mom.”
“······”
When I called quietly, my mother smiled. He must be sleeping, but it seems that he is happy just by calling me.
“My son…”
“······”
What is that one word that makes my heart cry? I shut my mouth at my mother’s call.
However, the rising guilt could not be stopped. In the end, my emotions exploded as I held my mother’s hand tightly.
“Ughhhhh”
A day that was a turning point in my life. The point at which I truly began to realize the love of my parents.
After that day, I started to listen carefully to what my parents said. If they give love, I tried to give too.
I didn’t even go to the academy that everyone else went to. He just took care of me so that I could live freely.
“Yoo Hwan.”
“Yes. Dad.”
“If you have nothing to do later, join your father’s company. Instead, go to school and take subjects related to that. Do you understand?”
Oh, of course, he worried about the future. I don’t know anything else, but I really didn’t study.
Instead of being obsessed with studying, let it cool down. It is a mindset that has developed in our family after the runaway scandal.
Fortunately, thanks to persistent reading of fantasy novels, I was able to develop my writing skills.
“My Yuhwan had this kind of talent! I also wrote when I was young!”
“Looks like there’s nothing wrong with the contract. Great job, my son.”
At the time of the first contract, my mom was the most happy with applause, and my dad was calm but did not hide his joy.
As a party, I was equally happy. Instead, I focused on making my parents happy rather than the contract itself.
Of course, the beginning was not easy. It was quite difficult to go to university and even write a novel.
Still, I slowly got used to it and was able to finish it. The slight delay in enlisting in the military was a flaw, but that was not a problem.
“Travel? Just the two of us?”
“Are you sure you’ll be okay?”
After the military service, I sent you a trip with a new contract.
It was also a fairly expensive package. A travel package that could not even be dreamed of with a modest income.
I planned to save up money every now and then to send a trip for my parents.
“Yes. I should go on a trip at least once.”
“Yoo-hwan, what about you? You don’t have to go?”
“I’m fine. Just come and go comfortably.”
“Can I take this… my mother didn’t do anything for me…”
I was happy to receive the travel package, but for a while, my mother mumbled a little with an apologetic look.
You don’t know how much I cried when I heard that. He sacrificed himself for me, but he himself did nothing.
That’s why I’ll have to send more. Even for the memories of the two of you.
“Ah. I didn’t do anything. I’ve made plans, so mom and dad can come and go in peace.”
“Let’s do what Yuhwan said. Didn’t he have a big heart for us?”
“Thank you so much my son. I’ll brag about it later.”
Seeing a happy smiling face made me smile. It’s a long-awaited filial piety, so I’m even more proud.
The moment I tried to smile while watching it.
“······uh?”
I could sense something strange. Suddenly there is confusion in memory.
After that day, the faces of my parents…
That happy smiling face…
“Uh, uh…?”
could you see
I know it’s not in my memory. Exactly…
“······”
Even in the midst of chaos, memories were being played back. What followed unfolded before my eyes.
“here is······”
“A funeral… I think it’s a craftsman?”
It was a place full of grief, a place I never wanted to remember again.
As an Asian, Korean story like this always touching