123. Six on seventy seven
July 16, 2001.
Today is the day before guerrilla training… It is the anniversary of Yeong-mi’s grandmother’s past life. And the story about the training of INSCOM, an American wiretapping unit, that In-cheol told me two days ago may be true.
As of noon today, access to the underground interception room has been completely controlled.
On the surface, it is said to be for checking the wiretapping equipment, but according to Incheol, who visited the basement, there was an English seal sticker on the door of the wiretapping room. In other words, when the door is opened, the seal sticker is torn, leaving a trace that someone has entered the interception room.
We had our personal maintenance in the office in our uniforms, and that was the end of the day.
I checked the watch.
3:45 p.m.
The calculations were long ago. I looked for the deputy platoon commander with a firm expression on my face, and I had to listen to his admonition once. After talking to the deputy platoon commander like that, I headed to the executive lounge on the first floor with a payphone.
After inserting the card into the phone… I made a total of three phone calls: first to Yeong-mi, then to Yun-seok-yi hyung’s father, and finally to his mother.
After finishing the call, I found the deputy platoon commander and listened to the nagging again, and he continued with a short sigh.
“under-! boy. Having an accident like this… . Anyway, I got it, and I’ll see you tomorrow morning and tell the company commander.”
“thank you.”
After work and hours passed, we had dinner.
Are things going well? Shall I call Youngmi?
While eating or drinking… After eating, I went to the executive lounge on the first floor, but just came up to my office. Maybe it was the day before guerrilla training, the line in front of the phone was very long, and I heard that he was calling Youngmi… Because I realized that there is nothing I can change now.
I went up to my office and fixed my gaze on the TV, but the contents could not enter my mind.
“Jungho, are you okay?”
it was silver I said with a slight smile.
“uh… it’s okay.”
“What kind of sigh are you letting the ground go out like that? What’s wrong with you?”
“No, nothing.”
“Doesn’t it look like you’re also worried about tomorrow’s guerrilla?”
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New recruit Eun-seong looked around the office to see if the seniors around him were concerned, and spoke in a low voice.
“Jeong-ho, can we talk outside for a moment?”
Anyway, I had so many thoughts that my head was racing… I thought it would be okay if I went outside and got some wind.
I nodded and said.
“Okay, let’s go.”
next to the barracks.
Eun-seong’s posture as she puts a cigarette in her mouth and turns on a lighter is somewhat awkward.
Eunseong first started smoking at the military school where she was educated in the second half, but it’s unbelievable… He said that the reason he learned to smoke was ‘because I think I need to know how to smoke in order to have a proper military experience’.
“I spoke to your father earlier, and he said that he received your letter.”
Eunseong asked with a slightly surprised expression at my words.
“Seoul father?”
I nodded, Eunseong asked.
“What did you talk to my father about?”
“ah! I have something to ask you.”
Eunseong nodded, exhaling white cigarette smoke.
“We have lunch tomorrow, and then we go straight to the guerrilla field. But this… Compared to the guerrilla training camp, is it a lot tougher?”
“Actually, this is my first time too, but it must be a lot harder than the guerrilla training camp, right?”
“I see.”
Eunseong nodded her head with a dazed expression, and spoke as if she had suddenly thought of something.
“Oh yeah! At last year’s guerrilla, In-cheol was the best? You said it was the legendary owl number 541?”
“Yeah, he said yes. It’s a pity I didn’t see it either. haha-! ”
“And the guerrilla TAs say they hate us so much, is this really true?”
They are talking about the story of how the guerrilla cadets roll badly when they enter the military or military police force.
“I’ve heard that story a lot, but there’s no way to confirm it. why? Are you worried?”
Eunseong laughed at my question and said.
“No, I’m not worried, since I’m already in training… I think it will be a good experience if you work hard.”
what? good experience?
Without realizing it, I laughed out loud.
“men and horses! When the guerrilla starts tomorrow, will you change your mind right away?”
“Well, maybe it is. Hehe-!”
Eunseong showed a characteristic smile and continued.
“If not in the military, when would you like to experience such extremes?”
I looked at Eunseong with a puzzled expression. But Eunseong, this guy… I don’t think I’m bluffing or joking… Are you mentally strong? I don’t know if the overnight puppy is scary… . I smirked, and we went back to the office.
After the cleaning of the office and the roll call were over, the long and long day of July 16 came to an end. It was bedtime and the lights went out and I lay down… I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep easily today.
past life.
According to the story he heard from Young-mi, Yeong-mi’s maternal grandmother died in a car accident on the road in front of the house. It was a hit and run accident, and it was the morning of the next day, July 17, when the grandmother’s body was found.
An autopsy was needed to determine the exact time of death, but the autopsy was not done due to the objection of the family. Instead, the date of his death was set on July 16, judging by the clothes of the grandmother at the time of the accident.
This means that the grandmother does not know the exact time of the accident. All I knew was that my grandmother would die between tonight and tomorrow morning.
So, what I prepared for today… First, to make Grandma come to Seoul… Second, my grandmother had me stay overnight in Seoul.
In other words, keep away from the yangyang where the accident occurs.
According to my calculations, the time Grandma arrives at Cheongnyangni Station today is 11:15 p.m. And since the last train from Cheongnyangni to Gangneung leaves at 11:05, Grandma can’t take the train to Yangyang tonight.
But the problem was the late night honor bus. From what I checked, the last bus from Gangnam Express Bus Terminal to Gangneung was at 12:35pm.
I lifted my wrist in the dark to check the time. The hands of the clock show 12:40 a.m. past midnight.
I just hope Grandma isn’t on this bus right now.
* * *
9 hours ago.
July 16th at 3:50pm.
Young-mi, who received the phone call from Jeong-ho, became contemplating and called her mother-in-law’s house.
Perhaps Yeong-mi’s earnest heart worked, she heard the voice of her grandmother on the other side of the phone.
– Hello.
“grandmother! That’s Youngmi.”
-Yes, we are Youngmi. But why is your voice like that? Are you okay?
“I’m OK. Granny, it’s urgent, so could you please check the second drawer from the right on the desk in your study?”
– Yes, no. Wait a minute.
After a while, I heard my grandmother’s voice.
-Young-mi, there is a necklace made of iron here. Are you looking for it?
At the words of the grandmother, Youngmi sighed in relief.
“Yes, I am very happy. It’s Jungho’s dog tag, and he said he seems to have left it there.”
– Guy, with a brain… I forgot my vacation card back then, did you leave this too? It must have been that you didn’t want to be in the military. haha-!
“I guess so. But grandma, what about this?”
-why? What else is going on?
“Jeong-ho is going to an important training soon, and I think he needs it right away tomorrow morning. If you don’t have it, you can go to Youngchang… .”
Yeong-mi’s speech was blurry, and she heard her grandmother’s voice.
– Let’s see. It’s almost 4 o’clock now… Yeongmi, you can’t come down here, so I’ll have no choice but to go to Seoul with this.
“Grandma, can you really do that?”
-I don’t do anything at the old man’s house, so it’s like going to see Seoul after a long time, huh?
“Wow! Thank you, Grandma!”
– Thank you. But let’s see… . If you leave now… Is there a last train from Seoul to Gangneung? ?
“Grandma, have a good night’s sleep at my house.”
-a! My house is the most comfortable. Anyway, this is urgent right now, so go to Gangneung Station to buy a train ticket and call again.
“Yes, Grandma. Come with caution.”
As soon as the call with the grandmother was over, Yeong-mi’s phone started ringing.
It was Jung-ho’s mother. After a brief greeting and talking about the current situation, Youngmi said.
“Fortunately, my grandmother decided to come to Seoul now. Coming by train… I think you will arrive at Cheongnyangni Station tonight.”
When Yeong-mi finished speaking, she heard a man’s voice on the other side of the phone, saying that there is no problem in training without an identification tag, and that even if it is lost, it can be reissued.
As the man finished speaking, Jung-ho’s mother’s voice was heard.
– You said Sangsu was an infantryman? They say that Jung-ho is a security guard, so it’s absolutely necessary.
Jung-ho’s mother continued talking to Yeong-mi.
-Young-miya, then when the time Grandma arrives in Seoul is decided, will you let me know? I have to go directly to Cheongnyangni Station to get Jeongho’s dog tag.
“Yes I will.”
-Oh yeah… ! And does your grandmother like abalone porridge?
“I don’t have any food to hide… Why?”
-Jeong-ho said… It takes about 6 hours to get from Gangneung to Cheongnyangni. So, Grandma said that she probably couldn’t have eaten dinner properly, so she made a reservation for the restaurant just in time for her arrival.
“Really? You can come to my house and eat… By the way, when Grandma arrives, it will be around 11 pm, are there any restaurants that are open until then?”
same time.
＜Dongchimi BBQ> Yeongdeungpo Main Store.
The father of the restaurant owner, Yoon-seok, finished the phone call with Jeong-ho and picked up the receiver again.
A middle-aged woman’s voice was heard along with the ringtone.
-thank you. ＜Dongchimi Barbecue> This is the Cheongnyangni branch.
“Hello, Mr. Park. This is Jo Seok-min at the head office.”
-oh-! president! hello! I received the sauce and ingredients well today! By the way… What’s going on?
“It’s no different… After the Cheongnyangni store closes today, I was wondering if I could use the kitchen and hall.”
A slightly bewildered voice came over the receiver.
– It’s not difficult… May I ask what’s going on?
“There is one customer coming to Cheongnyangni Station tonight, and I think I will have to treat it myself.”
-Are you an important guest?
“haha-! Actually, I don’t know the guest very well. The person who requested the guest is the most important person to me.”
-Oh! Really? When you see that Mr. Cho says that, it must have been a really great person who asked for it?
“Yes. Because he was the one who brought me and my wife, who were almost dead, back to life. haha-!”
That night at 11:15.
Cheongnyangni Station.
Young-mi’s maternal grandmother, who got off the train, opened her mouth with a surprised expression.
“no… What did it all come out of?”
A total of five people were waiting on the train platform, including the three members of Yeongmi and Jeongho’s mother, and Kang Sangsoo, which was a surprise for a grandmother.
After greeting each other once, they moved to the restaurant across from Cheongnyangni Station.
＜Dongchimi BBQ> Cheongnyangni Branch.
After eating 12 meals in just 30 minutes, Yeong-mi’s maternal grandmother said to Yeong-mi’s father.
“Kim Seobang, I’m sorry… Can you take me to the express bus terminal?”
“Aw—! mother in law. Stay at my house and go.”
At the words of Yeong-mi’s father, the grandmother waved her hands and said.
“no no. Sleeping in my house is the most comfortable way. And I have a place to visit tomorrow morning. haha-!”
“Mother-in-law, it’s almost 12 o’clock now, and all the buses must have been cut off by now.”
“I checked the internet before I left, but luckily the last train was at 12:35. If we leave now, we will be able to catch the bus on time.”
When Yeong-mi and Yeong-mi’s mother tried to dissuade her, the grandmother got up and said:
“Ew—! Then I’ll have to take a taxi by myself, okay?”
40 minutes later.
12:35 am.
Gangnam Express Bus Terminal.
Yeong-mi’s grandmother got on the late-night honor bus bound for Gangneung, and the young-mi’s family remained on the platform and waved at her.