Chapter Prologue
Chapter 0 0 . Memory
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This happened quite a long time ago .
“Ah, Jjaro, are you here to visit this old lady in the hospital?”
I was in a pure white room .
Saeyeon’s mother, who was in a patient’s gown and leaning against the bed as she read a book, smiled brightly once she saw me enter .
Saeyeon’s dad had gone out of his way and did whatever he could to get his wife a private patient room . This was my first time seeing a patient room, but it was more dreary than I expected, and it looked very businesslike . I had a vague expectation that this would be a warm and comfy place where sick people could recover better than anywhere else .
Warm steam spewed out from the humidifier as the water inside it boiled . There was a bouquet placed on top of a shelf . A large number of books were stacked up on the side so that she wouldn’t get bored during her long stay here .
“Here, I brought a present . ”
Once I held out the fruit basket I was holding in my arms, Saeyeon’s mother blinked in surprise before eventually beaming happily .
“What’s the occasion, Jjaro? You even bought a gift . ”
“It’s nothing special . Mom and Dad told me to give you a present as well . ”
It was hard to look at Saeyeon’s mother’s face, so I gave her that excuse and turned my head away .
She had changed, a lot more than I expected, after all .
Her cheeks which used to be as smooth as Saeyeon’s had caved inwards and revealed the outline of her cheekbones . Her once bright skin was better described as being pale now, and her long and refined hair had disappeared underneath a beanie .
A hissing noise emanated as she breathed through the respirator that was attached to the bottom of her nose . It must have been cumbersome as Saeyeon’s mother turned with a slightly uncomfortable look on her face before taking the fruit basket and placing it on top of the shelf .
“Thanks, I’ll make sure to enjoy it . This is Jjaro’s first gift to me, after all . ”
Throughout my life, I’ve constantly regretted saying those words like that at that moment .
“······Are you, going to die?”
Nevertheless, this was the only time I’ve ever regretted saying something that much .
Saeyeon’s mother reacted to my question by blinking once .
I can never forget the expression that briefly appeared on her face at that moment .
But Saeyeon’s mother dropped her shoulders slightly and laughed .
“Yeah . I probably will . ”
“······ . ”
Saeyeon’s mother purposely made her expression bright as she shrugged her shoulders before turning away so that I couldn’t see her face .
“I’m afraid it’s a bit too late······ . The doctors seemed to have discovered some ways to cure me, but I think it’s too late . ”
Sniff, I heard this sound, so I turned away as well .
Even now, I don’t know what I should have said back then .
Saeyeon’s mother wiped the corners her eyes with her sleeve once before turning towards me again and speaking .
A line that was going to change Saeyeon’s fate and mine .
“So······ . This old lady, can’t take care of Saeyeon anymore, so I’ll leave her in your care, Jjaro . ”
“So······ . This old lady, can’t take care of Saeyeon anymore, so I’ll leave her in your care, Jjaro . ”
She chuckled as if she found it regrettable before patting my head .
“Saeyeon is kind, innocent, and dumb······, so someone has to always be at her side, but I think that’ll be impossible for this old lady . ”
Even though there was no strength in the hand that was messing up my hair, I couldn’t avoid it . With a voice that was barely audible, Saeyeon’s mother spoke in an immensely sad tone .
“So please stay by Saeyeon’s side in this old lady’s stead . I’m asking you this because you’re like my son . ”
“······I can’t always, be at her side . ”
Why was I only able to say something like that?
“Saeyeon is just a friend who lives next door, and naturally, she’s a dummy, so I’ll take care of her, but being next to her always is······ . ”
Tap, Saeyeon’s mother’s fist touched my forehead while I was muttering those words with my head turned .
“Can you promise me?”
Her gaze looked so sad, so regretful, and so endearing . Because this was my first time seeing her look like this, and because it also had a strength that I couldn’t refuse,
“······Okay . ”
I brought my fist up to Saeyeon’s mother’s fist .
Saeyeon’s mother smiled widely and opened her hand in order to interlock her fingers with mine .
Saeyeon’s mother smiled widely and opened her hand in order to interlock her fingers with mine .
From that point on, we momentarily forgot about the promise and talked normally until the end of visiting hours . While holding hands .
At some point, I had fallen asleep, so when the nurse came in to tell me that visiting hours were over, I removed the blanket that Saeyeon’s mother had covered me with and placed it over her since she had already fallen asleep before leaving the hospital .
That was my final conversation with Saeyeon’s mother .
This happened quite a long time ago .
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Chapter 0 0 . Memory This happened quite a long time ago . Ah, Jjaro, are you here to visit this old lady in the hospital I was in a pure white room . Saeyeon s mother, who was in a patient s gown and leaning against the bed as she read a book, smiled brightly once she saw me enter . Saeyeon s dad had gone out of his way and did whatever he could to get his wife a private patient room . This was my first time seeing a patient room, but it was more dreary than I expected, and it looked very businesslike . I had a vague expectation that this would be a warm and comfy place where sick people could recover better than anywhere else . Warm steam spewed out from the humidifier as the water inside it boiled . There was a bouquet placed on top of a shelf . A large number of books were stacked up on the side so that she wouldn t get bored during her long stay here . Here, I brought a present . Once I held out the fruit basket I was holding in my arms, Saeyeon s mother blinked in surprise before eventually beaming happily . What s the occasion, Jjaro You even bought a gift . It s nothing special . Mom and Dad told me to give you a present as well . It was hard to look at Saeyeon s mother s face, so I gave her that excuse and turned my head away . She had changed, a lot more than I expected, after all . Her cheeks which used to be as smooth as Saeyeon s had caved inwards and revealed the outline of her cheekbones . Her once bright skin was better described as being pale now, and her long and refined hair had disappeared underneath a beanie . A hissing noise emanated as she breathed through the respirator that was attached to the bottom of her nose . It must have been cumbersome as Saeyeon s mother turned with a slightly uncomfortable look on her face before taking the fruit basket and placing it on top of the shelf . Thanks, I ll make sure to enjoy it . This is Jjaro s first gift to me, after all . Throughout my life, I ve constantly regretted saying those words like that at that moment . Are you, going to die Nevertheless, this was the only time I ve ever regretted saying something that much . Saeyeon s mother reacted to my question by blinking once . I can never forget the expression that briefly appeared on her face at that moment . But Saeyeon s mother dropped her shoulders slightly and laughed . Yeah . I probably will . . Saeyeon s mother purposely made her expression bright as she shrugged her shoulders before turning away so that I couldn t see her face . I m afraid it s a bit too late . The doctors seemed to have discovered some ways to cure me, but I think it s too late . Sniff, I heard this sound, so I turned away as well . Even now, I don t know what I should have said back then . Saeyeon s mother wiped the corners her eyes with her sleeve once before turning towards me again and speaking . A line that was going to change Saeyeon s fate and mine . So . This old lady, can t take care of Saeyeon anymore, so I ll leave her in your care, Jjaro . She chuckled as if she found it regrettable before patting my head . Saeyeon is kind, innocent, and dumb , so someone has to always be at her side, but I think that ll be impossible for this old lady . Even though there was no strength in the hand that was messing up my hair, I couldn t avoid it . With a voice that was barely audible, Saeyeon s mother spoke in an immensely sad tone . So please stay by Saeyeon s side in this old lady s stead . I m asking you this because you re like my son . I can t always, be at her side . Why was I only able to say something like that Saeyeon is just a friend who lives next door, and naturally, she s a dummy, so I ll take care of her, but being next to her always is . Tap, Saeyeon s mother s fist touched my forehead while I was muttering those words with my head turned . Can you promise me Her gaze looked so sad, so regretful, and so endearing . Because this was my first time seeing her look like this, and because it also had a strength that I couldn t refuse, Okay . I brought my fist up to Saeyeon s mother s fist . Saeyeon s mother smiled widely and opened her hand in order to interlock her fingers with mine . From that point on, we momentarily forgot about the promise and talked normally until the end of visiting hours . While holding hands . At some point, I had fallen asleep, so when the nurse came in to tell me that visiting hours were over, I removed the blanket that Saeyeon s mother had covered me with and placed it over her since she had already fallen asleep before leaving the hospital . That was my final conversation with Saeyeon s mother . This happened quite a long time ago .