A liberal arts lecture was in full swing. A back door opened quietly and a female student was sneaking into the classroom. Her walking gestures, while she was looking for an empty seat, conjured up an image of a cat. It was Choi Suryon. Looking around with shining eyes, she took a seat right next to Suhyuk. Taking out her book carefully, she whispered to him, “What happened yesterday?”
Suhyuk, his eyes fixed on the professor, replied briefly, “You’d better be ready.”
She sighed a long sigh. Little did she think things would escalate into such a big deal.
She pretended to sleep and then became a patient in an instant. Without that, however, she felt like she would pass out. And the drunk senior was casting his gaze at her body here and there. The method she thought of as the best became the worst.
“Huh …”
After breathing a sigh, she soon began to focus on the professor’s voice.
“Okay. Submit your report by the next lecture.”
As soon as the lecture ended, Suhyuk rose up.
Then, Choi’s voice filled the lecture room.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to do that … I am really sorry, seniors and fellow friends.”
Standing at the side of the podium, she, waving her long hair, repeatedly bowed.
Some girls approached her and comforted her, saying they understood her and that it could happen. Suhyuk went out with a smile.
—–
Day after day passed by. Suhyuk’s life was monotonous.*
After lectures, he visited Kim Hyunwoo’s house and met his mother.
That evening was no exception.
Returning home, Suhyuk was on the bus. At that moment, he heard his cell phone ringing. After confirming it was his, Suhyuk smiled. It was from Dongsu.
“Hello.”
(Hey, it’s your brother. How about a drink today?)
“I know you don’t drink much. You still want to?”
(It’s you who drinks like a madman.)
“Where do you want to see me?”
(I’ll meet you near your house. At the same place we ate, that grilled pork belly house.)
“Sure. actually I was still going home. It will take about 20 minutes.”
(Okay, it will take me as much time to get there.)
Suhyuk, who stopped the phone, looked at his cell phone and laughed.
It’s been almost a month since he met Dongsu.
He looked at the scenery passing through the window.
Time flew like an arrow.
Even if he were in high school uniform now, he would not feel that awkward.
Nonetheless, he had already become a college student. Looking out with a drowsy look, Suhyuk raised his head suddenly as there was shade hanging over him.
When did she get on? He saw an old woman standing before him with a bundle.
He stood up suddenly, saying, “Please sit here.”
“Oh, I’m good. A student like you should sit.”
Suhyuk got out of the seat, saying to her, “Please have a seat.”
“Oh, you don’t have to. Thanks anyway. You’re a good-hearted boy.”
The old woman sat down and gave him a candy.
“Thank you,” Suhyuk put it into his mouth without declining it, “It’s so delicious.”
She, with a mix of laugh and wrinkles on her face, pounded at her knees softly.
Suhyuk knitted his brows at that.
He showed reactions at any person even with a slight pain, which he himself did not realise.
“Are you feeling uncomfortable in your knees?” asked Suhyuk.
She laughed again.
“If you get old, your body gets broken.”
Suhyuk nodded his head with a sad expression before he knew it. When one gets old, one’s body becomes weaker and weaker. No one can stop it.
The best one could do is to delay it with physical exercise as much as possible.
“Are you working?” asked Suhyuk.
“Well, I’m just playing in my garden.”
“Don’t you usually walk too much or lift heavy stuff as a rule?”
She rubbed her knee that she had been patting.
She felt as if a doctor were questioning her.
“I can not do it now because I don’t have physical strength.”
“How about your condition in the past? Did you feel pain in your knees then?”
She shook her head in the negative.
“It’s okay, it’s okay.”
Suhyuk slowly nodded his head. As he guessed, osteoarthritis seemed to be the cause off the knee pain. Time has shrunk cartilage surrounding the grandmother’s knee joints. It’s the time of her life that only flew like an arrow that caused osteoarthritis. What if her condition remains untreated…
“May I touch your knees?”
“Huh?”
Suhyuk’s hand already reached her knees. After he touched her knees carefully, he smiled a little smile before he knew it. Fortunately he did not feel any convex. In other words, there was no inflammation between the joints and the lubrication sac wrapped with the lubricant. It has not progressed to bursitis.
“Next stop is … And the next stop is … ” came out an announcement on the destination.
Suhyuk took a big breath at the announcement. Surgery was the best way to cure it.
“Madame, please listen to me.”
“Huh?”
Suhyuk said at once, “Do not squat as usual, do not lift heavy stuff. Please eat a lot of minced seaweed, kelp, and vegetables that are rich in minerals such as magnesium, calcium, and zinc. It’s important to eat various kinds of food. And stop by a hospital for a check-up by all means. You’ll get better with medication or physical therapy alone.”
“Huh?”
She opened her eyes wider, wondering what he was talking about.
The bus door opened, and Suyhuk looked at her briefly. Then he turned his head quickly and squatted near her. He smiled at her, who now looking up at him.
“Well, I mean … ” The bus departed when he spoke.
***
The pork belly was grilling over a large pot lid with a delicious smell.
At that moment the door opened and a handsome young man came in.
Dongsu opened his mouth roughly,
“Hey, what time is it now man? Did you see an emergency patient?”
Suhyuk sat at the table with a smile and said,
“Sorry, sorry.”
Grilled pork belly and soju.
They traded soju cups several times and the atmosphere was heightening.
They emptied 4 bottles of soju already. Dongsu offered a cup of soju to him,
“Drink it!”
Hitting the glass against Dongsu’s, he shook his head.
Dongsu really studied hard, but his effort was overshadowed by other students at Jaemyung HS. After he put down the cup, Suhyuk said as a joke,
“I still cannot believe that you were admitted at a law school.”
“Hey, as for me, there is nothing I can’t do, if I try. Right?”
Suhyuk laughed at his words, and drank soju. He knew he would make it because he really worked very hard.
“How is your school life?”
Dongsu shook his head loudly and said,
“Oh, boy. it’s a bunch of nerds. And they drink a lot. Of course they don’t drink as much as you.”
In his eyes, Suhyuk was a monster. An alcohol monster.
When he had a drink with Suhyuk, he passed out before he knew it, and woke up back home after his mother hit him on the back.
‘Suhyuk carried you here on his back,’ said his mom.
According to her, he always carried him home on his back.
‘But today is different. No, it would be different, because I had milk and some liquor for fast sobering.’ Dongsu thought to himself.
***
“Drink!”
The two, clainking their cups, made a pleasant smile. One word came to their minds while they were giggling with each other, namely friend. One hour passed quickly like that.
When Dongsu, whose face became reddish with intoxication, was shaking his head, Suhyuk said,
“Work hard. Now is the beginning.”
Dongsu nodded his head. Suhyuk was right. Everyone was studying hard whenever they could find time.
“Let’s get up!” said Suhyuk.
Dongsu showed a puzzled look at his words, asking,
“Already? It’s not yet 12am?”
“Well, I have some work to do tomorrow. I should not smell of alcohol.”
Dongsu drank up the cup at once. He did not want to bother Suhyuk anymore.
When he was standing up, Dongsu stumbled.
“Did you get drunk again?”
At Suhyuk’s words, Dongsu opened his eyes sternly and stood upright.
“I’m not drunk. Let’s go!”
As soon as the store door opened, Dongsu swayed his body as if he were falling down. Fortunately, Suhyuk held him.
“Hey. I’m drunk.”
“So drink moderately, moderately!”
Dongsu laughed loud, helped by Suhyuk, and said,
“I feel so good today. Here comes a law school student. Ha ha ha!”
—–
Suhyuk had to be still like a stone statue.
A man who looks the same as himself before his eyes.
It was as if he was no different from him reflected in the mirror. In his hand, the mess that showed his skill turned round and round.
“What is so funny about playing doctor like this…”
Suddenly, his gaze, which was playing with a scalpel, stuck to Suhyuk. And he made a gentle smile. Suhyuk stepped backward, and that made his smile even colder.
“You are not funny these days.”
What does he mean? Suhyuk had no time to think because he, grabbing the scalpel, was approaching him.
“Come back again, as you were before.”
Suhyuk, who could not move back because of the wall, opened his eyes sternly. The sharp scalpel he was holding was falling to his neck.
At that moment, Suhyuk raised his upper body suddenly.
Looking around quickly, he soon sighed.
It was a dream. He wiped off his forehead soaked in sweat. He had cold sweat on his whole body. Nightmare. It seemed like he had a similar dream for a week.
Ticking.
The wall clock pointed to 6 o’clock in the morning.
Suhyuk, who rose from his seat, took a shower and went out.
Suhyuk’s face, who was climbing up the steep stairs, was dirty as if he played with black charcoal. It was because he was carrying on his back an A-frame packed with a lot of briquettes. He was helping as a volunteer. If he put his name on the list of volunteers, he could add a credit on his liberal arts class.
“Whoo …”
Suhyuk stopped for a moment and sighed.
“Now cheer up. We’ve got only 10 more houses.”
After wiping his sweat, he moved again.
“Thank you very much sir. I have nothing else to offer than this. Please have this.”
An elderly woman with a bent back gave yogurt to the volunteers.
Suhyuk got one and drank it.
“Let’s move to another place!”
Suhyuk moved out of the door at the voice of the volunteer director.
At that moment, he turned his head again and fixed his gaze on the elderly woman touching the briquettes. She wore slippers without socks. And her feet were quite swollen.
“Were you hurt?”
She smiled at his question.
“It’s okay, do not bother because it’s okay.”
“I think you should go to a hospital”
At a glance, it is full of irritation.
“I’ll be alright. Why should I go to a hospital to spend money?”
She was wearing a warm smile, but Suhyuk gave a sigh before he knew it.
She did not get any treatment because she had no money. Not only here but in other areas, there were many elderly people who suffered from their painful bodies. Instead of going to the hospital, they relied on home remedies to treat their sickness. Worse, he saw one elderly man applying soybean paste to his wound.
“What are you doing Mr Lee?”
“Oh, yes, I’m coming now,” Suhyuk said, looking at her.
“Thanks for the yogurt.”
After that, his delivery of briquettes lasted three more hours.
As the sun was setting gradually and the sky was turning red, the volunteers were able to finish their work with a proud smile.
“Thank you for all of your hard work. Good job. We’re going to have dinner at the hangover soup house nearby. So don’t miss it, everybody!”
Suhyuk ignored it lightly and headed home. He washed and ate dinner, and then closed his eyes to sleep. Was it because he delivered briquettes without resting all day?
Fatigue made his body exhausted. He felt like going to sleep immediately, but could not sleep easily. He tossed and turned for two hours.
Those living in poor hillside villages were laughing brightly even though they were sick.
Their images continued to haunt him when he ate or washed his hair.
—–
Suhyuk, who woke up in the morning, went out of school after finishing all the lectures.
Though Choi Suryon followed him to have lunch together, he declined it giving an excuse, and he went straight to the pharmacy.
When he got inside, a pharmacist wearing a white gown welcomed him.
“Welcome, what would you like to order?”
“Do you have anti-inflammatory drugs? Such as anti-inflammatory drugs, hydrogen peroxide, medilox-f and cottonseed, multivitamins, and glucose amino acids…”
“Could you tell me again?” asked the pharmacist listening to him aghast.
Suhyuk scratched his head. As he was impatient, he spoke fast.
Suhyuk slowly spoke again. All the medicines he mentioned could be bought without a prescription.
“It is 240,000 won in total,” said the pharmacist.
Both the talker and the hearer were surprised.
The pharmacist was amazed at the customer who spent over 200,000 won, and Suhyuk was surprised at the amount. He just bought exactly what he needed, but that’s about the amount.
But he paid for them without any regret, thinking about those old people massaging their sick bodies even now.
“Take care!” said Suhyuk, getting out the store.
“Be careful and come again,” said the pharmacist.
Suhyuk, who went out of the pharmacy, bought other necessary items at other places.
Suhyuk arrived at the hillside village at 5pm.
Before he climbed the steep path like a mountain, he was in a pensive mood, looking at the houses likely to be tilted anytime. How can they live like that? If needed, he could help them with surgery. Of course, he would do so as long as they wanted.
Suhyuk thought briefly on that, and moved again.
‘If you decide on your plan, that will bring about a result for you.’
Something in his mind pushed him forward, and without any hesitation.
Suhyuk, who was moving his body, paused for a moment, knitting his brows.
“Oh my god.”
He felt a sharp pain in his muscles because he carried some briquettes yesterday.
All his body ached as if it were covered with sore muscles.
After patting his waist several times, he started to step up the stairs again.
The first house he arrived at was in front of a blue gate, whose wall was full of graffiti.
An old man in his 70s with two 7-year-old children lived there. Did he say he was doing manual labor? Suhyuk opened his mouth in front of the door and asked,
“Is anybody inside?”
An answer came right away.
“Who is it?”
The door opened, and the old man appeared.
“Huh? Didn’t you bring us briquettes?” he asked.
“How have you been sir?” Suhyuk said with a smile.