RPPL C3

As the man disappeared into the distance, Haesol came down from the roof. Even though a giant like Haesol jumped down at once, the ground didn’t shake, and there was no loud noise.

“Now what are you going to do? Everyone will react like that. You saw his eyes, didn’t you?”

“I don’t know. How could you just abandon me and run off like that.”

“How scared would that poor human have been if he had seen me. He would have trembled and wet his pants.”

“Right. Normal people wet their pants…”

Muttering this, Bipa glanced at the child. And his eyes met the child’s, which had been staring this way since who knows when.

Bipa couldn’t help but look away from the eyes that were staring intently at him. Haesol was right next to him, but for some reason, the child was only looking at him. Seeing this, Haesol let out a whistle.

“That is no ordinary gaze.”

The stare was so persistent it felt like a thread wrapping around his body. Was that why he wanted to leave it behind even more? Bipa began to make excuses to himself. That the child wasn’t that young, and from its gaze, it seemed it would do well and survive wherever it went.

In the end, he bent his knees and waved his hand.

“You should go your own way now too. Don’t get caught again.”

“You’re just leaving, Bipa?”

“What else am I supposed to do? If it remembers the way, it’ll go find its parents. If it doesn’t want that, it’ll somehow… live its own fate, won’t it.”

At Bipa’s stiff tone, Haesol shrugged his shoulders, clasped his hands behind his back, and sauntered about as if performing a jisinbapgi ritual. He was a funny guy, no, a funny Dokkaebi. For all his complaining about the smell and showing every sign of distaste, he was quite the smooth actor.

Bipa took out some nurungji and beef jerky from his bundle and held them out to the child.

“Take this. And forget you ever saw us.”

“Will it forget just because you say so?”

Haesol snorted, hmph. He was clearly trying to get under Bipa’s skin. Even knowing this, he got irritated.

“Haesol, please. Just shut up. Or, do you want to kill it? Huh? Should we just do that?”

Dokkaebis that don’t kill people hate the color red. Human blood is also red. Haesol made a sound like “ii” and waved his hands in refusal.

At the word “kill,” the child’s head snapped up. Bipa felt his cheeks sting from the persistent glare fixed on him. If you’re going to hold a grudge, hold it against the shaman or the parents who sold you, why are you staring at me like that? So uncomfortably.

After a long moment of staring at each other, a withered hand finally rose and slowly moved toward the offered beef jerky. But then, instead of taking what was offered, it missed and grabbed Bipa’s sleeve. The grip was weak, but Bipa flinched, sensing the stubbornness in the touch.

Shaking off the sleeve and forcing the food into its hand instead, he subtly hid behind Haesol.

“Haesol. Let’s go, quickly.”

And he urged Haesol on in a small voice. Haesol began to walk with long strides. Bipa had to run to keep up with his pace.

Then, he looked back. The child was still standing there, watching Bipa. Its gaze held him like a small hand. He bit his lip. I really don’t want to see such a sight even in my dreams….

❀࿐

Looking back, he could faintly see the funeral bier coming down. The colorful fabrics fluttered, and the banner praying for the soul’s smooth journey to the afterlife flapped in the wind. The human figures looked as small as ants. From this distance, he could barely distinguish the colors.

Haesol was different. Haesol could read the facial features of the people who looked as small as ants. But just as a hawk doesn’t examine the faces of every small animal, Haesol didn’t bother to take in every detail.

The wide rock had a smooth top surface. It was proof that everyone who came and went had rested their bottoms here. Right there, Bipa also took a short rest.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Not even tired.”

Bipa, answering in a somewhat dazed voice, looked up at the child on Haesol’s back. It was hard to tell whether the child, carried as lightly as if it were a feather, had fainted or fallen asleep. It had been just a moment ago that it had crumpled forward as soon as Bipa had finished wiping the blood he had shed. It was understandable to be exhausted.

‘Bipa, over there.’

‘I know….’

He had definitely left it behind, but it had followed them barefoot on the sandy path, a path where feet sank deep as it was a riverside village on a hill. Bipa, who had been looking back once every ten steps, at some point couldn’t take a step forward and just chewed his lip, constantly looking back.

And eventually, the child, who had caught up to Bipa and Haesol who had slowed to a near standstill, stood unsteadily, glanced up, and then crumpled forward.

“Did its parents really sell it?”

At Bipa’s words, muttered as if to himself, Haesol let out a snort. The sound was so loud it sounded like a cow’s burp.

“How should I know! Humans are too complicated. Someone like me can’t understand.”

Haesol is honest. Yet, he feigns ignorance and brushes off troublesome questions. Bipa glared at Haesol, then lifted his foot and kicked him in the groin. But Haesol only staggered back a bit; he didn’t grab his crotch and roll around. If anything, it only hurt Bipa’s instep.

“Are your balls made of iron or something?!”

When Bipa shouted, Haesol burst into a hearty laugh. Even with that booming sound, the child didn’t wake up.

Haesol, once again readjusting the body that was about to slip down limply, asked.

“Are you really going to take it with you?”

“What else can I do? Here, far from the village. And it even collapsed right in front of us.”

“Are you going to raise it, Bipa.”

Bipa had no answer. Instead, he plucked a bellflower that was growing next to the rock. The ground must have been unusually fertile, as bellflowers bloomed like weeds.

Looking at the vivid purple flower, he was reminded of the dark violet light that had swirled in the child’s eyes. He played a game of “take it, leave it,” plucking the petals one by one. It was just a meaningless game of sequence, but it was enough to make Haesol anxious.

“Hey, Bipa!”

“I don’t know! How can I raise it? I’ve never even raised a dog or a cat! Let’s just abandon it. Leave it behind!”

“How can you say that? You’re the one who took it in. It’s already something that has fallen into your lap. Take it and raise it.”

“Haesol, you’re being strange. You usually don’t meddle in my affairs. Why are you trying so hard to push this kid onto me?”

“Twice.”

Haesol held up his index and middle fingers.

“You’ve already hesitated twice and ended up saving it. It would be unjust to abandon it.”

“Unjust? You even know the word unjust?”

“I learned it!”

With his hands on his hips and his chest puffed out, he seemed pleased with the new word he had learned. The absurdity of it made the conversation trail off weakly for a moment.

At some point, Haesol continued with a serious expression.

“You know it too, don’t you, Bipa. From the moment you broke the crock, that kid has only been looking at you.”

Bipa flinched as if he had been caught off guard. He had felt it every time their eyes met, but hearing it said out loud was a different matter.

“Th-that doesn’t mean…,”

“From what I see, I think it could get along well with you.”

“One headstrong Dokkaebi is enough for me. Besides, there are more than a few who just show up unannounced and demand things.”

“Hmm….”

Haesol scratched his messy hair. Then he stroked his chin with his thick hand and said honestly.

“Actually, I was planning to take the fire Dokkaebi to the northern mountain god. They say the mountain god who rules the mountain range gives names to the Dokkaebis. Since it’s been a long time since a new one was born, I plan to take it there myself. Not right away, but….”

He trailed off, which was unlike Haesol. And he was even glancing at Bipa.

So this was his real motive! Bipa’s expression subtly cracked. Haesol felt uneasy at the face filled with disappointment, regret, and resentment.

Bipa had many shortcomings that made it difficult for him to get along well with people, but he was soft-hearted and lonely. Haesol, who knew this well, hoped that Bipa would take this opportunity to keep the little one by his side.

Though it was an ominous child whose short life was already greatly twisted, who knew if, raised well, it might grow up to take good care of the naive Bipa.

“Take it, Bipa. I’ll go with you to the village. Since I have to carry this one anyway.”

“Who said anything…. You’ve already decided everything on your own…. You just do what you have to do.”

Bipa threw away the stalk of the bellflower, now bare of all its petals, and walked ahead. He strode forward and then pointlessly crumpled his bamboo hat. Haesol ran up and slung Bipa onto his shoulder as well.

“At this rate, who knows how many days we’ll waste. Let’s go, let’s go quickly.”

“You just want to get rid of me and leave quickly, don’t you.”

Bipa mumbled against Haesol’s back. His back was so broad that even with the child on it, there was plenty of room for Bipa.

“Yes, I’m going to drop off this troublesome thing and leave quickly. It’s not like I’m leaving for good.”

“I should just keep calling your name and clutter your mind with distractions.”

Bipa rubbed his forehead against the rock-hard back, then turned his head. He said that, but he knew he wouldn’t call him even once, which was why he was worried. Haesol deliberately shifted his body, pressing Bipa right up against the child.

“Haesol!”

“Hold on tight.”

In his upside-down view, he saw the child sleeping, breathing softly, pooh, pooh. Seeing it up close, he could tell its features were well-formed. It was just that its appearance was wretched and grimy.

What am I supposed to do with this alone. Bipa kicked Haesol’s chest repeatedly with his legs.

“Like a cotton puff.”

His chest heaved with a hearty laugh. Bipa frowned as his cheek was repeatedly hit by the back that rose and fell with the laughter.

“I was being nosy, I was being nosy.”

But both Haesol and Bipa knew. Even as he said this, if he were to go back to that moment, Bipa would once again climb the steep, cliff-like hill and break the crock.

What’s meant to happen, happens. Haesol believes that. Because of it, he is detached, and because of it, he enjoys each day. There is no mire that holds one back more than regretting what has already happened. There must be a reason why this child appeared before Bipa in such an unusual way, and why Bipa saved it.

Meanwhile, Bipa clenched and unclenched his fists as if the rock he had used to break the crock was still in his hand. Then he turned his head away from the child. The facial features that had filled his vision disappeared, and instead, a wide field unfolded. The blindingly vivid green was dazzlingly bright.