INM 3 Part 2

Klaus released me, and I listened to the sound of his breath coming from his lungs as he looked into my eyes.

“Don’t feel guilty about laughing, Luke. That would hurt her the most.” 

At these heavy words from the man, I nodded slowly, encouraged by his bright amber eyes. “I understand.”‘ I said honestly. I had no memory of a father figure, but he seemed more like a father than any I had seen on television. 

Klaus turned his eyes back to the square. Looking at his charming face from the side, I let out a small sigh of admiration. Who would have thought that my old friend, with whom I’d done countless foolish things, would now be a hero supporting his family. 

As my old friend hugged my shoulder to comfort me, I leaned into his large frame and turned my eyes back to the square. Carried by the wind, my grandmother’s favorite song reached us. 

“Do you think Amelia chose this background music too?”

“I think so. These are all songs Grandma used to sing at home.” 

“This is the first time I’ve heard this song. What is it called?”

Encouraged by the question, I listened to the flowing song. The pop melody began, drowning out the soft aftertaste of “Let It Be.” 

“I don’t know, but Grandma used to sing this song a lot.” 

My words were accompanied by a sweet voice, a little awkward in English. The hoarse voice sang of the joy of meeting one’s destiny. 

Klaus, listening to the song, opened his mouth. 

“Hey Luke, are you staying in town for the night?”

“No, I have work tomorrow, so I’ll be back in the evening.”

“Meet Miriam before you go home. You haven’t talked much yet, have you?”

It seemed that Klaus had completely switched into father mode. Hearing my mother’s name from Klaus made me sigh with bitterness. 

“I know. I already told her I would stop by the house.” 

“That’s good then.”

I sighed again in response to Klaus’ words. Come to think of it, fathers often play a somewhat resented role in the family, both now and in the past. As expected, Klaus fulfills this role without fail. 

Earlier, I saw my mother, still as beautiful as ever. She was dressed in a well-kept party dress, free of stains and wrinkles, with just the right amount of makeup. How could she come out of that disorganized and chaotic house looking so immaculate? It’s still a mystery to me.

Ever since you met Grandma, you’ve only spoken her words, haven’t you, Luke? 

My mother’s words came back to me and I shook my head. 

She may have been a perfect person to you, but to me she was a failure as a parent.

Feeling deeply uncomfortable, I forced myself to concentrate on Grandma’s favorite song. You are the sun shining in the sky against the wind, let me sing this song for you… 

After the funeral, I stopped by the house where I was born and raised and spent time with my mother. Whether it was because I forcefully stuffed myself with the many dishes she had eagerly prepared for me, or because I stayed in the dusty, cluttered room for two hours, I don’t know what caused it, but as soon as I got into Brian’s car, I slumped back into the seat, exhausted.

“Four hours drive from here…”

“I can drive to Brisbane if you want.”

“No, you’re tired too. We’ll switch halfway through.”

“Got it.”

Brian nodded and started the car. I waved to my mother, who was leaning against the front door, and we began our drive to Brisbane. Under a still-bright sky, the parched earth and the trees sprouting from it passed before my eyes. 

As I was captivated by the familiar scenery, I murmured a thank you. 

“Thank you for today. It really helped to have you with me.” 

“No problem. But how about some rest? You probably just cleaned up at Miriam’s house.” 

“Yes, as usual.”

Saying this, I turned my gaze back outside. The scenery was dazzling to look at. Beyond the asphalt road stretched a world of reddish-brown dirt and resilient trees. When I first moved to Brisbane, I often imagined returning home along this road.

“When I’m in Brisbane, I get this impulsive urge to go back to my mom’s house and clean everything up. Sometimes the urge is so strong it’s overwhelming.” 

“Can’t stand the idea that the house you live in is messy?” 

“No. I don’t think of that house as my home anymore. It’s just that it hurts to think of my mother living there, surrounded by things that mean nothing to her.” 

“I see.” 

With that answer, the man fell silent for a while. I couldn’t help but look at him sideways. His handsome face was outlined in gold by the now rather oblique sunlight. This sight suddenly reminded me of the moment I first fell in love. 

After school in the classroom. 

Brian was also quietly getting ready to go home, bathed in the slanted sunlight. It was nothing special. It must have been the fall of our last year of elementary school. 

Stirred by my own memories, I began to speak softly. 

“Actually, I received a will from Grandma.” 

My childhood friend, still facing forward, listened attentively as I continued.

“Grandma made an effort to leave me a letter. She told me not to mourn her death. She wanted to come and say goodbye before she went to heaven, but if I was too sad, her voice might not reach me.”

Brian’s face darkened with a deep sadness that was visible even from the side. 

“She loved you with all her kindness.” 

“Do you think this will is Grandma’s kindness?” 

“Yes. I’m really glad she was a part of your life.” 

Unintentionally, those words hit me deeply. Through the glass of the back door, I looked at Grandma’s house, now out of sight.

Just a moment ago, my hometown seemed more beautiful than any scenery I’d ever seen, but when I looked at it again, it was just a boring, ordinary rural town. The incredibly beautiful scene was actually just a fleeting illusion created by a gust of wind.

Many people vaguely believe that freelancing offers much more freedom and time for oneself than being employed. When I worked in an interior design company, I thought the same without questioning it. I didn’t realize how wrong I was until I went out on my own. Managing money, getting the necessary equipment, and handling the tools of the trade-everything the company used to take care of, I had to do all by myself. When I realized this, it felt like the ground was slipping out from under my feet.

I watched in frustration as the money I had saved over the years quickly disappeared just to set up my equipment. I despaired that I couldn’t spend time doing the work I loved. I spent my days struggling with time management and accounting tasks that I had never really faced before, and my self-esteem eroded. There were even days when I made zero sales despite putting in all of my available time. 

It was only about a year ago that I was finally able to manage my time freely. I struggled to acquire all the necessary tools and learned how to manage tasks with modern equipment. I was able to entrust all financial matters to an accountant who was recommended to me, and after some time the results of past work began to add up as regular income. One day I suddenly realized that I could make time for myself. From there, my social circle outside of work gradually expanded. I reconnected with Alexandra and met Alan around that time.

Thinking about it, I came to a realization. Maybe people assume that we freelancers live easy lives with flexible schedules because they only know us during stable periods.

Such thoughts annoyed me, and I almost threw the light gray shirt I was holding onto the bed. Calm down, Lucas. The person you’re meeting today doesn’t necessarily see you as a carefree freelancer. But if you detect even a hint of that notion, be sure to explain the difficulties of freelancing.

Pairing the shirt with slim pants, I checked myself in the mirror. Despite many painful failures since becoming independent, one thing I have learned is that dressing for the occasion requires careful consideration of every detail. And once you make a commitment, you must honor it unless something extraordinary happens.

Even if it’s an appointment you don’t really want to keep. 

Cursing myself for scheduling something during the free time I had set aside, I stepped out into the streets of Brisbane. I planned to walk to my destination. Heading straight down Queen Street, always bustling with people at the terrace cafes, crossing the Brisbane River, and reflecting that I should use public transport on the way back as I passed through West End, lined with houses and small restaurants. I arrived at my destination five minutes early, but I was sure my meeting partner would already be there.

Sure enough, my intuition was correct. A young man reading a book at the entrance of the St. Lucia campus looked up as he noticed my gaze. 

“Hello, Luke.” 

Alan’s first love smiled, narrowing his light blue eyes. His crisp, cool white linen shirt, perfectly ironed, highlighted his youthful freshness almost to an annoying degree. Even the book in his hand seemed like a calculated accessory, making me involuntarily grimace. 

“Hey, Kasim. You look good. The university campus suits you better than anyone else in the world.”

“What are you saying? Surely you don’t still hold a grudge for arranging our meeting on campus?” 

The young man who had been smiling brightly now looked annoyed, and I narrowed my eyes at him with a resentful look. 

“It’s terrible to make me come alone to an unknown place.”

“What’s the problem with going to a university? It’s not like I called you to a monster’s lair or anything.”

He shrugged, not understanding the fear of being in an unfamiliar room. How annoying. 

A pair of students, deep in conversation, walked past us. The sound of their laughter echoed through the air, interrupting the peaceful rustling of the trees. 

Hearing their happy voices, I sighed deeply. 

“I’d rather look at monsters.”

“It’s better than being taken to the Demon King’s castle, isn’t it?” 

“I feel like I’m at the entrance to the Demon King’s castle right now.”

“So it’s a Demon King’s Castle system where names are called in order… I mean, how do you even see the university?”

The current student stood up as he spoke. Although he did not seem aggressive at all, his graceful and unsettling manner conveyed that he was not to be underestimated. 

I patted the young man’s brown arm lightly and shrugged. 

“Come on, lead the way, hero. I want to quickly meet the Demon King and return to the starting village.”

“You’re just talking nonsense…”

Murmuring under his breath, Kasim began to lead me. 

I had agreed to investigate Alan, which led me to the University of Queensland where he had studied. It had been about a week since my first encounter with the group of four students. The mid-afternoon campus, with its still-painful sunlight, seemed to illuminate everything. The sweeping stone paths and old brick buildings were nothing new to me, given my career in interior design. Yet, for some reason, I didn’t feel like I belonged among the people bustling before me… people who were decent, intelligent, and full of potential.

Catching up with the young man in sneakers carefully chosen to suit the occasion, I smiled at him. 

“Alright, you called me to this place, so don’t leave me alone here.”

“Understood. Shall we hold hands?”

“I’ll really do it, you know.” 

I threatened, then slapped the palm of Kasim’s hand, which he had ceremoniously offered.