MIM 96

They walked around exploring the village. As tourists, they were completely ignorant of what attractions might exist or what foods were famous, simply taking in whatever was directly in front of them. Though they belatedly wondered if it was okay to travel without knowing anything, they soon found joy in the serene scenery. Though they did bring the gun just in case.

Shin-woo carefully observed the surroundings while checking for anything to be wary of. Since it wasn’t a typical tourist destination, most people were villagers, and like the buildings, the residents too were aged. Being the only foreigners, they occasionally drew attention, but the curious glances soon drifted away.

After living their whole lives in a city where everyone recognized and was curious about them, it felt strange in a good way to freely walk around this small village where no one knew them. Shin-woo glanced at Ma Jae-seung beside him, who was looking around wide-eyed at everything. Perhaps gaining confidence after communicating in French, he quietly read store names on various signs and examined menus displayed outside.

“This place looks good too. It’s crowded. Must be a local favorite.”

Ma Jae-seung searched for reviews of several restaurants they passed by. Since everything was in English, Shin-woo had to wait patiently for Ma Jae-seung’s explanation, but Ma Jae-seung seemed to enjoy this, chattering away while showing interior photos of the restaurants.

“This place is famous for barbecue. They grill it on volcanic stones, and people say it tastes different from regular grilling. Some people visit this village just for this restaurant.”

“Sounds delicious.”

“This person runs a butcher shop in their country and says the meat quality is excellent even from a professional’s perspective. They recommend sitting on the terrace for the atmosphere.”

“That’s a useful tip. We wouldn’t have known if we hadn’t looked it up.”

“Heh.”

His face broke into an unusually bright smile that he couldn’t hold back. Seeing that radiant smile instantly melted away their travel fatigue, making Shin-woo feel much more at ease. He had worried whether suddenly taking this trip was the right choice, but it seemed they had made the right decision in the end. Ma Jae-seung needed time to breathe away from all the stress and anxiety.

After walking for a while, they came upon a lake. The sun was gradually setting, and the late afternoon colors were deeply reflected in the calm water. Though not as magnificent as the artificial lake they’d visited in Janggang City, Shin-woo liked its untouched feel. He picked up a stone from the ground and threw it hard at the lake. The stone skipped several times across the surface skillfully.

Ma Jae-seung, who had been watching intently, followed suit and threw a stone as well. His posture was exactly the same as back when they used to skip stones in the garden all the time.

“That’s nothing special?”

Not remembering the countless times he had thrown stones across water in the past, Ma Jae-seung proudly laughed at succeeding on his first try. He had worn the same expression when he first learned it, when he had finally succeeded after practicing diligently for days. A carefree smile showed his even, white teeth.

Some things his body instinctively remembered remained intact as muscle memory. Shin-woo stood beside Ma Jae-seung, looking out at the vast lake.

“About that tattoo on your neck.”

Perhaps because the barcode was visible from this angle, Ma Jae-seung suddenly spoke up. Though Shin-woo had thought he’d been going about his life this whole time having forgotten its very existence, as soon as Ma Jae-seung mentioned it, his hand automatically reached up to trace the barcode tattoo. Despite being old, the skin was slightly raised, and he could feel the pattern of the barcode lines.

“Remove it.”

The voice from the past saying he would definitely remove it when they grew up scattered, and the clear voice at this present moment pierced his ears. Why was he suddenly concerned about this? Shin-woo lowered his hand from the tattoo and smirked.

“People get these as fashion statements too. What’s the big deal?”

“But that’s not why you got it. Everyone in the household has one.”

Ma Jae-seung muttered as if talking to himself and crushed the small stone in his hand. Considering Ma Jin-seong’s past actions, it was easy to guess why he had tattooed barcodes on household members. It seemed Ma Jae-seung was starting to notice things one by one as he learned about his father’s true nature. Shin-woo drew a line in the ground with his sneaker toe, then rubbed it away.

“If others want to remove theirs, let them. I don’t mind. These are just like…wrinkles. Traces of time.”

“How can they be the same when they weren’t naturally acquired?”

“When people get scars from falling while playing, they just accept it as part of life.”

“When there’s a clear perpetrator, it’s more like an accident if we’re making comparisons. Falling while playing is…your mistake.”

Ma Jae-seung, who had been speaking hesitantly as if confused, suddenly looked straight at Shin-woo. Under the warm afternoon light, his green eyes took on an even more vivid color.

“Do you think it’s your fault? That it couldn’t be helped?”

“If it bothers you that much, I’ll remove it.”

“What do you think about it? Tell me.”

“Traces of time? All in the past?” 

Taking a step closer, he asked deliberately slowly. Without avoiding his gaze, Shin-woo quietly breathed in and out. His throat felt dry, not knowing how to answer.

“Karma?”

Ma Jae-seung, who had come right up to him, whispered with furrowed brows. His fine eyebrows lifted questioningly, pushing up his forehead.

Karma.

Shin-woo realized only after that word had deeply embedded itself in his heart that there could be no clearer expression. However, he remained unshaken. He slowly blinked away his emotions and raised a smile to his lips.

“Don’t read too much into it. As you can see, removing this small thing won’t make much difference.”

Suddenly feeling an ache in his back, Shin-woo closed his mouth. He turned his head sharply toward the lake. He crouched down, letting the sunlight wash over him as he emptied his mind. His back grew warm under the sun.

“When the mansion caught fire, I came out without a single scratch. Though I don’t remember it,”

A voice broke the long silence from above him. The soliloquy continued in soft tones.

“I thought I healed naturally because I had fast recovery, even after getting burned. But maybe…”

“…”

“Maybe I was never injured in the first place.”

Feeling a burning sensation washing over him, Shin-woo jumped to his feet. He needed to say something in response, but again his voice failed him. Perhaps he had held too many things inside for too long, leaving him completely parched.

“You saved me.”

Ma Jae-seung’s eyes, which had been watching the speechless Shin-woo, gradually twisted with emotion. Under his long, pale eyelashes, his moist eyes rippled with pain.

“I know you have a vivid imagination, but don’t go too far.”

Despite his attempt to laugh it off, Ma Jae-seung didn’t respond. Shin-woo stuck close to the silent Ma Jae-seung and continued with trivial talk. In his endless chatter, trying to elicit a response, honest thoughts unconsciously slipped out. This was his first overseas trip, so he was actually a bit excited. He had looked up things to do in the area, but grew frustrated because everything was in foreign languages and only got the chance to save a few pictures. He had spotted a souvenir shop earlier that sold socks. A horrible purple pair cost about 20,000 won. Among French dishes, he actually wanted to try escargot the most…

Shin-woo, who had been talking steadily but leisurely while looking at the scenery, let out a deflated laugh. After walking through the village full of old buildings and seeing one lake, the day was already drawing to a close.

“Is this place too boring as a travel destination? There were other options.”

“I like it. It’s pretty.”

Ma Jae-seung, who hadn’t said a word the whole time, finally spoke. Shin-woo gently nudged Ma Jae-seung’s shoulder with his own and smiled with curved eyes.

“Yeah? I thought it might be too dull for our first day of travel. There are lakes and forests in Janggang City too.”

“No.

“It’s completely different.” Ma Jae-seung smiled while shaking his head. Something about his gaze this time felt familiar, making Shin-woo’s heart flutter.