VDN Ch 57

Nam-woon wanted to call Seo‑oh’s name one more time, but when he faced Seo‑oh’s cold expression, his mouth fell silent. Soon, Seo‑oh quickly moved away from him.

Watching Seo‑oh’s retreating figure, Nam-woon slowly turned around. The hand that had been clutching his bicycle had completely lost its strength.

“I don’t know him.”

I guess I came for nothing. Kwon Seo-oh would probably be more comfortable without him. There was nothing he could do to help him, whether it was what Na Da-yeol had said in the school bathroom or because he was associated with a thug like himself. Why did he even come to school? He must have been possessed by something for a moment.

He had seemed very close with the person who had been by his side earlier. If Kwon Seo‑oh was making such friendly contact, they were probably clearly close.

Nam-woon walked on, staring blankly at the ground, unable to think of anything.

How had he even made it to the Haengwon restaurant? When Nam-woon opened the door, the owner greeted them, thinking he was a customer. But upon seeing Nam-woon’s face, the owner blurted out.

“Did something happen?”

“No.”

Nam-woon replied nonchalantly and put on the apron hanging by the kitchen shelf. The owner stared at them intently.

“You can just go today. There aren’t many customers, probably because it’s a cloudy day, and there’s not much to wash.”

“I’ll just work.”

As Nam-woon quietly entered the kitchen, the old man straightened his back and continued to watch his retreating figure.

***

When Se-han came back home from school, he kicked off his shoes and entered the room. He opened his backpack and rummaged through the second drawer, searching for the frog-shaped coin wallet.

Clatter.

“How much is left?”

Se-han zipped open the wallet and checked its contents. Six one-thousand-won bills and some coins!

That should be enough. Se-han put the backpack back on. He had planned to stay at Min-chan’s house today, but if his backpack was at home, his older brother might get suspicious. Se-han put on his shoes again and dashed out to the yard. Se-han’s baseball buddy Min-chan, who was waiting near the front gate, raised his glasses from his nose.

“What are you looking for?”

“Hyung put everything in here. Let me see if there’s a business card.”

Se-han and Min-chan sat down and thoroughly searched through the box. Pink toothbrush, shorts, shower towel… As Se-han rummaged, he tossed socks aside and found a small piece of paper underneath.

“Here it is!”

Se-han unfolded the business card and held it up. Min-chan asked,”

“Got everything?”

“Yeah, now we can go!”

“Dong-soo is also waiting in front of the Seondang Plaza bus stop.” 

“What? Dong-soo too?”

Dong-soo was another baseball friend, he was big and had a booming voice. Se-han had thought Dong-soo hated him because he scolded him every day, but today Dong-soo surprised him by saying.

“You look like a kindergartener, Min-chan looks like a second grader, and I look like a sixth grader. So we should stick together.”

That way, they wouldn’t be ignored. Min-chan nodded in agreement.

As Se-han and Min-chan walked down the alley, they encountered Grandpa Nam-nam, who was sitting on a bench drying beans.

“Hello.”

Min-chan greeted him first. Se-han also bowed politely. Grandpa Nam-nam asked.

“Where are you going?”

“We’re going to Min-chan’s house!”

“Did you come home for something?”

“Um, well…”

Se-han hesitated, and Grandpa Nam-nam gave them a cold stare. Min-chan stepped in.

“We are here to get that puzzle from Se-han’s house.”

“Where’s the puzzle?”

“In our bag.”

Hmm. Grandpa Nam-nam went inside the store, saying he’d be right back. Se-han and Min-chan exchanged glances. Be careful. They warned each other with their eyes. A moment later, Grandpa Nam-nam returned from the store, holding something.

“What’s this?”

Min-chan approached him first. Se-han followed closely behind.

“Oh, this is something a friend gave me because his business is doing well. It’s a toy car. Come on, take one each.”

Grandpa Nam-nam handed them toy cars. They were quite large, so much so that it required both hands to hold. Se-han’s eyes widened. Grandpa Nam-nam had never given them anything like this before!

“Be careful not to drop it, it’ll break. Put it in your bag.”

Grandpa Nam-nam tapped the bench, indicating where they should place the cars. Se-han and Min-chan approached the bench, placed their bags down, and unzipped them. Grandpa Nam-nam scrutinized the contents of their bags.

I don’t see any puzzles inside.

Se-han set down Nam-woon’s business card for a moment and picked up the toy car. Their eyes sparkled as they saw the toy cars and they didn’t notice that Grandpa Nam-nam had picked up the business card.

[Good People Center… Representative… Seok Nam-woon.]

Startled by the sound of his grandfather’s voice, he looked up in surprise. The business card was in his grandfather’s hand, who knows when he had taken it? Se-han shouted.

“Please, give it to me!”

“No, are you guys going to see young Nam-woon now? You’re not going out to play, are you?”

“We’re going out to have fun and take care of some business at the same time. We are going out to play.”

Min-chan replied, his voice trembling uncharacteristically.

“No, why are two little kids like you going all the way there?”

“Later, a bigger kid will come too! Grandpa, please don’t tell my brother!”

“Don’t tell him! I want to see Wooni Hyung, but he won’t allow it!”

Se-han’s eyes welled up with tears, and he spoke with a choked voice.

I miss Wooni Hyung so much…Se-han’s sad expression tugged at Grandpa Nam-nam’s heart. If Se-han had resolved to go all the way there, it must have been tough for him all this time. In the end, Grandpa Nam-nam decided to turn a blind eye this time. But he wondered whether he should inform Seo-oh. That guy is just so overprotective about his little sibling. Grandpa Nam-nam hesitated, observing Se-han’s teary eyes.

“Then I’ll watch you take the bus at the bus stop over there, so let’s go together until then.”

Min-chan’s and Se-han’s eyes widened, and then Se-han answered in a small voice, “Yes.”

***

“…So that senior went to the professor after getting a C+, but the professor said no.”

“…….”

“Are you listening to me?”

“…….”

“Kwon Seo-oh!”

“Huh?”

“It’s me, Sol.”

“….Sorry.”

Suddenly, Seo-oh apologized to Sol.

“I need to go.”

“What? Where are you going?”

Sol asked in a startled voice, wondering why he was leaving just now, but Seo‑oh immediately turned his back. Sol watched his retreating figure.

Lately, Kwon Seo-oh had truly been out of it, like he had a screw loose. Sol had tried to cheer him up, but after seeing the man standing at the main gate earlier, his complexion had noticeably worsened. Something must have happened with that guy. Sol sighed.

The place Seo-oh headed for was his own house. He simply didn’t have the peace of mind to do anything outside.

As soon as he arrived, Seo-oh threw his bag into a corner, slumped to the floor, and leaned his back against the wall. Today was Se-han’s day to sleep at Min-chan’s house, so he wouldn’t be home. It was a day he could comfortably show how tired he was.

After sitting against the wall, doing nothing for a while, there came a creaking sound outside as the gate opened. Seo‑oh suddenly sprang to his feet. On a hunch, he unconsciously flung open the door.

“Ah, you were home? That’s a relief.”

In that moment, all the strength seemed to drain from his body. It was Grandpa Nam-nam. A wave of disappointment surged inside him. What was he expecting when he was the one who had coldly passed by him?

Grandpa Nam-nam hesitated, watching Seo-oh, who didn’t respond at all.

“I was really worried about whether I should tell you or not, but I thought I should let you know just in case.”

“…….”

“That Se-han.”

“What about Se-han?”

“Oh, it’s nothing!” 

Grandpa Nam-nam took a few steps back, as if Seo-oh were overwhelming him, and continued.

“Se-han went to the Good People Center today.”

Seo-oh’s eyes widened.

“To see his Hyung Nam-woon.”

Grandpa Nam-nam mumbled, unable to look at Seo-oh’s face

“It seems like Se-han’s really grown attached. Please show Nam-woon’s face to the young man.”

***

“Good sir, is this bus going to Seondang Plaza? Please help my grandson get off safely.”

Please help this boy get off properly. Grandpa Nam-nam confirmed the destination and sent Se-han and Min-chan on the bus. With the driver’s assistance, they safely reached Seondang Plaza. Dong-soo, who had been waiting there, joined them and checked his phone’s map. The three of them got lost a few times before eventually arriving at the Good People Center building.

As they stood in line, staring up at the old building with their mouths agape,Dong-soo was the first to step forward. But Dong-soo had to stop in his tracks at Se-han’s words that followed.

“I was kidnapped here before.”

“What?”

Dong-soo and Min-chan were surprised, but Se-han continued nonchalantly.

“But I got out quickly. My brother came to rescue me.

Dong-soo stepped back and stood with Se-han and Min-chan. Min-chan spoke up.

“Se-han, you shouldn’t go in here.”

“Uh? Why?” 

Se-han asked innocently, and Min-chan’s expression turned serious.

“You said you were kidnapped here before. It seems like only Dong-soo and I should go in.” 

After taking a deep breath, Min-chan continued sternly,

“Dong-soo, you go first.”

“What? We should all go together! Why just me?”

“I look like a second grader and you look like a middle schooler.”

“That’s ridiculous! I’m in second grade, how can I look like a middle schooler?”

Suddenly, Dong-soo and Min-chan started arguing. Se-han, taken aback, tried to calm them down. But then a stranger’s voice came from behind.

“What you doing here?”

It was a man with a long scar on his face. When he scowled, the scars distorted in a strange way.

“Waaaahhh….”

Dong-soo, who always boasted about being undefeated in fights against sixth graders, was the first to burst into tears.