NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 53
It’s an unfamiliar ceiling.
Now, the clichés have flowed through my mind to a ridiculous extent.
As I turned my head to check my surroundings, a rather luxurious-looking room caught my eyes.
I recalled what I last saw and lifted my body. Fortunately, there was no significant issue with my body.
I’m sure I…
“Oh my, you’re awake.”
Just like in a novel, the moment was perfectly timed as a woman entered the room. She was a middle-aged woman.
“How are you feeling? We took you to the emergency room first, but they said it was just exhaustion, so we brought you home.”
“And you are…?”
“Oh, what am I saying? I’m Kang-hyeon’s mother. Seomun-sook. I’m the representative of Ji Kang Publishing. We’ve brushed past each other briefly before, but this is the first time we’re meeting directly. You’re Seol-guk, right?”
“Ah.”
The woman who introduced herself as Seomun-sook helped me recall a bit of what I remembered just before I collapsed.
I was definitely walking down the street. In the rain. Then I met Ji Kang-hyeon, who was in a car, and I collapsed right there.
Why was I wandering the streets?
After a brief moment of confusion, my memories came rushing back like a flashback.
Ah, right.
A drinking session. The after-party. Lee Cheon. Lee Cheon’s story.
And Lee Cheon…
Lee Cheon…
Lee Cheon…
Lee Cheon’s daughter.
Lee Cheon
Touched my body,
Tried to touch between my thighs,
Lee Cheon.
As realization hit me, the urge to vomit surged again.
“Ugh!”
Seomun-sook was startled and helped support me.
Fortunately, I really didn’t vomit, so I wouldn’t cause any more trouble.
“Are you okay? The hospital said there was nothing unusual…”
“I-I’m fine. I’m alright. That must be true. Th-thank you. I remembered. I lost consciousness on the street. Thank you so much for taking care of me.”
“Don’t mention it. It’s the least I can do, especially since I know Kang-hyeon.”
“Um… by any chance, did you contact anyone about this…?”
“Well, don’t worry. I’m good at reading the room, you know.”
“Yes?”
Seomun-sook smiled slightly at me.
“I don’t know much about Seol-guk, but seeing you like this makes me think something happened, whatever it might be. You didn’t have a phone, and the battery wasn’t dead, so there must have been something you didn’t want to share. So I just told your companions we happened to meet and that you’re with me. I didn’t say anything about what happened.”
I’m quite perceptive, you see.
Seomun-sook added.
“Thank you…”
“Don’t mention it. We help each other.”
“I will pay for everything, like the hospital bill or accommodation or anything.”
Before I could even finish my sentence, Seomun-sook interrupted.
“Oh no, don’t worry about it. It’s just fate. It wasn’t a large amount, so you don’t need to think about it.”
“Well, that may be true.”
“I said it’s fine. Let’s consider it as helping my son’s friend.”
“F-friend?”
“I heard a bit from Kang-hyeon. Isn’t it a bit embarrassing to call a kid so much younger than him a friend? But still, it’s enough to say you’re friends at this point.”
I wanted to argue with that statement, but saying to the person who helped me, “You’re not actually friends with my son,” felt a bit too hard for me. In the end, I could only nod slightly.
“Um… how is Ji Kang-hyeon?”
“Kang-hyeon is sleeping right now. He’s a late riser. Have you seen what time it is?”
Seomun-sook pointed to a clock hanging on the wall. It was nine-thirty.
“It’s morning.”
“Yes… Thank you very much for taking care of me. I will definitely repay you later. I…”
“Are you leaving now?”
“Yes. I can’t keep imposing on you.”
“You really don’t need to think like that. But anyway, it seems a bit tough right now.”
“Yes?”
“Um, could you look at what you’re wearing right now?”
At Seomun-sook’s words, I checked my appearance under the blanket.
I was wearing a chick-yellow pajama set, not the clothes I had originally worn. I was startled in that moment and checked the collar of the pajama, noticing that the underwear I was wearing wasn’t mine but something new. That meant there was no need to check the lower part.
“T-this is…”
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t leave you in all wet clothes. The housekeeper, um, our housemaid, helped me change you. The clothes are currently drying.”
Feeling embarrassed about having shown a stranger my naked body, my face flushed red. However, Seomun-sook’s explanation didn’t present any issues. Naturally, it wouldn’t do to leave someone in wet clothes, and besides, we shared the same gender.
I couldn’t hide my reddened face, but at least I wouldn’t commit the foolishness of getting angry.
“Anyway, it seems difficult to leave right now, so let’s have a meal together first. It shouldn’t take long for your clothes to dry.”
“…Please.”
~
The slightly loose chick-yellow pajamas were surprisingly comfortable. Feeling a bit self-conscious, I followed Seomun-sook. Her house was undoubtedly a rich-looking one. It was spacious and luxurious.
In the kitchen, most of the meal was already prepared, with a woman who appeared to be a housekeeper working on it. She seemed quite a bit older than Seomun-sook.
“Is everything ready, ma’am?”
“Yes, Madame.”
“Sit down, Seol-guk.”
I carefully pulled out a chair and sat down. It being breakfast, there were no burdensome dishes to speak of. It was a simple Korean meal with normal side dishes. A rich family doesn’t start breakfast with steak.
“Eat up. The housekeeper cooks very well.”
As expected, her words were true. It was a plain meal, but it was all neat and delicious. I thought I had no appetite, but after tasting it, I began to gobble down my food.
It goes without saying, but I usually relied on instant food, takeout, or dining out. Was that why? It had been a long time since I had someone prepare breakfast for me. I couldn’t remember the last time I had such a warm and homey breakfast. It was almost touching.
Only after having devoured my meal without restraint did I regain my senses. Seomun-sook was watching me with a pleased expression.
…It was embarrassing.
“Good, right?”
“Yes, it is.”
Although she hadn’t cooked it herself, Seomun-sook seemed to take pride in it.
After finishing the meal, I moved to another table and sat across from Seomun-sook. My home had only a dining table, but there was a separate table here.
I wondered why she had brought me all the way here. Was there something she wanted to ask? After seeing me hesitate, Seomun-sook opened her mouth first.
“Oh, don’t be nervous. We still have some time, and I was just trying to kill some time. Oh, thank you, housekeeper.”
The housekeeper brought out snacks and coffee.
“It’s a bit awkward saying this after serving, but is coffee okay?”
“…Yes, it’s fine.”
I’m not usually a fan of coffee, but I didn’t want to awkwardly ask her to make a new one.
I wrapped my hand around the warm coffee cup and took a sip.
It was bitter.
Seomun-sook, noticing my face contorting slightly in response to the bitterness, let out a small laugh.
“Is it too bitter?”
“N-no, it’s fine.”
I could only deny it. Seomun-sook seemed to treat me a bit like a child. In that situation, I felt somewhat reluctant to express how I disliked the bitterness like a real kid, so I had no choice but to keep quiet.
I slowly sipped the coffee, managing my expression, even though it wasn’t to my taste.
Fortunately, the sweet snacks helped me endure.
After a moment of silence, I was the one to break it first.
“Um, about these clothes… where did you get them?”
“There’s Kang-hyeon’s sister living outside right now. Her name is Seo-hyun, and these are clothes she wore when she was a child. I had a hard time finding a clothing store open at that hour.”
“Um… I’m sorry.”
“There’s no need to say that.”
Another moment of silence passed.
And this time, I opened my mouth again first.
“…Are you not going to ask what happened yesterday?”
“I do have a bit of intuition.”
“Yes…”
“There was something you wouldn’t want to tell your party, so I didn’t think you’d want to share it with someone else, either.”
“I see.”
“And women usually have secrets they want to hide.”
I felt a slight sting.
“I’m not a woman, though.”
“Oh dear, I’m sorry.”
Fortunately, Seomun-sook didn’t seem to have said that to tease me, as she immediately apologized.
“I apologize. I didn’t pay attention.”
“No, it’s alright. I’m the one who got emotional, sorry for… saying that to someone who helped me.”
“That can happen.”
“Thank you…”
Words began to escape me. Seomun-sook seemed like she didn’t have much on her mind, but out of a sense of obligation to say something, I opened my mouth again.
“Um, Ji Kang-hyeon…”
“He’s still sleeping. Is there something you need?”
“I just wanted to express my thanks…”
“He probably won’t wake up for another three or four hours.”
“Ah, I see.”
“If you’re concerned, could you give me your phone number? I’ll let Kang-hyeon know to contact you.”
“No, I should be the one to reach out. Thank you.”
After exchanging phone numbers, I opened my mouth again.
“Is Ji Kang-jin not home?”
“He’s staying out.”
Seomun-sook’s expression slightly changed. She had a face that looked annoyed, almost like a nagging wife. No, I shouldn’t think that way. That would be disrespectful to someone who helped me.
Now, there was truly nothing to say. I casually checked my smartphone. As expected, there were numerous missed calls and messages. At some point in time, they had all disappeared, likely after Seomun-sook had spoken.
“I need to make a call for a moment…”
“You don’t have to worry about me.”
“Thank you.”
It was still morning. I could go with my swim club senior or meet the professor and head home, but right now, I didn’t want to meet anyone. I found a nearby express bus terminal and made a reservation for a suitable time. There were plenty of seats available.
~
By the time my clothes had dried and I changed to leave Seomun-sook’s house, Ji Kang-hyeon still hadn’t woken up. It seemed he really liked to sleep in.
I declined Seomun-sook’s offer to drive me to the terminal and boarded the bus.
Fortunately, it wasn’t too far, so I arrived quickly. After some time, I found myself sitting on an express bus heading to Seoul.
I leaned my head against the window.
Being alone made the violent memories come back to my mind naturally. Or rather, the memories of violence.
Although I hadn’t had a deeply meaningful conversation with Seomun-sook, at least then I had the space to think about something else.
But now, I was without anyone to shield me from the tsunami of yesterday’s aftermath.
No matter how hard I tried to escape with other thoughts, I couldn’t flee.
I touched my thighs with my own hands.
This is where Lee Cheon had touched me yesterday.
The cracks between those moments
Had never felt so disgusting and shameful.
Thoughts that were almost delusional, laughable, and grotesque emerged.
Lee Cheon…
Lee Cheon was a writer.
Lee Cheon’s daughter.
The death of Lee Cheon’s daughter.
A Lee Cheon who had no scandals with any woman.
And last night, Lee Cheon tried to…
…do something to me.
Did the imagination of a novelist provoke him?
Is there even a truth to the story of Lee Cheon having a daughter?
If it’s true, is the story of her death real too?
Or was there something that made it necessary for her to die?
Lee Cheon…
What is this?