Eternal life - Magdalena Wita (best summer reads .TXT) 📗

and lightly hit his arm.

‘I apologize!’ He said bowing, but his tone was indifferent. Then, without a word, he came into the house, quickly taking off his shoes.

The woman clicked her tongue. ‘Oh, those youngsters!’

Aeri was looking after Yejun, with disapproval in her eyes. ‘I’m sorry, auntie, for causing such a problem…’ She apologized sincerely.

‘Oh gosh, my dear, you know that it’s not a problem for me at all, but I just got worried for you!’ The elder touched girl’s arm in caring way. Then she laid her eye’s on the man beside Aeri, that stood still, not knowing what to do. ‘And who’s that handsome gentleman?’

‘I’m Jo Young Saeng. Nice to meet you.’ He bowed.

‘What a nice person you seem to be!’ She turned to Aeri. ‘Finally, my dear, it’s time for you to settle down and marry! You also need to be taken care of, not always you have to take care of others!’

The nurse rose her eyebrows. ‘It’s not like that auntie…’ She wanted to explain, but Yejun walked form the inside of the house, with an old lady under his arm and gave his sister a weird look.

‘We’ll head to home auntie.’ He had to walk out slowly, because grandma was moving forward with small steps.

Suddenly old lady stopped in front of Young Saeng. She looked at the man which seemed to be totally lost by this action. She took out a hand and slowly reached out to touch his cheek. When she did it, a tear fell out of her eye. ‘Honey…’

Everyone was dumbfounded and shocked by a sudden brave move of hers, but since Yejun was rather feeling dislike towards Young Saeng, he grabbed his grandma’s hand and continued to walk with her. ‘Come on, granny, we have to go.’

‘Hahaha, what a slick move of her! To steal her granddaughter man!’ Aunt was laughing her lungs out, while young man, slightly shocked, touched his cheeks.

Aeri was grinning and she cleared her throat. ‘Auntie, I told you, it’s not like that. He’s a friend of mine that I’m helping out in this moment.’

‘Yeah, again with this help. Really, my darling, take care of yourself first. And I think this man can help you.’ She blinked toward Young Saeng, which, as an answer, just smiled stupidly.

‘Eh… But anyway – thank you auntie and sorry, that we’re so late.’

‘Again – no problem. Just call me beforehand, when Mrs. Jang will come again, because I promised her something tasty. And come with her maybe, so we can talk about some…’ She looked at young man and smiled mischievously at Aeri. ‘…things. Oh, also wait a moment!’ She run to home, and a minute later came back with some packed food. ‘Take this!’ She pushed it into Young Saeng’s hands. ‘See, he’s strong! Bye, darling!’ Before they could say no to her, she went home, shut the door behind her and soon the light goes out.

Young Saeng stood there, with a pile of boxes in his hands, not really the situation. ‘What?’

Aeri smirked. ‘Come, we have a lot of stairs to climb.’

***

They walked arm to arm, slowly climbing the staircase, where Yejun firstly headed to. Young Saeng held the boxes in his hands, as they were talking.

‘Dementia?’

‘Yup. Started few years ago, when I was still studying. I was at first year of medical studies, but after that I decided to take nursing. She at first started to forget that she already bought something or forgot to take medicine for her heart. After that there was mistaking names. And know we are here – sometimes she’s all good, remembers everyone, but sometimes – she’s stuck in past. So there is a need that someone has to be around her all the time.’

Aeri started to explain her situation to this man. She preferred to do that, so he wouldn’t be stuck in awkward state of mind. He had already a lot on his mind, so it was better to clear some things.

‘And se only has both of you?’

‘Mom died from cancer when I was fourteen and Yejun was two. Dad couldn’t – or more like didn’t want to – rise us, so he run away after that. So grandma took care of us. Then dad got into accident and died. So we’re orphans and only person that ever cared about us is grandma.’ Even though it wasn’t pleasant memory to Aeri, she was emotionless when saying that.

‘So you just can’t leave her?’

‘I wouldn’t dare to, ever. It would tear my heart to pieces.’

‘So why Yejun is so stubborn?’

‘Hey, don’t talk like that about my brother!’ She wagged her finger at him. Then, she continued. ‘Walk for a moment in his shoes. He barely remembers mom, dad probably not at all, since he never played with us. I was much older, so everything was understandable for me – that it’s hard for an older woman to rise two kids, to feed them and worry about them. So for begging I was trying hard to be independent. For universities – I got there from having part-time jobs. I wanted to help her. So then, when Yejun was growing up, it was his reality, that he was taken care of, that he was feed, that he was going to good school. I with granny took care of it, so at least one of this ill-fated family won’t have to suffer in life. But then the sickness happened. As I was in the university I really wanted to graduate soon. So I was barely at home. And she was getting worse. Then, whenever I had a time off – I was working and again, I was never home, and again, granny was getting worse.’

‘So he suddenly had to wake up from his prince life?’

‘More or less…’ She smirked. ‘Why I’m even talking to you…’

‘Hey, I just-‘ He wanted to rise his hands, but they were occupied, so he just hopped that his face was showing enough of remorse.

‘Yeah… We spoiled him. But he was good, you know. Like really. He liked to be at home, he talked to me about problems, about friends.’ She clapped her palms. ‘He likes to learn. I’ve had hopes that at least he’ll become a doctor. But now I’m not longer sure. This whole situation broke him…’

‘But now you’re working, so why you don’t live with them?’

She laughed nervously. ‘Oh, how long I looked for job… Really… And this isn’t the area, where I can find the job that pays so well.’

‘The money? This the reason?’

‘It’s reason behind everything! If we had money, mum would not got so sick. If we had money, dad wouldn’t be so unhappy with this family. If we had money, granny wouldn’t have to work in her old age, giving her problems with health. The job I have now it’s the best paid from those I went through. But is far away from this place. Firstly I was driving there daily, but then I got option to have additional shifts, so I rented a flat, and I fall into a loop that I can’t get out of. I earn money which fully goes for expenses connected with house, with flat, with my brother’s school, with granny’s meds, with food. Nothing for me.’ She points at herself.

‘I didn’t buy myself a dress since I don’t remember when!’ She laughed, but it was a cold laugh. ‘But If I’ll resign from the flat – I’ll be too tired to work extra shifts. When I resign from extra shifts I won’t have enough money to even live here! Not talking about cram schools of Yejun. So current situation…’

Young Saeng finished her sentence. ‘Is unavoidable.’

‘Yup. As I said, a loop. But, hey, I can’t give up. Not until he’ll be happy. Even if he’ll flee away from me, knowing that he’ll have a life I’ve never dared to dream of – that is the most important thing. It’s pushing me forward. She sniffed, because some tears fell down her cheeks. ‘And also Ahn Chang-Woo, you remember him, the doctor, he helps me with granny. So I simple can’t give up on that job.’

He laughed warmly. ‘Gosh, I was getting ready to fight the world for you, but then you said something on the same level as ‘but the meals at the canteen are the best’! Have some pride!’ Aeri also laughed, realising how ridiculous her words were. She rubbed off the tears. They arrived at the front gate of nurse’s old house. It was situated at the top of the hill, but in a dark alley. The door’s paint was almost all gone.

Young Saeng put the boxes on the ground and took hand Aeri’s hand into his. ‘I think, that no matter what will happen in the future, the amount of kindness that you gave, is enough to give you luck ‘till the rest of you and your family life.’

She smiled at him and abruptly shook his hand off. ‘You sound like an old preaching geezer.’

‘Ha-ha-ha… You…’

‘You see, I might sometimes have my depression, but my humour will never fade away.’ She wanted to push the gate and go in, but halted. ‘I would forgot. How’s your first day?’

‘First day?’

‘Work?’

‘Oh! Someone’s sad stories…’ He earned a punch in arm, so he started to massage it. ‘…totally outshined my memory.’

‘No, but really. You were down, there at the hospital.’

‘But now I’m up!’ She scolded him with her gaze. ‘Well, really, that what I had on mind is a small percentage of shit you’re in.’

‘But you have to tell me. It’s a price for listening to me.’

‘What? How? Does it work like that?’

‘Of course. Also trust me – it’ll feel much better when you spill the tea.’

Young Saeng took a deep breath in and started to talk quickly. ‘Then… I got a job offer as a janitor. Mr. Min said it’s well paid and the place is really nice, but I don’t know why it doesn’t feel right. Like after all mystery about me and also admiration for my knowledge, getting a real, down-to-earth job feels… unreal. At least.’

She looked at him with no expression and then she turned around on her heels, opening the gate. ‘So it really was nothing…’

‘Hey!’ He walked after her, but turned around to get the boxes. ‘It’s not nothing! You!’ Aeri entered home laughing.

As they both walked into the home, in good mood, they noticed Yejun sitting on the couch, playing games on the phone. He looked at them, then proceeded to look only at Aeri. ‘We got out almost at the same time, but there you are, almost an hour later.’

She lifted her brow. ‘Really, you scolding me?’

‘Someone said I had to behave like an adult.’ He was mocking her.

Aeri didn’t want to get angry anymore, so she took a deep breath ang changed the subject. ‘Where’s granny?’

‘Sleeping.’

Nurse looked at Young Saeng. ‘Put boxes in the kitchen and grab something to eat.’ She showed where it was, then she turned to Yejun. ‘And we need to talk.’

‘Again? I’ve already heard enough…’

‘Please.’

Yejun stood up and went to his room. Aeri followed him, but teenager suddenly stopped and looks at Young Saeng. ‘No eavesdropping this time.’

Young man put his hands up. ‘None!’

They disappeared in Yejun’s room, leaving Young Saeng all alone.

Chapter 12 - past