[49th Chapter]
The train to Gangneung. On one side of the facing seats were Eunji and Ho Young, while on the other side were Blue and I. The two children were delighted as they watched the changing scenery outside the moving train.
Even though it was raining, the children found their current situation enjoyable, and Blue and I observed them silently.
Blue held a smartphone in his hand. Despite the phone being off, he couldn’t let go of it, as if something was bothering him.
“Did you talk things out well at home?”
Though I had decided to come, I couldn’t help but be curious about how we managed to go on this trip despite not getting permission from home.
“Yes, everything’s fine.”
Blue answered with a smile, but I couldn’t help but feel uneasy, thinking that something must have happened.
Since we couldn’t stay like this for the entire trip, I turned my gaze out the window to change my mood.
The train quickly arrived at Gangneung Station. At the terminal, I checked Kirk’s reserved cabin while looking at my smartphone. The four of us took a taxi, and I informed the driver of our destination.
“Even with the rainy season, there are many tourists.”
Listening to the driver, I nodded. It seemed there were more travelers than expected.
“Do you have many guests?”
“Yes. Some came with friends, some with family. Looks like this is a family trip?”
It was hard to explain our relationship. While the kids were friends, it looked like a family of four when Blue and I were described as guardians.
“Yes! That’s right.”
Before I could casually respond, Eunji’s voice cut in, turning the four of us into a family instantly. She smiled at me, and it seemed it wouldn’t be bad to describe us as a family.
“Your daughter is so spirited.”
“Yes, she is.”
I thought it wouldn’t be bad, but when the driver spoke, I wondered how to respond appropriately.
Blue seemed unable to adapt to the current situation, quietly sitting without a word as I saw through the rearview mirror.
Despite this, Eunji and Ho Young were delighted just by looking at a building outside.
“Don’t make too much noise.”
When the children became rowdy, Blue stepped in to control them, and they nodded.
Blue smiled and gently stroked the children, and I felt relieved as the atmosphere became more relaxed.
Arriving at the cabin, we were shown to our room. The two children stood by the large window, watching the rain and enjoying the sea view. Even though the sky was overcast and the waves were rough, they seemed happy just watching.
“Do you enjoy just watching?”
As I approached Eunji beside her, she nodded.
“Yeah. At home, I can’t play like this with Uncle and Ho Young.”
I went to help Blue, who was sorting out ingredients bought from the kitchen.
“Do you need any help?”
“It’s fine now, but it would be nice if you played with the kids first.”
Nodding, I took out board games from my bag. I knew there were quite a few types, but I prepared simple ones so the kids could enjoy them right away.
There were only card and dice games, but when Eunji and Ho Young saw the board games, they didn’t need to ask and sat next to me.
“Uncle, are we playing a game?”
“Yeah, we’re going to play.”
While playing a light game of catching thieves, I heard Blue preparing lunch.
We had left early in the morning and hadn’t eaten properly, so everyone was hungry.
Stopping the game as the aroma rose, we set up the table and started eating. After finishing the meal, I approached her.
“Do you need anything?”
She seemed unfamiliar with someone offering help. When I asked, she paused as if her thoughts had stopped.
“Please heat up the instant rice in the microwave.”
Nodding, I put the instant rice in the microwave. I saw Blue slowly preparing lunch.
Usually, on trips, people eat instant meals or buy food, but Blue’s cooking was quite professional. From boiling stews in pots to making various side dishes, it was evident she had experience.
“Can you help with this…?”
Holding out a spoon with the stew, she took a small taste, carefully cooling it before putting it in her mouth. It wasn’t too spicy and had a pleasant flavor.
“Is it good?”
Blue’s face brightened.
A day of travel feels long. No matter what you do, it feels like an eternity.
But a day of travel is short. By the time you realize it, a lot of time has passed.
As the moment of returning approaches, the joy of travel turns into longing. The more memories you accumulate, the more thoughts you have.
By evening, the rain had stopped. Although the sun had set, the city was bright due to streetlights, giving the impression of daytime.
After hearing from the cabin owner that there was a walking trail nearby, we all went out carrying umbrellas, worried it might rain again.
Although I didn’t expect to go out because of the rain, unexpected outings made both children and adults happy.
The walking trail was very beautiful. The trees lining the beach path had lights attached, so it wasn’t dark.
Even though many people were already outside playing, the four of us walking on the trail faced no discomfort.
“How pretty the path is.”
Blue marveled at the serene forest path.
“Indeed.”
Was it because we were on a trip? Honestly, Seoul had more scenic walking trails. But the plain beauty was more emotional than flashy scenes.
Eunji and Ho Young ahead were whispering.
“Don’t go too far ahead. You might get lost.”
“What’s the big deal with a phone?”
Eunji grinned and walked further ahead with Ho Young, and Blue and I followed quietly.
“What a fast day.”
Nodding at Blue’s comment mixed with regret, I thought maybe it was because it had been a while since I traveled. Without doing much, the day had already ended.
“Yes. I didn’t know a day could be this short.”
After this trip, Blue would likely return to her usual routine of taking care of the children. I would also return to investigating HunterKillers and hyper-humans.
“Taking care of kids isn’t easy. You’re amazing.”
This was sincere. Even if she’s a hyper-human, she still feels tired and stressed.
Hyper-humans are still human, so they experience hardships and stress.
“It’s fine. It’s become familiar.”
Has she become accustomed to it, or has she become numb?
Becoming numb might be a form of familiarity. But they are different.
And I realized the main source of her stress wasn’t related to childcare.
Clearly, Blue’s sister-in-law was the biggest cause of her stress.
This was just my assumption, but there could be other factors. Considering the circumstances and what I heard, it wasn’t difficult to guess the root cause was her sister-in-law.
“Are you going to stay like this after returning? Even hyper-humans get tired.”
Feeling Blue’s gaze shift to me, I kept my eyes on Eunji and Ho Young ahead and spoke firmly.
“Don’t worry. People don’t discriminate against hyper-humans.”
“How did you…?”
She would wonder how she knew she was a hyper-human. While knowing as a Spacystro helped, it wasn’t hard to find information about hyper-humans even without being a Spacystro.
“I’ve seen it on TV news. Long ago.”
Now, journalists rarely cover hyper-humans, making it tough to see their faces in news articles. But a few years back, articles about hyper-humans often appeared in the news.
“This is just my opinion, but I’m curious if you’re really okay.”
She was silent. Whether she was okay or not, she herself wasn’t sure.
“I can’t help much, but may I ask one thing?”
“Yes.”
Blue stopped and replied softly.
She also stopped walking. Only her head remained lowered.
“What does Ha Young want to do?”
If I had known about hyper-humans from the start, I would have asked everyone this question in difficult situations.
To Yubin, Yura, and Green.
What do you want to do?
But it’s a harsh question. How many people in the world can answer how they want to live? People generally don’t know themselves well.
Especially for hyper-humans, carrying social burdens makes it harder to understand their own direction.
I knew this was a tough question that could add stress. But I wanted to ask and make her think.
“…A little.”
Blue, who had been silent, finally spoke.
“May I talk a bit about myself?”
“Of course.”
We continued walking and talked at length.
Blue explained that after her brother’s wife had a child, she moved into her brother’s house.
As siblings who had lost their parents young, Blue relied solely on her brother.
But her sister-in-law imposed conditions: no rent in exchange for Blue’s salary going toward child-rearing.
Blue’s salary went into her sister-in-law’s account, and she used it to take care of the children.
Later, she had to take care of three children, including Ho Young. She told me about the events during this period.
I realized she didn’t know what was wrong.
Her sister-in-law burdened her with household responsibilities under the guise of responsibility, leaving Blue without personal time for nearly ten years.
I clearly stated that she was experiencing ‘gaslighting.’
Silent until then, Blue closed her eyes in thought, then opened them and stared at me.
“You asked me how I want to live two days ago too, didn’t you?”
When I called Blue about the trip two days ago, I asked her what she wanted to do.
“I never thought about it. What do I want to do?”
As I pondered what to say, I noticed her looking at the sky. I felt she didn’t need words at that moment.
“So I thought. How do I want to live?”
Her eyes shone with conviction. The look of a kind person determined to make a change was different from her usual demeanor, and I felt overwhelmed momentarily.
“I want to leave home. I need to find a new place, and it will be tough, but I think it’s better for me.”
Leaving a home to seek a new environment is certainly challenging. But for her, it might be the best path. There could be better options, but they aren’t hers.
The path she chose is the best for her and the most optimal solution.
The children had drifted quite far, and as we walked along, I spotted them sitting on a bench.
“Were you waiting?”
“Yeah. How was your walk?”
Eunji’s expression was enigmatic. Did she mean the walkway? I hadn’t fully seen it due to talking with Blue.
“It was great.”
Unable to say it was bad, I replied positively. Eunji and Ho Young exchanged glances and smiled at each other.
“How was Auntie?”
“Yeah, Auntie enjoyed it too.”
Ho Young also asked Blue, and though she wasn’t sure what was good, she said it was enjoyable. This suggested she had observed the walkway while talking with me.
Returning to the cabin to sleep, we split into rooms. Blue and Eunji went to one room, while Ho Young and I went to another.
Ho Young was quiet, unsure what to say, but he broke the silence first.
“Uncle.”
“Yeah?”
Like Eunji, Ho Young didn’t call me his real uncle, but it felt natural given the context. I didn’t find it uncomfortable.
“Thank you for bringing us on this trip.”
“No, thank you should go to Eunji. She suggested the trip.”
“No, thank you for bringing Auntie too.”
I felt proud hearing the 6-year-old. Unlike her aunt, who was a burden, Ho Young genuinely cared about his aunt and wished for her happiness.
“Alright.”
Unconsciously, a smile formed on my lips, and the two shy men went straight to bed.
In the girls’ room, preparations were complete, but Eunji seemed distracted, staring intently at Blue.
“Why?”
Seeing Eunji staring intensely, Blue spoke.
“Sister, what do you think of Uncle?”
“Huh?”
Caught off guard by the direct question, Blue hesitated on how to respond. Recalling his expressions and words, she reflected on their conversation.
But Eunji wasn’t asking about that aspect. Subconsciously, she was asking how he felt about her uncle.
“Our uncle is so kind.”
“Yeah, he seems like a good person.”
Through conversation, Blue sensed that Eunji’s uncle, though not a real uncle, was close and good.
“If Sister dates Uncle, it would be great.”
The thought of getting closer to a good person didn’t feel bad. However, imagining it was different from actually meeting.
“Would Eunji like that?”
“Yes.”
Eunji, still young, had said it without much meaning.
Knowing it, I couldn’t help but notice it instantly.
“Alright, but I hope Eunji and Ho Young spend a long time together.”
“Don’t worry. Ho Young and I will get married.”
Children easily imagine such things. They think about dating and marriage.
Of course, their thoughts might change as they grow. But seeing their innocent love, I couldn’t help but smile.
That night, we arrived in Seoul.
Though there was lingering regret about the trip, we all thought it would be great to travel again when the weather improved.
“Be careful when you go in.”
I wondered if Blue would be okay going home like this. But I couldn’t do more. All I could do was ask questions and make her think about herself once.
From now on, it’s up to Blue.
“Yes, see you next time.”
With that promise, we bid farewell and returned to our respective homes.
I wanted to drop Eunji off first, but Blue would probably go home with Ho Young.
Entering the house, a loud voice came from inside.
“Yoo Ha Young!”
Angry at Blue’s actions, her sister-in-law confronted her, while Blue calmly met her gaze.
“Have you lost your mind? I told you not to go, and you even went on a trip, turning off your phone for two days? You’re really out of your mind!”
“Where is your brother?”
Ignoring her sister-in-law, Blue brought Ho Young inside and searched for her brother. Her sister-in-law, furious at Blue’s disregard, grew even angrier.
“You crazy woman!”
Just as she raised her hand to strike, Blue caught her arm with one hand.
How does she want to live? She hasn’t reached a conclusion yet.
But, at least, Blue knew for sure that what she was doing now wasn’t what she wanted.
No, she already knew. She just needed a minor incident to realize it again.
Now, Blue was slowly finding her path through minor incidents, and her determination was evident in her eyes.
“Hey, did you hear me? Where’s your brother?”
In her sister-in-law’s eyes, Blue’s look was different.
Yoo Ha Young had an entirely different look.
