Chapter 50

“Mom, Mom! Wake up! It’s morning~!”

“Ugh… ugh…”

Ha-yeon’s clear and cheerful voice pierced my ears like a sharp needle. I glanced at the digital clock on the bedside table—it was 7 a.m. There were still two hours before the amusement park would open. I pulled the blanket over my face and sighed.

“Ha-yeon… it’s still too early…”

Even if we took our time getting ready, it wouldn’t take more than two hours. If we hurried, we could reach the amusement park in just an hour. Our house wasn’t far from the park, and there was a direct bus route.

“Hehe! Mom, hurry up and get ready!”

Ha-yeon, tugging and shaking the blanket with both hands, was already wide-eyed and glowing with excitement. She must have woken up without a wink of sleep, her anticipation for the amusement park overflowing. Reluctantly, I rubbed my eyes and slowly got up.

“Alright, Ha-yeon…”

I finally managed to get out of bed. My body still felt heavy, as if half of it was still stuck in dreamland. I was sure I hadn’t stayed up late last night and had gone to bed early, but the drowsiness just wouldn’t leave. They say middle-aged people don’t sleep much, but I still had 30 years to go before reaching that stage. I was just a 20-year-old baby.

Back in the Goryeo or Joseon eras, 20 years old wasn’t considered young. The average lifespan was only 30 to 40 years, after all. Of course, that was partly due to the high infant mortality rate caused by poor medical facilities.

Still, the short average lifespan was undeniable. Back then, people would marry by their mid-teens. But modern society is different.

At 20 years old, I could still be considered a baby. In the past, I would’ve already had kids and started a family. But now, I’m just a college freshman. The legal age of adulthood is 19, after all. People from the past would probably laugh at us.

Getting married in your mid-30s, which was practically near-death back then, is now considered a reasonable age. Modern lifespans stretch to 80 or 90 years, after all.

Anyway, I got out of bed. I stretched, then moved to eat the rice soup I bought yesterday. It was my secret weapon for this morning. Ha-yeon followed closely behind.

“Ha-yeon, let’s eat some rice soup before we go?”

“Okay!”

Even though we were heading to the amusement park, it didn’t matter if we ate heartily. Ha-yeon was too short to ride the thrilling, dangerous rides anyway. If we were going to ride something that spins and makes the sky sing, it’s normal to go on an empty stomach.

I didn’t want to end up making pancakes out of vomit. But today, I planned to eat well. The scariest ride Ha-yeon could handle was probably the merry-go-round.

I didn’t plan on riding any scary rides either, so our amusement park trip was bound to be peaceful and calm. While others twisted their bodies for extreme rides, Ha-yeon and I had no such intentions.

“Eat up, Ha-yeon~”

“Okay!”

Ha-yeon started eating the rice soup I prepared. I ate slowly while mentally scheduling how we’d enjoy the rides today.

But in my mind, I knew planning was pointless. Once we got to the amusement park, plans were bound to change.

After finishing breakfast, we quickly got ready. Dressed lightly for the summer heat, Ha-yeon slung a small bag over her shoulder and bounced with excitement. Just the thought of going to the amusement park made her the happiest kid in the world.

I smoothed her hair and said, “Ha-yeon, don’t get too excited. You might get tired later.”

“No! I’m always happy when I go out with Mom!”

“Really…?”

Ha-yeon shrugged her shoulders happily as we walked. Since it was summer, our outfits were light. There was no need to dress up. Our steps toward the amusement park were light and filled with excitement. It felt like I had returned to my childhood.

—

We arrived at the bus stop and waited.

“10 minutes until it arrives?”

The bus stop had an electronic display board showing real-time bus locations. The world has really improved. When I was young, there were no such machines. You had to call and ask for the bus location based on the stop number.

“Mom, what are you thinking about?”

Ha-yeon asked with an innocent face. I snapped out of my nostalgic thoughts and tightly held her hand.

“Just… back then, there was no way to know when the bus would come. Now, with this display board, it’s so convenient, right?”

“Wow, really? How did people wait back then?”

Ha-yeon looked up at me with wide eyes. Her cuteness made me laugh.

“They just… waited by instinct. Without knowing when the bus would come.”

“Mom, that must’ve been so inconvenient!”

Could Ha-yeon even imagine that time? To her, it was just a fascinating old story.

In just 10 years, the world has changed so much. Just a decade ago, not knowing the bus location was normal. Of course, Ha-yeon wouldn’t believe it. Who knows what new things will appear in another 10 years?

“Let’s go, Ha-yeon!”

“Okay!”

As the bus stopped, we boarded one after the other.

“One adult and one child, please.”

*Beep!*

After tapping the card, we looked around for seats. Luckily, there was a spot for two in the corner. We rushed to sit before anyone else could. The bus ride would take over 30 minutes, so sitting was better than standing.

“Mom, Mom! Look here!”

On her phone screen was a picture of the Ferris wheel, rides, and the brightly lit amusement park. Ha-yeon’s eyes were already sparkling. She seemed to have a lot she wanted to do, already this excited.

I chimed in, “Should we go here too?”

I pointed to the haunted house. Ha-yeon’s face instantly froze, turning pale as a rice cake.

“Uh… Mom, let’s do that later!”

“Really?”

I teased her with a playful tone. Her scared expression was adorable.

I liked things that startled or scared me. That heart-pounding feeling was thrilling. Looking out the window, the cityscape stretched before us. Skyscrapers soared into the sky as our bus raced through the streets.

Maybe I should get a car.

I started to understand why people say you need a car when you have a family. Taking public transport with a child isn’t easy. In my case, Ha-yeon was well-behaved and listened to me, so it wasn’t too hard.

But if I had a whiny, tantrum-throwing child, public transport would be a nightmare.

I thought I should get a driver’s license when I had the chance. It wouldn’t hurt to have one.

As for the car, I didn’t need a brand-new one. A used car would do just fine. A compact car would be enough for just Ha-yeon and me.

Some people might think expensive cars are the way to go, but I didn’t care much for cars. As long as it moved, it was good enough.

I wouldn’t fall for those who say you need a car worth an apartment.

“Mom, Mom!”

Ha-yeon kept showing me her phone screen. Seeing her so excited even before we arrived made me happy too.

This was the first time Ha-yeon and I were going to the amusement park alone. Maybe she felt the same way I did.

And so, the bus raced toward the amusement park.