Chương 80: S.05 Time to Fly 02(01)

Scene 01. FLASHBACK A newborn swaddled in a 포자기(Pojagi_swaddling cloth) cried with full lungs. I-yeon held the bundle close, soothing and rocking the ceaselessly wailing infant with a face that knew not what to do, but the Bishop showed no flicker of feeling and only stared ahead with a hardened expression. In I-yeon's hand was a large 양산(Yang-san_parasol), raised to shield against the strongly pouring sunlight. The Bishop, wearing the look of one disturbed by noise, glared at the infant held in I-yeon's arms.

I-yeon: Um, Bishop. Bishop: Discard it. I-yeon: Pardon? Bishop: Did I not tell you to leave it behind? I-yeon: Even so, Bishop. The thing is. The Bishop strode out first into the blazing sun. Her steps through the early-summer light were cold beyond measure. A quiet rural market lay not far ahead. Few people walked the road, yet none paid mind to the old-fashioned 한복(Han-bok_Traditional Korean dress) the Bishop and I-yeon wore — they merely hurried on their own way.

Rather, it was the infant's wailing that briefly snagged their gazes. I-yeon, cradling the infant, chased after the Bishop's quick stride. Just as the Bishop snatched the parasol from the approaching I-yeon and made to walk the remaining steps, I-yeon caught the Bishop's hand again, as if to plead. The Bishop stopped her step for the first time, and met the eyes of I-yeon, who was looking at her. I-yeon: Master. The honorific shifts. The address is private now.

At the firm voice of I-yeon, who had spoken the private title, Hyang-rim let her cold expression sink, and looked once more at the infant in I-yeon's arms. I-yeon: This may be another chance. Because of the wrong we committed, I would not have us miss the chance we have been given again. The newborn, still not fully cleansed of its birth-blood, wriggled its tiny fingers within the swaddling cloth. Hyang-rim, parasol in hand and silent, gathered her cast-off steps and stood with I-yeon beneath the parasol's shade.

The steps that had been turned away from the market began to move quietly back. Scene 02. FLASHBACK While the infant's lusty cries rang clamorously through the room, I-sim rose from where she had been sitting in loose 츄리닝(Chu-ri-ning_tracksuit) wear and headed for the kitchen sink. The infant's wailing filled the modern apartment living room, end to end.

As Hyang-rim looked down at the infant with a face that said the noise was too much and dug at her ear, a doctor who had drawn close to the infant's side held a syringe in his hand. Checking the list of vaccinations the infant was to receive, he carefully injected the syringe's contents into the chubby arm of the infant. The infant, eyes still not properly open, did nothing but burst forth with a roaring cry. Doctor: Um, elder sister Hyang-rim. Hyang-rim: What!

Doctor: The infant — when did it last eat, do you happen to — Hyang-rim: How the hell would I know!! I-yeon: The thing is, we were on our way to buy groceries when we found the infant abandoned in a nearby park restroom. We could not just leave it there. Hyang-rim: I-sim ah!! Hey! Jeon I-sim!! I-sim, having warmed thin rice porridge for the moment, cooled the watery 죽(Juk_rice porridge) and brought a wide bowl and a small teaspoon. I-sim: Ah! What!! I am busy too!! Hyang-rim: You raise it!!

You already have two of your own!! I-sim: Is that something to say to me right now!? You know that well!! That I am raising two!! Hyang-rim: Those two do not cry anymore!! The bedroom door stood ajar. Through the cracked opening, two small children were peering out, watching the infant as if it were a wonder. I-sim, after handing the porridge to I-yeon, pushed open Ji-young's bedroom door and stepped inside. So-hui, still wary of I-sim, hid behind Ji-young and faced I-sim with difficulty.

I-sim: Ji-young, have you finished your homework? Ji-young: Yes!! Can I see the baby now?? Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work! I-sim: What about So-hui? So-hui slowly shook her head. I-sim: Mom is going to look after a friend's baby with a friend for a little while, so help So-hui with her homework, would you? Ji-young, looking disappointed, took the hand of So-hui who had hidden behind her, and spread out So-hui's homework.

I-sim closed the bedroom door, then passed the porridge she had warmed to Hyang-rim, who had done nothing. I-sim: What are you doing? Not feeding her. The baby is crying because she is hungry, by the look of it. Hyang-rim: Argh!! Hey!! Why do you not just —!!! I-sim: Jeong-seon, I-sim called the infant by name. Hyang-rim's voice, which had been throwing every tantrum it could throw, stopped. I-sim: Jeong-seon, too, will get along just fine with our daughters. So do not fret. Get attached to her quickly first.

I-sim, as if she had already known, forced the porridge bowl into Hyang-rim's hand and pressed her on. I-sim: Ah! Quickly!!! Hyang-rim felt the cooled porridge hot in her hand. After a moment of staring blankly at the bowl, Hyang-rim asked I-sim again. Hyang-rim: The name — what was it? I-sim: Jeong-seon. Yoon Jeong-seon. Scene 03. FLASHBACK Jeong-seon was being struck on the foot with a 회초리(Hoe-cho-ri_thin switching rod), once for each problem she had gotten wrong.

I-yeon, with a stern expression, swung the switch over Jeong-seon's stockinged foot, and with each strike Jeong-seon's childish flailing of the feet continued without rest. I-yeon: Yoon Jeong-seon! Did the teacher!! not tell you!! not to lie!!! Jeong-seon: Ah!! Teacher!! That is not it!! I!! I-yeon: Again! Again!! Talking back!! Jeong-seon's voice, which lived in a small room right beside the Bishop's quarters, slipped out beyond the paper-paneled door.

Hyang-rim, the lines on her face now grown deeper, stood with her hands clasped behind her, in front of Jeong-seon's room. At the elementary-school voice of Jeong-seon bursting into tears, Hyang-rim, hands still clasped behind her, quietly curled her fingers into a fist. Bearing a slight grumble, she turned and headed back to her own quarters. Scene 04_01. FLASHBACK Early winter.

Unlike the other faithful or the Stewards, Jeong-seon, wrapped in a thick traditional 두루마기(Durumagi_traditional outer coat) of Han-bok, wore black ornaments. Still in her not-wide room, Jeong-seon gathered her long hair, and with a hand grown used to the motion, fastened her ornaments while looking into the 경대(Gyeong-dae_dressing mirror). From outside came the sound of a light, deliberate clearing of the throat. Jeong-seon hurriedly rose and threw open the firmly shut door. There, a familiar elder stood waiting.

Hyang-rim: Are you still not ready? Everyone has finished their preparations. The enthronement can proceed the moment you arrive. Jeong-seon: I am sorry. This thing — it would not fasten right. With a sheepish smile, Jeong-seon held out the small ornament in her hand. When Hyang-rim gave a displeased gesture, Jeong-seon scurried out of the room and plopped herself down on the narrow wooden veranda, her back turned. Hyang-rim, with practiced hands, finished fastening the hair ornament.

When she gave a small throat-clearing to signal it was done, Jeong-seon sprang up again and ran into her room to check the dressing mirror once more. Hyang-rim: Honestly! Did I not tell you to come out quickly? Jeong-seon: Ah! Just a moment. It is my enthronement!! I have to look pretty!! Hyang-rim: You!! Raising your voice — at whom!! Jeong-seon, having finished all her preparations in her room, quickly stepped outside.

Slipping on the black 당혜(Danghye_formal traditional shoes) set on the 댓돌(Dat-dol_stepping stone), she bowed low and brazenly, as if it were nothing. Hyang-rim: Whom did you take after, to be so brazen? Jeong-seon: All of it, by the Bishop's grace. Faced with Jeong-seon's cute and shameless cheek, Hyang-rim wrinkled her face as if she had bitten into something salt-cured, and set out walking. Jeong-seon, not letting her smile fade, followed Hyang-rim's stride. Scene 04_02.

FLASHBACK Every one of the faithful was watching. Jeong-seon, taking careful steps onto the dais set in the main hall, gazed for a moment at the scroll held in the Bishop's hand. Dressed in ceremonial robes, Jeong-seon bowed in accordance with the Bishop's nod. Beside the Bishop stood Chil-jong-jang(Seventh Steward) I-yeon, with a proud expression, holding one more decree in her hands. Jeong-seon, having completed her bow, lifted her waist carefully.

The Bishop passed the scroll in her hand to Jeong-seon, who knelt on bended knee. Bishop: Faithful Yoon Jeong-seon, hear me. Jeong-seon: Yes, Bishop. Bishop: In honor of your gift to see into the path of the netherworld, and though you have not turned back death in defiance of the order of things, I confer upon you the seat of First Steward. Jeong-seon, still seated, received the scroll and again lowered her waist to offer a reverent bow.

Bishop: Forget not our root, lead the days to be spent with the root, keep death at distance and remain in a life that understands death, so that all may be awakened to death's sorrowful truth — to this, set your strength. Jeong-seon: First Steward Yoon Jeong-seon. Receiving the Bishop's teaching, until my life is spent, shall I spread the teaching far and wide. Unlike other enthronements, the Bishop quietly cast her gaze upon the cushion where one more scroll lay.

With a light nod, the Bishop drew out the other decree I-yeon had been bearing. Lifting the decree bound with a black sash, she handed it carefully to Jeong-seon. Bishop: This — open it on the day, far in the future, when you strike a wall. Jeong-seon received the decree bound in black with a puzzled expression. Bishop: Of course, I would wish that such a day never comes. Only — if it does come, if you must face it, then open it.

Whether that day comes forty years from now, or four hundred, or forty days — even I do not know. Whether it comes at all, I do not know. I would wish it does not. But — if the day comes when you strike a wall, open it. Scene 05. In front of Jeong-seon's small room. In the stillness of the main hall, where now scarcely a sign of presence remained, Hyang-rim, walking through the deep early-spring night, stopped her steps before Jeong-seon's small room.

Bearing many meanings within her, Hyang-rim wore a deep smile, and her stride did not easily lift again. She had known it was not safe, but knew also she would regret it, and so let it remain. She had simply chosen to believe. Certain they were children worth believing in, she had not hesitated in her choosing. After gazing for a moment at the garden where the chill wind came and went, Hyang-rim moved to set her halted steps in motion once more.

From inside, Jeong-seon's voice came through, heavy and thick in the throat. Jeong-seon: Mom. At Jeong-seon's call, Hyang-rim stopped her step. Jeong-seon: When I met Si-yeon sis, when I received the Envoy, I was scared — scared that I might strike a wall because I would do something wrong. So I opened it ahead of time. At Jeong-seon's voice, Hyang-rim let a smile rest silently on her face. Jeong-seon: The sisters do not know, but — that is why the liquor went down on its own.

After seeing what was inside, how was I supposed to do it sober. It was Jeong-seon's calm and quiet confession. Hyang-rim, listening politely from outside, held a small smile. Hyang-rim: It is an excuse, is it not. Jeong-seon: It is true... Jeong-seon's voice, which had set out to push back the scolding, paused for a moment. Jeong-seon: Anyway, do not worry. There will be nothing to regret. I, I took many pictures of Mom. I recorded Mom's voice plenty. I tried, so that I would not be left with regrets. Still — Mom.

From behind the firmly shut door, along with the rustling of fabric, Jeong-seon's heavy voice slipped out low. Jeong-seon: Can I just — go sleep in Mom's room? Hyang-rim: Yes. Come. My daughter. Come, sleep with Mom. The firmly shut door of Jeong-seon's room opened. Dressed in 소복(Sobok_white mourning garments), Jeong-seon looked as though she had only been tossing and turning in bed, not like one who had been sleeping at all.

Jeong-seon clasped the wrinkled hand Hyang-rim held out, and with her 운혜(Unhye_everyday traditional shoes), set on the stepping stone, hastily and carelessly slipped on, she walked the deep night path together with Hyang-rim.