Kang Chi: Beyond Life and Time

Chapter 7: Beyond Life: Visiting the Roots

"Abeoji!" Han Wool exclaimed as he ran towards his father who was standing in the middle of the field near their house, tilling the soil where he would sow leaf mustard. Yeo Wool following, a few feet behind. Their father dropped everything and began to tread carefully along the mustard patch, meeting them halfway. Han Wool jumped into his open arms, and they almost stumbled to the ground. She, on the other hand was still a few steps behind, so if they did stumble, she would be no help.

"Hwa...." Their father began. "I've missed you both, so much!" He continued, excitement ringing in his deep voice.

"Nado bogo sipesseoyo, Abeoji...." Han Wool answered, still hugging his father tightly.

"Aigoo..." She exclaimed instead. "My head is killing me."

"Then, let's all go inside. I've prepared lunch, since you've told me that you'll be arriving by this time."

They all sat on the floor, around the small round table filled with side dishes of various seasoned vegetables, aged kimchi, gyeran mari, grilled mackerel, and rice.

"Jal meokketsseumnida!" Han Wool blurted out but stopped for a moment to wait for his father to take the first bite.

"I'm so glad you found time to visit." Her father said after taking some rice from his bowl. "It's been quite a while. I'm surprised how tall Han Wool had grown!"

"He should grow a lot." She answered in a serious tone. "Or those fried chicken dinners would be for nothing."

"Nuna! Abeojihante malhaji maseyo!"

"So, you're only eating fried chicken, eh? Geuromyeon, here you'll be eating your vegetables."

"Geuraeyo!" Han Wool answered, as his father touched his head in approval.

"Eo, cham, Abeoji..." She continued, this time addressing her father. "Have you thought about what I've told you before?"

Her father put down his chopsticks and slightly turned to her before answering.

"What do you think my answer would be?"

She released a deep sigh and pursed her lips. This had been the third time she asked her father to go and live with them in Seoul. They are the only remaining three in the family, she thought it would be better if they would stick together. She has a job so she is confident that she can support them. Her father, on the other hand, is not entirely incapable. He could accept odd-jobs or work part-time if he wanted to. She knew it would not be easy, but she would really love for all of them to be together. That would be enough motivation to overcome any hardships that would come their way.

"Abeoji...."

"Yeo Wool-ah...." He continued. "I know my place, and this is it. This is where I was born, and this is where I will lay down."

End of conversation. Her father always knew how to put a stop to an argument that she would not win, and he would not want to give in or compromise on.

After lunch, she took care of clearing the table and washing the dishes while her father and brother went outside and spent time together on the mustard patch. When she finished her task, she sat down on the floor by the entrance and watched them playfully tilling the soil.

A few minutes later, she decided to roam around by herself. She went out and walked on the stoned path that led to their flower garden—or what it used to be. Now, despite the missing flowers, it serves as a good resting place, because of a couple of large trees with a hammock tied between them. She instinctively began pulling weeds from the ground to clean up the area when a Violet caught her attention. The lone flower was so small she almost pulled it off with the grass by mistake.