His Reason to Live - Hwang Inyeop Short Story

Chapter 5: Her Story

"So," I face her as I walk backward. "Where are we going next?" I feel like I can do anything right now with my full stomach. She just shrugged and continued walking. I just shrugged as well and just let her lead the way. I came to trust this woman so much that it started to scare me.

I walked normally again and followed her pace. My eyes landed on the ground and noticed her untied shoelaces. I grabbed her hand which made her halt. "What are you doing?" She asked when I knelt in front of her.

"Proposing?" I look up at her. She mushed her eyebrows and took a step back. I chuckled and pulled her close again. "I'll just tie your shoelace, dummy." As I was about to finish, I felt a hand on my head. I looked up and saw her smiling down at me with her eyes all watery.

"Thank you," she whispered and finished tying her shoelaces. "I can do it." We both stood up at the same time. She turned around, her back facing me. Did I do or say anything wrong?

"Are you alright?" I asked with hesitation.

"Yeah. Let's go," she responded without looking at me. I picked up her pace and walked alongside her. We walked in silence and it felt suffocating. I find it odd, I always do not want someone to talk to me. Now that she isn't talking, I wanted to hear her voice.

"So," I cleared my throat. "Who was that lady back there?"

"You'll know once we arrive at our next stop," she smiled but that smile is not the same as what she always gives me. This smile is empty.

It was around nine in the morning when we arrived at our next destination. I looked at her and saw her smile widely upon staring at the gate of which looks like private property. She looked at me over her shoulders and motioned her head sideways telling me to follow her inside.

"What are you planning to do again? It was the cemetery last time and now it is private property?" I'm starting to doubt this woman's mental health.

"This place is nothing like the cemetery, I promise," she assured. She opened the gate and it gave us a squeaking sound. We walked along the grassy pathway in silence while she skipped hopping like she's very excited about something. There's a huge house surrounded by beautiful flowers and trees at the end of the grassy path. As we came near the house, she immediately ran towards an old man who was sweeping the front yard and gave him a back hug. The old man was startled but immediately smiled upon seeing her.

"What brought you here?" the old man asked.

"I came to visit," she gave him her warmest smile. The old man looked at me and squinted his eyes. I assume he wants to recognize who I am but failed due to his blurry vision.

"He's with me," she answered the old man's unspoken confusion. The old man stared at me with his mouth agape then looked at her and smiled widely.

"You found him," I heard him whisper. Just as I was about to ask what he meant, giggles of children were heard approaching us. I looked to where the giggles were coming from and saw three little kids, all of which are boys, and a nun walking towards us.

"You're back!" one of the kids shouted and jumped to the girl standing next to me. She immediately caught the kid and carried him in her arms.

"Oh my, you're heavier than the last time I visited," she said and pinched the kid's nose.

I felt arms wrapped around my right leg and when I looked down, one of the kids was clinging onto me. I smiled at the kid awkwardly and felt other arms wrapped on my left leg. I am not good with kids, when I try to communicate with them they immediately wail though I haven't done anything. I looked at the girl who's causing me this trouble and discretely looked down as a signal that I needed help. She just shrugged her shoulders and tried to hide her giggles as I widened my eyes at her.