해장국 Hero's Soup

EPILOGUE

2034 March 5th

My little 7 year old son asked me why I always drank "that red soup" in the mornings. It reminded me so much of myself when I was a child, because I would ask you the exact same thing, time after time.

I just told him that he would understand one day, and that when he did, to tell me, so I could tell him our story. I told him that although it was hard to understand at that age, that he would understand. I also told him to believe me and trust me, since I was in the same place up he was in around 25 years ago...

영웅

Jeongin's life kept going, and he kept up with his journal entries on his many questions about life all throughout his teens until he got too busy for spare time to write.

Before he knew it, graduation was right in front of him and a new chapter in his life was about to start.

Through many night of no sleep and endless study, he was able to get good enough grades to get into a college to get a teaching major, since his dream career was to be a kindergarten teacher.

Time flew by, and he got his first job as a kindergarten teacher at a school in Busan, but he was soon after transferred to a school in Seoul, where he began his life as a fully independent adult far from his parents.

In Seoul, he met a lovely, talented, and kind-hearted young woman, and the two quickly befriended each other. She taught him many things about the Seoulite life and helped him to adjust, since she too had to make the move and adjust, so she understood him.

Their relationship flourished, and they both decided to take it a step further and pursue a romantic relationship.

Two years after they met, they married and began their life together at a small apartment in Seoul.

Soon, a baby came, and it was a boy.

As the years went by and they saved money, they bought a house. Jeongin's wife got a part-time job in order to take care of their growing child.

Some days, when Jeongin would come home late and tired, his wife would cook him a delicious (to him) hangover soup (per his request).

Just as his parents had told him many years ago, that he would one day understand and find the comfort and relaxation of the spicy, red soup, he sighed in contentment at the answer of his question from long ago.

He remembered such days with a fond smile.

That morning, as he finished his soup, he let himself slip, and spaced out down through memory lane as he stared at his empty bowl.

His son came out of his room, hair messy, waddling, and with a yawn, and saw his father eating that soup again.

"Papa, why do you always eat that spicy soup?" He questioned, staring at Jeongin with eyes full of curiosity.

Seeing his son like that reminded Jeongin of his own self when he was his age. Oh boy were the two so similar!

Jeongin smiled at him and ruffled his hair. "You'll understand some day son." He said simply. "Trust me, I know." I went through the exact same thing you are. He thought.

He got up and stretched his body, going to his shared room with his wife and looking for something in a box.

He stumbled across his old old journal and red a few of the entries, most of them about that darn soup. As he read them, a smile would never leave his lips.

He picked up a pen, and wrote a new, and final entry to the journal.

After that, he made a copy of the journal, and sent it to his father in Busan...

2034 March 5th

This morning I ate hangover soup. Last night was a long day of work, and my lovely wife cooked me some hangover soup.

I noticed, that after I drank every last drop of the soup, I sighed, a long sigh. I realised that is was a sigh of satisfaction, like when you finish eating your favourite food. Even though hangover soup is not my favourite food, I still sighed in satisfaction because of the refreshing feeling it gave me.

I never knew such a hot, spicy, red soup could bring so much refreshment. Who would have guessed, huh?

I don't know, maybe some people do, but definitely not me, or at least past, younger me. I would have never guessed, understood, or thought about it until I myself tried it.

But I understand now, father, why after a very long day of work, you would drink hangover soup in the mornings. Because even though you were filled with worries and concerns, the soup would bring you refreshment and comfort.

That's why more than a spicy, red hangover soup, I want my son to see it as a Hero's Soup, because even though I didn't understand why you, such a hard working individual, after a long day, would drink hangover soup in the mornings.

Growing up you were my hero, the person I looked up to the most. I hope to be my son's hero too, I hope he learns all of the good things I learnt from you, and I hope he too understands someday, the meaning and refreshing feeling the Hero's Soup brings...

My little 7 year old son asked me why I always drank "that red soup" in the mornings. It reminded me so much of myself when I was a child, because I would ask you the exact same thing, time after time.

I just told him that he would understand one day, and that when he did, to tell me, so I could tell him our story. I told him that although it was hard to understand at that age, that he would eventually understand. I also told him to believe me and trust me, since I was in the same place up he was in around 25 years ago.

Since I told him to tell me the day he understood so I could tell him our story, I am sending a copy of this notebook to you, so you can see how I too, now understand why you drank that warm hero's soup every morning. The comfort it brings. The one that could melt my cold breaths...

Father, I am my father's son, which is why I know. That is why I am able to understand.

hero

Feb 8th, 2020 00:00
So... this is a really short story I had written back in 2018.
A lot of people had a misconception about Stray Kids' song 해장국 or "Hero's Soup" and said it was promoting alcoholism just bc the song is titled hangover soup, but that was not their purpose of it at all, and after watching an interview I wrote this based off of what they said.
Originally the boy was going to be Hyunjin, but I think in the interview Jeongin talked about one time his father got home late and when he hugged him his father's coat was cold from the outside air (previous chapter) and related it to the song, so I made the story about him instead.
Some time back I was going through my old drafts and things I had written and found this, and as I re-read it, I found myself really enjoying it thinking of how wholesome baby Jeongin was here, so I decided to go ahead and publish it this year~