Episode 222
After the uproar, the survivors who were intoxicated with the atmosphere came to their senses one by one and began to prepare to go home. It was natural that Lee Jae-heon, who was tired of Do-yoon Han’s crazy behavior, willingly sent them home.
Lee Jae-heon went to the counter, finished paying, and returned to the room to pack his luggage when he heard the sound of slow footsteps.
“….”
“Are you okay?”
A rough voice was heard soon after.
“…I thought you went in with Mr. Munsan.”
Among the survivors, Azalea was the only elderly person.
He said he lived close by and brought Munsan-gun with him when he came, so I thought they would travel together when he left.
It was quite an unexpected situation for Lee Jae-heon, who was preparing to leave after the survivors left for their homes. Azalea, who had been particularly silent, asked him to talk.
Seeing Lee Jae-heon’s gaze, the old man nodded, tapping the cane in his hand on the floor.
“I’m thankful. “But I asked you to wait a moment.”
“aha.”
“I want to talk to a thoughtful friend.”
Wrinkled face and strange eyes. His body is so thin that his bones are visible, but his waist is straight and straight. The staff he held in both hands was almost useless.
“So are you okay?”
“What are you talking about?…”
“I think it’s better than when I was in that dark place, but that’s only natural. But even if you go out to a place where people live, what if you open your dead eyes?”
“I’m sorry if you were offended.”
“Look, I can’t even tell you… People are so strangely twisted.”
It is a unique way of speaking that is a mixture of dialect and standard language.
‘I think he probably said it was because of his daughter-in-law.’
It was written that Azalea and her son spoke a dialect, but when they met a daughter-in-law who spoke Standard dialect, they tried to change their speaking style and ended up using a strange and strange way of speaking. That is, if Lee Jae-heon remembers the contents of the novel correctly.
The eyes behind the glasses are cool.
“Wow, you live like that, right?”
“….”
“You have to adjust to the old man’s foolishness. He doesn’t even know about blacksmithing. “When you look someone in the eye like that, you have to give a long answer out of courtesy.”
“…I was wondering what to answer.”
It was a bit of a pain in the ass.
‘Was it really that impressive that you acted as bait in the underworld?’
Basically, the attitude taken by the character Jin Dal-rae is ‘bystander’. It’s not that they are interested or not, they just see everything but don’t act directly. In the same vein, it doesn’t even tell you what you think. It seemed that Azalea liked ‘Lee Jae-heon’ quite a bit, to the point where he came and talked to her separately.
But it wasn’t pleasant. It is true that she was a bystander, but Azalea was a great person with such a bizarre mentality that she could take a walk in the other world, and she was also quick-witted. If he were to blurt out lies using ‘Lee Jae-heon’, you would know right away. In that case, you have to tell the truth with sincerity….
“I’ve always been curious about Lee Jae-heon.”
“Please speak.”
“Do you have any children?”
“….”
I’m crying.
“no.”
“What about your family?”
“there is.”
“Other than the one you held since birth, where is the one you made?”
“doesn’t exist.”
“It’s pitiful.”
This is really why I hate old guys.
“The snow is muddy. “If your feet are stuck… you can’t even get out.”
“….”
“Are you able to breathe?”
“I hope you rest well.”
“Did you build a tomb?”
I blinked my eyes slowly.
‘…what do you know?’
Even if he created a non-existent lover by talking to the protagonist or a detective, Lee Jae-heon in the present does not have a family that he can say he created himself. Therefore, it was inevitable that it would be absurd to say that the tomb was built all at once.
Nevertheless, Jaeheon Lee had no choice but to answer.
“…no.”
Neither in his past life nor in this life was he able to build a tomb for his family.
“why? “Yes, if you care about your life as if you were going to die, we should at least make a tomb for you.”
“There is no body.”
In my previous life, there was no body. I had no time and no memories. To be exact, it was stolen. When he finally got it all back, both they and I were so rotten that Jaeheon Lee did not dare to make a grave for his family. However, the place where they died was called a grave.
“Even if it’s empty, a coffin is still a coffin.”
“Because I’ve never died…”
But that doesn’t mean this life is better. Compared to my past life, where there was even a trace, my family didn’t exist at all in this world. Is there anything more ridiculous than creating graves for people who were never born or died in the first place?
In the end, he couldn’t make a grave.
“Hai go.”
Despite the blatant clucking of his tongue, Lee Jae-heon couldn’t say anything.
80% of the old people Jaeheon Lee met, both in his past life and in his current life, were people who were wasting their time, but among the remaining 20%, there were people who behaved like this. These were people who patted Lee Jae-heon’s back and told him a bundle of stories, saying that he would try his best to live a good life with the experience he had accumulated.
“Should you have killed him?”
It is a favor that is so uncomfortable that it makes me feel sick to my stomach.
“I killed him.”
He gently lifted the corners of his mouth.
I know. Lee Jae-heon never personally killed my family. But it was clear that they would have been happier without him. At least he didn’t die that way. It would have been better if I had been kinder, stupid, and a fool who couldn’t do anything.
“Then why don’t you keep it next to you?”
But why are you asking me to fulfill my own self-interest?
Jaeheon Lee came up with the most plausible excuse.
“You have to have something left to hold next to you.”
“Is there nothing on your mind?”
Since there was no body and no one had died, they told me to make a tomb using the memories I had in my head. Let’s create a complete virtual tomb, like a children’s play house.
That is absurd.
“It’s just that…”
“Put that aside.”
“No need. “You’ve done well so far.”
“Don’t talk nonsense.”
“It is actually a good thing if my people’s vacant positions are noticed and bothered. “The longer we can remember and love each other.”
“If you don’t have even an empty coffin, your life is meaningless.”
By that time, Lee Jae-heon also had no energy to refute. He roughly nodded and answered.
“Thank you for the advice.”
“You think you’re a bad guy, right?”
“Mr. Munsan must be waiting….”
“So, I guess he thinks it’s a good time for him to live well.”
“Please enter carefully.”
“Jaeheon Lee.”
A wrinkled hand firmly grasped Lee Jae-heon’s arm.
“Are you dexterous?”
“…Not really….”
“Do you know how to cook?”
“…I know.”
“Then put another bowl in front of you and eat.”
“….”
“Put down a pair of spoons and bring me another cup of water. Turn on the TV to make noise for me… Look at the plants with roots and give them some water. “If you like dogs, you can take one in and raise it as your own.”
Pat.
A weak old hand quietly strokes the arm.
“The grave and the coffin are nothing special. “There’s no need for a funeral.”
“….”
“It’s about creating a reason for me to live on land.”
The hand that separated from Lee Jae-heon overlaps on the cane again.
“It’s a contribution that doesn’t need to be made by cutting corners to explain why.”
I shook my head, feeling my head pounding.
“I know.”
“I know, I’m going to rip off your flesh. “I’m in tatters, so I’m eating beef bones with the bones.”
“Not to that extent.”
“What a child….”
His eyes are harsh.
Of course, Lee Jae-heon doesn’t feel scared or afraid of most things, but it would be a different story if the other person was an old man who seemed like he would collapse if he was touched. It was impossible to say that it was even a joke, like when dealing with a lively protagonist or a doctor.
“It’s because you’re so kind.”
“I’m just grateful for the positive comments.”
“Because they are so kind, they don’t even know how to eat other people’s flesh, so they only eat their own.”
“Don’t worry, I know you’re very good at eating other people’s flesh.”
Slowly, fatigue set in.
‘Why are you making such a fuss here?’
Honestly, I didn’t understand. When he was in the secret world, Lee Jae-heon did not even remember having a conversation with Azalea. I couldn’t understand why they were making such a fuss about how much they had seen each other. And that too in real life, when we meet for the first time.
Azalea frowned as she looked at Lee Jae-heon’s face. It was like a tiger.
“What are you thinking?”
“Nothing….”
“This is why the boy can’t get enough of me even if I tell him.”
“I’m past the age where I can hear a child yelling, right…?”
“You did well.”
widely.
Azalea struck the floor with her cane as if she was uncomfortable and continued speaking.
“You shouldn’t live like a brat like that.”
“….”
Lee Jae-heon made a shocked expression as he was dumbfounded.
‘I’ve never lived like a tiger, not only in my past life, but also in my current life, right?’
Oh my, my employees should have heard this. Oh my, my colleagues should have heard this. If the people who were dealt with by Lee Jae-heon in this life and who were bullied by Lee Jae-heon in the past life heard this, they would have licked their ears. You must be wondering what I heard wrong now. Lee Jae-heon’s own impressions were not much different.
Seeing Lee Jae-heon like that, Azalea sighed heavily.
“Why should I have loved if I was feeling frustrated like this?”
“…Even if it looks like this, deep love…”
“Close up, shut up.” “Seeing that you’re talking nonsense, I’m not going to go out and chase after you right away.”
“I have no intention of going out and searching all the time.”
“Your mouth is full of energy.”
Clicking her tongue, she returned to her characteristic expressionless face and opened her mouth.
“Live like a human being. Live like a human being.”
“Even now…”
“If something you love is dead, hold on to it desperately or bury it. If you can’t keep it next to you, if you can’t let it go, if you can’t wrap it up and ask about it, that’s what a person can do. “This is what the corpse will do.”
“understand.”
“Are you happy?”
I shrugged my shoulders.
“If that were the case, would you live like this?”
“You speak well.”
Azalea asked.
“Then what do you do for a living?”
Of course, it is to enjoy wealth and fame.
But I couldn’t say that. No matter how close you have to give an answer that is close to the truth, you can’t suddenly say, ‘I live for money and fame.’ It was something that went against the setup of ‘Lee Jae-heon’ that we had established so far.
After thinking for a moment, Jaeheon Lee answered with a straight smile.
“I have work to do.”
“Are there still left?”
“There’s a lot left.”
‘Lee Jae-heon’ needs to deal with Song In-myeong, who is a threat to this generation, and guide the new protagonist as far as possible. Whether it was Lee Jae-heon’s story or the story of ‘Lee Jae-heon’, it was not empty words but the truth that there was still work to be done.
Azalea, who was staring at his face, asked.
“Will you make the porridge when it’s over?”
“…I don’t know why everyone asks me that.”
“If you don’t like it, you should do something about Dongtae’s eyes.”
“My eyes are fine.”
“There is no need to cling to death.”
“sure.”
“When you die, die beautifully.”
Kuuk.
Azalea said, tightening her hands over the staff.
“Don’t live in pain.”
“….”
Lee Jae-heon narrowed his eyes.
“…Grandma, aren’t you sick?”
I remember the story about the old man in front of me. I know the story of her whose entire family she cared about died so tragically. It reminds me of the story of an old man who lives alone in the world without any blood ties or friends.
I ask if your life is painful.
“It’s a plague… It’s so bad.”
“You speak too loudly.”
“Alright, I also tried to show some unnecessary nonsense to Mr. Lee Jae-heon. I know. But you know what?”
“well.”
“The rude behavior that an older person shows to a less old person is a joke full of regret. Vicarious satisfaction Irakaze. “I did this like this, so you shouldn’t live like this. I’m just pretending to tell others and pamper myself.”
“Aha…”
He was talking a lot of useless nonsense, and it seems like he was thinking of himself when he started talking.
“Personal information… what are you talking about? Then you will soon know my story. “I need to read it carefully and memorize it 100 times to myself, ‘I don’t want to live like this.’”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“They all have old eyes…”
An indifferent gaze swept over Lee Jae-heon.
“I live by looking at my surroundings.”
“I’m looking good.”
“Looking through those eyes and thinking, is there nothing Jae-Heon Lee can give you?”
“haha.”
“Not one in this world?”
“….”
“Keep your mouth shut.”
Lee Jae-heon eventually sighed in response to the harsh tone. I was busy these days because I had a lot of work to do, but this old man came and tapped me and I felt dizzy. A glass of alcohol at the meal may also have played a role.
He said in a soothing tone.
“…Do you live alone?”
“I live alone.”
“You have someone by your side.”
“Does it look like it is there?”
“No, I don’t think so.”
Lee Jae-heon wiped away his puffy eyes and pressed the table bell. Not long after, an employee approached me without a sound and quietly lowered his head.
“Did you call me?”
“Yes, I called you.”
Then he looked at the azalea and asked.
“Did you eat anything delicious today?”
“It was all delicious. “Good workmanship.”
“Please package mainly soup and side dishes.”
“The name is delicious.”
“I’ll give you a box of myeongnamul, you’ll be so sick of it.”
“The meat is good too.”
“…I would appreciate it if you could also include Seolyamyeok.”
As I shamelessly took the order and relayed it as it was, the waiter who came to take the order twitched his lips as if he had just seen a heart-warming scene, then quietly bowed his head and left the room. Lee Jae-heon gently massaged his forehead while hearing strangely excited footsteps.
“We will prepare it for you at the counter.”
“Are you a fanatic? “Does it hurt where I stabbed you?”
“I tried to do the same thing that my grandmother did.”
Lee Jae-heon, who took his hand from between his eyebrows, looked at Azalea and said.
“Are you happy?”
“no.”
“Are you worth living?”
“yes.”
“So do i.”
Jaeheon Lee continued speaking in a calm voice.
“There are no problems living like this.”
“Then don’t regret it.”
“All right.”
“Don’t regret it like I did…”
The tired voice of an eccentric old man echoed throughout the room.
“It hurts so much.”
“….”
“I wish I didn’t know I would regret it.”
Is there a sense of homogeneity?
‘…It’s the perfect area to appeal to emotions.’
If this too was piled up, the day would come when it would be used.
There were so many reasons to die in the other world, but Lee Jae-heon couldn’t die. Although he came to his senses now, there was a high possibility that he would do it again in the future, so it would have been better to prepare tools like this in advance.
“Are you thinking about something else again?”
“…That can’t be right.”
Lee Jae-heon, who was so convinced, smiled faintly.
“I will remember.”
Express gratitude when necessary.
