#112

After dropping Nam Ji-hoon off in front of the village hall, Tae-heun headed to Mr. Lee’s house in the back alley. The scent of incense permeated the alley entrance.

The Eagle Five Brothers were sprawled out in the main room of the bereaved family’s house, fast asleep. And it wasn’t just them. Half the men in the village were snoring, reeking of alcohol. It was supposed to be a house of mourning, but it was no different from their own living rooms. Some of the elders were engrossed in a game of Go-Stop from morning, and Mr. Lee’s children, wife, and Mother were eating breakfast.

The only ones bustling about were the women from the neighborhood association. They must have stayed up all night, but they were all busy setting the tables for the guests and clearing away the finished ones. Even in those uncomfortable hanboks, they diligently served the villagers.

It seemed that only a few people, including Man, had gone to work. Only the farmers who cultivated fruits, which were in the middle of harvest season, were absent, and the rest were just idling away their time.

Ms. Hyun-sook didn’t see Tae-heun enter the main room. A few others noticed Tae-heun’s visit, but since he wasn’t wearing a suit, but work clothes, they didn’t seem to pay much attention. Maybe they didn’t even recognize Tae-heun.

Anyway, Tae-heun was holding the handle of a pickaxe that he had taken from Man’s house in the morning, but since it didn’t have a head, no one seemed to find it threatening. That is, until Tae-heun started beating the eldest of the Eagle Five Brothers out of the blue.

Thwack, thwack, it sounded like he was hitting a pillow or blanket. No, it was a bit more solid than that. It was closer to the sound of kneading dough. Only after being hit three or four times did the eldest Hyung come to his senses and scream. Tae-heun then proceeded to beat the others who were sound asleep, one by one. He swung properly. There wasn’t a single mistake. Blood splattered everywhere.

The house of mourning instantly turned into a scene of chaos. Someone crawled out of the room, and someone else stumbled and fell over their own feet while running out in a hurry. They were all tangled up and hugging each other, it was like a slapstick comedy.

In the midst of all this, Tae-heun was searching for only the Eagle Five Brothers with his hawk-like eyes. He struck their left cheeks and temples, like the man had been hit, and busted their lips. He punched their eyes this time, as hitting them with a stick could cause blindness. Thwack, the eldest Hyung fell backward with the sound. The others collapsed in turn. Since he was taking revenge anyway, he hit their right eyes too. He had learned that everything should be repaid double, so he did just that.

Having been hit out of nowhere and still not fully sober, they vomited on the bare floor. They disgustingly spewed out everything they had eaten the day before. Tae-heun frowned and left the house of mourning. He wiped the blood off the pickaxe handle on his T-shirt. It was Man’s pickaxe, so he thought he should wash it with water later.

Ms. Hyun-sook, who was doing the dishes at the yard faucet, stared at Tae-heun with a pale face. Tae-heun winked at her and left Mr. Lee’s house. People parted the way like the Red Sea. Tae-heun felt like if he held out his hand, everyone would rush to grab it, just like they did with Kwon Il-taek. He whistled, idly wondering if he should try it.

Shit. He belatedly realized that his hand holding the handle was bleeding. He had forgotten to wear gloves because it had been a while since he had warmed up his body. At least he should have wrapped the handle with Duct tape. Tsk. The skin between his thumb and index finger was torn long and blood kept seeping out. It felt like he had been cut by sharp paper. It didn’t hurt, but the sensation was irritating. Tae-heun was excited. He brought his hand to his mouth and sucked on it. The taste of blood was quite something.

He missed Man. The more he tasted the blood, the more he craved Man. So, Tae-heun changed his destination from the town to the watermelon field. He should have asked where, which field, the man was working in. He regretted not finding out before leaving the house of mourning.

But what could he do? Even though the village was large, there was nothing he couldn’t find if he tried. Tae-heun drove aimlessly, peering into every field where he saw a human figure. Fortunately, a neighbor who hadn’t heard about Tae-heun’s atrocities at the house of mourning, though with cold eyes, told him about a watermelon field where the man might be working.

The vast field, scorched by the blazing sun, was filled with watermelon vines. The vines, which should have been green, had turned yellow or withered. The watermelon crop had failed. Watermelon prices would skyrocket this year. Worrying to himself, he walked towards the direction where the workers were. Despite the poor harvest, everyone’s faces were brightly flushed.

Watermelons that seemed to have been cut for the workers were quite red and luscious in various parts of the field. Tae-heun picked one up and munched on it. It was very sweet and fresh. Surprised, he raised his eyebrows. He wiped the fruit juice from his mouth with the back of his hand and looked for Man.

No matter how far away he was, even if he was completely covered up, Tae-heun could recognize the man at a glance. the man was wearing a hat and a checkered long-sleeved shirt, with a towel around his neck, and was busy harvesting the fruits. The other men were dressed similarly, making it difficult to guess their ages. They were all sitting scattered here and there with small chairs right under their butts, picking the fruits. Not one of them raised their heads.

Tae-heun went to Man’s side and nudged his ribs with his elbow. Man, who was working with his waist bent halfway instead of squatting, was startled and straightened up. He turned to Tae-heun and widened his eyes.

“What brings you here?”

Sweat poured down Man’s face like rain. the man casually wiped his face with the towel. He frowned as if he had touched a sore spot.

“I came because I missed Ki-beom.”

man chuckled at Tae-heun’s words. He quickly looked around and pointed to the watermelon with his eyes.

“Would you like to try one? It’s very sweet.”

“I just ate one. There are a lot of watermelons cut up here and there.”

“Ah. Is that so?”

“But is that okay? They’re all rotten, shouldn’t you sell the good ones?”

Tae-heun asked cautiously, and the man looked blank for a moment before smiling brightly. He still seemed to be frowning.

“It’s not like that.”

He said, explaining the reason.

It was understandable that Tae-heun didn’t know. The watermelon was properly ripe only when the leaves and stems connected to the watermelon stalk were dry. the man said that if they were harvested before that, the sugar content would be low or they would be unripe and inedible. So, the yellow vines and withered leaves that Tae-heun saw were signs that it was the right time to harvest. He had been worried about a poor harvest without knowing that.

“I’ll help too. You just have to pick them, right?”

“Didn’t you say you were going to town?”

“It’s okay, I can go later.”

When Tae-heun tried to start working right away, the man said, “Just a moment,” and went to an old man who seemed to be the owner of the field. He glanced at Tae-heun and said a few words, and when the owner nodded greatly, he returned with gloves and pruning shears.

“But what about a hat?”

“What hat? I can get more tan.”

Saying this, he put his arm against Man’s arm. Looking down at their two arms with a clear color difference, the man said, “But the sun will be very strong.”

“It’s okay even if it’s strong. I’m going to shower anyway, it’ll cool down quickly if I wash with cold water.”

He spoke while looking into Man’s eyes, but the man quickly averted his gaze.

“Here. Use these when you pick watermelons.”

Without even looking at him, he handed over the work gloves and shears as if he was passing them off and returned to the place where he had been working.

Whether it was because no one had heard about what had happened at the house of mourning, it was quiet until Tae-heun finished eating his snack and finishing work. Of course, they didn’t like Tae-heun’s presence itself, but no one picked a fight with him.

Thanks to the five strong men, including Tae-heun, who roamed the vast watermelon field, the work was finished before 12 o’clock. All five of them were soaked as if they had come out of a stream, and everyone was reeking of sweat. Tae-heun hadn’t worn a hat, so his face was burning.

It was very stinging. He joked to the man that his skin would peel off, that he was about to shed a layer of skin, but the man didn’t laugh. Instead, he asked with a worried face, “Aren’t you burned?”

“Who’s worrying about whom? I think Ki-beom’s face is in more trouble.”

Tae-heun gave it right back and said that they should go to the hospital together since it had come to this. the man shook his head.

“I’m okay.”

“Then I’m okay too.”

The two stubbornly insisted.

“Everyone, you’ve worked hard. Ki-beom’s encoffining ceremony is at 1 o’clock, so don’t be late.”

The owner of the watermelon field divided the wages and urged them to come to the encoffining ceremony.

man and Tae-heun, including the others, received not only wages but also round watermelons with dark stripes. Man’s expression was very bright as he loaded two watermelons into the truck. He must have been exhausted from the heat, but he seemed to be in a good mood at the thought of eating watermelon.

“You look happier than when you saw me.”

He grumbled that Man, who had been lukewarm even after seeing him who had come without an appointment, looked a hundred times happier when he saw the watermelon.

man said, “It’s not like that,” but he couldn’t help the corners of his mouth from rising.

“Ji-hye will like it.”

man said shyly, mentioning the child’s name. How could he be so happy? He was a fool for his the child. Tae-heun chuckled as he looked at Man’s face, which had become even more colorful in half a day.

“Shall we make hwachae too?”

man smiled brightly and nodded at Tae-heun’s suggestion.

“I should buy Milkis or Ambasa on the way home.”

He said softly, as if talking to himself.

“Instead of cider?”

“Yes. That’s more delicious than cider.”

“Is that so? Then let’s do that. Everything is good if I do what Ki-beom wants.”

Saying this, Tae-heun opened the driver’s seat door for Man. the man was embarrassed when he bowed politely like a servant to a princess. His face might have turned red, but it was impossible to tell because his face was so colorful.

“Doesn’t it hurt?”

“No.”

“Liar.”

“It’s true. It doesn’t hurt at all.”

man smiled brightly. As expected, his left eye, which was swollen and wouldn’t open, made him look like he was frowning.

“Ki-beom.”

Tae-heun called the man in a low voice. the man stared at Tae-heun with his black eyes.

“Don’t get hit. I don’t want to see Ki-beom’s face get hurt.”

man kept smiling, not knowing what was so good.

“It’s not that I don’t want to see it, it hurts my heart. I want Ki-beom to be okay. I’ll do all the fighting, so don’t get hit or hurt when I’m not around. Got it?”

“Yes.”

He answered briefly. There was no promise that he wouldn’t do that again or that this would never happen again.

“You answer well.”

Tae-heun sighed unhappily.

“Promise me. That such a thing won’t happen again.”

Like digging a well for a thirsty person, he held out his pinky to get a promise. the man hooked his finger on Tae-heun’s pinky. Tae-heun also stamped his thumb, just like the child used to do.

Man’s gaze turned to Tae-heun’s ring and pinky fingers. He carefully examined the fingers dyed with balsam water and then his eyes sparkled. A mischievous smile appeared on his lips.

“Your hands are ugly.”

man uncharacteristically insulted Tae-heun. His expression of insulting him was so innocent that it was absurd.

“You said they were pretty at dawn, did your mind change in the meantime?”

He retorted sulkily.

“Ah. They’re pretty. Really.”

It hadn’t even been 10 seconds since he had insulted him, and now it was a compliment. Tae-heun chuckled, a deflating laugh.

“Just pick one.”

“Yes?”

“Whether you’re cursing or complimenting, just pick one.”

“They’re pretty, then.”

man frowned.

Tae-heun stretched out both hands and turned the backs of his hands towards Man’s face. He fluttered his hands in that state, acting cute.

“I’m only going to eat vegetables from now on.”

“Why?”

“That way my nails won’t grow as much, until the first snow.”

White snow and Man, and balsam flower water.

His heart ached as he imagined that day.

Suddenly, the man grabbed Tae-heun’s hand. Then he kissed the back of his hand. He looked up at Tae-heun and smiled brightly, frowning.