SATURDAY 101

Upon returning home after a long time, the first things that greeted me were a shabbiness and desolation I had never felt before.

Dull shadows cast in the corners, ivory floors that somehow looked stained, and an inexplicable dampness…

The house I knew wasn’t like this. It had always been bright in every nook and cranny, overflowing with opulence.

Thanks to my mother’s exceptionally neat personality, the house was always maintained without a single speck of dust. It was a peaceful environment where it was difficult to hear anything resembling noise; the air was always clean, and the staff were all kind-hearted. On top of that, there were my parents, who boasted a picture-perfect harmony, and Inha.

Although I couldn’t enter that warm fence, just because I sat a bit far from the fireplace didn’t mean I couldn’t catch its warmth.

The air touching my cheeks, even if indirectly, was always tranquil and soft. …Sometimes to the point that I even felt jealous.

Because it was something I had yearned for so desperately, the current atmosphere of this house was shocking. As I stood there, lost for words, Mr. Taeseon quietly approached from behind and wrapped his arms around my shoulders, as if he knew exactly how I felt.

“Director, Director Lee, weren’t you tired from the trip? Shall I bring out some tea?”

What was even more surprising was the fact that the house wasn’t completely empty; the former employees were still working here.

From the time my father passed away and my mother began living at the hospital—no, from the moment the two of them were rushed to the hospital after the accident—there was no one left to return to this house. My uncle also got a separate studio, saying the house had become strangely uncomfortable, and he only stopped by the annex occasionally to pick up paintings.

While no one paid attention to the house after that, the employees who commuted regularly were left in a state of limbo. In the meantime, since salaries were paid through automatic transfers without issue, they had continued to come to work and maintain the house, unable to do one thing or another.

My mother was ill, and my uncle originally didn’t get involved in such matters. In reality, I was the only family member left, so I should have managed the staff.

However, I had been so out of my mind for a while that I hadn’t even thought of the house’s existence, let alone the fact that there were people working at the main residence.

Perhaps it was for the best. If I had been clear-headed and sent the staff away, leaving only a minimum, and the house had grown dusty and messy, I would have received an even greater shock.

The employees go home when night falls. During the day, as long as there is no one to give orders, they likely just look after the house according to their routine and kill the rest of the time out of boredom.

Furthermore, with no one watching, they have to do the same tasks every day, so it was only natural that they would put in less effort even if they didn’t mean to.

Due to that neglected management and… above all, the fact that people were coming and going but not living here, the house had become a very bleak, haunted-looking place that was only decent on the outside within a few months.

It was a strange thing. I have almost no memories of this house, yet I felt as if my memories had been ruined. As I was staring blankly up at the chandelier where dust had faintly gathered….

“Huh…?”

When I snapped out of it, I found myself sitting on the sofa before I knew it. I was in the seat of honor, and Mr. Taeseon was beside me.

For some reason, a cup of steaming black tea was placed in front of me, and Mr. Taeseon was sitting composedly with a teacup to his lips.

Is it Inha again? I flinched for a moment, but Mr. Taeseon lightly caught a few strands of my hair, stroked them down, and spoke.

“It’s okay. You were staring so blankly that I sat you down. Secretary Yoon brought the tea.”

As he spoke, he flicked away the dust on his hand, which he had clearly removed from my hair. Tap, tap.

“Ah…. I, I didn’t look strange, did I?”

When I asked, a lingering shred of worry remaining, Mr. Taeseon tilted his head, smiled, and nodded slightly. I inadvertently ended up staring at his face as if possessed.

“Why are you looking at me with those eyes? It makes a person’s heart flutter.”

“Ye-yes? What… kind of eyes?”

“Is it okay for me to say it here?”

“…No!”

Belatedly coming to my senses, I stopped Mr. Taeseon. He was definitely about to say something strange or embarrassing. Even though they were a bit far off, the staff were still moving around inside the house.

As if to hide my embarrassment, I poured sugar and milk into the black tea. As the milk spread cloudily, the clear color of the tea changed to a light beige.

Because my fluster hadn’t subsided yet, I took a sip of the tea with slightly trembling hands and almost spat it out. In my dazed state, I had ended up putting in way too much sugar.

While I had my eyes squeezed shut just to manage swallowing it, I heard a low sound of laughter. Then, a large hand reached out, took my teacup, and placed a different one in my hand.

When I belatedly opened and blinked my eyes, the teacup was filled with black tea of a clear vermilion color, as if time had been turned back. Turning my head, I saw Mr. Taeseon drinking my black tea, which was closer to sugar water. Flustered, I tried to stop him.

“Ah, wait a moment, don’t drink that. It’ll be very sweet….”

Mr. Taeseon, who had swallowed a sip, coughed small for a moment, but soon looked at me with a gentle smile as if nothing had happened.

“Something like this is good once in a while.”

“…What do you mean, ‘good’….”

For someone who doesn’t even like sweets. I became troubled and wondered how I could snatch that teacup away without spilling it, but then it suddenly dawned on me. Mr. Taeseon was trying to lighten my mood, which had turned gloomy because of the house’s atmosphere.

He spoke while wetting his mouth little by little with the overly sweet milk tea.

“Let’s just finish the tea, find the item quickly, and go back. I’ll tell the staff to pay more attention to the house’s maintenance.”

“…Yes.”

I answered with a much more eased heart. Mr. Taeseon simply laughed at me as I tried to stop him several times; after finishing the tea, we stood up together.

Glancing at the staff clearing the teacups from behind, I recalled last night. In the night, a phone call had come from my mother. It was truly a contact I hadn’t even imagined, so much so that my heart dropped, thinking something bad might have happened.

However, my mother spoke calmly.

― Inyoung, if you go to my room… inside the wardrobe, there will be a red box.

‘A box…?’

― Yes. Inside that box, there is Inha’s first swaddling clothes. Yours is in a different place, I’ll let you know later.

At first, I was bewildered to hear the term ‘swaddling clothes,’ but my mother explained slowly. She said a Shaman had visited and demanded my swaddling clothes. My mother said she couldn’t give them up, and then the enraged Shaman had tried to harm her.

So, thinking the swaddling clothes must certainly have some meaning, she was letting me know where Inha’s swaddling clothes were. She said that since the Shaman had clearly found my swaddling clothes, they must play an important role… and that Inha’s swaddling clothes would be of help to me in some way.

I was very surprised. First, I was surprised that my mother still had my swaddling clothes, and I also hadn’t expected the fact that she had refused the demand to hand them over, knowing the Shaman would use them for a ritual.

Even more so, her intentionally telling me where Inha’s swaddling clothes were, saying they would be of help to me….

Actually, until I received that call at night, I thought my mother would agree to the Shaman removing me and reviving Inha. But she didn’t.

Really… I felt dazed.

I headed toward my mother’s room with Mr. Taeseon. When I opened the door that likely hadn’t been opened for a long time and stepped inside, a nice scent lingered, but as expected, the atmosphere was chilly.

When I went into the dressing room and searched here and there, a red velvet box really appeared. A small lock was attached, and the key was right next to it. When I inserted the key, the box opened with a small metallic sound. Clink.

Inside the box were swaddling clothes that had been meticulously cared for. I got a strong feeling that they were Inha’s. To the point that I reflexively looked around.

As if he knew I was momentarily frightened, Mr. Taeseon whispered “It’s okay” while placing his hands on both my shoulders. Truly, I don’t know how lucky I am that Mr. Taeseon came with me.

Not knowing how I should carry the swaddling clothes, I just brought them out along with the box. The staff glanced at me for a moment with strange gazes, but no one stopped me.

∞ ∞ ∞

On the way home, I was hugging the box containing the swaddling clothes tightly. I was in a state of slight tension. It was because I felt like Inha would appear from somewhere if I had this. Mr. Taeseon glanced at me and said.

“Shall we pick someone up on the way?”

“Ye-yes? Pick who up?”

I naturally asked with the meaning of getting into the car, and to that, Mr. Taeseon burst into laughter as if it were absurd.

“No, I meant let’s incinerate it and go. I know an incinerator.”

“….”

I don’t know why he has an “incinerator he knows,” but for now, I shook my head. I felt like I shouldn’t burn it recklessly.

Perhaps I am afraid. Because I don’t know what kind of after-effects would strike if I burned this.

Having arrived home, sleep poured over me, perhaps because I was mentally exhausted. I lay on the bed, hardly remembering how I even washed up. I gave a vague answer as Mr. Taeseon turned off the light, saying, “I’ll wake you up at dinner time.”

Before falling asleep, while my body was sliding into heaviness, I suddenly thought. That if I fell asleep like this, Inha would appear in my dreams….

And that thought actually came true.

Inha’s entire body was still ruined and twisted. Whether it was a dream or reality, when I dimly opened my eyes, he was huddling under the lampshade of an unlit stand; then, when I opened my eyes, he slowly crawled over.

Inha, having neared the foot of the bed, placed his hands one by one on the bed and poked his face out. A horribly ruined face turned toward me. Then, just like a snake, he slithered up and climbed on top of me. Even though he was a dead soul, I felt a strange amount of weight, and my breath was choked off. Thud.

Inha looked at me while tilting his head back and forth, then opened his mouth.

「You are truly an ungrateful, self-centered, and brazen fellow.」