"What's wrong with wanting to become like you? You help everyone, you talk to me so kindly, and these past few days you've been the one who thought of me the most. You even took care of that horrible man for me. And now I've started going to school again… Papa trusts you too. I just want to become like you."
A faint smile touched Gyu's innocent face. His heart felt warm. He could never explain to this child that the very love he bestowed upon him was the fragment of love he received and also the same that had pulled him away from his own people. He had become Ijeung's brother… but he still hadn't become Garam's. One day, though. One day for sure.
Climbing the mountain path, they finally found the house.
"We're almost there. Should I call your papa so he can come outside and get you?" Gyu asked, taking out his phone.
Ijeung suddenly turned and looked at him with clear annoyance.
"I praised you so much… I said so many nice things about you… and you still don't even feel like coming to my house? Papa always asked before, but this time I'm asking. Please brother." He said it with a huffed out breath but then switched to a sulky tone.
"So all those compliments were just sugar-coating so you could drag me here?" Gyu chuckled. "Fine. Let's go then."
They walked up to the door. Gyu looked around for a doorbell, but there wasn't one. He stepped forward to reach for the knocker.
Ijeung stopped him. "Not like that."
He knocked in a very specific way.
Gyu stared at him in surprise. What special meaning could that strange knocking sound possibly have? Was it because it was evening and there was always the fear of thieves and burglars, so they had invented a kind of "bell noise" on purpose? He didn't get to think further. The door opened.
Hyeon greeted them warmly and led them inside. With great affection he lifted Ijeung into his arms, spun him around once, then thanked Gyu and told him to sit on the sofa.
"What would you like? Coffee or tea?"
"Ah, I won't take anything. I only came to drop him off."
"Now that you're already here, I won't let you leave without eating. Go wash your face and hands. We'll eat in a little while."
Hyeon said this and started heading outside.
"Where are you going?" Gyu asked. Being left alone in the house felt a little uncomfortable.
"Just chopping some firewood. We need it for the bonfire."
"Can I come with you?" he asked.
"Do you know how to start a fire?" Hyeon querred.
"No… but I can chop and tie the wood and bring it back." Gyu smiled. That smile looked familiar to Hyeon it steadied his mind bringing the memories of his past. He shook his head.
"You've been sick these past few days, haven't you? My son waited for you every day by the gate. Then he'd get disappointed and finally agree to come home with me. Otherwise both of us would just stand there. It was good that the other kid told us you weren't coming yet… otherwise who knows how many days he would have kept waiting for you. He likes you a lot. He talks about you all the time. Even Nala wants to meet you."
The name "Nala" confused Gyu a little.
"Oh, my wife. I didn't tell you? She's my wife." Hyeon said it a bit stiffly, but Gyu didn't notice.
After bringing the wood and lighting the fire, they finally came back inside free.
Gyu's phone made a soft *ting*.
*Did you find her? You said you'd look for her this weekend" a message popped.
Just then more than twenty missed calls from Kaven appeared. "Why was he calling so much…? A frown make it way on Gyu's forehead.
Right then Nala came out of the kitchen. She was wearing a mask. Gyu looked at her in surprise.
Ijeung sat down beside Gyu.
Hyeon kept glancing back and forth between Gyu and Ijeung. Today Laila had been on his mind a lot. Gyu reminded him of her and that the same startled, restless expression He had worn the first time he saw Laila all those years ago, when he had been so helpless watching her leave... washed back on his face. Right now he wasn't helpless like that. The only truth was that Gyu simply looked like her. He was still urging Ijeung to eat his vegetables. Any stranger would think the two of them were real brothers. But Hyeon knew even without blood, Ijeung had already decided Gyu was his brother.
Gyu didn't asked why the woman was wearing a mask. But when she sat a little distance away and didn't join them for the meal, her eyes on him started to make him slightly uneasy. He spoke up:
"Why don't you join us too?"
Nala hesitated for a moment. Hyeon gave her a small nod. She sat down beside him, removing the mask.
To Gyu she looked like a woman in her thirties. There were early wrinkles on her face that made her seem a little older, but he didn't pay much attention. He ate, thanked them, and left.
He was still on the road when he heard rapid footsteps behind him. He instantly went on alert—it felt like danger. The next second he was pulled into a tight grip. Someone hugged him hard, then immediately let go and started checking his arms and legs.
"Are you okay? Did anyone do something to you?" Kaven looked worried. He turned Gyu around, checking him from front to back.
"I'm fine… what the hell is wrong with you? Stop doing weird things and let me go…" He struggled in his hold.
Kaven took a deep breath. Then bursted in the next second.
"Where did you go?... Huh!...And why didn't you lock your room? And why aren't you picking up your phone?" He sounded angry.
"The room was unlocked?" Gyu asked in pure astonishment.
"But I…" Gyu immediately checked his pockets. The key was gone. He had no idea when it had fallen.
"Did something happen?" Gyu asked, full of curiosity.
"Yes. Your room was open. Nothing was stolen, but we're afraid someone is following you."
"Why would anyone follow me? I don't have anything worth taking." Gyu cuts him.
"You don't understand. Someone comes and watches your house every day. Today he even went inside, but left because you weren't there. Thank God you weren't home, otherwise—"
"Otherwise what? And how are you so sure something could have happened to me? I'm new here. No one even knows me."
"Exactly. And on the very first day a man was already after you—he was about to stab you on the ground. You know that guy got out of police custody the same day? He wasn't even there for six hours. Someone came with a lot of money and got him out." kaven rapped.
Gyu was shocked. Someone was watching his house, an attempt to kill him on the first day, and... now someone is entering the house in broad daylight.. and it is true he has felt someone's boring eyes on him every time he's out of his house when going out or returning from school.
Kaven's grip on his shoulder tightened a little more.
"Why is someone doing this?" Gyu lowly muttered in disbelief.
"Gyu, you should tell your mom. And you need to move somewhere else. Stay with me from now on."
Gyu looked at him carefully.
"I'm a black belt. Nothing will happen to me. I know you're worried about me." Kaven said it proudly, lifting his chin a little.
Gyu almost laughed. He wasn't really worried about himself—he was just surprised that Kaven wasn't as arrogant as he had always seemed.
"I'm not going anywhere. And I can't sleep anywhere else except my own room."
"You have a problem with sleeping now?" Kaven said through gritted teeth.
"No… I just want to know why they're after me." Gyu reasoned in his mind.
But for now he has to somehow convince Kaven to not take him with him.
"Come on, it's not like that… maybe it was just some thief who came to steal and left when he found nothing worth taking."
Kaven looked at him angrily. For the first time today Gyu seemed foolish to him—not completely stupid, but too careless, basically inviting his own death. He ran a hand through his hair in pure anger.
"You're coming with me?" he asked in a demanding tone.
"No. I'm not coming." Gyu answered firmly, stubbornly.
Kaven nose flared."Four days ago you were dying, and both me and Garam had to take care of you. Where was this stubbornness then? Do you even know what you did?"
Gyu stared at him in shock. But Kaven wasn't going to stay quiet now.
"I don't know what dream you were having, or whatever it was—you were choking yourself. Even when we held your hands tightly you wouldn't calm down. You kept saying in your daze that you wouldn't go there. Only when Garam gave you a hard slap and said he wasn't taking you anywhere did you come back to your senses. You scared us. And that guy… he keeps throwing hatred at you, but even in that condition he still came to take care of you. You have no problem accepting *his* help, but you won't listen to a single word from me. What kind of friend am I to you?"
Gyu kept staring at him, completely stunned.
"Aren't you going to say something?" Kaven spat angrily.
"K-Kaven… I'm sorry for the trouble." That was all Gyu managed to say.
"If you really are, then come with me. Whether you consider me a good friend or not, to me you are a good friend. Let me keep this friendship."
He held Gyu's hand and started walking out of the room. Right then Garam slammed the door open with a loud noise and stepped inside. Seeing Gyu and Kaven together, he asked, "Where are you going?"
"with me" kaven spat, the anger still lingering in his tone spill on Garam.
Garam took a step closer to them, making them take a step back... eyes heavily locked on Gyu's.
"I'm going with Kaven." Gyu replied averting his face to look anywhere but Garam's not giving in to the seize of his eyes.
Immediately Kaven took Gyu's bag, and took the strides towards the door but Garam snatched it back spilling the stuff out on the floor.