Chapter 15: An Unexpected Call
After arriving in Yeongyang County, Seo Juhwan first stopped at a clothing store before finding lodging. He reported to the unit that he had found accommodations at a motel in Uljin town. Since they weren't coming for direct inspection, they wouldn't know he had gone beyond the designated area.
With his head covered in a hat and dressed in civilian clothes, he looked quite like an ordinary civilian now.
"Phew. How much have I spent?"
The taxi alone had cost almost 100,000 won. With clothes and accommodation factored in, I'd already spent over 200,000 won. At least I was fortunate to have borrowed an outer coat. If I had bought one, it would have cost at least another 50,000 won.
"...But what do I do now?"
I had nothing in particular to do. I'd already eaten lunch while shopping for clothes, and I was worried about going out in case I ran into her too early or encountered another officer.
Of course, the probability was low, but I wanted to be careful just in case.
As I lay around blankly on the bed rolling about—
-Zzziing.
An unexpected call came in. The caller was Seo Juhui. His younger sister.
Seo Juhwan realized with a start and quickly picked up the phone. He had completely forgotten about promising to call right after training ended.
When he answered, he heard a voice that was familiar yet strange.
- What? Why are you answering? Oppa?
Her voice was much younger and more lively than he remembered. Suddenly, the reality of ten years passing struck him hard.
Seo Juhwan answered with a playful tone.
"You called me, so I picked up. Then who else would answer?"
- That's not what I mean! How did you even answer?
"Huh?"
- You jerk!
"Don't say that to your oppa who's four years older."
- Ugh! You're so annoying!
When he teased her, an angry voice came back immediately. His younger sister was the responsive type who would react however you poked her.
Seo Juhwan stopped teasing and gave her a proper answer.
"Keke. I came on commendation leave. But why did you call this phone? Don't you have the landline?"
- I tried the landline first. No one picked up, so I tried this just in case. But you went on leave and didn't even call home? You said you'd call after training ended. Do you know how much mom worried?
Was this the gradient anger he'd only heard about? Her tone was already sharp, but by the end she was practically shouting. Still, he wasn't really angry. Even though she spoke as if fighting, the content ultimately meant she was worried about him and had called.
"Was she very worried?"
- What? Me? That's funny. Mom told me to call, so I did.
"Yeah. Thanks."
- ...You jerk. You're definitely not Seo Juhwan.
"I am, so stop calling me that. I can hear everything mom is saying in the background. Let me talk to mom."
- Hmph. Mom, oppa wants to—ow! Ow! Stop hitting me!
The sound of his sister's back being hit came through the phone clearly. Seo Juhwan found himself laughing at the scene.
- Juhwan?
"Yes, Mom. I'm sorry for not calling right away. Were you very worried? I was just about to call..."
- Don't worry about it. If you're busy, these things happen. Juhui was just being loud for nothing.
At his mother's words, Seo Juhwan laughed bitterly. He knew well that wasn't really what she meant.
This was before his misfortunes truly began in earnest, but the seeds of that bad fortune had already sprouted when he was young. His parents, who had raised him for over twenty years, would naturally know of his misfortune. Because of this, his mother would worry whenever he entered training, waiting anxiously for news that he had finished safely.
Knowing his mother's heart, Seo Juhwan spoke in an even more upbeat voice.
"Mom, I did really well in training this time and got commendation! That's why I'm on leave!"
- Oh my. Really? You didn't injure yourself anywhere, did you?
"Ha ha. Whose son do you think I am? This time I don't have any injuries at all. Don't worry."
- Thank goodness.
"How have you been lately, Mom? Is business going well?"
In truth, due to rolling down the mountain before his regression, bruises still remained on his body. But there was no need to tell the truth directly.
Starting with a well-intentioned lie, Seo Juhwan continued a pleasant conversation with his family after a long time. Of course, when his father quietly approached, he also had a father-son conversation.
After quite a long conversation like that, just as he was about to hang up, a completely unexpected voice came through.
- Oppa! Oppa Juhwan!
Naturally, his younger sister wouldn't speak to him so affectionately like that. This voice belonged to the girl he had thought of more as a younger sister than his own, and who had become his trauma.
- Huh? Why can't I hear you? Oppa? Did you hang up? Sniff...
It was the voice of his childhood friend who had committed suicide before his regression.
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