Fifth Vital [EN]: Chapter 321

Fifth Vital Point – Episode 322 (321/502)

322. Close Your Ears and Shut Your Eyes

“Honey?”

“Just stay still. Hey, miss?”

The woman hurriedly took something out of the bag her husband was holding and held it out to Kim Sun-min.

“You see this, right?”

The woman waved a plaster [adhesive bandage] at her with a slightly agitated gesture.

“You know what this is, right?”

“…Yes.”

Kim Sun-min nodded and replied in a small voice.

“I went to the convenience store at this late hour to buy this for my mom, who has aching arms, legs, and back from taking care of your brother.”

“……”

“Yeah, I’m a mom raising kids too, and I thought you must have your reasons. You look like a college student, and I thought, how hard must it be for a young woman to be like that? I heard you’re working hard, working while entrusting your brother to someone, even doing a night job. I thought you were amazing and trying hard to live. So, when you first asked me to take care of your brother, I thought it would be okay as long as it wasn’t too much. But this isn’t it.”

“……”

Kim Sun-min clasped her hands tightly, bowed her head, and couldn’t say a word.

“I can understand it happening once in a while. But how is it that every time I come to see my mom and dad, your brother is at my parents’ house?”

“Honey!”

“You, just stay still. I’ve made up my mind to say something today, so don’t stop me.”

“Geez! Some people…”

The embarrassed husband tried to stop his wife, but the woman, who was already upset, wouldn’t listen.

“I know you’re not entrusting your child for free. But, money isn’t everything in life. When I was raising my kids, I didn’t entrust them to my parents carelessly because I was worried they would get old. You live with your brother, so you know, right? That raising a child is the hardest thing in the world.”

“Yes, I know.”

“You know that and you’re doing this? Huh! It’s hard enough to control a normal kid, but one who can’t understand what you’re saying… He doesn’t eat what you give him, he’s strangely stubborn, and suddenly he gets startled and makes a fuss. My mom cooks for your brother, and my dad and her wash him up, and then suddenly, something went wrong and he made a fuss. I was so dumbfounded. Ha! It’s unbelievable.”

“I’m sorry.”

Kim Sun-min repeated her apology with a guilty expression.

“I’m really sorry.”

“If my mom and dad get sick, will you take responsibility!”

“I’m really… sorry.”

Honestly, Kim Sun-min really didn’t know that the neighbors were having such a hard time taking care of Seung-woo.

In fact, at first, she had tried to find an after-school teacher and a babysitter to take care of Seung-woo. Everyone was enthusiastic and proactive at first.

‘Taking care of children is my job, so don’t worry.’

‘I have experience with similar children, so I can understand better.’

But that was it. No one lasted more than two days.

‘I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can do it.’

‘I’ve experienced many children, but he’s too much to handle.’

Everyone found Seung-woo overwhelming and hard to handle. Then one day, she needed someone to watch Seung-woo for about 30 minutes because of an urgent matter.

She was pacing back and forth, not knowing what to do, when the upstairs neighbors, who usually adored the two siblings, offered to watch him.

Kim Sun-min was worried that the grandparents might have a hard time because Seung-woo was a little different from other children, so she rushed home after finishing her work.

‘Haa! Haa! Grandma? Grandpa? Was it hard? I’m sorry.’

She ran all the way from the bus stop, breathless, but the two’s reaction was completely unexpected.

‘Sorry for what? We weren’t tired at all.’

‘Seung-woo played so well.’

Along with the grandmother’s words that she wasn’t tired, an unexpected scene appeared before her eyes. Seung-woo was quietly putting together a puzzle with his grandfather.

She later found out that the two had approached Seung-woo without breaking his world, which was different from other children, so there were no problems.

From then on, the grandparents started watching Seung-woo from time to time.

Of course, Kim Sun-min had asked them several times if they were having a hard time. But every time, the two had always said with a smile that they had never had a hard time.

So, she didn’t realize that there was such a hard time.

She only knew that there were no difficulties because they always said that Seung-woo was quiet, kind, and smart.

“I will make sure this never happens again.”

“I don’t need any of that. Never, ever leave your brother with my parents again. Got it?”

“…Yes. I will. I’m sorry for causing trouble again.”

Kim Sun-min was genuinely sorry, not just saying it.

As a daughter, she could fully understand what the woman was saying, so she didn’t feel resentful at all.

“If you leave him with them one more time, it won’t end like this.”

“It won’t end like this…? Suseon, what are you saying right now?”

As if she knew, the upstairs grandmother appeared with a dumbfounded expression as soon as the woman finished speaking.

“Mom? Why did you come out?”

“Why did I come out! I kept hearing your voice from outside the window, so I came out just in case. You’re saying something to Seung-woo’s sister when Dad and I are okay with it.”

“No, it’s okay. Everything your daughter is saying is right. I’m so sorry and grateful for all your hard work.”

“Mom, did you hear that? Don’t watch that child Seung-woo anymore.”

“That’s enough. Dad and I are doing it because we like it, so why are you doing this?”

“Didn’t you see a while ago? I made him food to eat, but he said he didn’t want to eat it and made a fuss.”

“What fuss! It’s because the child is unfamiliar with the food he always eats. He’s not usually like that.”

“Whatever the reason, I don’t want Mom and Dad to see that child. And take off that ugly sticker too.”

“Why should I take off this good-looking thing?”

Kim Sun-min was in a difficult situation amidst the conflict of opinions between the two mothers and daughters.

“Sister!”

Seung-woo, who came down with his grandfather, called out to Kim Sun-min and approached her.

“Why did he come down again?”

“Be quiet! Take the child inside!”

The grandmother patted her daughter’s shoulder and continued.

“Kim, take Suseon and go home first. Hurry.”

“Yes, Mother-in-law. Honey? Let’s go in quickly.”

“Okay! Miss, keep the promise you made to me.”

Kim Sun-min nodded as she looked at the woman who emphasized it once more.

“Sister! The promise with Seung-woo. Promise!”

“Seung-woo has been talking about the promise since earlier, asking what promise he made.”

The grandfather stroked Seung-woo’s head as he tried to hold his sister’s hand.

“I promised Seung-woo that I would buy him ice cream.”

“I see. The ice cream will melt. Take Seung-woo in quickly.”

“Grandma, Grandpa. I’m really sorry. I think I’ve only been thinking about myself.”

Kim Sun-min expressed her apologetic feelings to the grandmother who gestured for her to go in quickly and the grandfather who was smiling kindly.

“Don’t say that. Minseon, why are you doing this? You have to have something to be sorry for to be sorry.”

“Grandpa and I raised all three of our children, and now our grandchildren are studying, so we don’t see them often. So, we’re left alone and lonely. We’re old and there’s nothing particularly fun to do. But every time I see Seung-woo and Minseon, I think of when I raised my children and I think of our grandchildren, and I don’t know how good it is. So, don’t say or think you’re sorry. There’s no one in this world who’s good on their own or who lives alone.”

“That’s right. Our daughter sometimes gets angry, but she’s not a cruel person inside. Anyway, don’t worry too much. We’re sorry for making you hear unpleasant things.”

“No, Grandpa and Grandma, don’t say that.”

“You have to eat ice cream and put Seung-woo to bed quickly. Go in quickly.”

Kim Sun-min felt even worse because of the grandparents who kept saying it was okay and were worried about her and Seung-woo. In the end, she came home with Seung-woo with only increased worries.

Thud-

As soon as Kim Sun-min entered the house, she took off her shoes and collapsed on the floor as if her legs had lost strength.

There hasn’t been a day this year that hasn’t been difficult, but in fact, today was the first day that was so difficult.

From the incident at the school counseling center, the dizzying moment at the crosswalk, the job loss at the company, and the incident a little while ago. Her body and mind were really tired and exhausted.

No, it didn’t seem like it could be expressed simply as difficult. Kim Sun-min thought for a moment that she wished she could just disappear.

“Hoo!”

“The promised ice cream.”

As a deep sigh scattered into the air, Seung-woo’s voice comforted the sigh.

“I want to eat ice cream.”

“Huh?”

“Seung-woo wants to eat ice cream.”

“That’s right. I have to give Seung-woo ice cream. What do I have to do to eat ice cream?”

“Wash your hands cleanly with soap in running water.”

“That’s right. Then let’s go wash your hands first and then your sister…”

Before Kim Sun-min could finish speaking, two pretty hands, slightly damp, came up to her face as if wriggling.

“Washed.”

Seung-woo, who answered, pursed his lips and moved his gaze behind Kim Sun-min.

“Already? It can’t be if you just wet it like last time. Did you really wash it?”

When Kim Sun-min gave a gentle warning, she bent and stretched two fingers, making a V with her wriggling hands.

This action was a kind of sign, a behavioral pattern that Seung-woo showed when he was in a good mood or when he answered instead of answering a question.

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Then can my sister smell if it smells good?”

Seung-woo nodded his head and wiggled his V-fingers instead of answering.

“Then I’ll smell it.”

Kim Sun-min, who had asked for permission, brought Seung-woo’s hand to her nose, and the fragrant lilac scent wafted into her nose.

“You really washed your hands. Good job. Will you wait a moment while I prepare the ice cream?”

Seung-woo sat on the small sofa in the living room and took out a cube [Rubik’s Cube] from the kangaroo bag he always carried.

“Okay. Do the cube.”

Kim Sun-min prepared the ice cream after checking on her brother, who was doing the cube while shaking his body slightly back and forth.

She prepared it by mixing chocolate-flavored ice cream and chocolate-coated chocolate balls in a small, unbreakable glass bowl that she always used.

“You already solved it? Amazing.”

Kim Sun-min praised Seung-woo, who had finished the cube, and placed the prepared ice cream on a small table.

Then, Seung-woo aligned the end of the cube with the end of the bowl, greeted her, and began to eat the ice cream.

“Thank you for the food.”

“Okay, eat it deliciously and brush your teeth too.”

Kim Sun-min, who was sitting in a dining chair, silently watched Seung-woo eat ice cream.

“One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.”

As always, Seung-woo confirmed that there were eight chocolate balls, and then he took a spoonful of ice cream and put it in his mouth.

Kim Sun-min’s gaze, who was watching the scene quietly, moved to the photo of the grandmother in the small living room, hugging Seung-woo tightly and smiling kindly.

On days like today, she especially missed her grandmother. Then, she remembered what her grandmother had said a few days before she passed away.

‘Live well with Seung-woo. It will be hard. There will be no one to recognize how hard it is, and there will be more and more days when you feel overwhelmed. Think of it as living in a completely different world from the world you lived in. But never give up and endure. Endure and endure, and if it’s still hard, grit your teeth and endure. Close your ears and sometimes close your eyes and live like that. Live only looking at Seung-woo. Never let go of yourself. Got it?’

Her eyes gradually turned red, and soon tears began to flow. Kim Sun-min turned her back and sat in a different direction so that Seung-woo could not see.

‘Grandma, but you know what. I…’