Fifth Vital [EN]: Chapter 351

352. A Sense of Alertness

“Do you know when I saw that friend after he was discharged?”

“Judging by what you’re saying, did you see him at the hospital again after another accident?”

“No, to be precise, I didn’t see him.”

“You didn’t see him? What does that mean?”

“It’s true that there was an accident, but I saw that friend again at his funeral a little while later.”

A month after being discharged, the young man started riding his motorcycle again and died in an accident.

It was a truly absurd, frustrating, and unbelievable accident.

The young man, exhausted from his long hospital stay, met his friends after a long time.

Living near the coast, the young man, as usual, took his motorcycle out and enjoyed a short race with his friends on the long breakwater, as they always did.

It was a simple game of timing, taking turns riding the motorcycle to the end of the breakwater and back.

Then it was the young man’s turn, and he started off familiarly, having done it many times. But he never returned.

A sudden rogue wave swallowed the young man whole as he rode his motorcycle along the breakwater.

‘Hey? Look over there. It looks like a wave is coming. Wait for the wave to pass.’

‘It’s okay. I’m not walking; I’m riding a motorcycle. I’ll speed up and be back in no time. It’s not like I haven’t done this before.’

Just before the young man started, his friend pointed out the approaching wave, but he trusted the familiar speed of his motorcycle.

After the wave passed, only the overturned motorcycle remained on the breakwater; there was no trace of the young man.

Due to the absurd accident, the family, acquaintances, and even the marine police were mobilized and searched for over a month, but his body was nowhere to be found.

They did everything they could, even mobilizing divers, but they couldn’t find the young man.

After a long time, the official search was terminated.

Afterward, the young man’s parents had to bury their child in their hearts and hold a funeral without finding his body.

The direct cause of the accident that day was the rogue wave, also known as the devil of the sea. But if that young man hadn’t been riding a motorcycle, he might not have had that accident.

Upon receiving a call from the parents, Tae-kyung visited the funeral home during his lunch break from work to pay his last respects.

‘I told him not to ride his motorcycle on the breakwater, that something would happen, but he didn’t listen… In the end, he’s gone like this. Poor guy.’

The parents shed tears and expressed their sorrow to Tae-kyung as if lamenting.

‘If I had known this would happen, I would have broken his legs and kept him at home. Alas! What is my fate? I can’t even see my baby… Take me with you!’

Looking at the young man’s smiling portrait, Tae-kyung felt an indescribable sadness and resentment toward his friend.

After that, whenever a motorcycle accident patient came in, Tae-kyung always gave sincere advice to never ride a motorcycle again.

Usually, older motorcycle accident patients don’t ride motorcycles after the accident.

Being older, they feel the horror of the accident and are instilled with the fearful thought that they might die.

But young patients were a little different.

Because they are young, they often think that they will be okay with time, with their unyielding spirit, and ride motorcycles again.

Tae-kyung wanted to instill a sense of alertness in Gong Sae-chan, thinking he might be like that.

“Sae-chan, a person’s life is not multiple. My life and your life are one. That’s why life is more precious. Of course, riding a motorcycle is your freedom. No matter what I say, if you ride again, I can’t help it. But if you have another accident, it might not end this way.”

“……I know.”

Gong Sae-chan, who had been listening to Tae-kyung’s story, opened his mouth with a heavier expression than before.

“To be honest, at the moment of the accident, I thought I was going to die too. I’ve had several accidents so far, and I thought I was lucky.”

“You said you’ve had several accidents. But you ended up riding again and had to have surgery this time. Are you still going to ride again even after this? Don’t you think about your parents?”

“I do.”

“You may not have known, but your mother was holding back tears worrying about you earlier. Your father was also very worried about you.”

“That can’t be true. You saw my father getting angry.”

“Sae-chan, do you really think your father was angry because he hated you when he was shouting and getting angry in the emergency room?”

“My father has hated me since I started riding motorcycles.”

“No, your father doesn’t hate you. Even in parent-child relationships, there may be people who don’t get along and hate each other. But your father isn’t like that. If he really hated you, he wouldn’t have rushed to the emergency room with a pale face when he heard about his son’s accident.”

“Do you think so?”

“Of course. He’s angry because he has affection and concern for you. Do you know what action a person takes when they give up on someone? It’s indifference. If you give up, you don’t have any interest. Your father must have been living with the constant fear of losing you.”

“A feeling of unease……”

“Because you are his child, his precious child, he’s so upset that he’s angry. When a parent loses a child first, an invisible hole is created in their heart for the rest of their life. That hole can’t be filled with anything. You are unknowingly creating holes in your parents’ hearts little by little.”

“……”

Gong Sae-chan didn’t know what to say in the serious atmosphere.

He had only enjoyed the thrilling moments of riding his motorcycle.

Having been in several accidents, he had never seriously thought about his parents.

“Sae-chan, I hope you think seriously about this accident. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Okay. I’ll stop here because saying more would be nagging. And you have to work hard on your rehabilitation from now on.”

“I was prepared for that. I’ll work hard even if it’s difficult and takes time.”

“Okay, you worked hard undergoing surgery. See you in the ward.”

“Yes, Doctor.”

After Tae-kyung left the recovery room, Gong Sae-chan, who had been staring at the ceiling, was moved to his hospital room a little later.

“Son, are you okay? You worked hard.”

“It’s okay, Mom. I’m fine.”

“You’ve suffered, little brother.”

His mother and sister looked at Gong Sae-chan with pitiful expressions and comforted him.

“What have I suffered?”

“Don’t you know? You don’t know how worried your parents were because of you.”

“Mom, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. Just focus on recovering well now.”

“By the way, if you ride a motorcycle again, your sister won’t let you off. Got it?”

“Are you going to hit me, Sis?”

“You! You haven’t come to your senses yet? How can you joke in this situation?”

“I was just trying to lighten the mood because Mom and Sis seemed too worried. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t say things like that even as a joke. You really shouldn’t ride a motorcycle anymore.”

“Sae-yoon, stop it. He just had surgery.”

“Mom, if he rides a motorcycle again, he might really die.”

“Don’t say such terrible things.”

“Mom, you always say that, so he can’t come to his senses.”

“He just had surgery. And Sae-chan, apologize to your father.”

“That’s right. Your dad contacted the driver who had the accident early this morning and arranged to meet him during the day to settle things.”

“Father did?”

“Yes. And he even contacted the police station to check how your running the red light would be handled. The settlement with the driver went well, so it seems like the fine won’t be too high.”

“I really messed up big this time.”

“You’re just realizing that now?”

“But where is Father?”

“He’s outside.”

At his mother’s words, he looked toward the open hospital room door and seemed to see his father’s back.

“Doesn’t Father want to see me?”

“You broke your promise and secretly rode a motorcycle, and now you’re in this state. Do you think Dad’s anger will be easily resolved? How else would someone who was so angry be standing there without saying a word?”

“It’s early morning, and there are people sleeping in the hospital room, so he doesn’t want to come in because it might be noisy. He’ll feel better in a few days.”

His father had always gotten angry enough to make his ears ring and followed him around nagging whenever he had an accident.

It had always been like that.

But Gong Sae-chan felt strange at the sight of his father, whom he was seeing for the first time. At that moment, he remembered the story Tae-kyung had told him.

‘Do you know what action a person takes when they give up on someone? It’s indifference.’

Gong Sae-chan’s expression darkened as various thoughts crossed his mind.

“Son, what’s wrong? Are you in pain?”

“That’s right. Isn’t it because the anesthesia is wearing off? Should I call a nurse?”

“It’s not that. I’m fine. I guess I’m just feeling relaxed since the surgery is over.”

“Okay, but you shouldn’t sleep yet. You need to let the anesthesia gas out, so stay awake a little longer.”

“Yes.”

“Mom, I’ll go home with Dad in a little while and bring your underwear and things you need. Your sister will be here.”

“I’ll take special care of you today.”

“I’m not a child. Sis, you have to go to work. It’s okay, so go home.”

“I don’t care. Children listen better anyway. And I took a day off, so it’s okay.”

While talking with his family, the day dawned, and Gong Sae-chan’s parents headed home.

“Sis? Are you asleep?”

After his parents left the hospital room, Gong Sae-chan, who had been closing his eyes, quietly called out to his sister.

“No, how can I sleep here? Why? Do you want some water?”

“No, I was wondering if I could use your phone for a moment.”

“You can, but is yours broken?”

“No, it’s fine, but I can’t charge it. I just need to make one call.”

“Okay, here. I’m going to the bathroom, so use it as much as you want.”

“Thanks. Hello, it’s me, Geun-ho. Sae-chan. This is my sister’s phone. Are you sleeping? Are you okay? Sorry for calling so early. I have a favor to ask.”

Gong Sae-chan called his closest friend and continued the call with a serious expression he had never shown before.

* * *

A few hours later-

His parents, who had gone home, arrived at our hospital parking lot.

“Where’s Sae-yoon?”

“She’s still in the hospital room. We have to go and relieve her. Sae-yoon must be tired from being in the hospital room all night.”

“Aren’t you tired?”

“How can I be tired when my baby is lying sick? By the way, aren’t you supposed to go to work? The players have to work out.”

“I contacted the coach and told him I’d be a little late. And I have somewhere to go, so you go in first.”

“Aren’t you going to see Sae-chan? Where are you going?”

“……”

“Honey! Where are you going?”

“To the officetel [A studio apartment].”

“Sae-chan’s officetel?”

“Yeah.”

“Why are you suddenly going there……!”

Suddenly, his wife realized why her husband was going to the officetel.

“Are you going because of the motorcycle?”

“That’s right.”

“You’ve been acting like you’ve swallowed honey [acting pleased] since yesterday with that serious look on your face? Sae-chan is in the hospital right now. Do it later.”

“I have to do it while that guy is lying in the hospital. When else can I do it? Sae-chan will definitely ride a motorcycle again when he’s discharged. You heard what the director said earlier. Make sure he can’t ride a motorcycle.”

“Honey, Sae-chan was seriously injured this time, and he’ll have learned something from it.”

“Have you ever seen gamblers keep their promise not to gamble again?”

“He said he was sorry yesterday and wouldn’t ride again. Can’t you trust your son’s words?”

“I’ve been trusting him all along, and this is the result of being backstabbed by that trusting ax [idiomatic expression for being betrayed by someone you trust].”

Even though he had scolded and gotten angry, the father had always trusted his son’s words.

The disappointment he felt toward his son, who had repeatedly betrayed that trust, was indescribable.

“Speed is also an addiction, and I’m going to smash all those motorcycles this time.”

“Do you really have to go this far? I think it would be better for Sae-chan to dispose of them himself after he’s discharged……”

“He would have done it already if he was going to. He’s my baby, whether I like it or not, and if I leave him like this, something will really happen to him.”

“Okay.”

“Don’t tell Sae-chan, whatever you do. Got it?”

“I won’t tell him. Drive safely.”

Thud-

After his wife got out of the car, the husband immediately left the hospital.

The father, who didn’t want to see his son get hurt again, was planning to get rid of all the motorcycles this time.

“……!”

As such, the father arrived in front of the officetel where Gong Sae-chan was living and suddenly stopped the car at the sight of the ironic scene unfolding before his eyes.