* * *
The last thing I saw before losing my memory—the ‘gray coat’—wasn’t just a figure I had imagined based on descriptions I had heard.
He was exactly the same as the one in my memory, down to the smallest details.
He had helped me immensely.
I had already planned to write a fan letter to my idol, but now I had a reason I absolutely had to do it.
‘But… why did he feel like Taehwan back then?’
The warmth that seeped through when he wrapped his arms around me, the way he held my waist…
It felt like Taehwan.
That’s why I had been so certain it was a dream. I never thought it was real.
According to the caregiver, after I was rescued from the hospital, Taehwan received me from the ‘gray coat’ and held me the entire time until I was transferred to a new hospital.
Is that why my memories are mixed up?
Or is it something else?
I was trying to recall more details when I heard the door open.
“Jehee.”
A woman stood there.
Dressed in a neat suit, her permed hair tied back.
She was the woman I loved most in this world.
“…Mother.”
It had been thirteen years since I lost my sight.
In the time I hadn’t seen her, she had gained so many wrinkles.
The weight of time pressed against my chest.
Just as I had grown from a mere child into a full-fledged adult, my mother, too, had aged.
She hesitated to approach me, so I met her eyes and smiled.
Startled, she hurried toward me.
“J-Jehee… Is it… Is it really true? Can you really see?”
“Yes, I can see, Mother.”
“Your legs… Can you move them? Can you walk?”
“They move. I don’t know what my awakened ability is yet, so I’m staying still for now, but once I get approval from the Bureau, I’ll start rehabilitation training.”
“Oh…”
“I… I might be able to come home.”
“……”
At my words, my mother opened her mouth but couldn’t speak.
Covering her lips with both hands, she looked over me as if making sure I was real.
When she saw my legs move, she broke down into tears.
Then, she carefully pulled me into her arms.
I had always been thin, especially compared to Taehwan, but my mother was even smaller and frailer than me.
She must have endured so much hardship.
Raising three children alone, with one in long-term hospitalization—it was inevitable.
“Jehee, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry…”
“Mother…”
“You were taken to that horrible place, and I couldn’t help you. You were suffering, and I couldn’t visit you often. Even before that… I was always lacking as your mother…”
“……”
“I wanted to tell you sooner, but I didn’t have the courage…”
“Ah, Mother. Why are you saying such things on a happy day? You should be smiling, not crying.”
Had I looked troubled?
The caregiver intervened, gently rubbing my mother’s back and offering comforting words.
Thanks to that kindness, my mother seemed to calm down a little.
I took her hand and smiled.
“Mother, I never once regretted being your child. So please, don’t apologize.”
“Jehee…”
I meant every word.
“I’m truly happy.”
This wasn’t something I said just to reassure her.
‘Jehee, be honest.’
It was probably when we were in our late teens, around the time Taehwan started preparing for college entrance exams.
We had spent so much time together, and as we grew older, he had once asked me this question.
‘Do you… resent your mother, even a little?’
At the time, it was a thought that had never even crossed my mind.
‘Huh? Why are you asking that all of a sudden?’
‘Think about it. When your father passed away, your mother didn’t do anything. She just cried at the funeral while you greeted all the guests. My mom couldn’t stand watching you struggle alone, so she stepped in to help.’
‘Hmm…’
‘And you basically raised your younger siblings yourself. You gave up playing, gave up studying for yourself. But did they ever take care of you as much as you took care of them? Does your mother even appreciate what you did?’
‘You know, it’s actually weird that I visit you every day. Even in big families, some people don’t get any visitors at all.’
‘But usually, when a child is sick, their mother stays with them!’
That was true.
When a patient was a child, their guardian typically stayed by their side.
And in most cases, that guardian was their mother.
But… those families usually had a father.
Or a relative, someone who could help.
Our situation was different.
‘It’s okay. She was busy working.’
I said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world, but unconsciously, my hand reached for Taehwan.
As if he understood, Taehwan grasped my hand.
For once, he intertwined our fingers.
The warmth of his palm, the way he held on tightly—it was only then that the strange emptiness in my chest disappeared.
Warmth spread through my heart.
It might seem strange for two guys to hold hands like this, but in that hospital room, it was just the two of us.
No one else was watching, and we could share this much embarrassment.
‘Wow, Jehee, you’re amazing. I resent my mother, though.’
‘Huh? Who?’
‘Mothers.’
‘Mothers? You mean mine and yours? I can understand mine, but why yours?’
‘…It’s just… something. Only a little, so don’t worry about it. It’s like how I get annoyed when you don’t eat.’
‘What?! I eat just fine!’
‘Yeah, sure. Let’s go with that.’
‘Hey! What’s with that reaction?!’
Taehwan always pried into my thoughts, but he rarely shared his own.
Maybe it was because I had such a limited perspective on the outside world that I wasn’t a great person to confide in.
Still, because he brought up our mothers, I had time to think deeply about it.
I had a lot of time alone, so I could ponder for as long as I needed.
And this was my conclusion: No matter what others said, I loved my father, my mother, and my siblings so much that there was nothing to resent.
We had all done our best for each other.
“Oppa, Jehee oppa! Look what Taehwan oppa bought!”
“Hyung, we’re here—wait, what happened?”
“Guys. Come in.”
“What’s up, Jehee? Something happened?”
“No, nothing at all!”
“Taehwan, you’re here.”
“Hello, Jehee’s mother.”
Look at this scene.
The twins, who had grown so much I could barely remember their troublesome baby years.
My mother, who had raised all three of us on her own, including me, the sickly one.
And my childhood friend, who had become unrecognizably handsome.
How could I not be happy?
I wondered what on earth Taehwan had brought for Eunseo to be making such a fuss, but it was understandable.
“Did you buy a restaurant?”
“What are you talking about? It’s just a party pack.”
Taehwan and Eunyul were both carrying loads of something, and soon enough, an extravagant feast covered the entire table.
One bag had already been given to the caregiver who had been taking care of me, yet there was still this much left.
I was never good at estimating food portions, but this was definitely more than just a meal for five.
“This is way too much.”
“It’s when Eunseo and Eunyul are at their peak. They’ll eat plenty.”
“Of course! Don’t underestimate a high school girl’s appetite, Oppa! Whoa. No way. There’s king crab and lobster too!”
“Jung Eunseo, today’s main guest is Jehee hyung.”
“I know, I know! I was just admiring it, why are you being like that?”
It was a feast of delicacies.
Three different cuts of steak, ribs, a salad loaded with thick slices of aged salmon, roasted potatoes, mushrooms, vegetables, and even an array of shrimp and crustacean dishes.
It wasn’t unheard of for Taehwan to bring in food from outside, but… something this extravagant?
That was a first.
Maybe.
I wasn’t entirely sure since I just ate whatever Taehwan put in front of me every time…
“He always says B-rank non-combat types don’t make much money…”
Was it really okay to splurge like this?
Even if he was from a wealthy family, this felt excessive.
Feeling a bit concerned, I tugged at Taehwan’s sleeve and whispered in a small voice.
“Taehwan, isn’t this too much?”
“It wasn’t expensive. It’s just a party, so I got some fancy-looking dishes. Now that you can see, I thought I’d make it colorful. Pretty, isn’t it? Here, I’ll move you. Stretch out your arms.”
“I-I can walk now, though…?”
“It’s dangerous. You shouldn’t be doing anything unfamiliar right after awakening. You could get seriously hurt.”
* * *
