Chapter 66

“Mom, it’s raining so much.”

“Yes, it is raining a lot, isn’t it?”

“Where’s Dad?”

Just as the child’s mother picked up her phone, a man calling them appeared from behind.

“Yuda, honey!”

“Cha-eon!”

“Dad!”

The child ran over to the father. The man, who easily lifted the child with one hand, wrapped his arm around his wife’s shoulder.

As the harmonious family moved away, Haji’s gaze returned outside the door.

“Should I wait a little?”

Haji, mumbling while looking at the shopping bags in her hand, tried to check the time on her phone. At that moment, a call came in.

• Where are you?

“Still at the supermarket. It’s raining a lot, so I thought I’d wait a bit before leaving.”

• I’ll come.

“Here?”

• I’m nearby. Wait for me.

Surprised that someone who had just left the airport was coming soon, Haji moved to a different spot, still holding the disconnected phone.

Since he said he’d be there soon, she headed to the entrance, planning to get into his car right away.

“Oppa’s car is white, so it should be easy to spot, right?”

Raindrops pounded the ground as if they would never stop.

“It’s getting heavier.”

She looked at the road to find Seojin’s car through the rain that was falling so heavily it blurred her vision. The cars on the road, sensing the severity of the rain, were all moving slowly.

The humid air felt like it was sticking to her skin.

I want to get in the car quickly.

While waiting for Seojin’s car to appear, she noticed a strange black car from afar.

“Why is that car……?”

Among the cautiously moving cars, there was one that was swerving and noticeably speeding up.

Something was wrong. The car seemed to be in a bad state.

This isn’t good, if it continues like that…….

Some people next to Haji also seemed to notice the car and made startled noises.

“No……”

The swerving car eventually started driving dangerously, crossing lanes. More people began to notice and stepped back in fear, not knowing when the car might veer onto the sidewalk.

Haji’s body was frozen in place, as if her feet were anchored to the ground, watching the car.

At that moment, the shopping bag in her hand fell to the ground.

Crunch, roll. The melons and peaches that rolled out of the bag rolled away in the water, but Haji didn’t try to catch them.

***

While people were dodging the swerving car from afar, one woman stood still, only watching the car. She didn’t even care about the fruit rolling around her.

“Excuse me…….”

As someone called her from behind, her feet moved.

“Oh my, that woman…….”

“Hey, you there!”

Even with people calling from behind, the woman stepped into the rainy street as if in a trance. Her steps, as she walked on the sidewalk in the rain, were straight.

People, noticing her odd behavior, couldn’t stop her and just watched her move away.

Soon, her steps led her to the road where the swerving car was.

Standing at a point where the swerving car seemed about to reach, the woman watched the approaching vehicle.

Honk! Hooooonk!

Hoooooooonk!

Even with the deafening sound of the horn, the woman didn’t flinch, as if waiting for the car.

“Ahhh!”

Startled screams came from behind her.

Thud!!!!!!!!

A tremendous noise spread loudly through the rain. Along with the rumbling sound, people’s screams filled the air.

“Haa, haa…….”

With her eyes open and her breath seemingly stopped, Haji exhaled deeply, tears welling up in her eyes.

She took deep breaths, looking at the car that had narrowly missed her and crashed into a utility pole.

She bent her knees and curled her body tightly. As small as possible, to let nothing in.

She couldn’t see anything.

She couldn’t hear anything. Or perhaps she didn’t want to hear.

So she covered her ears. She pressed her palms tightly against her ears.

“Haji.”

If it weren’t for this voice.

She might have kept her ears covered forever.

At the gentle voice calling her, Haji’s shoulders twitched. The strength in her palms pressing against her ears weakened.

“Ah…….”

Only then did her vision expand. The darkness before her eyes gradually brightened.

A warm touch reached her trembling body. Warm breaths and gentle, patting hands.

Unknowingly, her trembling body gradually calmed.

“Haji, it’s okay.”

Just like that day.

The tone that reassured her was the same. The embrace, warm and gentle, was as comforting as ever.

“…… Hah!”

Haji, who had been curling her body tightly, exhaled deeply and raised her head. As if exhaling the breath that had been stuck.

And with a different gaze than when she had run into the rain, she slowly turned her head.

“I asked for help.”

“What?”

“I did……”

At her small murmur, Seojin asked again, and Haji met his eyes and spoke once more.

“I asked for help.”

I have to do it, I have to.

Haji slowly straightened her knees. Her body, which had been curled up in Seojin’s embrace, slowly stood on its own.

Because she had seen it.

She had seen the man in the driver’s seat asking for help.

“Haji!”

The small body that had emerged from Seojin’s embrace ran toward the crashed car. She didn’t turn back even at his call.

Cough, cough, the nauseating white smoke entered her nose, making her throat sore. But Haji steadfastly pushed through the smoke and moved forward.

“Just a moment.”

Please.

“Just wait a moment.”

As if speaking to someone, Haji’s hand reached the car’s handle.

Inside the half-destroyed car, no sound could be heard. Haji then put strength into the handle.

Clack! Clatter!

As she pulled on the handle of the rear door that wouldn’t open, people watching from behind were puzzled. She was trying to open the back door, not the front where the person was.

Through the thick smoke, she could see the unconscious man in the driver’s seat. People began calling 119 to report it.

“Open.”

Haa, haa.

“Open, I said!”

She knocked on the back door several times with her small fist and pulled on the handle.

“Please……!”

Open, please!

I.

Saw it.

I will save you. Definitely.

I will save you.

“Haa, haa……!”

Clunk, the back door she had been desperately clinging to slowly opened.

“Wow……!”

The people watching from behind were momentarily surprised, and a few gasps were heard.

“Come here…….”

Haji reached out her hand. When the small warmth touched her, she brought it into her embrace.

“It’s okay.”

She whispered, holding the small life tightly. With the words that once comforted her.

“You did well.”

“…….”

“You did your best.”

You did well.

I’m glad you’re alive.

It’s okay, it’ll be okay.

She kept speaking to the child who had been holding his breath, watching his silent father.

“Uhhuhuh……”

As the tears the child had been holding back burst forth, Haji hugged him tighter.

“It’s not your fault.”

Yes, it’s not my fault.

“It was something unavoidable.”

Yes, it was something unavoidable.

“I’m glad you’re alive like this.”

Yes, there are people who wish for my happiness.

They were words she once wanted to hear. Now she had the courage to say them herself.

I can be happy.

I will be happy.

As the rain stopped and the white smoke cleared, the sound of an ambulance was heard from afar.

***

Paramedics rescued the child’s father from the car and checked his condition.

Fortunately, as he had only fainted, they carried the man into the ambulance without any special measures and approached Haji.

“Are you the guardian?”

“No…….”

Haji, setting the child down on the ground, stood up.

“Are you alright?”

“There are no life-threatening issues.”

“That’s a relief.”

As the child, holding the paramedic’s hand, was about to head to the ambulance, they turned back.

“Sister.”

“…….”

“Thank you.”

The child, whose tears hadn’t dried yet, expressed his gratitude. He waved his small hand and went to his father.

“……Yeah.”

Me too.

Tap, Haji’s shoulder felt warm.

“You did well.”

It was the voice of the man who always praised her with kind words.

“Oppa.”

“You did well.”

You did well.

Seojin repeated it several times, echoing in her ears. The touch patting her shoulder made her feel proud, as if she had truly done well.

Haji took Seojin’s hand from her shoulder.

“Let’s go home now, oppa.”

The sky, which had poured rain as if through a hole and was covered in darkness, pretended as if nothing had happened, sending blue, clear clouds floating on the breeze.