387 Repeating the Past Mistakes 3 (2/2)
”Is he a troublemaker?”
”I'd be lying if I said he wasn't.”
”Why didn't you bring your wife?”
”She's over at her parents'.”
Baron no longer had any personal time. However, as if he wasn't bothered by that reality, Baron ate with a look of satisfaction on his face. Pouring himself a cup of juice, Juho said to Bom, ”I rewatched that drama you wrote.”
”Did you now?”
”It was just as good the second time around.”
”It already feels outdated. I don't know what to do with myself whenever I see it on the TV,” Bom said, shaking her head. ”Good times,” she added, staring into the air.
It had already been a decade since the drama she had written had come out. Now, Bom was working as an accountant, and seeing as she hadn't switched jobs, she seemed happy with it.
”It was so popular back then.”
”I thought you'd become a star screenwriter.”
”It wasn't sustainable to say the least. I couldn't handle it, so I just dropped it. I felt like I was taking a leap of faith, but I guess it's all in the past now,” Bom said, chuckling as if she had already moved on.
”Man, I wish I could quit,” Sun Hwa said, dropping her head. In an attempt to comfort her, Bom patted her on the back. When Bom had decided to quit screenwriting, the decision had called for tremendous courage and determination.
”We have a Mr. Moon 2.0 here.”
”Shut up, Seo Kwang.”
While quietly listening to his friends talk, Juho swished the liquid around in his cup. Having been friends with them for decades, the author was able to tell what his friends were thinking about just by looking at their faces.
”What about you? How's writing?” Seo Kwang asked.
”I recently asked for an extension,” Juho said, rubbing his nose.
”Ha! Serves you right,” Seo Kwang said, seemingly delighted by the author's struggle, and Sun Hwa responded by kicking him.
”What seems to be the issue?” Baron asked calmly.
Crossing his arms, Juho replied after some contemplation, ”Let's just say that I wanna do better, but I'm not sure of which direction to take?”
As Baron crossed his arms quietly, Juho said light-heartedly, ”My editor thinks the intro isn't too bad.”
”So, it's the ending of the story that's giving you trouble.”
”I just can't seem to make any progress,” Juho said and looked toward Bom, who, after some contemplation, asked, ”What if you talk to Mr. Lim about it? Isn't he your go-to person for advice?”
”I don't know…”
”You know plenty of other authors too, don't you?”
”I don't wanna bother them for something like this.”
”See? That's the issue!” Sun Hwa said, clicking her tongue.
To which, Juho tilted his head and asked, ”What is?”
”You just don't know yourself!”
”What do you mean?”
With that, Sun Hwa started preaching to Juho. After listening to her intently, Juho glanced toward Seo Kwang, who was resting his chin on his hand and murmuring, ”No wonder the kids don't like you.”
”Who!? Who doesn't like me!?”
From then on, the atmosphere rose quickly.
”You know, it's been really nice out lately!” Bom said excitedly.
”Let go see the flowers!” Sun Hwa said.
To which, Seo Kwang scoffed and said, ”Isn't it a little soon for that?”
”Last year was pretty fun, though,” Baron said, wiping his mouth while reminiscing about the past. However, taking in consideration how dry the air felt, Juho had a feeling that they wouldn't be seeing any flowers any time soon that year.
---
”What now?”
Juho had gone out for a morning walk. If it hadn't been for the crow blocking the way, his day would've been off to a refreshing start. As Juho gave it a disgruntled look, the crow cawed all the more. Lately, the bird had been appearing more frequently.
”I don't even drink anymore. Why are you still here?”
Instead of giving him an answer, the crow hopped in place.
'OK, then. I don't have to tell you anything either,' Juho thought to himself, walking right past the bird. At that moment...
”Juho!”
… The author heard two voices call for him simultaneously. After looking around briefly, Juho saw the twins on the other side of the street waving at him. Their eyes were just as long and thin as they had been in high school. Standing in place, Juho waited for them to cross over to him.
”What a coincidence!”
”Is that a pun?” Juho asked, and Gong Pal grinned. There was a thin scar running down his cheek.
”My brother clearly thinks he's funnier than he really is,” Gong Il murmured. Although the two had looked nearly identical at one point, they were noticeably different now, and the scar on Gong Pal's face definitely contributed to that.
”I think your scar's fading,” Juho said.
”Is it? I can't really tell. I never really pay attention to it.”
The scar on Gong Pal's face had come from a business trip sixteen years prior. Having been near the scene of a bombing, Gong Pal had been seriously wounded by the debris from the explosion.
”Remember what happened back then? It was so weird!” Gong Il said, chuckling light-heartedly. Although she had had no clue that her brother had been injured, Gong Il had felt a sharp pain on her left cheek around the time of Gong Pal's accident. Thinking that her teeth were hurting, she had gone to a dentist recommended by Sun Hwa. Although the dentist had suggested that Gong Il get her wisdom teeth removed, the actual source of the pain remained a mystery to that day, and Juho remembered having written a full-length novel about terrorism after that.
”What brings you guys here? I can't remember the last time I ran into you two together.”
”I was visiting my sister-in-law. She packed us some food,” Gong Il said, waving the bag in her hand.
”I see.”
”Would you like some? Our family makes really good kimchi.”
”It's fine. I have plenty of the food my parents sent me at home.”
”Then… Would you mind sharing some with us?”
While cracking jokes with the twins, Juho looked around. The crow was sitting on a tree nearby while looking down at him. Upon locking eyes with the author, the bird started moving around.
”What are you looking at?” Gong Pal asked.
Shaking his head, Juho replied, ”Nothing.”