Chapter 4 – I Am – Part 1

Chapter 4 – I Am – Part 1

Bomi was rolling around in bed, playing with her cellphone.

[Oh! His eyes look like a puppy’s! *.*]

[He’s really handsome…]

[Can I come over to your house?]

Bomi smiled contentedly, having uploaded a photo she took with her older brother today to the group chat.

[No no~ Can’t. I’ll show you later haha]

[I wish I had an older brother too…]

At that moment, in the living room, Dad asked Woojin.

“Shall I wash you?”

“No. I’ll wash myself.”

“Okay, if you have any trouble, call Dad.”

“Yes.”

Woojin went into the bathroom and quickly took off his clothes.

Woojin’s whole body was reflected in the mirror.

The messy scars left all over his body.

Anyone who saw them would have been quite surprised, but Woojin turned his gaze away as if it were nothing.

“Soap… shampoo… body wash…”

“Woojin, I left your underwear and clothes by the door.”

“Yes.”

Woojin briefly replied to his mom’s voice and turned on the water.

Whoosh.

The stream of water poured down, as if caressing Woojin.

How long had it been?

Woojin came out twenty minutes later.

His parents were surprised by his appearance.

Because Woojin came out without a stitch of clothing.

But his parents’ expressions quickly softened.

“I should have put it in the bathroom, mom.”

Dad quickly approached Woojin, worried that Bomi might come out to the living room.

But something was strange.

His whole body was bright red and hot.

“Woojin, did you shower with hot water? Is that it? If you adjust it… I’m sorry, dad…”

“Woojin? Are you okay?”

Mom touched Woojin’s body here and there, asking anxiously.

“Yes. Dad, mom, don’t be sad.”

His parents’ corrugator supercilii kept rising.

“Huh? Oh, what I told Bomi earlier? Dad isn’t sad at all. I’m so happy Woojin is back. More importantly, are you okay, Woojin? Does it hurt?”

“Yes.”

Even if his skin was fine, there were still scars left on his son’s body.

In fact, they couldn’t help but be sad.

“Yes. You shouldn’t be sad.”

Mom and Dad carefully applied cream to Woojin with both hands, worried his body might dry out.

Only after teaching him the Room method to adjust the temperature did peace return.

“Shall we go into the Room and rest now?”

As Woojin sat on the bed, Dad put his arm around Mom’s shoulder at the door and said,

“Woojin, if anything’s uncomfortable, tell us right away? If you need anything, tell us right away too.”

“Yes.”

“Shall I leave the door open?”

Woojin shook his head.

“Alright, then our Woojin, get some good rest.”

The door closed carefully, and Woojin caressed the bed.

It was softer than the Hospital, and it smelled good.

Woojin, who had been quietly looking at the Room, fiddled with his Cellphone and went to the Youtube that Bomi had told him about.

And he stealthily took out the Earplugs he had been wearing even while showering.

He turned the Cellphone’s volume as low as possible and played the video.

Very small voices flowed from Woojin’s mouth.

Two hours passed like that.

Woojin, who had closed Youtube, wrote a short sentence in his notepad.

And he read the sentence, his hearing acutely focused.

It was what he had always recited in his mind in the Warehouse where he was trapped.

“I kno… I kno…”

“I… my sel…”

“I will nevr my sel…”

“I to my sel…”

“I to my self…”

Woojin slowly nodded his head and opened his mouth again.

I never lose to myself.

***

The next morning, Dad went to work and Bomi went to school, leaving only Mom and Woojin.

Is there anything you want to eat, Woojin?

Yes.

Mom smiled gently.

Because Woojin’s pronunciation had improved remarkably compared to yesterday.

If there’s anything you want to eat, just tell Mom. Okay?

Yes.

Hmm… Woojin, shall we go to the mountain library with Mom?

Yes.

Woojin usually only gave short answers, but Mom thought positively.

Let’s go.

Woojin, who came out of the villa, hadn’t even walked a few candles when he saw the thug walking away with his back to them and asked Mom,

Who is that?

That man? I don’t know him? Why?

He said no. It’s an action by the unconscious or a forgotten memory…

Mom internally interpreted Woojin’s pronunciation.

‘It seems like an action by the unconscious or a forgotten memory has been revived by experiencing a similar situation?’

What does that mean? Mom doesn’t quite understand.

He seemed to be saying something scientific, but she couldn’t understand it.

Déjà vu.

Oh… Déjà vu?

Yes.

Woojin said that, but he turned his head once more to look at the thug.

He is wearing a mask and a hat.

This is the second time I’ve seen those eyes.

I first encountered them when I entered the house, and today is the second time.

The way he is looking at the villa is strange.

He appears expressionless, but

-his eyelids are pulled taut.

-His brow is slightly furrowed.

It’s an expression seen when angry, but also a micro-expression that appears when concentrating.

-There are many marks on the brim of his hat (from repeatedly taking it off and putting it on).

-There are subtle traces of salt around the armpits of his top.

-What’s wrapped around his wrist is an electronic watch.

-Judging by the many wrinkles on the knees of his pants, he’s someone who walks or runs quite a lot.

-His sneakers have a little dirt on them.

[A person who repeatedly wears a hat, wearing a mask, looks at the villa as if angry or concentrating.

Mother doesn’t know him either.

He’s not a local resident.

I first saw him in the morning, and now again during lunchtime on a weekday.]

Woojin, who had organized this information in his head, scattered his gaze around as he headed to the park with his mother.

It looked as if he was memorizing something.

There weren’t many people at the park when they arrived.

His mother told stories from Woojin’s childhood and mostly asked him various things.

Of course, she never asked about the time he was kidnapped.

She mainly asked about what he wanted or what he wanted to eat.

This was because he ate food with such surprise and enjoyment.

“My Woojin… what do you want to do in the future? Tell me everything.”

I want to live a normal life.

That was a very Woojin-like answer.

It was understandable, since he had lived there for 12 years.

Mom asked carefully,

“Being ordinary, that’s really nice. What do you want to be, Woojin?”

“An office worker.”

“An office worker?”

“Yes. An office worker.”

It was a truly ordinary dream.

And so, Woojin closed his eyes in the park, bathed in the pouring sunlight, and listened to Mom’s sweet voice.

The refreshing rustling of leaves, the chirping of birds, and the gentle sound of the wind too.

It was peaceful.

‘I wish this peace would continue.’

The corners of Woojin’s mouth turned up ever so slightly.

It was such a subtle movement that Mom didn’t notice, and Woojin didn’t even realize it himself.

After that, Woojin walked around the neighborhood with Mom a few times before finally going home.

Mom ordered Jajangmyeon and sweet and sour pork for him, and Woojin, with sauce all over his mouth,

“So delicious…”

exclaimed.

Woojin had a relaxing time from morning to evening. He mainly watched TV, browsed the internet, and watched YouTubers.

Mom looked at Woojin and felt proud of him.

She saw him trying to correct his pronunciation and making an effort to learn about the world.

Most of all, he seemed to be knowledgeable about many things.

He would sometimes say terms she didn’t know, and then explain them in a way that was easy to understand.

He really was a wonderful son.

For some reason, I also felt like a Giant was sleeping inside Woojin’s body.

“Big brother.”

“Yes.”

Bomi spoke in a more lively tone than before.

She thought she had to take care of her 18-year-old big brother.

“Do you want to go buy ice cream?”

“Ice cre, am?”

Bomi nodded her head.

“It’s cool and really delicious when you eat it. I’ll buy it for you.”

“Okay.”

“Mom, I’m going to the Convenience Store with big brother.”

“You have to buy only ice cream and come back quickly, okay?”

“Yes. Let’s go, big brother.”

Bomi gently held Woojin’s hand as he came out of the Villa.

And she led him as if guiding the way.

“This way.”

Bomi, who entered the Convenience Store, slid open the refrigerator door.

“Choose whatever you want to eat, big brother.”

Woojin blinked.

Because there were so many kinds of ice cream, he didn’t know what to choose.

“This, this is delicious.”

Woojin chose what Bomi pointed to and went outside.

At that moment, he heard whispering from behind.

High school girls in school uniforms were sitting under a parasol….

“Wow, holy shit, he’s so handsome. Did you see him?”

“He looks like someone I know….”

“Ask for his number.”

“Oh my god, that’s embarrassing…….”

Bomi smiled contentedly at the voices from behind her.

“Brother, I’ll open the lid for you. Like this…”

Woojin brought the ice cream Bomi handed him to his mouth.

Woojin’s face hardened, and his eyes widened slightly.

A soft, sweet taste was melting in his mouth like snow.

Bomi giggled, saying she knew it would happen.

“Brother, it’s So Delicious, isn’t it? Huh?”

“Yes. So Delicious…….”

Suddenly, Woojin’s gaze dropped.

Because he saw the thug in the hat and mask again.

“Bomi.”

“Huh? Why, brother?”

“Would you like to go home first?”

Woojin, who was staring at him with clear pronunciation, was eating the ice cream as if chewing it, unlike before.