Seoul Station’s Necromancer Chapter 9:
Chapter 9 – I’ll Have To Make Some Money
“Woojin . It really is our Woojin . It really is Woojin . ”
His mother grabbed on to him, then she cried for a long time . She had thought he had died, yet Woojin had come back alive after 5 years . She couldn’t tell if this was a dream or reality .
“Where have you been?”
“It’ll be too long to explain it here . Anyways, where’s the other family members? I went back home, and it was gone . ”
“Sooah is at her preschool . You father…”
His mother started to speak, but she started to to cry again . He felt something was amiss, so his pounding heart turned cold .
“Let’s go . Let’s go home and talk . ”
“Yes . Let’s do that . Let’s go home . ”
As if his mother would disappear, Woojin held both her hands tightly as they left the staff room . While they rode the bus, his mother spoke despondently about their situation .
His father had been caught up in the Dungeon Shock as he left for work . As with the other tens of thousands of people riding the subway, he had passed away . They couldn’t even find his corpse . His mother had lived on alone as she took care of Sooah .
After losing the head of the household, her son was also missing . The only reason why his mother was able to withstand everything was because of young Sooah . They hadn’t been very wealthy in the past, and his mother had to take care of the whole household by herself . He could feel the difficulties she had gone through .
The only asset they had was the apartment, but the price became dirt cheap after the Dungeon Shock . Moreover, his mother wasn’t qualified for many of the jobs, since she had only been a housewife .
To make matters worse, Sooah became ill, so the household’s wealth decreased rapidly . It was a situation where everyday was painful . She had struggled to hold on for the past 5 years .
“It’s fine since you are alive . Don’ worry too much about it . I thought you had taken the subway . ”
His mother was thankful just from the fact that he was alive .
The bus traveled for an hour before they approached the neighborhood where he used to live . They moved towards a block away from the Hammer Guild’s headquarters, and they arrived at a run down neighborhood .
“Just in case you or your father might come back we moved to a close location . ”
If one disappeared during the Dungeon Shock, it basically meant the person was dead . However, his mother hadn’t lost hope . Her son had returned after 5 years, so she felt rewarded by her efforts .
His mother lead him through winding alleyways, then she headed toward a specific shack . It was a very small one room, and it was smaller than Jaemin’s house . Moreover, there were a lot of luggage stacked inside, so it made the room look smaller .
“Stay right here . I’ll go to the preschool, and I’ll bring Sooah back . ”
His mother left Woojin by himself inside the room, and she left the house . Woojin looked around the small room filled with boxes, then he opened one of them .
“Ah…”
The box held none other than his old belongings . He opened the other boxes, and it was all the same . It contained his father’s clothes and his clothes . There were even toys he had played with when he was little .
She had kept all the belongings they had possessed when they lived in the apartment 5 years ago . She had forced it all inside this one room, so it wasn’t inevitable for the house to become cramped . He could guess the reason why his mother couldn’t throw away their belongings, and his heart felt like it was going to break .
Soon, his mother returned home with Sooah holding her hand . Her wide eyed face looked up at Woojin . Her complexion looked pale, but her white skin just made her look cuter .
The 2 year old baby he remembered in his memories had turned into a 7 year old cute child .
“Sooah . This is your big brother . Greet him . ”
“Big brother?”
Sooah grabbed on to the hem of her mother’s clothes, then she warily looked over Woojin . Woojin made his most friendly smile as he looked down towards Sooah .
“Sooah . Could you play with your big brother for a moment? Mother will make delicious food soon . ”
“Huh? Mommy doesn’t have to go to the restaurant?”
“Of course . It’s my day off today . ”
It was only lunch, but his mother worked as if she was in a hurry . She prepared a sumptuous feast . Sooah became unusually animated when she saw the meat side dish . It seemed like she wasn’t able to eat meat on a regular basis .
His mother looked at him with contentment, so as to repay her, he ate the food with relish . After he emptied three bowls of rice, he stopped his spoon .
It was said the act of eating food was a good way to lower the wariness in humans .
Sooah seemed to have immediately adjusted to him . She called him ‘big brother’ easily, and she stuck to Woonjin’s side . It was false to say she wasn’t wary, but it seemed she was starved for attention . It made Woojin’s heart hurt when he saw this .
“Then Sooah plays by herself after coming home from preschool?”
“Yes . Mommy goes through a lot of troubles . I have to behave, and play by myself . ”
He was proud of what the 7 year old said, so Woojin patted her head .
“Jeez . You have to brush Mimi’s head instead of mine . ”
“Ah . Ok . ”
Sooah passed him her barbie named Mimi, then he brushed its hair with a brush as big as his finger . Woojin and Sooah played with the doll, and his mother’s gaze was on them as she washed the dishes .
She had struggled so much in the past 5 years that it felt like she had become an old lady .
His mother, who was doing the dishes, picked up the phone when it rang . Then she hurried into the restroom to answer the phone .
[What’s going on? Where did you go during the busy hours? Come back immediately . ]
“Today is a really important day . May I take a leave?”
[Hey lady, what do you think this is? There is no taking leaves at this small restaurant . You even got out of work regularly by giving excuses that your daughter was sick . If you don’t want to get fired, come in right now!]
Woojin’s senses were several times more sensitive compared to normal people, so it wasn’t hard for him to hear the whispered conversation . Woojin roughly figured out the situation, and Woojin felt a heavy feeling . It felt as if a rock was pressing down on his chest .
His mother exited the restroom, then she quickly finished washing the dishes . Then she spoke to Woojin and Sooah with an apologetic face .
“Sooah . I’m sorry, but can you play a little bit with your big brother?”
“Mmm . It’s ok . I’ll play with big brother . ”
Even though she didn’t have any old memories of him, Sooah was already following after her big brother, and this made her very cute .
“I’m so sorry about this, Woojin . ”
Woojin gave an ample laugh .
“It’s ok . Have a safe trip . ”‘
“Yes . I’ll be back soon . ”
After his mother went out, Sooah let out the tears she had been holding back .
“She’s always busy . Sooah is always alone . ”
Woojin’s eyes turned round when he saw her crying figure .
“No . Big brother is here now . ”
“Cheh, I’ve never seen you, so how can you be my big brother?”
“Huh huh . I’m really your big brother . Don’t you remember me from when you were young? I even changed your diapers . ”
“Sooah don’t wee any more!”
Woojin tried to appease the grumbling Sooah, so he played with her . He had assumed his mother would return around dinner time, but she wasn’t back yet . Therefore, Woojin started cooking .
Woojin was used to sleeping out in the open when he was at the Planet Alphen . When he opened the refrigerator, there were several ingredients leftover from his mother’s previous shopping trip .
Woojin simply fried an egg, then he shared vegetable fried rice with Sooah . His mother returned around 9 o’clock .
“I’m sorry . Mother is late . What did you eat for dinner? We’ll have to buy you a hand phone tomorrow . ”
His mother couldn’t contact Woojin, so she must have felt frustrated .
They laid down their bedding in the small one room, and he didn’t even have space to roll over . Sooah had already fallen asleep in his mother’s arms, but Woojin and his mother had a hard time going to sleep .
“I’m very glad you are back . ”
His mother had already said those words multiple times as she laid down her tired body . Woojin couldn’t sleep that night, and he stayed up with his eyes wide open .
‘This isn’t it . ’
Woojin felt a suffocating feeling as if he was buried within a fallen building .
The next morning everyone woke up in a flurry . Sooah had to attend preschool, and his mother prepared to go to work .
“Woojin-ah . Go to the borough office, and get your SSN reissued . After I get off work, we’ll go shop for a hand phone . Don’t go anywhere . If you are hungry then make and eat some ramen . No, if you are hungry, come to the restaurant located in the front . It is the Seungmi Restaurant located in front of the mart . ”
“Yes . Don’t worry about me . I’ll see you later . ”
When everyone left, Woojin was alone, so his mood dampened .
He had a lot of things to do .
He had to cancel the missing persons report, then he had to be reissued a SSN at the borough office .
He was summoned during his 3rd year of high school, so he hadn’t even graduated . He didn’t want to be unemployed, so he also had to get a job .
‘I have to make some money . ’
He felt pity for his busy mother, and Sooah who had to spend everyday by herself . He was the man of the house now . He had to become the pillar of this household .
‘I have to make a lot of money . ’
He’ll have to study again . Moreover, he’ll have to immediately get a temporary job . Woojin quickly thought of a way to make a lot of money .
It felt like destiny .
No, it felt like a devil’s claw drawing him in .
‘Roused . ’
Woojin looked at the three crumpled bills of 10,000 won, and he came to a decision . He opened the box with his carefully stored clothes . He wore his own clothes, then he exited the house .
He had received his SSN, and he had cancelled his mission persons report . He opened an account in his name at the bank, then he went into a phone store to purchase a hand phone .
“This is our hottest item, dear customer . It is very sturdy, so it is a model used by many famous Roused . ”
At the phone salesman’s recommendation, he purchased the hand phone . He entered in his mother’s phone number, then he sent a message .
‘There is a little brother that I know living close to our house . I’ll stay there for now, and I’ll prepare for the school qualification examination . '(TLN:basically a Korea GED)
His mother immediately called him when Woojin sent the message . He had to talk with her for a very long time to assuage her fears . She knew their financial situation wouldn’t allow him to study, so in the end, she agreed to his proposal .
“Whew . I feel bad about it, but I’ll make it up later . ”
Jaemin’s house wasn’t very far off from Woojin’s house . It was a distance he could walk to . He had decided it was the ideal place to stay until he bought a bigger house .
Woojin unfurled the folded paper, then he input Jaemin’s number . He pressed the call button, and the ring back tone rang . Soon, a person picked up the phone .
[Hello . This is the Dongjin Agency’s Park-hweeso . ]
He heard a husky voice . He checked to see if he made an error in pressing the numbers . However, it matched the phone number on the paper .
[Hello . If you made a call, then please speak . ]
“Is this Jaemin?”
[No . ]
Click-
Accompanying an annoyed voice, the phone call was terminated . Woojin clicked his tongue as he looked at his phone .
“Ha . What is this? Did he trick me?”
Woojin pressed firmly on his temple .