Free Web NovelEven though I had driven nonstop after crossing Panmunjom, by the time I arrived at Korea National University Hospital, it was already past midnight.
As soon as I got out of the car, I walked quickly into the hospital.
The staff who saw me step out of the elevator looked startled, but I had no time to explain.
“Where is Manager Ha?”
From the room where guardians stayed, Manager Ha, with a hollow face, opened the door and flinched when he saw me.
“Sir, no, when did you....”
“What happened?”
“Well....”
Glancing once around at the staff, Manager Ha led me into the guardians’ room.
The dark circles under his eyes showed how much he had been suffering.
“Please explain what happened. Is something like this even possible?”
“...The hospital director said this is the first time he has ever seen such a case.”
“Is Grandfather sleeping right now?”
“Yes, he just fell asleep.”
Manager Ha spoke in a soft voice, but his face was dark.
“What exactly did the hospital director say, Manager Ha?”
“He said... that it would be difficult for him to last beyond today.”
“...”
At his hesitant words, my heart sank.
When I spoke to Grandfather on the phone, I had felt something was off, which is why I forced myself to come back first, but now to hear that he may not last a day....
As I stood there unable to say anything, Manager Ha lowered his eyes as though resigned.
“The hospital director said that it wouldn’t be strange if his heart stopped at any moment. Most of his brain cells are already dead, and the fact that he can still speak so normally is a miracle....”
A miracle.... I never believed in such things, but right now, I could only wish for a miracle more than anyone.
“I’ll go see Grandfather first. Tell the rest of the staff to go down and rest for a while. Manager Ma and you should guard the entrance to the ward so no one can come in. Absolutely no one is allowed to enter.”
It might be my last time with Grandfather. I wanted us to talk without being disturbed.
Manager Ha and Manager Ma told the staff to rest and left.
After confirming that everyone had gone, I opened the door and went inside.
“Grandfather....”
Though they had said he was asleep, Grandfather’s eyes were open.
He lay there staring at the ceiling, as if he didn’t even have the strength to turn his head.
Each time I visited, he seemed to grow more frail, which tore at my heart.
“Muhyuk, you’ve come.”
“Yes....”
I grasped his hand tightly, dry and brittle like a tree branch. His hand was cold.
“How did you come? Didn’t they say you were in the North?”
“I came down by car to see you, Grandfather.”
“What?”
When I made light of it, a faint smile appeared on his lips. Even that smile looked weak.
“I explained the situation and came down first.”
“Since when could one travel so freely between North and South?”
“The world has changed a lot. Back then, no one could have imagined the leaders of North and South sitting down together.”
“So it has.... Raise the bed a little, Muhyuk.”
At his words, I lifted the head of the bed.
Once he was propped up, I pulled a small chair to the front so he could see me more easily and sat down.
“You’ve grown so much. It feels like only yesterday that I first saw you.”
“Ten years have already passed, Grandfather.”
“...You must have held a lot of resentment toward me, haven’t you?”
After returning to this life, at first I thought only of using Grandfather as a stepping stone for revenge.
The man I knew had been cold, without blood or tears.
But the Grandfather I had seen in this life was completely different.
“It would be a lie to say I never resented you. But now, I don’t.”
In both lives—before and now—Grandfather had given everything to me.
Now I could understand why he had made that choice.
“You still have much of Misook’s face.”
“...Because I am her son.”
“She was my painful finger, yet also the one I loved most. Unlike her brothers, she knew how to care for those beneath her.”
As if painting the faint image of my mother for me, Grandfather slowly closed his eyes.
“I heard from Manager Ha and Manager Ma. That you cared for her when she was young.”
“Yes. That child never thought of Myeonghun or the others as tools. She thought of them as friends, as brothers, and as sisters.”
It was the first time we had spoken so openly about my mother.
In Grandfather’s voice recalling her, there was deep sorrow and regret.
“She had no greed at all... but my greed drove Misook to her death. I am sorry, Muhyuk.”
“I know it wasn’t your fault, Grandfather.”
“She chose the marriage herself. If I had allowed it, if I had embraced them, then she wouldn’t have died like that.”
He recalled the past with heavy regret, but his words were not the truth.
Cheon Sooman and Cheongpunghoe would have killed my mother no matter what.
“Grandfather, there’s something I want to ask you.”
I had wanted to ask this for a long time. I held his trembling hand tightly and asked carefully.
“Why did you never once try to find Mother? If you had wanted, you could have found her at any time.”
“...”
He did not answer right away. I saw his eyelids trembling.
But I did not press him. I just waited.
“I resented her for defying me, for choosing your father. It was useless stubbornness. I thought one day she would come to beg for forgiveness. But then she....”
“You still could have watched over her.”
Even if he did not help, he could have at least checked on her. If he had....
As I imagined what could have been, my chest throbbed.
“...If I had, my heart would have grown weak.”
“...”
“I am sorry, truly sorry.”
“No. I was only curious. I can tell from the way you treat me that you loved my mother.”
When I met his gaze, I saw eyes filled with sorrow.
It was as though he were searching for my mother’s face in mine.
I gave a gentle smile and said,
“Mother must have been happy.”
“I will meet her soon... and then I’ll ask her.”
At those heavy words, silence fell in the room. Grandfather was the one to break it.
“Thank you for keeping your promise with me.”
“I only didn’t want to cause you more pain. I have not forgiven him. Even now, he is colluding with Chairman Seo of Ilseong to target your wealth.”
“Yes, I know. Myeonghun told me everything.”
With a trembling voice, he closed his eyes for a moment.
When he opened them again, the weak gaze of a sick man was gone, replaced by the sharp eyes of the man he once was.
“When I die, do as you wish.”
“...”
“If giving me time to settle my heart was meant to prevent you from being shackled, then it must be someone’s will.”
His voice carried a grave weight. Again, the word miracle crossed my mind.
Perhaps the being who returned me to this life had given Grandfather this time.
“But please, forgive Jiwon, Jisoo, and Jiyoung.”
“Yes, I understand.”
“...That is enough.”
I knew how much thought it had taken him to say even that short sentence.
“Now I want to rest.”
“Grandfather....”
The light was fading from his eyes.
“Do not live a life of regret like I did. Live according to your own heart.”
“Yes, I promise I will.”
“...Now lay the bed flat.”
His voice cracked. I rose and lowered the bed.
Then sat beside him and held his hand tightly. It was colder than before.
“If I had known you earlier, would my life have been different, more enjoyable? That thought comes to me now, Muhyuk....”
His weakening voice pierced my ears. I knew the end was drawing near.
I felt instinctively that if I didn’t say it now, I would regret it forever.
“Grandfather, the truth is... I am living my second life. In my previous life, I hated you deeply.”
“...”
“But now, I respect and love you, Grandfather.”
As my words ended, his eyes slowly closed.
With a faint smile still lingering at the corners of his lips, even the weak sound of his breathing soon ceased.
The warning alarm blared loudly from the ECG machine, but I felt nothing.
I should have been crying, yet I only felt empty.
“Chairman!”
As soon as the alarm rang, Manager Ha and Manager Ma rushed into the hospital room.
I rose from my seat and yielded the space to Manager Ha.
It felt more fitting that he, rather than I, should be at Grandfather’s side at the end.
He had served Grandfather more like a son than a real son ever had.
Collapsing at the bedside, he clutched Grandfather’s cold hand and wept, sobbing loudly.
“Are you all right, sir?”
Manager Ma approached with concern. Instead of answering, I gave a slight nod.
“Please begin preparing the funeral. Once everything is arranged, notify everyone.”
“...Understood.”
As Manager Ha’s cries echoed with the alarm, doctors rushed into the room.
When one of them approached the bed with a defibrillator, I spoke.
“Do not perform CPR.”
“What?”
To the doctor’s puzzled look, I muttered quietly,
“I don’t want his body to be scarred.”
No amount of resuscitation would bring him back.
He had already lived one more day than expected, and I did not want his body further damaged.
The doctor pronounced him dead, and covered Grandfather’s face with a white cloth. ƒгeewёbnovel.com
“Manager Ha.”
I patted the shoulder of Manager Ha, who was still holding Grandfather’s hand and sobbing.
When he turned his face, it was drenched in tears.
I had never seen him like this before....
Seeing him weep so bitterly like a child made my throat burn.
“Sir....”
“He ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) passed with a smile.”
“...Yes.”
“When you have calmed yourself, contact everyone connected to Grandfather. Manager Ma and the other staff will handle the funeral preparations.”
I silently watched as they moved Grandfather’s body, then stepped out of the room.
Though Manager Ma followed, I waved him back and walked alone.
Opening the door to the rooftop garden, the cold dawn air sobered my mind.
‘Grandfather....’
From the first time I met him until now, memories of him flashed through my mind.
A sharp ache pierced my heart.
I regretted never treating him as warmly as I had treated Grandmother.
Because of Mother, I had sharpened my words and stabbed at his heart.
But as he continued to stand as my strong supporter, I gradually opened my own heart.
The more I thought about it, the more regret piled up, pressing down on my chest.
Without realizing it, tears rolled down my cheeks.
‘...Please, enjoy yourself with Mother in Heaven.’
The death of someone close never became easier, no matter how many times I faced it.
I longed for Grandmother. Though it was dawn, I pulled out my phone and called her without thinking.
The ringing went on for a long time before the line connected.
“Grandma....”
— Muhyuk? What is it? Has something happened? Why are you calling at this hour? Weren’t you supposed to be in the North?
She fired off questions without pause, but I couldn’t answer. My eyes burned, and my throat tightened.
“...Grandma.”
— Muhyuk, are you crying right now? What happened?
“Grandfather has passed away.”
I heard Grandmother draw in a sharp breath on the other end.
“If I had come according to schedule today, I would have missed his last moments.... Perhaps Heaven showed mercy, but at least he passed with a smile.”
— All right, then. Grandma will head up, so make sure the funeral is prepared properly. Understand?
“Yes.... You’re not in pain, are you, Grandma?”
— Oh, don’t you worry about me. Just send off your grandfather properly. I’ll hang up now. I’ll get ready and leave.
Just hearing her voice on the phone brought me some comfort.
After the short call, I sat blankly on a bench, staring up at the dark night sky, gathering my emotions.
I don’t know how much time passed before I heard footsteps behind me.
“Boss.”
It was Manager Ma.
“How did things go?”
I stood. His voice was subdued, so I forced myself to brighten mine.
“I’ve contacted all the family members.”
“...Haa.”
Though I pretended to be calm, a deep sigh slipped out.
“I’ve also contacted your friends. They’re all on their way now.”
“What about Manager Ha?”
“...He went out alone. He’s probably sorting out his thoughts.”
Manager Ma bit his lip and lowered his head.
“Please, let him be for now. Brother Myeonghun thought of the Chairman as a father.”
The image of Manager Ha weeping bitterly returned to me, and I nodded at Manager Ma’s words.
“Let’s go. We can’t leave the funeral hall empty.”
“Yes, sir.”
Together with Manager Ma, I entered the VIP funeral hall beside the hospital.
“Prepare to receive the guests. Make sure the reporters are handled quietly. Pay them off if you must, and if not, deal with it however you see fit.”
I wanted Grandfather’s last moments to remain quiet.
Leaving Manager Ma to answer and withdraw, I sat cross-legged before Grandfather’s portrait.
‘Grandfather, you told me to do as I wished. Today, I will decide.’
I spoke to the solemn face in the portrait.
“Grandfather, have you met Mother yet?”
“Please, don’t fight. You understand, right?”
As I spoke words that would receive no reply, Manager Ma returned with a black suit and mourning armband.
After changing clothes and coming back out, Jiyoung arrived and embraced me.
“Oppa....”
Her eyes were already swollen from crying. I patted her trembling back.
“You came? Change into your clothes and pay respects to Grandfather first.”
“Yes....”
Manager Ma led the sobbing Jiyoung away. Soon she returned in black mourning clothes and bowed before Grandfather.
“Grandfather....”
After the bow, she collapsed to the floor and wept as she gazed at his portrait.
Leaving Jiyoung, I stepped outside and asked Manager Ma,
“When is Cheon Sooman arriving?”
“He’ll be here soon. He said he was preparing when I called earlier.”
Please.... Just for Grandfather’s last moments, let it end peacefully.
If so, I will forgive.
Unconsciously biting down on my lip, I closed my eyes.
