A Golden Holiday (3)

“When he went to serve in the military, he seemed relieved to be finally leaving our house. Ever since then, the letters from him had become increasingly sparse, until eventually he stopped contacting me altogether.”

“…but Sang-Beom, there’s just one thing that we need to discuss.”

While listening to his story, there was something that was troubling me.

“If it turns out that your hyung just doesn’t want to see you, what will you do?”

His expression filled with shock. It seemed like that thought had never once crossed his mind. Previously, he had been certain that his brother’s disappearance had something to do with his parents, and the only reason he escaped that fate was because he was too young.

“Of course, I know that you and your hyung were close, but aren’t you old enough to understand? If your hyung really wanted to contact you, then he could have done it in secrecy. But seeing as how that hasn’t happened, there might be other circumstances.”

Although I had said it in a roundabout way, Sang-Beom understood the meaning behind my words. I meant that his hyung may have decided to abandon everything in order to start a new life, and that he could have been part of the dark past that his hyung had left behind.

After chewing his bottom lip softly, he nodded his head.

“That could also be the case. I can respect it if it is. Since everyone has the right to live their own life the way they want. However, I still need to know whether he’s alive or not. What if hyung does want to come see me, but he physically can’t? If his own family doesn’t look for him, then who will.”

The boy’s eyes shone brightly with unshed tears.

Fine then. Just how many people must there be who would have been lost and forgotten if not for their family? Since they’re family, then this is definitely the least that we can do.

“If hyung says that he doesn’t want to see me, I’ll turn back without a protest. That’s why, let’s just find him first.”

After rummaging through his bag, Sang-Beom pulled out a stack of old letters. They had all kinds of different designs and sizes. They were covered in marks from Sang-Beom’s fingers. It looked like they had been carefully read over and over again.

“These are the letters that my hyung started sending me while he was serving in the army. With the way that my family is, the phone is usually broken. That’s why he sent any news to me by mail.”

There was nothing remarkable written in the letters. They had things like what training was like that day, whether or not that night’s dinner had been delicious, and so on. It was all trivial and routine, so I skimmed the first few. Then the design of the envelope changed. It was now a pale yellow color, not something from the stationery that they use in the military.

“After my hyung was discharged from the army, he decided to travel. While working for his bed and board, he wandered all over the country. It seemed like he was debating about whether or not he should go to college, and what he wanted to do from then on.”

So he had been at a point in his life where he had a lot of things that he needed to consider. I spread out the letters and arranged them in chronological order. The very last of the letters had been sent from a place in Nohyeong Borough, Jeju Island.

I tilted my head to the side in curiosity.

“So he went down all the way to Jeju?”

“There are a lot of guesthouses there. It seems like he was able to earn both food and a bed by working at a guesthouse. Although the wages were next to nothing, it at least gave him the opportunity to sightsee.”

“Hmmm.”

I skimmed the contents, but he didn’t say which guesthouse he had stayed in. The address on the letter was also a general address, without a street or a number.

“This means that, for now, this is your hyung’s last confirmed location.”

“That’s right.”

“Then let’s go there.”

“Huh?”

I packed away the letters and got up. In the distance, it looked like Chief Kim was on the verge of pulling his own hair out because of how the children were teasing him. He was such a docile person that he couldn’t even bear to stop the little kids from having their fun.

“Chief Kim!”

“Y-yes!”

“Please arrange some plane tickets for a trip to Jeju.”

“Jeju? When are you leaving?”

I turned back to look at the children.

“How about right now?”

“Right now? Us as well?” Sang-Beom and Ji-Hye asked in bewilderment.

“If you want to go, then just follow me. I’ll buy your plane tickets.”

“Why even ask! Of course we’re going.”

“After you tell your parents.”

“These days, those people don’t even come home very often. And they have no interest in me.”

What the… His family really was quite the mess. After some hesitation, Ji-Hye decided to stick with me. Though her movements looked stiff, as if she was nervous about something.

“I’d like to as well. Although this is all so sudden, since I’m going along with a police officer, my parents should allow it. Also I… I’ve never been on an airplane.”

So rather than nerves, it seemed more like she was excited about it. I turned back to Chief Kim and shouted.

“Four of the earliest tickets to Jeju Airport.”

“Why four tickets, sir?”

“Chief Kim also has to come along, of course. Since it’s a golden holiday, let’s all have some fun together,” I said to him with a wide grin.

Unsure of whether he should be happy or sad, Chief Kim gave me a twisted smile.