12-3

by Han Yong-un

The train began to move slowly.

Black smoke spread out over the rain-soaked sky.

Sun-young hid far away and only watched the smoke.

Which car is Dae-cheol in right now?

Is he looking out the window?

Is he thinking of her?

She couldn't know anything.

Just—

All she could see was the train moving away.

Passengers began to come out of the station one by one.

Sun-young hid her body again.

In case someone might see her.

But she couldn't hide her eyes until the end.

And a moment later—

She saw Jeong-sik and Jeong-soon walking out together.

Jeong-sik was almost close enough to wrap his arm around Jeong-soon’s shoulder, and the two were talking and laughing much more affectionately than before.

The moment she saw that—

The jealousy that had been building towards Jeong-soon until just a moment ago vanished like a lie.

As if melting away like spring snow.

Instead, a completely different emotion surged.

Envy.

It was a deep and poignant envy.

Sun-young stared blankly at the two.

And slowly turned her head again to find the smoke of the departing train.

But this time, she could hardly see the smoke.

Whether it was because of the rain-soaked air or because her vision was blurred.

Sun-young unknowingly closed her eyes and opened them again.

‘I wonder where they are by now…’

As that thought crossed her mind, her heart felt heavy again.

Jeong-sik and Jeong-soon had already entered a nearby restaurant.

Only then did Sun-young come to her senses.

She had been standing in front of the fruit shop for too long.

Feeling awkward for no reason, she bought a few fruits that she didn't really need and slowly turned to leave.

The way home felt strangely long.

Her heart, which had been beating as if alive until just a moment ago—

Seemed to have drifted far away with the train.

As Sun-young entered the house, Sook-ja was just coming out with something in her hands.

“Hey.”

Sook-ja said as she looked at her.

“You have a telegram.”

Sun-young froze for a moment.

“……A telegram?”

She felt her heart sink without realizing it.

She had hardly ever received a telegram.

No—

It was the first time a telegram had come in her name.

Sun-young's mind raced with various thoughts.

Could it be from Dae-cheol?

But soon she dismissed that thought.

No matter how fast he was, it wouldn't be time for him to arrive in Gyeongseong and send a telegram by now.

Instead, that made her even more anxious.

“Who sent it?”

“I don't know.”

Sook-ja looked curious as well.

“I just received it and haven't opened it.”

Sun-young looked down at the telegram.

Her fingertips trembled slightly.

And she carefully opened the envelope.

A short sentence caught her eye.

〈Song family critically ill, direct visit〉

In that moment, Sun-young's face hardened.

“Critically ill…”

She muttered blankly.

People often said.

That critically ill means one is about to die.

Some said it was almost the same as saying someone had already died.

Sun-young suddenly felt her mind go blank.

Sook-ja asked from the side.

“Who is it?”

Sun-young finally opened her mouth after a long pause.

“It's from Gyeongseong…”

The air in the room felt heavy.

Should she go or not.

A conversation briefly passed.

There were words saying that going immediately wouldn't change anything, and also that it was right to go at least once.

In the end, Sook-ja firmly said.

“Still, it’s right to go.”

Sun-young stared at the telegram for a while and then slowly nodded.

And—

She began to prepare to leave for Gyeongseong soon.