GB 22

Haero hugged Yoon Moo-hwa  tightly.

Yoon Moo-hwa  embraced the child dangling from his waist, his body only half his size, and swallowed a sigh.

How should I tell him that I have to leave?

As time diminishes, the expiration date for what he can explain is getting shorter, and strangely, the words that came so easily to family and friends he spent his youth with won’t come out.

It’s because of the sea fog.

Yoon Moo-hwa  blamed the salty mist creeping in from the sea and starting to fill this place.

Because of the sea fog and because Haero is still too tired.

He couldn’t tell a child who had just stopped being lost that he would soon have to be alone again. Let’s wait a little longer, tell him a bit later.

Yoon Moo-hwa  decided this and, with an “oof,” lifted Haero by his armpits. He felt Haero sniffling and chuckling, then rubbing his little face against his neck. It was warm. He now knew this wasn’t from a fever, but just the child’s natural body temperature.

* * *

The port was busy. Fishing boats, merchant ships, and civilian vessels had all returned urgently, and a chaotic atmosphere hung over all the ships.

Yoon Moo-hwa ‘s ship, with its departure time suddenly changed, was no exception.

Yoon Moo-hwa  stood at the gangway for a moment, surveying the port, before moving on.

In the short time it took to cross the deck and enter the interior, he quickly became reaccustomed to the ship’s smell, which had become somewhat unfamiliar during her break.

On his way to his personal quarters to unpack, he met the Major. As the operations officer, he looked very busy due to the emergency departure. 

When Yoon Moo-hwa  saluted, the Major raised his head and acknowledged him with an “Oh.”

“Have you returned?”

“Yes, I have returned.”

The Major said, “Good work!” and lightly patted Yoon Moo-hwa ‘s shoulder.

As he unpacked and marked his return on the status board, it felt like he was fully back to his routine. Being trapped on the pirate island, meeting the child there, and bringing him back with personal feelings – it all seemed to be fading away like a dream.

“One hour before departure, one hour before departure.”

The ship’s announcement suddenly brought Yoon Moo-hwa  back to his senses. He was surprised at himself. It meant his mind had been elsewhere, and that while on the ship.

He hadn’t even said a proper goodbye to Haero. Strangely, this time the schedule wasn’t helping him. He had been busy going back and forth to the base headquarters from a week before his return, and even the departure date and time kept changing until the very end. He thought he could have lunch with him and say goodbye since the departure was supposed to be this evening at the earliest, but who knew there would be an emergency departure due to a sea monster report from a merchant ship.

“Lieutenant Yoon, it’s been a while. Did you rest well?”

Yoon Moo-hwa  quickly gathered himself and turned at the voice accompanied by the scent of coffee. 

The executive officer was smiling at him. “So. I heard you got a child at home? I have grandchildren too, but they say having one child changes the whole atmosphere of the house. Is it your son, Lieutenant Yoon?”

Knowing everything already, what a sly person.

Yoon Moo-hwa  calmly replied, “No, sir. He’s a child I rescued.”

“Is that so? The Admiral wouldn’t have given permission easily. Are you planning to raise that child as a naval officer too? Like our Lieutenant Yoon?”

There was a barb in his words.

The executive officer was a person with great ambition for success, and knowing that the captain and Yoon Moo-hwa ‘s father were quite close, he viewed Yoon Moo-hwa  even more unfavorably. People only hear what they want to hear. No matter how many times Yoon Moo-hwa  explained he wasn’t there due to connections, the executive officer would probably believe until the day Yoon Moo-hwa  retired that he got in under the captain because of his father’s influence.

“Anyway, it must be worrying. You absolutely have to make him join the navy, right? To save face after taking in a pirate child. Isn’t that so?”

Again, knowing everything already.

Yoon Moo-hwa  didn’t mind the pettiness. Wherever you go, there are people who like you and people who dislike you. Especially in this rigid and closed environment, this level was nothing.

“By the way, have you heard about the sea level?”

“I haven’t heard yet.”

“They say it’s danger level 2. Must be an exaggeration. Most reports are like that.”

Amidst the executive officer’s lazy grumbling, the ship’s announcement of 30 minutes before departure was heard.

Haero wouldn’t wake up for at least another hour from now. He’ll be very disappointed when he wakes up and finds no one at home. He’ll feel hurt. 

Yoon Moo-hwa  was still awkward after hearing about his return just before departure. Leaving like this didn’t sit well with him. He couldn’t cancel the lunch reservation, so Seon Ikhyeon agreed to take him to the restaurant.

If only it were something like a business trip. This is a deployment where he shouldn’t even hope for souvenirs to bring back.

At that moment, a long ship’s horn blast broke through Yoon Moo-hwa ‘s reverie.

Haero’s eyes suddenly opened, as if in response to the distant sound of a ship’s horn. Of course, by the time Haero woke up, Yoon Moo-hwa  had already left. He wandered around the house as if sleepwalking, but it was quiet.

“Huh…?”

Left alone in the vast space, Haero felt the urge to use the bathroom. Despite anxiously looking around, he couldn’t easily move anywhere, just shuffling in place.

Unable to wash up or go to the bathroom, Haero stood frozen until the sound of the door opening woke him from his daze.

Haero quickly raised his head and ran to the entrance. Standing in front of the inner door, he desperately hoped the person coming in would be a familiar face.

Soon, with a creaking sound, the door opened, and the person who entered was indeed a face Haero knew, but not the one he was waiting for… it was Seon Ikhyeon.

“Oh. You look disappointed.” Seon Ikhyeon smiled mischievously. “Is it because I’m not the person you were waiting for?”

Haero hesitated at Seon Ikhyeon’s question.

“Oh my. Lieutenant Yoon made a big mistake. Making a child cry. He should grow horns on his bottom.”

Seon Ikhyeon knelt in front of Haero and gently wiped his small face. Only then did Haero realize he had been crying. Had the urge to use the bathroom disappeared because he cried? Haero felt so listless he didn’t even want to go to the bathroom, and continued to cry endlessly without thinking of stopping.

“The Lieutenant asked me to take good care of you. To teach you too.”

It was five days ago that Yoon Moo-hwa  said he had to return to the sea. That’s when he cut Haero’s hair, and Yoon Moo-hwa  also shaved the lower part of his own hair.

He never specifically said when he would leave. But it seems that day has come in the meantime.

Haero was more shocked by the fact that he left without saying anything to him than by his departure itself.

Haero asked urgently, “He’s coming back, right?”

“Lieutenant Yoon?” Seon Ikhyeon tilted his head, then quickly nodded, “Of course. Definitely.”

Instead of the more realistic statement that he would return if nothing happened, he made a promise. 

I’m sorry, Lieutenant Yoon. You don’t like groundless promises. That’s probably why you didn’t tell the child either. 

As far as he knew, this departure was an emergency one, earlier than the original schedule.

He felt sorry for the child who was trying hard to suppress his sobs while crying for a long time. It’s okay to cry more. But Seon Ikhyeon, who had almost had a criminal record as a real pirate, understood Haero. Enduring, hiding, and concealing were survival methods for children in that world.

Haero, who had been hiccupping, looked up at Seon Ikhyeon while clutching his clothes. It was the pajamas Yoon Moo-hwa  had bought for Haero just before leaving.

“How can I go with Yoon Moo-hwa ?”

Seon Ikhyeon scratched his head. “The fastest and easiest way would be… joining the navy, I guess?”

Since he said he wanted to go together, not just ride a ship, that was the only thing that came to mind. No, in fact, that was the only way.

“If I do that, if that works, can I be on the same ship as Yoon Moo-hwa ?”

Seon Ikhyeon felt troubled by the question asked between rough, hiccupping breaths.

How could he tell a child holding back tears bursting like a faucet that even if you join the navy, it’s difficult unless you’re really, really lucky and an amazing coincidence aligns?

After pondering, Seon Ikhyeon finally told a white lie, “If you become a naval officer, that might be possible.”

“How… how do you do that?”

“You can enter when they recruit, or there’s also the Naval Academy.”

“What about Yoon Moo-hwa ? How did Yoon Moo-hwa  do it?”

It felt strange to say it now, but of course Yoon Moo-hwa  had graduated from the Naval Academy.

Yoon Moo-hwa  said he had acted as if his life was predetermined from birth. He lived without any flaws, but also without any noticeable enthusiasm. He said he naturally accepted becoming a marine officer just like growing taller as he aged.

“He graduated from the academy.”

But does this kid really need to go there? Seon Ikhyeon was a bit worried because he knew about the exclusionary atmosphere within the Naval Academy towards those with pirate backgrounds, which he had experienced himself.

But he soon concluded that his concern was excessive. He’s still a child. Isn’t this the age when dreams change several times a day? Besides, it hasn’t been long since he met Yoon Moo-hwa , so this must be when his admiration for him is at its peak. Things like uniforms and warships must look very attractive too. Even though the reality is incredibly hard work.

“Then if I go to that school, I could do the same…”

As the uncertain words trailed off, Seon Ikhyeon smiled. It’s good to respect children’s dreams, no matter how unrealistic they may seem. Given his own background, he found it admirable that Haero now had a completely different goal than before. This kid wouldn’t have been able to dream of anything else if he had stayed at that pirate island.

“You know what? You can do it. If you work hard, it’s possible.”

Now, the Naval Academy had become the most competitive among the three military academies, including the Army and Air Force, but it wasn’t impossible.

And unlike Seon Ikhyeon’s light-hearted mix of admiration and fondness, Haero felt a persistent desire. A strong greed arose in him. While on the island, he had admired ships, but not this intensely. He had thought he would naturally board one when the time came. And on the island, there was only one ship to board, so there was no need for desperation.

But now it was different.

He wanted to board the same ship as Yoon Moo-hwa. Just as Moo-hwa had left without a word, Haero wanted to pack his bags and say, “I’m boarding that ship too, you know.”

“There will be someone to look after you while I’m gone, Haero. If you want, they can teach you before you enter school. Of course, if you don’t want to, you don’t have to.”

Yoon Moo-hwa often said that until a few days before leaving. He told him to do what he wanted. Back then, there wasn’t much he wanted to do. Well, take a nap? Visit another hamburger restaurant?

But now it was clear.

He wanted to board a ship with him. He had to board a ship.

“Once we leave, we’re usually out for about a month. Sometimes we come back a little earlier, sometimes later. No one knows for sure.” This is what Yoon Moo-hwa said when Haero pestered him about when he would return.

It was an uncertain answer.

Haero couldn’t stand that.

“Are you okay? Should I get you some water? Have you stopped crying now?”

The tears had stopped at some point. But there was something more urgent than water. His mind racing, Haero couldn’t even tell Seon Ikhyeon, who was looking at him with concern, to wait a moment before his body moved quickly.

Haero ran up the stairs barefoot. His destination was not his own room, but Yoon Moo-hwa ‘s.

The empty room showed no signs of its owner’s absence. Just as when Yoon Moo-hwa had returned, there was not a hint of human warmth. As if that was its natural state.

Haero looked resentfully at the empty chair.

While he had been learning letters and reading books, Yoon Moo-hwa had been drawing sea charts there.

Looking at the large sea charts, Yoon Moo-hwa must have been waiting for the day to return to the sea. The sea must have been his land. He might have even gotten seasick on land instead.

“How mean.” Muttering as if spitting out the words, Haero dragged Yoon Moo-hwa’s chair, which was bigger than his own body.

To take him out on a whim and then leave him behind.

Haero would make sure it never happened again. He would follow him. He was persistent. On the island, he had memorized types of grass faster than his third brother and learned to swim even after swallowing sea water and vomiting countless times.

He had to show that side of himself to Yoon Moo-hwa. He would prove that he could be a real contributor, someone who could become a proper adult not just on the island, but in this bigger world.

The window in Yoon Moo-hwa’s room was higher than in his own. Haero placed the chair by the window and stood on it.

Far away was the naval port. It was barely visible. But Haero stared for a long time as if he could see the empty space where the port should be.