Chapter 130

< The Unsent Season (5) >

***

As the sun set, the number of visitors to the igloo increased.

Yang Gang-wook, who had just gotten off work, and other SSS members, including Moon Seok-il, were wide-eyed when they saw the igloo Jin Hyuk had made.

“Did he make this all by himself?”

“Yoo Jin helped too.”

It was hard to believe that something of this scale was made in less than half a day.

“Here, look at this. Kimchi-.”

Min Yong-rak captured the igloo and the children with his camera. It had become his hobby since moving to the countryside.

It was a familiar sight to Jin Hyuk.

Back in the day, whenever they went on workshops, Manager Min Yong-rak would take pictures of the young team members as they played. Jin Hyuk would always linger nearby, worried that the manager might feel lonely. He never approached or spoke to him, afraid of making the team leader uncomfortable.

“It’s like serving food in a prison cell.”

Jang Jin-nam left some kimchi and dongchimi to go with the potatoes.

“Auntie, try this too.”

Every time a visitor came, Yoo Jin handed them a potato, so Jin Hyuk had to keep making charcoal and roasting potatoes. The heat caused the snow bricks to melt and refreeze, making them even stronger.

“Hahaha! Is this a housewarming party?”

Son Kwang-yeon laughed heartily as he looked at the three humans and four dogs sitting around the bonfire. It was a scene that made you forget the fatigue of the day. Yeah, even if it’s just the kids, they’re building memories and feeling the seasons, which is why we did this.

“Dad, try this too.”

“Thanks, daughter.”

Son Kwang-yeon picked up a potato with a charred black skin and headed home.

I’ll share this with my wife. The skin might be tough, but the inside will be fluffy and warm. Just like a father’s heart.

“Jin Hyuk, how long will this ice house last?”

Choi Mi-kyung, who had soot around her mouth from eating potatoes, looked up at the igloo’s ceiling.

The teenager Choi Mi-kyung had apologized to Jin Hyuk after realizing she had misunderstood and thought Son Yoo-jin was the butt-grabbing culprit. Jin Hyuk, who didn’t even know why she was apologizing, just nodded.

“They say this winter will stay cold. It’ll last a few more days.”

Jin Hyuk looked worriedly at the ceiling, which was thinner than the walls.

I hope it lasts long, but how much longer can it hold?

Even the frozen reservoir melts differently each day. Since the igloo is made of snow, it’ll melt even faster.

“I hope it doesn’t melt until spring.”

“Until spring?”

Jin Hyuk was surprised by Choi Mi-kyung’s words.

He thought his friend Choi Mi-kyung was a very practical person, far from being romantic, so this was unexpected.

“Yeah. I’ll play here every day with Yoo Jin and the dogs. We’ll roast sweet potatoes and chestnuts too.”

“Wow! That sounds fun!”

Yoo Jin seemed to hope for the same.

Both seemed to react to the idea of food, but anyway.

‘It’s not like I have a surefire solution.’

He had put all his effort into building this igloo, so of course, as the builder, he’d be happier if it lasted longer without collapsing.

“Can you make that happen, oppa?”

“Well…?”

Scratching his cheek at the awkward question, Jin Hyuk got soot on his face too.

His sister’s eyes were filled with desperate hope, but there were clearly things Jin Hyuk couldn’t do. He’s not Elsa, after all. How could he make this winter last longer?

Jin Hyuk, who had been making a serious face, suddenly smiled mischievously.

“They say if you wish hard enough, your dreams come true.”

“Wish hard?”

Yoo Jin is still a child. As her older brother, all he could do was give her hope and teach her the importance of wishing for something with all her heart.

It was Jin Hyuk’s way of making up for not having someone who could tell him such things.

“Yeah. Remember when you were upset with me because of the formula?”

Yoo Jin nodded vigorously. She had been really upset.

“So when you didn’t talk to me for two days, how did we become friends again?”

Choi Mi-kyung, the teenager, rolled her eyes in the middle of this. What on earth are they talking about? Are these grown-ups really arguing over formula?

“Oppa hugged me.”

“That’s right. Oppa really wanted to see you smile, so I talked to you first, hugged you, and shared the formula.”

“Ah…”

Did she understand what he meant?

Yoo Jin, sniffling, nodded with her mouth wide open.

Was the word “desperate” this hard to explain? Jin Hyuk wasn’t sure if his sister understood. He scratched the back of his head.

Then.

Crackle crackle-. A strange sound layered over the sound of the burning firewood.

Groooaaan-.

It was Yoo Jin, who had eaten three potatoes and was now letting out a big burp.

“Oh my-. You can’t do that, young lady.”

Choi Mi-kyung laughed in shock.

Then Yoo Jin suddenly stood up.

Was she going to apologize with a bow?

“Hehe-. Unnie, want some kkakka?”

“Huh? Kkakka?”

What’s in her pocket? As Choi Mi-kyung leaned over to check Yoo Jin’s pocket.

Pffft-.

Yoo Jin, who had moved her hand to her butt, suddenly thrust her hand in front of Choi Mi-kyung’s nose.

Then she opened her chubby hand wide and laughed.

“Here. Fart kkakka. Hehehehe-.”

Hahahaha-.

Well done, my sister! Jin Hyuk clapped and cheered, while Choi Mi-kyung, who had been grimacing, finally burst out laughing.

Only the extremely sensitive Jang Gun-i escaped the igloo as if a chemical alarm had gone off.

The night deepened.

Yoo Jin started to have a runny nose.

After dropping off Choi Mi-kyung and returning, Jin Hyuk covered the remaining embers in the igloo with snow.

Now it’s time for both humans and dogs to sleep.

Jin Hyuk also checked on Jang Gun-i’s house. To keep them warm, he had stacked straw bales around the entrance, leaving only the entrance open. With four dogs huddled together, it wasn’t cold at all—in fact, it was quite warm. Straw really is the best for insulation.

“Sleep well, Jang Gun-i.”

Even though it was a daily greeting, it felt special.

Because together with Jang Gun-i and Yoo Jin, they had added another page of happy memories.

While Jin Hyuk was petting Jang Gun-i’s head, Yoo Jin glanced at her brother and then placed her hand on the igloo.

She closed her eyes and moved her little lips.

“Kratz love-.”

Squeak squeak-.

Hehe-.

Oppa was right. If you wish hard enough, it comes true.

Son Yoo-jin opened her eyes wide and grinned.

***

The year changed, but the igloo didn’t melt.

No matter how cold it was, when the sun rose, the snow and ice should have melted, but it was a strange phenomenon.

Day by day, it seemed to freeze and melt repeatedly, becoming even stronger.

Even as the snow melted, revealing yellow grass and early spring plants sprouting here and there, the igloo still stood in its dazzling glory.

Jang Gun-i and his dog friends seemed determined to spend the winter in the igloo, leaving their doghouse behind and sleeping in the igloo every night. Every night, Jin Hyuk added a bonfire to keep them warm. Jang Gun-i seemed to be truly enjoying the romance of winter.

Yoo Jin, always cute but especially so in her bright yellow dress with her hair in two pigtails, stood out even more today. While her mom was getting ready, Yoo Jin went upstairs to find her brother.

“Oppa, let’s go.”

“Yeah. I will.”

Jin Hyuk was also ready to go out. His outfit was just jeans, a polo shirt, and a bomber jacket, but he had styled his short hair with mousse, trying to look cool.

‘Ugh, I look like a thug.’

Maybe I should just shave it off. He sighed as he looked in the mirror.

“Be careful, careful-.”

“Yes-.”

Holding Yoo Jin’s hand, they went down to the living room.

Mom still had to take care of the young Jeong Won, so this was when Jin Hyuk stepped in as the older brother.

If Dad had just been farming, both parents would have gone together, but now that Dad had become a businessman, he had a lot to take care of at the industrial complex every day.

If Jin Hyuk hadn’t been there, Mom would have carried Jeong Won and held Yoo Jin’s hand on the way to school.

Is this what they mean by being helpful just by existing?

Jin Hyuk felt proud to be doing his part in the family.

Kim In-rang, who had warmed up the sedan, opened the back door for Han Yu-young. Jin Hyuk helped Yoo Jin into the other side and then got into the passenger seat.

“We’ll be back soon. Jang Gun-i, stay home.”

Woof-!

Now that he had underlings, Jang Gun-i couldn’t just leave whenever he wanted.

If the gentle Hong Shi got mistreated while Jang Gun-i was away, it would be a problem.

As he stepped on the gas, Kim In-rang glanced in the rearview mirror.

A seven-year-old girl with an excited face looking out the window caught his eye.

“Yoo Jin, do you like going to kindergarten?”

Today was Yoo Jin’s kindergarten orientation day.

“Yes-. Hehe.”

“Why do you like it?”

“They said there are lots of friends.”

Jin Hyuk was secretly worried.

The school would soon be gone, so how many friends would Yoo Jin have?

But since there were more than seven, the kindergarten must be staying open.

It was probably the same when Jin Hyuk graduated.

Afraid that his own regrets might transfer to his sister, he puffed out his cheeks and let out a small breath.

In the past, they would have walked, but the road, now expanded to two lanes, didn’t have sidewalks or shoulders. The space between the lanes and the guardrails was neglected, with weeds acting like they owned the place.

So they took the car.

As expected, no one was walking on the road.

Other prospective students probably used buses or cars too.

‘Maybe there are no students because there are no people.’

As they got closer to the school, Jin Hyuk’s worries deepened.

Whether she knew her brother’s feelings or not, Yoo Jin hummed a song.

“Daddy bear is fat-, Daddy dog is fat-, Daddy cow is fat-.”

Who on earth taught her this song? It sounded more like a war song declaring war on all the dads in the world than a children’s song.

It was a good thing Dad wasn’t here. Even at forty, he maintained a Rambo-like physique, and he would have been extremely upset.

Thanks to the well-paved road, they arrived at the school in less than five minutes.

The asphalt was laid down—a truly dramatic change.

But the changes weren’t limited to the road.

“Huh?”

“What?”

Jin Hyuk and Han Yu-young both made puzzled faces.

It was understandable that the school had been repainted before the new semester.

“Why are there so many people?”

“Maybe it’s because of the elementary school orientation too?”

But that didn’t explain why there were so many people.

Their clothes were unfamiliar too.

People getting off buses, people parking their cars and walking—the narrow school entrance was packed.

By a rough estimate, there were over 60 people.

And that didn’t include the people already on the school grounds.

“Let’s go in.”

Jin Hyuk held Yoo Jin’s hand and walked.

He wanted to carry her, but he thought Yoo Jin should practice walking on her own.

They greeted the teacher at the gate, who was guiding people.

It was Choi Eung-muk, Jin Hyuk’s favorite teacher.

“Hello.”

“Yes, hello. Welcome.”

Choi Eung-muk bowed his head.

Ah, does he not recognize me?

It was his first visit since graduation, so it made sense. Even now, Choi Eung-muk’s eye level was much higher than his.

“Oh my-, Jin Hyuk’s mom. Hello.”

At least he recognized Mom.

Realizing his mistake, Choi Eung-muk’s eyes widened as he looked up at Jin Hyuk.

“Oh my-! It’s you? Hahaha!”

Jin Hyuk was worried he might say something about looking old, but no such comment came.

He did say he thought Jin Hyuk was a soldier, though. Ugh.

“There are so many people?”

“It’s thanks to General Family.”

Ah, now he understood why there were so many people.

As everyone knew, the agricultural-industrial complex wasn’t just for local jobs. There were management and research positions too, so it was natural for outside talent to come in. To ensure smooth operations, Hong Ki-jun helped recruit capable employees.

Not to mention the employees from General Family’s partners and other companies that had moved into the complex.

With experienced workers moving in and buying homes near their workplaces, the number of new students at Eodong Elementary School was unexpectedly high.

And there was more.

“There are a lot of transfer students too.”

“Yes.”

That made sense.

There must be parents with children already enrolled.

But that wasn’t all.

“Some people are coming specifically for the track and field program.”

“Huh?”