Chapter 318

Intan (Intern) (6)

Despite the weight of his words, Hong Ki-jun’s smile was as light as Yoo Se-ra’s.

Couples do resemble each other, don’t they?

Even the mischievous glint in his eyes, teasing and gauging reactions, was similar.

Still, for the sake of politeness, he had to pretend to be surprised.

“Whaaat?”

Jin Hyuk deliberately widened his eyes.

Even he thought it was surprisingly sneaky and despicable how quick-witted he was.

Hahahaha!

Hong Ki-jun laughed, clutching his stomach.

“Just kidding, just kidding.”

No, what kind of joke is that, making me all excited?

I knew it was a joke, but it was still fun.

‘Not funny.’

Seeing is believing.

I could do it if you asked me to. Jin Hyuk’s lips pouted.

Hong Ki-jun straightened his posture.

“What I’m about to say is a secret even from your family. Your dad begged me, but I didn’t tell him because it’s internal company information. It’s a secret only I know for now. You’ll find out soon too. I thought about telling you on your first day of work, but that didn’t seem right.”

Hmm. This guy is getting into his little pleasures again.

A surprise show. He used to do this often in his past life.

There was even a time when he showed up with a bouquet of reconciliation flowers at a dinner celebrating Executive Director Hong Soo-jung’s birthday. The ending wasn’t beautiful.

Jin Hyuk guessed Hong Ki-jun’s plan.

‘He’ll probably assign me to the same department as Manager Min Yong-rak. Then I’ll be working with that guy, and since I can’t stay long due to sports or competitions, Manager Min Yong-rak will be my mentor and assistant. So, I’ll start as a deputy.’

If it’s a career position, he could be a manager, but Hong Ki-jun would also have to consider the morale of the employees.

A deputy at a conglomerate. Not bad for a 20-year-old fresh out of society.

“I won’t tell anyone.”

“There’s one topic in the recruitment test that the chairman sets. Prove you’re worthy of receiving this item in the recruitment test. If you’ve mastered all my lectures, you should be able to solve it easily.”

Hong Ki-jun tapped his chest with his index finger.

“And I’ve been thinking for a long time about something I’d like you to take on, and I think this is it…”

Hong Ki-jun’s expression was so serious that Jin Hyuk listened silently without showing any emotion.

***

He couldn’t refuse the offer to be taken by a quadcopter.

At any other time, he would have declined, but he really wanted to see his family.

‘Now, only good and exciting things will happen.’

There’s no better time for the cliché expression “hopeful future.”

The expectation that I can go out into the world and live an exciting life.

I graduated from high school, got my license, and even completed military training.

With a solid network and wealth that guarantees success, what can’t I do?

‘And I have family too.’

Jin Hyuk smiled contentedly as he saw his house approaching.

His younger siblings were jumping around after spotting the quadcopter while playing on the lawn.

Even though it flew slowly, it took only 20 minutes to reach home from the rooftop of the Sein Group headquarters. The pilot dropped Jin Hyuk off in the garden and left.

“Brotherrrr! Brother! Brother!”

“Yessss! Yes! Yes!”

Woof! Woof!

He tightly hugged the tearfully welcoming kids.

It’s only been four weeks, but they’re this happy to see me.

‘My family.’

He also took turns petting Jang Gun-i and his dog friends.

“You worked hard protecting my siblings, you guys. Jang Gun-i, Hong-shi, Gwang-ma, Geon-ma…”

But Cheon-ma was nowhere to be seen.

Ah, surely not…

The image of Cheon-ma struggling to get up early to see him off on the day he entered the training camp flashed through his mind.

“Yoo Jin, where’s Cheon-ma?”

Yoo Jin, who had been smiling brightly at her brother after a long time, darkened her face.

“Cheon-ma has no strength… He hasn’t been eating. It’s been a while.”

“Yesss. Cheon-ma, he didn’t drink water, so Son Jeong-won fed him like this.”

Jeong Won-i mimicked scooping water with both hands.

The image of a child pouring water into the mouth of an old dog lying on its side came to mind.

“Oh no… Our Cheon-ma is not doing well…”

Jin Hyuk quickly turned grim and hurried over.

Cheon-ma was lying weakly in front of the doghouse.

Hie…

Upon seeing Jin Hyuk, he tried to get up several times but eventually collapsed.

His trembling limbs no longer showed the vigor of his youth.

Just last year, he was still active…

Is this what it feels like to have your heart cut by a knife?

Biting his lip tightly, Jin Hyuk rushed over, knelt down, and comforted Cheon-ma.

“Cheon-ma, it’s okay. Don’t get up.”

Kiiii…

Cheon-ma struggled to open his eyelids and looked up at the source of the voice.

But it seemed too hard to keep his eyes open; he licked Jin Hyuk’s hand once and let out a rough breath.

Hiss… Hiss… Only the hot breath proved he was still alive, but Cheon-ma no longer showed the majesty of a fierce dog.

“Oh, you… Were you holding on, waiting for me?”

Tears welled up instantly, and his throat tightened.

Kiiii…

The metallic sound from the old dog was accompanied by the pain of a rusty nail scratching his eardrum.

‘Come out.’

【The canine is dying.】

Even though he called out with his bare body, he could withstand Dugu Elil.

The headache was only a slight throbbing, and there was no oppressive force on his heart.

Perhaps it was because the connection had weakened. Or maybe it was because he was desperate that he could endure it so easily.

‘Is it difficult? To extend his life… or let him live ten more years?’

【Impossible. Every world has its rules. Lifespan is also a rule of the world.】

It was too firm.

The dry tone, as if to exclude any hope, made him stubborn.

‘Can’t you extend life? Like when you saved my friend?’

【Bringing back a soul and extending a lifespan beyond what’s given are completely different powers. I can do it with my power, but it’s a power I can’t exercise through another’s body. Even if it’s your body.】

‘Then come directly. I’ll apologize for cursing and speaking informally. Please come…’

【Losing your cool is unlike you. I’m also imprisoned and being punished. And if I manifest, that world won’t withstand my power and will be destroyed. Didn’t you hear from the old man?】

Though firm, the tone was cautious, knowing Jin Hyuk’s desperation.

Still, no hopeful words came.

Seeing Cheon-ma’s tongue, dirty and hanging out, tears welled up.

Death.

The final gate of life that no one can avoid.

Even if you don’t want to face it, as a humble life, it’s an inevitable end.

“Oh no… Cheon-ma. Cheon-maaa… Oh, you… You suffered so much and now you’re leaving. Waaah…”

Tears flowed uncontrollably.

Even after wiping the sand off Cheon-ma’s tongue and putting it back in his mouth, it kept hanging out. Seeing this, Jin Hyuk’s sobs escaped.

Tears quickly covered his vision, and snot dirtied his lips.

“Hiiiiing…”

“Waaah…”

As Jin Hyuk cried, Yoo Jin and Jeong Won-i also burst into tears.

Kiiii…

Cheon-ma, with all his strength, licked under Yoo Jin and Jeong Won-i’s eyes as if telling them not to cry, then slumped again.

【A loyal one. He’s sorry he couldn’t protect these kids longer.】

‘You understand dog language?’

【Don’t you?】

‘Of course not! What else? Anything else?’

He shook Cheon-ma, whose limbs had gone limp.

“Cheon-ma! Say more! More!”

Kiiii…

【He says he waited for you to return. He was happy with you all.】

At those words, tears burst out like a hot spring.

His face, now clearer without dirt, twisted unattractively.

“Oh nooo! Cheon-maaaa! Let’s live together a bit longer, you fool!”

Jin Hyuk didn’t even know what he was saying.

He was just babbling whatever came out.

How can one remain detached when facing an unexpected tragedy as someone who once overflowed with happiness?

Hiii…

【Even in death, I’ll protect your family.】

Those words made it even sadder.

“Noooooo! Waaaaah! Noooooo! Cheon-maaa!”

The dog who would wake up first and wait by the door when he left early to catch the school bus. The one with a black snout, looking like a bearded bear dad. The one who always sat upright, making you wonder if he ever slept.

Cheon-ma, the loyal shepherd, fell asleep without a word of complaint, leaving only loyal words.

All Jin Hyuk could do was hug Cheon-ma’s limp head and wail.

“Oh nooo, you fool, you can’t go…”

“Waaaaah… Cheon-maaa…”

“Cheon-maaaa… Waaaaah…”

Yoo Jin and Jeong Won-i also clung to Cheon-ma like babies seeking their mother.

Wooowooowooo!

Wooowooowoo!

Wooowooowooo!

Jang Gun-i and his friends also stretched their necks. Howling in grief for their friend’s death.

【He’s already passed.】

‘I know. That’s why I’m sad. Will this guy go to a good place? Somewhere safe and without suffering?’

【I guarantee it. I’ll intervene.】

Wooowooowooo!

The dogs’ howls tore at Jin Hyuk’s heavy heart even more.

“Oh nooo… Poor Cheon-ma, what do we do…”

“Waaaaah… Brother. Cheon-ma’s not breathing…”

If only it would rain, but the spring evening, with cherry blossoms starting to bloom, was cruelly clear.

***

Through the shyly peeking pink petals, an unremarkable sunset passed.

But the slowly darkening sky was clear and beautiful.

Like a living being changing from birth to death, the sunset also ignited life.

Thud! Thud!

Wiping his running nose with the back of his hand, he focused on digging.

The lingering tears occasionally made his chest heave.

Cheon-ma loved water, so he wanted to bury him on a hill with a good view of the stream.

Somewhere visible from the house would be nice. So he chose a spot near where Yoo Jin used to dig and hide.

“You dig well…”

Moon Seok-il, who had come to help, chose his words carefully.

He was someone who rarely showed weakness.

But now, with tears like chicken droppings, he silently cried for the dog he raised. Suppressing sobs, his quiet crying was even more pitiful and heartbreaking.

‘This must be what it means to be human.’

Perhaps it was the contagion of emotions, but Moon Seok-il’s eyes were also bloodshot.

Sniff…

Yoo Jin and Jeong Won-i, with swollen eyes, crouched nearby, hugging their knees. The siblings watched the grave being dug, whispering to each other.

“Sis… Did Cheon-ma go to heaven?”

“Yeah.”

“Son Jeong-won, can’t we see Cheon-ma anymore? Cheon-ma, won’t pull my sled anymore?”

In winter, Jeong Won-i used to enjoy sledding on the snow-covered lawn with a fertilizer bag sled.

Cheon-ma would pull the sled by biting a long rope attached to the bag. Though not fast, Cheon-ma would often look back to check if Jeong Won-i had fallen. That image lingered in Yoo Jin’s mind.

“Yeah. We can’t see him anymore… I’ll pull your sled.”

Not wanting to show weakness in front of her younger brother, Son Yoo-jin forced a smile, brushing Jeong Won-i’s forehead.

Her brother’s bangs had grown long, almost poking his eyes. She should tell their mom to trim them.

“Jeong Won. But Cheon-ma can still see us. Cheon-ma lived happily and left. That’s what brother said.”

“Cheon-ma, happy?”

“Yeah!”

As Son Yoo-jin nodded firmly, the tears in her big eyes fell.

“Uncle Jin-nam said Cheon-ma goes to the martial world when he dies. He probably went there.”

“Cheon-ma, martial world, yeah, went there, but can Son Jeong-won see him?”

“They can see us there. They can see our house too.”

Jeong Won-i pondered his sister’s words.

It wasn’t something he could easily understand.

But he definitely understood that Cheon-ma could see this place.

“Sis, Cheon-ma, likes flowers?”

“Huh? Should we plant flowers on Cheon-ma’s grave?”

Wiping her tears, Son Yoo-jin stood up and pulled her brother up.

There were many flower seeds stored in the shed, collected with their mom every fall.

***

The sun had set, but the streetlights kept it from being dark.

Usually, they weren’t turned on to help plants grow, but they were switched on for the work.

With Jo Seol-chan, who had returned from work, they made a coffin out of wood.

They carefully wrapped Cheon-ma in canvas provided by Jang Jin-nam and laid him in the coffin.

“Yesss, Cheon-ma, not stuffy?”

“Yeah. He’ll be fine.”

Han Yu-young placed colorful flowers in Cheon-ma’s coffin.

Hearing the children’s cries, she came out to cry with them and then went to Jo Il-hun’s house to get flowers.

“This spot gets good sunlight and has a nice view of the stream. Cheon-ma would like it.”

Some might criticize it for ruining the scenery, but Han Yu-young supported her son’s decision.

They washed Cheon-ma’s favorite bone and tied it with a black ribbon, placing it beside him.

When Son Kwang-yeon returned from work, they closed the coffin lid.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

The sound of hammering nails into the coffin lid shouldn’t sound cheerful. So Jin Hyuk deliberately hammered slowly.

“Sigh, you fool. We could’ve lived together until I grew old and died… You came excitedly on the day our son returned, and now this… Oh nooo…”

Son Kwang-yeon, unable to hold back his tears while touching the coffin, turned it into a sea of tears again. But no one scorned the tears. Even the stoic Moon Seok-il was moved and wiped his tears.

They placed the coffin in the neatly dug hole and took turns shoveling dirt.

Yoo Jin and Jeong Won-i knelt and used their tiny hands to sprinkle soil.

“Cheon-ma, thanks for playing with us. Let’s meet again.”

“Cheon-ma, thank you? Meet again?”

This must be what they mean by learning from death.

He wished his siblings would slowly understand death. Later, when they’re older.

But even as they bid farewell to their beloved Cheon-ma, Yoo Jin and Jeong Won-i remained composed. They confirmed it with their senses, responded with their emotions, and ultimately accepted it as fate. They even gave meaning to the memories of the departed dog.

So what if Dugu Elil calls it insignificant?

Dugu Elil once defined life as adding weight to the soul by giving meaning to small things.

Jang Jin-nam and Jo Seol-chan, who were very attached to the dogs, also bid farewell to Cheon-ma.

“Still, I believe he had a good owner and didn’t have a bad life.”

“Cheon-ma, see you again?”

Jang Gun-i and his dog friends, now calmed, watched silently with their tongues in.

The fierce dog, who never coveted the leader’s position but remained a friend, was now at rest.

Purrr…

Some occasionally whimpered, but overall, they seemed to endure well.

Perhaps they had prepared their hearts, always being together.

Just as Yoo Jin and Jeong Won-i quickly found peace after seeing Cheon-ma grow weaker each day.

As the mound rose, Jin Hyuk and Jo Seol-chan covered it with turf from the lawn. Jang Jin-nam and Moon Seok-il also helped.

“Brother, can we plant flowers?”

“Yesss, Cheon-ma likes flowers?”

“Hahaha, my siblings make me laugh. Sure, let’s plant them.”

They planted flower seeds around the grave and watered them.

It was a bit late in the season, but the warm weather was good for planting seeds. By summer and fall, Cheon-ma’s grave would be full of blooming flowers.

Jeong Sang-tae, who had shown off his sawing and hammering skills, appeared with a sign.

“Yoo Jin, I made what you asked for.”

It was a sign made by attaching a board the size of a notebook to a slant-cut stake, easy to drive into the ground.

“Uncle Sang-tae, thank you.”

“Yoo Jin, what are you going to do with that?”

“To let people know whose grave it is. Brother, can we put this up?”

Ah, I hadn’t thought of a tombstone or marker. Yoo Jin is indeed more thoughtful.

Nodding to Yoo Jin, who sought his permission, he silently watched.

Pop.

Yoo Jin pulled off the cap of a permanent marker and drew patterns on the edges of the board.

To others, it looked like a maze.

Swish… Swish… Swish…

“Rem Elil. Rem Elil. Rem Elil.”

Only Jin Hyuk understood his sister’s murmurs.

‘Second heaven? Little heaven?’

After drawing repeated patterns on the edges, Yoo Jin wrote the epitaph in Chinese characters at the bottom.

「天麽塚」

“Grandpa Cheon-gil taught me that for names, we use the character for ‘small.’ I’ll write it in Korean too.”

Without being asked, Yoo Jin kindly explained and wrote in large Korean letters above the Chinese characters.

Swish… Swish…

Yoo Jin’s serious expression kept anyone from laughing.

Even at eleven, she was still lovely and admirable. Jin Hyuk brushed her hair.

「Cheon-ma’s Grave」

A fitting name.

No, it’s splendid.

Sigh…

Perhaps missing Cheon-ma’s presence, Jang Gun-i, lying flat, sighed.