Clunk, clunk.
We traveled along the uneven road, heading forward.
The car shook, but the kids, exhausted from jet lag and fatigue, eventually fell fast asleep.
Ryan glanced at them through the rearview mirror.
“Those kids… your sister’s kids?”
…You figured it out?
“How could I not? I drove you to the airport.”
When I heard about my sister’s passing from my agent, I hurriedly went to Ryan’s house.
Back then, I was drunk, and Ryan rushed me to the airport.
Despite his rough appearance and massive build, he’s the closest friend I have in this town, always helping out.
“So… you’re going to raise them?”
I have to.
“Idiot. Think raising kids is easy?”
“I know it’s hard.”
I gazed out the window at the scenery.
Snowflakes piling on the massive snow-covered mountains scattered and accumulated endlessly.
In the past, I felt awe and even fear at nature’s beauty, but now, it didn’t scare me.
It wasn’t familiarity; the path ahead of me was simply more daunting.
“You know what?”
“What?”
“Roots always find a way to reconnect.”
“Damn it! I told you not to pull that writer crap in front of me! Stop with the fancy words and just talk!”
“Why the hell are you so good at Korean curses? Hey, the kids might hear. Watch your mouth.”
“Oh. Sorry.”
“Alright.”
He’s quick to apologize, at least.
That’s why he got married to her.
“Anyway… I’m prepared. I wouldn’t have brought them here otherwise.”
Ryan snorted at that.
“You think you can quit drinking and smoking?”
“I’m not like you. I’m calm even when I’m drunk.”
“Stop sleeping in the pigsty, you lunatic. Do you know how much your wife complains?”
“Ahem, ahem!”
Ryan has bad drinking habits.
He’s been told to quit countless times, but in this tough rural life, giving up alcohol was impossible.
Still, having a guy like him around made the town lively and fun.
“I’ll try to quit smoking. Drinking… honestly, that’ll be tough.”
“Yeah, fair enough. When Bessie was born, I swore I’d quit, but I couldn’t.”
“Speaking of which, drinking on the day Roy was born was too much.”
“It was celebratory liquor!”
Not long after I moved here, Roy was born.
That day, Ryan got plastered celebrating, and I ended up cooking seaweed soup for his wife the next day.
Because of that, Ryan got an earful from her and has been under her thumb ever since.
“Help me out.”
“Get lost.”
Ryan shot me down instantly, his face twisting despite his earlier efforts to look gentle for the kids.
“Don’t rely on others to raise your kids. Not even your parents. That’s my motto. Once you have a family… you protect them with your own strength.”
“One favor becomes two, then three. A head of a family… once they know comfort and ease, they crumble. Protect them with your own strength.”
That’s the kind of guy Ryan is.
He messes up because of his love for alcohol, but he knows where to draw the line.
That’s why we became close so quickly.
“I knew you’d say that.”
I smirked and glanced at the kids in the back seat.
They followed me, carrying their worries and fears.
I’ll protect them no matter what.
“But you’re the one talking all philosophical after telling me not to act like a writer.”
“Ahem, ahem… There’s meat at home. Take some.”
“Thanks.”
Embarrassed, Ryan quickly changed the subject.
“Did you turn on the heater?”
…My wife probably did.
I don’t usually ask for the heater to be turned on, but today I had to.
Ryan grumbled but agreed, understanding why without saying more.
“Let’s hurry.”
“Shut up. Speeding’s dangerous on these icy roads.”
And so, we headed home.
***
We didn’t arrive home until evening.
“Wow! It’s so big!”
The kids, arriving at the house, couldn’t close their mouths.
They’d lived in a cramped house, less than 20 pyeong, with five family members.
Seeing a mansion-like home, they were all astonished.
“Uncle! Uncle! Is Jiyu gonna live here?”
“Yeah, we’re living here.”
“Yay! Jiyu loves it! When’s Mommy coming? Jiyu wants to sleep with Mommy!”
…Later. She’ll come later.
“Hehe! Jiyu can wait!”
“…”
I patted Jiyu’s head and hugged her tightly.
“Want to explore the house with Uncle?”
“Love it!”
Ryan grinned and stepped forward.
“I’ll show Jiyu around. You handle the luggage, Uncle.”
“What, punk?”
“Nothing.”
He’s strong, he can handle some bags.
Too bad.
Still, it was right for us to handle our own luggage, so I handed Jiyu to Ryan.
“Ugh… Jiyu likes Uncle. Lion Uncle is too scary!”
Ryan froze, shocked by Jiyu’s words.
I laughed and hugged Jiyu again.
“That’s what she says.”
“Don’t take it to heart. She’s just a kid.”
Ryan’s big eyes started to well up.
Despite his tough look, he’s soft-hearted.
“…I’ll move the luggage.”
“No, it’s fine…”
“Let me do it.”
“…Alright.”
Ryan, looking deflated, began unloading the luggage from the car.
Since we’d moved here, there was a lot packed in.
“We’ll do it! It’s okay!”
“Yeah! We can handle it. You must be tired from driving!”
Hye-yeon and Yuri stopped Ryan as he started unloading.
He’d driven them all the way here, and they didn’t want to burden him further.
“Kids…”
Zing…
Ryan looked at them, touched.
Compared to their friend who only thought of using him, these kids were so kind.
“Just let Ryan do it. The luggage is heavy anyway. Let’s explore the house instead.”
“Hey! The kids want to help, why are you stopping them?”
“Even if they help, you’ll end up doing it alone. Wouldn’t it be better to just look around?”
“…You jerk.”
Still holding Jiyu, I approached the hesitant kids.
“Come on, let’s go.”
“But…”
“It looks like too much for one person…”
There was a lot of luggage, but that’s from a kid’s perspective.
For an adult man, it wasn’t much.
“It’s fine. Ryan’s super strong. For now, let’s pick out your rooms.”
I ushered the kids into the house.
I glanced at Ryan.
Nod.
Ryan gestured with his chin toward the house, urging me to take the kids inside.
They’d been out in the cold too long, and after such a long trip, he was being considerate by hurrying them in.
“Let’s go in.”
Creak.
The door opened, and we stepped inside.
A wave of warmth enveloped us.
“Wow…”
Hye-yeon let out a gasp without realizing it.
It was minus 20 degrees Celsius today, too cold for the kids to handle.
“It’s so spacious.”
“Take off your shoes first.”
“Okay!”
Even with the heater on, it was hard to fend off Saskatchewan’s harsh cold.
I quickly handed the kids slippers.
“Let’s sleep in the living room tonight.”
The kids didn’t hear me, too busy exploring the house.
“Uncle! Uncle! Put Jiyu down! Jiyu wants to explore too!”
“Oh, right. Here you go.”
I hurriedly set Jiyu down, making sure she put on slippers.
“Woooow!”
“Be careful not to fall!”
“Okay!”
Jiyu ran around excitedly.
Since there wasn’t anything dangerous, I chuckled and started introducing the house to the kids.
I’ll need to buy a lot of stuff.
We couldn’t bring furniture from Korea.
Their favorite clothes had to be left behind too, as it was better to buy new ones here.
It was too late today, so I decided to go to the store tomorrow.
“…Uncle.”
Tap, tap.
While Yuri and Jiyu explored, Hye-yeon stayed by my side, tugging at my sleeve.
“Yeah? What’s up?”
“Dad and Mom… um…”
“Oh, sorry. Let’s bring them in.”
“…Yes.”
I’d been so focused on getting the kids out of the cold that I forgot.
I hurried outside with Hye-yeon.
“It’s cold, why’d you come out?”
“There’s something we need to take care of first.”
Ryan tilted his head but stepped aside from the car.
I grabbed two wrapped bundles from the back seat.
“Here, I’ll take Mom.”
“You sure?”
“Yes. I want to.”
Hye-yeon tightly clutched her mother’s urn with both hands.
She’d held it the entire flight.
I offered to carry it, but she insisted on doing it herself.
“…Oh.”
Ryan, seeing what we were holding, seemed to understand and respectfully clasped his hands.
He didn’t need to, but I appreciated his gesture.
“Let’s go in.”
“Yes.”
We went back inside.
Yuri and Jiyu were still running around, having fun.
“Unnie! Where’d you… oh.”
“Huh?”
Seeing what we held, Yuri’s face darkened as she approached.
“Uncle… let me carry it.”
“…Alright.”
I placed the urn in Yuri’s hands.
It might be heavy for them, but both had been carrying the urns since Korea.
“Let’s place them here.”
We decided to enshrine them in the living room, where we’d pass by often.
The space was originally filled with my awards, but I could move those to my room, so we placed the urns there for now.
The kids unwrapped the bundles and carefully placed their parents’ urns on the shelf.
“…We’re here.”
It was a long journey, wasn’t it…? Rest now.
I patted the kids’ shoulders.
“Let’s bow.”
“…Yes.”
I turned to Jiyu, who tilted her head.
“Let’s bow together.”
“Like this?”
“Yeah, twice is enough.”
“Okay! Jiyu can do it!”
The kids slowly began to bow.
Once… twice… then a moment of silence.
Rest peacefully there. Don’t worry about the kids.
I’ll protect them.
I’ll make sure they lack for nothing.
So rest easy, without worry.
And so, we arrived home.