Chapter 24: The Rain That Stopped

“I have the power to make it rain, but stopping it is a different matter.”

Siwoo created a small dark cloud above her hand.

The cloud soon poured a gentle rain onto her palm.

“Rain is, after all, a phenomenon caused when water gathers together.”

“So the ability to trigger that phenomenon is the extent of your power, right?”

“If my power gets stronger, maybe I could stop it too… But right now, I’m too weak.”

Siwoo lowered her head in a gloomy manner.

I suddenly felt guilty, wondering if I had touched on Siwoo’s weakness.

I gently tapped Siwoo on the head.

“Siwoo, do you want to see something?”

“…Huh?”

“I’ll make your power stronger.”

“W-What? How…”

“‘Rain Drop’ and Biscuit. Would that make your power stronger?”

Siwoo’s eyes widened into circles and she gave an uncertain nod.

“If I keep eating them, probably. But just what I ate yesterday isn’t enough.”

“But you only need to get a little bit stronger than now, right?”

“That’s true, but…”

“Just trust me.”

I patted Siwoo’s shoulder and spoke.

“First, could you bring out some makgeolli for the uncles? I think they’re waiting.”

“…Me?”

With a look that said she wanted to be helpful, Siwoo moved.

“While Siwoo buys us some time—”

I closed my eyes and slowly inhaled, then exhaled.

“Let’s focus.”

“‘Rain Drop’ makes Siwoo’s power stronger, almost like an elixir that helps her powers grow.

If you compare it to a game, it’s like an Experience Buff and Stat Enhancement Buff all in one.

“What if I reduce the Experience Buff and increase the Stat Enhancement Buff in the formula?”

Let’s think.

There is a way.

I pictured the ingredients in the Warehouse and imagined their combinations.

Within a single second, I calculated dozens of combinations and finally found one answer.

“Got it.”

I headed straight to the Warehouse and took out the ingredients I needed.

“For making ‘Rain Drop,’ the basic ingredients are Starlight Powder, Cinnamon Stick, and Dream Flower.

With these, preparation is done.”

“Slowly, carefully.”

If I made even the slightest mistake, this would become a deadly poison for Siwoo.

So, with maximum concentration, I started the work.

I crushed and mixed the ingredients together.

And then… it was complete.

Phew.

The theory was flawless, and I didn’t make any mistakes.

Now, once she drinks this, Siwoo’s power will be greatly enhanced, even if only temporarily.

“Siwoo.”

“Yes!”

Siwoo, who had been carrying glasses, answered and ran over at once.

“Drink it.”

Siwoo looked at the ‘Rain Drop’ offered before her, then looked at me.

She nodded, then drank the ‘Rain Drop.’

And then.

The rain stopped.

***

When I brought out the cold makgeolli from the fridge with glasses, the uncles’ eyes were fixed on the window.

“Wow…”

“This is amazing.”

“The rain really stopped…”

The downpour that had looked as if a hole had opened up in the sky just a moment ago was now gone, as if it had never happened.

Even the clouds had completely cleared.

Off in the distance, the Sunset was faintly draped across the sky, creating a breathtaking view.

I followed the uncles’ gaze to the window for a moment, then walked over to Dushik’s table.

“Here’s your makgeolli.”

“…Did you use magic or something?”

“Magic? There’s no way I could do something like that.”

This wasn’t my magic.

It was all thanks to Siwoo’s power.

When I glanced at Siwoo, she was gazing out the window with eyes still wet with emotion.

She looked just as moved as the first time she tasted ‘Rain Drop.’

Seeing that, Dushik spoke up.

“Otherwise, does this make sense? Rain pouring like that, then suddenly stopping? All of a sudden?”

“You said Grandfather could do things like that, too, didn’t you?”

At my words, Dushik’s mouth fell open, then closed.

He chose his words several times, but all that came out was a sigh.

“Ha… Well, you are the old man’s grandkid. Of course you wouldn’t be ordinary.”

“What on earth did our Grandfather do, anyway, for you to say that?”

“You expect me to answer that when he was your Grandfather?”

“They say families always know the least about their own, right?”

Sure, Grandfather was my Grandfather, but I couldn’t help but wonder how others had seen him.

The one who answered my question was Wook, who had come over.

“If we start talking about your Grandfather, we’d be up all night for a week and still not be done.”

“Really?”

“Yeah?”

Wook grinned and said,

“From the moment he arrived here, he had a very unique aura about him.”

“Grandfather wasn’t from around here?”

“No. Where was he from, anyway? Hyung, do you remember?”

“How would I? That was decades ago.”

Dushik grumbled as he tilted his makgeolli glass.

He downed it in one gulp and added,

“The only thing I remember is, your Grandfather came from another town. And the day he arrived left an impression, too.”

“Really?”

“Wow, I want to hear about it!”

“Sure.”

Looking back, I really didn’t know much about Grandfather.

So, the story I was hearing now just felt so fresh.

Dushik grinned and held out the makgeolli bottle.

“If you want to listen, bring out some snacks. With just makgeolli, we’ll be too tipsy to stay up.”

At Dushik’s grumbling, I realized my mistake.

I had gotten so absorbed in talk of Grandfather that I forgot to serve the snacks with the makgeolli.

Quickly, I stood up, put on my apron, and said,

“I’ll fry some jeon and bring it right out, so please take your time with the makgeolli. Oh, wait. I’ll serve the ham I bought earlier first, so just wait a moment.”

“Ham? What’s that?”

“It’s ham. I haven’t tried it with makgeolli before, but it’s great as a beer snack, so I think it’ll go well.”

I hurried to the Kitchen and sliced the ham I’d kept stored.

You can eat it as is, so it didn’t require much effort and didn’t take long.

“Siwoo, could you take this to the uncles first?”

“Yes!”

“Mister! Let me help, too!”

“I’ll help as well!”

“Can you do that?”

“Yes!”

“Yeah?”

No-Rani and Naru raised their hands with sparkling eyes.

I felt a bit guilty making the little ones help, but I was grateful, too.

And proud.

“Then take this to those uncles over there. Be careful, okay?”

“Okay!”

No-Rani took the plate in both hands and walked carefully.

She was so focused on keeping the ham from sliding off the plate that her eyes were fixed firmly on the center.

She probably didn’t realize it, but everyone was watching her every move.

Step by step.

No-Rani walked as if crossing a tightrope and finally arrived at the table, letting out a breath.

“Here you go!”

“Aigo, did the little lady bring this for us?”

“Mmm, should I bring more?”

“Aigo, how cute.”

The elders just smiled at No-Rani’s cheerful words.

Even if she didn’t use formal speech.

“I’ll bring out the jeon soon!”

“Careful carrying it, okay?”

“Okay!”

No-Rani’s lively smile and tone made any such matters irrelevant.

Of course, just because all eyes were on No-Rani didn’t mean Naru was being ignored.

“Please have this first.”

“Oh, thank you.”

“It’s nothing. The mister is going to make something delicious soon. So please go slow on the makgeolli until then.”

“When a little lady tells you to do something, you have to listen. Isn’t that right?”

“That’s right, that’s right.”

Even if No-Rani and Naru looked about the same age, Naru was actually older.

To the elders, she must seem like a very mature child.

Seeing the children get so much attention from the elders made me feel happy, too.

Chiiik.

I dropped the jeon onto the pan coated with a generous layer of oil.

The sound of the batter sizzling in the oil was just like the sound of rain.

“That’s why they say jeon and makgeolli go so well on rainy days.”

Letting my ears listen to the rain-like sounds, I took in the warm atmosphere with my whole being.

This warmth isn’t something you can make easily.

That’s why.

I want to remember this for a long, long time.

***

“Mister, good night!”

“Sleep well.”

“Yes, see you in the morning.”

The two children held hands and went into the bedroom.

Even after going in, they wouldn’t fall asleep right away.

They’d chat endlessly about what happened today, only falling asleep once exhaustion overcame them.

Sometimes, they’d even fall asleep without turning off the lights, so I’d have to check in about 30 minutes.

“Now, then…”

Usually, I would use this time to record the day.

I would write about what happened and how I felt, cherishing every moment.

But tonight was a little different.

“Where did Grandfather used to stay?”

Walking slowly down the hallway, I thought back on the evening’s conversation.

“Dushik and Wook.”

Those two talked about Grandfather while drinking makgeolli.

To be precise, it was about the special events Grandfather had shown them.

Like how land Grandfather touched would be fertile for years, or how drinking his tea would fill you with energy all day.

I guess those are possible.

But at the same time, I felt something strange.

It was a sense of distance.

“I really didn’t know anything about Grandfather.”

Living in the same house, eating the same food, spending time together.

And yet, all the stories I heard today were completely new to me.

Even though these were things that happened during my time here.

“Maybe I just didn’t care enough about Grandfather.”

I know I turned my back on a lot of things to leave this village.

I’ve regretted and felt bad about those times.

So now, at least—

I wanted to search for the past, for the hidden stories.

Now that I’ve learned that Grandfather left his mark here, I want to know even more.

“Here it is.”

After searching a few rooms,

I finally found a room similar to the one I use as a Study.

The moment I opened the door, I knew.

This was the Study Grandfather had used.

I stepped inside and slowly breathed in.

Maybe it was just my imagination, but it felt like the room still held Grandfather’s scent.

“That’s impossible.”

It’s been years since Grandfather passed away, so it’s not possible for his scent to still linger.

And yet, in this place, it felt like that familiar scent was all around me.

The walls were lined with shelves, filled with books.

Grandfather loved books.

No, maybe “loved” isn’t even strong enough.

In my memories, Grandfather would either be brewing tea, chatting with others, or reading a book.

He always did one of those three things.

“Maybe that’s why I like books, too?”

Maybe that’s something I inherited.

What’s strange is, even though he loved books, Grandfather never kept a bookshelf at the teahouse.

I don’t know why.

He never answered when I asked.

Remembering the mysterious Grandfather, I suddenly stopped walking.

“How far did I walk?”

I glanced back.

Somehow, the entrance was now far behind me.

And yet, I hadn’t reached the center of the room, either.

“What is this?”

Is this what it feels like to be under a spell?

Before I entered, the room had seemed barely five pyeong, a small room.

But no matter how much I walked, I couldn’t reach the end.

It’s like something out of a city ghost story.

“…I guess it’s just like Grandfather to have a room like this.”

It made sense, but at the same time, I felt hollow.

It would be hard to find any records of Grandfather in a room like this.

And I couldn’t spend all night wandering around, either.

Tomorrow, Hyunwoong would be waiting for my tea.

“What should I do…”

Should I walk a bit more? Or just leave?

As I mulled over my options, my eyes landed on a single book on a shelf.

It didn’t even have a cover.

It was simply wrapped in a leather book cover.

It looked like nothing special, but for some reason, my eyes were glued to it.

Before I knew it, I was already holding the book.

Feeling the rough texture under my fingers, I turned the first page.

“…Today, I gained a son.”

The book began with that sentence.

Each word, written in calm, quiet strokes, felt powerful.

After reading a few more carefully pressed sentences, I was sure.

This was Grandfather’s Diary.

And this entry was written the day he met me.

“So Grandfather wrote a diary, too…”

With each secret I learned, Grandfather—who had always felt so distant—now felt much closer.

I stroked the cover with my fingertips.

It felt just like touching Grandfather’s hand.

I miss you.

That was when I was five. So that was twenty-four years ago now?

No, wait.

If I count before The Return, it would be fifty-four years ago.

Such a distant memory.

Even though so much time has passed that the colors have faded, I can still remember that day vividly.

The day I first met Grandfather.

***

That day, everything had gone wrong from the morning.

The alarm clock that worked fine until yesterday suddenly broke, so I couldn’t wake up on time.

As punishment for waking up late, I missed breakfast and was given bathroom cleaning duty.

That was manageable.

Sure, I was a bit unlucky, but it was my own fault for waking up late.

But cutting off the water while I was cleaning—that was too much.

“Just my luck.”

It was definitely not my fault that I couldn’t finish cleaning properly.

It was the Director’s fault for not checking the water schedule before making me clean.

And yet, somehow, that blame still fell on me.

They said, “If you had just finished quickly,” as if that made any sense.

In front of everyone, the Director scolded me and lashed my calf with the stick.

That so-called “Love’s Rod” just kept beating my legs, never stopping, no matter how bruised or bloody they got.

It only stopped when the stick finally broke.

Looking back, it was just abuse.

But I was only five years old.

For a five-year-old, the Orphanage was the whole world, and the Director was the absolute ruler of that world.

“Go out and sweep the Front Yard, pull the weeds over there, and don’t forget to fertilize the field.”

Even at the Director’s harsh commands, all I could do was nod without a word.

That was all I could do.

“It hurts… I’m so hungry…”

I only let myself cry when I got out of the Orphanage and was finally out of the Director’s sight.

I wiped my eyes with my sleeve, but the sadness wouldn’t go away.

Why did I have to live like this?

All I could feel was resentment.

“Sniff, sniff.”

I don’t know how many minutes I stayed like that.

All I remember is my face got all puffy from crying.

Just as my tears finally dried up, I heard that voice.

“Are you Chan-sung?”

“…Huh?”

I turned my head, and there was a Grandfather.

With white hair and a warm, gentle smile, he looked down at me.

Then he took out a piece of Chocolate from his pocket and handed it to me.

“Would you like to have this?”

That was my first meeting with Grandfather.