CH 43

“Are you okay?”

“Yes. I’m okay.”

“You don’t have a fever. But isn’t it too much to go out?”

Seeing her son packing his bag, the mother stood with her arms crossed and nagged with concern.

“I’m okay. I slept soundly for two days.”

“You can’t do it too much.”

“It’s okay.”

Peter put the bag over his shoulder. To be honest, he thought it was a little too much to go, but strangely, he really wanted to go today. He had to walk because his father, who always took him, was away for business. Despite all that effort, Peter wanted to attend today’s meeting.

“Then I will go.”

“If you are not feeling well, call me.”

“Don’t worry.”

Leaving behind his mother’s worries, Peter left the house. It was a little hard on his body, but he didn’t feel sick walking on the road after a long time. As he was waiting to cross the road, someone tapped him on the shoulder from behind.

Peter’s face turned back. It was Fred.

“Where are you going?”

“…”

“Aren’t you going to school these days?”

“…”

“Did you drop out of school?”

Peter didn’t want to answer. After that day, Fred and him pretended not to know each other even if they met at school. Fred didn’t even talk to Peter, because he didn’t want people to know that Jennie beat him up and he passed out.

It was the first time they met by chance on the street like this, because they lived in different neighborhoods. Peter just wanted to cross the road to get out of this place quickly. Crossing this road and walking one more block, he would be able to enter the building where today’s youth group was located.

“Aren’t you going to school now? Can’t you hear me?”

Fred tightened his grip on Peter’s shoulder. Peter shrugged and shook his hand away. Fred hardened his expression and raised his voice.

“What? What did you say? Why are you ignoring people…”

Peter started running without looking back. Fred was heard screaming and swearing from behind. It was scary. It didn’t matter if he was teased for being a coward. For now, he just wanted to avoid Fred.

Before long, Peter felt his heart ripped open and grabbed his chest. The sudden beating of the wind seemed to put a strain on his heart. Still, he could not stop running for fear that Fred would follow. Just around that corner, just around that corner…

“… … !”

Peter fell backwards. The person who collided with him also fell down with a sharp scream.

“What the…? Watch where you’re going.”

“Sorry, I’m sorry.”

Peter apologized and reached out to lift the woman who had fallen to the floor. 

“Sorry. I am…”

Peter was speechless. The pain in his heart was throbbing and spreading. He couldn’t breathe and his face was pale, and as he stood there, he looked at the woman he had bumped into with a pale face.

“What’s wrong?”

“No…no.”

“Are you okay? Should I call an ambulance?”

His legs staggered and he fell. Peter sat down and took a deep breath. He needed to take his medicine. Medicine…

Peter tried to open the bag with trembling hands, but the strength in his hands did not work, and the items in the bag poured out. No matter how much he breathed, he felt like he wasn’t getting enough oxygen. He heard  a buzzing, like a swarm of bees flying in his ear, and a cold sweat broke out. Someone patted him on the cheek and shouted something. He blinked several times because he couldn’t see well.

‘Oh, will I die like this? Who will make Will take a walk every morning? I have to tell my grandmother I love you, I have to honestly confess to my mother that I broke the bowl when I was seven, and I also have to tell my father that I was the one who took the $15 that had been deposited in advance… I have to tell Jenny that I actually know the prince, and…

The prince’s face flashed before his eyes. Peter involuntarily grabbed the hem of his shirt. There were still things he hadn’t said yet. He wanted to tell him about Mujin Travel. It was interesting, it was a beautiful article, so he had to say it was a must read… It was hard to even lick his lips, let alone speak a word.

Someone grabbed him by the nape, stood him up, and held out the medicine in his bag in front of him. Realizing what that meant, Peter barely nodded. The pill entered his mouth. Then water ran down his throat. After barely swallowing the pills, Peter held his breath for a long time.

“What is it? Who is it?”

“What’s the matter?”

“I think he suddenly collapsed.”

He could hear voices whispering around him. His blurry vision became clearer and clearer.

“Are you back to your senses? Can you hear my voice?”

He heard the voice of the woman he had bumped into earlier. Thank God. He bumped into a friendly woman.

Peter nodded. Now it felt like he was breathing slowly. Then he saw the face of the woman he had bumped into. It was Melinda. Having a Korean mother and a French American father, she was one of the most beautiful women in the Korean student council. Not only was she fluent in French and English, but she was also fluent in Korean, and she was also the leader of the cheerleading team.

“Should I call an ambulance?”

“It’s okay…”

Peter barely answered.

“Are you okay?”

A soft male voice came from behind. Melinda nodded and smiled.

“I only bumped into him a littles.”

“I’m glad you weren’t hurt.”

It was then that Peter realized that it wasn’t Melinda who was holding his neck. At the same time, he let go of the cuffs he was holding.

“Are you okay?”

This time, the gentle voice of a man asked Peter. His heart, which had barely calmed down, began to pound again.

“I took the right medicine out of your bag, right?”

“…Yes.”

While answering, Peter did not raise his head. It was more shameful to fall in front of him than to fall on the road.

“Can you get up?”

Philip asked again. Peter nodded, and the hand that was holding his neck held him tighter and lifted him up. Melinda picked up the spilled items from the bag and put them back into the bag.

Philip’s gaze was warm as he looked at her with a beautiful appearance and a kind heart. He wiped the dust off Melinda’s clothes and asked if she was okay again.

“Yea. I’m fine.”

“I was worried. I came running because you fell down.”

Peter stared blankly at the two of them having a friendly conversation. The appearance of the two full of beautiful energy just by standing side by side caught the attention of passersby. Peter thought they were a very well-matched couple. As he thought about it, his heart ached strangely.

He puts the bag back on his shoulder. Melinda once again kindly asked if he was really okay.

“I’m okay. Really.”

He was taught to live with gratitude for people’s kindness, but Peter was not as grateful for her kindness as for this moment. The closer he was to the two of them, the more ashamed he felt of his weak and poor self.

It seemed as if he had melted to the floor and disappeared, just how shabby he was.

“Oh, wait a minute.”

At the sound of Philip calling him, Peter froze on the spot.

“I think this is yours.”

Philip held out the orange letterhead to Peter. Peter hurriedly grabbed the stationery and shoved it into his bag. If he had read Jennie’s letter, he would have clearly noticed that it was the same stationery… Especially since it was a letter written in Korean…

‘This is not a letter I wrote. It was just a translation… So, at the request of a friend, I just… ‘

Peter had all sorts of answers in his head, afraid he might ask him about the letter. His fingers stiffened for fear that he might misunderstand the love letter.

But Philip didn’t ask anything. He put his hand on Melinda’s shoulder and disappeared into the building. The people around Peter started going their own way one by one.

Left alone on the road, Peter thought he could not figure out what was the cause of this vague pain in his chest.

The orange stationery in the bag weighed heavily on his shoulder.

“What about design?”

“Well. I’m a glamorous person with a full chest, so should I choose a style that enhances the curves of my body?”

“What color?”

“Gold? Wouldn’t gold suit me?”

“I think the color blue would look good too.”

“Sure.”

Sitting side by side in a small room, talking about various things, the two were drawing different clothes with colored pencils.

“I should match the color with the prince. I wish the prince would tie a tie in the color of the dress I wear.”

Peter’s hand, who was painting with a blue colored pencil, paused for a moment.

“The reply… did it come?”

“Do you want me to show you?”

“No.”

“You are being strange. Why don’t you want to see it?”

“Why would I read other people’s letters? It’s weird that you’re going to show me all that.”

Peter grumbled, pretending it was nothing.

Replies from Philip were steadily coming. Jennie now visits Peter almost every two days to translate the letter. Peter translated her letter without a word.

When he came across a word he didn’t know, he looked it up in the dictionary and wrote the letter diligently, even if he stayed up all night.

However, the reply has not been read since that day. It was because the pain in his chest that spread every time he remembered Philip standing next to Melinda was getting worse and worse.

“Anyway, the prince must have fallen for me. He felt something fateful for me. If he doesn’t read my letter, he can’t sleep. He always said he would end the day by reading my letter once before going to bed!”

“I’m really going to memorize that.”

Every time Jennie came to Peter, she told him the contents of each letter in detail, to the extent that he could understand it without even reading the reply from Philip.

With about a week left until Prom, Jennie’s dream became more and more delirious. She even gave up the chocolate she loved so much so that she could wear the dress that suited her perfectly. Jennie had no doubts that she would become Philip’s partner.

“Will the prince come to pick me up in front of my house? I’m sure he’ll bring a nice car.”

“Does he have a license?”

“Of course. Did I mention that the prince’s father is an English aristocrat? Isn’t that really cool? So romantic.”

“There maybe… another partner”

“Is that possible? He exchanges letters with me so passionately.”

“But, by any chance, if Philip is dating someone else…what would you do?”

Peter asked cautiously. Jennie clicked her tongue and looked at him with accusing eyes.

“Why do you keep repeating this again and again? It’s not possible.”

“If… no.”

Peter, who was about to say something, closed his mouth, and Jennie narrowed his eyes.

“What? What if?”

“Nothing.”

“What, what are you going to say?”

Peter pondered whether to speak or not. He should start by saying that Philip sometimes shows his face in the Korean community like him. Then, should he talk about how they met by chance after he went out to buy oranges? Should he tell her what he bumped into at the corner? Maybe he doesn’t have to talk about Melinda and his help when he collapsed on the street a while ago.

After hesitating for a long time, Peter opened his mouth as if he had made up his mind. 

“Ah, Phillip…”

Then his mother knocked on the door and called Peter’s name.

“Peter!”

“Yes. Come on in.”

“Take this and eat them.”

His mother put the cookies and lemonade down on the desk.

“What are you two doing?”

“I’m choosing a dress for Jennie for Prom.”

“Oh. It’s already happened. I was really good back then.”

The girl-like mother made a dreamy expression as she recalled the past.

“Have you decided on a partner? Are you going with Peter?”

“No. I have another prince to go with.”

“Really? What a waste. I was going to take a picture of you and Peter. That’s right, a mail came for you. Is it a newspaper?”

“A newspaper?”

Peter tilted his head and took the envelope his mother gave him. He had not expected mail from the newspaper, but his name was really written on the outside of the envelope.

“What is this? Is it an advertisement?”

“Take it off.”

Jennie, who was next to him, encouraged Peter with a somewhat excited look. Peter glanced at Jennie as he opened the mail with a letter knife. She urged Peter, “Tear it quickly, quickly.”

Inside the envelope was a sheet of paper.

“Your manuscript is…”

Peter, who had read that far, opened his eyes and looked at Jennie.

“Quickly! continue!”

“What manuscript? What is it? Read it quickly.”

Peter’s mother was also excited and motioned for him to read the next part of the letter. Peter stuttered while reading.

“I read the manuscript well. Congratulations. In this contest, your novel won a prize in the short story section…”

Peter’s eyes widened. He quickly scanned the contents of the letter once more. He also checked the name on the envelope. Clearly, it was a letter for him. But he had no memory of sending the manuscript to this newspaper.

“Did you write a novel? Did it win an award?”

His mother, who did not know that her son was writing, asked in surprise.

“I wrote it… I never sent a manuscript here…”

It was clear that something was wrong. Peter thought that there was a mistake and the mail was delivered incorrectly.

“I sent it.”

“What?”

“There was no contact from the publisher, so I sent it to the newspaper. I read in the newspapers that there was a novel contest. Well, actually, I wasn’t reading the newspaper, I was eating bread and jam near the newspaper. I think the publisher’s eyes were strained. He didn’t recognize your great novel! So I have no choice but to send it elsewhere.”

Peter couldn’t keep his mouth shut and looked at the letter and Jennie’s face alternately.

“Perhaps… are you mad? Sending your novels on my own terms?”

“… no.”

“Then why aren’t you happy?”

When she asked carefully, Peter answered with a blank expression, blinking his eyes a couple of times.

“… I’m so happy I don’t know what to do.”

“Just scream! Wow!”

Jennie jumped and spread her arms towards Peter. Moving her heavy body to and fro, she ran around Peter. Then Peter screamed like a child and embraced her.

All of this seemed like a dream. He was unbelievably happy.

When he did not receive a call from the publishing company, he pretended to be okay on the outside, but in fact, he was depressed and dehydrated on the inside. Perhaps, as she said, he was excited to think that he might have a talent for writing, and waited for a call from the publisher.

The reason he did not write down his email address or cell phone number on purpose and only wrote down the address was because he thought the mail would be less anxious to wait. Of course, Peter had to check his mailbox every morning, open it after lunch, open it in the evening, and even open it before going to bed to confirm that he was wrong.

By the time he gave up waiting for a call from the publisher, Peter stopped thinking about the novel at all. In fact, these days, he didn’t even have time to translate Jennie’s letter.

“I, I got an award!”

Peter exclaimed.

It was the first time in his life that he was recognized by someone he didn’t know. His parents always told him that he was a special child, but Peter never thought of himself as special. His body was weak and he went to school late, so he just thought that he was lagging behind others. Peter prayed that the day would come when he would prove his parents’ faith at least once.

And today was that day.

“You are a special kid. It’s a natural result.”

Peter’s mother was also delighted to see the two hugging and running wild. She alternately kissed their foreheads and shouted that they must have a party tonight.

“I thought it would be you. of course. Because you have talent.”

“Thanks”

“If I live in the castle later, I will keep my promise.”

Jennie said, squinting one eye. Peter nodded eagerly. His mother went downstairs to call the family and tell them the news.

“Go after eating dinner. There will be something really good today.”

Jennie shook her head.

“I have a lot of homework, I have to write a love letter to the prince, and I have to think more about the dress design. I have a lot of work.”

Jennie’s mother always prayed and ate at the same time. Peter knew from the stories of grown-ups that Jennie would be beaten once every minute if she was even a little late.

“Besides, Aunt Spencer will call me at 7 o’clock. Obviously to talk about my dress. I think she’s giving me a dress from a great brand as a gift.”

“Yeah, it’s an important call, so you must answer it.”

Jennie’s mother also banned her from using her cell phone. The only way Jennie could make a call was through an old-fashioned phone in her living room.

“Then I will go.”

Jennie said goodbye. Peter thanked her again.

“Really, thank you.”

“It was nothing. You have to buy me something delicious later.”

“Of course.”

Peter smiled and waved his hand. After Jennie went down the stairs, his mother came back up. She said that his father was coming home and that she would call all of their relatives as well. Peter blushed and said that it wasn’t such a big deal, but his mother rejoiced as if he had won the world.

Not long after, his very excited father ran in, unable to park his car properly. His younger brothers who were at their grandmother’s house also gathered and everyone rejoiced as if they were the ones who won.

Peter felt fortunate to be here, at a moment when his presence brought happiness to others.

That day, he was the happiest person in the world.