Seven Years of Darkness by You-Jeong Jeong

Author:You-Jeong Jeong
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2020-06-01T16:00:00+00:00

* * *

Sunghwan and his boss were headed to work that Saturday morning when they stopped short on the stairs in front of the house. A line of cars was coming up the wet street, led by Yongje’s white BMW with black mourning insignia. Next was a Cadillac hearse, then a large van, television trucks, and passenger cars.

“You have a lighter?” Hyonsu asked, cigarette in his mouth.

Sunghwan took his out and flicked it on. The flame danced with the breeze. Hyonsu blocked it with his bandage-wrapped hand and took a hard drag. He looked dejected; the shadows under his eyes were dark.

“Did it rain last night?” Hyonsu asked.

“It was pouring,” Sunghwan said, an eyebrow cocked. “You didn’t hear it?”

“I drank too much, so . . .” Hyonsu headed down the steps. “Let’s go.”

Sunghwan followed him. The streetlights were on and a damp wind rustled along the cypress tree hedge. Hyonsu walked with his eyes on the ground. Sunghwan sped up to match his gait. What was up with him today? How did he hurt his hand again? Two days ago, it had just been his middle finger that was taped up. Yesterday it was three fingers; today, it was his entire hand. Was he smashing soju bottles at the observation deck every night?

Hyonsu had come home drunk the night before. Again. Eunju left him to sleep on the living room floor, repeating the routine they’d had since they’d moved in. Around three in the morning, as it began to rain, Sunghwan heard sounds from the living room, then the front door open and close. He opened his bedroom door and looked out. Hyonsu was gone; only the blanket was on the ground by the sofa, like the shell of a large animal. Where did he go, in the middle of the night, in the pouring rain? He wondered for a moment if he should go after him but was drawn back to his laptop. He was finally beginning the project that had been on his mind since he came to this place. A document titled “Seryong Lake” was open on the screen.

The girl was waiting at the bus stop in front of the school, kicking at the curb with the tips of her sneakers. She was looking down. Only her pale, round forehead was visible as her long hair fluttered in the wind.

He looked up when he heard the front door open. Four in the morning. He heard a thud and peeked out. Hyonsu was lying below the sofa again. Sunghwan decided to go check on him. Hyonsu was drenched, his feet bare and his ankles muddy. His heels were bloody. “Boss,” Sunghwan whispered. Hyonsu didn’t answer. Sunghwan shook him by the shoulders, but Hyonsu didn’t open his eyes. He looked peaceful, as if he were enjoying a nice dream. What was going on?

Sunghwan had wanted to walk with Hyonsu this morning so he could ask where he’d gone last night. But now he was perplexed; it seemed that Hyonsu didn’t even know it had rained.

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