Ch#198
Jeong Myung-ja pressed her throbbing forehead.
Her wrist stung, but her husband only yanked her harder.
"You never listen to a damn word I say, that's why this shit happens. How many times have I told you to stay put at home, huh?"
Jeong Myung-ja stared blankly at her husband's face.
"Look at your sky-like husband properly! Don't you dare look down?!"
Her husband immediately raised his other hand, pretending to punch her.
Behind them, Chae Bok-su stomped her feet while holding her cell phone.
"Aigoo, Hyeonim-ro 6! Drunkard's beating people! Beating people!"
"Granny! Hang up!"
The husband gripping Jeong Myung-ja's wrist kicked the flowerpot in front of 107.
The pottery shattered, dirt scattering everywhere.
"That's why you send divorce papers to me who's just sitting quiet. Who the hell do you think you are, with what right!"
He barely qualified as a husband anymore.
He was always out wandering, and when he showed up after months, it was usually about money.
There had been a time when his violence peaked even more.
Back then, she couldn't even work at the nearby restaurant kitchen.
Her face was always bruised, so she ended up holed up at home.
Just the sound of someone climbing the stairs made her heart race.
But then.
'He didn't say much.'
After Tie's dad, Mr. Kim, visited once, her husband quieted down.
His visits, once every few weeks, dropped sharply, and even when he came, he'd glance at the floor below and leave with money.
'Tie's dad. I...'
'You watched Tie this afternoon.'
'Yeah, I fed Tie dinner and put her down for a nap. But what did you say to my husband...'
'Thank you always.'
She never learned exactly what he said to tame her husband.
But he was such a steady, decent young man.
A bit taciturn, but cautious for it, always showing heavy responsibility in his words and actions—a good father.
With such a father, how much prettier must Tie have been.
'Auntie. Tie wrote this! Jeong Myung-ja! Aunt!'
'Aigoo, how does our baby write so well with those fern-like hands?'
Watching the child made her depression ebb like the tide.
Even when her whole body shivered cold, warmth filled her limbs.
'Auntie. The uncle doesn't bother you anymore?'
'...Uncle?'
'Tie told Dad, that uncle keeps making Auntie hurt, so it hurts Tie too.'
'...'
'And Dad asked if husbands always hit their wives.'
By then, she realized.
'That crazy bastard. Runs into me from downstairs and glares like a madman!'
Whenever her husband dropped by, it was all curses about Tie's dad.
'What the fuck does that young punk think he is? Hiding his wife-beating from his own daughter? Thinks his kid's all that?'
'...'
'Bet he'd raise her so great! Sticking a young kid in a shithole like this! Ptooey!'
Ridiculously, Jeong Myung-ja's first thought was.
'If only my dad had been like Tie's dad.'
Poor as they were, cramped room and all.
At least if he'd been a father trying to show his daughter only good things.
'...Let's divorce.'
She might not have wasted her life clinging to this beast of a man.
'What? What did you just say?'
'I said divorce. I'm not asking for anything. Just split. You have other places to live anyway. You don't have to come here anymore!'
For the first time, she screamed through tears.
The husband clenching his fist didn't scare her for once.
'Why torment me! Why can't you just let go! Just leave me alone! Let me live too-!'
Screaming until the uninsulated building rang, Jeong Myung-ja first felt liberation.
Her body still held, but her mind soared free.
'I'll send the divorce papers to your address. I will, definitely.'
She walked out of 203 proudly.
Her husband didn't chase to 107.
Jeong Myung-ja was sure it was because of the father-daughter pair sleeping beyond one wall in 106.
Life after wasn't smooth, but not harsh either.
Her husband didn't sign the papers.
But he stopped coming around.
True to form, he avoided confrontation first.
'Unnie, I think I can divorce.'
The longer apart, the greater hope sprouted in Jeong Myung-ja's heart.
Hope that she could finally end it all.
Hope that she could be happy too.
'After divorce, I'll take Tie to an amusement park. She keeps singing about it lately? Her kindergarten friends all go.'
'She hates crowds.'
'Still, with our Tie, we'll go! With Tie, I feel like we could go beyond the stars. My lucky charm. I'll ask Tie's dad too, so come with us, unnie.'
She didn't know then.
That hoping beyond one's station always breaks you.
'...What, what is this.'
After Tese tan vanished.
'Where's the fucking kid! The kid's gone! Gone!'
The next day, Tie disappeared completely.
'Look at that shiny face. Lived well, huh?'
In those few days her husband returned to 203.
"......"
Jeong Myung-ja was dragged back into the swamp she'd barely escaped.
Only deeper, faster this time.
"I'll make you, damn it! Snap out of it! For sure! That weirdo punk too, fuck!"
Her husband shoved Jeong Myung-ja.
She staggered and collapsed amid the dirt and shattered pot.
A shard stabbed her hand sharply.
"B-Blood!"
Chae Bok-su's face paled as she wedged between them.
But her husband glared at Chae Bok-su and strode forward.
"Move."
"N-No, I won't!"
"This old hag really!"
Jeong Myung-ja's husband raised his hand, and a sharp wind whipped the alley.
Thunder flashed like rain was coming.
"Urk...!"
Suddenly, a deep hum enveloped them in high pressure.
Chae Bok-su, who had flinched, sensed something odd and turned, startling.
"A-Aga!"
Tie stood barefoot before the open 107 door.
"Don't hit Grandma!"
The child yelled, fists clenched.
"You bad monster!"
At once, dozens of glowing turquoise rings unfolded around Tie.
Chae Bok-su gasped at the unseen sight, leaning on the shoe cabinet.
Jeong Myung-ja stared wide-eyed too.
"You, from 106, you...!"
Chains instantly wrapped her husband.
Soon blue smoke rose, lifting him into the air.
"U-Uwaaak!"
"This is...!"
Chae Bok-su trembled, staring at Tie.
Meanwhile, Tie turned her head.
Her eyes welled up meeting Chae Bok-su's gaze.
"Grandma... "
Tie looked at Jeong Myung-ja next.
"Auntieee...!"
Pearl-like tears dropped from her big eyes.
"Don't worry about anything anymore. Tie, hng, grew up all big in Talochioum!"
The two fell silent.
"Tie got really really strong, so now Tie will take care of Grandma and Auntie!"
The child hugged the fallen Jeong Myung-ja tightly.
Jeong Myung-ja froze like ice, lips parting.
The wound on her hand began healing slowly upon contact.
