Chapter 1 - The world is merely a show
The little boy looked into the dark room, and his eyes had to work hard to get used to the low light. The smell of unwashed bodies and old food filled the air. He saw a weak, helpless woman lying on a thin, soft mattress with short, uneven breaths. A bowl of cold porridge and a bottle of unbranded medicine were on the small table beside him.
The child had sadness and fear in his chest. In his small, crowded room, he had seen this scene too many times before. He knows what it means: being poor, sick, and hopeless. She knew what it was like because her mother had died from the same illness affecting this woman.
But there's something different about this woman. He walked up to the table, picked up the medicine vial, and sifted through it. He didn't know what it was or if it would help her, but he had a strong urge to do anything to make a difference.
He was standing there, thinking, when he heard a soft voice behind him. "You've come?" the woman asked, her voice weak but curious.
When the boy turned around and saw that the woman was awake, he was surprised. "Mom needs to take her medicine."
She gave a weak smile. "Many thanks."
He helped her take her medicine and watched her fall asleep. Then she cleaned the room, put things away, and ensured her mother had a nice place to sleep. She tried to make the room as clean and fresh as possible by washing the dirty dishes and clothes and sweeping the floor.
He thought about his birthday party while he worked. He had been looking forward to it for weeks, but now that his mother was dying, he wasn't sure if he wanted to celebrate. He felt terrible for even thinking about having fun when his mother was sick.
The boy stopped cleaning when he heard the door open. He was aware of what was going on. He heard footsteps and smelled good food coming from the kitchen. His stomach growled, reminding him that he hadn't eaten since breakfast.
He looked around the corner and saw a man carrying a white plastic bag into the room. The man had to go fast. Park Tae-Hyun wanted to run up to the man and ask what he was taking, but he had homework.
He sighed. He wanted to know what was in the bag but knew he had to be responsible. He had always been a good boy and didn't want to ruin the moment out of curiosity.
She quickly finished her homework and hurried into the kitchen. The man was there, opening the plastic to get to what was inside. When Tae-Hyun sees the food set out—rice, vegetables, and a plate of steaming hot chicken—his eyes get big.
"Father, where did you get all of this food?" Tae-Hyun asked with his mouth open and watering.
He smiled, and his eyes sparkled. "I work in a restaurant, and I bring home leftovers for us to eat," she says. Tae-Hyun sits across from the man, still eating the delicious food he brought them to share. The man smiled and looked at her with worried.
He asked, "How is your mother?"
Tae-Hyun was very proud of himself. He said, "She's better." "After taking the medicine, she went to sleep."
The man gave a satisfied nod. "Good work, Tae-Hyun," he told him. "You took really good care of him."
The man said, "I see that you are saving food for a few meals and saving the best part for your mother."
He added as he stroked Tae-head, Hyun's. "Eat for breakfast tomorrow."
Tae-Hyun had a hard time swallowing. He had never heard such nice things about him before and was very thankful. He looked at the man and felt he wanted to live like that person.
Tae-Hyun and the man take the food to another room, where they sit at a small table and eat together, feeling like father and son.
The guy asks Tae-Hyun about his school, and Tae-Hyun tells him about his class and how it's been going. He is an intelligent child who has won many awards and praise for his actions.
Seeing his walls covered with trophies and certificates shows how hard he has worked and what he has accomplished. Tae-Hyun walked home from school with his head held high, even though his classmates made fun of him and insulted him. They make fun of him for coming from a poor family and smelling bad, but Tae-Hyun lets them go. He knew he was more intelligent than them because they couldn't match him at school.
As Tae-Hyun walked into his small house, his father smiled at him with a warm welcome. The man had promised to buy him a big cake for his birthday, so Tae-Hyun was excited to see what was inside the big box.
"Happy birthday, son!" the man said while giving Tae-Hyun a big hug.
Tae-Hyun gave him another hug. The man took Tae-Hyun to the small kitchen, where a giant cake awaited him. Before the birthday party, his father wants him to change his clothes and wash his hands. Even though he didn't want to, the boy did what he was told, still shaken by the fight he had with a classmate. He is called to the principal's office about a row, and his father, busy at work, can't help him.
When Tae-Hyun washed his hands, he couldn't help feeling sad. He wished his father was there for him, standing by his side and helping him. But he knew his father worked hard to care for them, and he didn't want to give him any more trouble.
His father looks at him and sighs when Tae-Hyun enters the bathroom. "What happened today, son?" he asked, worry showing on his face.
Tae-Hyun hesitated momentarily, not knowing how to explain what had happened. But then he took a deep breath, grinned widely, and said he had taught those bad boys a good lesson.
He proudly strokes him and doesn't ask what's bothering him anymore. He was told to sit down, and the seat was already taken. tae-hyun wants his mom to join in, but no matter how hard he tries to wake her up, he never succeeds.
Tae-Hyun stood still and looked at her still body on the bed. He was shocked when she called. While they wait for the medical team to arrive, his father explains what happened. Tae-Hyun felt numb and couldn't pay attention to what his father said. When the medical team got there, they moved quickly to help. Tae-Hyun tries to push through the crowd while holding on tightly.
People ask him questions to discover what's happening, but he needs more time to answer them. A group of doctors and nurses take his mom to the hospital. There, they met a kind doctor who tried to make them feel better and guide them through their grief.
When they finally go to the hospital, he runs into the doctor who tried to cheer them up earlier. The doctor's face is sad, so his father knows it won't be good news.
The doctor takes them to a private room, where he sits with his hand tightly on his son's. The doctor tells them she has died, and they feel terrible about their loss.
When Tae-father Hyun's started crying, Tae-Hyun also started to cry. He knew his mother was sick but never thought he would have to leave them so quickly. Tae-Hyun stands in a corner and watches the mourners pass his mother's casket. He felt nothing as if he had just been to a funeral.
His father was busy greeting guests and trying to be strong. But Tae-Hyun can see the sadness in his eyes, and he knows that his father is just as sick as he is. Even though there were not many people at the funeral, it was sad. The quiet sounds of prayers and hymns fill the air, and Tae-Hyun feels a deep sense of loss and emptiness.
He thought his mother was always there for him, comforting and supporting him through good times. And now he's gone, leaving a hole in his life that he doesn't know how to fill.
The service nears, walks up to him, and puts a comforting arm around his shoulder. They left the funeral home together, both lost in their own thoughts.
"Tae-Hyun, we have to go home now," he said quietly. "Tomorrow you have school, and you need to rest."
Tae-Hyun stared at his father, trying to figure out what he meant by what he said. He could see that his dad was trying hard not to smile.
"Is everything okay, Father?" Tae-Hyun asked him with worry in his eyes.
His father hesitated for a moment, then gave him a thumbs up. "Yes, everything is fine," he said as he put his hand on Tae-shoulder Hyun's to reassure him. Let's go home and take a break.
Tae-Hyun watches as his father walks out the door and out of sight. He didn't understand why his dad had to go away.
The rooms were quiet and empty, and he could feel that his mother wasn't there. He tried to distract himself by doing homework but couldn't concentrate, and his mind kept wandering.
Tae-Hyun is interested in the recipe and wants to know why his mom needs so much medicine. He walked down the street with a small paper bag clenched tightly in his hand. Even though the sun was out and the birds were singing, Tae-Hyun couldn't get rid of the sad feeling in his heart.
He was walking when he saw a small pharmacy and decided to go inside. The pharmacist smiled at him and asked what he could do to help. Tae-Hyun gives him a prescription and questions about the medicines his mother is taking. The pharmacist looks at the paper and frowns. He tells Tae-Hyun that the drugs are essential and should only be taken with the help of a doctor.
He could not believe what he had just heard. He fell down, so he grabbed a nearby shelf for support.
"Are you sure?" Tae-Hyun asked, his voice shaky.
The pharmacist gave the nod. "Yes, I'm sure. The drug was never meant to be taken by people."
Tae-Hyun is angry, sad, and guilty at the same time. He couldn't believe that his father had given his mother a drug meant for dogs. He fell out of the pharmacy and wandered into the street.