Ryu Ji-ho silently vowed to himself over and over.
"My son, if you want to go to school tomorrow, you need to sleep now," said Sim Yeong-suk, trying to soothe her eldest son's sobs. Gently, she guided Ryu Ji-ho to his bed.
"Good night," she whispered, hoping her son would drift into a peaceful sleep.
Ryu Ji-ho finally succumbed to slumber, enveloped by the warmth of his rural home, feeling a sense of tranquility he hadn't felt in a long time. Beneath the blanket of the night sky, he sensed the world embracing him, offering the comfort he had longed for.
❉ ❉ ❉
The next morning, Ryu Ji-ho awoke with a feeling he hadn't experienced in years. Awareness struck him like lightning, and he quickly scanned his surroundings. This wasn't a dream. He was truly back in the past.
He took a deep breath, feeling the fresh morning air fill his lungs. Nostalgia washed over him as if every corner of this room whispered tales of days long gone. Ryu Ji-ho reached for the books on his study desk, touching each textbook—Math, English, and Korean—all neatly arranged for a first-year high school student. He opened one of the books and flipped through its pages, noticing how pristine and untouched they were as if they had never been handled by human hands.
"Ugh..." he groaned softly, still feeling the heaviness lingering in his head. Even as he pressed his temples hard, the weight refused to lift. But he didn't want to lie down again. He stretched his body and then headed out to the living room.
"Oppaaaa~" a small, cheerful voice called out to him. Ryu A-ra, his youngest sister, came running toward him, hugging his legs tightly.
"A-ra!" Ryu Ji-ho exclaimed, lifting his sister high and hugging her close. "My sweet little sister, did you sleep well?"
"Brother, your way of talking is strange. Why are you speaking like that?" A-ra giggled.
"Huh?" Ryu Ji-ho was taken aback, not expecting such a question.
"You're not trying to imitate Dad, are you? Because you sound like an old man," Ryu A-ra said with a mischievous laugh.
Hearing this, Ryu Ji-ho could only manage a small smile. "Sun-ho, come here. Let your brother give you a hug," he called out, glancing over at Ryu Sun-ho, his younger brother.
But Ryu Sun-ho quickly stepped back, putting some distance between himself and Ryu Ji-ho, a look of disgust on his face. "Are you crazy? No way, that's gross!" he declared firmly.
"Oppa, oppa, don't hug the others, just me, just me!" A-ra cried, whining playfully as she stayed nestled in Ryu Ji-ho's embrace. Her face radiated a funny jealousy, as if she didn't want to share her brother's attention with anyone else.
Ryu Ji-ho chuckled softly, watching his younger siblings' antics. He tried to recall their childhood.
"At this age, A-ra should already be in elementary school..." he mused. A-ra, being the youngest, was born quite a while after her older brothers. Though she was growing into a bit of a rascal, she was still a sweet and good-hearted child. At the moment, she was deeply attached to Ryu Ji-ho, who was always patient and full of love.
The Ryu family was one filled with warmth. The two sons had inherited their father's quiet nature, often leaning towards introversion. Ryu Sun-ho, the second son, rarely spoke and preferred to keep to himself. On the other hand, A-ra, knowing that Sun-ho would never indulge her, always turned to her eldest brother, Ryu Ji-ho, for comfort and affection.
At this moment, the Ryu family seemed so harmonious and loving, united in the warmth of a bright morning. A-ra's joyful laughter filled the air, making Ryu Ji-ho feel as if he were living one of the happiest moments of his life.
"Hahaha," he laughed again, a pure happiness filling his heart. For a moment, he forgot all the troubles he had ever faced, lost in the simple joy of being with his family.
Ryu Ji-ho's smile stretched from ear to ear as he pressed his cheek against his little sister Ryu Ah-ra's, teasing her in that irresistibly playful way of his. Ah-ra burst into laughter, her tiny, white teeth gleaming as her giggles filled the air. This little girl was the epitome of joy, always bringing laughter into the home. Her presence was like a breath of fresh air, making the entire family feel more alive and energized.
Meanwhile, Ji-ho just shook his head, a look of mild annoyance crossing his face as if something unpleasant had caught his attention. "Hey, you little bed-wetter! Did you wet the bed again?" he teased with a mocking tone.
"I'm not a bed-wetter! You stupid big brother!" Ah-ra shot back, her eyes glaring sharply at Ji-ho, her voice rising to a squeal that showed just how displeased she was.
"Hyung, don't bother us," Soon-ho interjected, trying to calm the situation and put a stop to Ji-ho's antics.
"Bothering? What are you talking about?" Ji-ho replied flatly, pretending not to understand what was going on.
"Toilet," Soon-ho said curtly, trying to change the subject.
Soon-ho just huffed in frustration. He clutched his English dictionary tightly in his hand and headed out of the house. He probably intended to sit on the toilet for a long time, memorizing new English vocabulary. He always felt pressured whenever he was compared to the neighboring kids by the mothers around him. As a result, he studied hard to ensure he wouldn't fall behind his brother. Unfortunately, despite his efforts, his grades were never satisfactory. It seemed he lacked a natural talent for learning, and his results always fell short of expectations.
"Ji-ho oppa, put me down," Ryu Ah-ra suddenly demanded.
As soon as Ji-ho set Ah-ra down, she bolted towards the kitchen. Ji-ho himself walked out into the small yard in front of the house. Next to the gate, there was a bathroom and a washroom, nestled side by side. In the corner of the yard, several large jars were neatly arranged, a hallmark of their traditional home. Ji-ho entered the washroom, filled a basin with water, and brought it outside. He crouched down in the yard, washing his face and hair. When winter arrived, they had to boil water in the kitchen first and bring it to the washroom outside just to wash their faces. This was all part of their everyday life, a routine they had known for a long time.
Ji-ho chuckled softly as he splashed water on his face.
"Hehehe..." he laughed, feeling as if he had truly returned to his high school days when all these discomforts were just part of the daily grind.
From the kitchen, the sound of a commotion could be heard as their mother, Sim Young-sook, and Ryu Ah-ra got into a little argument.
"Didn't I tell you that when I'm cooking, you need to be quiet! Don't touch that! You're not allowed!" Sim Young-sook scolded sternly.
Ah-ra, who was standing next to her mother, busy preparing breakfast, kept trying to grab the side dishes that were meant to go into her brothers' lunchboxes. After being scolded by her mother, Ah-ra pouted and turned away. She puffed out her cheeks, casting a defiant glance at her mother. However, she knew there was no way she could win against her mother's intimidating glare.
"Hmph, Mom always scolds me," Ah-ra muttered irritably as she walked away.
After the minor commotion had passed, all four family members sat around the dining table. In front of them lay a simple meal that didn't include any meat. Yet, for Ji-ho, this meal was priceless. The taste was so familiar and deeply cherished. Perhaps it was because it was made with so much love by his mother. During that mealtime, Ji-ho felt truly happy. Simple moments like these, even though they seemed ordinary, were once something he thought he might never experience again. But now, as he sat at the same table, with the same family, a sense of gratitude washed over him.
Listening to Ah-ra's endless chatter, Ji-ho savored his breakfast. Sim Young-sook, who usually busied herself washing the dishes, took a break from her chores this time. With swift hands, she packed lunch boxes for her two sons. Ji-ho always carried two lunch boxes because he had to attend self-study sessions at night. After everything was ready, Ryu Ah-ra slung her school bag over her shoulder, ready to go.