Translated by Jasmine.
So Long For Now, Summer
Chapter 35
Shouldn’t Have Gotten Married
………………………………
Note
- (A) Shim Hee-joo’s aunt
- (U) Shim Hee-joo’s uncle
- (A1), (A2), (A 3) Shim Hee-joo’s other aunts
‘Done. Hee-joo, let me take over.’ (U)
‘Brother. Did Yoon-young get her mother’s permission?’ (A1)
‘I’d rather ask my brother. I’m still young, but I’m trying to keep going…’ (A3)
‘Hee-joo is someone who goes backwards just by looking at her face. How are you?’ (A2)
‘Then, shall I throw her on the street? My family is not that cold-hearted. When Yoon-young went to college, a room was vacated. She and Ji-young are a year older…'(U)
‘That’s right. Ji-young, Hee-joo and she got along well when they were younger. Rather good If only my brother-in-law was fine…’ (A3)
Her uncle took her to Ansan, showing her great grace. Her deceased mother, of course, was not okay. She didn’t know that the situation at that house had gotten so difficult in the past few years, but it wasn’t until months later that she realised the reason they took her.
Her pocket money, her food expenses, the place she lies down in the house… Explaining how much money was wasted because of her, the uncle took care of the legacy her father left behind.
He said he would leave and she’d be sorry, but she started getting beaten that day. Her uncle was her legal guardian, and he didn’t really need her permission to touch the money left by his dead brother.
Nevertheless, the reason he wanted to be confirmed by her must have been the slightest conscience towards his deceased brother, and not her.
Her deceased father said that he wanted to give away the money he had at his disposal rather than let it rot. On the outside, her father said that the bastard uncle left a lot of debt and went to trouble.
Half of the cash her father left over these years was used to move to a house that was suddenly better off, bigger, and closer to Seoul.
Naturally, there was no room for her in the new house, and she slept every day listening to all kinds of complaints from the owner of the room who put the blanket under cousin Ji-young’s bed and bothered her. That day was lucky, at least it wasn’t until dawn.
The better the situation and the happier the family, the more she was the jade tea of the family.
The good news was that no matter how many houses were put up for sale in Gimpo, it was not sold because of rumors that a person in the house committed suicide. It was because of that, he had no choice but to leave more than half of her father’s legacy.
Her uncle was a filial son, he happily spent half of the cash and then gave the rest to his mother. The family business, which had been difficult for a while, came to fruition, and her grandmother sold her land to finally repay him for his help.
She sat in the back and snorted, then they came back that day and she was beaten like a dog. Now that there was no cash left, her uncle’s wife, who pretended to tolerate her, started to beat her from that day. Shim Hee-joo quietly went into the bedroom and turned on the TV.
She doesn’t know when her aunt noticed it.
After her uncle’s family moved to Anyang, they came to see her occasionally and looked at her with meaningful eyes, but she felt uncomfortable with such a family. It was natural for her as a young adult who had never heard a word of kindness since childhood. So, she was a little perplexed when, one day, suddenly her aunt took her and started making a fuss in the uncle’s big house.
It was around the time when her house in Gimpo could not even be sold or rented and was just floating in the air. Her uncle wanted to make money with it somehow before she became an adult. Her aunt just watched with pitiful eyes at how Shim Hee-joo’s uncle raised her, and that now he wants her to hand over the house to him.
‘You don’t think I’m as old-fashioned as my brother.’ (A)
Whether or not her uncle had seizures at her scathing words, her aunt shoved Shim Hee-joo’s things into two large suitcases, not caring whether it was hers or her cousin’s belongings. Because the uncle’s family were doing something stupid looking at Shim Hee-joo, she unknowingly packed her bags together.
‘What are you doing with your mouth shut? That’s right. That’s right. I can’t say anything.’ (A)
Sitting side by side on the bus seat, she placed her two suitcases on her lap, one at a time, and she thought about where else her life would go. Her aunt muttered to herself again as if her anger could not be resolved no matter how much she thought about it.
‘If you’re a kid, don’t do that to a pup… When your father was alive, he was kind to him.’ (A)
‘Just… I just want to live.’ (S)
‘What?’ (A)
‘That’s why I didn’t say anything.’ (S)
‘……’ (A)
‘That’s right, I had to live. I don’t think about my dad.’ (S)
‘……’ (A)
‘And this is the bankbook with dad’s money… I stole it from my uncle’s wife’s dressing table drawer earlier.’ (S)
‘…Why are you giving this to me?’ (A)
‘It’s been a while, but write it down.’ (S)
‘……’ (A)
‘If you don’t hit me, I’ll even give you my house in Gimpo.’ (S)
Her aunt was silent the whole way home with Shim Hee-joo’s bankbook in hand. They got off the bus that arrived in Gimpo with her luggage, and then transferred to the city bus going to her aunt’s house. Even after getting off the bus, she had to walk about ten minutes to get to her aunt’s house.
Her aunt said as she was walking without thinking, whimpering that her luggage was heavy.
‘I’m going to work tomorrow. I usually don’t rest on Sundays.’ (A)
‘Ah… Yes.’ (S)
‘There is rice in the rice cooker… I’ll buy you a side dish before you go to school, so when you wake up, take it out and eat it. I don’t dress up like that.’ (A)
‘Yes. thank you.’ (S)
‘You have 3 million won left in your bank account. You only have 10 months to graduate. Send me 300,000 won a month for your living expenses.’ (A)
‘You can have it all…’ (S)
‘I can have it all? Can’t you count? Use a calculator. Keep the bankbook.’ (A)
‘Yes.’ (S)
‘And I have a house and money. Where can I use a house that cannot even be sold because it has ghosts? You do it.’ (A)
She sent money to her aunt as monthly rent, and in return her aunt gave her pocket money every week.
Occasionally, a friend of her aunt who has a son, an examination center student, came to play and talked about what he heard at SkyEdu, what subjects are famous in Megastudy… After talking, her aunt found out how much it was and gave him the money.
Cut off the reading room, cut off the lecture hall… No matter how one looks at it, it didn’t seem like a lot of business. Her aunt noticed that if Shim Hee-joo had to do housework, she was kicked out to study.
Her aunt was generally indifferent, but she did a good job. She didn’t even hit her. The 3 million won her aunt had received for ten months was saved and put into her bank account to be used as Shim Hee-joo’s tuition on her day of graduation.
Her aunt was disgusted and left because Shim Hee-joo started to cry after receiving it back.
Her grandmother, vaguely aware that the money her son had given to her was Shim Hee-joo’s father’s legacy to her, reluctantly returned it due to her aunt’s persuasion.
It was her father’s money, so her aunt didn’t spend a penny, her aunt said. Thanks to this, she also avoided being a poor high school student. She has a place to go for the holidays.
“… A sick bastard…” (A)
The answer to the sad saying that I missed you was a bit harsh, but she was relieved to hear the familiar swearing. She finally felt like she was in a safe place.
Her aunt wasn’t the kind to talk to anyone in the first place. She didn’t even try to empathize easily… So, even if someone dies, she’s like, “Oh my, Hee-joo, it’s so pitiful…” (A) And she has nothing else to say for Shim Hee-joo’s emotions. Because it was her aunt who said that when they found out her grandmother had died.
But she was the kindest adult she’s ever lived with.
“How did you become such an old-timer?” (A)
“I know, right.” (S)
Her aunt sighed quietly.
“Auntie was right. I just shouldn’t have gotten married.” (S)
“Marriage is what marriage is. I’ve never heard of a married woman like you.” (A)
That said, her aunt was briefly against her marriage. When her aunt heard that Woo Jin-ha was the grandson of WK, the world seemed to have changed. But as soon as she heard about the prenuptial contract, she changed her face. “What’s the point of assuming that he broke up with you if he doesn’t intend to divorce you in the first place?” (A)
How did she defend it? “It is correct to write that one doesn’t know what’s going to happen with people…” (S) Shim Hee-joo mumbled like an idiot because she wasn’t so confident. So her aunt kicked her tongue and called her a bastard girl. “Why are you getting married with the intention of breaking up in the end?” (A)
“That person’s family is different from people like us.” (S) She cried so hard that her aunt just asked her all over. It was like doing what she pleased.
If her aunt were right, and whatever it is, if she had advised that it is a good thing to get married and catch that great guy. Would her heart have been a little more comfortable?
Shim Hee-joo knows it can’t be. Because she knew from the beginning that she was wrong. It would have been nice to just be wrong about Woo Jin-ha.
“… I didn’t want to get married or have children.” (S)
“You’re pretending not to be the subject of having children before you even get married.” (A)
“… Is that important to your aunt now?” (A)
It didn’t seem to matter. Her aunt just looked down at her hand and sighed deeply.
“You can have another child.” (A)