Time Mansour - Chapter 83
Only Noblemtl
Episode 83 Children’s Ward
These days, fall comes in four parts.
so.
The heat is still raging.
To escape the persistent heat.
I went into the clothing store with Da-eun.
After going into the store and feeling the air conditioning, I felt like I could buy something.
While cooling off in the store and taking a breather.
moment.
Da-eun, who was next to me, opened her mouth with a bright smile.
“Uncle. Thank you so much for coming with me.”
“No, it’s not that difficult.”
Da-eun looking up at me.
I don’t know if I misunderstood.
It seems like Da-eun’s face has brightened up a lot these days.
Not only that, but even the way he walked seemed lighter for some reason.
Da-eun walks with a bouncy bounce. She walks forward while looking at Jeong-su-ri shaking from side to side.
suddenly.
Da-eun picks up a set of clothes from the hanger and tries them on her body.
“Uncle, how about this? Do you think it will suit Dad well?”
“Uh… so… maybe?”
Da-eun contacted her father first, saying she wanted to give him a gift.
She asked me to help her choose clothes, so I followed her for a while.
Da-eun’s father was around my age.
So, I guess that’s why you asked me for a favor.
‘I’m not in a position to pick out anyone’s clothes.’
To be honest, I was worried.
Because I originally had no interest in clothes.
If you just throw on something, it’s all just clothes. I’ve lived my whole life with that mindset.
With such worries ahead of me, I walk between the clothing displays.
Glance. I glanced at Da-eun while pretending to choose clothes.
I kept watching her closely, and I felt like I should give her some advice, so I started talking to her out of a sense of duty.
“My father said he didn’t have many clothes.”
“Yes. You’ve been in the hospital for a long time. You don’t have any clothes.”
“Well, since it’s going to be winter soon, shouldn’t I buy a winter jacket?”
“Oh! That’s right. My dad doesn’t have any padding either.”
Da-eun nodded at my words.
Then I look around the shelves again.
Choosing clothes was Da-eun’s job. I just pretended to choose.
He fiddled with the hanger, lifted it up once, then shyly put it back down.
When I take out the clothes because they look okay, I think they don’t look very pretty so I hang them up neatly on the hanger again.
And honestly.
To my eyes, they all seemed the same. So I was hesitant to recommend them.
So I was looking back and forth between the clothes and Da-eun.
Again.
Da-eun, who was walking ahead, turns her head and looks at me.
“Uncle. How about this?”
“That’s okay. I think your father will like it.”
A soulless answer.
In response to Da-eun’s question, he repeated the same words over and over again.
Well. It’s not what you see on the outside that’s important. It’s Da-eun’s warm heart that gives her father a present that’s more important. Of course, what’s important is what you see, so I thought to myself as I nodded my head up and down.
“Then I’ll do this for now.”
“Okay. Give me the clothes. I’ll carry them.”
Da-eun, who couldn’t handle the clothes that were too big for her body, was struggling.
I snatched the clothes away from me as if I was snatching them away, and placed the hanger on my shoulder.
Thank you. After bowing her head, Da-eun bounced up and down again. She waved her hands back and forth vigorously as if she was swimming between the clothing displays.
“Is this padding warm?”
“I’ll take a look.”
When Da-eun handed me the padding, this time, unlike before, I nodded confidently.
I don’t know anything about design. But since I’m used to feeling cold a lot, I tend to look for warm clothes. Practicality is more important than design. That’s also my standard for choosing clothes.
“I think the one next to it would be better than this one. The pocket area on this one is too thin.”
“This? Just a moment. My arm can’t reach there.”
“I’ll take it out.”
Da-eun lifted her arms up on her magpie legs. She grabbed the air and shook it, then turned her head to look at me.
He gestured lightly to Vicky and stood in front of Da-eun. He raised his arm and took the padding off the hanger.
After pressing the padding several times, I put the clothes in Da-eun’s hands.
“What do you think? It looks warm. Do you like the clothes?”
“Okay! I’ll use this padding.”
Then shake your head up and down vigorously.
“Uncle, just give me one more of those. The black one. The one next to it.”
“Are you thinking of buying two sets? Well, one set of padding is a bit much.”
“No. This is a present from my uncle. You bought me clothes last time.”
Da-eun smiles, sticking out her tongue as if embarrassed.
After hearing that, I felt like I understood why he had called me today.
somehow.
I felt it was a little strange.
He is a mature child for his age.
Of course, they were quick-witted even for a kid.
however.
That kid who obviously knows my fashion level.
That kind of kid.
I thought it was really weird that he asked me to pick out clothes for him.
It seemed like he had made up some excuse to drag me out to give me a gift.
“Thank you so much. I’ll wear it well.”
“No. No. Uncle. I am more grateful. It seems like only good things have happened since I met you.”
Da-eun smiles brightly.
well.
It’s not that meeting me brought you anything good.
‘I guess Da-eun thinks that way because she’s positive.’
Because everything depends on how you think about it.
If I were you, I probably wouldn’t have been all that happy about my father waking up.
It’s just that Da-eun has a kind heart, so everything looks good.
Da-eun’s kind heart infected me and I smiled without realizing it.
After looking at each other and laughing for a while, they pick up the thick padded jackets in both hands to do the math.
But the clothes weren’t suitable for the hot weather yet.
Maybe it’s because they’re winter clothes.
It felt like my heart was being warmed.
**
Finally, the day came.
Children’s Ward, Korea University.
I climb the hill carrying the keyboard on my back. The keyboard bag weighs down my shoulders like a cross. The makeup dress feels heavier than the keyboard.
With the heart of a monk who is persecuted and about to be martyred, I take steps that do not falter.
The keyboard strap hung precariously over his shoulder. He held the strap tightly with both hands and entered the hospital with a very serious expression on his face.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been here.”
When I was young, my older sister went to the hospital. There were only two university hospitals in the entire country that accepted patients with rare diseases. So I had been there a few times with my mother when I was young.
“I can’t get used to this hospital smell.”
As I entered the lobby, a familiar smell lingered in my nostrils.
A familiar smell brought back memories of my childhood here and there.
Sometimes, children would suffer from illness and then be discharged from the hospital.
When the child in the next room is discharged, I have to decide whether or not I should go to the funeral.
My mother used to sit on the hospital bed and worry.
I find my way to the auditorium, reminiscing about my childhood memories in my head.
“Where did you say the waiting room was?”
I wander through the colorful hospital corridors. The tape marking the path on the floor is a tangled mess. People are walking back and forth to the same place, holding referral forms.
As you all know, university hospitals are usually like mazes. Once you enter, it is not easy for anyone to find their way.
They said they intentionally made the path to the hospital confusing to prevent the grim reaper from coming.
Suddenly, I remembered an old story my mother told me when I was little.
**
After wandering around for a while, I was able to find the auditorium waiting room.
Before performing, we first put on makeup.
I changed my clothes and lightly applied makeup to my face.
Finally, secure your hair with a wig net and put the wig on top of it.
The blonde hair shines brightly under the fluorescent lights. It’s a cheap wig, so it’s a bit tangled, but whatever. Still, it looks pretty good from a distance.
“Hey. You’re so pretty. So pretty.”
“What’s so pretty about that? It’s just disgusting. Disgusting.”
“Why. You two really suit each other.”
Although the answers are contradictory, they are in fact the same reaction.
When I dressed up as a princess, the kids in the band looked at me and giggled.
All the wrinkles on the face are wrinkles.
Applause and smiles spread everywhere.
okay.
Because you guys look happy.
“Everyone, shut up. Before I smash everything up.”
It makes me feel good too.
Maybe because I’m so excited.
Harsh words flowed out of his mouth smoothly.
After finishing my makeup, I went out to the auditorium and tried to set up my keyboard.
The moment I came out into the auditorium.
“Wow! Wow!”
“It’s a princess. A princess.”
“It’s the Winter Princess. Teacher, it’s the Winter Princess.”
As soon as he appeared, cheers erupted from all directions.
Today I am a global star.
Children have already gathered around me like clouds.
“Photo. Please take a photo.”
“Me too. I want to take a picture with Winter Princess.”
It was especially popular with girls.
The kids are grabbing my skirt and making noise.
With the keyboard on my shoulder, I continued to make a V-sign with my fingers.
He looks into the camera lens with a smile on his face.
‘Should I like this?’
I’ve never been this popular in my life.
I was more confused because I was unfamiliar with it.
“Yeah. Someone had to do the makeup for the Winter Princess.”
Seongtae folds his arms and nods with satisfaction. Then, you should have done it. When I look at him with resentful eyes, he doesn’t seem to understand my gaze. Or he’s ignoring me. I don’t know for sure. Seongtae just gives me a thumbs up.
After taking pictures with the kids for a while.
“Stop. Stop, kids.”
The nurse came running and sent the children back to their seats.
And then he asked me in a small voice, as if whispering.
“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. Those… kids… didn’t make you uncomfortable?”
“Yes? No? Not at all?”
I tilted my head because I didn’t understand what he was saying.
“No. There are some people who feel uncomfortable when they see the kids.”
“No, it’s just cute.”
A nurse who is embarrassed and unable to speak.
After I answered that question as if it was nothing.
I looked around again belatedly.
The children’s appearances varied greatly.
Because it is a place where all the rare disease patients from all over the country gather.
It wasn’t anything special.
A child with bulging eyes.
A child whose head was three times larger than other people’s.
A child whose skin was so completely destroyed that even the shape of his eyes, nose, and mouth could not be recognized.
A child whose legs were bent like bows and who could not walk properly even with crutches.
‘Probably because of the looks. That’s probably why I asked.’
A bitter thought crossed my mind for a moment. I quickly bit my lower lip, afraid that my expression would show on my face.
I was originally a bit dull when it came to people’s faces and appearances.
“···”
No. If I say dull, it’s too vague.
Strictly speaking, I just thought that was it.
Two eyes, one nose, one mouth. Because all human faces are similar.
I lived my whole life with that thought.
So I didn’t feel uncomfortable because of my appearance.
‘But it might be different for sensitive people.’
Suddenly, my heart felt heavy and my stomach felt stuffy.
Is it because I’ve been living too lazy lately?
I feel like I’ve been feeling this way a lot lately.
however.
I’m afraid that if I retched here, it might be misunderstood.
Keep your mouth shut.
I swallowed hard.