하지만 버림받았던 기억이 너무 크고 무서워서, 항상 그들의 요구를 들어줄 수밖에 없었다.
But the memory of being abandoned was so great and frightening, she always had to acquiesce to their demands.

제게 늘 차가운 가족이란 사람들에게 단 한 번도 받아본 적이 없는 애정을 바보처럼 바랐던 때가 있었다.
There were times when she foolishly longed for affection from her always cold family, affection she had never received.

[자, 우리 애기들 많이 먹어.] [Now, our kids, eat a lot.]

경숙은 동생들에게는 맛있는 걸 주면서 제게는 먹을 게 있어도 나눠주지 않는, 그렇다고 그 자리를 떠나는 것도 용납하지 않았다.
Kyung-sook would give tasty things to her siblings but never shared with her
“……일 년 전이요?”
“……A year ago?”

여자의 대답에 아린은 손에 힘이 풀렸다.
At the woman’s response, Arin’s strength left her hands.

샤인머스캣이 든 상자가 계단 아래로 굴러떨어졌다.
The box containing Shine Muscats rolled down the stairs.

“이봐요, 대체 지금 남의 집 앞에서 무슨……!”
“Hey, what on earth are you doing in front of someone else’s house……!”

포도알이 튀어나오며 복도가 엉망이 되었다. 여자는 버럭 소리를 질렀다. 하지만 그것도 잠시, 소리를 지르던 여자는 아린의 표정에 입을 다물었다.
Grapes scattered, making a mess in the hallway. The woman yelled furiously. But that was momentary, as she stopped upon seeing Arin’s expression.

“……지금 일 년 전이시라고 하셨어요? 정말 일 년 전에 이사 오셨어요?”
“……You said it was a year ago? Did you really move here a year ago?”

“아, 그렇다니까요. 빨리 저 과일 치워요. 남의 집 앞에서 무슨 짓이에요.”
“Yes, I did. Hurry up and clean up these fruits. What are you doing in front of someone’s house?”

하지만 아린의 귀에는 아무 소리도 들리지 않았다.
But Arin heard nothing.

‘말도 안 돼. 어머니에게 이사 간다고 연락을 받은 게 일 년이 되지 않아.’
‘This can’t be. It hasn’t been a year since mother told me she was moving.’

누가 거짓말을 하는 걸까.
Who is lying?

아린은 머릿속이 혼란스러웠다.
Arin’s mind was in chaos.

“이거 다 치우고 가요. 아니면 신고할 거니까.”
“Clean this up and leave. Or else, I’ll call the police.”

쾅.
Bang.

낯선 여자는 아린의 대답 따윈 필요 없다는 듯 현관문을 세게 닫아버렸다.
The stranger shut the front door forcefully, as if Arin’s response was unnecessary.

“죄송합니다. 다 치울게요.”
“I’m sorry. I’ll clean it all up.”

아린은 닫힌 대문을 보며 상대방이 들을 수 없는 말을 내뱉었다.
Arin spoke to the closed door, words the other couldn’t hear.

“내가 주소를 잘못 들은 걸 거야. 그래. 그런 거야.”
“I must have heard the address wrong. Yes. That must be it.”

전화상이니 번지수를 착각할 수도 있다.
It’s possible to mistake the number over the phone.

“어, 어머니께 전화를 드려야겠어.”
“Oh, I need to call mother.”

‘설마 그때……처럼 나를…….’
‘Could it be like that time…… she…’

소외당했던 기억이 떠올라, 아린은 두려워졌다. 과일을 줍는 손이 덜덜 떨렸다.
Memories of being neglected surfaced, and Arin became afraid. Her hands trembled as she picked up the fruit.

‘아냐. 그때는 실수라고 하셨잖아. 내가 수학여행 중이라 연락할 방법이 없다고 하셨잖아.’
‘No. She said it was a mistake that time. She said there was no way to
In the end, she couldn’t have a child, and the promise wasn’t kept.

But earlier this year, for some reason, she received a call from her mother.

[Your father is getting released.]

Last year, when Arin heard about the early release, she was puzzled. There was still a considerable amount of his sentence left.

To such Arin, her mother Kyung-sook spoke bluntly.

[Your father has been living diligently, that’s why.] [Diligently?] [Yes. Just know that.]

Arin, sensing Kyung-sook’s reluctance to speak, didn’t ask further. Time passed quickly, and the day before Mr. Choi’s release arrived.

[I’ll go too when father gets released tomorrow.]

She thought it was her duty as a daughter to be there for her father who had suffered.

However, Kyung-sook firmly refused.

[Why come for such an occasion? Father is fine. Come when things are settled.] [Even so…] [It’s not like Jeju Island is close to Seoul. Just stay there.]

Arin, not wanting to doubt her mother’s words, agreed and hung up.

She felt somewhat unsettled but concluded that her mother’s words were out of concern for the trouble of traveling from Jeju Island to Seoul.

And not long after that, she received another call from Kyung-sook.

[We’ve moved.] [Moved? Where to?] [I’ll send you the address. Call before you come. Don’t just show up unannounced.]

That was less than a year ago.

Since then, Kyung-sook occasionally replied to texts but didn’t answer calls.

Arin was anxious but still thought, surely not……