[Sim Himchan]

I have to take back the note from Daegwang's house. That is, unless he has already found its author. Its words have been haunting me all night long. There's no way I can take them off my mind. The more I try, the more they're pushed back inside. It's clear I have no other choice than face my fate.

Before I leave home, however, a realization dawns in my mind. What if the message comes from someone who's been out of our lives for so long? Maybe that's the only way they could reach out to us, or, better said, to me in particular.

The moment I prepare to get out and go to Daegwang's, I receive a phone call. It's from one of the last people I'd expect to call me at this time.

"Himchan, how are you? I wanted to call you yesterday, but couldn't. Listen, it's urgent."

Not Blythe. And, most importantly, not now. How the fuck do I have to tell her to stay away from me? Her husband hates me and suspects I've been flirting with her. As if it were even true!

Anyway, I consider hanging up, but she insists. "Look, I get you're busy, but you have to come-"

"Blythe, you've just come across the point. I'm busy. In fact, I'm not even supposed to be answering the phone right now. Sorry. Bye." I hang up without even letting her explain herself.

At this point, it's fair game I focus solely on retrieving the box with the note again. I have to find out why it was even buried in my garden and who is behind the mysterious message. I have to ask Daegwang to come with me. Hopefully, Durlene isn't dolled up and insisting on having sex in that same moment.

***

Unfortunately, my worst expectations match reality. I don't find Daegwang welcoming me, but Durlene. Even though she wears a regular casual outfit instead of a sexier, more sultry outfit, I don't trust her demure façade. I don't hate her—I just can't stand her poor common sense, as well as her constant search of validation from my brother.

Of course, she doesn't want me around. I sense jealousy here. "Himchan, go away. Now." Her voice is a hiss, but this doesn't deter me.

"Why so? Daegwang isn't your property. If my visits bother you so much, why are you even still flirting with him?"

She doesn't budge either. "I said: go away. Do you want me to call the police?"

"You know what? Fuck off, Durlene, you ugly ass brat. I don't even know what the fuck Daegwang sees in you, beside your pussy." I immediately regret blurting these words. She'll yell at the entire neighborhood calling me a sexist pig and accusing me of harassing her.

The problem is, I suspect she has harassed Daegwang at least once. She's always craving for sex with him, sees me as dangerous interference and, to add insult to injury, is deeply jealous of me. She's a manipulative bitch, yet won't accept being called out for that.

I wait at the porch for three more minutes. When I realize my brother won't come out, I go back home. He has to be somewhere else for errands. I'll reach out to him later.

***

"Come on, we don't have time to waste." I'm visibly annoyed at Daegwang's failure to inform me he wouldn't be at home earlier this afternoon. He would've spared me an embarrassing moment with Durlene.

He, however, doesn't seem apologetic about it in the slightest. Instead, he chuckles. "At least I came to you with the box and the note. It's better this way—she would've attempted to read it." He has a point. Durlene is extremely nosy.

We go through its message again. "I never meant for you to see this. But you’ll understand soon enough." There has to be more. That message can't just be it. I think there's another note not far from where we retrieved the original letter.

That's why we both return to the spot where I originally found the box. "This is where I fell. I thought I was tripping on roots," I explain. The moment I point the spot so that Daegwang gets a clearer idea, he notices some footprints.

"Those aren't yours," he points out. "I guess someone has been trespassing a lot lately."

"Hmm... Who could it be? None of my neighbors have a penchant for invading my private property." Although Daegwang's intuition is interesting, I don't think there's enough evidence to back it. At least, not yet.

"Look! The footprints seem to continue further down the path. Do you see your picket fence? It's broken. It looks like someone uses this as a sort of secret passage." How come he is the one making me realize I should repair it? Well... It's not a priority. Not tonight.

We follow the path, paying attention not to ruin the traces left. As we reach the broken fence, I suggest we take turns. "Who goes first?" I ask.

"You go first, hyung. You have a better sense of direction."

"Fair game. Follow me. And don't trip."

I take the lead. Realizing I have close to no chances of going through the hole left by the fence, I climb over it, landing on the other side perfectly on my feet. Daegwang does the same; however, he loses his balance and falls apart, pushing me on the ground.

"Watch your steps! You made me trip."

As he gets up, he takes two steps back. He's visibly embarrassed and his hair is covered in dirt. "S-sorry."

"Don't apologize. Let's go, before we lose track of the path."

Daegwang and I have to resort to the torch light of our phones to continue walking down the path, which ends by a tree I can barely recognize. There, hangs another white envelope. I pick it up with ease.

"I'll read it. Let's see if it's linked to the other message."

I open the envelope. I don't shake on the outside; however, I feel like there's an earthquake is inside me. This had better not be one of Dad's jokes. I don't care if he wants to have fun at his age or whatnot. We'd like not to have to dribble trouble for once.

'The door that closed to you many years ago reopened. Now, it's up to you to take a chance once more.'

Now, I'm really confused. What does it mean? How does this represent closure to the first message? How are they linked? The only thing I notice is that both have the same handwriting. Since I don't know any fine calligraphy experts, I assume both notes were written by the same person.

Daegwang asks, "Is there more we can find now?"

I realize the track of footsteps stops by the tree where we've just retrieved the envelope. "No. The track doesn't seem to continue beyond here. Let's just go home for now."

That said, when we return to our garden, silence falls between the two of us. We've found one more piece of puzzle, but how many do we need to complete it?

What's certain is that I want to go back inside and unwind a little. Daegwang stays the night and we spend it together, watching trashy TV shows and sipping ice cold beer, like we used to before drama got on our way again.