Chapter 24: The Shadow in the Mirror

As Seonghye began to open his eyes to a new canvas and diverse colors, Yunhwan felt a gaze following him everywhere like a shadow. While he did housework, while he was on the phone, even when he went out to water the yard.

That gaze, which lacked any moderate temperature, followed him ceaselessly. No matter how oblivious Yunhwan might be, it was impossible not to notice. Especially every afternoon when he hung laundry with the sunset at his back, the stare was so fervent it made his ears burn, even though Seonghye just sat silently on the porch watching him.

Like a marsh swallowing his feet, Seonghye began to encroach upon Yunhwan and every space Yunhwan inhabited.

“You don’t have to go. You’ll just suffer if you do.”

“I don’t want my presence to cause problems for your social life, Hyung.”

“It won’t cause problems.”

Before he could even finish his sentence, a hat was plopped onto Yunhwan’s head. While Yunhwan was momentarily speechless with absurdity, Seonghye—who had put on a matching hat—looked at their reflection in the mirror and laughed as if it were fun.

“Like this, we really look…”

“…Really look like what?”

Yunhwan’s dissatisfied eyes turned toward Seonghye in the mirror. Even wearing a “Saemaul Movement” style hat that belonged in a different decade, Seonghye somehow pulled off the tacky item. However, Yunhwan was clearly displeased. He couldn’t understand why Seonghye was so adamant about going out in this sweltering heat.

“Does it look good?”

“Those things don’t suit you. Take it off.”

Yunhwan was trying his best to dig his heels in, but resisting was becoming increasingly difficult. Ignoring Yunhwan’s words entirely, Seonghye moved busily through the house. Before Yunhwan knew it, Seonghye was holding the arm sleeves Yunhwan used for work and a bottle of rock-solid frozen water.

“I’m curious about the friend who called you today. Was it Sang-pil?”

“Seong-pil. And he’s not a friend, he’s a younger brother.”

As Yunhwan answered awkwardly, Seonghye’s smile deepened.

“I didn’t know you had another ‘younger brother’ besides me. Now I’m even more curious.”

Answering in a calm voice, Seonghye brushed past Yunhwan and walked toward the vanity. He tilted his head while looking at various sunscreens, appearing genuinely conflicted about which one to pack.

“He called for help, so we should go. I’ll take the chance to see this ‘Sang-pil’ person’s face.”

He finally grabbed the sunscreen Yunhwan had used earlier.

“It’s Seong-pil…”

“Let’s go, let’s go see Sang-pil.”

With supplies in one hand and Yunhwan’s hand in the other, Seonghye led the way out. The moment they stepped out, the scorching sun made Seonghye’s nose scrunch. The cicadas’ ear-splitting cries were the least of their worries. With the temperature soaring above 37°C, Yunhwan looked at the emergency disaster alert on his phone and then at Seonghye with worried eyes.

The origin of all this was Seong-pil’s SOS.

It happened while Yunhwan was resting in his room after a meal. Seong-pil called, whining that he was short-handed right before the zucchini harvest shipment.

‘I’m gonna die at this rate…’

‘Stop saying you’re going to die. You say that every time something happens.’

‘I’m dying first…’

‘…….’

Yunhwan thought it was a bit rich to help someone else when he couldn’t even manage his own field properly, but remembering how Seong-pil had helped him with the aronia harvest last year, he was about to agree when one person came to mind.

Seonghye.

He didn’t know what would happen if he left Seonghye alone. Moreover, since he had heard there was progress in the treatment recently, he was worried that making Seonghye sensitive or anxious might reset everything back to square one.

He was just about to decline when Seonghye appeared behind him with a curious face.

‘Who is it?’

Seonghye, who had been watching from behind, cut in. Even though he had clearly heard the whole conversation, he stubbornly insisted on hearing the full situation again from Yunhwan. After that, things moved at lightning speed under Seonghye’s lead, which led to the two of them currently heading toward Seong-pil’s farm.

As Yunhwan drove carefully down the cracked asphalt of the country road, the volume of the radio—playing to fill the silence—dipped. Seonghye turned to him.

“Hyung, when did you start farming?”

“About three years ago. Why?”

The radio volume lowered again. In the quiet cabin, Yunhwan bit his lip. Outside, heat haze shimmered relentlessly on the road, but inside the car, a gaze even hotter than the sun was warming his face. Unlike Yunhwan, who had to focus on the road ahead, Seonghye hadn’t taken his eyes off Yunhwan since they got in.

“What did you do before that?”

“Uh…”

Taken aback by the sudden interrogation, Yunhwan dragged out his words. While Seonghye had asked bits and pieces before, this was the first time he had pointedly mentioned the past.

“Just… office work?”

“Just office work?”

For a moment, a hint of playfulness touched the voice mimicking him. Then, staring at Yunhwan’s hands on the wheel, Seonghye asked again.

“When you were on the phone earlier, I saw the photo tucked into the vanity mirror.”

“The photo?”

“Yes. A photo of you.”

Yunhwan’s parched cheeks twitched slightly as a smile spread across Seonghye’s lips.

“There was one in a military uniform with your grandmother… and I saw you in a suit, too.”

“…You saw quite a variety.”

“There was a variety to see. Looking at them made me curious. What kind of work did you do? What kind of person were you in a place other than this countryside?”

As he spoke, Seonghye’s gaze drifted back to Yunhwan’s hands. His eyes moved slowly over the ten neatly kept fingers. Then, out of the blue, he asked:

“Isn’t it annoying?”

“…What is?”

“Being with me.”

Yunhwan’s hands flinched on the steering wheel. Seonghye didn’t miss it and watched him with an unreadable expression.

“Why… why would you ask that?”

“There’s at least some fun in raising a dog or a cat. How annoying must it be to keep a grown man whose memory isn’t even intact? I must take more effort than an animal.”

“No, that’s not true. I’ve never thought of it that way.”

At Yunhwan’s swift denial, Seonghye raised an eyebrow and replied smoothly.

“That’s a relief, then.”

“I told you before, Seonghye. You lost your memory because you got hurt because of me… and I know you’re having a hard time right now because of the imprinting.”

“You don’t need to worry about the imprinting, Hyung.”

They were approaching a steep curve. Instead of Yunhwan, who missed the timing to reply because he was focusing on the turn, Seonghye spoke calmly.

“The thing that bothers me is the memory, not the imprinting.”

Before they even cleared that steep and dangerous road, the man drove the point home with a tranquil face.

Seong-pil was already out to meet them at the farm. After a brief greeting, Seong-pil led them toward the white greenhouses. Waiting for them at the entrance was a massive pile of styrofoam boxes. The moment Yunhwan saw them, he tried to lead Seonghye back to the car, but Seong-pil frantically waved his hands.

“You think I’m crazy? I’m not making you do all of that!”

“Then why are they stacked up like that for show? Where’s your wife? I have something to say to her.”

“I told you it’s not like that! My wife is out lifting weights. Don’t bother her when she’s busy, Hyung-nim!”

The situation was only settled after a flustered Seong-pil pulled just one row of boxes and placed them in Yunhwan’s hands.

Inside the humid greenhouse, Yunhwan led Seonghye to a workstation. Everything needed for packing the zucchini was ready, but Yunhwan had already made up his mind: he would work for thirty minutes and then leave with Seonghye.

Unaware of this, Seong-pil turned on a fan toward them with a broad grin.

“Call me if you feel like you’re gonna pass out. I’ll buy you an ice cream bar.”

“Stop talking nonsense and go pack your boxes.”

Yunhwan brushed off the silly comment with a nudge, and Seong-pil laughed as he walked to the far end of the packing line. Even though he had turned the fan to max speed, the greenhouse remained stiflingly hot. Furthermore, with the sun beating down behind them, sweat began to bead on the back of Yunhwan’s hand as he wiped his brow.

Unlike Yunhwan, who was flustered by the heat radiating from behind, Seonghye sat calmly and asked, “I guess you’re close with him.”

“I suppose so. I’ve known him ever since I moved here.”

Seonghye nodded silently.

“It’s hot, isn’t it, Seonghye? Let’s just do a little and go back.”

“I’m fine, so take your time, Hyung.”

Despite Seonghye telling him to take his time, Yunhwan’s hands were busy moving the pre-picked zucchini into boxes. His mind was solely focused on finishing the work quickly so they could return.

In contrast to Yunhwan’s haste, the zucchinis—which had grown beautifully after narrowly avoiding typhoons and heavy rains—were quite plump, and Seonghye handled them with great care. Deep in his work, Yunhwan caught sight of Seonghye’s serious expression and couldn’t help but smile faintly.

Then, Yunhwan noticed Seonghye’s bangs were soaked with sweat, sticking to his forehead in clumps. Unable to ignore it, Yunhwan took the towel draped around his neck and reached out to wipe Seonghye’s forehead.