Jihyo hasn’t returned to the shop for days. Gary convinces himself that he’s glad that the nuisance is finally gone for good, but he can’t stop the niggling guilt for scolding her away.

But Jihyo never left.

Instead, she went to his house to accompany his father. She would come by in the morning, after Gary leaves, and go back to her inn in the evening, before Gary returns. She initially went to his father with the hopes of asking the elder to persuade Gary, but when she got up close to him, she realised that he was in such a bad state (both mentally and physically) and she felt horrible having to ask him for help. So in the end, she just stayed with him without asking him to persuade Gary.

She realised that he must have been bored, because Gary is spending all his time working to feed the both of them. So she accompanied him instead. Sometimes, she would talk to him about herself, other times she would tell him about Gary. She would tell him about the market and things that happened. Sometimes, she gave him food and other times she helped to massage him. Most of the times he wouldn’t respond, but occasionally he gives a grunt or a small nod, and whenever he does that, it makes her feel accomplished.

More than a week passed like this, with Gary not realising anything. But one evening, Gary returned home earlier than usual. Jihyo hasn’t left yet, and was still talking to the old man.

When Gary saw, his eyes rounded in anger. His first thought was that she came to ask his father to persuade him. He went in and dragged her out, and she was too shocked to defend herself.

“You!” he hollered, raising his hand to slap her, but thankfully stopped himself. He had never beaten a girl before and no matter what mistake Jihyo made, he would never right the wrong by hitting her. So he stopped.

“How could you?!” he said with obvious strain in his voice. “He is pitiful enough already. Why wouldn’t you stop bothering us?”

“I wasn’t….” she said halfway, but was cut off by Gary.

“Just, don’t bother us anymore,” he said coldly, but it sounded more like a plea. “Please.”

He left before she could reply.

He went back to his father’s room. “Don’t worry, dad. I wouldn’t join her, so just ignore whatever she told you,” he said. Then he realised that there was a bucket of water and a cloth on the table. He frowned. What was Jihyo doing? Was she cleaning him up?

He shook away the thoughts in his head and packed up the things she left. Before he left the room, his father stuttered, “Gun…”

Gary froze. For 16 years, ever since he became like this, he never spoke.  

He turned and walked back towards him. “Dad… did you just call me?” he asked, both nervous and excited at the same time.

His father’s eyes landed on him, and made a small nod. Gary was shocked to tears.  “You… can see me?”

He nodded again. And with great effort, he pointed to the cupboard next to his bed. “Letter,” he managed to splutter out.

Gary hurriedly looked for the letter. First drawer, second drawer… third drawer. There it was. It was a letter addressed to his mother. it was creased and crumpled, and he figured that his mother probably read it many many times. He looked at the date- it was written 20 years ago, before the fight.

“My dearest wife,

If you ever have to read this letter, it could only mean two things. Either I died in the fight against the Dark Side, or I am incapacitated and can longer talk with you." 

If I am still alive but too depressed to live on, I hope that you will read this letter to me, so that I will regain my will to live. I don’t know what will become of me after the fight, but I will never regret taking part. It’s a battle that I have lived for and a battle that I would die for. To know that my actions can help salvage the world against the evil forces of the Dark Side, it makes all the suffering worthwhile. Please remind me of this when I need the reminder. Remind me that you are proud of me, and remind me that I am proud of myself. Remind me of our promises to stick together through thick and thin, remind me of our promises to watch our son grow up well. Remind me of my promise to Hee Gun to teach him all the skills that I