Sanoja paperilla

I’ll be right there – Kyung-Sook Shin

”I prefer being alone, too. I tried not to get close to you because I was afraid of hurting you. If I ever do anything to hurt you, please don’t hate me for it.”  I didin’t say anything. Then to my surprise, she said, ” If I do ever hurt you, forget all about me. Erase me from your memory.”

”Why are you saying that?” I asked, surprised. ”Never mind… Yoon, you have to remember me. Don’t forget me.” Her voice shook. I rolled over to face her and reached out for her hand. Her scar-covered hand felt warm. If only we could have met each other sooner. We had led such poor and fragile lives, each alone. Maybe I did know what was going on in Myungsuh’s mind when he planted the lilies beneath her window. I squeezed her hand a little tighter.

”Let’s remember this forever,” I said. I was surprised to realize I was echoing Myungshu. Is this what he felt when he said it to me? Was the grief that I was feeling for Miru, who seemed so inscrutable and enigmatic, what he felt toward me? Maybe that was all there was to say when no words could offer solace, when there seemed to be no way forward.

”My sister used to say that,” Miru said.

”Oh?”

”She used to say it all the time when the three of us were living together: ”Let’s remember this day forever…”