‘This movie is sadder than I thought.’

She remembers what happened that day.

I once said that while watching a movie.

Although I can’t remember the title of the movie, I can recall which scene it was. It was a scene where a grandmother who lost her husband and lived alone died lonely.

I don’t know if it was because I was worried about old age for a long time, or if it was because I was sensitive that day, but tears suddenly came out at that scene.

‘don’t worry.’

Then the man sitting next to him said so.

I am now at an age where I can no longer remember the title of a movie that impressed me, but I can still vividly recall his facial expression and voice at that time.

‘When you die, I will be by your side.’

At that time, his expression didn’t really suit me, and he looked unnecessarily serious, so I burst into laughter without realizing it. I laughed for a long time until it had nothing to do with my appreciation of the movie or my depressed mood.

The story is only one of the many memories that the two of them have accumulated over the years together. But lately, memories of that day have come back to me often.

I’m sure he will remember it too.

He was a nobleman who forgot all about anniversaries because he was not meticulous, but he was surprisingly a person who remembered all the promises he said himself.

“… Hoyeonah.”

“mother! Are you awake?”

She slowly opened her eyes from the bed and looked around with a blurry vision. It was difficult even to properly check the surroundings with cloudy and hazy eyes.

“Hoyeonah.”

“Yes, I am here.”

Park Ho-yeon, worried that she might miss her mother’s words, came closer and listened closely. Even though she had a respirator in her nose, her voice itself was so weak that it was hard to hear from a distance.

“… your father?”

“My father is downstairs.”

“… okay.”

He’s a nobleman who can’t keep his appointments on time.

She put her head back on the pillow, which had been slightly strained, and breathed heavily.

Park Ho-yeon watched her mother quietly and spoke in the calmest voice possible.

“Do not worry. You will be up soon.”

At Park Ho-yeon’s words, she nodded slightly but clearly. It meant that he knew well.

I’ve been really bad at keeping appointments since before, and I’m one of the few noblemen who’s ever properly taken care of an anniversary… Still, he always keeps the promises he made himself.

Even if it was an impromptu promise to appease his wife who shed tears while watching a movie. Her husband, Park Jae-seong, was such a person.

‘But this time it’s a bit hard to wait… … .’

Since he himself was late, he couldn’t say anything about sleeping for a while. She sighed and closed her eyes again.

* * *

A body depleted of energy is like a tree planted in the desert.

Even if the body tries to get nutrients, it can’t because it is already dry from the root, and it is slowly dying with the body’s circulation not working properly.

The difference is that there are ways to forcibly revive trees in the desert by replanting them or pouring water on them, but the human body cannot.

The vitality of a person born at birth.

It cannot be restored in any way, and the only thing that can be done is to slow down the rate of depletion.

Therefore, it was virtually impossible to rejuvenate the dying old man.

However, if there is still energy left in the body.

If there is energy that goes against even instinct and is stored in sufficient quantity, circulating it to restore the body’s condition even for a short time… It was quite possible.

‘Though the important thing is the person’s will.’

No matter how much you try to wake it up from the outside, if you don’t follow your own will, even that is impossible.

But at least in this case, it didn’t seem like I had to worry about that. The moment Kang Tae-han put his hand on his Myeongmun-hyeol and spread a sense of energy throughout his body, he felt the energy remaining in the Danjeon react and move, albeit weakly.

‘… I get it roughly.’

At the moment when his energy declined and was almost exhausted, the old man unconsciously took some of the energy from the Myeongmun Blood and left it in the lower ward.

It was a great thing in itself, but I didn’t know how to use it, so I couldn’t do anything and just kept it.

Originally, it would have been destined to just hold out as it was and then slowly fade away without anyone noticing… … .

If someone could pierce the road leading to the Sangdanjeon and lead them there, then they would be able to achieve their will sufficiently after that.

And for Kang Tae-han, that was quite possible. Kang Tae-han began to grasp the condition of the specific blood flow based on the feeling he had spread throughout his body.

After figuring out the blood vessels that are still alive, draw a virtual line from the lower end to the upper end. And find a way to connect that line.

Kang Tae-han, who found enough possibilities, nodded slowly and removed his hand from the Myeongmun-hyeol.

And immediately, by applying acupressure to the old man’s body, he began to open pores in each acupuncture point for the takgi to escape.

“… It may be a little difficult, old man.”

However, unlike usual, his hands moved delicately and quite cautiously.

Kang Tae-han’s usual massage is based on the premise of recovery. However, the body of the elderly is weakened as it deteriorates, and it is difficult to recover, so the basic conditions are bound to change.

“… huh.”

Fortunately, however, the effect was immediately apparent.

A small exclamation escaped from the mouth of the old man, Park Jae-seong, who was sitting on the bed.

Of course, it could have been an instinctive exclamation regardless of the reason, or a cry appealing for pain, but at least it could be said to be proof that the senses had been revived.

‘It’s going well.’

Whatever the case, it is undoubtedly a positive sign.

Kang Tae-han, who opened pores all over the acupoints, placed his hand on each acupuncture point to remove the takgi, and then slowly massaged the whole body to activate the circulation of blood.

Then remove the takgi and knead the body twice, three times… Maybe it was repeated six times.

‘… The road has been cleared.’

From a certain moment, the color of the old man’s face began to return, and light began to shine even in the dull eyes that were drooping.

Evidence that the path leading from the lower court to the upper court was pierced and energy began to flow into the upper court.

Has it been that long?

Around the time Kang Tae-han was rubbing his shoulder for a while.

“… Cool.”

A solemn voice heard for the first time echoed in the hospital room.

When Kang Tae-han let go of his shoulder and came forward, Park Jae-seong looked at Kang Tae-han with a clear gun in his eyes.

A couple of hours ago, he was just sitting on the bed with his eyes wide open like a disabled person.

Silence passed between the two for a while.

Park Jae-seong looked at him quietly, then slowly opened his mouth in a low voice.

“young people… No, are you about the same age as me?”

“Let’s be young for now. old man.”

When Kang Tae-han smiled and said, Park Jae-seong also put a faint smile on his lips.

“Either way it seems to owe a lot to you… I guess I should ask for a little more.”

He said, pointing towards the door with a wink.

“I have a promise to keep. Sorry for the first meeting, but could you take me to your wife?”

“Sure.”

Kang Tae-han nodded happily and lowered his shoulders to the height of the bed.

After a while, the old man started to walk down the hallway on his own two feet, although he was supported by Kang Tae-han.

* * *

“Director, I’m sorry, but… … .”

“Yes, I know.”

You may need to prepare your mind. Park Ho-yeon slowly nodded at the words the doctor in charge did not bother to say.

He is also well aware of that fact. I knew what the monitors next to my bed were saying so well that I wanted to ignore it for a moment.

I wondered if he had overcome the obstacle because he had just woken up and had a short but short conversation, but it seems that my expectations were in vain.

The mother lost consciousness again shortly after and the machines began recording negative readings into the monitor.

‘… No, I’m glad I had a little conversation with my mother.’

Park Ho-yeon looked down at her mother with sorrowful eyes.

The doctor in charge, who was watching him from the side, quietly avoided his seat. At times like these, it is desirable to allow family members to spend time together.

“Mr. Park.”

“Yes, Director.”

Park Ho-yeon called him.

It was because I had something else to ask.

“Will you tell the nurses to take your father here? I guess I’d better do that.”

My father continued to come to my mother’s hospital room even when he was doing nothing but sitting still.

Park Ho-yeon thought that you would surely want to watch your mother too.

Of course, I had asked Kang Tae-han, and I haven’t given up hope yet… Still, things didn’t always turn out the way you thought.

“All right. I’ll call the nurse’s office right away.”

“thank you.”

The doctor in charge nodded, bowed his head, and went outside and closed the door. For a while, only the machine sounded quietly in the hospital room.

“… mother?”

At that time, the mother’s eyes slowly began to open.

However, the monitor’s readings remained the same, so Park Ho-yeon had no choice but to put on a bitter expression while being delighted. I had a hunch that this was not a very good sign.

“Wow, Director.”

In the meantime, Mr. Park, who had just left, came back into the room. His voice was quiet as it was in the hospital room, but for some reason, he looked very embarrassed.

However, Park Ho-yeon soon found out why he was flustered.

from the hallway into the hospital room.

An old man walked in on two legs.

“… father?”

The old man, Park Jae-seong, walked with his back and shoulders straight and walked across the hospital room. It was the same gait the son remembered as his father in the past.

“owner.”

He stood next to his wife in bed. He got down on one knee and brought his wife to eye level.

“I am here.”

A calm voice with restrained emotions.

Then, a faint smile appeared on the lips of his wife, Shin Mi-kyung, who was lying on the bed.

“… Still, it’s not too late.”

“It’s because the owner waited for me.”

He smiled at his wife’s smile as well.

He said holding his wife’s hand tightly with both hands.

“I have been happy thanks to the occupant. I love you very much.”

At that, she nodded slowly.

“I know your heart… Still, it’s nice to see your face and hear it in words.”

And she smiled even brighter. It was such a bright smile, like that of a girl. She looked at her husband quietly for a while, then spoke softly.

“But next time come slowly as usual… Even if it’s late, I won’t be angry with you.”

Understand?

She opened her mouth silently, then slowly closed her eyes. Park Jae-seong watched his wife like that and quietly put down the hand he was holding.