A week had passed since the incident.
I received a sudden call from someone named Manager Kang from the HU Group, asking if they could visit my home over the weekend.
“We’d like to express our gratitude.”
Having been used to people who demanded more even after being saved from drowning, the message was refreshing, to say the least.
We scheduled a meeting at our home, and Manager Kang arrived precisely on the agreed day and time.
And he brought an astonishing array of gifts with him.
“Please accept these.”
My dear uncle, Park Taeoh, a man who feared nothing, was visibly shaken at this moment.
Of course, the sight of the car key before him was to blame.
I, too, couldn’t help but be perturbed by it.
Clink…
A car key for a luxury sedan.
This was practically the key to demolishing the limitations of our current lifestyle, where we were reliant on public transport.
Just having a car would significantly expand the range of what we could do and where we could go.
A top domestic luxury sedan.
A sleek beauty equipped with every possible premium feature.
And now, the key to that vehicle was sitting in my uncle’s hand.
‘This is… incredible.’
Honestly, I never expected such a grand gesture of gratitude.
When thinking of chaebols, the image from dramas and movies—cold and intimidating—came to mind.
But this required a complete revision.
At least the people from the HU Group were truly noble, repaying kindness with kindness.
‘From now on, all digestive aids and energy drinks in this house will be from HU Pharmaceuticals.’
I now considered myself practically one with HU Pharmaceuticals.
After all, even though it wasn’t true, I imagined their flagship product, “Vitamin 777,” coursing through my veins, making me feel half a part of the HU Group already.
Though, to be honest, I’d never actually been to a pharmacy, let alone drunk “Vitamin 777.”
But still, thinking about Mari somehow made HU Group feel closer.
Truly, she was the GOAT of the art world.
Mari, the proud daughter of HU and a goddess of art in this era, would have me as her devoted servant, paving her path with flowers.
As I was caught up in this sudden wave of reverence, my uncle made a sharp inhaling noise, grounding himself and gripping the car key tightly.
He then looked at Manager Kang, who had presented it.
“T-this is too expensive…”
“Haha, I thought it might be awkward to bring such an item out of the blue. We realized it was a bit odd only after preparing it.”
“R-really?”
The middle-aged man with a large gauze bandage on his cheek (he said it was from the airbag during the accident) responded playfully.
“Actually, it was a prize we prepared for the company’s New Year’s raffle. But due to last year’s company struggles, the event was canceled. Since then, it’s just been gathering dust, and we couldn’t dispose of it casually. We thought it might be fitting to gift it to the company’s benefactors, though it was a somewhat impulsive idea from us older folks. I’d feel relieved if you could accept it for our sake.”
“Is that so?”
‘That sounds like an excuse to save us from embarrassment after figuring out our situation.’
Even if it was a pretext, it helped alleviate some of my uncle’s burden, as his expression visibly relaxed.
My uncle then glanced at me before firmly clasping the car key and nodding at Manager Kang.
“Thank you.”
“Not at all. It’s something you needed. And thank you for even preparing clothes for my niece.”
“Haha, what do you mean? It’s thanks to Go Hana that she survived. We should be the ones thanking you. For someone so young to act so decisively to save a person, it’s an incredible courage that even adults find hard to muster. It speaks volumes about her upbringing.”
“It wasn’t my teaching. She’s always been mature and thoughtful for her age.”
A warm exchange of humility followed, during which the details of the incident were revealed.
I asked worriedly, “Surgery?”
“Thankfully, the roadside grass softened the fall, so the worst was avoided. However, the crash caused bruises and fractures. The hospital recommended at least three months of observation to monitor for any aftereffects. My niece has been a bit withdrawn since the incident as well.”
“Is she having a hard time?”
“She’s much better now. Other than some restrictions with her right hand, she’s gradually returning to her daily routine.”
My uncle scratched his cheek.
“Ah, injuries to the hand are tough. Even when I broke my legs multiple times playing soccer, it was nothing compared to hurting my hands.”
“Breaking limbs while playing soccer? That’s pretty legendary.”
“…I have no regrets.”
Anyway…
Hmm.
‘That’s rough.’
Knowing that the outcome could have been “death,” I thought this was still relatively fortunate.
But for Mari, it must have felt like a bolt from the blue.
‘Her mental state and body have both taken some hits…’
Despite her quirky behavior and mature appearance, she was just a fragile 14-year-old girl.
For someone with such a sensitive soul, being flung out of a car and nearly dying on the cold pavement was undoubtedly a harrowing ordeal.
‘I hope this doesn’t make her give up on art.’
The thought saddened me.
As I was reflecting on this, Manager Kang handed over some paper bags.
They were from a famous department store in Myeongdong, bearing a visible logo, and they clearly contained high-end clothing.
‘…The quality is on a whole other level compared to the market clothes.’
It was a clear defeat for Sooni’s clothing shop.
Even my uncle seemed to feel the difference, looking awkwardly sheepish.
I giggled at his reaction.
‘This seems like an apology for staining my clothes.’
Manager Kang chuckled wryly.
“…When Miss Mari was picking out Go Hana’s clothes, she seemed to quickly forget about the accident.”
“Huh? My clothes?”
“Yes. Though we had to scour department stores looking for items she’d seen in magazines.”
Wait, Mari picked these?
‘How did she know my size…?’
Manager Kang gave a slightly troubled smile.
“Well… Miss Mari seems to… hold you in very high regard. A lot, actually.”
“…What?”
“Starting next week, hospital visits will be open to outsiders. She’d be delighted if you came by to see her.”
Hmm.
Well…
I wouldn’t mind seeing Mari again.
‘Is this like seeing a beloved idol make a comeback?’
But “high regard”…?
What’s this?
How much does Mari even know about me?
Hmm.
I don’t get it.
Well, I guess I’ll find out when I meet her.
“Yes, I’d like to see her again too.”
“I think she’ll be very happy.”
The promised day came quickly.
“Are you sure you’ll be fine going without me?”
“It’s just a university hospital in Seoul. What’s the big deal?”
I didn’t want to use up another one of my uncle’s precious vacation days, so I decided to take the bus alone.
However, two problems arose from this.
Whisper, whisper.
“She’s so cute.”
“Is she going to a drama shoot or something?”
“Maybe she’s just an aspiring actress?”
The first problem was that it was still 2004, an analog era.
‘I’ve gotten so used to using smartphone apps to search routes that I didn’t even notice when I missed the bus stop.
To be honest, I felt this way when I first looked at a phone book after returning to this time.
The habits of living thoughtlessly because of smartphones are quite severe.’
As a result, what should’ve been a one-hour trip turned into a lengthy detour.
The bus was filled with people who didn’t use smartphones and just stood there, idly waiting.
Naturally, their gazes shifted outward, turning their attention to others.
Whisper, whisper.
The second problem was Mari’s deeply European sense of fashion.
Amidst people wearing simple jeans or casual clothes, my outfit stood out with a stark incongruity—a clear “this is a designer brand” vibe.
I’d tried to wear something more subdued, but I felt it would be rude not to wear the nice clothes Mari had picked out.
That turned out to be a mistake.
The result was people blatantly staring and whispering about me.
Whisper, whisper.
“Is there a broadcasting station nearby?”
“Should I secretly take a picture?”
Oh no.
That’s… not okay.
I tried to fold my hands and quietly blend into the air to escape the attention.
But when I caught a glimpse of my “poised young lady” reflection in the bus window, I felt a chill and took mental damage as a bonus.
The final blow to my composure came from the relentless interest of the extroverted middle-aged women.
Their uninhibited approach to starting conversations with strangers was overwhelming for a reserved person from 2024 like me.
Curly-haired women threw comments at me whenever they stood nearby.
“Are you running an errand for your parents?”
“Uh, no… I’m visiting a friend…”
“You must be popular in your class. Hohoho.”
“Ah, no… not really…”
“Are you planning to become an actress? My daughter once wanted to be one too.”
“No, I’m not…”
Hahaha.
Hohoho.
Hehehe.
No…!
Please stop…!
‘Don’t try to breathe analog-era energy into a timid modern person who still rehearses their lines before making a phone call…!’
After an endless barrage of questions, I finally arrived at the university hospital, exhausted both mentally and physically.
My hands were filled with candy, and my spirit was nearing its limit.
‘I’m so tired…’
Finally, I stood before the main entrance of the university hospital.
Located near a famous university, the place bustled with both young and old, even now.
‘This neighborhood hasn’t changed much even after 20 years.’
Still, I figured the tiring parts of the day were behind me.
Comfort Mari, who had been shaken by the accident, and head back home—that was all.
With that thought in mind—
I opened the hospital doors and stepped inside.
“Wowww! So cute!”
“Look here, tilt your shoulders slightly into a contrapposto… Yes, perfect!”
“…Okay.”
“Great! Okay, just stay like that. I’ll sketch a croquis of you. Feel free to change your pose every 1–2 minutes!”
“…Alright. I’ll do that.”
“Perfect! Thank you, Hana!”
Mari, smiling brightly, began sketching me with her left hand.
‘Mari, you know, most kids wouldn’t understand art jargon like that.’
But Mari didn’t seem to care, and for the past two hours, she had been glued to me like an overexcited puppy reunited with its owner after a month apart.
To be honest, compared to the scene when I first entered, this was already a lot calmer.
‘Sniffing the top of my head the moment we met was shocking enough.’
Mari suddenly exclaimed, “When I draw with my left hand, the composition leans too much to one side, and the empty space feels awkward! What should I do?”
Ah.
That happens.
“Why not add the clock on that wall?”
“Oh! Like Vermeer’s style?”
“More like Kandinsky, maybe.”
“Hana, you’re so smart!”
Anyway.
This girl was… something else.
‘She’s so different from the image of a lonely genius I’d seen on TV.’
Weren’t you supposed to be a solitary prodigy?