In the Tunnel by Julie Lee

Author:Julie Lee [Lee, Julie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Holiday House
Published: 2023-05-30T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 36

August 1950: Myung-gi, Age 14

Later that evening, everyone hugged their good-byes after Myung-gi had packed the jigeh.

“I don’t know how I can ever repay you for your kindness,” Uhma said, bowing to Haewon’s grandmother. Both of them cried, and Myung-gi looked away, digging his nails into his palms until nothing was wrong and he was fine.

Haewon’s grandmother wiped her eyes and pulled away, saying, “You can repay me by living a good life. Take care of yourself and your children. You can do it; you are stronger than you think.” She waved a hand in front of her face. “Now enough of this sappy talk. You must go. Hurry.”

But Uhma hugged her one last time, the thin bones of her shoulders poking through her white blouse.

Haewon jotted down her address and told Myung-gi to write to her after the war, then promised Yoomee a piano lesson once this was all over.

“You will write to me, won’t you?” she pressed, looking right at Myung-gi.

He nodded, though he couldn’t be sure about anything anymore.

“Because I think you’re probably good at it—writing, that is. I can tell by your smooth hands and that writing lump on your fourth finger,” she said.

He stopped fidgeting with the jigeh.

“And don’t think you can fool me about reading. I know you like to read, even though you said you didn’t.”

At that, Myung-gi let out a brief laugh.

She handed him the small piece of paper with her address. He took it, tucking it carefully inside his pocket.

The small clock on the piano read 8:40 p.m. Myung-gi lifted the jigeh, which had grown weightier after Haewon’s grandmother filled it with rice and dried cuttlefish and sweetened black beans.

“That doesn’t look too heavy. I bet I could carry that,” Yoomee said, grabbing for it. But she ended up yanking it off his arm, back onto the floor.

Myung-gi sighed and lifted it onto his shoulders again.

The three of them stepped outside into the early evening air. Myung-gi looked back at Haewon and her grandmother, standing just outside their doorway: the old woman’s long skirt and Haewon’s straight hair flapped in the wind like broken sails. He worried for their safety.

They headed southeast through tall grasses. Myung-gi counted his steps in seconds, his distance traveled in minutes. He had a plan to double back.

But what if Byongho arrested him for being a traitor to their country? What if his old classmate forced him into the Red Army? What would happen to Uhma and Yoomee then?

Myung-gi turned his face upward. The light was almost gone. There was no more time to think.

He stopped walking.

“Uhma, I forgot our money. I left it at Haewon’s house,” he said, trembling. “I’ll go get it. I’ll be right back.”

“What? How could you leave that?” Uhma cried, her head snapping around so quickly he almost took it back. “Where is it? I’ll go get it. You two wait here.”

“No! It’ll be easier if I go. I know exactly where I left it. And I can run faster than you.

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