บท 2: The Accident
"Congratulations on your hard work! Here is your payment," the manager says, handing Soo-young an envelope. Soo-young's eyes twinkle with excitement as she accepts it, expressing her gratitude with a warm smile, "Thank you."
The manager smiles at her and encourages, "Keep working hard in the future."
"I will!" Soo-young responds with enthusiasm.
Holding the envelope, Soo-young feels a surge of happiness she hasn't experienced in a long time. If not for her rent and outstanding loans, her life would be considerably more comfortable. Comfort, however, seems a luxury. With a gleam in her eyes, she opens the envelope, her heart lifting at the sight of the amount inside.
"I can finally pay off all my loans. Ah! My shoulders already feel lighter!"
"Soo-young!" someone calls out. She hurriedly places the envelope in her bag and heads to the front. "Take this to table number four," the head chef orders, busy preparing other dishes. Working in a restaurant has taught her many things, including the importance of speaking loudly.
"Yes, Chef!" she replies energetically. She takes the plate to the designated table, providing a brief introduction about the dish.
Soo-young has been working here for the past four years. Fresh out of high school and with nowhere to go, she finds herself in a bustling city that seems indifferent to her plight. Her aunt's dismissal leaves her with no choice but to fend for herself.
Her early days in Seoul are marked by hardship and relentless struggle. With limited funds, she moves into a tiny, run-down apartment in a less-than-ideal part of the city. The constant worry about rent and basic necessities becomes her daily companion. Food is often scarce, and she quickly learns to stretch every penny.
In search of employment, Soo-young stumbles upon a restaurant willing to hire her as a waitress. She has no experience in the culinary world, and the steep learning curve is daunting. The bustling kitchen, the demanding customers, and the fast-paced environment are overwhelming.
In her initial days, she is scolded frequently for her clumsiness and lack of efficiency. Her confidence wavers, and there are moments when she thinks about quitting.
However, desperation is a powerful motivator. Soo-young can't afford to lose the job. With sheer determination, she begins to adapt.
She observes her colleagues closely, learning from their efficiency and mimicking their techniques.
Gradually, her skills improve. The once-daunting tasks become manageable, and she starts to find a rhythm in the chaos of the restaurant.
Over the years, Soo-young's hard work begins to pay off. She goes from being the clumsy new hire to a dependable and knowledgeable team member. Her colleagues come to respect her for her resilience and dedication.
She even takes on the role of guiding new employees, sharing the wisdom she has gained through her struggles.
Despite her progress at work, life outside the restaurant remains a constant battle. Balancing her job with her college studies is exhausting.
Sleepless nights and long hours become the norm. Every paycheck is meticulously budgeted to cover rent, tuition, and basic living expenses. Luxuries are non-existent, and any minor setback can throw her finances into disarray.
Yet, Soo-young never loses hope. Each small victory, whether it is a positive remark from a customer or a good grade in a tough class, fuels her determination. She dreams of a day when she won't have to worry about money, a day when she can live comfortably without the constant fear of falling behind.
Throughout her four years at the restaurant, Soo-young's resilience and spirit remain unbroken. She forges a path for herself through sheer willpower, navigating the challenges of life alone in a city that never pauses for anyone.
__
An hour later, as the last customers leave and it is time to close the restaurant, Soo-young heads to the locker room to retrieve her bag.
To her horror, she finds the locker door ajar and her bag half-hanging out. Rushing over, she looks inside, her heart sinking as she realizes the envelope is missing. She frantically searches every pocket, but it is nowhere to be found.
"No… my money…" she whispers, her lips trembling. Just then, a colleague enters and sees Soo-young in a state of panic and despair.
"Soo, what's wrong?" he asks. Seeing the empty bag, he understands immediately. "You received your paycheck today, didn't you?"
Tears well up in Soo-young's eyes, rendering her speechless. "Yes… I remember putting it here…" she finally manages to say, her voice choked with emotion.
"Have you checked elsewhere? Are you absolutely certain you placed it in there?" he inquires, concern etched on his face.
Soo-young nods, heartbroken. "Yes, I'm sure…"
He tries to provide support, "Let's ask the others if they have seen it."
She nods, her mind already dreading how she will pay off those loans. Together, they begin asking the other workers, but none have seen her envelope.
Soo-young feels her hope dwindling, tears threatening to spill. Why did this happen to her? Why is she always so unlucky?
Ever since she was a child, misfortune seemed to follow her. She lost her parents when she was five and barely managed to pass high school while living with her aunt. Once she graduated, her aunt told her to leave.
Since then, she has been living on her own, attending college, and working various jobs to survive each month. Now, with no money for this month, she cannot pay her rent or college fees. Her head starts to spin with anxiety.
"Soo-young! It's the thief! He has your envelope!" someone calls out, informing her that the thief entered through the backdoor. "I just saw him holding a brown envelope in his hand—"
Before he can finish his sentence, Soo-young is already sprinting to find the thief and reclaim her money. She crosses the street and sees a burly man holding an envelope. It's hers! Rage boils in her veins as she marches towards the man. Sensing her approach, the thief starts to run for his life.
"Wait! You bastard thief! Return my money!" she yells.
The thief takes a left turn and reaches Seoul's busiest road, where the crowd is as dense as in New York City. Without thinking, he jumps ahead and crosses the road, despite the signal indicating to stop.
Soo-young, paying no heed to the signal, runs after him and tries to cross the road. Unfortunately, she is not as lucky. A flash of light hits her eyes, making her squint. Before she can react, a car hits her, sending her flying.
In the split second before the car hit her, Soo-young's emotions were a whirlwind of fear, desperation, and disbelief. As the flash of light blinds her, her heart pounds in her chest, a mix of terror and determination fueling her every step.
The realization of imminent danger hit her like a cold wave, her mind racing with thoughts of the stolen money, her unpaid loans, and the precarious future that now hung in the balance.
The moment her body makes contact with the car, there is a brief moment of suspended reality, where time seems to slow down. Her body feels weightless, almost detached from the searing pain which is yet to fully register.
Shock and disbelief flash across her face, her wide eyes reflecting the chaos and confusion of the moment. As she is propelling through the air, her thoughts fragmented, a jumble of regrets, unfulfilled dreams, and the sheer unfairness of it all.
In the final instance before she hits the ground, a sense of resignation washes over her. Her outstretched hand, which is trying to reach for her lost envelope, now hangs limply by her side.
Tears, born of frustration and helplessness, wells up and blurs her vision.
The overwhelming agony and the realization of her helplessness merges into a single, gut-wrenching scream that echoes in the recesses of her mind as everything went dark.
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