43 Farewell (Part 2)

— Yes, Hyung. Everything's okay on this side. How's everything there — I said to the phone I was now holding by my ear.

I've stayed for quite some time with Damian now. I guess I should be thankful to the company for letting me stay this much time here in Mokpo. Anyway, I was now talking to Young Bae-hyung through the phone, just telling him that I was okay and that there's nothing to worry about.

— Everything's okay here too, though Seung Hyun-hyung misses you a lot — just as he was saying that, I could hear Tempo-hyung voice from the back, apparently fake crying for me, putting a smile on my face.

— Tell him I miss him a lot too — I said while laughing — well, Hyung, don't worry too much about me, let's talk tomorrow once again. See ya!

After hanging up the phone, I thanked the nurse that let me use the phone in the hospital and started walking to Damian's room once again. Today was kind of a busy day in the room, as a few of Mr. Lee's relatives were visiting him today.

As I got to the room, I could already hear the mess that was inside.

— Again?! Bastard Lee, you're really something, now I've seen everything I must — clearly Damian's voice

— It's always the same with you, Old Bastard. Every time you're losing you start whining — this time it was Mr.Lee's voice clearly screaming back.

"Not again..." was the only thought I had in my mind. It was not the first time it happened, but still, I thought that with Mr.Lee's relatives here, they would be more... reserved with their language.

I quickly entered the room and saw Dong Hae-hyung with a frustrated expression watching all of the events transpire. I approached him and asked.

— Fighting again? What was it this time?

— It seems that father switched some pieces this time — he replied, clearly exasperated.

Dong Hae-hyung wasn't always here, as he had to train for his own debut. But still, he does come a lot, so both of us have interacted a lot to the point of dropping honorifics between us and getting quite closer. The same could be said between Uncle Lee, as I'm calling him now, and me.

— Now now, Uncle Lee, are you really listening to this mad old man here? You're clearly much better than that — I said, trying to diffuse the tension.

Uncle Lee turned to me and said.

— Ah! Jangsu-yah, come here, come here — he waved at me — and tell this old man that his dementia is getting to him.

— De- De-Dementia!? Now you've done it bastard Lee — said Damian while flipping the table where the Go board they were playing with was.

I couldn't help but facepalm, noticing that Dong Hae-hyung did the same, and approached Damian.

— Old man, don't embarrass yourself in front of the visitors — I quickly said while signaling for him to look at all of Uncle Lee's relatives that were present.

Damian was about to say something, but seems that my words had some kind of effect as he swallowed all of his words.

— BWAHAHAHAHAHA!! FINALLY!! THE DAY HAS COME WHEN THIS OLD BASTARD SHUTS UP!! Now, Now, let's get out of here, I'm hungry. Let's go, let's go — Uncle Lee went out of the room while laughing loudly, and all of his relatives followed him.

— See you later, Jangsu-yah — said Dong Hae-hyung while leaving, I couldn't help but notice a smile on his face and a wink. So I smiled back and turned while shaking my head.

— Now old man, what do you want to tell me? — I asked Damian as I knew his tricks. All of the mess before was a trick of theirs, both Uncle Lee and Damian.

Both of them did the same every time some of them wanted to talk with one of us, both Dong Hae-hyung and me. That's why hyung winked at me before, he also noticed the trick.

— This young generation, always so impatient — I rolled my eyes at the comment, but still patiently waited for him to continue — *sigh* I have to tell you some things before I die lad, now, start picking up all of the pieces while I tell you some stories.

I couldn't help but glare at him because of the comments, but still did as he asked. So, I kneeled and started to look for all of the pieces.

"Why couldn't they have another kind of trick, one that didn't involve picking up tiny rocks from the floor every time" I couldn't help but think like that while searching the floor.

— I know I always sound playful, but this time, I have to talk with you about something serious, look for the pieces later— Damian interrupted my thoughts with that bomb, so I stood up from the floor, and looked at him, clearly puzzled — sit down, this will be long.

I did as he said, and silently waited for him to start.

Damian slowly took a sip from his gourd, and put it once again on his legs while wiping his mouth. Then, he started.

— You deserve to know. The majority of people know some things, that you don't. For instance, Where do you come from? I guess it's time for you to know.

— Didn't you already tell me about my mom and dad? — I nervously asked.

— Yes, I did, quite late, but yes I told you. But, you need to know some more.

I nodded for him to continue.

— Well, I guess I should start talking about your grandmother, your mother's mother. Her name was Angelique — he said, quietly reminiscing I guess — I met her when I was just a lad of your age. Your mom was her vivid image, and also the only thing to remember of her after she died. A true beauty, more than I ever deserved, but death took her from me while giving birth to your mother. She was sickly all of her life, but her departure hit me hard. Your mom was the only thing that kept me alive during those days, but as I already told you, I still gave myself to alcohol, gambling, and obviously debt. Your mom had to mature quite fast, pretty much just as yourself — he stopped his story to look directly at me, looking guilty. Still, after a couple of seconds, he continued.

— Anyway, I met her around the same time I met the Old Lee. You see, my own father participated in the battle of the Imjin river, as well as Angelique's and Old Lee's fathers.

I couldn't help but be surprised at that. So, all of them participated in that battle in the '50s.

— That's how Uncle Lee and you met? — I asked.

He nodded.

— You see, my own father died that day, as well as Angelique's. She still had her mother, but me, I didn't have anyone, until Old Lee's own father took me in and raised me as his own, I guess that's where my hate for orphans came — said Damian while smiling.

Another bomb was thrown at me by surprise.

— All of our fathers were close friends, so naturally, we became close too, even though Old Lee was quite younger. I guess because of our intimacy, Angelique and I became even closer, and eventually fell in love and married.

Already dull to all of the news that I was receiving, I asked.

— Why do the nurses call you the general?

— That's just a trick to tease the little girls — he mischievously said, making me roll my eyes at him, but once again I asked.

— So you're actually English? Not american?

He simply nodded.

— And not a soldier?

Once again he nodded at my question

— You old bastard, then why all of that spartan training those years?

I could only ask, frustrated, But seeing as he was ignoring me I just asked another question.

— What about Sang Min-hyung though?

Damian sighed, but still continued.

— I met her mother about a year or two after Angelique died. She was another one of the reasons I didn't drown myself in alcohol, took your mom as her own, and even gave her money to survive when I disappeared years later.

I frowned, and once again asked.

— Why did you disappear?

Another sigh from Damian later, he said.

— Mistakes were made lad, not only was I deep in debts, I-I-I — I could see Damian struggling to squeeze the words up — I didn't myself worthy of her. I didn't know she was pregnant by that time, nor did she say anything related. But still, that's another big regret I have. Is... she doing well? — I could only shake my head as I didn't know anything.

Silent pervaded the room, until I broke it.

— You still haven't told me my parents' names — I finally asked, the thing I really wanted to know about.

Damian smiled at me, and slowly said with a full smile.

— Your mother's name, it was actually your grandmother's idea before she died. Celeste, meaning heavenly, I don't remember in which language though. As I took my adoptive father's surname, her name would be Lee Celeste. That's your mom's name.

— What about my father? — I asked, a bit emotional about the revelation.

— As I told you, he was an orphan, but went by the name of Lee Dong Hyuk. I think its meaning was Bright Winter, but I'm not sure. I don't know how they met though, nor his age or lifestyle. Sorry.

I shook my head and said.

— Don't worry old man, it's in the past.

— Still, that's about everything I wanted to tell you. It's up to you to learn anything about your father's family — as he said that, he put his hand inside the bag hanging off his wheelchair and took out some kind of paper, then passed it to me while saying.

— This photograph was the last thing your mother gave me before dying. Apparently, it was taken on the place where your father was raised, or so I think. It was really expensive at the time.

I took a while to react, but finally I took the photograph and stared for a while at it. Damian silently looked at me while I did it.

A young blonde woman was smiling at me, next to her, a tall Korean man with an awkward smile was looking at me. The man was wearing some thick black-framed glasses, and a western-style suit. Meanwhile, the blonde woman was wearing a traditional hanbok. Both of them were holding a blonde child between them.

I stared at the photograph for a long time, losing my sense of time. Until Damian interrupted me.

— This is also for you — he threw the dried gourd that was on his legs at me — my last gift.

— Thanks old man, really — before I noticed, tears were falling off my eyes. I noticed some tears on the verge of falling off his eyes, but still, he turned and said.

— Now, fuck off, go with that child Dong Hae, or anything, I want to sleep now — I hugged him tight surprising him, but he didn't say anything, nor did I. Then, I quickly left the room silently, not without hearing.

— Take care of yourself, lad.

With a smile on my face, I left the room, looking for Dong Hae-hyung.

That... That was the last day I could see him alive. After going to sleep, he never woke up, passing out with a big smile plastered on his face.