Proofreader/Editor: Itane, Hwarang
After closing the green curtain that smells old, he sat down while holding the phone. The rain drops sounded softer. Alvin’s voice was like a low song with the rain drops sounds in the background.
[Of course the whole family were shocked. The oldest uncle’s son and wife was about to faint. The young daughter, you know the girl that went to the orphanage? That child was too young, she didn’t know what had happen to her dad. And her mom blocked her, so she didn’t see it too. But except that child, everyone was in a panic….. It was obvious that the criminal was one of them.]
“But still the situation was obvious.”
[Yes, it was obvious. The person who could’ve killed the oldest uncle was the youngest uncle, and everyone couldn’t say it out loud, but they knew. They were all holding it. They knew if they take one more step out, something would go out of control. Should I say they were adults, or they were used to holding it in.]
“………..Then, the problem was ‘not an adult’ side?”
‘Will it be better if I put ice in the beer?’ It hasn’t been a long time since I opened the can, but the water drops were dropping from the surface. I shook the can with a too bad face, and Alvin’s thin laughter tickled his ear.
[That’s right, it was the not an adult side. The oldest uncle’s son couldn’t hold it. He didn’t really have a deep feeling towards his father, but the anger that his father got taken away so suddenly and a sudden recall of childhood memory, and above all, a fear of his natural right – so, the gem- is about to get stolen all mixed together. It was too hard for a teen to skillfully hold them in like the adults, so it wasn’t something to be blamed.]
“Mm. It is an obstinate problem though. So, how did he do it?”
[It was a knife. It was a boring method. It was probably his first time killing a person. But what was so funny was, he didn’t even hesitate one second. There is nothing to say if his emotion got violent though. And in front of other family member watching, he did it very sternly. I think he didn’t even think of hiding it in the first place. I think he had an idea of ‘since you created this mess, I don’t have to feel bad.’ The blood splashed everywhere. It happened where the family gathered and was drinking tea with nervous faces. The blood splashed in the youngest uncle’s wife’s clear black tea like a rain, and the oldest uncle’s wife screamed and covered her young daughter’s eyes. The youngest uncle’s teen daughter – hospitalized in a mental hospital with her mom, you know, right? – couldn’t even scream. She couldn’t feel the reality. That child’s older sister cried and held her dad’s slowly collapsing body.]
Blood in a black tea. Jude stared at the golden liquid with a little bit uncomfortable face and threw some peanut in his mouth. Probably because of the empty stomach, he felt happy with the small peanuts chewing in his mouth.
[That son threw the knife and went back to his room. But the people left behind couldn’t move for a while. What do you think the first thing the people did after they were able to move?]
“…….Clean up the scene?”
[It would’ve been better if you took care of this case. That’s right, those people wiped the blood and got rid of the knife. Why do you think they did that?]
“You are giving a quiz now? I don’t want to think. Just tell me.”
[It was because of fear and greed. If they go out of the house, they are giving up the ownership of the gem and at the same time, the son might to do something to them. I’m not sure which one was the stronger feeling. I think the later one was it.]
“People were dying, and they were still obsessed with the gem?”
[Of course! Because of that, they got more obsessed with it. The women who had to take care of their kids without their husbands, how desperate could they have been for the money. Their own future, children’s future, and the anger and hostility towards the other person, how could they block them.]
“……..Yeah, let’s just say it was an explosive situation but got calm. Then how did the third incident happen?”
[The situation totally changed. The will of the dead old man got revealed. Not only about the fortune sharing, but also there was a separate letter about the ownership of that big gem. It seemed like he hid it under the jewelry box. It seemed like the old man was a man with a lot of secrets. Anyway, the one who found the will was the youngest uncle’s wife. She was scared, but she couldn’t not reveal it. She had to pray the oldest uncle’s son not to harm innocent people.]
“She announced it? What was it about?”
This won’t do, I have to put some ice in. When I opened the freezer, there was an old ice cream in there. I don’t have a memory of buying ice cream except for one and a half years ago. Does an ice cream go bad if it’s old? –Jude tilted his head for a moment and put some ice into the beer in a glass. Drop, drop, crack. Quietly there was an ice cracking sound. I have to drink this before it gets too watered down. While he was hardly drinking the beer, a voice that was coming out through the phone sounded like a host in a circus.
[This 30 karat worth of gem goes to my youngest son’s first daughter, Jess-.]
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Uh oh.... what will happen....
Continue to Part 22
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