From Wonso Pond by Kang Kyong-ae Read Free Book Online

fit of coughing. As Sonbi rubbed her mother’s back, she wondered what could have brought Kannan over so suddenly. Neither of them ever visits us here, so what could they have been thinking? Was it because mom was sick? Or was it something else? No matter how she thought about it, it was downright suspicious that both of them just happened to stop by.
    Kannan had once been Sonbi’s very best friend. But ever since she’d become Tokho’s younger wife, the two had grown apart, and whenever it was unavoidable that they cross paths, they simply greeted each other with a faint smile. One day Sonbi had found herself suddenly working as a servant to her best friend, and while she was never bitter because of it, it had made things quite awkward between them.
    After moaning for some time, her mother quieted down again. Sonbi covered her with the quilt and went over to the light. When she picked up her sewing, though, she couldn’t concentrate on her work, and made little progress. She neatly folded her sewing and stared vacantly into the flame.
    â€œBuy an oil lamp and get some light for this room . . .”
    She murmured this to herself, picturing Tokho’s face as he’d handed her the five-won bill. Never before had he ever shown them such kindness! Sonbi hadn’t the slightest idea how to interpret it, but a sense of unease unlike anything she’d ever felt before, weighed heavily on her chest.
    She turned to her mother.
    â€œMom!” she called. But there was no reply.
    She heard the faint sound of snoring. Her mother slept like this whenever
her chest pain subsided. Sonbi couldn’t grasp what had caused her to call out for her mother so suddenly. She stared at her mother’s pale face, and then thought of the five-won bill she had earlier slipped under the bedding. Unwittingly, she let out a deep sigh.

14
    Sonbi felt a chill go through her body and she finally got up. She hadn’t slept all night long, and now had a splitting headache. The pain her mother was suffering had been on her mind as well, but the way both Tokho and Kannan had appeared on their doorstep last night was also worrying enough to keep her from sleeping.
    â€œMom, shall I heat up some water and wash your hands and feet?”
    â€œPlease.”
    Her mother had barely uttered the word before she turned onto her side with another groan.
    â€œIs the pain back again?” said Sonbi, coming to her side.
    Her mother simply moaned in reply. Sonbi pulled the blankets over her mother’s chest, then went outside.
    The light of day hadn’t yet broken. Sonbi was still lost in thoughts of the previous night as she quietly pulled open the kitchen door. The sour smell of fermenting vegetables hit her. “Oh, the kimchi c is over-pickled,” she muttered, as she swung both the front and back doors to the kitchen wide open.
    She had filled a pot with water and was just lighting a fire beneath it when she heard somebody give the brush gate a shake. Kannan’s face flashed into her mind. She kept perfectly still and listened carefully. Who else could it be this early in the morning?
    Finally she heard the gate slowly creak open.
    â€œWho’s there?”
    Sonbi stepped out into the kitchen doorway and looked outside. She jerked back in surprise and took a few steps backward, then ran back into the inner room in sheer terror. Her mother, quite alarmed as well, turned to look at her.
    â€œWhat’s going on?”

    â€œA man just came in through the brush gate,” said Sonbi, having come to her mother’s side and set her eyes on the front door.
    At this her mother attempted to sit upright, fearing a thief. But she quickly fell down.
    â€œWho’s there? Who is it?” she cried as loud as she could.
    â€œIt’s just me, ma’am.” The man stood hesitantly just outside the front door.
    â€œWell, who is ‘me’? And what are you doing here at the crack of