The Fog Horn (Angae Godong) - Chapter 8

Nuri didn’t come out of the lighthouse until late at night. He turned off the lantern and sat still. When the light of the lighthouse went out, everyone assumed he had gone home.

No one came to visit him. Perhaps he was thinking about his memories coming back along with Ko Cheol-woong. If he wanted to apologise, he wouldn’t have hidden it so much.

Nuri let go of his bitter expectations and went out of the lighthouse. It was night. A night so silent that the only sound was the crashing of the waves, and as if everything else had disappeared.

Nuri stared at the sea in front of the lighthouse for a long time. Living life with a limp was like carrying a huge shackle on one foot.

Perhaps one of the reasons why he couldn’t leave Chungdo Island was his legs. It was because it would be rare to find employers who would want to hire a skinny, young labourer with sluggish legs.

As Nuri was staring blankly, the water rose with a loud splash in front of him.

“Uh…….”

Nuri let out a dazed sound as he saw the black boat. He couldn’t tell where it came from, but the black wooden boat was not shabby, but rather mysterious. It had no motor, no paddles, and yet it looked like it could go anywhere.

Nuri stood still and watched the black boat. The sea beside the boat churned and Ason appeared. His hair was just slightly wet, even though he had just jumped out of the ocean, and the water glistened beautifully as it ran down his sharp nose.

“Let’s go.”

“What?”

“I’ll show you the stars of the sea.”

“…….”

Nuri looked at Ason dumbfounded. The man who had saved his life, but what could he believe in and follow him? Nuri had his doubts.

However, he had no reason not to follow him. He was alone here. At least with him, there would be two. The stars of the sea didn’t matter.

Nuri hesitated, wondering how to get down. Then Ason struck the surface of the sea with the palm of his hand. In an instant, the sea water surged and seeped beneath Nuri’s feet.

Then he forced it away, bringing him to the black ship. Before Nuri knew it, he was standing on top of the ship. The ship was made of blackened wood. However, it was not small in size and had a deck and a wheelhouse.

“Ha…….”

Nuri blinked his eyes, then managed to breathe out. He didn’t even want to ask how he did that. Ason was not human. Nuri sat still on the boat, wondering if this was all a dream. Then Ason gently pushed the boat and made eye contact with him.

“How did you know I was here?”

“Because you didn’t come out.”

“Were you watching?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I want to.”

“What’s the big deal about someone like me…….”

Nuri said, turning his gaze to the sea. Ason said nothing, but pushed the boat forward. When there was nothing but silence and the lapping of the water, Ason spoke in his peculiar low voice.

“You are the one I value most.”

“……me?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Ason smiled wryly and went on.

“I don’t know either.”

“Eh? What do you mean? That doesn’t sound reliable.”

Nuri said with a hint of frustration, but a tiny smile tugged at the corners of his mouth before it fell away.

“I really don’t know.”

“…….”

“It’s just the way it is.”

Ason’s voice had a mysterious power. The kind that makes him believe in things that doesn’t make sense, the kind that screams at him that he was not alone.

Nuri stared into Ason’s green eyes. There was no faltering or shifting in their gaze. Nuri lowered his gaze and spoke.

“Anyway, it’s dangerous. I don’t know what the village head is up to, but he knows there’s something in the sea. His eyes looked as if he wanted to catch it and kill it.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“What? You know?”

Ason didn’t answer anymore and pushed the boat forward. He was obviously pushing slowly, but when Nuri turned around, he was so far out that he couldn’t see the lighthouse.

When Ason stopped the boat, Nuri saw an unusually large moon. It was a full moon. Around it were countless stars.

Nuri could see the stars well from Chungdo Island, but it was nothing compared to this. There were stars everywhere.

“Are these the stars of the sea?”

Nuri said, mesmerised by the sky, and Ason opened his mouth, looking at the same place.

“No.”

“Then what is it?”

“Close your eyes and count to ten. Then open your eyes.”

Nuri closed his eyes without complaining about Ason’s words.

‘One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.’

His heart pounded and thumped, as he muttered the numbers in his mind. It felt like everything would be okay, no matter how insignificant.

Just to be with someone under this large crescent moon. He counted to ten, then slowly opened his eyes.

“Wow…….”

His mouth dropped open. It was because the inevitable scenery was unfolding before his eyes.

There were dozens, maybe hundreds of stars in the water. To be precise, they were glowing marine creatures, the transparent, floppy kind like jellyfish, with bright, clear white light pouring from within. They were like stars in the ocean.

Nuri stared at them for a long time. It was an indescribably thrilling sight. Suddenly, Nuri felt a rush of emotion, and tears welled up in his eyes.

Because he was lonely, he was tired, he wanted to run away. Because this place is so beautiful, unlike the reality he is in……

He could think of dozens of reasons like this. He was too weak to keep from crying right now. He lowered his head and began to sob. However, Ason did not say anything more, and didn’t soothe him. He just watched him cry out loud.

Nuri cried out loud for a long time. It was as if he had reverted to the child he was when he first met Ason.

After he cried, it was refreshing, as if he had drained the impurities from his heart. It was also embarrassing.

Nuri wiped his tears on his sleeve and looked at Ason. Ason stood still, watching him.

“You said you wanted me to get my memory back, didn’t you?”

Ason nodded slowly. Then Nuri shook his head and continued.

“I don’t know if I’m happy about this. I feel so alone, so sad, and so afraid of everything that lies ahead.”

“…….”

“I feel like I’m all alone in the world…… Although maybe I was always alone.”

Nuri’s voice grew smaller and smaller. At the end of his words, a sigh drifted like the wind.

Ason pressed his arms hard against the top of the deck, moving closer to Nuri. The black ship did not stagger under his weight. Nuri looked into the eyes of Ason as he got closer.

His eyes were brighter than the countless phosphorescent animals [1] in the sea, and even brighter than the stars in the sky. It was as if his eyes occupied a beautiful gem (stone).

As Nuri stared wordlessly into his eyes, Ason slowly kissed Nuri’s forehead. Nuri stood still, neither surprised nor drawn back. It felt like glittering dust was scattered in front of his eyes the moment his lips touched and fell.

“I don’t want Nuri to get sick.”

“…….”

“You are not alone.”

Nuri wanted to deny it, to say he was alone. But the words didn’t come out. Because Ason’s kiss and the gentle voice that came with it seemed to tell him that it would be indeed so.

Nuri wondered if it was all a midsummer night’s dream. The kind of dream where he wakes up and the merman called Ason is nowhere to be found, and there’s nothing left but a trashy reality?

No. Nuri was glad even if it was a dream. Because there had been more days in his life when he hadn’t even dreamed of this. Nuri leaned his forehead against his shoulder.

Did all the pain subsided little by little where Ason put his lips? Nuri’s mind seemed to lighten a little. As if the stars of the sea had illuminated his lonely inside.

* * *

1. Animals that emit light, such as jellyfish.