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later, dear. You’ve still got plenty of time, you know.”
    â€œWell, that’s what I say. It’s not like I’m forty years old, or even thirty. I don’t know why he’s making such a big fuss.”
    Sinch’on Taek let out a deep sigh.
    â€œI guess I’ll have to go back home tomorrow. He keeps telling me I have to leave anyway.”
    â€œOh, the master is just saying that. He doesn’t really mean it.” Sinch’on Taek shook her head and lowering her voice said, “He’s been visiting Kannan’s house recently, you know.”
    Sonbi’s mother flashed a look of surprise at her guest.

12
    A period of some three years passed by.
    Sonbi’s mother had lain in bed now for several days with chest trouble, and instead of going to work at the big house, Sonbi kept a vigil at her mother’s bedside.

    As always, they could not afford an oil lamp, so they burned wild sesame oil, poured into a small saucer just to the side of the bed. The flame from the saucer spewed out a long, black stream of smoke and flickered fiercely in the drafts that swept in through cracks around the door.
    Her mother seemed to have fallen asleep, so Sonbi moved closer to the flame. Her rosy cheeks glowed all the more in the light of the oil. She stared vacantly into the flame, then slowly stood up and walked into the next room.
    A short time later she returned with her sewing kit in hand, sat down facing the light and set herself to work.
    At the sound of her mother groaning, Sonbi put down her sewing and turned to face her.
    â€œDoes it hurt again, Mom?”
    Her mother’s sunken eyes opened, but just barely.
    â€œBring me some water.”
    â€œYou know you’re not supposed to drink much water.”
    Sonbi came to her mother’s side and looked down upon her. Maybe it was because she’d been sick for so long, but her mother seemed to give off a smell.
    â€œJust get me some!” she cried, a bit louder.
    Sonbi pleaded with her mother to the point of tears. But she wouldn’t listen, and after crying out a few more times, she lifted her head up to get out of bed on her own. Sonbi knew she’d eventually have to give in, so she went into the kitchen to boil some water and brought a cup out to her mother.
    â€œHow could I drink that, you little rat!” said her mother, seeing the steam rising out of the cup. “Get me some cold water!”
    â€œOh, Mom, please . . .”
    She helped her mother up and held the cup to her mouth. The woman shook her head a couple of times, then finally took a few sips of the hot water before lying back down again.
    â€œSonbi,” she called out a few minutes later. Sonbi put down her sewing and again came to her mother’s side.
    â€œI saw your father in my dreams last night. But I wasn’t excited to see him or even angry. It was just like things always were back when he was alive . . . He had you on his back, and he was heading off somewhere, so I followed after him and asked him where he was going. But he just
kept on walking without saying anything to me . . . What do you think it all means?”
    Sonbi now saw her father’s face flash into her mind. But it wasn’t clear, and she could just barely make out his features, as though his face were shrouded in mist. She looked at her mother. It seemed as though the woman was, at that very moment, staring at the ghost of her husband. A terrifying thought crossed Sonbi’s mind, and she felt goosebumps all over.
    â€œMom!”
    Sonbi placed her hand on her mother. Then she sat up close and stroked her face. Her mother’s eyes rolled upward and stared at the ceiling. Those frightening eyes then turned onto her daughter.
    â€œWhat’s the matter, mom?”
    Staring up at her daughter, Sonbi’s mother began to sob with short gasps of air. Her lips began to tremble.
    â€œSonbi, we’ve got to find someone to . . . to take care