Goblin Library - Chapter 150

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 150.

The Company President parked his car at the Villa and was heading toward the entrance when he suddenly stopped. He gazed quietly at the keypad by the entrance, then asked Kang Young-moon.
“Was my mother here?”
“She was crouching here and crying.”
Kang Young-moon pointed to a small footstool in front of the keypad—a platform placed there for children too short to reach the keypad.
The Company President stared at the footstool for a moment, then quietly crouched down on it. Kang Young-moon tilted his head at the sight of him.
“Are you going to cry?”
At Kang Young-moon’s words, the Company President shook his head while crouching on the footstool. Then he gazed out at the street for a moment.
My mother, sitting on this footstool looking out at the street… what could she have been thinking?
Thinking of my mother here, a sigh escaped me.
“My mother must have been so frightened. She’s always been such a timid person.”
“She was afraid. That’s why we must meet her soon.”
As Kang Young-moon spoke while looking at the Villa entrance, the Company President, who had been silent, looked down at his own hands.
They were trembling slightly.
“But Kang Young-moon…”
At being called, Kang Young-moon looked at him. Receiving his gaze, the Company President bit his lip slightly before speaking.
“But… I’m frightened too right now.”
“You’re frightened?”
“Yes, I’m frightened.”
“What frightens you?”
At Kang Young-moon’s question, the Company President gave a bitter smile and stared blankly out at the street.
What if my mother has dementia? That worry—no, it transcended worry and became pure dread.
The thought of my mother not recognizing me, of my mother becoming someone other than the mother I know—just imagining it made my hands and feet tremble violently.
A password is a number one grows accustomed to. And such passwords are used unchanged for decades.
I still used the password I’d set when I first opened my bank account.
It was 2127—from when I was in second year of middle school, class 1, number 27.
I’d set the Villa entrance and home passwords using the one my mother used, so she could remember them easily… yet she’d forgotten that number.
The fact that her memory had deteriorated to that degree… terrified me.
The Company President, who had been sighing, opened his mouth.
“I’m so frightened that my mother might be ill.”
『….』
At the Company President’s words, Kang Young-moon, who had held his gaze for a moment, spoke.
“It is your mother who is ill.”
Seeing the Company President’s confused expression, Kang Young-moon continued.
“Your mother is more frightened than you are. Family protects family. I protect my younger sibling. You protect your mother.”
The Company President, pondering Kang Young-moon’s words, smiled.
“That’s right. Family must protect one another. And… when I was ill, my mother protected me, so I must protect my mother if she becomes ill.”
The Company President rose to his feet and pressed the keypad to open the Villa entrance. As he moved to step inside, Kang Young-moon spoke.
“Please hold my hand.”
“Your hand?”
“When I was ill, my grandfather would hold my hand and it brought me comfort. So when my younger brother is unwell, I hold his hand.”
At Kang Young-moon’s words, the Company President nodded.
“I’ll hold your hand firmly. And thank you, truly.”
As the Company President bowed his head and entered, Kang Young-moon spoke again.
“My phone.”
At Kang Young-moon’s words, the Company President looked at him.
“My mother has my phone. I need to retrieve it. If I lose my phone, I’ll be scolded.”
“Ah, of course. Please come in.”
The Company President answered in a flustered tone, as if he’d overlooked that detail, and gestured for Kang Young-moon to enter the Villa as well.
Climbing the stairs to the Villa Second Floor, the Company President paused at the door to steady his breathing, then carefully arranged his expression to appear cheerful.
He worried that if his mother saw how anxious he looked, she would only worry more, so he decided to treat the situation as if nothing was amiss.
After composing himself, the Company President entered the security code.
Beep, beep, beep. Click!
Before he could finish entering the code, the door swung open and Grandmother appeared.
“My son!”
“My goodness, our mother must have been waiting so eagerly for her son. She’s even come all the way to the entrance to greet you.”
The Company President stepped inside with a smile and turned to look at Kang Young-moon.
“Please come in. Mother, Kang Young-moon is here.”
“Oh my! Kang Young-moon, thank you so much.”
At Grandmother’s words, Kang Young-moon extended his hand.
“I’ve come to retrieve my phone. I need to return to my home.”
“That’s right. Your younger brother actually called earlier.”
“My younger brother called?”
“Yes. When I explained the situation to him, he told me not to mention that you were coming to our home.”
At Grandmother’s words, Kang Young-moon asked.
“Young-sik would have come anyway. Didn’t he?”
“I didn’t give him the address. I didn’t want to inconvenience him. Just a moment.”
Grandmother returned from the kitchen carrying his phone and an eco-bag she used for shopping.
“I’m truly grateful. And you watched YouTube cartoons while waiting—I hope they were entertaining.”
“The cartoons were enjoyable.”
Kang Young-moon accepted the phone.
“Please take this as well.”
As she offered the eco-bag, Kang Young-moon shook his head.
“This isn’t my bag.”
“I’ve packed some food for you.”
“Food?”
“You and the other men live alone, after all. So I’ve packed some side dishes and food. Please eat them when you get home.”
At Grandmother’s words, Kang Young-moon accepted the eco-bag.
“I’m grateful for your kindness. I’ll eat it with appreciation.”
Kang Young-moon spoke as he received the envelope and phone.
“You prepared side dishes without resting?”
Grandmother spoke as she watched Kang Young-moon express his concern in his own manner.
“My hands trembled when I sat still. I had to do something.”
At Grandmother’s words, the Company President took her hand.
“Family is waiting at home. I should go.”
Kang Young-moon turned toward the door, but suddenly turned back to look at Grandmother.
“You mustn’t fall ill. Please stay healthy.”
Watching Kang Young-moon’s retreating figure, Grandmother sighed and turned to the Company President.
“Son, I…”
At Grandmother’s trembling voice, the Company President smiled and squeezed the hand he held.
Squeeze.
The Company President held his mother’s hand firmly yet gently as he spoke.
“Mom, you were very frightened, weren’t you?”
“Yes. I… was so scared…”
“Don’t worry. You won’t have anything to worry about.”
“But… I can’t remember the password…”
“Oh, I forget things sometimes too.”
“Will it really be okay?”
“Then it will be okay. And even if it’s not, what does it matter? I’m here, and your youngest is here too. Don’t worry.”
At the Company President’s words, Grandmother hesitated for a moment before speaking.
“They say people with dementia can’t even recognize family… What if I can’t recognize you?”
Seeing Grandmother’s trembling form, worried that she wouldn’t recognize him, the Company President gently embraced her.
“It’s okay. It’s okay. I’ll always be by your side. It’s okay.”
“I’m afraid I’ll become a burden to you.”
To her, worried and frightened that she would become a burden, the Company President spoke with conviction.
“A burden? Don’t worry. I’ll always be right beside you, Mom. Don’t worry. You’re my mother, and I’m your son.”
And so mother and son held each other tightly for a long time, as they hadn’t in ages.

Kang Young-moon walked swiftly toward home.
“I’m late for my appointment. I mustn’t be late for my appointment.”
Muttering softly to himself, Kang Young-moon quickened his pace and soon arrived at his home.
Kang Young-moon’s home was located on the first floor of the Villa. Originally, his home had been in the semi-basement of this Villa.
It was a typical semi-basement dwelling that reeked of mold in summer. But when Kang Young-sik became a medical student, the Villa owner moved him to the first floor as a congratulatory gesture.
Upon arriving home, Kang Young-moon pressed the keypad at the entrance.
Beep beep….
After pressing two digits, Kang Young-moon suddenly stopped and stared at the keypad.
“If I can’t remember the password, I can’t enter the house. I mustn’t become so foolish that I forget the password. I must remember it clearly.”
Kang Young-moon muttered softly to himself, mentally repeated the numbers, and finished entering the keypad code.
Beep beep!
Buzz!
As the door opened, Kang Young-moon hurried inside. There he could see Grandfather and Kang Young-sik standing and looking at him.
“I’m late for our appointment. I apologize.”
At Kang Young-moon’s words, Kang Young-sik laughed and spoke.
“Hyung, it’s fine even if you’re late.”
“Is it?”
At Kang Young-moon’s question, Kang Young-sik laughed and spoke.
“You helped Grandmother, right? Being late because you were helping someone is fine.”
“Is that so?”
“And our appointment is just to eat meat… compared to helping others, that’s a trivial matter.”
As Kang Young-sik spoke with a smile, Grandfather nodded his head.
“That’s right, you did very well. When you see someone in need of help, you should help them.”
“So I helped. This is what Grandmother gave me. Side dishes.”
At Kang Young-moon’s words, Grandfather laughed and accepted the eco-bag, then spoke with a slightly surprised expression.
“It’s quite heavy. How much did she pack for you?”
At Grandfather’s words, Kang Young-sik picked up the eco-bag and spoke.
“First, hyung, go wash up.”
“I washed up when I left work.”
“But… you’ve sweated a lot. Go take another shower. I’ll have the meat grilling.”
At Kang Young-sik’s words, Kang Young-moon looked at his body and nodded.
“I sweated from walking quickly. I’ll go wash up.”
As Kang Young-moon headed to the kitchen, Grandfather watched his figure with a pleased expression, then turned to Kang Young-sik and spoke.
“Your older brother really hasn’t grown much, has he?”
Kang Young-sik answered with a smile on his face.
“Hyung was already bigger than me originally.”
“Hah! Well, that’s true.”
Grandfather laughed and spoke.
“Let’s grill the meat. Young-moon must be hungry.”
“Yes.”
Kang Young-sik placed the eco-bag on the dining table and began removing the side dishes from within.
“Oh, there’s perilla leaf pickle here. It would taste delicious with affordable pork belly.”
“There are quite a few other side dishes too. If we portion them out a bit and eat them together with the meat, it’ll taste even better.”
“I’ll prepare everything. Please, have a seat.”
“I can still grill meat at my age. You organize the side dishes. I’ll handle the grilling.”
Grandfather smiled as he turned on the electric grill and took his seat. Kang Young-sik began portioning out the side dishes onto a wide plate.

As Grandfather and Kang Young-sik ate the perfectly browned pork belly, they asked Kang Young-moon about what had happened today.
Kang Young-moon answered their questions earnestly without hesitation.
“Grandmother was crying.”
“So she couldn’t remember the house number and couldn’t get inside?”
“That’s right. She couldn’t remember the Villa entrance code, so she was unable to get in.”
Worry flickered across Grandfather’s face at Kang Young-moon’s words.
“How old did Grandmother appear to be?”
“She looked younger than you, Grandfather. But she was quite elderly.”
Grandfather let out a sigh.
“Younger than me, yet developing dementia?”
Kang Young-sik shook his head at Grandfather’s words.
“People often suspect dementia when elderly folks have lapses in memory, but it could simply be a momentary lapse.”
“Is that so?”
“Of course. Elderly people often forget things from time to time.”
Kang Young-sik said this because he was concerned Grandfather might worry about dementia.
“And the sure way to know is to get a diagnosis at the Hospital.”
Kang Young-sik smiled as he looked at Grandfather.
“You get dementia screening every year, Grandfather, so there’s no need to worry. And you’ve been consistently doing the finger exercises I taught you every day.”
At Kang Young-sik’s words, Grandfather looked at his own hand and began flexing and extending his fingers.
He touched each finger with his thumb one by one—a simple exercise that was effective in preventing dementia when done regularly.
Watching Grandfather, Kang Young-moon spoke.
“If you can’t remember the code, Grandfather, I can open the door for you. There’s no need to be afraid.”
A smile appeared on Grandfather’s face.
“That’s right—if our Young-moon opens the door for me, why would I be afraid?”
Grandfather laughed as he grilled meat with his grandsons and ate together.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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