At 7:30 PM, Geon Kim ascended the hill path amidst the graves of the Lincoln morial Park as the sun dipped low. Geon had received Dre's call around 5:20 PM. He imdiately took a taxi to the location Dre ntioned and found Dre sitting alone on the grassy patch beyond the hill path.
Approaching Dre, Geon noticed empty bottles scattered around him. Dre looked at Geon with bleary eyes as he approached. Attempting to gesture towards Geon, Dre's arm fell limp each ti he tried to raise it.
"Hey... K, you're here?" Dre's speech, although slurred due to intoxication, seed coherent enough. Geon placed a hand on his waist and sighed.
"Dre, how much have you been drinking?"
Dre chuckled before raising the bottle to his lips again, taking a large gulp of alcohol. Wiping the spilled liquor with his sleeve, Dre spoke, "Was just having a drink with my son."
Pointing to his side, Dre continued, "Hey, Curtis! Say hi! This guy is K. You rember, right?"
Glancing at Dre's side, Geon noticed Curtis Young's tombstone. Dre turned to Geon and gestured, "K, say hi. Here's my son, poor soul. Endured all the hardships under a lousy father, suffered the disgraceful death of drug addiction in the end. Say hi!"
Geon sat silently across Curtis's tombstone. Geon's gaze shifted between the grave and Dre. Dre chuckled, "Why? Do you also pity this guy? Or maybe you want to ridicule him like the others? Haha."
Geon stared at Dre solemnly as Dre, raising the bottle high, toasted, "To my son! No matter what anyone says, this guy is my son, you bastards!"
Dropping the bottle to the ground after a hearty laugh, Dre's eyes t Geon's, his sadness evident. Dre gazed down at the town below, his eyes filled with turmoil. After a while of silence, Dre spoke up, "Why do you try to drag down again?"
Geon, kneeling with his arms around his knees, replied, "You're a musician..."
"And a businessman. A single word from could make thousands lose their jobs."
Interrupting Geon, Dre stared intently at him. Geon, eting his gaze, continued softly, "You're also a father."
Dre remained silent, his gaze piercing into Geon. Geon continued, with a distant look in his eyes, "Our mother once said, true parents are those who embrace their children despite the world pointing fingers at them."
Dre's eyes twitched at Geon's words. Geon, not eting Dre's gaze, continued, "I was beaten a lot by my father when I was young."
Dre chuckled, looking at Geon with a smirk, "You don't seem like soone who got into trouble. Did you ever get into any mischief?"
Geon smiled faintly, "I've never been in any trouble. I was just the target of my father's anger."
As Geon's words shocked Dre, Geon continued, "Mother was even worse than you. Despite knowing I would be beaten, I resented her for venting her anger on . Our mother, who used to co to my room at around 11 PM, sobbing and hitting wherever she could reach, was more detestable. It felt so insincere, just a facade."
Dre gently placed his hand on Geon's shoulder as he looked at him with pity. Geon, his face wet with tears, continued speaking without eting Dre's eyes.
"Mother started to change when I entered high school. She was just a person, immature and imperfect. Like everyone else, she was growing into her role as a mother. At so point, to ensure her hatred towards father didn't transfer to , she started finding her own path."
"One day, mother ca to my room, knelt before , and cried. She apologized, said she was sorry, that it was all her fault. But forgiveness didn't co easy. Outwardly, I smiled and pretended everything was okay with mother, but my heart didn't open easily. I spent the most crucial ten years of adolescence like that, so it's understandable. I've only called mother once in the past year I've been in the States, while my sister calls her every day."
"Dad also apologized to . He said he was sorry, that it was a mistake."
Here's the revised passage:
"So, you expect to forgive? No, I can't forgive. You call it a mistake? Could I have forgiven with just that word? I'd rather not be such immature parents than get married. But still, even so, Dre..."
"I guess I can't help but love Mom and Dad. Most of my mories are correct, but it still catches off guard when Dad, who sent tuition fees to before anyone else, calls. He has a lot of money, Dre. Yet he still sends tuition fees. Funny, right? My property is worth several tis more than Dad's."
Tears began to stream down Geon's cheeks like chicken droppings.
"My mother... seeing her chest sink when she hears my sister tell her that Mom is sick with a cold... Am I a fool to love Mom even after being treated like that, Dre?"
As Dre leaned closer to Geon, wrapping his arm around Geon's shoulder, Geon shed even more tears as he spoke.
"My father never once thought of loving beyond puberty. He bragged to his friends as if it were his own accomplishnt. It's not funny, is it?"
Geon turned to Dre with a face soaked in tears. Dre looked back at Geon with sympathetic eyes.
"What kind of father were you to Curtis? I heard you weren't a good father. What kind of father were you in Curtis's mories?"
When Dre struggled to find words, Geon continued.
"To Curtis, you weren't the father who abandoned him until he was twenty-one. He understood your situation through long conversations with you, and the image of you depicted in his songs was a proud father himself."
Geon grabbed Dre's shoulders, turning him towards himself.
"Dre, is it okay like this? Will you just remain a diocre father? Will you be rembered as soone like our father in Curtis's mories?"
Dre let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head.
"No. That can't be it, I'm sorry to you."
After Geon slowly nodded, wiping away tears and looking down the hill, Dre spoke.
"Curtis also resented you a lot after realizing your existence at the age of fifteen. Maybe when you grow older and realize you're an immature human yourself, you'll understand Dad. Or maybe not."
After wiping his stained face with his sleeve, Geon spoke.
"I hope so. The day I understand Dad will be the day I experience the most growth in my life."
Dre smiled softly, looking down at Curtis's grave, and sighed lightly.
"Can I talk about Curtis's story?"
Geon chuckled softly.
"Don't you feel the atmosphere, Dre? All the rappers are hoping for your coback. That ans the public who listens to your music is also hoping. If the public didn't care, they wouldn't move either."
Dre caressed Curtis's grave, tears welling up in his eyes.
"Curtis. Can I tell your story, son?"
Tears filled Dre's eyes.
"Curtis, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm too late, aren't I?"
Tears stread down Dre's cheeks.
"I'm sorry for being such an inadequate father, too cowardly to face even the people who point fingers at . Please forgive now, even though it's too late."
Geon placed his hand on Curtis's grave.
"Curtis. Your proud father will return to you as the sa person you saw. Watch over us."
Dre looked up, quietly eting Geon's gaze. Geon smiled at Dre. After a mont of silence, both of them turned their gaze to the landscape below the hill. Without a word, Dre broke the silence.
"If we're going to do this, we'll do it right. You'll need to help."
Geon raised his thumb, revealing determination.
"Just say the word. I'll support you as much as possible."
Dre turned to Geon, shaking his head.
"It's been a long ti since I made music myself."
Geon chuckled, receiving Dre's words.
"Who are you again?"
Dre looked at Geon incredulously before chuckling softly.
"Dr. Dre, man."
As if to say no more needed to be said, Dre looked straight ahead, towards the scenery in front of him.
"We're going to devour it all."
>
Unlock exclusive early access to more than 100 Chapters before anyone else by becoming a valued mber of my Patreon community.
As a cherished mber of our Patreon community, here is what you'll get:
For just $5:
Early access to 100s of chapters before they go public. (You can find all the novels I'm translating HERE.)Your na will be prominently featured on the "Wall of Gratitude".The power to vote on which novel I translate next.You Get Ad-free Chapters.
For $10:
You get to suggest a Novel for to translate.Your na featured on the "Wall of Gratitude" (in gold).
For $20:
You get to recomnd an abandoned Novel and I will imdiately start translating it.Your na featured on the "Wall of Gratitude" (in blue).
Don't let this amazing opportunity slip through your fingers!
Reviews
All reviews (0)