Soon, the onlookers who had gathered by the entrance of the old house dispersed, and what was once a joyous opening scene transformed into a senseless mockery. I sat in a daze in the corner of the side room, confused and helpless.
When I thought about how that gentle woman left me in despair and misery, my heart began to ache uncontrollably.
I had never wanted to believe that the woman who was so gentle in my memory would leave me, who was only ten years old, and commit suicide in despair.
I heard that people who committed suicide would arrange everything in advance and then leave with a clear mind.
However, my mother had agreed to my request so sincerely. It was impossible for her to be so eager to end her life without even fulfilling my little wish.
She must have had some compelling reason to break her promise.
But what could it be? How did she die?
I asked myself this question countless times, yet all I got in response were still mottled walls and dust on the ground.
I got up helplessly. As I left, my elbow unintentionally scraped against a sizable fragment of the already crumbling paint.
As the dry lime soil scattered, the small red bricks within the wall were all exposed.
Inadvertently, I caught sight of a conspicuous white object nestled within the crevice between the dark red brick walls.
I took the object out, full of doubts. Until I shook off the dust on it, I realized it was something I had prepared back then.
However, when I opened it with trembling hands and saw the contents inside, I was struck with astonishment. It felt as if someone had delivered a powerful blow to my head with a stick, leaving me unable to regain my composure for a long time.
After a while, I couldn't hold back my tears anymore. I surrendered to my grief and burst into uncontrollable sobs.
I was like a wounded wolf, howling alone in the wilderness, my miserable voice mixed with anger and sadness.
Until this moment, I had always believed that the mystery that had troubled me since I was ten years old would remain unsolved.
Unexpectedly, today, I learned the hidden truth of the past at the place where the sin began.
While the truth abruptly halted and the mystery appeared to recede into deeper obscurity, I uncovered some information about what had happened in the past.
And with this secret, perhaps I could find out the rest of the truth in my own way.