Cheat day

Side by Side (5)

Despite the time spent regrouping, by the time we arrived in Sangju, everyone had fallen silent.

The excitement of having completed half the journey under the sweltering heat had transformed into a sense of hopelessness, which then crumbled away with the heavy rain the following morning.

At breakfast, the only sounds were the clattering of plates and utensils.

“It’s hot today, but at least it’s a good thing,” Cha Ji-chan tried to encourage us, but it didn’t resonate much.

“Yeah. We have to think positively. We can’t show this face to the kids,” said Joo Ji-seung, and I nodded.

We couldn’t pass our troubles onto the children.

“Sorry, I think I’ll rest a bit more at the accommodation today,” said Baek Woo-jin, for the first time expressing weakness. He had been adamant about pushing through, but now it seemed he had reached his physical limit and was also mentally drained.

“Okay,” Cha Ji-chan patted Baek Woo-jin’s back.

“Is Chan-yong okay?” Joo Ji-seung asked.

To be honest, I wanted to give up all day yesterday. The day of rest felt like a lie, and my legs felt heavier than before.

The sunscreen I had reapplied was dripping into my eyes, making them sting, and my shoulders felt like they were about to break. Above all, I was despondent knowing just how long this pain would last.

If it hadn’t been for Joo Ji-seung, Cha Ji-chan, and Baek Woo-jin, I would have given up long ago.

The faces of the children, the elderly, and those who saw us off in Mungyeong kept flashing in my mind, making it hard to voice my desire to rest.

“It’s tough. You guys are struggling too. You don’t have to overdo it,” said Joo Ji-seung as he and Cha Ji-chan quietly ate their meals.

While I was physically challenged, I believed the biggest issue was the feeling of hopelessness.

We had taken a day off in between and, as we descended, the distances between cities had shortened, allowing us to walk only about 20 to 30 kilometers a day.

However, the initial sense of accomplishment from having come halfway had turned into a negative thought that we still had to continue.

With my body tired and my mind shaken, I wondered if this was truly a crisis.

***

After having lunch with the children, it was time to part ways.

While meeting and playing with strangers was quite enjoyable, it wasn’t without its challenges.

Even without carrying children like Cha Ji-chan, I was already quite exhausted from constantly answering questions and asking my own.

By the time we had lunch, only Baek Woo-jin, who had arrived earlier, was still mingling with the kids.

“Hmm?”

As I tried to say goodbye to the children, I noticed they were all wearing yellow boots and raincoats.