Chapter 167

Chapter 167

Just an Entrance Ceremony (2)

What mother said earlier.

-This the U-gwang school entrance ceremony grand parade only heard in words.

To the extent the snort saying what grand parade colorless.

The underworld messenger admired low.

[Wow, this really a spectacle? Sparkling.]

From the main gate to the playground.

A path at least over 1km gorgeously decorated.

Entrance congratulation banners and garlands hung on every street tree.

Colorful lettering balloons floating dongdong hanging on strings.

Between leaves sparkling gold foil, silver foil lined long fluttering and scattering in the wind.

[What’s that again? Strangely shaped flower bundles lined endlessly?]

Wreaths lined filling both sides of the approach road tightly.

I ended up mouth blocked.

‘Just an entrance ceremony, a matter of sending even wreaths like this?’

Not funeral, not wedding, not opening ceremony?

Never heard of sending wreaths to an entrance ceremony living and living.

But that here?

Even many.

Tremendously many people sent wreaths densely.

‘Even Korea University entrance ceremony didn’t seem to open so noisily to this extent.’

I took care of our Gang-u school events with eyes lit.

Attended without missing not only entrance ceremony but also sports day, athletic meet, picnic, graduation ceremony.

But this noisy entrance ceremony again first.

[Letters also written on the pink ribbon. Amazing.]

Black calligraphy lined one after another on the pink ribbon with gold foil border attached.

Similar phrases engraved as if stamped from the same place.

The underworld messenger suddenly stood up with a whoosh and shouted with a more excited voice than usual.

[There, yours also there!]

At the place the underworld messenger pointed there was a pile of wreaths noisily decorated with all kinds of flowers.

Among the zones divided from kindergarten to high school the elementary school zone.

Congratulations on the entrance of my golden grandson Cha Jeong-hyeok to U-gwang Elementary School. -Taeseong Group

Jeong-hyeok, after our entrance ceremony ends let’s go eat jjajangmyeon together! -Taeseong Automobile

Nephew, shall lay one entrance congratulation gift and one question? -Taeseong Distribution

Oh my, my nephew top entrance? Spring clothes aunt will match~ -Taeseong Department Store

A hollow laugh came out automatically.

Really didn’t know would discover what our family sent among those wreaths.

Among them there was one that stepped in the eyes.

The biggest miracle of my life. Jeong-hyeok, love you. -Taeseong Construction

What this.

I forgot even breathing and blankly read repeatedly several times.

Every time rolling the letters in the mouth and reading became sweet like holding candy.

“Dad mom also the world’s biggest miracle to me.”

Met mother again at the end of as many as 45 years of piercing longing.

Father who could only vaguely imagine for a lifetime in front of me.

“Congratulations on entrance, Jeong-hyeok.”

“Our Jeong-hyeok also became elementary student older brother now.”

Receiving parents’ congratulations I smiled widely.

The feeling of such noisy entrance congratulations as if prepared only for me.

The feeling of all the world’s blessings pouring on me.

Chest swelled.

[Selling a lot of something with good smell?]

Moved the school store outside whole?

Kids who smelled delicious smell crowded a lot, parents opened wallets widely.

Before knowing father also took out the wallet and smiled.

“Jeong-hyeok, shall we also get off and walk a bit?”

“Good.”

Anyway came out from the parade of cars blocked tightly to the parking lot.

Held father’s hand with one hand, mother’s hand with the other hand.

Our three family matched steps at the same speed and walked.

“Does Jeong-hyeok like cotton candy?”

Was thinking of shaking the head saying not particularly.

Unknowingly feet stopped abruptly.

‘Cotton candy our Gang-u liked to death.’

Missed the face of the child who can’t see now.

Father immediately opened the wallet and purchased cotton candy.

“Want to try eating? Fluffy and sweet like clouds.”

Gang-u liked for exactly this reason.

Every time then I secretly clicked the tongue inside.

-Mere putting a few spoons of sugar and inflating so large and selling expensively. Trying to snatch kids’ nose-wiped money, tsk.

Still because Gang-u liked bought and gave every time cotton candy visible.

At amusement parks, or when athletic meets held, or when picnic days return.

At such times I invariably put a cotton candy stick in Gang-u’s hand.

One of my small and precious memories.

“Here.”

“······Thank you.”

Father put the cotton candy stick in my hand.

A bit bitter.

‘Cheap sugar smell, even wooden chopsticks sticky.’

I glared at the roundly inflated cotton candy for a moment.

‘No nutritional value subject if touched immediately fades like foam exactly sweet only trash like a braggart fraud.’

Cotton candy only expensive even if eaten stomach not full.

“By the way, Jeong-hyeok not really liking candy either? Then cotton candy also not really?”

Father strokes my head and carefully examines.

Didn’t want to disappoint father.

So I smiled awkwardly.

“Happy.”

“Hmm, not a face happy?”

“Because first time eating cotton candy.”

Really so.

Actually when young really wanted to eat but no money.

In the days starving and tired rummaging trash cans what cotton candy.

Even dreaming luxury.

“By any chance Jeong-hyeok first seeing cotton candy?”

“Saw older brothers or sisters buying and eating on the way home from school.”

To me athletic meet or picnic day a business season that pulls a share largely.

In the begging days when not in a situation to attend school.

I had to watch from afar only what kids buy and eat while selling gum in one corner of the playground.

Then to me ramen more desperate than cotton candy.

“Ah, not school way but way home from school.”

Father tore a bit of cotton candy and put in the mouth.

Like teaching a child who doesn’t know how to eat cotton candy.

A gentle touch.

“Dad caught timing without sense wrong, right?”

Suddenly recalled I also tore and put cotton candy in Gang-u’s mouth like this.

At such times Gang-u smiled brightly as if having the whole world.

Mere a few spoons of sugar, if melted all the same in the stomach.

“······Sweet.”

Cotton candy melted without a trace as soon as touching the tongue.

Seemed father picked the sky’s cloud and put in my mouth.

“How?”

“Tasty.”

I absolutely hate sweet things.

Only mouth briefly happy, unnecessarily expensive, teeth rot, blood sugar soars, only belly fat sticks······.

“Liking.”

First entrance ceremony in my life.

Because the snack father first bought?

Or because I now in a child’s body?

Sweet enough to cry······ became happy.

“Yes? Then later when going our house shall buy one more and eat?”

“Yes, good!”

I looked at father and smiled widely.

“Dad also ah!”

“Ah.”

I tore the cotton candy large like giving to Gang-u and put in father’s mouth.

“Mom also ah!”

“Ah.”

Of course also in smiling mother’s mouth.

“Hehehe.”

Damn, child’s body!

I ended up smiling widely holding the cotton candy stick.

“Eutcha.”

Father lifted me dangling and put on the shoulders.

More than the heavy and refined men’s perfume scent wafting from father.

Today the sweet cotton candy scent much stronger so sweet from head to toe.

Laughter leaking repeatedly at the sweetness lingering at the tip of the tongue.

‘Just an entrance ceremony this noisy a matter······.’

I looked around the surroundings with the gaze that became much higher holding the cotton candy.

‘Sometimes······.’

Kids each held food and ran excitedly.

Parents busy continuously wiping kids’ mouth corners with handkerchiefs.

Even nagging heard saying wore pretty clothes so can’t spill food.

There were also people shaking cameras saying if falling and crying photo comes out strange.

‘This also not bad.’

Sunlight dazzling, wind soft, held hands warm, cotton candy sweet.

Then enough.

* * *

The entrance ceremony opened at the large playground.

The spectator seats of baseball field standard full with parent guests who came to observe the entrance ceremony.

On the playground from kindergarteners to high school students, from entrants to current students.

All students attending U-gwang private school gathered.

No, even people unrelated to U-gwang school crowded densely.

Even politicians moving quickly to hold this year’s general election and attendants full.

‘Ha······.’

Cancel the words sometimes this also not bad.

‘What entrance ceremony all kinds of media company cameramen all out?’

The reason media company cameramen all out absurd beyond measure.

“Here, shooting!”

“Please look this way!”

The reason the neighborhood photo studio’s skill not trustworthy.

Political and business world celebrities needed skilled photographers or cameramen.

Just to leave commemorative photos and videos.

While paying daily wages hundreds of thousands of won, or amount per photo.

“······.”

I just stood on the platform to recite the oath as entrant representative.

Click! Click click! Click!

Camera flashes sparkling from all sides burst bang bang.

Even microphones likely used at broadcasting stations pushed nearby.

Grandfather and grandmother sitting in the parent guest seats clapped as if very satisfied.

The moment clearly knew who hired these noisy cameramen.

“Entrant representative, salute to the national flag.”

I put the mouth to the amplifier and shouted.

“I firmly resolve to devote body and mind and do loyalty for the eternal glory of the fatherland and nation in front of the proud Taegeukgi.”

“Right.”

The phrase memorized and went around in childhood.

Even I didn’t know would still remember that.

“Next there will be the national anthem chorus by the U-gwang choir.”

What entrance ceremony national anthem chorus scale like this.

The orchestra attending U-gwang school plays the national anthem, the vocal department choir sings the national anthem putting harmony.

That from verse 1 to verse 4.

The young man who rose on the command platform looked down at me and smiled faintly.

“Long time no see. Even when protesting recited the declaration as union representative, here also reciting the declaration as entrant representative?”

Indeed.

I muttered small.

“I also didn’t know U-gwang Group chairman would proceed the entrance ceremony. Quite idle?”

“What to do. Heard His Excellency the president personally takes steps saying today’s entrance ceremony. Have to run setting aside all matters.”

Overwhelming.

‘Just a private school entrance ceremony a matter even the president attends?’

Ah, presidential election right in front.

Presidential election was July.

‘Certainly rare better election boards than this.’

Even if rigged gostop the president wanted overwhelming support.

Because can insist grades soon public sentiment.

U-gwang’s Chairman Kim Dae-sik glanced at the people full in the spectator seats.

“Know as glory. Among the total 14 years of U-gwang education process including kindergarten 2 years a seat only one person can enjoy only once.”

“So the fact I stood in this place all because of the chairman?”

“Not me but His Excellency the president’s instruction. Then family’s glory?”

The president?

Even conveyed instructions to just a private school entrance ceremony?

That old man not such an idle person?

No, why? Because of what?

“Heard the president personally will reward, can’t not run out. Let’s stamp eye seals side by side to His Excellency among us who rode the same boat.”

When the spectator seats seemed to become a bit noisier.

Step. Step. Step. Step.

Receiving the ironclad escort of suited security guards.

The president wearing sunglasses walked fixing the attire.

The Blue House security chief and central intelligence director followed behind.