A Friend at the Door

비가 줄곧 내려 눅눅해진 토요일 오후, 밀린 빨래를 널다가 초인종이 울렸다.

Biga julgot naeryeo nuknukhaejin toyoil ohu, millin ppallaereul neoldaga choinjongi ullyeotda.

On a Saturday afternoon made damp by continuous rain, the doorbell rang while I was hanging up the backlog of laundry.

택배인가 했는데, 문을 열자마자 젖은 우산을 털며 지호가 불쑥 서 있는 거다.

Taekbaeinga haenneunde, muneul yeoljamaja jeojeun usaneul teolmyeo Jihoga bulssuk seo inneun geoda.

Thinking it was a delivery, I opened the door, only to find Jiho suddenly standing there, shaking off a wet umbrella.

연락도 없이 어떻게 온 거냐고 묻자, 전화가 꺼진 김에 그냥 들렀다고 쑥스레 웃더니, 편의점 봉지에서 단팥빵이랑 캔커피를 꺼내 놓는다.

Yeollakdo eopsi eotteoke on geonyago mutja, jeonhwaga kkeojin gime geunyang deulleotdago ssukseure utdeoni, pyeonuijeom bongjieseo danpatppangirang kaenkeopireul kkeonae nonneunda.

When I asked how he came without even a text, he smiled sheepishly and said his phone had died so he just dropped by, then pulled out sweet red-bean bread and canned coffee from a convenience-store bag.

작년에 이사 온 뒤로 한 번도 못 만났는데, 현관에 늘어선 신발을 힐끗 보더니 '그래도 혼자 잘 산다'며 농을 던진다.

Jangnyeone isa on dwiro han beondo mot mannanneunde, hyeongwane neureoseon sinbareul hilkkeut bodeoni 'geuraedo honja jal sanda'myeo nongeul deonjinda.

Since moving last year, we hadn't met even once, and glancing at the shoes lined up by the door, he joked, 'You do live just fine on your own.'

방이 좁아 의자를 내주기도 애매해서, 부엌에서 라면을 끓이고 그 사이에 젖은 우산을 베란다에 말려 두었다.

Bangi joba uijareul naejugido aemaehaeseo, bueokeseo ramyeoneul kkeurigo geu saie jeojeun usaneul berandae malryeo dueotda.

The room was too small to even offer a chair, so I cooked ramyeon in the kitchen and, in the meantime, hung the wet umbrella to dry on the veranda.

국물이 팔팔 끓자마자 김치를 척 얹어 내밀었더니, 지호가 '딱 이 맛 보고 싶었다'며 한숨을 쉬듯 웃는다.

Gukmuri palpal kkeuljamaja gimchireul cheok eonjeo naemireotdeoni, Jihoga 'ttak i mat bogo sipeotda'myeo hansumeul swideut unneunda.

As soon as the broth was bubbling hard, I slapped on some kimchi and handed it over, and Jiho, saying 'This is exactly the taste I wanted,' smiled with a sigh.

먹다 보니, 내가 어젯밤 올린 퇴사 고민 글을 보고 일부러 들렀다는 말을 꺼내는데, 괜찮은 척하느라 꾹 눌러 두었던 말들이 와르르 쏟아졌다.

Meokda boni, naega eojetbam ollin toesa gomin geureul bogo ilbureo deulleotdaneun mareul kkeonaeneunde, gwaenchanheun cheokhaneura kkuk nulleo dueotdeon maldeuri wareureu ssodajyeotda.

While we ate, he admitted he'd come on purpose after seeing the post I wrote last night about quitting my job, and all the words I'd been holding in while pretending to be okay came pouring out.

비가 그치고 구름 사이로 해가 비칠 때까지, 서로의 지난 몇 해를 헤집듯 떠들다가, 어색해질 틈도 없이 예전 호흡이 돌아왔다.

Biga geuchigo gureum sairo haega bichil ttaekkaji, seoroui jinan myeot haereul hejipdeut tteodeuldaga, eosaekhaejil teumdo eopsi yejeon hoheubi dorawatta.

Until the rain stopped and sunlight slipped through the clouds, we chatted as if rummaging through the past few years, and before there was any chance for awkwardness, our old rhythm returned.

그가 갑자기 나타난 게 내 하루를 다 흔들어 놓았지만, 이상하게도 방 안 공기는 훨씬 가벼워졌다.

Geuga gapjagi natanan ge nae harureul da heundeureo noatjiman, isanghageto bang an gonggineun hwolssin gabyeowojyeotda.

His sudden appearance shook up my whole day, but strangely, the air in the room felt much lighter.

돌아가는 길에 쓰라린 얘기만 했던 나를 미안해하지 말라며, 지호는 내게 접어 둔 우산 하나를 쥐여 주고 버스 정류장 쪽으로 성큼성큼 걸어갔다.

Doraganeun gire sseurarin yaegiman haetdeon nareul mianhaehaji mallamyeo, Jihoneun naege jeobeo dun usan hanareul jwiyeo jugo beoseu jeongnyujang jjogeuro seongkeumseongkeum georeogatta.

Telling me not to feel sorry for dumping my bitter stories on him on his way out, Jiho pressed a folded umbrella into my hand and strode off toward the bus stop.

문을 닫고 나서야 알겠더라, 예고 없는 방문이 꼭 민폐만은 아니고, 때로는 마음을 들여다보게 만드는 가장 다정한 신호일 수 있다는 걸.

Muneul datgo naseoya algetdeora, yego eomneun bangmuni kkok minpyemaneun anigo, ttaeroneun maeumeul deuryeodaboge mandeuneun gajang dajeonghan sinhoil su itdaneun geol.

Only after I closed the door did I realize that an unannounced visit isn't always a nuisance and can, at times, be the kindest signal that makes you look into your own heart.