A Friend at the Door, Out of the Blue

장마 끝물이라 그런지, 오전 내내 집 안 공기가 눅눅해 머리가 지끈거렸다.

Jangma kkeunmurira geureonji, ojeon naenae jip an gonggiga nuknukhae meoriga jikkeungeoryeotda.

Maybe because it was the tail end of the monsoon, the air inside was damp all morning, and my head throbbed.

설거지를 어영부영 마무리하고 늦은 점심이나 챙길까 하던 차에, 초인종이 불쑥 울렸다.

Seolgeojireul eoyeongbuyeong mamurihago neujeun jeomsimina chaenggilkka hadeon chae, choinjongi bulssuk ullyeotda.

As I was half-heartedly finishing the dishes and thinking I might fix a late lunch, the doorbell suddenly rang.

문을 열자, 군대 동기 윤수가 말짱한 얼굴로 서 있었는데, 그 순간 입이 떡 벌어지다 못해 말문이 막혔다.

Muneul yeolja, gundae donggi Yunsuga maljjanghan eolgullo seo isseotneunde, geu sungan ibi tteok beoreojida mothae malmuni makhyeotda.

When I opened the door, my old army buddy Yunsu was standing there with a fresh face, and I was so stunned my jaw dropped and I was at a loss for words.

예고 한마디 없이 찾아오다니, 이건 또 무슨 바람인가 싶었다.

Yego hanmadi eopsi chajaodani, igeon tto museun baraminga sipeotda.

To turn up without any notice—what on earth had blown him here, I thought.

그는 손에 들린 종이봉투를 내밀며 “네가 좋아하던 약과, 생각나길래”라고 툭 내뱉었고, 그 말투가 예전 그 반쯤 장난스러운 결 같아 웃음이 먼저 났다.

Geuneun sone deullin jongibongtureul naemilmyeo 'nega joahadeon yakgwa, saenggaknagillae'rago tuk naebaeteotgo, geu maltuga yejeon geu banjjeum jangnansseureoun gyeol gata useumi meonjeo natda.

He thrust out a paper bag in his hand, tossed off, 'Yakgwa you used to like—I thought of you,' and that half-joking cadence of his from back then made me smile first.

거실에 마주 앉아 차를 데우고 나서야, 서로 근황을 나눌 수 있을 만큼 숨이 고였다.

Geosire maju anja chareul deugo naseoya, seoro geunhwangeul nanul su isseul mankeum sumi goyeotda.

Only after we sat facing each other in the living room and warmed the tea did our breath settle enough to catch up on how we’d been.

이직을 준비하다가 타이밍을 놓쳐 한동안 백수로 지냈다느니, 부모님 건강이 여의치 않아 왕래가 잦아졌다느니, 그는 그간의 속사정을 조곤조곤 꺼내놓았다.

Ijigeul junbihadaga taimingeul nochyeo handongan baeksuro jinaetdaneuni, bumonim geongangi yeoichi anha wangnaega jajajyeotdaneuni, geuneun geuganui soksajeongeul jogonjogon kkeonaenoatda.

He told me, gently and in detail, how he missed the timing while preparing a job change and was unemployed for a while, and how his parents’ health hadn’t been good so he’d been going back and forth more often.

듣다 보니 마음 한켠이 콕 하고 내려앉는 듯했지만, 그럼에도 얼굴빛은 이상하리만치 편안해 보여 안도의 숨이 새어 나왔다.

Deutda boni maeum hankyeoni kok hago naeryeoanneun deuthaetjiman, geureomedo eolgulbicheun isangharimanchi pyeonanhae boyeo andoui sumi saeeo nawatta.

As I listened, a corner of my heart seemed to sink with a small thud, yet his face looked oddly at ease, and a sigh of relief slipped out.

내가 그럴 줄 알았다느니 뭐니 잔소리를 늘어놓을까 하다가, 오히려 “잘 버텼네, 너답다”라는 말이 먼저 튀어나왔다.

Naega geureol jul aratdaneuni mwoni jansorireul neureonoeulkka hadaga, ohiryeo 'jal beotyeonne, neodapda'raneun mari meonjeo twieonawatta.

I almost started nagging—'I knew it would be like that,' and so on—but instead, 'You held up well; that’s so you,' popped out first.

말꼬리를 따라 추억도 줄줄이 딸려 나와, 둘은 도란도란 옛날 얘기를 퍼올리듯 새로이 길어 올렸다.

Malkkorireul ttara chueokdo juljuri ttallyeo nawa, dureun dorandoran yennal yaegireul peoollideut saeroi gireo ollyeotda.

Memories came trailing after the words, and the two of us gently drew up old stories as if ladling them fresh from a well.

해가 기울 무렵, 그는 “별거 아니지만 네 얼굴 한번 보고 싶어서, 그냥 왔다”고 쓱 웃더니, 현관 앞에서 한 번 더 손을 흔들고는 가볍게 사라졌다.

Haega giul muryeop, geuneun 'byeolgeo anijiman ne eolgul hanbeon bogo sipeoseo, geunyang watda'go sseuk utdeoni, hyeonggwan apeseo han beon deo soneul heundeulgoneun gabyeopge sarajyeotda.

Toward sunset, he gave a sly smile and said, 'It’s nothing special—I just wanted to see your face, so I came,' then waved once more by the doorway and slipped away lightly.

문이 닫히고 나서야 가슴속에 물처럼 미지근한 온기가 오래 맴돌아, 그야말로 ‘불쑥 찾아온 위로’라는 말이 몸에 와 닿았다.

Muni dachigo naseoya gaseumsoge mulcheoreom mijigeunhan ongiga orae maemdora, geuyamallo 'bulssuk chajaon wiro'raneun mari mome wa daatda.

Only after the door closed did a lukewarm warmth swirl in my chest for a long time, and the phrase 'comfort that arrived out of the blue' truly sank into my body.