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III - The Snow Globe

A package has just arrived. The doorbell had rang very early in the morning. He was not expecting anyone and there were no deliveries scheduled for the day. And yet he was sure that he hadn't given his new address to anyone but his nephew, Jae Woo.

It was a pretty brunette with a yellow cap that had "SUNSHINE" written on it in big red letters and a blue polo shirt that brought the little cardboard box. She chewed gum in the corner of her mouth by blowing bubbles at several second intervals. The man guessed she was a part-time employee of the post office. He signed the receipt and she left the place as fast as lightning.

His new home was not as beautiful as Mondo's, but it was better that way. At least in this seedy hole, he wasn't likely to see his wife. His apartment was barely thirty-two square meters. He slept on a sofa always soaked in sweat with holes
in it. The room stank, the ventilation was bad, the water didn't always work and its supplies rotted in the broken refrigerator. For three months, he had been getting used to it... or not really.

Mr. Gong went to wallow in his couch to open the little box in question. There was nothing on the package, except for the national post sticker and a small stamp with the words "New York City" on it. Curious...
His big fingers struggled to tear off the adhesive, but he remained patient. It was probably from Jae Woo. It was probably a little souvenir gift he bought for his dear Uncle in New York. It was probably a pretty American snow globe, or a little statue of freedom, or even both!

He had realized his nephew's dream and was more than proud. Jae Woo has always wanted to live abroad and Mr. Gong greatly admired his ambition. For him, young people should all look like his nephew.

He finally managed to remove the first tape and attacked the longest in the width.

He did his best to bring Jae Woo the things that life deprived him of. His wife scolded him all the time: that he was spoiling Jae Woo too much. Even if he didn't see how to buy a car, the latest phone and an apartment for his dear little real estate agent would be a treat. He was just giving himself the right to offer Jae Woo what his salary did not allow him. He relived in his head, the angry face of his wife who told him "You always do everything he asks you to do! He's ungrateful, and, because of you, they say he's just relaxing at work!"
But that was not true at all. Jae Woo worked very hard to be able to go to New York one day. There, he was going to make a fortune and make his uncle's life better. Anyway, his wife never understood anything. Since she wasn't a mother, she probably didn't have a maternal instinct. For him, Jae Woo is the son he never had.

- Let's see what my Jae Woo bought me...!

Mr. Gong finally managed to open the box. To his amazement, there was a piece of paper folded in four, a photo frame and indeed, a snow globe. He took the picture first and immediately recognized it. It pictured them in front of the real estate agency, on Jae Woo's very first day at work. They were both smiling proudly and nobody would have been able to tell that they were not father and son. He offered it to him on the departure day, but what was it supposed to do there? He put it on the coffee table full of oil stains and unfolded what seemed to be a letter. He recognized his nephew's handwriting and began to smile.

Dear Uncle Ji Kwan,

I arrived well and everything here is very beautiful. You don't need me to describe the place to you, you can't imagine it anyway. I hope you're doing well and I'm telling you again, you better go back to Mondo. Your apartment is not a good place for the elderly to live. Even if Auntie Gong keeps seeing this elegant man, you'd just better go live there. You don't know, maybe she stopped seeing him... Maybe they stopped their dates in that café and he stopped taking her to the bus stop. I'm not here to take care of you anymore, so go home. Anyway, I'm writing to tell you that the money from apartment 07 won't be enough so please send me some more money. Our idea was good, but I think you should have asked them a little more! That's why I told you I was going to take care of the visit, but you insisted and here we are! I have to get a job because of you; can you imagine how hard it is? I don't even speak English well enough yet! I have already sold the car and the apartment; it will probably help me for a few weeks... I can't call you yet because it's expensive. I bought you a snow globe because you like them, right? I bought it for three dollars, just for you, Uncle! And for the picture, excuse me. There wasn't enough room in my suitcase.

P.S: Don't forget the money.

It all began when Jae Woo told them that he was eager to live in New York. All his friends had left and he was the only one who had to make do with his meagre salary as a real estate agent. As expected, Mr. Gong agreed to pay for everything but his wife had opposed it body and soul. Jae Woo was really angry. He had shouted mean things and thrown some objects against the walls. He had only regained his composure when Mr. Gong told him that they would find a solution, even if there really wasn't one.
Then came the day when Jae Woo told him terrible news: "Auntie Gong has been seeing a gentleman in a suit in the café across the street for several days. They always talk for hours and she even dressed herself up."

Gong Ji Kwan loved his wife, he loved teasing her and bringing her the most beautiful clothes from his deliveries. They often fought about Jae Woo but everything else was fine. Even when he discovered that they would never have children, he felt sorrier for her than for him. She became morose and didn't take much care of herself anymore. And if she didn't do it herself, then what could he do? He watched her every morning forget every little thing she did before, like putting on BB cream, bringing him clementine and then dressing elegantly just to organize the week's neighborhood council.
She had no taste in anything. So when he heard that she was looking pretty for someone else, it made him angry. He had asked her for a divorce, but that wasn't enough, he felt far too betrayed. He felt very sad when she then told him that she was going to leave to think. Then the famous call came, like a sign. Jae Woo was overjoyed. He was already planning from A to Z what he would do with the money as if it was the greatest logic of all that everything would belong to him.
Mr. Gong met the girls and felt uncomfortable involving them in his personal stories. And since he really felt sorry for them, he decided to steal the key of the seventh to allow them to really settle in.

Mr. Gong delicately put the letter on the table and blew a good blow. He had to remain calm to find a solution. His nephew needed help, he needed him. He is never grateful. He even had to look for a job..... He's just relaxing at work. And sell his precious belongings... He's an ingrate.
Gong Ji Kwan took the snow globe and observed it carefully. There was a small pile of skyscrapers inside. When he shook the object, it was snowing on New York, but the more he looked, the more annoyed he got. These kinds of souvenirs could be found in souvenir shops in Incheon, for only 5200 Won.

- And besides, he's a liar! He shouted as he threw the snowball against the wall.

The object shattered into a thousand fragments and pieces of polystyrene flew into the air. Mr. Gong tried to calm down. He wanted to cry because his wife was right and now he would never dare appear before her again. He had earned it, he thought. What a useless nephew! How could such a small photo frame not fit into his bag? No way! He should have known that his nephew didn't really love him when he refused to be taken to the airport. Now he wasn't sure of anything: what if Jae Woo had also lied about his wife? After all, he had never seen this man with his own eyes.

He just wanted to feel useful. He just wanted to have a son and make his dream come true... Instead, he would never see his nephew again, he would lose his wife and he would probably end up in jail for stealing money.

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