Chapter 314 – 314. Interlude, and a Comma (5)

– One –

A shabby, old cabin in a shady forest.

It is too simple to serve as someone else’s residence.

It is clear that it was made by weaving trees together, but because it did not go through the hands of a proper craftsman, it only has the significance of sharing space with the outside, and the wind is too free to come and go.

Because of its clumsiness, it seemed to be a warehouse used by hunters or forest keepers rather than a space where someone lived.

Whoa oh oh
Shoot aaaaa

In the midst of the dreary feeling, the trees surrounding the cabin and the green leaves that are slowly starting to fall add to it.

A heavy sadness seemed to pervade the area around the cabin.

Cool, cool…
Karruk, Karruleuk, twig!

A cough with boiling phlegm erupts from the cabin.

As if that of the old man was evident, even the sound of his cough was muddy.

The old man seemed to be in a very weak state, and even the sound of his cough was draining his strength.

It seemed that the owner of the coughing sound was now preparing for his death alone in this shabby and lonely cabin.

Perhaps, if the old man’s breath stops, the hut itself will be the tomb, and the lush greenery itself in the clearing in front of the hut will be the tombstone.

It would be a very insincere grave and a shabby funeral, but for an old man left alone on his last journey, further funeral procedures would be nothing more than a luxury.

Towards the very empty lot that will soon become the graveyard,

Sarak, Sarak, Sarak.
Beat, beat, beat.

Two men walk through the bushes.

The clearing was also overgrown with bushes, but the access road to it was overgrown with bushes that even its existence was obscure, so they had to feel like they were exploring a jungle.

But there was no hint of annoyance on their faces.

There was only nervousness and urgency in the air.

Beat, beat, beat.
Chin.

Haha, it’s hard, brother.”

“By the way… The last time I came, it wasn’t as well maintained as this…”

“Anyway, I thought it was strange because the commander’s voice wasn’t very good, but looking at this, it seems clear that he was really uncomfortable.”

“That’s right. I think you were right.”

They were brothers Jack and Daniel.

The place they found was one of the secret dwellings of Johnny, who played the role of the actual leader at the meeting of the media representatives.

They wondered how, the last time they communicated with Johnny, he didn’t show his face and spoke to them only by voice.

At the same time, I realized that a lot of strength had been lost in his high-pitched voice.

Feeling insecure about it, the brothers asked for Johnny’s whereabouts, but he did not reveal his whereabouts to the brothers, pointing out the danger that their whereabouts would be revealed due to wiretapping of communications.

Because of that, the brothers have been visiting Johnny’s secret abodes one after another since leaving the island.

After several futile steps, the brothers finally arrived where he was.

“Kuluck, cool. Who is it, cool…”

Johnny’s voice leaks from inside the cabin.

However, because it was buried in a dry cough, it was difficult to properly grasp even the meaning.

The brothers’ expressions darken even more.

“He’s inside. Let’s go.”

“Yes, brother.”

Jerk, jerk.
Creak.

They open the door and step inside the cabin.

Their pupils twitch.

Tat tat!

“Second, Commander-in-Chief!”

“No, let it come to this point…!”

They run towards the devastation in the corner of the cabin.

On a hard wooden bed, Johnny was lying with only a blanket wrapped around him.

The blanket he was wrapped in, originally gray, had dark brown stains everywhere.

In fact, almost every part of the blanket was stained brown, to the point where it would be embarrassing to even use the term stain.

It was the same with his mouth.

As if he had acquired a consumptive disease, he seemed to have coughed up blood dozens of times while lying on that bed.

“Someone…?

Johnny opens his mouth as he looks around him with blurred eyes.

The more he murmured, the more the air leaked.

Sitting down next to Johnny’s bed, the brothers swallowed their tears.

As soon as they saw Johnny, they knew he was too late.

The shadow of death hung too heavily over Johnny.

“Captain…”

“We’re here, Chief. Jack and Daniel.”

“Kuhm…”

Could it be because he didn’t want to show them how he was dying?

Disapproval crosses Johnny’s face.

“Here, ha, why are you here?”

“I came because I wanted to see you.”

Jack answers in a wet voice.

If he could, Johnny would have snorted his nose loudly.

However, they do not issue a congratulatory order.

Although they showed disapproval on the outside, since it was the first time they had met since the last meeting, there was no way they wouldn’t be happy with their visit.

“Once you come, sit down immediately, what, cool, cool. What are you doing?”

“Yes, I understand!”

Shasha shak.
Uhhh
Widely.

They move quickly and bring a chair from one side of the room to the bed.

It was called a chair, but it was just a crudely cut log.

“Cool. Give me some water.”

Johnny tries desperately to keep his cough from coming out.

At the same time, I squeezed my whole body to add strength to my voice.

I wanted to show my brothers a little bit of firmness, but if I didn’t do that, it was because it was difficult to have a proper conversation with my brothers.

Seruk.
Challang challang.

“Here it is.”

Jack unties the canteen from his waist and holds it out to Johnny.

But Johnny, as if he didn’t even have the strength to accept it, just keeps his mouth open.

See it,

“…”

Squeak.
Klopp.
Squeak.
Klopp.

Jack doesn’t say anything, and slowly pours water into his mouth.

As if he hadn’t even had enough water for a while because he hadn’t had enough energy, Johnny eagerly gulped down the water.

“Paha. I think I’ll live a little longer.”

“Can I have some more?”

“It’s okay. It’s cool.”

Knowing that his own appearance was not normal, Johnny seemed quite embarrassed to face his brother.

But was it because he was overjoyed at the fact that he had people to protect him on his deathbed?

He seemed to have regained his strength considerably just by talking to them for a while.

“It would be a lie to say that I came because I wanted to see the face of an old man who is not pretty, and hehe, are you here to see off an old man who is about to leave?”

“…”

Brothers are silent.

That was not what they originally intended for Johnny, but it was clear that they would eventually.

But the brothers never wanted to admit it.

“I can’t even see myself right now, but even if I don’t look at it, it’s obvious that I’ll have a bitten face.”

“Oh, no.”

“So you’re messing around?”

“…”

The Tennessee brothers silently affirmed it.

Their eyes, as Johnny guessed, were constantly welling up with tears.

“Tsk. The ugly thing is, you guys, no, you guys, you guys were snoring, and now, more than three times in ten years, it’s still the same thing.”

“Uncle Johnny…”

Johnny’s temper, which had only been stern, softened slightly.

The tone of speech and titles between them also changed.

They

“If you haven’t aged backwards, don’t you guys know it well? Life is all about coming because there was a time for it to come.

Johnny’s cough completely subsides, and even a reddish flush begins to appear on his face.

But the Tennessee brothers, already on the verge of middle age, never knew what it meant, because they had so much experience attending someone’s deathbed.

It won’t mean recovery.

It was probably, no, it was clear that it was a temporary phenomenon like retro-reflective reflection.

“But how long has it been since I last saw you, did you suddenly become like this, mister?”

Hehe. It’s a slobber who has to wander around while wandering around. He has lost his place to stay, has no place to return to, and even has no place to roam around. What’s the point of existence here in the underworld? The goddess is calling me to her side.”

Johnny’s voice was calm.

However, even he was aloof in the face of his soon-to-be-approaching death, and he could not get rid of the regret that was deeply ingrained in him.

“Do you regret that you can’t run on the field with your feet?”

“Ah, that’s right. Wouldn’t that be the most regretful thing? With no children, no employees, and no wife, what else would I have more attachment to than stumbling around here?”

There was also a feeling of ease in Johnny’s chanting.

From that, the brothers felt the fact that he had no regrets in his entire life.

It touches your chest.

Tears fall from their eyes.

“We’re there, Commander-in-chief, no, father…”

“Daniel is right, father. You should run more with us. You will surely get better, so why are you willing to accept death already?”

“Heh heh heh.”

After listening to Jack and Daniel, Johnny puts on a pleasant expression.

His eyes also start to get wet.

“It’s been a long time. Being called that way. Let’s see… You haven’t called me that much since you guys became adults, so it was roughly 20 years ago?”

“I last called him father when I was 26 years old and Daniel 25 years ago.”

“Uh heh heh! That’s right, it’s amazing how quickly time goes by. Has it already happened?”

“Yes. It’s been over 35 years since my father took our brothers.”

Johnny tilts his head so much that he can see his uvula.

His bony chest swells.

His wrinkled cheeks puffed up as well,

Haha!”

Let out an angry laugh

His laughter roared through the walls of the cabin.

He was soaked in pleasant sentiment.

“It’s a really tough relationship. It’s like I picked you up when I was around your age now.”

“That’s right. He took our brother abandoned by his parents and became our brother’s true parent and teacher.”

Hehe. Was I really that kind of person to you?”

“Yes. It always has been.”

“You’re right. There’s never been a moment when I couldn’t, Father.”

When answering Johnny’s question, the brothers didn’t show an inch of hesitation.

Could that be what struck Johnny’s heartstrings?

Clear, transparent tears flowed along the wrinkles on Johnny’s face.

“Are you saying I’m truly your father and a gift?”

“Yes, Father.”

“Jack, do you think so too?”

“Of course.”

Johnny shakes his head slowly.

And grit it.

“You guys, could you possibly be this cruel to me?”

“Yes…?”

The brothers look at Johnny with dumbfounded eyes.

It is because the brothers could not understand the feelings of resentment expressed by Johnny.

“I was able to hold on to my last path, that step, perhaps so tenaciously, these people! How did you mean to walk? Are your feet that are stuck on the floor going to fall off?!”

“If you’re walking so heavy, you can crawl slowly and go 10 years later.”

Jack opens his mouth feigning brusqueness.

But there was no one who didn’t know that he was regretting it, at least not among them.

“Nothing, you bastard. Is it a lifeline for a person to be caught by force? Responding faithfully to the goddess’s call is also what you should do as her child.”

“But…”

Slap.

Johnny turns his head to face the other side of his brothers.

Looking at his bony back, the brothers’ eyes flutter.

It was because the more I talked with them, the more I felt like I could understand Johnny’s heart, who didn’t want to leave.

“If you’re going to talk nonsense, get out of here.”

“No, Chief.”

Swoop, Swoop.

The brothers correct their tone while wiping away tears.

It goes back to the relationship between the head of the media and the head of the media, not the adoptive father and sons.

“Yeah, it should have come out that way.”

“Sorry.”

“No. I believe it was because I didn’t look like a horse, and I couldn’t calm my surprised heart for a while.”

However, the air current flowing between them is not unforgiving.

Even if they returned to public relations, they are still comrades, because they were comrades fighting against huge vested interests.

“Yes, even though I’m not perfect, it warms my heart to think that one of my last wishes will come true.”

“Can I ask what they are?”

Jack asks the question, widening his cloudy eyes, and Johnny turns to face him.

His expression was blatantly reprimanded, as if he were asking some obvious question.

“Collecting. Writing an article. And discussing with you. Until the moment I stopped breathing, I wanted to publish a newspaper while running on my feet. I thought I wouldn’t be able to achieve anything because my body has deteriorated like this, but still. Didn’t you guys come and be able to do one of them?”

“Ah…”

A look of relief flashes across the brothers’ faces.

Fortunately, it was because they were able to be sure that their visit to Johnny did not make him feel uncomfortable ahead of his final journey.

“First, I want to ask about everyone’s current situation. Do you guys know how everyone is doing?”

“Um…”

Johnny asks if he hasn’t been able to get in touch with others in the meantime.

Jack and Daniel’s expressions harden.

They were at a loss as to whether they should answer honestly or give him an answer that would not make him sad.

But they seemed to have underestimated the legendary journalist, the teacher of all journalists of the old generation, and his intuition.

“… What’s wrong…”

“Huh…!”

Even though they were silent for only a moment, Johnny noticed something suspicious.

No.

What he felt would be close to ominous.

“Tell me what you know. What happened to our comrades?”

“Please don’t be surprised to hear it.”

“What is there to be surprised by now? I have such a powerful person as my enemy, so there is nothing strange about what happens between my comrades. I just want to hear the real truth.”

Jack opened his mouth cautiously.

It was because even though it couldn’t change the truth, it felt like the truth would take Johnny’s breath if he didn’t.

Even right now