Chapter 251 – Episode 235 the Hangman · 12

Song-ah’s change was quite a shock to Su-ah.

The shock of how a person can be completely distorted by just one worship service.

And she was shocked when she realized that the direction of reality that her tarot reading had been pointing to had been twisted in an unexpected way.
And when a year had passed, she ended up attending the service.
Wouldn’t Song-ah follow in the same footsteps as her older sister? Shock that comes from anxiety.

Since that day, she has talked to Song-ah several times and comforted her.
Song-Ah, who goes to worship with her parents every time, does not get better.
She became more and more similar to her parents.

“The honor of being able to call Shinbyeol my boyfriend does not come to just anyone. It is a privilege that only a select number of the children of believers can enjoy. My parents also have high expectations of me. “It wasn’t easy to get here.”

“Sister…”

“Soo-ah, you can be that too. If I make an effort in front of Shinbyeol, if only I can be liked by Shinbyeol. Sua, you too can become like me now.”

Rather than sympathizing with those words, Su-ah felt even more dizzy.
Looking back on her past life of living under her older sister’s shadow, isn’t it right for her to follow the same path as her older sister wanted? She thought about it seriously.

What will happen to her if she is taken to an alternative worship service?
What made her look like that?

Rather than her curiosity, her anxiety and fear amplified and filled Su-ah’s heart.

Staring at the photo of Shin Byul in her house, Su-a nervously counted the days until her birthday.
She thought seriously about what she could do in the future.
There isn’t that much time.

Another evening when her family left the house for worship.

Su-ah opened the tarot cards she had secretly bought.

When she pulled out her deck of Tarot cards, she came up with the right number 12 card, the [Hanged Man] Card.

The meaning of a hanging person is that ‘you may face a painful situation, but it is best to wait for now.’

Sua made a tsk sound with her mouth.

Regardless of her immersion in fortune-telling, waiting quietly for the coming day did not seem like the right choice.

But… What happened at that service.

When she heard that an old man named Shin Byeol-nim was her boyfriend, she wondered what she wanted.
She thought that Su-ah had the right to know.

Su-ah made up her mind.

* * *

Time passes.

The day my parents decided to take Su-ah to church.

Su-a sat next to her parents and looked around her on a chair in the church so wide that her pious heart was overwhelming.
As soon as the service started, Song-ah quickly left the seat. As a result, Su-ah was placed between her parents and listened to her service in an even more uncomfortable atmosphere.

“What about you… ?”

“My sister is away from her desk to do important work. Sua, she doesn’t care about her older sister, but she wants to look good to Shin Byeol-nim at her future ceremony.”

Looking around, the number of believers was greater than I expected. People dressed in neat, white robes are sitting crowded together, filling up the empty seats. The flower-shaped brooch worn on the head or clothes seemed to be a symbol of this strange religion. The appearance of the chapel, built with donations collected from believers, was dazzling.

The liturgy began with a hymn sung in a reverent and beautiful voice. At times, it was a joyous melody, and at other times it was a sublime and sacred melody.

It was no different from any other church hymn, but since familiar accompaniment was occasionally heard, the main melodies seemed to have been taken from here and there, regardless of whether it was a hymn, a popular song or a trot song.

However, the flaw is that there are praises about Shinbyeol in the middle of the lyrics.

Among the few people singing along to her moves was her mother, who was holding Sua’s hand. Sua rolled her eyes and looked at the choir singing hymns. There are beautiful people gathered together, but there is no sister among them.

So then, why did my sister leave her place? Su-ah rolled her eyes and among the people sitting in the other seats, she noticed a few people who looked to be around the same age as her. Everyone looked like they were having a hard time blending into the atmosphere.

They must all be second generation believers who worship Shinbyeol. What are those friends thinking now?

While Su-ah was wondering, her mother, who was holding Su-ah’s hand, muttered.

“Suya… “It’s Shinbyeol.”

“…”

The worship moves on to the next turn,

For the first time since her childhood, Sua saw her god, Byeolnim, in the flesh.

It didn’t look unsightly. She had a stern expression and strongly raised eyebrows. Overall, she had a very impressive face.
Well, she doesn’t have that much charisma, so she can’t play the role of a religious leader while being called a god.

But that may be because Su-ah has seen her photos again and again, and she is ‘familiar with her eyes.’
Su-a sat between her parents with her head bowed and listened to the voice of her god, Byeol-nim.

“The day I played on the field as a baseball player. I ran as hard as I could, ignoring the screams of my muscles that made me want to collapse in my seat at any moment, and the sound of my heart beating twice as hard as usual. When I feel like I’m going to feel nauseous, my breathing becomes uneasy, and even the cheers of the audience fade away… I am called beyond the blazing sun and beyond the brilliant rainbow. I saw the radiance of God beyond the tunnel of light!”

Sua recalled the autograph ball she had at home.

This is a baseball ball with the autograph of Shin Byeol, a former baseball player.

Last year, when she was scolded for using tarot cards, Su-ah’s mother yelled at her and scolded her,

This is exactly what Su-ah’s father was worried about, that something on the cabinet might fall to the floor.

As Shinbyeol finished his story, female believers began to walk out one by one from the back, dressed in neat attire. Suah’s eyes widened.

“Suya. “That’s Song-ah over there.”

Her father patted her and said proudly.

Song-Ah, standing among her congregation of what seemed to be about fifteen people, was dressed in white, sacred robes that seemed to make her beauty shine and stand out even more. Her gentle smile was warmer and more beautiful than anything Su-ah had ever seen.

“These are female believers who have been entrusted by Shinbyeol and certified to have a stronger faith than anyone else. Everyone applauds… !”

She is welcomed with thunderous applause. Su-ah looked blankly at her older sister, overwhelmed by the atmosphere.
It must be a good feeling for her sister to be recognized and celebrated in front of so many people, uplifting herself as well.
The voice that came out of her sister’s mouth, ‘Boyfriend-kun,’ never left her head.

“Ah… For new 2-year-old children who are attending worship this time, please come to the worship room. The remaining members will continue to worship.”

The host’s voice brought Sua’s spirits to a new level.

“Soo-ya, go.”

“… Yes?”

“Hurry. Sua, this is your chance to be recognized by Shinbyeol.”

As she looked around with a shocked expression, her two-year-old children, just like Su-ah, were standing up from their seats. The female believers standing in the front came out and led the young high school children who had just attended the service for the first time. Su-a also woke up unable to resist her parents’ annoyance.

“… “Sister.”

“… It’s Suya. Let’s go.”

Where? Before the question could leave her mouth, other female believers led their two-year-old children to the back of the chapel. Su-ah also followed behind her. As they walked until the voices of the believers in the chapel became quiet, they led them to a separate space to the left of the hallway seen before entering the chapel.

Shinbyeol was sitting there after finishing his worship speech. As the female disciples, including Song-ah, left, the only ones left were the second-generation children, including Su-a, who were new to this place.

“… Your parents are sinners.”

Shinbyeol started talking in a different tone from before.

“They scam elderly people who don’t know what they are doing and take not only their money but also their children’s property. Either they live with a stigma in their lives that cannot be washed away due to school violence in their childhood, and they fall into the bottom of the ground at the most important point. You are in a position where it is difficult to even see the faces of your family by incurring debt even to the people closest to you who should have trusted you the most… They are such sinners. “

Continuing the conversation while making eye contact with each 2-year-old child.

“You came here to wash away your sins, and you are here because of the relationship formed through marriage with believers in the same position.”

Su-ah’s mouth goes dry.

She had guessed that the reason she had no friends while attending school was not solely due to her personality.

“You guys… You have a chance to atone for the sins your parents have not yet been able to wash away. That’s the way you can repay the love you’ve received from your parents, and it’s also a way to prove your worth. “I don’t think there is anyone this age who wouldn’t understand what that means.”

Shin Byul stood up, opened the door next to him, and entered.

“I’ll see you one by one in the next room.”

A small room where Shinbyeol entered.

What can be seen briefly from where Su-ah is sitting beyond the door.

It is presumed that he has been using it continuously since his days as a player.

There was only one aluminum bat that looked very worn.

Every time we are called out one by one, I feel like my heart is being squeezed.

The expression on the 2-year-old’s face when he returned and sat down was clearly different from before he went in.

I can’t even ask what I experienced.

When it was Su-ah’s turn. Su-a entered her room and opened her mouth before her god, Byulnim.

“To her sister.”

“Hmm?”

“Did she do the same thing to her sister, to other people?”

When she opens her eyes and looks at God Star, who is sitting on the bed, she sees Jesus hanging on the cross with his arms outstretched.
It’s the upside down Hangman.

… Did they say that fortune-tellers cannot predict their future?

“Ah… You are Song-ah’s younger brother. Even though she looked similar to her sister, her body shape was completely different, so she was fooled.”

“…”

“But… Her older sister was one of those people who understood her position better than anyone else. Doesn’t that seem a little off to her brother? “It’s not like you’re making a fuss at an adult.”

Shinbyeol laughed.

“First… “Let’s start by learning respectful language.”

The sound of hymns can be faintly heard coming from the chapel.

“It seems difficult to fill your faith with this service, but…”

And the crying sound.

“… Even a 3-year-old child can be polite enough to use polite words.”

* * *

Because of that day’s worship, Su-ah could not become like Song-ah.

Even if it was a betrayal of her parents and her older sister, whom she trusted and followed.

Su-a could not get the privilege of being able to call Shin Byeol-nim her boyfriend like Song-ah.
All I heard was that since I lacked faith, I would have to attend more services in the future.

Suah.

I left home the next day.