#5. I Received Quite a Blessing!

On Sunday morning, as soon as Shin woke up, she went to pay the bill. To her surprise, it was already fully settled.

Was Han Gyu-ryeon really this thoughtful? On top of that, because he had brought over so much delicious food, her luggage had grown quite a bit.

"Hwa-ya, I came empty-handed... why do I have so much stuff leaving?"

"People need things just by breathing, don't they? Goodness, I should pack these fruits in the fridge, too."

Looking into the refrigerator, Hwa-ya began packing everything meticulously.

Fruits, salads, sushi, sandwiches, California rolls, and more. A considerable amount of food had been delivered to this room, enough to last until tomorrow.

"I ate so well thanks to Gyu-ryeon. I'll repay this favor as long as I live."

"Right? I saw Gyu-ryeon in a new light, too. Since you received such a big favor, Madam Shin, you'll have to live a very long time to repay it all."

When Shin observed them in her past lives, Hwa-ya and Gyu-ryeon were both from Gyeongsang Province, making them blunt beyond words. Watching them from afar back then, it often looked like they were fighting, but thinking about it now, they were the sweetest couple.

Having received so much help, Shin felt deeply grateful, realizing why a person needed good friends.

"Yes, I will definitely live a long time until I'm old and grey, and I won't forget to repay you."

"Madam Shin, is it because you're a Korean Language Education major? Your choice of words is quite colorful."

"And is it because you were in the same major in your past life? Your choice of words is exceedingly avant-garde."

"I'd love to send that mouth of yours across the River Jordan first."

Fierce laser beams shot from Hwa-ya's eyes, but Shin pretended not to notice, feigning innocence while packing. Having been nagged across four lifetimes, Shin was used to Hwa-ya's terrifying aura.

= = =

After seeing the doctor one last time and completing her discharge paperwork, Shin and Hwa-ya reached the hospital lobby with their hands full of luggage.

Just as they were heading toward the taxi stand, Han Gyu-ryeon pulled up and waved at them.

"Gyu-ryeon, weren't you busy moving today?"

"I didn't have much stuff, so I finished quickly. Come on, let's go. I brought a car."

Since he had parked right in front of the lobby revolving doors, Shin praised his timing.

The phrase 'Spelled as Han Gyu-ryeon, read as Angel' welled up to the tip of Shin's tongue.

"Gyu-ryeon, thank you so much."

"I wanted to come early to help you check out. Sorry I'm late. Hurry, get in."

The man was wonderful, but the car was equally impressive. A sleek black luxury SUV was idling at the curb with its hazard lights flashing.

Gyu-ryeon politely opened the door for his girlfriend, Hwa-ya, to sit in the front passenger seat first, then put Shin's luggage in the trunk and helped her into the back.

"Gyu-ryeon, thank you for everything. Look how healthy I look now. It's all thanks to you."

"Yeah, just focus on enjoying campus life with Hwa-ya from now on."

"I really don't know how to repay this. You must have spent a lot of money because of me, right? Please text me your account number later."

"Forget it. I didn't spend any money."

Han Gyu-ryeon was nothing short of a generous soul, brushing off several days of single-room hospital bills with a few words.

Wondering if Gyu-ryeon came from a wealthy family, Shin updated her past-life file on him once again.

"Ah, I feel so bad... I'll repay you as I live."

"Just be good to Hwa-ya. That's enough."

Gyu-ryeon spoke maturely as he set the navigation toward campus and put the car in drive.

"Wow, you really are a wonderful man. Hwa-ya, you must have saved a country in your past life."

"Past life again? Please cut out that talk, Madam Shin."

"Then call me by my name."

"It's too late for that. 'Madam Shin' is already stuck on my tongue. Besides, my mom said I have to treat you well."

Shin found it so absurd that she didn't know where to object. Deciding to let Hwa-ya call her whatever she wanted, she offered Gyu-ryeon another compliment.

"This car is really nice. Gyu-ryeon, were you born with a silver spoon in this life?"

"Definitely not. I borrowed it from our Lord again. The Landlord."

Someone else helped her out?

Shin felt a sense of wonder, envious that such a kind, wealthy benefactor existed near Gyu-ryeon.

"Is that person a philanthropist? Ah, you mentioned he helped the day I collapsed, right?"

"Yeah. He even handed over his car keys to me freely."

Just how great of a person was he to lend out his luxury car so easily?

"The Landlord must be a true soul of virtue. He accumulated massive good karma in his past life to be blessed like this."

"Yeah, he's a good person."

Reasoning that because Han Gyu-ryeon himself was a good person, he naturally attracted good people around him, Shin realized she was benefiting from that virtue. Maybe this world wasn't such a bad place after all.

"Anyway, it's a relief you don't have any underlying conditions. From now on, Madam Shin! Eat well, sleep well, and only think positive thoughts."

"Yes, thank you, Gyu-ryeon."

"By the way, it feels like we've gotten really close."

"Right? Just like Gyu-ryeon, Hwa-ya, you should speak comfortably with me too."

From the front passenger seat, Hwa-ya pulled out her phone to search for something, shaking her head side to side.

"I'm still way too terrified of your divine powers, Madam Shin, so that's not easy."

"Haha, thank you both for everything. Today's meal is on me."

Shin wanted to treat these two to a proper meal, even if it meant using all her savings. They had taken care of her at the hospital for days. Turning a blind eye to that would make her no better than an ungrateful beast.

"Huh? But I searched for a ginseng chicken soup place to boost your strength, Madam Shin."

"Thank you for the thought, but I hate chicken boiled in water. Chicken should be fried."

Gyu-ryeon teased Shin asking if she had the taste buds of an elementary schooler, only to be sternly scolded by Hwa-ya, who declared that all food choices belonged to the pregnant woman.

"Shh! What we eat is entirely up to the pregnant woman's cravings!"

"Hwa-ya, you really are a wise person. Haha, though to be honest, I don't even know what I crave yet."

Hwa-ya snapped her head back, glaring at Shin with laser-like eyes. A silent reprimand rained down, asking how she could know nothing about her own tastes.

"Then it can't be helped. According to my search, pork is good for pregnant women. They say it leads to a smooth delivery later, so let's go eat meat."

"Haha, Hwa-ya. I still have a long way to go before giving birth. The babies are still tiny kidney beans! It'd be a disaster if I had a smooth delivery now!"

"It's a figure of speech! For a Korean Language Education major, your comprehension is really something. If you steadily build it up now like savings, you'll have an easy delivery later."

"Wow, what miraculous logic. You're completely right, Hwa-ya. Let's go get meat. My treat! I'm taking us to a great meat restaurant."

Gyu-ryeon cheered, and Hwa-ya smiled as she updated the navigation to a famous grill house in Gangnam.

= = =

Stepping out of the hospital, the world looked completely different to Shin.

Whether it was because of the good people by her side or the wonderful news growing inside her, the dreary winter that enveloped her when she entered the hospital had vanished by the time she walked out.

Spring had finally arrived in her life.