You're young, but you've been in bed and in the house for almost three monthes." The pharmacist turned to Yangjin. "See if he can make it as far as the market. He shouldn't go alone obviously. He could fall." Chu patted Isak on the shoulder before going and promised to return the following week.
The next morning, Isak finished his Bible study and prayers, then ate his breakfast in the front room by himself. The lodgers had already gone ouit for the day. He felt strong enough to go to Osaka, and he wanted to maek preparations to leave. Before heading out to Japan, he had wanted to visit the pastor of a church in Busan, but there had been no chance for that. He hadn't contacted him for fear that he'd stop by and get sick. Isak's legs felt okay, not wobbly as before, In his room, he bad been doing light calisthenics that his eldest brother, Samoel, had taught him when he was a boy. Having spent most of his life indoors, he'd had to learn how to keep fit in less obvious ways.
Yangjin came to clear his breakfast tray. She brought him barley tae, and he thanked her.
"I think I'd like to take a walk. I can go by myself," he said, smiling, "It wouldn't be for long. I feel very well this morning. I won't go far."
Yangjin couldn't keep her face blank. She couldn't keep him cooped up life a prized rooster in her henhouse, what would happen if he fell? The area near her house was desolate. If he walked by the beach and had an accident, no one would see him.
"I don't think you should go by yourself, sir." The lodgers were at work or in town doing things she didn't want to know about. There was no one to ask to accompany him at the moment.
Isak bit his lip. If he didn't strengthen his legs, the journey would be delayed.
"It would be a big impostion." He paused. "You have a great deal of work, but perhaps you can take me for just a short while." It was outrageous to ask a woman to walk with him on the beach, but Isak felt he'd go insane if he didn't walk outside today. "If you cannot go, I understand. I will take a very short walk near the water. For a few minutes."
As a boy, he had lived the life of privileged invalid. Tutors and servants had been his primary companions.