<p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;">10년 정도 전 이야기다.</p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;">나는 당시 20대 초반이었는데, 친구 중에는 정말 한심한 녀석이 하나 있었다.</p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;">일은 할 생각도 않고, 여자한테 들러붙어 기둥서방질이나 하고 사는 놈팽이였다.</p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;">용돈을 받아서 파칭코나 마작 같은 도박으로 탕진하곤 했다.</p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;">돈을 주는 여자는 여럿 있는 것 같았다.</p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;">가끔 게임센터에서 마주치거나 하면 매번 다른 여자를 데리고 있었다.</p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;">전부 한창 때가 지난, 지쳐보이는 기색의 노래방 아가씨 같은 느낌이었다.</p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;">어느날, 또 그 녀석과 게임센터에서 마주쳤다.</p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;">여자를 둘 데리고 슬롯머신을 돌리고 있었다.</p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;">물장사하는 사람이 입을법한 옷을 입고, 여자 둘은 녀석의 양 옆에 앉아 보고 있을 뿐이었다.</p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;">"그것 참 잘났구만." 하고 생각하며, 인사만 건넸다.</p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;">잠시 게임을 하다 다른 친구랑 밖에 나와 자판기 앞에서 수다를 떨고 있는데, 한심한 친구놈이 나왔다.</p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;">여자는 한명 뿐이었다.</p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;">간다고 하길래, 나머지 여자 한명은 어디 갔냐고 물었다.</p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;">그 녀석은 이상하다는 듯 나를 쳐다보고는, 그대로 차를 향해 걸어갔다.</p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;">그런데 여자가 갑자기 고개를 돌려 나를 쳐다봤다.</p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;">나는 무서워서 눈을 감고 말았다.</p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;">여자는 눈을 크게 뜨고 입을 쩍 벌린채 웃고 있었다.</p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;">그것만으로도 무서운 일이지만, 그 뿐 만이 아니었다.</p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;">아까 본 여자가 아니라 완전히 다른 얼굴로 바뀌어 있던 것이다.</p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;">그 후 게임센터 안을 둘러보았지만, 다른 여자의 모습은 보이지 않았다.</p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;">그리고 두달 정도 지났을까?</p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;">다른 친구에게서, 한심하기 짝이 없던 친구놈의 소식을 들었다.</p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;">행방불명됐다는 것이었다.</p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;">이전에도 가끔씩 소식이 끊길 때는 있었지만, 이번에는 아예 휴대폰까지 연락이 두절됐다.</p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;"><br></p> <p style="margin:0px;font-family:'돋움', dotum, sans-serif;line-height:20.4px;">그리고 10여년이 흘렀지만, 그 녀석은 여전히 행방불명 상태다.</p>