By Zephyria 
“You need surgery. A C-section.”
“Oh, really? I thought you gave birth down there.”
Kim Hui-won’s mother frowned and smacked her husband’s back for saying such outrageous things so casually.
“Hee-soo’s father! Don’t be so tactless! Ugh, really! You’re embarrassing me to death.”
“Why not! I can be curious!”
“I even bought you a book! Instead of watching fishing channels on YouTube all the time, you should study up on Omegas.”
Hui-won was used to his parents’ conversations and remained silent. He glanced sideways and met Kwon Young-je’s calm gaze. Kwon Young-je quietly took the tangerine that Hui-won had been fiddling with. With hands that had held only pens his whole life, he began to peel the thin tangerine skin.
Kwon Young-je casually threw out a line.
“I guess you like fishing.”
“It’s his only joy these days. He’s so into it… On weekends, he goes to the fishing spot and doesn’t come home.”
“There’s a resort in the South Sea. It’s a bit out of the way, but if you two are okay with it, you can enjoy it comfortably. I’ll make arrangements. Whenever you have time, feel free to go.”
“A resort… are you talking about La Mer?”
“Yes.”
There was no boasting in his concise answer. Kwon Young-je spoke of the five-star resort owned by his family as if it were a pension stuck in some rural backwater.
“I heard there are good fishing spots nearby. And accommodation is free for family.”
“Even so… how can we go to such an expensive place…”
“There are plenty of vacant rooms. Please don’t feel burdened.”
Using wealth to seduce, huh. Hui-won glared at him disapprovingly, and Kwon Young-je gave a slight smile and handed back the peeled tangerine.
Hui-won’s mother was staring at the scene. The tangerine that Executive Director Kwon had peeled was beautiful and perfect, without a single strand of white pith. And her son was eating it without a second thought.
I don’t have to worry. The corners of her mouth softened. The anxiety that had remained in a corner of her heart vanished in that moment.
“Look at me, I should prepare the meal, you must be hungry.”
Before the tea had even cooled, his mother quietly got up and headed to the kitchen. Hui-won watched her busily moving back and forth before following her.
The kitchen was quite bustling. It was just a matter of heating up the pre-made food, but there were so many dishes that it was hard to find an empty spot on the gas stove or the countertop.
“Why did you make so much? It must have been hard.”
“It’s nothing much. Just some beef and radish soup, a little braised short ribs, and a few kinds of pancakes that you like.”
“It’s almost like a holiday feast…”
Hui-won stood close behind his mother and wrapped his arms around her narrow shoulders. His mother, surprised by her usually cold son’s affection, chuckled as she flipped the pancakes.
Every dish was familiar. The delicious smells were just as he remembered. His gaze, which had been scanning the dishes, stopped at the kimchi, which was packed full in a stainless steel bowl. Just looking at the perfectly fermented kimchi made his mouth water.
“Looks delicious. I wanted to eat Mom’s kimchi.”
“You never even looked at it when I sent it. Who doesn’t know that you let all the kimchi I sent you go bad and threw it away?”
“I’ve been thinking about it lately. It doesn’t taste the same when I eat it outside.”
His mother also couldn’t believe that her son was pregnant. She didn’t speak for a moment before subtly turning her head. There was still a faint worry in her eyes as she looked at Hui-won.
“…Are you okay?”
“Yeah.”
Hui-won smiled readily, reassuring his mother. Although it was an unexpected pregnancy, he was accepting reality in his own way.
“Still, Executive Director Kwon… seems to like you a lot. He may seem a bit cold, but…”
“He’s handsome.”
“That’s true.”
His mother burst into laughter. She stretched her philtrum and peeked at Hui-won.
“You’re just like me, you really care about a man’s looks, huh?”
Is that so? While Hui-won was pondering, his mother started moving her hands again. She pressed down on the golden-brown pancakes with a spatula and said,
“If there’s anything you want to eat or crave, call me. And if you ever have a hard time, tell me anytime.”
“That’s reassuring, Mi-sook.”
“Don’t be a nuisance and go take care of your partner. Your dad has started talking about fishing. Once he starts, there’s no end to it. It’s a lecture.”
Turning around, he saw Kwon Young-je dealing with his father alone. Kwon Young-je was nodding with a serious expression, in contrast to his father, who was explaining something with exaggerated gestures.
On the surface, there was nothing to criticize, but Hui-won could sense that Kwon Young-je was inwardly troubled. It wasn’t for nothing that he had been an executive secretary. Hui-won shrugged and turned back.
“I have no choice. A savior has to step in.”
As he crossed between the kitchen and the living room, he took in Kwon Young-je, who was mingling with his family in the house where he had grown up. The sight was both foreign and strangely natural. It was a moment when he reaffirmed that Kwon Young-je had become a part of his life.
The folding table was crowded. It was already packed with dishes, but his mother was busily moving between the kitchen and the living room to add even one more dish.
“Hee-soo’s father, make some room there. In the middle.”
And finally, a steaming whole chicken soup was placed in the very center. Hui-won could only gape at the unbelievably large size.
“You… boiled a chicken?”
“Honey, this is how we treat family in the wife’s family. We boiled one when Jeong, your Noona’s husband, first came too.”
His mother tore off a thick leg and placed it on Kwon Young-je’s plate. But unlike when Kim Hee-soo, Hui-won’s Noona, brought the person she was going to marry, she couldn’t say, “Our Kwon, eat a lot.” She was just treating him with the utmost care.
Overwhelmed by the imposing presence of the giant hen, Hui-won couldn’t express his question of why his family was taking on the role of the wife’s family.
Having missed the timing to speak, the meal began. Hui-won picked up his chopsticks and stared intently at the person next to him. He couldn’t help but worry about Kwon Young-je, who had a troubled expression as he looked at the chicken leg in front of him.
He had to eat it since an elder had given it to him, but he had probably never torn apart meat without a fork and knife. He fully understood his dilemma.
“I’ll debone it for you.”
He subtly pulled Kwon Young-je’s plate closer. Inevitably, a hand reached out and grabbed Hui-won’s wrist.
“I’ll do it.”
“Executive Director, just leave it to me. I’m more comfortable doing it.”
His father, who had been watching, twitched his upper lip.
“What’s with that title?”
“Huh?”
“What’s with ‘Executive Director,’ to someone you’re about to marry.”
“That’s right. It’s one thing outside, but do you have to call him that even at home? Titles are so important.”
As if sensing an opportunity, his parents began to nag. Even though they themselves were calling him Executive Director.
Moreover, as expected of someone who used to be a civil servant, every word they said was long and well-organized. Hui-won briefly put down his chopsticks and looked up at the ceiling, feeling like the scolding would never end.
Ah… that’s why I didn’t come home, he belatedly remembered the reason why he hadn’t visited often.
“I’ll take care of it.”
His mother sighed with a hint of lament at his indifferent reply.
“That’s just how he is. He has no charm.”
“That’s true.”
Kwon Young-je quietly smiled and added. His lowered gaze landed on Hui-won’s stubborn lips.
“That’s why I like him even more.”
“Oh my.”
His mother blushed like a young girl, and Hui-won squeezed his eyes shut and bit his lip. I shouldn’t have brought him. I should have just ended it with a phone call.
“Didn’t you say you’re both the same age? Take this opportunity to call him by his name.”
His father, oblivious, nudged Hui-won’s knee with the back of his hand. There was no way to resist the repeated urging.
Even Kwon Young-je seemed to be expecting it. He even turned his upper body to meet his gaze. Hui-won carefully raised his head. Three pairs of eyes were now looking only at him. It had become an unavoidable rite of passage.
“…Young-je, eat your food quickly.”
A long silence flowed.
It was an awkward moment for both the speaker and the listener.
Unable to bear the grim atmosphere, Hui-won coughed roughly, and his mother quickly picked up a water cup that had been placed on the floor. As she handed him the barley tea, the words “You have a long way to go” followed like a tail.
After the meal, he took Kwon Young-je upstairs to the second floor. Since he had come to his family home, it was only natural to give him a tour of the house.
“There’s nothing to see. All the rooms are the same.”
Hui-won said briefly and lay down on his bed. The old bed he had used since he was a child creaked as if the springs had reached the end of their lifespan.
Kwon Young-je didn’t mind and looked around the room on his own. The room, which was only about five pyeong, was unexpectedly full of things to see.
From his kindergarten diploma to various awards, were densely hung on the upper part of the wall, and photo frames were placed on a shelf of the old bookshelf where time had melted away. From when he was a young child to when he was a high school student, it felt like he was stealing a glimpse of Kim Hui-won’s life story as the child in the photos gradually grew up.
All the furniture and objects that filled the room were old, but the space was spotless without a speck of dust. He could feel the touch of someone who had been constantly sweeping and wiping even when the owner was not there.
“‘Pretty Child Contest’ Honorable Mention.”
Kwon Young-je, who had been scanning the frames on the wall, suddenly discovered a splendidly decorated certificate. The year written at the bottom was quite old. It was when Hui-won was about two years old.
“There was a contest like this?”
The owner of the certificate propped his head up as he lay on his side. He felt sleepy, perhaps because he had just eaten. He yawned widely and said in a slow voice.
“I’m that kind of person. You should be honored.”
Kwon Young-je could only chuckle. He continued to look around the room.
As he ran his fingertips along the worn and smooth end of the desk, he noticed the boxes piled up next to the desk. They looked like moving boxes. They were luggage that didn’t match the tidy room.
Kwon Young-je read the words ‘Korea University’ written in bold with a magic marker.
“What’s this?”
“Ah… that’s probably the luggage I brought when I moved out of the dorm. It’s nothing much. It’s just a collection of things that were awkward to throw away.”
With permission to open them, Kwon Young-je picked up the box on top and sat on the bed. As expected, there were a lot of miscellaneous items inside.
Starting with his university student ID, there was an old digital camera, a rusty dog tag, and a large cell phone charger that didn’t fit the current era. There were also several external hard drives and USBs rolling around.
There was even a ring. The faded gold-plated ring had initials and a heart engraved on the inside, making it easy to guess its identity.
“A couple ring?”