By Zephyria 
“No. I’m not a minor, so what is there to worry about? I’m just asking out of curiosity. I wonder if Father actually knows about my daily life. It’ll be convenient since I don’t need to tell him separately.”
This wasn’t an excuse; it was the truth. When I lived as Min Jae-hee, I saw plenty of bastards who did such things to minors. There were times when my daily life was surrounded by all sorts of crimes, and compared to that, isn’t this a perfectly normal life?
“Do you wish for me to report it differently?”
“No, just report it as it is. I don’t want Mr. Lee to be in a difficult position for no reason, and it’s not like I’m running around committing wrongs.”
Lee Kyung-jin did not respond to my words. Whenever Lee Kyung-jin withheld an answer, I sometimes wondered if my thinking was wrong, but I didn’t ask.
I leaned back into the plush seat, and Lee Kyung-jin, without opening his mouth further, skillfully drove the car. The roads weren’t very congested, so we arrived home quickly.
“Don’t follow me inside, just go home.”
“I will leave after seeing the Young Master go inside.”
“Okay, sure. See you tomorrow.”
I gave a light wave and pressed the password for the main gate. Since I didn’t want to announce that I had returned home after midnight, the password I had learned beforehand was useful.
I climbed the stairs and quietly opened the front door. Fortunately, there were no sounds coming from inside the house. I took off my shoes and crossed the silent living room. Walking softly on my tiptoes, I reached the stairs. I was glad they weren’t wooden stairs that creaked when stepped on.
As I climbed carefully step by step, someone came thumping down from the second floor. Startled, I pressed my body tightly against the wall. In an instant, the sensor light in the middle of the stairs turned on, and the person coming down turned their head toward me.
It was that damn little one. Does this bastard not sleep? What on earth is he doing up at this hour? My younger brother, who slowly descended the stairs and approached me, twisted his lips into a smirk.
“What is this?”
Scanning me up and down, my younger brother sniffed for a moment, then immediately frowned, his face turning fierce.
“I knew you were leaking pheromones, but I guess you finally caught an Alpha and rolled around? Fuck, what is this nauseating smell!”
Wow, fuck. I knew my nose was dull, but I didn’t know other people had dog noses to the point of smelling the pheromones clinging to me. More than that, I don’t know why he’s getting so worked up over whether I rolled around or did tumbling.
“Until now, you were just tucking your tail like a dog and reading the room, so I didn’t know. I guess now that you’re twenty, you’ve decided to go around spreading your legs? You’re exactly like your father in your behavior. No wonder people say you have that bloodline, you male whore. I bet you loved sucking an Alpha’s cock, and that bastard loved sucking your ass. Did it feel good to be fucked?”
This is blatant sexual harassment. No matter if we are brothers, there are things one should say and things one should not. Besides, even if I am spreading my legs, what does that have to do with him? He’s truly a man whose mind is incomprehensible.
“Hyung, at the end of the day, half of my bloodline is the same as yours. Honestly, who cares if the things I do resemble this father or that father. Looking at the way you talk, I don’t think the other side of the bloodline is that great either. Whether I spread my legs or get fucked, stop worrying about it and just take care of yourself. I doubt there’s any Omega who would happily spread their legs for someone barking like this, so you’ll have to handle it with your hand. Isn’t that too uncool?”
“This little shit.”
Avoiding the hand reaching out as if to grab my collar, I ducked and stepped down a stair. I gave a small sneer at my younger brother, who looked at his hand grasping empty air in disbelief, as if he had underestimated me too much.
“Stop picking fights for no reason and just go to sleep. At this rate, the whole family will wake up. It would be troublesome for someone who knows dignity and refinement to act like this. Isn’t this also bringing shame to the family?”
If I’m a wild child, then he’s a complete degenerate. There’s definitely not a single properly raised child in this house. I have a bad feeling about the eldest brother too. He probably has something going on as well.
Quickly climbing the stairs to avoid my younger brother, I tried to shake off the unpleasant feeling. I had come home feeling light after a pleasant fuck, but now I felt like some random bastard had smeared shit on me. Ignoring my younger brother who stood behind me huffing and puffing, I zoomed into my room.
∞ ∞ ∞
It was a holiday, but for me, who played all day, it was no different from a weekday. It would have been a typical weekend, but I was told that today was the day to visit Grandfather, the chairman of the board, once a month.
I put on a suit that was uncomfortable and had no advantages other than making me look neat, and I styled my hair. After fiddling with it a few times, I could now organize it to a roughly tidy level.
I went down to the first-floor living room to wait, and one by one, the family members who had finished preparing gathered. The eldest brother and his wife came down, the younger brother arrived, and finally, the two fathers filled the space.
The Alpha father looked around to confirm everyone was ready and started walking as if to depart. The complexion of the Omega father, who followed beside him, didn’t look very good, and I recalled words I had heard at a previous gathering.
「Everyone knows your father took that position while carrying a brat. Rumors have spread that the chairman of the hosan hospital vowed he wouldn’t leave a single cent of inheritance to your father or you.」
Twenty years have passed since Cha Soo-kyung was born, yet the relationship between Grandfather and my Omega father is still not good. Is that the reason they don’t live together? Father usually has almost no change in expression, but is his poor complexion today because of that? All sorts of thoughts came to mind, making my head complicated.
When I first meet Grandfather, should I pretend to be friendly and act close, or should I just keep my mouth shut and read the room? Considering Cha Soo-kyung’s personality, there’s a 99% chance he would have just stayed quiet and shrunk into himself. Since this is my first meeting, I’ll start by reading the room.
As I stepped out the main gate, a line of black sedans was waiting, lined up like sausages. I fought back a laugh and struggled to maintain a serious expression.
The two fathers got into the first car and departed, followed by my eldest Hyung and his wife in the next. My second Hyung took the third car, and the final car that approached was my share.
“Hello, Mr. Lee.”
As I climbed into the car, I gave a light greeting and finally let out the laugh I had been holding back. Lee Kyung-jin, who replied, “Yes, young master,” glanced at me through the rearview mirror, wondering what was going on.
“No, it’s just that the situation just now was too funny. All those black cars lined up—they look exactly like Vienna sausages.”
At my chuckling words, Lee Kyung-jin couldn’t make a sound, but his eyes crinkled as he laughed along.
No matter how I think about it, this is inefficient. A single van would be more than enough for six family members. I get that it’s impossible with sedans, but wouldn’t two cars be plenty if they let the drivers handle the steering and sat three people per car? While it’s comfortable to ride alone, I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of bullshit this was.
“I’m glad you’re in a good mood today.”
Following closely behind the cars that had already departed, Lee Kyung-jin played the latest pop songs at a moderate volume. These were popular hits I had strongly recommended to Lee Kyung-jin because I hated the silence when traveling by car. My shoulders bounced naturally to the rhythm. As expected, idol songs are the best; they’re so exciting.
“It’s not that I’m in a good mood, but it was funny from the start.”
“Are you not nervous?”
“Rather than nervous, I’m just wondering what stance I should take since I don’t know how I used to get along with Grandfather.”
“I’m sure you’ll have a good time. You have a knack for making the people around you feel good, young master.”
“That’s the first I’ve heard of that. Why is Mr. Lee flattering me so much today? Mr. Lee, did you do something wrong? Hmm? Is that why you’re throwing up a smoke screen in advance?”
When I asked while subtly poking Lee Kyung-jin’s shoulder, a prompt “No, I didn’t” came back.
“It’s just that you seem worried at times about past events you can’t remember.”
Actually, since I don’t have amnesia, I’m not worried about when my memories will return; rather, I’m worried about whether the people around me will think it’s strange that I’m so different from the old Cha Soo-kyung. But what’s the point of worrying? From one to ten, Cha Soo-kyung and Min Jae-hee are different, and it seems the Omega father has already given up entirely.
Whether I tried or not, I couldn’t and wouldn’t look like the old Cha Soo-kyung. Since there are no memories to return to anyway, all I need now is to make the people around me just give up and accept me as I am. That’s why I’ve abandoned any non-existent elegance or dignity and continue to live like a wild brat.
“No, no. I’ve decided not to worry about that anymore. I was Cha Soo-kyung in the past, and I’m Cha Soo-kyung now, so whatever.”
“That’s right. I don’t know what you were like before, but I think your current self is plenty good.”
“Wow, Mr. Lee is really hyping me up today. If I manage to stay well at Grandfather’s, it’ll all be thanks to you. Got it?”
“Just hearing you say that makes me happy.”
Looking at Lee Kyung-jin, who looked genuinely happy, I felt that he was truly a good person.
Since we can get along so cheerfully like this, why did Father prevent Cha Soo-kyung from becoming close with the employees? If he had formed bonds with the employees around him, it might have helped Cha Soo-kyung’s depression a little.
“Still, I hope we just eat and come back quickly.”
“Do you think it will be uncomfortable?”
“Even if he’s my grandfather, he’s someone who isn’t in my memories. I wonder if food will go down my throat easily while eating with someone I’m seeing for the first time. Strangely, I feel like I don’t get along with old folks. I think I’ll just take some digestive medicine when I get home.”
“Young master, everything is fine, but please, that way of speaking…”
Even Lee Kyung-jin, who had been praising and flattering me, found it difficult to overlook this time, his voice trailing off pitifully. Even during conversations, he would often look startled by the slang I spat out.
“Alright. I’ll be careful in front of him.”
When I spoke gloomily with my shoulders slumped, Lee Kyung-jin cautiously read my expression.
“I will go buy digestive medicine while you are eating. So please do not worry.”
“No, don’t do that. Use that time to go eat yourself. You can eat with the other drivers.”
“I will move depending on the situation.”
“I honestly don’t know if you eat and sleep on time while following me around. Are you just staring blankly at the car ceiling while waiting for me?”
“No, I am not. I do not work in an environment so bleak that you would need to worry, so please put your mind at ease. It looks like we’ve almost arrived.”
After exchanging idle chatter with Lee Kyung-jin, it seemed we had arrived at Grandfather’s house. The cars, entering the alley in a line, stopped in front of a modest building. I wondered where it was, and it turned out to be a plot of land near Hosan Hospital. Since it was within a stone’s throw, I wondered how much he wanted to frequent the hospital with his title as Chairman to settle here.
One car, then two, stopped in front of the gate, and finally, the car I was in came to a halt. Lee Kyung-jin quickly got out and opened the rear door.
“Please go in, young master.”
“Yeah, I’ll be back.”
I gave a small farewell to Lee Kyung-jin and approached the gathered family. The Omega father’s face was even more stiff. Is he not feeling well today? As I tilted my head and shifted my gaze, my second Hyung, whose eyes I met, let out a sneering smile.
Ah, seriously. That bastard’s very existence is irritating. It’s irritating when he speaks, irritating when he’s silent, irritating when he looks at me, and irritating when he smiles. If I could smell pheromones normally, his pheromones would probably be irritating too.
I pressed the doorbell and waited a moment for the door to open. With a clatter, the iron gate opened, and the two fathers, the eldest Hyung, and his wife entered in turn. As I waited for my second Hyung to enter so I could follow, he pressed close to my side and put a hand on my shoulder, pulling me toward him.
“You seem to have lost your mind and can’t remember, but watch closely how your father is treated today. Because that will be your place in the future. All a male whore can do is serve as a servant and spread his legs.”
“Does this house keep dogs? I wonder why some dog is barking so much.”
I grabbed my second Hyung’s arm from my shoulder, manually lowered it, and stepped past him into the gate. I heard a curse, “You fucking brat,” from behind, but since we were in a specific setting, it wasn’t a very loud voice.
With quick steps, I joined the family who had arrived at the entrance. It was an employee of the house who opened the door and welcomed us. Without a single word of greeting, they quietly led the family inside, took their outer coats, and guided them to the dining room. In the suffocating silence, I wondered if everyone here was practicing a vow of silence.
“It has been a long time. Sit.”
The old man sitting at the head of the table spoke in a heavy voice. So that old man is Chairman Grandfather. I guess we’re eating right away without any polite greetings like ‘Are you healthy?’ or ‘You look well.’ My premonition that I’d get indigestion seemed likely to become reality.
The eldest Hyung and his wife sat next to Grandfather, and the Alpha father and second Hyung sat on the opposite side. The strange thing here was that there was only one chair left, next to the second Hyung.
Curious, I looked at the Omega father, and he was standing half a step behind the chair Grandfather was sitting in.
“Soo-kyung should sit.”
The Alpha father spoke to me without even looking. The remaining seat is mine? Then what about the Omega father? When I looked at the Omega father as if questioning, he nodded slightly as if telling me to hurry and sit.
I didn’t know what the situation was, but I sat down for now. The situation was turning strangely.
“Let’s eat.”
Starting with Grandfather picking up his spoon, everyone began to eat. In a situation filled with silence except for the occasional clinking of utensils, Grandfather did something peculiar.
After taking a spoonful of soup to moisten his mouth, he lightly touched one of the side dish bowls with his spoon and took a mouthful of rice; then, the Omega father standing behind picked up that side dish and placed it on top of Grandfather’s rice. After chewing and swallowing that for a while, when Grandfather touched another side dish and took rice, the Omega father again picked up that side dish and placed it on Grandfather’s spoon.
「You seem to have lost your mind and can’t remember, but watch closely how your father is treated today. Because that will be your place in the future. All a male whore can do is serve as a servant and spread his legs.」
So this is what the second Hyung meant before we entered. I wondered what kind of bullshit he was talking about, but I belatedly understood his words.
Although the Omega father isn’t my real parent, seeing such a sight before my eyes felt somehow sorrowful. What wrong had he done to be treated this way? This wasn’t a family; it was closer to employing a servant. Even for an employee, making them stand by and serve meals is an excessive demand unless it was previously contracted. How could someone demand such a thing from a family member?
I could see the spite on the old man’s face. Yes, he was currently indulging in low-class spite. Regardless of the reason, they had become one family, but because he couldn’t accept that, he was standing the Omega father up and insulting him in front of other family members.
As if it wasn’t the first or second time, both the Omega father and the other family members who condoned this situation seemed accustomed to it. The face of the second Hyung, who was glancing at me to steal my expression, was full of ridicule. The faces of the eldest Hyung and his wife, who were absorbed in their meal as if the Omega father were invisible, were utterly aloof.
What a goddamn household.
I forced myself to chew and swallow the food that wouldn’t go down and irritably jammed my spoon into the rice bowl.
“Father, this is really too much.”
“Soo-kyung!”
When I spoke in a tearful voice, the Omega father put a finger to his lips in a gesture to be quiet, and the Alpha father called my name in a firm voice. It infuriated me to realize that even in this situation, the Omega father wasn’t even allowed to raise his voice.
“Father, you’re his child, so why aren’t you showing filial piety to Grandfather?”
Perhaps thinking I was about to talk about the Omega father’s situation, the Alpha father, who had been trying to stop me, looked bewildered by my words.
“I mean, the old man doesn’t even have the strength to use chopsticks and is barely managing with a spoon, so why put the old man at the table as if eating together once a month is some huge deal? What if he collapses and breaks his jaw? I heard old people’s bones don’t heal well once they break. You should hire a caregiver; you make so much money, do you not have the money to get a caregiver?”
The family members, who had been listening to see what I was talking about, looked dumbfounded. It was an expression of ‘What did I just hear?’ The Alpha father looking at me had the same expression, and even the Omega father just stood there, his lips fluttering.
“Wha… what did you say?”
Grandfather was starting to gear up and raise his voice. The characteristics of old folks are obvious. He’d definitely start with ‘You insolent brat’ and ramble on about manners, etiquette, and respecting elders.
I pushed back my chair, stood up, approached Grandfather, and pushed the Omega father toward the chair I had been sitting in.
“And how can you keep a man who seemingly doesn’t even have the money to buy one chair tucked away like this? This is why the old saying that children are useless once they’re grown is exactly right. Grandfather, you too. If there’s something you lack, don’t read your children’s expressions and just speak up promptly. Anyone would think you’re living in poverty.”
“You… you…”
“Ma’am! Where did the ma’am who opened the door earlier go? Ma’am!”
When I called out loudly, the employee who had been cautiously reading the room from a distance approached. Perhaps they always avoided the seat during family meals, as their face looked unfamiliar with me calling them.
“I’m done with my meal, so clear this away and prepare fresh rice and soup for Father to eat. And ma’am, what are these side dishes? Old people have a hard time chewing. You should prepare soft foods; he’ll break a tooth chewing this. The vegetables are tough too, so mince them finely. If possible, even if it’s a hassle, prepare a liquid diet. Things like this aren’t digested well.”
I’m sorry for calling you ‘ma’am’ repeatedly. I’m sorry for nitpicking the side dishes for no reason. While apologizing internally, I steadfastly continued.
“And if Grandfather is in this state, you should be close by; why are you avoiding the area? You don’t know what he might need, so even if it’s cumbersome, stay by his side.”
“…Yes.”
The employee replied in a shrinking voice, glancing at Grandfather. Even so, their body moved quickly to clear the rice and soup I had eaten and prepare fresh ones.
“What on earth are you doing!”
Grandfather finally raised his voice. He slammed his spoon onto the table and shouted, but I watched him calmly, took the spoon away, and scooped some rice.
“What am I doing? I’m doing the act of serving Grandfather’s meal. Now, don’t be angry and eat quickly.”
I pushed the spoonful of rice into his open mouth and followed it by putting spinach namul in.
“And I saw earlier that you keep eating only meat; they say the ability to digest meat decreases as you age. Eat vegetables. The spinach is lightly seasoned and good. You know eating salty food is bad for your health, right?”
The frozen atmosphere of the dining table showed no sign of softening. The family members, frozen with their utensils in hand, unable to continue their meal, only moved their eyes busily to read each other’s expressions.
“Can’t you shut your mouth?”
“Yes, please chew and swallow what’s in your mouth thoroughly. Our grandfather still has the strength to shout and is quite healthy. Since he couldn’t use chopsticks, I thought he’d collapse soon, but he looks like he could easily live another three years.”
“You wretched brat.”
He was so agitated that grains of rice flew wildly into the air. No, if he has this much strength left, why can’t he use chopsticks? Was he not taught how to use chopsticks growing up?
“Ma’am, please give me a handkerchief. Did Grandfather always eat while spilling like this? It’s useless to have the child of a hospital director, just useless. Grandfather should probably get a check-up first.”
Tsk-tsking, I ostentatiously rubbed the corners of Grandfather’s mouth with my sleeve. Grandfather glared, roughly pushing my hand away.
“Are you finished? What other side dish should I give you? What do you like, Grandfather? No, you should eat vegetables.”
“Get out. Disappear from my sight. Can’t you kick this arrogant brat out right now?”
“My, your voice is great and your strength is good. Don’t be stubborn and eat your meal quickly. From now on, I’ll serve your meals. I’m afraid rumors will spread that you only use a spoon because you don’t have a caregiver. Oh, and next time I come, I’ll buy a chair. Tell me if there’s anything else you need. Hmm, should I just drop by once a week?”
At my words, Grandfather looked as if he were about to faint. He was an old man who seemed like it would be more helpful to the family if he just collapsed and died right here, but I struggled to mask my expression and made a beaming, smiling face.
“What are you doing, can’t you drag this fellow out immediately?”
“Our grandfather must watch a lot of historical dramas at home. Hear ye! Throw this fellow into the dungeon immediately! Was that similar?”
When I raised my voice even louder than Grandfather and imitated a scene from a historical drama I had seen once, my sister-in-law, who had been standing there with a blank face, failed to read the room and let out a giggle.
Look here, now is not the timing for you to laugh.
As if to prove that, Grandfather’s face turned red as if it were about to burst. He bolted from his seat, glared at me, and struck my cheek with all his might. A loud slap sounded, like something breaking.
Wow, Alphas don’t seem to lose their strength even when they’re old.
Stars twinkled before my eyes and my vision momentarily went white. I braced myself with my feet and blinked slowly to bring my flickering vision back to normal.
“Wow, ……Grandfather is really strong. I should cancel that three-year bet. I think he’ll live another five years at this rate.”
As I spoke with a smile, another hand flew toward my cheek. Even after taking the hit, I stubbornly braced my legs. A drop of red blood splashed onto the dining table; my nose had started bleeding. The atmosphere at the table grew even colder than before.
“Grandfather. Getting this excited isn’t good for your health. There’s a reason old folks suddenly pass out in the bathroom. Hurry up and sit back down to finish your meal. Come on, quickly.”
Pushing Grandfather’s shoulders to force him back into his seat, I nonchalantly scooped up a spoonful of rice. Blood dripping from my nose landed right on the white rice atop the spoon. I held out the blood-stained rice in front of Grandfather, making sure he saw it.
Go ahead, throw it. I can just ask for another spoon, and there’s plenty of rice left.
Grandfather kept his mouth shut, merely staring at the spoonful of rice I held out. The family members watching the confrontation between us were, for some reason, unable to utter a single word, holding their breath in silence.
Normally, my Alpha father would have said something to me or tried to stop Grandfather, but he too seemed bewildered by the situation, unable to figure out what to say.
“Enough. I’ve lost my appetite. Let’s end the meal here.”
Grandfather spoke in a heavy tone as he stood up, acting as if the spoon held before him didn’t even exist.
He changes moods quickly. I thought he’d keep screaming, but this old man is no pushover. That’s probably why he’s treated the Omega father like a servant all this time.
The family members rose from their seats, following Grandfather as he left the dining room. My eldest brother and sister-in-law gave me a glance before following him out, and my second brother mouthed an incomprehensible curse at me before leaving. My Alpha father, who had been sitting, stood up and looked at me.
“You are being disrespectful to your grandfather.”
“If you want to talk about the current situation, do it at home. This isn’t a simple matter that can be settled with a single scolding from you here. If you don’t mind if it drags on, I’m fine with that too.”
At my retort, Father let out a dissatisfied groan and turned his back. Only the Omega father remained. Even in this situation, his expression remained unchanged. He simply looked up at my face, blood dripping from my nose. Before him sat the rice and soup he hadn’t touched. Seeing that made my heart ache for some reason.
My body is Cha Soo-kyung, but my soul is Min Jae-hee; I am a complete stranger with no relation to this man. And yet, I felt so sorry for him. It made me sadder not knowing what emotions he was hiding behind that expressionless face.
“Don’t do anything more than this. Just stay quiet until you leave.”
“Is there more left?”
“It is time for tea. Your grandfather also does a foot bath at that time. ……You should stop that nosebleed.”
He warns me not to step forward regardless of what happens, even predicting the events as if telling me not to be surprised. Doesn’t that make it even more impossible to stay still?
Watching the Omega father quietly leave the dining room, I took my phone out of my pocket and contacted Lee Kyung-jin.
—Young Master?
He was likely surprised since I had called right after going in to eat. I gave a small laugh and called out to him, “Mr. Lee.”
“Mr. Lee, are you in the middle of a meal? I’m really sorry, but could you do me a favor? There’s something I need urgently. I’m truly sorry.”
—Not at all. It’s fine, please tell me.
Lee Kyung-jin was eager, and in a sorry tone, I softly told him what I needed.
—What?
Lee Kyung-jin asked in surprise, as if questioning if he had heard correctly.
—You really want me to bring that? Right now?
“Yes. It’s urgent. It won’t take long, right?”
—Well, they sell it everywhere so I can get it, but do you really need it right now?
Do you think I’d ask you to buy something I don’t need just to mess with you? I answered with a firm “Yes!”, and Lee Kyung-jin hung up with a reluctant voice, saying he’d buy it and be right back. Blood was still dripping from my nose, so I put the phone in my pocket and plugged my nose with my hand.
The only person left in the dining room was the employee. She was tidying up the empty dishes on the table and moving them to the connected kitchen.
“Ma’am.”
“……Yes?”
I wonder what kind of crazy thing he’s about to say now. The woman’s thoughts were plain to see in her frightened eyes.
“I’m sorry about earlier.”
“Oh, yes.”
“I wanted to tell you that everything I said was just a pretense. You were hurt, weren’t you? Earlier… the situation was a bit like that, you know? Actually, all the side dishes were delicious. If the atmosphere had been better, I would have asked you to pack some for me. It’s a waste that I couldn’t even finish them. You’re so skilled that if it weren’t for today, Grandfather would have enjoyed the meal, right?”
My face, smiling while blood streamed from my nose, probably looked like something out of a horror movie, but I kept smiling steadfastly. The woman, who had been listening quietly, brought over some clean tissues and handed them to me.
“The Chairman’s temper is still as fiery as ever. So… just stay quiet until you leave, like your parents said. I heard you were in an accident. You might not remember, but it’s always been this way. If you step forward for no reason, you’re just poking a hornet’s nest. If you end up getting hit like you just did, there’s nothing to gain from it.”
The woman, instead, looked anxious and tried to advise me. She must have worked here for a long time. And she must have seen things like today happen for a long time.
“Just because it’s always been this way doesn’t make it right. If you keep enduring it, it eventually becomes justified. I think it’s a relief that I don’t have my memories. Otherwise, I would have just kept watching like this. ……My attendant will be here in a bit. He’s bringing something I asked for, so please open the door for him. I… I think I’ll sit here until he arrives.”
I didn’t know what face to make when I went out to the living room. I rolled up the tissues and plugged my dripping nose. My bridge of the nose had swollen quickly, and I felt pain even just pushing the tissues in.
I became afraid that the old man was so strong he might live another few dozen years. I hope I don’t have to see this for the rest of my life.