Chapter 05
Leaving behind the large table spread out in the living room, as soon as Mom went to the kitchen to get more rice, Jisu quietly reprimanded Jaegyeom.
“Yoon Jaegyeom. What are you doing.”
“What do you mean what. I’m eating.”
“No, stop joking around.”
“Your mother’s cooking is no joke. Would it be too much if I asked her to pack me some food?”
Jisu let out a deep sigh and pressed her forehead. First, let him eat… Yeah, once he finishes eating, I’ll just stand up right away. Come to think of it, she couldn’t be more relieved that she’d vaguely told Mom she would “meet and tell her” about her boyfriend. The only thing that changed from what Mom was faced with was that Kim Youngbaek had become Yoon Jaegyeom. It was a bit unfortunate that Mom took a liking to Jaegyeom, but there was nothing to be done.
Fruit and juice were placed on the table after the meal. As if she had been waiting for Jaegyeom to finish eating, Mom smiled at the two of them and threw out a question.
“Anyway, no… how did you manage to keep it a secret for six years of dating. Even if it’s far, it would have been so nice if you’d brought him earlier so I could see him often.”
She thought the expected conversation had begun, but even that was lightly shattered by Yoon Jaegyeom.
“Ma’am. Actually, we didn’t date for six years. I liked her alone. That was well over six years too.”
“Oh my, is that so. Goodness, and I didn’t even know.”
Mom naturally brought up something that had happened recently.
“I had a mild stroke. Fortunately, I lost consciousness while I was with some neighbors, so I could go straight to the hospital. The recovery was quick and there’s almost no aftereffects, but after going through something like that, I got so worried that if I died, our Jisu would be left alone.”
“Mom. Why are you bringing that up.”
“Jaegyeom should know too!”
Mom, holding Jaegyeom’s hand, opened up her honest feelings.
“So I told Jisu that I’d like to see her get married soon. And then she suddenly confessed that she has a boyfriend. And that the man also wants to hurry and get married.”
“Ah, yes.”
“Oh dear. I’ve talked too much.”
After that, the topic of conversation naturally shifted to family relationships. Yoon Jaegyeom explained politely in a calm tone.
‘My mother passed away a long time ago. Actually, my family situation is complicated. My father lives with someone else’—even that far. It was a short, dry confession, as if he were talking about someone else’s story.
“That’s why… I couldn’t approach Jisu with courage. But even now, meeting like this and greeting you, ma’am, makes me so happy. If you object… I will do well by Jisu and you, ma’am, until you give your permission.”
Tears welled up in Mom’s eyes.
“How heartbroken your mother must have been when she closed her eyes, leaving behind such a fine son.”
Mom was absorbed in the position of Yoon Jaegyeom’s late biological mother and shed tears. And words followed that no one could choose their parents. It was also a statement that a complicated family situation would not be a reason for objection. Apart from understanding Jaegyeom’s situation, Mom asked about the practical side.
“But, how is your relationship with your stepmother? I’m worried that our Jisu might not receive love when she marries into your family… that’s what concerns me.”
“I’d like to tell you it’s good, but we barely see each other.”
“……”
“I won’t let her get entangled with the other family members besides me, and I’m confident I won’t let her suffer in that regard.”
At that part, Mom couldn’t smile. No matter how much she liked Jaegyeom and found him trustworthy, he was still just a stranger she’d met for the first time today. It was only natural that she couldn’t fully believe a man like that saying he “won’t let her suffer from in-law problems.”
The conversation entered a lull. Jisu knew it was time for her to step in.
“Mom. We need to go now.”
“Huh? Go where.”
As Jisu quickly stood up, Jaegyeom tactfully added.
“Something urgent came up at Jisu’s company, so she has to go to work tomorrow. It’s a morning shift, so we need to leave now.”
“No, I even laid out new bedding in the room Jisu used… What about breakfast tomorrow. I can’t eat all that food by myself.”
Mom left behind words about packing food for them to take and hurried into the kitchen. Jisu quickly followed her.
The smile had disappeared from her face, but Mom’s expression as she transferred food into containers wasn’t particularly bad. Since it was a connection that wouldn’t continue anyway, Jisu planned not to add anything either.
“I’d packed this side to give you when you went up, but it’s a good thing I packed it in advance. If you were going to leave in such a hurry, you should have told me earlier.”
“Then what’s this?”
Larger containers than the ones she’d said were hers began stacking up like a tower.
“This is braised ribs, and this is freshly made kimchi. Oh dear, it’s so hectic. Jaegyeom seemed to enjoy the side dishes earlier, so I should pack some stir-fried anchovies and soy-braised beef too, right?”
“Mom, no. Stop.”
“Stop what. Does your mother’s heart not ache seeing you eat home food so well because you’re always hungry? Sigh. My heart hurts so much.”
Mom looked at Jisu and spoke in a small voice, afraid Jaegyeom outside might hear.
“Mom believes in you.”
“Hm?”
“What does it matter what Jaegyeom’s family is like. When you marry, the two of you live together. When you brought him saying you’d marry him, it was because you’d decided to live well with him going forward. How sharp and capable is my daughter.”
Jisu couldn’t agree.
The truth was, Youngbaek’s family had wielded words like weapons—’If you’ve dated for six years, you should marry now,’ ‘You may think you’re still young, but my son is at the right age for marriage’—pressuring her to marry, and it was an impulsive decision made after being shocked by her mother’s collapse. If she were the ‘sharp and capable daughter, Im Jisu’ that Mom believed in, she wouldn’t have created this situation today.
“… Mom, I’m sorry.”
Sorry for being a disappointing daughter, and sorry for this very moment when she was making a man she didn’t even know properly give a false greeting as a prospective son-in-law.
“What are you sorry for. We’ll talk more about Jaegyeom later, just you and me.”
“No, what more is there to talk about later.”
“You’re not leaving that person alone outside, are you. Even if he doesn’t say it, he probably grew up lonely, so treat him well usually.”
Unable to bring herself to say that she didn’t want to lie anymore, Jisu was pushed on the back by Mom and came out of the kitchen. Jaegyeom, receiving the paper bag stuffed to bursting with side dishes, bowed neatly. At his words that he would eat well, a smile spread across Mom’s face again.
“Our Jisu, I ended up bringing up marriage because I suddenly collapsed like this, but… I had no intention of marrying you off early, and if I ever did, I hoped you’d go to an ordinary family and receive ordinary love. So earlier when Jaegyeom said ‘my family situation is complicated,’ honestly my heart sank. But…”
“Yes, ma’am. Please speak comfortably.”
“Since Jisu says she likes you, I’ll try to like you too.”
“I will never let anything you’re worried about happen.”
The summer night in the countryside was especially pitch-black. After hugging Mom tightly once more and leaving words about seeing her at Chuseok, she got into Jaegyeom’s car.
She withdrew the reproach she’d been about to make—’You should have said Kim Youngbaek, what if you use your real name for self-introduction’—and Jisu simply quietly conveyed the words of her heart.
“Thank you. You worked hard.”
“Why do you keep saying thank you so much.”
She thought anew that his face, focused only on driving, was handsome. Perhaps feeling her gaze, he smiled, so she hurriedly cut off her gaze.
The clock in the car’s flashy dashboard told her it would soon be nine. The last bus from Gyechon to Seoul was usually at 9:30.
The car, which she’d naturally assumed would head to Gyechon Station, went back the way they had come.
“Huh? This isn’t the way to Gyechon Station.”
“You left your phone at my place.”
Come to think of it, there was no phone. She must have been talking with Mom before departure earlier, and ah… she must have set it down for a moment while tying his necktie and left without it. If they stopped by Jaegyeom’s house, they’d miss the train. But she couldn’t go without her phone, or rather, should she go even without her phone. The shorter the deliberation, the better. Jisu organized her thoughts quickly.
“Then we’ll go to your place, grab the phone, and come out.”
“Where are we going after we come out.”
“Call a taxi and go to the town center for now.”
“And after that?”
There were only three lodging establishments in Gyechon town. Gyechon Motel, Gyechon Inn, Gyechon Unmanned Inn.
The options were seriously sparse. It was a question asked knowing that. Because there was a military base nearby, the town was always lively on weekends.
Far off, his house where she’d briefly stayed earlier began to come into view. A little strength entered Jisu’s hand gripping the seatbelt. Was it strength, or nervousness. Perhaps it was because she anticipated what Jaegyeom would say, or because she hoped for it.
“It’s the weekend, so there probably won’t be any empty rooms in town.”
“……”
“Just stay the night.”
