WAK 32

Chapter 32

Whenever he came to his grandparents’ house in Samseong-dong, Jeonghan’s heart always grew heavy.

Parking his car in the garage, he walked up to the courtyard and looked up at the hazy night sky. He had no desire to step inside the noisy, bustling house. Everyone wore smiles, but underneath, they were just people plotting how to grab a bigger piece of the pie.

“Brother, you’re here?”

A timid voice came from behind him. It was Hyunjin, the eldest son born to Chairman Ryu’s mistress, Nam Mihee. He was Jeonghan’s half-brother and Hyunsu’s full brother.

When Jeonghan turned around, Hyunjin quickly avoided his gaze.

“I thought you left the country after Chairman Ryu’s birthday.”

To the fragile Hyunjin, Jeonghan’s flat, emotionless tone sounded like a reprimand. It seemed he felt as though Jeonghan was cornering him, as if asking, Why are you still here?

“I came back a few days ago,” Hyunjin added hastily, almost like an excuse. “I’ll be heading out again soon. So, after a few days…”

“Right.”

The relationship between the two wasn’t bad, but it was agonizingly awkward. They were so distant they might as well have been strangers. Jeonghan never bothered to open up to him, and Hyunjin always walked on eggshells around Jeonghan like a criminal facing judgment.

Jeonghan actually found Hyunjin even more uncomfortable to deal with than Hyunsu. He sometimes thought it might have been easier if Hyunjin were openly greedy or played the victim like Hyunsu did.

“I got my degree,” Hyunjin muttered hesitantly as he followed a step behind.

Jeonghan merely glanced sideways at him.

“You probably don’t care, but I wanted to let you know anyway.”

“Good job.”

Hearing that single, indifferent word from Jeonghan made Hyunjin let out a quiet sigh of relief.

“It’s a Ph.D. in art history. And… I think I’ll be standing at a lectern soon. In America, of course. There are no open positions here in Korea…”

Hyunjin’s words trailed off when Jeonghan opened the front door.

Stepping inside after taking off his shoes, the entire family welcomed Jeonghan. However, Jeonghan’s mother, Mrs. Jeong, was nowhere to be seen. Instead, Nam Mihee—who had started brazenly pushing herself forward some time ago—occupied a seat.

“Jeonghan, you’re here?”

“It’s been a while.”

“You look even more handsome.”

“Oppa, you must feel so secure having a son like Jeonghan.”

Chairman Ryu’s half-siblings vied with one another to greet Jeonghan. Jeonghan silently acknowledged them with a slight bow of his head.

His stiff attitude caused the family members to exchange awkward glances and trail off into silence.

“You’ve arrived.”

Chairman Ryu, seated at the head of the sofa, welcomed his eldest son. Even Chairman Ryu found his eldest son difficult to deal with.

Jeonghan remained as expressionless as he had been with his aunts and uncle, deliberately ignoring Mihee, who sat primly beside his father.

“I’ll go pay my respects to Grandfather.”

He walked down the wooden-floored hallway toward the master bedroom. Knocking on the door, his grandmother’s voice came from inside.

“Come in.”

Jeonghan carefully opened the door and stepped inside.

When the awaited eldest grandson appeared, his grandmother’s face lit up instantly. The same went for his grandfather.

“You’re here now?”

“Yes, Grandmother.”

Jeonghan knelt on the floor before his grandparents.

“Why are you sitting so uncomfortably? Come sit properly.”

His grandmother hitched herself closer to her grandson using her hips. Jeonghan crossed his legs and straightened his back.

“You should visit more often. This grandmother of yours almost died waiting for you.”

“I’m sorry. I’ll come often from now on.”

He gave his grandmother a warm, affectionate smile. But when he looked at his grandfather, the smile vanished.

“Grandfather, your health is holding up well?”

“It would be abnormal not to ache at my age.”

Despite being over eighty, Jeonghan’s grandfather still possessed an imposing physique. The wrinkles on his face were unavoidable medals of time, yet he still cut a dashing figure. It wasn’t hard to imagine how striking he must have been in his youth.

“Is your mother doing well?” his grandmother asked casually.

“Yes. She’s getting along alright.”

“How wonderful it would be if she could share days like this with family.”

There was a hint of sorrow in his grandmother’s voice.

“She still isn’t up to moving around outside the house.”

“That’s why I haven’t said a word.”

Grandmother deeply missed her daughter-in-law, Mrs. Jeong. Knowing just how terribly her son had broken his wife’s heart, she had nothing to say even when the eldest daughter-in-law was absent on a memorial day.

“So, is her condition improving at all?” his grandfather followed up.

“She’s getting better bit by bit.”

“Of course, health is everything.”

Grandmother firmly gripped Jeonghan’s hands with both of hers.

“Jeonghan, getting older has taught me that health is far more valuable than all the wealth in the world. You need to keep up with your exercise and eat only good, wholesome food.”

“Yes, Grandmother.”

“Oh, and Jeonghan.”

“Yes, go ahead.”

Grandmother glanced sideways at her grandfather before voicing what was on her mind.

“You’re at the right age now—don’t you have a young lady in your life?”

Jeonghan unconsciously thought of Hana. Right around now, she was probably finishing work and heading back to the hotel.

“You need to get married soon, before it’s too late,” his grandfather couldn’t help chiming in with a grumble.

“I have no thoughts of marriage.”

Jeonghan replied bluntly.

“Will you listen to the nonsense he’s spouting!”

Just as his grandfather raised his voice in anger, grandmother nudged the old man in the ribs with her elbow, shooting him a glaring look of silent warning to tell him to be quiet.

“Our Jeonghan just hasn’t met the right match yet, that’s all.”

Hearing the lively laughter echoing from the living room made Jeonghan even less inclined to ever marry.

“Look around carefully, and when you find a woman you actually like, we can talk about it then.”

Grandmother patted her grandson’s hand soothingly.

“You must be starving.”

“I’m fine, Grandmother.”

“Still, we can’t have our eldest grandson going hungry. Let me see…”

The eighty-year-old grandmother pushed herself up by her knees. Jeonghan stood up as well, following her out of the room.

When the two of them stepped into the living room, Hyunsu had just arrived. Taking off his shoes in the entryway, Hyunsu flashed a wide smile at his grandmother.

“Grandmother, your youngest grandson is here.”

“Oh, right.”

Grandmother unconsciously glanced over at Jeonghan. Hyunsu walked over and tightly wrapped his arms around her frail shoulders.

“What about food?”

“I’m hungry, Grandmother. Feed me.”

“Alright, alright.”

Grandmother quickly grabbed Jeonghan’s hand, half out of nervous precaution just in case Jeonghan had refused to eat—forgetting for a moment that he wasn’t a child anymore.

Jeonghan and Hyunsu sat facing each other as a neat, traditional dinner was served. Grandmother sat right beside Jeonghan, watching her eldest grandson eat. Seeing this, Hyunsu turned on the charm even more, acting extra affectionate to win her attention.

“Grandmother, there are way too many fish bones in this.”

“Oh goodness, a grown man and he still can’t pick out fish bones.”

Despite her scolding, grandmother carefully plucked the fish meat clean with her hands and placed it on Hyunsu’s rice. Hyunsu ate it with an appreciative expression.

“Jeonghan, try some of this dongchimi. I made it myself.”

“Yes, Grandmother.”

Jeonghan silently focused only on his food.

As time passed, the midnight hour arrived.

The memorial table was set, and the ancestral rites were conducted with Jeonghan and Chairman Ryu leading the ceremony. The rest of the family stood clustered in a circle behind them, watching. In a solemn atmosphere, they took turns bowing and offering cups of liquor.

Once the ritual concluded, the dining tables were brought out again for eumbok—sharing the food and drink blessed by the ancestors.

“I’ll be taking my leave now.”

Jeonghan merely pretended to eat before standing up first.

“It’s late, why not stay the night?”

Looking tired, grandmother tried to persuade him to stay.

“Next time.”

Word of his departure spread instantly, and without anyone ordering them to, the entire family scrambled to their feet to see him off to the entryway. Mihee and Hyunsu stood at the very back, making no effort to hide their dissatisfaction.

“Drive carefully.”

“Yes, Grandmother.”

Jeonghan bowed his waist in farewell to his grandmother and grandfather, then turned around.

The moment he left, everyone gathered back in a circle.

“Why on earth won’t Jeonghan get married?”

“What are we supposed to do when the eldest grandson is being so stubborn?”

“My point exactly.”

“He’s been making everyone uncomfortable since he was a kid, and nothing’s changed.”

His aunts began airing their grievances.

Chairman Ryu looked displeased but said nothing. Meanwhile, Mihee couldn’t have looked more pleased hearing those complaints.

“It’s late. Clear the table and everyone head to bed,” grandmother said sternly, rising to her feet.

Chairman Ryu escorted his mother back to the master bedroom.

“Listen to me, Chairman Ryu.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“Watch your step and keep your house in order.”

Chairman Ryu couldn’t readily reply, leaving his mother to click her tongue in disapproval at her son.

Leaving his grandparents’ house in Samseong-dong, Jeonghan intended to use the hands-free system to call Hana. However, Mrs. Jeong beat him to it.

He pressed the call connection button.

“Yes, Mother.”

[Is it over?]

Mrs. Jeong’s voice lacked strength.

Until she fell ill, she had done her absolute best as a daughter-in-law to the family. Naturally, she had also handled her duties as chairman brilliantly. But after falling sick, having witnessed the absolute worst sides of people, she finally let go of the last thread of hope she had been clinging to. Ever since then, she stopped attending the ancestral rites altogether.

“Yes. I just stepped out.”

[You must be exhausted.]

“Why aren’t you sleeping yet?”

[I couldn’t sleep.]

Mrs. Jeong let out a bitter laugh from the other end of the line.

[Go on back and get some rest.]

“Yes, I will.”

Ending the call, Jeonghan let out a sigh. He pulled his car over to the side of the road and pressed a hand to his throbbing forehead.

With his eyes closed, the chime of an incoming message made him open them again. Reaching out to grab his phone, he checked the message and the attached photo that had just arrived.

When are you coming back? Do you want to eat this together?

The photo showed a cup of ice cream packed tightly in dry ice.

A faint smile touched the corners of Jeonghan’s lips. He immediately pressed the call button.

[Hello?]

“I’m on my way back now.”

[Then I guess I should wait and eat it with you.]

“I’ll be there fast.”

[Alright.]

Ending the call, he shifted the gear into drive and merged back into traffic. Unlike his drive earlier, the journey back to the hotel where Hana was waiting felt light and joyful.