Chapter 87
Chapter 87
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: Heartfelt Reunions
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Then, in a playful tone, he said to Officer Lee.
"Hey, my daughter, you there with Kang Hyun?"
"Yes? Ah... yes, we're traveling together... but not just the two of us, I think...."
Officer Lee mumbled evasively, as if he'd just shared something he shouldn't have.
"Oppa!"
"You okay, man?"
At a small café in front of Sokcho Beach.
Woo Si-hyung, Yoon Chan-rim, and Yu Chae-eun welcomed Kang Hyun with words full of worry and comfort, light applause, and encouragement.
"Yeah. I swung by the pension. Checkout time passed, but they didn't take our stuff out?"
"Haha, dude, after what you pulled off, the owner said to take our sweet time leaving the room."
"Hyung, they wouldn't even take our money! They're so grateful!"
"Really?"
Kang Hyun plopped down in a chair, finally catching his breath.
Yu Chae-eun scooted right up beside him, poking her head close.
"Oppa, you see the news?"
"Huh?"
She shoved her phone in his face. It was a video of a TV news broadcast, and his jaw dropped.
"Breaking news. Early yesterday morning, a man in his late forties who had ingested pesticide and fallen in the Cheongmun Mountain area of Sokcho was rescued by a 20-year-old tourist. Details from reporter Kim Min-su...."
"That's you, right, oppa? That's you!"
At Yu Chae-eun's excited outburst, Woo Si-hyung chimed in.
"Obviously it's him. Who else could it be? There weren't ten missing people found around Cheongmun Mountain at dawn yesterday."
"No way, this is insane! I knew you'd pull something off, oppa!"
Yu Chae-eun and Woo Si-hyung clapped in astonishment. Yoon Chan-rim, bringing over coffee, gave a thumbs-up too.
"But where's Haneul?"
"Unni? Jeez, you always look for unni first no matter where you go."
"Right? We were worried sick too. Stayed up all night...."
"Oppa was snoring so loud, we heard it in our room?"
"Shh."
As the two bickered, Yoon Chan-rim sidled up quietly next to Kang Hyun and whispered.
"Unni's up on the café rooftop. Said she felt stuffy."
"Stuffy?"
"With no word from you, she must've gotten worried and worn out. Go see her quick."
Yoon Chan-rim winked.
"Oh, right! Unni bought a ton of stuff from the central market to eat. Uh, oppa?"
Leaving the others behind without touching his coffee, Kang Hyun bolted up the stairs.
Clunk.
The café rooftop.
Facing right onto Sokcho Beach sands, the café overlooked surfers dripping wet as they stood at tables grabbing drinks, or people lounging on sunbeds—all in one glance.
Luckily, the terrace was empty, thanks to the breeze.
Except for Yoon Haneul.
She wore a beautiful dress that suited the sea perfectly, holding her sunhat against the wind with her pale arms bared.
She had an aura like a social media influencer—everything fit her so well, she could've been shooting a pictorial.
When she turned at the sound of Kang Hyun coming up, he felt all his fatigue melt away.
But she waited with a pouty expression—no, a prim one.
"I'm back."
"You took forever."
"Sorry."
She'd bombarded him with worry-all-night check-ins, bragged about buying up every food in the area, but now face-to-face, Yoon Haneul looked miffed.
Seeing her like that made his heart twinge for some reason.
"Mad I was too late?"
"...."
Kang Hyun approached her as if drawn by some spell. He gently took her hand.
"...What is this."
"Relax, you asked for it."
"When did I say I was anxious."
Reminding her of their texts, she huffed primly but didn't let go of his hand.
"You're gonna... do it again?"
"Do what?"
"Worry me again?"
"No."
"...You did good. Really good, but...."
Whenever Kang Hyun accomplished something, she stayed by his side without much fanfare.
Lately she'd praised him or beamed with pride, but today her words had an edge.
It was the first time she'd added a "but" after "you did good," so Kang Hyun watched her curiously.
"Don't make me worry."
"Worried a lot?"
"Yeah."
He kept holding her hand and talking.
The sea breeze was sweet, the gulls' cries beautiful.
As they silently took in the view hand in hand, her expression gradually softened, the corners of her mouth twitching up ever so slightly.
Subtle, but staring right at her face, Kang Hyun could feel her mood lift.
Kree, kree.
Shhhhaaa.
They held hands like that for a long while.
She didn't mention tossing and turning all dawn from worry, nor detail yesterday's rain-soaked rescue.
Yet they smiled softly, as if they'd shared everything.
Shhhhaaa, shhhha.
But then.
Clunk!
"Unni, whatcha doing?"
Sensing Yu Chae-eun burst through the door onto the rooftop, they hastily let go and cleared their throats.
"All done talking with oppa? Wow, great view up here! Gotta take pics! Oppa, take ours!"
"Uh... sure."
As flustered Kang Hyun fumbled for his phone to snap pics, Yoon Haneul swiftly snatched it and handed it to Yu Chae-eun.
"Us first."
She yanked his arm close and said quickly.
"Us...?"
Kang Hyun stammered in surprise, and Yu Chae-eun's eyes turned sly as she magnanimously prepared to take the shot.
"Got it! Strike a pose!"
Yoon Haneul was already prettily posed before the words finished.
Click.
A shot contrasting his awkward face.
Then Yu Chae-eun said.
"Me with oppa now."
Yoon Haneul grabbed the phone in a fluster this time.
Click.
Then Yoon Haneul coolly handed the phone back to Kang Hyun and headed for the stairs.
"Oppa, did I come out good?"
Kang Hyun, still flustered, checked the phone she'd given him and burst out laughing.
"Aw, come on! What is this? Unni's got butterfingers!"
Kang Hyun and Yu Chae-eun.
The screen showed only a blurry, shaken photo.
They hadn't spent proper time together, but the meaningful Sokcho trip—drawing him one step closer to her—was wrapping up.
Bang.
"I'm home."
Late evening, Kang Hyun finally arrived home.
"Back? Not too worn out?"
In the cramped space barely qualifying as a living room, his mother lay exhausted before the old TV. She slowly turned her head to greet him.
No special words, no big gestures or joyful face—but it was enough.
Just knowing Mom was home waiting for him melted away the trip's fatigue.
"Brought some stuff for you to try. Sokcho dakgangjeong, bread... this one's a bit cold, but there's squid sundae too."
As Kang Hyun unpacked.
Yoon Haneul had stuffed his hands full for the trip back—crab-shaped bread, famous garlic bread, must-try dakgangjeong, squid sundae, all piling up on the table.
His mother roused her weary body, approaching with wide-eyed wonder at the gifts.
"You eat it. Why'd you buy so much?"
She inspected each gift from Kang Hyun, her face blooming into a bright smile as she patted his back gratefully and proudly.
A rare evening meal together with Mom.
Seeing her deepened wrinkles brought back memories of first coming to Seoul.
It was around second grade when they moved up with Mom.
Back then, he'd innocently run around rain-slicked playgrounds at dawn, thrilled and carefree.
Mom, working insurance, seemed to hold her head high, pushing through. Kang Hyun was too young, busy playing with friends.
No dad? Didn't matter. With Mom, he never felt the gap, thought he was like any other kid.
So he grew up confident, never withdrawn.
Just a quiet curiosity about Dad tucked in one corner of his heart. Mom never breathed a word.
Mom never wailed in despair, even as their hard-built home crumbled.
She shed tears sometimes, but that was just life. Utterly ordinary, nothing to compare.
But when the debt collectors stormed in and he realized something was wrong.
Mom cried out Dad's name for the first time, sobbing hysterically.
Kang Hyun could never forget that name, but never spoke it to anyone.
Wasn't that their shared wound, their common thread?
Living unremarkably like others, but burying something unspoken deep inside.
"Eat up."
"Yes."
As various thoughts about his mother's face bubbled up, she brought sliced apples for dessert.
Sitting before the TV with snacks between them.
Back when Mom was young, struggling through tough times.
She might've dreamed of peaceful moments like this.
"...Next up. In Sokcho's Cheongmun Mountain area, a man in his late forties who ingested pesticide and fell was rescued by a 20-year-old tourist. Police will honor his courage with a Brave Citizen commendation...."
"...!"
The news was about Kang Hyun.
His hair stood on end, face flushing as he recalled not telling her to spare her worry.
But Mom seemed clueless that the praised hero was her son.
"Gosh. Good people like that still exist these days. Folks dodge anyone collapsing on the street."
"...Yeah."
Hiding his pride, Kang Hyun popped an apple slice in his mouth. Crisp texture, sweet aroma filling it.
One more secret to delight Mom with someday.
When she learned of Sokcho, she'd be shocked—but proud.
Build it bit by bit.
Fill with joy and happiness.
Day by day, giving his all to be a son she could boast about.
Surely then, he could heal her wounds—and his own hidden ones.
Kang Hyun smiled at the thought.