Chapter 79
Chapter 79
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 79
Chapter Title: Chuseok
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The season of ripened grains and bountiful harvest, Chuseok.
In Korea, it's one of the biggest holidays alongside Lunar New Year, when the whole family gathers together.
Dong-hyun, that guy, had flown back to Korea just the day before.
Thanks to that, I was filling his empty spot.
America has Thanksgiving two months from now... but the Korean community here gets together on Chuseok to enjoy traditional games and festivities.
Ah. Without that punk around, it feels a bit empty.
Watching Dong-hyun head back to Korea all excited made me want to visit with Lily sometime.
Our family is huge, so an insane number of relatives show up for the holidays.
Man, I'm craving ancestral rite food.
I felt a bit guilty for not properly greeting the elders, so I came up with one solution.
Chuseok day.
Typically, the ancestral rite is held early in the morning, followed by grave visits.
Korea's morning meant evening here in California.
I left work a little early and headed home.
"Uwaaang. This is kinda embarrassing..."
Lily and I were dressed in fine hanbok.
And our appearance was being broadcast to the family in Korea via tablet, courtesy of Ji-min.
"Hey! Show the side a bit."
From the tablet screen, Ji-hoon's voice boomed loudly.
"Go greet Uncle over there!"
Ji-min's face turned beet red.
'Ah, this guy's really insane...'
Korea. Chuseok morning. In the living room of Ji-hoon's family home, where relatives had gathered to prepare the ancestral rite, Ji-min stood holding the tablet like she was Ji-hoon's avatar.
"Sis! What's this?"
"Whoa! It's the Great Demon King!"
The young nephews and nieces crowded around the tablet in curiosity.
At the noise, the adults who had been chatting noisily in the living room all turned their eyes toward Ji-min and the tablet.
For a moment, silence fell over the room.
Ji-min felt dozens of eyes staring at her.
She wanted to die of embarrassment.
"Uh... over there... Uncle..."
Ji-min shuffled forward awkwardly, holding the tablet like a creaky robot.
On the screen, Ji-hoon and Lily, dressed in elegant hanbok, grinned as if they were thoroughly enjoying the situation.
Ji-hoon didn't wait for Ji-min's sluggish movements.
"Uncle!!! It's Ji-hoon! Wishing you long life and good health! Have a great Chuseok!"
At his loud voice, the adults busy with rite preparations turned back to the tablet.
"Who is this? It's Ji-hoon!"
The uncle approached the tablet and peered at the screen curiously.
"You rascal! You look better since going to America!"
"Oh my, is that Ji-hoon?"
The aunt beside him came over too.
"I heard you got married! Congratulations! Heard you became an American hero—impressive!"
Blessings poured from the elders.
Ji-hoon shrugged his shoulders on screen.
Then he turned to Lily, who was sitting quietly beside him.
"Okay, Lily. Say hello. This is Uncle and Aunt."
Lily was nervous but bowed her head as practiced.
"Hello. I'm Lily. Have a great Chuseok!"
"She's my wife, Uncle."
Ji-hoon said proudly.
"We're officially greeting you today!"
"Oh my goodness, she's like a doll, a total doll."
The aunt marveled at Lily's appearance.
"Yes, yes. Your brother got himself a beautiful daughter-in-law. You two live happily together, got it?"
"Yes. We will. Haha."
It was their first Chuseok after marriage.
Ji-hoon went around introducing Lily to each relative one by one, exchanging greetings.
Ji-hoon had always been known as the oddball in the family since childhood.
Even when he suddenly went to America, built a business, and received a medal from the U.S. president, the elders just nodded, thinking at least this time it was a good kind of mischief.
As he introduced Lily over the video and caught up with relatives he hadn't seen in ages, the rite preparations wrapped up before he knew it.
In the center of the living room, in front of a long folding screen, a lavish spread of ancestral rite dishes was laid out.
Golden-fried pancakes of all kinds.
Pollock pancakes, perilla leaf pancakes, layered colorful jeon.
Glossy braised short ribs and japchae.
Perfectly steamed okdom and mackerel dominating the center.
Tall stacks of apples and pears, and ripe persimmons.
Freshly steamed songpyeon rice cakes wafting sweet steam.
Beside them, chestnuts, jujubes, and dried pollack neatly arranged.
The aroma of savory oil and sweet fruits filled the living room.
The family had changed into hanbok or neat clothes, waiting reverently for the rite.
With preparations complete...
The ancestral rite finally began.
Family head Kim Sung-tae stood before the screen and the altar.
Behind him, dozens of family members filled the space.
Elders in fine hanbok. Children in tidy outfits.
The living room sank into reverent silence.
Ji-min stood among them, holding the tablet toward the altar.
On the screen.
Ji-hoon and Lily, also in elegant hanbok, knelt on the floor.
"Let's begin."
Kim Sung-tae's low voice echoed.
Srurruk—
Dozens of people prostrated themselves in unison.
It was a magnificent sight.
And on the tablet screen too.
Ji-hoon signaled Lily with his eyes.
The two bowed deeply, just like the family in Korea.
Lily, experiencing this Korean tradition for the first time, looked tense but followed her husband with sincerity.
From thousands of kilometers away in America. In the most Korean way.
Ji-hoon and Lily were paying their first respects to the ancestors.
"Ugh... this is hard."
Before the video call, Lily had been practicing bows with Ji-hoon.
Unfamiliar with the posture, she struggled a bit.
But after a few practices, she mastered it quickly and elegantly bowed alongside Ji-hoon throughout the rite until it ended.
Lily was Christian, but she bowed out of respect for her husband.
Respect for the country and family culture he was born into.
It was nighttime in America.
Eating before bed would upset the stomach and wasn't great for health.
So the two just watched the family eat and chatted.
"By the way, Ji-hoon, when are you coming to Korea?"
The doctor uncle asked Ji-hoon on screen.
Ji-hoon replied awkwardly.
"Well... you know how the government looks at me."
"Tsk tsk... what has the country come to."
The uncle clicked his tongue.
"Still, watch for an opportunity and come. They can't touch an American citizen, no matter how they feel."
"Haha, yes. I'm busy these days. Once things calm down, I'll bring Lily and come greet you properly."
"Good. Your new bride speaks Korean so well."
The uncle praised Lily.
"Your brother needs to get married soon. Tsk tsk."
Ji-hyuk, suddenly catching flak, just glanced around cautiously.
As the eldest son, he was under some marriage pressure.
Meanwhile, Ji-hoon's parents, seeing Lily after so long, showered her with concerned words.
"Are you going to the hospital okay?"
"Nowhere hurting?"
Lily just smiled brightly, saying she was fine.
"Grandma, Ji-hoon's here."
"Oh my precious boy...!"
Ji-hoon's grandmother was quite elderly.
She'd rested in her room even during the rite, so to chat with her after so long, Ji-hoon asked Ji-min.
Ji-min took the tablet to Grandma's room.
Ji-hoon had been Grandma's favorite since childhood.
As an old-school type, she doted on her grandsons a bit more.
The youngest son of the eldest, he'd been pampered from young.
But now, advanced in age, she was frail.
No specific illness, just age-related decline.
When Grandma saw Ji-hoon's face on the tablet held by her granddaughter, joy lit up her face.
Ji-hoon greeted first.
"Grandma, you have to live long and healthy. This is my wife."
"Hmm...?"
Grandma peered at Lily on screen for a long time.
"What a fair-skinned thing... looks just like a snowman."
"Haha, pretty, right? I love her so much, Grandma."
Ji-hoon said proudly.
"Yes... live well. Have lots of kids."
"Ah... hello, Grandma!"
Lily bowed over the screen.
"Yes, yes. Granddaughter-in-law."
Grandma said to Lily.
"Take good care of your husband. Got it? Live well."
"Yes! Don't worry! I take good care of Hoon!"
Lily replied spiritedly.
"Heh heh, yes. A wife must care for her husband. That's how the house stays peaceful. When will you come greet me?"
"Hehe. I'll talk with Hoon and definitely come visit!"
Lily answered brightly.
"Good... I don't know how much longer I'll be around..."
Grandma looked back at Ji-hoon.
"It's been so long since I saw my boy... I miss you. Ji-hoon, my boy, you'll come see Grandma, right?"
Ji-hoon's heart ached.
She'd always doted on him exceptionally since childhood.
Hearing her weak voice, he realized how much time had passed.
"Of course, Grandma. I'll make time and visit you first when I go to Korea. Don't worry."
"Yes... Grandma's tired, needs a rest, so go handle things."
"Yes. Stay healthy, Grandma."
"Mm~"
After a short talk, Grandma lay down, exhausted.
Ji-min quietly closed the door and came out.
"Oppa, unnie. We have to go to the graves now, so let's end it here."
"Yeah, thanks for your hard work."
"Yeah~. But when are you really coming to Korea?"
"Well... not right now, but I'll go when the time's right."
"Yay! Then I get to hang out with unnie till then!"
Surrounded by dark brothers, having a pretty sister-in-law thrilled Ji-min, who stuck to Lily.
"Anyway, it's night here. Let's call again after the holidays."
"Yeah~"
I'd wanted to show Lily Korea's holiday and properly greet the elders, so we'd set this up.
After the call ended, I asked Lily.
"Lily, how was it?"
"It was fun! Your family is huge?"
"Haha. In Korea, relatives gather like this twice a year. ...Nothing uncomfortable?"
Lily looked at me like what kind of question was that.
"What's uncomfortable about meeting family? I loved it! Got to experience Korean culture, and having a day when everyone gathers like this is great!"
"Really? Wanna visit Korea sometime?"
"Yeah! I wanna see it for real."
She'd only seen parents and Ji-min so far, so she wanted to meet my brother and other relatives in person.
Earlier, when I made her greet my brother, he froze up and they barely talked—I couldn't stop laughing.
He's not shy, but maybe still awkward with his brother's wife.
Hmm... maybe we should go sometime.
As I pondered, Lily spoke up.
"Grandma seems so kind. I could feel how much she loves you."
"Yeah? I loved going to Grandma's as a kid. She doted on me a lot."
"Hehe. Yeah. Full of love."
That was true.
I'd always loved being with Grandma since young.
Unconditional love.
Besides my parents, she was the first to make me feel that, so naturally I adored her.
Even after marriage and coming to America... seeing her frail with age over the screen today, I resolved to visit her.
"Shall we... go to Korea sometime?"
"Really!? I'd love that!"
Lily, still in her pink hanbok, jumped with joy.
"What do you wanna do in Korea?"
"Hmm~~ See Mom and Dad too! Get close with your whole family~ Getting new family is happy!"
Ji-su always hated holidays and didn't want to go.
Ironically, Lily, unfamiliar with Korean culture, welcomed it.
Yeah.
Let's adjust schedules and pick a date.
After the busy stuff now.
October's approaching... at least after Roddy's Christmas Eve charity event next year.
But I couldn't have imagined returning to Korea much sooner than that.