Chapter 177
Chapter 177
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 178
Chapter Title: Homecoming with Woongyi
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“Promise you'll call?”
“I got it.”
“Say it with some feeling!!”
“Yeah, I promise I'll call.”
On the day they headed back to Ulaanbaatar to return to Korea, Naaran clung to Yeonwoo's hands, her eyes brimming with tears.
Naaran shed tears of regret over Yeonwoo leaving, but Yeonwoo showed no such emotion.
With his usual expression, he held her hands, shook them reassuringly to comfort her, then let go and boarded the bus without a second glance.
“You promise?”
“I got it!!”
Yeonwoo said that and waved to Naaran.
And with that, the bus pulled away.
“[Yeonwoo, isn't that a bit heartless?]”
Yuri, who had been watching Yeonwoo, asked. Yeonwoo tilted his head and replied.
“Why?”
Yeonwoo had asked in Korean, so Yuri answered in Korean too.
“You know... She's so sad and reluctant to say goodbye, but you're leaving without shedding a single tear...”
“We're going to see each other again. I'm not saying I won't call. It's not like it's forever, so why be sad?”
Yuri, whose blood ran Korean and who loved Korea just as much, suddenly thought of MBTI.
Yeah, our Yeonwoo is a T type.
His body probably runs on T instead of blood.
“If I'd known it'd be like this, I should've packed proper gear. What a waste of time on the way back.”
Saying that, Yeonwoo pulled out the tablet he could at least use for music work.
Yuri shook her head helplessly as she watched him put on his headphones and dive into composing.
She loved music enough to become a singer, but she knew she didn't love it as much as Yeonwoo did.
Anyway, what about the others...
Yuri turned her gaze to check on their travel companions.
People with no prior connections had grown so close during this trip that they called each other like sisters.
Anyway, her partner Annosuke was just sleeping.
It was impressive how he could sleep so soundly on such a bumpy ride.
Lee Chaeyoung was gazing out the window, occasionally jotting something down on her phone.
“Sis, what are you doing?”
“Hm? Oh, lyrics, I guess? I note down phrases that pop into my head whenever they come.”
“Nice.”
Yuri thought she should take notes like that too and looked away.
In the very back, Olivia Snow had her legs draped over the seat in front, staring ahead with a haughty expression.
She looked like she could grace a magazine cover right then, radiating an untouchable aura, but Yuri now knew that just meant she was bored and zoning out.
This time, she looked at Ellis.
The former idol turned genius producer who made top idols—someone Yuri knew well.
She seemed brimming with confidence, like she'd bulldoze through anything, but Yuri knew she was more timid than anyone.
That timid Ellis was sitting right behind Yeonwoo, craning her neck forward to sneak peeks at his work.
“Sis, want to sit here and watch Yeonwoo compose?”
“Huh? Oh? Uh, n-no, what? No. I-I'm fine.”
And she was more intimidated by Yeonwoo than anyone.
Sure, Yeonwoo in the studio was one thing, but normally he was just adorable. Hard to understand.
Anyway, what should I do...
As Yuri pondered, she unwittingly dozed off.
She had teased Annosuke for sleeping anywhere, but in truth, she was no different.
It was a case of self-loathing among kindred spirits.
* * *
While Yeonwoo was in Mongolia, his family had moved into what they called the Yeonwoo Building.
The lower floors were still under heavy remodeling, but the residential upper level—needing only minor touch-ups—had its interiors finished quickly.
The top floor was penthouse-level, but the living space was built like a standalone house, complete with a yard.
Per Yeonwoo's request, one side of the yard had trees and grass planted, while the other held a table and chairs.
Heo Ok sat at that yard table, reading a book.
With her daughter and son busy and coming home late, and her clingy grandson away in Mongolia, she finally had this quiet time.
It used to be everyday life, but after just a short time glued to her grandson, it felt awkward and empty.
Perhaps because of that, Heo Ok couldn't focus on her book. She closed it and gazed up at the sky.
“I wonder how far he's gotten...”
How long had it been since he boarded the plane?
“Oh, what am I thinking.”
Come to think of it, she'd forgotten to prepare dinner timed for his arrival.
The image of Yeonwoo on video call complaining that Mongolian food didn't suit him came to mind.
It'd only been a few days, and the kid had slimmed down noticeably.
Heo Ok hurriedly started preparing foods Yeonwoo would love.
She simmered a cool, spicy tuna kimchi stew he especially craved lately and made beef seaweed soup.
She marinated LA galbi in sauce and took out the pre-ordered pork belly.
Later, when Jihoon arrived, they'd fire up the yard grill with charcoal and barbecue it.
For once, she went all out with labor-intensive japchae loaded with veggies and mushrooms, plus zucchini pancakes and pollock pancakes.
The leftover egg batter went into a rolled omelet with kimchi.
As she prepared a birthday-worthy feast...
“I'm home! Whoa, what's that? The house smells amazing!”
“You were prepping 'cause Yeonwoo's coming back?”
Her kids came home from work in the meantime. Heo Ok looked at the two peeking into the kitchen and said.
“You're home early.”
“Yeonwoo's coming back, so we wrapped up quick.”
“Yeah, exactly. How long's it been since I saw my nephew? Of course I wanna see him.”
“Good, you're here. Wash up quick and help set the table? Oh, and honey, get the charcoal going on the grill. Got meat ready.”
“Sure! Just changing clothes!”
“Me too.”
The siblings changed in their rooms and got to work.
Jiyeong transferred Mom's dishes to proper serving bowls and carried them to the outdoor table, while Jihoon loaded the grill with charcoal and lit it.
The whole family bustled about preparing food, chatting away.
“Hey, you got all the dog stuff?”
“Didn't you see the unopened packages at the entrance? That's all dog gear.”
“Nothing missing?”
“Well... I think I got everything that came to mind? Dog cushions, bed ramps, food bowls, water bowls, kibble, toys, pee pads, that stuff.”
“Good job. We can always buy more if needed later.”
Setting down some utensils, Jiyeong paused and said.
“Anyway, a dog out of nowhere? From Mongolia, no less? Gotta be a world star—playing global, huh?”
“Tell me about it. But that dog was bigger than I expected.”
“Psh, how big can a dog get?”
“Pretty big, though...”
Truth be told, neither Jihoon nor Jiyeong had ever raised a pet dog.
They were just comparing to the ones they'd seen on TV, so Jihoon had no real idea how big Yeonwoo's dog would get either.
“Anyway, isn't he due soon?”
“Yeah, why isn't he here yet?”
Right then.
The elevator stopped.
Only those with the keycard or passcode could come up, so it stopping on this floor meant...
“Dad! Aunt!!”
Yeonwoo was here.
Jihoon and Jiyeong beamed as Yeonwoo rushed to them the moment the doors opened.
“I'm home!”
“Yeah, tough trip, huh? How was Mongolia?”
Jihoon scooped Yeonwoo up and asked. Yeonwoo grinned wide and said.
“It was fun!!”
“Good to hear.”
Yeonwoo nodded and looked around.
“Whoa... what's all this?”
“Mongolian food didn't agree with you, right? Grandma got worried and made all this for you.”
“Whoa! Oh, where's Grandma?”
As Yeonwoo asked, Heo Ok flung open the front door and shouted at the sight of him.
“Our Yeonwoo's back!”
Her voice was unusually excited, not her usual self, her face lit up with a bright smile.
The moment Jihoon set him down, Yeonwoo ran to her and hugged.
“Grandma!!”
“Yeah, my baby. Oh dear, why'd you slim down so much? You're all bones now.”
Heo Ok stroked Yeonwoo's head and face repeatedly, her expression full of worry as if he were gravely ill.
Olivia Snow, watching from behind, asked Jaehoon for a translation, then grimaced.
“[A kid who scarfed down three plates of steak on the plane... Skinny where?]”
That was true.
Yeonwoo had ordered steak right after takeoff and devoured it.
He'd eaten mashed potatoes and all sorts of veggies as sides to his heart's content, slept soundly, and arrived.
But Yeonwoo acted like none of that happened, cool as ever.
“I'm hungry, Grandma! Let's eat!”
“[Good lord...]”
Olivia Snow shook her head but couldn't help swallowing at the sight of the spread on the table.
“[Yeah, everyone, let's eat! Sit down quick!]”
Maybe because the food in Mongolia had been so lackluster, Olivia Snow found herself hungry too.
“[Yes, everyone sit.]”
“[I'll grill the meat. But... where's the dog?]”
At Jihoon's question, Jaehoon smoothly lifted the puppy.
Jiyeong was shocked at the sight of Woongyi.
“[What the—why's it so huge?]”
“[Told you the dog was big.]”
Yeonwoo wriggled free from Grandma, took Woongyi from Jaehoon, and showed him off to the family.
“[His name's Woongyi. Breed's Mongolian Bankhar. Um... about two months old now.]”
“[Two months and already this big?]”
“[Grown-ups hit nearly 70kg. It's a huge breed.]”
“[Wait, this thing...]”
70kg was practically an adult man's weight.
Jihoon hadn't expected Yeonwoo to bring home a dog that big and was flustered, but he chuckled at Woongyi looking up innocently.
“[Eh, size doesn't matter. But like I said before, you gotta take full responsibility, son?]”
“Yeah!”
Yeonwoo nodded firmly, hugging Woongyi tight.
Woongyi grinned happily—who knew why—and licked Yeonwoo's cheek.
“Eh, he's kinda cute.”
Jiyeong laughed at the pair too.
“[Alright, everyone sit and dig in. I'll grill the galbi and pork belly.]”
Jihoon said that and started grilling in earnest.
The rich aroma of galbi sauce caramelizing in the flames mingled with the savory scent of pork belly, filling the yard.
In the midst, Yeonwoo took the first spoonful of tuna kimchi stew.
The cool, spicy kick unique to it made his whole body shiver.
“Kugh...!”
It was the kind of thick groan that escaped anyone, child or adult.
Olivia Snow was no different. After following suit with a spoonful, she said.
“[I must be made for Korean food. This spicy yet fresh taste. Yes. This is it.]”
Olivia Snow inwardly vowed never to return to Mongolia. For a city girl like her, it had been utterly dreadful.
Meanwhile, Yeonwoo inhaled the pollock pancakes and japchae, stomped his feet excitedly, looked at Grandma, and yelled.
“It's so good, Grandma!!”
“Yeah, eat lots, my Yeonwoo.”
Heo Ok said that and slid more of his favorites his way.
Yeonwoo stuffed his cheeks like a hamster, chewing away diligently.
Heo Ok watched him and felt the emptiness in her heart fill right back up.
To her now, her grandson was everything—the whole world.