The Pop-Up Store

"Oh, that looks delicious."

"Right?"

I was at a chicken steak restaurant with Chaeyu. I’d been skeptical when she suggested chicken steak, but it was actually grilled as perfectly as any beef steak. Because of the nature of chicken, you couldn't choose the doneness, but you could choose the cut—breast or thigh.

"Wow, this is good."

"Right?"

As I ate, I confirmed what I already knew: the juicy meat never betrays you. Whatever method they used to grill it, every bite released a flood of juices that coated my mouth. "It's amazing... I can't believe it tastes like this."

"I know, right? It really tastes like steak."

"Here is the pasta you ordered."

The side dish was vongole pasta. I’d been unsure about it until it arrived, but it paired surprisingly well with the steak. "Whew... I'm stuffed."

"Me too. I'm fuller than I thought I'd be."

We’d only had steak and a side of pasta, but it was incredibly filling. It felt like an unlikely combination, but I was satisfied.

"Let's grab some coffee at a cafe before we go."

"Should we?"

"Yeah. My treat."

"Oh? What's the occasion?"

"Just... it feels like you're always the one paying."

"You used to buy me stuff all the time back in the day."

"That was... back then..."

We bought coffee at a nearby cafe and headed toward the office. Of course, we bought one for Mom, too.

"So this is it? How's the building? Is it nice?"

"Yeah, the facilities are good. The cafeteria is tasty, too."

"There's a cafeteria?"

"Yeah, on the roof. Most buildings like this have one."

"Ah~ So do you eat with Mom?"

"No. I almost never can. I think we've eaten together once? I have to eat with my coworkers, and Mom is so busy she often eats elsewhere."

"I see."

Mom was an MD, after all. An executive-level position. She had to discuss important matters even during meals, so there was simply no time for us to eat together.

"She's not answering."

"Isn't she still working?"

"She shouldn't be at the office this late."

Unless you were an on-site operations staff member, in this day and age, working this late would lead to an immediate report to the labor board, so that was out of the question. Just in case, I called Mom.

"Hey, Mom. Are you still working?"

"Okay."

"What'd she say?"

"She's coming down now. I think she fell asleep waiting for us."

"Ah."

After a short wait, Mom walked out of the main entrance, looking sluggish. It was obvious how exhausted she was.

"You're here."

"Yeah. Did you wait long?"

"No, we just got here after grabbing dinner."

"Is that so?"

Chaeyu sat in the passenger seat, and Mom sat in the back. She seemed so drained that she just sighed while looking out the window.

"Mom, here."

"Oh my, did Chaeyu buy this?"

"Yeah. I bought it."

"Really? Thank you."

"Yeah..."

Seeing this made me feel secretly proud. There was a sense of tenderness in the conversation, devoid of any anger. Of course, it was largely because Mom was exhausted, but if Chaeyu hadn't wanted to be kind to her, she wouldn't have bought her coffee.

"Chaeyu, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠did you spill something?"

"Huh? No? Why?"

"There's some kind of smell..."

"...!"

No way. We had the windows open and even bought hot coffee... was the smell of my semen really that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠potent? It did feel like it might have been...

"...What kind of smell?"

"Hmm... I can't quite describe it... but it's some kind of musty scent."

"We don't smell anything..."

"Chaeyu, there's an air freshener in the glove box in front of you. Hang that up."

"Oh, really? I didn't know."

Thankfully, thanks to the car air freshener, the vehicle was filled with a fresh scent. The faint, lingering odor that neither Chaeyu nor I could detect was gone. I thought we were in real trouble for a second.

"Mom, are you sleeping?"

"..."

"Mom?"

"Yeah, looks like she is."

A little while later, Mom had simply drifted off to sleep. It was the first time I’d ever seen her look so exhausted.

"Mom must be really struggling."

"Yeah. The opening is the day after tomorrow."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah. She said she might have to sleep there because she's so busy."

"Whoa..."

So, for the time being, we shouldn't provoke or irritate her. Having worked in a company, I’d seen executives get angry more than once. When a department head gets angry, only that department goes quiet, but when an executive gets angry, the whole company goes silent.

"*Yawn*... Mom, wake up."

"We're here."

"Oh, really?"

As we arrived home, a wave of fatigue and drowsiness hit us. All three of us rubbed our sleepy eyes as we entered the house.

"What's this? You three came home together?"

"Dad? Did you just get home too?"

"Yeah, had a company dinner for the first time in a while."

"Ah."

Now the number of tired people had increased to four.

"Ugh, let's go to sleep, everyone."

"Okay..."

"What's with your voice? It sounds so funny."

"Does it?"

"...Good night."

For some reason, I felt a sense of peace in my heart. I hoped things like this would happen more often in the future.

'Nothing has changed. Still the same.'

Taking the subway to work for the first time in a while. Since Mom had taken the car early in the morning for the pop-up store, I had no choice but to take the train. Chaeyu was on the closing shift, so I was heading to work alone.

"Haa..."

No matter how much of a money pit a car is—between maintenance and gas—I finally understood why people buy them. The experience of commuting is on a completely different level. At the very least, you don't have to smell other people's body odor.

'Mom must be busy...'

Department stores usually open between 10:00 and 11:00 AM. Right about now, she was probably doing final checks on inventory and staff instructions just before the doors opened.

Since it wasn't just a regular pop-up, but a character collaboration, a lot of people were bound to show up.

Lunchtime. Maybe it was because I was worried about Mom, or maybe I just wanted to eat alone, but I was eating by myself when Chaeyu called.

"Why?"

"Just wondering if you'd talked to Mom."

"I didn't want to bother her since she's probably busy."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah. What about you? Are you on your way?"

"Yeah, I'm heading there. What about you?"

"I'm just eating lunch."

"Ah~ Got it. See you later."

"Yeah. And just in case, don't call Mom."

"Got it."

Just talking to her made me feel better. Maybe it's because I don't talk to Dad unless it's urgent. Then again, what would two guys even talk about? I find it truly amazing how Mom and my sister can chatter away like that.

[Are you busy?]

I felt it was a bit much to call, so I sent a text, but the little '1' remained. She was clearly too busy to even check her messages. It made me worry for no reason.

"Junsu."

"Yes?"

"We have a business trip to Pangyo next week. Is your driving okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine now."

"Oh, did you get some practice?"

"Yes, my mother taught me."

"Ah~ Then I guess I can let you drive."

Thanks to Mom's intensive training, driving around Seoul was a piece of cake now. The only problem was I hadn't driven on the highway yet.

"Where are we going?"

"Pangyo. The place we went to last time."

"Did the fax break again?"

"No, it's not that. It's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a meeting regarding the down payment, but I don't have the time. You can just go with the section chief."

"Ah, okay."

I assumed I was just going to act as a scribe. That was easy enough. It was a shame I wasn't going this week, though.

"But didn't the section chief take a long-term leave?"

"Ah~ right. She's coming back next week. Set up her desk for her, too."

She hadn't been there at all when I joined the company, so I’d never even seen her face. I heard she was on maternity leave for about a year. I thought I’d never see her before I quit, but I guess I finally would.

"What about the computer?"

"Who's that... just send a message to the IT team and ask them to provide one."

"Understood."

I hoped whoever she was, she’d be a nice person.

'I ended up coming after all...'

I’d tried not to come so I wouldn't distract Mom, but I couldn't suppress my curiosity. With an hour and a half left until closing, there seemed to be even more people, probably because it was after-work hours.

"Oh..."

There was quite a long line centered around the pop-up store. Looking from the outside, it seemed like they were almost sold out; there wasn't much left.

"Please come in~"

Maybe because there wasn't much stock left, the line moved quickly, and I entered the store. I looked around, hoping to buy at least something, even if it was useless.

"Today's limited edition items are sold out!! Restock arrives tomorrow!!"

"Huh?"

A familiar voice rang out from somewhere. She must have been asked the same question so many times that she was shouting while holding up a sign. She was wearing a heart-patterned collaboration T-shirt, but she couldn't hide her figure at all. It was Mom.

"..."

She looked so frazzled that I decided not to let her know I was there. I picked up a ballpoint pen since it was one of the few things left. The price was an unbelievable 12,000 won, though.

"That will be 12,000 won! Thank yo... u?"

"...When did you get here?"

The person who had been shouting over there a moment ago was now standing at the checkout counter. She wasn't Hong Gil-dong, so she really startled me.

"Thank yo... u...!"

Mom sent me away with a trembling voice. Was she that embarrassed by the clothes she was wearing? I thought they suited her really well.

"..."

In the end, I left the department store without having a proper conversation with Mom. I waited at a nearby cafe because I wanted to go home with her.

"Hello?"

"At the cafe."

"Come out. I'll give you a ride..."

"Okay."

When I went outside, Mom's car stood out. Mom, who had changed back into her suit, greeted me.

"What is it... why did you come..."

"I was just worried about you, Mom. And I wanted to help with your sales. Here, coffee."

"Never mind. I'm fine. Don't come here."

I offered to drive, but Mom said since she was already behind the wheel, she'd just do it. She wouldn't meet my eyes, and I could see the tips of her ears were flushed red.

"But are you selling those clothes?"

"...Yes, I am."

"Why are you so embarrassed?"

"Because it's embarrassing..."

"I thought it was cute."

"You!"

"Can I try one on?"

"I left them behind, so no."

"Bummer."

We arrived home while chatting. We took the elevator together.

"Oh, Mom, that shirt..."

"...!"

A red heart was visible through Mom's white shirt. It was the same heart T-shirt she’d been wearing at the department store.

"Don't tell anyone else... you hear?"

"Why?"

"I said don't talk about it!"

"Okay..."

To my eyes, it was just a cute shirt, so I didn't see what the problem was. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Regardless, I thought she looked cute, so it didn't matter.