Chapter 241
Chapter 241
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 241
Chapter Title: Side Story 3: Go Yunmi and Oh Sangmun
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Thud.
Go Yunmi quietly approached and set a coffee cup down on the table next to where Oh Sangmun was sitting.
"Have some coffee while you work."
"Oh, thanks."
Oh Sangmun took a quick sip of the coffee she'd offered and dove right back into filling the blank canvas.
The painting taking gradual shape under Oh Sangmun's brush.
Go Yunmi sipped her coffee quietly as she spoke.
"You've really hit your stride lately. Your painting speed is no joke."
"Yeah, I was just feeling super inspired. Gotta row when the tide's coming in."
Swish swish.
For some reason lately, Oh Sangmun's painting pace had been unreal.
At this rate, he could pull off a solo exhibition in no time.
Go Yunmi asked about what had sparked this change in him.
"Did something inspire you? You weren't this fast before."
"Yeah, I did get inspired."
"From where?"
"From this amazing painter named Kanghyeok Lee."
The moment Kanghyeok Lee's name left his lips, Go Yunmi responded.
"You and Kanghyeok... don't go chasing after young blood and split your pants. Pace yourself. Managing your condition is the most important thing."
Swish.
At the mention of condition management, Oh Sangmun gave her a peculiar look and asked.
"You seem awfully concerned about my health lately. You weren't like this before. Is something bothering you?"
"What do you mean concerned? I'm just saying take care of your health so you don't suffer when you get older. No deeper meaning."
"Really? Absolutely no deeper meaning?"
Sigh.
Go Yunmi's expression turned icy.
"So there should've been some deeper meaning?"
Pfft.
"Nah, if there isn't, that's fine. Honestly, I know I'm pushing it a bit, but when inspiration hits like this, if I don't paint now, who knows when it'll come again."
"Health comes first, though."
"I know. I'm painting with my health in mind, so enough nagging, okay?"
With that, Oh Sangmun threw himself back into his painting.
Go Yunmi, who had been watching him intently from behind...
Swish.
...didn't want to disturb him unnecessarily, so she quietly headed down from the second-floor studio.
Early morning hours.
Normally, she'd still be asleep at this time.
But today, she had a special schedule, so she'd gotten up early.
"If I leave now, I won't be late."
With that thought, she quickly got ready, sent Oh Sangmun a quick text saying she'd be back, and drove straight to Kanghyeok Lee's house.
When she pulled up near his place, she spotted the three of them already waiting outside.
Thud.
"Oh, you didn't have to come pick us up like this."
"We're going to America for our thing anyway, so this much is nothing."
At that moment, Daeun, sitting in the middle of the back seat, shot her hand up and shouted.
"Director! Hi!"
"Hey, has Daeun been good?"
"Yes! Daeun's been super good!"
"And Hyorin?"
"Oh, I've been good too. Hope you've been well, Director. And Painter Oh too."
"That guy's fine, no worries. Alright, let's head out, so everyone buckle up."
"Yes!"
Once all three had their seatbelts on, Go Yunmi slowly pulled away from the curb.
"But we're all going together?"
"Oh, yeah. Carrie's a friend of Hyorin's, and Daeun loved America so much last time she wants to go back. I bet Representative Yoon will come too if we're there."
"I see. Family really is the best. Even far away, traveling together makes it a real trip."
At her words, Kanghyeok Lee asked.
"But don't you ever go on trips, Director? Wasn't Jeju Island your only one?"
"It was, but I can't even if I want to. Painter Oh has a solo exhibition coming up soon, so things are pretty hectic."
"Oh, Painter Oh's doing another solo show?"
"Yeah, that's the plan."
"Where? Where's it gonna be?"
"Not set in stone yet, but probably at our gallery."
At that, Daeun and Hyorin grinned and chimed in.
"Wow! Painter Oh's solo show! Daeun wants to go again!"
"We had a great time last time, right?"
"Yeah! But Daeun wants to go again! With Mommy!"
"Yeah, when Painter Oh has his show, we'll all go together, okay?"
"Yes! Pinky promise!"
"Promise."
Hyorin and Daeun hooked their pinkies.
Go Yunmi, watching them through the rearview mirror, said.
"You have to come. Once the schedule's firm, you'll be top of the invite list."
"Yay!"
Smile.
She'd always been as cold as they come.
But at some point, smiles had started gracing Go Yunmi's face.
Probably starting with Daeun.
Turning her gaze back to the road ahead, she thought.
If her own daughter, Suryun, were still alive, wouldn't their family have been something like Kanghyeok Lee's behind her?
An impossible imagining, sure.
But she could dream.
Of the happy days she'd once shared with Suryun, who had been her everything.
Vroom!
The car sped on, soon arriving at Incheon Airport.
Thud!
"Thanks for the ride. We'll call when we land in the States."
"Got it. Call when you arrive, and say hi to Carrie for me."
"Bye, Director! Daeun's off!"
"Have fun."
"Yes! See ya!"
Swish.
After their goodbyes, the three turned and headed into the airport.
Go Yunmi watched their backs until they were completely out of sight before...
...getting back into her car.
Maybe it was facing such a happy family scene, but her heart felt unsettled for no reason.
Thoughts of Suryun kept coming up too.
With tomorrow being that day, it was probably hitting harder. Starting the car with those thoughts, she headed straight to the gallery.
It was a bit early, but there was Kanghyeok Lee's exhibition to sort out, after all.
Of course, Oh Sangmun's exhibition schedule needed handling too.
And so, Go Yunmi drove to the gallery to tackle her backlog.
By the time she got home, night had already fallen.
Dragging her tired body inside, she was greeted by Oh Sangmun—who she'd assumed would be asleep.
"You haven't eaten, right?"
"Nope, I stayed up."
"You're probably not ready to sleep yet. I'll whip something up quick, so hang on a sec."
"Wait..."
She was exhausted and not really hungry.
But Oh Sangmun had already headed to the kitchen, and she couldn't bring herself to stop him.
Clatter.
He'd clearly assumed she hadn't eaten, because he'd prepared bulgogi and her favorite seaweed soup.
Faced with this unexpected feast, Go Yunmi asked.
"What? You made all this yourself?"
"You think I bought it? Of course I cooked it all."
"Why go through the trouble? How'd you know when I'd get home, and you were busy painting anyway."
She thought it was a waste of effort.
If food was needed, they could've just gone out to eat.
But Oh Sangmun just smiled faintly and said.
"I'm fine, so quit fussing and come eat."
Swish.
Unable to resist his insistence, she tossed her bag aside and sat at the table.
Up close, it was even more absurd.
The array of side dishes would've taken all day for one person.
"Whoa, ribs too."
"Try the seasoned spinach. It turned out great."
"No, seriously, why go this far? I'll eat since it's ready, but..."
"Eat first, talk later."
She couldn't argue with that.
Swish.
She took a bite of the spinach he'd offered.
It was savory, perfectly seasoned—delicious.
The ribs were great too, and the seaweed soup, simmered for hours, hit just right for her taste.
"It's good."
"Right? Knew you'd like it."
Truth be told, Go Yunmi often skipped proper meals during work.
Eating would make her sluggish, scattering her focus.
But that didn't mean she wasn't hungry.
She'd just have enough coffee or snacks to stave off the pangs.
Oh Sangmun knew her habits all too well.
He knew plain nagging wouldn't get her to eat.
That's probably why he'd gone to all this trouble.
"Thanks. It's delicious."
Just then, Oh Sangmun, who'd been watching her with a smile, asked.
"So, how'd things go today?"
They slipped into everyday chatter.
Go Yunmi didn't mind it at all.
Maybe because she'd spent so much time alone lately.
"Oh, your exhibition schedule's set. Probably in three months."
"Nice. Guess I gotta paint even harder."
"Don't overdo it. If the timeline's too tight, just say so. We can push it back."
"You'll have it sorted perfectly. I'll make it work, so don't worry."
Go Yunmi paused mid-bite and laughed.
Nothing special about the conversation.
But after all the time they'd let slip by, it felt incredibly precious.
After a long meal filled with talk, Oh Sangmun cleared the empty bowls and said.
"You're not going in tomorrow, right?"
Her expression changed at the question.
"You... knew? Hold on..."
That one sentence suddenly made all his actions click.
"Of course I knew. How could I forget such an important day?"
"So that's why..."
Her throat tightened, words failing her.
She'd thought it was just her who remembered.
But Oh Sangmun did too.
Chapchae, ribs, seaweed soup.
Everything was for tomorrow.
The realization left Go Yunmi speechless.
"Tomorrow, no painting. I'm going with you. To see our Suryun."
Tomorrow was Suryun's birthday.
The most precious child's birthday for them both.
Even after she'd left this world, it didn't change.
"Thanks. For remembering."
"How could I not? It's the day our gift arrived. Thinking back still makes me happy."
Oh Sangmun recalled that day.
Watching Go Yunmi endure over ten hours of labor in the family delivery room.
And finally, Suryun appearing in the world.
Her gift-like form lingered in his mind.
Even now, after she'd passed.
"Let's go see Suryun tomorrow."
"Yeah. Think she'll be mad we haven't come in so long?"
"Then we get scolded. That's how it goes. Suryun could chew us out all day."
"What?"
Smile.
"Tomorrow, when I see Suryun, I'll tell her everything that's happened. And how happy we've been because of her."
"Yeah. Tomorrow, we'll spend the whole day with Suryun."
"Definitely."
"Yes."
Suryun had left this world.
But in Go Yunmi and Oh Sangmun's hearts, she lived on forever.
Once their gift-like existence.
And so the two...
...held their most precious Suryun close.
In their hearts.
-The End-