Prologue: Chuseok
Today is Chuseok.
One of the few days each year when the entire family gathers under one roof.
People still talk about eating songpyeon, those traditional rice cakes, but that custom has long since faded into little more than a memory. After the ancestral rites are done, the real purpose of the day is simply to eat the food prepared by the family’s matriarchs and finally air out all the stories that have piled up since the last time everyone was together.
"Ji-chul, when are you getting married?"
The classic holiday question—more precisely, one of the top five questions reserved for anyone who hasn’t lived a life they can proudly announce to the relatives.
Most people answer with one of three lines: “I’ll handle it myself,” “Someday,” or “I’ve given up.” All of them come out when there’s no girlfriend in the picture. Whether the timing has simply passed them by or their circumstances make it impossible, the pity is the same. Plenty of people these days choose to live alone, but parents watching that choice still feel their hearts crack open.
None of those three answers apply to me.
"Soon. This year’s project is almost finished."
"Have you proposed yet?"
"I’ll do it once the project wraps up."
"You still haven’t proposed?! Kid, how long is your girlfriend supposed to wait?"
"I said I’ll do it… Uncle, just quit the crypto already. You can’t even make money at it."
"Hey now. Mind your own business."
"Then you mind yours too, Uncle."
"Look at this brat, all grown up and talking back like that."
"I’m over forty myself, you know…."
My uncle, already deep into the holiday liquor, always asks me the same thing. He asked it a few months ago too. Relatives never have much else to talk about when they meet, but recycling the exact same routine for years is still a bit much.
"Hurry up and come inside, everyone—time to get ready~"
The main room was spacious enough for ten people with room to spare, and the whole family filed in. On the ancestral table sat photographs of Grandfather and of Father.
"All right… let’s bow."
Starting with my eldest uncle, now past seventy, everyone performed the deep bows.
"……No matter how many times I see it, I still can’t get used to this."
Eldest Uncle stared at the memorial portraits with a heavy expression. Father had died in a traffic accident twenty years ago.
"That’s enough. Let’s eat."
"Yeah."
"Oof…."
At their ages, not a single person managed to stand up without a groan. Good thing I’d kept up with exercise; I was one of the least affected.
"Ah—"
"Oh, sorry. Did I bump you?"
"No, I’m fine."
While carrying dishes to the table I collided with my older sister. Park A-young, now a married woman well past forty. My real sister. Her daughter was already a high-school senior, grown up bright and full of life—though the catch was that mother and daughter barely saw each other these days.
"Is Brother-in-law coming?"
"Yeah. He’ll be here soon with Ye-rim."
A-young swept her long hair back and looked at me.
"Ye-rim’s coming? Isn’t she right in the middle of studying? The college entrance exam’s almost here."
"Of course she’s coming~ To see Grandma. You know how much Ye-rim adores her."
"Still feels a little awkward…."
"Come on. Try getting closer to her."
"I’ll handle it…."
Even as a child Ye-rim had always seemed to keep her distance from me. At first I thought it was because I looked intimidating; now… that impression just seemed to have stuck.
"Brother-in-law."
"Oh, you made it."
"Yeah. Traffic was bad, so we’re just getting here."
A-young’s husband, Cha Ji-young. Same age as her; they had dated for six years before marrying. These days he was a department manager at a successful company.
"Hello~"
"Ye-rim’s here~"
"Mother-in-law, Ye-rim’s arrived."
"Oh my little one~ Come give Grandma a hug?"
"Yes~"
And behind her father, kicking off her shoes as she stepped inside, was the high-school senior herself—Cha Ye-rim. Her neatly cut bob in a soft brown shade framed a pretty face. Following in her mother’s footsteps, she was working hard toward music college. Among the younger relatives she was the only girl, and popular because of it.
"He—"
I missed the chance to greet her again after so long. Every time we met it went the same way; we barely managed a conversation. The only real exchange was the polite little bow she gave me when it was time to leave.
"Food’s ready, so come eat already~"
"Yes~"
At last the whole family sat down together and ate well.
"Haa…."
While the other relatives drank heavily and played cards, I stepped outside for a quiet smoke, letting the night air wash over me. Anyone who has ever felt that particular loneliness—and the way the wind seems to soothe it—knows exactly what I mean.
"…Uncle."
"Hm… Hm? Me?"
"Who else would I mean, Uncle?"
"R-right. Hi."
Ye-rim had come outside, probably because the house had grown too loud. For a moment I thought maybe this was finally our chance to get closer—until I saw her expression. Something was off. No—she looked like she was wary of me.
"I need to talk to you."
"Talk?"
"Yes. Something really important."
"…About what?"
Ye-rim grabbed the hem of my jacket and pulled me all the way to the nearby park. Whatever this important conversation was, her whole manner made it clear she wasn’t joking.
"You know… I…."
"Yeah… Yeah?! Why are you crying? Did something happen?"
"No… I’m not crying…."
She wiped away the tears that kept rolling down. Only after I bought her a drink and she finally calmed did she open her mouth again.
"I… don’t look anything like Dad, do I?"
"Huh…? What are you talking about…."
"Everyone who sees me says I only take after Mom… There’s not a single part of me that looks like Dad."
"…Yeah."
"So I started wondering if Mom had an affair, and I looked into it… but there wasn’t anyone like that…."
Ye-rim let out a long breath and swallowed the tears that tried to rise again.
"The only person left is you, Uncle… People say you and Mom were really close."
"……."
"Am I… your daughter, Uncle?"
"……."
Her words hit me like a landslide. My heart hammered the same way it had back then; my breath caught in my throat. Things I was never supposed to remember began flooding back.
"That reaction… so it’s true…."
"……."
"Tell me. Uncle… no… Dad…?"
Everything that had started twenty years ago between me and my older sister.