Epilogue 10
Translator: RaidenTL
Epilogue 10
The entire car ride was a whirlwind. Eun-seong's mother, Mrs. Park, blasted country music and chattered endlessly to Yeon-ju and Han-byeol.
Clutching a pre-written memo, Mrs. Park rattled off a list of Han-byeol’s favorites, Yeon-ju’s favorites, and a full itinerary of things they had to do. She presented it all like a formal report, making it clear she had come fully prepared.
By the end of it, Yeon-ju wondered if this was truly their first meeting. She had never encountered anyone with such an overwhelming presence, regardless of age or gender. Strangely, though Mrs. Park’s voice was high and loud, it wasn’t grating. She talked and laughed nonstop, yet she possessed a peculiar charm that made you want to keep listening.
It was a bit much, but humans are adaptable creatures. Gradually, Yeon-ju adjusted to Mrs. Park’s boisterous energy. Even Han-byeol, who had spent most of the ride staring wide-eyed and silent, began to acclimate to her way of speaking.
“From today on, every single day is a party! A party! Let’s enjoy life! Han-byeol, are you ready?”
“Uh, I’m not really ready, but I think I can do it.”
“Don’t worry, sweetie! No preparation needed! Just bring your spirit! All we have to do is live our one and only life beautifully, excitingly, and happily! Okay?”
Unable to answer right away, Han-byeol just looked up at his mom and shrugged. Seeing this, Eun-seong tapped his mother’s shoulder from the back seat, pleading with her to let them travel in peace.
“I’m getting carsick. I’m getting carsick because of you, Mom.”
“Why me? How is your carsickness my fault? I’m not driving, and I didn’t make this road bumpy. You’re just a weakling. It’s wrong to shift the blame. Understand?”
“…”
“Just overcome it! Look at your father!”
“No, I’ll overcome it, so please just be qui—”
“Honey! Your driving is top-notch! You know that, right? Best driver! Don’t you dare lose heart, even if Eun-seong complains!”
“No, I said you’re the problem, Mom. Why are you dragging Dad into this when he’s just driving quietly…”
“Alright! We’re almost there! We’ve practically arrived, so everyone, rejoice!”
…Eun-seong, who had barely gotten a word in, leaned back against his seat with a groan. He shook his head as if he were dizzy, then glanced at Han-byeol and Yeon-ju.
Leaning in close, he whispered to Yeon-ju.
“I didn’t know how to explain her, so I couldn’t warn you. You get it now, right?”
“Yes,” Yeon-ju nodded. “I understand completely. And it didn’t take long.”
Eun-seong raised his eyebrows as the car, still filled with its cheerful rhythm, finally arrived at the house. The interior, packed with balloons, was even more chaotic.
* * *
“Oh, you know how to do that all by yourself? How wonderful!”
As Mrs. Park carried plates of food out for dinner, Han-byeol followed close behind, holding the water pitcher. Mrs. Park didn’t miss the chance to praise him.
From start to finish, she showered him with compliments. She didn’t miss a single detail, finding every little thing to praise in her signature style. Feeling self-conscious, since carrying a water pitcher was hardly a grand feat, Han-byeol looked a bit embarrassed.
“It’s really nothing.”
“What do you mean, nothing? Because you helped, Grandma didn’t have to make an extra trip. That’s a huge help. Thank you.”
“Well, okay. I’m glad it helped. I’ll bring the cups, too.”
“Wow, give him one task and he does ten! You’re going to be an incredibly talented young man!”
Setting out the small plates, Yeon-ju let out a soft laugh. This was completely different from the in-laws and family dynamic she had imagined.
Eun-seong’s father, Professor Im Su-cheol, had left his professorship in Korea to take a position at a public university in Australia, which was how they ended up settling here. Though Mrs. Park had uprooted her life for her husband’s career, she had adapted faster than anyone, quickly befriending the neighbors. By sharing Korean traditions and food, she had earned a reputation as the warm, friendly neighbor from Korea.
None of the typical, dreaded questions were asked. Nor was there any of the usual awkwardness that accompanied such meetings. There were no remarks like, How hard it must have been to raise a child alone, or Why did you only come to us now?
Mrs. Park simply treated them as if they had known each other for a very long time—as if they were already family. That was all.
“Mother, should I bring this dish over, too?”
“I’ll take that one. You see, this is my absolute favorite dish. I only bring it out when I’m at my happiest. Anyone who eats from this dish is guaranteed to be happy.”
“Ah, I see.”
Yeon-ju had only asked if she could carry it, but the elaborate reply made her burst into a soft laugh. Mrs. Park immediately laughed along with her.
“See? Just holding the dish makes you happy, doesn’t it? That’s the kind of dish this is. A true messenger of happiness!”
“Yes, it really does. I feel happier already.”
“Wonderful! In that case, I must bring out a few more. That way, we’ll be even happier. Just a moment.”
Mrs. Park opened the cupboard to grab more dishes. Eun-seong, who was carving a large roast, chimed in.
“Bring out dishes that are easy to wash, Mom. Don’t just grab everything.”
“And why should I do that, son? The dishes are what give a dining table its dignity and class!”
“Because I’m the one doing the dishes.”
“Ah. In that case, I’ll bring out a few more. Thank you for the thoughtful reminder.”
“…”
As she enthusiastically pulled out even more plates, Eun-seong let out a heavy sigh. Mrs. Park looked at Yeon-ju and laughed even louder.
“The dishwasher is going to do all the work anyway, yet he’s worrying over nothing. Right?”
“I always pre-rinse them first,” he muttered.
“Oh, what a wonderful attitude! Son, I hope you remain so proactive and meticulous in every aspect of your life. I have high hopes for your bright future.”
“…”
Exhausted by her ten-to-one reply ratio, Eun-seong clamped his mouth shut. Yeon-ju glanced back and forth between her mother-in-law and Eun-seong before finally bursting into laughter.
“Yeon-ju, why are you laughing?”
“Because I’m holding so many of these happiness-bringing dishes. I feel even happier now.”
As Yeon-ju took the plates from Mrs. Park with a smile, Mrs. Park beamed back as if to say, Yes, exactly!
Yeon-ju smiled warmly, her lips curving into a bright grin.
“You really have a beautiful smile, don’t you? Like an angel. How can anyone smile so prettily and cutely? I feel like taking a picture right now!”
…Suddenly, Yeon-ju found herself wondering.
How, with a mother like this…
“Mom! Please, stop! We’re going to pass out from exhaustion before we even get to eat!”
…could such a son have been born?
* * *
After a lively dinner and cleanup, Eun-seong, Han-byeol, and Eun-seong’s father went out to the yard to fix some old light bulbs. Sipping the warm cocoa they had made, Mrs. Park watched the three of them through the window.
“We needed to change those bulbs anyway, so this worked out perfectly. Eun-seong is always so good at helping his father with things like that. I think his father was secretly waiting for Eun-seong to visit so they could do it together.”
“Ah, I see.”
“And now that his grandson has joined in, it’s just wonderful to watch. It’s the exact picture-perfect scene I always dreamed of.”
The solar-powered garden lights were buried deep in the ground, so pulling them up and replacing them took some time. The hanging string lights also needed new bulbs, keeping the three of them busy.
Mrs. Park smiled warmly at the sight.
“Han-byeol seems so independent and proactive. He has such a strong desire to help out with whatever needs doing.”
“Do you think so? I’ve never really thought about it that way.”
“You raised a wonderful child. You’ve been a fantastic mother, Yeon-ju.”
Sipping her cocoa, Yeon-ju froze for a moment before lowering her mug. Mrs. Park kept her eyes fixed on the window, a gentle smile on her lips.
After a brief hesitation, Yeon-ju took a quiet breath and spoke. No matter how she thought about it, there was something she felt she had to say.
“I’m so sorry for surprising you like this.”
“Oh, heavens, no. What are you talking about? Sorry? Don’t say such things.”
“You must have been so shocked at first, suddenly finding out about the child.”
A trace of self-consciousness lingered in the way Yeon-ju brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. Mrs. Park shifted her gaze to look gently at her. Her voice was calmer now than it had been all day.
“Well, was I shocked? In a way, ‘surprised’ is the right word, but more than anything, I was incredibly happy.”
“Right from the start?”
“Yes. Right from the start.”
Taking a sip of her cocoa, Mrs. Park continued.
“Eun-seong called me and said he had found the woman he loved and his son. But to my ears, what he was really saying was, ‘Mom, I’m happy now.’”
“…”
“Parents can never truly know everything about their grown children, and all I’ve ever wanted was for Eun-seong to live a life that makes him happy. No matter how famous he is or how much money he makes, those are just external things that have nothing to do with genuine joy. It always broke my heart to feel like he was missing that inner happiness.”
Mrs. Park reached out and took Yeon-ju’s hand. The warmth from the cocoa mug transferred to the back of Yeon-ju’s hand.
“If my son is happy, what more could I possibly ask for? ‘Ah, so you’re happy now? Then that’s all that matters. Your father and I are happy too. Congratulations.’ I think that’s exactly how I responded.”
“Thank you…” Not knowing what else to say, Yeon-ju lowered her head and murmured softly. Mrs. Park gently patted the back of her hand, urging her to look up.
“You deserve to be happy. Nothing in life is more important than that. As long as you don’t trample on someone else’s joy to get it, and as long as you pursue it in a fair, healthy way, nothing else matters. Holding on to that truth is the homework we’re all given for life.”
“Yes…”
“Thank you for becoming part of our family. I want you to live a joyful, happy life. If you do, Han-byeol will naturally grow up happy just by watching his mom and dad. I’m sure of it.”
…Yeon-ju nodded, her heart swelling with a profound warmth.
Now, she finally understood why he had always pursued such a simple kind of happiness. His belief—that the simpler you make your life, the happier you become—wasn’t just a passing thought. It was a lesson born of long experience, a core conviction passed down from his parents.
“Thank you for welcoming me into your family, too.”
Yeon-ju offered a soft, tender smile.
“I hope we can all be happy together.”
Instead of answering, Mrs. Park simply beamed. At that exact moment, the garden outside lit up with a brilliant, warm glow.
It was a moment of pure, unadulterated happiness.