Chapter 55
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 55
Would you like to come to my house on my birthday?
Before long, Friday morning arrived.
After his workout, Eun-seong was soaking in the tub when Han-byeol suddenly crossed his mind. He let out a quiet sigh.
A birthday. A child's birthday.
To a young elementary schooler, a birthday was a special and precious thing—a time when simply turning a year older brought pure joy, a time spent for days on end making invitations, their hearts swelling with anticipation.
He knew it wasn't just a simple invitation. He felt a complicated mix of gratitude and unease that such a small, sweet child wanted him there for the brightest, most joyful moment of his life.
Will I be there for your birthday next year? Will I be able to be there the year after that?
Like a footprint in wet cement, the boy had already left an indelible mark on his heart.
Would you like to come to my house on my birthday?
Things he wouldn't have given a second thought when he considered Han-byeol just someone else's child now weighed on his heart. The boy's slightly peculiar way of speaking, picked up from the grandmother who’d raised him while his mother worked to make a living, now struck him as poignant and sorrowful.
During their first shoot, the boy’s composure had been extraordinary. He hadn't cried despite being terrified and had never thrown a single tantrum throughout the long hours of waiting.
He realized such traits might not have been entirely innate. A child who believes they have something to protect is bound to mature too quickly, often missing out on their childhood.
Sigh. As his thoughts deepened, he splashed water on his face. Watching the droplets fall from his chin only made him feel emptier.
Then, he looked down at his own hands. Recalling the child's hand, whose thumb looked exactly like his, he slowly opened and closed his fist.
The rich, woody scent of the hinoki tub, designed to resemble a hot spring, brushed against his nose. This time, he took a deep breath and stared down at his hands for a long moment.
Then, letting out a heavy sigh as if he couldn't make sense of anything, he lifted his head. Now that he had grown attached to Han-byeol—a boy he had resolved never to care for—another question began to rise like steam.
Why did she break up with the child's father?
As if to dismiss the thought, he plunged his hands back into the water with a splash. He bent his knees, sinking up to his shoulders before submerging his face completely.
After holding his breath for a long while, he burst back to the surface with a great splash. Exhaling all at once, he wiped his face with a towel and picked up his phone.
He called Yeon-ju, whose number was already on his speed dial. After one, two... six rings, her voice came through.
—Yes. It's me.
Her usual, formal greeting of "This is Go Yeon-ju" was gone, but her voice was just as dry and devoid of emotion. Hearing her flat tone, Eun-seong rubbed his temples.
"What are you doing?"
—I'm at home.
She only ever answered what was asked, never initiating a question of her own, and it made him feel slighted.
As time went on, his regrets and disappointments only piled up. But there was nothing he could do. The one who loved more was always the weaker one.
—Why did you call?
The question he’d been waiting for finally came, yet it only made him feel more dejected.
Unable to invent a reason on the spot, Eun-seong squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed his throbbing temples. How should I put this?
"You don't have any plans tomorrow, right? Since it's the weekend."
—Ah... tomorrow.
"Answer quickly. And don't try to lie."
—Yes. I don't have any plans tomorrow.
At her honest admission, Eun-seong sat up a little straighter. Water trickled down the lines of his well-defined muscles as he turned his head to glance at the clock.
"Then spend just one day with me."
—What? Doing what?
"I said, let's spend just one day together."
Perhaps she was in shock, because this time there was no response at all. He bit his lip, the silence stretching nervously, before quickly adding:
"Have you seen the autumn foliage this year?"
—The autumn foliage? Yes.
"Ah. You did."
When did she even have the time, busy as she is?
Eun-seong swallowed his words with a sigh. Then, Yeon-ju added an explanation.
—I saw plenty of autumn leaves at the park in front of my house. That's good enough.
The moment she finished speaking, Eun-seong snorted. How could she compare that?
"Look, seeing maple trees in a park is nothing. If that's all you've seen, then it's perfect. I'll show you autumn foliage you'll never forget, so just come with me."
—Who spends two days just looking at autumn leaves?
"We can talk about that after you see it. Instead of bickering, why don't you get ready so we can leave earlier?"
Eun-seong stepped out of the tub. He could sense her resolve wavering, and he knew this was no time to hesitate.
"I'll pick you up. Just pack light and come out."
—Excuse me, Actor Im.
Eun-seong froze, halfway through wrapping a towel around his waist. He swallowed hard, expecting another flat rejection. If she said no, he would have no choice but to back down.
"Is that a no? If you can't make it, we can always try next ti—"
—Should I pack some Tuna Gimbap?
Eun-seong's mouth fell open. He blinked several times, then nodded vigorously like a man possessed.
"Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'd be incredibly grateful if you did."
—Then call me when you're leaving.
Yeon-ju hung up first. Holding the now-silent phone, Eun-seong stared blankly into the mirror.
Yes! He squeezed his eyes shut, letting out a silent roar of triumph before dashing toward his dressing room. This felt like winning the lottery.
*
A Journey on Frost Descent
After abruptly hanging up, Yeon-ju pressed the hand holding her phone to her chest. Thump, thump. Her heart was pounding so wildly she had to catch her breath. She took several deep, open-mouthed breaths to steady herself before leaving her room and heading for the kitchen.
Acutely aware of how little time she had left with him, she couldn't resist the desire to make whatever memories she could.
"Mom, do we have any gimbap ingredients left?"
"Ingredients? We've got spinach and everything else, why?"
They often made gimbap at her house, as Han-byeol loved Tuna Gimbap.
Although he wasn't a picky eater, he had a small appetite. Whenever he skipped meals, his grandmother would roll gimbap as a last resort to get him to eat, a practice that had eventually become a habit.
Around ten in the morning, with Han-byeol at school, Yeon-ju cautiously opened the refrigerator, keeping an eye on her mother, who was engrossed in a home shopping channel. Switching channels, Mrs. Na asked listlessly,
"Are you making gimbap?"
"Just a few rolls."
"We have some white kimchi, so you might as well throw that in too."
"I'm just going to make a few tuna ones. Do you want some, Mom?"
"No, I'm fine. Want me to fry up some egg garnish for you?"
"I'll do it. I'll pack a few rolls to take with me, and if there's any left over, I'll make some for Han-byeol too."
Flipping through the channels with a bored expression, Mrs. Na glanced at Yeon-ju. Take with her?
"Are you going somewhere?"
"Ah, well, Mom..."
Yeon-ju hesitated, having taken out a few eggs for the garnish. She could have easily said something had come up, but she paused too long and missed her chance.
"What is it? Where are you going that you can't even tell me?"
"Uh... to see the autumn leaves..."
"To see what? The autumn leaves?"
Mrs. Na looked skeptical, as if she couldn't believe her ears. The idea of her daughter suddenly going to see the autumn leaves was so absurdly out of character that she scratched her ear in bafflement.
"What kind of grand sightseeing are you doing that you're even packing gimbap? Where are you going?"
"I don't really know either."
"Who are you going with? Hae-young?"
"No, I'm not going with her."
The more they talked, the more Yeon-ju felt like she was being trapped in a maze. Mrs. Na set the remote control down and stared intently at her daughter. Her daughter, mumbling and refusing to give a straight answer, looked incredibly suspicious. She couldn't even meet her gaze, like someone with a guilty conscience.
"I thought you were making the egg garnish. Why are you just standing there?"
"Ah, right."
"Add a splash of cooking wine."
"Okay."
As if her batteries had been swapped out, Yeon-ju sprang back into action. Mrs. Na looked back at the TV with a renewed lack of interest. A tedious commercial for a funeral service was playing, but she forgot to change the channel, lost in thought.
Then, she looked back at Yeon-ju.
"Well, well. You must be getting old, too. Since when do you care about autumn leaves?"
"I know, right?"
"When are you coming back?"
"Uh... I'm planning to come back tomorrow..."
Oh my. This time, Mrs. Na's jaw dropped. She stared and stared, wondering if the sly fox making egg garnish was really her daughter.
She was going on a two-day, one-night trip to see the autumn leaves. Yeon-ju, who had never once left Han-byeol behind to go anywhere. Her daughter, who had never spent a night away from home unless it was strictly for work.
As Mrs. Na watched her in utter disbelief, Yeon-ju turned around, holding a wide spatula. It had finally occurred to her that she had skipped a crucial step.
"Uh, hey, Mom. It's okay if I go, right?"
"Low heat, low heat! The egg is going to burn."
Instead of answering, her mother told her to adjust the heat. Yeon-ju turned the burner down to a simmer and looked back at her.
"I can go, right? It's fine, isn't it?"
Yeon-ju asked cautiously, trying to read her mother's expression. Mrs. Na just stared at her for a moment before waving a hand dismissively. She mindlessly flipped the channel and spoke.
"Would I stop you even if you wanted to travel the world? Go on. While you're at it, I might as well take Han-byeol over to Jin-ju's place."
"Ah, really? Then I should tell Han-byeol too."
"Don't bother. It's not like he's a toddler who clings to his mother all day. Just leave him be. I'll explain it to him when he gets home."
"Ah, well, okay."
Once permission was granted, Yeon-ju raised her eyebrows and went back to frying the egg. Mrs. Na pretended to focus on the TV, but she quietly stole a glance at her daughter's back.
Her daughter's face was already flushed as red as a bride's hair ornaments.
Who needs autumn leaves? Her face is the very picture of autumn in full bloom. Mrs. Na took a short breath and let a faint smile grace her lips.
Yeon-ju quickly rolled the Tuna Gimbap. In the meantime, a message arrived from Eun-seong saying he had departed.
It was the time of Frost Descent, the period between Cold Dew and the Start of Winter—a time when the dazzling brilliance of the autumn foliage, having reached its peak, was just beginning to fade.
Leaving her child behind, her very first picnic—her very first journey—had begun.