Chapter 77
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 77
After seeing Yeon-ju off at the door, Eun-seong stood dazed in the entryway. He couldn’t bring himself to release the doorknob, his hand twitching several times before he finally let out a short, resigned sigh.
He walked toward Han-byeol, guided by the boy’s high-pitched squeals, which reached nearly dolphin-like frequencies.
Two days ago, he had stripped away his chic interior decor, replacing it with a custom design tailored to a child’s eye level. The living room, redecorated by hired professionals, was a dazzling spectacle from top to bottom, resembling a department store display right before Christmas. Han-byeol, who had walked in without a care, was now staring blankly, squealing at the top of his lungs.
A Bearbrick studded with thousands of crystals sparkled brilliantly. A model train chugged along a large track installed on the floor, and a mountain of ribbon-wrapped boxes—presumably birthday presents—was piled high in one corner.
“Happy Birthday” balloons covered an entire wall, while beautifully designed balloons floated across the ceiling. Atop a three-tier chocolate cake shrouded in a mist of dry ice, the words [ONE STAR] were written—the nickname Eun-seong had given Han-byeol.
A wooden clothing rack held winter outerwear from various designer brands, alongside a display of wearable hero costumes. Beneath a tall slide lay piles of Hawaiian chocolate and brand-new shoes. Unable to settle on just one thing, Han-byeol darted from place to place, stomping his feet in pure excitement. Watching him, a warm, gentle smile spread across Eun-seong’s face.
It felt as though he was using muscles he rarely touched, making his own expression feel foreign. Is this what they call a fatherly smile?
“How is it, One Star? Do you like it?”
“Totally! I really, really love it!”
Expressing emotions he couldn't put into words with his entire body, Han-byeol rolled around on the floor. He looked just like a frolicking colt, and Eun-seong let out a genuine, hearty laugh.
“Is all of this really mine?”
“Of course. Everything here is yours.”
“Yaaaaay!”
He climbed right onto the sofa and began bouncing up and down. Though Han-byeol was jumping with abandon on a couch that cost well over a hundred million won, all Eun-seong could see was the child’s joy-filled face.
After bouncing around long enough to make a spectator breathless, Han-byeol finally plopped down on the sofa and looked up at Eun-seong.
“But where’s my mom?”
He was wondering when he’d ask.
“Your mom said she’ll come pick you up later.”
Leaning against the wall, Eun-seong watched Han-byeol for a moment before walking over to the sofa. He sat down next to the boy.
“Until your mom comes, you and I are going to have the greatest birthday party on earth for the next four hours. How does that sound?”
“The greatest on earth? What does that mean?”
“It means the absolute best. Ready?”
Han-byeol seemed to mull it over for a moment, then squeezed his eyes shut and broke into a bright laugh. Watching the boy’s contagious smile, Eun-seong found himself grinning in the exact same way.
“Ready!”
“Alright! Let’s have some fun!”
Eun-seong and Han-byeol put on matching party hats, and just like that, an unforgettable birthday party began.
* * *
They shared the food he had prepared, played an augmented reality game, and then moved on to the Omok and soccer games that Han-byeol was currently obsessed with. After opening the presents one by one, Han-byeol finally picked up the birthday card.
“Can I read this now?”
“Well, I’d prefer if you read it when you get home…”
Han-byeol opened the card anyway.
Why did he even ask if he was just going to open it? Eun-seong cleared his throat with a soft cough and looked away.
[May your brightness light up your life more than anything else. Happy birthday. —Im Eun-seong.]
Han-byeol stared at the card for a long moment before looking up.
“My grandmother told me to shine brightly on the world. Because stars light the way for people.”
“That’s nice too, but you shouldn’t neglect yourself while trying to light the way for others.”
“…”
“People who are happy can make those around them happy without even trying. So you have to make sure you’re happy first. Promise me.”
Eun-seong gently patted Han-byeol’s head.
My son, who came into this world without my knowledge, growing up so fast while I was busy running all over the globe.
Now that his turbulent thoughts had settled and the tangled mess of resentment had faded, a poignant, heartbreaking regret for the years he could never get back washed over him. How had he been born? How had he grown into such a beautiful child? The more Eun-seong thought about it, the more a lump formed in his throat.
“Happy birthday.”
“Thank you.”
The flush of excitement on Han-byeol’s cheeks had faded, and he was now biting his lip. He fidgeted with the card, swinging his legs back and forth as if searching for the right words.
“But, um…”
“What is it?”
“Are we not going to see each other anymore?”
Han-byeol avoided his gaze, still swinging his legs. Looking at the boy who had cast aside all the expensive gifts just to hold onto the card, Eun-seong spoke slowly.
“Why? Do you think we won’t see each other again?”
“Yes. You’re busy, mister.”
Though he couldn’t put it into words, the boy had a feeling this was their last meeting. He seemed convinced that a party like this wouldn’t happen every year.
“Can I… just take one present today?”
“Why is that?”
“So I can take another one on my next birthday.”
“…”
“And another one on the birthday after that.”
It was the polite consideration of a ten-year-old. Knowing he couldn’t ask for a party like this every year, he wanted to stretch out the gifts that were already here. If the mister didn’t have to prepare anything new, he wouldn’t feel burdened, and maybe he would want to see Han-byeol again.
“I just… really want to see you again, mister.”
Hearing Han-byeol’s voice grow smaller and smaller, Eun-seong felt a sudden burn behind his eyes. He looked up at the ceiling, forcing down the rising emotion.
He wanted to reassure the boy before he misunderstood, but he couldn’t bring himself to speak, fearing his voice would tremble.
“I just… thought about it. There are so many expensive things, so, um, taking them all at once feels a bit too much. Can I just take one—”
“Let’s meet again.”
So this is what it feels like to have your heart break.
“Huh? Really?”
A hot rush of emotion surged through Eun-seong’s chest.
“One Star. Did you think you’d never see me again?”
“N-no! I want to see you!”
“Then we will. We can see each other as much as you want. So take all the presents. Next year, I’ll get you something else.”
Only then did Han-byeol slowly look up to meet his eyes. Eun-seong swallowed the thick lump in his throat and forced a smile.
“One Star. You might not know this, but it’s written in… the Film Performance Act or something. Once a father, always a father, and once a son, always a son. That’s not something that can be easily broken or changed. Got it?”
“Oh… okay…”
“Do you not like that?”
“No!”
“Then let’s keep seeing each other. We’ll meet when I’m busy, when I’m free, when we’re bored, and when we’re happy.”
The boy’s clear, dark eyes sparkled. Catching a fleeting glimpse of Yeon-ju in his features, Eun-seong gently caressed Han-byeol’s cheek.
“You know what? I have a secret. Want to hear it?”
Han-byeol, who had leaned into the touch, looked back at Eun-seong. Intrigued by the mention of a secret, he climbed right onto Eun-seong’s lap.
Cupping his hands around his mouth like a megaphone, he whispered into Eun-seong’s ear.
“Actually… I’m a Second Nine Years Old.”
It meant he was ten.
“My mom said I’m special, so I get to have two birthdays. I don’t usually tell anyone, but I’m telling you because you’re special.”
Eun-seong quietly pulled the boy into an embrace. Though the arms of a grown man felt entirely different from his mother’s, they were warm and comforting. Han-byeol snuggled deep into his chest and mumbled.
“It’s a secret, so you have to keep it to yourself. Okay?”
“Alright. I’ll keep your secret. Thanks for telling me.”
Eun-seong held the boy in his arms for a long, long time.
* * *
After killing time at a cafe near Eun-seong’s apartment, Yeon-ju returned. It had been five hours since she first sent her son inside.
When she rang the bell, Eun-seong opened the door. The moment he did, he pressed a finger to his lips, shushing her. Yeon-ju’s eyes widened.
“He’s exhausted and sleeping. Completely knocked out.”
“What? Han-byeol is?”
Huh? It’s not even his bedtime yet.
Yeon-ju checked the time, looking bewildered. What on earth had they done for the boy to pass out like this at someone else’s house?
Stepping inside after taking off her shoes, Yeon-ju’s jaw dropped. Looking at the disaster zone that was the living room, she could easily guess how wild the party had been.
“W-what in the world is all this?”
“This is what happens when you try to make up for ten years all at once.”
“Still, this is way too much.”
“It’s not enough. If it were up to me, I would’ve rented out an entire amusement park. I actually held back.”
Glancing at Eun-seong, whose sense of scale was on another level entirely, Yeon-ju quietly began to tidy up. He watched her, raising an eyebrow.
“Leave it. What do you think you’re doing?”
“How can I just leave it when the place looks like this? Let me clean up a bit.”
“Do you have some kind of disease where you’ll die if you sit still? Why do you feel the need to clean every single thing you see?”
“Someone has to do it. It would take you a whole week to clean this up, Actor Im.”
“I have people who do that for me. Just leave it.”
Ah. Yeon-ju stood up straight, holding a handful of party popper debris. An awkward silence settled between them. She looked around the room before speaking.
“Where is Han-byeol? Where is he sleeping?”
“In my bed.”
“I’ll wake him up and take him home.”
“Wake him up? The kid is practically in a coma. I’ll drive you home, so just wait.”
“Oh, no, you don’t have to do that,” Yeon-ju said, waving her hands dismissively. “I’ll just call a cab. Please don’t trouble yourself.”
“You have a mountain of things to take back. Can you handle all that on your own?”
Eun-seong pointed toward the pile of gifts. Looking at the mountain of presents, which seemed large enough to fill a small moving truck, Yeon-ju’s jaw dropped once again.
“How can you give a child this many presents? He’s still so young.”
“Even a kid knows that more is always better.”
“Unbelievable,” Yeon-ju muttered, pressing a hand to her forehead. Eun-seong smirked and gestured with his chin.
“What are you standing around for? Start packing. There’s a dolly by the door, so stack them up nicely.”
“Sigh, how on earth am I supposed to get all this home?”
“You could always take them back in shifts over the next few days.”
“No, thank you. I’ll just take them all today.”
Yeon-ju rolled up her sleeves, determined to move every last box tonight. Eun-seong raised an eyebrow and nodded, as if to say, Suit yourself.
“I’ll go grab my car keys.”
“Aren’t you going to help?”
“My hands will be full carrying Han-byeol. You do it.”
“So petty.”
Pouting, Yeon-ju picked up the first gift box. Eun-seong let out a soft chuckle as he turned and walked into the bedroom.