Chapter 93: The Face I've Waited For
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 93: The Face I've Waited For
Following the scandal surrounding Yeonildam, the CEO of his former agency, Eun-seong was hit with a relentless barrage of articles and public scrutiny. Inquiries from reporters flooded in, and journalists began camping out near his filming set.
Seizing the opportunity to boost their views, so-called "cyber wreckers" scrambled to upload speculative, stitched-together videos. They didn't just spread unverified rumors; they fabricated entirely baseless stories, making it seem as if Eun-seong had actually said and done these things. The more sensational the content, the more the views exploded, and these lies began to circulate as if they were the gospel truth.
Amidst this chaos, Eun-seong finished his final shoot. He wrapped up his last scenes with a calm, resolute attitude, as if the surrounding turmoil had nothing to do with him, and promised the staff they would celebrate at an upcoming wrap party.
Tae-gon's life, meanwhile, had plummeted overnight. He became a fixture on the front pages of the social affairs section, and due to concerns that he might destroy evidence, he was immediately arrested for investigation. The footage of a haggard Tae-gon being dragged away by detectives was the last the public saw of him.
The day after filming wrapped, Eun-seong, who had kept his phone off, dressed more immaculately than ever and headed to Yeon-ju's house. Knowing he couldn't go empty-handed, he had agonized over what to bring before finally preparing five roots of century-old family wild ginseng as an introductory gift. He also brought a box of pomfret as big as an adult's forearm, just as he had once promised her, along with various other presents.
Though he had become someone rarely unnerved by anything, Eun-seong could not keep his composure today. His chest felt tight throughout the drive, his face was tense with anxiety, and even after arriving, he couldn't bring himself to get out of the car.
He turned off the ignition and looked up at the building where she lived.
It was around lunchtime, when Han-byeol would be at school and the house would be empty. Eun-seong drank some bottled water to soothe his churning stomach. Only after gulping down more than half of it did he finally pick up his phone, turn it on, and call Yeon-ju.
—Hello?
A smile naturally formed on Eun-seong’s face the moment she answered. Only then did the breath trapped in his chest finally escape in a long, comfortable sigh.
"It's me."
—Yes. Where are you?
"I'm here. Right outside your house."
—Ah! Wait there! I'm coming out right now!
The call ended. With a short, deep breath, Eun-seong got out of the car. Just as he opened the trunk and lifted the bundle of gifts, Yeon-ju came running out of the villa’s entrance.
"You should have just come inside. Why did you buy so much?" Yeon-ju let out a small gasp, her eyes widening at the endless stream of gift boxes.
"It's a bribe. I figured if I brought enough, your mother might hit me a little less."
"Hit you? Honestly..."
As Yeon-ju's voice trailed off, they shared the load of boxes wrapped in smooth silk cloths. Eun-seong straightened his back. They looked into each other's eyes, a silent question passing between them: Are you ready?
"Let's go in," Yeon-ju said, gesturing with her head for him to follow.
Eun-seong nodded and followed her.
*
Today, Mrs. Na woke up at four in the morning. She tossed and turned, trying to get a little more sleep, but it was no use. She finally got out of bed thirty minutes later.
Yesterday, she hadn't said much to Yeon-ju, who had spent the entire day cleaning while walking on eggshells around her. She hadn't asked a single question about what to feed their guest or what kind of food he liked.
She felt not a shred of joy or relief that her daughter had, after all these years of struggle, finally found the child's father. Nor did she have any intention of running out barefoot to welcome him.
She finished her morning routine just like any other day—preparing Han-byeol's breakfast, doing the laundry, and taking out the food waste. She even sat on the sofa and drank a cup of sweet instant coffee mix.
Mrs. Na was trying her best not to act any differently. She didn't want to make a fuss, fearing it would only put more of a burden on her daughter.
"Mom, he's here. I'm going out to meet him, I'll be right back."
With that same cautious, tiptoeing look on her face, Yeon-ju stepped out the front door. Mrs. Na, who had been reading her Bible through her reading glasses, felt a heavy stone drop into her heart with a thud.
The moment her daughter stepped outside, Mrs. Na's lips went dry and her throat burned. Suddenly, her heart began to pound so violently that the vibrations seemed to travel all the way to her head.
With her lips sealed tight, Mrs. Na sat on the sofa. A moment later, she heard the beep of the front door keypad. She closed her eyes slowly, then forced them open.
"Mom. We're here."
...We.
The word sounded so foreign coming from her daughter's lips. Hearing the sound of gift boxes being set down in the entryway, Mrs. Na stood up.
She walked slowly toward the foyer. Looking up, she stared at the child's father, who had just taken off his shoes and stepped inside.
Eun-seong bowed deeply. As he straightened up, his eyes met Mrs. Na's. Her lips parted slightly.
"...Oh my."
Oh my. A sigh escaped her lips before she could stop it. Though others might not have noticed, in Mrs. Na's eyes, Eun-seong looked just like Han-byeol. The face of the child's father was a perfect reflection of her precious grandson, whom she loved more than life itself.
"Oh my... Oh my..."
Mrs. Na collapsed right where she stood. Then, tears of deep, long-held sorrow—tears she hadn't expected to shed—began to drip onto the floor. The moment she saw his face, the resolve she had held onto for over a decade, the strength she had mustered with clenched teeth to protect Yeon-ju, seemed to crumble.
For a split second, it felt as though a grown-up Han-byeol from the future had opened the door and walked in, sending a searing, heart-wrenching heat through her chest.
It was like seeing the child fully grown—a sight she thought she would never live to see before she turned to dust.
Han-byeol. This is how you will grow up. You will grow up so beautifully. You will grow up to have a face like this, and you will become your mother's constant joy and happiness.
"M-Mom. Mom!"
A panicked Yeon-ju tried to support her, but Mrs. Na pressed her hands against the floor and let out a sob. It wasn't a loud, wailing cry, but a dark, low weeping, as if the charred ashes deep inside her chest were being dragged out.
"Oh dear... Oh my... Oh my..."
While Yeon-ju stood there in a panic, at a complete loss, Eun-seong stepped in front of Mrs. Na. He brought his legs together and knelt before her.
He lowered his head, bowing deeply.
"I am sorry..."
"Ugh... Oh dear... sob..."
"I am truly... sorry..."
Kneeling on the floor, Eun-seong's shoulders shook. As if struck by a sorrow too great to suppress, he too began to sob, choking back his tears.
His ears and the back of his neck turned a deep, bursting red. Mrs. Na weakly slapped the arm of Eun-seong, who wept endlessly with his head bowed.
"Lord have mercy... Oh, Lord have mercy..."
"I am sorry... I have... no excuse..."
"Oh dear... Oh, Lord have mercy... Oh, dear God... Oh, Han-byeol..."
Mrs. Na wept as if vomiting up all the sorrow she had bottled up inside. With her weakened arms, she beat Eun-seong's chest and arms, wailing at the top of her lungs for a long, long time.
The man she believed didn't exist in this world.
No, the man she believed had never existed from the very beginning.
The child's father.
"Oh, dear God... Han-byeol... Oh dear..."
He was her daughter's man.
*
After the wave of intense emotion subsided, Eun-seong and Mrs. Na sat at the dining table.
Mrs. Na, who had practically chased Yeon-ju out of the kitchen, served him a warm cup of green tea made with a tea bag.
When Eun-seong stood up to accept the cup as if he were receiving a great honor, Mrs. Na sat down in the seat opposite him.
Having burst into tears at their very first meeting, a slightly awkward atmosphere lingered between them. Mrs. Na stared down at the table before finally speaking. Her voice was still thick and nasal, the remnants of her tears not yet gone.
"Our girl suddenly popped back into your life and must have turned it completely upside down. You must have been so shocked. How are you holding up?"
"Please, speak comfortably to me."
"Oh, no, I couldn't possibly. We don't even know what the future holds, so how could I speak casually to a complete stranger? I'm not that ill-mannered."
Declining Eun-seong's request, Mrs. Na slowly closed and opened her eyes.
"I'd like to hear what you plan to do from here. I need to know what's on your mind, don't I?"
What do you intend to do now? What is your plan?
As Mrs. Na pressed him, Eun-seong spoke slowly and deliberately, trying his best to convey that this was not an impulsive decision.
"I know it's very late... but even now, I want to put everything back in its proper place."
"And how exactly do you plan to do that?"
"I want to bring our family together."
I want to bring our family together.
At his heavy words, Mrs. Na remained silent for a long time. She knew very well how famous the tall, handsome, and noble-looking movie actor sitting before her was.
Wasn't he a regular fixture in the special holiday movies shown on TV? As an avid television watcher, Mrs. Na even remembered that Eun-seong had been voted the third most beloved public figure in South Korea. She hadn't forgotten that he was the only entertainer ranked among prominent athletes.
She had always thought he was a remarkable young man. Though his earnings were said to be astronomical, she had never expected their paths to cross, so she had simply wished him well from afar, hoping he would work harder and earn even more. Wondering how such a great actor could emerge from their tiny country, Mrs. Na had been just one of the many people cheering him on.
"Bring our family together... Bring our family together," she repeated under her breath.
"Yes."
And now, that very person was sitting in front of her, over a cup of cheap green tea, declaring that he would take responsibility for her daughter and grandson.
Mrs. Na let out a hollow laugh. She wondered if any of this could possibly make sense.