Chapter 94
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 94
“Is getting back together really as simple as saying you want to? Look, I don’t know much, so I might not put this nicely, but even a stray dog knows you’re a big deal. I just don’t understand how you plan to handle the aftermath.”
“……”
“I have eyes and ears, you know. It’s clear that once people start tearing you apart, they won’t leave a single piece of you behind. My Yeon-ju and our Han-byeol have such tender hearts. How are they supposed to endure that? That’s what I’m asking.”
Eun-seong remained silent. He couldn’t bring himself to offer empty platitudes like, Don’t worry, everything will be fine.
After a long, hesitant moment, Eun-seong finally spoke.
“I know we won’t be able to avoid everything.”
“That’s right. You can’t avoid it. When people are throwing stones, how can you possibly see them all coming and dodge every single one?”
“But I also don’t believe this is something we should postpone or give up on simply because we’re afraid of what others will think.”
This time, it was Mrs. Na who fell silent. A moment later, Eun-seong lifted his head to look at her.
When their eyes met, Mrs. Na’s eyebrows twitched in surprise. Eun-seong continued, his gaze filled with profound respect.
“When I think of Yeon-ju and Han-byeol, I don’t want to waste a single day, a single minute, or even a single second. I just want to spend as much time with them as I possibly can. Right now, that is my only wish.”
“……”
“I want to be a proper father and a proper husband. Just like everyone else.”
“And you have no doubts that Han-byeol is your son? Shouldn’t you get a paternity test or something first?”
At Mrs. Na’s question, Eun-seong let out a faint laugh.
“Han-byeol is my son. There’s no doubt about it.”
“I’m just saying, shouldn’t you do one of those DNA tests? Just so you don’t change your tune later if things get rough.”
“That will never happen, Mother.”
Mother. The word made Mrs. Na swallow hard.
“Do your parents know about this?”
“I’ve told them. They’re both abroad, so it will take some time for us to visit, but they were thrilled to hear the news.”
“Thrilled, my foot. They must be worried sick.”
With a sigh, Mrs. Na fell silent, realizing she had run out of questions to grill him with. Even if it was just a polite lie, she couldn’t help but feel a sliver of relief hearing that his parents were happy.
Mrs. Na stared at Eun-seong with a complicated expression. As she looked at his face, her heart softened against her will. It was like looking at a grown-up Han-byeol, stirring a complex mix of emotions within her.
“I understand your concerns perfectly,” Eun-seong said.
As he spoke again, Mrs. Na let out a short sigh.
“It’s not my place to tell you what to do, but this is a parent’s heart. I just can’t help but wonder if this is really okay.”
“My agency is looking into various options. We will do our absolute best to ensure Han-byeol isn’t hurt when this becomes public.”
“You probably don’t know this, but our Yeon-ju went through hell raising Han-byeol.”
“……”
“She had to drop out of school, her belly getting bigger by the day… I had to swallow the words ‘let’s just die together’ so many times. Back then, it was nothing short of a war.”
It was an ordeal she never wanted to go through again.
“I raised Yeon-ju all by myself, enduring years of hardship just to see her grow up so beautifully. But then she ended up in the exact same situation for her own child… It broke my heart. It tore me to pieces.”
“……”
“She must have had her reasons. Everything she did was for your sake, so don’t be angry or resentful. Yeon-ju might look tough on the outside, but she’s incredibly soft-hearted. She’s the type to get stained the moment someone throws mud at her.”
Mrs. Na’s voice was filled with a mother’s plea.
“So, please, fill her world with only the prettiest colors. While raising her child, she never knew a day of fun or ease. Give her only beautiful things. The most beautiful things.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
“Oh, dear. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. What on earth am I supposed to do…”
As Mrs. Na’s voice trailed off into a sniffle, Eun-seong reached out and took her hand. Holding her warm, motherly hand in his, he spoke as if carving a promise into stone.
“I will fill her life so she wants for nothing. I may still be lacking, but I will give it my absolute all.”
“Oh, dear…”
“Thank you for taking such good care of Yeon-ju and Han-byeol, Mother.”
At that, Mrs. Na finally burst into tears. Dabbing at her eyes with a paper towel from the kitchen roll, she glanced at the clock.
“Are you busy?”
“No, I’m not.”
“Well, it’s too late for lunch, but would you like to stay for dinner?”
Ah… Eun-seong squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them. A hot surge of emotion welled up inside him again. Biting his lower lip hard, he could only nod.
Sniffling, Mrs. Na opened the refrigerator. Eun-seong kept his head lowered, biting his lip to maintain his composure.
After rummaging through the fridge for a moment, Mrs. Na turned around.
“Do you like makgeolli?”
Still biting his lip, Eun-seong nodded again. Seeing his earlobes flush bright red, Mrs. Na sniffled once more before busying herself at the refrigerator.
*
Before long, it was time for Han-byeol to come home from school. Holding Yeon-ju’s hand, he stepped inside. When he saw a pair of men’s shoes at the entrance, his eyes widened. He practically threw his backpack aside as he rushed into the living room.
Spotting Eun-seong sitting on the sofa, Han-byeol froze.
The savory aroma of braised short ribs wafted from the kitchen.
“Oh, Han-byeol, you’re home?”
Mrs. Na welcomed him, wiping her hands on her apron. Han-byeol looked from his grandmother to Eun-seong, and finally to his mother.
Yeon-ju gave him a warm smile. Mrs. Na gestured toward Eun-seong with her chin, as if to say, Well?
“What are you just standing there for? Your dad is here. Aren’t you going to say hello, Han-byeol?”
“……Daddy!”
Only then did Han-byeol launch himself forward, running straight into Eun-seong’s arms. Eun-seong dropped to one knee and caught the boy in a tight embrace.
Overjoyed for reasons he didn’t fully understand, Han-byeol bounced in place while hugging Eun-seong. Watching the two of them, Yeon-ju rested her head on her mother’s shoulder.
“Wow! Daddy! Are you going to live with us now?”
Eun-seong smiled and replied, “Yes. Let’s live together.”
“Whoa! Awesome! Oh, wait! My greeting! My greeting!”
Realizing he’d forgotten, Han-byeol pulled away from the hug and stood up straight. He positioned himself to face his grandmother, mother, and father all at once, then bowed politely with his hands folded over his stomach.
“Grandmother! Mommy, Daddy! I’m home from school!”
His voice was clearer and brighter than ever before.
*
After dinner, Eun-seong and Yeon-ju went for a drive to the Han River. He parked the car in a quiet, secluded spot, and they drank warm coffee together.
“I’m sorry we have nowhere to go when we go out,” Eun-seong apologized, feeling guilty that all they could do was share coffee in a parked car.
Yeon-ju let out a soft laugh. “Don’t be. I prefer this to some noisy place.”
At her words, meant to reassure him that she loved this moment, Eun-seong offered a quiet smile. Listening to the soft music playing in the car, Yeon-ju turned to look at him.
“Are you really okay? There have been so many articles lately, it’s making my head spin.”
“It’ll quiet down soon. If we wait, the truth will eventually surface, and the rest will sink.”
He explained that there was no point in trying to fight rumors manufactured in the shadows. Responding to every little thing would only generate more articles and fuel even messier speculation. In times like these, staying quiet was the best course of action.
“I felt that if I used the recording you gave me to attack CEO Min, you and Han-byeol would get hurt in the process. So I dug into his background instead.”
Eun-seong had chosen to take Tae-gon down over a completely different matter, one unrelated to their personal lives. He refused to let their story—and the life she had fought so hard to build—be tainted by such a filthy scandal.
“Do you feel it’s not enough? If you think CEO Min deserves more, I can meet with a reporter and hand over the file right now.”
“No. I’m actually so relieved. I didn’t want our story to be revealed to the world like that, either.”
As she finished speaking, Yeon-ju stared at him intently. Eun-seong met her gaze and raised an eyebrow, silently asking what was on her mind.
“Thank you for apologizing to my mom,” she said softly. It was a confession she had found difficult to make. “Since she’s my mom, she’s naturally on my side… I knew she would only see things from my perspective. Honestly, I was so worried, but I’m glad it went well.”
“The moment I saw her, I felt tears welling up. I couldn’t stop thinking about how much she must have hated me. I could feel it so clearly.”
“I never really understood my mom’s feelings in the past, but raising Han-byeol helped me understand a little of what she must have gone through. I have so many regrets when it comes to her. I always feel so sorry.”
“Let’s take our time and work through it all, one step at a time. We’ll show her how happy we are, and we’ll repay all the love we’ve received. Just like that.”
Let’s repay it. Let’s repay every bit of it.
Eun-seong’s words sent a gentle tremor through Yeon-ju’s heart.
Her mother wouldn’t want anything in return. If they could build a proper family and show their son that his mother and father were standing strong together, that would be more than enough for her.
All that was left, then, was—
To never let go of this man. To never let him leave again. To love him as her husband and as her child’s father until the day she died.
There was nothing in the world that would be easier, or that she could do better.
“Thank you for stopping.”
Yet, as is the case in any ordinary life, accidents and crises would strike in unexpected seasons, in uninvited chapters, throwing them into turmoil.
They might be plunged into sorrow, taste despair, and perhaps, before they knew it, regret would fester and cause them to turn their backs on each other.
“There’s something I haven’t told you yet.”
“What is it?”
“Just take responsibility for Han-byeol and me.”
Can’t you just take responsibility for us?
She repeated the exact words he had once said at Kang-ho’s bar. Remembering that day, Eun-seong burst into laughter. Resting his hands on the steering wheel, he tilted his head slightly.
“And what if it’s too difficult to take responsibility?”
“I don’t care. I’m going to stick to you like a leech and never let go. You’d better brace yourself.”
…Times of turmoil would surely come.
There would be days they would weep with sorrow and writhe in despair.
“Take responsibility, Im Eun-seong.”
Even if those days came.
Even when those times arrived, her words were a plea to love her.
Please remember. That you will love me, in spite of everything.
“I will, Go Yeon-ju.”
That you will love me, and only me.