Meeting with the Family (2)
“Aigoo... my head.”
Had he drunk too much soju? When he woke up in the morning, his stomach burned and his head throbbed. Glancing at the clock, it was already past 1 p.m. Just as his head felt like it might split open, a delicious aroma wafted in from somewhere.
Drawn by the smell, he headed to the kitchen and found his mom preparing hangover soup.
“Whoa! Mom, is that bone hangover soup?”
It was another of his mom's specialties: bone hangover soup. Pork spine simmered for over six hours, then seasoned with her secret recipe, made it the best in the world. She'd taken the spine she'd set aside for him to the restaurant and simmered it overnight. He'd thought she'd gone somewhere after their drinking session and fallen asleep, but no—she'd been preparing this for her son.
Household gas stoves couldn't simmer the bones properly; they needed a commercial burner on high heat. Adding pig offal in a net boosted the umami that the spine alone couldn't provide. Simmer it plenty at the restaurant, bring it home, heat it with cheongyang peppers, dried radish greens, and green onions, and there it was—his beloved bone hangover soup.
“With our Hyun-su home, this is the least I could do.”
“Mom... I really love you.”
Tears welled up again. He could feel his mom's desire to feed him the best, and he'd truly loved her bone hangover soup—but after she passed, he'd never tasted it again. He'd tried famous spots afterward, but none could replicate it.
He scooped some broth with his fingers and slurped.
Slurp.
“Ah... this is the taste... really... this is it.”
His mom’s bone hangover soup was pure comfort. Tears gathered in his eyes again.
“What's with you... I'll make it for you often.”
“Yeah, Mom. Stay healthy and make it for me lots.”
He pulled out the meat first and tore into it. The deeply simmered meat fell off the bone tenderly, infused with the broth's exquisite flavor. Midway through eating, he suddenly thought of his dad.
“Huh? Where's Dad?”
“Heh heh. Finally thinking of Dad? He went to open the restaurant. I need to finish serving you and head out too. Can't leave Dad struggling alone.”
She'd clearly drunk through the night with him, but the weight of being the family head was something he couldn't match—that sense of responsibility. In his previous life, conflicts during his marriage to Heerin had prevented kids, so he still felt far from true maturity.
To really grow up, maybe it's not the army—it's having a kid of your own?
Suddenly, he wanted a child. Young as he was, with his ability, he could raise one just fine.
Who'll bear my child?
Thinking of the women around him, he realized how many loved him. Someday, he could build a family. Of course, not with just one wife. That was the point of a harem.
“Where's Hyun-ah? I said we'd go buy a phone together.”
Come to think of it, he hadn't seen her.
“Hyun-ah's in her room getting ready. She's been peeking in and out of yours, fidgeting about when you'd wake up.”
So cute. She'd been dying for a phone, hovering by her brother's room, but couldn't bring herself to wake his sound sleep.
“Haha, better eat fast then.”
He finished the meat, mixed rice into the broth, and slurped it down. His queasy stomach cleared right up.
“Eat slowly. I'll pack some hangover soup for you to heat up at home.”
“Wow! Awesome!”
Knowing he could savor it later already lifted his spirits. As he finished, Hyun-ah emerged from her room, ready to go. In a short miniskirt and lace blouse, she looked incredibly cute. Already blossoming beautifully—decent chest, slim waist, cute hips.
“Our little sis cleans up pretty nice, huh?”
“Really? Hehe. I'm super popular at school, you know?”
“Don't go for weirdos—find a really good guy. Money? Bro'll make as much as you need.”
“Bro, seriously. Heehee...”
Worrying already about who might snag such a pretty sister. If it was some creep, he'd make sure they regretted it.
“Bro, give me a sec to wash up.”
He showered lightly in the bathroom and came out in fresh clothes. His sister looked shocked.
“Bro, do you turn into this in Seoul?”
“Huh? What?”
He shoveled food, clueless.
“Your fashion sense... it wasn't like this before? How'd you get so sharp?”
Hyun-ah was stunned by his style. He got it—previous life's him was a fashion terrorist.
“Bro doesn't fuss much, but when I do, it's like this. Whaddya think? Looks good?”
“Yeah!! Totally. I thought I'd be embarrassed walking downtown with you, but nope. Heehee.”
“What? You little punk.”
“Eek~!”
Pretending to flick her forehead, she clutched her head and bolted outside. Too adorable. He might turn sis-con at this rate.
They took the bus to downtown Taean. Familiar school paths from childhood and town streets passed by.
“Hmm~”
Beside him, Hyun-ah hummed, her steps dance-light. A bit lighter and she'd float away.
“That excited, Hyun-ah?”
“Duh~ Mom was supposed to buy one for high school entrance, but didn't.”
She puffed her cheeks, grumbling.
“Kukuku... sulking over that?”
“N-no... not really. You know we ain't rich. Debts and all...”
She deflated again. He grabbed her cheeks and stretched.
“Ow! Hurts!!”
Too lovable; she punched his chest in retaliation.
Thud!! Thud!!
To a 20-year-old guy, it was nothing...
“Cough!”
Her punches packed a punch.
“Ah! Sorry! Sorry!!”
“Whew!! Whew!! Sparing you 'cause I'm buying the phone.”
“You looked down, lil sis... just cheering you up.”
Maybe overdid it.
“Heehee... it's fine. Now we've got you.”
“Yeah. I'll raise our family up. Buy you all the tasty, nice stuff.”
“Whoa~ touching... so pumped.”
Her steps lightened again.
“Where we headed anyway?”
Following her lead, he finally asked.
“To buy a phone~ I know a spot.”
“Oh... lead on...”
After a long walk, they arrived. Entering the shop, a clerk greeted them.
“Huh?! Hyun-su?!!”
A familiar face: his ex, Choi Soo-hee.
“Soo-hee?”
Why was she here? He glanced at Hyun-ah.
“Ack! I didn't know Soo-hee unnie worked here!”
“Uh... I started part-time here last week.”
“My friends come here a lot, so I brought bro... sorry~”
“Nah, not your fault. It's cool.”
He patted Hyun-ah's apologetic head, then looked at Soo-hee.
“Doing well?”
“Uh... yeah, sorta? You?”
“School and stuff. You working here?”
“Yeah, just weekends.”
Soo-hee was his first girlfriend, dated three years through high school. Met freshman year, sweet puppy love—until senior year, when studies consumed him and they broke up. More precisely, he couldn't make time, so she found someone else. No grudges.
“Ah... got it. Here to buy Hyun-ah a phone.”
“Ooh, nice bro?”
“Ah! Right, phone shopping!”
Hyun-ah had been so flustered by Soo-hee's surprise appearance she'd forgotten why they came.
Soo-hee explained the displayed phones, ignoring Hyun-ah's fluster.
“These are the hot Hanseong Electronics Unicorn models. This one's the latest, out this week. Lee Hyo-min advertised it—folks call it the Lee Hyo-min phone.”
Icon of sexy from Korea's girl groups, Lee Hyo-min's ad. Pretty design. Having seen future smartphones, it didn't wow him.
“But pricey—no student discount yet since it's new.”
Soo-hee eyed him cautiously as she continued.
“Whaddya think, Hyun-ah??”
Hyun-ah couldn't look away from the Lee Hyo-min phone. Smitten.
“Like it?”
“Yeah... but expensive...”
“Then this one. Soo-hee, this model. Can activate today?”
“Yep, right away.”
“Cool, do it. And monthly bills from my account?”
“Sure. Contract form coming right up.”
His ready agreement flustered her; she hurried off.
“Ah! Here. And here, sign these spots.”
Circles marked the spots on the form—easy to spot.
“Hyun-ah, you're so lucky. Bro buying you a phone like this?”
“Yeah, unnie. Bro's raking it in lately. Already got 10 billion won.”
Hyun-ah bragged childishly, buzzing with excitement.
“What? 10 billion? How? Already??”
Soo-hee looked shocked. They'd split recently, and he'd just started at Korea University.
“Eh, this and that.”
He brushed it off casually. Regret flickered in Soo-hee's eyes at his nonchalance.
They signed, activated Hyun-ah's phone, and left.
“Um... Hyun-su?”
As they exited, Soo-hee called him back.
“Yeah?”
“Did you change numbers? I'll hit you up later—grab a meal?”
She suggested meeting, a hint of desperation. Stuck part-timing without college after dumping him, while he attended Korea U. She'd regretted it then, seeing his success now; wanted another shot.
“Don't you have a boyfriend?”
“Well, yeah... but things are rocky lately...”
To another guy, her pitiful look might tug heartstrings. Pretty with a good figure, popular in high school. But uni girls were stunning; Soo-hee didn't excite him now. Plus, bad breakup.
Once a cheater, always a cheater.
“We didn't split amicably, remember? Focus on your current guy. Bye.”
He turned without hesitation. He felt her pitiful gaze from the shop door, but not his problem.
“Bro! Thanks so much! Now I'll study super hard!”
“Pfft. Yeah, Hyun-ah. Bro's watching.”
“Got it~”
He saw her home, then boarded the train to Seoul. A text came en route.
Ga-young's text. She'd convinced the professor.
He set the meet with Ga-young, then leaned back. Mom's soup helped, but hangover lingered.
Home, Eun-joo greeted him.
“I'm back~ Let's eat this together.”
He offered the packed bone hangover soup.
“Oh! Master, bone hangover soup?”
“Mom packed it—my favorite. Eat with me, Eun-joo.”
“Sounds delicious. I'll heat it up quick~”
They had dinner and hit the sack. Before sleep, she massaged him devotedly.
“Eun-joo, you tired?”
“Not at all. Serving you is bliss.”
“Hmm... what if I take another slave?”
“Huh? Another slave??”
“Yeah... might get one more...”
“Ah... I see...”
She seemed a bit hurt.
“But if it's your will, Master, no choice.”
“Haha. You're still top slave. Take good care of any new ones.”
“Yes. I will.”
Easy persuasion. Eun-joo was utterly obedient from the start.
