episode_0068

It was the evening of the next day. After coming back from exercising and lying in bed, covered in sweat, I received a phone call.

Looking at the screen, it was Teacher Choi Sung-jun.

“Yes, teacher. Hello.”

“Oh… Da-bin’s mother. Hello.”

His voice didn’t sound too good.

“What’s wrong? Your voice sounds a bit gloomy.”

“Ahaha, can you tell?”

With a weak laugh, he seemed to have something to say but hesitated. When I urged him again, he finally asked me.

“I feel really sorry and embarrassed to ask this, but could you tell me what conversation you had with my girlfriend yesterday?”

Ah, in the end, it seemed like his girlfriend was questioning him about this absurd situation. Feeling a sense of moral responsibility, I tried to convey the situation as neutrally as possible, but… it seemed like he wanted to compare the situation he received from his girlfriend with what I told him.

“Umm… Where on earth…? Ugh….”

His words seemed completely incomprehensible. I didn’t quite understand it myself, but considering it from his girlfriend’s perspective, it was a situation where misunderstandings could easily arise, so I was cautious about what to say.

“Um… Teacher?”

“Oh, yes. Mother. I’m really sorry for calling you so late.”

Looking at the time, it was 10 o’clock. It was indeed a late hour for a man and a woman who were not in a romantic relationship… especially for a teacher and a parent to be talking.

“No, it’s okay. It could happen. But, is she feeling this way because of some misunderstanding from yesterday?”

“Ah… that’s…”

He stopped speaking as if it was pointless. It must have been embarrassing for him.

“Well, feel free to speak. I’ve been through things like this before.”

It’s not like I haven’t been through it myself, having gone through a divorce. From my perspective, these kinds of lover’s quarrels were on a lighter level. Of course, everyone has their own difficulties, but still.

“Oh, right. Well… it seems a bit difficult to talk about it. It’s a caution not to engage in actions that violate professional ethics. Haha. Thank you.”

Well, normally, teachers wouldn’t be in frequent contact with parents. I had exchanged a few texts with Da-bin before and after this incident. We had also talked on the phone a few times. If his girlfriend was paranoid and decided to check his phone one day… well, the texts were just about Da-bin, so there was nothing to worry about, but unless she recorded the calls, she could still doubt what was said.

“Phew, anyway, if you have any trouble, please contact me again later. I’ll do my best to help.”

“Haha, okay…”

After ending the call, feeling a bit uneasy, I got up and headed to Da-bin’s room.

-Knock, knock.

Since an unfortunate incident had happened before, this time I made sure to knock and waited for a response from inside.

“Yes.”

Since there was no one else in this house who would knock on Da-bin’s door, he answered politely.

-Click.

“Da-bin, are you busy?”

As I entered, he quickly closed his book, saying his homework was done.

“Oh, did you give the phone to the teacher properly today?”

“Yes. I finished checking and handed it over right away. Why?”

“Did you notice anything strange today?”

At my question, Da-bin tilted his head and asked.

“No, nothing… Oh! You seemed a bit tired after lunchtime… is it related to mom?”

I waved my hand in denial.

“No, it’s nothing. I just wanted to make sure I delivered it properly. Keep studying. Sorry for interrupting.”

With that, I left Da-bin’s room and returned to the living room.

Sitting down for a moment and looking at my phone.

“I don’t know. He’ll figure it out.”

And then I just went to bed.

The next morning, the bustling scene of our house from early in the morning. No, the kids are quiet and I’m the only busy one.

“Mom, Auntie said she’ll arrive in 5 minutes!”

Dayoung shouted loudly to me in the kitchen.

“Got it. Are you guys ready?”

In response to my question, Dabin entered the kitchen and asked.

“Mom, are you ready? Can I help with anything?”

I replied by tapping the icebox on the floor. “I need to carry this, but it’s a bit heavy to do it alone. Can you help me carry it?”

For once, as I prepared the things to give to my parents when we go down, I ended up with quite a lot of items. Usually, it’s common for parents to bring heavy things when visiting their children’s homes, but there were quite a few samples and health supplements that I had received from work piled up in the fridge and freezer. Some were things I had prepared to give when I went down to my hometown next year, and some were things that had piled up and not been eaten, but now that I emptied everything, the amount was quite significant.

Dabin opened the icebox and marveled at the contents.

“Wow…there’s a lot in here?”

“Haha, right?”

Having gathered everything, Dabin and I carried the icebox to the front door, then went to the bedroom to get a clutch bag. Since we weren’t going to a completely unfamiliar place like last week, but visiting our hometown, we didn’t have as much luggage. So, we just put all the clothes and belongings for three people in one suitcase and had Dayoung carry it.

As we left the house with our luggage, we went down to the parking lot under the apartment and saw a van parked right in front of the entrance. As we approached, a woman in the back seat opened the window and looked in our direction.

“Hello! It’s been a while, everyone!”

With a bright smile, she greeted us. It was my younger sister, Jeong Soo-yeon.

Turning 30 this year, she didn’t look much like me when I was a man, but after becoming a woman, I heard that we looked quite similar. Some even said we looked like twins.

In fact, Soo-yeon looked quite young, so much so that even now, when she goes out with the kids and calls herself a mom, people are surprised. Of course, she only does it to me.

“Ugh, it’s heavy. Soo-yeon, can you call your husband, Park?”

As soon as I saw the car, my arms relaxed and I dropped the icebox on the floor, rubbing my sore arms and asking Soo-yeon.

“Ugh, really, brother… We’ll probably have a lot to eat when we get there, so why pack so much?”

“Still, it’s awkward to go empty-handed.”

“Ugh, fine. I’m the unfilial daughter.”

Soo-yeon sighed deeply, shrugged her shoulders, and turned her head sideways. It seems that since I became a woman, she has become quite comfortable and maintains that attitude.

“What about the kids?”

“Well. They woke up early this morning and seemed a bit tired. They fell asleep on the way here in the car.”

No wonder Soo-yeon looked relaxed.

“Haha, that’s a relief. Anyway, call Park.”

At my repeated request, Soo-yeon turned her head from the driver’s seat and said, “Honey, can you help your brother carry the icebox? Looks like he brought quite a lot.”

“Brother, really. It’s not like we’re going to a valley to play…haha.”

“That’s what I’m saying!”

Soon, Park, Soo-yeon’s husband, got out of the driver’s seat. He turned the car around and approached us.

“Hello, Auntie.”

“Have you been well?”

“Long time no see, Park.”

“Brother, it’s been a while. Dayoung, Dabin, it’s been a while.”

After exchanging greetings, he quickly picked up the icebox lying on the ground and groaned.

“Oh, why did you bring so much?”

“Oh, it’s nothing much. Our company is a food company, right? Just a few sample products piled up and some health foods taken care of, right?”

“Haha… J-just a few?”

Embarrassed, Sang-gi looks down at the fridge. It’s not just a few, but well… let’s think of it as filial piety.

“Oppa, isn’t this more about filial piety than taking care of leftovers?”

“Hey, just let it go! Why is the kid so picky these days?”

“No, oppa. I’m 30 years old now, am I really picky?”

“Isn’t ‘picky’ a bit of an exaggeration? Let’s say… finicky!”

“Oppa!”

Caught off guard by the sudden confrontation between me and Su-yeon, the kids look confused, and only Sang-gi mediates by shaking the meat and soothing us.

“Honey, stop it. You didn’t do this before, but lately you’ve been doing it to your brother a lot. And please understand, Su-yeon is happy to see you like this. You’re her brother. Please accept it generously.”

Hearing such words from my sister-in-law, who is 5 years younger than me, honestly hurt my pride, but it wasn’t wrong, so I just closed my mouth and nodded.

I looked at Su-yeon with a dissatisfied look, but from the beginning, he seemed to be satisfied with teasing me and was wearing a smug expression.

“Well, let’s get going. Let’s depart.”

At Sang-gi’s urging, I took the passenger seat, and the kids boarded the back seat.

“Park Seo-bang, if you’re tired, let me know. I’ll take over later.”

“Haha, thanks for the offer, but I think I’ll be fine. A little over 2 hours is nothing, I can handle it alone.”

“Okay, that’s reassuring.”

“Hey, going there is not the end, you know. It’s going to be tough even after we get there if you’re going to play the son-in-law role. It’s almost certain that Father will grab Park Seo-bang and make him drink.”

“Right, honey. Let’s switch halfway there.”

Even Su-yeon nudges Sang-gi, and he finally nods.

Oh, Sang-gi is just too nice to people.

Well, it’s good to have a son-in-law with good abilities and personality in our family. Father and Mother like him too.

“Well, let’s start moving. Is everyone in the back wearing their seat belts?”

“Yes, you can start driving.”

And so, the van carrying our two families slowly began to move.