episode_0057

When Jaesung called his older brother, the latter answered the phone and said, “Seong-ah is constantly throwing a fit because she misses you.”

“You could have just said you didn’t know,” Jaesung replied.

“She called me, crying and asking where you were. I know you moved, but this is getting out of hand.”

Ugh… Why does Seong-ah nuna act like this?

He wanted to ask why she was behaving this way while holding his head.

He thought ignoring her might be the best course of action.

But he realized running away wouldn’t solve anything.

Ignoring her now might be easier, but who knows what Jaesung might do later.

“Alright. When I have time, I’ll come back to Daegu.”

With that, he hung up the phone.

After ending the call, he felt a headache coming on.

I really don’t understand why she’s acting like this.

While pondering for a while with his head in his hands,

“Jihoo, what’s wrong?”

Jiwon came outside and looked at him with a concerned expression.

“It’s nothing, sorry.”

He patted Jiwon’s head and assured her it was nothing.

Upon which, Jiwon asked if he was okay.

He said he was fine and decided to head to work.

He mustn’t worry Jiwon as much as possible.

**

He told Jiwon he was going on a brief business trip and returned to Daegu as planned.

In Daegu, Jaesung’s brother suggested they meet.

He mentioned that Seong-ah nuna was waiting.

As he met Seong-ah nuna, he intended to lay everything out.

With determination, he arrived at the bar his brother had mentioned.

Once there, Jaesung handed him a small dark beer.

“Seong-ah will be here soon, let’s wait a bit.”

Acknowledging, he sat down and engaged in conversation with Jaesung.

“Oh. Hyung, I’m going to be a father.”

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

There was something he hadn’t told Jaesung yet.

As he explained, Jaesung looked at him with a disgusted expression.

“Wow… You scumbag.”

He started calling me a scumbag.

Why did I suddenly become trash?

“Hey, don’t say that out loud here, please.”

Trying to stop him, a woman slowly approached.

“Hey Kang Jihoo!”

And a voice calling my name reached me.

“What.”

Responding curtly, she came over, sat down, and started drinking the dark beer I had been having.

Watching her do that, Seong-ah nuna soon began to show her anger towards me.

I don’t understand why she’s so angry, but I decided to listen to what she had to say.

So I asked her what was wrong.

“Why did you abandon me?”

“What…?”

I tried to be a good person.

I tried to be a good boyfriend.

But because of all this fuss, I ended up being a jerk.

And what did Seong-ah nuna do?

She thanked me, then gradually added more to her words.

Thinking about it, I stared at her for a while and saw someone yelling at her.

“When I was giving my best to her, trying to understand her feelings, what did she do for me?”

Her words stopped at mine.

She remained silent, drinking her alcohol.

“That girl did worry about me.”

“She had no money, nothing, but she cared for me, worried about me. She was a good person.”

As I continued speaking, her head drooped even further.

Looking at her like that, she kept her head down and spoke.

“But still… we could have understood each other if she had talked to me… And…”

“Would things have been resolved if we had talked?”

“And I said I was going to be a good boyfriend, but I screwed up. Because of that, now I’ve become a ‘pong pong’ man.”

There was no way I wouldn’t have said it from the start.

When I spoke, she got mad. Was there anything else I could say?

I just thought, Ah… this will make her angry. I was trying to be patient.

As we drank beer, Jaesung looked at me.

“Is everything said and done?”

“I… everything’s done.”

Jaesung stood up and said he was leaving. I tried to get up from my seat.

Before he left… I had to say it.

“I’m going to be a dad now. I’ve become a sold-out man, so stop begging.”

With that said, I got up from my seat.

At that moment, Seonga kept staring at me…

She only drank her beer.

**

I booked a hotel nearby to get some sleep.

I tried to sleep, but it had become a habit by now.

It felt lonely without anyone beside me.

Even though I had been drinking, strangely, sleep eluded me.

Unconsciously, I took out my smartphone and thought about calling Jiwon.

It was quite late, and I felt it might be a bother to call now, so I decided not to.

I just put down my phone and contemplated sleeping.

Ring—

Along with the vibration on my smartphone, a call began to ring.

Looking at the call, it was Jiwon.

“Ahem…”

Clearing my throat, I called Jiwon back.

“What’s wrong?”

“Are you okay?”

Upon answering the call, Jiwon asked if I was okay.

She thought I was on a business trip.

“Were you sleeping? Did I call for no reason?”

“No, I wasn’t sleeping. Why aren’t you sleeping?”

“I just can’t sleep, feeling lonely without you.”

She’s feeling the same as me.

I don’t know what to say.

I talked with Jiwon for a while.

“You’re coming back tomorrow, right?”

Jiwon asked if I was returning tomorrow.

Since I was already here, I wanted to talk a bit with my brother.

“Yeah… I’ll be heading back tomorrow.”

I said I would be going back tomorrow.

We can talk later.

Let’s just go back tomorrow.

Continuing the conversation with Jiwon,

“Goodnight, Jihu.”

After hearing Jiwon’s last words, I hung up the phone.

I feel like I might fall asleep… Should I just rest a bit?

I put down my smartphone and decided to sleep.

Now I feel a bit drowsy.

**

I did say I’d only sleep for a bit, right?

Strange? There isn’t much time left until check-out?

I quickly changed clothes and checked out.

I hadn’t expected to oversleep.

I went outside and headed quickly to the terminal.

I hadn’t thought I would be this late, so I ended up choosing a taxi instead of the bus.

Taking a taxi, I arrived at the terminal.

I bought a ticket and boarded the bus back home.

The same bus I took when I briefly visited home.

I hadn’t expected to take this bus back home.

For some reason, all I could think about was getting home quickly.

On the bus ride back home,

All I could think about was Jiwon.

Thinking that everything was over.

When I get home, Jiwon will be there.

Closing my eyes on the bus, I fell asleep.

What should I say to Jiwon when I get home?

Should I have bought a gift or something?

The car continued quietly along the road.

**

Arriving at Dongdaegu Station, I took a taxi.

I seem to have taken too many modes of transportation today.

It’s tough, but I had no choice if I wanted to get home comfortably.

Finally arriving home,

I entered the passcode and went inside.

Jiwon, who should have been at home, was nowhere to be found.

Where could she have gone?

I sat on the sofa, waiting for Jiwon.

She usually stays at home, why did she suddenly go out?

Thinking like that, I waited for Jiwon for a while.

Then I heard the sound of the door lock.

Heading to the front door, I saw Jiwon carrying heavy luggage.

“Oh… you’re back?”

지원이 asked me if I had returned.

“Hey! Why are you carrying something heavy… just wait a bit!”

Saying that, I took the load from Jiwon and headed to the kitchen.

Looks like it’s all ingredients.

What’s with all this fuss about doing something for me just because I’m back?

“Did you finish your work well?”

Jiwon smiled and asked me if I had finished my work well.

When asked if I finished well…

“I did finish well.”

I cut the threads neatly.

I don’t think there will be any more difficulties.

I patted Jiwon’s head, told him to leave the rest to me, and moved him to the bed.

“Hey! Don’t suddenly pick me up!”

“It’s my job to move you to the bed, dummy!”

Moving him to the bed, I laid Jiwon down.

I gently touched his slightly bulging belly.

“Is it sticking out a bit?”

“Do you think I’ve gained weight?”

Seeing his protruding belly, Jiwon asked if he had gained weight.

“No. You’re really slim.”

At my words, Jiwon smiled faintly.

“Well, that’s a relief.”

He said it was a relief.

There will be many challenges ahead.

Thinking that I have to overcome them.

If Jiwon is with me in the future, I can get through it.

Thinking so, I hugged Jiwon.

“This damn guy, thinking he’s becoming more of a woman just because he’s getting older.”

“Damn, annoying. Let go.”

I wonder if I could be this happy if I kept dating Seonga noona.

I don’t know for sure, but I probably wouldn’t be this happy.

“Jiwon… I’m just really thankful.”