The city moves towards the city.

    In Seoul, I recalled a friend who referred to their own living area as rural.

    If we put it that way, where I live is also at a rural level…

    “…What do your parents do?”

    “Um… My father was a private institute lecturer, and my mother is a doctor.”

    I just thought they were living quietly in a detached house.

    Ah, this is prejudice.

    “Hmm…”

    I raise my head.

    But… I can’t help but think that way…

    It’s not like just buying land and building a house means you’re talking about an ordinary building.

    It’s not that simple.

    “So… What floor do you live on?”

    “It seems like they live on the top floor.”

    I distinctly remember my brother saying that our parents don’t like looking at apartments.

    So, I heard they live in a place where buildings are not visible.

    My head started to ache slightly.

    …It’s true that buildings are not visible.

    No, that… Ah.

    “Ouch.”

    I didn’t hit him hard or give him a shock, just lightly tapped him, but my brother let out a soft groan.

    It’s not a joke.

    “Uh… Is this true?”

    “Haha… They are just those kinds of people.”

    Their mindset is different.

    “…You should have bought a 40-year-old apple wine instead of an apology.”

    “Well… Neither of them drinks alcohol.”

    “At the department store…”

    It feels somewhat pathetic.

    I felt like a small being in a boundlessly large building.

    “You don’t need such things. As long as kindness shows, they will appreciate it.”

    “Haha…”

    “Really. They are not pretentious people. They just stay at home, occasionally go out, and my mother used to be a doctor, now she just manages the hospital while being the director.”

    “Brother… Do you not know the meaning of ‘just’…?”

    Are directors ‘just’…?

    “Well… They are really easygoing people. You should see it positively.”

    My brother pats me on the back. It’s a reassuring expression.

    After just patting my head, my hair got messed up, so he didn’t do it this time.

    “Phew… I understand…”

    I said to keep calm, but…

    I walk slowly, taking deep breaths.

    In the blink of an eye, the building was right in front of us.

    “…How do we get in?”

    “It seems like they do facial recognition here… We’ll just make a call from here—”

    As I was about to take out my phone to make a call, a transparent door opened, and several people in suits came out.

    “Mr. Kim Soo-han. The person you are waiting for is ready.”

    “Oh… Does waiting mean…?”

    As I turned my head, confused, I suddenly found people in suits walking along the corridor made by the elevator.

    “Oh… Should we go?”

    My brother, with a wry smile as if he didn’t know this much, reached out his hand to me.

    “See… Just be conscious a bit…”

    Holding hands, we pass by the people.

    “Eek!”

    The elevator opens, and people bow like waves, bending 90 degrees one after another.

    I’m scared. Now.

    I interlock my fingers.

    It was to comfort myself.

    …Where should I have noticed from?

    Pretentious… What does that mean then?

    “Haah…”

    This must be gilding… It must be gilding.

    Everything is so luxurious that I feel unnecessarily small.

    “Ugh…”

    Hold my breath for 5 seconds.

    Exhale and breathe again for 5 seconds.

    “Hoo…”

    I need to stay focused.

    If I get overwhelmed already, what will I do?

    Our job is only one thing, even if the location changes.

    “Wow… You can see everything outside.”

    I lifted my head from listening to my brother mumble.

    Since the front was made of glass, the outside was clearly visible.

    Going up can be seen with the naked eye.

    Looking at the road, the eyes moved from the apartments to a small building.

    Even that made the head tilt before making a ding sound as the elevator opened.

    “….”

    “Ah… really.”

    How many people have I met just now?

    At least ten. After that, the others didn’t even count.

    Are they all employees? This place feels more like a hotel than where someone lives.

    Following the path made by people with polite greetings once again, I went along.

    “Oppa… please cheer up. I feel like I can’t say anything.”

    My mind became hazy again.

    Unconsciously, I tightened my grip.

    All that was left was my brother’s hand connected to mine by our intertwined pinkies.

    “Don’t worry. I’ll definitely take it.”

    The tension in my body, which had been tight like an unyielding knot, suddenly loosened and then settled back down.

    Maybe it’s because I heard words that calmed me down.

    Rather than warmth, it gave me a slight sense of trust.

    There’s no trust or secret plan between us, but maybe that’s what it gave us.

    Until standing in front of the door, there was enough tension left to keep it appropriately controlled.

    “Hehe.”

    “Ah~ah…?”

    As my brother cleared his throat, I also cleared my voice.

    When you stumble while speaking, it’s a bit awkward.

    Both my brother and I just looked at each other and quietly smiled.

    The door opened with a creak and then silently without any friction.

    Standing next to the door, the person said nothing, just stood looking straight ahead, so I passed by them, took off my shoes, and changed into the slippers placed in front.

    …Tension?

    Isn’t this how it goes when you visit a commander?

    As I was about to pass by, feeling like I was being pulled towards the gift set, I turned my head back as if to leave it.

    Nodding my head, I let go of the gift set, accepted it quietly, and returned to my position.

    “……”

    Following the path, I welcomed a new sky.

    Keeping only the shade and closing off the parts where the sunlight directly entered, I could see the wide view of Seoul.

    Where I used to live, the river, the city buildings.

    They all looked like tiny dots.

    Under the stars beneath the night sky.

    A view… Can I call this a view?

    My steps, heading towards the glass-like size mimicking an observatory, slowed slightly.

    Although it was built as a duplex, in reality, this is a house with a yard, and looking back on the path we walked, it’s a two-story house.

    Detached house… That’s right.

    “Come in.”

    Even though it was a moment for sightseeing, it seemed like a reminder not to forget one’s duty, with a quiet and gentle yet strict voice coming from the side.

    “Father….”

    As I turned my head, a young man sitting next to a rather impressive telescope adjusted his glasses.

    Huh.

    Huh!?

    Father?

    “…Father.”

    I spoke with a voice slightly lower than I had used until now.

    It came out unconsciously, but my brother’s hand twitched at the naturally changed voice.

    “Hmm?”

    “Father. The reason I came here is…”

    “It’s obviously about marriage, isn’t it? You’re already holding hands like a couple.”

    “…Yes. That’s right.”

    I tried to let go of his hand, but my brother held on tighter.

    “Father…”

    “Yes. Go ahead. Get married. Is it done?”

    Everything I expected was completely wrong.

    Should I call it indifferent? Or negatively, should I say indifferent.

    “Hey!”

    “Ouch.”

    A young woman came down the stairs and slapped Father out of the blue.

    …Hey?

    It’s not a daughter, right?

    “Mother.”

    …How did the genes in this household mix?

    At least in her late fifties, right?

    “Our son! Our son has come back, and you’re just sitting there so nonchalantly, what am I supposed to do! You should have called me quickly!”

    “No… that’s…”

    “What do you mean ‘no’? Get up!”

    Father… got up as he was, and Mother ran over and hugged my brother.

    “Living without any contact or news and suddenly coming back like this, what am I supposed to do….”

    My brother opened and closed his mouth repeatedly before falling silent.

    “Mother, get a hold of yourself. Who is this lady that you’re holding hands with our Suhan?”

    “…My wife.”

    Looking at my brother speaking almost in a mutter, Mother also fell silent, then turned to look at me.

    “Oh, hello, Mother. My name is Jihye.”

    “Mother… really your wife?”

    In a somewhat serious tone, as if there was no room for lies, she pressed for the truth.

    “…She’s my girlfriend for now.”

    I blinked and felt like she was looking through me.

    It felt like she was projecting into my mind, but I didn’t step back; instead, I faced her.

    “Why are you so kind yet like a pit of fire?”

    “…What?”

    Not fiery but a pit of fire. I pondered the meaning briefly but couldn’t understand it at all.

    There’s a sense that it’s not a good thing, though.

    “Haha, just kidding.”

    Taking a step back, she chuckled while looking at both of us.

    I still don’t get it.

    “Well… I’ve been waiting. Why did our son come back… I’ve been thinking about it and wondering if nothing happened during this time…”

    As indecisive as she was, I stood frozen like ice, not knowing which side to take.

    My brother’s hand slightly dampened.

    Mother made a clicking sound with her hand, leading my brother away, and I, holding my brother’s hand, was also led away.

    “Now… where should we start?”

    Shaping a bow-like figure, I went down the short steps and sat next to my brother at the gesture to sit on the sofa.

    Father crossed his arms, Mother crossed her legs, and they looked at us.

    Someone who had been by the entrance quietly came over, left an apology, and disappeared again.

    “Suhan…”

    “Nothing much happened. I don’t know what you want, but at least when I left home, even now, I don’t regret leaving.”

    She was still holding my hand and speaking.

    “I see. Shall we move on to something else then?”

    Picking up a piece of fruit, she tried to change the subject.

    “No, let’s stop.”

    My brother cut off Mother’s words.

    “Now… really, stop it. Stop trying to leave.”

    “Okay. Let’s just talk about marriage, alright?”

    “Yeah. The reason I came here was just a favor anyway.”

    The atmosphere was getting stranger and stranger.

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