Chapter 123
Clutching his aching stomach that kept gurgling incessantly, Hyeon-woo rushed to the bathroom. His face was pale from fatigue after going in and out of the bathroom more than five times already.
The problem was that he had mindlessly eaten a discarded sandwich while closing Blue Door alone last night. The upset stomach that started in the early morning showed no signs of improving.
Of all days to have an upset stomach. The menu with unfamiliar French names sounded like a magnificent feast, and it was such a shame to waste his extra invitation. As Hyeon-woo was feeling regretful, a good idea suddenly came to mind.
“How about going with Jamie?”
His mother was delighted at Hyeon-woo’s suggestion. His father, though unfamiliar with Jamie, looked both awkward and curious about what kind of person Jamie was, whom he had only heard about.
Hyeon-woo thought to himself that this worked out well. It was a perfect opportunity to introduce Jamie and Jerome to his father.
He immediately contacted the Euclid Center to ask for Jamie’s consent. After calming down Jamie, who was overjoyed and said she would love to go, he sought permission from the center staff.
“Ian~!” Jamie seemed to have snatched the phone from the staff member, somehow knowing the business part was over.
“Are we going to a party? Are we going to an exciting party?”
“Yes, something like that. Come safely, Jamie.”
As soon as he finished the call with the excited Jamie, Hyeon-woo rushed back to the bathroom, clutching his gurgling stomach.
*
Ding-dong-.
When Hyeon-woo opened the front door at the sound of the doorbell, Jamie appeared wearing yellow shorts and a red Hawaiian shirt, showing off her fashion with a flushed face.
“Ian! How do I look?!”
Surprised, Hyeon-woo inadvertently gasped, but fortunately, it wasn’t noticeable outwardly.
“…You look great.”
“Right? It’s my favorite outfit. I wore it because it’s a special day.”
Jamie turned around once to show off, then pulled the stroller forward to Hyeon-woo.
“Look at Jerry too, isn’t he so cute?”
A cute yellow neck scarf was wrapped around the sleeping Jerome’s neck.
“He’s cute.”
“I tried to match it with my shorts. It’s the same yellow color.”
“You’re right. They both suit you so well. Come on in. You must be tired from the journey.”
Hyeon-woo welcomed Jamie and Jerome, opening the front door wide. His mother, who had been busy preparing to go out, walked out of the dressing room at the sound of movement in the entrance.
“Jamie, are you here?”
“Yes!”
“Oh my…! Jamie! You look… so stylish today!”
“Thank you, Maya.”
“Come here for a moment!”
His mother grabbed Jamie’s wrist and pulled her into the dressing room. Soon after, their friendly conversation flowed out from inside.
“I prepared an outfit I wanted Jamie to wear today, what do you think?”
“Wow, I’ve seen this a lot in movies. It’s an outfit I’ve never worn before… Is it really mine?”
“Of course, it’s Jamie’s! Do you like it?”
“Yes, very much. I love it so much! Thank you, Maya!”
A bitter smile appeared on Hyeon-woo’s face as he sat on the sofa, contentedly listening to their conversation. If he had been a better son, he could have created many such happy memories for his mother. He felt fulfilled, as if Jamie was filling in for his shortcomings.
His father, who had just finished perfectly charging the electric car for the long drive, entered the house and was startled by the cheerful conversation.
“Jamie’s here. She’s with mother now.”
“I see.”
His father’s face looked a bit tense as he approached the sofa and sat next to Hyeon-woo.
“This is Jerome.”
Hyeon-woo showed the sleeping Jerome in his seat to his father.
“We call him Jerry among ourselves. It’s a nickname. Father, you should call him Jerry from now on too. Otherwise, Jamie will feel hurt.”
His father seemed captivated by the small white life form before him. Unable to take his eyes off Jerome, his father’s gaze was full of affection for the young life.
Such a reaction already. What will he do when he discovers what jewels Jerome is hiding under his eyelids? As Hyeon-woo was enjoying this thought to himself, his father’s low voice suddenly spread to his ears.
“…You were once this small too, Hyeon-woo.”
Hyeon-woo, who hadn’t expected his father to be reminiscing about him while looking at Jerome, was clearing his suddenly tightening throat when the dressing room door opened and Jamie appeared.
Jamie’s appearance in a formal suit complete with a vest was unfamiliar. The neatly arranged hair and sleek suit fit suited her very well. Jamie, spotting his father sitting on the sofa, greeted him with a bright smile.
“Hello! Nice to meet you, I’m Jamie!”
“Nice to meet you too. I’m Paul.”
“Yes, Paul! Are we going to eat something delicious now? But why is Ian still in his pajamas?”
“I can’t go, Jamie. I have an upset stomach.”
“What?! How can that be…”
Jamie’s voice, which had been full of anticipation, instantly deflated.
“I’m sorry. I’m upset that I can’t go with you too.”
“……”
“Go instead of me and enjoy the food, Jamie. You must tell me what was the most delicious.”
“Okay. I will!”
Jamie’s eyes blazed with a sense of mission.
It was time to leave. Hyeon-woo carefully hugged the sleeping Jerome to his chest and went outside to see them off. Jamie and his family got into the pre-prepared black sedan.
“We’re off. Get some rest. Make sure to call if anything happens, and take good care of Jerome!”
“Yes. Don’t worry and have a safe trip.”
His father’s car drove away. Hyeon-woo stood watching until it became a small dot and completely disappeared, then turned towards the house, shrugging his shoulders against the chilly air. At that moment, he felt an unfamiliar presence rustling near the empty garage.
…Could it be Kevin?
No, it couldn’t be Kevin. He had confirmed that Kevin had been sentenced and was serving time in prison.
Who could it be?
As Hyeon-woo carefully approached the garage, someone who had been hiding nearby revealed themselves with staggering steps, seemingly aware of his presence. With a cap pulled low over their head and a toolbox in one hand, they looked like a mechanic.
“What are you doing here?”
“…I came for a car repair request, but the garage is empty. I’ll come back another time.”
“Wait a moment! Where are you from?”
Hyeon-woo wanted to run and grab them, but couldn’t because of Jerome in his arms. He tried to recall the appearance of the suspicious person who was hurriedly disappearing without answering his question. Judging by the lack of company name or logo on the jacket they were wearing, they didn’t seem to be from a professional service.
A private technician? Even so, his father wouldn’t have called a repair technician at this time. They needed to leave by now at the latest to arrive at the appointment time.
Did they get the address wrong?
As he stood in front of the garage lost in thought, he felt Jerome snuggling into his chest, seeking warmth. He seemed cold. It would be worse if Jerome caught a cold.
Hyeon-woo pressed the button to lower the garage shutter all the way down, then reluctantly headed towards the house. He thought it would be better to call and ask in detail when the meal was over, as they would be driving now.
*
“Why aren’t they answering the phone…”
Hyeon-woo had called his father dozens of times, but all calls went unanswered. It was the same with his mother.
It was already 1 PM. It was well past the time they should have finished eating and started heading home. Just in case, he contacted the center, but they only replied that Jamie hadn’t arrived yet either.
Why on earth weren’t they responding?
The suspicious situation at the garage kept lingering in a corner of his mind, evoking an ominous feeling.
He tried to feed formula to Jerome, who was unusually fussy today, and put him to sleep, but failed repeatedly. Jerome had probably never been separated from Jamie for this long, so even the usually calm Jerome seemed to instinctively sense that the person who gave birth to him wasn’t around.
