Chapter 46
“It seems you didn’t actually see it. I thought you went with Do-heon.”
“Do-heon was too busy with work that day, so we couldn’t go.”
On Cheong-yeon’s last birthday, Do-heon had returned home late. Since Cheong-yeon had fallen asleep waiting for him in the living room, they hadn’t been able to watch the movie or do anything else. Under those circumstances, there was no way he would remember the movie title.
Looking back, Cheong-yeon felt empty realizing that Do-heon had been beyond indifferent—he’d shown no interest at all. Yet Cheong-yeon had one-sidedly loved him for three years.
“I’ve never heard about this.”
At Do-heon’s puzzled question, Cheong-yeon felt like giving him a knock on the head.
*You didn’t know because you weren’t interested. You call that a question?*
“You seemed busy, so I didn’t mention it.”
“That work again? Who did that boy take after to be so cold-hearted? Tsk, tsk.”
The grandmother clicked her tongue as if she had expected this. The atmosphere suggested that Do-heon would have received a smack on the back if she had been closer.
“It’s fine. We can go see it another time.”
Cheong-yeon put on a Buddha-like smile and calmed her down. It was all in the past anyway. At the time, he had been so upset that he couldn’t eat properly for days, but where had those emotions gone? Now, hearing about it didn’t affect him at all. He just felt sorry for his past self.
Just then, the food arrived, and the conversation about the movie was quickly forgotten. Cheong-yeon immediately focused on the pasta and steak placed on the table.
Having eaten poorly for several days due to being busy with part-time work, he had reached the point where his hands and feet trembled when hungry. Since they were dining out, he might as well fill his stomach.
“Cheong-yeon is eating especially quickly today. You’ll get indigestion that way. Did you two not eat breakfast before coming?”
“No, we didn’t.”
“We did eat.”
Cheong-yeon and Do-heon answered almost simultaneously to the grandmother’s question. Given that they were supposed to be living together in a perfectly normal marriage, the contradiction made the grandmother furrow her brow.
Cheong-yeon quickly swallowed the food in his mouth and corrected himself.
“Actually, thinking about it, I ate ligh—”
“Actually, we were too busy to eat.”
However, Do-heon spoke at the same time, causing their statements to contradict each other again. Cheong-yeon glared sideways at Do-heon sitting next to him. *Why not just stay quiet? Usually, you just sit there with your mouth shut, but today you’re suddenly answering so eagerly?*
“You two aren’t making fun of an old woman, are you? What are you talking about?”
“Actually, I overslept and couldn’t eat, but it seems Do-heon ate in the meantime. Not even waking me up and eating alone… Hahaha.”
“Before I go to America, I should tell the kitchen maid to make sure Cheong-yeon eats well. I can’t trust that Moon Do-heon.”
“America?”
Hearing this for the first time, Cheong-yeon stopped cutting his steak and asked. The grandmother immediately narrowed her eyes and glared at Do-heon.
“You haven’t told Cheong-yeon yet?”
“I was planning to tell him today.”
“Goodness, that boy never does anything to satisfaction.”
“Grandmother. What do you mean by America? What’s going on?”
Cheong-yeon looked back and forth between Do-heon and the grandmother, urging a response. Do-heon kept his lips firmly sealed as if they had been glued shut.
The grandmother waved her hand, saying she was tired of explaining it again after having told so many people already. Instead, her assistant who was beside her explained the situation.
In summary, the grandmother’s chronic illness was difficult to treat in Korea, which had been a great concern. Fortunately, positive research results had come from America last month, so she was going there urgently for treatment.
“So when are you leaving?”
“I’m departing next week, so you don’t need to come to the house on Saturdays for a while.”
“Ah…”
So that’s why she wanted to have a meal outside today. Cheong-yeon stopped his busy hands and put down the fork he was holding.
Despite considering the grandmother’s age, such a sudden decision meant her health condition wasn’t improving.
Cheong-yeon resented Do-heon for not telling him about such important news in advance. But strictly speaking, he was no longer part of Do-heon’s family, so perhaps Do-heon hadn’t felt the need to inform him.
Cheong-yeon sighed and stared at Do-heon sitting next to him. Thanks to this news, his appetite had completely disappeared. Though he had many more questions about the grandmother’s health, she didn’t seem to welcome them. Reluctantly, he continued the conversation on different topics, but his mood hardly improved.
“Before going home, let’s drive around the area. Aren’t the flowers beautiful?”
Following the grandmother’s wishes, the three decided to drive around the vicinity together for a while after finishing their meal.
Before they could feel awkward, the grandmother asked Do-heon to stop the car after a short drive.
“Let’s enjoy the flowers in that flower garden for a moment.”
Do-heon immediately parked the car by the road and took out the wheelchair.
Cheong-yeon, who had been lost in serious thoughts, felt his anxious mind ease a little upon seeing the vast flower field. He thought it was better to spend time like this now, as he wouldn’t be able to see her while she was in America.
“This side looks prettier. Do-heon, can you bring the wheelchair over here?”
Cheong-yeon pointed to a spot that seemed best for photos. Do-heon silently pushed the wheelchair to where Cheong-yeon indicated, and the assistant following them asked for Cheong-yeon’s phone, offering to take pictures.
“I’ll take the photo. One, two, three.”
As Do-heon and Cheong-yeon stood on either side of the wheelchair, the assistant gave the signal. After taking several photos from similar angles, she handed the phone back to Cheong-yeon to check the pictures.
“Hmm… something seems lacking.”
*Maybe it’s too focused on the background?*
The scenery in the photos was beautiful, but the people looked stiff, which was somewhat disappointing. In particular, Do-heon stood too upright like a statue, giving an artificial atmosphere. *Doesn’t this man know that saying “kimchi” is the standard practice when taking photos?*
When Cheong-yeon glanced at Do-heon, he twitched his eyebrows as if asking what was wrong. His expression seemed to say, “What’s the standard practice?” which made Cheong-yeon sigh. Explaining would only tire his mouth, so he shook his head.
“Grandmother, let’s put this flower behind your ear and take one more photo.”
Cheong-yeon plucked a flower with leaves barely hanging on due to the wind and tucked it behind the grandmother’s ear. It definitely made her look more natural and lively.
“You two should have one each too.”
“What?”
“Is there a law saying only I should have one? You should both do it too, for fairness.”
The grandmother insisted that Do-heon and Cheong-yeon should each wear a flower, despite seemingly not being keen on the idea herself.
“Of course! I’ll put them on both sides. Do-heon, come here.”
After tucking flowers behind both his ears, Cheong-yeon held out another flower to Do-heon. He had expected Do-heon to take it and put it on himself, but instead, Do-heon bent down to Cheong-yeon’s eye level as if asking him to do it.
“…”
Momentarily taken aback by the unexpected action, Cheong-yeon soon tucked the large flower behind Do-heon’s ear.
“Does it suit me?”
“What?”
Going even further, Do-heon asked something frivolous that he would never normally say. Even after seeing Cheong-yeon’s pupils quiver in surprise, he calmly repeated his question.
“I asked if it suits me.”
“…Well, it doesn’t look bad, I suppose.”
Seemingly satisfied with Cheong-yeon’s answer, he stood next to the grandmother and urged the assistant to take the picture quickly.
Cheong-yeon glanced at Do-heon, incredulous at this unbelievable sight. He was staring at the camera shamelessly with the flower tucked behind his ear.
Honestly, it didn’t suit him at all—he looked like a madman. *Is his mood fluctuating these days? Why is he acting like this?*
Cheong-yeon burst into a hollow laugh, finding it ridiculous.
“I’ll take the photo now.”
At the assistant’s words, Cheong-yeon instinctively became aware of the camera lens and smiled brightly.
At that moment, a gentle breeze wrapped around Cheong-yeon before passing by. The feeling of his hair fluttering in the wind improved his mood slightly.
Soon, Cheong-yeon placed his hand on the grandmother’s shoulder and posed.
Perhaps because he had eaten too much, drowsiness overwhelmed him as soon as he got into Do-heon’s car to return home. As usual, Cheong-yeon took off his wedding ring to hand it to Do-heon and fastened his seatbelt.
However, as the car started and he began thinking about the tasks he had to do starting tomorrow, his drowsiness vanished. The news of the grandmother going to America next week had been unexpected, and the reality before him was progressing too dismally.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
