Chapter 188
“Did something happen with Uncle while Dad was away? Tell me.”
“…No.”
“You should be honest with Dad, no secrets. Something happened with Uncle Tae-geon, didn’t it?”
“…No, nothing happened.”
Jerome stubbornly shook his head. Hyeon-woo’s eyes narrowed. He was certain something had happened between Tae-geon and Jerome while he was away. Jerome’s attitude, as if hiding something, put Hyeon-woo on edge, and suddenly the memory of Jerome and Tae-geon’s first meeting flashed sharply in his mind.
That cold gaze looking at Jerome in his arms. Tae-geon’s look, as if he would mercilessly remove anything that bothered him, reminded Hyeon-woo of the chilling eyes that had coldly scanned his stomach in the distant past, causing him to unknowingly hide Jerome’s truth.
Hyeon-woo had known from the beginning that Tae-geon didn’t approve of Jerome. Nevertheless, when Tae-geon came to find him and persuaded him to bring Jerome to the mansion, Hyeon-woo felt an inexplicable certainty. A strong conviction that Tae-geon would never harm Jerome.
But if asked why he felt that way, he couldn’t give a clear answer. It was in the realm of intuition that couldn’t be explained in words.
Hyeon-woo still couldn’t understand why Tae-geon’s expression as he looked around the house, his gaze at the clumsy hand-stitching on Jerome’s stuffed toy, his voice scolding Hyeon-woo not to live in squalor in such a place, felt like they were comforting his past life that he had lived so fiercely.
Was all of that, which felt like Tae-geon was embracing him, just his own delusion?
He had clearly witnessed with his own eyes how the mansion gradually transformed into a warmer place for Jerome. The feeling when he and Tae-geon exchanged silly jokes about Jerome’s future was still so vivid.
So why suddenly…
The more he thought about it, the more confused he became. Feeling frustrated, Hyeon-woo let out a deep sigh.
He entered Tae-geon’s room with meals prepared for three. Silence settled over the table as they sat down together after setting up. The atmosphere felt even more bleak than the day Jerome first came to the mansion.
Hyeon-woo, on high alert observing the air between Tae-geon and Jerome, finally put down his spoon with a clatter.
Clank-.
“…What is it? Did you two fight while I was gone?”
Jerome and Tae-geon’s silent demeanor was identical, as if they had conspired.
Hyeon-woo was inwardly relieved to see Jerome start eating as usual, despite being wary of Tae-geon. It didn’t seem to be a conflict severe enough that they couldn’t even share a meal.
Trying to lighten the mood, Hyeon-woo needlessly chided Tae-geon.
“What are you doing fighting with a five-year-old?”
“……”
He expected Tae-geon to express dissatisfaction at being scolded without knowing the inside story. But contrary to expectations, there was no reaction.
Puzzled by Tae-geon’s behavior, Hyeon-woo turned to look at Jerome. He could sense Jerome glancing at Tae-geon, checking his reaction as he stabbed a sausage with his fork. Hyeon-woo spoke loudly as he ostentatiously picked up side dishes and placed them on Jerome’s rice.
“Jerome, shall we go see a movie this weekend?”
“A movie…?”
Jerome’s eyes sparkled.
“Yes, an animation I watched when I was young is being re-released. Let’s go together!”
“Okay!”
Color returned to Jerome’s face, which had been clouded over. As Jerome’s eating became more lively, Hyeon-woo’s chopsticks also became busier, breaking side dishes into small pieces.
Tae-geon was watching the two with an unreadable expression.
*
Hyeon-woo and Jerome, who had been eagerly counting down the days to the weekend, boarded a bus heading downtown. The weather had noticeably warmed up. People walking the streets were dressed in thinner clothes. After enduring the brief cold spell to come, spring would soon arrive in full force. And then, with Tae-geon…
“Dad!”
At Jerome’s urging, Hyeon-woo set aside his thoughts and entered the movie theater.
While Hyeon-woo approached the kiosk to get tickets, Jerome lingered around the snack bar emitting sweet smells. In truth, Jerome was more excited about eating sweet caramel popcorn than watching the movie.
A trailer for a currently showing film was playing on the large screen inside the theater, accompanied by thrilling sound. However, Hyeon-woo smiled seeing Jerome interested only in the popcorn machine where corn kernels were popping.
It was when he was touching the kiosk screen and setting the number of people. After selecting one child and one adult, as he was about to move to the next screen, an unfamiliar hand suddenly reached from behind and changed the number to two adults.
Turning around at the familiar scent, there stood Tae-geon as expected.
“…What are you doing?”
Hyeon-woo asked gruffly.
“…I want to watch too.”
“……”
As Hyeon-woo hesitated, not knowing how to react to this absurd response, the movie trailer ended and was followed by an advertisement. Hyeon-woo’s eyes widened as McRae’s face filled the large screen.
The gentle piano melody flowing was as sweet as flower petals fluttering on a spring day. The camera angle focusing intently on his handsome face shifted to his ash-gray hair fluttering in the breeze. On his wrist, brushing back his disheveled bangs, was an expensive luxury watch that anyone would recognize. It was the watch he had glimpsed on a magazine cover. The metal dial, the same ash-gray as his hair color, shimmered softly, changing its luster depending on the angle.
“…Who is that?”
Startled by the ominous voice in his ear, Hyeon-woo slowly turned his head to look at Tae-geon standing beside him.
A chill ran down his spine at Tae-geon’s gaze, staring not at McRae’s face on the screen, but more precisely, drilling into McRae’s blue eyes.
With the muscles of his tightly clenched jaw protruding, Tae-geon’s voice, staring at the screen with an intense gaze, settled on Hyeon-woo’s ear, making his hair stand on end.
“Do you know him?”
“……”
Though he hadn’t done anything wrong, Hyeon-woo’s heart pounded unnecessarily at Tae-geon’s pressing.
He didn’t know how to answer Tae-geon’s question. They hadn’t been in touch for years. Could a relationship where they hadn’t even known if the other was alive or dead, let alone contacted each other, be called knowing each other? No, even apart from whether they had been in touch or not, Hyeon-woo couldn’t find the right words to define his relationship with McRae.
Friend? Neighbor? Regular customer? As Hyeon-woo pondered various options, remembering that Tae-geon’s patience wasn’t very deep, he hurriedly blurted out:
“He’s someone I knew from the same neighborhood when I was in America.”
Tae-geon’s gaze finally left McRae and landed on Hyeon-woo. With an expression as if suppressing something, he scrutinized Hyeon-woo’s face intently. It was a sharp gaze, like an interrogator digging for hidden truth.
“And?”
And… To the pressing Tae-geon, Hyeon-woo inadvertently added.
“He was a frequent customer at Mom’s store.”
“And?”
“…And…”
As the questioning continued, Hyeon-woo was unconsciously choosing his words when he realized something strange and closed his mouth again.
…Why am I being questioned like this? The question belatedly arose.
It was a time when they had completely cut ties and were living their own lives. There was no reason for Tae-geon to question him like this, nor any obligation to answer. Especially about his now insignificant relationship with McRae. Besides, he really had nothing more to say.
“That’s all.”
At Hyeon-woo’s answer, Tae-geon’s eyebrow twitched. His Adam’s apple bobbed once, and the corner of his mouth twisted momentarily in a cynical smile.
“Oh, really?”
“……”
“And here I thought…”
The low voice that finally came out with his exhale pierced Hyeon-woo’s sensitive eardrum.
“The way you were looking with such a desperate gaze, I thought you might have been pregnant by him.”
“…What?”
It was at that moment when Hyeon-woo frowned deeply and looked up at Tae-geon.
“Dad!!”
He saw Jerome running towards him from not far away. Jerome’s steps noticeably slowed when he spotted Tae-geon standing next to Hyeon-woo, about halfway there. Jerome’s bright face darkened instantly.
As Hyeon-woo’s body tensed, ready to run to Jerome whose expression had suddenly worsened, Tae-geon’s voice spread to his ear once again.
“Ah, I forgot for a moment. You said he died from a drug overdose, right?”
“……!”
Shock spread across Hyeon-woo’s face as he turned to look at Tae-geon. Tae-geon’s gaze was cold as he stared directly at the shocked Hyeon-woo.
“I decided not to believe what you say anymore, but I’m going to try believing that one.”
Now Hyeon-woo understood why Tae-geon’s strange words and actions were happening. He was misunderstanding that McRae was Jerome’s biological father.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
