“Is Taejung’s treating you well? Not being disrespectful just because you’re young?”
“Dad, seriously, I feel so hurt. You taught me that it shouldn’t be like this, right? I’ve been following that, doing really well, and now you’re asking him such a thing.”
“Even if things are going well, there might be a glitch.”
“Oh, it’s unfair. Yigyeom, did I ever do you wrong?”
Looking at Kwon Taejung, who seemed to express his unfairness by burying his face in his shoulder, Yigyeom didn’t panic. He just smiled calmly and met the gaze of the chairman who was looking at him.
“Chief treats me well… He doesn’t disrespect me just because I’m young. He treats me so well that I wonder if it’s okay for me to receive it like this.”
“Well, that’s fortunate. That kid, being the youngest, was raised with a lot of ‘yes’ than ‘no.'”
Kwon Taejung silently shook his head as he watched his father, who was dissing him, even though he could win Yigyeom’s favor by speaking positively about him. Seeing that, Kwon Yoojung and Kwon Kijung burst into laughter.
“Dad, please go easy on our youngest. He wants to look good.”
“I didn’t say anything unreasonable, did I? Besides, won’t you eventually find out everything as you spend time with him?”
“Taejung really treats Yigyeom so well. We saw it when we had dinner together before. He’s really a charmer. If there’s a contest to see who’s the bigger charmer, Dad might lose.”
“Such nonsense.”
Laughter echoed through the dining room in response to the chairman’s reaction, as if he couldn’t believe such a thing. Yigyeom laughed along, looking at Kwon Taejung’s family, who were laughing heartily. It was an uncomfortable situation, but strangely, he felt comfortable. It felt so warm and pleasant to be with such affectionate and kind people.
“Yigyeom, is everything okay?”
“Yes, everything’s fine. The food is delicious and great.”
Seeing Kwon Taejung worriedly asking him, Yigyeom smiled, took a bite of rice, and then tasted the clear soup with a spoon. The gentle touch gently sweeping his back, the harmonious and cheerful atmosphere, and the fact that he was with such wonderful people made him feel good. There was no trace of discomfort.
After finishing the meal and following Kwon Taejung to the living room, Yigyeom looked at the warm tea and cake that would soon be placed in front of him.
“Yigyeom personally chose the decoration for this cake. So, please enjoy it.”
“Oh, you ordered it yourself? No wonder I’ve never seen such a pretty cake here. Thank you so much.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Yigyeom silently gazed at Kwon Taejung’s mother, who called him by his name. Perhaps because he had almost no memories of his mother, every time she called his name so affectionately, his heart pounded.
“Tbbpecu, lo sbe tjnf sbeg qtbcf, mbeiv sbe ajxf j qlmaegf bo atf mjxf? Pa’r rb yfjealoei. Pa rffwr ws qtbcf lr lc atf gbbw.”
“Tfr, P’ii ajxf la obg sbe.”
Vfflcu tfg ajxlcu qlmaegfr fnfc yfobgf meaalcu atf mjxf, Tlusfbw’r tfjga atewqfv fnfc wbgf. Tlusfbw gfmflnfv tlr rtjgf bo atf mjxf ktlif ibbxlcu ja Bkbc Kjfpecu’r wbatfg, ktb kjr mjiilcu tlr cjwf.
“Yeah, if you’re twenty, you’ve just become an adult….”
When Yigyeom took a bite of the cake, he heard Kwon Taejung’s father’s voice. Yigyeom, holding the cake plate, looked towards the source of the sound with a bit of tension.
“At an age where you have many things you want to do and dreams, isn’t it burdensome to bring up marriage? If Taejung had something he wanted in his personality, he would have pushed for it directly. I’m just curious if he’s being led by that guy. I heard it hasn’t been that long since you actually met.”
Expecting questions about his current situation or family, Yigyeom was a bit surprised by the unexpected question. However, he quickly tried to calm his mind.
“To be honest… until I got to know Chief, I had never thought about marriage. It’s not the right age for that, and also… my situation is not good, so I couldn’t even think about liking someone or sharing my feelings.”
Although he trembled occasionally, Yigyeom tried to calmly settle his mind, and everyone listened quietly to his voice. Kwon Taejung’s father patted Yigyeom’s back gently as a sign of courage.
“But… after meeting Chief and spending time together… I realized how good it is to be with someone, to share my feelings… And… I thought I want to continue to be together for a long, long time.”
With a slightly trembling heart, Yigyeom met the gaze of Kwon Taejung’s parents one by one, suppressing the desire to crouch down and lower his head. He could muster the courage for Kwon Taejung, the person he loved. Because he loved him, he wanted to do his best for him.
“And thanks to Chief actively pulling me in… I was able to gather the courage to express my feelings for the first time. Although I liked Chief first, I couldn’t find the courage… couldn’t say anything.”
“Oh, no. Yigyeom. I liked you first. I really thought you were beautiful as soon as I saw you.”
Kwon Taejung’s words prompted various sounds in the quiet living room. The chairman clicked his tongue, the mother smiled softly, and Kwon Yoojung and Kwon Kijung, like watching a romantic drama about the youngest, lightly tapped cushions in excitement.
“No, when I saw the picture…”
“Kwon Taejung.”
“…Okay, I’ll be quiet. Yigyeom, I’ll be quietly watching.”
Finally, after hearing a word from his father, Kwon Taejung closed his mouth again. Yigyeom quietly smiled again, feeling the gaze on him.
“It hasn’t been that long since I met Chief, and the concept of marriage still doesn’t feel real, but… if you allow it, I would like to be with Chief for a long, long time.”
What should I do… I told them… Yigyeom, scrutinizing the gaze of Kwon Taejung’s father, who looked at him nervously, pressed his trembling lips, applying a bit of force to suppress them.
“Taejung roughly mentioned it, but, yeah. Met in the demolition village?”
“Dad, that’s…”
Worried that his parents might ask about things that could potentially hurt Yigyeom, Kwon Taejung had already informed them about things that might surprise or be difficult for Yigyeom to answer over the phone yesterday. Seeing his father bringing up this, Kwon Taejung, who had been silent, emitted a groan.
“It’s okay, Chief.”
In contrast to the visibly flustered Kwon Taejung, Yigyeom wasn’t particularly surprised. He expected his parents to inquire about his situation or family. Although he had nothing to boast about or be proud of, he felt no shame in showing his true self.
“Yes…”
“How is your family?”
“I lived with my grandfather, but he passed away not too long ago.”
Kwon Taejung’s mother, who became slightly teary-eyed, quickly moved next to Yigyeom, sat down, and silently swept her back. Suppressing the urge to shed tears because of her sympathetic touch, Yigyeom endured.
“You’ve been through tough times. How difficult it must have been on your own.”
“…Thanks to Chief being there with me, I was able to spend the time without too much difficulty.”
While Kwon Taejung’s mother comforted him differently from Kwon Taejung, Yigyeom resisted the urge to shed tears. He felt as though the warmth from the comforting hand was different from the comfort provided by Kwon Taejung.
“I have one more thing I want to ask.”
“…Yes, please feel free to ask.”
“Do you love Taejung?”
It was the most distinct and clear-cut question, for which a straightforward answer was possible. Yigyeom looked at Kwon Taejung’s father, met his eyes without hesitation, and opened his mouth.
“Yes. Very much… I love him. This feeling is new to me.”
Ah, I want to kiss him. Kwon Taejung sighed as he watched Yigyeom clearly declare his love to his father. The happiness was so overwhelming that his fingertips tingled. Ah, what should I do with our Yigyeom?
“I want to hear more about the feelings. In detail.”
“…I am… timid, without much courage. I used to be someone who found it most important to endure each day rather than think about the future. But after falling in love with Chief and receiving a lot of Chief’s affection… I experienced courage for the first time and even started to think about tomorrow, not just today.”
Listening to Yigyeom’s calm confession, Kwon Taejung now just stared blankly, unable to utter a word or react. Yigyeom continued to look at him and his family, revealing his sincere and strong words.
“And for the first time… I thought about making someone happy. The time spent with Chief brought me so much happiness. So, I also… absolutely…”
“…”
“I want to make Chief happy…”
“I’m already so happy, Yigyeom.”
Unable to endure the feeling that tears might spill, Kwon Taejung, who had been holding back, couldn’t resist and tightly embraced Yigyeom, deeply kissing him on the cheek. The sudden action of the youngest son made the chairman sigh, and he took a sip of the lukewarm tea.
“Things like financial situation or family relationships can be helpful factors when deciding on marriage. Honestly, if Taejung loves you, and if it’s a decision without regrets, I want to respect that as much as possible.”
“…”
“Before meeting in person, I was worried that Taejung was advancing too far ahead and causing trouble for a younger friend. But after meeting him and talking, it seems his feelings are much deeper than I thought, so I feel relieved.”
“…”
“But still, considering your age, it might be better to seriously date for at least another year before assuming marriage as a premise.”
As if signaling that it was time for him to step forward, Kwon Taejung took a sip of tea and cleared his throat. Yigyeom’s father wasn’t particularly surprised or overwhelmed, as he had anticipated that this would likely happen, considering his son’s young age.
“Um… Father, I have something to say.”
Kwon Yoojung and Kwon Kijung, who were eating cake, looked at Kwon Taejung with anxious eyes. Calling him “Father” instead of “Dad” implied that something troublesome or explosive might be about to happen, a conclusion drawn from numerous experiences.
“Well… Father. There’s something I want to say.”
Kwon Taejung’s sudden and serious tone brought a heavy atmosphere to the room. Yigyeom’s father, well-aware of his tendency to create chaos, raised an eyebrow in anticipation.
“Yigyeom is pregnant.”
Love this chapter!