Chapter 50
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Chapter 50
TL: KSD
How did this happen
The story goes back to some time ago.
Right after it was revealed through a broadcast that I was aware of my parents existence and had identified them, the company received a significant call.
They were asking if the content aired on the broadcast was true.
Lim Yang-wook explained with a serious expression.
The call wasnt directed to our department but to the PR team. They handled it internally and didnt think it was necessary to inform us, considering the question seemed trivial when taken out of context
So, what was the response?
Of course, Yes. Who would claim its fabricated? Especially when it was a fact this time.
Baekhak Entertainment confirmed it as true.
The first contact ended there.
And then, not long after, the second contact was made.
The second contact was from someone different from the first caller. This person revealed from the start that they were your parents. They requested to meet you.
Only then did our PR team realize that the situation was getting serious. They contacted the individual from the first call again, confirmed that person was indeed your parent, and shared this information with our department
I cautiously raised my hand to interrupt Lim Yang-wook.
I didnt care about the details.
What do these people want from me?
They want to meet.
Ha
I felt all my energy draining. My strength seemed to seep out from my spine, and my head listlessly fell back.
Leaning against the passenger seat listlessly, Lim Yang-wook cautiously spoke up.
For now, the company has been coordinating with both parents for a meeting in an undisclosed location. Well, to be precise, its still under negotiation. We havent asked for your opinion yet.
What happens if I say I dont want to meet them?
What would happen? It would be the end. Ill go to them in your place, explain things well, and send them back. So, do whatever you feel comfortable with. Though, I know its not exactly a comfortable situation
I pondered deeply before throwing a question at Lim Yang-wook.
What do you think, Department Head~nim?
Me?
Lim Yang-wook paused to stroke his chin before responding.
As the head of the Publishing Management Department, Id say meeting them is the right move. If youre to continue as an author and a public figure, its best to tie up this issue sooner rather than later. In any manner.
I guess that makes sense.
Just as I was trying to accept this with a heavy heart, Lim Yang-wook offered a twist.
However, as a senior in life, I think its also okay not to meet them.
Why?
Its not like the world will end if you dont meet them, right?
I waited for him to continue, but Lim Yang-wook naturally closed his mouth.
Is that it?
What do you mean?
The reason not to meet.
What else could there be? Live life without regrets, doing what you want.
Hearing Lim Yang-wooks words made me spontaneously laugh. It felt slightly absurd given my situation of living life a second time.
I told Lim Yang-wook, who was looking at me with a peculiar gaze.
Okay. Lets meet them, just this once.
Thats the spirit. Youve mustered a lot of courage. Want me to come with you?
No, its okay. Ill go alone.
It wasnt the first time meeting them, after all.
EP 4-Red Hunter
I became aware of my parents being alive around my second year of middle school, but it wasnt until I had grown up that I first encountered them.
Right after my desperate concern of What am I going to live on was resolved by Professor Gu Hak-juns declaration, You, become my student.
I was enjoying the springtime of my life, as an assistant to Professor Gu Hak-jun and a freshman at the university he was affiliated with.
Of course, there was a minor mishap when a department assistant carelessly revealed that I was an orphanage graduate, leading to some bullying, but compared to the numerous trials Ive faced in life, it was merely a trivial pain. After all, isnt frustration supposed to make a man grow?
Anyway, when people are well-fed, they tend to philosophize. The financial statements of many philosophers throughout history prove this.
So, uncharacteristically, I embarked on a journey to find my roots. I decided to confront the parents who had abandoned me.
I formally contacted my parents through the New Light Spring Orphanage, and after some contemplation, they each met with me.
Thus, I had one meeting each with two individuals marked by wrinkles.
Both had remarried and had one or two children each, and they faced the biggest mistake of their youth with varying expressions.
However, the difference in their expressions stemmed from their personalities, but the emotions behind those expressions were the same.
Upon seeing me, they cried, felt ashamed, and were frightened.
The karma of foolishly believing in everlasting love during their youth had suddenly caught up to them.
My existence, which they had tried hard to forget, seeking their own new happiness and peace, was a painful but undeniable wound to them.
Thus, I learned that my very existence was someones regret, distortion, mistake, a secret that could not be shared with their spouse, and an indelible stain spread throughout their lives.
This was not the reunion my deepest heart had dreamed of.
The reunion between parent and child, after nearly 20 years, ended leaving wounds on both sides.
Nonetheless, looking back at that time, there was at least a minimum level of dignity between us.
That dignity was the etiquette between human beings. We respected each others lives.
They acknowledged the pain caused by their mistakes and tried to apologize with tears, offering alimony. I refused the money for the sake of my dignity.
On the other hand, I acknowledged that they were not demons but humans, and I decided to quietly disappear to protect the peace they had earnestly achieved.
The long-standing bad karma thus ended.
Even if I were to die before them, the tragedy of a family (once was) ended that way.
But within the twisted flow of time, I was confronted with my roots once again.
About 10 years earlier, I saw them.
It was in a quiet and secluded place in Seoul arranged by Baekhak Entertainment.
They were much younger than I remembered. The man and woman in their early to mid-30s had no wrinkles on their faces and were beautiful enough to still charm the opposite sex.
They had not yet remarried, naturally had no children other than me, and there was no spouse who needed to be kept secret from, so they appeared more confident.
They seemed less wise than I knew, lacked the maturity and responsibility characteristic of parents raising children, and appeared financially unstable.
And
They were more repulsive than I remembered.
They did not come alone. Their siblings were with them, sending greedy smiles my way, coaxing me to call them uncle, aunt, and asking to be treated as such.
My parents seemed troubled and ashamed by the situation but did not attempt to stop their siblings from trying to accept me into the family.
Someone proud to be my uncle pushed his young child towards me, claiming this child was my cousin.
It was then I finally came to my senses, angered by the situation, and stated that I could not agree to their claim.
A sordid argument ensued.
The other side strongly advocated for reconciliation, and I refused.
-No, I mean, he does tend to skip school on his own accord, but its odd he didnt tell me about this in advance
Then, Lim Yang-wook spoke to someone else in Japanese over the phone.
Are you in Japan by any chance?
-Yes. Im on a business trip abroad I guess I havent been taking good care of In-seop.
Lim Yang-wook, after briefly conversing with someone in Japanese again, concluded the conversation with Kim Byul in an apologetic voice.
-Ill have one of our staff visit Author Moons house to check on him. Thank you for letting us know, and hopefully
Ah! Well do it!
-Excuse me?
Kim Byul exchanged a quick glance with Gu Yu-na and Min Hyo-chan.
They looked back at her and nodded.
So, Kim Byul gathered everyones will and responded.
We three will go check on him! Were currently at school, you know? Doesnt In-seop live near the school?
* * *
Is this the place?
Kim Byul checked the apartment number with a puzzled look. But after taking out a note from her school uniform pocket and checking, this wasnt the right house.
Then, Gu Yu-na tugged on Kim Byuls shirt sleeve.
Its over there.
Ah!
Kim Byul, Gu Yu-na, and Min Hyo-chan arrived in front of Moon In-seops studio.
Min Hyo-chan, with his pink hair, checked with the others before operating the door lock.
Shall I open it?
As Min Hyo-chan entered the four-digit code, a short beep sounded, and the door opened.
The trio cautiously entered Moon In-seops studio.
Anyone here?
Are you in?
Excuse us
Moon In-seops studio was eerily silent upon their first entry.
It was aptly described as empty.
The heating was off, leaving a cold air settled on the floor, it was dark even though it was evening, and there was nothing visible besides the standard furniture that came with the apartment.
Shoes and a bag at the entrance, along with a school uniform, were the only signs that someone lived here.
Kim Byul entered the studio with a feeling of eeriness.
The quiet, dark, and chilly interior of the house.
A living room devoid of any furniture.
There was one closed door, likely leading to the main bedroom.
Are you in there?
Kim Byul cautiously opened the door.
And inside was
A body lying face down on the desk-
Kyaaaaaah-!
Kim Byuls scream made Min Hyo-chan jump, and Gu Yu-na froze in shock.
Kim Byul, who had fallen to the floor as if foaming at the mouth, trembled in her legs but managed to stand up.
She then closely inspected the inside of the bedroom.
There was a bookshelf, a blanket, a desk, and a chair,
And on the desk were a monitor, keyboard, manuscript pages, a lamp, and Moon In-seop sprawled out.
Moon In-seop was quietly breathing in and out, alive.
Kim Byul, who had mistakenly thought Moon In-seop was a corpse, marched up to him, irritated.
Just as she was about to wake him up by hitting his back,
Oh.
She noticed that even in his sleep, Moon In-seop was clutching a manuscript page as if it was everything he owned.
Kim Byul felt a certain desperation in that scene.
So, she quietly closed the bedroom door and walked out.
Gu Yu-na and Min Hyo-chan, who had come close, asked with their eyes if the boy was okay.
Yeah. Hes just sleeping on the desk.
Geez, making us worry, that guy
Let him be. He seems really tired.
Kim Byul sat down with a thud on the living room floor, where there was no sofa, so they had to sit on the floor.
Min Hyo-chan and Gu Yu-na sat down on the floor next to Kim Byul. The cold floor felt chilling.
Doesnt he even turn on the heating?
Seems like it.
The three of them gathered to share a moment of relief that Moon was safe, their feelings exchanged through looks rather than words.
For a moment, they sat together, calming their startled hearts.
Then, a playful thought seemed to strike them. Min Hyo-chan grinned.
Well we should at least get a meal out of him, right?
Of course.
At Min Hyo-chans suggestion, Kim Byul crossed her arms and nodded agreeably.
Min Hyo-chan, with a mischievous smile, also egged on Gu Yu-na.
If he made us worry this much, shouldnt he at least treat us to something? Right? What do you think, Gu Yu-na?
Agreed.
Thats right. Thats right.
While adjusting her skirt hem as she sat, Kim Byul grumpily spoke.
Guys. Lets turn on the heating. Im freezing to death here.
Wheres the boiler?
Are you expecting your sunbae to go look for it?
Yes, sunbae
Thus, the three of them unceremoniously made themselves at home in Moons apartment, turning on the lights and the heating.
Then, Gu Yu-na pointed outside the window with her finger.
Look, outside there
Huh? Its snowing?
White flakes began to gently fall outside the dim window.
The white snow slowly covered the dark city. Countless snowflakes fluttered against the black sky.
Captivated by the beautiful scene, the three of them gazed out the window in a daze for quite some time.
It was the first snow of the year.
*****
Join our Discord to receive chapter announcements or to report mistakes: https://discord.gg/GGKyZWDuZM
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
Chapter 50
TL: KSD
How did this happen
The story goes back to some time ago.
Right after it was revealed through a broadcast that I was aware of my parents existence and had identified them, the company received a significant call.
They were asking if the content aired on the broadcast was true.
Lim Yang-wook explained with a serious expression.
The call wasnt directed to our department but to the PR team. They handled it internally and didnt think it was necessary to inform us, considering the question seemed trivial when taken out of context
So, what was the response?
Of course, Yes. Who would claim its fabricated? Especially when it was a fact this time.
Baekhak Entertainment confirmed it as true.
The first contact ended there.
And then, not long after, the second contact was made.
The second contact was from someone different from the first caller. This person revealed from the start that they were your parents. They requested to meet you.
Only then did our PR team realize that the situation was getting serious. They contacted the individual from the first call again, confirmed that person was indeed your parent, and shared this information with our department
I cautiously raised my hand to interrupt Lim Yang-wook.
I didnt care about the details.
What do these people want from me?
They want to meet.
Ha
I felt all my energy draining. My strength seemed to seep out from my spine, and my head listlessly fell back.
Leaning against the passenger seat listlessly, Lim Yang-wook cautiously spoke up.
For now, the company has been coordinating with both parents for a meeting in an undisclosed location. Well, to be precise, its still under negotiation. We havent asked for your opinion yet.
What happens if I say I dont want to meet them?
What would happen? It would be the end. Ill go to them in your place, explain things well, and send them back. So, do whatever you feel comfortable with. Though, I know its not exactly a comfortable situation
I pondered deeply before throwing a question at Lim Yang-wook.
What do you think, Department Head~nim?
Me?
Lim Yang-wook paused to stroke his chin before responding.
As the head of the Publishing Management Department, Id say meeting them is the right move. If youre to continue as an author and a public figure, its best to tie up this issue sooner rather than later. In any manner.
I guess that makes sense.
Just as I was trying to accept this with a heavy heart, Lim Yang-wook offered a twist.
However, as a senior in life, I think its also okay not to meet them.
Why?
Its not like the world will end if you dont meet them, right?
I waited for him to continue, but Lim Yang-wook naturally closed his mouth.
Is that it?
What do you mean?
The reason not to meet.
What else could there be? Live life without regrets, doing what you want.
Hearing Lim Yang-wooks words made me spontaneously laugh. It felt slightly absurd given my situation of living life a second time.
I told Lim Yang-wook, who was looking at me with a peculiar gaze.
Okay. Lets meet them, just this once.
Thats the spirit. Youve mustered a lot of courage. Want me to come with you?
No, its okay. Ill go alone.
It wasnt the first time meeting them, after all.
EP 4-Red Hunter
I became aware of my parents being alive around my second year of middle school, but it wasnt until I had grown up that I first encountered them.
Right after my desperate concern of What am I going to live on was resolved by Professor Gu Hak-juns declaration, You, become my student.
I was enjoying the springtime of my life, as an assistant to Professor Gu Hak-jun and a freshman at the university he was affiliated with.
Of course, there was a minor mishap when a department assistant carelessly revealed that I was an orphanage graduate, leading to some bullying, but compared to the numerous trials Ive faced in life, it was merely a trivial pain. After all, isnt frustration supposed to make a man grow?
Anyway, when people are well-fed, they tend to philosophize. The financial statements of many philosophers throughout history prove this.
So, uncharacteristically, I embarked on a journey to find my roots. I decided to confront the parents who had abandoned me.
I formally contacted my parents through the New Light Spring Orphanage, and after some contemplation, they each met with me.
Thus, I had one meeting each with two individuals marked by wrinkles.
Both had remarried and had one or two children each, and they faced the biggest mistake of their youth with varying expressions.
However, the difference in their expressions stemmed from their personalities, but the emotions behind those expressions were the same.
Upon seeing me, they cried, felt ashamed, and were frightened.
The karma of foolishly believing in everlasting love during their youth had suddenly caught up to them.
My existence, which they had tried hard to forget, seeking their own new happiness and peace, was a painful but undeniable wound to them.
Thus, I learned that my very existence was someones regret, distortion, mistake, a secret that could not be shared with their spouse, and an indelible stain spread throughout their lives.
This was not the reunion my deepest heart had dreamed of.
The reunion between parent and child, after nearly 20 years, ended leaving wounds on both sides.
Nonetheless, looking back at that time, there was at least a minimum level of dignity between us.
That dignity was the etiquette between human beings. We respected each others lives.
They acknowledged the pain caused by their mistakes and tried to apologize with tears, offering alimony. I refused the money for the sake of my dignity.
On the other hand, I acknowledged that they were not demons but humans, and I decided to quietly disappear to protect the peace they had earnestly achieved.
The long-standing bad karma thus ended.
Even if I were to die before them, the tragedy of a family (once was) ended that way.
But within the twisted flow of time, I was confronted with my roots once again.
About 10 years earlier, I saw them.
It was in a quiet and secluded place in Seoul arranged by Baekhak Entertainment.
They were much younger than I remembered. The man and woman in their early to mid-30s had no wrinkles on their faces and were beautiful enough to still charm the opposite sex.
They had not yet remarried, naturally had no children other than me, and there was no spouse who needed to be kept secret from, so they appeared more confident.
They seemed less wise than I knew, lacked the maturity and responsibility characteristic of parents raising children, and appeared financially unstable.
And
They were more repulsive than I remembered.
They did not come alone. Their siblings were with them, sending greedy smiles my way, coaxing me to call them uncle, aunt, and asking to be treated as such.
My parents seemed troubled and ashamed by the situation but did not attempt to stop their siblings from trying to accept me into the family.
Someone proud to be my uncle pushed his young child towards me, claiming this child was my cousin.
It was then I finally came to my senses, angered by the situation, and stated that I could not agree to their claim.
A sordid argument ensued.
The other side strongly advocated for reconciliation, and I refused.
-No, I mean, he does tend to skip school on his own accord, but its odd he didnt tell me about this in advance
Then, Lim Yang-wook spoke to someone else in Japanese over the phone.
Are you in Japan by any chance?
-Yes. Im on a business trip abroad I guess I havent been taking good care of In-seop.
Lim Yang-wook, after briefly conversing with someone in Japanese again, concluded the conversation with Kim Byul in an apologetic voice.
-Ill have one of our staff visit Author Moons house to check on him. Thank you for letting us know, and hopefully
Ah! Well do it!
-Excuse me?
Kim Byul exchanged a quick glance with Gu Yu-na and Min Hyo-chan.
They looked back at her and nodded.
So, Kim Byul gathered everyones will and responded.
We three will go check on him! Were currently at school, you know? Doesnt In-seop live near the school?
* * *
Is this the place?
Kim Byul checked the apartment number with a puzzled look. But after taking out a note from her school uniform pocket and checking, this wasnt the right house.
Then, Gu Yu-na tugged on Kim Byuls shirt sleeve.
Its over there.
Ah!
Kim Byul, Gu Yu-na, and Min Hyo-chan arrived in front of Moon In-seops studio.
Min Hyo-chan, with his pink hair, checked with the others before operating the door lock.
Shall I open it?
As Min Hyo-chan entered the four-digit code, a short beep sounded, and the door opened.
The trio cautiously entered Moon In-seops studio.
Anyone here?
Are you in?
Excuse us
Moon In-seops studio was eerily silent upon their first entry.
It was aptly described as empty.
The heating was off, leaving a cold air settled on the floor, it was dark even though it was evening, and there was nothing visible besides the standard furniture that came with the apartment.
Shoes and a bag at the entrance, along with a school uniform, were the only signs that someone lived here.
Kim Byul entered the studio with a feeling of eeriness.
The quiet, dark, and chilly interior of the house.
A living room devoid of any furniture.
There was one closed door, likely leading to the main bedroom.
Are you in there?
Kim Byul cautiously opened the door.
And inside was
A body lying face down on the desk-
Kyaaaaaah-!
Kim Byuls scream made Min Hyo-chan jump, and Gu Yu-na froze in shock.
Kim Byul, who had fallen to the floor as if foaming at the mouth, trembled in her legs but managed to stand up.
She then closely inspected the inside of the bedroom.
There was a bookshelf, a blanket, a desk, and a chair,
And on the desk were a monitor, keyboard, manuscript pages, a lamp, and Moon In-seop sprawled out.
Moon In-seop was quietly breathing in and out, alive.
Kim Byul, who had mistakenly thought Moon In-seop was a corpse, marched up to him, irritated.
Just as she was about to wake him up by hitting his back,
Oh.
She noticed that even in his sleep, Moon In-seop was clutching a manuscript page as if it was everything he owned.
Kim Byul felt a certain desperation in that scene.
So, she quietly closed the bedroom door and walked out.
Gu Yu-na and Min Hyo-chan, who had come close, asked with their eyes if the boy was okay.
Yeah. Hes just sleeping on the desk.
Geez, making us worry, that guy
Let him be. He seems really tired.
Kim Byul sat down with a thud on the living room floor, where there was no sofa, so they had to sit on the floor.
Min Hyo-chan and Gu Yu-na sat down on the floor next to Kim Byul. The cold floor felt chilling.
Doesnt he even turn on the heating?
Seems like it.
The three of them gathered to share a moment of relief that Moon was safe, their feelings exchanged through looks rather than words.
For a moment, they sat together, calming their startled hearts.
Then, a playful thought seemed to strike them. Min Hyo-chan grinned.
Well we should at least get a meal out of him, right?
Of course.
At Min Hyo-chans suggestion, Kim Byul crossed her arms and nodded agreeably.
Min Hyo-chan, with a mischievous smile, also egged on Gu Yu-na.
If he made us worry this much, shouldnt he at least treat us to something? Right? What do you think, Gu Yu-na?
Agreed.
Thats right. Thats right.
While adjusting her skirt hem as she sat, Kim Byul grumpily spoke.
Guys. Lets turn on the heating. Im freezing to death here.
Wheres the boiler?
Are you expecting your sunbae to go look for it?
Yes, sunbae
Thus, the three of them unceremoniously made themselves at home in Moons apartment, turning on the lights and the heating.
Then, Gu Yu-na pointed outside the window with her finger.
Look, outside there
Huh? Its snowing?
White flakes began to gently fall outside the dim window.
The white snow slowly covered the dark city. Countless snowflakes fluttered against the black sky.
Captivated by the beautiful scene, the three of them gazed out the window in a daze for quite some time.
It was the first snow of the year.
*****
Join our Discord to receive chapter announcements or to report mistakes: https://discord.gg/GGKyZWDuZM
Chapter 50TL: KSDHow did this happenThe story goes back to some time ago.Right after it was revealed through a broadcast that I was aware of my parents existence and had identified them, the company received a significant call.They were asking if the content aired on the broadcast was true.Lim Yang-wook explained with a serious expression.The call wasnt directed to our department but to the PR team. They handled it internally and didnt think it was necessary to inform us, considering the question seemed trivial when taken out of contextSo, what was the response?Of course, Yes. Who would claim its fabricated? Especially when it was a fact this time.Baekhak Entertainment confirmed it as true.The first contact ended there.And then, not long after, the second contact was made.The second contact was from someone different from the first caller. This person revealed from the start that they were your parents. They requested to meet you.Only then did our PR team realize that the situation was getting serious. They contacted the individual from the first call again, confirmed that person was indeed your parent, and shared this information with our departmentI cautiously raised my hand to interrupt Lim Yang-wook.I didnt care about the details.What do these people want from me?They want to meet.HaI felt all my energy draining. My strength seemed to seep out from my spine, and my head listlessly fell back.Leaning against the passenger seat listlessly, Lim Yang-wook cautiously spoke up.For now, the company has been coordinating with both parents for a meeting in an undisclosed location. Well, to be precise, its still under negotiation. We havent asked for your opinion yet.What happens if I say I dont want to meet them?What would happen? It would be the end. Ill go to them in your place, explain things well, and send them back. So, do whatever you feel comfortable with. Though, I know its not exactly a comfortable situationI pondered deeply before throwing a question at Lim Yang-wook.What do you think, Department Head~nim?Me?Lim Yang-wook paused to stroke his chin before responding.As the head of the Publishing Management Department, Id say meeting them is the right move. If youre to continue as an author and a public figure, its best to tie up this issue sooner rather than later. In any manner.I guess that makes sense.Just as I was trying to accept this with a heavy heart, Lim Yang-wook offered a twist.However, as a senior in life, I think its also okay not to meet them.Why?Its not like the world will end if you dont meet them, right?I waited for him to continue, but Lim Yang-wook naturally closed his mouth.Is that it?What do you mean?The reason not to meet.What else could there be? Live life without regrets, doing what you want.Hearing Lim Yang-wooks words made me spontaneously laugh. It felt slightly absurd given my situation of living life a second time.I told Lim Yang-wook, who was looking at me with a peculiar gaze.Okay. Lets meet them, just this once.Thats the spirit. Youve mustered a lot of courage. Want me to come with you?No, its okay. Ill go alone.It wasnt the first time meeting them, after all.EP 4-Red HunterI became aware of my parents being alive around my second year of middle school, but it wasnt until I had grown up that I first encountered them.Right after my desperate concern of What am I going to live on was resolved by Professor Gu Hak-juns declaration, You, become my student.I was enjoying the springtime of my life, as an assistant to Professor Gu Hak-jun and a freshman at the university he was affiliated with.Of course, there was a minor mishap when a department assistant carelessly revealed that I was an orphanage graduate, leading to some bullying, but compared to the numerous trials Ive faced in life, it was merely a trivial pain. After all, isnt frustration supposed to make a man grow?Anyway, when people are well-fed, they tend to philosophize. The financial statements of many philosophers throughout history prove this.So, uncharacteristically, I embarked on a journey to find my roots. I decided to confront the parents who had abandoned me.I formally contacted my parents through the New Light Spring Orphanage, and after some contemplation, they each met with me.Thus, I had one meeting each with two individuals marked by wrinkles.Both had remarried and had one or two children each, and they faced the biggest mistake of their youth with varying expressions.However, the difference in their expressions stemmed from their personalities, but the emotions behind those expressions were the same.Upon seeing me, they cried, felt ashamed, and were frightened.The karma of foolishly believing in everlasting love during their youth had suddenly caught up to them.My existence, which they had tried hard to forget, seeking their own new happiness and peace, was a painful but undeniable wound to them.Thus, I learned that my very existence was someones regret, distortion, mistake, a secret that could not be shared with their spouse, and an indelible stain spread throughout their lives.This was not the reunion my deepest heart had dreamed of.The reunion between parent and child, after nearly 20 years, ended leaving wounds on both sides.Nonetheless, looking back at that time, there was at least a minimum level of dignity between us.That dignity was the etiquette between human beings. We respected each others lives.They acknowledged the pain caused by their mistakes and tried to apologize with tears, offering alimony. I refused the money for the sake of my dignity.On the other hand, I acknowledged that they were not demons but humans, and I decided to quietly disappear to protect the peace they had earnestly achieved.The long-standing bad karma thus ended.Even if I were to die before them, the tragedy of a family once was ended that way.But within the twisted flow of time, I was confronted with my roots once again.About 10 years earlier, I saw them.It was in a quiet and secluded place in Seoul arranged by Baekhak Entertainment.They were much younger than I remembered. The man and woman in their early to mid-30s had no wrinkles on their faces and were beautiful enough to still charm the opposite sex.They had not yet remarried, naturally had no children other than me, and there was no spouse who needed to be kept secret from, so they appeared more confident.They seemed less wise than I knew, lacked the maturity and responsibility characteristic of parents raising children, and appeared financially unstable.AndThey were more repulsive than I remembered.They did not come alone. Their siblings were with them, sending greedy smiles my way, coaxing me to call them uncle, aunt, and asking to be treated as such.My parents seemed troubled and ashamed by the situation but did not attempt to stop their siblings from trying to accept me into the family.Someone proud to be my uncle pushed his young child towards me, claiming this child was my cousin.It was then I finally came to my senses, angered by the situation, and stated that I could not agree to their claim.A sordid argument ensued.The other side strongly advocated for reconciliation, and I refused.-No, I mean, he does tend to skip school on his own accord, but its odd he didnt tell me about this in advanceThen, Lim Yang-wook spoke to someone else in Japanese over the phone.Are you in Japan by any chance?-Yes. Im on a business trip abroad I guess I havent been taking good care of In-seop.Lim Yang-wook, after briefly conversing with someone in Japanese again, concluded the conversation with Kim Byul in an apologetic voice.-Ill have one of our staff visit Author Moons house to check on him. Thank you for letting us know, and hopefullyAh! Well do it!-Excuse me?Kim Byul exchanged a quick glance with Gu Yu-na and Min Hyo-chan.They looked back at her and nodded.So, Kim Byul gathered everyones will and responded.We three will go check on him! Were currently at school, you know? Doesnt In-seop live near the school?* * *Is this the place?Kim Byul checked the apartment number with a puzzled look. But after taking out a note from her school uniform pocket and checking, this wasnt the right house.Then, Gu Yu-na tugged on Kim Byuls shirt sleeve.Its over there.Ah!Kim Byul, Gu Yu-na, and Min Hyo-chan arrived in front of Moon In-seops studio.Min Hyo-chan, with his pink hair, checked with the others before operating the door lock.Shall I open it?As Min Hyo-chan entered the four-digit code, a short beep sounded, and the door opened.The trio cautiously entered Moon In-seops studio.Anyone here?Are you in?Excuse usMoon In-seops studio was eerily silent upon their first entry.It was aptly described as empty.The heating was off, leaving a cold air settled on the floor, it was dark even though it was evening, and there was nothing visible besides the standard furniture that came with the apartment.Shoes and a bag at the entrance, along with a school uniform, were the only signs that someone lived here.Kim Byul entered the studio with a feeling of eeriness.The quiet, dark, and chilly interior of the house.A living room devoid of any furniture.There was one closed door, likely leading to the main bedroom.Are you in there?Kim Byul cautiously opened the door.And inside wasA body lying face down on the desk-Kyaaaaaah-!Kim Byuls scream made Min Hyo-chan jump, and Gu Yu-na froze in shock.Kim Byul, who had fallen to the floor as if foaming at the mouth, trembled in her legs but managed to stand up.She then closely inspected the inside of the bedroom.There was a bookshelf, a blanket, a desk, and a chair,And on the desk were a monitor, keyboard, manuscript pages, a lamp, and Moon In-seop sprawled out.Moon In-seop was quietly breathing in and out, alive.Kim Byul, who had mistakenly thought Moon In-seop was a corpse, marched up to him, irritated.Just as she was about to wake him up by hitting his back,Oh.She noticed that even in his sleep, Moon In-seop was clutching a manuscript page as if it was everything he owned.Kim Byul felt a certain desperation in that scene.So, she quietly closed the bedroom door and walked out.Gu Yu-na and Min Hyo-chan, who had come close, asked with their eyes if the boy was okay.Yeah. Hes just sleeping on the desk.Geez, making us worry, that guyLet him be. He seems really tired.Kim Byul sat down with a thud on the living room floor, where there was no sofa, so they had to sit on the floor.Min Hyo-chan and Gu Yu-na sat down on the floor next to Kim Byul. The cold floor felt chilling.Doesnt he even turn on the heating?Seems like it.The three of them gathered to share a moment of relief that Moon was safe, their feelings exchanged through looks rather than words.For a moment, they sat together, calming their startled hearts.Then, a playful thought seemed to strike them. Min Hyo-chan grinned.Well we should at least get a meal out of him, right?Of course.At Min Hyo-chans suggestion, Kim Byul crossed her arms and nodded agreeably.Min Hyo-chan, with a mischievous smile, also egged on Gu Yu-na.If he made us worry this much, shouldnt he at least treat us to something? Right? What do you think, Gu Yu-na?Agreed.Thats right. Thats right.While adjusting her skirt hem as she sat, Kim Byul grumpily spoke.Guys. Lets turn on the heating. Im freezing to death here.Wheres the boiler?Are you expecting your sunbae to go look for it?Yes, sunbaeThus, the three of them unceremoniously made themselves at home in Moons apartment, turning on the lights and the heating.Then, Gu Yu-na pointed outside the window with her finger.Look, outside thereHuh? Its snowing?White flakes began to gently fall outside the dim window.The white snow slowly covered the dark city. Countless snowflakes fluttered against the black sky.Captivated by the beautiful scene, the three of them gazed out the window in a daze for quite some time.It was the first snow of the year.*****Join our Discord to receive chapter announcements or to report mistakes: https://discord.gg/GGKyZWDuZM
