Chapter 20: The Taste of Happiness

The next day, the three of us—except for Dad—visited the health screening center.

The hospital we arrived at looked brand new and spotless, with a faint scent of disinfectant lingering in the lobby. We confirmed our names at the reception desk and received the medical questionnaire forms.

I took turns glancing at Mom and Dahye as we filled out the questionnaire together.

Do you usually eat regular meals?

How many times a week do you exercise?

We circled answers for each item. Dahye looked around nervously, clearly tense.

“You don’t have to be so nervous. We’re just here to check if our bodies are healthy, that’s all.”

Hospitals are terrifying places for kids.

Just looking at a needle scares me, so how much more frightening must it be for little Dahye?

To ease her tension, I explained why we were at the hospital.

“We’ll measure your height and weight, do a blood type test, and things like that.”

Of course, tests like the blood type check involve needles.

That’s a secret.

If I told her, I could already predict how she’d react next, so I decided to hide the painful parts.

“Is that really all?”

“Yeah, it’s just like the physical exams you have at school.”

“Okay, I get it.”

Dahye nodded and finally relaxed.

Sorry, Dahye.

I hope you understand this is all for your own good.

Unaware of anything, Dahye chatted with Mom as they waited for their turn.

“25.2 kg, height 133.1 cm.”

Soon it was our turn, and we started with height measurements, followed by the basic examinations.

Dahye went first.

She was definitely too skinny.

I’ll have to feed her hearty meals to help her gain weight.

My height and weight came out as 180 cm and 68 kg, while Mom measured 160 cm and 55 kg.

We continued with hearing tests, vision tests, and blood pressure measurements.

“1.5 and 1.3.”

My eyesight was quite good at this point.

Over time, it deteriorated, forcing me to wear glasses, but I’ll try to manage it well to avoid wearing them as much as possible.

“No shots, right, oppa?”

It was time for the blood draw.

Dahye shot me a resentful glare.

Her eyes were ice-cold, probably because of the blood.

“Getting a shot isn’t a big deal, right?”

I smiled faintly, purposely avoiding her gaze.

“When this’s over, let’s go eat your favorite beef ribs.”

I mentioned the ribs Dahye loved.

For kids, nothing beats ribs over pork belly.

“Really?”

Dahye’s sulky eyes suddenly sparkled.

“Beef ribs?”

Mom asked in surprise.

Since beef ribs aren’t cheap, her face showed concern.

“Mom, when else are we going to eat beef ribs? I’ll pack some for Dad too.”

Money isn’t meant to be saved endlessly.

Money has value only when it’s spent.

“Hmm.”

“Mom.”

If I were an adult, she’d probably rely on me without worry.

It was a little disappointing.

Spending over 100,000 won as a middle schooler was excessive.

“All right, let’s go. But since Mom’s paying, you don’t have to worry about the money, okay?”

“What?”

Mom clearly drew the line before I could offer to pay.

“You already get allowance from me, so it wouldn’t look good if I have to support you for this too.”

I guess that’s a problem when you become an adult.

Parents feel burdened and guilty when their children rely on them too much.

I don’t mind, but apparently, it’s different for them.

“Yes.”

I understood, so I agreed to Mom’s decision.

We chatted as we finished all the tests with an X-ray, then headed to the beef rib restaurant.

It had been a productive day.

New mail 1.

I opened the mail window to send the manuscript and found a new message waiting.

The sender was Faith Publishing, and the subject was simple. But the contents were astonishing.

[This is Assistant Manager Oh Joseon from Faith Publishing. Congratulations again, Author.

An additional 5,000 copies will be printed.]

“Oh my...”

I froze in front of the monitor.

I couldn’t believe it.

I was already satisfied with the current sales, but I never imagined it would grow so much again like this.

An extra 5,000 copies on top of 10,000 means a total of 15,000 copies per volume.

An incredible achievement.

That should secure me a fixed monthly income of at least six million won.

This year, I could live comfortably even without writing.

Most writers today struggle to make a living through their writing and often look for other jobs.

Some choose paths unrelated to their majors, while others do part-time work to support themselves while trying to succeed as writers.

If you can make a living by writing, you’re considered a popular author.

One of the top 5%.

And an additional print run is a privilege only a few enjoy among them.

And I had achieved that.

“Things are going so well, it’s almost unbelievable. It feels like a hidden camera prank.”

I’d never experienced this in my past life; everything just kept going my way.

“If this keeps up, I might find a decent place before I become an adult.”

No, maybe I could move to a new home within this year.

If I combined the deposit from our current house with my savings and took a small loan, maybe I could get our own house instead of just a lease.

“Dahye’s been wanting her own room every day.”

It’s fine now because she’s young, but once she enters middle school, she’ll definitely need her own room.

In my past life, we moved before middle school, but Dahye’s room had no heating and was cramped.

It was like having a room but not really.

Thinking about it made me feel sorry for her.

“Let’s give Dahye the best room after the master bedroom. I only need a place to work.”

I have no desire for a fancy room.

My only wish left is to see Dahye’s smiling face until my hair turns white.

That alone would be enough.

“I’m so motivated now. People really do awaken when they have something to drive them.”

Thinking about the house filled me with energy.

“Huh?”

Sniff sniff.

“Oh! Seafood stew smell!”

While lost in happy daydreams, the scent of seafood stew drifting in from the balcony window hit my nose.

“Dad said he’s coming with a coworker, so I guess Mom’s making seafood stew.”

Ah, I can’t hold it any longer.

My mouth watered, so I headed to the living room.

“Mom, can I taste it?”

I approached Mom, who was busy cooking, and looked at her with pleading eyes.

“Oppa, this is really delicious.”

My sister was already sucking on a crab leg.

She held the crab leg and smiled brightly, giving a thumbs-up.

“Eat slowly. Look at the food on your mouth.”

I wiped the food off her lips with a tissue and patted her head.

She’s loved blue crabs since she was little.

I’ll make sure she eats them more often from now on.

“Here, take one.”

Mom put a crab leg into a small bowl and placed it on the table.

“Oh, thank you.”

I thanked Mom, grabbed the crab, and put it in my mouth.

At that moment!!!

“Mmm, delicious.”

The rich broth of the crab spread through my mouth, releasing a deep aroma.

The crab meat melted softly, leaving a long, pleasant aftertaste.

Simply exquisite!

Mom’s cooking was the best, as always.

“Is it good?”

Mom asked, her face full of anticipation.

“You know I’m picky, right? It’s really delicious. Mmm! It’s the king of dishes!”

I gave Mom a thumbs-up.

There was no better way to express it.

“Hehe, flattery. Let’s set the table quickly. Dad should be home soon.”

Satisfied with my words, Mom started tidying up.

I pulled out the small table wedged between the closet and the wall and set it up in the master bedroom.

I wiped off the dust with a cloth and laid out the dishes Mom had prepared.

Dahye helped nearby.

My good little sister.

I patted her head and waited for Dad to come.

Ding dong.

The doorbell I’d been waiting for finally rang.

“Welcome home.”

“Welcome back.”

We moved to the entrance to greet Dad.

A familiar person stood behind him.

“Seunghyun, do you remember Uncle Yongdu from when we were in Siheung, Seoul? Say hello.”

How could I forget?

Uncle Yongdu has been Dad’s friend and coworker since we moved to Ansan.

He’s the only friend Dad has maintained until he turned sixty.

A truly grateful man.

“Hello.”

“Hello.”

Dahye and I greeted him politely.

“Seunghyun and Dahye, it’s been a while. Wow, Seunghyun’s grown so much. You’re taller than me now.”

I’ve long since passed 180 cm as a middle schooler.

When I was in sixth grade, I was 176 cm.

Uncle Yongdu, who I used to look up to, now looked up at me instead.

“You’re such a handsome guy. I’m so jealous. And you’re a great author too.”

Uncle Yongdu praised me with genuine envy.

“Thank you.”

I glanced at Dad, whose shoulders were puffed with pride.

I could guess how this meeting had been arranged.

He must have wanted to brag about his son.

And he probably boasted about it everywhere.

“When did you study economics and finance? There were so many things I didn’t know.”

“There are a lot of fantasy stories at the pawnshop. I wanted to try writing something different, and I was lucky.”

I kept my tone humble.

Better to be modest than boastful.

“Ha, ha ha. Do you have a signature? I’d like to get one.”

Uncle Yongdu sat down and handed me a book.

The first volume of The Pawnshop’s Magician.

My book was face down on the table.

‘This is the first time.’

Signing my own novel.

Every writer dreams of this.

Even if it’s through an acquaintance, I felt both embarrassed and grateful.

“A signature, huh...”

I thought about the signature I made while working.

It had been a long time.

I signed the blank space on the last page.

“Kiya, popular authors have cool signatures too. Thanks, nephew.”

Uncle Yongdu admired my signature and stared at the book for a while.

“I’ll tell the publisher to send one for Uncle Yongdu too.”

“No, that’s okay. Fans buy books with their own money. That’s what makes a true fan.”

He declined with an exaggerated wave.

“Thank you.”

I wished all readers were like him.

“Enough talking, let’s eat.”

Dad, proudly listening to our conversation, joined in and offered a bottle of soju.

“Ha ha, you’re lucky to have such a wonderful son and a pretty daughter.”

“Ha ha.”

Dad said nothing more and downed the filled glass in one gulp.

Dahye and I focused on our meal while listening to their conversation.

Sigh, should I ask for a drink too?

I really wanted one, but probably not.

I decided to be satisfied with cider today while waiting to become a high schooler.