Chapter 27: The Emotion Called Happiness

On warm days, we sometimes grill meat outside, but it was too cold now.

We could force it, but late-night grilling was impractical.

Instead, we often used a portable gas stove with a grill plate for Korean BBQ style indoors.

Ryan loves it especially.

I set up the gas stove on the living room table and grilled the pork belly Ryan brought.

The kids focused on eating, while I focused on grilling.

“So, what’s up with that woman you were interested in?”

As I grilled, Mijeong suddenly asked with a meaningful look.

Worried the kids might hear, she spoke in English.

“We’re meeting the day after tomorrow.”

“…What? Really?”

Mijeong stared at me in surprise.

I understood her reaction—I was surprised at myself.

After hearing that, I couldn’t ignore it…

“Want to meet?”

Even if I hadn’t dated in years, I knew that meant she wanted to try.

But I couldn’t refuse.

Talking to her was fun, and she kept lingering in my mind.

I said I’d think about it…

She kept messaging after.

Was it annoying?

No.

It’s enjoyable…

Even just texting was fun and engaging.

We kept chatting, and eventually set a date.

I wasn’t sure about dating, but I agreed to meet and see.

“The day after tomorrow…”

Mijeong squinted, scanning me up and down.

Then she shook her head.

“You’re doomed.”

What?

“D-O-O-M-E-D! Done for!”

What did I do?

“This won’t do. What other clothes do you have?”

Clothes? I’ve got several of these.

What guy obsesses over clothes?

Buy a few comfortable, decent, cheap ones and call it a day.

Mijeong was speechless.

“Even Ryan back then… wasn’t this bad.”

Why drag me into this?

“Shut up and grill.”

“Uh…?”

Mijeong snatched the tongs from my hand and shoved them at Ryan.

Ryan, dazed, looked at her with the tongs in his grip.

“Honey? Honey? Wife? Honey? Baby?”

Ignoring his panic, Mijeong grabbed my hand and dragged me to the bedroom.

“Keep grilling! We’ll be quick!”

“Uh.”

With that, she pulled me inside.

Ryan alternated glances between the tongs and the kids.

“Ugh… Jiyu wants meat…”

Under the kids’ stares, he broke into a cold sweat.

He wasn’t great at grilling, so their eyes made him tense.

“L-Let’s do this.”

Ryan started grilling carefully.

Mijeong flung open my closet the moment we entered.

Normally, opening someone’s closet uninvited is rude, but she didn’t care.

Why?

She used to do my laundry…

When she was my editor, she’d come over and handle washing and dishes.

It wasn’t her job, and she didn’t do it for other writers.

Just because I was her high school classmate, and I lived so gloomily, she helped.

It left me unable to refuse her, but she kept me going.

“Seriously, nothing but the same clothes… ugh.”

With no kids around, Mijeong sighed freely.

The closet was full of identical outfits.

“You got that watch, right?”

Watch?

“The one Bear Bookstore sent.”

Oh, that?

Bear Bookstore always sent gifts with each work: accessories, liquor, or limited editions tied to my books.

“Where is it?”

In the drawer.

“Wrapped?”

No?

“That expensive thing?”

Just tossed it in.

“Ugh…”

Mijeong pinched her forehead in frustration.

She opened the drawer by the computer and pulled out the watch.

“This pricey thing… if you weren’t gonna use it, give it to me.”

Nah.

I didn’t like accessories much.

Watches were heavy, and the one from the publisher felt too weighty.

I wore it briefly at first, but my wrist hurt, so I stashed it.

“What’s this? It’s scratched?”

Oh, yeah?

“Get it polished… no. Just wear it.”

Where?

“When you meet that woman.”

Seriously?

A scratched watch?

Mijeong smacked my shoulder.

“You’re over 30 now. You can’t date like you’re 20. Dress up to impress.”

“Wear what I pick. You’ll succeed.”

I almost retorted but stayed quiet.

I wasn’t into dating, but oddly, I didn’t mind her meddling.

I just watched as she pulled out clothes.

“So, how old is she?”

“27.”

Mijeong eyed me like rotten fish.

“Thief…”

We’re not dating yet. What’s wrong?

“Ugh, whatever… nothing.”

Mijeong laid clothes on the bed.

Some were decent, and it looked better than I thought.

“Wear this. That’s enough. Don’t overdo it—just look clean.”

Got it.

I folded the bed’s clothes and set them aside.

“Where’re you meeting?”

“She’s coming to the airport. There’s a town nearby, so we’ll hang out there.”

“And the kids?”

Marcello’s.

Mijeong nodded.

The day after tomorrow was Monday, so Marcello was the only option.

“You should start English lessons for the kids soon.”

Now that the rooms are done, yeah.

I’d planned to buy textbooks after the date.

Or teach them myself.

“Let’s go. Ryan’s probably anxious.”

“Couples start looking alike, huh?”

What?

“Nothing.”

Couples do resemble each other.

Mijeong couldn’t cook, and neither could Ryan.

He couldn’t even grill simple meat.

Creak.

Opening the door, I saw Hye-yeon holding tongs and scissors.

“Oh, Uncle, you’re done talking?”

Why’re you grilling?

“Uncle Ryan kept burning the meat…”

Ryan hung his head, cutting meat small for the kids.

Mijeong chuckled at him.

“Cute, right? My husband.”

Twice cute, and the kids’ll cry.

“It’s the gap moe. You feel this happiness soon.”

Happiness, huh…

I chuckled and headed to the table.

Hye-yeon, Yuri, and Jiyu had never had their own rooms.

Even in the rural area, they lived in rundown apartments.

Less than 20 pyeong.

There were rooms, but filled with family belongings, everyone slept in the living room.

It was normal, familiar.

Feels weird.

Their first night in separate rooms felt the same for all three.

Awkward.

Something’s off.

Yuri stared wide-eyed at the ceiling.

A round lamp and blue wallpaper.

Cozy compared to the living room, but oddly uncomfortable.

“Ugh…”

After much tossing, Yuri sat up.

Lying there wouldn’t bring sleep.

Why can’t I sleep…?

Yuri glanced at her laptop.

Maybe surf the net?

She shook her head.

Already sleepless, more screen time would worsen it.

Yuri got fully out of bed.

She walked to the door.

Is Sis asleep?

Creak…

Yuri opened it quietly.

The dark hallway revealed Hye-yeon’s room across.

Huh?

About to knock, she heard a noise downstairs.

Who’s that?

Yuri tiptoed to the stairs.

Descending slowly, the sound grew clearer.

“Oh.”

Reaching the first floor, Yuri smiled.

“Knew you’d come, Yuri.”

“Hehe! Knew you would!”

Her sister and little sister were on the sofa.

Like Yuri, they found solo sleeping awkward.

“Yuri, let’s sleep together.”

“Yeah!”

It wasn’t just them.

Mom and Dad were there too.

“Sweet dreams, everyone.”

You too, Yuri.

“Everyone dream of Jiyu!”

The family drifted off together once more.