“Why would she want to see us?”
Jung Inha tilted her head from the side, equally puzzled.
“Hm, I don’t know the reason either. But she said she wants to see you kids.”
‘……What is this?’
No matter how much Myungwoo thought, he couldn’t figure out why Go Yoonjung wanted to see them.
Of course, there had been several silent exchanges between him and Go Yoonjung…….
‘But that’s not enough reason for this.’
What on earth was her reason for calling them?
In this unpredictable situation, Myungwoo nodded for now.
“Yes, if she wants to see us, we should go.”
As Myungwoo accepted, Yoo Chaeyoung’s face brightened, and Jung Inha and Jo Seungha looked at him in shock.
“Oppa?”
“Hey, why are you deciding on your own…”
“So, you’re not going? It’s a chance to talk with the great Go Yoonjung?”
At Myungwoo’s words, Jung Inha and Jo Seungha hesitated.
“No, that’s not what I meant…….”
“Hey, when did I say I’m not going. Just…….”
“Then I’ll take it as we’re going.”
Myungwoo smiled brightly and cut off their words.
Once the kids’ conversation ended, Yoo Chaeyoung grinned widely and held out her phone.
“Great! Then everyone, put your numbers in here?”
“Yes.”
Myungwoo, having accepted, took the lead and entered his number.
Seeing him do so, Jung Inha and Jo Seungha hesitated but entered theirs too.
‘Worrying about it now won’t give answers anyway.’
How could he read Go Yoonjung’s thoughts when she’s not even here?
He’d have to go and face it to know anything.
“Okay! Good, then let’s coordinate dates later!”
Yoo Chaeyoung saved the child actors’ new numbers with a beaming smile.
“Yes, sounds good.”
Myungwoo smiled back while organizing his thoughts in his head.
‘Go Yoonjung…… What could be the reason.’
If it was just him, maybe, but calling all the kids.
Or perhaps on purpose?
To hide that she wants to talk only with him?
If so, why?
Questions chained into more questions.
Myungwoo shook his head inwardly to clear them.
‘Phew, later. Think about it later when we meet.’
It wouldn’t be too late then.
Myungwoo thought this as he finished his meal.
“Hello.”
“Hello.”
“Ah, hello.”
***
A few days later, matching Go Yoonjung’s free schedule, Myungwoo, Jung Inha, and Jo Seungha visited her home.
“Oh my, come in, little guests.”
Go Yoonjung smiled brightly and welcomed the three.
“Thank you for inviting us.”
Myungwoo hid his complicated feelings, smiled, and bowed.
Then Jung Inha and Jo Seungha hurriedly bowed too.
“Oh my, such polite kids.”
Go Yoonjung laughed fufu as if pleased.
‘Still…… similar.’
Even seeing him again, it’s the same.
That vibe she felt, similar to Han Minwoo.
“Wait just a bit? I’m still cooking.”
“Ah, yes, understood.”
‘As always.’
In the past, when he visited as a fellow actor, she would cook for her colleagues by hand.
And Han Minwoo had fallen for her even more because of that.
Her love for cooking hadn’t changed over time, and Myungwoo felt a slight nostalgia.
Myungwoo discreetly looked around the house.
‘The place…… from back then.’
He remembered. The home he visited occasionally.
Ah, here we watched soccer with the male actors. Over there, an actor who could play piano gave impressive performances.
‘Memories flooding back.’
Myungwoo was soon immersed in past-life memories.
And Go Yoonjung was glancing at him.
‘He’s not awkward. Being here.’
Kang Myungwoo was obviously visiting this house for the first time today.
Naturally, the space should feel unfamiliar.
Moreover, invited by a great sunbae like her, he should be nervous.
Yet that familiar, somehow comfortable attitude—what is it?
As if he’s been here many times before.
As if he’s used to it.
‘What on earth…….’
Go Yoonjung continued cooking without showing her confused inner thoughts.
Normally, Kang Myungwoo would keenly notice her demeanor or act tense from the start to avoid suspicion altogether.
But now, revisiting his first love’s home after so long, he was too overwhelmed with fresh emotions to pay attention.
This uncharacteristic behavior from Myungwoo bred suspicion and confusion in Go Yoonjung.
“Ah, Go Yoonjung, we’ll at least set the utensils!”
“We’ll do something…….”
While Go Yoonjung cooked and Myungwoo drowned in memories, Jung Inha and Jo Seungha fidgeted restlessly, unable to sit as a great sunbae cooked by hand.
“Hoho, it’s fine. You’re guests. Guests should relax.”
“But still……..
Deureureuk-
Then, the sound of a cabinet opening came from one side.
At the sudden noise, Go Yoonjung turned with a puzzled face.
“……!”
And her expression hardened.
Kang Myungwoo was opening the exact cabinet with the utensils.
“How……..”
Go Yoonjung’s eyes trembled seeing Kang Myungwoo find the utensil spot precisely.
“Ah.”
And Myungwoo finally realized his mistake.
“We keep utensils there at home too. So I thought maybe…… Sorry for touching without permission.”
Myungwoo bowed quickly with a flustered face.
His heart was thumping with tension.
‘Ah, damn, too familiar, I acted without thinking……..
Mistake. What if she thinks it’s rude.
Back when we were colleagues, maybe, but now she’s a much greater sunbae.
If this leaves a bad impression, it’d be really stupid.
Myungwoo bit his lip hard while bowed.
..It’s okay. Kids do that. No need to apologize so much, hoho.”
‘……We keep utensils there at home?’
Is it true or not?
But even if true.
Would a polite kid like that casually open someone else’s cabinet?
This is, really……..
‘Strange.’
Yes, strange.
Kang Myungwoo is a strange child.
He has nothing in common with Han Minwoo in appearance.
Yet why does she see Han Minwoo in him?
Go Yoonjung looked at Myungwoo straightening up with calm eyes.
‘What are you, Kang Myungwoo?’
She was utterly confused.
“Now, the food is ready. Let’s eat, kids.”
But her experience as a great actress didn’t vanish; she skillfully hid it and smiled brightly at the children.
“Wow, thank you for the meal!”
“Thank you for the meal.”
Myungwoo, Jung Inha, and Jo Seungha sat at the table full of Go Yoonjung’s various dishes.
Myungwoo’s heart pounded seeing the table laden with her cooking.
‘How long has it been since I tasted this……..
How long since he ate Go Yoonjung’s cooking.
He hadn’t eaten it for months before dying, and with the year almost ending, it had been over 11 years without it in his mouth.
Myungwoo carefully scooped her food, ensuring his hand didn’t shake, and put it in his mouth.
‘Ah…….’
This taste. The familiar flavor.
The delicious food made by the woman he once loved.
To taste it again after dying and being reborn as someone new.
Somehow choking up, Myungwoo secretly clenched his teeth.
“Wow, it’s delicious!”
“Yeah, really so good.”
“Thank you for treating us to such delicious food, Go Yoonjung sunbae.”
Jung Inha and Jo Seungha tasted and praised, and Myungwoo suppressed his emotions to thank her too.
“What, I’m happy if the guests eat well.”
Go Yoonjung’s eyes curved warmly seeing all three kids eat deliciously.
She discreetly scanned Myungwoo.
‘……Even the way he eats is similar.’
How he holds the spoon, uses chopsticks, scoops soup, picks side dishes.
All actions astonishingly similar to Han Minwoo.
Ignoring age and build differences, they were practically the same.
‘How can they be this alike?’
She wasn’t one to believe in souls or reincarnation.
Yet seeing a completely different child act like Han Minwoo after his death, exude the same aura, even at 50, absurd thoughts were inevitable.
‘Is it really…… Han Minwoo……?’
She didn’t know. Couldn’t grasp why this was happening.
Go Yoonjung suppressed her confusion and continued eating.
Ding-dong-
As they finished eating and rested, the doorbell suddenly rang.
“Huh? Were there other guests scheduled?”
At the sudden sound, Jung Inha tilted her head and asked.
“Ah, I called her. I thought you might get bored just with me. You know Chaeyoung, right?”
“Ah, Chaeyoung sunbae! Yes!”
Jung Inha’s eyes sparkled, recalling their lively chat.
‘Yoo Chaeyoung? To play with us?’
Myungwoo turned his mind to the sudden new visitor.
‘From the start, Go Yoonjung wanted to talk with me. She didn’t see Jung Inha and Jo Seungha differently.’
Then, calling Yoo Chaeyoung—to separate Jung Inha and Jo Seungha.
From him.
Beolkeok-
“Hello, Go Yoonjung! Myungwoo, Inha, Seungha, hi!”
Soon after, Yoo Chaeyoung entered, scattering her usual bubbly vibe.
“Hello.”
“Hello, sunbae!”
“Ah, hello.”
Myungwoo smiled as always, Jung Inha greeted with a bright smile, and Jo Seungha greeted with a slightly weary expression.
“Come on, our juniors! Wanna play with me? There are lots of fun things here!”
“Wow, yes!”
“Play? What what?”
Jung Inha and Jo Seungha reacted quickly to Yoo Chaeyoung.
Myungwoo smiled at them and tried to follow.
Teok-
If Go Yoonjung hadn’t grabbed him.
“Huh?”
“Myungwoo, can we talk alone for a bit?”
‘……Talk?’
“Yes? Of course it’s fine, but what about…….”
“Hm, it’s not that serious. How about some tea?”
“Ah, yes.”
Then Go Yoonjung firmly held Myungwoo’s hand and entered another room.
‘This place…….’
The room where he and colleagues once drank tea and alcohol.
One wall full of various liquors, the other with teas.
“Hmm, I haven’t had child guests before, so nothing suitable. Simple green tea okay?”
“Ah, yes, it’s fine.”
In truth, both Myungwoo and Go Yoonjung knew the tea type wasn’t important now.
In the silence, Go Yoonjung clinked while preparing tea, and soon a fragrant smell spread, with two cups of green tea placed on the table.
“Drink it while warm.”
“Thank you.”
Myungwoo bowed his head and drank the tea she offered.
Go Yoonjung carefully observed him and took a sip herself.
..As expected, similar.’
Even the way he drinks tea is alike.
Go Yoonjung quietly watched Myungwoo, then set down her cup and spoke.
“You know, Myungwoo?”
“Yes?”
“Actors have a habit.”
‘Habit’
At the sudden topic, Myungwoo set down his cup and tilted his head.
“Even in chance meetings, capturing and observing every little action. For more diverse, perfect acting later.”
And before Go Yoonjung finished, Myungwoo’s expression hardened.
‘That’s…….’
Words from his past life.
At this timing, saying this on purpose…….
“You know?”
Myungwoo’s heart dropped as the subtle smile vanished from Go Yoonjung’s face.
“Myungwoo, you resemble someone I know a lot.”
Heup, Myungwoo barely avoided making a swallowing sound.
And Go Yoonjung stared straight at him and asked.
“Who are you?”