“Still, today was amazing.”

“What?”

“It’s the weekend and there are a lot of people who are crazy about clothes. It surprised me.”

Jaeyoung smiled and patted Sangwoo’s head. He stayed still, then raised his hand above his head and grabbed Jaeyoung’s hand, pulling it down. He was naturally relieved, and the guilt from yesterday was washed away. Jaeyoung looked out the window with a casual expression, but his heart was pounding hard on his chest. If they weren’t in a taxi, he would’ve laid him back and kissed him already.

“I think I’ve been trying a lot of new things with my seniors. It didn’t take this long to buy clothes with my mother.”

“Do you like it or hate it?”

“There are pros and cons. If I might say so.. oh, we’re here. You can drop me off here.”

As the taxi arrived near the PC room, Jaeyoung didn’t think there was anything good about it. Sangwoo opened his wallet, took out 10,000 won, and handed it to the taxi driver.

“Please take this and bring this man to his house,” he said, then handed Jaeyoung two 10,000 won bills, “It’s for the t-shirt. Bye.”

As always, he was a meticulous guy. Jaeyoung took the money and stuffed it in his pocket, then handed all the shopping bags in Sangwoo’s hand.

“It’s all yours. take it,” he said.

“..what?”

“I bought it for you to wear.”

Sangwoo hesitated with a frown, the taxi door still left open. He stared at the shopping bag for a while without getting off, then looked at Jaeyoung with a serious face.

“That’s fine. I can’t have this, so I’ll refund it.”

Raising an incredulous brow, Jaeyoung said, “You sound like you have a lot to spare.”

Taking a bundle of receipts from his pocket, Jaeyoung tore it in half, and pushed Sangwoo outside with the shopping bag.

“It’s the price I’m willing to pay for you. Now get some rest.”

Then he closed the door in front of Sangwoo, whose face looked absurd. After giving his address, the taxi started again. Looking out the window, he saw a broken robot-like silhouette move away. Jaeyoung peered over the window until he was as small as a little finger, then corrected his sitting position and leaned his head against the backrest. The awkwardness and worry he felt last night had faded before he knew it.

?W

Mom: Your uncle passed away.

11:32

Mom: The funeral is on the 23rd. Can you come down by tonight? Let’s have a meal together.

11:33

The simple message made Jaeyoung feel bad. It was like the annual family reunion in October had been moved up. His uncle was a troublesome person both when he was alive and now dead. Jaeyoung was displeased at the thought of having to see his blood relatives, but he replied that he understood.

After he finished eating and washed up, he took off all his piercings and changed his clothes. It was two in the afternoon when he came out of the house in a black suit, shades, clothes to wear for three days, and other essentials.

He started the car and called Sangwoo, but he didn’t answer. He always did put his cell phone on silent and rarely answered on time.

Planning to visit the province for 3 days – Funeral

14:02

Jaeyoung decided to just send a message and left.

When he arrived after a three and a half hour drive, he smelled the sea through his slightly open windows. It was still before dinnertime. He was now in a city that wasn’t romantic at all despite being adjacent to the sea. Going to a place where factory chimneys densely filled the coastline made him frustrated, a heavy feeling weighing him down.

After checking in at the hotel his mother booked, he left his luggage and headed to her room. It’s been 7 months since he last saw her at the family gathering last year. When he knocked, there were light footsteps and the door opened. A well-dressed child peeked through the door and opened it wide with a nervous expression.

“Hello, Jaeyoung hyung!”

“Hi.”

Jaeyoung walked past the boy who bowed his head and entered the room. He was Jang, his mother was Shin, and her child was Baek. Jaeyoung felt distant as much as their alien surnames.

His mother was sitting at her dressing table in a black mermaid dress with sheer shoulders. Black was all she needed, and the rest of her accessories and makeup were like a bride. Jaeyoung laughed inwardly at the thought that he was confused whether they were going to mourn in a funeral or celebrate in a party.

“Young, are you here?”

She looked in her mirror, examining herself, and belatedly turned toward Jaeyoung. She looked so young and beautiful that it was unbelievable she’d be turning fifty next year. As Jaeyoung approached, she inspected his face and clothes, then pulled his shoulders and patted his back with the palm of her hand a few times.

“My son is getting more and more handsome.”

“What about uncle?”

“Stroke, heart attack. He had quite a temperament. I knew it would go like that.”

Jaeyoung nodded and stood a little away from his mother’s reach. Then, his father and another younger brother rushed over and hugged his mother. She wrapped her arms around the boy’s shoulders and looked at herself in the mirror again.

“What about your graduation? How did it go?” his mother glanced at him.

“Like I said then.”

“Are you sure this time?”

“Yes.”

“Seriously, why is that? It seems that Joohyuk has already entered the army, but how condescending will my sister be? After graduation this time, are you going to study at the same school?”

“Yeah, uhuh...”

“Anyway, don’t get scolded by Grandpa.”

She examined her hair, which she’d set perfectly, then checked her child’s face. She wiped the corner of his mouth and then turned her eyes to Jaeyoung.

“Young, you know there will be another ruckus now that your uncle is dead, right? You, too, earn his trust by acting cute to your grandfather this time. You won’t know what will happen.”

Jaeyoung didn’t answer and gave her a sardonic smile. His uncle, who was the eldest, was the successor of his maternal grandfather’s business, and the one whose inheritance would go to the most. Now that he was dead, his siblings and other relatives would be scrambling for his share.

“Don’t you have enough pocket money?” his mother asked him.

“Yeah.”

“Didn’t Hong contact you? Are they in Korea?”

“I don’t know.”

He checked his cell phone, but he didn’t hear from Jang Jaehong. He did notice Sangwoo’s reply, ‘Okay’, and then put his phone back in his pocket.

“If you don’t have anything more to say, then I’ll go,” he said, his boredom starting to kick in.

“Okay. Go to the hospital and pay your respects. The dinner is seven o’clock, so don’t be late.”

Jaeyoung turned his back and left the room.

“Goodbye Jaeyoung hyung!” a young voice screamed and pierced the back of his head.

Jaeyoung wasn’t late for dinner. He lived with a certain perception about places, but this place was an exception.

The world’s most lowly people gathered in a hall where crystal lights from the high white ceiling cast soft light and classical music was playing. They sat around the table without a single word said to each other. When the old man entered, they all jumped and ran to him.

“Father, how are you?”

“I missed you, Grandpa.”

“My father seems to be getting younger every day.”

Jaeyoung sat in his place and watched his mother’s son being embraced by the old man.

His maternal grandfather was a handsome gentleman. His charcoal gray custom suit, which wrapped around his strong body as sharp as a knife, and the black handmade shoes shone. Fine cufflinks gleamed beneath the watch that displayed his wealth, and on his fourth finger was the wedding ring that his grandmother would never miss, even after her death. His graying hair was swept back undisturbed, it wasn’t easy to be this cool when you’re over the age of seventy.

He sat down and looked around the large dining table. The man loved to gather their large family. Looking around the table where no one was absent save a few with valid reasons (except for his eldest aunt, his mother’s husband on a business trip, and two other cousins), his keen eyes widened mischievously when he caught sight of Jaeyoung.

“Is the puppy here?”

Jaeyoung smiled at him and reached for him with his hand outstretched. As he got closer, his nose caught a whiff of heavy perfume and strong tobacco that hadn’t changed since he was young. Unlike his mother’s hug, his grandfather’s hug was warm and strong. At that moment, it was as if Jaeyoung was transported back to his boyhood.

“Yes. I’m here,” he finally replied after several seconds of silence.

“I missed you,” said the man who wasn’t shy to express his feelings.

“I did too,” Jaeyoung replied sincerely.

The man was the only person he liked. If it hadn’t been for his grandfather, Jaeyoung would’ve never been in this situation. As he returned to his seat, a jealous stare pierced his face.

Appetizers were served and courtesies were exchanged. Things like what happened during their prime years, and the company’s loss of a great talent, were words he wouldn’t have thought of by himself. But when the main dish came out, no one mentioned the deceased.

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