Translator: Marctempest
Editor: Rynfinity
Chapter 299
Ha.
I took a deep breath.
‘It’s okay.’
I repeatedly clenched and unclenched my hands, glaring at the firmly closed gate.
‘It’ll be okay.’
No matter how many times I muttered it, the anxious feeling wouldn't go away.
I was biting my lip when...
“Actor.”
A very reassuring voice came.
Turning my head to the side, I saw Jin-bae hyung smiling.
“Are you very nervous?”
“…Yes.”
When I whimpered that I was dying, Jin-bae hyung laughed softly.
“Me too.”
“Why are you nervous?”
“Because it’s my first time meeting your family.”
Jin-bae hyung was carrying various items, from red ginseng to peaches and a premium beef set.
The luxurious packaging screamed that they were bought from a department store.
‘Anyone would think we’re asking for permission to marry.’
Oddly enough, seeing that eased my tension a little.
I couldn’t help but smile.
“My family is you, hyung.”
“...”
Jin-bae hyung looked at me for a moment and then smiled.
“When you say it like that, it makes me more nervous. I’m being introduced as family.”
“That’s what I came for in the first place.”
It was the reason I asked Jin-bae hyung to come with me to Lee Eun-taek’s house.
‘Because I’m introducing my present self.’
To show them the person I am now, not the one they remembered, I needed Jin-bae hyung.
He was one of the people who gave me the courage to stand here again.
‘I can do this.’
It was something I had to face eventually.
I could no longer treat the past as just the past.
‘For Lee Eun-taek’s sake.’
Fortunately, my relationship with Lee Eun-taek had been restored, but unresolved past issues remained with my foster parents.
If I were my old self, I would have just ignored it.
No, honestly speaking...
‘Even now, I want to.’
I desperately wanted to ignore it.
I wanted to live as if such things had never happened, as if we were complete strangers.
The fluttering feeling whenever I thought of Ji-heon hyung.
The dizziness when I recalled the scent of my foster mother’s perfume.
I didn’t want to go through it all again.
But...
‘I have to do it.’
I could no longer just whine.
I had to make more effort instead of whining.
‘Jin-bae hyung, Byeon, Lee Eun-taek.’
I didn’t want to lose any of them.
The more I wanted, the more I had to bear.
In the end, it was something I had to do for my own greed.
For my sake.
“Actor, if you’re ready, I’ll ring the doorbell.”
“…No.”
“Pardon?”
I took another deep breath.
Jin-bae hyung was beside me, and although not visible, Mist was with me too.
I imagined Mist hugging me tightly tonight, telling me I did a good job.
‘I’m not alone.’
After organizing my thoughts, I lifted my head.
“I’ll press it.”
I reached out my hand.
Ding-dong.
Despite my complicated feelings, the doorbell sound was cheerful.
* * *
“You didn’t have to bring these. I’m so sorry.”
“No, I wanted to make a good impression. This is pomegranate juice; it’s good for you, ma’am.”
“Oh, thank you. You’re so kind.”
While listening to Jin-bae hyung and my foster mother’s conversation, I glanced around.
‘It’s strange.’
Lee Eun-taek’s house, which I hadn’t visited since I was eight, felt unfamiliar.
Before coming here, I had vague memories of the atmosphere and smell.
‘It’s just an ordinary house.’
The gloomy and depressing house in my memory was nowhere to be found.
I was looking around as if I were on a film set.
“Hey.”
Lee Eun-taek approached cautiously.
“Are you okay? You don’t feel sick?”
“Why are you acting out of character?”
“…Are you complaining because I’m worried?”
Lee Eun-taek frowned.
Only then did the familiar face of my second brother appear.
I chuckled at his raised eyebrows.
“Hyung, happy birthday even though it’s a day early.”
“Thanks. Mom worked hard on the meal because you’re coming. Dad’s been tending the garden for a week.”
Complaining that his birthday was now on the back burner, Lee Eun-taek's grumbling voice was filled with delight.
‘He seems to be in a good mood.’
I looked at Eun-taek, who was muttering to himself, relieved that there were no schedules today.
“So I told mom... What’s with that look?”
“What look?”
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Is it obvious?”
“What?”
Eun-taek frowned.
He immediately tried to give me a light smack on the head, but I deftly dodged it.
“Hyung, you need to fix that habit.”
“You should fix your habit of talking back first. This brat, being disrespectful to his hyung.”
“I’ll treat you like a hyung if you act like one. Who calls their brother ‘brat, brat’ all the time?”
“Hey! And which brother looks at his hyung like a younger sibling?”
“If we only go by mental age—”
“You brat!”
Eun-taek raised his hand again, and I raised my foot.
Eun-taek also skillfully dodged my foot.
“Actor, calm down.”
The fight was finally settled when Jin-bae hyung arrived.
“He started it first!”
“You started it!”
“Eun-taek, calm down too.”
By then, I was breathing heavily.
When I glared at Eun-taek, he glared back.
What does he think he did right, seriously.
“Actor. Enough.”
When I tried to jump at him again, Jin-bae hyung spoke firmly.
“It’s not just the three of us here.”
Ah.
I turned my head belatedly.
My foster parents' startled faces came into view.
I had only exchanged a few awkward greetings with them earlier.
And now I was showing them a fight with Eun-taek.
I quickly straightened my posture.
“Sorry. I behaved rudely.”
“No, it’s okay.”
“Yeah, yeah. You can keep fighting.”
“What?”
“No, I mean…”
My foster mother mumbled incoherently and hurriedly fled to the kitchen.
“I’ll prepare the meal. Honey, sit with Eun-taek and Jae, I mean, Yeon-jae in the living room.”
“I’ll help you.”
Jin-bae hyung followed her into the kitchen.
That left my foster father, Eun-taek, and me awkwardly in the living room.
“...”
“...”
“...”
I spoke to Eun-taek with my eyes.
‘Say something.’
Eun-taek responded with his eyes.
‘I’m not close with him either.’
What do you mean you’re not close with him? Idiot.
After hesitating for a moment, I carefully sat on the sofa.
“Hyung, sit down quickly.”
“Uh…”
“Don’t just say it, sit down.”
“I got it.”
Eun-taek awkwardly sat next to me.
Our foster father looked at us with a curious expression.
“You two seem to have gotten a lot closer.”
“Eun-taek hyung was the one who reached out first. Even though he must be busy with his debut, he kept looking out for me. He’s really kind.”
“Really? I didn’t know that.”
“...Dad.”
Fortunately, the atmosphere was better than I expected.
Starting with saying he watched my drama, my foster father asked me questions.
“You’re releasing a song this time, right?”
“How did you know?”
“Your news is everywhere. Lately, my hobby is searching for you and Eun-taek’s names at work.”
I chuckled awkwardly at his words.
“I didn’t expect to sing either, but I got lucky and got the chance.”
“Eun-taek has loved singing since he was little too. It’s fascinating. You two really resemble each other…”
My foster father, who had been speaking with a smile, suddenly stopped.
I also froze.
A brief silence passed over us.
“It’s natural to resemble each other. We’re brothers.”
It was Eun-taek who broke the suddenly cold atmosphere.
“I bet Ji-heon hyung was good at singing too.”
Eun-taek spoke nonchalantly.
My heart sank at the name that came out of nowhere.
Glancing ahead, I saw my foster father’s pupils trembling as if in an earthquake.
“Why. Didn’t Ji-heon hyung sing to Jae-hee when he couldn’t sleep? Dad, you remember, right?”
“...”
Only Eun-taek remained composed.
Stabbing an untouched fruit with a fork, he brought it to my mouth.
As I ate it reflexively, Eun-taek continued casually.
“It would have been fun if the three of us had debuted together.”
“...”
I moved my mouth.
As I bit into the fruit in my mouth, the peach's soft flesh crumbled gently.
Tasting the sweetness of the pulp, I slowly opened my mouth.
“Yeah. It would have been fun.”
When I added that I still preferred acting over singing, Eun-taek shrugged his shoulders.
“We could have worked as a unit. I can’t give up Nade either because I like the members too much.”
“But would Ji-heon hyung have played with us?”
“If you insisted, he would have. He’s too kind.”
True.
I nodded.
“He was kinder than you, hyung.”
“Hey, you’re one to talk.”
Eun-taek frowned.
It looked like he was about to raise his hand again, so I hurriedly changed my seat.
‘We shouldn’t fight in front of adults.’
Eun-taek shouted, asking where I was running off to, and I, not wanting to deal with him, picked up another fork.
I speared a piece of peach and handed it to my foster father.
“The peach is delicious. Please have some.”
“Oh, uh…”
He absentmindedly took the fork.
There was a strangely gentle air about him as he chewed.
“Dinner is ready.”
Just then, Jin-bae hyung approached.
“Oh, yes.”
As everyone got up, I hastily grabbed another piece of peach.
Then I brought it to Jin-bae hyung’s mouth.
“Hyung, hyung.”
“…?”
Even though he looked puzzled, Jin-bae hyung opened his mouth and accepted it.
“It’s sweet, right?”
He nodded immediately.
I looked at him with satisfaction.
“It’s really good. I think we made a good purchase.”
“I’m glad.”
“Would you like another?”
“You should eat now. Ma’am has prepared a lot of food.”
Jin-bae hyung gently pushed me forward.
Eun-taek grabbed my arm, pulling me along.
“...Wow.”
Jin-bae hyung wasn’t exaggerating.
She really had prepared ‘a lot.’
The large dining table was filled with homemade dishes.
“I don’t know if it suits your taste, Yeon-jae. I asked Eun-taek about your favorite foods.”
“I’m not picky. Thank you.”
From perfectly grilled hairtail to spicy soybean paste stew and tender-looking braised short ribs.
Oh.
“There’s beef radish soup too?”
“Yes. Your manager said it’s your favorite.”
“Right. How did you know?”
I unknowingly raised my voice.
For the first time, I made direct eye contact with my foster mother, who I had avoided looking at directly until now.
She flinched but didn’t avert her gaze.
“I saw it in your interview….”
“Wow, mom. You’re so attentive to the youngest. You don’t even watch my interviews.”
“I watch everything you do.”
“Yeah, right. I don’t believe it.”
“I even saw the part where you didn’t mention us among the people you’re grateful to.”
“...The braised short ribs look delicious.”
Eun-taek clumsily sat down.
Clicking his tongue, he spoke to my foster mother.
“Don’t worry too much. Bi-hyuk told me that hyung doesn’t look out for the members either.”
“No Bi-hyuk, he lies whenever he opens his mouth.”
“Why are you badmouthing your fellow member? Bi-hyuk is so nice.”
“Why is everyone attacking me?”
Wasn’t this supposed to be for my birthday?
Eun-taek’s voice was filled with injustice.
Smiling, I sat down.
“Honey. The food is really good.”
“I’m glad. How is it, Yeon-jae? Does it taste okay? Do you need more salt? Or pepper?”
“The seasoning is perfect. It’s really delicious.”
When I thanked her, my foster mother smiled bashfully.
The meal was very comfortable, making the digestive medicine I had brought unnecessary.
‘I feel like I ate twice as much as usual.’
After finishing the meal, I stepped outside to soothe my slightly bloated stomach.
I was admiring the neatly organized garden.
I felt someone come and stand next to me.
“Do you remember those flowers?”