Chapter 71 - Changing Surname

Grandpa Lee was scolding his daughter, Lee Min Seo.

"Choi Chan Woo had been calling you and he even agreed to compromise to save your marriage and yet you are giving him a hard time. Go back to your husband."

"But dad I don't want to go back to him" Lee Min Seo argued back.

"At least think about your son. Doesn't he deserve to get his father's love?" Grandpa Lee looked furious.

"Dad, stop using Choi Hyuk to make your point. Once in a week he gets to meet his father and that's enough. The truth is after my marriage you just don't consider me as your daughter and you only love your sons, therefore you wish for me to leave." Lee Min Seo looked very upset, almost on the verge of crying.

"Nonsense. It was you who ran away from home and married that guy against my wish and now, you again ran away from there too because of some silly argument"

"Dad, it was not some silly argument, he…"

"ENOUGH!" Grandpa Lee shouted at his daughter, "You and Choi Hyuk can no longer stay here. Get out of my home"

"Dad, what are you doing?" Chu Yu Ri, who just witnessed this scene interrupted the old man's decision.

Kiaraa, who was enjoying this drama sitting on the couch pouted sadly as her mom ruined it all for her.

Aera on the other side was holding her elder brother, Choi Hyuk's hand to calm him down as he was sobbing because of this situation.

Lee Man Sik and his wife were sitting next to Kiaraa and were worriedly watching at this scenario because grandpa Lee warned them to not interfere earlier.

Lee Gun was too young so he didn't understand what was going on.

"Yu Ri, dear, don't come in between" Grandpa politely warned his daughter-in-law.

"Sister-in-law" Lee Min Seo tightly hugged Chu Yu Ri and started crying, "See, what dad is doing. He is asking me to leave the house. You tell me where will I go with Choi Hyuk?"

Grandpa Lee has a soft corner for both his daughters-in-law, who are sweet, innocent people. That's why he earlier asked Lee Man Sik's wife to not interfere as he was sure he would give in to her request.

"Min Seo, stop crying, calm down" Chu Yu Ri gently rubbed her back.

"Dad, what are you doing? How can you ask Min Seo to leave this home?" Lee Myung Soo chimed in.

Although was wary of his siblings, he would not support his dad's extreme ways of dealing with a situation.

"Years ago, I didn't ask her to run away, she did and now she has to take responsibility for her actions instead of relying on us"

"Dad, this is Min Seo's home too" Lee Myung Soo firmly said.

"No, this is my home"

"You sure, dad?" Lee Myung Soo just said three words but it was enough to silence his father.

If the old man says it is only his home, then he was sure Myung Soo would leave this mansion without a second thought with his wife and daughters as years ago Lee Myung Soo bought a lavish house for his family but only for his father's sake he decided to live in this mansion.

During weekends the family of four go to their other home sometimes but mostly they live here.

Therefore, Grandpa Lee didn't dare to utter a word and having no choice, he left from there.

"Min Seo, go to your room and rest" Lee Myung Soo suggested to his sister.

"Thank you, elder brother" Lee Min Seo looked emotional.

Both her sisters-in-law took her to her room while Lee Myung Soo and Lee Man Sik went to Choi Hyuk.

"Don't cry and don't take grandpa's words to heart" Lee Myung Soo tried to console his nephew.

Choi Hyuk tightly hugged Lee Myung Soo and cried, "Uncle, I want to change my surname from Choi to Lee" the kid, suddenly declared.

Lee Myung Soo and Lee Man Sik got surprised and looked at each other. They both were communicating with their eyes wondering if he is just saying it because of how the old man treated them or he is already plotting for the future.

"Hyuk, Choi is your family name. Your dad and paternal family will get hurt if you change your surname"

"I don't care, uncle. Mom too wishes for the same. I am my mom's son too so why can't I take her surname?"

His uncles went speechless listening to his question but they didn't have an answer to it.

How can they explain a fourteen-year-old the complications of life?

"We will look into it and talk about it later" Lee Man Sik said for the time being.

"Do you want to go out?" Lee Myung Soo asked Choi Hyuk to cheer his mood. The boy nodded his head.

Lee Myung Soo and Lee Man Sik took all the four children out to buy ice-cream for them then the six people went to Han River to hang out there.

The kids were playing around while the two adults sat together.

Lee Man Sik asked his elder brother how come he came home early today as he is always busy at work.

"I felt I am not spending enough time with family so I cancelled all my meetings" Lee Myung Soo lied.

"Oh, sister-in-law said a call came from the school and that's why she is going there and would meet you there itself" Lee Man Sik said.

'Chu Yu Ri' Lee Myung Soo got frustrated with his innocent wife but on the outside, he smiled sweetly, "Actually, I and Yu Ri are not getting our private time at home so she cooked a lie and we met outside, spent some time together but we were missing the two girls so we came back home"

Lee Myung Soo lied so smoothly that Lee Man Sik couldn't see through it and believed him.

"Do you even want to know what I and Yu Ri did in this time?" Lee Myung Soo teasingly asked his brother.

"Elder brother, you are so shameless" Lee Man Sik blushed and they didn't discuss this topic further.

The two brothers then spent the rest of the evening with their kids.