Chapter 88: Sil's regrets II

"Seems like you have chosen a side," says President Han on the phone.

"No, I haven't. I am going to take out this thorn that is between us," The elevator door opens, and Sil walks out, "Hello?"

"Since you are already…. Yeah, still on the phone… Like I said, since you are already telling me where he is going, then let's test our theory."

"Our terms still apply, right?"

"Yes, of course. He is your boy, isn't he?"

Sil can hear the president's smirk through the phone as if his last remark was a joke. After the meeting yesterday, Sil called the president for a deal between them.

"Well then, Manager Riverty… As long as you understand the reason why we do this," Sil finds that the president's last remark is off, but before he could ask, he hears the tone of the other party hanging up. 

He takes the phone off his ear and watches the ended call window going back to his home screen. The wallpaper is one of the photos that Kyrie took when they went out on a trip. 

His heart feels heavy.

He enters the car and drives to a beat-up house - a routine that he does every day after moving to live with Kyrie. The model of this house is so old that this type of house is now rare to see. The city has been already wanting to tear these houses down to construct a newer model.

He bangs on the metal door since there is no doorbell. 

"Coming!" A rusty and airy voice comes from the other side of the door.

Sil hears the hurried, dragging footsteps of the person coming to answer.

An elderly man opens the door with a huge smile like he already knows that Sil is the one outside.

"Hey, grandpa," Sil invites himself in.

"Aiy… I told you many times that you don't need to come every day. Grandma and I are okay. You should focus on your career, Sil."

"Don't worry about it, grandpa. I come here because I want to see you and grandma."

"Aiy… Look at you! Always worrying for people who are one foot stepped into the grave. Find yourself a wife, Sil. At least let us see that you have a stable life before we leave this place..."

"Don't say that, grandpa! You and grandma will live a long life."

Sil looks at his grandfather, shaking his head as he heads into the kitchen. He has yet to show Kyrie to his grandparents since he is unsure how to deal with the disappointment on his grandparents' faces if they get to know that their grandson is gay.

His grandfather walks out of the kitchen with a bowl of noodles. Sil immediately stands up to receive the bowl of noodles from his grandfather's hand.

"You should just come to eat here in the morning and avoid spending money outside for breakfast every day."

"I eat it at home."

His grandfather stares at him, meaningfully, "Brat, I know you cannot even boil water correctly. Are you dating right now?"

Sil freezes and looks at his grandfather, astonished. His grandfather sees Sil's face and nods happily. 

"You think that this man is old that he cannot see through things? Bring her here, Sil. We are not going to judge her too much."

"Hmm…" Sil takes up his chopsticks and takes a bite into the noodles quietly.

Sil's serious expression makes his grandfather let out a breath of relief. His worry that Sil will be alone if both of them died has been resolved.

"It would have been great if your parents see how well you are living your life." He looks at his son's and his daughter-in-law's photos.

Sil's chopsticks stop in midair. Actually, he feels that it's better if his parents didn't. They have left him alone in this world selfishly. A double suicide is what the police determined, although it was a murder-suicide, only he knows that his parents died like that.

"Ah Wen," Sil's grandfather calls for his wife, but no one answered. He pushes on the table to stand up and check on her.

After some minutes, his grandfather starts calling for his wife more desperately from another room. Sil runs to see what is going on. 

"Sil, your grandma is not here! She was sleeping the last time I checked on her," his grandfather's hands start to shake violently.

"Grandpa… Calm down… I am going to look for her."

Sil starts running around the house, trying to find his grandmother diagnosed last year with Alzheimer's. She deteriorated really fast throughout the year, and now, she would wander around aimlessly on her own.

"Grandma!" Sil gets desperate. He walks out to take a look at their front yard and see the metal door opened.

He runs through the street while calling her. His voice breaks, and he chokes on air. He coughs violently, but he keeps running, turning his head side to side rapidly. 

He stops, catching his breath since looking aimlessly is not working. He feels his entire body tingling and shaking.

He turns around and runs in another direction once he thinks of where she might be. 

As he predicted, his grandmother is in the park that they used to go to very often.

"Grandma…" 

His grandmother turns her head to look at Sil with a smile on her face.

"Son! Did you return from work? Let's go back home. I will cook some noodles!"

"Grandma, it's Sil."

His grandmother blinks quickly as she stares at Sil.

"Oh, dear! You are not my son… Silly me! Hahaha… Young man, this grandma is sorry for mistaking you."

Seeing this elderly woman not remembering him is the last thing needed to break him down in tears. He thinks that he could go past the hard times if he could just hold it in and come back to where his grandmother is.

"Young man!!! What is wrong?"

Emotions start to drown him. Is his grandmother, who has always been there for him, forgetting about him? She has always been there for him and took him out of the darkest place when his parents died with her patience and warmth. She put him back together piece by piece, and now, she forgets him. 

He had to choose one - either he chooses Kyrie and loses the job that pays for his grandparents' medical bills and rising living expenses from his grandmother's condition, or he chooses the job, potentially losing Kyrie for his selfishness.

"Grandma… I was forced to choose between two ways. Either I turn left where nothing's right or right where nothing is left…"