Chapter 453: Star, Peter (3)

Chapter 453: Star, Peter (3)

April 2nd, 2048.

It was another peaceful day. A pot of doenjang-jjigae[1] was boiling, filling the air with a tasty scent.

Lee ! Get up now! You have to go to school after you eat your breakfast! Cha Ye-Eun called for her son, who was lost in his slumber once again.

Of course, as always, her son did not reply, so Ye-Eun started to shout, Hey! Lee ! Get out here right now!

Yawwwwn! A man walked into the dining room.

His hair was tousled as if he had just woken up, and it seemed he had forgotten to shave his beard this morning. He scratched his stomach, looking like a bum. It was Lee Chang-Sun, who turned 47 this year. The biggest difference from his youthful self, the one envied by many, was that Chang-Sun no longer had an air of aloof strength and was now more gentle.

Honey, why dont you stop shouting? Youll yell yourself hoarse, Chang-Sun said as he reached for a piece of a rolled omelet.

Chang-Sun was still known to have aged like a fine wine, but Ye-Eun found him annoying from time to time.

Smack!

Ye-Eun smacked the back of Chang-Suns hand firmly with a rice scoop. How can I not yell? Im already busy as hell, but my only son isnt waking up. My so-called husband isnt helping me out in the slightest and acts all carefree. How am I supposed to not be angry?

Chang-Suns eyes wandered as he licked ketchup off his finger. Its because I came back home at dawn yesterday, but I still do house chores on the usual da!

Thats why Im not saying anything else. Otherwise, I would have kicked you out long ago, Ye-Eun said, scowling at Chang-Sun.

Chang-Sun could sense that he was going to lose this battle one way or another, so he quickly fell silent. Ye-Eun was the highest authority in the hierarchy of their household, and thus any kind of comeback would result in more scolding. Besides, Ye-Eun was as busy as Chang-Sun with work, but she had still cooked him breakfast because she was worried about him coming back from his business trip at dawn. Thus, it was only right for Chang-Sun to be grateful.

Lee ! Are you seriously not going to wake up?! Ye-Eun yelled as she stomped across the living room angrily and flung open the door to her sons room.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Ye-Euns son was leisurely having sweet dreams with his comforters kicked away. The sight of that was the last straw for Ye-Eun, her anger boiling like the pot of doenjang-jjigae in the kitchen.

Smaaack!

Arrrrgh!

While he had been enjoying the dream of his school crush confessing her love to him, suddenly saw stars, and he was forced to wake up. Clutching his aching forehead, looked up and saw Ye-Eun, who was tilting her head.

Arrggh? Urrrgh? Just wake up already! Ye-Eun shouted.

W-W-Wait! Mom! Stop! Stop! You arent going to hit me with that again, are you?

Im going to.

It really hurts! protested.nove(l)bi(n.)com

Its supposed to hurt! Ye-Eun retorted.

Smack! Smack! Smack!

Ahhhhhh! had to quickly get up from his bed and run to escape the series of ladle strikes rapidly approaching his head. Dad! Dad! Save me! Mom is trying to kill me!

took refuge by his dads side as usual. Chang-Sun was reading a newspaper as he sat at the table; even in a generation with highly developed internet access, he had an analog side and preferred printed newspapers..

Son, Chang-Sun began as he stuck his head out slightly from above the newspaper, looking back and forth between his wife and son who were having a confrontation on either side of him.

Y-Yeah? answered.

Mom is the boss in this household, so your best move is to apologize and beg for her mercy. She wont actually kill you.

B-But!

Of course, she might smack you so hard that youll have to be hospitalized, Chang-Sun said with a nod.

Eeeeek!

Chang-Sun quickly raised his newspaper to cover his face, trying not to intervene in the mother-and-son war. In the end, had to start his breakfast with two lumps in his head.

* * *

It took twenty minutes on the bus to get to school, so Chang-Sun offered to give his son a ride. Of course, Seouls traffic jams were horrible during rush hours.

I hate eating breakfast, grumbled, looking at other cars that were moving as slowly as turtles.

Why? Its good for you.

I need to sleep more, but you and Mom dont realize that and keep waking me up early Im really tired when Im at school.

You dont even study at school, do you? Chang-Sun asked.

Thats not what Im talking about. This is about how tired I am, so why is studying suddenly the topic?

Im saying that your dad and mom know that it doesnt matter when you wake up, because you always sleep in class regardless.

Im not! yelled.

Son, I recently met your teacher. Your teacher was worried and asked me if you were working a part-time job at night, so dont say you arent sleeping enough if you have a conscience.

-, dont!

Hahaha! Yeah, good luck with your exam.

People around s family burst into laughter, so Ye-Eun tried to stop in embarrassment, while Chang-Sun joined in on the laughter. Regardless, the fact that their son had grown up this much brought indescribable joy to Chang-Sun and Ye-Eun.

February 20th, 2059.

Click, click.

The sound of cameras filled the air. The graduates, who were getting ready to leave their school, adjusted their graduation caps as they took photos with their parents and friends. also took some pictures with Chang-Sun and Ye-Eun. Little by little, wrinkles were appearing on the faces of those two people who had once looked ageless.

August 4th, 2066.

In the middle of summer, Chang-Sun and Ye-Eun met a woman whom introduced as their future daughter-in-law.

I want to marry her, Mother and Father, said with a smile.

Their no-longer-immature son had already become independent and was now trying to start a family of his own.

Youre such a fine young woman. Ye-Eun beamed, stroking her future daughter-in-laws hand.

March 2nd, 2067.

Chang-Sun and Ye-Eun met their future daughter-in-laws parents[5].

May 12th, 2068.

It was the day of s wedding. Chang-Suns and Ye-Euns daughter-in-law was a very beautiful May bride. Just as it was said that a father-in-law was the one who loved his daughter-in-law the most[6], Chang-Sun rejoiced at the fact that he had a new family member now, and Ye-Eun quietly wiped away her tears.

October 29th, 2071.

[Mother and Father! You have a granddaughter now! Hahaha! Its such a relief. I was worried a boy would take after my temper Phew!]

Chang-Sun and Ye-Eun finally heaved a sigh of relief after receiving s happy call. They had received the news at dawn that their daughter-in-laws water broke, so they had been worrying sick about their daughter-in-law and grandchild. Of course, they had used their magic to ensure that there were no problems during birth but life was still unpredictable, so it had been worrying them until now.

What about my daughter-in-law? Is she okay? Ye-Eun asked quickly.

[Yes, yes, shes fine. You dont have to worry.]

Receiving good care after childbirth is important, so make sure to take good care of her. She must be in no condition to do anything right now, so you call her parents too.

[Mom, youre a grandma now. Isnt it about time that you stop worrying about me this much anymore?]

Its because youre too immature. Ye-Eun pouted.

was still a child in Ye-Euns eyes, so Chang-Sun smiled as he listened to the twos conversation.

.

.

Time continued to flow. Their child became an adult, who soon became a father. Chang-Sun and Ye-Eun were now an elderly couple.

.

.

Their lives continued, on and on.

May 3rd, 2088.

Chang-Sun and Ye-Eun, who were in their eighties now, were enjoying a peaceful day under the sunlight as a reward for their busy past, sitting on a park bench. They held each others wrinkled hands without exchanging words, but they could tell what each other was thinking from their eyes and the air around them.

Chang-Sun, the observer of Worldline #801, silently watched the elderly couple from behind. From the beginning to the end, it was the life he had been hoping to have with his Cha Ye-Eun, Ithaca. Although that very life had been granted to others, it seemed Chang-Sun could never have such a thing. so the only thing he could do was watch the couple in silence.

How did you enjoy my memories?

Right at that moment, a very familiar voice came from behindLee . The name had been censored from the beginning to the end, so Chang-Sun continued to refer to the man by the unfamiliar name Peter. Chang-Suns possible blood kin from the distant future was walking toward him.

Tap, tap!

When Chang-Sun turned his head, Peter, who took after Chang-Sun and Ye-Eun, stood.

I wondered what you would think of a peaceful and ordinary life, Peter said, looking at Chang-Sun with a calm gaze before concluding, Father.

1. Soybean-paste stew. Image.

2. Korean private education institutions.

3. The raw is . is old Korean slang thats similar to gee.

4. A Korean amusement park.

5. Its a Korean custom for the bride and grooms parents to meet and have a meal before a wedding. Its about getting to know each others families before getting married and getting their parents approval.

6. Its an old Korean saying.