Chapter 115

< The Special Mission Called Family (2) >

The oyster, slightly larger than a clam, sparkled under the living room light. Market-bought oysters are usually grayish-white, but this tiny oyster flaunted a pure white, pearl-like appearance.

Chomp—Choi Mi-kyung quickly grabbed the fresh-smelling oyster and popped it into her mouth.

“Huuuuuuuung—!”

How delicious must it be to make her act so excited?

Choi Mi-kyung flailed her limbs like a clumsy jump rope and bounced around the room.

If someone lived downstairs, they would’ve come up to complain about the noise.

‘Yeah, she’s always been this cute.’

Jin-hyeok, watching his childhood friend, wore a brotherly smile.

“Wow! It’s so good! Did Mom shuck all these?”

“I snatched some from Sung-chan’s and Jae-young’s places too. Hehehe—.”

Kim Soon-bok glanced at her playful daughter and laughed like a mischievous kid.

The wrinkles around her eyes, hardened like calluses, curved along her gaze.

“Did Mom take them by force?”

“No, Jin-hyeok. These women said Jin-hyeok’s mom was craving them, so they gave them to her. Jin-hyeok’s mom always acts so spoiled. These women, swapping and sharing like this—they’re something else.”

Kim Soon-bok, smiling warmly at Jin-hyeok, headed straight to the kitchen.

Her words trailed behind her, saying there’s no need to be overly grateful since it’s her own daughter’s fortune.

Kim Soon-bok kept moving busily even after coming home. She wanted to send Jin-hyeok back quickly since he was visiting.

“I told them to shuck carefully, but look at all these shell fragments.”

While swiftly picking out the oyster shell fragments, she kept muttering to herself. Even as she picked out tiny crabs mixed in with the oysters, she added a comment.

“This little rascal must’ve gone crazy, crawling into the oyster shells.”

Neither Choi Mi-kyung nor Jin-hyeok found Kim Soon-bok’s habits strange.

Kim Soon-bok neatly gathered the shell fragments and took out various vegetables from the fridge.

“Ah, when I was pregnant with Mi-kyung, I craved these small oysters so much. My mother-in-law would go to the sea every day to shuck them for me. Back then, winters were colder than now. Were food and clothes ever enough? Everything was scarce, and my mother-in-law suffered so much.”

It’s been almost three years since her mother-in-law passed away, but Kim Soon-bok still sometimes imagines her walking through the door. When she visited her daughter in Incheon, she stopped by the senior center, where a medicine seller gave her a roll of toilet paper, telling her to give it to her daughter-in-law instead of her daughter.

Jin-hyeok and Choi Mi-kyung also fell silent, thinking of their grandmother.

Kim Soon-bok, wiping the corner of her eye, picked up a knife.

“Jin-hyeok’s mom would cry over such things too, so I have to take care of you.”

Tat-tat-tat—.

Though Jin-hyeok had become quite skilled with a knife from living alone for so long, he still couldn’t match the housewives’ knife skills. Their precise and consistent speed was truly impressive.

Soon, the chopped lettuce, perilla leaves, radish, pear, and carrot were all gathered.

Now, it was time to make the seasoning sauce.

Red pepper paste, sugar, vinegar, chili powder······.

‘Ah! Too fast!’

Jin-hyeok, who had been watching the ingredients closely, lost track of Kim Soon-bok’s hand movements.

He wanted to learn what she was making and how it tasted, but it seemed he’d have to ask her directly next time.

Kim Soon-bok packed the ingredients into a bag and tied it tightly.

She even remembered to pack extra oysters for them to make oyster soup.

“This is what your mom loves the most. When Jin-hyeok was little, he’d eat this without even breathing. When you get home, mix it all and pour some cold water over it, okay? If you like onions, add a bit and eat it slowly—?”

Jin-hyeok already knew this without being told.

Even when his mom was pregnant with Jin and had severe morning sickness, a bowl of oyster water kimchi made by Kim Soon-bok would make her smile like she owned the world.

A mother without her own mother or mother-in-law would surely feel that affection from Kim Soon-bok.

“Mom, thank you.”

“Ah, no need for thanks. You’re like family to us. Family takes special care of each other.”

Though Choi Mi-kyung’s family lived comfortably, Jin-hyeok vowed to step up whenever they needed help. With that thought, he bowed deeply and headed home.

The sweet, sour, and spicy oyster water kimchi.

Just thinking about it made his mouth water—a winter delicacy.

‘This should do the trick!’

Mom’s morning sickness will settle, and her appetite will return.

With plenty of seasoning, they could make water kimchi with the oysters Dad bought and share it with SSS. Even though it’s part of their job as bodyguards, they’re people who work hard for our family.

Jin-hyeok paused for a moment, burying his face in the bag of seasoning and taking a deep breath.

‘Mmmmm—smells so good.’

His mouth watered uncontrollably.

Will Mom eat it all by herself?

Well, she’ll probably leave me a bite.

***

Yoo Se-ra, an expert at taking one bite and leaving the rest, flipped through a monthly ladies’ magazine.

The fluttering pages were filled with mouth-watering food photos.

“Oppa! I want to eat this!”

She rarely showed such aegyo, but her bright smile was proof enough.

Even her way of addressing him had changed.

“What should I get?”

“Chicken stew, ramen with extra chashu, pita, wood-fired pizza, ham, hakka noodles, and I want to eat nian gao too!”

Her appetite was truly global. Starting from the Korean peninsula, passing through the Japanese archipelago, crossing the American continent, and then returning to Asia via Europe.

Hong Ki-jun had no choice but to grab his coat. To fulfill the queen’s special request, he needed to put in the effort. He couldn’t leave it all to Mr. Kim.

“Dad—! I want—!”

“Soo-jung, let’s eat what Mom left.”

He was already bringing back a ton of food, and dealing with leftovers would be a hassle. Hong Ki-jun, who had been eating nonstop, was starting to gain weight.

“Heeeng—.”

Hong Soo-jung pouted her lips.

Ever since it was revealed that Mom was pregnant, Hong Soo-jung had been thoroughly excluded from menu choices. At least Mom’s taste was high-end, so it wasn’t all bad.

Hong Ki-jun patted his noticeably taller daughter’s head and left the house.

‘Just have a healthy baby, Se-ra.’

Hong Ki-jun prayed only for his wife and the baby’s health.

In the 21st century, having a baby in your late 30s wasn’t uncommon, but in 1993, it was rare. Se-ra’s mother had also passed away after giving birth at Se-ra’s current age, so it was natural to worry.

“Vice Chairman, where shall we go?”

“Let’s head towards the police station first.”

Hong Ki-jun picked up the car phone.

He needed to call ahead to ensure they could get everything by the time they arrived.

After making several calls, Hong Ki-jun dialed one more number.

“Mr. Min Yong-rak, are you all set?”

Everything needed for the security team, locally known as the Hobbit Bunker, would be prepared, but personal items had to be packed. Following Jin-hyeok’s request, Min Yong-rak was being dispatched as an administrative manager, following the cooks and medical staff.

In his past life, Min Yong-rak had gladly bowed to Jin-hyeok’s proposal and joined his team. Having served as an overseas branch manager, he had every reason to be proud, but Min Yong-rak showed no such attitude.

His conversation with Executive Director Hong Soo-jung had been impressive.

– “As you’ve worked with him, you know that opportunities to work with someone like him don’t come often. I don’t know what kind of person he is yet, but for someone like me, who’s like a battalion commander, to extend a hand—it seems he doesn’t care about the world’s opinions. Leaders who don’t care about opinions take good care of their people.”

Having served as a leader for a long time, he could make such an assessment.

While everyone at Sein Group saw it as the most powerful department, Min Yong-rak had made his decision based on Team Leader Son Jin-hyeok’s individual capabilities.

How reliable is someone with a good eye for people? Hong Ki-jun decided to assign the most reliable and youngest person to Jin-hyeok.

“You won’t have much to do right away. Take it easy.”

– Yes, sir!

Even if told to take it easy, he’d find work to do. Hong Ki-jun couldn’t think of anyone more suitable than Min Yong-rak.

“Good. Don’t forget what I told you.”

– Yes, sir!

Min Yong-rak’s energetic voice came through the receiver.

After hanging up, Hong Ki-jun sank into his seat. He let out a long sigh.

‘It’s already been five years.’

Hong Ki-jun had returned in early 1988, in winter.

He felt around his coat pocket to check if the parchment was still there.

Tap-tap—he felt reassured.

It was parchment he had obtained from the shadows to record the world’s history. To Hong Ki-jun, it was his second most precious possession after his family.

‘It might not be of much use domestically now.’

The history recorded on the parchment was fragmented, and the world had changed too much. At least in fields unrelated to the economy, there hadn’t been major upheavals, which was a relief.

‘It’s still useful.’

At least he could know when, where, and what significant figures in the future economy were doing.

Hong Ki-jun picked up the car phone again.

“Assemblyman Kim? How’s the discussion on the proposed bill going?”

– Blah blah blah…

Hong Ki-jun sighed unintentionally.

To him, they were nothing more than tax leeches. With the new president’s inauguration approaching, they claimed they had no time to focus on economic or livelihood issues. As if they were the ones being inaugurated.

Despite the upcoming civilian government being heavily promoted, the remnants of the dictatorship still lingered, and the gold badges only pushed for bills favorable to businesses that greased their palms.

The person on the other end of the line was still rambling about budgets and legislative activity funds. Basically, asking for money.

Swallowing his anger, Hong Ki-jun tapped the parchment with his index finger.

‘I can’t just flip the country upside down.’

With his icy temperament, it was a plausible thought. But it was also a common fantasy for anyone disillusioned with real politics.

It had to remain just a fleeting fantasy.

Hong Ki-jun lacked the power to flip anything, and he had decided to keep a strict distance from power.

‘It’s suicidal.’

The moment he stepped into power, he’d become the center of the world and a target for the scholars planted by Daejung. Even now, despite constant love calls from the political world, he paid no attention.

Without the halo of Yoo Myung-sun, Sein Group wouldn’t have been able to do as it pleased. With even the board of directors and subsidiary presidents not fully under control, a full-scale war with Daejung was premature.

Even without that reason, who in South Korea could stand against Daejung, with its deep-rooted connections in politics and the judiciary?

‘No wonder the taxes Sein pays are over three times Daejung’s.’

As clean as his father-in-law Yoo Myung-sun’s path had been, Sein was only a name in terms of power. The world doesn’t fight for clean businesses. There’s no network for good intentions to gather. Only those paid by power and advertising fees fight for businesses.

Yoo Myung-sun often scoffed, saying it was the sin of doing business honestly in a capitalist environment.

There was another decisive reason for Hong Ki-jun to avoid politics.

‘If even political history gets twisted, it’ll be hard to use them.’

His skull was already hot enough; touching politics would only make his head hurt more. No need for power or war—it was a simple and clear reason.

‘For now, I’ll act like a lotus, like my father-in-law.’

He was slowly spreading money in the political world. Not for favors, but to maintain at least a minimal balance to fight on the same stage.

Calming his irritation, he let out a sigh.

– 【If that’s your oath, do well, old man.】

Hong Ki-jun’s return wasn’t a life given as a reward for himself.

If it were just for personal happiness, he wouldn’t have pushed himself so hard or gone through such hardships. He had been happy enough in his previous life and had risen to the owner’s position.

There was another reason to be careful.

‘It’s a boy, right?’

Though fetal sex disclosure was strictly prohibited by law, no one could miss the doctor’s hints. When he visited the Sein Medical Foundation’s general hospital with Yoo Se-ra, the obstetrics professor had clearly said:

– “The baby looks really handsome.”

A son he hadn’t had in his previous life.

While curious about the son he’d never met, the fatherly wish for him to live without lack made Hong Ki-jun cautious.

‘Kid. If you’d been born earlier, Soo-jung wouldn’t have suffered through those business lessons.’

The car carrying Hong Ki-jun finally arrived at a location in Seodaemun-gu.

Kim Cheol-min turned on the hazard lights and parked the car, glancing at the rearview mirror.

A wordless exchange of looks, a signal that he’d be back.

“No, I’ll go.”

He had been thinking too much and wanted to clear his head with some fresh air.

Getting out of the car, Hong Ki-jun sniffed.

It was still winter, but the unexpectedly warm air made his heart flutter.

It had been a long time since he did something just for his family.

***

The frozen ground began to melt as if a blizzard had never happened.

As the snow melted, the life that had been crouching in the green showed its vitality.

The harsh cold is gone, so now it’s my world! The way it declared itself was quite bold.

Thud—!

Until the hoe struck.

“Oppa, are you good with the hoe?”

Hehehe—. Kkoyiing—.

Yoo Jin and Jang Gun-i, along with Hong-shi, watched Jin-hyeok dig for shepherd’s purse.

Their crouched postures looked like siblings.

– “Wow—, the weather’s nice. If we dig shepherd’s purse, make stew, blanch and season it, and make soup, it’ll be delicious, right?”

This mom is really······.

A pregnant woman is queen. Seeing a middle schooler who should be running around digging for shepherd’s purse is something else. But she couldn’t ignore her mom’s sparkling eyes.

If Dad were here, or if guests had come from Seoul, they would’ve dug together. But vacations were only for students, and with Yoo Se-ra’s condition, a reunion was out of the question. In the end, Jin-hyeok had to step up.

‘Ugh—this is exhausting.’

His oppressed hip joints ached, and his knees felt sore.

Jin-hyeok changed his posture and crawled on all fours. It was less strain on his joints that way.

“Hehehe—, Oppa, you’re like Jang Gun-i, right?”

Yoo Jin, still excited, also got dirt on her hands and knees as she followed her brother.

How much pain do farmers endure, hoeing fields all day?

A newfound respect for farmers welled up.

‘Last year, Soo-jung helped.’

Suddenly, he missed the little rascal.

The little Seoul kid who stuck to him like gum, assisting with work.

Yoo Jin was still too young to be of much help.

Instead of helping, she was feeding the shepherd’s purse she’d dug up to Hong-shi.

“Yoo Jin, Hong-shi is a dog, so she doesn’t eat—.”

—grass?

Hong-shi seemed to have formed a perfect trust bond with Yoo Jin.

Despite it being something ordinary dogs wouldn’t prefer, Hong-shi chewed diligently on what Yoo Jin gave her.

But she only chewed.

“Why isn’t she eating it?”

“Hong-shi doesn’t have teeth, so that’s why. And she probably won’t swallow it.”

“Ah, I see. Poor Hong-shi, right?”

“Why?”

Yoo Jin pointed to the distant southeast.

“She has no teeth. She’ll need dentures like the grandma who lives there.”

Hong-shi isn’t toothless because she’s a grandma.

Yoo Jin would probably drop it, but kids’ thought processes are hard to follow. Jin-hyeok had experienced enough with Hong Soo-jung to handle it with less shock.

“Hong-shi will grow teeth soon. She doesn’t need them now since she’s still nursing.”

Understanding her brother’s explanation, Yoo Jin opened Hong-shi’s mouth to inspect her gums. She almost dislocated the puppy’s jaw.

Yoo Jin’s eyes widened as she looked at Hong-shi’s palate.

“Hong-shi’s mouth is like a shark’s, right?”

What does it mean to be like a shark?

Kids have such good observation skills but say the hardest things to understand.

The damp, earthy smell rising from the ground felt good.

How long had the two humans and two dogs been crawling on the ground?

A figure appeared, making Jin-hyeok’s half-closed eyes narrow further.

“Jin-hyeok—.”

That troublemaker showed up again.

Choi Mi-kyung, the spring teenager.