## Chapter 165 – The Place Where I Was Born and Raised (2)
Fruits are arranged on the table in the spacious living room, along with ice water to cool off the hot weather outside.
My mother, after placing them down from the tray, sits on the sofa and affectionately fixes my hair.
I graduated from high school and moved to Seoul about a month later, finding a place there…
This was the first time I had seen my mother in almost half a year. Maybe it’s because it’s been so long, but I feel a bit awkward.
“Did you have a hard time coming such a long way by car?”
“No… I took the bus straight from Busan, so it didn’t take long.”
My mother smiles brightly, welcoming me while I keep avoiding her gaze.
It’s the familiar house and family I’ve known since middle school, but…
For some reason, it feels strangely unfamiliar, like I’m sitting in the middle of someone else’s home.
Why would I feel awkward in my own home with my own family? The reason is…
“What do you like about our son? Give me three reasons!”
“His face is my type, he’s a good cook, and he’s so good to me!”
The reason is that my father has been going on like this for 30 minutes, matching the excited tone of my father.
I can’t help but lower my head at the sight of my father asking my son’s girlfriend, whom he’s meeting for the first time, about his good qualities,
and Chaeyoon happily answering them.
Chaeyoon, despite not being a member of the family, is having a conversation with my father without any difficulty.
Listening to her list my strengths and compliments doesn’t feel bad,
but hearing such cheesy compliments in front of my mother and father makes me unable to lift my head.
It seems my father and mother are quite pleased to hear the compliments about their son, but…
“Im Chanwoo!!”
“I can hear you even if you lower your voice, Father.”
My father, who had been chatting with Chaeyoon and tapping his knee with his palm, raised his voice and called my name.
My ears ached at the booming voice, and I lifted my head, making a face as I replied.
“I was worried that you might not be studying in college and just running around trying to look cool,
but you’re looking cool, have a girlfriend, and you’re doing better than I did at your age. Hahaha!”
It seems my father liked the sociable and polite Chaeyoon,
as he laughed heartily and came over to pat me on the back.
“…I’m not doing anything like that, so don’t worry…”
“But you’re not studying, are you? There’s no way a guy who’s supposed to be in school would be visiting Busan on a weekday.”
The laughter in my father’s voice turned serious, and when I looked up,
I saw him looking at me with concern, all the playfulness gone.
My father bringing up such a serious topic even though Chaeyoon, my girlfriend, is right next to me.
That’s just his personality. He’s the type of person who corrects mistakes without considering other people’s feelings.
To those around him, it might seem like unnecessary meddling, but I don’t think so, at least.
Since I was young, whenever my father looked at me like this, it was because he was genuinely worried about me.
My father must have sensed that something happened at the university.
Originally, I was planning to drop out even sooner,
and I thought this was the perfect opportunity, so I decided to tell him everything without hiding anything.
“…Actually…”
I told him everything that happened at the university, except for the part about the flower petals.
How I couldn’t adjust to college after coming to a foreign place alone, and eventually dropped out.
My father, who had been listening to my story seriously, stroked his chin and slowly opened his mouth.
“…Okay, let’s say you dropped out, but do you have any other plans?”
“I realized that painting wasn’t my aptitude, so I want to try something else.”
“What do you mean by something else?”
“I’ve always cooked and been interested in it, so I want to try that…”
The corners of my father’s lips slowly rose as he nodded and listened to my story.
After hearing all about my future plans, my father smiled brightly with a satisfied expression.
“Okay, I’m relieved to hear that you have a decent plan.
If there’s something you want to do, give it a try. But next time, tell your family in advance.”
“I’m sorry about that.”
I thought he would be very angry, but he surprisingly brushed it off and gave me advice.
But I felt a little sad that he didn’t say anything about dropping out.
I also thought I was wrong, and I apologized while looking into my father’s eyes.
“…Okay! That’s enough about that, have you eaten yet?”
After hearing my apology, my father brushed it off as if saying, “That’s enough about this topic,”
and looked back and forth between me and Chaeyoon before laughing heartily and bombarding us with questions.
….
It might be a little difficult to ask about the place where I was born right now.
The atmosphere just became heavy because of the university story…
It’s also a bit strange to suddenly bring up the story about my grandfather in this relaxed atmosphere.
There’s still time, so I’ll ask when the atmosphere lightens up a bit.
“So, how long are you going to stay?”
“Huh? I think I’ll be home for about two days…”
“Huh? What about your girlfriend’s school…”
Leaving Chaeyoon and my father, who had started chattering again, I brought my mouth close to my mother’s ear,
turned to my mother, who was whispering in a small voice, and talked about Chaeyoon.
“It’s okay. She doesn’t have any lectures on Mondays, and she said that Tuesdays are the last day of classes…
You don’t have to worry about school. She told her parents that she was coming here too.”
“That’s a relief then.”
I told my mother the story I had prepared with Chaeyoon in advance, and only then did she feel relieved.
“…But, how did you meet such a nice girl?”
“…If even you say that, my self-esteem will drop.”
“I’m just kidding. So, you haven’t had lunch yet, right?
Since you’re home, eat and relax.”
“Ah, I’m full. Oppa must have inherited his cooking skills from your mother.”
“…What, don’t say things like that…”
After eating the meal that my mother had prepared for me at home for the first time in a while, and as the sun began to set,
I was taking a stroll with Chaeyoon in the downtown area near my house to digest and get some fresh air.
Originally, I was just going to sit at home and watch TV, but my father kept smiling at me and Chaeyoon,
and my mother kept trying to push me and Chaeyoon together, so I was pushed out.
Still, walking the familiar streets after a long time wasn’t a bad feeling.
Unlike the commute to university, where I was alone and didn’t know anyone,
it felt new and refreshing to walk the road I had been walking for almost 6 years, even as a college student.
“Ah, this is the middle school I used to go to.”
“This is it? The building is a bit big for a middle school, isn’t it?”
“There are several schools attached right behind it. That’s why it looks big.”
As I walked along the familiar road, following my legs, I suddenly realized,
a long, high brick wall began to appear. When I was young, this stone wall seemed so high,
but now I could see the school I used to attend without having to stand on tiptoe.
As Chaeyoon said, it was a slightly large school for a middle school. There were many students,
and since there were many schools nearby, the building itself looked a bit large.
…I really miss the old days, I wonder what the friends I made back then are doing now.
There was even a friend who I was close enough to take pictures with on graduation day before going to college.
“…Oppa, should we go in?”
“Huh? At this time, the main gate is closed and the back gate is closed, so it won’t be…”
“Oop!”
Does she even listen to me? Chaeyoon jumped over the wall before I could even finish my sentence.
She jumped over the wall, which was taller than her, and landed on the other side, calling me.
“Oppa, hurry up and jump over when people aren’t watching.”
“….”
I had no choice but to quietly prepare to jump over the wall, putting strength in my legs.
When I was a student, I had to step on the protruding bricks and climb up, but now I’m jumping over it.
I feel like my memories are strangely twisted, but I want to see the inside of the school after a long time…
I bent my knees and tried to push off the ground with force,
‘Not now.’
‘Someone’s coming from the side!’
At the warning ringing in my ears, I pretended to tie my shoelaces with my legs bent.
As the danger sense warned, footsteps began to approach from the school’s main gate not long after.
If I had jumped right away, I would have been caught right away… But is that person coming out of the school now?
Today is Sunday, so it can’t be a student…
I don’t know why, but the silhouette of that person is strangely bothering me.
Because of the darkening sky, the shadows on their face made it hard to see,
but I couldn’t help but squint at the shadow that I felt like I had seen somewhere.
“…..”
As the footsteps got closer, I fixed my gaze on the ground again.
…My knees on the ground are starting to go numb. I wish they would pass by quickly.
The footsteps were completely close and passing behind me.
The sound of footsteps, which had come right behind me, began to fade away.
I watched the back of the person walking towards the brightly lit downtown area in the distance.
The shadow of the person illuminated by the backlight drew a smooth curve.
That person was a woman. But I feel like I’ve seen them somewhere…
“Oppa, what are you doing? Hurry up and come over.”
“Ah, okay.”
I was intently watching the woman’s back,
when I answered Chaeyoon’s voice calling me, and just as I was about to prepare to jump over the wall again,
“…Are you Chanwoo?”
This time, it wasn’t Chaeyoon, but another woman’s voice that made me turn my head in the direction of the light.
The woman, who had only been showing her back, was now looking at me and slowly approaching.
But just now… didn’t she call my name?
“…Are you talking to me?”
“Huh? Don’t you know who I am?”
What is it? Was it someone I knew? The light from behind is blinding me, so I can’t see her face well.
But her voice definitely sounds familiar… Wait a minute.
A slightly high-pitched voice that I’ve heard before, a height of about 168~170,
and dyed and longer hair than before, but this person is definitely…
“…Naeun Noona?”
“…It’s been a while.”
A close older sister who lived in the same neighborhood since I was young.
And my first love, and my first girlfriend.
