A person who could come and go to the family-owned island as they pleased without anyone’s permission.
A person who could drop by on the way like Leo, by chance.
Thinking of such a person, Hyedam slowly got up from his seat.
Along with the sound of the helicopter engine stopping, his heart seemed to stop too.
Honestly, at this very moment, he was enjoying barbecue alone with Leo and talking about marriage and the house they would live in from now on, but all of that felt like a dream to him.
Leo continued to give him assurance, but while believing him, on the other hand, he also thought that this might all be his dream. Like a hallucination that appeared from spending too much time alone.
Hyedam, who had been looking at the back garden while tightly holding the blanket wrapped around him with both hands, looked at Leo for a moment at the hand that wrapped around his shoulder.
“…This seems like it’s going to proceed much faster than expected?”
He didn’t ask outright, but Leo also seemed to be thinking the same thing as Hyedam himself. And the thought became reality. A man wearing comfortable cotton pants and a shirt with a large cardigan over it caught his eye first.
“Evan, who did you say was coming here today? It smells like meat.”
“I didn’t hear anything like that? Should I move all this now?”
“Huh? Yeah. Starting with my clothes bag over there. Why is it so cold here? You said it was warm!”
Meow.
What interrupted their conversation was a small cat nestled in the arms of the man wearing the cardigan.
“Komi, are you cold too?”
Confirming the two approaching, Hyedam hurriedly tried to take off the blanket he was wearing, but when Leo, who had his arm around his shoulder, got in the way, he quickly jabbed his side with his elbow.
“He, hello.”
Without even properly putting down the blanket, Hyedam hurriedly bent at the waist to greet them.
“Oh. Hello. Hyedam-ssi and Leo, when did you get here? Honey. The kids are here!”
It was Siwoo, who had treated him comfortably even on the party day when they met all dressed up. His face was full of a gentle smile as he called his name welcomingly and approached, as if they had seen each other yesterday.
“If I had known you were coming here, I would have avoided it, so I apologize for the discourtesy…”
“What discourtesy. If we had known you were here, we would have gone somewhere else. Leo, did you leave Hyedam outside in this cold? What if he catches a cold? I’ve told you so many times not to think based on your or Evan’s standards!”
Hyedam, who had been standing awkwardly without putting down the blanket or properly wrapping it around himself, couldn’t breathe properly at Siwoo’s action of suddenly handing him the cat and then grabbing the blanket to wrap it around him properly.
“We were about to eat and go inside.”
“Hello.”
Hyedam, who couldn’t follow the conversation between Leo and Siwoo, quickly bowed his head as soon as his eyes met with Evan approaching behind Siwoo.
“It must be cold, let’s go in together.”
Hyedam looked at Leo with a dazed expression at Evan’s action of smiling at him and lightly patting his back a couple of times to convey the meaning of going inside together.
“Right. Hyedam-ssi will go in with us, is there lamb?”
“Would you like lamb steak?”
“Yes. Please.”
What the greeting that passed by like lightning in an instant left behind was a white cat playing with the tassels attached to the shawl and Leo’s whisper, “Does 못난이 want to eat lamb steak too?”
“No. Um. I…”
Looking at the current atmosphere, it seemed like he should follow Leo’s parents inside, but Hyedam’s wavering gaze, having made no mental preparation whatsoever, was fixed on Leo, who was awkwardly sweeping back his hair.
“Leo, there’s luggage in the helicopter, so bring that too.”
At Siwoo’s words as he turned around while walking ahead, Hyedam hugged the cat he was holding tighter.
“Am I going in alone?”
“I’ll get the luggage, so let’s go in together.”
Right. Thank you, thank you.
If he were going to greet them on a properly set date, he would have dressed properly, bought some gifts, and explained the current situation well with proper formalities.
It might not be such welcome news for the two of them, but knowing each other to some extent and meeting versus hearing bombshell news in a situation where they knew nothing was the difference between heaven and earth.
Did I touch my hair after washing today? What about my clothes?
There’s no way. He had taken a nap and woken up without even properly looking in the mirror. From some point on, clothes that fit his body tightly had become uncomfortable. Even though he hadn’t gained weight compared to usual, he hated stuffy clothes, so while staying here, he had been wearing only loose and large cotton material clothes as much as possible.
Even now, he was wearing baggy training pants one size larger than his size and an oversized cotton t-shirt.
“The state I’m in right now…”
“Don’t worry about things like appearance, background, or wealth. They’ll be very happy just with our 못난이’s existence.”
“That’s what you think…”
Hyedam, who had been bickering with glaring eyes at Leo, urgently embraced the cat when it wobbled while playing with the tassel, going “meow-” after taking advantage of the moment his hand loosened.
“It’s better to get hit first.”
That’s what you think too. Unable to hesitate any longer, Hyedam dawdled and waited for Leo to bring the suitcase from the helicopter, then went inside with him.
“Um, if it’s okay, I’ll go change clothes.”
Hyedam, who spoke as soon as he entered inside, gently put down the cat and hurried up to the second floor before even hearing an answer. As soon as he sat on the bed, a long sigh flowed from Hyedam’s lips as he held his lower belly. He had bought time albeit clumsily, but he couldn’t stay here long.
After brushing his teeth and finishing washing his face with cold water, Hyedam looked at himself reflected in the mirror for a moment. As Leo said, it was something he had to go through at least once. He might hear harsh words, but that too was his share to bear.
Hyedam, who left the bathroom while wiping his face with a towel, stopped in his tracks at the coffee scent that suddenly enveloped him.
“You were very surprised.”
Hyedam didn’t refuse Leo, who approached and embraced him, and quietly leaned his head on his shoulder. Whispering and talking between just the two of them and someone knowing were completely different things. Especially if those someones were his parents.
“If you’re uncomfortable or anything, tell me anytime.”
Easy for you to say. It was probably said with consideration for him in its own way, but Hyedam, whose nerves had become sharp, kept giving crooked answers inwardly.
“You said earlier you were grilling lamb, go grill the meat. I’m good at dealing with people. That was my job, so it would be stranger for both of us to be like this.”
Hyedam, who reluctantly raised his drooping hands and patted Leo’s back a few times, escaped from his embrace. He opened the closet, but there was no way someone coming to play would have brought formal wear, and he took out the most neat-looking beige cotton pants and knit sweater.
“Do your parents know about our relationship?”
“They know I have someone I like. That it’s our 못난이 too.”
Along with Leo’s answer, Hyedam buried his face in the clothes he was holding. Just when on earth? Then perhaps… did they know at Christmas too? Is that why they said those things to me?
With only sighs coming out of his complicated head, Hyedam moistened his parched lips with his tongue and tossed the clothes he had taken out onto the chair next to him.
“Didn’t they say anything?”
“They said they want to see you soon.”
While firmly biting his lips and taking off his t-shirt, Hyedam felt something strange and pulled down the clothes he had been lifting back up.
“But why aren’t you leaving?”
“Hm? Why? Together… Ah! Should I help you change?”
After throwing cushions at Leo, who brazenly approached saying he’d help him undress, and kicking him out of the room, another sigh flowed from Hyedam’s lips.
“…We have good feelings for each other, so we’re thinking of getting married.”
Silence descended on the beautiful living room where starlight and moonlight poured in through the window and a warm fireplace provided warmth.
Only Leo, who had finished explaining the situation, had a calm expression, and Hyedam couldn’t even lift his head, which was bowed. Only the clueless baby kitten was excitedly playing with the living room carpet.
“Evan, call a lawyer tomorrow.”
It was Siwoo who broke the brief silence.
“Which side’s lawyer?”
“That Siki. To strike him from the family register. Really, both father and son! Thinking of? We’re thinking? If you’re doing it, you’re doing it. If you’re not, you’re not. Why so vague? Did you propose to Hyedam properly?”
At Siwoo’s sudden words, the first thing Hyedam saw when he jerked his head up was Evan making an expression as if asking why he was being dragged into this too.
Leo did say he might be struck from the family register, but is he really saying that?
“Hyedam-ssi… no. New baby… I don’t like it, can I call you baby?”
Hiccup.
At the same time Siwoo, who had been shaking the slippers hanging from his tiptoes with his legs crossed, asked with a bright expression if he could call him baby, a hiccup burst from Hyedam’s lips.
“No. Um… I… uh. Hiccup.”
Baby? Um… my age is definitely not young… baby is really in my belly… Hyedam looked at Leo, who hadn’t mentioned that fact yet, and covered his mouth with his hand when another hiccup came out.
