They say life isn’t always full of happiness and good things, don’t they?
Haesung found himself facing the greatest difficulty of his life.
Everything was good until he proposed the day before and went to the café of memories with Dohyeong.
They wrapped up a happy date and returned home, but Dohyeong, who had been looking at his phone, faced Haesung with a pale face.
‘Hyung, Mom… says she’s angry.’
A thought he hadn’t considered flashed through his head.
Though he had caused and resolved the matter to properly establish their relationship.
He had forgotten the most important people. Dohyeong’s family.
Of course, there was his own family too, but they would welcome Dohyeong with open arms.
Even when they first got married, they were people who cherished Dohyeong more dearly than himself.
But Dohyeong’s mother was a different story. She had viewed the marriage with him unfavorably from the beginning.
‘I’m afraid Dohyeong will become too lonely.’
It was something she had said in front of him once.
Perhaps Dohyeong’s mother had noticed that he was focusing more on work back then.
And now, that mother was angry.
In the end, he persuaded Dohyeong and decided to go see his mother right away the next day.
That was today. This very moment.
“I’m sorry for coming too late. Mother.”
The place being what it was and the situation being what it was, a stiff atmosphere continued.
Dohyeong’s mother, who would normally say it was awkward, naturally countered with formal speech as if it were obvious.
“…I’m Dohyeong’s mom, there’s no reason for me to be called that by Jung Haesung-ssi.”
“Mom….”
“You be quiet.”
Even Dohyeong, who normally talked back well, shut his mouth tight at his mother’s voice.
I hadn’t done well either.
I should have at least hinted about the relationship with Haesung from the beginning, but being desperate only about my own situation, I completely forgot.
I sneakily rolled my eyes to look at my younger sibling Eunhyeong.
But Eunhyeong was also avoiding eye contact just the same. That wasn’t because they were angry at Dohyeong, but because they were reading their mother’s mood just like him.
“I fully understand that you find me untrustworthy. If I were you… it would be the same.”
“……”
“But it wasn’t a light choice. This time, really—”
“Last time, was it a light choice?”
At the cold remark, Haesung once again found himself at a loss for words.
Perhaps because he was kneeling, his legs began to go numb. He clenched and opened the hand placed on top of them and tried to open his mouth, but Dohyeong’s mother started speaking first.
“When I first saw the broadcast.”
And again, she couldn’t continue for a while. After gripping her one knee that was raised upright, she let out a sigh as if expressing her frustrated heart.
“It felt like my heart was collapsing.”
“…Mom.”
“My child, couldn’t eat. Couldn’t sleep. It’s been two years of living barely functioning as a person. I thought he was finally, finally living like a human being. But again, why of all people… Jung Haesung-ssi.”
She, who had difficulty uttering words mixed with tears, pressed her forehead with one hand.
Her insides were rotting away. Because she knew all too well how deep into the bottom her son had been dragged down long ago.
When she first went to see Dohyeong, she had to try very hard not to break down.
Dohyeong was crouched in a pitch-black room, looking up at the ceiling.
Without crying out loud or blaming anyone.
She waited countless days until he came out of his room. It took a lot more time for him to eat properly and smile even if forced.
“But, why.”
In the end, she couldn’t hold it in and burst into tears.
The light he met again after escaping from that darkness was the very person who had made her son crawl into the darkness.
Should she resent the heavens, or should she pat the back of her son who made the same choice again?
She couldn’t get a grip.
Haesung, who had been quietly watching such a sight, bowed his head while kneeling.
“I’m sorry.”
It wasn’t just Dohyeong’s mother who was surprised by that sight.
Dohyeong was also looking at Haesung with a startled expression.
“I know all too well what I did to Dohyeong. What I said on the broadcast, as always, wasn’t something I said just because it was a broadcast.”
“……”
“Hyung, stop it. It’s okay. Quickly—”
“I won’t make hollow promises. I won’t make promises to Mother about what I’ll do for Dohyeong either.”
Haesung slowly stood up. He faced her with a determined expression.
“I’ll show you through actions. So that such a thing never happens again. I’ll definitely make Dohyeong happy.”
Of course, she knew too. Even if she opposed them here and now, Dohyeong had already resolved to live his future with Haesung.
Because it was like that before too. She had warned that people who climbed too high couldn’t be kept close, but even then, hadn’t Dohyeong chosen Haesung?
She realized once again acutely what it meant that there’s no parent who can win against their child.
“Can you really throw everything away?”
So in the end, she could only ask back about his resolve that he had spoken of on the broadcast.
“Yes. I can throw it all away.”
“Even though Jung Haesung-ssi has accomplished so much?”
“It’s better than losing Dohyeong once more. Letting go of everything I have.”
She couldn’t immediately determine whether it was truth or lies.
However, she believed that his resolve was sincere.
If it weren’t, there would be no reason to come all the way here and kneel.
She let out a deep sigh and turned her head. And she tried hard to gather her aching heart.
“…I don’t believe those words.”
“Mom!”
At Dohyeong’s cry, she, who hadn’t continued speaking for a moment, slowly opened her mouth.
She was facing Haesung with a gaze brimming with tears.
“…But, I can watch. If the same thing repeats this time too, I won’t stay still either.”
Of course, there probably wouldn’t be anything she could do.
But right now, she had to at least make this threat. Because that way he might think of her son even a little more preciously.
“I will definitely repay your trust.”
Moreover, there existed a thin belief that Haesung wouldn’t say nonsense.
Since they were people who had known each other since childhood, she thought it would be okay to have this much trust.
Anyway, if it wouldn’t work even if she tried to stop it, she’d have to be satisfied with watching.
Just when she was letting out a deep sigh with a frustrated heart, Dohyeong approached and hugged her tightly.
“Thank you, Mom. And… I’m sorry.”
At the words that followed, she swallowed her tears silently.
Because when she recalled Dohyeong trapped in darkness, she knew all too well how grateful this moment was.
She didn’t say anything.
“I’ll live well. Definitely… so Mom won’t have to worry, I’ll be happy.”
She, who had been patting Dohyeong’s back without saying anything, wiped her tears and stood up from her seat.
Then looking at the three people looking up at her, she turned her head without saying anything.
“…Forget the useless talk, just eat before you go. Good ribs came in yesterday.”
In the end, the final destination is a mother’s heart.
Watching the back of her quietly leaving the room, Dohyeong bit his lip tightly.
The resolve to definitely be happy this time, to live well as if to show her, became even stronger.
***
After that, the two put their full effort into preparing for the wedding.
Since they’d had a splendid wedding once, they decided to follow Dohyeong’s wish to proceed modestly this time, gathering only close people.
First, they went around to get their ceremonial clothes tailored. Previously they had chosen just by looking at catalogs, but this time they wanted to see together. This too was Dohyeong’s wish.
“Hyung, how’s this?”
At the sight of Dohyeong coming out wearing a pure white tuxedo, Haesung, who had been looking at the catalog, closed the book with a thwack!
He stared at Dohyeong for a while. Did pure white suit him that well? Or was Dohyeong shining today in particular?
“…Pretty.”
“That’s already the sixth time you’ve said that.”
“What do I do when you’re pretty in whatever you wear?”
“…That’s funny, really.”
Though he answered while pouting his lips, Dohyeong was also smiling as if he didn’t dislike those words.
They spent a full three days choosing ceremonial clothes. They were hectic selecting catering companies for on-site service and securing people to act as MC and officiant.
And this time, they decided to dispose of the house they had originally lived in.
Though it would be fine to write another story there, a start in a new place would also be good.
The two people’s new home was the house Haesung had prepared now.
“Dohyeong-ah, what should we do with this?”
While busily organizing the house, Haesung discovered a large box in the corner of the closet.
When he brought it to Dohyeong asking how to handle it, his expression became subtle.
What on earth is this? Haesung, who had been wondering, put the box down on the floor and opened it.
What was inside were photos from the two people’s first wedding.
Large frames and albums remained intact.
“…You still haven’t thrown this away.”
He felt hollow inside. Even more so thinking of Dohyeong enduring alone while embracing all the memories with him.
“How could I throw this away?”
Dohyeong approached Haesung’s side and smiled bitterly.
Dohyeong, who took out a frame from the box, carefully stroked it.
“Still, well… it’s nice.”
“What’s nice?”
“Because our house will have two wedding photos.”
At the sight of Dohyeong answering with a bright smile, Haesung ended up laughing out loud.
Really. He couldn’t get a grip. Even so, because those words were quite lovable, he carefully stroked Dohyeong’s head.
“I’ll make sure there’s no third one.”
“Of course. How could we do this three times? We can’t. It’s hard.”
Dohyeong, who had been shaking his head playfully, looked inside the box again.
And he took out a small box and opened it. What was inside were the wedding rings they had exchanged and worn with Haesung.
The two looked down at the rings silently.
They were proof that had no sincere promise, no future dreaming of happiness.
But Dohyeong didn’t turn away. He took out one ring and put it on Haesung, then smiled cheerfully.
“…Can I wear this?”
“Of course. Obviously. It was hyung’s ring from the beginning.”
How many more things would he have to return to Dohyeong, who always faced him honestly and uprightly, to fill him up?
Grateful and sorry for that affection spreading out widely, Haesung couldn’t say anything.
“Never take it off now.”
At the calm but earnest words, Haesung silently nodded.
Then he took off Dohyeong’s ring, put it on the opposite hand, and pressed his lips to it.
“I’ll never have a reason to take it off. Never again.”
“…Yeah. That’s enough.”
Only happiness remained on the faces of the two people carrying both past and present.
With the promise repeated many times in their hearts, the two burst into laughter out loud.
Two wedding photos, wedding rings.
And their second married life was just around the corner.
