DP Episode 101

Deep Pivot Episode 101

“We don’t need photos, just give a brief report on what that person is doing and where they are. About once a month. If anything unusual happens, feel free to inform me right away.”

Even if you wash a rag, it’s still a rag, and a person’s nature doesn’t change easily, no matter if they get enough money to live leisurely for the rest of their life and a chance to reset their messy life.

“Oh, by anything unusual…”

Seo-joon, checking documents with his phone wedged between his shoulder and ear, glanced at the rearview mirror. It was the time when students were pouring out from school.

“If you keep an eye on it, you’ll naturally find out.”

Yes, then, please take care of it. After ending the call, Seo-joon put the documents back in the envelope. He had just confirmed Cha Kyung-soo’s whereabouts through someone he personally hired.

“People don’t change easily.”

Cha Kyung-soo was still breathing not because he was living diligently but because he lacked the money to ruin his life drastically.

Seo-joon intended to quietly watch how Cha Kyung-soo’s life would spiral downward. The money he paid today was the price to hasten his downfall.

After all, considering that his poor genes produced the brilliant Cha Yeonwoo, it was a ridiculously low price as a tribute to his life’s only achievement.

Warmth spread in his grey eyes as he watched the students crossing the crosswalk. Soon, Yeonwoo approached, opened the passenger door, and hopped in.

“Hello, Lieutenant.”

“Did you listen well in class?”

Seo-joon faintly smiled as he pulled down Yeonwoo’s hood. Static made his already fluffy hair even more so, and as Seo-joon patted and brushed his cheek, a bright smile spread across Yeonwoo’s pretty face.

Yeonwoo, gazing quietly at Seo-joon who leaned in to fasten the seatbelt, lowered his eyes.

“You look even cooler today.”

There was a lot of shyness in Yeonwoo’s hands as he fiddled with Seo-joon’s suit lapel. Seo-joon, checking his reflection in the rearview mirror, chuckled.

“Seems like Yeonwoo likes this style. I’ll keep that in mind.”

The effort of dressing up in a full suit and paying attention to his hair paid off unexpectedly. He had met Cha Kyung-soo in the morning, then Cha Jeong-woo at lunch, and a legal representative in the afternoon, so he was a bit disheveled.

“Where have you been?”

“I had to make a good impression on someone.”

“Who?”

“Well. How should I put it?”

He naturally reached toward the console box and clasped his hands together.

“… For someone who’s going to be family. I want to make a good impression.”

His fluffy head tilted slightly, and Seo-joon smiled, sensing Yeonwoo’s sharp gaze on the side of his face.

“Someone who’s going to be family…?”

“You don’t know? Stop being so nosy.”

A small gasp could be heard beside him.

“Lieutenant, are you…?”

During the traffic jam, Seo-joon glanced sideways and saw those innocent eyes trembling. Oh, did he say something too suspicious? He had only intended it as a joke. Yeonwoo’s lips parted as if to say more but then closed tightly.

“…”

The profile he turned away showed clear signs of sulking. What kind of chaotic thoughts were swirling inside that small, round head? Seo-joon was about to clear up the misunderstanding but decided to watch a little longer because the pout was so cute.

“What would you like… for dinner?”

After a long pause, Yeonwoo finally asked a different question. Seo-joon replied while turning the steering wheel.

“I’ve made a reservation at a restaurant. Let’s go there.”

Yeonwoo pulled his hood back up. Seo-joon occasionally leaned in visibly, smiling internally at Yeonwoo’s curious eyes peeking at him.

Upon arriving at the restaurant, Seo-joon followed the guide to a private room. Sitting beside Seo-joon with the city view behind him, Yeonwoo looked even more dejected than in the car.

After choosing the main dish from the prepared course, they were finally left alone.

“Yeonwoo, are you very hungry right now?”

Yeonwoo shook his head gently, looking a bit scared. Seo-joon carefully began to speak.

“The course will take some time. I wanted to talk to you before then.”

Yeonwoo, now sitting up straight and ready to listen, watched as Seo-joon took something out and placed it on the table. It was the document envelope Seo-joon had been carrying from the car to the restaurant.

“Don’t be shocked. I touched something important in your life.”

Yeonwoo’s gaze shifted to the documents emerging from the envelope. Cha Jeong-woo, Cha Yeonwoo—familiar names appeared sporadically among other purpose-unknown documents.

“From now on, Yeonwoo, you won’t have any parents.”

“…What?”

The eyes that had been tense now showed confusion. Yeonwoo looked up from the documents.

“I don’t know how you’ll take this, but it seems like your father, Cha Kyung-soo, could be a threat to your safety.”

He had prepared many words in his mind, but now they all seemed too delicate to utter. Seo-joon struggled to find a gentle way to say, “I severed your familial bond without your permission.”

“Under the Awakened Security Act, it’s essential to protect the identity of Guides at risk of being exploited. So, I excluded Cha Kyung-soo and created new identification records for you and Jeong-woo.”

Yeonwoo followed Seo-joon’s pointing finger to the unfamiliar numbers next to his name.

“Your name remains the same, and only your ID number and address have changed, so nothing major is different.”

As Yeon-woo listened to his explanation while looking at the documents, his gaze fixed on one spot. It was his family relationship certificate.

“But I was a bit concerned about leaving just Jung-woo and Yeon-woo independent without a legal guardian….”

In a column he couldn’t comprehend, Seo-joon’s name appeared.

“Excuse me, Lieutenant. Why is—”

“Nothing is changing.”

Seo-joon quickly cut him off, holding his hand.

“It’s just a legal measure to give me the right to protect Jung-woo and Yeon-woo if anything happens.”

“Legal measure….”

Yeon-woo, still bewildered, repeated his words and looked back at the document with a puzzled expression. Staring at Seo-joon’s name on the family relationship certificate as if he had seen a ghost, Yeon-woo looked up.

Seo-joon watched his reaction in silence.

“…So, from now on, Mr. Cha Kyung-soo is no longer your father.”

Even with these additional words, Yeon-woo, who had been motionless for a while, slightly opened his mouth.

“Did… did my father agree to this?”

“Mr. Cha Kyung-soo has been provided with appropriate compensation and a new identity. Naturally, he can no longer exercise parental rights over Mr. Cha Yeon-woo, and a restraining order has also been issued, so you won’t encounter your father again.”

Despite nodding repeatedly to Seo-joon’s words, Yeon-woo still seemed somewhat dazed, as if the reality hadn’t sunk in.

“So, does this mean I will now become Ji Yeon-woo?”

“No….”

Suppressing a chuckle at the adorable misunderstanding, Seo-joon pointed to the document. It seemed too overwhelming to process all at once.

“You don’t have to change your surname or given name. When adopting an adult, changing the surname is not mandatory.”

“Adopting….”

But Lieutenant, you and I are only nine years apart…. The voice muttering absentmindedly with eyes still on the family relationship certificate sounded like it was wandering in a dream.

With a wry smile, Seo-joon covered Yeon-woo’s hand with his.

“I don’t wish to have a twenty-year-old son at my age either.”

He carefully took something out from the inside pocket of his suit and gently placed it on the document. Even though the timing was awkward, he felt now was the best moment to give it.

“But Yeon-woo, you said before that you wanted to be family with me. The method is a bit different, but since there’s no same-sex marriage system in Korea yet, you and I can just continue being lovers as we are.”

Click. A burgundy-colored leather case opened its mouth. It was a white gold ring, crafted to match the one Yeon-woo had given him. He had received a notification today that it was ready, and despite his busy schedule, he had gone to pick it up.

Inside, adorably engraved with S♡Y, was a matching couple ring, just as Yeon-woo had wanted.

That’s what it was supposed to be….

“Gasp.”

Yeon-woo’s eyes widened to an almost impossible size, quickly filling with tears.

“Lieutenant, are you….”

He said something that Seo-joon had never imagined.

“Are you proposing to me?”

“P-Proposing?”

Seo-joon repeated, doubting his ears. Yeon-woo’s tear-filled eyes looked at him with anticipation and excitement.

“Giving a ring and asking to become family is a proposal.”

“That… wasn’t really my intent—”

“And you dressed up nicely just to impress me?”

Seo-joon, shaking his head from side to side, subtly changed course and nodded up and down. It was hard to deny because of the teasing remark he had made in the car earlier.

“Well… yes. I guess so… I wanted to impress you, Yeon-woo….”

He couldn’t finish his sentence because of Yeon-woo’s tears. In fact, Seo-joon had worn the suit that morning to meet Cha Kyung-soo…

“But this really moved me, Lieutenant….”

…No, on second thought, it might have been for this moment.

Yeon-woo finally burst into tears, covering his face with both hands. The situation felt oddly familiar. With sobs reminiscent of the day he first confessed, Yeon-woo buried his head in Seo-joon’s chest.

“I wanted to be the one to propose first….”

“…I understand. I’m sorry.”

When people go through something twice, they often become calmer than before.

“I guess I was just in a hurry because I like you so much.”

Right… if Cha Yeon-woo says it’s a proposal, then it is. Seo-joon, gently patting the large body that leaned into his embrace, quickly accepted this reality.

…If he’d known this was going to be a proposal ring, he would have added a diamond or two. What a shame.