MIM 127

Jae-seung, about to step out the front door for some fresh air, stopped abruptly. He turned to look in the direction of Shin-woo’s room and noticed the door was open. He went to close it, but then realized how excessively bare the room looked through the gap. A closet, a few books, a notebook, and a few belongings. The items were neatly arranged, but there was no sense of life. Shin-woo’s old clothes were hanging neatly in the closet, along with a large bag and a suitcase. Jae-seung felt a sense of unease and lingered in Shin-woo’s room for a while.

Standing by the door, Jae-seung stared at the room’s scenery for a long time before slowly turning around. He could see the front door in the distance. It was the room closest to the entrance.

It was the space of someone prepared to be abandoned at any time.

Jae-seung turned and spent time by the window in Shin-woo’s room. For hours, he stood there doing nothing, thinking about Shin-woo, who had learned only how to let go while being abandoned and abandoned again throughout his life.

That room still existed. Although he didn’t go in and out often, he sometimes piled things up and used it as a storage room. It pained him every time he saw it, but instead of forcibly getting rid of the room or demanding Shin-woo to trust him, Jae-seung waited silently. He wanted to wait for Shin-woo, who had always been the one waiting.

“I’ll ask again on this day in a year, then.”

Jae-seung pressed a kiss firmly on Shin-woo’s forehead and mumbled. If he wasn’t ready then, the year after that, and the year after that. He would propose every year until the end of his life.

“I’ll wait.”

Lips moved from his forehead to his ear, whispering breath into him. Shin-woo, blinking his eyes quietly, nodded slightly.

---

After retiring, Butler Hwang settled down in the outskirts, quite far from the city. It was because of his daughter, who lived nearby. He wanted to spend his remaining years leisurely in a scenic place, occasionally meeting and playing with his grandchildren. He had worked well past the usual retirement age, and Jae-seung had paid him a generous severance, so even though he had enough money to live a luxurious life until he died, all he bought was a horse.

Jae-seung and Shin-woo were going to see the horse today. Its name was Baram (Wind). He said he named it that because the sound was nice. Jae-seung, excited to see Butler Hwang after a long time, bought lots of gifts for Butler Hwang’s grandchildren, and Shin-woo bought a pillow and bedding set that were said to be effective for a good night’s sleep.

Perhaps he was too excited. As they drove, loaded with gifts, they arrived three hours earlier than expected. They were supposed to have dinner together around seven in the evening, but they had already entered the neighborhood when the sun was high in the sky. Jae-seung ignored Shin-woo’s suggestion to kill time nearby and ran out without looking back as soon as he stopped the car. He leaped over the low fence and ran wildly across the lawn toward the front door. Shin-woo, following behind with his arms full of luggage, chuckled. There were times when the rather grown-up guy felt unfamiliar, but at times like this, he was no different from Maro.

He rang the bell and waited, and after a moment, Butler Hwang opened the door. Even though they had arrived much earlier than the appointed time, he didn’t seem flustered at all. As soon as their eyes met, Shin-woo grinned and greeted him. They weren’t exactly close, but there was a camaraderie between them, so he was glad to see him after a long time.

There were other guests at the house. He was taking care of his grandchildren, who lived nearby, until six o’clock, and at the same time, he was enjoying tea time with a friend in a cozy setting. Shin-woo, recognizing the familiar face, bowed his head in greeting. It was Young-shin, the witness to Ma Jin-sung’s will.

“It’s been a while.”

“Yes, hello.”

Jae-seung, recognizing Young-shin, keenly assessed the atmosphere before accepting the greeting. Butler Hwang’s grandchildren, who were playing near the kitchen table, showed interest in the suddenly appearing guests and milled around. Jae-seung picked up the toys he had bought as gifts and squatted down in front of the children. Seeing him take out a building block toy, Shin-woo couldn’t help but smile. They were simpler blocks for children around the age of five, but his taste in toys was consistent.

Young-shin, who had been sitting at the table watching Jae-seung and the children for a while, stood up and opened the refrigerator.

“Would you like something to drink?”

“Ah, I’ll just have water.”

Young-shin gave Shin-woo a glass of cold water and took out milk and cocoa powder to make hot chocolate. Jae-seung didn’t return to the table until much later, after teaching the children how to build a house with the blocks, and he was silent for a moment when he found the lukewarm chocolate drink.

Shin-woo wiggled his legs under the table and placed his foot against Jae-seung’s. Jae-seung, who had been holding the cup with both hands, finally took a sip of the drink. The sound of quietly drinking tea in a comfortable atmosphere and the cheerful voices of the children mingled.

“I heard you moved. I heard there was a fire at the mansion.”

Jae-seung smiled at Young-shin’s words. Despite being the one who set the fire, he didn’t seem concerned at all. Young-shin chuckled softly as he even sighed as if he felt relieved.

“To have a fire twice, that place must have bad energy. I’m glad you moved.”

“Not just me, but one of the employees said their insomnia disappeared. I guess the energy was really bad.”

“It’s good to see you looking brighter, Master.”

“Well, there’s no reason for me to feel bad anymore.”

It was an answer implying that it was because they were all dead, but everyone sitting at the table didn’t mention the recent events, as if they had made a promise. Shin-woo glanced sideways at Jae-seung, inhaling the subtle atmosphere. Jae-seung sat casually with his chin resting on his hand, watching the children play with the toys. There was a gentle smile in his eyes.

“The kids have a bit of Grandpa’s face.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. They’re handsome.”

Butler Hwang burst into a hearty laugh. Jae-seung raised his eyebrows at the hearty laughter he had never heard before. Everyone sitting around the table watched him fondly as he chattered about how the grandson resembled him in his nose and face shape, and the granddaughter in her eyes.

“I’ve been wondering this for a long time, was my hair always this color?”

In the midst of the children’s talk, Jae-seung stroked his silver hair and asked. It seemed that as they were talking about who inherited what from whom, he was reminded of his hair, which he hadn’t inherited from anyone. It had been silver since they first met. Shin-woo, also curious, turned to Butler Hwang, but it was Young-shin, not him, who gave the answer.

“No. It was close to black. It must have been around the age of five… That’s when your hair color started to change.”

It meant that his hair color had changed since he was put on the experimental table. It was a blatant display of knowing about the Transformation research, but Jae-seung was calm without showing any surprise. Had he ever wondered about his hair, which didn’t resemble either his father or mother, when he was a child? Jae-seung smiled slightly as Shin-woo stroked the back of his neck. Then, he stood up and kissed Shin-woo on the temple.

“Shin-woo was choosing a pillow as a gift, how is everyone sleeping these days?”

Butler Hwang exchanged glances with Young-shin. They looked up and met Jae-seung’s bright face. The face of the unstable and scarred boy was bright without a single shadow. Butler Hwang smiled, placing his hand on his chest, which felt much lighter.

“I fall asleep a little earlier than before, maybe it’s because I’m getting old.”

“Haha. I’m sleeping well too.”

“That’s good. Stretch out your arms and legs and sleep well, everyone.”

Jae-seung held out his empty cup and smiled brightly, showing his white teeth.

“I enjoyed it. Thank you.”