Chapter 1009. Crank Up 10

“You don’t have to worry. It’s nothing dangerous. What did you decide to do? Are you going to keep staying there?”

-When I first came here, I really wanted to go back to Seoul, but now, I’m more comfortable here. Your mother gets along with the people around here too.

“Then you should do whatever you’re comfortable with. Bada and I don’t have a problem at all.”

-Well, you I can understand, so I was never that worried about you. I’m just a little worried about Bada.

“Mother looks after her twice a month, so it should be fine. Also, she seems to have opened her eyes to studying, and she really doesn’t do anything else.”

-It’s thanks to you.

“I didn’t do anything. Bada did everything herself. So don’t worry about us now and choose whatever puts you at ease.”

-I’ve been having a great time these days because of a great son. I only get by because I can boast about you. I show them the phone you gave me and say that my son shot a commercial for this, but everyone wouldn’t believe me. That’s when I opened up youtube on the spot and showed them.

“Father, you know how to use something like that?”

-Everyone does these days. Anyway, it really caused a commotion. General manager Choi asked me if I could let you meet his daughter once. Of course, I’m sure he was joking, though.

Maru sat on the sofa and spoke,

“Father, actually, I planned to make a visit last year, but I was so busy that I couldn’t make it.”

-Visit? What visit?

“I have someone I’m dating. And we’re dating seriously.”

-Really?

“I totally forgot about it because of all the things that are happening, but I’ll make some time soon and go visit you. So spread rumors that your son has a partner already.”

-A-alright. I’ll keep that in mind.

His father stuttered. It seemed that he was pretty flustered. Maru laughed and told him that she was a really good girl.

-Just bring her here. We’ll hold a feast for her. Does your mother know about it?

“Please tell her for me.”

I will — said his father. When Maru asked about his health, his hobbies, his drinking habits, and other little stuff like that, his father started laughing.

-You boy. I’m not at the age where I’ll make my son worried, so you should look after yourself. Ever since I came down here, my health has gotten a lot better instead. You should be looking after yourself since life in Seoul is going to be harsh. I saw in the news that the entertainment industry is quite cruel. The news is all over things like breach of contract, delaying payment, and whatnot. Don’t get involved in troublesome stuff, and if you do get involved in it, look for help. Don’t struggle by yourself. I can still be a hill you can lean on.

“I will. When I go down this time, let’s go fishing together.”

His father hung up with a laugh. It had been a week since Maru had met the chairman. The chairman proved to him that he kept what he said with his mouth. His father had belatedly gotten on the line to success, and a foundation under the YM Group gave Bada a scholarship. Bada rejoiced, saying that she was smart enough to get scholarships. Their mother, on the other hand, was worried, saying that there is no goodwill without reason, but when Maru explained the reason to her, she told him to stay right next to the chairman, saying that such a man was the scariest when he got angry.

He had a look at the clock on top of the TV. It was 8 p.m. It was almost time for Gaeul to come. Maru changed clothes. He put his shirt and tie on. There was once a time when he put on his tie every single day, but today it felt different. He checked for one last time in front of the mirror.

“You’re ready?” Gaeul said as soon as she came in.

“Should I put a protector on my stomach? I think I’m going to get beaten up badly.”

“My mom will hit your face if she does anything, so let’s just go. If you rotate your body on time, you won’t break any teeth.”

“Now that’s something I can’t laugh about. But are you really sure about this?”

Maru pointed at the present on the sofa. It was a laptop that had barely been released for a week. In his last life, he brought beef ribs when visiting her.

“I know my mom the best. She likes eating, but she’ll like it more if she’s given what she needs the most. She’s been saying she needs to change her laptop recently too.”

“Won’t she find it too burdensome?”

“My mom? No, I don’t think so. She’s someone who believes that gifts are more heartfelt the more expensive they are.”

That I remember — Maru laughed as he thought back to the past. They left the house and got in the car. He promised her that they would visit her before the end of the year, but the year had already passed. Both of them had a hard time making time in their schedule because they were both busy shooting dramas, films, and commercials. It was also Gaeul’s intent that there was no need to rush to the point that they had to readjust their schedules. Gaeul, who sat on the passenger seat, placed her hand on her chest and started breathing heavily.

“This is bad. I’m already nervous.”

“That’s not like you. If you’re nervous, what am I supposed to do?”

Maru shook his hands before he even started the car. He felt like he would feel less nervous if he was shooting an erotic scene instead. What was he supposed to do? He was the resentful man who once made her daughter suffer, and now he was going to visit her to tell her that they were dating with marriage in mind, and even living together. There was only one reaction that she could possibly show.

“I’ll go in first and put away all the knives.”

“And scissors too.”

“Okay.”

He started the car. The traffic lights of Seoul seemed to have become merciful today as he was rarely ever stopped. They arrived at the apartment in Suwon she used as an office about 20 minutes earlier than they expected. Maru parked the car in the parking lot and turned off the car. It was time for him to get off.

“Aren’t you getting off?” Gaeul asked.

She didn’t seem to want to get off either, as her hands were glued to her knees. She was probably scared as well. After all, her mother would probably shout at her for giving an enemy like him her heart and even bringing him here.

“Should we keep it a secret that we’re living together?”

“My mom’s very quick when it comes to things like that. We’ll be found out quickly if we lie. Above all, I don’t have the confidence to lie to her. Since I was young, she has always noticed everything when I tried to hide it.”

“She is extremely quick to catch on.”

“Let’s not talk about it first. If the mood looks good, we’ll just let her know about it, and if not, then we’ll just not mention it.”

Maru got out of the car with the laptop that was packaged prettily. There was no running. Forward was the only way now. They took the elevator up. Standing in front of the door, Maru started sweating. If it wasn’t for the rather chilly spring night air, Maru’s shirt might have gotten drenched.

“I’ll go in first.”

“Okay.”

Gaeul had told her mother earlier that she had a boyfriend she was dating and that she was going to bring him here today. Maru said that it might be better to tell her beforehand, but her decision was that suddenness was a better factor here.

“Mom, I’m here.”

Gaeul went in first. Maru could hear his mother-in-law’s voice through the slight opening of the door. His heart started racing as though he did a full sprint. He felt like his heart would jump out of his throat if he opened his mouth wide.

“Why are you here by yourself? Weren’t you coming with your boyfriend?”

“He’s outside.”

“Why did you make him stay outside when it’s so cold? Tell him to come in.”

“Err, he’s quite shy.”

“What kind of amazing thing has he prepared for him to be so shy? Or has he done something that might make him shy?”

His heart suddenly skipped. Maru realized for the first time that a thumping heart could come to an abrupt stop like that. Did she know that she was making a man suffocate with her jokes? He knew that he shouldn’t do it, but the word ‘escape’ flashed through his mind. It was such a charming word that he was almost tempted.

“Honey, come in,” Gaeul said.

Maru tightened his tie and lowered his head while holding the laptop with both of his hands. He stepped through the doorway feeling like a criminal. He saw the shoes laid out neatly. If he raised his head now, he would see his mother-in-law. He clenched his eyes shut before folding his waist in half.

“Hello, ma’am.”

He clenched his teeth hard and straightened his back. What he saw was the mother and daughter glued at their waists. Gaeul looked like she was about to cry. When he had a closer look, she was almost about to cry because of too much laughter. His gaze moved sideways. The same thing was happening to his mother-in-law as well. She was covering her mouth and just barely holding back her laughter. When was it again? There was a day when she was almost bursting out laughing like that. That was….

Just then, a cat slowly walked over. It was passing in front of the mother and daughter. Maru slowly looked down at the cat. The cat yawned before going back to the room again.

“You knew?” Maru asked.

Mother-in-law looked at Gaeul’s face once and nodded.

“There’s no way I wouldn’t know. The girl who lacked vitality started being full of smiles all of a sudden. Moreover, she doesn’t even go home that often. I visited to give her some food, but god it looked like a haunted house. That’s when I knew about it. She must be living somewhere else. I asked her and she immediately froze up. Then, game over.”

“Then today….”

“I urged her to bring you quickly if she was planning to. I now have the confidence to greet you with a smile. But.”

She took her hands off Gaeul and approached him. Maru straightened his back and pulled his chin inwards. He looked at his mother-in-law while feeling like a new recruit in the military who was seeing a general for the first time.

“Make her cry again, and you’ll regret it. Han Gaeul! That goes for you as well.”

Mother-in-law turned her head to look at her. She, who looked like it was none of her business, also froze stiff and barely managed to nod to tell her that such a thing would never happen again. Maru was about to suffocate because of the heavy silence when his mother-in-law spoke again,

“Well, that was all in the past, so I should stop here. Mr. Han.”

“Yes!”

“I’m glad to see you again like this.”

He thought back to the first time he saw his mother-in-law in this life. Maru grabbed the hand she held out with both of his hands.

“Thank you.”

“Also, Gaeul told me that you’re great at cooking. Well, you did bring her porridge and whatnot during high school. That’s why I didn’t prepare anything today.”

“I’m glad you didn’t. I should be the one cooking of course. The trend these days is for the guests to cook. You should just sit and relax, mother-in-law.”

Maru immediately took off his shoes.

“Mother-in-law?”

“I meant, ma’am.”

“Why? You should call me mother-in-law already. Don’t you two already share a bed together?”

Gaeul coughed awkwardly and grabbed her mother’s shoulders and dragged her back. Maru carefully went into the living room with the laptop firmly held against his chest. He finally remembered. When he went to get her permission for marriage, his mother-in-law laughed like that after saying no. She threw unexpected jokes at the most unexpected times.

“My dear son-in-law, would you like some help?”

“Not at all!” Maru shouted as he entered the kitchen.

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