Side Story 11

Siyeon could only truly understand her parents’ inability to completely cut ties after she became a parent herself. One day, while looking at her son, who was more precious to her than herself, she thought that even if he were not her biological child, she would still love him.

“Ijun, if you found out that Si-moon had been switched with another child from a different family, what would you do? Could you send Si-moon away and bring the other child here?” 

Siyeon asked as she watched Ijun doing sit-ups on the living room floor with Si-moon lying on his stomach. Since Si-moon could sit up on his own, he had refused to lie down, and Ijun’s stomach was his favorite place to sit. Straddling Ijun’s belly, Si-moon would bounce happily with each of Ijun’s movements, expressing his contentment on this human chair. 

“I’d like to raise both if I could, but since that’s not possible, I guess I’d have to send him away and bring the other child.” 

“You mean you’ll send Si-moon away and bring the biological child?”

“We’d have to bring our own child back. The other family would probably think the same, so it’d be necessary to send him.” 

Siyeon was really surprised. Ijun wasn’t the type to express affection openly, but his eyes always showed love when he looked at Si-moon. Just by watching him tenderly touch Si-moon, she could see how much he loved the child. She never expected him to say he would switch the child without any hesitation. 

“Si-moon, come to Mommy.”

His answer was so clear that she couldn’t help but resent him. While she felt like her heart would burst just from imagining it, Ijun seemed unaffected, which made Siyeon resent him. She got up from the couch and approached the two.

She opened her arms inviting him over, but Si-moon chose Ijun over her. Turning his head sharply, Si-moon grabbed his father’s stomach with his little arms and lay flat, clearly indicating he wouldn’t go to his mother. Although Ijun usually played well with Si-moon, Siyeon was shocked to see Si-moon choosing Dad over her. 

“Si-moon, Mommy’s upset.” 

As Ijun lifted Si-moon’s hands, like a small bundle of twigs, and raised him up, Si-moon raised his hips up and down, laughing happily, as if he thought they were playing a new game. Ijun leaned Si-moon against one shoulder and stood up. As he stood up, Ijun tossed Si-moon into the air a few times, making Si-moon burst into laughter. It was a charm offensive.

“How can you think of sending him away when you love him so much?”

“Just because we might have to be apart doesn’t mean the love disappears. I’d always worry, wondering if he’s hurting or unhappy, just like your parents did.”

Hearing Ijun’s words, Siyeon realized that he, too, shared her thoughts. She understood her parents, who hadn’t completely given up on their kindness. 

“But, it’s hard to say there was such a mistake when he looks so much like me.”

Looking at his son’s face up close, holding him up in the air under his armpits, Ijun broke into a pleased smile. However, Si-moon, who didn’t like the end of their little game, looked displeased and stared at Ijun. Clenching his fists and pouting, he expressed his dissatisfaction. 

“See? He’s got my temperament.” 

Finding Si-moon adorable, Ijun laughed out loud and then scooped him up and headed towards the master bedroom. He was going to bathe Si-moon. Siyeon found it hard to believe that this was the same person who initially didn’t want to have a child, as he loved playing with Si-moon. Wearing the child out until he quickly fell asleep was Ijun’s specialty. 

“Don’t stay in the water too long!”

Siyeon called out urgently to Ijun’s receding back. Just the day before, Si-moon’s fingers had been so swollen from the water that she had scolded Ijun. She had managed to feed Si-moon his milk and put him back to sleep after he had fallen asleep immediately after being dressed.

“Just focus on your work.”

Turning around, Ijun grinned mischievously and said. His intention to quickly put Si-moon to bed for their own time together was so obvious that Siyeon couldn’t help but smile in the end.

***

On Saturday morning, Siyeon and Ijun took Si-moon and went to their house in Suwon. They were called to Suwon by the grandfather because Gwihyeon’s fiancée was coming over to greet the family.

Although it wasn’t strictly necessary for both of them to be there, they willingly went to the family home knowing that the grandfather wanted to see Si-moon. Even though it had only been a few days since they last saw him, the grandfather’s eyes teared up with joy the moment he saw the child.

“Our Si-moon is here. Shall we go see the jars with your great-grandfather?” 

Holding Si-moon, the grandfather headed straight for the backyard. There, a large traditional Korean jar, prominently displaying a jar marked “Jeong Si-moon.”

As they approached the jar stand, the grandfather began to carefully open each jar lid, explaining calmly to his great-grandson. He knew Si-moon wouldn’t understand, yet he earnestly spoke about the history and traditions of the jars. Surprisingly, Si-moon was quietly listening to his grandfather’s words. 

“Look at Si-moon staying quiet. It looks like he understands what his grandfather is saying.” 

Siyeon remarked from a distance, sounding amazed as she spoke to Ijun standing next to her.

“Indeed, he does.” 

“What kind of response is that?”

Siyeon frowned slightly and looked up at Ijun’s profile, who watched the grandfather mumbling explanations to Si-moon with an expressionless face.

“It means that the grandfather is indulging Si-moon.”

“Indulging?”

“I only ever cleaned these jars as punishment when I was young; I never got an explanation. Of course, I was smart enough to figure it out on my own. Anyway, listening to such explanations was the role of my older brother. The person responsible for these jars would soon be the heir to Baekya Foods.” 

“But why is Grandpa telling that to Si-moon?” 

Siyeon asked with a puzzled voice. Although Si-moon was born first, if Gwihyeon married and had a child, that child would become the 19th-generation direct descendant and the heir. So it was strange that Grandpa was telling Si-moon things that the heir should know. He wasn’t the kind of person to speak or act without a reason. 

“Why bother telling Si-moon things he can’t understand?” 

Ijun approached the large jars near the storeroom and asked his grandfather. Then, the grandfather glanced at him and continued explaining, ignoring him. Siyeon went into the inner house, leaving the three of them behind. 

“This is the sauce that your great-great-grandfather personally made when Baekya Foods was first established. See those shiny bits? That’s soy sauce salt. Eventually, beautiful soy sauce salt like this will also form inside Si-moon’s jars. By then, I won’t be around, so Si-moon will have to cherish it doubly on behalf of this old man.”

“Shouldn’t you be telling these things to your great-grandchild who will be the 19th generation heir?”

“You’re not the heir of the family either, but aren’t you acting as a pillar of Baekya?” 

“I’m going to make our Si-moon an athlete.” 

Ijun’s words made his grandfather turn around as if asking what he meant. 

“Turn him into an athlete?”

“Yes. His kicking is already extraordinary. Si-moon is definitely going to be a soccer player.”

“I thought you would become a runner when you were small because you ran around so much. But look what you’re doing now.” 

Grandpa interjected Ijun’s jokingly serious remark and affectionately held Si-moon closer.

“When my brother gets married, it won’t be long before the 19th head of the family is born. I don’t know what you’re thinking, Grandfather.”

“Si-moon is of Baekya’s bloodline. It’s only natural for this child to become the owner of Baekya Foods.”

“… .”

He looked down at Si-moon in his arms and whispered softly. The grandfather seemed determined to break the traditional succession rules of Baekya Foods. As the 16th-generation heir, it must not have been easy for him to make such a decision regarding Gwihyeon, the next-generation heir. Perhaps, in Grandpa’s reluctance to bring Gwihyeon into Baekya Foods so far, there was also this intention. 

“…Before I die, I plan to settle everything cleanly, so don’t say anything.” 

“Please don’t say that. I don’t want to hear it.” 

“Still, I am a fortunate man. I have seen the face of my great-grandchild. My life has been pretty good… I have no regrets even if I die now.”

“Wouldn’t you want to see the faces of the rest of your great-grandchildren who are yet to be born? There are supposed to be two more younger siblings after Si-moon, moreover, one of them is a girl. If a daughter is born, she will be the first girl born into the Jeong family.”

Upon hearing Ijun’s explanation, the grandfather, who had been looking at Si-moon with sad and somber eyes, suddenly had a sparkle in his eyes and swallowed hard. 

What would happen if a great-granddaughter were born into a house where no daughter had been born for four generations?

The mere thought thrilled him, giving him goosebumps in his arms.

“You know that I loved Siyeon because there had never been a daughter born in our family. If a great-granddaughter is born, I’ll carry her in a baby wrap every day.”

He managed to calm his excitement as he spoke. 

“That child won’t play with fire or climb trees. She won’t even fish in the pond to catch goldfish. Just imagining my great-granddaughter sitting on my lap is enough.”

Then, with a face that seemed to dream of mostly unattainable hopes from a future perspective, he whispered softly.

The great-granddaughter who appeared in Grandpa’s mind was a calm and quiet girl who resembled Siyeon. He imagined her sitting on his lap, quietly listening to the fairy tales he read, her small head with neatly braided hair vivid in his imagination.

“You should think about her name too. For your information, Siyeon doesn’t like names that aren’t urban.” 

“Right. I’ll come up with one. I’ll give her a very beautiful and elegant name.” 

“So you should live a long time, Grandfather. You have to teach Si-moon how to play Go as well.” 

Ijun shifted his gaze to the neatly lined-up jars as he spoke. His grandfather smiled slightly at his words. Though he didn’t often speak affectionately, the grandfather knew well that Ijun was concerned about him. 

“I will teach him. 

Grandpa also glanced at the jars with the names of his son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren written on them. Beside them were jars for Siyeon and Si-moon.

“…It’s natural for people to die when their time comes. Professor Kim’s mother also seems to be in her final days. Whether for better or worse, she’s someone I’ve had a long connection with, so I should say goodbye before she passes.” 

“… ” 

Ijun quietly listened to his grandfather’s words, mixed with a sigh.