Jinwook jumped to his feet, his voice growing louder.

“Now that he’s retiring, he wants to see his grandchildren? He needs family now? He hasn’t even apologized to Mom yet. Shouldn’t that come first? How can he not contact us once while Noeul has grown this big, and then suddenly reach out because he’s retiring? Does that make any sense?”

Soyu’s gaze deepened. Kim Jinwook never gets angry. He always smiles. But just because someone lives with a smile doesn’t mean their inner life is always a flower garden. Family issues are like a splinter festering under this man’s fingernail—and quite a painful one at that. Soyu stood up, took her husband’s hand, and looked up at him with a calm gaze.

“Jinwook.”

“I’m not seeing him. I’ve lived well without seeing him all this time, so why would he want something now?”

“Wook-ah.”

At her calm and serious voice, Jinwook looked at his wife with desperate eyes and sighed. Soyu continued:

“Let’s leave us out of it. For the children’s sake. And for your mother’s sake, we should meet him at least once.”

“Mom will probably think the same as me.”

His voice tried to maintain its agitation, but it was already trembling.

“Besides, Mom and I are the biggest victims. Why exclude me? I grew up wounded by such a father too.”

“That’s why we’re doing our best not to pass those wounds down to our children, aren’t we?”

Jinwook made a face full of things he wanted to say, opened and closed his mouth, then sighed and shook his head.

“Have you told Mom?”

“Not yet. I wanted to talk to you first.”

“If Mom agrees to meet him, I will too. But if Mom shows even the slightest sign of discomfort, I won’t see him. I can go my whole life without seeing him.”

Soyu didn’t press further. Noticing his wife’s hesitation, Jinwook added:

“If he wanted to improve our relationship, he should have done it after our wedding ceremony! What is this? Living like strangers and now… Now that he’s old and quitting his company, he contacts us? Does that make sense? This is too unconscionable.”

She didn’t argue with her husband’s words but quietly embraced him and gently patted his back.

“Our Wook-ah. I know it’s been hard for you. But you have us now. It’s okay to let go of some of that hatred.”

Jinwook flinched at her tone and gestures, which were like soothing a child. He opened his mouth to speak but sighed instead and rested his chin on Soyu’s shoulder.

“Do you pity me?”

“No. I feel compassion for you.”

“Then show me some affection.”

This time Soyu flinched. Ah, the mood was shifting toward comedy rather than the genre she wanted.

“Hmm? I’m pitiful, aren’t I? Hmm? Show me some affection.”

When Soyu just stood still with her arms hanging down, Jinwook deliberately crumpled his large frame and pushed his head forward.

“Pat my head too. Hmm? I’m having a hard time, Soyu.”

Soyu clenched her fist. When will this man ever grow up? She looked up at the ceiling, sighed, and pushed his head away. Jinwook opened his eyes wide and whimpered with tears welling up.

“Don’t you feel sorry for me? For me, abandoned by my father?”

Soyu’s gentle gaze quickly turned cold. Seeing her expression, Jinwook subtly averted his eyes and muttered:

“I came out without drying my hair? I should go back in.”

Watching her husband return to the bathroom, Soyu shook her head again. She’s raising three children. And the oldest son is truly a hopeless case.

The next day, after sending Yeoul to school, Soyu and Jinwook called Soyoung to the greenhouse. Before her mother-in-law arrived, Soyu firmly told Jinwook:

“No emotional outbursts. Understood?”

Jinwook looked at his wife with dissatisfied eyes and said:

“I’m telling you, Mom will think the same as me.”

“Still, we need to ask her first.”

“Fine. But if Mom says no, you won’t bring it up again either.”

“Alright. I won’t.”

Just then, Soyoung entered the greenhouse.

“What’s going on? Why did you want to meet here? We could have talked at home.”

Before Soyu could open her mouth, Jinwook blurted out:

“Mom, Father wants to see us.”

Soyu flinched and glared at her husband. Soyoung’s face hardened at her son’s words.

“Is he back in the country?”

Jinwook’s eyes widened at his mother’s reaction.

“Mom, you knew?”

“He contacted me before leaving the country, and a few times while he was away.”

Jinwook’s pupils trembled.

“Then why didn’t you tell me?”

“Why would I mention such things? You were already busy enough with your film work.”

“No, but you should have at least told me…”

“What did he say?”

This time Soyu spoke:

“He said he wants to see the children when he returns. We wanted to ask what you thought about it, Mother.”

Soyoung lowered her gaze to the floor and remained silent. Jinwook said:

“He says he’s retiring when he comes back. Does that make sense? It means he has nothing to do after retiring so he wants to see his grandchildren and live comfortably. Honestly, I’m against it. He barely came to our wedding because of you, Mom, and then cut off all contact. We even reached out when Noeul was born, but he didn’t come.”

“Your father was going through a difficult time then. He lost a power struggle and had to go abroad. It was practically your uncle who pushed your father out.”

At these words that seemed to defend her husband, Jinwook’s eyes darkened.

“Mom, don’t you hate Father?”

“I do hate him. But we lived together for a lifetime. When Yeoul and Noeul grow up, what will they say? Will they cut ties with their grandfather because he’s difficult?”

“Mom!”

Soyoung sighed and asked her daughter-in-law:

“Did he contact you?”

“Yes, yesterday.”

“What did you say?”

“I said I would discuss it and get back to him. Jinwook said he would ignore it if you didn’t want to meet.”

Soyoung looked at her son with deep eyes for a long time. Then she spoke:

“Let’s see him. Set a time.”

Jinwook’s eyes widened as he exclaimed:

“Mom!”

“Unless he’s dead, we can’t live like this forever. Let’s meet once. If your father has changed, I’ll reconsider my feelings. If not, I’ll divorce him cleanly.”

Jinwook pressed his lips together at his mother’s statement. Then he said in a sullen voice:

“Father won’t change. Don’t get your hopes up.”

“I’m not hoping. But I think we should give him one last chance. At least we should set an example for the children. That’s what parents and adults do.”

“Mom, do you really want to do this? Yeoul has only seen Father once.”

Soyoung smiled faintly.

“You’ll understand everything when you get older. Grandchildren are different from children. You might not fear for your children, but you do fear for your grandchildren.”

Then Soyu spoke up:

“We’ll be fine no matter what happens. I’m worried about you, Mother. Please don’t just let things slide for the sake of the children or us. This is important for your life. We can live without seeing Father if it makes you uncomfortable or difficult.”

Touched by her daughter-in-law’s sincerity, Soyoung took Soyu’s hand and smiled faintly.

“I understand. Thank you.”

Soyu’s biggest concern was that her mother-in-law might just let things fizzle out for the sake of the children or themselves.

※※※

After an uneasy week, the weekend arrived. As the whole family finished preparing to go out and stood at the front door, Jeongeun took Mrs. Sa’s hand and said:

“Good luck.”

“Thank you. Your advice has been a great help.”

“We still have days left to live. Think only of ourselves.”

“Yes.”

For several days, Jeongeun had been counseling Soyoung about her concerns. Only those who had lived through the same era could understand the emotions felt at that age. Soyoung had been able to express to Jeongeun her innermost feelings that she couldn’t even share with her children.

‘You still have feelings for him, don’t you?’

‘Well…’

‘Mrs. Sa, the bond between a couple who’ve lived together for decades doesn’t just cut off like a radish. Don’t think about the children, think only about yourself. We don’t have that many days left to live.’

‘But…’

‘I heard he occasionally contacted you. That means he still has feelings for you. Don’t be swayed by your surroundings. This is your life.’

Soyoung’s face looked troubled as she recalled her conversation with Jeongeun. Did she still have feelings for him? Was that why she chose separation over divorce? She hoped her husband had changed. She wanted just one thing from him: a single word of apology. With that, she felt she could forgive him…

Soyoung left the house with her children.

The meeting place was a famous Chinese restaurant in a hotel. When they entered the private room, an aged Sangpil awkwardly stood up from his chair. He looked at his wife and son, then shifted his gaze to his grandchildren. Soyu spoke:

“Hello, Father.”

“Yes… hello…”

As her father-in-law’s gaze fell on Yeoul, Soyu said:

“Yeoul, you should greet your grandfather.”

Yeoul politely bowed his head and greeted:

“Hello, Grandfather.”

Sangpil came around the table, bent down, and spoke:

“Grandfather, do you remember me?”

“Yes. I saw you at Mom and Dad’s wedding.”

Sangpil’s eyes reddened at his grandson’s mature response.

“May I hug you once?”

At those words, Yeoul approached and hugged his grandfather tightly. Sangpil’s eyes trembled. Watching this scene, Jinwook’s eyes were somber, while Soyoung remained composed.

“This must be Noeul.”

Standing beside her father’s hand, Noeul stared up at her grandfather whom she was meeting for the first time. Sangpil bent down further and said:

“I’m your grandfather, Noeul.”

Soyu looked at her daughter, worried that the shy child might hide or show rejection. But the next moment, everyone’s eyes widened.

“Grandfather. Hello. I’m Kim Noeul.”

The child spoke with clear and distinct pronunciation. Jinwook was the most surprised.

“Noeul!”

Regardless of the adults’ surprise, Noeul extended her small hand to her grandfather and spoke again:

“They say you shake hands when you meet someone for the first time, Grandfather.”

Sangpil, unaware that Noeul hadn’t been speaking, took her small hand with moist eyes.

“Yes. Let’s shake hands.”

Jinwook’s mouth gaped open, Soyoung was surprised, and so was Soyu. Only one person—Yeoul—remained calm.