A brief silence settled over the table. Eunha moved her fork again. A moment later, she forced a smile, lifting the corners of her lips as if nothing were wrong.

“Uh… your uncle is really— cough— really busy. He even went to work today.”

Thankfully, a believable excuse slipped out. Even the word uncle came easily.

“Hm… but even when mister doesn’t go to work, he still doesn’t eat with you…”

Because of Hyesung’s reckless comment, Eunha’s mouth trembled. It wasn’t a lie that he was busy. Even today—on a weekend—he had gone to work.

When his grandmother heard they ate separately, Eunha could feel her expression sink. Worried they might notice she’d only been pretending they were close, Eunha set down her fork.

“I… should head home now. Mother, you must be tired.”

“Tired? Not at all. It was so much fun. But at least have some fruit before you go. You ate spicy food—your palate needs something sweet.”

“Yes, I will.”

She was smiling on the outside, but inside she felt like crying.

“I wish you could stay the night.”

It must be lonely for his mother to stay in such a big house alone. She didn’t know what time he would finish work, but Eunha wanted to delay returning home as long as she could. He wouldn’t care whether she was home or not anyway.

“It’s delicious.”

“Right? The tangerines are so good. Hyesung, have some strawberries too.”

“Yes! Thank you, Grandma!”

His grandmother peeled each tangerine segment for Hyesung, and the boy opened his mouth like a little otter being fed, his eyes curving into happy crescents.

At first, Eunha had felt uncomfortable around his mother, but not anymore. Both the house and the woman felt familiar now. She treated them so warmly, and because she adored Hyesung sincerely, Eunha naturally found herself wanting to treat her well too.

“Grandma! I learned a dance at kindergarten. Want to see?”

“Of course! I’d love to! What kind of dance?”

“Wait! Mom, Mom! Play the song!”

Hyesung must really love his grandmother. He usually didn’t show his kindergarten dances to just anyone, only to Eunha and his maternal grandmother.

Eunha picked up her phone and played the song he asked for.

“With a pounding, pounding heart—when you take the ferry, it’s Ulleungdo—
even the bow of the boat starts dancing the twist—beautiful Ulleungdo—”

From her phone, the Ulleungdo Twist began to play, and Hyesung started swaying his hips from side to side. He slapped his knees in rhythm, then clenched his right fist and pumped his elbow downward twice with dramatic force.

“Oh my! What is this? Eunha, isn’t our Hyesung just too adorable?”

Then he opened his arms wide and shook his hands rapidly to both sides. Pretending to be twinkling stars, he grinned brightly.

“I should have recorded it! Hyesung, can you show Grandma one more time? So I can watch it whenever I miss you.”

“Yes! I’ll dance again!”

“Thank you.”

Eunha played the song once more. Hyesung shook his hips again, and his grandmother’s face—filming him—filled with pure happiness.

After the Ulleungdo Twist ended, he performed another dance he said he’d learned recently—one Eunha hadn’t even seen yet. A Christmas carol played, and Hyesung wiggled through a mischievous little routine that had everyone laughing.

“Oh, I’m going to cry. Why is he so funny?”

“I know, right? This is the first time I’ve seen this one too.”

It looked like a partner dance, but since he didn’t have a partner, he danced alone. It was hilarious enough to make their stomachs hurt. How could he dance so shamelessly, without even a flicker of embarrassment? They laughed and laughed until their cheeks ached.

“Huh? Tae-yang!”

At his mother’s voice, Eunha turned her head. He was walking into the living room. As soon as she saw him stride in, the smile on her lips fell instantly.

“Did you come to pick up Eunha and Hyesung?”

She glanced at him as he shrugged off his black coat. Before their eyes could meet, Eunha quickly turned her head away.

“Mister! Mister! Did you come to pick up Mommy and me?”

Apparently happy that he was here, Hyesung abandoned his dance mid-step and ran to sit beside him. He gave a small nod instead of a verbal reply. At least he wasn’t ignoring him—that was a relief. If he’d told them to get lost because they were loud or annoying in front of his mother.

“Mister, the tangerines are sooo good!”

Hyesung held out a tangerine to him. He looked at the child, listening quietly as Hyesung chattered about everything that had happened today, then accepted the fruit and rolled it in his hand.

Eunha’s gaze lingered on his large hand. The bluish veins on the back of it were raised. The moment he began peeling the tangerine, she looked away as if she hadn’t been staring.

“…”

Her eyes met his mother’s from across the table. Worry filled the woman’s gaze, and Eunha instinctively shrank her neck like a turtle. She must be thinking about what Hyesung had said earlier. Eunha dug her nail into the back of her own hand.

“Mister, isn’t the christmas tree cool? I made it! I even put the star on top!”

Feeling proud, Hyesung bragged as he climbed onto Tae-yang’s thigh without Eunha realizing it. Her face drained of color. She had assumed he would push the child away but he didn’t. Instead, he peeled the tangerine and naturally held a piece to Hyesung’s mouth.

And Hyesung opened his mouth wide, happily accepting it. As if this were normal. As if this were something they always did.

Eunha’s eyes wavered violently.

‘Since when… did he treat Hyesung like that? Why? When did they get close like that? They barely have any interaction…’

“Really? It looks great. Was it hard to make?”

“Not hard at all!”

His gentle smile struck her like a blow. Hyesung leaned against him, legs swinging, and the two whispered into each other’s ears like they shared their own little world.

His mother watched them with contentment.

Eunha alone felt anxious and unbearably sad.
As though she had suddenly become oil floating on water—unable to mix in, her heart drifting alone.

“Should we make one at our house too?”

‘Weren’t you the one who said you didn’t want one?’

Eunha answered him silently with her eyes.

“Seeing it now, it’s not bad.”

“…”

“And Hyesung likes it.”

His expression was so warm she couldn’t help looking at him again and again.

“It’s time for Hyesung to go home. He has to sleep early if he’s going to the pool with Grandma and Mommy tomorrow.”

When she checked the time, it was already nine. Bedtime.

“The pool?”

“Yeah. Eunha said she’d come too.”

He turned sharply again, eyes fixed on her.

“…You’re going?”

“Yes.”

He twitched an eyebrow, clearly displeased with her answer.

“Hyesung, Grandma has something to give you before you go home. Want to come to my room for a moment?”

Saying she wanted to give it to him before they left, his mother took Hyesung’s hand and disappeared down the hall.

The moment they were out of sight, his expression returned to its usual one.

“You came again without saying anything? I told you to tell me before you go anywhere.”

He was talking about the promise he had forced out of her several times in the bedroom, the one she’d made after going to her parents’ house without telling him.

“…It just happened suddenly.”

Eunha had never once contacted him first.

“Is it fun for you? Testing how far I’ll let my anger go?”

“I’ll tell you next time. I’ll let you know.”

It wasn’t even like she was going somewhere strange—just her parents’ house or his mother’s.

“Good.”

The fact that he insisted on wringing the promise out of her was absurd.

‘Does he ever tell me anything?’

He didn’t even call when he stayed out all night.

“How did you know I was here?”

Since he had once gone as far as doing a background check, she wondered if he was watching her again.

“Your mother called.”

“Oh…”

Eunha’s shoulders slumped. His mother hadn’t shown it, but she must have been worried. She remembered how she’d called him earlier yet pretended not to know anything when he arrived, and guilt settled heavily on her shoulders.

“Why that face?”

He stepped closer to the sofa and suddenly reached out.

“Are you upset that I came?”

He wrapped an arm around her waist, and Eunha flinched in surprise, her shoulders jerking up. His lips curved lazily as he leaned in.

Eunha’s eyes shook as if struck by an earthquake.

That predatory gaze—like he might devour her whole—made her mouth go dry. His expression was the kind that looked ready to pick her clean to the bone, and just before his lips touched hers, Eunha shoved at his chest with all her strength.