The shock alone would be bad enough, but if she accidentally let something slip about him, it would only make things worse. 

“I’m asking, who are you?”

The man and I exchanged glances. Should I say he’s just a passer-by? A friend of my brother’s? 

Then I remembered what he had said to Agwi. 

“I’m her cousin, and who are you?” 

“It’s… Jong Hyun, Grandma.” 

At my words, the man’s eyes widened in surprise.

‘You’re the one who pretended to be Jong Hyun first.’

 I thought bitterly, shutting my eyes tightly as I lied to my grandmother. After all, she wouldn’t remember Jong Hyun.

It had been seven or eight years since Jong Hyun had last been in Chungmu, and back then, he was probably just a middle schooler. I didn’t know how this man knew Jong Hyun, but for now, it was convenient for him to assume that identity. 

“Jong Hyun?” 

Grandma’s eyes grew large. 

“Yes, Grandma.” 

“Yoon-seo’s son, Jong Hyun?” 

Yoon-seo is Grandma’s daughter, my aunt. The lie had already been spilled like water, impossible to recover. 

“Yes.” 

I closed my eyes tightly and pressed on. 

“Oh, Jong Hyun! You’re here. Of course, you came because you were worried about this old woman, right? That’s why you came? I’ve missed you. You came at just the right time, my boy.” 

It felt like spilled water spreading uncontrollably in every direction. 

*** 

“What are you planning to do?”

The man asked as we stepped outside, carefully closing the creaky door behind us. 

“Grandma is sick.” 

My voice was low and detached, almost a whisper.

“By tomorrow, she probably won’t even remember what happened today.” 

Maybe she would, maybe she wouldn’t—but for now, I had to hope she wouldn’t. 

The man frowned slightly at my words.

“How long has she been sick?” 

I didn’t answer. Instead, I began tidying up the scattered things in the courtyard. Talking about Grandma always led to thoughts of my brother Jae-yeol, and my mind became a mess.

“Soon-young!”

But Grandma seemed far too delighted by the arrival of Jong Hyun. She didn’t seem to recall the chaos caused by Agwi at all. Despite her frail condition, she struggled to get out of bed, pushing aside her blanket to step outside. 

“Go tidy up Jae-yeol’s room. Jong Hyun can sleep there tonight.”

What?! 

I stared at Grandma in utter shock. Things were quickly taking an unexpected turn. 

“Ah… Grandmother… well…”

I stammered, trying to think of something to say. 

“Bring some of the sea bass we caught today. Jong Hyun, wait here. Soon-young will cook some delicious fish for you.”

Oh no. 

I looked at the man with an awkward expression. There was no way I could tell Grandma that he wasn’t really Jong Hyun.

“What are you standing around for? Hurry up! No, forget it—I should cook myself!” 

“Ah! Grandma, no! Please, just sit down. I’ll do it!”

It was clear that whatever had happened earlier had already been erased from her memory. Her eyes sparkled with warmth and affection as she looked at the complete stranger, convinced that he was her beloved grandson. 

The guilt weighed heavily on me. The whole situation was my fault and I couldn’t bring myself to look the man in the eye. I was ashamed. 

“Jong Hyun, make sure you eat well and stay here for a few days before you leave, okay?” 

The man hesitated, unsure how to respond. 

My grandmother, persistent and determined, gently pushed me aside and took the man’s hand. As he watched her, he smiled softly. 

“Alright, Grandma. Please cook lots of delicious food for me.” 

Grandma’s face lit up with joy, the brightest expression I’d seen on her in a long time. She looked at him as if he were the most precious person in the world. Although the morning star was rising, for Grandma it shone brighter than anything else. 

The man had suddenly become her beloved grandson, receiving her utmost care and attention. To be fair, considering he had helped me and brother, treating him to a meal seemed only right. 

Still, I couldn’t shake my guilt over dragging him into this mess. 

I hurriedly tidied up the yard, started the rice, and grilled some tilefish. 

“Need any help?” 

He peeked into the kitchen, his voice calm as his curious eyes took in the scene.

“I-I’m fine.”

I stammered, too guilty to look him in the eye. 

“Soon-young.” 

“Yes?” 

“I’m the one who’s fine. You don’t have to feel so bad about it.” 

His tone was soft. I raised my head to look at him. The smoky haze of burning wood swirled around us. 

“But I still feel bad.” 

“This all started because of my lie anyway, besides I wouldn’t have felt comfortable leaving you two alone in the house today… so don’t worry about it.” 

I hesitated before asking, “But…?” 

“There is one problem, though.” 

“What is it?”

He leaned casually against the kitchen door frame, a playful smile on his face. 

“What is it?”

“Titles,” he said with a chuckle. “I’ve suddenly become your cousin, so I can’t exactly call you Soon-young-ssi, can I?” 

He had a point—what kind of cousin would use formal language like that? 

“Just speak casually.” 

His smile grew wider. 

“Alright then, Soon-young. I’ll be counting on you today.”

He said lightly before stepping away. 

For a moment, I stood frozen in place before turning back to the sizzling tilefish on the grill. 

“Alright, Soon-young…”

For some reason, the sound of his voice caused a strange fluttering sensation in my chest. Like Grandma, I found myself forgetting everything that had happened today. Agwi? Completely out of my mind. Even thoughts of Brother Jae-yeol faded into the background. 

“Alright, Soon-young…” 

That voice—it was all I could think about. So warm, so gentle, like something out of a fairy tale. 

*** 

But how did any of this even happen? Could something like this really be possible? 

That man… he was standing in front of me again. 

Was I losing my mind? 

Was I dreaming? Or just imagining things? 

But the man didn’t vanish. He was real. 

“Hello there.” 

My knees buckled beneath me, and I stumbled. 

“Grandma?” 

Even Yoojin’s alarmed voice barely registered. 

Everything around me seemed to fade. I couldn’t hear anything. Nothing at all.