CHAPTER 72

“Aigoo, it feels like my mind went to Andromeda and just came back. Taejun, honestly, we don’t gather like this unless it’s for Grandpa’s memorial or Aunt’s memorial. But since you were coming, Dad called for a family assembly after a long time.”

Sung-eun, who was seven years older than Taejun, chuckled as she shook her head. She bore an uncanny resemblance to Taejun’s mother when she was younger, making him feel the blood connection between them unmistakably. 

Then, realizing that the ‘Aunt’s memorial’ meant his mother’s memorial, he was quite surprised. He hadn’t expected his mother’s side of the family to be holding memorial services for her after she had been cast out.

“Hyung, it’s hectic because of the kids. But Dad, who’s a typical Busan man, I’ve never seen him so sweetly wrap up a wrap and put it in someone’s mouth.”

Sung-tae, a year younger than Taejun, teased his father.

“What? When did I do that!”

The uncle’s face reddened as he feigned ignorance. Taejun recalled the mysterious ‘anago’ dish the uncle had offered him.

“Honey, be quiet for a moment. Doesn’t Taejun look like a movie star? He’s so handsome, right, Sung-eun?”

His aunt-in-law, looking at Taejun, smacked Sung-eun’s arm playfully.

“That’s right! When he walked into the living room earlier, he had an aura around him like a Hollywood star. Taejun, you should quit the bank and become a movie star. You have the perfect face for Hollywood.”

“…….”

Taejun could only lower his head, flustered. This round, too, was just as chaotic.

“Teacher! Our Taejun is handsome, isn’t he?”

The uncle’s question caused Minhee, who had been quietly sitting in a small chair in the corner, shoveling a forkful of blueberry cake into her mouth, to freeze. She closed her mouth in a small “ah” and then removed the fork from her mouth.

Taejun raised his head and glanced at her. Their eyes met. With her mouth full of cake, she nodded repeatedly, her lips moving like a rabbit’s.

“And how old are you, our teacher?”

Taejun’s aunt-in-law asked Minhee. She swallowed her cake and replied.

“25.”

“Goodness. You’re in your prime. Beautiful face, young, and a schoolteacher. I heard you’re studying for a master’s in education at a university in New York. Perfect. In Korea, you’d be an ideal bride candidate, and I bet you’re popular in America too?”

“Sorry? Oh, no, not really.”

“Of course you are! Do you have a boyfriend?”

Minhee’s face turned bright red as she stammered, unable to answer.

“Mom! You shouldn’t ask young people those kinds of questions. You’re making the teacher uncomfortable.”

“Why not? She’s so sweet and pretty, if she doesn’t have a boyfriend, I’ll try to set her up before she goes back to America.”

“What’s the point of introducing her to a Korean guy when she lives in the States?”

“Wait! Mom, your college friend Seyeon’s son is a doctor in New York, right?”

“Oh, in that case, it’s a different story. He’s an amazing guy, not quite as handsome as Taejun, but still a total catch! Teacher, would you like to go on a blind date when you’re back in America? No pressure.”

Even Sung-eun joined in, smiling brightly at Minhee.

“What? Oh, that’s…….”

“When would be a good time to visit Grandma’s place?”

Taejun’s voice wasn’t particularly loud or high compared to others. Yet, it brought a sudden silence to the living room.

“Goodness me! Look at the time! I said I’d bring him after lunch, and it’s already past 3.”

Uncle pulled out his cell phone and called someone.

“Mother! Yes, I’m bringing Taejun now. We had lunch before leaving. My son will come this evening. Yes, yes.”

* * *

His maternal grandmother’s apartment was in the building next door to his uncle’s apartment. In the lift, his uncle was explaining to Rose about her ‘great–grandmother’.

“Rose, say ‘great-grandmother.'”

“Jeungjo Halmeoni. Great-granny.”

“Oh, you’re so good at it! The great-grandmother we’re going to meet now is Taejun’s maternal grandmother.”

“Hehe! Uncle, you have a granny too??”

To Rose, it seemed quite shocking that Taejun had an uncle and a grandmother as well. Taejun smiled bitterly. Rose’s reaction was understandable, as she had seen her maternal grandparents often on her maternal side of the family, but had only ever known Taejun on her paternal side.

Today was full of surprises for Taejun as well. He hadn’t known his maternal grandmother was still alive until recently, and now he was meeting cousins and nieces and nephews he never knew existed. It was far from the calm, formal meeting he had imagined, where he would deliver the news of his brother’s passing and introduce Rose.

“Uncle, Rose wants a playdate with Yoonseo. Yoonseo is my cousin. Rose has cousins too, just like Kate and Maddie!”

Taejun understood Rose’s rambling now, without issue. He had memorized the names of all the students at Aster School from the address book. Kate Lapis was in preschool, and Maddie Lapis was in seventh grade. They were cousins.

“Okay. I’ll ask if you can play with Yoonseo tomorrow.”

For some unknown reason, Taejun searched Minhee’s face. When their eyes met, she gave him a small smile and nodded, as if to say, “You’re doing well.”

As they walked to his maternal grandmother’s apartment, Taejun held Rose’s hand and for a moment, he was transported back to that day so long ago. Standing in front of the heavy iron gate on the steep hill, waiting endlessly as the door remained firmly shut.

While sitting in front of the gate, his mother hugged Taejun and played games with him to pass the time. Her eyes, red with tears, had looked at him lovingly, saying, ‘Our Taejun is so well-behaved.’ Then, as soon as they saw his uncle at the train station, she broke down in sobs.

Standing at the front door of his maternal grandmother’s apartment, his uncle rang the bell. Standing behind him, waiting for the door to open, Taejun impulsively reached out and grabbed Minhee’s hand. She seemed startled but squeezed his hand firmly without a word. The tension in Taejun’s shoulders eased.

Unlike that day, today, the heavy door opened with a click. A middle-aged woman in an apron greeted them with a smile.

“You’re here, sir.”

“Yes, where’s Mother?”

“She’s waiting in the living room.”

The apartment had a similar layout to his uncle’s house, but the living room looked more spacious. In the center sat a small elderly woman with white hair in a wheelchair. Upon seeing Taejun, Grandmother sighed and brought her wrinkled hand to her mouth.

“Oh my! Ho-jin’s father…”

Ho-jin was his maternal uncle’s name.

“Mother, this is Taejun. Doesn’t he look just like Father? Blood doesn’t lie. When I first saw him, I thought Father had come back to life. I recognized him instantly at the train station.”

“…”

The old woman could not continue speaking and simply looked at Taejun, tears streaming down her heavily wrinkled face. Her bony arm leaned against the wheelchair armrest as her upper body shifted.

“Oh dear Mother, I knew this would happen. I told you not to overexert yourself. Youngdo, just in case, please call Dr. Kim. Ask him to come right away with an IV.”

Taejun and his group stood at the entrance of the living room, unable to move in or out, looking flustered. When the old woman raised her head and sat up straight again. She dabbed her eyes with a white handkerchief embroidered with tiny flowers.

“I’m fine. Ho-jin don’t make a fuss. Just go over there and sit down.”

“Uncle, why is great-grandmother crying? Is her leg hurting?”

Rose’s innocent voice echoed in the living room. Minhee quickly crouched down to make eye contact with Rose, speaking in a hushed voice.

“Rose, come here! Mother, this is Taemin’s daughter. Her name is Rose, like the flower. You know her, right?”

“Of course, I do. She looks just like her photo. Rose, come here.”

His maternal grandmother called Rose, her voice filled with tears. Rose wrapped her arms around Taejun’s thighs and hid behind him. She seemed shy, perhaps because the atmosphere was different from the uncle’s house. Minhee gently placed Rose’s hand in Taejun’s.

“Taejun…”

Under Minhee’s silent urging, Taejun moved forward with heavy steps. His uncle came in carrying several frames from the ornate mother-of-pearl cabinet that stood against one wall of the living room.

“Rose, do you know who this is?”

He set the frames down on the coffee table and lifted one of them.

“Oh! Rose’s baby photo!”

Rose let go of Taejun’s hand and ran over to take the picture frame from the uncle’s hand. It was a picture of Rose as a baby, wearing a Santa hat.

“Santon! Miss Minhee! Look at this! It’s Rose’s baby photo. Santa baby!!”

“Ever since Rose was born, Taemin sent a card every New Year. Grandmother framed all of them and put them in the most visible place.”

Taejun stood in the middle of the living room, unable to step closer, eyes flicking back and forth between the picture frame, Rose, and his uncle. His mind was in a whirlwind. His grandfather, who looked like him. His brother, who sent Rose’s photos to their grandmother. His mother, father, and Rose that was left behind.

“Our Rose is a blessing, a treasure! If it weren’t for her, Taemin would never have thought to contact us. Isn’t that right, Mother? No matter how much we searched, we couldn’t find him, and then this happened…”

His uncle patted Rose’s head, clearing his throat, choked with emotion. Grandmother’s eyes filled with tears again as she looked at Rose.

“To leave such a young child behind… I am the guilty one. It’s all my fault.”