Tensegrity - CH 51
The usual driver was now in the passenger seat and the person that was being driven is now in the driver’s seat. Jun-Kyung and his mother took the back seat. It was a very strange seating arrangement. Fortunately, the vehicle stopped shortly after. They arrived at an expensive seafood restaurant with a large front yard parking lot in the middle of Gangnam city.
It was like an ordinary parent-children relationship while eating seafood stew and sashimi, which means there was gonna be nagging while laughing.
“What do you, Min Seobang, do on your days off?”
Min Seobang. Jun-Kyung want to die of embarrassment, but the person involved didn’t mind.
“We are off on weekends and public holidays unless there are special events. I usually work out to cool my head.”
“There is a gym in the basement. It’s very nice.”
Without realizing it, Jun-Kyung was excited about the exercise and chipped in. Executive Director Min, who was sitting opposite Jun-Kyung, looked up.
“You saw?”
“Yes. On the first day when I look around the house.”
“Have you ever used it?” Director Min asked in a quiet tone as if there was no particular intention. It’s a trap. He has to answer well.
“No, I’d like to try it, but not yet.”
“Well done.”
Director Min raised the corner of his mouth slightly toward Jun-Kyung who gave the correct answer. His mother nagged, “What exercise during pregnancy.” Sometimes emotional nagging is much better when dealing with cold nagging. What had been slightly frozen quickly melted thanks to his mother’s heat.
Jun-Kyung’s mother, who once started asking questions, asked many things about Hyun-Seung Min’s private life such as when he has a day off, what are his hobbies, what kind of food he likes, etc. At first, Jun-Kyung thought that his mother was too talkative, but as he listened, Jun-Kyung was also subtly curious.
“I eat all kinds of food without hesitation. When I’m not working out, I study about work and enjoy music.”
Music. Suddenly, Jun-Kyung remembered the 3rd floor. It’s an old piano and the sheet music also seemed to be used by Executive Director Min. Wait, he said that he enjoys music but didn’t say he plays.
Jun-Kyung wondered if he was still playing. Isn’t a man who plays piano cool even from a man’s perspective. Jun-Kyung wants to hear more about it, but his mother took the lead.
“Do you play golf?”
“If I am in good condition, I will get around 70.”
“70 as a hobby? You are semi-professional.”
“I am flattered.”
The uninteresting golf talk continued. Jun-Kyung almost yawned when he mentioned a golf player whose name he didn’t know well and how his performance was.
Rather, he’s more curious about how Hyun-Seung Min use the exercise equipment in the basement, how he manage his muscles, and whether he directly hit the 3rd floor piano keys with those big hands that make standard adult chopsticks for kids. (T/N: Jun-Kyung is comparing his hands to punishment sticks for children).
But the real protagonist of this event was his mother, and Jun-kyung did not have the courage to interfere with such a mother.
“By the way, there is something I want to ask Min Seobang. Please don’t feel too bad about it.”
Saying not to think too badly means to say something bad. His mother even used half honorifics to warn in advance.
While his mother placed the spoon down, Executive Director Min also neatly placed the chopsticks down. Jun-Kyung, not knowing what to say, quietly stared at his mother.
“There is a girl I met on the day of the meeting. Can you tell me in detail what the relationship is?”
Ugh. Is she talking about Lee Si-Eun now? Here? Since when did she care? There was no such talk at all. Jun-Kyung was so startled that he hurriedly covered his mother’s mouth.
“Mom, why are you talking like that? He said she is just a friend.”
“No, there is no way that a friend interferes with a meeting where both parents are present. Besides, to be honest, I don’t think there are any friendships between men and women.”
Jun-kyung’s embarrassment grew even more as she drew in a cold attitude. He couldn’t help but look at the other side.
‘Ugh’
His heart was pounding. Executive Director Min’s complexion was the same as when he saw the chairman. He was very serious and hard and at the same time cold as ice. Traces of emotions that were shown earlier have completely disappeared. His mother didn’t mind at all, even when she looked at the expression on Executive Director Min’s face.
“Mom, that’s Executive Director Min’s private life…”
“Hey, I am asking the Executive Director Min.”
Parents are sometimes incredibly childish yet sometimes shockingly strong. He didn’t know that a one-on-one battle with Executive Director Min would be possible. The direction of the victory was quickly decided. Executive Director Min bowed.
“She used to live next door when I was a kid. She is the daughter of a close friend of my parents, and the chairman considers her closer than his real nephew. That’s why I didn’t think too much of it. Sorry for the bad appearance.”
“Oh, really? I thought you two were dating.”
“Mom!”
This time, Jun-Kyung also raised his voice. Although he himself had such doubts, it’s a completely different matter to say it outwardly in front of the person involved. Goosebumps crept down his back.
“No, if the new groom who is about to get married has a close friend, he should check it out. These problems should be neatly addressed before marriage so that there is no trouble.” His mother was looking at Jun-Kyung, but the actual target was Executive Director Min. It was a tactic used by middle-aged people.
Between his mother’s indiscriminate attack and Hyun-Seung Min’s chilling reaction, only Jun-Kyung died.
“That is correct. I should have explained it well before you pay attention to it. I’m sorry to have you bring it up yourself.”
“I don’t care if I just learn about it now. Jun-Kyung is really into Min Seobang, so I believe that Min Seobang will take care of everything appropriately, but Jun-Kyung has a suspicion on the inside and can’t confirm it, so I, as his mother, has to step in. Please understand that.”
Who is obsessed with who? Also, he never asked his mother to look into this. No, Jun-Kyung didn’t open his mouth about Lee Si-Eun in the first place, so when she spoke as if Jun-Kyung asked it on purpose, it was beyond absurd and unfair.
Just as he opened his mouth and thinking about how he can cover this old lady’s mouth, his eyes met with Executive Director Min. His eyes could burn in an instant as it was on the verge of spontaneous combustion. It was as if the anger was targeted toward the shameless culprit next to her.
The dinner, which was terribly disturbing from the start, was utterly ruined thanks to his mother. The person who threw the bomb was relieved, perhaps because Director Min had relieved her uneasiness.
The driver decided to drive Jun-Kyung mother’s car and drive her home. His mother lowered her window as if she was satisfied.
“I had a good dinner tonight.”
“Go home safely.”
“Yeah, Min Seobang too. Be careful driving. Jun-Kyung, call me when you get home.”
After his mother left, Jun-Kyung got into the car parked in front of the restaurant. Director Min started the engine and went straight into the street. Knowing that the air was bad, Jun-kyung had to roll down the window. He was exhausted to the point of dying.
Thanks to his mother, it was difficult to estimate how angry Executive Director Min must have been. Seriously, why would she say something like that?
“Are you okay?”
“I’m feeling a little queasy. I think I ate too much.”
“You ate less than usual.”
Then, let’s just move on. . And why does he remember how much other people eat?
“I think the Katsu I ate with my mother during the day must have not been digested yet.”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t give you digestive medicine for the time being. Instead, I have a digestive medicine prescribed for Jun-Kyung at home, so hang in there.”
“Yes.”
When did he prepare something like that? He’s thorough in any case. Thanks to that, it’s not easy to get around him. As soon as Jun-Kyung gets there, he has to start taking medicines that he didn’t need to take.
On the other hand, it was also a way to pretend to be sick. Jun-Kyung put his arm on the window frame and tilted his head. He probably wouldn’t argue with someone who was upset. Jun-Kyung closed his eyes and sighed even more deeply.
As they left Gangnam, the road was cleared. He was trying to focus on the night view, but it was night, so Hyun-Seung Min was reflected in the window very well. The blunt expression was colder today.
Should he pretend to be sick until tomorrow? The key was to pretend to be sick enough not to be taken to the hospital.
The streetlights repeatedly brightened and darkened as they passed by. He prayed that they would quietly enter the house in the north of the Han Riiver.
“About Lee Si-Eun…”
He begged so much but damn it. As much as his mother, Director Min is also the same. Pretending to be sick doesn’t work. Sometimes he’s overly kind and sometimes he’s too indifferent.
“Did you spend a lot of time paying attention to it?”
“No. I was just curious.”
Still, Jun-Kyung didn’t say that his mother made up her own words without consulting. He didn’t want to make his mother an eccentric in front of other people.
“Really? What were you curious about?”
“Of course, she’s a beautiful woman. Any man would be curious, haha.”
Jun-Kyung laughed naturally, but Executive Director Min turned his head to look at Jun-Kyung. He was driving, so his gaze only briefly touched Jun-Kyung’s eyes, but he thought he was having a heart attack. He poked the bee hive.
‘He said no, but are they still dating?’
Recently, Jun-Kyung feels himself getting cold.
He should be more careful about Lee Si-Eun’s story in the future. After all, who would enjoy it when someone expresses interest in their mate? He will want to hide it, especially from his marriage partner.