"Mommy, is dad coming too? He was asleep on the sofa earlier so I didn't get to say goodbye." Little Jung Hyun frowned as he asked.
Eun Young was now driving to her parent's house while Jung Hyun and Hye Soo were both seated safely on the back of the car. She looked at the young man from her rearview mirror. He was looking outside the window but he still looked so disappointed that his dad wasn't with them.
"Well... dad's a little sick right now. He isn't feeling very well so mom asked him to stay at home and rest for a while so he can get better soon." Eun Young explained.
Apparently, she received no reply from Jung Hyun. She can tell he was upset and it made her want to call Min Jae to catch up right away. Regardless, she restrained herself. She'd never want her parents to know that their marriage is on the rocks!
Not long after, they finally arrived at the mansion in a secluded area in Pyeongchang-dong. The Kim family's estates were big. They are passed on from generation to generation and as the family business prospered, their assests increased simultaneously.
Inside, Cho Ah and Dong Yun were looking forward to their daughter and grandchildren's visit. As soon as they were informed of the trio's arrival, they left the library at once to welcome them. It was still raining outside so Dong Yun sent servants to keep his daughter and grandchildren dry.
"Grandmother! Grandfather!" Jung Hyun went to greet the elders happily as soon as he saw them. As for Hye Soo, she had fallen asleep during the trip so Eun Young had to carry her inside.
"The little one must've been exhausted. Come, I've asked the maids to prepare their room so they can rest as well." Cho Ah said, leading the way to Hye Soo's room whenever she stays in the mansion.
Even though Eun Young spent most of her childhood in the house, she's now a little bit unfamiliar with her surroundings. Perhaps it was because the interior had changed. Nevertheless, it still carried the ambiance of home.
Eun Young continued to casually chat with her mother in the living room while Hye Soo slept and Jung Hyun bonded with his grandfather.
"Eun Young, are you okay?" Eun Young was startled when her mother suddenly asked. She couldn't have seen through her, could she?
"I didn't wan't to push you but it just seems to me that something's bothering you. You look pale too, sweetheart. What's happening?" Cho Ah persisted.
Eun Young felt a bit nervous under the stare of her own mother. Before she could question or doubt her even further, Eun Young immediately responded.
"It's nothing, Mother. I just feel really tired after my shift at the hospital, that's all." She confidently replied as she brushed off the topic. Kim Cho Ah felt skeptical about her daughter's answer but she chose to dismiss it and respect Eun Young's privacy.
"Alright, but if I come to know that you're pregnant with my third granddchild and you refused to tell me, I'll definitely give you a piece of my mind." Cho Ah bluffed instead to make the mood lighter.
Eun Young scoffed. "Mother! We already have Jung Hyun and Hye Soo!"
"Ah well you're still young! Little Jung Hyun and Hye Soo are beautiful of course but 10 more children will be fine." Cho Ah exclaimed, her eyes shining with excitement at the idea of having more grandchildren.
Eun Young rolled her eyes. She wasn't against having more children. As a pediatrician, of course she loves them dearly! But practically speaking, raising them is actually difficult. Imagining it was already enough to cause her a headache.
"Mother, if you really want kids that bad, why don't you give me a new brother or sister instead?" Now it was Eun Young's turn to play the joker. As she saw Cho Ah's face ashened, she couldn't help but stifle a laugh.
"That's what I said!" Dong Yun suddenly shouted from outside. Apparently, he heard their conversation. Cho Ah reddened from Dong Yun's retort and so she quickly changed the topic. Even if she wanted to, she was already too old to have children!
That night, the family dined merrily. The table was filled with numerous dishes and meals. And as part of the tradition, miyeok-guk [1] was prepared for Eun Young. She felt like a little kid being spoiled by her parents but she knew that all this was just because of their overflowing love for their only daughter.
After the meal, Eun Young's elder brother Kim Tae Hyung requested for a video call.
"Happy Birthday punk! Wow, you're still as ugly as a skunk. Awsome!" Her brother teased.
"Hey Kim Tae Hyung! Stop spitting nonsense! You're already one day late. So much for being a good elder brother." Eun Young retorted.
Eun Young was close to her elder brother since she was little. Although he loved teasing her, Tae Hyung was very protective of Eun Young.
"I'm sorry. I just recently landed after sealing a deal with Gong Corporation. I'm still at the airport and I'm afraid I still have matters to attend to at the company so I can't drop by." Tae Hyung explained with sadness reflecting from his eyes.
As the heir of the family's company, he's now indeed responsible for many things. His time is precious and it disheartens him to miss out on a lot of ocassions.
Eun Young smiled and encouraged him. "It's okay, we'll arrange for another meal with you next time. Also, the kids and I are already preparing to go back since it's getting late. Be careful on your way back!"
The call ended quickly and soon after, Eun Young and the kids were all set to go home. The children were already aboarding the car when suddenly Cho Ah called for Eun Young. The woman hugged her daughter lovingly and stroked her hair.
"I don't know what you're going through at the moment." Cho Ah softly said. Eun Young was surprised at her mother's sudden words.
Did she know? How did she find out?
She was about to deny it again but her mother spoke first. "It's okay if you don't want to tell me. Just please sweetheart... fight."