93. Neon Eighty Seven
It has been a month since I lost contact with Team Leader Kim Jung-soo.
When In-cheol left for Japan a month ago, I called to announce the news of In-cheol’s departure, but the team leader’s phone was turned off.
I sent a text message, but there was no reply, and I called again a few days later, but only a mechanical sound stating that the phone was turned off.
At first, I thought that the manager was on a summer vacation, but after a month since I lost contact, I started to get a little worried.
“Who are you calling, and your expression is so serious?”
I shook my head at my father’s question.
“Oh, no. He’s just someone I know, but I’ve lost contact with him for a long time.”
Aunt Joo-hee’s voice came from the kitchen.
“Everyone come and have dinner.”
We gathered at the table and started eating, and during the meal, Aunt Joo-hee said to me.
“Now that I’m a college student, come here to hang out a little more often.”
When I come to my father’s house, I feel awkward and uncomfortable.
It’s not that my father doesn’t like me or that Aunt Joo Hee pays attention to me.
It was just that the atmosphere in my father’s house was awkward and stuffy.
And to be honest, even now, I want to go to my house in Namseo-dong as soon as possible.
At Aunt Joo-hee’s words, I purposely smiled and said.
“Yes I will.”
“Your father isn’t the only one to be proud of these days.”
“Boast… huh?”
“Uh-huh! this person? What nonsense are you talking about?”
The old woman said with tears in her eyes to her father.
“why? What’s wrong with bragging about your child?”
The old woman turned her head to me and continued to smile.
“If you don’t know that Chae Moon-sik’s son went to Korea University in our neighborhood, he’s a spy.”
“Hmm! what did i do? It’s just that people asked questions and answered them.”
After finishing the conversation, my father ate quietly, and seeing his father like that, I felt sorry and a little sad at the same time.
My father in the past was also like that.
Those who want to show off themselves through me as their child.
To my father, I was like an alter ego, and he was someone who confirmed his self-esteem through me.
Aunt Joo-hee said to me.
“Oh right! Jungho, I applied two weeks ago.”
“yes? What?”
“The reunion of separated families next month.”
When the June 15 Joint Declaration was announced last month, I also told Aunt Joo Hee about the reunion of separated families.
Because she knows that her father is also in the north.
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Not long ago, I read a newspaper article about the reunion of separated families, and it was reported that there were already over 20,000 reunion applications that had been received so far.
For reference, the reunion of separated families this August is said to be 100 people.
In other words, the competition ratio is over 200 to 1.
I nodded and said to Aunt Joo-hee.
“Then when will the application results come out?”
“I think the process is pretty complicated. First of all, our government will check it, pick up a list and send it to the north, and it seems like the final reunion is selected from there. They said that the results will come out when the date of the reunion is probably over in August.”
It’s just like what you see in a newspaper article.
After checking the application documents received from the south, preparing a preliminary list of about 200 to 300 people and sending them to the north, it is said that 100 reunions from the north will be finally selected.
In the end, it was said that only those who met the North standard would be reunited.
“I hope to get good results.”
At my words, the old woman said with a bitter expression.
“By the way… More than 23,000 people applied. therefore… I’m trying not to expect it on purpose… … .”
The old woman continued to speak with a smile.
“It’s not as easy as people think. Thanks for letting me know though, Jeongho. If you hadn’t told me, I wouldn’t have known that this opportunity existed.”
After dinner, my father and I sat side by side on the sofa and watched TV.
While watching TV, I carefully opened my mouth.
“father.”
My father said with his eyes fixed on the TV.
“yes?”
“I… I have a mother.”
My father still looked at the TV and said in an indifferent voice.
“Why is your mother?”
I was going to say that I started a new meeting with my mother and Uncle Sangsu… .
I wondered if it was necessary.
After a moment of silence, my father turned his head to me and opened his mouth.
“why? Is something wrong with your mother?”
“No, nothing.”
“Boy, it’s bland… .”
So, after spending time at my father’s house, when I returned to Southwest-dong, the time was pointing to 9:30 in the evening.
I know that my mother and Uncle Sangsu have dinner plans today.
It was two days ago.
I got a call from Uncle Sangsoo, who said that he was making a restaurant reservation, and that he was calling me to ask if there was any food that my mother didn’t like.
As I flirted with him and told him various things, he secretly began to ask me other questions.
For example, what kind of flowers does your mother like, and whether she doesn’t normally wear necklaces or earrings because she hates precious metals such as necklaces and earrings?
Flowers and precious metals.
It was clear that he was preparing for something important today.
After today’s meal, of course, Uncle will take my mother to my house, and he will stop by for a quick cup of tea.
I didn’t want to break the friendly atmosphere between the two of them.
So, when I got to Namseo-dong subway station, I called Yeong-mi instead of going home.
So Yeongmi was summoned, and Yeongmi and I went to Namseocheon Park together.
late time.
When I got home and opened the front door, the first thing I noticed was the smell of lacquer.
When I took off my shoes and entered the living room, the living room floor as well as the table, sofa, and TV table were thoroughly cleaned with no dust.
Just in case, I walked towards the bathroom and saw my mother cleaning in the bathroom.
And that night.
Mother finally unplugged the power cord of the refrigerator, and cleaning the refrigerator was not finished until late in the morning.
next day.
Yunseong Soft Office.
When the executive meeting, which even President Myung-soo Jung attended, was over, Yoon Seok-yi hyung said to me.
“ah… ! Jeong Ho-ya, two employees from the Ministry of Unification are to come here next week.”
“The Ministry of Unification?”
“Yes, there is a missing child search program, right? He said he wanted to use it to find separated families, and he wanted to meet the person in charge.”
In the words of Yoon Seok-yi, CEO Jung Myung-soo interrupted.
“Chief Joe, is that real? They didn’t call to the Ministry of Unification to come to the Ministry of Unification, but they said they were coming here?”
“yes.”
“Oh oh–! good job That seems like a big number.”
“haha—! is that so?”
CEO Jeong Myeong-soo smiled and nodded his head, and Yoon Seok-yi hyung continued talking to me.
“Anyway, Jung-ho, are you okay next week?”
“yes I’m okay. Let me know when you have an appointment.”
In an instant, my cell phone rang, and when I pressed the call button, I heard Sangsoo’s voice.
“Uncle, wait a minute.”
I quickly got out of the office and spoke to the phone.
“Hello, uncle.”
“uh… Yes, it’s Jeongho.”
His voice isn’t good either.
– Mother… How are you?
For a short time, I pondered what kind of answer to give, and I decided to tell the truth.
“Not good.”
-… … .
“To be honest, I think it’s very bad.”
The old man’s voice came with a long sigh.
-I see.
“I think your mother is struggling a lot… I was thinking about contacting you too.”
-okay… .
“Perhaps… May I ask what happened yesterday?”
-haha–! well It’s a bit difficult to speak with my own mouth, and I think it’s just going to take some time.
It’s a bit too much to say with your own mouth.
It means that the reason my mother cleaned all night last night was her, not her uncle.
The uncle’s voice continued across the receiver.
– Your mother didn’t answer the phone, so I called you. take good care of your mother Let’s talk again later.
past life.
Uncle Sang-soo and his mother quickly became close.
First of all, the chemistry between the two of them matched really well, and above all, the mother did not hide her feelings for the uncle.
I thought that the relationship between the two would go like this again, but unlike in the past life, my mother doesn’t seem to actively express her feelings.
Perhaps… Is it because you haven’t been exposed to the open American culture?
So, is there any way I can help my mother?
To open your heart and express your feelings.
Just as I was about to return to the office after finishing the call with Uncle Sangsoo, the phone rang again.
This time it was my mother.
“Yes, Mom.”
-Jeong-ho, your mom was overslept until now, so I didn’t even know you were gone. Mom should have made breakfast, but did you eat breakfast?
The mother’s voice across the receiver is full of regret.
“Yes, I bought a line of gimbap on the way to the office.”
– I didn’t wake you up. I need to eat a hearty breakfast, can I have one line of gimbap?
“Aww, Mom! I’m not a kid, it’s okay.”
– You’re still a kid! Anyway, I’m sorry mom today.
After all, my mother still treats me like a child.
It’s not that I’m particularly dissatisfied, but compared to my past life, it’s very different.
Last Life My mother treated me as a full-fledged adult when I was 20 years old, but now that I look back, it was worth it.
As a professor at a state university, it must have been a little difficult for me to treat myself as a child.
read at noblemtl.com
Not only this.
At that time, I tried very hard not to look young, I grew a mustache, always chose dark clothes on purpose, and never did anything that looked light.
After talking to my mother like that, I was about to go into the office, and the office door opened and Myung-soo hyung came out.
Yes, Myung-soo hyung is the data field president, Myeong-soo Jung.
When I first told you to call me hyung… .
It felt really awkward and difficult, but now I feel more comfortable being called hyung.
“Myungsu-hyung, do you want to go already?”
“Yes, we have another meeting at our company in a little while.”
“under—! Today, after a long time, I was going to eat with hyung… .”
“Long time no see, man! We ate together twice last week. And say hello that you really enjoyed the bulgogi you sent to your mother.”
“Yes I will.”
Suddenly, I thought about asking Myung-soo hyung.
How to help mothers become a little more open-minded.
“Brother, do you have time for a second? Just five minutes?”
Myung-soo said while checking his watch.
“yes I’m fine. What’s going on?”
“It’s about my mother… … .”
When I finished explaining my situation, Myung-soo opened his mouth slowly.
“Are you sure your mother is okay with him?”
“Yeah, that’s for sure.”
“But you think your mother rejected him?”
I nodded and said.
“Uncle Sangsoo didn’t say it himself, but I think that’s the atmosphere.”
“Hmm… .”
“I think… I think it’s because she’s a bit conservative in what she thinks.”
Myungsu hyung shook his head at my words and said.
“Your mother is conservative? I don’t think that’s it?”
“is that so?”
Myungsoo hyung said with a smirk.
“In my opinion… Chae Jung-ho, you are the problem.”
“Me, me?!”
Myungsu hyung corrected his expression and nodded his head with a serious expression.
“Mothers are like that.”
“… .”
“Even if you get 100, if it causes even 1 damage to your child, it is our mothers who are willing to give up 100.”
Myungsu hyung looked at my serious expression and continued talking.
“By the way… In the case of your mother, there is one good solution.”
“Really? What is it?”
Myungsu hyung opened his mouth with a smirk.
“This is the give and take information… call?”