“(Mr. Jaegu. I’m here.)”
“(No. Elisa. What is all this?)”
“(It’s embarrassing to come with bare hands.)”
She smiled.
‘I heard that Americans spend the end of the year with their lovers.’
I’m sorry that I invited her to a family gathering, but she must have been an angel to bring such things.
“Sister!!”
Ha-yeon ran out in a hurry. As the child opened her arms and rushed at her, Elisa lowered her posture and hugged Ha-yeon.
“Ha Yeon-ah, how are you?”
“Your sister smells good.”
The child buried his face in Elisha’s hair. She always smelled good.
“Thank you. This is a gift.”
Elisa handed Hayeon a shopping bag. The child took it with both hands and gave a belly salute.
“thank you.”
It was a pleasing sight. I’ll have to repay Elisa twice as much later.
“Come on, open it. It’s a present from your sister.”
I encouraged the child who was fidgeting while looking at me.
“Can I open it?”
“huh.”
As soon as Elisa gave an answer, Ha-yeon opened the package. Inside were some pretty clothes. It was a dress that caught the eye without being too conspicuous because it was well-pointed.
“Wow. Pretty.”
“Do you like it?”
“Yeah. It’s so good.”
The child smiled brightly and shook his head.
“(I bought my father and mother too. It’s my taste, so I don’t know if you’ll like it.)”
“(Of course you will like it.)”
As I entered the front door with Elisha, my parents got up and came out to meet me.
“Oh. A pretty lady is here.”
“Hmm. Hmm.”
“Hello mom and dad.”
“You speak Korean well.”
“Your pronunciation is good.”
Her parents were very happy with her Korean. Elisa handed the two shopping bags.
“It’s a New Year’s gift.”
“Aigoo. All of these things…”
“thanks.”
My mother always smiled and smiled, and my father seemed embarrassed and talked less than usual. But looking at their faces, they both looked happy.
“Open it.”
At my words, the two opened the gift. Inside was a set of stylish clothes.
“Your clothes are very nice.”
“thanks.”
I think your father is very nervous.
Elisa smiled brightly.
“I’m glad you’re happy.”
“We didn’t prepare anything, so what?”
“I’ll make you a delicious rice cake soup. Eat and go.”
My father spoke in a crackling tone. It was the same when she brought Seo Eun-chae, but Elisa seemed more burdened because she was a foreigner.
We ate lunch prepared by the chef and chatted. Ha-yeon played in the yard with Happy, and Elisa was bombarded with questions.
My mouth was sore from interpreting in the middle.
“How did you meet Jaegurang? It’s true that he’s shy.”
I was embarrassed to translate this, so I circumscribed it moderately.
After talking, eating snacks, and eating dinner, it was already past 11 o’clock. Firecrackers were being installed in the yard for fireworks, so Ha-yeon had no choice but to come home.
Elisa’s expression looked tired from suffering all day.
“(When spring comes, I’ll go somewhere nice to play.)”
“(How can I wait until then?)”
Elisa smiled charmingly and shed her eyes.
“(Then let’s go to a warm country soon.)”
“(Like Bali?)”
“(Bali is too far, what about Hawaii?)”
“(great.)”
She glanced around and rested her head on my shoulder. My parents were busy watching the news about getting ready for the countdown to the new year, and Ha-yeon was brushing Happy’s hair.
Elisha’s hair smelled good.
“(Is it shampoo? Perfume?)”
“(What?)”
“(It smells good.)”
She smiled.
“(It’s a secret.)”
“(If you’re curious, let me know.)”
“(no, I do not want.)”
I liked this moment when we chatted and chatted. The natural indifference of family members doing what they wanted to do was also comfortable.
As I lightly kissed Elisa on the forehead, she opened her eyes wide.
“(What are you doing in front of your father and mother?)”
“(You are busy watching the broadcast right now.)”
“(Still.)”
“(Sorry, I won’t.)”
“(Do it when we’re alone.)”
how could i hate her
Time passed and the countdown started on the TV. Firecrackers exploded around Times Square, and the number of billboards began to decrease.
Her parents were so focused on watching TV that Ha-yeon was playing with Happy.
“Ha Yeon-ah. Come here.”
Ha-yeon ran over and sat down next to me.
[3]
[2]
[One]
[HAPPY NEW YEAR!!]
“Happy New Year! Happy New Year everyone.”
“Happy New Year.”
My parents responded to my greetings.
“happy new year.”
Elisa also greeted in fluent Korean.
“happy new year.”
Firecrackers started to explode in the yard at the same time as Ha-yeon greeted her belly button.
Bang Bang! phut! phut!
It was spectacular to see large colorful fireworks explode in front of my eyes.
Elisa and Ha-yeon grabbed my arms from both sides.
“Whoa. Dad. Look at that.”
“(That’s really cool.)”
He hugged the two with both arms. Beautiful fireworks exploded one after another and the sound of music flowed.
It was a very romantic New Year.
***
the next morning.
My father woke up early in the morning and prepared rice cake soup.
“Are you up already? You can ask the chef.”
“It’s okay. But it’s the first meal of the new year, so I want to take care of it.”
“Thank you, Father.”
“Thank you.”
My father scratched his cheek in embarrassment.
“No. Thank you so much for not giving up on me.”
You don’t know how grateful I was to the fact that you actively protested to resolve my injustice.
“Thank you. Who else will believe you if not me.”
“Mom?”
“This guy. Dad is holding a knife.”
My father smiled and showed me the knife he used to cut the green onion.
“Surrender. I was wrong.”
“Yeah. But I’m glad you worked hard and it turned out well. I hope only good things happen this year as well.”
“I’m sorry for making you stay in America because of me.”
“I’m sorry. It’s okay.”
Sooner or later, when the people with whom I have a bad relationship are sorted out, I will be able to go back to Korea, but it was not yet known when it would be sorted out.
‘I don’t know what my relationship with Lee Yu-san will be like.’
There were too many variables.
I was having a pleasant conversation with my father when I heard footsteps coming down into the living room.
“Mr. Jaegu. Father. Good morning.”
she smelled it
“(What smell is this?)”
“(It’s rice cake soup.)”
“I’ll make you some delicious rice cake soup, so sit down.”
I hope the rice cake soup of his father’s conversion will appeal to Elisha as well.
If you look for it, everything will come out
As the smell of boiling rice cake soup spread throughout the house, the family gathered in front of the table in twos and threes.
My mother was neatly dressed in the clothes she received yesterday and put on makeup, probably conscious of Elisha.
“Mother. It suits you well.”
“thank you.”
He looked 10 years younger when he wore clothes that fit well.
The mother approached the father.
“Do you do it today? Shall we fry and slice the zidane?”
“It’s okay. If you stay still, I’ll take care of you today.”
I contacted the chef to go to work in the afternoon because he would prepare breakfast separately. I could feel the joy in his voice.
‘I’d like to have the first meal of the year with my family.’
The people guarding the mansion now must have been someone’s family. Fred Balman told me not to worry because he split morning and afternoon shifts, but I was a little concerned.
‘Maybe it’s because I’m not used to pampering people yet.’
It may be because of the personality that resembles his father that he keeps falling in love with him.
“Jaegu. Come and help me float.”
“Yes. Father.”
I received the rice cake soup my father prepared for me and carried it to my mother, Elisha, and Ha-yeon’s seats. I cut the zidane that my father had prepared in advance and put it on top of rice.
“Does the lady eat seaweed?”
“(Elisa, would you like seaweed?)”
“(Yes. I’ll eat a little bit.)”
“It would be better to take Elisa separately.”
The seaweed may not suit your taste, so I served it separately on a separate plate. Elisa looked at the plate that was loaded with clothes.
“(Eat only as much as you want to eat like this.)”
“(Ah. That’s fine.)”
When I demonstrated it, she immediately followed it.
“thank you for this food.”
“thank you for this food.”
Everyone greeted with one voice, and my father smiled contentedly.
“They eat deliciously.”
I checked Elisa as I was about to blow hot rice cake soup into my mouth. She was taking a piece of rice cake with her spoon and bringing it to her mouth.
“(Miss Elisa.)”
“(yes?)”
“(It’s hot. Blow it like this.)”
I wanted to blow it myself, but I refrained because it was in front of my parents.
“(Hu. Huh. Like this?)”
“(yes.)”
Elisha blew on the hot rice cake soup and put it in her mouth. The father stopped the spoon and waited for her reaction.
Elisa chewed it slowly and swallowed it.
“(how is it?)”
“(The texture is unusual… It’s delicious.)”