Episode 12. Countryside

Crack. Crack.
As I peeled the shell, the brownish insides of the egg were revealed, with a firmness much greater than that of regular eggs.
I skillfully removed the eggshell.
Yeondu watched with curious eyes.
‘Will he like it?’
In fact, I had eaten countless eggs before.
For those living alone, it’s difficult to prepare elaborate meals.
Primarily because of a lack of money, and secondarily because of laziness.
Eggs were an extremely useful ingredient for someone like me.
‘Egg fry, scrambled eggs, soy sauce egg rice, egg soup…’
With just eggs, I could make a tremendous variety of dishes.
Even when making the essential ramen for someone living alone, eggs were an indispensable ingredient.
Sometimes, when I wanted to put a bit more effort into my meal, the most I could manage was fried rice, and it tasted even better with an egg on top.
To me, eggs were almost like a universal food.
‘But these days, they’ve become expensive and burdensome.’
Even so, eggs were something I couldn’t give up.
After the shell-cracking show was over, I opened my mouth.
“All done. Here, Yeondu.”
I lightly dipped it in salt and offered it to Yeondu.
But instead of immediately taking it, Yeondu asked,
“What about Dad…?”
Even though he looked eager to eat it right away, it was commendable that he was thinking of me first.
I chuckled and said,
“Dad has eaten plenty already, it’s okay. There are five more left.”
“Oh… Dad will have the next one?”
“Yeah, the next one. So, Yeondu~”
Finally, Yeondu opened his mouth slightly.
But in that moment, mischief struck.
I brought the egg close to Yeondu’s nose and just as he was about to eat it, I pulled it back slightly.
“.. Huh?”
Swoosh.
It was a classic food teasing maneuver.
Yeondu’s mouth moved in response to the movement of my hand.
And then, as if sensing something strange, Yeondu opened his mouth.
“Dad…”
“Yeah?”
“You won’t give Yeondu the real honey taste…? You keep running away…”
Oops. Yeondu seemed to not have realized it was a joke.
His expression was truly one of disappointment.
“Sorry. It was just a joke, Yeondu. Here, this time I’ll give you the real thing.”
“Really..?”
“Yeah, really.”
Yeondu smiled again and opened his mouth expectantly.
I wanted to tease him again seeing that look of anticipation, but this time, I decided to refrain.
Crack.
Finally, Yeondu took a bite of the egg.
What a reaction. I stared at Yeondu with a somewhat serious expression.
Yeondu chewed the egg with delight.
After a while, his cheeks trembled slightly, and he exclaimed in admiration,
“Wow…”
How could someone look so adorable just by eating an egg? It was truly a pure reaction, not forced at all.
It was the pure reaction one has when encountering a MacBanseok egg for the first time.
“How is it, Yeondu?”
“It’s… it’s delicious..!”
“How much?”
Yeondu made the biggest circle he could with his hand.
Perhaps this was the biggest expression Yeondu could make.
“Yeondu.”
“Yes?”
“When something is really good, you say it’s as vast as the sky and as deep as the earth.”
“As vast as the sky and as deep as the earth..?”
“Yeah.”
Yeondu suddenly swallowed the remaining egg and then looked intently at something.
It was none other than my hand. Specifically, the remaining egg in my hand.
“Okay, Yeondu. Let’s try holding it this time. Dip it lightly in salt and eat it.”
“Okay!”
Though I wanted to keep feeding him, there was something more important to do.
Click.
I captured Yeondu eating the egg with my phone.
While filming, I felt like Yeondu’s cheeks trembled with excitement as he ate something delicious.
Then suddenly, Yeondu turned to me.
“Dad!”
“Yeah, Yeondu?”
“Hehe, Yeondu loves the real honey taste!”
Yeondu shook the egg, his eyes sparkling.
There was nothing to say. He was really cute.
I felt I had to capture this moment on video.
Sizzle.
I poured some cider and handed it to Yeondu.
This was my assumption, but it seemed like it was Yeondu’s first time drinking cider too.
“If you feel choked, Yeondu, just take a sip of this and then eat again.”
“Dad. Is this also the real honey taste?”
“Well… it’s a slightly different kind of real honey taste. Try it for now.”
“Okay!”
At the mention of the real honey taste, Yeondu immediately drank the cider.
This was bad. He just gulped down that cider like that.
I told him to take just a sip.
Clunk clunk.
Sure enough, Yeondu coughed and shook his leg.
“Are you… okay?”
“Re… real…”
He seemed to be trying to say something, but his voice wouldn’t come out.
After coughing several times, Yeondu looked at me and opened his mouth.
“It’s not… real honey taste! It’s not!”
“Haha, Yeondu. You have to take small sips to get the real honey taste. You drank too much.”
“…Small sips?”
“Yeah, small sips.”
Maybe he was still surprised from earlier, but Yeondu hesitated before reaching for the cider again.
And this time, he took a careful sip.
Yeondu’s expression subtly changed.
“Wow… it’s delicious..”
“Haha, tasty, right?”
Pointing to his throat, Yeondu said,
“Yes. It tickles here.”
“I told you. Dad doesn’t lie.”
“Yeondu feels good..”
“Huh? All of a sudden?”
“Because it’s the real honey taste, but it’s not…”
“Haha, no. I’m sorry, Yeondu. I didn’t explain it properly.”
After that, Yeondu boldly ate three more eggs.
And he downed a whole can of cider before falling asleep.
My arm became his pillow.
“Hehe.”
After meeting Yeondu, I realized I smiled more often.

“I came at grandma’s request.”
“Oh, thank you. I’m sorry you had to go through the trouble because of me.”
“Not at all. You’re going to be grandma’s grandson, after all.”
“Yes.”
“You can just drop me off here.”
It was late at night, so I needed transportation.
Well, where my grandmother lived was deep in the countryside.
From what I remembered, we had to go quite far down an unpaved road.
This man was sent by my grandmother for someone like me who walked everywhere.
He looked to be in his late thirties.
Vroom.
The car started moving.
Feeling awkward, I said something.
“By any chance, what’s your relationship with our grandmother…?”
“We’re just old neighbors. I’ve been living here my whole life.”
He didn’t sound annoyed, did he? His tone was quite blunt.
“Oh, I see. Haha, my grandmother can be a bit strong-willed. Is it not difficult to deal with her?”
“She’s still a good person.”
Even so. He didn’t deny it.
In a moment of surprise, it turned into gossip about my grandmother.
Then suddenly the man spoke up.
“I’ve seen you when you were a baby.”
“Who? Me?”
“Yes. Your parents brought you.”
“Oh.. Did my mother come too?”
“She did.”
“Then I must have been a newborn.”
“That’s how I remember it.”
“…”
As I was speechless, he continued speaking to me.
“Min’s grandmother adored you.”
I couldn’t help but repeat what I had said earlier.
“Me?”
“Yes. Even though she had trouble walking, she carried you around all day, boasting about her pretty granddaughter to everyone in the neighborhood.”
“…”
That can’t be true. There’s no way my grandmother would have done that.
Oh, maybe it was because my mom died that I received all the attention?
Thinking like that, I felt a bit bitter.
It was shocking nonetheless. My grandmother boasted about me everywhere.
I couldn’t imagine such a scene.
The man still spoke in his usual brusque tone.
“It’s a new experience.”
“Huh?”
“Seeing Min’s granddaughter, who was a newborn back then, now bringing a beautiful daughter. Well, I was around ten at the time.”
“Haha, I guess so.”
If he was around ten back then, this man seemed to be in his late thirties now.
He seemed unaware of Yondu’s situation.
Kiki.
“We’ve arrived. You can get off now.”
“Thank you for your hard work. Yondu, should we say goodbye to the man?”
Yondu, who had woken up without me noticing, responded energetically.
“Yes, Dad! Thank you, mister!”
“Sure.”
I chuckled.
It was another brusque response, but I clearly saw it.
The corners of the man’s mouth twitching slightly as he said “Sure.”
Thump.
As soon as we got off the car, a strong rural scent filled my nose.
And there, in front of me, was my grandmother’s house.
“I remember it now that I’m here.”
It was the same rural house my father and I visited.
I don’t remember seeing this man back then.
“I brought her, Grandma.”
My grandmother, who hadn’t been seen in a while, came out of the house.
Her face wasn’t visible in the darkness.
“Good job. Now go.”
Although her tone was still curt.
I took the man’s reaction to mean that he was accustomed to it, whether she said it or not.
I suddenly had to ask him.
What does “jo-dae-saekki” mean?
“Come in.”
“Yes.”
As I tried to enter, Yondu grabbed my clothes.
“Grandma’s scary..”
At her words, my grandmother turned her head sharply.
Yondu was startled and trembled behind me.
“Who’s afraid of a little scolding?”
Yondu seemed to be frozen with fear, so I had to step in.
“I mean, please be kind in your words. Meeting someone and immediately calling them ‘jo-dae-saekki’ can be scary, of course.”
“What’s wrong with calling someone ‘jo-dae-saekki’?”
“Here we go again. You didn’t think twice about carrying me around and boasting about your grandson.”
Then I heard my grandmother’s surprised voice for the first time since I was born.
“.. What?”
“The man who gave me a ride mentioned it. He said you adored me so much.”
“That impertinent fellow talking nonsense.. Get in here!”
“Yes, yes.”
Thankfully, it seemed that the fact that she adored me was true.
I was glad to have found a weak spot. I need to mention it whenever I can to make her flustered.
I whispered to Yondu.
“Let’s go in together. Don’t worry. Dad is stronger than grandma.”
Of course, I wasn’t boasting about being tough.
It was just to reassure Yondu.
“I understand..”
Yondu tightly held my hand and followed me.
Swoosh.
“We’re back.”
“Good morning, Grandma.”
“That’s what you call a greeting? My grandson didn’t come to see me even once.”
“I thought you might want to see me.”
“Damn brat.”
I had to ask her anyway, even if I was curious.
What does “jo-dae-saekki” mean?
“Come inside.”
“Yes.”
As I tried to enter, Yondu grabbed my clothes.
“Please don’t hit my dad! I’m the only one..!”
“You little…”
“It’s true, Yondu!”
Surprisingly, my grandmother’s hand was heavy.
I remember her squeezing my head whenever she could.
Yondu shouted from behind me.
“Don’t hit my dad! I hate Grandma..!”
“You little pest.”
“Yondu, don’t call Grandma names!”
“Sheesh. I thought you liked me?”
Although expected, it was still the worst.
The first meeting between my grandmother and Yondu.

Somehow, the day in the countryside passed.
When I woke up, Yondu was already awake.
‘What is he doing?’
Peeking through the crack in the door, I couldn’t make out a thing.
I quietly got up to see what Yondoo was looking at.
“…Grandma?”
Yondoo was peering through the crack at Grandma.
It seemed like Grandma was preparing breakfast.
Uh-oh. She must have woken up early to make breakfast and curry favor.
But why is Yondoo acting like this?
Other than asking, there was no other way to find out.
“What are you doing, Yondoo?”
“Eek!”
Thunk.
Yondoo jumped in surprise at my voice and stumbled back.
Then, she quickly got up and pressed her index finger against my lips.
“Shh…”
“Huh? Did you just shush me?”
If that were the case, it would be a real disaster.
Luckily, Yondoo nodded hesitantly and replied.
“Grandma hit Dad again. I’ll make sure she doesn’t hit you!”
“Pffft. Don’t worry, Yondoo. Dad doesn’t feel a thing.”
Seems like Yondoo was quite concerned about the hits I took yesterday.
If she’s keeping watch as soon as she wakes up…
Just then, the door swung open.
Thunk.
Yondoo startled and made a squeak.
“If you’re up, get out here! Come eat!”
And so, the ice-cold breakfast began.
Well, despite the atmosphere, the side dishes were delicious.
Most of the dishes had a strong fermented flavor, which tantalized my taste buds.
If Mom were alive, I wonder if I would have grown up eating these flavors.
Yondoo also ate happily, stealing glances at me.
“Here, Yondoo. Have this with rice.”
I spread some fish on Yondoo’s spoon and handed it to her.
“Thank you!”
Grandma watched us and then snorted.
“Looks good. You’re making a fuss even before taking care of the basics.”
“Eat up, Grandma.”
“Enough of that, you!”
“But it really tastes good.”
“Hmph.”
Then Grandma turned to me.
“So… what’s the deal with yesterday?”
It felt like the taste of the food vanished instantly.
Because it wasn’t an easy topic to bring up.
I carefully opened my mouth.
“It’s more of a request than a conversation.”
“What is it?”
In reality, I had been exploring various ways to become Yondoo’s legal parent.
The government provides support for raising Yondoo as a dependent.
However, my uncle and Yondoo’s biological mother were not in a normal marital relationship.
This meant that Yondoo’s name wasn’t registered under our family lineage.
It essentially meant that legally, Yondoo and I weren’t even relatives.
“But…”
I couldn’t become Yondoo’s legal parent through any means.
The only way was through adoption.
But I didn’t meet the requirements.
“To adopt as a single man, you must be over thirty-five.”
I was twenty-eight.
There were other ways to adopt at twenty-five, with a spouse and enough financial means.
But I didn’t have a wife, nor the means to raise a child.
Ultimately, becoming Yondoo’s parent was impossible for me.
“During this struggle, I remembered…”
It was Grandma, Min Hong-im.
Grandma was relatively young at seventy.
She gave birth to our mother at a very young age, and our mother gave birth to me at a young age too.
“Yondoo is fifty-nine years younger than her.”
And she met the requirements for adoption.
So, I was thinking of asking Grandma.
To adopt Yondoo.
“I know.”
I know how difficult of a request this is.
But with my abilities, this was the only way to raise Yondoo.
“In short…”
Making Grandma my legal parent and raising Yondoo was the only way.
It would complicate our family tree, but with government support, I could raise Yondoo.
With determination, I opened my mouth.
“Grandma. Please adopt Yondoo for me.”