CHAPTER 91: FOUR FAMILY MEMBERS...

"Let’s go..."

Cheon Areum spoke, walking to the gate hand in hand with Yoon Seoyul. Lee Nari quickly ran up to their side, energetically speaking out to them.

"What should I write in my report? Wouldn’t it be empty?"

"How you so graciously took one for the team, waiting here all alone and used the flare to guide us back to the gate. Make it at least five pages long."

Cheon Areum kindly explained, although he himself had never gotten to five pages.

"Five pages..."

"Okay, I will try my best!"

Lee Nari repeated before agreeing to it happily. Seeing the eagerness in her eyes, Cheon Areum offered to buy a flare gun for her as all of them trespassed the gate at the same time, and it disappeared behind them. But as he was about to make his way to the car, he was abruptly tugged by Yoon Seoyul.

"Yoon Seoyul, can you give me your number now? I might have to call you for some reason related to work."

As he looked back, he saw Lee Nari stop Yoon Seoyul by grabbing his other hand, which resulted in Cheon Areum being pulled back by her too. Lee Nari held out her phone to Yoon Seoyul, who glanced at it, seemingly lost in thought. Cheon Areum snatched her phone, putting in his own number.

"Call me if you have anything to say to Yoon Seoyul. I will give him the message."

Lee Nari smiled lightly as he handed the phone back to her.

*

"Ta-da!"

Cheon Areum added a cheerful sound effect, his voice playfully rising in pitch as he presented the apples cut in the shape of rabbits. They sat neatly arranged on a white porcelain plate, their red peels curled up, posing as ears and their crisp white lean pieces acting as the body.

"I told you I’m good with the knife."

Cheon Areum spoke, beaming proudly as Rian got up from the carpet, placing his game controller on the table in front of the couch. He leaned over the plate and poked the red peel of one of the apple rabbits suspiciously.

"Hyung, are you sure this isn’t red because of your blood?"

"What are you talking about... this was already red, I think."

Scratching his cheek, Cheon Areum muttered the last words under his breath as he sat cross-legged on the carpet, positioning himself beneath the couch where Yoon Seoyul lounged above, and placing the plate on the table.

Rian picked up his game controller and resumed his game, eyes fixed on the screen as he began building elaborate structures with colorful blocks on the LED display mounted on the wall. Cheon Areum quietly observed his brother’s concentration before gently raising a fruit fork to Rian’s lips, offering him a piece of apple, which he quietly took into his mouth.

"Is this game really that fun? You’ve been playing for an hour straight now."

Rian nodded a few times, not sparing him a single glance. Cheon Areum picked up another piece of apple with the fruit fork and tilted his upper body backward, stretching just enough to reach up toward Yoon Seoyul next, as his back touched Yoon Seoyul’s legs.

"Here’s one for you too."

Yoon Seoyul grabbed his hand and leaned in, taking the whole piece into his mouth. Cheon Areum stared at his upside-down face, fully resting his back on his legs.

"Yoon Seoyul, do you like living here? This house, I mean."

"Why are you asking?"

Staring back into his eyes, Yoon Seoyul replied. Cheon Areum gazed quietly before saying it out loud bluntly.

"Sell this house. Let’s move into another house. I can purchase it now."

"....."

Yoon Seoyul’s eyes moved to the LED screen on the wall as if he was pondering over it for a while. Cheon Areum patiently waited for a response, despite being a bit nervous.

"The only good memories of this house are with you and Rian. Other than that, I don’t like this house. It’s too empty."

Cheon Areum blinked confusedly, hearing Yoon Seoyul’s response. The house was a little big to live alone, but it wasn’t really empty. It was furnished nicely, just enough to not feel too packed or too empty.

"Is that a yes then?"

"Hmm. Just tell me what kind of house you want. I’ll get it for you."

Suddenly, a past thought or a memory crossed his mind as he spoke the same exact words that came to his mind.

"A two-story house in a lively neighborhood with a big garden, perfect for a family of four."

Family of four?

Cheon Areum’s eyebrows furrowed as he sat up with a straight posture. Rian paused his game, glancing back at him for a moment before speaking.

"That’s what Mom used to say... Hyung, are we going to move into that kind of house?"

"Yeah... if you like that, we’ll just get that kind of a house."

Cheon Areum’s mother had said that? Well, if they count the family members, it would make sense for her to say that.

"Let’s divide the payment and get a new house, Yoon Seoyul."

"I’m busy tomorrow, but I will start looking for one the day after tomorrow."

Rian listened in to them before leaving his controller on the carpet and running out of the living room.

"Where are you going, Rian? Finish the apples first!"

"To the bathroom! I’ll eat them later!"

Communicating with shouts, Cheon Areum picked another piece of apple for himself, but before he could eat it, Yoon Seoyul spoke in a low voice behind him.

"Areum, get up here on the couch."

Making his quiet retreat, Cheon Areum placed the fruit fork neatly on the edge of the plate before climbing onto the couch—this time positioning himself directly on top of Yoon Seoyul. His knees landed on either side of Yoon Seoyul’s legs, straddling him. As he leaned in slowly, he cupped Yoon Seoyul’s face, staring down at him.

"What is it? Your mind’s been wandering off to somewhere else the whole day today, right?"