The Grandmother, who had been sitting across from him, moved her seat to be almost right next to Yoon Jooho.
“Try some of this soy-marinated crab too. I’m telling you, this is the first time in my life I’ve seen such meaty blue crabs. Have you ever seen anything like it?”
The crab was one of the gifts Yoon Jooho had brought. She pushed the plate full of crab in front of Yoon Jooho and asked the Grandfather.
“Where would I have seen something like this? It’s absolutely packed with meat.”
“If it suits your taste, I’ll send more via delivery later. Please, you two should eat as well.”
“Just watching the two of you sit side-by-side eating makes me feel full already.”
Song Hyunsoo, who was sitting next to him tearing into some Kalbijjim, nudged Yoon Jooho with his elbow.
“Don’t overdo it; just eat as much as you can.”
“That’s right. Don’t go overeating just because you’re worried about us. Just eat as much as you want.”
Even as she said that, the Grandmother moved every plate Yoon Jooho’s chopsticks reached for right in front of him.
“The food is so delicious that I find myself eating a lot.”
“He usually doesn’t eat much, so he’s forcing himself to… ouch.”
Song Hyunsoo couldn’t finish his sentence. It was because Yoon Jooho had firmly gripped his thigh under the low table.
Having been at the top of his field for a long time, Yoon Jooho had plenty of experience attending internal and external events as a representative of Korea or as a representative Actor.
But even in those places, he had never been this nervous. Of course, he had never intentionally overeaten just to make a good impression either.
He didn’t even realize he was hungry, and he couldn’t even tell the taste of the food while he was eating.
However, once the meal was over, he felt full. He couldn’t even remember the last time he had overeaten to this extent.
After clearing the dining table, desserts were set out on a smaller refreshment table.
Two or three types of fruit, snacks, and Mix Coffee were served. And the Birthday Cake brought by Yoon Jooho took center stage.
“I heard you are our Hyunsoo’s Manager.”
“Please speak comfortably, Grandfather.”
“How could I…”
“It’s because I feel awkward. I’m only four years older than Hyunsoo. You too, Grandmother. Please treat me comfortably.”
Song Hyunsoo’s jaw slowed down as he chewed on a melon.
Yoon Jooho had previously emphasized the hierarchy of age, saying they were five years apart because his Birthday hadn’t passed yet—so where had that man gone?
Since it was his Birthday and they were now four years apart, did a four-year difference suddenly become nothing?
“Still, Hyunsoo is so indebted to you… to us, you’re like a savior…”
“He’s a Newcomer our Company has high expectations for, so we’re investing everything in him. You don’t need to think that Hyunsoo is indebted.”
This time, Song Hyunsoo almost dropped his Fork. Yoon Jooho’s transformation was startling.
Yet, it didn’t specifically look like he was being fake. Polished and polite, but not stiff and instead very affectionate, he was the perfect Yoon Jooho that one could only see in a drama.
A Yoon Jooho with a beautiful face who also spoke and acted beautifully.
When the Company was mentioned, the Grandmother nodded her head with a face that still expressed disbelief.
“I can’t tell you how happy I was when they said he was appearing in the same soap opera as the Prince.”
“And now he’s even joined that Company. People like us are just grateful.”
The atmosphere became much lighter than it was during the meal.
A smile remained on the faces of the Grandmother and Grandfather, which had always been weighed down by exhaustion. Song Hyunsoo once again realized the power of the ‘Prince.’
Yoon Jooho set down his coffee cup and looked at the two of them alternately.
“Please make sure to come to the VIP Premiere next month as well.”
“Huh?”
Song Hyunsoo stepped in for the two of them, who were looking at each other’s faces, not knowing what he meant.
“Before the Movie hits the theaters, they invite important people to show it to them in advance. He’s asking you, Grandmother and Grandfather, to come too.”
“Is it okay for people like us to go to a place like that?”
“It’s a place meant for inviting people like you, Grandmother and Grandfather. You’re the Grandparents of an important Actor.”
The two of them still had dazed expressions. Song Hyunsoo could read that they were hesitating out of worry that they might attend such an event, make a mistake, and cause trouble for their grandson.
“You can just come and watch the Movie. There’s nothing difficult about it.”
“That’s right. I will send a Car at the right time.”
“Oh my, even a Car? It’s fine. It’s just a short trip by express bus.”
The Grandmother refused firmly, but Yoon Jooho had no intention of backing down either.
“As the President of Hyunsoo’s Company, it’s something I naturally should do for you. Please don’t feel burdened. That will make my heart feel more at ease.”
Having made his point firmly but with a soft tone, Yoon Jooho stood up and brought over the Shopping Bags he had left in the back.
“And, this…”
“What is this?”
Instead of Yoon Jooho, Song Hyunsoo stepped forward and pushed the Shopping Bags toward the Grandmother and Grandfather as he explained.
“It’s shoes and clothes. There’s a Bag for Grandmother too.”
“Why this…”
“He wants you to wear them when you come to the Premiere.”
The Grandmother pushed the Shopping Bags back toward Song Hyunsoo with an anxious expression. Then, she lowered her voice as if she were afraid someone might hear, urging him.
“Why did you buy these things when you just started earning money? Take them back and exchange them for money, okay?”
“No, Grandmother. Sunbae prepared this.”
“Huh…?”
The gaze of the two shifted toward Yoon Jooho.
“It’s my first time visiting to greet you, so I didn’t want to come empty-handed, Grandmother. It’s a Gift asking you to look kindly upon me. Please accept it.”
I can’t accept it, please accept it. Before the back-and-forth could get any longer, Song Hyunsoo quickly stood up and put the Shopping Bags inside the Room.
In the meantime, Yoon Jooho put candles on the cake. It was for the purpose of changing the subject.
Although they didn’t go as far as singing a Happy Birthday song, Song Hyunsoo closed his eyes, made a wish, and then blew out the candles.
Seeing Yoon Jooho clapping along with the Grandmother and Grandfather made him laugh naturally.
He briefly exchanged looks with Yoon Jooho. There was no need to say or hear what kind of wish they had made.
Holding his Phone, which was switched to selfie mode, Song Hyunsoo stretched his arm out long and took a photo of all four of them together.
The Grandmother looked at the photo Song Hyunsoo sent her once, and then looked up at Yoon Jooho’s face beside her, repeating this several times.
Her face as she looked at Yoon Jooho was full of gratification and Happy emotions, as if she were dealing with a grandson who had come down from Seoul after a long time.
She patted the back of Yoon Jooho as he ate the cake.
“It feels like I’m watching a soap opera.”
Yoon Jooho looked down at the Grandmother and smiled softly.
“Is that so?”
Song Hyunsoo felt like he was being enchanted just watching from the side at that smile and attitude, which were softer than the cake he was eating.
He used to always think how great it would be if Yoon Jooho spoke as beautifully as his beautiful face.
It seemed like he would have to take that back. Because he spoke and acted beautifully with that face, it was impossible to keep one’s sanity.
It felt like he would end up floundering.
“Every single gesture is different from a Normal person.”
“He really is like a Prince, right, Grandmother?”
At Song Hyunsoo’s question, she smiled and nodded.
“Yes. If a Prince actually existed, he would surely be just like this.”
She held Yoon Jooho’s Hand and shook it affectionately. Yoon Jooho also held her Hand firmly.
Yoon Jooho didn’t have any particular special memories of his Grandparents.
Out of the four Grandparents from both sides of his family, only his paternal Grandmother was still alive, and after living in the United States for over 40 years, her relationship with Yoon Jooho’s parents had gradually become estranged.
Being comforted by Grandparents after being scolded by his Parent, having someone unconditionally on his side, or buying something he wanted with allowance hidden from his Parents… Yoon Jooho lacked such memories.
During his days as a Child Actor, when senior actors on the Shooting Location would dote on him, he had only vaguely imagined that perhaps this was what Grandparents felt like.
But now, he felt as if he were being compensated for the deficiencies of the past. He felt like someone’s very precious grandson.
“Our Hyunsoo has also heard a lot of praise for being pretty since he was a child.”
“Yes, I’m sure he did.”
Yoon Jooho laughed briefly while ruffling the hair of Song Hyunsoo, who was moving a second piece of cake onto his plate. This time, the Grandfather stepped in to add his words.
“In other people’s eyes, he might be sorely lacking compared to the Prince, but in our eyes, Hyunsoo isn’t lacking in terms of looks either. Still, our Hyunsoo isn’t quite like a Prince.”
Everyone except Song Hyunsoo burst into laughter.
Song Hyunsoo, with cream smeared on his mouth, looked at the three of them with a disgruntled expression.
But soon, he felt it didn’t matter. As long as these three were this Happy.
The Grandmother handed Song Hyunsoo a tissue and asked as if to confirm.
“Hyunsoo, you’re staying for one night today, right?”
“Yeah, I plan to.”
After looking delighted, she looked up at Yoon Jooho with a regrettable face in the next moment.
“As for the Prince… our House is so small that I can’t ask you to stay.”
Yoon Jooho leaned over to meet her eyes.
“Should I stay over too?”
The Grandmother shook her head three or four times while shaking his Hand.
“In my heart, I’d want you to stay a hundred times over. But it’s too cramped and uncomfortable here, so you can’t.”
Even though it was a refusal to let him stay, his feelings weren’t hurt. Because her words were based on the premise of cherishing Yoon Jooho.
Yoon Jooho looked down at her hand tightly clutching his own. Surprisingly, the small, wrinkled hand did not feel fragile.
He could feel a more steadfast strength in it than in his own hand, which looked twice the size of hers.
Gripping that hand tightly, Yoon Jooho suddenly took in his surroundings slowly.
The Living Room, which wasn’t spacious but was brightly lit by sunlight, the food made with sincerity that had been set on the large table, and the four people gathered harmoniously around it.
The wrinkled hand that kept pressing a Fork with fruit into his own, the honest and warm laughter and goodwill directed at him.
And the person he loved. His one and only person.
It felt like he had been in this place with them once before.
Perhaps, though the memory was forgotten, that happiness had remained deeply in his heart, and without him knowing, he had continued to reminisce about it, finally returning to this nostalgic place after a long journey?
Yoon Jooho looked back at Song Hyunsoo beside him.
Come to think of it, he had felt this kind of emotion several times through him. He has a certain power.
A power that makes one long for the kinds of emotions he had lost, or perhaps never had from the beginning.
A power that makes one feel nostalgia for things never experienced before.
The hard lump that had been knotted in his chest melted away with emotion, and a fragrance bloomed from that spot.
Quietly setting down his Fork, Yoon Jooho cleared his throat and began to speak.
“Actually, I came here today because I have something important to tell you.”