The next weekend after their trip to the sea, the two headed to Hakyung’s family home.
“Oh, my little piglet is here?”
Grandma, who had come out to the porch upon hearing that Hakyung was coming with Muheon, quickly rose.
Hakyung told his grandma not to move, but she confidently walked to the front door, saying she was much better now.
“It’s faster if we go to you, and you’ll get hurt again!”
“It’s not like I deliberately tried to stop you from coming out.”
Grandma, showing much disappointment towards her grandson who immediately started nagging, turned her head to look at Muheon.
Muheon, who had been silently listening to their bickering, slightly bowed his head when their eyes met.
“Oh, you’re here. Come in.”
Embarrassed that she had been having such a childish conversation with her grandson, Grandma quickly ushered Muheon inside.
Hakyung also followed next to Muheon, holding his sleeve and subtly shaking it as he urged him.
“Boss, it might look like a childish squabble to you. But don’t look at Grandma like that.”
“What kind of look was I giving…?”
Muheon, who hadn’t been thinking anything specific while listening to their conversation, widened his eyes.
“What kind of look? It was the ‘these cute rascals’ look.”
“River dolphins are cute, that’s true.”
“Aish! I told you not to give even Grandma that look!”
“Alright. I’ll only look at Kang Hakyung now.”
It wasn’t what he meant, but Hakyung liked Muheon’s answer and replied loudly.
Anyway, there was nothing bad about the boss only looking at him.
Now that he roughly knew Muheon’s true identity and age, every expression the boss made seemed different.
He must have had nothing but boring and tiresome experiences from living so long, so the fact that he showed such diverse expressions and gave answers not only to Hakyung but also to his family members was incredibly heartwarming and lovely.
After learning the boss’s secret, he felt even more affectionate towards him, and his love for him sprang forth limitlessly.
“But still, ignoring Grandma’s words is not okay…”
“I have some common sense.”
Muheon chuckled briefly at Hakyung’s plea and put his arm around Hakyung’s shoulder.
He wanted to rub his lips against those small lips that only spoke correct things, but he had to choose the right time and place, which was a little disappointing.
And then, something moist touched and left Muheon’s hand.
It was Hakyung kissing the back of his hand, which was wrapped around his shoulder.
Hakyung, rationalizing his actions by saying it was all because of the handsome hand, shamelessly pressed his lips again.
“Your hands, boss, always make me want to kiss them every time I see them.”
“Mm.”
Once again, Muheon was defenseless against the river dolphin’s audacious and cute display of affection.
Of course, he had no desire to resist.
Muheon and Hakyung lingered for a long time in the small front yard, which was less than ten steps from the house.
When Hakyung flirted recklessly, Muheon encouraged him to do more.
So, it was natural that their pace was slower than that of Park Geo-woong, the sea turtle beast-man.
Their public display of affection continued until Grandma, unable to wait inside any longer, yelled, “What are you doing not coming in?!”
Hakyung, shrinking his shoulders at Grandma’s fiery outburst, grabbed Muheon’s hand and hurried into the house.
Grandma, with a stern expression, looked them up and down.
“Your lips are going to swell up, aren’t they?”
“Ah, what…! No, they’re not?!”
“What do you mean, no.”
Grandma chuckled, saying it was “their good days,” and pointed to a cushion, telling Muheon to sit down quickly.
Muheon sat on the thick cushion adorned with colorful flower embroidery.
Hakyung also quickly sat down right next to him.
Grandma clicked her tongue briefly at her grandson’s action of sitting right next to his lover, even though there was clearly another cushion opposite them.
Muheon took the cushion he was sitting on and placed it under Hakyung’s bottom.
It was natural, without anyone telling him to.
Grandma chuckled again, saying that neither of them seemed to notice their old grandma.
“This is what Grandma said was delicious last time, and this is dried kelp, it’s sweetened so you can eat it like candy.”
“Oh my, again? What did you bring so much of?!”
“The boss bought these for Grandma too. How about it, aren’t they great?”
It was the tenth time Hakyung had mentioned that the boss bought it.
Even Grandma, who had thanked him repeatedly at first, frowned, seemingly tired of Hakyung’s constant praise for the boss.
Even Muheon, who was usually oblivious, could see Grandma’s expression gradually hardening, but Hakyung either knew and pretended not to know, or simply kept gushing about how the boss was the best.
“That’s enough now.”
Muheon tried to stop him, but it was no use.
Hakyung seemed poised to sing Muheon’s praises each time he handed over one of the dozens of gifts.
When Grandma, with a dubious look, finally accepted the last fish, this time Muheon took something out from his embrace and set it down.
It was a luxurious case at a glance.
Both Grandma and Hakyung’s eyes widened, as they had never seen a box like this before.
“I prepared this separately.”
“Oh… Is th-that so?”
“Yes.”
Unlike Hakyung, Muheon’s lack of embellishment about what he had done was appealing.
Perhaps he seemed even better because he had just been so bothered by his grandson.
It made her wonder if this was what Hakyung had wanted all along.
“Grandma, open it quickly! What is it? I don’t even know what it is!”
Hakyung, moving on his knees to Grandma, looked at the box with a curious expression.
When did he even prepare something like this?
The boss will surely be good at surprise proposals later on, he thought absentmindedly, his eyes sparkling.
Grandma, as if pushed by Hakyung’s piercing gaze, opened the box.
***
“Oh?”
“Oh my…?”
It was a brooch and a necklace, studded with subtly shimmering pearls.
Even to Grandma and Hakyung, who weren’t familiar with precious items, they looked remarkably valuable.
Grandma stared, mesmerized, then quickly closed the box.
“Oh dear, it looks too expensive!”
“It’s fine. It’s yours now, so please use it comfortably.”
“How can I use this comfortably?!”
Grandma pushed the box away.
Hakyung also quickly moved back to Muheon’s side.
He was scared to touch such valuable items.
“It’s alright if it breaks, and it’s alright if you lose it. I’ll get you more next time.”
My goodness, to say such cool words to Grandma and not to me…!
Hakyung almost felt a pang of jealousy but composed himself.
It meant the boss cared for and treasured his family that much.
“That’s right, Grandma! This would look pretty on your hat. You always said you wanted a brooch.”
“Hey, you! When did I ever say that?”
Despite her words, she subtly brought the box closer, clearly fond of the brooch.
Her bright, girlish face was lovely to see.
Hakyung held the boss’s hand tightly and thanked him.
Muheon merely shrugged at Hakyung’s words, showing no particular reaction, but the slight upward curve of his lips indicated he wasn’t displeased.
***
“So, Hakyung, your decision hasn’t changed?”
“Nope! It’s even stronger now. I’m going to be with the boss forever.”
The gift-giving ceremony with the presents from the sea had ended, and they were having dessert after lunch.
Hakyung’s lips moved ceaselessly as he explained how much fun he had in the sea, and how kind the beast-men working at the boss’s main house were, eventually concluding that he would definitely marry the boss.
It was already astonishing that his grandson, who used to fear and avoid the sea, had willingly gone there.
Now he was declaring he would spend his life with a sea beast-man.
Honestly, Grandma had worried whether his fear of the sea would return after visiting, so she was rather confused if this was fortunate or what.
“So, Grandma, please give us your permission now. Huh? I told you the boss waited for me without getting married until now, right? Huh? We can’t let him be a lifelong bachelor forever.”
“What do you mean, thirty-six years old is a ‘lifelong bachelor’ these days!”
Grandma scoffed, looking at Muheon, who not only looked younger than his age group but was also tall, handsome, and well-built.
Far from a lifelong bachelor, he looked like he could get married anytime he wanted, even years from now.
However, Hakyung, who knew Muheon’s true age, was in a hurry.
If Muheon wasn’t remarrying, then how long had he been alone?
If it had been a little longer, a bachelor ghost might have bowed to him, calling him ‘Hyung-nim!’
“Grandmaaa! I’m getting married, okay? Huh? Please give us permission, okay?”
“Then you’ll have to go to the sea often. Will you be okay with that?”
“Of course, I will, I had a good time there this time too.”
Grandma quickly waved her hand, as if Hakyung was about to launch into another heroic tale of his time in the sea.
No matter how much she loved her grandson, he talked too much.
What was amazing was her grandson’s lover, who nodded along to his chatter without even a frown.
Grandma shook her head, thinking that he looked cold and unapproachable, but was perhaps more foolish than she thought.