Real Man

Yoo-hyun was anxiously waiting.

From afar, he heard a high-pitched laughter.

“Ho ho ho ho!”

Under the streetlight, he saw two familiar silhouettes. Yoo-hyun and Han Jae-hee got up at the same time as if they had made an appointment.

“Da-hye!”

“Mom!”

Yoo-hyun ran towards them with a worried heart.

But the atmosphere between the two was very different from what he expected.

They looked very friendly, walking arm in arm.

“Didn’t you say you were going home? Why are you still here?”

“No, but your clothes…”

“Pretty, right? We got matching couple outfits in Insadong.”

“Insadong?”

“Yes. Our son and daughter never took me to Insadong, but our Da-hye showed me around.”

When did she become ‘our Da-hye’?

They even smiled at each other as they made eye contact.

Han Jae-hee, who was watching from the side, immediately retorted.

“Mom, you said you hated going around Seoul because it was too crowded.”

“You be quiet. You’re the only daughter I have, but you don’t understand your mother’s feelings at all.”

“Ugh. Mom, do you really have to say that?”

Ignoring Han Jae-hee’s grumbling, Jeong Da-hye consoled her mother.

“Mom, Jae-hee always brags about you.”

“Really?”

“Yes, you’re good at cooking, have a great business sense, and have a very good taste.”

“Oh. Our Da-hye is so sweet with words. Thank you so much. Thanks to you, I saw Seoul for the first time in my life.”

“Mom, I’m the one who should thank you. And the bracelet is so pretty. I’ll wear it well.”

Under the streetlight, the bracelet sparkled on her wrist.

It seemed that the bracelet was also a matching couple item.

Yoo-hyun was more surprised by her soft and gentle tone than the couple clothes and the couple bracelet.

‘Did she have such a warm side?’

There was a lot of affection in her eyes as she looked at her mother.

It was the same for her mother.

“What’s the big deal? I can buy you anything as long as you’re happy.”

“Next time, I’ll buy you something for sure.”

“I feel good just hearing our Da-hye’s words. Come on, let’s have a drink to celebrate that we’re all together.”

“Yes. Sounds good.”

Jeong Da-hye tightened her arm around her mother’s.

It looked very nice, but Yoo-hyun thought realistically.

“Mom, you said you had to leave tomorrow evening because of some urgent work.”

“Yoo-hyun, do you want me to disappear quickly?”

“That’s not what I meant, but you said you had to…”

Yoo-hyun shut his mouth in front of his mother’s narrowed eyes.

Han Jae-hee, who was watching the situation, hooked her arm around her mother’s other side.

Tightly.

Then she changed her attitude and smiled as if nothing had happened.

“Mom, my room is too clean without any alcohol, so let’s go to my brother’s room. He has a lot of premium liquor there.”

“Oh, what’s the occasion? Why does Yoo-hyun have so much alcohol at home?”

“Well, I don’t know. Anyway, let’s go. I’ll make some snacks.”

“Mom, I’ll help you too.”

Mrs. Lee waved her hand at Jeong Da-hye’s offer.

“No, no, Da-hye. This is the landlord’s job. Right, Yoo-hyun?”

“Y-yes.”

“Hahaha! Let’s go.”

Mrs. Lee walked with a big smile, followed by the two girls on her sides.

Yoo-hyun felt like he shouldn’t get in between those three women.

As soon as Mrs. Lee entered Yoo-hyun’s house, she started to chatter about what happened today.

“Today, I had red bean shaved ice with Da-hye in Insa-dong, and the beans were so fine and delicious. It reminded me of a new menu item that Da-hye would love. It’s called…”

Mrs. Lee seemed to be in a good mood and didn’t stop talking.

Yoo-hyun wished it would end there, but as soon as alcohol was involved, his embarrassing past came out one by one.

Mrs. Lee blushed and gossiped.

“When Yoo-hyun was little, he peed outside and threw away his underwear. Do you know what he did then?”

“Oh my! What did he do?”

“He borrowed a girl’s skirt and walked around in it. I have a picture of that at home, I’ll show you when you come. Hoho!”

Yoo-hyun grabbed his mother’s hand and pleaded.

“Mom, you must be tired now, please rest. Okay?”

“He’s trying to shut me up.”

This time, Han Jae-hee, who had been drinking without paying attention to Mrs. Lee, joined in.

“Sis, did you know that Yoo-hyun has a box full of letters from girls when he was in middle school? …Sniff.”

“Little brother, just eat quietly.”

Yoo-hyun quickly covered Jae-hee’s mouth with his hand, but Da-hye stopped him.

“Yoo-hyun, how can you eat quietly at a drinking party?”

“Yeah. Our Yoo-hyun is too conservative.”

“Mom, I like Yoo-hyun the way he is.”

“Oh, how grateful I am to Da-hye. You take good care of my lacking son.”

“…”

Yoo-hyun wished he could find a mouse hole and hide in it.

The cheerful drinking party that day lasted until dawn.

Yoo-hyun helped diligently, took Da-hye home, and came back to clean up.

The next day, he made bean sprout soup for his mother to relieve her hangover.

His mother took a sip of the soup and said with a refreshed expression.

“Yoo-hyun, you’re good at cooking. Da-hye will like it.”

“It’s just soup, what’s the big deal?”

“Take this opportunity to learn some side dishes from me. Have you heard of yoseknam? These days, men who can cook are popular.”

“Uh, yes.”

“How pretty and nice Da-hye is…”

His mother praised Da-hye throughout the meal.

The trivial talk that he had heard so often felt different when he saw his mother’s happy face.

It seemed that Da-hye was more than just a stranger to his mother.

What did Da-hye feel?

It was after he saw his mother off to her home.

A message from Da-hye popped up on Yoo-hyun’s phone screen.

-Da-hye: Your mother is such a nice person. Thanks to you, I had a really good time.

“I’m glad to hear that. I was worried, actually.”

-Da-hye: Jae-hee told me. She said you worry too much about unnecessary things and asked me to understand. I’m really grateful for you, Yoo-hyun. (smile)

-That Jae-hee! (angry)

He was annoyed by Jae-hee, who started the trouble and backed off, but it was only for a moment.

Yoo-hyun was lost in his thoughts as he read Da-hye’s warm message.

What if they had met like this in the past?

It would have been wonderful to share the small happiness of everyday life, but he couldn’t even create such an opportunity.

It was all his fault.

The only time Da-hye had a long face-to-face with his mother was at his mother’s funeral.

-I wish I had visited and treated your mother better when she was alive. I’m so sorry I couldn’t.

In Yoo-hyun’s mind, he saw the image of his ex-wife, who had guarded his mother’s last moments with sorrow.

‘Thank you so much.’

He realized he hadn’t even expressed his gratitude honestly.

Looking back, it was a miserable life.

Da-hye replied to him.

-Da-hye: You’ll be working at Hansung for a while now, right?

-Yes. That’s right. What am I going to do without having morning coffee with you?

-Da-hye: We’ll see each other every day after work, what are you talking about. Finish it well. I’ll help you with anything I can.

As soon as he heard Da-hye’s answer, his gloomy memories of the past disappeared.

In their place, there was a tomorrow he wanted to spend with her.

Yoo-hyun confessed his feelings honestly.

-Da-hye, thank you so much. For being by my side.

-That’s what I should say. (heart)

A bright smile appeared on Yoo-hyun’s lips.

Yoo-hyun took a little more rest and then went to work at Hansung Tower.

As if to show the deepening autumn, the streets were dyed with dark red leaves.

He looked at the tall building in the distance and recalled his old memories.

When he had returned from his life in Yeontae-ri, and when he had returned from the Group Strategy Room.

Each time, there was someone waiting for him in front of the building.

It was Jang Joon-sik, the assistant manager.

Zing.

His phone rang and a message came from him.

-Sir, I’m working at the Sindorim campus today. I’m sorry I couldn’t greet you first.

The integrated department, UniqueTF, which was in charge of the next-generation smartphone, was located at the Sindorim campus, so most of the existing mobile phone strategy team members spent their time there.

Even so, Yoo-hyun went to Hansung Tower, and his beloved junior took care of him from afar.

‘That guy. He’s still the same.’

As Yoo-hyun chuckled, he heard a voice calling him.

“Han Yoo-hyun, sir!”

He looked up and saw a man with a round face and a calm impression.

It was Ahn Jae-kyung, the senior manager who had been Yoo-hyun’s right-hand man in the past.

Yoo-hyun’s voice softened with a happy feeling.

“Mr. Ahn, I don’t know what to do with you coming out to greet me like this.”

“I have something to give you.”

“What is it?”

“The person who bought you a chocolate cake last time is coming, so my son made me hold this in my hand. Here you go.”

Swoosh.

What Ahn Jae-kyung handed him was a bear jelly.

It was the same thing he had given him the day after they had their first honest drinking party.

Yoo-hyun smiled as he remembered that time, holding the bear jelly in his hand.

“This is very precious.”

“Of course. I only give it to you, sir.”

“Thank you. I’ll cherish it.”

“Well, let’s go then. I have a lot to talk to you about.”

Ahn Jae-kyung smiled and led him inside.

Buzzing.

He walked among the employees who were coming to work and told them what had happened.

“How have you been…”

It contained not only work, but also the joys and sorrows of the team members.

It felt like they were trying to show him that they had done well during his absence.

It was exactly what Yoo-hyun had hoped for.

“You guys worked hard.”

“But we’re making progress step by step, thanks to the good seeds you planted, sir.”

“Good seeds?”

“Yes. You’ll see what I mean soon. And…”

Ahn Jae-kyung was about to continue when

A loud greeting came from the lobby.

“Hello!”

“Hello!”

Executives and employees alike bowed their heads.

There was a man walking through them. It was Shin Kyung-soo.

Trudge.

He walked with his chin up, as if he were the president.

Yoo-hyun snickered as he watched him.

‘He’s acting like a king.’

Shin Kyung-soo’s cold eyes met Yoo-hyun’s.

As Yoo-hyun lifted the corners of his mouth, he narrowed his eyes and stopped.

This time, he didn’t reach out his hand like last time, but said one word.

“So you’re back.”

“I realized there was something I hadn’t finished yet.”

“Finished?”

“Didn’t I tell you before? The synergy of each and every employee will lead the company’s growth.”

It was what Yoo-hyun had said at the Royal Family banquet hall, where he had confronted him.

At that time, Shin Kyung-soo, who had treated the employees as parts, smirked.

“Go ahead and try.”

“I’m going to prove to you, vice president, that this statement you dismissed as wrong was right.”

“You still have a strange belief.”

“That strange belief is my driving force.”

Yoo-hyun gave him a meaningful answer and looked at Shin Kyung-soo.

Was it because he had experienced the wide world and came back?

He who had felt like a huge mountain now looked infinitely small.

With his wonderful colleagues by his side, Shin Kyung-soo was no longer an obstacle to Yoo-hyun.

He was just a small hill that he could easily pass by.

That confidence made Yoo-hyun move forward without hesitation.