NOVEL NEXT Chapter 66
Chapter 66: Chapter 66
Chapter 66
After he decided to go on a trip with Hyoyoung, Kiwook went to the other members and announced, “I’m gonna go home for a while, guys.”
They were eating dinner together, and the three members looked at him. They looked surprised but nodded.
“I guess it has been a long time since you visited home.”
“Hey, Kiwook, so you do have a home, eh?”
“That sounds fine, Kiwook. When it gets closer to the concert, it will be impossible for you to go at all, so go ahead. How long are you gonna be gone for?”
Kiwook tilted his head casually and replied, “I will go tomorrow and return the day after. Just for a night.”
“So this weekend.”
“Yeah, I think I should spend at least one night at my own home.”
“Good idea. We were going to work on our individual performances during the weekend, so don’t worry about the group practice.”
Kiwook nodded, “Yeah, that’s why I decided to go this weekend. This will be my last chance. Next week, we are going to start on our group dance, right?”
“Exactly. You need to be here for that for sure.”
“Okay.”
Hyojun asked Kiwook casually, “Which house are you going to go to?”
Kiwook thought for a second before answering.
“My mom got remarried, so I will go to my dad’s. Maybe I will just have lunch with her outside if she insists, but I definitely won’t be going to her house.”
“Oh… when did that happen? I didn’t know your mom got remarried.”
“That’s because I didn’t tell you. I didn’t even go to her wedding. It sounded like her stepchildren hate me.”
“Oh, so you have step siblings, Kiwook?”
“Apparently, I have two older brothers and a younger sister, I think. I didn’t really ask for any details. I mean, my mom has no idea what I do. She probably just thinks I’m a regular university student. She’s probably worried that I will ask for money or something. I barely talk to her. It’s just better that we don’t keep in touch.”
Jiwoo said kindly, “Kiwook, you are probably wrong. After all, she is your mother, right? She must care about you and wants to spend more time with you.”
“I haven’t lived with her for years, so I barely know her. To be honest, you guys mean much more to me than her. Anyway, if she wants, I will see her briefly, but mostly I will be at my grandmother and father’s house.”
“And how’s your father?”
“Same as usual. Bitter and angry. Every time he sees me, he blames my mother for everything. My grandmother’s no different. My time with them will be mostly just listening to them complain.”
“You are going to be so tired after…”
Suddenly, Jiwoo raised his hand and asked, “Wait a minute! How come Hyunsuk and Hyojun know about your family situation so well, while I don’t? I feel lonely…”
Kiwook bitterly smiled and answered, “It’s nothing to be proud of, so I never made a point of telling you about my family. Hyojun and Hyunsuk know only because we have known each other much longer.”
Jiwoo protested, “Even so, I would still like to be included. At least give me the gist of the history…”
“Fine. Simply put, my mother is a… how should I say this? She is a very strong, independent woman. On the other hand, my father is… a nerd. No ambition and no dreams. His goal in life is to live an unremarkable life and go to heaven after he dies.”
Jiwoo exclaimed, “Wow, he sounds like he’s my kind of a man.”
“Haha. Anyway, when my parents first met, my mother liked his relaxed style. Apparently, she was the one who asked him out on a date and pushed to get married. My father said he never really was interested in dating or marriage. Oh, and my grandmother has always hated my mother, even from the beginning.”
“Why?”
“My grandmother wanted my father to continue his studies and make it big. She wanted him to get married after his career was established, to a young, obedient girl whose only ambition was to be a good housewife for him. But after he met my mother, he gave up his studies and ended up working two construction jobs, which ruined his health… So that is why she hates my mother.”
“Oh… I see.”
“But as time passed, my mother realized that my father wasn’t going to make something of himself and she fell out of love with him. At the same time, my father was getting used to having a family of his own, and by then, I was born.”
“I can see where this is going.”
“My mother asked for a divorce and of course, my father was adamantly against it. But what he wanted didn’t matter. It seemed like my mother had prepared for her divorce for a very long time… She collected evidence against my father, like how he didn’t provide for his family and such. I was very young at the time, so these details may be inaccurate. I only know it because my grandmother grumbles about it all the time. Anyway, my father ended up paying a lot of alimony.”
“That’s crazy…”
“And that was how my family became strangers. My grandmother raised me, and my father is still alone. He never dates, as far as I know. My mother got remarried a few years ago to a man who owns a small company.”
“Oh, then that man has children, which would make them your step siblings.”
“That man is 20 years older than my mother, so I guess she wasn’t welcomed by her stepchildren. They saw her as a gold digger, and you know what? They are probably right. I’m sure she never talks about me since it would just cause more problems for her.”
“20 years older?”
“She married for money and status. I know her enough. She may be my mother, but I still don’t like her.”
“Oh…”
“So that’s my family story.”
Jiwoo patted Kiwook’s shoulder encouragingly. “Oh my god… now I understand why you never visit your home, Kiwook. Bless you.”
“I’m fine. Anyway, I will be gone for only two days.”
Kiwook finished his dinner and went to his room. After a few minutes, Hyoyoung came out of her bedroom. Her eyes were red and puffy.
Jiwoo exclaimed, “My Hyoyoung! Your eyes are so swollen that you look like a goldfish!”
“Shut up.”
Hyojun asked her nervously, “Are you going to eat something for dinner?”
“Of course I am here to eat. Did you think I came out here to do the dishes?”
When Hyoyoung replied coldly, Hyojun, Hyunsuk, and Jiwoo glanced at each other and remained quiet. Hyunsuk grabbed her a bowl of rice while Jiwoo pushed the side dishes towards her on the table.
Hyoyoung sat down and announced quietly, “I’m going to sleep over at Mikyung’s house tomorrow.”
She ate a spoonful of rice as the guys brightened up.
“Wow! So you made up with Mikyung! I’m so glad. Have a nice sleepover!”
“Oh, Hyoyoung, good choice! And after the sleepover, you and Mikyung will get even closer!”
“That’s great! Man, you cried so hard, but things all worked out. So tomorrow the house is going to be quiet since both you and Kiwook won’t be here.”