CH 346

This thing called 'atmosphere' had the power to corrupt a person's judgment.

Even a comedian who dedicated their entire life to making people laugh wouldn't dare run his mouth off during a solemn funeral.

Even if that wasn't seen as against decorum, humans were animals capable of instinctively detecting the atmosphere. And now... Kang Jin-Ho was getting first-hand experience in how 'atmosphere' could shrivel someone up.

Kang Eun-Yeong, making a face of a demon-devouring cannibal; Baek Hyeon-Jeong, looking as if she was getting ready to grab the hair of her victim and drag them around the neighborhood... Even if she hadn't zeroed in on her victim just yet; and finally, Kang Yu-Hwan standing behind his wife while making a face that screamed, 'I've raised my child incorrectly!'

The chilling aura gushing out from this trio was lowering the temperature of the Kang residence's living room until it was about to enter the next Ice Age.

'...So cold!'

Kang Jin-Ho's body shuddered from the cold. His heart was also aching from the cold. The destination he reached after going through all that hardship wasn't the warm embrace of his family but their murderous glares. And this fact depressed Kang Jin-Ho.

'I should've said it was a car accident...'

If Kang Jin-Ho said he got knocked in the head a 'bit' and had to stay in the hospital for the past three days, his family would have all fawned over him instead of this cold treatment. But he stupidly went with the alternate excuse, and it seemed he was this close to getting slapped around by his mother!

'He's so useless! Incompetent!'

Jo Gyu-Min's opinion regarding Kang Jin-Ho's original excuse was like this:

“That might make your life a little easier, yes. However, that will come at the expense of putting your parents through terrible pain, Mister Jin-Ho. You will be ripping their hearts to pieces by saying you got into a car accident while riding your bicycle home and were unconscious for three days straight.”

Jo Gyu-Min was right. So right that there was no room to argue.

Even if Kang JIn-Ho couldn't act like a filial son sometimes showcased in TV news and other variety shows, he shouldn't drive a nail into his parents' hearts. That was one of his mantras in life, so Jo Gyu-Min's words proved to be a decisive factor in choosing to create an excuse that wouldn't make his parents suffer in anguish and make Kang Jin-Ho a little bit of a bad guy, but this...!

'How did my excuse end up being... Going on an overseas trip with Choi Yeon-Ha?!'

This was what Jo Gyu-Min had come up with:

After Kang Jin-Ho closed up the pizzeria and was heading home that night, Choi Yeon-Ha suddenly showed up out of nowhere and dared him to go on a whirlwind trip with her.

Thinking that much wouldn't be a problem, he accepted her dare... Only for her to take him straight to the airport.

Since Kang Jin-Ho carried his passport around, there was no issue with bundling him in a plane, and they flew out of the country on a red-eye flight. As Kang Jin-Ho was clueless about things like international roaming, his phone soon became useless. Worse still, he even lost his phone during the trip.

And he was only returning home now after having 'fun' without a care in the world.

'...Does Chief Jo really think a story like this will even work?!'

When calmly interpreted, this story seemed to strongly suggest, 'Yes, I'm a thoughtless moron! A pathetic loser with no functioning brain cells, everyone!'

Obviously, Kang Jin-Ho possessed at least a modicum of sense. Even he thought this story was not going to work, but... Jo Gyu-Min remained resolute. Unyielding.

He said that other haphazard excuses would be worse. It'd be more realistic for Kang Jin-Ho to be seduced by an incredible beauty and roam the streets of another country like a love-struck fool, said Jo Gyu-Min.

If Kang Jin-Ho were in the company of someone other than Choi Yeon-Ha, he'd be seen as a crazy buffoon. However, even Kang Jin-Ho's parents would have to agree that no man alive could refuse Choi Yeon-Ha's advances. That was Jo Gyu-Min's argument.

However, Kang Jin-Ho still fought back, saying this story crossed the line somewhere, somehow. Even then, Jo Gyu-Min hit back even stronger by saying Kang Jin-Ho's parents would actually be happy to hear about their son enjoying some private time in another country with a woman on the level of Choi Yeon-Ha.

As an extra, Jo Gyu-Min opined that this was what romance was like.

'I should've remembered that Chief Jo is a forever-single player, though...!'

Jo Gyu-Min was an idiot for coming up with this excuse. However, Kang Jin-Ho was just as stupid for listening to it. At the very least, he shouldn't have gotten any advice related to romance from Jo Gyu-Min...

If one felt unsure about computer-related stuff, they should seek out a computer specialist, no? What Kang Jin-Ho did was basically the same as getting a quotation from someone who had never touched a computer in his entire life!

And the price for his stupidity was mercilessly pounding him in all directions right now!

“And you didn't even call us once?!” Baek Hyeon-Jeong slowly chewed out her words.

“...My apologies.”

“And you didn't tell anyone beforehand, too?”

“...”

“Jin-Ho, my child?”

“Yes, Mother.”

“So, what you're trying to tell us is that... Our wonderful son was drooling all over a girl in another country without even bothering to call me once. All while not giving a single hoot about your own store, too.”

Kang Jin-Ho shriveled up even more.

'I knew it! Useless! Incompetent!'

If he could, Kang Jin-Ho would dearly love to rush over to where Jo Gyu-Min was, grab the collars of that man, and shake him around until the end of the world!

Kang Jin-Ho should've contacted Ju Yeong-Gi or Park Yu-Min if he wanted someone to discuss matters like this. Not Jo Gyu-Min!

“And then, son...! While you were traveling, you never once thought about your mother and didn't even bother to call home. That's what you're saying right now, isn't it! So? Were you in the middle of an African jungle? Even then, don't they have a payphone, at least?!”

“...Mother, I, uh... I don't know how to make international calls.”

“Oh? Don't you know how to use Katalk, at least? Was there no wi-fi at where you were?” [1]

“...I lost my phone, unfortunately.”

“Is that right? And I'm guessing Miss Choi Yeon-Ha also lost her phone, then?”

Kang Jin-Ho was steadily being driven into a corner.

That was when Kang Eun-Yeong suddenly yelled at the top of her voice while shooting up to her feet, proverbial flames erupting out of her mouth. “Listen here, you dummy! Why don't you say something like you were in a car accident, had amnesia for the past three days, and only got your memories back today or something! How dare you try to scam us with an excuse that not even a third-rate trash daytime soap would use!”

'...Yup, I should've gone with that story.'

That excuse was precisely what Kang Jin-Ho originally wanted to go with. He had no idea he'd be in tune with his sister to this degree.

Kang Eun-Yeong continued to yell. “You stayed under the radar for three whole days and decided to show up at home like a shameless swindler, and still have the cheek to say what to us?! You went overseas? A trip with whoooo? The Tourism Organization might award you with a certificate at this rate! You're such a love of international travel, yet we dared to trap you at home all this time, so how frustrated you must've felt, Oppa! I am so sorry! No, really!”

Kang Jin-Ho genuinely had no idea that his family was nurturing the next rising star in the world of biting criticism. How talented one must be to make someone else feel this terrible without using a single swear word?

Kang Jin-Ho was awed and sorrowful at the same time at this revelation.

“How dare you try to scam us with this amateur nonsense! You better be honest with us, or else!” Kang Eun-Yeong roared and panted like a bull.

Kang Jin-Ho sheepishly looked away. “...But, uh, it's the truth?”

“TRUTH?!” Kang Eun-Yeong's eyes began burning even brighter. Her desire to uncover the proof, or the lack thereof, regarding her brother's overseas trip awakened the instincts of a detective. “Hey, I know how to lodge an inquiry with the Immigration Office. What will you say after I find out that you don't have the 'stamp' in your passport? Hand over your passport, now!”

“I, uh, I lost it.”

“Ohhho?” Kang Eun-Yeong feigned a mock surprise, then turned her head toward Baek Hyeon-Jeong. “Your Highness, this man is guilty as charged. Orabi's excuses are not even worth considering. This daughter recommends that you tie him to a chair and punish him until he confesses to everything!”

Baek Hyeon-Jeong's expression grew icy cold. “Jin-Ho!”

“Yes, Mother.”

“Are you still not going to tell us the truth!”

Now that he found himself in this situation, Kang Jin-Ho could only laugh.

'Yup, incompetent.'

Not 'just' incompetent, but 'extremely' incompetent!

It'd be rather unthinkable for a favorable evaluation of a life's savior to fall to the pits of Hell this quickly.

Baek Hyeon-Jeong glared angrily. “Son, you dare to lie in front of your…”

That was when Kang Yu-Hwan suddenly coughed loudly. “Keuh-heum!”

Baek Hyeon-Jeong faltered before turning her head to look at her husband. “Dear, what...?”

“Mm. Hold on for a second.” Kang Yu-Hwan successfully stopped his wife, then turned his attention to Kang Jin-Ho. “Son.”

“Yes, Father.”

The two men stared at each other in silence for a while, before Kang Yu-Hwan spoke first. “You have not done anything that could be considered shameful in our eyes, yes?”

“Yes, Father.” Kang Jin-Ho unhesitantly nodded. He wasn't lying here, since what he did was worthy of praise, not this kind of scolding.

“I see. In that case, it's fine. You're dismissed.”

“...I'm sorry?” Kang Jin-Ho tilted his head.

“You said you haven't done anything shameful, didn't you?”

“Yes, Father. I said that.”

“Then, it's all good. What would be the point of dragging this out, in that case?”

“Ah? But, Dad!” Kang Eun-Yeong jumped up in alarm.

Even Baek Hyeon-Jeong looked stunned. “Dear! You can’t!”

“Shh!” Kang Yu-Hwan pressed his index finger to his lips, then shook his head. “I'm sure you understand that you're not free of guilt this time, don't you? Son?”

“Yes, Father. I do.”

“Good. I know you are not the kind of son who neglects his parents and doesn't call them even if he can. Since you didn't call us, you must've had a good reason.”

Kang Jin-Ho's head faltered as he couldn't think of anything to say. Having someone who believed in him without requiring a detailed explanation was a blessing. But it could also feel like a heavy burden sometimes.

“I'm sure you're exhausted, son. Hurry and go on, son. Get some much-deserved rest.”

It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from "pawread dot com".

“Thank you, Father.” Kang Jin-Ho briefly replied while sneakily scanning the reactions of his mother and little sister.

Unsurprisingly, both of them seemed deeply dissatisfied with this outcome. However, they chose not to say anything. They knew that arguing right away would only embarrass Kang Yu-Hwan in front of his son.

'Looks like I'll have to get out of here first.'

Kang Jin-Ho cautiously got up, then bowed his head at his parents before slipping inside his room.

Once Kang Jin-Ho shut the door to his room, Baek Hyeon-Jeong glared murderously at her husband. “Dear, you can't be thinking of ending it this way now, are you?!”

“What if I am? What do you want to do, then?”

“Regardless of what, we need to hear what happened, you know! Even if Jin-Ho has a good reason to hide it!”

“Honey, don't you know what our son is like? You know he won't say anything if he decides not to.”

“Even then!”

“Honey, let's stop.” Kang Yu-Hwan shook his head. “My son said he hadn't done anything shameful, so how can I not believe him? Even if we're his parents, we haven't done much for him until now, so what right do we have to doubt him?”

“...Dear.”

“Besides, has Jin-Ho ever made us worry about him?”

Baek Hyeon-Jeong cried out in dismay. “That's why we're reacting like this, you know! Because he's always been so well-behaved!”

“And I'm saying that is wrong!”

“...Eh?”

Kang Yu-Hwan stood his ground and spoke his mind. “When a kid who is always upright suddenly makes a mistake, we should be embracing him, not kicking him around! Just because he never did it before, he shouldn't be allowed to do it ever again? What kind of logic is that? We should not demand our kids to live a life where they must not make mistakes or fail. I mean, honey! Are you saying a child who never makes mistakes isn't a human being like the rest of us? Such pressure is bound to ruin a person, honey.”

Despite Kang Yu-Hwan's passionate speech, Baek Hyeon-Jeong still looked unconvinced.

Kang Yu-Hwan noticed this, so he continued with his speech. “Of course, if our son does something similar in the future, he'll have to pay the corresponding price for it. And that price would be us not trusting him ever again. But that's the story for the future, wouldn't you agree? Until now, our son did everything he was supposed to do without a problem and never made us worry. In that case, shouldn't we be generous enough to laugh and brush aside his mistake this one time? If you raise a fuss as if it's the end of the world because a child that usually scores a perfect hundred on every test comes home with an eighty, that child will feel like their life is finished whenever they fail to get a perfect hundred.”

Baek Hyeon-Jeong silently nodded. Emotionally, she couldn't agree with everything her husband said, but her head was able to understand. If she kept scolding her son, who had clearly been a model child until now, for one single mistake, he might get fearful of making mistakes in the future. And, if he did make a mistake, he'd try to hide it from his family.

'Seriously, we now have to worry about all sorts of things...'

Baek Hyeon-Jeong should've considered these kinds of things earlier. However, Kang Jin-Ho never gave a reason to make his parents worry about him since his high school days. This led to the current ironic situation where his parents had to worry about things like this over their grown son.

“Honey, think of it as a grown-ass man doing something dumb and just laugh about it. I mean, you can see on his face that he's also not having it easy either, can't you? As his parents, should we keep interrogating him, then? He's our son, honey. Don't you trust Jin-Ho?”

“...I do trust him.”

“There you go. That's all good, then. Let's not just demand our son to be a good child. We should also work towards being excellent parents, honey. We are still at a stage where we need to put in more effort, after all. Don't you think so?”

“Yes, you're right, dear.” Baek Hyeon-Jeong sighed, signaling her surrender.

However, Kang Eun-Yeong quickly raised her flag of rebellion just then. “Dad! I don't agree with any of that!”

“Oh? In that case, should we hold you to the same standard as Jin-Ho and open an inquiry every time you do something wrong?”

“...Oppa hasn't done anything wrong!” Kang Eun-Yeong let out a soft 'Keuk!' in defeat after coming to a compromise deal with the uncaring reality.

Kang Yu-Hwan chuckled softly. “Of course, I'm also not exactly happy about what happened. I can't help but wonder what has gotten into that boy. However, Jin-Ho's earned enough leeway by now, has he not? In that case, we should be more understanding even if he's made a mistake. Trying to get to the bottom of what happened would only worsen the mood, anyway... Let's just trust him and let it go.”

“Yes, dear. I'll do as you say this time.”

While the intense negotiation was taking place in the living room, Kang Jin-Ho was sitting behind his door, his arms crossed.

'Thank you, Father.'

The fact that Kang Yu-Hwan trusted his son... That touched Kang Jin-Ho more than anything else. And also...

“By the way, you think our son really went on a trip with Miss Choi Yeon-Ha?”

“...Should I go ask him, dear?”

“Well, a grown-up man went AWOL for three days with a grown-up woman, so... Something must've happened, no?”

“...Dad, are we maybe welcoming a grandchild soon?”

Griiiiit!

Kang Jin-Ho gritted his teeth while eavesdropping on his family's conversation.

'Jo Gyu-Min!'

Kang Jin-Ho renewed his vow to crash Jaegyeong's front door as soon as the situation this side was stabilized, then tightly clenched his fists.

1. ”Katalk” is a shortened name for Kakaotalk, a popular chat app widely used in Korea. ☜