Chapter 16 – A Better Tomorrow
“Why me?”
“You’re family at the Hwalan House too.”
“But the three of you are already going to the captain’s place.”
“You’re coming too.”
????????
“The captain said everyone from Hwalan House should come.”
Oh I-gyeom let out a cheer.
“Yesss! Muruuuu, let’s do Chungking Express! Chungking Express!!!”
I thought it was a joke. Whether it was A Better Tomorrow or Chungking Express.
“Ohhhh myyyyyy godddd! Too cute! Too cuuuuuuuuute!”
Captain Kim Mansu’s wife, Madam Ki Tae-hee, let out a shriek like a falcon.
The memories of Hong Kong, lined up at the front door, entered the apartment one by one.
First in was Kwon Ho-sik, sporting a trench coat, white muffler, sunglasses, and a matchstick in his mouth, strutting in proudly. Oh I-gyeom followed, bowing deeply, dressed similarly but with a white handkerchief around his neck instead of a muffler.
“Hello, ma’am!”
Captain Kim Mansu, in refrigerator pants, shook his head at the sight, but then spotted Park Ta-rim awkwardly bowing, trying to fold his broad shoulders to fit through the door. The third trench coat-wearer also lacked a proper scarf, so he’d slung a white towel around his neck.
“…Hello….”
“You look perfectly normal. You should pick your friends more wisely.”
Kim Mansu patted Ta-rim’s back with sympathy. Hidden behind Ta-rim’s broad back, Ju Mu-ru desperately wanted to disappear.
Ta-rim turned to Mu-ru and whispered, “Co-come in.”
When Ju Mu-ru, wearing a blonde wig like Brigitte Lin’s from Chungking Express, stepped in, both Madam Ki and Kim Mansu collapsed laughing on the living room floor.
“Ahahaha!”
“H-hi there….”
Mu-ru’s voice trembled with tears. She tried to hide her grimace behind the oversized sunglasses.
Madam Ki’s cooking was extraordinary—braised short ribs, jellyfish salad, and seven different side dishes. Even Park Ta-rim, red with embarrassment, happily shoveled food into his mouth. Kim Mansu gnawed on ribs while putting on airs.
“As a cane of justice for the local people, I arranged this gathering to support the youth of our neighborhood!”
“It’s health, not strength. And you didn’t arrange it. Your aunt did.”
Ho-sik chimed in quickly. Madam Ki chuckled.
“Our Ho-sik hasn’t changed a bit since he was little. Always speaks his mind, even with a knife to his neck.”
“Thank you, Auntieee.”
Ho-sik leaned on her shoulder as he chewed the tender rib meat. His childlike lisp sent a wave of unease around the table.
Madam Ki patted his bowl-cut head and asked:
“You’re so affectionate. Are you like this with your girlfriend too, Ho-sik?”
Instantly, all three men from the Hwalan House froze. Mu-ru, too absorbed in the ribs to notice the tension, paused with her chopsticks mid-air.
Kim Mansu, seizing the opportunity, started poking.
“Speaking of which, Kwon Lieutenant, you still seeing that girl? That forbidden love cost you a spot in the police force. Still can’t let go, huh?”
SMACK! Madam Ki slapped her husband’s back.
“Ow! Why! I didn’t say anything wrong!”
Unrepentant, Kim Mansu kept going. Ho-sik gave a sad, awkward laugh.
“It’s just… such a waste. An Asian Games silver medalist, aced the special entrance exam… If he’d joined the police force, he could’ve been in the special forces by now! But nooo, for love, he’s rotting away in some forgotten substation!”
Kim Mansu spared no one’s privacy, and Ju Mu-ru unintentionally learned even more about Kwon Ho-sik.
Madam Ki struggled to shut her husband up while Ho-sik’s face grew gloomier. Whatever kind of love it was, it must have hit deep. The ribs were getting cold and the atmosphere soured. A hero was needed.
Just as Oh I-gyeom was about to unleash his chaos gene—
“We’re getting married.”
Everyone around the table whipped their heads toward the speaker.
It wasn’t Chow Yun-fat, nor the one with the white towel.
“…We’d like your blessing….”
It was Brigitte Lin.
She—Mu-ru—took off her sunglasses and wig with trembling hands. She blurted it out without thinking, and cursed her mouth for it.
Maybe it was because she’d spent the day writing about characters preparing for a wedding.
The other five people stared with eyes four times their usual size.
Ah, whatever. Mu-ru decided she might as well go all in and add some flowers too.
“Jun-san is my hometown, so before the ceremony, we thought we’d visit elders we knew growing up and give them the news. Captain, we wanted to tell you first…”
Her voice choked, and she took a deep breath.
“…sir.”
“Ahh… really? My goodness… So who are you marrying…?”
Oh I-gyeom calmly took off his sunglasses. Ta-rim noticed I-gyeom about to open his mouth.
Nope. Whatever it is—nope! BAM!
Ta-rim slammed his sunglasses onto the table.
“It’s me!”
Silence fell.
Nobody dared speak.
Oh I-gyeom’s hand, frozen midair, slowly lowered his sunglasses back onto his face. Then, as if nothing had happened, he picked up his chopsticks and lifted a piece of rib.
Crunch, crunch…
The cartilage-crunching ASMR filled the kitchen.
Madam Ki cautiously lifted her hands and started clapping. Anyone with social sense followed.
Oh I-gyeom clapped enthusiastically, Kim Mansu joined in, and even Kwon Ho-sik, whose HP had been at 1%, bounced back clapping and shouting:
“Congratulations! You two really suit each other!”
Ta-rim forced a smile and glanced at Ho-sik.
This is all your fault, you jerk.
Ho-sik ignored the message and winked at Mu-ru.
Mu-ru, I won’t forget this favor.
Mu-ru, faking a happy smile, replied with her eyes.
Why the hell did I do that.
Oh I-gyeom thought:
The ribs are good. Should I ask to take some home?
From then on, all attention was on Ju Mu-ru and Park Ta-rim.
How did they meet again? When did you realize your feelings? So that’s why you moved into the Hwalan House? Is the love hot and fiery?
They spun wild stories—everything was a lie.
In just a few minutes, Mu-ru and Ta-rim became childhood friends who reconnected at someone else’s wedding and fell in love like cherry blossoms. Even I-gyeom and Ho-sik, who knew it was all fake, got swept up and went, “Whoa, really?” “No way!” at her masterfully improvised tale.
Just as Mu-ru reached the part about proposing with a lock on Namsan Tower—beep!—the front door opened.
“Oh, Suji’s home.”
Before Madam Ki could get up, Kim Mansu rushed to the door.
“Hahaha. He’s still crazy about his youngest daughter.”
Soon, Kim Mansu’s voice was heard at the door, fretting that it was chilly outside.
Despite it being late May and just 7:30 p.m.
The couple’s youngest of three daughters, Kim Suji, appeared in the kitchen. A petite girl in a Bongrim High School uniform.
“Oh, hi Sujiiii!”
I-gyeom waved with a warm smile. Suji turned bright red from neck to forehead, squeaked out a barely audible “H-hello…” and fled to her room.
I-gyeom awkwardly lowered his hand.
From the doorway, Kim Mansu, holding her bag, asked his wife:
“What’s wrong with her?”
Madam Ki whispered, glancing at Suji’s room.
“(It’s because of I-gyeom.)”
“(What’s that punk done now?)”
Everyone started whispering. Six heads huddled over the ribs.
“(Looks like our Suji has a crush on I-gyeom.)”
“She’s eighteen!!!”
SHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
Five fingers shot up to hush him.
“(But seriously, why me?)”
“(She says you’re handsome.)”
The heads broke apart in disbelief. Ho-sik, who had seen Suji in the hospital as a newborn, scowled. Ta-rim, who’d seen her grow up, gave a chilly glare.
Kim Mansu was fuming. Mu-ru regretted announcing the fake wedding just five minutes too early.
Oh I-gyeom simply said:
“(My face is a sin.)”
“(That’s insane.)”
Ho-sik immediately shot him down. Ta-rim refrained from attacking his looks.
“(It’s just a teenage phase, right?)”
“(Our baby isn’t that foolish.)”
“(I think it’s cute, a first crush on an older guy.)”
“Cute, my ass!!!”
Yang Gwan-sik of Bongrim-dong exploded in fury and was promptly SHHHHHHHH-ed again.
