BXBX NOVEL Chapter 37 - Parents
Chapter 37: Parents
“Reward?”
“Even though the time was quite tight, you did an excellent job with the task I entrusted to you this time. The reaction from that side was quite heated.”
Hehe-
Kim Eun-ha let out a satisfied laugh. It was probably something related to Park Ji-hoon.
Of course, I don’t think either Baek Do-young or Park Ji-hoon would give up just because of this, but for the time being, it might be okay to not worry about it.
‘…Whatever the reason, that’s not the problem right now.’
The thing I need to focus on right now is that Kim Eun-ha is trying to buy me a car.
I had only heard rumors about the existence of such a luxury showroom. It was the first time I saw it in person, and it was truly overwhelming.
‘…As expected, it’s probably for VVIPs only.’
It was located in a much more secluded place than I thought. Apart from Kim Eun-ha, the staff, and me, there was no one else around.
In other words, it means that Kim Eun-ha rented this entire place to give me a car.
‘Or it’s a place that only opens upon request.’
Anyone could see that this was not a place just anyone could come to. I never imagined I would experience a private motor show just for me.
“Even though it was a short time, you showed more than I expected. I was thinking about what an appropriate gift would be, and the moment I saw the car you were driving, I thought ‘this is it!’”
“…The car you lent me is already good enough, though.”
I was a driver in the military, and after that, I worked as a chauffeur, driving other people’s cars my whole life.
Of course, the car I drive now is ultimately Kim Eun-ha’s, but ever since we signed the contract, she hasn’t sat in the driver’s seat even once.
I was sure she would never ask for the car keys back. Thanks to that, I treated it as if it were half mine, taking great care of it.
“But it’s still just borrowed, right?”
“What?”
“This one will be under your name. Of course, any taxes or legal issues related to it will be handled cleanly without any trouble.”
“……”
I’m going to own a car.
I could hardly believe it.
Of course, before signing the contract with Kim Eun-ha, I had vowed to have my own car someday.
That dream had grown more distant as my days as an unknown actor dragged on and my father fell ill. Nevertheless, my desire for my own car remained strong.
‘…They have almost all the famous cars.’
Not only domestic cars but also well-known brands like Porsche, Audi, and Lamborghini were there, as expected.
The variety was extensive, ranging from compact cars to camping cars, and even including an 8-ton truck. It was the epitome of ‘I didn’t know what you’d like, so I prepared everything’.
“Since I didn’t know your taste, I asked them to prepare as many options as possible.”
“Isn’t a car a bit too much, though?”
“Haha, take your time and look around.”
Grin-
Seeing me bewildered by the extravagant gift, Kim Eun-ha lifted the corners of her mouth in a smile.
I always thought she was pretty, but today she looked especially beautiful. I nodded obediently and started to walk.
“Oh, they have this car too?”
No matter how many cars I looked at, I never got tired of them. Each brand and series had its unique characteristics, and the ride quality varied greatly.
The cars that were publicly recognized certainly lived up to their reputations, but there were also many good models among the lesser-known ones.
“Shall I explain in detail?”
“Yes, please.”
Moreover, staff members were waiting in each area, ready to give detailed explanations whenever I had questions or encountered something I didn’t know.
Thinking that one of these cars might become mine made it enjoyable just to listen.
Meanwhile, Kim Eun-ha stayed by my side. She asked questions, showing genuine interest.
“I used to think cars were just convenient means of transportation, so I didn’t pay much attention to them. But seeing them like this today, there are quite a few nice ones. The designs are pretty too.”
“Right? Each one has its own charm.”
“What kind of car do you think would suit me?”
“If I were to recommend one, excluding the professional aspects, I’d say this one. It has a sophisticated feel but is a line that’s hard for younger people to buy.”
“Hmmm. It’s really pretty, just like you said.”
Kim Eun-ha nodded as she listened, and I, feeling even more excited, wandered around with her, checking out almost every car.
There were so many cars that even though I started skipping some, it took much longer than expected.
There was no time limit, but I could see that Kim Eun-ha was getting a bit tired. It seemed like it was time to say goodbye to these cars.
‘Choosing just one from all these…’
Tears welled up momentarily.
But thinking again, having just one of these means holding a dream car that many people long for all their lives. That thought made me smile continuously.
“Are you that happy?”
“Of course. It’s a dream I’ve always had.”
“You turned down the billboard before, though?”
“That and this feel different. Like you said, this isn’t something just given to me; it’s a result of my efforts.”
Of course, Kim Eun-ha is gifting it to me, but I earned it by doing a good job acting as her boyfriend, so I had no intention of turning it down.
Besides, both Kim Eun-ha and I were making light, joking comments without any serious meaning.
“Let’s push through a little more. Once we check over there, I think we’ll have seen everything.”
“You can take another round if you want.”
“Then I won’t hold back…”
“As much as you like.”
Grin-
It was the same smile as before, but this time it somehow felt cold. I returned her smile but shook my head.
“I’ve already lined up the choices in my mind. But out of respect for those who prepared this, I’ll just quickly check over there and then decide.”
“Please do.”
Kim Eun-ha nodded lightly. Together, we walked to the last section of the showroom. I intended to just skim through quickly.
“…Huh?”
There was something totally unexpected there. As we stopped, a staff member quickly came over, but I raised my hand to stop him.
There was no need for an explanation for this car. I had heard about it so much before that I could recite its specs like a script.
“Do you like this car?”
“No. Of course, it’s a great car, but it’s not really to my taste. There are better cars here.”
That’s probably why it was in a corner farthest from the showroom entrance. I hadn’t paid any attention to it until I saw it with my own eyes.
But once I saw it, my thoughts halted as if enchanted.
Ferrari, Volkswagen, Audi—every car I had considered in my mind faded away as if they were lies.
“…Woo-ju ssi?”
“Oh, sorry.”
Lost in thought for a while, I snapped out of it at Kim Eun-ha’s concerned voice. I soon made up my mind and turned to her.
“I’ll go with this one.”
Without any regret,
Or hesitation,
In the firmest voice.
*
“Honey, how are you feeling today?”
“Much better. I can put quite a bit of strength in my right hand now. Soon, I might be able to peel fruits myself.”
“Don’t overdo it.”
“No, I need to push myself to get better.”
Kang Woo-ju’s father.
Kang Nam-woo looked around the spacious hospital room, nodding to himself. It had a private bathroom, a table for visitors, and even a bed for a caregiver.
He had been staying in this VVIP room, which was better than most homes, for over a month now.
Even the person who came to check on his health regularly was the hospital director himself.
‘I can’t even guess how much the hospital bill is per day.’
In the past, he had been hospitalized a few times for minor reasons, but the medical bills were always so expensive that he resented his sick body.
Even with insurance covering a six-person room, the cost was enough to make his hands tremble. He couldn’t imagine how much a place like this would cost.
‘Thanks to it, my body has improved incredibly, but…’
At the previous hospital, getting the results of an MRI would take a whole day, but here, the analysis came out right after the scan.
Moreover, a doctor, whom the hospital director introduced as the best in the country for cerebrovascular diseases, had scheduled an emergency surgery.
– You were lucky. If you had come any later, we wouldn’t have even considered a second surgery. Once the surgery is over, you should be able to return to normal life.
– Oh, thank you, doctor. Thank you so much!
– Haha… No need to thank me. You should thank your son. He even sent a private jet to bring me back from my vacation in the U.S.
– Huh? What do you mean by that…
– Ah, just pretend you didn’t hear that.
No matter how much Kang Nam-woo asked, the doctor wouldn’t say any more, but it was clear that his son was involved in something extraordinary.
His son called regularly, and sometimes he heard from hometown friends that his son had become incredibly famous.
But still, wasn’t he a rookie actor without a single notable work? This sudden change was hard to believe.
‘I don’t think he would do anything bad, but…’
He had been a kind-hearted child since birth. He took on the role of the family head in place of his sick father, supporting not only his parents but also his younger sibling.
However, the situation was so unrealistic that it was hard not to be suspicious.
At first, he even wondered if he was hallucinating because of the brain hemorrhage.
– The story your son submitted has been selected.
Of course, the men in black suits who brought him here had explained some plausible event. But Kang Nam-woo wasn’t naive enough to believe it outright.
‘It would be nice if he could at least show his face.’
Since his son became an adult and moved out, they saw each other maybe once or twice a year.
Since he fell ill, the chances to see him had decreased even more. Even now, just before the surgery, he had only heard his son’s voice over the phone.
– I can’t guarantee 100%, but…
The doctor’s words flashed through his mind. He said it had been left unattended for too long to be certain. It was a miracle that he was still mentally sound.
‘…This might be the last time.’
With that thought, Kang Nam-woo reached for the phone beside him. His wife, noticing, handed him the smartphone and asked,
“What are you trying to do?”
“I’m just going to call our son.”
“…What!? You!?”
“Is it so surprising for a father to call his son?”
“You’ve never done it in your life.”
“……”
She was right.
He had rarely called his son first in his entire life. Even then, most of the conversations were formal.
He had no right to call now, but despite that, Kang Nam-woo mustered up the courage and pressed the number 2. Or rather, he was about to when—
Knock, knock!
Someone knocked on the hospital room door. He was momentarily frustrated by the timing, but his wife quickly stood up and raised her voice.
“Come in!”
Creak!
The door opened immediately, and someone entered the hospital room. A man impeccably dressed in a suit from head to toe.
Even at a glance, his aura was different from the people they had seen before. Yet, somehow, his face looked familiar.
“…Huh?”
His wife seemed to have a similar reaction, her mouth agape, struggling to find words.
As the two stood there bewildered, the familiar-faced man spoke with a slightly awkward smile.
“It’s been a while. Mother, and…”
As he turned his head, and their eyes locked. Familiar yet unfamiliar. His eyes, filled with determination, were distinctly different from the last time I saw them.
“Father.”
The voice was unmistakably familiar. However, seeing his son’s drastically changed appearance, Kang Nam-woo couldn’t easily speak.
“……”
“……”
An awkward silence filled the hospital room. In the increasingly stifling atmosphere, it was none other than Kang Woo-ju who broke the silence.
“Shall we go for a family drive?”
Dangling from Kang Woo-ju’s upraised right hand was a car key he had never seen before.
*****