Sadness was clearly visible on his face. He stood outside the worn-out door of an old house in a lower-middle-class neighborhood, lost in his thoughts. He had no idea how much time had passed—he just kept standing there.
Krueeek…
The old wooden door slowly opened, its dry hinges breaking the silence.
A graceful, middle-aged woman stepped outside. Worry was evident on her face, but the moment her eyes fell on the young man standing there, lost in his thoughts, her expression softened into love.
"Mi-noo, my baby, where have you been? Do you have any idea how worried Mumma was?" she said, pulling him into a tight embrace.
"Mi-noo, don't scare your mother like this.
You're the only one I have left in my life… the only reason I'm holding myself together.
Otherwise, I would have fallen apart long ago." This time, her eyes filled with tears, and her voice carried sadness.
Mi-noo returned to reality the moment his mother pulled him into her arms. Hearing such words from the one who meant everything to him, and seeing tears fall from her eyes, broke whatever restraint he had left. He burst into tears.
What he had seen earlier—Ji-a with someone else, and the way she had behaved—had already wounded his heart deeply. He had barely managed to hold himself together, but now, seeing his mother like this, even that strength gave way. He let all his held-back tears and the pain buried inside his heart flow freely.
Just a while ago, it was this very heart that had gone against his mind and taken Ji-a's side… but now, it could no longer bear the pain. After all, it's a heart—hopelessly foolish…
The small house, made up of three rooms, was simple yet neatly arranged—truly a home because of the love shared between this mother and son.
Mi-noo's mother, Mi-ha, still holding him close, walked inside and made him sit on the sofa.
"Mi-noo, I'm going to prepare food. Until then, go freshen up."
Mi-noo looked at her. Her features were beautiful, but her face carried clear signs of exhaustion and stress. Yet even now, more than her tiredness, he could see her love for him. Her blue eyes, though weary, were filled with warmth.
The pain on his face slowly faded, replaced by a faint smile. His heart, moments ago weighed down by sorrow, now felt lighter in the presence of her boundless love. He stood up and hugged her.
"You go and rest. You must be tired. I'll cook today," he said gently, kissing her forehead before heading off to freshen up.
...........................
Sitting at the dining table, both of them were eating quietly.
"Mumma… you should quit your job now and rest. I've gotten a job at a restaurant," Mi-noo said softly.
"What?!" Mi-ha responded sharply. "Didn't I tell you that until your studies are complete, you won't involve yourself in anything else? I'm working this hard so you can have a successful future—so you don't have to live a life like mine and your father's."
Her tone was firm, but she couldn't maintain it. By the end, her eyes filled with tears.
"Mumma, ever since father passed away, I've only seen you working… taking care of the house, doing a job, handling everything. I can't watch you like this anymore. Have you ever looked at yourself? You look so unwell…" he said, his voice heavy.
"I had to do all this… and I still have to," she replied. "Because you are my responsibility… and you're the only one I have left. When your father was alive, he took care of everything. But after he left us, I had to take care of you and myself… and keep life moving forward…"
Before she could finish, Mi-noo spoke.
"When father was here, he took care of everything because he was the man of the house. And after he left, you did it because I was a child. But now I've grown up. I'm not your responsibility anymore—you are mine now."
His voice carried determination.
"And this responsibility is given by God to every son. I will fulfill it, no matter what."
"And don't worry—I won't let my studies suffer. My success is your dream… and father's too. Do you really think your son is so incapable that he won't be able to fulfill his parents' dreams?"
Hearing the maturity, responsibility, and warmth in his voice, Mi-ha's tears began to fall again.
"How much more will you cry because of this useless son of yours?" Mi-noo said lightly. "Am I really that bad that you get upset just by seeing me or hearing me?"
"If you don't stop crying, your father will complain to God on the Day of Judgment that his beloved wife was troubled so much by his useless son that she started crying! And then what will happen to me… God knows! I won't be able to bear it! I can already imagine myself screaming—Aaaah! Ooooh! It hurts already just thinking about it!"
He started off serious, but by the end, he exaggerated dramatically.
"Pfft—bahaha… hahaha!"
Mi-ha burst into la.ught.er through her tears.
"Foolish boy! I'm your mother.. No matter how disobedient a child may be, a mother can never grow tired of them. And I've been blessed with. such a kind and obedient son… why would I cry? These were tears of happiness—that my little boy has grown up."
She stood up and embraced him once again. Tears fell onto Mi-noo's shirt, soaking into it.
"Can you see, Hyu-noo?… Our love's little blessing… has blossomed so beautifully," she said, looking up.
Tears slipped down her eyes, drop by drop, yet her face held a proud smile—one filled with love.
.............................
It was his first day at the restaurant. For now, he had gotten a job there as a waiter. Since the salary was reasonable, he decided to take the job.
"Mi-noo, serve this dish to table number 4." the head chef ordered.
He picked up the dishes and walked out of the kitchen.
As his eyes fell on table number 4, he stepped toward it—but the very next moment, his steps came to a halt. The two people sitting at the table were none other than Ji-a… and that same boy.