My Girlfriend’s Fortune: 3,141,592,653,589

Chapter 56: Let's Have the Wedding First

TL: Aniea

"Orabeoni!"

"Yes."

As the tearful reunion between Kang Woo-ju and Kang Byul came to an end, Kim Ji-hye, who had been watching the whole process, smiled and said a word.

"Son?"

The language of humans is truly mysterious. The same word can take on countless meanings depending on the context or situation, just like now.

At her call, Kang Woo-ju hesitated for a moment before quickly adding more words.

"I have prepared a separate gift for you, Mother."

"Oh, you didn’t have to."

Hoho-

Contrary to her words, a smile blossomed on Kim Ji-hye's face. She was surprised at herself for laughing with a hint of humor, something that had not come easily until recently.

'...I never thought life could change so dramatically.'

Until recently, she had felt sorry even to talk to her children, let alone meet them with a smile.

After her husband, Kang Nam-woo, collapsed, their family was in no condition to joke around.

It was, of course, something she couldn't be unaware of that Kang Woo-ju was cutting back on his already insufficient sleep to support them.

Her daughter was also managing her studies and part-time jobs simultaneously, covering her tuition and living expenses herself. Sometimes, she even sent leftover pocket money.

'...I felt so guilty and ashamed.'

It took a lot of contemplation to bring up her son's number on the screen and press the call button.

She worried if she might disturb him while he was working or sleeping. She feared that she might only add to his stress when he was already tired.

As a parent who couldn't even help her children, it brought tears to her eyes to ask for help in such a miserable situation.

'I heard nowadays kids call parents like us dirt spoons?'

It was something she had heard during a text conversation with a friend from her hometown. They said that a child's life also changes based on the parent's social status or economic power.

When she heard those words, she felt utterly devastated, thinking she and her husband had passed on poverty to their children.

'It's a world where it's hard to take care of oneself...'

In such a situation, how hard must it be to carry the burden of sick parents on their backs?

Several times, she even thought that it might be better for her to die early for their sake.

If they weren't held back by their parents, her proud son and daughter, who could certainly soar high, very high, with their abilities, would do so.

"Oppa, but is it really okay for me to use this money?"

"Is it not enough?"

"No! Not at all. You know that's not what I meant. It's just that it's money I could only barely earn by working full-time during the vacation."

"That's why I'm giving it to you. This semester, take it easy for a bit. You’re a college student too, so you should enjoy campus life like others sometimes."

"..."

Listening to the conversation between her two children, Kim Ji-hye felt something welling up inside her again.

They always fought and snarled at each other when they met, but it was nice to see them unhesitatingly extend a helping hand when the other was in trouble.

Especially seeing Kang Woo-ju take care of his sister, doing the parental role they couldn’t fulfill, made her think a lot.

"By the way, the expiration period is until this month. The usage should include cultural activities like shopping or traveling. You need to write a report on where and how much you spend and get my approval."

"Are you crazy. Why should I do that!?"

"Otherwise, you'll just use it to repay your student loans or save it all. That's not what this money is for."

"..."

Kang Byul couldn’t easily find words to respond, as if he had hit the mark. Since she was very young, Kang Woo-ju had always been attuned to his family's thoughts.

Even if they didn’t ask for help, he would step forward and scratch their itches.

"What do you know..."

"What did you say?"

"No, Boss! Please calm down first. Listen to what I'm saying. I know you have a lot of money now, but if you keep spending it recklessly like this, you'll be in big trouble later!"

"Don’t worry, nothing like that will happen. Just use it."

"Ah, really, you stubborn mule!"

Watching the two of them brought back old memories. During their school days, when the household hadn’t faced such hardships, these kinds of arguments were frequent.

They would raise their voices over even the smallest things, always ending with the same conclusion.

"Mom!!"

Just like now.

Kang Byul, who could never win against Kang Woo-ju alone, would always call for backup in the end.

"Mom, say something! Being an actor is already an unstable job, but if he keeps developing this habit of spending money recklessly, it’ll be a disaster!"

"I probably manage my expenses more systematically than you do."

"Oh, come on. I'm not blind. No matter how hot of a rookie actor you are these days, you must have been a nobody when you signed the contract. How much could you have earned..."

"Our daughter is really interested in her oppa."

Huhu-

Kim Ji-hye, who was reminded of old memories, didn't hide her smile. It felt like she had been granted the role of a parent again after a long time.

It had always been her job to mediate their fights. She felt a nostalgic sensation.

"Byul, don't make things too difficult for your oppa."

"...Mom!?"

"Honestly, Mom still can't believe the current situation. I'm so happy that I'm scared if everything will turn out to be a dream when I wake up."

"Mom..."

Kang Byul called her in a low voice, filled with sincerity, and Kang Woo-ju quietly looked away.

Although not many words were exchanged, her true feelings seemed to have been clearly conveyed to both of them.

"Not only has your father, who was told he'd never walk again, successfully completed his surgery, but as a parent, it’s so heartwarming to see you two having friendly conversations like before."

"...How is this a friendly conversation."

"Huhu. I understand what my daughter is worried about. You’re concerned that your oppa might be involved in something bad, right?"

"No, I've never worried about someone like him."

"Is my daughter feeling embarrassed now?"

"...Absolutely not?"

Kang Byul pouted and grumbled, but to Kim Ji-hye, even that was adorable. It meant that they had enough leeway to joke around with each other.

"We don't know the full details either. For now, we just decided to trust your oppa, Woo-ju. He’ll explain everything when the time comes."

"...Mom."

"It's been a while since I heard you call me that. Ever since you met your girlfriend, you’ve always put strength into your voice and called me 'Mother,' haven’t you?"

"Ahem."

With no valid rebuttal, Kang Woo-ju merely cleared his throat. Watching him, Kim Ji-hye quietly smiled again.

How long had it been since she felt this familial atmosphere? If her husband were here, it would have been even noisier with him teasing Kang Woo-ju.

'Soon, such a day will come.'

She couldn’t even remember the last time she imagined a happy future.

Life had been so heavy and tough that she couldn't dare look ahead to the future.

But now, the image of a happy family was so easy to imagine. The number of people in her mind started to increase one by one.

'...He would be sitting over there.'

Her husband, Kang Nam-woo, would sit beside her. Naturally, Kang Woo-ju’s position would be across from them.

Next to Kang Woo-ju would be his wife, Kim Eun-ha. An incredibly pretty child with a bright smile.

Beyond just her looks or abilities, she was a deeply considerate child.

'Thanks to her, I endured today too.'

A risky surgery with no guaranteed success. Her son was busy with filming, and her daughter had overlapping exams. Under normal circumstances, she would have had to endure the long hours alone.

- Mother, I’m here.

- Daughter-in-law!? What brings you here…

- Woo-ju asked me. He said Father is undergoing surgery today and he was worried about you being alone.

- Oh dear, I know you must be busy too. Just seeing your face is enough to give me strength. You should go back to your work.

- It’s alright. Although I am actually busy, luckily, I have some free time today. Can I sit next to you?

Kim Eun-ha said this as she naturally sat beside her. She stayed by her side for hours.

She spoke so beautifully. Talking with her made her smile without realizing it.

- That time, I caught Woo-ju charging at me and flipped him backward! He was so furious and wanted to go again!

- Woo-ju does have a bit more competitive spirit than others.

- Right? Oh, speaking of competitive spirit, I just remembered something else. Before, when I went shooting guns with Woo-ju. There…

- CEO-nim, we really have to leave now.

- Already!?

When her secretary came to tell her it was time to leave, she looked so apologetic.

Even though she had to leave for work, she kept looking back, so she had to be gently pushed out.

'She's really too good for us in many ways, but...'

With all the talk around, it was impossible not to know her identity. The granddaughter of the Mirae Group's Chairman, the most prestigious in Korea.

Honestly, it was a bit burdensome. She worried about why someone who had everything would be with her son.

But today, during their one-on-one conversation, watching Kim Eun-ha’s varied expressions, she understood a little.

‘…Such a pretty child.’

In the imagined future family in her mind, another person was added. A small, precious life nestled in Kim Eun-ha's arms.

Though she didn’t have a prophetic ability, the child’s face was so vividly clear.

“...Mom?”

“Oh, sorry. I was lost in thought for a moment.”

“Speaking of which, you said you were not feeling well. If you’re unwell, let’s go home and rest early, okay? How about sleeping comfortably at home instead of the hospital for once?”

"This child, I'm telling you the hospital room is better than our house."

Hoho-

Laughter kept bubbling up. She felt as if she wanted this moment to last forever.

*

“Where are we going now?”

“To the house where I live.”

“…Did you buy a house already?”

“No, Eun-ha lent it to me temporarily.”

“…Damn. The class difference is real.”

The brief reunion at the café ended. I headed home with my mother and sister.

Despite my mother’s insistence on waiting at the hospital, the doctor's assurance that he wouldn’t wake up until at least tomorrow afternoon finally made her give in.

“…Wow. You really live here?"

“…It’s much bigger than I heard.”

“Mom, look over there! It even has a garden!”

Not the semi-basement we used to live in, but Kim Eun-ha’s mansion where I was currently staying. Naturally, I had asked for her consent in advance.

- Sure. I think giving Mother the master bedroom on the first floor and Byul the guest room on the second floor would be appropriate. I’ll inform the housekeeper.

- Thank you very much.

- You know this is all a debt, right?

- Absolutely. No doubt about it.

Kim Eun-ha agreed readily. She even suggested that my parents stay at this house after being discharged. Truly, she’s a generous person.

“Mom! The dining table is set too!"

“Oh my… What is all this?”

“There’s someone who regularly cooks and cleans. It seems Eun-ha specially requested it for today because you’re coming.”

“Oh my…”

The table was set with a feast, far more than usual, enough for three people. From braised short ribs to kimchi stew, the luxurious spread made our mouths water, and we happily filled our stomachs.

“…Alright, I’ve decided.”

In the midst of our meal, Kang Byul put down her chopsticks, which she had been clutching tightly as if someone might snatch them away, and mumbled to herself.

Curious about what she was up to, I looked at her. She met my gaze with a serious expression.

“Oppa.”

“…?”

“Let’s get the wedding over with quickly. No, first, just sign the papers! We need to settle this before my sister-in-law realizes the truth!”

“…What?”

“Oppa, remember what I’m saying. This is truly a heaven-sent opportunity. I really don’t understand why someone like her likes you, but…!!”

“Oh, this crazy girl."

“Hmm? You understand, right? Are you listening to me?"

"Just eat your food, you brat!"

Even with the rare swearing from our mother, my sister’s determined eyes didn’t waver, and I let out a quiet sigh in my heart.