SANN | Chapter 10.3

A radiant smile spread across Gureum’s face, bright like blooming flowers. Sieon chuckled softly as he carefully deboned a piece of fish and placed it on Gureum’s rice. Gureum quietly chewed the fish Sieon had prepared for him. Every time Sieon added side dishes to Gureum’s bowl, the couple’s amazed gazes lingered.

“Wow, Sieon, you’ve really grown up.”

“Didn’t I tell you?”

Sieon ignored their murmurs as if he hadn’t even heard them. He clearly hadn’t expected a response, and Choi Eunkyung and Chae Youngwoo returned to their conversation after a while, smiling warmly as they watched Gureum happily finishing half his rice bowl.

“How’s the food? Is it to your liking?”

“Yes…! It’s really delicious. The galbijjim is…”

At Choi Eunkyung’s kind inquiry, Gureum shyly ducked his head. Hearing that the galbijjim was delicious brought a flush of pride to Chae Youngwoo’s face.

“Oh, you liked the galbijjim? I made that! Stop by whenever you feel like it.”

“…Th-thank you…! You’re an amazing cook…”

Soon, a generous helping of galbijjim was piled onto Gureum’s plate. As Gureum’s rice bowl was being emptied with gusto, the front door suddenly burst open. Footsteps echoed, followed by a loud voice.

“Ah, I’m starving! Wow, what’s that smell? You’re eating without me ag—oh, shoot.”

The unexpected intruder grimaced upon seeing Sieon. Sieon, upon hearing the voice, frowned just as deeply. Judging by the strong resemblance to Choi Eunkyung, this must be the older sister he’d only heard about. Gureum, caught off guard, darted his eyes around nervously.

“Well, well, look who it is. A rare guest! I almost forgot what you looked like.”

“Haa… You didn’t tell her we were coming?”

“I did tell her, but… Did you miss the message, Siyoung?”

“Message? No idea! Anyway, what’s with this guy? Who is he…?”

“Uh… uh…”

Siyoung’s gaze landed on Gureum, her eyes widening in surprise. Feeling small under the scrutiny of a stranger, Gureum froze in place, his mouth slightly open. Tsk. Sieon clicked his tongue and tapped Gureum’s thigh, signaling it was okay. Just as Sieon was about to explain their relationship, Choi Eunkyung beat him to it.

“Who else? He’s going to be our son-in-law.”

“Son-in-law? Who? It’s not me, so… Don’t tell me, Chae Sieon?!”

“Yes. Say hello. You’re scaring him.”

Siyoung’s jaw dropped. Gureum hesitantly stood and bowed politely to her.

“Uh, h-hello… I’m Seon Gureum…”

“My goodness, you look like a baby… Oh, sorry! I’m Chae Siyoung. Just call me noona.”

“Y-yes… no-noon… uh…”

Sieon gently pulled Gureum back to his seat, patting his sleeve. Gureum awkwardly sat back down. As Chae Youngwoo brought a bowl of rice for Siyoung, the atmosphere at the dining table quickly became lively.

Sieon glared at his sister, clearly unimpressed, but Siyoung, equally irritated, growled back.

“What are you staring at?”

“Enough, both of you!”

Chae Youngwoo’s intervention had Sieon sighing as he picked up his spoon again. Siyoung, deciding it wasn’t worth the effort, shoved her focus onto her meal instead.

“Please understand, our little son-in-law. These kids may be grown, but they’re still far from mature…”

“Oh, no, it’s fine…!”

Gureum shook his head vehemently. Siyoung, watching him with a curious expression, raised a brow and asked, “But Gureum-ssi, you look very young. If it’s not rude, may I ask your age?”

“Goodness, what kind of question is that? Just eat, won’t you?”

Choi Eunkyung interrupted immediately, trying to deflect. But Gureum, ever the honest one, blurted out his answer.

“Um… I’m twenty…”

Pfft. Cough, cough! Siyoung, who had been sipping soup, choked violently. After gulping down water, her reddened face turned toward Gureum as she exclaimed.

“What?! Twenty?! He doesn’t just look young—he really is young! Mom, Dad, were you seriously calling this kid your son-in-law?!”

“Hmph.”

The couple avoided Siyoung’s sharp glare. Her incredulous laugh rang out.

“Unbelievable! I’m the only sane one in this family! Chae Sieon, this is insane! Twenty? Have you lost your mind?!”

Siyoung grabbed a spoon and aimed it at Sieon’s head, swinging it wildly. Sieon dodged every blow with an irritating smirk, which only fueled her frustration.

The dining table descended into chaos. Choi Eunkyung and Chae Youngwoo scrambled to calm Gureum, who looked ready to shrink into his chair.

“Siyoung, you’re scaring him! Stop it!”

“I’m just angry for his sake! Poor Gureum-ssi, getting mixed up with this guy…”

“…I know. I know hyung and I have a big age gap…”

Hearing this, Sieon glanced at Gureum in mild surprise. He’d never given their age difference much thought, but he was curious about Gureum’s perspective.

Despite his embarrassment, Gureum took a deep breath and decided to speak his mind, even in front of Sieon’s family.

“Still… hyung gave me a reason to live. If I hadn’t met him… I might not be here anymore. And most importantly, he doesn’t think I’m embarrassing. Even though I’m clueless and my heart is… sick, he doesn’t see it that way. He helped me get back on my feet… and I really appreciate that. It’s why… I don’t care about the age difference. Honestly, I just… like him…”

Gureum cautiously opened his eyes after his long confession, immediately meeting Sieon’s warm, smiling gaze. The rest of the family seemed stunned into silence.

Breaking the quiet, Siyoung muttered, “Too good. Way too good. For someone like Chae Sieon, it’s downright unfair…”

She resumed eating, apparently abandoning any further arguments.

Just as peace returned to the table, Chae Youngwoo shattered it with a single question.

“So, Gureum-ssi, have you thought about marrying Sieon?”

“Pfft!”

Gureum choked, coughing violently. While Sieon patted his back, he glared daggers at his father. Even Choi Eunkyung seemed to think this was too much and pinched her husband’s thigh. Despite the pain, Chae Youngwoo grinned and continued.

“Oh dear, did I surprise you? Don’t feel pressured. Just curious.”

“Uh… I thought… you couldn’t get married here…?”

“Goodness. That law changed ages ago! …Though I suppose you wouldn’t have known. Don’t worry about that.”

“…Oh…”

Gureum found himself imagining a future he hadn’t considered before—being married to Sieon. As the thought blossomed, his cheeks flushed bright red. Gureum bashfully scratched his neck, mumbling.

“If I could… marry hyung, I think I’d… like that…”

“Oh my! How adorable!”

Choi Eunkyung and Chae Youngwoo gushed at his boldness, while Sieon looked like he could float away from happiness. Siyoung, scowling in disgust, clicked her tongue.

“Look at this jerk’s face. He’s way too happy. What a thief.”

An excited Chae Youngwoo quickly jumped up from his seat and dashed to the kitchen. Muttering about how their “little son-in-law” looked too thin, he heaped another full bowl of rice and brought it over.

Thanks to that, Gureum ate until he was completely stuffed, even managing to pack away dessert on top of everything else. After the meal, he sat cozily with Sieon’s family, poring over old childhood photos of the siblings. They also handed him various herbal tonics and health foods, insisting they were good for him.

It was only after receiving all these gifts that Gureum and Sieon could finally head back home.

***

Gureum carefully retrieved the bag full of fruit from the trunk, making sure not to drop anything. Sieon was just as burdened, his hands also full. Somehow, they’d ended up with more to carry on the way back than when they had left. By the time they emptied their loads, the kitchen corner was completely stacked with items.

This never happened when Sieon went alone. It was clear Choi Eunkyung and Chae Youngwoo were truly fond of Gureum, treating him like a real son-in-law and showering him with care.

Both Sieon and Gureum had a habit of keeping things tidy, so they immediately set to work organizing the gifts. Gureum transferred the fruit into trays while Sieon divided up the food portions. As they worked side by side, Gureum, who had been quiet the entire time, finally spoke, his voice soft and cautious.

“Your parents seem like really kind people… so does your sister.”

“Do they?”

“Yes… so I’m relieved.”

“Why?”

“…Because it means you were loved.”

“……”

Sieon stopped for a moment, his lips tightening. Without saying anything, he turned Gureum toward him and gently stroked his cheek. Unsurprisingly, his hand came away damp.

“…So, you were envious, huh?”

“…A little… just a little.”

Sieon pulled Gureum into his arms, holding him close. Gureum rested his forehead against Sieon’s sturdy shoulder, quietly soaking in his warmth.

“I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize, hyung. It’s just… I couldn’t help thinking that if I’d grown up being loved, maybe I could’ve been by your side sooner… maybe things would’ve been better. That’s all.”

Gureum thought back to the happy family photos he had seen at Sieon’s parents’ house. Even though young Sieon often looked exhausted in the pictures, likely worn out from play, the entire family was always together. Even in graduation photos, no one was ever absent. Gureum, on the other hand, recalled how no one had come to his graduation.

Perhaps what Gureum truly longed for was the weight of all the love Sieon had accumulated over the years. At the same time, the emptiness of his own heart—always begging for scraps of affection—felt glaringly inadequate in Sieon’s presence. Maybe that’s why tears brimmed in his eyes without warning, purely from instinct.

Sieon pressed his lips gently to Gureum’s round forehead and spoke in a soft, reassuring tone.

“There’s no need to be envious. All the love I’ve received until now—it’s all yours now.”

“……”

“Just don’t run away because it’s overwhelming. If you do, I’ll really scold you. I’m going to pour all of it into you, so stay put and grow strong from it.”

“…O-okay… sniff…”

Hearing Sieon’s firm yet tender words, Gureum’s tears spilled over, streaming down his cheeks in earnest. He clung tightly to Sieon, his chest heaving as he sobbed.

“I-it’s not too much… sniff… I’ll give it all back… I’ll give you everything, too…”

“…You’re such a good kid.”

Sieon held Gureum’s tear-streaked face in his hands, rubbing his cheek against Gureum’s affectionately.

To be honest, when they first started seeing each other, Sieon hadn’t taken it all that seriously. He had intended to keep it casual, but things changed. He found himself thinking about Gureum constantly. It was likely love at first sight, though Sieon hadn’t realized it then.

He found peace in taking care of Gureum, like he was a child in need of guidance. When Gureum cried over trivial things, Sieon no longer found it irritating—he just wanted to kiss him and soothe his tears. Of course, crying in bed was an exception. That had a different effect.

If Gureum got hurt, Sieon would feel a surge of rage. Not long ago, he’d smashed a piece of furniture after Gureum bruised himself on one of its corners. He’d scared even himself, realizing what he’d done. After that incident, he padded every sharp edge in their home with cushion guards.

Now, Sieon’s entire world revolved around Gureum. He ate what Gureum wanted to eat, bought things he thought Gureum would like, and tailored his days around what might bring Gureum happiness. Far from finding this change unsettling, Sieon embraced it—it felt good, even fulfilling.

Sieon was used to accepting his emotions without much resistance. Perhaps it was the one successful outcome of his parents’ relentless efforts to raise him.

So, when he found himself doing things he’d never done before just to make Gureum happy, he didn’t overthink it. He simply concluded, Ah, so this is what it’s like to finally find someone to love.

With that thought, Sieon tightened his embrace around Gureum, threading his fingers through his soft hair. As he enjoyed the silky strands slipping through his fingers, a memory from earlier at his parents’ house popped into his mind. Gureum had called him his reason to live. A chuckle escaped Sieon’s lips.

“And Gureum… there’s something I didn’t get to tell you earlier.”

“…Yes?”

“Now, you’re my reason to live too.”

Gureum’s eyes widened, glistening with tears, as he looked up at Sieon. The sparkle in his gaze seemed almost radiant, as though it carried all the light of his emotions. His chest filled with warmth, and the once-empty space within him—his hollowed-out heart—was unknowingly starting to fill, little by little.