Chapter 20: An Emotional Reunion Part 3

** Yoo Seonmi's POV **

I couldn't continue that line of thought any longer because we finished eating and everyone left the room except for Jinna and Jiseok.

"First of all, I owe you an apology. Forgive me for doubting you and the care you've provided for my girls. I've been a terrible friend," I said, sincerely apologizing from the depths of my heart.

They looked puzzled and didn't understand why I was apologizing until I explained part of the conversation I had with the girls earlier.

"Seonmi, you don't need to apologize for anything. It's normal for you to think that way, and we truly understand. Just last week, we heard about a news story where a blood relative beat up their nephew simply because he didn't obey an errand," Jinna said, trying to console me. Jiseok added that it made the news, and the person was arrested for child abuse.

"In that case, let me express my gratitude. You have taken care of my little ones and shouldered the expenses for both families, not to mention the medical costs. I'm sure it has not been easy, and despite it all, you have cared for my babies so much and so well," I couldn't help but cry as I finished speaking. But it was the truth. I composed myself and continued, "I owe you an immeasurable debt. Not to mention the expenses for five years worth of food, clothing, education, transportation, and medical care. Those can be calculated and paid back, but the love, affection, and care you have given my babies when we could not— I can never repay that. So, thank you."

Jinna rushed to hug me and offer comfort.

"You've been through a lot, Seonmi. You went through something no one expected or wanted. You're my sister in everything but blood, and Jung is like a brother-in-law to me because of you. The same goes for Jiseok. Jung is his brother in everything but blood, and you are like a sister-in-law. We are practically family in every way except blood. And I know that if the roles were reversed, you would have taken care of our babies just like we did yours," she continued to console me.

All I could do was hold her tightly and sob. I don't know how much time passed like that. But I composed myself and spoke again.

"Perhaps it is not the best moment, but I need to know, how did you manage everything? From what I heard from the doctor, the medical expenses alone are close to a small fortune, not to mention the cost of living for the past five years. I know you both always save money, and the insurance Jung and I paid for was only in case of death. It was our mistake—we never thought something like this would happen, so you could not benefit from that money to help you. So how did you keep everything afloat? Did you win the lottery or something?" I asked because I genuinely can't imagine how they could afford it all.

I also need to know exactly how much they spent and figure out what I can pay right now. Even if they don't want me to repay them, I have to do it—it's a debt of gratitude and life.

"Well, it is a bit embarrassing actually, but we will explain everything. It's a bit long, so brace yourself," Jiseok said. He seems genuinely uncomfortable with the topic. Did they have to take out loans or rely on charity? I don't know, but I feel anxious that he is embarrassed about what happened.

Then he began to explain something that I can only describe as a fantasy story. Now I understand why he is so ashamed.

Apparently, they were completely lost, and their budget could only cover expenses for the first week. But little Jihu, whom we have always known is exceptionally intelligent and mature for his age, exceeded our expectations and turned out to be more of a genius than we thought.

Not only did Jihu figure out the household's financial limitations on his own, but he also came up with the solution and used Jiseok's name and position to sell a program that Jihu himself created in just a few hours, making it appear as though Jiseok deserved all the credit. It sounds like a plot from a movie.

"That is why you don't need to worry about owing us anything. I know you well, and I can already see you calculating how much you owe us and how to repay it. Listen here Seonmi, you don't owe us anything, and don't even think that you owe Jihu. If he ever suspects that you feel like you owe him, he will stop at nothing to make you believe otherwise, and before you know it, he will be the one paying you," Jinna said, as if reading my mind.

"Putting debts aside for now, as much as I hear about how wonderful and incredible little Jihu is, I worry more about Seonhwa. Do you know anything about their relationship? From what I have observed, she adores him even more than in the past. It is evident that she is hopelessly in love with Jihu. However, based on what I have heard from her, it does not seem to be reciprocated. Does he maybe have a girlfriend and Seonhwa is just not aware?" I had to ask. I don't want to meddle in their relationship, but I can't help but worry about my girl. She was dependent on Jihu even before the accident, and now that she has grown up and fallen for him, I fear she might get hurt or do something foolish.

"It's complicated. It is clear that Jihu adores Seonhwa, but that applies to the entire family. We can't definitively say whether his feelings for Seonhwa are purely familial or romantic. But that is also because our kids are incredibly private. Look at Wooseok, he has been dating Hyo-ri for two and a half years now, and although we suspected it, we only confirmed it today. And Wooseok isn't as meticulous as Jihu. With Jihu, we can't even begin to guess what's going on in his head; he is just too clever," Jinna said with a hint of sadness.

"Do you think he is hiding a girlfriend, a secret lover perhaps? I wanted to ask if he likes girls, but I did not want to sound offensive."

"Honestly, I don't think so. He is almost always with a family member; very rarely does he go out alone. I suspected it when he started going to the gym a few years ago, but I dismissed the idea when he invited Seonhwa to join him. However, I have a theory about what's going on, and it worries me more that my theory might be correct," Jinna said looking concerned. I glanced at Jiseok, who just seemed puzzled. For a moment, I thought Jinna would discuss Jihu's romantic preferences, but that was not the case.

What she said next left me stunned. She believes that Jihu is traumatized by our accident. The evidence lies in how overprotective he has become with the family. He constantly observes everyone and can't feel at ease unless he has everything under control.

"A few years ago, he convinced us to move to a safer neighborhood, and then he persuaded us to hire bodyguards and security teams. Around the same time, he started going to the gym and also went on to learn self-defense and convinced Seonhwa to join him. Everything points to trauma. He wants to increase everyone's safety levels and as a result, he does not have space in his mind for anything other than keeping the family safe," said Jinna.

I couldn't help feeling even worse now. Jinna's words made sense, and it means that Jihu has suffered greatly because of us. No wonder Seonhwa's subtle attempts to romantically catch his attention seemed to not work. If he is preoccupied with such a heavy matter, he would not notice or just conveniently ignore them. I need to talk to him.

It's clear that our accident has burdened young Jihu's mind significantly. We placed a heavy load on him, and now we must find a way to help, "I have heard from the girls that they received psychological assistance, which helped them greatly. Perhaps the same approach could work for Jihu as well..."

"We tried that Seonmi," Jinna said, her resignation evident. "But the psychologist we hired did not find any issues. However, we know Jihu is too clever; he likely deceived the psychologist completely."

"Jihu's intelligence can sometimes be a double-edged sword," I added sharing Jinna's resignation. "If that is the case, all we can do is support him as best we can and hope he overcomes this."

"Do you think I should talk to him privately? Would that be a good idea, or could it make things worse?" I asked, feeling lost and uncertain.

"It's an excellent idea. What Jihu needs most is to feel secure, to know that even if he distances himself from us for a while, nothing bad will happen," Jinna reassured me.

After they left the room, Jihu entered. Observing him more closely, I noticed he had grown into a handsome young man. Tall, slim, with short black hair, the results of his training were evident. His muscles weren't exaggerated, but they were well-defined, and there was hardly a trace of fat on his body. If I had to rate him, it would be a perfect 10 out of 10.

Seonhwa definitely needed to break down his emotional walls quickly; otherwise some other girl might beat her to it. If Jihu's mind weren't so preoccupied with everyone's safety, he would likely have several girls vying for his attention. He had everything a young woman could desire; looks, intelligence, wealth, a good family, physical fitness, a great personality, and even cooking skills. My daughter was in for a challenge.

"How are you auntie? It's been a long time since we last spoke," he said, trying to sound calm, but I detected sadness and guilt in his voice.

I didn't remember much about that day. From what I was told, he was also in the car with us. We had planned to drop him off at school. But my memories were fuzzy. I recalled a self-service station and buying coffee, but then everything went blank.

"I'm better, dear. To me, it feels like we spoke just this morning, so I can't say it has been that long. But look at you, you have grown into a handsome young man. I can't address you like a child anymore; my bad," I replied, attempting to sound both calm and humorous.

"How do you feel? Tell your auntie about these past years. I've heard bits from your parents and the girls, but I would like to hear it from your perspective. And of course, Wooseok will follow," I said, feigning curiosity and excitement, hoping to encourage him to open up a bit more.

I don't know if it worked or not, but he started telling me everything. The story was the same, with one key difference compared to when the girls or Jinna and Jiseok told it; Jihu hardly mentioned his own involvement in what others considered important. Even when he did mention participating in something, he downplayed the significance of his role. It's as if he does not want me to feel indebted to him, just like Jinna said.

Then he focused more on how the girls have been and recounted many of their mischievous escapades, embarrassing moments for everyone, and more. He painted it all with the intention of making me happy, which was very considerate of him.

"Thank you for sharing everything from your perspective, Jihu. I appreciate it, and I really enjoyed hearing about all the antics," I said, recalling the funniest story he mentioned.

That story was a prank that Jinhee and Seunghae played on Seonhwa, with Jihu's assistance. They set up two boxes—one with Seunghae's head sticking out and the other with Jinhee's legs. They pretended the body parts were detached, and it was hilarious.

"Now tell me, as a nearly adult young man, do you have any plans for the future? Perhaps a career you want to study? Any projects you would like to undertake? Or maybe you are thinking of starting a family? Is there a girl you like? Spill the beans, auntie is dying of curiosity, especially after seeing Wooseok with a girlfriend he kept hidden from everyone," I teased, trying to sound as gossipy as possible. I watched Jihu think carefully before responding.

"I plan to finish high school, then complete mandatory military service, and finally start a business. As for creating a family, I think I will need more time to consider such a significant responsibility. And yes, there is a girl I like, but I don't think it's a good idea to pursue a relationship. I'm not the best boyfriend material, and besides, I have a lot on my plate... finishing high school, military service, and other things," he said, looking a bit melancholic for some reason.

I was completely surprised by his response. His plans were clear, and he believed he wouldn't make a good boyfriend. But who is this girl he likes? Could it be Seonhwa? The curiosity gnawed at me, yet I didn't have the courage to ask.

After Jihu left, I called in Wooseok.

"Look at you, all grown up and responsible. From what I've heard, you have never faltered in being a super hyung and super oppa, taking care of my babies," I said to Wooseok, evaluating him. While he wasn't as tall as Jihu and lacked the same physical fitness, he still exuded professionalism in his business suit. His brown hair resembled Jinna's, and overall, he was an 8 out of 10.

"Thank you for the compliments, auntie. It's great to see you and talk to you again. We really missed you a lot. And you don't need to thank me; I did not really do much. Honestly, it was all my parents' and Jihu's work. Without them, I wouldn't have known what to do," he said modestly, a hint of embarrassment in his expression.

Ah, now I understand why Jihu also downplays his actions. If Wooseok is equally humble or even more so, and considering how much Jihu adores and idolizes his hyung, there is no doubt where he learned that exaggerated modesty. Despite growing into handsome and responsible young men, they are still kids in some matters.

"I disagree. I've heard from the girls how you've always taken care of them, buying them toys, playing with them—even when you're busy with your studies. Jihu considers you the best hyung in the world. There's no way I'll accept that you haven't done much. I'm infinitely grateful to you, just like everyone else," I said sincerely. His eyes reddened slightly, as if he might cry, but he managed to hold back and simply nodded in response.

"Now, tell me about yourself. How have you been during this time? How did things unfold from your perspective? And spill the beans about that well-hidden romance with Hyo-ri. Auntie wants to know every juicy detail—don't leave anything out!" I teased, eager to hear his side of the story.