End of a Busy Day

"The guy I was talking to earlier is my friend who runs this place with his wife now," Gim Da explained as they sat at a table. Joon-won looked around and saw the small restaurant quickly filling with people—mostly office workers who had just gotten off work—eating meat and enjoying drinks.

It didn't take long for the food to arrive. The owner set up the grill in the middle of their table and provided them with various cuts of meat. Gim Da, the most experienced among them, took the initiative to grill the meat while the others waited.

As Gim Da was cooking, Joon-won turned to Seonu, who was sitting beside him. "Who's taking care of the store if you and the boss are here?" Normally, Seonu worked during this time, and the boss was there most of the day.

"Oh, I didn't go to work today. I usually don't go on weekends because I attend a prep school for exams this summer. I came here right after my class. The store has another employee, and the boss's wife is looking after the place," Seonu explained.

Joon-won nodded, thinking about his sister when he heard Seonu mention exams. Both were the same age and needed to take a national exam for university spots. While Seonu was diligently attending prep school, his sister was worrying their parents by not coming home. He decided to ask Jung-hwa to check on his sister after she returned to town.

Even though he didn't know his sister and father well, he felt responsible for them. Joon-won's memories and feelings were gradually blending with Zen Su's, affecting his decisions and thoughts without him realizing it.

Dinner went smoothly. Joon-won talked with Eum Kyung about his book, giving feedback as a reader. After a full meal, they all separated. Joon-won walked back home but stopped in front of the building, deciding to head to the park instead to digest the meal.

Taking a slow walk, he noticed the bustling streets. High schoolers with skateboards, couples strolling, and a few shady figures selling drugs marked the lively yet rough area he lived in. He finally reached the park and found a bench to sit on after searching for a while due to the abundance of couples.

His phone rang, and he saw it was Kim Min-seok, probably calling about his exam results.

He picked up and heard an anxious voice. "How did the exam go, Joon-won? It's okay if you failed; I won't be angry," Min-seok assured him before he could respond.

"Dad, calm down. Why do you think I'd fail? I did well and passed. I was in the middle ranks of the class. Everything went well," he assured him.

Min-seok instantly brightened. "Hahaha, that's wonderful, Joon-won. Great job! Dad is proud of you. Now, where are you? You should go out and celebrate with your friends. Do you need some money?"

Joon-won sighed, understanding his father's concern about money, likely due to the old Joon-won's spending habits. "No, it's alright. I already had a little celebration. I'm in a park right now, resting. What about you? Is Yun-hee home?"

Min-seok's voice fell as he mentioned Yun-hee. "Ugh, don't remind me about that child. She came back very late last night without telling me where she was. Today she woke up at 11, rushed out, and hasn't come back yet. I'm very concerned about her. The exams are only three weeks away. I don't know what to do."

Joon-won felt bad for his father. As a father himself in his past life, he understood Min-seok's helplessness. His own son had lived leisurely, relying on his brother, the crown prince. It took a harsh beating from his wife to set him straight.

"Don't worry, Dad. Teenagers are often secretive and rebellious. I'm sure she'll get herself together in the coming days," Joon-won comforted him, thinking, 'If she doesn't, even after asking Jung-hwa's help, I'll have to go there and fix her myself.'

"Hahaha, it's reassuring hearing that from you, even though you're still 19 and in your teenage years. It looks like you've matured a bit after going there. Let's hope she gets her life together," Min-seok said.

Joon-won, though only a year older than his sister, felt very old inside. They continued talking for a bit before he headed back home and jumped onto his bed, exhausted from the busy day.

[He doesn't even notice how his personality is changing due to the old owner's memories. He's not usually someone who thinks much about others, but today he's concerned about his 'sister and father.' Well, everything is for the better,] the system murmured to itself, unheard by anyone.