Chapter 6: A Familiar Discomfort

[Everyone, come down now.]

It was dinnertime.

Im Jeong-woo had been tidying his room and was just about to leave after belatedly checking the time.

*Drrrring—*

A phone call came at an odd moment. The caller was his father, from Korea.

“Hello?”

– Oh, Jeong-woo. Is this a good time to talk?

“Yes.”

He could have said he’d call back after dinner, but he intentionally answered. He figured if he didn’t go down soon, someone would come to fetch him, and he could use that as an excuse to end the conversation he didn’t want to have.

“Is something wrong?”

– No. Nothing’s wrong. It sounds like you think I only call when there’s an issue.

‘But you do,’ he thought.

The unspoken words swirled within him.

“My mother called a little while ago too, so I wondered if something was happening.”

– She did call, but she said you hung up quickly because you were busy.

“Yes, I was doing homework.”

– She seemed a little disappointed that you couldn’t talk much. Call her back, will you?

“Yes, I’ll call her later.”

His tone inadvertently grew stiffer. While it was true he had always used polite language with his parents, it hadn’t always been this formal. His family had once been quite harmonious, no different from any other ordinary household.

‘Jeong-woo, your mom and dad are so happy you came to us.’

He was what people called a ‘child born of the heart.’ After ten years of marriage without a child, his parents adopted him when he was less than a month old.

His parents always said they were lucky to have him, but in truth, he was the lucky one. They truly loved him as their own, and he grew up in an affluent home, wanting for nothing.

His younger sibling arrived when he was ten. His parents were flustered by the unexpected pregnancy. Yet, while his mother faced various difficulties carrying a child at a late age, the immature Im Jeong-woo was simply overjoyed to have a sibling. He prayed every day for his sibling to be born as soon as possible.

Perhaps his prayers were answered too strongly. The baby, who should have remained in his mother’s womb for ten months, arrived in the world after only seven. Naturally, his parents’ attention was entirely focused on the new arrival. As his mother spent months at the hospital, the time their once harmonious family spent together dwindled.

Even then, he believed their family could remain happy. He thought so even when the baby, beautiful as a treasure, finally came home.

Their relationship subtly shifted about a year later. It was when his fragile sibling, whom he feared might break if hugged, began to look more distinctly human.

‘There’s so much to see and so much to eat. It’ll be incredibly fun.’

That’s when his parents began suggesting he study abroad. They used every persuasive argument to convince him to choose Chicago as his study destination.

In truth, even after his sibling was born, he harbored no resentment towards his parents. Neither of them neglected him just because they had a biological child, and at just twelve years old, he couldn’t deeply ponder the differences.

But they say one year in childhood is worth several for adults. He simply understood, at some point, the difference between himself and his sibling. And that this study abroad wasn’t solely for his benefit.

– Is everything else alright? Do you need anything?

“No.”

– Okay. Let me know if you need anything at all.

“Yes.”

Even though they had pushed him to study abroad, his parents were still affectionate. His father rarely called, but his mother contacted him almost every other day, and during holidays in Korea, they tried diligently to cater to his needs. Yet, every time, the same question arose in his mind.

‘If you care so much, why did you send me to study abroad?’

It was a puzzle he couldn’t solve, no matter how much he pondered.

– Hmm… and… about what we talked about last time.

After a few minutes of asking about his well-being, his father, as expected, brought up the topic Im Jeong-woo most wanted to avoid. This was also why he had been increasingly reluctant to speak with his parents recently.

– We still think it would be better for you to transfer there. Have you thought about it?

“…I’ve thought about it, but I’m more comfortable staying here.”

– You might get comfortable there too, once you’re settled.

His father said ‘last time,’ but this unending debate had been ongoing since last year.

‘This is supposedly the best school.’

He wasn’t sure what they had heard from others, but his mother presented him with a compiled document from the study abroad agency. It was information about a prestigious private school in Chicago.

It was a large school with over a thousand students, and the document detailed various club activities, numerous programs, and diverse facilities. However, its reputation as an elite institution primarily stemmed from its academic results. Its Ivy League university acceptance rate was significantly higher than other private high schools.

A new conflict arose between Im Jeong-woo and his parents, who had never clashed except over the decision to study abroad. His parents wanted him to attend the new school, while he preferred to follow his original plan: attending the private high school within the same foundation as his current middle school. That was why he had chosen a private school system encompassing elementary, middle, and high school from the very beginning.

‘Still, it’s a better school, that’s why. The campus is 60,000 pyeong, and they have over 100 special programs. The study abroad agency said not to worry about transferring.’

With its expansive campus, excellent facilities, and high-quality classes and assessments, there was genuinely no reason to refuse. It even had a system for earning university credits in advance, making it a school anyone would aspire to attend. His parents were surely recommending such an expensive school because they wanted him to study in a better environment, not just because they wanted him to go to a good university.

However, there was only one reason he couldn’t accept their proposal, even knowing it was meant for his benefit.

The distance.

That school was much further inland than where he currently lived. According to the document, it boasted a beautiful lake and lush forest nearby, creating an ideal environment for students to focus, but such details were irrelevant to him. What mattered most was whether he could commute there from his current location.

Commuting to a place thirty miles away was impossible. Instead, there were two options: enrolling in a managed dormitory or moving to a new host family.

He wanted neither.

It wasn’t that he completely disliked the idea of adapting to a new environment, as his father had suggested. However, he wasn’t staying solely because he liked his current host family. If that were the only reason, he would have given in and followed his parents’ decision long ago.

[John. They said to come down for dinner.]

At a perfectly timed moment, an interruption arrived. Ray, coming to relay the hostess’s message, peered through the slightly open door.

[…Oh? Are you on the phone?]

[Yeah. I’ll hang up soon and come down. Just a moment.]

[Alright.]

He deliberately offered no further explanation, knowing that if Ray realized it was a call from Korea, he would likely be told to take his time. Watching the retreating figure, he informed his father that it was dinnertime.

– Well, then, think about it a little more, okay?

“Yes, I understand.”

Though the call was brief in reality, it felt incredibly long. A sigh escaped him naturally as he heard the dial tone.

“Haa…”

His parents, as he knew them, were not ones to easily change their minds once decided. Just as they had sent him to study abroad despite his reluctance, their method was to persistently persuade him once they set their minds on something. This time was no different, and the endless tug-of-war had been going on for nearly half a year.

‘Should I just give up now?’ The thought crossed his mind several times a day.

What would happen if the delicate balance between him and his parents shattered over this issue? If the true face of their once-obedient eldest son were revealed? Would even their superficial harmony vanish?

Though it felt unavoidable, no matter how much he thought about it, he simply couldn’t compromise this time.

Perhaps due to the call with his father, he found himself unable to concentrate on dinner.

The hostess, a native of Kansas City, had prepared skewered barbecue, a dish she hadn’t made in a while. He recalled complimenting its taste, but afterward, he couldn’t remember what it tasted like. His stomach, full of meat, felt heavy and uncomfortable.

Eventually, he asked for permission and went outside. Stepping out in his indoor track suit, with only a short puffer jacket thrown over it, the cold air struck his face. Chicago in February was still chilly enough for visible puffs of breath.

Though it was only 7 PM, he was advised not to go too far. So, he engaged in a strange exercise—neither a walk nor treading in place—just a few yards from the house in the yard. His shoulders, tensed against the cold, kept creeping up.

“…Huh?”

A voice from somewhere sounded familiar. Recognizing the speaker instantly, he sharply turned his head. Someone he had no reason to encounter at this hour was staring intently at him.

“Wow… It’s Jeong-woo.”

Less than two hours had passed since they last saw each other, but for some reason, the other person was clearly delighted, quickly revealing a bright smile. Im Jeong-woo returned the same expression.