Chp 45- The Sins of the Past #3
"No worries, dear. You sit here. I'll serve you breakfast." She pointed toward the dining area. "Your father-in-law will wake him up."
Then she added casually,
"And that too with a beating."
Tzuyu's eyes immediately widened. "W-with a beating?"
Her innocent expression made Mrs. Jeon burst into laughter. "Oh, don't look so frightened!" She waved her hand dismissively. "He doesn't wake up without getting beaten. He needs his morning blessings."
Tzuyu stared at her.
Morning blessings?
She wasn't sure whether Mrs. Jeon was joking or being completely serious. Mrs. Jeon, meanwhile, seemed perfectly normal.
"Your father-in-law will go upstairs in a short while."
Tzuyu slowly nodded, she wasn't sure what was more shocking. The fact that Minho apparently needed to be beaten to wake up, or the fact that everyone in this house considered it completely normal.
She quietly sat down. After a moment, she looked toward Mrs. Jeon and asked politely, "Can I help you with anything?"
Mrs. Jeon immediately shook her head. "No, no, dear. You just sit."
She looked at Tzuyu affectionately. "You look so beautiful. If you come near the stove, you'll be drenched in sweat." She gestured toward Lata. "Lata and I will handle everything. You enjoy your breakfast."
Tzuyu gave her a small smile. "Okay, Maa"
For a moment, she simply sat there quietly. The warmth of Mrs. Jeon's behavior made her feel slightly less uncomfortable. Perhaps this house wouldn't be as difficult as she had initially thought.
Little did she know... The real chaos of the Jeon household was about to begin.
_______
Upstairs, Mr. Jeon was already making his way toward Minho's room. And in his hand was a stick.
Not a small stick.
Not something decorative.
A proper stick.
Because apparently, waking up his grown-up son was not a simple task in the Jeon household. It was a daily battle.
Mr. Jeon walked down the hallway with a completely serious expression, gripping the stick firmly in one hand, he reached Minho's bedroom door.
Without knocking, he opened it. And the moment he looked inside.... He froze.
His eyes widened, his mouth fell open. For a few seconds, he simply stared. The man standing in front of him was dressed neatly, his hair still slightly damp from his shower.
Mr. Jeon looked at him, then at the bed, then back at him. His expression slowly turned into one of pure panic.
"Y...you?!"
Minho frowned. "Appa?"
Mr. Jeon took a cautious step backward. "Who are you?!"
Minho stared at him as if his father had finally lost his mind. "What?"
"Where is my son?!"
Minho's jaw dropped, he pointed at himself. "I am your son!"
"No!" Mr. Jeon shook his head firmly. "My son is supposed to be sleeping at this time!" He pointed accusingly at Minho. "You! Who are you? Where have you hidden him?"
Minho closed his eyes and took a long, tired breath, he had been married for barely a day and apparently, his father had already developed selective amnesia.
"Appa, seriously?" He rubbed his forehead. "What are you saying?" Then, with a teasing smile, he added, "I think memory loss is kicking in because of old age."
He walked closer and patted his father's shoulder. "Come on. Let me take you to our little doctor."
Mr. Jeon's eye twitched. "What did you say?"
Minho's smile instantly disappeared. "Nothing."
"What did you just say?!"
"I said nothing!"
"You called me old!"
"No, I said you're... experienced."
"You're trying to make it sound better!"
Mr. Jeon raised the stick. Minho's eyes immediately went wide.
"Appa.... wait!"
But it was already too late. Mr. Jeon swung the stick. Minho jumped backward and landed on the bed.
"APPAAAA!"
"Come here!"
"What are you doing?!"
Mr. Jeon swung again. Minho quickly moved out of the way. "Appa, have you forgotten I'm married now?!"
"So?!"
"I'm not like before anymore!" Minho grabbed a pillow and held it in front of himself like a shield. "I'm a responsible married man!"
Mr. Jeon scoffed. "Responsible?"
"Yes!" Minho nodded innocently
"You couldn't even wake up on time before marriage!"
"That was my old life!" Minho pointed dramatically at himself. "I'm a changed man!"
Mr. Jeon raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
"Yes!"
"Then come here."
Minho immediately shook his head. "No."
"See?" Mr. Jeon smirked. "Still the same."
Minho sighed. "Appa, please!" He slowly climbed down from the bed. "I'm not like before anymore, I'm married. I have a wife." He placed a hand over his chest dramatically. "At least stop beating me now!"
Mr. Jeon stared at him for a moment. Then, with an innocent smile, he lowered the stick. "Fine."
Minho's shoulders immediately relaxed. "Really?"
"I'll stop hitting you."
Minho smiled in relief. "Thank you, Appa."
"But" Mr. Jeon looked toward the door. "Now your wife will fix you."
Minho's smile vanished. "What?"
"I'll tell her right now to beat you every day."
Minho blinked. Instead of looking scared, however, his expression slowly changed. A tiny, almost shameless smile appeared on his face, he lowered his head shyly. "That works, Appa."
Mr. Jeon stared at him.
Minho's smile grew. "Even seven sins are forgiven if committed by her hands."
There was complete silence. Mr. Jeon looked at his son, his son looked back at him innocently. Mr. Jeon's face slowly turned red with disbelief.
He immediately swung the stick toward Minho's leg. Minho's eyes widened. "Appa!" He jumped away just in time.
The stick missed him, Mr. Jeon raised it again. "Come back here!"
"No!" Minho ran toward the door. "You said you wouldn't hit me!"
"I changed my mind!"
"That's not fair!"
"You deserve it!"
Minho ran out of the room, laughing nervously. "APPAAAA!"
Mr. Jeon chased after him, still holding the stick.
"MINHO! COME BACK!"
"NO!"
"YOU'RE MY SON!"
"THEN WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?!"
Their voices echoed through the entire house. Downstairs, Tzuyu and Mrs. Jeon both froze, Tzuyu slowly turned toward the staircase. "What... is happening?"
Mrs. Jeon didn't even look surprised,she simply continued arranging breakfast. "Oh, nothing."
Another loud thud came from upstairs, Tzuyu flinched. Mrs. Jeon smiled calmly.
"Just your husband receiving his morning blessings."
Tzuyu stared at her in disbelief. And somewhere upstairs, Minho's desperate voice echoed through the house
"APPA! I'M MARRIED NOW! HAVE SOME RESPECT!"
Tzuyu couldn't help it. Despite her gloomy mood from earlier, the corner of her lips slowly lifted. For the first time since waking up in this unfamiliar house.... She smiled.