Perfect Possession - Episode 65

“Mommy, what’s that?”

 

“Seo-yeon, what is this? Shouldn’t we buy this?”

 

Kim Yeo-sa had said they had everything else, so they only needed to buy meat. Seo-yeon was about to head straight to the meat section, but Jaehoon and Tae-yul stopped in front of the processed foods and started asking questions.

 

“Mommy, what’s that?”

 

“It’s sausage.”

 

“Seo-yeon, should we buy this? I saw people camping and grilling sausages.”

 

Jaehoon held out a smoked sausage, asking.

 

“Kim Yeo-sa said she has everything.”

 

“Sausages too?”

 

“Maybe? I should have checked the fridge.”

 

Seo-yeon regretted not checking beforehand. Instead of buying something unnecessary and wasting it, she thought it would be better to call Kim Yeo-sa and ask, so she took out her phone.

 

“Mommy, Ta-nyum yum-yum.”

 

Tae-yul brought the sausage to his mouth, still in the plastic, as if he was about to eat it right away, so she quickly snatched it away.

 

“Don’t put it in your mouth.”

 

“Mommy, Ta-nyum’s.”

 

Tae-yul shook his head and held out his hand.

 

“We’ll buy it. Tae-yul, Daddy will buy it for you. But don’t put it in your mouth. It’s dirty.”

 

Jaehoon gave Tae-yul the sausage, and he hugged it to his chest, happily wiggling his feet back and forth. He liked the cart as if it were a stroller, without complaining that it was uncomfortable.

 

“You’re not going to buy him everything he asks for, are you?”

 

“No, this is food. He’ll eat it all once it’s grilled.”

 

“I don’t want him eating too much processed food yet.”

 

Seo-yeon said worriedly and headed straight to the meat section.

 

“You’re going to be one of those overprotective moms, aren’t you?”

 

“It’s not overprotective, it’s basic. Just buying meat.”

 

“You’re not seriously just going to buy meat and leave? No way. This is more fun than a department store. We should come here sometimes.”

 

Seo-yeon was amazed that someone who used to think shopping was a waste of time and hired a personal shopper had changed so much after coming to the supermarket.

 

She smiled as she watched Jaehoon show Tae-yul various things and put them in Tae-yul’s arms when he reached out his hand, saying it was his.

 

She was bothered by buying unnecessary things, but she decided to let it go today since it was Tae-yul’s first time shopping at the supermarket. However, she couldn’t hold back when Jaehoon tried to buy the entire cut of meat from the butcher shop and warned him sternly.

 

“If you keep doing this, I’m never coming here again. Tae-yul, you too.”

 

“Hmph.”

 

Tae-yul pouted when Seo-yeon spoke sternly and turned his face away, hugging Jaehoon. But Seo-yeon didn’t budge, feeling like she wouldn’t be able to control the two men if she didn’t say no to things that weren’t allowed.

 

Seo-yeon bought pork belly, pork shoulder, and pork jowl and left the supermarket right away.

 

“Can’t we look around a bit more?”

 

“We don’t have time. You said they told you not to even eat lunch before coming. There’s a lot to prepare.”

 

Tae-yul couldn’t take his eyes off the supermarket, seemingly reluctant to leave. It seemed like he was overwhelmed but also enjoyed the many sights and people.

 

She handed Tae-yul the sausage they bought at the supermarket, who kept shaking his head, and put him in the car. Not long after the three of them arrived home, the people they had invited started to arrive.

 

The people they invited to the garden party were just Jae-moon, Sung-joon, and Hyeon-shik. But Jaehoon seemed happy about having a barbecue party together after a long time.

 

Seo-yeon helped Kim Yeo-sa set the table and thought to herself that it was a relief.

 

Jaehoon had said that tomorrow morning would be very noisy. Seo-yeon realized that he was planning to tell Chairman Han that he had resigned from Do-young and sold Tae-yul’s shares to Woo-jin.

 

She put aside her worries for a while as Jaehoon laughed and chatted nonchalantly. He probably didn’t want Seo-yeon to worry too.

 

“I had a really important date today, but I gave it up to come here.”

 

Jae-moon said, watching Jaehoon awkwardly put the grill on the lit charcoal. Tae-yul sat next to Seo-yeon, far away from the grill.

 

“Why?”

 

Sung-joon asked, chewing on a cucumber.

 

“Because I couldn’t believe it. When he said he was having a pork belly party, I asked, ‘Not a barbecue?’ And he said firmly that it was a pork belly party and that he would grill it himself. I couldn’t miss that.”

 

“That’s true. He told me to come over because he would grill pork belly, so I just assumed the chef would grill it because Sister-in-law wanted it. But he’s really standing in front of the grill.”

 

Sung-joon looked at Hyeon-shik with a disbelieving expression and frowned.

 

“Hyeon-shik, you sit down too. What about me, the director, if only you’re standing next to the chairman like that?”

 

Hyeon-shik seemed to have a hard time sitting down and stood next to Jaehoon, who was fighting with the fire, holding work gloves.

 

“Vice Chairman, you should wear gloves.”

 

“Really? Ah, it’s hot. Is this really oak charcoal?”

 

Jaehoon squinted and put on the gloves, then looked at Seo-yeon and asked.

 

“I think so. Just switch to an electric grill now.”

 

Seo-yeon was nervous because it was his first time doing this.

 

“What are you talking about? I’ll take care of everything.”

 

“Daddy-pa?”

 

Tae-yul, who was fiddling with the cucumber Sung-joon had given him, called Jaehoon and raised his eyes. He seemed surprised by the smoke.

 

“Daddy’s okay.”

 

Seo-yeon gave Tae-yul fruit instead of the playful cucumber.

 

“Tae-yul, Daddy’s going to grill pork belly for you. Sounds good, right?”

 

Jae-moon winked and said.

 

“Porky?”

 

“Pork belly.”

 

“Fat-porky.”

 

Everyone laughed happily as Tae-yul smiled brightly and repeated the words.

 

“Hahaha. Yes, our Tae-yul only eats lean meat.”

 

Sung-joon teased Tae-yul by touching his cheek, and he tilted his head and acted cute. It felt like the atmosphere had softened with a child among the adults. Everyone couldn’t stop laughing at Tae-yul’s antics.

 

Finally, when the fire was just right, Jaehoon placed the pork belly on the grill. As soon as it was placed on the grill, the sound of the meat grilling made everyone’s mouths water.

 

It seemed like this sound sounded like rain to Tae-yul. He suddenly put his hand over his head as if blocking the rain and looked up at the sky with a frown.

 

“Mommy, rain-rain?”

 

“Oh my, did our Tae-yul think it was raining?”

 

Seo-yeon burst out laughing and hugged Tae-yul, then went to Jaehoon. She couldn’t get too close and stayed away, letting him hear the sound of the meat cooking.

 

“The ‘sizzle’ sounds like rain, Tae-yul.”

 

“Porky? No rain?”

 

“Yeah. It’s not rain, it’s the sound of meat cooking.”

 

Jaehoon seemed to love Tae-yul so much that he was smiling even while inhaling the smoke.

 

“Tae-yul, Daddy will give you lean meat soon.”

 

“Daddy Daddy. Fat-porky.”

 

“Oh, our son called Daddy properly twice.”

 

Jaehoon said happily and brought the well-cooked pork belly to a plate and cut the meat horizontally. Then he cut off the fatty parts and finely sliced only the lean parts. It was literally slicing, not just cutting.

 

“Huh? Vice Chairman.”

 

Hyeon-shik, who was helping to grill the meat, called Jaehoon.

 

“Why?”

 

“What are you doing?”

 

Sung-joon, who was talking to Jae-moon, jumped up and approached Jaehoon.

 

“Hyung, why are you cutting off the best part of the pork belly?”

 

“If it’s so good, I’ll give it all to you. Our son only eats lean meat.”

 

“Ta-nyum lean-porky yum-yum.”

 

Tae-yul said, smacking his lips.

 

“Get out of the way. Tae-yul’s looking for lean meat.”

 

“That’s not it. Look. Tae-yul, pork belly meat.”

 

Sung-joon looked at Tae-yul and said seriously and slowly.

 

“Fat-porky.”

 

Tae-yul followed Sung-joon and said loudly, then opened his mouth wide.

 

“Did you see? What Tae-yul said was not lean meat, but pork belly meat.”

 

“Is that so?”

 

Jaehoon held the lean meat he had taken from the pork belly with tongs and looked at Seo-yeon. She smiled and picked up the meat Jaehoon was holding with her chopsticks.

 

“It’s better to feed him lean meat since he’s still young. Sorry, Brother-in-law.”

 

Seo-yeon sided with Jaehoon and fed the meat to Tae-yul. Tae-yul suddenly hugged Seo-yeon tightly, not knowing what to do, as if he liked the slightly salted meat.

 

“Looks like he likes it?”

 

Jaehoon dipped a piece of meat in sesame oil and handed it over again. He also closed his eyes tightly and ate it deliciously. Everyone was clamoring for meat because of how deliciously Tae-yul was eating.

 

In the end, even Sung-joon stepped up and grilled pork belly for the adults himself. Jaehoon was only focused on grilling pork jowl for Tae-yul and didn’t care about anyone else.

 

Jaehoon, who had said he would do everything himself, barely managed to grill Tae-yul’s portion with care. He gave the deliciously grilled pork belly that Sung-joon and Hyeon-shik had cut to Seo-yeon and sat down to eat himself.

 

“I think I’m still very innocent.”

 

Jae-moon, who had grabbed a beer instead of soju, saying that pork belly goes with beer, said something ridiculous.

 

“Don’t say nonsense if you’re going to say it.”

 

Jaehoon wrapped the meat in lettuce and handed it to Seo-yeon. She took the lettuce wrap Jaehoon handed her without a word.

 

“I really thought I would be able to eat pork belly grilled by Jaehoon until the moment I came into this house. In the end, Sung-joon and Chief Jeong are grilling, and you’re only taking care of your son and Seo-yeon.”

 

“You should get married too.”

 

Seo-yeon wrapped a lettuce wrap and put it in Jaehoon’s mouth as he was feeding Tae-yul meat.

 

“Seo-yeon, are you that happy?”

 

Jae-moon asked with an envious expression.

 

“I am. Teacher, don’t just go on dates, try to find a woman to be with now.”

 

Seo-yeon said honestly. Jaehoon was a love that she couldn’t trade for anything. Of course, Tae-yul was indispensable too.

 

“Daddy, yum-yum.”

 

Tae-yul tilted his head and said yum-yum every time he ate meat. He had a smile on his face the whole time he was eating, whether it was because he was happy because it was delicious or because he was happy because they were all eating together.

 

“I realized it after seeing Hyung. I decided to meet someone like Sister-in-law and get married before I turn thirty.”

 

“Then you won’t be able to get married. There’s no one like Seo-yeon in the world.”

 

“Jaehoon, why are you like this, making me embarrassed. Say those things a little louder.”

 

When people laughed loudly at Seo-yeon’s joke, Tae-yul laughed along without knowing what it was about.

 

Everyone knew that tomorrow morning would be a completely different day from the harmonious atmosphere now. But no one was worried about tomorrow.

 

There was no reason for others to feel uneasy since Jaehoon, the main character, was the happiest and most joyful. They had a pork belly party and chatted until Tae-yul was nodding off.

 

The next day, Jaehoon notified the board of directors that he was resigning from his position as Vice Chairman of Do-young Group.