AOA 150

Baek Mugyeong appeared right before six.

“You came?”

I happily went out to the entrance to greet him. I was worried that he might be tired because he had flown to Los Angeles for eleven hours and had come here without resting for even a few hours.

But when I saw Baek Mugyeong get out of the car, I was speechless. Baek Mugyeong shone as if things like jet lag or a long flight meant nothing to him.

The suit, coat, and scarf that fit his body perfectly made him look as if he had just stepped out of a men’s fashion magazine. I could only gasp in admiration the moment I saw him.

“Minchae-ssi.”

When he smiled brightly at me, I almost lost my mind, not even exaggerating.

“Wow, your face is shining.”

I couldn’t help but exclaim in awe, as if I had been bewitched. Then Baek Mugyeong tilted his head slightly and smiled again.

“Do you like it?”

“Very much.”

It was sincere. A large part of why I liked Baek Mugyeong was because of his handsome face.

I thought even Grandmother would like him today. She had once said that a man’s looks were as important as his ability.

Baek Mugyeong smiled again and handed me the bouquet he held in one hand as a gift. I had been so focused on him that I had not noticed he was holding flowers.

Without realizing it, I held the bouquet full of red roses in my arms. In my whole life, the only time I had ever received flowers was at graduation. I was happy, but the feeling was strange. My heart felt ticklish.

“Why?”

“I didn’t expect to receive flowers.”

“They suit you.”

“Ah… When you say that, it’s embarrassing.”

With a fluttering heart, I led Baek Mugyeong inside. Only then did I notice a paper bag in his other hand.

When I asked what it was, he said it was everyone’s gift. I told him I had prepared his gift too.

Christmas meant gifts, of course. Aunt Soyeon had said that the exchange would take place after dinner.

Because the family had grown this year, preparing the gifts had taken quite some time. I had spent a long time thinking about what to buy for Baek Mugyeong and finally decided on a watch that matched the bracelet he had given me. It was not expensive, but I hoped he would like it.

“I’ll go tell Grandmother. Wait a moment.”

I left Baek Mugyeong and the bouquet in the reception room and went to find Grandmother in her private study. I had learned after coming here that bringing a guest straight to Grandmother was impolite. It was troublesome, but as the host, she had to be informed first.

Grandmother said she would come soon and told me to attend to the guest for a while. A moment later, the whole family gathered in the reception room.

The atmosphere was decent enough. Everyone except Grandmother had smiles on their faces. Even so, introducing my lover to the elders for the first time made my heart pound.

Aunt Soyeon, Aunt Jieun, and my younger brother already knew Baek Mugyeong. When I confessed that I would date him even though we were divorced, no one objected. Aunt Soyeon said to do as I wanted, and Aunt Jieun and my brother said it was fine if I was happy.

Grandmother had remained silent when she heard that I was dating Baek Mugyeong. She only continued calling him my ex-husband.

I could not tell whether that was disapproval or not. Since she had officially invited him to the Christmas Eve party, I only guessed that she was not against it.

Either way, since it was his first formal introduction, I could not help but feel nervous.

“It’s an honor to meet you. I’m Baek Mugyeong.”

The last time, Baek Mugyeong had not met Grandmother and had been practically chased out, so he bowed politely. Then Grandmother extended her hand and asked for a handshake.

“You’re a fine guest. Enjoy yourself.”

“Thank you.”

Fortunately, the two shook hands without issue. After that, the others also greeted Baek Mugyeong one by one.

Everyone sat down, and after tea was served, the real conversation began.

“I heard that something serious happened in your family. Is it fine for you to be out like this?”

Grandmother opened with a heavy question, and the atmosphere in the reception room grew tense in an instant. Everyone here already knew about the video of Baek Mugyeong’s cousin Baek Yeongseop killing his wife.

Korea was in chaos. Some people cursed Baek Yeongseop as a murderer, saying the evidence was clear, while others claimed it was deepfake. The police, seemingly wary of the Daesong Group, said they were verifying its authenticity, which drew enormous criticism.

The public’s attention was entirely on the Daesong family. That was why Grandmother asked whether Baek Mugyeong was being careless by traveling to America.

Grandmother had asked if the invitation should be postponed because of his circumstances. But Baek Mugyeong had said it was fine.

Maybe because of that, he answered calmly.

“It’s not a public matter that will draw media noise, so there’s no problem.”

“Well, family scandals are common. More importantly, will you keep seeing my grandson?”

“Yes.”

“If young people like each other, old people can’t stop them. But isn’t this directly going against Chairman Baek’s wishes? I doubt the chairman will like it.”

The topic of Baek Yeongseop was pushed aside. Instead, Grandmother hit the core. It was natural for her to worry that Baek Jinseok would not simply stand by while his divorced grandson continued to meet his ex-spouse.

“Grandfather has no interest in me. I’ll leave Korea soon and live in America.”

“Really? When?”

“I don’t plan to stay past next year.”

“I see. Then where will you live? I heard you used to work in New York. Your house is in New York too.”

“My work allows remote management, so I’ll live in Los Angeles. I already secured a house.”

Grandmother asked her questions like an interviewer conducting a pressure interview. I had already warned Baek Mugyeong that this might happen. He had said it would be fine, and indeed, he smoothly answered, without a single pause, as if he had prepared everything perfectly.

I had been silently cheering for him but ended up swallowing a bitter laugh. Baek Mugyeong and I had talked many times about his plans. It was certain that he would wrap up his affairs in Korea and move to America.

He already had a house in New York, but he said he would stay in Los Angeles, and he told me he had found a place there not long ago. I had been shocked by how quick he was.

The house Baek Mugyeong bought was a huge penthouse. When he first gave me the address, I had to check twice because I couldn’t believe it, it was that large, that spacious, and that expensive.

As the third-generation heir of a conglomerate, Baek Mugyeong was rich. But I still couldn’t help thinking that buying such a massive house in America was excessive.

When I asked him about the penthouse’s price, I almost couldn’t believe my ears. When I asked again if it was true, he looked at me as if he knew exactly what I was worrying about.

He said he remembered certain things, and because of that, he had many ways to grow his wealth, so there was nothing to worry about.

I couldn’t close my mouth. I had never thought that Baek Mugyeong might also be using knowledge of the future.

I suddenly remembered the time I had boasted to him about earning money, and my face burned. The embarrassment felt like digging barehanded in front of an excavator, but I quickly pushed it aside.

I asked Baek Mugyeong about new investments. People said family shouldn’t lend money to each other, but sharing information was fine. One had to live with optimism. Memory of the future wasn’t eternal anymore. Only one year remained, so I had to earn what I could.

Baek Mugyeong laughed and readily shared the information. It was about American stocks, not Korean ones, and that had surprised me again.

Anyway, Grandmother seemed satisfied with his answers. When she heard the location of the house he had secured, she smiled with approval.

That ended Grandmother’s unofficial interview. I patted Baek Mugyeong on the back to tell him he had done well.

Then the rest of the family started talking to him. They exchanged ordinary questions about recent life, answering and responding politely, keeping the conversation gentle.

I joined and withdrew from the talk several times, and as I looked around at the people sitting in the reception room, I suddenly felt a strange emotion. People who were once strangers were gathered in one place. They were here under the name of family and lover. After my parents died, I had never imagined such a moment would come again.

I felt joy and other emotions. My nose stung, and my eyes felt hot. I didn’t think I would cry, but I still couldn’t control my expression.

I said I would go to the bathroom and got up. In the bathroom on the first floor, I splashed water on my face again and again to cool myself down.

When I wiped away the water and stepped out, Baek Mugyeong was waiting in the hallway.

“Going to the bathroom?”

“I followed just in case. Are you alright?”

He asked with a worried face. He must have sensed something unusual in how I acted. The concern made me smile without realizing it.

“It’s nothing serious. I just felt overwhelmed. Seeing everyone I love in one place made me emotional. That’s all. I’m fine now.”

I spoke honestly without hiding anything. Baek Mugyeong looked slightly surprised, then he smiled and brushed the hair that had fallen over my forehead.

“Are you happy?”

“Yes. What about you, Mugyeong-ssi?”

“I’m very happy.”

Baek Mugyeong smiled brightly.

Before the regression, around this time, I had been out of my mind. I had spent Christmas with my brother and aunt and eaten cake, but I hadn’t realized how precious and joyful that had been.

I still didn’t know why I had died once and then returned. But if the result was this moment today, it didn’t matter anymore.

I held his large and warm hand. When Baek Mugyeong looked at me questioningly, I smiled.

“I love you.”

I had said I liked him many times, but this was the first time I confessed love. Maybe that was why Baek Mugyeong’s eyes widened and then curved like a crescent moon.

“I love you too.”

His gentle confession filled my heart with warm joy.

It was a happy Christmas.

***

 <All Over Again> Complete