Chapter 240: The First Snowfall (4)
Fn8hWr7“Hmm… where should I start?”75mTu1T
VR4Ms. Cynthia took a cube of yokan with a fork and chewed it slowly. I watched subtly and offered,Vh8v
yrFDq3“If my presence makes you uncomfortable, I can step out.”MpxeB
BtZVwu“Please, don’t worry. If it were anyone else, maybe… but if it’s you listening, Mr. Kang Geom-Ma, I’m grateful.”fxS
q5ujEJ“Ah… I see.”AxJmtv
Wk7U“I live alone, so I rarely get the chance to talk. It’s hard to speak sometimes. I’m sorry if I’ve made you uncomfortable.”JctMOEu
ZvK63QPShe treated me with extreme politeness—so much so that it felt overwhelming.dZf69IU
s5fsrkf‘I knew this world had a strong sense of hierarchy, but being in a situation like this really makes it awkward.’PPkbSR
TWCRyozo speaks to me casually, but her mother treats me with deference. It’s strange for an outsider like me, but in this world, it’s normal.AmH
6hxgmUqStill, this peculiar situation was twisting my stomach. That the woman—Cynthia—who looked just like Ryozo acted this way made it even more uncomfortable.Cia5ee
Pl34yT‘Ryozo only got Kojima’s eyes and hair. Everything else came from her mother.’5k8fuJ
OJ81KPNo wonder she didn’t resemble her half-sister, Saki Hina. Apparently, the Korean bloodline was stronger in Ryozo.4flOkO
PCgPfgThinking that, I warmed my hands on the teacup. The heat melted away my frozen fingers.Mhsc5Mc
zt0CRThen, Ms. Cynthia began to speak.ovLrh
7Bbtj4G“If I’m going to tell you why I left, Ryozo, I have to start with your father, Saki Kojima. You can criticize me after that, all right?”nGXg
z2hVlVS“…”bfuEYb
Q9VEAt that name, Ryozo’s face subtly tensed. Her mother gave her a soft flick on the forehead.6nO86SP
OED“I know your father is a difficult man, but don’t make that face in front of Mr. Kang Geom-Ma.”ydravU
jxncs0Then, with hands on her hips, she scolded her daughter.xTEg
ddjJ“How is it that you’re the same age and yet not half as composed as he is? You act mature, but you’re still a child inside. You should try to be more like him!”Yo9
sfFLHgRyozo rubbed her forehead, muttering.15eHB
Jy9wtTx“He was the one who kicked you out… because of me. Do you know what he said? That you left on your own. But I knew! I knew you didn’t abandon me of your own free will…”lvbP
F0cAbk“Your father was right. I left the Saki family of my own accord.”Zxs
G7q7l1g“What…?”aHSY
WSn2JTDRyozo’s eyes shook violently. Her mother’s eyes were calm and firm.qeDWl
gvxRdd6“Why? Why did you leave, Mom? Why did you abandon me?”bb113
K4ZRyozo stammered. Cynthia smiled sadly.abAC
fi8Q“I know you’ll hate me for what I’m about to say. But—”8PGX
szUMU0Before continuing, she looked at me and smiled faintly, as if implying something.aVrd6
d7VFZQb“Maybe now that you’re older, you can understand a little how I felt.”8EzD
n5I“How can you expect me to understand someone who abandoned her child?”BFmp
VdCho“Are we already starting with blame? I expected it, but it still stings to hear it so directly.”Ny6
xSyRyozo suddenly stood up from the sofa.ifkm
IVz“Honestly, I thought the first thing you’d say would be ‘I’m sorry.’ Even if it was just an excuse, I was willing to forgive you if you showed even a little remorse.”0b6r
IRY“Excuses are meaningless. One has to be honest. That’s the only way words truly reach someone. Didn’t I tell you that often when you were little?”H4K1nZj
W0A“And now! You just compared me to Kang Geom-Ma! What right do you have to lecture me?”wciCQF
mAAKc“I was correcting you as a conversational partner, not as a mother. You were straying off-topic.”6wajs
Bk0RRyozo frowned furiously, while her mother responded calmly. It was like watching any mother-daughter spat.WoKKgK
iJb‘Wow.’EGCTWI
43tI chuckled inwardly. They say no parent can win against their kid, hence the term “spoiled parent.” But these two broke that mold completely.cQDnbhv
h8U“Mom, you’re always like this. No matter what happens to me, you’re always scolding me!”OealM
7vFH“You can’t convince anyone just by whining, Ryozo. And when children present weak arguments, it’s a parent’s duty to correct them.”2F5G4j
CmzqDespite her daughter’s reproach, Cynthia stood firm and logical—countering emotion with reason.BQJ8
oZx“Still pretending to be a mom after ten years!”cBUO
0Jrv2qQ“Then shall we talk as complete strangers, with full formality? Sa-ki-Ryo-zo-ssi. I think I’d prefer that.”vaVu
SHJJRLMs. Cynthia wasn’t a doting mother. She was a sharp one.0eB
LhI39Stuck between them, I had no idea what to do. I stayed silent, sipping my tea with an awkward look. If I tried to step in, I’d probably end up getting caught in the crossfire. I couldn’t very well draw my sashimi blade and growl at them to calm down. That thing only bares its teeth at the wicked.nLAp0kB
smrdVU3‘Still, she’s amazing too. She hasn’t lost a single word to Ryozo.’irsBbN
2qfMDmqShe was a remarkable speaker. Even the top student’s rhetorical skills wouldn’t surpass hers. The more they argued, the more cornered Ryozo became.JycZ5
6goQIGdRyozo huffed in frustration and finally slumped onto the sofa. Her mother smiled, popping another yokan in her mouth. Her smile was sweet.5luHMb
V7ne“That’s why I said we should talk over a snack. No one knows my daughter’s temperament better than I do.”NlCFBl
vYjcRyozo turned toward the window. Noticing that I was still there, she flushed with embarrassment.89ps8
TQ9W3dT“Well then, now that you’ve let it out, may I tell my side?”ehq
SAz“Do whatever you want.”1kK0
Q9B9zsHer mother shrugged and resumed.rmkFc
IEf“I admit it. I was selfish to leave my daughter behind. There’s no excuse for that. I’ll regret it for the rest of my life, but I won’t ask for forgiveness. I don’t want to be an even more selfish mother.”QKTBrtM
PSTP2A mother self-reflecting.dHe
WWCzM“But, you know, Ryozo? I think back then, I was just too immature to be a parent. More than a mother, I saw myself as a woman.”wtWAv
9kHY6FWThe room grew quiet.0lxp
4tB82s“This might embarrass you, but I really did love your father.”uAjpJ95
kJOq7“……!”LmrMrfr
Urf2uRyozo’s eyes went wide. Her face screamed disbelief.BFKtCQo
rZ1a“That Saki Kojima? Are you serious? Are you sure you weren’t under a spell?”9l0w
baSlLL5Ryozo practically shrieked. She looked ready to grab her mother by the collar and shake her.ofZa
bmvzk“You sure don’t hold back, do you? Feelings can’t be explained by logic. That’s why people get stubborn.”8K9m
OEGQ9K“Even so. That man’s had so many wives!”gldn
7zHo8“That doesn’t matter. In the hero society, polygamy is common.”Byb
WgRzlWow… she said it so casually. Even after two years in this world, I still wasn’t used to such feudal thinking.9z2NB
uULi97R“I know your father is a control freak and pretty twisted. He doesn’t care about family either. Other than his first wife, Lady Ironheart, no one really matters to him.”jN64
c8ulEven Cynthia calmly criticized the man in a razor-sharp tone.PSJ5
J819C“But what could I do? It was love at first sight. Maybe I had a thing for ‘bad boys.’ And while our marriage was arranged, Kojima’s ability to juggle wives is almost a talent. Sure, he has power, but more than that—it’s his looks.”AN1Hv
Ya9j0Pl“That doesn’t justify anything. No matter how handsome he is, that man isn’t a ‘bad boy,’ he’s a total—!”2A6lfR6
eWGRyozo stopped short just before cursing and looked at me.WlK
5DV‘What? Why are you looking at me right before you call him a bastard?’i1F7rB
AHvihtIMs. Cynthia muttered as she watched us,zkWmt
9iCOVZ“Seems my daughter inherited a little too much from me. Even the bad parts.”I6AsS8
jT2***2NBz
ndeVfaCynthia’s story continued for nearly two hours.e4q
WL3p“I truly loved your father, Kojima. Even knowing it was a hopeless love.”xKTpx7
6IkbPeIn her early twenties, Cynthia had simply followed her heart as a young bride.Msvd
AH4TGjBut Kojima—chaotic in personality—soon disappointed her. He wasn’t cruel, but he treated her with complete indifference. The passion Cynthia felt gradually cooled. One-sided love has its limits.wBSI
0rtauYears passed.9R0
or5aBNoticing Ryozo’s exceptional talent, Kojima began pushing her away from her mother. It was an unspoken warning stay away from Saki Ryozo.NSq
rYzHX“By then, I couldn’t take it anymore.”RAwV
6JCQCynthia left on her own. It was an act of rebellion. She wanted Kojima to regret it when he saw her walk away.ZMO5oP
r0I6BlU“Remember this, Ryozo. I didn’t leave because of Saki Kojima. I chose to leave.”IJ0pn97
FcQ3Cynthia was a woman of Busan—free-spirited like the sea.gXn
d4jCKN3She had strong character and integrity. Loving Kojima, and then leaving him, were her decisions. And decisions come with consequences. The guilt of abandoning her daughter was a debt she’d carry forever.ZeQ
foCxAnd Kojima—did he regret it?Azit7z
WPgyOf course not. He was Kojima, through and through. He didn’t stop her.X49
rb8e5Though as a gesture of “consideration,” he offered her a luxury mansion in central Tokyo worth hundreds of millions.wEjUd
1urx“We weren’t even divorced. He just saw it as some kind of compensation.”DBQEo
1OgUACynthia rejected it all. She returned to Korea and started over.pjpG
Z1a‘I knew that guy was unhinged, but this this is another level.’bcMBQlb
LOoIn the end, there wasn’t an ounce of depth to him. Kojima was trash. So thoroughly trash it almost felt honest—in the worst way.9xlkF
zjeZc‘How much did he love his first wife?’zTQPTQ
38KPeople say circumstances explain everything. But so what? Everyone has their own baggage. After dealing with thousands of lunatics in my life, I can say this with certainty.TXW
IjNKVa7Kojima is just a goddamn madman. Period.bQJ1o
ZmPA3XQ‘Next time, I’ll stick the sashimi right in his neck.’aiwnW
cJOfBLLast time I aimed for his thigh because of diplomatic constraints. But now that I know the rot inside him, I won’t hold back. If I ever see that piece of garbage again, I’ll take care of it myself—even if I have to fight all of Japan.ouux
C3TPhpGAn invasion with sashimi.tDDC
6PSA1oD“Collapse of Japan.” Sounds like a decent title.TYNIk
vbuAB2Thus ended the story of Cynthia and Saki Kojima.SnLjrbH
KydTBXNI looked to the side and saw Ryozo, her expression still confused. She was wavering between seeing Cynthia as a woman and as a mother. Though her eyes still held some resentment.yKq
LVqaY‘Of course. You can’t unravel ten years of resentment in a single conversation.’mHc4
cXLslccThat only happens in dramas. Reality isn’t so poetic. It leaves a bitter aftertaste.51hlE
SOT“Oh, look at the time! I’m so sorry, Mr. Kang Geom-Ma. I’ve kept you too long.”DbfZ
25RfgI“Don’t worry. Since I used a spatial gate, it’s no trouble returning.”eKiT
dFQyg“Still, someone as important as you shouldn’t be away from the academy for so long. Come on, Ryozo, up you get. Whatever’s left, we can talk about another day.”ciIVB
cwDSSe“Ah… yeah.”GHz
70rjyNWe left the apartment.wrKO9Gy
v3ClKMs. Cynthia walked us to the entrance of the building. Just before we departed, she said to me,mrI
MZAmE“I know I have no right to ask, but please take care of my daughter. She worries me because she’s just like me—moody and all.”2b272
cJRQYShe gave a slight bow. I responded with a soft smile.cXS
b4OjFJp“Ryozo does just fine at the academy without me. She has plenty of friends.”5sO
s94J5Kz“Friends, you say…?”KsPsDU1
lLvShe opened her mouth a few times, then sighed.u2qvqzk
pmf“I guess my daughter’s not into bad boys… but the type who doesn’t get a thing.”u3EV
Arnz“…Excuse me?”Zs965lO
XEgI blinked, confused. Ryozo quickly cut in.BNrxE
FtI“W-What are you saying, Mom?! Let’s go already!”5HNK5Y2
lJwShe grabbed my sleeve and yanked. As I was being dragged off, I waved back at Ms. Cynthia. Despite the cold, she stayed there for a long while.ACW68
vY4zStep by step, we left the apartment building and approached the coastal highway. The salty smell of the sea grew stronger. That’s when I said,sCyYJpv
EB4Y96F“Wait a sec. We need to grab a taxi to the gate terminal.”pabCUY
y8804F“Let’s take the express bus instead.”vig5s
Tfy6tUc“You know that’ll take over five hours, right? Maybe more with weekend traffic.”C0kJ7l
Kc93V“I know. But I still prefer the bus. The gate makes me queasy.”3AC
VVveLAEven though she didn’t show any symptoms earlier.eTu
XaPl“And using a gate for personal stuff… feels like abuse of power.”z7F577x
R8NwluT“…Alright, let’s take the bus.”2eS
ahngOz“And I want to walk to the terminal. My head’s overheated. I need the sea breeze to cool off.”EeMneP1
OyzfRyozo blew her nose and spoke softly. Seeing her like that, I stepped in front of her and adjusted her scarf gently.QRbD
Z7iYC“Don’t say stuff like that if you’re shivering.”PbPkl3h
qLeZeP“……”H7FdG
yjZQRyozo looked between my face and hands. Her face turned so red it seemed ready to burst.Sm78S
310k“Hey… I…”ms3UvG
Xjpg8RHer lips moved slightly. And then—bOX6
N8rShff.A0WMV
YBPuVSwA single white flake landed on her scarf.Ukku3i
SXNgN2We both looked up at the same time. The gray sky, the greenish-blue sea, and in between—snow falling gently.IrivU
2KqLike paint dissolving in water, the scene melted into perfect harmony.giR
QDR8“This is…”MnvJ
CY7XvvXThe first snowfall.XfltHh
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Haimiya_cutie.
MahayanaThat Kojima bastard is really rotten inside
Haimiya_cutie.
MahayanaI was about say the same thing.
nothingjkps
MortalPeak🥹🥹