Love is beautiful || Minwon

Chapter 27

Christmas passed by like lightning, with everyone's bright faces and hopeful thoughts toward the upcoming year. All the streets are decorated with fairy lights, and tall Christmas trees are displayed along the road, looking graceful with the slow-falling snow. People had been wearing thick clothes, some with multiple layers to cover themselves from the cold weather. Hot chocolate and warm fish soup were carried around by many in paper cups from the numerous street shops.

Almost all of the company workers used up their annual leave to freely feel the coldness and adrenaline of the year-end, either with their family members, friends, or couples.

This included Mingyu's small family. Mama Kim invited the Jeon family to have a year-end dinner together at her place. She kicked off her day by requesting both Mingyu and Chan to accompany her to the market to buy ingredients for the meals.

Mingyu was still getting used to sharing his comfort zone with another person who came unexpectedly on the most random day ever. The guide he had put up since day one was there, and won't be lowered anytime soon. Chan was trying to have a deep talk multiple times with him but Mingyu ended up sleeping away from exhaustion. He had acquired another job on the weekend as his responsibility to provide for his family doubled.

The youngest was trying his best to do all sorts of chores around the house, even cooking lunch for Mingyu going to work. His cooking was surprisingly delightful for a fourteen-year-old boy. He made use of every ingredient that lay in the fridge without wasting any.

This is his way of repaying the homeowner. It's better this way because Mama Kim needs a hand on those tiresome things; she has weakened a lot since she was diagnosed, and medication can only lessen her pain while coughing.

Chan gladly took care of her, preventing her from doing heavy tasks while Mingyu was out there working. He had already seen her as his second mother.

At around five in the evening, the Kim family started to hand out tasks to each other. Mama Kim wanted to have a barbeque in her backyard, so she set out the eldest child to clean out the yard and light up the fire in their barbecue grill, the youngest helping her clean and cutting vegetables and beef. Mingyu eventually came back inside to help them by plugging the meat and vegetables on skewers after he finished lighting up the fire.

Dusk came by without them noticing because they busy themselves preparing the dishes. Orange color clouded the sky, very fortunate that it wasn't snowing so that the two families can peacefully have their dinner without worrying about taking shelter.

Roughly 6pm, the doorbell rang indicating that the other party had arrived. Chan brushed his hand with the apron and rushed to open the door for the guest. He hadn't met the Jeon family yet, but he had a basic idea who they were when Mama Kim told him that she would invite them to their home.

The youngest bowed down 90 degrees in front of three guests as soon as the door was wide open.

Now, there was a problem. He didn't know how to introduce himself.

Hello, maam, my name is Chan. I'm Mrs. Kim's stepson. I stayed in this house for a while until I became legal enough to live by myself.

Chan cannot say this to strangers. He felt like a burden even though he knew his existence was a burden. His brain was empty, when dashing to open the door.

Mama Jeon caught on to the hesitation and awkwardness of the young teen in front of her, so to spare his embarrassment, she decided to speak up to him first.

"You must be Channie, right?" she showed her bright smile, "Quite a handsome young man."

"Greeting auntie, uncle and hyung." little Chan bowed to individuals when using the honorific. "Mrs. Kim is expecting your presence."