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MEMORIES OF WHAT WAS
Lisa walked into the house with Jeongguk by her side, feeling the excitement and nervousness as they approached the entrance.
Her parents greeted them warmly. Standing beside them were Sungmin and his wife who watched the couple with reserved curiosity.
"Mom, Dad," Lisa began, "This is Jeongguk."
Yoonseok extended his hand with a friendly smile. "Jeongguk, it's a pleasure to meet you. Lisa has told us a little bit about you."
Jeongguk shook Yoonseok's hand firmly. "Thank you. It's an honour to meet you both."
Her mother nodded and smiled. "So, Jeongguk, where were you earlier? Lisa mentioned you had some things to take care of."
Jeongguk smiled softly. "I was at a bookstore, tidying up and organizing some old things. The place has been closed for a while, so I was helping out."
Her mother looked interested. "Oh, that sounds like quite a task. Is it your bookstore?"
Jeongguk shook his head. "No, it belongs to my brother, Hyun. He's been away, so I stepped in to help."
Yoonseok's curiosity was piqued. "Hyun? Is he your only sibling?"
"Yes, he is," Jeongguk replied. "He's been managing the bookstore for years. It's a bit of a family business."
Her mother nodded thoughtfully. "And what do you do?"
Jeongguk replied. "I'm a naval officer, specializing in marine engineering. My job involves ensuring the operational readiness of naval vessels."
Yoonseok seemed intrigued. "Marine engineering? That's quite a responsibility."
Lisa's mother nodded. "And you mentioned you're a naval officer. That sounds like a demanding role."
Lisa, sensing the conversation might be lingering too long, smiled and said, "I didn't get a chance to go into much detail this morning. We've been catching up and preparing for tonight."
Yoonseok glanced at everyone and then suggested, "Why don't we head into the living room? We wouldn't want to keep everyone waiting."
Lisa led Jeongguk into the living room, where the atmosphere was more relaxed. Jeongguk noticed Sungmin and his wife watching him closely but remaining silent.
As they walked further inside, Jeongguk briefly made eye contact with Taehyun, who seemed to recognize him.
Jeongguk remembered Taehyun from his time in the hospital but didn't immediately make the connection to Lisa's ex-fiance.
The group moved into the living room, ready to continue the evening's festivities, and Jeongguk tried to shake off the subtle tension, focusing instead on enjoying the time with Lisa and her family.
