Chapter 190.1: You Want To Go, Don’t You? (1)
Crunch.
Yoo Hye-Sook turned her gaze away upon hearing Kang Dae-Kyung bite into the apple he was holding.
“You want to go, don’t you?” Kang Dae-Kyung asked.
“Yes, Father,” Kang Chan replied.
Kang Dae-Kyung sounded as if he was asking to try to have Yoo Hye-Sook accept the reality rather than asking out of curiosity. Hence, Kang Chan answered resolutely.
“And your departure doesn’t mean you’re not going to be able to go to college, does it?” Kang Dae-Kyung asked again.
“I haven’t gotten a definite response yet, but I’m planning on looking deeper into it after getting permission from both of you,” Kang Chan replied.
Kang Dae-Kyung nodded, then prodded on, “Are you allowed to stay in touch with us?”
“Yes. They said that except for certain occasions, there won’t be any issue with me contacting you,” Kang Chan responded.
This was the first time Kang Chan ever asked for permission from his parents. In the past, he just obediently went to school when he was told to, and he could never ask his parents for things that required money. Why else would he have left for Africa and never looked back the moment he graduated from school?
But this didn’t feel restrictive at all. Rather, his heart felt warm with emotion.
“Is his college attendance the biggest issue for you, Honey?” Kang Dae-Kyung asked Yoo Hye-Sook.
Yoo Hye-Sook’s response was to just look between Kang Dae-Kyung and Kang Chan with a sad expression.
“Channy, can I ask one thing of you?” Kang Dae-Kyung asked.
Kang Chan patiently waited for his next words.
“Before you go, you have to get confirmation on your status with college, and you’ll call your mother two times a week no matter what. Got it? Now that I said it, I guess those are more like two things,” Kang Dae-Kyung said with a forced smile.
“Mother?”
Kang Chan turned around and noticed Yoo Hye-Sook’s eyes were redshot. He had grown accustomed to it due to how frequently it happened, but her tears never once failed to reach his heart.
If he hadn’t been able to lean against Yoo Hye-Sook’s shoulder and cry into her embrace at one point in time, Kang Chan would probably have been wandering around in Africa again, never to learn what familial or parental love felt like.
“Well, your dad gave his permission, so why not?” Yoo Hye-Sook finally replied.
Kang Chan subconsciously took a step toward Yoo Hye-Sook.
“I’ll be going to France, then,” Kang Chan affirmed.
“Of course. You should follow what your heart tells you to do,” Yoo Hye-Sook said as she stroked Kang Chan’s back. He felt as if he just received the greatest, kindest, and strongest love in the world.
“When did this boy grow up so much?” Kang Dae-Kyung asked after tousling Kang Chan’s hair and patting his back.
“Finish your apple, Channy,” Yoo Hye-Sook insisted when she noticed the apple that Kang Chan was holding. She barely managed to reign back her emotions.
How could Kang Chan refuse? He took a big bite of the fruit.
“If you’re leaving in ten days, you’ll be busy, won’t you? Where will you be staying? You’ll have to take some side dishes with you. Some gochujang, dried seaweed, and—oh! Take some salted seafood too,” Yoo Hye-Sook brainstormed.
“Mother, I don’t have to take anything. It will all be prepared for me. I probably can’t take any food like that either way because I’ll be staying in a dorm-style residence,” Kang Chan quickly butted in. Yoo Hye-Sook seemed about to start packing for him immediately.
“Still! What if you lose your appetite there?” Yoo Hye-Sook asked worriedly.
How could Kang Chan not love his mother? He was most grateful for being born again as her son.
“I’ll be fine. Once I’m there, I’ll check if you can send me some food. It wouldn’t be too late to send some to me then,” Kang Chan convinced her.
“Really? Are you sure you’ll be okay? Should we go shopping for some clothes?” Yoo Hye-Sook asked, still concerned.
Kang Chan smiled. Kang Dae-Kyung did as well.
“After your training is done, it would be nice if your mother and I could follow you to France and do some sightseeing,” Kang Dae-Kyung mused.
“Sounds like a plan!” Kang Chan exclaimed.
“Goodness! I’ll be able to visit France thanks to my son!” Yoo Hye-Sook said with joy.
“Honey! You’re going with me, not Channy!” Kang Dae-Kyung protested.
“If you can’t go, I’m going to have my son get me tickets and go by myself!” Yoo Hye-Sook jokingly shot back.
“Hey! That’s not fair!”
Yoo Hye-Sook softened a bit thanks to the humorous atmosphere that Kang Dae-Kyung created.
“Channy, hurry and have more apples,” Yoo Hye-Sook said.
Kang Chan glanced at Kang Dae-Kyung.
‘Thank you, Father.’
Kang Dae-Kyung looked as if he had a torrent of emotions inside him. A father’s love was definitely different from a mother’s. A single look from him was worth more than a thousand words and made Kang Chan’s heart throb with even more emotion.
Although Kang Chan just told them shocking news, the atmosphere became warmer. Perhaps his parents thought that it was better to have their son properly trained than to have him leave to who-knew-where and return home injured.
Kang Chan and Kang Dae-Kyung then persuaded Yoo Hye-Sook not to cook more meat, albeit barely. Unfortunately, she insisted on making japchae instead. The two men busily tried to stop her, and, after some struggle, they finally had a cozy dinner together. Afterward, they watched TV to spend more time with each other.
Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.
After a while, Kang Chan’s phone on the table rang, getting his attention.
“Hello?” he answered.
- Kim Hyung-Jung speaking. Do you have time to talk right now?
“Yes. I’m at home,” Kang Chan said.
- Can we meet in Samseong-Dong for a moment? If you can come, then I’ll contact Mr. Seok next.
“I’m on my way,” Kang Chan replied.
Kang Chan came back out to the living room and informed his parents that he was heading out for a bit.
“I’ll ask them about college while I’m there. I’ll be able to leave for France with my mind at ease then,” Kang Chan said.
“Okay, Channy. What if they say you can’t, though?” Yoo Hye-Sook asked worriedly.
“I’ll make sure I get an answer from them today,” Kang Chan responded.
Kang Chan naturally turned softer when he was talking to Yoo Hye-Sook. If they said no, he could just not go to the training in France.
Soon after, Kang Chan changed out of his clothes and left his home. When he stepped out of the apartment, he found Seok Kang-Ho already waiting for him.
“Have you had dinner?” Kang Chan asked.
“I had a bunch of pork belly slices with kimchi!” Seok Kang-Ho replied, clearly delighted.
I really need to have him get tested at the hospital someday.
It took them about fifteen minutes to get to Samseong-Dong. There was a bit of traffic because it was rush hour, but the ride wasn’t boring.
They drove directly down to the underground parking lot and went up the building by elevator. When they reached the right floor, they found Kim Hyung-Jung waiting for them.
“Mr. Kang Chan,” Kim Hyung-Jung greeted.
Kang Chan shook his head and walked in to find Jeon Dae-Geuk and Kim Tae-Jin inside.
“Mr. Seok!” Jeon Dae-Geuk warmly greeted. “How’s the fatigue? Feeling better?”
“Yes, sir,” Seok Kang-Ho replied.
Jeon Dae-Geuk was looking at Seok Kang-Ho with adoration. He was acting as if Seok Kang-Ho was his nephew or a trusted soldier on his team.
The five had some tea together and made some small talk about each other’s well-being.
“We decided to hold the funeral on Monday next week,” Kim Hyung-Jung steadily said. “We plan to have it quietly, so we’re blocking out any media coverage. General Choi Seong-Geon has been posthumously awarded the President’s Order of Military Merit and promoted by one star. The men who laid down their lives for the country were awarded the Hwarang Order of Military Merit and promoted one rank.”
“What about the compensation for their families?” Kang Chan asked.
“They will be designated as national meritorious citizens, and they will receive consolation payments for the soldiers’ sacrifices.”
This outcome felt slightly unsatisfying, but Kang Chan didn’t push any further. He really couldn’t do anything about the regulations that they were currently following.
“On another note, in about ten days, I’m planning to go to France for a six-month training program,” Kang Chan opened. When he did, he realized that Jeon Dae-Geuk, Kim Hyung-Jung, and even Kim Tae-Jin already had somewhat of an idea of his departure.
“The National Intelligence Service received some reports regarding this. The agency is looking forward to the fact that your development will be of great assistance to South Korea, but they also find it regrettable that the special forces team will no longer have a commander that can rally them,” Kim Hyung-Jung said.
Jeon Dae-Geuk sighed quietly.
“If you don’t mind, I’d like Seok Kang-Ho to look over the special forces team for a while. What do you think?” Jeon Dae-Geuk asked.
This Seok Kang-Ho?
Kang Chan turned to look at Seok Kang-Ho, who also appeared to be quite flustered.
“There shouldn’t be any issues with his qualifications. On paper, he is currently a special agent of the National Intelligence Service. He just has to check in on the team once or twice a week, at least until Cha Dong-Gyun returns…” Jeon Dae-Geuk said as he turned his gaze toward Seok Kang-Ho. “What do you say, Mr. Seok?”
Kang Chan expected Seok Kang-Ho to readily accept the proposal, but he surprisingly had a solemn expression. It made him genuinely curious about what was going on in Seok Kang-Ho’s mind.
“What is it?” Kang Chan asked.
“Well, the thing is, without you, my presence there really won’t change anything. Changing the person that rallies them can’t be changed so easily.The soldiers already have experience under their belt as well, having gone on missions to France, China, and North Korea, so it’s not like they still lack that either,” Seok Kang-Ko replied.
“Mr. Seok, that’s exactly what we would like to request of you. I know it won’t be easy, but please act as their commander at least until the men’s confidence in themselves becomes more solid. Eyes from all around the world are suddenly focused on us, and that’s making it the most difficult for the deputy general. We’re asking this of you because we think that role should be held by someone who actually fought alongside the soldiers,” Jeon Dae-Geuk insisted.
Seok Kang-Ho glanced at Kang Chan. After a while, he sighed as his expression turned grim.
“I understand. I suppose I can visit once or twice a week until Cap returns,” Seok Kang-Ho said.
“Thank you, Mr. Seok,” Jeon Dae-Geuk clasped his hands.
Kang Chan realized that the current Seok Kang-Ho was definitely different from the Dayeru of Africa. The serious expression that he had earlier was something that Kang Chan could never imagine Dayeru making.
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