When Eunwon opened his eyes before the alarm could ring, the clock read a little past six in the morning.
He sat up.
He'd fallen asleep well after midnight, so he hadn't actually slept that long. Even so, he felt more rested than he had in years.
Normally, nightmares tormented him, and the noise outside would startle him awake over and over again before morning. A full night's sleep had become something unfamiliar enough that waking up this refreshed felt strange.
He wasn't tempted to crawl back into bed, nor did he feel the usual exhaustion lingering in his body.
He climbed out of bed immediately, washed his face in the bathroom, then returned to neatly make it.
It was still far too early to get ready for school.
After a moment's hesitation, Eunwon quietly opened his bedroom door, still dressed in his loungewear.
He was thirsty.
The second-floor family lounge was beautifully furnished.
The night before, he'd been too nervous to take it all in, but now he noticed it resembled the first floor, with comfortable sofas, a large television, a coffee table, and bookshelves. Off to one side was even a pantry with a refrigerator stocked with drinks and snacks.
Opening the refrigerator, he found everything arranged with meticulous order.
Bottled water.
Juices.
Soft drinks.
Sports drinks.
Milk.
Protein shakes.
He reached for a bottle of water and twisted off the cap.
As the cold water washed over his dry throat, he finally let out an easy breath.
“You're awake already, Eunwon?”
A voice came from the staircase.
He quickly swallowed another mouthful of water and walked over.
“Yes...”
“Why are you up so early? You should've slept longer. I was planning to have breakfast brought up around eight.”
Even at this early hour, Yeo Heejin looked perfectly composed.
She smiled warmly when she saw him.
“...Did you sleep well?”
“I did. Maybe it's because Eunwon is finally home, but I slept better than I have in ages.” She smiled softly. “What about you? I was worried you might not sleep well in a new place.”
“No... I slept really well, too. I didn't wake up even once... I slept so soundly that I ended up waking up early.”
“I'm glad to hear that.” She brightened. “Breakfast will be at seven, so come downstairs then. Don't worry about changing clothes or anything. Just come exactly as you are.”
“Yes...”
Smiling at his answer, Yeo Heejin took one of his hands and gently patted the back of it before heading downstairs.
Eunwon stood there for a moment, quietly looking at the lingering warmth left on his skin.
A faint smile spread across his lips.
***
Breakfast was pancakes, fresh fruit, and cereal.
A pat of butter melted over the freshly made pancakes, which were piled high with strawberries and blueberries and generously drizzled with syrup.
Eunwon cut off a piece and ate it with a strawberry.
The melted butter, the warm pancake, and the sweet-tart fruit blended together in his mouth.
It was simply...
Delicious.
So delicious that all he could think about was how happy it made him.
“We'll have a proper welcome dinner tonight,” Madam Seo said. “Honey, you'll be home early, won't you?”
“Yes, of course. I'll be back by seven.”
“Good.” She smiled brightly. “I'm looking forward to it. Eunwon, you should look forward to it too.”
The warmth in their voices, the gentle atmosphere around the table, and the easy affection they shared slowly eased Eunwon's awkwardness.
From Madam Seo's perspective, his existence should have been difficult to welcome forever.
Yet she never let even a hint of that show.
Instead, she'd been the first to reach out.
The first to offer warmth.
He was overwhelmingly grateful.
If she's trying this hard... then I should try harder too. I want to become someone... worthy of being here.
He could never become her real son.
But he didn't want to become someone who made life in this house uncomfortable.
“Oh, honey.” Madam Seo turned toward Chairman Seo. “Could you drive Eunwon to school on your way to work? If you're not too busy.”
“Of course.”
Chairman Seo smiled at Eunwon before exchanging another smile with his wife.
There was something in that shared glance that Eunwon couldn't understand.
***
Just as his class was ending, his phone buzzed.
It was a message from Madam Seo saying she was waiting outside the department building.
When class ended and he walked downstairs, she got out of the car with a bright smile to greet him.
Ignoring the curious looks following them, Eunwon climbed into the car.
About thirty minutes later, they arrived at a private boutique owned by S Group called The Aster.
It felt nothing like the department stores Eunwon knew.
The atmosphere alone was enough to make him feel self-conscious.
As soon as the car stopped at the entrance, an employee hurried over to open the door and greet them politely.
Eunwon stepped out beside Madam Seo.
The employees waiting at the entrance immediately bowed respectfully and escorted them inside.
“We're here to buy some clothes for my son,” Madam Seo said. “You received my call, didn't you?”
“Yes, Madam. We've prepared a selection of pieces that we believe will suit your son very well.”
Instead of leading them into the main showroom, the employee guided them into a large private room.
Several clothing racks filled with carefully selected outfits stood inside, alongside displays of shoes and handbags.
Following Madam Seo, Eunwon sat on a sofa beside a tea table and took a sip of the sparkling water an employee had served.
“What would you like to drink?”
“I'll have a hot latte,” Madam Seo answered before turning to Eunwon. “What about you? You can have anything you'd like, so don't be shy.”
Eunwon hesitated.
He almost never bought drinks like this and knew very little about them.
Trying to remember the few he'd tasted before, he answered cautiously.
“Um... could I have... a vanilla latte?”
“Of course. A hot vanilla latte?”
“Yes... hot, please.”
“Certainly. Please give us just a moment.”
The employee entered the order on a tablet.
Not long afterward, another employee returned, pushing a trolley carrying two steaming cups of coffee and a three-tier dessert stand.
Each delicate plate was filled with tiny, beautifully arranged pastries and sweets.
“If you need anything else, please let us know at any time. While you enjoy your drinks, we'll begin introducing the outfits we've prepared.”
Two employees began removing clothes from the racks, dressing mannequins with coordinated outfits before explaining each look in detail.
Eunwon had never cared much about fashion.
Money had always been tight, so he'd bought only the simplest clothes he could afford during sales at budget clothing stores.
The employees' polished explanations, filled with fashion terminology, were difficult for him to follow.
“How neat. It suits our son perfectly.” Madam Seo smiled. “Let's have him try this one on. Eunwon, would you? Clothes always look different once you actually wear them. Though I'm sure our son would look beautiful in anything.”
“Ah... okay.”
After taking a sip of his warm vanilla latte, Eunwon stood and followed an employee toward the fitting room.
“I'll help you get changed.”
“Ah... would it be okay if I changed by myself?”
“Of course. Please let me know if you need any assistance.”
“Thank you.”
The clothes were taken off the mannequin and hung neatly inside the fitting room.
A shirt.
A knit sweater.
A pair of trousers.
Only after the door had fully closed did Eunwon remove his own clothes and begin dressing.
The fresh fabric, still cool from storage and untouched by anyone's warmth, brushed against his skin, stealing away the lingering heat of his body.
“You look wonderful.”
When he stepped out, the employee smiled and carefully adjusted the fit of his clothes before directing him back toward Madam Seo.
Feeling both shy and awkward, Eunwon walked over.
“Oh my goodness, Eunwon.”
Yeo Heejin immediately stood.
“You look so handsome. How does everything suit you this well? That's my son.”
She looked him over with unconcealed admiration.
As if that were a signal, the employees enthusiastically joined in.
“Your complexion is so fair. Light colors look incredible on you.”
“Your proportions are excellent. Honestly, the fit looks even better on you than it did on the model.”
“The ivory knit you're wearing is one of this season's signature pieces at The Aster. It's also a selection personally purchased by Executive Director Cha Sejin of S Group. When you contacted us, Madam, there happened to be exactly one size left, so we managed to secure it. Seeing how perfectly it suits him makes us very happy.”
A strange expression flickered across Yeo Heejin's face.
She subtly glanced at Eunwon before her warm smile returned.
“If it's one of Executive Director Cha's picks, it must have been difficult to get. His selections are famous, after all. The Executive Director Cha effect.”
Having no idea who Cha Sejin was, Eunwon simply listened without reacting.
After that, he changed into seven or eight more outfits.
Shirts.
Jackets.
Cardigans.
Knit sweaters.
Every time he emerged wearing something new, another flood of extravagant compliments greeted him.
“Thank you for your patience,” Madam Seo finally said. “I love everything. We'll take everything he tried on. The shoes and bags as well.”
“...That's far too much.”
“No, Eunwon.”
She smiled gently.
“You've gone without for far too long. Even this isn't enough to make up for it. You'll be going to school, and you'll have so many places to go from now on. You need at least this much.”
She paused before smiling apologetically.
“To be honest, I wanted to buy you even nicer things. But I thought those would be too much to wear to school, so this was my compromise.”
She reached out and lightly squeezed his hand.
“Think of it as a gift to celebrate our son coming home. Will you accept it for me?”
Her gentle persuasion left him with no choice.
Eventually, Eunwon nodded.
Yeo Heejin smiled as though he were absolutely adorable, patted him lightly on the back, and then deliberately addressed the employees loudly enough for everyone to hear.