章 7: Family

Seeing the contact on the call, his hands began to sweat. His heart raced as he stared at the screen. Answering was risky—it could expose him. Yet ignoring it would only fuel suspicion. Parents, after all, possess an uncanny ability to sense their children's troubles without a word.

Even though he inhabited Kim Joon-won's body and could mimic his voice, he was fundamentally someone else. In his former life, he had never known the comfort of parents. Now, he faced the daunting task of speaking with the father of the deceased young man whose life he had assumed.

Closing his eyes, he concentrated, dredging up everything from Kim Joon-won's memories. Kim Min-seok—that was the name. A straightforward man who had poured his modest income into supporting his children's dreams. He had even sent Joon-won to drama school, despite the financial strain. Zen Su found himself respecting this man who had given so much for his children. The more he delved into Joon-won's memories, the more he understood the family he now had to navigate.

After several deep breaths, he finally mustered the courage to answer, fumbling with the phone like someone encountering technology for the first time.

"Ah, Joon-won! Why did it take you so long to pick up? Are you out partying again? I'm telling you, be careful in those big cities; it's not like our small town. Joon-won, are you listening? Oi!" Min-seok's voice boomed through the speaker, a barrage of questions without pause.

A small smile tugged at Joon-won's lips. The concern in Min-seok's voice, triggered merely by a delayed response, touched him. As an orphan in his previous life, this kind of worry felt oddly comforting.

Switching off the speaker, he held the phone to his ear. "I'm fine, Dad. I was eating and left my phone in the bedroom. How are you?"

Silence followed. Joon-won waited, anxiety creeping in. "Dad? Are you there? Can you hear me? I asked how you are," he repeated, concern edging into his voice.

Unbeknownst to him, his own thoughts and feelings were gradually merging with those of the original Joon-won, deepening his concern for this stranger who now felt like family.

"Oh, I was just surprised by your question. Are you okay, Joon-won? You don't sound like yourself," Min-seok finally responded, his voice thick with worry.

Joon-won blinked, taken aback by the heightened concern. He delved back into Joon-won's memories, searching for answers. The issue lay with the original Joon-won, who had avoided his family after moving to the city for studies, overwhelmed by the cultural shift. This explained Min-seok's reaction to a simple query. Joon-won couldn't help but shake his head at the original's immaturity. Family is the bedrock of a person's achievements. Without his father's hard work, he wouldn't have had the chance to study acting in the city.

"Do you have a fever? Are you exhausted? Any body pains? These are symptoms of that disease from a few years back. You need to be careful, even if you're vaccinated. Should I come over? Or better yet, why don't you come home?" Min-seok's concern spilled over, relentless.

Anyone else might have found it irritating, but Zen Su felt a warm smile spread across his face.

"No, Dad. I'm okay. It's not any disease or anything serious. I'm perfectly fine. Don't overreact to a small change. There will be more adjustments as I settle in here. So, tell me, how are things at home?"

"Hahaha! Everything's fine now that you're finally making good decisions. I'm thrilled you're on the right path. I can sleep soundly tonight." Min-seok's laughter echoed through the phone, causing Joon-won to hold it away from his ear, yet he couldn't help but smile.

"Yes, Dad. Everything will be fine. So, all is well there?"

"I just told you! Have you gone deaf? Don't worry about us. Your sister and I are fine. She's studying for her exams. Want to talk to her?"

"No, let her study. She's in high school; it's important for her to focus. Alright then, Dad, get some sleep. You have work tomorrow."

"Yes, yes. You should sleep early too. You have classes and final exams coming up. Study hard," Min-seok reminded him before ending the call.

Setting the phone aside, he leaned back and exhaled deeply, relief washing over him. His heart warmed from the conversation with Min-seok. It was a feeling he cherished.

"This man, my father in this life, even though you didn't give birth to me, I'll care for you as my own," he murmured, the resolution solidifying in his mind.