Bring It On! - Side Story 6

Side Story 6.

My body stiffened. Cha Yoon gently rubbed my tense stomach as he continued speaking.

“They found half of the broken boat, and a body was tied to the structure, so they were able to identify it. They compared the teeth. It’s definitely Lee Hae-seong. I checked several times myself.”

I had asked him to find Hae-seong, but I never imagined he would actually locate him. The search had dragged on for over a year, and I had begun to wonder if we should give up.

“He’s in a skeletal state, so it might be hard for you to see. Do you want to at least see him before they cremate him?”

I quietly shook my head. Just knowing that the body had been found was enough.

“Alright. When they’re laid to rest, we’ll go together then.”

Cha Yoon gently clasped my hand. Without realizing it, my hand was trembling. Even now, when I think of Hae-seong, I recall the last moment before the shipwreck, the face I saw for the final time. But Cha Yoon’s warmth and solid embrace held me steady.

I turned toward him and embraced him fully.

“Thank you.”

“I love you too.”

“Thank you… truly.”

Our hearts beat rapidly, pressed closely together. Cha Yoon had plunged into the vast, relentless sea to retrieve a body of someone he had never met, all for me. 

Surely it must have cost a fortune, yet he never once complained. Who else would go to such lengths for me?

His presence felt like a sturdy tree I could lean on. Overcome with emotion, I held him tightly until the tears threatening to spill were pushed back down.

***

Two weeks after discovering Hae-seong’s body, the cremation was carried out. Only after the ashes were interred did I finally tell Suho about what had happened. 

His expression was unusual. I expected him to cry, but he just nodded quietly. His maturity, unusual for a boy his age, only made me feel more sorrowful.

We agreed to visit the columbarium together on the weekend.

Due to Sujo’s two-week overseas training starting next month, we had to set the date quickly.

I went with Suho to the community center to reissue our passports. But something completely unexpected happened.

“Cha Suho is his official changed name?”

I was momentarily stunned. I rubbed my ears in disbelief.

“What did you say?”

“Because the legal guardian has lower priority than the parent, his father, Cha Yoon. So he must be present to issue the passport.”

Father.

Hearing that word felt like a lightning bolt striking my head. I kept asking, over and over, to confirm. Was it really true that Lee Suho had become Cha Suho? Was Cha Yoon really his father? The staff confirmed each point repeatedly.

I left the community center without getting my passport issued and immediately called Cha Yoon.

—Yes, love.

“When will you finish? No, I’ll come. Make some time.”

I knew I shouldn’t interrupt his work, but I didn’t even notice that now. I rushed straight to his building in my car, one he despised, without stopping. 

When I arrived at the parking lot, Park, his assistant, was waiting.

“Long time no see, Ms. Woori.”

“Hello. Is Cha Yoon here?”

“He’s waiting for you.”

We took the VIP elevator straight to Cha Yoon’s office. Park’s words about pausing meetings were lost to me.

As soon as the office door opened, I tried to rush to Cha Yoon but Suho was sitting on the sofa, playing a game.

“Lee Suho, why are you here?”

“An uncle came to pick me up, so I came in the car.”

The “uncle” was Park Jong-hoo.

My plan to grab Cha Yoon’s collar instantly fell apart. Cha Yoon smiled knowingly and approached me, squinting his eyes.

“Why are you so angry?”

“What did you do? What the hell did you do?”

I pressed my emotions down and spoke, and Cha Yoon had me sit on the sofa, telling me to calm down.

I drank the cold water Park handed me in one gulp.

“When did Suho become Cha Suho? Why didn’t you consult me about this?”

“I discussed it with Suho. Isn’t it enough to talk to the person directly involved?”

“Lee Suho, stop your game and explain.”

Suho reluctantly set down the controller. Then he looked me straight in the eye and said.

“I’m Cha Suho now.”

“……”

“Since Noona and Hyung are getting married, it’s right for me to become Cha Suho.”

My mind had completely short-circuited. A sigh escaped my lips, and my head throbbed painfully.

I had considered adopting Suho, but I had thought it wasn’t the right time yet. First, I wanted to find Hae-seong’s body, then allow him a proper farewell with his suddenly lost older brother. 

Only when I could truly send him off would I bring up the adoption… but now, everything was happening so suddenly and chaotically that I didn’t even know how to process it. Was it really okay for things to move so fast? 

Cha Yoon had suddenly become Suho’s father at such a young age. Was that really alright? Overwhelmed, I buried my face in my hands.

“Noona…”

Suho slid close to me and grabbed my arm. My head was spinning. I still couldn’t believe how smoothly everything had unfolded behind my back.

“Do you… dislike that I became Cha Suho?”

His voice was cautious, almost scared. I turned to look at him. Suho smiled awkwardly. I studied his face for a moment, then let out a short sigh.

“It’s not that I dislike it. I just… haven’t processed it yet.”

“But now we can really be a family. I like it so much.”

So that was it. Why Suho had completely surrendered to the idea. I glared at Cha Yoon, who watched Suho with a satisfied smile. When our eyes met, he composed himself and quietly placed the marriage registration form and the ring on the table in order.

Instead of signing, I handed him Suho’s passport photo.

“Make your passport.”

***

The rain poured in torrents.

The house was as loud as usual. Cha Yoon and Suho bickered over who had fewer food preferences, and I had a headache playing an unwilling judge.

It was the day we were going to the columbarium where Hae-seong’s ashes were interred.

Suho, sharing an umbrella with Cha Yoon, leapt into the back seat as soon as the car door opened. Since Cha Yoon was accompanying us today, we took his black sedan instead of my car.

Suho’s favorite anime theme songs played in the car. Cha Yoon, having listened so often, hummed along to the melodies and lyrics. Watching him from the side, I couldn’t help but chuckle, quickly turning my head.

The ride to the columbarium was long. The car eased along winding roads. The downpour outside was relentless. Of course it had to rain on a day like this.

The scenery outside swayed in the rain. I clenched my trembling hands, trying to steady my emotions. I kept my mouth closed, exhaling deeply through my nose to calm the rising tide of feelings.

After a long drive, the car stopped.

A small columbarium stood alone in the rain.

“This is where Yoo Ga-young’s ashes are kept. If you want, we can build a new structure.”

Inside, two urns stood side by side at a proper distance. I shook my head. It felt better to have someone beside me rather than facing it alone.

Looking at Hae-seong’s photo, smiling faintly, I was struck with solemnity and lost for words. At that moment, Cha Yoon’s phone rang. While he stepped outside briefly to answer, Suho clung tightly to me.

I forced my lips to move.

“You have to say hello to your Hyung.”

“Okay.”

Suho said this and kept his mouth firmly shut.

“Hyung protected you until the very end, you know? I was able to find you because he guided the way.”

Suho nodded quietly.

“Tell Hyung you’re doing well.”

Suho opened his bag and took out a gold medal he had brought. Hesitantly, he placed it beside the urn.

I smiled softly and patted Suho’s slightly wet hair.

“Suho’s recovery from surgery has been good. He swims well, made many friends. He already mastered Korean, and his English is pretty good too.”

The sound of the downpour gradually softened.

“I’ll raise him as well as Hae-seong’s family would have. So don’t worry.”

Suho didn’t cry, nor did he speak, but he couldn’t take his eyes off his older brother’s photo. I placed the flowers and bowed in respect. Suho hesitated, then gave a small wave.

“Rest in peace.”

The moment I moved a step, Suho darted out of the columbarium.

“Suho! Umbrella!”

I grabbed the abandoned umbrella and hurried after him. Somehow, the rain had weakened.

Suho splashed through puddles as he ran down the slope, then threw his arms around Cha Yoon, who was on the phone. Cha Yoon spoke briefly to the other party, then hung up. Soon, Suho’s crying rang out, echoing in the rain.

The emotions he had held back all this time burst forth in a pitiful, heart-wrenching wail. I stood silently, watching him tremble in Cha Yoon’s arms. 

Here was a child finally allowed to be a child. Safe to fall apart, held by someone strong and reliable, someone who could handle his tantrums and mistakes. Cha Yoon was that adult for Suho.

It was a role only Cha Yoon could fulfill. Not me, always on precarious footing.

Cha Yoon held Suho with one arm. Suho buried his face in Cha Yoon’s shoulder, sobbing. Cha Yoon saw me, opened the umbrella, and ran over.

“Why are you standing in the rain like a mess?”

“…”

“…I wasn’t going to say this, but what was going on between you two?”

Cha Yoon bit his lower lip nervously and asked. I glanced at his slightly worried eyes, then kept walking. I passed him, heading to the car. He ran up, placing the umbrella over my head.

“What kind of memories do you two have, acting like this?”

Cha Yoon helped Suho into the back seat. After crying for a while, he fell asleep like he had fainted. Cha Yoon quickly returned to the driver’s seat, making sure Suho’s seatbelt was fastened.

“Hey, Sun Woo-ri.”

“Let’s do it.”

Cha Yoon’s eyebrow twitched, narrowing his eyes as he tried to interpret my words.

“Let’s get married. Us.”

Cha Yoon’s eyes widened. He drew in a quiet breath through his slightly open mouth. When his heart swelled to its limit, he blurted, “Shit, really?!” 

I glanced at Suho in the back seat. Only his eyes twitched, thankfully, he hadn’t woken.

Beeep! The horn blared. Cha Yoon, approaching me, had pressed it with his elbow. He ignored it, wrapping me in his arms, peppering small kisses over every exposed part of my face, repeating “Shit, thank you” like a prayer.

I laughed softly at his intensity. Could it really feel this amazing? We had already been living almost like a married couple without registering. 

I didn’t expect our lives to change dramatically. Yet Cha Yoon cheered and celebrated as if witnessing a miracle.

“I’ll never let you go again. Let’s bind ourselves to each other for life, be each other’s slaves.”

His words, harsh and unromantic, whispered sweetly as he kissed me. My lips parted slightly, and his thick tongue pressed into my mouth. 

He seemed to forget that Suho was asleep in the back seat. I gently stopped his hand as it wandered beneath my clothes.

By now, the rain had completely stopped. Sunlight broke through the heavy clouds, illuminating the car. Not a single moment on this journey had been ordinary or smooth. 

We had clashed, struggled, and survived fiercely. In the end, the three of us had grasped it. Family. 

Whatever storms might come, I knew we could face them and triumph together.