# Side Story (9)
Beep- beep beep- beep-
The electronic sound from the door lock. The dull noise, light yet heavy, pounded against my heart.
"I'm screwed..."
I spat out those three syllables that perfectly described this situation and quickly headed to the entrance. Luna, who had been in the living room, poked her head out curiously.
"Mister, what's going on? Someone's knocking on the door!"
"Y-you stay right there! Gather all the other kids in the living room too! Got it?"
"Hmm, something must have happened! I'm a good kid, so I'll do as you say!"
Right, just for today, please be a good kid.
I swallowed to soothe my burning throat. Then, steeling myself, I headed to the entrance. There, I was reunited with my parents after a long time.
"...Welcome."
"Yes, it's been a while. Jun-woo."
An awkward atmosphere.
But I was far more awkward, hiding the Hero Party. Mother seemed to notice my mood and began scanning the area with her eyes as she took off her high heels. Her fashion was still that of a perfect career woman.
"..."
"You have more shoes now."
"...Yes, somehow it ended up that way."
"Somehow?"
Swoosh-
Mother frowned at me.
She looked like she was saying, 'Is that really what you should be saying right now?'
*She seemed suspicious from her text... Does she already know?*
The source of information was probably the principal. After all, Mother contacted me for the first time in a while after that day.
"Haah..."
I sighed and muttered in a half-given-up state.
"...Come in for now. It's your home after a long time. Come in and let's talk slowly."
Mother chuckled and answered as she put on slippers.
"That's what I should be saying, Jun-woo."
And so, I had no choice but to introduce the Hero Party to Mother.
"..."
Slurp-
A silent dining table.
The Hero Party and I sat before Mother as if we were at a job interview.
Hare, perhaps misunderstanding the situation, whispered in my ear with a chilling voice.
"M-Mister... who is this woman...? She can enter the house freely... C-could she be your-"
"She's my mother."
"I-I actually knew that... Y-you look alike... Hehe..."
Anyway.
Mother was watching us quietly, calmly drinking her coffee.
What was she thinking, what would she say?
I couldn't predict at all.
"Jun-woo."
"Y-yes?!"
"How long do I have to wait?"
Ah.
She was waiting for me to explain first.
*Right, it was always like this. She would wait for me to admit my mistakes first.*
I glanced at Mother and said.
"Well... to put it simply, these kids are from another country."
"And if you put it complicatedly?"
"They're from another world."
"Hmm..."
Mother frowned as if finding it hard to understand.
*Of course it's hard to understand. How could anyone understand if I suddenly say they're from another world?*
However, judging that I had no reason to lie, she seemed to be trying to understand in her own way.
"Another world. They certainly do look exotic. Hmm..."
"It's hard for me to understand too, so I just think of them as people from another country."
"I see, people from another country..."
In that case.
"Why are those kids gathered in our house? Can you answer that?"
"Well, that's-"
"That's because! I! The Hero Luna will explain to Mother!"
Flash-!
Luna raised her hand and shouted. Mother seemed interested in Luna's appearance and smiled.
"Mother... Hmm, alright. Instead of my son, you try explaining. What are you to my son?"
"I am! Mister's disciple! And a Hero who was kidnapped by Mister!"
"...You kidnapped someone?"
Mother.
What do you think of me?
You shouldn't look at your son with such a contemptuous expression.
"...Please listen to the kids' words with some bias. It's a story from another world."
"Really? Then I'll try my best."
Mother said she'd listen with bias.
Luna and the kids explained who I was in the other world to her.
Mother seemed disbelieving at first, but as she listened to the kids' detailed stories, her expression gradually changed.
She still looked like she didn't quite believe it, but she was at least making an effort to try.
"To sum up your story, you came here chasing my son?"
"Yes, that's right. We came from another world to meet Mister."
"The reason?"
"Because Mister abandoned us and ran away."
At Saten's words, Mother looked at me with a serious expression and said.
"That's certainly true. You should take responsibility. Would my son run away if he got someone pregnant?"
"No, that's different. Besides, I don't even remember?"
"Does it end just because you don't remember? Would my son ask to be excused for drunk driving because he doesn't remember?"
"...No."
Only then did Mother seem satisfied and relaxed her expression.
"Right, if you're born a man, you should take responsibility. But Jun-woo."
"Yes?"
"Could you step outside for a moment?"
"Why, why?"
Mother looked over the Hero Party one by one and said.
"There's something women need to talk about. So, could you step outside for a bit?"
Mother grinned.
Hoping those poorly socialized beasts wouldn't make any mistakes,
I stepped out the front door with an anxious heart.
"Your name is Luna, right?"
"Y-yes! Mother!"
The Hero Party's interview room after Lee Jun-woo disappeared.
First, Luna was receiving Mother's interview.
*I absolutely have to make a good impression!*
Gulp-
Luna was nervous about the interview.
Perhaps finding her pitiful, Mother spoke in a gentle tone.
"I'm only going to ask simple questions, so you don't need to be so nervous. Aren't you thirsty?"
"I-I'm a little thirsty!"
"Here, have some cola and let's talk."
Cola.
The beverage she had secretly stolen from Mister at dawn.
Luna's eyes sparkled as she poured the cola down her throat.
"Delicious!"
"By the way, what do you think of my son?"
"Pfft-!"
Cough- Cough-
Luna felt her throat burning at the flustering question.
"T-that Mister is Mister! I always want to be with him!"
"So, you want to be his girlfriend. Should I understand it that way?"
"T-that's...!!"
Luna glanced at the other kids. Hare muttered, "You should speak honestly," and Saten was frowning while focusing on Luna's mouth.
Estia was also nodding off while perking up her ears.
"You want to have... that kind of relationship with my son. Is that what you're saying?"
"T-that's..."
"Please answer honestly. After all, South Korea practices monogamy."
"O-only one wife!"
Whoosh-!
Luna jumped up from her seat and shouted loudly.
"I-I, the Hero Luna! To be honest, I want to have that kind of relationship with Mister, Mother!!"
"Hmm, you want it that badly."
"Yes-!!"
The Hero Party's cold stares.
On the other hand, Mother's face wore a smile.
"That's fortunate. If there's a kid like you, Jun-woo won't be lonely. After all, our family has to travel abroad frequently and can't stay home for long."
"What kind of work do you do?!"
"We send goods to other countries or manage warehouses. To open new routes, we have to go abroad a lot. We have to look presentable too. My husband mostly handles warehouse management."
"I-I see!"
Though she didn't fully understand, Luna answered confidently. Perhaps pleased by this, Mother's lips always wore a smile.
Luna had the power to make people around her smile.
"I-I also...! Like Mister...! M-Mother...!"
"You are?"
"H-Hare...! I-I can confidently say I like Mister more than anyone...!!"
Thinking she couldn't lose to Luna, Hare began shouting with trembling hands.
"I-I... really like Mister...! I-I want to marry him...!"
"Marriage. Are you confident that feeling will never change?"
"It absolutely won't... If it changes... I'll kill myself... I can never forgive myself if my feelings change..."
"No, you don't need to go as far as killing yourself."
Still.
*I can tell how much she cares for my son. She seems too nervous, her voice is trembling and her words are a bit clumsy.*
Mother highly evaluated the sincerity of her feelings. She turned her gaze to Saten sitting next to Hare.
As if she'd been waiting, Saten stood up, held her skirt, and greeted her politely.
"Hello, Mother. My name is Saten. Nice to meet you."
The moment Saten finished her greeting, Luna and Hare realized their mistakes.
*Was I too rude?! I-I even drank lots of cola!*
*T-that cunning Saten... Coming out like that by herself, so annoying...*
Few people dislike polite individuals. Saten had won from the start. Mother asked her lightly.
"Since you said another world... are you a noble?"
"Yes, I'm Saten from a noble family, Mother. I also want to be with Mister until death. The emotion I have is love I learned from Mister. I want Mister to take that emotion."
Saten stated her opinion clearly.
As Mother's expression softened, Hare bit her lip and muttered.
"...You're not even a noble anymore."
"Be quiet. Mother and I are talking, aren't we?"
"..."
"Anyway, Mother. I hope you'll consider my opinion well."
Bow-
And so Saten's turn at the interview ended.
Lee Jun-woo's mother turned her gaze to ask the last remaining Estia a question.
However, she couldn't ask.
"I... want to be... with Oppa... Don't want... to be alone..."
Nod- Nod-
Estia rhythmically nodded her head, repeating the same words as if playing a recording.
Seeing this, Mother asked Luna.
"...What's that child's name?"
"It's Estia!"
"I see."
After nodding and laying Estia on the bed, the interview ended without the scores being revealed.