At any rate, it was a happy occasion since we"ve returned after a successful test.

I felt relieved to be sitting on the sofa, after having come home with Cha Jihae.

"Summon lithograph."

-Name:  Kim Hyunho

-Cla.s.s:  46

-Karma:  +15,750

-Mission:  Take the final break.

-Time limit:  89 days and 21 hours

"89 days…."

Now, no one knows what would happen if that time was to expire.

"I"ll prepare some food."

I pulled Cha Jihae and sat her next to me as she was going into the kitchen.

"Please stay for a minute."

"Please stay by me for a minute."

"I"ll stay as long as you need me to."

Her brusque manner in her reply sounded very beautiful.

"Then could you be by my side forever?"

"I will."

Ah, as her reply was very expeditious, it was impossible for me to get into creating any kind of a mood.

Letting out a smile, I said to her.

"Should we get married?"

"If this is a proposal, you"ve also expressed an interest in getting married in the past as well."

"No, I mean, let"s fix a date."

"OK, please fix a date after the next test."

"Let"s go see our parents now and reserve a date.  After 92 days from now."

"…..OK."

"Thank you."

"No, I am the one to."

I kissed her on her lips.  She gently accepted mine.

That day, I called my mother.

[Mom, I"ll be getting married.]

Ring, ring, ring, ring-ing!

Immediately, my smart phone urged me to pick up an incoming call.

-Son!  Is that true?  You are going to marry that girl?  I can really become a grandma?

"Maybe not a grandma already, but at least, you will be able to see a daughter in law within this year.  Is that good?"

-Of course it is!  Come with her to see mom!

"OK, is today workable?"

-Gosh, I like it, very short and quick.  OK, come today at once, son.  Mom will get dinner ready.

As expected, mom was all for it.  So every member of the family agreed to gather at the dinner time.

That evening, every member of the family got together at home in Cheonan.

On the opposite of the table were my older sister, mom, and Hyunji.

And on this side were Cha Jihae and myself.  Of course, I, or Cha Jihae did not feel nervous at all.

"Ho-ho, I felt it before, but my new future daughter is very a.s.sertive."

Mom laughed as she spoke, seeing that the girl, who came to receive her blessings in marriage to her son, was so calm.

"Thank you, mom."

"Ho-ho, you sound the same."

"I"m sorry.  If it is bothering you, I"ll try to fix it."

"No, no.  Do speak as you feel.  By the way, is it OK to speak informally to my future daughter in-law?"

"You are already doing so."

"Ho-ho, I, I do, right?"

"Please do speak informally going forward as well."

"Oh, thanks."

I held back from bursting out in laughter.

Then, for some reason, upset at something, Hyunji spoke as she slammed on the table.

"I cannot allow to this marriage!"

"Shut up and sit down."

"OK."

Hyunji became immediately quiet as my older sister requested.  She must be still revolting against Cha Jihae on the count of Minjung.

My older sister was staring, at Cha Jihae, with especially cold eyes.  As she has already been an old maid and pa.s.sed the marriage age for a long time, she didn"t seem too thrilled about Cha Jihae, and me getting married before her.

Not even slightly flinching even at my sister"s cold stares, Cha Jihae was definitely fit to be our family"s daughter in-law.

"There are many things that do not make sense.  You hold Danish pa.s.sport, yet you speak no Danish or German, to begin with."

"I was born in Korea and was in the military.  I"ve completed my duties to my country and obtained the Danish citizenship in the process, and I want to live an ordinary life after getting married and retiring soon."

Um, as it wasn"t totally incorrect, it wasn"t a lie.

"Finally, I"m hearing some truths from you.  May I hear what you do?"

My sister"s anger seemed to have died down somewhat.

"As it is confidential, I can"t tell you.  I"m sorry."

"Then I guess I won"t push it.  But it is not a dangerous thing, is it?"

"Yes, I"m scheduled to retire soon."

"Wow, Jihae, then are you some kind of national security agent or something like that?"

Hyunji asked with her eyes wide open as if to say that she did not get upset at all.

"It is similar."

It seemed that the conversation was going a bit awry, but since the atmosphere was not bad, it was better to not interject.

"I heard that you two met due to work, then, by any chance, are you working in that field also, Hyunho?  Come to think of it, I felt odd as you"ve been behaving very differently also."

My older sister"s observation was sharp.

"Yayeeks?  Could the reason behind travelling to Denmark so often was also?!"

"Son, son, what is all this about?"

Both Hyunji and Mom were flipping out with shock.

…..Certainly, the conversation was going somewhat strangely.