codename: Seraphim

Beom-ki took another sip of his water, his movements slow and deliberate, as if trying to keep himself in control. He set the glass down, then leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table as he stared down at his plate. "I went over to surprise her, you know? I thought I'd hang out with her and her brother, maybe spend the evening together," he explained, his voice calm, almost eerily so. "But when I got there, everything was... off. The apartment was too quiet. And then I heard... sounds. Coming from her room."

Beom-sook's hands clenched into fists on the table, her knuckles turning white. "And you walked in on them?" she asked, her voice tight with barely contained fury.

Beom-ki nodded, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. "Yeah, I walked in. They didn't even notice me at first. Too busy with each other." His words dripped with disgust as he recalled the scene in vivid detail. His heart had felt like it was being torn apart at that moment, but now, sitting here at the dinner table, recounting it to his family, it was like the pain was just simmering beneath the surface, waiting to boil over.

Beom-sook's face twisted in anger. "What the hell? Are you serious? Her brother?" she spat, practically seething. "That's messed up, Beom-ki. Who does that?"

His mother, still in shock, reached across the table and placed a gentle hand on Beom-ki's arm. "Oh, my poor boy," she whispered, her eyes full of empathy. "I can't believe she would do that to you."

Beom-ki shrugged, trying to appear unaffected, though the sadness in his eyes betrayed him. "Yeah, well, it is what it is," he muttered, though the words felt hollow. "I guess I just... didn't see it coming."

He could feel the weight of their concern pressing in on him, and while part of him wanted to break down, to let it all out, another part of him just wanted to bury it, to pretend it didn't hurt as much as it did. But that was impossible. Not with his family. Not with the people who knew him better than anyone else.

Beom-sook was still fuming, shaking her head in disbelief. "That bitch," she muttered under her breath. "If I ever see her, I swear—"

"Beom-sook, language," their mother gently chided, though even she looked like she wouldn't mind giving the girl a piece of her mind.

Beom-ki gave a weak chuckle, glancing up at his sister. "It's fine. Really. I'm done with her. It's just... hard, you know?" He rubbed his hands over his face, feeling the exhaustion from everything that had happened settling in. "I thought I knew her. But clearly, I didn't."

His mother squeezed his arm, her touch gentle and reassuring. "You'll get through this, Beom-ki," she said softly, her voice full of love and support. "We're here for you. Always."

Beom-sook's expression softened as she looked at her brother, the anger fading away, replaced with concern. "Yeah, Beom-ki," she said, her voice quieter now. "You don't have to go through this alone. We've got your back, no matter what."

Beom-ki nodded, grateful for their support, but the ache in his chest still lingered. He knew that within time everything would be fine ...

The air around the dinner table felt lighter, even though Beom-ki's revelation still lingered in their minds. His family's presence and their familiar banter seemed to soothe the edges of his hurt, and as they continued eating, a conversation shifted into something more playful. It wasn't long before his mother's gentle, probing voice cut through the quiet.

"Why don't you try other options?" she began, her tone calm but carrying the weight of motherly wisdom. "If women aren't helping, maybe you should try dating men..." Her words hung in the air for a moment, and Beom-ki almost choked on his rice, his eyes widening slightly in disbelief.

"Damn, why are you so unlucky with love?" Beom-sook chimed in with a grin, her teasing nature surfacing again. She glanced at her brother, enjoying the shock written on his face, but their mom was quick to give her a stern glare. The kind of look that could freeze a room.

"What, Maa?" Beom-sook shrugged, raising her hands in mock surrender. "It's true." She tried to dodge her mother's intense gaze, but the mischievous smirk never left her lips.

Beom-ki, trying to regain his composure, let out a small, nervous laugh. "Eomma, thanks for the suggestion, but I'm not gay," he said, picking at his food, hoping the conversation would drift somewhere else. Anywhere else.

His mother, ever the open-minded and supportive figure, wasn't about to let it slide that easily. "Come on, it's 2024!" she said, waving her hand dismissively as if she was brushing away the outdated notion of rigid labels. "Look at your friend Nakwon. He has a boyfriend, and he's very happy! It doesn't matter whether you're gay or not. Giving it a try doesn't hurt, my love."

Beom-ki chuckled awkwardly, taking another sip of water, wondering how they even got to this topic. His mother was impossible sometimes, always throwing out ideas that he had never even considered. He glanced over at Beom-sook, expecting her to make it worse. Of course, she did.

"Look at me," Beom-sook said, leaning back in her chair with a smirk. "Men aren't exactly my type either. I used to date guys, but I realized women are way better for me. And, honestly, dating women has been the best thing that's ever happened to me."

Beom-ki raised an eyebrow, shaking his head as he listened to his twin. "Yeah, thanks for sharing that, Beom-sook," he muttered sarcastically, trying not to laugh. "But I'm straight as fuck."

His mother chuckled softly, but Beom-sook wasn't going to let it go that easily. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table as she flashed him a teasing grin. "What are you scared of? Being the bottom?"

Beom-ki's face turned red instantly, his fork pausing mid-air as he stared at her in disbelief. "Shut up," he blurted, his voice sharp but laced with embarrassment.

His mother, who had been sipping her tea, nearly choked, but she quickly joined in. "Shut up," she echoed in unison with Beom-ki, giving Beom-sook another disapproving look. But Beom-sook? She was giggling uncontrollably, leaning back in her chair, clearly enjoying the chaos she had stirred up.

Beom-ki couldn't help but let out a chuckle, shaking his head. He loved his family, but sometimes they could be... a lot. He was glad, though. After everything that had happened with his ex, the betrayal, the pain—this was what he needed. The lightheartedness, the ridiculous conversations that only his family could have. It reminded him that, no matter how bad things got, he wasn't alone. He had his mother and his sister, and they always knew how to lift his spirits, even when they were driving him crazy.

As the laughter finally died down, his mother reached over and patted his hand. "We're just looking out for you, Beom-ki," she said softly. "You deserve to be happy, and we'll support you no matter what."

Beom-ki smiled, feeling the warmth in her , and nodded. "I know, eomma. I know."

As Beom-sook began to launch into a story about her life in the States, her voice animated and full of detail, Beom-ki was trying to focus on every word. His sister always had the best stories, and the way she told them made everything sound ten times more dramatic than it probably was. She was halfway through describing a heated courtroom moment when suddenly, the familiar buzz of Beom-ki's phone cut through the room. The sound pulled him away from the dinner table conversation and into the reality of his job.

Beom-ki glanced down at his phone screen, immediately recognizing the agency's number. His expression shifted to one of seriousness as he tapped the green icon to answer. "Yeah, this is Beom-ki," he answered, standing up from his chair as he walked a few steps away from the table for some privacy.

The voice on the other end was Nakwon's, direct and to the point as always. "Beom-ki, we need you at the agency. Something urgent's come up," Nakwon's voice echoed through the line, no room for delay.

Beom-ki's brow furrowed slightly, a look of mild frustration flashing across his face. He had barely had time to breathe since the earlier events, and now duty was calling again. "Understood. I'll be there in 15," he replied, his voice low and professional. Nakwon gave him a few more details, and after a brief exchange, Beom-ki hung up.

He turned back to the table, letting out a small sigh. His eyes met his mom's as he grabbed one of the freshly baked cookies from the plate. "Duty calls. I've gotta go," he said, his voice calm but laced with a bit of regret. He had hoped to spend more time with his family tonight, but that was just part of the job.

"Bu—" his mom started to protest, but before she could finish, Beom-ki had already made his way to the door, slipping his shoes back on. He gave her an apologetic smile as he reached for the doorknob, the cookie still in his hand like a quick snack for the road.

His mother shook her head, her eyes filled with a mixture of concern and acceptance. She was used to it by now, but it didn't make it any easier. She hated watching him rush out like this, especially when they had so little time together. "He really loves his work, damn," Beom-sook muttered as she watched him leave, stuffing a piece of pork into her mouth. Her voice was filled with a mix of admiration and exasperation. She knew her brother was dedicated—too dedicated, sometimes.

The front door clicked shut, and the warmth of Beom-ki's presence seemed to leave the room with it. His mother let out a small sigh as she turned back to the table, her hands still resting on the dish of cookies. "I wish he didn't have to leave so often," she said softly, her voice filled with a mother's worry. But she knew better than anyone that Beom-ki's work was important to him. It was part of who he was.