xuanmiin: Kwon's point of view. Chapter's much longer than usual, though I more or less know the point of this chapter. 

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I think I solve the mystery that is Ga In’s obsession with material goods when I complete the episode that is Ga In’s relationship with the second useless bag of trash.

I poke her shoulder, “I think I finally understand why you used to bug me for gifts so much during WGM.”

“Why?”

“These idiots didn’t even make you feel loved. I’ll egoistically assume that even on WGM, I was better than those idiots—” She cuts me off.

“You were.”

“I was better, but you thought that it was under compulsion of WGM. You wanted something material to remember it by.”

“I did. Only much later did I realise that memories while fleeting are much more precious than material goods.” She’s speaking cryptically again. “Forgive me, but you wouldn’t think that memories were worth anything if you were in my shoes.”

“You wanted to receive presents from a boyfriend. But no boyfriend has ever done that for you. You thought I was a good enough compromise.”

“I thought you were the closest I’d get to receiving a gift from a boyfriend. I think receiving presents from a boyfriend feels wonderful. But the memory of receiving a present, the feeling of being wanted, is more precious than the present itself.”

A cold shower later, I plop myself onto Ga In’s bed. I must have spent a long time meditating in the privacy that was the shower, because she’s already sitting on the bed fiddling with her phone.

“I have to go down to the agency tomorrow again. Can’t worm my way out of it, the higher ups are going to be present too.” I couldn’t say that I was all too disappointed since I had already guessed this would happen.

“At night?”

“I’ll come and find you once I’m done at the agency. I presume you’ll be at your parent’s house? I’ll try and make it out in time for dinner.” Ga In knows me well.

“Yeah, I think so. I’ll take you somewhere nice for dinner.” We hadn’t had a nice meal together outside for the longest time, because we were more cautious in the wake of the 2AM press conference.

“Kwon-ah, you know your mom will definitely cook dinner when you go over tomorrow. And both of us are more than happy to eat her dinner.” Again, what can I say.

“Then you might as well also bring along a set of change. ‘Cause you know my mom will not only insist that I stay over, she will also insist you stay over too.”

“On this I may have to turn her down. I may have to be back at the agency the following day. Major brainstorming fest now, and you know how laid back and informal the agency is.”

“My mom will be disappointed.”

“Frankly I don’t understand why any mom would her son to share a bed with his girlfriend just a room away.”

“I’ve never explicitly confirmed anything, but mom doesn’t even opens the guest room. She could seriously be taken the wrong way if you were only my girl space friend.”

“Kwonnie, I think it’s fairly obvious that it isn’t the case. And your mom used to open the guest room prior to you enlisting in military. She only stopped after you were discharged, since it became crystal clear when that happened.”

“My memory has failed me then.” Did she? She never seemed to open the guest room at all, on the basis that it was unkempt.

“Still, the whole idea of it is just weird.”

“Mom just really likes you.” Mom’s biggest problem with Ga In was her apparent obsession with the material thanks to the remnants of her onscreen image. Mom’s biggest problem with Ga In was her apparent obsession with the material, thanks to the remnants of her onscreen image. We later realised that she only specifically requests for a birthday gift—which she then uses to death. She spends her own money, unless I insist on paying for it. The biggest problem then became Ga In pushing me away for three years, but she decided that it really wasn’t an issue of her character, and my decision to accept it was solely my prerogative. All things considered, she believes that Ga In’s atoned for it since she was capable of waiting for me in a highly challenging environment.

“But your dad thinks I don’t match you. He thinks I’m mad. He doesn’t say anything about it, but I know he secretly wonders why I even like you.”

“As things stand, he does. It’s that obvious?” Honestly, dad is pleasantly surprised that a person like me can even get girls to seriously look at me. That is, girls who are not craving money, status or fame. Girls who like and accept me for who I am, instead of forcing me into a major image overhaul. Ga In will agree that I have a hidden manly side.

“Yes. Before you enlisted, he’d always look at me like I was a transient feature, like he wouldn’t ever see me again. Lately I think your dad has gotten used to my existence though.”

“All things conside