Cards

-Hey Bev we're going to play cards with Joon-hyuk, do you want to join us to kill time? -Gong asked me, lightly nudging me in the shoulder.

-What game? -I asked in a sleepy voice, rubbing my eyes.

-Some card game. Don't be asked - he said and I slowly got out of bed. The boy was happy and helped me get up and we both went to the living room. Joon-hyuk was already sitting at the table with cards spread out for the three of us.

-Sleeping Beauty game? - he asked teasingly, to which I showed him the middle finger and sat on his right side. We created a triangle, which was identically reproduced as that time at a fancy dinner 3 years ago when I was.

-Very funny, what exactly are we playing?

-In regular cards, but the losers are forced to answer uncomfortable questions or drink strong shots. I recommend answering - said Joon-hyuk and we started the game.

I'm terrible at cards and chess, so I'm not surprised that I lost in the first round to Salesman. The guy went to have a drink but grimaced so much that he had to run to the bathroom to puke up the contents of his glass. So as not to make the same mistake, I chose a question that I had to draw from a small blue bowl.

"Where did you have sex for the first time?" I said and crumpled up the note. I could have expected such questions from Gong because he had prepared them especially for me. He is too curious about my life.

-Did you have to? - Gong's cousin asked and he just laughed. I didn't intend to drink so I answered.

-In the chemistry classroom when I was 16.

-Jesus, that's fast for a year in Korea and in school! -Joon-hyuk said and we continued playing, where this time he lost to me.

"Jesus, that was fast for a year in Korea and school!" Joon-hyuk said and we continued the game, this time he lost to me.

-Come on, cousin and Beverly, draw lots - said Salesman, smiling from ear to ear.

-Don't smile like that or I'll end up sewing your mouth shut - threatened the angry man and read his note - "Your biggest trauma?" I was 5 years old then and that damn moron calling himself my cousin dressed up as a clown and kidnapped me to a door house.

-I'm sorry, but I had to feel a little sorry for you- he said and raised his hands.

-Uhm, yes, I believe you now. And you, Bev, what do you have?

-,,Are you currently fulfilled in life?,,

-And what are you?- they both asked at the same time.

"Partly yes," I confessed sadly and scratched my head.

-What, why?- asked Gong, surprised.

-I supposedly have a wonderful husband, son, parents, annoying brothers and great friends around and a job that I love, but ehhh I can't stand the fact that In-ho doesn't want to renew contact with his brother. Jun-ho contacted me several times and I saw him. I told him how we were doing and how Min-ho was doing, but it wasn't the same as if he were my secret. I'm going to invite him and his mother to Thanksgiving to talk to my husband and they can finally reconcile. So that this conflict does not last for years to come!

"I have to worry you, but In-ho won't talk to Jun-ho again," said the Salesman quietly, and I looked at Joon-hyuk, who nodded gently with his eyes closed.

-What's why? After all, they have already seen each other here on the island once!

"Yes, but by chance," said Joon-hyuk.

-The whole conflict between them broke out in 2015, where In-ho's first wife became seriously ill and was carrying their first child. She had one kidney failure and needed a good two. In-ho had given one of his own to Jun-ho a few years earlier because his was damaged. And it is young Hwang who blames himself that his brother's love is dead because of him. Nobody but me knew that he met you in May when you were on your last trip. It was hard with money and he got a game card from an earlier Salesman, he didn't know that his father was the creator but he survived and as soon as we met he told me everything that happened there, but I will never forget his words: "Gong, I went to these games for her, but I didn't think about her. The only thing that mattered was the American woman I poured coffee on at the time,,

"I was the second person to find out about it. We told him that it was a mental betrayal, but he didn't want to listen to us, he kept saying that it was nothing, but he had to come and see you once. His wife died in Hallowen while he was in Seoul looking for you because you posted a picture with your friends when you were in a club. When he found out the next day that she had died alone, he had a mental breakdown, but he stayed in Seoul to find you and so cut himself off from them – Salesman's cousin finished, and I couldn't understand that this dispute started because of me. Was I just a replacement for his first wife? When he kisses me, does he think about her? Did he compare us with each other or does he still do it?

I didn't answer with a man, I just thought about it all until we heard his voice.

-Gather yourselves and put on your masks, we have an appointment with a man named Sang Gi-hun - he replied and leaned over me, placing a tender kiss on my cheek - Hello honey, did you miss me?