A child who looks like me

Jeong-o entered the room he was guided to. It was a meeting room with only a table and chairs.

“Please, have a seat.”

“Sure.”

She sat silently in the chair that Chae Eun-yeob suggested and looked at him.

Jeong-o had come to this law firm because of a counseling case he had seen on a blog.

It was a story about a single mother who, without knowing the whereabouts of her child’s father, raised her child alone and finally met him again six years after they had separated. The child’s father turned out to be from a well-known family and was about to marry another woman.

Jeong-o was intrigued by the information that the protagonist of that story had consulted this law firm, and that the dispute had been resolved quite well, prompting him to seek counseling.

‘Could that have been my story? How did they know?’

As that thought crossed his mind, a chill ran down Jeong-o’s spine.

Could the attempted kidnapping of Ye-na, which happened a long time ago, have also been the work of this person?

It seemed that the kidnapper knew who Ye-na was.

However, there was something strange.

‘If I were in their position, I would have first made sure Chae Eun-bi kept quiet.’

Knowing all the facts, why would Chae Eun-bi allow me to blabber about being a single mother in the office?

‘Is he scheming behind my younger sister’s back to handle everything for her successful marriage?’

The thought made him feel even more uneasy. Jeong-o hid his trembling hands under the table.

Chae Eun-yeob, facing him with a business-like smile, asked, “So, you’re a single mom. What brings you here?”

This person is smart and cunning.

I must not fall into his trap.

‘He might have hidden recording devices set up somewhere.’

I cannot show any weaknesses.

So, what would be a way to consult without revealing my vulnerabilities?

“Yes… I’m a working single mother.”

Jeong-o hesitantly opened up.

“Actually, it’s because of a colleague.”

“A colleague?”

“Yes. As I mentioned, I’m a single mother working at a company. I’ve worked hard, and I’m still working hard. I’m recognized for my abilities at work. But one of my colleagues is really bothering me.”

Perhaps realizing that this was not the topic he wanted to discuss, Chae Eun-yeob’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“What do you mean by bothering you?”

“She tries to expose my status as a single mother before I disclose it myself, or she mentions my family background. After all, I’m the daughter of a single mother myself.”

“…”

“The fact that I’m a single mother, that I’m the daughter of a single mother, shouldn’t be a stigma, right? Shouldn’t it? But this friend, let’s call her Ms. C for convenience, has turned that into something shameful and maliciously slanders me. In this case, would it be possible to file a defamation lawsuit?”

“If you have evidence of what exactly the slander was, it is certainly possible to file a lawsuit.”

“I don’t have evidence, but I do have witnesses. I think my teammates can testify. Is it possible to file a lawsuit in this case? What procedures do I need to follow?”

“It’s often difficult to prove a crime with just witnesses. It would be much easier if there were at least one clear piece of evidence. Do you have any evidence at all?”

“Ugh. There’s really nothing that qualifies as evidence.”

Jeong-o let out a deep sigh and showed an expression of resignation.

“That’s unfortunate. I wanted to write a lawsuit right away.”

“Please gather evidence and come back. If it’s hard for you to visit, you can send it through other means. I will check and contact you.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

Jeong-o sincerely thanked him, feeling his heart pounding since it was not easy to deceive someone skilled in lying.

“Does the child’s father know you came to see a lawyer?”

Even in this situation, Chae Eun-yeob was not forgetting his duty. He seemed to want to dig into how much Ji-heon knew about Jeong-o’s secret.

“Well, this wasn’t related to him, lawyer.”

“It’s a good thing to provide overall assistance.”

When Jeong-o pointed this out, Eun-yeob quickly changed the subject.

“Anyway, I understand. I’m writing down my personal phone number for you now. It might be quicker to contact me directly from now on.”

Chae Eun-yeob wrote his phone number and email address on a piece of paper and handed it over.

It would have been better to give a business card. But he probably couldn’t since he wasn’t Ha Jin-cheol.

“Thank you, lawyer. I almost ended up worrying alone for a long time, but I’m glad I came to see you.”

Jeong-o accepted the note and smiled.

In reality, she was so nervous that she was on the verge of tears.

Did my act work on Chae Eun-yeob? I wasn’t too confident, but at least I didn’t make any mistakes, so that’s good.

After saying goodbye to Chae Eun-yeob and safely leaving the office, Jeong-o got into a taxi and let out a ragged breath.

“Phew. Ha!”

The screen of her phone, which she had gripped tightly as if for survival, was damp with sweat. She could feel how tense she had been until the moment she left the building.

I need to find Ji-heon’s name and press it, but my hands kept trembling, causing my fingertips to slip several times.

During that time, the call and text message records with Ji-heon came up on the screen.

What is all this…?

Ji-heon had sent more text messages than she expected. More than once a day, he had been diligently sending her messages.

As her breath, which had been ragged due to Chae Eun-yeob, gradually settled.

– I came to the office, but Jeong-o is on vacation. Let’s rest well today and see each other tomorrow.

– Enjoy your lunch.

– I want to buy Ye-na a bicycle. What color does Ye-na like?

June 23, 12 PM.

June 24, 12 PM.

June 25, 12 PM…

12 PM. Jeong-o.

In the middle of the day, as if marking his presence in her daily life, and as if commemorating her name, he had been sending her text messages every day at noon.

This man, who behaved no differently from seven years ago despite losing his memory, was touching. He was truly grateful.

Jeong-o found the call button and pressed it.

Moments later, she heard the voice she loved, which had remained unchanged for a long time.

[Hello?]
“I miss you!”

Her true feelings burst out like an explosion.

.*. *. *. *. *. *.

After confirming the clues from seven years ago that he had lost, Ji-heon exited the jewelry shop.

Proposal Ring. A ring that I was planning to gift to someone.

It definitely wasn’t for my mother. If it had been, she would have mentioned it countless times.

Who have I dated, and why hasn’t she appeared?

Jiheon had never heard anyone, not even a friend, mention a ring or any stories about women.

Not even his close friend Seung-kyu talked to Jiheon about women.

Have I been hiding my romantic life from everyone? Is that why no one knows?

Amid all this, the face of Jeong-oh, who had fervently supported his memory recovery, came to mind.

“Well, you should meet. That person might have been waiting all this time.”

She had insisted that if someone was forgotten, they should be met again.

He remembered her trembling voice at that moment.

What kind of feelings did she have when she said those words to me?

What does regaining my memory mean for Lee Jeong-oh?

I’m so scared that I might lose something precious to me right now; what about you?

Jeong-oh. It seems I had someone I loved a long time ago.

If my memories return, do I really have to go find that person?

In truth, I don’t want to.

You, who were hurt once.

You were dumped by your ex-boyfriend and gave birth to a child, raising them alone.

I’m afraid my choice might cause you another wound.

The person I want to protect now is you, Jeong-oh.

As I touched the ring case, recalling her face, her voice, and everything about her, my phone vibrated as if by fate. The name “Jeong-oh” appeared on the screen, reading like a savior.

I answered the call immediately.

“Hello.”

[I miss you!]
Her single phrase made my heart ache. I tried to sound composed, hiding the rising emotions.

“Are you at home? I’ll come over.”

[No, I’m in a taxi right now. I’m heading your way.]

***

Jiheon quickly returned home, waiting outside for Jeong-oh.

After pacing for a few minutes, a taxi arrived. Jiheon ran to the car, and Jeong-oh jumped out, hugging him.

She also wrapped her arms around his neck. His solid chest felt more comforting than ever.

While her heart raced with emotions until arrival, being close to him calmed her down like a lie. But soon, another kind of trembling began.

She had come to see him, but she still had to hurry back home, to her mother’s place.

“I can’t stay long. I just wanted to see you flip pancakes since it’s your hobby.”

Jeong-oh said with a smile, giving an excuse. Jiheon’s eyes narrowed slightly. He felt a bit disappointed.

“… So, you didn’t come to see me, but just to watch the flipping?”

“Well, saying I wanted to see you and wanting to see the flipping are pretty similar, right?”

With her playful retort, Jiheon let out a low sigh.

He understood her situation well.

Lee Jeong-oh would never forget her responsibilities as a mother.

He admired and respected that side of her. But his instincts as a man who wanted to be with her longer couldn’t be ignored.

“Let’s go inside.”

Jiheon led Jeong-oh into his home.

Currently, Jiheon lived in a high-rise apartment complex. The quickly ascending elevator felt dizzying, making Jeong-oh subconsciously grip the handrail tightly.

Although she had boldly stated she missed him, perhaps she was now nervous at the moment.

“I really did come to see you cook.”

She insisted again, but her words didn’t reach him until the elevator doors opened. Instead, an arm draped over her shoulder. It seemed to be an attempt to prevent her from escaping.

The two stepped out of the elevator and stood in front of a neat door.

“This is it. And…”

9, 1, 3, 0. Jiheon showed Jeong-oh the numbers and pressed the keypad.

“I’ll change it soon, but for now, you should remember.”

With a click, the door opened, and Jeong-oh stepped inside at Jiheon’s direction.

“I’m terrible with numbers, so I’ll probably forget it quickly.”

“It’s my mother’s birthday. March 19th.”

“Then your mom knows the password too.”

“True, but I plan to change it.”

“Do you change your password often?”

She continued the conversation without even thinking to take off her shoes, prompting him to wrap his arms around her waist from behind.

Jeong-oh instinctively held her breath. A chuckle seemed to come from behind her, perhaps from near her backside.

His large, flexible hand swiftly brushed along her leg, gripping her ankle.

“Uh, uh, uh?”

Thud, thud.

As Jeong-oh fumbled in surprise, one of her heels fell off. He had taken off her shoe.

Before she knew it, she had stepped further inside the house.

As Jiheon straightened up after bending down to take off Jeong-oh’s shoes, his expression was neutral, but for some reason, it made her nervous.

No, it was genuinely just a pure desire to see him cook.

When his fingertips touched her face, warmth flowed through her. As his hand moved from her chin to her nape, it tickled and made her anxious at the same time.

As if sensing that feeling, his lips approached her. There was no pretense of cooking; he simply moved instinctively, just as he had seven years ago.

The problem was that she didn’t dislike it. But Jeong-oh recalled her responsibilities.

This was Korea, not a hotel in Melbourne, Australia. Today’s meeting was impulsive, and she had to quickly return home as a mother.

“I’m hungry.”

She desperately broke the long kiss, saying it between breaths.

He easily swallowed her words.

In the end, she pinched his chest.

He was startled, pulling back his lips. His gaze held a hint of reproach, but Jeong-oh didn’t back down.

“I said I’m hungry. I’m hungry.”

As she stubbornly asserted her point, he let out a heated sigh and rubbed his chest, where she had pinched him.

“Right. I almost forgot.”

“…”

“Our manager isn’t here for me, but for the pancakes.”

His jealousy toward pancakes made her laugh.

She could almost hear her blood boiling, but Jeong-oh turned away lightly, taking a step further inside.

“I’ll look around the house myself. Is that okay?”

“Feel free.”

As he sent her a keen glance, he finally resigned and turned around, while Jeong-oh let out a secret sigh.

Deep down, she had a desire to stay longer, but let’s refrain from that today.

Jeong-oh watched as Jiheon headed to the kitchen, then moved her feet.

Jiheon’s house was much larger and higher than his old officetel. The spacious living room’s large window revealed the dazzling night view of the Han River.

Despite that, it felt less cozy than his house from seven years ago, perhaps because there wasn’t much furniture or decor. The kitchen she glimpsed into didn’t seem to have many cooking tools either. It seemed the hobby of cooking was an exaggeration

As Jeheon walked down the hallway opposite, being alone brought back the unresolved thoughts he couldn’t finish.

How should he ask about Chae Eun-yeob? How should he warn him? Would it be better to awaken his memories now?

But awakening them would mean sharing his memories. His heart, which she had never glimpsed, might be different from hers.

“Is it okay to inject my memories into this person? Can I really say we were in love?”

This thought made Jeong-oh hesitate.

Lost in contemplation, Jeong-oh glanced at the rooms as if observing them. She casually scanned through the bedroom, study, training room, and then passed by a completely empty room until she reached the last door, the one that was closed, and grasped the doorknob.

It was an act she performed without really thinking, but once the door opened, her eyes grew warm.

…Hah.

A prepared sigh slipped from Jeong-oh’s lips.

“This is…”