A child who looks like me

“Don’t cry in front of the kid.”

Jeong-oh quietly warned Ji-heon, hoping Yena wouldn’t notice.

Watching Ji-heon, his eyes welling up like a father sending his daughter off to get married, even though it was just a daycare bus, amused Jeong-oh.

But Ji-heon ignored her warning, still struggling to compose himself, so she threw in a sharper jab.

“Stop overreacting. You look like some scammy stepfather.”

That seemed to do it. He snapped out of it, his face returning to normal.

Soon, the bus arrived.

“Mom, I’m off!”

Yena, guided by her teacher, sweetly waved goodbye, and Ji-heon, feeling another surge of fatherly emotion, looked on with a pink nose. He couldn’t help it. Every look, every movement, every gesture from his daughter filled his chest with pride and bittersweet joy. Jeong-oh waved as she whispered to him,

“She’s just going to daycare, not off to military service.”

With that wake-up call, Ji-heon managed to keep it together—barely enough not to look too odd. He still looked a little silly to her, but she kept it to herself.

As the bus doors closed, Yena found her seat, and the bus started down the road. Ji-heon stood there, watching until the bus faded from view, the goodbye feeling like a bittersweet reunion.

Although she’d teased him, Jeong-oh felt she could understand Ji-heon’s heart. Who could blame him for rushing over so early in the morning, just to catch a glimpse of her?

“How are you feeling? Can you drive and head to work okay?”

“I’m fine. Really good, actually.”

“Good. See you at work. I’ll take the subway.”

“Let’s go together. Stay by my side.”

Seeing that he was okay, she waved and started to go, but he caught her hand.

“You being close gives me a sense of…a spark.”

“……”

“I feel like I’m about to remember everything.”

Ji-heon wasn’t lying. Just moments earlier, he’d remembered fragments from seven years ago. Yes, the thoughts he’d had about his yet-to-be-born child were indeed about Yena, the heart of an expectant father eager to show her the world and give her everything.

She couldn’t refuse when he used memory as collateral. Still, as he held her hand and walked to his car, she set some boundaries.

“I’ll get off close to the office. Where no one’s around.”

“We can say we just happened to meet.”

“Yeah, I’m sure everyone will buy that.”

“……”

“You have no idea what kind of rumors could start. Please be careful.”

“Wouldn’t it be easier to just tell them?”

Suddenly, Jeong-oh stopped in her tracks and blocked his path.

“No way. Think about why we’re in this mess.”

Her eyes, large and clear, met his firmly.

“If you hadn’t had that fake fling with Chae Eun-bi, things wouldn’t be like this.”

Despite herself, Jeong-oh couldn’t hold back anymore.

I’m still disappointed in you.

Even though we weren’t together, I hated seeing you live with no sense of purpose, no dedication.

“How could you live so irresponsibly? You shouldn’t have lived like that.”

Even if I wasn’t there, you shouldn’t have lived that way.

Ji-heon pressed his lips together, thoughts floating around his head.

Why does she make me feel so helpless?

Is this my true self? Did I use to live completely wrapped around her finger?

Now, am I destined to live this way? Maybe I should start making amends for those careless seven years.

“…I know I can’t change the past, but I’ll do better from now on.”

She let out a slight snort at his serious face. A mischievous thought urged her to tease him a little more.

“Wait a minute. Come to think of it, I think you said you’d ‘deal with’ my ex. Was it that you’d break every bone he had?”

“…….”

“Hey, Ji-heon, why are you avoiding my eyes?”

“…”

“Huh? Come on, speak up.”

“…Actually, if I recall, you once called me a weirdo?”

“Did I? When?”

“You did. Last Thursday!”

“Well, you called my ex a psycho. So there.”

“……”

Oooh. Ji-heon tried to banter back, but he didn’t have much of a leg to stand on. He couldn’t have known that he’d regret every insult he’d thrown at her ex, but now he wished he could go back and erase it all.

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

After sending off her daughter and granddaughter, Guksun bustled around and got ready to go to work at her restaurant.

She regretted leaving without cleaning up the night before. It was probably crawling with bugs and stinking by now, she thought as she opened the door, worried about what she’d find.

Instead, she froze, her mouth falling open.

“What on earth…?”

It looked as if fairies had visited overnight, cleaning the restaurant until it was spotless. She couldn’t feel happy, though—her heart sank with a pang of guilt.

She knows. My daughter must’ve found out.

That’s why she was so affectionate this morning.

She could almost picture Jeong-oh, weary from another late night at work, coming to tidy up her mother’s mess. She sighed, thinking about last night.

When a mother starts to receive help from her child, it’s a bittersweet feeling.

She’d hoped she could be her daughter’s pillar of support just a bit longer.

Already, her daughter was stepping ahead of her, moving steadily toward the sun.

As proud as she was of the woman her daughter had become, she couldn’t help wishing Jeong-oh would slow down just a little. Long enough that she could still do a bit more for her.

With a sigh, she spotted something on the table nearby. There was a folded paper with a handwritten note.

To my dearest mom.

It was a letter from her daughter. As Guksun unfolded it, she read each word slowly.

To my dearest mom.

There was a time I acted out and told you I was tired. But I wasn’t tired at all—I was just being a kid because I knew you’d let me.

For that, I’m so sorry.

In my next life, I’d love to come back as your mom, though I’m sure you’d say no.

But for now, let’s make this life as happy as it can be.

I love you, Mom.

Reading it, Guksun thought she could almost hear her daughter’s voice.

The simple words, written so much like her daughter would speak, contained so much love.

There was a small addendum at the bottom in tiny writing, as though her daughter thought she might not be able to read it.

I’ll never forgive that witch Chae Eun-bi.

Don’t worry, Mom. From now on, I’ll only fight battles I know I’ll win.

Just wait. An incredible happiness is waiting for us.

Whether it was meant to make her laugh or relieve her anger, she wasn’t sure.

But stroking the light blue paper, Guksun felt as broad as the sky.

Whatever incredible happiness lay ahead, she hoped it would come a little slower.

My sweet daughter, I don’t need a great happiness. Just like this, I’m more than happy.

Realizing she had no reason to feel down, Guksun straightened up.

She used to worry about her daughter, wondering if she might be shedding tears somewhere she couldn’t see. Now her daughter had grown up into a wonderful adult who even carried the burden of her mother’s worries.

Her precious daughter, who made her feel both fragile and strong at the same time.

Jeong-oh, I hope I can be by your side in my next life, no matter what.

Whether as your mother, a bird that sings beside you all day, or a tree that grows alongside you.

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

Meanwhile, Eun-bi went to work, made her appearance, and then ducked out under the pretense of “outside business.” She couldn’t bear to be in the office anymore, as her colleagues’ attitudes had shifted.

It was all because of Jeong-oh.

After leaving the office, Eunbi headed to Eunyeop’s law office.

“Oppa, I’m going to sue her. Write up a complaint for me.”

Barging into his office, Eunbi demanded he draft a complaint. Annoyed by her abrupt request, Eunyeop kept his eyes on the documents in front of him, showing no reaction. Eunbi provided more details to try and get his attention.

“Eunjo hit me last night. She slapped me right across the face.”

Eunyeop clenched his teeth, looking at her fiercely. “I told you to stay out of it.”

“How could you be so indifferent?” Eunbi felt hurt by his cold response.

“I just told you I was assaulted by Eunjo. When your sister tells you she was hit, isn’t it normal to ask if she’s okay or find out what happened?”

“Do you think Eunjo would hit you for no reason? You must have done something to seriously provoke her.”

Eunyeop’s impression of Eunjo was that of a composed and intelligent woman. Though nervous while meeting him, she expressed herself clearly and assertively and appeared perceptive, not easily intimidated.

She wasn’t someone to underestimate.

Throughout her story, he quickly realized the “Ms. C,” the woman who had been harassing Eunjo, was actually his sister, Eunbi. Hearing this, he grew angrier by the moment, feeling his sister was woefully simple-minded and lacking in common sense. She had no practical value at all.

He even thought, “I wish Eunjo were my sister instead.”

“Fine. If you won’t help me, there are other lawyers I can go to.”

Eunbi, seething with resentment at her brother, scoffed as she prepared to leave. With her hand on the door handle, she threw a parting shot.

“Oh, by the way…”

Thinking he ought to know, and eager to show that she could handle matters on her own without him, she added:

“I told Mom directly. About Eunjo, that is.”

“What did you tell her?”

“I told Jiheon’s mom that Eunjo’s a single mom with a seven-year-old kid trying to seduce him…”

Smack!

Before she could finish, Eunbi was sent sprawling as Eunyeop slapped her hard, knocking over a stack of documents and leaving the office in chaos.

It was far worse than Eunjo’s slap.

In shock, Eunbi cradled her stinging cheek with one hand as she looked up at him, bewildered.

“O-Oppa?”

“Don’t call me that. You’re nothing but trash.”

“…”

“What did you do?”

“…”

“What did you think you were doing?”

With his face flushed red and looking utterly monstrous, he glared at her, fury blazing in his eyes as if he might strangle her right then and there.

“You just handed Youngmi her own granddaughter on a silver platter! A granddaughter she didn’t even know existed!”

“W-What does that even mean…?”

Far more shaken than by the slap, Eunbi felt a cold chill settle over her.

A granddaughter?

Eunbi’s eyes began to fill with tears.

“If you’re too dumb to understand, you should just stay out of it.”

“…”

“Without being able to marry Jiheon, you’re nothing but garbage. Worthless trash. Not even worth living.”