LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 345
After finishing such a short meeting, we decided to meet again two days later.
“How is it?”
I asked in a cautious voice; I felt the need to confirm somehow.
I’m sorry to say this about Ji-hye’s mother, but the more important side for me was Ji-hye herself. The one I love is Ji-hye.
Ha-yoon and Jua would probably agree with my thoughts too. They were a bit distant, seeing this as something just between the two of us, but strictly speaking, it was also a little far from being just my matter.
If I were to oppose the existence of Ji-hye’s mother, of course, from that point on it would be my problem, but for now, we were at a stage of deciding that relationship.
Whether to accept her as family or not was entirely up to Ji-hye.
“What about you?”
As I expected, Ji-hye asked me that.
I tried to put on the most nonchalant expression.
“I’ll follow whatever choice you make. I know how much you’ve thought about family.”
Up until then, Ji-hye hadn’t spoken to me about family matters for a long time, because she had given up on it herself. In fact, even when she was sharing her fantasies about family with me, she probably didn’t really believe we could meet again.
She had already been abandoned once.
Both of us were abandoned children left in a baby box. A place created with the intent to prevent children from dying, saying it was better to leave them here than to abandon them on the street.
Wasn’t it a last resort for those who didn’t want to leave any evidence of having given birth?
The biggest reason Ji-hye couldn’t find her family was there.
“…For now, I want to hear the story.”
However, after giving birth to a child, it seemed that Ji-hye had a renewed urgency about thoughts regarding family.
It must have been very painful. It must have been tough. It’s only natural for her to think like that.
“If that’s the case, I think the same as you.”
Ji-hye nodded to my words.
I opened my arms and hugged Ji-hye.
I just felt the urge to do that. The worried expression on Ji-hye’s face looked much more pitiful compared to when she was just wandering through fantasies, and even more than when she brought up family matters with me after giving birth to the child.
Ji-hye stayed in my arms without saying anything for a long time.
She didn’t tremble or seem particularly calm, but the warmth of her body reminded me that she was my family.
I think, in fact, it was me who felt more at ease.
*
After spending some time, I heard again about Ji-hye’s mother, Jeong So-yeon.
A few years after leaving the child there, she did try to find Ji-hye again.
However, by then, the pastor had already passed away, and the church itself had disappeared. It would have been good if someone had followed up, but there were already many children at the church, and the pastor was also spending money to help the children. Eventually, the work from the church had to be shared with other welfare organizations within Seoul.
We were moved, but the church people didn’t tell us where we were taken.
Because there was no way to prove she was “mom.”
Personal information is sensitive. Among the children who had already scattered to different orphanages, there was no way to know who Jeong So-yeon’s child was. Kids were abandoned at the church several times each year.
If only there had been some clear evidence like “she’s one of those kids,” they might have been able to gather all the scattered children for a DNA test.
But there would have been no evidence left at the point when they just left the baby box. In the end, despite trying various efforts, Ji-hye’s mother, who wasn’t in a position to have leisure or luck, went through many hardships and eventually moved abroad to live.
The reason she didn’t come looking for us when we became famous was simple. She simply didn’t know.
In public, we were just known as kids from an orphanage. Since we hadn’t intentionally shared any detailed stories, it must have been hard to even imagine. By then, we were already quite well-known nationwide, and even to some extent overseas.
Then, recently.
Through a DNA test, Ji-hye discovered our existence. That was where the story ended.
“…I’m sorry.”
Ji-hye’s mother said.
“I was too selfish… I’m sorry.”
“…”
As expected, I couldn’t say anything. Whether I would forgive her after hearing this story or how I would accept it was all up to Ji-hye.
I could only be by her side, providing a place for her to lean on if she was struggling. That was all I could do.
“I…”
Ji-hye opened her mouth again, then shut it.
Even for Ji-hye, as nice as she is, it would be tough to understand and forgive all at once.
After a while of not speaking, Ji-hye slowly reached out her hand toward her mother.
Her mother, staring blankly, looked up and then slowly reached out to touch Ji-hye’s hand.
As if trying to grasp the reality that her daughter was there, slowly. But at the same time, as if any slight touch would break something.
Ji-hye said nothing.
*
The next promise was in three days. We decided to give each other some time to sort out our thoughts rather than meeting all the time.
But at the promised place three days later, I ended up meeting Ji-hye’s mother before Ji-hye.
No, it wasn’t intentional. If anything, “met” would be better described as “bumped into.”
Ji-hye and I don’t always stick together every day.
We’re all still magical girls… though now it seems acceptable to drop the ‘girl’ part, but for now, we’re still maintaining that status. I’m still receiving some benefits, after all.
But it doesn’t mean we can’t dream about different things.
While I fulfilled my own dream by forming a family, all my wives have their own things they want to do.
Ha-yoon sometimes goes out to do volunteer work. She might go to a place like an orphanage to work as a substitute teacher, or help out where magic can offer assistance.
Jua was studying magic more diligently and these days seemed to be getting together with Chae-yeon to research various things.
Ji-hye liked to basically relax at home with me, but she still occasionally went out alone to walk around or went to read books when I wasn’t home. Sometimes, she would volunteer together with Ha-yoon, and also visit other magical girl friends. She even chatted with Pang-pang.
Today, we briefly separated like that. I had to go out first for something, and since I knew the promised place was relatively closer to me, Ji-hye told me to go ahead and wait.
I arrived almost 30 minutes early, but I didn’t expect Ji-hye’s mother to be waiting there first.
“…Hello.”
“Oh, yes, hello.”
As I approached by myself, she looked a bit flustered. Was she afraid I might say something like we shouldn’t meet?
I had no thoughts like that at all.
After we greeted each other, we both sat awkwardly again.
Of course, we didn’t face each other directly but sat diagonally opposite.
“…Um, excuse me.”
The one who spoke first was Ji-hye’s mother.
In a way, it was expected; how would I be the one to start a conversation? Honestly, simply asking about each other’s wellbeing was a bit daunting.
“…”
After making eye contact with me, Ji-hye’s mother fell silent for a moment, swallowed her saliva, and then spoke again.
“Is it possible that… Ji-hye…?”
Even so, she seemed to struggle to get the words out.
I understood what she wanted to say.
As I pondered what to reply, I decided to just answer plainly and honestly.
“She missed you. Ji-hye did.”
“…”
“She doesn’t remember, but she wanted a family… especially right after giving birth to the child.”
“I see.”
Should I say something more? Advice or a warning?
But in the end, I couldn’t select any suitable words from those. If I said something and it resulted in disappointing Ji-hye’s hopes, I think it would be tough for me to forgive myself.
It was almost time for the promised appointment when Ji-hye finally arrived. She was still well-dressed.
Seeing me and her mother sitting, Ji-hye hesitated for a moment, then seemed to gather her determination and nodded as she approached.
She plopped down.
And sat next to me.
It seemed like she had made a significant resolution; her attitude was a little different from before. Unlike her slightly shy demeanor before.
“We’re going to school.”
“School?”
I unknowingly asked back.
“Yes.”
Ji-hye said.
“Just sitting here won’t let us know how we’ve lived. Rather, I want to show you my life.”
And the continuation of the story would be discussed after we had looked back at each other.
I nodded and looked at Ji-hye’s mother.
Ji-hye’s mother also nodded.
And we all stood up from our seats.
To embark on a short journey to slowly go back to the past of Ji-hye and me.