A Child Who Resembles Me [EN]: Chapter 13

13. My Name Is Lee Jung-oh.

The next day.

Jiheon was busy from morning.

He had a business trip to Incheon for lunch with a client and a headquarters meeting in the afternoon.

It was around quitting time when Jiheon returned to the office, and his secretary greeted him.

“Director, you’re back.”

“Any calls?”

“Jae-eun Construction’s Managing Director called this morning, and the CEO of Rahan Ceramics said they would contact you separately. Attorney Chae Eun-yeop also stopped by briefly this morning.”

Chae Eun-yeop. Jiheon’s high school classmate and Eunbi’s older brother. A talented lawyer working at a prestigious law firm. Eun-yeop’s firm was in charge of external consulting for the Seryun Group, so Eun-yeop had been coming to Jiheon’s company for quite some time.

It seemed he had visited for consulting again and stopped by to see Jiheon.

“Understood.”

“Oh, right. Yesterday, Assistant Manager Lee Jung-oh from Production Team 1 came to see you.”

The secretary told Jiheon, who was about to enter his office, something she hadn’t been able to say yesterday.

Jiheon turned around, still holding the doorknob.

“When?”

“She came when you were in the break room, Director. I did mention you were in the break room.”

‘Didn’t she say she came to see the books yesterday?’

He was sure it was an excuse, but after confirming it, he chuckled.

‘She was looking for me that hard? Why? Was she upset about getting scolded by Park Seung-gyu?’

“Call her again.”

He felt strangely pleased.

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

Tasks were gradually being assigned one by one.

Jung-oh spent the entire morning revising the online ad copy drafts, and in the afternoon, after receiving approval from the client, she began working on variations. Sitting next to Gihoon and checking dozens of banners one by one made her feel dizzy.

Perhaps it was because she hadn’t been sleeping properly.

“Oh? Assistant Manager, I think there’s a typo here.”

As she stared at the monitor with blurry eyes, Gihoon pointed to the approved draft.

– Prime Outlet First Season OFF Sale! Up to 75% Murder! Enjoy the benefits at Prime prices!

“Gasp.”

She had mistakenly written ‘75% Murder’ instead of ‘75% Off’!

The exciting sale event almost became a gruesome murder scene.

Jung-oh quickly covered the approved draft with her hand, lest anyone see it.

She had received approval with it like this. It was a great relief that it hadn’t been caught.

The approved draft was nearly 30 pages long, so it seemed the client had simply overlooked it.

Gihoon chuckled and teased her.

“If you only commit 75% of a murder, isn’t that attempted murder?”

“It’s a secret, Gihoon. Please keep it a secret.”

Jung-oh lowered her voice and pleaded.

“We’ll see.”

Gihoon, amused by Jung-oh’s serious expression, teased her even more. In the meantime, the landline phone at Jung-oh’s desk rang. Jung-oh went to her desk and answered the phone.

“Hello. This is Lee Jung-oh.”

“[This is Yoon Ae-ra, Director Jung Jiheon’s secretary. Director Jung is asking for you to come to his office.]”

Jung-oh froze, still holding the receiver.

“What for?”

‘Why? Why again?’

“[I think it’s about you visiting him yesterday.]”

“…Yes. Understood.”

After a slow reply, Jung-oh hung up the phone, and Gihoon asked her.

“Assistant Manager. What’s wrong?”

“Huh? Oh… nothing. I’ll be back in a bit.”

“Yes? Where to?”

Without even answering Gihoon’s question, Jung-oh started walking.

She thought she knew why she was being called. She had shed tears in front of him yesterday, so it must be awkward. Jung-oh regretted shedding tears so rashly.

Knock knock.

“Director. This is Lee Jung-oh.”

“Yes.”

Lee Jung-oh entered.

Jiheon stood up from his seat.

As always, with a pale face, she bowed politely.

It was the first time he had called an assistant manager to his office twice.

“I came because you asked for me.”

A look that drew a line, a moderately wary expression.

She was trying to appear calm.

So, it was even more obvious that she was scared.

‘She’s so nervous, yet more audacious than anyone else.’

That cute gap continues to pique my interest.

‘This isn’t normal.’

This feeling isn’t normal. Jiheon was also realizing it.

Already, his feelings toward this woman had gone beyond the scope of an employee.

However, he still needed to figure things out.

What kind of person this woman is.

Whether it’s just innate boldness, or if she has some ulterior motive.

‘I want to have you, but I don’t want to give you my heart.’

That was Jung Jiheon’s way, not trusting anyone.

“Sit comfortably.”

Jung-oh sat on the chair Jiheon offered.

Jiheon also sat across from her.

A space with just the two of them.

In a place with just the two of them, Jung-oh, who remembered what kind of person he was, became unnecessarily nervous.

Hidden beneath lowered eyelids, her gaze fell on his broad chest.

She secretly glanced at his chest rising and falling slowly with his regular breathing.

Even that physiological phenomenon felt obscene because of her memories. Memories.

Jung-oh lowered her gaze further to shake off the distracting thoughts.

There was a box of cookies on the table.

“Take as much as you want. It’s those cookies from yesterday.”

“Pardon?”

“The cookies you asked me why I was throwing away, those ones.”

“…Those cookies? …You picked them up from the trash?”

“Do you not like that?”

“Ah, no.”

Jung-oh blankly picked up a cookie package and placed it on her lap.

‘This man didn’t call me here to taste cookies he picked up from the trash.’

As expected, Jiheon stated his business shortly after.

“I heard from my secretary. You were looking for me yesterday.”

“Ah… yes.”

“You should tell me why you were looking for me so desperately.”

“I was also looking for you because of the cookies.”

Jung-oh gave her prepared answer in a loud voice.

“In the future, if you’re going to throw away food, please give it to me. That’s what I wanted to say.”

‘Yes. You must be suspicious. But believe me! You have to believe me!’

“I’m serious about eating.”

“You were looking for me to say that?”

“Yes.”

“And you cried because you couldn’t say that.”

“That’s… there were other reasons.”

“What other reasons?”

“Just, personal reasons.”

Jung-oh was anxious that her secret would be revealed, feeling Jiheon’s gaze piercing through her as he narrowed his eyes with his lips pressed into a straight line.

But Jiheon asked an unexpected question.

“Did Assistant Manager Park Seung-gyu threaten you or something?”

“Pardon?”

“Park Seung-gyu. The Assistant Manager of the HR team.”

“Ah, no. Not at all. Assistant Manager Park Seung-gyu seems like a good person.”

Jung-oh was startled and waved her hands.

However, Jiheon still looked at her with disbelief.

‘Ah, I can’t get weak.’

She felt a strange pang of emotion, and her nose started to heat up again.

The man who didn’t tell me which family he was from.

The man who didn’t show me any of his friends and didn’t even say he loved me.

And the man who forgot all of that.

The man who can’t trust me…

This man doesn’t even know that I have a child. He doesn’t remember.

Is such a you a bad person, or a pitiful person?

‘Ah, but…’

Jung-oh’s eyes widened as she looked at him with sympathetic eyes.

Clearly, there was a part that didn’t add up.

7 years ago, he lost his memory after the accident.

‘I definitely talked to you on the phone after the accident, though?’

How did you make a phone call when you lost your memory?

‘Did you not remember me, think I was some kind of stalker, and say such harsh things?’

Yes. That could be it. But even if I was a stalker, you should remember my name.

The man I met in the hallway the day before yesterday didn’t even seem to know the name Lee Jung-oh.

‘Is he pretending not to know me while knowing me?’

Is he putting on a huge act right now?

She wasn’t sure.

The Jung Jiheon she knew from 7 years ago and the current Jung Jiheon were completely different people.

No, he might have always been like that, or he might have been acting in front of her all along. If it was an approach to fulfill his desires from the beginning, there was no reason why he couldn’t have pretended to be a romantic.

If he hadn’t had the accident, he might have dragged me to the hospital himself to have the child aborted.

But.

‘Maybe it wasn’t this person’s doing.’

Thoughts led to doubts.

7 years ago, in mid-November, Jung-oh received a call from him. She remembers all the harsh words he said at that time clearly.

“[I know our mother met you instead of me. Wasn’t it all over then?]”

“[Wasn’t my opinion fully conveyed with that?]”

“[I’d appreciate it if you didn’t contact me anymore, as it’s burdensome.]”

“[You wouldn’t want to be a hindrance to someone else’s life, would you?]”

“[You better be prepared when you contact me again.]”

“[I’ll assume you understood and hang up. Take care.]”

But, was that really his voice?

In a state of heightened emotions, she was convinced it was his call just by the voice.

If it wasn’t this man’s, if that call was fabricated.

We were separated by someone’s scheme.

“Excuse me, Director.”

Jung-oh mustered the courage to call him.

“Yes.”

“Have you ever heard my name, even once?”

She said her name clearly.

“My name is Lee Jung-oh.”

It felt like her heart was pounding all over her body.

Jiheon paused formally, seemingly thinking for a moment, and then replied.

“Did you film an advertisement so famous that your name would be remembered?”

He doesn’t know.

You heartless man.

Jung-oh was able to be certain.

The call from 7 years ago was fabricated!

She felt like she was about to cry again.

What should I do now?

If he really forgot me, is it right to tell him about my identity and Yena’s existence?

We’ve lived without knowing each other for 7 years? Now this person is going to get married and start a real family?

But the time for 고민 [worry] was not long.

It would be better for him to know now than to find out after he gets married.

For you, for Yena.

And for me.

“I have something to say, Director.”

Jung-oh bravely began.

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

Yena got off the daycare bus and sighed, “Hoo.”

She was supposed to be picked up by the academy, but no one showed up.

‘They probably didn’t come on purpose. The bus driver was speeding a lot.’

Resigned, Yena decided to go alone. It wasn’t difficult to go alone since she walked the same path every day.

She had taken about ten steps.

“Oh? There you are? The teacher was looking for you.”

A woman came and spoke to her. It wasn’t the teacher who always picked her up.

“But who are you?”

“I’m a new teacher. You’re Yena, right.”

The teacher knew her name. She was happy, but also puzzled. Her shoulders naturally shrank.

The woman grabbed Yena’s hand and pulled her along. It was a rather rough force.

“Let’s go. We have to go quickly. It’s too late.”

The woman grabbed Yena’s hand and strode forward. It was too much for a seven-year-old to keep up with the woman’s pace. Yena had to run.

But the direction the woman was going wasn’t the direction of the Baduk [Go] academy building.

“Excuse me. Where are we going now?”

“We’re going to the academy, where else would we go?”

“The academy isn’t that way.”

“The academy moved. Didn’t you know?”

A child can’t stand up to an adult’s force. Yena felt like this wasn’t right, but she followed the adult who was holding her hand.

Then, she started to feel scared. When she turned around, she could no longer see the sign for the Baduk academy. She missed her mom.

“I want to call my mom.”

Yena stopped stubbornly and glared.

The woman turned around.

But the woman was even more startled and shook off the hand she was holding.

“Oh my, who are you?”

The woman, frowning as if she had touched a terrible reptile, left before Yena could say anything.

On a road she had never been on before, Yena was alone.

“Mommy…”

A pitiful voice scattered on the street.

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

Dobin, who arrived early at the Baduk academy and waited anxiously for Yena, became increasingly impatient.

‘Is Yena not coming today?’

Dobin couldn’t stand it and went to the teacher to ask.

“Teacher, is Yena not coming today?”

“No. She’ll be here soon. It’s about time she came. I’ll go get her.”

As the teacher got up from her seat, Dobin grabbed the teacher’s pants.

“Teacher, can I go too?”

“Okay. Let’s go together.”

Dobin followed the teacher with a happy heart.

In front of the Baduk academy building. Dobin straightened his clothes several times and waited for Yena with a fluttering heart.

But, even after another 10 minutes passed, Yena didn’t come.

“Teacher, why isn’t Yena coming?”

“I don’t know. I should call the daycare.”

The teacher found Yena’s daycare phone number and dialed it.

“Hello. Hello. This is the Baduk academy where Yena from the Deer Class attends. Yena hasn’t arrived yet.”

“[Huh? Yena got off the bus. About 15 minutes ago.]”

The teacher’s lips dried up after hanging up the phone.

“Teacher, what did they say?”

“…They said Yena got off the bus? Did she go up to the academy alone?”

The teacher called the director of the Baduk academy.

“[Yena hasn’t come yet?]”

The director of the Baduk academy’s answer drained the color from the teacher’s face.

Dobin was the same.

“Teacher, did Yena disappear?”

The teacher couldn’t speak.

‘No. I can’t live in a world without her. I had to find Yena as soon as possible.’

Dobin put his small hands to his mouth and shouted loudly.

“Yena! Lee Yena!”

All he could do was call out her name.

“Lee Yenaaaaa!”

A hasty voice drew the attention of everyone on the street.

“Lee Yenaaaaaaaaa!”

An old man who was passing by saw Dobin and laughed heartily.

“That little rascal. He has a great voice.”

“You shouldn’t laugh! Yena is missing right now!”