A Child Who Resembles Me [EN]: Chapter 21

21. I Can Do Anything

Eunbi was very pleased.

Complaining about Lee Jung-oh to Deputy Jo Shinae made things easier. *Someone* who could torment Lee Jung-oh in my place. An action leader was born.

Today, without even being asked, Shinae gave Jung-oh a very excellent order: entertain the client.

The AE [Account Executive, the person in charge of managing the client relationship] who went on a business trip said that even if he hurried back as much as possible, it would be past 7 o’clock, and all the production team members were busy with a lot of work.

Everyone would leave the company in droves after 8 o’clock. So Lee Jung-oh would have to deal with the client alone for more than an hour.

Her butt was wiggling because she wanted to see Lee Jung-oh sweating.

Eunbi couldn’t stay still in one place and leisurely wandered around the office. Then she ran into Jiheon’s secretary, Yoon Aera.

Eunbi greeted her kindly.

“Aera, are you leaving work?”

“Yes, Manager.”

“Did Director also leave?”

“The Director said he was going to meet the production team and the client. Didn’t you go with him?”

The neatly crafted smile quickly disappeared.

Eunbi ran to the team and immediately confronted Deputy Jo Shinae.

“Deputy Jo Shinae.”

“Yes, Manager.”

Shinae stood up with a puzzled look at Eunbi’s angry expression.

“Did you send Deputy Lee Jung-oh alone to prepare for the company dinner?”

“Ah… yes. All the other team members are busy.”

“Still, how can you send him alone? How can a copywriter deal with a client alone!”

* * * *

He had never 맞춰줘 [matched] his steps to anyone. All the women who stood next to him almost ran, taking hurried steps to keep up with his large stride.

For the first time, Jiheon matched his pace to a woman’s stride.

He didn’t realize that his shoulder was getting wet because he was so busy making sure the woman’s body didn’t get wet.

He wished the road to the convenience store across the street was a thousand miles long, but the two people’s steps quickly reached the other side.

Jung-oh asked in front of the convenience store.

“Thank you. Shall I buy an umbrella for the Director too?”

“No. It’s okay.”

*Because I’m going to use it with you.*

Jiheon answered, hiding his true feelings.

Without asking twice, Jung-oh went into the convenience store alone and appeared a moment later with two umbrellas.

“Here. Use this, Director.”

Jiheon looked down at the umbrella with displeasure.

He didn’t like that Jung-oh bought two umbrellas, and the umbrella was yellow, the kind that little kids use.

“Can I get a refund? I have so many umbrellas at home.”

Jung-oh wore a slightly bitter expression.

A conglomerate, being stingy with one umbrella.

“Then use it today and give it to me later. I don’t have an umbrella at my house.”

Jung-oh told him as if notifying him and moved his feet first. There was no time to argue. He had to find a place quickly and contact the client to take them to the 회식 [hoesik, company dinner] venue.

Before leaving the company, he decided to look around in the order in which he had received seat confirmation. The pub recommended by Gihoon was quite 괜찮았다 [good].

“We can decide on this place without looking around anymore.”

“Yes. If anyone complains that I chose the wrong place, I’ll say the Director chose it.”

Jiheon chuckled at Jung-oh’s joke.

As soon as they sat down at the pub, Jung-oh’s cell phone rang. The client’s contact information appeared on the screen.

“Yes, Deputy. Where are you now?”

Jung-oh carefully answered the phone. After firmly grasping the client’s current location, Jung-oh quickly hung up and stood up.

Jiheon also stood up.

Jung-oh stared at Jiheon intently and said.

“How about the Director joining us later?”

“Why?”

“Think about it. We’re just a working-level Deputy and Manager, wouldn’t it be 부담스럽지 [burdensome] if the Director came out to entertain them in person? Would they be able to drink comfortably?”

“Still, it would be better than dealing with them alone.”

“Haha. It’s okay.”

Jung-oh laughed lightly.

Hmph. *What do you think of me?*

I’m a strong 아줌마 [ajumma, middle-aged woman] of this land. I’m not afraid of anything.

Client, come on!

The 회식 [hoesik, company dinner] cells in my whole body were revving up, starting the engine.

* * * *

Because of Jung-oh’s stubbornness, Jiheon had to leave the 회식 [hoesik, company dinner] venue.

Thinking about whether to go back to the company, Jiheon took a seat in the cafe right next to the 회식 [hoesik, company dinner] venue.

Unable to let go of his worries, he decided to sit in the cafe for just 30 minutes and then immediately 출동 [chuldong, mobilize/move out].

Time passed slowly, and 30 minutes felt like a day.

Before he knew it, the rain had stopped.

Jiheon, who had made up his mind, stood up.

As he headed to the 회식 [hoesik, company dinner] venue, the Daewon Liquor 담당 [in charge] AE ran over from the other side, panting and 인사 [insa, greeting/bowing].

“Hah, hah, hah. Did the Director come too?”

“I heard that the copywriter is handling two clients alone.”

“Yes. Other production team members will arrive soon.”

Jiheon and the AE moved their feet with worried hearts.

As he opened the door to the pub, he faintly heard Jung-oh’s laughter.

In a large seat, two clients and Jung-oh were sitting face to face, having a very fun time.

“Do you know why you shouldn’t close the car door hard?”

“Correct! Because there are four car doors!”

Jung-oh enthusiastically shouted at the client’s trivial question. The client even clapped and laughed.

“Deputy Lee, what time is the last train here?”

“Ah, Deputy Choi said he lives in Bundang. I’ll check the last train time.”

“Then the next question. What area does the wind blow cutely?”

“Correct, Bundang! The wind blows Bundang~”

By throwing light questions at the client, and wittily 받아치며 [parrying/countering] trivial questions, Jung-oh was surprisingly managing the time well.

As Jiheon and the AE approached the seat, Jung-oh introduced Jiheon to the client with a bright face.

“Our AE has arrived. And this is our headquarters Director, Jung Jiheon.”

“Hello. I’m Jung Jiheon.”

“Oh. Nice to meet you. Director…”

The female manager 인사 [insa, greeting/bowing] with a flushed face at Jiheon’s 인사 [insa, greeting/bowing].

“The production team members will all be here soon. I hope the team members will be helpful to you two.”

“Deputy Lee Jung-oh has shared the direction of the work and given us a lot of idea tips, so we’ve already received a lot of help. Director.”

Jung-oh’s face turned red.

Her round forehead was shining. She was smiling 활기차게 [vigorously] on the outside, but it seemed like she had 진땀을 뺀 [jin-ttam-eul bbaen, sweated bullets] quite a bit. Thinking about how hard it must have been to deal with liquor company employees, Jiheon regretted not coming sooner.

After a while, the production team members also joined. They showed up 30 minutes earlier than promised. Eunbi’s face was 붉으락푸르락 [bulgeurakpureurak, flushed], as if she didn’t like something.

As there were more people, Jung-oh was able to 슬쩍 빠질 [seuljjeok ppajil, slip away] to the side.

After a while, Jung-oh, who had moved his seat, 쓸어내리다가 [sseureonaeridaga, stroking down] his chest with his hand, stood up from his chair. Jiheon, who had been watching Jung-oh, quietly stood up and followed him.

Jung-oh, who went outside, headed straight to the convenience store.

As she picked up a hangover drink to pay, a hand suddenly appeared from behind.

It was Jiheon.

“I’ll buy it.”

“Ah, then this.”

Jung-oh picked up the most expensive drink. Jiheon paid for both.

“Thank you.”

Jung-oh 꾸벅 인사 [kkubeok insa, bowed deeply] to Jiheon and 벌컥벌컥 [beolkeokbeolkeok, gulped down] drank the drink.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes, of course.”

Since she looked quite fine on the outside, Jiheon also put his mind at ease and asked Jung-oh.

“How’s the client’s reaction? Which idea did they like the most?”

He opened the 서두 [seodu, preface/introduction] with work talk because he wanted to keep her for a long time.

However, she couldn’t answer right away.

Her 양 볼 [yang bol, both cheeks] repeatedly puffed up and went down. As if she was going to 게워낼 [gewonael, throw up] everything she had drunk. It was a cute expression, but it was precarious.

“Did you drink a lot?”

“They said they needed opinions on the taste of the alcohol, so I tried drinking as much as they gave me.”

Jung-oh answered with an 해탈 [haetal, detached] look in her eyes.

“You drank everything they gave you? Soju [Korean distilled spirit] and beer, without exception?”

“The Director seemed like he would come in 30 minutes, and the AE would be here soon, so I just had to 버티면 [beotimyeon, endure/hold out] for 30 minutes.”

“You have no 융통성 [yungtongseong, flexibility].”

Jiheon was 더럭 화가 났다 [deoreok hwaga natda, suddenly got angry] at Jung-oh’s answer. It seemed like she had 무리를 [murireul, overdone it] too much. She should have 적당히 몸을 사렸으면 [jeokdanghi momeul saryeosseumyeon, been more careful/reserved].

“Isn’t it something you should know yourself, like, ‘I can’t do this, this is my limit’?”

“The client likes all the ideas. But it didn’t seem like there was anything that particularly 꽂히는 [kkochineun, stood out].”

As he 핀잔 [pinjan, nagged], Jung-oh 엉뚱하게도 [eongttunghagedo, unexpectedly] gave an answer to the previous question.

“Maybe the concept will change a little. Director.”

Her voice, which was 들려오는 [deullyeooneun, coming through] too clearly as if she didn’t want to show a 취한 모습 [chwihan moseup, drunk appearance], 반듯하게 [bandeuthage, neatly] Jiheon’s 주름졌던 미간 [jureumjyeotdeon migan, furrowed brow].

“Minds change. They can’t help but change. Because you have to keep making choices depending on what situation you face.”

“……”

“There was a couple who loved each other.”

Soon, the story suddenly 튀었다 [twieotda, jumped] into a 사담 [sadam, personal story] like the beginning of a romance novel.

Perhaps it was ambiguous to use 확정적인 [hwakjeongjeogin, definitive] expressions, she immediately changed her words.

“…They thought they loved each other, but that might not be the case. As soon as the man found out about the woman’s pregnancy, he left. So the woman raised the child alone.”

*What is the 의중 [uijung, intention] of bringing up this kind of story? Just because she’s 취해서 [chwihaeseo, drunk]?*

Jiheon quietly sighed and 팔짱 [paljjang, crossed his arms].

*Okay. Let’s hear it,* he thought.

“But this man appeared in front of the woman a few years later.”

He didn’t want to be 휩쓸리고 [hwipsseulligo, swept away] in this kind of 시시껄렁한 [sisiskkeolleonghan, trivial] story, but he couldn’t 잠잠히 [jamjamhi, remain silent] because her voice and eyes were so 진지 [jinji, serious].

“Why did he appear now? To take away the child? That child who had become the woman’s everything?”

Her question, 박힌 [bakhin, embedded] with a question mark, even 골똘해지기 [golddolhaejigi, made him ponder].

Jiheon opened his mouth to say something, but she gave the answer first.

“Then I have to stop him, right?”

“……”

“The woman will do 뭐든 [mwodeun, anything] to protect her child. Don’t you think?”

“……”

“I can do anything. There’s no such thing as a limit.”

A clear 유리막 [yurimak, glass film] was 도톰하게 [dotomhage, thickly] covering her eyes.

Her eyes, which were 박혀 있는 [bakhyeo inneun, embedded] with a sense of 의지 [uiji, will], were so 뜨거워 [tteugeowo, hot] that the 유리막 [yurimak, glass film] seemed to melt.

His heart was also 욱신거렸다 뜨겁게 [uksingeoryeotda tteugeopge, throbbing hotly] as if it had been 화상을 [hwasangeul, burned].

He hadn’t even 마시지도 [masijido, even drunk] a few drinks, but his head was 지끈거렸다 [jikkeungeoryeotda, throbbing] as if someone was 찔러대는 [jjilleodaeneun, stabbing] with a needle.

Even in the midst of all this, he couldn’t 견딜 수가 없는 [gyeondil suga eomneun, couldn’t bear] the desire to have this woman.

*What is it about this woman that makes him 열망하게 [yeolmanghage, desire] so much?*

She was a woman who was hard to 정의하기 [jeonguihagi, define] in a few words.

She just 툭 던져놓고 [tuk deonjyeo nohgo, tossed out] her words again and 확 돌아서 [hwak doraseo, turned away abruptly].

Jiheon felt that it was 억울하단 [eogulhadan, unfair] to be 휩쓸려가는 [hwipsseullyeoganeun, swept away] alone. He wanted to make her 돌아보게 [doraboge, turn around].

*How can I make you 돌아보게 [doraboge, turn around]?*

*How can I 붙잡아둘 [butjaba dul, hold onto] you?*

If he could just make her 돌아보게 [doraboge, turn around], Jiheon also 뭐든 [mwodeun, anything], 무슨 짓이든 다 할 수 있을 것 같았다 [museun jisideun da hal su isseul geot gatatda, felt like he could do anything].

“Jung-oh.”

Jiheon called her name in a 부드럽고 친근한 [budeureopgo chinjeolhan, soft and friendly] voice, imagining her father.

멈칫 [meomchit, pause].

The reaction was 빨랐다 [ppallatda, fast].

She stopped walking and 천천히 고개를 돌렸다 [cheoncheonhi gogaereul dollyeotda, slowly turned her head].

The tears that were a 맑은 유리막 [malgeun yurimak, clear glass film] just before had already 녹아 [noga, melted] and fallen to the floor.

He just called her ‘Jung-oh,’ but she seemed to have 잊은 [ijeun, forgotten] even to breathe.

Her lips, which were 힘없이 벌어진 [himeopsi beoreojin, weakly parted], were 바르르 흔들리고 [bareureu heundeulligo, trembling].

Jiheon was also 놀랐다 [nollatda, surprised].

*Did she find a 환영 [hwanyeong, illusion] of her father that 술이 불러들인 [suri bulleodeurin, alcohol brought forth]?*

Or did she really 착각한 [chakgakan, mistaken] him for her dad, or did she want to 착각하고 [chakgakhago, want to mistake]?

It was a look of 간절한 [ganjeolhan, desperate], wanting to believe while 의심하면서 [uisimhamyeonseo, doubting] something.

The 희열 [huiyeol, joy] that she had 움직이게 [umjigige, moved], and the 흥분 [heungbun, excitement] that he had 확인했다 [hwaginhaetda, confirmed] her expression that he had never 보지 못했던 [boji motaetdeon, seen before], added to the point where his heart was 때려댔다 [ttaeryeodaetda, pounding] his 흉골 [hyunggeol, sternum] so hard that it hurt.

*Just a little more.*

With the 욕심 [yoksim, greed] to 들여다보고 [deuryeodabogo, look into] her heart more, he 충동적으로 [chungdongjeogeuro, impulsively] asked her.

“Can you see me?”

“……”

“Can you 알아보겠어 [arabogesseo, recognize] me?”

At his question, she 토해냈다 [tohaenaetda, exhaled] a 야트막한 [yateumakhan, shallow] breath like a 탄식 [tansik, sigh].

The distance was 좁혀졌다 한 걸음씩 [jophyeojyeotda han georeumssik, narrowed step by step]. She 스스로 다가온 [seuseuro dagaon, came closer on her own] to him, and 힘겹게 떼었다 [himgyeopge tteeotda, struggled to part] her lips.

“…Oppa…”

The word that 흘러나온 [heulleonaon, flowed out] while 울먹거리며 [ulmeokgeorimyeo, sobbing] was not 정확하지 [jeonghwakhaji, accurate].

To him, who did not know the 진상을 [jinsangeul, truth], it was a sound that could be 들릴 만한 [deullil manhan, heard] as ‘Dad.’

He should be 뿌듯 [ppudeut, proud] because she showed a reaction, but it felt like a 돌덩어리가 [doldeongeoriga, stone] was 내려앉는 [naeryeoanneun, settling] in one corner of his heart.

To her, Dad is a 존재 [jonjae, being] of tears.

뒤늦게 [dwinneutge, belatedly], he realized that he had 건드렸단 [geondeuryeotdan, touched] something that he should not have 건드려서는 [geondeuryeoseoneun, touched].

He 얼른 수습하려고 [eolleun suseuparyeogo, quickly tried to fix it] his hand, but.

Her two hands, which 천천히 올라온 [cheoncheonhi ollaon, slowly came up], 건드렸다 [geondeuryeotda, touched] his 뺨 [ppyam, cheek] more 먼저 [meonjeo, first]. Jiheon’s eyes 커졌다 [keojyeotda, widened].

Like the time a week ago in the 휴게실 [hyugesil, break room], when she 뚝 떨어뜨리던 굵은 눈물을 [ttuk tteoreotteurideon gulgeun nunmureul, dropped thick tears] in front of him, with eyes that were 일렁거리는 [illeonggeorineun, wavering] as if they would 빨려들어갈 [ppallyeodeureogal, be sucked in], and with her face 일그러뜨리고 [ilgeureotteurigo, distorting].

“…Did you 돌아온 [doraon, come back]?”

She asked. Her voice was 뭉그러졌다 [munggeureojyeotda, muffled] because of the 울음 [ureum, crying].

*Did his memories 돌아왔냐고 [dorawatnyago, come back]? Does she 알아보겠느냐고 [arabogesseunyago, recognize] me now?*

Even though he 결코 알지 못하는데도 [gyeolko alji motaneundedo, never knows] the 애틋한 사정을 [aeteuthan sajeongeul, poignant circumstances].

속수무책으로 끌려가는 [soksuchaegueuro kkeullyeoganeun, helplessly dragged along], it was 지헌 [Jiheon] again.