A Child Who Resembles Me [EN]: Chapter 40

40. Just you wait, Lee Jung-o

Jung-o wanted to cry.

She wanted to become as thin as a piece of paper and escape through the gap under the office door.

“No, I’m not……”

It wasn’t that she was deliberately hiding to eavesdrop on their conversation. It was her pride; she didn’t want to show Eun-bi this pathetic side of herself, but she couldn’t admit it honestly…

“Can’t we just call it even since the director almost made a mistake with me yesterday……”

If she could just escape from here, she felt like she could shake off yesterday’s commotion too.

“I really didn’t mean to eavesdrop on purpose……”

“I know.”

Ji-heon walked around the sofa and knelt down in front of her, bringing their eyes to the same level.

Jung-o didn’t want to talk to Ji-heon, so she kept her head down.

“I was going to recreate the same situation as Wednesday, but now that I think about it, this is better.”

“……”

“Because the truth is easier to see when you’re hiding and listening.”

Jung-o, who was about to cover her ears because she was ashamed to hear his voice, hesitated, her hands pausing halfway.

She glanced up at Ji-heon.

He was smiling at her.

*What is this man saying right now?*

“……You’re saying you were trying to tell me the truth?”

He nodded.

“Why? Why?”

“Because I’m worried that you’re misunderstanding something.”

“……”

“I don’t have anyone I’m going to marry. Not yet.”

*Heart, calm down.*

*It must be fear, not excitement.*

The man who had been pouring out cold air and spewing harsh words at someone else until just now was now smiling kindly at her, making her feel dizzy.

“Yes. Yes. I understand……”

Jung-o carefully got up from her seat. She couldn’t be alone with this man any longer.

“You called me here not because of work, but because of a misunderstanding, right? Then can I go now? Because the misunderstanding is resolved.”

Little by little, Jung-o moved away from him with a wary, crab-like walk. Finally, *click*, the door opened.

The sight of her hurriedly leaving the office as soon as the door opened, before Ji-heon could stop her, was no different from the night before in front of the pork cutlet restaurant.

Ji-heon stared blankly at the opened and closed door.

It was good that he called it even for last night’s mistake. Other than that, it was ambiguous whether it went well.

Even though he properly told Jung-o the truth, he was left with a lingering feeling that he hadn’t resolved the misunderstanding.

*So difficult. Lee Jung-o.*

*What’s going on? What is all this?*

Jung-o kept muttering to herself as she ran away from Ji-heon.

She belatedly understood the situation.

Chae Eun-bi and Jung Ji-heon had been in a fake relationship for a long time. Chae Eun-bi was obsessed with the relationship, and the marriage plan was also fake, created by Chae Eun-bi.

She had misunderstood a lot of things. She couldn’t help it.

It was all Chae Eun-bi’s doing!

“Deputy Manager, where have you been? Is something wrong?”

Ki-hoon asked, seeing Jung-o, who was breathing heavily as if she had just finished the 100-meter dash three times, just from going to Director Jung Ji-heon’s office and returning.

“No, no, no. It’s nothing.”

“But why are you covering your mouth? Did you eat something by yourself?”

“No, no, it’s not. I didn’t eat anything.”

Of course, she ate two cookies, but that wasn’t why she was covering her mouth.

It was because her lips felt like they would move against her will.

It was because she felt like she couldn’t control her expression.

She must be too surprised. Too surprised.

Sitting down and barely catching her breath, Jung-o tried to organize the stories she had heard in the office in her head.

*So, the reason the two of them started dating, no, pretending to date, was because of the rumor from 4 years ago?*

She didn’t know what the rumor from 4 years ago was, but anyway, the two people’s relationship was fake.

Jung Ji-heon didn’t pay much attention to that fake relationship, so 4 years had passed, and during those 4 years, Chae Eun-bi had put in effort with Jung Ji-heon’s mother.

Jung Ji-heon’s mother liked Chae Eun-bi, so Chae Eun-bi believed that she would marry Ji-heon someday……

Because Jung Ji-heon doesn’t have a woman!

*Can I understand it that way?*

After organizing it as she had heard, her heart pounded again. She didn’t know why. She shouldn’t have any feelings like excitement for a man named Jung Ji-heon anymore. She shouldn’t.

She felt like the day she would introduce him to Yena was fast approaching. That must be why……

Jung-o got up from her seat and looked around for Chae Eun-bi’s seat. Everyone in Production Team 1 was in their seats, but Chae Eun-bi’s seat was empty.

Jung-o tried to calm her mind and recalled the anxiety that was still there.

Knowing the relationship between Jung Ji-heon and Chae Eun-bi properly does not guarantee the safety of my child.

She still doesn’t know about his mother, Jang Young-mi.

The call from 7 years ago must be related to his mother, and unless she knows how much influence his mother has on him, she cannot act rashly.

It is highly likely that Madam Jang liked Chae Eun-bi, so Jung Ji-heon couldn’t honestly tell his mother about his fake relationship with Chae Eun-bi. That means Jung Ji-heon thinks his mother is important.

*Who doesn’t think their mom is important.*

She had a feeling that she might face his mother, Jang Young-mi, someday.

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

Saturday afternoon.

Jung-o was in a situation where she had to go to work today because of the competitive PT [Presentation Training] preparation. Yena, who was staring intently at Jung-o preparing to go to work, said.

“Mom, Dobin is going camping with his mom, dad, and Doyoon.”

Jung-o bent her knees to meet Yena’s eyes and asked.

“Does our Yena want to go camping too?”

“No. I’m just saying. Mom is busy.”

The child should be more like a child. Her precociousness in hiding her true feelings is sometimes pitiful.

“Even if I’m busy, we can go. Summer is too hot, so let’s go in the fall.”

Yena’s face brightened at Jung-o’s promise.

“Mom, then can I tell Dobin?”

“Yes. Do it.”

“Call him for me.”

She couldn’t stand it for a second. Jung-o had no choice but to call Dobin’s mother, Jin-seo.

[Yes. Yena’s mother!]

Jin-seo answered the phone with a friendly voice.

“Dobin’s mother, how have you been? Yena said she has something to say to Dobin, so I’m calling you.”

[Oh, really? Okay, I’ll switch you to Dobin.]

Jung-o handed the phone to Yena.

Yena put the phone to her ear and shouted happily.

“Hello. Park Dobin!”

[Yena. I’m sorry.]

But Dobin apologized right away before even hearing Yena’s business.

“Huh? Why?”

[Actually, you know…… my dad can’t be shared. Mom said it’s not allowed.]

The story that had been making Dobin suffer for several days. Jin-seo said there was no need to talk about it again, but it was a serious problem for Dobin.

Jin-seo’s voice was heard urgently shouting ‘Park Dobin!’ from the other side of the receiver.

Yena, who was blinking, wondering what they were talking about, recalled the conversation from around last Tuesday and answered nonchalantly.

“Oh, it’s okay.”

“You’re not mad?”

“Yeah. I knew it wouldn’t work anyway. But you know what! I’m going camping too! In the fall!”

“Really? Did you also know that we can’t get married if my dad becomes your dad?”

“Huh?”

The children were diligently continuing the conversation while trying to say only their own business.

However, when the talk of marriage came up, the baton of the phone was quickly passed to Jin-seo.

[Yena, hello! Hello! Dobin is saying all sorts of things. Is your mom next to you?]

“Yes. Just a moment.”

Yena immediately gave the phone to Jung-o.

“Hello.”

[Yena’s mother, hoho…… Our Dobin has many shortcomings. Thank you for letting him be friends with Yena.]

Behind Jin-seo’s laughter to smooth over the awkwardness, the usual thank you *insa* [greetings/formalities] continued.

“No, I’m always grateful to you.”

[Then I’ll see you on Monday. Please tell Yena to see you on Monday too.]

Jin-seo politely *insa* and hung up the phone.

After finishing the call, Jung-o asked Yena.

“What was Dobin sorry about?”

“Dobin said he would share his dad with me. But it’s not allowed.”

“He said he would share his dad?”

Jung-o’s heart stung at the children’s conversation, which she was belatedly surprised by.

“I didn’t ask for it.”

Yena retorted sullenly.

How did that kind of talk come out?

Thinking about how the child’s heart was when she took that talk so calmly, she couldn’t just laugh.

As she continued preparing with a heavy heart, her phone vibrated.

The studio sent the radio advertisement work. She had clearly finished working on up to version 5, but one was missing. She asked the PD [Production Director], but he didn’t remember properly.

Jung-o was in a situation where she had to send the email again urgently. She needs to use the company computer to send the email.

*I wonder if Ki-hoon has come to work?*

Jung-o immediately called Ki-hoon, but he didn’t answer the phone. Knowing that Ki-hoon sometimes puts his phone on silent, Jung-o called Ki-hoon’s company seat again.

After a long time, the hold music turned off and a man’s voice was heard.

[Yes.]

“Ki-hoon, have you come to work? I’m sorry, but can you turn on the computer at my seat and send me one file? Please send the email to the studio right away. The password is……”

[Deputy Lee Jung-o?]

Huh!

After hearing only the short answer ‘Yes’, she asked, thinking it was Song Ki-hoon, a member of the same team, but it turned out to be Jung Ji-heon.

It’s a disaster.

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

It was her first time coming to work on the weekend in a long time.

The production team worked late last night, so they will come to work in the afternoon.

Ji-heon, who habitually checked the seat of Lee Jung-o of Production Team 2, stopped as he was about to move to the office.

The phone rang in Production Team 2.

It was the seat of Song Ki-hoon, next to Jung-o. Since there was no one around to answer it, Ji-heon answered the phone.

“Yes.”

[Ki-hoon, have you come to work? I’m sorry, but can you turn on the computer at my seat and send me one file?]

It was none other than Deputy Lee Jung-o. Jung-o, who was in a hurry after answering briefly, reeled off her request without even properly checking her voice.

[Please send the email to the studio right away. The password is……]

“Deputy Lee Jung-o?”

At Ji-heon’s question, a gasping sound was heard.

Even at that sound, Ji-heon’s heart tickled.

He put on a smile and asked in a serious voice.

“What’s wrong? What’s wrong?”

[Yes. The studio omitted one of the works. I need to resend the email I sent urgently……]

Ji-heon immediately hung up the phone at Ki-hoon’s seat and called Jung-o again on his cell phone.

[Hello……]

Unlike before, Jung-o answered the phone in a dying voice.

“I came to Deputy Lee Jung-o’s seat. I’ll do it, so tell me the password.”

[No, no, no, no, no, no. I’ll go quickly and do it. I’ll be there in an hour.]

Jung-o refused in horror.

“You said it’s urgent.”

[No. No. I can do it.]

“I know how to send emails too, so tell me. It’s okay.”

[No, no, no…… I can’t tell you the password because it’s personal information!]

According to Max Planning regulations, it cannot be said to be personal information. In the event of a sudden problem with an employee and they are unable to turn on the PC provided, the company may take measures to extract the PC’s information at its discretion.

For this reason, the company also advises employees not to set the same password as the one they use privately, but it seemed that she was not aware of this.

“You were going to tell Song Ki-hoon, weren’t you?”

Ji-heon was slightly sulky. He even thought about sending Song Ki-hoon to the next team because Deputy Jo Si-nae was also gone, took a deep sigh, and persuaded her.

“I’m sorry that it turned out like this too. I’ll listen to the password with one ear and let it flow out with the other, so tell me.”

She also sighed deeply, then reluctantly recited the English consonants one by one.

“……W, J, D, D, L, T, K, R, T……”

Ji-heon turned on the PC and typed on the keyboard as she said.

wjddltkrt.

Soon the computer desktop appeared. Ji-heon immediately opened the mailbox.

“It’s open. What email should I send?”

[Please resend the email you sent to Audi Studio.]

“I sent it.”

It was a very simple task. Ji-heon smiled proudly after completing the transmission.

Greetings were also heard from the other side.

[Yes. Thank you!]

However, that’s the end.

Ji-heon sighed again as he looked at the phone that had been cut off.

A woman who doesn’t move according to my will at all.

Why am I so obsessed with this woman?

He couldn’t understand himself, but he didn’t hate himself for focusing on her.

Ji-heon smiled and got up from his seat, then stopped as he was about to turn off the computer.

Something’s wrong.

What is this uneasy feeling?

Ji-heon sat down again and opened the computer notepad and pressed the English consonants that Jung-o had pronounced in Korean.

wjddltkrt.

And a helpless laugh burst out from between Ji-heon’s lips as he checked the screen.

“Huh.”

– Director Jung ㄱㅅ [initials for ‘thank you’].

Just you wait, Lee Jung-o.