A Child Who Resembles Me [EN]: Chapter 49

49. The Man I Can’t Have

Jiheon’s steps faltered at Jung-oh’s voice.

Eunbi’s expression turned dark as Jung-oh confessed to being a single mother.

“Oh… you were a single mother? I’m sorry. I didn’t know that…”

*That* apology was probably calculated, too.

“It’s okay. You don’t need to apologize. I don’t think of it as a flaw. Like the section chief said, my daughter is pretty.”

“As expected, Ms. Lee is so cool. And brave. I don’t think I could have made that decision. Anyway, it must be nice to have such a pretty child. You’re really amazing.”

Jung-oh almost laughed at Eunbi’s pitiful smile, but she didn’t show it.

An awkward silence filled the office. The members of Production Team 1, who had been watching Jung-oh from their seats, quietly averted their eyes.

Deputy Go Eun-ju frowned unpleasantly and glared at Eunbi. Gihoon was momentarily stunned, then looked at Jung-oh with a worried expression.

Jung-oh looked at Jiheon. His expression, devoid of any emotion, once again hinted at the end.

Team Leader Sung Miran, quickly grasping how to resolve the situation, followed after Jiheon.

“Director, I have something to discuss regarding the PT [presentation]. Do you have a moment?”

“Let’s go.”

At Miran’s request for a meeting, Jiheon readily took the lead. Even as his footsteps faded away, Jung-oh felt as if nails were being hammered into her heart with each step he took.

“Ms. Lee, you’re going home, right? I’ll give you a ride. Let’s go.”

Shortly after, Gihoon spoke reassuringly.

“Oh, okay. Thanks.”

Gihoon even carried Jung-oh’s bag for her.

Jiheon went to his office with Team Leader Sung Miran.

Miran was puzzled that Jiheon was simply walking without even confirming what the matter was. Moreover, Jiheon’s steps were strangely slow and heavy, as if he had iron balls attached to his ankles, as if his mind was elsewhere.

With those slow steps, Jiheon silently opened the office door and led Miran inside, holding onto the door himself.

“Director, the thing is, in this PT, Section Chief Chae Eunbi…”

“Wait a moment. Just a moment.”

Miran was about to start talking, but Jiheon reopened the door he had been closing. Before she could stop him, Jiheon left Miran alone in the office.

His steps quickened, unlike when he was heading to the office. Jiheon strode quickly and, upon reaching near Production Team 2’s office, confirmed that Jung-oh’s seat was empty and immediately went outside.

As the door to the 9th floor opened, a voice was heard from in front of the elevator.

“Are you okay, Ms. Lee?”

“Of course.”

It was Gihoon’s worried voice and Jung-oh’s relatively calm voice.

“That’s a relief. Ugh, I’m so angry.”

“Why are you getting so worked up, Gihoon?”

“Section Chief Chae Eunbi is really awful. I didn’t think she was like that.”

“…”

“Hoo. I didn’t know it would be revealed like this. I wanted to protect you.”

“I’m okay, really. Thank you for worrying about me.”

“Shall we go down to the parking lot together, or would you like to wait on the first floor?”

“Let’s go down together.”

While the two were talking, Jiheon’s fists clenched tightly.

The office became quiet again.

Eunbi, filled with elation at having dealt a proper blow to Lee Jung-oh, went back to her seat.

It seemed like the PT preparation meeting was over, so it would be okay to go straight home, but Eunbi wanted to talk to Jiheon.

She wanted to tell Jiheon in more detail what she had heard. And, she wanted to see Jiheon’s shocked and hurt face.

“If you don’t know something properly, you should just stay quiet.”

Deputy Go Eun-ju muttered as she gathered her belongings from her seat. It was a soliloquy, but it was meant for someone to hear. Eunbi immediately knew that the words were directed at her.

How could Production Team 2 be so foolish? They were like idiots boarding a sinking ship, not even knowing it was sinking.

Eunbi considered it a remark not worth getting angry about and pretended to organize her work while sitting at her seat.

After a while, Miran appeared. It seemed like the meeting with Jiheon was over. Soon, Eunbi’s desk phone rang.

“Hello. This is Chae Eunbi.”

[Section Chief Chae Eunbi, can I see you for a moment?]

It was Jiheon’s voice.

“Yes. I understand, Director.”

Eunbi answered cheerfully and hung up the phone, quietly humming a tune as she headed to the office.

At the end of the hallway leading to the office, Jiheon’s figure was visible, as if there was no need to go all the way to the office.

An uneasy feeling made Eunbi stop. Jiheon approached that much closer.

“There’s no need to do the Sori Telecom competitive PT anymore. You’ve been excluded.”

“Uh… why?”

“It’s because there’s no need. Just know that and focus on your main job.”

That must have been the content of Team Leader Sung Miran’s meeting. Eunbi’s pride was slightly hurt, but she quickly accepted it. Eunbi also didn’t really want to do a competitive PT where Production Team 2 was the main team.

“Okay. Is that all you needed?”

“Am I yours?”

At Eunbi’s question, Jiheon also asked a question. The question was so aggressive that Eunbi asked back with a stiff expression.

“…Huh?”

“That’s what you said to Ms. Lee Jung-oh. Am I yours?”

Jiheon pointed it out again precisely.

A company hallway where anyone could eavesdrop. Eunbi was anxious that someone might hear Jiheon’s voice, but Jiheon didn’t seem to care at all.

Tears welled up again.

“Lee Jung-oh said that?”

“I heard it myself. In front of the cafeteria.”

*It wasn’t just me!*

Lee Jung-oh also said nonsense about me being her man!

Even after hearing all that, you’re only cornering me? You were just smiling at Lee Jung-oh a while ago?

“I told her to clean up all the lies she made, but she’s spreading even stranger rumors.”

“…”

“If you damage my reputation any further, I’ll have no choice but to resolve it legally.”

Eunbi’s hands trembled at his cold words.

Moreover, to mention the law to me, who comes from a family of lawyers.

Eunbi asked through her tears.

“But oppa [older brother/term of endearment for a close male friend or boyfriend], aren’t you grateful to me at all?”

At Eunbi’s accusing question, Jiheon tilted his head and crossed his arms.

“Shouldn’t *you* be grateful? Lee Jung-oh also went around saying that *oppa* was her man. I revealed what kind of person Lee Jung-oh is—a single mother who lied to *oppa* like it’s nothing—and you don’t think you should be grateful to me?”

Like Jiheon, Eunbi also questioned him without regard for her surroundings.

After shouting with all her might, the face he showed was even more terrifying.

Jiheon, who had taken half a step closer, said quietly.

“Shut your mouth. Huh?”

It was a rough and eerie warning, spoken in a polite and coaxing tone.

* * * * * * *

Late at night. Jung-oh lay next to the sleeping Yena, gently stroking Yena’s hair.

Even though she had left work earlier than usual and come home, she couldn’t show Yena a bright face.

*I’m sorry. Mommy is sorry.*

Mommy is always sorry to her daughter.

It was a day like a roller coaster.

Her heart dropped, then soared, and now it felt like she had fallen to the bottom.

She had tasted the bitterness of life a lot, and she realized that the bitterness came in various forms. But she didn’t cry today.

Jung Jiheon was a man she could never have. It had always been that way. Perhaps because of that resignation, she wasn’t utterly despairing.

‘It doesn’t matter.’

Jung-oh steeled her heart. She had been a little uneasy because it seemed like he was trying to push forward without considering the consequences.

Now that there was a brake on it, he would keep his distance again. In the current situation, that might be better. Anyway, it would be dangerous for her name to be attached to the rumors that Chae Eunbi and Jung Jiheon had broken up.

As she was organizing various things in her head, her phone vibrated. Team Leader Sung Miran’s name appeared on the screen.

“Yes, Team Leader.”

[Are you okay, Ms. Lee?]

Miran asked with a worried voice.

“Yes, I am.”

[I told the director. I said that Section Chief Chae wouldn’t be of much help in our competitive PT, so it would be better to exclude her.]

“Oh, did you?”

[The director readily agreed. Section Chief Chae was very rude today. Rumor has it that Section Chief Chae and the director broke up. I wonder if she’s taking it out on Ms. Lee for no reason.]

“…”

[But don’t get too close to the rumors, Ms. Lee.]

Miran briefly mentioned what had happened that night and added a word of caution. Jung-oh chuckled weakly.

“Yes, I won’t.”

[I’m sorry for being so nosy, but I’m worried that Ms. Lee might get hurt. After some time has passed, after they’ve sorted things out a bit… That way, Ms. Lee will feel more comfortable too.]

“Yes, you don’t have to worry. Team Leader.”

[Oh dear. Okay. Go to sleep soon.]

“Yes, Team Leader, rest well too.”

Jung-oh immediately said goodbye and hung up the phone.

* * * * * * *

Even though he had given Eunbi a warning, Jiheon couldn’t stay still.

On his way home from work, Jiheon called Eunyeop.

[Oh, Jiheon. What’s up?]

Eunyeop answered the phone cheerfully. Jiheon went straight to the point.

“You met Eunbi today, right?”

[…Did you hear it from Eunbi?]

“No. I just thought so. Did you talk to her properly?”

[About what?]

“About not creating any rumors.”

Law firm office.

The smile disappeared from Eunyeop’s face, who had received Jiheon’s call while working late.

[You’re her older brother, so she’ll listen to you. I clearly told her last week, but she’s still going around saying that I’m her man. You know it’s defamation, right?]

*To mention defamation in front of a lawyer. He’s still so arrogant.*

Eunyeop sneered silently. But he didn’t show it and answered kindly.

“I’ll tell her again.”

[Thank you. I’m counting on you. And I’ve recorded this call. You understand, right?]

“Recording between friends. I’m so disappointed.”

[After being betrayed by a friend’s younger sibling, I realized that the world is a scary place.]

“…”

[Then I’ll hang up. Take care.]

Click.

It was an unpleasant call from beginning to end.

After the call ended, Eunyeop, unable to contain his anger, swung his arm and overturned everything on the desk.

Crash. The PC, along with documents and miscellaneous items, all fell, making a chaotic noise.

The office assistant opened the door in surprise. Eunyeop glared coldly at the office assistant before leaving the office and saying.

“Clean it up.”

* * * * * * *

7 years ago.

Eunyeop learned that Jiheon’s mother, Jang Youngmi, was searching for a young male voice actor.

Since Jiheon was in a coma due to a hit-and-run accident, Jang Youngmi’s actions were even more suspicious.

After that, Eunyeop secretly approached the male voice actor, pretending it was a coincidence. After having about three chance encounters by figuring out the voice actor’s movements in advance, he was able to become friends with the voice actor.

“I entered a law firm and mainly advise large corporations, but the children of the group chairmen are all so troublesome. It’s so difficult. Have you ever met a *chaebol* [conglomerate] family, voice actor?”

“There are a lot of really strange people in *chaebol* families. I don’t have any personal connections, but I went into a *chaebol* family’s mansion once for work a while ago.”

As soon as Eunyeop gave him a lead, the voice actor immediately spilled the information. Eunyeop’s eyes lit up.

“You went to a *chaebol* family’s mansion? What for?”

“Ah, but lawyer, you absolutely can’t tell anyone else about this.”

“Of course. Of course. Confidentiality is the life of a lawyer.”

The voice actor’s voice lowered.

“It’s some kind of food group, but I didn’t ask what group it was because I thought it would be rude. Anyway, when you go inside the mansion, there’s a marble fountain in the front, like that kind of mansion.”

A food group, a mansion with a marble fountain. Eunyeop could easily deduce that it was Jiheon’s house.

“I only contacted the lady of the house beforehand and then went when I was called. But I received a very strange order.”

“What kind of order?”

“She gave me a phone and told me to call someone and say bad things to a woman I didn’t even know. There was also a script. ‘I’m uncomfortable, so please don’t contact me anymore?’ ‘You better be prepared when you contact me again,’ things like that. She told me to do that. You get the idea, right?”

Goosebumps ran all over Eunyeop’s body.

The voice actor’s performance was undoubtedly a perfect Jung Jiheon.

“A woman was clinging to the son of the house, but the son couldn’t make the call, so she wanted me to imitate the son and drive the woman away.”

“…Was that just once? No other orders?”

“I haven’t heard from her since then. I’m a little curious if my acting worked well, if the woman really left.”

“As expected, *chaebols* are amazing. To suddenly tell a woman they don’t even know to say those things.”

“I know her name at least. I remember it.”

Eunyeop’s eyes narrowed at the voice actor’s answer.

“Lee Jung-oh. That was her name. Lee Jung-oh.”