A Child Who Resembles Me [EN]: Chapter 73

73. There’s Something Going On

Yena stared intently at Jiheon, her eyes filled with determination.

Jiheon was at a loss for words. This sudden crisis caused beads of sweat to form on his forehead.

Jeong-o smiled kindly and tilted her head to look at Yena.

“Yena, what does Mommy call Dobin’s mom?”

“Ms. Jinseo.”

“And also?”

“Dobin’s mother.”

“That’s right. You can call someone else’s mother ‘Mother’ too. The Go [a strategy board game originating in China] academy teacher calls Mommy ‘Mother,’ right?”

Jeong-o, with her experience, offered a wise answer. Nevertheless, Yena’s lips still pouted.

Guksun intervened at the perfect moment, welcoming Jiheon.

“Come on in. You must be tired from coming all this way.”

Jiheon handed the fruit basket and bouquet to Guksun.

“I brought these because I heard Yena and her grandmother like them.”

“Do you believe that?”

Guksun chuckled as she checked the fruits in the basket—apple mangoes, Shine Muscat grapes, Hallabong oranges…

“She just told him to buy her favorites. She just had to be greedy like this, even on a day like today.”

Jeong-o, celebrating a special day, had listed the names of fruits that she usually couldn’t afford to buy casually. Jiheon had taken it to heart.

Jiheon blinked, looking at Jeong-o. He was speechless at Jeong-o’s nonchalant gaze. It was his fault for not knowing Jeong-o’s preferences.

While Jiheon hesitated, Guksun calmly examined his face.

The father of her granddaughter, Yena…

At first, she didn’t notice, but upon closer inspection, he resembled Yena. Especially when he had such a blank expression.

“I was so busy that I ordered rice cakes but forgot to pick them up.”

Guksun said, still gazing at Jiheon.

“Lee Jeong-o, you’ll have to go get them.”

“Okay, I will.”

As Jeong-o started walking towards the entrance, Jiheon said,

“The rice cakes might be heavy, so if you tell me where it is, I can go get them.”

“No, I can’t ask a guest to do that. Our Jeong-o eats well and is strong.”

Jeong-o, slightly glaring at her mother for revealing that obvious secret, slowly put on her shoes.

“Mom, I want to go too!”

Yena trotted after Jeong-o.

“Just stay here.”

“No, I want to go with you!”

Yena clung to Jeong-o’s arm. Her voice was more stubborn than usual, making Jeong-o look troubled.

Guksun gestured to the two of them.

“Alright. You two go together quickly.”

Jeong-o looked at Guksun and Jiheon, then took Yena’s hand and left.

Now, only Guksun and Jiheon remained in the house. Just the two of them.

“Shall we sit over there for a moment?”

Guksun said, pointing towards the dining table.

In the small living room, two tables were joined together, and some food was already set out. Instead of the living room table, she led Jiheon towards the kitchen. Jiheon, who had been tense, replied with a short, ‘Yes,’ and followed Guksun.

As Jiheon sat across from her, Guksun opened the conversation.

“You said you lost your memory for seven years.”

“Yes. Because I lost my memory, Jeong-o had to suffer alone. I have no excuse.”

To Guksun, he appeared as polite and respectful as he did at their first meeting. Nevertheless, the memories of seven years ago resurfaced, causing her heart to ache.

Her beautiful daughter, who had never caused her any trouble, smart and kind, had been given the greatest despair by this man.

She couldn’t just say, ‘It’s okay, it’s all in the past,’ so easily.

But she couldn’t get angry either.

After a moment of silence, Guksun chuckled and revealed her honest feelings in a weak voice.

“…I went to break a switch [a Korean expression meaning to cause trouble or make a scene], but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.”

“……”

“My child is precious, so someone else’s child must be precious too. Thinking about that, our Director Lee’s life seems so pitiful.”

“……”

“You’ve worked hard to come all the way here.”

She decided to accept it.

She couldn’t bring herself to say harsh words to someone who seemed so stiff and nervous, unsure of what to do. She couldn’t reject the man her daughter had accepted.

Losing his memory wasn’t his fault either, so she couldn’t just blame him. Just because his mother was involved in their relationship, she couldn’t resent him for having such a mother. It wasn’t his fault.

There was nothing Guksun could do from the start. Because she had a daughter she cherished more than her own life, Guksun would always be in a subordinate position in her daughter’s relationships.

Thinking that she shouldn’t scold him, Guksun looked at Jiheon and found his tense appearance very endearing.

“You’ve heard that I’m a single mother, right?”

“……Yes.”

“That’s how our child was born. Even though I have nothing to pass down, I shouldn’t pass down something like that, but because my daughter became like that, I felt so sorry for her. Because I’m her mother, it was so hard to watch her suffer… But still, Jeong-o grew up so well.”

Guksun boasted about her daughter for the first time in a while. Thinking about her daughter, a smile naturally appeared on her face even in this serious situation.

“When I said I was going to break a switch, Jeong-o said, ‘Are you going to hit someone else’s child?’”

“……”

“If she knows that someone else’s child is as precious as her own, I think she grew up really well even in that difficult environment.”

At Guksun’s undisguised smile, Jiheon quietly looked up at Guksun.

“A long time ago, I couldn’t like myself. Me, a single mother. But our Jeong-o resembles me. Unlike me, she’s the prettiest and most lovable person in the world, and she resembles me.”

“……”

“…So I think I can love myself too.”

The story of Mom Lee Guksun, and the person Lee Guksun.

Jiheon also thought that Guksun and Jeong-o looked a lot alike. Watching the mother speak calmly and composedly, with warmth emanating from her very presence, Jiheon felt envious of Jeong-o for the first time.

At that moment, as Jiheon’s eyes slowly welled up with tears.

“Don’t hate yourself too much. Don’t blame yourself either. What couldn’t be helped simply couldn’t be helped. Now, just think about the future. Our Yena’s father will also come to love himself more as he sees a child who resembles him. That’s the power of a child who resembles me.”

“……”

“After dinner today, talk to Yena too.”

In the end, he realized that it was his story, Jeong Jiheon’s story.

And, ‘Our Yena’s father.’

His throat felt hot at the unfamiliar title.

Jiheon lowered his head to hide his reddened eyes.

“I don’t know if I deserve to receive such words……”

He had come prepared to be severely scolded.

“I feel even more guilty for receiving such unexpected encouragement…”

He felt a pang in his heart. It would have hurt less if he had been scolded, he thought foolishly.

“Oh, don’t be so touched already. Yena’s father has a tough road ahead.”

However, our Ms. Lee Guksun was not one to adapt to such sentimental atmospheres. As Guksun waved her hand and raised her voice, Jiheon’s tears, which were about to fall, disappeared.

“Our Yena is unusually tough. I wonder who she takes after.”

Her voice was especially loud during the ‘who she takes after’ part.

“There are always trials and errors. Even if Yena says too much, just think she’s like me and love her.”

Guksun firmly added advice for Jiheon’s future.

Guksun knew that even if she welcomed him warmly, Jiheon wouldn’t just be walking through a flower garden.

Overcoming this difficulty would be a stepping stone as a father.

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

Yena went to the rice cake shop holding her mom’s hand.

Her mom’s pace was faster than usual. Like someone who had left something at home, like someone who had to return quickly, she hurried.

Well, she did leave something at home. Not an object, though.

Because her mom was hurrying so much, Yena was out of breath. In the end, she couldn’t say anything on the way to the rice cake shop.

On the way back from picking up the rice cakes, her mom’s pace slowed down.

Yena didn’t miss the opportunity and said to Jeong-o.

“Mom, today some lady tried to give me fifty thousand won [approximately $37 USD].”

Jeong-o’s eyes widened.

“Who? The lady who came to the restaurant?”

“No. Just a stranger.”

“When? Where?”

“On the way to the academy, in the academy elevator.”

“Why? Why would she give you money?”

“The lady’s bracelet got caught in my hair and messed it up like this. So she said she was sorry and tried to give me money.”

“So what did you do?”

“I didn’t take the money. The teacher told the lady it was okay. She said she could just retie my hair.”

“Oh, I see. That’s a relief. Yena, you shouldn’t take money like that in the future. Got it?”

“Yeah.”

Even after answering, she still felt uneasy. She couldn’t express this feeling, so Yena walked gloomily. Yena’s hand holding Jeong-o’s tightened even more.

Soon, Jeong-o arrived in front of their house and sighed, facing the stairs.

“It’s heavy. Why did Mom even order rice cakes…”

“Mom, should I help you carry it?”

“No, our princess should go up first.”

Jeong-o refused the earnest offer and stroked Yena’s hair.

But I want to help. Yena became gloomy again. As she trudged up the stairs, she heard a voice from below.

“Yena’s mother, hello.”

“Oh my, Officer Kwon, hello. Are you off work now?”

“Yes. But it looks heavy. Shall I help you?”

“Ah, no, it’s okay.”

“If you go up alone, it’ll take you an hour to get to the top of the stairs.”

Yena went back down the stairs. Officer Kwon Bae-il and Jeong-o were standing side by side.

“Officer, hello.”

“Yes, Yena, how have you been?”

Bae-il greeted her and took the luggage Jeong-o was holding.

“No, no, that’s……”

“I’ll take it up for you. Bring the cart up.”

While Jeong-o was embarrassed, Bae-il went up the stairs first. Yena led the way. Jeong-o also hurried to follow Bae-il, pulling the cart.

As expected, with the police officer helping, the time to the 4th floor was short. Bae-il put the box in front of the door and immediately turned around.

“Ah… Thank you so much, Officer.”

“It’s nothing. I’m glad I could help. Then, I’ll be going. Yena, goodbye.”

“Yes. Goodbye!”

Jeong-o watched Bae-il go down the stairs for a while before opening the front door.

“Grandma, I’m home.”

Yena greeted cheerfully.

In the meantime, the living room table was full of food. Jiheon was busily following Guksun around.

His awkward posture, unable to do anything and just looking around, made him look like a new employee wandering around because he had no assigned work and nothing to do.

Guksun asked Jeong-o.

“Did you carry the rice cakes up the stairs by yourself? You should have called me.”

“No, I met the officer in front and he carried them up for me.”

“Oh, how kind. I should bring him some rice cakes later.”

Officer? Jiheon wondered who they were talking about, but he couldn’t easily join Jeong-o and Guksun’s conversation and just kept looking around.

Guksun put the last dish on the table and said.

“Let’s sit down quickly. Director Lee, you sit down too.”

The table setting was too much for four people to eat.

Yena felt a little sad. What day is it today that there’s more food than on my birthday?

Ignoring Yena’s feelings, Jeong-o and Guksun continued their conversation.

“Mom, why did you make so much?”

“It’s better than not having enough. Director, you can eat it all, right?”

At Guksun’s question, Jiheon answered in a spirited voice.

“Yes, of course.”

Hmph. Let’s see if you can eat it all, mister.

Yena glared at Jiheon with a sulky look and turned her head.

Jiheon emptied two bowls of rice for the first time in his life. As soon as Jiheon finished his rice, Guksun brought rice cakes and fruit. Jiheon emptied even that with perseverance. He was constantly tense inside.

After the meal, they decided to tell Yena everything.

He was nervous and trembling because he couldn’t predict Yena’s reaction, and he was also afraid.

Yena, unaware of anything, was quietly hiding her sad feelings.

She was going to make fun of him if he couldn’t eat it all, but he ate so well that she couldn’t make fun of him. She was embarrassed by Jiheon, who had stubbornly emptied even the dessert plate. She was sad at Guksun’s happy appearance.

The only person who was praised for eating well was me.

After a while, Guksun quietly called Jeong-o to the end of the kitchen. Yena quietly held her breath and tried to listen to their conversation, but she couldn’t hear well. Soon, Jeong-o, who had finished talking to Guksun in the kitchen and returned to the living room, spoke to Jiheon.

“Oppa [term used by a female to refer to an older brother or close male friend/boyfriend].”

That was all. As if sending a signal.

There’s something going on!

A fierce wave surged in Yena’s heart.

Besides, Oppa? Oppa? Not Director, but Oppa?

Yena’s eyes, sensing something suspicious, shook from side to side. In the meantime, Jiheon approached Yena. Jeong-o also sat close beside him.

“Yena.”

Yena couldn’t answer even to the gentle voice of the mister.

“Actually, the mister is.”

Dugun dugun [Korean onomatopoeia for a heart beating fast]…….

What is the mister going to say?

Yena swallowed her saliva without realizing it. Even before hearing all the words, her eyes were already filled with tears.

Dugun dugun dugun dugun [Korean onomatopoeia for a heart beating fast]…….

“He’s your dad. Yena’s dad.”

Thud.

It felt like time, her heart, had stopped.