A Child Who Resembles Me [EN]: Chapter 96

96. Mom’s Life

Jiheon confided in Jeongo about his past.

A story from long ago, during his vaguely remembered days in the gifted Baduk [Go] class.

“It’s embarrassing, but that’s how my mother was. She would nonchalantly interfere and restrain me, all while throwing in the word ‘love.’”

I love you, son. I’m doing this all because I love you.

With a mother who constantly used the word love as a means of manipulation, his own understanding of love couldn’t help but become distorted. The word love was pressure; it was heavy, and sometimes it was so artificial that it felt worthless.

He regretted not being able to say those words to Lee Jeongo. Perhaps meeting her seven years ago had changed the form of love he knew.

Love was truly becoming love, but all of that disappeared because of the accident.

He would never lose it again.

“So, saying these words is actually so cringeworthy for me.”

“……”

“Still, I love you.”

He thought he should say it more often now.

Jeongo, who had all her questions answered after seven years, wiped away her tears and hugged Jiheon.

It was around the time they were wrapping up work that they learned about the problem with Guksund Baekban [Guksun’s White Rice Meal restaurant]. After receiving a call from Guksun, Jeongo rushed home with Jiheon and searched the video site to find the problematic video.

The content about Guksund Baekban was short. Guksun’s restaurant appeared at the very end of a BJ’s [Broadcast Jockey, or streamer] restaurant exploration video. The BJ ordered three servings of Baekban, and when the BJ was examining the stew, a piece of trash was found when he took a spoonful.

It was half of a long coffee mix wrapper. The video ended with the two companions who discovered the trash quietly expressing their shock.

Guksun’s face turned pale as she watched the video.

“I’ve never even had that coffee……”

Jeongo immediately recognized the person appearing in the problematic video. Although they were blurred, the acquaintance sitting across from the BJ was clearly Chaeeunbi.

That day when Chaeeunbi came to Guksund Baekban, ordered three servings of Baekban, and left without even taking a bite. It was the day she handed 50,000 won [approximately $40 USD] to Yena.

After watching the video, Jeongo sighed bitterly.

“So, this is it.”

“Do you know the whole story?”

Jiheon asked.

“We’re not that careless. It’s recorded on our restaurant’s CCTV.”

Jeongo found the separately saved CCTV video and showed it to Jiheon and Guksun.

That day Eunbi visited Guksund Baekban, Jeongo belatedly organized the restaurant alone and checked the CCTV video. After the food came out, the three of them looked around, took something out of their bags, put it in the stew, and stirred it.

Jeongo was curious about what they were doing, but it turned out they were throwing trash from their bags.

Jiheon didn’t understand.

“Didn’t they know there was a camera? There’s even a sign saying CCTV is installed. Why would they do that?”

“Look at the way the three of them are looking. They only found one camera.”

Jeongo pointed to another camera revealed in the video. Indeed, the three of them glanced at the opposite camera, and when committing the act, they completely blocked that camera with their backs.

They thought they only needed to avoid being seen by that one camera. Thanks to only being careful of one camera, their crime was captured even better by the camera on the opposite side.

“It’s best to resolve things like this as quickly as possible.”

Following Jiheon’s suggestion, Jeongo quickly created an account on the video site. The video of the BJ, who had about 100,000 subscribers, had already been watched by over 150,000 people.

If action wasn’t taken quickly, the number of viewers watching the incorrect video would only increase.

Jeongo contacted Deputy Manager Parkyeonggwang. Jeongo asked him to help when she came to work the next morning, and Yeonggwang, who had heard the whole story, rushed to the company after having drinks with Gihun near the company. Jiheon also had to return to the company.

Jiheon and Yeonggwang edited the CCTV footage so that it could be compared with the problematic video, and Jeongo created a statement. Jiheon added a phrase about taking legal action to the statement.

Even while they were editing, the number of viewers of the problematic video continued to increase. Furthermore, other creators who had seen the problematic video began to create secondary videos.

Eventually, hardcore subscribers who found the name of Guksund Baekban posted the address of Guksund Baekban in the comments.

“Mom, don’t worry. It will all be sorted out by tomorrow morning.”

Jeongo calmed Guksun, who was trembling, and posted the video and statement around midnight. She also left the address of the edited video post in the comments of the BJ’s video channel.

Jeongo monitored the BJ’s channel and her own channel all night. About an hour after Jeongo’s video was posted, the number of views began to increase.

The BJ must have realized the existence of the CCTV footage because he deleted Jeongo’s comment registered on his channel. However, another subscriber re-uploaded Jeongo’s channel address, and Jeongo’s video gradually spread.

After a few hours, reactions began to come to the BJ’s channel as well. Harsh comments targeting the BJ followed one after another.

– The restaurant owner uploaded the CCTV video. But it’s quite different from the video uploaded here. Please reveal the truth.

– This is manipulation. Everyone, please check the CCTV video and come back.

– Did you manipulate the video to attract attention? Crazy. Crazy.

– Who is this fraud? If there wasn’t a CCTV, a perfectly good restaurant would have been ruined.

In the end, the BJ deleted the problematic video after receiving strong criticism from subscribers. It was resolved four hours after Jeongo posted the CCTV video.

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And then, a peaceful morning.

Jeongo was exhausted because she hadn’t slept properly.

While she was leaning against the company chair, dozing off, Gihun, who had come to work, spoke to her.

“Deputy Manager.”

“Oh, Gihun.”

“Are you okay?”

Yesterday he had such a devastated expression, but today he appeared with a refreshed face and even asked about Jeongo’s well-being. It seemed Gihun had overcome everything overnight. It was a relief.

“Yeah, I’m okay.”

“I also checked that video. I tried to check it again this morning, but it disappeared. Did that crazy bastard sort it out himself?”

“Yeah. That video has been sorted out, but since then, secondary edited versions have been created, so I’m trying to contact them one by one. Some people are taking down the posts, and some are posting apologies, but the most common thing is people editing and uploading our CCTV footage.”

“Things are going to get bigger.”

“I’m okay, but I’m worried about my mom.”

At Jeongo’s answer, Gihun sighed as if it were his own problem. Jeongo carefully asked.

“Gihun, are you feeling okay?”

“Ah, me.”

Gihun made an awkward expression at Jeongo’s question.

“Deputy Manager’s story is really something for international headlines.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you sooner, Gihun.”

“No, it’s okay. I was so surprised that my head was blank, but I got better overnight.”

“……”

“Actually, I stopped by the company again last night. I watched Deputy Manager and Director editing that CCTV video, and I was overwhelmed by Director’s eyes.”

The eyes of someone who is in a love that no one can stop. The moment he confirmed that, Gihun realized.

“I think Director is a good person.”

That he could never beat Jeong Jiheon.

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The day passed without any major incidents. Jeongo worked overtime as usual and left work around 9 PM. She was worried because she heard from Yena that her grandmother was at the restaurant again today.

Late at night when Yena was asleep, Jeongo went into Guksun’s room and spoke to her.

“You should have rested today.”

“I didn’t work today. I just went to clean up.”

“……”

“I put the store up for sale.”

At Guksun’s answer, Jeongo’s heart sank.

“……Why?”

“Why else? I just thought it was time.”

The thought that my mom was sacrificing again because of me, because of Chaeeunbi, made me feel a surge of sadness. Jeongo held back her tears and tried to persuade Guksun.

“Is it because of that video? Mom, that’s all been sorted out now. It’ll be okay.”

But Guksun looked at her with a smile, as if that wasn’t the problem.

“Do you want Mom to keep working?”

“……”

“If that’s what you want, I’ll keep doing it.”

Jeongo couldn’t say anything at her mother’s question. It felt like someone had tapped her on the head.

At some point, I thought Mom was working because she liked working. She was the mom who taught Jeongo to live doing what she liked and what she wanted to do. I assumed that because I liked working, my mom would too. It was my narrow-minded thought.

Jeongo retorted as if she was complaining.

“Why are you asking my opinion? What’s good for Mom comes first.”

“Your opinion is always the most important to Mom.”

“……”

“It was to raise you, and then to raise our Yena when we came back to Seoul. But now that I’ve met Yena’s dad, I should wrap things up too.”

Many things happened in a few days. Finding the child’s father, talking about marriage with a chaebol’s [conglomerate] son, her granddaughter collapsing, and she herself being suddenly framed.

Experiencing many events, Guksun thought about what she could do. Insisting on continuing the restaurant business was not the answer. She realized that she had to protect her daughter in other ways.

She couldn’t let her daughter suffer from gossip in a corner of the market.

“I wanted to get a chef’s license when I was younger, but I didn’t have time. In the old days, being good at cooking wasn’t a big deal, but these days there are cooking researchers, professional cooking BJs [Broadcast Jockeys, or streamers], and stuff like that. When I see people around my age on TV cooking 멋있게 [with style] and people admiring them, I get so envious and it looks so good.”

“……”

“I don’t know how much I can do starting now, but I just hope our daughter will support me. That’s what I need most.”

After much deliberation, she found an alternative that could convince everyone.

It’s just words now, but this turning point in my life might lead me to a path of greater happiness. I thought it was a good choice.

“I felt sorry and guilty that our Yena was commuting to and from the restaurant every day, but it’s good. Now I’ll cook at home and take care of Yena.”

“No, Mom.”

“……”

“It’s my fault. You don’t have to worry about Yena. You should live your own life.”

Mom was talking with a smile the whole time, but the child’s face was tearful. The thought that I had made this child cry again made tears well up inside Guksun’s heart as well.

“I’m sorry. I only thought about myself. I’ve been living comfortably my whole life. Now, do everything you want to do. Learn everything you want to learn and go study abroad, just like I did.”

“……”

“If there’s a good man, date him, introduce him to me, and get married. You have to do that too, Mom.”

“Why are you crying while saying good things?”

Sob. Guksun gently stroked the back of her daughter, who was kneeling in front of her and wiping her tears on her pants.

“Even if you want to send Mom far away, Mom can’t go far now. Mom’s whole life is inside you.”

Soon, Guksun bent down and reached out further to pat Jeongo’s butt. Just like when she was young, when she was just Jeongo’s age, she did to the endlessly lovely child Jeongo.

Even as time passes, the child is still endlessly lovely.

There were times when I was raising you when I thought I was going to die, but even so, I always gained the strength to live through you.

I love you. I love you. My beautiful daughter.

My love is too shabby to give to you, but I still love you so much.