A Child Who Resembles Me [EN]: Chapter 130

130. Discrimination and Resentment

Jitae quietly continued, “After Mom passed away, there was a time when I relied on my stepmother the most. Since she was Dad’s secretary, she was the one who frequented our house the most.”

“……”

“When Dad, who was having such a hard time, remarried because of my stepmother’s pregnancy, I was actually happy because I thought I had a mom again. …It wasn’t until I became an elementary school student that I realized my stepmother could never be my real mom.”

Jiheon listened to Jitae’s story in silence. It was the first time his brother had spoken to him at such length.

“Until then, I didn’t even know that discrimination was discrimination.”

“……”

“After that, I must have been jealous of you all the time.”

It was also the first time he had heard his brother’s true feelings. Jitae, like Jiheon, had been living without fixing the door to his heart, which had rusted on its hinges and remained closed for a long time.

“I’m sorry. You must have had your own difficulties.”

Jitae’s tone was somber, as if he had heard about Jiheon’s estrangement from their mother.

“……I didn’t know you felt that way, hyung [older brother].”

“It’s okay now. It doesn’t matter anymore.”

Jitae, saying he was okay, looked quite relieved.

“Anyway, congratulations on your marriage. And belated congratulations on having a daughter.”

After offering his unceremonious congratulations, Jitae said goodbye to Jaekwang, Jeong-oh, and Yena and left right away.

Perhaps Jitae had taken time out of his busy schedule to come and shake off the old grudges in celebration of his younger brother’s new beginning. Thanks to Jitae, Jiheon also felt relieved.

Even after Jitae left, Jaekwang and Yena continued their game of Go [a strategic board game]. Yena won both games, and Jaekwang laughed heartily even in defeat.

He couldn’t find a trace of the father who sternly scolded Jiheon back in the day, saying that you shouldn’t reveal your feelings when playing Go. The shoulders of his father, who had seemed so big when he was young, were now smaller than his own.

The gift-giving continued. Jaekwang gave Yena a set of colored pencils, saying he had bought them on a business trip abroad the day before yesterday. Yena jumped up and down after receiving the gift and picked up the colored pencils.

Something with a large head and thin body and limbs was quickly drawn on the paper. It was a cute drawing that seemed to be an anthropomorphic frog. Yena took the drawing she had put her heart and soul into to Jaekwang.

“Grandpa, this is a gift.”

“What is this?”

“It’s Grandpa.”

Good heavens.

Jeong-oh immediately wanted to step in between Jaekwang and Yena and fix the drawing. At least she should make sure the frog grandpa was wearing pants properly.

“We have a Picasso here!”

But contrary to Jeong-oh’s worries, Jaekwang liked the drawing very much.

“Our granddaughter is going to be an artist!”

Jaekwang was truly impressed as he looked at the drawing as if he had confirmed the reincarnation of Picasso. Now, that drawing was destined to be a precious treasure, framed in a gold frame and kept in the center of Jaekwang’s office, above the name “Seryun Group.”

After making candy, playing Go with her grandfather, drawing with the colored pencils her grandfather had given her, and looking around and running around the house and garden, it was already late afternoon.

Since she had promised Guksun that she would be back before dinner, it was time to leave.

Jaekwang saw them off on their way. Jaekwang, who hadn’t taken his eyes off Yena for half a day, now turned his attention to his son for a moment and walked in step with him.

“You know what? My life and your life are similar. There were days when I thought about teaching you how to ride a bike or giving you a piggyback ride, but I kept putting it off because I was busy and didn’t have time, and I missed my chance.”

“……”

“Dads always regret it. Children never wait.”

Jiheon nodded silently at his father’s words.

In some ways, he resented his father very much, but in other ways, he understood his father’s life. Maybe that’s why grandfathers like their grandchildren.

It seems like they want to make up for the many things they couldn’t do for their children back then.

Even though they live close enough to see each other whenever they want, saying goodbye is somehow sad. Jaekwang still waved goodbye to Yena with heart-filled eyes.

“Yena, come visit again. I’ll make you lots of candy, so come visit often. Okay?”

“Yes!”

“Eating too much candy will rot your teeth.”

Jiheon interjected.

“It’s okay if Grandpa gives it to you. Yena, you know Grandpa’s phone number, right? Call me often. Okay?”

“Yes!”

“Thank you for bringing our daughter-in-law with you.”

“Thank you for inviting me.”

Everyone said goodbye to Jaekwang and got into the car. Jaekwang waved until the car left the gate. Jiheon was still very awkward because it was the first time he had seen his father like that.

Jeong-oh recalled a memory from seven years ago and said to Jiheon, “Seven years ago, you said that about your father—that he runs a confectionery factory. So I thought your father was the factory manager of a confectionery factory.”

“That’s not entirely wrong. The confectionery factory business has grown this big.”

“When I think about it, you were just as frustrating as I was back then. You didn’t tell me much about your family. You probably didn’t want to burden me, but I was embarrassed to find out about your identity after meeting you again after seven years.”

Jiheon reflected on what Jeong-oh had told him.

They could have become closer if they had just taken one step closer to each other, but they didn’t realize it and missed out on many things. I shouldn’t do that anymore.

“It was fun. I think we can come often.”

Jeong-oh gave her impressions with a satisfied expression. Jiheon smiled at Jeong-oh’s review.

“And, I didn’t know your brother was such a handsome man. He looks 100 times better in person. I wonder if there’s anyone else who doesn’t photograph well.”

But Jiheon’s smile dropped at Jeong-oh’s next words.

“He looks like you, but he feels very different. He’s more mature, I guess.”

“He’s not mature, he’s just old. He’s much older than me.”

Jiheon grumbled, as if he didn’t like Jeong-oh praising his brother’s appearance.

* * * * * * * * * *

“Mom, Jeong-oh’s here.”

At Jeong-oh’s loud call, Guksun, who was preparing dinner, ran to the front door.

“Yes. You’ve worked hard. Was it fun?”

“Yes, it was fun, but it’s still good to be home.”

Lee Jeong-oh, Yena’s mother, who had been dignified at her in-laws’ house, returned home and became Lee Jeong-oh, Guksun’s affectionate daughter, again. Guksun hugged and patted her daughter, who was leaning on her as if entrusting her whole body to her.

“What’s all this, my puppy? Did you get a gift?”

Guksun reached out to Yena while holding Jeong-oh, who was leaning on her as if entrusting her whole body to her. Yena showed Guksun what she had received from her grandfather.

“Grandma, Grandpa made me candy. My name is written on the candy! Look!”

“Oh my. How fascinating. I guess Grandpa knows magic.”

“Grandma, this isn’t magic, it’s handmade candy.”

Yena took a piece of candy from the container and put it in Guksun’s mouth. Guksun accepted it and asked Jeong-oh,

“Was everything alright? Any problems?”

“Yeah. It was very peaceful. Everyone said only good things. Mom, do we have any beer at home?”

“There are a couple in the fridge.”

Guksun went to the kitchen, took out the beer from the refrigerator, placed it on the table, and then asked Jiheon,

“Our dear son-in-law must be tired too, would you like a drink?”

“No. I’m alright.”

Jeong-oh didn’t wait for everyone to gather at the table and gulped down the beer. Guksun looked at her daughter with pity. *She* said it was very peaceful, but it seemed *she* was very nervous. *She’s* looking for beer as soon as she gets home.

Jeong-oh quickly emptied the small can of beer and even took out soju [Korean distilled spirit] as if it wasn’t enough. A reward for herself for successfully completing a big task. It was a pleasant drink on a hot day.

Eventually, Guksun and Jiheon also had a glass of wine each. Jeong-oh kept refilling her empty glass, saying the alcohol was going down well. Guksun watched Jeong-oh eat only Korean melon [a type of melon common in East Asia] with her soju and said,

“Stop eating only Korean melon and eat something else. You suffered so much *because* of eating Korean melon, and you still can’t come to your senses and keep picking it up.”

“Mom! I’m thirty years old now. Why are you bringing up something that happened when I was twelve?”

“It’s not good to eat too much at this hour. Eat moderately.”

After nagging, Guksun turned her head and met Jiheon’s eyes. She felt sorry for Jiheon, who was looking at the mother and daughter with envious eyes. She felt bad for her son-in-law who visited his family but couldn’t meet his mother.

“No, she’s our family’s pig, so if I don’t stop her, she *will* eat too much. Our Yena’s dad can eat as much as he wants.”

“Mother.”

“Yes. Yes, Yena’s dad.”

Jiheon suddenly asked, as if he was feeling sulky at the deliberately warm response.

“Yena is our puppy, our princess, Jeong-oh is our pig. But why am I just Jeong Seo-bang [term for son-in-law], Yena’s dad?”

“It’s not *just* Jeong Seo-bang. It’s *our* Jeong Seo-bang.”

“Anyway, there’s a bit of discrimination.”

She wondered if this guy was drunk after drinking a glass of soju, but Guksun kindly accepted her son-in-law’s comment.

“Okay. I’m sorry. Then what should we call our son-in-law? What kind of animal would you like?”

“Well. A chick?”

“……”

“A rabbit? A squirrel? A deer?”

…He’s definitely not going to suggest *being* a fox himself.

Guksun laughed at her son-in-law’s brazen reaction, who only listed the names of small and lovely animals.

As time passed, while Jeong-oh went to put Yena to sleep, Guksun carefully asked Jiheon about Ms. Jang Young-mi.

“You’re still not contacting your mother?”

“I’ll never be the one to contact her first.”

Perhaps because she was also a mother, Guksun’s heart ached at Jiheon’s calm answer.

“The saying, ‘No parent can win against their child,’ doesn’t really mean that parents can’t win against their children. It means they can’t win because they love them too much.”

“……”

“They can’t tear them down because they’re too precious. They can’t hurt them because they’re too affectionate.”

“……”

“Your mother will be the same, eventually. She’ll come back to our Jeong Seo-bang.”

For some reason, Guksun was sure of it. She thought that the reason Ms. Jang Young-mi didn’t stay at home today and avoided the situation was because she wanted Jiheon’s new family to be comfortable, even if it was just with her husband. It might have been a consideration she couldn’t tell anyone.

The son may not yet know the hell the mother is going through.

Jiheon hesitated at Guksun’s opinion and quietly asked.

“If my mother asks me for forgiveness, should I accept it?”

“You should.”

“……”

“Accept it. With open arms. Like a child.”

Guksun, who gave a clear piece of advice, got up from her seat. At the same time, Jeong-oh came out of the room.

“I’m going in now, so you two have a good time. Don’t drink too much.”

“Okay, Mom. Good night.”

“Mother, good night.”

After Guksun waved her hand and went into the room, Jiheon also got up from his seat. Jeong-oh’s eyes looked tired. He wanted to let her rest quickly.

“Let’s go to bed now too.”

“You go in, *Oppa* [term of endearment for older brother or husband]. I’m going to finish this and sleep.”

There were still two or three glasses left in the bottle. Jeong-oh smiled as she filled the empty glass with alcohol.

She already seems drunk.

But Jiheon couldn’t stop her because even that flushed appearance was pretty, and he rested his chin on his hand and quietly looked at her.

Jeong-oh, who was sipping her glass, stared at Jiheon in the same pose as if responding to his feelings. She suddenly thought her husband was too handsome.

Beauty brings tears. The thought of monopolizing this beautiful thing made her chest strangely flutter and tears fall.

She felt sorry for this man and for all the things in the world.

“What’s wrong all of a sudden?”

Jiheon quickly wiped away her tears and asked.

“The photos……”

“……”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t take more photos……”

“……”

“I should have taken more pictures of Yena……”

Surprised, Jiheon pulled his chair closer to her and sighed deeply.

It was the story about Yena’s growth record that she had shown him sometime. He realized that Jeong-oh also felt sorry for Jiheon, who was sad about the aspects of Yena he hadn’t seen, even after looking at plenty of Yena’s photos.

My wife, who is so lovely even with this absurd drunken confession.

“Lee Jeong-oh, control yourself.”

There was nothing he could do with a drunk person, but his heart kept wavering at her jewel-like tears.

“You’re so pretty right now. Do you know that?”