A Child Who Resembles Me [EN]: Chapter 147

147. Three People

There are days that plummet to the worst without a single external wound.

A day when you meet all the people you never wanted to see again at once. A day when you realize they are still doing well and don’t even remember you.

That day, seven years ago.

If I hadn’t run into Kim Jin-gu, who had been caught at the police station for doing something trashy but was released without charges.

If November 2nd hadn’t been my mother’s death anniversary.

If I hadn’t met Jung Ji-heon that day.

If that were the case, nothing would have happened.

That day, Bae-il, finishing work late, stopped by the flower shop late at night. He had just brushed past Kim Jin-gu amidst his busy schedule, leaving him with a bitter taste. Though mentally and physically exhausted, Bae-il immediately recognized Ji-heon’s face.

Ji-heon seemed to be preparing a proposal.

Even though the artificial flowers he ordered were supposed to be ready first, the flower shop owner was only focused on taking orders for proposal flowers. While waiting for the flower shop owner to return, Bae-il stared at Ji-heon for a long time, hoping he would recognize him.

“Since the appointment is for three o’clock tomorrow, it’ll be okay if I come to pick them up an hour before, right?”

“Yes. You can come then.”

“Then, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

However, Ji-heon didn’t recognize Bae-il until the end. Ji-heon’s mind seemed to be a flower garden.

*Why don’t you remember me? I couldn’t forget you, I couldn’t forgive you, and it was so hard for me. My whole life was hell.*

Bae-il was reminded of the day his mother passed away a long time ago. That day was her birthday.

Bae-il, who was such a prodigy that he quickly stood out even at the transferred school, held the award he received from the Children’s Science Competition and bought a small bouquet of flowers with money he borrowed from a friend, and visited his mother’s hospital room. But his mother closed her eyes without even seeing the award or the flowers.

The misery of the day that should have been the happiest day in the world becoming the saddest day is indescribable.

The hatred he had been suppressing quickly resurfaced.

Bae-il looked down at the proposal card Ji-heon had left behind and clenched his fist.

He hadn’t been happy since his mother passed away.

The sorrow of having to buy artificial flowers and go to the charnel house [a building or room containing niches for funeral urns] on his mother’s birthday crushed his reason.

*Jung Ji-heon, I hate you.*

*I still hate you, dedicating my whole life to it.*

* * * * * * *

Kwon Bae-il was a man carrying a gun.

Even while assuming that the gun would never be fired, Jung-oh was scared and afraid because she couldn’t read his mind.

Moreover, not only she but also her mother was at home, so she had to be careful. She shouldn’t provoke either her mother or Kwon Bae-il too much.

Bae-il, who had been staring intently at Jung-oh, unfastened the gun holster from his waist and placed it on the counter. He had noticed Jung-oh’s fearful expression.

Ironically, Guk-soon, who had secretly reached for the knife placed nearby, also lowered her hand with relief. The daughter was trying to protect her mother, and the mother was trying to protect her daughter.

Jung-oh understood that Bae-il wanted to talk to her. But he couldn’t ask nicely.

“…Why did you do that to my child?”

*Why did you try to kidnap my child?*

*Why did you hide that note and threaten me?*

*Why!*

“Why did you do that?”

“Because I wanted you to live as you were.”

“……”

“You were happy as you were, weren’t you?”

“……”

“You’re someone who can be happy enough without Jung Ji-heon, aren’t you?”

Bae-il spoke clearly without hesitation.

Of course, Bae-il was a little mistaken at the time. He thought Chae Eun-bi was Jung Ji-heon’s marriage partner. So he wanted Jung-oh to not get hurt even more.

He had watched Lee Jung-oh for longer than he had investigated Jung Ji-heon. He wanted her to give up on Jung Ji-heon herself, as Lee Jung-oh could live happily with her child and mother as they were.

Jung-oh questioned him resentfully.

“But Ye-na kept wanting to see her dad. I felt sorry to Ye-na all the time.”

The sorrowful emotion flowed out as a single tear.

Jung-oh, who had been glaring at Bae-il for a moment, wiped away her tears.

Her mother was watching. She didn’t want her mother, who was trusting Jung-oh and Bae-il even in fear and just watching, to get hurt. She could do anything if it meant protecting her family.

“It’s okay, though. It’s all in the past now.”

Jung-oh mustered up courage and said.

“I’m angry, but I can forgive you.”

“……”

“Because it seems like you were lost too.”

*Because I want you to forgive yourself too.*

There were times when she had been lost. The place she struggled to arrive at was not her original destination. There were times when those days were better. There were many.

Unexpected days make us unhappy, but happiness was always there too. There were times when things that happened suddenly and without warning were better than days that had been planned for a long time, days that had no deviations.

When she suddenly remembered it after a long time, that time was so good.

*I hope you know that kind of unexpected life too. No matter what kind of wounds you’ve received, I hope you don’t give up on happiness, because someone will want to comfort you.*

A sincere heart that was scared, made her heart flutter, and yet hoped that Bae-il wouldn’t have any more bad thoughts. She pleaded with that heart.

“So let’s start over. We can start over.”

“I can’t. Too many things have already become the past.”

However, Bae-il refused Jung-oh’s persuasion.

“Didn’t Ji-heon tell you about it?”

“……”

“Who was the one who made Jung Ji-heon like that seven years ago.”

Once again, her muscles tensed up. This was a different issue. Her husband had lost his memory due to the accident seven years ago and had been suffering from mental trauma ever since. The scar on his abdomen also remained clear.

Was Kwon Bae-il the one who caused all of that?

“To trace back the bad blood, we have to go back 24 years. To when Jung Ji-heon’s mother put pressure on my mother and made her unable to work at the restaurant.”

Bae-il continued calmly.

“She said she couldn’t stand the sight of her son associating with me, so she made it impossible for me to work in Seoul at all. That’s why I had to transfer schools. After that, my mother suffered at her new workplace and passed away, and I lost my name.”

“……”

“I just wanted Ji-heon to remember me. Just like his mother relentlessly sought out and tormented our mother, I wanted Ji-heon to not forget me and track me down. To recognize my previous name and my current name.”

The uncomforted heart became hatred.

The weeds that grew on the barren mountain became tough on their own and cut the skin of those who came to them.

“But Jung Ji-heon from seven years ago didn’t even remember me. That’s how it happened for such a trivial reason.”

He wanted Ji-heon to have at least a little guilt in his heart, but Jung Ji-heon didn’t even remember him, so he ended up hurting him.

The revenge was successful.

After the successful revenge, he tried to forget everything.

Since he had committed a sin, he tried to remain a bad person until the end. But he learned an unexpected fact.

The woman who was Jung Ji-heon’s fiancée had a child. It was a newly created life. The child lost her father because of the accident Bae-il caused. A very old hatred had ruined a woman’s life and a child’s life.

With that guilt, he watched Lee Jung-oh for a long time. Bae-il was relieved as he watched her gradually become happy.

He also occasionally looked in on Jung Ji-heon. Jung Ji-heon seemed to be fine even after losing his memory. He also heard that his personality had become nasty.

His vicious mother was the same as ever. Also, Jung Ji-heon was intimately acquainted with fraudsters named Chae Eun-yeop and Chae Eun-bi, not knowing how the two had made him.

So Bae-il made a decision on his own. Lee Jung-oh didn’t need Jung Ji-heon. Jung Ji-heon would only be poison if he stayed by Lee Jung-oh’s side. She might even be endangered by the cunning of Chae Eun-yeop and Chae Eun-bi. Everything was fine because the current Lee Jung-oh was happy.

But fate could not be stopped.

Jung Ji-heon eventually found Lee Jung-oh, and Lee Jung-oh accepted Jung Ji-heon.

And Jung Ji-heon, who met Lee Jung-oh, changed.

Seven years ago, Jung Ji-heon, who had just passed him by, tilted his head, turned around, greeted him, and apologized for what happened 24 years ago.

At that moment, Bae-il realized how insignificant his hatred was.

He also realized that all he wanted was a word of apology, a word of comfort.

Because of just this one word of apology, he also realized how terrible things he had done.

“So you don’t have to forgive me. You don’t have to say those polite words.”

Bae-il said calmly. He wanted to smile leisurely like he did a few minutes ago, but his expression somehow didn’t follow his will.

“I’m sorry.”

He had mixed feelings of regret and resentment towards Jung Ji-heon, but he was just sorry towards Jung-oh. He was so sorry to Jung-oh that he became so sorry to Ji-heon too.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to meet Ji-heon. I came to see you two.”

“……”

“I left a USB on the side table. Please think of it as a sign of apology and give it to Ji-heon.”

With those words, Bae-il picked up his holster again. Jung-oh, who had been standing blankly while Bae-il walked over, flinched and stepped back only after Bae-il came close. Bae-il was able to move on leisurely as Jung-oh made way for him.

Picking up his hat and going back near the kitchen, Bae-il bowed to Guk-soon.

“I will definitely keep thinking about Madam’s food, even from afar. I’m sorry I couldn’t have a meal with you.”

Seeing Guk-soon grabbing the counter and collapsing as if her legs had given out, Jung-oh rushed to Guk-soon. Bae-il didn’t watch the mother and daughter any longer, put on his hat, and went to the front door.

But then, the front door opened from the outside.

“Oh? It’s a police officer!”

Ye-na shouted loudly.

The people who opened the door and came in were Ye-na, Do-bin, and Jin-seo. Jin-seo had taken Ye-na to play at her house and came over.

Bae-il, flustered, slipped off his hat, turned it inside out, and hid it behind him, as if hoping that Ye-na wouldn’t be shocked to recognize the hat.

Do-bin greeted him loudly.

“Hello, mister!”

“Yeah.”

“Hello. It’s nice to see you here.”

Jin-seo also greeted him with a kind look and then looked down at Do-bin and said.

“Do-bin, didn’t you say you had something to say when you met the officer again?”

Do-bin nodded and called out to Bae-il.

“Police officer.”

“Yes. Do-bin.”

“I gonk you.”

“Huh?”

As Bae-il didn’t seem to understand well, Do-bin spoke even more clearly.

“I gonk you. Gon. K!”

Jin-seo was in trouble after hearing Do-bin’s words.

“Do-bin, not gonk, respect!”

“Ah! Respect! I do that! I want to be a police officer like you.”

“…Yeah. You have a loud voice, so you’ll be a good police officer.”

Bae-il patted Do-bin on the shoulder and encouraged him. Then Ye-na shouted.

“Me too! Then I’ll be a police officer too!”

“Ye-na wants to be a police officer too?”

Jin-seo asked. Bae-il had an even more flustered expression. Do-bin jumped up and down as if he was excited.

“Wow! Then we can meet when we become police officers!”

“Yeah! Let’s meet. Promise!”

Ye-na, who made a firm promise with Do-bin by hooking their little fingers, looked at Bae-il and said.

“Officer, I’ll go see you when I become a police officer!”

The children’s cute fingers were like maple leaves. Bae-il’s eyes turned red as if he was facing maple leaves that had quickly changed color with the changing season.

* * * * * * *

She wanted to report to the police, but she couldn’t. Kwon Bae-il was a police officer.

She had also contacted a private security guard, but it seemed like they would arrive a few minutes later than Ji-heon. All she could do was go home quickly and sort out the situation. Ji-heon desperately prayed that nothing would happen and hurriedly stepped on the accelerator.

As soon as he arrived at the apartment parking lot, he contacted Jung-oh.

[Hello.]

Jung-oh’s listless voice made Ji-heon anxious.

“Hey. Jung-oh. Are you okay? Where’s Kwon Bae-il?”

[He’s gone.]

“He’s gone?”

[Yeah. He’s gone.]

“Haa. Okay. I’ll go up right away.”

Bae-il had left, but it was clear that something had happened. Maybe Bae-il was holding Jung-oh hostage and trying to lure him to the apartment. All sorts of anxious thoughts swirled in his head.

Ji-heon got out of the car and ran towards the apartment entrance. But then.

Screech!

A car that had been slowly moving nearby suddenly turned on its headlights brightly and rushed towards Ji-heon head-on.

In that fleeting moment, all the thoughts that had been swirling in Ji-heon’s head disappeared, and only the face of the woman he loved floated up large.

*Jung-oh.*

*Did I say I love you enough to you?*

*I told you that we should never be apart again.*

Crash!

Ji-heon couldn’t overcome the intense light and closed his eyes.

In the blink of an eye, two cars were smashed.

There were three men at the scene of the accident.