A Child Who Resembles Me [EN]: Chapter 101

101. I’ve Been Waiting for Today

Jeong-oh took the lead, walking a step ahead of Guk-soon and Yena. She felt she had to protect them.

As they got closer to Ms. Jang Young-mi, Yena recognized Young-mi’s face first and shouted.

“Oh? I know this lady! We met in the elevator!”

In fact, Yena had met Young-mi a week ago. When Yena went to the genetics lab to check her paternity test results, Young-mi was there too. But Young-mi had left quickly that time, so Yena didn’t get a good look at her face.

“Grandma, this lady pulled my hair in the academy elevator.”

Yena told Guk-soon. It was tattling, but there was no malice, just a child’s perspective. Guk-soon, quickly grasping the situation from Yena’s explanation, remained silent. Realizing that this person was going to be her daughter’s mother-in-law, she couldn’t help but become more composed.

“Right? You gave me 50,000 won [approximately $40 USD].”

Not getting a confirmation from Young-mi even after asking twice, Yena quickly told Jeong-oh.

“Mom, but I didn’t take the money, you know?”

“Yeah, I know.”

Jeong-oh answered calmly and greeted Young-mi.

“Hello.”

“How could I be?”

*I figured.*

A start that wasn’t much different from before. An answer that hinted at what would happen next. Jeong-oh also quickly thought. The possible conversations that could follow were neatly organized in her mind.

In the meantime, Guk-soon, who had stepped forward, also greeted Young-mi first.

“Hello. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Mom.”

Jeong-oh stood in front of her again. It felt like an electric current was running through her chest.

*Mom always greets first and bows her head first for her daughter. That’s just our mom, who doesn’t think anything of it. Our mom, who just tells us to give in and move on.*

She felt that it was her duty to protect these weak and kind people.

*I mustn’t lose my spirit.*

“Yena, go upstairs with Grandma first.”

At Jeong-oh’s words, Guk-soon hesitated.

“Mom, it’s okay. Go in first.”

Jeong-oh gave her mom a confident smile.

* * * * * * * *

Late in the evening, Ji-heon visited Jae-gwang’s office. Jae-gwang had called several times, so he had no choice. Ji-heon told Jae-gwang everything that had happened that day. Jae-gwang nodded, understanding that Ji-heon’s choice was the best.

“Since you admitted that the recording file was yours, they won’t be able to do anything about it.”

“Thanks to Chae Eun-bi gathering quite a few people, the news spread quickly.”

“Your reputation must have taken a hit too.”

“I don’t care.”

“But it will be a problem when you get married. Yena and Yena’s mom will be talked about. Especially Yena, who will be in elementary school next year…….”

Jae-gwang sighed, seeing even the things that Ji-heon hadn’t thought of. Only then did Ji-heon start to think from a new perspective.

Kindergarten and elementary school are different. Things that weren’t a problem when she was in kindergarten could be a problem in older age groups. Like what happened at the Go [a strategy board game] academy.

“You have to be quiet now. Don’t cause trouble.”

“Yes.”

Thanks to Jae-gwang’s reminder, Ji-heon realized that he needed to be more careful. When you have a child, you also have weaknesses that you didn’t have in your life. A very lovely weakness, though.

“How did the paternity test go? Did Chae Eun-yeop manipulate it?”

Jae-gwang asked while he was lost in thought.

“I’m sure of it. The genetic information on the paternity test result that my mother received and the result I received were the same. It was a plan to make me trust the wrong information.”

“That guy’s quite clever.”

“Yes. But thanks to them using the same genetic information, we were able to deduce one thing. Someone who was instructed by Chae Eun-yeop must have visited the lab to get tested on the day I went for the paternity test.”

“Even so, it won’t be easy to find out. Even if the lab admits that the test was wrong, they will never tell you whose blood was switched. They’ll cite privacy. Even if you find out through a background check, information without legal effect is useless.”

“It’s not just negligence, it’s obstruction of business due to corruption. If the lab is uncooperative in identifying those involved, I plan to take legal action.”

Ji-heon asked Jae-gwang, who was nodding quietly.

“How is Father?”

“What about him?”

“You’re close to Chae Eun-yeop’s father.”

“Well.”

Jae-gwang stroked his chin as if lost in thought.

“He seems to be ambitious in politics. Then I have to distance myself too.”

Eun-yeop and Eun-bi’s father, Supreme Court Justice Chae Seo-bok, had recently been revealing his ambitions to Jae-gwang more often. It was not the direction Jae-gwang wanted.

“There was something good that happened in that family because of you. I thought you and Chae Eun-bi would get married.”

There were misunderstandings between them. Misunderstandings caused by a lack of communication. Now, he wants to correct the twisted things one by one.

As the silence grew longer, Ji-heon, who was looking at his phone, smiled and got up from his seat.

“I’ve told you everything I needed to, so I’ll be on my way.”

“Why are you leaving already?”

“I’m meeting Yena at nine.”

*How nice…….*

Jae-gwang almost blurted out these words.

*If it’s Yena, I understand.* Jae-gwang waved his hand, telling him to go meet her quickly, but Ji-heon’s movement, who was looking at his phone again, suddenly froze.

“I just got a text from Yena…….”

“…….”

“It seems like my mother is there? In front of Jeong-oh’s house.”

* * * * * * * *

After Yena and Guk-soon left, Young-mi spoke first.

“Didn’t you tell the child who I am? ‘This lady’ to her grandmother. How rude.”

“Hearing that, I think it’s a good thing I didn’t tell her who you are.”

“…….”

“Where would you find a grandmother who pulls her granddaughter’s hair without revealing who she is?”

It was a relatively gentle voice, but the content was not.

At Jeong-oh’s counterattack, Young-mi’s eyes narrowed. Since the incident in the elevator would not benefit her, Young-mi also smoothly changed the subject.

“Did you raise the child in secret? Without any fear?”

“If Jeong Ji-heon hadn’t lost his memory, we would have raised her together.”

As she had vowed not to lose her spirit, Jeong-oh retorted clearly.

Young-mi seemed surprised by her spirit. Young-mi’s eyebrows rose high and then curved in the opposite direction.

“Why didn’t you say anything back then? Why did you hide it?”

“I was young back then. I didn’t know anything.”

*That day. The day you were yelling at me at Jeong Ji-heon’s house.*

Jeong-oh also acknowledges her foolish self back then. She was too young then. You can’t become an adult just by putting on adult clothes. It was only after she got pregnant that Jeong-oh realized she was very young. Until then, she didn’t even know she was young.

“I also regret that day. But even if I had rushed at you more that day, would my fate have changed?”

But she was certain that even if she had been more vicious or smarter, the result would hardly have changed.

Young-mi also seemed to acknowledge this, as she did not refute Jeong-oh’s claim. Instead, she resented the present.

“Then why did you show up now? You could have just lived like that. Why did you show up now and steal my son’s future!”

To Young-mi, Ji-heon is her only son. A tower she had put so much effort into. A son who is kinder than his father. The strength that allows me to live. My everything.

“How do I know if you were his lover or a stalker? And how does that child judge? How can you prove the past with just one paternity test? To me, you were just my son’s stalker!”

“No. You knew everything. Ji-heon’s phone would have had text messages and call history between us.”

Young-mi flinched at Jeong-oh’s unexpected move.

There is one thing Ji-heon is mistaken about. The idea that he has to protect Jeong-oh.

The idea that he has to stop his mother from coming to her.

In fact, Jeong-oh didn’t want that. She had been waiting for the day she could face Ms. Jang Young-mi alone.

To convey these words.

“Ms. Young-mi. I am confident and honorable. I didn’t inject memories into your son.”

Waiting for the person who lost his memory. Not saying anything, being foolishly silent. It was frustrating to watch silently, but after it was all over, it became a past she could confidently speak of.

Because she could be confident and honorable, Jeong-oh’s words flowed out without hesitation.

“I could have told him that I was his lover, put my memories into your son’s head, and made him realize it sooner. But I didn’t. Because I didn’t want to become the same person as you.”

If I forcibly put memories into his head, it would be Lee Jeong-oh’s memories, not Jeong Ji-heon’s.

“I waited until Ji-heon remembered on his own. You don’t know how anxious and impatient that is. The child is growing up…….”

She spoke confidently, but her voice choked up as she thought of her child.

“What you forcibly blocked, Ji-heon remembered on his own. And he finally realized what he had lost.”

“…….”

“Now you have to admit it.”

Jeong-oh said with a faint smile.

The power of the time she had believed in and waited for. *I have that.*

*I’m not a weak person anymore.*

“I am just as happy before and after meeting Jeong Ji-heon again, but Jeong Ji-heon was unhappy until he met me. Do you know that? A person who was unhappy and becomes happy becomes desperate. He will try not to be unhappy again, your son will.”

Young-mi’s clenched fist trembled at each of Jeong-oh’s words. It looked like that fist would fly at her at any moment. But Jeong-oh didn’t stop talking.

“The relationship between Ji-heon and me, and between Yena and Ji-heon, is more special than you think. If it was a shallow belief, he would have turned away when you presented the fake paternity test results.”

“…….”

“It’s your choice whether you will acknowledge and bless your son’s new family, or continue to stay there. I don’t force anything. You’re not exactly necessary in my life.”

It’s actually hard to say such harsh words to the mother of the person she loves, words she had never said to her own mother, Guk-soon.

Perhaps, if she finds out about this, she may also distance herself from Ji-heon’s father, Jae-gwang, who had shown her kindness. But she will not regret the words she has already spoken.

“I will do exactly what you do.”

The days she has lived are not something to be proud of, but the experiences that are not something to be proud of become the strength to live on.

If you don’t obsess over being loved, there are so many things you can do. I will not make the same mistake again.

“If you treat me well, I will treat you well, but if you ignore me.”

“…….”

“I’ll do the same to you.”