A Child Who Resembles Me [EN]: Chapter 12

12. Who is Yena?

Eun-bi walked ahead, carrying her laptop.

Jeong-oh trailed behind her into the conference room.

Eun-bi and Jeong-oh, alone in the conference room.

Eun-bi, after placing her laptop on the table, asked cautiously,

“Jeong-oh, what’s with that expression?”

“What about me?”

“You look like you’ve been chewing on something sour.”

Jeong-oh was dumbfounded. She had no idea why Eun-bi kept picking on her since earlier.

“Chewing on what? I’m not chewing on anything.”

“Exactly.”

“…….”

“You’re not chewing on anything, but you look like you are.”

“…….”

“Jeong-oh, I’ll give you some friendly advice. You might want to manage your facial expressions a bit better.”

“…….”

“It’s not like I did something wrong to be higher in rank than you, right?”

Jeong-oh clenched her fist at the sarcastic remark delivered in a considerate tone.

In a way, it was fortunate.

At least she quickly grasped Chae Eun-bi’s true colors again.

That’s right, Chae Eun-bi.

You might think you’ve crushed my spirit.

‘This *ajumma* [a Korean term for a middle-aged or older woman] never despairs!’

It’s been seven years since I started living as a mom. Even if I level up only once a year, that’s level 7.

My life is complicated enough without you tormenting me. So, I won’t allow your harassment.

‘I need to step up my game!’

Jeong-oh was able to fully ignite her fighting spirit.

Soon after, people entered the conference room.

A TF [Task Force] team was formed for this competitive PT [Presentation]. Deputy Go Eun-ju from Team 2, who was swamped with work, was replaced by Copywriter Department Head Chae Eun-bi, Graphic Designer Deputy Jo Si-nae, and Deputy Jo Yu-ri from Team 1.

Once all the members gathered, the AE [Account Executive] briefed them on the bidding details.

“The day before yesterday, Team Leader Seong Mi-ran from Production Team 1 and I visited the company and listened to their explanation. Sori Telecom, a budget mobile carrier, has developed a new app called MianTalk. They plan to run a brand ad campaign to coincide with the launch. MianTalk is simply a video call app. Existing video calls have a bit of a delay, right? MianTalk incorporates technology that drastically reduces this delay time. It also works relatively well in locations with weak signals.”

Video call. Jeong-oh’s eyes sparkled with interest.

Since she leaves Yena with her mother and goes to work, she makes quite a few video calls. She can’t do it openly, so when she really needs to make a video call, she uses the emergency stairs or a secluded place, but those places often have weak signals.

‘I hope a good app comes out.’

With a hopeful heart, she came up with various ideas.

In the middle of the briefing, the door clicked open.

Jeong-oh’s heart also made a thumping sound.

Jung Ji-heon entered, and the conference room became quiet for a moment.

The AE also stopped explaining.

Ji-heon told the AE not to mind him, as if to say he was inconsequential.

“Please proceed.”

“Ah, yes.”

While the AE’s explanation continued, Ji-heon went to sit next to Eun-bi. Coincidentally, only the seat next to Eun-bi was empty. And also, quite coincidentally, it was right in front of Jeong-oh. Her concentration wavered.

Jeong-oh stealthily moved her eyes to look at Ji-heon and Eun-bi.

Eun-bi was wearing a smile. She had the face of a woman who couldn’t help but adore her lover. A woman in love looked beautiful.

The two of them looked quite good together.

‘Are they serious?’

Of course, they must be.

So, they’re even getting married.

Seven years ago, Jung Ji-heon was a very active man in that way.

He didn’t care about the place, whether it was the bed or anywhere else.

He was the one who tormented me so much. That tendency wouldn’t have gone anywhere.

‘If anything, it would have gotten worse, not better.’

A woman he’s been seeing for a few months wouldn’t be able to beat a woman he’s been seeing for years.

‘Besides, I’m now someone who doesn’t even exist in this man’s memory.’

Jeong-oh gave up and turned her head towards the AE.

However, one side of her cheek felt strangely hot.

It felt like someone was staring intently at her…

‘Gasp!’

As soon as she subtly turned her head again, her eyes met Ji-heon’s. Jeong-oh quickly lowered her head, burying her face in her notebook.

‘No, why are you looking at me!’

If you came to the meeting, you should focus on the meeting, why are you looking at me? With your lover right next to you!

After moving quickly, she realized that her reaction seemed too excessive.

This man has lost all memories of her, he might not have been looking at her.

Jeong-oh reflected and raised her head again.

Fortunately, people didn’t notice Jeong-oh’s suspicious behavior.

“This will include text messaging and gaming services. News and shopping services will also be opened sequentially. The app is still in the beta testing stage, so we haven’t been able to access it directly. Sori Telecom will contact us soon. Please be mindful of security. The competitors are Kwangya Communication, Lulu Media, and Max Planning.”

After the AE’s briefing, Eun-bi asked a question.

“What’s the bidding scale?”

“Including ATL [Above The Line – advertising through media channels] and BTL [Below The Line – direct marketing or public relations], it’s 5 billion won for 3 months. Production costs and online are separate.”

“That’s good.”

Ji-heon, who had been listening quietly, said with a smile.

The eyes of those gathered in the conference room shifted to Ji-heon. Even in the midst of all this, Jeong-oh felt uneasy because it still seemed like Ji-heon was staring at her.

What’s good? What’s so good about it?

“I look forward to it.”

Look forward to it? What are you looking forward to?

Why are you saying such a burdensome thing while looking at me?

It felt like he was glaring at her, and it also felt like he was observing her closely.

Jeong-oh was nervous the whole time, wondering if anyone would find this gaze suspicious.

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

Every time I go to the company, I feel like I age a year.

It was well past 9 PM when Jeong-oh arrived home.

Yena greeted Jeong-oh, who opened the front door listlessly, with great enthusiasm.

“Mommy!”

“Yena, aren’t you asleep yet?”

“Yeah! I was waiting for Mommy. Let’s go to sleep quickly, Mommy.”

Yena pulled Jeong-oh along. Jeong-oh smiled brightly at Guk-soon, who followed behind, and went into the room with Yena.

“Mommy, I spread out the blanket.”

Yena said with sleepy eyes. The mattress was spread out wide in the room. Jeong-oh was proud of her daughter, who knew what to do without being told.

“Good job, princess. Let’s go to sleep quickly.”

Jeong-oh lay down immediately, thinking she needed to get Yena to sleep quickly. Yena hugged Jeong-oh tightly and inhaled in her arms as if smelling her. Jeong-oh gently stroked Yena’s hair.

“Did you meet Dobin again today?”

“Yeah. But Mommy, you know.”

“Yeah. Why?”

“Park Dobin keeps following me around. It’s so annoying.”

Yena raised her head, showing her face, and said.

While saying it was annoying, there was a clear smile on her face even in the dark.

Oh, so cute. She’s so pretty, so she’s popular. Mommy is also very tired.

Yena was the strength that kept Jeong-oh going.

“Did you teach Dobin *baduk* [a strategy board game] today?”

“Mommy, the teacher teaches *baduk*. Dobin and Yena both learn from the teacher.”

“That’s right. We learn from the teacher.”

Jeong-oh agreed with Yena’s correct answer and sighed.

I wish I had a teacher who taught me about life. A teacher who would tell me the answers when problems arise.

Jeong-oh put Yena to sleep and came out to the kitchen, taking a can of beer from the refrigerator.

Guk-soon, who had finished hand-washing the laundry, came out of the bathroom and glared at Jeong-oh before placing dried squid in front of Jeong-oh.

Sigh, a night where even with her favorite snack in front of her, her sigh deepens.

“Are you going to make the ground sink with all that sighing?”

Guk-soon spoke sullenly.

“Mom, should I quit my job?”

“Yeah. Quit it.”

Guk-soon answered easily to Jeong-oh’s complaint.

“Let’s quit everything. Mom will quit the restaurant too.”

“No, why would Mom quit the restaurant? You can just do it with me.”

“What use would I have for you? You can’t even cook rice properly.”

Guk-soon pointed out sharply.

“Would it be better if I inherited your cooking skills?”

“You said Mom doesn’t need to be good at cooking. Because your hands will suffer later.”

“I said that because I was worried you’d have a hard time with your in-laws. I didn’t know you wouldn’t even show me what kind of family you were marrying into.”

No. It’s better if Mom doesn’t know about that family.

Perhaps feeling that she had spoken too harshly, Guk-soon’s tone soon softened.

“I had nothing to pass down, so I passed down my fate. I did.”

Jeong-oh, following her mother, became the second single mother in this family.

Jeong-oh also felt that she had said something unnecessary.

Her mother had lived her life to the fullest, and Jeong-oh felt sorry for her mother for feeling sorry about it.

Her mother, who had raised her alone, was Jeong-oh’s sun and path. Her mother was the teacher of her life.

She happened to live the same fate as her mother, but Jeong-oh had to prove with her life that it could never be a sadness.

Lee Jeong-oh is Lee Guk-soon’s treasure, Lee Guk-soon’s pride.

“Why? Is the company not good?”

Guk-soon asked worriedly.

“No, I was just saying it.”

Jeong-oh laughed it off, regretting the words she had easily uttered.

If she were asked if the company was not good, she would really have nothing to say. Everything except Ji-heon was in much better condition than the company she used to work for.

Jung Ji-heon. That one thing is just too powerful.

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

The days are getting hotter and hotter.

Jin-seo took out the fan because she thought she would be living with the air conditioner on all summer if she turned it on already.

Her two children, Dobin and Doyoon, sat in front of the fan and sang songs. Jin-seo chuckled at the children’s voices, which were scattered here and there by hitting the fan blades.

Jin-seo reached out and took Doyoon, brushing his teeth well and washing his face cleanly.

It’s not that difficult to wash a three-year-old toddler, Doyoon. The problem is Dobin. Dobin, who quickly realized what plans his mother had, hid himself while Jin-seo took Doyoon in.

“Park Dobin. Come out quickly. You need to wash.”

“Where are you going to wash?”

A sound came from the closet. Jin-seo approached the closet.

“You have to wash everything. Brush your teeth, wash your face, and wash your hands and feet.”

“Can’t I just wash my face and not brush my teeth?”

“Are you even saying that? Of course not.”

Wide open!

“Aaaaaah!”

When Jin-seo opened the closet door, Dobin pushed Jin-seo back and ran away. Washing is hard enough, but you have to play tag before doing something big.

Fortunately, he was caught quickly today. However, the son, who had grown taller and bigger at the age of seven, struggled to get out of his mother’s grasp.

“Mom, just today. Just once. Just once.”

“Where is just today? Is it okay if the cavity bugs eat you all up?”

“No! No! I’m not going to brush my teeth.”

At her son’s struggles, Jin-seo eventually sighed and let go.

He doesn’t listen to good words. Jin-seo eventually used the last resort.

She lowered her voice as scarily as the legendary Hometown [referencing a famous Korean horror series].

“Are you going to brush your teeth, or are you going to get hit by Mom?”

“……I’ll get hit.”

“Come here.”

“Aaaaaah!”

“Why! You said you’d get hit, why are you running away!”

When the second game of tag began, the front door opened. Seung-gyu, who had come home from work, slipped into the room to avoid the angry Jin-seo and organized his clothes.

Dobin chased into the room and hid behind Seung-gyu.

“Park Dobin, come quickly. Aren’t you coming?”

“Dad. Save me. Save me.”

“Come quickly when I’m saying good things!”

“That’s not a good thing.”

Seung-gyu, who became humble when he saw his wife with bloodshot eyes, persuaded Dobin.

“Dobin. You have to listen to Mom.”

“No! Mom said she’d hit me!”

Dobin screamed with tears in his eyes. But Ahn Jin-seo, who doesn’t back down, is not like that.

“If you keep doing that, I might tell your friend Yena everything. That Park Dobin doesn’t brush his teeth and is very dirty.”

At that moment, a miracle happened.

“Mom, I’ll brush my teeth.”

As if the name ‘Yena’ had a magic spell, Dobin’s attitude suddenly became gentle. Dobin, who took Jin-seo’s hand demurely, walked into the bathroom on his own.

Seung-gyu’s eyes widened as if they were about to pop out.

Good heavens.

My child has changed.

I can’t believe my dirty son, who secretly eats boogers, would do this.

Seung-gyu asked Jin-seo, who came out of the bathroom with a tired expression, urgently.

“Who is Yena?”

He wanted to find out whose house she was from and bow to her.

“She’s Dobin’s *baduk* academy friend. She’s pretty. She’s very smart and sensible. The head teacher also praises her a lot.”

“Oh. A wonderful child?”

“Yeah. I hope she gets along with Dobin.”

“Yeah. We should get along.”

Seung-gyu felt a thrilling excitement for the first time in a while.