A Child Who Resembles Me [EN]: Chapter 122

122. Go Tournament

Jeong-o, Ji-heon, and Yena went to the district office together to register Yena’s change of family name. Since the two had already registered their marriage, they were able to change Yena’s surname and origin without any difficulty.

Yena held the family relationship certificate with her new name on it, looking a little dazed. It probably felt unfamiliar, like clothes that didn’t quite fit yet, but she would soon get used to it.

After changing Yena’s name, informing the daycare center and after-school academy, and re-registering her for the Go tournament, busy days flew by, and before they knew it, it was Thursday morning.

Jeong-o declared to Ji-heon, who was getting ready for work beside her,

“I’m taking a day off tomorrow.”

“Why?”

“I have to go with Yena to the Go tournament.”

It was the day of Yena’s Go tournament. The academy director would be escorting the children, but Yena was still very young and needed a guardian.

Ji-heon responded to Jeong-o’s announcement.

“Then let’s go together.”

“You go to work. It’s not like we work at different companies. If we both take off, people will think it’s strange.”

“We’re going to reveal our marriage soon anyway.”

“If we reveal that we’ve registered our marriage, there might be even more talk. Both parents taking a day off to go to a child’s Go tournament when the child isn’t even sick? That’s too much.”

Rejected by Jeong-o, Ji-heon stared at her with a sulky look.

*I want to go too. I want to go to Yena’s Go tournament too!*

But Jeong-o ignored Ji-heon’s displeased expression.

“Besides, you have important responsibilities at the company. You have to work. You can’t neglect your work.”

“I think *you* have more important responsibilities?”

“Of course, I’m more capable, but I can’t beat you in terms of position. You go to work.”

Jeong-o pointed out the reasons why she had to go with Yena one by one. Ji-heon crossed his arms and glared at Jeong-o.

“Can you take Yena to the women’s restroom? Can you take care of her as delicately as I can? Of course, *I* have to take her. A daughter needs her mother.”

“What are you talking about? A daughter needs her father.”

The two people’s voices rose. Yena, hearing them arguing, approached the room and peeked inside.

“Stop insisting. A team leader shouldn’t be slacking off work without responsibility. Don’t use your daughter as an excuse and go to work.”

“Then our daughter will choose. Mom or Dad.”

Ji-heon finally left the choice to Yena. He brought her into the room, gently brushed her hair back, and confronted Jeong-o.

“A mom who doesn’t even know the ‘Go’ of Go [the basic rules of the game], or a dad who will be Yena’s eternal Go friend?”

“I *do* know the ‘Go’ of Go!”

Jeong-o flared up.

“Okay. A mom who only knows the two letters ‘Go’, or a dad who can play a match with Yena anytime?”

“Yena, honey, let’s go with Mom. All the other friends will be coming with their moms; it’ll be weird if only you come with your dad.”

Jeong-o coaxed Yena. Yena’s big eyes darted back and forth between Mom and Dad, pondering. After a moment, she asked Jeong-o for understanding.

“Mom, I’ll go with Dad tomorrow.”

*That’s right!* Ji-heon clenched his fist and shook it firmly, while Jeong-o was shocked and opened her mouth.

*My daughter is abandoning me.*

“…Why?”

“Because it’s a Go tournament. If it were an art contest, I’d go with Mom, but this is a Go tournament.”

“Huh? Art contest? You’re even thinking of entering an art contest?”

As Jeong-o questioned Yena, Ji-heon picked Yena up and hid her behind his back.

“Uh-huh. Whether it’s an art contest or a Go tournament, if Yena wants to enter, she enters. Right, Yena, honey?”

“Yes.”

Jeong-o’s lips pouted because she couldn’t blame her daughter, who was smiling happily because her dad accepted her.

* * * * * * * *

Another day passed, and the morning of the Go tournament dawned.

Ji-heon, Jeong-o, and Yena drove together. Ji-heon dropped Jeong-o off in front of the company first.

“Yena, have a good tournament!”

“Yes!”

“It’s okay to lose, so don’t feel too pressured and have fun like you always do, okay?”

“Yes!”

“Make sure to wear your phone around your neck. If anything happens, tell Dad, okay?”

The mother’s regret of not being able to go with her daughter was evident in her voice. Jeong-o couldn’t get out of the car easily and held onto the door handle tightly. She also asked Ji-heon.

“Don’t lose Yena and never take your eyes off her.”

“Don’t worry.”

“Ah, it’s frustrating. I should be the one going.”

“I’m sorry you can’t go together. Relax.”

Hmph. Jeong-o snorted at Ji-heon’s tone, which didn’t seem sincere and felt like he was teasing her.

“Bye, Mom!”

The child, unaware of her mother’s feelings, greeted her cheerfully.

Ji-heon and Yena arrived at the venue early. Hundreds of children gathered at the National Children’s Go Tournament held at the Olympic Handball Gymnasium.

Ji-heon had learned Go since he was young, but it was his first time coming to the tournament venue. He gripped Yena’s hand tightly. It was funny because he seemed more nervous than Yena.

Soon, they met the academy director at the agreed-upon location. Yena recognized him first and greeted him.

“Hello, Teacher!”

“Yena, hello! Yena’s father is here!”

“Teacher, my dad is really good at Go.”

Yena boasted at the director’s greeting.

“Ah, you’re good at Go.”

“I just know how to play.”

Ji-heon answered modestly.

The Go tournament was divided into lower and upper grades and was operated in a tournament format. Yena, who was seven years old, was registered in the lower grades. Since there were not many seven-year-old children, there was a high probability of meeting players older than Yena.

The director handed out name tag necklaces to the children. Yena received a name tag with the name ‘Jeong Yena’ written on it. Ji-heon hung Yena’s name tag around her neck.

“However, the organizers have arranged the schedule so that the first match can be with a player of the same age.”

“It seems so.”

“Anyway, if you keep winning, you may meet nine or ten-year-olds, but Yena is so good. You’ll do well. It will be a good experience.”

The director introduced the tournament to Ji-heon and praised Yena.

As time passed, an announcement was heard.

“We will proceed with the tournament. Guardians, please wait in the audience seats, and children participating in the tournament, please enter the tournament hall and stand in your groups.”

It was time to part with Yena.

“Yena, have fun playing the game like you do with Dad at home. Dad will be watching from the seat I sat in earlier.”

“Yes. I’ll win and come back!”

Yena greeted with a loud and confident voice and waved her hand.

Now Yena was going alone. Yena in Group D stood in front of the Group D sign according to the guidance of the instructor and entered the tournament hall. There were Go boards and Go stones on the tables lined up. When she turned to the side, the height of the children nearby was roughly similar.

Yena thought they were peers. She was surprised and happy to meet friends of the same age who enjoyed Go.

“Children who have cell phones, please turn off the power and submit them. You can take your cell phones when you leave the tournament hall.”

Another announcement was heard. Yena submitted the cell phone she was wearing around her neck to the supervisor. The supervisor wrote Yena’s name on her cell phone and put it in an envelope.

Now the tournament begins.

“Greet each other and decide the order.”

The child sitting across from Yena was a boy wearing round glasses. The boy greeted first.

“Hello. I’m Kang Sae-byeol.”

“I’m… Jeong Yena.”

“How old are you?”

“Seven years old.”

“Wow, really? I’m seven years old too.”

Yena didn’t have the social skills to respond well to the boy’s greetings. In the process of determining the order, Yena, who had to start with black stones giving up six and a half *komi* [points given to the player with the white stones to compensate for playing second], was nervous from the beginning. But being nervous didn’t distract her.

No, rather, she was able to immerse herself in the game even more. Yena easily won her first opponent.

“Wow! You’re really good. You’ll be the winner!”

The boy, who she thought was just a competitor, praised Yena without being sad even though he lost the first game. Only then could Yena smile.

“Thank you. It was fun playing against you.”

Yena greeted the boy as she had learned at the academy.

After the game, she turned around and looked behind her. She saw her dad sitting in the audience. Yena was a little disappointed because Ji-heon was only looking at his cell phone.

She didn’t even know that Ji-heon, an overzealous father, was setting the cell phone to 100x zoom to see Yena properly from afar and was recording.

Anyway, Ji-heon was watching Yena on the cell phone screen, and when he made eye contact with Yena, he waved his hand and smiled.

Yena easily won the second and third games. Soon, she met an opponent from Group C. After winning three games in a row, she gained confidence. Now she felt like she could enjoy the game.

Dark clouds loomed over Yena.

“You came to the tournament too?”

The fourth opponent was Hong Jae-in.

Hong Jae-in, the older brother of Hong Su-in, who used to attend Yena’s Go academy. The boy who urged young Yena to call her dad.

But that wasn’t why Yena was surprised.

“Teacher, can’t you change the player?”

“What’s wrong?”

“He’s seven years old. What kind of game are you playing with a seven-year-old?”

“Hong Jae-in, you should look at the skills, not the age. Jeong Yena is sitting here after winning three people ahead of her, just like you, Hong Jae-in.”

When Jae-in complained to the supervisor, the supervisor persuaded Jae-in with a stern word.

Jae-in twitched his lips and looked down on Yena.

“Still, the level difference will be obvious.”

But Yena couldn’t hear Jae-in’s words. Her ears were ringing.

“But why is your name Jeong Yena? Not Lee Yena?”

“……”

“That academy must not have any good players. Seeing that they sent you out.”

“……”

“I’ll compete with you once.”

“……”

“Still, you learn by losing. That’s how it is with Go.”

Jae-in kept talking, sneering. He assumed Yena was scared of him and smirked. Even though Jae-in arbitrarily decided the order and got to hold the black stones, Yena remained still.

Yena’s gaze was towards the front of Group A beyond Jae-in’s back. Towards a woman.

The woman I met in front of the Go academy. The woman who wore a hat and grabbed my hand arbitrarily, and left me alone on a strange road. It was definitely that woman. That woman was supervising the Go tournament.

Jae-in first placed a stone in the center of the Go board.

“What are you doing? Hurry up.”

Jae-in urged Yena, who was blankly staring. Yena’s hand, taking out a stone from the Go stone container, trembled. Her heart was racing as if she wanted to leave this tournament quickly.

*No!*

*Hurry. Come on! I have to focus on the game!*

Contrary to her will, tears welled up and blurred her vision.

The Go stone that she barely managed to pick up fell carelessly.