A Child Who Resembles Me [EN]: Chapter 39

39. Welcoming a Guest

It was Friday morning.

Jeong-o woke up the earliest.

Yena, who had snuggled into her arms and fallen asleep, was already out of the blanket and near the door.

‘What exciting dream could she be having to go all the way over there?’ Jeong-o smiled quietly, wishing she could peek into her daughter’s dream.

Jeong-o wrapped Yena back in the blanket, laid her back in her place, and left the room. She went to the kitchen and drank the honey water that Guk-soon had made.

The tasting event last night went well. The Remi Remi advertiser was a bit of a pain, but Deputy Manager Park Young-gwang and Team Leader Ahn Chan-seop took care of him, so Jeong-o was fine.

Jeong Ji-heon, who had even said he was coming to the tasting event for dinner, didn’t show up until the end.

Did something urgent suddenly come up?

Or was he too embarrassed to cross the line and didn’t come?

Or was he unable to come because his cheek hurt from being slapped by her?

She was a little concerned, but Jeong-o shut that thought down.

There was something more important.

She had overheard Eun-bi’s phone call. Eun-bi had openly laughed and talked on the phone next to her as if telling her to listen, so Jeong-o hadn’t felt guilty about eavesdropping.

Jeong-o was sure that the person Eun-bi had talked to on the phone yesterday was Madam Jang.

Jeong Ji-heon’s mother, Madam Jang Young-mi.

Chae Eun-bi and Madam Jang seemed close.

They would become mother and daughter-in-law, so it was natural that they were close.

‘But the two of them didn’t seem to be sharing anything about me.’

This, too, would be natural.

Madam Jang didn’t need to tell her future daughter-in-law about Ji-heon’s old flame. If there was a problem, she would probably handle it alone. Or maybe Ji-heon’s other family members helped Madam Jang.

‘For now, it would be best to focus on Madam Jang.’

That wrong phone call from seven years ago. It was highly likely that it was also Madam Jang’s manipulation. And perhaps she might know about Yena’s existence.

Perhaps Yena’s attempted kidnapping was also Madam Jang’s scheme.

Since Jeong-o had entered Ji-heon’s company, she might have been trying to scare her to prevent her from approaching Ji-heon.

‘But if she was doing that, why didn’t she come forward herself and instead used someone else? It would be much more certain to talk directly.’

And if Jeong Ji-heon and Chae Eun-bi’s wedding was approaching, wasn’t it extremely urgent? Wouldn’t it be much more effective to speak directly than to give a roundabout warning?

There were so many questionable points that she couldn’t come to a definite conclusion.

* * * * * * * *

Ji-heon locked himself in his office all morning and kept typing on the keyboard.

For two days, his head had been so foggy that he had forgotten that there was a group monthly report due in the afternoon.

He was completely out of it.

Even though he couldn’t meet Lee Jeong-o often, it felt like a dozen Lee Jeong-os were running around in his head.

And in the midst of all this, he had to work.

Still, thanks to concentrating for two hours, he was able to complete a few reports decently. Ji-heon sighed deeply and clicked the mouse.

Now he had to go to headquarters.

How nice would it be if he could just cancel the monthly report and everything else.

Save changes? Save. Don’t Save. Cancel.

Don’t Save. Click.

“Huh!”

Ji-heon jumped up in surprise.

What am I doing…….

Seized by the desire to cancel all schedules, he had pressed the ‘Don’t Save’ button instead of Cancel!

A mistake that even elementary schoolers don’t make! Me!

Ji-heon immediately reopened the document program and searched the history. He regretted his past irresponsibility, not having set up an auto-save function.

Two hours of hard work had gone to waste…….

Even in that moment, the image of yesterday’s Lee Jeong-o flashed through his mind.

“If I worked hard for three hours to make data and then it all disappeared because I didn’t press save… No, two hours.”

The curses she had rattled off towards Lee Jeong-o’s ex-boyfriend flashed through Ji-heon’s mind.

It was a curse towards Lee Jeong-o’s ex-boyfriend. Why me!

Ji-heon gritted his teeth and opened a new document again. This time, he changed the settings to auto-save every five minutes.

He had to give up lunch.

Knock knock.

Just as he straightened his posture and glared at the monitor, he heard a knock.

“Yes.”

His gaze, which had been fixed on the monitor, shifted towards the door.

Deputy Jo Si-nae from the Management Support Team opened the door and came in. Si-nae flinched, intimidated by Ji-heon’s expression.

Ah, he had called Deputy Jo Si-nae.

He remembered that he had contacted Deputy Jo Si-nae to come to his office before lunchtime.

Ji-heon reacted slowly and stood up from his seat.

“Sit down, Deputy Jo Si-nae.”

As Ji-heon offered her a seat, Jo Si-nae sat down with a frightened expression.

Ji-heon, sitting across from Si-nae, asked,

“How is the work environment?”

‘Besides being comfortable, there’s nothing else. I want to ask why you’re asking about the work environment after banishing me to the periphery,’ but Si-nae answered obediently.

“It’s fine.”

“I called Deputy Jo Si-nae today because I have something personal to ask.”

Ji-heon got straight to the point.

“Have you heard any rumors in the company that I’m getting married?”

“I, I didn’t spread any rumors!”

Si-nae’s voice rose at Ji-heon’s question. Her expression revealed her innocence.

“No, I’m not interrogating Deputy Jo, I’m just asking. There’s something I want to know.”

Ji-heon spoke gently, as if to soothe Si-nae.

Si-nae hesitated, then opened her mouth again.

“…It’s not so much a rumor as it is a well-known fact. That you’re marrying Section Chief Chae Eun-bi within the year…”

“So Chae Eun-bi must have said something. How did Deputy Jo find out?”

Ji-heon nodded briefly and asked again. His voice was polite, but his eyes were sharp.

“I’d like you to tell me any personal things you’ve heard about me, anything that comes to mind. Anything at all.”

* * * * * * * *

Late in the afternoon, Jeong-o visited Ji-heon’s office.

Ji-heon’s secretary contacted Jeong-o. Ji-heon was looking for her, so she should bring the old Dawon Liquor first report data to his office.

Jeong-o was puzzled that he hadn’t given the order directly and had instead used his secretary. Moreover, when she actually went to his office, Ji-heon wasn’t there.

Jeong-o asked as she came out of the office.

“Excuse me, the director isn’t here. Did you really tell me to come now?”

“Yes. He said to wait a little. He went to headquarters and is on his way back now.”

“Then I’ll come back later.”

“He’s almost here, so please wait inside.”

The secretary’s recommendation was firm, so Jeong-o went back into the office.

‘What’s he doing, calling someone who’s working?’ Jeong-o kicked the innocent sofa and waited for Ji-heon.

* * * * * * * *

[I casually asked Ji-heon if there was something wrong between you two, and he said he’d tell me soon. He said it with a very serious voice.]

“Ah… Oppa [term for older brother or boyfriend] said that? He said he’d tell you soon?”

[Yes. So I told him not to make Mom and Dad too worried. And then he said he understood.]

Eun-bi recalled her phone call with Madam Jang last night.

What was Ji-heon going to tell her mother?

She had vaguely said to Madam Jang, ‘I think he’s going to talk about the wedding,’ but she kept feeling uneasy.

Ever since she had exposed Lee Jeong-o’s past the day before yesterday, Eun-bi hadn’t been able to talk to Ji-heon. Ji-heon had kicked her out of his office as if he would never see her again, and he hadn’t called for Eun-bi even once.

Eun-bi was so anxious that she couldn’t focus on her work.

In the midst of all this, Ji-heon, who had returned to the company after finishing the headquarters meeting, called for Eun-bi.

“Section Chief Chae Eun-bi. Can I see you for a moment?”

It was the first time he had publicly called for Eun-bi since he had been assigned to Max Planning. His voice was quite gentle.

“Yes!”

Eun-bi stood up from her seat with a flushed face.

Tears seemed to well up at the same time.

The day before yesterday, he had kicked her out of his office as if he would never see her again.

‘That’s right. His mother likes me so much, he can’t treat me carelessly.’

She felt it was a good thing that she had gone to Madam Jang and poured out her heart.

You can’t help but be grateful to me for dragging my tired body to your mother after work.

She was pleased that everything seemed to be resolved. Eun-bi trotted after Ji-heon. Ji-heon’s pace was so fast that Eun-bi had to run several times.

“Oppa, what’s going on?”

Eun-bi asked with a smile.

Ji-heon didn’t respond to Eun-bi’s question and simply moved towards his office.

The two of them soon arrived at the office.

Click, the door opened and closed.

Ji-heon, who had entered the office with Eun-bi, slowly turned his head and looked around. As if he needed to confirm that there was no one around.

Come to think of it, there was no secretary in the annex office either.

Eun-bi’s heart pounded. The man who had kindly asked her to see him for a moment earlier was nowhere to be seen.

The expressionless, sharp-eyed original Jeong Ji-heon. No, it was Jeong Ji-heon with an even more fierce face.

Eun-bi was frightened again.

“Why do I keep hearing that you and I are getting married?”

The smile that she had tried so hard to put on disappeared at Ji-heon’s question.

“Tell me with your own mouth.”

“…….”

“Have I ever asked you to marry me?”

The threatening interrogation choked her up.

We’re going to get married eventually! Because everyone wants it!

She had to speak confidently, but it was difficult to make a sound as if someone was strangling her.

“Still, we, someday…….”

“Just the facts.”

“…….”

“Tell me only the facts, Chae Eun-bi.”

“…….”

“Did I ask you to marry me?”

Eun-bi clenched her fists at Ji-heon’s attitude of pushing all the responsibility onto her.

“……We were going to someday.”

“Why would I?”

“…….”

“I think you’re greatly mistaken, but I don’t want to do anything with you.”

“…….”

“How awful. If I hadn’t been assigned to this company, you would have been spreading that nonsense even more enthusiastically.”

“Oppa doesn’t have a girlfriend anyway.”

Eun-bi retorted, feeling overwhelmed by his words, which seemed intended to insult her.

“What does it matter who you marry if you don’t have a girlfriend? Whether we’ve dated or not, I can get married and maintain a marriage well enough. Where else can Oppa find something more comfortable than this?”

Her words poured out like a dam bursting, as if she was releasing all her resentment.

“Oppa, don’t you remember? Seven years ago! If I hadn’t reported Oppa’s hit-and-run accident, you would have died. What do you think would have happened to your mother if you had died? That’s why we have to get married! You, your family, should be grateful to me for the rest of your lives.”

You should remember for the rest of your life how I saved you!

“You’re the one who should be grateful, but I’m the only one who’s done well. I’m the only one who’s tried. Think about how well I’ve treated your mother. Have you ever properly taken care of your parents’ day or your mother’s birthday? I’ve taken care of everything properly. I contacted her every week, visited her when the time came, greeted her, went shopping with her, and bought her gifts.”

You should engrave in your bones how much I’ve tried to maintain this relationship.

I’ve treated your mother, whom you love, so well, so you should only be grateful to me.

“Do you know how picky your mother is when it comes to choosing gifts because her standards are so high? Do you know how much I’ve suffered?”

“Then why do you go through all that trouble? Have I ever asked you to do it even once?”

Eun-bi’s eyes welled up with tears at Ji-heon’s intention to wipe the slate clean now that he had received the favors she had bestowed.

“Why are you blaming me for something you did because you liked it? I didn’t want anything from you.”

“We were going to date! That’s what we promised! If we were going to date, that’s how much effort you should put in! So I put in this much effort!”

“Chae Eun-bi.”

Even with her standing in front of him, shouting with tears in her eyes, Ji-heon’s gaze remained unchanged.

“We only agreed to date to quell the rumors from four years ago. You said that too. Remember?”

Four years ago, there was a time when Ji-heon was particularly plagued by rumors. He couldn’t figure out who kept spreading those rumors. One day, his mother barged into his house and lamented that she couldn’t live because of her son’s rumors.

In the midst of all this, Chae Eun-bi was the last victim of the rumors. Eun-bi came to him as soon as the rumors spread and lamented like his mother, and by the time she left, she proposed that they create a real relationship.

Ji-heon accepted it indifferently. He thought it was fortunate that the rumors had disappeared like a lie and that he was no longer bothered by people.

He thought it would end with a brief lie, but Chae Eun-bi had been holding onto that play for a long time. Ji-heon found out about that too late. If he hadn’t been assigned to Max Planning, he would never have known.

And someday, he might really be pushed into getting married.

“You should have taken care of it after that. Instead of creating false rumors.”

“…….”

“Stop now. I’ll turn a blind eye to all your pretense and lies up until now, so clean it up within a week.”

Eun-bi shook her head violently at his request.

“Oppa, you can’t do this to me. How have I treated you?”

“I appreciate the report from seven years ago. I’ll prepare a reward now, so please accept it.”

“…….”

“I won’t care whether you say you dumped me out of respect for you, or whether I dumped you, so clean it up right away.”

Eventually, thick tears fell from Eun-bi’s red eyes.

Nevertheless, Ji-heon maintained a calm attitude without wavering.

“If you’re embarrassed about lying to the people at the company, it might be okay to change jobs.”

“……You’ll regret it, Oppa.”

“Yes. I will, so please let me regret it now.”

His words and eyes were as cold as could be, but his tone was as gentle as could be.

With that, he opened the door of the office that had been closed.

“Go now.”

“…….”

“I have to welcome a guest. Get out.”

Eun-bi glared at Ji-heon with clenched fists before reluctantly leaving. She couldn’t show such a sight to the guest, whoever it was.

As soon as Eun-bi left, the office door closed firmly.

‘I’m going crazy!’

Jeong-o covered her mouth with both hands and hid behind the sofa.

She had arrived at the office 10 minutes ago. There was no one in the office, and when she told the secretary, she told her to go inside.

She plopped down on the sofa in the office and stared blankly ahead. There were cookies on the table. As if they had been put there for her to eat.

She was so bored that she opened the cookies. She felt a little better because they were delicious.

Why does my heart soften like this in front of food?

‘I’m bored, should I eat one more?’

The delicious cookies were a good snack since she was hungry.

Then she heard footsteps outside. She would have just stayed still if possible.

“Oppa, what’s going on?”

She heard Chae Eun-bi’s voice.

It was the same situation as the other day. A situation where she was facing Chae Eun-bi and Jeong Ji-heon in the office.

And I’m even secretly eating cookies!

For some reason, she didn’t want Jeong Ji-heon’s sidekick, Chae Eun-bi, to see this.

Jeong-o stomped her feet and stuffed the cookies into her mouth in one bite before quickly hiding behind the sofa.

Shortly after, the door opened and closed, and the argument began.

And Jeong-o unexpectedly learned the two people’s secrets…….

She didn’t expect this. She didn’t expect this situation to happen.

She didn’t expect to hear the two people’s history live.

She wanted to get up and run out of the office even in the middle, but the two people’s conversation was so serious that Jeong-o had no choice but to hold her breath.

Throughout the two people’s argument, her heart fluttered as if a flying fish lived in her chest.

“……You’ll regret it, Oppa.”

Eun-bi left the office with those words, unable to break Ji-heon’s momentum.

It seemed that Ji-heon remained as he was.

‘What do I do now? How do I get out of here?’

She was in despair because of her situation of being trapped in the office while eating cookies.

She was agonizing over how to escape.

“Guest.”

She heard Ji-heon’s voice. Very close.

Jeong-o was startled and raised her head.

No way.

“If you’ve heard everything, why don’t you get up now?”

Ji-heon leaned over the back of the sofa and smiled at her.

“Do you understand properly now?”

That smile looked both trustworthy and wicked, so Jeong-o couldn’t get a grasp of what was going on.