A Child Who Resembles Me [EN]: Chapter 88

88. The Suffering Either Way

The car Ki-hoon was driving arrived at the hospital around 7 p.m. They were able to drive fast on the highway, but the roads were very congested entering Seoul. They experienced traffic jams here and there, coinciding with the evening rush hour. Still, they arrived fairly quickly.

Jung-oh, who got out of the car in front of the hospital, greeted Ki-hoon.

“Ki-hoon, thank you so much. You really went through a lot today.”

“It’s nothing. Go to your baby quickly.”

Ki-hoon waved his hand. Jung-oh waved back and immediately turned and ran.

Gook-soon and Ji-heon had reassured her, telling her not to worry, but as soon as she arrived at the hospital, her heart started racing again. Jung-oh couldn’t wait for the frustratingly slow elevator and ran up the emergency stairs.

The sixth floor, where the hospital rooms were lined up. Panting, Jung-oh quickly scanned her surroundings to find the room number. It seemed like Yena’s room was at the very end of the hallway.

As she hurried down the hallway, Jung-oh spotted Gook-soon at the end. Gook-soon was leaning against the wall in the hallway, not entering the room.

“Mom.”

“You’re here?”

Before Jung-oh could ask why she wasn’t going inside, Gook-soon gestured towards the hospital room door with her chin. The door was slightly ajar. Gook-soon was peeking inside through the gap.

Ji-heon was holding Yena. Yena was nestled in his arms. She seemed to be asleep, but intermittent, shallow hiccups could be heard.

It seemed her breathing was uneven after crying, causing her to hiccup even in her sleep. Seeing that peaceful scene, tears welled up in Jung-oh’s eyes as well.

They accepted each other. The child accepted her father, and the father accepted his child.

“How lovely. They’re both so lovely,” Gook-soon whispered quietly, like a part of the air.

* * * * * *

After dropping Jung-oh off at the hospital, Ki-hoon returned to the office.

Assistant Manager Go Eun-joo, who had been holding down the fort in the office alone all day while Mi-ran and Young-gwang were at the filming site, asked,

“Where’s Deputy Director Lee?”

“He’s at the hospital. His kid collapsed.”

“Ah, really?”

Eun-joo had witnessed Director Jung Ji-heon hastily leaving the company a few hours ago, canceling all his subsequent schedules. She seemed to have vaguely heard the word ‘hospital’ as well.

She thought someone might be hurt, but it turned out that Deputy Director Lee Jung-oh’s child had collapsed. Eun-joo guessed that Ji-heon would be at the hospital.

‘Those two must be very close.’

Ki-hoon, noticing Eun-joo’s reaction, tilted his head and asked,

“You don’t seem very surprised?”

“No, I was very surprised.”

“Hoo. My breath was completely constricted on the road. If I was this worried, I can only imagine how Deputy Director Lee must have felt.”

Ki-hoon recounted the situation as if lamenting.

“But it seems Director Jung Ji-heon called and gave her some work. Given Deputy Director Lee’s personality, I thought she would argue, like, ‘Am I in a position to take care of that right now? My child collapsed!’ But she just listened silently. ‘Yes, Director, yes, Director,’ she kept saying.”

“…….”

“She lost all her fighting spirit. I felt so bad for her.”

‘Ki-hoon, that’s not it…….’

Eun-joo, aware of the relationship between Lee Jung-oh and Jung Ji-heon, felt sorry for Ki-hoon but could only watch and say nothing.

“Huh? What’s wrong? Is there something on my face?”

“It’s not that there’s something on it, but it’s a little red.”

“Ah, haha…….”

At Eun-joo’s words, Ki-hoon touched his slightly flushed cheeks.

‘What should I do? Just talking about Deputy Director Lee makes this innocent young man blush like that.’

Eun-joo resolutely turned her head away.

‘I don’t know. I won’t say anything until the end.’

‘Deputy Director Lee, you reap what you sow.’

* * * * * *

After putting the sleeping child back in bed, Ji-heon came out to the hallway in front of the hospital room and told Jung-oh and Gook-soon about the next steps.

“We need to do a paternity test first.”

“Yes. Can we do it here? It would be good to do it while we’re at the hospital.”

“It’s difficult at this hospital.”

Ji-heon answered Gook-soon’s question.

“No, why?”

“That’s…….”

Ji-heon hesitated for a moment before confessing honestly.

“I have a friend named Chae Eun-yeop. As you can guess from the name, he’s Chae Eun-bi’s older brother, and he’s been trying to get me to marry Chae Eun-bi for a long time. I confirmed that he visited the hospital today. I’m worried he might try to mess up the paternity test.”

“Oh my, there are all sorts of strange people in the world.”

“That’s right, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. They’re quite the siblings.”

Jung-oh agreed as Gook-soon sighed. Gook-soon raised her eyebrows as if something was still bothering her and asked Ji-heon.

“But, marriage isn’t something you can do alone, is it? Was there something between Yena’s father and Chae Eun-bi, so her brother is acting like this?”

“Ah, that’s not, that’s not it, there’s a bit of a story…….”

Ji-heon stammered, flustered. Gook-soon quickly cut him off and waved her hand.

“Okay, okay. Well, that could happen. Seven years isn’t a short time. If such a pretty girl is your friend’s sister, I’d marry her too.”

“No, Mother, that’s not it.”

“Only our Jung-oh lived diligently. Raising a child and working diligently.”

“Mother, I was diligent too…….”

“Oh, stop it, stop it. Put the past behind you, it’s okay.”

“No, really, I never, I’m a little wronged…….”

“Oh dear, I should go. You two take good care of Yena and make sure she’s discharged well tomorrow.”

Gook-soon, who only voiced her own complaints without listening to Ji-heon’s words until the end, took a step.

“Call me if you need anything.”

“Okay. Mom, thank you. Go in quickly.”

Ji-heon was so frustrated, but Jung-oh smiled mischievously as if she found Ji-heon’s appearance amusing and said goodbye. Ji-heon immediately chased after Gook-soon.

“I’ll escort you.”

“Just stay here.”

“…….”

“After such a tearful reunion, what if she wakes up again and you’re gone? She’ll think her dad lied again. Don’t worry about me, just take good care of the child.”

Gook-soon’s words were right. Ji-heon stopped in his tracks at Gook-soon’s advice. Gook-soon called out to such Ji-heon with satisfaction.

“Yena’s father.”

“Yes.”

“You’ve worked hard. Thank you.”

After Gook-soon left, only Jung-oh, Ji-heon, and the soundly sleeping Yena remained in the hospital room.

“It seems Yena’s friends at the academy told her that she doesn’t have a dad,” Jung-oh confided in Ji-heon about what had happened to Yena that afternoon. A long sigh followed the end of her words.

“I was so wrong. I taught Yena that not having a dad isn’t something to be ashamed of.”

An unavoidable sense of guilt followed. The words she had instilled in her to survive, to bravely navigate this harsh world, had hurt her child. It was too big of a world for a seven-year-old to handle.

“I thought I would live like that forever. I never thought I would meet you again.”

Ji-heon stroked Jung-oh’s hair, feeling her pain as well.

He remembered what Jung-oh had said at the MianTalk competitive PT [presentation] presentation. Mothers find what they haven’t given even after giving so much and feel pain.

Even though it was a time when he resented her, he thought those words were really cool. But they weren’t just cool words.

The guilt of mothers who think they are lacking even after doing their best every moment. Ji-heon hadn’t properly understood it. Back then.

“It’s not your fault. You were living your best life back then too. You did really well,” he said, comforting her. How hard she had worked could be seen just by looking at her family, the child she raised, and her career. It was something Jung Ji-heon had failed to do.

‘Lee Jung-oh. You deserve more praise and comfort.’

His shoulder leaned towards her, drawn by his heart. His lips lingered on the tears clinging to her eyelashes. In the meantime.

“Mommy.”

Yena woke up, fussing.

“Oh, oh! Yena.”

Even though she hadn’t done anything, Jung-oh was startled as if she had been caught doing something wrong and rushed over. Because it was a pediatric ward with floor seating, Ji-heon, who was sitting on the floor, was not visible from Yena’s eye level. As Jung-oh rushed over first, Yena asked,

“Where’s Daddy?”

“Daddy’s here.”

Ji-heon also quickly approached and showed his face to Yena.

“I want water.”

“Okay. Our Yena wants water, water.”

“Nooo.”

As Jung-oh fumbled to get water for Yena, Yena pointed at Ji-heon.

“Okay. Daddy will give it to you.”

Ji-heon, who had been nominated, poured water into the cup Jung-oh was holding and fed it to Yena. Yena didn’t lift a finger until she finished all the water. It was understandable that she didn’t have any energy. It was past 10 p.m. and she hadn’t had dinner.

Jung-oh asked Yena, who had emptied the water cup,

“Our princess, aren’t you hungry?”

“Hungry.”

“What do you want to eat?”

“Cup ramen [instant noodles].”

Ah, even at times like this, like mother, like daughter.

Since she wasn’t allowed to eat cup ramen at home, this adorable child cleverly took advantage of her mom’s weakened heart and demanded cup ramen. Jung-oh looked at Ji-heon with a resigned look at Yena’s opportunistic side.

* * * * * *

The next morning.

Following the attending physician’s opinion after confirming Yena’s recovered condition, Jung-oh went through the discharge procedures. Jung-oh took a day off to monitor Yena’s condition.

Ji-heon also decided to stay by her side, but he couldn’t afford to relax due to his position. Until the moment they left the hospital with Yena, calls kept coming in for Ji-heon.

Yena, seeing her dad working for the first time, became a little sulky.

“Mom, is Daddy always this busy?”

“Yes. But he can still be with us for a long time today.”

Ji-heon, who heard their conversation from the driver’s seat, said to Yena,

“Yena. No matter how busy Daddy is, I’ll answer Yena’s calls, so call me anytime you miss me.”

Yena smiled brightly, feeling happy at Ji-heon’s words. Ji-heon had already set up a speed dial on Yena’s phone yesterday, saving his number. Mom was number 1, Grandma was number 2, so Ji-heon became number 0. Yena had already memorized Ji-heon’s phone number, though.

The car, carrying the three of them, quickly arrived in front of Jung-oh’s house as there was no traffic. After Ji-heon parked the car and opened the back door, Yena spread her arms wide. She remembered what Dobin had said. That his dad picks him up and hugs him tightly when going to the hospital.

Jung-oh’s mouth dropped open at Yena’s actions, finding it absurd, but Ji-heon asked Yena nonchalantly,

“Should Daddy hug you or give you a piggyback ride?”

“Piggyback ride. Like a koala.”

Ji-heon turned his back to Yena.

“Lee Yena, you should walk on your own two feet.”

“Uuuuh. I don’t wanna.”

Despite Jung-oh’s nagging, Yena climbed onto Ji-heon’s back without paying any attention.

‘I also get a piggyback ride from my dad when he comes back from the hospital.’ Yena’s heart swelled with excitement, writing a new chapter in her seven-year-old life, which she would brag about to Dobin.

“Yena. Daddy’s going to collapse. You have to think about your weight.”

“Mom said I’m as light as a feather.”

“That’s just the power of love, where is there a 20kg [44 lbs] feather?”

Jung-oh tried to protect Ji-heon, but Ji-heon easily carried Yena on his back and walked ahead, saying,

“No. Our Yena is really as light as a feather.”

Since the child’s father was acting like this, Jung-oh couldn’t help it. Jung-oh sighed and followed them up the stairs.

Even after climbing up to the fourth floor and opening the front door, Yena’s whining continued. Yena clung tightly to Ji-heon’s back, refusing to get off.

“Shoes, shoes. You have to take off my shoes.”

“Ah. Right. Shoes.”

Ji-heon took off Yena’s shoes, and Yena pointed to the bathroom.

“Yena bathroom.”

“Okay. Bathroom.”

Only in front of the bathroom did Yena release her arms from Ji-heon. After Yena went into the bathroom, Ji-heon greeted Gook-soon.

“Mother, I’m here.”

“Oh my. Our Yena’s father, you’ve worked hard, you’ve suffered, you’ve suffered.”

But the moment Gook-soon was about to hand a drink to Ji-heon, who had suffered, Yena’s voice was heard from the bathroom.

“Daddy, Yena hand.”

“Hand? Ah, hand.”

Ji-heon, blinking his eyes, immediately went into the bathroom.

Jung-oh and Gook-soon burst into laughter at the sight of the child entrusting everything, even washing her hands, to her father.

A seven-year-old has become a three-year-old overnight. She’s using her dad like a servant.

“The child who asks for it, and the child’s father who accepts it all, really…….”

“Didn’t you say you wanted them to get close quickly?”

Gook-soon pointed out at Jung-oh’s grumbling. Jung-oh pouted and retorted.

“When did I say that? I just said I felt bad for him.”

“You just said you felt bad? You said you felt too bad. Too.”

Jung-oh snorted as if she couldn’t admit it. Gook-soon teased such Jung-oh.

“Why? Are you jealous?”

“Am not?”

Jung-oh shook her head and smiled.

‘Mr. Jung Ji-heon, it’s the same whether Yena accepts you or not.’

‘Since you’re suffering anyway, it’s better to suffer while loving her.’

In fact, she thought Yena’s position was excellent.