LLU 6

And she’s already four months pregnant. I added in an indifferent voice. To Junwoo, who looked like his eyes were about to pop out, I briefly explained the situation so far. Of course, I didn’t bother to talk about Choi Junghan.

“Hey, but you… don’t take this the wrong way.”

Kim Junwoo, who had carefully started like that, showed a reaction that was within the range I had expected. That objectively speaking, it’s not like the man is having an affair, and it doesn’t seem like she’s in that bad of a situation. So, is there really any reason for you to try and stop her?

“I know. I don’t intend to stop her either.”

The words I added, ‘Do I even have the right to stop her in the first place?’ sounded somewhat like self-pity, but it was just a fact.

No one can stop a person in love. As Kim Junwoo said, both of them had lost their spouses, and their children were all grown up, so now there was nothing that could stop them.

“Your aunt has suffered her whole life. Honestly, huh? From now on, only good things are left. Congratulations, man!”

It was obvious he was trying to comfort me. Kim Junwoo smiled in a friendly way and slung his arm around my shoulders roughly. Even when I tried to push him off, saying the smell of cigarettes would get on me, he clung on tightly.

Kim Junwoo didn’t choose words like ‘her luck has changed,’ which probably came to his mind first. Instead, he carefully chose words that wouldn’t hurt me and offered them. Even though we’re this close. That’s probably one of the reasons I cherish this guy.

“But, does that guy have any kids?”

I was wondering when he would ask that question. My mouth felt bitter for no reason.

“…He does. Thirty years old. A son.”

“Oh… that must be super awkward and uncomfortable. Have you met him?”

“Yeah.”

“How is he? If he’s a rich kid, I bet he’s a real snob.”

For a moment, I was at a loss for words. How should I describe what Choi Junghan did to me? It was hard to see him grabbing my hair and slapping my cheek as simple snobbery.

Why on earth did he hit me? The reason is still not clear. The shock at that time was so great that I can’t clearly remember the situation before and after, but before Choi Junghan grabbed my hair, he definitely said….

‘You’re sighing so insolently.’

…Surely that couldn’t be the only reason.

Seeing as I don’t even remember whether I sighed or not, it doesn’t seem like I intentionally tried to get on his nerves. If he lost his temper and beat me like that over a mere sigh, then the place he should be so diligently commuting to is not the company, but a mental hospital.

His words, that he had wanted a cute younger sibling, suddenly came back to me. At the same time, goosebumps broke out on my skin. What was Choi Junghan’s intention in saying such a thing? How much of his words and actions should I take as sincere?

“…It was whatever. He was an a**, though.”

“Why. Did he do something to you?”

“Not that. It was just a feeling. But well, it’s not like I’ll run into him much from now on anyway.”

I deliberately said it in a tone that made it sound like no big deal. It was something that happened almost ten days ago. And as I said, I won’t see him anymore. Thinking that, the weight of the humiliation, anguish, and worry I had felt at the time seemed to lighten a little.

But it came unexpectedly quickly. The day I came face to face again with Choi Junghan, who I was sure I would never see again.

‘Oon, it’s Mom’s appointment at the obstetrician today. Do you want to come out for a little bit? I’ll buy you a meal, since my son is studying so hard.’

At first, I refused, saying I was busy. But my mother’s gentle voice asking me echoed in my ears throughout my classes. And also her voice, which sounded oddly dejected as she replied, okay, when I refused.

In the end, I swallowed a sigh and called my mother again. I said I’d go. I had studied more rigorously than usual since last week to forget my distracting thoughts, so I had enough leeway to go out and have a meal.

When was the last time my mother and I ate out? No, had such a day ever existed? I don’t know.

“Pioon, bye!”

“Bye.”

After class, I packed my books. What time would it be when the meal was over? It didn’t seem like I would have enough time to come back to school. I’d probably have to go straight home. Making these calculations, I stopped by the bathroom to check my reflection in the mirror.

Short, neat hair that wasn’t too short or too long. A pale, small face. Lips that were exceptionally red, as if I had put something on them, and eyes that I habitually held wide open.

Wearing a gray coat with my bag slung over it, I still looked like a first-year high schooler at best. Thump, I kicked the wall once in dissatisfaction and came out.

Several passenger cars were lined up and waiting outside the school grounds. They were vehicles I saw every day, so a few of them were familiar. Unlike in middle school, where only kids who were all poor attended, the school I went to now had a pretty wide gap between the rich and poor. Accordingly, there was also a subtle disregard for and bullying of the lower class.

By that standard alone, I had no choice but to exist at the very bottom of the pyramid. But almost no one bothered me. Was it because of my decent-enough grades? In fact, I got along with the other kids quite well. Although it was only a friendship to the extent of eating lunch together, that was more comfortable for me too.

I took the bus heading to the obstetrics and gynecology clinic my mother had mentioned. The traffic was quite congested as it overlapped with the evening commute. Cold air blew in as the doors opened and closed. Still, I liked that each time, the jumbled smell of people in the crowded bus thinned out and the air was ventilated.

As I barely got off the bus, I saw my mother waiting at the bus stop. My mother’s face, as she waved cheerfully, calling out, ‘Oon!’, was bright and fresh today as well.

“Welcome. It was tough getting here, wasn’t it? The Chairman said he was sorry he couldn’t come with me, and that he’d send a car for you. But it was obvious you’d refuse again, so I just said it was okay.”

“You did the right thing. What car? This is more comfortable for me too.”

When I answered sullenly, my mother laughed, saying she knew I would. Lately, my mother had been smiling a lot more.

“What are you looking at so much? Has Mom gotten a lot prettier?”

“…Yes, well.”

“Oh my, I’ll give you that, my son is so blunt. Would it kill you to say, ‘Mom, you’re pretty these days,’ even as an empty compliment?”

“Mom, you’re pretty these days.”

At my mechanically recited words, my mother giggled like a young girl again. Although I said it nonchalantly, it wasn’t untrue.

My mother’s beauty, which had been hidden by the exhaustion of a hard life, had recently bloomed like a flower. My mother, who smiled and said she had been going to a skincare shop lately, something she’d never done in her life, really looked much younger than she did 10 years ago.

“Let’s go in.”

My mother naturally led me into the obstetrics and gynecology building. She usually comes with Chairman Choi, but it seemed he was really busy and couldn’t make time today, my mother added several times, as if making excuses for him.

The hospital was extremely large. It seemed like every pregnant woman in the country was gathered here. I was the only one in a school uniform inside the overwhelmingly large hospital.

Gazes naturally gathered on me. Both my cheeks burned hot. But my mother acted as if nothing was wrong. I sat next to my mother, who was humming softly and calmly looking at a brochure, and waited for our turn with my eyes fixed only on my phone.

Had we waited for about 30 minutes? Finally, I heard them calling for my mother. I was about to send my mother off by telling her to have a good visit, but she naturally grabbed my hand and pulled me along.

“You come too. I’ll show you your younger sibling, okay?”

The moment I heard that unfamiliar word, goosebumps rose on my arm. I was about to refuse, saying no thanks, but I thought I might unnecessarily hurt my mother’s feelings after coming all this way, so I forced myself to endure it and stood up.

The examination room I was dragged into was dark. The doctor smiled kindly and said they would check the baby’s condition. Soon, the shape of the baby was revealed on a large monitor. The doctor, moving a machine coated with gel across my mother’s stomach, began to explain in a cheerful voice.

“Our cute little prince is doing very well. Let’s see, 19 weeks and 2 days already?”

“Doctor, is my baby healthy? I’m worried because I’m having the baby at a late age.”

“Oh, you don’t need to worry. Look. He’s moving so actively. However, the length of your c**vix is a bit short, but as long as you don’t overexert yourself, this much is perfectly….”

The doctor and my mother conversed naturally and smiled. A nurse standing beside them also chimed in, saying the baby was really strong. In that dark room, I was the only stranger.

While my mother received her examination with a look of deep emotion, I just wiggled my poor toes inside my sneakers. The new sneakers I had been wearing without much thought suddenly felt a little tight. A few days ago, my mother had frowned upon seeing my worn-out sneakers, thrown them away, and bought me new ones.

The examination ended quickly, and my mother, with a flushed face, scheduled the next appointment. In the elevator, my mother smiled and thanked me for coming with her. I silently nodded my head.

“Sorry. I won’t bother you with things like this from now on.”

“It’s okay.”

“Actually, it wasn’t just the examination, I wanted to buy my son a delicious meal.”

Saying that, my mother called a taxi and took me to a restaurant she had reserved. It was a common chain family restaurant, but it was a place I had never been to even once.

After sitting down, my mother ordered three dishes. Even with a rough calculation in my head, the total was close to 100,000 won. But unlike me, who was glancing more at the numbers than the pictures on the menu, my mother just looked happy.

“Eat a lot, Oon. I haven’t been able to pay much attention to my student son lately….”

After ordering the food, my mother suddenly reached her hand out across the table. The warmth of our clasped hands was comforting. At that moment, I remembered the owner of a certain hand that was as cold as a dead person’s, and my body flinched.

“What’s wrong? Oon.”

“It’s nothing. I’m just thirsty.”

I answered vaguely, then discreetly pulled my hand away and drank some water.

…I don’t know why that j**k suddenly came to mind.

It was one of the things that had been particularly distressing me lately. That when I see my mother, I am naturally reminded of Chairman Choi’s son.

Pasta, a large steak, and a salad came out in order. My mother ordered three dishes, but she herself only picked at the salad.

“Why aren’t you eating much? What, are you going to wear a dress or something?”

It was a joke in my own way, but because my mother blushed and mumbled her reply, the awkward joke lost its function.

I didn’t ask any more questions and continued to eat in silence. I finished everything, from the steak to the pasta, one by one. I study at school every day, but I didn’t sign up for school dinners because they were expensive. I had been getting by with lunch boxes or triangle kimbap every day, so now that I was suddenly having such a luxurious meal, I had to replenish my nutrients thoroughly.

“My, how can this child eat so well since he was little? Looking like a young master with a small appetite.”

My mother smiled happily and paid the bill.

As we were about to leave the building, my mother, who was standing next to me, picked up her phone and answered a call. From the atmosphere, it seemed to be Chairman Choi. My mother, who had been saying a few words about how her check-up went well, exclaimed, oh my, and hung up the phone.

“Oh my, Oon. The Chairman just called, and he said he sent a car. So we can get home comfortably.”

“…To here?”

“Yes. He asked where we were earlier, so I sent him a message saying we were at the restaurant.”

My mother grabbed me and pulled me along with excited steps. I really didn’t want to go, but I had no choice. As soon as we came out of the restaurant, a sedan was already parked there with its hazard lights on.

Approaching the car, I bowed my head and opened the back door. And at that moment, I couldn’t help but freeze in place.

“…What are you doing here?”

An overpowering and heavy scent of cologne was the very first thing. That was how I recognized him.

The next thing that came into view was his appearance, impeccable just like last time, and those very eyes, looking at me arrogantly and, without fail, with derision.

“…Why are you here?”

“Oh my, Mr. Junghan!”

While I was muttering in a daze, my mother’s face lit up as she raised her voice. He, sitting in the back seat, gave a relaxed nod. Without any particular greeting, he slowly opened his mouth.

“My father was busy with work and asked me to go in his stead. I happened to be on my way for business, so I came to pick you up. Please get in.”

“Oh my, goodness… how thoughtful.”

My mother muttered, covering her mouth with her hand. But to me, it was nothing short of pathetic. The language he was using now was overly polite compared to his actions. He said he came to pick us up, but he seemed to have no intention of moving from the back seat he was occupying.