episode_0029

… … … … …

I had been putting off telling my Heavenly Boss my feelings for days, but today was really different. I couldn’t put it off any longer.

Before I brought up the subject to the boss, I really, really steeled myself and repeated the words I had practiced over and over again.

“Excuse me… …Sir, can I talk to you for a moment?”

I saw the expression on President Haneul’s face harden for a moment, as if he sensed the seriousness in my voice.

“Yes. What could it be―?”

It was an important moment, so I had to speak properly so as not to be rude. I took a deep breath and opened my mouth.

“Boss, you have been so kind to me so far… … .

But… … I don’t think it can go on like this.”

“What does that… … mean?”

It was heartbreaking to see the CEO’s voice tremble slightly as he answered, but there was nothing I could do. I had to say it now.

“I’m getting paid too much and treated too well for what I do now. I just do simple things like organizing the store.”

“… … You may feel that way. I understand.

But you are worth it. The store is brighter because you are there, and so am I――”

“I, I… I’m sorry, boss. But no matter how much I think about it, I feel like I’m being looked after rather than doing the work.

If this continues, I will never be able to become independent. I can’t continue to depend on others forever.”

After he finished speaking, there was a moment of silence. Various emotions crossed the face of the CEO.

What could it have been? Disappointment, fear, or a desperate desire to hold on to something?

As for me, I had no way of knowing what was on her mind, so I could only guess.

“By any chance… …did I do something wrong?”

“No, not at all. The Heavenly President has been so good to me.

That’s why it was even more… …difficult to talk about.”

After hearing what I said, the Heavenly President looked at me silently for a long time.

After some time she opened her mouth, but her voice was very hoarse.

“… … Are you quitting?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

I nodded, enduring the pain, and immediately her expression hardened even more.

“No way… …Why do you want to be independent? You can’t live like this for the rest of your life?

That’s wrong. I like it this way. I can live like this with you forever… …forever.”

Our opinions were running parallel. I lowered my head and wiggled my fingers. I couldn’t back down here. I had to calm my wavering heart.

“I appreciate your words, but… … I can’t do that.

I’m not a child――”

The voice of the Sky President immediately grew louder.

“You’re not a child? But you are my son——

… … You are special to me. Why don’t you know that? ”

The same pattern of conversation was repeated several times after that. However, President Haneul and I were unable to reach an agreement in the end.

In the end, I came to the conclusion that it would be impossible to persuade the Heavenly President with words.

“… … I’m sorry, but I really think I should stop.”

As I refused to give in until the end, the eyes of the Heavenly President began to moisten. I felt a great sense of guilt at the tears of the beautiful woman who had treated me with utmost sincerity until the end.

“Your life is here! We need each other.

Don’t go. What else do you want me to do for you?”

The Sky Boss came and grabbed my arm. A scream of pain escaped me as he exerted a force beyond my imagination.

“Oh my!”

“Mi, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to――”

Looking at the arm she had been holding, the red finger marks were clear. Seeing the worried look on President Haneul’s face, I felt sorry instead.

… … It seemed that the president had lost his rational judgment due to his emotions. It seemed that it was not appropriate for him to stay here.

“… … Sorry! Goodbye, boss.”

After leaving a brief greeting, I quickly turned around and ran out of the store. I heard the manager shouting something behind me, but I didn’t look back.

… … … … …

The store door closed, and Yoon Ha-neul stood there frozen.

Her eyes stared blankly at the empty space where the boy who must have been her son had stood just a moment ago. It seemed as if his scent still lingered in the air.

“You… … You’re really unexpected. I never thought it would turn out like this.”

A child who appears timid and weak, but surprisingly stubborn and has a strong will… …his own child.

Although her heart ached at the unexpected appearance of her child, she also felt proud that she had raised him well as a mother.

She had been superimposing the boy onto her memories of eight past lives, and as her relationship with the boy deepened, she now came to think of the boy who had been working as a clerk as clearly her son.

It was a way of thinking that no one but Yoon Ha-neul herself could understand, but at least to her, it was extremely obvious common sense.

Yoon Ha-neul slowly sat down on the chair. Her fingertips trembled slightly, and her eyes lost focus and wandered into space.

“Why did my son… … leave his mother?”

She thought back over the past few days. Every moment, every expression, every action of her son came back vividly to her memory, as if it were deeply engraved in her mind.

Sensing keenly that her son’s gaze was gradually changing, she tried to move forward with a deeper relationship with him.

He gave me delicious food, a comfortable bed, a generous allowance, and often gave me nice baths… … even slept with me.

Nevertheless, the child… …the son left Yoon Ha-neul.

Why do all sons want to leave their mother? Yoon Ha-neul couldn’t understand what her son said before he left her.

While she was pondering this for a long time, a sudden realization struck her.

“Ah… …I was lacking.”

Yes, that was not enough. Just providing good food and a good place to sleep was not enough to keep my son. Something with stronger binding power was needed.

The lips of Yun Ha-neul, who had attained enlightenment, formed a serene smile, but her eyes were swaying with dark longing. Her hand went up and caressed the surprisingly voluptuous breasts hidden beneath the soft fabric.

She remembered her son’s eyes lingering on her chest, and the lovely pink flush that ran up his neck as he hugged his head tightly against her chest.

“Haa… … .”

Her breathing quickened as she thought about that time. She whispered as if her son was right before her eyes.

“You wanted this, right? The way you looked at my chest, you thought you wouldn’t be caught. But I, Mom saw… … .”

Yoon Ha-neul imagined the child’s small, hesitant hands and stroked her soft, surprisingly full breasts with her fingers. She bit her lip, suppressing the moans that were about to burst out.

“But… …yeah. This alone wasn’t enough. We need something more powerful to tie you up.”

Yoon Ha-neul’s hand came down and touched her white stomach. Her eyes were caught up in a fantasy of a future that was just around the corner.

In the visions that only she could see… …her new family existed.

“Yes. I need a family, a real family. My mother’s child, the one growing in my stomach, my son’s child… … .”

Yoon Ha-neul’s eyes sparkled with a dazzling light. She gently stroked her stomach with her hand.

“You and I will have many children. Born, growing, reborn, growing… … .”

A soft laugh burst from Yoon Ha-neul’s lips as she imagined the series of events. Her laughter grew louder and louder, echoing throughout the empty store.

It was something deep and dark, a mixture of joy and anticipation, maternal love and possessiveness.

Yoon Ha-neul slowly got up and walked around the store. Her eyes were fixed on a point in the sky, and she continued to talk to herself as if her son was standing there.

… … … … …

Several days have passed since I ran out of the Sky Boss’s store.

Often, whenever a notification popped up on my phone screen that I had received a message from her, my finger would automatically go to the message window, but I could barely stop myself from reading the message. At least until now.

I can’t bear to read her earnest message, because I’m afraid that if I read it, I won’t be able to bear it anymore and will return to her shop.

But even so, it is impolite to ignore the message without reading it. It can’t be helped, but I still feel guilty.

“Whew… … . I’m sorry, boss.”

I sighed without realizing it and muttered an apology to the Sky CEO. Her comfortable smile, delicious food, and cozy shop and hugs came to mind.

“… … Shall we go back?

No, no, no.”

I shook my head sharply at the words that came out of my mouth. It was because I had a strong feeling that once I went back there, I would never be able to escape.

Putting my phone in my pocket, I pulled myself together again. It was time to get to work.

As I left the bathroom and entered the huge warehouse of the distribution center, the familiar smell of dust and the sound of forklifts rang in my ears. I walked back to my seat with frequent steps.

“Oh, did you come after smoking?”

The big man sitting next to me smiled at me. In return, I awkwardly lowered my head slightly.

“Oh, no. I just went to the bathroom.”

I answered in a small voice, but he had already started his work, looking elsewhere.