Ch.47Tutoring a Peer (4)

Tuesday dawn.

The time when heaven and earth are farthest from the sun.

When most of the villagers had gone to bed and almost all the lights in the houses were fading away,

Mom secretly came out through the front door in the darkness.

Mom, wearing a black coat to guard against the dawn chill, pulling a thick wheeled suitcase.

To anyone watching, it didn’t look like a brief outing.

She appeared as if she was about to leave for somewhere far away.

“Mom! Where are you going! Are you leaving Dad and me for that guy again?”

“I’m sorry, Doyoung. But Mom has to go. Stay healthy with Dad. Even without Mom… be happy!”

“You said you’d come back, so why are you leaving again… Mom, you’re a liar!”

“Please, Doyoung. Mom has to go. Let go of my hand…”

“Don’t go, Mom! Don’t abandon Dad and me!”

-Thwack!

A heavy knuckle rap landed on the back of my head as I clung desperately to Mom’s clothes.

When I turned around, I could see Dad’s protruding knuckle bones tingling from the impact.

“The neighbors will get the wrong idea, you brat.”

“Hehe, sorry. I just wanted to try it once.”

“Doyoung’s mom, don’t indulge in the kid’s antics.”

“Hehe, I’m sorry. Doyoung rushing at me was just too cute.”

Even without specific instructions, Mom naturally played along with the act I had initiated.

I guess we’re getting pretty good at this now.

“Did you contact Hamin? To tell him the rolled eggs were delicious.”

“Yes, I even sent him a gift in return.”

“Oh, impressive, my daughter. Did you give him something to eat?”

“…Yes. Something fresh.”

“Hehe, I hope he liked it.”

Mom was scheduled to return to Japan, where my younger sister is studying abroad, on a Tuesday dawn flight.

That was always the plan for how long Mom would stay.

Where there are meetings, there must be partings.

Farewells are always accompanied by regret.

While this might be a familiar pattern of separation and reunion for Ban Doyoung,

for me, it was the first meeting and first farewell with Doyoung’s mother, Chuk Junsook.

I decided to convey all the joy I felt during our time together,

and the regret I feel today as I send Mom away again.

I’ll title it “Partings Make Reunions Sweeter.”

But with an added scenario of “A daughter tearfully holding onto her mother who’s fleeing in the night, unable to endure her husband’s tyranny.”

“By the way, our Doyoung’s acting skills are amazing. You seemed so real, it reminded me of those child actors in old dramas.”

“Oh, it wasn’t that great.”

“Are you thinking of becoming an actress someday?”

“Hmm, not a bad idea. I’ve got the looks from you, Mom.”

“Always so quick with your mouth. Now go inside and sleep. It’s cold out here.”

Mom straightened the coat I had grabbed and stroked my disheveled black hair as she spoke.

Though it had been a while since I showered, Ban Doyoung’s long straight hair was still damp, quickly growing cold in the outside air.

“Sorry, Mom. For not going to the airport with you.”

“Now, now, what if you’re late for school? Athletes especially should be punctual.”

“That’s right, Ban Doyoung. I’ll make sure Mom gets to the airport safely, so you go to bed.”

“What are you two planning to do in the car while I’m asleep?”

“Tsk.”

When I saw Dad’s fist slightly rising,

I reflexively covered my head with both hands and stepped back.

The setting of an abusive husband wasn’t entirely inaccurate, it seemed.

“Did you pack everything?”

“Of course, everything except my precious daughter whom I’m reluctant to leave behind.”

“Want to give me one more hug before you go?”

“Hmm… why not?”

Mom opened her arms diagonally and embraced me warmly.

As her hands wrapped around my back and our faces met, the faint sound of heartbeats from deep within our chests resonated between us.

“I love you, my daughter.”

“…”

That phrase. I’ll try my best to make sure

it reaches the real Ban Doyoung too.

“Next time, can you come with Dad to meet me?”

“Hehe, as long as you don’t break Do Hamin’s glasses again.”

“I see, hehe. Well, getting his attention is important first. But Doyoung, remember one thing.”

Mom raised her voice slightly as if something had occurred to her,

then whispered in my ear so softly that even our heartbeats might have drowned it out.

“You want to get closer to Hamin, right?”

“Hmm… I suppose that’s true for now.”

I had to answer affirmatively to the question of whether I wanted to get closer to Do Hamin.

At present, it was the only way to reach the proper conclusion of this webtoon,

and it was also the most likely method for me to return to my original world.

“So you do like Hamin?”

“Umm…”

However, I found it difficult to answer whether I liked Do Hamin.

That was an emotion the real Ban Doyoung should have, not something I thought I should feel.

What I’m doing now is simply

choosing actions that I think the heroine of a pure romance would take.

Of course, since I have to live daily life in the form of Ban Doyoung, the original main heroine,

there are certainly times when I move according to my own heart when Hamin isn’t around.

At least, everything I’ve done in my relationship with Hamin so far

has been within the boundaries of what I consider heroine-like behavior.

Mom’s comment about my excellent acting skills

isn’t entirely wrong in a way.

I’m simply playing the role of Ban Doyoung, the eldest daughter of Ban Doche and Chuk Junsook,

the main heroine of “Half of Half,” a pure romance story,

the female lead destined to end up with the protagonist, Do Hamin.

If someone were to ask whether there’s truth in the emotions and actions I perform,

if they asked whether those feelings are “real,” how should I answer?

“I like him… I think so.”

The answer is predetermined.

Even if it weren’t true, I, who am possessing Ban Doyoung, have no choice but to say yes.

Because that’s how the main heroine of a pure romance story would answer.

And if Mom’s question had been different, like:

“You don’t dislike Hamin, do you?”

Then I would have answered:

“No. I don’t dislike him.”

It’s nice to be with him, and while it might be difficult to say I like him,

I don’t dislike him and find him fun to be around.

This level of emotion should be enough for now.

There’s plenty of time, after all.

“If you truly like him, just playing pranks won’t be enough to reach the goal.”

“…”

Mom smiled knowingly at me as I hesitantly answered that I liked him.

“You need to… show your true feelings properly at least once. If you try to maintain your relationship with Hamin only through pranks, he might think your feelings are fake even at the most crucial moment. You understand what I mean, right?”

“…Yes.”

“Good, just keep that in mind for now. My daughter isn’t someone who would get rejected by anyone she confesses to.”

“Yes, I think so too.”

“You really are all talk.”

Mom finished our farewell hug and loaded her suitcase into the trunk of the car where Dad had already started the engine.

After hearing the trunk close with a thud, Mom opened the passenger door.

“Well then, Doyoung, Mom’s going now.”

“Okay, take care. Next time, bring your talented sister too.”

“Of course, I’ll bring an international championship trophy as well, so look forward to it.”

“Ooh.”

Not just a national-level trophy, but a global one.

That’s pretty impressive.

“Oh, right.”

Mom, who had closed the passenger door and was fastening her seatbelt, suddenly seemed to remember something,

and rolled down the window to lean her face out.

“What is it?”

“Come here for a second…”

She seemed to want to tell me something,

but the noise of the idling car made it difficult to hear her voice clearly.

Mom gestured lightly for me to come closer.

Since I needed to hear what she wanted to say, I leaned my face toward the passenger window.

“Take this.”

-Tuk

With those words, Mom placed a small green box from her handbag into my hand.

“…What is this?”

“Make sure to wear it when you do it.”

“…What?”

Mom’s sincere advice, the familiar size and thickness of the box,

and the fact that it came from a handbag, a conveniently portable bag, gave me a strong conviction about what was in my hand.

“Lime-flavored condoms.”

-Whoosh

A solid fireball rose from deep within my chest.

Even if it was a possibility I had never considered before,

once the words are spoken and reach your ears,

people tend to visualize the words they’ve heard.

Whether it was serious motherly advice,

or a petty revenge for the things I’d done to her over the past few days.

“Ugh, uugh…”

I had no way of knowing, but

the effect of the small ball Mom had launched was tremendous.

The fireball rising from my chest got stuck in my throat,

turning my cheeks and ears bright red.

“Mom…!”

My burning eyes instantly blurred my vision as I shouted at Mom in front of me.

In that moment, I couldn’t see anything clearly, neither Mom nor anything else.

If I were to name that fiery, stifling feeling that momentarily consumed me,

it would probably be “shame” rising from deep within.

“Hehehe. If you stick a spear in someone else, you should expect one in return.”

So it was revenge after all.

Clever middle-aged woman.

“…Mom, that’s sexual harassment!”

“It’s okay, Mom’s a woman too.”

What?

I feel like I’ve heard a similar but slightly more vulgar line somewhere before.

Who was it?

I think it was a really pretty girl who looked like this lady.

“Well, Mom’s going now! Stay healthy until we meet again!”

And with that, Mom drove away with Dad,

gracefully disappearing beyond the street.

“Mirror therapy is scary.”