episode_0073

The evening after I saw a new side of Ha-eun at her dorm.

I was sitting at my desk, diligently building up my stockpile of novels.

Woof woof. Woof woof.

… Is it Jia? Ha-eun?

The name that appeared on the vibrating phone screen was an unexpected one.

“Cha Seon-yeong?”

What’s going on with this woman who never picks up the phone all of a sudden?

Even if I did meet her, I thought it would be because of the goddess, I didn’t expect her to contact me directly.

“Hello.”

-Is it okay if I talk to you for a moment?

“Yes, please go ahead.”

-I’d like to meet you and talk… .

Is this something that is difficult to talk about over the phone?

Judging by the quiet tone of his voice, there seems to be no need to ask.

I had no reason to refuse since I was planning to meet her and talk about Zia anyway.

“Okay. Today?”

-Yeah… Can you come to my house? I’ll send you the address.

After finishing the call, I headed straight to the address she had given me.

The address points to a high-end apartment complex.

It was a famous place that was introduced in the media as a place where big business executives and celebrities reside.

… the building is really big.

The apartment is so tall that my neck hurts just looking up at it.

Just as I was wandering around, wondering what to do because the entrance was closed, a man came up to me and asked me.

“What brings you here?”

“The person I was supposed to meet lives here.”

“Excuse me, but I need to check your ID.”

Hearing that, I remembered Cha Seon-yeong telling me to make sure to bring my ID, and I hurriedly took it out.

“Here it is.”

“Confirmed.”

Instead of returning his ID, the man handed me a card I had never seen before.

You need this card to use the doors or elevator inside the apartment.

When he said he would return my ID when I left, I said okay and went inside.

The luxury apartments were unfriendly to common people like me.

After wandering through a maze of paths and passing through several complicated security gates, I was finally able to arrive in front of Cha Seon-yeong’s house.

“Wow, you’re here?”

As I followed Cha Seon-yeong inside, who had opened the door, I couldn’t help but be amazed.

Excessively spacious interior, large windows and blinds in place of walls.

There is even a floor that you can climb up by taking the stairs.

It looked more like something you would have to pay for every night than a home.

“Sit here.”

As suggested, I sat down at a table in the living room.

It’s clearly a house where people live, but it feels like a cafe.

… Right, I didn’t come here to look at houses.

I looked at Cha Seon-yeong, who was sitting across from me.

An expression that does not look comfortable at all, unlike the comfortable outfit in a one-piece homewear.

Somehow it seemed better to hear the other person’s business first rather than my own.

“Why did you call me?”

At my question, she hesitated, fidgeting with one arm, and then carefully opened her mouth.

“… I want to do it.”

“Huh?”

“I want to…with you.”

“Sex?”

“… .”

I knew that my partner had just gotten a taste for sex.

Enough to admit with her own mouth that she’s a bitch.

But I never dreamed that he would contact me privately and ask for a relationship.

“I don’t think it’s normal to ask your daughter’s lover to do it.”

Cha Seon-yeong flinched as if she had been hit on the nail on the head, but she still did not remain silent.

“I know it’s absurd. But I can’t forget the feeling I got when I was hugged by you… .”

“They say it’s different from people who can’t deny their desires.”

“… I was wrong. I am not the type of person to curse anyone.”

My thoughts have finally been conveyed.

“I apologize for the careless words I spoke to you. And for cursing that kid… So please hug me one more time.”

There is a sense of desperation in his trembling voice and eyes.

While I was silent, urgent requests continued.

“I’ll give you anything you want. I can buy you most anything. So please… .”

“You’ll give me what I want?”

“Yeah. Just say whatever.”

“Then meet Jia.”

“What…?”

He looks at me blankly, as if it were an unexpected request.

But from the beginning until now, there was only one thing I wanted from her.

“I don’t mean to say that you should become friends with Jia right away. Just meet her once and listen to how hard she works and how much she cares about her mom.”

Previously, she had no intention of even having a brief conversation with her daughter, saying that Jia was the daughter of a beastly man.

But now, I think you’ve changed your mind.

As I expected, I didn’t hear a rejection right away.

“… Are you serious? Is that what you want?”

“Yes.”

I asked him because he remained silent and lost in thought for a long time after hearing my answer.

“Why? You don’t like it?”

“It’s not that I don’t like it… I just didn’t think you’d ask for something like that.”

“That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

“… I see. Honestly, I didn’t know you were that serious. I thought your daughter was just an excuse and wanted to have fun with girls. ”

“… .”

“I was a beast. I was the only one who thought like a beast.”

I feel more empty than happy that my true feelings have finally been conveyed.

However, Cha Seon-yeong seemed to feel a greater sense of emptiness than I did.

“Jia too… Did I see something wrong?”

“Of course. Jia thought that her mother hated her because she was lacking. So she kept trying to be recognized. ”

“… Don’t blame me?”

“Yes. If you resent it, why would you put in so much effort?”

Feeling frustrated, I confessed everything about Jia that I had been watching over her.

The first time I was drawn to the goddess like Jia.

There was also an incident where Gia tried to distance herself from me in some way.

Up until now, I have been working hard in many areas, including my schoolwork.

“That memorandum was also written by Zia. She was worried that the fact that I had sex with a man might interfere with my ability to get my mother to accept me.”

“… I naturally thought that Ji-ah would resent me. Because I never treated her kindly. Since I couldn’t treat her like a daughter anyway, I thought it would be good for her if I kept my distance.”

“I promise I don’t hold a grudge. I still have the picture I took with my mom when I was little.”

Cha Seon-yeong’s eyes widened.

“Photo? Did I take a photo with that kid… .”

“This is a picture of the three of us, including my grandmother.”

“Well, I don’t remember… .”

“Anyway, meet Jia and talk to her.”

“… Okay.”

I finally heard what I wanted from her mouth.

“Really? I promise.”

“Yeah. I’ll contact you tomorrow and meet you. Um, today is… .”

He gives me an expectant look, his voice trailing off.

I guess he really likes my clothes.

Still, it didn’t seem like he wanted to meet Zia because of that.

In the short time we spoke here, it seemed like she had a pretty big change of heart.

However, since it was not a light matter, I wanted to remain cautious until the end.

“Let’s talk again after you meet with Jia. I’ll leave for today.”

—

In a certain classroom.

Jia had a hard time calming down her pounding heart.

While I was taking a summer semester class, I got a call from none other than my mom.

When I left the classroom for a moment and answered the phone, I was as dumbfounded as if I had heard news that I had won the lottery.

It had to be that way.

As far as I can remember, this was the first time my mom contacted me first, and she even suggested a meal.

This was very welcome news for Gia, who had never had a normal meal with her mother.

‘What should we talk about when we meet? What should we wear?’

I can’t calm down because of the excitement and nervousness.

In the end, she couldn’t concentrate at all in class that day.

—

“Hoo… .”

In a private room in a restaurant, Seonyeong took a deep breath like a job seeker about to have an interview.

Thanks to the nervousness, since he had never been the first to find his daughter before.

After a while, the door to the room opened and my daughter appeared.

“, thank you.”

Jia comes in, politely greeting the employee who guided her.

I shyly greeted the ancestral graves that were already there.

“Oh, Mom. It’s been a while.”

“Yeah. Sit there.”

“Ugh… .”

“I just wanted to check in on how you’re doing. If you want something to eat, order it.”

“Oh, I got it.”

“… .”

As soon as we finished ordering, silence fell over the table.

Seonyeong tried hard to pretend like nothing happened, but it wasn’t easy to come up with something to say to her daughter whom she hadn’t seen in a long time.

“How are you… these days? Are you doing well?”

“Yeah. It’s okay.”

“Are you sure you don’t have enough living expenses?”

“It’s okay. Thanks to Mom.”

“I see.”

I have absolutely no idea what to talk about with my daughter.

Fortunately, the daughter spoke to her mother, who was at a loss for words.

“Isn’t work hard, Mom?”

“Because it’s my job.”

“Ahhh… . Mom, there you are. I did really well on this midterm. I got first place in the class.”

“… Good job.”

A few words too short for a compliment.

For Seon-yeong, who had given up her role as a mother, even praising her daughter felt awkward.

But Jia smiled brightly as if she was happy with the awkward compliment.

“Right? Hit.”

Seonyeong thought that smile was fake all this time.

Just as the man treated Seon-yeong kindly for her body when they were in middle school, his daughter Ji-ah also acts in a calculating manner.

But maybe it was because I met Do-hyeon, but now I just seemed so innocent.

The sight of a child who can’t hold back laughter because he’s so happy just to be with his mother.

As she looked at that face and felt complicated, Seon-yeong finally thought of something to talk about with her daughter.

“Was there a picture we took together…?”

“Yeah. Wait a minute… . Here.”

Without hesitation, my daughter hands me the photo that was in her wallet.

A small sigh came out of Seonyeong’s mouth as she accepted the photo.

“Ah… .”

‘This is the picture.’

As soon as I see it with my own eyes, memories of the past come flooding back.

The mother took her to a photo studio, saying that at least there should be a photo of the mother and daughter.

In the end, unable to break the mother’s stubbornness, the three of us, including my young daughter, were forced to take a picture.

In it, he was not even looking at the camera with a discontented expression on his face, while young Jia was smiling brightly as if something was so good.

“It’s a photo from over ten years ago… Do you still have it?”

“Yeah… This is the only picture we took together.”

That day wasn’t particularly memorable for Seonyeong.

After that, it wasn’t worth recalling, so I just forgot about it and lived on.

But, this child was kept so preciously.

“… Jia-ah.”

“Huh?”

“Don’t you blame me? I’ve been treating you so harshly.”

“Yeah. I think there’s a reason for everything if you’re a mom. All I could think about was that I had to do better.”

“… .”

Seonyeong couldn’t continue speaking.

The moment I realized that the thoughts I had until now were nothing more than prejudices based on personal resentment.

My heart ached with guilt at having done such a terrible thing to my only daughter for decades.

“Mom? Why, why are you like that?”

“Jia… .”

“Why, where does it hurt?”

“… I’m sorry.”