episode_0067

After learning about Teacher Choi Sung-jun’s true identity and feeling slightly shocked, I finished my meal in a more enjoyable atmosphere than eating alone.

“It’s almost the end of lunchtime. Thanks to your mother, I had a pleasant meal. Haha. Whenever a meal with nuts comes out, it’s rare for me to come out to eat alone like this.”

With his characteristic friendly smile, Choi Sung-jun thanked me. Since my visit to the school before, we had occasionally exchanged information about Davin’s condition, and I had built up a certain level of friendship with him, so he didn’t feel as unfamiliar to me now. I don’t know, maybe compared to other teachers these days, I felt his passion more?

I heard that with the decline in teachers’ authority over time, many teachers were starting to treat students more mechanically, but I was glad that Davin seemed to have met a good homeroom teacher.

“I was a bit bored eating alone, but thanks to you, I had a fun time. Are you going to school now?”

“Yes, I should start heading in.”

Looking at the clock, lunchtime was almost over. Probably the distance I had walked here, the long line at the counter, and our conversation had caused this delay.

“Did you walk here? I’ll give you a ride. I have to go home anyway.”

“Oh, it’s okay…”

“Oh, it’s because I’m uncomfortable. Just get in.”

So we left Subway and headed towards where my car was parked. We got into the car and started the engine, and he asked me, “Is this the car you usually drive?”

I looked at him blankly, wondering why he suddenly asked such a random question.

“Oh, no. Why, don’t women usually not drive SUVs? It’s just interesting.”

Oh, that’s what he meant. Probably the hidden meaning behind the question of whether I usually drive it or not.

Isn’t it the car Davin’s father used to drive?

Of course, Davin’s father was me, but to Teacher Choi Sung-jun, I was Davin’s mother.

“I just like big things. Anything.”

“Oh, I see. Haha.”

Teacher Choi Sung-jun laughed awkwardly.

He had said that once you switch to a bigger house or car, it’s hard to go back to something smaller. When I think about it, we bought this car to drive our family around, but now that the kids are growing up, we switched to a bigger one, and I ended up focusing only on work, leaving my family behind…

I felt a bit bitter. It seemed like he misunderstood my expression, as Teacher Choi Sung-jun quickly changed the subject.

“Oh, by the way, I heard that you’re a working mom. Can I ask what you do?”

“I work at a food company. In the development department.”

“Wow! That’s interesting. I don’t know anyone in that field. Haha.”

I couldn’t help but feel that Teacher Choi Sung-jun was a very responsive person. When you talk about something, he reacts so enthusiastically that the speaker naturally gets excited, right? They say to be a good conversationalist, you should listen well, and maybe that’s exactly what he is.

“Well… I used to develop a lot of lunch boxes and retort products, but recently, I’ve been focusing more on meal kits.”

“That’s right. The market in that area has been active since the Yaro-na incident.”

Despite being just a 5-minute drive away, thanks to Teacher Choi Sung-jun’s continuous conversation, we arrived at the school without feeling bored.

“Thank you for the ride, ma’am. Oh, while you’re here, would you like to see Davin’s face before you go?”

“Yes, I’d…”.

Saying that, I felt a moment of hesitation, but upon reflection, it didn’t seem like Davin would appreciate it. I, too, didn’t particularly like it when my parents came to school when I was a student.

“Ahaha, come to think of it, I see you every day at home anyway, so what’s the big deal.”

With that, I bid farewell to Teacher Choi Sung-jun and drove home.

Soon, as I arrived home and tried to get out of the car…

– Vrrm, vrrm.

I heard a vibrating sound from somewhere. I thought it was mine, so I took out my phone from my clutch bag, but it wasn’t mine.

“Oh?”

There was a phone lying in the corner of the passenger seat. When I turned it over, the words ‘School Office’ were displayed. It seemed like…

“Hello?”

“Oh, right! Hello, this is Choi Sung-jun. It seems I dropped my phone in your car, ma’am.”

It seemed that Teacher Choi Sung-jun had dropped his phone in my car. I started the car again and was about to head back to the school, but…

“Oh, ma’am. Please don’t come, just send it with Davin tomorrow. It’s not the end of the world if it’s missing for a day. Haha.”

Is that so…? I didn’t think it would be that inconvenient to be without a phone for a day while working. It would probably be better to just accept it instead of making a fuss about it.

When I asked, she said it was okay.

“Um, okay. Then I’ll just send it with Davin tomorrow.”

“Yes, please do that. Haha, I feel like I’ve inconvenienced you for no reason.”

“No, it’s fine. It happens.”

I hung up the phone, took Teacher Choi Sung-jun’s phone, and went back home.

And in the evening, it was around the time when Dayoung and Davin would be coming home.

– Vrrm, vrrm,

The phone vibrated. It wasn’t my phone, it was Teacher Choi Sung-jun’s. The screen showed ‘Sweetheart♥’, so it seemed like his girlfriend…

I didn’t feel like answering for no reason, so I didn’t pick up, but the phone rang three times in a row.

Still, I thought it would be better to just explain the situation when the fourth call came, so I pressed the call button.

“Oh? What’s this?”

Along with the surprised voice of a woman, the other person’s face filled the phone screen. It was a video call, not a voice call. I was flustered and quickly pressed the button to switch to a voice call.

“Hello?”

“Who is this?”

The voice of the woman, who seemed to be Teacher Choi Sung-jun’s girlfriend, was cold. It seemed like I had caused a misunderstanding.

“Oh, I’m a parent of a student in Teacher Choi Sung-jun’s class. He left his phone in my car, so I’m keeping it for him, and he asked me to return it to his son tomorrow. I was trying not to answer the phone, but since it kept ringing, I wanted to let you know.”

“Oh… I see.”

“Haha, yes…”

“…Did you think that would work? Who do you think you are? I just saw your face, and you thought that lie would work? It’s obvious you’re not a parent right now.”

Oh… this is a mess.

“Haha… I often hear that I look young.”

“Haha, you’re funny. Anyway, let me talk to my brother.”

It seemed like she had completely misunderstood.

“No, really, I am. I’m the mother of Jung Dabin in Class 3-3 at Daemyung Middle School. It’s true. I understand that it’s a situation that could be easily misunderstood…”

“Hey, do you think that’s even weirder? What kind of situation is it where a parent drops their phone in a student’s mother’s car?”

It was a frustrating situation, but there was nothing I could say to argue. So, I explained the situation during the day, but she still didn’t seem to believe me.

Well, even I don’t believe it. Even if I were really a parent… Ah! Not “were,” because I am a parent. Anyway, even if she believed that I was a parent, it would be hard to convince her why she dropped her phone in my car, no matter how well I explained it.

So, I decided to just explain the situation to her, whether she believed it or not, and I explained what happened during the day. She seemed skeptical, but she said she understood and ended the call.

“Oh… this is going to be a big deal.”

I suddenly felt sorry for Teacher Choi Sung-jun.

A little while later, the kids came home.

I prepared dinner as usual and started eating with the kids.

“Dabin.”

“Yes?”

“Here.”

I handed Dabin Teacher Choi Sung-jun’s phone, which was turned off.

“What’s this?”

“Your homeroom teacher’s phone.”

I must have spoken too abruptly because both Dabin and Dayoung stared at me with wide eyes.

“Mom, what are you talking about? Why do you suddenly have Dabin’s homeroom teacher’s phone?”

“Your teacher left it in my car.”

“What?! Why would our teacher have to ride in Mom’s car? Wait, really?”

“Oh, it’s not like that. I just had some errands to run today, went out, met him at Subway for lunch, and gave him a ride to school. I think he dropped it then.”

As I hurriedly explained, the kids finally breathed a sigh of relief. Their changing expressions were amusing, but I resisted the urge to smile too much so as not to look suspicious.

“Anyway, Mom! Isn’t that what you should explain first?”

“Haha, sorry. Anyway, when I tried to return it, he just told Dabin to give it to you tomorrow at school. So, after dinner, put it in your bag. Don’t forget.”

“Oh… okay.”

I don’t know what kind of wild imagination Dabin had, but judging by her deep sigh, she seemed quite relieved.

Well, Mom… thinking about the complicated relationship between her dad and her homeroom teacher makes my head spin.

Anyway, I’ve delivered the phone. I thought my part in this was over now.

At least until now.