Watching Ms. Shin, who believed her daughter was simply on vacation, Manager Moon shook her head. How could one be so frustratingly oblivious?
“Nonsense. What kind of company gives months of leave? Stop talking such preposterous rubbish.”
“Then it’s not a vacation? Did she quit? Yeonwoo? Why?”
“Why, you ask? If I knew the answer to that, she’d be my daughter, not yours.”
“But she is my daughter, and even I don’t know.”
“Ugh, your daughter is laid up in the hospital. Do you really think she’d tell you the truth? She probably made up an excuse so you wouldn’t worry.”
As Manager Moon clicked her tongue, Ms. Shin took a slow, uneasy gulp of her orange juice. Manager Moon narrowed her eyes and added,
“She likely said it that way to spare your feelings, but she did quit.”
“I didn’t know. So she really quit. Well, I did think it was a bit strange. Just for a moment, though.”
As Ms. Shin wore a thoughtful expression, Manager Moon tapped her thigh—a silent signal to grasp the weight of her daughter’s heart.
“Anyway, it’s better for both of you if she leaves Domyeongjae as soon as possible. If you don’t intend to have her settle here, take her away quickly. Did you work your fingers to the bone to send your daughter to university just so she could scrub bowls and sweep the yard?”
“That’s not it, but I have no other choice. Someone has to work here, or I have to leave Domyeongjae.”
“Are you letting your daughter remain unemployed just so you don’t lose your job? You wretch.”
“Domyeongjae isn’t just important to you, *seongnim*. It’s a precious workplace for me, too.”
As Ms. Shin muttered this, Manager Moon finally closed her thin lips. She knew that heart all too well, so the usual reprimands died away.
*Sigh.* Ms. Shin let out a heavy breath.
It broke her heart to realize, belatedly, that her daughter must have returned home jobless. And all because she’d broken her leg that very day. Her Yeonwoo must have intended to rest by her mother’s side for a few days before heading back to Seoul for a fresh start.
Everything had gone completely wrong.
“What do I do now? It’s hard enough for me to even walk, and I’m nowhere near being discharged.”
“I don’t know. Regardless, once someone enters Domyeongjae, I won’t kick them out until they can walk away on their own two feet. Unless she decides to leave of her own accord, of course.”
With that, Manager Moon resumed her sharp nagging while tucking the side dishes she’d brought into the small refrigerator. Then, opening the shopping bag on the floor, she glared at Ms. Shin.
“What is this? Underwear?”
“Leave them. I washed them by hand, but I wanted to boil them.”
“For heaven’s sake. Doing all sorts of things while lying there.”
“Ja-Young boils them at her place, so it’s comfortable. The habit of boiling things thoroughly doesn’t just go away. Leave it, I’ll give it to Ja-Young when she comes later.”
“Ja-Young can’t come today. She’s on night duty.”
“She’s on duty on a weekend? Why?”
Managing Director Nam had taken her daughter out, so Ja-Young had to cover her shift. Manager Moon started to explain, then waved a dismissive hand.
“I’ll boil them for you, so just wait. Your place is right in front, isn’t it?”
“Oh, no, that’s fine. My house must be a complete mess; don’t go and see such a disgraceful sight.”
“Ugh. Since when has the way you live been tidy? Just stay put. I’ll go and straighten up a bit. It’s no good leaving a house empty for too long.”
Carrying the shopping bag, Manager Moon started to walk away. At that, Ms. Shin called out with a slightly softened expression.
“*Seongnim*.”
Manager Moon, who had been opening the door, looked back.
“Please, don’t be hard on our Yeonwoo. Treat her well. She’s such a kind child.”
Manager Moon, who had been listening as if letting the words go in one ear and out the other, peeked back in and asked,
“But tell me. She is your biological daughter, right? You didn’t pick her up from under a bridge or by the railroad tracks, did you?”
“What are you talking about? She’s my own daughter, born from my own suffering. Why ask that?”
“Eh. It’s just, she doesn’t look like you at all.”
“…….”
“She doesn’t look like you, not even a little. She’s like a different species.”
“Why are you hitting a person’s bones on your way out? Do you want my broken leg to break again?”
Ms. Shin raised her voice in protest, but Manager Moon had already disappeared through the sliding door.
*
Yeonwoo’s outfit arrived in exactly forty minutes, brought by the manager of the nearest Seoryang Department Store herself. Though it was a simple bundle, there was no need to try on everything; the very first dress was perfect.
As Yeonwoo changed, the manager expertly made adjustments. Standing still with her arms slightly spread, Yeonwoo let out a slow, tense breath.
“Is it too tight?”
“No. It’s fine.”
The manager cinched the waist, double-checking the fit. Since there was no time for alterations, she had chosen a dress adjustable by laces, and the skirt flowed elegantly without feeling burdensome.
She then brought out a few pieces of jewelry.
“I assumed your features would be distinct, so I brought accessories that aren’t too flashy.”
“Oh, I see.”
As Yeonwoo nodded, the manager skillfully flipped the boxes to reveal the logos, placing her branch’s business cards on the table. It was to be expected. This was a direct instruction from Managing Director Nam Seongheon of Seoryang Construction, and the manager understood that the status of his companion was beyond anything she could fathom.
While Yeonwoo put on her earrings, the manager laid out shoes in various sizes, naturally placing her business card atop the others. When Yeonwoo stood in the finished ensemble, her height increased, and she felt a wave of worry about whether she could walk properly in the heels.
Then, she stared blankly at the formal wear from Domyeong Boutique lying on the bed. Wrapped in black silk, she felt dizzy, realizing she had almost committed a terrible mistake.
“It looks like everything is ready. Is there anything uncomfortable?”
“No. Thank you.”
Her breath felt heavy and the shoes precarious, but it was a burden she had to bear. The manager performed a final, satisfied check.
“It suits you well. You are beautiful.”
“Thank you.”
The manager packed her things, bowed deeply—almost reverently—toward Yeonwoo, and offered her card.
“It is an honor to have served you. Please, call upon us anytime.”
Taken aback, Yeonwoo stood awkwardly. Hesitating, wondering if she would ever have a reason to visit again, she finally asked,
“Um, what about these… should I just return them later?”
Thinking of the Domyeong Boutique policy, she assumed the items were temporary. The manager turned back, bowed again, and replied.
“Managing Director Nam Seongheon has already paid for them. Thank you.”
Before the startled Yeonwoo could react, the manager left. Yeonwoo stared at the stack of business cards, then at her own reflection, slowly forcing her lips into a smile.
She had to smile. She had to smile well, no matter what.
Because he needed someone to smile for him. It was a chance to repay her debt, and the only opportunity she had to stand in his stead.
Just as she was staring at her reflection, feeling her tense lips rise unnaturally, the room phone rang.
Walking with an uncomfortable gait, careful not to twist her heels, she picked up.
— This is Nam Seongheon. Is everything ready?
His voice cut through the air before she could even greet him, and Yeonwoo curled her fingertips tight.
“Yes. Everything is ready.”
— Then, since the time is up, I’ll see you at the meeting place. The twentieth floor.
“Understood, Managing Director.”
The call ended. Her heart pounded as if it might burst—whether from the tightly cinched waist or the uncomfortable shoes, she couldn’t tell.
*
Manager Moon walked slowly, holding the crumpled shopping bag. In the distance, she could see the villa where Ms. Shin lived.
Ever since she was young, Manager Moon had been the type to prepare grand feasts. It was a skill honed over a lifetime of stirring massive iron cauldrons. But lately, age was catching up. As she worked from dawn, cooking for the site workers, groans would involuntarily escape her lips.
Having squeezed out this time to help Ms. Shin, she walked up a slightly inclined road, lost in thought, until a startlingly loud horn blared from behind her.
“Hey! You there, old woman!”
Wondering what kind of lunatic was honking, Manager Moon turned.
“Old woman! Come here!”
A man with a frame so large the driver’s seat looked cramped was gesturing with a fierce expression. Manager Moon, noticing the tattoos on his arm, wore a twisted expression of distaste.
The man stepped out of the vehicle. Towering and ruffian-like, he approached with a vulgar gait and pointed toward the villa.
“Old woman. Do you know the lady living on the second floor there? Shin Sun-mi.”
Manager Moon scanned him. The glint in his eyes—pitifully small for the size of his face—made her skin crawl. His shaved head was a bruised, bluish hue, and the stench of cigarettes was suffocating.
“Who are you?”
“Damn it, you old hag, just answer the question. Do you know her or not? She lives here, so why don’t I see hide nor hair of her? Huh?”
He pulled a photograph from his pocket.
“Forget about the lady; look at this photo properly. Do you know this woman?”
The ID photo in his thick, fleshy fingers looked tiny. Manager Moon shifted her gaze to see the face.
“I told you to look properly from up close, what are you doing?”
“I’m farsighted. I can’t see things from up close. You’ll be old too one day, see if you can see then.”
“Ha, damn it, farsighted or whatever, just look. Do you know this woman or not?”
Manager Moon’s expression shifted into one of profound bewilderment as she identified the face in the ID photo.
“You don’t know? Old hag, if you live around here, you should know. Have you never seen her?”
It was a photo of Yeonwoo.