Misuk said irritably,
“I’ll give it to you when I have it. Was there ever a time I didn’t give it when I had money? Even if you told me to eat it and die, I have no money.”
At Misuk’s words, Han Na-Eun got straight to the point.
“But really, why did you come? You wouldn’t have come all this way just to bring me a cake. Did you fight with Han Na-Young?”
Misuk hesitated.
“No, well. It’s not so much that we fought, but that girl Han Na-Young has a nasty temper. She doesn’t even know how to look after her own mother.”
“That’s how she’s always been. Isn’t it because you raised her to be selfish?”
At Han Na-Eun’s words, Misuk shrieked.
“Why is Han Na-Young’s bad temper my fault? Look at how such a mean thing came from someone with a personality as good as mine. It’s all because Han Na-Young’s father had a shitty temper.”
Han Na-Eun kept her mouth shut. In the end, Misuk wasn’t at ease, either.
“Did you eat dinner?”
She asked out of politeness, but Misuk seized the opportunity as if she had been waiting for it.
“No. I didn’t. Let’s eat together.”
Han Na-Eun shook her head.
“I have a part-time job at night with Han Jiho. I have to go.”
“What part-time job? You work with a child in tow?”
Han Na-Eun feigned even more hardship as she spoke.
“I watch other children. I feed them dinner and such. How else am I supposed to make money? Maybe if you gave me some, Mom.”
To Han Na-Eun’s groaning, Misuk didn’t even pretend to listen.
“Goodness, you’ll never get away from children for the rest of your life. How are you going to meet a man and get married like that?”
“If you were in my shoes, would anyone marry a single mother with a kid like me in this day and age?”
“If they love you enough, they could!”
As Misuk kept shouting in a high-pitched tone, Han Jiho looked at his grandmother and said,
“Grandma, don’t yell at my mom.”
Misuk looked at Han Jiho, bewildered.
“What?”
“Don’t yell at my mom.”
When Han Jiho added that in his childish pronunciation, Misuk clicked her tongue.
“Always only cares about his mom.”
Then she muttered under her breath,
“Even though he doesn’t even know who his real mom is.”
Hearing that, Han Na-Eun bristled.
“What did you just say?”
“No, I didn’t say anything.”
As Misuk turned her head away nonchalantly, Han Na-Eun shouted. She really didn’t want to hear such things. Did Misuk even have the right to say that to Han Jiho at this point? Coming from the person who said she’d send him to an orphanage, no less.
“I asked what you just said. If you’re going to say things like that, don’t come at all. Why are you so reckless?”
Misuk clicked her tongue again.
“Fine. I’m the burden. Everywhere I go.”
“Can you really not get along with Han Na-Young?”
“Who says I can’t get along? Fine. Just go.”
Misuk climbed into the large car Han Na-Young had brought. Looking at the vehicle, Han Na-Eun said,
“Mom, you ride in a nicer car.”
“This is Han Na-Young’s.”
“You two live together; one car is enough, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. Take care.”
As if she didn’t want to say anything more, Misuk drove off. Han Na-Eun sighed and hugged Han Jiho tight.
“Han Jiho, let’s go too.”
She strapped the child into the car seat and drove away, but tears kept falling. This was her reality. Last night with Choi Kang-Woo was just a one-night dream.
Her reality wasn’t Choi Kang-Woo, but her stepmother, her sister, and Han Jiho. She wished Misuk and Han Na-Young would never look for her again. It would be best if she could just live alone with Han Jiho without worrying about anything. Since she had brought up the subject of money, Misuk wouldn’t be coming by for a while.
* * *
Because Han Na-Eun got off work a little late, Minho, who had been waiting only for Han Na-Eun and Han Jiho, scurried out to greet them.
“Teacher. You’re here?”
At that, Ms. Kim said from the side,
“He wouldn’t say a word to me, but as soon as the teacher comes, he finds his voice. Anyway, Teacher, I’ll be heading off now. I trimmed all the vegetables and put them in the fridge, and I made some soup too. They boiled oxtail in the Main Building today. I put in some brisket and let it simmer, so it should be good to eat. Please have it while it’s hot.”
At Ms. Kim’s words, Han Na-Eun smiled brightly and handed her one of the bags she had brought.
“Yes. Ms. Kim, we made kimchi at the kindergarten today. It’s very mild so the kids can eat it, but I thought it would be nice to put this on Minho’s grandparents’ table.”
“Oh my. Minho made this kimchi? Oh my, something like this. I must go put it out right away. Chairman Choi and his wife will be so pleased.”
Ms. Kim went out happily, carrying the bag of kimchi. It was just a small portion, but she knew they’d be pleased to hear their five-year-old grandson had made it.
“Did our Minho wash up already?”
“Yes!”
“Then our Han Jiho, let’s wash your hands and feet and change your clothes.”
“Yes!”
Now that work was over, the second act began. After Han Na-Eun finished dinner with the children and did the dishes, she quietly put on some music. The children were deep into building blocks. In the living room where quiet music played, Minho and Han Jiho were stacking blocks.
Exhausted from the aftermath of last night, Han Na-Eun was dozing off, leaning sideways on the sofa. The physical toll had been no joke. But she also felt happy. The thought that she had done it too, that this is how a man and woman become one and a baby is made—while thinking that, her mind was entirely filled with Choi Kang-Woo.
But she was worried. Up until this morning, she had been able to have breakfast together with a brazen face, but after getting off work, she felt she had no confidence to face Choi Kang-Woo. She hoped with all her heart that he would come home a little late today as she took care of the children and prepared to read to them, but Choi Kang-Woo arrived.
Choi Kang-Woo had been in a good mood all day. Meetings had continued past his off-work time, and while everyone else was wilted like tired spinach, Choi Kang-Woo alone was energetic. It was the same now. He came home in the same condition as when he left. As soon as he arrived, the children greeted him.
“It’s Uncle! Welcome back, Uncle.”
As Han Jiho greeted him, Minho followed suit.
“Welcome, Uncle.”
Though still a little awkward, Minho greeted him along with Han Jiho and immediately sat in front of Han Na-Eun to ask her to read a book. Han Na-Eun looked at Choi Kang-Woo and greeted him in a low, mumbling voice.
“Welcome back, Director.”
Her gaze was fixed on the floor, as if it were difficult to meet his eyes.
“Yes.”
Choi Kang-Woo also replied briefly and went up to the second floor. It was his routine to wash up and change his clothes upon returning. She was reading a fairy tale to the children when Choi Kang-Woo came back down to the first floor.
“Is something the matter?”
When Han Na-Eun asked, Choi Kang-Woo sat next to them.
“I’ll read the book today. Teacher Han, please take a rest.”
Han Na-Eun looked at him with wide eyes, but the children were already reacting with excitement.
“Oh? Uncle is reading us a book!”
As Han Jiho jumped for joy, Minho stomped his feet and laughed along beside him. Seeing the bright faces of the children, Choi Kang-Woo gained confidence and opened the book.
As Choi Kang-Woo lowered his voice and began to read with focus, Han Jiho soon crossed his arms and tilted his head. He interrupted Choi Kang-Woo’s story and said,
“Nah, that’s boring if you do it like that.”
At Han Jiho’s words, Choi Kang-Woo put the book down and looked at the children with a slightly bewildered expression.
“What? What’s boring?”
When Choi Kang-Woo asked, Han Jiho continued his explanation with a confident look.
“Wolves have to make a loud sound, like ‘Grrr!’”
Han Jiho waved both hands in the air and let out a “Grrr!” at the top of his lungs, mimicking a real wolf. Minho followed along, letting out a loud “Grrr!” as well.
Choi Kang-Woo tilted his head and muttered quietly.
“That’s not right? Wolves don’t go ‘Grrr.’ They make a sound like… ‘Awoooo—’”
At that moment, Han Na-Eun felt her face turn beet red. She remembered explaining to the kids yesterday that wolves go “Grrr.” She dodged Choi Kang-Woo’s gaze as he looked at her.
The children began to discuss the wolf sound, facing each other. Han Jiho asked with a suspicious look.
“Then when a wolf attacks a person, does it attack going ‘Awoooo—’ instead of ‘Grrr!’?”
At Han Jiho’s question, Choi Kang-Woo looked at the book with a troubled expression, then finally began to imitate a wolf’s howl, going “Awoooo—” next to Minho. Seeing that, Minho also began to howl seriously, trying to make his voice as deep as a wolf.
Choi Kang-Woo couldn’t hold back his laughter and covered his face with his hands.
“What is this… why did it get so complicated?”
With a sigh, Choi Kang-Woo closed the book.
“Why are you reading such difficult books? Let’s read a different one.”
As Choi Kang-Woo flipped through other books, the children looked at him with sparkling eyes. They seemed to be expecting a new story. Then, Choi Kang-Woo pulled out another book from the side. It was *The Little Mermaid*. Seeing the cover, Han Jiho shook his head vigorously.
“I don’t like princesses!”