Chapter 10
- Your Child Was Born 2021.06.02.
Mi-ran nodded.
Jeong-o first met Ji-heon seven years ago while she was in Australia on a working holiday. Ji-heon had just been discharged from the military, and his hair was sticking up like a chestnut bur. A chill ran up her spine and echoed in her brain. It felt like she’d been hit hard on the head with something heavy.
Jeong-o didn’t say anything, so Mi-ran carefully offered her opinion. Jeong-o was so shocked that she couldn’t speak. Her usually flexible brain seemed to have stopped momentarily. Jeong-o barely managed to open her mouth again.
Just as she was about to ask for more details about the hit-and-run accident, a team member from the next team came to find Mi-ran.
Mi-ran was pulled away by the team member, waving to Jeong-o. The conversation was interrupted at a crucial moment. Jeong-o placed her hand on her chest and pressed down. Her heart was racing. If this was true…
The hand that had been on her chest moved up to cover her mouth. No way.
Even though she trusted Mi-ran, she couldn’t believe it.
She wanted to talk to Mi-ran more and looked for an opening, but the opportunity didn’t come again. Lunchtime ended just like that. Jeong-o also had to put aside her heavy thoughts and focus on her afternoon work. Patiently closing off her emotions was one of the things Jeong-o did best. The first project at the new company began. It was a planning meeting for a new product from an existing client. She thought only Production Team 2 would be attending the meeting, but as the members of Production Team 2 took their seats, the door opened again. People from Team 1 came into the conference room. Of course, Chae Eun-bi was among them. Eun-bi, who met Jeong-o’s eyes, went past her gaze and greeted Mi-ran, who was sitting next to Jeong-o, warmly.
Eun-bi scanned the members of Team 2 and said. Does she not think I’m in the same Team 2? Jeong-o grumbled inwardly. Mi-ran took care of Jeong-o.
Mi-ran introduced Jeong-o once again to the Account Executive (AE: advertising planner) in charge and the members of Production Team 1, and Eun-bi smiled kindly. As if she was meeting her for the first time today.
It seemed like she didn’t want to reveal that they knew each other, so Jeong-o played along well. Soon, the planning team’s AE briefed them on the content received from the client.
Jeong-o was satisfied with the attractive proposal. It was her first time doing an alcohol advertisement, so she was excited.
At the AE’s suggestion, Mi-ran spoke first.
Jeong-o nodded at Mi-ran’s opinion and scribbled copy ideas in her notebook.
In the meantime, the team leader of Team 2 made a joke. Gi-hoon retorted nonchalantly.
People burst into laughter. Jeong-o, who had been slightly nervous, was absorbed into the bright atmosphere and laughed along. Amid the friendly atmosphere, Gi-hoon turned his head and asked Jeong-o.
Was it just her imagination? It seemed like she heard a snicker from around Eun-bi’s seat at Jeong-o’s answer.
Gi-hoon quickly leaned his face into the notebook. The conference room became quiet, focusing on Jeong-o.
The copy she had scribbled after hearing Mi-ran’s opinion flowed out through Gi-hoon’s low voice. Laughter and exclamations erupted from here and there.
Chief Park Young-gwang, who was usually taciturn, admired and raised his thumb.
A male team member from the next team clapped lightly. Amid those exclamations, Eun-bi smiled and said to Jeong-o.
Jeong-o clenched and unclenched her fist under the table. Is she teasing me? It’s frustrating. It’s frustrating, but she can’t get angry because it’s true.
Jeong-o shrugged her shoulders.
I don’t really want to know about your personal affairs? Jeong-o snorted inwardly at Eun-bi’s unnecessary comment. Of course, she showed a business smile on the outside. The AE wrapped up the meeting.
The meeting ended and people got up from their seats. Eun-bi slowly tidied up her things and greeted Jeong-o.
Eun-bi moved her hands sluggishly, as if she was doing it on purpose. A ring sparkled on the ring finger of her left hand. Mi-ran, who was watching Eun-bi, smiled kindly and asked.
As if she had been waiting for this question, Eun-bi’s expression brightened even more.
Eun-bi said, tucking her hair behind her ear. The ring on her left hand boasted a fancy design. Jeong-o couldn’t help but overhear the conversation. But she wasn’t very curious. What Jeong-o was curious about was Jeong Ji-heon’s amnesia. After the conference room was tidied up, Mi-ran, who confirmed that Jeong-o was diligently following her with her eyes, asked.
The two of them were alone in the conference room. It was a good time.
Mi-ran rolled her eyes and pondered, then picked up her cell phone.
Mi-ran accessed a portal site and searched for something for a long time, then showed the cell phone screen to Jeong-o.
「On November 3rd, around 1 PM, an incident occurred in the parking lot of an officetel in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, where a man in his 20s residing in the officetel was hit by a hit-and-run vehicle. The suspect who fled after causing the accident was caught by the police around 7 PM, and the victim was confirmed to be in critical condition.」 Her hands trembled. November 3rd, seven years ago. She remembered that day. The day she was supposed to meet Jeong Ji-heon. The day he promised to pick her up at three o’clock but never showed up. The day she tried to call him dozens of times but eventually received a message that his cell phone was turned off.
Jeong-o gave a strained greeting and returned the cell phone to Mi-ran. She staggered, the way to her seat was dizzy. It felt like the floor and ceiling had been reversed. In the midst of the chaos, Park Seung-gyu’s words from a few hours ago suddenly came to mind.
Clearly, he had said that he didn’t even remember properly. Was that about amnesia? She couldn’t stay still. She had to check it herself. Jeong-o changed direction and strode towards Ji-heon’s office. Her footsteps quickened as if they had gained momentum, and by the time she reached the front of the office, she was almost running.
“What’s going on?”
As Jeong-o reached for the door to the executive office, the secretary guarding it asked.
“Is the director in his office?”
“He’s probably in the lounge.”
“Okay. Thank you.”
Jeong-o turned and ran towards the lounge. The lounge on the 9th floor was quite spacious. It was a space equipped with tables and chairs that could be used for various purposes, as well as many books, massage chairs, entertainment facilities, and simple refreshments. Ji-heon, who had just parted ways with a client who had visited the company, turned around at the vaguely irritating sound of footsteps. He swallowed hard as he identified the woman entering the lounge. His body tensed up. Lee Jeong-o again… Ji-heon tried not to reveal his discomfort as he stared at her. She, too, spotted Ji-heon a few steps away and stopped. Her mouth was tightly shut, but her ribcage was prominent. Her small shoulders shook each time she inhaled and exhaled. Ji-heon turned his head back at the sight of her looking like she had lost something precious. He couldn't fathom that he was the object of her gaze. He thought she was looking at someone else over his shoulder. But there was no one behind Ji-heon. No, there was no one in the lounge. Only him and Lee Jeong-o. Jeong-o bit her lip, feeling like tears would burst out before words. What should she say first? After running around so much to find him, her mind felt clouded as she stood before him.
'You really don't remember? Really? Nothing at all?'
Did you really forget me? Not pretending to forget, but really forgot?
'Then, you don't even know we have a child?'
You don't even know you became a father? Her chest pounded so hard it ached. Suppressing her emotions, she managed to open her mouth with difficulty.
“……Do you know who I am?”
“I know.”
Ji-heon answered easily.
“Copywriter Lee Jeong-o.”
It was a heavy voice, but a terribly perfunctory answer. The coldness shattered her heart, which had been a ruin for a long time.
“……Besides that?”
“Is there anything else I need to know?”
Nothing remained for him.
“I’d rather talk about what happened this morning.”
For him, the conflict from a few hours ago was more important than the past from years ago. She was faced with a miserable reality. How? How could you forget me? Her heart felt like it was tearing apart, like it was about to explode, so Jeong-o had to cover her chest with her hands again. How could you forget me! What kind of person were you to me. What kind of person was I to you, how could you forget. How! The man in front of her showed no reaction even after seeing her distorted face. She wanted to grab his collar and demand answers, she wanted to punch his chest. But, endlessly, hopelessly, he was a pitiable man.
'……How much did it hurt. How badly were you hurt to lose your memories…….'
She wanted to embrace the cold man who looked at her like a stranger, like a foreign substance on the back of his hand, and wail. Have you been well? Huh? Have you been well after completely forgetting me? What about you? I was scared. It was just you disappearing from my life, but the whole world was darkness to me. It was like my eyes had been gouged out, I couldn't see anything. I wandered through that darkness and gave birth to a child.
'Your child was born. Your child that you don't know about…….'
That child is now seven years old. Very pretty, very smart, and mature like you. The time you missed keeps growing. Our child is growing up. So beautifully that it breaks my heart…….
Tens of thousands of words trapped in her heart were about to pour out at once. So Jeong-o couldn't say anything and just moved her lips. Finally, tears faster than words fell in a straight line to the floor. The gaze of Ji-heon, who had been stubbornly maintaining his coldness, wavered. At that moment.
“Oppa. Were you here?”
A woman's voice was heard. A voice that Jeong-o also knew.
“You said you went to see Father and Mother this morning. They said to come together next time.”
It was Chae Eun-bi. Eun-bi continued to speak as she walked from a distance, without even checking if Ji-heon was alone. It was a lounge, but she didn't care if anyone else was there besides Ji-heon.
“It’s so hard to see your face even though we’re in the same company.”
That affectionate voice felt like an awl piercing Jeong-o's heart. Jeong-o quickly wiped away her tears.
“……Oppa?”
Eun-bi, who had approached, tilted her head. Only then did she realize that Ji-heon was not alone and frowned briefly. But soon she smoothed her expression and stood side by side with him, linking her arm with Ji-heon's.
“Oppa. Did I not tell you?”
It was as if she was introducing Jeong-o to Ji-heon, but Jeong-o knew. That she was trying to show off Ji-heon to her.
“Lee Jeong-o, my friend. A high school classmate.”
Eun-bi, having finished her kind introduction, asked Jeong-o.
“Jeong-o, what’s wrong?”
What's wrong with my man? Eun-bi's question meant that. The ring on her hand, tightly holding Ji-heon's arm, sparkled painfully. ……My child's father had a fiancée.
