Chapter 20
20. One Week Left 2021.07.07.
13 years ago. Midterm exam day at ○○ High School. The second period was Classical Chinese. A subject where students with good memorization skills could finish the questions in 10 minutes. Eun-bi sat in the third seat of the last row in the class, which was arranged in exam formation. It was a good spot to do other things without being noticed by the teacher. A good spot to use cheat sheets. Cutting an A4 paper in half, filling both sides densely, and putting it in your sleeve made it undetectable. Eun-bi solved her memorization subjects like that every time. Now, she had become so skilled that she could take it out and look at it the moment the teacher turned around. After finishing the exam safely like that. The children moved busily during the break. Someone nudged Eun-bi's seat, and Eun-bi's desk became crooked, out of line. Eun-bi was annoyed inside and straightened her desk. In the meantime, the cheat sheet in her sleeve fell to the floor. Thud. The first person to discover it was Lee Jung-oh, diagonally across from her.
“Eun-bi, you dropped this.”
Eun-bi felt like her heart, not the cheat sheet, had dropped. Jung-oh handed the paper, which looked like a cheat sheet at a glance, to Eun-bi without any expression.
“Thank you.”
She greeted him briefly and snatched the paper away.
‘Did Lee Jung-oh see it? What if he tells the teacher? What if I get a zero?’
Eun-bi had made cheat sheets for previous exams as well. What if that got caught too? Even if she destroyed the evidence, she wasn't confident she could get the same score if she had to retake the exam. She felt like her blood was drying up. In the end, Eun-bi ruined the next exam because she was worried about the cheat sheet. It would be a disaster if her family found out about the exam results. Eun-bi was the youngest daughter of a family of legal professionals. Her mother was a law school professor, her father was a judge, and her Oppa was an S University law student preparing for law school. Her parents were people who thought studying was the easiest thing in life. They took good grades for granted and couldn't understand bad grades. Eun-bi had lived suffocatingly in that environment. In that situation, if her cheating on other exams was discovered... For several days after the midterm exam, Eun-bi felt like she was walking on thin ice. Every time Jung-oh got up from his seat, Eun-bi was afraid. It felt like Jung-oh would run to the teacher and spill everything at any moment. Anxious, Eun-bi decided to win Jung-oh over.
“Jung-oh, do you want this? I've never used it.”
Eun-bi held out a lip gloss from her favorite luxury brand. It was a method she often used with her friends. Her friends always gladly accepted the gifts. The friends who received the gifts became tools that were easy to take advantage of. But Jung-oh was different from Eun-bi's friends.
“No. It's okay.”
“It would be nice to have one.”
“No. I don't wear makeup. It's really okay.”
Inside, she was very anxious. Did he think it was a bribe? Was that why he couldn't accept it?
“You're pretty already, so you'd be even prettier if you wore makeup. And this is a luxury brand.”
“I really don't need it, Eun-bi.”
Jung-oh refused until the end. For some reason, it felt like Jung-oh was despising her.
“Thanks for thinking of me. Sorry.”
Jung-oh left coldly like that. After that, Eun-bi became even more afraid of Jung-oh. She had to make sure that no one could believe Jung-oh's words as soon as possible. Before he became a bomb, quickly.
\\ Thursday morning, when the hearts of office workers swell with anticipation for the weekend. Yena cheerfully said, pulling her head out of the neck of her T-shirt.
“Mom, one week left!”
“For what?”
“Don't you know what day next Thursday is?”
How could she not know when her daughter had said it a hundred times? Children live with the joy of waiting. Waiting for Christmas, waiting for Children's Day, waiting for their birthdays. That waiting raises the child. Jeong-o realized that her daughter had grown a lot since this time last year. Already seven years old. Yena was born without completing the full 40 weeks. The 2.7kg baby, born at 37 weeks, made her mother anxious all the time. Even after Jeong-o was discharged from the hospital, the child could not be discharged due to cyanosis, and Jeong-o could not even get postpartum care and went to see her daughter every day. Even after Yena was discharged after a week, Jeong-o continued to worry. There was something else strange about the child. In the middle of the child's forehead, which was as red as a sweet potato, there was a dark spot. She didn't know much about babies, but she had never seen a child like that, so she asked the nurse and was told it was a 'salmon patch.' It appears in many newborns and disappears after one year of age. But Yena's salmon patch has been there since Yena turned seven. As the child's face turned pale, the salmon patch turned red. She wondered if she should get it treated, but the treatment process was complicated, and she had heard many times that it would disappear around puberty, so she was covering her round, pretty forehead with bangs and watching. Somewhere, they call the salmon patch 'an angel's kiss.' It's said to be a mark left by an angel kissing the baby because the baby is so pretty. Jeong-o believes that. Yena must have been an angel in her previous life. That's why she made this world a paradise now. When Yena's salmon patch disappears someday, she thought she would be a little sad. Jeong-o thought she wanted Yena to grow up a little slower.
“What do you want to do for your birthday, Yena?”
“I want to eat cake with Mom and Grandma.”
Yena said her simple dream. Jeong Ji-heon. Our child's seventh birthday is approaching. \ Team 2 of Max Planning production. Jeong-o had sensed something strange for several days. It felt like Mi-ran was distancing herself from her for some reason. But she didn't reveal it as much as to be noticeable. Seong Mi-ran was a fair person to everyone, except that the kindness she had felt at the beginning of her employment had faded a little. More than that, Jeong-o was more concerned about Production Team 1. She thought that Jo Si-nae, Assistant Manager of Production Team 1, was treating her coldly, but from some point on, she felt that she was openly ignoring her. At first, only Jo Si-nae did that, but today it seemed that Jo Yuri, Assistant Manager, had joined in. What was bitter was that they were careful in front of other people. It was most dangerous when she was away from her team members or when Jeong-o was left alone in the conference room. It was tiring, although it was just criticizing Jeong-o's ideas late or making strange requests. Today, Jo Si-nae, Assistant Manager, spoke to her while Production Team 2 was away.
“Assistant Manager Lee Jung-oh. I heard you have a company dinner with Tawon Liquor today, right?”
“Yes? No. I haven't heard about it.”
“I think you should try to listen more. You can't be the only one who doesn't know when everyone else knows.”
“It's okay since I know now.”
Jeong-o coldly retorted, feeling bitter because her tone resembled Eun-bi's. Si-nae, who was flaring her nostrils at Jeong-o's reaction, said.
“The client wanted to have a dinner with the production team, so it was arranged urgently. But the account executive in charge is on a business trip. Unfortunately.”
“……”
“We're all busy with our own work, so I'd appreciate it if Assistant Manager Lee could find a place. Please.”
That was today's strange request. Finding a place for a company dinner wasn't that difficult, so Jeong-o readily nodded.
“Yes. I understand.”
But.
“You have to go in person.”
“Yes?”
“If you call, they might just give you a rough idea. Go in person, check the place and the menu, and then call us. And pick up the client.”
Jo Si-nae, Assistant Manager, wanted the client service package. At this point, she could be called Little Chae Eun-bi, right?
“I hope the AE gets in touch in the middle. The AE would do a good job, but I feel uncomfortable asking Assistant Manager Lee.”
“If you're uncomfortable, you can go with me.”
“I can't do that. I'm too busy. Anyway, I trust you. Assistant Manager Lee.”
Si-nae smiled. * Tawon Liquor's working-level staff urgently contacted them, saying they wanted to meet the production team. It was a slightly difficult situation for Ji-heon because the AE in charge and the planning team leader were on a business trip. The client, who said they would come to the company, was at the level of a section chief. They weren't people that Ji-heon needed to personally entertain with drinks. But he was more interested in the rice cake than the Buddhist prayer. They said they wanted to meet the production team, so Lee Jung-oh would show up too. He was curious about what Lee Jung-oh would look like at the company dinner. Ji-heon moved to the production team's side. Production Team 1 was almost all there, but Production Team 2 was empty.
“There's no one in Production Team 2.”
Ji-heon spoke to Jo Yuri, Assistant Manager, who was sitting at the very end. Yuri stuttered and answered.
“Yes? Th-th-th... Assistant Manager Go and Employee Song went to print shooting, and Assistant Manager Lee said he was going to find a place for the company dinner because Tawon Liquor was coming.”
Ji-heon's eyebrows twitched.
“He already left?”
“Yes? Th-th... because the client said they were coming early.”
Before Yuri could finish answering, Ji-heon turned around and left. Ji-heon immediately called Mi-ran.
“Team Leader, this is Jeong Ji-heon. Please send me the contact information for Lee Jung-oh, Assistant Manager, from your team.”
The excuse was good. With the important matter of the client coming to the company, Ji-heon had no choice but to contact Jeong-o. Mi-ran immediately sent Jeong-o's contact information. It was raining outside the window. Haha. A company dinner on a rainy day. Jeong-o, who came down to the first floor, sighed sadly. Outside the building, through the glass door, heavy rain could be seen. It suddenly started pouring, so it seemed like it was just passing rain. But she still had to buy an umbrella. Because she had to meet the client. Jeong-o turned around and went to the convenience store inside the building. But there wasn't a single umbrella to be seen, which had been so full on clear days.
“Are all the umbrellas sold out?”
“Yes. It suddenly rained, so they're all gone.”
What should she do about this? If it was just a company dinner with her team members, it wouldn't matter if she looked like a drowned rat, but since it was a company dinner with the client, she had to look presentable. Haha. Her first company dinner after joining the company was with the client. Wow, her heart is swelling. She was standing blankly in front of the entrance, waiting for the rain to subside, when her pocket vibrated. It was an unknown phone number.
“This is Lee Jung-oh.”
[Assistant Manager Lee Jung-oh.]
Jeong-o was overwhelmed when she heard her name over the phone. She remembered that day seven years ago. The day Jeong Ji-heon called her and told her never to contact him again. Jeong-o had never doubted that voice, which was unclear whether it was Jeong Ji-heon or not. This voice now. This is Jeong Ji-heon.
“Yes. Director.”
[You recognize my voice. Where are you now?]
“First floor of the building.”
Thud. The call ended quickly. The heart, soaked in memories that weren't worth remembering, felt dazed. Ji-heon took the elevator with an umbrella. For some reason, she seemed like she wouldn't have one. But, going down, he met Seung-gyu. Seung-gyu's face lit up as soon as he saw Ji-heon.
“Oh. You have an umbrella! Let's share.”
Seung-gyu clung to him more happily than ever. In just a few days, the dark clouds around Seung-gyu had completely disappeared. He was back to being Ji-heon's precious friend, standing by his side. But today, the spot next to me… it's not you.
“I heard you're going to a company dinner? The client is coming?”
Ji-heon chuckled at his friend, who seemed to know all the news from his department. As he got out of the elevator, he saw Lee Jung-oh standing outside the main entrance. Ji-heon handed the umbrella to Seung-gyu.
“Here, use this.”
“Huh? What about you?”
“I'll just run.”
“What are you talking about? We can share.”
“Just take it.”
“……”
“Come out in three minutes, instead.”
“……”
“I'm going first.”
Ji-heon took long strides and walked away. Seung-gyu looked back and forth between the umbrella and Ji-heon. Jeong-o stood there blankly, waiting for the rain to subside. Just then, a shadow fell over her shoulder from behind.
“Do you have an umbrella?”
It was Ji-heon. No, he could have talked from a little further away. Why was he sticking his face over her shoulder? What if she cracked her head trying to turn around? How could someone who injured their head seven years ago be so careless? Even in this situation, Jeong-o couldn't help but worry about his well-being.
“No, I don't, Director.”
At Jeong-o's answer, Ji-heon casually took off his suit jacket and held it over her head.
“Let's go together.”
He… he wants to hold this up and go together? It was a proposal that was more frightening than exciting.
“No. It's okay. I'm going to buy an umbrella over there.”
Jeong-o shook her head and pointed to the convenience store across the street.
“Then, just to there.”
Ji-heon was relentless. He gently pushed her back. Without any preparation, Jeong-o was thrown into the unrelenting rain. All the preparation was Ji-heon's responsibility. His arm, extended from behind as if to embrace her, held the jacket up firmly. The suit jacket, dozens of times more expensive than an umbrella, reliably blocked the rain. With every movement, her round shoulder brushed against his broad chest. His body temperature seemed to be added to her body, which had been feeling chilly from the sudden rain. The sound of the rain pattering mixed with the sound of her heart.
From afar, Seung-gyu stared blankly at the scene.
“That ba…….”
A curse word that hadn't even come out when he was talking rudely to his friend a few days ago suddenly burst out. But his face was full of smiles. He was planning to tease him vigorously from tomorrow.
