Chapter 84
84. Please Come to Your Senses! 2022.02.16.
The new package design for Tawon Liquor's new product barely passed. Ji-heon visited Tawon Liquor's headquarters with the designer to see it through to the end. If the samples were made tonight according to the design, they had to be checked immediately and sent to the filming location tomorrow. The designer was the busiest, but Jeong-o was so busy running around that she forgot that the MianTalk teaser ad aired today. It was late in the afternoon when Jeong-o went to the video site to check people's reactions. "It's a heartwarming ad after a long time," "The warm copy tugs at my heart," "I need to call my parents," "I'm looking forward to the full ad"... There were quite a few favorable reviews. Of course, the main ad that followed had to get a good response, but it seemed that they had succeeded to some extent in raising people's expectations. It's most rewarding when an ad causes a stir and boosts sales of a product, but even at times like this, I feel proud as a copywriter. When a line of copy I wrote seeps into somewhere in people's hearts. Jeong-o wanted to show the new ad to Guk-soon, so she sent her a text message and continued working. On the way back from going to the AE about the ad shoot tomorrow, she ran into Seung-gyu in the hallway. Seung-gyu greeted her with a bright expression.
“Hello, Ms. Lee.”
“Yes, hello, Mr. Chae.”
When Jeong-o replied with a smile, Seung-gyu came closer and lowered his voice as much as possible.
“I heard about it from Ji-heon.”
“Yes, I heard that you told him too.”
“It's a strange relationship in many ways.”
“I agree. I was surprised that Do-bin's father was you.”
“Do you have time to talk for a moment?”
When Jeong-o kindly agreed, Seung-gyu pointed to an empty conference room nearby. In the conference room, Seung-gyu showed Jeong-o a video on his phone. Jeong-o's eyes widened as she received Seung-gyu's phone. It was a video of Ji-heon and his friends at a drinking party. Ji-heon's youthful appearance was playing on the screen.
“This is……”
“It's Ji-heon from seven years ago. It must have been around June.”
“……”
“It's a look I couldn't see again after he woke up from the accident.”
In a noisy pub, Ji-heon was smiling gently with a slightly flushed face. Even when the friends around him asked what good thing was happening, Ji-heon just drank alone and smiled happily without opening his mouth. Jeong-o's eyes became moist at those kind-looking eyes. June seven years ago. It seemed to be right after Jeong-o and Ji-heon started dating.
“He looks so innocent, right? He wasn't originally like this. When he was in the military, he was steadfast and sincere, but he was so cold in everything he did that he didn't have many friends who got close to him. It seems that he started to show a more human side little by little after traveling to Australia.”
Seung-gyu told the story of that time.
“This friend who was changing like this, his personality changed again at the turning point of the car accident seven years ago. He became a colder guy. It's like the heart disappeared from his chest.”
“……”
“I've always wondered what disappeared from my friend's life that made him change like this, and it was Ms. Lee Jeong-o.”
Jeong-o's heart ached at Seung-gyu's words. She thought it was fortunate that Ji-heon had a friend like Seung-gyu by his side. On the other hand, she also felt sorry. It seems that Ji-heon from seven years ago didn't know that Seung-gyu was such a good friend. So he wouldn't have talked to him openly. She was sincerely grateful to Seung-gyu for not giving up on the cold and taciturn Ji-heon and maintaining a good relationship.
“Thank you for showing me. And for telling me the story.”
Jeong-o greeted him with sincerity.
\ Guksun's Home-style Meal. Yena was sitting at the table, just looking at the entrance. Soon the door opened.
“Mom.”
“Yena, my princess! Did you finish your meal?”
Jeong-o, who had finished work and left on time, approached Yena and asked.
“No. I waited to eat with Mom.”
“Okay. Let's eat quickly.”
Jeong-o, who greeted Guk-soon working alone in the kitchen, sat down facing Yena and ate. She left work early, but tomorrow was the day of the shoot and there was a big issue before, so Jeong-o's phone was on fire. After taking a couple of spoonfuls, the phone rang, and after finishing the call, another call came from somewhere else, so she couldn't eat for a long time. She was stuck on the phone for about 10 minutes before finally gaining freedom. Although 10 minutes had passed, Yena's rice bowl was still the same. Somehow, Yena seemed less energetic than usual. Jeong-o watched her for a few minutes, as the child would not say anything if she didn't like the side dishes and her eating speed would slow down, and then scolded her.
“Lee Yena, you have to eat everything.”
“Mom, can't I stop eating?”
“No. Just eat five more spoonfuls.”
“I can't eat anymore.”
“Okay. Stop eating. But no snacks.”
If she couldn't eat snacks, she would whine and complain, but Yena got up from her seat with a sullen look. Only then did Jeong-o ask Yena.
“Our Yena, you don't seem to be in a good mood? What happened?”
“Mom.”
Yena, encouraged by Jeong-o's attention, said.
“Can't you buy me a cell phone?”
“……Huh?”
“Mom has one and Grandma has one, but only I don't have one.”
“Our Yena is only seven years old, so……”
“The mister can contact Mom whenever he wants, but I can't contact Mom when I miss her.”
While Jeong-o, flustered, was looking for something to say, Yena sharply protested. Did she take it that she had been talking to Ji-heon all this time?
“Yena. Mom was talking on the phone for work……”
“Buy me one! A cell phooone!”
Waaaaah. Before Jeong-o could explain further, Yena suddenly burst into tears. A customer who opened the restaurant door heard Yena's cry and stood there for a moment in embarrassment. Jeong-o soothed Yena and fed her dinner while looking into cell phones for children. She thought it would be okay to have one if it was a cell phone that only allowed calls and text messages without other functions. She liked the fact that it also had a location tracking function, so she could prepare for any unforeseen events. Jeong-o visited a cell phone store with Yena and opened a cell phone. A cute cell phone about the size of a credit card fit perfectly in the child's hand. A cute child is holding something cute. The child looked into the cell phone with a face as bright as if she had never cried. It was a cell phone with no functions other than calls and text messages, but the child seemed happy just to have something of her own, just to have her own number. Jeong-o sternly told Yena.
“Lee Yena. I didn't buy this for you because you cried. I'm buying it so you can call Mom right away if a suspicious person appears. Got it?”
“Yes!”
“It'll be like that in the future too. I won't listen to you if you cry and whine. Got it?”
“Yes!”
Despite Yena's cheerful answer, Jeong-o's worries piled up.
“Hoo, Mom is worried. If you get a cell phone, Do-bin will want one too.”
\ After going out on a business trip, the day flew by and it was soon evening. It was Monday with a lot of work to do, so Ji-heon couldn't leave work late. His eyes kept getting tired because he hadn't slept much looking at the child's picture. Ji-heon put down his work for a while, leaned his head on the chair, and closed his eyes. Knock knock. Without a moment's rest, there was a knock on the door from outside.
“Yes.”
Ji-heon straightened his back and answered. The door opened. He thought that the employees who were still left would have something to report and knocked on the door, but it was Chae Eun-yeop. Ji-heon's expression hardened coldly. In the morning, Ji-heon formally notified him that he would terminate the advisory contract with Eun-yeop's law firm. He thought it was a pretty big law firm, so he thought he could easily throw away one Max Planning, but he was a little surprised that Eun-yeop came in person. As soon as Eun-yeop entered the office, he looked at Ji-heon's face and asked in surprise.
“Ji-heon, are you okay? You don't look good.”
“It's none of your business.”
Ji-heon coldly retorted to Eun-yeop, who asked about his well-being in a nonchalant manner.
“Did you come because of the contract? If so, it's a wasted trip.”
Ji-heon, who was wondering whether to get up or not, got up from his seat and walked to the door.
“There's no going back on the decision. I hope you'll handle it according to the procedure, and return your access card before you leave.”
Ji-heon, who firmly grabbed the doorknob, let go of his hand for a moment.
“And by any chance, do you have contact with your sister?”
Since it would be difficult to meet again, he had to tell her what he had to tell her while he was here.
“She's been absent without permission for a long time and hasn't properly handed over her work. So that team is in a very difficult situation right now. If you meet your sister, please tell her. If she wants to quit the company, she should quit properly.”
“Haa. Ji-heon, think about it. Why would my sister be doing this now?”
Eun-yeop continued his answer with a hollow laugh as if he was frustrated.
“Wouldn't it be too absurd from my sister's point of view? She's been looking at you for four years, and even if she got married, it would be said that it's too late, but her boyfriend was shamelessly two-timing her. It's not about coming to work. Does my sister even want to live now?”
“Don't you know that nothing happened between Chae Eun-bi and me? I even told you that I was in trouble because Chae Eun-bi was spreading rumors. Me.”
“It’s not a fabrication. You and Eun-bi were in a consensual relationship.”
Ji-heon’s eyebrows furrowed at Eun-yeop’s provocative words.
“I unilaterally listened to you and thought my sister was at fault, but after properly hearing my sister’s side, it was unbelievable.”
“……”
“Using my sister as your girlfriend for four years, that was exploitation, Ji-heon.”
Before visiting the office, Eun-yeop had considered various situations and written a script. Act shamelessly and confidently. It was one of the things Eun-yeop did best. That detestable bastard. You’ll never escape us. Jeong Ji-heon. Ji-heon’s face, only flashing his eyes as he couldn’t use force against her in this place, seemed ridiculous. The fact that he looked exhausted, probably from doing something last night, was also a good sign.
“And Ms. Jang was saying. Lee Jung-oh claims she gave birth to your child.”
“……”
“Ji-heon, do you really think you know that Lee Jung-oh woman properly? Do you really think that child is your daughter? How can you be so sure?”
Despite Ji-heon’s cynicism, Eun-yeop continued to speak.
“How close were you and I seven years ago? You’re not the type to like a woman like Lee Jung-oh. I don’t know what kind of memories Lee Jung-oh forcibly implanted in you, but you’re being used.”
Eun-yeop distorted her face as if she was genuinely worried about her friend and appealed to him.
“Your memories are wrong, Ji-heon. Please, come to your senses!”
Doubt your memories. Don’t trust your judgment. Don’t trust yourself, Jeong Ji-heon.
