Chapter 90
90. We Finally Meet 2022.03.09.
Jeong-o bought Yena ice cream as promised. Ji-heon didn't join them. He dropped Jeong-o and Yena off at the ice cream shop and left. They had been together since the previous evening, and Yena felt a pang of disappointment as her dad disappeared again.
“Mom, isn’t Dad coming to eat ice cream?”
“Dad has things to do. He’s talking to Dad’s father right now. So, Yena’s grandfather.”
“Yena has a grandfather too?”
“Yes. Isn’t it amazing?”
Yena couldn't smile at Jeong-o's excited story. She was honestly nervous.
“But Mom, what if the test results say no? What if it says Yena isn’t Dad’s daughter? Then Grandpa isn’t Yena’s grandpa either, right?”
Hearing the child’s worries, Jeong-o pulled Yena into a hug. She felt sorry that the child had been anxious all along. How should she explain this?
“You don’t have to worry about that. Yena being Dad’s daughter is like planting beans and getting beans, planting red beans and getting red beans.”
“But beans and red beans might not grow.”
“Why wouldn’t beans and red beans grow? When you plant beans and red beans?”
“The teacher said that for seeds to sprout, grow leaves, and bear fruit, they need water, sunlight, good soil, and protection from bugs.”
“Oh, my smart daughter.”
That’s right. It takes a village to raise a child. It takes immense attention and immense love. Jeong-o smiled contentedly and hugged Yena tighter. Just as they finished their ice cream, Jeong-o’s phone vibrated. The results were in.
“Yena, let’s go see Dad now.”
* Ji-heon had informed his father Jaekwang and mother Youngmi that he had gone to get a DNA test. He even told them which facility he used and when the results would be out, so his parents came at the appointed time.
“Mother, you came too.”
Ji-heon, who hadn’t expected Youngmi to come, approached and greeted her. Youngmi snorted dismissively. She had never resented her son as much as she did now. But no matter how much she resented her son, she couldn’t avoid the procedure. The test results were important to Youngmi as well. It would be a big deal whether the child was his or not.
“Yes. Are the results out?”
“It’s time. I’ll be back.”
After checking the time in response to Youngmi’s question, Ji-heon strode toward the research lab’s office. Jaekwang’s secretary, who had been standing by his side, left with Ji-heon. In the ensuing silence, Youngmi asked Jaekwang,
“What brings you here?”
She was displeased that a man who barely showed his face at home had taken the time to come all the way here because of a child who might not even be his son’s.
“I was just passing by.”
Jaekwang turned his face away, looking afraid of Youngmi’s nagging. Fortunately, Ji-heon returned quickly, cutting off their conversation.
“The results?”
Youngmi rushed forward and snatched the results from Ji-heon’s hand. The results stated, just as before, ‘No possibility of being a biological child.’ Youngmi’s eyes gleamed as she confirmed the results.
“It says genetic mismatch. It says he’s not the father.”
“See? What did I tell you!”
When he first claimed that the initial results were wrong, she had been full of doubt, but she had still wanted to believe him because he was her son. But now that the second results also said there was no possibility of him being the father, she was furious.
“Where are the kid and her mother! Did they run away because they were scared? How can something so absurd happen!”
Youngmi’s voice grew louder. Ji-heon and Jaekwang looked displeased. Ji-heon asked Jaekwang,
“Father, what do you think?”
“I feel complicated.”
Youngmi was even more dumbfounded by Jaekwang’s lukewarm reaction.
“Complicated? Is that all you feel? I’m bursting with anger. Just thinking about Ji-heon being played by that mother and daughter.”
“Ji-heon’s mother.”
“Using you! Making me and your father waste our time like this! I can’t let this go, I’m going to sue them for fraud.”
“Hey, honey. Ji-heon’s mother!”
Jaekwang’s voice also rose as he tried to calm the agitated Youngmi. Youngmi looked at Jaekwang. Jaekwang said,
“That was my test.”
“Wh-what?”
“It was a DNA test between me and Ji-heon.”
Youngmi’s eyes shook at Jaekwang’s confession.
“That’s how the DNA test between me and Ji-heon came out. It came out saying that Ji-heon isn’t my biological son.”
“What, what does that mean…”
Youngmi was dazed, unable to understand what Jaekwang was saying. It felt as if Jaekwang was insulting her.
“What nonsense is that? If he’s not your son, then whose son is he!”
She felt wronged and dumbfounded. She had been talking about Lee Jung-oh being a con artist, so why was she being targeted? She couldn’t understand why she was being blamed.
“I can bet my life on it. I can bet my life!”
She was so dumbfounded that tears welled up in her eyes. Youngmi abandoned all pretense and confronted Jaekwang.
“I’ve only looked at you for as long as our Ji-heon’s age, how can you do this to me? What? What test?”
“That’s what I’m saying, you see.”
Jaekwang calmly soothed Youngmi.
“Do I not trust you? Would I doubt Ji-heon?”
“……”
“It’s because you didn’t believe Ji-heon that he even did this test.”
Youngmi’s eyes still trembled uneasily, unable to grasp the meaning of Jaekwang’s words.
“The DNA test that you separately requested, and the DNA test between me and Ji-heon now, they’re both wrong. Whether someone switched the blood or manipulated the results, the test was contaminated.”
“Wh-who?”
“I don’t know. We’ll have to search thoroughly now. To find out which wicked person did it.”
Youngmi’s mouth hung open in dismay. Ji-heon was watching Youngmi indifferently. He had deliberately sought out a research lab that Chae Eun-yeop could easily access. He had pretended to maintain strict security while leaking various pieces of information. So that the information would flow to Eun-yeop. As expected, Eun-yeop had succeeded in manipulating the test results again, through some route or another. He was relieved that the guy had succeeded this time. He needed to confirm that the results of the DNA test between his father and himself had been manipulated so that both his father and mother would be convinced. How do you feel right now, Mother? Youngmi glared at Ji-heon as if resenting him for deceiving her, but she couldn’t say anything and only trembled with her hands.
“But don’t worry too much. Our Ji-heon did another test anonymously. Ji-heon, how did the other test results come out?”
Jaekwang asked Ji-heon. It was an even more nerve-wracking moment for Jaekwang than before. Ji-heon had additionally asked Jaekwang’s secretary to conduct a test. He had anonymously requested a DNA test with the hair of Jaekwang, Ji-heon, and Yena. Ji-heon received the envelope from Jaekwang’s secretary and opened it.
“This one came out properly.”
Youngmi snatched the results again this time. Youngmi exhaled deeply at the words ‘Probability of being a biological child = 99.999%’ written in bold on the first page of the results. Youngmi argued stubbornly.
“Do you, do you believe this? These results can also be manipulated as you please!”
“That’s why we did a test spanning three generations. The test was supervised by my father’s secretary.”
Jaekwang’s secretary was someone who had been with Jaekwang for over 20 years.
“This result says that I am my father’s biological child, and Yena is my biological child.”
Ji-heon wasn’t careless. He added his father’s test to increase the credibility of the results.
“The results that say I’m not my father’s biological child, the results that say I am my father’s biological child. Which one do you believe, Mother?”
It felt like Chae Eun-yeop was watching from somewhere. Chae Eun-yeop, you must have gone all-in on the second test. You must have jumped to the conclusion that I would give up if the second test also came back saying he wasn’t the father. You overlooked something. That I am just as, no, even more persistent than you. No matter how many of my DNA tests you ruin, I’m prepared to do it again and again. Jaekwang pursed his lips into a straight line, and Youngmi looked at Ji-heon with a face unable to contain her anger. Jaekwang spoke first.
“Ji-heon, have the results come out for the other side?”
“They’re out.”
Ji-heon turned his head, looked at the entrance of the research lab, and answered with a smile. Jeong-o and Yena were visible. Yena, who spotted Ji-heon, ran towards him.
“Daddy!”
Ji-heon immediately picked up Yena, who had come to him. Jeong-o, who followed behind, took out the results from the envelope and handed them to Ji-heon.
“These are the DNA test results.”
This time, it was Yena and Ji-heon's blood test results from another institution. The result was the same. - Client A (Jeong Ji-heon) and Client B (Lee Yena) are 99.999% likely to be biologically related as father and daughter. Ji-heon handed the results to Jaekwang. Youngmi couldn't snatch the results this time, but she glanced sideways to check them. The sentence printed in bold red letters was the first thing she saw. And, before her eyes, Lee Jung-oh. The child she faced after seven years was not the innocent and dull-looking child from seven years ago. Youngmi felt her legs weaken at Jeong-o's confident gaze, not avoiding her eyes. Jeong-o greeted her first.
“Hello, Madam.”
“What?”
“……”
“Do you think I'm okay with this?”
You bring a child and stab me in the back like this? You didn't say a word for seven years, and now you come? Now that my son is of marriageable age? Youngmi clenched her fist so tightly that her nails dug into her skin, unable to contain her anger, and left the building first. Jaekwang, who watched this with a heavy heart, apologized.
“I apologize for her rudeness. My wife is a little sensitive.”
Jeong-o, with an unwavering expression, politely greeted Jaekwang.
“Hello, Chairman.”
“Call me comfortably.”
“……”
“Finally, we meet.”
Finally, we can meet. Jaekwang offered a handshake. Jeong-o hesitated and then took Jaekwang's outstretched hand. A warm body temperature was transmitted. Jaekwang's smile eased his tense heart a little. Jeong Ji-heon resembled his father more than his mother.
“I'm sorry for making you go through hard times.”
Jaekwang apologized briefly and turned his head. His gaze did not linger on Jeong-o for long. The biggest reason Jaekwang came at this time was something else. He wanted to make the child, who was only looking at her father and didn't care whether her grandfather was nearby, turn around.
“Hello, Yena. It's Grandpa!”
Jaekwang greeted her loudly. How much he wanted to say these words! Yena turned her head and looked at Jaekwang. Ji-heon put down Yena, who he was holding. Jaekwang bent his knees, made eye contact with Yena, and gently held Yena's hand.
“I'm your grandfather. I am your grandfather!”
