Chapter 18
18. Save me?
2023.05.18.
The Udon was expensive, but worth the price. After the meal, So-eun moved to pay her share, but Tae-joon had already paid without her noticing.
"Thank you for the meal, Director."
"You're welcome. Me too."
As he continued to react normally and politely, So-eun honestly grew more and more afraid as time passed. A suspicion sprouted that he was carefully collecting his harsh words, slowly bulking up to unleash them all at once. Even getting back into Tae-joon's car, she became nervous, wondering when she would be kicked out again.
While she was feeling so anxious, she was already close to home.
In the quiet atmosphere, the vibration of her cell phone rang relatively loudly. It was Hee-wook.
Unlike yesterday, Hee-wook's call felt good. This was also an opportunity. An opportunity to let Director Kim Tae-joon know how good her relationship with her boyfriend actually was.
"Director. Can I take this call?"
"As you wish."
So-eun, grinning at Tae-joon's permission, answered the phone in a bright voice, a tone higher than usual.
"Oppa."
[Are you home? Did you get off work?]
"Ah, no."
Cough, cough. Cough, cough.
Suddenly, a noise was heard. Tae-joon seemed to have something caught in his throat and started coughing. So-eun quickly covered the receiver, but Hee-wook seemed to have noticed.
[What's that? I hear someone's voice?]
"I haven't left work yet."
[Did you eat?]
"Yeah. Did you, Oppa?"
[I did too.]
It was awkward between them after the reconciliation. Time passed as they mentally chose what to say first.
Soon.
[Um.]
"You know."
Pfft.
So-eun and Hee-wook spoke at the same time. The timing was so funny that a small laugh escaped from So-eun's lips.
[You go first.]
"No. You go first, Oppa."
Cough, cough, cough, hack, hack, hack. Khhhheeeeuuuk.
Tae-joon coughed even more openly than before.
Unable to bear it any longer, So-eun mouthed "Are you okay?" to Tae-joon. Tae-joon continued to cough and waved his hand. It meant it was okay to continue the call.
"Go ahead. Oppa."
[Yeah. I'll get to the point. You don't have any other plans this weekend, do you?]
"This weekend?"
[Yeah.]
"I don't have any plans. We were going to go on a date."
So-eun welcomed Hee-wook's question and answered immediately.
However, Hee-wook asked for a different reason.
[That's good. I'm going on a business trip abroad this weekend. It was arranged suddenly.]
"Ah... a business trip? Where to?"
[To Japan. It's just for one night and two days, so I'll go on Saturday and come back on Sunday. Let's have fun when I get back.]
Her smile immediately faded.
[Can you take care of Mom on Saturday and Sunday? Dad has an important golf appointment.]
"Yeah. Okay."
She was disappointed, but she didn't hesitate to agree.
Tae-joon, who saw So-eun's face change from a welcoming expression to a blank one after she hung up, asked.
"Your boyfriend is going on a business trip this weekend?"
"Yes."
"Is going on a business trip such a depressing thing? Did you want to go with him?"
"No!"
"Then you're going to take care of his mother again?"
She bristled at the question of whether she wanted to go with him, but couldn't answer the next question. So-eun wondered how she could package this answer well. She didn't want to be interfered with by Tae-joon anymore.
"Save me?"
Suddenly, Tae-joon made a suggestion.
"Should I have you work overtime this weekend?"
"No. It's okay."
"What do you mean it's okay? Come out. On the weekend."
"......"
"Don't work late tomorrow, leave on time, and come to work on the weekend."
"No, it's okay, Director."
This time it was So-eun's turn. So-eun answered Tae-joon's suggestion with a serious face.
"I like your mother. I want to be good to her."
She was sincere. He gave me a part of himself, how could I hate him? I never will.
"Thank you for your concern."
His expression was calm and blank, but Tae-joon's eyes trembled slightly.
Tae-joon almost slammed on the brakes.
Ha. What kind of woman is this?
Han So-eun hadn't changed a bit from 20 years ago.
When her feelings for him were foolish, they were at least cute. What should he call this ultimate pushover?
"Assistant Manager Han So-eun."
"Yes."
"Do your overtime properly tomorrow."
Now, three days later.
Everything will be over on Sunday. Then you'll accept reality too.
Tae-joon suppressed his rising anger, looking forward to the coming storm.
Soon, the car arrived in front of So-eun's house. He was annoyed that Tae-joon had been fickle, saying he would let her off overtime and then telling her to come in, but still, it was a better ending than yesterday and the last time. So-eun hurriedly got out of the car, worried that another argument would break out.
"Thank you for the ride. Drive safely, Director."
"Assistant Manager Han So-eun."
But Tae-joon's voice caught So-eun's ankle.
"This."
Tae-joon, who had approached, held out a paper bag he took out from the back seat.
"Eel sushi. Eat it when you get home."
When they left the restaurant, Tae-joon was holding a paper bag. She thought he had bought it separately to eat alone later, but she didn't expect him to hand it to her.
"No. It's okay. You eat it, Director."
"You said you liked eel."
Did I?
She vaguely remembered praising Eel rice bowl when she was drunk last week.
It felt like she was being punished rather than rewarded. So-eun reached out with an embarrassed expression and received what Tae-joon handed her.
Tae-joon left immediately after handing over the paper bag.
It was a perfect ending.
So-eun stared blankly at the departing car.
The eel sushi set was too expensive to even look at!
Kim Tae-joon yesterday, who scoffed that So-eun had no pride, and Kim Tae-joon today, who fed her delicious food and gave her a ride, seemed like completely different people.
That person must have felt really sorry for me yesterday!
So-eun, a naturally good person who never gives up hope for people, came to that conclusion.
*
Time passed and it was Saturday.
So-eun, who had received Hee-wook's request, went to the hospital where Mal-hee was hospitalized. She didn't contact Hee-wook because she thought he would be busy, but she woke up early and went early.
"Mother, how have you been?"
"Oh, you're here."
Last Saturday, she had an argument with Heejin and stormed out of the hospital in anger. So she was worried that her relationship with Mal-hee would become awkward, but Mal-hee didn't seem too uncomfortable. Hee-wook had told Mal-hee everything, and it seemed to be thanks to that.
I shouldn't fight anymore.
"How was your condition this week? The nurse said you've gotten a lot better."
"I think I'm better than last week."
"That's a relief. You'll get even better in the future. Did you change your underwear, Mother? Should I help you?"
"Yes. I should."
Mal-hee nodded at So-eun's suggestion. So-eun helped Mal-hee get up and brought her underwear to change her. She felt even more energetic because she felt sorry for leaving the hospital so suddenly last week. She tidied up the hospital room, washed the underwear, hung it up to dry, and just as she was about to take a breather, the hospital room door opened.
"......So-eun, when did you get here?"
"Huh? Oppa, I thought you were going on a business trip today."
Hee-wook and So-eun were surprised to see each other. Soon, the half-opened door opened wider.
"Mother, hello! I came again! Oh my! So-eun is here too!"
It was Choi Hyun-ji. Hyun-ji had come to visit Mal-hee. With Hee-wook.
"Oh my, you came again! I'm glad to see you. Sit here."
Mal-hee's face, which had been expressionless while with So-eun, lit up.
"Mother, this is a flower that looks like you. Isn't it pretty!"
Hyun-ji handed a bouquet of flowers to Mal-hee.
"Oh my, you shouldn't have bought something like this. I would have been grateful if you just came."
"You should see pretty things as much as possible at times like this."
The conversation between Mal-hee and Hyun-ji was full of love. Mal-hee's face had regained all its energy thanks to Hyun-ji's bright energy. It seemed like she could be discharged immediately.
"So-eun, can you put this in a vase?"
Hyun-ji handed the bouquet to So-eun and pointed to the vase by the window. The flowers that So-eun had brought last week were in the vase. Although they were a bit wilted, they were still too good to throw away, but the flowers were changed at Hyun-ji's request.
"Ah, yes."
So-eun, whose eyes had become dazed, received the bouquet in a daze. While she was throwing away the flowers in the vase and washing the vase, Hyun-ji's voice was heard through the crack in the bathroom door.
"I'm going on a business trip to Japan with Attorney Yang today. Before we left, Attorney Yang said he had to stop by Mother's hospital, so I said I would come with him."
They were going together?
So-eun, who came out of the bathroom with the vase, stared intently at Hee-wook. Hee-wook avoided So-eun's gaze as if he felt guilty for not telling her.
'Don't get upset about things like this. It's not a trip, it's a business trip.'
Hyun-ji joked to So-eun, who was firmly determined and moving her steps.
"I'm jealous, So-eun? Attorney Yang is mine for one night and two days."
"I guess so. Have a safe trip."
So-eun, who had become detached, parried Hyun-ji's joke with a blank expression and put the flowers in the vase. And she moved to put the vase by the window.
"Ah!"
Crash!
Hyun-ji and So-eun, who had suddenly gotten up from their seats, collided. Hyun-ji accidentally touched the vase, and the ceramic vase shattered. Hyun-ji's center of gravity was also unstable, so So-eun grabbed Hyun-ji with quick judgment. But to no avail, Hyun-ji ended up falling on her butt on the floor. The flowers were also scattered messily.
Hyun-ji made a groaning sound as she sat down on the floor and touched the ground, and a piece of ceramic was embedded in her palm.
"Are you okay, Hyun-ji?"
"Aaaah......"
Hyun-ji groaned at So-eun's question. When she removed the shard embedded in her palm, blood was visible. Fortunately, no flesh had fallen off, and it was just a slight scratch.
Hee-wook immediately ran over and lifted Hyun-ji up.
"Han So-eun! What are you doing!"
"No, Oppa! No, Attorney Yang."
Hyun-ji hurriedly stopped Hee-wook, who was shouting angrily. So-eun's spine tingled. It was already bewildering that Hee-wook was scolding her while lifting Hyun-ji up, but Choi Hyun-ji was what? Oppa?
While wrinkles formed on So-eun's forehead, Hyun-ji calmly said.
"I'm okay. Not much blood came out either."
Hyun-ji took out a handkerchief from her pocket and rubbed her palm.
So-eun's gaze, recognizing the handkerchief in Hyun-ji's hand, became dazed again.
It was the same handkerchief that Hee-wook had at Omotesando Hills last week.
"So-eun, I was too playful, right? I'm sorry. I'm sure So-eun is worried. I was too careless with my jokes. Let's make up."
It was as if So-eun, who was sensitive, couldn't control her emotions and deliberately pushed Hyun-ji.
