Chapter 20
- A Daughter-in-Law Who Meets Mother's Expectations
2023.05.20.
After a flight of about two hours, Hee-wook and Hyun-ji arrived in Tokyo, Japan. As soon as they arrived, they moved with a headhunter according to Tae-joon's request and met a candidate for recruitment at K Electronics.
Hyun-ji was a talented individual who was fluent not only in English but also in Japanese. Hee-wook was her senior as a lawyer, but he learned a lot from Choi Hyun-ji. Hee-wook was proud that a smart and pretty woman like Choi Hyun-ji liked him.
But on the other hand, he kept thinking about Han So-eun. He couldn't forget the image of So-eun demanding that Choi Hyun-ji reveal her surgery. He also felt bad for getting angry at So-eun and leaving on a business trip.
To get so sensitive over something like this, how am I supposed to break up with her?
"Are you going to be like that during this precious overseas business trip?"
Hyun-ji grumbled as Hee-wook frowned even after arriving at the hotel.
Hee-wook and Hyun-ji were staying at a hotel booked by Tae-joon. Because the rooms were next to each other, Hyun-ji put down her luggage and came over to Hee-wook's room.
She had planned to have fun since it was a rare opportunity, but Hyun-ji also became sulky because Hee-wook wouldn't pay attention to her and just kept frowning.
"Stop thinking about Han So-eun. How can you only think about Han So-eun when I'm right in front of you?"
Hyun-ji scolded him, unable to bear it any longer, and only then did Hee-wook come to his senses and pounce on Hyun-ji. Hyun-ji, who had easily accepted his kisses, gently pushed him away as Hee-wook's hands became more intense.
"No, but this isn't right."
"Huh...?"
"What I hate the most is having a foot in both camps, Oppa."
"......"
"Make it clear. Break up with her and come. Then I'll sleep with you."
Hyun-ji's eyes sharpened. It was a firm warning that she wouldn't do anything that would put her at a disadvantage. Hee-wook felt like his body would be tired if things continued this way, but he had no choice but to back down. Choi Hyun-ji was a lawyer who was strong in fights. She was someone he liked, but he still had to be careful.
Hee-wook, who had been so excited but then lost his enthusiasm and felt sad, moved to the other side of the bed and pressed his forehead hard. Hyun-ji giggled as she watched him.
"It's cute how gloomy you are, Oppa."
"What?"
"The more I see you, the cuter you are. Hehe."
Hyun-ji approached and hugged Hee-wook's head, laughing cheerfully. Her chest pressed against Hee-wook's head.
She's a fox. Choi Hyun-ji.
Choi Hyun-ji was a woman who couldn't even be compared to the naive Han So-eun. She knew how to handle men well.
Hyun-ji pushed Hee-wook's head, which she had been holding tightly, far back and asked.
"You're going to break up with her as soon as we get back to Korea, right? I don't want to see So-eun again."
Choi Hyun-ji is the best at being cute, but Han So-eun has a better body.
Hee-wook, still having lingering feelings, hesitated to answer.
But thinking about the future, it was right to break up with her as soon as possible.
But what if Han So-eun asks for alimony? What if she threatens to spread rumors at the company?
"Why, Oppa? Are you still worried?"
"It's not that. What is there to worry about? I've been over Han So-eun for a long time."
"Then what's the problem? Tell me everything."
"Actually, my mom..."
"Yes. What about your mother?"
"...No, it's nothing."
"Whyyy. Why is it nothing? What were you about to say?"
My mom got a liver from Han So-eun. Han So-eun gave my mom her liver.
He had to make that confession, but he couldn't bring himself to say it.
"...My mom likes you more than So-eun."
"Really? I knew it."
Hyun-ji smiled contentedly.
"My Oppa is too good for So-eun."
"......"
"Break up with her quickly. And let's be a lawyer couple. Huh? Your mother will be more energized and recover better if she sees a daughter-in-law who meets her expectations."
A lawyer couple. A daughter-in-law who meets Mother's expectations.
Hyun-ji's sweet words made Hee-wook feel ecstatic just imagining it.
The next morning.
So-eun visited the hospital where Madam Kim Mal-hee was hospitalized again. She had fought with Hee-wook, and they hadn't contacted each other since then, but a promise was a promise. So-eun couldn't turn a blind eye to Madam Kim Mal-hee, who needed her help.
Because only by doing her best in everything she could do, could she rightfully claim her share.
"Mother, I'm here."
So-eun opened the hospital room door and greeted Hee-jin, reuniting with her. Because she was in a cold war with Hee-wook, she hadn't received prior notice that Hee-jin would be at the hospital. So-eun greeted her awkwardly.
"Hello, Sister-in-Law."
"Yes."
Hee-jin greeted her calmly. Next to Hee-jin was an unfamiliar boy. He was a very bright-looking child.
"Hyung-woo, say hello."
"Hello."
The boy nodded and greeted her at Hee-jin's prompting. It was the first time So-eun had met Hee-jin's son. So-eun also greeted him happily.
"You're Hyung-woo? I've heard a lot about you. Nice to meet you."
So-eun smiled and took out a chocolate from her bag, asking Hee-jin.
"Can I give Hyung-woo chocolate?"
She had brought the chocolate separately because she thought she might skip lunch while taking care of Mal-hee.
"Do as you please."
Hee-jin replied in an awkward voice, as if she wasn't comfortable with So-eun yet. So-eun handed the chocolate to Hyung-woo.
"Hyung-woo, this is a gift."
"Thank you."
The child happily received the chocolate and unwrapped it, putting it in his mouth.
"Lee Hyung-woo, don't eat it all at once, eat it slowly."
Hee-jin, who had nagged her son, glanced at So-eun and moved her lips a few times before speaking.
"I was sorry last week."
She received an apology.
Apologies become more difficult as you get older. Hee-jin would also feel that. As someone older than So-eun, it wouldn't be easy for her to apologize first to the relatively young So-eun. So-eun felt grateful for Hee-jin's courage. So-eun also accepted the apology with a generous heart.
"It's okay. But I hope you'll be more careful in the future."
"Yes, yes. You're going to be a lawyer's wife, so I have to treat you well."
The ending sounded a bit sarcastic, but she decided to just assume it was Hee-jin's tone.
And a little later.
"By the way, So-eun, can you watch Hyung-woo for a moment? I need to go buy something nearby, but the store is only open this morning. I'll be right back. Please just watch him for a moment."
Hee-jin made an unexpected request.
So-eun had been thinking of going home since Hee-jin seemed like she would be guarding the hospital room, but Hee-jin was entrusting her with the child.
"Ah... Yes, go ahead."
And so, So-eun suddenly found herself in a situation where she was taking care of Mal-hee and a 9-year-old child together. It wasn't that difficult. The child was playing a game on his phone by himself, and Mal-hee was dozing off quietly while watching TV, as if she was feeling drowsy.
After playing the phone game for a while, Hyung-woo grumbled that the battery was dead and the power had gone out. So-eun soothed Hyung-woo and cut up some fruit for him, carefully starting a conversation.
"Does Hyung-woo look like his dad or his mom?"
She had asked because his facial features were different from Hee-jin's, and she wondered if he looked a lot like his dad. Hyung-woo ate the fruit crunchily and replied.
"My face is exactly like my dad's, and my hands and feet look like my mom's."
"I see."
"Ah! And our blood types are all the same! My mom, dad, and I all have the same blood type O."
"Huh?"
Hee-wook had told her that everyone in the family except Mal-hee was blood type B, so it was difficult to donate an organ. That's why So-eun, who had the same blood type as Mal-hee, had decided to have the surgery.
In fact, liver transplant surgery is possible even if the donor and recipient do not have the same blood type. In the past, the recipient's antibodies caused an acute rejection reaction to the liver of a donor with a different blood type, making transplantation difficult, but now the technology has improved and many cases are occurring. Nevertheless, Madam Kim Mal-hee's family hesitated to have the transplant. Just in case, an accident might happen and things might go wrong.
The person who calmed that anxiety was So-eun, who was blood type O. So-eun was also afraid of going on the operating table, but she overcame it with the power of love.
But his sister-in-law is blood type O? It seemed like Hyung-woo was mistaken.
"Your mom is blood type O? Not blood type B?"
So-eun asked Hyung-woo again. At that moment, Hee-jin finished her errand and returned to the hospital room.
So-eun turned her head and looked at Hee-jin. Hee-jin, who had opened the hospital room door and entered, stood there with a pale face, unable to move any further.
"My mom isn't blood type B. She's blood type O."
Hyung-woo replied.
"Hyung-woo, why is Mom blood type O? Mom is blood type B."
Hee-jin immediately ran to Hyung-woo and gave him a look.
Mal-hee also woke up from her nap as Hee-jin raised her voice.
Hyung-woo shouted louder than his mother, as if what he knew was correct.
"Mom is blood type O. Our family is all blood type O, Mom said! Mom said that an O-type mom and an O-type dad met and I was born as an O-type!"
So-eun asked Hee-jin.
"Sister-in-law, were you blood type O? ...Was your husband also blood type O?"
Hee-jin looked at Mal-hee with a flustered expression, and Mal-hee suddenly grabbed her chest and started coughing.
"Mom, Mom, what's wrong! Are you feeling uncomfortable?"
Hee-jin ran to Mal-hee and hurriedly stroked her back, asking her.
So-eun, who had been staying in the same hospital for a month and taking care of Mal-hee like family, knew Mal-hee well. Mal-hee had a habit of coughing when something embarrassing happened. It was a kind of trick to avoid the situation.
"So-eun, let's talk later. Mom doesn't seem to be doing well."
"No. I need to talk about it now. Sister-in-law, were you really blood type O?"
Hee-jin tried to avoid the problem by making excuses for Mal-hee, but So-eun didn't let go.
Hee-jin still couldn't say anything. Mal-hee's coughing, which had been going on continuously, also subsided. Continuing to cough on purpose wouldn't be helpful to Mal-hee's health.
"Why did you tell me you were blood type B?"
"...Well, even though I'm blood type O, it's difficult. I have Hyung-woo, so I can't be hospitalized for a month."
"What about me?"
"......"
"Do you think I don't have a job?"
"As you know, I'm also weak..."
"Then what about me?"
So-eun pressed.
Hee-jin had recently pointed out that So-eun was frail and weak. She was genetically healthy on the inside, but as it appeared on the outside, So-eun was a fragile person. Unlike So-eun, who had a slender appearance, Hee-jin often heard that she looked healthy because of her good build.
Nevertheless, the only reason she had been excluded from the donor candidates was because of her blood type.
So-eun glared at Mal-hee with the same look she had given Hee-jin.
"Mother couldn't have not known either."
"......"
"Why did you do that, Mother?"
"......"
"You had your closest daughter, a daughter who even had the same blood type, but why did you hide her?"
She said I was as good as her own daughter. She said I was more like her own daughter than her own daughter. But she was keeping her real daughter hidden away?
"Does Hee-wook know? That his sister is blood type O."
