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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Gongja's Debut
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‘I know that look.’
Believe it or not, I’m a veteran supporting actor.
That’s the look you get when you’re pissed off and about to snap.
“What crime have I committed! All I did was meet my angel!”
Wow.
‘She’s completely lost it.’
Hmm, she is being a bit intense, though. This must be the price of the coin.
But still, Mom.
‘This is good. Very good!’
I smiled brightly.
“Thanks to those bastards, my workload’s lightened up. I'm on a break now. One of my schedules got canceled.”
“Ah, Young Miss! What are you going to do!”
“It’s a day off! I have to go out with my Gongja! Gongja, let’s put on your prettiest clothes and go out with Mommy!”
Mom spun around, flipping her hair back.
“Mommy will get ready perfectly, too. I'll get so flawlessly dolled up it'll drive you mad. You bastards! Go on and take your pictures if you dare!”
“Bbooyaboo!”
That’s right! Take them!
‘Is this the beginning? Ma Gongja's debut.’
Mom turned and walked away with a dramatic flair.
“Young Miss, where are you going?”
“The salon. I'm going to get my makeup done, too. Ansan-daek, please get Gongja dressed!”
“Ah, yes.”
Ah, my mother is so fiery.
My heart pounded. I took a deep breath and picked up the formula bottle that had rolled away.
‘It all starts now.’
Stay calm, Lee Hanjo. No, Ma Gongja.
‘I have to seize this opportunity.’
I started by chugging down my formula.
‘First, I need to fill my stomach.’
Can’t do anything on an empty stomach, after all.
Maybe that’s why. The formula tasted as sweet as honey.
* * *
As soon as we parked at the mart, Mom took out the stroller. Then she lifted me out of the car seat and settled me securely inside.
‘This stroller is unusual for its time.’
The seat could be turned around. Maybe that was why. I could meet Mom’s eyes whenever I wanted just by looking up. Each time, she would flash a bright smile.
Just then, I saw a flash from somewhere.
‘Wow. Paparazzi?’
They’re really taking pictures. I’d better make sure they get a good shot.
“My Gongja, what should we buy? Want me to get you a toy?”
I babbled in a cute voice.
“Byabya!”
No!
Mom, I have more things than I don’t!
‘There are so many, I wonder if I'll ever get to touch each one at least once.’
What did you buy so much of before I even arrived?
‘This body is already used to YouTube. Toys alone can't satisfy me!’
Mom pushed the stroller and walked on. As we went up from the parking garage, bright lights came into view.
‘It’s stating the obvious, but she really is the actress, Ma Sujeong.’
Mom was wearing sunglasses. But because she stood out so much, she was the center of everyone’s attention.
Even an ordinary mart looked like a film set.
Mom looked at me and said.
“Gongja, is it too loud?”
No. I’m actually glad to be out.
I shook my head. Mom smiled widely and pushed the stroller forward. Come to think of it, this was the first time we had ever gone out, just the two of us.
Mom pushed the stroller, weaving here and there without hesitation. Then she stopped somewhere and said.
“Gongja. Look at that.”
Mom pointed her finger at something. I saw it and chuckled. There were dolls of all colors.
‘Looks like the toy aisle at the mart.’
There are quite a few dolls that would catch a child’s eye.
“My Gongja, how about this one?”
Mom pointed to a pink rabbit. I shook my head. Mom, we have so many of those at home…
“You don’t like pink? There’s a white one, too.”
Other than the pink one, all the rest were white…?
I didn’t need any of them.
“This one? How about that one?”
I kept shaking my head.
“Then what do you like, Gongja?”
I grinned. I wonder, Mother. What is it that I want?
‘The chance to get a beautiful picture taken, of course.’
In that case, I know exactly what to do.
‘I need to create a touching scene.’
Alright, take your shot, paparazzi. I’m all ready! I pointed at my mother and delivered the killer line I had been polishing for this very moment.
“Mama!”
Mom lifted her sunglasses.
“…What?”
Her eyes were already wide with shock.
“G-Gongja. Did you just… say M-Mama?”
Ah.
‘I did work hard on it.’
Until now, all that came out of my tongue was ‘bbyubbyu’ and ‘baba’…
I prepared this for today.
‘Because I knew she’d be moved if I said ‘Mama’.’
Just then, a caption appeared.
Wow.
‘She must have been really happy.’
A sun-like smile spread across Mom’s face. She looked so genuinely happy that I couldn’t help but smile with her.
She’s really over the moon, isn’t she?
‘It’s only natural, though…’
Most people start talking when the time comes.
‘To be this happy over something so trivial.’
Is that what a parent’s heart is like? But I’m not even her biological child.
I lightly scratched my cheek. It felt like I’d swallowed something that was making me all tingly inside.
“My Gongja, Mommy will buy you everything today! It’s to celebrate you saying ‘Mama’!”
“Bbooaebbooya!”
It’s okay!
“I can buy everything from here to there!”
Wow. What is this, some kind of flex?
I hastily shook my head.
‘Mother, you’ll bankrupt the household at this rate!’
As I flailed my arms in protest, Mom suddenly fell silent.
“Mama?”
Mom pushed her sunglasses up and lowered her head. Then she gently pressed her forehead against mine.
A soft warmth touched me.
Her slender fingers brushed against my cheek.
“My Gongja, you’re like an angel.”
“Bbooya?”
“How can you make Mommy so happy every single time? Thanks to you, my Gongja, even ordinary days seem to sparkle.”
Ah, Mother.
I gulped.
‘You’ve only had a hard time since you brought me home.’
And you’re still happy?
What kind of feeling was this? Honestly, I’d never experienced it before, so I didn’t know.
It was unfamiliar, but not bad.
I gave Mom a peck on the cheek.
Mom touched her own cheek and smiled.
“You must really be an angel. A baby angel who came to me one day.”
The praise was making me blush. Looking at her, I made my resolve once more.
I will never let a person like this die early!
‘I can do it!’
Celebrity, top star, coins! Mom’s health!
To do that, I first need to gather a lot of coins, my source of capital!
‘Ah, come to think of it, they must be snapping pictures like crazy right now.’
Should I show an even more affectionate side?
‘But do I even need to stage it?’
Aren’t we already this affectionate?
I beamed. Pushing the stroller, Mom said.
“Still, Gongja, you have to tell me if you need anything, okay?”
I shook my head. I already had everything. Besides, if there was something I needed…
‘There is one thing.’
A mirror.
‘I need to practice my expressions.’
Even a perfect face is useless if you can’t control it.
‘But surprisingly, a baby doesn’t get many chances to look in a mirror.’
There was a mirror in my room, but it was too high up.
‘Well, I guess that makes sense for a room with a baby in it.’
It wouldn’t do to have it break.
It was then that I started flailing my arms and legs frantically.
“Gongja?”
Ah, this place is!
There were all kinds of mirrors laid out. I glanced at one and let out a gasp.
“Bbyu!”
Wow.
“Bbyu-ah-bboowoo-bboo?”
Is this me?
My reflection was in the mirror. In that moment, I sucked in a breath.
‘Is this even human!’
Come to think of it, I hadn’t been able to see my face clearly until now. I knew I was pretty, but that was just a guess, nothing more.
Wow…
I poked my face with my short fingers.
Of course, I didn’t have much strength, so it didn’t even make a sound.
‘Is this a dream or reality?’
I thought I was looking at some kind of doll.
‘This is killer.’
I had no idea it was this good.
I stared blankly at the mirror.
My eyes really are huge. I’m a baby, but my nose is high. I pressed my cheeks firmly to check my jawbone.
‘A fitting bone structure, a beautiful jawline…’
Tears welled up in my eyes.
To think this is my face!
“Gongja?”
Mom stopped the stroller. I reached out and hugged a small mirror tightly.
“Oh, my?”
“Bbyuyabboo!”
Please buy it for me, Mother.
“Y-You want that?”
“Bbyu!”
Yes. I can’t let this go.
“O-Okay.”
Though she tilted her head in confusion, Mom took the mirror I was hugging and placed it in the basket under the stroller.
‘That’s my mom.’
She didn’t even look at the price tag.
Mom’s stroller kept moving. As I stroked my precious face, I spotted something else I was looking for. I quickly called out.
“Mama! Mama!”
“Yes? What is it, Gongja!”
“Bbooa! Bbooa!”
That, that too!
I pointed at a book with my short arm. Mom squinted and opened it.
“Hmm. Gongja, do you really want this?”
I nodded my head. Mom tilted her head again and read the book’s title.
“Hamlet for Children?”
I smiled brightly.
‘The basics are always the best.’
The classics were always helpful. They had a way of making you return to your roots.
Mom stared at me intently.
“Mama?”
“Gongja. Mommy might not know much, but at your age, isn’t a book something you put in your mouth and play with?”
Is-Is that so.
‘I think she’s right.’
What should I do?
I smiled awkwardly. I stretched out my arms and wiggled my fingers.
‘She must be a little weirded out, right?’
Will she think I’m a strange baby and take me back to the orphanage?
I had no choice.
‘Time to use a coin!’
Just as I was about to activate a coin, Mom broke into a wide smile.
“Well, my Gongja is an angel. I guess you’re just a little different!”
Wow, Mother!
‘Is-Is she just going to let it slide like that?’
Mom casually pulled the book from the shelf. I watched the book pile up in the stroller’s basket and caught my breath.
‘I’m so touched.’
My mom really likes me.
Mom pushed the stroller and moved on. I watched her. She saw me looking and gave a gentle smile.
Just then, a savory smell wafted over. Mom stopped and looked at the baby food display.
“Ansan-daek would know more about this stuff.”
As Mom was looking around, a child bumped into the tasting corner.
*Thud-*
It sounded quite painful.
Maybe that’s why a small baby cracker fell onto my stroller. I grabbed it with my hand.
“Oh, it looks like the child who bumped into it is okay. Ah! Gongja, you can’t eat that. It’s not time for you to eat solids yet!”
I looked at Mom and said.
“Mama!”
Mom bent her head down. When she was close, I put the white rice puff into her mouth.
Mom’s eyes widened.
‘I just wanted to give you something.’
Mom blinked, and in her surprise, she ate the baby cracker. Then, she finally burst out laughing.
“My Gongja, you really are an angel…”
Unable to hold back, Mom hugged me tightly. I grabbed a fistful of her hair and babbled.
“Bboo-ah-bboo!”
Mom patted my back.
Honestly, I was the one who was more touched.
‘How many things have you done for me?’
To be moved by a mere baby cracker.
Mom patted my back. Maybe that was why my eyes started to feel heavy.
‘Ah, babies do sleep a lot.’
Come to think of it, it was my naptime.
Perhaps because Mom was patting me, I closed my eyes. Sleepiness washed over me.
Mom placed me in the stroller and covered me with the baby blanket. I pulled the edge of the blanket close and quietly drifted off to sleep. Until I was asleep, Mom gently patted my tummy.
