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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: An Impulsive Decision
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Damn it, a camera!
“Ppusshi, ppu-ang-i-ang!”
Way to ruin the mood, mister.
At Ma Sujeong's sharp glare, the cameraman quietly lowered his camera.
“S-sorry. The subject was just too good.”
Hey, mister. Still, isn't this going too far? To someone who’s overcome with emotion.
Ma Sujeong said nothing. Tears just streamed down her face.
“Ppoo-ppoo-ppoo, bya-bya!”
Oh no, she can't keep crying!
I reached out a hand to her cheek. I couldn't control my strength well, but I tried my best to touch her gently.
Actress Ma, has work been tough for her?
“Ooh-ya-ooh-kya, bbi-a-a-oong….”
Actress Ma, what child in this world ever truly understands and follows their parents' wishes?
I caressed Ma Sujeong's cheek for a long while. In that moment, not Ma Sujeong, nor anyone else, said a word.
Ma Sujeong slowly pressed her lips to my hand.
“...Are you trying to comfort me?”
“Bbyoo-nyu-ang!”
Of course.
She kissed my hand.
At that moment.
Click-
“Ppoo-ppoo-ya, aaang!”
That cameraman again!
‘Ah, I was so close to getting a coin. He ruined it again.’
Ma Sujeong glanced at the cameraman, then let out a small sigh.
This time, even the nun narrowed her eyes and glared at the staff member.
“Well, I’m sorry. I know, but I felt like I absolutely had to take this one.”
The staff member made another excuse.
“The lighting was great, and the angle was fantastic. Above all, the subjects this time were a real jackpot. A two-shot of such a pretty baby and the beautiful actress Ma Sujeong… W-would you like to see?”
The cameraman sidled over and showed them the picture.
Even the nun, who had been looking on dubiously, let out a pure sound of admiration upon seeing the photo.
“My goodness!”
“Right? It’s amazing, isn’t it?”
Ma Sujeong adjusted her hold on me and said.
“Let me see, too.”
“Yes, yes!”
The photographer hurriedly held out the LCD screen. Thanks to him, I got to see it too.
“Ppoo, bbaa!”
Whoa! Nice!
It was true what they said about natural light being the best. With just a little bit of sunlight, Ma Sujeong’s hair, as she kissed my hand, rippled like an aura.
‘She looks… like the Virgin Mary.’
That’s how much of Ma Sujeong’s purity and beauty the photo captured.
Perhaps because the others present were nuns, it even had a somewhat sacred atmosphere.
“Oh…”
Ma Sujeong wiped her eyes and said.
“It came out really well.”
The cameraman, seemingly relieved, let out a long breath.
“Right? I just had this strong feeling that I had to take it.”
Everyone likes a good picture of themselves. Ma Sujeong, as if she had never cried, smiled faintly.
I flapped my arms and brushed her cheek.
“Gongja seems to really like you, Sujeong.”
Ma Sujeong carefully mumbled my name.
“Gongja, Gongja, Gongja…”
She held me up in front of her and stared intently at my face.
‘Well then, I should respond in kind.’
I met Ma Sujeong’s gaze and gave her a bright smile.
“Bya! Bbi-a-oo!”
Aren't I cute?
Ma Sujeong stared intently into my eyes.
“Sujeong?”
“Oh, this is strange. Why is my heart pounding like this? This child… I only just met him today… but he doesn’t feel like a stranger.”
Hmm, could it be because I'm so handsome?
“Bbyoo-bbyoo, bya-ya!”
Whatever works.
There was nothing to lose by getting on the good side of a third-generation chaebol actress.
“...It's strange. What is this feeling? It's like… he's a child I met in a past life.”
Wow. Our Actress Ma is really getting carried away.
Sure enough, the nun covered her mouth and let out a gasp.
“Oh my!”
You’re surprised too, Sister? I’m surprised myself.
‘Honestly, this is pretty funny.’
A past life? That's a Buddhist thing. Everyone here is a nun.
‘Anyway, it looks like Actress Ma has taken a liking to me.’
Sister Jeong Teresa seemed to have noticed as well.
“It seems Gongja feels special to you.”
Wow. That was a perfect follow-up, 100 out of 100.
“Bya-bya!”
Applause!
Ma Sujeong gave a slight nod.
“Yes…”
Ah, the mood suddenly turned gloomy.
“Ppu-ya-oong!”
Can't have that!
I kicked my legs, mumbling as cutely as I could.
“H-he’s cute.”
She smiled at me again and gently stroked my body. As she was fiddling with my feet, she suddenly gasped.
“Huh?”
Her gaze was fixed on the sole of my foot.
“A-a red mole?”
The nun looked surprised as well.
“Oh my? Gongja had a mole like this on his foot? I didn’t know.”
“Th-this can't be…”
Ma Sujeong's pupils trembled uncontrollably.
“Ppoo-oo…”
What is it?
I couldn't figure it out at all. So I just barely managed to hold my head up and continued to babble.
“Bya-bya-oong!”
It was then. Tears welled up in Ma Sujeong’s eyes again.
“A-ga-ak? Bya-bya!”
Hey, why are you crying again all of a sudden?
“Sujeong?”
“Ah, why does he have a mole in the exact same spot as Maru?”
Tears dripped down Ma Sujeong’s face.
I stopped struggling and stared blankly at the once-again crying Ma Sujeong.
“Bbyoo-ya-ya, ppi-bya?”
Maru? Not Mari, the one who hated being held, but Maru?
The nun hastily handed a tissue to the sniffling Ma Sujeong. But the tears wouldn't stop.
Sister Jeong Teresa comforted her in a soft voice.
“Sujeong, Maru is happy in the Lord's arms now.”
“Maru was this small, too…”
“Sujeong…”
“Maru also had a red mole like this on the sole of his foot.”
Ma Sujeong continued to sob.
“My poor son, Maru.”
Ah, so Maru must have been Actress Ma's son.
‘I don't know why, but it seems he passed away early.’
She hugged me and kept crying.
What must it feel like for a parent to lose a child? I couldn't dare to imagine.
"Bbyoo-a-ppyoo-ppyoo…“
It must be sad.
This one word can't express it all, but it must be truly sad.
All I can do is offer comfort.
I moved my hand and managed to pat her gently. Ma Sujeong held my hand and said.
“Our Gongja is comforting me again?”
“Bboo-aah!”
“Most babies just frown when they see me, but Gongja is so sweet. Comforting me like this…”
I kept moving my hand. Ma Sujeong counted my fingers one by one, then kissed them.
Ma Sujeong’s lips, wet with tears. They were damp.
“My Maru was this pretty, too…”
“Sujeong…”
“This child, he really doesn't feel like a stranger.”
Ma Sujeong kissed my cheek and said.
“I want to raise him…”
For a moment, the nun’s shoulders twitched.
Ah, honestly, I was more surprised by that than the nun was.
“Bbyoo-yooo-ooo!”
I flapped my arms and legs, then thought again.
‘Well, it would be nice if that happened, but… this isn't something to decide so easily.’
You don't just throw around the word 'adoption.'
I clenched and unclenched my fist with a bitter expression. Ma Sujeong kissed that hand too.
‘That's reckless, Actress Ma.’
I’m just a baby who can't tell right from wrong, so I can let it slide, but if I were a young child around Noah's age, those words alone would have been quite thrilling.
And when those words weren't kept, it would leave a wound just as deep.
The nun seemed to share my thoughts, looking at me with concern.
Then, perhaps deciding she had to step in, she held out her hands.
“Sujeong, this must be hard on you. Let me take him.”
“No. It’s not hard at all, Sister. Can't I take this child with me?”
Huh, again?
‘No matter how immature she is for an actress, isn't this too reckless? Why does she keep doing this?’
The nun swallowed hard.
“Sujeong. Taking a child home isn't easy.”
“I know. I don't know the exact procedures, but I have a lawyer I can ask…”
“No, Sujeong. First, you need to discuss this with your family.”
That's right. It's a big deal even if you bring home a pet without permission, and I'm a newborn baby.
Ma Sujeong, oblivious to my thoughts, just patted my bottom.
“I'm divorced. My daughter, Mari, went with her father. And I don't have any family. I live alone in the annex of the mansion. Who would I discuss it with?”
Ma Sujeong kissed my little fist again.
“I have a lot of money. I earn a lot, and I've just always had a lot. I-I can live my whole life without any problems just on stock dividends. Sister. I can give Gongja the best education. And the best house, the best food, the best clothes…”
Still, the nun tried to dissuade her until the end.
“Sujeong. Still, please think it over carefully. He's a child, after all. You have to think long and hard even when bringing home a pet.”
You're absolutely right, Sister.
“Bya-a, bya-bya!”
So let me go now, Actress Ma! I still have things to do!
The nun held out her arms. But Ma Sujeong wouldn't let me go.
The nun sighed and said.
“Sujeong. How about we take some time? Think about it for just a week. If you still think of Gongja then, it won't be too late to talk about it again.”
Ma Sujeong bit her lip but had no choice but to agree. Only then did she hand me over.
The nun patted Ma Sujeong’s shoulder.
“Thank you, Sujeong.”
“Not at all. I was too hasty, wasn't I? But…”
Ma Sujeong held my hand and said.
“I still don’t want to let him go.”
“Sujeong.”
“But I think I know what you mean, Sister. I’ll go home and think it over.”
“Please be sure to discuss it with your family, too.”
Ma Sujeong shook her head.
“There’s no one to discuss it with. I told you before. I'm divorced. I live separately from my parents, too. No one can say anything about my choices. Well, it might be a bit noisy at first, though.”
She looked at me one more time.
“I'll be back, Gongja.”
“Bbyoo-bbyoo, bya-bya?”
Are you really coming back?
She couldn’t take her eyes off me for a long time, but eventually, she turned and left. Cradled in the nun's arms, I let out a sigh.
“Bboo-ya…”
Whew.
‘I'd heard about her fiery personality, but she’s really something else, that Actress Ma.’
Still, to decide you want to raise a child less than twenty minutes after meeting them for the first time.
‘Still, this is just a whim, right?’
I swung my legs.
‘She must be emotionally shaken because she has a lot of scars. She wouldn't really adopt me, would she?’
The nun placed me in the cradle. Then she carefully stroked my cheek with her finger.
“Lord… I am worried.”
I know. I completely understand.
“Is this just the whim of a chaebol’s granddaughter?”
The nun sighed and offered a small prayer.
“Lord. If this is Ms. Ma Sujeong's whim, please let her get over it quickly.”
I shouted ‘Amen’ in my head.
“Bboo-ya!”
Perhaps because the storm had passed, my eyes started to feel heavy.
‘Babies do sleep a lot.’
As I smacked my lips and closed my eyes, sleep washed over me as if it had been waiting.
‘Ah, but Ms. Ma Sujeong. The coin didn't go up.’
What, why not? Give me a coin. I said give me a coin!
I felt a soft cloth being draped over my body. Without even a moment to feel disappointed, I drifted off to sleep.
* * *
In my sleep, I heard voices.
“What should we do about this.”
“I see.”
“It’s just…”
A gentle hand patted my chest.
“I’m just worried about our Gongja.”
I opened my eyes. I didn't like the bright light pouring down on them.
I scrunched up my face without thinking, and a cry came out of my mouth.
“Eee-eeing!”
“Ah, it looks like our Gongja is awake. Did you sleep well, Gongja?”
A familiar embrace wrapped around me. I rubbed my face against the gray nun's habit.
“Our Gongja, you can be a little grumpier after your nap. Is that all?”
I answered by rubbing my forehead against her.
“Bya!”
This is more than enough!
The nun smiled and said.
“Sister Maria, could you please get some formula?”
“Yes, Sister Teresa.”
Ah, so it was our Sister Teresa. I smiled brightly.
“Bboo-ya-ya, bboo-aah!”
You’re working hard again today.
“Bya? Bya-bya!”
Oh, it went up.
‘Thank you for the coin, Sister.’
Sister Teresa patted my back and said.
“Gongja, how was your day?”
Is she talking about the Ma Sujeong incident?
I answered willingly.
“Bya, bbee-yoo, bboo-aah!”
Yes, it was a bit shocking, but I’m okay.
“I hope our Gongja finds parents soon because he’s so pretty, but…”
She whispered worriedly.
“Still, for it to happen like this is a bit… much.”
She was absolutely right. I moved my legs in agreement.
“Bba-ya-byoo-yoo!”
That’s right!
“People don’t even decide to get a pet that impulsively, and he’s such a beautiful child…”
Sister Teresa let out a deep sigh.
“Does she think of a child as something like a necklace or a ring?”
No, surely not.
Could Actress Ma really be that thoughtless? I don't think so.
I waved my arms with all my might.
“Bya-ya, ppoo! Oo-a-bya-ya!”
It's just my guess, but she didn't seem like a bad person.
‘She was a bit impulsive, but she disinfected her hands before trying to touch me.’
Someone who doesn't cherish children wouldn't even think to do that.
‘Though if even that was an act, there’s nothing I can do about it…’
Hmm, Actress Ma didn't seem that cunning.
“Our Gongja, I hope you meet good parents…”
Sister Teresa placed a bottle in my mouth. I sucked down the formula vigorously. I must have been hungry because it went down so easily.
The nun watched me, then offered a small prayer.
“Lord. Please let this beautiful child meet a good family.”
She prayed without rest.
Well, setting Ma Sujeong aside, one thing was clear.
‘This person… is a really good person. Truly, very, very good!’
May you be blessed, Sister. I mean it.
Sister Teresa whispered softly.
“Gongja, do you think Ms. Ma Sujeong will really come back for you in a week?”