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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: Ma Gongja
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“I… want to be Gongja’s mother.”

Her voice was incredibly gentle. I stared at her intently.

‘Is this really okay?’

Hold on. This is a problem that requires some thought.

Well, at the very least, I can express my opinion by crying or something.

I thought about it objectively.

‘She’s an actress, a third-generation chaebol, so she’s wealthy, and her personality is cool and not bad, but…’

I was still debating whether this was genuine or just a whim. Of course, right now, it seemed like she truly liked me…

If I was going to refuse, now was the only time.

‘If I pretend to hate it and cry now, Ma Sujeong might not raise me.’

I looked at her.

Her eyes were sparkling. The moment I saw that sparkle, a laugh escaped me before I knew it.

Giggle!

‘This much could just be a coincidence.’

The fact that Ma Sujeong wanted to see me so badly could just be because I’m handsome.

‘But still.’

I blinked.

‘I know.’

Ma Sujeong was a brilliant actress, but her life was short.

The memory was still vivid.

‘It was a photo from her funeral.’

Ma Sujeong’s daughter was crying as she looked at the funeral portrait. It was just one photo, but I could feel the entire situation from it.

At the time, I felt like I had seen something too private and shook my head.

‘What kind of reporter takes a picture like that, I’d thought.’

I hadn’t wanted to peek at such sorrow then. And now, for a different reason, I didn’t want to see it.

I made a choice.

‘Let’s do this well, Ms. Ma Sujeong.’

I will do right by you.

‘Although I’m not sure how. And thank you for choosing me.’

Filial piety. I’ve never done that before. Can I do it well?

‘At the very least, I will absolutely prevent that photo from ever being taken.’

Just then, something wet fell onto my forehead. It was Ma Sujeong’s tear.

‘What a strange feeling.’

Why was it? The drop that trickled down felt surprisingly profound.

“That’s right, Gongja.”

She whispered softly.

“I’ll be your mother. I’ll raise you really, really well.”

Ma Sujeong’s forehead touched mine. Her breath tickled, so I smiled gently.

It was then.

A caption appeared.

Wow. It all went up at once.

‘No, more importantly, just how happy is she?’

The coins went up by 1,000.

‘With this many coins, I can make Sister Jeong Teresa healthy, right?’

A genuine smile spread across my face.

“Byaaah!”

I’m so happy!

As I wiggled my butt in joy, Ma Sujeong kissed my cheek.

“Are you happy?”

“Bya!”

Yes!

“Thank you…”

I shook my head.

‘Why are you thanking me, Ms. Ma?’

Raising a child costs a fortune. And you’re just going to do it, for me, who doesn’t share a single drop of your blood.

Ma Sujeong turned her head to the nun.

“My lawyer will be coming. They will handle the procedures thoroughly.”

“Sujeong.”

“I know you don’t find me trustworthy. But it’s too late to turn back now. I’ve made my decision.”

She wiped the tear from my forehead with her hand.

“Since I’m divorced, the process will be a bit more complicated. But I’ll do it right, even if it takes time.”

Sister Jeong Teresa let out a small sigh.

“Ma Sujeong.”

Honestly, I thought she would object again. But the nun took Ma Sujeong’s hand.

“We’ll be counting on you. Our Gongja is a child who was abandoned all alone on a cold day like this, without so much as a letter.”

“I’m… I’m not that bad of a person…”

“Sujeong. You must make our Gongja happy. We are letting him go because we trust you, but if anything unfortunate happens, we will not stand by idly.”

It was a resolute side of the nun I had never seen before.

I was surprised, and Ma Sujeong was even more so. But knowing the meaning behind those words better than anyone, Ma Sujeong calmly collected her breath.

“I may seem immature, but please, trust me. This is a first for me, too.”

Only then did Sister Jeong Teresa seem a little relieved, and she smiled slightly.

“I understand.”

The two of them faced each other and smiled. It was a heartwarming sight.

“Sujeong, it’s late, so I think it would be best for you to head back for today.”

“Ah, I’m sorry. To come at such a late hour!”

Ma Sujeong hurriedly looked for the coat she had taken off. The snow-covered coat was already in Sister Maria’s hands.

Sister Jeong Teresa asked.

“Is it snowing a lot outside?”

“Yes. I came straight here after filming. I just couldn’t wait. Sister, actually.”

She spoke as she put on the damp coat.

“I stood out front for a long time. I spent hours wondering if my feelings were truly just a whim.”

“Oh my!”

“As I kept standing there, another nun who couldn’t bear to watch any longer let me in.”

Ma Sujeong looked at my face and said.

“See you later. No, I’ll be coming often now, Gongja.”

“Byubyubabya! Byubabayoo!”

Sounds good! Let’s see each other often!

I giggled. Ma Sujeong kept her eyes on my face until the very last second before finally turning away.

Ma Sujeong left, but her scent still lingered.

‘She smells like snow.’

I could feel the damp, cold air in its entirety.

‘She was really standing in the snow.’

Oh no. You can’t catch a cold, Ms. Ma.

Perhaps because of the major event, I felt sleepy again. As my eyes grew heavy, the nun gently patted my chest.

“Gongja, are you sleepy? Go on and sleep. It’s gotten late.”

A wave of drowsiness washed over me. I quietly drifted off. It was a peaceful sleep.

* * *

“Gongja, it’s Mommy!”

“Byubaaa!”

I wiggled my arms and grabbed the brown hair in front of me. Ma Sujeong grinned and patted my bottom.

“Our Gongja is cute today, too, isn’t he?”

I replied as if to answer.

“Byuaaaah!”

Of course!

“Did you sleep well yesterday? I’m sorry I couldn’t come. Mommy was busy with filming.”

I giggled and kicked my legs.

‘She’s come every single day since then. I didn’t think she’d be this proactive.’

Ma Sujeong always made sure to stop by at least once to see my face. Honestly, I could no longer think of it as a whim. Ma Sujeong, no, Mom, was serious.

‘It’s already been four months.’

The actress whispered softly.

“Today’s the day we go home, Gongja.”

“Byubaaa!”

Okay!

“Mommy had such a hard time waiting. The procedures were really complicated.”

A laugh came from behind me. It was Sister Jeong Teresa.

“The day has finally come.”

“Yes. It’s all perfectly settled.”

“You’ve worked so hard.”

“My lawyer handled all the complicated parts. I, on the other hand, was dying to see Gongja…”

Ma Sujeong stroked my cheek.

“Gongja. You’re really my son now.”

“Byabyua!”

Okay!

Seeing my smile, Ma Sujeong clenched her fists and twisted at her waist.

“Oh, so pretty! Why are you so pretty! My baby is the prettiest in the world!”

“Gongja is truly adorable.”

Sister Jeong Teresa watched us with a gentle smile. Then she took a small breath and called her name.

“Ma Sujeong. Could you take a look at this for a moment?”

Sister Jeong Teresa took out a small bag.

“What’s this?”

“It’s the bag that was with Gongja.”

Sister Jeong Teresa rummaged inside.

“Look.”

“Are these baby clothes?”

“Yes. These are the clothes Gongja was first wearing. I kept them, just in case.”

Ma Sujeong looked at them, puzzled.

“They’re just clothes.”

“Yes. And a photo. It was taken right when he arrived. Looking at it like this, our Gongja has grown so much in just four months.”

The actress gazed at the photo.

“Was this a few days before I met him?”

“About three or four days, yes.”

“I see.”

Ma Sujeong carefully placed the photo in the bag.

Sister Jeong Teresa took out something from the very bottom of the bag.

“I think this is the most important thing. It’s a baby name tag.”

“Ah…”

“There was no date or time of birth. Just the name was written. And the surname was scratched out like this.”

Ma Sujeong looked at the bracelet from all angles.

“It’s just an ordinary bracelet.”

“Yes. That’s why we speculate that our Gongja might be the child of a single mother.”

Ma Sujeong nodded.

“Now that you’re taking Gongja, will you be giving him a new name?”

“No.”

Ma Sujeong looked at me and said.

“Gongja suits Gongja.”

“Ah, then since his surname will be Ma…”

“Yes, he’ll be Ma Gongja.”

E-excuse me?

‘Are you… insane?!’

Suddenly, I hiccuped.

‘Wait a minute. Ma Gongja?’

Is that my name?

‘How did I not think of this?’

I’d been calling her Ms. Ma, Ms. Ma, so of course my surname would become Ma!

‘My name is Ma Gongja!’

That’s weird!

‘It sounds like I’m harboring a black flame dragon in my left arm!’

No, in what universe does that name suit someone as cute as me!

“Ma Gongja… How unusual. It really suits our Gongja.”

“Right?”

No. Sister, why are you like this too?

“Byubyu, byabyabya!”

Give me a different name!

I flailed my arms and legs, shaking my head vehemently.

“Baba, byubyubaba!”

Please change it!

I thrashed about with all my might, but the two of them just covered their mouths and laughed.

“Oh my, how cute.”

“It seems Gongja likes it too.”

No.

“Byahyahrarara! Byabya! Byubyubyu! Byababiya!”

Please change my name. What kind of name is Ma Gongja!

‘I’d need some serious mental fortitude just to introduce myself! This can’t be happening!’