Chapter 29
29. Money Talk
At work, Naeun bit her lip as she replayed the previous night in her mind.
"I must be crazy! Crazy. To start something like that last night of all nights!"
Today was a special day at the kindergarten with an event. To welcome winter, the children were experiencing kimchi-making, and lunch featured
But after what happened last night, her body felt sluggish today, moving slower than usual.
"Did you catch a cold recently? Teacher Han, are you feeling unwell?"
The director noticed Naeun moving more slowly than usual and commented. Naeun looked up.
"No. Seems like my cold symptoms are coming back."
She brushed it off vaguely, and the director clicked her tongue.
"Yes. I'll do my best. Don't worry too much."
"Colds have been like that lately—one comes and doesn't just go away; it improves a bit then flares up again. I don't know why."
Though she spoke more energetically on purpose, the director frowned with concern.
"Still, don't push yourself. If it reaches the chairwoman's ears, she'll say the director isn't taking care of the teachers."
The director had been especially kind to Naeun since the chairwoman's visit. But Naeun paid no attention to such things.
Dazzling winter sunlight streamed through the window, where remnants of last night's first snow still sparkled. Cold wind blew
in, and the children gathered at the practice area in thick clothes. She fitted each child with a waterproof apron and even the smallest rubber gloves. Taking photos of the children in aprons and gloves was important too—it was for sending to their parents.
The kitchen staff had been busy since dawn preparing for kimchi-making. Large tubs held salted cabbages, red chili pow
der, ground garlic, shrimp sauce, ginger, and other seasonings neatly arranged. Each looked appetizing. In big pots, warm bossam pork steamed invitingly. Jiho and Minho, in aprons with name tags, looked unbearably cute.
Naeun explained how to make kimchi to the children and let them taste the filling seasoning a bit. Of course,
"It's spicy.", "It's hot. Water, please." they cried out. Still, their curious eyes gazed at the red seasoning.
"Now we put this seasoning inside the cabbage leaves. Teacher will show you."
Naeun spread the seasoning inside the cabbage. The children then carefully picked up single leaves and spread it with small
"Teacher, this is bigger than my hand!"
One child said holding a cabbage leaf, making the others burst into laughter.
"This is even bigger than my face!"
Another hid their face with cabbage. While filling their faces, aprons, and cabbage leaves with seasoning, the children also got
red-faced. The helping teacher watched carefully to ensure no seasoning got in their eyes.
"This way, the kimchi will ferment deliciously."
At Naeun's words, one child tilted their head.
"Can we eat it tomorrow then?"
with their hands.
bossam wraps and freshly made kimchi tasting. Despite making it as mild as possible since it was for the children, the spicy chili powder still made their faces scrunch up.
They ate the seasoning almost clean off the white kimchi and pork. Some kids refused the spicy kimchi and ate only pork, while others slurped noisily but said it was delicious. The practice area was covered in chili powder, but filled with the children's laughter and a warm atmosphere.
After all the children went home, there was quite a bit of cleanup.
"Mom."
"Yes. Why?"
"Am I going home late with you? Can't I go home with Minho too?"
Naeun put her finger to her lips and said,
"Shh, Mom said it's a secret that we live in the same house as Minho, right?"
"Yes. Shh."
Jiho also put his finger to his lips and nodded.
"But why is it a secret?"
It was a tricky question. How much could a child understand? After pondering, Naeun said simply,
"Secrets are fun and nice, right? No one else knows, just us being family."
No one knows, and we spent the night secretly together. For some reason, Naeun's heart pounded. She'd made her own secret that no one knew.
"Got it, Mom."
"Read a book. Mom just needs to finish this."
"Mom, are we going home in our car again today?"
Jiho loved riding in the new gifted car. It was compact but had a pretty design. On the first day parking it at the kindergarten, the teachers envied it. And worried too.
[It'll take forever to pay off the installments. Teacher Han must eat only rice and kimchi from now on.]
Still, the director praised her enviously.
[She must have the means to buy a car like that. Don't envy others'.]
The director probably thought Naeun's family was well-off since she knew the chairwoman. But Naeun didn't care about others' thoughts. She just lived each day diligently, and was glad Jiho liked the car.
Naeun buckled Jiho in and drove onto the road. Kangwoo's words seemed right.
[Ms. Han Naeun seems like a natural driver. Aside from not changing lanes on the first day and taking the highway, you drive well. So drive with confidence.]
She drove cautiously, but her shoulders rose proudly anyway. She never imagined riding around with Minho like this. About 10 minutes into the drive home? Her phone rang. It was Misuk.
A shrill voice rang in her ear.
"Why did you come to the kindergarten without calling?"
Naeun had no desire to meet Misuk.
-Why? I bought a cake for our Jiho.
"We're already off work."
It implied she should just go. But Misuk had no such intention.
-Then I'll go to your house. Where's your new place?
"I'll come to you. Wait there."
Naeun bit her lip hard. She couldn't reveal the house, so she had no choice but to meet her. The kindergarten would be better. Turning back, she arrived to see Misuk pacing in the yard. After parking and getting out, Jiho got out too.
"Grandma!"
"Jiho."
But Misuk's eyes weren't on Jiho—they were fixed on the car Naeun had driven.
"This car—isn't it a foreign import? What money do you have to buy this? Did you buy this instead of sending me the 3 million won?"
Naeun realized her mistake. In her rush, she'd forgotten about the car. She quickly thought.
"How could this be mine? It's Hyesun's car."
"Hyesun's?"
Misuk looked at Naeun as if asking who that was. She had no interest in Naeun anyway, so no reason to remember Hyesun. Naeun said confidently.
"Yeah. My friend. I told you about her many times, but you don't remember?"
Misuk eyed the car once more and said,
"Hyesun drives a car like this? Guess you have some well-off friends."
"I borrowed it for a few days. Having a car is nice. Mom, buy me one too. My sister drives a nice car. I have a license too."
Misuk jumped at the words.
Still eyeing the car and Naeun suspiciously, Naeun said to Misuk,
"If I had money to buy a car, would I ask you for 400,000 won?"
"Have you prepared the money?"
"What money."
"I said I need money. 3 million won."
"Am I a money tree? Do I give you everything you ask for?"
"Then why did you come?"
"Ah, I said I brought cake."
"Mom, don't even mention money."
Misuk sighed and said,
"I know."
Naeun drove the point home to keep Misuk from coming again.
"My new place is so shabby, it'd hurt my pride to take Mom there."
"That makes sense. House prices are rising, jeonse deposits too, and monthly rents all up."
"So give me some money."
Naeun kept nagging about money on purpose. The best way to keep Park Misuk at bay was money talk.
