Ch#55
55. Tailing
Ha-young shook her legs back and forth on the bed as she replied.
"Does Mom have a gift for me? And Christmas is a day for giving presents to kids, not to moms. Is Mom a kid?"
Ha-young turned her head to look out the window with a disinterested expression. Outside, Christmas decorations were flashing chaotically.
Mi-suk sighed and shook her head.
"When you were little, you waited for Santa Claus all day just for one Christmas present, and now that you're grown, this is how you turned out?"
Ha-young pouted and said.
"Should I dress up as Santa Claus or something?"
Ha-young grumbled as she tossed her hair.
"Anyway, you're not hateable since you can't talk back."
Mi-suk glared at Ha-young and said.
"My friend called. For Christmas, her daughter gave her a package tour voucher, so they went on a trip together. To the Czech Republic. She sent pictures to see the snow falling white like this."
At Mi-suk's words, Ha-young glanced at the photo. It was a picture of a chubby mother and daughter smiling happily on a snowy street in the Czech Republic.
"Mom. Isn't having such a slim and pretty daughter the gift of a lifetime?"
"What?"
"Look at this. Could it work if the daughter were that chubby?"
"Aigoo. I'd be happy with a chubby daughter if she sent me on an overseas trip like that. So, with Director Son getting fired, Spain is off the table now?"
"What are you talking about, Mom? We have connections with someone higher than the director—the CEO."
"The CEO has connections with us?"
Mi-suk spoke as if it were strange, and Ha-young said bluntly.
"If he's close to Na-eun, isn't he close to us? I even greeted him a few days ago. I said I was Ji-ho's aunt."
"And? Does the CEO remember you?"
Mi-suk asked with a face full of curiosity. Ha-young lifted her chin and nodded slightly.
"Yeah. He remembered and said he knew. That means we're connected."
"Then that's perfect. What can't we do with connections to the CEO?"
Mi-suk smiled broadly as if relieved. But Ha-young's face quickly twisted in dissatisfaction.
"But the new director has no flexibility and is so petty—it's really tough. Still, wouldn't he give us better treatment since we're connected to the CEO?"
"Yeah."
Mi-suk looked at Ha-young with a dubious expression. Her flashy, boastful daughter always made her feel uneasy somehow.
The next day, Ha-young went to Na-eun's kindergarten right at quitting time. As the red sports car pulled into the kindergarten, a teacher heading home saw Na-eun and said.
"That's a really expensive car. Is there a parent who drives something like that inside?"
"Yeah. I'll talk to her. You go home first, Teacher."
Na-eun pretended not to notice and walked toward the sports car after the other teacher left. Ji-ho, beside her, recognized Ha-young's car and said.
"That's Aunt's car."
"Right, Aunt's car. Ji-ho, do you like such a red car?"
"No. I like Mom's car better. It's white."
Ji-ho saying Na-eun's car was prettier was adorable.
Ha-young lowered her sunglasses and looked at Na-eun, curling the corners of her mouth. She stepped out of the car, wearing high heels as always, and the shine of the red sports car made her glamorous outfit stand out even more. In her hand was a luxury brand bag.
Na-eun frowned briefly at Ha-young's unwelcome appearance but soon regained her composure and smiled softly. Ji-ho tilted his head watching his mom and asked.
"Mom, why is Aunt here?"
"Who knows. Probably to talk."
Ha-young crossed one leg comfortably as she looked at Na-eun. Her eyes were still cold, but complex emotions were mixed in.
"Got time? Let's talk."
Na-eun sighed and nodded.
"Oh, has our Ji-ho been well?"
Ha-young tried to smile brightly at Ji-ho, but it felt awkward somehow. The red sports car shone异质ly in front of the white kindergarten building, drawing even more attention.
Ji-ho nodded. Na-eun answered on his behalf from the side.
"He's been well."
Na-eun smiled as she looked at Ha-young. But wariness flickered somewhere in her heart. Why had Ha-young suddenly come here?
"Sis. Yesterday was Christmas—did you bring a present for Ji-ho at least?"
At Na-eun's question, Ha-young hesitated for a moment. A flicker of fluster crossed her face, and she averted her eyes, biting her lip slightly. A cold winter wind blew, tousling her hair.
"Ah. I didn't think of that."
Ha-young forced a smile and continued in a soft voice.
"Next time I see you, Aunt will buy our Ji-ho a present."
Ji-ho pouted briefly at Ha-young's words but soon nodded. Ha-young fussed over Ji-ho and said.
"It's okay, Ji-ho. Aunt's busy, so it happens."
Na-eun's voice was affectionate but carried a firm undertone.
Ha-young looked around with an awkward smile and met Na-eun's eyes. In that moment, a subtle tension passed between them.
"Talk is cheap. You never give anything usually anyway. It's cold. What's the talk? No way. It's cold, so Ji-ho, go stack blocks for a bit."
Na-eun took Ji-ho back into the classroom to keep him warm and came back out. She approached Ha-young, who stood with arms crossed, and said.
"Let's talk in my car. You didn't come to say something people might overhear, right?"
As Na-eun got into her car, Ha-young climbed into the passenger seat.
"I didn't come for anything special. You moved, but I feel like I haven't visited once. Are you heading home today?"
Ha-young checked her appearance in the passenger mirror and raised an eyebrow slightly. Na-eun looked at her in disbelief for a moment.
"You hate sleazy stuff. It's a semi-basement with the kid, so I can't even clean. Cockroaches come out too."
Na-eun bowed her head with a wry smile. Hearing that, Ha-young wrinkled her nose in disgust.
With her nose slightly upturned, Ha-young said in a mocking tone.
"How do you live in a place where even cockroaches come out?"
"Then where should I go with that deposit? Rent's gone up. Will Sis find me a place?"
At Na-eun's words, Ha-young jumped and waved her hands.
"Why would I find you a place?"
Ha-young averted her eyes with a hollow laugh and muttered.
"This is ridiculous."
Na-eun sighed softly and gripped her handbag tightly.
"Anyway, I came thinking I'd visit your place today."
Ha-young said indifferently, her eyes gleaming. Na-eun frowned and shook her head.
"I said I won't take you. Plus, I said I'm a live-in tutor there. I have to go now."
Na-eun turned her head after a curt reply.
"Let's have dinner together."
Ha-young urgently grabbed Na-eun's arm and said.
"Why do you keep doing this? I already talked about the CEO. I'm busy, so I'm going first. Get out. I need to pick up Ji-ho."
Na-eun fetched Ji-ho a moment later and drove off. After Na-eun left, Ha-young got back in her car, waited a bit, and followed behind.
"No matter how I think about it, what's so great about her? There's no way she wouldn't take me home unless they're close."
And soon, another car came and it started raining lightly. Seeing the light rain, Ha-young bit her lip.
A moment later, Na-eun stopped at a house with a long wall. The chauffeur greeted her, and as Na-eun got out with Ji-ho, he parked the car.
"Weird, right? Why would a chauffeur park the live-in tutor's car in the garage?"
"Look, look. It's the same house. The house is so big they don't see each other? Even so, teaching her nephew every day in the same house—they must be close."
As Ha-young thought that and was about to turn around, she saw Kang-woo and Na-eun coming out of the house. They walked side by side talking and headed toward the convenience store.
"What are those two doing alone? Are they on a date right now?"
Unaware Ha-young was watching intently, the two entered the convenience store and didn't come out.
"Han Na-eun, I asked you to put in a good word with the CEO, and this is how you act? Fine, then I won't stay quiet either."
Ha-young got out of the car with a short sigh. Her steps paused briefly at the imposing presence of the grand mansion before her, but she soon lifted her head and closed the car door. As she parked, the chauffeur approached politely and asked.
"Are you here to visit?"
Ha-young smiled and replied.
"."
The chauffeur observed Ha-young with sharp eyes and asked again.
"What is the reason for your visit?"
Ha-young lightly tossed her hair and said confidently.
"I'm Han Na-eun's sister, the live-in tutor here."
The chauffeur frowned slightly with a subtle expression. After hesitating a few times, he asked again.
"You're Teacher Han Na-eun's sister? Do you have an appointment?"
Ha-young gave a cold smile and shook her head.
"Would a sister need an appointment to visit?"
The chauffeur pressed his lips together briefly and bowed politely.
"We cannot let in anyone whose identity hasn't been verified. Please wait a moment."
