Securing the Door

Je-heon lowered his gaze and checked the wristwatch that marked 8 o'clock.

It had already been half an hour since Myeong-hee went to make a call.

He picked up the jacket draped over the chair. And it was right when he was about to leave the room.

“Returning? The chairman should be finishing soon.”

The voice that brushed against his ear was faint and weary. Je-heon turned around.

“Tell her to enjoy the call. She seems busy.”

He knew who the woman calling was, the one they called Shinnyeo.

There was no reason to wait for a call that might not end anytime soon, so he was about to leave.

"Going?"

A sharp voice, different from Myeong-hee's, brushed against his ear.

There, Myeong-hee had appeared without him noticing.

“Real estate agent, give that to me."

Myeong-hee gestured towards Myeong, and she placed a shopping bag in front of Je-heon.

Before he could even check the contents, Je-heon's gaze darkened.

"What kind of medicine is this? Take it as per the instructions inside, without missing any."

"......"

"Then why did you fire this person? With this person, it would be easier for both of us."

This person was the staff who had come to work at the Samsung-dong residence after Je-heon woke up, handling the housework.

The door was opened at all times, and the things handed by the real estate agent Myeong were piled up like a warehouse.

The unpleasant old memories were about to surface, and Je-heon's mouth stiffened.

"If the real estate agent contacts you, receive it. Or give her the master key, or hire someone else. I'll put it in and go."

His tightly closed mouth twisted, and a cold smile appeared.

"By coming and going like this, you plan to enter the funeral hall too."

"What?"

Shock crossed Myeong's face.

"Was the real estate agent this old this year? Seven years older than me."

"What nonsense are you saying!"

"Why do you think it's nonsense?"

Suddenly, Myeong's face flushed red.

Myeong was at a loss between the two of them.

"The secretary said he gave her medicine and then cheated. And the fiancée is coming back at the same time. It's provocative."

"Who dares to say such things? And the real estate agent is my person. There won't be such a thing!"

"People start talking about whether it's true or not from the beginning. It's fun if it's true."

"Gu Je-heon!"

Myeong raised her voice.

"Stop it, it's disgusting!"

The end of Myeong's voice cracked, revealing the unpleasant emotion clearly.

The more Myeong escalated, the deeper Je-heon's gaze sank. His mouth curved softly as he looked at Myeong.

"I know. It's disgusting that your mother has a flaw."

Myeong could not tolerate even the slightest flaw.

It would be a disgusting stain if the real estate agent, who was like a limb, played with Je-heon.

She had the personality to rather die than live her life being talked about by people.

"You raised me like a child, but if I play with the secretary, you'll throw me away. It's for prevention."

With a clean resolution, Je-heon smiled at the frozen Myeong.

The tense atmosphere that had been tight around Je-heon just moments ago loosened.

"Take this, it's good for the body. The real estate agent will take care of it well."

Je-heon lifted the two large shopping bags in front of him and placed them in front of her.

"Go!"

Myeong's command was like a dismissal, and Je-heon bowed his head slightly.

Watching Myeong rush to the kitchen to get ice water and hand it over, he turned.

The tearing scream from the mansion as he left was heard, but he ignored it.

The hysterical Myeong's appearance was not for a day or two.

Having lived under the same roof for dozens of years, Je-heon was familiar with it.

There were occasional shocking incidents that exceeded the highest level.

When he reached the parking lot after walking the path.

"You came out early."

It was Seong-jae who greeted Je-heon.

"Seong-jae."

"Yes."

Je-heon stopped walking, and Seong-jae, who had been quietly following, also stopped.

"Is it true that Ji-woo has no father?"

"Yes. As I said before, he was born and raised alone in Daejeon, and there was no father for the child. Also, it was confirmed that he received government unmarried mother support."

Before going to the kindergarten to pick up Ji-woo, when he learned that Ji-woo was Jeong Yeon-jae's son.

The first thing he investigated was the existence of the child's father.

The fact that the child was born meant there was a father somewhere.

But Ji-woo's surname followed Yeon-jae's surname.

"If he was pregnant? Really having a child......."

The woman who asked what would happen if he really had a child.

At that time, she dismissed it as sophistry. She thought it was a crazy act to find a connection with herself who had lost her memories.

Jeong Ji-woo, five years old

Five years passed, and when he learned Ji-woo was five years old.

An indescribable uneasy feeling kept lingering in his mind.

He really was pregnant at that time.

At first, he thought maybe, no, really his child?

Then, rationality returned, and the confused thoughts sorted out.

No matter what, he couldn't have played with the sponsoree he found disgusting and had lost his memories.

So, he started looking for the child's father.

He thought if he looked, there would quickly be some clue.

But it was surprisingly clean.

No, not only clean, but the state of blank paper regarding the child's father.

"However, how can there be no information at all."

"I was a bit worried, but there are so many different types of relationships these days."

Seong-jae's cautious addition made Je-heon agree immediately.

Je-heon had kept that possibility open the most.

Accidental pregnancy with a father he didn't know well.

Or, otherwise, a man of no worth, so he clung to her saying pregnancy or something.

If that was the case, the quiet actions of Yeon-jae five years ago were understandable.

"So."

If the father was such a pathetic person, he should have given up.

Why raise the child alone and live so miserably.

"This is why I don't understand."

The help he offered, the foundation, was rejected, and the irrational actions of Yeon-jae were drawn, and Je-heon's nape of the neck furrowed deeply.

Then, suddenly, his thoughts shifted.

"By the way, what happened to that?"

"Ah. It's in progress. It's just adding to the existing schedule, so it shouldn't be difficult, and the Daejeon city is welcoming the atmosphere. It says it's a win-win."

Even though it was a quite abbreviated statement, Seong-jae immediately understood and took out his tablet to hand it to Je-heon.

"So. Who wouldn't want to invest in a cultural desert."

Je-heon's dry eyes scanned the tablet screen.

"No one doesn't want money."

Then, he closed the tablet cover and handed something back to Seong-jae.

"Go home?"

Seong-jae, having organized the tablet, immediately went to the car.

And when he asked towards Je-heon and blocked the passenger seat door.

"No. Give me the key."

"Car key? I can drive."

Seong-jae stared blankly, and put his hand in the inner pocket of his jacket.

And before handing over the car key he took out, the hand that reached out snatched the key.

"Going down again? When are you going?"

"Extend the business trip right away. The period is generous."

Je-heon passed the brightly open passenger seat and went straight to the driver's seat.

The car's headlights lit up, brightening the view.

Soon, with the roaring exhaust sound echoing in the garage, the engine started.

And the window opened, revealing Je-heon's figure.

"Then I'll organize tomorrow's schedule and head down immediately."

"No, you stay in Seoul."

Je-heon's eyes staring at Seong-jae sank deeply.

Whether it was just a vague feeling or not, he didn't know.

"Let's secure the door. Samsung-dong."

Je-heon seemed to need to know the substance of this indelible subtle feeling.

Yeon-jae leaned back in the chair.

The wall clock that glanced up showed about 5 minutes left for break time.

She was about to close her eyes for a bit.

But then, feeling the vibration, she took out her phone.

Without hesitation, Yeon-jae pressed the call button with the name that appeared on the screen.

"Yes, teacher. Jeong Ji-woo mom."

"Dad! Ji-woo."

"Ji-woo? What's wrong?"

Yeon-jae's body shot up from the voice coming from the receiver, sitting up straight.

"Ji-woo?"

Ji-woo didn't have a kids' phone.

So, this was the first time calling through the teacher.

Whether something happened or not.

Perhaps he was hurt, so the heart waiting for the child's answer was unstablely beating.

"No! I called to ask mom!"

The warm voice that came after silence loosened the heart that had been tightly clenched.

Yeon-jae swallowed a sigh.

Before asking what was wrong, Ji-woo started talking first.

"Today, there's something, can Ji-woo and Seo-ha practice for the performance together?"

"Today?"

The Ji-woo who had cried last night came to mind, and a bitter emotion reflected on Yeon-jae's lips.

Even if it was the foundation, she knew it was hard to stop the child from doing performances.

"You can't follow the oppa, Ji-woo."

"Then what about the performance? Sniff."

"The performance is…………… If Ji-woo really wants to do it, then do it."

With the words that the child could do the performance, the tears finally stopped.

Yeon-jae turned her gaze to the calendar on the desk.

Today was a day without kindergarten after-school classes. So, it seemed like they were practicing after regular classes.

"Want to stay at the kindergarten and practice?"

"Ung. Yes."

"When are they practicing?"

"Tuesday, Thursday, two hours each!"

The child's voice, which had been hesitating for a moment, brightened as if it was never like that.

"Okay. Got it."

"Yes! Teacher. Mom said it's okay! They said I can practice!"

The child's excited voice receded from the phone.

And soon, a gentle teacher's voice came.

"Yes, mom. I'm the homeroom teacher. As Ji-woo said, it's okay for the kids to practice together, right? Seo-ha's mom will be there too, so don't worry."

"Yes, yes, of course."

The words "Seo-ha's mom" drew a person in her mind.

She had quit her job to take care of the baby, saying she had talent for the violin daughter Seo-ha.

So, Seo-ha's mom could take care of the child at this time.

Even though the situation was different, Yeon-jae had a rough feeling in her mouth.

"The teacher is very famous and a good person, and it's a good opportunity for Ji-woo and Seo-ha too. Then I'll go to the kids' practice, understanding that you approve."

"Please take care."

The call ended with the teacher's kind greeting.

Yeah, I can't say not to do the performance.

The voice saying they are going to practice is so bright..

Yeon-jae stared at the phone for a long time, then stood up from her seat.

It was time for class to start again.

The time to leave work coincided, and people moved busily.

Yeon-jae's steps walking along the bustling city street stopped abruptly.

The time left to pick up Ji-woo, she had stopped by the city.

Walking alone at this time was rare, so Yeon-jae walked aimlessly.

Her footsteps reached a small instrument store.

After coming to her senses, she had entered.

The owner's kind smile as she explained that she came to see the piano was not heard.

"You can't go to the oppa, there won't be a piano. Ji-woo has to play the piano, snuffle."

The price range was very diverse. If she went overboard, she could buy a cheap model or so.

But was it right to buy a piano for the child's performance?

If a piano is there, the child will naturally become greedier.

Yeon-jae, following the flow like flowing water, left the store behind the owner.

"Who practices the piano in a neighborhood where houses are stuck together like this? I raised it well, but it's because of you, our kid!"

"Sorry. I didn't know it would sound like that. It's daytime too."

"There are no people during the day? Funny really. Before reporting noise pollution, tone it down a bit!"

It's hard to play the piano without soundproofing construction in the house where Ji-woo lives.

How much was the soundproofing construction cost. It was obvious it would easily exceed a few hundred.

After doing the soundproofing construction, when moving, you have to restore it to original.

But giving an electronic piano as a good alternative doesn't seem right.

"......It's not easy."

Yeon-jae, considering the reality, looked down at her phone.

Seeing that the practice time was almost over, Yeon-jae hurriedly moved her steps.

The distant kindergarten gradually came closer.

Naturally walking into the kindergarten, she was about to greet Ji-woo.

"Mom, Ji-woo said he was practicing at the kindergarten?"

But it wasn't Ji-woo who greeted Yeon-jae.