Two Who Look Alike

Hye-gyeong was chattering away, thoroughly delighted — they both had black hair, she said, and both had eyes dark as ink. A few glasses of wine had gone to her head; her energy was running as high as if she were already drunk.

"Right, Seo-ha?"

"Hmm? Yeah. They do look alike!"

With even Seo-ha chiming in, Hye-gyeong showed no signs of stopping. The only ones keeping silent at the table were Yeon-jae, Je-heon, and Ji-woo.

Yeon-jae pressed a hand to her chest, where her heart was thrashing so violently it felt ready to burst from her ribs. It was racing so hard she almost feared Je-heon, sitting right beside her, might hear it. She stole a sidelong glance at him.

He said nothing, lifting his glass and swallowing a mouthful of water. Beyond the curve of the glass, his darkened gaze was fixed on Hye-gyeong.

Surely he isn't thinking the same thing.

No. He can't be. She told herself that, even as unease crept up from the soles of her feet. That Ji-woo was Je-heon's child was a secret she wanted buried as deep as it would go. Je-heon could not be allowed to harbor even the faintest question about Ji-woo's parentage.

If he ever did...

A terrible future unspooled in her mind, and her hand dropped limp onto her knee.

"But the mister is even better-looking than Ji-woo! You look alike, but you look like an actor, mister."

"Oh my, Seo-ha. You've got a good eye, don't you? From where I'm sitting, I think Ji-woo will grow up just as handsome as the mister."

Hye-gyeong, oblivious to the storm in Yeon-jae's heart, still looked thoroughly delighted — as if this were nothing more than a bit of amusing table talk. Yeon-jae was deeply grateful to her. Hye-gyeong had taken on the job of picking the children up from their recital, and for all her unfiltered chatter, Yeon-jae had always thought of her as a warm-hearted person. In this moment, though, she couldn't help resenting her a little.

"Seo-ha's mother, please stop."

"Huh?"

Yeon-jae cut her off more sharply than was like her, and a flicker of bewilderment crossed Hye-gyeong's face. She must have read the displeasure written there, because her eyes went round.

"Ji-woo's mom, did I upset you? Come on. I only said it because Ji-woo's as good-looking as the CEO. That's all."

Hye-gyeong waved a hand through the air, scrambling to explain.

"You don't think I actually meant it, do you? Didn't you say Ji-woo's dad was overseas?"

"Excuse me?"

The conversation veered like a spark toward the subject of the child's father. Yeon-jae clenched both hands beneath the table. The fabric of her skirt crumpled in her grip.

"Ji-woo mentioned his dad was far away."

Je-heon existed under the same sky, on the same earth. But would there ever come a day when Ji-woo could go to him? That man would live out his life never knowing Ji-woo existed. And so she had told the child, in a roundabout way, that their home had no father.

"Where was it again? Southeast Asia, was it? He's on an overseas assignment, right?"

Yeon-jae said nothing.

"Does he come back to Korea sometimes? It must be hard for Ji-woo's mom, taking care of him all by yourself."

Apparently Ji-woo's story had been misconstrued as an overseas posting. She could feel Je-heon's gaze from beside her. Even knowing he was looking, Yeon-jae made a point of not meeting his eyes.

In that brief span, a flood of worries rushed in. She hesitated over whether to explain, then parted her lips.

"I'm not on speaking terms with the child's father. I think something got lost in translation."

"Oh? Huh? Ah — ah."

Hye-gyeong looked back and forth between Yeon-jae and Je-heon, then seemed to decide this was not a conversation for the present company, and held her tongue.

"And raising a child alone — yes. It is hard sometimes."

"R-right? If it gets hard, tell me. I'll help you. Kids are supposed to be raised by the village, you know."

Hye-gyeong's face looked thoughtful, but Yeon-jae swallowed a quiet sigh of relief, sensing the topic of the child's father had been steered away.

Just then a server came in and began distributing dessert. Something was being explained, but none of it reached Yeon-jae's ears. She was poking at the sorbet in front of her when Hye-gyeong spoke again.

"Is the CEO still single?"

Hye-gyeong shifted her attention to Je-heon, as if trying to salvage the awkward atmosphere. The spoon Yeon-jae had been stirring through the sorbet went still. Once again she felt a gaze from beside her, as if he were looking her way.

Hye-gyeong was the one who asked. Why does he keep looking at me?

Yeon-jae swallowed hard. She had just started moving her spoon again when his voice filled the quiet private room.

"Yes."

Yeon-jae lifted her head. Articles about his engagement crowded her mind. She had seen the coverage of the engagement ceremony five years ago; she had assumed he would certainly be married by now.

"Really? But you must be seeing someone, right? A man this tall and this handsome couldn't possibly not have a girlfriend."

"No comment on that."

Yeon-jae felt her whole body go taut without meaning to. Whether he married or got engaged — what did that have to do with her? Calling herself foolish, she set down her dessert spoon. The sound of it landing seemed loud in the strained air, and several pairs of eyes turned toward her.

"I'm going to the restroom."

Unable to bear the stares, Yeon-jae rose from her seat and left the room. Only after she had fled to the restroom and shut the door behind her did she let out a long, shuddering breath.

I'd even believe it if you said Ji-woo was the CEO's son.

After Hye-gyeong's bombshell of a remark, the rest of the conversation had washed over her without registering. She had been so anxious that Ji-woo's parentage might be exposed. Then talk of the child's father had come up, and her mind had tangled itself into knots. The memory of that dizzying moment made her lift a hand and drag it down her face.

"It can't... show."

Whatever else, Je-heon could not be allowed to sense anything strange about Ji-woo. She would have to be more careful from now on. Having gathered her composure, Yeon-jae stepped out of the restroom.

Down the long corridor, she spotted Je-heon at the counter, settling the bill. He was alone, which meant the others were still in the room. Should she say something? Or just walk past? In that fleeting instant the thoughts tangled, and she was about to pretend she hadn't seen him and head back to the room when his voice caught her.

"Jeong Yeon-jae."

The voice calling her name stopped her in her tracks. He had only said her name, and yet her heart plummeted. She turned, and there he was, already standing right in front of her.

"Yes?"

Yeon-jae's eyes, looking up at Je-heon, wavered, unable to find their footing.

"Did you... have something to say?"

Waiting for his answer, her mouth went dry. Surely he hasn't figured it out. Even in that brief moment, a swarm of thoughts tangled together. As she waited for his reply, her heart clenched tight.

"Come down to the parking garage."

"W-why?"

She stammered at his words. Of all places, the parking garage — her anxiety threatened to swell. The Je-heon facing her let out a faint, incredulous laugh, as if to ask why she would even question something so obvious. A look of mild exasperation settled on her.

"Aren't you going home? The train's about to leave. Get your things and come down."

And here I thought he was going to interrogate me somewhere secluded.

With that, Je-heon stepped into the elevator. Only after the doors closed could Yeon-jae let out a breath of relief.

"...Home. Right."

The watch on her wrist confirmed it was time to go.

When they came down to the parking garage, a large sedan was waiting for Yeon-jae's party. Je-heon's sedan, carrying Yeon-jae and Ji-woo along with Seo-ha and Hye-gyeong, drove for a long while.

It was well past ten o'clock. Inside the car, with Seo-ha and Ji-woo asleep, everything was quiet. The children showed no sign of waking until they arrived. Their heads lolled this way and that, dropped into empty air.

When they reached the train station, Seo-ha was the first to stir.

"CEO, you treated us to such a delicious dinner, and you even brought us all the way to the station. Thank you so much for today."

"Thank you, mister."

Hye-gyeong led Seo-ha, who was still rubbing her sleepy eyes. Saying they needed to stop by the restroom before boarding, the two of them got out of the car first and headed into the station.

Yeon-jae watched them recede, then moved to the back seat. Ji-woo was still inside, sunk deep in sleep. He had always been a heavy sleeper — once he was out, you could carry him off and he wouldn't even know.

"Ji-woo."

Yeon-jae leaned toward him and shook his shoulder. She tried gently, but Ji-woo didn't so much as stir. His mouth hung open, lost in deep sleep.

"Ji-woo? We're here. We have to go catch the train."

She shook his shoulder a little harder than before.

"Nngh, nooo."

Whining, Ji-woo rolled over to face the other way. Yeon-jae glanced at her watch. Less than ten minutes remained until the train departed. She was about to try waking him again when she felt Je-heon's presence behind her.

"Jeong Yeon-jae."

Turning, she saw the man standing at the open door. He seemed to have stepped away for a call and just come back.

"Get out."

"Just a moment — Ji-woo hasn't woken up yet."

"I'll take care of it. Just get out."

Yeon-jae backed out of the car. Je-heon unbuckled the safety belt around Ji-woo's small body, then lifted the child into his arms in one motion. Watching him, Yeon-jae's eyes went wide.

"You close the car door."

She had been staring blankly. She snapped back to herself and approached him.

"The car keys?"

He was supporting the child's bottom with both hands. Je-heon jerked his chin toward the key looped on his finger. As she reached to take the key off his finger, their hands brushed. It was the lightest contact, and yet she flinched without meaning to.

Yeon-jae took the key and shut the door. When she turned, Je-heon was already walking ahead — and Ji-woo, nestled in his arms. The sight of the two of them together was so unfamiliar that Yeon-jae stood frozen in place.

"What are you doing, Jeong Yeon-jae."

Sensing she wasn't following, Je-heon stopped mid-stride. He looked back at her, then grinned, shameless, and jerked his chin toward the train station.

"That thing won't wait for you."