The Unbearable Wait

p>I can't understand why these words suddenly came out. Min Tae-yeon barely calmed her trembling heart and turned her gaze away as if nothing had happened. p>“Aigoo. How nice your family bloodline must be? You're bragging that Yun-woo is your own blood, aren't you?” p>“Of course it's nice. Yun-woo is the best.” p>Chairman Choi's words brought a smile to Jin-hee's face. Since Jin-hee had no other comment, she must have decided that Chairman Choi was in favor of the DNA test. Tae-yeon suddenly felt her throat tighten. p>I want to contact Hyun-seo right now. In this situation, should I really run away? My heart was burning. So she had never wasted even one penny given by her birth family, and had never even touched the allowance that Chairman Choi and Oh Jin-hee provided. p>Because she was afraid she might throw it all up. She only thought of the money Hyun-seo gave as her own money. p>Once the topic of the DNA test came up, all those things suddenly filled her mind. In the end, this was why she had no choice but to be the fake one. p>The room felt like hell even though they were in the same space. Only she, who was burning inside and aching with regret, could not stay still. p>The anxiety that was rushing in like waves had no one to solve it except Hyun-seo. p>Oh Jin-hee picked up Yun-woo from Chairman Choi's hands and laid a wide thin blanket on the soft carpeted floor before gently lowering the child. p>Now sitting her up, Yun-woo sat properly and smiled at her grandmother. p>“Eum~ um~ um~ aaaa~” p>Yun-woo made long babbling sounds. Saliva drooled from his lips. Jin-hee wiped it with a towel and laughed. p>“Our Yun-woo, what is all this talking about?” p>Tae-yeon slowly approached and sat beside Yun-woo. p>“Mom, it seems Yun-woo is happy seeing his grandfather and grandmother. Sometimes he even says ‘Mom’, but Icheon-daek says he’s mistaken.” p>“Aigoo, my Yun-woo wants to talk? That’s why I tell the kids’ mom to lie three times a day, you know. Sometimes he really calls her ‘Mom’. Look, he’s trying to crawl a little.” p>When he first arrived last week, Yun-woo had rolled over, but he still hadn’t moved forward. Yet now, with stronger shoulder and arm strength, he groaned and pushed forward a little, head tilted up, eyes sparkling as he looked ahead, using all his might. The groaning was pitiful, yet somehow unbearably cute. p>Yun-woo had that satisfied expression on his face the moment his body moved forward. His big eyes widened even more, eyebrows lifting high. Then, unable to speak, he burst into giggles of joy. It was even more infectious because the people around him were cheering him on. p>Even though it wasn’t quitting time, Chairman Choi had come home early when he heard Yun-woo was coming. Oh Jin-hee had been boiling doenjang pork porridge, Yun-woo’s favorite, and had bought a huge pile of persimmons. Of course he didn’t eat much, but nothing could match the effort to catch his eye and make him play. p>She placed a persimmon a little in front of the prone Yun-woo. He pushed his belly with all his strength, trying hard to crawl toward the persimmons that seemed to dance before him. p>The sight of Yun-woo’s chubby bottom wiggling as he clenched his fists and pushed with all his might made anyone watching laugh helplessly. Primitive achievement must look something like this. p>When everyone laughed because of Yun-woo, Oh Jin-hee spoke with pride shining on her face. p>“Our Hyun-seo was exactly like that. So stubborn. Even if there was a ball right in front of him, he would push and grab it. Last night, Yun-woo is doing this, so it’s really amazing. Today Hyun-seo is also coming to eat dinner here.” p>“Mom, I don’t know if Hyun-seo-ssi can come so early since he’s so busy.” p>Tae-yeon spoke worriedly because it was rare for Hyun-seo to leave work early. Chairman Choi jumped in with a heavy voice. p>“If I say come, he comes. The chairman says not to work and come home.” p>Power was like this. Even if you told him to come early, of course he couldn’t say it easily, but Hyun-seo who worked until late and showed no such face would come home for dinner with just one word from Chairman Choi. p>That was power, in your hands. Even within the family, they fought over shares and weighed who made more profit in which company. Miwoo FNC was the same. Chairman Choi had relatives everywhere. Everyone wanted to be seen by Chairman Choi. p>Yun-woo was definitely born to be loved. Gentle, and he smiled so well at his grandparents. Every time he laughed brightly, Grandfather’s mouth would stretch wide open, and Oh Jin-hee’s sharp eyes would soften into a smile. p>When dinner time arrived, Hyun-seo came. He looked neat and put-together, as if he hadn’t worked all day. Seeing that restrained demeanor in front of his parents, it seemed this man only let his guard down in bed. p>This man could also come home so early. Thinking about the times he had come to the bedroom after he fell asleep, pushed his body against hers, and woke her up, it felt new that he would come home to eat a meal. p>“Come in.” p>Chairman Choi nodded at the entrance of Hyun-seo. When they were about to sit together at the table, Chairman Choi spoke. p>“Hyeonjin Shipping.” p>“Yes. Hyeonjin Shipping’s Chairman Kwak is very close to my father.” p>“That’s right. Do you know what Chairman Kwak showed me today while bragging? The DNA test result.” p>“What?” p>Even the word “DNA test” suddenly coming out didn’t change Hyun-seo’s face at all. Tae-yeon gave him a desperate look, but Hyun-seo met her eyes indifferently and looked back at Chairman Choi. p>“Why all of a sudden?” p>“These days hospitals don’t believe their own babies and do DNA tests. They say results come out quickly. So I want to do it once too. It’s not because I don’t believe. It’s because he’s my grandchild. I want to show off that he’s my bloodline.” p>Since Hyun-seo had no reply, the table’s atmosphere felt a little off. Chairman Choi asked. p>“Why? Can’t do it?” p>Looking at Hyun-seo who stayed silent, Oh Jin-hee spoke. p>“What’s wrong with doing it once? After all, he’s my son. He looks exactly the same. Aigoo, I want to do it too.” p>Tae-yeon stayed quiet. After all, they were all the same blood in this house, so it didn’t matter. But if she said she wanted to do it, she probably couldn’t. She felt like she was sitting on a needle cushion; dinner wasn’t enjoyable at all. Fortunately, Tae-yeon didn’t see anyone else interested in eating. p>Tae-yeon slowly moved her chopsticks and watched Hyun-seo. She hoped he would say something. Hyun-seo calmly scooped rice and ate, then skillfully served the favorite hotpot he liked. p>Only I am burning inside. Hyun-seo, say something! p>But Hyun-seo didn’t speak until he almost finished his meal. Then Hyun-seo took a sip of water and opened his mouth. p>“Let’s do it. What’s so difficult about that.” p>Chairman Choi’s face brightened at those words. p>“See? I’ll have you handle it.” p>Looking at Yun-woo, Oh Jin-hee spoke leisurely. p>“There won’t be any mix-up at the hospital. He looks exactly like his dad.” p>“Yes, Mom. Such things don’t happen anymore.” p>“That’s right.” p>Oh Jin-hee carried Yun-woo around without saying more. Suddenly Tae-yeon felt out of place in this room. She wasn’t the only blood here. Of course she was the daughter-in-law, but even that Yun-woo had not mixed a single drop of blood made it hit her with new weight. The power of truth was like this. p>Quietly seated, Chairman Choi asked. p>“What do you need?” p>“Yes, Father?” p>“You. Since you’re raising Yun-woo so well, I want to buy you something.” p>Then Oh Jin-hee beside her spoke up. p>“What are you buying? Raising a child is a mother’s natural duty. Even at the one-hundred-day celebration, we gave her that expensive ruby set.” p>She had worn that ruby set once and put it in the safe. Why would she wear something that risked her neck? p>But it was a big asset. Still, when she left, she had thought she had to take everything with her. She couldn’t go away carrying all those things and later face fraud charges if it turned out she wasn’t the real mother. p>Her heart grew heavier and heavier, yet she had nothing to say. Then Hyun-seo stood up and spoke to Tae-yeon. p>“Want to go for a walk for a bit?” p>What? A walk with Hyun-seo? Especially with his parents here? p>Of course, it would be the perfect chance to escape. Oh Jin-hee, holding Yun-woo, also agreed. p>“Yes. Go out for a bit. We’ll watch Yun-woo.” p>“Please go ahead. Young Madam.” p>Icheon-daek said from the side too. Tae-yeon put on her coat and left. Stepping out, she felt her breathing ease. She wanted to hear Hyun-seo’s words about the DNA test. Was she about to quit being Yun-woo’s mother?