If You Want to, Just Say It
There were countless absurd words in the world, but Choi Hyun-seo thought that none of them could compare to what he had just heard. Hearing someone tell him to get to work, and that person being none other than a low-ranking PR team agent!
“You’re telling me to get to work right now? Even though I’m just an agent?”
Tae-yeon’s expression changed completely upon hearing the word “agent.”
“An agent? I’m still only an agent to Vice President-nim?”
“That’s right. You were promoted to manager.”
“No. You don’t remember me calling you Min Director lately?”
“No, that was just an office lady manager.”
“No. When they talk about someone’s ability, they say it’s the salary. Remember what you said in the lecture?”
Hyun-seo nodded. He had definitely said things like that. Even in company meetings, he would say, “Elevate your skills. Your worth is your ability.”
That was still his view. He said the same thing to new hires. From that perspective, Min Tae-yeon had long since become a director.
“So?”
Tae-yeon shot back as if she had prepared her answer. Hyun-seo had nothing left to say.
“It’s very grateful that you came like this, but I feel like a huge burden.”
“Uh… a burden?”
“Of course. Even though we’re both directors, I’m still just an office lady manager. If Vice President-nim came to see me, how could I not feel burdened?”
“Do you think we’re that close?”
“Then what kind of relationship is it? The personal and private part ended long ago. I confessed and you rejected me. What remains between us now is only contract fulfillment. And that contract is only a few months away from its minimum two-year period. After that, neither of us knows what will happen.”
Hyun-seo stayed silent at that, lips pressed tight. After a moment, he asked in a different tone.
“Have the inspection results come out yet?”
“Yes. I want to give Mom my kidney. There’s no other donor available right now, and I won’t do something illegal like black-market trading. Mom would hate that if she survived because of it.”
“Black-market trading… do you know how?”
“Of course not. He said he won’t do things like that. I won’t either.”
“So there’s no other way but for Min Tae-yeon’s kidney.”
It was a factual statement, yet it was incredibly difficult to accept. Tae-yeon stared quietly and lowered her head heavily.
“Yes.”
Hyun-seo let out a sigh at the despair-filled one word.
“Mom really likes it? Well, Mom is a good person after all.”
“Where did that come from? Mom is a good person.”
But Hyun-seo didn’t answer. In his memories, Mom had been a hated person except for very young childhood. The guilt of hating her always followed. He shouldn’t hate Mom, but he couldn’t like her.
He hated that tendency to twist everything around him to fit his own thoughts. And above all, even if he did nothing, he could become anything with his own ability. Yet the Mom who planted herself in the spot where he had ruined his brother and driven him away was the one he hated.
“What are you thinking?”
“Ah, I just seem to like Mom a lot.”
The words carried no emotion, like a question or a musing to himself. But Tae-yeon wanted to talk about Mom right now. She wanted to grab anyone and tell them how good Mom was.
“Our Mom… was good to everyone. Above all, she sacrificed more than anyone for me. After Dad passed away, Mom and I really clung together….”
Tae-yeon let out a sigh, unable to finish her sentence, her heart full of worry and concern.
“It will all be okay from now on too. We’ll live together and happily until we’re a hundred.”
“Is it really possible?”
“Yes. It will be.”
“Thank you for saying that. I probably won’t sleep well at home tonight. But if I think about Yun-woo, I’ll have to go.”
“Do as you please. Yun-woo has Icheon-daek, so he’ll be fine for a day or two.”
Tae-yeon nodded. But Yun-woo kept worrying her.
“Then can you go see Yun-woo for me? With Mom gone, at least Dad is there, so it should make him feel better.”
Tae-yeon looked at her with sorrowful eyes, and her words were already decided.
“I will.”
“Thank you. Truly.”
Her smile revealed her perfect teeth, yet it was filled with sadness. Hyun-seo wanted to remove that sadness completely. He nodded at Tae-yeon.
“Go in. To your mom.”
“Yes.”
Tae-yeon entered the hospital room first. Hyun-seo stared at the door for a moment before turning and picking up his phone.
“Is everything ready?”
“Yes. We decided to do everything at once if you fast today and come to the hospital tomorrow. We’re also specially paying attention so the results come out quickly.”
“Got it.”
Hyun-seo slowly put the phone away in his jacket and headed toward the elevator.
* * *
“Mom, Mom, how are you feeling?”
Kyung-ja blinked awake from sleep and moved. Tae-yeon approached her side and sat down, calling out to her mom. Even if she was healthy, the weight of life was heavy, and a Mom who was in pain was too heartbreaking.
“Here….”
Her hoarse voice was heartrending. Kyung-ja blinked for a moment, realizing this was a hospital. So I made my daughter suffer again.
“Why are you still here? You should be with Yun-woo watching the baby.”
Tae-yeon didn’t answer Kyung-ja’s words and jumped up.
“Mom, are you crazy? Why skip dialysis? What are you planning? Because of me….”
I got married and raised a child. If I didn’t have Mom, would I have made such a marriage?
All sorts of thoughts flashed through her mind, but she couldn’t say anything and squeezed her eyes shut. Kyung-ja held her hand and spoke.
“I’m okay. Really. I don’t want anything. Just seeing you and Yun-woo with a beautiful child is enough. I don’t want anything more.”
Tae-yeon was even more heartbroken because she knew it was sincere. Mom’s words were Mom’s true feelings. Her heart ached even more.
“I want something. I can’t live without Mom. I want to do many things with Mom from now on. I’m still Mom’s baby.”
At the teary voice, Kyung-ja smiled weakly. It was comforting to hear the words “still Mom’s baby” again.
“Yes, my baby. The best thing I’ve ever done in my life is having you, Tae-yeon.”
Tears flowed from Kyung-ja’s eyes too. They both cried together. I don’t know where everything went wrong. We lived so hard, yet nothing ended up in our hands.
“Go quickly. I’ll rest better when you’re gone. There are nurses here.”
“Okay.”
Tae-yeon left the room without lingering, afraid of an argument, and took a taxi. She felt like she was passing through a tunnel darker than the night.
“Mom.”
She murmured softly to Mom. The warmest name in the world.
I will definitely fix Mom. I’ll get the transplant so our Mom never hurts again… Before, I didn’t have money. But now I don’t have time. If only I could do the transplant…
She got off in front of the apartment and headed to the elevator. A thought struck her. She had asked that person to stay at home today. So right now, Choi Hyun-seo must be there. It was late, so maybe he was lying in bed.
At that thought, her foolish heart fluttered. Of course, she didn’t think anything would happen today. She had pushed him away, so he probably wouldn’t want to hold her again. But just knowing he was at home made her heart swell.
She opened the door and stepped inside. Icheon-daek quietly came out of Yun-woo’s room.
“Young madam, Vice President-nim came and said you won’t be able to come home today.”
“Yes. I was going to, but Mom told me to go to Yun-woo. Is Yun-woo asleep?”
“He fell asleep. He was so gentle. After looking for Mom, he said he wanted to sleep with me. He closed his eyes and slept like he understood. Come in.”
Tae-yeon wiped her hands first and went into Yun-woo’s room. Yun-woo’s lashes were neatly beautiful as he slept soundly. She kissed Yun-woo on the forehead and opened the bedroom door.
Choi Hyun-seo was sitting askew on the bed in his pajamas, looking at Tae-yeon with piercing eyes.
“You came to the house and then came here? If you wanted to sleep together, why didn’t you say so?”
“Ah! It’s not that….”
But the next moment, her body was lifted and pulled on top of him. His arms reached out and grabbed her, and it seemed to take no time at all.
She was straddling his lap. Thanks to that, her skirt rode up, and the hard, hot desire of Hyun-seo between his spread legs was clearly felt. Her body reflexively shifted, and his firm, swollen body pressed against her sensitive, tender skin.
“I don’t think words like ‘it’s not the right situation’ carry much weight.”
The breath from their touching lips was scorching hot.