A child who looks like me

Heh.

Jiheon, who had been glaring sharply at Eunyeob, suddenly burst into a faint smile. Then he said,

“You crazy bastard.”

Eunyeob was taken aback.

“…What?”

“Nothing, I just thought of something and said it out loud.”

“…”

“It’s late, so hurry up and go. Return your access card properly.”

Jiheon swung the door wide open. Eunyeob found himself in a position where he had to leave before looking ridiculous by being kicked out.

As soon as Eunyeob stepped outside, the door closed mercilessly behind him. Feeling annoyed by Jiheon’s behavior, Eunyeob’s anger flared up.

***

Drrr.

Jeongoh woke up to the loud vibrating sound of her cellphone ringing.

“Hello…?”

[Mom, wake up!]

Her daughter’s boisterous voice came through the phone, accompanied by the sound of giggles outside.

Yeona had called Jeongoh from her own cellphone after waking up first. She was in a cheerful mood.

“Yeona, it’s okay to joke around at home, but you shouldn’t do that at kindergarten, okay?”

“Mom, we don’t turn on our phones at kindergarten.”

Yeona replied cheerfully. Seeing her daughter in such a good mood brightened Jeongoh’s face. However, she felt a bit worried about Yeona’s emotional ups and downs lately, especially since she often showed signs of crying.

“Princess Yeona, look at me.”

“Okay.”

“Lately, you’ve been crying too often. Let’s try not to cry today, alright?”

Jeongoh gently patted Yeona’s shoulders as she urged her.

“Okay!”

Yeona nodded bravely, her posture straightened. Jeongoh hugged her daughter and secretly sighed.

She felt that her daughter’s frequent tears and unstable emotions were all her fault. It seemed she had given her too big a burden at an age when she should simply be loved and grow up warm, without needing to know about the adult troubles.

But there was no way to postpone this homework. Jeongoh knew well that once they got over this mountain, her daughter would be happier.

“I wish you would greet Dad in the morning too.”

Jeongoh shared her hope while trying to gauge Yeona’s reaction. It was hard to decipher the thoughts behind Yeona’s rolling eyes.

“Is that still not possible?”

After a while, Yeona asked.

“Mom, is it true?”

“What is?”

“Is that uncle really Yeona’s dad?”

***

“Of course! Absolutely!”

This was the first time Yeona had asked about Jiheon directly. Jeongoh felt a glimmer of hope. Taking this opportunity, she decided to tell Yeona the truth.

“Yeona, the truth is, Dad had a terrible car accident on his way to meet you while you were still in Mom’s belly. So, he forgot how to come to you.”

“…”

“You hate getting shots because they hurt, right? Dad had to get those painful shots for months. He was hurt so badly that he had to have surgery and take a lot of medicine.”

Yeona’s eyes sparkled with wonder as she absorbed Jeongoh’s story.

“Dad almost couldn’t get up, but he survived just to see our Yeona.”

“…”

“So let’s welcome Dad, okay?”

In the end, Yeona didn’t respond. She seemed a bit downcast. Jeongoh felt sorry for bringing Yeona back down from her high spirits after getting her a cellphone.

An hour later, as expected, Jiheon came to visit again. This time, eager to make up for yesterday’s mistake, he arrived much earlier than usual and waited outside Jeongoh’s house.

“Yeona! Hello! Did you sleep well?”

“…Hello.”

Thanks to the morning conversation, Yeona reacted, albeit with a droopy voice and lackluster greeting. But that alone gave Jiheon energy.

Today was better than yesterday. That was enough for him to feel satisfied. He could also hope that tomorrow would be even better.

As Yeona left, Jiheon waved his hand for a long time and then took Jeongoh’s hand. Jeongoh grasped it tightly before quickly letting go.

“I’m not going to work at the office today. I’m going to the factory with Gi-hun. I’ll pick up some beer and head to the shoot.”

“Song Gi-hun?”

“Yeah. Gi-hun said he’d drive over. So I hope you leave quickly without being seen.”

“You’re going with Song Gi-hun?”

“Yeah. Gi-hun has a car.”

Who dares to get in the way of me and Lee Jeong-oh? Jiheon frowned and asked with a displeased expression.

“Why is Gi-hun going?”

“Gi-hun designed the beer can packaging.”

“What about Manager Go Eun-joo?”

“Manager Go had something to do this morning.”

“…”

“Gi-hun should be here soon. You should go now.”

As Jiheon mulled over Jeongoh’s words several times in his mind, he ground his teeth in frustration.

“Not going?”

Going together. Just the two of them to the factory, then to the shoot afterward.

“I think I need to take care of Song Gi-hun soon.”

“What? Take care of him how?”

Hearing Jiheon’s small mutter, Jeongoh sharply questioned him. Jiheon smirked as if it were nothing.

“Just kidding, just kidding.”

***

“I just got a bad feeling all of a sudden.”

“It’s a joke.”

“Fine, fine. Just go to work already.”

Not wanting the argument to drag on, Jeongoh quickly cut off the conversation and pushed Jiheon toward the street. However, Jiheon did not budge. He quickly added a condition.

“Alright. I’ll go to work without a fuss.”

“…”

“If you pull me into a corner and give me just one kiss.”

…The baby’s dad is so adorably charming.

What’s truly astonishing is that he’s serious about it.

A heavy sigh escaped Jeongoh’s lips.

***

Time passed, and it was now 5 PM.

After finishing her day at kindergarten, Yeona arrived at the Go academy, looking around restlessly during the class. She couldn’t see Dobin anywhere.

“Teacher, where’s Dobin?”

“Oh, Dobin went to the dentist and will be a bit late today. Do you want to wait for him before you leave?”

“Yes.”

Yeona replied to her teacher and also sent a text message to Guksun, saying it was okay if she picked her up late today. She found it amazing and convenient that she could directly contact someone.

She wanted to share her phone number with her friend Dobin as soon as possible. Yeona hung her cellphone around her neck so it would be visible.

The teacher called out to Yeona, who was returning to her seat with a smirk.

“Yeona, do you know Suin?”

Next to the teacher stood a girl about Yeona’s age. She had long hair like a mermaid and was wearing a pretty headband.

“No, I don’t know her.”

“She’s a friend who’s also seven years old. Hong Suin.”

Yeona greeted Suin.

“Hi, I’m Lee Yeona.”

“Yeah, I know you.”

Although Suin had only been at the Go academy for a week, she recognized Yeona because her mom had told her about her.

Unbeknownst to Yeona, she had gained popularity in the mothers’ community. They said a Go prodigy had entered the academy—a seven-year-old girl who was incredibly smart.

Suin, who had been proud of her own intelligence, didn’t want to acknowledge that there was someone her age who was smarter than her. She wanted to beat Yeona and prove her own genius.

“Teacher, can I play Go with Yeona?”

“Suin said she’s played a lot of matches, right?”

“Yes.”

Suin confidently replied. It was her chance to show off her skills, having learned Go from her dad and brother for over a year.

“Yeona, do you want to play a match?”

“Yes.”

Yeona readily accepted the challenge. Knowing the competitive nature of both children, the teacher said,

“The most important thing in a match is to accept the outcome, no matter how it turns out. If you lose, don’t cry. Instead, think about why you lost, and you can play better next time. The same goes for winning. Even if you win, don’t mock your opponent. It’s good to review together and analyze which moves were strong and which were weak. Got it?”

“Yes.”

Both children answered boldly. Soon, they sat across from each other at the Go board, with Yeona playing as white and Suin as black.

As soon as Suin placed her stone, Yeona quickly made her move. It seemed as if Yeona was playing without thinking, her movements were so fast. The sound of the stones dropping on the board made Suin feel increasingly flustered.

Taking advantage of the teacher’s momentary absence, Suin spoke to Yeona.

“You know all the Korean, right?”

“Yes.”

“Do you know the multiplication tables?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Then you don’t know what 7 times 7 is?”

“No, I do know that. It’s 49.”

“What about 9 times 6?”

“54.”

“If you don’t know the multiplication tables, how do you know that?”

Yeona drew a square on the Go board with her hand.

“I just make a Go board in my head and create nine groups of six stones and count them.”

Can you really count that quickly?

Suin narrowed her eyes and stared at Yeona.

“Do you know English?”

“No. Our kindergarten doesn’t teach English. But why aren’t you concentrating on the Go? You’re going to lose.”

While Suin was distracted, Yeona steadily increased her territory. Before long, she had built an area Suin couldn’t catch up to.

“Oh no! Please, I didn’t see it clearly, so I placed it wrong.”

“No. The teacher said you can’t let things slide in Go.”

Cornered, Suin pleaded, but Yeona wouldn’t relent. Ultimately, Suin suffered a devastating defeat.

As Suin stared hopelessly at the Go board, Yeona shouted,

“Teacher, I won!”

“Yeona, what did I say to do when you win?”

“Suin, let’s review. We need to think about why you lost. I’ll help you.”

Suin pouted, tears welling up in her eyes.

“I already know everything. I lost on purpose.”

Suin stood up first and left the classroom.

Waiting outside the other classroom for her class to finish, Suin dashed inside as soon as the door opened.

“Oppa!”

Jaeni was there. He was Suin’s older brother, who had started attending the Go academy a year before her. Suin, sniffling, grabbed Jaeni’s arm and spilled everything that had happened in the other classroom.

“Why are you crying over something like that?”

After hearing the story, Jaeni consoled his younger sister with an indifferent expression. He often fought with his sister and sometimes made her cry, but he couldn’t stand the thought of her being bullied by other kids.

Jaeni noticed Yeona returning from the bathroom while waiting for Dobin and approached her.

“Are you Lee Yeona?”

“Yes.”

“I heard you’re really good at Go.”

“Yes.”

“But why aren’t you going home? Is your mom not picking you up?”

“No, her mom works at a company.”

Suin, who had been lingering behind Jaeni, chimed in.

“Oh, so is your dad coming to get you?”

“No, her dad isn’t around.”

Suin interrupted again. Yeona felt flustered. Facing a larger brother and a friend with a sharp voice, she felt like a puppy that couldn’t bark. She didn’t understand why they were saying these things.

“Do you live with just your mom since your dad isn’t around?”

Jaeni asked, the corners of his lips curled up. She could tell he was mocking her.

“If you don’t have a dad, who taught you Go?”

“……No, I have a dad.”

Yeona answered, her voice trembling.

Jaeni turned to Suin.

“Hey, she said she has a dad.”

“No, she doesn’t! My mom said she doesn’t have a dad.”

Suin’s voice rose. She was sure she had heard her mom say that.

Her mom had said that Yeona was the smartest. A girl who didn’t even have a dad could play Go so well. That was something Suin could never forget.

Jaeni asked Yeona again.

“Are you lying? She says you don’t have a dad.”

“No, I have one.”

“Then call him.”

“…….”

“Go on, hurry up. You have your cellphone.”

Jaeni pointed at Yeona’s phone hanging around her neck.

Yeona fumbled with her phone, her hands shaking.

Suin pressed her.

“Come on, hurry up! Why can’t you?”

“…….”

“Don’t you even know your dad’s phone number?”

How can you know the multiplication tables and not know your dad’s phone number?

“You’re lying, aren’t you? About having a dad.”

Her mom had told her not to cry.

Yeona bit her lower lip and swallowed her tears. As she tried to hold back the tears that were already forming, her face felt hot. She was struggling to breathe. It felt like all the blood in her body was draining away. The sounds around her became muffled.

Even though she was frozen in place, the floor and ceiling seemed to flip upside down and spin around. Yeona tightly gripped her cellphone in her hand and fainted.