Chapter 11

On the weekend, Jae-hee met Hyo-jeong, who had come up from the dormitory.

They held hands tightly, stamping their feet excitedly, and clinked glasses at a small bar.

“My baby, when did you grow up like this? Drinking together with your sister?”

“I’m all grown up now.”

“Yeah, you’re really all grown up, my baby.”

“Now, you don’t have to worry about me anymore. You don’t have to struggle anymore to take care of me.”

“...”

Jae-hee looked at her younger sister, Hyo-jeong, with a new sense of realization. Hyo-jeong grinned and placed her glass next to Jae-hee’s on the table.

“Sis, how’s the new place?”

“Oh, the new house.”

Now that she thought about it, she hadn’t properly explained to Hyo-jeong about moving in with Kang-joo. The whole situation, including how she ended up at his place, was something she hadn’t really discussed. Hyo-jeong might be shocked by it. In front of her younger sister, Jae-hee had always taken on the role of both a mother and an older sister, so it was hard for her to bring it up.

Kang-joo had said that Hyo-jeong could come over anytime if she wanted, and that if she was uncomfortable, he could help her find a different place. But Jae-hee knew she couldn’t keep hiding this forever.

However, today, the situation seemed to pass over without incident. While eating skewers, Hyo-jeong had apologized to Jae-hee.

“But today, I can’t go to your new place, sis.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m going to Hee-yeong’s. Tomorrow is her birthday. Sorry.”

“It’s okay. Come next time.”

Then, she would tell her everything. No secrets. Every detail.

After that, they shared another bottle of beer. Both of them had flushed cheeks from the alcohol. After finishing their drinks, Jae-hee took Hyo-jeong to Hee-yeong’s house and then took a taxi back home.

To the big, cold house where Kang-joo would be alone.

I wonder if he’s asleep. I’d feel bad waking him up.

It was already past 1 a.m. Jae-hee carefully opened the door and stepped inside. Her drunk steps wobbled slightly. In her blurred vision, the dim lighting spread softly.

When she wasn’t around, Kang-joo’s house was always filled with low-saturation lights. He never turned off the lights in the house, except when she was there.

Jae-hee used all her strength to wash up. Through her drunken vision, the stream of water seemed distorted. She barely managed to wash, roughly towel-drying her wet hair, and then staggered toward the bed. Kang-joo was sitting on the edge of the bed, reading a book.

“Are you feeling a little sober now? You didn’t even hear my greeting.”

Kang-joo gestured to the seat beside him with a slight smile in his voice.

Jae-hee stared at the light that cast across his body. The soft light shimmered between his well-defined muscles. He often slept with his upper body bare, just like tonight. It was a body she had seen countless times, but tonight, for some reason, it felt strangely erotic. Was it because of the alcohol?

Jae-hee picked up Kang-joo’s shirt from the table beside the bed. Then, she crawled over to him and unceremoniously shoved the shirt onto him. The alcohol had given her a large dose of courage, something she would never do if she were sober.

“...What is this?”

Kang-joo, unexpectedly flustered, asked. Jae-hee smiled lazily, her face relaxed.

“If you sleep dressed like that, you’ll catch a cold. You always sleep naked.”

It was enough to make anyone’s heart flutter.

Kang-joo let out a laugh at her unexpected words and started putting the shirt on. It seemed like he was willing to humor her, given she was drunk.

In truth, dressing him wasn’t about concern; it was more about her own feelings. She wanted to be close to that hard body. She feared that if she stayed sober, she might not be able to do it. She wanted to whisper love, but at the same time, she was terrified of being pushed away again, just like before.

A single experience of falling can make a person shrink back. Standing at the starting line of a race, one becomes unable to run, spinning in circles instead. The fear of falling again takes over.

Jae-hee stared at Kang-joo for a long time before lowering her gaze. She saw his strong, solid hands. Even though they had become close enough to intertwine their bodies, holding his hand still felt strangely cautious.

“Do you remember? When I was very little, I didn’t know any better, and I would grab your hand all the time, Mr. Sangmu.”

“......”

Kang-joo’s gaze slowly fixed on Jae-hee’s face. Her murmured words continued as a whisper.

“Back then, you weren’t Mr. Sangmu, you were my older brother... Kang-joo oppa.”

Kang-joo’s eyes dropped briefly.

Jae-hee, with alcohol still clouding her vision, cautiously touched Kang-joo’s hand. Then, as if remembering something, she got up from her seat.

A moment later, she returned holding a knitted glove in her hand.

“Hyo-jeong made this herself. She said she had some time before school started, so she made it thinking of me. But it took longer than she thought since it was her first time making one. She only gave it to me now. She said I should wear it well next year. Isn’t it cute?”

Jae-hee mumbled as if drunk, then forced the small glove she had received onto Kang-joo’s hand. Kang-joo just watched her silently. After a moment, he gently took the glove from her and slowly placed it on her hand.

“If you force it open, it could tear.”

“Because you always take them off. I thought you’d look cold… I wanted to make sure your hands stayed warm.”

Kang-joo laughed lightly, as if amused, and flicked the bell attached to his wrist.

“The gloves are pretty.”

“Right? It’s my favorite gift I’ve ever received.”

Jae-hee smiled faintly, opening and closing the gloved hand. But soon, her smile disappeared from her face.

“But… Mr. Sangmu.”

“Yes?”

“Back then, why didn’t you accept my gift?”

“......”

It was about the time during her school days when she had given him her last birthday gift before he left for overseas. She wondered why he had rejected it. Was it because it was a cheap gift, or was it because he didn’t want to accept her feelings?

Perhaps it was because she had been rejected once before. Even now, her happiness felt uncertain and fearful. She was scared of being pushed away again. If she approached him, would he reject her once more? If she stayed still, would he eventually come to her, desiring only her body?

Was it the alcohol, or the thoughts of her mother that never left her mind? Or was it the touching gift from Hyo-jeong that made her feel so emotional? Or maybe it was something else entirely—why did her heart feel so tight?

A tear fell softly down her cheek.

She wanted to know. Was it really just her body that he wanted? If she expressed her feelings, would he push her away again? The truth was too frightening, and she couldn’t bear to break this peace.

Kang-joo didn’t answer her question about why he hadn’t accepted the gift. He quietly pushed her disheveled hair aside and gently spoke to her wet face.

“Why are you crying?”

“I don’t know.”

“......”

“I really don’t know.”

Jae-hee couldn’t bring herself to meet his eyes as he silently looked at her.

She felt sorry for her mother, saddened by the fact that her only sister, Hyo-jeong, had grown up and was leaving. She felt guilty for not being able to do anything more for her, even though Hyo-jeong kept giving her thoughtful gifts. She also felt guilty for complaining in this luxurious place, as if she were undeserving of such things.

Kang-joo pulled her hand, still wearing the gloves, toward him. Like a thin stem bending, Jae-hee stumbled and leaned against him. His warm lips touched her wet eyelids.

“Is something wrong?”

“No, nothing’s wrong.”

Kang-joo also pressed his lips against her cheek. A tender kiss followed, lightly touching her lips as well. Kang-joo, having removed Jae-hee’s gloves, held her hand, interlacing their fingers. Their fingers intertwined and met.

Perhaps it was the alcohol making her feel hot. Jae-hee felt the hand touching hers burning hot.

“I like holding Jae-hee’s hand, not gloves.”

He kissed her lips a couple of times and took off the t-shirt he was wearing. The one Jae-hee had just forced him to put on. Kang-joo even grabbed the pajamas Jae-hee was wearing and easily stripped them off as if undressing a child.

“Ah…!”

Startled at suddenly being in just her bra, Jae-hee covered her chest in surprise. Kang-joo took Jae-hee’s hand, pulled it down, and drew her into his embrace. His warm and firm body touched hers. Goosebumps rose at the sudden warmth.

“I also like being skin-to-skin with Jae-hee like this.”

He whispered, lowering his lips to her shoulder. Jae-hee covered her cleavage again. Even though they had already seen everything, she felt embarrassed every time she was so exposed to him.

She heard his laughter above her shoulder. Whenever he encountered her embarrassment, Kang-joo would sometimes laugh like this, as if finding it cute.

“What does Jae-hee like?”

“Ah, I, I…”

Kang-joo’s actions of licking and lightly biting her arm sent a dizzying sensation through her. Jae-hee, her mind feeling like it was flying away, couldn’t give a proper reply. Her alcohol-soaked body easily melted under his lips.

Kang-joo, touching the clasp of her bra, asked,

“What do you want as a birthday present?”

“A present? Why suddenly…”

“Because Jae-hee’s birthday is coming soon.”

Jae-hee shrugged her shoulders and flinched. The sensation of his fingertips only touching the hook was ticklish. As she twisted her waist, the flesh filling her bra swayed. Kang-joo lowered his head and bit her upper chest. As his teeth sank into her soft skin, her lips parted with an “Ah.”

“Ah… It hurts.”

Jae-hee looked down at him hanging on her chest. She saw his firmly spread broad shoulders. She saw his well-defined back muscles.

With a wet sound, her skin was bitten quickly and painfully, soon leaving a red mark. His mark, searingly imprinted. Jae-hee rubbed the bruise he had made. A tingling, dizzying pain arose from the near-wound.

“A birthday present… I… What I want as a birthday present… I also want to act spoiled.”

“……”

“I don’t need a present… I just want you to hold me tight…”

Jae-hee leaned her forehead on his shoulder and whispered faintly, like a spoiled child.

She had always only shouldered burdens. When she was very young, she seemed to have acted spoiled with her mother, but after their house went bankrupt and she became responsible for raising her younger sibling, she was always the older sister. 

She endured everything steadfastly, never showing any signs of hardship. This was because she had realized from a very young age that if she struggled, her mother would struggle even more. She had only desperately endured reality. This was even more so after her mother lost consciousness. 

Perhaps that’s why she had wavered because of Mincheol. Because she wanted to lean on someone. Perhaps she had been deceived by that comfortable lie. “Like my mother used to hold me. I wish you would hold me tight… like a father…” Jae-hee’s heated body collapsed into Kang-joo’s arms. 

At that moment, a sharp voice rang in her ear. “Don’t say such ridiculous things, Jae-hee.” Jae-hee stiffened slightly. Kang-joo chuckled and placed Jae-hee’s hand on his groin. His penis, bursting with erection, was pushing up against the fabric of his briefs. “What kind of father gets an erection looking at his daughter?” Jae-hee swallowed hard. 

Beneath her fidgeting hand, the heavy sensation filling his pants felt unfamiliar again. It was hot. Unable to bring herself to grasp it, she only wriggled her fingers. The thick penis swayed and was caught in her palm. She could feel the curves of the veins tangled like a vine. 

“Ah…” Jae-hee closed her eyes. His lips touched hers, which were tightly closed. Kang-joo parted Jae-hee’s stiff lips and pushed his tongue inside, rummaging through her mouth, which still had the scent of alcohol. Jae-hee, with her lips still pressed to his, leaned her body against him as he slowly stirred inside her. 

She pushed away his tongue, which followed her and sucked at her, then let out a heavy breath and forced her tongue to move. As she rolled her tongue, she unconsciously tightened her hand. The sensation of the hard pillar wriggling was vivid. His small groan could be heard between their lips. Jae-hee breathed onto him and let her body go limp. 

As excitement spread through her body, her drunkenness rushed back. Perhaps because of the lack of air, even her head began to spin. All of this must be because of the alcohol. 

“Eung…” Soon, Jae-hee’s body completely relaxed. She had been desperately following him and then lost consciousness. Kang-joo, who had been rummaging through her wet mouth, slowly opened his eyes. As the strength left Jae-hee’s soft tongue, he slowly pulled his lips away. As the clinging flesh separated, a quiet, moist sound echoed. Jae-hee’s head completely dropped. 

Following Jae-hee’s head, Kang-joo also lowered his gaze. He could see the penis that Jae-hee was holding as if placing it there. Under his briefs, it was painfully erect, dripping pre-cum. 

“……” Thump. 

Even Jae-hee’s hand, which had been holding his penis, fell onto the sheet. Kang-joo looked at the limp Jae-hee, then supported her back and laid her on the bed. As carefully as if handling a child. Her thin hair scattered softly. Like a pure angel, Jae-hee was sleeping peacefully. 

Only her pale chest, half-covered by her bra, was exposed. Kang-joo alternately stared at his own fiercely erect lower body and Jae-hee, who had fallen asleep alone, then got up. And instead of her, who was pulling at the uncomfortable bra straps, he unfastened her bra and carefully covered her with the blanket up to her neck. “Huu…” Kang-joo’s low sigh echoed. 

He forcibly took his gaze away from Jae-hee and walked straight to the bathroom. And as soon as he put his body under the showerhead, he turned on the cold water. As if forcibly cooling his own burning heat.

Jae-hee sat by the window and gently wiped her mother Mi-ryeong’s hand with a damp towel. She wiped the back of her hand with a sorrowful look, then absentmindedly fiddled with her fingers before eventually applying lotion. It was a ritual she always did before leaving the hospital room.

“My mom’s hand is still so soft. I have to go now, but I don’t want to leave,” she whispered.

It was the weekend, and after visiting her mother, she was about to leave. She had to stand up, considering the bus schedule, but it was hard for her to do so. Jae-hee kept fiddling with her mother’s hand for a few more minutes, and when she checked the time, she reluctantly stood up.

“I’ll come again next time, Mom. I love you.”

Jae-hee kissed Mi-ryeong’s cheek and left the room. After Jae-hee had completely left the room, a man slithered into the hospital room like a snake, making sure no one was around.

“Oh, what am I going to do with myself?”

Jae-hee sighed deeply as she walked down the cement path. She had rushed to the bus stop to catch the bus that came once every 40 minutes, only to realize she had left her phone behind.

“Well, since I left it, I’ll just go see Mom’s face one more time.”

She smiled lightly to herself.

She entered the hospital, passed through the round lobby, and climbed the stairs. When she turned the corner to go toward her mother’s room, she saw someone sitting on the sofa at the end of the hallway.

Jae-hee was about to enter without a thought, but then stopped, her steps frozen. The person’s face looked familiar.

Jae-hee narrowed her eyes, staring intently at the figure from a distance.

‘It’s Giseok.’

It was Kwon Giseok, the bodyguard of Chairman Cha. Once a highly respected judo player who had to retire after a car accident, he had become a loyal aide to Chairman Cha about ten years ago. He had often been seen when she lived with her mother and Chairman Cha.

Why is he here?

Jae-hee blinked in confusion, but then Giseok’s phone rang. He stood up to answer the call, turning his back and walking toward the window.

Was he just here by chance?

Jae-hee tilted her head in thought and walked toward her mother’s room. She didn’t greet him or call his name for some reason. It just felt like the right thing to do.

Then, as usual, she stood in front of the door to her mother’s room, hesitating for a moment. She grabbed the doorknob and peered through the small window on the door. She jumped back in shock.

Jae-hee stumbled back in surprise.

‘Chairman Cha?’

Though she could only see his silhouette from behind, she instantly recognized him. She hadn’t seen him often, but she had caught glimpses of him a few times in the past.

She stared at him in stunned silence, unable to process what she was seeing. Chairman Cha’s hand slowly moved upward and grasped Mi-ryeong’s pale hand. Like a person admiring jewels, he leaned in and began to touch her hand in a creepy manner.

Discomfort twisted Jae-hee’s face. She opened the door without hesitation.

“Who are you?”

She already knew who it was, but she asked anyway. She didn’t want to bow down to Chairman Cha just yet. Startled, Chairman Cha let go of Mi-ryeong’s hand. He turned around, his face quickly losing its surprise, replaced by a calm, controlled demeanor.

Chairman Cha extended his hand. It seemed he had recognized that the person entering the room was Jae-hee.

“It’s been a long time, Jae-hee.”

“Yes, I hope you’ve been well, Chairman.”

Jae-hee calmly extended her hand as well. His rough, dry hand, like coarse grass, tightly gripped hers.

“This is the first time since your mother has been like this, right? You’ve grown so much.”

Chairman Cha’s eyes glinted like a snake’s. Although they had lived in the same house, she rarely saw him. She had seen him a few times when she was in elementary school, and then when she was in middle and high school. But now, this was the first time she was facing him as an adult.

A strange emotion flickered in Chairman Cha’s eyes as he gazed at Jae-hee. He tightly grasped her delicate hand, slowly scanning her with his gaze.

Jae-hee looked very much like her mother, Mi-ryeong. When she was little, Jae-hee had been playful and carefree, but as she matured, she bloomed into a striking beauty.

Like a pure, delicate petal. When gazing at her silently, there was an inexplicable urge to crush her with force, a strange atmosphere that made one feel that way.

Jae-hee pulled her hand away from Chairman Cha’s grip. She felt a strange chill rise from his gaze.

“What brings you here, Chairman?”

“Ah… I was reminded of your mother after a long time. I was worried, so I thought I’d come by.”

“If you had let me know in advance, I would have welcomed you.”

“There was no need to trouble yourself for that.”

“Ah, yes.”

Though something prickly stirred inside her, Jae-hee lowered her head for the moment.

Why did Chairman Cha really come here? Was he truly concerned, given that the incident at his mansion had happened? But it had been several years ago, and her mother’s accident had originally been a failed burglary. This meant he had no reason to visit out of guilt or sympathy.

“Thank you for your concern. Mom is the same as before. We’re managing her hospital bills, which you kindly help with every year. We’re using the money wisely, and I thank you for that too.”

“Don’t mention it. Your mother made a mistake, but she worked for us for a long time, so I can still look out for her in this way.”

Jae-hee nodded again, saying, “Yes.”

Chairman Cha glanced at the clock in the room before brushing off his clothes.

“I should be going now. Jae-hee, take good care of your mother.”

“Yes.”

Chairman Cha patted her shoulder in a comforting manner before leaving the room.

Jae-hee stared at the door for a moment before sitting down and scrubbing her mother’s hand with a wet towel. It was the spot where Chairman Cha had touched.

Something felt wrong. A feeling close to discomfort surged inside her. The image of his back as he stood over her mother, and then his creepy touch on her mother’s hand.

“No matter how much he said he was worried, why would someone like Chairman Cha come to check on a housemaid like my mom? And why did he touch her hand like that, in such a creepy way?”

Chairman Cha had never shown kindness to the vulnerable. He always held his chin high, treating those beneath him like insects.

“He even treated his own son, the executive director, like that.”

So why? The question lingered, unclear. The red sun outside the window slowly sank, and Jae-hee remained sitting, holding her mother’s hand, oblivious to the room darkening.

Her instincts were telling her something was terribly wrong.

A few hours later, Jae-hee arrived at the mansion.

Before entering the house, she sat absentmindedly under the chandelier in the first-floor lobby. Her gaze aimlessly swept over the carpet. Her mind was tangled. There seemed to be something vaguely visible, but whenever she tried to focus on it, it blurred again into nothingness.

It was late in the evening, and there were few people around. The empty lobby, surrounded by marble, felt especially cold that day.

Jae-hee sat for a while, thinking about Chairman Cha, before finally standing up. Feeling uneasy, she decided to walk around the garden and get some fresh air. As she ghosted through the lobby, a middle-aged woman who was talking on the phone walked toward her, and they collided.

“Oh! I’m sorry.”

Jae-hee bowed her head in apology. As she slowly tried to pass by the woman, the woman turned and followed her.

“Huh?”

Still holding her phone, the woman turned her head to follow Jae-hee, her wrinkled eyes narrowing further. As if the face she had just seen registered in her mind, her eyes trembled slightly.

“Mi-ryeong?”

She muttered, almost to herself, calling Jae-hee’s mother by name.

Jae-hee, who had stopped in her tracks, slowly turned around.

“Did you perhaps mean to speak to me?”

“No, no. You just look so much like an old childhood friend of mine, I couldn’t help myself. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude.”

The middle-aged woman awkwardly smiled and waved her hand. She was dressed in a refined, smooth coat in a calm color, trousers without a wrinkle, and boots that elegantly covered her ankles. At a glance, she looked like a wealthy lady—graceful and elegant.

As she turned to leave, Jae-hee’s voice stopped her.

“Excuse me, but could your childhood friend’s name have been Kang Mi-ryeong?”

“Yes, Kang. Kang Mi-ryeong.”

“Ah...”

Jae-hee’s eyes widened in surprise. This was the first time she was meeting one of her mother’s acquaintances.

Jae-hee and the woman, whose name was Oh Eunjin, awkwardly sat across from each other at a community center table.

They had just exchanged names and brief introductions. Eunjin explained that she was an old friend of Mi-ryeong’s and, after losing touch with her, she was curious about her. Upon seeing Jae-hee, who resembled Mi-ryeong, she was so startled that she inadvertently called out her name.

Eunjin fiddled with her flashy earrings and tilted her head.

“So, you’re Mi-ryeong’s daughter? I met you once when you were just a baby.”

“Really?” Jae-hee responded, smiling awkwardly.

“You look so much like her. I guess that’s natural, being her daughter.”

“I do look a lot like her, but my younger sister looks more like her.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, I’ve seen pictures of Mom when she was younger, and my sister looks exactly like her. It was so surprising, they looked just like twins.”

It had been a long time since Jae-hee had talked about her mother with someone other than Hyojeong.

This was the first time she’d heard that her mother had friends. Mom, who had grown up an orphan, always said she had no family or friends, always alone. Jae-hee remembered her telling her that she found a new life when she met her father, and that she had two daughters, her precious and unique treasures.

Thinking of her mother’s embrace and the whispered words she had spoken while holding her close, Jae-hee’s nose tingled, and she instinctively sniffled. It seemed her mother really did have a friend. Perhaps she had met her at the orphanage?

Just as Jae-hee had Kang-joo when she was young, maybe her mother had met this woman back then too... She felt an unexpected warmth at the thought.

“Do you live here?”

“...Yes.”

Jae-hee answered vaguely. It wasn’t technically her home, but it was true that she lived here for the time being.

“Do you live with your family? Is Mi-ryeong here too?”

“...No.”

“I see. Right, Jae-hee, you must be at the age to get married now, I didn’t think of that.”

“No, I haven’t gotten married yet.”

“Oh, then you live alone? Isn’t it a bit big to live alone? Though, the bigger the better, right? I can’t live in a small place, it feels too cramped.”

“I’m not living alone.”

Jae-hee smiled as she answered, looking at Eunjin with eyes that seemed to search for her mother’s youth in her.

“So, you’re living with a friend?”

“Not exactly...”

“Oh, then with someone you’re going to marry? These days, it’s not uncommon.”

Eunjin nodded knowingly, as if she understood. That’s how young people are these days.

Jae-hee hesitated about how to answer but eventually chose to remain quiet. It was difficult to explain the situation clearly. She was living with a boss who was also a sex partner and roommate? Who she had sex with and wanted to comfort whenever he was struggling?

Jae-hee herself didn’t really understand why she was here. She had simply accepted because he suggested it. She had held his hand without hesitation, wanting to be with him, even if just for a moment.

What had Eunjin understood from Jae-hee’s answer? She smiled vaguely. She continued to gaze at Jae-hee’s pure eyes with a strange expression.

“How is Mi-ryeong doing? I’ve been curious since I lost contact with her a while ago.”

“She’s sick and hospitalized.”

“Oh my, how serious is it?”

“She’s been unconscious since a few years ago.”

Jae-hee spoke calmly. She didn’t want to reveal her sadness to seek comfort, nor did she want her mother to be pitied. Mom was just sick, not pitiable.

Eunjin furrowed her brows in surprise.

“How did it happen? How did she end up like that?”

“It was just an accident.”

“I heard that after her husband passed and they lost their home, she worked as a housekeeper for Mr. Cha Byungjun’s family.”

“...”

“Ah, what a pity. I thought she’d have a little peace after Mr. Cha took her in, helping her out of a tough spot... but it was just bad luck.”

Jae-hee’s expression froze for a moment.

Cha Byungjun. The name of Mr. Cha, unexpectedly spoken by Eunjin, was now resonating in Jae-hee’s mind.

Cha Byungjun. Cha Byungjun.

It had been the name that had been bothering Jae-hee’s mind without reason since earlier. But now, here it was, resurfacing like this. Was Eunjin saying that her mother and Mr. Cha were acquainted from their childhood?

Now that she thought about it, yes. Mr. Cha had helped pay off the debts and took her mother in as a housekeeper. Jae-hee had vaguely assumed it was because he had personally known her father, but it turned out her mother and Mr. Cha knew each other.

Jae-hee felt breathless.

It felt as though the pieces of a broken puzzle were falling down over her head. She tried to fit them together, but without even a rough sketch to guide her, she could only hold onto the scattered pieces, lost and confused.

Sensing Jae-hee’s deep thoughts, Eunjin spoke softly, almost apologetically.

“What should we do, Jae-hee? I think I need to head back now.”

“Oh, yes. Please go ahead. I’ll stay a little longer before I leave.”

“Alright, we can meet sometimes since you live here, too.”

“Yes.”

Eunjin rummaged through her bag and handed Jae-hee a business card. The stiff brown paper had gold lettering on it.

“Call me, Jae-hee. Auntie will treat you to a nice meal. Okay?”

Jae-hee, still with a blank expression, quietly looked down at the card. The few words carefully engraved on it read: Grace Nanum Foundation Chairwoman, Oh Eunjin.

Nanum Foundation. What kind of organization was that? Jae-hee, still unable to grasp the unfamiliar words, eventually asked Eunjin a delayed question.

“But how do you know my mom?”

Eunjin smiled softly, her lips curling up.

“Me? I’m the daughter of the director of the orphanage where your mom, Mi-ryeong, grew up.”