Looking at Mrs. Shin, who only knew her daughter was on company leave, Manager Moon shook her head. How could there be such a frustrating situation?

“Bullshit. What company gives months of vacation? Talking nonsense.”

“Then it’s not vacation? Did Yeon Woo quit her job? Why?”

“Why ask me? If I knew, she’d be my daughter, not yours.”

“She’s my daughter but I don’t know?”

“Aish, with her mother bedridden in the hospital, would the truth come out? She probably lied to avoid worrying you.”

As Manager Moon clicked her tongue louder, Mrs. Shin slowly gulped down her orange juice. Manager Moon narrowed her eyes and added:

“Seems she said that to avoid worrying you, but she quit.”

“I didn’t know. She quit her job. Come to think of it, I thought it was a bit strange. Just for a moment.”

As Mrs. Shin made a pensive expression, Manager Moon slapped her thigh. It was a signal to understand her daughter’s deeper feelings.

“Anyway, it’s better for you and your daughter if she leaves Domyungjae as soon as possible. If you’re not going to keep her there, take her away quickly. Did you work your bones to dust washing dishes and sweeping yards to send your daughter to college?”

“That’s not it, but. There’s no other way, is there? She has to leave Domyungjae without a replacement worker.”

“You’re making your daughter unemployed so you don’t become unemployed? Damn it.”

“Domyungjae isn’t only important to you, elder sister. It’s also a precious workplace for me.”

As Mrs. Shin muttered, Manager Moon finally closed her thin lips.

She wasn’t unaware of that feeling, so her usual scolding didn’t come out.

Sigh. Mrs. Shin let out a heavy sigh.

She felt upset as she belatedly recalled that her daughter must have come home unemployed. Of all times, to break her leg that day.

Our Yeon Woo probably planned to rest by her mother’s side for a few days and then go back to Seoul for a fresh start.

Everything had gotten messed up.

“What to do now? I can barely walk, and discharge is still far away.”

“Don’t know. Anyway, once someone enters Domyungjae, I can’t kick them out until they leave on their own. Unless she leaves of her own accord.”

At the end, Manager Moon continued her spicy nagging while putting some side dishes she brought into the small refrigerator.

Then Manager Moon looked at Mrs. Shin after opening the shopping bag next to her.

“What’s this? Underwear?”

“Leave it there. I hand-washed them but want to boil them before wearing.”

“Damn it. Damn it all. Lying down and doing all sorts of things.”

“It’s comfortable since Ja Young boils them at her house. Where did the habit of thoroughly boiling them go? Leave it, I’ll give it to Ja Young later when she comes.”

“Ja Young can’t come today. She’s on duty.”

“Ja Young is on duty on the weekend? Why?”

Your daughter was taken out by the executive director, so Ja Young is on duty instead. About to explain, Manager Moon waved her hand.

“I’ll boil them for you, just wait. Your house is right in front, isn’t it?”

“Oh my, don’t bother. The house must be a mess, don’t see such an ugly sight.”

“Aish. When was your living situation ever tidy? Stay put. I’ll tidy up a bit and come back. A house left empty for long becomes unusable.”

Manager Moon moved, carrying the shopping bag with underwear. Then, with a somewhat softened face, Mrs. Shin called out to Manager Moon.

“Elder sister.”

Manager Moon, who was opening the door, looked back.

“Don’t mistreat our Yeon Woo, treat her well. How good the child is.”

Manager Moon, who seemed to let Mrs. Shin’s words go in one ear and out the other, looked back again and asked:

“By the way. Is she really your biological daughter? Not picked up under a bridge or beside a railway track?”

“What are you saying? She’s my daughter I gave birth to with pain. Why suddenly?”

“Well, that, she doesn’t resemble you at all.”

“……”

“She doesn’t resemble you to an extreme degree. Like a different species.”

“Why are you suddenly hitting a person’s bones while leaving? Want my broken leg to break again?”

Though Mrs. Shin raised her voice as if wronged, Manager Moon disappeared between the sliding doors.

*

Yeon Woo’s outfit arrived in exactly 40 minutes. The clothes that departed from the nearest Seolyang Department Store were brought directly by the store manager, and though it was a modest luggage of three or four outfits, there was no need to try them all on as the first outfit was perfect.

As Yeon Woo changed into the dress, the manager skillfully fitted it. Yeon Woo, who had been standing still with her arms slightly spread, slowly pushed out a tense breath.

“Is it uncomfortable?”

“No. It’s fine.”

The manager, who was holding her waist, checked again. Since there was no time for a fitting, she had chosen an outfit that could be worn by pulling the strings, and below the waist, the elegant skirt flowed down without being burdensome.

The manager then took out a few pieces of jewelry.

“I brought accessories that won’t stand out as your features seem to be distinct.”

“Ah, yes.”

As Yeon Woo nodded, the manager skillfully turned the jewelry boxes upside down to show the logos. Then, placing the jewelry store’s business card on the table, she subtly promoted to Yeon Woo.

It was warranted. It was a direct order from Nam Sung Hun, the executive director of Seolyang Construction, and it was the companion’s outfit, so her influence was judged to be beyond imagination no matter what.

While Yeon Woo was putting on earrings, the manager laid out shoes of various sizes. Then naturally placed business cards on top of business cards.

After setting up the shoes, the manager fastened the necklace, and Yeon Woo put on shoes that fit her feet. Her height suddenly increased, and Yeon Woo was worried if she could walk properly in these.

Then she stared blankly at the Domyung Atelier evening dress lying on the bed. Wrapped in black silk fabric, she felt dizzy at the thought that she was about to commit a truly terrible act.

“It seems all done. Is there any discomfort?”

“No. Thank you.”

Though her breath was labored and the shoes precarious, it was her own burden to bear. The manager looked around Yeon Woo as if making a final check, and nodded with satisfaction.

“It suits you well. You’re beautiful.”

“Thank you.”

The manager, packing up various miscellaneous items, finally placed her business card on the table. Then she bowed deeply towards Yeon Woo, as if honored.

“It’s an honor to have you visit us. We’d be grateful if you call on us anytime.”

Receiving the manager’s greeting in bewilderment, Yeon Woo made an awkward posture. Hesitating, thinking there wouldn’t be another occasion to visit, she barely asked.

“Um, these… how should I return them?”

Since the evening dress from Domyung Atelier was to be returned after two or three days, Yeon Woo naturally thought of returning.

The manager, who had been quietly packing and walking, turned around, bowed, and answered.

“Executive Director Nam Sung Hun has paid for them. Thank you.”

Before the surprised Yeon Woo could respond, the manager left the room, and Yeon Woo just closed and opened her eyes. Then she glanced at the stack of business cards.

There was no way price tags would be attached, but it didn’t seem like it could be resolved in tens or hundreds of units.

“…I guess I can return it to the executive director later.”

She muttered to herself as if cutting off the thoughts that kept trailing. Then she looked at her face in the mirror and slowly pulled up the corners of her mouth to smile.

She had to smile. Somehow, she had to smile well.

Because she needed someone to smile for her.

And it was a chance to repay the debt owed to him.

It was also the only chance to substitute for him.

As she was just staring at the mirror with a resentful face, feeling that her tense mouth corners were rising unnaturally, the room phone rang.

Walking uncomfortably lest the heels twist, she went and picked up the receiver.

─ This is Nam Sung Hun. Are you ready?

At the sound of his voice, heard before she could even say ‘hello’, Yeon Woo curled her fingertips.

“Yes. I’m ready.”

─ Then the time’s up, so let’s meet at the meeting place. 20th floor.

“Understood, Executive Director.”

His call, leaving only the business, ended.

Her heart was pounding as if it would burst, whether due to the tightly fastened waist or the uncomfortable shoes, she couldn’t tell.

*

Manager Moon, who had left Mrs. Shin’s hospital room, walked slowly carrying the crumpled shopping bag. Mrs. Shin’s villa could be seen in the distance, and Manager Moon slowly moved forward.

On weekdays, even cooking meals at construction sites made time tight. She didn’t know how the days passed.

Since childhood, Manager Moon had been setting feast tables almost every day. How many guests must have come and gone? She stirred dozens of large cauldrons and served food, skills honed over a long time.

But recently it had become burdensome. Age can’t be deceived, can it? Moving her body from dawn, cooking meals for site workers, groans would naturally escape.

Having barely found time, she had come out intending to take care of postponed chores and tidy up the house of Yeon Woo’s injured mother. How tightly she had squeezed out the time, no one would know.

She climbed the slightly sloping road. As she was walking without thinking, a startlingly loud horn blared from behind.

“Hey! Old lady over there!”

Wondering what crazy person was honking the horn, Manager Moon turned around.

“Old lady! Come here!”

A man with a build so large the driver’s seat looked cramped was waving his hand with a fierce expression. Manager Moon made a strangely twisted face as she looked at the arm covered in tattoos.

As Manager Moon stood still just looking, the man got out of the driver’s seat. A man with a towering height and a delinquent body approached with vulgar steps, then suddenly pointed at the villa.

“Old lady. Do you know the woman living on the 2nd floor there? Shin Soon Mi.”

Manager Moon looked the man up and down. The light shooting from eyes disproportionately small compared to his face size was creepy just to meet. The clean-shaven bald head that left not a single hair made his impression even rougher.

The smell of cigarettes spread ominously, and the belly that protruded as if about to burst even without purposely sticking it out was unpleasant. She was appalled by the various tattoos covering who knows what parts of his body.

“Who are you?”

He definitely wasn’t from around here.

“Damn it, the old hag talks a lot. Just answer the question I asked. Do you know this woman or not. They say she lives here but why can’t I see even her nose. Huh?”

The man approached Manager Moon even closer, swearing from the start. Manager Moon felt like her nose would crumble from the cigarette smell.

“I’m asking you, old lady. Are you deaf?”

The impatient man took out a photo from his pocket.

“Forget the woman living here, look at this photo closely. Do you know this woman or not.”

The ID photo held in his pot lid-like hand looked particularly small. Manager Moon distanced her gaze to see the woman in the photo.

“I told you to look closely from up close, what are you doing.”

“It’s presbyopia. Can’t see up close. You try getting old, see if you can see up close.”

“Ha, damn it, presbyopia or whatever, just look closely. Do you know this woman or not.”

Manager Moon’s expression changed puzzlingly as she confirmed the woman in the ID photo.

“You don’t know? Old lady, if you live around here you should know. Haven’t you seen her?”

It was a photo of Yeon Woo.