Our Every Moment - Chapter 30

Seo Hee paused from diligently pushing the cart and stood still. She sighed at her mother, who was poking her side like a curious girl, eyes sparkling with anticipation.

“Ah, what is it, Mom?”

“Daughter, who is GM?”

“Well…”

Seo Hee checked her recent call history after hearing that her mother had answered her phone while she went to wash her hands for a moment, and she was relieved to see the records filled with “GM.”

Just a day before, it wasn’t “GM” but “Lee Kang Mo,” with a glowing red heart next to it.

Seo Hee had the sudden thought today to change it to “GM” because the heart Kang Mo had entered was too embarrassing. It was a stroke of luck that it was at least English initials; if she had left it as Kang Mo had entered, her mother wouldn’t be asking so politely like this.

“Ah, so who is that man? Are you seeing someone? You haven’t been in Korea for long, but you already have someone you’re seeing?”

“Uh, well… you see…”

Seo Hee pondered how to introduce Kang Mo.

If she said she was seeing him, her mother would surely pry, but if she introduced him as just an acquaintance, she felt bad for Kang Mo. However, her contemplation didn’t last long.

Since Han Tae Oh already knew of Kang Mo’s existence, he was quiet for now, but there was no telling when he might suddenly bring up Kang Mo, pretending to know. So she decided to reveal the minimum information based on facts.

“It’s a bit early to say we’re seeing each other; we’re still getting to know one another.”

“Oh my, really? That’s great. That’s really great. I was so worried that our daughter was living such a dry life without anyone to see.”

“What do you mean dry? I’m living diligently and well.”

“Of course I know that too. But how should I put it, there are things you should enjoy at that age, but it seems like you’re just passing by all of that.”

“Mom, I don’t think this is the right place to have this conversation.”

At Seo Hee’s words, Sun Joo burst into laughter.

As expected, the broadcast continued with information about today’s event products, and here and there, the line “Please try it before you go, dear customer. We’re having a buy one, get one free event today” was pouring out endlessly.

“Then let’s have a cup of coffee later. Okay?”

“Yes, let’s do that.”

Although she would be bombarded with questions in a little while, she was relieved to be able to escape for now.

[This is the timeline separator]

Deep fatigue was evident in Seo Hee’s eyes as she leaned against the corner wall of the officetel elevator. When she covered her mouth with her hand and yawned, her eyes quickly became moist.

“Ah, I’m tired.”

Perhaps because her mother used to run a side dish store, her hands were large. By the time Seo Hee helped with the checkout, moved the items to the car, unloaded and organized them after arriving home, wondering what and how much food her mother intended to make, the day was already coming to an end.

Just as she was secretly sighing in relief at Uncle’s message saying he would be working late, a text on her cell phone inevitably made her heart heavy.

[Seo Hee, it’s Uncle. Spend some intimate time alone with your mother, since it’s been a while. I’m always sorry and grateful to you.]

Today’s overtime seemed to be Uncle’s consideration for her to spend time comfortably with her mother. She had been inwardly happy that Uncle wasn’t coming without knowing that, and now she felt sorry, as if she had become an immature young daughter who couldn’t accept her mother’s remarriage.

Usually, spending time alone with her mother would have been purely happy and good, but when she thought of Uncle who would be aimlessly killing time outside because of her, her happiness was cut in half.

In the end, unable to bear the uncomfortable feeling, she confessed frankly to her mother.

“Mom, Uncle is coming late on purpose because of me. He texted me to have a good time with you. So tell him to come in now.”

Her mother smiled knowingly and shook her head.

“No. I want to spend time intimately with my daughter today. Don’t worry about Uncle. He’ll take good care of himself outside.”

Was it really okay? Although she still felt guilty, she thought maybe she could be greedy for her mother for just one day. Maybe she could accept Uncle’s consideration with gratitude.

Thanks to that, she was able to spend some intimate time with her mother for a change, but she didn’t feel very comfortable. Because she couldn’t shake off the guilty feeling, she had a slight indigestion.

She waited for Uncle to come home from work as the feeling of being sorry wouldn’t go away. By the time she greeted Uncle, who came home later than expected, it was already late at night.

They insisted so much that she sleep over. Only after promising to sleep over during Chuseok could she venture out into the late night streets. By the time she arrived at the apartment after driving through the night, it was well past 11 p.m.

As Seo Hee got off the elevator and headed home, she quickly took out her cell phone from her bag, remembering something. She recalled promising to send a text message when she arrived, strongly dissuading the two who offered to take her to the officetel.

She quickly sent a text and read the short reply while opening the door lock and entering.

“Ha…”

A deep sigh escapes.

“Lee Kang Mo, seriously.”

Her eyes naturally fell on the loafers placed in front of the entrance. Unlike the luxurious dress shoes she had seen before, the dark tan loafers with straps as a point had a very casual feel.

Thinking that these suited Kang Mo better than those shoes before, she took off her flats, and the middle door of the entrance slid open.

Kang Mo, dressed in comfortable training clothes instead of a well-tailored suit, greeted Seo Hee.

“You’re here? You’re quite late.”

“Yeah.”

Seo Hee unconsciously responded naturally to Kang Mo’s too-natural greeting and glanced at him as he stepped aside. He looked brighter than before, as if a tail was wagging behind him.

She had to reprimand Kang Mo, who had come to visit abruptly without notice again, but she didn’t dislike this brazen and cheeky Kang Mo, so she smiled without knowing and spoke to him.

“But didn’t I tell you I’d be late today and it would be difficult to come?”

“You did. If I had known you would be this late, I would have gone to pick you up.”

“No, don’t bother. By the way, why are you here at this hour?”

“If I say it’s because I missed you, will you be angry?”

Seo Hee, who shot Kang Mo a fierce look, expressed her dissatisfaction indirectly.

“If that’s the case, why don’t you just live here?”

It was a joke she made to reprimand Kang Mo, who came and went as if it were his own house, when he was told to live comfortably.

“Oh, I was going to do that anyway.”

Unexpectedly, an absurd answer came back.

Seo Hee’s steps toward the master bedroom slowly came to a halt. How should she interpret this? Her mind was in a tangled mess for a moment. Somehow, it didn’t seem like he was just saying it.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Something came up. It looks like I’ll have to stay here for a while.”

Seo Hee was at a loss for words for a moment at Kang Mo’s nonchalant reply. After being dazed for a bit, she quickly came to her senses and sorted out her thoughts.

She didn’t know what had happened, but she didn’t think Kang Mo had intentionally created this situation. She thought he must have his own circumstances.

If Kang Mo had to come in and live here, the person who had to leave was not him, but herself. Although she felt like she had suddenly become a wanderer, she tried to lift the corners of her lips weakly, not wanting to burden Kang Mo.

“Okay. Then, since it’s late today, I’ll leave tomorrow morning. Is that alright?”

“Ha.”

A short sigh escaped from Kang Mo, and he asked back instead.

“What are you talking about? Leaving tomorrow?”

“You said you’re going to stay here, so I have to leave.”

“What are you saying? Do you think I’m going to kick you out and move in?”

“Then what are you saying? Are you telling me to live together with you now?”

Then what would I be? A sullen remark crept in.

Seo Hee had to endure her mother’s worried gaze throughout the evening. Unable to make excuses about Kang Mo’s existence, Seo Hee vaguely answered her mother’s endless questions until she was at a loss for words at one question.

“Seo Hee, don’t tell me the place you’re staying at right now is that man’s house, is it?”

“What? Ah, Mom, well, that’s right, but…”

Before she could finish her sentence, it was cut off.

“What? You… So right now, you’re living with that man…”

“No, Mom, don’t jump to conclusions. It’s not like that. That apartment was empty. Rent, yes, he was going to rent it out, but he let me stay there for a while because he knew I needed a place to stay.”

In front of her mother, who was staring at her with a suspicious look, Seo Hee was confident. It was the truth without lies, so until then, there was nothing to be evasive about.

Kang Mo’s low voice with a sense of weight pushed away Seo Hee’s thoughts.

“Living together? Isn’t it too grandiose to call staying together for a few days living together? It’s a month at most anyway. Maybe it could end even faster than that.”

While Seo Hee’s reason firmly stated that it should never happen, her mind was tangled up in one way.

At most, a little over a month, and the problem with the officetel Seo Hee was originally supposed to move into could be solved before then, so the situation could end faster, as Kang Mo said.

Should she just close her eyes tightly and accept this situation, or should she stick to her principles and leave this place?

A naive thought that nothing could possibly happen and a moral desire to protect what should be protected fiercely confronted each other within Seo Hee.

Kang Mo was anxious that Seo Hee was absorbed in something without any reply. The more time she had to think, the more disadvantageous it was for him. He hurriedly added an excuse-like remark, as there was something he was being stubborn about.

“I should have explained first, but I was in a hurry. Just a moment.”

Before launching into a lengthy explanation, Kang Mo picked up the cell phone in his hand and called somewhere.