Tae Kyung checked his appearance.

He couldn’t remember how long it had been since he last visited his family home.

For 5 years after Seo Ha disappeared, he hadn’t set foot in the family home.

Looking at the building of his family home, which looked down at him firmly with the same appearance as 5 years ago, Tae Kyung couldn’t hide his bitter feelings.

It was a luxurious building, but the loneliness felt there was the same now as it was 5 years ago.

The housekeeper who rushed out to the front door to welcome him seemed to have gained more wrinkles in the meantime.

“Oh my, young master! How long has it been since you’ve come? You completely cut off contact. Oh my, look how thin you’ve become. You’re not sick, are you?”

“No. I’m healthy. Have you been well, madam?”

“I’ve been fine. But the house has been so quiet without you, you have no idea.”

“Is mother inside?”

“Yes, yes. Please come in quickly.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t come for so long.”

“Indeed. How heartless of you.”

The housekeeper smiled with tears in her eyes. Tae Kyung opened his arms and hugged her, patting her back.

“From now on, even if I don’t see mother, I’ll come to see you, madam.”

“Oh my, young master. You should come to see the chairwoman. The chairwoman has missed you so much.”

Tae Kyung couldn’t help but smile. The housekeeper wiped her tears and led Tae Kyung to the study where Hyun Young was.

Knock knock.

“Chairwoman, the young master is here.”

“Tell him to come in.”

When Hyun Young’s voice was heard from inside, the housekeeper nodded.

As Tae Kyung entered the study, Hyun Young put down the book she was reading.

“Would you like some tea?”

“Yes, please.”

“Madam, please bring us some green tea. Also, bring out some yanggaeng and wagashi.”

“Yes, chairwoman.”

After the housekeeper left, Hyun Young sat facing Tae Kyung.

Tae Kyung greeted first.

“Have you been well?”

“I’d be fine if you didn’t make me worry, wouldn’t I?”

“Oh, mother.”

“Why are you acting so unlike yourself? What do you want?”

“I want to get married.”

At Tae Kyung’s words, Hyun Young raised one eyebrow.

The person Tae Kyung wanted to marry was probably Seo Ha.

She felt she knew without him saying it.

“When have you ever acted with my permission? Who was it that left saying he’d cut ties with his mother?”

“Ah, aren’t you curious about who my lover is?”

“Ah?”

“Yes. The child Seo Ha is raising.”

“…”

“That child is mine. If you don’t believe me, here.”

Tae Kyung handed an envelope to Hyun Young.

Hyun Young had never doubted that Min Joon was Tae Kyung’s child.

But she was curious about the contents of the envelope.

She picked up the envelope and took out the document inside.

It was the paternity test results for Tae Kyung and Min Joon.

Hyun Young slowly closed her eyes and opened them again. Even though it was a fact she already knew, her heart felt heavy.

A child who looked just like Tae Kyung. A little boy who kept appearing in her mind.

However, Hyun Young didn’t want to grant Tae Kyung’s request right away.

She was angry at her son who seemed to only care about his own child without thinking about how he had worried his mother all this time.

“So? What are you trying to say?”

“Don’t you want to see the child? He’s a very clever and lovable child.”

“If he takes after you, how could his personality be any different? Unless he takes after his grandmother.”

Hyun Young turned her head to the side.

Just then, the housekeeper came in with tea and yanggaeng, then left.

A moment of silence followed.

“Mother, please give your permission. I, I don’t want my child to grow up without a father like I did. And actually, I could marry Seo Ha without your permission. But Seo Ha’s father told me to get your permission, so I came.”

“You never listen to your mother, but you listen so well to Seo Ha’s father? What about Seo Ha’s mother then? Can you handle it? From what I’ve seen, you seem to be quite a burden on Seo Ha.”

“If I’m scared like that, how can I protect my people and run the company?”

“All talk. Do you think I’ll give permission so easily?”

“I’ll wait, of course. You’re curious about the child, aren’t you?”

Tae Kyung had already anticipated that Hyun Young wouldn’t give permission easily.

He took out a few photos from his pocket and pushed them towards Hyun Young.

They were family photos of Tae Kyung, Seo Ha, and Min Joon, along with solo shots of Min Joon.

Hyun Young slightly pulled the photos towards her and examined them.

She tried hard to suppress the smile that kept trying to escape as she looked at Min Joon.

That boy, he’s so handsome. No matter how many times she looked, he was handsome.

“I’ll wait for your quick approval, mother.”

“Are you leaving?”

“Yes. I promised to go bike riding with Min Joon.”

“Hmph.”

Hyun Young envied Tae Kyung for being with Min Joon, but she couldn’t show it.

After Tae Kyung left the study, Hyun Young stared intently at the photos again.

“Foolish boy. How can he just leave photos and go? If he wants approval, he should bring Min Joon and Seo Ha to greet me properly. I hope our Min Joon doesn’t take after his father’s nasty personality.”

While Hyun Young clicked her tongue, she kept stroking Min Joon in the photo.

“Still, the three of them look good together.”

After looking at Min Joon’s photo for a long time, she picked up her phone.

Ring ring.

− Yes, chairwoman.

“Secretary Kwon, find out what Jeon Seung Ae and Choi Hyung Jin are doing right now. And prepare for me to visit Yoon Hee.”

− Yes, chairwoman. I understand.

“Also, buy a few picture frames. I want to frame some photos of our Min Joon.”

Hyun Young couldn’t take her eyes off the photos Tae Kyung had left, stroking each one.

Yoon Hee had recovered quite well and was focusing on rehabilitation therapy.

After finishing rehabilitation therapy and returning to the hospital room, Yoon Hee and Chae Eun were pleased to see Hyun Young waiting for them in the room.

“Hello?”

“Yes. Chae Eun, have you been well too? You must be working hard.”

“Hyun Young, you came.”

Yoon Hee still had difficulty walking. Her speech had mostly returned, but her left leg and left arm hadn’t fully recovered yet. Still, she smiled brightly, seemingly happy to see her relative and friend after a long time.

Hyun Young approached Yoon Hee and supported her.

“How are you feeling?”

“Thanks to you, I’m much better. If I had my way, I’d go back to the kindergarten right now.”

“Take back what you said about me being a workaholic. You’re the one.”

“Is that so? Hahaha.”

Yoon Hee laughed loudly for the first time in a long while. Chae Eun said she would go get some fresh air so the two could talk comfortably.

Left alone, Hyun Young unconsciously let out a sigh.

“You have worries?”

“I can’t hide anything from you.”

Hyun Young gave a faint smile. Yoon Hee settled on the bed and asked in her characteristically calm voice.

“It’s written all over your face. Is it because of Director Han?”

“Why is raising children so difficult?”

“You’ve done well enough raising your children. Tae Joo is doing well on his own, and Tae Kyung is doing well too. And Min Joon is cute.”

Hyun Young smiled involuntarily at the mention of Min Joon. The image she saw in the photo flashed in her mind again.

“Min Joon is cute indeed. That boy, see how he plays with people’s hearts. He’s going to be great.”

“Min Joon is cute. Ms. Kim has raised him well.”

“Yes. Seo Ha is quite a good kid indeed. It’s my son who’s not good. Foolish boy. He came alone asking me to let him marry Seo Ha. If he wants permission, he should bring Seo Ha and Min Joon to show their faces at least.”

Yoon Hee chuckled at Hyun Young’s grumbling.

“Haha. Why do you need to see them when you already know? Just give your permission. You’ve already fallen for Min Joon anyway.”

“I’m worried that Assemblyman Jin Chul Wook won’t sit still. He’s not an ordinary person. He’s dangerous, so I’m concerned.”

“Since when did you start talking so weakly?”

“Huh?”

Yoon Hee hit the nail on the head as she spoke calmly to Hyun Young, who had turned her gaze to the window with a worried face.

“If you keep running away from what you fear and fail to protect what’s precious, you’ll end up losing everything. If it’s precious, you should protect it properly instead of running away.”

“Hmm.”

“And the kids are stronger than you think. Trust Director Han and Ms. Kim.”

Hyun Young let out a deep sigh.

It wasn’t that she didn’t know what Yoon Hee was saying. Perhaps she didn’t want to face her cowardly self who was running away under the pretext of protection.

But running away wouldn’t solve anything.

Moreover, if the people involved were okay with it, who was she to stop them?

Even if Assemblyman Jin Chul Wook was a presidential candidate, Hyun Young had power and authority no less than his.

But what good were power and authority if she couldn’t even protect her own grandson?

As if knowing Hyun Young’s complex feelings, Yoon Hee took her hand.

“Hyun Young. What more can we ask for at our age? We should be grateful just for the kids doing their jobs well and growing up well. You shouldn’t try to confine them in your mold. And if there’s a misunderstanding with Ms. Kim, resolve it quickly. That’s what you should do for Min Joon’s sake too.”

“I suppose so. My sin is great. How foolish I was. What I did thinking it would make my child comfortable ended up hurting everyone. I know better than anyone how hard it is to raise a child alone, I’ve seen how hard it is to grow up without a father, yet I made them walk the same path.”

Hyun Young regretted more as time passed.

Why had she been so harsh to Seo Ha? Couldn’t she, who was in the same situation, have embraced and supported her more?

She wondered if Seo Ha would accept her even now.

She felt she had no right to interfere in Tae Kyung’s marriage.

Shouldn’t she be the one asking for Seo Ha’s forgiveness?

Yoon Hee sensed Hyun Young’s complex inner thoughts.

Hyun Young couldn’t have been completely at ease either.

If she had been, she wouldn’t have entrusted Seo Ha and Min Joon’s affairs to her.

Yoon Hee felt sorry for both Hyun Young and Seo Ha.

“Then, make sure to ask for forgiveness from Ms. Kim and Director Han. How many more days do we have left to live? It’s a great blessing to be able to see our grandchild’s antics. Don’t kick away that blessing with your own feet.”

“Will Seo Ha forgive me?”

“Are you going to live like that forever thinking Ms. Kim won’t forgive you? Whether she forgives you or not is up to Ms. Kim. Have courage and try.”

Hyun Young held Yoon Hee’s hand tightly. Yoon Hee smiled contentedly.

The two chatted for a long time.

As Hyun Young was leaving the hospital, she took out her phone. Hyun Young hesitated whether to call Seo Ha or not.

Hyun Young thought that it wasn’t her permission for Seo Ha and Tae Kyung’s marriage that was important, but Seo Ha forgiving her that was more important.

In fact, what right did she have to give or withhold permission?

She had already given her permission.

There was no reason not to give permission the moment she saw Min Joon.

Ring ring.

− Hello?

“This is Tae Kyung’s mother. Can we meet?”

− …Yes. Alright.

“I’ll come to you.”

After hanging up, Hyun Young took a deep breath in and out.