“What did you say?”

Yu Seol Ah felt like the lid on her head was about to blow off for a moment.

“A, a wealthy family, what?”

“Am I wrong? What kind of house would someone like you have? Raising a child without a father, even the clothes the child wears are shabby like they were bought from the market floor. And now you’re talking about an apartment? It’s not even funny!”

Shin Young’s mother yelled with her belly sticking out, and the other mothers tried to stop her.

“That’s enough, Shin Young’s mother. You went too far this time. No, it’s not even confirmed.”

“It’s obvious. What, are you all stupid? Can’t you see it?”

Yu Seol Ah clenched her trembling fists tightly.

She wanted to drive that fist into Shin Young’s mother’s face. She wanted to grab her and fight until one of them was dead.

But Yu Min was watching.

“No, it’s not like that!”

Yu Seol Ah bit her quivering lips tightly and spoke.

“Don’t talk recklessly about other people’s business! I’ve never done anything dirty. I haven’t! I’m confident, I am!”

Tears streamed down from Yu Seol Ah’s reddened eyes.

“Yu Min’s mother, let’s go. Yu Min, pack your bag and come with us. Shin Young’s mother, stop it. We all gathered here to have a good time.”

Yoon Sung’s mother stepped forward, took Yu Seol Ah by the arm, and headed to the front door. Yu Min was also sniffling and following Yu Seol Ah.

“It’s not like that, Yu Min.”

Yu Seol Ah said, embracing Yu Min.

“We’ve never done anything shameful. Really, we never have.”

“I know, Mom.”

Yu Min held Yu Seol Ah’s hand.

“I’m on your side, Mom.”

Holding Yu Min’s warm hand, Yu Seol Ah left the house.

Yu Min looked at the dumbfounded Yu Seol Ah with sympathetic eyes.

‘What in the world is a second anyway? It just means the second one. What second is Mom?’

Last time, he was going to ask Han Seung Jun, but he couldn’t because Seung Jun said he was busy. After that, he forgot to ask.

If he knew this would happen, he should have asked Uncle Jin Cheol at least.

He couldn’t ask his crying mother about it. He wasn’t that tactless.

“Mom, are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m okay. You were really surprised, weren’t you, Yu Min? I’m sorry. I don’t deserve to be a mother.”

Yu Seol Ah sat down, hugged Yu Min, and spoke.

Yu Min got upset again.

What are you sorry for and what do you mean you don’t deserve to be a mother?

Sometimes Mom went too far like this.

“I think it’s Shin Young’s mother who doesn’t deserve to be a mother. She called you a dirty bitch. That’s a bad word.”

At Yu Min’s point, Yu Seol Ah nodded.

“You’re right, it’s a bad word.”

“Shin Young says a lot of bad words too. That’s why the teacher scolds him a lot. But Shin Young’s mother is the same. I’m glad you’re not like Shin Young’s mother.”

At Yu Min’s words, the corners of Yu Seol Ah’s mouth turned up. But somehow, it was a sad smile.

“I’m still sorry though.”

“Stop saying you’re sorry. Why do you keep doing that?”

“Just, to you.”

For letting you be born like this. For not letting you be under the solid roof of a father. For making you have a birthday party at someone else’s house for no reason.

For letting you be falsely accused of something ridiculous today. For not being able to protect you more solidly. Just everything, all of me seems so lacking to you.

Yu Min raised his hand and stroked Yu Seol Ah, who was tearing up again.

“Mom.”

“Yes.”

“I’ve never disliked having you as my mom.”

Yu Min’s eyes sparkled.

“Even without a dad, I’m happy to have you, Mom. You’re not a mom to be sorry about, you’re the best mom to me.”

Yu Seol Ah closed her eyes.

That’s right, you always teach me. It’s always you who lifts me up when I’m falling apart.

Do you know what a blessing your existence is to my life? Do you know how I’ve changed because of you?

Yu Seol Ah wanted to say something, but all pronunciation crumbled inside her, so she ended up not saying anything.

She embraced the body of the child who had become her salvation with all her heart. The warmly soaked bodies stayed united like that for a while.

*

“What?”

It was a moment when his head was heated from a long meeting. Han Seung Jun had to hold back from cursing out loud when he saw the message that came to him.

“What’s wrong, Vice President?”

Manager Nam asked with worried eyes upon seeing Seung Jun’s face wrinkle. Seung Jun bit his lip and lifted his head.

“It’s nothing.”

However, contrary to his words, there was a look of unfamiliar sharpness on Seung Jun’s face.

Manager Nam quietly bowed and left the vice president’s office.

Seung Jun lowered his head to his cell phone again.

− Uncle, what’s a second? Someone called our mom a second. Mom is crying.

Seung Jun let out a deep, hot breath. If this wasn’t the company, he might have punched the message with his fist.

− Who said that? That Shin Young kid’s mother?

He sent a reply with fingers trembling with anger, and the answer came right away.

− Yes. How did you know?

A smirk escaped Seung Jun’s mouth.

I knew it.

− Got it. Leave the rest to me.

I don’t want you to be upset over this kind of thing. Because neither Yu Seol Ah nor you deserve to hear such dirty words.

After replying, a call came this time.

Wondering what to say, Seung Jun answered the phone.

“What.”

[It’s not that.]

Yu Min’s voice seemed to be filled with dissatisfaction for some reason.

[What is a second?]

Ah.

He’s just curious about that.

Seung Jun sighed deeply toward the air. There are so many people below the level in this world, teaching a young child about a world he doesn’t need to know.

“It’s a curse word, a very bad one.”

[Really? But why is second a curse word? It just means the second one.]

“Among adults, it’s also used as a curse word. So your mom heard a really bad word.”

Yu Min’s breathing could be heard. He seemed as angry as Seung Jun.

[That lady is a really bad lady!]

“That’s right.”

[She even called Mom a dirty bitch!]

“What?”

Seung Jun’s fist clenched tightly. Now he felt like his eyes were turning yellow.

“Were there a lot of people there at that time?”

[All the ladies were there. The friends were there too.]

“You’re saying you and your friends were there? She said that in front of everyone gathered together?”

[Yes.]

Why in the world did she say that?

Come to think of it, it seemed to be because of that problematic birthday party. With that Shin Young’s mother’s personality, she would have more than enough jealousy. So the best her bad mind could come up with was second.

“What did Mom say when she heard that?”

[She just said it wasn’t true. And then she took me and left.]

Yeah, that’s how it would have been.

It wasn’t that Yu Seol Ah backed down because she was weak.

The current Yu Seol Ah is stronger than anyone. But she couldn’t bear to show her ugly side in front of the child. If the talk about second continued, Yu Min might have heard things he shouldn’t have.

Then Yu Min might have been irreparably hurt. So she took all the burden herself and withdrew.

Seung Jun bit his lip again.

Thinking of her enduring and bearing everything alone like that, he was now angry.

Not at her, but at himself for not being able to do anything for her like that until now.

“Okay. Don’t think about that anymore. It’s a matter for adults to resolve.”

[Han Seung Jun.]

“Yes.”

[Thank you.]

Seung Jun smirked. He wasn’t expecting to hear such words, but hearing them didn’t feel bad.

[I get sad when Mom cries. I hope she doesn’t cry anymore.]

Seung Jun couldn’t smile anymore at the following words.

“Me too.”

I also hope that your mom, my Seol Ah, stops crying now. Finally.

“I’ll get going. Wait for me.”

*

“That good-for-nothing, pretending to be all that.”

Shin Young’s mother, who had returned home, was fired up.

“Mom, but what’s a second?”

When Shin Young asked Shin Young’s mother, she laughed and answered.

“It means the very bottom. Someone you shouldn’t associate with.”

“What’s the bottom? And what’s associate?”

Shin Young’s mother lightly hit Shin Young’s head with her fist and said,

“What’s a little kid like you so curious about? Go study. Did you do your TunTun Learning homework?”

“You always tell me to just study. Yu Min’s mom doesn’t even tell him to study.”

“That’s because Yu Min already knows Hangul, can do math, and is good at Hanja and English! No matter how much I teach you, you don’t know anything! I don’t know who you take after to have such a stone head.”

Shin Young’s father wasn’t home yet. Shin Young’s mother washed some fruit roughly, bit into it, and said,

“It feels refreshing to put that woman in her place properly. The other moms must have been surprised too. They must have thought ‘oh no.’ Yu Min won’t be able to go to kindergarten anymore either.”

As she was chuckling, the doorbell rang.

Wondering who it was, Shin Young’s mother checked the intercom and furrowed her brows. Unexpectedly, Yu Min’s mother, Yu Seol Ah, was at the door.

No way, after being humiliated like that, what is she doing here again? Is she in her right mind?

She’s not going to spout nonsense again about apologizing or whatever, is she?

Shin Young’s mother picked up the intercom.

“Why are you here?”

[Please open the door.]

Yu Seol Ah said with wide eyes.

“Why should I? We have to wash up and go to bed now. If you want to come, come back tomorrow.”

[I have to go to work tomorrow. I have something I must tell you today. I also have something to apologize for.]

Apologize?

Shin Young’s mother tilted her head. Is she finally recognizing her place and admitting it? Well then, I’ll hear her out.

When she opened the door, Yu Seol Ah didn’t come in and took a step back.

“Shin Young is here too, right? Let’s go to that empty lot over there for a bit.”

“Why? It’s a hassle.”

“I think it will be hard to say it in front of Shin Young.”

At Yu Seol Ah’s words, Shin Young’s mother nodded, thinking that could be the case. Right, it would be hard for her to admit her wrong in front of the child.

Just then, Shin Young’s tutor arrived, so she handed Shin Young over and followed Yu Seol Ah out of the house.

The empty lot Yu Seol Ah led to was deserted because it was night. Facing each other, Yu Seol Ah looked at Shin Young’s mother and spoke.

“First, I’ll apologize.”

“Yes, go ahead and apologize.”

When Shin Young’s mother lifted her head and spoke, Yu Seol Ah slowly said,

“For treating someone who’s not human as a human. I should have treated you according to your level, but I think I was wrong about that.”

“What?”

Shin Young’s mother furrowed her brows at the unexpected words.

“Seeing you say things that can’t even be uttered in front of other people, especially in front of children, I had that thought. So from now on, instead of words that humans can say, I’m going to show you through actions first.”

“What the hell is this bitch babbling about!”

Shin Young’s mother yelled, and at those words, Yu Seol Ah laughed lightly. And then she raised her hand.

It was a moment of wondering what she was doing. That palm came down and brutally slapped Shin Young’s mother across the cheek.

Shin Young’s mother, who was slapped so hard that her head turned, forgot to speak for a while.