“Young lady, are you alright?”

When Seol Ah had been crying for a long time, In Sook carefully approached her and asked.

Only then did Seol Ah realize what had happened to her.

She had lived her whole life without a ‘mother’, and when she found out she had become a ‘mother’, she ran away. And now she was in despair, feeling that she no longer had the strength to be a ‘mother’.

Can I really raise this child well?

How can I, who have never seen or learned anything.

But at the word ‘mother’ that she heard inadvertently, her heart swayed like the ocean. As if that word was the key to solving her life.

“Mother, who are you talking about?”

Even in that situation, the word ‘mother’ was still hitting her.

“Well, I don’t know who it is, but they look like they’re having a really hard time. Let’s not do this here and go inside to talk.”

The reason Seol Ah ended up in In Sook’s arms was because all her strength had drained away.

In Sook silently embraced Seol Ah. And she patted her back soothingly.

“Thank you.”

Slowly breaking the embrace, Seol Ah sat down on a chair placed in the corner of the convenience store at In Sook’s guidance. Soon, In Sook’s son Jin Cheol brought over a bowl of ramen with hot water, and In Sook brought a lunch box that was on display.

“Eat something and regain your energy. Drink some warm broth too. Why is a young person so weak.”

Seol Ah silently looked at the ramen and lunch box placed in front of her.

“Why are you doing this for me?”

Seol Ah raised her still teary eyes and looked at In Sook.

“What do you mean why. Because I’m worried about you.”

In Sook continued, looking at Seol Ah with warm eyes.

“Everyone has circumstances they can’t speak about. If it’s difficult for the time being, you can keep eating lunch boxes here. A person has to live and see.”

Seol Ah bit her lip hard.

How did she know that I was standing on the edge of despair right now. Can she guess it all just from my eyes.

“I’ve been through that too. I was young like you once. I had nowhere and no one to rely on. I just wanted to die. But I lived because of him.”

In Sook pointed with her eyes at her son who was cleaning the convenience store.

“I lived because I was alive. That child who was so small has already grown this much. He’s already a college student. But he still comes out here to help his mother like this at the drop of a hat. He’s a great kid.”

Seol Ah placed her hand on her stomach again.

If this child lives and doesn’t die, can they grow up like that. Calling me mother, smiling, and walking around.

Tears welled up again.

I was the one who had sins, not the child. I was an unqualified mother, but I still couldn’t crumble. For the child’s sake.

“The child’s father…”

Seol Ah covered her mouth with her hand. Having nowhere to rely on probably meant there was no father either. Why am I so clueless.

“It’s okay. There isn’t one. It’s been like that from the beginning.”

In Sook gave a desolate smile.

Seol Ah lowered her eyes and stared blankly at the hand In Sook was holding.

“But I’m still living too. It’s not like raising him without a father has been all good times, right? I’ve heard all sorts of things and been pointed at. But I don’t regret it.”

At that moment, Jin Cheol approached In Sook.

“I have an appointment so I’ll be going out.”

Jin Cheol bowed to In Sook and also nodded at Seol Ah. A tall and handsome son. It must not have been easy to raise him this much either.

Seol Ah was lost in thought as she received Jin Cheol’s greeting.

“Actually, I…”

Her hand moved to her stomach again.

“I have a child too.”

In Sook’s eyes widened then curved with long tails.

“I knew it. You didn’t seem like others. Ah, then this kind of ramen isn’t good. I’ll change it for you.”

Seol Ah stopped In Sook as she tried to get up.

“No, it’s okay. I’ll eat it. I’m so hungry right now. I’ve barely eaten for days.”

I’ll eat and live. So I’ll try to raise my child somehow too.

I’m not confident I can be a good mother, but at least I’ll be a mother who stays by their side. Like you.

Seeing Seol Ah’s eyes sparkle, In Sook smiled back at her.

“Yes. You need to eat well.”

That very day, Seol Ah sent the diamond necklace she had been keeping to its original owner, Seung Jun. It was the starting point of her life’s second round.

*

Yu Min didn’t say why he hit Shin Young.

“Maybe they just squabbled like kids do. I wasn’t there either so I don’t know well. It doesn’t seem serious so don’t worry about it.”

Yoon Sung’s mother tried not to tell her either.

“I’ll see Yu Min later. I’m sorry, elder sister.”

Jin Cheol said he didn’t know well either.

After much deliberation, Seol Ah decided to go see Shin Young’s mother. In any case, it was true that Yu Min hit Shin Young, so she wanted to apologize and also hear what had happened.

She was curious why Yu Min was trying so hard to hide the reason, and it seemed like Seung Jun knew about it too, so she wanted to know what had happened.

Fortunately, she had finished an important task yesterday, so it was okay for her to go to work a bit late today. She asked for the company’s understanding and went to find Shin Young’s mother right after Yu Min went to kindergarten.

‘So this is it.’

Shin Young’s mother’s house was a luxury apartment near Seol Ah’s house. She heard Shin Young’s father did some kind of business, and it seemed they were quite well-off.

Seol Ah stood in front of the common entrance, suppressing her involuntarily shrinking heart, and pressed the intercom.

“It’s Yu Min’s mother.”

Shin Young’s mother opened the door right away, as Seol Ah had contacted her in advance.

“I told you over the phone, but I still wanted to apologize to you in person.”

Shin Young’s mother raised one eyebrow as she looked at the fruit basket Seol Ah held out to her. As if trying to gauge the price. Seol Ah put strength in the corners of her eyes and mouth so her trembling wouldn’t show.

Seol Ah wasn’t very close with Shin Young’s mother. At best, she had exchanged words with her through Yoon Sung’s mother, who was the most talkative among the mothers.

“Put it over there. Ahjumma, bring out some tea. Ah, not that. Just bring coffee.”

Shin Young’s mother gestured with her eyes at the working woman. The woman put down the teacup in her hand and quickly took out a different teacup from the cupboard.

Even at a glance, Seol Ah could tell the first teacup was high-end, and the second was just the kind commonly seen anywhere.

“Does Yu Min tell you? That he hit our Shin Young.”

Seol Ah nodded at Shin Young’s mother’s words.

“Yes. That’s why I came to see you, to hear the circumstances.”

“Why? He doesn’t tell you? Or ask that man. He seemed close with Yu Min.”

Seol Ah’s eyes widened.

“What man are you talking about?”

“There was a man who acted like Yu Min’s guardian. Shin Young’s tutoring time was almost up too, so I just came, but… You’re not close with that man?”

If it was Jin Cheol, there was no way Shin Young’s mother wouldn’t know, so the man she was talking about seemed to be Seung Jun.

So Seung Jun really was there. Seol Ah realized her intuition was right and laughed awkwardly.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You don’t know. Even Yu Min knew that man very well, but Yu Min’s mother doesn’t know? Don’t lie. You should deceive people you can deceive.”

At this rate, she wouldn’t be able to ask what she was curious about and would only be met with strange suspicion, so Seol Ah quickly changed the subject.

“If I knew that man like you said, I would have asked him about the circumstances. I came to see you, Shin Young’s mother, because I don’t know. What on earth happened?”

Shin Young’s mother still looked at Seol Ah with suspicious eyes, then brought the teacup to her lips to wet them before opening her mouth.

“Seriously, teach your kid some manners. If he goes around hitting other kids like that, he won’t be able to adapt well in elementary school later.”

What was this about now? Seol Ah barely suppressed the fierce emotions rising up in her and replied,

“Yu Min has never shown such conduct before. The kindergarten has never given such feedback either. That’s why I’m curious about the situation too.”

“Ha, but he hit our Shin Young. Does hitting her and then saying he’s not usually like that make the hitting go away? So this time, educate him thoroughly so this never happens again. The kindergarten mothers don’t like those neighborhood kids mingling with ours anyway.”

Shin Young’s mother covered her mouth with her hand.

But Seol Ah’s insides were already turned upside down.

“What do you mean by that?”

Seeing Seol Ah’s sharp gaze, Shin Young’s mother slowly removed her hand from her mouth.

“It is like that. I’m not saying it’s me, the mothers say that. Honestly, many mothers are uncomfortable with kids from that neighborhood going to the same kindergarten as our apartment kids.”

By Seol Ah’s neighborhood, she meant the area densely packed with single-family homes and villas on the opposite side of Shin Young’s luxury apartment.

They were adjacent, but the land value was worlds apart, so Seol Ah involuntarily shrank just looking at the apartment side.

“Of course, hearing this won’t make you feel good, but I’m saying this for Yu Min’s mother’s sake. I’ll let go of Shin Young getting hit this time, but some mothers might harass Yu Min’s mother by bringing up where you live. Then Yu Min’s mother, you won’t be able to live there. You’ll have to move.”

Shin Young’s mother crossed one leg and looked down at Seol Ah with her head held high.

Seol Ah couldn’t take it anymore.

Clutching her bag, Seol Ah stood up from her seat.

“I’ll apologize for Yu Min hitting Shin Young. But please don’t talk like that, bringing up where we live. It’s not like we did anything shameful.”

She bit her trembling lower lip as if chewing it off.

Still, she couldn’t stop her cheeks from visibly moving.

“Did I say you did anything shameful? And I said I’m not the one saying those things, it’s the mothers. There’s no harm in being careful, is there?”

Shin Young’s mother grinned.

“And you should be careful with that man. I was accidentally fooled. So you have no relationship with that man, right?”

Seol Ah turned her body, having lost the will to say more.

She shouldn’t have come here in the first place. If she had known she would be treated this way…

“I’ll get going now. It seems I took unnecessary steps.”

When she closed the door and came out, her legs went weak.

Is it right to keep sending Yu Min to that kindergarten? If the mothers are like that, the children will be the same. Should I move him somewhere a bit farther?

Now, even without hearing the situation, she felt she knew. Because she could clearly imagine how a child raised under a mother like that would have treated Yu Min.

As soon as she arrived at the company with an aching head, she saw the documents placed at her desk. It was the documents Hee Sun had entrusted to Seol Ah some time ago to send to JK Foods.

The documents had been finalized by another employee after Seol Ah refused. But why was this here?

Just then, the phone rang.

“Hee Sun said she suddenly came down with a cold so I told her to rest for a day. Go on a business trip. The evaluation is due today.”

Department head Moon, who had called Seol Ah to his office, said with one hand stuck in his pants pocket.