Mainly the male superiors chided Si Hyun and consoled Bo Ra. Someone asked Si Hyun, who sighed and was drinking barley tea,
“So when are you going to circulate your wedding invitations?”
“Right. If you leave quickly, you won’t have to hear such things.”
Finishing the bitter barley tea, Si Hyun responded,
“…I’m planning on sending them soon.”

((()))

Si Hyun revealed everything to Soo Yeon that had happened so far. About Woo Jin’s affair, and even the matter with Tae Ha.
“My goodness, that jerk. I can’t imagine how hard it was for you, Si Hyun, not being able to tell anyone.”
Couldn’t you go to that friend who said he likes you?”
Si Hyun bitterly shook her head.
“He’s someone I raised with my own hands. If that happens, everything I’ve done so far will have been for nothing.”
That was the conclusion she had reached after a sleepless night thinking about it.
[I know. You didn’t raise me to use me.] That’s what Tae Ha said, but Si Hyun knew that anyone looking on would never think that. Even close friends teased her, saying, “Is this why you raised him with so much dedication?”, who would think otherwise?

Si Hyun thought she wasn’t a particularly remarkable person. With no beauty, academic achievement, or family to boast of, and even no parents, her only point of pride was how well she had raised Tae Ha.

She couldn’t be entangled with Tae Ha as a woman and face criticism. More than anything, she couldn’t do such a thing to herself, who had lived so honestly and diligently.
“Do you have no feelings for that friend?”
After a moment of thought, Si Hyun responded,
“I think I could see him as a man.”
She could be honest with Soo Yeon. Whatever happened, she believed that Soo Yeon would understand. She wouldn’t throw stones.

“But that child is much more precious to me than any man. So before I see him as a man, I’m thinking of running away. I think I can do it now.”
But Soo Yeon looked regrettable.
“He seems to genuinely like you, Si Hyun. Won’t he be hurt?”
“He’ll find a good person soon. Maybe he couldn’t meet others because of me.”
Even Bora seemed interested in Tae Ha.

Yes, Bora. Young, pretty, good personality, good family… Tae Ha deserves someone like that.
“There are many better women than me. I can’t block his way forever.”
“Yeah, I think I know your heart, Si Hyun.”
Soo Yeon sighed.
“The person I liked was worlds apart from me. I liked him without knowing that, and in the end, it didn’t end well.”
“Why?”
After some hesitation, Soo Yeon murmured.
“I am… a dead person.”
Surprised, Si Hyun stared at Soo Yeon.
“Really. If you look it up at the community center, I’m registered as a dead person. I’m running this shop under someone else’s name.”
“How did that happen?”
“To survive. I thought I could see him once if I was alive…”
Soo Yeon closed her mouth at that point. Since it seemed like a difficult situation to talk about, Si Hyun didn’t pry further and steered the conversation back to herself.
“So I thought I might continue the marriage proceedings with my brother.”
“Are you really okay? Can you forgive and forget seeing another woman?”
“He already cleared things up with her. And it’s true that I was a little swayed by Tae Ha. So let’s consider it one to one, even though I feel like I’m at a loss.”
After laughing, Si Hyun muttered with a serious face.
“It’s his first mistake. I want to give him a chance. Not because I want to run away from him, but because I want to try hard with him.”
Woo Jin betrayed her. Each time she recalled that fact, it hurt in a corner of her heart. That meant she still loved Woo Jin, Si Hyun thought. Otherwise, her heart wouldn’t hurt like this.
“……because I still love him.”
Fortunately, unlike Tae Ha, Soo Yeon didn’t chide her for being foolish.

“Right. Whatever decision Si Hyun makes, I will trust and support her. Our clever Si Hyun would have thought it through properly, wouldn’t she? I’m on Si Hyun’s side unconditionally.”
Holding her hand firmly, Soo Yeon’s presence felt incredibly solid. This must be how it feels to have a living mother.
“I’ll introduce you to him soon. Please accept him without despising him too much. He’s not a bad person.”
“Of course, he is going to be our Si Hyun’s husband.”
“When we get comfortable again, I’ll bring Tae Ha too. Though, it might be hard for now.”
“Right. By the way, how much older is that friend Tae Ha than Si Hyun?”
“He’s seven years younger than me. He’s twentysix this year.”
Upon hearing Tae Ha’s age, a sense of nostalgia crossed Soo Yeon’s face.
“So, he’s the same age.”
“Huh?”
When she asked back wondering what she meant, Soo Yeon smiled subtly.
“My son. He is also twentysix in Korean age this year.”
Si Hyun was taken aback. Not just by the fact that Soo Yeon had a son, but also by the fact that he was so grown up. That meant she gave birth at just twenty.
“I didn’t know. That you had a son, Auntie…”
As Soo Yeon tried to pour Soju into an empty glass, Si Hyun snatched the bottle from her hand. Filling Soo Yeon’s glass instead, Si Hyun asked.
“Then where is your son now and what is he doing?”
“He’s in America. My father took him right after I gave birth.”
After emptying the full glass in one go, Soo Yeon mumbled.
“I wonder how he’s grown up by now. Just once… I want to see him.”

((()))

Si Hyun left Soo Yeon’s shop and headed home. As she neared her house, she saw a large figure running towards her from a distance.

It was Tae Ha.

The fact that he had been able to recognize her from afar and had run towards her gave her a sense of how anxiously he had been waiting. As expected, his face was filled with worry, and Si Hyun felt a faint sense of guilt.

Out of breath, Tae Ha asked.
“Why are you so late? Have you been drinking again?”
Si Hyun shook her head.
“No, I didn’t drink.”
She had decided to stop running away with alcohol. Not only last night, but also while she was talking at Soo Yeon’s shop earlier, she hadn’t had a single drop of alcohol.

So, it was a decision she had made with a clear mind.
“Tae Ha, I have an answer for you now.”
Tae Ha’s face tensed up and he held his breath.

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