CHAPTER 24

“It’s funny, even though she’s their daughter, she doesn’t resemble her parents at all. The boss and his wife are so nice.” 

“They probably spoiled her because she’s the only daughter. She wasn’t this way before but ever since the boss’s business started doing well, she became incredibly independent and self-centered, like she doesn’t need anyone. Honestly, it’s like she has no regard for others. Last time, when the boss wasn’t around, she even made the delivery guy Mr. Park fetch her coffee.” 

Deputy Yang pursed her lips. There was an undertone of bitterness in their conversation. Whispering to each other for a while, the two women realized belatedly that there were part-time workers around and fell silent. 

“Life is really unfair. Some people work so hard while others have the good fortune of having well-off parents and live in comfort.” 

The team leader sighed as if talking to herself. It was obvious to anyone that she was comparing Siyeon and Eunhye. 

“I don’t struggle, and I don’t have a hard life.” 

“Yeah, I know what you mean, and that’s why I’m happy for you.” 

“…….” 

No, she didn’t understand what Siyeon had just said at all. 

“Yoon-soo, did you bring your car? Later when we go home, drop Siyeon off at the nearest subway station.” 

“Me?” 

“I’m fine., really” 

Both Yoon-soo and Siyeon answered at the same time. 

“No, Yoon-soo has plenty of time and he lives well. He’s just working here as a hobby, you can see he doesn’t take it seriously. He’s not in any financial trouble, so it’s okay.” 

“Team Leader, why do you casually dismiss my noble labor as a hobby?” 

“You’re just fooling around, leaving your own father’s factory right next door and coming here to work. Is that what you call noble labor?” 

Deputy Yang had called him “Manseur” (meaning playboy) because, as it turned out, he was the son of a wealthy family. Surprisingly, he was the son of the owner of the largest company in this industrial complex. It was through their fathers’ connections that he had briefly helped Eunhye with her studies. 

“I hate working there. And am I crazy to go there and work, where I’m not even treated properly and can’t even speak my mind? I should be out of my mind to go there willingly.”

 “Maybe it’s because you like Eunhye?”

 “Ha!” 

Yoon-soo laughed as if he found it amusing, but he didn’t deny the team leader’s words. Seeing him remain silent and concentrating on just eating his meal, seemed to be true. 

“You’ll drop Siyeon off at the subway station, right? It’s not a big deal since you’re going that way anyway.” 

Siyeon tried again to say that she was fine, but the team leader remained unyielding. She didn’t seem to be willing to let him go until she heard a positive answer from Yoon-soo. 

“Alright, I got it, I understand.”

In the end, the team leader managed to get Yoon-soo’s agreement. She grinned triumphantly at Siyeon, but Siyeon, who had ended up causing trouble, felt deeply embarrassed.

**

It was near the end of the day when Eunhye showed up at the factory where Siyeon was working. It was around 5 o’clock in the afternoon, and she entered the factory carrying a disposable coffee cup in one hand. 

“Oppa!” 

Her hair was cut short and styled in loose curls, and she wore a short velvet cape over a black mini dress. Her makeup was carefully done. She looked as if she had just left home for an outing. 

Siyeon glanced at her briefly, then focused on her final touches. Eunhye’s high-heeled boots clicked with each step she took. 

“Oh, Eunhye”

Some of the people inside the factory gave her familiar nods. However, Eunhye pretended not to hear and walked straight ahead without acknowledging anyone, heading towards Yoon-soo. 

Yoon-soo took off the gloves he had on and turned his body toward her, who stood in front of him. Other people also left their workstations to prepare to leave for the day. 

“You came with the boss?” 

“Yep. He promised me a car today. Mom wanted me to get my license first, but I bugged him to just buy it for me.”

 “How do you plan to drive without a license?” 

“I can get one quickly, right? If it’s difficult, you can teach me, Oppa.” 

“After all that, you want me to teach you how to drive too?” 

Yoon-soo wore a bewildered expression, but his eyes held a familiar warmth as he looked at her. 

“I’ll need a car to go to school when it starts.” 

“The boss will never let you drive.” 

“So, are you going to teach me or not?” 

“When?” 

Eunhye already had a smile on her face as if she had anticipated Yoon-soo to say that. 

“Right now! Oppa, you brought your car, didn’t you? Let’s practice a bit in the parking lot and then go grab something to eat. I found a great restaurant nearby.” 

“Okay, wait for me in the office, I’ll be right back.” 

“Where are you going, Oppa?” 

“I’ll drop off one of the part-timers at the subway station and be back.” 

“Which part-timer?” 

Only then did Eunhye look around. Her gaze stopped when she saw Siyeon coming out of the office with a bag in hand. 

“It’s not her, is it?” 

She asked without taking her eyes off Siyeon, her forehead slightly furrowed. 

“Calling her ‘her’ when you just met her.” 

“What’s the big deal? She’s just a part-timer.” 

Eunhye showed no restraint, even though Siyeon was right in front of her. She didn’t even bother to lower her voice, so her words were clearly audible to Siyeon. 

Yoon-soo frowned slightly, appearing a bit uncomfortable but he didn’t say anything more to Eunhye. Seeing this, Siyeon decided to intervene. 

“Don’t worry about me. Go ahead and practice driving with her. I can manage on my own.” 

“Hey, did you just talk about me? Did you just call me ‘her’?” 

Eunhye interjected with an incredulous expression.

“I told him not to worry and just practice driving with you. It seems like that’s what you wanted.” 

“You? Did you just say “you” to me? Part-timer, do you not know who I am?” 

“Well, you’re the boss’s daughter.” 

“What did you say?” 

Eunhye’s face contorted in anger, her mouth dropped open in disbelief. It didn’t take long for her face to turn bright red. Eunhye slammed the disposable coffee cup she was holding down on the table. 

“Eunhye.” 

“Oppa, just wait a moment.” 

Brushing aside Yoon-soo’s arm as he tried to hold her back, Eunhye walked over with her boots clicking. She gave Siyeon an up-and-down glance and sent her a mocking look. 

“Yeah, that’s right. My dad is the boss here. So, a part-timer like you should know that I could get someone like you fired with just a word.” 

“Then go ahead and try.” 

“You really…” 

Eunhye, with an angered expression, tried to rush toward Siyeon, but Yoon-soo held her back from behind. 

“Eunhye.” 

“Let go. I need to give this clueless person a piece of my mind.” 

“Stop it, there are adults here.” 

“What does that have to do with me?” 

“Let’s go get some food. You said you knew a good place.” 

Yoon-soo, lowering his voice, tried to pacify Eunhye, but she couldn’t contain her anger and was still feisty. Watching her silently, Siyeon finally spoke up. 

“If you have nothing more to say to me, I’ll be going now. Goodbye.” 

With an apologetic look to the people around her, Siyeon greeted them and headed towards the entrance.

Due to Eunhye’s emotional outburst, Siyeon unintentionally caused a commotion inside the factory, and Siyeon worried that this might get her into trouble. She didn’t want to risk getting fired, especially since she hadn’t even met her real father yet, who owned the factory, on her first day of work. 

“What’s the deal with the part-timer causing trouble in the factory!” 

Just as Siyeon was about to open the exit, she heard a disdainful voice from behind and stopped in her tracks, turning around. 

In her previous life, Eunhye knew how to conceal her true nature well, but in this life, perhaps due to the changed circumstances, she seemed to fully express her true personality. It was an act of arrogance, of thinking that she could do as she pleased and that there was no one to stop her. 

“You were able to buy a car today because part-timers like me have been packing boxes all day, so you should be thanking me.”

 Seeing Eunhye’s face turning bright red, Siyeon suddenly had a thought. 

Who does Eunhye resemble? 

She looks like a fifty-fifty mix of her Ichon-dong mother and father, but Siyeon can’t tell what her personality is like. Or perhaps Hannam-dong parents raised her to be so arrogant? 

Siyeon couldn’t help but wonder what Baekya Kim Dong-han would say if he saw his great-granddaughter, his proud last descendant. 

Having said her piece, Siyeon turned around, opened the door, and left. 

“I’ll remember you!” 

Eunhye’s angry voice could be heard through the closing door.

***

By the time Siyeon got back to her neighborhood on the subway, it was already dark. She opened the door to a small udon restaurant near the station and walked inside. 

Taking a seat at a table near the window, she ordered a steaming bowl of udon and sent a text message to Ijun. She hadn’t been able to talk to him earlier because she was on the subway. 

“Arrived home.”

 Right after she sent the message, her phone rang. 

[It shouldn’t be this hard to talk to a normal person. You’re not in the military, are you?] 

“Don’t complain to someone who’s worked hard.” 

[That’s what I’m saying, do you really need that part-time job?]

“Don’t rain on my parade.” 

She had told Ijun that she was just doing part-time work at a cafe until the weekend. Despite reassuring him that it was a cafe owned by a friend, he still seemed concerned. Even though she mentioned it was for the sake of gaining social experience, he probably thought she was just playing at part-time work. 

[Anyway, just finish your service.] 

“What are you going to do after you’re discharged?” 

[If I tell you in advance, you won’t be too surprised later.] 

Upon hearing his voice, the knot of anxiety that had been lodged in the center of her chest melted away. 

How nice would it be if Ijun were here right now? 

Loneliness and longing alternately tugged at her heart. 

“I don’t think there will be too much to surprise me… but I’ll try to keep my expectations.” 

She had already experienced shocking and surprising things up to the highest difficulty level. Whatever Ijun had in mind, it probably wouldn’t be enough to astonish her. 

While she was on the call, her udon arrived. Siyeon adjusted her phone in her left hand and used her right hand to pick up her chopsticks, then began to slurp the udon. 

The warm atmosphere, the steaming udon, and Ijun’s voice. Her tense body, which had been stiff all day, gradually relaxed, feeling sluggish. 

[What are you doing, are you still outside?] 

Ijum asked with a puzzled tone as she blew on the hot noodles with her breath and lifted them with her chopsticks. 

“I’m eating udon.”

 Siyeon responded with a smile, anticipating the lecture that would follow.