Chapter 28 – The Weight of Life  

Eom So-yeon spent the entire night sighing and agonizing.

‘For the next few days, you should endure it. I’ll do my best to shake you. If you can’t resist, then come to me. If not, I’ll give up.’

‘You disappeared as you pleased before, so now it’s my turn to do as I please.’

‘Think it over carefully. I can only give you until the end of today.’

The words Tae Seo-jun spoke yesterday lingered in her mind even the next morning.

He was a man she had desired at first sight. And meeting him again after several years, he was very different from the man she had first encountered. If his initial impression was that of a refined gentleman, now he resembled a noble predator. Yet, Eom So-yeon didn’t dislike the current Tae Seo-jun.

The pull toward him grew stronger, and her desire for him burned even hotter. That’s why, even as she took steps backward, her eyes couldn’t help but remain fixed on him.

And last evening, Seo-jun introduced his mother and aunt to So-yeon when they entered the room.

Though she hid her trembling heart and greeted the two ladies politely, Eom So-yeon felt an unprecedented psychological pressure. She was so conscious that she didn’t even notice Go Won-ho0, who entered the room a step later.

At that moment, So-yeon’s mind relied solely on Tae Seo-jun, and her gaze was fixed only on him.

‘Mother, you misunderstood. You saw the writer and director in the lobby on the first floor, didn’t you? I already explained earlier that there was a project meeting. Because of that, Seo-jun and Ms. Eom So-yeon had more to discuss separately.’

Although there was a suspicious look from the aunt questioning why they were together, thanks to Go Won-hoo’s appropriate response, So-yeon managed to avoid an awkward situation.

After Cha Yeo-jin and Cha Yeo-jung left the room, Seo-jun drove So-yeon to the entrance of her apartment in Dogok-dong.

‘Thank you.’

‘Not even a word about having a cup of tea?’

‘Then would you like to come up for a while?’

‘I decline the offer, Eom So-yeon. Rest well, see you tomorrow.’

After saying that, Seo-jun left, but So-yeon lingered at the spot where he had departed.

Tae Seo-jun was something she couldn’t swallow, nor could she spit out. Her head told her to push him away, but her heart said never to let him go.

For nearly two months, despite being battered and shaken by the confusion Tae Seo-jun threw at her, So-yeon desperately longed for him and couldn’t ignore the temptation he presented.

However, not cutting it off from the start and agonizing over it until her head hurt meant she had already found her direction.

It was none other than Tae Seo-jun.

Whether he was a poisoned apple or a sweet fruit, she wouldn’t know until she tasted him.

So-yeon, wanting to leave her heart’s flow as it was, brushed off her complicated thoughts.

By noon, the day had quietly passed.

To live through today well, So-yeon moved about diligently. Her mood, which had been endlessly sinking, swelled with joy and satisfaction.

Soon, she would be able to meet the most precious gift God had allowed her, her life’s most treasured treasure, even if only through a video call.

What dampened her mood, however, was Yeo Do-soon.

“Pfft! Are you planning to go out like that?”

When So-yeon, dressed in a yellow dress, came out to the living room, Do-soon, who was lying on the sofa, lifted her head and smirked as if it was a shame to keep it to herself.

In just five days, she would be able to see Tae Seo-jun to her heart’s content. Just that thought made Do-soon hum a tune, and she had come over to So-yeon’s house, which was right next door, early on. She had packed her travel bag to take to Spain and was just catching her breath in the living room.

“Why? Is it weird?”

So-yeon asked as she looked over her outfit.

The headband and dress, both yellow, were a bit too flashy.

“Rather than weird, you look like someone working part-time at a kids’ café.”

“Seeing it that way means I’ve succeeded.”

Eom Hyun-woo, who burst into laughter whenever their eyes met. Even without a father, Hyun-woo had grown up well and was such a lovable, cheerful child. He loved the color yellow.

“Ah! It’s for Hyun-woo, isn’t it?”

Realizing why she was dressed in yellow, Do-soon clapped her knee.

“Yes. I’m going to video call him at the right time.”

“I thought so… Oh, by the way, I’m going to pop back home for a bit. Your fridge is empty, so I’ll bring some food.”

While food was one reason, Do-soon was also discreetly giving her friend some space to spend a cozy moment with her son, even if only through the screen.

***

The private room of the Korean restaurant where Yoo Jung-hwa and Yoo Byung-hwan met was filled with an icy silence.

Byung-hwan, who was making loud noises as he devoured his food, was sharply stared at by Jung-hwa. Watching her father, who was so greedy and shameless, made her feel nauseous.

“Mi-kyung, why aren’t you eating?”

How long had it been since he had such a feast? 

Byung-hwan, pretending to be concerned about his daughter, even eyed the dishes in front of Jung-hwa.

“Eat it all.”

This is our last meal together, and today is the day our familial bond ends.

Jung-hwa placed the bowl of food in front of Yoo Byung-hwan with her well-manicured hands.

“Are you on some diet or something? Why did you call me here if you’re just going to waste food? Leaving food is such a big sin.”

Byung-hwan, who was scraping the plate his daughter handed him, took a swig of beer to wash it down.

“Ah! This is the taste…!”

Serving food and him eating it happily. Outwardly, they seemed like a perfectly normal father and daughter. However, the crux of their relationship was a twisted form of paternal love, where the father was sucking the life out of his daughter to the marrow.

From his luxury watch to his polished suit and wrinkle-free face, he looked like a respectable man. But he was nothing more than a bottomless pit, a parasite who would suck his family dry.

Even as she held the title of top actress, Jung-hwa hadn’t yet escaped the hellish family ties. Watching Byung-hwan, the man she didn’t even want to call her father, Jung-hwa felt nausea rising within her.

“Am I really your daughter?”

She barely held back the lump in her throat as she asked, and Byung-hwan, who had stopped using his chopsticks, gave a bitter smile.

“Of course, why are you asking such an obvious thing?”

“Because I’m sick of you.”

“Sick of me? Where did you learn to say such nonsense…”

Byung-hwan stopped talking as Jung-hwa pulled something out of her handbag.

“Let’s not drag this out. Let’s end it for sure with this. Who would believe that Yoo Jung-hwa owes money to so many people? That’s what I fear the most. And it’s all because of you!”

“Come on. I know you’re a fearless girl.”

“Shut up. Just know that I have no more money to give you!”

Since it was something he heard often, Byung-hwan first checked the amount in the bankbook thrown on the table.

“Is this all you have for the last time? Hmm, this isn’t enough. It should be enough to buy a building…”

Not satisfied with the amount he received, Byung-hwan dragged out his words like a snake’s tail.

“Do I really have to go this far?”

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

Byung-hwan, with a sly tone, stirred his daughter’s discomfort even more.

“……”

Jung-hwa was so fed up with her father’s excessive greed that she could have gone mad. However, it was something she had anticipated, and she had prepared more for it. But it was true she didn’t want to resort to that method.

As Jung-hwa remained silent for a while due to a slight hesitation, Byung-hwan affectionately called his daughter.

“Mi-kyung…”

But his words were immediately cut off by Jung-hwa’s voice, which reacted violently to her name.

“That’s right! You had Yoo Mi-kyung, your sweet little daughter who gave you everything, didn’t you? But the daughter you sold off, Mi-kyung, is dead! So why do you keep looking for someone who doesn’t exist? How many times do I have to tell you? I’m… Yoo Jung-hwa!”

Parent? Don’t make me laugh! You crazy bastard!

“Fine, I’ll give you more! But just know that with that, our familial bond ends as well!”

After Jung-hwa’s outburst, there was a brief silence.

It seemed her daughter’s excitement had subsided a bit. Watching for the right moment, Yoo Byung-hwan cautiously brought up what Jung-hwa had said last.

“So, how much more are you going to give, and when?”

“More than you can imagine. I’ll give it to you tomorrow.”

Jung-hwa’s subdued voice was as dry as an early winter drought.

As if she had given up even on being angry.

***

It was daytime in Seoul, but evening in Vancouver.

So-yeon’s mother, Jo Yeon-hee, was on the screen holding a smart-looking child in her arms.

“Hi, my son.”

-I love you, Mom.

Facing the phone fixed on the stand, So-yeon waved brightly at her son.

“How have you been, my Hyun-woo?”

-I miss you so much, Mom.

“Mom misses you very, very much too…”

The small child, not yet 30 months old, had distinct features and long eyelashes. Looking at that face, So-yeon couldn’t help but choke up, unable to finish her sentence, and pressed her lips tightly. Her eyes also turned red, as always.

“It’s almost bedtime for my Hyun-woo, isn’t it?”

-Yes! Grandma said after thirty more nights, she’ll take me to Seoul. And then every day, I’ll…”

The child, with lips as red as cherries, chattered away earnestly. His pronunciation was still immature, but that made it even more endearing and lovable. Because of that, So-yeon’s eyes and lips, once lifted, didn’t seem to want to come down.

“Mommy wants to see you soon. Even more than Hyun-woo wants to see me…”

Her breath, wet with emotion, wavered, and her voice trembled slightly. But because she couldn’t shed tears, So-yeon put on an even brighter smile.

Yeon-hee, who knew well the meaning behind her daughter’s dazzling smile, also felt a lump in her throat. However, perhaps like mother, like daughter, Yeon-hee’s voice remained bright and firm.

-Our Hyun-woo has grown so much, hasn’t he? I’m so proud that he’s grown well without getting sick. But are you okay? Even if you catch a cold, it would be better, but you always get really sick once every season change. You seem a bit thinner than before.

“But I didn’t catch a cold this spring. And I’m so healthy. I’m taking the vitamins you sent me diligently, and I’m exercising hard, so don’t worry, mom.”

-Health is not something you can be sure about. Anyway, for Hyun-woo’s sake, you must take good care of yourself.

As they say, love descends, Yeon-hee was absorbed in worrying about her child.

“I’m going abroad for filming soon. After finishing that, I can see you and Hyun-woo.”

-Okay. Your father was also very pleased to hear that you’ll be appearing in a drama. But don’t overexert yourself trying to do too well. Work is important, but nothing is more important than taking good care of yourself.

“Of course, Mom. I’ll keep that in mind.”

-Especially be careful on set. When the accident happened last year, we were so shocked. You went through so much.

“I know, Mom. I’ll really be careful.”

Fearing that any more conversation would cause her tear ducts to burst, Yeon-hee cut the talk with her daughter short.

-You said Spain, right? Anyway, as I always say, please be careful. If you get hurt again, I won’t be able to live.

“Hehe.”

-Don’t just laugh it off like it’s nothing!”

“Yes, I’ll keep it in mind, Mom.”

So-yeon conveyed her love to Hyun-woo and Yeon-hee before ending the video call.

But how could she erase the image of her child saying goodbye with his small lips and tiny hands waving ‘bye’? So her vision was blurred with tears.

Moving to the bathroom, shedding tears, So-yeon splashed her face with cold water.

So she couldn’t tell if it was tears or water.

However, the tears, like the weight of life she had to bear alone, were like a bottomless pit that wouldn’t decrease no matter how much she poured out.

A while later, as So-yeon emerged from the bathroom with slumped shoulders, about to close the door.

“Oh my!”

Startled, So-yeon’s back hit the bathroom door with a dull thud.

It was understandable, as someone was sitting on the sofa where no one should be, but since that someone was Tae Seo-jun, So-yeon was even more surprised.

At first, she thought it was an illusion. She thought the lingering image of him, always alive in her heart, had just briefly flashed across her retina. But even after looking again and again, it was him, and the smooth voice she heard was his. He was indeed a reality visible to her eyes.

“It’s not like you saw a ghost. Let’s not be too surprised, Eom So-yeon.”

“H-how did you get here, Director?”

“The door closer was broken, so the door was open. Besides, I didn’t want to interrupt your video call, so I just waited and watched.”

“…!”

He knew!

For a moment, So-yeon was terrified, wondering if he had figured something out. Her panicked heart sank once more.

While she couldn’t continue speaking, Seo-jun glanced around the house with dark eyes. The first thing his gaze landed on was the lace curtains, beautifully colored by the breaking sunlight.

The wind coming through the slightly open balcony window gently swayed the white curtains.