Chapter 33

“So, as an assistant, you’re basically Tae-oh’s errand girl? Like a secretary?”

Tae-oh…?

Seol-rin was dumbfounded as a thought crossed her mind. The only person who could refer to the professor so familiarly had to be family.

‘Could she be the professor’s mother…?’

“What’s going on?”

Just then, a familiar voice came from outside the door. Relief washed over her, knowing that Tae-oh had arrived.

“You’re here?”

The woman turned her head sharply and gestured toward Tae-oh with her finger. His brow furrowed deeply. After seeing his warm demeanor recently, his cold expression felt unfamiliar to Seol-rin.

The woman smiled nonchalantly, unfazed by Tae-oh’s obvious displeasure.

“It’s been a while. How have you been?”

“I told you not to come to the school.”

“Is that all you have to say after so long? You’re so cold, even though you’re my son.”

“Watch your words.”

Sensing the tense atmosphere, Seol-rin instinctively felt the need to leave.

“Well, I’ll leave you two to talk. I’ll just…”

She awkwardly tried to excuse herself and began to walk away. But the woman grabbed her delicate wrist and spoke.

“Hey. Don’t you have any tea or something?”

“…Tea?”

“How clueless. I mean coffee.”

“Oh, coffee! I’ll prepare it right away—”

“Don’t order her around. She’s not here to run errands.”

Tae-oh removed the woman’s hand from Seol-rin’s wrist. Then, he gently pushed Seol-rin’s back and whispered softly.

“Sorry, but it looks like you’ll have to have lunch alone today.”

“Oh! That’s fine, Professor! Please, don’t worry and take your time.”

“Sorry.”

With those words, the door to the research lab closed with a clatter. Seol-rin, who had been pacing nervously in front of the lab, muttered anxiously to herself with a worried expression.

“Nothing bad will happen… right?”

Even though she had only seen the woman briefly, she couldn’t help but notice how much she resembled Tae-oh. Their sharp monolidded eyes were especially striking, giving them a similar impression. Their uniquely cold demeanor also added to the resemblance.

Though she still felt uneasy, Seol-rin eventually turned away from the research lab.

* * *

“What is it?”

Tae-oh’s voice was devoid of any emotion as he asked. Mi-ryeong, who had been staring at her son’s cold expression for a moment, let out a deep sigh.

“You haven’t changed.”

“What did you expect?”

“Can’t you just greet me warmly? Just once—”

“If that’s the kind of talk you came for, then leave.”

Silence fell once again. The mother and son sat in wordless tension for a long moment. Mi-ryeong, who had been stealing glances at Tae-oh, finally rose from her seat. It hadn’t even been ten minutes since they sat down.

“I’m leaving for the U.S. in a month.”

“…”

“I’ll never set foot in Korea again. Not until I die. That’s why I came to see you one last time. As a parent, I thought I should at least—”

“Shut your mouth. You, of all people, should know you don’t have the right to say things like that.”

“…!”

Mi-ryeong’s face turned pale at the sharp words spilling from Tae-oh’s mouth. Even Tae-oh, who rarely showed much emotion, had a slight tremor in his voice.

“And now you’re calling yourself a parent? Aren’t you ashamed?”

“Tae-oh.”

“Don’t call my name. It’s disgusting.”

“…”

“Leave.”

“…Fine. I’ll go.”

For a brief moment, a hint of sadness flickered in Mi-ryeong’s eyes. Her words about seeing her son one last time didn’t seem to be a lie, as her gaze lingered on Tae-oh, who had grown into a fine young man.

Mi-ryeong stood and opened the door to the research lab. As she was about to step out, her heels suddenly stopped mid-step.

“Tae-oh. I…”

She turned back to look at him quietly. Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something more. But Tae-oh left no room for her to continue.

“Don’t ever come back.”

His cold voice echoed in her ears. Twisting her lips into a bitter smile, she nodded as if in resignation.

“Of course. You’re just like me, my son. I like how you’re as cold-hearted as I am. Forget about a mother like me and live well.”

“…Ha, what are you even—”

“I’m really leaving now.”

With those final words, Mi-ryeong disappeared down the hallway. Now alone, Tae-oh clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

* * *

“One shrimp tempura bento, please!”

Seol-rin entered a bento shop near the school and chose the most secluded seat. Even as she received the warm bento and stuffed her mouth with side dishes, she couldn’t seem to enjoy her meal.

Perhaps because of the scene she had witnessed in the research lab earlier, questions kept swirling in her mind, tangling her thoughts.

“Could she not be his biological mother? No, they look too similar for that…”

The two of them didn’t seem like family at all. If anything, they appeared to have a worse relationship than strangers. Her thoughts even wandered to the kinds of birth secrets you’d see in melodramatic soap operas. Shaking her head, she reminded herself that speculating on her own was pointless.

She decided that if the opportunity arose, Tae-oh would tell her himself. If he didn’t bring it up, she wouldn’t pry or try to find out. After all, there might be wounds that only Tae-oh carried—ones she knew nothing about.

“I always thought someone like the professor would be nothing but happy…”

A wave of guilt washed over her for assuming so much. She recalled the things he had told her in the past, things she hadn’t fully understood at the time.

‘I’ve always been denied by the people I love. I’m not sure if that can be called a successful life.’

‘I don’t really remember. I’ve lived alone since I was so young. Pretty much since high school.’

“Hm…”

Her expression hardened involuntarily. She felt an overwhelming urge to run to Tae-oh and hold him tightly. If they ended up leaving work together today, she resolved to gently stroke his broad back first.

While silently forcing herself to swallow the grainy rice, a familiar name came from the TV mounted on the shop’s wall.

— Entertainment Talk! Today’s guest is the hottest idol right now! Please welcome the nation’s younger brother, Cha Yeon-woo!

— Haha, hello, I’m Cha Yeon-woo.

“Oh, it’s Cha Yeon-woo.”

Seeing him so often must have made her fond of him. She felt a wave of warmth as his face filled the TV screen. Thinking back, she hadn’t properly thanked him after staying at his place. Once the semester started, she decided she’d treat him to a meal.

“Ah, he looks way better in person.”

Yeon-woo’s radiant smile filled the screen, as if he was genuinely happy. It was the kind of smile that could lift anyone’s spirits. He seemed like someone who was purely and completely happy.

But perhaps because she had just seen the hidden side of someone she thought was perfect and happy—Tae-oh—she began to wonder. 

Could Yeon-woo’s cheerful image also be a façade crafted to meet public expectations?

Her mood sank along with the thought. After finishing the last grain of rice, Seol-rin stood up. On the TV, Yeon-woo’s interview was still ongoing.

— Cha Yeon-woo, what’s your ideal type?

— My ideal type? Hmm…

The question about his ideal type. It was a cliché question that idols were asked countless times. Despite that, Yeon-woo seemed to ponder it seriously.

“Man, he really works hard.”

Clicking her tongue, Seol-rin was about to leave when Yeon-woo’s next words struck her like a hammer.

— Someone who gives me their last meal ticket and tells me to make sure I eat well.

— Oh my, that’s very specific! Did you all hear that? From today, make sure to carry a meal ticket in your pocket!

— Haha, that’s a great idea!

“Hmm…?”

There was something oddly familiar about his words. Of course, they felt familiar—because on the day she first met Cha Yeon-woo, she had been the one to give him a meal ticket and tell him to eat well.

“No way…”

Still staring at the TV screen, Seol-rin shook her head. It was absurd. There was no way Cha Yeon-woo was describing her as his ideal type. She wasn’t delusional, and there was no logical reason for the most popular idol in Korea to single her out as his ideal.

“I’m ridiculous.”

A self-deprecating laugh escaped her lips. She felt deeply embarrassed for even entertaining such a thought, even momentarily.

Dismissing it as a coincidence, Seol-rin was about to force herself to leave when her phone, tucked into the back pocket of her pants, vibrated.

“Again…”

It was that number again. Tae-oh had told her not to answer calls from unknown numbers, but she couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling this time.

After hesitating for a while, she finally answered the call and held her breath. When she didn’t say anything, an urgent voice came through the phone.

— Hello? Hello? Assistant-noona?

“Huh…?”

It was undoubtedly Cha Yeon-woo’s voice. At first, she thought she might’ve confused it with the voice on the TV, but the clear and refreshing tone in her ear left no room for doubt.