A child who looks like me

For Lee Jeong-oh, Chae Eun-bi is a memory that simply cannot be erased.

Jeong-oh and Eun-bi were in the same class during their first year of high school.

During the first semester, Jeong-oh was a typical student who got along well with everyone.

Eun-bi was quite popular. She was always surrounded by friends, and laughter never ceased around her.

Everything about Eun-bi was always a topic of conversation. Her clothes, bags, shoes, makeup, even her stationery—everything was branded, and if someone showed interest, she would sometimes give it to them as a gift.

All of her friends had at least one item that had once belonged to Eun-bi.

People said that Eun-bi’s family was a family of lawyers, and since her mother was the PTA president, even the teachers often asked after her parents.

She was a friend who stood out in many ways. But it wasn’t that Jeong-oh envied her. Jeong-oh was a student who knew how to appreciate what she had.

In any case, they got along fine. During the first semester of their first year, there were no issues. Or perhaps, there might have been something that Jeong-oh couldn’t recall, but it wasn’t something that threatened her school life.

Shortly after the midterms of the second semester, Eun-bi approached Jeong-oh warmly.

“Jeong-oh, would you like this? I’ve never used it.”

Eun-bi held out a lip gloss. The logo, shaped like two overlapping horseshoes, hinted at its high price. It was probably worth more than both Jeong-oh’s shoes and bag combined.

For a moment, she felt tempted to touch it, but Jeong-oh shook her head right away.

“No, I’m fine.”

“It would be nice to have one.”

“No, I don’t wear makeup, really. I’m fine.”

Jeong-oh couldn’t understand why Eun-bi was offering her such a gift. The gift, especially without a reason, felt more burdensome.

Even though Jeong-oh repeatedly declined, Eun-bi insisted once more.

“You’d look even prettier if you wore makeup. And besides, this is designer.”

“Really, I don’t need it, Eun-bi.”

In the empty classroom, afraid that her quiet voice might sound too serious, Jeong-oh carefully expressed her gratitude.

“Thanks for thinking of me, though. Sorry.”

Had her polite rejection offended Eun-bi? Her lips seemed to twist slightly.

After that conversation, Eun-bi never spoke to Jeong-oh again.

Afterward, Jeong-oh noticed that her classmates’ attitudes toward her had changed.

It was a subtle exclusion, you might say? Friends who used to greet her warmly no longer smiled, and it became common for conversations to stop abruptly when she walked by. Eun-bi’s close friends openly ignored her.

Even going to the cafeteria, Jeong-oh was alone. But being alone didn’t feel particularly miserable.

Lunch and dinner times were actually her favorite parts of the day. Because, along with delicious food, someone she loved most in the world was waiting for her in the cafeteria.

Her mother, Lee Guk-sun.

Guk-sun had started working at the school cafeteria that summer. The company where she worked had been contracted to provide food for Jeong-oh’s school.

Lunch and dinner must have been the most fulfilling times of the day for Guk-sun as well.

Jeong-oh was a lovely daughter who proudly appreciated her mother working in the cafeteria. Guk-sun tried to act as if she didn’t know her daughter, fearing it would affect her, but Jeong-oh didn’t feel the need to hide it.

“Thank you for the meal.”

Mom.

The faintly whispered word, “Mom,” made Guk-sun’s lips curve up into a smile. They were tender toward each other, which made it hard for them to be truly unhappy.

Then, one day, an incident suddenly occurred.

At lunchtime, just as Jeong-oh arrived at the cafeteria, someone’s loud voice rang out.

Jeong-oh turned her head toward the noise.

The owner of the voice was none other than Chae Eun-bi. And the person standing across from her was none other than her mother, Guk-sun.

“Ma’am, how can you stick your hand in the soup bowl? That’s so unsanitary.”

It seemed Guk-sun had made a mistake while serving Eun-bi’s soup. Flustered, Guk-sun tried to take back the soup bowl.

“I’m sorry, it wasn’t on purpose…”

“Ahh!”

Just then, Eun-bi exaggeratedly dropped her tray and collapsed to the side.

Clang.

Crash.

Food splattered everywhere, and the cafeteria counter became a mess, with food spilling all over Eun-bi’s uniform and the floor.

“What’s going on?!”

The nutritionist rushed over.

One of Eun-bi’s friends helped her up and shouted fiercely.

“When I complained about this lady putting her fingers in Eun-bi’s soup, she shoved her.”

“No, student, that’s a misunderstanding,” Guk-sun protested.

“Apologize.”

Overcome with frustration, Guk-sun tried to explain, but Eun-bi silenced her with a firm voice.

The cafeteria fell silent.

“Ma’am, you shouldn’t act like that. If you’re an adult, act like one and apologize.”

At Eun-bi’s dignified yet assertive demand, Jeong-oh clenched her fists and hurriedly approached.

Recognizing her daughter’s intent, Guk-sun quickly bowed her head.

“I’m sorry.”

She waved her hand subtly so that no one else could see.

A signal meant for Jeong-oh.

Don’t come over here.

Rooted to the spot, Jeong-oh could only watch her mother from a distance.

Her hanging hand trembled violently.

Eun-bi’s hand was also shaking.

“If you’ve apologized, take responsibility.”

With those stern, wounded words, the cafeteria chilled once again.

“How are you going to take responsibility?”

Eun-bi’s harsh demand left Guk-sun unable to lift her head.

For a moment, Jeong-oh wanted to take her mother’s hand and leave the cafeteria, but she couldn’t do anything either.

Her tightly clenched knuckles turned white.

Due to that incident, Guk-sun faced intense scrutiny. In addition to her conflict with Eun-bi, she was falsely accused of not washing her hands before work, handling dishes and cooking utensils unsanitarily, and slacking off on the job. Unable to bear it, Guk-sun ultimately resigned from her position.

It was the best choice to prevent harm from reaching her daughter.

However, even after Guk-sun left her job, Jeong-oh had to battle numerous rumors about her mother.

“I heard her mom used to work at our school cafeteria? She purposely made the side dishes taste bad so students wouldn’t eat them, and then she took all the leftovers home for her daughter.”

“What? Cafeteria beggar?”

It wasn’t true. Guk-sun had only taken leftovers home after sharing her cooking tips with the nutritionist. That was all.

The only person who knew the truth was Chae Eun-bi.

Unable to hold back, Jeong-oh confronted Eun-bi.

“Eun-bi, you’re not spreading weird rumors about me, are you?”

“What are you talking about? Weird rumors?”

“When they came to investigate my mom’s work, you heard everything the inspectors said to her, didn’t you?”

“What… What are you saying? Why are you falsely accusing me?”

As Eun-bi raised her voice, other students gathered.

“Eun-bi, what’s wrong? What happened?”

Eun-bi, looking as if she might collapse at any moment, leaned on her friend’s shoulder.

Her friend supported her and glared at Jeong-oh.

In a trembling voice, Eun-bi addressed Jeong-oh.

“You may want to blame your mother quitting on me, but you shouldn’t do that.”

“Lee Jeong-oh. How could the perpetrator act like this to the victim?”

The friend supporting Eun-bi yelled sharply.

Jeong-oh could say nothing more. She knew that anything she added would only make things worse.

With clenched eyes, she turned away.

She had to endure it. If she crumbled, it would hurt her mother even more.

Thus, a label was stuck to Jeong-oh’s high school life, and no matter how hard she tried, it followed her for a long time.

***

“Only one year? What were you even doing?”

“…”

“I’m a manager, you know.”

How should she respond to that question?

She took a break from college to have a child. It took a long time before she could return. By the time she started working as a new employee, her classmates had already been promoted to higher positions.

Although she had her reasons, she didn’t feel like sharing her story with Eun-bi.

“Oh, you’re a manager,” Jeong-oh nodded.

Eun-bi’s brows furrowed slightly, showing her displeasure.

“Yes. So please use formal language with me at work. You understand, right?”

Jeong-oh swallowed a bitter sigh.

“See you around. I guess we’ll be seeing each other often.”

Without waiting for a response, Eun-bi turned and walked out of the break room, her steps seeming lighter than when she’d entered.

Jeong-oh lamented her situation.

“First Jeong Ji-heon, now Chae Eun-bi.”

Two people from her past whom she never wanted to see again were now at the same company. And in roles she’d likely encounter often.

Ji-heon was the head of her department, and Eun-bi was on the team right next to hers.

It was like being trapped with nowhere to escape, facing one or the other.

Is this what they mean by “hell” in the workplace?

“I really need to leave this company soon. I need a new job.”

Lost in thought, she sighed deeply as she returned to her seat with a cup of tea. Just then, her phone vibrated. It was a message from the HR department.

– Assistant Manager Lee Jeong-oh, please come to HR to sign your salary contract.

Even if she planned to leave, she needed to check her salary. She was curious.

Since her new job’s salary would be part of her negotiation terms, she wanted to see if there were any changes in her contract, as she’d switched companies.

She headed straight to HR.

At the HR office entrance, a male employee greeted her. He had a kind expression.

“Hello, Assistant Manager Lee Jeong-oh. I’m Park Seung-gyu from HR.”

“Yes, hello.”

“There’s been a slight change in your salary, which you may not have heard about.”

“A change?”

Jeong-oh’s gaze turned sharp. She already felt wronged for having to switch companies, and if her salary had been cut, she wouldn’t be able to stay. She wouldn’t yield even 100,000 won from the agreed amount.

“It’s been adjusted upwards. We included this year’s salary increase in the contract terms.”

“Oh.”

“Are you okay with that?”

“Yes, absolutely. Do I just sign here?”

After confirming her salary, Jeong-oh was thrilled. The adjusted amount was 3 million won higher than her initial agreement.

With a fuller wallet, she felt her heart lighten as well.

“This company might be worth staying at. The location’s convenient, too.”

She was quickly won over by that 3 million won.

“And please fill out your personal details as well.”

After signing, Seung-gyu handed her another document. It was a personnel form for HR records. It asked for her home address, contact information, alma mater, and marital status.

Surprisingly, there was no section for family relations.

“Um, about this…”

“Yes, is there an issue?”

“No, it’s fine.”

She considered asking about the missing family details but kept silent.

She didn’t want to reveal her family situation.

If Jeong Ji-heon didn’t know about Yena yet, she wanted to keep it that way.

Maybe he already knew and was just pretending not to. Perhaps what he wanted to say in his office yesterday was just a reminder to avoid causing any trouble. A reminder to stay quiet and out of sight.

For a peaceful work life, it would be best to keep a low profile. Without hesitation, she filled out the form.

For marital status, she checked “single.” She had never been married, so she wasn’t lying about anything.

.*. *. *. *. *. *.

The morning passed quickly with all the introductions. Just before lunchtime, Mi-ran called her over.

“Assistant Manager Lee Jeong-oh.”

“Yes?”

“Come here for a second.”

Mi-ran got up from her seat and, wrapping an arm around her shoulder, led her to a more secluded spot.

What was she going to say? Had Ji-heon revealed her past? Or did she find out that she was a single mother? Or maybe Eun-bi had said something strange about her?

With so many possibilities running through her mind, she stayed silent, swallowing nervously. But then…

“Do you like jjajangmyeon?”

Huh?

“Jjajangmyeon. Black bean noodles.”

It was an unexpected question.

Jjajangmyeon. She had never disliked it.

“Yes, I like it.”

“Great.”

Mi-ran’s previously serious expression brightened.

She showed her the screen on her phone. There was a map of nearby places on display.

“This is a place that makes really good jjajangmyeon. It’s a Chinese restaurant all our team members love, and you’ll like it too. But if we don’t reserve seats by 11:50, we’ll have to wait 40 minutes.”

“…”

“Slip out at 11:40 and save a table for five.”

That was Mi-ran’s request.

The most important thing for an office worker: securing a lunch spot.

“Originally, this was something we should have had Song Gi-hoon do, but I’m asking you because when a new face comes, the boss tends to give us better service.”

“…”

“Don’t tell anyone else. We need to keep this to ourselves.”

Somehow, this team seemed really lovable!

Could she really quit this company?

The determination Jeong-oh had to switch jobs suddenly wavered.

“Yes. Got it.”

Jeong-oh replied bravely, her eyes sparkling like a general preparing for battle.

Ten minutes later, at 11:40, Jeong-oh quietly got up from her seat for her mission.

For some reason, the elevator was stuck on the same floor, and Jeong-oh anxiously tapped her foot.

Then, she heard a commotion near the elevator.

I can’t get caught, so I should hide.

Fully committed to her mission, Jeong-oh concealed herself behind a large flowerpot.

A group of small children approached the elevator. They looked to be around Yena’s age, about six or seven years old.

And leading them was Jeong Ji-heon.

Jeong-oh’s heart raced at the sight of him as she moved toward her lunch mission.

She remembered seeing a notice about children from a nearby daycare visiting the company for a lecture.

She hadn’t expected Ji-heon to participate in such an event. It was surprising.

His gaze toward the children appeared quite gentle.

“Thank you so much for today. I think it was a beneficial time for the kids.”

“I was happy to meet you too. I hope it was a good experience.”

Ji-heon politely responded to the guide’s greeting.

“And this…”

The guide handed over a heavy paper bag.

“It’s just a small token, but we baked some cookies. Our kids spent all day making them yesterday. We chose only the prettiest shapes and packed them nicely. They made them with a pastry chef, so they should taste good. Please share them with the staff.”

“Thank you. I’ll enjoy them.”

“There’s also a card written by the kids inside.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

Ji-heon graciously accepted the gift, bowing again. The children and the guide got on the elevator that had just arrived.

Jeong-oh stayed hidden behind the flowerpot, waiting for Ji-heon to leave first.

However, Ji-heon didn’t leave right away.

Suddenly, he approached the trash can and dropped the gift bag he had received from the guide into it.

What?!

“No!”

Jeong-oh sprang from behind the flowerpot and grabbed Ji-heon’s arm.

But the large trash can had already swallowed the gift bag.

Ji-heon, who had discarded the present without a moment’s hesitation, looked startled.

Jeong-oh’s voice trembled with barely contained resentment.

“How could you throw that away?”

The children had made it themselves. They spent the whole day yesterday preparing it. They selected only the prettiest shapes, and there was a card inside.

It wasn’t given to him to eat alone; it was for sharing with the staff.

How could he just throw it away? Huh?

Once, the Ji-heon she knew had cherished even a single tangerine she had secretly tucked into his pocket.

Was that just an act too?

Was he that kind of person?

The man she once loved, the father of her child.

It turned out to be a shiny façade hiding a worthless man.

She glared at him, wanting nothing more than to slap him across the face.

But that moment of confrontation was interrupted once again.

His gaze, which had been wavering while looking at her, suddenly sharpened. It was easy for him to twist his arm free from her grasp.

As his hand slid down, it brushed over Jeong-oh’s hand, almost cradling it.

In stark contrast to the tension, the movement was smooth, like someone wanting to share warmth.

When she felt that warmth, she was already caught by his grip around her wrist.

Jeong-oh was taken aback by the large hand holding her own.

A voice stuck in her throat came out.

“What is this…?!”