The person standing outside the front door was Nam Dohyun’s mother, Park Young ran. Perhaps dissatisfied with being kept waiting even for a moment, Park Young ran scanned Do hyun with a sharp gaze.
“You. What were you doing that took you so long to open the door?”
“I told you to call me before you come.”
“I forgot. You haven’t had dinner yet, have you? I made some delicious braised short ribs.”
Lifting up a pink lunchbox, Park Young ran brushed past Do hyun and stepped into the house.
As she walked through the hallway, she naturally turned towards the kitchen.
Do hyun, who had been standing behind, quickly caught up with her and took the lunchbox from her hands.
“Give it to me.”
“Why? I’ll put it in the fridge while I clean it up.”
Park Young ran reached out as if asking for it back, but Do hyun had already stepped into the kitchen.
“It’s fine.”
“You think it’s rude for a grown son’s mother to check his fridge, huh?”
Lowering her outstretched arm, Young ran pouted her lips and entered the bathroom.
“I’m going to wash my hands.”
As soon as the bathroom door closed, the sound of running water echoed from the sink. Standing by the island table, Nam Do hyun opened the lunchbox and spoke.
“Shin Lee-joo, you’re really bad at playing hide and seek.”
Under the island table.
Lee-joo was curled up as tightly as possible, afraid even a strand of her hair might be visible. She gave Do hyun a resentful look and whispered,
“You should’ve given me a chance to hide properly.”
Just as she had passed through the hallway, the sound of the front door opening rang out. The moment she realized it was Nam Do hyun’s mother who had arrived, one thought consumed her—her presence must never be discovered. She had panicked too much to think straight. Frantically wandering the living room, the only place she could find to hide was under the island table.
“I’ll send her off soon. Just wait a little longer.”
Was this why she had been so reluctant to come to Nam Do hyun’s house?The bathroom door opened, and Young ran walked out, rubbing her freshly washed hands together. Standing across from the island table, she spoke.
“Do hyun, are you really not going to meet anyone? This time, she’s truly a great girl.”
“So the ribs were just an excuse, and your real motive was setting me up?”
Faced with the expected, all-too-familiar topic, Nam Do hyun’s expression didn’t change in the slightest.
Despite his indifference, Young ran excitedly continued on her own.
“She’s the youngest daughter of the president of Kanghan Bank. You know the saying—people don’t even bother seeing the third daughter’s face before taking her in.”
“That’s outdated. These days, people care about looks more than ever.”
Momentarily at a loss for words, Young ran quickly regained her stance and continued.
“She saw your picture and immediately liked you. She’s been properly trained in bridal duties too, so she’s very well-mannered.”
“That’s unfortunate. I don’t like well-mannered women.”
“You’ll realize after living together that a well-mannered woman is the best.”
“I don’t think I’ll ever find that out.”
She could never win an argument against him. Who could she blame? She was the one who raised her son to be this unyielding.
Sighing, Young ran took a more aggressive approach.
“When are you going to get married? Do you even have someone you like?”
“Even if I did, do you think you’d approve?”
Placing both hands on the island table, Young ran reacted dramatically.
“Hey! Do I look like someone who judges people unfairly? I have a young mindset. No matter who you meet, I’d understand.”
“Got it. Now go home.”
“You’re really not going to cooperate with your mother, son?”
Young ran slammed her palm onto the island table.
The sudden loud sound from above nearly took ten years off Lee-joo’s life.
Lowering the shoulders that had instinctively tensed, she clamped her palm over her mouth.
“Your father said if you get married, he’ll give me the land in Seongsu-dong. You know I’ve always wanted an apartment there.”
“You expect me to get married just so you can get an apartment?”
“Do you even know how much that land is worth?”
The argument dragged on longer than expected.
Lee-joo, still hidden under the island table, started to grow anxious, worried that they might end up settling in for a long discussion right there.
She gently tugged at the hem of Do hyun’s pants.
L-E-T. M-E. G-O. N-O-W.
Like sending Morse code, she tugged in small, distinct movements.
Glancing down briefly, Do hyun responded while packing up the lunchbox.
“I’m tired. I still have work to do.”
“Fine. A mother shouldn’t disturb her hardworking son.”
Finally, Young ran stepped away from the table.
Lee-joo’s heart had dropped and risen multiple times. She let out a sigh of relief, pressing a hand to her chest.
“You’re not going far.”
“Oh, don’t worry. I wasn’t planning on it.”
A brief silence followed before the sound of the front door closing echoed in the room.
Only then did Lee-joo stretch out her cramped legs and stand up. She grabbed her paper bag and turned to Do hyun, who had walked into the living room.
“I feel like I’ve overstayed my welcome. I should get going.”
Just as she hurried past Do hyun—
“Where do you think you’re going?”
His sudden question rooted her feet to the floor.
Turning her head, Lee-joo blinked in confusion before answering.
“I’m going home. Why do you ask?”
He knew it was a lie.
At least for tonight, Shin Lee-joo wasn’t going home on her own feet.
Do hyun had overheard one of the men who had trashed her company office.
“I know where you live, so don’t even think about running away! Until you pay up, I’ll chase you to the ends of the earth!”
Lee-joo’s pride refused to let her ask for help.
Even if she had nowhere to go, she wasn’t a child, and it wasn’t as if Do hyun was about to offer her a place to stay.
It was just curiosity. Nothing more, nothing less.
“Never mind. Go on.”
“Okay.”
Was it always like this?
When people were backed into a corner, weren’t they supposed to reach for any lifeline they could?
But Shin Lee-joo was different. Rather than ask for help, she was the type to jump off the cliff herself.
Watching her walk away without hesitation, Nam Do hyun’s brows lifted slightly.
It annoyed him.
Acting all proud when she had nothing to her name.
She was afraid that if she stayed, she might end up accepting his help again.
But she had no money, and she couldn’t go home.
There was only one place left for her to go.
“Are you sure you can sleep there? It’s pretty cramped.”
“What do you mean? It’s perfectly comfortable.”
Lying on a hard hospital cot, Lee-joo grinned as she pulled a blue blanket over her shoulders.
Lee Jung hye, watching her daughter on the uncomfortable bed, shifted uneasily.
“You should sleep on the main bed.”
“Oh, come on. I’m fine here.”
Lee-joo quickly sat up and adjusted Jung hye’s position.
With partial paralysis, Jung hye’s lips moved awkwardly.
“Go home and sleep.”
“I wanted to sleep next to you, and you’re kicking me out?”
“Of course, I’d love for you to stay.”
“Me too. So tonight, I’m staying with you no matter what.”
She couldn’t bring herself to tell her that there were people from her hometown at home. After her father passed away, she suffered from deep depression and couldn’t sleep or eat well. She couldn’t tell Jung-hye the truth, because she still sometimes got lost in other thoughts and couldn’t eat well. Just like she did with Nam Do-hyun, she had no choice but to keep the truth tightly hidden. The lights in the six-person hospital room went out and Lee Joo checked Jung-hye’s bed once again.
“Sleep well, Mom.”
“You too.”
Lee Joo, who was lying on the cot, turned to the side. Although her body was tired, she couldn’t sleep because of her worries. Even if today passed like this, if she stayed in the hospital for a long time, Jeong-hye would definitely get suspicious. While she was staying up all night worrying about this and that, the cell phone next to her pillow blinked. As the light illuminated the ceiling, Lee Joo lifted her upper body and checked her cell phone.
[It’s the landlord. Call me right now.] Lee Joo threw away the blanket she was covering herself with, put on her shoes, and quietly got up from her cot. Fortunately, Jeong-hye was asleep. Lee Joo called the landlord as she left the hospital room after drawing the curtains. When the beep sound stopped, Lee Joo opened the emergency exit door and went inside.
“Hello.”
[Where are you, Miss?]
“I’m not home right now. Is there something wrong?”
Thump, thump. Her heart started to pound with the anxiety that was rushing in. Sweat formed on her hands as she held the cell phone anxiously.
[You know that I took out all of your deposit without telling my husband because your situation was so bad, right?]
“Yes, I know. I always appreciate that part.”
If it weren’t for that deposit, she wouldn’t have been able to cover Jeong-hye’s surgery costs.
[But isn’t this a bit much?]
“… For what reason?”
[You said they were people from your hometown? They’re setting up camp in front of your house to meet you. It wasn’t one or two, it seemed like there were more than ten of them, and they were drinking makgeolli, ordering food, and having a party among themselves.]
The rooftop room on the very top of the three-story house was Lee Joo’s treasure trove. The owner was staying on the first floor, and it seemed like they were doing everything they could to get Lee Joo to come. Lee Joo was flustered because she hadn’t expected them to do this.
“I’ll go now.”
Now was not the time to avoid the situation. She had to drag the villagers over, even if it meant getting splashed in the face with water.
[Okay. You’ll pay for the two months of unpaid rent, so move out this week.]
A bolt from the blue hit Lee Joo. She grabbed her phone with both hands.
“Madam, if you tell me to vacate the room so suddenly, I have nowhere to go.”
Lee Ju’s desperate voice echoed through the cold stairs.
[I don’t know about that. If you don’t take out your luggage, I’ll force it out and leave it outside, so carry it yourself.]
“Madam. Madam!”
The angry voice of the lady could no longer be heard through the phone. With just one phone call, she lost her home.
