DYMD 35

chapter 35

Eun-young didn’t mind being insulted, but she could not bear the thought of a man being pushed out of his successor position because of her. So she told him she wanted to break up. The man tried to hold her back, saying that wasn’t possible, but when he heard the lie that another man was involved, he turned away coldly, trembling with betrayal.

“Does that man know you’re pregnant?”
“No.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I’ll raise the child on my own.”

As Seon-ja’s questions grew more pressing, Eun-young’s hands fidgeted on her lap before cautiously clasping together.

“Are you going to let the child turn out like you?”
“No. I will never abandon my child. No matter what happens, I’ll raise them to the end.”
“How can you manage alone?”
“I have some savings, and I can work more.”
“But weren’t you going to use that money for college?”

Eun-young’s lips trembled. She recalled the countless hours she had worked stubbornly to make her dream of going to college a reality.

“Don’t be stubborn for nothing. Tell him. Say you’re pregnant and he needs to take responsibility.”
“No. I can’t ruin his life because of me.”
“Then what about your life? Or the child’s life?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll raise them well, so everyone can see.”

Despite Seon-ja’s persuasion, Eun-young remained resolute. After that day, she quit her hotel job and worked at the restaurant where Seon-ja worked, carrying her belly through to just before giving birth.

Was that too much?

Fifteen days before her due date, Eun-young’s water broke while she was working. Seon-ja quickly helped her to the hospital, where the doctor said her cervix had already dilated and rushed her to the delivery room.

However, after childbirth, the bleeding wouldn’t stop. She was urgently transferred to a university hospital, but Eun-young ultimately passed away from excessive hemorrhaging.

Seon-ja was stunned by Eun-young’s sudden death. At the moment of panic, unsure what to do with the newborn, she remembered something Eun-young had said while alive:

“I will never send my child to an orphanage.”

Determined to honor that promise, Seon-ja quietly registered the baby under the name Eun-young had chosen beforehand—Nam Do-hyun—and took the child home.

Choi Gil-doo, seeing the child, immediately yelled that the baby should be sent to an orphanage and even raised his fist. But Seon-ja refused to give in.

Raising a child on a limited income, however, was far from easy. Her husband, injured from years of manual labor, spent more days resting than working, and caring for a daughter with an intellectual disability and a demanding newborn was overwhelming for Seon-ja.

Still, seeing the child smile brightly at her gave her renewed strength.

But her body could not hold up. After relentless overwork, she began bleeding again and was diagnosed with uterine cancer at the hospital. The tumor was large, requiring emergency surgery, which thankfully went well.

Yet, after returning home, Seon-ja faced a shocking scene: the child was gone.

Panicked, she pressed her husband, only to be told that he had sent the baby to an orphanage while she was at the hospital.

“With no money in this household, how do you plan to raise a child?”

Seon-ja could not reply. Initially, she resented her husband for secretly abandoning the child, but reality was even harsher. She, the family’s only earner, could no longer work due to illness, and rent began to pile up, followed by unpaid electricity and water bills.

Eventually, pressured by creditors, the family chose to flee in the dead of night.

Years later, when things had improved slightly, Seon-ja returned to the orphanage to see the child. But all she received was the cold answer that the baby had been adopted to Australia. She collapsed on the spot, tears streaming.

After finishing his long story, he inhaled deeply, as if trying to steady his rising emotions, then exhaled slowly.

“That’s the story of my birth.”
“How could that…?”

Yeon-ha looked at him with a pitying gaze.

“So that’s why you couldn’t come to work a few days ago?”

He said nothing, only smiling wryly.

Only then did Yeon-ha realize that his unusually low energy and listlessness were not just due to illness. She never imagined he had such a story.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“No one asked me, and how could I say I’m adopted and that the mother I struggled to find died giving birth to me?”

Yeon-ha was momentarily speechless.

“…I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

He shook his head.

“No, actually, I didn’t tell you on purpose.”
“Why?”
“I didn’t want to burden you.”

Yeon-ha paused, then spoke quietly but firmly:

“I understand not wanting our relationship to be gossiped about. But this story doesn’t burden me. So whenever you need someone to talk to or comfort, please do.”

He raised one corner of his mouth and playfully replied:

“What if I get tired of you talking so much?”
“I can handle that much patience.”
“You mean that forever?”

Seeing him speak in a bright tone as if shaking off the heaviness, Yeon-ha nodded quietly. She added cautiously:

“I just hope… you don’t blame yourself for your mother’s death.”

At that moment, the forced smile vanished, revealing the deep sadness beneath.

“Really? If it weren’t for me… my mother wouldn’t have died.”

Yeon-ha spoke carefully but firmly:

“That was just… an accident. It’s not your fault, Do-hyun.”

He was silent for a moment, then smiled weakly.

“…Thank you for that comfort.”

Before he could say it wasn’t mere comfort, he naturally changed the topic, as if he didn’t want to dwell on it further.

“I’m hungry. Want to go eat something delicious?”
“….”
“Oh, somewhere with people around isn’t great. Let’s just go inside.”

As she watched quietly, he seemed to think she disliked it, and pulled the passenger-side handle.

“What do you want to eat?”
“You’re going with me?”

He paused opening the door, then turned quickly. She nodded affirmatively. Though wary of prying eyes, today she couldn’t refuse.

They left the car and headed to a nearby restaurant for the samgyeopsal he wanted. Since it was dinner time, the restaurant was bustling.

“Should we go somewhere else?”
“At this hour, it’ll be similar anywhere. Let’s just sit here.”

With no seats available, they sat at a table near the entrance. A server brought water and cups.

“Do you want a drink?”

He paused pouring water, looking at her curiously.

“You don’t like alcohol.”
“I don’t usually, but sometimes I crave it.”
“You don’t have to force it just for me.”

She suggested it thinking he might need a drink, but the aroma of grilled samgyeopsal also tempted her to have one.

“It’s not forcing. Samgyeopsal goes best with soju.”

His gaze lingered briefly. Yeon-ha met it without looking away. Just then, the server approached.

“Would you like to order?”
“Three servings of samgyeopsal, and one bottle of soju, please.”

Watching her order first, he chuckled.

Soon, the side dishes, soju, and samgyeopsal were set. Yeon-ha picked up the tongs, and he naturally took over, skillfully grilling the meat.

Sizzle—.

The samgyeopsal cooked perfectly on the hot plate. Yeon-ha poured soju into their glasses.

Once the pork was grilled and cut into pieces, he placed one on her plate.

“Here, eat.”
“Thank you.”

She lightly clinked her glass with his, saying ‘cheers.’

After emptying their glasses, she bit into the juicy pork. She hadn’t thought she was hungry, but the flavorful meat melted in her mouth. They focused on eating, passing food back and forth, until the bottle of soju was finished.

He ordered another soju and placed fresh samgyeopsal on the grill.

“If you have something you want to ask, ask now.”
“Huh?”

Her pupils widened slightly as she studied his expression.

“You’ve been watching me since earlier, haven’t you?”