ICGE 02

Chapter 02

Eat
4 months earlier.

The doctor displayed the abdominal CT scans of Soeun and Malhee and began explaining.

“There’s no fatty liver, and both the size and shape are just right. It’s very suitable for the recipient.”

At the doctor’s assessment, Yang Heewook and Kim Malhee exclaimed at the same time.

“Thank you. Thank you, doctor.”

As if the surgery had already been completed, Malhee bowed repeatedly toward the doctor.

“You should be thanking the donor.”

The doctor replied, pointing at Soeun. Malhee immediately turned her head and tightly held Soeun’s hand. At Malhee’s deeply moved expression, Soeun lifted the corners of her lips in response—but she couldn’t feel as moved as they were.

“The future daughter-in-law has made a big decision. It’s not unheard of in cases like this, but it’s still not an easy choice. The mother-in-law is truly blessed.”

“That’s right. Our Soeun is a blessing to our family.”

As the doctor added his words, Madam Kim Malhee nodded in agreement. In the meantime, Heewook chimed in.

“To be honest, she’s not just a mother-in-law. Soeun doesn’t have parents, so my mom has always cherished her like her own daughter.”

“That’s right. She’s no different from my daughter.”

Malhee supported Heewook’s statement, shaking Soeun’s hand. Each time her hand was shaken, Soeun’s body wobbled slightly.

Smiling at this beautiful relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, the doctor pointed again at the CT scan. A clear line appeared across Soeun’s liver in the image. As she stared at it, Soeun’s left hand rose to the area below her right chest. It was only a picture, yet it already felt as though the place where the surgery would be performed was throbbing.

“From here to here, we’ll perform a right hepatectomy, removing about 50% to 60%. The donor’s liver weighs about 1 kilogram, so roughly 500 grams will be resected.”

“Isn’t up to 70% possible? That’s what I heard.”

At the doctor’s explanation, Heewook asked his question. At the sound of his voice, Soeun’s left hand tightened further.

“It may be possible up to 65%. Of course, that would require the donor’s consent.”

At the words “the donor’s consent,” both Heewook and Malhee turned their gaze toward Soeun.

Soeun timidly began calculating in her head. ‘Liver donors recover quickly,’ ‘After a few months, it’ll feel like I never even had surgery…’ She had gained courage from information she found online, but it was still frightening.

In a small voice, she asked,

“…How many months does it take to fully recover after the surgery?”

“Typically, liver function returns to normal within one month.”

“And when will the liver return to 100% of its size?”

“Since it’s an organ that regenerates, it’s hard to give an exact answer, but you can consider it almost back to its original size within about three months.”

It was the opinion of a renowned doctor, one of the top five in the country for liver transplants, so it felt trustworthy. While Soeun quietly nodded, Heewook continued asking questions.

“Then it could be more than 100%, not just 100%, right? Since you remove the old part and a fresh new one grows. Right, doctor?”

As if it were something beneficial for everyone, Heewook sought the doctor’s agreement. He seemed excited at the thought of prolonging his mother’s life.

The doctor briefly examined Soeun’s expression before reluctantly offering a faint smile.

—At work? You said you’d come to the hospital yesterday, so why didn’t you come?

That’s a quick question.

During work hours, Soeun glanced at Heewook’s message and then flipped her phone over.

Yesterday, Soeun had overheard a conversation between Heewook and Malhee outside the hospital room and turned away without going in. She didn’t know what expression she should wear when facing them.

They were words she had never heard directly to her face. Madam Kim Malhee had always greeted Soeun with a smile, even shedding tears before the surgery, worrying about how a young girl could go through such an operation. Of course, she had never criticized Soeun’s family background or education—at least not to her face.

Still, because of the affection that had built up over time… because the people she had seen were so kind and warm… she gradually began to compromise with herself.

‘Right. People even curse the king behind his back.’

Am I any different? My outward attitude and inner thoughts aren’t always the same either.

I smile blankly in front of my boss and complain behind his back to my older brother.

It was my fault for overhearing their conversation.

He’s a lawyer from a prestigious law school, working at a famous law firm—how many temptations must he have? And what must people around him be saying? That someone like him is dating an engineer who barely graduated from a four-year university—how wasteful must that seem?

Even trying to understand it that way…

“Assistant Manager, should I get you a salad? You like salads, right?”

While she was lost in thought, her junior colleague, Park Bobae, spoke from the next seat. It was already well past noon. Lunch break had started at 12, but Soeun was still struggling to process the morning’s client orders, so Bobae was being considerate.

Before the surgery, she mostly ate salads. The restaurants near the office had heavy, stimulating food, so she brought lunchboxes from home.

Madam Kim Malhee had also taken care of Soeun’s diet for a long time. Saying she should eat healthy, she ordered organic vegetables and sent them, and even prepared side dishes for her to carry.

Heewook, too, had been particularly sensitive about food since the beginning of their relationship. There were many days she wanted greasy food, days she wanted to drink until she got tipsy—but none of that existed in her dates with Heewook.

Come to think of it, even on the night she had expected a thrilling first night, he had said:

“I want to cherish your first time. Until we get married.”

She had been disappointed as much as she had expected, but at the same time, she felt more loved and cherished, and she was grateful. Soeun also respected the purity Heewook was trying hard to maintain.

After all, we’re going to get married. Because we love each other.

But… but then.

Was even that feeling a lie?

Was the care he showed for my diet and health actually for that reason?

Was he trying to get a healthy liver from me?

Was delaying our relationship because he was worried I might get pregnant?

Looking back with a twisted mindset, everything became suspicious.

“Assistant Manager?”

As she stared blankly, Bobae asked again.

“Oh, sorry. Yes, I’d appreciate that.”

Soeun gave an awkward smile and handed Bobae some money.

As Bobae stood up, her face lit up.

“I’m going to the company cafeteria. They say a new executive director has arrived.”

“Ah…”

Soeun nodded.

They said he skipped the inauguration ceremony and quietly joined the company, but from his very first day, the new director and division head was extremely popular. Apparently, he was incredibly handsome.

Normally, Soeun might have been a little curious, but today she just smiled faintly, not feeling up to anything.

“They say he’s from a royal family, but he eats in the company cafeteria. He even has a down-to-earth charm.”

Excited to see the new director’s looks, Bobae tilted her head and asked kindly,

“I heard the ricotta cheese salad is good. I’ll get you that one, okay?”

“Yeah, sounds good. Thanks, Bobae.”

She wanted to eat something richer and more filling, but she couldn’t bring herself to make a bothersome request. Soeun was someone who struggled with asking for things.

The smile she waved with disappeared as soon as her colleague left.

She picked up her phone again. She felt that the unsent message might trouble her more.

After taking a quiet breath, Soeun typed and sent, ‘I was a bit busy.’

—If you were busy, you should’ve said so. Mom waited a long time.

A reply came immediately again.

For some reason, Soeun felt relieved by the quick response.

Right. They won’t abandon me.

I won’t abandon them either.

I can’t.

I’ve already given them a part of myself.

I’ve gone too far in. I can’t imagine another life now.

—Sorry. I’ll come this weekend.

She pressed send firmly.

Soon, two messages arrived.

—Okay. Your dad and I both have work this weekend. Can you stay in the hospital room?

—Also, could you make a few side dishes? Mom seems tired of hospital food. I’ll send you the recipes, so just follow them.

At the consecutive messages, Soeun’s expression hardened again. As she hesitated whether to reply, Manager Im Jihyung from the same team called her.

“Assistant Han, aren’t you eating lunch?”

“I’m a bit behind on work. What about you, sir?”

“I’m heading to eat now. You should eat too.”

“Bobae is bringing me a salad. Enjoy your meal.”

At the mention of replacing a meal with salad, Manager Im’s expression stiffened slightly.

“Assistant Han. I know you’re good at your job, but the company doesn’t know that. Nothing.”

“……”

“Take care of yourself while working. Blind devotion isn’t a virtue.”

After quietly advising her, Manager Im left.

For some reason, his words stung like a reprimand.

Devotion isn’t a virtue…

Murmuring his last words to herself, Soeun picked up her phone again.

—How about you try making it yourself? Wouldn’t your mother be touched?

Again, the reply came quickly—two messages.

—Of course I tried. But you know how it is. She says everything I make tastes bad. But she likes anything you cook.

—If making several side dishes is hard, just make porridge. Give it to Mom, and we’ll go eat something delicious for dinner. You like Namsan eel rice bowl, right? Let’s go eat that. If you have time, we can go for a drive too.

After reading the messages, Soeun hesitated.

He was being so earnest—it felt wrong to refuse. After doing something as significant as giving part of her liver, it would be such a waste if her “after-service” failed and left a stain on her character.

Letting out a deep sigh, she replied:

—Okay.

—Thanks, Soeun. As expected, it’s only you. I love you.

Again, the reply came immediately.

Even hearing I love you didn’t make her feel happy.

Tap tap.

As she stared blankly at the few words he sent, she heard someone tapping on the desk right beside her.

“Ah!”

Startled, Soeun turned her head and froze, holding her breath. A strange man was leaning in far too close.

She hadn’t noticed him approach while texting Heewook.

Although she worked as an engineer in a company full of male employees, she wasn’t close to them. Since her work mainly involved dealing with clients alone, she rarely had time for personal conversations with colleagues.

So for her, the person in front of her was an overwhelming stimulus.

“Aren’t you eating lunch?”

“……”

“Assistant Han Soeun.”

The man glanced down at her name tag and called her name.

Because he stood so close, Soeun had to tilt her head far back to look up at him.

He wasn’t wearing the company uniform, but a suit.

Broad chest, wide shoulders, sharp jawline and nose, slightly upturned lips, long narrow eyes with faint double eyelids… in that brief moment, her gaze paused several times.

He was beautiful.

So beautiful that he oddly felt familiar—like meeting a movie star.

As Soeun stared at him in confusion, the HR manager standing beside him gently introduced,

“This is Director Kim Taejun, who just joined.”

“Oh—ah, yes, yes, yes!”

So he was that person. The “royal family.”

The new director who was supposed to be in the cafeteria—why was he here?

Blushing, Soeun hurriedly stood up and bowed.

“There’s no need to stand.”

As if amused by her reaction, Taejun let out a small breath through his lips and spoke again.

“I asked if you weren’t eating.”

“Yes, um… a colleague is bringing me a salad.”

“A salad?”

“……”

“Can you even work after eating that?”

“Well, I… I’m dieting…”

“Where is there to lose weight?”

He muttered in a barely audible voice. Soeun couldn’t quite hear it.

Unsure whether to ask what he had said, she simply pressed her dry lips together and stood quietly.

Please leave, please just go…

As her head gradually lowered while she repeated that to herself, Taejun’s feet moved. She thought he was finally leaving, but—

“Come with me for a moment, Assistant Han Soeun.”

He called her name again.

Her flushed face turned pale this time. It felt as though her precious liver had already done all its work for the day—she suddenly felt exhausted and dizzy.

Was he about to tell her some secret? Had she done something wrong? Was taking unpaid leave a mistake? Was he going to replace her?

Filled with all kinds of fearful thoughts, she forced her heavy feet to move and quietly followed him.

After parting ways with the HR manager midway, Soeun followed Taejun into the elevator. He pressed the button for the 7th floor—a place she had never been as an ordinary employee.

When the elevator doors closed, Taejun asked,

“How long have you been with the company?”

“This is my fourth year.”

“Why did you join K Group?”

Ah, is this the famous elevator talk? If I don’t answer properly, will I hear ‘You’re fired!’?

Soeun rolled her eyes, trying to recall the model answer she had memorized four years ago for her interview—but before she could answer, another question followed.

“Where do you live?”

Thankfully, this one she could answer immediately.

“Gwonseon-dong.”

“Not too far. Is that your family home?”

“No, I live alone.”

“Alone?”

“Yes.”

As their dry questions and answers continued, the elevator doors opened, and they arrived at the 7th floor.

With his long legs and wide strides, Taejun walked ahead, and Soeun hurried after him. Soon, they reached a door deep inside that looked like it would make a heavy, dignified sound when opened.

“Wait here a moment.”

After leaving Soeun at the door, Taejun went inside his office and returned with a heavy paper bag. Without even lifting her head, Soeun accepted it.

“Eat.”

On top of the heavy box inside the paper bag was a label that read:

“Eel Rice Bowl.”