“Ye-rin! Huh? Ye-rin…!!”
“Just once, look at this poor Mom and Dad…! Huhhhh!!”
“Ugh…”
With my parents’ persistent urging, I, already mentally and physically exhausted, found it hard to regain my senses.
‘But I have to pull myself together…!’
If I slip up here, my face is going to give in to Mom and Dad.
So, I forced myself to squeeze some strength and pushed the two away, saying.
“…Stop.”
“Uhhnghhnghh-!!”
“Ye-rin-!!”
“…My head hurts, so stop it a bit.”
“Uhuhuh…! Hooorrrng-!!”
“Ye-rin…!! Instead, just put some dirt in Mom’s eyes…!”
“Okay, so just be quiet!!”
“…Huh?”
“…You said okay?”
“…No, that’s not it. Haah…”
The moment I said I understood, Mom and Dad quickly wiped their tears, it was spine-chilling.
Seeing that made me feel the blood boil as I thought about finally settling this today, but…
“…Haah, I’m tired today, let’s talk later.”
I just grabbed my forehead and shook my head.
“…But.”
“If you keep throwing a tantrum here, I’m just going to call the police or call the boss.”
“…”
Still, after living together for 19 years, no one knew me better than my parents.
Maybe they felt the seriousness in my expression, because they wiped away their tears and nodded.
“…Got it, I’m sorry. Hoo, Mom and Dad will go back.”
“Ughhh, I’m sorry for bothering you when you’re tired… But, Ye-rin. Let’s keep in touch regularly, okay?”
“…”
When I didn’t answer, Mom and Dad sniffled and tidied the photos they brought before leaving the room.
Bang
“Haah…”
It was only after Mom and Dad left that I could finally take a proper breath.
Conversations with Mom and Dad always suffocate me. And today felt worse than usual.
“Aah…”
I should wash up and sleep, but I just didn’t have the energy for it.
I got up from the spot where I faced Mom and Dad and staggered zombie-like toward the bed.
But….
“…”
Something caught my eye at my feet.
It was one of the childhood photos Dad brought.
He must have hurriedly packed and missed one while leaving.
Brush-
I picked it up, and after a long time, I looked at the photo from my childhood.
“When exactly was this taken…?”
In the picture, a baby, just after its first birthday celebration, was happily held by a much younger Dad.
The baby was cute, and Dad looked handsome.
Of course, I was pretty back then too… Just like now. But one big difference between me and the child in the photo was that…
The child in the photo knew how to smile happily, while I now didn’t know how to laugh anymore.
‘Back then, I was still under the spell of Mom and Dad.’
When I was reborn in Ha Ye-rin’s body, I was happier than anything else to have parents.
At that time, I simply loved them for being there.
Whisper-
I gently touched the smiling child in the photo with my thumb from Dad’s arms.
How foolish I was.
Not even knowing what kind of people my parents were… Not realizing what would happen in the future, but I was smiling so comfortably.
But still…
Back then, I was truly…
Happy… Loved…
Tap.
Before my emotions could overflow, I put the photo down on the table.
Of course, I placed it upside down so I couldn’t see it.
Thud.
And I immediately dropped down onto the bed.
I hadn’t even washed up or changed clothes, but I just wanted to fall asleep like this.
Deep enough that not even Na Ah Ah, Seo Yoo-jin, Yoo Seol, or my parents would come to my mind…
That’s what I desperately wanted.
—
The next morning.
As soon as I woke up, I called Kang Hyung-man to tell him that my parents had visited last night.
And Kang Hyung-man…
“…Wait there for a moment.”
Responding with an angry voice, reached my hotel room with Sang-gu, not even 15 minutes later.
He checked every inch of my body the moment he arrived.
“…Those people didn’t hurt you, right?”
At Kang Hyung-man’s concern, I chuckled and replied.
“My parents aren’t violent people, you know.”
“That’s… true. Huh… I’m sorry. I was so surprised when I got your call that I reacted a little sensitively.”
Once Kang Hyung-man confirmed I was okay, he relaxed his expression and asked me.
“But Ye-rin, why are you only mentioning this now? If you’d called yesterday, I would have rushed over.”
“…There were too many people around. I didn’t want to make it a big deal. After Mom and Dad left, I was so tired that I went to sleep immediately… Sorry.”
“No, it’s not something you should apologize for. Sang-gu.”
Kang Hyung-man shook his head and immediately ordered Older Brother Sang-gu.
“Yes, Hyung.”
“Pack Ye-rin’s things.”
“Yes.”
Without questioning, Sang-gu grabbed my bag, and I was surprised instead.
“…Huh, why my stuff? Where are we going…?”
“The location is exposed, so we have to move hotels.”
“Ah…”
“Don’t worry too much. This time, I don’t know how your parents found out, but we’ll hide you thoroughly. If that’s not enough…”
With his usual expressionless demeanor, Kang Hyung-man made a chilling remark.
“I can make sure your parents can never approach you again.”
“…”
The idea of my parents never being able to approach me again…
I was curious about what that method would be, but I didn’t ask.
Instead, shaking my head…
“No, it’s okay. Not that…”
“Do you have a favor to ask?”
“Yes. I heard from Dad and Mom yesterday… that they got jobs. Could you please check if that’s true?”
“…!”
I asked him to confirm if my parents were genuinely self-sufficient and working.
“…”
Hearing my request, Kang Hyung-man looked shocked as if he had been hit on the head with something.
Seeing that, I realized I messed up and shook my head.
“Ah, no. If it’s a troublesome request…”
“…No.”
As I panicked, Kang Hyung-man restored his expression and replied.
“…I’ll look into it once.”
“Yes.”
But Kang Hyung-man, who said that, didn’t look pleased at all, as if he had received an unwanted request.
“Hyung, I’ve packed everything for Ye-rin.”
“…Okay.”
“I’ll bring the car to the hotel entrance in the parking lot. Take your time coming down.”
Sang-gu said that and headed down with my things.
“…”
“…”
Once Sang-gu left, the awkwardness settled in the room with just the two of us.
It was strange. Although Kang Hyung-man was usually stoic and few words, I had never felt awkward around him before.
“…It seems Sang-gu didn’t pack everything.”
At that moment, Kang Hyung-man broke the silence and spoke.
His gaze landed on the photo I had flipped upside down on the table.
Thud.
“…Boss, that’s.”
Before I could stop him, Kang Hyung-man quickly approached the table and picked up the photo.
“…”
The photo of me as a kid with a young Dad in it.
After checking the contents of the photo, Kang Hyung-man stared at it in silence for a long time before…
“Phew…”
He let out a deep sigh and turned to me.
“Ye-rin.”
“…Yes.”
“People don’t easily change. From an objective standpoint… it’s clear that your parents will live their lives as scum.”
“…”
“If left as is, they will probably suck the life out of you and make you miserable your whole life.”
I just quietly listened to Kang Hyung-man’s calm words.
“You asked me to check whether your parents really got jobs.”
“…Yes.”
Eventually, Kang Hyung-man turned his head toward me and said.
I tried to avoid his gaze, keeping my head down.
“Do you have any thoughts of returning to your parents?”
“…!”
“Do you want to forgive them?”
“…”
When asked if I wanted to forgive my parents, I lowered my head even more.
I felt something rise from within, almost like tears were about to fall.
“I… don’t know.”
“…”
“I’m sure my parents won’t change… I know that it would be best to completely cut ties with them for the rest of my life… But….”
“…”
“I know all this in my head, but… why…”
I want to abandon my parents.
I want to throw them away like garbage.
I want to load them onto a cart and dump them somewhere in a valley.
But….
‘Because I’m wishy-washy… because I’m an idiot…’
Whenever I turn my steps, memories with my parents come flooding back.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry for being such a burden to the boss.”
“…”
“I’m sorry for being so frustrating…”
I must look frustrating to him. I must be annoying.
From Kang Hyung-man’s perspective, he must see me as a hindrance to growing the company, stuck on something trivial.
Kang Hyung-man continually does me favors… Yet, I keep causing him more trouble.
I felt so sorry about that that I couldn’t even dare meet his eyes and kept my head bowed.
And then…
Tap.
“What are you sorry for?”
“…!”
Over my head, I felt a rough yet warm hand from Kang Hyung-man.
When I was surprised and raised my head…
“Are you saying you are sorry for not being able to abandon your parents quickly?”
“…”
Kang Hyung-man was looking at me with his usual emotionless yet sincere eyes.
“No matter how much you hate them, they are your family you lived with for 19 years. They are the ones who gave you life.”
“…”
“It’s not humane to throw away your parents without any consideration; it’s just being a bastard.”
“…”
“What Ye-rin is going through now is entirely natural. So…”
Whisper-, Slide.
Kang Hyung-man stroking my head felt like he was applying ointment to my wounded heart.
“I’ll wait for as long as you need. And… whatever choice you make, I will respect it.”
“…”
The unconditional trust in Kang Hyung-man’s eyes and his soothing touch felt more reassuring than anything else.
That last word from him felt like…
Drip.
…It finally broke the dam in my heart.
“Thank you… Thank you so much… Boss.”
“…”
“…Really, I… thank you, boss.”
“Looks like this kid has a lot to be grateful for.”
I had no idea how I would repay this debt.
I cried continuously right there, collecting myself and then went down with Kang Hyung-man.
We moved my things to another hotel of similar size and made it our new lodging.
And just a few days later, I received another call from Kang Hyung-man.
According to his investigation, it was indeed true that my Mom and Dad had found jobs.
—
“Ye-rin.”
“……”
“Ye-rin…!”
“…Ah, yes. Ji-woo teacher.”
Seeing me continuously with a blank expression, Lee Ji-woo seemed worried and asked with concern.
“…Are you okay? Did something happen?”
“…No, just.”
Since the day I heard that my parents were looking for jobs and working, I’ve been lost in thought.
…Well, I say I’m lost in thought, but honestly, I still don’t know what I’m thinking.
I just blankly stared at the air, passing the time.
Seeing my expression, maybe misunderstanding, Lee Ji-woo cautiously asked me.
“…Ye-rin, did something go wrong during the last shoot?”
“…What?”
“It’s just 30 minutes until Na Ah Ah episode 5 airs, right? Did something undesirable get captured from the last shoot?”
“…Ah.”
Honestly, I hadn’t been paying much attention.
Now that I think about it, it was 9:30 PM. In 30 minutes, Na Ah Ah episode 5 would air.
‘…Seo Yoo-jin.’
Only then did it feel like my consciousness snapped back to reality.
This episode 5 of Na Ah Ah was crucial for various reasons.
It was none other than… an episode that could determine Seo Yoo-jin’s idol career.
“…I didn’t make a mistake, but a friend of mine…”
“…A friend of yours?”
“…Yes, I hope it turns out fine.”
Brush-
I adjusted my posture and focused on the monitor.
By now, episode 5 of Na Ah Ah should be finished editing and ready to be broadcast.
‘…But Yoo-jin is under SAV, so surely…’
I could only pray desperately that the production team would lend a helping hand to Seo Yoo-jin.
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