PIA 131

Their relationship was peculiar, to say the least.

Even after Ji-an cleanly withdrew from between Jeong Han-joo and Seo Ji-hyuk, it was Seo Ji-hyuk who couldn’t let go. Not only could he not move on, but he exhibited behavior bordering on obsession.

Ji-an only learned that his pregnancy was a lie long after the failed engagement ceremony. Despite Jeong Hee-seo turning a blind eye to the false pregnancy, Seo Ji-hyuk deliberately ruined the engagement ceremony with his own hands. This was the engagement he had wanted so badly, yet he shouted that it was all Ji-an’s fault in a resentful voice.

Was it necessary to burst the lie he had been dragging along in such a way? He seemed like a human having a fit, giving up and losing control of his anger, like a child throwing a tantrum.

Anyone could see that the object of Seo Ji-hyuk’s obsession was not his lover Jeong Han-joo, but Seo Ji-an. Although in this world he didn’t know the secret of his birth, it was clearly hatred etched into his essence.

“……”

Yoon Ok-hee rushed into the hospital room and grabbed Ji-an’s hand, scrutinizing his face. She seemed to have misunderstood the grim look on Ji-an’s face.

“Ji-an, are you hurt anywhere? Why is your hand like this?”

“Mom. How did you come here?”

“I saw the breaking news and got worried, so I called Mr. Jeong.”

“Ah…”

As Ji-an glanced at Jeong Hee-seo, who had stepped back from the bed and was standing nearby, he raised the corners of his mouth. Ji-an clasped his mother’s hand tightly, trying to reassure her.

“It’s really nothing. There was no need for even you to come, Mom. Were you very surprised?”

“Grandmother insisted on coming. She said you were carrying a precious life…”

As soon as Yoon Ok-hee’s words trailed off, Kang Boon-nam entered the hospital room without a sound. She still wore an expression of displeasure and had cold eyes.

“…Grandmother came too.”

“Why, is this somewhere this old woman shouldn’t come?”

Although no one in the hospital room showed any sign of welcoming her, she didn’t mind. She walked in leisurely, looking around with an appraising gaze as if to see how grand the hospital room was.

“So, is the baby safe?”

Her gruff voice made even her intentions suspicious. Did she really come to check if everything was alright out of concern, or to see if something had gone wrong? As Ji-an was about to raise her voice in anger, Jeong Hee-seo stepped forward.

“Thanks to your concern, he’s perfectly healthy. You don’t need to worry.”

“Hmph, when did I say I was worried?”

Yoon Ok-hee’s shoulders twitched. She seemed apologetic for bringing along her overbearing mother-in-law, who clearly had no intention of being kind. Ji-an could imagine her feelings, finding it difficult to resist Kang Boon-nam’s insistence and being anxious about Ji-an’s well-being.

“Mom, I’m really okay.”

“I’m sorry… Your mom is so useless.”

Pushed back by Jeong Hee-seo’s imposing presence at the bedside, Kang Boon-nam sat on the sofa. Still smiling, Jeong Hee-seo handed her a bottle of water, explaining that since Ji-an had only just been admitted, there wasn’t much to offer, but he could have his assistant bring something soon.

“Well, at least today, you’re trying to act like a decent person.”

Although she wasn’t as antagonistic as before, her tone was still off-putting. At first, she had seemed to treat Jeong Hee-seo warmly because of his background, but now she had given up even that. Yet, it seemed she still had a desire for a great-grandchild.

As Ji-an was rolling his eyes, feeling sorry towards Jeong Hee-seo, there was a knock and an unfamiliar person entered the room.

A man in neat attire introduced himself as a lawyer from JM. The attention of all four people in the room instantly focused on him. He immediately got to the point, looking at Jeong Hee-seo.

“Our staff are at the local station, but you need to go there in person for your testimony, Sir.”

“There are several cameras at the scene. Is my testimony really necessary?”

“It’s because the cameras caught the perpetrator intentionally waiting. There are also signs of stalking.”

At the lawyer’s words, Yoon Ok-hee’s eyes widened slightly. She had thought it was a simple accident, but now that she heard about a sordid crime like stalking being involved, she felt suddenly scared. The hand holding Ji-an’s became clammy with sweat.

“Really, it’s nothing.”

Ji-an whispered, squeezing her hand.

“…”

Jeong Hee-seo approached Ji-an with a slightly troubled expression. There were veins popping on his forehead where a gauze bandage was attached.

Yoon Ok-hee naturally stepped back. Ji-an reached out and gently unfolded his fist to hold his hand.

“You’ll open your wound like that. Go ahead. I’ll be resting here.”

“I’ll be back as soon as possible.”

“I’m curious about the situation too. Tell me everything when you come back.”

“Alright. I’ll handle it accurately and return.”

Jeong Hee-seo’s and Yoon Ok-hee’s gazes met as he nodded. He asked Yoon Ok-hee to take care of Ji-an before moving with the lawyer. Their eyes briefly met as Jeong Hee-seo turned his head before opening the door to leave. Ji-an deliberately pulled up the corners of his mouth to give him a big smile.

Something about that smile seemed to weigh on him, as Jeong Hee-seo turned back once more. He pulled Ji-an’s hand and pressed his forehead against Ji-an’s. Ji-an blushed, flustered.

“I’ll be back soon. Be good and rest. It’s cold outside, so don’t go anywhere.”

“Where would I go in this?”

He couldn’t seem to pull himself away, staring at Ji-an for a long time. His eyes darted around, unlike his usual self. Ji-an reached out and fiddled with his ear.

“Go on. I’ll be waiting here.”

“…Alright.”

Jeong Hee-seo left the room, constantly looking back as if his feet were reluctant to leave. Ji-an quietly patted his chest, trying to calm his own stirring heart.

With only the three of them left, a heavy silence settled in the hospital room. Ji-an noticed the anxious look on Yoon Ok-hee’s face, as if she had something on her mind.

Would she be able to keep the secret about Seo Ji-hyuk from him until the end?

“Sleep a bit while the IV is going in. Mom will sit beside you until Mr. Jeong comes back.”

Yoon Ok-hee laid Ji-an down and pulled the blanket up to his shoulders. His hands were warm as she massaged Ji-an’s arm, which was cold from the IV. Perhaps she was sensing something even without Ji-an saying anything.

She held Ji-an’s hand and lowered her eyes in prayer. Watching her moving lips reminded Ji-an of the prayer his mother used to habitually mutter in the original world whenever the shop business was tough.

Ji-an had decided not to recall that.

Ji-an slightly shook his head to shake off the thought, which must have caught Yoon Ok-hee’s eye. She raised her head and looked at Ji-an.

“Ji-an, your mom is not much help, is she?”

She whispered in a low voice, conscious of Kang Boon-nam.

“I should be protecting you, Ji-an, but I’m always unreliable.”

“…No, Mom. Really, that’s not true.”

Although it might not have been so in the original world, in this world, Ji-an felt he was receiving a lot of protection. Even in this incident, Jeong Hee-seo had protected him again. And of course, his mother was also trying to protect and help him, even if her power was limited.

“I always feel like such an inadequate mother.”

“…”

Having grown up with a mother who had entirely neglected him, Ji-an wasn’t used to this overwhelming emotion. Yoon Ok-hee’s teary eyes left him speechless.

She held Ji-an’s hand as if handling fragile porcelain and continued her prayer.

Perhaps due to the calm atmosphere, Ji-an dozed off.

When he regained his senses, Ji-an felt as if he was standing somewhere on the subtle boundary between dream and reality. His body felt infinitely light, floating, and his consciousness was somewhat hazy. He could see the entire hospital room at a glance.

Through the buzzing noise in his ears like bees flying around, he could hear his mother and grandmother arguing. Why were they fighting even during a hospital visit?

Ji-an clicked his tongue and listened closely. The TV seemed to be the starting point.

“Can’t an old woman watch TV as she pleases?”

“Mother, that’s not it. This is a hospital room, and Ji-an is sleeping after taking medicine.”

“I can’t miss my soap opera, it breaks my heart. He’s sleeping just fine, oblivious to the world. Why are you nitpicking? What’s wrong with a little noise?”

“Mother, seriously! Can’t you be considerate of Ji-an for once?”

Yoon Ok-hee huffed in frustration, an unusual sight for her. Regardless, Kang Boon-nam turned the volume up even louder. The screen showed a weekday night family drama.

A bustling house with three sons and three daughters-in-law, the children have different circumstances, and the parents blatantly discriminate between them, fueling conflicts. When a scene of a mother-in-law harassing her daughter-in-law appeared, Kang Boon-nam opened her wrinkled lips and laughed.

“See that! I knew it would be like that.”

The laughter didn’t last long. The screen went black as the scene was abruptly cut off. Surprised, Kang Boon-nam turned her head to see Yoon Ok-hee throwing down the electrical cord she had pulled out.

‘Oh…’

Ji-an was impressed. He got to see his mother rebelling.

“Ji-an is your grandchild too. …Not just your dead eldest grandson.”

“Watch your mouth, woman. Dead? I’ll find my boy and put him back in his place before dirt enters my eyes.”

“No, he’s dead. As good as dead. Stop holding onto false hope. You’ll never find him.”

As she spoke decisively, fire flashed in Kang Boon-nam’s eyes. She rolled up her sleeves, saying, 

“Alright, you wench, let’s end this today.” Ji-an felt goosebumps all over his body. Knowing how much it would hurt to be hit by those thin, twig-like arms, he moved to block Yoon Ok-hee.

‘Mom, just run away.’

But Yoon Ok-hee didn’t seem to see Ji-an.

“Yes, Mother. I’ve endured as much as I can.”

The fiery Yoon Ok-hee reflected the tough mother from the original world. With an unprecedentedly fierce expression, Yoon Ok-hee lunged at her mother-in-law. It seemed she was about to explode all the resentment long pent up in her heart at once.

Watching the two women simultaneously rush at each other and grab each other’s hair, Ji-an unconsciously took a step back.

‘Good heavens.’

What in the world was happening?

Though he sometimes forgot, this indeed seemed to be inside a makjang drama. Even as he was surprised, Ji-an couldn’t take his eyes off this rare spectacle. The fight between the two women was cringe-worthy, yet satisfying and even pitiable.

It was truly a dopamine explosion, one heck of a dream—or so Ji-an thought.

But then.

“…What?”

To his surprise, in the blink of an eye, a completely different space unfolded before him.