A New Home (2)
The familiar voice drifting from beside me pulled me awake. It wasn’t one I had heard often until now, yet it already filled every corner of my heart.
“Mmm… Mommy…”
“Ji-an…”
At the sound of those sleepy words, I thought I must be seeing things. But when I looked down, there was Ji-an, curled in my arms and talking in her sleep. The unique scent of a child and her warm little body pressed against me filled me with quiet joy.
“Ji-an?”
“Mmmuuu…”
I called her name softly, but the only reply was a faint whine. I stroked her hair with careful fingers and glanced around the room. This was the bedroom Ji-an had called “where Daddy works” yesterday. My eyes met Seo Ha-jun’s as he watched us from across the space.
“Mr. Ha-jun…”
When I spoke his name in a small voice, he smiled at the sight of us and walked over.
“The moment Ji-an woke up this morning, she looked for you before me, Seoyeon.”
Hearing his words, I gazed down at Ji-an’s face nestled against my chest and felt something inside me begin to heal. Without thinking, I brushed my fingers over her soft, plump cheek.
“Is that so…?”
“Yes. We were sleeping together, but she suddenly started shaking me, asking, ‘Where’s Mommy?’ and woke me right up.”
When I murmured to myself, Ha-jun nodded in confirmation. I couldn’t help but smile at the image of Ji-an doing exactly that. A glance at the clock showed it was already ten. I had rarely slept so deeply before, and the fact that I had done so in a stranger’s house left even me feeling amazed. I closed my eyes for a brief moment.
“Seoyeon…? If you’re still sleepy, should we head out around lunchtime?”
His voice was so gentle I almost nodded without meaning to. I shook my head to shake off the drowsiness and rubbed my face with both hands.
“No, it’s fine… I should get up.”
My voice came out languid, still heavy with sleep. Ha-jun watched me lingering in bed and smiled, nodding once more.
“Then take your time getting ready. We’ll go out once Ji-an wakes up.”
I looked down at Ji-an still curled in my arms and let out a small sigh. Her tiny hands showed no intention of leaving my embrace. I gave her a gentle squeeze.
“Haa… Ji-an…?”
“Mommy…”
I called her name carefully. Ji-an looked up at me with half-lidded eyes, her gaze brimming with affection. Instead of answering with words, she simply hugged me tighter. Was I affection-deprived too? I didn’t want to let go of this small, warm bundle for anything.
“You really seem to love children, Seoyeon.”
“Me…?”
Ha-jun, who had been quietly watching from the side, suddenly asked. I had never once thought of myself as someone who particularly liked children. If I had to say, raising my own when they were little had been exhausting, and once they grew older, being around them had grown difficult in its own way.
“Yes. The way you treat Ji-an, it’s clear how much affection you have for her. Maybe that’s why she’s so attached to you?”
I lowered my head. Both Ji-an’s embrace and Ha-jun’s words were unbearably warm. Was it really okay to live like this while ignoring my real family? The thought actually frightened me.
“I… I suppose so?”
“Yes. At least, that’s how Ji-an and I both feel.”
My voice trembled as I answered, but his reply was steady and firm. I avoided his eyes and held Ji-an a little closer. Maybe I had squeezed too tightly.
“Mommy! Mommy, I can’t breathe!…”
The peaceful silence shattered at Ji-an’s single cry. Startled, I loosened my arms and gently pushed her back.
“Sorry! I’m sorry, Ji-an…”
“It’s okay! You’re so fluffy, just like a pillow!”
At those words I froze for a second and glanced at Ha-jun. He had turned his head to stare out the window. At times like this, a child’s brutal honesty could be truly mortifying.
“R-really?”
“Yeah! Softer than Ppuppu!”
I had no idea what to say. I couldn’t tell if she was joking with that playful tone or speaking with pure, innocent sincerity.
“Haha… Seoyeon, your expression is really something.”
Ha-jun turned back to me with a teasing lilt in his voice and laughed. At his words, I slipped out of the blanket and sat up.
“Ji-an is very honest, isn’t she? Pure and soft—”
“Why did you stop talking in the middle…?”
I narrowed my eyes at Ha-jun, who had deliberately trailed off, and asked in a mischievous tone. Perhaps some playful spirit had risen in me.
“Ah, that’s… well, um…”
Unlike his usual smooth way of speaking, he was now mumbling and avoiding my eyes. The unexpected reaction was oddly amusing, and the corners of my mouth lifted.
“Don’t tell me… you’re curious?”
It was the kind of joke I would never normally make, but maybe I felt too comfortable. I noticed the tips of Ha-jun’s ears gradually turning red.
“N-no, it’s just… your shirt, Seoyeon…”
Only then did I look down at myself. One side of the loose t-shirt I had worn to sleep had slipped off my shoulder, sliding all the way down to my chest. Thankfully it hadn’t fallen further, but the sight was somehow even more embarrassing.
“Ah!…”
My face flushed instantly. When I looked at Ha-jun, his ears were already bright red. Something had felt strange since yesterday. He had already seen everything there was to see, so why did I feel this shy?
“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to…”
As I fixed my clothes, my small murmur was thick with embarrassment. Ha-jun kept averting his gaze and cleared his throat.
“No, it’s fine. I shouldn’t have…”
The sound of his fingers tapping the table revealed just how flustered he was. I lowered my eyes and simply ran my fingers through Ji-an’s hair where she lay on my lap. At that moment, Ji-an sat up from my knees and looked at me.
“Mommy, Ji-an is hungry…”
Thanks to her, the awkward atmosphere shattered in an instant. As always, Ji-an had a way of dissolving any heavy or uncomfortable mood. I was smiling and stroking her cheek when Ha-jun’s low voice rang out.
“Then shall we go out and eat?”
It was an awkward time for lunch, but if we washed up and left, it would be close to noon. I nodded.
“Ji-an, how about we wash up and go eat?”
“Yay! Today… I want tteokbokki!”
The moment I asked, she answered instantly and sprang to her feet. With her eyes still half-closed, she shook her head and dashed toward the bathroom.
“Mommy! Hurry, hurry!”
When she saw me moving leisurely, Ji-an even stood on her tiptoes, struggling to open the door. Afraid she might fall, I hurried after her and opened it for her.
“Ah, Mr. Ha-jun… my clothes…”
“They should be on the veranda. You can probably just take them out and wear them right away.”
Following his words, I went to the veranda, picked up the underwear and clothes I had worn yesterday, and returned to the bathroom. By then Ji-an was already grunting and trying to undress by herself. The sight made me burst out laughing. With her arms stuck in her clothes, flailing around, she looked exactly like a baby chick.
“Ji-an, I’ll help. Stop for a second.”
“Okay!”
Ji-an answered cheerfully, showing no trace of embarrassment.
It took less time to wash than yesterday, but no matter how I thought about it, women really seemed to take forever in the bathroom. We had gone in around ten thirty, yet when I came out and checked the clock, it was nearly twelve.
“It took so long… Even after drying my hair, water kept dripping out…”
As I dried my hair and sighed, Ha-jun gave an awkward smile. When I looked at him, he already seemed fully ready to go out.
“Shall we head out, then?”
I examined my reflection in the mirror. Even without lotion, my skin looked smooth, and because I had just washed up, a faint flush colored my cheeks, giving me a strangely soft appearance.
“Yes, let’s go.”
The moment I answered with determination, Ji-an was already standing by the front door with her shoes on, waiting. She had vanished the second the bathroom door opened, and I had wondered where she went. Just how excited was she to already be waiting outside?
“Mommy, Daddy! Let’s go fast~”
With an energetic cry, she grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the entrance. As the front door opened and we stepped into the hallway, the door of unit 601 opened as well and someone came out. An elderly man and woman who looked to be in their later years met our eyes and spoke to us.
“Oh my, is this the new young wife?”
“Pardon?”
The term they used for me was one I had never heard in my life, so I asked again in confusion.
“Aigoo, we haven’t seen you until now. Well, if I had such a pretty bride, I wouldn’t show her off either.”
“Hey, old man, you joking? Your own bride is right here.”
The two of them looked at each other and began to laugh. Strangely, everyone I had met lately seemed to have oddly high energy.
“New wife? Daddy! What’s a new wife?”
On top of that, Ji-an’s bewildered question left me feeling like I couldn’t breathe. Seeing Ha-jun hesitate beside me, it seemed he felt the same.
“Hehe! It means your mommy is very pretty, little one!”
The elderly couple laughed as they explained it to Ji-an. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at me.
“Hehe. Really?”
Watching Ji-an nod happily, I almost said, “I’m not her mom,” but held my tongue. Because of the promise I made yesterday, I couldn’t bring myself to correct her when she called me “Mommy” and looked so delighted. I bent down, stroked Ji-an’s hair, and spoke as if fleeing.
“Thank you, Ji-an.”