Mom’s Eyes
Mama’s eyes blinked. I tilted my head a little.
Was she really that shocked?
Just as I was about to ask if she was okay again, Mama reached out and suddenly scooped me into her arms.
“Seriously…”
She murmured under her breath and held me tight.
“Mama?”
“You’re so adorable I could die. No, really—how did I end up bringing home an angel?”
No, no, Mama.
Why are you saying things like that all of a sudden!
“A little crumb like you, trying to protect me!”
Mama rubbed her nose against my cheek.
“Gongza. My angel. You’re just too good.”
No, wait.
It’s not that dramatic!
I wanted to protest, but Mama was far too moved to listen.
“Gongza. Still, don’t do that again. I’m the one who has to protect you.”
No, Mama. If I hadn’t said anything, those people weren’t going to step aside for me.
“I’m saying this because I don’t want anything worse happening to our Gongza.”
Huh?
“Gongza, there are plenty of people in this world who say you’re cute. But there are also very bad people. Thinking about it, this is all my carelessness. I never imagined something like this would happen.”
Mama gave a bitter smile.
Well, yeah.
I could agree with that completely. Come to think of it, there really were a lot of weird people in the world.
“Gongza. Hmm, what should you do if a stranger tells you to come play with them?”
Hm. Was this early education, Mama?
“Call the people around you!”
“Oh my.”
“Mama, bad people are usually close by!”
Child abuse is most likely to happen with someone the child already knows.
Mama blinked, looking taken aback.
“That is true.”
Oops. That didn’t sound very two-year-old of me. I hurriedly searched for an excuse.
“I saw it in a book!”
“Oh, I see. Our Gongza is smart too. You’re right, actually. The chances of someone you know doing something bad are higher than a stranger’s.”
Mama nodded.
“This definitely won’t do. Gongza needs a nanny.”
Mama lifted me back into the stroller.
When we came out of the elevator, we’d reached our destination. I spotted Ansan-daek by the window of the double room.
Huh.
I’d heard the surgery went well. But Ansan-daek, sitting up in bed, looked even more exhausted than when Seongbok-dong was around.
Is she still not fully recovered?
I heard the caregiver’s voice.
“You really should eat something.”
“I don’t have any appetite.”
“You need to eat if you want to recover.”
Oh dear.
So it’s true—she really did lose all her motivation after no one came to visit her.
The caregiver, who had been chatting with her, noticed us.
“Oh, you came.”
Mama lifted me up and said,
“Ansan-daek, we’re here. Gongza too.”
“Young lady! No, what kind of place is this for you to bring Gongza along!”
Mama carried me over to the bed. The caregiver stepped away so we could talk.
“I heard the surgery went well.”
Ansan-daek lowered her head slightly.
“Yes. They said it went well.”
“Then why do you look so drained?”
“It’s just…”
Ansan-daek let out a sigh so heavy it seemed to sink the floor.
“I keep wondering what the point of living is.”
Oh.
She really is having a hard time.
It hit me then.
Now I get why they need a hundred thousand coins.
I hadn’t understood why coin prices had gone up, but maybe this was why.
I let out a deep sigh.
How do I give Ansan-daek some energy?
Mama took off my shoes. I carefully crawled toward the patient.
I smiled brightly and said,
“Auntie!”
Ansan-daek blinked. Still, maybe because a cute baby was smiling at her, the corners of her mouth twitched a little.
“Yeah, Gongza. Have you been well?”
I immediately shook my head hard.
“No. Why? Did something happen?”
“I missed Auntie!”
Ansan-daek blinked again. I stared at her and said,
“It’s no good if Auntie isn’t here!”
Honestly, I wanted to comfort her better than that.
But with a baby’s vocabulary, this is the limit.
Would she take it as roughly, “I wanted to see you”?
Then suddenly, Ansan-daek rubbed at the corners of her eyes.
“Ansan-daek?”
“I’m sorry, young lady. It just… came all at once.”
Mama hurriedly handed her some tissues. Wiping her eyes, Ansan-daek said,
“Gongza, do you need your aunt?”
Honestly, how many babies would understand that?
But I do.
I smiled and nodded.
“Yes!”
Ansan-daek dropped her head.
Mama let out a long breath.
“Ansan-daek, don’t push yourself too hard.”
“My younger brother and younger sister didn’t even call once. Maybe a sick old woman just isn’t needed anymore.”
Oh no.
So these were the people who hadn’t even called, let alone visited.
Awful people.
“I worked myself to the bone and sent them all off to get married, and this is what I get.”
Ansan-daek trembled all over. Mama hurried to comfort her, but I knew it at once.
We need the power of coins for this.
Ah, my coins.
I checked the count right away.
Ha. As expected of public television dramas.
Maybe it jumped that much because of replays.
Either way, I was grateful. I looked back and forth between Mama and Ansan-daek.
A hundred thousand coins is a lot, though…
Still, if this would make Ansan-daek healthy after everything she’d done for me, it was worth it.
Use coins!
Make Ansan-daek healthy!
Proceed!
Oh, you crazy thing!
No, seriously?
The penalty was way too harsh! If I suddenly fell asleep for an entire day, Mama would worry!
I was sweating cold all over. I had no idea how to get out of this situation.
Calm down, Ma Gongza.
Do what you can.
First, I need an excuse.
Why would a baby fall asleep for a whole day?
There isn’t one. I know there isn’t one!
Still, I had to make one up.
There was no time.
I started by letting out a huge yawn.
“Haaaan!”
It was the first time in my life I’d ever yawned so hard it felt like acting.
Even if it looks weird, don’t look away!
Because right now, I’m in a hurry!
Thankfully, Mama asked exactly the question I wanted.
“Oh my, are you sleepy, Gongza?”
“Yes!”
I looked at Ansan-daek and said,
“I’m sleepy when I see Auntie!”
I wriggled over into Ansan-daek’s arms.
“I couldn’t sleep all this time!”
“Why?”
“Because Auntie wasn’t here!”
Wow. This was really—
What a ridiculous excuse.
For the record, I’d been eating and sleeping just fine. The baby food didn’t taste great, sure, but I still ate it.
“I miss the mamma Auntie makes!”
Ansan-daek patted my shoulder. By then, the three minutes must have been almost up, because sleep was crashing down on my eyelids.
Ah, damn it.
I just hoped Mama wouldn’t worry too much.
That was my last thought.
* * *
I saw a familiar ceiling. The first thing I did when I woke up was let out a long sigh.
Whew… safe?
I looked around.
At least it’s not a hospital.
Ugh.
I thrashed around in the cradle.
I underestimated the price.
That had almost been dangerous.
Who would’ve thought it would put me to sleep for a whole day?
If I hadn’t had no schedule and been just a baby, that would’ve been a disaster.
Once I become a top star and have to film movies, if I just pass out like this…
I shook my head. That was absolutely not okay. I had to admit it.
I need to be more careful from now on.
Come to think of it, the price was like a roulette wheel—you never knew where it would land.
No, roulette at least gives you examples.
This just came out of nowhere, with no way to know why.
I should think harder before using coins.
Maybe because I’d stretched one wish into a ridiculous scale, the rebound was no joke at all.
Anyway, what happened?
Rubbing my eyes, I looked around. It felt like the afternoon, if 24 hours had truly passed honestly.
Then I sensed someone nearby. I hurriedly turned my head, and Mama opened the door and came in.
“Mama!”
“Oh, Gongza. Whew.”
Mama rushed over and pulled me into a tight hug.
“I was so scared! You fell asleep like that and wouldn’t wake up at all!”
Sorry.
“I was sleepy!”
“I was going to wait a bit longer, and if you still didn’t wake up, I was going to take you to the hospital!”
Mama patted me and let out a sigh.
“I thought you were sleeping because you were mumbling in your sleep, so I waited, and thank goodness. Gongza, let’s eat first!”
I nodded vigorously. Honestly, I’d been hungry since I’d gone 24 hours without eating. My stomach growled loud enough to hear.
Mama held me and carried me out into the hallway.
“Gongza. Were you unable to sleep all this time?”
Oh no.
Let’s just go with that.
Even though I’d actually slept well.
“Yes!”
Mama let out a sigh.
“I’m sorry. I haven’t been checking whether Gongza was asleep lately.”
No, no!
I shook my head hard.
“No!”
“I’m sorry, Gongza. I didn’t even realize you were feeling anxious because Ansan-daek wasn’t here.”
No, that wasn’t it either!
Should I just let her think that?
Mama kept apologizing.
“I’m sorry. I’ve been busy.”
That’s not it!
I hurried to explain.
“Mama! Gongza is okay!”
Mama stared at me quietly, then bowed her head low.
“I’m really sorry.”
“Mama! Gongza is really okay!”
“You’ve had a hard time, haven’t you? Mom’s finished with the urgent work now. I’ll have a little more free time before I start filming.”
Wait, hold on—where do I even begin with this?
I’ve only gone and made Mama feel guilty over a penalty I got for no reason.
I blurted out,
“Mama! I like it when Mama is on screen!”
Please keep working.
“Mama is amazing! You have to appear a lot!”
Mama looked at me for a moment, then pulled me into another tight hug.
“My angel is just too good.”
Oh, come on.
I was getting hot with embarrassment and flailed my legs.
How did I end up piling up misunderstandings like this!
I can’t let my own actions ruin the production!
“Mama! Don’t cut back on work! No!”
To interfere with actress Ma Soo-jung’s brilliant filmography? That would be a crime against Korean cinema!
Mama has to work like a horse!
That’s what actress Ma Soo-jung is for!
Mama held me tight and patted my back.
“I know. Gongza, you’ve had a hard time, haven’t you? That’s why I’ve made up my mind.”
Please don’t cut back on work!
I’ll even use coins to stop you if I have to!
The price would need serious thought, but still.
Mama said firmly,
“Gongza needs a nanny.”
Huh?
Why a nanny all of a sudden?
Mama held me and muttered,
“I’m going to hire a professional nanny. Honestly, Ansan-daek wasn’t a professional nanny either. I just asked the person we trust most in this house for our Gongza.”
Mama gave a bitter smile.
“But our Gongza isn’t an ordinary child, is he? I won’t be home often in the future either, and things like this will probably keep happening, won’t they? Gongza, I’ll bring you a good nanny.”
Wait a second, Mama. Well, fine. A nanny. You can hire one.
But listen.
“What about Auntie?”
Then Ansan-daek would be out of a job when she came back!
It’d be like surviving a fight with illness only to come home and find your desk gone!
That’s too cruel! You can’t just abandon someone like that when she’s already physically and emotionally worn down!