Chapter 15
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Mom's Work Life
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Kwak Young-cheol's promise to support our family's livelihood—I honestly thought it was just empty talk, but surprisingly, he kept his word.
"Oh my! Really? Oh..... Thank you so much, Oppa!"
Mom, who had been agonizing over finding a job, got the call from Mr. Young-cheol and squealed with joy at the news of her hiring, sounding like she might float away.
But listening to her, it felt a bit off. When Dad got stuck holding the bag because of that Mr. Young-cheol and ended up in prison, she was raging about it..... Yet now that he'd gotten her a job, her voice lit up in an instant.
"Hyun-seong, you know Young-cheol Oppa, right? He actually lined up a job for me?"
"Really? That's..... great? But what will you be doing there?"
"I know. They didn't give me exact details. Something about just organizing documents? But..... do you happen to know Excel or anything?"
The job Mr. Young-cheol had offered was simple paperwork at the used car dealership he ran. But.....
The problem was that Mom was a total computer illiterate who couldn't even turn one on properly, let alone handle basic Excel.
"Excel? I learned the basics in computer class....."
"Then teach me, sweetie."
"Really? I don't know it that well myself...."
"Still better than me."
So I tried teaching her..... Ah. It was clear now that Mi-hyun's hopeless study habits had been inherited from Mom.
"Ah..... I don't get it...."
"This is basic Excel...."
"Argh! Whatever! It'll work out somehow."
On top of that, she lacked persistence. She always said she couldn't study because she got pregnant with us siblings..... It felt like a noble sacrifice.
"Sigh. Anyway, I'm off, Mom."
"Huh..... You going dressed like that?"
"Why? Too slutty?"
"No..... Well...."
Excited for her first day, Mom dug out the closest thing she had to office attire. The blouse and pink jacket were fine enough.....
But the skirt was way too short, practically a thong skirt length. And with her massive 43-inch hips, it clung tight like a delinquent girl's shortened uniform skirt, embarrassingly outlining every curve of her ass.
"It's my first day, so I dressed conservatively...."
This was conservative? I had nothing to say, but when had Mom ever listened to me anyway.
"Anyway, come pick me up after work tonight, got it, son?"
"Yeah..... I'll meet you after."
And so Mom's first job in her life began.
While Mom headed out for her first day, I made my way to school. But what can I say.
Life without Dad..... It didn't feel all that different from usual. They say you don't notice until someone's gone, but with him missing, it barely registered. He hardly did anything around the house anyway.
Dad really is..... someone you don't miss whether he's here or not.
Don't call me unfilial. You get it by now if you've read this far.
Anyway, without feeling Dad's absence much, I went to school as usual and was greeted by the same old face: Gyu-tae. Somehow, despite it being random assignments, we'd been in the same class since elementary school, and even now in middle school, same grade, same class.
"Yo. You made it."
"Hey, Gyu-tae."
"Dude, can I come over after school?"
"Just come already, man."
"Harsh."
Ever since hitting middle school, the guy's libido had been off the charts, nagging to come over to my place at every chance—when there wasn't even anything to do. He never said it outright, but it was obvious he just wanted to sneak peeks at Mom. Still, since he was my best bro, I brushed it off without showing annoyance.
As we bullshitted waiting for class,
Slide.
Right before the bell, my little sister, Kang Mi-hyun, strolled into the classroom.
"Oh, Mi-hyun's here."
"Don't act like you know that bitch. It's embarrassing."
Gyu-tae tried playing familiar with Mi-hyun again, but I ignored her to avoid any school drama.
But Gyu-tae leered at her and whispered to me.
"Hey, but I heard your sister's been hanging with the delinquents a lot?"
"What?"
"You know Yong-su Hyung from third year?"
"Yeah..... the boxing club guy?"
"Yeah. Rumor is they go out every night."
".....Whatever. She'll live her life."
My twin sister, Kang Mi-hyun, was the spitting image of Mom. Lately, she'd been skipping studies, flashing her goods early, and running with the delinquent crowd, playing bad girl. I'd nagged her a few times, but she always threw tantrums, so now I was half-checked out.
......Just please don't end up a single mom like Mom. The way she's shortening her skirts already.....
Ah. Just like Mom this morning.
Unlike other kids with academies, I could head straight to Mom's new workplace after school: Mr. Kwak Young-cheol's used car lot.
'Cheol's Used Cars'
The straightforward sign welcomed me. Despite the silly name, it looked pretty big. The lot was packed with cars on a spacious plot. Even at 500k each on average..... sales had to be solid.
No matter that our neighborhood was one of Seoul's cheaper outskirts, owning this much land meant he was loaded locally.
Anyway, figuring Mom was nearing quitting time, I headed to the office in the corner of the lot and peeked through the glass. Summer evenings stayed bright, so it took a moment for my eyes to adjust, but soon I could see inside.
There she is.
I spotted Mom right away, pink jacket hung on her chair, standing by the desk. And next to her, that Kwak Young-cheol from before, pointing at the computer like he was showing her work.....
Huh?
But in between instructions, that toad-like half-thug grabbed her waist with his thick hand.
Ah..... What the hell is this shit?
Fuck.....
Pissed, I knocked loudly and burst in. The toad jumped, yanking his hand away.
"Hello?"
"Oh? Hey! Na-yeon's son is here."
"Son! You're here? Oppa, my boy came to walk me home today."
"Haha..... I see."
Mom greeted me casually, like nothing happened.
".....When do you get off?"
"Ah..... Well, I was gonna grab drinks with Oppa before heading home. Sorry you came all this way to walk me."
"....."
That's when I sensed something was off. Looking back, that felt like a turning point.
Noticing my scowl, the toad slyly pulled cash from his wallet and offered it.
"Coming all the way here to walk Mom. Good kid! Here, Ajusshi's giving you pocket money. Take a taxi home and order something tasty."
"....."
"Kid, take it when an adult gives it to you."
".....Thank you."
This creepy feeling.
I hesitated but left them behind and headed out. My nape prickled.
Home was empty. Mi-hyun was out late with her delinquent boyfriend or whatever, Mom off drinking with the toad. Dad in prison.
I boiled some ramen alone, then stared blankly at the ceiling until sleep took me.
Mom finally stumbled in past midnight, drunk.
September 10, 2022.
Time flew; summer passed into early autumn. Still hot thanks to global warming, though.
Months later, Mi-hyun came home later and later. Skipping classes too. Word was she'd fully joined the delinquents. Dad would've beaten her straight, but he wasn't around.
And Mom? She came home late more than on time. Showing up wasted like her first "dinner," or not at all—increasingly often. Not a kid anymore, I knew what it meant..... and it soured my mood.
One such night, "dinner" kept her out till past 1 a.m. Mr. Kwak Young-cheol walked her staggering ass to our door, turning my stomach.
"Haha. Sorry. Your mom went wild again. Can't figure why a lightweight pushes like this."
He tried cozying up with a friendly tone to win me over, but I hated that toad.
"Here. Pocket money. Take good care of Mom."
"Ah! Oppa, stop giving it..... Hic..... No!"
Money's innocent. I pocketed it quick. Having lived poor, my greed hit harder than most.
"Haha. See you tomorrow, Na-yeon."
"Yessh..... You too, Oppa!"
Mom waved happily at his retreating back. She looked truly content. If she hadn't gotten pregnant young with us, maybe she'd be enjoying this job and social life. Made me feel a twinge sorry for her.
"Hic! My boy! Missed Mom?!"
"Jeez..... Cut it out. I'm not a kid."
"Hey! Mom's just happy. And you're still my baby, acting all big!"
Still..... seeing her cling to another man like this didn't sit right. She was so down when Dad went away. Over it now? The words hovered, but I held back and helped her in.
"Mi-hyun....?"
"She doesn't come before midnight lately."
"That bitch..... Hic!"
"Ugh, the smell..... How much did you drink?"
"Jusht~ two bottles..... Urp..... Urp!"
"Damn it!"
As Mom lurched to puke, I rushed her to the bathroom.
"Bleeech!"
She hunched over the toilet, heaving. Panicked, I rubbed her back.....
......?
Her short tight skirt rode up, exposing half her ass from behind.
The issue? No panties under the sheer black pantyhose where they should've been that morning. Her embarrassing spot showed starkly through the translucent fabric.
.....!
I flinched away, but the image burned in—heart pounding.
"M-Mom?"
But after puking, she passed out cold on the bathroom floor like wet laundry.