The Childhood Friend's Mother
Following Jessie, I arrived at the tallest building in the area. Even as the sun dipped low and darkness began to creep in, it shone brilliantly—a place known as a five-star hotel. With dinner time approaching, was she planning for us to eat here? The thought that one meal here could cover my family's food for several weeks made me uneasy.
"Do you think someone like me can even enter a place like this?"
"You've been exploiting the young miss all this time, and now you say something so conscientious."
"No, it's not exploitation..."
"Please come in. Madam is waiting."
"...Hmph."
Right, what was the point of arguing with her? Giving up on further thought, I followed Jessie into the hotel. Overwhelmed by its opulent atmosphere, I was led to the restaurant on an upper floor.
Every guest there exuded an air of the upper class. Naturally, a student in just a school uniform would draw stares, but Jessie ignored the glances around us and strode ahead confidently.
"This way."
We headed toward the reserved seating area, the kind only the truly wealthy used. As I approached, the atmosphere among the surrounding people grew restless. Whispers rippled: a mere student using the reserved section? That uniform—it's from a prestigious high school...
The shifting gazes on me were tense enough, but they paled in comparison to the trial awaiting me.
"...I'll go in."
Steeling myself, I entered to find a lavish spread and a woman seated at the head of the table.
"You've arrived."
She spoke as if she recognized me, gesturing solemnly to my seat.
"Sit down. You must be hungry from the trip—eat first."
"...Thank you. I will."
As expected from a five-star hotel, the food was exquisite in both quality and taste. But my heart felt heavy as I ate, and my opponent simply watched me silently, adding to the suffocating tension. I had no idea what her intentions were in summoning me here.
"Um, aren't you eating?"
"I already ate lightly before you came. For now, I'm just enjoying watching you eat."
She took a sip of wine, a meaningful smile playing on her lips. Swallowing my retort, I reluctantly continued eating until I'd cleared every plate before us. Only then could we truly begin talking.
"You eat so nicely. Of course, you're in the middle of a growth spurt—you need to eat well and grow big and strong."
The mood seemed positive for now. But Jessie's watchful eyes and the solemn aura emanating from her suggested the conversation ahead wouldn't be light.
"...You didn't invite me just to treat me to a meal, did you?"
"Well, I'm a busy woman myself. I wouldn't make time like this unless it was something important."
Fair enough. As vice president spending most of her time at the U.S. headquarters, that made sense.
"Alright then—I'll get straight to the point about why I called you here."
She handed Jessie a thick envelope containing something. Jessie passed it to me, and upon checking the contents, I froze, my breath catching.
It was filled with bills that looked just like currency, tinged yellow.
"...Isn't this a bit much for pocket money?"
"Do you think I'd come all this way just to give you pocket money? This is in exchange for something I want from you."
In other words, not a gift, but a transaction. She smirked, her eyes fixed on me as she laid out her demand.
"Break up with my daughter."
As expected, it was about Mary. And a declaration I'd half-anticipated at any moment.
"...May I ask why?"
"Because you don't suit her, Cheolsu. Lately, her father has been voicing concerns. Now that she's in high school, he worries you might be a bad influence while hanging around Mary."
This wasn't a recent thought. Mary's father had always shown particular dislike toward me. So this was his chance to sever our connection cleanly...
"Mary should start thinking seriously about inheriting the company soon. She needs to choose a suitable partner carefully. So anyone who might get in the way—like you—should be kept at a distance early on."
"...Is this because I'm a poor commoner?"
"What else could it be?"
She struck right at the sore spot of being from a chaebol family. But logically, her words were perfectly reasonable. Mary was the legitimate heir to a global conglomerate, while I was just a kid from an ordinary family who could afford to eat and sleep without worry. Anyone would say we didn't match in status. Common sense dictated accepting the deal and leaving Mary's side forever.
"I refuse."
Yet as I handed back the envelope, a amused smile spread across her face.
"Don't you get it? It'd be best for you to take the money and go while I'm being nice."
"Even if I distanced myself, Mary wouldn't leave. That's why."
Right—our relationship was mostly driven by Mary, not me. And given her personality, she'd hate being controlled by anyone. Even if her parents interfered, if Mary dug in her heels, things would stay the same as always.
Beyond that, this deal held no appeal for another reason.
"Besides, this is just play money. Who'd bite on a deal that won't even buy a single candy?"
"Oh, you caught me?"
Realizing her prank was up, Mary's mother burst into laughter and spread out the contents of the envelope I'd returned.
They were meticulously crafted replicas of Korea's highest-denomination bills in gold. But the "Mary Bank" printed on them revealed they were toy play money from Mary & Chris.
"Hehe, they look indistinguishable from the real thing at a glance, but you spotted it right away. As always, our Cheolsu has amazing eyesight~"
"...I was tense the whole way here, and you pull this prank after dragging me all the way?"
"Disappointed it's not real money? Sorry~ I've been hooked on Korean dramas lately and wanted to try this out~"
Good grief. The Hallyu wave was booming overseas, but a conglomerate executive bingeing makjang dramas? She seemed a bit off-kilter in many ways, but that was just who she was, so I let it slide.
"Still, doing it myself makes my heart ache a little. Sending away a kid I've known for years with a wad of cash... Sob sob, I'm such a sinful woman. Sorry Cheolsu, that your girlfriend's mom is such a mess."
"No, Mary and I aren't exactly dating..."
"Yeah yeah, for now you're just childhood friends, right? But no one can guarantee it won't develop into something more later~"
Her eyes sparkled with excitement, as if she'd been watching our relationship closely and was dying to know where it would lead.
"So? How far have you gone with Mary? Have you hugged, held hands on a sunset walk? Maybe kissed under city lights or spent a night in the same room? Felt the pull and finally crossed the line?"
"...Nothing like that has happened."
"Sigh, you're too spineless, Cheolsu~ Mary's picky, but she melts under pressure. A little push from you and she'd say yes in a heartbeat—why haven't you made a move? It's frustrating to watch!"
That's not something a mother should say about her daughter. With a deep sigh, I asked her something that had been nagging at me.
"Anyway, you won't force me to distance myself from Mary, right?"
"Mm, pretty much. I'm actually rooting for you two. Childhood friends ending up together is so romantic, don't you think?"
Ha, still a hopeless romantic as ever. But her next words weren't entirely positive.
"Unfortunately, that's just my view. I can't fully support you and Mary. Jessie, bring it over."
"Yes, Madam."
At Maia's command, Jessie fetched a stack of documents and spread them across the cleared table. They were densely packed with profiles of various men.
"These are..."
"Ones her father handpicked—outstanding talents from good families, with skills and bright futures."
Yeah, even at a glance, they were leagues above me. The kind that would be S-rank on a marriage market.
The detailed specs made their implications crystal clear.
"...Marriage candidates for Mary?"
"Not yet. Just in the matchmaking stage."
But soon, she'd go on dates with some, and pair off with one who clicked. A pang hit my chest, and she fixed me with a serious gaze.
"So, what are you thinking right now?"
"...Thinking about what?"
"Your childhood friend of all these years is on the verge of marrying another man. Surely that stirs something."
"..."
"Ah, your face stiffened. Hehe, good thing I showed you."
What was good about it? Showing me this just to mess with my head. Suppressing my irritation with a deep breath, I picked a suitable file from the pile and handed it to her.
"If it's for an arranged marriage, these guys seem like good fits."
"...You're serious?"
"As an outsider, I can't interfere in Mary's family matters."
Especially since her father was spearheading it. He already disliked me, and given his position, nothing I said would reach him anyway.
"That's a disappointing reaction."
But she frowned slightly, unsatisfied.
"A childhood friend should react sensitively to this, yet recommending candidates feels like declaring you have zero romantic interest in Mary."
"...Not wrong. I've never thought of us going that way."
"Really? You're being honest?"
"Yes, completely honest."
No lie. I'd known Mary's feelings, rejected them, and even now—after her declaration of war—they persisted. And they never would waver.
As I reaffirmed that resolve, Maia eyed me slyly and tossed out a jab with a wicked grin.
"Liar~"
"Liar? I..."
"Cheolsu, you're overlooking something. The person in front of you has negotiated with countless people. Reading them is second nature to me."
She pierced me with a knowing stare, probing my heart with pointed questions.
"You enjoy spending time with Mary, right? You'd like it to continue forever?"
"..."
"Sure, her personality causes headaches, but you could handle it. If you hated her, you'd have distanced yourself long ago."
Spot-on analysis. It wasn't dislike keeping me from dating her. If anything, I leaned toward liking her and wanted to keep our bond.
"So why distance yourself? Status? Or her dad's pressure?"
As she ran through possibilities, my throat tightened. Could I say it? Deny the goodwill of someone who might be an ally?
"I..."
But not saying it would just prolong the stalemate. Knowing that, I shook off my hesitation and revealed my true feelings.
"Because I realized that liking someone could hurt them."
Probably the first time in this second life I'd confessed that. Her playful demeanor vanished as she swirled her empty glass, signaling Jessie for a refill. As if sensing the conversation would deepen.
"Liking someone causing hurt? That's pretty masochistic. Like you think your very existence is harmful."
She seemed ready to take this seriously. Having started, I couldn't back out now, so I prepared to continue.
"Can I tell you a story about someone I know?"
"Sure, it's you, right?"
"No, not me. This is about a fully independent adult in society, not a high school freshman."
She might suspect, but it wasn't a total lie, so she wouldn't peg it as my story. Laying the groundwork, she sipped her drink and nodded quietly.
"...Go ahead, tell me."
And so the story began. One that remained vividly etched in my mind, as fresh as yesterday, even after a decade or more. The tale of mistakes from my first life, which I might call my own fault.