AOA 82

Baek Mugyeong remained as busy as ever. He left for work before I even woke up and came home late at night, so I never got to see his face.

While I was still struggling to find the right moment to apologize, Jeong Guhyeon’s departure for the US was suddenly finalized. My biological father understood that he needed to lie low, but it seemed my stepmother couldn’t accept that. She called me several times.

I deliberately didn’t answer. Eventually, the stepmother came all the way to my university.

Fortunately, the bodyguard assigned to stay near me blocked her at the entrance, so she didn’t cause a scene. Instead, she wore a pitiful expression and clung to me, asking if I didn’t feel sorry for Jeong Guhyeon. She bowed her head, saying she was apologizing on his behalf for his absurd mistake, and begged me to side with my only brother at a time like this, appealing to my emotions. Then she added that since I wasn’t really harmed, there shouldn’t be a problem, which was just ridiculous.

It was clear she didn’t even consider the fact that this so-called only brother had tried to ruin his only sibling’s life.

Trying to reason with someone who won’t listen is a waste of time. So, just like I had with my biological father, I used Baek Jinseok’s name.

Even my stepmother couldn’t deny how frightening Baek Jinseok was. But instead of backing off, she hoped I could somehow convince him. When I told her divorce was the only option, she got angry, saying she couldn’t believe it, and stormed off.

Despite her desperate attempts, Jeong Guhyeon ended up fleeing to the US.

A week passed in a blur. During midterms, I didn’t see Baek Mugyeong even once.

Then the weekend arrived.

“There’s definitely something going on. I’m sure of it.”

It was just before Saturday lunchtime. I was on my way to meet Choi Jaeha’s grandmother.

The former chairman of Taeyang Shipping had passed away nine years ago. His wife, Jaeha’s grandmother, was now living alone, enjoying a peaceful retirement.

Jaeha, the beloved youngest in his family, had a close relationship with his grandmother and visited her almost every other day.

He said he often talked about me to her. At first, she was angry that someone so plain had married Baek Mugyeong, but over time, she warmed up to me, found we could hold a decent conversation, and even heard about how we went on trips together.

A few days ago, she apparently said she wanted to meet me. She wanted to invite her grandson’s friend to her home.

Jaeha told me his grandmother had never once invited one of his friends over. She was the type to just give pocket money and tell them to go eat something good together. He found it suspicious.

“She’s a nice lady, though, right?”

“She is, but when I asked why, she just said she wanted to feed you a meal. That makes it even more suspicious. She’s never done that before.”

We drove to her house in Gangnam, Jaeha still full of doubt.

His grandmother, Lee Hyejeong, greeted me with a graceful smile at the house, which had a yard full of hydrangeas.

“Welcome.”

“Thank you for inviting me.”

Following Jaeha’s advice, I handed her a bouquet. Lee Hyejeong, who loved flowers, kept flower pots and flowering trees all around her home.

After greeting her politely, I behaved like any guest visiting a friend’s grandmother. I ate a table full of food, enough to make the legs creak. I showed off how close Jaeha and I were. After fruit and tea, the real reason for the invitation came up.

“You, go outside to the yard for a bit.”

“What? Why? Minchae’s just going to tell me everything later anyway.”

“That’s up to Minchae. Go on.”

“Ugh, so mean.”

Jaeha protested, but Hyejeong was firm. In the end, he went outside, and I sat across from her in the living room.

“You were surprised I asked to see you, weren’t you?”

She opened with a smile, and I responded politely.

“Not surprised so much as very curious.”

“Of course. Well then, I’ll just ask straight out. Is your maternal grandfather’s name Park Jeongtaek? And your mother’s name Park Jiwoo?”

“Yes, that’s correct. How did you know?”

I couldn’t hide my shock. I didn’t expect to hear my grandfather’s and birth mother’s names here.

“I heard your maternal grandfather is Park Jeongtaek.”

“I see.”

The conversation that took place in the lounge during the New Year must have spread. There were quite a few people present then.

“Minchae, are you in contact with your maternal grandmother?”

“Uh… no. That is, I was told all my relatives on that side had passed away. Is that not true?”

I stammered. This was the first I’d heard that my maternal grandmother was alive. My father told me there was no one left to meet from that side, so I assumed they were all dead.

“Misun, your grandmother, is in the US. So is your aunt.”

“Really?”

“So Chairman Jeong didn’t say a word. I suppose there was no contact at all with your grandmother?”

“No.”

“Ha… seriously.”

Hyejeong clicked her tongue. It seemed like she wanted to curse my father but held back.

I was too stunned to speak. I had no idea how to process the fact that my grandmother and aunt were alive in the US.

“Misun thinks you’re dead. You went missing when you were little and were never found. Oh, I heard you studied in Canada, but I guess that’s not true, right?”

“No, it’s not.”

“I can’t badmouth your father in front of his child, but… you probably don’t know this, but Misun is my friend. We went to the same high school, and we stayed close after getting married. Even after she moved to the US, we kept in touch. She cut off news from Korea, though, so she probably doesn’t know you’ve returned. I’d like to let her know. What do you think?”

Her sudden proposal left me flustered. I had no idea how my grandmother would react to knowing I was alive.

As I hesitated, unable to answer right away, Hyejeong continued.

“I should’ve explained better. Misun would be happy to know you’re alive. She was devastated after losing her youngest daughter and then her grandson. Still, I know you might have your reasons, so I’m asking. Do you not want me to tell her?”

“It’s not that I don’t want you to. I was just surprised. It’s okay to tell her I’m alive. And… please let her know I didn’t even know she was alive.”

I answered carefully. Before my regression, I hadn’t known anything about my maternal family, let alone that my grandmother was alive. So I didn’t know if contacting her would be good or bad.

Still, I couldn’t ignore the effort Hyejeong made to confirm my thoughts directly rather than acting on her own. More than anything, if my grandmother was alive, maybe she could help me someday.

“Of course. I’ll say your father hid it, so don’t worry.”

Hyejeong laughed heartily. I had sensed it earlier, but for all her grace, she was incredibly bold.

She ended the conversation, saying she’d contact Misun later since it was probably nighttime in the US. Jaeha came back in as soon as I waved him over and asked what was going on.

Hyejeong told him to wait and then suggested going to an art museum since the weather was nice. To my surprise, she included me too.

“What? Why is Minchae going? That wasn’t part of the plan.”

Jaeha asked the question I was thinking. Hyejeong answered with a bright smile.

“Because one of your aunt’s paintings is on display there. Minchae, your aunt’s an artist. Quite a famous one. Aren’t you curious?”

It seemed Jaeha had taken after his grandmother. That forceful, pushy way of hers was no joke.

I couldn’t say I wasn’t curious. Fortunately, I didn’t have any other plans, so I agreed to go with them.

Before we left, I sent a message to Baek Mugyeong.

[Me: I’m going to an art museum with Choi Jaeha and his grandmother.]

I had been consistently updating Baek Mugyeong about my schedule lately. He never replied, but he did read them.

I figured something must be going on.

I wasn’t particularly worried. I still had a bodyguard with me today. Even though Jeong Guhyeon had gone to the US, the bodyguard would be staying with me for a while.

I needed to sort this out with Baek Mugyeong eventually, but since I hadn’t seen him at all, there was nothing I could do.

I stared at my phone’s darkened screen and let out a long sigh. People’s hearts are hard to read, but Baek Mugyeong was especially difficult.

As I tried to swallow another sigh, my phone vibrated in my hand. The screen lit up with Baek Mugyeong’s name.

“…Huh?”

This was the first time he had ever contacted me directly after I messaged him. I was so startled I couldn’t press the call button right away and fumbled before finally answering.

“Yes, hello?”

For some reason, my voice trembled. That was when I realized I had never spoken with Baek Mugyeong over the phone before. I suddenly became nervous.

Even though I hadn’t done anything wrong.

“Jeong Minchae?”

“Yes.”

“Which art museum are you going to?”

“…Sorry?”

“I asked which museum it is.”

“Oh… it’s, um, Geumpalang Museum.”

Even as I answered, countless questions rushed through my head.

Why was he calling me? Why was he asking for the museum’s name? Was he planning to come? Could that be it? Should I tell him not to come?