“Oh my gosh-! This is so expensive!”
It was a pair of boots worth a whopping 4 million won. And to top it off, they were made of suede, a material that was prone to water damage.
Snow piled up on those expensive, blood-red shoes. Yang Aran quickened her pace, muttering a string of nervous curses under her breath.
“Why does it have to snow on a day like today? My luck is really terrible.”
How long had she been walking?
“Oh! Then let’s hurry up.”
A familiar voice suddenly reached her ears. She looked around, and then she saw it. What she had been looking for…
‘My cash cow… no, my son!’
Yang Aran’s eyes lit up in an instant. She walked as if her eyes were sliding over the muddy snow.
The muddy water splashed on her shoes. In an instant, the expensive shoes were ruined.
But Yang Aeri didn’t care at all. As long as she had the child in front of her, she could easily buy new boots
“Jaewoo, Oh Jaewoo! It’s you, Jaewoo, right?”
Finally, she grabs the shoulder of the walking child and turns him around.
“…Mom.”
“That’s right! Jaewoo, it’s Mom. Mom! Have you missed Mom all this time?”
After her divorce from Oh Moon-se, Yang Aran, who had been barred from approaching Jaewoo, approached him without hesitation and embraced him tightly. That was her purpose in coming here. She was planning to use Jaewoo to reconcile with his father.
However.
“Eugh? Oppa, why are you doing that? Who is this ajumma? Jaewoo doesn’t have a mom.”
Someone blocked Jaewoo’s way. That was fortunate enough. But no, she was grabbing her chest with her gnarled hands.
“Kyaaak!”
Yang Aran screamed and fell to the ground. She felt a damp, unpleasant sensation.
“Jaewoo oppa, it’s okay. Look at me.”
Meanwhile, Haeli shook the dazed Jaewoo. Jaewoo was in a state of panic. And no wonder, the woman in front of him was someone he never wanted to see again.
“…No.”
“Huh? What did you say?”
“She’s not my mom. I don’t like that person.”
She’s not mom. A real mom wouldn’t force-feed expired food or leave a young child waiting alone for hours.
And that’s not all. A mom wouldn’t secretly pinch her son’s body behind his father’s back. Jaewoo realized this belatedly.
‘She’s not my real mom. That woman is bad.’
As memories suddenly surfaced, Jaewoo shook his head vigorously.
At that moment, Yang Aran, who had suddenly stood up, exclaimed in a shrill voice.
“You, you! What do you think you’re doing? How dare a kid touch an adult? And you, do you know how much this outfit costs? Huh?”
“You touched my brother first!”
“Who do you think you’re talking back to!”
Yang Aran grabbed Haeli’s hair.
“…Huh?”
Haeli almost involuntarily tried to send the woman in front of her to the other side of the world.
If only her sister Yeona’s advice hadn’t come to mind at that moment.
Haeli, don’t forget your promise to your sister and uncle. Only use your ability when you’re alone or with our family members.’
‘Actually, I used it in front of Jaewoo hyung too.’
‘Ugh, then I can only use it in front of five people: me, Uncle, Jae-woo hyung, and Grandpa. Or else…’
‘Or else what?’
‘Grandpa Mangtae might take you away.’
‘Eek!’
Recalling the conversation, Haeli nullified the casting. Then she thought.
‘If I don’t use my ability, I can’t drive away this woman. And Mr. Oh Moon-se might be waiting at home. What should I do? Hmm.’
In a moment of epiphany, Haeli’s eyes lit up. Finally, a plan came to mind.
“Jaewoo, wait a bit! You have to wait here!”
“Haeli?”
Without looking back, Haeli sprinted forward. Tears welled up in Jaewoo’s eyes at the sight, and Yang Aran called out in satisfaction.
Well, who wouldn’t? The nuisance disrupting her conversation with her son had disappeared.
“I thought she’d throw a fit, but she ran away like that. Thank goodness.”
Now she wanted to have a comfortable conversation. But first, she had to assert her authority.
“Jaewoo, what did Mom say? You know you’re supposed to observe people before making friends, right? Have you already forgotten? Where did you find such a rude kid to hang out with? You ruined Mom’s clothes!”
“Auntie, Auntie hit Haeli, so Haeli left. I hate auntie.”
“What? Auntie? Who are you calling me auntie now! Oh Jae-woo! Say it again!”
“…It’s true. You’re not my Mom!”
Yang Aran’s brow furrowed. Though she hadn’t seen him for a while, her son seemed quite different.
In the past, he would have immediately said, “I’m sorry.”
‘What? Not your mom? Huh, unbelievable.’
“I have to push a little harder.”
She grabbed Jaewoo’s shoulders and spoke with an authoritarian tone.
” ‘You’re not my Mom?’ After I sacrificed my youth raising you, ‘You’re not my Mom?’ Jaewoo, why have you changed so much? Look me in the eye, Jaewoo.”
“Sob!”
“Mom said what? She said when an adult asks, you have to answer, right? Can’t stop crying?”
“Sniff!”
“This is why growing up without a mother makes you turn out like this! You hang out with that good-for-nothing girl and talk back to your mother! ‘Auntie’? Ha! I can’t believe this! Just try teaming up with your sister. I’ll pack your bags and send you off right away.”
And just then, it happened. Jaewoo, who had been sobbing silently until now, lifted his chin and let out a loud shout, not a whimper.
“I’m not leaving! Jaewoo will live here forever! I won’t live with that auntie! I’ll tell Dad everything!”
This is because he was more afraid of “moving” than the woman in front of him. So, Jaewoo mustered up his courage. Yang Aran was taken aback by his words and stared at the boy in surprise.
‘What does he mean by telling Dad?’
The anger that had been simmering within her rapidly subsided. This was not good. She had to persuade the boy to reunite with Oh Moon-se. Only then could she spend money like water again. Yang Aran quickly switched tactics.
“Hey, hey, why are you acting like this, Jaewoo? What are you going to tell Dad?”
“The auntie hit Haeli and yelled at Jaewoo…”
“Oh? You’re going to tell him all about that? Well, Jae-woo, if you want to tell him, go ahead. But think about it. How do you think Dad will feel about that? Do you think he’ll be happy?”
“…Mmm…”
Jae-woo mumbled an indecisive response.
The child knew. Saying such things would hurt Dad.
“…”
Instead of answering, he lowered his head. Seeing this, Yang Aran smiled inwardly. Then she whispered cruel words into Jaewoo’s ear.
“The reason we’re living apart from Mom and Dad right now is because of Jaewoo. If Jaewoo says those things, Dad will be very upset.”
“…”
“Dad will be under a lot of stress. His health will suffer, and eventually, He might end up in the hospital.”
“Ugh!”
“So what will you do, Jae-woo? Who’s going to pay for Dad’s medical bills? Do you have any money? No, you don’t. So Dad won’t be able to get treatment and will go to heaven….”
“No, no!”
There’s no arguing with nonsense like this. But it works wonders on unsuspecting children.
Look at that. The pale, trembling child was evidence enough.
‘No matter how much you change, you’re still in my hands. Should I drive the nail in now?’
“So Jaewoo, just keep your mouth shut like a clam. Oh! And do you know why Mom’s here?”
Suspense.
“Actually, Dad called yesterday. He said it’s too hard for Jaewoo to raise himself alone. He wants to live with Mom. But he can’t because of Jaewoo. He wants to live only with Dad because of Jaewoo. Is Mom right?”
“…”
“You should answer. That’s why I came here to ask. Right?”
“…Yes. Jaewoo wants to live only with Dad.”
“Even now? Even though Dad wants to live with Mom, Jaewoo still wants to live alone with Dad? Even though if Jaewoo just bears with it, our family could be happy?”
After a moment.
Jaewoo hesitated to speak.
“No. If Dad is happy, then I’m okay with it. If Dad wants to live with Mom, then I can live with Auntie.”
“Mom-!”
“…I can live with Mom.”
“Good. That’s how you should say it. A good child would definitely say that.”
“…”
“Then shall we go to Dad together? You can tell Dad that you want to live with Mom, that you’ve been sad without Mom all this time.”
“…Yes.”
“Jaewoo, you should smile when you say it. That way Dad will believe you. Come on, smile like Mom.”
Yang Aran flashed a smile with her eyes.
***
At that moment.
Café owner Hong Yejin and his lover Oh Dongchi dashed out of the shop with a sense of urgency.
“Haeli, what’s going on!”
There stood Haeli in front of them. The child was running at full speed towards somewhere.
“Hurry, hurry!”
That’s it. Haeli’s plan was to seek help from adults.
The Dok family was all gone, and there wasn’t enough time to get to Jaewoo’s dad’s house.
The first place that came to mind was the Morak Morak Café.
They had been there with Jong-sik to eat cake.
‘And we had exchanged greetings at Uncle Trigo’s blacksmith shop opening. In other words, they were acquaintances. Surely they would help.’
With that thought in mind, Haeli pushed open the café door and shouted abruptly, “Help us!”
She didn’t even step into the store. Haeli just screamed and ran back to Jaewoo. And the result of that is happening right now. The two startled people are following behind running Haeli.
“Haeli, Haeli!”
“That woman might hit Jaewoo too. We have to hurry.”
“Jaewoo too? No way, Haeli, you too…”
There was no time to explain slowly. Yang Aran’s voice could still be faintly heard at this moment. So Haeli was in a hurry.
“Hurry up!”
Meanwhile, Oh Dongchi took out his phone while chasing Haeli. Then he urgently sent a message to the group chat with his brothers.
[Morak Morak Café, alley between the market and the o-mart. Dok’s boss’s nephew assault case. An unidentified person tried to abduct a child. Urgent help needed.]
Instantly, the message disappeared as read.
The members of the Poison Toad scattered throughout the neighborhood began to gather in one place. But they weren’t the only ones. The residents of the neighborhood who were with them also rushed out as if it were their own child.
“Boss Dok’s kid was assaulted?”
“That… that cute kid?”
“What kind of audacity to hit her like that!”
“They tried to kidnap her but failed. Haeli escaped and the friend got caught!”
“Damn it. How dare they do such a thing in our neighborhood?”
Someone even came out with a knife they were using to chop ingredients, they were in such a hurry.
And so, the residents of Sangwon-dong began to rush towards one place.
***
At that moment.
Jaewoo was walking, held by Yang Aran.
“What did Mom say?”
“I happened to meet Mom and didn’t want to part ways, so I came with her.”
“Again?”
“Because I want to live with Dad and Mom.”
“And your expression?”
“I’ll smile.”
Picking only the words that pleased her. Now he’s finally acting like my son.
In a moment of satisfaction, Yang Aran smiled contentedly.
“Let go of Jaewoo’s hand!”
A voice came from behind her.
Suddenly, the owner of the voice pulled apart the hands of her and her son.
“Aah! Are you crazy?”
Yang Aran screamed in frustration. It was because the fern-like hand had scratched her wrist. When she turned around, it was the same child as before.
The culprit who had firmly spoiled her son’s habits, the brat.
Yang Aran’s face stiffened coldly. Meanwhile, Jaewoo reacted.
“Haeli, weren’t you running away?”
“Who said I ran away! It was Jaewoo who ran away. I told you to stay put!”
“That’s…”
“Forget it. I heard everything. That lady said if you don’t listen to her, Dad will go to heaven, right?”
“W-what? How did you…”
“That’s true! Anyway, it’s all lies. That lady is a bad person who only tells lies. You can ask Dad directly to know the truth. So don’t listen to that lady.”
Yang Aran’s eyebrows twitched at Haeli’s words.
“You little…! You have some nerve!”
Even with the lioness-like voice, Haeli didn’t back down. She wasn’t alone.
Maybe that’s why. Haeli raised her voice twice as loud.
“I’m not just some little thing!!! You wicked old hag!”
Then he stepped forward, facing Jaewoo.
“Jaewoo, don’t worry now that I’m here. I’ll protect you.”
At her words, Jaewoo nodded involuntarily.
