[Chapter 3] Part.2

Something undeniably strange occurred amid these two, Yong Jun could reckon and surely implied those to Kyung Rok and Seo Kang In. Swiftly, he wanted to begin. However, his cell phone rang just in time. Picking up, he had to excuse himself from the spot, for a while could be, leaving behind those two guys still tensely confronting one another.

“So, you’re working here? At this company?” Seo Kang In initiated. Before that, he had two men accompanying him at the same spot - possibly those who worked for the well-known pianist. Yet, he told them to head off.

Still with the supercilious featured of face he always put on and the cunning damn smirk, Seo Kang In did look as smug as he in reality was. Kyung Rok did not think he would stand of it for even any minute. Worse, he had to stomach the fact.

“How have you been, huh?” He demanded.

Just get out of my face, will you? Kyung Rok countered in mute.

“And yeah, what do you do? Let me guess, talent’s promoter? Else, idol’s trainer?

“Why do you care?” Finally, Kyung Rok let out his annoyance.

Chuckled artfully, Seo Kang In stated. “Still the cold attitude. I see you haven’t changed much. Well, can’t put the blame on you. I can tell you’re still terribly mad at me. Aren’t you?”

Now, Seo Kang In was trying to rake up the history, his history to be true, Kyung Rok calculated. “What are you up to actually?” Feeling put off, he was not able to cover the low yet scorned-tone voice of him.

Smiling not in an honest way, Seo Kang In right away answered. “Look, I’m just longing for a casual random conversation with you, my old buddy. We used to have some, right? Hmm, maybe not often but of course we had one. Hadn’t we? Alas, it seems like you never let me in. Even now, you’re still the snobbish one. No wonders you only manage to end up working in here, as a mere ordinary worker, the least I could expect.”

Ending up as a mere ordinary worker? Being despised, Kyung Rok shot a fierce glare at him. This man did get on his nerves.

Eyebrows raised up a bit upon the negative response, Seo Kang In made a fake troubled face. “Oww! I shouldn’t have said that. Very sorry, Kyung Rok-ah. I didn’t know you were going to be hurt by those outspoken silly words of mine. Do forgive me, okay?”

“…rubbish.” Seo Kang In plainly heard it from Kyung Rok. Pulling a face, he certainly did not like the harsh reply.

“Do not ever say anything about forgiveness in front of me, you bastard.”

He could not believe Kyung Rok would throw the last brutal word to him. Suddenly, he turned up being angry. “Y— you— ”

“You just sound so damn stink by the time you say the word ‘forgive’. Better never say it again.” He abruptly paused for a second. “No, it’s best to not say it.” Kyung Rok deepened his glower toward Seo Kang In, he went on. “Obviously, you’re the infamous pioneer nowadays. Very much full of pride you are. But, as you said earlier, I was the great helper, right? You wouldn’t even have gotten to this level today if I hadn’t lent you a hand then. Remember how you stole that thing from me?”

Kyung Rok paused again to smirk wickedly at Seo Kang In. Want to play a game on me, huh? I’m playing along. He carried on. “If I hadn’t been there, you would’ve just ended up like me, an unknown commoner. You got the idea - have nothing special to show off, very unlike the great one.” Mocking the latter, Kyung Rok had not stopped yet. “Becoming a successful one, you should be thankful to me. Instead, you think you’re really good enough? You think you’re any better than anyone else, huh? Shame on you.”

Clutched his own hands very firmly, he could not be able to not be tensed up hearing the offensive saying by Kyung Rok.

“Why silent? Weren’t you so freaking noisy just now?”

“I’m the big person now on. Do you know what it actually means?” After a few of words’ attacks from Kyung Rok, Seo Kang In managed to begin again. “It means I could be able to call off this showcase – the one your company is in progress struggling hard to work on as your punishment for getting me miserable. Yes, I’m not the president of the country. But, I’ve power in my hands. You got that? And of course, let’s see how worse this impact would hit on you when it happens. Shall we?”

Oh coward jerk…there, you are now threatening me? Kyung Rok supposed. Despite of the warned alert, he drew closer toward Seo Kang In and braved him. “Power, huh?” He even got himself the endless smirk. “Well, do whatever you want.”

Frowned weirdly at Kyung Rok, Seo Kang In did not look forward to that one - the persistent attitude. He thought Kyung Rok would swallow all his provoking statements toward him earlier. He thought that cold guy would be afraid of possibility losing his potential job. Nonetheless, he sensed those thoughts were wrong.

“Seo Kang In, just so you know, this sort of stupid threat, I’ve been through more than this before then it wouldn’t do anything on me.” Kyung Rok added more. “What again? The big person? Tell me, do you usually have this kind of sissy talk?”

Looked into those sudden glares, he saw himself was firing the standing still Seo Kang In. More, he could see the latter’s chest started to go a bit up and down as he was holding back a heavy stone inside. So, Seo Kang In was putting out? Kyung Rok loved it somehow.

Got no answer, Kyung Rok came up to conclude. “Never mind. You’re always sissy all along though.”

“Kim Kyung Rok!” Seo Kang In unexpectedly shouted with high-pitched. At last, he was all out. His patience already broke up. “You…do you really want to do this?”

No more smirk. No cunning smile. In some ways, Kyung Rok had cooled down.

Seo Kang In continued. “Now that you’ve clearly gotten me displeased, so greatly displeased,” he even repeated the few last parts. “You, your profession or what the heck it is, do you really want it to have its end?”

Merely staring at the already furious man with reckless faced, Kyung Rok could tell by the way the man asking, by the voice he threatening with, he could tell Seo Kang In might mean them for real. After, he caught that man smirking. Kyung Rok was aware of him attempting to challenge his self.

I see you aim to win this game. Okay then. Let’s end it.Kyung Rok advanced. “You said you’ve power. Show me then how far you’d be able to have with that power. To me, you’re nothing but a jerk sinner.”

Expressing he was indeed enraged, Seo Kang In immediately winced. “You’ll regret, I’m telling you.” He warned gravely.

“I…” Kyung Rok drawled. “..have already enough of regrets.”

Seo Kang In still could not be satisfied with Kyung Rok and that proved of how vengeful his dead stare toward that so-called old buddy.

“Mr Seo, are you coming now? They’ve been waiting for us.” One of his men advised as he approached.

Before heading off, Seo Kang In remained having guts shooting Kyung Rok a ‘you will be damned’ glare. As for Kyung Rok, he always got the fact that there would be no settled-down between both of them.

“Oh yes, this way, Seo Kang In-ssi.” Yong Jun appeared then. He halted to shout at Kyung Rok telling him to come along. The two were feet away from one another, in fact.

 “Don’t bother.” Right away Seo Kang In notified. “He wouldn’t be needed.”

“…dae?” Doubted and shocked, Yong Jun turned to Kyung Rok. What was he talking about, he tossed sort of look at him.

In return, Kyung Rok looked away as he seemed not bother to enlighten the matter either.

“I need to see your boss now. Shall we or not?” Seo Kang In emitted out a serious tone.

“Ah, yeh, of course. Please come this way.” Even though Yong Jun was hit by puzzlement, he had to force it out since the timing was certainly not right. Anyhow, he was so assured that something might have happened amid Kyung Rok and the respected pianist. For sure, that something might be a bad one.

Stood still at the same position, Kyung Rok had not moved away. Tilting his head, he thought he would know of what would be coming in his way. …Let’s end it for a while. Seo Kang In, you started it off first. But, it would be me who end the game. I’ll make sure you’re the one to regret. This is just the beginning. Just wait and see. Gradually and casually, Kyung Rok took off the M Empire building.

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At the kitchen’s corner, at its counter, Haeri’s upper body bent down a bit on the wood counter while her lower one standing calmly, studying one of those music sheets she brought along. Since she will be having a mini concert to perform at in just a week, she had been eagerly practicing and memorizing the keys also the notes. In the same time, she had just finished mopping the kitchen’s floor. She reckoned she would just do another thing while waiting for the floor to dry out.

Even her fingers made some actions as she was having a practice with the piano. Suddenly, she stopped. Wrinkled, she thought she heard the main door of the apartment making some sound as it was opened from outside. Halted, she was wondering of whom might be entering at that hour. Turning, she saw someone had already reached the living room.

Quickly she stood upright and swiftly her one hand grabbed those sheets, hiding them behind her from being seen without even noticing that one of the sheets had slipped away from her hold and landed right underneath a shelve. Her eyebrows immediately crumpled. She eyed Kyung Rok facing to her as he figured she was actually there, across to him, a feet away from his position.

Why the heck is he doing here? Haeri asked in silence. That guy had never been at home at this instant, what was she remembered.

Studying her sudden act just now, Kyung Rok could see she was hiding something. Anyhow, he did not pay it any heed.

“Why are you still here?” He advanced, always with that serious and cold tone.

Excuse me? It’s only 11. And yeah, why you bother coming back home this early? Haeri complained to herself. “Uhmm..shouldn’t I be here till 1 p.m? As the one scheduled in the rules…not?”

Looking at the clock, he had to admit she was right. “You can leave now.” He right away commanded.

“Dae?” Really? She almost would not believe what she had just caught up.

Slipping off the spot, Kyung Rok did not respond. He was heading to his room.

Haeri whispered whether did she hear it right or not. Leaving all the sheets on the counter, out of the space, heading forward, watching the guy’s back, she hesitated but demanded. “Err, do you want some coffee? Or...”

Door opened and then shut closed, in just a second, she could estimate. As if Kyung Rok did not bother to even reply to her doubt, as always he did.

“..tea?" Justly, she continued. "Hoh! Guess indeed you don’t want any.” She muttered.

Eyes still locked on the already shut door and she was trying to recall of what happened a minute ago. Even though it was only a glimpse she could take at the owner’s room, yet, she figured something unusual on him. Sorrowfulness? Did she think that correct? Was she absolute about that? But, she thought she saw some feature implying to that one she was thinking of.

Over again, her eyes turned to the door. She hardly heard any noise from inside the room. What is he doing in there? And why did he come back with that sort of sadness, only if I was right? All of a sudden, she got a grip. Oh, wait! What am I thinking? She should not have such thought, peculiarly about that arrogant-rude guy.

Back to the counter, Haeri picked up those sheets. Grabbing her bag and putting all those inside, she was readying herself to leave out of the apartment. Still, she did not even realize that she had missed one sheet.

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Slightly lying down his back onto the bed, Kyung Rok’s eyes stared at the ceiling. He supposed he was a bit flustering. He thought his mind fighting against something irrelevant – Seo Kang In’s matter for an instance. In truth, he never cared of the threat which had been thrown at him, the threat that might have him being kicked out of the company. It was not all about that. However, the ugly past between him and the jerk sinner, that was what he named Seo Kang In, made him somewhat agitated, made the hatred he always had toward the latter developing more.

Shutting those eyes, he intended to abandon the matter, to get rid of the stupid nuisance he was enduring. Deep and deeper. Out of nowhere, some old image turned up. His eyes still shut, yet, he was able to see clearly. It was….his mother, his angered mother.

(…Flashback…)

“Who is my father?” The eight years old Kyung Rok demanded. “Where is he now?”

In front of him, standing, his mother already fixed the fierceness through her glary eyes. “How many times have I told you? You have no father! Why are you asking over and over, huh?!”

Putting forward an old picture for his mother to see, Kyung Rok reached to hear the real truth from her. He found the picture while searching for a pencil at his mother’s drawer at her bedroom. It was slipped below a small box inside the drawer and that was how it captured his eyes.

Shocked, the mother’s eyes wide opened. “…where did you get this?”

“Who is this man? Is he my father?” Again, Kyung Rok had not given up.

Grabbing the picture firmly, the mother scrunched it up right away, showing she was not even pleased with her son’s act but happened to be furious upon learning that Kyung Rok had finally found the old picture she had been hiding. As for Kyung Rok, watching his mother’s upset reaction, he fell voiceless. He did not expect she would crumple the picture.

“He’s not your father!”

“Then, who is he?”

Glaring at Kyung Rok, the mother advanced closer to him. “You…really are the immoral kid. How dared you take this picture without my permission?! I’ve said many times you have no father!”

“You’re lying!”

Being surprised with the response she had just gotten, the mother frowned. “What did you say?!”

“I know you’re lying. He must be my father. If not, you wouldn’t have to keep that picture in hide. Tell me, he’s my father, right?”

Compressing her lips in angriness, being put off, the mother quickly took along the picture and went out of the house. Puzzling, Kyung Rok scampered after his mother. Then, the mother stood in front of the old steel bin, tore apart the picture, falling its pieces down into the bin.

“...w—what are you doing?” Feeling unbelievable, Kyung Rok was taken aback upon his mother’s doing. “Omma! No, you can’t do that!” Scurried to his mother, holding onto her arm, he tried hard to prevent the tearing picture’s act.

“Get away!” The mother countered while pushing him aside that he was drawn backwards.

Kyung Rok saw his mother taking out a lighter of her blouse’s pocket and he fairly knew what would come next. “No! Don’t!” Again, he proceeded to stop the act.

“I said get away! You wrench kid!” Without even giving the son rights to defend himself, the mother pushed him away over again.

Consequently, Kyung Rok had a bit hard tumble on the ground.

And, that was when his mother burned the last piece of the tore picture and threw it into the same bin where she has just thrown the other pieces.

Being unvoiced, Kyung Rok merely stared blankly at the small fire inside the bin. He was not able to do something to distinguish the fire. He could not think of anything else other than feel his heart getting tore apart, just like the picture which was burning up.

Satisfied with her selfish conduct, the mother turned to her son. “Now, the stupid picture has gone. Are you happy?”

Turning, giving his mother’s a serious glare, Kyung Rok showed off the feeling he was enduring at the moment. The mother really got him irritated.

“Yaahh! Don’t you dare give me such stare! You rude boy!”

Swiftly got up on his feet, Kyung Rok carried out through some words. “I hate you!”

The mother was seen froze. That was the first time she heard such words from her son’s mouth. “Bwuh ra go?” She could not believe this son would keep boiling her temper. “...this immoral bad kid, you—”

Before she could ever lay her hand on Kyung Rok, he already ran off, away from her. “Yaahh, you jerk! Come back here!” Did not try to chase after the son, the mother justly stood still. Being really upset upon what had just happened, she still had not punished the kid for him nonchalantly taking the picture from the drawer and for making her being tensed up. She would get him done once he got back later on, the mother thought angrily.

(…End of Flashback…)

All of a sudden, his hand phone rang. Kyung Rok’s eyes opened. However, he did not even pick it up. Moreover, he continued looking at another past of him, very long ago and until now, he remained recalling every moment of it.

(…Flashback…)

“Who’s that?” One of the teachers at the school asked his companion.

There, the middle-schooled Kyung Rok halted as he overheard.

“Eyy, don’t you know who he is?” The companion asked back while answering. “He’s the famous politician, Park Ki Chul.”

“Really? What is he doing here?”

“I heard he has a son studying here. So, he’s here to check up on the school’s system. I think he does this to make sure his son having some high quality studies in here.”

“Ahh...all politicians are the same. All they want is a success. Not only for themselves but for sure, it includes their household.”

“Of course.”

Turning, watching and scanning, Kyung Rok saw a middle aged man wearing a perfect suit, assembled by some school staffs touring around the school, acting as if a luxurious examiner. Wrinkled his forehead, he thought he ever saw that face, that Park Ki Chul face. Suddenly made a surprised mutter, he already remembered. That was the same man as what had been printed in the old picture he found inside his mother’s drawer before, the one he believed was the real blooded father of him. Could he be? But, weirdly, he got dissimilar family name as him.

By way of having wanted to dismiss the confusion and the query he had been keeping, Kyung Rok braved himself and headed forward. He decided to ask this man named Park Ki Chul just one question.

“So, this is the school’s library.” Park Ki Chul sounded as nodding his head at the time staring at the library’s building. But then, his conversation with others was disturbed.

“Yaahh, hagsaeng! What do you think you’re doing here? Go back to your class.” One of the staffs demanded upon being greeted by Kyung Rok’s immediate appearance within them.

“I want to ask him a question.” Kyung Rok began and his finger rose toward Park Ki Chul who then went doubtful with the suspicious act.

All eyes started to turn to Park Ki Chul, being wondered and looking bizarre.

“Just go back to your class now, hagsaeng!” Another protested.

“I want to ask….are you my father?” So innocently, Kyung Rok spat out the wonder at last.

Everyone was in a big surprise upon hearing the doubt which had just been chucked out of the boy’s mouth who might not know how risky his question would be. Park Ki Chul turned up to be frozen, flabbergasted. Studying the boy’s face, he had no idea of where this kid gathering his confidence to ask him such nonsense thing. However, deep inside him, gazing at that face, Park Ki Chul thought the face a bit resembled a person he knew beforehand.

“Yaah! You, rude boy! How dare you!” The principal of the school yelled at him. “Take him off here.” To not offend the honored guest they were having, he commanded one of his staffs.

“But—” Kyung Rok had not finished his sentence when he was being pulled away by the discipline teacher from the spot. “…he hasn’t answered me yet. Could be he’s my father!” He complained to the teacher.

Right away, he was slapped on the head, firmly. “Stupid boy! You’ll be dead.” The teacher gave an alert while dragging him out of the space and entering the school building.

“I’m really sorry for the trouble our student just made. Please don’t get upset, Mr Park.” The principal apologized, so apprehensively.

“Ahh…it’s okay.” Still in an unexpected shock, Park Ki Chul added. “Things like this sometimes happen. Since I’ve entered the politics, people always try to pretend to know me.” In fact, he was trying to cover up the mess which had just created, the mess which possibly could be somewhat controversial.

“What’s more tragic, it’s just came from a small kid.” A whisper among the staffs was heard.

“Right, I can’t believe kids nowadays would also have this potential to become some pretender.” Another whisper agreed to the first one.

Park Ki Chul overheard those and eyed them. In a second, they looked down, feeling somewhat anxious. At the same time, the principal alarmed them with a warning glower that each of them did not brave to look up at their honored guest.

The principal went on. “What a shame. We’re very sorry, yet again. Hopefully, you would not be bothered much by this.”

“I’ve said never mind.” Giving out a tiny of small beam, Park Ki Chul assured. Yet, for sure, he was thinking of something else in mind that the beam he had slowly getting disappeared.

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Few days later, on his way home from school, not in purpose, Kyung Rok seized a sight of his mother talking to someone familiar at the small park. Paused his steps, drew closer to the spot but hid behind a tree, he studied that someone’s appearance well and to his surprise, that someone turned out to be Park Ki Chul, the one he believed was his real father.

Somewhat doubt quickly slid in his mind, puzzling what was really happening. Sharpening his hearing, Kyung Rok could comprehend the two were arguing with each other. Both did not even notice he was actually being there, trying hard listening to the matter they had been debating. Nonetheless, ahead of catching the real point of the argument within the two, the reaction he could be able to capture was his mother tossing an envelope straight to Park Ki Chul’s face along with a furious stare she was having. On the other hand, the latter justly stood coldly without any expression or response.

“Please do not get worried. That kid, he wouldn’t even show up in front of you, yet again.” Kyung Rok was able to hear those words coming from his already upset mother. That kid? Was she referred to him or whom? A great wonder grew building up inside him.

Then, promptly, the mother left. Turning to Park Ki Chul, Kyung Rok saw him picking up the envelope and fixing his steps to leave as well. He asked to himself, why would that man be there, meeting his mother? And what was the envelope all about?

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At home…

Kneeling down on his both toes hurtfully, the back of Kyung Rok’s legs was beaten up by the irritated mother. Whimpering, he attempted to hold back the pain. Earlier, his mother asked him whether it was true he met Park Ki Chul at his school and she even got angrier when Kyung Rok told her that he had asked that Park Ki Chul about his father. As a result, the mother’s hand kept lying on his body, whacking his head whenever he demanded her to stop. Kyung Rok knew he had gotten his mother over mad this time.

“How could you do stupid thing?! I’ve never taught you such nonsense to any stranger. Were you trying to embarrass me, huh?! You immoral kid!”

“O—omma!” Feeling more pain by those beatings, Kyung Rok cried out. His whimpering became louder.

“I told you he’s not even your father, why keep making troubles?! I’ll have you really done this time!”

“Yeon Shil! What the heck are you doing?!” Myung Il who had just arrived, immediately got shocked seeing the heartbreak which was happening and rushed in to reach out to Kyung Rok.

“Haraboji!” Crying aloud, Kyung Rok demanded to be shielded.

Embracing the kid, Myung Il was being a protector. He even got more surprised while seeing those wounds on his grandchild’s both legs. “Are you insane?!” He yelled at his daughter.

“Do not stop me, father!” The mother, Yeon Shil protested. “I haven’t done yet.” Again, she made an attempt to grab Kyung Rok away.

“Stay away!” Pushing the mother aside, Myung Il was defending the child. He would not give her anymore chance to get at her own son. “You’re not going to hurt him no more! What are you thinking, Kim Yeon Shil? Are you out of your mind?! This is your son!”

“So, what?!” Yeon Shil retorted. “Do I have no right to teach my son? To teach him properly so that he would never again do nonsense thing as what he has done?”

“What did he do wrong?” Myung Il turned to his grandchild. “Kyung Rok-ah, tell me. What actually you’ve done, huh? Do tell me.”

Paused and panted a bit due to angriness she was holding back, Yeon Shil gave out a heavy sigh. Her father had doted that kid too much that Kyung Rok had become so stubborn. “He went to that jerk yesterdays.” She told the truth boldly.

Myung Il hushed up.

Yeon Shil added. “Do you want to know what this stupid boy asked him?”

“I just asked whether he was my father or not…” Whining, Kyung Rok said to his grandfather.

Fell speechless, Myung Il was stuck.

Smirking faintly, Yeon Shil sighed. “Did you hear that, father? He even owned up for his idiotic attitude.” Staring furiously at Kyung Rok, she included. “What, just because of the old useless picture, you quickly came to conclusion that he was your father? Is that what you think?!”

Hiccupping from crying, Kyung Rok stayed silent.

“Tell me!” Yeon Shil exclaimed.

“…dae. I’ve got the feeling he really is my father.”

“…bwuh? What did you say?” Could not believe Kyung Rok would be this bigheaded, Yeon Shil headed forward with her hands readying to beat him, over again. “You ungrateful kid!”

“Stop, Yeon Shil!” Myung Il could not be patient any longer. Pushing away his daughter quite hard, another hand of him tightly hid Kyung Rok under his arm, keeping on embracing.

Tumbling on the floor, Yeon Shil was defeated by her father’s energetic react.

“When would you stop? Are you going to kill him or what?!”

Frustrated. Yeon Shil halted. With her father’s being there, there was no way for him to continue punishing Kyung Rok. Myung Il would always be there to protect him. Silence surrounded the space in the house. What only to be heard was Kyung Rok’s continued hiccup.

Glaring fiercely at her son, Yeon Shil began. “You, better listen carefully.” She had some breathe before continuing. “I didn’t bore you for some kind of sympathy. That jerk you met up at school, he gave me amount of money. Do you want to know what it means?”

“Yeon Shil, stop already.” Myung Il got in the line, warning her.

“I wouldn’t! I’ll tell him so he would understand better.”

Gradually, Kyung Rok looked up at his mother, still seemed to be scared.

“Park Ki Chul, that most jerk of all, he gave me money so you, your grandfather and I would never exist in front of him again. It means he never wants to meet you. Keep this in mind, you stubborn kid, you only have a mother, you only have a grandfather but you would never have a father. Understand?!”

Silence for some seconds.

“…I want my father.” Still whimpering, Kyung Rok poured out his heart.

“…Kyung Rok-ah…” Being touched, Myung Il weakly sounded. He knew this child was greatly hurt.

“You have no father!” Yeon Shil came again.

“Don’t start it again. Just stop!” Retorted, Myung Il really could not stand his daughter’s way of temper. She had already harmed her own son’s feeling so much.

“How would I be able to stop when he keeps on insisting the matter?! How can’t he just understand? How can’t he just shut his mouth up?!”

“He’s just a child. He doesn’t even know many things that had happened. Why can’t you be nice to him? He’s a mere innocent.” Slowed his voice, Myung Il tried to make some advice.

Silent, Yeon Shil did not respond, merely for a while when she then got back at it but in another round, she spoke with a low tone yet sounded firm. “Your birth has never been wanted. Until you’re dead, you won’t get to have a father.”

Looked astonishingly at Yeon Shil, Myung Il did not expect those would come from her. “…h—how could you say that….?”

“He, your father, has all along abandoned you.” Seemingly, she did not pay heed at her father’s alert, Yeon Shil added some more. She purposely did that, wanted Kyung Rok to listen to these so clear. “He never cares about you. Thus, you’re supposed to be lucky that I let myself growing you up, that I still intend to support your life.”

“Cut it off already!” Raising his voice up, Myung Il turned up to be so offended and upset. This woman, his daughter of him had gone beyond the limit that he could never imagine.

Yeon Shil discontinued her sayings. Kyung Rok had already reached his lowest point, feeling so awful and terrible.

Frowned at the mother, Myung Il carried on. “I can’t believe you’re this kind of person. I’ve never raised you up to be this mean. You’re hurting the innocent’s feeling.” Blurting out his big disappointment, he had not finished yet. “The anger you’ve always had for that irresponsible man, the hatred you’ve always had for him, do not put any on this kid. He’s only the victim from the wrongdoing you both did.”

Lifted Kyung Rok up to his chest, lying him on his both arms, he said some to Yeon Shil. “What a shame. You’re the mother. You should be protecting your son, not ‘killing’ him.” Afterwards, Myung Il went off to his room, bringing Kyung Rok along with him.

Swallowing her own saliva, Yeon Shil restrained the all mixed feelings she had gotten from her father’s honest phrases. Yes, she had stated Kyung Rok’s birth never been desired, yet, killing that kid? She could not recall the moment she had such intention. Killing the son she had born, she never intended to. And, all of a sudden, her mind clicked. Throughout this whole time, the whole Kyung Rok’s life, she might truly have been ‘killing’ the kid, without she even noticed it.

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