IWYFB Chapter 21

Siyeon was left speechless at Jiwoo’s appearance, which was even more haggard than she had expected. At that moment, she regretted not trying harder to stop Jiwoo back then.

 

“Are you feeling okay? You’re not in pain anywhere?”

 

“I’m doing better than I look. I go to the hospital regularly for checkups, and since the baby is measuring larger than expected, I’ve been walking a lot.”

 

Most of the baby items Jiwoo had prepared were in shades of blue.

 

“Is it a boy?”

 

At that, Jiwoo’s face flushed slightly, and she smiled, her eyes crinkling.

 

“As expected, you’re quick to catch on.”

 

Siyeon reached into the basket she had brought and handed Jiwoo a perfectly shaped tangerine.

 

“Not long after you took a leave of absence, someone came looking for you. They seemed like they had been sent by someone, maybe from that guy’s family? You suddenly went on leave, then someone came asking about you, so of course, there were all sorts of rumors among the students.”

 

Jiwoo listened to Siyeon’s words, absentmindedly rolling the fruit in her hands instead of eating it.

 

“Your parents don’t know yet, do they?”

 

Without a word, Jiwoo nodded a few times.

 

Siyeon could only imagine how shocked Jiwoo’s parents would be when they found out. Even though she wasn’t directly involved, the thought alone made her mind go blank.

 

She felt resentment toward the man she had never even seen, the one who had left Jiwoo in this situation.

 

“…I know it’s pointless to ask now, but have you ever regretted it?”

 

Jiwoo, who had been looking downcast the entire time, suddenly broke into a bright smile.

 

“The hardest part was making the decision to have the baby. But after that, everything got better. Ever since I first felt the baby move, I haven’t regretted it for a single moment. Just knowing that a life connected to me is growing inside is incredible. I can’t wait to see how beautiful my baby will be.”

 

Seeing Jiwoo’s radiant smile, Siyeon smiled along with her.

 

Though she felt relieved to see Jiwoo so happy, she couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that Jiwoo would have to raise the child alone, facing all the hardships by herself.

 

 

 

As her due date approached, even the simple act of sitting down and standing up became a struggle.

 

The scorching summer, which had seemed endless, passed as if it had all been a lie.

 

With the arrival of cooler weather, Jiwoo eagerly anticipated the day she would finally meet her baby.

 

She was on her way home after her final prenatal checkup.

 

The steep hill leading to her home felt endless, with stairs that stretched on without end. She had to pause and catch her breath multiple times, making the journey much longer than usual. Her body felt especially heavy that day, so much so that even before reaching the stairs, she already felt weighed down.

 

Stopping by a convenience store at the bottom of the hill, she bought a bottle of water. As she stepped outside, her gaze froze on a familiar figure in the distance, slowly making their way up the sloping road.

 

The hesitant, weary steps were unmistakable.

 

Dressed in the same black work jacket he always wore, paired with gray dress pants, her father walked ahead. Just behind him, a smaller pair of steps followed, struggling to keep up.

 

They weren’t people she ever expected to run into here.

 

As they drew closer, Jiwoo’s eyes filled with unease.

 

“Ji… Jiwoo!”

 

The bottle of water slipped from her grasp and hit the ground with a dull thud.

 

Beyond the wide-eyed stare that met hers, her mother’s gaze slowly traveled downward from Jiwoo’s face, before stopping at her swollen belly, taut with impending birth.

 

“Oh… Mom! D-Dad…”

 

She had never once imagined this moment.

 

Not even in her worst nightmares had she ever wanted them to see her like this. But now she realized how foolish, how utterly naive she had been to think she could keep them from knowing.

 

Her legs gave way, and she collapsed onto the ground.

 

Her parents rushed toward her in alarm.

 

“Ji… Jiwoo, is it really you? Are you really my daughter?”

 

Even after seeing her with their own eyes, they asked again and again, unable to believe it.

 

Her father turned away, trying to hide the tears welling up alongside his rising anger.

 

“I’m sorry…”

 

That was all Jiwoo could say. She couldn’t bear to look them in the eyes, so she kept her head bowed.

 

“How could this happen…? How could my daughter end up like this…?”

 

Her mother, Jung-sook, broke down, wailing in anguish. She silently prayed that all of this was just a nightmare.

 

It couldn’t be real.

 

She had believed Jiwoo when she said she couldn’t visit during the break because of special lectures. She had never doubted her. Jiwoo had always been a good, responsible child, never once had she caused trouble.

 

She had been a daughter to be proud of, someone she wanted to show off wherever she went.

 

Jung-sook had raised her with care, never making her do hard labor despite their struggles with farming. Even when Jiwoo tried to help in the kitchen, she had always told her to go read a book or rest instead. She had given her everything good, nurtured her with love, and protected her.

 

As long as Jiwoo was happy, nothing else had mattered.

 

Not once had she imagined this future.

 

The thought of Jiwoo walking up and down these steep hills every day, carrying such a heavy burden, made her heart ache unbearably.

 

“How did this happen to you…? Why? Why you?”

 

Jung-sook clenched her fists and pounded her own chest, grief-stricken.

 

It felt as though a massive stone had been placed on her heart, crushing her, making it impossible to breathe.

 

“I’m sorry, Mom…”

 

Seeing Jiwoo, heavily pregnant, kneeling before them, made her heartbreak even more.

 

“Stop that. Get up. Sitting on the cold ground like that isn’t good for you.”

 

Her father, though his face was set in a stern expression, bent down to pick up Jiwoo’s fallen bag. Then, gently, he grasped her shoulders and helped her to her feet.

 

This wasn’t the life he had envisioned for her.

 

But no matter how much it hurt, she was still his precious daughter.

 

Still, rage simmered just beneath the surface.

 

Whoever had done this to her, whoever had abandoned her in this state, he wanted to find them. And if he did, he wanted nothing more than to tear them apart with his bare hands.

 

 

 

 

While searching for a new home near Seoul, they unexpectedly found one they liked much sooner than expected.

 

It had to be a place where Jiwoo’s baby could grow up freely, where she would be comfortable.

 

An apartment would have been convenient, but for Jung-sook and her husband, who had spent their entire lives on solid ground, it would have felt suffocating. So they focused only on single-family houses.

 

Most of all, her father wanted Jiwoo to return to school after giving birth, which was why they chose a place close to Seoul.

 

Leaving Haejoo behind wasn’t easy.

 

Jiwoo’s father, a lifelong public servant, submitted his retirement request earlier than planned. Until it was processed, he would stay behind in Haejoo, while Jung-sook moved in with Jiwoo to help her.

 

They listed their inherited land for sale, keeping only their house in Haejoo as they slowly untangled themselves from their old life.

 

Even when they asked Jiwoo about the father of her child, she remained silent, her head bowed.

 

All she said was that it had been her choice alone, that she had stubbornly insisted on having the baby.

 

They assumed the relationship had simply fallen apart. Jiwoo was young, and the father must have been just as young.

 

Her mother couldn’t help but resent her for making such a decision.

 

If she had just closed her eyes and let it go, everything could have passed without consequence.

 

At that moment, Jung-sook felt bitter toward her daughter, who wasn’t strong enough to do what she saw as the practical thing.

 

But in the end, this was Jiwoo’s choice, her decision.

 

Even if it felt like her own heart was bleeding, Jung-sook wanted to hide her pain and make things easier for her daughter.

 

The damage was done. No amount of scolding could turn back time.

 

 

 

 

At the start of winter, Jiwoo carried her pregnancy to full term and gave birth to a healthy baby boy.

 

The moment she held him in her arms, she saw it, the clear, unmistakable resemblance to his father.

 

For ten long months, she had never once forgotten his face.

 

Now, seeing their child, who looked so much like him, she realized she might never be able to forget, no matter how much she wanted to.

 

So much had happened in such a short time.

 

Her entire life had changed.

 

But as difficult as it had been, the baby in her arms made everything else fade away.

 

She had often had nightmares during her pregnancy, dreams in which Taemu’s mother appeared out of nowhere to take her child away.

 

Even the mere thought sent chills down her spine, twisting her heart in pain.

 

No matter what, she would protect her baby.

 

She would never, ever let anyone take him away.

 

 

 

***

 

 

“Jiwoo, are you asleep?”

 

Her mother’s quiet voice filtered through the door, gently rousing Jiwoo from sleep.

 

She must have dozed off while putting Junghoo to bed.

 

Careful not to make a sound, Jiwoo checked to make sure Junghoo was fast asleep before quietly opening the door.

 

Stepping into the living room, she moved with caution, not wanting to wake him.

 

He usually went to bed around nine, but today he had spent a long time playing at the park with his grandfather. Exhausted, he had fallen asleep much earlier than usual.

 

Jiwoo, who had gone straight to put Junghoo to bed as soon as she got home, realized she hadn’t eaten dinner yet.

 

As she entered the living room, she saw her mother waiting for her, a meal prepared and set on the table.

 

“You must be hungry. Come eat.”