Pay With Your Heart

517 Ji-Tae’s Child.

Curious looks were shared amongst the small crowd of close-knit friends and family when Dan-Han said he had something to say.

There were many speculations about his announcement being the date of his wedding, but only a few knew what he actually wanted to say.

“Dan-Han, can you tell what it is already? We’d love to go back to the hospital to see Ji-Tae before heading home.” His aunt impatiently said when it seemed Dan-Han was hesitating, and he turned towards her.

“Aunt, what I want to say involves Ji-Tae, so I believe you’ll have to hold back on that plan of yours a little longer.”

His aunt shared a worried look with her husband before glancing back at Dan-Han. “Why? Is something wrong? Did something happen to Ji-Tae?” She questioned, already rising to her feet.

Dan-Han observed the worried look that flamed in her eyes and he clearly understood her anxiety. He shook his head to reassure her that nothing of what she was imagining had happened to her son.

“Ji-Tae is fine. As a matter of fact, he’s more than fine.” He assured her, but she anxiously studied his face once more before lowering herself to her seat at the dinning table with a faint sigh of relief.

They just had a meal, and she didn’t have space to stomach any bad news.

The past few weeks has been horrible for her, because each day, she’s reminded of the possibility of losing her son any day now. Losing her child, who she had carried in her for nine months and had raised for twenty-six years wasn’t something she wanted to accept.

.....

Ji-Tae might not be a good son, but he was still her son. And bad as any child could be, no mother would want to lose one, even one as horrible as Ji-Tae.

“Honey, stop being anxious.” Her husband said as he gently rubbed her back. She has been anxious in the past weeks and he had tried all he could to keep her calm, but nothing seemed to be working.

“Firstly, I’d like to introduce you all to someone special.” Dan-Han said and gestured his chin towards A-Yeong and her daughter, who had earlier made an appearance at the party and had been introduced as Hei-Ran’s cousin.

All eyes darted to A-Yeong, who suddenly felt conscious under everyone’s gaze. She was sure everyone thought her to be the special person, but it was her daughter.

Feeling her discomfort, Hei-Ran gave her hand a little squeeze underneath the table.

“Come here, Hee-young.” Dan-Han beckoned to the little who raised her big round eyes to him. She looked around the eyes that were now staring at her and at her mother, and she shrivelled to her mother’s side.

Sensing her fear A-Yeong smiled at her and kissed her cheek. “You remember uncle, right?” She asked and the little girl shyly nodded. “Then go to him.” She said.

Hee-young was still reluctant, but seeing the friendly smile Dan-Han flashed at her and remembering his face, she eased off her seat and walked over to Dan-Han.

Dan-Han fondly smiled at her as he picked her into his arms. Curious and confused looks darted around the room as they watched Dan-Han.

Dan-Han could tell their thoughts from the suspicious look in their eyes and he sighed. He glanced at Hee-young, who was shyly not looking around. She had her eyes staring into space, and he ran his hand along her hair.

“This is Su Hee-young, and she is Ji-Tae’s child.” He announced.

A dead silence pierced through the room that same moment and it lasted for ten minutes, if he counted correctly.

“What do you mean Ji-Tae’s child?” His uncle dumbfoundedly asked with a confused frown.

“I mean Ji-Tae has a daughter.” Dan-Han casually replied and a gasp echoed across the table.

Everyone except for the already knowing party wore looks of deep shock and surprise. Surprise to know Ji-Tae had a child who looked six to seven years old.

They all looked at the girl, who suddenly put her arm around Dan-Han’s neck and hid her face on his shoulder, clearly afraid of all their accessing gazes.

They darted their gazes to A-Yeong, as there was no doubt the she was the mother. After all, she and the child had been introduced with the ‘Su’ name.

“How is this....How did this happen?” Ji-Tae’s mother desperately questioned, before her husband could ask that same question. She looked at A-Yeong and then to Dan-Han.

Dan-Han effected a casual shrug. “We all know the kind of person Ji-Tae is. He doesn’t take responsibilities for his actions.” He said, and that told them all that needed to be said.

“My God! Ji-Tae will not be the death of me.” She deeply gasped, and her husband put his hand around her. He turned to A-Yeong.

“How old is she?”

“six.”

“Six?” He repeated with incredulity as he snapped his head to face Dan-Han. “And you’ve known all these years?”

“No.” Dan-Han sharply replied, and the man narrowed his eyes at him. They all knew Dan-Han and how nothing in the family ever escapes his notice.

And seeing his uncle’s suspicious gaze on him, Dan-Han thought it necessary to give an explanation. “I only recently found out, and I helped bring her back from Ji-Tae was keeping her. It’s barely two months.” Dan-Han explained, and his uncle glanced at A-Yeong who affirmed his words with a nod.

“President Lee only knew recently, and he helped with the adoption—”

“An adoption! Why was there an adoption?” Ji-Tae’s mother interjected, completely taken by surprise with her words.

Dan-Han sighed. “Can we talk about the details later?”

“No, we can’t!” His aunt snapped. “You just told us we have a grandchild, and you think I’ll be able to bear the anxiety?” No, she can’t!

“Tell me the truth!” She demanded.

Dan-Han sighed under his breath as he was suddenly becoming regretful with his decision to tell them about it now.

But he had thought since it was a happy occasion for the family, something they haven’t had in a long while, he had wanted everyone in the family to participate in it, old and new members except Ji-Tae. And to also bring what he has being hiding from them to light especially Ji-Tae’s faux diagnosis.

He had seen how that has been affecting his uncle and Aunt, and even Ni-Na, even though she tries to pretend.

Seeing there was nothing else to do, he looked at A-Yeong for permission, which she granted and he narrated all that had transpired between Ji-Tae and the mother of his child and how the child had suffered at her father’s hand.

Ji-Tae’s father turned murderous half way into the story and he felt like killing Ji-Tae with his own two hands.

“That bastard better dies else I’ll kill him myself!” He roared, while his brother, Ji-Sun, scoffed with disbelief.

“That boy is the bane of this family.”

Dan-Han’s aunt was shocked beyond words and she didn’t know what to say. She was bitten with shame for raising such an evil child and she didn’t even know how to look at A-Yeong or her own granddaughter.

“Ji-Tae is no child of mine.” She muttered in tears, and Ni-Na patted her back.

“Mom, don’t cry.” Ni-Na comforted her, but she stubbornly shook her head.

Ni-Na looked at her father, who was also angered beyond words, and he also tried to comfort his wife, but all to no avail.

“That boy can not be child.” She cried even more. Who had she offended to have such a son keen on causing troubles and hurting people, even to his own child! No! Ji-Tae could never be her child!

Ni-Na looked at Dan-Han with worry, and Eun-Sun nudged him to take the child to them. She looked at A-Yeong for permission, and they shared a look of understanding.

A-Yeong rose from her seat and walked round the table towards Dan-Han. He handed the girl over to her and A-Yeong slowly led her towards the old couple.

Seeing them approaching Ji-Tae’s parents slowly rose to their feet. Their teary eyes zeroed on the little girl.

A-Yeong smiled at her daughter. “Baby, meet your other grandma and grandpa. Say good evening.” She told her and the little girl skeptically looked at the couple.

Her mother had earlier told her they were going to see the nice uncle who helped them and also her other grandparents, but she didn’t know them.

She silently looked at them, nevertheless, after a while she bowed and greeted. “Good evening, grandpa. Good evening, grandma.” Her tiny voice came through, and stirred up tears in the eyes of the old couple as they looked at the little girl.

Looking at her so closely, one could see she Ji-Tae’s features. Her lips were delineated like his, and her eyes were almost like his.

“My little girl, I’m so sorry.” Ni-Na’s mother burst out in tears, as she touched the girl’s cheek.

Hee-Young looked at her mother worriedly, when her supposed new grandma started crying, and A-Yeong smiled to ease her heart.

Dan-Han passed her an handkerchief to Hee-Young, who in turn stretched it over to her grandma.

Ni-Na’s mother felt like her heart could burst in an instant, but instead of receiving the handkerchief stretched out to her, she crouched down and hugged the girl as more tears flowed from her eyes.

She pulled her husband by the hand and he also lovingly patted the girl’s head. He didn’t cry, but a torrent of emotions could be seen swirling in his eyes.

They hugged the little girl for quite some time till they reluctantly let go. Their eyes held pity, regret and shame as they held the girl. All she had endured at such a young was because they failed to raise a good person out of their son.

Ni-Na’s mother looked to her brother-in-law and beckoned to him. “Brother-In-law, come see our granddaughter.” She said, and Ji-Sun rose from the head of the table where he was seated and sauntered over.

He let out an easy smile to the girl. “Welcome home, child.” He touched her fluffy cheeks, while she raised her big brown eyes to him.

Ni-Na’s mother took A-Yeong’s hand in hers. “I’m so ashamed. I don’t know what to say.” She said in tears.

“Then say nothing.” A-Yeong placed her free hand on top of the woman’s warm ones. “There are no need for apologies. No one can be blamed for Ji-Tae’s actions.”

“But I’m his mother. I should have raised him better.”

“I’m sure you did. Ji-Tae made his choices and that’s on him, not you.” She told her. “And I’m angry at anyone of you, because if it wasn’t for president Lee, we wouldn’t be here.”

Ni-Na’s mother didn’t know what else to say, and she could only pull A-Yeong in for a hug.

She was sad yet grateful.

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