Chapter 91

Chapter 91: Chapter 91

She didn’t have time to get Hojoon back in the car before Kajong sped off.

“Why did you get out?”

“I just wanted to see you go in.”

“You don’t have to. I’m right in front of my villa.”

“Because I’m worried about you. I don’t want to worry about you all through the night after letting you go like this.”

“Oh… let me go in quickly and then… Ooops! Mom is inside.”

“Don’t worry about me. Just have a good time with your mother. Let’s talk tomorrow. I know you haven’t said something you want to say to me, right?”

She was at a loss for words at the moment. She told him that she would split up with him, and this man didn’t forget her words.

What should I do? He came to see me as soon as he returned from France. He showed me a very special city in Sejong. I just played with his mind.

At that moment, she saw a middle-aged woman walking down the stairs to the porch.

“Mom?”

Her mother was dressed in a cardigan and was in a cheerful mood as if she were a child thrilled about her travel the next day.

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

“Why did you come down…”

“While I was looking down from the veranda, I noticed a guest with you, so I was curious.”

“How do you do? My name is Hojoon Lee.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Arum’s mother. Are you by any chance Arum’s…”

“Well, I’m her boyfriend,” he said, acting audaciously while looking at her.

“Really? Please come on in and have tea.”

Arum blushed as she was caught dating, and she felt ashamed that Hojoon met her too sociable mother.

“Oh, mom. You should tell him to go back home as it’s too late.”

“How can I let a guest go back? Please come in,” she said, dragging him inside by the arm.

A little later she could understand why her mother took Hojoon inside the house.

There was a middle-aged man in the living room. She’d met him before at her mother’s house.

“Mom….”

Arum was speechless while looking at her.

“Sorry. I just suddenly…”

“What is this? You should have tipped me off in advance.”

Though she tried to say in a low voice, everybody in the house could hear it.

But she couldn’t express her anger to her mother like she used to because Hojoon and the middle-aged man were with her.

That was the reason her mother took Hojoon inside to create an atmosphere favorable to her. Hojoon was kind of a safety net that would stop Arum from hurling abusive words at her.

“Let’s go inside, Arum,” said Hojoon calmly and maturely.

“No, I don’t want to. Let’s leave.”

Arum turned around.

“Don’t act like a baby. You can’t solve the problem if you act like that,” said Hojoon, trying to persuade her.

“You haven’t heard your mother’s story, yet. Right?”

“I don’t want to hear it.”

Arum was sincere.

“Arum, I won’t repeat this kind of thing. Just sit down,” said her mother softly.

“See! Let’s come inside.”

Hojoon pulled her arm. She sat face to face with her mother against her will.

The middle-aged man politely introduced himself.

“I wanted to arrange a get-together last time, but we misunderstood each other.” He expressed regrets by bowing to her. “As I’m doing business in Japan, I didn’t have much time in Korea. Oh, my name is Mankuk Hong. I’m working in the field of R & D on biotechnology, and I’m running a small company.”

“How are you? My name is Arum Yang.”

“I’ve heard a lot about you from your mother. She said she had a very smart girl.”

Even at that moment, she cast a glance at her mother instead of Mankuk.

“Mom, did you call me late at night to tell me you’re getting married?”

Trying to sound out her intention, Arum asked her. She felt she needed to resolve herself firmly from now on.

“Arum, I’m going to Japan.”

“Travel?”

“No, immigration.”

“What the heck?”

“Arum, I’m sorry to tell you this.”

And then Mankuk held her mother’s hand tightly.

Grasping his hand, she patted him on the back with her other hand.

What is she doing now before her daughter?

Though Arum was dumbfounded at the scene, she felt they were considerate of each other.

“Why are you feeling sorry about her? Arum, I’ve already registered my marriage to him. And I made the sudden decision to go with him to Japan.”

“Mom.”

Though she was fully ready for her mother’s bombshell announcement, she felt resentful towards her mother.

“I know how angry you are, but I …” At that moment she saw her mother’s tears. “The doctor says I have stomach cancer.”

Cancer? Arum couldn’t figure out the situation around her. Registering marriage? The decision to immigrate? And then cancer?

“Fortunately, the doctor says I’m in the early stages of stomach cancer.”

“You should get treatment, mom. Where are you going?”

“Of course. That’s why I made a sudden decision to go to Japan. I want to be taken care of by someone that I love. I want to lean on him.”

Arum couldn’t reply at that. She suddenly felt she couldn’t do anything for her.

“I know how much I owe to this man,” her mother said.

Mankuk Hong waved his hands and said, “No, don’t talk about it. Arum might misunderstand me. I think she is going through this kind of trial as she and I met late like this and loved each other. I’m not worried about her health because she is fortunately in the early stages. As my eldest son is a doctor in Tokyo, don’t worry about your mother. Though you will have a hard time as your mother is away from you, you have to stick it out. The only person she is worried about is you, Arum.”

“Mom, why didn’t you tell me you’re sick?”

“I didn’t know it, either. I’m serious.”

“Are you alright?”

“I think I can overcome it.”

Arum couldn’t believe her ears as her mother said with a bright smile.

Her mother presented a bankbook to her.

“This is for you, Arum. I sold my house. Though I can’t give you more, just use the money when you get married. Japan is not far from Korea, but it’s outside Korea.”

“Well, Japan is really close to Korea geographically. If you want to see your mother, just call me anytime. Let me send you a plane ticket. As I have only two sons, I wish I had a girl. I hope you can be a part of my family gradually.”

Arum nodded quietly, “…..Thank you.”

She didn’t know that her mother had stomach cancer, but she harassed her mother anyway. Could there be another unfilial daughter like her?

“Sorry. I didn’t tell you about my sickness. I didn’t want you to worry, and he really treated me well.”

“Good for you, mom. If I had known about your sickness, I wouldn’t have worked and moved around comfortably. I’m glad you met a good man, mom.”

“As I’m in the very early stages, the doctor says I don’t have to worry about it at all.”

“I’ve made the decision to take her to Japan because it will be hard for you to take care of her here in Korea. I’m sorry I made the decision without consulting with you first.”

“Thank you.”

Arum couldn’t say any other words than that.

“I have a checkup schedule tomorrow morning, so I have to take the morning flight. That’s why I had to tell you today.”

“Mom…”

“I won’t tell you to use this money sparingly because I can’t take care of you. Just use it when you need it. Let me give you the money in advance, just in case.”

But Arum gave the bankbook back to her and said, “You need the money for your living expenses.”

She pushed it back to Arum and said, “Gosh, just accept it. Do you think my house was the only property I own? Don’t worry about it. I’m running late now, so we’ll head to the airport now.”

“Sure,” Mankuk said.

“Arum, let me call you when I arrive in Japan.”

Her mother and Mankuk stood up.

Arum could not let her mother leave like that. Though she wanted to give her something, she couldn’t think of a proper gift.

She was always used to receiving something from her.

Ah!

She suddenly thought of the Eye of Horus she was wearing. She took it off and put it around her mother’s neck.

“Mom, this is the Eye of Horus. Hojoon’s father gave it to me. It’s a patron necklace. It’s my gift to you to celebrate your wedding.”

Standing beside her, Hojoon explained, “If you keep it, you will recover quickly.”

Looking at the necklace, she smiled softly, “Thanks. This eye is beautiful and looks just like your eyes.”