I’d Rather Live as a Villain - I’d Rather Live as a Villain chapter 55

55 Then give it back

Daeyoung Hotel Sogong Branch.

The hotel’s general manager, along with the shift manager of the Haewoorum establishment, were waiting outside the hotel lobby.

As I pulled up and helped my mother out of the car, an employee from the back office approached me to take the car keys, as there was no valet service available.

My mother, dressed in a suit, received bows from the hoteliers, who were bending at the waist towards her and my wife, who was arm-in-arm with her. She greeted them back with a bewildered expression and a bow of her own.

“I thought Manager Roh was coming with you, so I called to ask where you were, but it turns out it’s his day off.”

The general manager, standing close to my wife’s left side, began the formalities.

Because of that, I had no choice but to walk on my mother’s right side.

“It’s Sunday, after all. Manager Roh deserves a break too.”

After pressing the elevator button, the general manager spoke again.

“There’s some alcohol prepared in advance…”

“That’s alright. We’ve planned to have chicken and beer at home this evening. My husband has to drive, too.”

The elevator doors opened, and the general manager entered first.

He pressed the button for the third floor where the sunrise was visible, holding the elevator door open with his hand until his mother, wife, and I got on.

Then the general manager and the manager of the establishment stepped into the elevator.

We were led to a room with a panoramic view of Seoul, where spring was just beginning, starting from the Namsan Tower in the distance.

It was just when the prepared meals began to spread across the table.

“Honey.”

Honey…

Even as she called out, the term seemed incredibly awkward for her.

“Yes, what is it?”

“After we eat, let’s take mom shopping with us.”

“Shopping? What shopping?”

“It’s spring. Let’s get mom some bright spring clothes.”

At that, mom waved her hands dismissively, calling it unnecessary talk.

But we couldn’t refuse the proposal after what my wife said next.

“Mom. I…”

I couldn’t find a dimple on her smiling face, no matter how closely I looked.

“Ever since my mother passed away when I was in middle school, I’ve never once gone shopping with an adult woman.”

Fiddling meaninglessly with the brass spoon and chopsticks that had been set in advance, my wife continued.

“It was always friends or my uncle. After marrying this man, I started to feel like a real adult. I often thought, if my mother were alive, I’d like to hold hands with her and shop at the department store, picking out clothes for her just like she used to do for me.”

“…”

“I work in department store-related business, too. Browsing through department stores was part of my job. Every time I saw mothers and daughters shopping together, I envied how wonderful it looked. Could you let me have that experience today? This man will just follow us around and be our porter for today, and just for today, be my mother instead of him.”

* * *

For the first time since my father passed away, perhaps the happiest I’ve ever seen my mother was on that day.

A shopping trip that lasted a whopping five hours.

I had no strength left to walk.

Despite the department store staff offering to store our shopping bags, my wife insisted that we should enjoy the full experience of shopping as guests for the day, so I had no choice but to keep carrying the bags and follow the two of them.

Even after we returned home, my wife asked mom to try on the clothes we bought from the department store again.

“Just once, mom. There’s a world of difference between fitting clothes in a department store and trying them on again at home. The lighting there is designed to make everything look beautiful.”

“I’m tired…”

“Just once, please.”

Despite mom’s claims of tiredness, her face betrayed no sign of it.

Every time Mom tried on a new outfit she bought from the department store during the day, my wife would go into her dressing room, bring out a matching scarf, and drape it around Mom’s neck, proceeding with her own version of styling.

Meanwhile, I couldn’t bear my growing hunger and had to order chicken and beer.

The delivery of chicken and draft beer arrived just as my wife’s styling game was winding down.

We were eating together on the living room sofa with the TV on when Mom cautiously opened her mouth.

“I’m going to stop running the store.”

My wife and I, seemingly understanding the reason all too well, held our breath and just watched Mom’s face.

But Mom looked at us alternately, as if nothing was wrong.

“I’ve done it for a long time. Twenty years is enough to get tired of it. After all, you don’t run a business for fun.”

“……”

“I’ve raised my son and sent him off to marriage. I’ve gained a capable daughter-in-law. With the store sorted out and everything else, I have enough saved up for my retirement, so you two don’t worry.”

“Why so suddenly…… did you?”

“What do you mean suddenly? I’ve been thinking about it even before your wedding. Fortunately, the location is good, or maybe because I’ve been there for so long, I even get a premium? They asked if they could use the sign as is. So, I brought up the premium out of curiosity, and they offered 2,000.”

After checking our expressions again, Mom said.

“How come I don’t hear a word of thanks or congratulations from my son and daughter-in-law, now that I can finally stop the business?”

“It’s all because of us……”

At my wife’s guilt, Mom firmly shook her head.

“I want to go see the flowers.”

“……?”

“When it’s spring, flower viewing; when it’s autumn, foliage viewing. I want to live like that from now on.”

She had sacrificed her whole life for her son.

Her words conveyed to me a resonance, a sense of apology, and gratitude, as if a heavy rock was being lifted from my shoulders.

“I want to follow classes offered by community centers or district offices, learn swimming, computers, dancing… I want to do those things, and hang out with friends I couldn’t meet because I was tied to the store.”

“……”

“Do you think I couldn’t do those things because I didn’t have money? It was because I was tied to the store and couldn’t afford to take a day off.”

She also shared the honest reason.

“People come by every day asking if this is the right house. One day, someone who seemed to be doing a personal broadcast came with a camera, asking if they could film. I thought they wanted to do one of those eating shows people do these days, so I let them. But then they start saying on camera that this store is run by someone’s mother-in-law… I broke out in a cold sweat. I told them to turn off the camera quickly, I won’t take their money, just leave…”

And then she laughed again.

“At my age, there’s no reason for me to stress over such things, to live with that stress. Moon Jung-ah. My daughter.”

“……Yes.”

“Mom’s fine. In fact, I’m more than fine. Seeing you two getting along so well in this lovely home, without fighting, makes me feel like I could go a whole day without eating and still feel full. I only planned to keep it up until you finished college, maybe until you got a job… but I ended up doing it until now. I’m so grateful to you both for letting me quit a job I didn’t want to do. So, both of you, stop worrying about unnecessary things.”

After tidying up and getting into bed, my wife said,

“Your mother was saying.”

“Yes?”

“I’ve always just listened to you and naturally thought you’d be like your father. But seeing you today, you’re the spitting image of your mother.”

“Me?”

“Yes. The way you can’t stand to lose face, your neatness. I wondered how you could be so splendid, and it turns out it’s because of your mother. I’m really envious of you today.”

“There’s a lot to be envious of.”

“It makes me think… this is what family is. Always being cautious, fretting about not making mistakes, worrying if my share is slipping away, being tense and on guard. That’s how the family I lived with was. There always had to be a reason. I had to prove myself, make promises. Only then could I receive anything. But seeing you and your mother, who understand everything by heart without needing reasons or explanations, I feel envious.”

“Only say such things in front of me. If you say them elsewhere, you’ll get scolded.”

Nestled in my arms, my wife asked,

“How about buying a small commercial building in Daejeon?”

“A commercial building?”

“Yeah, buying a decent commercial building that doesn’t have vacancies often and planning to use the rent for your mother’s living expenses seems like a good idea.”

“Mom has money. And it’s better to give her a steady allowance each month than to do that.”

“I don’t think she’d accept that, given her personality.”

“And are commercial buildings free?”

“You have a lot of money. The 500 million I gave you. You haven’t even touched it, right?”

“I’ve come to realize what that money meant to you. Now I can’t just spend it carelessly.”

With that, my wife smiled at me, dimples forming on her cheeks.

“Then give it back.”

So I quickly turned my back to her and lay down.

“Ugh, morning exercise is not for humans. These days, even on my days off, I get sleepy by 10 o’clock.”

“Hehehe…”

“Turn off the light, over there. I’m going to sleep.”

From noble mtl dot nete

“You won’t lie down properly?”

“If we’re going to keep having awkward conversations like this, let’s just sleep like this tonight.”

* * *

As usual, Chief Roh arrived at the time I usually leave for work.

The day before, I had called Chief Roh myself, asking if he could take my mother to Daejeon.

“Help me carry this, will you?”

After handing over the shopping bags filled with clothes and shoes my wife had almost swept up from the department store the day before to Manager Roh, I headed back to the car trunk with an equal number of shopping bags.

“I’m sorry to ask you for a personal favor.”

“Don’t mention it, Executive Director. You know better than anyone how grateful I am for today’s schedule.”

“Please take good care of it.”

“Yes, I will ensure utmost safety.”

I walked towards my mother, who was leaving the house with my wife.

“I’ll come down to visit soon.”

“That’s alright. Don’t go out of your way. Just call me, a call is enough.”

“Understood. Please get in.”

After sending my mother off first, I then took my wife to the distribution headquarters and went to work.

9:50 AM.

I waited another ten minutes until 10:00 AM, then, feeling it was a good time to visit, I called the president’s office.

President Min’s personal secretary answered the phone.

“It’s the European Division Director.”

― Yes, Director.

“Is the president in?”

― Yes, he arrived at work an hour ago.

“Is he in a meeting right now?”

― No, there are no meetings scheduled this morning.

“Then, could you please check if he can spare some time for me now?”

― Yes, I will check right away.

Director Jang Ki-won.

I wanted to discuss his story with the president.

The continuous poor performance of the China division.

It’s a fact that Director Jang sits in a position that cannot be free from responsibility.

But it’s regrettable.

Regrettable is my personal emotion.

It’s a pity.

Even from the company’s objective standpoint, it’s clear that Director Jang Ki-won is too valuable to end his career in such a manner.

― Director.

“Yes, I’m listening.”

― The president says he’s available now.

“Really? Then, please tell him I’ll come right away.”

― Yes, understood.