You Don't Know Me ➳ Taesan [COMPLETED]

Thirty-Seven

Silence echoed through the room as Jaehyun processed the revelation that Ms. Han, the woman he had thought was just Taesan's mother, was, in fact, his own mother as well. He struggled to find the right words to say. Ms. Han, sitting beside him, observed his internal turmoil but chose not to intrude upon his thoughts.

After a heavy pause, Jaehyun's voice emerged, laden with sadness and confusion. 'I don't even know you...you've been a stranger all this time.'

Ms. Han's eyes showed regret and sorrow. 'I made choices that affected both of you. Choices which I felt were for the best...but now I see that they may have hurt you.'

Without meeting her gaze, Jaehyun stood abruptly, a storm of emotions brewing within him. He couldn't bear his new found reality. As he stormed out of the house, the door slammed shut, leaving Ms. Han alone with the echoes of her secrets.

Jaehyun did not waste any time, taking big strides as he walked home. He knew he would find his father home, it was a Saturday afternoon, and he was ready to confront him.

Jaehyun's entrance into his home was met with the disapproving gaze of the maid, her words trailing after him like accusations. 'You're a bad child, causing trouble for your father!'

Ignoring her accusations, Jaehyun marched into the dining room, where the air was thick with tension and the acrid scent of alcohol. Mayor Myung sat there, an almost empty bottle of wine beside him, his features etched with anger. Drinking to the point of intoxication was not Mayor Myung's habit, and Jaehyun could tell that something was seriously bothering him.

'You better tell me everything.' Jaehyun's voice was firm, betraying the turmoil within. 'I need the whole truth.'

Mayor Myung, nursing the remnants of his alcohol-induced courage, shot back. 'You don't get to question me, Jaehyun.'

Anger surged through Jaehyun, fueling his determination. 'I deserve to know. What are you so afraid of?'

The room trembled with the intensity of their verbal exchange. Jaehyun pressed on, relentless in his pursuit. 'Tell me dad, I already know!'

His father's eyes flickered with discomfort, his attempts to evade becoming more apparent. 'Stay out of things you don't understand.' He paused for a moment. 'What were you doing in my room which you left a mess like that?'

'I was looking for answers...I found a photo in your room. A photo of Taesan and me when we were kids.'

The mayor's gaze wavered, caught off guard by the revelation. 'What else did you find in my room?'

Jaehyun decided to lie, just to ensure his father told him everything. 'Enough to make me question everything.'

Mayor Myung angrily sighed. 'Fine, fine.'

'If you won't tell me, I'll ask my mother. She lives down the street anyway, doesn't she dad?' he said as he sat next to him.

'Don't ask her anything!' he declared. 'She won't tell you the truth, only I can tell you the truth!'

'Then tell me!'

Mayor Myung took one more swig at the wine in the bottle, before he started to lay out everything.

...

16 years ago

In the small, dimly lit apartment, the young couple, Myung Haneul and Han Leehee, navigated through the challenges of their demanding days. Haneul, known as the town's plumber, returned home with the scent of grease clinging to him, a stark reminder of the blue-collar work that sustained their modest life. Leehee, a devoted mother, struggled to soothe the cries of her energetic twins, Jaehyun and Dongmin, who seemed to have boundless energy.