Page 51 of Perfect Happiness

“If you keep acting on your own, I won’t be able to help you. Don’t you think so?”

Eun-ho’s intuition was right. She was threatening him, telling him that whatever it was that he knew, he should forget it. If he didn’t, she would make sure he was convicted as a child murderer.

“Yuna.”

Eun-ho looked Wife in the eye. He tried his hardest not to show any emotion on his face. He had to be calm and emotionless for his words to have an effect.

“I want a divorce.”

Wife tilted her head to the side. She wrinkled the skin between her brow, as if she didn’t think this was funny. He looked her straight in the eye and spoke clearly, so there would be no chance of her mishearing him:

“I’ll leave the house. Tomorrow morning.”

*

Dad Puppet had magical powers. When Jiyoo was asleep, he protected her from nightmares. And when she was awake, he gave her the strength to endure anything.

Jiyoo woke up several times throughout the night, and when she opened her eyes, she was immediately in pain.

Lying in bed, she would confide in Dad Puppet.

She told him about what she did wrong, the disappointment in herself for getting caught, her regret and sadness about losing Mother’s trust, her suspicions about Mother and the guilt she felt for doubting her, and the fear about her impending punishment.

As she talked, the pain in her chest subsided and she was able to fall asleep again. When day broke, Jiyoo was well enough to stand up. She also had the courage to summon Mischievous Mouse. She was ready to figure out who could help her.

Not Stepfather. As far as Jiyoo saw it, Stepfather had no interest in her.

He said hi to her like he would say hi to a random child on the street.

He only helped her last night because he pitied her.

Mother had knocked Jiyoo unconscious and given her a bloody nose.

Anyone would have stepped in like he did. Anyone.

What about Auntie? Would she be any different?

Would Auntie come running if she knew Jiyoo was in trouble?

Would she look after Jiyoo until Mother decided to forgive her or Grandma came back from Russia?

That’s what she did last time Jiyoo was sick.

She nursed Jiyoo back to health and stayed by her side at the hospital when Mother wasn’t around.

She even called Jiyoo affectionate names and hugged her when she was having bad dreams.

Jiyoo pulled her sheets over her head as she thought hard about how she could talk to Auntie without Mother knowing. But she couldn’t think of anything. At least, not until Stepfather knocked on her bedroom door.

“Jiyoo, are you up?”

Even if Jiyoo hadn’t heard his voice, she would have known it was him because Mother didn’t knock before coming in. Mother always said that she had the right, not just to enter Jiyoo’s room, but to have access to Jiyoo’s thoughts. She could decide what Jiyoo thought and how she acted.

When Jiyoo asked why, Mother said, “Because you belong to me.” As soon as Jiyoo protested with a “But—”, Mother posed a question to Jiyoo: “When an artist paints, does the painting belong to the painter or the painting?” Finally, Jiyoo understood. She was a painting.

“Jiyoo, are you still asleep?”

Jiyoo stuck her head out from the sheets and answered, “No.”

As usual, Stepfather didn’t come into Jiyoo’s room. He just stood outside the door and delivered his message.

“Come down for breakfast.”

“Yes,” Jiyoo said as she got up. She quickly made her bed and changed out of her pajamas. She did this twice as fast as she normally did. Mother would be downstairs, and Jiyoo didn’t want to make her wait.

But Mother wasn’t in the kitchen. Stepfather was sitting by himself at the kitchen table and drinking coffee.

“Good morning,” Jiyoo said as she brought her hands together in front of her stomach and bowed to Stepfather.

“Did you sleep well?” he asked. The look on his face was unfamiliar. Even though he wasn’t smiling, there was this kindness in his eyes. His tone was uncomfortable, but not cold or unfeeling.

“Yes.” Jiyoo hesitated for a moment. “Where’s Mother?”

“She had something to take care of. She’ll be back around lunchtime.”

Jiyoo nodded in excitement. It seemed her punishment had been delayed a few more hours.

Suddenly, Jiyoo realized she might be able to call Auntie.

But she immediately abandoned this idea.

Mother would be checking the call history from now on.

But perhaps she could ask Stepfather if she could borrow his cellphone.

“Well, don’t just stand there. Sit.”

Stepfather motioned to the seat across from him with his eyes.

On the table was an omelet, cereal, yogurt, orange juice, bananas, toast, strawberry jam, and honey.

It was enough to feed all the kids in the neighborhood.

Surely he wasn’t expecting Jiyoo to eat all this.

Jiyoo stared at Stepfather in disbelief.

“I didn’t know what you liked.” He forced a toothy smile. “Just pick out what you want. I’ll eat what you don’t.”

Stepfather didn’t say anything more. He didn’t even ask about last night’s incident. He just took notes on a piece of paper as he finished two cups of coffee.

Jiyoo could feel herself relaxing. She was relaxing so quickly that she was surprised. Before long, she even felt comfortable, at ease. The cellphone placed next to the cup of coffee kept grabbing her attention. Courage was forming in the back of her mind—courage out of desperation.

“Excuse me—”

Stepfather looked up from the document. Jiyoo practiced a few times in her head before speaking.

“Can I ask you something?”

Stepfather put the papers down on the table and looked at Jiyoo eagerly.

“May I use your phone?”

For a moment, Stepfather looked like he was thinking.

“You mean my cellphone?”

“Yes.”

Jiyoo could feel her voice retreating back into her throat. She wanted to take back what she had just said.

Stepfather opened his phone and handed it to Jiyoo. The phone was already unlocked.

“Can I go to the bathroom to make a phone call?”

“You can do it here.” Stepfather got up from his chair. “I needed to go to the bathroom anyway.”

Stepfather didn’t ask whom she was calling or why. He picked up the papers he had been looking at and disappeared. Before the screen turned off, Jiyoo found Auntie Jane’s number and pressed it. She could hear the ring tone. Once, twice, three times.

Auntie didn’t pick up. Jiyoo got an automated message telling her Auntie’s phone was turned off.

Jiyoo hung up the phone and called again.

She could feel her strength draining. No, that wasn’t the right expression.

Auntie Jane had taught her that for a situation like this, the correct word was “hope.” She was losing hope.

But why did Auntie turn off her phone? She said she would keep it on. Always.

Jiyoo tried ten more times. She put down the phone just as Stepfather came back.

“Done?”

“Yes.”

Jiyoo wanted to thank him but couldn’t. Her throat was tight and she wanted to cry.

Jiyoo dropped her head and stuck a piece of toast in her mouth.

She was afraid that she would really start crying if she made eye contact with Stepfather.

But the toast got stuck in her throat, making her gag.

Jiyoo reached for the juice and drank the whole glass.

“Are you all right?” Stepfather asked as she put down the glass.

“Yes, I’m all right.”

And she really was. Her throat already felt better. The desire to cry that had been working its way up her throat disappeared with the toast.

“You don’t have to eat if you don’t want to,” Stepfather said as he sat down. His brow was furrowed, but he didn’t seem angry. He just looked concerned. Jiyoo shook her head.

“Are you going out?”

“No, I’m going to wait here until your mother comes home. Why?”

“Nothing. Can I go up to my room?”

Stepfather gave her permission to. But Jiyoo didn’t get up from her seat. She needed to ask him another favor.

“Do you have something you want to say?”

Jiyoo was thankful that he asked. That gave her the courage she needed to speak.

“Can I ask something? Will you keep it a secret that you gave me your phone?”

“From your Mother, you mean?” Stepfather said, filling in the part that Jiyoo wanted to keep implicit. Jiyoo nodded.

“I have something to ask of you, too. May I?”

Auntie had told Jiyoo that nothing was free.

If she received something, she had to pay it back.

She told Jiyoo that if she didn’t want to pay people back, she shouldn’t ask for favors in the first place.

As Jiyoo had already asked Stepfather for two favors, it was only right that she do him one.

But Jiyoo was nervous that he would ask her a question that would be hard for her to answer.

“What is it?” she asked.

“The week before last, you were with Mother from Tuesday to Saturday.”

Jiyoo’s heart was beating faster and faster. She knew what he was about to ask.

“Where did you two go?”

This wasn’t just hard for her to answer, this was impossible for her to answer. Her chest was becoming tight, just like earlier when she choked on the piece of toast. Jiyoo decided to use the white lie she had used before.

“Home.”

But this time, Stepfather wasn’t going to let it go. He demanded her to be more specific.

“Which home?”

Jiyoo needed to keep Mother’s secret, but she didn’t want to lie.

“Can’t you ask Mother?”

Stepfather stared at Jiyoo in silence. Jiyoo averted his eyes by looking downward. It felt like minutes passed before he answered:

“Okay.”

Jiyoo wanted to go back upstairs as soon as possible.

“Can I go now?”

Stepfather gave her the same answer from earlier. “Okay.”

Jiyoo stood up from her chair. She bent at the waist and bowed to him.

“Thank you for the meal.”

“Jiyoo—”

He called out to Jiyoo but didn’t continue. He sat up straight in his chair and took a deep breath.

“Never mind. Forget it.”