Page 88 of Perfect Happiness
“Auntie, it’s me—Jiyoo.”
This time, Jiyoo’s voice was even quieter.
“Yes, I know.”
Jane wanted to bite her tongue.Was that all she could say?Yes, I know?Couldn’t she think of something more affectionate to say?Even something as simple as “Hi, Jiyoo” would have been better.
“Auntie, are you busy today?”
Not surprisingly, Jiyoo was being considerate of people who weren’t even around.Jane needed to act more enthusiastic to let Jiyoo know she wasn’t bothering her.
“Not at all!It’s Saturday, after all.I don’t have anything to do.I was so bored and sleepy that I’ve been just twiddling my thumbs all morning.”
Jane could hear a quiet giggle over the receiver.This shy laughter immediately put a smile on Jane’s face.
“Jiyoo, does this mean you kept Auntie’s business card?”
“Actually, I tore it up into really tiny pieces and threw it away.I memorized your phone number.”
“Really?”Jane asked in genuine surprise.
“Really!I can show you—”
Jiyoo carefully recited each digit of Jane’s phone number.Jane’s lips pursed as the smile on her face turned bittersweet.Jane knew Jiyoo had done this to hide the card from Yuna.
“Is that right?”Jiyoo asked after she said the last digit.
Jane’s facial expression changed again as a chuckle escaped her lips.If it was wrong, would you be talking on the phone with me right now?
“I practiced five times before tearing it up.I wrote the number on a piece of paper without looking at the card.But don’t worry.I wrote it down—somewhere only I can find it.”
Jiyoo’s characteristically careful explanation made Jane chuckle one more time.
“But Auntie ...I’m really sorry.”
Caught off guard by this apology, Jane stopped laughing.
“What for?”
“I didn’t take the art set you bought for me.Mother wouldn’t—”
Jiyoo stopped mid-sentence as though she had just remembered something.Jane didn’t ask her what she was going to say.She knew that Yuna forbade Jiyoo from taking the art set because Jane had bought it for her.
“It’s okay.You can always play with it the next time you come over.”
“Auntie, I might never go back there.”
The remaining smile on Jane’s lips evaporated.
“Is that what your mother said?”
“Yes.”She sounded sad.
“Jiyoo, you don’t like being at that house, do you?”
“No?It’s not that.”Jiyoo’s voice perked up again.“It’s just that I’m scared at night.I have to sleep alone.”
“But you’re alone when you sleep here, too.”
