008 (1/1)

This isn’t an ideal location. But it also isn’t permanent. It’s just temporary. It’s just for now. Don’t worry, I’ll find another place soon. I’ll be fine, we’ll be fine. I’ve only paid for this room for the next week; I need to be out of here before that. I’m not sure that I can take cold-water showers for much longer than that, or the sounds due to extremely thin walls. But that’s exactly what I paid for. A quick google search of ‘cheap motels Seoul’ and here is where you end up. A few bags sit neatly stacked on top of each other leaning on the cream coloured wall. Those few bags are the only things I’ve decided that I’m bringing into the next part of my life – to wherever life may take me. I didn’t once ever think that my life would lead me here. But here I am, and on my own as well as being pregnant. But it’s okay. I’m okay. We’ll be okay. I’m not sure how my parents responded to me walking out of the house, again. I know, it’s irresponsible of me to do that. But I can’t do what they want me to do. This baby did not do anything wrong, and it’s not just my choice. It takes two to tango; I can’t just consider my own views. Whether they support me or not, I will have this child and it will be loved and cared for even if I make a few mistakes on the way. Have you ever had an activity or a hobby that you do to just escape from the rest of the world? Ever had one of those things where you can just be absorbed into it and not even realise that half the day has gone by? Well work is not one of those things. It’s Tuesday, and today I’m in the office. Today I’m surrounded by the talks of children, of babies, of families and of motherhood. 4 exact things that I didn’t want to hear, 4 things that I would prefer if they weren’t mentioned, at least not for now. There’s just too much to process. ‘Morning Kyung Mi, you’re going to be busy today,’ my manager, Sungwoon warns me, ‘Also, you’ve got a newbie following you today.’ He adds, nodding towards the guy standing beside him. ‘Choi Minki, this is Lee Kyung Mi. You’ll be tailing her around, so if you have any questions just ask her,’ Sungwoon directs, ‘Oh and before I forget, Social Worker Kang is at your desk, says he has a case for you. But don’t forget your appointments you have today,’ he states before briskly walking back to his office. ‘Choi Minki, it’s nice to meet you,’ I nod before walking my way towards my desk, dragging a computer desk chair from one of my co-workers desk with me. ‘It’s nice to meet you too,’ He nodded. He isn’t extremely tall, but definitely taller than I am. He’s extremely pale though, almost as if his skin would be translucent if you took a layer of it and held it up to the light. His eyes bulge though, looking like their full of questions but questions that never seem to be asked or answered. ‘’Ms Lee, how are you?’ Social worker Kang greets me from the seat across my desk. ‘I’m good thank you, how can I help you today?’ I ask him as I take my own seat, and indicate for Minki to sit in the chair I dragged beside me. ‘I have this case of a relatively new single father, he just needs a run down of acceptable food to feed a child. All he’s ever known is fast food and drinking, so he doesn’t know a thing about taking care of a child.’ Kang Dongho, the social worker, explains his case whilst handing me a file. A father. All on his own, raising his child. Must be tough for him. I wonder how he is handling it all. How am I going to handle it all? I guess we’re in similar situations. I’ve heard that once you have a child, they become your whole world. A world of drinking and partying? That’ll just change to warming up formula and changing diapers. ‘How many months the child?’ I ask Dongho as I begin making a new file on my computer. ‘Not quite sure on the months, but probably somewhere around 119 months old?’ Dongho awkwardly laughs, scratching the back of his neck. ‘The child isn’t a baby? The child is around 10-ish?’ I question with an eyebrow raised. I don’t normally work with cases with children of that age, I primarily deal with mothers and fathers of children aged 5 and younger. Maybe we don’t have similar situations at all. An almost teenager is completely different from a new-born baby. But the real question is who has it easier in the end? A father with a back chatting and showing signs of an attitude pre-adolescence? Or a mother with a crying newborn? Perhaps, I’ll have it easier? A baby may cry, but a baby won’t judge me for errors and my learning curve. ‘Just read the file and you’ll understand. So what time do you have to spin by there?’ Dongho says. ‘Well let’s see,’ I say opening up my schedule app on my phone, ‘It can’t be tomorrow as I’m not in the office tomorrow, and I have appointments booked up. How about next week Thursday, say around lunch time?’ I suggest. Please log in to read the full chapter