Se-yeon Lee, an employee at an architectural office.
Today she felt very bad. She stayed up drinking with her friends last night, and that made her late. She was asked by the manager how many times she had already been late and yelled at her to quit the company if she was going to do this.
What an uproar for only being an hour late.
While everyone went to lunch, she headed towards the department store.
There is nothing like shopping to improve your mood. She thought she would feel better if she bought something.
As she entered the department store, French luxury stores such as Chanel, Prada, and Louis Vuitton were lined up in the front store on the first floor.
She felt like going in there, picking up a bag and paying to show off...
But her card limit would not allow that. The amount already spent through cash advance and revolving is already 8 million won.
The remaining limit was less than 1 million won. She had to shop wisely there.
Se-yeon Lee headed to the MPM store, which sells mid- to low-priced luxury goods, as usual. This is already her fifth visit this month alone. Thanks to this, she was already treated as a regular at the store.
She was already in a better mood while thinking about shopping and being treated well by the store manager and staff.
On the way to the entrance of the MPM store, someone spilled coffee on the floor and it was a mess. The janitor was mopping hard and cleaning up.
She was just passing by without paying attention, but the rag lightly touched her shoe.
She had bought these shoes with great enthusiasm because they were on sale a few days ago. However, the shoes were soiled by the mop that was used to wipe the floor.
Lee Se-yeon was angry and shouted.
"Madame! "What are you doing now?"
The cleaner lowered her head.
"oh! "Sorry, ma."
"Is that all you're sorry about? "Do you know what kind of shoes these are?"
"I'll clean it for you."
The janitor took out a handkerchief from her pocket and bent down as if she wanted to clean the shoes herself.
"Where are you getting dirty rag from? "Get your hands off me right now?"
"S-sorry."
As the commotion grew, a young woman in a suit came running out. Her clothes had a name tag that read 'Manager Woo Mi-ran'.
"What's going on, ma?"
Se-yeon Lee said with tears in her eyes.
"Can't you tell seeing this? This woman stained my shoes with a rag. "What are you going to do now?"
The cleaner folded her hands and lowered her head.
"Sorry, ma. sorry."
"Is this the attitude of an apologetic person? "Even if you kneel down and beg, it won't be enough."
The manager said while looking at the cleaner.
"What are you doing, ma'am? "If you made a mistake, get down on your knees and apologize to the customer."
"Yes, yes?"
The middle-aged janitor looked around with a frightened expression. But there was no one here on her side.
"Do you know how much these shoes cost? "Are you going to ask the lady?"
We are in a situation where we earn from day to day and live day to day.
There was no way you could afford such expensive shoes. If you could quietly move on by kneeling and begging,you should have done so.
The janitor tried to kneel.
But at that moment.
widely!
Someone grabbed her shoulder.
* * *
The cleaner looked at me with a surprised expression.
"How did you get here...?"
As I stepped forward, the young woman looked at me and asked nervously:
"Why are you interfering!?"
"I'm her son."
"What?"
I said, glaring at the woman.
"This is my mother."
"······."
She closed her mouth at my words. She probably didn't know that the janitor's son would show up in this situation.
The moment I entered the department store, a woman who appeared to be in her early 20s started screaming at the end of the luxury store, and in front of her, I saw a woman dressed as a cleaner repeatedly bowing her head.
At first, I just tried to walk pass. But the moment i heard the janitor's voice, my feet automatically stopped. Because it was my mother's voice.
I saw my mother dressed as a janitor. My mother slightly avoided my gaze.
I once came to this department store with my parents. It was probably my mother's birthday. We ate at an underground restaurant and went shopping together.
My father was so excited that he bought my mother a bag. I also contributed pocket money then. Although it was not a luxury product that you would recognize just by hearing its name, but a mid- to low-priced brand product, My mother who received the gift was as happy as a child.
I heard she was working at a customer service center...
It seems that she couldn't tell her son that she was working as a cleaner for fear of her son worrying, but instead told me that she was working at a customer center.
"What happened?"
"This woman stained my shoes with a rag."
"······."
Was she creating this drama and asking her to kneel down because of something like that?
My anger rose to the top of my head. I feel like I want to beat up this woman or something. But i couldn't punch her in front of my mother.
I gritted my teeth and said, suppressing my anger.
"Where is it dirty?"
"Can't you see here?"
"Where?"
The black shoes looked spotless.
The woman shook her head and said.
"Oh, I don't know! Anyway, these shoes are dirty and I can't wear them anymore, so I'm asking her to beg. Otherwise, I will post it on the department store bulletin board and report it to the Consumer Agency."
The manager next to her lowered her head.
"Sorry, ma. "We will take care of it."
Perhaps encouraged by the sight of the manager, the woman shouted again.
"Do you know how much this costs?"
I asked right back.
"How much does it cost?"
She answered my question confidently.
"It's 600,000 won!"
Then the employee behind her muttered in a low voice.
"It's on sale right now, so it's 330,000 won."
Is it on sale for 45 percent off?
Since there was so much fuss, I thought they were worth tens of millions of won.
I took out my wallet.
"600,000 won is enough, right?"
My mother was surprised when she saw that.
"Jinhu, what kind of money do you have..."
"It's okay, Mom."
I took out twelve 50,000 won bills and handed them to the woman.
"Here you go."
"joy! "It should have been like this a long time ago."
The woman stretched out her hand.
I pulled my hand back just before she grabbed the money.
"Let's apologize first."
The woman raised her eyes in surprise.
"What did you say?"
"If you want money, apologize first."
The woman looked at my face and the 600,000 won in my hand with an exasperated look. But it seems that money took precedence over her pride.
The woman lowered her head half-heartedly toward her mother.
"I-I'm sorry. "That was a bit harsh."
It was an apology that didn't even contain the slightest hint of sincerity. Still, it's better than not getting it at all.
The woman grabbed the money in my hand. But even though she pulled, the money did not fall out. It's because I didn't relax my fingers.
The woman spoke nervously.
"What are we going to do now?"
"Take off your shoes."
"yes?"
I said again.
"Take off your shoes. You told me you couldn't wear them because they were dirty and that I had to pay for them? Then, if i give you money, you have to give me your shoes. Did you really plan on just wearing the shoes and keeping the money? "It's not some kind of creative economy."
"ha!"
The woman had a shocked expression, but couldn't say anything. No matter how much she thinks about it, she won't be able to find anything to refute.
"If you're just going to wear them, I'll assume you don't want to receive this money."
I tried to take the money back, but this time the woman wouldn't let go. It seemed like she was once again torn between money and pride.
Of course, buying new things with this money is the only business left to do. Since it's inside a department store, you can buy and wear them right away at the store if you want.
In the end, money won.
She took off her shoes. Only then did I release the grip from my fingers, and the woman took the money.
I picked up the shoes. And then, as if to show off, i put it in the trash can.
"This kind of dog waste should be thrown in the trash can."
"······."
The woman could not bear to say anything to me and shouted at the manager.
"I'm going to report this department store!
The manager bowed her head.
"I'm sorry, ma."
Whether she reports it or not is none of my business. The department store will take care of it.
I told my mother.
"Let's go, mother."
As I was leaving with my mother, the manager shouted from behind me.
"Where are you going? Do you think you can come to work tomorrow even after this?"
"······."
Holy crap.
I tried to go quietly, but I just couldn't do it.
I stopped walking. Then I turned around and picked up the bong mop from the floor and strode towards her.
Then the manager flinched and took a step back.
"The thing I'm trying to say is..."
I forced the mop into her hand.
"She will never have to go to work again, so please do the cleaning yourself from now on."
"W-what? Hey!"
No matter what was going on behind my back, I held my mother's hand and left the department store.
My mother, who was dragged outside by my hand in a daze, was startled.
"Let go of my hand. "I'll go back now and say i made a mistake..."
I said to my mother who was fidgeting.
"You don't have to do this anymore."
"but······."
I hugged my mother. Her mother's body was so light that it felt like it would break if i applied too much force. I felt the bones in her shoulders and back.
Since when did she become this skinny?
I can't believe she cleaned a department store all day with a body like this.
I forced myself to swallow the tears rising from my throat.
"It's okay, Mom. From now on, I will take care of everything."
My mother, who was embarrassed for a moment, rubbed my back with her slender arms.
"When did my son grow up like this.