Chapter 12

Kim Tae-jin was bustling around again today to open his doll shop. He wanted to show the customers better dolls, but he decided to prioritize cleanliness first. He arrived an hour earlier than usual and started cleaning the dolls. He dusted every nook and cranny with a duster and wiped the shelves where the dolls were displayed with a cloth. Everything was ready. Kim Tae-jin stepped out of the doll shop and hung up the “Open” sign.

“Hello~”

A couple of customers came in, but no more followed. The demand for dolls was decreasing, and it was heartbreaking. The number of children who loved dolls was dwindling year by year. Of course, there were adults who liked dolls, but not as much as children. Children treated dolls like second friends, but as people grew older, they tended to lose interest in dolls. Or perhaps the large dolls Kim Tae-jin’s shop carried didn’t appeal to people much. They were soft and cuddly, but washing such big dolls was a hassle. So, the large dolls didn’t sell well, and they were also quite pricey.

People occasionally glanced through the glass at the dolls inside the shop. The dolls on display were adorable and made of very soft materials, the kind you’d want to own. But that was it. They only looked and rarely stepped inside. People just eyed the dolls on the shelves.

Kim Tae-jin sighed inwardly. Maybe it was time to close the doll shop? It seemed like the shop didn’t fit well in today’s world.

Then, Kim Tae-jin noticed a woman standing outside.

Her clothes were ordinary, but her appearance was anything but. She looked even prettier than a celebrity he had seen by chance before. She was staring intently at the dolls on display. Could an adult woman with such looks really be interested in dolls?

Ding-dong-

She didn’t seem satisfied with just looking through the glass. The woman entered the shop. Kim Tae-jin noticed another customer—a little girl holding the woman’s hand.

Were they sisters? Judging by the woman’s youthful appearance, she might be the parents’ late-born child. But the little girl’s words surprised him.

“Mom! Which doll do you like?”

Mom? He never imagined that the woman, who looked like a high schooler, would be called “Mom.” He wondered if he had misheard. Maybe the little girl had mistakenly called her “Mom” instead of “Sister.”

But the little girl kept calling her “Mom.” Kim Tae-jin had no choice but to accept that the woman was indeed the little girl’s mother.

—

Ha-yeon wanted to buy a doll, so I had no choice but to enter the doll shop. Looking around, there were dolls everywhere. It was a very happy place.

“Uh…”

Seeing so many dolls made my brain freeze for a moment. I wanted to buy them all. Then, Ha-yeon’s voice called out.

“Mom! Which doll do you like?”

Did Ha-yeon have a favorite doll? I looked at the dolls on the shelves, focusing on the ones that were about Ha-yeon’s size. I imagined how happy I’d be hugging them and sleeping on the bed.

“How about… this one, Ha-yeon?”

But I had to hold back my tears and choose the doll Ha-yeon might want. I wished her taste was the same as mine.

“Mom, I think I like this doll!”

Coincidentally, Ha-yeon’s taste seemed to match mine. She chose the very doll I had been staring at through the glass earlier! I cheered inwardly.

“Really? Should we get this one?”

I asked the shop owner, who was waiting for us to make a choice.

“How much is this?”

“It’s 100,000 won. The big ones are quite pricey.”

Well, dolls the size of Ha-yeon weren’t going to be cheap. At souvenir shops, palm-sized dolls cost less than 10,000 won. But I had some financial leeway now.

I had been doing part-time work and saving up. Combined with the money I already had, I could afford a doll like this.

I handed the doll to Ha-yeon. She smiled brightly and took it. The doll was soft and had a plush texture. I barely suppressed the urge to snatch it from her and hug it myself. As a mom, I couldn’t take the doll Ha-yeon liked.

“I really like it, Mom!”

“Really? Then let’s get this one…”

Nod nod-

Ha-yeon nodded enthusiastically. I really liked the bear doll she was holding. Thankfully, Ha-yeon liked it too.

“I’ll take this one.”

“Sure thing!”

And so, I bought the bear doll. I didn’t expect Ha-yeon to like it, but she was still a little kid after all. Of course, Ha-yeon was too short to carry the bear doll, so I carried it for her. If she tried to carry it, it would drag on the ground.

If Ha-yeon carried the bear doll home, it would end up a rag, dragged across the concrete floor.

—

Back home, I placed the doll on the bed. The doll was quite large, so it had a strong presence on the bed. And with Ha-yeon hugging it, it looked like a scene from a painting.

“Mom!”

“Yes?”

“Do you want to hug the doll? I’ve hugged it a lot, so it’s fine!”

“Really?”

I hugged the doll Ha-yeon handed me. Since we were at home, I didn’t have to worry about others watching. I smiled happily and rubbed my cheek against the doll. Dolls were truly wonderful. It felt like a new family member had joined our home.

But then I realized Ha-yeon was watching me intently. I quickly handed the doll back to her. It wasn’t a doll I bought for myself, but for Ha-yeon, so she should be the one holding it most of the time.

“Mom, you take the doll!”

Ha-yeon didn’t seem very interested in the doll anymore. Didn’t she ask me to buy it at the shop? Or had she already lost interest? I wasn’t sure, but since Ha-yeon said she didn’t need it…

“Really?”

“Yeah. I just need to hug it once in a while.”

Ha-yeon hadn’t completely given up on the doll. I nodded quietly at her words. Maybe I should have bought another doll at the shop.

Still, Ha-yeon should have at least one doll to hug.

Anyway, I smiled happily and hugged the bear doll. Of course, I didn’t plan to keep it all to myself just because Ha-yeon gave it to me. I had to show some maternal dignity. I was ready to give it back to Ha-yeon whenever she wanted.

But before handing it over, I hugged the bear doll tighter. The soft texture was just too good. How could something feel this nice?

—

Ha-yeon stared at the bear doll on the bed. Mom had gone out to prepare dinner. Ha-yeon hugged the bear doll tightly.

Then she buried her face in it. The doll carried Mom’s scent. Ha-yeon smiled. It was worth giving it to Mom. The more Mom hugged the doll, the more her scent would linger on it.

Ha-yeon felt happy just knowing she could smell Mom’s scent through the doll. Of course, she could always run to Mom and hug her, but when Mom wasn’t home, she could endure by smelling the doll’s scent.

With a happy smile, Ha-yeon hugged the bear doll tightly.