"No." Eun Young whispered to herself.
She stood up abruptly. Grabbing onto her purse, she followed after the woman and the young boy. No one deserves to live like that. Not even a single child deserves to be mistreated like that! Even if he isn't her own, the woman shouldn't allow the child to grow up in that kind of environment!
"Excuse me!" Eun Young said upon reaching them. The woman had her brows furrowed when she turned to look at her. However, Eun Young maintained a relaxed and professional demeanor. Eun Young tilted her head downward to greet her and at that moment, she noticed that the young boy looked at her with tears streaming down his face.
"Can I help you?" The woman asked in a cold tone, trying to be intimidating so as to scare Eun Young off.
Having returned to her senses, Eun Young straightened up and calmly replied. She paid no attention to the provocative gestures the woman was throwing in her direction. "Actually, there's something I would like to discuss with you. Can I have a moment?"
The woman jerked upon hearing Eun Young's word. From there on, she got the hint that the child must've said something to Eun Young. Afraid of exposing her wrongdoings, she hastily declined. "I'm sorry, we're in a hurry right now. We'd better get going." She firmly said, with her hand tightening around the boy's wrist.
Noticing her defensive behavior, Eun Young acted quickly. She has to address this issue with her now or she might never get the chance again. "Alright, then I'll cut to the chase." Eun Young said. "I'm Lee Eun Young. I am a pediatrician focusing on the behavioral and developmental aspects of children. With all due respect ma'am, I have noticed that this young boy showed symptoms of anxiety. I am concerned that if we don't prevent this from further developing, he might grow up traumatized or worse... depressed." She briefly explained.
The woman swallowed. Avoiding Eun Young's gaze, she answered. "I... I don't know what you're talking about."
"Ma'am. Children are as fragile as glass. Whatever they experience now can greatly affect their future. I don't intend to cross the line here but as a medical professional, I can't bear to stand on the sidelines especially upon noticing a serious subject matter." Eun Young retorted. With this, the woman looked at her with a scowl on her face.
"He's my child! I know what I am doing. He needs to be constantly disciplined! How else would he know how to follow?" The woman aggressively replied. "Kids nowadays are growing up without respect. They abuse the freedom given to them and if that isn't handled at an earlier age, sooner or later they'll begin to act recklessly!" She reasoned.
Eun Young nodded to indicate that she understood the woman's point of view. However, even if this was the case the she wanted to prove, she has to utilize other means. Instead of teaching discipline to the child, her actions and words only seem to be inflicting fear! "I understand where you're coming from, ma'am. It's good that we discipline our children but there should be a clear boundary between discipline and abuse of authority. They should learn how to be responsible without developing fears and insecurities." Eun Young said.
The woman was silent so she took this as an opportunity to continue. "This boy is... special. As you can see, he is gifted and he's really a nice kid." She sincerely complimented. Eun Young glanced at the little boy who was now looking at her with wonder. She gently smiled at him. "Please take care of him well, ma'am. This kid's bound to do great things someday."
As if on cue, a cab stopped in front of them. The woman felt awkward as she tilted her head downward to greet Eun Young goodbye. "I'll... I'll keep your advice in mind d-doctor." She stuttered. She then quickly ushered the child inside the cab and got in afterwards. Soon after, the vehicle left, slowly disappearing from view.
Eun Young fetched Mrs. Bong and the kids to have dinner. While driving, she kept remembering her encounter with the boy from earlier. He really looked afraid! Hopefully that woman took her words into consideration. She really tried to talk some sense into her earlier but if she refuses to apply it, it would be useless. From there on, Eun Young vowed that if fate allows them to meet again without any changes in their relationship, she will definitely not hesitate to take action.
Other than that, Eun Young also pondered on the child's congenital disability. She was disheartened to see the young boy missing a limb. If her conclusions were correct and he was indeed a survivor of an attempted abortion, it would be another tragic scar on the child's identity. With that, Eun Young remembered the unborn child carried by Na Rae. She threatened her before that if Min Jae wouldn't see her, she would abort the child. Eun Young could guess that they've talked to each other already. But she also had this feeling that once Na Rae makes up her mind, she will definitely do it.
The thought of having the unborn baby suffer the same fate as the little boy she encountered was discouraging. Of course, Eun Young was still in conflict with Na Rae but the child she's carrying is innocent. Even in their messy situation, the child still had the right to live. She can only hope that if the child survives, he or she will grow up loved and cared for. The child deserves to be nurtured and supported by the parents... even if that infant is the child of her husband.