Upon finishing the letter we grow silent, and the ambient sounds grow louder. The café’s crappy sound system plays an old song, and it sounds like mice are gnawing on something in the ceiling while the singer sings.

Life moves on like a traveler, a cloud—goes on without a refuge. Life, we all arrive empty-handed and naked …

I’ve heard this song before. Is this the song my pathetic father sang when he was drunk?

“This is crazy. So your doctor turned out to be your missing mother’s best friend? Is a coincidence like this actually possible?” Sol mumbles as though she’s asking herself.

“I can’t believe it either,” my voice is barely audible.

“The address is near here. Are you gonna go see your mom?” Sol presses on.

“Dunno.”

“You’ve been all,I dunno, I dunno this whole time. Did you get a concussion when you fell down the stairs?”

“What do you want from me? I don’t know what I should do!”

“Have you ever met her before?”

“Who?”

“Your mom, of course.”

“I haven’t seen her since she took off. I don’t even remember what she looks like. And I think the woman she’s speaking of isn’t my mom.”

“What?”

“Gang Jinae. That’s not my mom’s name.”

“Huh?”

“My mom’s name is Jongok. Gang Jongok. I know that much.”

“Then … is this whole thing her confusing you with someone else?”

“Maybe.”

“Ahh! This is too confusing. I don’t know what to make of all this. Gimme that again.” Sol reads over the letter, mumbling to herself.

“Um,” Jihyun starts tentatively, “I’m pretty sure the Gang Jinae my mom writes of is your mom. My mother isn’t the kind of person to make hasty conjectures.” He pauses, as if weighing whether to go on. “She and I talked about this last night, and I’m convinced she got it right. About the name not being different … well, think about it. Nobody gets the name one chooses, so some people change their name when they feel like they’ve changed. The poet Kim Sowol changed his name. He was originally Kim Jongshik, and the poet Yi Yuksa, that name isn’t his original name, either. There’s a chance that Yeoul’s mother changed her name too.” Jihyun speaks like a gentle high school teacher, gazing deeply into our eyes.

“Are you just guessing all that? Or did your mom say something about Yeoul’s mom changing her name?” Sol asks.