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“Teacher, teacher.”
While organizing the children’s coats on a rack, Yoo-mi turned around at the tug on her apron. A tiny girl, barely reaching her waist, was looking up at her with big, round eyes.
“Yes, Hae-won? What is it?”
Yoo-mi willingly bent down to meet Hae-won’s gaze. The girl, with her black hair tied into twin pigtails, beamed brightly as if she liked the affectionate gesture.
“Please put this in too.”
Her tiny hands stretched out, offering something.
It was a sheet of drawing paper that Yoo-mi had handed out to the children during art time earlier today.
“Like what Jaejun did earlier, with a ribbon. Like this, like this.”
Hae-won wiggled her fingers, trying her best to explain what she had seen. Realizing that she wanted her drawing wrapped up with a ribbon like a present, Yoo-mi pulled a red ribbon from the table.
“Hand it to me.”
“Okay!”
Being a daycare teacher came with many exhausting moments, but seeing a child’s eyes light up with excitement, eagerly waving their hands, made up for all the hardships. Moments like these stacked up and outweighed the struggles of the job.
“What did our Hae-won draw today?”
The theme of today’s art session had been “things you love.” Since Yoo-mi had to check on all the children, she hadn’t been able to pay close attention to each drawing.
“Mom and Dad!”
Hae-won answered cheerfully, showing her tiny pebble-like teeth in a bright smile.
“You drew your parents?”
“Yes!”
Her head bobbed up and down so enthusiastically that it looked like it might fall off. Finding her adorable, Yoo-mi reached out to pat her on the head, making Hae-won giggle softly. As she unrolled the paper to tie the ribbon, she spotted a large drawing taking up most of the space.
Judging by the pink dress and various jewels drawn on it, it seemed to be a picture of Hae-won’s mother.
“Is this your mom?”
“Yes.”
“Wow, she looks so sparkly!”
“Hae-won’s mommy is sooo pretty!”
Hae-won stretched out her tiny hands, making a big circle in the air to emphasize her words.
Yoo-mi chuckled at the enthusiastic agreement. Moments like these made her wish she had a daughter. She playfully tapped Hae-won’s soft, rice cake-like cheeks with her fingers, making the girl giggle and squirm.
Through her narrowed eyes, Yoo-mi recalled the face of Hae-won’s mother, whom she had met before.
Well, they do say kids have the sharpest eyes.
She had no reason to argue with that.
Whenever Hae-won was in a crowd of children, she naturally stood out. Even at her young age, her well-defined features and confidence made her eye-catching. When she first came to enroll in the daycare holding her mother’s hand, some of the teachers even wondered if she was a child model.
And judging by her striking looks, it was easy to guess where she had inherited them from.
When Yoo-mi first met Hae-won’s mother, she had mistaken her for an older sister rather than a parent.
One look was enough to see who Hae-won took after. Her mother was stunningly beautiful.
People often say daughters resemble their fathers, but since Yoo-mi had never seen Hae-won’s dad, she couldn’t say for sure. Still, her doll-like appearance seemed more than explainable with just her mother’s genes.
“Alright, all done. Is this okay?”
“Yes! Thank you!”
Hae-won took the rolled-up drawing wrapped in a ribbon and gave a polite bow. Finding the glimpse of her little head endearing, Yoo-mi laughed while glancing at the clock on the wall.
“Your parents will be here to pick you up soon, so go get your bag and put on your coat, okay?”
“Okay!”
Yoo-mi watched Hae-won scurry off to her friends before surveying the classroom and stepping out. After finishing some paperwork in the teachers’ office, she was on her way back to the classroom when she noticed a small group of teachers gathered near the entrance of the daycare.
Something about their atmosphere felt unusual.
“Miss Yoo-mi, Miss Yoo-mi.”
One of the teachers spotted her and gestured for her to come over.
“What’s going on?”
“Hold off on sending the kids home for a moment.”
“What? Why? Did something happen?”
“Well… there’s this man parked in the lot right now, just standing by his car. And, I don’t know… it just feels a little off.”
“A man?”
Yoo-mi stretched her neck to peek through the gaps between the teachers, glancing outside.
Aside from the teachers’ cars, the daycare’s parking lot was empty—except for one unfamiliar vehicle parked in the lot.
But, of course, what was really drawing everyone’s attention wasn’t the car itself.
The man was leaning against the car.
At first, when they mentioned a man, Yoo-mi assumed it was just an unfamiliar parent visiting the daycare. However, the man exuded an aura so intimidating that such a remark couldn’t even be made as a joke. It was now clear why the teachers, who were supposed to be preparing for dismissal, were instead gathered together, whispering with serious expressions.
“… He kind of looks like a gangster, doesn’t he?”
Yoo-mi hesitated, unsure of how to put it into words, when a teacher from the neighboring class cautiously voiced what they were all thinking.
Yes, that was exactly it.
The kind of person you’d instinctively avoid making eye contact with on the street, fearing any unintended confrontation.
“No one asked him why he’s standing there?”
“Oh, please, as if anyone would have the courage. With a face like that, who knows if we’d get yelled at just for approaching him…”
“But this is the daycare parking lot. He must know that, right?”
“There’s nothing else around here but the daycare, so obviously.”
As the conversation bounced back and forth like a ball, layers of unease and hesitation built up among the teachers. And yet, not a single one of them even considered the possibility that this man might be the parent of a registered child.
“The parents will start arriving soon… What should we do? Should we tell the director?”
“Yeah, I think we should.”
Just as the teachers exchanged worried glances, Yoo-mi turned around at the sound of a small voice behind her.
Following her earlier instructions, Hae-won had already put on her coat and now peeked out with her yellow backpack slung over her shoulders.
“Teacher, I can’t find my hat.”
“Oh, Hae-won, your hat is out here.”
Pointing to the student hats hanging on the wall, Yoo-mi watched as Hae-won toddled over. She adjusted the drawstrings, fitting the bright yellow hat onto Hae-won’s tiny head. As she smoothed down her messy bangs, the little girl asked cheerfully,
“Is Mommy here?”
“Hm? Oh, not yet. Why don’t you wait inside for now—”
Before she could finish her sentence, Hae-won suddenly beamed and bolted forward.
Her small body slipped right through the teachers gathered near the entrance. Before anyone could stop her, she was gone.
Yoo-mi, caught off guard, quickly ran after her. But when she saw where Hae-won was heading, her stomach dropped.
She was sprinting straight toward the very man who had sparked all the hushed discussions just moments ago.
“Hae-won! Wait—”
“Daddy!”
The man, who had been leaning casually against the sedan, caught the little girl mid-air just as she was about to crash into his knees. Hae-won, delighted by the sudden lift, let out a peal of laughter, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.
Yoo-mi froze in place at the word she had just heard.
Lee Ho-beom, the man in question, adjusted Hae-won’s hat, which had slipped from the movement. Holding her securely in his strong arms, he gently patted her pigtails.
“Hae-won, where are your shoes?”
The next place his hand reached was her tiny feet, covered only by socks.
“I dunno!”
“If you don’t know, who does?”
“I dunnooo.”
Hae-won, completely unbothered, swung her legs back and forth happily in her father’s arms, giving a typical childlike but exasperating response. Lee Ho-beom looked at her bright, lively face and, after a moment, let out a resigned sigh.
The contrast between them was striking—him, dressed in a dark gray jacket over a black turtleneck, and her, in a cheerful yellow daycare uniform.
Yoo-mi, watching the mismatched yet oddly fitting pair, suddenly snapped back to reality.
There was no doubt about it—Hae-won showed no hesitation or discomfort in his arms. In fact, she had been the one who ran to him. And above all, she had called him “Daddy.”
There was no room left for questioning.
“Excuse me…”
Noticing her presence, Lee Ho-beom turned toward Yoo-mi with Hae-won still in his arms.
Up close, his intimidating aura felt even more overpowering. Yoo-mi swallowed nervously.
“Are you… Hae-won’s father?”
Lee Ho-beom silently looked down at the unsure and hesitant daycare teacher. The weight of the moment stretched between them in silence. Taking his lack of response as confirmation, Yoo-mi let out an awkward laugh.
“I’m sorry. Since Hae-won’s mother usually picks her up, I haven’t had the chance to introduce myself. I’m Choi Yoo-mi, Hae-won’s teacher.”
“Yeah.”
His curt reply sliced through the polite atmosphere she had been trying to build, leaving her at a loss.
Yoo-mi could feel a cold sweat forming on her back. She was sure she had never met a more difficult parent than this one.
Meanwhile, she couldn’t stop thinking about Hae-won’s mother.
So, if she pieced things together, that stunning woman and this… this man were a married couple?
It felt like pairing milk with a rock. Or cotton candy with a sledgehammer.
Whatever it was, the combination just didn’t make sense.
Unbothered by her thoughts, Lee Ho-beom opened the back door and placed Hae-won’s backpack inside. His movements were so rough that it looked almost as if he was throwing it, making Yoo-mi flinch involuntarily.
“Daddy, Daddy! That’s my teacher.”
Still in his arms, Hae-won squirmed excitedly, trying to redirect her father’s attention to Yoo-mi.
“I know. She just said that.”
Yoo-mi, feeling increasingly awkward, darted her gaze around, only to meet the eyes of a man sitting in the driver’s seat of the open car. Gasp. Her throat tightened again. Not only was Hae-won’s father intimidating, but this man in the driver’s seat also exuded the same unsettling aura. Why did they both have scars on their faces? Yoo-mi felt as if her own face was aching just from looking at them.
“Where are the kid’s shoes?”
Lee Ho-beom, who had been ignoring Yoo-mi as if she were invisible, suddenly asked, catching her off guard.
“Huh? Oh, Hae-won’s shoes! I’ll go get them right away!”
The man, as if he were accustomed to giving orders, tilted his chin slightly without a hint of gratitude. Yoo-mi hurriedly dashed back into the daycare and returned with Hae-won’s shoes, only for them to be snatched away without so much as a thank you. Given his rough and intimidating demeanor, Yoo-mi didn’t even dare to feel resentful.
After securing Hae-won in the child seat, Lee Ho-beom grabbed her little feet, which were swinging up and down, and slipped on a pair of small black shoes. Only then did he straighten up and speak.
“Her mom has something going on, so I’ll be picking her up for a while.”
What the…
Why did it feel like I was being scolded…?
Feeling as though she was being reprimanded by a stern superior rather than addressed by a child’s guardian, Yoo-mi clasped her hands together politely.
“Oh, I see. I’ll keep that in mind.”
Just as she managed to pull herself together and respond, Hae-won peeked out from her seat.
“Teacher, teacher!”
“Oh, Hae-won.”
Still seated in her car seat, Hae-won placed both hands over her belly and bowed her head. It was the formal farewell children gave when leaving daycare with their parents. Seeing her remember and perform the gesture even in this situation was so endearing that Yoo-mi let out a small chuckle—only to freeze when her eyes met Lee Ho-beom’s. Flustered, she instinctively stepped back.
As soon as she moved away, as if she had been in the way, he closed the door without hesitation and walked to the opposite side of the car, getting in. Shin Chul-woo started the engine and pulled out of the daycare.
“Dad, where’s Mom? Where’s Moooom?”
The moment her father got into the car, Hae-won eagerly fired her questions. It must have felt strange to her, since her mom always picked her up. Her little legs bounced up and down on the seat as she asked, prompting Lee Ho-beom to slightly furrow his brow and put a stop to it.
“Your mom is at home.”
Giving her a straightforward answer to satisfy her curiosity, Lee Ho-beom casually nudged Hae-won’s bag, which was awkwardly placed in the middle of the seat, down to the floor with his foot.
“Daaad!”
“What?”
“You can’t just throw Hae-won’s bag like that!”
Because her mom always called her “Hae-won, Hae-won,” she hardly ever referred to herself as “I.” Well, it was kind of cute, in a way.
“Throw?”
“Throw!”
Hae-won exaggeratedly swung her arms, mimicking exactly what Lee Ho-beom had done just moments before.
If Hae-soo had seen this, she would have launched into a long lecture about how one should always be mindful of their words and actions in front of children. Then, he would have stared at her incessantly until she noticed something was off—and once she did, he wouldn’t have hesitated to pull her into a kiss.
After raising Hae-won together, that kind of thing had happened more times than he could count.
“Tsk…”
Muttering to himself, Lee Ho-beom glanced over at Hae-won, who was on the verge of tears, her face scrunched up in distress. With a resigned sigh, he picked up the fallen bag and set it upright. Only then did Hae-won pout her lips in satisfaction.
For the rest of the ride home, he had no choice but to be at his daughter’s beck and call.
She whined that her bright yellow hat was uncomfortable, so he took it off. Then she complained about her shoes feeling tight, so he reluctantly removed them after struggling to put them on earlier. When she grumbled about being hungry, he had Shin Chul-woo pull over at a convenience store to buy her a snack.
Once she had a sweet chocolate milk in her hands, she remained quiet for the rest of the drive home. Watching her sip it eagerly while staring out the window at the passing scenery, Lee Ho-beom let out a quiet chuckle.
“Just like your mom…”
If nothing else, her love for sweets made it crystal clear who she took after.
But looking at her now, he realized again how much she had grown.
Would “thriving” be the right word?
It felt like just yesterday that she had been too weak to walk on her own, following him around in a noisy baby walker. It seemed like only a day ago that she would sob as if the world were ending whenever her mom and dad were out of sight, clutching her stuffed rabbit in her tiny hands.
Now, those memories were nothing more than lingering remnants. Thinking about how this phase would also pass in the blink of an eye made him want to pay closer attention to every little moment.
The car soon pulled into the apartment parking lot.
After unbuckling the car seat, Lee Ho-beom lifted Hae-won out of the vehicle. Then, as he bent down to gather her scattered belongings—her bag, hat, and shoes—Hae-won suddenly clung to his leg.
Whenever she was with her dad, she stuck to him like a cicada clinging to an old tree.
“Daddy, Daddy.”
Glancing down, he saw her looking up at him with a bright, sunflower-like smile.
“Pick me uuuup.”
Even though she preferred walking hand-in-hand with her mom, for some reason, whenever she was with her dad, she couldn’t stand not being carried.
Well, that’s not hard to figure out. It was an inevitable side effect of Hae-soo constantly saying, “Our baby is so pretty, our baby is doing so well,” even for the smallest things. Since her father wasn’t the type to fuss over every little thing like that, Hae-won had simply learned to use that to her advantage.
Lee Ho-beom didn’t even need to use both arms—he effortlessly lifted the child by supporting her bottom with one arm. Hae-won’s chubby cheek pressed firmly against his shoulder.
“Lee Hae-won, give me a kiss.”
As soon as he spoke, Hae-won, who was securely nestled in his arms, wrapped her arms around his neck and planted a big, smacking kiss on his cheek. When Lee Ho-beom smiled in satisfaction, Hae-won got even more excited and started flailing her arms and legs.
Before heading up to their home, Hae-won turned toward Shin Chul-woo, who was sitting in the driver’s seat, and waved her small hand. She didn’t forget to call out, “Uncle, bye-bye!”
Normally, Shin Chul-woo was more reserved than necessary, but whenever Hae-won did this, he secretly smiled.
As soon as the elevator button was pressed, Hae-won, still in her father’s arms, chirped, “Daddy, you know what?” like a little skylark that wouldn’t stop chattering.
Like any young child, her topics bounced around without staying on any one thing for long. But since she had an attentive listener, she was absolutely delighted, chatting endlessly.
Meanwhile, her tiny hands occasionally reached up to touch the scar near her father’s lips. It was more of a habit than anything else—one she had developed since she was even younger.
The jagged scar running from his cheek to his lips was a remnant of his violent, grueling days as a boxer. Lee Ho-beom detested when people showed interest in it, let alone touched it.
Back in his early days, when he was still at the bottom rung of the hierarchy, some clueless rookie had once made the mistake of touching it carelessly and ended up with his face beaten to a pulp. Anyone who remembered those days would probably be appalled to see Hae-won touching it so freely now.
As the elevator rose and Hae-won’s chattering continued, Lee Ho-beom muttered in wonder, “Who did you inherit this much talkativeness from?”
Neither he nor Hae-soo was particularly talkative, yet their child had turned out to be incredibly chatty. He had suspected something was different even when she was just babbling as a baby… Thinking back, Hae-soo had talked to Hae-won a lot, even when she was just an infant. Maybe that had something to do with it?
Of course, Hae-won was too absorbed in her own storytelling to care about her father’s remark.
“Daddy, do you love Hae-won?” she asked suddenly.
“Why do you ask?”
“Hmm, because Jaejun said he loves Hae-won!”
As he adjusted the little yellow backpack that was slipping from his arm, Lee Ho-beom froze.
“…What?”
His expression, reflected in the smooth mirror of the elevator, subtly twisted.
“This Jaejun kid….”
He barely stopped himself mid-sentence. He could almost hear Hae-soo’s scolding voice in his head, muttering ominously, “Not in front of the baby…”
Grimacing, he rephrased his question. “What kind of friend is he?”
“My boyfriend!”
Her cheerful voice made his eyebrow twitch.
“…Boyfriend?”
“Yup!”
“He’s in your class?”
“Uh-huh!”
Lee Ho-beom decided he would talk to the teachers first thing tomorrow about transferring that Jaejun kid to another class—no, better yet, another daycare altogether.
As soon as the elevator doors opened, he stepped out, still deep in thought.
The moment they entered the apartment, Hae-won, who had been squirming as if ready to bolt, tried to make a break for the living room, but he caught her just in time and headed straight for the bathroom.
“What did Mommy tell you to do first when you get home?”
“Waaash!”
At least she hadn’t forgotten. She stretched out her tiny hands in front of her.
Holding her securely, Lee Ho-beom washed her hands, lathering soap into bubbles and rubbing them between her tiny fingers. Hae-won giggled, squirming because it tickled. Once her hands were clean and dried with a soft towel, he finally set her down.
As expected, she scurried off like a flying squirrel, darting around the apartment.
“Mommy!”
Before long, she spotted her mother sitting on the living room sofa and ran straight into her arms.
“Hae-won, you’re home?”
As soon as she saw her daughter, Hae-soo opened her arms wide and pulled Hae-won onto her lap.
“Did you have fun today?”
“Uh-huh! Yes!”
“I washed some strawberries for you.”
“Really?!”
Trailing behind, Lee Ho-beom stepped into the living room, his gaze falling on the mother and daughter who looked so much alike.
His expression darkened slightly when he noticed the bandages wrapped around Hae-soo’s ankle.
“I told you to stop moving around and stay put.”
“I still have to feed the baby her snacks.”
This morning, when Lee Ho-beom received a call from Soo-ha—who had been keeping an eye on Hae-soo—saying she was at the hospital, he dropped everything and rushed out.
Of all times, it had to be when Hae-soo was taking Hae-won to daycare, so there was no way he could remain calm.
When he arrived at the hospital, carrying the weight of his anxious heart, he found, for better or worse, that only Hae-soo was in the emergency room. She was sitting on a hospital bed, her left leg wrapped tightly in a cast.
“What happened?”
But Hae-soo kept her lips tightly sealed, refusing to explain anything. When Soo-ha, who had been watching Ho-beom’s sharp expression warily, tried to speak up, she even motioned for him to stop with her hands and eyes.
In the end, Ho-beom sent Soo-ha out and pressed her for answers.
“Tell me properly. Where’s Hae-won?”
“Obviously, at daycare.”
“Then why are you like this?”
“…I fell…”
“What?”
“Ugh, I slipped on ice and fell, okay?!”
Apparently, after dropping Hae-won off, she had been on her way back when she slipped on an icy road and twisted her ankle badly.
The unexpected and almost ridiculous reason left Ho-beom momentarily speechless. Meanwhile, Hae-soo covered her face with both hands. The tips of her ears, peeking through her hair, were red.
“This is so embarrassing….”
Hah. Ho-beom let out a laugh straight from his gut, unfiltered.
“Are you a kid?”
“……”
“I’m basically raising two children.”
With that, Ho-beom took Hae-soo out of the hospital.
On the way home, Hae-soo suddenly went, “Ah,” as if remembering something.
“I need to pick up the baby later.”
“I’ll go instead. You stay home.”
“…Really?”
“What’s with that look?”
After staring at him for a moment, Hae-soo subtly shifted her hips closer to him. Though puzzled, Ho-beom instinctively wrapped an arm around her waist.
“What, are you trying to seduce me?”
“No! What are you talking about?”
“Well, considering your leg… I guess I won’t even be able to get any from you for a few days.”
“Enough with the nonsense.”
Before he could stray any further down an inappropriate path, Hae-soo grabbed the collar of his shirt.
“How about wearing a turtleneck later?”
“Why?”
“And a coat. A long-sleeved one….”
“Hae-soo, how many times do I have to ask why?”
“What if people start saying Hae-won’s dad is a gangster…?”
Finally realizing what she was worried about, Ho-beom made a face like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. But Hae-soo was dead serious, fussing over every little thing.
One of the things she had nagged him about was making sure he used polite speech with the daycare teachers. If not for her insistence, he would have been throwing casual speech at them right from the first meeting.
As a result, today, Ho-beom found himself wearing a turtleneck, covering the dark tattoos creeping up his nape, which felt uncomfortably stuffy. The moment he got home, he headed straight for the dressing room.
“Mommy, Mommy! I have something to show you.”
Sitting on Hae-soo’s lap, Hae-won wiggled her feet before suddenly pushing herself off and running off somewhere. When she returned, she was holding a rolled-up sheet of drawing paper.
As Hae-soo helped her back onto her lap, she untied the ribbon securing the paper.
“Did our Hae-won draw this?”
“Yep! It’s Mommy and Daddy!”
Just then, Ho-beom, now dressed in comfortable loungewear, sat beside Hae-soo.
“Come here, Lee Hae-won.”
Concerned about putting strain on her injured leg, he lifted Hae-won onto his own lap instead. He skewered a strawberry drizzled with condensed milk onto a fork and popped it into her mouth.
Chewing happily, Hae-won began explaining her drawing.
“This is Mommy.”
“Oh? And what’s this?”
Hae-soo pointed to some details around the figure.
“Jewelry and a dress! Because Mommy is a beautiful princess.”
The unwavering certainty in Hae-won’s voice, filled with pure love, melted into their hearts.
Smiling, Hae-soo gently stroked her daughter’s cheek.
“And this one is Daddy.”
“Daddy’s wearing a crown?”
“Mm-hmm. Because Daddy is a king.”
“Why is Daddy a king?”
“Because he’s this big!”
Hae-won stretched both arms wide apart. To her, her father’s embrace must have seemed that vast and boundless. Her innocent gesture and the conclusion she drew from it made Hae-soo burst into laughter. Unlike her, Ho-beom, still expressionless, muttered under his breath.
“So your mom is a princess, but your dad is a king? Lee Hae-won, do you even know what that means? You’re turning our family tree into a mess.”
Though he made the remark as if scolding, his hands were still busy feeding Hae-won strawberries. While she chewed on the fruit, unable to fully grasp his words, Hae-soo smacked Ho-beom’s arm.
“Don’t take a child’s words so seriously.”
“Did I say anything wrong?”
He shrugged but soon glanced at his phone as a call came in. Handing Hae-won back to Hae-soo, he got up to take it.
Hae-won, still wanting more strawberries, eagerly tapped on Hae-soo’s palm. Watching her gobble them up like a little baby bird made Hae-soo smile. She had craved strawberries incessantly during pregnancy, and now, as if inheriting that trait, Hae-won simply couldn’t get enough of them.
“Mommy, Mommy.”
Engrossed in savoring the sweet fruit, Hae-won suddenly straightened up, as if she had just remembered something important. Then, as if she had a secret to share, she cupped her hands over her mouth and leaned in close to whisper into Hae-soo’s ear.
“Yes?”
“Hae-won’s birthday is coming up soon.”
Whenever she wanted something, Hae-won would suddenly start using polite speech. Her obvious little ploy was nothing but endearing to Hae-soo, who chuckled softly.
“Does my baby want something?”
Lowering her voice even more, Hae-won whispered,
“I want a little sibling!”
“What?”
“Today, Jaejun drew a baby in his picture, and he said he’s getting a little sibling. I saw that and now I want one too.”
“Oh… a sibling.”
Without realizing it, Hae-soo glanced toward the balcony, where Ho-beom had stepped out to take his call. Was it fortunate or unfortunate that she had heard this first? If Ho-beom had overheard, he probably wouldn’t have hesitated to drag her straight to bed. Sighing, she turned back to Hae-won, who was looking up at her with hopeful, sparkling eyes.
“Mm, alright. Mommy will try her best, Hae-won.”
She couldn’t bring herself to crush that bright, expectant expression. Hae-won beamed and nodded eagerly, her whole face lighting up. Seeing that, Hae-soo couldn’t help but smile as well.
Well, if the child turned out as adorable as Hae-won, having another one wouldn’t be so bad.
Since her first childbirth had gone relatively smoothly, neither she nor Ho-beom had strong objections to the idea of a second child. However, if Ho-beom decided to take this seriously, that would be a different problem. It would mean several sleepless nights of dealing with his boundless energy.
For a man his age, it was baffling how he still had that much stamina every night…
She’d have to bring it up at the right time. Just blurting it out would be overwhelming to handle. Leaning in, she whispered into Hae-won’s little ear, “So, let’s keep this a secret from Daddy, okay? Promise.”
Giggling, Hae-won hooked her pinky around Hae-soo’s in agreement.
“What are you two plotting this time, huddled up like that?”
Having finished his call, Ho-beom walked back in and raised an eyebrow at the sight of them whispering to each other.
“Secret!” Hae-won chirped.
“Secret?”
“Mm-hmm. A secret between Mommy and me.”
Ho-beom narrowed his eyes with amusement at that, making Hae-soo feel a growing sense of unease.
As expected, he suddenly leaned down and kissed her. Despite Hae-won being right there, he shamelessly slipped his tongue between her lips, leaving Hae-soo momentarily stunned before she shoved at his chest.
Thankfully, he backed off easily.
At that moment, Hae-won whined, “Ugh, don’t do that.”
Looking down, Hae-soo saw that Ho-beom had covered Hae-won’s eyes with his large hand. He pulled it away and, in the next moment, lifted Hae-won into his arms.
“It’s easy to find out what that secret is,” he said.
“How?”
“At night, if I tease your mom just a little, she’ll spill everything.”
Heat rushed to Hae-soo’s face. The way Hae-won tilted her head in innocent confusion only made her feel more embarrassed.
Flustered, she kicked at his knee before abruptly getting up and hobbling toward the bedroom. Even with her casted leg causing her to limp, she hurried away as if her life depended on it. But in her rush, her kick had barely any force behind it.
Ho-beom let out a quiet chuckle at her weak attempt at defiance before casually following after her with Hae-won in his arms.
As they disappeared, the soft, shimmering light of the afternoon sun streamed through the windows, scattering like delicate shards of glass.
[Non-Trigger Side Story - The End]
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