I’ve been postponing meeting my friend Yu Jin, saying I was busy, but now I can’t put it off any longer.

‘So you quit your convenience store job too? And you didn’t even tell me… Well, let’s put that aside for now. Just where have you been and what have you been up to?’

The atmosphere was so tense that I couldn’t bring myself to say anything else.

An appointment with Yu Jin was immediately set. Maybe because it was my first personal outing in a while, I felt out of practice.

Ding-a-ling, as I opened the cafe door, I saw Yu Jin with her eyes full of determination, like a reporter who had prepared 101 questions.

“Long time no see.”

Ha Yeon’s voice became small, somehow feeling like a guilty person.

“Are you trying to worry me to death? How could you not even tell me you moved?”

Yu Jin trembled with a sense of betrayal and huffed. Well, I deserved this scolding, but if she knew I’d moved into Director Kang Min Je’s house, she might faint. Ha Yeon rolled her eyes and decided to order first.

“My friend, I admit I was completely wrong. But can we choose the menu first before you scold me?”

Ha Yeon smiled sweetly and quickly scanned the menu with her eyes.

Yu Jin sighed in disbelief, her eyes narrowed sharply. Taking advantage of this moment, Ha Yeon quickly placed her order.

Once Yu Jin’s favorite cheese tiramisu, soft cream castella, and rich ganache cake were set on the table, the sharp atmosphere softened considerably.

Taking a long sip of her iced Americano, Yu Jin narrowed her eyes and stared at Ha Yeon, saying:

“Okay, let’s put aside what’s happened. Now explain how things got to this point.”

The power of sweet desserts indeed! Ha Yeon hid a knowing smile and explained what had happened, emphasizing that it was a sudden turn of events she couldn’t have helped.

When Yu Jin learned that a little kid Ha Yeon had befriended while working at the convenience store was the root of everything, she clicked her tongue.

“Wow, that kid’s something else.”

The reason she could still answer like this with a laugh was because the main story hadn’t been told yet. But Ha Yeon couldn’t just leave out the important parts, so she hesitantly added:

“But you know what? It turns out that child is Director Kang Min Je’s son.”

“Huh? Who? Director Kang Min Je of Liam Art Museum?”

Yu Jin’s surprised face was quite a sight, but showing such a reaction would only make things more troublesome, so Ha Yeon nodded with a serious face.

“No way! How is that possible!”

Yu Jin slammed the table and stood up abruptly, causing people around to frown and stare.

“I’m sorry, I apologize.”

Ha Yeon apologized on her behalf and pulled Yu Jin back into her seat.

Yu Jin downed her cold coffee in one gulp and asked again, as if she still couldn’t believe it.

“So you’re really staying at Director Kang Min Je’s house right now?”

“Yeah, somehow it turned out that way.”

Ha Yeon answered with an awkward smile. Yes, it was unbelievable. Even she sometimes woke up in the morning surprised, unable to believe it.

Yu Jin’s eyes moved rapidly after hearing Ha Yeon’s answer.

“When did Kang Min Je get married?”

“Well, the child is six, so it must have been a while ago, right?”

“Do you think it’s possible you didn’t know about this?”

Ha Yeon was momentarily dumbfounded by Yu Jin’s question. As Yu Jin persistently dug into an issue she had simply assumed without much thought, her mind became a tangled mess.

She had almost every article about Director Kang Min Je. But nowhere in those articles was there news of his marriage. She hadn’t thought deeply about it, assuming he might have married without informing the media, but was that really implausible?

As Ha Yeon sat lost in thought with a confused expression, Yu Jin sighed and ran her hand through her hair.

“I’ve always told you. People need to think. How many years have you been obsessed with Director Kang Min Je, and you think you wouldn’t know about this?”

“He might have had a private wedding… you know, not wanting it to be known.”

Ha Yeon’s voice trailed off as she made excuses, her confidence falling the more she thought about it.

“Okay, let’s say he had a private wedding as you say. Then his wife died, and there’s absolutely no information about that either. I find it strange. Am I the only one?”

She rolled her eyes and reasoned as if possessed by a detective. Come to think of it, Ha Yeon also recalled one strange point after another.

“Really, now that you mention it, there’s not a single item belonging to his wife in the house.”

It was quite an odd feeling. She hadn’t seen even one common picture frame or a woman’s handkerchief. He had hung a massive portrait of himself, but not a single painting or photo of his wife.

“Hey, wake up. Don’t be fooled by appearances. How do you know what his real intentions are? Gasp, don’t tell me you’ve already fallen head over heels…”

As Yu Jin raised her voice again, Ha Yeon quickly covered her mouth. Then she apologized to the people around with her eyes, smiling.

“It’s not like that.”

Although it seemed she was on the verge of falling completely, Ha Yeon spoke firmly, feigning innocence.

“Hmm, well that’s a relief, but… I can’t trust you, my friend.”

Yu Jin looked at Ha Yeon with narrowed eyes. Indeed, friendship wasn’t something to be taken lightly. They could sense these things without even saying a word. Ha Yeon groaned and explained again.

“You know, I’m getting along really well with the child in that house now. Ji Hoo, he’s six years old and so mature and dependable…”

Yu Jin shook her head as she listened to Ha Yeon go on and on about Ji Hoo like a doting parent.

The disease has spread. Before, she was hung up on the father, and now the range had expanded to include the son. How could she not worry? Well, it was a relief to see her looking bright, which meant she seemed to be doing well, but still…

“This sister can’t live without worrying. So arrange a meeting soon. I’ll turn on my radar and thoroughly inspect every corner of the house to see if there’s anything strange.”

It absolutely wasn’t because she was curious about Director Kang Min Je’s house. She was making this request with a pure and righteous heart, worrying about Ha Yeon as a friend.

“I can’t promise, but okay.”

Ha Yeon sighed deeply. Whatever happens, I hope it doesn’t create unnecessary trouble.

Yu Jin had a tendency to bulldoze through things when it came to her own affairs, which sometimes caused difficulties. Especially since her parents passed away, she seemed to feel a sense of responsibility, and it was getting worse.

Unable to say no to her, Ha Yeon just vaguely agreed.

Recalling the conversation they had today, she felt her mind becoming a tangled mess. She needed to organize her thoughts first.

Returning home, Ha Yeon scrutinized her surroundings more carefully than before. She wondered if there was anything she might have missed.

There should be at least one item belonging to the deceased wife, but even looking closely, there was nothing of the sort.

“Ji Hoo, you know…”

Ha Yeon called out to Ji Hoo, who was reading a book, but seeing the child’s clear eyes, she couldn’t bring herself to ask what she wanted to.

“Noona, what is it?”

“Oh? It’s nothing. I just think you look so cool reading so diligently.”

She hugged the child tightly for no reason. Even as an adult, it was hard for her to overcome the grief of losing her parents, so how difficult must it be for such a young child to send his mother to heaven? Thinking about this, her arms unconsciously tightened.

“Oof, Noona, I can’t breathe.”

Ji Hoo squirmed. Finding the child with his cheeks flushed red adorable, Ha Yeon hugged Ji Hoo once more and shook him vigorously.

“Ugh, stop it.”

Seeing Ji Hoo flailing his arms, Mi Ran muttered.

“Somehow, it seems your skills are improving day by day.”

Whether she meant skills in playing or skills in tormenting wasn’t clear since Mi Ran had omitted the specific expression, but Ha Yeon felt it sounded more like the latter. Feeling a bit stung, Ha Yeon quickly let go of Ji Hoo.

“What skills…”

Ha Yeon waved her hands, laughing awkwardly, and then neatly smoothed Ji Hoo’s ruffled hair. Wondering who our Ji Hoo takes after to be so pretty like a peeled chestnut, she murmured while fixing Ji Hoo’s clothes. Then Mi Ran spoke.

“No, at first I honestly worried if a young lady could take care of a child, but seeing you these days, I think I was needlessly concerned.”

Huh? Was she talking about playing skills, not tormenting skills? As Ha Yeon rolled her eyes, this time even Ji Hoo chimed in.

“Hehe, Ji Hoo knew from the beginning.”

“Oh, why are you suddenly making me feel shy?”

Ha Yeon didn’t know how to react to the unexpected praise.

“Is there anything you’d like to eat?”

When they give praise out of the blue, it means they want you to treat them. She asked Mi Ran with a smile, but the woman made an unexpected request.

“I don’t need anything to eat, but the sweet potatoes we planted are growing really well. Why don’t you pick some sweet potato leaves? I’ll make some side dishes.”

“Oh, I can definitely do that for you.”

The sweet potatoes planted in the flower bed in early May had already grown lush with leaves. She was planning to do some weeding one of these days anyway.

“Ji Hoo, do you want to come along?”

Then came a response that seemed reluctant but willing to go along.

“Well, I guess so.”

Is he still thinking, ‘We can just buy sweet potatoes from the supermarket’? For a six-year-old to be so inflexible in thinking…

Anyway, using Mi Ran’s request as an excuse, the two went outside to do some weeding and pick sweet potato leaves.

“Do you really have to dress like that?”

Ji Hoo asked, looking at Ha Yeon’s attire. And for good reason – she was wearing a work apron, boots, arm covers, gloves, and a wide-brimmed hat with a bug-blocking net.

“I don’t want to dress like this either, but I have no choice. There are bound to be bugs in that thicket.”

“…”

Ji Hoo’s expression subtly contorted. He was probably inwardly questioning why they planted sweet potatoes if this was the case.

‘The main purpose of planting these sweet potatoes was for you.’

Ha Yeon let out a short sigh. Her grand plan to provide the child with an opportunity to play in the soil and naturally become closer had failed without much success.

But I can’t give up on the sweet potatoes! Ha Yeon steeled her resolve once again. The sweet potato farming that had started because of Ji Hoo had now changed its purpose from the child’s education and bonding to tasting delicious sweet potatoes.

“Alright, let’s get started.”

Ha Yeon muttered, unclear whether she was talking to herself or to Ji Hoo, before stepping into the green mass.

Weeds need to be removed before the rainy season for the sweet potatoes to grow well. It was just three furrows about 2 meters long, but Ha Yeon was proud of the lushly grown sweet potato vines. But still, bugs are scary.

“Ji Hoo, if you see any bugs, make sure to tell me.”

Ha Yeon earnestly requested as she pulled weeds with a hoe.

“Noona, are you that scared of tiny bugs?”

Ji Hoo asked, as if curious.

“I’m not scared. It’s just… gross.”

Ha Yeon answered firmly, somehow disliking the idea of being pitied by a six-year-old. There was a clear difference between being scared and finding something gross, after all.

“Hmm… I see.”

But seeing the child’s indifferent response, it was clear he couldn’t feel the difference.

As she was working hard enough for sweat to bead on her forehead, Min Je returned home.

“You’re early today?”

“Yeah, work finished early today.”

As Ji Hoo greeted him happily, Min Je patted the child’s head once. Then his gaze moved to Ha Yeon’s heavily armored attire.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m pulling weeds.”

Ha Yeon snorted and replied grumpily. She felt oddly spiteful. Both father and son seemed to have no understanding of the value of honest labor.

“I thought there had been a radiation leak at our house or something.”

He chuckled. Others are working so hard, and you find it funny? This man, really! Unable to contain her rising emotions, Ha Yeon approached him.

“You’ll be thanking me when you eat dinner side dishes…!”

“Noona, there’s a bug there.”

Ji Hoo, who had remembered her earlier request well, pointed at the sweet potato leaves Ha Yeon was holding and spoke at that very moment.