Tae Kyung’s body flinched at the sharp voice piercing his ears.

It was the first day the program was being introduced at Prime Kindergarten. He had come on a business trip filled with personal motives, both to monitor the program and to see Min Joon.

“Roa’s mother, please calm down first. Considering the child’s hurt feelings, wouldn’t it be better for the adult to apologize first?”

“Principal! Are you telling me to apologize to a five-year-old child? Our Roa’s hair, which was like the finest silk, came back all tangled like dog fur. Do you know how bitterly our Roa cried?”

“Min Joon has already apologized for that part.”

“Then, the parents on that side should come and apologize to our Roa too!”

Tae Kyung’s eyebrow raised when he heard Min Joon’s name.

‘Who dares to my son!’

Tae Kyung casually moved his steps towards the principal’s office.

Seeing this, Kyu Won asked curiously.

“CEO Han! Where are you going?”

“Since I’m here, I should greet the principal. And I think I hear our Min Joon’s voice too.”

Tae Kyung showed a sly smile to Kyu Won, who was trying to stop him.

Kyu Won let go of Tae Kyung’s hand with a resigned expression. It wasn’t like Tae Kyung would listen if Kyu Won tried to stop him, and lately, he had been reacting more sensitively to anything related to Min Joon.

As Tae Kyung shrugged his shoulders and entered the noisy principal’s office, all eyes turned to him.

“Hello? I’m Han Tae Kyung. I came to greet the principal.”

“Ah, CEO Han. Right now, the situation is a bit… The class is on the 3rd floor multi-purpose room…”

“I heard our Min Joon’s name being mentioned, so I was curious.”

“Ah…”

The principal was at a loss for words at Tae Kyung’s statement. Park Hyun Young had made threats yesterday, and if Tae Kyung also got involved and cornered Roa, Roa’s mother, and Joo Ri, it would be troublesome.

Joo Ri’s personality was not ordinary either, so it didn’t seem like things would end well.

But Tae Kyung’s chilling aura made the principal unable to move.

He asked as if he knew nothing. Rather, the way he stretched his lips into a long smile felt even colder.

“What’s the matter?”

“CEO Han Tae Kyung? What brings you here? What do you mean by ‘our Min Joon’?”

Joo Ri looked at Tae Kyung askance and asked back.

Tae Kyung snorted and stared coldly at Joo Ri.

“Our coding program is having its first class today, so I came in person. Min Joon is a special child to me. But you say Min Joon needs to apologize? Was there a fight?”

“That child pulled and tore all of our Roa’s hair. They’re telling me to apologize to the child because our child said something unpleasant first. Do you think this makes sense? Who do they think I am, to apologize to such a child without even a father!”

At Joo Ri’s words, Tae Kyung turned his gaze to the principal. Every single word from Joo Ri grated on Tae Kyung’s nerves.

He had faith that Min Joon wasn’t a child who would act thoughtlessly. Moreover, Joo Ri’s arrogant attitude irritated Tae Kyung.

Tae Kyung looked at the principal with a terrifying gaze.

‘Tell me right now what our Min Joon heard to act like that.’

Under the unspoken pressure from Tae Kyung, the principal slumped his shoulders as if resigned. Tae Kyung urged the principal.

“Principal?”

“Well, yesterday Roa told Min Joon that Min Joon’s mother is a bad person, and that Min Joon and his mother are liars, so his father abandoned them. That’s why Min Joon grabbed Roa’s hair and they fought.”

“Did you just say ‘li.ar’?”

As Tae Kyung emphasized each syllable, a cold wind like a blizzard swept through.

The principal’s pupils shook as he trembled and couldn’t continue speaking properly.

“Ah, that, yes…”

“And Min Joon’s father abandoned Min Joon?”

With each word Tae Kyung added, the murderous intent amplified to the point where it made one’s knees weak.

“So the two of them got into a physical fight…”

“Was Min Joon hurt?”

“No, not that. Our kindergarten’s sponsor saw this situation and strongly appealed that Roa’s parents should apologize to Min Joon.”

Park Hyun Young had earnestly requested that Tae Kyung and Seo Ha not know that she had come to the kindergarten. So the principal glossed over it by saying ‘sponsor’ instead of mentioning Park Hyun Young.

Tae Kyung’s eyebrows rose fiercely. His piercing gaze fixed on Joo Ri.

Tae Kyung walked step by step towards Joo Ri.

Joo Ri flinched but soon straightened her back. She raised her chin and confronted Tae Kyung.

Tae Kyung spoke in a voice that was outwardly kind but full of a vicious aura.

“You’re lucky only her hair was pulled.”

“What did you say?”

Tae Kyung turned his body, ignoring whether Roa’s mother was shouting or not, and rebuked the principal.

“Principal, it seems this isn’t just a matter of Min Joon receiving an apology. This insults Min Joon’s entire family, were you trying to settle this with just an apology to Min Joon? Did you inform Min Joon’s mother about this incident?”

“Ah, well…”

Tae Kyung left the hesitating principal behind and turned back to face Roa’s mother, declaring:

“Tonight at 7 PM, let’s meet again at the kindergarten. You’ll need to apologize not just to Min Joon, but to all of Min Joon’s parents. I’ll contact Min Joon’s mother. I expect you to come prepared with a sincere apology.”

“Ha! What right do you have to say such things, CEO Han?”

Joo Ri exhaled as if dumbfounded and snapped at Tae Kyung.

Tae Kyung, as if he had been waiting for this, put on a splendid smile and replied.

“Me? I’m Min Joon’s father. Didn’t you know? I guess that gossip you saw left out the part about me being Min Joon’s father.”

“Th-that’s impossible! Everyone knows that CEO Han is marrying the daughter of Congressman Jin Chul Wook! Ah, I see, that child must be an illegitimate child. Growing up as a bastard under a vulgar mother, no wonder he does such uncouth things.”

Tae Kyung’s expression instantly turned cold at Joo Ri’s forced logic and insults. Tae Kyung properly put her in her place with a kind voice.

“Are you really a lawyer? What kind of lawyer can’t even do proper fact-checking. We simply haven’t held a wedding ceremony. It’s understandable that you misunderstood since I’ve never publicly spoken about my private life, but it seems you can’t grasp the situation. I’m amazed that you’ve made a name for yourself as a star lawyer with such poor investigative skills and situation judgment.”

“I can’t tolerate you insulting me like this.”

“This isn’t an insult, it’s an evaluation. And what would you call the things Roa’s mother said about Min Joon and my wife, if not insults?”

Tae Kyung shook his head as if it was too unpleasant to exchange any more words with Joo Ri, frowning.

When Tae Kyung looked back at the principal, the principal flinched.

“Principal. If this kindergarten was at this level, I wouldn’t have sent our Min Joon here. If we don’t receive a proper apology tonight, I’ll transfer Min Joon to another kindergarten immediately. I can’t let him attend a kindergarten with children of such parents. And I’ll reconsider our coding program contract as well.”

“Oh my, CEO Han! Roa’s mother is just flustered right now, so as fellow parents raising children, if you could show some leniency…”

“It’s precisely because we’re in the same position of raising children that this can’t be allowed. What will the child learn from this? To do bad things without realizing they’re wrong, and not even feeling remorse for it?”

Seeing Tae Kyung’s firm attitude, the principal suddenly changed tack and started trying to persuade Joo Ri.

After all, Tae Kyung and the HY Group were too big to turn away. In comparison, even though she was a star lawyer, there were plenty of parents at the kindergarten with social status similar to Joo Ri’s.

Moreover, the principal was fed up with Joo Ri constantly picking fights over every little thing about Roa’s kindergarten life.

“Roa’s mother. Oh my, please calm down. CEO Han, I mean, our Min Joon’s father has a point, doesn’t he? Showing the mature adult behavior…”

“Are you saying I’m immature?”

“That’s not it, because you’re a mature person, wouldn’t it be better to show an even more mature attitude?”

“Principal!”

Seeing Joo Ri not backing down an inch, the principal seemed to make a decision and drove the final nail in.

“Roa’s mother, this is the best we can do. If you don’t apologize, we have no choice. It seems it will be difficult for Roa to continue with us.”

“Oh, oh my! This is outrageous!”

“Roa’s mother, Roa’s father, please come back with Roa this evening. Then, I’ll see you later.”

“Principal!”

Even as the woman shouted, the principal didn’t bat an eye and turned to Tae Kyung with a kind smile.

“Min Joon’s father. It’s almost time for class to start, shall we go to the multi-purpose room together? You have no idea how much our kindergarten’s children and parents have been looking forward to the coding class.”

Tae Kyung let out a sardonic laugh. Joo Ri’s face was flushing red and blue.

However, Tae Kyung was unlikely to pay any attention to Joo Ri. Rather, he spoke softly to the principal, as if showing leniency.

“Let’s go up then.”

The principal and Tae Kyung left Joo Ri in the principal’s office and went up to the 3rd floor multi-purpose room.

That evening, Seo Ha headed to the kindergarten with a heavy heart after hearing the story from Tae Kyung and the principal.

Her heart was torn that her beloved child had to hear such harsh words because of her.

For the child’s sake, she desperately wanted an apology. And she wanted to set things right.

This was not just about her own honor, but because she didn’t want Min Joon to hear such words in the future.

If only Seo Ha herself was hurt, she could have let it go as long as the child was okay, but this involved her child, so she couldn’t tolerate it.

“Don’t worry too much. I’m here.”

“I just feel so sorry for Min Joon. I don’t want to just sit back either.”

“I know. And now Min Joon is my son too. I won’t sit back either.”

“Elder brother…”

Min Joon, sitting maturely in the car seat in the back of Tae Kyung’s car, tilted his head and asked Seo Ha.

“Mom, is the coding teacher our dad?”

“How about it? Want to be the teacher’s son, Min Joon?”

Tae Kyung seized the opportunity to subtly probe Min Joon’s feelings.

He thought the child who had been longing for a father would be happy, but Min Joon gave an unexpected answer.

“Hmm. I can’t. I have to wait for my dad. Grandmother knows our dad well, and she says he’s a very wonderful person!”

“Grandmother?”

When Seo Ha asked Min Joon again, Min Joon said excitedly.

“Yes! Yesterday, grandmother told me I was right that our dad didn’t leave mom and me behind. She said she’d tell dad that we’re waiting for him too. So I can’t. I’m sorry, teacher.”

Tae Kyung, looking lovingly at Min Joon apologizing so earnestly, decided to step back, setting aside his disappointment.

For now, Min Joon needed time to accept a father.

The five-year absence was too big. But Tae Kyung wasn’t one to give up.

“Ah. I see. Then Min Joon, today I’ll be your dad instead of your real dad, as your coding teacher. I’ll tell your real dad, Min Joon. Since your real dad can’t come today, is it okay if the teacher is your dad?”

“Um… I should ask dad. Does the coding teacher know our dad too?”

“Yes. Of course. I know him very well. Min Joon’s dad asked the teacher. He said to be Min Joon’s dad when he needs one while he’s working.”

“Hmm. Okay. But just for today. We shouldn’t make our real dad feel bad, so just for today.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

Watching Tae Kyung gently coaxing as if making a father-son promise, and Min Joon accepting him, Seo Ha’s eyes shook violently.

Seo Ha’s suspicions grew at Tae Kyung’s natural attitude.

Could it be that Tae Kyung knew something about Min Joon?