“Hyo Jae.”

“Eek! Kim Seo Ha! Why is it so hard to see your face!”

“Aunt!”

Min Joon ran towards Hyo Jae. Hyo Jae hugged Min Joon with hearts pouring from her eyes.

“Oh my, our Min Joon! How did you become so handsome! Did you miss your aunt, or not?”

“Aunt, where are the chocolate snacks?”

“Look at this kid. You missed the snacks more than your aunt, didn’t you?”

“No!”

Min Joon shook his head at Hyo Jae with wide eyes. Hyo Jae found Min Joon so cute that she hugged him tightly and shook him.

“Ack. Aunt. It hurts. Let me go.”

“You rascal! Just making your aunt’s heart flutter!”

“Ah ah. I love you, aunt!”

“Oh my, oh my! Look at how he’s playing with his aunt’s heart! Why don’t you just become my son?”

“No way. Aunt is aunt.”

Hyo Jae drooped her eyes at Min Joon’s firm response.

Seo Ha chuckled. Hyo Jae was so fond of Min Joon.

Hyo Jae rubbed her cheek against Min Joon’s cheek and handed him a box of mushroom-shaped chocolate snacks that he liked. A smile bloomed on Min Joon’s face.

“Thank you!”

“Make sure to brush your teeth after eating. And play with your aunt later!”

“Yes!”

Min Joon answered brightly and gave Hyo Jae a loud kiss on the cheek. Hyo Jae hugged Min Joon tightly again.

Watching Hyo Jae, Seo Ha asked with concern.

“But will it be okay to go to the kids cafe? I’m fine since I’m just an auntie, but won’t it be uncomfortable for you?”

“Not at all! As long as Min Joon is there! That kid says he has to go to the amusement park with his teacher. But who’s the teacher?”

“Ah… Elder brother Tae Kyung.”

“When did you two progress like that? Do you know how surprised I was when I saw that gossip?”

“Yeah. Let’s talk slowly when we get there.”

Seo Ha got into Hyo Jae’s car. Just then, a call came from Tae Kyung.

A smile naturally bloomed on Seo Ha’s face.

“Yes. Elder brother.”

– Did you meet Hyo Jae?

“Yes. We’re on our way to the kids cafe with Min Joon now. Do you have a lot of work?”

– A little. Because of preparations for the education expo in Finland with Kyu Won. But I’ll come home early today. Come over to our house later with Hyo Jae.

“Alright.”

– Have fun. I love you.

Hyo Jae shuddered at Tae Kyung’s confession heard from outside the phone.

Seo Ha ended the call and chuckled.

“What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong? If I think about how I trembled in front of senior Tae Kyung because of you, really! Anyway, you and I just met again recently! Got it?”

Hyo Jae made Seo Ha promise. The reason Hyo Jae met Seo Ha today was none other than because of Hyo Jae’s ex-boyfriend.

When he called yesterday, Hyo Jae had a fit of crying and wailing.

“Okay. But why did you break up with Lee Jun?”

“Huh. Really, don’t even mention it. There was a reason that jerk didn’t bring up marriage to me. You know how the CEO’s daughter entered his department? He had an affair with that woman.”

Hyo Jae said trembling. She was still panting, seemingly not having cooled down yet. Seo Ha was so shocked she couldn’t continue speaking.

She thought Hyo Jae and Lee Jun would get married. Indeed, human relationships are unpredictable.

“How did you find out?”

“He told me he was going to a colleague’s father’s funeral, but I caught him going to a motel with that woman. And you know what he said? He asked why I was being so clingy. Saying I should have gotten the hint and broken up on my own!”

“Did Lee Jun really do that? Is it really Lee Jun?”

“After how well I treated that jerk! Bad guy! Sea cucumber, sea squirt, sea anemone! No, this is an insult to sea cucumbers, sea squirts, and sea anemones.”

“Are you okay?”

“What if I’m not okay? I’m fine. Even my tears are too precious. They say when a jalopy leaves, a Benz comes. He was a jalopy not even worth the cost of scrapping.”

Seeing Hyo Jae trying to act tough, Seo Ha felt bad. It was obvious that Hyo Jae must have felt an even greater sense of betrayal than Seo Ha had felt when she received the photos from Yoo Na.

Min Joon arrived at the kids cafe and played excitedly. Seo Ha and Hyo Jae watched Min Joon while sipping Americanos.

Seo Ha spoke to Hyo Jae, who was sipping her coffee, with an apologetic tone.

“At times like this, we should have been drinking alcohol instead of Americanos at a kids cafe.”

“It’s fine. Alcohol should be drunk when you’re in a good mood. But Min Joon is looking more and more like senior Tae Kyung as time goes by. I guess blood doesn’t lie. Did you tell senior Tae Kyung?”

“No. Not yet.”

“You should tell him now. Senior Tae Kyung will like it too, won’t he?”

“It’s not because of elder brother Tae Kyung, but because of the chairman. And I’m also worried about Assemblyman Jin Chul Wook’s side.”

“Ah ah. Sheesh. What is this, Hong Gil Dong? Unable to call your father ‘father’ and your son ‘son’. Really.”

“Elder brother said he would raise him as his own son even if he’s not his child. I’m grateful for just that.”

“Don’t be like that and rather tell him all the circumstances. You two really need to talk.”

Hyo Jae’s persuasion shook Seo Ha’s heart.

Wasn’t it because of her own premature fears that they met like this, going round and round?

Seo Ha looked at her son Min Joon laughing in the ball pit.

To anyone’s eyes, Min Joon was Tae Kyung’s son. It was chilling how frighteningly similar they were becoming.

Ding!

“Oh! Father, where are you going?”

As the elevator doors opened, Tae Kyung and Myung Hoon ran into each other. Tae Kyung was on his way home after being at the company for work despite it being the weekend.

As much as he wanted to go to the kids cafe where Seo Ha and Min Joon were, he didn’t want to interfere with their meeting with Hyo Jae.

Myung Hoon received Tae Kyung’s greeting with a benevolent smile.

“It’s Teacher Han. I was just feeling a bit stiff, so I thought I’d go to the sauna.”

“Is that so? Would it be alright if I join you?”

“By all means. I’ll wait, so come out after getting ready roughly.”

Tae Kyung rushed into the house, changed into a tracksuit, and came out. Even in a tracksuit, Tae Kyung looked like a tracksuit model thanks to his superior physique.

Myung Hoon couldn’t help but smile like a proud father at Tae Kyung’s handsome appearance.

Tae Kyung approached Myung Hoon with a smile just like Min Joon’s. Tae Kyung was now planning to score points with Myung Hoon while going to the sauna together.

“Shall we go, father?”

“Haha. Thank you. It feels like I’ve gained a son.”

“You can think of me as your son. I wish you were my father too. Ah, that wouldn’t work. Then I couldn’t marry Seo Ha. Haha.”

“Oh my, Teacher Han.”

Myung Hoon laughed heartily at Tae Kyung’s joke. Tae Kyung felt like things would go well somehow at Myung Hoon’s cheerful laughter.

The two headed to the sauna, chatting about everyday things.

Even at the sauna, Tae Kyung treated Myung Hoon with utmost care. Tae Kyung and Myung Hoon scrubbed each other’s backs in their primordial state.

Standing next to Tae Kyung, who was quite large in build, Myung Hoon’s back looked even older and smaller. Tae Kyung’s heart ached looking at Myung Hoon’s back. It overlapped with the image of Hyun Young, who had raised a child alone.

And then came the image of Seo Ha, who must have had to raise Min Joon alone.

Tae Kyung’s hands became even more attentive as he scrubbed Myung Hoon’s back. His chest felt heavy thinking of the hardships the three must have gone through that he didn’t know about.

As if comforting such a Tae Kyung, Myung Hoon spoke kindly.

“Oh my, this feels so refreshing. Teacher Han. Thank you so much.”

“It’s nothing. You know, when I was young, it was my wish to come to the bath like this with my father.”

“I guess Teacher Han’s father must have been very busy.”

“Well, you could say that. My parents divorced when I was young, so I grew up not knowing what a father’s love was. But seeing Seo Ha and you, I’m learning what a father’s love is like.”

Myung Hoon’s heart ached at Tae Kyung’s confession.

“Oh dear. It must have been very difficult for you as a child.”

“It’s fine now. Then please come to the bath with me often, father.”

“I also envied friends who went to the bath with their sons because I didn’t have a son. Seo Ha was very capable in her own affairs, but a daughter and a son are different, aren’t they.”

“From now on, I will serve you well like a son.”

“Haha. I’m grateful even for just the words.”

Myung Hoon burst into hearty laughter. At that sight, a warm feeling rose from a corner of Tae Kyung’s heart. He liked seeing Seo Ha, Min Joon, and Myung Hoon laugh. He wanted to be a father like Myung Hoon to Min Joon as well.

The two entered the sauna after scrubbing.

The humid air hit the tips of their noses. They sat side by side in the sauna room filled with the scent of wood.

“I feel sorry that we’re such a burden to you.”

“Not at all. I’m sorry I can’t serve you better.”

“It’s more than enough now. But Teacher Han. What are your plans with our Seo Ha going forward?”

Tae Kyung felt guilty at Myung Hoon’s careful question.

How could one express in words the feelings of a father who has to watch his daughter and grandson hear harsh words?

“I’m sorry. I should have protected Seo Ha and Min Joon better… I don’t want to break up with Seo Ha now. If Min Joon and you allow it, I want to marry Seo Ha.”

“……”

Myung Hoon said nothing. Tae Kyung tried to persuade Myung Hoon more desperately.

“If you’re worried about Min Joon, you don’t need to be concerned. I will try my best to raise Min Joon well. I may not be able to fill the 5 years he grew up without a father with anything, but I will raise him with my life so that he never feels such emptiness again in the future. Father. Please allow it.”

Myung Hoon met Tae Kyung’s earnest gaze. However, he did not easily permit Tae Kyung as his son-in-law. After a long silence, Myung Hoon carefully opened his mouth.

“Teacher Han. Our Seo Ha and Min Joon. They’re children with a lot of pain. Seo Ha also suffered a lot because she met the wrong father. She went through a lot giving birth to and raising Min Joon too. Though she didn’t show it, she must have had a hard time.”

“Yes. It’s because of my shortcomings.”

Tae Kyung bowed his head deeply. Myung Hoon made Tae Kyung raise his head.

“I’m not saying this to blame you. It’s just that I’m worried because marriage isn’t something that can happen just because two people like each other. As a father, I’m concerned about how your mother will think of our Seo Ha, how she will think of our Min Joon.”

“No matter what my mother says, I will protect Seo Ha and Min Joon.”

“Teacher Han. I like you, but I can’t tell you to get married right away. I’d like to talk more after you persuade your mother first.”

“……”

Tae Kyung couldn’t continue speaking at Myung Hoon’s unexpected response. Myung Hoon spoke with a gentle face but in a firm and cool tone.

“I can’t send my daughter to a family that doesn’t want her. And I don’t want Min Joon to feel unwelcome. If that’s the case, it would be better not to continue this relationship. Get your mother’s permission.”

“Father. I will definitely persuade my mother.”

“Alright. I understand. I’ll be rooting for you.”

Myung Hoon smiled a somewhat lonely smile.