On a not-too-early morning, the savory scent of seaweed soup that Bok Seon was boiling filled the small house.

Lee Ha Jun, who had been waking up every two to three hours throughout the night to feed Yun Woo, was always out of her mind at this time since leaving the postpartum care center.

But not today. All night, the pained face of Yi Hyun and the relaxed, noble face of In Hwa had alternately tormented her. And another worry coiled like a dark snake in a corner of her mind.

What if they found out about Yun Woo’s existence? What would they try to do with the child who was her own but also Yi Hyun’s son?

The fear that she might lose Yun Woo to In Hwa if she made a mistake swelled into a huge tidal wave and swallowed Ha Jun whole.

Her bloodshot eyes, red like a rabbit’s, turned towards her sleeping treasure, Yun Woo.

“Don’t worry. Mom is strong. Mom… can protect you.”

Just like my mom did. Even if I can’t raise you in abundance, I’ll raise you with love.

“Yun Woo’s mom, are you up? Let’s eat~”

At the sound of Bok Seon’s voice from outside, Ha Jun sprang up from her seat and vigorously opened the door.

Determined to eat well, stay healthy, and live diligently.

“Come quick, you need to eat well for your milk to flow. You should slurp down a bowl of seaweed soup while it’s hot. Heul-heul~”

Ha Jun, momentarily startled by the large bowl of steaming seaweed soup, soon sat down and picked up her spoon.

“How long do I have to eat this?”

About 20 days after giving birth, having eaten various seaweed soups with different ingredients for every meal, Ha Jun timidly asked Bok Seon, who had her back turned at the sink.

And as always, she replied with something irrelevant.

“That handsome young man from Seocheon was standing right out front until just now, don’t know if he ate. He looked even more haggard than yesterday, must not have slept well~”

Ha Jun’s chopsticks stopped moving. Bok Seon’s words, which seemed to imply she knew something, stuck in her throat like a large fish bone.

Ha Jun bowed her head and murmured quietly.

“That person is rich… he’ll eat well.”

“He’s so handsome, he must have a pretty girlfriend too, right? How enviable~ Heul-heul~ This old lady does like a handsome face. Is it because that young man looks exactly like Hyun Ju’s late grandfather?”

Ha Jun, who was bringing her spoon to her mouth with a sad expression, suddenly made a choking sound. Her gaze immediately turned to her grandfather’s photo on the wall.

There, with a shiny bald head resembling an old-time villain actor, grandfather smiled kindly with crescent moon-shaped eyes.

Kim Yi Hyun ended up staying awake all night too. As soon as day broke, he called Han Ji Won.

“How did it go?”

− …Hyung. It’s not even 8 o’clock yet. It’s before civil servants start work. How am I supposed to find someone in the middle of the night with just two syllables of a name, no surname, who’s not even a notable figure in politics, business, or even a wealthy person?

“Contact me as soon as you find anything.”

Yi Hyun, who hung up the phone, pressed his puffy eyes that had darkened overnight and got up from his seat.

His footsteps naturally headed towards Ha Jun.

Yi Hyun stopped in front of the low fence and quietly peered into the house, which was the quietest in an already quiet village.

“Should I jump over the fence?”

At that moment, the front door burst open and Bok Seon appeared. She glanced at the head poking over the fence and headed towards the jars in one corner of the yard, carrying a bowl and ladle.

Yi Hyun hurriedly called out to her.

“Uh, grandmother. I’m sorry, but could you open the door? Or maybe call Ha Jun for me…”

“Let’s see, I should make new soy sauce this fall. Ferment the meju~ Make doenjang too~”

“Grandmother?”

“By the way, our Ha Jun couldn’t sleep all~ night, I wonder if she’s finally fallen into a deep sleep now~ I wonder~”

“Can’t you hear me?”

Bok Seon, who had been muttering to herself, just got up and went back inside.

A hollow laugh escaped from Yi Hyun’s mouth, left behind.

“I guess she can’t hear, and Ha Jun lost sleep because of me.”

Yi Hyun’s expression noticeably brightened at the information Bok Seon had let slip.

After peering into the house for a moment, he turned around briskly.

“I should let her sleep.”

With a gait improved from yesterday, Yi Hyun started walking. Suddenly feeling pain, he looked down at his leg and frowned. His beige linen pants were a mess of blood and stains.

“There probably isn’t… a department store in this neighborhood.”

Then where should I go to buy clothes?

After putting Yun Woo to sleep, Ha Jun’s phone rang as she lay beside him. She stared at the unknown number for a moment before pressing the call button.

The only people who knew her number now were Hyun Ju, Yeon A, and Bok Seon. And she had given her number to just one more place when she was at the postpartum care center.

“Hello?”

− Well, this is Gunsan Used Car Market. We have a car that meets the conditions you mentioned before, so I called you right away, miss. Haha~

“Ah, yes.”

− This one’s in really good condition. It’s special A grade. You should come see it quickly, or you might miss out~

“Then can I come right now?”

− Come quickly.

“Okay, it’ll take about an hour if I call a taxi and come.”

After hanging up, Ha Jun hurriedly got up and opened the refrigerator. After checking the amount of pumped breast milk and liquid formula, she immediately called a taxi and looked for Bok Seon.

“Grandmother. I need to go to downtown Gunsan. They say there’s a good used car.”

“Eeing~ Go ahead~ Yun Woo will be just fine with grandma. You need to buy a sturdy car.”

“Yes. I’ll be back.”

Ha Jun, who had entered her room to change clothes, suddenly turned around.

“Come to think of it, you can hear well now? Are you feeling better?”

Ha Jun tilted her head and changed her clothes. Meanwhile, a notification came that the taxi would arrive soon.

Ha Jun, who came out with her bag, took one last look at Yun Woo sleeping soundly before leaving the house.

Forty minutes later, she arrived at the used car office in downtown Gunsan and stood in front of the red compact car that the owner had boasted was A-grade.

“Is this it?”

“Eeing, that’s it~ The mileage is just under 9,000, and it’s accident-free! Plus~ just look at this interior?”

As the owner opened the car door wide, an interior full of gaudy floral patterns was revealed.

“This is leather, you know. Genuine leather seats. Handmade! How about it? It suits a pretty miss like you perfectly~ Hahaha~”

“……”

“I’m giving you a re−ally good price. You won’t find anything this good at this price anywhere else?”

Ha Jun’s troubled gaze swept through the car’s interior.

As the owner said, the car’s condition was top-notch. The price was good too. But that floral pattern……

There weren’t any more used car dealerships nearby in the countryside……

“Keu~ The kids will love it so much, won’t they? It’s fun with all the colors~ Cute, isn’t it~ Ah! You’re still young, so you probably don’t have kids yet. Hahaha~”

At the owner’s words, Ha Jun’s clear eyes wavered.

“Do kids… really like this kind of thing?”

“Of course~ Isn’t it obvious? If it’s pretty and colorful, kids go crazy for it~”

Ha Jun, a novice mother, finally succumbed to her maternal instincts.

“Then…… I’ll buy it.”

“Hahaha~ That’s right, that’s right, I’ll do the vehicle registration for you today in a flash−! At super speed. Now, follow me this way.”

Behind the owner’s confident stride, Ha Jun’s somewhat hesitant footsteps followed.

The owner really did finish the paperwork quickly. Ha Jun, who received the car key and sat in the driver’s seat, headed into town with the owner’s send-off.

“Ah, the car seat!”

Ha Jun changed direction and headed towards the busy area. She parked in front of a large baby goods store she had noticed while going back and forth to Gunsan Hospital and got out to buy a sturdy car seat for Yun Woo.

After loading the large box into the trunk and slamming the door shut with a bang, Ha Jun turned around and, as if by some trick, saw Kim Yi Hyun walking towards her from the other side, holding a shopping bag.

Yi Hyun saw Ha Jun too. His slightly awkward steps stopped in front of her.

At that awkward gait, a flash of concern crossed Ha Jun’s eyes. But she immediately hardened her expression.

“Are you following me now?”

“No, it’s a coincidence. I think I’ll have to live here for a while, so I was sightseeing in town, eating, and doing some shopping. I can’t call a personal shopper all the way out here.”

Though I could if I wanted to.

Ha Jun, who had once again put on a mask of expressionlessness, ignored Yi Hyun and got into the driver’s seat. But then the passenger door suddenly opened and Yi Hyun quickly got into the car.

“What are you doing? Get out!”

Ha Jun shouted in surprise. However, Yi Hyun was too shocked by the flamboyance of the floral leather seats, something he had never imagined before, to close his mouth.

“I didn’t know Lee Ha Jun had this kind of taste. Floral patterns? This is really… surprising.”

“……”

Ha Jun’s face turned as red as a radish. Yi Hyun looked at her face happily.

“Give me a ride. My leg hurts. Han Sil Jang took the car away.”

At the mention of his leg hurting, Ha Jun’s body stiffened. Where on earth did you hurt your leg that was fine before?

Worried despite herself, Ha Jun couldn’t say anything.

Ha Jun hurriedly started the engine and drove off. Until they left the city and entered a quiet country road, Yi Hyun’s lips slowly opened as he simply took in the side profile of Ha Jun driving.

“Ha Jun, I have something to tell you. Yesterday, I was so angry and just kissed you intensely that I couldn’t say what I really needed to say.”

“I have nothing to say to Mr. Kim Yi Hyun.”

“Then just listen while you drive. Ha Jun, I didn’t get engaged to Jin Yu Ha.”

“That has nothing to do with me.”

“Why not? I didn’t do it because of you.”

“Then you’ll probably end up doing it with someone else. Someone richer and more accomplished.”

“My mother gave permission for you, why would I?”