“How dare you, did you just hit me? You crazy bitch!”

Seeing Shin Young’s mother raise her hand, Seol Ah lightly grabbed her wrist to stop her.

She dared to say unspeakable things to me in front of my son.

What if Yu Min understood what she meant? What if he misunderstood my relationship with Seung Jun because of that?

Seol Ah had rarely gotten into physical fights with anyone. But blocking Shin Young’s mother’s hand wasn’t too difficult for her. Perhaps it was because Seol Ah was also fueled by anger.

Instinctively, Seol Ah twisted the arm she was holding. Shin Young’s mother screamed.

“I apologized too, so Shin Young’s mother should apologize as well.”

Seol Ah spoke in a calm voice.

“Let go, I’ll apologize so let go, I said let go!”

At Shin Young’s mother’s words, Seol Ah finally released the arm she was holding.

Shin Young’s mother lifted her head, her face flushed red as she charged forward. Seol Ah had no time to dodge and was also slapped hard on her left cheek.

“Apologize, you crazy bitch! Let’s fight to the death, how dare you lay your hands on me!”

Rolling up her sleeves and charging forward, Shin Young’s mother seemed to see nothing. Just as her hand was about to grab Seol Ah’s hair,

“Ahhh!”

Shin Young’s mother’s arm was grabbed again. The hand was bigger and firmer than before. Just being grabbed felt like it would break her arm, but unlike before, Shin Young’s mother froze at the overwhelming force, unable to even make a sound.

“That’s enough.”

The person looking down at Shin Young’s mother with scary eyes was Seung Jun. Seol Ah’s eyes grew wide. How did he get here too?

As Seung Jun let go, Shin Young’s mother grabbed her painful wrist and took a step back.

“How dare you.”

Seung Jun’s eyes flashed dangerously.

“I heard rumors that you’ve been damaging my reputation.”

Seung Jun stepped toward Shin Young’s mother, his footsteps echoing. Shin Young’s mother instinctively shrank back.

“Wh-why would your reputation!”

“You saw me as that kind of trash that keeps a mistress, didn’t you?”

Seung Jun spat out the words and reached his hand toward Shin Young’s mother. Startled, she took another step back.

“When did I ever! How would I know anything about you!”

“How would you know? Weren’t you the one who made those ridiculous remarks about mistresses with me in mind? Well, that will all be revealed through investigation anyway.”

Without getting any closer, Seung Jun tilted his head and looked at Shin Young’s mother.

“The Goldland matter isn’t completely settled yet, is it? It must be a headache with the ongoing trial, and now you’ve caused trouble again. How amusing.”

One corner of Seung Jun’s mouth curved up gently.

“Th-then what the hell is your relationship!”

As Shin Young’s mother shouted, Seung Jun took a big step closer to her again.

Looking down at her with dark eyes, Seung Jun’s expression hardened coldly.

“Whatever our relationship is.”

His voice was heavy, like a hammer striking the heart.

“There’s no reason for someone like you to know. Get lost, right now.”

Shin Young’s mother seemed completely overwhelmed by his icy words. She lowered her head and turned her body. Watching her flee, Seung Jun turned around.

“Why did you come here again?”

Seol Ah asked, her expression still showing unabated excitement.

Seung Jun raised his hand without answering.

He was caressing the cheek that had been slapped earlier. It was only slightly sore, not even leaving a mark.

Seol Ah, who had been mesmerized, swatted his hand away after a moment.

“I asked why you came here.”

“Even if I don’t want to come, I keep hearing news about it.”

Seung Jun answered in a low but gentle voice, unlike before.

After receiving Yu Min’s call, he had gone straight to Seol Ah’s house.

He met Yu Min, who was with Jin Cheol, and realized he was a step too late.

Thinking Seol Ah would have gone to Shin Young’s mother’s house, he asked Yu Min and came here, accidentally witnessing the confrontation between Seol Ah and Shin Young’s mother in the empty lot.

“Did Yu Min call you?”

At Seol Ah’s words, Seung Jun only silently looked at her.

She was asking even though she already knew. There was no other way for Seung Jun to know the truth.

“What, do you dislike that Yu Min contacts me? Do you want to cut us off now?”

At Seung Jun’s words, Seol Ah half lowered her head.

She already knew it was impossible. Just seeing that the person Yu Min thought of in his most difficult situation was Seung Jun.

“He called saying his mom was crying. He must have had no one else to lean on.”

It felt like her heart was being torn apart. In the end, I made my son that way. To have no one to rely on.

“This won’t happen again.”

Seol Ah bit her lip, let out a small sigh, and continued.

“Because I won’t create situations like this.”

Seung Jun, who had been silently watching Seol Ah, lowered his head. His breath touched the tip of her nose as he drew closer. Gently meeting her eyes, Seung Jun opened his mouth.

“You think this is all because of you?”

Facing the shaking pupils, Seung Jun narrowed his eyes again.

“Now’s not the time to show an inferiority complex. The one most hurt is Yu Min.”

Seol Ah’s eyes grew wide. Seung Jun frowned at the tears gathering in her pupils.

“I know, so I’ll take all the responsibility!”

“Why do you keep trying to take responsibility alone? Yu Min’s dad is here too.”

Seol Ah bit her lip. She opened her eyes wide as if she was resentful, but she seemed unable to find the words to say and was only breathing heavily.

“I told you to give me the father role too.”

Seol Ah lowered her eyes.

She had endured and persevered, but she was now sick and tired of situations that made Yu Min hear harsh words.

If the answer was this man. If it could protect Yu Min even a little bit.

Tears swirled in Seol Ah’s eyes. She quickly raised her hand to hide her tears, but Seung Jun’s handkerchief was held out in front of her.

“Take it.”

Seol Ah remembered that handkerchief.

It was one of the handkerchiefs she had gifted him. He was still using it? It was there as if it had appeared just for today.

Her trembling hand accepted the handkerchief.

“It was something you gave me.”

As Seol Ah just held the handkerchief without wiping her eyes, Seung Jun continued.

“You were by my side like that. Like air. Always ready with whatever I needed, accommodating my mood one by one. I’m sure you’re doing that for Yu Min now.”

No, you and Yu Min are different. For Yu Min, I’m just doing my best as a mother, but back then… Back then, I was in love.

Of course, I love Yu Min too, but back then, I wasn’t just playing a role, I was just myself. I was just Yu Seol Ah. It was suffocating and I trembled, but I was happy to be in front of you.

“I didn’t know very well. How you felt. What it was like for you to wait for me. I lived a life where it was natural for someone to accommodate me like that.”

The muttering voice stuck in Seol Ah’s ears.

Seung Jun was never a man who said these things.

A man without regrets, apologies, or lingering attachments. A man who simply made a choice and moved forward without hesitation, not thinking about anything else.

So considering someone’s feelings or empathizing was something Seung Jun never did.

Under the dim light of the street lamp, Seung Jun’s dark pupils sparkled. His hand gently stroked Seol Ah’s face.

A few people passed by.

It felt like the past seven years had disappeared again. Like when she was crazily hurting after being drenched in that rain. The man who had stayed by her side all night. Come to think of it, she hadn’t even thanked him then.

“Thank you.”

Seung Jun’s voice was low.

“For being by my side then.”

Seol Ah buried her face in the handkerchief.

There were times like that. When she felt reassured just being by his side. When she was lonely and lost, he was the pillar she could rely on more than anyone, shielding her.

Seung Jun slowly approached.

Seol Ah couldn’t refuse as he raised his arms to embrace her.

His embrace was still soft and warm. His scent lingered more strongly at the tip of her nose. In his warm embrace, Seol Ah became the her from seven years ago again.

This was what she had been afraid of.

That if she was held in his arms again, she wouldn’t be able to turn back.

Her desire to be loved was now clearly visible. The reason she had run away first was actually because she didn’t want to be abandoned. So, in fact, he had never left her heart.

Seung Jun released the hug and held Seol Ah’s shoulders, silently looking down at her.

“Let me be by your side now. Yours and Yu Min’s.”

After a brief pause, Seung Jun spoke. Seol Ah couldn’t answer.

Then, a few people passed by the two of them. Glancing around, Seol Ah slightly pulled away from Seung Jun. Seung Jun said nothing and just watched Seol Ah.

“You already are.”

Seol Ah’s trembling lips parted.

“By Yu Min’s side.”

Seung Jun frowned. That’s not what I mean. You really don’t know my true intention. I want to be by your side!

“I understood what you meant. I’m grateful for your help today too. As for contacting Yu Min, how could I say anything about that.”

Seol Ah took a deep breath.

“I know. I’m not a perfect mother. The kind that only hurts Yu Min. I won’t be able to do well in the future either. Because it’s me, who never had a mother.”

“I…”

Seung Jun closed his mouth before he could say how he was any different. Seol Ah’s hand was holding Seung Jun’s.

“So I have a favor to ask.”

Seung Jun looked at the hand fidgeting inside his. He was at a loss for words.

“Our Yu Min.”

Seol Ah spoke while looking into Seung Jun’s eyes and then raised her head.

“I should get going now. It’s late, I shouldn’t overstep with my request.”

Seol Ah turned to walk away. It was now unseemly to contact Jin Cheol or In Sook and ask for favors. Seung Jun followed her with a dumbfounded feeling.

He was right, he was the second, not Yu Seol Ah.

Yu Min was always first, and no matter what he did, he was second. Seung Jun shook his head and let out a small sigh.

*

“Did you reserve this entire cafe today? Wow, Yu Min’s mom sure has deep pockets.”

A few days later.

Seol Ah had rented out a nearby cafe and gathered the kindergarten mothers. There were a total of fifteen mothers in Yu Min’s class.

All the mothers except Shin Young’s mother had gathered and were sitting together.

Shin Young’s mother had also been contacted but didn’t show up.

Seol Ah brewed a cup of coffee for each of the mothers sitting at the large table in the center of the cafe and stood in front of them.

“Thank you all for gathering here today. Actually, I have a confession to make to you all.”

Seol Ah calmly looked at the mothers’ faces. She closed her eyes tightly and opened them before speaking.

“A while ago, the house where we held Yu Min’s birthday party wasn’t actually our house.”