-I went to the bathroom for a moment… and she disappeared.

“Kim Mi Rae. Where are you now?”

Yeo Reum… Yeo Reum.

Bo Mi’s fingertips grew cold and trembled.

-I’m at a cafe near your company, sister. I suddenly got my period so I went to the bathroom… Sob. Waaah. Sister. What should I do?

Mi Rae’s voice sounded unreal.

“I’ll go there.”

Bo Mi was frustrated with Mi Rae, who couldn’t even answer properly because she was crying.

Ga Young grabbed Bo Mi as she headed for the elevator.

“CEO Han Bo Mi. Lunch break is over, where are you going?”

“I’m sorry. An urgent matter came up.”

“No. Even if it’s not your own company, how can you be so messy, not following the rules?”

Ga Young, recalling the humiliation she received from Jae Kyung, held onto Bo Mi’s arm, who had turned pale. Did she think she could just leave the store, no matter what was going on?

“You can’t just leave during work hours as if the company is a playground. CEO Han Bo Mi, do you have no common sense? Don’t you know you need to report properly to me, the team leader?”

Bo Mi was stunned by Ga Young’s nitpicking, but she had no energy to argue. If something happened to Yeo Reum while she was dealing with this…

“Let go of me. It’s really urgent right now.”

“Then come to my desk first and report your outing.”

Bo Mi violently shook off Ga Young’s hand. The coffee cup she was holding fell, spilling ice with a clatter.

“I’m sorry. I’ll take whatever disciplinary action when I get back.”

She got on the elevator that had just opened without looking back.

“Hey! Han Bo Mi!”

Ga Young rubbed the back of her hand that Bo Mi had shaken off, enraged at the coffee stains on her shoes.

“How dare you ignore me! Just you wait. You!”

Ga Young’s angry shout did not reach Bo Mi.

Even if she got fired, Yeo Reum came first.

The trembling that had not stopped since earlier drove Bo Mi into the midst of terror.

She was scared. Like the day she lost her mother, like the day she lost Won Il, she didn’t want to wait endlessly for a precious person anymore. She would search every corner to find Yeo Reum.

Yeo Reum… my baby.

Imagining the child trembling alone in a strange place with nowhere to go, she felt as if all the blood was draining from her body.

‘Mom… Where are you? Mom… Waaah.’

Yeo Reum. Don’t cry. Mommy will be right there. Bo Mi stomped her feet, thinking the elevator was too slow.

Her eyes kept getting hot, feeling like tears would pour out if she touched them.

She couldn’t cry yet. Bo Mi pressed her fingers firmly against her eyes as if trying to cool the heat.

Was this punishment for thinking of another man?

Won Il. I’m sorry.

If you’re watching from heaven, please protect our Yeo Reum.

I’ll live only for Yeo Reum, so please… make our Yeo Reum appear before my eyes. Please, I beg you.

Bo Mi felt like everything was her fault. Barely supporting her body that felt like it would collapse with legs giving out, she ran out through the open doors.

[This is the timeline separator]

Thirty minutes earlier, a young woman and a child entered the cafe in front of the company. The woman looked around urgently and sat the child down. Even her ordering seemed somewhat rushed.

“Your juice is ready.”

The woman snatched up the juice like lightning and set it down in front of the child. With a pale complexion, she fired words at the child like a machine gun.

“Ha… This is crazy. Yeo Reum. Auntie will be right back from the bathroom. Drink your juice and wait right here, okay!”

Mi Rae’s stomach was not just churning, but screaming. Mi Rae fought with all her might to hold on, extracting a promise from Yeo Reum before rushing to the bathroom.

“Okay! Come back soon, Auntie.”

Yeo Reum waved, gripping the juice cup tightly with both hands.

Swinging his feet, he turned his gaze out the window. Unlike where Yeo Reum had been staying, there were many cars and large buildings. Yeo Reum looked around with sparkling black eyes.

“Do-won Gru-oup.”

Yeo Reum read aloud the large letters that said Dowon Group.

Yeo Reum recalled what he had seen on television with Winter. A building that looked just like the scene on TV was visible across the street.

[Dowon Group Executive Director Do Jae Kyung has made an official statement.]

Dowon Group Executive Director Do Jae Kyung.

Great-aunt had said that’s where Mom works.

Not knowing what an executive director was, Yeo Reum thought the entire “Do Jae Kyung Executive Director” was part of the company name.

He wanted to see the Dowon Group Do Jae Kyung Executive Director where Mom works up close. Moreover, those big letters were missing the “Do Jae Kyung Executive Director” part.

He had to tell Mom.

Yeo Reum realized the important mission given to him.

“It’s right in front of me, so I should go quickly and come back.”

With an “oomph” sound, he slid down from the chair. The busy cafe in front of the station paid no attention to the small child walking out confidently.

“Mom will be so happy if I find her, right?”

Yeo Reum had already forgotten he was supposed to be waiting for Mi Rae, thinking only of surprising Mom. The letters in front of him seemed very close, and Yeo Reum thought he would arrive really soon.

He slipped out of the cafe and into the bustling crowd.

It wasn’t as scary as he thought. His little heart pounded at the thought that Mom was just across the street.

He felt like Gigatron Robot setting off on an adventure.

Mom will be happy to see me and hug me.

Just that thought gave him strength.

“I won’t lose courage! Brave robot!”

Yeo Reum sang as he stood in front of the crosswalk. When the light turned green, he raised his hand and crossed with the crowd.

“Oh my, how cute.”

He heard a passing grandmother praising how adorable he was. Yeo Reum’s lips curled up, feeling proud.

In Great-aunt’s neighborhood in Garam City, many people knew Yeo Reum.

On the way to the supermarket with Great-aunt, grandmothers and grandfathers would give Yeo Reum candy or pocket money and pat his head when he greeted them.

When he reached the end of the seemingly endless crosswalk, Yeo Reum realized.

No one here knew him. A strange place.

Yeo Reum finally noticed he was in an unfamiliar place. Unlike Great-aunt’s neighborhood, there was no one he recognized when he looked around. Which direction was the cafe he’d been in with Auntie?

The round sun in the sky looked the same as at Great-aunt’s house, but the massive buildings that seemed like they would swallow Yeo Reum and the countless cars overwhelmed him.

He suddenly felt afraid. Even if he wanted to go back, he didn’t know where he was, so he had no choice but to walk towards the building with “Dowon Group” written on it.

“I won’t… lose… courage.”

His voice started to tremble.

“Mom…”

Yeo Reum realized that the Dowon Group building he thought was just across the street was actually quite far away.

He puffed out his cheeks and swallowed the urge to sit on the ground and cry.

‘Yeo Reum. You shouldn’t cry even when Mom’s not around, okay? Remember? Call anytime you miss me.’

The prettiest mom in the world said not to cry. Even if he missed her and wanted to call, he couldn’t right now, so he had to endure.

Dad… If you’re watching from heaven, please help Yeo Reum!

Yeo Reum had only seen his father in faded photos.

‘Why aren’t there any pictures of Dad?’

‘Dad didn’t like having his picture taken. But Mom remembers him a lot.’

Won Il would say he felt sick when a camera was pointed at him, and disliked even phone pictures.

Yeo Reum blinked his large eyes that were about to tear up and looked up at the sky.

Dad. Yeo Reum won’t cry. I’m 6 years old now, so I’ll protect Mom instead of Dad.

Vroom vroom. The sound of cars driving by loudly could be heard.

“Wow… It’s big.”

Yeo Reum looked up at the Dowon Group building.

He felt proud of himself for coming this far alone.

Screech!

With a loud braking sound, a yellow sports car stopped a short distance from Yeo Reum.

Startled, Yeo Reum sat down.

“Shit. Who left a kid alone!”

A man in a red shirt and white slacks got out of the car cursing.

“Geez! It’s a good thing I’m a good driver. How can they let a kid like this wander around on the road alone. Whose parents are you?”

Ga Jin approached the child sitting on the ground in surprise, with his arms crossed.

People passing by started to gather, but no one stepped forward as the parent.

“Hey. You’re not hurt, are you? Huh? You look familiar…”

Ga Jin bent down to look closely at the child’s face. The round face with tears welling up looked familiar.

Where would I have seen a kid like this?

Ga Jin clicked his tongue and asked Yeo Reum again.

“Hey. Where’s your mom?”

“Mom… Sniff…”

Scared, Yeo Reum sniffled and stretched out his small finger.

“There…”

“There what?”

“There, Dowon Group.”

“Your mom works at Dowon Group?”

Ga Jin thought for a while about whether the child’s familiar face overlapped with any of the employees. Since he rarely went to the company, no particular person came to mind.

This kid even has a mole by his eye. Reminds me of that bastard. Puts me in a bad mood.

“Hey. Get up. I’ll take you to Dowon Group.”

“Waaah!”

Yeo Reum started crying out loud.

“Hey. Hey. Hey. What did I do? I’m just trying to help.”

“Mom said not to go with strangers…”

“Hey. We’re just walking from here to there. And I work at Dowon Group, you know.”

“Waaah…”

As Yeo Reum’s crying grew louder, Ga Jin became flustered.

“Hey. Want to see my business card? I can prove it.”

“Sniff sniff. That’s not it.”

“Are you hurt somewhere? Did you get hurt falling? Want to go to the hospital? Shit. What should I do?”

Ga Jin felt urgent as he sensed people’s gazes. His uncle said he’d scrap the car if he got into another accident… I didn’t even cause an accident, I just got out of the car because it’s dangerous for a kid to be wandering alone!

To think the great Yeon Ga Jin would end up like this trying to do a good deed. He had only come to see Han Bo Mi, who Ga Young said works on the same team as her. Though he was reluctant to meet Do Jae Kyung since they’re on the same floor as the Strategic Planning Director’s office.

Oh? Come to think of it, this kid?

“It’s Dowon Group Do Jae Kyung Executive Director.”

“Whoa… You know Executive Director Do Jae Kyung?”

“Dowon Group Do Jae Kyung Executive Director.”

Jackpot! No way? Could it be? Do Jae Kyung’s son? Ga Jin felt like his vision had suddenly cleared.

“Hey! Kid. Smile for me.”

“Sniff… Sniff. I can’t smile. Waaah.”

“Stop crying and smile. I said I’ll take you to Dowon Group Do Jae Kyung Executive Director.”

“If I smile after crying… Sniff. They say horns will grow on my butt.”

“Puhahaha! Do people still say such old-fashioned things these days? Who told you that?”

“Mom did…”

Yeo Reum answered in a small voice, seeming embarrassed by Ga Jin’s laughter.

“Okay. See that entrance over there? I’ll go in with you that far. See this? You’ll get chased out by the security guard without this, you know?”

Ga Jin said, holding out his security card.

“You need to show that to go in? Is it like a Gigatron Robot certificate?”

“Ah… Yeah. Something like that. I’ll take you.”

“Hmm… Okay.”

Yeo Reum seemed to have his heart stolen by Ga Jin’s security card, stopping his tears.

“Mister. Then please go with me.”

Perhaps feeling a bit relieved? Yeo Reum smiled brightly. The mole by his eye, the deep dimples… Cute.

No, wait. I shouldn’t think Do Jae Kyung’s spitting image is cute!

“You’re in for a surprise. I’ll introduce you to your dad.”

They say even a well-behaved cat will climb on the kitchen counter. To think Do Jae Kyung had a hidden child. It’s a shame to keep such a bombshell to myself.

I thought he was a machine-like guy with no interest in women who only cared about work, but he’s been up to no good on the sly. Yeon Ga Young would foam at the mouth if she knew, but to Ga Jin it was just juicy gossip. It would be icing on the cake if this damaged Do Jae Kyung’s reputation.

Shit. I wonder what Do Jae Kyung will say when I present him with a kid that looks just like him?

“But I’m going to see Mom?”

“Yeah, you’ll see Mom and Dad too.”

Aha. Do Jae Kyung. So you messed with someone from the company.

I wonder what Acting Chairman Lee Hae Young would do if she found out about this?

At a time when they’re pushing for an engagement with Ga Young for the future of Dowon Group, a hidden child would be a minus for Jae Kyung in many ways.

By the way, the more I look at this kid, the more he’s the spitting image of Do Jae Kyung.

Ga Jin was about to take Yeo Reum’s hand, but seeing the soot on his own hands, he lifted the child up instead.

“Wow! This is fun.”

The child flailed and giggled. Kids, really.

As Ga Jin entered the company lobby, a group of people surrounded by security guards and secretaries was walking from the opposite direction. Ga Jin was more pleased than ever to spot Jae Kyung at the front, having a serious conversation with Secretary Kim.

Great. Now let’s see that arrogant face of yours crumble as you look down on people.

“Hey! Executive Director Do Jae Kyung!”

Ga Jin shouted with the child tucked under his arm, raising his other hand high.