“You must know my impure intention to spend this time, which I barely managed to create by adjusting my schedule, with your child.”

“Yeo Reum is……”

In Jae Kyung’s arms, Bo Mi rustled and continued speaking as if resigned.

“Don’t be kind to Yeo Reum. He’ll get hurt.”

“Which side is getting hurt?”

“……”

“Han Bo Mi? Or Han Yeo Reum?”

Bo Mi’s pupils trembled finely at Jae Kyung’s scathing question.

“Just accept me.”

Would a happy future await Bo Mi if she accepted him as he said?

That can’t be. If he wasn’t Do Jae Kyung but an ordinary man, she might have already fallen for such a confession long ago.

“Jae Kyung, you’re not right for Yeo Reum or for me.”

Bo Mi let out a small sigh and shook her head. She pushed against Jae Kyung’s firm chest with her palm and escaped from his embrace.

“Is it because I resemble a man named Won?”

“No. You and he don’t look alike.”

For a moment she wavered because he resembled paradise, but he had always been Do Jae Kyung to Bo Mi.

“Or is it because Yeo Reum thinks of me as his dead father?”

Bo Mi looked at Jae Kyung with a bewildered face.

So he knew.

‘Sister. I think Yeo Reum sees your director as his brother-in-law.’

Bo Mi’s heart ached at Mi Rae’s subtle words.

It seemed he believed that his father in heaven had come on vacation because he missed Bo Mi and Yeo Reum.

To such a child, Jae Kyung’s existence would only remain as a wound.

“…… I have nothing more to say. Please don’t approach my son and me after today.”

Bo Mi shook off Jae Kyung’s hand.

“Bo Mi. I’m sorry.”

His apology sounded like he was agreeing to her request, so she felt relieved.

This is the end. It’s really over. The emptiness that felt like a hole had been punched through her chest was just disappointment over emotions that had visited after a long time.

“I can’t agree to that.”

“Jae Kyung!”

“I promise.”

“……”

“I won’t hurt you or Yeo Reum.”

“…… I don’t believe such words.”

She had believed Won would always be by Bo Mi’s side too. She had no doubt that Won, Bo Mi, and Yeo Reum would form a happy family and live in Won Village.

“Even if you get hurt elsewhere, I’ll heal you.”

“Why….. don’t you know how to give up?”

“If I knew how to give up, I wouldn’t have come this far.”

“Please just go now. Don’t waste your precious time on me.”

Bo Mi could do nothing but painfully resist the urge to crumble and push him away.

Her heart was screaming, but her head was saying no.

“Sister! Brother Jae Kyung!”

Mi Rae approached the two of them while eating donuts with Yeo Reum.

“Mister!”

Yeo Reum waved his hand towards Jae Kyung, smiling brightly.

“Should I leave?”

Jae Kyung bent down and whispered in Bo Mi’s ear. The intention behind making such a sound at this timing was obvious. How disappointed would Yeo Reum be if Jae Kyung left?

“Do you intend to leave?”

“I intend to prioritize Yeo Reum’s opinion. Since I was invited by Yeo Reum.”

“…… Just for today.”

It was Gigatron Land they had come to for Yeo Reum’s birthday celebration. She didn’t want it to be remembered as a disappointing day for that child.

“Mister. Did you make up well with mom? Mom! Mom. Let’s go ride the rides now!”

Yeo Reum pulled on Bo Mi’s hand with his sticky hands, smiling with sugar powder all over his mouth.

As Jae Kyung bent his large body, Bo Mi tensed up and shrank back. Jae Kyung cupped Yeo Reum’s cheek and took out a handkerchief to wipe Yeo Reum’s mouth. Yeo Reum winked one eye as if ticklish.

“Oh oh! Gigatron robot!”

Yeo Reum pointed with his finger and shouted excitedly.

The Gigatron robot parade had started close enough to be visible. A band on a large character vehicle played the Gigatron robot’s main theme song cheerfully, and dancers danced flamboyantly in a line.

Behind them, robots on top of large Gigatron Motors, people dressed as pilots, and monsters struck poses and waved their hands.

People crowded around in layers to watch the parade.

Yeo Reum started running excitedly.

“Yeo Reum!”

Bo Mi and Mi Rae called out anxiously, afraid of losing Yeo Reum, but the excited Yeo Reum burrowed through the people as if he couldn’t see his surroundings.

“Yeo Reum! It’s dangerous to go alone!”

Bo Mi tried to chase after him, but it wasn’t easy to walk surrounded by people.

“Yeo Reum!”

Jae Kyung came up beside the flustered Bo Mi and lightly tapped her shoulder, saying.

“Follow behind me.”

Jae Kyung walked straight through the crowd of people as if it were nothing, heading towards Yeo Reum who was pouting because he couldn’t see the parade. Bo Mi couldn’t say anything and just stared at Jae Kyung’s large back, following the path he opened.

In the noisy and bustling crowd, only behind Jae Kyung felt safe.

“Ugh….. I can’t see. I want to see too. Uung.”

A large hand wrapped around Yeo Reum’s waist and he floated up into the air.

“Wow!”

Yeo Reum exclaimed in admiration as he climbed onto Jae Kyung’s shoulders. Small hands firmly grasped Jae Kyung’s head.

On the shoulders of the exceptionally tall Jae Kyung, the view widened.

“Can you see well?”

“Yes! Mister. I love it so much.”

Bo Mi’s heart swelled as she watched Yeo Reum hugging Jae Kyung’s head and rubbing his round cheeks.

Jae Kyung was showing a world that Bo Mi couldn’t give. Just for this moment, she wished Jae Kyung was Won, though she felt sorry for Jae Kyung.

Throughout the parade, the smile never left Yeo Reum’s face. Ah….. She shouldn’t be moved by this, but she couldn’t take her eyes off Jae Kyung and Yeo Reum.

Even after the parade ended, Bo Mi forcibly pulled down Yeo Reum, who didn’t want to come down from the piggyback ride for a long time.

“Yeo Reum. Come down quickly. Mister is tired.”

“No. Mom.”

He clung tightly, grasping Jae Kyung’s hair.

“Jae Kyung. I’m sorry.”

Yeo Reum poked his head out and examined Jae Kyung’s expression.

“It’s okay because you’re light.”

“Han Yeo Reum!”

Bo Mi called Yeo Reum in a heavily sinking voice.

“Mister. Please put Yeo Reum down. Mom is angry.”

Yeo Reum whispered into Jae Kyung’s ear.

“Is Yeo Reum afraid of mom?”

“Jae Kyung!”

“Ah….. She’s really angry.”

Bo Mi glared at Jae Kyung with fierce eyes. Does she know that expression is exactly like Yeo Reum’s?

Bo Mi’s child smelled as sweet as Bo Mi.

He thought how nice it would be if this child, light as cotton and sweet as cotton candy, was really his and Bo Mi’s child.

How much must that guy named Won be regretting leaving these two behind in heaven?

“Jae Kyung. If you indulge him too much, Yeo Reum will be spoiled.”

Jae Kyung hugged Yeo Reum and gently put him down on the ground. Yeo Reum clung to Jae Kyung’s leg and started pleading.

“Mister. Let’s go ride the Gigatron Robot Family Coaster.”

“Can Bo Mi ride it too?”

Bo Mi took a deep breath and swallowed hard.

“I can ride scary things well too.”

“So you can’t ride it. Yeo Reum. We’ll have to make mom wait.”

“Mom can’t ride well, so she rides things like whoosh whoosh and whirl whirl boom boom with Aunt Mi Rae.”

Bo Mi’s cheeks reddened as if upset at being caught in a lie.

“I can ride something like the Family Coaster!”

“That’s great. Yeo Reum. Mom and mister and Yeo Reum can all ride together.”

“Yay! I’m so excited.”

Bo Mi regretted asserting her pride that she could ride it. Now she couldn’t say she couldn’t ride it.

She loses herself in front of Jae Kyung. How foolish.

“Let’s go! Yeo Reum.”

As Jae Kyung took Yeo Reum’s hand, Bo Mi took the other hand. Yeo Reum’s expression brightened like the sun. He looked around proudly and puffed out his chest.

The owner of Yeo Reum’s one hand that had always remained empty like a home without both parents was found. It was the best birthday present.

Yeo Reum’s heart felt hot and ticklish. He wished the mister would hurry and reveal his identity as dad. Then they could live together with mom and dad…..

Yeo Reum wished and wished in his heart.

On a Sunday afternoon, Bo Mi resentfully looked at the pouring sky. It had been raining for days, as if the rainy season was starting.

Bo Mi, who had walked from the subway, checked her appearance while closing her umbrella in the hotel lobby.

‘I shouldn’t do anything to shame Min Jun.’

She felt more nervous as Mrs. Hwang’s scary face came to mind.

“Haa….. I don’t want to go on a blind date.”

Though she should do it considering the favors she had received so far if it would help Min Jun, she was reluctant.

As she entered the hotel lobby, a large poster of the Gigatron robot was pasted on one side.

The Dowon Hotel was currently holding a collaborative exhibition with the popular Gigatron robot character.

Yeo Reum would like it….. Getting this unexpected information was today’s harvest, if it could be called that.

She should book exhibition tickets as a gift for Yeo Reum when the blind date is over.

Yeo Reum’s main interests these days were the Gigatron robot and Jae Kyung.

Yeo Reum often talked about Jae Kyung, as if he had enjoyed playing with him.

Mister…., Mister…., Dad…..

Every time he uttered the word ‘dad’ in confusion, Bo Mi’s heart sank with a thud.

Bo Mi resolved to spend more time with Yeo Reum so he wouldn’t feel the absence of a father, but…..

‘I’m sorry it’s Sunday.’

Bo Mi felt bad about leaving Yeo Reum with Mi Rae even on a Sunday.

‘Mmm. It’s okay, sister. It can’t be helped.’

Mi Rae would want to play with her own friends on weekends too…..

‘Mom. Have a good time.’

Yeo Reum had really grown up, seeing her off maturely instead of insisting on coming along. Her steps were heavy as she left for the blind date, leaving Yeo Reum behind.

Bo Mi swallowed her complicated emotions and entered the hotel lobby. She had heard there were many people on blind dates on weekends, and she noticed tables with awkward-looking men and women sitting across from each other.

Bo Mi would soon be in that situation too.

“Han Bo Mi.”

A sharp-looking man wearing glasses raised his hand to greet Bo Mi.

“Ah….. Hello? Nice to meet you.”

The man’s gaze swept up and down Bo Mi. Feeling the unpleasant, sticky gaze, Bo Mi couldn’t look at the man in return.

“I’m Sim Hae Jun. Please sit.”

The man looked normal, as if nothing had happened, withdrawing his gaze.

“I’m older, so I can speak informally, right?”

“But….. we just met.”

Bo Mi showed her discomfort, but the man ignored her words.

“You’re prettier in person than in the photo.”

“……”

“You have a child, right? How old is the child?”

“Ah….. Six years old.”

As Mrs. Hwang had said, the other party didn’t seem to care about the child.

“I see. At that age, they can understand words, it would be fine to send them to study abroad.”

“What? Study abroad?”

Bo Mi asked again, wondering if she had heard wrong. What is this man saying now?

“I have no intention of sending my child to study abroad.”

“You don’t even know who the child’s father is, right? It would be a clean solution to give the child to the father….. I’ll put the child on the family register, so we should enjoy our newlywed life too. It’s cumbersome, isn’t it?”

“I’m sorry, but please consider this meeting as if it never happened.”

Bo Mi stood up hurriedly and picked up her bag.

“Sit down. I came out for Director Hwang Min Jun’s sake. You came out wanting something too, right?”

The man roughly grabbed Bo Mi’s wrist as she tried to stand up. No one around gave them a glance.

“…… Please let go of this first.”

“You dare reject me?”

As Hae Jun’s expression twisted frighteningly, Bo Mi felt fear.

“I think I was hasty. I have no intention of going, so please let go.”

Bo Mi pleaded and sat down, but the man didn’t seem to intend to release her wrist.

Every time he twisted her wrist, the man’s eyes looked disturbingly twisted.

She instinctively felt that provoking the man’s anger was not a good idea.

That’s when it happened.

“Mom!”

In the moment of despair, Yeo Reum’s voice calling for spring began to sound vividly.