“Mr. Jae Kyung can’t come? He promised me.”

“Huh….. Mr. Jae Kyung? When did you two become so close? This is driving me crazy. Today, Chairman Lee Hae Young’s proxy invited Ga Young to the breakfast banquet. Ga Young was incredibly eager for it.”

Lady Hwang and Yeon Ga Young had begun to move in earnest to somehow make the marriage with Do Jae Kyung happen.

“By now, the two of them are probably taking an elegant stroll in the chairman’s garden. That would be several times more beneficial for the company than coming to this childish party.”

“…..”

That’s right. Do Jae Kyung was someone who lived in a different world. Even if he liked Bo Mi, his marriage partner was already decided. Although it was a fact she knew, the disappointment still hurt Bo Mi.

“Bo Mi!”

Bo Mi was startled by the voice calling her and turned her head.

There, Mi Rae and Su Young were standing together amicably.

“Ta-da! Elder sister. I’ve brought someone to be the one-day father today.”

Mi Rae introduced Su Young with a triumphant expression, making a cupping gesture with her hands.

“What’s with that guy again?”

“Mi… Mi Rae. Why is Su Young here.”

Bo Mi’s mouth hung open, unable to close.

What on earth is going to happen today?

“Yeo Reum. Uncle came to be Yeo Reum’s dad at the sports day today.”

Su Young stretched out his arms and lifted Yeo Reum up.

“Uncle Su Young!”

Yeo Reum hugged Su Young’s neck tightly. Since Bo Mi had started Nare Creative in earnest with Su Young after Yeo Reum was born, Su Young had been seeing Yeo Reum since he was a baby.

He had helped with working from home and even looked after Yeo Reum in emergencies, so Su Young was really like a close uncle to Yeo Reum.

Ga Jin narrowed his eyes and looked Ha Su Young up and down. He was the boring-looking guy who had been following Han Bo Mi around like a goldfish’s poop since college.

Ga Jin pouted his lips with a displeased expression.

“Hey, kiddo.”

“Oh, uncle.”

“I told you I’d be your dad today, didn’t I?”

“Director Hwang Ga Jin is here too. Did you perhaps also get asked to be a substitute dad?”

Su Young asked with a bright face.

“Yeah. That’s right. Now that you know, get lost.”

“Ah… But I was also asked by Mi Rae.”

“Elder sister. That person is… Su Young seems better suited for the dad image, right?”

Mi Rae whispered to Bo Mi while glancing at Ga Jin.

“Uncle Su Young. I asked Uncle Ga Jin to be my dad today?”

Yeo Reum explained, waving his hand.

“Sigh… How should I handle this situation.”

Bo Mi held her forehead as if she had a headache.

“Both of you without even consulting me!”

“Mom!”

“Elder sister!”

Yeo Reum and Mi Rae shouted simultaneously, as if feeling wronged. If only she hadn’t blocked contact with dad in the first place, they wouldn’t have had to resort to such tricks…

“It’s fine. It’s all my fault.”

“Eh… Elder sister, can’t we all just play together? We had the foresight to pack plenty of kimbap. So let’s play together. Is that okay? Both of you.”

“I’m fine with that, Mi Rae.”

Su Young said with a kind smile. Having come this far, he absolutely couldn’t go back. It had been a while since he shared private time with Bo Mi.

“I get to play with Uncle Su Young too after so long? I’m excited.”

“Ha! What’s this really? Is this kid playing the field or something?”

“Uung… Uncle Ga Jin, are you angry?”

“Yeo Reum. Don’t worry about it and go to your teacher.”

Bo Mi had to send Yeo Reum to the teacher in time for the assembly.

“Hey! Han Bo Mi.”

Ga Jin called Bo Mi in an irritated voice.

“I’ll send Yeo Reum off and come back, so elder brother can go back if you’re busy.”

Bo Mi thought she’d have to thank Ga Jin separately later as she planned to send him away.

It might be fortunate that Jae Kyung couldn’t come, as Ga Jin had said.

Goodness, just three dad roles… The thought alone was dreadful.

“I’m not going! Instead… Han Bo Mi. You!”

Ga Jin looked at Bo Mi with a meaningful expression.

“Choose which one of us will be the dad.”

Ga Jin was here because Yeo Reum, the main character of this event, had invited him. He was certain that he was more suitable for the dad role than that Ha Su Young fellow.

“Elder brother… Really. Is that important right now?”

“Bo Mi. Let’s all cheer for Yeo Reum together today!”

Su Young stood next to Bo Mi and was about to gently place his hand on her shoulder.

“Hey! You two. Step apart.”

Ga Jin wedged himself between Bo Mi and Su Young, swatting away Su Young’s hand.

“Director Yeon Ga Jin.”

“I’ll walk with Bo Mi, so you just follow behind carrying the luggage.”

Ga Jin snatched the lunchbox bag from Bo Mi’s hand and handed it to Su Young.

“Elder brother!”

“Bo Mi. Let me carry it. Director, please don’t arbitrarily come between Bo Mi and me.”

“What?”

Ga Jin approached Su Young threateningly. The tense atmosphere between the two men drew sharp glances from the surrounding mothers.

Ga Jin, with his light brown hair, slender face, white skin, and sharp long eyes, looking a bit rough, and Su Young, with his black hair and silver-rimmed glasses, looking like the epitome of a model student, had contrasting appearances.

The two tall, handsome men stood out even just standing still.

“Oh my. Look there. Yeo Reum’s real father seems to have come.”

“But which one of them is Yeo Reum’s father?”

“Why is the atmosphere… Are they fighting?”

“But either way, they’re handsome. Since he’s carrying luggage, that person in purple clothes seems to be Yeo Reum’s father… Then is the other one the aunt’s boyfriend?”

“Maybe they’re both Yeo Reum’s mother’s boyfriends?”

“Shall we go ask which one is Yeo Reum’s father?”

Min Hyung’s mother, who had been watching the situation, leaned forward as if she couldn’t stand it anymore.

“Uh… But look over there.”

As the whispering voices grew louder, Bo Mi’s face gradually reddened with embarrassment.

“If you’re both going to attend, stop fighting and let’s go in quickly.”

“Elder sister. I’ll take Yeo Reum. Yeo Reum, let’s go.”

Mi Rae urged, holding Yeo Reum’s hand. Feeling partly responsible for this situation, Mi Rae wanted to step away for a moment. Elder sister. I’m sorry. I’ll come back when they both calm down.

“Then uncles. We’ll run with Yeo Reum later!”

Yeo Reum waved his maple leaf-like hand as he walked briskly.

“Hey, kiddo. You tell me. I’m the dad, right?”

Ga Jin grabbed Yeo Reum and pressed him.

“I even bought you shoes. Who do you think will play the dad role better?”

“Uung…”

Yeo Reum looked down at his toes, seeming troubled. Uncle Ga Jin was invited by Yeo Reum, but he likes Uncle Su Young too… What should I do?

“Let’s stop this. Yeo Reum needs to go now.”

Su Young grabbed Ga Jin’s shoulder as he was being forceful.

“Don’t touch me!”

Ga Jin stood up and shoved Su Young away unpleasantly. Su Young stumbled backward and pushed Bo Mi who was standing behind him. Bo Mi staggered and took a step back.

“Oh! Bo Mi!”

Su Young turned around in surprise, but there was already a man standing behind her.

“Ah… Mr. Jae Kyung.”

The faintly permeating scent of the man seemed to reveal who it was even without turning around.

“I’m not too late, am I?”

The man smiled gently as he pulled the stumbling Bo Mi into his arms.

“Dad!”

Yeo Reum let go of Mi Rae’s hand and ran to Jae Kyung.

“I thought you couldn’t come…”

Do Jae Kyung in casual attire still looked awkward. Bo Mi blinked several times to confirm if his appearance was real.

“Do Jae Kyung!”

“Chief!”

Ga Jin and Su Young’s faces contorted.

“Dad! Dad!”

Yeo Reum clung to Jae Kyung’s legs, smiling brightly.

“Did you make up with mom? Can Yeo Reum meet you now?”

“Mom and I have always been on good terms. Don’t worry, Yeo Reum.”

Probably from now on, we’ll be even closer.

When Jae Kyung picked up Yeo Reum, Yeo Reum reached out to cup Jae Kyung’s cheeks and smiled. The deep dimples on both cheeks, just like his own, felt familiar. Dad is the best after all.

“Yeo Reum!”

The teacher’s voice calling for Yeo Reum was heard.

“Ah! I really have to go now.”

“I’ll take you there.”

Jae Kyung strode off, still carrying Yeo Reum.

“Oh my! Are you perhaps Yeo Reum’s father?”

The teacher, knowing that Yeo Reum was from a single mother household, asked as if to confirm. The striking resemblance between Yeo Reum and the man made them look unmistakably like father and son.

Yeo Reum really takes after his dad and is handsome. In her 20 years as a kindergarten teacher, she had met countless parents and children, but she felt like this was the first time seeing a father and son so packed with dominant genes.

She had been worried because Yeo Reum was growing slower than his peers, but seeing the father’s height and build, her concerns disappeared.

“It’s nice to meet you. I apologize for the late introduction due to my busy schedule. Please continue to take good care of our Yeo Reum.”

“Ah! Yes. Yes. Please participate a lot in today’s event with Yeo Reum.”

The teacher responded while looking at Jae Kyung’s face as if enchanted. Not only is his face handsome, but his voice is handsome too.

As Jae Kyung turned back after handing Yeo Reum over to the teacher, Min Hyung’s mother sighed as soon as she saw Min Hyung’s father.

“Wasn’t Yeo Reum’s mother said to be a single mother?”

“It must have been a false rumor. They look so alike…”

“Come to think of it, I heard Yeo Reum’s mother is some company’s CEO… She’s pretty, capable, and her husband… Sigh. I’m envious.”

“What husband? Yeo Reum’s surname was the same as his mother’s.”

Min Hyung’s mother pouted her lips and sneered. They say the world is unfair, but for that woman to have everything alone, isn’t this too much?

“Oh, come to think of it, you’re right. Then are all three of those men just boyfriends? She hasn’t gathered an ex-boyfriend, current boyfriend, and ex-husband all together, has she?”

“Ah… Even as a joke, I wish I could be in that situation once. Surrounded by such handsome men.”

Gossip mixed with half envy and half jealousy was still circulating among the mothers.

After the children were handed over, the parents started to take their seats in the cheering section. The screen was glowing with the words “Happy Day with Dad” scrolling across it.

Su Young felt uncomfortable being among all these powerful figures, from the Director of Hwang Do Resort Operations to the Chief of Do Won Group’s Strategic Planning Office. But with his 10-year career as a Bo Mi devotee, Ha Su Young couldn’t back down here.

He had fallen for Bo Mi at first sight when she came to the freshman orientation in their first year of university. In the engineering college where there were few women, Bo Mi stood out. Moreover, Bo Mi giving the freshman representative greeting sparkled like a goddess.

There were many people aiming for Bo Mi, but she wasn’t interested in dating. Her eyes only sparkled when developing games together. Su Young had watched several times as men lost even their friend status after trying to make moves on her.

So he remained just a friend for ten years without even confessing.

He took pride in having stayed by her side as she struggled through pregnancy with someone else’s child.

But now, to have Do Jae Kyung show up…

He had planned to score points with Bo Mi today and confess his intention to become Yeo Reum’s real father, but his plans were in shambles.

“Elder sister! I’ll sit with Su Young!”

Mi Rae quickly pulled on Su Young’s t-shirt. Su Young reluctantly followed Mi Rae.

“Su Young. I’m really sorry. I didn’t know things would turn out like this. Who would have thought all three would invite different people… Let alone Yeo Reum, Bo Mi didn’t even say she invited Jae Kyung. She’s really secretly sly, I tell you.”

Mi Rae made a sad face as she spread out the leisure sheet.

“It’s okay. Thanks to this, I get to watch Yeo Reum’s sports day together.”

“Ugh… Su Young. You’re really too nice. You know I’m always on your side, right?”

Mi Rae comforted Su Young with a slight smile. She thought once again how fortunate it was that she had packed a lot of kimbap in the morning.

Bo Mi couldn’t speak to Jae Kyung out of guilt.

“Mr. Jae Kyung. Thank you for coming.”

She was curious about how the breakfast meeting with Ga Young that Ga Jin had mentioned went, but she didn’t want to ask directly.

“If I had known there were so many people willing to play the dad role…”

“This is… well…”

Bo Mi fidgeted, trying to explain, but didn’t know what to say. She was certain that there weren’t many people in the world who could properly explain this chaotic situation.