Geon Hak raised his body that had been bent over at the sight of the two people boasting of their fantastic combination and joining forces.

Ye Na, who had been playfully acting as if her eyes hurt, looked up at Geon Hak and smiled broadly.

“Ha, now you’re even acting?”

As Ye Na and Jae I high-fived and smiled, Geon Hak was at a loss for words.

“Ye Na. We succeeded, right?”

“Yes!”

“Why are you acting so excessively?”

“You wouldn’t have put on the headband if I just asked, right?”

Geon Hak nodded.

“Well, I guess that’s true.”

As Jae I stood on her tiptoes and adjusted Geon Hak’s crooked headband, Geon Hak slightly bent his waist.

“If I try to take it off, you two will team up to put it back on, so do as you please.”

“Yes, Executive Director.”

Could it really be that good?

Geon Hak looked at Jae I, who kept smiling. Her smile was so lovely.

“Do you like it?”

“Yes. I love it so much, I’ve always wanted to do something like this. When I’m with you, Executive Director, I always feel like the things I’ve wished for are coming true one by one.”

As her face continued to bloom with smiles, Geon Hak nodded.

Worried that little Ye Na might get pushed around by people, Geon Hak reached out and firmly held Ye Na’s hand.

“It’s interesting that every time you’re by my side, Han Jae I, you achieve one thing after another that you want. I wonder where the final destination is.”

“That’s it. It’s perfect now.”

Geon Hak turned his head to look at the mirror on the wall.

“Uncle is Pooh, Pooh.”

Geon Hak gently lifted Ye Na, who was holding his hand, and looked at the mirror together. The expressions on all three faces reflected in the mirror looked happy.

“It suits you so well, Executive Director. It’s cute too.”

I’ve never been called cute before in my life. Geon Hak chuckled and looked at Jae I and Ye Na.

“It suits Han Jae I better than me, and of course our Ye Na too.”

Happy smiles spread across the faces of all three.

* * *

“Uncle, sister!”

He watched Ye Na waving her hand while riding the children’s drop ride. Unlike other children who were tightly holding onto the safety bar out of fear, Ye Na was waving her hand with a very happy smile.

“Looking at her, Ye Na resembles you a lot, Executive Director.”

Geon Hak took his gaze off Ye Na and looked at Jae I with his arms crossed.

“Ha, am I that frivolous?”

Jae I laughed softly.

“No. She takes after you, so she’s very brave and cheerful.”

Geon Hak met Jae I’s eyes.

“Who made Ye Na change like that?”

“Pardon?”

Geon Hak gently wrapped his large hand around Jae I’s shoulder and spoke in an affectionate voice.

“Because Han Jae I is by our side, both Ye Na and I have become brighter. Thanks to you.”

That was what Jae I wanted to say.

Because he was there. Because Cha Geon Hak was with her, she was able to change even more.

“Thank you, Han Jae I.”

“I’m more grateful, Executive Director.”

The two looked at each other and smiled with their eyes.

Ye Na, who had already gotten off the children’s drop ride, came over waving her arms like windmills.

“Sister!”

Geon Hak quickly lifted Ye Na, worried she might fall.

“You might fall doing that.”

“It was so fun.”

Ye Na burst into laughter with her snow-white cheeks turning red.

“At this rate, Choi Ye Na will want to play all night long.”

“Yes! Ye Na wants to ride again.”

As if to calm the excited Ye Na, Jae I said,

“Ye Na, shall we take our family photo first and then play? We have to do the homework from kindergarten too.”

“Yes, I like that!”

Ye Na hummed and even sang a little tune. Geon Hak stroked Ye Na’s forehead, which was sweaty.

“You’ve played so much that you’re sweating.”

“Hehe.”

Jae I looked around and pointed towards a large fountain.

“Executive Director. Let’s go take a picture over there.”

Zing, zing.

As the phone in Geon Hak’s pocket rang, he took it out to check.

[Kim Do Yoon.]

It was a call from Secretary Kim.

“I think I need to take this call.”

As Jae I’s expression changed for a moment, Geon Hak chuckled and cupped her cheek.

“It’s a call from Secretary Kim, so relax your expression. You really can’t hide your expressions.”

Jae I’s cheeks turned red. She couldn’t help but stiffen, wondering if it might be a call from Yoon Su Ah like before.

Feeling embarrassed for no reason, Jae I stretched out her arms towards Ye Na in Geon Hak’s arms.

“Ye Na, come here.”

As Ye Na tried to go into Jae I’s arms, Geon Hak put Ye Na down on the ground from his arms. He put her down first, worried it might be difficult for Jae I.

“Choi Ye Na, you can walk on your own, right?”

“Yes.”

“Good girl.”

Geon Hak stroked Ye Na’s hair.

“I’ll take the call and come back, so you two wait for a moment.”

Jae I nodded and held out her hand to Ye Na.

“Ye Na, let’s go ahead and wait.”

“Okay!”

As the two walked hand in hand towards the fountain, Geon Hak looked at the loudly ringing phone.

He must know that I came to the amusement park with the two of them. Yet the call still hadn’t ended.

Geon Hak looked at the two by the fountain.

“Uncle!”

Geon Hak waved at Ye Na and pressed the call button.

― Executive Director.

At Secretary Kim’s urgent voice, Geon Hak’s brow naturally furrowed.

“What’s the matter?”

― Yoon Su Ah arrived in Korea and is now hospitalized due to a traffic accident.

The smile on Geon Hak’s face disappeared in an instant. Jae I’s eyes, waiting by the fountain while chatting with Ye Na, wavered.

······What’s going on?

The person talking to the Executive Director must be Secretary Kim. But why is the Executive Director making that expression?

“Sister?”

An ominously strange feeling began to creep in.

“Sister!”

“Hm? Ye Na.”

“Why don’t you answer when Ye Na talks?”

“Ah, sorry, Ye Na.”

Even while listening to Ye Na chattering in front of her, Jae I’s gaze kept turning towards Cha Geon Hak.

Geon Hak furrowed his smooth brow and pressed his temple firmly.

“Why is Yoon Su Ah in Korea now, what is this about? Secretary Kim, are you joking with me? Why is Yoon Su Ah, who’s in America…”

― It seems she entered the country early this morning. It looks like she had an argument with Chairman Yoon after coming without notice, and then got into a traffic accident. Executive Director.

“Which hospital?”

― Korea University Hospital.

“Alright, I’ll head there now, so Secretary Kim…”

Geon Hak looked ahead.

He saw Ye Na sitting by the fountain, opening her palm to catch falling water droplets, and Han Jae I looking at him with a worried face.

Throb. Geon Hak pressed his temple firmly.

“Secretary Kim, come to the amusement park and take the two of them home.”

― Yes, understood, Executive Director.

Geon Hak rubbed his face.

Now he saw the message that had come from Yoon Su Ah.

[Geon Hak, I’ve come to Korea.]

Geon Hak gripped the phone in his hand even tighter.

Jae I watched Geon Hak not coming towards them. She was about to approach him when his voice stopped her in her tracks.

“Han Jae I.”

His voice reached where Jae I was.

“Yes, Executive Director.”

“I think I need to go urgently.”

“Where…?”

“I’m really sorry.”

Sorry? What is he sorry for?

Is he sorry because of urgent company business? Or is he sorry for leaving Ye Na and her behind like this?

Or if not that…

What exactly are you sorry for, Executive Director?

Geon Hak turned around just like that. His large back gradually moved farther away from Jae I.

Jae I stood still in that spot without moving until he disappeared into a dot.

Ye Na, who had been sitting on the bench, hopped down and called out to Jae I.

“Sister?”

When there was no response from Jae I, Ye Na looked up at Jae I’s face. She spread her arms and hugged Jae I tightly.

“Sister, don’t cry, why are you crying? Is it because uncle left?”

“No. I think something got in my eye. Like you earlier, I think something got in my eye.”

“Huh? But Ye Na was lying earlier, nothing got in Ye Na’s eye.”

She had an ominous feeling.

A feeling that he might never come back to her again.

* * *

She wasn’t sure how she managed to leave the amusement park with Ye Na.

“We should have played more, our Ye Na must be disappointed that we left early.”

Ye Na shook her head.

“Ye Na’s not disappointed at all, I’m more upset that sister went ‘waaah’ and cried.”

She hadn’t cried that much. Jae I smiled faintly at Ye Na’s exaggeration.

“I’m sorry, Ye Na. And thank you, Ye Na makes sister feel so comforted.”

Jae I bent her knees and hugged Ye Na tightly.

The five-year-old Ye Na soothed Jae I’s heart to the point of being reassuring.

As they moved to the roadside to catch a taxi, a familiar sedan stopped in front of the two.

Executive Director?

Did the Executive Director come back? A smile quickly spread across Jae I’s face.

“Assistant Manager Han.”

“Ah, Secretary Kim.”

The one who got out of the driver’s seat wasn’t Cha Geon Hak, but Secretary Kim. The smile on Jae I’s face disappeared instantly.

“I was worried we might miss each other because you weren’t answering your phone.”

Jae I checked the phone in her bag. There were five missed calls from an unknown number.

“I’m sorry. I don’t answer calls from numbers I don’t know.”

“No, I should have sent a text message. Still, it’s fortunate we didn’t miss each other.”

“That’s true. I had no idea you were coming, Secretary Kim. I thought you were with the Executive Director since he left urgently after taking your call…”

“You must be tired, please get in quickly. I’ll drive you home.”

As Do Yoon hurriedly opened the back door, Ye Na and Jae I got into the car.

The inside of the car was deathly quiet.

Ye Na, who had been chattering away while sticking close to Jae I’s side, seemed to have fallen asleep on Jae I’s lap.

Tears welled up in Jae I’s eyes as she looked out the window.

Strange. Why am I like this?

Why am I so afraid? Why?

Jae I quickly wiped the tears in her eyes with the back of her hand. Everything that happened at the amusement park today felt like a dream.

All the moments of the three of them laughing and talking together felt like a dream that would disappear after waking up. The only photo they took together was the one with headbands at the prop shop.

“Um… Secretary Kim.”

“Yes.”

“Where is the Executive Director now?”

Jae I’s voice trembled slightly.

“He went to the company because of urgent business.”

“Ah, I see…”

“You don’t need to worry.”

A lie flowed from Do Yoon’s lips.

He recalled Geon Hak’s earnest request earlier.

Do Yoon made up an answer as Geon Hak had asked him to give a vague response if Han Jae I asked, but he felt uneasy.

* * *

Korea University Hospital.

Geon Hak’s feet moved quickly.

Heading towards the hospital room, Geon Hak stopped and checked the name plate on the door.

[Yoon * Ah]

He roughly opened the door. He found Su Ah sitting on the hospital bed.

Really. Yoon Su Ah is in Korea.

She came back.

As Geon Hak’s eyes wavered, she waved her hand while sitting on the bed. One of her arms was in a cast. Fortunately, it didn’t seem like she was badly injured elsewhere.

“Yoon Su Ah. Why are you here.”

“I’m hurt, Geon Hak… Are you going to be so cold after seeing me for the first time in a long while? Come here and hug me.”

As Geon Hak stood still without moving, she got up from the hospital bed. Then she approached Geon Hak.

Su Ah hugged Geon Hak’s waist.

“Geon Hak. I promised, didn’t I? That I would definitely come back to you. I. I’ve come back.”