[ Five Years Later]
(Taekyun's Residence, Seoul
May/ Summer
4:00 PM)
Warm afternoon sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, filling the spacious living room with a gentle golden glow.
The floor was almost completely covered with colorful toys.
Building blocks.
Tiny cars.
Stuffed animals and picture books.
Right in the middle of the cheerful mess sat two children, completely absorbed in their own little world.
(Five-year-old Kim Taeha,
Taekyun and Haneul's son)
He was patiently arranging toy blocks.
(Beside him sat Kim Seoah, Nayeon and Jina's two-year-old omega daughter)
Every now and then, Seoah would knock over the blocks Taeha had carefully stacked.
Instead of getting angry.
He would quietly build them all over again.
A few steps away, Jina leaned comfortably against the sofa while sitting on the floor, absentmindedly scrolling through her phone.
She sighed dramatically.
"Where on earth is Nayeon?"
"I've been texting her for almost an hour."
Just then, Bora entered the living room carrying a tray.
"Here's the strawberry pudding."
She placed two small bowls in front of the children before handing a glass of orange juice to Jina.
"And here's your juice."
Jina accepted it gratefully.
"Ah..... thank you."
She took a long sip before letting out another sigh.
"I'm already exhausted."
"And Nayeon still isn't replying."
Bora smiled.
"I'm sure she's just busy."
"Yeah maybe. "
Jina hummed before crawling closer to the children.
"Taeha."
"Come here."
"I'll feed you."
Without even looking up, Taeha shook his head.
"No."
He picked up one of the pudding bowls with both tiny hands.
The bowl looked almost too big for him to carry.
Carefully balancing it, he walked over and sat directly in front of Seoah.
"Seoah eat first."
Seoah immediately giggled.
Taeha scooped up a tiny spoonful of pudding and carefully held it toward her.
"Seoah...."
"Ahh....."
Seoah happily opened her mouth.
After making sure she swallowed, Taeha finally took one bite himself.
Then another spoonful went straight back to Seoah.
The adults watched in complete silence.
Trying not to laugh.
A little pudding ended up around Seoah's lips.
Taeha immediately grabbed a small napkin lying nearby.
Very gently, he wiped her mouth.
"Seoah...."
He said seriously.
"Don't dirty.... your mouth."
"Umma will scold you."
Seoah simply giggled louder.
Jina burst into laughter.
Bora couldn't help laughing as well.
"Look at him."
"Our little gentleman is growing up so fast."
She walked over and sat beside the children.
Jina shook her head in amusement.
"Taeha."
"You're spoiling my daughter."
"Come here."
"I'll feed both of you."
Taeha stubbornly shook his head again.
"No."
Jina laughed helplessly.
"I seriously don't know who you inherited this stubborn personality from."
Bora smiled warmly.
"Taeha."
"Won't you let me feed you?"
Again.....
He shook his head.
"No."
"Seoah will grow first."
He nodded confidently before adding,
"Teacher said...."
"When I grow up...."
"I can marry a good..... and pretty girl."
Jina blinked.
Then slowly turned toward Bora.
"what?"
Bora pressed her lips together to stop herself from laughing.
Jina looked back at Taeha with narrowed eyes.
"Ya, Kim Taeha-nim."
"You're not planning to use that theory on my Seoah, are you?"
Taeha lifted his head.
His innocent face looked unbelievably adorable.
Yet his sharp golden eyes so rare and striking held a strange seriousness completely unlike a normal five-year-old.
He nodded without hesitation.
"I'll marry Seoah when I grow up."
Silence.
Then.....
Both Bora and Jina burst into laughter.
"Look at this little man."
"How dare you huh..."
Before either of them could tease him further
Thud!
The sound of the front door echoed throughout the house.
Bora instinctively stood.
"Oh."
"Looks like Haru came home early today."
Moments later.....
Footsteps entered the hallway.
A twelve-year-old girl stepped inside.
Haru had changed enormously over the past five years.
She had grown much taller.
Her once-soft baby face had become more defined, though traces of childhood innocence still remained.
Her dark wolf-cut hair brushed against her shoulders, with long bangs framing her face and a few loose strands falling over calm, unreadable eyes.
She wore her school uniform slightly carelessly, the tie already loosened after school.
Despite being only a sixth-grade student.
She somehow carried herself with the confidence of someone much older.
Behind her hurried her personal staff member, Jiah.
"Haru!"
"Please wait!"
"At least let the doctor look at your hand!"
The moment Bora and Jina heard that....
They immediately looked toward the entrance.
Haru walked into the living room.
A white bandage was wrapped around one hand.
There was a fresh cut on her lower lip.
A faint bruise had already begun forming near her jaw.
Both Bora and Jina froze.
Their eyes widened instantly.
Jina hurried toward her.
"Haru!"
She gently held Haru's wrist before carefully touching the small cut on her lip.
"What happened?"
"Who did this to you?"
Haru looked at her calmly.
"It's nothing."
Without another word.
She walked past them.
Then quietly sat on the floor beside Taeha and Seoah as though absolutely nothing had happened.
Jina slowly looked toward Jiah.
Jiah hesitated.
Then gave a tiny nod while glancing nervously toward Haru.
That alone was enough.
Jina closed her eyes.
"Again?"
Bora sighed.
"I'll go get the first-aid box."
She quickly headed toward the cabinet.
Jina folded her arms before looking back at Haru.
"You got into another fight at school, didn't you?"
Haru remained silent.
Jina frowned.
"Haru."
"Didn't we already talk about this?"
"Why don't you understand?"
"Who would even believe you're only in sixth grade?"
"You're behaving like some college student who settles everything with her fists."
She sighed in frustration.
"What are you going to tell your Abba this time?"
"Didn't he warn you already?"
Still.....
No answer.
Haru quietly stood up.
Without explaining herself.
Without arguing.
She simply walked toward the staircase.
Jina immediately followed her.
She gently caught Haru's wrist before she could climb the stairs.
"Haru-ah."
"This time...."
Her voice softened.
"Please tell me."
"You know your dad and Nayeon will react just like last time if they hear about this."
Haru remained quiet for several seconds.
Then finally spoke.
"They irritated Eunseo."
That was all.
Nothing more.
Jina immediately understood.
(Eunseo.
Haru's childhood omega best friend.
For the past two years....
Whenever someone bullied Eunseo.
Haru always ended up fighting them herself.
She had almost become the school's unofficial protector.
And every single time.
She came home injured.)
Jina sighed deeply.
"So they bothered Eunseo."
"And you beat them up again?"
"Haru."
"How many times have your teacher and your dad explained this?"
"You should report it to the teachers."
"They'll contact Eunseo's parents."
"You can't solve everything by fighting."
Haru simply looked away.
As though she hadn't heard a single word.
She quietly continued upstairs.
"Haru."
Jina called after her.
But she never stopped walking.
A moment later.....
She disappeared behind the hallway upstairs.
Jina let out another exhausted sigh.
"Jiah."
"Come here."
Jiah nervously stepped forward.
Before she could explain...
Bora returned carrying the first-aid box.
"Don't tell sir yet."
She looked worried.
"You know how he reacts."
"And Haru....."
"She's becoming more stubborn every day."
Jina looked conflicted.
"But Bora....."
Before she could finish.....
Jiah spoke quietly.
"The principal was very upset today."
"She specifically asked Mr. Taekyun to attend tomorrow's parent-teacher meeting."
Silence filled the room.
Jina slowly covered her forehead with one hand.
"We're finished."
Bora sighed before picking up the first-aid box again.
"I'll go clean her wounds."
She quickly headed upstairs.
Meanwhile.....
Jina stared at the phone in her hand for several long seconds.
Then finally sighed.
"Nayeon is definitely going to hear about this."
She tapped her contact list.
And pressed the call button.
[Haru's room]
Haru sat quietly on the edge of her bed.
Her school bag had been tossed carelessly onto the floor.
She stared silently at the bandaged scratches on her hand, lost in thought.
A few moments later.....
Knock.... knock....
The bedroom door opened gently.
Bora stepped inside carrying the first-aid box.
"Haru-ah...."
Haru slowly looked up.
From the very beginning until now.
No matter how much Haru had changed.
No matter how cold or distant she appeared in front of others.
She had never hidden herself from Bora.
Bora had always been someone she could quietly lean on.
Bora smiled softly before walking over and sitting beside her.
For a few seconds.
Neither of them spoke.
Then....
Without saying a word.
Haru slowly leaned her head against Bora's shoulder.
Her voice came out quietly.
"I didn't mean to fight them."
Bora gently smiled.
"I know."
"You were protecting Eunseo."
Haru lowered her eyes.
"I never wanted to hurt anyone."
"They just wouldn't stop."
"They kept cursing her."
"And pushing her."
Bora quietly took Haru's injured hand into hers.
She carefully opened the first-aid box and began cleaning the scratches with disinfectant.
"They pushed you too, didn't they?"
Haru gave a small nod.
"I tried talking first."
"I told them to stop."
"I didn't start the fight."
"But one of them pushed me."
"I fell....."
"My hand scraped against the ground."
"Hmm...."
Bora carefully cleaned the wound before wrapping a fresh bandage around it.
Then she gently lifted Haru's chin.
"Now let me see your face."
Haru looked down quietly but didn't resist.
Bora examined the cut on her lip and the bruise near her jaw.
"When they still wouldn't stop."
Haru whispered,
"I pushed one of them away."
"They hit me back."
Bora nodded in understanding.
She carefully dabbed antiseptic over the cut before applying ointment.
Silence settled between them again.
After a moment, Bora asked quietly,
"She's the same friend who lost both of her parents."
"isn't she?"
Haru nodded.
"Hm."
"It's not her fault they died."
"She never asked them to leave."
"So no one has the right."
"to blame her."
"or curse her because she's an orphan."
Bora quietly listened.
"I understand."
Haru's eyes slowly became distant.
"Maybe"
"they're gone because they loved her."
"And they couldn't bear seeing her suffer."
Her voice became softer.
"Like Umma did."
"for me."
"and Taeha."
Bora's hands paused.
She slowly closed the first-aid box before setting it aside.
Then she gently patted her lap.
"Come here."
Without hesitation....
Haru lay down, resting her head in Bora's lap.
Just like she had done countless times when she was younger.
Bora smiled gently.
Her fingers slowly ran through Haru's hair.
"You're a good girl."
"I know you never meant to hurt anyone."
"But everyone keeps telling you the same thing."
"If something happens...."
"You should inform the teacher first."
"You understand that, don't you?"
Haru nodded quietly.
"I do."
"I know."
"I'll admit it."
"I didn't think properly."
"I just...."
Her brows tightened.
"I wanted to beat them because they hurt Eunseo."
"That's why....."
Bora gently stroked her hair.
"Haru-ah....."
"No matter what happened."
"Your Abba never solved things this way."
"It's not something your family's bloodline should become known for."
"Protecting someone."
"Doesn't mean hurting someone else."
"You have to think carefully before taking every step."
Her voice became softer.
"Especially because you're the eldest in this house."
"One day."
"You'll stand beside your Abba."
"And you'll help look after Taeha."
Bora smiled faintly.
"You made a promise to Haneul."
"You promised to protect them."
Haru lowered her gaze.
"I know."
"What I did was wrong."
"I'll tell Abba myself."
She sighed quietly.
"I just....."
"I don't want everyone scolding me again."
Bora chuckled softly.
"Jina cares about you very much."
"She's your aunt."
"Don't misunderstand her."
Haru shook her head.
"Not Aunt Jina."
"I meant my principal....."
"and my teacher."
"They never protect Eunseo."
"They always side with those bullies."
"because their families are powerful."
Bora sighed quietly.
She could hear the frustration in Haru's voice.
She gently tucked a few loose strands of hair behind Haru's ear.
"Then tell your Abba everything tonight."
"Tell him exactly what happened."
"But Haru-ah....."
She smiled gently.
"Don't raise your voice."
"He's your father."
"He's carried enough burdens already."
"So be patient."
Haru remained silent for a few moments.
Then she gave a small nod.
"Hm."