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chapter 09
First Outing
It was my third day at work.
By now, I was somewhat familiar with the Town Palace buildings, and after walking past them, I finally arrived at my workplace.
If I open that door, will I be greeted by the sound of a frog again?
I pressed the doorbell.
Ding-dong, click.
The door opened, and as expected, the first thing I heard was the sound of the frog.
“Waaaah~!”
“Whoa, you scared me!”
I was startled when I saw Ahn Hee-soo holding Maengkkongi and instinctively took a few steps backward.
I could understand the thick luxury padded coat, despite the fact that it was completely out of season.
But she had also wrapped a Hermès scarf tightly around her face, then put on a white mask and black sunglasses.
Ahn Hee-soo casually opened her mouth.
“We’re going out today, remember? So I went all out. Teacher, how do I look? No one can recognize me, right?”
“You look suspicious no matter how you look at it! What are you, some kind of North Korean infiltrator?”
I went inside, washed my hands, and took Maengkkongi from her.
While I was preparing the formula, Ahn Hee-soo followed me around and kept asking questions.
“No, but how would anyone recognize me when I’m wrapped up like this?”
“They probably won’t know you’re Ahn Hee-soo. But they’ll definitely think you’re some celebrity around Ahn Hee-soo’s level.”
“Really? Then should I change the scarf? To Chanel?”
“Sigh. Just take the scarf off completely. If you only wear a mask, people will stare at you less.”
“Nope! My eyes are too pretty, so I absolutely have to wear sunglasses. People recognize me just by looking at my eyes, haha!”
“…Yes, sure. Go ahead.”
While Ahn Hee-soo unwound the scarf wrapped tightly around her head, I started feeding Maengkkongi formula.
Maengkkongi seemed to have grown a little more in just one day.
The way the baby slowly blinked while sucking on the bottle was unbearably cute.
“Maengkkong~ Let’s drink slowly~ If you spit it up later, you’ll be hungry again. Slowly~ There you go~ Good job~”
Slurp, slurp, slurp, slurp—
Before I started working here, Maengkkongi had always been given too little formula because of Ahn Hee-soo’s lack of childcare knowledge.
Maybe because of that, the baby seemed to have developed a habit of drinking in a hurry.
Well, I could gradually increase the amount and adjust the feeding schedule, and the habit would probably disappear over time.
“All done~ Did you finish everything? Shall we burp now?”
“Hiiing~”
Maengkkongi smacked those tiny lips as if disappointed that the meal was over.
I held the baby in a position suitable for burping and gently began patting their back.
Pat, pat, pat, pat, pat, pat—
“Buuurp.”
“Yes!”
Clap clap clap clap clap—
I turned around at the sound of applause and saw Ahn Hee-soo, now without her scarf, clapping enthusiastically.
“Teacher, that was amazing! When I do it, I have to pat for like five minutes before Maengkkongi burps.”
“But it’s gotten better than before, right?”
“Totally! Before, Maengkkongi wouldn’t burp at all and would just get fussy.”
“Haha. It’ll get even better once you get used to it.”
After making sure Maengkkongi had burped properly, including a few small burps, I began preparing for our outing.
“Okay~ Maengkkong, let’s get you dressed.”
First, I dressed Maengkkongi warmly.
It was fine to dress the baby lightly indoors, but when going outside, it was advisable to keep the baby warm.
Babies are sensitive to temperature changes and have weak immune systems, making them more susceptible to colds.
Next, I stuffed extra diapers, wet wipes, a bottle set, a thermos, formula packets, and other necessities into Ahn Hee-soo’s luxury handbag.
“Teacher~ That’s a limited-edition luxury bag I bought in Italy. It’s okay if it bursts, so just stuff everything in!”
“You mean don’t let it burst, right?”
“I mean, there’s no need to make it burst on purpose, haha.”
There were still so many things to pack.
Normally, when taking a baby who was less than 100 days old outside, you had to bring an entire mountain of supplies.
Because there were so many variables.
A toy to soothe the baby if they suddenly started crying.
Bamboo-fiber cloths to wipe the baby if they spit up or drooled excessively.
Plastic bags for disposing of things separately if the baby had a bowel movement.
I dug up all my memories of taking care of my younger siblings and finished preparing for battle.
I grinned and said to Ahn Hee-soo,
“All right, shall we go?”
“Let’s go!”
Ahn Hee-soo decided to carry Maengkkongi downstairs.
Instead, I carried the basket-style car seat and the bundle of bags prepared by Manager Yang.
A basket-style car seat was essential when going out.
Before a baby reached 100 days old, their body was so small that it was difficult to secure them properly in a standard car seat.
In fact, if the vehicle shook while driving, a baby who couldn’t yet support their own head could be injured.
So, whenever possible, a basket-style car seat was the way to go.
Ding, whiiiiir—
When the underground parking lot elevator doors opened, Ahn Hee-soo pointed at a particular spot.
“Over there. That’s my car. The blue one.”
“Oh.”
And there, I encountered a formidable obstacle.
“…Ms. Hee-soo. What is that?”
“My car! Isn’t it awesome? Haha!”
Beep.
Ahn Hee-soo took out her smart key and pressed a button.
The headlights of the blue Lamborghini flashed.
It was an extremely low blue supercar with doors that opened upward.
It even seemed to have a convertible roof.
In other words, it was a complete disaster.
I stared blankly at Ahn Hee-soo’s car before finally speaking.
“Ms. Hee-soo. This normally wouldn’t be allowed, but since we’re in a hurry, let’s take a taxi.”
“Why? Why would we take a taxi when I have my own car?”
“Are you planning to race down the Autobahn with Maengkkongi?”
“I’ll drive safely!”
“And it only has two seats. You can’t even install a basket car seat in that thing. Sigh. It would be better to ask Manager Yang.”
I explained the situation to Manager Yang over the phone, and less than fifteen minutes later, a midsize sedan entered the underground parking lot.
Manager Yang got out of the car, looked back and forth between the Lamborghini and the basket car seat, then nodded.
“…So that’s what happened.”
“Yes. That’s what happened.”
“Let’s go in my car.”
We had to hurry if we wanted to reach the hospital on time.
I quickly installed the basket car seat in the back seat of the sedan.
After attaching the car seat to the seat, I wrapped the seat belt around it and secured it firmly.
Watching my practiced movements, Manager Yang let out an admiring sound.
“Wow. You’re a pro. I wouldn’t even know how to install that just by looking at it.”
“Try it a few times and you’ll get the hang of it quickly, haha.”
We all got into the car.
Ahn Hee-soo sat in the passenger seat, while I sat in the back beside Maengkkongi.
Manager Yang turned around and asked me,
“Hyuk-chan, are you ready?”
“Yes, I’m ready.”
Vroooom—
As the engine started, Maengkkongi looked ready to cry.
“Hiiiiiing~”
The inside of the car and the car seat must have been unfamiliar.
I quickly took a rattle out of the bag and waved it in front of Maengkkongi’s eyes.
Jingle, jingle—
“Orororororo~ Peekaboo! Orororororo~ Peekaboo!”
“Hieee~ Hieee~”
I grinned and said,
“Manager Yang, you can start. Orororororo~ Peekaboo!”
“Wow, Hee-soo. What would you have done without Hyuk-chan?”
“See? I chose well, didn’t I? Haha.”
“I’ll definitely give you that.”
We headed for the hospital.
There was a general hospital near Yeoksam Station.
We arrived at its pediatrics department, completed the registration, and sat down together.
Manager Yang had somewhere else to be, so we agreed to meet by the roadside on the first floor after the appointment.
“Hieee~”
Maengkkongi still couldn’t support their own head.
Their eyes hadn’t fully developed their focus yet, so they simply stared at me sitting directly in front of them.
“Maengkkong~ Are you nervous?”
“Hieee~”
Ahn Hee-soo, who had been warily watching the people around us from her seat, asked me,
“Maengkkongi is being way too quiet. Is that okay?”
“I think it’s because the baby is scared. If you poke Maengkkongi right now, they’ll probably go ‘Waaaah~!’ and start crying.”
“No! Absolutely not! I’ll lose my soul if Maengkkongi cries.”
“Haha, don’t worry. I’ll take care of the baby.”
Ahn Hee-soo adjusted her mask and said,
“When I imagine not having you around, it’s terrifying. I can’t even go to the hospital alone. No, wait. I can’t go anywhere.”
“Haha. That makes me feel proud.”
“That reminds me.”
Ahn Hee-soo slightly lowered her sunglasses and looked straight into my eyes.
“Teacher. Could you take Maengkkongi and go somewhere with me?”
“Where?”
“Hmm~ When I’m alone with Maengkkongi, I don’t think it would be possible. But with you there, I think we could do it.”
“So where is it?”
Ahn Hee-soo cleared her throat before continuing.
“Teacher, do you know Yeom Jeong-an?”
“Of course. She’s an actress.”
There was no way I wouldn’t know her.
Yeom Jeong-an was such a famous middle-aged actress that practically everyone in Korea knew her.
“She’s a close older sister of mine. She recently started filming a drama.”
“She started filming?”
“I sent her a picture of Maengkkongi a little while ago, and she said they happened to need a cute baby around fifty days old for the shoot. So get this! She showed Maengkkongi’s picture to the director, and the director said our Maengkkongi was perfect!”
“No. Maengkkongi is way too young.”
“Oh, come on, Teacher. I’ll pay you a hefty extra fee. Please come with me. My older sister even gave her permission.”
“It’s not about me. Maengkkongi is just too young.”
“Wouldn’t it be nice to have footage of what our Maengkkongi looked like as a newborn? And these days, filming with babies is conducted extremely safely, so it’s fine. Especially since they built the set to resemble an actual postpartum care center, apparently, and it has all the necessary facilities. What do you think? If you’re okay with it. Ahem.”
When I remained silent and avoided her gaze, Ahn Hee-soo added,
“Teacher! You said you wanted to learn acting, right? You can go to the set, get a feel for the atmosphere, and see how things work. That would be good, wouldn’t it?”
I was tempted.
“Hmm. I’m a veteran when it comes to childcare, so I can keep the baby safe.”
“Okey-dokey~! Then I’ll tell them we’re doing it! I felt bad refusing when my sister asked me anyway, haha!”
From what I heard, the drama was titled Postpartum Care Room.
They were supposed to begin filming within a few days, but they had been struggling to find a newborn.
Anyway, just as Ahn Hee-soo said, I thought it would be good to see the filming set and get a feel for the atmosphere.
Click.
Just then, the examination room door opened, and a nurse came out and called,
“Baby Yoo Ha-young! Please come into the examination room!”
“Oh! Yes!”
Maengkkongi’s real name was called, so I quickly stood up.
We entered the examination room and faced a male doctor wearing a white coat.
The doctor smiled brightly.
“I examine countless patients every day, but this baby is really beautiful. I guess she takes after her mother?”
Ahn Hee-soo suddenly whipped off her mask and sunglasses.
“Doc! I’m not the mother. Maengkkongi is my niece. Don’t get the wrong idea. You can check the family register if you want.”
Why would a pediatrician need to check a family register?
She had wrapped herself up in a Hermès scarf because she couldn’t let people recognize her, yet the first thing she did in front of the doctor was take off her mask.
The doctor blinked awkwardly.
“Haha. Then I suppose the baby must take after your older sister. And is this gentleman the father?”
I shook my head.
“…No. I’m her manager. The circumstances are rather complicated.”
The doctor grinned and turned his attention back to Maengkkongi.
“But what does that matter? As long as the baby is healthy, that’s all that matters. All right, little one. Let’s see how healthy you are.”
The doctor examined Maengkkongi’s body from various angles and checked the baby’s overall health.
Soon, after confirming that there were no problems, he gently patted Maengkkongi’s head and nodded toward the nurse.
“Healthy. Let’s give the baby a shot.”
Ahn Hee-soo looked nervous.
“Doc. Maengkkongi has to get a shot? She’s going to cry like crazy, right? Our Maengkkongi has a huge voice!”
The doctor chuckled.
“That’s what makes a baby a baby. It would be strange if they smiled after getting a shot, haha. All right~ Let’s see just how powerful our little one’s lungs are, as her aunt says.”
The doctor lightly injected the needle into Maengkkongi’s thigh.
“WAAAAAAAH~!!! KYAAAAAAAH~!!!”
Maengkkongi’s scream filled the examination room.
It was so loud that even the doctor and nurse, who had been smiling moments earlier, looked startled.
I quickly stepped in.
“Maengkkong, what’s this? Ooh~ Ororororororo~ What’s this? Huh~? Wowww~ Look at this. It’s a stethoscope!”
“Hiiing, sob, sob. Hiiing.”
“Wow, the doctor has metal wrapped around his neck! Right? Wow~ Maybe you can hear really well with that thing? Isn’t it amazing?”
“Eeee~”
Maengkkongi’s crying stopped almost instantly.
The doctor gave me a thumbs-up.
“Wow. You’re really skilled. I wish every newborn who came to our hospital had a manager like you, haha.”
The nurse chimed in.
“The father is really good with the baby.”
“Ahem. I’m not the father. I’m the manager.”
Ahn Hee-soo interrupted.
“My manager is amazing, right? He graduated from Jeongjungang University!”
So what?
That was the expression on both the doctor and nurse’s faces.
I hurried out of the examination room, leaving them behind.
I rubbed my face with one hand and said to Ahn Hee-soo,
“Ugh, that was embarrassing. Why did you bring up my university?”
“Are you embarrassed about Jeongjungang University?”
“I’m embarrassed because of you, Ms. Hee-soo.”
We took Maengkkongi down to the first floor.
It was cold outside, so we waited for Manager Yang’s sedan at the hospital entrance.
Then I casually said,
“The script you lent me. I memorized all of the male lead’s lines.”
“All of them? Come on~ You’re lying.”
“I’m serious. I stayed up all night yesterday memorizing the entire male lead’s part. You could tap me and the lines would just come flying out.”
Ahn Hee-soo grinned.
“Oh~ That’s our Jeongjungang University graduate. See? You really are a bookworm.”
“You graduated from Jeongjungang University too.”
“But I’m not a bookworm. I got in as a special talent. I’d already been acting since high school. And I got extra points for my looks, I guess, haha!”
“Good grief.”
Ahn Hee-soo lowered her sunglasses slightly as if Maengkkongi looked adorable, then gave the baby a bright smile.
“Maengkkong~ It’s your aunt! Peekaboo?! Peek~aboo?!”
“Hik, hiiiieeeaaang~!”
I quickly turned Maengkkongi around in my arms and said to Ahn Hee-soo,
“Looks like you just lost points. Go away.”
“Maengkkongi! How could you do this to the aunt who cleans up your poop and pee every morning?”
“Oh, there’s Manager Yang. Let’s go.”
As I opened the entrance door to leave, Ahn Hee-soo called after me.
“Teacher. You said you memorized the whole script, right? How about giving it a little try in the car?”
“I’ll be embarrassed in front of Manager Yang. Couldn’t you coach me separately later?”
“Haha? You’re not even a professional actor yet, so who cares? Just a little. Really little. Let’s just see what you’ve got.”
“Hmm.”
For now, we climbed into Manager Yang’s sedan.
