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chapter 4
Even though spring was approaching, the weather was still chilly.
Dain hunched her shoulders against the spring breeze that slipped through her coat.
Even with her scarf wrapped tightly around her neck, the wind was biting enough to make her shiver.
‘When is she coming out?’
Checking her wristwatch, Dain kept staring at the kindergarten entrance.
In her hand was a plastic bag with the dinner she planned to share with Yeoreum.
It was Hamburg steak—the very dish Yeoreum had mentioned craving a few days ago.
‘Hello, teacher… Yes, I’m calling because today I can come a bit earlier.’
Normally, she would have been late, but thanks to a recently finished project, she was able to leave work on time.
When she called the kindergarten to let them know, Yeoreum had been thrilled.
‘Is it really that exciting? It’s not even eating out—it’s just Hamburg steak at home.’
Had she known it would make Yeoreum this happy, she would have done it sooner.
Dain sighed as she glanced at the retort-packaged meal inside the transparent bag.
She had rarely cooked herself because of how busy she always was.
Yeoreum knew how overwhelmed she was with work, so she never insisted on home-cooked meals.
Even sitting down for dinner together like this, just the two of them, was something that hadn’t happened in a long while.
That was probably why Yeoreum was so excited… which in turn made Dain feel guilty.
‘She must want to eat at home sometimes too… Not with me, but with her real mom or dad—ah.’
In that instant, Dain bit her lower lip hard, realizing her slip.
No matter how much she tried to live without remembering, the thought of her sister always floated up the moment she let her guard down. And no matter how hard she tried, that was the one thing she could never push away.
At least when work was hectic, she had less time to dwell on the past.
But that only meant she threw herself deeper into work, which made her neglect Yeoreum all the more.
“……”
When someone you love dies, when exactly do the ones left behind ever return to living peacefully?
That question had haunted Dain for years, ever since her parents and her sister passed away.
People around her would tell her, “Life goes on. You have to keep living.” They meant it kindly, but none of those words ever reached her heart.
They faded too quickly to fill the gaping holes left inside her.
The emptiness and loss were tangled far too tightly to be untangled easily…
“Fate is just coincidence that repeats, or so they say.”
A sudden unfamiliar fragrance brushed past her nose.
Startled, Dain turned her head at the sound of a low chuckle—and gasped.
“We meet again, Assistant Manager Min.”
The lips of Taekyung, who had been watching her all along, curved into a smile.
“D-Director?”
Her consciousness, sinking endlessly like into a bottomless abyss, was yanked back up in an instant.
Flustered, Dain quickly glanced around and, seeing that he was alone, bowed hurriedly.
“W-What brings you here, sir…?”
She stopped mid-sentence, frowning.
‘Wait… does he have a child? But I heard he’s the same age as me…’
If his child was already old enough to be in kindergarten, when on earth had he gotten married?
“I’m not married.”
Taekyung, who had been watching her thoughts play out clearly on her face, dropped the words casually.
It was the exact answer that pierced through all the questions swirling in her head.
“Assistant Manager Min, you wear your thoughts on your face. It’s amusing.”
Dain froze, a chill running down her spine, but Taekyung simply kept speaking with a relaxed smile.
“Your niece attends this kindergarten, doesn’t she?”
He glanced at the sign that read Rainbow Kindergarten.
Dain nodded quickly.
“Yes, that’s right. I came to pick up Yeoreum.”
“I’m here to pick up my niece too.”
At the word niece, Dain’s eyes lit up with interest.
Her clear gaze sparkled with unmistakable curiosity.
For just a moment, she felt a kind of camaraderie, as if they were on the same side.
“Standing here together like this, we look like comrades.”
When Taekyung voiced what she had just thought, she couldn’t help but smile faintly, almost in relief.
“I suppose so.”
A soft, fleeting smile brushed her lips, so brief that one might miss it.
Taekyung took a step closer, tilting his head.
“Auntie!”
Just then, a noisy voice rang from the entrance.
Both of them turned their heads at once.
Through the crowd of children pouring out, Yeoreum came running, her round hat bouncing as she moved.
Her bright yellow kindergarten uniform made her look like a little chick as she toddled quickly toward Dain.
“Oh?”
Yeoreum, who had been running toward Dain, suddenly stopped short.
She had just noticed Taekyung standing beside her.
“It’s the uncle who helped yesterday!”
“Hello, Yeoreum.”
With a big grin, Yeoreum ran straight up to him.
Taekyung, genuinely pleased, lifted his right hand and waved.
“Yeoreum, remember to thank him again for yesterday.”
Dain hurried over and pulled Yeoreum close protectively.
At her words, Yeoreum nodded, then neatly clasped both hands and gave a deep bow.
“Hello, Uncle! Thank you for helping me yesterdayyy!”
She bent so low that her bag tipped forward and knocked her hat askew.
Quickly, Taekyung reached out and caught the strap of her hat before it could fall.
Completely unaware, Yeoreum piped up with a question.
“But Uncle, why are you with my auntie?”
As soon as Yeoreum straightened back up, Taekyung let go of the strap.
Her innocent question made even Dain glance at him expectantly, wondering about his niece.
“Ah, well…”
He was just about to explain—
“Yeoreum!”
Suddenly, a loud boy’s voice cut in as another child dashed between them like a flying bullet.
Startled, Dain instinctively pulled Yeoreum back, just in case.
“Yeoreum, you shouldn’t talk to strangers!”
The boy shouted boldly, standing protectively in front of Yeoreum.
Taekyung, a beat late in recognizing him, gave a small scoff.
At the same moment, the boy recognized him too, eyes widening in shock.
“What, it’s Uncle Taekyung!”
The boy was Go Hanul, Taekyung’s nephew—the son of his younger brother who was currently living abroad.
“Hanul, what do you mean strangers? I’m your uncle.”
With an easy grin, Taekyung ruffled Hanul’s hair.
The boy’s soft hair slipped easily between his fingers.
Hanul was also seven years old, and by coincidence, he wore the same nametag color as Yeoreum—they must have been in the same class.
“You’re the one who begged me to come pick you up.”
At his uncle’s jab, Hanul pursed his lips like a little duck, sulking.
Apparently, when he heard the babysitter couldn’t come, he had immediately called Taekyung to come instead. Maybe he had really wanted to see his uncle.
“Today the teacher was sick… and you weren’t busy, right, Uncle?”
“When am I ever not busy? I came even though I was.”
“Woooow, really?”
Surprised and delighted, Hanul instantly brightened, forgetting his earlier grumbling.
Then, grabbing Yeoreum’s hand, he started introducing her.
“Uncle, this is my friend! Yeoreum.”
“I know her already.”
“Huh? How do you know her?”
Hanul’s round eyes sparkled with shock.
“Well… it’s kind of a long story.”
“I’ll tell you!”
Yeoreum hurried close and tugged at Hanul’s ear, whispering the story to him.
It was probably about what had happened yesterday.
“What? Really?”
Hanul gasped dramatically, then burst into laughter with Yeoreum.
Meanwhile, Dain stood confused, struggling to follow the whirlwind of the situation.
From what she could gather, Taekyung’s nephew and Yeoreum were in the same class.
“What could they be whispering about…?”
She murmured absently, watching the children.
Leaning closer to her ear, Taekyung whispered back.
“Too bad we can’t eavesdrop.”
“It would be terrible if they misunderstood something…”
“Misunderstood what, exactly?”
His pointed question made Dain snap her mouth shut.
There was no way she could say “If they mistake us for a couple, that would be a problem”—not right in front of him.
“Speaking of misunderstandings…”
Taekyung chuckled at her innocence, then suddenly lowered his voice with a serious expression.
“If Manager Jung ever asks about today, I’d appreciate it if you told him this meeting was just a coincidence.”
“Chief Jung?”
“He might otherwise think I’m stalking you, Assistant Manager Min.”
Just imagining the stiff, rule-bound chief of staff was enough to give him a headache.
The look of exasperation on Taekyung’s face made Dain laugh softly.
This man, so unshakable and confident, actually worrying about what to say to his secretary—it was unexpectedly endearing.
‘Endearing?’
The thought startled her, and she shook her head quickly.
How could she dare to think of her lofty superior as cute? The idea was absurd.
“Assistant Manager Min?”
Noticing her strange reaction, Taekyung tilted his head.
As his face leaned closer, the scent around him grew stronger, filling her senses.
The moment their eyes met, his face was etched into her vision like a painting.
His sharp eyes and tall, straight nose gave him a cold air, yet his gentle gaze softened it all.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
His voice was low and calm, yet hearing it only made her thirst for more—for reasons she couldn’t explain.
