A child who looks like me

At Jeong-oh’s question, Ji-heon puffed up with pride.

“That could be the case.”

He wanted to boast. Just like me.

Understanding Ye-na’s desire to brag about her dad 100%, Ji-heon wore a victorious smile and sought permission from Jeong-oh.

“Since it’s like this, can I go?”

One woman was holding him back, and another was asking him to come. A happy man who was quite popular with both women, his lips kept lifting toward the ceiling.

For a moment, his expression was so soft it seemed almost serious. Jeong-oh found this even more annoying, but she too was a hopeless fool when it came to her daughter.

In any confrontation, they became of one mind when it came to “Princess Ye-na.”

“Be careful. Watch what you say, especially be cautious with names.”

“……”

“Your brother is Jeong Ji-heon, but Ye-na is Lee Ye-na.”

I hope Ye-na doesn’t get hurt again.

“I understand.”

Ji-heon nodded at the delicate admonition.

“Tell me about it when you get back.”

“……”

“I’ll play with you when you come back.”

“I’m not asking to play, you know?”

With a swift response, she snapped back at him. He soothed her with a sneaky kiss and turned away. His steps were even a bit hurried as he walked away.

Eventually, the door that had been opened closed with a click.

Left alone, Jeong-oh vented her dissatisfaction into the air.

“Seriously, who is this guy calling a fox?”

He himself was a far worse sly fox. With his terrible disposition, he couldn’t stand seeing anyone else act slyly, letting out only a sigh.

.*. *. *. *. *. *.

In front of the Go academy building.

Dobin, who arrived at the academy first, was waiting for Ye-na with the teacher. It was the day Ye-na, who had missed a day due to illness, was coming back. Dobin also returned to the academy after two days, following Ye-na.

“Why didn’t you come yesterday, Dobin?”

“I heard Ye-na wasn’t coming.”

Dobin answered the teacher’s question with bright eyes. While the kids were learning Go, Dobin was learning about love. For Dobin, the Go academy without Ye-na was like a patbingsu without red beans.

Finally, the bus from Ye-na’s kindergarten arrived. As soon as the door opened, Ye-na cheerfully shouted.

“Park Dobin!”

“Ye-na!”

Dobin jumped up and down as he grabbed Ye-na, who had just gotten off the bus. Ye-na followed his lead, bouncing on her feet.

“Are you not sick anymore? Are you all better?”

“Yes, I’m all better.”

“Are you really okay, Ye-na? Can you go to the academy today? If you can’t go, you have to call Grandma. She’s coming to pick you up.”

“I’m fine.”

Ye-na answered lightly to Dobin and the teacher’s questions and headed to the academy just like her usual cheerful self.

In the middle of the class, when the teacher stepped out, Dobin whispered to Ye-na.

“I thought you were dead.”

Recalling the memory of desperately crying when he thought his beloved Ye-na was dead, Dobin’s eyes became moist again.

“I called out ‘Ye-na!’ more than a hundred times at the hospital. Did you hear me?”

“No, I didn’t hear you.”

“Wow! That’s amazing. I called really loudly.”

Dobin thought he should call out even louder next time.

“But why did you faint?”

At the follow-up question, Ye-na whispered to Dobin, pointing to the diagonal corner of the classroom.

“The truth is, those guys and their brother scolded me.”

Ye-na pointed to Su-in, who was huddled with her shoulders raised.

“Why did they scold you?”

“When I said I had a dad, they called it a lie and told me to call my dad.”

Dobin, who became extremely sensitive regarding anything related to Ye-na, pressed his lips tightly, as if trying to hold back tears. Ye-na scolded him with a concerned expression.

“Hey, how can you cry!”

“I’m not crying.”

Dobin wiped the tears that had gathered on his eyelashes. In truth, Ye-na felt grateful for Dobin’s reaction. She wanted to tell him the real important story quickly.

It’s okay. I have a dad too.

With a fluttering heart waiting for her dad, her lips quivered.

Ye-na was so happy, but Dobin, who had just heard about the incident, felt a surge of anger. Unable to contain his frustration, Dobin approached Su-in and spoke up.

“Hey.”

Su-in blinked her eyes and stared.

“Aren’t you going to apologize to Ye-na?”

“Why?”

“You did something wrong to Ye-na.”

At Dobin’s remark, Su-in’s face twisted in discomfort.

“Hurry up and say you’re sorry.”

“No way!”

Su-in shouted and ran out of the classroom. Spotting the principal at the entrance, she grabbed onto the principal’s clothes, bursting into tears.

“What’s wrong? Why is Su-in like this?” the principal asked, startled.

“Teacher, she did something wrong to Ye-na, but she won’t say she’s sorry.”

Dobin and Ye-na also came out of the classroom. Dobin spoke clearly to the principal again and scolded Su-in.

“You almost made Ye-na die.”

Just then, the academy door opened. It was Su-in’s mom.

“Mommy!”

Seeing her mother’s face, Su-in let go of the principal’s clothes and ran over. Su-in’s mom was also taken aback.

“What’s going on, teacher?”

The principal responded with a troubled expression.

“Su-in’s mother, I mentioned yesterday that there was an incident involving Su-in, Jae-in, and Ye-na.”

“Right. Our kids said that girl doesn’t have a dad.”

“Mom, she’s making me apologize to Ye-na. Uwaaah!”

Su-in pointed at Dobin, her crying growing louder. Su-in’s mom’s heart ached at her child’s tears, and she murmured quietly in frustration.

“But… how can you say that to a kid who doesn’t have a dad? You can’t just say there’s no dad…”

“Ye-na fainted because of this, so I think it would be better for them to resolve this and get along, Su-in’s mother…”

“Wait, teacher. How can you only take her side?”

At the principal’s response, Su-in’s mom felt a surge of anger. It wasn’t just her child who was wrong, and she was dissatisfied with the academy’s handling of the situation.

“Is it really our kids’ fault that she fainted? We don’t know if it was because of them or if it was because of her own insecurities. Kids from single-parent families often react this way. They can blow things out of proportion because of their feelings of inferiority.”

While wiping her child’s tears, Su-in’s mom continued to vent her frustrations at the principal.

“Are you pushing our Su-in to apologize because of that? A seven-year-old is crying like this?”

Once she said it, her anger grew stronger. Recognizing that the child standing next to Dobin was Ye-na, Su-in’s mom stepped closer and asked.

“Are you Ye-na?”

“Yes.”

“Ye-na, I need to talk to your mom. When is she coming?”

“My dad is coming.”

“What, what?”

As Su-in’s mom’s eyes widened in surprise, the academy door opened, and Ji-heon entered. Seeing Ye-na through the glass door of the academy, Ji-heon hurriedly opened the door.

“Dad!”

A flush of color appeared on Ye-na’s previously expressionless face. She swiftly ran to Ji-heon and hugged him.

“Huh?”

Watching Ye-na call Ji-heon “Dad” and run to him, Dobin blinked, looking at Ji-heon and Ye-na. However, he remained silent, sensing that Ji-heon wasn’t actually Ye-na’s dad.

Some unknown force in the universe kept Dobin’s mouth shut. This was the first moment he had shown awareness.

As Ye-na hugged Ji-heon tightly, she spoke to the principal.

“This is my dad.”

“We’re friends with my dad.”

Dobin, butting in, introduced Ji-heon, despite it being nosy.

Ji-heon set Ye-na down and scanned his surroundings. He was puzzled by the attention he was receiving. Something must have happened.

Having briefly assessed the principal, vice-principal, and the parents of Jae-in and Su-in before coming to the academy, he quickly grasped the situation.

“Hello. I’m Ye-na’s dad.”

As Ji-heon greeted the principal, Su-in’s mom quietly mumbled.

“No, it can’t be… she said she didn’t have a dad…”

Ye-na pointed at Su-in.

“Dad, this is Hong Su-in. She said I don’t have a dad and called me a liar.”

“When did I?!”

Su-in protested, her voice raised.

“You did!”

“……”

“Dad, she lost to me in Go. So she said something to me because I was better at it.”

“No way! You forced the win!”

“You can’t lie. I remember all the games we played. Do you remember?”

“Ye-na has a good memory.”

As Ye-na pressed Su-in, Dobin chimed in excitedly. Su-in, feeling frustrated, pressed her lips tightly together. Ye-na continued questioning.

“Why did you do that? Were you mad because you lost to me in Go?”

“No! I wasn’t mad!”

Su-in yelled. The kids in the classroom rushed out. Even Su-in’s brother, Jae-in, joined the group. Su-in clung to her mom’s arm, throwing a tantrum.

“You said it! You said she didn’t have a dad! But she’s lying, and that’s why I told her not to lie! Uwaaah!”

Once again, the crying erupted. Su-in’s mom was flustered, patting her child gently, while Su-in continued to sob.

“Why is Su-in the only one being asked to apologize? Su-in is crying too!”

“…… They’re just kids. They can say things like that. So…”

Su-in’s mom argued in a small voice, glancing around at the people.

Ji-heon, now serious, asked Su-in’s mom.

“Ms. Su-in, did you tell your children that our Ye-na doesn’t have a dad?”

“No, there were rumors in the community…”

“You conveyed what you heard in the community directly to your children.”

“……”

“You’ve made your children into rude liars, mother.”

With the provocative comment, Su-in’s mom’s anger flared. She aimed her frustration at the principal, wanting to shift the blame for the academy’s inadequate handling of the situation.

“That’s not fair! Why do you keep blaming our kids? Teacher, why do you keep asking them to apologize and making this bigger?”

Dobin jumped in again.

“It’s not the teacher’s fault. I asked her to apologize.”

“Apparently, Dobin asked her to apologize.”

Ji-heon supported Dobin’s words, causing Su-in’s mom to yell at Dobin.

“You! Who are you to tell my kid to apologize!”

“They’re kids, so that can happen. Right, Ms. Su-in?”

Ji-heon defended Dobin. Su-in’s mom’s face turned bright red.

“Kids may not be able to apologize. That’s why they’re kids. Let’s excuse the children for that.”

“……”

“Since an adult and guardian like you just arrived, you can apologize to my child on her behalf.”

Ji-heon took a step towards Su-in’s mom. She felt as though Ji-heon was the grim reaper approaching her and stepped back, fear evident in her eyes.

However, she couldn’t escape Ji-heon’s grasp.

Just then, the class bell rang, creating a chaotic atmosphere. Ji-heon stepped closer to Su-in’s mom and spoke in a low voice that only she could hear.

“Let’s handle this properly, Ms. Su-in. It seems like Jae-in and Jae-in’s friends are watching. It would be less embarrassing for your child if we resolve this without further trouble, don’t you think?”

“……”

“As an adult, you should watch what you say in front of the children.”

She felt so creeped out that it felt like her heart might stop.