“N-no way….”
“Don’t be so modest. Yiseon-ssi, why don’t you go over there and smile at them.”
At the owner’s laughter filled with mischief, he couldn’t give a firm answer. Yiseon, who ended up laughing awkwardly along with her, muttered lamely.
“It wouldn’t be that. I don’t have such a pleasant-looking face….”
“Oh my, you must not look in mirrors!”
The hand that struck his back telling him to stop being so modest was sharp. Yiseon felt embarrassed. I really don’t have a pleasant-looking face though.
Had he been fidgeting with the cloth in his hand for no reason? The owner who had turned around checked the time and let out a short exclamation.
“Oh my goodness! Look at my mind. It’s Yiseon-ssi’s quitting time. Didn’t you say today is the day your child gets out early?”
“Ah…! Yes. I-I’m sorry but I’ll stop here for today and head home.”
Yiseon was just as surprised. The moment he checked the time, his heart sank.
Today was the day Haerang’s kindergarten only had morning classes, and Yiseon had even asked the teacher if she could watch Haerang a little longer because of his part-time job.
He felt sorry toward the teacher of course, but he felt so sorry he could die for making his child wait even on a day like this. He knew all too well that Haerang, who always stayed until the last of the all-day class, had been desperately waiting for just today.
Since it was a special day, he had promised to make tteokkkochi when they got home, but if he was late, the tteokkkochi and everything would be useless. What the child wanted and hoped for most would be time with his dad.
Yiseon hurriedly untied the apron around his waist. Although plates were piled high in the washing basin, he had no choice but to pretend not to see and turn his head.
“I’m sorry for leaving without finishing the work.”
“There are days like today. Hurry and go, the baby’s waiting!”
“Then, I’ll see you tomorrow…!”
Even at the moment he was leaving the shop, the women’s gazes followed persistently. Their eyes rolled around eerily, following Yiseon’s movements.
Now is not the time to care about such things, he tried to steel his resolve, but his stomach churned again at the unpleasant feeling.
The entire time he ran toward the kindergarten, the back of his neck prickled. Yiseon absolutely did not look back.
***
Spring Sky Kindergarten. As he entered the cutely decorated building, the teacher who had been waiting at the entrance brought Haerang out. The inside of the kindergarten was quiet, as if the other children had all gone home already.
“Haerang is last again. Haerang always goes home last!”
The child who crossed the hallway energetically only expressed his complaints when putting on his shoes. At the voice that sounded upset, saying not just for a day or two but always Haerang is last, his chest ached.
Yiseon quickly crouched down and helped with putting on the shoes. While watching for an opportunity, he affectionately poked Haerang’s cheek with his finger.
“Haerang is the most admirable. Waiting a long time is really difficult, right.”
“……”
“You know, Haerang. Daddy missed you so much.”
When he slowly met the child’s eyes and smiled as if asking for forgiveness, Haerang’s lips finally twitched as his heart melted.
“How much did you miss me?”
At the test-like question, Yiseon spread both arms as wide as possible.
“As much as the sky, as much as the earth, no, as much as the sky, as much as the universe…!”
At the childish but lovely answer, the watching teacher laughed. Yiseon, who belatedly felt embarrassed, hastily blurted out a greeting.
“Today was only morning classes, but thank you so much for watching Haerang until this time.”
“Not at all, father. My quitting time is always the same anyway. Haerang, see you tomorrow?”
“You should greet the teacher, Haerang.”
When had he been sulking, the child who had already regained his energy bowed deeply at the waist. Not even knowing that his kindergarten bag was tilting over his head, the sight of him shouting “Teacher, goodbye!” was just adorable.
Yiseon gave a light eye-greeting toward the brightly smiling teacher and turned around. Just as he was about to leave the kindergarten holding Haerang’s hand.
“Ah, father!”
The teacher’s urgent voice came from behind. When he turned his head at that sound, he saw the teacher’s face with both eyebrows drooping, making a worried expression.
“Lately there have been many reports of strangers loitering near the kindergarten. We witnessed it directly not long ago too. Just in case, we’ve posted a notice in the announcement room, so please be sure to check it.”
Strangers loitering near the kindergarten? At those words alone, Yiseon felt as if the ground beneath his feet was caving in. For some reason, the eyes of the women he saw at the shop came to mind.
Thump. Thump. His startled heart flopped like a fish caught in a net. The teacher seemed to be adding more words, but far from concentrating, his vision blurred with anxiety.
“…Anyway, we’ll be careful when dismissing the children too. Then father, see you tomorrow!”
“Yes? Yes, teacher….”
He didn’t know how he gave his goodbye. After leaving the kindergarten and walking in a daze, Yiseon looked down at Haerang clinging tightly to his legs.
The child was grinning, displaying unhideable innocence all over his face. As if the path home with daddy was only joyful, he walked while keeping rhythm with his chubby legs.
The world Haerang was looking at was different from the world Yiseon was facing. It must be full of only colorful and beautiful things. Thinking that, worry and concern swelled greatly in the center of his chest.
Yiseon lightly pulled the child’s hand he was holding and urged.
“Haerang, if a stranger talks to you or asks you to go with them, you must never follow them. Understand?”
“Yeah! Haerang learned everything at kindergarten. No! I don’t want to! Help me!”
Unlike what he had worried about greatly, the child gave quite a reliable answer. Haerang, who made an X with both arms, deliberately made a fierce expression. If a stranger approaches, you have to be on guard like this first. Yiseon could feel somewhat relieved at the child’s crisp response.
“Our son is doing well. You have to remember well from now on too, okay?”
“Yeah! Daddy, Haerang is smart.”
“Really really smart, right? You answered well so daddy should buy you a drink. Should we stop by the mart and then go home?”
“Wooow! Mart! I like the mart!”
“Wait, Haerang! You have to hold daddy’s hand!”
“We’re going to the mart!”
No matter how firm, a child was still a child. The moment he brought up drinks, the excited child started running off. It was fortunate the mart was right in front, if it had been in front of the road it would have been a disaster. Yiseon chased after Haerang while clutching his heart that sank with every moment.
The mart at an ambiguous time was quiet. Since they’d stopped by anyway, Yiseon who decided to do some shopping took a basket and went around the vegetable section first.
After picking out vegetables in relatively good condition from among those that had wilted and gone on special sale, and stopping by the fresh section to add tofu and sausages and such, the basket had already become heavy. With tight living expenses, there were many things lacking at home, so even just adding what was truly needed amounted to this much.
“Will it go over 30,000 won….”
With tight living expenses, to take something out, it was all ingredients for feeding Haerang so it wasn’t easy. Had he been wasting time in front of the fresh section, putting items from the basket in and taking them out?
“Daddy, I wanna go buy drinks. I’m gonna drink milk too.”
“Milk too?”
“Yeah, can’t I buy Haerang’s milk?”
“…No. If Haerang wants to eat it, we should buy it. Let’s go. Let’s go to the drinks section.”
The child who had grown tired of waiting tugged firmly at Yiseon’s pant leg and whined. When his eyes sparkled saying he wanted to drink milk too, Yiseon hurriedly put down one pack of tofu and moved toward the drinks section.
Haerang literally gaped up at the drinks piled up like a mountain. Perhaps there was a collaboration with a popular children’s cartoon character, as a large figure had been set up in the middle of the drinks section, which looked impressive even to him.
“It’s the character our Haerang likes. What flavor do you want?”
“Uh, uhhhhh, umm….”
“If it’s hard to choose, think about it slowly. Daddy will be getting the milk.”
Fortunately, milk was displayed in the refrigerated section right next to it, so he could give Haerang plenty of time to think.
Yiseon glanced at the child who had forgotten even to answer and was lost in thought, finding him adorable. With his eyes rolling around frantically trying to choose a drink and look at the figure, he was unbearably cute.
After treasuring the sight of his lovely child in his eyes for just a moment, Yiseon too had to fall into contemplation along with Haerang. Finding the cheapest and most delicious product among the numerous milk brands was no easy task.
“Ah, this one’s expiration date is too short, and this one is too expensive….”
He was in the middle of picking up this milk and putting it down, then examining that milk and returning it to its place repeatedly.
Yiseon suddenly realized the surroundings were quiet and looked down.
“Huh?”
