Chapter 1
‘I’m sorry it feels like noona has placed a burden on you. Still, Yiseon, I’m asking you this. Our Haerang has no one else now… Raise him well. Noona is really, really sorry…’
Noona left her will, clinging to her dying breath. There was nothing I could do.
Noona, can’t you live just a little longer? Can’t you stay by my side just a little longer before you go? I wanted to throw a tantrum like an immature child, but I held it back and nodded. I forced my lips, which were trembling with despair, to curl up and smiled awkwardly.
‘Thank you, noona. When you go… will you meet mom? Don’t worry about Haerang and go. I’ll, hng, I’ll be Haerang’s uncle, and dad, and hyung—I’ll be everything. Just like how you worked hard to raise me, I’ll do the same.’
Noona left without answering. Still, she left with a smile. As her eyelids fell weakly along with a single tear, an unfamiliar beep sounded.
Waaaeeng. A newborn baby who couldn’t even see properly yet was crying. What does that tiny thing even know? It cries at the top of its lungs as if it knows its world is leaving.
Huaeaeaeng. Wuaeaeng.
The baby.
The baby…
“Heok!”
Startled awake from his dream, Yiseon looked around frantically. The baby’s crying that had been ringing in his ears just moments ago faded, and the characteristic noisy commotion of a meat restaurant became clear.
Creeeak. Just then, an evening shift part-timer entering the staff room spotted Yiseon sitting in the corner and jumped in surprise. With wide eyes, she looked at the crumpled Yiseon with curiosity and spoke to him.
“You haven’t left yet?”
At those words, Yiseon quickly stood up and neatly arranged his disheveled hair first. He must have been too tired. It seemed he had dozed off while sitting down to rest for a moment before changing clothes.
“Ah, well, I was about to leave now. Then, good work today too.”
With an awkward smile, Yiseon bowed his head in greeting toward the part-timer. Since they weren’t particularly close enough for small talk, and he didn’t even have time for that, he swiftly left the staff room.
Taking out his phone to check the time, it was already 6 PM. His part-time job ended at 5:30, but he had dozed off for quite a while. If he’d known, he should have at least set an alarm.
What should I do? I deliberately moved up my part-time hours to pick up Haerang. It would be terrible if the kid got upset about this.
With bullet-like steps, Yiseon left the shop and forcefully crossed through the street crowded with people. The downtown area, just welcoming rush hour, was truly teeming with people. Well, since tomorrow was the weekend, it was the time when office workers would gather in groups of three or five to enjoy their Friday night.
Yiseon ran in exactly the opposite direction from them.
“Ah! I’m sorry.”
Before long, he bumped into someone. He stopped walking quickly and apologized first, but the person he bumped into was smiling as if nothing happened.
A group of college students, perhaps? They were too busy having a light argument, offering opinions about which restaurant had better side dishes and which place had cheaper alcohol.
Eventually turning around awkwardly, Yiseon started moving his feet again. From behind, the sound of giggling laughter seemed to poke at his back.
College students… They were clearly the same age, but their lives and Yiseon’s life were starkly different. Having given up his youth early, while others were enjoying college life or stepping into society for the first time, Yiseon was desperately struggling just to sustain his life.
He had a child to feed, and debts piled up like a mountain. The moment he looked away even slightly, his life could face the crisis of collapse, so Yiseon had long ago cut out meetings with friends, college—everything from his life.
But that didn’t mean life was entirely bleak.
When he was with our Haerang, there were more joyful moments than sad ones.
Yiseon smiled faintly and boarded the bus that had just arrived. Beep. As soon as he tapped his card and sat in an available seat, his phone buzzed.
[Sohee Noona]
As soon as he confirmed the caller, he answered the phone.
“Yeah, noona.”
—Yiseon-ah, are you coming? Haerang says he misses daddy and wants you to call. Haerang-ah! Haerang-ah?! It’s daddy on the phone, daddy!
The business was handled quickly. Leaving only a simple greeting asking if he was coming, Sohee passed the phone to the child.
Rustle. After the sound of clothes rubbing against the receiver, a welcome voice flew in.
—Daddy, why aren’t you coming? Haerang played with blocks with Sohi auntie and ate all his food too!
Oh no. He could tell without even seeing. It was a voice with lips pushed out and eyes turned into triangles.
Haerang seemed quite upset with daddy who wouldn’t come no matter how long he waited. As if planning to properly sulk soon, his voice rang out clearly, testing Yiseon: “I’m going to get mad, okay?”
Feeling both sorry and finding the child’s voice cute, a pitiful laugh escaped. Yiseon glanced around once and carefully answered.
“Mm, Haerang-ah. Daddy’s almost there. I’ll be there soon, okay?”
When he soothed the child with an affectionate voice, Haerang, who had been making “syaek, syaek” breathing sounds, brightened up as if it never happened.
—Then! Can I keep my clothes on?!
“Yeah, yeah. Keep your clothes on.”
—Yay! Daddy’s coming, it’s our daddy, daddy!
His heart tingled at the child’s cheer, celebrating as if he’d been waiting for this moment alone. He almost shed tears embarrassingly, but fortunately, Sohee, who took back the phone, threw out a joke.
—Come quickly. Haerang waited for you so much. Earlier when I gave him cookies, he said auntie was the best, but after he finished eating them, can you believe he started whining that he missed daddy?
Haha… At Yiseon’s laughter scattering without restraint, she, relieved without realizing it, continued speaking.
—That tiny thing is quite cunning, I tell you. Anyway, come safely. I called the security desk, so they’ll send you right up.
“Yeah. Thanks, noona.”
After ending the call vaguely, Yiseon let out a breath full of relief. Whew. Still, it was fortunate that Sohee noona was there.
Ji Sohee, who had been a 13-year friend with Yiseon’s biological older sister Yeon Yurim, was generous enough to carefully look after her friend’s remaining family even after losing her only friend. Especially since she adored Haerang, whom Yurim had given birth to, she would often babysit like today to lighten Yiseon’s burden.
Without her, he probably couldn’t even dream of Friday part-time work. Yiseon was always grateful to Sohee.
But still, I should have bought something to bring. I forgot because I left in such a hurry. Really, me…
Getting off the bus, he could see apartment complexes rising high enough to pierce the sky. This apartment complex located in the heart of Seoul was so magnificent that he could never get used to it no matter how many times he saw it.
Buildings whose ends you could barely see by tilting your head back as far as possible… Though it was an apartment he’d visited many times, Yiseon would get nervous every time he came here. It made sense, since it was a place where people from a different world than his lived.
It was thanks to Sohee noona continuing her connection with him until now; without her, this would be a neighborhood Yiseon wouldn’t dare step foot in.
Watching the security guard’s mood while entering, Yiseon passed through the automatic door with steps that were almost running. Stamping his feet while waiting for the elevator, and finally when he reached the front door and pressed the doorbell—
“Daddy!”
As if he’d been waiting, Haerang opened the door and jumped into Yiseon’s arms. Holding such a child and spinning around twice, Yiseon first inhaled the fluffy scent unique to babies.
Our Haerang’s smell. Our baby’s smell. At the scent that brought comfort, tension melted away smoothly.
“Sorry, daddy was late.”
“Mm, but I missed daddy.”
“Daddy too, daddy missed Haerang very, very much too.”
After briefly enjoying their affectionate reunion while exchanging honey-dripping gazes, Yiseon first expressed his gratitude to Sohee, who was leaning against the door.
“Noona, thank you so much today. Um, I, I was going to buy something but I left in a hurry…”
“Hey, don’t squeeze blood from a flea! It’s okay, it’s okay. I asked you to leave him because I wanted to see our Haerang. Oh my, Yeon Haerang! He’s so happy just from seeing daddy!”
When he made a gloomy expression thinking he had shamelessly left his child without properly reciprocating, Sohee playfully moved past the situation saying it was fine. Since the situation ended refreshingly and it would be awkward to add unnecessary words, Yiseon just smiled brightly.
“Haerang-ah. Say goodbye to auntie.”
When he lifted and waved the child’s arm instead, Haerang, who had been burying his face in daddy’s embrace, stuck his head out and greeted her.
“Goodbye, auntie! Bye-bye!”
