A child who looks like me

After sending Ji-heon off, Jeong-oh returned to the meeting room and said to Team Leader Mi-ran.

“I’m back. The meeting got canceled.”

“What did the Director say?”

“He said he has something to do today and suggested we meet tomorrow morning instead.”

“Oh, that’s good.”

Contrary to Jeong-oh’s expectations, Mi-ran looked relieved.

“The AE briefly shared the research results, and we missed some parts. So we’ll need to think a bit more. Let’s do our best by tomorrow morning.”

There were parts that needed improvement.

Phew. Jeong-oh let out a sigh.

If she had blocked Ji-heon from leaving the office, it could have become awkward for both sides.

Feeling relieved, she began to recall what had happened in the office just moments ago.

“Oh? Deputy, are you feeling unwell?”

Gi-hoon, passing by, noticed Jeong-oh’s complexion and said.

“Oh? No. Why?”

“Your face is red. You seem to have a fever.”

“No, it’s just a bit hot in the meeting room.”

Jeong-oh made a vague excuse.

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

Ji-heon picked up Seung-kyu and set off for his friend’s house.

“Oh, I should be the one driving. I’m so honored that our Director, who usually has a chauffeur, is personally driving to our humble home.”

Seung-kyu was in a good mood because his friend kept their promise from three weeks ago and praised Ji-heon throughout the drive.

Despite Seung-kyu’s flattery, Ji-heon showed little reaction. The truth was, he was nervous. He had never taken the time to play with kids before. He didn’t even know how to talk to them.

If he could run away now, he would prefer to escape back to the office. The expression Jeong-oh had shown him before leaving the office still lingered in his mind.

“Can I just show my face to the kids and leave?”

“Why? Are you busy?”

“I’m just a bit anxious because I don’t know how to interact with kids.”

“Oh, come on. There’s no rule when it comes to kids.”

“Still, I can’t have fun playing with them like you do.”

“I’m not doing anything fun. I’m just watching from the side. You just smile at their eye level and move around a bit.”

“Move around?”

“I’m not telling you to dance and sing, but when you’re with kids, you end up moving a lot. It’ll be a good experience. You’ll be a dad someday too.”

As Ji-heon frowned slightly, Seung-kyu asked cautiously.

“Why?”

“Uh, I just have a bit of a headache.”

“…….”

“I’m fine now. It was just for a moment.”

Ji-heon answered as if it was no big deal.

The car smoothly made its way to the apartment complex. It was not far from where Jeong-oh lived. Ji-heon found himself thinking of Jeong-oh again as he walked with Seung-kyu.

“Daddy’s here!”

Seung-kyu shouted as he opened the front door, and the lively kids rushed toward him.

“Daddy!”

Seung-kyu lifted his daughter, Do-yoon, and patted his son, Do-bin. A few steps away, he spotted Ye-na. Dressed in a cute red outfit, she looked like a little Santa.

“Ye-na, you’re here too.”

“Hello.”

Ye-na greeted Seung-kyu.

Ji-heon also glanced at Ye-na. It seemed her pretty face had become even more beautiful since he last saw her.

Seung-kyu pulled Ji-heon’s arm and said to the kids.

“Hey, you all should say hello to your uncle too.”

“Hello, Uncle!”

Do-bin playfully shouted his greeting. Ye-na’s eyes sparkled as she greeted him.

“Hello.”

“Right. Hello.”

Ji-heon received Ye-na’s greeting with an awkward smile.

Jin-seo also came out of the kitchen to greet Ji-heon. Today, Jin-seo’s complexion seemed particularly pale.

“Nice to see you again, Ji-heon.”

“Yes, pardon me.”

“No, we should be the ones apologizing for asking you to come again when you must be busy. You haven’t had dinner yet, right? Just wait a moment.”

Jin-seo quickly showed her face and rushed back to the kitchen.

Jeong-oh felt a bit guilty thinking about how Jin-seo must be feeling the obligation to host someone while already overwhelmed by the kids.

Ye-na tugged at Ji-heon’s clothes, snapping him out of his thoughts. He looked down to see Ye-na gazing up at him with her bright, sparkling eyes.

“I waited for you.”

Ji-heon was taken aback by the child’s words. Three weeks felt like quite a long time for kids, so what must she be thinking about that time? He had only spent a few minutes with her three weeks ago.

Did those few minutes truly hold such value for her?

In any case, he was grateful that she remembered him.

Ji-heon was pulled along by Ye-na, who led him to the living room table where a Go board was already set up. Ye-na sat in front of the black stones, blinking at him. It was a signal for him to sit down.

The reason she was waiting for him was clear.

She wanted to replay their Go match from long ago.

As Ji-heon sat down, the child opened the containers of black and white stones and placed one on the board at a time.

Ji-heon quietly watched what the child was doing. His eyes widened as he confirmed the moves laid out on the board.

It was a perfect replay of their match from three weeks ago. Every hair on his body stood on end as his head spun.

“You remembered all of that?”

Instead of answering, the child nodded. Her gaze was quite serious as she surveyed the board.

Ji-heon thought that the child might become a Go master one day.

“You can start here. You should start from here.”

Ye-na, who had perfectly replayed their match from three weeks ago, told Ji-heon. It was now his turn.

As Ji-heon placed a stone on the board, the child smiled, seemingly anticipating his move, and placed her stone next to it.

After a few moves exchanged back and forth, Ji-heon became deeply focused.

Had the child been studying while replaying this match? He started to think that he might actually lose. The child had clearly developed immensely compared to three weeks ago.

“Ye-na, are you winning or losing?”

“I’m not sure yet.”

Ye-na answered firmly to Do-bin, who had been absentmindedly watching.

“Wow! What if Uncle loses?”

Do-bin asked seriously. Although it seemed like a simple question, it felt a bit mocking.

A strange competitive spirit ignited in Ji-heon. He hadn’t come this far just to lose in such a match.

Without holding back, Ji-heon made several aggressive moves.

As Ji-heon played offensively, Ye-na flinched. The last two moves seemed to have caught her by surprise. As Ye-na lowered her head deeply, staring intensely at the board, Ji-heon felt a ticklish excitement in his chest.

Just then.

Thud.

“Do-bin’s mom! Honey!”

A sound of something falling came from the kitchen, followed by Seung-kyu’s shout.

Ji-heon also stood up and headed toward the kitchen.

“Honey!”

Jin-seo was on the floor.

Her face appeared oddly pale, and she had lost consciousness while working in the kitchen.

“Mom!”

Do-bin also shouted in surprise. Ji-heon quickly grabbed Do-bin as he tried to run toward his mother.

Seung-kyu laid Jin-seo down and checked her pulse and pupils. Her lips were pale, but her breathing seemed okay.

“I’ll call an ambulance.”

While Seung-kyu assessed Jin-seo’s condition, Ji-heon called 119 for an ambulance. Seung-kyu’s face was turning as pale as Jin-seo’s.

Fortunately, the paramedics arrived quickly.

As Seung-kyu left with Jin-seo, he turned to Ji-heon and said, “Ji-heon, I’m really sorry. Can you watch the kids for a bit?”

“Don’t worry, just go quickly.”

Ji-heon watched him leave, hoping it wasn’t anything serious.

As soon as Seung-kyu and Jin-seo were gone, little Do-yoon burst into tears.

“Mommy! Mommy….”

At this age, being separated from Mommy and Daddy was still very difficult. Hearing Do-yoon’s pitiful call for his mother, Ji-heon picked him up.

“Mommy….”

He continued to pat the child gently, but the crying wouldn’t stop. It was a shocking situation for Ji-heon as well, but he knew that if he didn’t appear calm, the kids would only be more frightened.

By the time Do-yoon stopped crying, Do-bin began to whimper.

“What’s going to happen to our mom? Is she going to die?”

“No, no. She’ll be okay.”

“Then why is this happening?”

“She’ll go to the hospital and get better really quickly.”

“What if she doesn’t come back?”

“She will. Don’t worry.”

“Uuhhhh….”

The child who had looked so mature while expressing affection for Ye-na had crumbled at the sight of his mother fainting. Fortunately, by the time Ji-heon set down Do-yoon, who had cried himself to sleep, he was able to pick up Do-bin.

“What if our mom dies?”

“She won’t die. Don’t worry.”

“How do you know that, uncle?”

“Uncle knows everything.”

Ji-heon managed to comfort Do-bin until he stopped crying.

“Now, now. You can’t cry in front of your girlfriend. That won’t do, right?”

Do-bin nodded while sniffling back the tears that had run out of his nose. Once he set Do-bin down, his shoulders felt stiff.

As Ji-heon stretched his shoulders to loosen up, another challenge presented itself.

Ye-na was looking at him with her fairy-like face, her eyes blinking expectantly.

“What about me? What about me?”

“Won’t you hold me?”

“What about me? What about me? What about me?”

It felt like a question mark aura was surrounding the child.

“Um….”

Cold sweat began to trickle down Ji-heon’s back.

He bent down to meet the child at eye level and gently said, “I’m sorry, but I can’t hold you.”

Ye-na’s big eyes started to fill with tears.

Her lips began to pout forward.

No, I can’t let this child cry.

Ji-heon’s voice trembled in panic.

“Okay, okay. I’ll hold you, but let’s make one promise.”

At the mention of being held, Ye-na’s pouting lips quickly retracted.

“Don’t go tell your mom that the uncle is a bad person, okay? Got it?”

Ye-na nodded vigorously.

The handsome uncle carefully extended his arms. As her bottom rested in his sturdy arms, Ye-na was lifted up into the air. Instinctively, she hugged Ji-heon’s neck to maintain her balance.

“Wow….”

Ji-heon’s heart raced like popcorn sizzling in a frying pan.

He had never been held and lifted this high before.

It was a different height from being with his mother, and it felt like a firmer warmth.

A safe, comforting feeling that seemed like it could shield him from all the scary things in the world.

Since the uncle was holding him, he shouldn’t cry anymore. He was so happy that it felt like he might tear up.

It was a hug given not to soothe a crying child, but simply to hold him.

When Ji-heon lifted the child, and Ye-na wrapped her arms around his neck, he felt a strange flutter in his chest.

The child was relying on him without any prior connection. The unfamiliarity of it was odd.

He had never thought about marriage before, but if a child like this called him “Dad,” he felt that getting married might not be such a bad idea.

But, after all, he couldn’t move too freely with someone else’s child. Moreover, it felt like the child’s body was a bit warm. Growing worried, Ji-heon’s hand naturally moved to touch Ye-na’s forehead.

“Do you feel unwell?”

“No.”

“You feel a bit warm, though.”

“I’m not sick at all.”

It seemed that Ye-na, worried that Ji-heon might set her down, clung tightly to his clothing.

As Ji-heon lifted her bangs to check her forehead, he noticed a red spot in the center of her forehead. Since her face was fair, the spot stood out even more.

A salmon patch.

“You have one too.”

“Do you have one, Uncle?”

Ye-na reached out her hand toward Ji-heon’s forehead and asked.

“It’s gone now, but I used to have one.”

The salmon patch, also known as an angel’s kiss.

It truly seemed like a mark left by an angel kissing the child, and Ji-heon couldn’t help but keep looking at Ye-na.