TO 28

Chapter 28

After giving birth to Su-bin, Seo-ah settled down here and opened a small bakery in a commercial apartment building.

At first, she simply wanted to bake healthy bread for Su-bin, so she picked up baking as a hobby. Over time, however, she fell completely in love with it and decided to study it seriously. Thanks to her relentless hard work, she now ran a proper baking workshop where she taught regular classes. With each passing year, business picked up enough that she managed to pay back every cent of the money she had initially received from Junghyun. On top of that, she was paying off the bank loan for her current apartment all on her own. Without spending a single penny of Junghyun’s money, she saved all of it—along with the monthly child support—directly into an account under Su-bin’s name.

Although money was tight as she strived to stand on her own two feet without touching Junghyun’s funds, cutting back a bit made life with her young daughter manageable enough.

Su-bin grew healthier and taller by the day. However, she was stubborn as a mule; once she set her mind to something, she had to see it through no matter what. She hated losing to boys, and instead of taking ballet or piano like other girls her age, she insisted on attending Taekwondo and soccer classes instead. Seo-ah was deeply grateful and proud to see Su-bin growing up so bright and resilient. Yet, as Su-bin outgrew her small cradle, managing her became increasingly tough. It felt as though a dark, persistent void—one that Seo-ah could never quite fill—shadowed Su-bin wherever she went. Though Seo-ah told Su-bin that her father had passed away, Su-bin went around openly telling everyone a lie: that her dad was working overseas.

Because of those lies, Seo-ah had to consult with the preschool teacher multiple times and offer endless explanations to the other mothers. Still, Su-bin’s habit didn’t change. She was a sweet girl in every other way, but her obsession with having a dad was uniquely intense.

“Su-bin will understand when she gets older,” Jin-won reassured her.

Jin-won had opened a leather workshop around the same time Seo-ah started her bakery, making them close friends who relied on and helped each other out. He doted on Su-bin, and Su-bin adored him right back.

Even today, Jin-won had picked Su-bin up on Seo-ah’s behalf since she had a baking class to teach.

“Do you really think so?” Seo-ah murmured, her face filled with uncertainty.

“I know so. Su-bin is a good kid.”

“That’s why… That’s why it hurts even more…”

Seo-ah couldn’t finish her sentence and lowered her head.

She was the one who had chosen this life. If her daughter had to make sacrifices because of her choices, she felt she could never forgive herself.

“There you are, Su-bin,” Jin-won said as he walked into his workshop office.

Just as he expected, Su-bin was sitting on the office desk chair with her knees pulled tightly to her chest. Lowering himself, Jin-won met her at eye level.

Noticing her flushed, tear-stained eyes, his face softened with concern. “Have you been crying?”

“Is Mommy really mad at me?” Su-bin asked quietly.

“No, she’s just a little upset, that’s all.”

“Hmph.”

Su-bin pouted her lips. Still, seeing her worry that she might have hurt her mother’s feelings was deeply endearing.

“If you go back later and tell her you’re sorry, she’ll forgive you right away.”

“Did I really do something super wrong?” Su-bin looked up at Jin-won and asked.

“Huh?”

“Calling that stranger my dad. He really didn’t seem like a bad person to me…”

Only then did Jin-won recall the man he had seen standing with Su-bin back at the park. He was the kind of man who commanded attention even from another man—possessing a tall frame and an intimidatingly cold aura, yet his gaze softened remarkably whenever he looked down at Su-bin. That was precisely why Jin-won hadn’t sensed any danger at the time.

“Still, you have to be careful. There are a lot of bad people out there.”

“He really wasn’t a bad person, though…” Su-bin mumbled softly.

For a brief second, she remembered Taehyuk’s broad, warm arms as he held her. Recalling it gave her a strange, peculiar feeling—one that made her heart ache yet feel cozy all at once.

“Even so, you shouldn’t ever do that again.”

“Then what if the other kids tease me for not having a dad again? I’m not even allowed to hit them!”

“Do you really wish you had a dad, Su-bin?”

“Yeah!” Su-bin nodded her head enthusiastically.

“Why? Living with just your mom isn’t so bad, is it?”

“Well, I don’t mind it, but…” Su-bin trailed off.

“Hmm?” Jin-won prompted gently.

“It’s because of Mommy.”

“Your mom?”

“When we go to the grocery store, Choi Min-soo’s mom never carries heavy stuff. His dad always carries everything for her.”

“Ah…”

A faint smile touched Jin-won’s lips at Su-bin’s words. It wasn’t out of selfish greed—she was thinking about her mother all along.

She was remarkably mature for her age. Jin-won, who hadn’t expected her to think that deeply, broke into a soft, warm smile.

“Then until you get a dad, I’ll carry all the heavy stuff for your mom instead. Deal?”

Su-bin narrowed her eyes playfully. “What if you get married, Uncle?”

“Don’t you know I don’t have a girlfriend? Are you teasing me now?” Jin-won chuckled.

“Can’t you… just become my dad, Uncle?”

Jin-won froze at her innocent question. Conscious of his cheeks flushing slightly red, he wrapped his arms around Su-bin and gently patted her back. Held in Jin-won’s arms, Su-bin’s mind drifted right back to Taehyuk’s embrace.

It was strange. Jin-won’s embrace was warm and comfortable, too, but it lacked that indescribable something she had felt in Taehyuk’s arms.

In that man’s arms, she felt like she would be completely safe even in the middle of a roaring storm—a sense of protection she had never felt in Jin-won’s embrace.

“That’s not something I can decide on my own,” Jin-won said softly.

“Why?” Su-bin asked, leaning against his shoulder.

“Because your mom’s feelings matter most.”

“Should I ask Mommy for you?” Su-bin lifted her head.

Jin-won’s flustered face turned beet red. “What?!”

“I really want you to be my dad, Uncle. You can lift heavy things, you’re handsome, and you’re tall! You’re a hundred times handsomer than Choi Min-soo’s dad.”

“Hey now, of course I am,” Jin-won joked back with a laugh.

“So tell Mommy that you wanna be my dad!”

Su-bin spoke with utter innocence, but her words sent a wild storm surging through Jin-won’s heart.

It was something he desperately wished for, too. But he didn’t want to jeopardize their current relationship with a hasty confession. Besides, Jin-won had seen it himself: every autumn, when the entire neighborhood turned brilliant yellow, Seo-ah would gaze down the end of the road with a longing face, as if waiting for someone to return.

He knew deep down that she was still yearning for someone.

“Done!”

Seo-ah spoke with deep satisfaction as she admired the completed cake before her. Atop the sweet, snow-white cake stood a mini figurine of Su-bin wearing a Taekwondo uniform with one foot resting proudly on a soccer ball—handcrafted by Seo-ah herself out of sugar paste.

Inscribed on the top of the cake was tomorrow’s date—Su-bin’s birthday—along with the words: Happy Birthday, My Beloved Daughter.

Seo-ah stared at the cake with a sense of pride.

It was already Su-bin’s sixth birthday. Ever since she learned how to bake, Seo-ah had made it a tradition to bake a custom cake for her daughter every year. With each passing year, the sugar figurine of Su-bin grew a little taller, reflecting her changing interests. Making these cakes was how Seo-ah truly felt the passage of time and watched her child grow.

And then there was what happened earlier today.

“I wonder if her mood has improved by now,” Seo-ah muttered, glancing toward Jin-won’s workshop as she pulled a batch of carrot muffins—Su-bin’s absolute favorite—out of the oven. She had baked them specifically for her.

Just a moment ago, Jin-won had sent her a photo of Su-bin happily making a leather keychain at his workshop, along with a text: [I’ll keep her here until she cheers up.]

Seo-ah packed the freshly baked carrot muffins along with a few chocolate cookies. She had made the cookies specifically for Jin-won. Although Jin-won insisted he wasn’t a picky eater, Su-bin had once whispered to her that he secretly hated carrots and preferred sweet treats instead.

Su-bin, on the other hand, ate everything without complaint. Vegetables, fruits—whatever Seo-ah cooked, she happily devoured. But the moment she was full, she wouldn’t take a single extra bite.

She definitely didn’t get her eating habits from me.

Seo-ah shook her head to brush away the sudden thought before his face could cross her mind.

Before going over to pick Su-bin up, she needed to clear away the cake. She walked into the back storage room to grab a cake box. But just as she stepped out carrying the perfect-sized box, her steps ground to a sudden halt.

Someone was standing inside the quiet shop, having entered without making a sound. The person staring right at her freshly made cake was…

Taehyuk.

Thud.

The box slipped right from Seo-ah’s hands and hit the floor. At the noise, Taehyuk lifted his head. His expressionless dark eyes, defined brows, commanding height, and flawlessly toned physique remained unchanged.

Seo-ah blinked rapidly, wondering if she was seeing an apparition. But far from fading away, Taehyuk’s presence only grew sharper and more overwhelming.

“H-How did you…”

At Seo-ah’s trembling voice, Taehyuk slid one hand into his pants pocket and turned completely to face her. His broad shoulders blocked her entire field of vision like a solid wall.

“I came to take back what’s mine.”

His deep, unchanged voice sounded utterly chilling.