Part 5 – You’re married?
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Insoo's POV,

I just returned after visiting the site on which we are going to build our new showroom. I quite liked the neighbourhood. It was not very far from the city center and it's close to the railway junction. The price was reasonable too. It's always important to check and analyze your income and expenses if you want your business to grow. 

...

Tired from doing all the talking, I walked into my office room hoping to take a quick nap. 

...

But someone was already there. 

A little girl. 

Searching something with sincerity.

Thinking that she must be the daughter of one of my employees, I approached her as I asked, "What are you doing here, little one?"

At first, she was surprised to see me there, as if I wasn't supposed to be there, but then, she replied, "I came looking for some papers to draw. Do you have them?" She asked blinking her big brown doe eyes.

"Ohh... You want papers?" I laughed. I took out some sheets from my draw and gave them to her. "Here... Have them..."

Her face beamed on seeing them. It made me chuckle.

"So... What's your name, little one?"

Whose daughter must she be?

The faces of my employees who I know to have a daughter crossed my mind. But none of their faces resembled hers.

Instead, it rather resembled..................... 

"My mother told me I shouldn't tell my name to strangers because they are bad people. But you look good... So, I'll tell you. My name is... Iseul" She whispered the last part after silently judging me.

So, I got a good boy certificate from a kid? 

Way to go...

"Iseul? That's a beautiful name..." I stroked her hair.

She flashed a cute smile.

Kids.

They're awesomely innocent and cute. I love them so freaking much.

"Kit-kat..." Iseul's eyes grew wide when she looked at the kit-kat in Insoo's hands as she said, "Do you like kit-kat? I like kit-kat too..."

Which made Insoo smile. "Yes, I like it... Do you want it?" He offered her. His smile growing wider at her childish talks.

She looked at me and then back at the kit-kat in my hands. Then, again, at me. "No Dada, we can share it." She said.

...

...

...

What?

Insoo's eyes grew wide at her way of addressing him.

"Dada?" He asked, slightly taken aback.

"Yes... My teacher said that we are like our momma and dada... That's why I look like momma. You like Kit-kat, I like kit-kat, so... You are my dada" 

...

"Why are you laughing?" She asked after seeing Insoo laugh really hard at her explanation. 

He laughed at how her logic worked. For him, she is the purest thing he had come across today. He loved how kids talked whatever that came to their mind.

"Actually, little one, I am not your Dada." He flashed his eye smile. "But it's fine. You're just a kid." He said the next line to himself as he laughed giving her more candies which she eagerly accepted.

While I was about to ask what her mother's name was, someone banged open the door.

*Thud*

"Iseul!" They screamed.

Recognising the voice, I slowly turned my head to the direction the noise came from, only to find... 

"Dayun?"

...

"Sorry sir, she disturbed you... I was- Actually- I'm sorry..." She gave me an urgent and awkward apology as her eyes that turned sharp within a matter of seconds, went straight to stare at the little figure that stood beside me making the latter gulp.

"ISEUL COME HERE!" I heard her roar.

What? The mother of this little girl is Dayun..?

Iseul hid behind me screaming, "DADA... Save me..!" Despite the fact that I was still processing this unknown information that Dayun is a mother and her daughter is Iseul, my instinct quickly led me to cover the little girl as she asked of me. To protect the young girl from her mother's rage.

But...

Dayun, who was anxious and angry just a few seconds ago turned bewildered "Da- Dada?" Her face showed worry mixed with shock at the words her daughter spoke.

While, in the middle of all the commotion, my stupid mouth decided to ask, "You're married?"

Her gaze diverted from Iseul to me. Her eyes showing a mixture of expressions.

F*ck.

It made me quickly add, "I- I mean... You have a daughter?... I never knew this... I mean... Aren't you-"

Too young to be a mother? I didn't complete that statement. She must have had some reasons if she didn't want people to know about Iseul. 

But still- isn't she like 24? Then, did she have Iseul at 17 or something-

"Ye- Yes sir. She's is my daughter, she said scratching her elbows awkwardly.

"But... You-" I struggled to form the question that came up in my mind, in words.

"I had her at a rather young age..." But she understood my confusion as she let her head down.

Oh...

But still-

For some unknown reason my heart felt heavy at this news. I mean- I- I never expected this... not even a bit. How come- How come I never knew of this. Dayun... She- She has a daughter. So, she must be married, right? I- I mean- I never knew-

"I'm sorry. It seems my daughter had troubled you a lot. I shouldn't have brought her to office. But she- ..................... I'm sorry." She bowed continuously.

"No... It's fine. It's fine. Kids are meant to be that way." I quickly denied her apology.

She swiftly lifted her head to meet my eyes. I still couldn't figure out expression of her eyes. "Thank you for understanding." She said quickly pulling Iseul to her side.

...

...

Then suddenly, in the middle of all the chaos... I heard a voice that I haven't heard for almost five years, 

...

"Yo Bro! What's up?"

"Choi- Choi Chul-ho?" I asked bewildered again.

...

Why all the unexpected things are happening today?

"Yeah, It's me... Surprise..!" He blew a party horn. 

Wait- What A party horn? Seriously?

"Oh... Seems like you've a guest. I'll leave then..." Dayun proceeded to leave.

A second, What-

He isn't- He isn't my... guest. 

"Oh no... No... I don't mind pretty women staying with me... So, don't go..." Chul-ho revealed his nature right away. He even went as far as to say 'Don't go' with a dramatic tone like in those k-dramas. You know, that... dramatic 'Kajima...' 

A third, What-

This boy- Seriously-

I was quick to get out of the surprised state.

"Please leave..." I told Dayun sensing that she was slightly uncomfortable. She quickly nodded and took Iseul out with her without any words.

"Hmm... She is pretty. What's her name bro?" I heard Chul-ho ask me. 

To which I just rolled my eyes.

"What? Aren't you happy to see me?..." He pouted. "I've just landed on korea, and the first person I wanted to meet was you, thinking you would've missed me... But you... You should feel honoured dude. But you- you aren't even happy to meet me... You broke my heart!" He said dramatically.

Who made him a model when he is a born actor that should be cast in melodramas?

I stared at him. "Don't. Flirt. With. My. Employees." I strictly said pressing my palms against the table and looked at his eyes sharply.

"Ohhh... That..." He rubbed the back of his neck shamelessly. "You're upset about that?... Then, it won't happen again..." He assured patting on his chest. "I won't steal your woman, I promise." 

A fourth, What-

"What non-sense?" I was dazed.

"You're married?" He mimicked me in such a horrible way and grabbed his stomach laughing at his own pathetic joke. "You were disappointed, weren't you?" 

He heard everything, didn't he?

Absolutely great. 

Note the sarcasm.

"No. I was not. It's just, I was surprised that I didn't know that she had a daughter." I crossed my arms hoping that my arms would protect me from this stupid conversation.

"So, you like her, don't you?" He asked with evil looks. 

"I don't" My reply was straight-forward.

"Don't worry bro. Having a daughter doesn't necessarily mean she is married. What if she's like those female leads of dramas who had mysterious dark magical pasts. You could be the male lead. Don't be so disappointed." He talked as if it's the most sensible to thing to ever say. 

"You!" I swear it took me a ton of self-control to not take the paper weight that was in my hand's reach and hit his head with it. What part of 'I don't like her' did he not get?

"Okay Okay. No more talking about Ms. Mysterious Past..." He motioned to zip his mouth.

"Sooo... Wanna grab some drinks? You see, I know this place here... And they sell the best beverage ever... When I say best, It's THE BEEEST!" He closed his eyes as if he was feeling the taste, swaying his hands in harmony. "Drink up, get laid... Party all night. What say?" He asked with his elbow against my table, and raised one of his eyebrows asking me if I wanted to join him in his 'Perfect-Night'... Which to me, is just like watching a crazy bunch of humans acting more nuts than people at the psychiatric ward. NO THANKS

"Tell me... Why am I your friend again?" I facepalmed in dismay.

~

~

Dayun's POV

"Why did you call him that?" It was the first thing I asked Iseul as soon as we got home.

"Dada?" She asked me to make sure what I was talking about.

"Yeah... Why did you call him that? He isn't your..." *Sighs* "Iseul, he isn't your Dada..." I made an attempt to make her understand.

"No, he is my Dada... He likes Kit-kat." She stated clearly crossing her arms.

"Kit-? What?...." I was confused. 

I tried to explain Iseul in the best way I can by excessive hand gestures and facial expressions "No, Iseul... Look, he is clearly not your dada... He may like Kit-kat just like you. But he- is not your dada. If you bothered him by calling him that, he might get uncomfortable... And he might misunder-" But when I turned back to look at her, she had already left. "Stand..." I finished the sentence myself with my head dropped in exhaust.

Sighs.

~

~

~

At some other part of the city,

"Washi street. Seoulers Apartment. Room no. 132."

"Yes."

...

...

~

~

~

Back to Dayun,

We finished our dinner and I watched the usual program I always watch. I've grown bored of watching the same program... Even I'm not sure why I keep on watching it. Maybe because it has become my habit to watch it or maybe because I'm too lazy to switch the channel and find another program. Whatever the reason was, I ended up watching it.

I looked at the clock. It was 10.

But the light in the bedroom was still on. Iseul hasn't gone to bed yet? 

I switched the TV off and walked to have a closer look and yep, she was up doing something. 

She has school tomorrow. What is she doing now?

"Iseul... Come on, sleep now, you've got school, tomorrow, remember?" 

She didn't respond. "Iseul..." I called her again. But she was fully focused on something. "Ise-" Before I could call her another time, she came running to me and handed me a card. I looked at her in a way to ask what it was.

"Open it momma...", she said.

I opened it as I was curious. It was a greeting card. On the front, she has made some drawings. It was childish. I attempted to guess what she had drawn... Flowers... Trees... Mountains... Sun... Butterfly... And in the middle, there was a woman with a child. That would be me and her.

I slowly opened the card to see what she had drawn inside. 

But when I opened, I saw that she hadn't drawn anything but she had rather written something.

I proceeded to read what it was...

It read,

...

...

"I love you... My real fake dadda momma..."

...

...

I wasn't expecting it. When I saw it was a greeting card, I expected it to be a bunch of her drawings that she often gave me. I love them very much and keep them safe in my cup board. And sometimes, usually when I'm upset or sad or even scared... I look at them. They often make my day. And they remind me the reason, reason why I've to be strong. 

For her. 

But this... This was just so freaking wholesome. I usually don't cry much. But recently I felt like crying, twice... Yesterday because I thought I had lost Iseul. And now, because of her card. But now it's because, I'm happy. This is too much.

"Do you like it, momma?", she asked me with her cute smile on her face.

And I spoke nothing but just quickly hugged her tight. It was precious... Today her school was paying tribute to fathers. And she had decided to make me this. 

It makes me feel honoured. 

It also makes me feel sad thinking that Iseul, had to grow up without a father.

And at this moment, she made me feel indebted to her, because she not only accepts me as her mother but accepted me as her father as well. 

"I love it, Iseul... Thank you so much for this, princess. I promise you I'll treasure it forever..." 

Yesterday, I was scared to death. I was confused. I doubted myself. I wasn't sure if I would be able to protect my baby. 

But if she did so much for me, why won't I move a mountain for her? 

I will do more than my everything for this precious soul that is the sole reason for the functioning of my lungs.

To be continued...

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