The House of Three Chapter 9.2

“Did Cheonghyun have a good day at school?”

“Hyung!”

“Whoa, whoa, take your shoes off slowly. You shouldn’t run.”

As he greeted him at the front door, the excited child who had just come in began to hastily take off his sneakers. It seemed he could not hear Heeyoung’s warning not to run.

Cheonghyun, who took off his shoes struggling with just his feet without using his hands, came in after throwing his sneakers aside carelessly. His smiling face, ‘hee hee,’ was the very picture of innocence.

Heeyoung looked at the two sneakers rolling pitifully at the entrance and said, “Aigoo-ya.”

“I told you to put your shoes away neatly when you come home from school. Does Cheonghyun remember?”

“Ah, that’s right. I forgot!”

He was a child who, if taught once, would learn twice on his own, but on days when he was particularly distracted, he would quickly forget what he had learned. Still, if told calmly, he would act playfully but also practice it diligently.

Cheonghyun ran back the way he came, whoosh, and grabbed his two sneakers in his hands. And the moment he squatted down to place them neatly, the backpack on his back swung forward over his head.

Clatter! Thud!

As if by chance, the backpack zipper was open, and the pencil case and textbooks inside came pouring out.

“Wow!”

Cheonghyun let out a short exclamation similar to his dad’s and steadfastly organized his sneakers. Even though the entrance was cluttered with the fallen textbooks and pencil case, he smiled broadly and looked up at Heeyoung. With sparkling eyes that said, ‘Hyung, I did a good job, right?’

“Good job. Are you going to put your sneakers like this tomorrow too?”

“Yeah!”

“But your pencil case and everything fell out, so we have to pick them up. Hyung will help you with that. By the way, shall we look at your knee first? Did it hurt at school?”

Heeyoung, who praised him first, picked up the things that had fallen on the floor and examined the child’s knee. As expected, the foam dressing that had been perfectly attached just that morning was now half-dangling and tattered.

“It didn’t hurt at all. Hyung, I ate chocolate cake today! I also had two cups of tteokbokki. Sujeong’s mom said I eat so well that I’ll grow up to be handsome later.”

The wound must have been exposed the whole time and likely hurt, but Cheonghyun was busy bragging about what he had eaten today. Does he like tteokbokki that much? A hollow laugh escaped at his purely bright appearance.

Heeyoung ruffled the child’s hair and then, holding hands, they headed to the room.

“That’s right, Cheonghyun eats everything well, so he’ll grow up to be handsome later. But do you like tteokbokki that much?”

“Yes! I like tteokbokki the best.”

“Then Hyung will have to make some for you soon. I’ll secretly buy you some fried food too.”

“Wow! When, when? Tomorrow?”

“Nooo, I’ll make it for you on the weekend. Without Cheonghyun’s dad knowing.”

Even if tteokbokki was okay, it seemed unlikely Gyojin would allow fried food. It was obvious he would nag, asking why he was feeding him such cheap lumps of oil. It’s not like it’s a big deal to eat fried food once…….

While climbing the stairs to the second floor, Heeyoung promised to make tteokbokki without his dad knowing. The child, who loved making secrets, giggled and nodded his head vigorously. He even gulped down his saliva, as if his mouth was already watering at the thought of eating fried food.

“Should we have squid tempura? And seaweed rolls and dumplings too?”

“Yes. Let’s eat everything Cheonghyun wants to eat.”

“Okay! Hyung, but what about my dad? Where did dad go?”

The child, who had just arrived in the room and put down his bag, looked around a beat too late. He had been preoccupied with food until now, and it seemed he had only just realized his father’s absence.

Heeyoung took off the child’s socks and coat and answered as naturally as possible.

“Dad? He had to go out for a little while for work.”

“Did the company call dad again? Uh oh, the director grandpas?”

“Hmm, Hyung doesn’t know the details either. If Cheonghyun washes up nicely, puts a new foam dressing on his knee, and reads some storybooks, he’ll be here. First, let’s wash up. Let’s go, let’s go.”

The child was too young to be told the detailed circumstances of the adults, so he naturally changed the subject and diverted Cheonghyun’s attention.

As Heeyoung led his hand toward the bathroom, the child stopped asking questions and started to throw off his clothes.

Washing the child, drying his hair, and changing his clothes were done in a flash. Despite his appearance, Heeyoung was experienced in skillfully washing his younger sibling.

Cheonghyun, who would normally stay in the bathroom with his dad for at least an hour, came out to the powder room in a mere 20 minutes. He seemed disappointed that he could not splash around in the bathtub, but that was only for a moment.

As soon as Heeyoung personally applied lotion for him, Cheonghyun melted into a silly grin. He said that when his dad applied it, he would always rub it roughly, which was annoying, but when Hyung applied it, it was so gentle that it felt good.

“Sit here. Let’s put medicine on your elbows and knees and apply a new foam dressing.”

Heeyoung, who had come down to the first-floor living room, sat on the sofa and patted the seat next to him. At that, Cheonghyun, who was playfully tapping the leaves of a houseplant, ran over nimbly and sat down. He really could not keep those small hands and feet still for a second.

“Would you like to put your leg here, on Hyung’s lap?”

“That’s a biiit…….”

“No. It’s okay to put it up. That way Hyung can treat it more easily.”

“Hahaha! Don’t hold it like that, it tickles!”

“This isn’t ticklish. You can’t move. I’ll be done in a moment.”

When he opened the first-aid kit and tried to apply the medicine, the posture was the problem. Heeyoung grabbed the child’s leg and placed it on his knee. He did not hold it in a particularly ticklish way, but Cheonghyun twisted his body, claiming the touch was ticklish.

It was a wound from yesterday, so it must have hurt quite a bit, but it was just amazing that he was moving so dynamically and saying it was ticklish.

Thanks to that, it took 15 minutes to apply the ointment. After firmly attaching foam dressings to his elbows and knees, the scraped wounds were no longer visible.

Heeyoung blew on Cheonghyun’s knee, hoo, and cast a magic spell that only works on children.

“Hoo, all the pain, fly away.”

“Heeheehee! I said it tickles! Hyung, I get better quickly without things like this. Because I am! A man!”

Cheonghyun, who had been giggling shyly, put on a brave expression as if nothing had happened. Then he spun around, jumped down from the sofa, and thumped his chest with his fist.

He said a man is not defeated by a single wound like this. He had a feeling he knew who taught him those words.

His lips twitched up into a smile at the unexpected maturity, but Heeyoung clapped his hands, pretending to be impressed.

“Wow, Cheonghyun is so brave and cool!”

“Hmph! Mm!”

Was he embarrassed again now that he was being praised? The child, who was spinning in place, suddenly ran to the study. Pat-a-pat, he ran in, stamping his feet vigorously, and returned with several storybooks in his arms.

“Shall we read together?”

When Heeyoung took out one of them and suggested it, the child nodded, saying yes.

The two sat side by side on the sofa and read storybooks for a long time. When they finished one book, Heeyoung would ask a question that would stimulate the child’s imagination, and each time, the child would give a very realistic answer.

They were already starting on the third book. Cheonghyun, who was pronouncing the words clearly while pointing at the letters with his finger, spotted the word ‘class’ and let out a shout.

“That’s right!”

It seemed he had remembered something. Heeyoung closed the storybook he was reading, set it aside, and asked, ‘Why?’

“A guest teacher is coming to school tomorrow. Not our homeroom teacher, a guest teacher is going to teach us what adoption is. But hey Hyung, what’s adoption?”

His head went blank at the unexpected topic.

Adoption. Those two words were making Heeyoung’s mind complicated.

Come to think of it, he seemed to have learned about adoption separately at school when he was young too. He remembered having time to understand exactly what adoption was by watching videos and doing role-plays. So Cheonghyun was going to have that kind of class too.

If it were any other child, he would have explained it simply and been done with it, but with Cheonghyun, the story was different.

Heeyoung once again recalled the advice he had heard from the manager before. The voice telling him to always be careful with his words because Cheonghyun was not the Boss’s biological son was still vivid.

He could not know the exact circumstances between the two, but what was certain was that Cheonghyun was an adopted child.

And the problem here was that the child did not know that he was adopted. No, in the first place, he did not even know the meaning of the word adoption itself.

Why had Gyojin not revealed anything to the child?

Heeyoung’s worries deepened as he was placed in an unexpectedly difficult situation. Should he tell Cheonghyun the truth and explain adoption well, or should he just muddle through it vaguely. His tightly closed lips did not open easily.

“Huh? What is it? Hyung, what’s adoption? Last time when I went to dad’s store, some hyung said I was adopted, and then, uh, the manager ahjussi came and scolded that hyung!”

“……What?”

“That hyung said it’s because I’m adopted that I don’t listen! So I asked what adoption is, but he didn’t tell me! Hyung, is adoption… a bad word?”

As his response slowed, the child, who was shaking Heeyoung’s arm and urging him, added an explanation for why he was curious about the meaning of adoption. It was a story that truly made one frown.

If a child does not listen, it was a problem that could be solved by holding him and calmly persuading him or scolding him sternly. But for a grown adult who knows better to bring up adoption to a child and openly say hurtful things. The thought of that terrible situation made his anger surge.

No matter how ignorant a young child is, they know when someone is trying to hurt them. There was a reason why the optimistic Cheonghyun remembered that incident for so long and persistently asked for its meaning.

Moreover, perhaps because of that incident, the child seemed to have implicitly defined adoption as something bad. It was a very heartbreaking matter, so there was a need to correct his understanding.

But… is it okay for me, not his dad, to rashly explain this important story?

After hesitating and mulling it over for a long time, Heeyoung finally made up his mind when he saw Cheonghyun’s expression darken.

Cha Gyojin as a father still had many clumsy and rough edges, but nevertheless, his love for his son was bigger than the universe. Even if his way of educating was a mess, he knew how to cherish and care for his son deeply.

The thought suddenly occurred to him that perhaps the reason he had not told Cheonghyun about the adoption was because he was afraid it would leave a big scar on the child’s heart, and he had been desperately hiding it because of that fear.

And that thought soon turned into conviction. He had not known him for long, but strangely, he could be sure of Gyojin’s thoughts just by feeling.

Therefore, Heeyoung decided to open his mouth, accepting that it was an overstep. Because adoption was not something to be hidden.

Above all, he could not stand by and watch the child accept ‘adoption’ as a bad thing and hurt himself. It would be a huge problem if Cheonghyun were to perceive his own existence negatively later on.

“Mmm, becoming a family by being joined through a special choice is called adoption.”

A strange tension was in the air because a lot of time had passed in the process of opening his mouth. Heeyoung began his explanation, gently easing that atmosphere.

As he met his eyes with a warm smile on his lips, Cheonghyun, who was blinking his eyes, blip, blip, asked back innocently.

“Choice? You choose?”

“Yes, a choice. And… actually, Cheonghyun is that chosen child.”

While explaining simply so the child could understand easily, he only showed gentle emotions on his face. Heeyoung felt like he would well up with tears if he let his guard down for just a moment. It was not because the child’s situation was pitiful. It was just that his heart felt overwhelmed imagining what kind of heart Gyojin must have endured with, for something that could be revealed by uttering just a few words.

He must have had all sorts of thoughts. What reaction his son would show, whether he would still call him, who was not blood-related, dad, and he must have had many thoughts while picturing Cheonghyun growing into a fine adult.

And in the end, he must have decided not to tell. That day must have been the only day that Cha Gyojin, who had lived his life like a person who only knew how to go straight, had taken a step back.

Heeyoung wished Gyojin was here with him right now. He wanted to tell him the same story he was about to tell Cheonghyun.

“Because Cheonghyun was so, so special and lovely, it seems dad really wanted to become a family with you.”

“I was chosen? Because I’m special?”

“Yes, that’s what’s called adoption.”

Cheonghyun, who was still young, did not properly understand the words ‘was chosen’ and tilted his head.

“But then, if we became a family because I was chosen, was I born from the sky?”

A pure, untainted question made a soft laugh escape. Heeyoung gently brushed the child’s hair back and answered.

“Mmm, it’s similar. Cheonghyun wasn’t born from dad, but was born from another person’s belly.”

“Hwuh……?”

“But Gyojin dad wanted to be a family with Cheonghyun so, so much that he chose you and brought you here. Do you know what’s really important here?”

“……”

At the words that he was born from another person’s belly, the child became noticeably serious. Cheonghyun, who had become downhearted, pouted his lips and shook his head. Heeyoung continued, his voice brighter.

“Only the person who loves Cheonghyun the most in the world can make that choice.”

“……Only the person who loves me the most?”

“Yes. So, because dad loved Cheonghyun the most in the world, you could become a family.”

Although he explained it to the best of his ability, he was worried he might have made a slip of the tongue. Heeyoung maintained a smile until the end, hoping to calm the child’s anxiety even a little.

However, no matter how gently he explained it, this fact must have been shocking to the child.

Cheonghyun, who suddenly scrunched up his face and started to cry, spoke in a sorrowful voice.

“Then, the dad now, is not my dad……?”

Seeing the child shed a big fat tear, Heeyoung shook his head without hesitation.

“No? The dad now is Cheonghyun’s dad. No matter what anyone says, Cheonghyun and Gyojin dad are a family. Plus, because you were joined by love, you are even closer, you see?”

As he spoke in a firm voice as if to instill confidence, Cheonghyun mulled over the answer and became lost in thought. Heeyoung gently wiped the child’s eyes and emphasized again.

“There’s nothing different from other families. Cheonghyun is always dad’s son. Here, a son born from the heart.”

Saying so, he pulled the child’s arm and placed it on his chest.

Thump. Thump. Cheonghyun quietly felt his own heart, which was beating small but powerfully.

A family joined by love. A son born from the heart. As he engraved the relationship that Heeyoung had clearly defined in his heart, his chaotic insides quickly stabilized. Just like how when you blow on something that hurts, hoo, it does not feel painful anymore. It was a magical thing.

Soon, Cheonghyun’s complexion brightened, and he smiled bashfully and murmured.

“That’s right. I am the son of Cha Gyo Ja Jin Jja……”

In the midst of it all, he referred to his dad’s name so politely. It was clearly a heart-touching statement, but a laugh burst out at the child’s formal language.

Worried that the child might be offended, Heeyoung lowered his head and laughed secretly, then patted Cheonghyun’s back.

“Ah, our Cheonghyun. So polite and so cool. That’s right, that’s right. Cha Cheonghyun is Cha Gyojin’s son and family. A family joined by a huuuugely big love. Now you understand, right?”

After confirming that the child nodded his head vigorously, he told him a part that absolutely should not be left out.

“And there’s something Cheonghyun must remember. Adoption is absolutely not strange or embarrassing, nor is it a story that needs to be hidden. If your friends ask if you’re adopted, you can tell them confidently.”

“How?”

“I’m proud to be adopted. I’m more special because I was chosen, and because of that, I’m loved much more than others. Aren’t you jealous? Like that. You must never feel intimidated, Cheonghyun.”

For children who were not even in their double-digit years yet, adoption would feel particularly unfamiliar. It was also an age where they enjoyed teasing friends over trivial things, so he was worried that Cheonghyun might become a target of teasing.

Heeyoung wanted Cheonghyun not to be hurt no matter what he heard. He hoped he would be confident rather than hunching his shoulders, and that he would be proud of being loved.

“Hee hee, am I really special? Am I really loved more than my friends?”

What a relief this was. Cheonghyun, who had already received a lot of love from Gyojin, did not become more anxious. On the contrary, he was excited at the thought that he had become a special being.

There was definitely a time when he was aghast seeing Gyojin’s method of education…….

The Boss raised Cheonghyun to be very strong.

The child’s face, which was only bright without a single shadowy corner, shone brightly. Heeyoung, who felt a strange sense of being overwhelmed, did his best to say only warm words.

“Yes, of course. Cheonghyun is a doubly special and doubly loved elementary school student. It will be the same when you become a middle schooler, a high schooler, and even when you become an adult later.”

“Yeah! I’m going to go around saying that now! I don’t hate that I’m adopted! And it’s not because I’m adopted that I don’t listen!”

“That’s right, what a good boy. If you happen to talk about it at school tomorrow, make sure to tell Hyung, okay? And, if Cheonghyun doesn’t want to talk about it, you don’t have to force yourself. Got it?”

Instead, firmly believe the story Hyung told you today and keep it well in your heart. Promise.

When he held out his pinky finger, Cheonghyun came closer and wrapped his own adorable finger around it.

Promiiise. Staaamp. Coopyy. Coatiiing.

After diligently going through the steps, wriggling his fingers, he rolled his eyes around as if hesitating about something.

Hmm, is there more story left to tell? Heeyoung also continued to ponder while observing the child’s reaction.

Cheonghyun, having decided something, made a whining sound like a puppy, keeng, king, and climbed onto Heeyoung’s lap. Then he met his brightly shining eyes directly and whispered.

“Hyung, then why didn’t you choose me……? Hyung, uh, am I not special to you?”

The innocence of children often bewilders adults multiple times. Heeyoung was surprised in a different way than before.

How should one answer a question like this? Without even a moment to think, stiff words popped out.

“Huh? That, you are special. To Hyung too, Cheonghyun is incredibly special.”

Creak, creak, it was an extremely awkward tone of voice. Even though he genuinely thought of Cheonghyun as special, that kind of tone came out.

Feeling uneasy about the far-from-satisfactory answer, Cheonghyun hugged Heeyoung’s neck tightly and whined. The child who always wanted to be a gentleman in front of Hyung was acting out of character for once.

“Thenn, Hyung, you choose me too. Huh?”

His anxious voice sounded particularly pitiful, so Heeyoung quickly made an excuse.

“You see, for Hyung to choose Cheonghyun, I have to get dad’s permission. Because Cheonghyun and Gyojin dad, the two of you are a family. Right?”

As he explained kindly and gently so as not to hurt his feelings further, Cheonghyun slowly nodded his head. He understood, but he seemed to be quite hurt by it.

Seeing the dejected child, his own eyebrows drooped. Heeyoung made a grandmotherly sound, “Aigooo,” and patted Cheonghyun’s bottom.

At that, Cheonghyun brought his face right up close and pouted his lips, showing that he was sulking.

This is a big problem, he thought, and was about to ponder a way to melt the child’s heart.

Smooch.

The child’s lips touched his cheek and then pulled away. Cheonghyun, who gave a cheek kiss at an unreadable timing, subsequently mumbled a cute confession.

“I’ll get permission from dad. So Hyung, later, you have to choose me, okay……?”

He seemed too shy to even make eye contact, so he finished what he had to say and buried his face in Heeyoung’s shoulder.

Hiss. Hiss. He could feel the child’s breath through the thin fabric. It was a breath as warm as the affection Cheonghyun was showing him.

Heeyoung, who had frozen stiff as if struck by something, tightly hugged Cheonghyun’s body, which was clinging to him.

In that moment, for some reason, family came to mind. His mother who lived a difficult life and eventually passed away from illness, his father who neglected his family and finally died leaving behind an unforgivable sin.

It was a family that was not happy despite being connected by blood.

The memories with his mother were good, but to Heeyoung, those days now felt distant. Even if he tried to forcefully hold onto the memories of the days he was loved, it was not easy. As time went by, all that remained was the final image of his mother. It was truly sad that it was so.

His younger brother Huimin, with whom he had built much affection in a short time…… had sadly passed away, leaving a deep wound in his heart.

Because of that, the existence of ‘family’ had long since faded within Heeyoung. It was only painful, sad, and empty. His smart body had tried tirelessly for a long time to erase the emotions that were trying to eat away at its owner.

Nevertheless, when he occasionally thought of his family, his heart would ache without fail, but with one hug from Cheonghyun, he felt as if all the pain he had endured alone until now was being comforted. Even though it was this small body that only came up to his waist, it seemed to warm up his shadowed heart.

Heeyoung hugged the child tighter and returned an answer.

“Thank you……. Thank you so much…….”

A teardrop was dotted onto the blue pajamas adorned with a rainbow picture.

It was truly embarrassing. Laughter trickled out from the awkwardness. As if he had peeked into his inner thoughts, the child also smiled along with him.

Could there be such a beautiful child in this world? His very existence is a treasure.

For Heeyoung, it was his second treasure. A precious treasure he had encountered one day as if by fate.

🌿

“Dad!”

As soon as he opened the front door, the child jumped up and clung to him.

Gyojin, who returned home only in the late afternoon, lifted his son up effortlessly without showing any sign of fatigue.

“Son, did you have a good day at school?”

He had stepped on the accelerator like a madman because he wanted to see this round and cute face even a second sooner, and facing his enthusiastic welcome, he felt a sense of reward.

Gyojin patted Cheonghyun’s bottom, who was clinging to his arms. At the same time, he did not forget to check his injured knee.

It seemed that Lee Heeyoung, with his meticulous hands, had already washed the child and even changed the foam dressing. Not only the knee, but also the scraped elbow had been neatly treated.

“Where’s Hyung.”

As he slipped his feet into his indoor shoes and passed through the hallway, he asked, observing the atmosphere. Now that Lee Seowon had been kicked out of the house, there was no need to walk on eggshells anymore. But for some reason, Heeyoung was nowhere to be seen.

At that, Cheonghyun, who came down from his arms with a struggle, quietly took the lead and spoke.

“He fell asleep on the sofa. When I was reading a storybook, he was dozing off, nodding his head like this, and then he suddenly fell asleep.”

The child, who brought his hands together as if in prayer and pressed them to his right cheek, acted out dozing off.

Upon entering the living room, he saw Heeyoung sleeping soundly, just as the child had said. He was lying on his side on the sofa, covered with a small blanket. Did the kid cover him? He had meticulously covered him all the way to his toes so Hyung would not be cold.

Heeyoung did not wake up even at the sound of their conversation and breathed steadily. Well, he had spent a whole day at the hospital, so his body must have been tired. Moreover, hadn’t he seen a rough scene as soon as he got home?

Gyojin, who was looking down blankly at the sleeping Heeyoung, gave his son a ‘shh’ sign to be quiet. The child, who was glancing back and forth at Heeyoung, following his dad, made a circle with a determined expression.

What a good boy.

Gyojin, who let out a chuckle, playfully kneaded the back of Cheonghyun’s neck and walked toward the bedroom dress room. The child also followed him on tiptoes.

After entering the bedroom and thoroughly closing the door, the child finally let out a big breath. The fast-acting Gyojin was already taking off his accessories.

He took off the expensive watch and gold bracelet that were wrapped around his thick wrist and tossed them carelessly on the drawer. Then, as he naturally took off his suit jacket, Cheonghyun, who had come right up to him, mumbled his lips as if he had something to say.

“Dad, tomorrow is my day.”

“Huh?”

At the out-of-the-blue remark, Gyojin, who raised an eyebrow and asked back, threw the suit jacket he had taken off into the laundry basket, making a perfect shot. Next, as he pulled off his tie, he quickly mulled over what his son had said.

The response he spat out was a mischievous joke.

“Isn’t every day your day? You run, play, and eat as you please. You’re no different from a lord and master, our dear son.”

No, he’s more than a lord and master. As he muttered that and chuckled, Cheonghyun’s brow furrowed at once. The way the little one made an annoyed face was phenomenal. Is he starting to resemble his father even in the way he uses his facial muscles?

Since he would not wipe the playful look off his face, the panting Cheonghyun stamped his foot, thud! and shouted.

“No, it’s really my day!”

“Hey, this guy is trying to pull a fast one on his dad again. Hmph. Tomorrow is not Children’s Day, you know?”

He was his own child, but he was wickedly clever. How many times had he already wheedled pocket money out of him by giving meaning to this day and that day? The little punk was also overflowing with charm. He had no choice but to be fooled every time.

Phew. Gyojin let out a sigh as if he could not be stopped and started to unbuckle his belt. Hold on, when was the last time I gave him pocket money? It was when he was continuing his doting-father thoughts, despite having answered as if he would never give in.

“That’s not it! It’s true! We’re learning about adoption at school tomorrow.”

A word that should not have come out of Cheonghyun’s mouth was uttered.

Adoption?

He must have misheard. He must be quite tired too. To be hearing things. Ha, a dry laugh escaped absurdly.

“But I’m adopted, right? So it’s my day.”

Gyojin, who was about to dismiss it, blaming his own hearing, froze completely at his son’s statement that hammered the nail in. For a moment, his hand that was unbuckling the belt paused.

It felt as if all the blood in his body had not just turned cold, but had completely evaporated. His chest ached as if someone had mercilessly kicked his heart.

In that moment, Gyojin could not even let out a dry laugh. He could not respond to his son’s words with a mischievous joke either. His mind went completely white, and he could not take any action.

His body’s senses became so dull that he suspected he might have had an acute paralysis. He had never felt dazed in any situation before, but for the first time in a long time, his head was completely empty.

Did the word adoption really just come out of my kid’s mouth?

Which fucking crazy bastard ran his mouth off as he pleased?

Only the emotion of anger filled his completely emptied mind. The deep pit of his stomach was boiling and it felt like he could not bear it without exploding right away.

The fact of Cheonghyun’s adoption was something Gyojin had thoroughly hidden.

It was difficult to carelessly utter the words, ‘You are not my biological child,’ and he was so afraid of leaving a big scar on the child’s heart that he had lived as if he had forgotten the fact that he was an adopted child altogether.

After all, to him, Cheonghyun was as good as his biological child, and was his family. He had intended to just live happily like this, rather than needlessly stirring up his young son’s heart by telling him about the adoption.

Fuck, which goddamn bastard interfered and ruined it.

Gyojin pulled off his belt irritably and threw the leather strap he was holding onto the small sofa.

Even though he was aware that he should not get angry in front of the child, his actions did not follow. He wanted to grab the bastard who had run his mouth without fear and choke the life out of him right now.

Hoo, shit.

Gyojin barely managed to hold back the curses that were rising to the tip of his chin. However, he could not control his murderous expression.

He wanted to live a little more like a human, but when the situation became like this, his dirty violent nature boiled over. His insides were filled with hot anger, and conversely, his outside sank into a cold calm.

His expression, hardened without emotion, was more brutal than ever.

“Who told you something like that.”