Roll, roll, roll. The stroller wheels made a cheerful sound as they rolled over the sidewalk blocks. Jinwook, pushing the stroller, grinned as he made eye contact with his daughter.

“Noeul, aren’t you happy to go meet Dad and your brother? Oh my, are you happy?”

As Noeul’s smile deepened, Jinwook’s smile grew even brighter. At thirty months old, Noeul was a little girl with an especially beautiful smile. Like Yeoul, she was bigger than other children her age, and though she didn’t have double eyelids, her eyes took up half her face, monopolizing Jinwook’s love.

There was also Jinwook’s past circumstances. Since he’d missed Yeoul’s early years, he wanted to be involved in all aspects of raising his daughter. But making movies didn’t allow him to spend as much time with her as he wanted, so whenever he had free time like this, he spent every moment with his daughter.

Arriving at the school, Jinwook looked around among the children who were just starting to come out. When he spotted his son, whose head was one size larger than the other children even from a distance, he raised his hand high and called out at the top of his lungs.

“Kim Yeoul! Kim Yeoul!”

Yeoul, who had been looking around at the loud voice, saw his Dad and approached with his head lowered, taking small steps. Jinwook took his son’s bag, slung it over his shoulder, and asked with a smile.

“Did you have fun at school today?”

As Jinwook spoke loudly with his distinctively large voice and tall stature, Yeoul lowered his voice and said,

“Dad. Can’t you speak a little quieter?”

“Huh?”

“Everyone’s staring.”

“This kid.”

Yeoul, who had entered elementary school this year, was as tall as an upper-grade student, but his face still retained the cuteness of his younger years, revealing his true age. Jinwook barely listened to his son’s words, his gaze fixed on Yeoul’s face. Wow. If he’s this handsome at this age, he’ll surpass me when he grows up. He’s really good-looking. When his Dad kept staring at his face, Yeoul sighed deeply and then quickly recovered his mood upon seeing his sister in the stroller.

“Noeul came too? Want to walk with your brother?”

Seeing her brother, Noeul clenched her tiny fists and squirmed, wanting to get down. Yeoul said to his Dad,

“Dad. Can’t you let Noeul down?”

“It’s a bit dangerous here. I’ll let her down when we get to the alley.”

As if understanding her Dad’s words, Noeul chewed her small lips before tears began to fall. Jinwook panicked when his daughter started crying.

“Noeul. It’s dangerous here. Okay? Let’s get down when we get home. Okay?”

Noeul wouldn’t stop crying, and Yeoul, unable to bear it, said,

“I’ll carry her.”

“You?”

“Yes.”

“It’s quite far to home.”

“I can do it. Noeul, don’t cry. Your brother will carry you.”

Jinwook sighed and took his daughter out of the stroller, handing her to his son. It was like a child carrying another child, but for Yeoul, who had been carrying his sister since she was born, it was natural. Besides, Yeoul was already very tall. Yeoul carried Noeul while Jinwook pushed the empty stroller beside them. Jinwook asked,

“Yeoul, did you give the field trip form to your teacher?”

“Yes. The teacher said to have a good trip. And she also said she hopes Dad has good results.”

“Oh, really? That’s nice of her.”

Jinwook’s second feature film had been invited to the Berlin Film Festival and submitted to the competition section. They were leaving tomorrow, and the whole family was going together. Both grandmothers too. It was their first family trip since getting married.

On the way home, the three family members walked side by side slowly. Every now and then while walking, Jinwook said to his son,

“Yeoul, tell me if you get tired. There’s a hill coming up soon.”

“The hill might be a bit tough.”

At that moment, the perceptive Noeul stared at her brother’s face and then stretched out her arms toward her Dad. She wanted to be carried by Dad now. Yeoul smiled.

“Noeul, do you want Dad to carry you?”

The child amazingly asked for her Dad right before the hill. Jinwook made a sour face.

“Noeul, let’s go up in the stroller.”

But Noeul puffed her cheeks and remained stubborn. Yeoul said,

“Noeul, Dad might not have enough strength anymore. I’ll carry you.”

“No way! How could Dad not have strength!”

Jinwook shouted indignantly, and Yeoul pretended not to notice as he said,

“Dad is getting older now. It’s okay. I’ll carry you since I’m younger, even if just by a year.”

Feeling disrespected by his son, Jinwook took his daughter in his arms and boasted loudly,

“Hey, no matter what, how could I be worse than you? Noeul! Trust Dad!”

Then he handed the stroller to his son and began climbing the hill vigorously. Yeoul, pushing the stroller, giggled to himself. Then, when he made eye contact with his sister, he gave her a bright smile.

As much as his daughter was developing faster than her peers, her weight was not negligible. He certainly started climbing well. But by the middle, he was completely out of breath. Jinwook, his face flushed red, looked up at the top of the hill and despaired. Why did I get a house here? Was it always this steep?

It was never an issue when driving. The grandmothers also used cars when picking up Yeoul. This was the price of being too ambitious on his rare day off. Not understanding her Dad’s struggle, Noeul bounced in his arms, making Jinwook’s face turn pale.

“No! Noeul! Don’t!”

From behind, Yeoul was bouncing up and down, and Noeul was just imitating him, but Jinwook, oblivious to this, was sweating profusely.

After a difficult climb, Jinwook arrived home and gaped at the stone steps. He hadn’t thought about the stairs. He smiled sweetly at his daughter and asked,

“Noeul, shall we test how well you can walk?”

Though he tried to be indirect, Noeul was quick to catch on. The child shook her head and clung to her Dad’s neck, causing a dejected Jinwook to climb the stairs one by one with great effort. Beside him, Yeoul ran up the stairs and turned to shout,

“Dad! Fighting! Dad! You’re awesome!”

Jinwook’s lips curled up in what could have been either crying or laughing.

As they passed through the yard where fresh green grass was sprouting, the greenhouse door opened, and Jeongeun and Soyoung came out together. Soyoung had chosen a graduated marriage¹a concept where a couple agrees to remain legally married but live separately to pursue individual dreams without the stigma of divorce instead of divorce. Jeongeun, concerned about Mrs. Sa living alone, suggested she move in with them, and after much deliberation, Soyoung moved into her son’s house and began living together.

“Is Yeoul back?”

“I’m home, Grandmother.”

Seeing her grandson greeting her so maturely and her exhausted son behind him, Soyoung took off her dirt-covered gloves and asked,

“Did you carry Noeul all the way?”

“Yes… Noeul, let’s get down now.”

When Noeul clung tightly to his neck, Jinwook made a troubled expression. That’s when Jeongeun spread her arms and enticed her granddaughter.

“Noeul, come to Grandmother. I’ll show you the roses. Our Noeul likes flowers, right?”

The child’s eyes sparkled. Hesitating at the kind grandmother’s words, Noeul squirmed, indicating she wanted to get down, and Jinwook showed a relieved expression. After putting his daughter down, Yeoul took his sister’s hand as if accustomed to it and walked slowly. Looking at Jinwook, Soyoung clicked her tongue.

“All this fuss just from carrying a child.”

“Mom, do you know how heavy she is? I carried her up that hill!”

“If you can’t even carry your own child, you might as well close shop.”

Jinwook’s eyes widened.

“Close shop? What do you mean?”

In response to her son’s question, Soyoung silently looked him up and down from head to toe, then turned and entered the greenhouse. Jinwook, with a blank expression, jumped up and down.

“Mom! Your son is still full of energy! What was that look for! Mom!”

Even Yeoul, who had been staring at his Dad, sighed and shook his head before entering the greenhouse, causing Jinwook to exhale heavily.

“Wow. Just wow.”

Then he took out his phone and made a call. As soon as the call connected, he spoke, spitting out words.

“Jang Soyu! I’m dying of loneliness! How can this be? Just because I’ve been too busy with work to come home, is this how you treat the head of the household? What do you think about this situation? Huh?”

Soyu, with the phone wedged between her shoulder and neck, asked half-heartedly,

[What’s going on?]

“Well, I went to pick up Noeul and Yeoul, right? And Noeul wanted me to carry her.”

While listening to her husband’s complaints, Soyu was busy working. Still, thinking he must be really troubled to call like this, she occasionally responded with “Yes. Right. I see,” though without much sincerity. She was extremely busy trying to wrap up her work today before their departure tomorrow.

Soyu said to Jinyoung,

[Team Leader Gu, I sent you the files. Please check them.]

Hearing her send files to Jinyoung, Jinwook paused and asked,

“Are you busy?”

[Yes. It’s hectic with our departure tomorrow.]

“Have you eaten?”

[No, not yet.]

“Why are you working without eating? Go downstairs to the grandmothers’ place, eat, and come back up.”

Though he had called to complain, when he heard his wife hadn’t eaten while working, Jinwook’s voice softened considerably.

[Okay. Still, you managed to carry Noeul up that hill. Good job.]

At his wife’s praise, Jinwook’s voice took on a cheerful tone.

“You’re really all I have. Should I come pick you up later?”

[What about my car?]

“Just leave it in the parking lot. It would be tough to drive after working. I’ll come later.”

Soyu chuckled.

[Alright.]

“Just let me know what time.”

[Thank you. I’ll hang up now. And stop fighting with Yeoul.]

“Am I a child? Fighting childishly? But that kid has gotten so cocky just because he’s grown a bit.”

While on the call, Jinwook looked at his family in the greenhouse. His son, daughter, and both mothers were laughing happily. Just seeing that made him feel so happy his chest felt tight.

“I love you, Soyu. See you later.”

[Yes. See you later.]

After hanging up, Jinwook, seemingly in a good mood, whistled as he entered the greenhouse. Inside, the warm air and intense rose fragrance hit his nose, and he saw Noeul doing a little b*tt-wiggling dance. Jinwook exclaimed,

“Noeul! Your brother is good at that dance.”

Seeing his Dad, Yeoul scrunched his face and protested,

“Dad, I’m a student now.”

“Students can’t dance like that?”

“They shouldn’t!”

“Really? But Dad does it.”

Then he stood next to his daughter and started dancing, wiggling his hips. Soyoung and Jeongeun clapped and enjoyed it, while an excited Noeul began dancing with all her might. Their cheerful laughter filled the greenhouse and spilled outside on that day in May.

After playing with the children, Jinwook sat down on a chair, panting heavily. Soyoung sat next to her son and handed him a glass of water.

“Noeul still isn’t talking today?”

Jinwook smiled kindly and said,

“She will. The doctor said she seems to be thinking a lot.”

Soyoung patted the back of her son’s hand.

“That’s right. She’ll talk eventually. Let’s not be impatient.”

“I’m fine, but aren’t you worried, Mom?”

“What are you saying? There are many children like that. Children who start talking late. Besides, Noeul is still young, what’s there to worry about?”

Jinwook swallowed a sigh. Apart from some baby babbling when she was very young, Noeul hadn’t made any sounds until now. Even when crying, she only shed tears without making a sound. Worried, they took her to a doctor, but there were no physical issues. Next, they took her to a therapist. The conclusion was that the child seemed to be late in speaking because she was thoughtful. Though she was receiving play and art therapy, she still wasn’t talking.

That’s not to say Noeul didn’t express herself. She was sensitive to adults’ emotional changes and always got what she wanted. By any means necessary. She wasn’t autistic, nor did she have physical problems. So why wasn’t she talking? Though they believed she would start speaking when she got a little older, a parent’s heart still ached. Jinwook’s eyes filled with sadness as he looked at his daughter.