Side Story 1.17

The moment she saw him emerging from the pool, it felt as if all the air around her had suddenly come to a standstill. The water droplets clinging to his shoulders caught the noonday sunlight, glistening transparently—a sight so vivid that it was etched into her memory, impossible to forget.  

His broad chest tapered into a slim waist, and his well-defined abs were nothing short of perfection. She had never seen such a striking physique in her life.  

It was only natural that she found herself mesmerized, as though bewitched, losing track of time while staring at him. It was akin to humanity’s instinctive admiration for beauty.  

‘What are you looking at?’  

The memory of his cold voice suddenly surfaced. Recalling Kwon Taegyeom’s aloof expression, as icy as his words, Leeseo chuckled softly. Back then, he had been so curt and insufferable. She could never have imagined that she would fall in love with such a man, marry him, and carry his child.  

Leeseo gently rubbed her round, swollen belly, letting out a playful laugh. Thinking back to how she had panicked, stammered, and clumsily fled from him made her cheeks flush with embarrassment and her fingers curl in mortification. Yet, no matter how much she tried, she couldn’t suppress the laughter that kept bubbling up.  

If the child growing inside her were to someday ask, out of curiosity, how their parents first met… well, there was no way she could tell the story honestly.  

The guesthouse was enveloped in serene stillness, exuding a tranquil atmosphere. As per Yoo Jinwoo’s fervent wishes, it had been set up as a guest accommodation, though it was rarely used. Still, it was well-maintained, as Leeseo often visited it while taking leisurely walks around the estate during her pregnancy.  

In the modest courtyard of the guesthouse, compared to the grandeur of the main house’s garden, blue and white hydrangeas were in full bloom. The petals, still adorned with droplets of water from a recent watering, shimmered in the warm sunlight.  

Taking slow, deliberate steps, Leeseo inhaled deeply. The subtle floral scent lifted her spirits, while the early summer sunlight pouring down on her head felt more searing than warm.  

Wearing this cardigan was definitely overkill in this weather.  

As she removed the cardigan draped over her shoulders, her gaze fell upon a swing set up in one corner of the garden. Draping the cardigan over her arm, she approached the swing. This was one of the reasons she often visited the guesthouse during her walks.  

After purchasing the estate, they had prioritized remodeling the main house, leaving the guesthouse’s interior renovations until after they had moved in. When it was finally completed, the guesthouse evoked a peculiar sense of nostalgia. Unlike the sleek and classic style of the main house, the guesthouse felt like a secluded cabin deep in the woods, far removed from the city.  

The towering, ancient conifer trees surrounding the guesthouse like a fortress gave it an air of secrecy. The single-story stone building featured a ceiling made entirely of glass, allowing anyone reclining on the living room sofa to gaze up at the sky, day or night.  

Adding to the charm of the quaint courtyard was a wooden swing that stood prominently in one corner. Leeseo sat on the swing, leaning her back against its support. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the tree canopy above, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow.  

A gentle breeze rustled around her, carrying the faint scent of flowers. Without realizing it, she began to hum softly. The sunlight spilling diagonally across her face felt like a warm caress, and a languid smile spread across her lips as she closed her eyes.  

***

‘What if something had happened to you while you were wandering around alone?!’  

A sharp scolding caused young Leeseo to scrunch up her face and burst into tears. Normally, her mother’s heart would melt at the sight of her tears, but this time, she seemed genuinely angry. Her arched eyebrows refused to relax.  

‘Waaah… Mommy…’  

‘I told you to stay where I could see you, didn’t I? If you do this again, you’ll be in big trouble!’  

Her mother stood with her hands on her apron-clad hips, her expression stern. Leeseo, already being scolded, couldn’t imagine what “big trouble” would entail. The thought made her cry even harder, her wails growing louder.  

‘What’s going on here?’  

Her father, who had stopped by the house during a break, hurried over upon hearing the commotion. Tearfully wailing for her mother, Leeseo ran to her father and buried herself in his arms. Her mother, still frowning, looked at the pair and spoke.  

‘I took my eyes off her for just a moment, and she disappeared! I was frantic, searching everywhere, only to find her playing in the garage. How on earth did she get there by herself?’  

‘The garage? Haha, what a little rascal…’  

‘This estate is too big. I couldn’t see where she went, and my heart nearly stopped. We turned the entire estate upside down searching for her—everyone, even the staff. And there she was, happily climbing into one of the company cars, leaving muddy footprints everywhere…’  

‘But do you really need to scold her this much? She probably just followed the path we usually take. Leeseo, did you go to the garage looking for Daddy?’  

At her father’s gentle question, Leeseo sniffled and nodded, tears streaming down her face. His comforting pats on her back only made her cry harder.  

‘The garage is a place where cars come and go all day—it’s dangerous. She’s so small, she might not even be noticed. What if something had happened? With the atmosphere around the estate being so tense lately, everyone’s already on edge, trying not to draw attention. They’re practically holding their breath.’  

‘That’s an issue among the adults. A five-year-old child wouldn’t know anything about that. We need to be more careful.’  

Her father lowered his voice, pulling her mother aside to speak in hushed tones. He always did this when discussing things he didn’t want young Leeseo to overhear, leading her mother to a corner and turning his back to her.  

While her parents engaged in their serious conversation, Leeseo wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. Sniffling, she fidgeted with the hem of her tear-soaked clothes, squeezing them absentmindedly. Before long, she grew bored. Kicking up little clouds of dust with her feet, she watched her parents’ backs before quietly turning away.  

The container-like house where Leeseo’s family lived was tucked into the farthest corner of the estate. Unlike the meticulously groomed gardens surrounding the main house, the farther one ventured, the wilder the greenery became, with lush evergreen trees and low shrubs growing freely. To young Leeseo, the entire estate was a vast playground.  

Spotting a pill bug near the bushes, she crouched down, poking at it as it curled into a ball. Her attention soon shifted to a butterfly fluttering past, its white wings gliding gracefully. She followed it, her tiny footsteps leaving faint tracks behind her.  

The butterfly soared high, seemingly out of reach, only to dip low again, tantalizingly close. Standing on her tiptoes, Leeseo stretched her arms skyward, grasping at the air. The butterfly, as if teasing her, circled lazily before floating over a tall wall and disappearing.  

‘Hmph…’  

Leeseo pouted, staring up at the wall that had swallowed the butterfly. Then her eyes widened. The guesthouse gate, usually closed, was ajar—just wide enough for her small frame to slip through.  

Drawn like a magnet, her tiny body approached the gate. Though she had recently been scolded for wandering the estate, the memory had already faded from her young mind.  

Her tiny hand pushed the gate open. With no resistance, it swung aside, revealing the guesthouse beyond—a place she had never seen before. Hesitating for a moment out of fear of the unfamiliar, her boundless curiosity quickly overpowered her apprehension.  

‘Wow…!’  

Peeking her head through the gate, Leeseo gasped. A large swing in the courtyard immediately caught her attention.  

Unlike the single-seat swings she had seen at playgrounds, this one was massive, big enough to hold at least three people. Thick wooden beams anchored it to the ground, and its canopy provided ample shade. From her vantage point, she could only see the backrest, but she spotted someone’s legs swinging gently beneath it.  

Like a butterfly drawn to a flower, young Leeseo approached the swing. She carefully hid behind one of the sturdy wooden beams supporting it, peeking out cautiously.  

‘Who are you?’  

She had thought the beam would conceal her, but she was wrong. No sooner had she poked her head out than the person on the swing turned sharp eyes toward her.