CHAPTER 100

[Rose, just because people make love on the bed doesn’t mean a baby is always born. But if a baby is born between two people who love each other, that would be a great blessing, just like how you are a blessing to your parents. Understand? Now, let’s go.]

Minhee explained vaguely, then took Rose’s hand to lead her out. But Rose tugged on Minhee’s hand a few times.

[Miss Minnie?]

[…Yeah?]

Minhee dreaded the next question Rose might ask.

After pondering for a moment, Rose beamed.

[Rose is a ‘big girl’ because she’s going to be a first grader soon, and she can share Santon with my sister and share toys. So can’t you and Santon make a baby together?]

[…!]

Minhee was rendered speechless, opening and closing her mouth, when Taejun stepped down from the bed to stand beside her. His large hand ruffled Rose’s hair gently.

“Rose, that’s something your uncle and Miss Minnie will figure out. Are you hungry?”

“I’m hungry!”

“Let’s go get some breakfast.”

Taejun wrapped one arm around Minhee’s waist and took Rose’s hand with the other, leading them out of his room. A thought suddenly popped into Minhee’s head and she called out to Rose.

“Rose?”

“Yes, Miss Minnie!”

“I don’t think you should write about what happened this morning in your school drawing diary.”

“Why?”

“Wouldn’t it be better to write about the most fun thing you did? Like going to the Central Park Zoo with your Uncle?”

“…What?”

Taejun whipped his head around to look at Minhee. Minhee secretly stuck her tongue out at him, unnoticed by Rose. After all, today was Saturday, a day Taejun had set aside entirely for Rose and Minhee.

“The zoo!! Santon! Rose loves the Central Park Zoo! I want to feed the goats, Santon!!”

Rose clung to Taejun’s hand and jumped up and down. Taejun chuckled and nodded. Then, he discreetly pressed a kiss to Minhee’s temple, Rose unaware.

“Alright, let’s go feed the goats.”

*

After a long, long winter and a fleeting spring, the languid early summer weather arrived in New York a little early in late May.

Rose had after-school activities three days a week, and on the other two days, she played with friends at the playground, not returning home until after 5 PM.

Though she had forgotten some, felt sad at times, and was still anxious, Rose gradually regained her former self as she adapted to living with Taejun. The daily resilience of a six-year-old who instinctively knows she is loved is remarkable.

Although she still had the occasional frightening dream, Rose began to talk about her parents less and less. At school, she played well with her friends, not caring whether Minhee was there or not. Forgetting was a painful reality, but the six-year-old was moving forward faster than the adults.

The routine in the penthouse had also settled in. The household ran smoothly, centered around Rose, like a well-oiled machine. Minhee was both saddened and proud that there was nothing more she could do for Rose and Taejun as a live-in tutor.

At Minhee’s insistence, Taejun began seeing a counselor once a week at a clinic specializing in veterans and ex-military personnel. Minhee encouraged him to go, saying that his anxiety was caused by his traumatic experiences that were not treated in time.

Taejun was cynical about therapy. To him, loving Minhee was like reaching toward the light to simply exist. So his anxiety was the shadow of that light, something he had already accepted as a lifelong companion.

But it didn’t matter. If Minhee wanted it, he would not only do the counseling but also tear open his chest and offer his pulsing heart.

On the days Taejun returned from his sessions, Minhee would silently hug him. Then, with an awestruck expression, she would whisper “Well done” and pat his back as if he had accomplished something admirable. That was enough for Taejun.

At the monthly group meetings at the clinic, the veteran PTSD survivors would share their stories. Taejun analyzed that his own anxiety stemmed from more fundamental and complex causes than just military service PTSD.

So when he returned from one such meeting, he was surprised to realize there were more people with similar symptoms than he had expected. Many discharged soldiers had lost their families and jobs, ending up on the streets due to the aftermath of the war.

‘How about starting a foundation for PTSD-affected veterans and their families?’

During a date, Taejun nodded approvingly at Minhee’s sudden proposal. Thanks to this, Luca became busy looking for nonprofit organization experts and lawyers to establish the foundation.

Dating was one of the recent changes. Taejun endured Junhee’s teasing every time he saw him and brought back lists of the most popular restaurants and shows to Luca.

Once a week, Taejun and Minhee would leave Rose with a weekend nanny and meet outside the penthouse for their dates.

The penthouse staff seemed to have noticed the relationship between Taejun and Minhee, but no one asked outright or hinted at it. It was as if someone had told them to keep quiet. Minhee suspected Luca.

“What should I call you, Taejun?”

Minhee cut half a baked salmon fillet onto Taejun’s plate, looking up at him with blinking eyes.

She always ordered the main dish as fish, knowing Taejun liked it, then transferred half to his plate. In return, Taejun would order the meat dishes Minhee preferred and put small portions on her plate, which she would slowly nibble on.

Taejun was aware this was highly inefficient, but the tingling sensation in his chest was so pleasant that he didn’t bother worrying about efficiency.

“Uh… I don’t understand the question.”

“I mean, when I introduce you to friends or family, what should I call you?”

“…”

Taejun was at a loss for words.

“We are dating, right?”

Dating. Somehow, it sounded a bit light, so Taejun nodded with an ambiguous expression. Minhee’s eyelids fluttered a few times before she lowered her gaze.

“Then, can I introduce you as my… boyfriend?”

Taejun rolled the word around in his mouth. 

‘Boyfriend.’

‘Friend’ sounded too casual, too light, as if it could change anytime.

“…… Anything else?”

 Minhee’s eyes flickered.

“Then, how about ‘the man I’m dating’ these days-“

“No, Minhee. Not that.”

Shaking his head, Taejun pondered deeply before looking at her with a serious expression.

“Something with more weight and responsibility. A relationship based on permanence, where we’re interdependent on each other. What do you call that kind of relationship?”

Minhee poked the piece of meat on her plate with her fork, looking perplexed.

“…What do you mean? Spouse? Partner? I don’t know. Let’s just go with boyfriend, okay?”

Taejun sighed quietly.

“Alright, for now.”

*

Despite Taejun’s objections, Minhee ultimately ended up meeting with Noah Brown again.

“Tomorrow, I’m meeting Noah for dinner.” 

“What did you just say?”

“I know you heard everything.”

Taejun’s face darkened with a chill. For a moment, his dark eyes flared with unconcealed anger.

“Do you really have to?”

Minhee’s voice faltered as her face paled slightly.

“…I already promised I’d go.”

Seeing that Minhee seemed scared, Taejun lowered his gaze and tried to soften his expression.

“Can’t you just not go?”

“I want a proper ending, too, to my horrible teenage years.”

Taejun hung his head. No matter what, he couldn’t win against her. It wasn’t even a contest, not when there was no desire to win in the first place.

“Go…… and take the car Dawson is driving.”

“Okay and Taejun, ……?”

‘I don’t want to lose my temper so quickly.’

The tension in Taejun’s brow gradually eased.

Taejun looked up with a slight frown on his brow, Minhee made a soft smooching sound and planted several affectionate kisses on his lips.

“I love you. You know you’re the person I love the most in the world, right? But don’t tell my dad.”

For a moment, the corner of his mouth quirked up, then his lips pressed tightly together. Minhee, who was gently stroking his lips with her finger while peering at him, smiled prettily.

“Oh, by the way, I told my dad the other day that I have a boyfriend. He’s coming to New York to see what kind of person you are. Dad said I can’t even hold hands until he meets you and approves. What should I do?”

Minhee chuckled as if she had heard a funny joke, but Taejun felt dizzy for a moment, remembering his stern grandfather who opposed his mother’s marriage to an orphan.

“…Is your father very strict?”

“Not strict, but… Taejun, have you ever heard the term ‘doting father’?”

“Doting, father??”

*

The next day, Taejun paced anxiously in his study, waiting for Dawson to contact him. As soon as the piercing alert sounded, Taejun snatched up the phone from the desk. A message had arrived, accompanied by a photo.

Minhee and Noah Brown were sitting at a romantically decorated outdoor table, smiling at each other.

Taejun rubbed his temples, his brow creasing as he traced his finger across the nape of Noah Brown’s neck on the screen, over and over again.