Chapter 22

“Thank you, teacher, really…”

“Haha, no need. Please keep a close eye on the child in case they get sick again.”

“Yes, teacher!”

I kept thanking the doctor after hearing his words. If we hadn’t received this treatment, I don’t know what would have happened to Ha-yeon’s life. While a child’s life is said to be resilient, it can also vanish like a thread snapping.

Holding Ha-yeon’s hand, I left the emergency room. Fortunately, we had insurance, so I didn’t have to worry about the cost. It was essential to have insurance just in case something happened to Ha-yeon. If we keep the insurance for about 10 years, maybe Ha-yeon will start earning on her own after that?

Hunters are said to be a high-income profession, and Ha-yeon’s abilities are among the strongest in the world.

Anyway, that’s for the future, but it’s also a future that’s coming soon.

“Mom, I’m hungry…”

“Really? Should we get something on the way?”

“Yeah…”

Come to think of it, Ha-yeon hadn’t eaten anything since morning. It made sense since she had lost consciousness. Of course, she ate some fruit from the basket the boss brought, but that wasn’t enough. Ha-yeon, at her age, couldn’t be satisfied with just that.

“What should we get…? Is there anything you want, Ha-yeon?”

“I want tteokbokki!”

“Really? Then let’s get tteokbokki!”

“Okay!”

Following Ha-yeon’s wish, we went to a tteokbokki shop and bought some. I wanted some too, and since Ha-yeon wanted it, it was the perfect choice.

—

A week passed. Ha-yeon was now healthy enough to go back to kindergarten. This week, since she was off, we spent time together. Of course, I barely managed to stop her from coming to the café. The boss kept telling me to bring Ha-yeon, but it was a workplace, and I felt awkward bringing her.

Not that Ha-yeon was a problem.

But Ha-yeon seemed to realize she couldn’t come to the café easily, so her attitude toward the boss changed. She started acting cute with the boss, just like she did with me. Naturally, the boss melted at her charm. A single boss in his prime couldn’t resist the charm of a lively child, especially with Ha-yeon’s adorable looks.

There was no defense against this child’s cuteness. So, the boss opened his heart wide to Ha-yeon.

That’s why Ha-yeon was now sitting in the café. The boss had told her she could come anytime, and Ha-yeon was thrilled.

So-yeong and A-rin also loved having Ha-yeon around. No woman could dislike a 6-year-old child. It was maternal instinct kicking in.

“Ha-yeon, do you want to drink this?”

“Ha-yeon, this…!”

“Ha-yeon…”

Before I knew it, Ha-yeon had become the café’s mascot. The café felt empty without her. Even some regular customers started recognizing her. Since she came so often, they became regulars. Our shop had an unusually high number of regulars, mostly men.

Ha-yeon would come around 2-3 PM and stay for over an hour, floating around. I told her to wait at home, but Ha-yeon never listened. She always came to the café.

She also monopolized the affection of the sisters. The boss liked her, and the sisters couldn’t help but adore her.

But So-yeong seemed a bit different.

“Ha-yul~~~”

“Eek!”

So-yeong clung to me from behind and started fiddling with my chest. She often did this when there were no customers. Ha-yeon, seeing this, would widen her eyes as if she had seen something she shouldn’t have.

Ha-yeon quickly got off the chair and ran to me.

“Don’t bully mommyyyy!”

“I’m not! I’m just giving her a chest massage!”

“Stop ittt! Mommy’s chest is mine!”

“Ha-yeon! Mommy’s chest is public property!”

“Waaah! Stop it!!!”

So-yeong seemed to have taken a liking to teasing Ha-yeon, and it became a daily routine. Ha-yeon would pout but quickly get over it. She was quick to pick up on things, so she didn’t do anything to upset my superiors. But her lively reactions made her a source of amusement for the sisters.

Thud!

“You brat! Get back to work!”

Luckily, the boss stepped in and scolded So-yeong. So-yeong, having received a back smack and a scolding, went back to work with a deflated spirit. There was always a lot of work at the café. While I handled drink preparation and food, So-yeong and A-rin took care of other tasks like cleaning and taking orders.

The boss coordinated our work overall. If one area got too busy, he would send support. That’s why the café ran so smoothly. The boss even said that with this level of sales, we could open a chain.

And my hourly wage kept increasing. For some reason, sales were significantly higher when I was around. Of course, the other sisters were also taken care of.

I approached Ha-yeon. The boss said we could give her drinks for free, so I often gave her a sweet chocolate shake. Ha-yeon always enjoyed it.

“Mom, it’s really delicious!”

“Really? I’m glad you like it!”

I smiled as I patted Ha-yeon’s head. The café felt brighter with Ha-yeon around. Having a child around really lifted the atmosphere, to the point where I wondered if we could hire Ha-yeon.

Of course, Ha-yeon was only 6, so that was impossible. But it made me think of something else.

“Ha-yeon, don’t you play with your friends?”

“Uh… yeah?”

“I haven’t seen you bring any friends over… Is kindergarten not going well? Are you having trouble adjusting?”

“No, mom! I have so many friends, this many!”

“Really? That’s a relief! Bring your friends over sometime. I’d love to meet them.”

“Okay…”

Ha-yeon answered while sipping her chocolate shake through a straw. Seeing her like that reassured me. It seemed like Ha-yeon was doing well in kindergarten. Even though I hadn’t met her friends, given her personality, she could easily make friends.

“You did great today, Ha-yul!”

“Bye, Ha-yeon!”

“Hmph!”

Ignoring So-yeong’s greeting, Ha-yeon made me grab her shoulder and whisper so the others wouldn’t hear.

“Ha-yeon! If you don’t say goodbye properly, no cuddles tonight!”

“Eek! Goodbye, sisters!”

Ha-yeon gave a 90-degree bow. The boss and sisters, seeing her cute gesture, waved and smiled. I also nodded and left the café. Another day had passed safely.

“Mommyyy… Mommy’s chest is mine…”

“Sure, sure. Mommy’s chest is yours!”

“Really?”

“Of course~”

I didn’t know why Ha-yeon was so fixated on my chest, but I played along to keep her happy. It’s not like my chest would wear out from being touched, so it didn’t matter if she claimed it.

“Hehe!”

Ha-yeon, now in a good mood, hummed a tune and tightly held my hand. I gently held her hand in return. Ha-yeon’s hand was always warm. I heard children have higher body temperatures, but Ha-yeon’s hand was even warmer than that.

“Mom, cuddle me tonight!”

“Of course!”

I held Ha-yeon’s hand tightly as we headed home. It was time to return to our nest. Having a home was a truly happy thing. If we didn’t have a home, we’d have nowhere to go. That’s why I had to earn money.

If I didn’t earn money, we’d be kicked out. No landlord would accept a tenant who didn’t pay rent.

And our home was decorated according to Ha-yeon’s taste, which made it even more special. There were all sorts of toys and cute wallpaper. It was a home made for Ha-yeon, though my taste was also a bit reflected. After all, a home is best when decorated together.