Chapter 24

“Come on, Ha-yeon, let’s get dressed. We’re going to eat something delicious today.”

“Okay! I’m coming too!”

I was helping Ha-yeon get dressed. Last time, when the boss asked if I wanted to go to the company dinner, I nodded and agreed. But when I came home and told Ha-yeon, she said she wanted to go too. I hadn’t planned to take her originally. But thinking about her being left out during the dinner made me feel a bit bad.

But could Ha-yeon really join the dinner? At first, I hesitated a little. But Ha-yeon was so insistent that I had no choice but to pick up my phone. Ha-yeon tends to react sensitively when I go somewhere without her.

When I asked the boss if Ha-yeon could join, he readily agreed. That’s why Ha-yeon was getting dressed now.

“Grilled pork belly! Grilled pork belly!”

Ha-yeon really loved food. She hardly had any food she disliked. Parents raising kids often struggle with picky eaters, but I never felt that way with her.

She ate all kinds of meat without hesitation, and she ate vegetables just as well. Even the vegetables kids usually hate, Ha-yeon ate with a smile. I was curious what food she might dislike. Of course, she didn’t like the fish-shaped pastry with red bean paste last time, but that was just a matter of taste. If I told her to eat it, she would.

“Okay, I’m all dressed!”

The weather was starting to warm up. March had passed, and April was approaching, so a warm breeze was blowing outside. Even though people say Korea’s spring and autumn have disappeared, they’re still somewhat there. That’s why I didn’t put a padded jacket on Ha-yeon. It would definitely be too hot if she wore one.

“Mom, let’s go quickly!”

“Okay.”

The boss said to come when the café closed. We needed to arrive before 6 PM. I held Ha-yeon’s hand and went outside. Beautiful flowers were blooming. It was a scene that stirred up emotions. Maybe it’s because I’ve become a woman, but I felt more sentimental. In the past, I wouldn’t have thought much about these flowers.

So, holding Ha-yeon’s hand, we walked to the café. I wanted to get there a bit early to help with the closing tasks. The boss was treating me to dinner, so I thought I should help with these small tasks. If I helped with the cleanup, the boss would surely appreciate it. Of course, Ha-yeon would have to sit in a chair and wait.

But the café cleanup didn’t take that long. It only took about 30 minutes to finish.

—

“Ha-yul! Why are you here so early?”

“To help out.”

“You didn’t have to go that far!”

Still, I helped with the café cleanup. The boss was even letting Ha-yeon join the dinner, so I had no reason not to help. An extra mouth meant more expenses for the dinner, so I should be grateful.

“Ha-yeon! Long time no see!”

“Hello~”

Ha-yeon was getting along well with the older sisters. Of course, she played pranks sometimes, but at this point, they were almost like family. On weekdays, Ha-yeon always chatted with the older sisters, and she treated them well without making things awkward for me.

If Ha-yeon didn’t get along with the older sisters, it could have been a big problem. I might have even had to move the café.

But now, I didn’t have to worry about that at all. The older sisters took good care of Ha-yeon, and Ha-yeon respected them in return. They supported each other.

With that, the café cleanup was done. It was almost 7 PM. Considering Ha-yeon’s age, it was almost bedtime, but since it was Friday, I let it slide. There was no reason to wake up early tomorrow. The kindergarten was closed, and I had the day off too. I could just sleep in as late as I wanted. It was a happy weekend.

“Shall we go? The reservation time is almost here.”

“Yes, boss!”

After locking the café, we went outside. It was winter, so the sun had set early. It was already pitch dark outside. Of course, with the modern society’s lights shining brightly, it didn’t feel like night.

In the old days, there would have been no lights or street lamps, so we would have had to stay home. Walking around in the dark without any light was dangerous. But now, it didn’t matter. We could see clearly ahead.

“I booked a place nearby! And the meat here is really good, right?”

“Ooh…!”

“It’s been a while since we came here! For Ha-yul, this is her first time at a company dinner, so it’s her first time here, right?”

“Yes…”

With that, we entered the restaurant. There were a lot of people inside. Fortunately, the boss had reserved a private room. It was a room that could fit eight people, but with me, Ha-yeon, the boss, and the older sisters, there were only five of us. Three seats were empty, but it didn’t matter.

After entering the room, the boss skillfully started ordering.

“Six servings of grilled pork belly, and two bottles of soju and beer each. Oh, right? Ha-yeon is here too? Bring a bottle of cola, please!”

“Got it.”

Ha-yeon was still a child, so of course, she couldn’t drink alcohol. But I had a problem too. Since I became this body, I hadn’t drunk any alcohol. When I was a man, I had drunk before, but the situation was different now. Back then, I could handle 2-3 bottles of soju without getting drunk.

But this body had never drunk alcohol before. Half a bottle of soju might get me drunk. Of course, it could also be the opposite—I might not get drunk even after 3-4 bottles. I decided not to overdrink today, but who knows if that would go as planned.

From what I heard while working at the café, the boss and the older sisters had quite a high alcohol tolerance. Each of them could easily drink 1-2 bottles of soju, and with beer added, who knows how much more they could drink.

“Ha-yeon! What happened at kindergarten today?”

“Someone like Ha-yeon must be really popular at kindergarten!”

“Ah! I miss my kindergarten days too! There were so many boys who followed me around because they liked me.”

“Liar!”

So-yeong and A-rin were having a fun conversation with Ha-yeon. Ha-yeon responded skillfully to their comments. Watching Ha-yeon’s ability to handle conversations, she seemed different from other kindergarteners. Of course, she sometimes acted like a child, but that was only when I was around. With others, Ha-yeon often acted more mature.

The aegyo she showed with me was rarely shown to others. Of course, since she was close with So-yeong and A-rin, she sometimes acted like she did at home, but that was it. She didn’t do anything else.

“Here are the grilled pork belly and drinks you ordered.”

The waiter brought the grilled pork belly and bottles on a tray. The table was now filled with food, including side dishes. I started setting up vegetables on Ha-yeon’s plate. Eating meat was important, but so was eating vegetables.

She needed to eat a balanced diet to grow well. Ha-yeon was in the middle of her growth spurt, after all. Seeing me do this, Ha-yeon smiled and said,

“Mom, I can do it!”

“No, Ha-yeon, just sit still. Mom will do it for you.”

I said that, showing Ha-yeon the authority of a mother. The boss and the older sisters watched with satisfied smiles.

“They look so good together~”

“Right? They really make a lovely mother-daughter pair.”

Hearing their compliments made me a little embarrassed, but I wanted to show only the best side of myself to Ha-yeon. Of course, at the café, I had already been teased by the older sisters enough that Ha-yeon might think differently.

Sizzle-

The boss picked up the tongs and started grilling the meat. The sound of the pork belly sizzling on the hot grill signaled the start of the dinner. I was ready to dig in.