Muttering to himself that danger was always on standby, Jeong Tae-ui deliberately turned his gaze to Richard. If he kept looking at Ileigh, it felt like a staring contest might break out.
“But I thought I saw you leaving just a few hours ago, yet you’re back already, even changed clothes.”
“Ah, I have to teach the children soon.”
“Children—oh, do you teach something too, Richard?”
“Rather than teaching, it’s more like just playing with them. They’re smart and lovely kids, so it’s enjoyable.”
Saying this, he gave a gentle smile that showed he was truly a person of good character. Quite the contrast to someone who had stormed off to the main building a couple of hours earlier, radiating annoyance and impatience.
Checking the time, Christophe would soon finish dealing with the children, and it seemed Richard would take over for the next session.
“What do you teach?”
“Haha, nothing grand enough to call teaching. Mostly topics like interpersonal skills, negotiation, and mediation.”
Indeed, topics fitting for this man to teach. Whoever selected him had made an appropriate choice.
Jeong Tae-ui quietly watched Richard’s kindly smiling face.
They really do look remarkably alike, he thought again. Not just their features but their expressions—like copies made from the same mold.
“Is something on my face?” Richard asked, noticing Jeong Tae-ui’s intense gaze.
Jeong Tae-ui must have been staring too hard. Richard smiled awkwardly and rubbed his face. Jeong Tae-ui quickly lowered his hand.
“No, it’s just that you two look like a father and son who resemble each other a lot.”
“Oh, you’ve seen Oliver?”
Richard laughed without a trace of surprise. He must have heard that countless times and grown accustomed to it. Thinking this was natural, Jeong Tae-ui recalled his son from a while ago.
While Christophe was in the main building teaching the children, Jeong Tae-ui enjoyed a rare moment of leisure twice a week, sitting in his room with beer and books—until a sudden call dragged him to the main building. He was to bring a book bundle Christophe had requested.
They were in a small, cozy room at the far west end of the second floor.
As Jeong Tae-ui entered, six pairs of eyes, including Christophe’s, fixed on him all at once.
He stopped walking.
The children were all beautiful, likely because they had grown up eating well and playing joyfully in a good family. Christophe leaned on the table in the center of the semi-circle, looking this way.
‘This scene should be painted.’
It was already a perfect picture, Jeong Tae-ui thought, handing Christophe the book.
The kids, curious about this strange new person, sat obediently without a word.
Feeling it rude to just give the book and leave, Jeong Tae-ui decided to praise the children. Looking at them, he spoke to Christophe.
“The kids are all so pretty and handsome. They must be raised with care.”
“Because our family is wealthy, everyone picks beautiful spouses,” Christophe answered bluntly.
Jeong Tae-ui stared, shocked.
Though that might be true in its own way, he hadn’t expected Christophe to say that openly in front of the children.
This guy is really something else, he thought, frowning and mouthing a silent ‘Hey!!’ to Christophe.
‘How can you say that in front of the kids!’
Though barely audible, his outburst made Christophe glance at him with an unreadable expression. Then he sighed and said in an indifferent voice, as if unconcerned whether the kids heard or not:
“Jeong Tae-ui, you’re seriously misunderstanding these kids. Look—how old do you think they are? They’re teenagers. At this age, getting early education in specialized fields like this, do you really think they’re just ‘kids’?”
Christophe’s slow words, as if tired of explaining, sounded reasonable, but Jeong Tae-ui motioned for him to stop talking and glanced back at the children.
Seeing the adorable faces exchanging secretive smiles behind their backs, Jeong Tae-ui realized Christophe was right.
These kids were all incredibly smart, with slight differences. They already knew how to be received well by others and how to smoothly diffuse any situation without causing trouble, even if the other person knew their true intentions.
“Is he a friend of Christophe’s?” asked the girl on the far right, who had been the most keenly observing Jeong Tae-ui, in a sweet voice.
Thinking she was like a sweet, buttery cookie, Jeong Tae-ui nodded.
Christophe gave him a strange look, and Jeong Tae-ui looked back oddly. When he asked ‘Why?’ with his eyes, Christophe immediately turned his expressionless face away.
“I’ve never seen a friend of Christophe’s before.”
“Me neither.”
“I know a lot of people who don’t get along with Christophe.”
“Me too! Oliver’s dad!”
“What do you mean, Oliver’s dad? That’s Richard.”
Like a dam breaking, the children who had been quietly watching Jeong Tae-ui suddenly burst out talking.
“Don’t pretend to be curious if you’re not. No matter what, study time won’t get shorter. The more you play now, the more time gets added.”
But when Christophe muttered indifferently, they quickly shut up.
Jeong Tae-ui once again looked at the kids with a slightly startled heart. His gaze stopped on one child’s face.
He recognized it before the thought fully formed—he knew who that face resembled.
Right. Oliver’s dad, Richard. Oliver, Richard’s son.
A young boy who looked exactly like Richard sat quietly there. Not just his appearance and expression, but even the way he held his book looked the same. Jeong Tae-ui imagined Richard must have looked just like that at his age.
“Wow…”
Jeong Tae-ui found himself admiring without realizing it.
Blood can’t be denied, but to resemble someone so much, he wondered where the mother’s blood went.
Oliver seemed to notice Jeong Tae-ui’s admiration and smiled calmly. His face was just like his father’s.
“His personality is different. He’s annoying, but that one’s a bit better.”
Christophe, who also noticed why Jeong Tae-ui admired Oliver, spoke casually.
Given that the speaker was Christophe and the listener was Richard’s son, the “a bit better” was basically a polite way of saying “very nice.”
But when Christophe said that loudly enough for the kids to hear, Jeong Tae-ui scolded him with a look, then patted Oliver’s head.
“I like your dad too.”
Adding silently, no matter whether Christophe cursed his dad or not.
Oliver smiled gently and thanked him in a mature voice.
Christophe frowned listening to their talk and said gruffly, “Enough, go back now.”
“I’m neutral between you and Richard,” Jeong Tae-ui said with a slight frown, but Christophe remained cold.
Then the boy suddenly laughed shyly, and Jeong Tae-ui tilted his head.
“What’s so funny?”
“If my dad likes you, then Christophe probably likes you too.”
The boy seemed well aware of the balance between his father and Christophe.
Jeong Tae-ui closed his mouth. Christophe was silent beside him.
Jeong Tae-ui glanced at Christophe.
“Well then, I guess he does.”
Christophe suddenly frowned and tapped Jeong Tae-ui’s shoulder. His hand was quite strong.
“I don’t like you. Go back. You’re taking up all the time. You’re a nuisance.”
With no room to respond, Jeong Tae-ui muttered, “What a temper…” and turned away. But the gentle greetings of the cute kids made him feel better quickly.
Kids are nice. Kids are good.
Jeong Tae-ui liked children. Whether visiting friends or acquaintances, or strolling past a playground by chance, if he met kids, he played happily with them. Watching children laugh, cry, play, and fight was always heartwarming.
But he’d never thought about having his own child. Now, consciously thinking about it, he thought having one or two or three would be nice, but it was never a deep desire. More importantly, it had become impossible by now.
Still, seeing those cute kids gathered together, he felt warmth.
And how cute would it be if the child looked just like him?
“That’s nice for you.”
Without realizing it, Jeong Tae-ui stared intently at Richard’s face and murmured. Richard smiled proudly like a doting father.
“They’re healthy and kind kids. Though separated now, they’re always grateful to their mother. ...By the way, aren’t you married yet?”
Suddenly hiccupping, Jeong Tae-ui rubbed his chest with his fist and answered, “Yeah...”
His eyes involuntarily glanced at Ileigh behind Richard.
Ileigh noticed and raised his eyebrows. A faint smile, almost like a sneer, appeared at his lips. Maybe it was just Jeong Tae-ui’s imagination.
Huh? Is he sneering? Jeong Tae-ui’s anger flared.
Though he had always been distrustful of marriage as an institution, being sneered at like that naturally irritated him.
“Is that guy behind you not married?”
Jeong Tae-ui asked sharply. Richard, clearly not expecting the question, widened his eyes and looked at Ileigh with a slightly embarrassed expression.
“Oh, he already has a lover.”
“...Oh, really?”
Jeong Tae-ui nearly blurted “What?!” but held back, staring at Ileigh in disbelief. Ileigh frowned as if thinking, “What are you looking at?”
The fleeting questions that he—who stayed home almost always except for rare work trips—now had a lover for about a second; the questions about what he would do if they married, for another second; the life plans for about a second.
As Jeong Tae-ui nodded and pondered deeply, Ileigh suddenly narrowed his eyes. After three seconds of contemplation, realization dawned.
…Ah. Could it be.
At the same moment, Ileigh opened his mouth.
Wait, don’t say it, there’s no need to say it—
“I don’t know if he’s really a lover, but anyway, since they already live together, I guess you don’t need to worry about my marriage.”
Jeong Tae-ui tried desperately to stop him, but his frantic look was in vain.
Ileigh’s words fell coldly from his lips.
Suddenly, Jeong Tae-ui wanted to jump up and run a hundred miles away but didn’t. He stepped back about a foot instead.
“Well, that’s something to congratulate.”
Muttering, Jeong Tae-ui bowed his head.
He suddenly wondered if living with that lover was really something to celebrate. A feeling that he had sacrificed himself to save someone else came over him. He felt a little proud but soon became empty.
Meanwhile, seemingly oblivious to the strange silence, Richard kept calmly climbing the pinnacle of being an absent father.