plop.
drip.
drip.
pit-a-pat.
“Hic—”
“Don’t laugh.”
Yoo Sia glared at me sharply.
“I mean, what am I supposed to do if it’s funny…?”
“Still—don’t laugh.”
“…Okay.”
plop.
pit-a-pat.
I couldn’t help smiling every time I looked at her.
She was trying to peel fruit, but every strip of peel snapped off in less than three centimeters. The knife barely made a single rotation before stopping.
For the record, we hadn’t asked for a fruit plate. After we’d eaten chicken and returned home, my father wanted to peel fruit for her—but she insisted on doing it herself. Now she was massacring an apple.
“I peeled one…!”
Sia proudly held out an apple the size of a ping-pong ball. Before peeling, it had been much larger than a billiard ball.
My father, watching quietly, finally muttered, “She really is a chaebol’s daughter.”
In the end, Sia was chased out of the kitchen. I would peel the fruit, and she remained alone in the living room with my father.
“Sir, I heard Jin-seong oppa has a younger brother?”
“He does.”
“Please feel free to speak casually.”
“…Shall I?”
“Of course.”
My father’s expression lightened. “The younger one’s been out on his own for a good while.”
“Is he like Jin-seong oppa?”
“They look nothing alike, but he’s got exactly the same personality as Jin-seong.”
“Really?”
Sia pictured the household atmosphere: the three of them watching TV, no matter how funny the show, sitting silently all evening without a word. She burst out laughing.
Meanwhile, my father remained taciturn, fidgeting with the remote and quietly changing channels. When a trot music program came on, he set the remote aside.
Sia was quicker than a ghost. “Sir, do you like trot music?”
“Well, it’s on TV a lot these days, so I listen.”
“Shall I get you tickets to the Lee Young-woong concert?”
My stoic father’s eyes flickered. “Can you even get those?”
“Of course. I am a chaebol’s daughter, after all.”
She pulled out her phone. “Ah, yes, Butler Kim? We need two VIP tickets for the Korean Trot Ulsan concert. Yes, a spot with a good view. Thank you—I’ll pick them up next week.”
In no time, she’d secured two VIP tickets at inflated prices. She hung up, beaming.
“I’ll give them to Jin-seong oppa next week, or we can mail them if easier.”
“I’m not sure I deserve this,” he said.
“Of course you do, sir.”
Then Sia tilted her eyes mischievously. “By the way, two tickets—so you have a girlfriend?”
“…Girlfriend?” My father coughed awkwardly. “No, no. I thought maybe if I brought home that lady from the beauty salon who sings Lee Young-woong all day, it’d be quieter.”
“Oh, I see.”
“No need to drag it out.”
“No, sir,” Sia giggled.
Actually, I’d already told her on the drive down. My parents had divorced when I was young, and for years he’d been close to a woman at Sunhwa Beauty Salon—a single mother of two herself. Neither planned marriage; they just enjoyed each other’s company, as both had adult children.
I supported my father’s relationship—after raising us single-handedly, he deserved happiness.
“♪ On the rain-soaked Yeongnam Line~ on the southbound train~ ♬”
Sia sang along with the trot on TV.
When I glanced back, my father wasn’t watching TV—he was watching Sia, his expression full of pride.
In that gloomy all-male household, a scent of flowers had begun to bloom.
“Drive safely.”
“Yes, sir. We’ll come again!”
“Good. You take care too, young lady.”
“Not young lady—your granddaughter!”
My father bashfully patted my arm. “Go on now…”
Sia poked her head back in. “Sir—what about your granddaughter?”
“Your… granddaughter too.”
“Yes!”
It was past 11 p.m. when we set off for Seoul. A sudden visit had caught my father unprepared, and Sia wouldn’t want to impose by staying overnight.
Since she was tired, I took the wheel.
“You drove coming here. Let me drive back—you must be exhausted.”
“I’m fine. You’re the one who’ll be tired. Go ahead and sleep—I know you’re worn out.”
“It wasn’t hard. I enjoyed talking with your father.”
“Thanks.”
“For what?” She smiled.
I’d expected her to pass out, but she stayed wide awake and asked, “Assistant Manager, did I make any mistakes today?”
“You didn’t. You were perfect.”
“Really? Good.”
“I’m the one worried.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m not sure I can do as well as you…”
I’d be lucky not to stutter in front of the chairman and president, let alone charm them.
“You’ll be fine,” she said.
“I hope so…”
I felt uneasy. I was just an ordinary guy with nothing but a decent build and a pair of balls—but I’d impregnated the youngest granddaughter. I might end up buried in some mountainside…
“If you get sleepy, let me know. I’ll swap in.”
“All right.”
Glancing at her, I spoke up. “Sia—there’s something I’m curious about…”
“What?”
“It’s nothing serious—I’m just wondering.”
“Why are you hesitating?”
“Why did you call me ‘Assistant Manager’ just then?”
“?”
“You called me ‘oppa’ in front of my father, but you’ve stuck with ‘Assistant Manager’ since.”
At my words, Sia’s eyes curved into half-moons. “Why?” She looked at me playfully. “Do you want me to call you oppa?”
“No.”
“Seems like you do.”
“I said no.”
“Fine then.” She turned away coyly.
I blurted out, “I want you to call me that.”
“You can’t. It’s too late.”
“Really?”
“No, you can’t, oppa.”
My lips twitched into a crooked smile.
Sia clearly knew how to toy with a man’s heart.
“But—”
“Yes?”
“When will we get home?”
“It says around 3:30, but without traffic, we’ll be faster. Worried about your parents?”
“Yes. They’ll worry if we get in that late.”
“They would. Shall I speed up?”
“No.”
“?”
“If it’s too late, they’ll worry—better to go in tomorrow.”
I snapped to attention. That meant…
“We’ll be hungry going back to Seoul…” Sia seductively brushed my arm. “Cook me ramen, oppa.”
“Mm…”
I woke with a low groan.
Squish.
A soft shape pressed against my arm.
It was Yoo Sia. Seeing her sleeping soundly made me smile. I held her close. Even though we’d used the same shampoo in my bathroom yesterday, she smelled even better than I did.
blink.
Sia slowly opened her eyes, spotted me, and giggled softly before snuggling into me.
Of course, we just lay there embracing—no other intimacies. In early pregnancy, absolute calm is essential.
After about half an hour of holding her, Sia stirred, lifted her head, and looked at me.
“Assistant Manager.”
“Hmm?”
“I’ve been thinking.”
“About what?”
“I think it’s better if I meet my grandfather first.”
“…Chairman?”
“Yes.”
Half-asleep, I jolted awake.
“Wouldn’t it be better to see your parents first?”
“That may be, but in our family the most important person is my grandfather. He’s the eldest.”
“True…”
Our families were different, and Sia had told me how Chairman Yoo doted on his granddaughter. It made sense to convince him before her parents.
“And if I visit my parents first, he might feel hurt.”
“That could be a problem.”
“Yes. If grandfather agrees, the parents will naturally follow.”
“Right, that’s better.”
“But I won’t just show up unannounced—I’ll tell him in advance.”
“You’ll do it yourself?”
“Yes. If he doesn’t know beforehand… you might actually die.”
“Haha, really?”
“I’m not joking.”
Her expression was serious—she meant physical death, not just social ruin.
“Got it… we’ll do it that way.”
“Grandfather.”
“My granddaughter!”
Sunday morning. Chairman Yoo Jin-gap sipped his coffee in good spirits. His most beloved granddaughter, Yoo Sia, was here.
“You’re up early?”
“When you get old, you don’t sleep much.”
“Ah, but you’re still young, sir.”
“I’ve got only a few years left, so what.” He chuckled. “Why have you come, my granddaughter?”
“Um, grandfather, please don’t be surprised.”
At that moment, his face hardened—he knew what was coming.
But Sia plunged straight in without hesitation.
“I’m getting married.”
“…Absolutely not.”
Instant, reflexive opposition.
Sia tilted her head. “Without even hearing who?”
“Doesn’t matter who it is.”
“But you must give your blessing.”
“Why should I?”
“Because I’m pregnant.”
Chairman Yoo froze.
He already knew—through Dr. Kim, he’d heard the news before the very person involved.
At first he had denied it, thinking the test results must be wrong. But medical results don’t lie.
Her pregnancy was imminent. He’d expected such a reality someday, but not this soon, and not this way.
His precious granddaughter—he’d even declined arranged marriage prospects to protect her. And now she was marrying, and pregnant.
plop.
A single tear fell to the floor.
“…Huh?”
Sia was startled. “G-Grandfather, are you crying?”
“…I’m not.”
Chairman Yoo quickly turned away, but his eyes were moist, already red-rimmed.