[Restaurant / 8:00 PM]
The entrance doors of the restaurant opened quietly as Taekyun stepped inside.
Behind him, Haneul followed while holding Haru's small hand.
The moment the staff recognized Taekyun, several employees immediately bowed politely.
"Good evening, sir."
One of the attendants stepped forward respectfully.
"This way, sir."
He guided them deeper into the restaurant toward a private dining area.
The place was calm and refined.
When they reached the table, Taekyun stopped.
He turned slightly and stepped aside, giving Haneul space to pass first.
Haneul hesitated for a second before moving forward.
Haru followed him closely, still holding his hand.
Haneul sat down slowly, adjusting his position comfortably.
Haru climbed onto the chair beside him and settled there without hesitation.
Taekyun took the seat across from them.
A moment later, the restaurant manager approached the table.
He bowed respectfully.
"Welcome, sir."
Taekyun nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
The manager continued politely,
"We have prepared everything carefully as you ordered, sir.
If you need anything specific, please let us know."
Taekyun gave a calm nod.
"Thank you."
The manager then glanced toward Haneul and offered him a small polite smile.
Haneul returned the gesture with a gentle nod and a quiet smile.
Just then the waiters began bringing the dishes.
They placed them carefully on the table one by one.
A beautifully arranged hanwoo bulgogi platter was set in the center
[the tender slices of premium Korean beef cooked lightly with vegetables and sauce]
A bowl of abalone porridge and
steamed sea bass with soy and ginger placed closer to Haneul.
Small side dishes were arranged neatly beside them: lightly seasoned vegetables, kimchi, and lotus root.
Then one of the waiters placed two smaller plates near Haru.
One was mini tteokgalbi
[small grilled beef patties]
and a bowl of soft egg steamed custard.
Finally, a small glass of fresh strawberry milk was placed in front of Haru.
The manager stepped back respectfully
"If you need anything else, please let us know."
Taekyun nodded once more.
The staff quietly left the table.
Haru's eyes slowly widened as she looked at all the food.
Then she leaned slightly toward Haneul and whispered,
"Umma.… this."
Haneul smiled softly.
"Oh…. okay."
He picked up a spoon and gently moved the plate of mini tteokgalbi closer.
Before touching his own food, Taekyun spoke calmly.
"Haneul."
Haneul looked up.
"Yes?"
Taekyun gestured slightly toward the porridge.
"You should eat that first."
Haneul blinked a little but nodded.
"Okay."
Meanwhile, Haru was already staring at her plate.
Her small fingers reached for the mini tteokgalbi.
Before she could grab it, Taekyun spoke again.
"Haru."
She froze immediately.
Her hand stopped midair.
Taekyun looked at her calmly.
"Use your chopsticks."
Haru slowly pulled her hand back and looked down at the chopsticks beside her plate.
With a small pout, she picked them up and tried to grab the meat carefully.
She looked at Haneul with helpless eyes.
Haneul smiled and gently took the chopsticks from her hand.
"I'll feed you."
Taekyun looked at him and said calmly, but softly enough for Haru,
"Let her eat by herself."
Haru looked at her father, then slowly took the chopsticks back from Haneul and began eating again.
Haneul noticed that, but he didn't say anything and quietly started eating his porridge.
After a while, Haru looked up at Haneul.
Haneul turned toward her before he could ask anything.
"Appa,"
she said.
Taekyun looked at her.
Haru straightened in her seat.
"Amusam… ment palk."
Haneul almost choked on his porridge.
Taekyun looked at Haru.
"What?"
Haneul coughed slightly and looked at Haru.
"Haru"
But she had already turned her hopeful eyes toward Taekyun.
"Appa… amusement park."
Haneul slowly looked up at Taekyun.
"Actually…. I"
Taekyun paused and lifted his gaze toward him.
Haneul hesitated slightly before speaking.
"Yesterday is Haru's birthday."
Taekyun slowly placed his chopsticks down and looked at him more carefully.
Haneul continued, a little uncertain.
"I was thinking if we could go to the amusement park."
Taekyun took a slow breath but didn't respond immediately.
Haneul quickly added, a bit awkwardly,
"I've wanted to go there for a long time. and I told Haru. That's why she mentioned it too."
"Amusement park?"
Taekyun asked calmly.
At the same time, he reached for the rice bowl and placed a small plate of rice in front of Haneul.
Then he picked up a piece of grilled beef from the platter and placed it neatly on Haneul's plate.
Haneul nodded slowly.
"Hmm."
"We'll talk about it later,"
Taekyun said quietly.
Haneul looked from the food to Taekyun and nodded slowly.
He glanced at Haru beside him just as
Taekyun added,
"If I have time, we'll go together."
Haneul looked back at him.
"You'll go with us?"
Taekyun met his eyes and gave a small nod.
Haru's eyes instantly lit up.
She looked at Haneul with a huge smile, excitement shining all over her face.
Haneul quickly raised a finger to his lips.
"Shh."
Haru immediately covered her mouth, trying to hide her excitement.
"I'll tell you later,"
Taekyun said.
Haneul nodded.
"Okay."
He reached toward the platter, picked up a piece of meat, and gently placed it onto Taekyun's plate.
Taekyun looked at him.
"You should eat too,"
Haneul said with a small smile.
Taekyun looked down at the food briefly before giving a slow nod.
Haneul thought for a moment before speaking again.
"I was thinking if we go to the amusement park in the morning and then in the evening we celebrate Haru's birthday at home."
His voice slowly filled with excitement as he continued explaining.
"And we'll"
Taekyun sat there quietly, looking at Haneul.
He appeared to be listening.
But in truth, his mind had drifted elsewhere.
Haneul had gained a little weight recently.
His cheeks were slightly rounder now.
The soft fullness made him look even more attractive.
Especially when he was smiling like this.
His cheeks were faintly red as he spoke excitedly.
And the way his lips moved while talking
Taekyun found himself staring longer than he intended.
"Taekyun."
No response.
"Taekyun."
He blinked.
Taekyun looked up suddenly.
Haneul was staring at him.
"Are you…. okay?"
Taekyun nodded once.
"Hmm."
Haneul hesitated before asking again,
"What do you think then?"
He wasn't sure if Taekyun had heard anything he said.
The way he looked earlier made it feel like his mind had been somewhere else the whole time.
Taekyun spoke calmly.
"It's good."
Then he said,
"Whatever you're planning for the birthday, tell Lihan and bora
They'll arrange everything."
Haneul nodded slowly.
"I will"
But his expression changed slightly.
Just now, he had asked Taekyun what he thought about his plan for Haru's birthday.
Yet the answer felt different.
It felt like Taekyun hadn't really heard what he had been saying all this time.
Haneul lowered his gaze quietly.
Beside him, Haru was still trying to eat with her chopsticks.
Haneul gently took the chopsticks from her hand.
"I'll feed you."
Haru looked at him and nodded slowly.
"Here,"
Haneul said softly, holding a spoon in front of her mouth.
Haru opened her mouth obediently and ate while glancing up at him.
Across the table, Taekyun watched them.
He noticed the shift in Haneul's expression.
But he didn't say anything.
"Oh Mr Kim Taekyun."
Taekyun looked up from the table.
Standing a few steps away was Director Yeonjun, accompanied by his wife and their daughter.
Taekyun immediately stood from his chair.
Director Yeonjun stepped forward with a smile and extended his hand.
Taekyun accepted it, and the two men shook hands briefly.
Behind Yeonjun, his wife and daughter gave polite nods.
Taekyun returned the greeting with a small nod before turning his gaze back to Yeonjun.
"What a coincidence,"
Yeonjun said pleasantly.
"After such a long time, Mr. Taekyun."
Taekyun nodded slowly.
"Yes."
Yeonjun continued casually.
"How is your father?
I was thinking of visiting him recently, but I haven't even had a second to spare."
Taekyun answered calmly.
"He's fine. Doing well."
"That's great,"
Yeonjun said with a nod.
"I heard about the news from the past few days. It made me quite sad at first."
He sighed lightly.
"But in the end, it's good that the truth came out.
Our daughter Harin finally got justice."
He shook his head slightly.
"Poor girl."
Taekyun simply nodded once.
Yeonjun's eyes then shifted behind Taekyun.
"Oh look at me,"
He said with a small laugh.
"My old brain almost forgot."
His gaze moved toward the table.
"It seems like you're enjoying a meal with your daughter."
Taekyun followed his gaze briefly toward Haru and Haneul before answering.
"Yes we just..."
Yeonjun smiled warmly.
"Look at that child,"
He said to his wife.
"How adorable."
The couple stepped closer to the table.
Haneul quietly watched them approach.
Yeonjun's wife reached into her purse and pulled out a small wrapped candy.
She bent slightly toward Haru.
"Here, little princess,"
she said kindly.
"I'm like your grandmother."
Haru looked at the candy, then slowly accepted it with both hands.
Before doing anything else, she turned her head and looked at Haneul.
Haneul gave her a small nod.
Only then did Haru carefully climb down from her chair.
She bowed politely.
"Thank you."
Yeonjun laughed softly.
"Wow, what an obedient child,"
He said.
"She takes after you, Taekyun."
Then his eyes shifted toward Haneul.
"And this"
Taekyun glanced toward Haneul.
Haneul slowly stood from his chair and gave a respectful bow.
"I'm Haneul, Haru's....."
Before he could finish, Yeonjun interrupted casually.
"Oh, Haru's caretaker."
For a brief moment, the air went still.
Taekyun's expression hardened.
A sharp look flashed across his eyes as he looked directly at Yeonjun.
Haneul froze for a second.
The words clearly caught him off guard, but he forced a small awkward smile.
Yeonjun continued speaking as if nothing had happened.
"Son, it's finally time for you to get married and find a proper mother for your daughter.
I told you before, didn't I?
Now I think you should really listen."
Then he turned slightly.
"Ah, right."
He gestured toward the young woman beside him.
"This is my daughter, Yiwi. I told you about her before."
The girl stepped forward slowly.
She looked at Taekyun with a gentle smile.
Yeonjun chuckled.
"I've been thinking about finding a good-looking son-in-law like you for my daughter."
Beside him, his wife smiled softly while looking at their daughter.
Taekyun looked at Yeonjun silently.
Then, without saying anything at first, he slowly reached out and placed his arm around Haneul's shoulder, pulling him slightly closer.
"He's my omega partner."
Haneul's breath caught in his throat.
His entire body stiffened at the sudden contact.
Yeonjun's smile froze.
"Oh….. partner?"
He repeated.
For a moment he seemed to process the information, then he laughed lightly.
"Oh, an omega partner. Haha that's good, son. But you should still find yourself"
Before he could finish his sentence, Taekyun spoke again, his voice calm but firm.
"He's pregnant with my child."
The words landed heavily in the air.
Taekyun's arm tightened slightly around Haneul.
"And he's not just a partner,"
He continued evenly.
"He's my lifetime partner."
Haneul looked up at him in shock.
His heart began beating rapidly.
He felt completely frozen in Taekyun's hold.
Yeonjun blinked.
He looked briefly toward his wife.
His wife immediately stepped closer and quietly pinched his arm.
Yeonjun forced a smile.
"Oh…. I see. Congratulations.
That's very good."
His voice sounded slightly strained.
Meanwhile, his daughter had already turned away.
Without saying anything, she walked back toward their table.
Her mother quickly followed her.
"Oh, sweetheart wait. Listen to me."
Yeonjun cleared his throat and looked back at Taekyun.
"Well then let's meet again sometime."
Taekyun nodded once.
"Sure."
"Haha, enjoy your meal son."
Yeonjun turned and walked away after his wife and daughter.
Silence returned to the table.
Taekyun slowly turned his head toward Haneul.
Haneul was still standing there.
Completely stunned.
He looked almost like a confused little penguin, frozen in place.
For a brief second, a faint smile appeared on Taekyun's lips.
"Are you okay?"
He asked quietly.
Haneul blinked slowly, still trying to process everything.
He stepped away from Taekyun's arm.
"I…. I'm fine."
He sat back down beside Haru.
Haru was quietly eating again, but she looked up at Haneul with a strange little smile, as if she had understood more than she should.
Taekyun glanced once toward Yeonjun's table, then returned to his seat.
Haneul avoided looking at him.
He picked up the spoon again and turned toward Haru.
"Here eat this"
Haru looked at him and smiled again, still chewing slowly.
Taekyun poured water into a glass and placed it in front of Haneul.
"Here. Have some water."
Haneul still couldn't bring himself to meet Taekyun's eyes.
He slowly picked up the glass.
His cheeks had turned red.
He drank the water quietly.
Then he suddenly stood.
"I'll go to the restroom."
Taekyun looked up at him.
"Are you sure you're okay?"
Haneul nodded quickly and started walking away.
Taekyun glanced toward a waiter nearby.
The waiter immediately approached Haneul.
"This way, sir."
Haneul nodded and followed him.
As he walked away, his heart was beating wildly.
His cheeks felt warm and flushed.
A strange tightness spread across his lower belly, as if something inside him was moving restlessly.
He instinctively placed his hand over his stomach while continuing to walk toward the restroom.
Ahhhh, what was that just now
Ahhh Taekyun-ah