“You won’t regret and cry after being hit, right?”

“Yes.”

As Seung Yul firmly nodded, Gyo Hwan, who felt his patience reach its limit, shoved Team Leader Nam.

“Leave.”

Why are even you, CEO, acting like this?

“CEO…? You’re not really going to hit him, are you? If you do, Seung Yul will truly despise you.”

After sending Team Leader Nam out, leaving just the two of them in the basement, a chilling silence enveloped the room.

Gyo Hwan circled around Seung Yul, who was holding the pool cue, as if a predator was surrounding its prey.

“Choi Seung Yul, do you resent me? You hit me when the teacher said she was like your mother. Now, for hiding my relationship with the teacher. You’re acting out because you resent me, right?”

“Aren’t you going to hit me?”

The tension of waiting for a blow was more unbearable for Seung Yul than the actual pain of being hit.

“Hit me already!”

It’s better to get it over with.

“No, I won’t hit you.”

Come here. Lay down. Seung Yul, expecting such commands, blinked in surprise.

“Because if I hit you, the teacher will undoubtedly be heartbroken. As you know, I love the teacher so much that I can’t bear to see her hurt.”

That’s what love is, my son. You’re too young to understand what I’m saying.

“But if I just let this go, you won’t even realize what you did wrong, will you?”

Ah, crap. Why is this happening now?

Sweat formed in Seung Yul’s palm, tightly gripping the pool cue.

“Instead, you hit me.”

“……!”

Seung Yul’s eyes trembled as if he hadn’t anticipated that. Gyo Hwan leaned on the pool table, presenting himself.

“I’ve hit you before.”

So now, it’s your turn.
“I’m sorry. Dad made a mistake.”

In the age when you needed the care of both mom and dad, I left you with grandma. And when the teacher said she was your mom, I hit you without even listening to your side of the story. And now, you’re acting out in such a way.

“It’s all dad’s fault. Because dad raised you wrong.”

It’s not because you’re a bad child.

“So, you should hit dad.”

I’m ready to take any hits you give.

Seungyul furrowed his brows, trembling as he clutched the pool cue.

“Teacher, there’s a big problem.”

Hyo Jin, who was waiting for Gyo Hwan in the study and received a call, went down to the garden where the male team leader was waiting.

“What’s the matter?”

“The boss is so angry right now, he’s grabbing Seungyul.”

However, the male team leader, thinking he would heed Hyo Jin’s words, quickly headed with her towards the annex where the gym was located.

As they neared the annex, Seungyul’s cries grew louder.

My goodness, he seems to be really hitting the child.

Hyo Jin, in her urgency, ran down the stairs and flung open the thick glass door.

“I don’t like it. I won’t hit!”

The person standing with a club, echoing a sharp sound, wasn’t the father, but Seungyul.

Good heavens, what is this?

The following male team leader also stopped abruptly, seemingly caught off guard by the unexpected situation.

“Why aren’t you hitting? Dad hit you. Hit quickly. A hundred times.”

“I don’t want to! If I hit, I’ll feel sorry to dad, so I’ll have to agree to marry the teacher!”

“……!”

The male team leader, unable to anticipate what Seungyul might say next, looked at Hyo Jin in bewilderment.

Darn it, I should’ve brought Teacher Bong if I’d known this would happen.

“I don’t want dad to marry the teacher. I’d rather die than have the teacher become my mom!”

Hyo Jin, witnessing Seungyul’s heart-wrenching cries, could only hide beside the door, out of his sight.

“Why? You asked the teacher to become your mom.”

“I love the teacher too. I liked her before dad did!”

Love isn’t about who came first.

Seungyul couldn’t understand why, when he liked her first, the teacher would like his dad.

If there was any fault on his part, it was only that he was born after dad.

Isn’t that not my fault?

That night.

Hyo Jin, who had bought a can of beer from the convenience store, sat at a plastic table and popped open the can.

I wonder if the baby has calmed down now?

Dad said he would talk it out and asked for some space.

I worry about what might happen next.

It was so wonderful when I drank wine with dad before.

For both the baby and between dad and me.

The cold, tingling sensation of the beer made Hyo Jin’s nose tingle.

Ah, Hyo Jin. Why are you so downcast? You knew this wouldn’t be easy. Are you going to give up?

She sighed, putting down the beer can when her mobile phone on the table vibrated.

The caller was Hyo Jin’s grandmother, Lady Yang Soon Hye.

Usually, she would say she’d call back later, but ever since her discharge from the hospital, she’d been making video calls every evening to make sure she was alright.

“Oh, grandma. How are you feeling?”

[Dash] What’s up? Why do you look so gloomy?

Soon Hye was surprised, thinking Hyo Jin would be at her place.

[Dash] Where are you? Drinking alone? Show me your face. What’s bothering you?
“It’s not that I’m upset. I’ve had something good happen.”

[Dash] Something good? What?