Chapter 07 …
“Haah….”
Was raising a child always supposed to make you sigh this much?
After taking Gomi out of the washing machine, Kang Tae-jun bent his knees and lowered himself to meet Haru’s eyes.
“Fine. I’ll give Gomi back.”
Haru’s tear-filled eyes widened. She smiled brightly and reached out for Gomi.
Kang Tae-jun lifted the teddy bear high above his head, keeping it out of her reach.
“If you take back what you said about me being a villain.”
Haru quickly replied.
“I take it back! You’re not a villain! I take it back!”
“And promise me that you’ll always wash your hands after touching Gomi.”
Haru’s lips puckered into a pout.
After a brief standoff, she nodded dejectedly.
“Okaaay.”
As soon as Kang Tae-jun returned Gomi, Haru hugged the teddy bear tightly and hurried away from him.
Apparently, she was afraid he might snatch it away again.
Haru sat on the sofa and buried her face in Gomi.
Kang Tae-jun watched the child silently for a while before quietly making his way to the study.
He loosened his tie and sat down on the sofa. When he closed his eyes, he could still feel a warm sensation at his fingertips.
Haru’s hand had been astonishingly small.
He had never been particularly fond of children. But now that he believed she was his own daughter, he couldn’t take his eyes off her.
Her delicate features resembled neither Jang-mi’s striking beauty nor his own face, but…
Suddenly, he remembered Gong Dae-in, whom he had met earlier that day.
The man had a soft, tofu-like face that looked remarkably similar to Haru’s.
But it didn’t matter.
He would be Haru’s father.
Kang Tae-jun opened a drawer. He ran his fingers along the edge of a photograph of Jang-mi tucked away in the bottom compartment before closing the drawer.
He had never let go of anything that had once come into his possession.
Oh Jang-mi had been the only exception.
“This time, I won’t let go. Not ever.”
Even Kang Tae-jun himself didn’t know whether those words were meant for Jang-mi or Haru.
Pushing his complicated thoughts aside, he quietly took out his phone.
How to Raise a Five-Year-Old Child.
Search results flooded his screen.
He had agreed with Haru, Gong Dae-in, and Lee Hyun-woo that he would take care of Haru for one month.
But there was nothing stopping that period from being extended, was there?
Kang Tae-jun intended to become the perfect father for Haru.
Haru cautiously crept into the room.
For some reason, Gomi’s belly kept feeling strange. It was supposed to be soft and fluffy, but something inside was making a crinkling sound.
‘That’s right! Mommy said there was a secret present inside!’
Haru’s eyes lit up.
There had been a scene just like this in Detective Dodo, too.
A secret must never be discovered by anyone.
Not even a candidate for Daddy!
Remembering how close she had come to losing Gomi, Haru’s heart pounded as if a dinosaur had stepped on her.
With her heart racing, Haru pulled open the zipper on Gomi’s belly.
“Candy?”
Haru tilted her head to one side.
The teddy bear was stuffed with candies wrapped in transparent plastic.
Just then, she heard footsteps outside the door.
In a flash, Haru hugged Gomi tightly, dived under the blanket, and squeezed her eyes shut.
“Haru.”
Kang Tae-jun opened the door.
“Are you already asleep? You brushed your teeth, right?”
“Yes, I did!”
“Good. Sleep well.”
A moment later, Haru heard the bedroom door close.
She cautiously opened her eyes and lifted the blanket.
Gleaming candies still filled Gomi’s belly.
‘Could there be a secret note from Mommy, too?’
Haru unwrapped one of the candies and sniffed it.
A sweet, nutty aroma!
The moment she placed it on her tongue—
Flash!
Words appeared before her eyes.
[Haru’s Case Notebook]
★Scorched Rice Candy★
You won’t get hurt even if you use your ability.
Time remaining: 12 hours
Quantity remaining: 6/7
Haru’s eyes widened.
Candy that would keep her from getting hurt even when she used her ability?
Just then, she noticed some candies of a different color.
There were three red candies.
“Strawberry flavor?”
The moment Haru picked up a red candy, she spotted a note hidden underneath it.
‘A secret note!’
Smiling brightly, Haru carefully unfolded the note.
It read:
Mommy’s wish is for Haru to never let anyone discover her ability. But if you ever have no choice but to use it, eat a scorched rice-flavored candy. Then you won’t get hurt.
But only use it when absolutely necessary!
Give a strawberry-flavored candy to a really bad villain if they try to hurt you. Once the villain falls asleep, you can run away.
Scorched rice flavor: When you’re going to get hurt.
Strawberry flavor: When a villain appears.
Haru, I love you.
Mommy’s secret note!
Haru’s mouth fell open in a perfect little circle.
‘Oh no! What should I do? I already ate one of the candies! Mommy said to use them only when absolutely necessary!’
Haru’s heart pounded wildly.
Now there were only six scorched rice candies left!
Haru put the remaining candies back inside Gomi’s belly and carefully zipped it shut.
Mommy had left these candies behind to protect Haru.
In case a villain came to catch her!
Haru remembered what her mother had told her.
To defeat villains, she had to eat her spinach, go to bed early, and wake up early!
Haru clenched both fists tightly.
Then she crawled under the blanket and hugged Gomi.
It was time for a good little girl to go to sleep.
That night, Haru dreamed that she fed a whole bunch of red candies to the villain chasing her.
“You still haven’t caught Oh Jang-mi?”
“We tracked her as far as the outskirts of Pyeonghwa City, but after that, she entered a CCTV blind spot…”
“What about the target?”
“We’re currently trying to determine their whereabouts.”
The man standing with his hands clasped behind his back looked down at the Seoul nightscape and let out a mocking laugh.
“Director Kim. Do you think I called you here just to hear that?”
Director Kim lowered his head even further.
“I’ll find out as soon as possible.”
“That’s what you told me last time, too. My pride won’t let me accept the same excuse again.”
“Give me one week. I’ll make sure to get it done this time.”
“Fine. You’d better bring me at least one of them. If that child’s ability is real, she’ll be the final piece of the puzzle for our project.”
A sinister smile appeared on the man’s face reflected in the glass window.
The following morning.
When Haru opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was floating text.
[Haru’s Case Notebook]
★Scorched Rice Candy★
You won’t get hurt even if you use your ability.
Time remaining: 2 hours and 14 minutes
Quantity remaining: 6/7
Haru sprang upright.
‘There’s no time!’
She opened the bedroom door and was about to rush out when she suddenly stopped.
“Oh, right! My gloves!”
After carefully putting on the gloves she had almost forgotten, Haru headed into the living room.
Her breakfast had been beautifully arranged on a plate on the dining table.
However, the uncle was nowhere to be seen. Instead, a woman she had never met before greeted her.
“Oh my, you must be Haru. Your daddy has already gone to work.”
“Hello!”
Haru bowed politely.
The woman patted Haru’s head affectionately, as if she found her adorable.
“From now on, I’ll help you wash up and eat your meals.”
‘The person who gives me food!’
Haru nodded.
People who gave her food were good people!
“But where did Uncle go? If he went to work, does that mean he went to his company?”
The woman nodded.
“But he said he’d come back to see you off to kindergarten. So, Haru, shall we eat breakfast first?”
“Kindergarten?”
“Yes. You have to eat breakfast and then go to kindergarten.”
Haru looked up at the woman with an expression as if lightning had just struck right above her head.
How could she have forgotten?!
Today was Haru’s very first day of kindergarten!
The day she would meet her friends!
Haru’s plump little bottom began wiggling and dancing with excitement.
In front of Lala Kindergarten.
Wearing a yellow backpack, Haru gazed at the kindergarten building with a heart full of anticipation.
‘At last, Haru is a kindergarten student, too!’
