Chapter 105 - I like how you terrorize us

When you have kids, you can say goodbye to a peaceful sleep.

"Mommy." She is sitting on my stomach.

I force my eyes to open and look at the clock. 5:13 AM. Last night, she would not let him leave. I kicked him out when she was temporarily distracted by a piece of cake that I left in her room. I haven't forgotten how she looked at me when she found out that I cheated her. I sang. I turned on the cartoons. I asked for her mercy. She kept crying until she fell asleep. Then, I could also sleep.

I need to learn how to be a better mother.

She pats my cheek. There is pure child-like expectation in her eyes. Her expression breaks my heart. "Mommy, Daddy coming?"

I give her a hug. "Little Hae, I am your daddy and your mommy. I will do everything that a daddy does for her daughter. I will carry you on my back. I will teach you how to ride a bike. I will take you to school every day. When you get married, I will walk you to the altar. I will be the best father and mother to you. Give me a chance, my cotton candy."

She probably doesn't understand half of my words. She slumps her head with a sad expression. She climbs down the bed slowly and walks away. I follow her to the living room. She lays down on the couch and stares at the ceiling as if the world has ended.

I make her baby food first. She eats it with disinterest and doesn't even glance at the pieces of chocolates. She sighs like an old man who has lost everything. I wonder where did she receive this melodramatic streak from.

If she wants a daddy so much, can a robot daddy work? Technology is quite advanced these days. I saw an ad of robot mommy last year. Maybe, there is a robot daddy available.

I have a slight headache. My daughter is a bit strange sometimes. Why is it difficult to understand a toddler?

Someone rings the doorbell. I wonder who it is. I don't get visitors usually. This location is a secret. I look at the screen and sees Yeom Young Hwa's face. Why the hell he is here?

"Kyuri, open up." He waves his hand with a wide grin on his face. "I am here to see my daughter."

"..."

"Daddy." My daughter's sharp ears perk up. She climbs off the stool and runs to the door. She slams her hands on the door. "Daddy."

"Little Hae." He must have heard her voice. "Daddy is here, but your mother is being rude. She won't let me come and see you."

"Daddy..." Little Hae looks at me with watery eyes. Her voice is cracking. She's going to cry at any moment.

Yeom Young Hwa uses the same tone like her. "Little Hae..."

It must be the lack of sleep and my daughter's depressed face. I open up the door and let him come inside. They hug each other the moment the door is opened. A bright smile appears on my daughter's face. My heavy heart becomes lighter.

Yeom Young Hwa starts coming frequently. He doesn't live here. So, there are days that he can't come. She always upset when he can't come to see her. He would give her a video call every night when he's not here.

I feel like my daughter is being stolen away. I have looked into his identity. I wonder why this golden bachelor is interested in being my daughter's father. Is it some weird hobby? I can't wrap my head around the idea.

I try to distract her. I find her some toddlers to befriend. I hope that she will forget Young Hwa. But, my daughter is stubborn. She will abandon everything that she's doing and wait for his video call. Little Hae becomes closer to him. Young Hwa is also attached to her. He begins to grow on me.

It seems like a natural thing that Yeom Young Hwa becomes her daddy.

Six months later, three of us are sitting together for dinner. If anyone sees us, they will think that we are a family of three - Father, Mother, and a cunning daughter.

I press my palms together and say, "Thanks for the food."

My daughter copies my action. "Thanks for the food."

Young Hwa also does the same. "Thanks for the food."

I look at him. It's been six months. My daughter is going to be two years old in a few days. I am getting worried about this. How long does he plan to pretend to be her father?

He picks up the spoon and feeds her with a smile. "Little Hae, you are taller than the kids your age. You got my height."

I sigh.

He's tall. He has broad shoulders, a firm body, and a foxy smile. His dark eyes remind me of the dawn after a long night.

"Daddy, eat." Little Hae holds her green spoon and takes it toward his mouth. He opens his mouth and eats it like it's the most delicious food in the world. That's baby formula though.

"What about me?" I narrow my eyes on her. "Forgot that I am also -"

Young Hwa chuckles and shoves the spoon in my mouth. "Little Hae loves her daddy more than she loves you. Right, Little Hae?"

Both of them laugh together. I look at him darkly. The baby formula tastes weird. "If she starts loving you more than me, I am going to ban you from coming here."

"You are prettier when you are jealous." He pinches my Little Hae's cheek softly. "Little Hae, ask your mommy to say yes. Then, all of us can stay together at my home."

Little Hae looks at me expectedly. Before she could open her mouth, I stuff it with food. "If you say strange things again, I am banning you from seeing your father. It's my last warning."

I come back to the living room and find him sitting on the couch. There is no television in my house or a radio. I have two phones. I use one to call my family sometimes. The other one is for my trusted minions who are maintaining the company in my place.

"I like how you terrorize us, father and daughter." He crosses his arms behind his head and relaxes his body. "I think that Little Hae inherited this cuteness from you."

"She got everything from me." I take a seat opposite him. "Young Hwa, you have pretended to be her father long enough. I think that you should stop coming. Little Hae has grown up a bit. She will be able to understand now."

She's a kid. After a few months, she will start pre-school. She will be busy enough to forget Young Hwa. It should be done when she is still young.

"I mean it when I said that we can become a whole family." He watches me seriously with his dark eyes. "How long are you going to hide here? You don't have to be afraid of Kang Si An. He can't do anything. I can protect you. Little Hae needs a complete family. I will be a lucky man if you and Little Hae become my family."

It's not surprising that he knows about me. If I can look into his information, such a powerful man can also look into me. I don't know how much he knows about me though. It's likely that he doesn't know about my abilities and my 1000 years old history. Only my family, the timekeepers, and Kang Si An are aware of that.

My involvement with Kang Si An is not exactly a secret. He must have guessed who Little Hae's real father is. I appreciate that Young Hwa didn't report me to him.

I just didn't expect that he would seriously ask us to be with him.

"Young Hwa, I am not the right person for you."