More White Flags

Special mass release, August 8th of 2022. Part 5/7!

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He was stunned by the talk he just had and unable to believe that was an 8-year-old child. It felt like talking with a 30-year-old businessman. So, the second the kid hang up after asking for chocolate, which for once made him look like a child, Seojin couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Seojin called his secretary, Kang Soo-Seok, and told him to clean his schedule for the rest of the noon. Then he went to the parking lot, got into his Mercedes, and headed to the expensive candy store in the shopping near the company, and bought three boxes of the chocolate the kid asked for. And when he was about to go out, he saw the newspaper and the name of the Choi family members on the first page, then he bought it as well.

With the chocolate in his hands, he headed to the strangest meeting of his life. He loves kids, but he never had a meeting with one, and not at all a smartass like the boy he was about to meet. And that excited him a lot.

Seeing as how the kid's mom and Aeri despise him, he was sure that none of them knew about this. Which, somehow, made everything more interesting. He couldn't imagine what a kid like him could want from him, and neither did why his cousin gave his number to him.

When he arrived, the little boy was there, waiting for him in front of the villa. Dressed in a suit with fancy shorts and his hair designed behind. Looking like a small businessman. A mischievous one, for sure. And the kid seemed to analyze him from head to toe, even his car and the bags in his hand with the name of the candy shop.

[This man is more handsome than I've thought he could be,] Tae-tae thought, happy. [One more white flag for that, and another for having gone to the candy shop and brought the chocolate for me! And look at that car, it deserves one more white flag!] He took out his small notebook and noted more than three marks on it, then hid it inside of his suit again.

Seojin found that amusing, [He's really interesting, isn't he?] And as he got closer, he was able to see the kid's features more clearly, and he felt strange looking at his eyes. [Jiah said it's her son, but why does he look like me? I never slept with her! He's not my son, right?] He sighed. [No, it can't be.]

The boy approached him and extended his hand to him, "Mr. Park Seojin! I'm Choi Taeyoung!"

Shaking the kid's hand, he was still mesmerized by his golden eyes. "Nice to meet you, kid. Here," he handed him the three bags with the boxes of chocolate. "I didn't know how much you wanted, so I bought three!"

[White flag], he thought and took his notebook, putting another mark on it, then hiding it again, and finally took the bags from him. "Thank you, very much," he gulped. "Just don't tell my mom, she would be furious if she knew I'm eating so much candy!"

"I didn't know Choi Jiah was like that, I thought she was more carefree!" [Let's see how he reacts.]

Tae-tae smiled, "Normally, yes. But when it comes to my health? No." Then he turned to the entry of the villa. "Follow me, let's talk inside."

To Seojin's surprise, none of the staff came to greet him. "How strange," he muttered while sitting down on the couch of the living room, in front of the boy.

[He's perceptive, one more white flag,] he took his notebook again. "Don't worry... can I call you hyung for now?" Seojin nodded. "Don't worry, hyung. Hyujoon is just minding his own business. I made a deal with him and he'll turn a blind on you being here."

[As expected, neither Aeri nor Jiah knows I'm here!] "Are you alone?"

"Just without mommy and my aunt. You see, they would get furious if they knew I'm trying to do this for the thousandth time!" Tae-tae sighed and kept his notebook in his hands this time.

[What does he mean?] "I don't get it."

"Hm, I'll try being as straightforward as possible. I'm a matchmaker," Seojin chuckled at that. [He has a pleasant laugh, white flag.] He marked again. "I'm matching mommy with your cousin because they already seem to have feelings for each other. But you, well, I think you would be a good match for aunt Aeri! Hyujoon told me you've studied with her in school, so you know how charming she is, right?"

[Oh... it seems like he really is Jiah's son, how awkward. And what's up with that? He's trying to make me and Aeri a couple? If that's it, he must be clueless about our past. However I would kind of appreciate his help, I never took responsibility for that night because she disappeared, otherwise I would have wifed her up already. But now it'll be quite difficult if I can't even approach her!] "Charming is an understatement when it comes to your aunt, child!"

That made Tae-tae add another mark on his notebook. "Do you think you have the confidence to make her heart flutter? Because she always made all the guys I picked feel like incapable men."

[Other men?] He grinned. "I'm confident I have the capacity of making her fall for me, kid." [Just like she did before, but this time I'll do my best to be someone who deserves her.]

[White flag,] the boy looked up to the man in front of him. "You may have noticed me taking notes, right?" Seojin nodded. "I'm analyzing you. Aunt deserves the best out of the best, and I'm determined to find someone like that. At the moment, you are the only one I have in mind, and you are already better than lots of men I picked," Tae-tae bit the inside of his cheek. "But nothing's decided. So, do you like kids?"

[Is that a question related to him?] "I always loved kids."

"Want to have some?" He asked with his eyes on the notebook.

"Yes. If she wants, I'll give her as many as we are able to make!" [As an only child, I always wanted a big family, with at least three children.] "Three seems like ideal!"

[I wouldn't mind having two siblings at all, especially if it's a girl and a boy!] "You have siblings?"

"No. I'm an only child!" [Damn, I can't believe I'm being analyzed by a kid who's shorter than my leg.]

[So, no aunts and uncles, great. Aunt Jiah and uncle Mori are enough!] "Do you live alone?"

"Since I entered university. I have a villa close to my parents' once they love to visit me," [and bother me for never dating anyone and refusing all of their stupid blind dates.]

[Good relationship with his parents and with my grandparents, good.] "IQ?"

"198," [I'm amazing, I know.]

[Mom's 217, by it's still impressive. It means he's quite a genius as well.] "How tall are you?" [Mom once told me she prefers guys who are taller than her by a lot. And she's 1,68.]

"1,95 meters tall. Approximately 6'5!" That was the first thing that made the boy gasp.

[Ideal!] "Quite amazing. Way above the normal height of the male population in South Korea," his way of talking made Seojin giggle. "Your shoulders are wide, and you seem to take care of your body well, do you go to the gym?"

"Every day. And my dad's shoulders are wide as well, it's a family thing," [I have amazing genes.]

[Meaning if I have a brother, he'll inherit it, that's good.] "Do you enjoy reading?"

"Yes. From business books to fiction, full of fantasy and action. My mom is also a fantasy and romance writer. She's very famous here in South Korea! Do you like books?" [If he does, he'll be impressed with mom.]

[She's a writer of fantasy? I love fantasy.] "I love reading, took it from my mom!"

"Oh, really? Jiah doesn't seem the type who loves reading," [now, Aeri fits just fine on that.]

[Aunt Jiah hates reading, damn it. This is hard.] He gulped. "But she loves. She doesn't tell others afraid of being called a nerd, but believe me, she does. Not as much as my aunt though! Anyways, do you know how to dance?" [Let's change the subject, or he might realize I'm lying.]

[He's good with the words,] "Why? Is your aunt attracted to people who dance?"

"Yes. She loves dancing too, although she doesn't do that so much anymore because she's getting more and more addicted to her work. It's annoying," [Let's stop that now.] "So, do you dance?"

[This kid's clever, he doesn't seem to want to talk about things that could be tricky.] "I do. Back in high school, I used to be a trainee in a big company of idols. Even though it was just a phase, I was really good at it." [Kimsoo and Jaewoo also were trainees with me, but they debuted a little after graduation, in two groups of the same company!] He thought, disgusted.

"That's impressive. Do you also know how to cook? Or is that finally a flaw in your perfect persona?" Seojin laughed at his soft sarcasm.

Passing his hands through his head, "I do know how to cook, honestly. Your grandparents loved the dishes I made for them, as much as my parents do." [This kid is too perfect to be Jiah's son. Could he be hiding from me that he's Aeri's son, afraid that I wouldn't be interested in her if she had a kid?]

"How come you got 15 extra marks since we began to talk?" Tae-tae was analyzed from head to toe. "You can't be this perfect. As a human being, you must have flaws!"

[My flaw was having hurt Aeri the way I did, and being naive and stupid to think Jaewoo was my friend, and to fall for Kimsoo!] Seojin chuckled. "Sorry to disappoint, but I really am perfect!" He exclaimed with confidence.

[Found it! He's prideful and full of himself, it can both be a good thing and a bad one.]