part 27

Beep! Beep!

The loud alarm jolted me awake. 

Being an athlete, I was naturally a morning person. 

Every day, I had to stretch, eat my meals regularly, and complete the tasks my mother assigned me from the early hours. 

I considered myself quite diligent, even among athletes. 

But ever since I started living in Seung-rok's annex, I found myself waking up even earlier. 

My schedule naturally aligned with Hayeon's kindergarten routine. 

No one told me to do so; it just happened that way.

Children had a way of becoming the center of the lives around them.

After a shower, I stepped out of the annex in comfortable clothes. 

To reach the main house, I had to pass through a garden filled with bonsai trees. 

The leaves still held the freshness of dawn, which made me feel refreshed just by looking at them. 

But as I walked, I sometimes felt a bit daunted. 

The walk to the main house took quite a while.

Every morning, I was reminded of just how large the estate was. 

Entering the main living room, the grandeur became even more apparent. 

The massive doors opened to a marble floor that greeted me, with an expensive table sitting prominently on it. 

But I was getting used to it. 

Besides, I had things to do.

Upon reaching the kitchen, I first toasted a bagel. 

At the same time, I began preparing to brew coffee.

As I put the coffee beans into the grinder, my thoughts naturally drifted to the conversation I had with Seung-rok yesterday.

[What is Hayeon doing at the school play that she won't tell me about?]

The truth was, Hayeon was excited about her role in the kindergarten play. 

She got the lead role. 

Playing Simcheong in "The Tale of Simcheong" meant she was essentially the star of the show. 

It was a secret from Seung-rok. 

Both me and even Hayeon's grandfather had promised not to tell him. 

But eventually, the Instagram accounts of other parents with children at the same kindergarten gave it away. 

Seung-rok didn't have an official Instagram account, but he had one to keep an eye on Hayeon's surroundings. 

Through this, he must have noticed the posts from other parents.

The reason Hayeon kept the play a secret from Seung-rok was simple. 

He didn't like her participating in activities outside of golf. 

Hayeon understood this, and so did her grandfather. 

So naturally, when the secret was out, I expected Seung-rok to be furious. 

But he wasn't.

[I understand. Tell her to do well. And from now on, tell her not to keep such things a secret from her guardian.]

That was all he said. 

Why? 

Seung-rok genuinely wanted Hayeon to focus solely on golf. 

But something had clearly changed his mind. 

I couldn't fathom why.

Even though he was a wealthy idol, he invested his own money to hire a coach for her. 

He was that kind of dedicated father. 

And now, suddenly, he was okay with her doing something other than golf. 

He wasn't that kind of person.

Why did he change all of sudden?

Well, if Hayeon quits golf, I become jobless. 

This kind of dream life would end at that moment. 

I wouldn't be able to live this comfortably anymore. 

And what about the debt? 

(I had mentioned earlier that I had already spent the lesson fees in advance.) 

How Seung-rok raises his child is not my concern. 

As I was thinking this, I heard a noise behind me.

It was Hayeon's Grandfather. 

"Good morning!" I greeted him.

He kept bowing, asking why I was making such a fuss.

I shook my head. 

"Oh, it's nothing. I just wanted to do it, so don't worry."

It was true. 

I liked cooking, especially making a western brunch. 

I learned to cook at my mother's café. 

What my mother did seemed wonderful to me. 

Brewing coffee, baking bread, and serving the prepared food to customers. 

But my mother hated me doing it.

"Mina, if you have time for this, go to the practice range and swing one more time!"

She emphasized that I shouldn't do such trivial work like her. 

So, I never learned from her. 

But still, I kept glancing at her café. 

Eventually, I learned how to brew coffee and cook by watching. 

It was more fun to learn on my own without anyone teaching me. 

Even now, I enjoyed it.

For Hayeon, who liked meat, I made sandwiches by mixing ground meat with the vegetables she needed to eat. 

For Grandfather, I served natto, boiled eggs, and some vegetables from the fridge. 

The fragrant smell of freshly brewed coffee filled the air. 

Just the smell made me happy. 

But there was something even more rewarding.

"It's so~ delicious, teacher!"

Seeing Hayeon's beaming smile after a meal, saying it was delicious, was the best reward.

"I've never had anything this tasty. How did you make it?"

Hayeon always ate organic food. 

Seung-rok cared for her in his own way. 

But it was all meal kits. 

Grandfather heated them up for her, but meal kits couldn't beat homemade food. 

It wasn't just about the 'human touch.' 

I closely observed Hayeon as she ate. 

I figured out what she liked and disliked and reflected that in the next meal. 

Such delicate touches were something mass-produced meal kits couldn't provide. 

But I couldn't explain all this to a child, so I answered simply.

"My family used to run a café."

"Wow, that's amazing. I'm jealous!"

Seeing Hayeon exclaim with her mouth wide open made me smile without realizing it. 

Amazing, said.

The daughter of a world-class K-pop idol envying the daughter of a café owner. 

It was ironic.

Well, living as an idol's daughter wasn't easy.

I started realizing it.

Seung-rok and Hayeon could never be together. 

It was to prevent any potential scandals. 

Besides, Seung-rok was too busy. 

This meant he rarely saw his daughter. 

But Seung-rok wasn't an ordinary father. 

He was a busy man.

It would have been nice if the child's mother could take care of her, regardless of her relationship with Seung-rok. 

I had been staying at Seung-rok's house for almost two months now. 

During that time, I had never seen the child's mother. 

Did that mean there was no mother?

As I was pondering this, Hayeon's shout echoed through the house. 

"I'm off!" 

It was time for school.

***

By lunchtime, I had finished preparing Hayeon's lesson. 

After a quick meal, I headed to the golf course. 

Initially, I thought it would be easy, just one lesson a day. 

But it wasn't that simple. 

Preparing for daily lessons required a lot of work. 

I had to gather and organize various data, from the child's health to golf scores. 

Every day, I filmed videos to meticulously check the child's swing form.

I couldn't apply the same coaching techniques I used for top pros like Jisun Sunbae to a six-year-old, so I had to modify a lot of the content. 

Preparing for the lessons took more effort than I had anticipated. 

Watching me prepare, the grandfather marveled at my prudence. 

I blushed slightly and waved my hand dismissively.

"I used to coach Jisun Sunbae. It's not because I'm good. All thanks to her."

Hearing the name of a world-class golfer, the grandfather's smile grew even more satisfied. 

He even mentioned how he wished I could coach Hayeon for life. 

I laughed and said I hoped so too. 

But first, I had to get through the promised year. 

With that thought, I headed to the golf course.

I arrived at the golf course early to prepare for Hayeon's lesson.

But.

An unpleasant figure greeted me. 

It was Jang Sunbae, my ex-boyfriend.

"Hey Mina, you look as beautiful as ever."

I sighed deeply, feeling the weight of the earth beneath me.

I gave a slight nod. 

He was a shameless man. 

What was he trying to pull? 

He had dumped me and then got engaged to someone else, only to have the engagement called off. 

They had already sent out the wedding invitations when suddenly, news came that the wedding was canceled. 

Later, it was revealed that Jang Sunbae had a rather embarrassing STD.

So, he became a divorcee without ever being married. 

Since then, he had been wandering around the golf courses of Jeju, probably giving lessons to rich ladies.

"How about a cup of coffee?" he asked, looking at me with those intense eyes.

His gaze, from his slicked-back hair to his piercing eyes and nose, was overwhelming. 

There was a time when I found everything about him so lovable. 

Now, it was just a burden. 

Knowing his backstory, even his gaze and interest felt repulsive.

"I have a lesson to prepare for. I should go."

Jang Sunbae blinked in surprise.

"A lesson? With whom? Jisun Sunbae retired, didn't she?"

"Someone else."

What a creep.

He just wouldn't let go. 

Why did I ever date someone like him? 

Sure, he had a somewhat Hollywood actor look, and as an athlete, he was tall and imposing. 

But getting involved with someone like him? 

I could only blame my past self.

In contrast, Seung-rok, a world-class idol, was so straightforward. 

His demeanor and appearance were never over the top. 

With these thoughts, I left Jang Sunbae and went to meet Hayeon at the agreed location.

As soon as the child saw me, he waved his hand urgently.

"Finish practice early today. I need to rehearse my lines!"

These days, Hayeon was completely absorbed in the play.

But I wasn't flustered. 

I knew exactly how to handle Hayeon by now.

"If you listen to the teacher well today, I'll help you rehearse your lines."

"Yay! I'm going to get a hole-in-one!"

Watching Hayeon jump up and down made me chuckle.

"Do you think you can get a hole-in-one just because you want to? You need to have good karma in your past life for that."

The lesson itself was easy.

These days, I feel a bit guilty.

I wondered if it was right to receive so much money for such an easy job.

I couldn't tell if I was a golf tutor or a babysitter.

Hayeon was even happier when I read lines with him than when I coached him in golf.

Seeing myself play the role of her father made me feel a bit empty.

Strangely, it didn't feel terrible though.

After the script reading ended, the child went to bed with his grandfather.

And I returned to the annex.

9 PM.

Finally, it was my time.

I played THE ZERO's new album and took out Haruki's new novel, which I had bought along with the album at the bookstore, and began to read slowly.

This small, certain happiness wasn't so bad.

But strangely, a feeling of loneliness lingered in a corner of my heart.

It was odd.

There was no reason for me not to be happy.

I had paid off my debts.

My body was comfortable.

I didn't even have any mental stress.

It wasn't wrong to say I was a well-fed cat.

But why did I feel so empty?

I couldn't figure out what I was missing.

How much time had passed?

Just as I was about to go to bed for tomorrow, a message from Seung-rok arrived late.

-When is the school festival? I want to go.

My lips curled up slightly as I read the message.

Was it because of Seung-rok's concern for the child, or because I received a message from Seung-rok?

I myself didn't know.