Chapter 2
2. Selective Mutism
Kangwoo sighed as he looked out the window. Today had been uneventful. His parents had gone to South America for a month-long trip, and the nanny who usually took care of the child had suddenly been rushed to the hospital with stomach pains, leaving him as the only one available to pick up the child.
"This is some autumn rain—it's pouring like crazy."
His ever-present secretary replied,
"It's a typhoon, sir. A typhoon in November—who would've thought? Our country's weather has really gone strange."
"Yeah."
Global warming or whatever they kept yapping about, and now a typhoon even in November. When the car stopped, Kangwoo grabbed an umbrella and stepped out. The wind was strong, making it feel like his clothes would get soaked anyway despite the umbrella. As he headed toward the kindergarten entrance, he noticed someone standing under the bright light at the front door.
Unlike the dark, rainy surroundings, that spot felt like another world. A woman was holding a child tightly, and beside her stood another small child. The one in her arms seemed to be Minho. Was the little one clinging to her leg another child whose guardian hadn't arrived yet?
As he got closer, the woman's face came into clear view. Her fair skin and delicate features made her strikingly beautiful at first glance—so much so that he absurdly thought she looked less like a kindergarten teacher and more like an angel. As he approached, the angelic woman spoke.
"Hello. Are you Minho's uncle?"
"Yes."
"I'm the teacher in charge of Minho."
Not an angel, but a teacher. Still, her face shone brightly in Kangwoo's eyes like a welcoming light. He replied in a low voice,
"Ah, yes. The person who usually comes is sick today, so I came instead."
"Minho was the last one today."
The last one?
"Then who's the child next to you..."
Before Kangwoo could finish, the little child clinging to her leg spoke up.
"Mommy, Minho's uncle is here?"
Mommy? The child's mom? It didn't make sense—she looked no older than her mid-20s. Could she really have a child that big?
"This is my son. Minho, Uncle's here now—want to go to him?"
She smiled and spoke to Minho in her arms, but he shook his head.
"No. I want to stay with Teacher."
A voice came from Minho's mouth! He spoke? Kangwoo asked in surprise,
"Minho speaks?"
Minho was a child who hardly ever spoke. He wouldn't even make eye contact with adults. Kangwoo wasn't sure exactly when it started, but he knew the child had some kind of disability. He'd realized it after Minho came to the main house—ever since the one time their eyes met, there had been almost no conversation. He'd assumed he'd never hear the child's voice.
Minho's condition was selective mutism. It was a symptom where emotional anxiety or post-traumatic stress caused the person not to speak in specific situations. In Minho's case, it might have appeared after suddenly being separated from his parents and sent to the grandparents' house, but their marriage had been rocky even before, so it could have started then.
Minho's symptoms were quite severe; he barely spoke to anyone. Yet here he was, speaking clearly to his kindergarten teacher. In response to Kangwoo's surprised question, Naeun answered,
"Of course. Our Minho speaks so well."
She stroked Minho's face with one hand as she spoke.
"Minho, go home with Uncle today, and come back tomorrow to play with Teacher and your friends, okay? Now, say hi to Jiho."
"Bye, Jiho."
Jiho waved his hand and said,
"Bye, Minho. See you tomorrow."
The woman came closer and handed Minho over to Kangwoo's arms. As he took the child, Kangwoo felt dizzy from her scent. Up close, the fragrance wafting from her was subtly warm and cozy—like sweet vanilla mixed with soft milk tea. A faint musky note that brought deep comfort and peace.
Caught off guard by the unfamiliar sensation, Kangwoo steadied his breath and felt an inexplicable urge to draw closer to her. But he snapped out of it, responding in his usual low, emotionless tone.
"Thank you."
The driver had quietly brought an umbrella to shield Kangwoo holding the child, and the woman picked up the child beside her with a greeting.
"Mommy will carry you now, Jiho. Let's go home."
Kangwoo watched her enter the kindergarten from the car window, feeling an inexplicable, strange emotion.
Kangwoo got into the car in a daze and looked at Minho beside him. The child was silent as usual. As he gazed quietly, Minho turned his head and met his eyes. Kangwoo deliberately smiled without breaking eye contact. He had nothing to say to the child, who didn't speak anyway, so he forced a smile. But after briefly making eye contact, Minho turned his head slightly and mumbled,
"Uncle."
"Huh? Minho, what did you just say?"
The child had clearly said "Uncle."
"Uncle."
Even he, who had little interest in the child, felt his heart race at the sound of Minho's voice. Something had definitely changed with Minho.
After her late shift, Naeun dragged her tired body home, quickly bathed Jiho, and put him to bed. Exhausted from a full day at kindergarten, Jiho entrusted himself to his mom with half-closed eyes.
But as soon as he lay down, he grabbed Naeun's arm tightly with his small hands, as if waiting for it.
"Want Mommy to read you a book, Jiho?"
When Naeun asked softly, Jiho rubbed his sleepy eyes and barely replied,
"Yeah... the one with the wolf."
Naeun held back a laugh and gently stroked his head.
"The one with the wolf? You'll be scared and won't sleep at night."
Though it was a tiring night, her desire to indulge him shone through. Jiho shook his head vigorously and pouted. His little face was full of dissatisfaction.
"Don't like Snow White."
Naeun lifted her heavy eyelids with effort and reached for the bookshelf.
"Okay? Then not Snow White..."
She pulled out a book and slowly smiled.
"How about this one?"
Jiho looked at the book his mom held out, his eyes sparkling.
"No wolf in this one?"
Naeun nodded with a quiet smile.
"No wolves. Instead... it's about a super cute dinosaur and his kind friends."
Jiho finally nodded in satisfaction, and Naeun gently kissed his forehead. As he bobbed his head, he fell asleep midway through the baby dinosaur book, before she even finished a few pages.
"Must have been exhausting."
Though tired, seeing Jiho drift off peacefully made her forget the day's fatigue for a moment. He was a child she'd taken into her heart, but how could he be this adorable? She stroked his hair once, tucked him in, and went to her own room.
Work wasn't over even after clocking out. While sorting photos to upload to the KidsNote app, Naeun paused at Minho's picture.
Naeun was worried about Minho. He spoke well to her but barely at all in front of others. From the uncle's reaction today, it seemed the same at home. The director hadn't said much about his family situation—just to treat him well, and that the person who always picked him up was the nanny. His parents were busy, apparently; they hadn't even shown his records.
She accepted it as it was, but thinking of Minho made her wonder how much discomfort and hardship the child must have endured to develop selective mutism. Naeun thought of his face and quietly sighed. It was bittersweet that he opened up only to her. As she recalled Minho, Naeun unwittingly remembered the impression of Kangwoo, who had come to pick him up today.
The first sight of Kangwoo in the rain was clearly different from an ordinary person. Even in the dark night, his dark suit gleamed deeper and sharper like jet black. Raindrops on his shoulders seemed coldly absorbed, his sharp features and quiet gaze perfectly blending with the darkness.
Each time the wind rustled his wet suit, he approached like a black shadow, exuding an overwhelming presence that commanded attention. At first, his sharp impression made her comically wonder if he was a gangster. Of course, knowing he was Minho's uncle dispelled that misunderstanding right away.
Remembering his startled face when Minho spoke to her made Naeun smile unwittingly. Kangwoo had looked stunned as he listened to Minho, then responded to the child in a low, steady voice. Though he seemed cold and distant, the sudden gentle gaze he gave the child lingered in her mind.
This is funny. Why am I dwelling on that man like this?
Naeun shook her head as if to clear her thoughts. But his vivid image in the rain-swept darkness didn't fade easily.
