Ch#45
45. Outburst
Min-ho, who had hesitated a bit at those words, finally nodded and barely let go of her hand. Na-eun patted his back and smiled encouragingly, but Min-ho's affectionate expression kept nagging at her heart. However, when Ji-ho cheered obliviously from the side, Min-ho burst into laughter along with him.
Na-eun looked at Ji-ho with a gentle expression and said.
"Ji-ho. Yours after you eat. I'll give it to you after you eat."
"Aw."
Min-ho looked at Ji-ho, whose cheeks were puffed out, and said.
"I'll wait for you, Ji-ho."
Min-ho waited until Ji-ho finished his meal and then ate the strawberry cream cake together. Watching Min-ho happily eating it with cream smeared around his mouth, Na-eun asked.
"Min-ho. Do you like your dad?"
At that, Min-ho clamped his mouth shut. And said nothing.
"Do you want to see Dad?"
Again, no response. Should she tell him that Dad was coming?
"Dad says he misses Min-ho."
However, Min-ho still showed no reaction and just silently ate his strawberry cream cake. Na-eun stopped asking and wiped his mouth.
"Min-ho, go with Yeo-sa."
"Yes. Min-ho, let's go together."
With that, Lee Yeo-sa took Min-ho away, and Na-eun sat at the table with Ji-ho.
"Shall we study letters today?"
At that, Ji-ho brought over the letter board.
"Mom."
Ji-ho fiddled with the letter board and slightly lifted his head. His face showed a mix of curiosity and a bit of worry.
"Yes."
Na-eun stroked Ji-ho's head and smiled softly.
"Why doesn't Min-ho talk?"
Ji-ho's hand stopped on the letter board. His small fingers paused in tracing the letters, and his gaze drifted toward the bookshelf.
"He talks well. With you and with me."
Na-eun held Ji-ho's hand and explained, but Ji-ho slowly shook his head. His expression was firm.
"No. He only talks when he's with me and Mom. He doesn't talk to other kids at kindergarten either."
Ji-ho pouted slightly, seeming deep in thought. An unfinished letter remained on the board.
"Maybe it's because our Min-ho doesn't want to talk?"
Na-eun leaned in closer to meet Ji-ho's eye level. His big eyes still sparkled with worry.
"You don't talk when you don't want to either, right?"
"But I'm not always not wanting to talk."
At Na-eun's words, Ji-ho paused briefly before nodding slightly. His finger moved idly on the board then stopped.
Ji-ho mumbled in a small voice as he looked up at Na-eun. Her heart ached sharply at his words.
"Min-ho will change from now on. So we just need to get along well with Min-ho."
Na-eun squeezed Ji-ho's small hand and smiled. Ji-ho nodded as if reassured by his mom's words.
"Okay. Got it."
Ji-ho smiled and focused on the letter board again. Watching him carefully assemble the letters, Na-eun silently prayed that Min-ho would open his heart more and laugh and talk with more people.
Ji-ho gazed at the letter board for a moment before looking up at Na-eun. The letter piece in his hand slipped from his small grasp and landed lightly on the table.
"Mom."
Na-eun smiled slightly at her son's call and replied.
"Yes."
Ji-ho carefully moved his lips and asked his question. His voice was small but clear.
"But why doesn't Aunt like me?"
Na-eun's eyes widened in sudden surprise as she looked at Ji-ho. Her heart pounded at the unexpected question, making her chest feel tight.
"What?"
Na-eun unintentionally let out a startled voice. Ji-ho flinched a little at her reaction but tilted his head and spoke again.
"Why doesn't Aunt like Ji-ho?"
At Ji-ho's words, Na-eun closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and moved closer to him. She gently wrapped his small hand and spoke with sincerity.
"She seems like she doesn't like me. But Mom loves me so much."
Na-eun's eyes wavered. Ji-ho's words held pure curiosity, but the hurt in his young heart tore at hers.
"As long as Mom loves me a lot, that's fine. Do I need Aunt's love too?"
Ji-ho shook his head hesitantly.
"No, I don't need it. I was just curious."
Na-eun smiled softly and squeezed Ji-ho's small hand. Looking into his eyes, she said.
"Mom treasures Ji-ho more than anything in the world. And no matter how Aunt acts, our Ji-ho deserves to be loved. Mom will always love you so much."
Ji-ho smiled at Na-eun's words and fiddled with the letter board again. Na-eun held back her tears and stroked his head.
Kids sometimes say things that catch you completely off guard. Asking why Ha-young doesn't like him. Na-eun felt resentful toward Ha-young. She's his biological mom—couldn't she at least give him a loving look or a kind word so he feels loved? Her heart hurt. A sigh escaped naturally. And she vowed to shower him with plenty of love in any situation so he never feels lacking.
Both Ji-ho and Min-ho—they were so young, and it made her feel sorry for them.
She hoped Min-ho's condition would improve after eating with his father. He's his real dad—could something have happened? Actually, even the family had no idea where Min-ho's selective mutism originated. Perhaps the only one who knew about it was Min-ho's father? That was what Na-eun thought.
The lavish table was spread with a feast. It had been nearly a year since he'd returned home. As Kang-hyeok entered, he gazed at the house unchanged from when he left. It had been two years since he went to the overseas branch, and after a brief visit last year, he hadn't seen Min-ho's face until now.
Kyung-hye occasionally sent photos of Min-ho, but he never imagined seeing his son again would be this frightening. It was all his karma.
As Kang-hyeok entered, a smile spread across Kyung-hye's face. She looked at him with utmost delight and said.
"My son. How long has it been? Come more often."
Kang-hyeok bowed his head briefly and smiled awkwardly.
"Have you been well?"
Kyung-hye sighed lightly at his words and continued.
"How can both my sons be so curt? Kang-woo is cold by nature, but you weren't like that!"
At that moment, Choi Hoe-jang approached. His expression was stern as usual, but it softened slightly upon seeing Kang-hyeok.
"You're here. Let's eat."
Just then, Lee Yeo-sa entered through the front door holding Min-ho's hand. But the moment Min-ho saw his dad, his face paled, and he froze in place. His pupils shook unstably, and his lips trembled.
"Min-ho."
Kang-hyeok softly called the child's name. But that one word pressed down on Min-ho's chest like a heavy rock. Suddenly, Min-ho burst into loud cries and screams. His small fists trembled as he charged at Kang-hyeok and began hitting him wildly.
Min-ho wailed almost convulsively, lost in fear and confusion, screaming at Kang-hyeok. Kang-hyeok offered no resistance, simply enduring it with a devastated expression. His eyes were filled with deep guilt and sorrow.
"Waaahhh!"
Kyung-hye's face paled at the sight of the two, and she approached before clutching her chest and speaking in a trembling voice.
"Min-ho, why are you like this? What's wrong?!"
But Min-ho's cries showed no sign of stopping. Kang-woo approached with a tense expression and quickly scooped Min-ho into his arms. Even in Kang-woo's embrace, Min-ho kept kicking and twisting his body. His small hand clutched Kang-woo's shirt, trembling.
"It's okay, Min-ho. It's okay. Let's go. With Uncle."
Kang-woo whispered firmly yet gently as he carried the child and hurriedly left the main residence. The living room fell into sudden silence. Only the echo of the child's cries lingered faintly like an illusion.
Kang-hyeok's face looked indescribably lonely and pained.
Kyung-hye finally spoke as she looked at him.
"What on earth happened....?"
Kyung-hye asked in a voice full of worry, but the people left in the house merely exchanged glances in the heavy silence that had descended. Soon, Kang-hyeok looked at Kyung-hye and said.
"That's why I said I wouldn't come. I told you I was afraid to see Min-ho. I'll go too."
At that moment, Kyung-hye grabbed Kang-hyeok's arm.
"Don't go."
