Translator: Nox

Chapter 9

9. Living with a Man?

Before they knew it, the car had arrived at Kangwoo's house. As soon as Naeun got out, she was momentarily speechless at the sight unfolding before her eyes. It was her first time actually facing the place.

In the clear late autumn sky and chilly wind, the wall stood tall like a fortress completely cut off from the world. It was so long and imposing that it seemed endless.

"Please come in."

At Kangwoo's words, the driver opened the gate. The large gate was sturdy yet adorned with refined decorations, and a heavy iron door swung open with a resounding creak, making Naeun feel as if she were peeking into a secretive world hidden within.

Naeun quietly took Jiho's hand and stepped inside the gate.

The path from the gate to the entrance was wide, flanked on both sides by neatly aligned trees with leaves turned red in late autumn, rustling in the breeze. Red leaves had fallen, carpeting the ground, fluttering whenever the wind blew.

Naeun felt breathless once more at the massive, solid exterior of the main house visible in the distance. Built of dark, thick bricks, it resembled a grand castle, its dignity amplified by the chilly late autumn wind.

At the far end of the garden was a cozy annex. Smaller than the main house, it was still large and majestic. Overwhelmed again by the distance and scale between the main house and annex, Naeun followed along.

Entering the entrance, a vast living room appeared—spotless without a speck of dust, as spacious and distant as a hotel lobby.

Jiho tightly gripped Naeun's hand as Kangwoo introduced Choi Sanghun, the chairman, and Chairwoman Jo Gyeonghye as Minho's grandparents, then greeted them with a bow at his navel.

"Hello. Grandma, Grandpa."

"Ah, yes. Are you Minho's friend?"

"Yes!"

"Minho's over there, so go play with him."

Turning around, she saw Minho smiling at Jiho.

"Hello?"

The greeting came from Minho's nanny, a face Naeun had often seen picking him up from kindergarten.

"Lee Yeosa, please take the children and look after them."

"Yes, ma'am."

Only after watching Lee Yeosa take Minho and Jiho away did Naeun properly stand before Chairman Sanghun and Chairwoman Gyeonghye.

"We're acquainted, aren't we?"

At Gyeonghye's words, Naeun bowed her head.

"Yes, Chairwoman."

"You don't need to call me Chairwoman here. Just call me Minho's grandma."

"Even so, I couldn't. Please allow me. I'm comfortable with Chairwoman."

"She has some backbone, depending on the person."

Chairman Choi Sanghun spoke from the side, and Naeun smiled quietly.

At Chairman Choi's words, Naeun bowed her head in response.

"Yes. I knew."

"Who told you?"

"No, I just thought it to myself and vaguely knew. Because of the symptoms. The director protects him so much that no one speaks carelessly about Minho."

"Yes."

Satisfied with Naeun's words, Gyeonghye smiled and continued.

"That's fortunate. I heard you've agreed to become our Minho's live-in tutor?"

"You made a good decision. We'll treat you accordingly...."

With that, Gyeonghye scanned Naeun from head to toe. Naeun felt a prickling sensation all over her body.

"Tell me anything you need, and we'll provide it without shortage. So you won't be outshone anywhere as our Minho's tutor."

In other words, it sounded like her current appearance would be lacking if she went out. But Naeun showed no particular reaction. Chairman Choi nodded and said,

"Seeing the teacher in person puts my mind at ease. Kangwoo was right to recommend you. You look trustworthy at first glance. Please take good care of our Minho from now on."

At Chairman Choi Sanghun's words, Naeun bowed her head in greeting.

"Thank you. I'll do my best."

As soon as the brief greetings ended, Kangwoo stood and said to Naeun,

"Now, shall we go to the annex? You can see where you'll be living."

"Yes."

Kangwoo and Naeun headed to the annex together. It was farther than it looked—about a 5-minute walk at an adult's pace.

The annex's first floor had been renovated in the meantime, giving it a fresh new interior feel. The two adjacent rooms were clearly children's rooms, decorated with cute wallpapers, desks, and furniture for toys.

"Yes."

"These must be the kids' rooms."

"That's right. One for Jiho and one for Minho—we decorated them equally."

"And this one, since I didn't know your taste, I had it done plainly, but it should suit you, Ms. Han Naeun."

The room was incomparably brighter and more luxurious than anywhere Naeun had lived before. Listening to Kangwoo, she slowly looked around. Right upon entering, what captured her gaze was the bright, fresh color scheme enveloping the entire room. The walls were painted a soft cream color, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere, with natural light from the large window softly illuminating the space, adding to the comfort. Sheer white curtains hung at the window, gently filtering the sunlight.

"If you don't like it, we can renovate again...."

While Kangwoo was speaking, Naeun shook her head.

"No, I like it. It's more than I deserve."

It was genuine. She had never dreamed of having such a room. The queen-size bed had a headboard in soft beige fabric, giving a refined yet warm feel. On the bed lay pastel-toned bedding and cushions. Next to the bed was a small solid-wood nightstand with soft lighting and a few books, adding a serene vibe.

Above all, one corner had a small sofa and coffee table, creating a cozy nook for sipping tea and relaxing. It was the room of her dreams.

- 3 -

"I'm glad. Then, shall we plan for you to move in next week?"

"Then, is this just for us?"

"Yes. The second floor is my space."

"Pardon?"

She hadn't expected that at all. She thought the annex would just be for her and the kids, but this man lived on the second floor too?

To Naeun's puzzled look, Kangwoo said nonchalantly,

"The annex was originally my personal space. During the renovation, the second floor was made fully independent."

"Ah, I see......"

Though she responded, Naeun felt a burden in one corner of her heart. But Kangwoo continued simply.

"In the mornings, the housekeeper will clean both floors and prepare basic meals before leaving. And don't mind me. I leave early in the morning and come back late at night. Truthfully, I haven't seen much of Minho until now since he was in the main house. Now that he'll be here, I'll see his face more often."

"Pardon?"

"Yes. Understood."

Since it's an independent space, she probably wouldn't run into Kangwoo much. As Naeun finally felt a bit relieved, Kangwoo said,

"But do you always say everything is fine like this?"

His question felt somewhat aggressive.

"What do you mean?"

Naeun asked back in a tense tone. Kangwoo looked around the interior and said,

"The interior too—you seem uninterested in everything. I thought you'd have more demands."

"No. I really like it. You've done it so nicely, and it's not an issue for living. It's safe for Minho and Jiho to play, and the environment is good, so I truly like it."

At her words, Kangwoo looked at Naeun once more. He was often told he had a poker face himself, but this woman was hard to read too. She smiled so brightly, yet drew a clear line when speaking to him.

If he didn't do well, the child might feel anxious.

It made him want to chase after her and hold on.

Tomorrow was moving day to Minho's house. Before moving, Naeun explained the situation in detail to her son Jiho first. Not yet five years old, she wasn't sure how much he'd understand, but she described the changing environment.

"Mommy. We're moving to a house where we live with Minho?"

"Why? Is Minho becoming family?"

"Yeah. We decided to live with Minho."

She had taught him that living together meant family, and clever Jiho remembered and asked right away. Pondering his question briefly, Naeun smiled faintly and added an explanation.

"If living together means family, then Minho is family, of course. But Minho has his own mom, dad, and uncle, and our Jiho has Mommy, right?"

Jiho's cheeks and little mouth, thinking hard as they talked, were so cute. Unknowingly, Naeun kissed his cheeks repeatedly, making smacking sounds.

"Our Jiho. How are you so smart?"

"I take after Mommy, so I'm smart!"

Proudly grinning, his little milk teeth showed evenly.