Dinner was an awkward affair for the older adults while the younger counterparts were bickering about who knows what in their conversation. The adults know that children are special in their own way, and they don’t really know how to express it very well. Doo-sik decided to start the conversation. “Hye Jung seems to be a smart child.”

Mal-Soon was surprised by the compliment of the young child. “Hye Jung isn’t just a smart child,” Doo-sik started to listen intently. “She cares for people dearly. It’s sad that her family doesn’t think of her like that.” Doo-sik was silent, being thankful that the children went out to the courtyard to play instead. “Hye Jung’s biological mother committed suicide and her biological father hates her. She is only alive today because I have taken her in when her parents are fighting. My son had another woman outside and even I’m ashamed to say that we are related.”

“I’m sure Hye Jung needs a better life than she has.” She nodded.

“I wanted her to rely on me, but she does everything on her own that she doesn’t want to burden me,” Mal-Soon explained, leading to Doo-sik who nodded his head in understanding. When Ji Hong started living with him, he had trouble helping him too since Ji Hong was so used to getting everything done alone. Scholarships, food, competitions; everything was done by himself and he was proud of having such a man even if they are not related by blood.

“Ji Hong does the same when I adopted him too.” She was taken aback as she glances back and forth between him and Ji Hong. They almost have the same personality! Doo-sik smiled as he continued, “We are not related by blood, but he is a bright child himself. I felt Ji Hong’s character in Hye Jung, and she will just need you by her side to know that she is safe. That’s what Ji Hong used to tell me though.” He broke into a simple laugh before he looked at the children with fondness.

“So we are on the same page in terms of taking care of children.” Doo-sik grinned from her words as they begin to clean up the table.

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Ji Hong decided to visit Hye Jung since he was ‘chased’ out of the house by Doo-sik, wanting him to get some fresh air from all the studying he was doing. Moving to the familiar routes of the road, he heard something crash near her house. He quickly rushed towards the location, wondering what she was doing if she was breaking something.

His eyes turned dark as he reached, observing the scene in front of him. A woman was pulling Hye Jung’s hair as she hurled insults on the poor girl, pinching her and abusing her