Hayoung made sure Daesoo was sitting relatively still on the stool that Kris had pulled out for him, and when she saw that he was intently focused on playing with his toy soldier, she raised an eyebrow at Kris.

"If I didn't know better," she pointed at the girls that were standing outside the toy shop and glaring at her, "I would think that I was employed here just to keep them away."

"Well," Kris looked away to avoid her gaze, "it's up to you. If you think so, I can't help you."

Hayoung rolled her eyes, and stuck her tongue out at the girls, which only angered them further.

"I don't even understand why they would bother to come here everyday and harrass you. It's not like you're a rich, handsome heir from a manga." 

Kris gulped when she hit the nail on the head.

"People nowadays clearly aren't thinking." Hayoung shook her head and started to take stock of the newly imported dolls. "They could be spending their time studying, or even working at a decent job, and yet they're here to ogle over guys. Like...like me! Working hard to get a decent life for the both of us," Hayoung faked a sob.

"You resemble my grandmother, I swear." kris sighed as he patted Daesoo lightly on the head.

Hayoung's mouth fell open.

"What? Your grandmother?!"

"Yeah," Kris gave a small smile towards Daesoo, who was now looking at him curiously. "She used to discipline me whenever I spent time doing something that she deemed useless."

"If only she saw what you were doing now, I think she would have murdered you."

"What's wrong with working in a toy shop?"

"Well, I'm just assuming that she's a strict guardian who expects a lot of you, since she keeps emphasizing the need to use your time wisely."

Kris watched silently as Hayoung mumbled to herself as she took stock, her eyebrows sometimes knitted closely together when something wasn't quite right, and an occassional strand of loose hair that covered her eyes as she brushed it aside in annoyance. 

There was something special about her that he couldn't really point out, but being around her made Kris feel a lot more comfortable than anyone else. She didn't try to invade his personal life nor privacy, but gave him space to breathe easily as she minded her own business. She wasn't one to go for personal, materialistic gains, and what made her all the more special was how she cared about and loved a little boy who wasn't even her own son. 

Hayoung mindlessly twirled the pen with her fingers, totally oblivious to the fact that Kris was observing her. She had never been a stickler for good looks, and what was most important to her right then was doing her job. 

"Can I ask you something?"

"You already did," Kris laughed as Hayoung turned to face him, "but okay, I'll accept another question."

"This is really embarrassing."

"Just shoot it."

"Well," Hayoung scratched her head and gulped before asking carefully, "do I...do I really act that old?"

"W...what?"

Kris was half-expecting a serious question from her, and she looked dead serious right there and then.

"You said I resembled like your grandmother, how else am I supposed to interpret that!" Hayoung pouted unintentionally, and Kris couldn't help but think that she looked really adorable at that moment.

"I didn't mean that literally...."

"Are you sure?"

"How else am I supposed to convince you?"

"How else am I supposed to believe you?"

They burst into laughter together, and Hayoung tried to run away from Kris as he attempted to pull on her neatly-tied plaits if she didn't believe him. Daesoo was confused, but he laughed along at how silly his aunt and a grown-up looked, playing a childish game that even he didn't play anymore.

"Kris, I now understand why you chose her." 

The boss smirked as he watched from the back of the shop at the sight of both of them fooling around.

"I used to have a girl I liked so dearly," he chuckled softly, "and we met at a toy shop too.

"Treasure her, or you'll make the same mistake I made, so many years ago."