Ep. 147
A sunny spring day, a weekday.
“Daddy! Where are we going?”
“To buy something yummy for Sarang!”
“Really?!”
“Yeah. Your uncle will buy it for you.”
“Yay! Uncle is the best!”
“Heh.”
“He likes that.”
Hee-sung hyung [older brother or close male friend] and I went to pick up Sarang at the end of her daycare time. We even brought the car.
And now, we’re going to the cafe where I used to work. The manager and the older girls there wanted to see Sarang, so we’re visiting for the first time in a while. I think I took Sarang there once when she was about two years old, but that was already two years ago.
When I was in college, it was close to school, so Hee-na and I used to go there quite often. But after graduating, I haven’t been there at all. It’s a bit far from home, after all. And I’ve been busy.
So, until Hee-na gets off work, I was planning to stop by and spend some time there. After Hee-na gets off work, we’ll meet up there and go home together.
“Hyung [older brother or close male friend]. The cafe isn’t that far, can I try driving from now on?”
“You son of a… I mean, Yun-hoo. Sarang is in the car, what nonsense are you spouting? Shut your mouth… and be quiet.”
“Oh, language purification~”
“Don’t you ever think about driving with Sarang in the car. I’m warning you.”
“…No, I’m not that bad that you have to say that…”
“You’re that bad that I have to say that, so don’t do it.”
Hee-na and I both got our licenses while in college. I got mine thinking that I should have a license, and Hee-na was worried about me going alone, so she followed me, saying she would get one too.
Anyway, Hee-na and I both passed the written and practical exams in one go. However, my practical score was a bit close. The cut-off was 70 points, and I got 71.
The score was a bit 불안 [anxious/unstable], but it was okay up to that point. But after getting my license, I tried to take the car out of the apartment parking lot to practice, and I accidentally reversed and bumped into the wall.
After that, she told me not to even think about sitting in the driver’s seat. Honestly, I made a mistake that day because it was my first time after getting my license, but I’m confident I can do well.
“Daddy can’t drive?”
“No. Daddy drives well. Does Sarang trust Daddy?”
“Yeah! I trust Daddy! Daddy is the best!”
“You’re the only one for me, Sarang!”
“Hehe!”
“Haa… I won’t say anything more, but don’t do it.”
Maybe it was to protect my pride in front of Sarang, but he didn’t nag me anymore and ended the conversation like that.
Sigh. When Hee-na isn’t around is my chance. After I bumped it last time, Hee-na told me not to even dream of driving… Too bad.
—
-Clang!
“Welcome… Oh, Yun-hoo’s here! And Sarang! Kyaa~ You’ve grown so much!”
There were many cars around, so Hee-sung hyung went to find a parking spot, and I took Sarang’s hand and went into the cafe first. And as soon as I opened the door, I saw Chae-ah noona [older sister or close female friend], who was still as energetic as ever, even after several years.
Chae-ah noona and Ji-ah noona were still working here. The manager said he would keep these two for life.
“Noona [older sister or close female friend], it’s been a while~ Sarang, you have to say hello, okay?”
“Hello! My name is Sarang! I’m four years old!”
-Bow
Sarang greets as if she’s seeing them for the first time. She must not remember them since she saw them when she was too young. Well, she couldn’t even speak properly back then.
Chae-ah noona also thought that Sarang wouldn’t remember her, so she didn’t mind and bowed politely in the same way. Come to think of it, Chae-ah noona greeted me like this when I first started working part-time.
“Hello! I’m Lee Chae-ah! I’m only twenty years old at heart!”
“……”
“What, why? Do you have something to say?”
“If noona is happy with that…”
“What!!”
“Then… are you an unnie [older sister]? Or an imo [aunt]?”
I was speechless at the greeting that even made me feel a little sorry for her, but Sarang tilted her head and asked noona a question. And to that question, Chae-ah noona raised her voice in delight and answered.
“Unnie! Call me unnie!”
Unnie? A little conscience, please…
“Unnie?”
“Oh my gosh, Sarang called me unnie! Ji-ah, did you hear that?!”
“Stop talking nonsense and go wipe the tables.”
“Aww~”
“Ji-ah noona, it’s been a while!”
“Yeah, it’s been a while.”
Chae-ah noona went to clean the tables at Ji-ah noona’s nagging. I greeted Ji-ah noona, who was standing near the counter, and took Sarang’s hand and headed that way.
After all, there were some customers in the store, so I was sorry to make more noise at the entrance.
Sarang was curious about the cafe equipment and was looking around the counter.
“Daddy! What is this?!”
“This is called a coffee machine. Coffee comes out of here. Sarang has seen Mommy drinking coffee a lot, right?”
“Yes! Mommy likes it!”
Ji-ah noona chuckled at the same conversation between me and Sarang.
“Hehe, you’ve become a complete dad now.”
“Right?”
“Ah! Hello! I’m Sarang! I’m four years old!”
“Hello? I’m Yoo Ji-ah. I’m only twenty years old at heart.”
“……”
That… no. It’s better not to say anything.
I never imagined that even Ji-ah noona would be like this. I guess it’s the age when she starts to care about that kind of thing.
“Then, are you also an unnie?”
“Yes. Will you call me unnie?”
“Yes! Unnie!”
“Really… so cute. Sarang, would you like a cookie?”
“I want to eat it! Daddy! Can Sarang eat a cookie?”
She really likes snacks. I understand her, though.
I nodded to Sarang, who was shining her eyes, and then lifted Sarang up. Then Ji-ah noona handed Sarang a cookie directly.
Holding a big chocolate cookie in her hand, Sarang smiled brightly and said thank you.
“Thank you!”
“Enjoy it~ Should I give you a drink too?”
“Ah, I’ll pay for that. The manager told me not to take money from you and your family, so it’s okay.”
“I’m sorry for always just receiving every time I come…”
“What’s there to be sorry about? It’s the manager’s love business.”
“That’s true, but.”
“If you’re thankful, can you push the manager a little? He’s been talking about marriage a lot lately.”
Well, noonas are like that, but the manager is older than them, so there’s that too. But I don’t know about Hee-sung hyung.
He seems to want to have children when he sees how much he adores Sarang, but he doesn’t really talk about himself. If hyung has even a little bit of that in his mind, I can push him as much as he wants.
Of course, if hyung doesn’t have that in his mind, I don’t want to force him, even though I’m sorry to the manager.
While I was talking to Ji-ah noona in front of the counter, Hee-sung hyung came inside.
“Hyung, you worked hard~”
“Yeah. Ji-ah, is Rin here?”
“The manager isn’t here yet. He’ll be here soon.”
“Is that so?”
“Uncle! That unnie over there! Gave Sarang a cookie!”
“Oh, that looks delicious~ But unnie?”
“What. Do you have something to say?”
“No, nothing… Yun-hoo, did you order coffee?”
“Yeah.”
I could feel Hee-sung hyung’s heart that he had a lot to say about the title of unnie, but he wouldn’t say it. I think it’s a wise move.
“Ah! I wanted to give Sarang a cookie!”
“Lower your voice a little. There are customers.”
Chae-ah noona, who had finished cleaning the table, came back and complained. However, Hee-sung hyung frowned and said something to her because of her loud voice.
Is he 신경 [annoyed/bothered] because it’s his girlfriend’s store?
“Sorry oppa [term used by a female to refer to an older brother or male friend]~ Sarang! Should unnie give you another snack?”
“Yes! Sarang wants a snack!”
“Pfft… Look at her eyes sparkling~ Yun-hoo, why is your daughter so cute?”
“Our Sarang is a bit special.”
“Can I hold Sarang?”
“Please do.”
As soon as she got my permission, Chae-ah noona lowered her body in front of Sarang and opened her arms wide.
“Sarang! Unnie will hug you!”
“Yes!”
And our Sarang, who is more used to being loved than anyone else, hugged Chae-ah noona without hesitation. Noona carefully hugged the 달려들 [rushing/leaping] Sarang and raised her body.
Sarang was looking at Chae-ah noona’s eyes while being hugged, and she was giving her a gentle eye smile as always.
“How can Sarang be so pretty?”
“Sarang is pretty?”
“Look at how cute she is when she talks! You know you’re pretty, don’t you?!”
“Daddy said so! Sarang is the prettiest and cutest in the world!”
“That’s right~! I think so too! You’re the prettiest in the world~”
Chae-ah noona’s face was 흐물흐물 [melting/softening] looking at Sarang. As if she really loved her to death. Come to think of it, Chae-ah noona also liked Hee-na very much. Not because of her personality or anything, but just because of Hee-na’s pretty face.
She’s the type of noona who is more suited to the word 얼빠 [face-obsessed] than anyone else, so she seemed to have fallen in love with Sarang at first sight.
Anyway, seeing how much she liked her, I thought she would be holding her all day if I just left her alone. Of course, it was soon interrupted.
“Lee Chae-ah, now it’s your turn to take orders.”
“Already?!”
“What do you mean already? It’s our shift change time.”
“흑… Sarang, unnie is going to work…”
“Unnie bye-bye!”
Ji-ah noona, who had already finished making the drinks, said that while putting three drinks on a tray. Chae-ah noona, who was very sad about it, put Sarang down and went inside quietly.
Ji-ah noona put the tray on the pick-up table for a while, and was opening her arms in front of Sarang like Chae-ah noona a little while ago.
“Sarang, you have to hug unnie too, right?”
“The unnie who gave me a cookie!”
Sarang, who showed a more enthusiastic reaction to Ji-ah noona, who had already given her a big chocolate cookie, than Chae-ah noona, who had only said she would give her a snack, hugged her.
Ji-ah noona smiled happily and hugged Sarang and raised her body.
But Sarang, who was smiling while looking at Ji-ah noona’s face like she did to Chae-ah noona earlier, gently brought her face closer and kissed noona on the cheek.
-Chu!
“Ah!!! It’s unfair that only Ji-ah got it!!”
Chae-ah noona, who had quietly gone inside, started to make a fuss at the kiss. Sarang gave it as a reward for giving her a cookie.
Ji-ah noona was speechless for a moment at Sarang’s sudden kiss, but soon blushed slightly and opened her mouth.
“…Ha, can you do it one more time?”
Our Sarang’s kisses are expensive. Two times for one cookie is a bit much.