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Papa Archaeopteryx’s Cradle
~Reckless Noona~
“What do you mean, a cradle…here?” Cha Sung-hoon’s boss was again saying the strangest things.
“Yeah, right here. It is better to have it as close to my desk as possible.” His boss pointed at the exact location where this cradle had to be placed.
“But, sir-…” Sung-hoon bit his tongue. He tried to filter his words, while Kang Tae-moo looked at him as though he had not made the most bizarre demand ever.
He could only come up with one reply. “This is your office.”
“Yes, that’s exactly why I want a cradle here."
Receiving no affirmation from Secretary Cha, Tae-moo continued to explain himself.
"I spend the longest time here, and so it’ll be efficient if my baby is right next to me.” He said, making complete sense to himself.
Chairman Kang, who was sitting in the office watching a repeat telecast of his favorite drama, turned to the office desk where Tae-moo sat.
“Sung-hoon is right, though – who keeps a baby in office? Leave it to me, I will take care of the baby when the parents are busy,” he said, waving his hand, nonchalantly.
“You are only saying that because you want to hog my child all to yourself!” Tae-moo retorted. “I am the president of this company, and Ha-ri can’t possibly take care of the child when she’s busy in the food lab. This is the best place!”
Chairman Kang glared at him, as impudent as a thief caught red-handed. “The best place for the baby to be is in his great grandpa’s care. I am retired, and I have looked after you and your dad! I can take care of the child all by myself!”
“This is my child we are talking about!!” Kang Tae-moo shouted.
“This is my great-grandchild that we are talking about!” Grandpa screamed as well.
“If you insist like this –“ Kang Tae-moo took out the only card he had in his hands – “I will take Ha-ri, and my child and move out!”
This made grandpa’s nostrils flare. “You brat! Why do you think you met your wife anyway? It was I who sent you to the blind date!”
Kang Tae-moo bit his lips, unable to come up with a retort. He looked at his secretary for assistance.
“He has a point, you know,” Sung-hoon whispered back.
“But-but you opposed my wedding!” Tae-moo finally replied. “You only agreed because I told you that you wouldn’t get any great-grandkids otherwise!”
It was Chairman Kang’s turn to get flustered. “I…I only did that to test your love! Parents have to do that, you know? It’s always a part of every drama and-“
“Drama addiction will be bad for my child,” Kang Tae-moo replied. “No! The baby can’t stay with you!”
“It wasn’t bad for you!” His grandfather screeched. “How else did you learn all those cheesy lines that made our Ha-ri fall for you? Would she ever have looked in your direction if you weren't so good at them?”
“He’s right, you know,” Sung-hoon whispered, this time unprompted. Tae-moo turned to glare at him, and Secretary Cha bit his tongue before he said something else.
President Kang, who had spent months worrying over how to become an excellent father to his child, was, after all, good at everything and had a reputation to maintain. Yet, he couldn’t come up with another reply.
“Okay,” he said, finally admitting defeat, “we will let Ha-ri decide where the child will stay,” Grandpa grinned, turning back to watch the drama. “But I will still need a cradle here just in case.”
“Alright, sir.” Cha Sung-hoon sighed and opened the browser on his phone to search for the most expensive and comfortable cradles in existence that could have the privilege of hosting the already-beloved heir of Go-foods.
What was the mother of the said baby doing when the president & the chairman of the company were obsessing over such incredibly important cradle-placement decisions? She was working quite a few floors below, currently in the process of creating one of her future masterpieces – a ready-to-eat meal that could satisfy all pregnancy cravings in the country.