Work Text:
1
According to the weather forecast, today was going to be a fine day—not too hot, not rainy, with a temperature that was neither scorching nor chilly. It was that gentle transition period at the end of spring, just stepping into summer.
Police Inspector Lee Minhwa was working at the STAY Police Department as usual.
Just as her shift was about to end, the phone suddenly rang.
“Hello, STAY Police Department. How may we help you?”
On the other end came a familiar voice—but the news it carried was anything but.
“Yeobo, it’s me—Seungmin. Haengbok is missing!”
“WHAT?!”
Minhwa practically shouted, springing up from her seat when she heard the words from her husband.
Her colleague, Sergeant Han, who had been sitting beside her, jumped in fright. But not so much because of what Minhwa said—rather because her roar sounded more like a lion’s, and it startled him so badly he choked and spat out the water he had been drinking.
Almost instinctively, Minhwa looked up at the digital clock on the wall.
It was 3:09 PM, April 1st, 20XX.
Wait. April 1st?
Realizing what day it was, Minhwa calmed down a little, though a flicker of irritation crossed her face. She was still on duty, and yet her husband Seungmin had the nerve to bother her with this kind of nonsense.
“Attorney Yang, if you called just to pull some prank, I’m afraid I don’t have the time.”
“Yeobo, I’m telling you the truth!” Seungmin’s voice was thick with frustration, almost pleading.
“Seungmin, today is April Fools’ Day. I’m not falling for it.” Minhwa’s tone grew sharper.
On the other end of the line, Seungmin let out a long, weary sigh.
“Minhwa, you know I’m not the type of person who would ever joke about our daughter’s safety.”
“...”
This time, Minhwa knew—he was dead serious.
“Where are you now?”
“At KkomaByul Kindergarten.”
“Stay right there. Wait for me.”
She hung up without another word.
“Sorry everyone, but I’ll have to leave early today.”
Inspector Lee bowed her head quickly in apology and rushed out.
When Minhwa arrived at the kindergarten, she found Seungmin talking with her daughter’s homeroom teacher, Hwang Hyun.
The moment they saw her, both men nearly exclaimed in unison:
“You’re here!”
Minhwa glanced at the teacher and gave him a brief nod.
“Teacher Hwang, what exactly happened?”
Hwang Hyun let out a sigh, his face clouded with concern.
“In short, this morning when I checked attendance, Haengbokie was here. But when it was time to go home, she suddenly told us she needed to use the bathroom. The school grounds are generally safe, so when her father came to pick her up, he didn’t think anything of it. But when nearly all the students had gone and she still hadn’t returned, Mr. Yang and I started looking for her. We couldn’t find her anywhere.”
“I see. Thank you, Teacher.”
Turning to her husband, Minhwa shot him a familiar sharp look.
“Seungmin, you haven’t made any enemies lately, have you?”
Seungmin kept a poker face—he was used to this kind of question from her.
Instead of answering, he countered smoothly:
“Oh come on, Inspector Lee. If you’re asking that, isn’t your profession far more likely to attract grudges than mine?”
That made Minhwa bristle instantly.
“Must you always have the last word with me to feel satisfied?”
“Weren’t you the one who started it? Now you’re blaming me?” Seungmin shot back without missing a beat.
Seeing the tension rise between the parents, Teacher Hwang quickly tried to mediate.
“Please, don’t argue. Right now, what matters most is finding Haengbokie.”
Whether it was because they felt embarrassed in front of an outsider, or simply because he was right, both parents quieted down.
“There’s no way she just vanished without anyone noticing. Have you checked the surveillance cameras yet?” Minhwa asked.
“Yes, before you arrived, Mr. Yang and I reviewed all the footage. But she doesn’t appear anywhere—not even on the restroom camera.”
“Then it’s possible she went somewhere the cameras don’t cover. I’ll check the blind spots.”
With that, Minhwa darted off.
Watching Seungmin pacing anxiously, Teacher Hwang couldn’t help but feel sympathy. He patted him on the shoulder.
“Don’t worry, Haengbok’s father. I’m sure she’ll be fine.”
“Yes, but I can’t help it… I’m her father, after all,” Seungmin gave a weak smile.
As he watched Minhwa’s figure disappearing into the distance, Teacher Hwang murmured in admiration:
“Your wife is really strong. Most people in her shoes wouldn’t be able to stay so calm.”
Seungmin didn’t answer, but inside he thought:
She’s just putting on a front. What mother wouldn’t be panicking when her child goes missing?
A while later, Minhwa texted Seungmin, asking him and Teacher Hwang to come to her immediately—she had found something.
When they arrived, they saw her staring intently at a wall.
Before either of them could ask, she spoke up first:
“Teacher Hwang, you’re certain there aren’t any broken walls around here?”
“That’s right. The school was fully renovated two years ago.”
“Then why is there a dog hole here?”
She crouched down and easily removed several loose bricks, revealing a small gap in the wall.
“This… well, our higher-ups told us to leave it be, so… I’m not entirely sure.” Hwang Hyun stiffened, flustered—he didn’t understand why the hole existed either.
Honestly, he wanted to say: shouldn’t you ask the principal about maintenance issues? What good can a lowly teacher like me do?
“Oh, don’t worry—I wasn’t interrogating you. I just needed to confirm my hunch,” Minhwa smiled. But to Teacher Hwang, it didn’t look like goodwill at all.
“A hunch? Are you suggesting Haengbokie might have crawled through this hole?” Seungmin finally chimed in.
“Exactly. Knowing our daughter’s personality, it’s very possible.”
Minhwa snapped her fingers with a satisfied look.
“One of my best friends used to be a renowned fingerprint examiner. Now he’s switched to being a private detective.”
Damn it, if only I could quit like he did. But every resignation request I file gets rejected one way or another.
She grumbled inwardly.
“I already called him over. He should be arriving any moment now.”
“Wait—don’t tell me you mean…”
Before Seungmin could finish, a loud voice rang out.
“Well, well! What a crowd. For a second I thought I was some kind of celebrity!”
The man approaching was broad-shouldered and sturdy, though not especially tall. He wore a light brown leather jacket over a shirt and classic black tie, paired with matching trousers. A pair of handcuffs hung at his hip.
“Celebrity? With only three fans? You’re delusional.”
Minhwa didn’t even try to hide her disdain as she gave him a half-lidded look.
“Hey, more than two still counts as ‘plural,’ you know.”
Then he spotted Teacher Hwang and raised his brows, surprised.
“Whoa, déjà vu. I swear I’ve seen you somewhere before.”
“Quite a coincidence, Detective Seo,” Hwang replied with a smile.
“You two know each other?” Minhwa and Seungmin blurted out in unison.
“Not exactly. Let’s just say I got tangled up in a case last year with him and his husband.” Seo shrugged casually.
“A case?!” Both Minhwa and Seungmin stared at him, startled by the sudden TMI.
“Eh, I’ll tell you later. Didn’t you call me here to check if those fingerprints belong to Haengbok?” Seo deftly changed the subject.
“It’s been so quiet lately I almost worry my skills have gotten rusty.”
He walked over to the hole and got to work immediately.
“You’ve had it easy, huh? Meanwhile, I had to deal with a massive domestic dispute at the station last week. It dragged on from morning till night.” Minhwa pinched the bridge of her nose, irritated just recalling it.
“They said the couple had moved out but refused to divorce because their families didn’t approve. Then the husband went on a business trip and cheated with his business partner’s wife. The wife found out, but didn’t get angry. Do you know why?”
“She was cheating too?” Seo guessed, his hands moving quickly.
“Correct, but that’s not the whole story.”
“Let me guess. Was she cheating with that same business partner?” Seungmin asked evenly.
“Exactly. Sounds like a drama, but it was real.”
Their conversation suddenly jogged Teacher Hwang’s memory about something he had nearly forgotten.
“Actually… this might not be a clue, but something related to Haengbok came up recently.”
He hesitated. “It’s a bit… delicate. I’m not sure if I should say it.”
“Please, Teacher, go ahead. Anything about Haengbokie should come first,” Seungmin urged.
“Well, a few days ago… she asked me about affairs.”
“AFFAIRS?!”
This time, all three of them shouted in unison.
“Yes. That’s exactly what she asked about.”
2
A few days earlier, when Hwang Hyun was about to hand his class over to the teacher on lunch duty, a little hand suddenly tugged at his sleeve.
It was none other than Yang Haengbok.
Every teacher has a few students they like a little more than the rest, and Hyun was no exception.
Haengbok was a polite, well-mannered child, quick to learn and always attentive. Naturally, he had a soft spot for her.
After all, who doesn’t like a sweet, obedient kid?
“Teacher Hwang, can I ask you something?” Haengbok asked politely.
“Of course, Haengbokie. What is it?” Hyun wasn’t in a hurry, so he was glad to answer whatever question she had.
He assumed it would be something small and innocent, like most preschool questions: Why are leaves green? or Why does it snow in winter?
But he had forgotten that this student of his was… a little different.
“Teacher, what does cheating mean?”
“…??!!”
Hyun nearly froze on the spot.
“W–Why are you asking that?”
“Just tell me what it means, please,” Haengbok insisted. She didn’t look like she was joking.
Ten years of teaching, and this was the first time he’d faced a question he truly didn’t know how to handle.
Why hadn’t his education training ever prepared him for this?
Hyun stayed silent for a moment, then carefully explained:
“Cheating is a word we use when someone who’s married or already has a partner develops romantic feelings or shows affection, like in a relationship, toward another person who isn’t their spouse or partner.”
The question weighed on Hyun’s mind even after school.
Through dinner, his thoughts kept drifting back to it.
“Hyun, what’s wrong? You don’t look well.”
The voice belonged to his husband, Han.
Han was once a top A-list celebrity—specifically, a former idol from the famous group SoKZ.
Hyun and Han had first met online, when both were stressed with work and life and just wanted someone to talk to. After chatting for a while, they realized—almost comically—that they were next-door neighbors.
They’d tied the knot in the U.S. just last year.
“A five-year-old at school asked me what cheating meant today,” Hyun admitted with a sigh.
“Five years old?? How does a kid that age even know that word?” Han looked utterly baffled.
“I don’t know either. But I’m sure something must have happened at home for her to know it.”
“Hmm… maybe. Why don’t you just call her parents and ask?” Han suggested.
“I thought about that too. But I wasn’t sure if I should.”
Because really, he was just her teacher. An outsider. What right did he have to pry into another family’s private matters?
Since the start of the school year, he had only seen both of Haengbok’s parents together a handful of times. Usually, it was either one or the other who came to pick her up. And when they did show up together, most of their conversations revolved around divorce.
“Maybe you’re overthinking it,” Han offered gently. “She could’ve just seen the word in a TV show or movie and asked because she didn’t understand.”
After a moment of hesitation, Hyun realized Han might be right. Slowly, he let the whole thing drift out of his mind.
But now, standing here today, he regretted it deeply. He should have called Haengbok’s parents that very night.
“…So I don’t know if your family… um… did something wrong to her.”
“Did something wrong to Haengbok?!”
Both Minhwa and Seungmin looked like they couldn’t believe their ears, while Seo burst out laughing.
“Please, calm down. It’s not really my place to interfere in another family’s matters, but I just hope that if you two no longer love each other, you could at least part peacefully, co-parent Haengbok, and not… you know, set a bad example like that.”
“Wait, Teacher, is there some misunderstanding here? We’re not cheating.” Seungmin rushed to clarify, while Minhwa pressed her temples in shock, temporarily at a loss for words.
“Honestly, you don’t have to explain it to me,” Hyun said evenly. “It’s your daughter who deserves an explanation. Even if adultery isn’t against the law anymore in our country, she’s still so young. As parents, you really shouldn’t do things that go against morality. Please think carefully about your actions.”
“Teacher Hwang! We—”
“Minhwa, the fingerprints are Haengbok’s,” Seo suddenly cut in, deliberately interrupting. He even shot Seungmin a quick wink.
Of course he knew his best friend well—if he didn’t step in right now, Minhwa might actually lose her temper and start a full-on fight with poor Teacher Hwang.
Seungmin caught the signal immediately.
“Yeobo, let’s just focus on finding our daughter first. We’ll deal with this later.” He quickly grabbed Minhwa’s hand and pulled her away.
Before leaving, Minhwa glanced back and said firmly:
“We’ll explain everything to you once we find Haengbok. But I promise you, there’s no way something like that has ever happened.”
Hyun gave a small nod, expression unreadable.
3
The car was dead silent, except for the low hum of the engine, which only made the atmosphere heavier and more suffocating.
Seungmin, sitting in the passenger seat, stole a glance at his wife, who was gripping the steering wheel.
Minhwa’s face was twisted with anger, like steam was about to shoot out of her head.
Normally, when she was upset, she would at least throw a few words around—but now, nothing.
This unusual silence told Seungmin everything: this time, she had really reached her limit.
After some thought, he pulled out his phone, scrolled through his contacts, and tapped on the number of his older brother—Jisung.
It was still work hours, and he didn’t want to bother his brother’s family, but this situation seemed tangled up with them as well.
“What’s this? Rare occasion, huh? My baby brother actually remembers I exist.”
The call hadn’t even rung for long before Jisung picked up, his tone teasing as always.
“Maybe the sky’s falling today, but the weather’s gorgeous, so that means only one thing—something’s wrong, isn’t it?”
“Bingo. And it’s nothing good. My head’s about to explode.”
“In short, your niece has gone missing.”
“WHAT?? YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!”
Jisung’s scream nearly blew out Seungmin’s eardrum. He didn’t even want to imagine how much louder it would be if the speaker was on.
“This is the second time today I’ve been accused of joking like that.” Seungmin sighed wearily.
“I’ll say this once and for all—I’m dead serious.”
“Can you bring Hyunjin here too? It’s not something I can explain properly over the phone.”
“…”
“Lucky for you, today both me and my jagii are off work. Give us five minutes.”
And with that, Jisung hung up.
Exactly five minutes later, not only did Jisung and Hyunjin show up, but their two precious sons—Changbin and Chan—tagged along too.
Seungmin’s older brother, Jisung, had given up his teenage dream of becoming a rapper and now worked as an office employee at STAY Company. After years of being dragged on business trips and errands by his boss, he was still stuck at the deputy manager position.
His wife, Hyunjin, was a professional model. Though she’d loved drawing since school, she never chose to become an artist.
Their eldest son, Changbin, was a senior in high school preparing for graduation. Although he once dreamed of being a rapper back in middle school (probably the genes speaking), his current ambition was simply to win the lottery and pocket a million won.
The youngest, Chan, was still in elementary school. He had an endless fascination with computers and a signature catchphrase he’d been using since childhood: “I’m foive”—despite being well past that age.
“What are these two doing here? This is grown-up business. Why are kids butting in?” Minhwa asked, frowning.
“Four months and some change, and I’ll be eighteen. Doesn’t count as a kid anymore,” Changbin shot back.
“Well, you’re not eighteen yet, so yes, you’re still a kid.”
“Honestly, sis, these two insisted on tagging along. I told them to stay home, but Hyunjinie couldn’t say no.” Jisung tried to defend himself.
Technically, Minhwa and Seungmin should be calling Jisung and Hyunjin hyung and noona, but out of old school habits, the four always used casual names based on age.
“Funny how there’s no family gathering without the two of you showing up. What, skipping your evening classes tonight?” Seungmin asked.
Changbin smirked. “We don’t have class today, so don’t even try to get rid of us.”
Chan chimed in: “Yeah, Dad, Uncle, Auntie, just wait and see. We’ll be useful. And besides, we’re family. We’re just as worried about Haengbok as you are.”
“Look at that mouth on you already. Who do you take after, huh?” Jisung scoffed.
“Who else? He’s your son!” Hyunjin flicked his forehead with a loud snap, making him yelp.
Turning to Minhwa, she asked: “So why did Haengbokie suddenly…?”
She didn’t finish, because the front door opened and a familiar voice cut in:
“Seungmin! How could you let my granddaughter go missing?!”
It was none other than Haengbok’s grandparents—Seungmin and Jisung’s parents, Yang Yongbok and Jeon Gi Nee.
“Jisung, did you call Mom??” Seungmin glared at his brother.
Jisung quickly shook his head. “No! I have no idea how they found out!”
“You don’t need to whisper—I can hear you just fine.”
Somehow, their mother Jeon Gi Nee was suddenly standing right beside them, giving both sons a good-natured pat on the shoulder that made them jump.
“Dad, how did you know so fast?” Seungmin turned to his father for help.
“Don’t you remember, Haengbokie usually rides her tricycle over to our place around this time? It’s been two and a half hours, and she never showed. Your mom got suspicious. And the moment we walked in, bam—bad news confirmed.”
“If my precious granddaughter isn’t here by dinner, I swear I’ll cross your name out of the family registry!” Gi Nee thumped Seungmin’s head.
At last, Hyunjin managed to ask the question from earlier: “So what exactly happened? Why did Haengbok suddenly disappear?”
“I don’t know for sure,” Minhwa admitted. “But from what her teacher said, she was upset because she thought we’d lied to her.”
“In other words, she somehow believes me, this idiot, and maybe even you and your idiot husband here—cheated on each other.”
“CHEATED?!”
The shock passed from one person to another like a chain reaction.
Hyunjin’s eyes widened. She turned to her husband immediately.
“Yeobo, are you telling me you’ve been cheating on me?!”
“Jagii, how could I? You know how much I love you! There’s absolutely no way I’d cheat—ever!”
Jisung clung to her, pouting dramatically, pretending to sob like a wounded puppy.
“Here, feel my heart. Feel how sincere it is.” He placed her hand over his chest.
“Please, anyone’s heart beats around 60 times a minute. How does that prove anything?”
“Who else but you would know whether I’m sincere after more than twenty years together?”
“….”
Hyunjin narrowed her eyes. “Then what about all those nights you come home late? What are you really doing out there?”
“Jagii, you know my boss loves surprise night meetings. I’m always stuck working overtime or sent on last-minute trips. And don’t we video call every night?”
“…Oh, right.” Hyunjin nodded, satisfied.
“And you, jagii—are you cheating on me?”
“Same as you. Did you forget your wife’s a model?”
“Actually, jagii, do you remember the multiverse theory I once told you, with Schrödinger’s cat?” Jisung cupped her face, looking into her eyes. “In any universe, in any version of me—Jisung will always love Hyunjin.”
“Oh my god. Married almost twenty years and still this sappy. Save it for behind closed doors, not in public.” Yongbok tapped his cane on the floor to put an end to the display.
“And you’re one to talk. You were just as bad back in the day.” Gi Nee snatched her cane back.
“Seriously, Mom, Dad, people are going to start judging. That level of cringe is unbearable.” Changbin groaned.
“Exactly. If you don’t feel embarrassed, the rest of us definitely do.” Chan chimed in.
“Brats.”
The Jisung–Hyunjin comedy show was as over-the-top as ever. Normally, everyone else would be mocking them by now.
But today, Seungmin and Minhwa couldn’t even muster the energy.
Partly because their daughter was still missing. And partly… because of that unnamed emotion they both felt watching Jisung and Hyunjin.
Was it envy?
Probably.
Seungmin knew he and Minhwa would never speak so sweetly to each other. And he was sure his wife felt the same.
What came easily to others was impossibly hard for them.
Even the others sensed it. The air grew awkward, heavy with things unsaid.
Jisung and Hyunjin exchanged a glance, then quickly sobered up.
“Minhwa, can you think of anything unusual Haengbok’s done lately?” Hyunjin asked gently.
Minhwa thought hard, then shook her head.
Just then, Chan suddenly cried out, “Oh! I remember! A few days ago, when I went over to Uncle and Auntie’s place, Haengbokie borrowed my computer. I asked what for, but she wouldn’t tell me.”
“Check the search history. Quick!” Seungmin urged.
Chan obeyed, and soon, the screen lit up with results.
[How do you know if you’re really your parents’ child?]
So the suspicions were true. Haengbok had been doubting her parentage.
[What is a DNA test?]
The link led to a website explaining everything about DNA—how to test it, where to get it done, and so on.
“And wait—wasn’t she also watching some family drama then, Chan?”
“Yeah, that one with the guy named Lee Tae Oh. We all thought it was familiar because Uncle Seungmin used to joke about Dad being called that.”
Lee Tae Oh???
Lee Tae Oh was a character from The World of the Married—a wealthy man who cheated on his wife.
That drama had been insanely popular years ago, and both families had watched it.
They had a little game between the four of them—drawing lots to roleplay random characters from dramas, since they were all into K-dramas. By some twisted fate, Jisung had picked Lee Tae Oh, and his hairstyle matched the character almost exactly. Seungmin never missed a chance to tease him about it.
“That was just a silly joke between the four of us. Who would’ve thought the kid would actually believe it, right, jagi?” Jisung gave an awkward laugh.
“Sorry, but I can’t save you this time, yeobo.” Hyunjin shrugged, glancing at his unnie.
“Already a father, yet still acting like a child.” Mr. and Mrs. Yang shook their heads in unison.
“Mom, Dad, please go inside and rest. We’ll definitely bring her back.” Minhwa reassured her in-laws.
“Yang Seungmin, come with me.”
The way she said his full name was downright terrifying.
Jisung had barely started to relax when Minhwa called out again:
“And Yang Jisung, don’t think hiding behind Hyunjin will save you. Once this is over, I’ll deal with you too, noona won’t forget.”
“I’ll call some colleagues at the station to help with the search. Everyone else, please stay here in case Haengbok comes back and doesn’t find anyone.” Seo spoke firmly.
With that, Minhwa pulled Seungmin straight toward the garage.
“I’m sorry, an—”
Before Seungmin could finish, Minhwa pressed two fingers against his lips to silence him.
“Stop. I didn’t drag you out here to blame you. I was part of that game too, and I only scared Jisung for fun. The truth is, all four of us share some responsibility.”
She drew a sharp breath. “Right now, the only thing that matters is finding her. We’ve already wasted too much time.”
“Get in the car. We’ll check every hospital one by one.”
4
The bus No. 0108 had just picked up its passengers.
Among the crowd was a little girl, around five or six years old, dressed in a puffy-sleeved school uniform with a pleated skirt, her hair styled into two adorable pigtails.
What made her stand out was that her hair wasn’t the usual black you’d expect of a child her age—it was a striking shade of turquoise.
Of course, that color wasn’t natural (after all, who’s ever born with hair that green?)—her cousin had dyed it for her.
It had been a while since then, and now her roots were starting to grow back black.
Once, when she’d seen a family photo from five years ago, taken before she was born, she was immediately fascinated by her cousin’s bright orange hair. She had begged and begged him until he finally agreed to dye her hair as well.
And so the two had embarked on a secret mission to steal hair dye from her cousin’s mother—who was also her aunt.
Naturally, they both got scolded harshly afterward. But to her, it had been worth it.
Ah… just remembering it made her miss home so much.
Today, she had finally gathered all her courage to do something she’d been planning for a long time.
To find out who she really was.
The night before, while her parents were fast asleep, she had secretly plucked two strands of hair from them.
That afternoon, when her father came to pick her up, she had pretended to go to the bathroom, slipped away from school, and hopped on a bus bound for STAY Hospital.
But now, sitting alone on the bus as planned, her chest felt oddly tight.
This was the first time she had ever gone so far away from home by herself.
Her nose stung. Tears threatened to fall.
She wondered if her parents were worried about her right now.
While she stared out the window, lost in her thoughts, she didn’t notice someone had sat down beside her.
“Hey, Greenie!”
“…Hey, little Greenie, I’m talking to you. Why aren’t you answering?”
Sniffling, Haengbok swallowed her tears and finally turned to look at the person speaking.
It was a young man, not much older than a college student. His style was trendy despite wearing only simple clothes: a red-and-black bomber jacket over a plain white T-shirt, paired with loose-fit ripped jeans.
Maybe it was his rather handsome face that pulled the outfit together and made him look less rough around the edges.
“I have a real name. It’s not Greenie!”
“You’ve got a head of bright green hair, don’t you? If not Greenie, then what else should I call you?”
“My surname’s Yang. My name is Haengbok.”
“Well, your parents have taste, I’ll give them that.”
His tone made it impossible to tell if he was being sincere or just teasing.
“How old are you?”
“I’m five.”
Then Haengbok remembered her father once told her: If someone asks about you kindly, you should ask back the same way.
So she gathered her courage and asked the handsome stranger:
“What’s your name, uncle?”
“Change the way you address me. Call me hyung or oppa, not ‘uncle.’ I’m still young, single, how can you keep calling me that?” He frowned a little.
“But… you look way older than me. Calling you oppa just feels weird.”
“Is there some official age chart for who counts as oppa and who doesn’t?”
What’s with this guy and titles?
Still, Haengbok gave in.
“S-So are you going to answer my question or not?”
“Lee,” he said, sounding a little more cheerful.
“Just call me Lee.”
After a pause, he added:
“But don’t go around telling strangers your name and age so easily. Aren’t you afraid I might kidnap you and ask for ransom?”
“But you told me your name too, didn’t you?” she asked innocently.
“How do you know that’s my real name?” Lee shot back.
Haengbok’s jaw dropped.
…That actually made sense?!
Lee burst out laughing, clearly enjoying how easily he could tease her.
“By the way, how come your voice is so low at such a young age? Oh wait, I forgot—you’re the kind of kid who sneaks out to get a DNA test by yourself. Guess it’s not that surprising.”
“…How did you know?”
Is he some kind of detective?!
Lee explained slowly:
“No parents would just let their little kid wander around the city alone. And this bus has already passed so many stops. There’s only one left—the final stop is STAY Hospital. Pretty obvious that’s where you’re headed. You don’t look like someone just riding around for fun like me.
And besides…” He tilted his chin toward her backpack. “That zip bag with a couple strands of hair is sticking right out of your bag.”
Startled, Haengbok stuffed the bag back inside her backpack immediately.
Hearing Lee’s deduction, she couldn’t help but feel a little more impressed by him.
Which only made her more curious about what he did for a living.
“Lee, what’s your job?”
“Unemployed.”
“…”
She had been hoping he would say something cool, like FBI or MI6, just like in her mom’s favorite manga Detective Conan.
Lee noticed her judging expression and felt irritated.
“Don’t judge people by appearances. Plenty of people look respectable but aren’t, deep down.
I may look like this, but I’m a good guy.”
Haengbok nodded politely, though it wasn’t clear whether she actually believed him.
After staring out the window in silence for a while, she grew bored and tried striking up a conversation again.
“Why don’t you get a job?”
Lee was slouched back in his seat, hands tucked behind his head, eyes half-closed as if he were napping.
But to her surprise, he answered right away:
“What for? I’ve been rich for generations already.”
“But… even so, you should still work.”
“Then give me one good reason why I should do what you say.”
Haengbok frowned, deep in thought.
Lee smirked. What’s wrong, kid? Out of arguments already? Don’t think you can lecture me that easily.
Just as he was about to tell her to give up—her little brows furrowed so pitifully—she suddenly spoke up:
“My mom says life wouldn’t be fun if people stopped exploring the endless new lands within themselves. I think getting a job is like that too.”
Lee froze.
Exploring the endless new lands within yourself?
This kid… is she really only five years old?
He opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end, no words came out.
And so the two of them sat in silence for the rest of the ride.
5
They had already searched nearly every hospital in the area, but the two still hadn’t received any news about their beloved daughter.
Seungmin was growing restless and impatient with this fruitless search.
The sky was getting darker, and his little girl was still out there. What if something happened to her?
But beyond fear, other feelings stirred inside him.
Part of it was shame, but even more was self-blame.
He was a lawyer who specialized in resolving and mediating issues of marriage and family, yet he couldn’t resolve the problems of his own household.
More than that, it was because he had been too careless that he hadn’t protected Haengbok properly.
I’m a terrible father who can’t even ensure his daughter’s safety.
Watching Minhwa still focused on driving, a thought suddenly crept into Seungmin’s mind.
Why did someone like her agree to marry me back then?
Even now, Seungmin couldn’t understand what miracle had brought him and Minhwa together.
Unlike Jisung and Hyunjin, who were each other’s one and only love, both he and Minhwa had dated other people back in university.
They had known each other since high school, but it wasn’t until college that their relationship grew closer.
Looking back, it seemed like whenever they were together, Seungmin and Minhwa were always arguing.
Every time they went out for coffee, the staff would inevitably bring the wrong orders.
Minhwa always ordered iced americanos, while Seungmin remained loyal to his latte, which of course had to come with a pastry.
She would always tell him that only with an americano could one truly savor the essence of coffee.
But to him, the flavor was too bitter and bland. He needed a touch of sweetness to call it rich.
Every time they went to the movies, they would spend hours “fighting” over which genre to watch.
Seungmin preferred romantic comedies, saying they were entertaining and nurtured people’s emotions.
Minhwa insisted rom-coms were too cheesy, and that thrillers and action films were far more exciting and gripping.
Whenever they argued about love, they would always end up… debating endlessly.
Seungmin believed true love began with lightning at first sight.
Minhwa, however, said the most beautiful love was the result of a process—time spent together, understanding and caring for each other.
That was just how they were—Seungmin and Minhwa, forever bickering, running in parallel in almost every way.
At first, they had only been acquaintances.
Gradually, somehow, life pushed them into meeting more and more often.
But it never went beyond friends… maybe a little more than that.
Every weekend, Minhwa would drag Seungmin out.
She would always claim her friends had ditched her to go dating, so she had to take revenge, to prove she still had someone to hang out with.
And she never forgot to say that he should be grateful she was kind enough to take him around everywhere.
Whenever Seungmin had something weighing on his heart, the first person he thought of confiding in was always Minhwa.
For reasons he couldn’t quite explain.
At those times, she barely said anything—just lent him her shoulder, then later scolded him for staining her shirt with tears and snot.
They continued side by side like that, until everyone around them began whispering that they were dating.
So, to “disprove” the rumors, one day Seungmin got a girlfriend—a cute, sweet, clingy girl who loved to act spoiled.
The complete opposite of the stubborn, hot-tempered, and sometimes brash Minhwa.
That very same day, Minhwa also got a boyfriend—a polite, gentlemanly man who spoiled her in almost every way.
The complete opposite of Seungmin, who argued with her over every little thing.
She no longer spent as much time with him.
He too was busy with his new love.
And yet, strangely, he kept missing that cheeky, sharp-tongued friend of his.
He wondered if she ever thought of him too—as the annoying guy who never stopped teasing and driving her crazy.
Some time later, Seungmin heard that Minhwa had broken up with her boyfriend.
People said that while he was indeed a “gentleman,” he was unbearably dull.
As for Seungmin, he had already broken up with his girlfriend long ago.
She was fun, yes, but too childish, too demanding.
Then, by chance, he and Minhwa ran into each other again.
And somehow, by some strange magic, the thing that reconnected them was the same old endless quarrels.
Afterward, they’d make up, walk around together again, as if there had never been any separation.
Friends teased them constantly whenever they saw them together.
But this time, neither of them bothered to flare up and protest, “We’re just friends!” like before.
And somehow, Seungmin found himself unhappy whenever someone other than him walked beside Minhwa.
What he didn’t notice was that Minhwa too grew annoyed whenever he kept chatting with other people, forgetting all about her.
Then, somehow, Minhwa found herself patiently tending to his scrapes, carefully taping bandages and applying ointment after his baseball games—even when she was busy with her own club activities.
And somehow, Seungmin unconsciously draped his jacket over her shoulders when the weather turned cold—even as he himself was shivering.
Then one day, they video-called each other.
By coincidence, they both began with the exact same sentence:
“Can I call you by something else?”
And so, from that day on, Seungmin and Minhwa still went everywhere together—but now, with a different “title,” one that had lasted until this very moment.
“See? I knew it—you’re beating yourself up again, aren’t you, you dummy?”
Still holding the steering wheel with one hand, Minhwa reached over with the other and pinched her husband’s cheek hard, breaking his train of thought.
“This isn’t just your fault. Stop piling all the blame onto yourself. Can’t you be selfish just once?”
“Don’t sink into negative thoughts. We haven’t searched everywhere yet.”
“And besides, I already called my colleagues for help. We’ll find her.”
Minhwa kept talking nonstop.
“Yeobo.”
Seungmin suddenly cut in.
“Mm?”
“Do you ever regret marrying someone like me?”
“Someone like you? What are you even saying?”
Minhwa’s eyes widened slightly, wondering if she had misheard or if her husband had actually said such a thing.
“Because I’m always going against you.”
“We never stop arguing. I’m afraid you might feel—”
“You idiot…” Minhwa burst out laughing.
“How can someone like you give such good advice to other people about love?”
She laced her fingers tightly with his.
“Didn’t noona tell you before?”
“Arguing with you isn’t just fun—it’s entertaining.”
“Even if we fight a hundred thousand times, the one truth that never changes is that we’re still here. Together.”
Ah, that’s right.
As much as they bickered, Seungmin and Minhwa had gone from strangers, to acquaintances, to close friends, to “something more than friends,” and finally to husband and wife.
True love had no fixed definition.
But between Seungmin and Minhwa, it was without a doubt, love.
Whether good fortune or misfortune, they would hold each other’s hands tightly all the same.
Because the world is round, and people who love each other will always find their way back together.
Stopping in front of STAY Hospital—the last place they could pin their hopes on—Minhwa and Seungmin hurried straight to the reception desk.
“Excuse me, may I ask something? Since around 3 p.m. today, have you seen a little girl with green hair, named Haengbok?”
Minhwa then pulled an ID card from her jacket pocket.
“I’m Inspector Lee Minhwa, from the STAY Police Department.”
The receptionist glanced at the card for confirmation before replying:
“Yes, this afternoon we did indeed see a little girl with such a distinct hair color.”
“Please, tell us everything you can. This is very important.”
The young woman thought for a moment, then quickly added:
“If I remember correctly, she was accompanied by a young man, about twenty years old. He introduced himself as her older brother. He even helped her file the paperwork for a DNA test.”
“A young man? Her brother??”
Just then, Minhwa’s phone rang—it was Hyunjin.
“Hello, unnie! Haengbokie is homeee!!!”
6
Right after receiving Hyunjin’s message, Minhwa sped back home as fast as she could.
“Yeobo, aren’t you afraid of getting fined for driving so fast?”
Even with his seatbelt on, Seungmin still felt uneasy. Back in their school days, he had already experienced his wife’s “skills” behind the wheel. To be honest, even now they hadn’t improved one bit.
“Did you forget we’re in a police car?” Minhwa grinned, and without warning, hit the accelerator harder.
“HAENGBOK!”
The moment they got home, without even bothering to take off their shoes, the two rushed straight inside.
Seeing Haengbok sitting safe and sound on the sofa, Minhwa dashed over and hugged her tightly.
“Mom.”
“Mm, Mom’s right here.”
Seungmin stood right beside them, watching his wife hold their little treasure as if letting go for even a second would make their daughter sprout wings and fly away.
Haengbok felt her mother’s shoulders trembling.
“Mom, are you crying?”
Minhwa shook her head.
“No, it’s just dust in my eyes.”
“That’s a lie. My shoulder’s already wet. Right, Dad?”
It was the first time Haengbok had ever seen her mother cry. Until now, from what Dad had said and what she had seen herself, Mom almost never shed tears.
“Sweetheart, you must be mistaken,” Seungmin said softly. He didn’t expose Minhwa, because he knew she was the type who rarely admitted her true feelings.
“Mom… you’re crying because of me, aren’t you?” Haengbok’s voice wavered, and soon tears welled up in her own eyes.
“S-sorry, Mom, Dad, I’m so sorry!”
Then she burst out crying. Seeing her mother cry made her want to cry too.
“I-I’m sorry f-for running off and making you all worry…”
Minhwa stroked her daughter’s head.
“You did nothing wrong, baby. It’s Mom and Dad who failed to make you feel safe.”
“Promise us, Haengbok, never to do that again, okay?”
“I promise… I don’t ever want to be away from you.”
Seeing this heartwarming scene, Changbin elbowed his younger brother and teased:
“Wow, Chan, remember years ago when you bawled your eyes out just like that?”
“What? I didn’t cry. You did. Stop blaming me,” Chan replied deadpan.
“Wait, Mom, Dad, and you guys too… you’re all leaving already? It’s so late, why not just stay overnight?” Seungmin asked when he saw his parents and his brother’s family heading to the garage after resting a bit.
“Pssh, I need to watch Felix’s Instagram live, and your dad here still has to finish a TikTok trend from earlier,” Mr. Yongbok waved him off.
Jisung explained, “Tomorrow Hyunjin and I have an early work trip, and those two have their school sports day.”
“Oh my goddd! It’s kickoff time—Manchester vs my favorite team, Tottenham!” Changbin suddenly clutched his head and shouted.
“Good grief, enough already!” Jisung flicked his son’s forehead.
“See? He’s got to go watch football too. Hope you understand, Seungmin,” Hyunjin chuckled, ruffling Haengbok’s hair as she sat in Minhwa’s lap.
“We’ll come visit Haengbok another day, okay?”
“Alright, we’re heading home now.”
At Jisung and Hyunjin’s house.
Changbin was yelling in excitement because Tottenham had just scored. Chan sat next to him, absorbed in Genshin Impact.
“Don’t you think Haengbok is just like Seungmin? I mean, the way she understands abstract stuff and thinks more deeply than her age,” Hyunjin asked while lying beside Jisung with a face mask on.
Jisung paused his report, thought for a moment, then replied:
“I actually think she’s more like Minhwa—so young, yet totally fearless.”
That night, as Seungmin and Minhwa were about to read Haengbok her usual bedtime comic, she suddenly asked:
“Dad, Mom, do you love me?”
“Silly girl, if we didn’t love our own daughter, who would we love?” Minhwa scolded her gently.
“Then… do you love each other as much as you love me?”
“...”
Seungmin and Minhwa looked at each other and smiled.
“Haengbok, look in the mirror.”
Seungmin picked up the chick-shaped vanity mirror from her bedside table and held it up.
“Whose big round eyes do you think you got?”
“Wait, give me a second.”
Haengbok jumped out of bed, grabbed the family photo, and studied it carefully.
Hmm. No matter how she looked, she was a spitting image of Minhwa.
“I look the most like Mom!”
Seungmin winked at her.
“Do you understand what Daddy means?”
“...You mean… because you love me, and I look like Mom, you love Mom too?”
“Smart girl. That’s my daughter.” He ruffled her hair, praising her.
“But wait… today is April Fool’s. Dad, you’re tricking me, aren’t you?”
“No, sweetheart. This is the truth.” Minhwa pinched her daughter’s nose.
“Because Mom feels the same way as Dad.”
“Really?”
Haengbok asked, and her mother nodded.
Her joy was boundless. She jumped up, stretched her arms wide, and pulled her parents close into a hug.
“But Haengbok, who was that boy you were with earlier? Did he hurt you?” Minhwa asked.
At her mother’s words, the memory of “Unemployed Lee” from earlier came rushing back.
They had gone to STAY Hospital together. When Haengbok was about to wave goodbye, Lee suddenly called out:
“Hey kid, do you even know how much a DNA test costs?”
“I do.”
Her steady gaze showed no hint of lying.
“Do you even have enough money?”
“I brought my piggy bank and my allowance.”
“...”
Lee sighed, crouching down to her eye level and placing his hands on her shoulders.
“Listen, even if you had lots of savings, a kid your age can’t just walk into a hospital and request an ADN test. That’s not how it works.”
“Tell me honestly—why do you want to do this?”
Haengbok bit her lip, hesitated, then answered:
“I… just want to know the truth.”
“...Show me your family photo.”
After looking it over and glancing at her closely, Lee almost doubted reality. The kid looked exactly like her parents, so how could she still question it?
“If you can’t do this test, you won’t go home, will you?”
“I…”
“Sigh.”
Lee had lost count of how many times he sighed that day.
“Well, I’ve got nothing better to do anyway. Guess I’ll be a nice guy and help you out.”
He took her hand and led her into the hospital.
“Here’s a little secret—not really a secret though. I’m kind of a regular here.”
“You mean you get injured a lot?” Haengbok tilted her head.
Lee burst out laughing.
“Why don’t you think of something more positive?”
Then, without waiting, he revealed, “Actually, I have a friend who works here.”
Pulling out his phone, he dialed a number and put it on speaker.
“Yang, long time no see. Heard that surgeon from our Bbangbbang Clinic got transferred to STAY Hospital, right?”
“Thanks, Mr. Lee.” Haengbok mumbled, shoving her yellow piggy bank into his hands, though reluctantly.
He blinked in surprise, then pushed it back to her.
“Keep it. Even if you smashed this piggy bank open, it wouldn’t be enough to repay me anyway.”
Then he flagged down a bus, and before she knew it, he was leading her aboard.
Helping meant seeing it through. No way he could leave a child to go home alone.
“Listen kid, don’t ever do this kind of thing again, got it? You’re lucky you ran into me today.” He scolded gently.
When they got off, he added, “I think maybe your parents just show love differently. Doesn’t mean they don’t love each other.”
“...”
“Look, every love has its problems—arguments, disagreements, that’s normal. Nobody’s perfect. But love means accepting the flaws too.”
“Each couple has their own flavor of love. Just because they don’t show it openly doesn’t mean it isn’t real.”
Haengbok stayed quiet, simply listening the whole way.
Soon, they reached her familiar home.
“How about a goodbye hug?” Lee opened his arms.
The moment she hugged him, he ruffled her hair until it was a complete mess.
“Yang Haengbok, may your life always live up to your name.”
“Goodbye. Who knows, maybe fate will bring us together again.”
He turned to leave, but she grabbed his sleeve.
“Mr. Lee, promise you’ll find a job, okay?”
“Can’t say for sure.”
Haengbok pouted, disappointed.
He chuckled at her expression.
“...But I’ll think carefully about your advice.”
He stood there, waiting until she was safely inside before finally leaving.
“He’s… a good friend of mine,” Haengbok said softly.
“Dad, Mom, sleep with me tonight, pleaseee,” she begged.
Knowing their daughter’s stubbornness, Seungmin and Minhwa gave in.
When Haengbok drifted off peacefully in their arms, Seungmin whispered:
“Yeobo, even if one day we stopped loving each other, I’d never cheat.”
Minhwa smiled faintly.
“Good. If you did, I’d send you straight to heaven.”
“Oh no, then Haengbok would lose her dad! I can’t let that happen!” Seungmin gasped dramatically.
“So just behave and stay my family’s son-in-law. You’re stuck with me for life.”
This time, when they laced their fingers together, it was even tighter than before.
“Actually, if I ever wronged you, I wouldn’t even get the chance—Yeni and your parents would’ve finished me off long before.”
“True enough.”
After a pause, Seungmin continued softly:
“I studied social sciences, but somehow I could never say fancy words or display affection openly like my brother or other guys.”
“But like I told you back then, you don’t need to change to be like anyone else. What I love is your strength, your courage. Seungmin loves Minhwa because you’re you.”
“Wow, and you said you couldn’t speak sweet words,” Minhwa teased.
“Is it just the Yang family who are naturally smooth talkers?”
“No, we just have a tradition of loyalty.”
Both of them laughed quietly.
After a moment of silence, Minhwa asked:
“Seungmin, are you asleep?”
No answer—he seemed to have drifted off.
“I always call you silly, and I once joked that I married you only for your money. But that’s not true.”
“My Seungmin is really a good husband, a good father.”
“And you don’t need to change either. You don’t need to become someone else for me. The person I’ve always… loved is the sharp-tongued Seungmin who always bickers back with me.”
“Oh gosh, why am I talking so much? You can’t even hear me.” Minhwa sighed.
But what she didn’t know was that Seungmin—“the one who couldn’t hear”—had actually caught every single word, and he smiled faintly in his sleep.
After Story
“If only I had brought an umbrella this morning…”
Yang Haengbok — a middle school student — was now deeply regretting her own forgetfulness.
Sleeping in was already bad enough. Forgetting breakfast was something she could let slide. But last night, while having dinner with her parents, she had clearly seen the weather forecast warning of heavy rain today. And yet, she still managed to forget to bring anything to keep herself dry.
The rain was coming down harder and harder, and Haengbok dashed into a nearby diner.
She looked up at the sign: “Leebit’s Kitchen” with the slogan, “Let’s eat well and live well.” Not a bad first impression.
And since she hadn’t eaten a thing all day, Haengbok didn’t hesitate to push the door open and step inside.
The place wasn’t very big, but it felt cozy and warm — probably because most of the décor leaned toward warm tones.
It was rush hour, but there weren’t too many customers. Maybe people were avoiding going out because of the heavy rain.
Haengbok pulled out a chair and sat down at a table.
Right away, she noticed the rabbit-shaped bell on the table.
A light press, and it rang out with a peculiar chime. Almost immediately, from behind a curtain at the back, a young man in a black polo and a white apron stepped out.
The closer he walked toward her, the more Haengbok couldn’t believe her own eyes.
She took a bold guess and called out:
“Lee… oppa?”
The young man paused briefly at the way she addressed him, then quickly smiled.
“Well, well. Someone’s improved. At least you’re addressing me properly now.”
“I’m fifteen already, about to graduate middle school. Stop calling me a kid.”
Haengbok shot him a glare.
But it seemed like he didn’t take that glare as any kind of threat, and instead kept teasing.
“Hey, didn’t you once say I was way older than you? If not ‘kid,’ then what should I call you? Little greenie? Oh, and what happened to that crazy dyed hair you used to have?”
Haengbok was fuming.
This guy… how could he remember everything like a leech that never let go??
“My name is Yang Haengbok, not some greenie or whatever. If you don’t call me properly, I’ll just have to call you Uncle Lee.”
“Such a temper. Fine, fine — Haengbok it is. But honestly, doesn’t ‘kiddo’ sound cuter to you, Haengbokie?”
Lee softened his tone with a grin.
“That’s only true for old people like you. I don’t need it.”
Haengbok shot back without hesitation.
“Oh wow, a few years gone by and your mouth’s gotten sharper.”
Lee muttered, though it didn’t sound like a compliment.
“Thanks, I learned from you.”
Haengbok shrugged, refusing to back down.
Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she asked:
“So… are you here to eat too?”
“Do I look like a customer to you?”
Still the same infuriating way of speaking.
“Not really. So… you’re the owner of this place? Or just staff?”
“Why don’t you guess?”
Haengbok had to restrain herself from unleashing some Taekwondo moves — the same ones she had recently used to defeat an opponent as a black belt — on this infuriating guy.
“Are you here by yourself?”
“Nope. There are two others.”
Just as he mentioned it, the sound of a loud voice came from the entrance.
“Hey, brat! How many times has your hyung had to go run errands for you because you keep under-ordering ingredients?!”
The man who walked in first, according to Lee’s introduction, was Bang — a former barista who used to work at a café, but now joined this diner under the promise of higher pay.
“Down with the boss! Boo! Boo! A boss who forgets everything!” shouted the second guy, apparently another Lee — though only a “brother in life,” not by blood. He worked as the sous-chef, specializing in brownies, which were one of the diner’s signature dishes.
Lee gave a not-quite-smiling reply:
“Do you want me to ‘forget’ your salary too?”
Just then, Haengbok’s phone buzzed.
“Hello? Haengbokie, where are you? It’s pouring outside. Did you bring an umbrella? Changbin-hyung’s busy, so I’ll come pick you up.”
“Chan-oppa, it’s fine. The rain’s about to stop anyway. And besides, I borrowed an umbrella.”
Haengbok said, then quickly stood up and grabbed a random umbrella sitting near the entrance.
“Make sure you don’t go bankrupt before I come back to eat here, okay, Lee-oppa?”
She waved at him, slung her backpack over her shoulder, and ran back out into the rain.
“Unemployed Lee” — no, now it should be “Boss Lee” — called out helplessly after her:
“You brat, don’t jinx me! And don’t forget to return my umbrella!”