The Peaceful Everyday I've Finally Obtained
……………
[But why!? Why are you abandoning me!? We promised! Liar!]
"……Sol-ah, you know what you did."
[――!]
Han Sol's excited, rampaging voice cut off for a moment.
"You went to her place, smashed the door down, and barged in."
That day, Yeom Hana must have faced Han Sol kicking the door open with a face full of terror.
And according to Yeom Hana, Han Sol had targeted her stomach specifically, beating it relentlessly.
Assault was a crime, but what Han Sol did that day had clearly crossed the line.
"――And then you attacked Yeom Hana's stomach, trying to cause a miscarriage."
[Th-that's……! I had no choice. Yeah, it was to protect our family! That woman was trying to tear us apart!]
"No, what you did was attempted murder. You don't need to study law to know that's basic common sense. You tried to kill someone."
[Dad……!]
"It doesn't have a name yet, but the thing in Yeom Hana's belly is my child."
Silence.
"Sol-ah, I've thought of you as my daughter. I still do. My feelings for you haven't changed."
[Then――]
"But I can't forgive what you did."
Did she instinctively sense what I was about to say next, or had she finally realized she'd crossed the line where forgiveness was impossible? Sobs echoed from the other end of the line.
[Dad…… I was wrong.]
A voice mixed with tears. Muffled pronunciation like her nose was stuffed up.
[It was a mistake. I won't do it again. Okay? I won't even go near that woman.]
"Sol-ah."
[So come back. Please. What am I supposed to do without you, Dad?]
"Live."
[Huh?]
"Live your life. You can do it without me."
[I can't. I'll die without you, Dad. For real.]
It was a threat I'd grown used to by now. At first, it shook me so hard my heart felt like it would leap out of my chest. Seeing the scars on Han Sol's wrists filled me with guilt.
But now, that threat no longer chained me down.
"……Sol-ah."
[Y-yes, Dad.]
"If you die……and leave me with a wound I can never erase."
I closed my eyes. This was the best I could say.
"Fine, I'll take it gladly."
[………!]
"If you die, I'll live in pain forever. I'll torment myself with guilt."
[Dad……!]
Han Sol's voice was dyed in fear. She could sense I wasn't just bluffing—that I was truly ready to cut her off.
[I'm sorry, I'm sorry!]
Her voice grew frantic, spilling out from the receiver.
[I won't threaten self-harm anymore. I was wrong. Daddy, Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!!]
In her desperation, even the way she called me changed. From "Dad" to "Daddy."
Back to the Han Sol from before the divorce, when she was still in elementary school.
My daughter. The daughter who called me Daddy.
Not a drop of blood connected us, but I'd raised her as my own and promised to protect her.
My chest ached.
But.
"I'm sorry. But I'm not coming back."
[Daddy! Daddy――!!]
Click.
I pressed the end call button. The screams from the receiver cut off instantly.
"Haaaaah……."
My legs gave out. I collapsed right there onto the sandy beach.
The cold sand pressed against my butt, but I had no energy to care.
No will to stand, either. I just sat there in a daze, staring blankly at the morning sea.
"……What a trashy thing to do."
Straddling three women, impregnating one, ditching everything to run away—and now breaking up over the phone.
I couldn't even imagine how much the goddesses were enjoying my pathetic display.
But even a trash like me had mouths to feed. Two of them, in fact.
So what choice did I have? I had to live.
Whoosh―― The waves rolled in.
The waves receded.
My heart was still racing, my hands still shaking.
But strangely, I felt lighter. Even the sound of the waves crashing felt upbeat.
Splash, splash.
"……Is it over?"
No, it wasn't over. I'd just tied up the loose ends.
My ties with Lee Jin-ah, with Han Sol.
I'd put a period on all of it.
I'd be lying if I said there were no regrets.
But I had to move forward. That was the path I'd chosen.
I turned my head and looked back.
A light was on in the minbak window. Yeom Hana must be awake.
"……Time to head back."
To the person I needed to return to.
To the responsibilities I'd chosen.
And to the future I'd sworn to protect.
I hauled my slumped body to its feet.
Pat, pat. I brushed the sand off my butt roughly.
I turned my steps toward the minbak where Yeom Hana was waiting.
Now, it was time for breakfast.
……………
After forcibly putting a period on the story by leaving Seoul, two months had passed.
Winter still hadn't ended.
My spur-of-the-moment plan to drive around the country after leaving the coastal highway fizzled out more pathetically than expected.
A bit sad, but neither Yeom Hana nor I knew how to splurge on fun.
Sightseeing gets old after a day or two.
Drifting aimlessly along the roads grew boring fast.
And watching my bank balance dwindle visibly brought on waves of anxiety.
Eventually, Yeom Hana brought it up first one day.
'Ajusshi, aren't you sick of traveling? I wanna stop now.'
So we compromised.
We'd drop anchor in this small coastal town.
10 million won deposit, 300,000 won monthly rent. Two rooms for that price—unthinkable in Seoul.
A bit shabby, but no complaints.
There was a roof, hot water, and most importantly, Yeom Hana.
"Hey! Han! Quit spacing out and haul that over here!"
"Yes, sir."
The section chief's bellow snapped me back to reality.
I gripped the handles of the box packed with frozen fish with both hands. At least 20kg.
And not just once or twice—I had to move them hourly.
This place? A seafood processing plant near the harbor.
Every day from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., I hauled frozen fish boxes, organized the warehouse, and sorted at the conveyor belt.
Real backbreaking labor.
The augmentation serum kept my stamina up—but
Crack.
"Ugh."
My knees and back screamed anyway.
If I'd been the desk-jockey office worker, I probably wouldn't have lasted a week before fleeing back to Seoul.
But I endured somehow. The strength and endurance I'd built rolling in the dirt during field training helped.
The southern coast's winter was definitely warmer than Seoul's.
But the sea wind pierced to the bone.
Even with two layers of long johns under my work clothes, the freezer rendered them useless.
The -20°C chill seeped into my lungs.
My fingertips went numb and pruned.
For all that dogged suffering, I earned about 150,000 won a day.
A full month got me around 3 million won.
Less than half what I made at the Special Security Management Bureau, but around here, that was decent.
Enough to save a bit while feeding two mouths in this rural spot.
Small town, but why rural? Anything outside Seoul is rural, right?
……Yeah.
……………
On the way home from work. I changed out of my work clothes into regular ones and trudged back.
Even after changing, the fishy stench wouldn't fade.
I'd have to scrub hard at home to get it off.
"The fish shop ajusshi look suits you."
I gave a wry smile and opened the front door.
Ding, ding, diring――
Guitar sounds drifted from inside.
Yeom Hana sat in the corner of the room, strumming her electric guitar.
No amp, so it sounded pretty weak and pathetic, honestly.
"Back?"
She flashed a goofy grin at me.
In the two months, Yeom Hana's body had changed noticeably.
14 weeks pregnant. Her lower belly poked out visibly under a t-shirt.
Anyone could tell she was expecting now.
My child was in there.
I still couldn't quite believe it.
"Yeah. You eat?"
"Nah, waited to eat with you, ajusshi."
Good girl.
I tossed her the shopping bag I'd hidden behind my back.
"Whasthis?"
"Picked it up on the way."
Yeom Hana opened the bag.
And a beat later.
"Pfft. What the hell is this!"
"What else? Maternity pants. You said your pants don't fit 'cause your belly's getting big."
"I get that, but."
Yeom Hana held up the pants wide.
Elastic waistband that wouldn't squeeze the belly, with insane stretchiness.
Bright, colorful floral patterns that were super eye-catching.
In other words…… country tracksuit pants.
"What is this!? Your fashion sense is trash!!"
"What. They said they were good for pregnant women, so I bought 'em."
"Even grannies don't wear this stuff anymore!"
Yeom Hana tossed the pants aside, bursting into laughter.
"Hey. 5,000 won for those."
"Just give me the 5,000 won! Peak ajusshi shopping right there."
"Then buy your own."
"Ugh, seriously. How am I supposed to go out in these?"
She grumbled, but she didn't seem displeased. She held them to her waist, checking herself out from every angle.
After dinner, we chatted about this and that.
"But ajusshi."
"Yeah."
"What're we naming the baby?"
A name. We didn't even know the gender yet.
"Dunno. Too early, right?"
"Nah, gotta think ahead."
Yeom Hana propped her chin, rolling her eyes like she was pondering deeply.
"I got one."
"What."
"Time."
"……Say what?"
"Han Sigan. Whaddya think?"
"Hey."
What nonsense was this.
"You're joking. Kid goes to school, gets bullied 100%. Might even change it later."
"Then how 'bout Stone Peak? Han Seokbong. Sounds cool."
"That's worse."
"Why? Isn't that from Thousand Character Classic?"
"Exactly why it's no."
Yeom Hana giggled and threw out more.
"Okay, then Jo. Han Jo. Waga teki-o――"
"Stop."
Yeom Hana pouted like she was disappointed.
"River, then? Han Kangmul. Nice, right?"
"Not even a little."
Honestly, Han Kangmul was the absolute worst. Sounded like someone who'd tanked their stocks hard.
"Aww~"
Was she serious or messing around? Probably both.
That was Yeom Hana for you.
"We'll think after the gender's confirmed."
"Yeah, got it."
Yeom Hana nodded and stroked her belly.
Boy or girl in there?
Didn't matter.
Just come out healthy. That's all.