Chapter 206
Chapter 206
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 206
Chapter Title: Pink Pajama Surprise
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Having taken a cake to the face, I had to go wash up again.
Still...
I'm really lucky.
I came out wearing just my pants because I thought Yu-na was the only one home.
If I hadn't even had pants on...
Just thinking about it makes me dizzy.
This time, I properly got dressed before coming out and looked around. Cameras were everywhere—I had no idea when they were set up.
The dads clustered around Yu-na, who had a gloomy expression, comforting her, while the kids were already digging into the food.
Every time our eyes met, Ha-yul would blush and bow her head...
I let out a quiet sigh and headed over to where everyone was sitting.
"That just now wasn't Yu-na's fault."
"Right. Cakes are supposed to be smashed into the birthday boy's face anyway."
You guys have been through a lot...
I grabbed Jeong-su hyung's shoulder as he tried to comfort her with some weird rule he'd made up.
"Leave it to me now. You can all sit back and relax."
"Y-Yeah?"
Starting with Jeong-su hyung.
The dads slowly moved to empty seats, their faces full of worry.
Alright, then...
How should I cheer her up?
I sat down and looked at Yu-na, who had her head bowed.
"Yu-na, what's wrong? Because you threw cake at Daddy's face?"
"...Daddy, I'm sorry. I ruined your birthday cake."
Drip...
Drip...
I'd tried to lighten the mood with a joke and a smile, but tears started falling from Yu-na's little eyes.
She must really feel bad.
She won't even look me in the eye.
"Hmm, is it the cake that's the problem?"
"......"
"Daddy's fine, so don't blame yourself. If you're that sorry... will you do Daddy one favor?"
At the word "favor," her little head lifted. Her clear, teary eyes stared straight at me.
"...A favor?"
"It's Daddy's birthday, but if my daughter keeps crying, it won't be a happy one, right? I want you to smile brightly."
"......"
"And like I said... this wasn't your fault. Got it?"
"...Hee hee hee."
A bright smile appeared on Yu-na's gloomy face. Everyone watching let out a collective sigh of relief.
Only after Yu-na's mood lifted did my birthday party finally get underway.
'The first event is gift-giving.'
The gifts from kids Yu-na's age were paper flowers they'd folded and drawings that looked kind like me.
"Thanks. Seo-bin. Ra-hee."
The kids shyly accepted my thanks and hurried back to their seats.
"Next up... Ha-yul's turn?"
At Jeong-su's words, Ha-yul stood up hesitantly, holding a small bag.
Pat pat pat!
"U-Uncle! H-Here's your gift."
Ha-yul handed over the prettily wrapped present and bowed her head, face red.
"Can I open it now?"
Nod. Nod.
I carefully unwrapped it at Ha-yul's nods and checked the contents.
A very plain black tracksuit.
The fabric was soft and lighter than expected.
"...Huh? It's a tracksuit?"
"I heard you work out a lot... I saved up my allowance from Mom to buy it."
She's still so young...
Is it okay for me to accept this?
Hearing that she'd saved her allowance for my gift made me feel oddly guilty.
"Ha-yul's got great taste. Our Su-jin just thinks about spending her allowance, never saving it."
"Hey! I do save some!"
"So how much have you saved up so far?"
"Th-That's..."
As Su-jin clamped her mouth shut under Jeong-su hyung's heavy blow, I checked the tracksuit size and placed a hand on Ha-yul's head.
"Stay right here a sec."
"...Pardon?"
I dashed into an empty room, changed into the tracksuit, and came back out to the living room.
The dads looked me up and down and nodded.
"...Looks good. Suits you."
Kim Dae-ju, the shy one.
Once he praised it first, Kim Baek-hyun nodded in agreement.
"Ha-yul's got a great eye. Really well picked. Right, hyung?"
"Unlike our Su-jin."
"Hey! Dad! Why do you keep dragging me into this!"
While Jeong-su hyung bickered with Su-jin again, I got down to eye level with the bashful Ha-yul.
"Ha-yul, thanks. I'll wear it well."
"...Okay."
Right then.
Yu-na shot up, grabbed something, and ran over to me.
"Daddy! This is Yu-na's gift! Take it. It's prettier and better than Ha-yul's."
"......"
...Ah. Here it comes.
I stared at the gift in her tiny hand. A prettily wrapped package, just like Ha-yul's.
That thing was definitely inside.
'Pink women's pajamas.'
I took the gift and awkwardly smiled. Then, like with Ha-yul, I patted her head.
"My pretty girl. Thanks for the gift."
"...Aren't you gonna open it now?"
Flinch! My body twitched.
The sharpest one, An Jeong-su, smirked and spoke up.
"Jun-seo, it's from your daughter. You gotta open it right away. Come on, open it."
"Ah..."
"Or what, you don't like a gift from your own daughter?"
"Daddy... really?"
With a sense of resignation, I carefully unwrapped the package I'd just received.
Rustle. Rustle.
As the wrapping came off...
Very gradually.
A flashy pink shape started to reveal itself.
A little later.
Once the wrapping was fully off.
"Puhahaha!"
"Ahaha!"
"...Pfft!"
Laughter erupted around me.
"Hee hee hee. What do you think, Daddy? Isn't it really pretty? Yu-na picked it out herself."
"...Uh? Y-Yeah, I like it. Thanks."
"Then aren't you gonna try on Yu-na's gift? It'd look reaaaally good on you, Daddy."
"Yeah, right. If it's for the girl who gave it, you gotta try it on. Isn't that right, Baek-hyun? You think so too?"
"Yeah. Who knows? It might suit Jun-seo perfectly. So like Jeong-su hyung says, close your eyes and try it on for Yu-na."
"I-I agree."
Even shy Kim Dae-ju jumped in to tease me.
'No need for that...'
No helping it now.
Even if I become the butt of the joke, I'll grit my teeth and bear it...
"...Got it. Yu-na? Daddy'll put it on and come back, so wait just a bit."
"Hee hee hee. Okay!"
Leaving the now-cheerful Yu-na behind, I went back to the empty room and sighed deeply at the pajamas in my hand.
"...Guess I'll try it on."
Flop! As I unfolded the pajamas, something fell to the floor. Scribbled on the paper in ugly handwriting.
What the heck is this?
I picked up the paper and burst out laughing.
"Pfft...!"
[Five Single-Use Wish Coupons.][Five Single-Use Massage Coupons.] Sorry, but... Out of all the gifts so far, these coupons are my favorite. 'So this was the real gift?' I set the best gift on the bed for now and quickly changed into the pajamas. With how good I feel right now, even if I become everyone's laughingstock, I can laugh it off with them. Yeah. Good. Time to go out. Bang! I strode out confidently in the pink pajamas, and everyone burst out holding their stomachs like they'd been waiting.
I endured in my very feminine pajamas and successfully wrapped up the birthday party shoot.
All the cameras were collected.
The dads took their kids and left, leaving only Yu-na, blissfully asleep, and Ha-yul, waiting for her mom.
'Just the two of us feels awkward...'
I carefully sat next to Ha-yul, who was primly on the sofa, just swinging her legs.
I spoke up to break the awkwardness.
"...Your mom and dad said they'd be right over?"
"I heard you call Mom on your phone earlier. She said they'd come right away. Probably soon."
Silence fell again.
A bit later.
Ha-yul broke the silence first.
"But... do you really like the black tracksuit I got you?"
"Of course. You think I'd lie for the cameras?"
"Phew. Good..."
"That was bugging you that much?"
"Yeah... a little."
"Oh, right. Good job on the shoot today. I was worried you'd feel like an outsider since you don't have a 'Daddy, I love you!' family. But you didn't let it get to you at all."
"...The uncles looked after me first, so it felt okay."
I smiled at Ha-yul's very mature demeanor, unlike Yu-na.
"...Ha-yul? Take good care of our Yu-na at school and acting academy too."
"Don't worry. Yu-na's my one and only friend."
Right then.
Ding dong!
At the doorbell, Ha-yul and I stood up together.
"Mom must be here."
"Looks like it."
I checked the intercom. Yoon Si-won and Lee Jong-min's faces appeared.
"Yup. Ha-yul, I'll go down with you. Let's go."
"Ah, I can go alone..."
"It's night. Going alone could be dangerous. Listen to Uncle."
"Uncle, no way... like that...?"
"Ah! Hold on. Ha-yul."
I glanced at Yu-na's bedroom where she was sleeping, then tightly grabbed Ha-yul's hand.
"Come on, let's go down."
"...Okay."
We took the elevator down.
As soon as we met Ha-yul's family, I bowed my head.
"Hello."
"...Pfft! H-Hello."
I looked up at the burst of laughter, sensing something off. She smiled brightly, back to her usual self, and spoke.
"How was the shoot today? Our Ha-yul didn't cause any trouble?"
"Not at all. She did great."
Yoon Si-won ended her question there and turned away, shoulders shaking.
What?
"...Mom, Dad. Let's go."
Ha-yul's actions felt somehow unnatural. Like she wanted to leave quickly?
Am I being oversensitive?
Yoon Si-won looked straight at me again and held something out.
"Th-This is from us... an early birthday gift for you, Jun-seo. Since your birthday's Monday... Pfft!"
"Ahem!"
Lee Jong-min, who'd been quietly watching, cleared his throat and spoke softly.
"That pajamas... really suits you."
"Ah, Dad! How could you say that!"
"......!"
Lee Jong-min's words made me realize I was still in feminine pajamas.
'I came outside like this?'
My face burned red instantly.
Oblivious to my plight.
Yoon Si-won clutched her stomach and laughed loudly.
"Ahaha. You really wore it. I'd been curious since Yu-na picked those pajamas at the department store what you'd look like..."
"Honey, laughing that hard is rude. No matter how funny Jun-seo looks right now, you gotta hold it in."
"......"
"When will the episode we filmed today air? I'll make sure to watch it live."
I wanted to cry inside as I answered.
"...In two weeks."