Jin-woo closed his phone, the light from the screen fading as he looked toward the horizon.
"It's getting late," he said, his voice quiet. "We should probably head back to Gleam Tower."
Eun-soo nodded, feeling a bit of lingering sleepiness from the fresh air. "I agree. It's been a long, lovely morning."
As they drove back, the gentle motion of the car soon lulled Hajun into a deep sleep.
He leaned his small head against Eun-soo's arm, and she instinctively pulled him into a warm, protective embrace.
Jin-woo stole a glance at them in the rearview mirror and felt a strange, unfamiliar warmth spreading through his chest.
To break the comfortable silence, he spoke up. "You really have a way with children, Miss Eun-soo. You seem to genuinely love being around them."
Eun-soo looked down at the sleeping boy and smiled softly. "I do. I love their stories and playing the piano for them."
"Children are so pure," she continued. "They don't worry about the future; they just find joy in the smallest things right in front of them."
Jin-woo nodded, realizing that her passion for teaching wasn't just a job—it was who she was.
Curious about his world, Eun-soo asked, "But what about you, Mr. Jin-woo? How do you manage such a big company and still make time for Hajun?"
"I keep very strict boundaries," Jin-woo explained, his voice becoming more animated as he spoke of his systems.
"I have a two-shift staff rotation and my client agreements are all automated. Unless there's a major technical crisis, the weekends are mine."
Eun-soo listened intently, noticing how his eyes sparked with intelligence when he discussed his work.
It reminded her of her own father, a man who lived for his business, and how her mother would always listen to him with such patience.
She found herself watching his profile as he drove, caught in a daze of admiration.
"It really is true," she murmured to herself, barely audible. "A focused, hardworking man is the most handsome."
Jin-woo caught the sound of her voice but not the words. "Miss Eun-soo? Did you say something about the work?"
Eun-soo snapped out of her thoughts, her heart hammering. "Oh! No, nothing! Just... just thinking about the schedule."
The car finally pulled into the cool, dim basement of Gleam Tower and slid into its parking spot.
Jin-woo stepped out and, as always, walked around to open the door for Eun-soo.
"Thank you," she whispered, carefully stepping out while trying not to wake the heavy, sleeping boy in her arms.
"Let me take him," Jin-woo offered, reaching out. "He's getting too heavy for you to carry all the way to the lift."
Eun-soo handed him over, and they walked toward the elevator together, the atmosphere relaxed and friendly.
The lift doors chimed and opened at the ground floor lobby to let another passenger on.
A woman stepped in, radiating an aura of extreme wealth and refined elegance, her jewelry catching the overhead lights.
Eun-soo's heart stopped, and her eyes nearly popped out of her head as she recognized the woman.
"Mom?" Eun-soo gasped, her voice trembling with shock.
Shin-hye's eyes widened as she looked at her daughter, then at the oversized black men's coat draped over her shoulders.
Her gaze shifted to the handsome, sharp-looking man in the black t-shirt standing next to her, who was holding a sleeping child.
A whirlwind of scandalous thoughts raced through Shin-hye's mind: Is this her secret boyfriend? Is that my grandson? Did she hide a pregnancy from me?
Despite her internal panic, Shin-hye maintained her elite composure and turned toward Jin-woo first.
"Hello," she said, her voice smooth and calculating. "I am Eun-soo's mother."
Jin-woo, completely unaware of the family drama, gave a polite nod. "Hello. I am Hajun's guardian."
Shin-hye looked at the "cute boy" in his arms and felt a mix of confusion and relief. "I see. Guardian. How interesting."
She then turned to her daughter with eyes that demanded a thousand answers. "Eun-soo, dear, we need to talk."
"I know, Mom," Eun-soo replied, her face pale. "We'll talk at home. Please."
The elevator reached the 35th floor, and Jin-woo stepped out with the sleeping Hajun.
"It was a pleasure meeting you," he said to the mother, then turned to Eun-soo. "I'll see you Monday, Miss Eun-soo. Thank you for today."
As the doors closed, leaving Eun-soo alone with her mother, she knew the "simple life" she had built was about to get very complicated.