Episode 12. The Third Princess (3)
As soon as they exited the tollgate, Kang Dae-oh immediately turned the steering wheel towards Kang Yebin’s daycare.
This was because he planned to pick up his second daughter first, and then go to pick up Kang Yera.
Also, the daycare was closer in terms of distance.
“We’re almost there, aren’t we?”
“Yeah. Just a left turn.”
Min Seung-yeon fixed her gaze on the daycare visible through the window.
Kang Dae-oh parked the car and headed to the daycare with Min Seung-yeon.
Just then, the daycare teacher who was playing with Kang Yebin let out a short exclamation of ‘Oh my!’ as she saw the two of them.
“Mom and Dad came together today, didn’t they?”
Before the two could answer ‘Yes’.
Their other daughter, Kang Yera, who had been hiding behind the teacher, appeared with her own sound effect ‘Ta-da!’
Kang Dae-oh and Min Seung-yeon were greatly surprised.
“Yera, why are you here…?”
“Weren’t you at kindergarten?”
They were going to take care of Kang Yebin first, and then pick up Kang Yera.
They never dreamed that Kang Yera would be here.
Kang Yera let out a short laugh and said.
“Anyway, kindergarten and here are close in distance. Dad doesn’t need to bother driving back and forth. So I just came here myself.”
“How did you come alone? The teachers wouldn’t have let you go home by yourself.”
“There’s always a way.”
Kang Dae-oh couldn’t even guess what trick she had used.
At first, the daycare teacher was just as flustered as Kang Dae-oh and Min Seung-yeon.
But thanks to knowing Kang Yera’s profound thoughts, as she had just explained, the teacher decided to keep her there for a while.
“Yebin has a really good unnie. Her thoughts are so mature… I was surprised when Yera came here after a long time.”
This daycare was a familiar place for Kang Yera, as she had attended it before.
And the teachers were also familiar.
“Thank you for taking care of Yera too, teacher.”
“No problem. I was happy to see Yera after a long time. Yera, come visit again later. Okay?”
Kang Yera answered energetically, ‘Yes!’
All the teachers working at the daycare thought highly of Kang Yera.
This was because she had never complained and was a child who listened very well to the teachers.
She even took on the role of comforting crying children on behalf of the teachers.
Because of this, Kang Yera’s evaluation couldn’t help but be good.
Min Seung-yeon stroked Kang Yera’s hair.
And then she said to Kang Yebin.
“Unnie must have come to the daycare because she was worried about our Yebin. Unnie is so kind, isn’t she?”
Kang Yebin instantly glared at Kang Yera.
Kang Yebin’s mouth twitched as if she wanted to say something, but she quickly changed her expression 180 degrees and wore a bright smile on her lips.
“Yes, Mom. Unnie is the best.”
At this moment, Kang Dae-oh thought to himself.
‘A top actress is certainly different.’
The moment they got into the car, Kang Yera suddenly started sniffing, moving her nose like a small puppy.
“A smell I don’t usually smell in Dad’s car…”
“Ah, that’s because Dad bought and installed an air freshener before coming here.”
“Why suddenly?”
“No, well. Just…”
There was a reason, but Kang Dae-oh couldn’t bring himself to explain it in front of his two daughters.
Because it contained content that shouldn’t be heard by anyone under 18.
As Kang Dae-oh equivocated, Kang Yebin suddenly reached out a finger and lowered the window.
Min Seung-yeon, who was watching Kang Yebin’s actions, tilted her head.
“Yebin. What’s wrong? Is it because you don’t like the air freshener smell?”
“No. It feels like the temperature inside the car has gotten hot.”
“……”
Min Seung-yeon’s face rapidly turned red at her second daughter’s words, which carried a subtle nuance.
Perhaps thanks to her sister’s remark, Kang Yera also began fanning herself with her hand.
“The weather is really hot these days. It’s hot, it’s hot~”
“……”
Kang Dae-oh silently increased the fan speed of the air conditioner.
At the same time, a bitter smile spread across his face.
His daughters are too quick-witted, that’s the problem.
Finally, the moment Kang Dae-oh had worked so hard to prepare for arrived.
It was the day the new store, which was to be relocated and expanded, opened its doors for the first time.
Countless people participated in the ‘open run’.
After spending hectic days.
A few days later, Kang Dae-oh’s long-time regulars also visited the store.
“Boss Kang!”
“We’re here, Dae-oh.”
The laundromat owner and Oh Myung-woon entered the store side by side, getting along well.
Kang Dae-oh pointed to the table he had just cleared, saying they had come at a perfect time.
“There’s just one seat left here, so please come and sit down.”
“Oh, lucky us?”
Following Kang Dae-oh’s suggestion, the two took seats at the table.
“Wow, there are a lot of people.”
“Indeed. Business is good, isn’t it? There was even a queue outside.”
“That’s right. We also waited and barely got in.”
Kang Dae-oh asked them in a tone that implied, ‘Why did you do that?’
“You should have told me. Then I would have kept a seat open for you.”
“If we get special treatment just because we’re acquaintances, what would the customers who came to the cafe think?”
Oh Myung-woon also nodded as if agreeing with the laundromat owner’s words.
“That’s right. The first impression between people is very important, isn’t it? It’s the same for a store, isn’t it? To make a good first impression on customers, it’s best to avoid showing special treatment for acquaintances as much as possible.”
When you work as a self-employed person, there are many people who pick fights over all sorts of things.
There are even people who immediately start swearing just because they asked in English and weren’t answered in English.
There will definitely be people who look unfavorably on special treatment for acquaintances.
Since the laundromat owner and Oh Myung-woon were also self-employed like Kang Dae-oh, they knew these things very well.
Kang Dae-oh was deeply moved by their consideration.
But it wasn’t over yet.
“Here, this.”
Oh Myung-woon handed something to Kang Dae-oh.
It was a small gift box.
“What is this again? An opening gift? You already gave that yesterday.”
A few decorative items made for interior design were placed near the entrance.
Those were the opening gifts prepared by Oh Myung-woon and the laundromat owner.
But now they were trying to give him another gift today. Kang Dae-oh couldn’t help but tilt his head.
“It’s your birthday today.”
At the mention of a birthday, Lee Seo-jun, who was busy moving around, was surprised.
“Oh? Boss! Was it your birthday today?”
“Uh… yes, it is.”
“Why didn’t you tell us! If I had known, I would have prepared a gift too.”
“I deliberately didn’t say anything because of that.”
Kang Dae-oh didn’t want to burden his acquaintances just because it was his birthday.
Oh Myung-woon pointed out that Kang Dae-oh’s attitude was excessive consideration.
“It’s a day you get celebrated only once a year. What’s so burdensome about that? Isn’t that right, Boss?”
“Myung-woon is right. If it’s your birthday, you should naturally be congratulated.”
With them saying this much, Kang Dae-oh couldn’t refuse the gift they offered.
“Smartwatches are popular these days, so Myung-yoon and I pooled our money and bought one.”
“Thank you. I’ll wear it well.”
Kang Dae-oh immediately put on the smartwatch, which was filled with the sincerity of the two men.
Although there were several additional settings to configure.
Store work was so busy right now that he had to postpone it until later.
“When you go home, eat something delicious with your daughters and wife.”
“I will. Speaking of which, Seung-yeon just contacted me saying she prepared a gift today.”
“What kind of gift is it?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t heard that yet.”
It seemed like a surprise gift, as Min Seung-yeon sent a text message full of lingering anticipation, telling him to check the contents once he got home.
In a word.
“It means ‘come home early today’.”
Oh Myung-woon pointed out precisely.
Kang Dae-oh thought the same as his friend.
Anyway, it seemed like the ingredients would run out early due to the influx of customers.
“I should head home early today.”
Birthday with family.
He decided to spend it that way.
After finishing closing, Kang Dae-oh got into his car and headed straight home.
After finally finding a parking spot, he slowly climbed the stairs leading to his house.
Before opening the door.
From inside, he heard the sound of small footsteps, ‘Da-da-da-da!’
He immediately recognized them as Kang Yera and Kang Yebin’s footsteps.
“Dad’s here, Dad!”
“Shh! Unnie, be quiet! Dad will hear us!”
“It’s okay, he can’t hear.”
Kang Dae-oh conveyed a silent thought to his unsuspecting eldest daughter that she couldn’t possibly hear.
‘Sorry, but I can hear everything.’
Because the house was so old, the soundproofing wasn’t properly done, so whatever was said inside often leaked outside.
He never imagined that it would be helpful in a situation like this.
‘It looks like they’re trying to do something right when I arrive.’
Kang Dae-oh was often told by his friends that he was quick-witted.
He had already expected them to prepare such a surprise show from the moment Min Seung-yeon sent the text about expecting a gift.
Although he knew everything.
‘For the kids’ sake, I should probably pretend to be fooled, right?’
However, he couldn’t guarantee whether he could fool Kang Yebin, a professional at acting.
Kang Dae-oh intentionally made a loud presence to give the children ample time.
“Ahem! Ah, I’m tired. I should go home.”
He even uttered a monologue he wouldn’t normally say, and very slowly pressed the number pad on the lock.
Beep, beep, beep, beep, beeeep!
The moment he grabbed the doorknob and opened the front door, along with the sound of the lock opening.
Pop! Bang!
His two daughters, who had been huddled together, waiting by the front door, set off small party poppers that came with the birthday cake.
“Happy Birthday, Dad!”
“Congratulations!”
At his two daughters’ cute congratulatory words, Kang Dae-oh wore a satisfied smile on his lips.
“Thank you, my princesses.”
Even though he was tired, looking at his two children made strength he didn’t know he had surge within him.
He stretched out his left and right arms and simultaneously embraced both children on each side.
A feeling of happiness, as if he had the whole world, embraced him.
“Where’s Mom?”
At the word “Mom,” both daughters simultaneously exchanged meaningful smiles.
“Mom!”
“Dad’s looking for you—!”
Kang Dae-oh couldn’t understand why his two children were reacting this way.
Meanwhile.
Min Seung-yeon, who was in the master bedroom, asked Kang Dae-oh with an awkward expression.
“You, you’re here?”
“Yeah. But what happened?”
“Nothing… No, not nothing. There is something, but…”
Her words were full of ambiguity.
Then Kang Yera urged Min Seung-yeon.
“Mom, hurry.”
“Ah, okay. Ugh, really…”
A moment later.
Min Seung-yeon took something out.
“This… is my gift.”
The moment he confirmed the contents of the gift.
Kang Dae-oh felt a shock as if he had been hit.
What Min Seung-yeon handed him was.
A pregnancy test kit.
And it had two clear lines.
‘This gift… I didn’t expect this.’
He never knew having a third child would be this easy.
