Episode 3. The Babies’ Star (1)
Kang Dae-oh had a fixed work routine.
His fixed pattern was to open the store and mark the start of the day with cleaning.
However, today, Kang Dae-oh was a bit different.
“······This is crazy.”
A while ago, a statement was announced that TwoSet store owners would collectively file a lawsuit against the headquarters.
Previously, whispers of dissatisfaction had been leaking from within, but as TwoSet’s festering issues were fully exposed to the public through the media, the store owners also unanimously decided to unite their efforts.
This is because if they missed this period when public attention was focused on TwoSet, they wouldn’t know when they could bring up this issue again on such a large scale.
As Kang Dae-oh skimmed through the articles, he realized a bitter laugh involuntarily escaped his lips.
“It would have been a disaster if it weren’t for our daughter.”
Unfair contracts were an issue, but.
The biggest problem was the decline in value and image of the TwoSet brand.
At some point, people began a boycott movement, urging others not to use TwoSet.
As a result, all stores operating under the TwoSet signboard fell into a swamp of declining sales.
The thought that he might have ended up in the same predicament as them due to one wrong judgment sent shivers down Kang Dae-oh’s spine.
‘I was saved thanks to Yera.’
Every time he came across news related to TwoSet, Kang Dae-oh felt like bowing to Kang Yera every morning.
Just as his gratitude towards Kang Yera was steadily growing today as well.
Someone visited the cafe.
“Honey. You haven’t cleaned yet?”
Min Seung-yeon, who appeared holding Kang Yera in a baby carrier, tilted her head, looking at her husband sitting idly.
Perhaps not expecting Min Seung-yeon to come at this hour, Kang Dae-oh quickly put his smartphone in his pocket.
It was because he didn’t want to seem like someone who was engrossed in a game and neglecting cleaning.
Kang Dae-oh’s worries soon became a reality.
Min Seung-yeon’s eyes narrowed.
“I sent you to diligently earn money for formula and diapers, but you were just slacking off by yourself.”
“Th-that’s not it. I was just reading some articles.”
“What articles? TwoSet?”
“Yeah. They said a class action lawsuit was filed today. The National Tax Service is also going to conduct a tax investigation targeting TwoSet soon.”
“It seems like a complete mess over there. On my way here, you know that TwoSet we went to last time? I checked it out, and they had taken down their signboard.”
“Because of the boycott. Business isn’t good. There’s no reason to keep the store open.”
Kang Dae-oh approached Kang Yera, the main character and benefactor who had helped him escape this crisis in advance.
“She’s sleeping?”
“Yeah. She was really excited about going out with mom until we left. But once we actually got out, she must have been tired, because she immediately fell asleep.”
Kang Dae-oh gently poked Kang Yera’s plump left cheek with the tip of his index finger.
The soft sensation of the baby’s cheek was conveyed directly through his fingertips.
Could this be happiness?
A smile naturally spread across Kang Dae-oh’s lips.
Min Seung-yeon, who had been quietly watching her doting father of a husband, warned him.
“Don’t bother her too much. What if she wakes up?”
“Then that would be good too.”
Kang Dae-oh had been bothered that he couldn’t properly say goodbye to Kang Yera in the morning due to being busy.
So, deep down, he also wished his daughter would wake up.
However, thinking that it would make things difficult for her mother, Kang Dae-oh, with a hint of regret, withdrew the finger that was poking the baby’s cheek.
“But honey. Why did you come here with the baby?”
“Why, of course. Today is Yera’s culture center registration day.”
“Ah, right. That was it.”
The culture center located inside a nearby large supermarket.
There were several classes there targeting infants and toddlers.
Kang Dae-oh hadn’t known about it at first.
Thanks to Min Seung-yeon, who found and told him about it after searching for things that might help with the baby’s emotional development, Kang Dae-oh also became aware.
“Can we attend the class right after registering? Surely, it’s not like so many people will flock there that we won’t be able to get in, right?”
“I’m not sure. I tried to find reviews for it, but there wasn’t much information online.”
“Hmm······ really?”
“Anyway, I’ll go register and come back. You work hard too. We need to earn money for our Yera’s culture center fees.”
Kang Dae-oh nodded vigorously as if to say, ‘Don’t worry.’
After his wife and daughter left.
Kang Dae-oh took out the smartphone he had put in his pocket and placed it on the wireless charger.
Kang Dae-oh, holding a mop instead of his smartphone, took a short deep breath.
“I shouldn’t just listen to my child, but also listen to my wife, right?”
Becoming a good husband and a good father was Kang Dae-oh’s goal.
To take another step towards this goal, he decided to diligently focus on cleaning today as well.
While Kang Dae-oh was busy preparing to open the store.
Min Seung-yeon headed to the large supermarket with the baby.
She showed her nervousness by checking her smartwatch multiple times.
“What if a lot of people flock there?”
Her impatience was evident in her quick footsteps.
However, unlike her nervous mother, Kang Yera was very relaxed.
She even showed a sense of leisure, yawning.
“Mmm-maa!”
Kang Yera, calling for her mom with clumsy pronunciation.
Min Seung-yeon paused for a moment and looked at Kang Yera.
“Oh, did you wake up?”
Nodding her head, Kang Yera reached out her hand and patted her mom’s collarbone area.
At this sight of the baby, Min Seung-yeon involuntarily smiled.
“Are you comforting Mommy, telling her not to be too nervous?”
Once again, Kang Yera’s small head moved up and down.
It was as if Kang Yera knew how many people would flock to the culture center.
Just as Dad said, not many people would flock there, so it was okay to go leisurely.
It felt as if she was saying this.
Nevertheless, Min Seung-yeon couldn’t easily shake off her nervousness.
Perhaps because she was a parent, she couldn’t easily feel at ease when it came to matters concerning her child.
However, upon arriving at the culture center, Min Seung-yeon finally realized that Kang Yera and Kang Dae-oh’s words were true.
It wasn’t a level where she needed to worry about people flocking or not.
“It’s really quiet here?”
Excluding Min Seung-yeon and Kang Yera, not a single other team was seen coming to register for the culture center class.
“Excuse me······.”
Min Seung-yeon cautiously spoke to the staff at the reception desk.
“I’m here to register for the infant and toddler class. For 3 to 5 and a half months.”
“What time slot?”
“The morning class, please.”
“Oh my, that’s a relief!”
At the staff’s words, Min Seung-yeon tilted her head slightly.
The staff member first apologized for speaking out of context, then explained why she had reacted that way.
“There were hardly any teams registered. There were only two teams. To keep the class running, at least three teams need to register. But just in time, you, ma’am, said you’d register, so we were barely able to keep it open.”
“It seems people don’t register much for that time slot?”
“Rather than a time slot issue, the infant and toddler classes themselves are simply decreasing a lot. You know, it’s even in the news, right? The birth rate problem.”
“Ah, I see.”
The declining birth rate, decreasing day by day, was also affecting culture centers.
“Since there’s still a lot of time left, won’t there be more people registering in addition to us?”
Min Seung-yeon tried to operate her ‘happiness circuit’ (optimistic thinking), but the answer she received wasn’t very hopeful.
“Most people who register for culture center classes do so within 3 to 4 days from the start of registration. Even if there’s time left, there probably won’t be anyone else wanting to take the class.”
“I see······ So when do the culture center classes start?”
“The first class is in two weeks, and the instructor will later ask you to deposit a separate fee for textbook preparation. You just need to deposit that.”
“Understood.”
As soon as Min Seung-yeon finished filling out the application form and left the culture center, she let out a deep sigh.
“Everything costs money, no matter what you do.”
The expenses incurred due to childcare are considerable.
Originally, Kang Dae-oh and Min Seung-yeon had thought about moving around this time.
However, thanks to the sudden arrival of their baby angel, Kang Yera, the couple, though regretful, decided to postpone their move.
Despite this, Min Seung-yeon was still happy.
Even if money was tight.
Even if they missed the timing for moving.
And even if a lot of their personal time disappeared.
Because she could see her daughter’s wide, radiant smile.
Just this alone made Min Seung-yeon feel like all the hardships she endured since morning were instantly rewarded.
Until the first culture center class. During the two weeks that passed, Kang Yera acquired yet another skill (?).
“Yera, Mom is here?”
Min Seung-yeon sat about a meter away, calling Kang Yera with her arms wide open.
Kang Yera, who had been wiggling her bottom back and forth while lying on her stomach, turned her body to look at her mom, then slowly began to crawl towards her.
An exclamation of admiration escaped Kang Dae-oh’s lips, who was filming the baby crawling from behind with his smartphone.
“Oh my. When did she start crawling like this?”
“Since the day before yesterday. How about that? Surprised?”
For the past few days, Kang Dae-oh had only managed to see his child’s face once before going to work and once after coming home.
Even one of those two times, Kang Yera was already asleep, so they didn’t even have a chance to interact.
That’s why he only now found out that Kang Yera had started crawling so steadily.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I wanted to surprise you.”
At his playful wife’s words, Kang Dae-oh let out a hearty laugh.
Meanwhile, Kang Yera, who had slowly crawled and nestled into her mom’s arms, showed a triumphant expression as if saying, ‘I did it!’
To her mom and dad, that sight looked infinitely proud and cute.
“Aigoo, so cute! My little princess, why were you born so cute, really!”
He wanted to keep hugging Kang Yera, but.
Time didn’t allow for it.
Kang Dae-oh pointed at his watch and asked Min Seung-yeon.
“Shouldn’t we start heading to the culture center class soon?”
“Right, that’s right! Honey, please pack the diapers and a baby bottle. Oh, and the pacifier too.”
“Okay, got it.”
Every time they went out with the baby, so many preparations like this were needed.
Moreover, today was the long-awaited first day of culture center class.
Min Seung-yeon expressed her worry while looking at Kang Yera, who had a pacifier in her mouth.
“Will our Yera be able to adapt well? What if she cries a lot because there are many strangers there?”
“Well. From what I see, she’ll adapt really well.”
“Why do you think so?”
“Hmm······.”
Kang Dae-oh had only one answer he could give to his wife, who asked for the reason.
“It’s just, what should I call it, a dad’s intuition.”
Considering Kang Yera’s behavior he had seen so far, the thought that she would adapt and even excel filled Kang Dae-oh’s mind.
