DWAEJI GUKBAP (pork rice soup).
It was a soup especially popular in Busan that was made with pork, soy sauce, miso, rice wine, sesa oil, and bone broth.
So, of course, Wonyoung had to have it as soon as he arrived.
That was how he ended up in an old, famous family restaurant with Mr. Seo.
"Client-nim, I thought you’d want to see An Baekya as soon as you got here," Mr. Seo said, confused while watching Wonyoung enjoy his pork rice soup. "I didn’t expect you to line up for this restaurant first thing in the morning..."
Right?
"This restaurant is so famous that there’s always a line outside. But it’s worth it," Wonyoung said, giving Mr. Seo a thumbs up. "It’s my treat, so please eat to your heart’s content, sir."
Mr. Seo just blinked as if he were confused.
This good sir must be thinking that sothing is wrong with .
Ahem.
"To be honest, I’m stalling," Wonyoung admitted shyly. "I don’t know what to do once I see An Baekya."
"Why are you worrying about that already?" Mr. Seo asked politely. "Aren’t you here to check if the An Baekya I’ve found is the sa child you’re looking for?"
That was the problem.
I don’t know what An Baekya looks like since the Chained to You novel didn’t co with an illustration. Plus, he’s a child in this tiline.
"Client-nim, would you like to see An Baekya’s pictures first? I have a video, too."
"A video?"
"Yes, sir. After I was convinced that I had found the right An Baekya, I dug further until I stumbled upon a video featuring the child. It went semi-viral for a while."
"Oh. Then I’d like to see the video first."
"Very well."
Mr. Seo then handed his phone to Wonyoung.
And when he played the video.
First of all, Wonyoung was shocked when he saw how cute and charming An Baekya was.
This is the face of soone who is destined to be famous.
But he was pretty surprised to know that the kid was a mber of a theatre club already.
I thought the child’s childhood was only full of hardships and sadness?
Moreover...
An Baekya is a fan of Dujun Sunbae-nim?
Were those things ntioned in the novel?
And I just forgot about them?
Oh, wait.
Wonyoung felt a pang in his head, causing him to close his eyes.
And, as soon as he did, a line from the novel Chained to You flashed in his mind.
[Yun Yuhyun would always kiss the beauty marks under An Baekya’s left eye, like connecting constellations with his lips...]
Oh, right.
An Baekya’s beauty marks below his left eye were often ntioned in the novel.
"Client-nim, are you okay?"
"Yes, sir," Wonyoung answered politely before opening his eyes. "I just rembered sothing really important. Do you have an up-close picture of An Baekya?"
A clear, focused picture might help more.
Fortunately, Mr. Seo handed Wonyoung the kind of picture that he needed.
There they are.
Four moles.
An Baekya had four little moles under his left eye that could make the shape of a doodle of a sparkle.
Now Wonyoung’s gut feeling was screaming at him.
This kid is, indeed, the An Baekya I’m looking for.
***
"WE HAVE confird that Bae Wonyoung-nim is now headed to Somang Kindergarten with Mr. Seo, sir."
"How predictable," Yun Dujun said while looking outside the window. He was in the backseat of the car that Han Myung was driving. And, yes, they were already in Busan. "You already called the NSRC Busan Branch, didn’t you?"
He was talking about the National Shelter for the Rights of the Child (NSRC).
Since Busan was a major city, it had its own branch.
NSRC is the agency that oversees the Child Welfare Act, so they have control over the foster hos in the country.
"Yes, sir. We’ve already made the necessary arrangents in advance. Plus, everyone in the office has already signed an NDA. You can co to their branch without worrying about your visit getting leaked to the public or the reporters," Han Myung answered politely, his eyes glued to the road. "But, sir..."
"What? Just spill it."
"Are you really going to get custody of An Baekya?"
"You’ve read the report, haven’t you? The child is being abused by his family."
It was amusing.
Not the part where An Baekya was being abused by his family.
But the part where the child’s life story is similar to Bae Wonyoung.
Yun Dujun could see why Bae Wonyoung felt compelled to help An Baekya.
But I need to know how Bae Wonyoung knew about the child. He was asleep for five years. As soon as he woke up, he suddenly looked for An Baekya.
That was suspicious.
"Sir, I’m sorry to say this, but I don’t think you’re doing this just because you want to help the child," Han Myung said carefully. "I won’t ask why you’re doing this. Just please think this through. I can already see Bae Wonyoung-nim getting mad at you."
"You don’t have to worry about that," Yun Dujun said, scoffing. "I’m doing this for the sake of my family, and Bae Wonyoung will understand that later."
***
SOMANG KINDERGARTEN.
Wonyoung was finally headed to An Baekya’s school with Mr. Seo.
Somang Kindergarten was pretty isolated from the busy streets, and the roads were narrow. Hence, they had to walk.
It’s pretty quiet here.
Was it because it was still midday?
Kids were in school while office workers were, well, in the office.
But I like the silence—
"LET GO, YOU STUPID OLD MAN!"
Oh.
Wonyoung imdiately turned in the direction of where the loud voice ca from.
It sounds like a child’s voice.
And he was right.
A middle-aged man was carrying a little boy over his shoulder like a sack of rice, and the little boy was screaming and smacking the ahjussi’s back with his tiny hands.
Wait, that kid...
Mr. Seo, who was standing next to Wonyoung, let out a gasp. "Client-nim, I think that child is An Baekya."
I knew it!
Wonyoung didn’t waste ti and imdiately ran towards An Baekya, now ready to throw hands.
Not my future son-in-law, you kidnapper bastard!
***
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