Chapter 10: A Revelation

Seo-woo quickened his pace as he followed Ha-neul down the hallway, but he suddenly noticed Seo-jun exiting the bathroom. His eldest son caught sight of him and waved.

"Dad! What are you doing here? I thought you were going home after resolving my brothers' fight," Seo-jun said, tilting his head curiously.

Seo-woo smiled at his son and walked over to him. "I did take care of that. Seo-min and Seo-jin are back in the classroom with Jae-hoon, and everything is fine now. But I'm heading to the school infirmary to check on a boy I found outside. He was lost, crying, and even injured. I brought him here to make sure he's alright."

Seo-jun's expression shifted slightly, and he crossed his arms. "Another boy?"

"Yes," Seo-woo replied. "His name is Ha-neul. He doesn't go to your school, though. He was trying to find his way here and got separated from his guardian."

Seo-jun frowned, feeling a pang of jealousy that he didn't quite understand. "Dad, can I come with you?"

Seo-woo blinked in surprise. "Why? Are you feeling okay?"

Seo-jun nodded, then suddenly clutched his stomach and groaned. "Ugh... my tummy hurts..."

Seo-woo immediately crouched to his level, concern etched across his face. "Seo-jun, are you alright? Did you eat something bad? Maybe you need to lie down."

Without waiting for a reply, Seo-woo scooped his son into his arms. Seo-jun buried his face in his father's shoulder, hiding the sly smile spreading across his lips.

"I'll take you to the infirmary too," Seo-woo said, his voice laced with worry. "Just hold on tight, okay? Let's make sure you're alright."

Seo-jun didn't answer, keeping his face pressed into his father's shoulder as they walked down the hall. His little heart swelled with happiness, feeling his father's strong arms holding him and hearing the genuine concern in his voice.

As they approached the infirmary, Seo-jun peeked out from his father's shoulder and glanced at the doorway. He caught a glimpse of Ha-neul sitting on the bed inside, swinging his legs as the school nurse cleaned the scrape on his knee. Seo-jun frowned slightly, feeling a twinge of guilt for pretending to be sick just to have his father's attention.

Seo-woo entered the infirmary and gently set Seo-jun down on a chair. "Wait here for a moment. I'll ask the nurse to check on you after she finishes with Ha-neul."

Seo-jun nodded quietly, his earlier jealousy fading as he watched his father kneel down to speak to Ha-neul. Seo-woo's voice was gentle, his hands steady as he placed a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Ha-neul, how are you feeling? Does your knee still hurt?" Seo-woo asked.

The little boy looked up at him with wide eyes, shaking his head shyly. "It's better now... The nurse said it's just a small scratch."

"That's good to hear," Seo-woo said, smiling warmly. "You're a brave boy, Ha-neul."

Seo-jun's chest tightened as he realized that his father's kindness wasn't just reserved for him and his brothers. His dad was simply someone who cared deeply for others, and that made Seo-jun feel both proud and a little guilty for his earlier behavior.

"Dad," Seo-jun said softly, catching Seo-woo's attention.

Seo-woo turned to him, concern flashing in his eyes again. "Yes, Seo-jun? Does your stomach still hurt?"

Seo-jun hesitated, then shook his head. "It's... it's fine now. I think I just needed to sit down for a bit."

Seo-woo sighed in relief, ruffling his son's hair. "That's good to hear. You had me worried for a moment there."

Seo-jun managed a sheepish smile, feeling a mix of love and guilt for his little act. He decided to keep quiet about it for now, simply enjoying the moment of being by his father's side.

Seo-woo's expression softened as he knelt in front of Ha-neul. "Ha-neul, why did you run away from me earlier? It was like you saw a ghost."

Ha-neul hesitated, his little fingers fidgeting nervously with the hem of his shirt. His wide eyes darted around the room, landing on Seo-jun, the doctor, and finally back on Seo-woo. After taking a deep breath, he mustered up the courage to ask, "Are you... Ryu Seo-woo? The singer?"

Seo-woo blinked in surprise but nodded. "...Yes, that's me."

The school doctor, who had been silently observing, gasped audibly. "Wait... you're Ryu Seo-woo?!" he added, "Wait... I'm confused. If I remember correctly, Seo-jun called you Dad so it means you are the father of the triplets. Oh my god!"

Seo-woo turned toward the doctor, slightly confused by his reaction. The doctor's face went through a whirlwind of emotions—shock, disbelief, and a hint of disdain.

"I can't believe that you are already a father," the doctor muttered, shaking his head. "And I used to think you were the reason Jin Yu-jin had so many setbacks in his career. The rumors said you snatched all the company's resources for yourself. But..." He glanced at Seo-woo's gentle demeanor and the way he comforted Ha-neul. "Maybe I've been too quick to judge."

Seo-woo didn't reply, choosing instead to focus on Ha-neul, who suddenly burst into tears.

"I'm sorry!" Ha-neul wailed, his small hands clutching Seo-woo's sleeves.

The room fell silent, save for the boy's sobs. Seo-woo looked at him with wide eyes. "Sorry? Ha-neul, why are you apologizing?"

Ha-neul sniffled, his words tumbling out between sobs. "It's... it's my fault your voice got damaged!"

Seo-woo froze, and so did everyone else in the room. The doctor stared at Ha-neul with his mouth agape, and Seo-jun's eyes widened in disbelief.

"What do you mean?" Seo-woo asked gently, though his voice was laced with confusion.

Ha-neul wiped his tears with the back of his hand and explained, his voice trembling. "It's because of me... My uncle was too busy because of you, and I was upset. I wanted him to play with me every day, but he always said he had to work with you. One day, a man overheard me complaining. He told me, 'If you want your uncle to have more time for you, just put this on Seo-woo's table in his tent outside the company.'

Seo-jun, who had been quietly listening, clenched his fists. "What did you put on my dad's table?"

Ha-neul's voice wavered as he replied, "He said it was a juice powder. He told me that you loved fruity drinks, so I poured it into your water bottle. And he said it would make you feel sleepy and not sing as much. I didn't know it would hurt your voice! I swear I didn't!"

Seo-woo's heart sank. He exchanged a glance with the doctor, whose face mirrored his shock.

Seo-jun, on the other hand, couldn't hold back his emotions. "Why would you do that to my dad?! Has he ever been mean to you? Did he do something bad to your uncle?!"

Ha-neul shook his head vigorously. "No! He never did anything bad. I was just... I just wanted my uncle to spend more time with me. I didn't think it would hurt him like that!"

Seo-jun wanted to be angry, his tiny fists trembling at his sides, but when he saw Ha-neul's tear-streaked face, his anger started to dissipate. Instead, he crossed his arms and pouted. "You shouldn't mess with people like that, even if you're upset."

Seo-woo gently placed a hand on Seo-jun's shoulder. "Seo-jun, it's okay."

"But, Dad—"

Seo-woo shook his head, then turned back to Ha-neul. "Ha-neul, I'm not angry with you. You were just a little boy who didn't understand what could happen. But next time, if you're upset about something, you should talk to someone about it instead of doing what a stranger tells you to do. Okay?"

Ha-neul nodded hesitantly, his lips trembling. "I'm really, really sorry..."

Seo-woo pulled the boy into a gentle hug, patting his back. "I forgive you. Just promise me you won't let strangers tell you what to do ever again, alright?"

Ha-neul sniffled and nodded. Seo-jun, though still pouting, seemed to relax a little at his father's calm reaction.

The doctor, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke. "Ryu Seo-woo... I take back what I thought about you. You're... a much better person than I gave you credit for."

Seo-woo gave a small smile but said nothing, his attention still focused on Ha-neul. Deep down, he knew this revelation would lead to more questions—questions about the mysterious man who gave Ha-neul the powder and what his true intentions were.

Seo-woo stared at Ha-neul, still processing the shocking revelation. "Ha-neul," he asked gently, "who is your uncle?"

Ha-neul hesitated for a moment, then replied in a small voice, "My uncle's name is... Moon Woo-seok."

Seo-woo froze. The name hit him like a bolt of lightning. He couldn't believe it—Moon Woo-seok, the CEO of Starlight Entertainment and his former boss, was Ha-neul's uncle.

His mind raced. What are the chances of this happening? Slowly, he pulled out his phone, his hands slightly trembling. He scrolled through his contacts until he found a number he hadn't used ever since he joined to his company: Moon Woo-seok.

Seo-woo had never called or messaged the CEO before. The number had been given to him during his early days at Starlight Entertainment, labeled as an "emergency contact." For a moment, he hesitated, but then he thought about Ha-neul, who was staring up at him with wide, hopeful eyes.

Taking a deep breath, Seo-woo pressed the call button.

The phone rang several times, each ring making Seo-woo more anxious. Finally, the call connected.

"Who is this?" a deep, irritated voice answered.

Seo-woo cleared his throat. "It's me... Ryu Seo-woo."

There was a pause on the other end, then a sharp intake of breath. "Ryu Seo-woo?" Woo-seok's tone was a mix of surprise and suspicion. "What do you want? Why are you calling me? Are you begging me to give you another chance to enter to my company? If you do, I'm too busy and I have an emergency right now!"

Seo-woo ignored the edge in his voice. "Listen, I'm not calling for myself. I have a little boy here named Ha-neul. He said you're his uncle."

"What?" Woo-seok's tone immediately shifted, now laced with urgency. "Ha-neul? Are you sure it's him? Where is he? Is he okay? We have been looking for him for hours."

Seo-woo glanced at Ha-neul, who was sitting quietly on the infirmary bed. "He's safe. I found him outside the kindergarten. He said he got lost after wandering off. He's fine now, but you should come and get him."

"I'm on my way," Woo-seok said without hesitation. "Which kindergarten?"

Seo-woo quickly gave him the details.

"Keep him safe until I get there," Woo-seok added, his voice firm. "And... thank you."

The call ended abruptly. Seo-woo stared at his phone for a moment, his thoughts swirling.

He turned to Ha-neul and smiled reassuringly. "Your uncle is on his way. Don't worry, you'll see him soon."

Ha-neul's face lit up with relief, but Seo-woo couldn't shake the unease settling in his chest. The unexpected connection between him and Woo-seok brought back memories he had tried to bury. Still, he pushed those thoughts aside. Right now, Ha-neul's safety was the priority.

Seo-jun tugged at his father's sleeve, looking up at him with curiosity. "Dad, do you know Ha-neul's uncle?"

Seo-woo gave a small, reluctant nod. "Yes, I know him. He used to be my boss."

Seo-jun's eyes widened. "Really? Is he a good person?"

Seo-woo hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "He's... a complicated person."

Seo-jun tilted his head, sensing there was more to the story but deciding not to press further. Instead, he held his father's hand tightly, as if to offer silent support.

The three of them—Seo-woo, Seo-jun, and Ha-neul—waited together in the infirmary for the arrival of Moon Woo-seok.