Chapter 27: CEO Moon Finally Saw Him

After Seo-woo and the triplets finished a hearty breakfast, they moved on to the final preparation for the big day—the dress rehearsal. It was a mix of excitement and anticipation in the air as the triplets practiced their skits and their sing-and-dance number. Seo-woo was already in full costume, ready to support his children as they rehearsed for their talent show.

"Okay, everyone, are we ready?" Seo-jun asked, scanning his siblings for any sign of hesitation.

Seo-min bounced on his shoes, the excitement was almost tangible in his body language. "I'm ready! It's going to be awesome! Everyone will love it!"

Seo-jin nodded, his small hands clasped together as he beamed at his father. "We'll make it the best performance ever!"

Seo-woo smiled at his children's confidence, nodding at each of them. "Let's make it memorable, kids."

They gathered together in the living room, lined up for their performance. Seo-woo took his place beside them, and the music started. It was a fun and catchy song, one that Seo-woo had helped remix with his flair to make it extra special for the triplets. The lyrics echoed in the room as they sang and danced with joy:

🎶 "We're a family, strong and bright,

Through every challenge, we will fight,

With a smile and a song, we belong,

We will shine, we will rise, all day long!" 🎶

Their voices blended perfectly, and their synchronized dance moves had them laughing as they perfected each step. Seo-woo couldn't help but join in, demonstrating the moves with a little extra flair. His children laughed and clapped, appreciating the fun and lightheartedness of the rehearsal.

By the time they finished, Seo-jun looked around at his siblings, nodding in approval. "We're ready. I'm sure everyone will be amazed."

Seo-min and Seo-jin clapped excitedly, their energy bubbling over. "It's going to be a blast! Everyone will love it! Especially with Dad's awesome moves!" Seo-min giggled.

Seo-woo chuckled, giving each of his children a quick hug. "You all did great. Now, let's get some lunch. You must be starving after all that practice."

He headed to the kitchen and began preparing a delicious, homemade Korean meal—a perfect comfort food spread. He placed the dishes carefully on the table: kimchi, bibimbap, japchae, and a side of crispy fried chicken. The aroma filled the room, making the triplets' stomachs growl in anticipation.

When the food was ready, the triplets eagerly sat down, their eyes lighting up at the sight of their father's cooking. "Dad's cooking is the best!" Seo-min cheered.

"Thank you, Dad!" Seo-jin said between bites, his face practically glowing with happiness.

Seo-woo smiled warmly as he joined them at the table, savoring his meal while listening to his children chatter about how great their performance was going to be later. But just as they were all enjoying their lunch, there was a knock at the door.

Seo-woo stood up, wiping his hands on a napkin before walking over to open it. As soon as the door swung open, he furrowed his brow in surprise. Standing in front of him was Ye-joon, holding a cake in his hands, grinning from ear to ear.

Ye-joon burst out laughing when he saw Seo-woo still wearing the fairy headdress from their rehearsal. "I didn't expect this look, Seo-woo. But it's... cute, I guess?"

Seo-woo crossed his arms and gave Ye-joon an unamused look. "What are you doing here, Ye-joon?"

"Actually," Ye-joon said with a sheepish smile, "I brought this cake for the little ones. I wanted to say goodbye. I'm leaving today. She agreed to check on my grandfather. So, I won't be around here anymore."

Seo-woo raised an eyebrow. "That's great news for your grandfather. You must be relieved."

"Well, yeah, but why do I feel that you are happy about my departure," Ye-joon nodded, "but, anyway, I really wanted to drop by and see the kids before I leave."

Seo-woo didn't know whether to roll his eyes or let out a sigh. "I see. Well, that's nice of you. But I don't need a cake, Ye-joon," he said, his voice colder than before. "What's with you always showing up uninvited?"

The tension hung thick in the air, and Seo-woo could feel his patience wearing thin. But Ye-joon just smiled, undeterred by the cold reception. "I just thought it would be a nice gesture," he said, his voice cheerful but with an undertone that Seo-woo couldn't quite place.

But just as Ye-joon extended the cake to Seo-woo, he pulled it back. "This is actually for the kids, though, not yours. They should have it. You know, a little treat for their big performance today."

Seo-woo tried to keep his calm but failed. "I don't like cakes, so I'll take the cake for the kids, but that's all you're getting today. Don't expect me to entertain you."

Ye-joon seemed unfazed, his smile stretching wider. "No worries. I just wanted to do something nice for your little ones. They're going to shine today, I'm sure of it."

Seo-woo nodded stiffly, then opened the door wider to let Ye-joon in. However, his patience was running out. There was something about Ye-joon's presence today that rubbed him the wrong way.

As Ye-joon stepped inside, Seo-woo couldn't shake the feeling that this was more than just a simple goodbye. But for now, he pushed it aside, focusing on the preparations for the talent show. At least it would be a good distraction from whatever this was.

The triplets eagerly ran up to Ye-joon, excited about the cake. "Thank you, Uncle Ye-joon!" they cheered, their faces lighting up with gratitude.

Seo-woo watched them, his frustration momentarily forgotten. Still, the unease lingered. There was something unsettling about Ye-joon's visit today that he couldn't quite put his finger on. But as he returned to the kitchen to finish his preparations, he hoped it was nothing to worry about.

---

Auntie Song had just arrived at their house. Seo-woo talked to Auntie Song while his kids were preparing his things. "Auntie Song, I'll be heading out around 3:30 p.m. Hye-sung arranged a service car for me, so I'll get there without trouble." His voice was calm, but he made sure to remind her of his promise. "I'll go straight to the kindergarten after the performance. The kids are expecting me before the program starts."

There was a short pause before Auntie Song sighed. "Seo-woo... about that..." Her voice sounded heavy, almost hesitant.

Seo-woo furrowed his brows. "Auntie, is something wrong?"

Auntie Song exhaled softly. "I'll be gone for a few days. One of my relatives' illness has worsened, and I need to take care of them. This will be the last time I can help you for now."

Seo-woo was shocked, but he quickly forced a reassuring smile, "That's completely okay, Auntie. You've done more than enough for me and the kids. You should take care of your family, too."

Auntie Song hesitated. "But... I feel bad leaving you and your kids. However, I'm glad that I'll get to see you perform with them on stage before I go."

Without another word, Seo-woo walked over and pulled her into a warm embrace, "Auntie, I don't know what I would've done without you. From the moment I arrived here, through my pregnancy, and even now, you've always been there for me and my boys. We'll be okay, and we'll be waiting for you to come back."

Auntie Song smiled weakly and patted his back.. "You're such a good father, Seo-woo. Those boys are lucky to have you."

Just then, the sound of a car honking outside signaled the arrival of his service vehicle. Seo-woo pulled back and gave Auntie Song one last grateful nod before turning to his children.

"Alright, my little stars, I need you to be on your best behavior while I'm gone. Listen to Grandma Song, okay?"

The triplets looked up at him with round, innocent eyes. Seo-jun, the eldest, was the first to nod. "You'll be there before 6 p.m., right, Dad?"

Seo-woo crouched down to their level and ruffled his son's hair. "I promised, didn't I? I'll be there before your performance starts."

Seo-min and Seo-jin both held out their pinky fingers. "Promise!"

Seo-woo linked his pinky with both of theirs and sealed it with a kiss on their foreheads. "Promise."

After giving each of them one last hug, he turned and entered his service car. As the vehicle started moving, he watched through the window as his triplets waved at him, their tiny hands stretching as if they didn't want to let him go.

The journey to O&LBC Entertainment was mostly uneventful. Seo-woo stared out the window, lost in thought. The streets of Seoul were bustling with life, but his mind was focused only on two things—Lighthouse's first performance and getting back in time for his children's show.

When they arrived at the broadcasting site, Seo-woo was met with a sea of fans. They enthusiastically waved colorful banners with the names of their favorite K-pop idols, and lightsticks glowed in various colors, illuminating the crowd. The air buzzed with excitement as fans chatted eagerly, waiting for their idols to arrive.

Following the assistant who had driven him, Seo-woo kept his head down to avoid unnecessary attention. However, as they entered the underground parking lot, his steps slowed when he spotted two familiar figures standing near a sleek black car.

Moon Woo-seok and Choi Min-ho.

Seo-woo immediately tensed.

Woo-seok's expression was unreadable as he leaned against the vehicle, his arms crossed over his chest, while Min-ho seemed to be speaking with a serious look on his face. The atmosphere between them was tense, thick with something Seo-woo couldn't quite place.

Seo-woo knew better than to get involved, but for some reason, he couldn't look away.

What are they discussing?

Just as he was about to turn and continue walking, Woo-seok suddenly lifted his head and locked eyes with him.

Seo-woo's breath caught.

For a moment, everything else faded into the background—the chatter of fans outside, the distant hum of car engines, even the assistant's voice telling him to move along.

Moon Woo-seok was staring at him. And Seo-woo had the strangest feeling that, whatever was happening between Woo-seok and Min-ho, it was about to change things.

For better or for worse.

Choi Min-ho followed Moon Woo-seok's gaze and saw a familiar figure with tanned skin and freckles on his face.

Choi Min-ho suddenly waved his hand and called out, "Bi-yong, it's great to see you here."

Moon Woo-seok flinched when he heard the name.

But Seo-woo simply waved back and followed Hye-sung's assistant.

Seo-woo was cursing Choi Min-ho in his mind while walking, "That jerk..."