Chapter 4: Planning Time

Before going to the company, he dyed his bleached blonde hair back to black to appear more presentable and professional.

Seo-woo walked into the company building, the heavy weight of his decision settling in his chest. He had made up his mind. Today was the day he would terminate his contract with his agent and leave the entertainment world behind. The hustle and bustle of the offices around him felt distant, as though he was walking through a fog. As he passed by the bustling training rooms, a few of his colleagues sneered at him from the hallway.

"Hey, Seo-woo," one of them jeered, a smug grin on his face.

"Still can't sing, huh? Guess that's why you're quitting. Wouldn't want to embarrass yourself any longer." Another one snickered in agreement.

"Yeah, why stick around when you've got nothing to offer? You're just dead weight, dude."

Seo-woo kept his head down, the words stinging more than they should. It wasn't just their ridicule—it was a constant reminder of the inferiority complex he carried around every day, knowing that someone like Jin Yu-jin, who once struggled in the shadow of the original Seo-woo, had now surpassed him. Back then, all the resources had gone to Seo-woo, leaving Yu-jin with nothing but scraps. And now, the tables had turned, and Seo-woo was the one being shoved aside.

As he trudged through the hallway, about to enter his agent's office to sign the termination papers, a sudden voice echoed through the hallway.

"Enough!"

Seo-woo froze, his heart skipping a beat. It was Yu-jin. The A-list singer, the one who had once been Seo-woo's rival, was now standing before the group of colleagues, glaring at them with cold eyes.

"Stop bullying him," Yu-jin ordered, his voice sharp and authoritative.

"Seo-woo may not be the most talented, but that doesn't give you the right to mock him."

Seo-woo blinked, taken aback. Yu-jin was always the image of the perfect idol—polite, graceful, always in control. But there was something off about him now. His tone felt rehearsed, the sharpness of his words almost exaggerated. It was as though he was performing, putting on an act. The facade of a "white lotus" seemed too perfect to be real, and Seo-woo couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

Before he could process what was happening, Yu-jin turned and gave Seo-woo a brief nod.

"Don't listen to them," he said softly, his voice lowering.

"You have your own path. Just... don't give up."

Seo-woo felt his chest tighten. Was this pity? Or something else? He couldn't tell. But there was no time to dwell on it—he had made his decision. Without another word, he entered his agent's office and signed the termination papers. The weight he had carried for so long was finally lifted, though it left him with an uncomfortable emptiness.

With one last glance at the company building, Seo-woo made his way home. But just as he was about to turn the corner, he caught a glimpse of someone—someone tall, wearing an expensive suit, entering the building. The CEO. Woo-seok.

Instinctively, Seo-woo ducked behind the large potted plant near the entrance, trying to stay out of sight. But he was too late. Woo-seok had already spotted him, and though he didn't acknowledge it at first, Seo-woo could feel the weight of his gaze. The tension was unbearable, and Seo-woo couldn't help but wonder if his past actions were about to catch up to him.

Before he could react, Woo-seok turned and walked inside, leaving Seo-woo standing alone, his heart racing.

Later that afternoon, Seo-woo stood in front of his rental house, staring at the door. He had no time to waste. His triplets were waiting inside, and he had to figure out a way to provide for them now that his career was over. The kind, warm Auntie Song had been a godsend, always looking after the triplets when Seo-woo was away. He couldn't help but feel grateful to her.

Seo-woo stepped through the door of his modest apartment, his heart lightened only slightly by the termination of his contract. The triplets were already there, sitting at the small kitchen table, looking anxious. Their eyes immediately locked onto him, waiting for some kind of explanation.

Auntie Song, who had been preparing a warm meal for them, noticed Seo-woo's return and smiled at him warmly.

"Seo-woo, it's good to see you home early." Her voice was soothing, the comfort he needed after the stress of the day.

He walked over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Thank you so much, Auntie. For always helping me with the kids." His words were sincere, full of gratitude for all the support she'd given him. She had practically been a second mother to the triplets.

Auntie Song's smile widened, and she waved him off.

"It's nothing, Seo-woo. You're a good father. I'm just happy to help."

His gaze then moved to the triplets. They were seated at the table, and his eldest son, Seo-jun, glared at him with a hint of frustration. The boy was normally so serious, but now there was an unusual sharpness to his eyes.

"Dad," Seo-jun began, his voice a mix of concern and reprimand, "you promised you wouldn't leave us. You said you'd always be here."

Seo-woo's heart sank.

"I'm sorry, Seo-jun. I didn't mean to break my promise. But... I went outside to make an important decision. I've left my company. I'm free now, and I have plenty of time to take care of you three."

The words seemed to hit Seo-jun harder than he expected. His face softened, but the weight of the situation was still apparent. Still, he nodded, albeit reluctantly. "I'm glad you're home... but don't leave us again, okay?"

Before Seo-woo could respond, Seo-min and Seo-jin rushed up to him. The younger ones, always affectionate, wrapped their arms around his waist. Seo-woo couldn't help but smile, his heart swelling with love for his children.

"Dad, we missed you!" Seo-min exclaimed, looking up at him with wide, trusting eyes.

Seo-jin, who was a little quieter, hugged his father tightly. "We're happy you're back."

Seo-woo hugged them back, his eyes moistening. "I missed you too, my loves."

Seo-jun stood a few steps back, still hesitant. But then, after a few moments of silence, he took a deep breath and stepped forward. He wrapped his arms around Seo-woo, his cheeks and ears flushed red. "Don't break your promises again," he muttered under his breath, his voice muffled against his father's chest.

Seo-woo chuckled softly, ruffling his eldest son's hair. "I won't, Seo-jun. I promise."

Auntie Song, seeing the family reunite, smiled contentedly from the kitchen. "You're a good father, Seo-woo. I'm sure things will work out."

After a while, Auntie Song excused herself and left, leaving the family to settle into their new reality. The triplets gathered around the table with eager faces, ready to discuss their plans. Seo-woo knew he had to make sure they didn't worry too much about the future.

The three children, who were incredibly smart for their age, quickly began brainstorming ideas to earn money. Seo-jin, the youngest, looked up first.

"I could help with math tutoring. I'm really good at it."

Seo-min, the middle child, followed up. "We could sell my artwork," he suggested shyly, a hint of excitement in his voice. "I've been drawing a lot lately."

Seo-woo looked at them with concern. He didn't want them to feel like they had to take on too much responsibility. "I don't want to make you do anything that'll stress you out," he said gently, wanting to protect them from the burden of his own situation.

"I'll figure something out. You don't need to worry."

But the triplets wouldn't hear it. Seo-jun, who had been quiet until now, leaned forward with determination in his eyes.

"We're a family, Dad. We do things together. You don't have to do it all alone."

"Yeah," Seo-min added. "We're in this together. We can help!"

Seo-woo's heart ached as he looked at their faces. He realized there was no way they were going to let him take on everything himself. And for that, he was grateful, though he was still hesitant.

After a few moments of silence, Seo-jun suggested an idea.

"What if you played the guitar in the park? You can play, and we can help you with everything else."

Seo-woo raised an eyebrow. "But... I can't sing. What good is that if I can't sing with it?"

"That's okay," Seo-jun replied, a small smile creeping onto his face. "You don't have to sing. We can be there to help you. People will still like the music. We can help with everything else, like setting up or asking people if they want to hear you play."

Seo-woo hesitated but nodded slowly. He didn't want to let them down. "Alright. But you'll be right there with me, supporting me, okay?"

The triplets cheered in unison. "Yes, Dad! We'll be there!"

Seo-woo smiled at them, his heart full. He was starting to see that maybe—just maybe—he wasn't alone in this after all. They were a family, and they would find a way to make it work together.

And so, the plan was set. The next morning, Seo-woo gathered his guitar, and the triplets bundled up, ready to take on the world. They may not have had much, but they had each other—and that was all they needed to get started.